Invasive rats alter woody seedling composition on seabird-dominated islands in New Zealand

Invasive rats (Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus, R. exulans) have large impacts on island habitats through both direct and indirect effects on plants. Rats affect vegetation by extirpating burrowing seabirds through consumption of eggs, chicks, and adults. These seabirds serve as ecosystem engineers, affecting plant communities by burying and trampling seeds and seedlings, and by altering microclimate. Rats also directly affect plant communities by consuming seeds and seedlings. We studied the direct and indirect impacts of rats on the seedlings of woody plants on 21 islands in northern New Zealand. We compared seedling densities and richness on islands which differed in status with respect to rats: nine islands where rats never invaded, seven islands where rats were present at the time of our study, and five islands where rats were either eradicated or where populations were likely to be small as a result of repeated eradications and re-invasions. In addition, we compared plots from a subset of the 21 islands with different burrow densities to examine the effects of burrowing seabirds on plants while controlling for other factors that differ between islands. We categorized plant communities by species composition and seedling density in a cluster analysis. We found that burrow densities explained more variation in seedling communities than rat status. In areas with high seabird burrow density seedling densities were low, especially for the smallest seedlings. Species richness and diversity of seedlings, but not seedling density, were most influenced by changes in microclimate induced by seabirds. Islands where rats had been eradicated or that had low rat populations had the lowest diversity and richness of seedlings (and adults), but the highest seedling density. Seedling communities on these islands were dominated by Pseudopanax lessonii and Coprosma macrocarpa. This indicates lasting effects of rats that may prevent islands from returning to pre-invasion states.     

Arthropoda of the subantarctic islands of New Zealand

Ischyroplectron isolatum (Hutton) is redescribed from the Bounty Islands, south‐east of New Zealand. The relationships of the subantarctic Orthoptera are discussed. A key is given to the four genera of Rhaphidophoridae.     

Arthropoda of the subantarctic islands of New Zealand

Six gripopterygid stonefly species are found on New Zealand's subantarctic islands. They belong to the genera Apteryoperla and Aucklandobius, which are endemic to New Zealand and those islands. The only winged species, Aucklandobius complementarius Enderlein, is found on the Auckland Islands with A. gressitti n.sp., Apteryoperla turbotti lilies, and A. kuscheli n.sp. Campbell Island is inhabited by Apteryoperla campbelli lilies and A. longicauda lilies; there is also a doubtful record of Aucklandobius complementarius. All Apteryoperla species except longicauda have terrestrial larvae.     

Acoustic convergence and divergence in two sympatric burrowing nocturnal seabirds

Shearwaters are nocturnal burrowing seabirds. They return to their colony at dusk and exhibit high vocal activity, underlining the usefulness of acoustic cues to nocturnal communication. The present study aimed to test whether acoustic communication systems of two sympatric shearwater species, the Yelkouan shearwater Puffinus yelkouan and the Mediterranean Cory's shearwater Calonectris diomedea diomedea , converge to similar strategies. Inter-annual mate fidelity and incubation relays led us to focus on sex and individual acoustic signatures. We first characterized those two signatures by analysing the major call emitted by incubating birds. Second, we performed playback experiments to assess ability of birds to vocally discriminate between sexes and mate versus non-mate. The results obtained show that both species use a reliable sex vocal signature supported by frequency and energy features, enabling sex identification of the emitter. By responding only to conspecific same-sex calls, birds may ensure burrow and mate guarding. Conversely, individual vocal signature was mainly supported by temporal parameters, and was more reliable in the Cory's shearwater. Moreover, this species uses vocal exchanges to identify the mate during incubation relays, whereas Yelkouan shearwaters probably need additional cues. In conclusion, we observe an evolutionary convergence in intra-sex communication process but a divergence in mate greeting strategy.  © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2009, 96 , 115–134.     

Rust fungi in the subantarctic islands of New Zealand

Twenty-four species of rust fungi known from Auckland Islands and Campbell Island are listed, together with details of their host plants. Several species are recorded for the first time in these subantarctic islands. Four species are newly described and illustrated, viz., Milesia polystichi-vestiti on Polystichum vestitum (Dryopteridaceae), Petersonia dracophylli on Dracophyllum longifolium (Epacridaceae), Puccinia austrina on Isolepis habra (Cyperaceae), and Puccinia chathamica on Carex trifida (Cyperaceae). Uredo inflatus is transferred to Uromyces (as Uromyces inflatus comb. nov.) following recognition of the spores on Anisotome latifolia (Apiaceae) as teliospores.     

New species and records of Laboulbeniales from the subantarctic islands of New Zealand

Until now Rhachomyces kenodactyli Balazuc & W. Rossi has been the only species of Laboulbeniales known to occur on Coleoptera in the Bounty, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell and Snares Islands, which lie 48° to 35° S. Four new species (Diphymyces depressus, Diphymyces leschenii, Laboulbenia subantarctica and Laboulbenia loxomeri) and five new records for the subantarctic (Cucujomyces phycophilus, Diphymyces penicillifer, Laboulbenia sp. 1, Rhachomyces sp. 1 and Teratomyces sp. 1) are reported, increasing the known number of taxa tenfold. An expanded geographic range for Rhachomyces kenodactyli is reported. A relatively high percentage (12%) of known beetle species in the subantarctic serve as hosts for Laboulbeniales. This host utilization rate is higher than that in tropical and north temperate regions. The high proportion of intertidal coleopteran taxa in the subantarctic fauna probably accounts for the greater number of host species utilized. Fungi on intertidal beetles (Omaliinae [Staphylinidae], Oopterus [Carabidae] and Kenodactylus audouini [Carabidae]) are known from many host individuals and collections, while those on terrestrial species are known from few, and in some cases, a single collection or host. The sporadic occurrence of some species encountered increases the likelihood that a few species of Laboulbeniales on Coleoptera probably remain undiscovered in the region.     

Leopard seals at The Snares islands,New Zealand

Abstract

On 23 November 1976 we found a 270-cm-long leopard seal, Hydrurga leptonyx (de Blainville), resting on rocks 4 m from a 20 × 30-m pool in Seal Cove, on the east side of Main Island, The Snares.     

Effects of organic acids on the germination of seeds and growth of seedlings

Abstract A range of aliphatic, aromatic and amino acids at a concentration of 5 mol m^-3 inhibited the extension of roots of barley seedlings. Acetic acid is one of the least toxic but its action has the greatest ecological significance because it can be formed in phytotoxic concentrations by micro-organisms in soil. Its uptake and toxicity were greatest at low pH. Of the plant species which were examined, those most affected were barley, wheat and maize, followed by rape and clover. In aerobic conditions, microbial breakdown of the acid decreased its activity, but in atmospheres containing small concentrations of oxygen the acid prevented the germination of seeds. The toxicity could be partially alleviated by calcium carbonate applied as ground chalk to seeds.     

Functional traits explain non-native plant species richness and occupancy on northern New Zealand islands

Biological Invasions - Plant functional traits can greatly influence invasion success on islands. However, interrelationships between traits and invasion success are rarely integrated with the...     

Modelling population persistence on islands: mammal introductions in the New Zealand archipelago

Islands are likely to differ in their susceptibility to colonization or invasion due to variation in factors that affect population persistence, including island area, climatic severity and habitat modification. We tested the importance of these factors in explaining the persistence of 164 introductions of six mammal species to 85 islands in the New Zealand archipelago using survival analysis and model selection techniques. As predicted by the theory of stochastic population growth, extinction risk was the greatest in the period immediately following introduction, declining rapidly to low probability by ca 25 years. This suggests that initially small populations were at greatest risk of extinction and that populations which survived for 25 years were likely to persist subsequently for much longer. Islands in the New Zealand archipelago become colder and windier with increasing latitude, and the probability of mammal populations persisting on islands declined steeply with increasing latitude. Hence, our results suggest that climatic suitability was an important determinant of the outcome of these invasions. The form of the relationship between latitude and persistence probability differed among species, emphasizing that the outcome of colonization attempts is species-environment specific.     

S3307浸种对黄瓜幼苗生理的影响

用S3307粉剂不同浓度对“夏丰一号”黄瓜浸种,研究S3307对幼苗生长的生理效应,目的是得到培育黄瓜壮苗适宜的处理浓度。结果表明：与对照相比,经10,20,50μg/L的S3307浸种后,均不同程度地增加了黄瓜幼苗叶片中叶绿素和可溶性糖含量,提高了叶片光合速率和SOD活性,降低了MDA含量,其中,以２０μｇ／Ｌ浸种处理16h的效果最佳。     

杨树根系浸提液对3种牧草种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响

采用不同浓度(3、10和30mg/mL)的南林95杨〔PopulusdeltoidsBartr.cv.Lux×P.euramericana(Dode)Guineircv.I 45/51〕和NL 80351杨(P.deltoidsBartr.cv.Lux×P.deltoidsBartr.cv.Harvard)根系浸提液,处理杨树 牧草复合经营系统中3种主要牧草种子,探讨杨树根系浸提液对牧草种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响。结果表明:南林95杨和NL 80351杨根系浸提液对3种牧草种子的萌发及幼苗的生长有一定影响。这2个无性系根系浸提液对紫花苜蓿(MedicagosativaL.)、白三叶(TrifoliumrepensL.)和杂交狼尾草(PennisetumalopecuroidesL.×P.americanumL.)的种子发芽率、幼苗高生长、根长生长及种子活力主要表现为抑制作用,在浓度较高时影响尤为明显;但2个无性系根系浸提液对白三叶的高生长(南林95杨30mg/mL除外)表现出一定的促进作用;在3mg/mL浓度时,2个无性系根系浸提液对白三叶的种子活力也有一定的促进作用。     

不同贮藏温度和时间对钻喙兰人工种子萌发及其幼苗成活的影响

植物人工种子技术已广泛应用于花卉、林木和蔬菜的优良品种快速繁殖以及种质资源的超低温保存等方面[1].     

Chloroplasts in seeds and dark-grown seedlings of lotus

In most higher plants, mature dry seeds have no chloroplasts but etioplasts. Here we show that in a hydrophyte, lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), young chloroplasts already exist in shoots of mature dry seeds and that they give rise to mature chloroplasts during germination, even in darkness. These shoots contain chlorophyll and chlorophyll-binding proteins CP1 and LHCP. The unique features of chloroplast formation in N. nucifera suggest a unique adaptive strategy for seedling development correlated with the plant's habitat.