Study on Life-Form Spectrum of Plant Community in Dongling Mountain

According to the classification system of life-form provided by Raunkiaer, Danmark ecologist, the life-form of plant communities in Dongling Mountain was analysed, and the life-form spectrum was organized. Ordination and classification of the life-form of plant community were done by principle component analysis (PCA) and systemic cluster analysis. The relationship between environmental factors (climate and soil) and plant life-form gradient was analysed by double sieving progressive regression method, and mathematical models were set up. The results showed that the characters of life-form of plant community were conformed to the general regular pattern of warm temperate plant life-form of the world, i. e the hemicryptophyte occupies highest percentage in the community. The result of ordination and classification of life-form of plant community is similar to the result of those of plant species of the community. The reaction to temperature gradient is most sensitive in geophyte and mid-phaenerophyte, less in little-phaenerophyte. The reaction to moisture gradientis most sensitive in chamaephyte and short-phaenerophyte. The percenage of hemicryptophyte is relatively stable in this area, indicating a strong binding force of the zones. The statistical models of elevant and life-form spectrum of plant community are better correlated with the mid-phaenerophyte, short-phaenerophyte and geophyte.     

Vegetation differences caused by pine vole mound building in subalpine plant communities in the Spanish Pyrenees

The influence of mediterranean pine vole (Microtus (Terricola) duodecimcostatus) mound-building activity in two Western Spanish Pyrenees plant communities (Mesobromion erecti and Festucion eskiae-Nardion strictae) were studied. The plants colonizing the gaps in these areas are different in the two cases considered. The plant composition of surrounding plant communities seems to be the main factor in revegetation. Mound-building activity changes the species' relative frequency and life-form spectrum, decreases the monocytyledonous/dicotyledonous ratio and increases diversity by diminishing the presence of dominant plant species.Abbreviations ME Mesobromion erecti - FN Festucion eskiae-Nardion strictae - (monocots) Monocotyledonous - (dicots) Dicotyledonous     

Life-form composition of alpine plant communities at the Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Alpine plants of the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (Sichuan, China) are developed under long-lasting grazing by wild and domestic yaks. Among morphological features of plants, life forms may reflect their adaptation to grazing. We studied life-form composition of four typical communities within the alpine belt (3930–3960 m a.s.l.) subjected to grazing of various intensity: alpine fen (heavily grazed), alpine shrub meadow (heavily grazed), Spiraea alpina thicket (grazed), and Rhododendron thicket (practically not grazed). The following morphological traits were studied: (1) life form according to Raunkiaer, (2) life form according to Serebryakov, (3) canopy structure, and (4) rate of lateral spreading. We derived life-form spectra based on (1) the number of species per life form and (2) the cumulative abundance of species which have the same life form. One-way ANOVA and nonparametric ANOVA were run to test for significance of differences between spectra. The studied communities differed significantly by the proportion of different life forms. The main life forms are caudex and short rhizome hemicryptophytes, nonclonal species, or species with a low rate of lateral spreading. Therophytes made up 10–11% of the communities except in Rhododendron thickets, where such were absent. These life forms can indicate grazing in the study area.     

卧龙巴郎山川滇高山栎群落植物生活型海拔梯度特征

川滇高山栎林隶属于亚高山硬叶栎林类型,是一种广泛分布在横断山地区的特殊植被类型,研究同一群落生活型谱的海拔梯度特征,可以阐明控制群落的重要气候特征以及群落对其气候生境的反映,揭示川滇高山栎种群对空间的利用、群落内部种群间可能产生的竞争及其发展趋势。用环境梯度法,研究卧龙自然保护区巴朗山川滇高山栎群落植物生活型特性随海拔梯度(15个海拔梯度,海拔2200—3600 m)的变化。卧龙巴朗山川滇高山栎群落植物生活型以高位芽植物为主,占36.01%;地面芽和地下芽植物相当,分别为25.92%和29.36%,地上芽植物最少,占0.92%。高位芽生活型物种在各个海拔梯度都占重要地位,占巴朗山全部生活型物种的21.74%—50.00%,随海拔的升高逐渐下降;地面芽植物(H)具有随海拔升高先升高后降低的趋势;地下芽植物(G)生活型随海拔的升高而升高;一年生植物(Th)在整个海拔梯度内占10.00%以下,随海拔的升高波动不大,即在5.67%—8.94%之间。高位芽生活型植物主要以常绿高位芽植物为主,随海拔升高而下降,常绿高位芽植物丰富度呈现随海拔升高逐渐降低的趋势,而且其物种丰富度小于落叶高位芽植物丰富度;在卧龙巴郎山阳坡海拔3300 m以上范围内,大、中高位芽植物仅占3.09%—4.26%,说明森林植被特征在逐渐弱化。比较分析了不同类型植物群落植物生活型特征,阐明了川滇高山栎林是区别于其他常绿阔叶林的特殊类型。     

珍稀濒危植物长苞铁杉群落的植物生活型及叶特征分析

根据Raunkiaer的分类系统,对福建省天宝岩国家级自然保护区长苞铁杉(Tsuga longibracteata Cheng)群落的维管植物生活型及叶特征进行了分析,结果表明该群落以高位芽植物占优势,且以小、矮高位芽植物占优势,并有较大比例的藤本高位芽植物.叶级以中型叶植物所占比率最大,为51.5%,小型叶、大型叶、微型叶和细型叶分别占37.7%、5.4%、3.1%和2.3%;叶型以单叶为主,占92.9%;叶质以厚革质叶和革质叶所占比率最大,为66.4%,纸质叶占32.1%,薄叶占1.4%;全缘叶占43.6%.此外,对群落中植物生活型、叶型与层次结构、外貌的关系进行了分析.群落内阴性植物所占比例较大,为总种数的49.3%,并伴有一定数量的阳性植物.     

Shoot regeneration after fire or freezing temperatures and its relation to plant life-form for some heathland species

Shoot regeneration after prescribed burning or following the freezing temperatures of winter was monitored for nineteen heathland species present in an Arctostaphyleto-Callunetum community in northeast Scotland. Species whose renewal buds were near the surface of the ground started to grow earlier in the spring than species with renewal buds above the surface, but grouping species according to the position of their renewal bud (i.e. their life-form) did not account for all of the interspecific variation apparent. In the case of shoot regeneration after fire, species whose renewal buds were destroyed by fire because they were above-ground started to regenerate about the same time as species with belowground buds, protected from fire, but reached their maximum frequency of occurrence later. Grouping species by life-form was of limited value as a means of interpreting this interspecific variation in the timing of shoot regeneration after fire. It would be unwise to use plant life-form as the sole basis for interpreting or predicting a species' response to temperature stress when extreme temperatures occur regularly, as they do in heathland. The possible use of other plant traits to interpret and predict interspecific variation in the regeneration rate of heathland plants is discussed.Nomenclature follows Tutin et al. (1964–1980) for vascular plants. Acknowledgements. The Nature Conservancy Council and Mr J. J. Humphries kindly allowed Dinnet Moor to be used for the work presented here. One of us (RJR) received financial support for field work from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.     

传粉网络非对称特化的地理模式

植物与传粉者间相互作用,构成了复杂的传粉网络。非对称特化是共生互作网络中的有趣现象和基本特点,也被认为是植物-传粉者互作网络的结构特征之一。根据文献总结分析了植物-传粉者互作网络非对称特化的重要名词术语,并采用线性回归法深入分析了植物-传粉者互作网络的地理变异模式,以及植物生活型和网络大小等传粉网络特征对非对称程度的影响。结果表明:传粉网络大小与网络的交互作用间呈线性正相关关系,并随总物种丰度呈指数增长。25个传粉网络的线性回归斜率(Lβ)变异范围在0.002至0.031间,且斜率值随植物丰度(P)、传粉者丰度(A)、总物种丰度(R)、交互作用(I)及网络大小(M)上升而降低。海拔高度对传粉网络非对称性有一定影响效果,而纬度的变化并不显著影响传粉网络非对称性。草本植物、灌木及乔木植物与其传粉者之间的相关系数分别为-0.197,-0.026和0.200,表明草本物种比乔木物种非对称性更强。     

The Revision of Plant Life- form System and an Analysis of the Life- form Spectrum of Forest Plants in the Warm Temperate Zone of China

The Raunkiear' s plant life-form system was revised, according to the features of the forest plants in the warm-temperate zone of China, and based on the revised system, the life-form spectrum analysis has shown that the hemieryptophytes are the dominant life-form, accounted for 33. 9% of all the forest vascular plants, followed by the geoeryptophytes, which cover 19.7%, and all of the phanerophytes make up 27.5 %. There are only few macrophanerophytes, being higher than 25 m, because of human activties as well as the inadequate water and temperature supply in this area. The general spectrum of the warm-temperate zone of China eould basically represent the charactefisties of middle latitude climate that is rainy and warm in summer, and frigid and dry in winter.     

Distribution of plant functional attributes in a managed forest in relation to neighbourhood structure

The importance of neighbourhood structure on the distribution of plant functional attributes was investigated in two managed forests in Denmark. Species composition was recorded for 325 plots of 5×5 m and species were assigned to functional groups based on vegetative attributes: (a) Raunkiaer life-form and (b) height of adult plants, and regenerative attributes: (c) mode of dispersal and (d) pollination class. The distribution of attributes was related to neighbourhood parameters that reflect the composition, distribution and diversity of nine habitat classes within a 25-m radius from the focal plot. Regression trees were used to analyse counts of attributes per plot. Best predictors were neighbourhood scores for open areas, road-side habitat, and neighbourhood diversity. The correlation between individual functional attributes and neighbourhood parameters were presented in a correlation matrix. A cluster analysis, representing a first step towards the construction of plant functional types, resulted in five groups characterised by a particular combination of functional attributes and preference of neighbourhood.     

Host identity and functional traits determine the community composition of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in facultative epiphytic plant species

The epiphytic vascular mycobiota is scarce and facultative in semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystems. However, unlike in soil conditions, little is known about the factors driving mycorrhizal communities in epiphytic environments. Here, we investigated the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) harboured by 31 plant species occurring on the trunks of Phoenix dactylifera. We wanted to ascertain if host identity and plant functional traits shape mycorrhizal communities. Specifically, we tested the plant life-cycle (perennial versus annual), the plant life-form (herbaceous versus woody), the plant origin (exotic versus native) and the plant species. The plant affiliation to species strongly influenced the AMF community composition. Plant life-form and plant life-cycle also shaped indicator taxa. The AMF structure differed between annual and perennial species and higher AMF richness was detected in perennial plants. The epiphytic plants associated with AMF irrespective of whether they were native or not, probably because here no functional differences derive from plant origin.     

Biodiversity in different successional stages of Mediterranean enclaves distributed along Sinop Peninsula (Turkey)

The aim of this research was to evaluate plant diversity and the relationships between the distribution of Raunkiaer life forms and community structure, and species richness, at different successional stages in communities of Quercus ilex L., Erica arborea L. and Sarcopoterium spinosum (L.) Spach., distributed as enclaves in Sinop Province. Permanent sample plots were selected to determine plant diversity. The cover percentage of each plant species was recorded monthly during two vegetation periods. Raunkiaer life forms, and the Shannon–Wiener, Evenness, Simpson and Margalef indexes were determined. Twenty-three species in Quercus ilex, 96 species in Erica arborea, and 148 species in Sarcopoterium spinosum were identified. Hemicryptophyte dominancy was observed followed by phanerophytes in the Q. ilex community, and therophyte and hemicryptophyte dominancy in the E. arborea and S. spinosum communities, respectively. It was determined that the S. spinosum community was the most heterogeneous community while the Q. ilex community was more uniform than other communities. The variation in diversity indexes, homogeneity, and composition of life forms among communities adopting a similar climatic environment could result from a differentiation of environmental factors, which impact on community structuring, from biotic to abiotic at different successional stages of Mediterranean communities.     

Microclimate and ecophysiological significance of the tree-like life-form of Lobelia rhynchopetalum in a tropical alpine environment

The microclimate and the adaptive significance of the tree-like plant life-form for growth in a tropical alpine environment was investigated with the pachycaul arborescent giant rosette plant, Lobelia rhynchopetalum (Hochst. A. Rich.) Hemsl. in the Bale and Simen Mountains, Ethiopia. The microclimate of plants of three height classes was examined with respect to temperature, relative humidity and the effect of wind. Although the total heat gains were rather similar, leaves of young, still stemless (acaulescent) individuals of Lobelia were subjected to a high diurnal temperature fluctuation of up to 29 K compared to a 14-K fluctuation for the leaves of an individual 3.5 m in height. During the cold nights, temperatures of the inner rosette leaves and inside leaf buds of caulescent plants were 4–5 K above air temperature, while corresponding temperatures of acaulescent individuals were 1–2 K below air temperature. The inner temperature of the stem tissue was higher than the surface temperature of the stem by about 5 K for most of the cold night. The annual rates of increment in whole plant, stem and rosette height, and stem diameter of L. rhynchopetalum showed that the young, still acaulescent individuals, with an annual increment of 5.6 cm in plant height, had the lowest growth rate, compared to 12.1 and 22.1 cm for caulescent life-forms. The results show that the most important advantage gained by the tree-like life-form of adult L. rhynchopetalum is probably a more favourable microclimate in which the strong diurnal temperature fluctuations at the ground are mitigated and nocturnal temperatures do not drop below freezing point. Received: 16 August 1996 / Accepted: 9 September 1997     

Genetic and phenotypic variation,dispersal limitation and reproductive success in the invasive herb Eschscholzia californica along an elevation gradient in central Chile

Background: Reductions of genetic diversity and phenotypic changes in invasive plants are often observed to occur at high elevations. Genetic/phenotypic changes of invasive plants along elevation help to understand mechanisms of the presumed resistance of mountain ecosystems to invasion.

Aims: To assess genetic variability and phenotypic plasticity along an elevation gradient of Eschscholzia californica in the Andes, central Chile.

Methods: Eleven microsatellites were used to describe the genetic structure and the allelic diversity individuals, distributed at three elevations and two sites. We assessed the number of flowers per plant, floral biomass, leaf area, number of leaves, vegetative biomass and plant height of plants at each elevation.

Results: Genetic diversity as genetic structure did not decrease with elevations. Plant height and flower numbers decreased while leaf number and vegetative biomass increased with elevation. The ratio of the number of flowers to vegetative biomass, decreased significantly with elevation.

Conclusions: Strong genetic differences among elevations and similar genetic diversity along elevation do not suggest dispersal limitation to higher elevation. Reduction of reproductive and vegetative traits concomitantly with an increase of the reproductive cost suggests reproductive stress with increasing elevation, reducing the invasiveness of this species to higher elevation.     

Changes in composition and structure of Vitex shrubland in northern China in relation to human disturbance

Vegetation and biomass in six plots, each with five quadrats, in Vitex shrubland in northern China were related to type and degree of human disturbance. Canonical correspondence analysis of the vegetation and environmental data showed two lines of variation, the first one highly correlated with the degree of disturbance, but the second one appearing within the disturbed plots cannot yet be fully explained. Changes in life-form spectrum were small, but the geographical spectrum changed under heavy disturbance towards a higher proportion of tropical, subtropical and cosmopolitan species. The number of shrub species also decreased noticeably. The above-ground biomass of both Vitex and the accompanying species and the total above-ground biomass of the shrubland was negatively correlated with the intensity of disturbance. The root/stem biomass ratio in Vitex reaches values of over 5 in disturbed plots, but only between 1 and 2 in the protected plots.     

Effect of neighbour presence and soil volume on the growth of Andropogon gerardii Vitman

Background: Theory predicts that plants can reduce their fitness in the presence of neighbours by allocating resources to root growth, in order to pre-empt resource capture. A number of studies that have tested this idea have done so by using experiments where neighbour presence is confounded with soil volume.

Aims : To avoid confounding effects of neighbour presence and soil volume we adjusted these variables independently from one another.

Methods: We grew Andropogon gerardii with and without neighbours, holding soil volume available to each plant constant, and compared plant performance with a treatment where both neighbour presence and soil volume were varied. We also grew plants with a quarter of the soil volume but four times the nutrient concentration to determine if changes in plant growth in response to soil volume are caused by access different levels of soil resources.

Results: We found no evidence that plants adjust root growth to the presence of neighbour roots alone. We did, however, find a significant reduction in plant growth when soil volume was reduced. The reduction was overcome by increasing nutrient concentrations in the growth media.

Conclusions: Our results suggest the effects of soil volume on plant growth are mainly due to changes in nutrient availability.     

Arbuscular mycorrhiza and water and nutrient supply differently impact seedling performance of dry woodland species with different acquisition strategies

Background: We recently demonstrated that dwarf male plants are much more common among mosses than hitherto thought. Dwarf plants, producing functional male sexual organs occur in 10–20% of the moss species worldwide.

Aims: We investigated how an inadvertent omission of dwarf males affects estimates of male sex expression rates and sex ratios.

Methods: We recorded frequencies of specimens with female-expressing plants, male-expressing normal-sized and/or dwarf plants, and sporophytes in herbarium material of five model species from Macaronesia. We analysed how frequency estimates of male occurrence and sex ratios were affected by excluding dwarf males.

Results: Occurrence of dwarf males was positively associated with sporophyte formation. When dwarf males were excluded, male mate availability was missed in 51–61% of specimens (in 74–76% of sporophyte-containing specimens). Specimen-level sex ratio was balanced in material with sporophytes in the three species exhibiting male dwarfism, but strongly female biased if dwarf males were omitted.

Conclusions: We provide the first quantitative evidence that sex-expressing dwarf males are essential for sexual reproduction and sporophyte production in mosses that form such males. Considering its abundance, male dwarfism therefore deserves more attention among plant biologists. Innovative approaches are required to further study the minute male plants.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizas of plants growing in the Western Ghats region, Southern India

A survey of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) status of plants growing in the Western Ghats region of Southern India was undertaken. Root and soil samples of plants growing in the four vegetation types forest, grassland, scrub, and cultivated land or plantation were examined. Of the 329 species (representing 61 families) examined, 174 were mycorrhizal. AM association was recorded in 81 species for the first time, including species from several families assumed to be non-mycorrhizal, e.g. Amaranthaceae, Capparaceae, Commelinaceae, Cyperaceae and Portulacaceae. AM fungal spores of 35 species belonging to Acaulospora, Gigaspora, Glomus, Sclerocystis and Scutellospora were recorded. AM fungal species richness was found to be highest in scrub and lowest in agricultural and plantation soils. Mean colonization levels were dependent on plant life-form, life-cycle pattern and vegetation type. Accepted: 26 October 1999     

Nitrogen fixation in legumes and actinorhizal plants in natural ecosystems: values obtained using 15N natural abundance

Background: Nitrogen fixation has been quantified for a range of crop legumes and actinorhizal plants under different agricultural/agroforestry conditions, but much less is known of legume and actinorhizal plant N₂ fixation in natural ecosystems.

Aims: To assess the proportion of total plant N derived from the atmosphere via the process of N₂ fixation (%Ndfa) by actinorhizal and legume plants in natural ecosystems and their N input into these ecosystems as indicated by their ¹⁵N natural abundance.

Methods: A comprehensive collation of published values of %Ndfa for legumes and actinorhizal plants in natural ecosystems and their N input into these ecosystems as estimated by their ¹⁵N natural abundance was carried out by searching the ISI Web of Science database using relevant key words.

Results: The %Ndfa was consistently large for actinorhizal plants but very variable for legumes in natural ecosystems, and the average value for %Ndfa was substantially greater for actinorhizal plants. High soil N, in particular, but also low soil P and water content were correlated with low legume N₂ fixation. N input into ecosystems from N₂ fixation was very variable for actinorhizal and legume plants and greatly dependent on their biomass within the system.

Conclusions: Measurement of ¹⁵N natural abundance has given greater understanding of where legume and actinorhizal plant N₂ fixation is important in natural ecosystems. Across studies, the average value for %Ndfa was substantially greater for actinorhizal plants than for legumes, and the relative abilities of the two groups of plants to utilise mineral N requires further study.     

Micropropagation of selected somaclones ofBegonia andSaintpaulia

Begonia x elatior plantlets which regenerated from leaf disk callus showed variations in plant morphology, number of flowers per plant, and flower size. Variations in flowering period, number of flowers per plant, and flower morphology were observed in Saintpaulia ionantha L. plants directly regenerated from leaf disk explants. The cytokinins, benzylaminopurine and zeatin, tested in the culture medium did not affect the basic plant characteristics including flower colour which remained stable in both species. Micropropagation of selected somaclones having the desirable trait of high number of flowers per plant was stable in the MV2 and MV3 generations.     

芽胞杆菌BJ-6的鉴定及对甜瓜细菌性果斑病的防治

芽胞杆菌是目前植物病害生物防治研究最多的一类微生物,其在自然界中分布广泛,开发潜力大。【目的】为了探究从杏树根际土壤分离的芽胞杆菌BJ-6的分类地位及其防病促生作用。【方法】本研究测定了芽胞杆菌BJ-6的形态和生理生化特征,通过PCR扩增了该菌的16S rRNA、gyrA和gyrB基因并进行了序列测定,通过多基因聚类分析确定其分类地位,平板对峙法测定抗菌谱,盆栽幼苗实验验证其对甜瓜细菌性果斑病的防治效果和对甜瓜的促生作用。【结果】结合形态特征、生理生化特性及多基因序列分析建立的系统进化树,确定菌株BJ-6为解淀粉芽胞杆菌(B. amyloliquefaciens),抑菌实验发现该菌株对15种植物病原菌均有不同程度的抑菌活性,盆栽实验结果发现该菌株发酵液对甜瓜细菌性果斑病有很好的防治效果,并对甜瓜苗有很好的促生作用。【结论】BJ-6属于解淀粉芽胞杆菌,抑菌谱广,且具有防病促生作用,具有进一步开发为生防制剂的前景。