No trade-off between trichome production and tolerance to leaf and inflorescence damage in a natural population of Arabidopsis lyrata

Aims Early models of plant defense conceived resistance and tolerance to herbivore damage as mutually exclusive strategies. Support for this idea has been equivocal and studies on these two strategies are still needed to understand the evolution of defenses in natural populations. In Arabidopsis lyrata, the production of trichomes, a documented resistance trait, has been associated with a fitness cost in the absence of herbivores. We examined whether trichome production is also associated with reduced tolerance to simulated herbivore damage.Methods We conducted a field experiment in a natural Swedish population of A. lyrata where we inflicted leaf (0 vs. 50% of the area of each leaf removed) and inflorescence damage (0 vs. 50% of inflorescences removed) to trichome-producing and glabrous plants in a factorial design. We examined the response (survival, growth and reproduction) of the plants to the imposed damage over 2 years.Important findings Trichome-producing plants were not less tolerant than glabrous plants to simulated herbivore damage (no significant morph × leaf damage or morph × inflorescence damage interactions). Inflorescence and leaf damage had independent negative effects on the performance of damaged plants. Leaf damage reduced rosette size the year of damage, but effects on reproductive output in the year of damage, and on survival and reproductive performance the following year were weak and not statistically significant. Inflorescence damage significantly reduced the number of flowers, fruits and seeds the year of damage, but not in the following year. Irrespective of morph, the study population was more tolerant to leaf than to inflorescence damage. The results indicated no trade-off between trichome production and tolerance, suggesting that these two defense mechanisms have the potential to evolve independently in this A. lyrata population.     

Disease assessment methods and their use in simulating growth and yield of peanut crops affected by leafspot disease

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) crops in Benin often experience late leafspot (Cercosporidium personatum), which causes severe yield losses associated with leaf defoliation and necrosis. The objective of this research was to determine the best method of disease assessment and to test its utility in the CROPGRO‐peanut model to simulate growth and yield as affected by late leafspot in early and late maturing peanut cultivars grown at different sowing dates under rain‐fed conditions (without irrigation) in northern Benin. Two peanut cultivars TS 32‐1 and 69–101 were sown on three dates between May and August during 1998 and 1999. In both years there was severe occurrence of late leafspot and the progression of disease was earlier and faster with later sowing dates. Overall, the long duration cultivar 69–101 produced greater yield than the short duration cultivar TS 32‐1. The CROPGRO‐peanut model was able to predict and simulate the observed crop and pod dry matter over time when input on percent diseased leaf area and percent defoliation were provided. Of several disease assessments, the best approach was to input measured percent main‐stem defoliation above the fourth node and percent diseased leaf area estimated from visual leafspot score.     

Host resistance in defoliated pine: effects of single and mass inoculations using bark beetle-associated blue-stain fungi

1 In 1996, 7000 ha of pine forests were defoliated by the pine looper Bupalus piniaria in south‐western Sweden. 2 The susceptibility of trees of different defoliation classes (0, 30, 60, 90 and 100% defoliation) to beetle‐vectored blue‐stain fungi was tested in inoculation experiments. Forty and 120‐year‐old Scots pine trees were inoculated with ‘single’, i.e. a few inoculations of Leptographium wingfieldii and Ophiostoma minus, two blue‐stain fungi associated with the pine shoot beetle Tomicus piniperda. The young trees were also ‘mass’ inoculated with L. wingfieldii at a density of 400 inoculation points per m² over a 60 cm stem belt. 3 Host tree symptoms indicated that only trees with 90–100% defoliation were susceptible to the mass inoculation. 4 Single inoculations did not result in any consistent differences in fungal performance between trees of different defoliation classes, regardless of inoculated species or tree age class. 5 Leptographium wingfieldii produced larger reaction zones than O. minus, and both species produced larger lesions in old than in young trees. 6 As beetle‐induced tree mortality in the study area occurred only in totally defoliated stands, mass inoculations seem to mimic beetle‐attacks fairly well, and thus seem to be a useful tool for assessing host resistance. 7 As even severely defoliated pine trees were quite resistant, host defence reactions in Scots pine seem to be less dependent on carbon allocation than predicted by carbon‐based defence hypotheses.     

The importance of nitrogen and carbohydrate storage for plant growth of the alpine herb Veratrum album

We examined whether nitrogen (N) and carbohydrates reserves allow Veratrum album, an alpine forb, to start spring growth earlier than the neighbouring vegetation and to survive unpredictable disturbances resulting in loss of above-ground biomass. * Seasonal dynamics of plant reserves, soil N availability and vegetation growth were monitored. Veratrum album shoots were experimentally removed when carbohydrate reserves were at a seasonal minimum and the subsequent changes in biomass and reserves were compared with those in control plants. Reserves did not give V. album a competitive advantage in spring; however, they did function as a buffer against the impact of calamities. Shoot removal resulted in significantly lower root dry weight, higher N concentration in rhizome and roots and lower starch concentrations in rhizome and roots but no plant mortality was observed. Veratrum album used stored N reserves to supplement N uptake and establish high leaf N concentrations, which facilitated a rapid refilling of depleted carbohydrate reserves. The primary function of N reserves appears to be to allow V. album to complete the growing cycle in as short a period as possible, thus minimizing exposure to above-ground risks.     

The influence of elevated CO2 and temperature on biomass production of continuously defoliated white clover

Clonal plants of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), grown singly in pots of Perlite and solely dependent for nitrogen on root nodule N₂ fixation, were maintained in controlled environments which provided four environments: 18/13 °C day/night temperature at 340 and 680 μmol mol^?1 CO₂ and 20·5/15·5°C day/night temperature at 340 and 680 μmol mol^?1 CO₂. The daylength was 12 h and the photon flux density 500±25 μmol m^?2 s^?1 (PFD). All plants were defoliated for about 80d, nominally every alternate day, to leave the youngest expanded leaf intact on 50% of stolons, plus expanding leaves (simulated grazing). Elevated CO₂ increased the yield of biomass removed at defoliation by a constant 45% during the second 40d of the experiment and by a varying amount in the first half of the experiment. Elevated temperature had little effect on biomass yield. Nitrogen, as a proportion of the harvested biomass, was only fractionally affected by elevated CO₂ or temperature. In contrast, N₂ fixation increased in concert with the promoting effect of elevated CO₂ on biomass production. The increased yield of biomass harvested in 680 μmol mol^?1 CO₂ was primarily due to the early development and continued maintenance of more stolons. However, the stolons of plants grown in elevated CO₂ also developed leaves which were heavier and slightly larger in area than their counterparts in ambient CO₂. The conclusion is that, when white clover plants are maintained at constant mass by simulated grazing, they continue to respond to elevated CO₂ in terms of a sustained increase in biomass production.     

Effects of a cold treatment of the root system on white clover (Trifolium repens L.) morphogenesis and nitrogen reserve accumulation

The ability of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to undergo cold acclimation is an important determinant of its persistence in mixed swards since growth rate at low temperatures sustains higher clover contents at the start of spring. During a re-growth period following defoliation, a gradual exposure of the root system (cv. Grasslands Huia) led to some physiological and morphological changes of cold-adaptive significance, similar to those developed by clover ecotypes originating in northern areas of Europe. Thus, cold exposure of the root system resulted in small-leaved prostrate forms of white clover after one month of re-growth. Similarly, cold exposure increased the ability of plants to store nitrogen since the application of low temperatures to the root system enhanced soluble protein accumulation in roots and in stolons. More specifically, cold exposure of the roots induced gene expression of a vegetative storage protein (17.3 kDa VSP) in both organs. These results demonstrate that the root system of clover plants should be a site of perception of the low-temperature stimulus, and gave rise to the question of the transduction of the cold signal from the roots to the aerial parts. On the basis of this study and taking into account molecular aspects concerning the clover VSP, it is suggested that this protein could participate in cold acclimation in addition to its role in nitrogen storage.     

The fate of photosynthetically-fixed carbon in Lolium perenne grassland as modified by elevated CO2 and sward management

Prediction of the impact of climate change requires the response of carbon (C) flow in plant-soil systems to increased CO(2) to be understood. A mechanism by which grassland C sequestration might be altered was investigated by pulse-labelling Lolium perenne swards, which had been subject to CO(2) enrichment and two levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization for 10 yr, with (14)CO(2). Over a 6-d period 40-80% of the (14)C pulse was exported from mature leaves, 1-2% remained in roots, 2-7% was lost as below-ground respiration, 0.1% was recovered in soil solution, and 0.2-1.5% in soil. Swards under elevated CO(2) with the lower N supply fixed more (14)C than swards grown in ambient CO(2), exported more fixed (14)C below ground and respired less than their high-N counterparts. Sward cutting reduced root (14)C, but plants in elevated CO(2) still retained 80% more (14)C below ground than those in ambient CO(2). The potential for below-ground C sequestration in grasslands is enhanced under elevated CO(2), but any increase is likely to be small and dependent upon grassland management.     

The effect of defoliation intensity and history on photosynthesis, growth and carbon reserves of two conifers with contrasting leaf lifespans and growth habits

The effects of partial defoliation on photosynthesis, whole-seedling carbon allocation, partitioning and growth were studied for two species with contrasting foliar traits. Field-grown seedlings of deciduous Japanese larch ( Larix leptolepis ) and evergreen red pine ( Pinus resinosa ) were defoliated by hand in early summer for 2 consecutive years. In the first year (1990), seedlings were defoliated by removing the distal 0, 25, 50 or 75% of each needle. In the second year (1991), seedlings were defoliated either 0 or 50%, regardless of previous defoliation treatments. Defoliation had little effect on photosynthesis and starch concentration in whole seedlings of either species in the first year. In the second year, photosynthesis increased in both species in response to the 1991 defoliation treatment, and in red pine also increased in response to the 1990 defoliation treatment. Further, in 1991 both larch and pine had decreased whole-seedling total non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in all seedlings that were defoliated at least once over the 2-yr period. This decrease was noted mostly in the starch component of the non-structural carbohydrates, and was similar in both species. In 1991, biomass was similarly decreased in both species in response to 1991 defoliation. Both species showed overcompensation in total and component biomass in seedlings defoliated by 25% in 1990. Overall, the results do not support the widely held belief that evergreen trees are substantially more affected than deciduous trees by defoliation.     

石灰和EM处理条件下土壤动物群落在落叶分解中的变化

2003年6月至2005年10月,用石灰和EM处理改变土壤微酸性特性和微生物活性,采用网袋分解法对大兴安岭地区土壤动物群落结构在落叶分解过程中的动态变化进行了研究。结果如下:(1) 土壤动物群落个体数、类群数和DG指数仍表现为季节波动性,气候因子是影响研究区土壤动物群落长期动态变化的重要因素,石灰和EM处理未改变这种规律。(2)处理条件下土壤动物在落叶分解过程中仍具有阶段性特征,且各类群集聚时间有所差异。(3) CCA排序分析表明,土壤pH值和有机质是影响土壤动物群落动态变化的重要因素,中气门亚目、前气门亚目、节跳虫科、甲螨亚目、绫跳虫科、山跳虫科、棘跳虫科、鳞跳虫科和石蜈蚣目对土壤pH值和有机质变化具有较强的适应能力。     

Influences of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation on avian productivity in forests of the Pacific Northwest of North America

To model the effects of global climate phenomena on avian population dynamics, we must identify and quantify the spatial and temporal relationships between climate, weather and bird populations. Previous studies show that in Europe, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) influences winter and spring weather that in turn affects resident and migratory landbird species. Similarly, in North America, the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) of the Pacific Ocean reportedly drives weather patterns that affect prey availability and population dynamics of landbird species which winter in the Caribbean. Here we show that ENSO‐ and NAO‐induced seasonal weather conditions differentially affect neotropical‐ and temperate‐wintering landbird species that breed in Pacific North‐west forests of North America. For neotropical species wintering in western Mexico, El Niño conditions correlate with cooler, wetter conditions prior to spring migration, and with high reproductive success the following summer. For temperate wintering species, springtime NAO indices correlate strongly with levels of forest defoliation by the larvae of two moth species and also with annual reproductive success, especially among species known to prey upon those larvae. Generalized linear models incorporating NAO indices and ENSO precipitation indices explain 50–90% of the annual variation in productivity reported for 10 landbird species. These results represent an important step towards spatially explicit modelling of avian population dynamics at regional scales.