Morphometric analysis and taxonomic revision of the Vriesea paraibica complex (Bromeliaceae)

The species related to Vriesea paraibica (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae) have controversial taxonomic limits. For several decades, this group has been identified in herbarium collections as V. × morreniana, an artificial hybrid that does not grow in natural habitats. The aim of this study was to assess the morphological variation in the V. paraibica complex through morphometric analyses of natural populations. Two sets of analyses were performed: the first involved six natural populations (G1) and the second was carried out on taxa that emerged from the first analysis, but using material from herbarium collections (G2). Univariate ANOVA was used, as well as discriminant analysis of 16 morphometric variables in G1 and 18 in G2. The results of the analyses of the two groups were similar and led to the selection of diagnostic traits of four species. Lengths of the lower and median floral bracts were significant for the separation of red and yellow floral bracts. Vriesea paraibica and V. interrogatoria have red bracts; these two species are differentiated by the widths of the lower and median portions of the inflorescence and by scape length. These structures are larger in the former and smaller in the latter. Of the species with yellow floral bracts, V. eltoniana is distinguished by longer leaf blades and scapes and V. flava is characterized by its shorter sepal lengths. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 163–181.     

上海乡土水生植物资源及其在水生态恢复与水景观建设中的应用潜力

水生植物作为水生生态系统的主体, 对发挥水生生态系统的自维持、自循环功能有重要作用。研究通过相关资料的查阅, 建立上海地区乡土水生植物名录, 并对其科属组成、区系特征、生活型、生长型等进行统计分析。结果表明上海地区乡土水生植物共计35 科83 属160 种(含变种), 单属科、单种属的比例较高, 均达65%以上; 植物区系组成丰富、成分复杂, 以热带成分占优势, 达64.6%; 生活型以挺水植物为主, 沉水植物次之, 浮水植物最少; 生长型类型丰富, 以草本型、禾草型居多, 20 种生长型可进一步归为表征相似生态学特征和功能地位的6 个生长型组。在水生态恢复与水景观建设中, 仅有68.8%的景观水体有水生植物应用,且应用种类在2 种以下的占79.2%。乡土水生植物应用不足, 一半以上为观赏性强的外来物种, 应用频率较高的为挺水植物, 对具有良好净化效果的沉水植物重视不够。因此, 在水生态恢复与水景观建设中, 建议加强乡土水生植物资源的繁育栽培, 在充分利用乡土水生植物资源配置群落的基础上, 根据水质的富营养及基底状况, 通过不同生长型组水生植物的应用, 构建沉水-浮水-挺水植物群落复合体, 并通过近自然型护岸的营造, 形成水生-湿生复合生态系统。运用植被工程学的原理和方法, 采用生态浮岛、生态沉岛等技术营造水生植被, 将强人工化的水景观建成具生命的水生生态系统。       

Sabellaria wilsoni sp.n. (Polychaeta, Sabellariidae) from the southeast coast of Brazil

A new species of Sabellaria is described from the southeast coast of Brazil and compared with related species known from South or North America.     

Genetic uniformity characterizes the invasive spread of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), a clonal aquatic plant

Aquatic plant invasions are often associated with long‐distance dispersal of vegetative propagules and prolific clonal reproduction. These reproductive features combined with genetic bottlenecks have the potential to severely limit genetic diversity in invasive populations. To investigate this question we conducted a global scale population genetic survey using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers of the world’s most successful aquatic plant invader –Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth). We sampled 1140 ramets from 54 populations from the native (South America) and introduced range (Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Central America and the Caribbean). Although we detected 49 clones, introduced populations exhibited very low genetic diversity and little differentiation compared with those from the native range, and ～80% of introduced populations were composed of a single clone. A widespread clone (‘W’) detected in two Peruvian populations accounted for 70.9% of the individuals sampled and dominated in 74.5% of the introduced populations. However, samples from Bangladesh and Indonesia were composed of different genotypes, implicating multiple introductions to the introduced range. Nine of 47 introduced populations contained clonal diversity suggesting that sexual recruitment occurs in some invasive sites where environmental conditions favour seedling establishment. The global patterns of genetic diversity in E. crassipes likely result from severe genetic bottlenecks during colonization and prolific clonal propagation. The prevalence of the ‘W’ genotype throughout the invasive range may be explained by stochastic sampling, or possibly because of pre‐adaptation of the ‘W’ genotype to tolerate low temperatures.     

锁阳和肉苁蓉寄生方式的区别

锁阳和肉苁蓉都是中医药里重要的补益类药材,但由于过度采挖和采挖方式不当,目前它们的野生资源已濒临枯竭。肉苁蓉和锁阳分别是我国濒危和易危珍稀植物,研究二者寄生方式的特点与区别不仅可以促进锁阳和肉苁蓉的人工栽培,从而使野生药材得到一定的保护,而且对了解寄生植物在荒漠地区等极端严酷环境中的适应机制具有重要的生态学意义。该研究采用形态学观察结合常规石蜡切片法,对锁阳和肉苁蓉分别在各自寄主植物上的寄生方式进行了研究。结果表明：(1)锁阳的营养繁殖体在寄主植物根部呈串状分布,与寄主植物的连接方式属于非末端寄生;锁阳的吸器侵入寄主根系韧皮部和木质部的一部分区域,但是韧皮部和木质部大部分区域未被锁阳吸器占据,即有部分营养物质被锁阳“截取”。(2)肉苁蓉在其肉质茎基部长出新的芽体,与寄主植物的连接方式属于末端寄生;肉苁蓉的吸器侵入寄主根韧皮部和木质部全部区域。因此,锁阳寄生后,被寄生的寄主根依然能够向前生长,具有正常的功能;肉苁蓉寄生后,寄生点的寄主根失去根系的正常功能,成为一个为肉苁蓉生长发育提供营养物质的“输送通道( Transport channel)”。     

Role of nurse plants in Araucaria Forest expansion over grassland in south Brazil

Abstract Araucaria Forest expansion over grassland takes place under wet climate conditions and low disturbance and it is hypothesized that isolated trees established on grassland facilitate the establishment of forest woody species beneath their canopies. Forest with Araucaria angustifolia is a particular type of Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the main forest type on the highland plateau in south Brazil, often forming mosaics with natural Campos grassland. The objectives of this paper were to evaluate the role of isolated shrubs and trees as colonization sites for seedlings of Araucaria Forest woody species on grassland, to determine which species function as preferential nurse plants in the process and the importance of vertebrate diaspore dispersal on the structure of seedling communities beneath nurse plants. The study was conducted in São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul State, where we sampled isolated shrubs and trees in natural grassland near Araucaria Forest edges. Seedlings were counted and identified, and seedling diaspore dispersal syndromes, size and colour were registered. We detected 11 woody species with a potential role in nucleating grassland colonization by forest species. Beneath the canopies of nurse plants more forest species seedlings were found compared with open field grassland and the seedlings had diaspores mostly dispersed by vertebrates. Also, more seedlings were found under the canopy of A. angustifolia than beneath other nurse plant species. We conclude that A. angustifolia trees established on grassland act as nurse plants, by attracting disperser birds that promote colonization of the site by other forest species seedlings, and that under low level of grassland disturbance, conservation of frugivorous vertebrate assemblages may increase forest expansion over natural grassland and also facilitate the regeneration of degraded forest areas.     

Germ Layer Interactions in Pattern Formation of Amphibian Mesoderm during Primary Embryonic Induction

Mesodermal differentiation of dorsal marginal zone (DMZ) before and after invagination was analyzed by a series of combination experiments with different kinds of ectoderm.
Lower DMZ of early gastrula didn't show any axial-mesoderm (notochord and somitic mesoderm) but lateral mesoderm (mesenchyme, mesothelium, or blood cells) in combinant with non-competent ventral ectoderm, while combinant with competent ectoderm was found to have well-differentiated axial-mesoderm with deutero-spinocaudal neurals. The axial-mesoderms have origin in the ectoderm. Uninvaginated DMZ of middle gastrula also showed difference in mesodermal differentiation between competent and non-competent ectoderms; axial-mesoderm differentiation was much better in competent than in non-competent. The axial-mesoderm originated from the uninvaginated DMZ. Archenteron roof of late gastrula showed regional difference in mesodermal differentiation in both combinants with competent and non-competent. The present study further demonstrated that there was regionality in promoting effect of induced neurectoderm on axial-mesoderm differentiation of invaginated archenteron roof.
The present experiments suggest that the cranio-caudal and dorso-ventral axis formations of amphibian mesoderm are finally determined by sequential and reciprocal interactions between the mesodermal anlage and the overlying ectoderm. It should be also shown that lower DMZ acts to trigger a series of the sequential interactions during primary embryonic induction.     

甜瓜幼苗叶片光合变化特性

为探讨甜瓜光响应变化特性与环境因子的关系,选择光响应曲线适宜测定的时段,以甜瓜幼苗为试材,将1 d分为3个时段:10:00-12:00、12:00-15:00和15:00-17:00,每个叶位叶片测定1 d,并采用直角双曲线修正模型拟合光响应曲线,研究不同时段下甜瓜叶片光响应曲线、光响应参数的变化趋势和不同叶位叶片光响应参数特性。结果表明:当环境中光合有效辐射增强,叶面温度(Tl)升高,空气相对湿度(RH)降低;当环境中光合有效辐射减弱,Tl降低,RH升高。10:00-12:00光响应曲线和12:00-15:00的第1-4叶光响应曲线呈双曲线,在强光下趋向饱和状况,12:00-15:00的第5叶光合速率和15:00-17:00光合速率在强光下出现明显的光抑制现象。1 d的不同时段均表现为10:00-12:00最大净光合速率(P_max)和光饱和点(LSP)最高,12:00-17:00降低;12:00-15:00光补偿点(LCP)和暗呼吸速率(R_d)较高,其它两个时段较低,10:00-17:00光补偿点量子效率(φ_c)、气孔导度(G_s)和胞间CO₂浓度(C_i)总体呈降低趋势,气孔限制值(L_s)升高。10:00-15:00相同时段测得的不同叶位叶片光响应参数,以第4-5叶光合性能较好,15:00-17:00以第3叶P_max最高,第5叶次之;10:00-17:00 G_s和C_i以第5叶较低,第1叶较高,L_s以第5叶较高,第1叶较低。RH为影响P_max的主要决策因子,测定时段、叶面饱和蒸汽压亏缺(Vpdl)和Tl为主要限制因子。10:00-12:00适宜进行光响应曲线测定,气孔限制为不同时段光合作用不同的主要因素,非气孔限制为影响不同叶位叶片光合作用的主要因素。