Non‐Native Grass Removal and Shade Increase Soil Moisture and Seedling Performance during Hawaiian Dry Forest Restoration

Invasive non‐native species can create especially problematic restoration barriers in subtropical and tropical dry forests. Native dry forests in Hawaii presently cover less than 10% of their original area. Many sites that historically supported dry forest are now completely dominated by non‐native species, particularly grasses. Within a grass‐dominated site in leeward Hawaii, we explored the mechanisms by which non‐native Pennisetum setaceum, African fountain grass, limits seedlings of native species. We planted 1,800 seedlings of five native trees, three native shrubs, and two native vines into a factorial field experiment to examine the effects of grass removal (bulldozed vs. clipped plus herbicide vs. control), shade (60% shade vs. full sun), and water (supplemental vs. ambient) on seedling survival, growth, and physiology. Both grass removal and shade independently increased survival and growth, as well as soil moisture. Seedling survival and relative growth rate were also significantly dependent on soil moisture. These results suggest that altering soil moisture may be one of the primary mechanisms by which grasses limit native seedlings. Grass removal increased foliar nitrogen content of seedlings, which resulted in an increase in leaf‐level photosynthesis and intrinsic water use efficiency. Thus in the absence of grasses, native species showed increased productivity and resource acquisition. We conclude that the combination of grass removal and shading may be an effective approach to the restoration of degraded tropical dry forests in Hawaii and other ecologically similar ecosystems.     

Effects of Soil Abiotic and Biotic Factors on Tree Seedling Regeneration Following a Boreal Forest Wildfire

Ecosystems - Wildfire disturbance is important for tree regeneration in boreal ecosystems. A considerable amount of literature has been published on how wildfires affect boreal forest regeneration....     

Shrub Cover Influence on Seedling Growth and Survival Following Logging of a Tropical Forest

Logging in tropical forests may create large canopy openings. These gaps provide suitable conditions for some opportunistic shrubs and herbs to take advantage of the surge in resources and rapidly colonize disturbed sites. This dense plant cover may limit forest regeneration by interfering with tree seedling establishment, growth, and survival by altering the light and nutrients available to seedlings, modifying herbivore behavior, or a number of other factors. In Kibale National Park (Uganda), old logging sites are mainly covered by dense stands of Acanthus pubescens Engl., which appear to inhibit tree regeneration. We wanted to identify the ecological processes underlying this regeneration collapse. To do so, we designed a factorial experiment to evaluate the influences of herbivory and vegetation cover on the growth and survival of tree seedlings. We compared the survival and growth of transplanted tree seedlings in A. pubescens stands and logged forests, in the presence or absence of the understory vegetation layer (logged forest) or vegetation cover (A. pubescens), and with or without herbivory. We found no evidence to support the hypothesis that herbivory is significantly higher under dense A. pubescens cover. Seedling survival was not influenced by the environment. Seedling growth, however, was positively influenced by the removal of A. pubescens, suggesting that changes in resource availability associated with the presence of A. pubescens, may be important for regeneration. Our results suggest that sustained cutting of A. pubescens cover could foster the growth of established seedlings and could lead to tree regeneration and habitat restoration.     

光照、温度和土壤水分对孜然芹种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

连续光照和连续黑暗条件下,孜然芹种子萌发最适宜温度为25℃;16h光照18h黑暗的条件下,萌发最适温度为20℃和25/16℃的日夜变温。种子萌发最适宜土壤含水量为15％。     

磁处理对红壤酶活性和牧草（苏丹草）幼苗生长的影响

磁生物效应即外加磁场或磁处理对生物的影响,是生物磁学的重要组成部分,也是土壤磁学和环境磁学中正在开拓的领域[1]。60年代以来,随着现代磁学和分子、量子生物学的迅猛发展,同时也是为了工农业生产、医药卫生、环境保护等发展的需要,磁生物效应的研究不断扩大和深入,磁生物效应机制的探讨和研究由宏观走向微观,由单纯的物理和化学效应观察走向生物生理和生化的研究。当前,磁生物效应研究逐渐向各学科渗透,一方面为磁处理技术在各科学领域的应用提供理论依据和技术参数,另一方面从不同的角度来揭示磁生物效应的微观机制。本文着重研究了磁…     

土壤水分对温室春黄瓜苗期生长与生理特性的影响

以津优1号黄瓜为试验材料．研究了土壤不同水分含量对温室春黄瓜苗期生长与生理特性的影响。结果表明,在土壤水分为田间持水量90％时．黄瓜幼苗长势健壮,茎粗大,根系活力强,叶绿素含量和光合速率高．与其它处理差异显著,说明土壤含水量过高或过低均不利于培育黄瓜壮苗。株高和叶面积随土壤含水量的升高而增加;细胞汁液浓度随土壤含水量的升高而降低．且对植株水分状况反应十分敏感,可以用来作为判断植株水分盈亏状况的生理指标。     

Growth, Survival and Characterization of cspA in Salmonella enteritidis Following Cold Shock

Salmonella enteritidis is a major foodborne microbial pathogen that can grow and survive at low temperatures for a considerable period of time. Increased survival was evidenced from a frozen S. enteritidis culture when treated at 10°C prior to freezing. Western blot analysis with Escherichia coli CspA antibody and analysis of radiolabeled proteins from S. enteritidis cultures after cold shock at 10°C and 5°C showed increased expression of a 7.4-kDa major cold shock protein, CS7.4, similar in size to that reported for E. coli. Cloning followed by nucleotide sequence analysis of the cspA gene from S. enteritidis showed a 100% nucleotide sequence identity in the promoter elements (−35 and −10) and the amino acid sequence encoded by the open reading frame (ORF) with the E. coli cspA gene. However, the differences in the nucleotide sequences between E. coli and S. enteritidis cspA genes in the putative repressor protein binding domain, the fragment 7, and in various segments throughout the upstream 0.642-kbp DNA may contribute to the expression of CS7.4 at less stringent temperatures in S. enteritidis. As in E. coli, the actual role of CS7.4 in protecting S. enteritidis from the damaging effects of cold or freezing temperatures is not yet understood. Received: 14 March 1997 / Accepted: 10 July 1997     

Asexual Endophytes in a Native Grass: Tradeoffs in Mortality, Growth, Reproduction, and Alkaloid Production

Neotyphodium endophytes are asexual, seed-borne fungal symbionts that are thought to interact mutualistically with their grass hosts. Benefits include increased growth, reproduction, and resistance to herbivores via endophytic alkaloids. Although these benefits are well established in infected introduced, agronomic grasses, little is known about the cost and benefits of endophyte infection in native grass populations. These populations exist as mosaics of uninfected and infected plants, with the latter often comprised of plants that vary widely in alkaloid content. We tested the costs and benefits of endophyte infections with varying alkaloids in the native grass Achnatherum robustum (sleepygrass). We conducted a 4-year field experiment, where herbivory and water availability were controlled and survival, growth, and reproduction of three maternal plant genotypes [uninfected plants (E−), infected plants with high levels of ergot alkaloids (E+A+), and infected plants with no alkaloids (E+A−)] were monitored over three growing seasons. Generally, E+A+ plants had reduced growth over the three growing seasons and lower seed production than E− or E+A− plants, suggesting a cost of alkaloid production. The reduction in vegetative biomass in E+A+ plants was most pronounced under supplemented water, contrary to the prediction that additional resources would offset the cost of alkaloid production. Also, E+A+ plants showed no advantage in growth, seed production, or reproductive effort under full herbivory relative to E− or E+A− grasses, contrary to the predictions of the defensive mutualism hypothesis. However, E+A+ plants had higher overwintering survival than E+A− plants in early plant ontogeny, suggesting that alkaloids associated with infection may protect against below ground herbivory or harsh winter conditions. Our results suggest that the mosaic of E−, E+A+, and E+A− plants observed in nature may result from varying biotic and abiotic selective factors that maintain the presence of uninfected plants and infected plants that vary in alkaloid production.     

Direct Effects of Soil Amendments on Field Emergence and Growth of the Invasive Annual Grass Bromus tectorum L. and the Native Perennial Grass Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth

Bromus tectorum L. is a non-native, annual grass that has invaded western North America. In SE Utah, B. tectorum generally occurs in grasslands dominated by the native perennial grass, Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth. and rarely where the natives Stipa hymenoides Roem. and Schult. and S. comata Trin. & Rupr. are dominant. This patchy invasion is likely due to differences in soil chemistry. Previous laboratory experiments investigated using soil amendments that would allow B. tectorum to germinate but would reduce B. tectorum emergence without affecting H. jamesii. For this study we selected the most successful treatments (CaCl₂, MgCl₂, NaCl and zeolite) from a previous laboratory study and applied them in the field in two different years at B. tectorum-dominated field sites. All amendments except the lowest level of CaCl₂ and zeolite negatively affected B. tectorum emergence and/or biomass. No amendments negatively affected the biomass of H. jamesii but NaCl reduced emergence. Amendment effectiveness depended on year of application and the length of time since application. The medium concentration of zeolite had the strongest negative effect on B. tectorum with little effect on H. jamesii. We conducted a laboratory experiment to determine why zeolite was effective and found it released large amounts of Na⁺, adsorbed Ca²⁺, and increased Zn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, Cu²⁺, exchangeable Mg²⁺, exchangeable K, and NH₄⁺ in the soil. Our results suggest several possible amendments to control B. tectorum. However, variability in effectiveness due to abiotic factors such as precipitation and soil type must be accounted for when establishing management plans.     

Feedbacks of Soil Inoculum of Mycorrhizal Fungi Altered by N Deposition on the Growth of a Native Shrub and an Invasive Annual Grass

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition causes shifts in vegetation types as well as species composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and other soil microorganisms. A greenhouse experiment was done to determine whether there are feedbacks between N-altered soil inoculum and growth of a dominant native shrub and an invasive grass species in southern California. The region is experiencing large-scale loss of Artemisia californica shrublands and replacement by invasive annual grasses under N deposition. Artemisia californica and Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens were grown with soil inoculum from experimental plots in a low N deposition site that had (1) N-fertilized and (2) unfertilized soil used for inoculum, as well as (3) high-N soil inoculum from a site exposed to atmospheric N deposition for four decades. All treatments plus a nonmycorrhizal control were given two levels of N fertilizer solution. A. californica biomass was reduced by each of the three inocula compared to uninoculated controls under at least one of the two N fertilizer solutions. The␣inoculum from the N-deposition site caused the greatest growth depressions. By contrast, B.␣madritensis biomass increased with each of the three inocula under at least one, or both, of the N solutions. The different growth responses of the two plant species may be related to the types of AM fungal colonization. B. madritensis was mainly colonized by a fine mycorrhizal endophyte, while A. californica had primarily coarse endophytes. Furthermore, A. californica had a high level of septate, nonmycorrhizal root endophytes, while B. madritensis overall had low levels of these endophytes. The negative biomass response of A. californica seedlings to high N-deposition inoculum may in part explain its decline; a microbially-mediated negative feedback may occur in this system that causes poor␣seedling growth and establishment of A.␣californica in sites subject to N deposition and B. madritensis invasion.     

Native Plant Regeneration on Abandoned Desert Farmland: Effects of Irrigation, Soil Preparation, and Amendments on Seedling Establishment

Direct seeding methods to revegetate abandoned farmland were tested at a desert site west of Phoenix, Arizona. Native seeds were broadcast onto plots prepared by mulching, imprinting, chiseling, and fertilizing with phosphorous in a split-plot design. Each main plot was split into subplots that were not irrigated, irrigated with saline (3.25 dS/m) well water, or irrigated and hand weeded of Salsola iberica . Native seeds germinated poorly on all treatments, and three annual exotic weeds ( Brassica nigra , S. iberica , and Schismus spp.) dominated the plots. None of the main plot treatments (mulching, imprinting, chiseling, or fertilizing) had a significant effect on seed germination or canopy cover. Irrigation increased plant cover on plots, but weeds dominated the cover (<4% native species, up to 50% weeds). Near the end of the second growing season a seed bank study was conducted in the greenhouse. Undisturbed desert soil had relatively few weed seeds and more native plant seeds than the disturbed agricultural soil samples, which had few viable native seeds and were dominated by Schismus spp., B. nigra , and S. iberica . The results illustrate the difficulty of establishing native plants on abandoned desert farmland due to the dominance of weedy species, the presence of salts in the soil, and the lack of adequate soil moisture in the treatments without supplemental irrigation.     

陕北刺槐林木生长及林下植被与土壤水分对种植密度的响应特征

以陕西省安塞县2000年左右退耕栽植的5种不同密度(830~3 330株/hm~2)刺槐林地为研究对象,分析不同栽植密度对刺槐林木生长、林下植被及土壤水分的影响,为黄土高原丘陵沟壑区刺槐人工林合理栽植密度的确定以及可持续经营提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)阳坡中不同密度间刺槐林木的胸径、树高、冠幅均差异显著;阴坡中2 500株/hm~2的刺槐林木平均胸径、树高与两个低密度林的差异显著,且平均冠幅与1 670株/hm~2差异显著,与2 000株/hm~2差异不显著。(2)当栽植密度为1 670株/hm~2时,刺槐林地水分含量相对较高,林下植被平均盖度及物种多样性也较高。(3)各栽植密度刺槐林地0~500cm土壤含水量均低于该地区土壤稳定湿度(12%)。(4)阳坡中3 330株/hm~2的林地0~500cm土层含水量仅为4.5%,土壤干旱化严重,而830株/hm~2的刺槐林地土壤水分为7.8%;阴坡中栽植密度为1 670~2 000株/hm~2的刺槐林地土壤含水量较高,为7.5%~8.2%。研究表明,在陕北黄土高原丘陵沟壑区,刺槐初始造林密度不宜超过1 670株/hm~2(株行距2m×3m),在进入刺槐生长高峰期后,应采取间伐管理以调整林分密度,使其维持刺槐人工林林地的稳定性与可持续性。     

Effects of Habitat, Cattle Grazing and Selective Logging on Seedling Survival and Growth in Dry Forests of Central Brazil

We studied the effect of forest gaps and cattle grazing on survival and growth of seedlings of seven native tree species, planted in dry forest fragments with different intensities of past logging in Central Brazil. Seedling survival after 12 mo ranged from 35 to 77 percent among species. Survival of most species was similar in gaps and understory in minimally disturbed forest remnants, but was lower in the gaps of more heavily logged forests. In contrast, growth was much higher in gaps than in understory in minimally disturbed forests, but for most species was similar in gaps and understory in more heavily logged forests. We did not detect an effect of cattle on seedling survival. Seedlings of the most commonly logged species show a high potential to survive and grow when planted in logged forests.     

Variation in Soil Temperature,Moisture, and Plant Growth with the Addition of Downed Woody Material on Lakeshore Restoration Sites

Downed woody material (DWM) is an important ecosystem component that performs many critical functions including influencing soil temperature and moisture, which affects plant growth and survival. Residential development along lakeshores has increased dramatically in recent decades in the northern Great Lakes region. Such development often leads to reductions in terrestrial and aquatic woody material. Although lakeshore restoration projects have occurred in the past few years in the region, there has been little effort to evaluate success. In 2007, a collaborative lakeshore restoration research project began on two lakes in Vilas County, Wisconsin. We investigated the benefits of the addition of DWM as part of these restoration projects. We randomly assigned three coverage treatments (0, 25, and 50%) of DWM on 3 × 3–m experimental plots (n = 10 per treatment) and monitored soil temperature and volumetric soil water content at a depth of 10 cm. All plots were planted with two native shrub species and five native understory herbaceous species. Mean maximum soil temperature, mean difference in daily high and low soil temperature, and percent change in soil moisture content were significantly lower in the 25 and 50% DWM plots. Plant canopy volume growth for snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) and Barren strawberry (Waldstenia fragaroides) was significantly greater in the 25 and 50% DWM plots. We conclude that the addition of DWM had a significant positive effect on regulating soil temperature extremes, soil moisture, and plant volume growth for two species of native plants used for restoration projects.     

Factors Affecting the Early Survival and Growth of Native Tree Seedlings Planted on a Degraded Hillside Grassland in Hong Kong, China

Abstract The effects of seasonal drought, belowground competition, and low soil fertility on the survival and growth over 2 years of four native tree species planted on a degraded hillside grassland in Hong Kong were studied in a field transplant experiment using three‐way analysis of variance. The tree species were Schima superba (Theaceae), Castanopsis fissa (Fagaceae), Schefflera heptaphylla (Araliaceae), and Sapium discolor (Euphorbiaceae), and the treatments were dry season irrigation, herbicide, and fertilizer. Each species responded differently to the treatments. Sapium had a very low survival rate as a result of wind damage at the exposed study site. All three treatments significantly reduced the survival rate of Castanopsis seedlings, whereas herbicide reduced it for Sapium but increased it for Schefflera. The significant effects on seedling growth were all positive, except for a strong negative effect of herbicide on Castanopsis growth. Overall, the results suggest that all three factors—seasonal drought, belowground competition, and low soil nutrients—can significantly impair seedling growth on a degraded hillside site in Hong Kong but that their relative importance differs among species. The growth benefits of the three treatments were largest and most consistent for Schima, which as a mature forest dominant would be expected to be particularly sensitive to the environmental conditions on degraded open sites. This study highlights the fact that more systematic planting trials are needed to identify suitable native tree species for cost‐effective reforestation on degraded hillsides in Hong Kong and South China.     

Effects of Plant Growth Regulators,Soil Moisture Contents,and Carbon/Nitrogen Ratios on Sex Differentiation in Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) Flowers

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - The sex types of persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) flowers are occasionally alterable. The feminizing agents such as ethrel, 5-azacytidine, a mixture of...     

Ontogenetic Changes in the Alcohol-soluble Amino Acid Fraction of the Grain, Leaves and Roots of Triticum aestivum (var. Rideau) Following Vernalization and Seedling Growth

Changes in the free alcohol-soluble amino acid fraction of theseparate organs of Rideau wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) preconditionedby vernalization were determined after 1 and 3 weeks' growthand compared with comparable organs of non-vernalized controlplants. The major components of the fraction were composed of the acidicand neutral amino acids together with asparagine and glutamine.Cystine and methionine were rarely present in more than traceamounts. Changes coincident with ontogency and growth varied considerablyboth between all seedling parts and between comparable organsof the control and vernalized series. Generally, vernalizationwas paralleled by higher levels of the acidic amino acids andthe amides. Coleoptile senescence was characterized by depletionof the total fraction but individual amino acids increased withageing. The pattern of change varied with ontogeny, age andprior grain treatment. However, within each category significantvariations in the level of one or more amino acids could berelated to the physiological status of the tissue. The amides,glutamine and asparagine were consistently absent from the stemapex and the very young fifth and sixth leaves. In stem apextissue, 17 of the commonly occurring amino acids were generallyfound present while, in coleoptiles and young leaves only eightamino acids were present.     

The Effects of Winter Exposure to Acid Soil Conditions on the Subsequent Survival and Growth of Herbaceous, Forest Perennials: a Preliminary Investigation

For many plant species, growth is limited in acid soils, whichare characterized by high levels of potentially-toxic elementsand low nutrient availability. Although plant-soil interactionsare traditionally studied during the growing season, the highestconcentrations of toxic elements in the soil may occur duringthe winter months. The present study investigated the effectsof a 3-month exposure to either an acid or a reference soil,at temperatures fluctuating around freezing point, on subsequentsurvival and growth of eight herbs (Brachypodium sylvaticum,Carex pilulifera, Geum urbanum, Luzula pilosa, Mycelis muralis,Silene dioica, Stellaria nemorum, Veronica officinalis).Theplants were exposed to ambient weather conditions from Decemberto March, after which they were replanted in fresh referencesoil and transferred to a glasshouse. Their biomass was measured5 weeks later. The plant species differed in their responsesto the soils, in a manner reflecting their natural field distributions.All plants of the most acid-tolerant species survived in bothtreatments, whereas the more sensitive species showed lowersurvival rates after growth in the acid than in the referencesoil. Similar results were found for the regrowth:C. piluliferaandL.pilosa, the most acid-tolerant species, were unaffected by thesoil treatments (ratios between biomass in acid compared toreference soils were 0.8 and 1.1, respectively), whereasG. urbanum,M. muralis, S. nemorumandV. officinaliswere negatively affected(ratios 0.3–0.5). Effects on above- and below-ground biomasswere broadly similar. This preliminary evidence indicates thatsoil chemistry during the winter can be important for both survivaland growth during the vegetative period that follows.Copyright1998 Annals of Botany Company. Acids soils, toxicity, vascular plants, winter exposure.