Viola pluviae sp. nov. (Violaceae), a member of subsect. Stolonosae in the Pacific Northwest region of North America

As hirtherto circumscribed, the allo‐octoploid Viola palustris L. exists in three distinct races in North America. The race occurring in the Pacific Northwest of North America has previously been shown to have originated by polyploidy from a different set of ancestral tetraploids than the nominal, Amphi‐Atlantic race. These two races differ also in a number of morphological characters, which has been a historical source of confusion. We here propose a new name for the western plants, V. pluviae Marcussen, H.E. Ballard & Blaxland, and typify it with a specimen collected near Mt Rainier (USA, Washington) with known chromosome number. Distribution, phylogenetic history and taxonomy are discussed and an updated morphological key to the Pacific Northwestern species of Viola is presented.     

Elevated atmospheric CO2 differentially affects needle chloroplast ultrastructure and phloem anatomy in Pinus palustris: interactions with soil resource availability

The response of forest species to increasing atmospheric CO₂, particularly under resource limitations, will require study in order to predict probable changes which may occur at the plant, community and ecosystem levels. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) seedlings were grown for 20 months at two levels of CO₂ (365 and 720 μol mol¹) in two levels of soil nitrogen (4 and 40 g m^?2), and with two levels of soil moisture (–0·5 and –1·5 MPa xylem pressure potential). Leaf tissue was collected in the spring (12 months exposure) and autumn (20 months exposure) and examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and light microscopy. During early spring, elevated CO₂ magnified effects of N and water treatment on starch accumulation and in some cases contributed to altered organization of mesophyll chloroplasts. Disruption of chloroplast integrity was pronounced under elevated CO₂, low N and water stress. In autumn, needles contained little starch; however, chloroplasts grown under high CO₂ exhibited stress symptoms including increased plastoglobuli and shorter grana. A trend for reduced needle phloem cross-sectional area resulting from fewer sieve cells was also observed under elevated CO₂. These results suggest that, in nature, longleaf pine seedlings may not benefit from a doubling of CO₂, especially when soil resources are limiting.     

Disturbance,seeds, restoration,and the importance of experiments and long‐term observations: the Editors' Award for 2005

Question: Can the geographic patterning of endemic plant species inform reserve selection in a region of high endemism? Location: The Southeastern Coastal Plain of North America, focusing primarily on the imperiled longleaf pine (Pinus palustris P. Miller) ecosystem. Methods: We documented the high level of plant endemism in the region, and characterized the endemic taxa into distributional subregions. Results: A total of 1630 plant taxa are endemic to the Coastal Plain, a large proportion of which are endemic to phytogeographical subregions within the Coastal Plain, with particularly large numbers of narrow endemics occurring in the East Gulf Coastal Plain and Florida Peninsula. Conclusions: This pattern of local endemism presents challenges in conserving the full biota of the region: a reserve system focusing on few and large conservation areas has theoretical benefits for long‐term management and viability, but will fail to capture many local endemics. We propose that the dispersed distribution of endemic species will require a mixture of large core reserves and smaller satellite reserves.     

川西高原不同坡向云、冷杉树轮对快速升温的响应差异

在川西高原松潘县二道海林区的东南坡、西北坡和扎日寺林区的东坡用零信号法建立4条云、冷杉树轮年表,通过年轮 气候响应分析、多因素方差分析等方法研究不同坡向树木生长对快速升温的响应差异.结果表明： 快速升温(1980年)后,东坡紫果云杉生长显著加速(0.011 a^-1),而西北坡紫果云杉生长则显著降低(-0.006 a^-1),东南坡紫果云杉和西北坡岷江冷杉生长降低,但不显著.随着快速升温,不同坡向云、冷杉径向生长与气候因子的关系均出现显著变化.快速升温后,生长季温度对东坡紫果云杉径向生长的促进作用显著增加,对东南坡和西北坡紫果云杉径向生长的抑制作用也显著增加,但生长季温度对西北坡岷江冷杉径向生长的影响在升温前后变化不明显.5月降水量对东坡紫果云杉径向生长由升温前的抑制作用变为升温后的显著促进作用,而对东南坡和西北坡紫果云杉径向生长的抑制作用显著增加,5月降水量对西北坡岷江冷杉径向生长的影响在升温前后变化不明显.树轮与帕尔默干旱指数响应分析表明,快速升温后,不同坡向的土壤湿度变化是造成树轮响应差异的重要原因.多因素方差分析表明,坡向与温度、降水的综合作用是影响紫果云杉径向生长的重要因素.因此,在模拟预测树木生长对气候变暖的响应动态时,应考虑不同坡向与温度、降水的综合作用.     

北大西洋大青鲨种群统计分析

大青鲨是金枪鱼延绳钓渔业中最主要的兼捕鱼种,在海洋食物网中属于顶端物种,在海洋生态系统中处于重要地位.由于数据限制,传统的资源评估方法很难准确描述大青鲨的资源动态.本研究基于大青鲨的生活史参数,应用种群统计分析法评估大青鲨的种群参数和资源状态,并探讨了内禀增长率为0时对应的临界捕捞死亡系数F_c与开捕年龄t_c的关系.结果表明： 未开发状态下,大青鲨存活率为0.719～0.820;大青鲨的内在瞬时增长率(r₀)为0.250～0.381,种群倍增时间(t_x2)为1.819～2.773年,种群的净繁殖力(R₀)为6.600～22.255,世代间期时间(G)为8.498～〖JP2〗10.162年,种群资源状态良好.生活史参数的敏感性检验显示,大青鲨初始年龄的自然死亡系数、种群性成熟年龄及寿命的不确定性对种群统计参数的意义影响不大;临界捕捞死亡系数伴随开捕年龄的增大而增大,当t_c≥5时,F_c值与t_c无显著相关关系.     

低温和光周期对西藏飞蝗体内物质的影响

为探讨西藏飞蝗对环境的适应机制,本文采用全光照(24L/0D)、全黑暗(0L/24D)与5 ℃低温相结合的试验处理,研究了低温和光照胁迫对西藏飞蝗体内物质含量变化的影响.结果表明： 西藏飞蝗虫体脂肪含量以未经低温胁迫的全光照处理最高,达到11.8%.经低温和黑暗处理的西藏飞蝗虫体脂肪含量最低,为4.7%.经低温胁迫处理后虫体的海藻糖、甘露醇以和山梨醇含量显著高于未经低温胁迫处理.虫体糖原含量以未经低温胁迫的全光照处理最高,达6.40 mg·g^-1.低温和黑暗处理还诱导丙氨酸、谷氨酸、赖氨酸和苯丙氨酸累积,促使西藏飞蝗体内多种氨基酸、甘油、小分子碳水化合物积累,糖原和脂肪含量降低.     

银沙槐内生放线菌抗菌活性及其与内生细菌的拮抗关系

从荒漠濒危植物银沙槐根部分离到内生放线菌12株和内生细菌31株.以大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌和枯草芽孢杆菌为指示菌对内生放线菌进行了抗菌活性筛选.结果表明：3株放线菌对3种指示菌均有抑制作用,2株完全无抑菌作用.采用菌块抑制法分析内生放线菌对来自同一植物内生细菌的抑制效果,44.9%的组合出现抑制现象,最大抑菌圈直径为28.5mm,最小者仅8.25 mm,主要抑制对象是革兰氏阴性菌和芽孢菌;55.1%的组合无抑制现象.说明内生菌的相互作用具有多样性.     

铅锌矿渣场植被自然演替与基质的交互效应

矿业废弃地生态系统自然恢复的植被演替过程与机理是生态恢复研究的重要内容之一.以空间代替时间的方法,选择立地条件基本一致的4个不同自然恢复年限铅锌矿区为对象,研究黔西北土法炼锌渣场废弃地植被自然演替与矿渣基质理化性质的交互效应.结果表明： 随着堆置时间的增加,矿渣基质的营养条件明显得到改善,全氮、全磷和全钾含量极显著增加, pH上升,电导率下降,容重降低,有效铅和镉显著降低. 同时,随着恢复时间的增长,植物群落的物种丰富度、多样性指数和均匀度也相应提高.植物群落组成以多年生草本植物为主,植物群落演替在前20年较为缓慢,30年后植被群落盖度可达到53%,超过40年盖度可达87%.矿渣理化性质与物种多样性显著相关,典型变量分别是全氮、全磷和全钾;物种多样性指数与有效铅和镉呈显著负相关.土法炼锌渣场废弃地植被自然演替过程在30年后速度加快,植被生长的限制因子是营养供给不足和重金属的有效性高.     

Effects of mesopredators and prescribed fire on hispid cotton rat survival and cause-specific mortality

Control of mid-sized mammalian predators (hereafter, mesopredators) is sometimes advocated in an attempt to reduce their impact on wildlife populations, particularly economically important (i.e., game) or endangered species. However, mesopredators may play a role in regulating small mammal populations; thus, lethal control of mesopredators may have unintended consequences. The hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus; hereafter, cotton rat) is one of the most common small mammals in the southeastern United States and is an important prey species for several of the region's predators. Within fire-maintained communities, such as the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forests of the Coastal Plain, cotton rat populations dramatically, yet temporarily, decline following prescribed fire. To evaluate the effects of mesopredator removal on cotton rat survival and cause-specific mortality, we conducted a large-scale mesopredator exclusion experiment that incorporated a prescribed fire during the winter of study. Between 18 May 2006 and 20 June 2007, we used radio-telemetry to monitor 252 cotton rats (131 in exclosures and 121 in controls) and documented 184 mortalities. During the 37-week period of monitoring prior to the prescribed fire event, weekly survival of cotton rats was greater in mesopredator exclusion plots. During the 19 weeks following the prescribed fire, there were no differences in weekly survival relative to mesopredator treatment, but fire caused a short-term reduction in weekly survival within both exclosures and controls. Of 36 cotton rats monitored on the date of prescribed fire, 18 were depredated within 1 month, 4 emigrated, and 5 were killed by the fire event. Overall, raptors preyed on cotton rats more in exclosures than in controls, but evidence for compensatory predation (raptor-caused morality greater in exclosures than in controls although survival rates were similar between treatments) only occurred following the prescribed fire event. Our results suggest that managing mesopredators may result in a temporary increase in cotton rat survival, but dormant season prescribed fire removes this effect until well into the following growing season. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.