Intrapopulation Variability of Some Meadow Plant Species in Respect of Their Ability to Accumulate 90Sr

Field and laboratory studies of different plant species revealed the presence of intraspecific polymorphism in respect of the ability to accumulate ⁹⁰Sr. The populations consisted of the plants effectively and ineffectively accumulating ⁹⁰Sr; the former were capable of two to thirty-seven times higher accumulation than the latter. The proportion of the plants with high accumulating ability can reach 10%. Judging by the high values of the coefficients of correlation between the laboratory and field data, the results of the ⁹⁰Sr content analysis in different plant species were highly concordant. Accumulation of ⁹⁰Sr by plants is in direct relation to its content in soil, but within the limits of the same contamination density, and is controlled by the plant genotype.     

利用水生植物清除水体中放射性物质的研究 (Ⅲ)水生植物对Sr90、Y91、Cs137、Ce144的积累、释放及Ca对Sr90吸收的影响

5种水生植物对所用4种放射性同位素都有一定的清除能力,其清除能力的大小不仅取决于生物的种类,而且还取决于生物本身代谢率的高低。试验结果:去污率高的可达80%,积累系数最高可达1,500;水体中含Ca量的多少对生物吸收积累放射性物质的多少有一定的影响;生物在积累放射性物质之后,转移到无放射性物质的水体中将释放出原积累的一部分放射性物质。       

Transfer factors for Sr as influenced by species Ca uptake and soil Ca availability

Strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations were studied in different plant species grown in five soil treatments. For either shoots or roots, a positive linear relationship was found between Sr and Ca concentrations in different plant species grown in the same soil treatment. Strontium and calcium concentrations of different species were related to the soil selectivity coefficient for Sr and Ca, defined as the ratio of CH₃COONH₄-extractable Sr and Ca to the ratio of Sr and Ca in the soil solution. For the species used in all soils, transfer factors (TF) for Sr, defined as the ratios of the Sr amount per g of dry plant material and the Sr amount per g of dry soil, were negatively correlated with extractable Ca of the soil. Transfer factors for Sr varied greatly among species or between roots and shoots. This variation of transfer factor was reduced when transfer factor values were divided by the shoot or root Ca concentration of each species. The proposed index TF for Sr per Ca concentration could be used to compare various soils according to their ability to supply plants with Sr when different plant species are grown in these soils.     

4种植物对133Cs和88Sr污染土壤的修复研究

以露地盆栽的苏丹草、向日葵、芥菜、萝卜4种植物为对象,研究它们对土壤中不同浓度(0、2.5、5.0、10.0、20.0、40.0mg/kg)133Cs、88Sr的吸收积累状况,并比较它们对133Cs、88Sr污染土壤的修复效率。结果显示:(1)4种植物单株生物量在各浓度处理下均表现为向日葵>萝卜>芥菜>苏丹草,但它们对133Cs的吸收能力为萝卜>苏丹草>向日葵>芥菜,单株133Cs累积量为向日葵>萝卜>苏丹草>芥菜,单株88Sr累积量表现为萝卜、向日葵>苏丹草>芥菜,而且4种植物对88Sr的吸收能力均强于133Cs。(2)萝卜在除10.0mg/kg133Cs外的各处理中富集系数均大于1,对土壤中133Cs的吸收能力较强;苏丹草在除5.0mg/kg133Cs处理外的转运系数均大于1,其余3种植物在各处理中的转运系数均低于1;88Sr在萝卜体内从根系向上转运到地上部分的能力明显高于其它3种植物,芥菜、向日葵次之。(3)4种植物对88Sr在体内向上的迁移转运能力均大于133Cs。研究表明,向日葵单株对133Cs、88Sr污染土壤的修复效率最高,萝卜次之,且向日葵和萝卜分别因其生物量和吸收能力优势而对被污染土壤中的133Cs和88Sr具有更强的提取能力。     

Preference and Performance in Plant–Herbivore Interactions across Latitude–A Study in U.S. Atlantic Salt Marshes

High-latitude plants are often more palatable to herbivores than low-latitude conspecifics. Does increased plant palatability lead to better herbivore performance? Our field and laboratory work investigated (A) whether high-latitude plants have traits indicating that they should be higher-quality foods for herbivores; (B) whether geographic differences in plant quality are more important than local adaptation of herbivores. We studied 3 plant species and 6 invertebrate herbivores in U.S. Atlantic Coast. Past studies had shown high-latitude individuals of these plants are more palatable than low-latitude conspecifics. We documented plant traits and herbivore performance (body size) in the field across latitude. We collected individuals from different latitudes for factorial (plant region x herbivore region) laboratory experiments, examining how herbivore performance was affected by plant region, herbivore region, and their interaction (i.e., local adaptation). Field surveys suggested high-latitude plants were likely of higher quality to herbivores. Leaf nitrogen content in all plant species increased toward high latitudes, consistent with lower leaf C/N and higher leaf chlorophyll content at high latitudes. Furthermore, leaf toughness decreased toward higher latitudes in 1 species. The body size of 4 herbivore species increased with latitude, consistent with high-latitude leaves being of higher quality, while 2 grasshopper species showed the opposite pattern, likely due to life-history constraints. In the laboratory, high-latitude plants supported better performance in 4 herbivore species (marginal in the 5th). The geographic region where herbivores were collected affected herbivore performance in all 6 species; however, the pattern was mixed, indicating a lack of local adaptation by herbivores to plants from their own geographic region. Our results suggest that more-palatable plants at high latitudes support better herbivore growth. Given that geographic origin of either plants or herbivores can affect herbivore performance, the nature of plant-herbivore interactions is likely to change if climate change “reshuffles” plant and herbivore populations across latitude.     

一种新的铅富集植物--富集生态型东南景天

对浙江一古老铅锌矿区的土壤和植物种群进行调查后发现一种新的具有耐铅特性和铅富集能力的植物--景天科景天属东南景天(Sedum alfredii Hance),称为铅富集生态型植物.进一步比较和分析了不同浓度硝酸铅处理对富集和非富集生态型东南景天的生长及其对铅的吸收特性的影响.结果表明, 320 mg Pb/L处理对富集生态型的地上部分生长无显著影响,而非富集生态型在20 mg Pb/L时即出现受害症状.富集和非富集生态型的地上部分铅含量、根系铅含量以及单株铅积累速率均随处理浓度的增加而表现出先升后降的变化趋势.其中富集生态型的地上部分铅含量、根系铅含量以及单株铅积累速率最高可达到514 mg/kg、13 922 mg/kg和8.62 μg/plant/d,分别是非富集生态型的2.27、2.62和7.16倍.由于具有生长速度快和高积累铅的能力,从植物修复的观点来说,东南景天铅富集生态型在铅污染土壤的修复方面具有巨大的潜力.     

A modifiedEscherichia coli chaperonin (groEL) polypeptide synthesized in tobacco and targeted to the chloroplasts

The coding region for theEscherichia coli groEL (chaperonin-60) polypeptide was fused downstream of a pea rubisco small subunit transit peptide coding sequence under the control of a tandem 35S CaMV promoter. Transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) containing this modifiedgroEL gene were produced. The modified groEL polypeptide was correctly imported into chloroplasts and accumulated to high or low levels in different plants. The majority of the modified groEL polypeptide was processed correctly to the mature form within the chloroplasts. Approximately 20% of the imported polypeptides retained a portion of the N-terminal transit peptide (TPgroEL). Both groEL and TPgroEL polypeptides assembled into tetradecameric species in the chloroplasts. In plants accumulating high levels of these products, the majority of the plant chaperonin-60 polypeptides in the chloroplast were present in novel hybrid tetradecameric species containing both bacterial and plant chaperonin-60 polypeptides. In plants accumulating low levels of groEL, the predominant species present appeared to be authentic plant cpn60₁₄ and authentic bacterial groEL₁₄. The growth and development of transgenic and control tobacco plants were indistinguishable.Abbreviations cpn60 chaperonin-60 - cpn10 chaperonin-10 - hsp heat shock protein - rubisco ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase - ssu small subunit - spp stromal processing peptidase - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

90Sr and 137Cs in higher aquatic plants of the Chernobyl nuclear plant exlusion zone]

The content of radionuclides 90Sr and 137Cs in higher aquatic plants of water objects within Chernobyl NPP exclusion zone has been analysed. Biodiversity of phytocenose was studied and species-indicators of radioactive contamination were revealed. The seasonal dynamics of radionuclide content in macrophytes was studied and the role of main aquatic plant clumps in processes of 137Cs and 90Sr distribution in abiotic component of biohydrocenose was demonstrated.     

Disparity in 90Sr and 137Cs uptake in Alpine plants: phylogenetic effect and Ca and K availability

Background and aims

Uptake of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs in plants varies widely between soil types and between plant species. It is now recognized that the radionuclide uptake in plants is more influenced by site-specific and plant-specific parameters rather than the bulk radionuclide concentration in soil. We hypothesized that the stress which Alpine plants experience because of the short growing season may enhance the phylogenetic effect on the ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr transfer factors as well as the dependency of the uptake by plant to the concentrations of exchangeable Ca and K of soils.

Methods

We carried out a field study on the ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs uptake by 11 species of Alpine plants growing on 6 undisturbed and geochemically different soils in the Alpine valley of Piora, Switzerland.

Results

Results show that a strong correlation exists between the log TF and the log of exchangeable Ca or K of the soils.

Conclusions

Cs uptake by Phleum rhaeticum (Poales) and Alchemilla xanthochlora (Rosales) is more sensitive to the amount of exchangeable K in the soil than the corresponding uptake by other orders. Moreover, the ⁹⁰Sr results indicate a phylogenetic effect between Non-Eudicot and Eudicots: the order Poales (Phleum rhaeticum) concentrating much less ⁹⁰Sr than Eudicots do.     

植物对大气污染的反应与城市绿化

大气污染是人类面临的最严峻问题之一,根据植物对大气污染的反应方式来选择城市绿化树种是减轻排放后大气污染物的一种重要补充工具,过去我国在植物对不同大气污染物反应特性方面的研究主要局限于：根据不同浓度的大气污染物对植物进行的熏气试验和现场观察植物叶片的宏观受害症状来粗略判断植物对不同污染物的抗性等级。因无统一的指标评价植物抗性能力,不同的方法得出同一植物对同种污染物抗性等级不同的矛盾结论：本文全面分析了近期国内外有关植物对大气污染物抗性特征方面的最新研究进展,建议利用植物在混合大气污染物作用下的宏观和微观,形态和解剖,生态和生理等方面的综合反应特性,科学地划分植物对大气污染物的抗性等级,结合植物的吸污能力,提出筛选绿化植物的合理化建议。     

植物对大气污染的反应与城市绿化

大气污染是人类面临的最严峻问题之一,根据植物对大气污染的反应方式来选择城市绿化树种是减轻排放后大气污染物的一种重要补充工具。过去我国在植物对不同大气污染物反应特性方面的研究主要局限于：根据不同浓度的大气污染物对植物进行的熏气试验和现场观察植物叶片的宏观受害症状来粗略判断植物对不同污染物的抗性等级。因无统一的指标评价植物抗性能力,不同的方法得出同一植物对同种污染物抗性等级不同的矛盾结论。本文全面分析了近期国内外有关植物对大气污染物抗性特征方面的最新研究进展,建议利用植物在混合大气污染物作用下的宏观和微观、形态和解剖、生态和生理等方面的综合反应特性,科学地划分植物对大气污染物的抗性等级,结合植物的吸污能力,提出筛选绿化植物的合理化建议。     

Herbivore host plant selection: whitefly learns to avoid host plants that harbour predators of her offspring

Evidence is accumulating that herbivorous arthropods do not simply select host plants based on their quality, but also on the predation risk associated with different host plants. It has been suggested that herbivores exclude plant species with high predation risk from their host range. This assumes a constant, predictable predation risk as well as a rather static behaviour on the part of the herbivore; plants are ignored irrespective of the actual predation risk. We show that adult females of a small herbivore, the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, can learn to avoid plants with predatory mites that attack only juvenile whiteflies, while they accept host plants of the same species without predators. Predatory mites disperse more slowly than whiteflies; they cannot fly and walk from plant to plant. Hence, by avoiding plants with predators, the whiteflies create a temporary refuge for their offspring. We suggest that the experience of arthropod herbivores with risks associated with host plants plays an important role in their host plant selection.     

Association of polyamines to different parts of various plant species

The variation in polyamine content in different plant species and in different parts within a plant can be considerable. To get general information about levels of polyamines in plants and about the association of polyamines to different types of tissue, 30 plants from 13 plant families were examined for their polyamine content before and after germination using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. A marked increase in polyamine content occurs in the cotyledons or endosperms in the seeds on germination, i.e. in the nutrient storing and exporting part of the plant. In the radicle, hypocotyl or coleoptile, i.e. growing parts of the plant, an increase in polyamine content is rarely observed. Additionally, polyamine levels can be very low [below 1 nmol (g fresh weight)^-1] in different parts of various species. Obviously, levels in the pmol (g fresh weight)^-1 range satisfy the needs of many growing plant parts. The high levels of polyamines found especially in cotyledons cannot be explained by their postulated association with increased cell division rates.     

Heliotropium thermophilum,an extreme heat tolerant species,promises plants about adaptation to high soil temperature conditions

To understand high temperature tolerance, Heliotropium thermophilum, a flowering plant thriving in a geothermal field with a soil temperature ranging between 55 and 65 °C, was grown in controlled laboratory conditions and two different soil temperatures were applied to the plants. One of them was the control group (CT 25 ± 3 °C) and the other was the high temperature group (HT 60 ± 4 °C). Water potential, dry weight, cell membrane injury (CMI), lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide, chlorophylls, carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proline and total soluble sugar contents were measured. Contents of total soluble sugars, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proline were found to be higher in HT group than CT while CMI was opposite. Moreover, no difference was determined in water potential, dry weight, lipid peroxidation, total chlorophyll and carotenoids between CT and HT. H. thermophilum plants adapted to high temperature under laboratory conditions through changing membrane lipid saturation, accumulating osmotically active compounds to save water or increase its uptake and inducing antioxidants such as phenolic compounds to keep reactive oxygen species under control. In conclusion, this study showed that H. thermophilum plant was highly resistant to high soil temperature under optimized laboratory conditions. Moreover, a plant that can withstand 60 °C for a long period of time up to 60 days under laboratory conditions was reported for the first time.     

乐安河—鄱阳湖湿地植物群落特征及其优势植物对重金属Cu、Pb、Cd的富集

选择乐安河—鄱阳湖湿地典型植物群落,采用重要值方法评价各样点植物群落特征并筛选出典型优势植物,通过室内理化测试分析不同生境中优势植物植株及其根区土壤中重金属Cu、Pb、Cd的含量;采用生物富集系数(BCF)方法评价不同优势植物对重金属Cu、Pb、Cd的富集特性。结果表明:研究区湿地植物以草本为主,在各样点共发现124种物种,包括蕨类植物2科2属2种,种子植物40科97属122种,并从中筛选出羊蹄、红蓼、鼠曲草、紫云英、苎麻等5种富集能力较强的优势植物;植物根区土壤中的Cu、Cd含量均超过土壤环境质量三级标准,而且Cu、Cd的最高含量分别为824.03、5.03 mg·kg-1;不同优势植物对Cu、Pb、Cd等3种重金属元素中的1种或2种表现出较强的富集能力,其中优势物种红蓼对Cu具有较强的富集能力,含Cu量最高为148.80 mg·kg-1,另一种优势物种鼠曲草对三种元素的生物富集系数均较高,且对Cd的最高富集含量为15.17 mg·kg-1,对Cd的生物富集系数最高值为19.14,高于其他植物10倍以上,鼠曲草对重金属Cd具有富集植物的基本特征,且对Cu和Cd具有共富集特征并具有较高的耐性,紫云英、羊蹄等对Cd的富集能力也较强。上述5种优势植物种群对鄱阳湖湿地Cu、Pb、Cd等重金属污染物的生态修复具有一定参考价值,可作为鄱阳湖湿地重金属污染修复植物的选择对象。     

90Sr, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239+240Pu,and 241Am radionuclides in macrophytes within the Krasnensky flood plain: species specificity of concentration and distribution in phytocenosis components

The analysis of the content of radionuclides 90Sr, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239 + 240Pu and 241Am in water vegetation of flood plain reservoirs has allowed studing features of radionuclide accumulation by various species of macrophytes and revealing bioindicators of radionuclide contamination. Thus species-specificity of radionuclide accumulation can essentially change the contribution of different species to a percentage ratio of the radionuclide content in phytomass of reservoirs in comparison with fund of higher aquatic plants.     

Analogous effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the laboratory and a North Carolina field

Although arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are ubiquitous symbionts of plants, the mutualism has rarely been tested in nature. In experiments designed to explore the ecological relevance of associations between different fungal and plant species in a natural environment, plant species were infected with different species of fungi and grown in separate trials in the laboratory and a North Carolina (USA) field. The benefits to plants varied dramatically as plant species were grown with different species of AM fungi. Effects of mycorrhizal fungi in nature were generally correlated to effects in the growth chamber, suggesting that laboratory data do reflect dynamics between plants and AM fungi in the field. Initial size at transplant and experimental block were also significant predictors of plant growth in the field. Correlation statistics between laboratory and field data were weaker when analyses involved plant species less responsive to infection by any AM fungus, suggesting that the response of a species to inoculation is a good predictor of its sensitivity to specific AM fungi in the field. AM fungal identity appears to influence the growth and reproduction of plants in the field.     

Changes in chemical composition of hydrophyte leaves during adaptation to aquatic environment

Leaf chemical composition of 19 hydrophytes was studied. The content of carbon, nitrogen, nonstructural carbohydrates, organic acids, minerals, and water was determined. Hydrophytes were shown to contain less carbon (below 410 mg/g dry wt in 60% species) than terrestrial plants. Hydrophytes and terrestrial plants did not differ in the nitrogen concentration in the leaves (33 and 29 mg/g dry wt, respectively). Hydrophytes were characterized by a low content of organic acids (40–90 mg/g dry wt in 60% species) and high content of mineral compounds (90–170 mg/g dry wt in 50% species). Total amount of nonstructural carbohydrates was similar in the leaves of hydrophytes and terrestrial plants (from 120 to 190 mg/g dry wt), but the proportions of various carbohydrate fractions differed substantially. In the hydrophyte leaves, the content of soluble carbohydrates was 2.4-fold lower, whereas the content of nonstructural polysaccharides 1.2-fold higher than in terrestrial plant leaves. Two groups of correlations between parameters of leaf chemical composition were distinguished: the contents of carbon, nitrogen, and soluble sugars were positively correlated, and the negative correlation was observed between these parameters and the amounts of mineral compounds, organic acids, water, and nonstructural polysaccharides. We concluded that hydrophyte leaf chemical composition reflects a specificity of plant adaptation to aquatic environment.     

入侵植物曼陀罗对本地植物功能性状和土壤碳、氮、磷化学计量特征的影响

为探讨不同入侵压力下入侵植物对本地植物功能性状土壤碳、氮、磷化学计量特征的影响,以入侵植物曼陀罗（Datura stramonium）及共存本地植物为研究对象,调查了无入侵区、轻度入侵区和重度入侵区（按入侵种盖度比例划分）的植物种类、株数、株高及本地植物群落的物种多样性,分析了各区入侵植物和本地植物叶片的比叶面积、碳含量、氮含量、碳氮比、叶片建成成本以及不同土层的碳、氮、磷化学计量特征。结果显示：随曼陀罗入侵压力的增加,本地植物种类及株数逐渐减少;曼陀罗株高和叶片氮含量在不同入侵压力下均显著高于本地植物,且随入侵压力的增加具有升高趋势;叶片碳氮比显著低于无入侵区本地植物;比叶面积、叶片碳含量和叶片建成成本等与入侵区本地植物相比不具有显著差异。随曼陀罗入侵压力的增加,土壤全氮含量、全碳含量、氮磷比与碳磷比显著增加,而全磷含量与碳氮比显著下降;土壤碳氮化学计量特征呈现出一定的表聚效应。这些研究结果表明,曼陀罗具有较高的资源捕获能力,并且改变了入侵地土壤特性,进而增强自身竞争能力以提高入侵力,这些可能是曼陀罗成功入侵的原因之一。     

Seed preferences by rodents in the agri‐environment and implications for biological weed control

Post‐dispersal seed predation and endozoochorous seed dispersal are two antagonistic processes in relation to plant recruitment, but rely on similar preconditions such as feeding behavior of seed consumers and seed traits. In agricultural landscapes, rodents are considered important seed predators, thereby potentially providing regulating ecosystem services in terms of biological weed control. However, their potential to disperse seeds endozoochorously is largely unknown. We exposed seeds of arable plant species with different seed traits (seed weight, nutrient content) and different Red List status in an experimental rye field and assessed seed removal by rodents. In a complementary laboratory experiment, consumption rates, feeding preferences, and potential endozoochory by two vole species (Microtus arvalis and Myodes glareolus) were tested. Seed consumption by rodents after 24 h was 35% in the field and 90% in the laboratory. Both vole species preferred nutrient‐rich over nutrient‐poor seeds and M. glareolus further preferred light over heavy seeds and seeds of common over those of endangered plants. Endozoochory by voles could be neglected for all tested plant species as no seeds germinated, and only few intact seeds could be retrieved from feces. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that voles can provide regulating services in agricultural landscapes by depleting the seed shadow of weeds, rather than facilitating plant recruitment by endozoochory. In the laboratory, endangered arable plants were less preferred by voles than noxious weeds, and thus, our results provide implications for seed choice in restoration approaches. However, other factors such as seed and predator densities need to be taken into account to reliably predict the impact of rodents on the seed fate of arable plants.