High-elevation rock outcrop vegetation of the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Abstract. Species composition patterns and vegetation-environment relationships were quantified for high-elevation rock outcrops of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, an infrequent and insular habitat in a forested landscape. Outcrops occur over a wide geographic range encompassing extensive variation in both geology and climate. Geographic-scale factors interact with site-scale factors to produce variation in vegetation among outcrops. Similarly, site-scale factors interact with micro-scale factors to produce variation in vegetation within outcrops. To provide a quantitatively-based classification of outcrop vegetation we used a TWINSPAN analysis of 154 100-m² plots. We recognized nine communities that primarily correspond to different combinations of elevation, bedrock type, geography, and moisture. Within outcrops of a single bedrock type, vegetation composition of 100-m² plots was consistently correlated with elevation and solar radiation, but relationships to soil nutrients varied with bedrock type. Both site-scale (100 m²) factors (e.g. elevation, slope, aspect, and bedrock type) and plot-scale (1-m²) microsite factors (e.g. soil depth, vegetation height, soil nutrients) were strongly correlated with species composition at the 1-m² level. Environment can be used to predict composition more effectively for 100-m² plots on a single bedrock type than either across bedrock types or at a 1-m² scale. Composition-environment relationships resemble those described for outcrop systems from other regions with pronounced topographic relief more than they do those described for the nearby but flatter and lower-elevation outcrops of the Southeastern Piedmont. There is strong spatial autocorrelation in this community, perhaps owing to dispersal limitation. Consequently, a comprehensive conservation strategy must include reservation of both a range of geologic types and a range of geographic locations.     

中国桑寄生科植物资料(三)

作者在编著《ＦｌｏｒａｏｆＣｈｉｎａ》Ｌｏｒａｎｔｈａｃｅａｅ过程中,据近年采集的标本和花粉形态研究,修订了《中国植物志》第２４卷的桑寄生科。现报道钝果寄生属（Ｔａｘｉｌｕｓ）二个新分类单位：油杉钝果寄生Ｔ．ｒｅｎｉ,狭叶钝果寄生Ｔ．ｌｉｑｕｉｄａｍｂａｒｉｃｏｌｕｓｖａｒ．ｎｅｒｉｆｏｌｉｕｓ的描述和枫香钝果寄生Ｔ．ｌｉｑｕｉｄａｍｂａｒｉｃｏｌｕｓｖａｒ．ｌｉｑｕｉｄａｍｂａｒｉｃｏｌｕｓ及显脉钝果寄生Ｔ．ｃａｌｏｒｅａｓｖａｒ．ｆａｒｇｅｓｉ的地理分布区等;另有梨果寄生属（Ｓｃｕｒｒｕｌａ）一个新组合：藏南梨果寄生Ｓ．ｂｕｄｄｌｅｉｏｉｄｅｓｖａｒ．ｈｅｙｎｅｉ。     

The evaluation of pollen quality,and a further appraisal of the fluorochromatic (FCR) test procedure

Summary Methods currently available for evaluating pollen quality in vitro include, (a) tests of germinability; (b) tests of the stainability of the vegetative cell contents; (c) tests for enzyme activity, and (d) the fluorochromatic procedure (FCR), which tests principally the integrity of the plasmalemma of the vegetative cell. Using germinability in vitro as a standard, a comparison has been made between histochemical methods of classes (b), (c) and (d) in application to various pollens, immature, mature, and treated in ways known to affect viability and membrane state. Predictably, the lowest correlation was obtained with tests of stainability. The highest was given by the FCR, which generally provided an excellent guide to potential germinability. The FCR procedure is subject to various limitations, however, (a) A high correlation between FCR and germinability can only be expected when mature, ripe pollen is used; with immature pollen, the FCR will predict excessively high potential germinability. (b) The FCR may also predict a higher potential level of pollen function than in vitro germinability when the germination medium is sub-optimal. In this situation, however, it will generally give a better guide to fertilising capacity, (c) The FCR is not a test of pollen viability. Like germinability in vitro, it can yield a negative score with pollen which is nevertheless capable of functioning. For example, false negatives will be obtained with some species if the pollen is not properly pre-conditioned by rehydration before testing, an important point in monitoring stored pollen. The paper includes a brief discussion of the rationale of pollen testing.     

Biological activities of lipopolysaccharides from Pectinatus cerevisiophilus

Abstract A procedure is described in which the protein crystals produced by Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis were solubilized in 50 mM NaOH with 10 mM EDTA at pH 11.7. This solubilization procedure gave protein gel profiles identical with those for intact crystals while maintaining full biological activity in the form of erythrocyte lysis capability. Crystals with and without protease activity were equally toxic to Aedes aegypti larvae.     

Recherches Cytotaxonomiques et Cytogéographiques surMinuartia sect.Sabulina en Turquie (Caryophyllaceae)

25 populations from Turkey and one of Syria belonging to theSabulina section of the genusMinuartia have been karyologically examined. New chromosome numbers have been recorded forM. mesogitana andM. hybrida subsp.turcica, and a new variety was found in theM. hybrida complex. The origin of the taxa with n = 23 and n = 35 is discussed.

     

Japanese Hollies: Intolerant Hosts of Meloidogyne arenaria in Microplots

Japanese hollies were itttolerant of Meloidogyne arenaria in field microplot experiments. Ilex crenata var. rotundifolia was relatively more tolerant than I. crenata var. convexa or I. crenata var. helleri. When M. arenaria was added at various itfitial population densities to soil containing plants of "Helleri," "Convexa," and "Rotundifolia," respectively, 91, 75, and 25% were killed by the end of the third growing season. No control plants died during the same period. Initial numbers of M. arenaria larvae and eggs were the only population densities that were correlated (negatively), regardless of cultivar, with plant growth over the three growing seasons. A linear relation was found for initial density of M. arenaria and growth of I. crenata rotundifolia. Increasing nematode density by 10-fold suppressed the growth of this cultivar by 23%.     

Spore and crystal formation inBacillus thuringiensis var.thuringiensis during growth in cystine and cysteine

The effect of the addition of different concentratons of cystine and cysteine on sporulation and parasporal crystal formation inBacillus thuringiensis var.thuringiensis was studied. The effect was well pronounced when the cystine/cysteine additions were made after the stationary phase. Heat stable spores and crystals were formed when the culture was provided with a low concentration of cystine/cysteine (0.05 per cent w/v). At a moderate concentration of cystine or cysteine (0.15%), only heat labile spores were formed without the production of the crystal. When the cystine/cysteine concentration was high (0.25%), spore and crystal formation were completely inhibited. Partial reversal of inhibition of sporulation was brought about by sodium sulphate or Zinc sulphate and lead, copper, cadmium or cobalt acetate at 0.2 mM or at 0.2% of sodium or potassium pyruvate, citrate, cisaconitate, oxalosuccinate, ∞ -keto-glutarate, succinate, fumarate, malate, or oxalacetate. Glutamate (0.2%) overcame the inhibitory effect of cystine/cysteine completely. The structural changes observed using phase contrast microscopy were dependent upon the concentration of cystine/cysteine.     

龙牙百合3个地方品种的形态特征及核型分析

采用经典测量和染色体常规压片法,对龙牙百合（Lilium brownii var.viridulum Baker）3个地方品种的形态特征及核型进行研究。植株形态分析结果显示：‘江西’龙牙的株高、开花口径、种球重量和周长、中外层鳞片重量和长度以及鳞片扦插产生小鳞茎数等指标均显著大于‘大叶’龙牙和‘平头’龙牙;‘大叶’龙牙的叶片最长,均值为14.54 cm。花粉、叶表皮气孔及鳞片淀粉粒的微形态特征分析结果显示：‘江西’龙牙的花粉粒径最大,均值达111.76 μm;‘平头’龙牙的叶表皮气孔最长,气孔密度也最大（约47.6个/mm²）;‘大叶’龙牙的淀粉粒径最大,均值为47.61 μm;‘江西’龙牙的淀粉粒大小分布更集中,差异性小。染色体核型分析结果显示：龙牙百合3个品种的染色体数目均为2n=2x=24,为二倍体,其中‘江西’龙牙核型公式为2n=2x=24=2m（2SAT）+6sm（2SAT）+12st（4SAT）+4t;‘平头’龙牙核型公式为2n=2x=24=4m+8sm+10st（4SAT）+2t;‘大叶’龙牙核型公式为2n=2x=24=2m（2SAT）+6sm+14st（4SAT）+2t,三者核型均为3B型。     

Relationships between take-all,soil conduciveness to the disease,populations of fluorescent pseudomonads and nitrogen fertilizers

Take-all of wheat, caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var tritici (Ggt), is reduced by ammoniacal fertilizers as compared to nitrate sources. This influence of nitrogen on the disease is only observed on nodal roots at flowering. But soil conduciveness to take-all, as measured in a soil bioassay, is modified earlier. Forty days after nitrogen application at early tillering, the NH₄-treated soil became less conducive than the NO₃-treated one. When nitrogen applications are done at sowing and at tillering, differences in disease propagation between the two soils are enhanced. Results from four years of experimentation show that when the level of natural soil inoculum is high, disease severity is reduced by ammonium, showing an effect on the parasitic phase of Ggt. At a low level of natural inoculum the effect of the source of nitrogen is mainly observed on the percent of infected plants, indicating that the saprophytic and preparasitic phases are affected. Rhizospheric bacterial populations increase from sowing to tillering, but differences on take-all conduciveness after tillering are not correlated with differences in the amounts of aerobic bacteria or fluorescent pseudomonads isolated from soils treated with different sources of nitrogen. Qualitative changes in fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. populations, like in vitro antagonism, are more likely to explain differences in soil conduciveness to take-all than are quantitative changes in this group. Nevertheless, the introduction of Ggt in a cropped soil leads to a greater increase in fluorescent pseudomonads populations than in total aerobic bacteria.The delay between reducing soil conduciveness and reducing disease in the field with ammonium nitrogen fertilization, the qualitative change of fluorescent pseudomonads populations and the role of necroses in rhizobacteria multiplication, provide information leading to our representation of a dynamic model based on the differentiation of the wheat root system into seminal and nodal roots.