Interactive effects of understory removal and fertilization on soil respiration in subtropical Eucalyptus plantations

Aims It has been well recognized that understory vegetation plays an important role in driving forest ecosystem processes and functioning. In subtropical plantation forests, understory removal and fertilization have been widely applied; however, our understanding on how understory removal affects soil respiration and how the process is regulated by fertilization is limited. Here, we conducted an understory removal experiment combined with fertilization to evaluate the effects of the two forest management practices and their interactions on soil respiration in subtropical forest in southern China.Methods The study was conducted in a split-plot design with fertilization as the whole-plot factor, understory removal as the subplot factor and block as the random factor in subtropical Eucalyptus plantations. In total, there were four treatments: control with unfertilized and intact understory (CK), understory removal but without fertilization (UR), with fertilization but without understory removal (FT) and with fertilization + understory removal (FT + UR). Eucalyptus above- and belowground biomass increment, fine root biomass, soil temperature, soil moisture and soil respiration were measured in the present study. Understory respiration (R U) was quantified in different ways: R u = R CK ? R UR or R u = R FT ? R (FT + UR); fertilization increased soil respiration (R FI) was also quantified in different ways: R FI = R FT ? R CK or R FI = R (FT + UR) ? R UR .Important findings Over a 2-year experiment, our data indicate that understory removal significantly decreased soil respiration, while fertilization increased soil respiration. Understory removal decreased soil respiration by 28.8% under fertilization, but only 15.2% without fertilization. Fertilization significantly increased soil respiration by 23.6% with the presence of understory vegetation, and only increased by 3.7% when understory was removed, indicating that fertilization increased soil respiration mainly by increasing the contribution of the understory. Our study advances our understanding of the interactive effects of understory management and fertilization on soil respiration in subtropical plantations.     

An F-box gene linked to the self-incompatibility (S) locus of Antirrhinum is expressed specifically in pollen and tapetum

In many flowering plants, self-fertilization is prevented by an intraspecific reproductive barrier known as self-incompatibility (SI), that, in most cases, is controlled by a single multiallelic S locus. So far, the only known S locus product in self-incompatible species from the Solanaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Rosaceae is a class of ribonucleases called S RNases. Molecular and transgenic analyses have shown that S RNases are responsible for pollen rejection by the pistil but have no role in pollen expression of SI, which appears to be mediated by a gene called the pollen self-incompatibility or Sp gene. To identify possible candidates for this gene, we investigated the genomic structure of the S locus in Antirrhinum, a member of the Scrophulariaceae. A novel F-box gene, AhSLF-S ₂, encoded by the S ₂ allele, with the expected features of the Sp gene was identified. AhSLF-S ₂ is located 9 kb downstream of S ₂ RNase gene and encodes a polypeptide of 376 amino acids with a conserved F-box domain in its amino-terminal part. Hypothetical genes homologous to AhSLF-S ₂ are apparent in the sequenced genomic DNA of Arabidopsis and rice. Together, they define a large gene family, named SLF (S locus F-box) family. AhSLF-S ₂ is highly polymorphic and is specifically expressed in tapetum, microspores and pollen grains in an allele-specific manner. The possibility that Sp encodes an F-box protein and the implications of this for the operation of self-incompatibility are discussed.     

Genetic analysis and mapping of gene fzp ( t ) controlling spikelet differentiation in rice

A mutant of spikelet differentiation in rice called frizzle panicle (fzp) was discovered in the progeny of a cross between Oryza sativa ssp. indica cv. V20B and cv. Hua1B. The mutant exhibits normal plant morphology but has apparently fewer tillers. The most striking change in fzp is that its spikelet differentiation is completely blocked, with unlimited subsequent rachis branches generated from the positions where spikelets normally develop in wild-type plants. Genetic analysis suggests that fzp is controlled by a single recessive gene, which is temporarily named fzp(t). Based on its mutant phenotype, fzp(t) represents a key gene controlling spikelet differentiation. Some F₂ mutant plants derived from various genetic background appeared as the “middle type”, suggesting that the action of fzp(t) is influenced by the presence of redundant, modifier or interactive genes. By using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and bulked segregant analysis (BSA) method, fzp(t) gene was mapped in the terminal region of the long arm of chromosome 7, with RM172 and RM248 on one side, 3.2 cM and 6.4 cM from fzp(t), and RM18 and RM234 on the other side, 23.1 cM and 26.3 cM from fzp(t), respectively. These results will facilitate the positional cloning and function studies of the gene.     

The Chinese garden of genetics——celebrating 40~(th) anniversary of Genetics Society of China

正In 2018,we will celebrate the 40~(th) anniversary of Genetics Society of China(GSC),which was founded in Nanjing,China in October,1978,soon after China adopted an open door policy for reform.One major mission of GSC during its inception was to publish a genetics journal,aiming to provide a window for Chinese geneticists to showcase their new discoveries.In fact,a genetics journal named Acta Genetica Sinica(AGS)had been published since June of 1974(Fig.1).This journal pub-     

Molecular analysis of rice plants harboring a multi-functional T-DNA tagging system

About 25,000 rice T-DNA insertional mutant lines were generated using the vector pCAS04 which has both promoter-trapping and activation-tagging function. Southern blot analysis revealed that about 40% of these mutants were single copy integration and the average T-DNA insertion number was 2.28. By extensive phenotyping in the field, quite a number of agronomically important mutants were obtained. Histochemical GUS assay with 4,310 primary mutants revealed that the GUS-staining frequency was higher than that of the previous reports in various tissues and especially high in flowers. The T-DNA flanking sequences of some mutants were isolated and the T-DNA insertion sites were mapped to the rice genome. The flanking sequence analysis demonstrated the different integration pattern of the right border and left border into rice genome. Compared with Arabidopsis and poplar, it is much varied in the T-DNA border junctions in rice.     

华南丘陵区农林复合生态系统稻田二氧化碳排放及其影响因素

采用静态箱-气相色谱法对稻田CO2排放进行田间原位测定,探讨农林复合生态系统稻田温室气体CO2的排放规律。结果表明,在生长季节中,有植株参与稻田CO2排放速率的日变化形式均为白天出现排放高值,夜间出现排放低值。有植株参与稻田CO2昼夜排放速率平均值都显著高于无植株参与稻田。温度(气温、地表温度、地下5 cm温度)是有植株参与稻田在植株生长期间稻田CO2排放速率昼夜变化的主要影响因素。水稻作物对CO2的排放影响较大,早稻有、无植株参与稻田CO2季节平均排放速率分别为316.29±23.74和101.88±16.83 mg.m-2.h-1。晚稻有、无植株参与稻田CO2季节平均排放速率分为622.40±57.67和179.41±19.51 mg.m-2.h-1。早、晚稻有植株参与稻田的CO2季节平均排放量分别比无植株参与稻田增加了310%和347%。     

冬虫夏草粗多糖诱导小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞产生TNF-α的作用

研究了 3种冬虫夏草提取的粗多糖对小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞产生肿瘤坏死因子的作用。结果表明野生冬虫夏草、冬虫夏草菌丝体和拟青霉子实体的粗多糖在体外都能诱导小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞产生TNF α ,但野生冬虫夏草在体外诱导小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞产生TNF α的强度比冬虫夏草菌丝体和拟青霉子实体高 ,拟青霉子实体又比冬虫夏草菌丝体强     

马占相思 (Acacia mangium)与湿地松 (Pinus elliotii)人工林枯落物层的水文生态功能

分析了马占相思与湿地松人工林枯落物的蓄积量、年凋落量及凋落动态、枯落物层对大气降水的截留、以及枯落物抑制土壤水分蒸发和阻滞径流的效应.结果表明①15龄的马占相思林枯落物蓄积量32.3t/hm2,年凋落量11.14t/hm2,最大持水率253.7%,最大持水量28.26t/hm2;15龄的湿地松林枯落物蓄积量18.7t/hm2,年凋落量7.30t/hm2,最大持水率216.7%,最大持水量15.82hm2;②2种林分对大气降水的截留率分别为15.9%和11.7%,截留率随1次降水降水量(>10mm)的增加而减少;③2～4cm枯落物覆盖下不同含水量的土壤水分蒸发比无覆盖的土壤减少18.2%～78.3%,枯落物层减少土壤水分蒸发的效应随枯落物层厚度和土壤含水量的增大而增加;④2种枯落物对径流流出时间的阻滞效应随径流深(<3mm)和坡度的增加而减小,随枯落物层厚度的增加呈直线增加.通过与部分其它森林类型枯落物层水文生态功能比较,认为马占相思与湿地松林枯落物层具有较为优越的水文生态功能.     

粤港澳大湾区不同恢复模式植物群落结构与生态系统健康的动态变化

基于长期定位监测数据,量化揭示了红锥纯林（Castanopsis hystrix）、10种与30种乡土树种混交林等3种乡土人工林植物群落的生物量、物种多样性、生物热力学健康水平（eco-exergy）和土壤理化性状在种植后13年内的发展动态,并与尾叶桉（Eucalyptus urophylla）纯林,以及自然恢复系统（灌草坡）进行了比较。结果表明：（1）研究期间,5种恢复模式的植物群落生物量均呈现波动上升趋势,但在发展节率上有所差异。13龄时的尾叶桉纯林与两种乡土树种混交林生物量显著高于其各自1龄时的水平,且显著高于自然恢复灌草坡;相较于其他人工林,红锥纯林生物量增长缓慢,但快于灌草坡;（2）5种恢复模式植物群落的物种多样性（物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener指数、Pielou均匀度指数）在6至13龄间均呈下降趋势,且30种乡土树种混交林下降趋势最为显著。13龄时,两种混交林Shannon-Wiener指数略高于两种纯林,显著高于灌草坡;10种乡土树种混交林的Pielou均匀度指数略高于红锥纯林与30种乡土树种混交林,显著高于尾叶桉纯林与灌草坡。（3）4种人工林的植物群落生物热力学健康水平皆在6至13龄间显著增加;13龄时两种乡土混交林群落生态显著高于两种纯林,两种纯林显著高于灌草坡,且该差异主要源自于乔木层生态的差异。（4）不同植被恢复模式中,10种乡土树种混交林土壤养分的累积效果最佳,13龄时其土壤总氮含量显著高于红锥纯林和自然恢复灌草坡,但与30种乡土树种混交林和尾叶桉纯林无显著差异。（5）冗余分析结果显示,研究期间植被与土壤间的相关关系逐步建立,土壤理化性状对地上植被结构变化的解释度由1龄时的73.3%逐步上升至13龄时的82.0%,但只有土壤有机碳含量在13龄时与地上植被结构的相关性达到显著水平。上述结果表明,乡土种人工林与外来种人工纯林群落结构、生物热力学健康水平、及植被与土壤间关系的发展规律相似,且相对而言,混交林优于纯林,纯林优于自然恢复灌草坡。植被恢复的起始物种丰富度并不是越高越好;发展到13龄时,10种乡土树种混交林在植被结构与土壤改良方面均优于30种乡土树种混交林。植被与土壤间相关关系的建立是一个长期的过程,不同植被恢复模式对土壤理化性状的差异性影响难以在短期内有所显现。