Diffused light conditions in canopy gaps in a beech (Fagus crenata Blume) forest

Summary A simple model for diffused light conditions in canopy gaps is presented. The vertical changes of illuminance in gaps calculated from the model agreed with the changes observed in a beech forest in Japan. The illuminance in a given sized gap in the forest could be estimated from the model. Size distribution of gaps in the forest suggested that most gaps were too small for the frequent occurrence of pioneer tree species.     

Microenvironmental variability and species diversity in treefall gaps in a sub-tropical broadleaved forest

Microenvironmental variability and species diversity in gaps and forest understorey were studied to assess the role of treefall gaps in maintaining composition and patchy distribution in a broad-leaved sub-tropical climax forest, Mawphlang, Meghalaya, India. Photon flux density was higher in gaps than in the surrounding understorey. Relative humidity was low and the litter layer was relatively thin in gaps throughout the year. Soil moisture and photon flux density in the gaps significantly varied between seasons and gaps of different sizes. Relative humidity significantly varied between seasons but difference among gaps was insignificant. Among-gap and among-season variations in soil and air temperature were insignificant.The number of tree species in the gaps was positively correlated with gap area, and tree species abundance showed higher equitability in larger than in smaller gaps. In gaps, -diversity was highest for herbs and lowest for shrubs. -diversity was highest for shrubs and lowest for tree seedlings. -diversity of tree seedlings was higher in the gaps than in the forest understorey. Conversely, -diversity was higher in the understorey than in the gaps. Low species similarity for tree seedlings among the gaps could be an effect of patchy distribution of parent tree species in the forest. Thus a significant change in light and moisture regimes along the gap size gradient played an important role in influencing the composition and abundance of shade tolerant and intolerant tree species in gaps on one hand, and affected the overall species diversity of the forest, on the other.     

Sealing of gaps in duplex DNA by T4 DNA ligase.

Single-strand gaps in DNA molecules were found to be a substrate for T4 DNA ligase. Sealing of the gaps was optimal at the same conditions as ligation of blunt-ended DNA molecules. Spermidine at a concentration of 2 mM stimulated the ligation of gaps, as well as the joining of DNA molecules with cohesive and blunt ends. In addition, spermidine reduced the optimal ATP concentration. The ligation of single-stranded gaps was a slow process, reaching a plateau after several hours at 25 degrees C. Approximately 10% of circular duplex plasmid pBR322 DNA molecules with a gap of 1-5 nucleotides could be converted to a covalently closed form. When such molecules were used for transformation of E. coli cells deletion mutants were obtained at a high frequency. The size and position of the gaps and the deletions were equivalent, confirming that T4 DNA ligase was sealing the gaps.     

Potential causes of arrested succession in Kibale National Park, Uganda: growth and mortality of seedlings

Recent studies suggest that regeneration following large-scale disturbance in Kibale National Park, Uganda, is slow or possibly arrested. Here, data is provided on the growth and mortality of seedlings in the forest understory, treefall gaps, and in large gaps that suggest that this pattern of arrested succession can be attributed partially to the fact that this East African community lacks aggressive colonizing tree species. Growth and mortality rates were contrasted for seedlings of six tree species planted in the understory, small gaps, and large gaps for 36 months. Data suggest that species are adapted to gaps of particular sizes. For example, Uvariopsis congensis grew faster in the understory than in small gaps, whereas Warburgia ugandensis had the lowest mortality rate and highest growth rate in large gaps. Seedlings (n=170) of 15 species were transplanted to assess the response of the tree community to large gap conditions. The limited survival of seedlings in large gaps relative to the understory suggests that only a small proportion of the tree community in this forest regenerates best in gaps larger than those created by the collapse of a single tree. These findings differ from a number of studies conducted in other geographical regions, and suggests that tree communities differ with respect to the proportion of tree species adapted to gaps of particular sizes. This may relate to variation among regions in their history of disturbance and thus frequency of gap formation, size of gaps, and the duration of periods of release. Such variation could imply the existence of a corresponding pattern among tropical forests of differential vulnerability to human disturbance, which tends to create many large gaps.     

林窗内光照强度的测量方法

林窗内光强存在复杂的时空变化,对植物更新和生长有着重要影响,因此,林窗光照强度的快速测量方法是生态学家十分关注的问题.目前,测量林窗光强的方法可分为3类:(1)直接测量法采用光量子探头等仪器直接测量光强,但测量林窗光强异质性时十分费时费力.(2)模型估测法通过几何计算可快速估测林窗任意位置光强,但模型估测法将林窗简化为圆柱体或椭圆柱体,并忽略了许多林窗光强的影响因素,这极大影响了它的测量精度.(3)相片法采用半球面影像等相片间接计算相片拍摄点的光强,但测量林窗光强异质性时需要在林窗内拍摄大量相片;相片法具有较高精度,可区分直射光和散射光,其中,基于半球面影像的林窗光指数(gap light index)精度最高,使用广泛;基于几何计算的林窗光指数不仅具有较高精度,且可以快速测量林窗任意位置光强,该方法适用于林窗光强水平分布格局、垂直结构以及光组成成分(直射光和散射光)特征研究.     

Gaps in the canopy: the missing dimension in vegetation dynamics

Canopy gaps are important as entry points for new genotypes and new species into many types of vegetation, yet little is known about them in any type of vegetation but forests. Forest gaps are too large for manipulative experiments to be readily undertaken, and hitherto grassland gaps have been too small to be easily mapped. Preliminary results from mapping small (>1 cm) grassland gaps with a new fibre-optic device suggest that experiments need to be performed at a smaller physical scale than has hitherto been achieved.     

山西霍山灌丛空隙草本植物物种多样性与更新

采用物种重要值和物种多样性指数,分析了山西霍山灌丛空隙内主要草本组成及其多样性随灌丛空隙面积梯度的变化规律。结果表明:在自然状况下形成的10 m2的灌丛空隙最多,占51.2%。灌丛空隙内草本植物的重要值高于灌丛下草本,且以10~20 m2的空隙为最高。主要草本可分为3类:(1)对灌丛空隙更新反应不明显的草本,(2)对灌丛空隙有正更新反应的草本,(3)对灌丛空隙有负更新反应的草本。灌丛空隙内的物种丰富度、多样性指数和均匀度指数均高于灌丛下,而生态优势度均小于灌丛下,呈现"单峰型"的变化趋势,且在10~20 m2达到峰值。因此,适宜大小的灌丛空隙是森林生态系统草本层植物多样性维持的重要途径。     

林窗对长苞冷杉自然更新幼苗存活和生长的影响

 长苞冷杉(Abies georgei)林是我国西南亚高山针叶林的重要类型之一,分布于海拔3 200～4 200 m。目前对于该森林林窗对树苗更新的调节还很少了解。通过1997～2000年对20个林窗的连续观测调查,研究了滇西北白马雪山自然保护区西坡亚高山长苞冷杉林林窗大小和林窗位置对自然更新幼苗存活和生长的影响。长苞冷杉针叶林林窗大小分布为,面积大于100 m2的大林窗占20%左右,中等林窗面积为50～100 m2,占35%左右,小林窗面积小于50 m2,占45%左右。4个生长季节的连续观测结果表明：林窗与林下非林窗内的幼苗大小和幼苗存活数量差异明显。林窗由小到大,单位面积内的自然更新苗木数量逐渐增加,大林窗中更新苗为小林窗的1.5倍左右,而林下的更新苗很少,0.5 ind.·10 m-2。中等林窗和小林窗内的幼苗数量在从南到中心到北的位置上几乎没有明显的差异;大林窗中存在由南到北的位置差异,更新幼苗数量逐渐增加。从更新幼苗的生长来看,中等林窗内的幼苗,高度最大、生长最快,定居阶段的平均年高生长为(7.8±0.5) cm·a-1,小林窗次之,大林窗和林下幼苗个体最小,生长最慢。更新幼苗的基径随林窗大小的变化与高度变化相似。进一步从林窗位置来看,中、小林窗幼苗大小和年平均高生长量几乎无位置差异,大林窗则由南到北,幼苗由大变小,年高生长量逐渐减低。从幼苗存活数量、生长大小来看,中等林窗大小是长苞冷杉幼苗更新的适宜面积,这为该类型退化亚高山针叶林恢复提供了一定的参考。     

Logging leaves a fingerprint on the number,size, spatial configuration and geometry of tropical forest canopy gaps

Recent advances in remote sensing such as airborne laser scanning have revolutionized our ability to accurately map forest canopy gaps, with huge implications for tracking forest dynamics at scale. However, few studies have explored how canopy gaps vary among forests at different successional stages following disturbances, such as those caused by logging. Moreover, most studies have focused exclusively on the size distribution of gaps, ignoring other key features such as their spatial distribution and shape. Here, we test a series of hypotheses about how the number, size, spatial configuration, and geometry of gaps vary across a logging disturbance gradient in Malaysian Borneo. As predicted, we found that recently logged forests had much higher gap fraction compared to old-growth forests, a result of having both a greater total number of gaps and a higher proportion of large gaps. Regrowing forests, on the other hand, fell at the opposite end of the spectrum, being characterized by both fewer and smaller gaps compared to nearby old-growth forests. Across all successional stages gaps were found to be spatially clustered. However, logging significantly diluted the degree of spatial aggregation and led to the formation of gaps with much more complex geometries. Our results showcase how logging and subsequent regrowth substantially alter not just the number and size of gaps in a forest, but also their spatial arrangement and shape. Linking these emergent patterns to their underlying processes is key to better understanding the impacts of human disturbance on the structure and function of tropical forests.     

Closing gaps in the human genome using sequencing by synthesis

The most recent release of the finished human genome contains 260 euchromatic gaps (excluding chromosome Y). Recent work has helped explain a large number of these unresolved regions as 'structural' in nature. Another class of gaps is likely to be refractory to clone-based approaches, and cannot be approached in ways previously described. We present an approach for closing these gaps using 454 sequencing. As a proof of principle, we closed all three remaining non-structural gaps in chromosome 15.     

Do seedlings in gaps interact? A field test of assumptions in ESS seed size models

ESS models for the evolution of seed size variation assume that seedlings compete with each other for the occupancy of 'safe sites' or vegetation gaps. If mortality rates are high and/or frequency-independent, ESS models reduce to the classical model of Smith and Fretwell which predicts that a single, optimum seed size should occur. We tested whether seedlings compete with one another by following the survival of seedlings colonizing experimental gaps in a grazed grassland community. In small gaps (3 cm diameter) the proximity of established plants slightly, though significantly reduced seedling survival, but density-dependent mortality also occurred among seedlings in these gaps. In larger gaps (6 cm, 9 cm diameter) survival was significantly positively frequency-dependent. These results strongly support the validity of ESS models.     

Formation and closure of canopy gaps in the rain forest at Nouragues, French Guiana

Formation and closure of canopy gaps was monitored for three years in 12 ha of primary rain forest at Nouragues, French Guiana. At the first inventory, in April 1991, 74 openings in the canopy > 4 m² (sensu Brokaw 1982a) were located; 60 of these gaps were formed before January 1990. Between January 1990 and December 1993, 5 to 15 gaps were annually formed, opening 0.64–1.33% of the forest canopy each year. Of all gaps, 41% were created by a falling, snapped tree, 34% by a falling, uprooted tree, 22% by a falling branch, and 3% by a falling dead stem. A refined nearest neighbour analysis showed that gaps formed after January 1990 were clustered: uprooting of trees seemed to be related to shallow soils, and relatively many other trees fell when a tree uprooted, independent of the dbh of the uprooted tree. In 37 gaps, canopy openness in the gap centre (determined by hemispherical photographs) was monitored over three years. In 54% of the gaps, canopy openness increased in two successive years. It is reasoned that edges of especially large gaps may frequently be re-disturbed by falling trees or branches. Results suggest that gaps have closed after around 15 years. More data are needed to verify this.     

Comparative dynamics of small mammal populations in treefall gaps and surrounding understorey within Amazonian rainforest

Variation in food resource availability can have profound effects on habitat selection and dynamics of populations. Previous studies reported higher food resource availability and fruit removal in treefall gaps than in the understorey. Therefore, gaps have been considered "keystone habitat" for Neotropical frugivore birds. Here we test if this prediction would also hold for terrestrial small mammals. In the Amazon, we quantified food resource availability in eleven treefall gaps and paired understorey habitats and used feeding experiments to test if two common terrestrial rodents ( Oryzomys megacephalus and Proechimys spp.) would perceive differences between habitats. We live-trapped small mammals in eleven gaps and understorey sites for two years, and compared abundance, fitness components (survival and per capita recruitment) and dispersal of these two rodent species across gaps and understorey and seasons (rainy and dry). Our data indicated no differences in resource availability and consumption rate between habitats. Treefall gaps may represent a sink habitat for Oryzomys where individuals had lower fitness, apparently because of habitat-specific ant predation on early life stages, than in the understorey, the source habitat. Conversely, gaps may be source habitat for Proechimys where individuals had higher fitness, than in the understorey, the sink habitat. Our results suggest the presence of source-sink dynamics in a tropical gap-understorey landscape, where two rodent species perceive habitats differently. This may be a mechanism for their coexistence in a heterogeneous and species-diverse system.     

Ecology of tropical butterflies in rainforest gaps

Tropical forest gaps are ephemeral and patchily distributed within forest areas and have very different light environments compared with closed-canopy forest. We used fruit-baited traps to investigate if gaps are exploited by more opportunistic butterfly species compared with closed-canopy forest. Gaps supported a higher diversity of butterflies in terms of species evenness but closed-canopy sites contained species with more restricted geographical distributions. There was little similarity between the assemblages of butterflies trapped in the canopy and those in either gap or closed-canopy sites, but the greater similarity was with gaps, and increased diversity in gaps was partly due to canopy species turning up in gaps. Dispersal rates (as measured by recapture rates) were higher in gaps and there was evidence that butterflies in gaps had relatively larger and broader thoraxes, indicating a flight morphology adapted for faster flight. These results support the notion of a distinctive gap fauna comprising more widespread, mobile species. Habitat modification that opens up the canopy is likely to result in an increase in these widespread species and a decline in understorey species with restricted distributions.     

Development of woody vegetation in treefall gaps in a beech-sugar maple forest

Treefall gaps sampled for size, age, and woody vegetation in 1977 were resampled in 1981. Large gaps had more and larger stems than did small gaps; however, basal area and number of stems per unit area remained fairly constant over the range of gap sizes encountered. Overall, most species showed little change in their relative importance values in gaps of different sizes or ages. However, the four main canopy species differed in their responses. Acer saccharum Marsh, reached maximum importance in small gaps, Liriodendron tulipifera L. and Fraxinus americana L. in large ones. As gaps aged, Fraxinus decreased in importance while Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. gained in importance for all gap sizes. For about half the gaps studied, some new adjacent disturbance had occurred between 1977 and 1981.     

Forest gaps regulate seed germination rate and radicle growth of an endangered plant species in a subtropical natural forest

The survival rate of Castanopsis kawakamii from seed to seedling is relatively low, leading to difficulties in the regeneration of its natural forests. Forest gaps play a vital role in plant regeneration and biodiversity maintenance in forest ecosystems. Unfortunately, our understanding of the effects of gap size and within-gap position on the seed germination and radicle growth of C. kawakamii is still limited. In particular, our knowledge on the relationship between gap size and environmental factors and their influence on seed germination and radicle growth is incomplete. In the present study, we studied the influences of forest gaps and within-gap position on seed regeneration on the germination and radicle growth of an endangered species C. kawakamii in a subtropical natural forest in China. We selected three large gaps (LG, gap size above 200 m²), three medium gaps (MG, gap size 50–100 m²), three small gaps (SG, gap size 30–50 m²), and non-gap (NG), and planted the seeds of C. kawakamii in five positions within each gap. The results showed that (1) the influence of forest gaps on seed germination rate was, from highest to lowest, medium gaps (51%), non-gap (47%), small gaps (40%) and large gaps (17%), and the seed germination rate was the highest in all positions in medium gaps, with the exception of the east position. (2) Radicle length in forest gaps was, from highest to lowest, medium gaps, small gaps, large gaps and non-gap, and it was the highest in the east, south, west and north positions of medium gaps. (3) Canopy openness (gap size) and air temperature were the main factors influencing seed germination and radicle growth of C. kawakamii. We concluded that medium-sized gaps were the most suitable for seed germination and radicle growth of C. kawakamii, and they promote the regeneration of this endangered species in the investigated natural forest.     

Chromosome lesions in amniotic fluid cell cultures

Summary The frequencies of chromosome lesions were determined on 3537 mitoses in samples of varying sizes from cultures of 25 amniotic fluid specimens taken from patients at cytogenetic risk. The average percentage values of aberrant cells, including and excluding gaps, were 12.5 and 4.9, respectively. The corresponding values for fibroblasts and peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal adult donors, calculated under the same laboratory conditions, were 5.0 (including gaps) and 2.4 (excluding gaps) and 2.4 (including gaps) and 1.0 (excluding gaps), respectively. The hypothesis of a correlation between the increased incidence of chromosome lesions and the occurrence of abnormal karyotypes in amniotic fluid cell cultures is discussed.     

广东南澳岛不同森林群落的林窗环境对3种移植树苗生长的影响

 先锋种和非先锋种可能对林窗产生不同的反应。在广东南澳岛4个不同的森林群落样地里移植了大叶相思（Acacia auriculaeformis A. Cunn.）、尾叶桉（Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake）和荷木（Schima superba Gardn. et Champ）3种树苗,其中大叶相思和尾叶桉是先锋种,而荷木是非先锋种,测定了林窗和非林窗生境中的透光率和幼苗生长高度。结果表明,林窗的透光率大于非林窗的;各群落的透光率有季节性的变化,变化幅度各不同。3种幼苗在林窗内比     

Fine root biomass within experimental canopy gaps: evidence for a below-ground gap

To study fine root biomass in response to canopy gap formation, we determined fine root biomass in the upper 15 cm of soil within four experimental canopy gaps, and within the surrounding intact forest. Sampling was conducted throughout the growing season (May through August) following gap creation. We observed a mid-season decrease in root biomass within gaps, and within the intact forest surrounding the gaps during June and July. Later in the season, less fine root biomass was found within canopy gaps than within the intact forest, and this trend may be attributed to root death accompanying the tree(s) that were felled to form the gaps. These results provide strong evidence for the formation of a below-ground gap in association with the creation of a canopy gap.     

Postreplication repair of DNA in chick cells: studies using photoreactivation.

During replication of DNA after ultraviolet irradiation, gaps are left in the newly-synthesized DNA strands in both bacterial and animal cells and these gaps are subsequently sealed by a process known as postreplication repair. In order to test whether it is the ultraviolet-induced pyrimidine dimers which are responsible for the production of these daughter-strand gaps in animal cells, we have used chick embryo fibroblasts. In these cells the pyrimidine dimers are photoreactivable, i.e. they can be split by an enzymatic process dependent on visible or near ultraviolet light. Our results indicate that chick cells possess a postreplication repair system similar to that in mammalian cells; gaps are produced in the newly-synthesized strands and then filled in. If the ultraviolet-irradiated cells are first photoreactivated to remove most of the dimers, the number of daughter-strand gaps produced is much less than without photoreactivation. This suggests that the dimers are indeed responsible for the formation of many of the gaps in the newly-synthesized DNA. Ultraviolet light also inhibits the overall rate of DNA synthesis. This inhibition is, however, only partly overcome by photoreactivation.