Drought signal in the tree rings of three conifer species from Northern Pakistan

Anthropogenic and climatic stressors have affected the forests of northern Pakistan in recent decades. Several studies have been conducted to understand forest growth and its relation to the changing climate in this region, but more work needs to be done to understand this complex environment. In this study, we have collected tree core samples of three conifer species (Pinus wallichiana, Picea smithiana, and Abies pindrow) from three different sites in northern Pakistan to understand their radial growth pattern with the goal of finding a relationship between ring-width and climatic parameters (temperature, precipitation, and drought). A 610-year (AD 1406–2015), a 538-year (AD 1478–2015), and a 306-year (AD 1710–2015) long tree-ring width chronology of Pinus wallichiana, Picea smithiana, and Abies pindrow were developed, respectively, using living trees. The ring-width chronologies of these three species showed a strong positive link with the self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI) rather than precipitation or temperature alone, indicating that soil moisture is the primary limiting climatic factor for the growth of these species in the sampling locations. The chronologies of Pinus wallichiana and Picea smithiana exhibited growth suppressions during AD 1570–1610 and the second half of 17th century while their growth was heightened from AD 1540–1560. We have found the lowest growth in Abies pindrow and Picea smithiana from AD 1900–1920, suggesting dry conditions. All three chronologies have exhibited the most rapid increase in growth during the recent decades, suggesting that this region is experiencing climate change with a strong trend towards wetter conditions.     

Mosses modify effects of warmer and wetter conditions on tree seedlings at the alpine treeline

Climate warming enables tree seedling establishment beyond the current alpine treeline, but to achieve this, seedlings have to establish within existing tundra vegetation. In tundra, mosses are a prominent feature, known to regulate soil temperature and moisture through their physical structure and associated water retention capacity. Moss presence and species identity might therefore modify the impact of increases in temperature and precipitation on tree seedling establishment at the arctic‐alpine treeline. We followed Betula pubescens and Pinus sylvestris seedling survival and growth during three growing seasons in the field. Tree seedlings were transplanted along a natural precipitation gradient at the subarctic‐alpine treeline in northern Sweden, into plots dominated by each of three common moss species and exposed to combinations of moss removal and experimental warming by open‐top chambers (OTCs). Independent of climate, the presence of feather moss, but not Sphagnum, strongly supressed survival of both tree species. Positive effects of warming and precipitation on survival and growth of B. pubescens seedlings occurred in the absence of mosses and as expected, this was partly dependent on moss species. P. sylvestris survival was greatest at high precipitation, and this effect was more pronounced in Sphagnum than in feather moss plots irrespective of whether the mosses had been removed or not. Moss presence did not reduce the effects of OTCs on soil temperature. Mosses therefore modified seedling response to climate through other mechanisms, such as altered competition or nutrient availability. We conclude that both moss presence and species identity pose a strong control on seedling establishment at the alpine treeline, and that in some cases mosses weaken climate‐change effects on seedling establishment. Changes in moss abundance and species composition therefore have the potential to hamper treeline expansion induced by climate warming.     

Lipophilic Metabolites from Five‐Needle Pines,Pinus armandii and Pinus kwangtungensis,Exhibiting Antibacterial Activity

Lipophilic extractive metabolites from needles and defoliated twigs of Pinus armandii and P. kwangtungensis were studied by GC/MS. Needles of P. armandii contained predominantly 15‐O‐functionalized labdane type acids (anticopalic acid), fatty acids, nonacosan‐10‐ol, sterols, nonacosan‐10‐ol and sterol saponifiable esters, and acylglycerols, while P. kwangtungensis needles contained no anticopalic acid, but more trinorlabdane (14,15,16‐trinor‐8(17)‐labdene‐13,19‐dioic acid) and other labdane type acids, nonacosan‐10‐ol and its saponifiable esters. The major compounds in the P. armandii defoliated twig extract were abietane and isopimarane type acids, fatty acids, sterols, labdanoids (cis‐abienol), cembranoids (isocembrol and 4‐epi‐isocembrol), saponifiable sterol esters, and acylglycerols. The same extract of P. kwangtungensis contained larger quantities of fatty acids, caryophyllene oxide, serratanoids, sterols, saponifiable sterol esters, and acylglycerols, but lesser amounts of abietane and isopimarane type acids, cis‐abienol, and lacked cembranoids. Both twig and needle extracts of P. armandii and P. kwangtungensis, as well as the extracts’ fractions, significantly inhibited the growth of Gram‐negative bacteria Serratia marcescens with MIC of 0.1 mg ml^?1, while in most cases they slightly stimulated the growth of Gram‐positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis at the same concentrations. Thus, lipophilic extractive compounds from the needles and defoliated twigs of both pines are prospective for the development of antiseptics against Gram‐negative bacteria.     

Changes in germination and glyoxylate and respiratory enzymes of Pinus pinea seeds under various abiotic stresses

Abstract

This study examined Pinus pinea seeds for their tolerance to osmotic potentials of ?0.30MPa (10% polyethylene glycol [PEG]), ?0.58MPa (18% PEG), ?0.80MPa (21% PEG), ?1.05MPa (24% PEG), pH values of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and different calcareous solutions (5, 10, 20 and 40% CaCO₃). The main enzymes of glyoxylate cycle and respiratory pathway were tested. Pinus pinea seeds under no stressful condition (Control) and 5% CaCO₃ reached 100% of germination. Higher concentrations of CaCO₃ (20, 40%) and lower pH (4–5) adversely affected seed germination percentage, glyoxylic and respiratory enzyme activities. PEG caused the most detrimental effects on Pinus seeds; increasing the osmotic potential the germination was completely inhibited. These results suggest that Pinus pinea is able to germinate in calcareous and alkaline soils rather than in soils with lower water availability and acidic conditions.     

When directional selection reduces geographic variation in traits mediating species interactions

Although we often focus on the causes of geographic variation, understanding processes that act to reduce geographic variation is also important. Here, we consider a process whereby adaptive foraging across the landscape and directional selection exerted by a conifer seed predator, the common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), potentially act to homogenize geographic variation in the defensive traits of its prey. We measured seed predation and phenotypic selection exerted by crossbills on black pine (Pinus nigra) at two sites in the Pindos Mountains, Greece. Seed predation by crossbills was over an order of magnitude higher at the site where cone scale thickness was significantly thinner, which was also the cone trait that was the target of selection at the high predation site. Additional comparisons of selection differentials demonstrate that crossbills exert selection on black pine that is consistent in form across space and time, and increases in strength with increasing seed predation. If predators distribute themselves in relation to the defensive traits of their prey and the strength of selection predators exert is proportional to the amount of predation, then predators may act to homogenize trait variation among populations of their prey in a process analogous to coevolutionary alternation with escalation.     

Regioselectivity in Sulfation of Galactosides by Sulfuric Acid and Dicyclobexylcarbodi-imide

Methyl α- and β-D-galactopyranosides and 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-3,6-anhydro-L-galactose dimethylacetal were sulfated with sulfuric acid and dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide as a condensation reagent. The sulfated sugars were isolated by ion-exchange chromatography, characterized, and assigned by methylation analyses. On the basis of the yield of each sulfated product that was isolated, sulfation on O-6 appeared to be predominant.     

Development of genetic diversity,differentiation and structure over 500 years in four ponderosa pine populations

Population history plays an important role in shaping contemporary levels of genetic variation and geographic structure. This is especially true in small, isolated range‐margin populations, where effects of inbreeding, genetic drift and gene flow may be more pronounced than in large continuous populations. Effects of landscape fragmentation and isolation distance may have implications for persistence of range‐margin populations if they are demographic sinks. We studied four small, disjunct populations of ponderosa pine over a 500‐year period. We coupled demographic data obtained through dendroecological methods with microsatellite data to discern how and when contemporary levels of allelic diversity, among and within‐population levels of differentiation, and geographic structure, arose. Alleles accumulated rapidly following initial colonization, demonstrating proportionally high levels of gene flow into the populations. At population sizes of approximately 100 individuals, allele accumulation saturated. Levels of genetic differentiation among populations (F_ST and Jost's D_est) and diversity within populations (F_IS) remained stable through time. There was no evidence of geographic genetic structure at any time in the populations' history. Proportionally, high gene flow in the early stages of population growth resulted in rapid accumulation of alleles and quickly created relatively homogenous genetic patterns among populations. Our study demonstrates that contemporary levels of genetic diversity were formed quickly and early in population development. How contemporary genetic diversity accumulates over time is a key facet of understanding population growth and development. This is especially relevant given the extent and speed at which species ranges are predicted to shift in the coming century.     

基于线性混合效应的红松人工林枝条生物量模型

基于黑龙江省孟家岗林场60株红松解析木3643个枝条生物量的实测数据,利用全部子回归技术建立了枝条生物量模型(枝、叶和枝总生物量模型),最终选择lnw=k₁+k₂lnL_b+k₃lnD_b为枝条生物量最优基础模型.利用SAS 9.3统计软件的PROC MIXED模块建立枝条生物量混合模型,并采用AIC、BIC、对数似然值和似然比等统计指标评价不同模型的拟合效果.结果表明: 红松解析木的叶和枝总生物量混合模型以k₁、k₂、k₃作为随机效应参数的拟合效果最好,而枝生物量混合模型以k₁、k₂作为随机效应参数的拟合效果最好.最后将枝条生物量最优基础模型与最优混合模型进行模型检验.混合模型各项指标优于基础模型,能有效地提高模型的预估精度,并且通过方差协方差结构校正随机参数来反映树木之间的差异.     

马尾松-肉桂人工复层林生物量及生产力研究

应用相对生长法和样方收获法研究了广西岑溪市马尾松不同光环境处理下营造的马尾松-肉桂人工复层林的生物量及生产力.结果显示:(1)不同处理中,枯落物层生物量随林分郁闭度的增加而增加,灌木层、草本层生物量则随着林分郁闭度的增加而减少;马尾松-肉桂人工复层林模式下林分的生物量、生产力以及群落总生物量远大于马尾松单层林.(2)不同处理的马尾松-肉桂人工复层林林分净生产量均大于马尾松单层林,且上层林马尾松郁闭度在0.5～0.7条件下与肉桂形成的复层林更有利于提高环境资源的获取能力,其中以马尾松林分郁闭度为0.5、密度781株/hm2以及肉桂密度5 952株/hm2的人工复层林模式的成层性最明显,群落生物量、乔木层生物量、净生产力水平最高,分别达167.64 t/hm2、160.549 t/hm2、9.146 t/(hm2·a),且分别高于马尾松单层林14.9％、18.5％、68.7％,是经济效益和生态效益最理想的复合林模式.研究表明,光环境处理对群落生物量空间分布有显著影响,对林分各器官生物量的分配有较大影响,复层林能提高乔木层生物量在总群落生物量中的分配.人工复层混交林比单层林更有利于提高获取环境资源的能力并增加林分的稳定性.