Honey bee orientation behaviour and the influence of flower distribution on foraging movements

ABSTRACT.

• 1 Directional movement by foraging honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) was studied on several flower arrays. The most frequent move among equidistant flower stalks was straight ahead from stalk to stalk with frequencies decreasing for increasing turn angles. Turns to the left were about equal in frequency to turns to the right.
• 2 Bees maintained directionality when moving from flower stalks that had been rotated 90° counterclockwise while the bee was on the stalk (no difference between moves from rotated stalks and unrotated controls). Thus, directionality is maintained by the bee and is not an artefact of flower distribution.
• 3 Bees also maintained directionality when the entire array was rotated around the flower stalk the bee was on. Thus, bees use an external cue to orientate in a given direction rather than fixing on an inflorescence within the flower array.
• 4 Bees foraging on very different flower arrays differed in patterns of directionality and in distances flown between flower stalks. Therefore, even though bees maintain directionality using external cues, flower distribution can nevertheless influence flight patterns.

     

Diversity among Rhizobia Effective with Robinia pseudoacacia L.

The diversity of rhizobia that form symbioses with roots of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), an economically important leguminous tree species, was examined by inoculating seedling root zones with samples of soil collected from the United States, Canada, and China. Bacteria were isolated from nodules, subcultured, and verified to be rhizobia. The 186 isolates varied significantly in their resistance to antibiotics and NaCl, their growth on different carbohydrates, and their effect on the pH of culture media. Most isolates showed intermediate antibiotic resistance, the capacity to use numerous carbohydrates, and a neutral to acid pH response. Isolates had greater similarity within sampling locations than among sampling locations. The isolates were grouped by using numerical taxonomy techniques, and representative strains of 37 groups were selected. The mean generation times of these isolates ranged from 3 to 9 h, and the protein profile of each of the 37 isolates was unique. Nitrogen fixation, total nitrogen accumulation, and plant growth varied significantly among black locust seedlings inoculated with the representative isolates. We conclude that great variation exists among Rhizobium spp. that nodulate black locust, and selection of strains for efficiency of the symbiotic association appears possible.     

Formation of heartwood substances in the stem of Robinia pseudoacacia L.

Summary The activities of two key enzymes in flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL, E.C. 4.3.1.5) and chalcone synthase (CHS, E.C. 2.3.1.74) were determined in the trunkwood of Robinia pseudoacacia L. The trees under investigation were cut at different times of the year (September, November, January and April). At all times PAL is active, both in the youngest wood layer (the outermost growth ring) and at the sapwood heartwood boundary. On the other hand, CHS is active exclusively in the vicinity of the heartwood boundary. The results indicate that PAL is involved both in the formation of lignin (outermost annual ring), and in flavonoid biosynthesis (heartwood boundary). Highest activity of both PAL and CHS could be measured at the sapwood heartwood boundary in the tree felled in November, indicating that heartwood formation was occurring mainly at that time. The flavonoids accumulated in the heartwood are obviously formed in situ and seem to be transported only to a minor extent — if at all — via the phloem and the ray cells to the heartwood.     

Diversity among Rhizobia Effective with Robinia pseudoacacia L

The diversity of rhizobia that form symbioses with roots of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), an economically important leguminous tree species, was examined by inoculating seedling root zones with samples of soil collected from the United States, Canada, and China. Bacteria were isolated from nodules, subcultured, and verified to be rhizobia. The 186 isolates varied significantly in their resistance to antibiotics and NaCl, their growth on different carbohydrates, and their effect on the pH of culture media. Most isolates showed intermediate antibiotic resistance, the capacity to use numerous carbohydrates, and a neutral to acid pH response. Isolates had greater similarity within sampling locations than among sampling locations. The isolates were grouped by using numerical taxonomy techniques, and representative strains of 37 groups were selected. The mean generation times of these isolates ranged from 3 to 9 h, and the protein profile of each of the 37 isolates was unique. Nitrogen fixation, total nitrogen accumulation, and plant growth varied significantly among black locust seedlings inoculated with the representative isolates. We conclude that great variation exists among Rhizobium spp. that nodulate black locust, and selection of strains for efficiency of the symbiotic association appears possible.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from Robinia pseudoacacia L

Microsatellite markers were isolated from Robinia pseudoacacia L. using an enrichment method. Eleven of the 23 primer pairs designed successfully amplified unambiguous and polymorphic single loci among 39 individual R. pseudoacacia L. from northeastern Japan. The observed and expected heterozygosities of the 11 microsatellite markers ranged from 0.333 to 0.821 and from 0.489 to 0.867, respectively. The polymorphisms observed at the 11 microsatellite loci are useful genetic data for forest ecological studies involving R. pseudoacacia L.     

刺槐幼苗根茎过渡区初生维管组织的观察

对不同苗龄(1-12d)的刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)幼苗进行观察,比较了其初生维管组织的发育变化。结果表明:根中的初生维管组织借助下胚轴过渡到子叶中,而茎中的初生维管组织与下胚轴中的维管组织仅是简单的连接。这与Esau等认为幼苗的外部形态可以分为根-下胚轴-子叶和上胚轴苗两个系统的观点是一致的。本研究亦证实了可以将刺槐幼苗的外部形态描述为这两个系统,二者的维管组织只是简单的连接,不存在过渡。     

The influence of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) flower and leaf fall on soil phosphate

To investigate the influence of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) flower and leaf fall on soil phosphate, we monitored litterfall, litter decomposition, and soil membrane phosphate in a R. pseudoacacia forest on Mt. Ilzasan, Seoul, Korea. R. pseudoacacia flower litter was 30–50% of total litter production in May and the flowers decomposed rapidly. More than 11% of R. pseudoacacia leaf litter decomposed from February to May, while that of Quercus spp. decomposed very little. Fast decomposition of R. pseudoacacia flower and leaf litter significantly increased membrane phosphate in the soil. The rapid nutrient-cycling of R. pseudoacacia through flower litterfall and rapid decomposition benefits the plant itself in the growing season when nutrients demand is increasing. Rapid nutrient-cycling might be a strategy that helps R. pseudoacacia to persist in poor soil environments.     

Endophytic colonisation of Bacillus subtilis in the roots of Robinia pseudoacacia L

The endophytic colonisation of Bacillus subtilis strain GXJM08, isolated from roots of Podocarpus imbricatus B1. Enum. P1. Jav., in roots of the leguminous plant Robinia pseudoacacia L. was investigated. Ultrastructure observations showed that B. subtilis caused morphological changes in the root hair and colonised the plant through infected root hairs. The structure of the infection thread was similar to that of rhizobia, but the structure of infected cells was different. B. subtilis is also different from rhizobia and plant pathogens in terms of the formation of a peribacteroid membrane and the mode of penetration through the host cell wall. Our results provide a basis for studying development of the mutualistic symbiotic relationship between B. subtilis and plants, and a basis for studying the mechanism of the B. subtilis–plant interaction.     

Robinia pseudoacacia L.: A Lesser Known Tree Species for Biomass Production

Experiments with fast-growing tree species for biomass production in Germany have been mainly focused on the growth performance of Populus and Salix spp. Among the lesser-known species for energy plantations is Robinia pseudoacacia L. Special features of this species are its drought tolerance and its ability to fix nitrogen. Given the large share of marginal arable land in NE-Germany and the predicted climate change, R. pseudoacacia is expected to grow in importance. In order to evaluate the growth performance of this species under extreme conditions, four experiments were established in the post-mining landscape of the Lusatian lignite-mining district (NE-Germany). Biomass production was estimated for 3- to 14-year-old shoots on 4- to 14-year-old roots. Results for the annual production of oven-dried biomass of R. pseudoacacia ranged between 3 and 10 t ha^?1, which was substantially greater than the biomass of poplar and willow clones established on the same site. Economic analysis results show that the rotation period, the duration of the plantation, and the harvesting costs are important parameters for the economic return and cash flow in short-rotation coppice cultivation. The results show that the cultivation of R. pseudoacacia is an economically competitive land-use strategy for the post-mining landscapes considered in our study.     

刺槐叶绿素荧光特性的研究

用L I-6400光合仪对黄土高原常用造林树木刺槐的叶绿素荧光动力学曲线、淬灭分析、荧光光曲线以及荧光AC I曲线等生理特性进行测定和对比分析.结果表明:随着光照时间的加大,刺槐的荧光参数ETR、qP和N PQ逐渐上升并在21 m in左右达到稳定,与光合同步.最大荧光产量F m在叶片转入黑暗后逐渐上升,在44 m in左右趋于稳定;N PQ则开始下降,在35 m in左右达到稳定.当光强度>200μm o l.m-2.s-1时,Ph iPS2和Ph iCO2呈线性正相关,而当光强度<200μm o l.m-2.-s 1时,Ph iPS2和Ph iCO2呈线性负相关.CO2浓度和刺槐的荧光光合速率、Ph iPS2、Ph iCO2值存在着一定的正相关关系.     

Thidiazuron-Induced High-Frequency Shoot Regeneration from Root Region of Robinia pseudoacacia L. Seedlings

High-frequency regeneration of shoots was achieved at root region of seedlings of Robinia pseudoacacia L. cultured from seeds on medium supplemented with thidiazuron (TDZ, 1.0 M). The roots of intact seedlings proliferated and formed a compact callus followed by differentiation of numerous shoots. Corresponding cultures on benzylaminopurine-containing medium exhibited much weaker response. Hypocotyl segments also formed shoots at a lower concentration of TDZ (0.1 M). The shoots formed on TDZ-containing medium were well-developed and readily rooted on hormone-free medium. The obtained plants after acclimation in culture room survived after transfer to soil.     

简易注气法测定刺槐木质部导管组织长度

导管组织在木本植物水力学特性及水分关系中的作用逐渐受到关注,但其长度的传统测试装置和方法相对繁琐。本研究在注气法原理基础上进行改进,改进后装置简易、操作便捷。结果表明,本方法可以成功测定刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)导管的长度及相关参数:气体传导耗散系数为0.111±0.012;最大导管长度为56.9±1.5 cm;平均导管长度为19.6±2.5 cm;最大分布导管长度为9.8±1.3 cm。枝条注气方向对测试结果没有明显影响。测试过程中注气端压强变化不明显,对导管长度及相关参数的测定和计算影响不显著。本方法与传统注气法相比具有更高的精确度。     

Robinlin: a novel bioactive homo-monoterpene from Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Fabaceae)

A bioactivity-directed fractionation of the ethanolic extracts of Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Fabaceae) afforded robinlin (1), a novel homo-monoterpene. The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectral analyses of the parent compound as well as its derivatives; 1 showed strong bioactivity in the brine shrimp lethality test (BST).     

黄土高原刺槐林间伐改造研究

通过对 9年生刺槐 (Robiniapseudoacacia)林以 3种不同保留密度进行间伐改造 ,并对其林内光照、温度和土壤水分环境因子以及林下植被层生物多样性、生产力和林冠层林木的生长情况与原林分进行对比分析 .结果表明 ,间伐改造能改善林木及林下植被层生长发育的环境条件 ,促进林下植被层生物多样性和生物产量的提高 ,增加林木的生产能力 .间伐保留密度达到 1110株·hm-2 时 ,在整个生长季 ,林地土壤水分比原林分提高约 40 %,不仅林下植被层的生物多样性和生物量有大幅度提高 ,而且林冠层林木的生产力达到较高水平 ;如果继续加大间伐强度 ,林下植被层和林木个体的生长已达到最大极限 ,将不再提高 .因此 ,1110株·hm-2 左右的保留密度是可考虑的间伐强度 .     

Distribution of Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase and Chalcone Synthase within Trunks of Robinia pseudoacacia L.

During heartwood formation, a kind of apoptosis in the inner parts of woody axes, phenolic substances are accumulated by in situ biosynthesis. In Robinia pseudoacacia L, these compounds are mainly flavonoids. In the present work, we performed a study to show if there is a correlation between measurable activities and detectable protein levels of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL; EC 4.3.1.5) and chalcone synthase (CHS; EC 2.3.1.74), key enzymes of general phenylpropanoid metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis, respectively. After separation of total protein extracts by one-dimensional micro-gel electrophoresis, newly emerging polypeptides were detectable within the sapwood-heartwood transition zone, pointing toward a transient activation of metabolism shortly before cell death occurs. Most prominent was a polypeptide around 46 kDa. By immunoblotting, this band was identified as a CHS subunit. Thus, the exclusive presence of both enzyme protein and extractable enzyme activity of CHS in the heartwood bordering tissue was shown. In contrast, levels of PAL protein were similar in all xylem tissues which contain living cells. PAL activity, however, was measurable only in the differentiating xylem and the sapwood-heartwood transition zone. From these results we conclude that during heartwood formation, CHS and PAL differ in their mode of regulation. It seems likely that CHS activity is regulated at the level of enzyme protein while PAL regulation is most probably post-translational.     

Developing a highly efficient regeneration system for leaves of tissue-cultured tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia L.

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant - We explored multiple experimental treatments for regenerating tissue-cultured shoots of tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia L., and assessed the...     

刺槐根系对深层土壤水分的影响

对黄土高原主要造林树种刺槐根系及其林地土壤水分进行调查和监测,结果表明,在阴坡立地上,刺槐细根在距树干2.0 m范围内的水平分布无明显差异,最大分布深度均为2.0 m;而阳坡立地上刺槐细根在距树干0.5 m处的垂直分布深度可达2.0 m,且阴坡立地上细根密度特征值明显大于阳坡.根系对土壤深层水分的影响范围因不同立地条件下根系分布空间差异而不同,在阳坡立地上,刺槐根系对深层土壤水分的影响深度可达2.7 m处的土层,而在阴坡立地上,这种影响范围可达3.3 m处的土层.     

The relationship between foliar nitrogen content and feeding by Odontota dorsalis Thun. on Robinia pseudoacacia L.

Summary It is argued that the postnatal growth rate should be linked to maternal body weight by the exponent 0.75. This theoretically derived hypothesis is found to be consistent with published data on the growth rates of mammals in nine orders. We emphasize the importance of defining the taxonomic level and period for which postnatal growth rates are measured.