COMPARATIVE ONTOGENY OF A WILD CUCURBIT AND ITS DERIVED CULTIVAR

Most previous studies of evolutionary modification of form in plants have focused primarily on individual organs or flowers. Few have investigated the role of evolutionary changes in timing or position at the level of whole plant ontogeny. This study compares ontogenies of the primary shoots of two subspecies of Cucurbita argyrosperma, one a cultivar and the other its wild progenitor. Differences in flowering times between these subspecies suggested that the cultivar may have evolved from the wild subspecies via heterochronic processes leading to paedomorphosis. Analyses showed that both subspecies are similar in vegetative architecture and rates of leaf production. Earlier flowering in the cultivar, both in terms of position and absolute time, appears to have arisen through progenesis. Initial observations of leaf blade morphology led to the hypothesis that paedomorphosis and gigantism also may have been involved in the evolution of leaf blade shape in the cultivar: all leaves of the cultivar are larger and visually similar in shape to early leaves of the wild subspecies. However, quantitative analysis revealed that leaves of the cultivar are neither geometrically, nor solely allometrically larger versions of early leaves of the progenitor. Leaf shape in the cultivar exhibits novel features as well as effects of allometry shared with the progenitor, hence a simple hypothesis of paedomorphic evolution of leaf shape is not supported.     

A New Method for Finding Small Vertebrate Fossils: Ultraviolet Light At Night

Vertebrate fossils from many different formations fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. In this paper field observations and controlled experiments in the Chadron Formation (White River Group, late Eocene) of Wyoming are used to assess the utility of searching for fossils at night using ultraviolet light. The results indicate that, especially for very small teeth and egg-shell fragments, searching with ultraviolet light at night can result in significantly more specimens than searching during daylight hours. This method has the potential to increase sample sizes for small vertebrate specimens that are often overlooked when using standard collecting techniques.     

Leaf beetle grazing does not induce willow trichome defence in the coppicing willow Salix viminalis

Abstract 1 Willows are frequently attacked and defoliated by adult leaf beetles (Phratora vulgatissima L.) early in the season and the plants are then attacked again when new larvae emerge. The native willow Salix cinerea has previously been shown to respond to adult grazing by producing new leaves with an increased trichome density. Subsequent larval feeding was reduced on new leaves. This type of induced plant response may reduce insect damage and could potentially be utilized for plant protection in agricultural systems. 2 Here, we investigated if the willow species most commonly used for biomass production in short rotation coppice, Salix viminalis, also responds to adult beetle grazing by increasing trichome density. Larval performance and feeding behaviour on plants previously exposed to adult beetles was compared with that on undefoliated control plants in a greenhouse. 3 We found an overall decrease in trichome density within all the plants (i.e. trichome density was lower on new leaves compared to that for older basal leaves on S. viminalis). However, leaves of beetle defoliated plants had a higher trichome density compared to control plants. Larval growth and feeding was not affected by this difference between treatments. Larvae appeared to remove trichomes when feeding on S. viminalis, a behaviour that might explain the lack of difference between treatments.     

Isolation of anti-fungal phenolic compounds from petioles of two Hevea brasiliensis (rubber) genotypes and their effect on Phytophthora meadii

Phenolic compounds were present in greater amounts in non‐infected petioles of genotypes of Hevea brasiliensis that are resistant to Phytophthora leaf disease than in genotypes that are susceptible. Phenolic compounds extracted from petioles of either susceptible (PB86) or resistant (RRIC100) genotypes, before or after infection with Phytophthora meadii, had anti‐fungal properties. Artificially infected petioles of PB86 had phenolic acids, triterpenoids or flavonoids, whereas healthy petioles contained only triterpenoids or flavonoids. However, healthy or infected petioles of RRIC100 contained only trace amounts of the above compounds and of vanillin (3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde). Vanillin and umbelliferone (7‐hydroxycoumarin) were shown to suppress zoospore germination of P. meadii on glass slides and to inhibit its growth in pea broth and V‐8 juice agar. Vanillin was slightly more active than umbelliferone. Resistance of RRIC100 to Phytophthora was suspected as being related to the polymerisation of phenolic compounds to form lignin, which may suppress further spread of the pathogen's mycelium into healthy tissues. Formation of lignin from phenolic aldehydes as a barrier to disease spread may be a critical factor in resistance.     

Root/Shoot Allocation and Root Architecture in Seedlings: Variation among Forest Sites, Microhabitats, and Ecological Groups1

I analyzed patterns of variation in root mass allocation and root morphology among seedlings of woody species in relation to environmental factors in four Neotropical forests. Among forests, I explored the response of root traits to sites varying in water or nutrient availability. Within each forest, I explored the plastic response of species to different microhabitats: gaps and understory. Additionally, I explored evidence for life history correlation of root and shoot traits by comparing species differing in their successional group (light‐demanding [22 spp.] or shade tolerant [27 spp.]) and germination type (species with photosynthetic cotyledons or species with reserve cotyledons). At each forest site, young seedlings from 10 to 20 species were excavated. A total of 55 species was collected in understory conditions and 31 of them were also collected in gaps. From each seedling, six morphological ratios were determined. Allocation to roots was higher in forest sites with the lowest soil resources. Roots were finer and longer in the most infertile site, while roots were deeper in the site with the longest dry season. Seedling traits did not differ between germination types. Shade tolerant species allocated more to roots and developed thicker roots than light‐demanding species. Light‐demanding species showed stronger plastic responses to habitat than shade tolerant species, and species with photo‐synthetic cotyledons showed lower plasticity than species with reserve cotyledons. Overall, these results suggest that among Neotropical species, root allocation and root morphology of seedlings reflect plant adjustments to water or nutrient availability at geographic and microhabitat scales. In addition, life history specialization to light environments is suggested by differences among groups of species in their allocation to roots and in their root morphology.     

升流厌氧污泥层反应器动力学模型

用碘离子作示踪剂,采用矩形脉冲示踪法测定升流厌氧污泥层(UASB)反应器的流动分布。建立了申级返混加沟流模型。模型简单,能够反映反应器流动分布,具有较强的拟合能力和良好的适用性。运用流动模型和Monod方程,建立了UASB反应器稳态模型,并对模型参数进行了估计。通过灵敏度分析,进水基质浓度S。,废水流量Q,最大比基质降解速率,μmax 对出水基质浓度有较大影响。在稳态模型的基础上又建立了UASB反应器动态模态,利用此模型,对出水基质浓度序列Se,和产气量序列Qg进行计算预测,平均偏差分别5．40％和7．46％,标准偏差分别为7．02％和9．66％。     

Modelling temporal variability in the carbon balance of a spruce/moss boreal forest

A model of the daily carbon balance of a black spruce/feathermoss boreal forest ecosystem was developed and results compared to preliminary data from the 1994 BOREAS field campaign in northem Manitoba, Canada. The model, driven by daily weather conditions, simulated daily soil climate status (temperature and moisture profiles), spruce photosynthesis and respiration, moss photosynthesis and respiration, and litter decomposition. Model agreement with preliminary field data was good for net ecosystem exchange (NEE), capturing both the asymmetrical seasonality and short-term variability. During the growing season simulated daily NEE ranged from -4 g C m^-2 d^-1 (carbon uptake by ecosystem) to + 2 g C m^-2 d^-1 (carbon flux to atmosphere), with fluctuations from day to day. In the early winter simulated NEE values were + 0.5 g C m^-2 d^-1, dropping to + 0.2 g C m^-2 d^-1 in mid-winter. Simulated soil respiration during the growing season (+ 1 to + 5 g C m^-2 d^-1) was dominated by metabolic respiration of the live moss, with litter decomposition usually contributing less than 30% and live spruce root respiration less than 10% of the total. Both spruce and moss net primary productivity (NPP) rates were higher in early summer than late summer. Simulated annual NEE for 1994 was -51 g C m^-2 y^-1, with 83% going into tree growth and 17% into the soil carbon accumulation. Moss NPP (58 g C m^-2 y^-1) was considered to be litter (i.e. soil carbon input; no net increase in live moss biomass). Ecosystem respiration during the snow-covered season (84 g C m^-2) was 58% of the growing season net carbon uptake. A simulation of the same site for 1968–1989 showed = 10–20% year-to-year variability in heterotrophic respiration (mean of + 113 g C m^-2 y^-1). Moss NPP ranged from 19 to 114 g C m^-2 y^-1; spruce NPP from 81 to 150 g C m^-2 y^-1; spruce growth (NPP minus litterfall) from 34 to 103 g C m^-2 y^-1; NEE ranged from +37 to -142 g C m^-2 y^-1. Values for these carbon balance terms in 1994 were slightly smaller than the 1969–89 means. Higher ecosystem productivity years (more negative NEE) generally had early springs and relatively wet summers; lower productivity years had late springs and relatively dry summers.     

System-level adjustments to elevated CO2 in model spruce ecosystems

Atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment and increasing nitrogen deposition are often predicted to increase forest productivity based on currently available data for isolated forest tree seedlings or their leaves. However, it is highly uncertain whether such seedling responses will scale to the stand level. Therefore, we studied the effects of increasing CO₂ (280, 420 and 560 μL L^-1) and increasing rates of wet N deposition (0, 30 and 90 kg ha^-1 y^-1) on whole stands of 4-year-old spruce trees (Picea abies). One tree from each of six clones, together with two herbaceous understory species, were established in each of nine 0.7 m² model ecosystems in nutrient poor forest soil and grown in a simulated montane climate for two years. Shoot level light-saturated net photosynthesis measured at growth CO₂ concentrations increased with increasing CO₂, as well as with increasing N deposition. However, predawn shoot respiration was unaffected by treatments. When measured at a common CO₂ concentration of 420 μL L^-1 37% down-regulation of photosynthesis was observed in plants grown at 560 μL CO₂ L^-1. Length growth of shoots and stem diameter were not affected by CO₂ or N deposition. Bud burst was delayed, leaf area index (LAI) was lower, needle litter fall increased and soil CO₂ efflux increased with increasing CO₂. N deposition had no effect on these traits. At the ecosystem level the rate of net CO₂ exchange was not significantly different between CO₂ and N treatments. Most of the responses to CO₂ studied here were nonlinear with the most significant differences between 280 and 420 μL CO₂ L^-1 and relatively small changes between 420 and 560 μL CO₂ L^-1. Our results suggest that the lack of above-ground growth responses to elevated CO₂ is due to the combined effects of physiological down-regulation of photosynthesis at the leaf level, allometric adjustment at the canopy level (reduced LAI), and increasing strength of below-ground carbon sinks. The non-linearity of treatment effects further suggests that major responses of coniferous forests to atmospheric CO₂ enrichment might already be under way and that future responses may be comparatively smaller.     

应用离体叶片法鉴定棉花种质抗螨性的研究

应用离体叶片法,对9个棉花种质进行了鉴定,试验结果表明;种质间抗生性和忌避性差异显著;同株棉花不同部位的叶片对朱砂叶螨的抗生性无显著性差异。通过对叶螨在不同棉花种质上种群增长动态进行系统聚类,可将9个棉花种质划分为3类:斯字棉825-91、杞县86789、鄂棉314、苏联8911为1类,中棉164、潼南接龙棉、新库861517-2、南农NAC90-2为1类,美棉7-15独立为1类。依据朱砂叶螨在不同种质上的种群增长曲线和高峰期螨量增长倍数,可将9个种质划分为3个类型;斯字棉825-91、新库861517-2为抗性类型,潼南接龙棉、美棉7-15、南农NAC90-2为感性类型,其余为中抗类型。从忌避性看:斯字棉825-91、美棉7-15表现出较高的忌避性。     

Binding-protein expression is subject to temporal,developmental and stress-induced regulation in terminally differentiated soybean organs

Binding protein (BiP) is a widely distributed and highly conserved endoplasmic-reticulum luminal protein that has been implicated in cotranslational folding of nascent polypeptides, and in the recognition and disposal of misfolded polypeptides. Analysis of cDNA sequences and genomic blots indicates that soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) possess a small gene family encoding BiP. The deduced sequence of BiP is very similar to that of other plant BiPs. We have examined the expression of BiP in several different terminally differentiated soybean organs including leaves, pods and seed cotyledons. Expression of BiP mRNA increases during leaf expansion while levels of BiP protein decrease. Leaf BiP mRNA is subject to temporal control, exhibiting a large difference in expression in a few hours between dusk and night. The expression of BiP mRNA varies in direct correlation with accumulation of seed storage proteins. The hybridization suggests that maturing-seed BiP is likely to be a different isoform from vegetative BiPs. Levels of BiP protein in maturing seeds vary with BiP mRNA. High levels of BiP mRNA are detected after 3 d of seedling growth. Little change in either BiP mRNA or protein levels was detected in maturing soybean pods, although BiP-protein levels decrease in fully mature pods. Persistent wounding of leaves by whiteflies induces massive overexpression of BiP mRNA while only slightly increasing BiP-protein levels. In contrast single-event puncture wounding only slightly induces additional BiP expression above the temporal variations. These observations indicate that BiP is not constitutively expressed in terminally differentiated plant organs. Expression of BiP is highest during the developmental stages of leaves, pods and seeds when their constituent cells are producing seed or vegetative storage proteins, and appears to be subject to complex regulation, including developmental, temporal and wounding.The mention of vendor or product does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over vendors of similar products not mentioned.Abbreviations BiP binding protein The sequences reported in this paper have been submitted to Gen-Bank and are identified with the accession numbers BiP-A (U08384), BiP-B (U08383), BiP-C (U08382) and -1,3 glucanase (U08405).