Narrow hybrid zone between two subspecies of big sagebrush (ARTEMISIA TRIDENTATA: Asteraceae). IX. Elemental uptake and niche separation

The concentrations of selected elements and their biological absorption coefficients were determined for leaves from plants in native stands and reciprocal transplant gardens to determine whether niche differentiation occurs among the parental taxa and their hybrids in the big sagebrush hybrid zone in Utah. The bounded hybrid superiority model predicts such niche differentiation, while the ecologically neutral dynamic equilibrium model predicts complete niche overlap, at least in the vicinity of the hybrid zone. The concentrations of elements in the leaves of site-indigenous sagebrush and the biological absorption coefficients differed significantly between the subspecies and between either parental taxon and hybrids. Within reciprocal transplant gardens, both the elemental concentrations and the biological absorption coefficients differed among the gardens and taxa. Significant genotype-by-environment interactions were observed for several essential elements. Niche differentiation was evident as correspondence analyses ordinated the parental taxa and hybrids into separate groups even when raised in the same garden. These findings support the ecologically based bounded hybrid superiority model and suggest that the big sagebrush parental taxa and their hybrids have adapted to their respective unique habitats.     

茵陈水提液的体外抗氧化活性

在．ＯＨ、Ｏ２和Ｈ２Ｏ２的产生和检测系统以及兔脑和肝组织匀浆中,加入一定量的茵陈（Ａｒｔｉｍｉｓｉａ ｃａｐｉｌｌａｒｉｓ Ｔｈｕｎｂ）,水提液,观察其与活性氧引发反应的竞争效应。结果表明,茵陈水提液降低．ＯＨ作用下的水杨酸羟基化作用及Ｏ２介导的氮兰四唑（ＮＢＴ）光化学还原,而对Ｈ２Ｏ２驱动的过氧化物－１太复合物的形成没有影响;显著抑制兔脑和肝组织匀浆的脂质过氧化作用。提示茵陈水提液具有显著的抗尖     

Toxicity of Artemisia annua (Asteraceae) essential oil on the tea mealy bug,Pseudococcus viburni Sigornet (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

A combination of bioassay and biochemical approaches were used to determine toxicity of Artemisia annua essential oil (AaEO) Pseudococcus viburni. AaEO via leaf dipping bioassay showed LC₅₀ values of 0.693 and 0.419% after two time exposures. Different concentrations of AaEO caused deterrence index between 28.58 to 86.26% by the calculated ED₅₀ of 0.4%. Although, α-esterase activity using α-naphtyl acetate increased in the treated nymphs by AaEO after 24 hours but it showed the lower activity in the treated nymphs using β-naphtyl acetate. Glutathione S-transferase assayed by CDNB showed the higher activity in the treated nymphs than control after 24 hours while the adverse results gained not only after 48 hours but also after 24 hours by using DCNB. No significant differences were found in the activity of alanine aminotransferase versus control, but aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase showed the statistically higher activities in the treated nymphs in comparison with control. Activities of aldolase and lactate dehydrogenase were significantly lower than those of control. Only acid phosphatase showed the significantly altered activity in the treated nymphs in comparison with control after 24 hours. Results of our study indicated significant toxicity, deterrence and physiological effects of AaEO on P. viburni.     

半干旱矿区侵蚀营力对黑沙蒿根系生长特性的影响及其自修复

以半干旱矿区典型分布的黑沙蒿为研究对象,通过野外原位不离体试验,模拟侵蚀拉拔破坏对黑沙蒿根系生长特性的影响,并分析其受损自修复能力,旨在揭示植物根系在脆弱生态区中抵御外力侵蚀的生存策略.结果 表明,拉拔破坏形成机械损伤后,根系生长速率和活性均明显降低,持续拉拔对二者的抑制作用显著大于瞬时拉拔,重度损伤产生的负反馈显著大...     

艾蒿精油对家蝇的忌避及熏蒸活性

应用“Y”型嗅觉仪对家蝇进行了生物测定。结果表明,艾蒿(Artemisia vulgars L．)精油20μL和25μL剂量对家蝇Musca domestica rieina有很强的忌避活性,平均忌避活力分别为86％和88％,显著高于5和10μL剂量。植物精油对家蝇成虫具有很好的熏蒸活性。随着精油浓度的升高和熏蒸时间的延长,试虫的死亡率显著增加。艾蒿精油浓度为20μL／mL时,家蝇成虫的死亡率在24h后即达到100％;对照在24,48,72和96h时家蝇成虫的死亡率分别为0,0,5％和11％。     

Effects of sheep urine on growth characteristics of different life form plants in a Chinese steppe grassland

The effects of sheep urine deposition volume (0, 1, 2 or 4 L/m²) and deposition stage of plant growth (vegetative or reproductive) on the number and size of tillers/branches and the biomass of Stipa bungeana, Artemisia capillaries and Lespedeza davurica in a Chinese steppe grassland were determined. The results indicate that the response of the three plant species to sheep urine deposition differs, and is influenced by both urine deposition volume and deposition stage of plant growth. Urine deposition had a short-term scorch effect on grassland plants, which mainly occurred in the inner zone of urine patches. Urine application had a long-term positive effect on S. bungeana and a long-term negative effect on A. capillaries and L. davurica, which lasted at least two years and decreased with decrease in urine deposition volume. All species growing in the inner zone of urine patches were scorched by sheep urine deposition, some species in the marginal zone of patches were also scorched, while no species were scorched in the outer zones. The reproductive and vegetative stages of A. capillaries and the reproductive stages of S. bungeana and L. davurica were sensitive to sheep urine deposition.     

差巴嘎蒿灌丛土壤和根系含水量对降雨的响应

以科尔沁沙地半固定沙丘灌木差巴嘎蒿(Artemisia halodendron)为对象,用土钻取样法和壕沟法研究了2006年生长季降雨后差巴嘎蒿周围土壤和根系含水量的时空分布特征及其相互关系,并计算了该灌丛的水量平衡.结果表明:该灌丛在降雨后对水分有暂时存储作用;降雨结束后,灌丛主干的茎流作用使得灌丛中心位置的土壤含水量高于灌丛丛幅垂直投影1/4和3/4处的土壤含水量;雨后6 h灌丛根系含水量与灌丛中心位置的土壤含水量呈极显著的负相关(r=-0.89,P＜0.01);灌丛根系含水量在雨后126 h内出现胁迫脉冲间歇反应.水量平衡计算表明,灌丛边缘外1 m处土壤蒸散量高于灌丛覆盖区的蒸散量,灌丛覆盖可降低土壤水分蒸散速率.     

Making artemisinin

The possibilities for the production of the antimalarial artemisinin by biological and chemical means are explored. These include native biosynthesis, genetic modification of Artemisia annua and other plants, engineering of microbes, total and partial chemical synthesis and combinations of the above.     

Fractionation and characterization of biologically-active polysaccharides from Artemisia tripartita

The leaves of Artemisia species have been traditionally used for prevention and treatment of a number of diseases. In this study, five polysaccharide fractions (designated A-I-A-V) were isolated from the leaves of Artemisia tripartita Rydb. by the sequential use of hot-water extraction, ethanol precipitation, ultra-filtration, and chromatography. The homogeneity and average molecular weight of each fraction were determined by high performance size-exclusion chromatography. Sugar composition analysis revealed that Artemisia polysaccharides consisted primarily of xylose, glucose, arabinose, galactose, and galactosamine. Moreover, all fractions contained at least 3.4% sulfate, and fractions A-II-A-V contained an arabinogalactan type II structure. All fractions exhibited macrophage-activating activity, enhancing production of intracellular reactive oxygen species and release of nitric oxide, interleukin 6, interleukin 10, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and monocyte chemotactic protein 1. In addition, all fractions exhibited scavenging activity for reactive oxygen species generated enzymatically or produced extracellularly by human neutrophils. Finally, fractions A-I and A-V exhibited complement-fixing activity. Taken together, our results provide a molecular basis to explain at least part of the beneficial therapeutic effects of Artemisia extracts, and suggest the possibility of using Artemisia polysaccharides as an immunotherapeutic adjuvant.