Below-ground carbon and nitrogen accumulation in perennial grasses: A comparison of caespitose and rhizomatous growth forms

An experiment was conducted to compare below-ground soil organic carbon and total nitrogen accumulation between caespitose and rhizomatous perennial grasses in long-term (<25 yrs) grazed and ungrazed sites in semi-arid and mesic communities in the North American Great Plains. Development of greater nutrient pools beneath than between clones occurred at minimal clone basal areas (<60 cm²) for both caespitose species. Caespitose grasses accumulated substantially greater pools of carbon (20–200 fold) and nitrogen (50–500 fold) in soils to a depth of 10 cm beneath clones than rhizomatous grasses accumulated in rhizomes in both communities. Carbon and nitrogen pools in soils beneath caespitose clones exceeded combined (soil + rhizome) pools for rhizomatous grasses for a majority of the clone basal areas (>90 cm²) in the mesic community. In contrast, both pool sizes were smaller beneath the caespitose grass at all clone basal areas than the combined pools for the rhizomatous grass in the semi-arid community. The occurrence of larger soil nutrient pools beneath the rhizomatous species in the semi-arid community was largely a consequence of niche separation for microsites characterized by soils with higher nutrient concentrations, rather than plant-induced increases in nutrient concentrations. Although nutrient islands do not occur beneath rhizomatous grasses, their distribution in the semi-arid community was restricted to microsites characterized by soils with higher SOC and N concentrations. A greater efficiency of nutrient accumulation per unit rhizome mass and the maintenance of rhizome nutrient pools of similar magnitude to those of the rhizomatous grass in the mesic community may also contribute to the distribution of rhizomatous grasses in semi-arid communities. The existence of nutrient islands beneath a wide range of clone sizes in both mesic and semi-arid communities provides circumstantial evidence to suggest that nutrient islands beneath caespitose grasses may contribute to clone fitness in this growth form.     

Comparison of early development of three grasses: Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera and Poa pratensis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To improve the management of grass communities, early plant development was compared in three species with contrasting growth forms, a caespitose (Lolium perenne), a rhizomatous (Poa pratensis) and a caespitose-stoloniferous species (Agrostis stolonifera). METHODS: Isolated seedlings were grown in a glasshouse without trophic constraints for 37 d (761 degrees Cd). The appearance of leaves and their location on tillers were recorded. Leaf appearance rate (LAR) on the tillers and site-filling were calculated. Tillering was modelled based on the assumption that tiller number increases with the number of leaves produced on the seedling main stem. Above- and below-ground parts were harvested to compare biomass. KEY RESULTS: Lolium perenne and A. stolonifera expressed similar bunch-type developments. However, root biomass was approx. 30 % lower in A. stolonifera than in L. perenne. Poa pratensis was rhizomatous. Nevertheless, the ratio of above-ground : below-ground biomass of P. pratensis was similar to that of L. perenne. LAR was approximately equal to 0.30 leaf d(-1) in L. perenne, and on the main stem and first primary tillers of A. stolonifera. LAR on the other tillers of A. stolonifera was 30 % higher than on L. perenne. For P. pratensis, LAR was 30 % lower than on L. perenne, but the interval between the appearance of two successive shoots from rhizomes was 30 % higher than the interval between two successive leaf stages on the main stem. Above-ground parts of P. pratensis first grew slower than in the other species to the benefit of the rhizomes, whose development enhanced tiller production. CONCLUSIONS: Lolium perenne had the fastest tiller production at the earliest stages of seedling development. Agrostis stolonifera and P. pratensis compensated almost completely for the delay due to higher LAR on tillers or ramets compared with L. perenne. This study provides a basis for modelling plant development.     

Infrageneric relationships within Pogostemon Desf. (Labiatae)

Cladistic and phenetic analyses of the morphology of 79 species of Pogostemon Desf. sens lato have been undertaken. The cladistic analysis included 135 character state differences encoded as 41 binary or multistate characters. The phenetic analysis included 52 metric variables and 54 binary variables. There is a very good correspondence between the results of cladistic and phenetic analyses based on different data sets. The existence of several clearly marked clades/clusters has been demonstrated. Some groups/clades are similar to those previously taxonomically recognized but the relationships and membership of infra-generic groups have been clarified by these analyses, validating a revised infra-generic classification which has been proposed.     

Does a tradeoff exist between morphological and physiological root plasticity? A comparison of grass growth forms

A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential tradeoff between morphological and physiological root plasticity in caespitose and rhizomatous grass growth forms in semi-arid and mesic communities. Morphological and physiological root plasticity were evaluated with in-growth cores and excised root assays, respectively. The rhizomatous grass in the semi-arid community was the only species to display significant physiological root plasticity, but all species possessed the capacity to proportionally increase ¹⁵N uptake with increasing concentrations of (¹⁵NH₄)₂SO₄ solution. Neither the caespitose nor the rhizomatous grass displayed morphological root plasticity in response to nitrogen addition in the mesic community. In contrast, significant morphological root plasticity occurred in species of both growth forms in the semi-arid community. These data suggest that the compact architecture and the ability to accumulate nutrients in soils directly beneath caespitose grasses did not increase selection pressure for physiological root plasticity at the expense of morphological root plasticity and that the coarse grained foraging strategy and low density of large diameter roots did not increase morphological root plasticity at the expense of physiological root plasticity in rhizomatous grasses. These preliminary data suggest that 1) a high maximum uptake rate for nitrogen in these perennial grasses may minimize the expression of physiological root plasticity, 2) morphological and physiological root plasticity may represent complimentary, rather than alternative, foraging strategies, and 3) the expression of root plasticity may be strongly influenced by abiotic variables within specific habitats.     

The subfamilies and tribes of the family Bovidae

In this paper 112 skeletal characters in 27 living species of bovids are used in cladistic and phenetic analyses of the relationships among the tribes in the family. Consideration and modification of the cladistic analysis leads to the conclusion that bovids cluster around four foci in ascending evolutionary sequence: Boselaphini and allies; Antilopini and some Neotragini; the Caprinae; and a group of African antelopes containing Aepyceros , Alcelaphini, Reduncini and Hippotragini. This conclusion is quite closely compatible with the phenetic distance analysis of the same data, provided die latter is read as if primitive or early bovids share more similarities than divergently advanced ones and hence associate more closely. Given the primitiveness of Boselaphini and allies, the crucial finding is that Caprinae link with African antelopes and that Antilopini are more remote. Cladistic and phenetic analyses of 32 characters in 12 extinct bovid species produce similar groupings, but also throw doubt on the classification of Aepyceros , Reduncini and Hippotragini alongside Alcelaphini within a clade of African antelopes. As a result of these two sets of studies, of living and of extinct bovids, minimal alterations are proposed to the arrangement of bovid tribes. In addition, Saiga is placed in the Antilopini, and, with less assurance, Pelea in the Neotragini, Aepyceros in the Alcelaphinae, and Pantholops in the Caprinae. The contribution of the fossil record to understanding bovid evolution is considered.     

Further geometric morphometric analysis on the genus Eysarcoris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from China

Further geometric morphometric analysis of the genus Eysarcoris was done based on the former studies to classified the nine Eysarcoris species from China.In this study,six characters,such as forewing,hindwing,pygophore,head,pronotum and scutellum,were selected to investigate the shape variation of Eysarcoris.Significant divergence in the shapes of the six characters was observed among the species (p ＜ 0.05).For all methods,phenetic similarity based on the six characters agrees with the current status of the genus.The cluster analysis of eight species are consistent with the traditional morphological studies.CVA analysis also shows that the values of the six characters are not equal in taxonomy.Pygophore,forewing,hindwing and pronotum play more important roles in the classification.     

A REANALYSIS OF NEST STRUCTURE IN THE WEAVERS (PLOCEINAE) USING NUMERICAL TAXONOMIC TECHNIQUES

Variables of nest architecture and construction behaviour of 62 species of ploceine finches studied by Crook (1963) were reanalysed using multivariate statistical techniques. Phenetic assessments were based on 38 two-state characters for 48 OTUs. Product moment correlation coefficients and average distance coefficients were used as measures of similarity, and species were clustered using the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages. A three-dimensional model was constructed of species plotted with respect to the first three principal components extracted from a matrix of correlations among characters. Principal component and factor analytic techniques were employed to determine trends in character variation. The phenetic affinities expressed in the 3-D model and two phenograms show many similarities to the phenetic groupings deduced by Crook. However, there were also some differences in interpretation. Crook's Modes C and D were shown as distinct clusters in my analyses, but Modes A and B did not separate completely. In particular, the globular nest of P. baglafecht of Mode A, Type IV, grouped with kidney-shaped nests of species of Mode B, Type Va. The treatment of P. pelzelni, P. madagascariensis, and P. philippinus in my analysis differed somewhat from Crook's. The resulting cluster of F. sechellarum and M. malimbicus brought out some effects of standardising data on resulting interpretations of similarity. Species within the subtypes of Crook usually remained close together, but the affinities between subtypes (and types) often differed between our studies. The results of factor and principal component analyses indicate that the main trends in character variation concern those traits found together in (a) M. rubriceps; (b) A. unicolor and Pa. superciliosus; (c) forest birds; and (d) non-forest birds. These groups also are the main clusters. Differences in Crook's and my results are discussed and some of the advantages of utilising numerical techniques to describe similarity are mentioned.     

Assessment of rampant genitalic variation in the spider genus Homalonychus (Araneae, Homalonychidae)

Abstract. Animal genitalia are often complex and thought to vary little within species but differ between closely related species making them useful as primary characters in species diagnosis. Spiders are no exception, with nearly all of the 40,462 (at the time of this writing) described species differentiated by genitalic characteristics. However, in some cases, the genitalia of putative species are not uniform, but rather vary within species. When intraspecific variation overlaps interspecific variation, it can be difficult (if not impossible) to place a name on a specimen. The quantification of shape variation in genitalia has not often been attempted, probably because until recently it was not a methodologically and computationally simple process. In the two currently recognized species of the spider genus Homalonychus , genitalic variation is rampant in both male and female structures, with some parts of the genitalia (e.g., the retrolateral tibial apophysis) differing in each specimen examined. In this study, geometric morphometric analysis employing landmark data is used to quantify both intra- and interspecific variation in this genus. The large amount of variation is condensed into two or three groups depending on the structures examined, and these groups correspond to either the two species or to previously established mitochondrial DNA clades within one of the species. The results also show that analyses of female structures do not separate the groups as readily as the analyses of the male structures. The large amount of variation present in some structures is not correlated with geography or population genetic structure.     

DNA analyses reveal abundant homoplasy in taxonomically important morphological characters of Eusiroidea (Crustacea,Amphipoda)

Eusiroidea is one of the 20 amphipod superfamilies that were erected to subdivide the very large and controversial suborder Gammaridea. Yet, the definition of the superfamily is not based on synapomorphies, but on a combination of diagnostic phenetic similarities that hold more or less consistently across families. Moreover, many of the characters used to define eusiroid families are suspected to show convergent evolution. The current classification of the Eusiroidea may therefore not reflect evolutionary relationships accurately. Here, we present a molecular phylogenetic re‐analysis of the Eusiroidea based on a comparison of 18S and 28S rDNA sequences of 73 species, representing 47 genera and 16 families that potentially belong to the superfamily. The results suggest that at least species belonging to 14 of these traditional families would be part of a eusiroid clade, increasing by more than twofold the species and generic richness of the group. However, most of the eusiroid families surveyed do not appear monophyletic. Finally, the analyses show that several important morphological characteristics, traditionally used in eusiroid taxonomy, are homoplastic.     

Phenetic Relationship of Rubber Tree Clones

Twenty clones of the breeding population of Hevea brasiliensis were evaluated for phenetic diversity. The test-clones included six clones developed in Nigeria, ten Malaysian clones, two clones from Indonesia and a clone from each of Brazil and Sri Lanka. Data collected on fifteen seed characters in 1998 and 1999 were utilized for multivariate analysis. Cluster analysis of data matrix of clonal mean seed characters was conducted to produce principal component axes, dendrograms and Tocher's clusters in 1998, 1999 and the combined data. There was taxonomic isolation of the recent collection from Brazil (IAN 710) from the other clones that are either members or descendants of the Wickham collection of 1876. There was a continuum of phenetic diversity from the highly divergent to the closely related pairs of clones. The highly divergent clones are expected to produce heterotic progenies in crosses while crosses among clones with close phenetic similarity should be avoided. This will guide against inbreeding depression and genetic erosion. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Early stages and the classification of the milkweed butterflies (Lepidoptera: Danainae)

The Danainae, or milkweed butterflies, are a moderate-sized group of around 150 species that are of considerable ecological, physiological and behavioural interest. There are two currently accepted classifications for the subfamily and the aim of this study was to try to resolve this conflict using characters derived from the eggs, larvae and pupae. The 130 new characters (of which 85 are illustrated) are analysed by both phenetic methods (average linkage cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis) and by cladistic techniques (Wagner tree, character compatibility analysis and manually derived cladograms). Overall, the results corroborate the more recent classification of the Danainae. However, some points of difference are found and, after component analysis, an alternative classification is presented in accordance with the conventions for constructing annotated Linnaean hierarchies.     

中国栎属植物的数量分类研究

在全面衡量中国栎属49种4变种性状特征的基础上,观测了25个定性性状和18个数量性状。通过聚类分析,可以将中国栎属分为5个特征明显的表征群,即5组:麻栎组(Section Aegilops)、槲栎组(Section Quercus)、高山栎组(Section Brachylepides)、巴东栎组(Section Engleriana)和橿子栎组(Section Echinolepides)。在主成分分析中,虽然性状的累积贡献率增长不明显,前3个主成分累积贡献率仅有50.4%,但结果仍然显示出和聚类分析同样的结果。说明栎属的分类性状仍存在主要方面,只不过在演化过程中由于性状变异的多样性,产生了多个不同的表征类群。分析结果对我们解决个别有疑问种的分类地位也有启示作用。因此,数量分类方法对解决栎属组间及种间的分类问题有重要的意义。     

伞形科囊瓣芹属的表型分析

选取伞形科(Apiaceae)囊瓣芹属(Pternopetalum Franchet)32个分类群的60个形态学性状,利用DELTA系统的UPGMA算法进行了聚类分析。结果表明属下形成以五匹青(P.vulgare(Dunn)Hand.-Mazz.)和东亚囊瓣(P.tanakae(Franchet&Sav.)Hand.-Mazz.)为代表的两个主要表征群。两个主要表征群的分类结构和各自所包含的类群基本相应于前人研究中本属两个组的属下处理。根据全面相似性分析的结果和部分形态学特征的评估,确认了属下6个种的复合群:即五匹青、囊瓣芹(P.davidii Franchet)、散血芹(P.botrychioides(Dunn)Hand.-Mazz.)、洱源囊瓣芹(P.molle(Franchet)Hand.-Mazz.)、澜沧囊瓣芹(P.de-lavayi(Franchet)Hand.-Mazz.)和东亚囊瓣芹复合群。根据形态学特征在表型树上的分布分析表明:伞形花序的着生位置、花柱的形态、花柱基的形状和萼齿的大小等生殖特征可能是属下早期分化的关键性性状。属下主要变异类型(种的复合群和典型狭域特有种)对不同海拔区域和小生境的依赖,以及不显著的形态学分化表明:对横断山区较高的异质性生境的生态适应是囊瓣芹属类群多样化过程后期的一个重要特征。     

Phenetic relationships inClerodendrum (Verbenaceae) and some phylogenetic considerations

Cluster analyses by different methods and a minimum spanning tree were used to study phenetic relationships in the genusChlerodendrum. 129 species were scored for 52 morphological characters corresponding to 119 character states. The phenetic results suggest a classification into 7 distinct groups, which may be grouped into two subgenera. This classification is supported by the iridoid distribution as well as by some phylogenetic considerations.     

BIOSYSTEMATIC STUDIES IN THE BOUTELOUA CURTIPENDULA COMPLEX. I. THE ANEUPLOID RHIZOMATOUS B. CURTIPENDULA OF TEXAS

Gould , F. W., and Z. J. Kapadia . (A. & M. College of Texas, College Station.) Biosystematic studies in the Bouteloua curtipendula complex. I. The aneuploid rhizomatous B. curtipendula of Texas. Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(8): 887–891. Illus. 1962.—Widespread throughout central U.S. is a rhizomatous form of B. curtipendula that basically is tetraploid (2n = 40). In the southwest the predominant type is a caespitose aneuploid with a high chromosome number (2n = ca. 80 to 2n = ca. 102). The present study has shown the presence of an extensive series of rhizomatous aneuploids in central Texas, with chromosome numbers ranging from 2n = 41 to 2n = 64. The distribution of these plants is centered about the region of overlap in the ranges of the 2 previously mentioned types. Available evidence indicates that the rhizomatous aneuploids have arisen through hybridization of the caespitose aneuploids and the rhizomatous tetraploids.     

A Study on Isozyme from Some Caespitose Bamboos

The peroxidase, estrase and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase isozymes (POD. EST and GOT) in leaves of twenty-eight species belonging to 5 genera were analysed by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results show as follows: The zymograms of glutamic oxaiacetic transaminase isozyme are generally stable and therefore useful in distinguishing genera. The POD and EST isozymes vary among species and may be used as reference basis for distinguishing species. Based on the zymograms of three enzymes and similarty coefficients analysis, combined with classic systematic data authors suggest thatisoenzymatic data be valuable in solving some systematic problems of caespitose bamboos.     

Genetic control of rhizomes and genomic localization of a major-effect growth habit QTL in perennial wildrye

Rhizomes are prostrate subterranean stems that provide primitive mechanisms of vegetative dispersal, survival, and regrowth of perennial grasses and other monocots. The extent of rhizome proliferation varies greatly among grasses, being absent in cereals and other annuals, strictly confined in caespitose perennials, or highly invasive in some perennial weeds. However, genetic studies of rhizome proliferation are limited and genes controlling rhizomatous growth habit have not been elucidated. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling rhizome spreading were compared in reciprocal backcross populations derived from hybrids of rhizomatous creeping wildrye (Leymus triticoides) and caespitose basin wildrye (L. cinereus), which are perennial relatives of wheat. Two recessive QTLs were unique to the creeping wildrye backcross, one dominant QTL was unique to the basin wildrye backcross, and one additive QTL was detectable in reciprocal backcrosses with high log odds (LOD = 31.6) in the basin wildrye background. The dominant QTL located on linkage group (LG)-2a was aligned to a dominant rhizome orthogene (Rhz3) of perennial rice (Oryza longistamina) and perennial sorghum (Sorghum propinquum). Nonparametric 99 % confidence bounds of the 31.6-LOD QTL were localized to a distal 3.8-centiMorgan region of LG-6a, which corresponds to a 0.7-Mb region of Brachypodium Chromosome 3 containing 106 genes. An Aux/IAA auxin signal factor gene was located at the 31.6-LOD peak, which could explain the gravitropic and aphototropic behavior of rhizomes. Findings elucidate genetic mechanisms controlling rhizome development and architectural growth habit differences among plant species. Results have possible applications to improve perennial forage and turf grasses, extend the vegetative life cycle of annual cereals, such as wheat, or control the invasiveness of highly rhizomatous weeds such as quackgrass (Elymus repens).     

Cladistic and phenetic studies of genera of Afrotropical Cryptobiina (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Paederinae) II. The phenetic approach

The phenetics of 12 genera of Afrotropical Cryptobiina have been analysed by multivariate statistics. Three analyses (principal component analysis, canonical discriminant analysis and cluster analysis) have been used to determine the relative positions of the taxa in a morphospace. These analyses have allowed us to confirm the generic divisions based on alpha-systematic and phylogenetic grounds. While phenetic systematics and cladistic systematics have often been opposed, this study shows that both approaches are, in the end, complementary. Phenetical analysis allow, in addition to a quantitative definition of the genera, the isolation of ethological or ecological characters, while the cladistic approch gives to them precision and a phylogenetic sense. The three types of analyses point out the importance in Cryptobiina of the size, length of the scapus and width of the neck, all three characters which were also designated as significant characters by the phylogenetic analysis.     

国产泽泻属的数量分类研究──兼论世界泽泻属种间的表征关系

基于形态学、解剖学、花粉形态和地理分布等证据,应用聚类分析、排序以及空间自相关分析等方法,探讨国产泽泻属４种植物以及世界泽泻属９种植物的表征关系。在此基础上选择和和评价了相对重要的分类性状。