不同干扰方式对内蒙古典型草原植物种组成和功能群特征的影响

研究休牧、补播和自由放牧3种人为干扰方式对内蒙古典型草原群落植物种组成、功能群组成、群落物种多样性和地上生物量的影响.结果表明: 3种干扰方式对植物功能群结构及其多样性有显著影响,休牧方式下群落植物种数量、地上生物量、多样性指数和丰富度指数最大,分别为22种、171.32 g·m^-2、1.46和5.7,灌木半灌木和多年生禾草的重要值、物种所占比例、地上生物量、多样性指数、丰富度指数和均匀度指数显著高于其他干扰方式,多年生杂类草的重要值、物种所占比例、地上生物量、多样性指数和均匀度指数显著低于其他干扰方式,中生植物、C3和C4植物的地上生物量最大,分别为22.22、143.35和27.97 g·m^-2.补播方式下,中旱生植物地上生物量最大,为13.60 g·m^-2,旱生植物物种所占比例最小(48.5%),C4植物物种所占比例最大(28.8%).自由放牧方式下,一、二年生草本植物物种所占比例最大,达12.3%,中生植物和C4植物所占比例最小,分别为17.0%和20.9%.春季休牧措施有利于退化草原的恢复.     

嘉峪关草湖湿地植物功能群组成及其性状对不同生境的响应

植物功能群与生境的关系是生态学研究的重要内容,对于揭示植物的环境适应机制、群落构建机制、预测植被变化等具有重要意义。为研究局域尺度上干旱区湿地、沙漠、戈壁等生态系统功能群的环境适应机制,在嘉峪关草湖国家湿地公园内,基于植物功能性状数据,研究了荒漠区不同生境条件下的功能群组成和功能性状特性。结果表明:随着生境条件的改变,土壤含水量、含盐量、容重、pH值等土壤性质发生显著变化;植物的功能群组成和功能性状会发生适应性的变化,沼泽湿地生境内植被的功能性状以克隆、C₄光合途径、根茎型等特征为主,盐沼湿地以叶片被蜡、叶茎肉质、CS策略等特征为主,沙丘生境以叶片具毛、风播、具增厚或增长的根、一年生、CR策略等特征为主,荒漠戈壁以叶片少、具增厚或增长的根、虫媒、地上芽等特征为主。局域尺度上,生境异质性尤其是土壤条件的异质性是影响植物群落组成和植物功能性状变化的重要环境因子。     

Interactive effects between plant functional types and soil factors on tundra species diversity and community composition

Plant communities are coupled with abiotic factors, as species diversity and community composition both respond to and influence climate and soil characteristics. Interactions between vegetation and abiotic factors depend on plant functional types (PFT) as different growth forms will have differential responses to and effects on site characteristics. However, despite the importance of different PFT for community assembly and ecosystem functioning, research has mainly focused on vascular plants. Here, we established a set of observational plots in two contrasting habitats in northeastern Siberia in order to assess the relationship between species diversity and community composition with soil variables, as well as the relationship between vegetation cover and species diversity for two PFT (nonvascular and vascular). We found that nonvascular species diversity decreased with soil acidity and moisture and, to a lesser extent, with soil temperature and active layer thickness. In contrast, no such correlation was found for vascular species diversity. Differences in community composition were found mainly along soil acidity and moisture gradients. However, the proportion of variation in composition explained by the measured soil variables was much lower for nonvascular than for vascular species when considering the PFT separately. We also found different relationships between vegetation cover and species diversity according the PFT and habitat. In support of niche differentiation theory, species diversity and community composition were related to edaphic factors. The distinct relationships found for nonvascular and vascular species suggest the importance of considering multiple PFT when assessing species diversity and composition and their interaction with edaphic factors. Synthesis: Identifying vegetation responses to edaphic factors is a first step toward a better understanding of vegetation–soil feedbacks under climate change. Our results suggest that incorporating differential responses of PFT is important for predicting vegetation shifts, primary productivity, and in turn, ecosystem functioning in a changing climate.     

Total hemicelluloses from wheat at different stages of growth

The changes in total hemicellulose composition of leaf and stem tissues of field-grown wheat plants have been examined. In each plant tissue the percentage of xylose in the total hemicellulose increases with increasing plant maturity, that of galactose varies little and those of L-arabinose, D-glucose, and uronic acid decrease. There is a markedly higher proportion of D-glucopyranuronosyl than of 4-O-methyl-D-glucopyranuronosyl residues in leaf and stem tissues at all stages of maturity. The ratio of β(1 → 3) to β(1 → 4) linkages in the β-glucans, and the DP of these β-glucans decrease concommitantly with tissue maturity.     

不同木本植物功能型当年生小枝功能性状差异

为探讨不同植物功能型之间小枝功能特征的差异,在重庆金佛山和缙云山分别采集20和26个木本植物,选择当年生的小枝测定其叶片和枝条性状。结果表明:1)叶片厚度表现为:落叶植物<常绿植物,乔木<灌木;单叶面积和叶片总面积表现为:落叶植物>常绿植物,乔木>灌木;不同植物功能型间小枝的叶片数量均无显著差异。2)落叶植物和乔木的小枝横截面积、小枝长度和小枝干重均显著高于常绿植物和灌木,不同植物功能型间小枝密度无显著差异。3)与常绿植物和灌木相比,落叶植物和乔木有较高的展叶效率(单位长度小枝支撑的叶片面积),小枝的出叶强度(单位长度小枝支撑的叶片数)无显著差异。4)在小枝水平上,常绿植物比落叶植物投入更多的生物量到叶片。     

Rhamnogalacturonan II structure shows variation in the side chains monosaccharide composition and methylation status within and across different plant species

A paradigm regarding rhamnogalacturonans II (RGII) is their strictly conserved structure within a given plant. We developed and employed a fast structural characterization method based on chromatography and mass spectrometry, allowing analysis of RGII side chains from microgram amounts of cell wall. We found that RGII structures are much more diverse than so far described. In chain A of wild‐type plants, up to 45% of the l –fucose is substituted by l –galactose, a state that is seemingly uncorrelated with RGII dimerization capacity. This led us to completely reinvestigate RGII structures of the Arabidopsis thaliana fucose‐deficient mutant mur1, which provided insights into RGII chain A biosynthesis, and suggested that chain A truncation, rather than l –fucose to l –galactose substitution, is responsible for the mur1 dwarf phenotype. Mass spectrometry data for chain A coupled with NMR analysis revealed a high degree of methyl esterification of its glucuronic acid, providing a plausible explanation for the puzzling RGII antibody recognition. The β–galacturonic acid of chain A exhibits up to two methyl etherifications in an organ‐specific manner. Combined with variation in the length of side chain B, this gives rise to a family of RGII structures instead of the unique structure described up to now. These findings pave the way for studies on the physiological roles of modulation of RGII composition.     

A review of light interception in plant stands from leaf to canopy in different plant functional types and in species with varying shade tolerance

Changes in the efficiency of light interception and in the costs for light harvesting along the light gradients from the top of the plant canopy to the bottom are the major means by which efficient light harvesting is achieved in ecosystems. In the current review analysis, leaf, shoot and canopy level determinants of plant light harvesting, the light-driven plasticity in key traits altering light harvesting, and variations among different plant functional types and between species of different shade tolerance are analyzed. In addition, plant age- and size-dependent alterations in light harvesting efficiency are also examined. At the leaf level, the variations in light harvesting are driven by alterations in leaf chlorophyll content modifies the fraction of incident light harvested by given leaf area, and in leaf dry mass per unit area (M _A) that determines the amount of leaf area formed with certain fraction of plant biomass in the leaves. In needle-leaved species with complex foliage cross-section, the degree of foliage surface exposure also depends on the leaf total-to-projected surface area ratio. At the shoot scale, foliage inclination angle distribution and foliage spatial aggregation are the major determinants of light harvesting, while at the canopy scale, branching frequency, foliage distribution and biomass allocation to leaves (F _L) modify light harvesting significantly. F _L decreases with increasing plant size from herbs to shrubs to trees due to progressively larger support costs in plant functional types with greater stature. Among trees, F _L and stand leaf area index scale positively with foliage longevity. Plant traits altering light harvesting have a large potential to adjust to light availability. Chlorophyll per mass increases, while M _A, foliage inclination from the horizontal and degree of spatial aggregation decrease with decreasing light availability. In addition, branching frequency decreases and canopies become flatter in lower light. All these plastic modifications greatly enhance light harvesting in low light. Species with greater shade tolerance typically form a more extensive canopy by having lower M _A in deciduous species and enhanced leaf longevity in evergreens. In addition, young plants of shade tolerators commonly have less strongly aggregated foliage and flatter canopies, while in adult plants partly exposed to high light, higher shade tolerance of foliage allows the shade tolerators to maintain more leaf layers, resulting in extended crowns. Within a given plant functional type, increases in plant age and size result in increases in M _A, reductions in F _L and increases in foliage aggregation, thereby reducing plant leaf area index and the efficiency of light harvesting. Such dynamic modifications in plant light harvesting play a key role in stand development and productivity. Overall, the current review analysis demonstrates that a suite of chemical and architectural traits at various scales and their plasticity drive plant light harvesting efficiency. Enhanced light harvesting can be achieved by various combinations of traits, and these suites of traits vary during plant ontogeny.     

Extraction and characterization of hemicelluloses from flax shives by different methods

Hemicelluloses were extracted from flax shives using pressurized low-polarity water (PLPW), pressurized aqueous ethanol (PAE), microwave-assisted water (MW-Water) or aqueous ethanol (MW-EtOH), and precipitated with ethanol. Hemicelluloses still remaining in solution were further separated using ultrafiltration. All samples were characterized with chemical analysis, ion-moderated partition chromatography (IMP), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. PLPW, PAE, MW-Water and MW-EtOH extracted 90, 80, 18, and 40% of the total hemicelluloses, respectively. The molecular weight of the ethanol-precipitated hemicelluloses ranged from approximately 11,000 to 40,000 Da and the ethanol-soluble low-molecular weight hemicelluloses were about 1700 Da. High-molecular weight hemicellulose isolated from PAE extracts contained 23% lignin, while that from the PLPW extracts contained 5% lignin. Low-molecular weight hemicelluloses separated by ultrafiltration from PLPW and PAE extracts contained similar amounts of lignin (20%). However, the yield of low-molecular weight hemicelluloses from PLPW was higher (15%) compared to that from PAE (6%). The FT-IR results revealed the specific band maximum at 1220 cm⁻¹ and the bands between 1175 and 1000 cm⁻¹ which are typical of xylans.     

单糖组成分析方法的研究进展

单糖组成分析是对多糖以及糖蛋白中多种单糖组分的定性、定量分析。该分析方法可被用来分析多糖结构以及在多糖类药物研发或生产中起到质量控制的作用。就近几年来多糖以及糖蛋白中的单糖组成、分析方法进行了综述,包括对样品的水解方法以及不同色谱法和电泳法利弊的分析。     

Preference for different inorganic nitrogen forms among plant functional types and species of the Patagonian steppe

We have explored species–specific preferences for nitrate (NO₃ ^?) and ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) as an alternative niche separation in ecosystems where nitrogen (N) is present mostly in inorganic forms. The Patagonian steppe is dominated by shrubs and grasses. Shrubs absorb water and nutrients from deep soil layers, which are poor in N, while grasses have the opposite pattern, absorbing most of their water and nutrients from the upper layers of the soil. We hypothesized that the preferences of shrub and grass for inorganic N forms are different and that the rate of potential N uptake is greater in shrubs than in grasses. To test this hypothesis, we grew individuals of six dominant species in solutions of different NH₄ ⁺:NO₃ ^? concentration ratios. Nitrate uptake was found to be higher in shrubs, while ammonium uptake was similar between plant functional types. The NH₄ ⁺:NO₃ ^? uptake ratio was significantly lower for shrubs than grasses. Shrubs, which under field conditions have deeper rooting systems than grasses, showed a higher N absorption capacity than grasses and a preference for the more mobile N form, nitrate. Grasses, which had lower N uptake rates than shrubs, preferred ammonium over nitrate. These complementary patterns between grasses and shrubs suggest a more thorough exploitation of resources by diverse ecosystems than those dominated by just one functional type. The loss of one plant functional group or a significant change in its abundance would therefore represent a reduction in resource use efficiency and ecosystem functioning.     

Response of photosynthesis of different plant functional types to environmental changes along Northeast China Transect

Net photosynthesis (P_n), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (g_s), internal CO₂ concentration (C_i), and water use efficiency (WUE) were examined on 215 species from eight plant functional types (PFTs) along a precipitation gradient in northeast China (the Northeast China Transect, or NECT). Among the eight PFTs, meadow steppe grasses had the highest rates of net photosynthesis and forest grasses the lowest and the following order of P_n was noted: meadow steppe grasses >typical steppe grasses >steppe shrubs >desert grasses >forest trees >forest shrubs >desert shrubs >forest grasses (P<0.05). Transpiration tended to be the highest in the steppe grasses and lowest in forest shrubs. Transpiration also decreased rapidly with the appearance of C₃ desert species at the desert end. The forest tree PFT had lower P_n, E, g_s than the steppe PFTs, whereas WUE values were somewhat greater in the forest tree PFT than the desert shrubs and grasses. Low C_i values along the steppe section (from 400 to 1100 km, east to west) indicated the presence of C₄ species. Of all the PFTs, only shrubs and herbs were noted at all points along the transect. No clear relationship between P_n, E, g_s, WUE of herb and shrub PFTs and annual precipitation was noted – low values were found at both the high and low precipitation ends of the transect. Highest values were noted when precipitation was intermediate. Received: 28 October 1998 / Accepted: 10 May 1999     

不同气候带间成熟林植物叶性状间异速生长关系随功能型的变异

为研究不同生物气候带内植物叶片大小与叶柄干重间的异速生长关系, 探讨不同植物功能型对叶内异速生长关系的效应, 在黑龙江呼中、吉林长白山、北京东灵山、浙江古田山、湖北神农架和四川都江堰6个地区, 选择典型地带性成熟林进行主要木本植物的叶片和叶柄性状的测定与统计分析。结果表明: 不同功能型和气候带植物叶片干重、面积、体积均与叶柄干重之间存在着显著的异速生长关系, 共同斜率分别为0.82、0.70和0.80, 均显著小于1.0。在相同叶柄干重下, 灌木较乔木支持更大的叶片体积, 但它们支持的叶片干重与叶片面积无显著差异; 常绿植物在给定叶柄干重下较落叶植物支持更高的叶片干重与体积, 但其支持的叶片面积小于落叶植物; 除神农架地区外, 在给定叶柄干重下, 亚热带的古田山、都江堰地区的植物较温带地区的植物支持更大的叶片干重、面积与体积, 而亚热带神农架地区的植物叶柄支持的叶片大小(面积、体积、干重)与温带地区相近。结果表明, 叶柄限制了叶片的不断增大(包括面积、体积和干重), 叶片和叶柄之间的异速生长关系受功能型、气候带及生境条件的影响。     

Regeneration of different plant functional types in a Masson pine forest following pine wilt disease

Pine wilt disease is a severe threat to the native pine forests in East Asia. Understanding the natural regeneration of the forests disturbed by pine wilt disease is thus critical for the conservation of biodiversity in this realm. We studied the dynamics of composition and structure within different plant functional types (PFTs) in Masson pine forests affected by pine wilt disease (PWD). Based on plant traits, all species were assigned to four PFTs: evergreen woody species (PFT1), deciduous woody species (PFT2), herbs (PFT3), and ferns (PFT4). We analyzed the changes in these PFTs during the initial disturbance period and during post-disturbance regeneration. The species richness, abundance and basal area, as well as life-stage structure of the PFTs changed differently after pine wilt disease. The direction of plant community regeneration depended on the differential response of the PFTs. PFT1, which has a higher tolerance to disturbances, became dominant during the post-disturbance regeneration, and a young evergreen-broad-leaved forest developed quickly after PWD. Results also indicated that the impacts of PWD were dampened by the feedbacks between PFTs and the microclimate, in which PFT4 played an important ecological role. In conclusion, we propose management at the functional type level instead of at the population level as a promising approach in ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation.     

Factors determining distributions of tree species and plant functional types

Plant functional types have been identified by the International Geosphere Biosphere Program as functionally similar basic plant types, especially trees, as needed for global ecological modeling. Based to some extent on an earlier set of pheno-physiognomically defined plant types, a Global Biome Model was produced but has not satisfied all the desired functional criteria posed by IGBP physiologists and modelers. This paper asks two questions: what are the main environmental factors which limit terrestrial plant types, especially tree types; and how many types of potential vegetation are needed to cover the world's terrestrial vegetation patterns? Based on the main environmental factors recognized, a model of world potential dominant vegetation types was produced and used to estimate the minimal number of vegetation types needed. The resulting set of 40 potential dominant vegetation types may serve as an initial basis for a structural-functionally based set of world plant functional types.     

Antioxidant composition of selected high alpine plant species from different altitudes

Selected high alpine plant species were collected from different elevations in the Obergurgl/Ötztal subnival and nival regions in Austria to investigate the content of antioxidants in plants growing under the particular in vivo conditions experienced in this area (e.g. chilling stress, short vegetation period and high irradiation). The contents of antioxidants (ascorbic acid, tocopherol and glutathionc) and photosynthetic pigments were measured throughout the day. The contents of most compounds were found to follow a diurnal rhythm, with the maximum occurring at midday and the minimum during the night. It was not clear whether these fluctuations were temperature-dependent or light-dependent. Analyses of the antioxidant spectrum in the same plant species at different altitudes (and thus under different environmental conditions: as altitude increases, for example, day temperature decreases and light intensity increases) revealed that the total amount of antioxidants increases as altitude increases. This enhancement was mainly due to ascorbic acid contents. Each plant species displayed a specific reaction to the increase in stress that accompanies an increase in altitude, resulting in a broad adaptation spectrum for these plants. The present study suggests that the combined effect of lower temperature and higher light intensity induces higher antioxidant contents.     

北京植物园不同功能型植物叶经济谱

通过对北京植物园不同功能型植物的叶片光合参数、叶绿素荧光参数、叶面积、叶干质量以及叶氮含量等性状参数进行测定,分析了不同功能型植物的叶经济谱.结果表明: 生活型中草本植物、生活史中一年生植物、光合型中C4植物靠近叶经济谱中快速投资-收益型物种的一端,而生活型中乔木和灌木、生活史中多年生植物、光合型中C3植物位于缓慢投资-收益型物种的一端,表明不同功能型植物通过叶片性状间的权衡采取不同的环境适应策略,验证了不同功能型植物叶经济谱的存在.不同功能型植物叶片性状具有明显差异,其中不同生活型间的叶片比叶面积(SLA)、叶氮含量(N_mass)、最大净光合速率(A_mass)、光合氮利用效率(PNUE)均表现出草本植物>藤本植物>灌木>乔木;不同生活史间一年生植物的SLA、N_mass、A_mass、PNUE均显著高于多年生植物;不同光合型间植物的A_mass、PNUE、PSⅡ实际光化学效率(Φ_PSⅡ)均表现出C4>C3.N_mass、A_mass、SLA两两之间呈显著正相关,而PSⅡ有效光化学量子产量(F_v′/F_m′)与SLA呈显著负相关;PNUE与SLA呈显著正相关.     

Features of the monosaccharide composition and ultrastructure of lipopolysaccharides of different forms of Shigella sonnei]

The authors present the results of study of chemical monosaccharide composition and the ultrastructure of purified lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of the I and the II phases and the R-form of Sh. sonnei. The amount of lipids in LPS preparations increased with the change from S- into R-form. Galactose content in LPS of the II phase was less than in LPS of the I phase, and it was absent entirely in LPS of R-form. It was demonstrated by negative contrasting that LPS dissociation increased with S leads to R dissociation. A marked similarity was found between macromolecular aggregates of LPS of the II phase and of R-form.