Changes in the essential oil composition in the needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) under anthropogenic stress

Unfavorable anthropogenic factors, such as air pollution, lead to biochemical responses in trees. Changes in the amounts of secondary metabolites may be early indicators of invisible injuries. The aim of this study was to evaluate composition of the essential oils in the needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in the areas affected by pollutant emissions of main factories in Lithuania: a nitrogen fertilizer factory (NFF), a cement factory (CF), and an oil refinery (OR). Totally, 14 pine stands were examined along transects from the factories (July 2005). Volatile components of the needles were extracted and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Over 70 components of the essential oils were identified in current-year and 1-year-old needles. Along the CF transect for current-year needles, the percentage of diterpenes was decreasing with the increasing pH of the pine bark (r = -0.582; p < 0.05) or with the increasing concentration of SO2 (r = -0.573; p < 0.05); for 1-year-old needles, the percentage of diterpenes was decreasing with the increasing pH of the bark (r = -0.534; p < 0.05). Along the OR transect, in both the current-year and 1-year-old needles, the percentage of diterpenes was decreasing with the increasing SO2 (respectively, r = -0.773; p < 0.01; r = -0.486; p < 0.05); an opposite relation was true for sesquiterpenes (respectively, r = -0.751; p < 0.01; r = 0.785; p < 0.01). The view was different along the NFF transect. For current-year needles, the percentage of monoterpenes was decreasing with the increasing NH3 (r = -0.669; p < 0.01); while the percentage of sesquiterpenes or oxysesquiterpenes was increasing with the increasing NH3 (respectively, r = 0.540; p < 0.05 and r = 0.688; p < 0.01). For each transect, cluster analysis of the percentages of components of essential oils in the needles allowed us to distinguish the most contrasting stands according to the concentration of air pollutants. Current-year needles were more effective as indicators of the effects of pollution than 1-year-old needles in the case of the NFF and the OR transects, and both-aged needles were equally valuable in the case of the CF transect. The changes detected in the proportions of components of the essential oils in the needles of the trees affected by the industrial emissions may play a significant role in modifying the susceptibility of the pine stands to the biotic factors, and also may alter emissions of terpenes from the stands to the atmosphere.     

Antifungal activity of the essential oils from some species of the genus Pinus

The chemical composition of the essential oils from the needles of Pinus ponderosa (north american pine), P. resinosa (red pine) and P. strobus (eastern white pine) has been determined by GC/MS (FID). The essential oils from P. resinosa and P. ponderosa in comparison to P. strobus have been characterized by the higher content of beta-pinene (42.4%, 45.7% and 7.9% respectively). On the other hand, a-pinene (17.7%) and germacrene D (12.2%) were dominant compounds of P strobus. Moreover the essential oil from P. resinosa was more rich in myrcene-15.9%. Estragole and delta-3-carene, each one in amount ca 8% were identified only in P. ponderosa. The content of essential oils in the needles slightly varied--0.65%--P. resinosa, 0.4%--P strobus, 0.3%--P. ponderosa. The antifungal activity has been investigated towards Fusarium culmorum, F solani and F. poae. The strongest activity was observed for the essential oil from P. ponderosa, which fully inhibited the growth of fungi at the following concentrations--F. culmorum, F. solani at 2% and F. poae at 5%.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of endemic Dalmatian black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. dalmatica)

The chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil isolated from the needles of endemic Dalmatian black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. dalmatica) from Croatia were investigated. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by GC and GC/MS analyses, and the main compounds identified were α-pinene, β-pinene, germacrene D, and β-caryophyllene. Disc-diffusion and broth-microdilution assays were used for the in vitro antimicrobial screening. The Dalmatian black pine essential oil exhibited a great potential of antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (MIC=0.03-0.50% (v/v)) and a less pronounced activity against Gram-negative bacteria (MIC=0.12-3.2% (v/v)). The volatile compounds also inhibited the growth of all fungi tested, including yeast.     

佛手挥发油特征化学成分群GC-MS研究

目的:分析6个不同产地佛手挥发油的化学成分,确定其特征化学指标成分群.方法:采用水蒸气蒸馏法提取佛手挥发油.运用气相色谱质谱联用技术(GC-MS),结合计算机检索对其化学成分进行分离和鉴定,得到其共有的特征性化学成分群,用色谱峰面积归一化法计算各组分的相对含量.结果:从广东、四川、金华、广西、安徽佛手的挥发油中鉴定16种共有特征成分,按保留时间的先后顺序分别为:α-水芹烯、α-蒎烯、β-蒎烯、β-月桂烯、α-萜品油烯、邻伞花烃、柠檬烯、顺式-β-罗勒烯、反式-β-罗勒烯、γ-萜品烯、γ-萜品油烯、乙酸芳樟酯、顺式-水合桧烯、α-萜品醇、β-柠檬醛、α-柠檬醛,其占总峰面积的的比例大于82.9%;其中柠檬烯和γ-萜品烯是主要成分,两者峰面积占总峰面积的比例大于65%.结论:所建立的特征成分群能充分地袁征佛手挥发油化学组成,可以为佛手挥发油的质量评价提供参考.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from cones of Pinus koraiensis

The essential oil from the cones of Pinus koraiensis was prepared after removing the seeds, and its chemical composition analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Hydrodistillation of the P. koraiensis cones yielded 1.07% (v/w) of essential oil, which was almost three times the amount of essential oil extracted from the needles of the same plant. Moreover, the antimicrobial activities of the oil against the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi were evaluated using the agar disc diffusion method and broth microdilution method. Eighty-seven components, comprising about 96.8% of the total oil, were identified. The most abundant oil components were limonene (27.90%), alpha-pinene (23.89%), beta-pinene (12.02%), 3-carene (4.95%), beta-myrcene (4.53%), isolongifolene (3.35%), (-)-bornyl acetate (2.02%), caryophyllene (1.71%), and camphene (1.54%). The essential oil was confirmed to have significant antimicrobial activities, especially against pathogenic fungal strains such as Candida glabrata YFCC 062 and Cryptococcus neoformans B 42419. Therefore, the present results indicate that the essential oil from the cones of Pinus koraiensis can be used in various ways as a nontoxic and environmentally friendly disinfectant.     

华山松上散斑壳属一新种

根据子囊果的形态及埋生位置和松针上线纹的特征,鉴定出四川二郎山华山松Pinus armandii上散斑壳属一新种,即二郎山散斑壳Lophodermium erlangshanense。对该新种进行了形态学特征的拉丁文和中文描述,并附有形态结构图。模式标本存于四川农业大学林木真菌标本室(FMSAU)。     

Long-term needle litterfall of a Scots pine Pinus sylvestris stand: relation to temperature factors

Summary Needle litterfall of a Scots pine was caught over 24 years (1962–1986) with litter-traps in a Scots pine stand in southeastern Finland. The age of the trees averaged 111 years in 1962. The stand was naturally recruited and only minor silvicultural treatments occurred during its history. Litterfall showed great year-to-year variation, the minimum being 18 g/m² (in 1968) and maximum 213 g/m² (in 1973). There was no overall trend in the amount of litterfall, and the age of the stand was thus not important in determining the needle fall. We used time domain time series analysis (ARIMA) and standard climatic data (temperature, precipitation) to investigate the relationship of litterfall to climatic factors. Mean July temperature was clearly correlated with needle litterfall. High temperature in July coincided with enhanced litterfall in the same and the next year. Litterfall enhanced litterfall in the same and the next year. Litterfall increased also after high temperatures during March–April, but only in the same year. In addition to these the litterfall had a 4-year self-dependency. This is approximately the same as the mean longevity of needles in the study area. Altogether the time series model we propose covers about 90% of the variance of the original time series.     

野生与栽培茅苍术挥发油成分的比较分析

采用气相色谱法分析茅苍术〔Atractylodes lancea(Thunb.)DC.〕在原产地及引种栽培1年后5个主要挥发油成分的含量变化。结果表明,江苏产茅苍术挥发油成分以苍术酮和苍术素为主;湖北产茅苍术挥发油的主要成分为茅术醇和β-桉叶醇;不同产地野生茅苍术挥发油的主要成分和含量明显不同;引种栽培至同一环境(江苏南京)后,茅苍术挥发油的主要成分及含量差异明显减小,表明产地对茅苍术挥发油有效成分的组成有一定的影响。     

三种内生真菌对茅苍术组培苗的生长及主要挥发油成分的影响

采用3种内生真菌与茅苍术组培苗共培养技术,研究了内生真菌对茅苍术组培苗生长及其主要挥发油成分的影响。结果表明：培养4周后,接内生真菌小菌核菌（AL3）的植株平均单株根数最多,比对照多92.7%（P<0.01）,并极显著地提高了平均单株根系干质量,比对照高62.9%（P<0.01）;而接种内生真菌小克银汉霉（AL4）和孔球孢霉（AL12）对茅苍术组培苗的生长影响不显著;AL3、AL4和AL12极显著提高了茅苍术叶片PAL酶活力,分别比对照提高了5.8、8.0和11.1倍（P<0.01）;AL3处理组的POD（过氧化物酶）、CAT（过氧化氢酶）和SOD（超氧化物歧化酶）3种酶活性与对照相似;而AL4处理组的3种酶活性分别比对照降低了9.1%、37.1%和9.7%,AL12处理组的3种酶活性分别比对照提高了10.4%、21.2%和9.6%;AL3、AL4和AL12都对茅苍术叶片总多酚含量有极显著影响,分别比对照提高了179.8%、86.2%和84.1%（P<0.01）;接3种内生真菌都改变了挥发油中4种主要活性成分苍术酮、苍术醇、β-桉叶醇及苍术素的相对百分含量。     

A method for detecting the biosystematic significance of the essential oil composition: The case of five Hellenic Hypericum L. species

We examined the importance of the constitutive terpenoids of five species of Hypericum native to the Greek mainland, Crete Island and the west Aegean. The species studied are Hypericum empetrifolium Willd. (sect. Coridium Spach), Hypericum rumeliacum Boiss. subsp. apollinis Robson & Strid, Hypericum perfoliatum L. (sect. Drosocarpium Spach), Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra and Hypericum perforatum L. (sect. Hypericum, subsect. Hypericum [Robson, N.K.B., 2001. Studies in the genus Hypericum L. (Guttiferae). 4 (1). Sections 7. Roscyna to 9. Hypericum sensu lato (part 1). Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Bot. 31, 37–88]). Canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) on 98 of the most abundant terpenoids was found to achieve a separation of species. The performed phylogenetic reconstruction supports the existing divisions of Hypericum in taxonomic sections. Other multivariate techniques were also investigated such as principal coordinate analysis and principal component analysis, but these were found inferior to CDA. These analyses transformed the data in such a way that they did not sufficiently account for the entire terpenoid variation, nor did they delineate species in accepted taxonomic sections.     

A comparative ultrastructural and morphometric study of six species of the diatom genus Stephanodiscus

The cellular composition of six species of Stephanodiscus commonin the Laurentian Great Lakes was compared using quantitativeultrastructural and morphometric techniques. The species studiedspan a considerable portion of the range of size and obviousmorphological differences known within the genus. Results showconsiderable differences between species in the amount of totalcell volume occupied by frustule, cytoplasm, vacuole and chloroplast.Other organelles, such as mitochondria, Golgi bodies and thenucleus occupy similar fractions of the total cytoplasmic massin all species studied. The main within-species difference isfound in the amount of storage products present, which appearsto be related to cell condition. The techniques utilized areapplicable to populations in mixed assemblages from the fieldand can be used to measure the cellular composition of suchpopulations with a high degree of accuracy and precision. ^*Contribution No. 406 of the Great Lakes Research Division,The University of Michigan.     

Leaf essential oil composition of three species of Myrcianthes from Monteverde, Costa Rica

To examine the chemical diversity of essential oils from Myrcianthes species (Myrtaceae) as well as potential chemotaxonomic relationships between them, the leaf essential oils of M. fragrans (Sw.) McVaugh, M. rhopaloides (Kunth) McVaugh, and an undescribed species, Myrcianthes 'black fruit', from Monteverde, Costa Rica, were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The most abundant components of the essential oil of M. fragrans were 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene (15.7%), (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol (10.0%), alpha-cadinol (10.4%), eudesma-4(15),7-dien-1beta-ol (9.0%), caryophyllene oxide (7.8%), and spathulenol (7.5%). The leaf oils of two different samples of Myrcianthes rhopaloides were quantitatively different with one sample composed mostly of linalool (17.7%), alpha-cadinol (14.4%), spathulenol (11.1%), tau-cadinol (9.6%), and 1-epicubenol (6.9%), and the other was made up largely of (E)-hex-2-enal (46.1%), 1,8-cineole (12.5%), linalool (9.1%), alpha-cadinol (6.7%), and alpha-terpineol (4.4%). The major components in the leaf essential oil of Myrcianthes 'black fruit' were 1,8-cineole (38.3%), alpha-terpineol (21.2%), heptan-2-ol (15.5%), terpinen-4-ol (4.2%), and beta-pinene (3.8%). The leaf oil compositions of Myrcianthes in this study are very different from leaf oils from other members of Myrcianthes reported in the literature. A cluster analysis reveals large chemical variation not only between members of the genus, but also between samples of the same species.     

Seasonal changes in the fatty acid composition of Pinus sylvestris needle lipids

The fatty acid (FA) composition of common pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needle lipids was studied. It was shown that FA composition of needle lipids changed during the entire growth period (from March to October) under the influence of environmental factors (temperature, solar radiation) affecting the biosynthesis of chloroplast membrane lipids in pine needles. Among needle lipid FAs, unsaturated polymethylene-interrupted FAs (Δ5-UPIFA) were identified: pinolenic, skiadonic, coniferonic, and other); in March and April, their content attained 16.1 and 16.9% of total FAs; it decreased in June to 6.0% and increased again in September to 20.4%.     

A comparative chromosome study of twenty killifish species of the genus Fundulus (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae)

Female karyotypes from ovarian cell cultures of 20 species of killifish (Fundulus) ranged in diploid number from 32 to 48, but in arm number (NF) from 48 to 52. The small F chromosomes, which constituted the fundamental elements in the karyotype, were evenly graded in length. The large biarmed chromosomes (L), which were about twice the length of the average Fs, characterized only those species with 2N less than 48 chromosomes. And among these species, an increase in complement by a pair of L's was always accompanied by a decrease of two pairs of A's, indicating Robertsonian changes by the centric fusion of two A's to form one L chromosome. Other diagnostic chromosome characters included: the number and structure of biarmed and satellited F chromosomes and the percentage of F's with relatively short short-arms (SSA). Besides centric fusion, mechanisms of chromosomal evolution in Fundulus probably included pericentric inversion, producing biarmed F chromosomes from acrocentric F's and partial loss of a chromosome segment producing smaller biarmed F chromosomes from larger ones. The percentage of SSA chromosomes generally decreases from relatively primitive to specialized species. The presumably most primitive species have only SSA type acrocentric F chromosomes. The 20 Fundulus species were classified into 2 major groups according to the percentage of SSA chromosomes: the SSA group, including 3 subgroups, had more than 50% SSA's; the LSA group, including 2 subgroups, had fewer than 50% SSA's. This classification based only on karyotypic characters generally agreed with others based on gross morphological characters. A possible evolutionary scheme is proposed to account for the derived killifish karyotypes.     

The rete mirabile cranica in the genus Mobula: A comparative study

Devil rays (Mobulidae) have large brains that rest in a voluminous chondrocranium almost completely filled by a rete mirabile cranica (RMC). The RMC is a massive arterial network grossly divisible into a “caudal RMC” supplying blood to the brain, and an expanded, more complex “precerebral RMC” nested within the large cranial cavity rostral to the telencephalon. Both the caudal and precerebral retia originate from the posterior portion of the profundae cerebri arteries, which lie ventral to the brain and form the sides of a vascular triangle, the base of which is anterior and formed by the joining of the internal carotids; the vertex is posterior and median, corresponding to the anterior extreme of the spinalis impar artery. Vessels of the caudal RMC branch posteriorly from the profundae cerebri and course over and into the brain. Vessels branching more anteriorly course rostrally to form the precerebral RMC, which takes the shape of the cranial cavity and completely envelops the olfactory peduncles. Large retial arteries (1-mm diameter) branch and taper to about 50–150 μm, forming a system of small arteries or arterioles. Many give rise to a mesh of tertiary vessels (precapillary arterioles or capillaries, ca. 20–50 μm in diameter), which, along with arterioles, are embedded in the adventitia of these arteries, with which they communicate by numerous anastomoses. Although the function of the RMC remains enigmatic, its complexity and fine structure are suggestive, and hypotheses of its role are discussed.     

Scaling species dynamics in Pinus palustris communities: Effects of pine straw raking

Abstract. In the southeastern USA, harvest of pine straw sometimes involves mechanical raking of natural Pinus palustris (longleaf pine) communities. Little is known about the effects of raking nor how these effects may vary in time and space. In a two yr experiment, we examined the effects of mechanized raking on Pinus palustris dominated communities (scrub oak, dry savanna, and mesic savanna) by monitoring vegetation at seven spatial scales (0.01–100 m²). We measured floristic similarity and the proportion of species initially present that were gained (i.e. new species) or lost during four sampling periods. Relationships between spatial scale and these community attributes were analyzed using a repeated measures approach and functional response curves. Spatial scale clearly affected observed rates of species loss and floristic similarity; losses declined and floristic similarity increased as scale increased. We relate these patterns to expanding population sizes with scale and our inability to detect species reductions in large populations. Scale had little influence on species gains. The effects of raking did not differ across scales, but raking caused greater mean losses of species and greater mean changes in floristic similarity when mean values were calculated over all scales. Raking also increased the mean rate of species gains in the mesic savanna during one period. Otherwise, interaction effects of community and raking were largely absent from both mean values and response curves. Despite significant short‐term effects of raking, changes in species richness were minor.     

Microsporogenesis and meiotic behavior in nine species of the genus Pinus

The meiotic behavior of 10 taxa （nine species and one variety） of the genus Pinus was investigated using pollen mother cells （PMCs） to reveal the differentiation among karyotypes. Chromosome spreads were prepared by conventional squashing. The meiotic index and the average configuration were higher, whereas the frequency of aberrance （chromosomal bridges, fragments, or micronuclei） was lower, in all 10 taxa compared with other gynmosperms. The meiotic index, average configuration, and frequency of irregularity were found to be uniform among the species. It was shown that the genomes of the Pinus species investigated were highly stable, confirming results of previous mitotic analyses in this genus. However, slight differentiation of homologous chromosomes among genomes was revealed by analysis of meiotic configurations in Pinus nigra var. poiretiana. Quadrivalents were observed in 9.31% of PMCs in this species. This is the first time that quadrivalents have been observed in gymnosperms.     

Temperature effects on essential oil composition of citronella selections

Four citronella [Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle] selections indigenous to Sri Lanka were grown for 90 days at 27/21° or 32/27°C daylnight temperatures in controlled environments. Leaves were harvested and oil extracted by steam distillation. Analysis for chemical constituents was carried out by gas liquid chromatography. Growing temperatures affected oil composition with the response to temperature differing among selections. The commercially desired constituent. citronellal, was higher at 27/21°C than at 32/27°C in all selections, whereas the commercially undesirable constituent borneol was higher at 32/27°C than at 27/ 21°C. The production of total monoterpene hydrocarbons was enhanced at 27/ 21°C in selections C-4 and C-8 compared to 32/27°C. The level of methyl isoeugenol differed among selections.