Different vulnerabilities of Quercus ilex L. to freeze- and summer drought-induced xylem embolism: an ecological interpretation

Quercus ilex L. growing in the southern Mediterranean Basin region is exposed to xylem embolism induced by both winter freezing and summer drought. The distribution of the species in Sicily could be explained in terms of the different vulnerability to embolism of its xylem conduits. Naturally occurring climatic conditions were simulated by: (1) maintaining plants for 3h at ambient temperatures of 0, -1.5, -2.5, -5.0 and -11°C; and (2) allowing plants to dry out to ratios of their minimum diurnal leaf water potentials (Ψ₁) to that at the turgor loss point (Ψ_tlp) of 0.6, 0.9, 1.05, 1.20 and 1.33. The loss of hydraulic conductivity of one-year-old twigs reached 40% at -1.5°C and at Ψ₁/Ψ_tlP= 1.05. Recovery from these strains was almost complete 24 h after the release of thermal stress or after one irrigation, respectively. More severe stresses reduced recovery consistently. The percentages of xylem conduits embolized following application of the two stresses, were positively related to xylem conduit diameter. The capability of the xylem conduits to recover from stress was positively related to the conduit diameter in plants subjected to summer drought, but not in the plants subjected to winter freezing stress. The ecological significance of the different vulnerabilities to embolism of xylem conduits under naturally occurring climatic conditions is discussed.     

Sclerophylly and Plant Water Relations in Three Mediterranean Quercus Species

The possible role in drought resistance played by sclerophyllywas studied in the Mediterranean oaks Quercus ilex, Q. suberand Q. pubescens. Studies were conducted on leaves at 30, 50and 80% of their final surface area, as well as on mature leavesof the current year's growth in June and September and on 1-year-oldleaves. Leaves of different ages of the three species showed quite differentdegrees of sclerophylly (DS). Q. ilex leaves reached the definitiveDS of 1.75 g dm^–2 during leaf expansion; Q. pubescensleaves hardened at the end of their expansion, with a finalDS of 0.93 g dm^–2; Q. suber showed the lowest DS of 0.76g dm^–2. Leaf conductance to water vapour (g₁) of 1-year-old leaves ofQ. ilex, measured in the field, showed a duration of the g₁peak values about twice that of the other two species. The minimumleaf relative water content (RWC), however, was near the samein the three species, indicating that water loss was recoveredpartly by Q. ilex leaves. This was apparently due to the higherbulk modulus of elasticity (     

Fish Tumor Pigment Cells: Differentiation and Comparison to Their Normal Counterparts

The objectives of this paper are to describe 1) the developmentof new research systems for biochemical comparison of cellulartraits between normal and tumorous pigment cells of fish origin,2) the similarity and dissimilarity between these two categoriesof pigment cells with regard to growth, differentiation andpigment translocating activities and 3) the potentials of thesetumorous pigment cells to manifest multiple differentiation.The development of research systems has been achieved by theestablishment of 1) methods to obtain homogenous populationsof viable, cultivatable xanthophores (erythrophores) and melanophoresfrom goldfish skins, 2) permanent cell lines from goldfish erythrophoromas(tumors derived from erythrophores) and from Nibe croaker irido-melanophoromas(tumors composed of mixed populations of iridophore- and melanophore-likecells) and 3) procedures to induce differentiation in normaland tumorous stem cells (including the formation of pigmentsand ability to undergo pigment translocation in response tocAMP, to the neurotransmitter epinephrine and to the hormonesACTH and melatonin). Two kinds of tumorous pigment cell linesexamined herein have the ability to form, in addition to variouspigments, structures similar to dermal skeletons and lentoidbodies. These findings strongly suggest the possibility thatthese fish pigment cell tumors are neural crest stem cell tumorsin nature.     

关于Trombiculidae螨类中文命名的商榷

Trombiculidae 螨类的中文命名,通称做恙螨或恙虫,是因袭日本恙虫病(Tsutsugamushidisease)的名称而来的。但是,根据许多日本学者的意见,“恙”字的来源系出于我国“别来无恙”的古话。然而若就字义来说,恙字的解释比较广泛,并非专指小虫而言:虫字在我国古书中,则是动物的统称。另外,有不少中外学者认为日本所发现的恙虫,就是我国古代岭南地区的沙虱。后一名辞,源出于我国,字义比较确切,而又得到了普遍的公认,故以其命名,比较合适。因此,建议应改以沙虱命名。为了在系统分类上与头虱和体虱等有别,拟称之谓“沙螨”或“(沙虫)螨”,更为适宜。     

稀浓度化学药剂对马尾松毛虫越冬幼虫的毒效试验

1959—1960年作者等在江西、湖南等地区配合大面积防治森林害虫之际,开展了DDT等化学药剂对于不同越冬时期的马尾松毛虫幼虫的毒效试验。据野外观察结果,将马尾松毛虫越冬幼虫划分为5个时期。即越冬前活动期、越冬前期、越冬期、越冬后期、越冬后活动期。试验证明:不同化学药剂对越冬松毛虫幼虫的毒效随着不同时期和温度条件而变化。就一般论:DDT的效果,在比较低温(日均温10—20℃)时特别显著;666及敌百虫的效果,在比较高温时(20℃以上)为显著。其中尤以敌百虫为更甚。DDT对不同时期幼虫的毒效大小为:越冬后期>越冬前期>越冬期>越冬前活动期>越冬后活动期≥夏季(4-5龄)幼虫;其中以越冬后期幼虫抵抗力最弱。从原则上论这是施药的最适宜时期,从25% DDT乳剂4,000倍稀释液在越冬后期(2,3月间)施用,毒效可达92%以上,用6,000倍稀释液亦达82%以上。如用γ6%可湿性666,800倍稀释液在越冬前、后期使用,毒效可达70-80%以上。50%敌百虫乳剂在温度20℃以上时(越冬前、后活动期)毒效显著增高。此时如用5,000-6,000倍稀释液喷洒,毒效可达70-80%左右。由此,作者认为:在长江以北,每年发生2代以下的松毛虫地区,可用DDT和666稀释液在越冬前、后期进行防治。长江以南,每年发生2代以上的马尾松毛虫地区,不但可用DDT、666来防治越冬前、后期幼虫;而且在幼树林地内越冬期的幼虫亦可防治。在上述地区内,敌百虫乳剂仅适于在越冬前、后活动期或夏季幼虫期温度较高时使用。就一般论,在越冬前期施用药剂时,如能选定在寒流侵袭之前喷射,效果更为显著。     

乙酰胆碱减小猫外膝体中继细胞低阈值T—型钙电导

在离体猫丘脑脑片上观察了乙酰胆碱对外膝体中继神经元膜的低阈值Ｔ－型钙电导的影响。电流箝位和电压箝位实验结果都显示：将膜电位箝制到给药前的对照水平,排除了乙酰胆碱的去极化作用后,大多数（８２％）外膝外神经元的低阈值钙电导仍然被乙酰胆碱所抑制。说明这种抑制作用独立于乙酰胆碱引起的膜电位变化,而是对低阈值Ｔ－型钙通道的直接作用。     

Ozone induced emissions of biogenic VOC from tobacco: relationships between ozone uptake and emission of LOX products

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Bel W3) plants exposed to ozone (O₃) were investigated using proton-transfer-reaction mass-spectrometry (PTR-MS) and gas chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS) to find a quantitative reference for plants' responses to O₃ stress. O₃ exposures to illuminated plants induced post-exposure VOC emission bursts. The lag time for the onset of volatile C₆ emissions produced within the octadecanoid pathway was found to be inversely proportional to O₃ uptake, or more precisely, to the O₃ flux density into the plants. In cases of short O₃ pulses of identical duration the total amount of these emitted C₆ VOC was related to the O₃ flux density into the plants, and not to ozone concentrations or dose–response relationships such as AOT 40 values. Approximately one C₆ product was emitted per five O₃ molecules taken up by the plant. A threshold flux density of O₃ inducing emissions of C₆ products was found to be (1.6 ± 0.7) × 10⁻⁸ mol m⁻² s⁻¹.     

木格滩地区中华鼢鼠的分布及其对草场植被的影响

解放以来,我国草原畜牧业得到了很大发展。当前,部分地区因草原啮齿动物的活动而引起草场植被的局部退化(夏武平,1964),是影响我国草原畜牧业发展的重要问题之一。