紫外线B辐射对几种植物种间竞争的影响

对大田条件下增强的紫外线B(UV-B 280～315nm,约相当于15％臭氧层衰减)对小麦和野燕麦等4个种对的竞争性平衡的影响进行了研究．结果表明,对照和UV-B处理时小麦和野燕麦的密度制约死亡规律没有显著差异,相对较大的竞争压力加强了UV-B对这两个物种生物量降低的效应．UV-B辐射处理后,按单株生物量和地上部生物量。UV-B增强了小麦对野燕麦的竞争优势,但是以单株籽粒数及籽粒重为依据的k1-2值在紫外辐射处理后却下降．竞争性平衡的改变伴随着两者总生物量的显著下降,特别是在较高的密度条件下．紫外辐射对其它3个种对的竞争性平衡有着不同程度与方向上的影响．一般情况下UV-B使竞争性平衡向有利于单子叶植物的方向发展．这一结果暗示,竞争胁迫,特别是种间竞争对正确评估UV-B辐射增强对农田生态系统的影响是至关重要的．     

Early-season effects of supplemented solar UV-B radiation on seedling emergence, canopy structure, simulated stand photosynthesis and competition for light

Mixtures and monocultures of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and wild oat (Avena fatua), a common weedy competitor of wheat, were exposed to enhanced solar UV-B radiation simulating a 20% reduction in stratospheric ozone to assess the timing and seasonal development of the UV-B effects on light competition in these species. Results from two years of field study revealed that UV-B enhancement had no detectable effect on the magnitude or timing of seedling emergence in either species. End-of-season measurements showed significant UV-B inhibition of leaf insertion height in wild oat in mixture and monoculture in the second year (irrigated year) but not in the first year (drought year). Leaf insertion height of wheat was not affected by UV-B in either year. The UV-B treatment had no detectable effect on monoculture or total (combined species) mixture LAI but did significantly increase (5–7%) the fractional contribution of wheat to the mixture LAI after four weeks of growth in both years. In addition, the UV-B treatment had subtle effects on LAI height profiles with early season mixtures showing significant reductions in wild oat LAI in lower canopy layers in both years while midseason Year 2 mixtures showed significant reductions in wild oat LAI in upper canopy layers. The changes in canopy structure were found to significantly increase (6–7%) the proportional simulated clear sky canopy photosynthesis and light interception of wheat in mixture. These findings, and others, indicate that the effects of UV-B enhancement on competition are realized very early in canopy development and provide additional support for the hypothesis that UV-B enhancement may shift the balance of competition between these species indirectly by altering competitive interactions for light.     

The effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on plant competition in terrestrial ecosystems

Evidence regarding the interaction of ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280-320 nm) radiation and plant competition in terrestrial ecosystems is examined. The competitive interactions of some species pairs were affected even by ambient solar UV-B radiation (as exists without ozone depletion), when compared to control pairs grown without UV-B. Also, the total shoot biomass of these species pairs was depressed under ambient UV-B. Relatively large increases in UV-B radiation (approximating a 40% ozone layer reduction when weighted with the generalized plant action spectrum) altered the competitive interactions of some species pairs grown in pots under field conditions, but did not affect the total shoot biomass production of those pairs. Recent field experiments have examined the competitive interactions of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. cv. Bannock) and wild oat ( Avena fatua L.) under a simulated increased UV-B regime resulting from a 16% ozone layer reduction when weighted with the generalized plant action spectrum. This increase in UV-B altered the competitive interactions of these two species without affecting the total shoot biomass production of the species pair. The manner in which increased UV-B affected the relative competitive abilities of the two species was highly dependent upon the environmental conditions during the early life stages of the plants. The implications of these results for both agricultural and natural plant communities are discussed.     

Plant competition for light analyzed with a multispecies canopy model

Summary Competition for light among species in a mixed canopy can be assessed quantitatively by a simulation model which evaluates the importance of different morphological and photosynthetic characteristics of each species. A model was developed that simulates how the foliage of all species attenuate radiation in the canopy and how much radiation is received by foliage of each species. The model can account for different kinds of foliage (leaf blades, stems, etc.) for each species. The photosynthesis and transpiration for sunlit and shaded foliage of each species is also computed for different layers in the canopy. The model is an extension of previously described single-species canopy photosynthesis simulation models. Model predictions of the fraction of foliage sunlit and interception of light by sunlit and shaded foliage for monoculture and mixed canopies of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and wild oat (Avena fatua) in the field compared very well with measured values. The model was used to calculate light interception and canopy photosynthesis for both species of wheat/wild oat mixtures grown under normal solar and enhanced ultraviolet-B (290–320 nm) radiation (UV-B) in a glasshouse experiment with no root competition. In these experiments, measurements showed that the mixtures receiving enhanced UV-B radiation had a greater proportion of the total foliage area composed of wheat compared to mixtures in the control treatments. The difference in species foliage area and its position in the canopy resulted in a calculated increase in the portion of total canopy radiation interception and photosynthesis by wheat. This, in turn, is consistent with greater canopy biomass of wheat reported in canopies irradiated with supplemental UV-B.     

增强UV-B辐射和干旱对春小麦光合作用及其生长的影响

在室外盆栽条件下研究了UV-B辐射和土壤干旱对春小麦 '和尚头'生长和光合作用的影响.结果显示:(1)干旱、UV-B辐射、干旱+UV-B(复合)处理均可使叶片类黄酮含量增加,且干旱+UV-B处理增加显著高于其他处理(P<0.05).UV-B辐射和干旱单独处理均能显著降低叶片光合色素含量,但UV-B辐射的副作用大于干旱,复合处理对光合色素的影响介于UV-B和干旱之间.(2)各处理间的光合速率日均值大小次序为:对照>UV-B+干旱>UV-B>干旱;增强UV-B对净光合速率的抑制作用大于干旱,而UV-B+干旱处理的抑制作用较二者单独处理有所减轻.(3)UV-B辐射和干旱单独处理后总生物量比对照减少15%,且抑制作用为:干旱>UV-B>复合处理; UV-B辐射和干旱胁迫不但影响春小麦的生物量,而且影响小穗特征和产量.研究表明,UV-B辐射和干旱之间存在交互作用,说明一种胁迫可以减缓(轻)另外一种胁迫对春小麦的抑制作用.     

增强的UV-B辐射对麦田生态系统中种群数量动态的影响

研究了大田栽培和自然光条件下,模拟UV-B辐射(UV-B,280～315nm)增强对麦田生态系统杂草、大型土壤动物和麦蚜种群数量动态的影响。在UV-B辐射下,杂草和大型土壤动物的种类和数量降低,物种多样性改变,杂草总生物量也降低。UV-B辐射降低麦蚜复合种群数量,并与麦叶粗纤维、可溶性蛋白、可溶性糖、Mg和Zn含量有显著的相关性。UV-B辐射还导致麦蚜与麦叶Mg、Fe和Zn含量均显著增加。     

UV-B辐射增强对小麦秸秆化学成分及其施用后土壤N2O排放的影响

在室外试验的基础上,研究了地表UV-B辐射增强条件下小麦秸秆成分的变化,及在室内不同培养条件下施用UV-B辐射处理后小麦秸秆对土壤N₂O排放的影响.室外试验结果表明：地表UV-B辐射增强减少了小麦地上部分生物量,显著增加了小麦秸秆木质素和全氮含量,增幅分别达94.2%和12.3%,降低了其C/N.室内培养试验结果表明：与常规小麦秸秆相比,UV-B辐射处理后的小麦秸秆显著提高了旱地和淹水条件下N₂O的排放量;施用秸秆同时伴施硝态氮条件下,经过UV-B辐射处理的小麦秸秆显著促进了旱地条件下N₂O的排放,其排放量为常规秸秆处理的3.2倍,但在淹水条件下对N₂O排放无显著影响;无论何种培养条件下,经过UV-B辐射处理的小麦秸秆对土壤呼吸都未产生显著影响.     

UV-B辐射增强对小麦秸秆化学成分及其施用后土壤N2O排放的影响

在室外试验的基础上,研究了地表UV-B辐射增强条件下小麦秸秆成分的变化,及在室内不同培养条件下施用UV-B辐射处理后小麦秸秆对土壤N₂O排放的影响.室外试验结果表明：地表UV-B辐射增强减少了小麦地上部分生物量,显著增加了小麦秸秆木质素和全氮含量,增幅分别达94.2%和12.3%,降低了其C/N.室内培养试验结果表明：与常规小麦秸秆相比,UV-B辐射处理后的小麦秸秆显著提高了旱地和淹水条件下N₂O的排放量;施用秸秆同时伴施硝态氮条件下,经过UV-B辐射处理的小麦秸秆显著促进了旱地条件下N₂O的排放,其排放量为常规秸秆处理的3.2倍,但在淹水条件下对N₂O排放无显著影响;无论何种培养条件下,经过UV-B辐射处理的小麦秸秆对土壤呼吸都未产生显著影响.     

Interaction of Elevated Ultraviolet-B Radiation and CO(2) on Productivity and Photosynthetic Characteristics in Wheat, Rice, and Soybean

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Bannock), rice (Oryza sativa L. cv IR-36), and soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr cv Essex) were grown in a factorial greenhouse experiment to determine if CO₂-induced increases in photosynthesis, biomass, and yield are modified by increases in ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation corresponding to stratospheric ozone depletion. The experimental conditions simulated were: (a) an increase in CO₂ concentration from 350 to 650 microliters per liter; (b) an increase in UV-B radiation corresponding to a 10% ozone depletion at the equator; and (c) a and b in combination. Seed yield and total biomass increased significantly with elevated CO₂ in all three species when compared to the control. However, with concurrent increases in UV-B and CO₂, no increase in either seed yield (wheat and rice) or total biomass (rice) was observed with respect to the control. In contrast, CO₂-induced increases in seed yield and total plant biomass were maintained or increased in soybean within the elevated CO₂, UV-B environment. Whole leaf gas exchange indicated a significant increase in photosynthesis, apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) and water-use-efficiency (WUE) with elevated CO₂ in all 3 species. Including elevated UV-B radiation with high CO₂ eliminated the effect of high CO₂ on photosynthesis and WUE in rice and the increase in AQE associated with high CO₂ in all species. Elevated CO₂ did not change the apparent carboxylation efficiency (ACE) in the three species although the combination of elevated CO₂ and UV-B reduced ACE in wheat and rice. The results of this experiment illustrate that increased UV-B radiation may modify CO₂-induced increases in biomass, seed yield and photosynthetic parameters and suggest that available data may not adequately characterize the potential effect of future, simultaneous changes in CO₂ concentration and UV-B radiation.     

The effects of solar ultraviolet-B radiation on the growth and yield of barley are accompanied by increased DNA damage and antioxidant responses

There is limited information on the impacts of present-day solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) on biomass and grain yield of field crops and on the mechanisms that confer tolerance to UV-B radiation under field conditions. We investigated the effects of solar UV-B on aspects of the biochemistry, growth and yield of barley crops using replicated field plots and two barley strains, a catalase (CAT)-deficient mutant (RPr 79/4) and its wild-type mother line (Maris Mink). Solar UV-B reduced biomass accumulation and grain yield in both strains. The effects on crop biomass accumulation tended to be more severe in RPr 79/4 (≈ 32% reduction) than in the mother line (≈ 20% reduction). Solar UV-B caused measurable DNA damage in leaf tissue, in spite of inducing a significant increase in UV-absorbing sunscreens in the two lines. Maris Mink responded to solar UV-B with increased CAT and ascorbate peroxidase (APx) activity. No effects of UV-B on total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were detected. Compared with the wild type, RPr 79/4 had lower CAT activity, as expected, but higher APx activity. Neither of these activities increased in response to UV-B in RPr 79/4. These results suggest that growth inhibition by solar UV-B involves DNA damage and oxidative stress, and that constitutive and UV-B-induced antioxidant capacity may play an important role in UV-B tolerance.     

Interactions between drought, ABA application and supplemental UV-B in Populus yunnanensis

To test whether drought and ABA application alter the effects of enhanced UV-B on the growth and biomass allocation of Populus yunnanensis Dode, cuttings were grown in pots at two ABA levels, two watering regimes and two UV-B levels for one growth season. Exposure to enhanced UV-B radiation significantly decreased plant growth and photosynthesis under well-watered conditions, but these effects were obscured by drought, which alone caused growth reduction. Drought may contribute to masking the effects of UV-B radiation. The accumulation of UV-B absorbing compounds and the increase of the ABA content induced by drought could reduce the effectiveness of UV-B radiation. ABA application did not have large direct effects on biomass accumulation and allocation. Evidence for interactions between UV-B and ABA was detected for only a few measured traits. Therefore, there was little evidence to support a pivotal role for ABA in regulating a centralized whole plant response to enhanced UV-B. Yet, we recorded an ABA-induced decrease in stomatal conductance (g(s)) and increase in UV-B absorbing compounds and carbon isotope composition (delta(13)C) in response to enhanced UV-B. The allometric analysis revealed that regression models between root and shoot biomass in response to enhanced UV-B are different for plants under well-watered and drought conditions. Enhanced UV-B led to a significant displacement of the allometric regression line under well-watered condition, while allometric trajectories for both UV-B regimes did not differ significantly under drought condition.     

Plant biomass production and soil nitrogen in mixtures and monocultures of old field Mediterranean annuals

We examine the relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem properties in a Mediterranean grassland. Five legumes, three grasses and two forb species are grown in monocultures and compared with mixtures that include these ten species. Trifolium angustifolium L. (a legume), Lolium rigidum Gaudin (a grass), and Centaurea solstitialis L. (a forb), are replicated in monocultures. Plant cover, root length and biomass, and concentrations of soil nitrate and ammonium are measured in all plots in March and May. Aboveground biomass is measured at a final harvest in late May to early June. Root biomass is significantly higher in the species mixtures than the average of the monocultures. Plant cover and root length are marginally significantly higher (0.05 < P ≤ 0.1) in the mixtures compared to the average of the monocultures. Soil inorganic nitrogen concentrations and aboveground biomass do not significantly differ between the average of the monocultures and the mixtures. Aboveground biomass in T. angustifolium monocultures is significantly higher than in the mixtures, and on average the legume monocultures do not differ significantly from the mixtures. Root length and biomass in L. rigidum monocultures are higher than in the mixtures in March. Nitrate concentrations (which are negatively correlated with root length and biomass) are the lowest in C. solstitialis in May. Thus, we have evidence that some of the measures of ecosystem performance decline in the average of the monocultures when compared with the mixtures, but mixtures never outperform or do more poorly than the best performing monocultures.     

UV-B辐射胁迫对杨桐幼苗生长及光合生理的影响

通过对UV-B辐射胁迫下亚热带典型木本杨桐幼苗的生长及光合生理的研究,探讨植物对于UV-B辐射胁迫的生理响应及适应性机理,进而揭示UV-B辐射变化对亚热带森林树种的影响.实验设置UV-B辐射滤光组、自然光对照组以及辐射增强组,选择亚热带典型树种杨桐(Cleyera japonica Thunb.)幼苗为实验材料.研究结果表明:(1)增强UV-B辐射会降低杨桐幼苗的叶绿素含量,而降低辐射则会显著促进叶绿素的增加,且这种胁迫在时间上具有积累性.(2)增强或降低辐射强度都会抑制杨桐地径的生长,增强辐射会产生更显著的抑制;降低辐射强度会对杨桐幼苗的株高生长产生促进作用,反之,则会抑制其生长.3个测定期数据综合分析显示随着处理时间的加长,这种胁迫作用有减小的趋势.(3)对光响应曲线的分析表明相对于自然光条件下的UV-B辐射,降低其强度对杨桐幼苗光合作用有显著的促进作用,反之则会抑制,不过抑制作用并不显著;对于光合特征参数的分析表明增强或降低UV-B辐射会显著降低杨桐幼苗的光饱和点(LSP)和光补偿点(LcP),而对最大净光合速率(Amax)、表观光合量子效率(AQY)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)影响均不显著,表明辐射胁迫对杨桐幼苗利用光能的效率影响不大,从而也并未对杨桐的光合作用产生显著性的伤害,但是由于森林树种的多年生特性,这种影响将是积累性的或延迟的,UV-B所造成的光合作用或光能利用率的微小变化都可能会积累成长期影响.因此,对森林树种进行长期研究是必要的.     

Spatial aggregation facilitates coexistence and diversity of wild plant species in field margins

European agri-environment schemes encourage farmers to establish sown field margin strips to protect and enhance wild plant diversity. However, plant diversity in such wild plant sowings based on seed mixtures is often low due to the high competitiveness of few, common species. Here we analysed whether intraspecific aggregation could enhance the performance of less competitive species, and how plant performance is influenced by the number of species in a mixture. We focused on inter- and intraspecific competition between six agricultural wild plant species (Centaurea cyanus, Calendula arvensis, Melilotus officinalis, Poa annua, Bromus mollis, Medicago lupulina), and tested (i) two different seeding patterns (intraspecifically aggregated vs. randomly dispersed) and (ii) three different species mixtures (monocultures, three-species, and six-species mixtures). Plant performance was measured in terms of number of individuals, biomass per individual, and biomass per m². Intraspecific aggregation resulted in higher numbers of individuals of all species, while mixtures generated lower numbers of individuals. The performance of plant species differed depending on their position in the competitive hierarchy. Competitively weak species suffered much less from intraspecific than interspecific competition in terms of biomass, and the competitively weakest species became even excluded in the most species rich and randomly dispersed sowings with high interspecific competition. In conclusion, the performance of wild plant species was influenced by both seeding pattern and number of species in a mixture. Intraspecific aggregation enabled the coexistence of competitively weak species by reducing interspecific competitive exclusion processes. Consequently, agri-environmental schemes designed to preserve and enhance biodiversity should consider small-scale processes influencing the distribution and abundance of plants, and develop new agricultural sowing technologies to cultivate competitively weak and endangered wild plant species.     

Combined effects of CO2 concentration and enhanced UV-B radiation on faba bean

Due to anthropogenic influences, both solar UV-B irradiance at the earth's surface and atmospheric [CO₂] are increasing. To determine whether effects of CO₂ enrichment on faba bean (cv. Minica) growth are modified by UV-B radiation, the effects of enhanced [CO₂] on growth and photosynthetic characteristics, were studied at four UV-B levels. Faba bean was sensitive to enhanced UV-B radiation as indicated by decreases in total biomass production. Growth stimulation by CO₂ enrichment was greatly reduced at the highest UV-B level. [CO₂] by UV-B interactions on biomass accumulation were related to loss of apical dominance. Both [CO₂] and UV-B radiation affected biomass partitioning, UV-B effects being most pronounced. Effects of [CO₂] and UV-B on faba bean growth were time-dependent, indicating differential sensitivity of developmental stages. [CO₂] and UV-B effects on photosynthetic characteristics were rather small and restricted to the third week of treatment. CO₂ enrichment induced photosynthetic acclimation, while UV-B radiation decreased light-saturated photosynthetic rate. It is concluded that the reduction in biomass production cannot be explained by UV-B-induced effects on photosynthesis.     

Differential sensitivity of spinach and amaranthus to enhanced UV-B at varying soil nutrient levels: association with gas exchange, UV-B-absorbing compounds and membrane damage

The metabolic reasons associated with differential sensitivity of C₃ and C₄ plant species to enhanced UV-B under varying soil nutrient levels are not well understood. In the present study, spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. var All Green), a C₃ and amaranthus (Amaranthus tricolor L. var Pusa Badi Chaulai), a C₄ plant were subjected to enhanced UV-B (280–315 nm; 7.2 kJ m^?2 day^?1) over ambient under varying soil nutrient levels. The nutrient amendments were recommended Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), 1.5× recommended NPK, 1.5× recommended N and 1.5× recommended K. Enhanced UV-B negatively affected both the species at all nutrient levels, but the reductions varied with nutrient concentration and combinations. Reductions in photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content were significantly more in spinach compared with amaranthus. The reduction in photosynthetic rate was maximum at 1.5× recommended K and minimum in 1.5× NPK amended plants. The oxidative damage to membranes measured in terms of malondialdehyde content was significantly higher in spinach compared with amaranthus. Enhanced UV-B reduced SOD activity in both the plants except in amaranthus at 1.5× recommended K. POX activity increased under enhanced UV-B at all nutrient levels in amaranthus, but only at 1.5× K in spinach. Amaranthus had significantly higher UV-B-absorbing compounds than spinach even under UV-B stress. Lowest reductions in yield and total biomass under enhanced UV-B compared with ambient were observed in amaranthus grown at 1.5× recommended NPK. Enhanced UV-B did not significantly change the nitrogen use efficiency in amaranthus at all NPK levels, but reduced in spinach except at 1.5× K. These findings suggest that the differential sensitivity of the test species under enhanced UV-B at varying nutrient levels is due to varying antioxidative and UV-B screening capacity, and their ability to utilize nutrients. Amaranthus tolerated enhanced UV-B stress more than spinach at all nutrient levels and 1.5× recommended NPK lowered the sensitivity maximally to enhanced UV-B with respect to photosynthesis, biomass and yield. PCA score has also confirmed the lower sensitivity of amaranthus compared with spinach with respect to the measured physiological and biochemical parameters.     

Increased Productivity of a Cover Crop Mixture Is Not Associated with Enhanced Agroecosystem Services

Cover crops provide a variety of important agroecological services within cropping systems. Typically these crops are grown as monocultures or simple graminoid-legume bicultures; however, ecological theory and empirical evidence suggest that agroecosystem services could be enhanced by growing cover crops in species-rich mixtures. We examined cover crop productivity, weed suppression, stability, and carryover effects to a subsequent cash crop in an experiment involving a five-species annual cover crop mixture and the component species grown as monocultures in SE New Hampshire, USA in 2011 and 2012. The mean land equivalent ratio (LER) for the mixture exceeded 1.0 in both years, indicating that the mixture over-yielded relative to the monocultures. Despite the apparent over-yielding in the mixture, we observed no enhancement in weed suppression, biomass stability, or productivity of a subsequent oat (Avena sativa L.) cash crop when compared to the best monoculture component crop. These data are some of the first to include application of the LER to an analysis of a cover crop mixture and contribute to the growing literature on the agroecological effects of cover crop diversity in cropping systems.     

Switchgrass, Big Bluestem, and Indiangrass Monocultures and Their Two- and Three-Way Mixtures for Bioenergy in the Northern Great Plains

High yielding, native warm-season grasses could be used as renewable bioenergy feedstocks. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of warm season grass monocultures and mixtures on yield and chemical characteristics of harvested biomass and to evaluate the effect of initial seeding mixture on botanical composition over time. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash], and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) were planted as monocultures and in all possible two- and three-way mixtures at three USA locations (Brookings and Pierre, SD and Morris, MN) during May 2002. Biomass at each location was harvested after a killing frost once annually from 2003 to 2005. Total biomass yield significantly increased with year at all locations. Switchgrass monocultures or mixtures containing switchgrass generally out-yielded big bluestem or indiangrass in monocultures or the binary mixture. Cellulose and hemicellulose concentrations were higher in 2004 and 2005 compared with 2003. Switchgrass or mixtures containing switchgrass tended to have less cellulose than either big bluestem or indiangrass. Results were more variable for total N, lignin, and ash. Switchgrass was the dominant component of all mixtures in which it was present while big bluestem was dominant when mixed with indiangrass. Indiangrass was maintained only in monocultures and declined over years when grown in mixtures at all locations. Our results indicated if biomass yield in the northern Great Plains is a primary objective, switchgrass should be a component of binary or tertiary mixtures that also contain big bluestem and/or indiangrass.     

The Regulation of Exogenous Jasmonic Acid on UV-B Stress Tolerance in Wheat

Enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280?C320?nm) is recognized as one of the environmental stress factors that cannot be neglected. Jasmonic acid (JA) is an important signaling molecule in a plant??s defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. To determine the role of exogenous JA in the resistance of wheat to stress from UV-B radiation, wheat seedlings were exposed to 0.9?kJ?m^?2?h^?1 UV-B radiation for 12?h after pretreatment with 1 and 2.5?mM JA, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), the content of UV-B absorbing compounds, photosynthetic pigments, and proline and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were measured. The results of two-way ANOVA illustrated that the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), MDA level, anthocyanin and carotenoid (Car) content, and almost all chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were significantly affected by UV-B, JA, and UV-B?×?JA (P?<?0.05) [the maximal efficiency of photosystem II photochemistry (F _v/F _m) was not affected significantly by UV-B radiation]. Duncan??s multiple-range tests demonstrated that UV-B stress induced a significant reduction in plant photosystem II (PSII) function and SOD activity and an increased level of membrane lipid peroxidation, indicative of the deleterious effect of UV-B radiation on wheat. JA pretreatment obviously mitigated the detrimental effect of UV-B on PSII function by increasing F _v/F _m, reaction centers?? excitation energy capture efficiency (F _v??/F _m??), effective photosystem II quantum yield (??PSII), and photosynthetic electron transport rate (ETR), and by decreasing nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of wheat seedlings. Moreover, the activity of SOD and the content of proline and anthocyanin were provoked by exogenous JA. However, the MDA level was increased and Car content was decreased by exogenous JA with or without the presence of supplementary UV-B, whereas the contents of chlorophyll and flavonoids and related phenolics were not affected by exogenous JA. Meanwhile, exogenous JA resulted in a decrease of CAT and POD activities under UV-B radiation stress. These results partly confirm the hypothesis that exogenous JA could counteract the negative effects of UV-B stress on wheat seedlings to some extent.     

Competition along a nutrient gradient: A case study with Daucus carota and Chenopodium album

A binary competition experiment between carrot (Daucus carota L.) and Chenopodium album L. was conducted in a greenhouse at seven population densities and eight nutrient concentrations to investigate the effects of a nutrient gradient on plant competition in both monocultures and mixtures. The patterns of carrot biomass allocation (measured as root : shoot ratio) in monocultures and mixtures with C. album were affected by both nutrient availability and population density. Chenopodium album had a broader response to nutrient concentrations than carrot. The maximum yield of carrot in both monocultures and mixtures occurred at fourfold the standard concentration of nutrients, while C. album in both monocultures and mixtures had the maximum yield at 16-fold the standard nutrient concentration. The yield–density relationship of carrot tended to be increasing or asymptotic at lower nutrient concentrations but parabolic at higher concentrations, whereas that of C. album was little affected by nutrient availability. Nutrient availability had a profound influence on the competitive relationships between the two species: at both low and high nutrient concentrations, C. album tended to be more competitive than carrot, while at intermediate levels of nutrients, carrot was more competitive than C. album. Our results suggest that in relation to competitive performance, the weed has a greater ability to adapt itself to varying environments than does the crop. Additionally, the relative merits of the quantitative measures of competitive ability are briefly discussed.