动物与植物种子更新的关系Ⅱ．动物对种子的捕食、扩散、贮藏及与幼苗建成的关系

植物的繁殖体总是面临来自各类生物（如昆虫、脊椎动物、真菌）的捕食风险。因动物捕食引起的种子死亡率影响植物的适合度、种群动态、群落结构和物种多样性的保持。种子被捕食的时间和强度成为植物生活史中发芽速度、地下种子库等特征的主要选择压力,而种子大小、生境类型等因素也影响动物对植物种子的捕食。捕食者饱和现象被认为是植物和种子捕食者之间的高度协同进化作用的结果,是限制动物破坏种子、提高被扩散种子存活率的一种选择压力。大部分群落中的大多数植物种子被动物扩散。种子扩散影响种子密度、种子被捕食率、病原体攻击率、种子与母树的距离、种子到达的生境类型以及建成的植株将与何种植物竞争,从而影响种子和幼苗的存活,最终影响母树及后代植物的适合度。种子被动物扩散后的分布一般遵循负指数分布曲线,大多数种子并没有扩散到离母树很远的地方。捕食风险、生境类型、植被盖度均影响动物对种子的扩散。植物结实的季节和果实损耗的过程也体现了其对扩散机会的适应。许多动物有贮藏植物种子的行为。动物贮藏植物繁殖体的行为,一方面调节食物的时空分布,提高了贮食动物在食物缺乏期的生存概率;另一方面也为种子萌发提供了适宜条件,促进了植物的扩散。于是,植物与贮食动物形成了一种协同进化关系,这种关系可能是自然界互惠关系（mutualism)的一种。影响幼苗存活和建成的因子包括种子贮蒇点的微生境、湿度、坡向、坡度、林冠盖度等。许多果食性动物吃掉果肉后,再将完好的种子反刍或排泄出来。种子经动物消化道处理后,发芽率常有所提高。     

检测伪狂犬病的PCR方法的建立及其在临床诊断中的应用

根据文献,通过计算机分析设计并合成了1对用于扩增伪狂犬病病毒(pseudorabies virus,PRV)gB基因281bp片段的引物,上游引物(P1)位于gB基因的1827～1851位,下游引物(P2)位于gB基因的2083～2107位.以PRV闽A株细胞培养毒为模板,筛选最佳反应条件和试剂工作浓度,建立了检测PRV的PCR方法.应用该方法对保存的16株伪狂犬病强弱毒株的细胞培养液进行基因扩增,均获得了281bp的特异性目的DNA片段.可是,对正常细胞与其它6种引起猪病毒性疫病相关病毒进行检测,结果均为阴性,没有出现交叉反应.对扩增产物测序,结果序列与文献报道一致,证明PCR扩增产物和方法的特异性.对PRV闽A株细胞毒提取物DNA进行检测,其最低检出量为15.8pg.用病毒分离、双抗体夹心ELISA和PCR等3种方法检测1994～2000年期间送检的临床样品和保存的PRV毒种,对所获得的结果进行χ2分析,证明PCR检出率明显高于前2种方法.对1999～2001年期间广东、福建、海南等省的76个大中型猪场送检的348份病料进行检测,检出阳性病料68份,病料阳性率为19.54%;检出阳性猪场27个,猪场阳性率为35.53%.对27个阳性猪场分析发现,种猪场阳性率为7.41%(2/27),商品猪场阳性率为92.59%(25/27).PRV在自然发病猪体内分布较广,脑、肾、肺、脾、肝、淋巴结均有PRV的存在,PRV检出率最高的组织为脑,其检出率为5/5,依次为肾12/15、肺9/16、脾10/20、肝7/18、淋巴结4/11等.实验结果表明,所建立的PCR技术可用于伪狂犬病的快速诊断和流行病学调查.     

小叶藤黄(Garcinia cowa)种子传播、种子被捕食及幼苗空间分布

 1999年8月至2001年2月,对热带雨林树种小叶藤黄(Garcinia cowa)种子的初级传播、二次传播、种子被取食及幼苗空间分布进行了研究。结果表明：林上拜访动物主要有猕猴(Macaca mulatta)、花面狸(Paguma larvata)、赤腹松鼠(Callosciu ruserythraeus)、蓝腹松鼠(C. pygertthrus)、小花鼠(Tamiops macclellandi)等5种。有86.5%±4.9%(1999年)和91.4%±8.2%(2000年)的成熟果实被林上动物所取食     

UV-B辐射对几种木本植物幼苗生长和叶绿体超微结构的影响

在实验室条件下研究了UV－B辐射对广东省南亚热带森林中5种木一植物九节,鸭脚木,猴耳环,半枫荷,山乌桕和绿化树种大叶合欢的幼苗形态和细胞超微结构。特别是叶绿体超微结构的影响。结果表明,UV－B辐射抑制幼苗主根伸长和减少侧根数,抑制茎伸长,减少叶数和叶面积。UV－B辐射破坏叶片细胞膜细胞,特别是叶绿体膜结构,但不同种受影响的程度不同,所表现的症状也不完全相同,鸭脚木的质膜收缩,导致质壁分离;鸭脚木,半枫荷和猴耳环的叶绿体膨胀,前二者的甚至破裂,鸭脚木的质膜收缩,导致质壁分离;鸭脚木,半枫荷和猴耳环的叶绿体膨胀,前二者的甚至破裂;鸭脚木和半枫荷的类囊体膨胀粘连;猴耳环的线粒体出现空泡化,半枫荷和猴耳环的叶绿体内大的淀粉粒增多;鸭脚木和山乌桕的叶绿体内或膜上黑色颗粒增多,鸭脚木的线粒体膜上也出现黑色颗粒。     

Temperature dependence of seedling establishment of a perennial, Dioscorea tokoro

The temperature dependence of seed germination and seedling growth was analyzed in Dioscorea tokoro, an East Asian summer-green perennial. Seeds were able to germinate fully only at 11°–20°C. At around 17°–20°C the first leaf petiole of the seedling elongated and quickly set the first leaf blade at a position enabling photosynthesis. At temperatures higher than 20°C petiole elongation was retarded, and seedlings formed a rhizome and established as a perennial. The rhizome size increased with temperature up to 29°C. Thus, during growth immediately after germination, temperature appears to be a key factor in determining whether the plant establishes as a perennial or grows rapidly without rhizome thickening. Received: April 6, 2001 / Accepted: September 14, 2001     

Abiotic determinants of the fynbos/succulent karoo boundary,South Africa

This study investigates the influence of texture, soil moisture and nutrient status on the growth and survival of seedlings of two typical fynbos (Leucadendron pubescens and Passerina vulgaris) and succulent karoo (Ruschia spp.) species, which grow in the boundary zone between these two vegetation types. Seedlings of each species were grown in shalederived and sandstone‐derived soils and under xeric and mesic regimes. Under the xeric regime, the shale‐derived and sandstone‐derived soils represented fine and coarse‐textured soils, respectively. Under the mesic regime, the same soils represented nutrient‐rich and nutrient‐poor soils, respectively. The seedlings of both fynbos species died rapidly under the xeric regime, irrespective of soil type. In contrast, the succulent karoo seedlings survived for over 77 days without water. Under mesic conditions, the fynbos seedlings grew faster than the succulent karoo seedlings, irrespective of soil type. Fynbos seedlings appear to be directly limited by the environment (moisture and salinity), whereas succulent karoo seedlings may be limited by interactions with other plants.     

Difference in microhabitat-related regeneration patterns between two subalpine conifers, Tsuga diversifolia and Abies mariesii, on Mount Hayachine, northern Honshu, Japan

Seedling and tree-establishment microhabitats of Tsuga diversifolia and Abies mariesii were examined on the herb- and dwarf bamboo-dominated forest floor on Mount Hayachine, a mountain under intermediate snow conditions in northern Honshu, Japan. The four microsite types were fallen logs, buttresses, rocks and ground. The ground substratum was further divided into four subtypes by dominant undergrowth species: Lycopodium, Pteridophyllum, Carex and dwarf bamboo. The establishment of T. diversifolia seedlings on the ground was scarce, and depended mostly on non-ground microsites (i.e. fallen logs, buttresses and rocks). The seedling establishment of A. mariesii was not dependent on specific substrata, although on the ground, establishment sites were limited to the Lycopodium subtype situated on convex sites. Among the microhabitats for seedling establishment, larger trees of A. mariesii rarely occurred on higher portions of the non-ground microsites. In contrast, T. diversifolia could grow up to the height of canopy-layer trees in such microsites. Thus, non-ground microsites seem to be unsuitable for tree establishment in A. mariesii, and are probably useful microhabitats for regenerating T. diversifolia to avoid competition with A. mariesii. We also compared seedling-establishment microhabitats for the two conifers between Mount Hayachine and two other mountain regions under different undergrowth conditions (moss-dominated and dense dwarf bamboo-dominated). Our findings suggested that seedling recruitment in non-ground microsites was primarily determined by undergrowth conditions; T. diversifolia preferred such microsites where the moss-covered area was low, and A. mariesii preferred where dwarf bamboo-covered area was high.     

Growth and establishment of mangrove (Avicennia marina) on the coastlines of Kuwait

Mangrove (Avicennia marina) communities constitute an importantcomponent of the renewable natural vegetation resources of the coastalzones of the Arabian Gulf south of Kuwait. Attempts to introduce themangrove into the intertidal zones of the coastline of Kuwait are underwaybecause of the expected favorable environmental impact of this plant, andbecause of its moderating influence on the local climate and enhancementof the aesthetic and recreational value of the coastlines and fisheryresources. Propagules were collected from natural stands of mangrove inBahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Silvicultural practices were followedto produce healthy plants after growing of propagules in the greenhouse.Observations indicated that there is a positive correlation betweenpropagule weight and the length of the seedling stem. Outplanting wasdone in two sites in the intertidal zone around the Sulabikhat Bay, Kuwait.Data on plant survival showed that the most suitable level for successfulestablishment of mangrove was around or below the 3-meter contour tidalline. After 7 years of growth, plants reached a mean height of 250 cm,which is close to the height of their parent trees in Bahrain. The U.A.E.stock plants reached 288 cm after 5 years of growth in Kuwait. Plantsflowered and produced viable seeds. The biological feasibility ofestablishing mangrove plantations in the intertidal flats of Kuwait's coastlineswas documented from the field observation of the experimental plantations.Studies to document the environmental impact of the introduction areunderway.     

Regeneration of a Gentiana pneumonanthe population in an oligotrophic wet meadow

Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the critical phases of the life cycle of Gentiana pneumonanthe, the marsh gentian, a threatened species of the Bohemian flora. The effect of various conditions on germination and seedling establishment and the possible effect of competition on the performance of the species were tested. Seeds were sown in plots which were subjected to four treatments in a randomized complete blocks experiment: unmanaged meadow, mown meadow, burned meadow, and meadow with cut sod. The significantly highest recruitment was found in plots with cut sod, the lowest in the unmanaged control plots. Seedling survival also differed among the treatments. In the following year surviving individuals were only found in plots with cut sod. The influence of neighbouring vegetation on target gentian individuals was evaluated by removing the surrounding vegetation and comparing the performance of these individuals with controls. The initial height of each individual was measured and used as a covariable. No significant effect of neighbouring vegetation on performance was detected. Thus, the establishment phase appears to be critical for population persistence and is also more influenced by the management regime than other stages of the life cycle.     

The effects of neighbors on the growth and survival of shrub seedlings following fire

Where plant species vie for limited resources, disturbances might preclude competition by releasing a flush of nutrients, or by reducing biomass and thereby diminishing the consumption of resources. However, if new seedlings colonize in clumps, they may still deplete resources within the local aggregations, which may then reduce their growth and survivorship. We investigated competition among seedlings in a burned area by examining the relationship between the performance of newly established shrub seedlings of Ceanothus impressus and (1) the proximity and (2) the identity of their near neighbors. We also investigated the relationship between neighbor proximity and the availability of water. Both survivorship and growth of C. impressus were positively associated with increasing distance to near neighbors, in a manner consistent with resource competition. The availability of water (as determined by pre-dawn xylem pressure potentials) tended to be greater when neighbors were farther away, providing evidence that water was a resource for which plants were competing. This conclusion is reinforced by the finding that the effects of neighbors were stronger in drought years, suggesting that yearly variation in the availability of an important resource (water) can affect the strength of competitive interactions. This suggests that after disturbances, when some resources are apparently abundant on a large scale, competition may be important in determining the small scale patterns of seedling growth and survival.