Epiphytic lichens as indicators of grazing pressure in the Mongolian forest-steppe

The ecological impact of the traditional land use by pastoral nomads on forest ecosystems is little studied. We analyzed the influence of livestock density on epiphytic lichen diversity in larch forests of the Mongolian forest-steppe, which we selected as a case example because pastoral nomadism is here most widespread within Central Asia. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the epiphytic lichen vegetation was strongly influenced by the livestock density within a radius of 1 km around the sampled forests. Goats together with horses were most significant at shaping lichen vegetation in the forest edges as were horses alone in the forest interiors. This result matches with the results of interviews with 169 herder families and own field observations, which substantiate that goats preferably graze at the edges, whereas horses often browse the interiors. The livestock impact is thought to be primarily exerted through fertilization by the animals and mechanical abrasion. Based on an indicator species analyses, we propose to use epiphytic lichens as indicators of the grazing impact at different livestock densities in the Mongolian forest-steppe. The proposed indication system can be used as a tool for the rapid assessment of the livestock grazing impact. It has the advantage that it is thought to average the livestock impact of several years, which is important with regard to the nomadic style of livestock husbandry. The use of lichens as indicator species can at least partly substitute the time-consuming interviewing of the herder families to assess livestock densities and their impact on forest biodiversity. The proposed indicator system could thus be used as a planning tool for purposes of nature conservation.     

The sister-group relationships of the largest family of lichenized fungi,Parmeliaceae (Lecanorales, Ascomycota)

Parmeliaceae is the largest family of lichen-forming fungi. In spite of its importance for fungal diversity, its relationships with other families in Lecanorales remain poorly known. To better understand the evolutionary history of the diversification of lineages and species richness in Parmeliaceae it is important to know the phylogenetic relationships of the closest relatives of the family. A recent study based on two molecular loci suggested that either Protoparmelia s. str. or a group consisting of Gypsoplaca and Protoparmelia s. str. were the possible sister-group candidates of Parmeliaceae, but that study could not distinguish between these two alternatives. Here, we used a four-locus phylogeny (nuLSU, ITS, RPB1, MCM7) to reveal relationships of Parmeliaceae with other potential relatives in Lecanorales. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses showed that Protoparmelia is polyphyletic, with Protoparmelia s. str. (including Protoparmelia badia and Protoparmelia picea) being most closely related to Parmeliaceae s. str., while the Protoparmelia atriseda-group formed the sister-group to Miriquidica. Gypsoplaca formed the sister-group to the Parmeliaceae s. str. + Protoparmelia s. str. clade. Monophyly of Protoparmelia as currently circumscribed, and Gypsoplaca as sister-group to Parmeliaceae s. str. were both significantly rejected by alternative hypothesis testing.     

Epiphytic lichen diversity and its dependence on bark chemistry in the northern Mongolian dark taiga

Epiphytic lichen diversity was studied in a dark taiga forest of Pinus sibirica, Abies sibirica and Picea obovata in the western Khentey Mountains, northern Mongolia. Though most lichen species occurred on all three tree species, lichen diversity was higher on Abies and Picea than on Pinus. On branches, lichen vegetation differed less between tree species than on the trunk. The occurrence of many Parmeliaceae species with a hydrophilic surface and of many species producing the dibenzofuran usnic acid gives evidence of the low deposition of acidic pollutants in the study area. The Mn content of bark, which is known to limit at high values the abundance of epiphytic lichens in coniferous forests of Europe and North America, is apparently not controlling the spatial distribution of epiphytic lichens in the dark taiga of Mongolia. This is attributed to the dry and cold winters in Mongolia, as high Mn is especially leached from the surface of trees under moist conditions at temperatures around the freezing point, when the contact between water droplets and the tree surface is particularly intensive. Such moist and cold weather conditions are frequent in most parts of the northern coniferous forests of Europe and North America, but are rare events in the most continental parts of Asia, i.e. in Mongolia and eastern Siberia.     

新疆西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率时空分异研究

气候变化对高海拔物种的生长影响较为显著,高海拔物种的时空分布直接影响区域生态平衡。基于新疆森林资源连续清查数据,使用一元生物量模型估测新疆天山及阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松生物量,计算其固碳速率,利用全局莫兰指数(Moran's I)和热点分析(Getis-Ord Gi~*)研究新疆西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率空间聚集特征,并分析其近年来在空间上的变化趋势,再结合气象数据运用相关和偏相关分析,分析其空间分异的影响因素。结果表明:(1)天山东部西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率高于阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率,2001—2016年期间,新疆西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率整体呈增长趋势,阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率由0.43 t hm~(-2)a~(-1)增长至0.76 t hm~(-2)a~(-1),天山东部西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率由0.89 t hm~(-2)a~(-1)增长至1.06 t hm~(-2)a~(-1)。(2)天山东部西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率呈离散分布但不显著(P0.05),阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率空间聚集特征趋于显著,其高固碳速率逐渐从东南部的青河县向西北部的阿尔泰市和哈巴河县移动,而低固碳速率从阿尔泰山的西北部的阿勒泰市向东南部的青河县移动。(3)通过偏相关分析得出,2001—2016年时期新疆西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率与温度成极显著正相关(P0.01),2001—2006年和2006—2011年时期与降水成正相关,但不显著,至2011—2016年时期转变为与降水成极显著正相关(P0.01),2001—2016年期间,其与纬度梯度成极显著负相关(P0.01)转变成无显著相关性,与海拔梯度无显著相关。新疆西伯利亚落叶松固碳速率与纬度梯度呈显著负相关的空间分布格局已发生显著变化,其空间分布格局由东南部高西北部低,逐渐变成西北部高东南部低。     

Mycobiota associated with the ambrosia beetle Scolytodes unipunctatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) are associated with strictly entomochoric and mutualistic fungi. We studied the mycobiota associated with Scolytodes unipunctatus, ambrosia beetles that infest Cecropia trees in Central America. Isolates were characterized using morphology and rDNA sequences (ITS region, LSU, and SSU rDNA). Four species are described here: Raffaelea scolytodis sp. nov. (Ophiostomatales), Gondwanamyces scolytodis sp. nov., Custingophora cecropiae sp. nov., and Graphium sp. (Microascales). The genus Custingophora is emended to include Knoxdaviesia anamorphs of Gondwanamyces based on uniformity of DNA sequences and phenotype.     

Black yeast habitat choices and species spectrum on high altitude creosote-treated railway ties

Polyextremotolerant black yeast-like fungi thrive in moderately hostile environments where they are concomitantly subjected to several types of stress, such as toxicity, scarce nutrient availability, and high or low temperature extremes. Their ability to assimilate alkylbenzenes (toxic environmental pollutants) enhances their growth in harsh conditions, including on railway ties. Samples were collected using cotton swabs, premoistened with physiological saline, from 658 oak and concrete railway ties at six train stations in Turkey at altitudes ranging between 1026 and 1427 m. The samples were inoculated on malt extract agar supplemented with chloramphenicol, and incubated at 26 °C for 4 weeks. Twenty-four samples (3.6 %), 17 from oak and 7 from concrete (5.6 % vs. 2 %; P = 0.02), tested positive for fungi. Exophiala crusticola was found to be the most common species (n = 13), followed by Exophiala phaeomuriformis (n = 7) and Exophiala heteromorpha (n = 4). These results suggest that hydrocarbons, particularly creosote-treated oak woods, support the growth of black yeasts, some of which are opportunists in humans.     

Identification key for European strand-forming house-rot fungi

An identification key for 20 common strand-forming indoor wood decay fungi is given. The key is based on observations of material from affected buildings and on wood samples that have been incubated in the laboratory. The key is with macro- and microscopic photographs.     

Interaction and ovicidal activity of nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia on Taenia saginata eggs

The ovicidal activity of the nematophagous fungi Pochonia chlamydosporia (isolates VC1 and VC4), Duddingtonia flagrans (isolate AC001) and Monacrosporium thaumasium (isolate NF34) on Taenia saginata eggs was evaluated under laboratory conditions. T. saginata eggs were plated on 2% water-agar with fungal isolates and controls without fungus and examined after 5, 10 and 15 days. At the end of the experiment P. chlamydosporia showed ovicidal activity against T. saginata eggs (p < 0.05), mainly for internal egg colonization with results of 12.8% (VC1) and 2.2% (VC4); 18.1% (VC1) and 7.0% (VC4); 9.76% (VC1) and 8.0% (VC4) at 5, 10 and 15 days, respectively. The other fungi showed only lytic effect without morphological damage to the eggshell. Results demonstrated that P. chlamydosporia was effective in vitro against T. saginata eggs unlike the other fungi.     

Polyketides from Penicillium sp. JP-1, an endophytic fungus associated with the mangrove plant Aegiceras corniculatum

Four polyketides, leptosphaerone C (1), penicillenone (2), arugosin I (3) and 9-demethyl FR-901235 (4), as well as five known compounds, bacillosporin A (5), bacillosporin C (6), sequoiamonascin D (7), sequoiatone A (8), and sequoiatone B (9) were isolated from the Penicillium sp. JP-1, an endophytic fungus isolated from Aegiceras corniculatum. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods, mainly by 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses. Compound 1 showed cytotoxicity against A-549 cells with an IC50 value of 1.45 microM, while compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against P388 cells with an IC50 value of 1.38 microM.     

基于树轮记录的阿尔泰山中段1798年以来6-7月平均最低气温变化研究

通过分析新疆阿尔泰山中段西伯利亚落叶松树轮宽度年表与气候因子的相关关系证明6-7月平均最低气温是研究区树木径向生长的主控气候因子（r=0.649,P<0.001）。利用线性回归方法构建了阿尔泰山中段1798-2017年6-7月平均最低气温方程,通过计算重建方程方差解释量（41.1%）和利用逐一剔除法对重建方程各项参数进行了稳定性检验,证明了重建方程是稳定可靠的。分析重建的平均最低气温年际变化表明,研究区经历了4个暖期（1906-1919年、1922-1935年、1945-1960年和1997-2017年）和4个冷期（1816-1831年、1840-1867年、1869-1886年和1888-1905年）,并且与相邻地区平均气温重建序列冷暖变化阶段一致。基于多窗谱分析结果发现重建6-7月平均最低气温序列存在2a、2.4a、2.8-3a、11a、20-22a左右的变化周期,表明研究区气候变化主要受厄尔尼诺-南方涛动（ENSO）、太阳黑子活动和全球海温变化（SST）驱动。本研究为系统掌握阿尔泰山气候变化规律和科学预测未来气候变化提供了依据。     

不同海拔温度和降水对新疆阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松径向生长的影响

为定量并分离关键气候因子对新疆阿尔泰山不同海拔树木径向生长的影响,通过对高、中和低海拔的西伯利亚落叶松(Larixsibirica)树轮宽度标准年表与气候因子分别进行相关、多元线性回归等统计分析,并进一步计算了线性模型中不同气候因素的绝对和相对贡献率。结果表明,高海拔地区,当年6月温度和上年7月降水分别与径向生长呈显著正相关和负相关,两者共同解释西伯利亚落叶松径向生长变异的33.1%,相对贡献率分别为66.2%和33.8%;中海拔地区,当年6月温度和上年6月降水分别与径向生长呈显著正相关和负相关,两者共同解释径向生长变异的26.8%,相对贡献率分别为40.1%和59.9%;低海拔地区,上年6月温度和7月降水分别与径向生长呈显著负相关和正相关,两者共同解释径向生长变异的29.4%,相对贡献率分别为31.9%和68.1%。这表明限制树木径向生长的主要影响因子随海拔的不同而异,在高海拔地区,温度是主要限制因子;而在低海拔地区,降雨是主要限制因子。     

基于生物多样性保护的兴安落叶松与白桦最佳混交比例——以阿尔山林区为例

选取内蒙古阿尔山林区7种不同混交比例的松桦混交林,包括落叶松纯林、白桦纯林及5种不同比例的混交林为研究对象。对植物和昆虫种群丰富度、多样性进行了研究,并对种群在乔木层混交状况梯度下的分布进行了分析。结果表明:植物和昆虫种群分布受乔木层混交状况影响显著。同时,郁闭度能改变其分布状况及决定于松桦比例。兴安落叶松和白桦混交比例介于5∶5和7∶3之间时最有利于森林多样性,是进行林分疏伐的理想模式。     

Hebeloma species associated with Cistus

The genus Hebeloma has a number of species highly specific to Cistus and others that occur with several host genera. This paper discusses the species of Hebeloma that appear to be ectomycorrhizal with Cistus, judging from their occurrence when Cistus is the only available host. The previously unknown species H. plesiocistum spec. nov. is described. We also provide a key to the known Hebeloma associates of Cistus. Molecular analyses based on ITS sequence data further illustrate the distinctness of the newly described species and difficulties in the species delimitation with view to H. erumpens. Specific associations with Cistus may have evolved more than once within the genus Hebeloma.     

宁夏六盘山三种针叶林初级净生产力年际变化及其气象因子响应

利用年轮生态学方法和生物量经验方程,在宁夏六盘山研究了华山松天然林及华北落叶松和油松人工林等3种针叶林的年初级净生产力(NPP)及其与气象因子间的关系。研究表明:3种针叶林生物量的年际变化均符合逻辑斯蒂方程,林分的现存生物量(t/hm2)为华北落叶松林最大(141.96),华山松林(130.99)次之,油松林最小(123.29)。3种针叶林NPP存在显著的年际差异和种间差异,林分的NPP(t.hm-.2a-1)为华北落叶松林(6.72)>油松林(5.76)>华山松林(2.66);NPP年际变化在华山松林呈现\"快速增加-缓慢增加-缓慢减小\"的趋势,而华北落叶松林和油松林为快速上升的趋势。3种针叶林的NPP随年降水量的变化行为不同,华山松林极轻微地增大,华北落叶松林和油松林均是先增加后降低;然而在极端干旱年份或极端湿润年份,3种针叶林的NPP都趋向于相同的较低值,其原因可能分别是水分胁迫和低温胁迫。气象因子对林分NPP的影响具明显的\"滞后效应\"和种间差异。华山松林NPP与上年11月和当年9、11月的降水量显著负相关;油松林NPP与上年9月及当年4月的降水量显著相关;上年和当年9月的降水量均与华北落叶松林NPP显著正相关。上年6月的温度和当年3与6月的月均温及月均最高温能显著影响3种针叶林的NPP,但存在种间差异,其中华山松林NPP与当年与上年生长季各月的温度均呈不同程度的负相关,而油松林和华北落叶松林则多呈不同程度的正相关。     

The phylogenetic placement of Ostropales within Lecanoromycetes (Ascomycota) revisited

Results of molecular studies regarding the phylogenetic placement of the order Ostropales and related taxa within Lecanoromycetes were thus far inconclusive. Some analyses placed the order as sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes, while others inferred a position nested within Lecanoromycetes. We assembled a data set of 101 species including sequences from nuLSU rDNA, mtSSU rDNA, and the nuclear protein-coding RPB1 for each species to examine the cause of incongruencies in previously published phylogenies. MP, minimum evolution, and Bayesian analyses were performed using the combined three-region data set and the single-gene data sets. The position of Ostropales nested in Lecanoromycetes is confirmed in all single-gene and concatenated analyses, and a placement as sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes is significantly rejected using two independent methods of alternative topology testing. Acarosporales and related taxa (Acarosporaceae group) are basal in Lecanoromycetes. However, if the these basal taxa are excluded from the analyses, Ostropales appear to be sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes, suggesting different ingroup rooting as the cause for deviating topologies in previously published phylogenies.     

温郁金内生真菌Chaetomium globosum L18对植物病原菌的抑菌谱及拮抗机理

通过体外培养法,研究了药用植物温郁金内生真菌Chaetomium globosum L18对几种常见的植物病原菌的抑菌谱及其拮抗机理。结果表明,Chaetomium globosum L18对多种植物病原真菌和细菌均有不同程度的抑制作用,具有较广的抑菌谱,但对不同植物病原菌的抑制作用具有显著性差异(P<0.05),抑制率最高可达到92.9%;抑菌机制结果显示,竞争作用和重寄生作用是其主要的拮抗机制之一;发酵产物抑制作用测定发现,内生真菌Chaetomium globosum L18能够分泌产生抗菌物质抑制病原菌菌丝的生长和孢子萌发,可引起病原菌菌丝菌丝膨大成串珠状,分枝增多,分枝顶端膨胀后细胞壁破裂,原生质外溢,产生溶菌作用;使分生孢子萌发畸形,萌发率降低。     

A sensitive method for examining whole-cell biochemical composition in single cells of filamentous fungi using synchrotron FTIR spectromicroscopy

Cell function is related to cell composition. The asexual state of filamentous fungi (molds and mildews) has two main life cycle stages: vegetative hyphae for substrate colonization and nutrient acquisition, and asexual spores for survival and dispersal. Hyphal composition changes over a few tens of microns during growth and maturation; spores are different from hyphae. Most biochemical analyses are restricted to studying a few components at high spatial resolution (e.g. histochemistry) or many compounds at low spatial resolution (e.g. GC-MS). Synchrotron FTIR spectromicroscopy can be used to study fungal cell biology by fingerprinting varieties of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids at about 6 microm spatial resolution. FTIR can distinguish fungal species and changes during hyphal growth, and reveals that even fungi grown under optimal vs mildly stressed conditions exhibit dramatic biochemical changes without obvious morphological effects. Here we compare hypha and spore composition of two fungi, Neurospora and Rhizopus. There are clear biochemical changes when Neurospora hyphae commit to spore development, during spore maturation and following germination, many of which are consistent with results from molecular genetics, but have not been shown before at high spatial resolution. Rhizopus spores develop within a fluid-containing sporangium that becomes dry at maturity. Rhizopus spores had similar protein content and significantly more carbohydrate than the sporangial fluid, both of which are novel findings.     

Halotolerant and halophilic fungi

Extreme environments have for long been considered to be populated almost exclusively by prokaryotic organisms and therefore monopolized by bacteriologists. Solar salterns are natural hypersaline environments characterized by extreme concentrations of NaCl, often high concentrations of other ions, high uv irradiation and in some cases extremes in pH. In 2000 fungi were first reported to be active inhabitants of solar salterns. Since then many new species and species previously known only as food contaminants have been discovered in hypersaline environments around the globe. The eukaryotic microorganism most studied for its salt tolerance is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, S. cerevisiae is rather salt sensitive and not able to adapt to hypersaline conditions. In contrast, some species like Debaryomyces hansenii, Hortaea werneckii, and Wallemia ichthyophaga have been isolated globally from natural hypersaline environments. We believe that all three are more suitable model organisms to study halotolerance in eukaryotes than S. cerevisiae. Furthermore, they belong to different and distant taxonomic groups and have developed different strategies to cope with the same problems of ion toxicity and loss of water.     

黄土高原樟子松和落叶松与其他树种枯落叶混合分解对土壤的影响

通过采集树木枯落叶与土壤进行室内混合分解培养试验,研究了黄土高原常见的樟子松和落叶松与其他树种枯落叶混合分解对土壤性质的影响及存在的相互作用,从而为不同树木种间关系的探索和该地区人工纯林的混交改造提供科学指导。结果表明:12种枯落叶单一分解均明显提高了土壤脲酶(54%—110%)、脱氢酶(85%—288%)和磷酸酶(81%—301%)活性以及有机质(29%—55%)和碱解N(12%—49%)含量,但对土壤速效P含量和CEC的影响存在较大差异。综合而言,樟子松分别与白桦、刺槐、白榆、柠条和落叶松枯落叶混合分解在对土壤性质的影响中存在相互促进作用,而分别与小叶杨、沙棘、紫穗槐、侧柏和辽东栎枯落叶混合分解在对土壤性质的影响中存在相互抑制作用;落叶松分别与刺槐、白桦、小叶杨和紫穗槐枯落叶混合分解在对土壤性质的影响中存在相互促进作用,而分别与柠条、侧柏、辽东栎、沙棘、油松和白榆枯落叶混合分解在对土壤性质的影响中存在相互抑制作用。