增温对鼎湖山混交林中4种优势树种生物量分配和养分积累的影响

为了解未来全球变暖对南亚热带森林生态系统物种组成的影响,在广东鼎湖山采用沿海拔梯度垂直移位的方法,研究了模拟增温对木荷(Schima superba)、红枝蒲桃(Syzygium rehderianum)、红锥(Castanopsis hystrix)和马尾松(Pinus massoniana)等4种优势树种的生物量分...     

Above- and Belowground Biomass Allocation in Shrub Biomes across the Northeast Tibetan Plateau

Biomass partitioning has been explored across various biomes. However, the strategies of allocation in plants still remain contentious. This study investigated allocation patterns of above- and belowground biomass at the community level, using biomass survey from the Tibetan Plateau. We explored above- and belowground biomass by conducting three consecutive sampling campaigns across shrub biomes on the northeast Tibetan Plateau during 2011–2013. We then documented the above-ground biomass (AGB), below-ground biomass (BGB) and root: shoot ratio (R/S) and the relationships between R/S and environment factors using data from 201 plots surveyed from 67 sites. We further examined relationships between above-ground and below-ground biomass across various shrub types. Our results indicated that the median values of AGB, BGB, and R/S in Tibetan shrub were 1102.55, 874.91 g m^-2, and 0.85, respectively. R/S showed significant trend with mean annual precipitation (MAP), while decreased with mean annual temperature (MAT). Reduced major axis analysis indicated that the slope of the log-log relationship between above- and belowground biomass revealed a significant difference from 1.0 over space, supporting the optimal hypothesis. Interestingly, the slopes of the allometric relationship between log AGB and log BGB differed significantly between alpine and desert shrub. Our findings supported the optimal theory of above- and belowground biomass partitioning in Tibetan shrub, while the isometric hypothesis for alpine shrub at the community level.     

Effects of Grazing on Above- vs. Below-Ground Biomass Allocation of Alpine Grasslands on the Northern Tibetan Plateau

Biomass allocation is an essential concept for understanding above- vs. below-ground functions and for predicting the dynamics of community structure and ecosystem service under ongoing climate change. There is rare available knowledge of grazing effects on biomass allocation in multiple zonal alpine grassland types along climatic gradients across the Northern Tibetan Plateau. We collected the peak above- and below-ground biomass (AGB and BGB) values at 106 pairs of well-matched grazed vs. fenced sites during summers of 2010–2013, of which 33 pairs were subject to meadow, 52 to steppe and 21 to desert-steppe. The aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) was represented by the peak AGB while the belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) was estimated from ANPP, the ratio of living vs. dead BGB, and the root turnover rate. Two-ways analyses of variance (ANOVA) and paired samples comparisons with t-test were applied to examine the effects of pasture managements (PMS, i.e., grazed vs. fenced) and zonal grassland types on both ANPP and BNPP. Allometric and isometric allocation hypotheses were also tested between logarithmically transformed ANPP and BNPP using standardized major axis (SMA) analyses across grazed, fenced and overall sites. In our study, a high community-dependency was observed to support the allometric biomass allocation hypothesis, in association with decreased ANPP and a decreasing-to-increasing BNPP proportions with increasing aridity across the Northern Tibetan Plateau. Grazing vs. fencing seemed to have a trivial effect on ANPP compared to the overwhelming influence of different zonal grassland types. Vegetation links above- and below-ground ecological functions through integrated meta-population adaptive strategies to the increasing severity of habitat conditions. Therefore, more detailed studies on functional diversity are essentially to achieve conservation and sustainability goals under ongoing climatic warming and intensifying human influences.     

青藏高原东缘禾叶风毛菊的繁殖分配与海拔的相关性

通过采样调查法和烘干称重法,对分布在青藏高原东缘不同海拔高度的禾叶风毛菊的繁殖分配的特征进行研究。结果表明：（1）随着海拔的升高,禾叶风毛菊的个体大小、营养器官生物量、繁殖器官生物量、个体管状小花数目、雄蕊质量均与海拔呈负相关关系（P<0.01）;繁殖分配、管状小花生物量、雌蕊质量均与海拔呈正相关关系（P<0.01）;（2）繁殖分配是依赖个体大小的,个体越大,繁殖分配越小（P<0.01）;（3）禾叶风毛菊个体管状小花的数目及重量（P<0.05）、雌雄蕊重量（P<0.05）之间存在权衡关系。由此推论：（1）海拔作为外界因子对禾叶风毛菊花期各生物量及繁殖分配有显著的影响,但海拔并不是影响禾叶风毛菊繁殖分配唯一生态因子,植株个体大小也与其繁殖分配策略密切相关;（2）禾叶风毛菊的垂直分布的特征很有可能就是海拔通过影响植株个体大小变化来完成的。     

增温对窄叶鲜卑花高寒灌丛生物量碳和氮分配的影响

文章以青藏高原东部窄叶鲜卑花灌丛为研究对象,采用开顶式生长室(OTCs)模拟增温实验(+1.2℃),分析增温对灌木层和草本层各器官碳、氮分配的影响及其影响因素,以揭示青藏高原东部高寒灌丛灌木层和草本层碳、氮分配对增温的响应策略。结果显示:(1)增温使窄叶鲜卑花灌木层叶、粗根、细根碳库显著增加18.8%、7.7%和139.4%,使灌木层细根氮库显著增加153.9%;增温使草本层地上和地下部分碳库显著增加60.4%和130.5%,使草本层地上和地下部分氮库显著增加46.1%和124.0%。(2)增温使灌木层茎和粗根碳分配比例显著降低18.9%和16.2%,使灌木层叶、茎和粗根氮分配比例显著降低25.2%、23.3%和14.4%,使灌木层细根碳、氮分配比例显著增加86.5%和96.2%;增温使草本层地上部分碳、氮分配比例显著降低19.5%和18.9%,使草本层地下部分碳、氮分配比例显著增加15.6%和24.8%。(3)Pearson相关分析和多元线性回归分析结果表明,空气温度和土壤微生物生物量是影响灌木层地上碳、氮分配的主要因子,能解释其变异的72.0%以上;土壤温度、土壤有机碳含量和土壤脲酶活性是影响灌木层地下碳、氮分配的主要因子,能解释其变异的92.0%以上;土壤有机碳含量、土壤转化酶和脲酶活性是影响草本层地上和地下碳、氮分配的主要因子,能解释其变异的92.8%以上。(4)土壤氮素有效性对灌木层和草本层生物量碳、氮分配的影响不显著。研究表明,气候变暖情景下,青藏高原东部窄叶鲜卑花高寒灌丛的灌木层和草本层植物通过提高地下部分碳、氮分配,进而更好地适应外界环境温度的提高。     

Effects of Revegetation on Soil Microbial Biomass,Enzyme Activities,and Nutrient Cycling on the Loess Plateau in China

Revegetation is a traditional practice widely used for soil and water conservation on the Loess Plateau in China. However, there has been a lack of reports on soil microbial–biochemical indices required for a comprehensive evaluation of the success of revegetation systems. In this study, we examined the effects of revegetation on major soil nutrients and microbial–biochemical properties in an artificial alfalfa grassland, an enclosed natural grassland, and an artificial shrubland (Caragana korshinskii), with an abandoned cropland as control. Results showed that at 0–5, 5–20, and 20–40 cm depths, soil organic carbon, alkaline extractable nitrogen and available potassium were higher in natural grassland and artificial shrubland compared with artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. Soil microbial biomass C (Cmic) and phosphorous (Pmic) substantially decreased with depth at all sites, and in abandoned cropland was significantly lower than those of natural grassland, artificial grassland, and artificial shrubland at the depth of 0–5 cm. Soil microbial biomass N (Nmic) was higher in artificial shrubland and abandoned cropland compared with that in natural and artificial grasslands. Both Cmic and Pmic were significantly different between the 23‐year‐old and the 13‐year‐old artificial shrublands at the 0–5 cm depth. The activities of soil invertase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase in natural grassland and artificial shrubland were higher than those in artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. This study demonstrated that the regeneration of both natural grassland and artificial shrubland effectively preserved and enhanced soil microbial biomass and major nutrient cycling, thus is an ecologically beneficial practice for recovery of degraded soils on the Loess Plateau.     

Effects of Warming and Nitrogen Addition on Plant Photosynthate Partitioning in an Alpine Meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Quantifying plant carbon (C) allocation among different pools is critical for understanding and predicting how C turnover responds to global climate change in terrestrial ecosystems. A field experiment with increasing warming and nitrogen (N) was established to investigate interactive effects on plant C allocation in alpine meadows. Open-top chambers (OTCs) were used to simulate warming. In OTCs, daytime air and soil temperature at 5 cm depth increased by 2.0 and 1.6 °C, respectively, compared with ambient conditions, but soil moisture at 5 cm depth decreased by 4.95% (v/v) from 2012 to 2014. Warming reduced aboveground biomass by 38, 36, and 43% in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively, and increased belowground biomass by 64% and 29% in 2013 and 2014, respectively, and the root-to-shoot ratio was significantly increased. Specifically, warming increased the proportion of plant roots in the deep layers (10–20 cm). Both N addition and its combination with warming substantially enhanced belowground biomass. Pulse-labeling experiments for ¹³C revealed that warming reduced the translocation of assimilated C to shoots by 8.8% (38.7% in warming, and 47.5% in the control [CK]), and increased the allocation to root by 12.2% (55.5% in warming, and 43.3% in CK) after 28 days labeling. However, N addition increased the proportion of assimilated C allocated to shoots by 6.5% (54.0% in N addition, and 47.5% in CK), whereas warming combined with N addition reduced this proportion by 10.9%. A decline in soil water content in the surface layer may be the main cause of plants allocating more newly fixed photosynthate to roots. Therefore, plants promoted root growth to draw water from deeper soil layers (10–20 cm). We concluded that climate warming will change the allocation patterns of plant photosynthates by affecting soil water availability, whereas N addition will increase plant photosynthates aboveground in alpine meadows and thus will significantly affect C turnover under future climate change scenarios.

     

峨眉山冷杉种群研究

依据 5 1个 2 0 m× 2 0 m冷杉乔木层样方和 1 0 2个 4 m× 4 m灌木层样方有关冷杉种群的调查资料和典型区域内冷杉种群的年龄和生长指标的测定 ,对峨眉山冷杉种群配置、重要参数、更新与生长状况进行了研究 ,揭示了当地冷杉种群及其所组成的森林的现状与演替趋势。指出 ,峨眉山冷杉种群的径级配置与海拔高度为主导的环境要素变化相关 ,2 80 0 m以下的冷杉种群缺乏胸径 5～ 2 0 cm的小径个体 ;尤其是在“混交”状的冷杉林下株高小于 5 m的幼龄个体稀少且其年龄与应有的生长量相差甚远 ,由此作者认为该海拔段以下的冷杉种群正面临衰退 ,其构成的冷杉森林正处于退化演替的过程之中 ,并有可能在今后 5 0 a或许更短的时间内显现严重后果。同时 ,本研究表明冷杉主要通过林窗和林缘更新。通过对冷杉 -箭竹 -泥炭藓森林群落中冷杉种群状况的研究 ,阐述了冷杉种群在特定的逆境条件下生殖策略由 K选择向 r选择方向的转化趋势 ,讨论了冷杉种群在泥炭藓发育的局部沼泽化的环境中得以生存的机制 ;本文还就冷杉种群在林内自然更新和迹地更新条件下的胸径生长规律作了比较研究 ,说明密度制约机制对冷杉种群更新具有重要作用 ;并就更新情况相对较好的冷杉 -箭竹 +金顶杜鹃 -草类林、冷杉 -箭竹 -藓类林和冷杉 -峨眉玉山     

增温及隔离降水对杉木幼树细根生物量、形态及养分特征的影响

为揭示全球变暖和降水格局改变对我国中亚热带地区森林生态系统地下生态过程的影响,在福建三明森林生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站内开展杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)幼树土壤增温和隔离降水双因子试验,研究增温和隔离降水在夏季对杉木幼树细根生物量、形态及养分特征的影响。结果表明,增温(+5℃,W)、隔离降水(–50%,P)和增温+隔离降水(WP)处理的细根总生物量分别比对照(CT)显著降低35.7%、51.7%和59.1%,P和WP处理的细根总生物量分别比W处理显著降低24.9%和36.4%;W、P和WP处理的0~1 mm细根比根长(specific root length,SRL)比对照均显著增加,而0~1和1~2 mm细根比表面积(specific root area,SRA)均无显著变化;与对照相比,W处理的细根N含量、C/N和δ¹⁵N均无显著变化,P处理的细根N含量和C/N分别显著增加和下降,WP处理的细根N含量和δ¹⁵N显著增加,而C/N显著降低。因此,未来在全球变暖和降水减少的双重环境胁迫下,调整表层细根形态特征可能不是杉木幼树的主要应对策略;而相较于温度升高,降水减少可能是影响杉木幼树细根生物量及表层化学元素分配的主要环境因子。     

Interactive Effects of Elevated CO2, Drought, and Warming on Plants

Adverse climate change attributed to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (CO₂) and increased temperature components of global warming has been a central issue affecting economic and social development. Climate change, particularly global warming, imposes a severe impact on the terrestrial ecosystem. Elevated CO₂, drought, and high temperature have been extensively documented individually; however, relatively little is known about how plants respond to the interaction of these factors. To summarize current knowledge on the response of plants to global change factors, we focus on the interactive effects of CO₂ enrichment, warming, and drought on plant growth, carbon allocation, and photosynthesis. Stimulation due to elevated CO₂ might be suppressed under other negative climatic/environmental stresses such as drought, high temperature, and their combination. However, elevated CO₂ could alleviate deleterious effects of moderate drought via reducing stomatal conductance, altering leaf surface, and regulating gene expression. High CO₂ levels and rising temperatures may result in opposite responses in plant water use efficiency. Stimulation of plant growth due to elevated CO₂ for C₃ species occurs regardless of water conditions, but only under a water deficit for C₄ species. The positive effect of elevated CO₂ on C₄ species is derived mainly from the improved water status. Plant adaptive or maladaptive responses to multivariate environments are interactive; thus, researchers need to explore the ecological underpinnings involved in such responses to the multiple factors involved in climate change.     

峨眉山冷杉衰亡原因的初步研究

本文是对峨眉山冷杉衰亡原因的多学科综合考察结果,研究结果表明,峨眉山冷杉衰亡与毁灭性病虫害以及土壤、植物中Al的含量没有明显相关,但与沼泽化程度关系极为密切。峨眉山金顶附近的酸性降水,促进了泥炭藓的生长和沼泽的发展。     

干旱胁迫对不同基质网袋桢楠幼苗生长及生物量的影响

探讨不同育苗基质下桢楠（Phoebe zhennan）苗木对周期性干旱胁迫的适应能力及生存对策,为筛选抗旱育苗基质提供参考。以耕作土、森林腐殖土、泥炭土、蛭石为原料,按体积比配制成5种育苗基质,T1：耕作土=10（传统桢楠育苗）、T2：森林腐殖土=10、T3：耕作土：森林腐殖土：泥炭土：蛭石=4：3：2：1、T4：耕作土：森林腐殖土：泥炭土：蛭石=3：2：4：1、T5：耕作土：森林腐殖土：泥炭土：蛭石=2：1：6：1,采用随机区组设置干旱胁迫梯度,分析不同胁迫水平对桢楠幼苗生长的影响。结果表明：（1）配比基质的理化性质与苗木生长密切相关,正常浇水时,基质处理苗生长质量均优于传统育苗,但重度胁迫下,仅T3、T4处理苗木生长较好;（2）随着干旱胁迫程度的增加,各基质配比桢楠苗木株高、基径、叶面积、叶面积指数、地上生物量、地下生物量等生长指标均受到抑制,但受影响程度存在差异;（3）各基质处理苗木质量隶属函数值T3 > T4=T1 > T2 > T5,T3基质配比最优,所育苗木生长优良,耐旱抗旱性强,显著提高造林成效。表明适宜的基质配比能够协调植物生长所需的水、肥、气、热,有利于植物在逆境中生存。     

峨眉山冷杉森林群落研究

依据 5 1个 40 0 m2乔木层和 1 0 2个 1 6m2灌木层、草本层与地被层样方调查资料 ,分析了峨嵋山冷杉森林的林型、环境、植物地理成分、群落结构和乔、灌层植被数量特征。结果表明 :当地冷杉森林分布区内生境多样 ;植物区系复杂 ,有一定的热性地理成分入侵和残遗性 ;各层次水平盖度具有精巧的消长关系 ,垂直结构在亚层水平上的发育与海拔和“混交”程度有关 ;冷杉在乔木层占绝对优势 ,但由于其种群衰退 ,冷杉所构成的森林有退化演替的趋势 ;灌木层的优势植物以竹类为主 ,亚优势种的变化多样。生物地史、生境和植物区系的种种特点 ,共同决定了当地冷杉林型的多样性及其某些少见的种群组合式样。     

Effects of Warming, Summer Drought, and CO2 Enrichment on Aboveground Biomass Production, Flowering Phenology, and Community Structure in an Upland Grassland Ecosystem

Future climate scenarios predict simultaneous changes in environmental conditions, but the impacts of multiple climate change drivers on ecosystem structure and function remain unclear. We used a novel experimental approach to examine the responses of an upland grassland ecosystem to the 2080 climate scenario predicted for the study area (3.5°C temperature increase, 20% reduction in summer precipitation, atmospheric CO₂ levels of 600 ppm) over three growing seasons. We also assessed whether patterns of grassland response to a combination of climate change treatments could be forecast by ecosystem responses to single climate change drivers. Effects of climate change on aboveground production showed considerable seasonal and interannual variation; April biomass increased in response to both warming and the simultaneous application of warming, summer drought, and CO₂ enrichment, whereas October biomass responses were either non-significant or negative depending on the year. Negative impacts of summer drought on production were only observed in combination with a below-average rainfall regime, and showed lagged effects on spring biomass. Elevated CO₂ had no significant effect on aboveground biomass during this study. Both warming and the 2080 climate change scenario were associated with a significant advance in flowering time for the dominant grass species studied. However, flowering phenology showed no significant response to either summer drought or elevated CO₂. Species diversity and equitability showed no response to climate change treatments throughout this study. Overall, our data suggest that single-factor warming experiments may provide valuable information for projections of future ecosystem changes in cool temperate grasslands.     

气候变暖对青藏高原牧草营养含量及其体外消化率影响模拟研究

全球气候变暖,气温上升的趋势逐步被众人接受,而青藏高原这一独特地理单元的生态系统对气候变暖十分敏感.为更好地了解气候变暖对青藏高原牧草品质的影响,利用大板山北坡3 200～3 800 m的海拔梯度,以温度为主要影响因子,用海拔高度不同造成的温差模拟全球变暖带来的升温效应,研究气候变暖对青藏高原牧草营养含量及其体外消化率的影响.针对羊茅(Festuca ovina)、早熟禾(Poa annua)、草(Koeleria cristata)、矮嵩草(Kobresia humilis)和黑褐苔草 (Carex alrofusca) 5种生长在不同海拔梯度的高原牧草中酸性洗涤纤维(ADF)、木质素(ADL)、粗蛋白(CP)、粗脂肪(EE)、无氮浸出物(NFE)、灰分等营养含量及其经绵羊瘤胃液培养后的体外消化率差异,经过1999和2000年两年的测定分析,结果表明:随着温度升高,牧草CP、EE和NFE的百分含量都呈现降低的趋势;牧草ADF和ADL百分含量与温度存在正相关关系,随着温度升高牧草ADF、ADL百分含量都呈增加的趋势;牧草体外消化率与牧草生长的环境温度存在负相关关联,随着温度升高牧草体外消化率呈降低趋势.模拟研究表明,就温度这一重要环境因素而言,未来气候变暖尤其是夜间温度的升高引起青藏高原牧草营养品质的变化,牧草CP、EE、NFE含量的降低,中性洗涤纤维(NDF)、ADL含量的增加,牧草消化率降低,从而不利于反刍动物对牧草的消化利用.     

Effects of Warming on Chlorophyll Degradation and Carbohydrate Accumulation of Alpine Herbaceous Species during Plant Senescence on the Tibetan Plateau

Plant senescence is a critical life history process accompanied by chlorophyll degradation and has large implications for nutrient resorption and carbohydrate storage. Although photoperiod governs much of seasonal leaf senescence in many plant species, temperature has also been shown to modulate this process. Therefore, we hypothesized that climate warming would significantly impact the length of the plant growing season and ultimate productivity. To test this assumption, we measured the effects of simulated autumn climate warming paradigms on four native herbaceous species that represent distinct life forms of alpine meadow plants on the Tibetan Plateau. Conditions were simulated in open-top chambers (OTCs) and the effects on the degradation of chlorophyll, nitrogen (N) concentration in leaves and culms, total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) in roots, growth and phenology were assessed during one year following treatment. The results showed that climate warming in autumn changed the senescence process only for perennials by slowing chlorophyll degradation at the beginning of senescence and accelerating it in the following phases. Warming also increased root TNC storage as a result of higher N concentrations retained in leaves; however, this effect was species dependent and did not alter the growing and flowering phenology in the following seasons. Our results indicated that autumn warming increases carbohydrate accumulation, not only by enhancing activities of photosynthetic enzymes (a mechanism proposed in previous studies), but also by affecting chlorophyll degradation and preferential allocation of resources to different plant compartments. The different responses to warming can be explained by inherently different growth and phenology patterns observed among the studied species. The results implied that warming leads to changes in the competitive balance among life forms, an effect that can subsequently shift vegetation distribution and species composition in communities.     

气候变暖对青藏高原牧草营养含量及其体外消化率影响模拟研究

全球气候变暖,气温上升的趋势逐步被众人接受,而青藏高原这一独特地理单元的生态系统对气候变暖十分敏感。为更好地了解气候变暖对青藏高原牧草品质的影响,利用大板山北坡3200－3800m的海拔梯度,以温度为主要影响因子,用海拔高度不同造成的温差模拟全球变暖带来的升温效应,研究气候变暖对青藏高原牧草营养含量及其体外消化率的影响。针对羊茅（Festuca ovina),早熟禾（Poa annua),草（Keleria cristata),矮嵩草（Kobresia humilis）和黑褐苔草（Carex alrofusca)5种生长在不同海拔梯度的高原牧草中酸性洗涤纤维（ADF）,木质素（ADL）,粗1999和2000年两年的测定分析,结果表明：随着温度升高,牧草CP,EE和NFE的百分含量都呈现降低的趋势;牧草ADF和ADL百分含量与温度存在正相关关系,随着温度升高牧草ADF,ADL百分含量都呈增加的趋势。牧草体外消化率与牧草生长的环境温度存在负相关关联,随着温度高牧草体外消化率呈降低趋势。模拟研究表明,就温度这一重要因素而言,未来气候变暖尤其是夜间温度的升高引起青藏高原牧草营养品质的变化,牧草CP,EE,NFE含量的降低,中性洗涤纤维（NDF）,ADL含量的增加,牧草消化率降低,从而不利于反刍动物对牧草的消化利用。     

Genetic Architecture of Delayed Senescence,Biomass, and Grain Yield under Drought Stress in Cowpea

The stay-green phenomenon is a key plant trait with wide usage in managing crop production under limited water conditions. This trait enhances delayed senescence, biomass, and grain yield under drought stress. In this study we sought to identify QTLs in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) consistent across experiments conducted in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Senegal, and the United States of America under limited water conditions. A panel of 383 diverse cowpea accessions and a recombinant inbred line population (RIL) were SNP genotyped using an Illumina 1536 GoldenGate assay. Phenotypic data from thirteen experiments conducted across the four countries were used to identify SNP-trait associations based on linkage disequilibrium association mapping, with bi-parental QTL mapping as a complementary strategy. We identified seven loci, five of which exhibited evidence suggesting pleiotropic effects (stay-green) between delayed senescence, biomass, and grain yield. Further, we provide evidence suggesting the existence of positive pleiotropy in cowpea based on positively correlated mean phenotypic values (0.34< r <0.87) and allele effects (0.07< r <0.86) for delayed senescence and grain yield across three African environments. Three of the five putative stay-green QTLs, Dro-1, 3, and 7 were identified in both RILs and diverse germplasm with resolutions of 3.2 cM or less for each of the three loci, suggesting that these may be valuable targets for marker-assisted breeding in cowpea. Also, the co-location of early vegetative delayed senescence with biomass and grain yield QTLs suggests the possibility of using delayed senescence at the seedling stage as a rapid screening tool for post-flowering drought tolerance in cowpea breeding. BLAST analysis using EST sequences harboring SNPs with the highest associations provided a genomic context for loci identified in this study in closely related common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and soybean (Glycine max) reference genomes.