Photosynthetic acclimation to low temperature by western red cedar seedlings

Imposition of low, but above freezing, temperatures resulted in a gradual increase in the cold hardiness of western red cedar seedlings. This was associated with a decrease in the maximum rates of photosynthetic CO₂ fixation and O₂ evolution, and changes in chlorophyll a fluorescence transients which indicated that photoinhibition had occurred. Maximum photosynthetic rates declined approximately 40% during cold hardening. The leaves changed colour from green to red-brown during the hardening process. The colour change was due to the synthesis of large amounts of the carotenoid rhodoxanthin. Lutein levels doubled, while chlorophyll declined slightly. Dehardening resulted in the rapid recovery of photosynthesis to control levels, the rapid disappearance of rhodoxanthin, and the return of lutein levels to control. It is suggested that rhodoxanthin accumulation at low temperature functions to decrease the light intensity reaching the photosynthetic apparatus. The combination of photoinhibition and rhodoxanthin synthesis probably serves to protect the photosynthetic capacity of the seedlings at low temperature.     

Building Quaksweaqwul: Dendroarchaeological investigations at Kiix?in National Historic Site, Vancouver Island, Canada

A dendroarchaeological survey of a traditional Nuu-chah-nulth plank house at Kiix?in, the former capital of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, on the west coast of Vancouver Island British Columbia, was undertaken in the summer of 2002. Standardized dendroarchaeological techniques were employed to collect and analyse increment core samples collected from the house known as Quaksweaqwul. Floating ring-width series were compared to a locally prepared Western redcedar (Thuja heterophylla) master tree-ring chronology (1511–2002 AD) to determine when the trees used to construct the house were felled. The findings of the survey indicate that Quaksweaqwul was built after the 1835 AD growth year. As the amount of perimeter wood loss due to weathering and preparation is difficult to ascertain, no precise felling or construction date can be presented.

The results of this survey provide insights into Huu-ay-aht First Nations history and offer direct evidence for the general state of preservation of individual house posts and beams at Kiix?in. Additionally, the successful dating of a traditional First Nations village using a dendroarchaeological approach highlights the potential this technique may hold for developing similar insights at other sites along Canada's Pacific Coast.     

Growth releases of three shade‐tolerant species following canopy gap formation in old‐growth forests

Questions: Do the number, duration and magnitude of growth releases following formation of natural, fine‐scale canopy gaps differ among shade‐tolerant Thuja plicata, Tsuga heterophylla and Abies amabilis? What is the relative importance of tree‐level and gap‐level variables in predicting the magnitude and duration of releases? What does this tell us about mechanisms of tree species coexistence in such old‐growth forests? Location: Coastal British Columbia, Canada. Methods: We estimated the timing of formation of 20 gaps using dendroecological techniques and extracted increment cores from all three species growing around or within gaps. Using a species‐ and ecosystem‐specific release‐detection method, we determined the number of trees experiencing a release following gap formation. We quantified the duration and magnitude of individual releases and estimated the influence of tree‐level and gap‐level variables on these release attributes. Results: Eighty‐seven per cent (304 of 348) of all trees experienced a release following gap formation. T. heterophylla and A. amabilis experienced higher magnitude and longer duration releases than T. plicata. The effect of diameter on the duration of releases varied among species, with T. heterophylla and A. amabilis experiencing decreasing, and T. plicata experiencing increasing, duration of releases with increasing diameter. The effect of growth rate prior to a release on the magnitude of releases varied among trees of different diameters, with the slowest growing and smallest individuals of all species experiencing the most intensive releases. Conclusions: Our results provide detailed information on the number, duration and magnitude of growth releases of the above three species following gap formation. Differences in response to canopy gaps suggest differences in how these species ascend to the canopy strata. T. plicata may be less dependent on gaps to reach the canopy. Differing strategies for ascending to the canopy strata may be important in facilitating coexistence of these three species in old‐growth forests of coastal British Columbia.     

遮荫对濒危植物崖柏光合作用和叶绿素荧光参数的影响

崖柏(Thuja sutchuenensis)是我国特有的极度濒危植物。目前尚缺乏从光合生理角度对其濒危机制开展讨论与研究。光是影响植物生存和生长发育最重要的环境因子之一,且有可能成为植物种群自然更新的主要限制因子。因此,通过人工遮荫方式,探讨了3种光环境下(L0全光,L1-50%全光,L2-25%全光)崖柏幼苗的光合能力及叶绿素荧光参数的差异。结果表明,遮荫导致了叶片表观量子效率和最大净光合速率增加。随着生长光强的降低,崖柏幼苗的暗呼吸速率、光补偿点和光饱和点均有所下降。叶绿素荧光参数方面,遮荫导致了PSⅡ原初光能转换效率(Fv/Fm)、PSⅡ潜在活性(Fv/Fo)、PSⅡ有效光量子产量(Fv'/Fm')和非光化学猝灭系数(NPQ)增加;但随着生长光强减弱,崖柏幼苗叶片的光化学猝灭系数(PQ)和电子传递速率(ETR)逐渐降低。同时,遮荫也造成了叶片叶绿素含量(Chla+Chlb)的显著增加。结果表明,崖柏对光具有较强的耐受范围(尤其是低光)和内在调节机制,初步判定崖柏林下光照的不足不会成为崖柏自然更新的决定性限制因子。     

Nomenclatural transfer of Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. 'Sanderi' (Cupressaceae) to Thuja orientalis L. 'Sanderi' on the basis of phytochemical data

The longstanding problem of the true identity of the juvenile conifer clone usually known as Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Sanderi' has been solved by comparing gas chromatograms of solvent extracts of foliage specimens. Forty-seven species of the northern Cupressaceae were compared with 'Sanderi' but close similarity was shown only by juvenile forms of Thuja orientalis. All other species studied showed significant, usually major, differences.     

Volatile leaf oil analysis in chemosystematic studies of North American conifers

The chemosystematic results based on leaf oil analysis of northern North American conifers of the families Pinaceae and Cupressaceae are summarized and discussed in relation to known botanical relationships and other chemosystematic approaches. Quantitative leaf oil analysis provides excellent data for use at the species and subspecies taxonomic levels.     

Terpenes of leaf oils from Cupressaceae

The components of the leaf oils from twelve species in the four genera (Thuja, Thujopsis, Juniperus and Chamaecyparis) of the Cupressaceae have been studied quantitatively. Some chemotaxonomical feature on the components are discussed.     

Behavioural response of Heterorhabditis megidis towards plant roots and insect larvae

The behavioural response of infective juveniles (IJs) of Heterorhabditis megidis (strain NLH-E87.3) to cues from roots of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.), thuja (Thuja occidentalis L.) and to larvae of the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, was studied. Choice assays were conducted in an Y-tube olfactometer filled with moist sand. Infective juveniles were activated by the presence of intact roots of both strawberry and thuja plants. Some nematodes aggregated in the compartments with roots but most moved away from the roots to the opposite side. Given a choice, IJs showed a preference for strawberry roots above O. sulcatus larvae. No difference in preference was observed between thuja roots and O. sulcatus larvae. The combination of strawberry roots with vine weevil larvae was preferred above roots alone. In the assays with thuja roots and larvae versus thuja roots alone, however, IJs were stimulated to move but showed preference for the opposite compartment away from the arms with roots and larvae. Nematodes responded differently to mechanically damaged roots as opposed to roots damaged by vine weevil larvae. In assays with damaged thuja roots, IJs were most attracted by the roots damaged by larvae, whereas in the strawberry assays IJs showed a clear preference for the mechanically damaged roots. When challenged with a choice between strawberry and thuja roots, IJs moved preferentially to strawberry than to thuja roots. A preference for the combination of strawberry roots plus larvae over the thuja roots plus larvae was also observed.