Effects of disturbance intensity and frequency on early old‐field succession

Abstract. Early old‐field succession provides a model system for examining vegetation response to disturbance frequency and intensity within a manageable time scale. Disturbance frequency and intensity can interact with colonization and competition to influence relative abundance of earlier and later successional species and determine, respectively, how often and how far succession can be reset. We tested the joint effects of disturbance frequency and intensity on vegetation response (species richness, abundance, canopy structure) during the first six years of succession by clipping the dominant species (D) or all species (T) in spring and fall of each year (S), once per year in summer (Y1), each two years in summer (Y2), or each four years in summer (Y4). Vegetation response reflected disturbance effects on expansion of a later monospecific dominant perennial herb, Solidago altissima, and persistence of the early, richer flora of annuals. A more abundant and taller top Solidago canopy developed on plots clipped each 2 yr or less frequently. Plots clipped yearly or seasonally were richer, but had less abundant, shorter, and differently stratified canopy. Disturbance mediated the relative abundance of early and later successional species; however, frequency and intensity effects were not completely congruent. Persistence of a richer early successional flora increased through the most frequent disturbance (S), and was magnified by disturbance intensity. Disturbance as extreme as clipping all vegetation twice yearly did not cause a drop in species richness, but maintained the early successional community over the first six years of succession. We conclude that clipping disturbance influenced the rate of succession, but the early community could rebound through the range of disturbance frequency and intensity tested.     

Effects of litter accumulation on riparian vegetation: Importance of particle size

Abstract. The floristic effects of river‐borne litter that accumulates in riparian zones may vary in space and time depending on variations in mass and particle size of the deposited litter. To analyse the effects of litter mass and size we applied differentsized litter (natural uncut pieces and powder) to riparian vegetation at different quantities. Vegetation responses were analysed after one season at the community level (total biomass or richness for all species) and species traits (biomass or richness for groups of species). At the community level uncut litter, but not powder, reduced species richness and both uncut and ground litter reduced above‐ground biomass. At the species trait level uncut litter had a stronger effect than powder on species richness and biomass. The only positive effect of litter addition was that powder increased graminoid species richness. The topsoil conditions indicated that the major impact of deposited, river‐borne litter was that it acted as a physical barrier directly preventing established plants from penetrating the litter layer and reducing light and soil temperature.     

Nucleation and facilitation in salt pans in Mediterranean salt marshes

Abstract. Arthrocnemum macrostachyum is a perennial species acting as a primary colonizer of salt pans in Mediterranean high salt marshes. Salicornia ramosissima, an annual, occurs in salt pans under Arthrocnemum canopies and in open areas. The aim of this study was to analyse, in wild populations and a transplant experiment, how S. ramosissima population dynamics and growth are affected by A. macrostachyum. The environmental conditions within the patches of Arthrocnemum were less stressful than in the open areas, with lower radiation levels and salinity concentrations. In the inner areas of A. macrostachyum patches, density‐dependent mortality processes of S. ramosissima seedlings led to low densities of adult individuals with greater morphological development and reproductive success than in open areas. However, at the edges of Arthrocnemum patches facilitation of seedling survival favoured high densities. Environmental stress hindered development, decreased reproduction and premature death. These results are in agreement with the general theory of factors controlling vegetation distribution that biotic interactions dominate in low stress environments, while abiotic interactions dominate under harsher environmental conditions. A. macrostachyum plays an essential role in the succession in these salt pans, facilitating seed production and stimulating nucleation processes in S. ramosissima.     

Effects of age and distance on the composition of mixed deciduous forest fragments in an agricultural landscape

Abstract. Forest patches in central Belgium were inventoried twice for the presence or absence of forest plant species to study the effects of age and distance on species composition. All forests in the study area were subdivided based on their land use history. To avoid effects of autocorrelated environmental characteristics on species composition, habitat homogeneity was indirectly investigated using a TWINSPAN classification of the vegetation data. Two major habitats (alluvial and non‐alluvial forests) were distinguished and analysed separately. Patterns of species composition were investigated at the landscape level using Mantel tests. Species composition similarity measures were calculated between all pairs of fragments based on the floristic data. A highly significant correlation was found between species composition similarity and inter‐patch distance. Difference in age, which we used as a measure for habitat quality, was less important in explaining species composition patterns. The effects of spatial configuration became significant when difference in age was accounted for, and a partial correlation was calculated between inter‐patch distance and species composition similarity. Different results were found for alluvial and non‐alluvial forest types. Alluvial forests were more influenced by the spatial configuration than the non‐alluvial. For the non‐alluvial forest type effects measured with the difference in age between forest fragments obscured the effects of inter‐patch distance. Based on our findings we suggest that species composition is not only internally generated, but external processes such as differential colonization caused by varying degrees of isolation may be of overriding importance.     

Bis-phenacetyl and phenoxyacetyl groups as substrates for penG and penV amidases

o-, m-, p-Bis-phenylacetic and -bis-phenoxyacetic acid esters with solketal are prepared and submitted to enzymatic hydrolysis with penicillin V (PVA) and G (PGA) amidases. While the para-isomers are recovered unchanged, ortho- and meta-bis-esters are completely hydrolysed. PVA shows a reversed substrate specificity, hydrolysing phenylacetates faster than its natural substrate. The use of the bis-acids as alcohol-protecting groups is proposed.     

中国石斛属一新种

Dendrobium fanjingshanense Z. H. Tsi ex X. H. Jin et Y. W. Zhang, sp. nov. Fig. 1 Habitu D. wilsonii Rolfe simile, a quo tepalis revolutis fulvis, lobo labelli intermedii infra medium macula una flabellata purpurea ornato. Epiphyticum; caulis teres, 20～40 cm altus, 2～3 mm crassus, caespitosus, superne 5～6-foliatus, internodiis 1～1.5 cm longis. Folia oblongo-lanceolata, subcoriacea, 2～5 cm longa, 5～15 mm lata, apice obtusa et plus minusve hamata, basi vaginis tubulatis membranaceis obtecta. Inflorescentiae e lateribus partium superarum caulium annotinorum defoliatorum nascentes, versus apicem caulis laterales, 1～2-florae; pedunculi 2～3 mm longi, ca. 1 mm crassi, basi vaginis 3～4 membranaceis 3～4 mm longis instructi; bracteae ovato-triangulatae, 3～5 mm longae, apice acutae, macula atro-fusca ornatae. Flores patentes; pedicelli cum ovario ca. 2～3 cm longi; tepala revoluta, fulva, apice obtusa; sepalum intermedium oblongum 2 cm longum, medio 6～7 mm latum, apice fere obtusum; sepala lateralia paulo oblique ovato-lanceolata, sepalo intermedio aequilonga sed medio paulo angustiora, apice obtusa, basi cum pede columnae mentum obconoideum ca. 8 mm longum 6 mm latum apice obtusum formantia; petala subelliptica, ca. 2 cm longa, medio 6 mm lata, apice subobtusa; labellum fulvum, basi purpureum et dense velutinum, obscure trilobatum, lobis lateralibus semiorbiculatis erectis, basi (inter lobos laterales) callo uno purpureo praeditis, lobo intermedio ovato, ca. 1 cm longo, 7 mm lato, apice subacuto et recurvo, supra medio carinato, glabro; columna alba, ca. 3 mm longa, basi in pedem ca. 9 mm longum producta, pede medio purpurato, glabro; operculum antherae album, ambitu rhombicum, glabrum; pollinia 4.     

巧花兜兰——越南中部兰科一新种

在今年年初的一次访问云南南部的旅行中,笔者曾购得数苗小型的兜兰,据兰商称系采自越南中部,又叫越南黄花仔。此种兜兰的叶甚似小叶兜兰ＰａｐｈｉｏｐｅｄｉｌｕｍｂａｒｂｉｇｅｒｕｍＴａｎｇｅｔＷａｎｇ和海伦兜兰Ｐａｐｈ.ｈｅｌｅｎａｅＡｖｅｒｙａｎｏｖ,但花却有着明显的不同。小叶兜兰的花大,直径达5.5～7ｃｍ;合萼片狭窄,其宽度仅为中萼片的1/2～3/5。海伦兜兰花纯黄色;花瓣线形或宽线形。而此种兜兰的花直径3～3.5ｃｍ,呈淡黄绿色,唇瓣表面、合萼片中脉下半部和花瓣的中脉及中脉上方一侧均有枣红色晕;合萼片宽度为中萼片的4/5;…     

Do plants have rhodopsin after all? A mystery of plant G protein-coupled signalling

Considerable physiological and biochemical evidence suggests that plants, like animals, widely use intracellular signalling coupled to heterotrimeric G proteins. Yet, the molecular components of this machinery remained elusive until recently. We overview the work carried out during the last two decades, aimed at identification of the plant proteins involved in G protein-coupled signalling. The completion of the sequencing of the Arabidopsis genome now permits to assess whether plants possess signalling and regulatory components of this machinery corresponding to those known from animals.     

3种植物精油对霉菌的抑制作用

肉桂 ( Cinnamomum cassia Presl)别名连桂 ,属樟科樟属 ,常绿乔木 ,高 1 0～ 1 5m,多为栽培 ,主产于广西、广东等地 ,云南、福建等省亦有分布。人们可从其叶、枝或树皮、籽中提取精油 ,精油主要用于医药及食品香精[1 ] 。山苍子 [Litsea cubeba ( Lour.) Pers]别名山鸡椒、木姜子 ,属樟科木姜子属 ,落叶灌木和乔木 ,高 8～ 1 0 m,果期 7～ 8月份 ,我国长江以南各省都有分布。民间广泛使用水蒸汽蒸馏法 ,从其果实中提制精油 ,精油主要用于调配食品、化妆品香精 ,合成其它原料及维生素 [2 ]。丁子香 [Stzygium aromaticum( Linn.)Merr.et…