Pyramidodinium atrofuscum gen. et sp. nov. (Dinophyceae), a new marine sand-dwelling coccoid dinoflagellate from tropical waters

A new marine sand‐dwelling coccoid dinoflagellate Pyramidodinium atrofuscum Horiguchi et Sukigara gen. et sp. nov. is described from Jellyfish Lake, Republic of Palau. The dinoflagellate alternates a non‐motile vegetative stage with a motile gymnodinioid stage within its life cycle. The non‐motile stage is dominant in the life cycle and the dinoflagellate reproduces itself by means of the production of two motile cells. The released motile cell swims only for a short period and is directly transformed into the non‐motile cell. The non‐motile cell is sessile, pyramidal in shape, with a single longitudinal ridge and a double transverse ridge. The surface of the cell wall is covered with many processes. The motile cell has a Gymnodinium‐like morphology, but no apical groove is present. An ultrastructural study revealed that the dinoflagellate possesses typical dinoflagellate organelles. Based on the unique morphology of the vegetative non‐motile stage, we propose a new genus Pyramidodinium for this dinoflagellate, with the type species Pyramidodinium atrofuscum Horiguchi et Sukigara, gen. et sp. nov.     

翼蓼和中华抱茎蓼挥发油化学成分分析

采用水蒸气蒸馏法分别从翼蓼和中华抱茎蓼中提取其挥发油,并用气相色谱-质谱联用技术(GC-MS)对挥发油中的化学成分进行分离和结构鉴定,运用气相色谱峰面积归一化法确定各成分的相对百分含量.结果表明:翼蓼中总共鉴定出31种成分,中华抱茎蓼中鉴定出21种成分,分别占到挥发油总含量的84.0%和93.8%,翼蓼挥发油中主要成分是表蓝桉醇(15.9%)、甲苯(8.6%)、反式橙花叔醇(6.9%);中华抱茎蓼挥发油主要成分为邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯(19.9%)、2,4-戊二酮(17.2%)、邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(11.7%)、3-甲基-2,3-二氢苯并呋喃(10.7%).     

陕西府谷自然保护区杜松种群的空间分布格局及其动态

采用方差/均值比率法和5个聚集度指标研究了陕西府谷自然保护区杜松(Juniperus rigida Sieb.etZucc.)种群15个样地的空间分布格局及动态特征。结果表明,杜松种群的空间分布格局为聚集分布,其v/m值、负二项参数、聚块性指数、丛生指数、平均拥挤度和Morisita指数分别为1.98、1.84、1.54、0.98、2.79和1.54。随着径级的增大,聚块性指数逐渐减小,种群的聚集程度也减小,Ⅶ级大树呈随机分布,该种群表现出明显的扩散趋势。调查发现,人为干扰对杜松种群的空间分布格局有较大影响。     

赤楠果肉主要营养成分分析及评价

赤楠(Syzygium buxifoliumHook.et Arn.)广泛分布于广东、广西、贵州、湖南、台湾、江西、浙江、安徽及福建等省区,资源极为丰富[1]。赤楠果可生食,风味酸甜,并可用于提取天然红色素[2]。笔者对赤楠果肉的营养成分进行了分析,以期为该野生食果资源的综合开发利用提供理论依据。     

黄瑞木果实红色素的分离及其化学结构研究

采用纸层析、紫外-可见光谱、红外光谱和液-质联用等技术对福建野生黄瑞木〔Adinandra millettii(Hook. et Arn.)Benth.〕果实红色素进行了分析研究。结果表明,该红色素主要含有矢车菊素-3-芸香糖苷(cyanidin-3-rutinoside)和矢车菊素-3-葡萄糖苷(cyanidin-3-glucoside)2种花色苷,呈鲜艳的红色,可作为天然保健食品的色素添加剂加以推广应用。     

毛胶薯蓣多糖胶与常用植物胶的流变性比较研究

用毛胶薯蓣提取分离毛胶薯蓣多糖胶(DSP)。将DSP与其他四种胶(瓜尔胶、魔芋胶、白芨胶、海藻酸钠)的粘度与浓度、温度、pH、降解时间、冻融变化及耐盐性的关系,以及起泡性能进行了比较研究。结果表明:DSP溶液的浓度与粘度正相关;温度在0~40℃间具有良好的热稳定性,40~90℃间其粘度随温度的升高而降低,且符合阿累尼乌斯动力学曲线;pH的改变、冻融变化和加入氯化钠、氯化钙对DSP粘度的影响甚微;同时DSP还具有优良的起泡性。     

Long-term effects of nitrogen deposition on vegetation in a deciduous forest near Munich,Germany

Question: What are the main reasons for changes in the spatial distribution of vegetation types during the last four decades? Location: Isolated small deciduous forest; surrounded by farmland in the northeast of Munich (Germany). Methods: Based on sequential vegetation mapping from the last four decades the spatial development of the vegetation was analysed. Additionally, environmental parameters (soil parameters, PAR, N-deposition) have been analysed to describe the different vegetation types. Results: By linking the vegetation types to environmental parameters, it was possible to identify N-deposition as the most important factor for the changes. In the 1960s to 1980s the replacement of vegetation types adapted to N-poor conditions by N-rich vegetation was very fast. A vegetation type containing species signifying soil impoverishment vanished totally, another vegetation type indicating nutrient poor conditions decreased dramatically. However, since 1985 up to now the decrease of N-poor vegetation types has slowed, but is still ongoing. As a reason for the decreased rate of replacement, we stressed changes in the vertical structure: From 1961 to 1985 both N-deposition as well as changes in vertical vegetation structure seem to be important. Since 1985 up to now only minor changes in vertical structure could be found; changes are mainly due to N-availability. Conclusion: In this paper, the limitations of different methods to detect vegetation changes are discussed. We focus on the potentials of historical vegetation data and vegetation maps. It is shown that valuable information on N-induced vegetation changes can be retrieved from historical vegetation data.     

Optimal management of the rare Gladiolus imbricatus in Estonian coastal meadows indicated by its population structure

Questions: What is the best grassland management regime for the threatened plant species Gladiolus imbricatus; is the stage structure of local populations a feasible indicator of the effect of changed management. Location: Coastal meadow system in southwestern Estonia. Methods : The effect of five management regimes was studied in a long‐term (three‐year) field experiment: (1) mowing in late July, (2) grazing by cattle, (3) grazing by sheep, (4) sheep grazing during the first year and mowing during subsequent years, (5) no management (control). Results: The population density increased significantly in response to the mowing treatment and to the mowing after sheep grazing treatment. The proportion of grazed plant individuals was higher in the sheep‐grazed than in the cattle‐grazed treatment. Generative and vegetative adult individuals of G. imbricatus were significantly more damaged by cattle herbivory than juveniles. All management regimes shifted the population structure towards a dynamic state where juvenile stages dominate, while the not managed control retained a regressive population structure. Conclusions: Population stage structure was a useful indicator of different management conditions, even in the case where population density did not differ. As indicated by population stage structure, the best management regime for G. imbricatus was either mowing in late July only, or alternation of grazing and mowing in different years.     

Reinstatement of traditional mowing regimes counteracts population senescence in the rare perennial Primula vulgaris

Question: Traditional management of grassland verges or ditch banks included mowing as a way to provide additional harvesting of hay. Nowadays, such sites are often left unmanaged, as mowing verges is no longer profitable in modern agricultural systems. Are vulnerable plant species able to withstand competition with the surrounding vegetation and maintain viable populations under these circumstances? How do they respond to reinstatement of traditional mowing regimes? Location: Oedelem, northwestern Belgium. Methods: To investigate the effect of reinstatement of the rare perennial Primula vulgaris, demography and adult plant performance were monitored in a grassland verge between 1999 and 2003 under different mowing regimes. Year transitions between life stages were analysed with matrix population models. To disentangle the contributions of the deviations in different life stage transitions to the variation in overall population growth rate, life table response experiments were used. Results: Both management and year had a strong impact on demographic traits of P. vulgaris. If plots were left unmanaged, lower plant performance and declining population growth rates were observed. While population growth rates differed significantly between mowing regimes, mowing of plots only in July did not differ from mowing in July and October in terms of vegetative and reproductive output of adults. Mowing twice a year appeared to be most efficient in increasing population growth rate both by raising recruitment and growth of individuals into large reproductive adults. Conclusions: Large P. vulgaris populations show a good ability to recover from recent abandonment of traditional management regimes. By mowing twice a year, managers are able to target vital rates that are most influential: growth and flowering of adult individuals.     

Selection of Stable Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time PCR on <i>Paeonia ostii</i> T. Hong et J. X. Zhang Leaves Exposed to Different Drought Stress Conditions

The definition of relatively stable expressed internal reference genes is essential in both traditional blotting quantification and as a modern data quantitative strategy. Appropriate internal reference genes can accurately standardize the expression abundance of target genes to avoid serious experimental errors. In this study, the expression profiles of ten candidate genes, ACT1, ACT2, GAPDH, eIF1, eIF2, α-TUB, β-TUB, TBP, RNA Pol II and RP II, were calculated for a suitable reference gene selection in Paeonia ostii T. Hong et J. X. Zhang leaves under various drought stress conditions. Data were processed by the four regularly used evaluation software. A comprehensive analysis revealed that RNA Pol II was the most stable gene and eIF2 was the least stable one. In addition, the geNorm program provided the optimal choice of two reference gene combination, RNA Pol II and β-TUB, for qRT-PCR normalization in P. ostii subjected to different drought stress levels. Our research provided convenience for gene expression analysis in P. ostii under drought stress and promoted research of effective methods to alleviate P. ostii drought stress in the future.