Mechanisms of resistance of Mediterranean annual communities to invasion by Conyza bonariensis: effects of native functional composition

Recent studies have shown that a high species or functional group richness may not always lead to a greater resistance of plant communities to invasion, whereas species and/or functional group composition can more reliably predict invasion resistance. The aim of this study was to understand the mechanisms through which functional group composition can influence the resistance of Mediterranean annual communities to invasion by the exotic Conyza bonariensis . To analyse the effects of functional composition on the performance of individuals introduced as seedlings we first examined the relationships between the demographic and vegetative parameters of C. bonariensis and the biomass achieved by each functional group (grasses, legumes and Asteraceae rosettes) in synthetic communities. As a further step to approach the mechanisms involved in community resistance to invasion, we included in the analyses measurements of functional variables taken within the synthetic communities.
In agreement with earlier results and theory suggesting that high nutrient availability can favour invasions, an abundant legume biomass in communities increased the final biomass and net fecundity of C. bonariensis , due to positive effects on soil nitrate concentration. Survival and establishment of C. bonariensis were mainly favoured by a high biomass of Asteraceae. Additional results from measurements of herbivory suggested that C. bonariensis survival wasn't related to abiotic conditions but may be owed to a protection against herbivores in plots with abundant Asteraceae . Establishment was on the other hand likely to be hindered by the effects of abundant grass and legume foliage on light quality, and therefore easier within an Asteraceae canopy.
We conclude that invasion of Mediterranean old fields by species with biologies similar to C. bonariensis could be limited by favouring communities dominated by annual grasses.     

也门与中国产香丝草挥发油的化学成分分析和比较

目的：分析也门与中国产香丝草挥发油的化学成分,比较两者差异。方法：采用水蒸气蒸馏法提取也门及中国产香丝草的挥发油,运用气相色谱-质谱联用法（GC—MS）对挥发油进行组分分析,将两者的成分差异进行了比较。结果：从也门产香丝草挥发油中鉴定了34个成分,相对含量最多的分别为醇类（47．77％）、烯类（29．15％）、酯类（9．64％）,主要为雪松烯醇（18．54％）和环氧化香橙烯（18．75％）;从中国产香丝草挥发油中鉴定了56个成分,以酯类（31．20％）、烯类（28．05％）、醇类（14-29％）等挥发性物质为主,包括异戊酸香叶酯（18．81％）、反式--佛手柑油烯（10．31％）。结论：也门与中国产香丝草挥发油的组成具有较大的差异,是两者香味迥异的物质基础,也是也门产香丝草制作香料、美食的科学依据;     

Invasion by Non-Native Annual Grasses: The Importance of Species Biomass, Composition, and Time Among California Native Grasses of the Central Valley

The Central Valley of California is noted for its dearth of remnant native grass populations and for low native grass seedling establishment within grasslands now dominated by non‐native annual species. In contrast, remnant populations are common along the coast, and studies have shown an ability for seedlings and adults to compete with non‐native annual grasses. The invasibility of well‐established populations of native grasses in the Central Valley remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to compare the invasibility of native grasses differing in density and species composition and, given the species in this study, to assess the ability of mixes with greater species richness to resist invasion relative to their abilities in monoculture. In the Sacramento Valley of California, six species of native grasses were planted at three densities in monospecific and mixed‐species plots. Percent cover of native perennial and non‐native annual grasses was measured in years 2 and 3, and biomass was sampled in year 5. Native grass biomass and, to a lesser extent, species composition were important in explaining variation in non‐native grass invasibility in the fifth year. Species‐rich treatments did not experience less invasion than would be expected by the proportional invasibility of each species in monoculture. However, invasibility of plots consisting of slower growing, shorter statured species decreased over time, suggesting a successional benefit to diverse communities. This study demonstrates that established stands of native grasses in the Sacramento Valley can resist invasion by non‐native annual grasses and that stand biomass is a particularly important factor in determining invasibility.     

植物群落的生物多样性及其可入侵性关系的实验研究

 生物入侵已经成为一个普遍性的环境问题,并为许多学者所关注。尽管一些理论研究和观察表明生物多样性丰富的群落不容易受到外来种的入侵,但后来有些实验研究并没能证实两者的负相关性,多样性 可入侵性假说仍然是入侵生态学领域争论比较多的一个焦点。人为构建不同物种多样性和物种功能群多样性（C3 禾本科植物、C4植物、非禾本科草本植物和豆科植物）梯度的小尺度群落,把其它影响可入侵性的外在因子和多样性效应隔离开来,研究入侵种喜旱莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)在不同群落里的入侵过程来验证多样性 可入侵性及其相关假说。研究结果显示,物种功能群丰富的群落可入侵程度较低,功能群数目相同而物种多样性不同的群落可入侵性没有显著性差异,功能群特征不同的群落也表现出可入侵性的差异,生活史周期短的单一物种群落和有着生物固氮功能的豆科植物群落可入侵程度较高,与喜旱莲子草属于同一功能群且有着相似生态位的土著种莲子草(A. sessilis)对入侵的抵抗力最强。实验结果表明,物种多样性和群落可入侵性并没有很显著的负相关,而是与物种特性基础上的物种功能群多样性呈负相关,群落中留给入侵种生态位的机会很可能是决定群落可入侵性的一个关键因子。     

Bioherbicidal potential of Xanthomonas campestris for controlling Conyza canadensis

The effects of environmental parameters on bioherbicidal activity of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, against glyphosate-resistant and – susceptible Conyza canadensis (horseweed), were studied under greenhouse conditions. Rosette leaf-stage plants were more susceptible than older plants, and increasing inoculum from 10⁵ to 10⁹ cells/mL caused significantly greater plant mortality and biomass reduction of plants in both the rosette and bolting growth stages. A dew period at 25°C was required to cause an 80% and 60% mortality of plants in the rosette and bolting growth stages, respectively. Results indicate that X. campestris can infect and kill horseweed, demonstrating its bioherbicidal potential.     

三种入侵植物浸提液对桃软腐病菌菌丝生长的抑制作用

用生长速率法测定三种入侵植物浸提液对桃软腐病菌菌丝生长的影响,结果显示:紫茉莉、小蓬草、香丝草浸提液对桃软腐病菌丝生长均具有抑制作用,抑制率随浸提液浓度的增加而增大,随培养时间的延长而降低。相同浓度下,小蓬草对菌丝生长的抑制作用最强,200 g.L-1的小蓬草浸提液培养72 h对菌丝的抑制率仍达58.95%。丙酮对菌丝生长无显著影响。     

Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E. H. Walker: A new record from Pakistan

Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E. H. Walker (Astereae: Asteraceae) has been recorded in Pakistan for the first time. The species is closely associated with C. bonariensis and C. canadensis. It differs from C. bonariensis in its smaller capitula with a small series of marginal and disc florets that lack a purplish-pink apex, but resembles it in disciform capitula. C. sumatrensis differs from C. canadensis in having five-lobed disc florets and lacking well-developed ray florets. The species is widely distributed in the Potohar region, particularly in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.     

Effects of biodiversity loss and disturbance on the survival and performance of two Ranunculus species with differing clonal architectures

Seedlings of Ranunculus repens and R. acris were transplanted into an array of experimental grasslands with differing plant species richness and number of functional groups. Half of the plots were also subjected to simulated horse trampling, to examine how the interrelationship between diversity and disturbance affected the survivorship, growth and biomass of the Ranunculus transplants. Survivorship increased with increasing initial size of individuals or decreasing species richness of the plots. Vegetative growth, reproduction and aboveground biomass were strongly enhanced in response to a log-linear loss of species richness and secondarily by a decline in the number of functional groups. Disturbance had no effect on performance of transplants with one exception, ramet formation of R. acris. which was enhanced under the trampling regime. Despite differences in clonal architecture, both Ranunculus species behaved similarly. Our results demonstrate the importance of species richness in controlling invasibility of grassland communities.     

Reproductive traits associated with invasiveness in Conyza sumatrensis

Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E. Walker, a member of Asteraceae, is a highly invasive species. However, its reproduction biology remains poorly known. To understand the role of reproductive traits in successful invasion of the species, we studied several traits of its reproductive system: the miniature capitulum and gynomonoecious sexual system, the biology and phenology of capitula and florets, pollen/ovule ratio, the mating system (selfcompatibility), flower visitors, physical traits and dispersal potential of achenes, germination potential of achenes from manually pollinated capitula, and the association of these traits with invasiveness. Our study showed that the reproductive traits of autonomous seed production, versatile mating system of self- and cross-pollination, and generalized pollination system might contribute to the species' successful invasive capability. The invasiveness was further enhanced by the high and rapid production of achenes, as well as the high percentage, rapid germination rate and high dispersal capability of achenes. It was concluded that in annual or winter-annual weeds, autonomous seed production contributed significantly to the invasiveness of the species.     

土壤不同浓度铜对小飞蓬毒害及耐受性研究

通过对高Cu污染区(Ⅰ)、低Cu污染区(Ⅱ)和非污染区(Ⅲ)小飞蓬盆栽实验及生理生化指标分析,结果表明,生态型Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ电导率均随着Cu浓度增加而增大,并且两者之间呈极显著正相关;叶绿素(a+b)含量随着Cu浓度增加呈极显著负相关;生态型Ⅰ的蛋白质和脯氨酸含量随着Cu浓度增加均先有所升高,然后又降低,而生态型Ⅱ、Ⅲ则一直呈现降低趋势.3种生态型小飞蓬体内SOD、POD、CAT酶活性在Cu胁迫下均有所提高,与对照相比,当Cu浓度为1200mg·kg^-1时,生态型Ⅰ的SOD、POD、CAT活性分别为194.1%、206.2%、1186%;Ⅱ的SOD、POD、CAT活性分别为170.1%、182.9%、1113%;Ⅲ的SOD、POD、CAT的活性分别为115.1%、155.4%、10.73%.对3种生态型小飞蓬的生理生化指标及酶活性分析表明,高Cu污染区小飞蓬的耐受性要强于低Cu污染区,两者又均强于非污染区小飞蓬,这3种生态型小飞蓬的耐受性呈现出了明显的种间差异.     

Plant diversity,herbivory and resistance of a plant community to invasion in Mediterranean annual communities

Several components of the diversity of plant communities, such as species richness, species composition, number of functional groups and functional composition, have been shown to directly affect the performance of exotic species. Exotics can also be affected by herbivores of the native plant community. However, these two possible mechanisms limiting invasion have never been investigated together. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between plant diversity, herbivory and performance of two annual exotics, Conyza bonariensis and C. canadensis, in Mediterranean annual communities. We wanted to test whether herbivory of these exotics was influenced either by species richness, functional-group richness or functional-group composition. We also studied the relationship between herbivory on the exotic species and their performance. Herbivory increased with increasing species and functional-group richness for both Conyza species. These patterns are interpreted as reflecting a greater number of available herbivore niches in a richer, more complex, plant community. The identities of functional groups also affected Conyza herbivory, which decreased in the presence of Asteraceae or Fabaceae and increased in the presence of Poaceae. Increasing herbivory had consequences for vegetative and demographic parameters of both invasive species: survival, final biomass and net fecundity decreased with increasing herbivory, leading to a loss of reproductive capacity. We conclude that communities characterised by a high number of grass species instead of Asteraceae or Fabaceae may be more resistant to invasion by the two Conyza species, in part due to predation by native herbivores.     

Positive diversity effects on productivity in mixtures of arable weed species as related to density-size relationships

Aims Diversity–productivity relationships among herbaceous species have mostly been studied in grasslands, while less is known about diversity effects among weedy species with a short life cycle.Methods We studied diversity–productivity relationships, shoot density, size and allometry in experimental communities of different species richness (one, three, six, and nine species), functional group number (one to three functional groups: grasses, small herbs and tall herbs) and functional group evenness (even and uneven number of species per functional group) based on a pool of nine arable weed species with a short life cycle in a 2-year experiment.Important findings Higher species richness increased above- and belowground biomass production in both years of the experiment. Additive partitioning showed that positive selection effects increased with increasing species richness and functional group number, while positive complementarity effects were greater when tall herbs were present. Relative yield totals were larger than 1 across all species richness levels but did not increase with species richness, which is consistent with constant positive complementarity effects. Community biomass production and diversity effects increased in the second year of the experiment, when communities achieved greater shoot densities and average shoot sizes. At the community level, varying productivity was mainly attributable to variation in mean shoot sizes. Tall herbs reached greater observed/expected relative yields (=overyielding) due to increased shoot sizes, underyielding of small herbs was mainly attributable to decreased shoot sizes, while grasses partly compensated for reduced shoot sizes by increasing densities. Shifts in community-level density–size relationships and changes in shoot allometry in favour of greater height growth indicated that a greater biomass at a given density was due to increased dimensions of occupied canopy space. We conclude that diversity effects are also possible among short-lived arable weed species, but selection effects through sizes differences among species are key for positive species richness–productivity relationships.     

Short-term invasibility patterns in burnt and unburnt experimental Mediterranean grassland communities of varying diversities

This paper reports the findings of a short-term natural invasibility field study in constructed Mediterranean herbaceous communities of varying diversities, under a fire treatment. Three components of invasibility, i.e. species richness, density and biomass of invaders, have been monitored in burnt and unburnt experimental plots with resident diversity ranging from monocultures to 18-species mixtures. In general, species richness, density and biomass of invaders decreased significantly with the increase of resident species richness. Furthermore, the density and biomass of invading species were significantly influenced by the species composition of resident communities. Although aboveground biomass, leaf area index, canopy height and percent bare ground of the resident communities explained a significant part of the variation in the success of invading species, these covariates did not fully explain the effects of resident species richness. Fire mainly influenced invasibility via soil nutrient levels. The effect of fire on observed invasibility patterns seems to be less important than the effects of resident species richness. Our results demonstrate the importance of species richness and composition in controlling the initial stages of plant invasions in Mediterranean grasslands but that there was a lack of interaction with the effects of fire disturbance.     

基于2个核糖体DNA序列的国产白酒草属、小舌菊属和歧伞菊属（菊科紫菀族）分子系统学研究

国产白酒草亚族（菊科紫菀族）由白酒草属（Conyza）、小舌菊属（Microglossa）和歧伞菊属（Thespis）3个小属组成,且国产白酒草亚族各属间及其与非洲白酒草属植物之间的分子系统发育关系尚无报道,故本研究利用核糖体DNA ITS和ETS序列并采用最大简约法和贝叶斯分析法,重建了国产白酒草亚族的分子系统发育树。结果表明,国产4种白酒草属植物、歧伞菊和非洲白酒草属植物组成一支,而劲直白酒草的两变种和小舌菊嵌入田基黄亚族分支;小舌菊与Psiadia pascalii近缘。基于这些结果,我们认为：（1）劲直白酒草和Conyza incisa应处理为田基黄亚族的一个独立的属;（2）国产4种白酒草属植物和歧伞菊以及大多数非洲白酒草属植物属于Eschenbachia属,而且Eschenbachia属代表一个新的亚族,歧伞菊可处理为Eschenbachia属的一个组。Eschenbachia属可能从非洲经数次长距离传播到达我国南部;（3）Welwitschiella 和小舌菊属应保持属的地位,Psiadia pascalii、Conyza scabrida和C. pyrrhopappa可并入小舌菊属。     

Effect of plant species richness on invasibility of experimental plant communities

Invasion of unsown species to artificially created assemblages of grassland species was investigated in a 3-year field experiment. In the experiment, assemblages varying in species richness (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 species) and functional group richness (1–4, grasses, legumes, rosette forbs, and creeping forbs) were grown in control and fertilized plots, without any attempt to prevent the invasion of unsown species or to weed them. The relationship between species and functional group diversity and above-ground biomass was positive for sown species in all study years (2003, 2004 and 2005). In the latter 2 years, weed invader biomass decreased significantly with increasing biomass of sown species and their functional group richness, but not with number of species. However, no suppressive effect of species or functional group richness beyond that by increased biomass of residents was found. In fact, slight but significant positive partial effect of species richness was found, suggesting that the negative effect of the same amount of resident biomass on invaders is stronger when the biomass is composed of fewer species. The negative relationship between the number of functional groups of residents and invader biomass suggested that better coverage of functional trait space could be a mechanism promoting the resistance to invasion. In Addition, species composition of invaders were significantly related to initial composition of sown residents.     

基于2个核糖体DNA序列的国产白酒草属、小舌菊属和歧伞菊属(菊科紫菀族)分子系统学研究(英文)

国产白酒草亚族(菊科紫菀族)由白酒草属(Conyza)、小舌菊属(Microglossa)和歧伞菊属(Thespis)3个小属组成,且国产白酒草亚族各属间及其与非洲白酒草属植物之间的分子系统发育关系尚无报道,故本研究利用核糖体DNA ITS和ETS序列并采用最大简约法和贝叶斯分析法,重建了国产白酒草亚族的分子系统发育树。结果表明,国产4种白酒草属植物、歧伞菊和非洲白酒草属植物组成一支,而劲直白酒草的两变种和小舌菊嵌入田基黄亚族分支;小舌菊与Psiadia pascalii近缘。基于这些结果,我们认为:(1)劲直白酒草和Conyza incisa应处理为田基黄亚族的一个独立的属;(2)国产4种白酒草属植物和歧伞菊以及大多数非洲白酒草属植物属于Eschenbachia属,而且Eschenbachia属代表一个新的亚族,歧伞菊可处理为Eschenbachia属的一个组。Eschenbachia属可能从非洲经数次长距离传播到达我国南部;(3)Welwitschiella和小舌菊属应保持属的地位,Psiadia pascalii、Conyza scabrida和C.pyrrhopappa可并入小舌菊属。     

Sphingolipids from Conyza canadensis

Sphingolipid 1 and its corresponding beta-D-glucopyranoside derivative 2 have been isolated from the ethylacetate fraction of Conyza canadensis along with beta-sitosterol 3, stigmasterol 4, beta-sitosterol 3-O-beta-D-glucoside 5 and harmine 6, reported for the first time from this species. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated through spectroscopy including two-dimensional NMR.     

Plant community diversity and composition affect individual plant performance

Effects of plant community diversity on ecosystem processes have recently received major attention. In contrast, effects of species richness and functional richness on individual plant performance, and their magnitude relative to effects of community composition, have been largely neglected. Therefore, we examined height, aboveground biomass, and inflorescence production of individual plants of all species present in 82 large plots of the Jena Experiment, a large grassland biodiversity experiment in Germany. These plots differed in species richness (1–60), functional richness (1–4), and community composition. On average, in more species-rich communities, plant individuals grew taller, but weighed less, were less likely to flower, and had fewer inflorescences. In plots containing legumes, non-legumes were higher and weighed more than in plots without legumes. In plots containing grasses, non-grasses were less likely to flower than in plots without grasses. This indicates that legumes positively and grasses negatively affected the performance of other species. Species richness and functional richness effects differed systematically between functional groups. The magnitude of the increase in plant height with increasing species richness was greatest in grasses and was progressively smaller in legumes, small herbs, and tall herbs. Individual aboveground biomass responses to increasing species richness also differed among functional groups and were positive for legumes, less pronouncedly positive for grasses, negative for small herbs, and more pronouncedly negative for tall herbs. Moreover, these effects of species richness differed strongly between species within these functional groups. We conclude that individual plant performance largely depends on the diversity of the surrounding community, and that the direction and magnitude of the effects of species richness and functional richness differs largely between species. Our study suggests that diversity of the surrounding community needs to be taken into account when interpreting drivers of the performance of individual plants.     

Dominance not richness determines invasibility of tallgrass prairie

Many recent studies suggest that more diverse communities are more resistant to invasion. Community characteristics that most strongly influence invasion are uncertain, however, due to covariation of diversity with competition and crowding. We examined separately the effects of species richness and dominance on invasion by an exotic legume, Melilotus officinalis , in intact, native Kansas grassland. We manipulated dominance of C₄ grasses by reducing their abundance (i.e. ramet densities) by ∼25 and 50%. In addition, richness was reduced by removing species that were mainly rare and uncommon as might be expected with environmental changes such as drought and fragmentation. In both years of the study (2001–2002), invasibility, measured as peak establishment of Melilotus , was not affected by a 3-fold reduction in species richness, nor was there an interaction between loss of species and reduced dominance on invasion. In contrast, reductions in abundance of the dominants significantly reduced invasibility of the grassland plots in both years. Because the abundance of dominants was highly correlated with measures of competition (i.e. ratio of dominant biomass to total biomass) and crowding (total stem densities), this pattern was opposite to that expected if competition were indeed limiting invasion. Rather, invasion appeared to be facilitated by the dominant species, most likely because reduced dominance increased environmental stress. Our results suggest that dominance is the key community characteristic determining invasibility, because highly competitive and space-filling species can either enhance or reduce susceptibility to invasion depending on whether dominants create a more competitive environment or alleviate stressful conditions.     

Contrasting effects of plant richness and composition on insect communities: a field experiment

We experimentally separated the effects of two components of plant diversity-plant species richness and plant functional group richness-on insect communities. Plant species richness and plant functional group richness had contrasting effects on insect abundances, a result we attributed to three factors. First, lower insect abundances at higher plant functional group richness were explained by a sampling effect, which was caused by the increasing likelihood that one low-quality group, C4 grasses, would be present and reduce average insect abundances by 25%. Second, plant biomass, which was positively related to plant functional group richness, had a strong, positive effect on insect abundances. Third, a positive effect of plant species richness on insect abundances may have been caused by greater availability of alternate plant resources or greater vegetational structure. In addition, a greater diversity of insect species, whose individual abundances were often unaffected by changes in plant species richness, may have generated higher total community abundances. After controlling for the strong, positive influence of insect abundance on insect diversity through rarefaction, insect species richness increased as plant species richness and plant functional group richness increased. Although these variables did not explain a high proportion of variation individually, plant species richness and plant functional group richness had similar effects on insect diversity and opposing effects on insect abundances, and both factors may explain how the loss of plant diversity influences higher trophic levels.