Effects of water level fluctuation on the growth ofNelumbo nucifera Gaertn. in Lake Kasumigaura,Japan

Investigations were made of the growth ofNelumbo nucifera, an aquatic higher plant, in a natural stand in Lake Kasumigaura. A rise of 1.0 m in the water level after a typhoon in August 1986 caused a subsequent decrease in biomass ofN. nucifera from the maximum of 291 g d.w. m⁻² in July to a minimum of 75 g d.w. m⁻². The biomass recovered thereafter in shallower regions. The underground biomass in October tended to increase toward the shore. The total leaf area index (LAI) is the sum of LAI of floating leaves and emergent leaves. The maximum total LAI was 1.3 and 2.8 m² m⁻² in 1986 and 1987, respectively. LAI of floating leaves did not exceed 1 m² m⁻². The elongation rates of the petiole of floating and emergent leaves just after unrolling were 2.6 and 3.4 cm day⁻¹, respectively. The sudden rise in water level (25 cm day⁻¹) after the typhoon in August 1986 caused drowning and subsequent decomposition of the mature leaves. Only the young leaves were able to elongate, allowing their laminae to reach the water surface. The fluctuation in water level, characterized by the amplitude and duration of flooding and the time of flooding in the life cycle, is an important factor determining the growth and survival ofN. nucifera in Lake Kasumigaura.     

Tissue water relations in elfin cloud forest tree species of Serrania de Macuira,Guajira, Colombia

Summary Diurnal courses of stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, and the components of tissue water potential were measured in six canopy species in an elfin cloud forest. High values of stomatal conductance were measured on cloudy days and during early morning and late afternoon of sunny days. Decreases in stomatal conductance with increases in vapour pressure deficit may have been a response to avoid further water deficits and suggested a stomatal response to changes in relative humidity. Daily transpiration varied between 470 and 1014 g m^-2 day^-1 during cloudy days and between 532 and 944 g m^-2 day^-1 during clear days. Stomatal conductance may have also responded to changes in leaf water potential, which was minimum at noon. The minimum tissue water potential measured in the field was -1.8 MPa in Myrcianthes fragrans, and the minimum turgor pressure was 0.49 MPa also in M. fragrans. There was a correlation between the osmotic potential and the minimum tissue water potential, suggesting that osmotic potential plays a major role in the maintenance of turgor in these species, in spite of the great variability in the elastic properties of leaf tissues. Turgor pressure decreased during the day following the course of water potential but never approached the turgor loss point, as it has been measured in some lowland rain forest trees. This is a strong indication that elfin cloud forest trees do not suffer severe water deficits, and that small tree stature is not directly related to water shortage.     

小麦—天兰偃麦草—黑麦三属杂种花粉植株诱导条件的研究

研究表明,三属杂种处于单核中晚期阶段的花粉最适于诱导形成愈伤组织。低温预处理对促进三属杂种花粉愈伤组织的诱导有一定的作用。利用以马铃薯提取物为基础物质的马铃薯-Ⅱ培养基作诱导培养基,其愈伤组织诱导与分化的频率比目前两个较好的合成培养基要高。同一个三属杂种F_1春、秋播种植株之间在形成愈伤组织的能力上有较大的差异,秋播材料形成愈伤组织的能力明显高于春播材料。F_(?)杂种植株诱导愈伤组织和分化植株的频率均比F_1杂种明显提高。     

Differential survival of chaparral seedlings during the first summer drought after wildfire

Summary Big Pod Ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus) is an obligate seeder after fire; Laurel Sumac (Rhus laurina) is primarily a resprouter after fire. Both species commonly occur together in mixed stands and are dominant members of the coastal chaparral of southern California. We compared the mean survival of post-fire seedlings of each species during the first summer drought after fire and found C. megacarpus to have a mean survival of 54% while R. laurina had a mean survival of only 0.1%. Rooting dephs were similar between species but predawn water potentials and leaf temperatures were higher for R. laurina seedlings. Leaf temperatures for R. laurina reached a mean value of 46.8° C on hot, summer days, about 5° C higher than seedlings of C. megacarpus. By the end of the first growing season, 92% of all C. megacarpus seedlings had suffered herbivory compared to only 17% of all R. laurina seedlings. Herbivory did not appear to be the immediate cause of seedling mortality. Transect data indicated that full recovery of prefire species composition and density at our study site was likely but the mode of recovery was different for the species examined. R. laurina recovered primarily by sprouting, C. megacarpus totally by seedling establishment and a third species, Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise), by a combination of sprouting and seedling establishment. We attribute the higher mortality of R. laurina seedlings to the greater sensitivity of its tissue to water stress. It may be that differential survival of shrub seedlings and differential modes of reestablishment after fire play an important role in maintaining species diversity in the chaparral communities of coastal, southern California.     

The influence of ambient temperature,seed composition and body size on water balance and seed selection in coexisting heteromyid rodents

Summary The water balance of three different sized coexisting species of heteromyid rodents (Dipodomys merriami ca. 39 g;Perognathus fallax ca. 23 g;Perognathus longimembris ca. 9 g) was assessed while consuming two different diets (either wheat or hulled sunflower) at ambient temperatures of 15–30°C. The metabolism of wheat as the sole food source was calculated to provide a greater metabolic water production (MWP) than the consumption of sunflower seed because of their different composition. The state of water balance was assessed by measuring urine concentrations and body weight maintenance on each diet at each temperature. Both measures showed that (i) all species were able to maintain a more positive water on the higher MWP seed, (ii) for all species there was an ambient temperature above which water balance could no longer be maintained, (iii) that this temperature was higher with the higher MWP food source and (iv) water regulatory efficiency was negatively correlated with body mass.Dipodomys showed a reduced digestive efficiency compared toPerognathus. When presented with both seedsDipodomys showed no preference for either seed irrespective of the state of water balance whilst thePerognathus species showed a tendency for an increased preference for the high MWP food source at the higher ambient temperatures. The ecological implications of these findings are discussed.     

Abscisic acid and water transport in sunflowers

The role of abscisic acid (ABA) in the transport of water and ions from the root to the shoot of sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus) was investigated by application of ABA either to the root medium or to the apical bud. The exudation at the hypocotyl stump of decapitated seedlings was measured with and without hydrostatic pressure (0–0.3 MPa) applied to the root. All ABA concentrations tested (10^-10–10^-4 mol·l^-1) promoted exudation. Maximal amounts of exudate (200% of control) were obtained with ABA at 10^-6·mol·l^-1 and an externally applied pressure of 0.1 MPa. The effect was rapid and long-lasting, and involved promotion of ion release to the xylem (during the first hours) as well as an increase in hydraulic conductivity. Abscisic acid applied to the apical bud had effects similar to those of the rootapplied hormone. Increased rates of exudation were also obtained after osmotic stress was applied to the root; this treatment increased the endogenous level of ABA in the root as well as in the shoot. Water potentials of the hypocotyls of intact plants increased when the roots were treated with ABA at 5°C, whereas stomatal resistances were lowered. The results are consistent with the view that ABA controls the water status of the plant not only by regulating stomatal transpiration, but also by regulating the hydraulic conductivity of the root.Abbreviations and symbols ABA abscisic acid - Tv volume flow - Lp hydraulic conductivity - PEG polyethyleneglycol - water potential - osmotic potential - osmotic value - P hydrostatic pressure     

Consequences of host plant chemical and physical variability to an associated herbivore

The effects of watering and fertilizer treatments on the vigor and biochemistry of the willow,Salix lasiolepis, and subsequent colonization and survivorship of its gallforming herbivore,Euura lasiolepsis, were investigated in two field experiments. Some plants received low (LW), intermediate (MW) or high (HW) levels of water as treatments, while others received no (OF), low (LF) or high (HF) fertilizer levels. In the watering experiment, plant protein concentrations decreased, while growth rate and number of galls per plant increased with increased water treatments. Plant growth proved to be the best correlate of sawfly attack. Sawfly survivorship increased slightly with greater watering, and phenol concentrations showed no pattern among treatments. In the fertilization experiment, leaf protein increased with fertilization, although shoot length, number of galls and survivorship ofE. lasiolepis survivorship were greatest in intermediate treatment plants. In both experiments, plant growth, rather than protein or phenol levels, was the best predictor of sawfly attack and survivorship. In a natural experiment with galls on wild plants, galled tissue had significantly greater protein concentrations and lower phenol concentrations than did ungalled tissue. We suggest that gallformers modify host plant biochemistry within willow galls, which may explain why the chemical parameters of ambient plant quality we tested were less predictive than plant growth.     

锰重组钙调蛋白水质子弛豫速率的研究

钙调蛋白(CaM)是一种多功能调节蛋白,它含有4个Ca~(2+)结合域.晶体研究表明所有Ca~(2+)都与主链氧原子及酸性残基侧链氧原子配位,但Ca~(2+)的配位层中是否有水分子存在尚未确定.木文利用核磁共振技术,以Mn~(2+)为探针,通过测定水质子的核磁弛豫速率T_(1P)_(-1)建立了有关Ca~(2+)配位层中水分子数目的模型,该模型指出Cam中高、低亲和位上Ca~(2+)结合水的能力不同,高亲和位上Ca~(2+)的配位层中没有水分子存在,而低亲和位上Ca~(2+)配位层中含两个水分子.     

Condition, growth and reproduction in female red lechwe (Kobus leche leche Gray 1850)

Information on condition, growth and reproduction was collected from a sample of 155 female lechwe in the Linyanti Swamp, northern Botswana. Condition varied significantly with age, reproductive state and season and indications were found of relationships between body mass and the attainment of puberty in young females and body mass and the fertility of adult females. There were also indications that the population was under nutritional stress because of high water levels and that this had caused reductions in the growth rate and fertility of young females. It is suggested that the sensitivity of young females to adverse environmental conditions could be exploited to optimize population monitoring for conservation purposes by using them as an indicator class, rather than monitoring the entire population. Because of relationships between condition, growth and reproduction, it is also suggested that long-term monitoring of condition should form part of any effort to understand population dynamics.