Barriers to sexual reproduction in Polygonum viviparum: a comparative developmental analysis of P. viviparum and P. bistortoides

Polygonum viviparum is widely distributed in arctic and alpine regions of the northern hemisphere. Fruit set has never been observed in North American populations and has been reported only very rarely in Europe. Although this species is extremely well studied, the impediments to successful fruit production are unknown. We investigated the sexual reproductive process in P. viviparum growing in the southern Colorado Rocky Mountains. For comparison, we also examined this process in the sympatric congener P. bistortoides, in which reproduction is exclusively sexual. Lack of viable fruit production in P. viviparum has no single developmental explanation; defects occur in each of the processes and structures associated with sexual reproduction studied, yet, these processes and structures also appear to function normally in at least some flowers or individuals. Development is abnormal in many ovules of P. viviparum, however, comparison with P. bistortoides shows that these abnormalities do not contribute to differences in seed production between the two species. The virtual absence of sexual reproduction in P. viviparum appears to be due largely to a low rate of fertilization and to embryo/fruit abortion.     

珠芽蓼果实营养成分分析

本文对珠芽蓼果实的营养成分进行了分析.结果表明,珠芽蓼果实含有丰富的蛋白质、总糖、氨基酸和矿质元素,是一种值得有效开发的野生植物资源.     

RP-HPLC法同时测定藏药珠芽蓼中牡荆素、槲皮苷和槲皮素的含量(英文)

采用RP-HPLC法建立了同时测定珠芽蓼中牡荆素、槲皮苷、槲皮素三种黄酮的方法,色谱柱为kromasilC18(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm),以甲醇-水(含0.25%磷酸)为流动相梯度洗脱,流速1 mL/min,检测波长360 nm。结果表明,牡荆素、槲皮苷和槲皮素质量浓度在8～40、5～50μg/mL和5.33～52μg/mL范围内与色谱峰面积均呈良好的线形关系,平均回收率分别为100.3%、98.9%和100.4%,日内稳定性偏差分别为0.78%,0.51%和0.38%,日间稳定性偏差为2.6%,1.9%和2.1%。该方法简单、准确,可为珠芽蓼的质量控制提供科学依据。     

藏中矿区珠芽蓼和尼泊尔酸模中重金属含量分析

西藏中部主要是指雅鲁藏布江河谷地带,包括拉萨、日喀则和泽当等地市,是西藏自治区的主要农区和工业矿区。西藏中部矿产资源丰富,其中cu的远景储量居全国第2位[1]。矿产的开发给当地居民带来巨大的经济效益,但同时也排放大量含有重金属的废渣、废水和废气,导致土壤重金属污染严重。土壤是中草药中重金属的主要来源之一,中草药中的重金属含量与地质背景有密切的关系,土壤中重金属元素的多寡在药用植物中都有所表现[2];土壤重金属污染对中草药品质有影响甚至危及人类健康[3]。近年来植物药在国际市场逐渐升温,传统医药在日益受到人们青睐的同时其质量与安全性也成为公众关注的焦点[4-6]。     

Altitudinal variations in flower and bulbil production of an alpine perennial, Polygonum viviparum L. (Polygonaceae)

Two opposite views exist regarding sexual versus asexual reproductive performance of Polygonum viviparum . One suggests that increasing altitude favors flower production, while the other suggests that increasing altitude increases bulbil production. In this study, we present an investigation of the reproductive performance of 13 populations of P. viviparum on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP). Our results show that, with increasing altitude, the height of inflorescence and total number of flowers and bulbils decrease significantly, but there is no significant effect on bulbil and flower number. In addition, there is a weak correlation between the proportion of flowers per population and altitude in our study sites due to the exception population 12, which is in a disturbed habitat. We conclude that more resources might be allocated to flowers in populations at higher altitudes, indicating the importance of sexual reproduction over asexual reproduction in alpine plants of QTP.     

Dynamic phenotypic plasticity for root growth in Polygonum: a comparative study

Species differences in patterns of phenotypic plasticity may be an important aspect of adaptive diversity. Plasticity for functionally important root traits was studied in inbred field lineages of Polygonum persicaria and P. cespitosum (Polygonaceae). Replicate seedlings were grown in plexiglass rhizotrons under a range of constant and temporally variable moisture treatments. Plasticity was determined for final whole-plant biomass, root biomass allocation, and absolute and proportional root length. The dynamic aspect of root plasticity was examined by digitizing weekly tracings of the proportional deployment of each plant's root system to different vertical soil layers. Plants of both species expressed significant functionally adaptive phenotypic plasticity in the relative allocation, length, and vertical deployment of root systems in response to contrasting moisture conditions. Plasticity patterns in these closely related species were in general qualitatively similar, but for most traits differed in the magnitude and/or the timing of the plastic response. Dynamic changes in root deployment were more marked as well as faster in P. persicaria. Species differences in patterns of individual plasticity were generally consistent with the broader ecological distribution of P. persicaria in diverse as well as temporally variable moisture habitats.     

Pollination and factors limiting fruit set of chasmogamous flowers of an amphicapric annual,Polygonum thunbergii (Polygonaceae)

We observed phenology and insect visitors of chasmogamous flowers of an amphicarpic annual, Polygonum thunbergii (Polygonaceae) in Kyoto, Japan, and clarified limiting factors for fruit set by bagging and hand-pollination experiments. Flowering season was one month from late September. Flowers were visited by various insect groups (total 30 families and 64 species) and effective pollinators were lower bees (Halictidae) and wasps (Vespidae) in the early flowering season, and middle-sized flies (Syrphidae and Calliphoridae) in the later season. Nectar was secreted at a constant rate (0.013mg sugar/hour) throughout a day and >90% of it was consumed by insects. The average number of flowers per ramet was 122, of which 95% were pollinated in the natural conditions. Bagging experiments showed that 47% of flowers were self-pollinated even under no pollinator visits. Despite of a high probability of cross pollination, the probability of fruit set within the ramet was 0.30 due to resource limitation. We discussed possible adaptive significance of cleistogamous flowers under the condition that seeds could be produced by chasmogamous flowers through self-pollination even under pollinator limited conditions.     

Influence of a pulsed nitrogen supply on growth and nitrogen uptake in alpine graminoids

The supply of N in alpine soils is influenced by environmental factors (freeze-thaw, drying-rewetting, release of N from winter snowpack) which lead to a pulsed nature in plant N availability. To address the ability of alpine species to acquire N and grow when N is supplied in a pulsed manner, six alpine graminoid species, 3 sedges (Cyperaceae) and 3 grasses (Poaceae), were grown under 3 treatments: low and high N supply applied 3 times weekly, and a pulsed N supply applied once weekly at the same concentration as the high N treatment, but with the same total N supply as the low N treatment. Growth, biomass allocation, and N uptake were the same in all species for plants grown under a pulsed N treatment relative to a constant N supply with the same amount of total N. Root:shoot ratios and uptake of experimentally applied ¹⁵N indicated there were no adjustments in growth allocation or root uptake capacity in the plants to enhance the uptake of N when supplied in a pulsed relative to a more constant supply. The fertility of the site from which the graminoids were collected did not influence the plants' ability to respond to a high versus a low N supply, but instead growth form was more important. Grasses exhibited variation in growth, biomass allocation, and N uptake in response to changes in N supply, while sedges did not.     

外植体与不同理化因子对虎杖愈伤组织诱导及次生代谢产物形成的影响

考察了外植体、培养基及光照条件对中药植物虎杖愈伤组织形成及次生代谢产物生产的影响。总的来看,所有愈伤组织中总酚和总黄酮含量比原植物的含量高2—3倍;而蒽醌的含量比原植物中含量低。外植体对愈伤组织形成及次生代谢产物生产的影响很大,所考察的3种外植体中。叶外植的愈伤组织诱导率最高而源于根外植体的愈伤组织具有最好的次生代谢能力。所考察的6种培养基中,MS＋0．5mg／L 2,4-D＋1．0mg／L 6-BA和N6＋0．5mg／L 2,4-D＋1．0mg／L 6-BA无论对于愈伤组织的产生还是次生代谢产物的累积都有较优表现。光照对愈伤组织诱导及次生代谢产物产生有明显影响。但二者无规律性联系。     

水蓼对汞积累与分布的水培实验

通过水培实验,研究不同浓度的汞(0、0.5、1、10、20和50μg·L-1)对水蓼生长的影响及水蓼的耐受性表现。结果表明:在所处理的浓度范围内,水蓼生长与生理表现未受影响。水蓼根部具有最强的汞富集能力,富集系数高达531.5%。培养液中的汞浓度与水蓼茎、叶和根中汞的富集量呈显著正相关。在同一浓度时,随着培养时间的增长,水蓼体内汞含量不断增加。水蓼茎、叶和根亚细胞中的汞分布规律表现为:细胞壁>细胞器>细胞液,细胞壁对进入植物体内的汞有很强的束缚作用,限制其进入细胞质内部。     

Water chemistry and periphyton in an alpine wetland

Remote high elevation sites are thought to be good sites to monitor global change and anthropogenic effects on ecosystems. This study was conducted during 1987–1990 in a high elevation wetland (3593 m) located in the Green Lakes Valley, Front Range, Colorado (USA). Salix spp. was the dominant riparian species in this 2 ha. wetland. Small shallow pools (<0.5 m depth) constituted a water area of 236 m³. The major source of water during the study period was snowmelt. The wetland had a well defined outlet and inlet, although an undetermined amount of water entered as groundwater from the snow patch above. Outlet discharge was 424–460 m³ during the month of July and declined thereafter as water input from the snowpatch declined. Inlet discharge was 67% of outlet discharge. Water temperatures in the outlet were always less than 6.8°C, pH 6.0–6.3, and mean conductivity 30.8 µS cm^–1. Both NO _inf3 ^sup– and SO _inf4 ^sup–2 were higher in the inlet thanin the outlet. Dominant cations in the inlet and outlet waters were Ca⁺² Mg⁺² > K⁺ + Na⁺; dominant anions were SO _inf4 ^sup–2 HCO _inf3 ^sup– > NO _inf3 ^sup– Cl^–. Nutrient limitation by P was demonstrated once using nutrient diffusing substrata. No limitation could be shown for NO _inf3 ^sup– , HCO _inf3 ^sup– , or Fe+EDTA. Slow colonization rates of periphyton on tiles were attributed to low temperatures and/or ultraviolet radiation. However, interannual differences in biomass on tiles were as much as 300% after 35 days. A minimum of 16–54 samples would be needed to detect a significant interannual change in biomass on tiles after 35 days assuming that the extreme case for periphyton patchiness. Global climate change is likely to affect discharge and water temperature in this wetland which hill have direct and indirect affects on population dynamics and ecosystem function.     

Population sequences in a high altitude alpine environment: Archaeological sites and historical and environmental time

Since 1998, a group of archaeologists have been studying the long-term history of human settlement and activity in the mid to high altitude (1800m and above) in theParc National des Ecrins (southern French Alps). This research has identified a number of different phases of settlement since the end of the last Ice Age (10,000 years ago). Whilst we accept that it is impossible to present the variation in actual number of people present in these marginal milieus, we can present an overview of waxing and waning of human activity in our study area. Our research demonstrates that poeple moved into these high altitude zones as soon as the glaciers retreated. The first phase of extensive and relatively intensive activity dates to the Bronze Age (c. 2000 BC). During the Iron Age and Roman period there appears to have been a relative reduction in the level of activity. However, from the early medieval period onwards there is incontrovertible evidence for a substantial increase in activity. This culminates with the emergence of a “busy” landscape during the post-medieval period when mining and pastoral activities were at their peak.     

Seasonal relationships between planktonic microorganisms and dissolved organic material in an alpine stream

The relationships between the abundance and activity of planktonic, heterotrophic microorganisms and the quantity and characteristics of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in a Rocky Mountain stream were evaluated. Peak values of glucose uptake, 2.1 nmol L⁻¹ hr⁻¹, and glucose concentration, 333 nM, occurred during spring snowmelt when the water temperature was 4.0°C and the DOC concentration was greatest. The turnover time of thein situ glucose pool ranged seasonally from 40–1110 hours, with a mean of 272 hr. Seasonal uptake of³H-glucose, particulate ATP concentrations, and direct counts of microbial biomass were independent of temperature, but were positively correlated with DOC concentrations and negatively correlated with stream discharge. Heterotrophic activity in melted snow was generally low, but patchy. In the summer, planktonic heterotrophic activity and microbial biomass exhibited small-scale diel cycles which did not appear to be related to fluctuations in discharge or DOC, but could be related to the activity of benthic invertebrates. Leaf-packs placed under the snow progressively lost weight and leachable organic material during the winter, indicating that the annual litterfall in the watershed may be one source of the spring flush of DOC. These results indicate that the availability of labile DOC to the stream ecosystem is the primary control on seasonal variation in heterotrophic activity of planktonic microbial populations.     

Fruit maturation patterns of Carya spp. (Juglandaceae): an intra-crown analysis of growth and reproduction

Summary Fruit survival patterns, from fertilization to maturation, were examined for Carya ovata and C. tomentosa in a New Jersey USA forest. We observed fruiting and shoot growth characteristics over a 3-yr period to determine: (1) the patterns of fruit survivorship (from initiation to maturity) within and among years, (2) the relationships between shoot growth, fruit initiation, and fruit survival to maturity, and (3) the influence of phytophagous insects on fruit survival. We found that within years, smaller infructescences (1–2 fruits) exhibited greater relative survivorship than larger ones (3–4 fruits); however, absolute nut production was greatest for mid-sized infructescences (2–3 fruits). Among years, fruit survivorship varied considerably within populations. Across the 3-yr period we observed average fruit survivorship to be convex, linear, and concave, respectively. Likewise, shoot characteristics (length, width, number of leaves) varied concomitantly (decreasing fruit survivorship was accompanied by decreasing shoot length and number of leaves). Within years, we found no strong relationship between shoot characteristics and infructescence size and survival. The patterns of tree-to-tree variation suggested a strong genetic basis to shoot growth and fruit maturation. However, patterns of variation within and among years also indicated a strong environmental influence on these traits as well. Natural phytophagy by insects was observed to be low (<5%); however, shoot defoliations of 10–25% were not uncommon. Experimental defoliations (ambient, 10–15%, 20–40%, and 75–100%) did not result in reduced survival to maturity. Collectively, the data suggest that year-to-year variability in shoot growth has a greater influence on fruit maturation patterns than within year fruit-shoot relations.     

Genetic variation in and covariation between leaf gas exchange,morphology, and development in Polygonum arenastrum,an annual plant

Summary We present evidence of genetic variation in and covariation between leaf-level gas exchange properties and leaf size among family lines of Polygonum arenastrum. This self-fertilizing annual had previously been shown to vary genetically in developmental phenology and in morphology (size of leaves, internodes, flowers and seeds) (Geber 1990). Significant family differences were found in photosynthetic carbon assimilation rate (A), lcaf conductance to water vapor (g), instantaneous water-use efficiency (WUE), and leaf carbon isotope discrimination (). A strong positive genetic correlation between A and g suggested that there was stomatal limitation on A. In addition, higher g led to relatively greater increases in transpiration, E, than in assimilation, A, so that families with high rates of gas exchange had lower instantaneous WUE and/or higher carbon isotope discrimination values. Leaf size and gas exchange were genetically correlated. In earlier studies leaf size was found to be genetically correlated with developmental phenology (Geber 1990). The pattern that emerges is one in which small-leaved families (which also have small internodes, flowers, and seeds) tend to have high gas exchange rates, low WUE, rapid development to flowering and high early fecundity, but reduced life span and maximum (vegetative and reproductive) yield compared to large-leaved families. We suggest that this pattern may have arisen from selection for contrasting suites of characters adapted to environments differing in season length.     

Relative contributions of leaf area ratio and net assimilation rate to change in growth rate depend on growth temperature: comparative analysis of subantarctic and alpine grasses

The present study shows that the relative contributions of leaf area ratio (LAR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) to variation among species in relative growth rate (RGR) depend on growth temperature. We grew three subantarctic and three alpine Poa species at daytime temperatures of 7, 12 and 17 degrees C, and analysed interspecific and temperature-related variation in RGRs by growth analysis. Variation in NAR accounted for most of the interspecific differences in RGR at low growth temperature, whereas variation in both NAR and LAR contributed strongly to interspecific differences in RGR at high growth temperature. For most species, the increase in RGR from 7 to 12 degrees C was attributable to an increase in LAR, whereas the increase in RGR from 12 to 17 degrees C was attributable to an increase in NAR. There were no differences between native subantarctic and alpine species in the plasticity of growth responses to temperature. However, Poa annua, a species introduced to the subantarctic, showed much greater growth plasticity than other species. There was little difference among species in tolerance of high-temperature extremes.     

Small-scale species richness and its spatial variation in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

We investigated how the high small-scale species richness of an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, is maintained. This area is characterized by strong wind and severe cold during long winters. In winter, most livestock is grazed on dead leaves in small pastures near farmers’ residences, whereas in the short summer, livestock is grazed in mountainous areas far from farmers’ residences. The number of plant species and the aboveground biomass were surveyed for three adjacent pastures differing in grazing management: a late-winter grazing pasture grazed moderately from 1 February to 30 April, an early-winter grazing pasture grazed lightly from 20 September to late October, and a whole-year grazing pasture grazed intensively throughout the entire year. In each pasture, we harvested the aboveground biomass from 80 or 100 quadrats of 0.01 m² along a transect and classified the contents by species. We observed 15.5–19.7 species per 0.01 m², which is high richness per 0.01 m² on a worldwide scale. The species richness in the two winter grazing pastures was higher than that in the whole-year grazing pasture. The spatial variation in species richness and species composition in the two winter grazing pastures in which species richness was high was greater than that in the whole-year grazing pasture in which species richness was lower. Most of the leaves that are preserved on the winter grazing pastures during summer are blown away by strong winds during winter, and the remaining leaves are completely exhausted in winter by livestock grazing. A pasture with a high richess is accompanied by a high spatial variation in species richness and species composition. There is a high possibility that the characteristic of spatial variation is also caused by traditional grazing practices in this area.     

Reproductive Biology of an Amphicarpic Annual, Polygonum thunbergii (Polygonaceae): Spatio-temporal Changes in Growth, Structure and Reproductive Components of a Population over an Environmental Gradient

Abstract The process and mechanisms of spatio-temporal changes in growth, population structure, as well as various yield and reproductive components of a population of an amphicarpic annual, Polygonum thunbergii (Polygonaceae), with two reproductive systems (aerial chasmogamous flowers and subterranean cleistogamous flowers) along an environmental gradient (light, moisture and soil nitrogen levels) were investigated in the field.
The results clearly demonstrate that growth and allocation patterns, population structure, and reproductive output of individuals changed sharply along the environmental gradient in response to seasonal and spatial changes in resource availability. Models predicted that light conditions bring about one-sided competition, whereas nutrient conditions in the soil engender two-sided competition. As expected, the degree of one-sided competition was prominent in the case of a planophile, Polygonum thunbergii. Allocation patterns, seed outputs, individual seed size as well as relative energy costs of chasmogamous and cleistogamous seed as affected by light and nutrient levels were also critically analyzed. The most noteworthy finding was that the size of chasmogamous seeds sharply decreased in response to a decrease in the light regime, while cleistogamous seed size remained constant along the gradient. However, relative cost of both chasmogamous and cleistogamous seeds sharply increased with decrease in the light level, reflecting different degrees of environmental stress, biotic interference, or both.     

Methane emission by plant communities in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: a new experimental study of alpine meadows and oat pasture

Recently, plant-derived methane (CH₄) emission has been questioned because limited evidence of the chemical mechanism has been identified to account for the process. We conducted an experiment with four treatments (i.e. winter-grazed, natural alpine meadow; naturally restored alpine meadow eight years after cultivation; oat pasture and bare soil without roots) during the growing seasons of 2007 and 2008 to examine the question of CH₄ emission by plant communities in the alpine meadow. Each treatment consumed CH₄ in closed, opaque chambers in the field, but two types of alpine meadow vegetation reduced CH₄ consumption compared with bare soil, whereas oat pasture increased consumption. This result could imply that meadow vegetation produces CH₄. However, measurements of soil temperature and water content showed significant differences between vegetated and bare soil and appeared to explain differences in CH₄ production between treatments. Our study strongly suggests that the apparent CH₄ production by vegetation, when compared with bare soil in some previous studies, might represent differences in soil temperature and water-filled pore space and not the true vegetation sources of CH₄.