Ghloroplast DNA and nuclear DNA variation in the sympatric alder species, Alnus cordata (Lois.) Duby and A. glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.

The European alder species, Alnus cordata and A. glutinosa have sympatric distributions on Corsica and southern Italy, where they often grow in mixed populations. An assessment was made of the levels of genetic variation in the chloroplast and nuclear genomes of individual trees from 22 alder populations from Corsica and Italy. The distribution of 10 chloroplast DNA polymorphisms generated by the PCR-RFLP method shows strong geographic structuring of cpDNA haplotypes. Conversely, variation in the nuclear genome, as determined by ISSR analysis, is strongly correlated to the taxonomic affinities of the individual trees analysed. Approximately 50% of ISSR variation (P= 0.00, AMOVA) could be attributed to differences between species. Possible reasons for the incongruence between variation in the chloroplast and nuclear genomes are discussed.     

Oxygen concentration affects nodule anatomy and nitrogenase activity of Alnus maritima

Alnus maritima is a shrub that associates with N₂-fixing Frankia in the wetlands in which it is native. Despite low concentrations in waterlogged soils, O₂ is critical to the maintenance of this symbiosis, and Frankia-infected nodules exist on roots of plants in native stands. The objective of the present study was to determine how root-zone O₂ concentration influences N₂ fixation and the anatomy of nodules on A. maritima. Root zones of plants inoculated with soil from native stands were exposed to eight O₂ concentrations. Nitrogenase activity increased with increasing O₂ concentration. Photosynthetic rate, plant dry mass, leaf N content, and nodule fresh mass were maximal in plants maintained with 15–25% O₂ in the root zone. Nodule counts were maximal on roots maintained at 10% and above 25% O₂, and nodules that developed at ≤ 2% O₂ were < 2 mm in diameter and single-lobed. Mean total area of air spaces within nodules decreased, and mean area per space increased, with increasing O₂ concentration. Seasonal and O₂-dependent nodule pigmentation was observed. Our data illustrate that O₂ is critical to the development of functional symbioses, and that nodules of this species, which are submersed in nature, possess mechanisms for responding to their low-O₂ environment.     

Conversion of Andean montane forests into plantations: Effects on soil characteristics,microorganisms, and microarthropods

Tropical montane forests in the Andes are subjected to deforestation and subsequent transformation into pastures. Abandoned pastures are frequently reforested by planting monoculture timber plantations, resulting in reduced aboveground diversity and changes in soil characteristics compared to primary forests. In this study, we evaluated differences in soil properties (litter layer thickness, pH, water content, and C-to-N ratio) between degraded primary montane forest and monoculture pine (Pinus patula) and alder (Alnus acuminata) plantations and their effects on density, diversity, and community structure of litter and soil-living mesofauna, with focus on oribatid mites (Acariformes). The study was performed in a montane region in the southern Ecuadorian Andes (2,000–2,600 m a.s.l.). C-to-N ratios in the litter and upper 5 cm soil layer were higher in pine plantations, while other soil characteristics were similar between vegetation types. Surprisingly, microbial biomass and density of soil mesofauna in the litter layer did not differ between vegetation types, while density and species richness of oribatid mites were higher in pine plantations. Community structure of oribatid mites differed between vegetation types with only a few species overlapping. The results indicate that quality and diversity of litter were not the major factors regulating the mesofauna community. Instead, soil animals benefited from increased habitat structure in thicker litter layers and potentially increased availability of root-derived resources. Overall, the results suggest that from a soil animal perspective, monoculture plantations are less detrimental than commonly assumed and enrichment of abandoned plantations with native tree species may help to restore tropical montane forests.     

Mean labor time of a leaf

The mean labor time of a leaf (hour/day^–1) is defined as the ratio of mean daily photosynthetic rate of a leaf (D_a; molm^–2day^–1) to the mean value of potential hourly photosynthetic rate (6060A_max mol m^–2h^–1) of the leaf. A model was proposed to estimate mean labor time of leaves. Mean labor time was obtained as the product of 24 (hours/day^–1) and the four effects, each of which reduces production of a leaf: diel change in light (Diel Effect), reduction in light during cloudy and rainy days (Cloudy Effect), shading on the focal leaves (Shading Effect), and midday and afternoon depression in photosynthesis (Depression Effect). These four effects were estimated for open grown saplings of alder (Alnus sieboldiana), by measuring instantaneous photosynthetic rate and photon flux density above each leaf. The potential daily photosynthetic rate calculated from diel light condition in a clear day was 46.5% of hypothetical daily photosynthetic rate where maximum instantaneous photosynthetic rate was assumed to last throughout the life of the leaf (Diel Effect). The average of the daily photosynthetic rate considering clear, cloudy and rainy days was 79.7% of the clear day (Cloudy Effect). The photosynthetic rate estimated from light condition on the leaf was 85.6% of that in the open site (Shading Effect). Midday depression reduced the daily photosynthetic rate to 72.1% of the potential daily photosynthetic rate (Depression Effect). The product of the four effects multiplied by 24h gave the estimate of mean labor time of leaves to be approximately 5.5 (h/day^–1).     

Nitrogen cycling in dense plantings of hybrid poplar and black alder

Summary Nitrogen cycling was studied during the third growing season in pure and mixed plantings (33×33 cm spacing) of hybrid poplar and black alder in southeastern Canada. After 3 years, hybrid poplar growth and N content of living tissues in a plot and of individual hybrid poplar plants increased with the proportion of black alder in a planting. No differences were detected among N contents of individual alder plants regardless of plot treatment. Black alder allocated a larger portion of its N to roots than hybrid poplar. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation was estimated to account for 80% of the nitrogen in aboveground alder tissues in the pure treatment using natural¹⁵N dilution. N return in leaf litter was estimated to be 70kg ha^–1 in the pure alder treatment and decreased to a minimum of 20 kg ha^–1 in the pure hybrid poplar plots. No difference was detected among treatments for throughfall N content. Nitrogen concentration in roots and leaf litterfall of black alder was higher than hybrid poplar. Significant soil N accretion occurred in mixed plantings containing two alders to one poplar and pure black alder plantings. Nitrogen availability (NO₃–N) increased with the amount of black alder in a plot. Results suggest that the early increase in nitrogen accumulation of hybrid poplar in mixed treatments can be attributed to an increase of total soil N availability resulting from the input of large amounts of N from easily mineralizable alder tissue.     

Restriction fragment polymorphisms in the rDNA region among seven species ofAlnus andBetula papyrifera

A study of restriction fragment polymorphisms of ribosomal DNA among seven actinorhizal species (Alnus spp.) and a non-actinorhizal species (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) of the Betulaceae was conducted, using a simple method for the extraction of high molecular weight restrictable nuclear DNA from leaf tissues of perennial angiosperms and nine restriction endonucleases. rDNA restriction fragments were variable within and among the species studied, and the variation noted was used to calculate the similarities and infer phenetic relationships among these members of the Betulaceae. The results confirmed the taxonomy of alder based on morphological characters, showing a clear clustering of the species ofAlnus sampled in each of the two different subgeneraAlnus andAlnobetula. Within each subgenus, the closely related taxa often classified as subspecies by their similar morphology and their ability to interhybridize, were similarly shown by restriction fragment polymorphisms to be more closely related to each other than to any other taxon. The analysis also suggested that some alder species may not be more divergent fromBetula papyrifera than from other alder species.     

The occurrence of amoeboid plastids in the actinorhizal root nodules of Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.

Abstract. The invasion of the actinomycete Frankia into the root cells of Alnus glutinosa with subsequent nodule formation effects a number of ultrastructural changes in the host cell cytoplasm. Among other changes the amyloplasts rapidly lose their starch and acquire an amoeboid or pleomorphic form. Such plastids occur predominantly in the mature vesicle-containing, nitrogen-fixing cells of the nodule. They lack starch, have an electron dense stroma and a complex lamellar system. This last would appear to be associated with a distinct membranous reticulum which can be extensive. The flexible form of these plastids is mirrored in their ability to enclose portions of host cytoplasm together with organelles and even other plastids. Their close association with cristate mitochondria suggests an active metabolic role in the nodule symbiosis.     

Micropropagation of Alnus cordata (Loisel.) Loisel.

Procedures were developed for micropropagation of Alnus cordata through in vitro axillary shoot multiplication of axillary bud explants cultured in Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium. Establishment of cultures from plants grown in the field was very difficult due to bacterial contamination and phenolic oxidation in explants causing severe browning. Explants were first cultured on an MS medium containing 4.4 M 6-benzyladenine and 87.6 mM sucrose (initiation medium) for 7 days and then transferred to an MS medium containing 1.1 M 6-benzyladenine and 333 mM glucose (multiplication medium) for a further 20–25 days. It was necessary to transfer cultures from initiation medium to multiplication medium after 7 days to minimize excessive callus growth, abnormally thick and brittle leaves, inhibition of shoot elongation, and senescence. Shoot multiplication comparable to the above method was achieved by culture of axillary bud explants in MS medium supplemented with 1.1–4.4 M 6-benzyladenine and 333 mM glucose 4–5 weeks after culture. Shoots rooted in MS medium (1/2 x macro-nutrients) supplemented with 1.2–4.9 M indolebutyric acid. Also, 98% rooting was achieved when cultures were treated with 625 mgl^-1 indolebutyric acid for 24 h at the end of the shoot production stage and rooted in vivo as mini-cuttings. Plantlets established well in soil.     

Egg distribution and mortality in the alder aphid, Pterocallis alni

Alder aphid oviparae produced 14 eggs at constant temperature but in the field the average was 6. Favoured oviposition sites were bud axils and bark crevices. Summer pruning of host trees reduced the availability but not the choice of site. Oviparae reared on leaf regrowth of summer pruned alder were smaller and contained fewer eggs than those on mature leaves. Winter pruning resulted in the loss of 41% buds and 25% eggs. Total winter egg mortality was 65%, being greatest in early winter due to insect predation. Spring egg hatch was synchronised with bud burst and both were affected by temperature.

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Distribution des oeufs et mortalité Pterocallis alni

Résumé Les ovipares de P. alni ont pondu 14 oeufs à température constante mais dans la nature la moyenne n'était que de 6. La taille estivale a réduit les disponibilités, mais n'a pas modifié le choix des lieux de ponte. Les ovipares élevés sur feuilles de repousses estivales d'aulnes taillént plus petits et contenaient moins d'oeufs que ceux élevés sur feuilles adultes. La taille hivernale a provoqué la perte de 41% des bourgeons et 25% des oeufs. La mortalité hivernale totale des oeufs a été de 65%, la partie la plus importante, due à la prédation par les insectes, ayant eu lieu au début de l'hiver. L'éclosion des oeufs au printemps était synchronisée avec l'éclatement des bourgeons, tous les deux étant conditionnés par la température.

     

Alnus rubra (Bong.) nodule spore type distribution in southwestern British Columbia

In red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) the nitrogen fixing actinomycete Frankia can be divided into strains which form spores (sp+) within nodules and those that do not. Red alder nodules were collect from 42 sites in southwestern British Columbia and their spore type was determined. Sp+ nodules were found in 18 of the sites, where their proportion ranged from 4 to 93%. The distribution of sites with sp+ nodules was clumped, with significant autocorrelation at the 0–10 km interval. No sp+ nodules were found in any of the eight stands in the submaritime region, indicating a possible continentality effect on spore type distribution. There was a significant positive association between the presence of Rubus spectabilis and the presence sp+ nodules. Stand and soil chemical variables were generally poor predictors of the proportion of sp+ nodules, although total soil nitrogen and exchangeable phosphorus accounted for 36.4 and 28.5% respectively, of the variation in the proportion of sp+ nodules on sites where they were present. There was also a small but significant negative relation between soil pH and the proportion of sp+ nodules and young stands generally did not have any sp+ nodules.