Host-range and cold temperature tolerance of Floracarus perrepae Knihinicki & Boczek (Acari: Eriophyidae), a potential biological-control agent of Lygodium microphyllum (Pteridophyta: Lygodiaceae)

Abstract The leaf galling eriophyid mite Floracarus perrepae is a widespread and damaging herbivore of Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum , across its native range in tropical and subtropical Asia and Australia; and was therefore selected as a candidate biological-control agent for the invasive fern in Florida, USA. The host testing of F. perrepae focused on Lygodium species from North America and the Neotropics, along with threatened or endangered ferns from Florida. Sporeling ferns were used for the initial no-choice screening and F. perrepae showed normal development on the Florida genotype of L. microphyllum with 33.0 ± 4.6 mites per marginal leaf roll gall, modest development on the North American native Lygodium palmatum with 29.0 ± 9.3 mites per roll, and minor development on six other fern species (4.0–0.3). Leaf rolls were induced only on Lygodium species and full rolls were common only on L. microphyllum . These same six non-target plant species were tested again as more mature plants in both no-choice and choice tests and F. perrepae developed only on L. microphyllum . Lethal minimum temperature and cold stress tests were also conducted on F. perrepae . These tests revealed that it would not likely establish north of USDA hardiness zone 8a (−9.5 to −12.2°C), which means it would not overlap with L. palmatum from temperate North America. Our studies conclude that F. perrepae is specific to L. microphyllum , poses little or no risk to native or cultivated ferns in North and South America, and therefore should be considered for release in Florida.     

Short‐term Dynamics and the Effects of Biotic and Abiotic Factors on Plant Physiognomic Groups in a Hurricane‐impacted Lower Montane Tropical Forest

We assessed the short‐term effects of biotic (density, plant size) and abiotic factors (light), on the dynamics of physiognomically different plant groups (palms, tree ferns, lianas, and trees) in a hurricane‐impacted tropical wet montane forest, John Crow Mountains, Jamaica. All plants ≥2 cm (dbh) found within 45, 25 × 25 m permanent sample plots (2.8125 ha), established according to a randomized block design along an elevation gradient, were tagged and measured (dbh) in 2006 and re‐assessed in 2012 after Hurricane Dean (2007). Hemispheric light was measured in 2007 and 2008. Tree and liana size class distributions changed due to high mortality in the smallest size classes and their densities declined; however, palm and tree fern density remained unchanged. The dynamics of trees were only related to tree fern and liana dynamics (e.g., tree mortality was negatively related to liana recruitment etc.). Although pre‐ and posthurricane light was related to palm density and the density of the other plant groups, respectively, there were no significant changes in light. Tree survivorship increased with increasing dbh while posthurricane light and overall density influenced the growth and survivorship of tree species. Species importance value did not change, suggesting that direct regeneration may be the model of forest recovery following this small‐scale disturbance. Over the short term, tree species showed life history trade‐offs that aid species coexistence after this moderate/low disturbance event. Our study highlights that hurricanes with low impacts can have differential short‐ and possibly long‐term effects on different plant groups.     

龙南钾矿区常见蕨类植物可培养内生真菌的多样性

植物内生真菌作为一类特殊的微生物资源,与宿主在长期的生态系统演化过程中形成了互惠共生关系,通过多样化途径来增强植物体的营养生理和抗性机能,对宿主植物产生多种有益生物学作用,在植物演替过程中具有重要的生态学意义。这种特殊微生物资源近年来倍受关注,而利用植物-真菌共生体强化植物在矿区逆境中生长,提高矿区生物修复效率是一个新的研究热点。为探明钾矿区不同蕨类植物内生真菌的物种多样性、群落组成以及生态分布规律,该研究以芒萁、狗脊、禾秆蹄盖蕨、海金沙、华中铁角蕨、井栏边草和乌蕨等植物为材料,采用组织分离、形态学鉴定等方法,对其内生真菌多样性进行分析。结果表明:从7种植物中共分离获得377株内生真菌,总分离率在2.50%~4.52%之间。经鉴定377个菌株隶属于链格孢属、曲霉属、枝孢菌属和轮枝孢属等25个分类单元,其中链格孢属、曲霉属、枝孢菌属和轮枝孢属等在所有被调查蕨类植物中都有分布,为优势属,共计为185株,占总株数的49.07%,但它们在每种植物的分布存在明显差异;7种蕨类植物内生真菌总定植率为叶高于根状茎(P0.05),多样性指数在0.502~0.867之间,但每种植物及其不同组织部位的内生真菌定植率和多样性指数存在一定的差异;从相似性分析来看,同一个钾矿区不同蕨类植物内生真菌菌群之间的相似性程度较低,相似性系数在0.189~0.587之间。该研究结果不仅丰富了植物内生真菌种质资源,而且为进一步开展植物内生真菌强化宿主植物在钾矿区生长适应机制的研究奠定了基础。     

Breeding Systems of Three Tree Ferns: Alsophila firma (Cyatheaceae), Cyathea stipularis (Cyatheaceae), and Lophosoria quadripinnata (Lophosoriaceae)

Abstract Breeding-system data have been available for a large number and diverse array of angio-sperms for a relatively long time. In contrast, breeding systems of ferns and their allies (pteridophytes) have only recently been examined, and breeding-system data from natural populations of sporophytes are still lacking for pteridophytes representing many life-history strategies. Few studies, for example, have examined breeding systems of tropical pteridophytes, and no breeding-system data are available for tree ferns. We therefore examined the breeding systems of three species of tree ferns from Costa Rica, Alsophila firma (Cyatheaceae), Cyathea stipularis (Cyatheaceae), and Lophosoria quadripinnata (Lophosoriaceae) using enzyme electro-phoresis. Genetic data were used to estimate intragametophytic self-fertilization and F , the fixation index. Analysis of genetic data indicates that the gametophytes of these three species predominantly cross-fertilize; all three species would be characterized as outcrossers. However, some population-to-population variation in breeding system was detected in all three species. Outcrossing also typifies a diverse array of temperate ferns. Thus, despite the potential for self-fertilization, outcrossing appears to characterize the majority of pteridophytes representing a variety of evolutionary lineages, life-history strategies, and environments.     

Protoplast induction from sporophyte tissues of the heterosporous fern Azolla

We have developed a method for producing protoplasts from the heterosporous water fern Azolla using a combination of Cellulysin (4.0%) and Pectolyase (0.025%) in 0.6 M mannitol containing 6 mM CaCl₂ 2H₂O. These protoplasts regenerate new cell walls within 48 hours when cultured on modified Gamborg B-5 medium.     

石松类和蕨类植物质体基因组结构演化研究进展

近年来, 随着测序技术的发展, 石松类和蕨类植物的核基因组、质体基因组以及线粒体基因组研究发展迅速, 质体基因组研究工作更是呈爆发式增长。截至2019年3月1日, GenBank公布的石松类和蕨类植物的175个质体基因组中, 约3/4为最近两年新增。研究内容从早期对个别质体基因组结构和序列特征的简单报道, 逐渐发展到综合性的比较基因组学和系统发育基因组学研究。目前已发表的质体基因组覆盖了石松类和蕨类植物的所有目和大部分科, 这两大类群的质体基因组结构变异和系统发育的基本框架已逐渐清晰。这些研究为我们理解维管植物的早期演化提供了重要参考。本文对石松类和蕨类植物的质体基因组结构特征进行了系统梳理, 发现其结构变异主要包括大片段倒位、IR区边界变动、基因或内含子丢失等, 其中一些结构变异可作为较高分类阶元的共衍征。RNA编辑和长片段非编码序列插入普遍存在于石松类和蕨类植物的质体基因组中, 但其起源、演化机制和功能等仍不清楚。我们对质体基因组的应用、系统发育研究中质体和核基因组的优劣性, 以及系统发育基因组学的前景进行了评述。     

Assessing fern diversity: relative species richness and its environmental correlates in Uganda

Techniques for the rapid quantification of tropical biodiversity are of critical importance in deciding where to invest scarce conservation resources. Here we describe a simple survey method for assessing species-level richness of a poorly known plant group, the pteridophytes. We then illustrate the use of a powerful, rarefaction- based technique of controlling for inevitable differences in sampling effort to calculate the relative species richness of our study sites. Lastly, we explore how closely observed patterns of relative species richness of Ugandan forests are correlated with a suite of simple environmental variables. We find that fully 75% of the variance in our estimate of fern diversity can be predicted from just two measures: soil fertility (scored as C/N ratio, itself related to rainfall); and distance from the nearest putative Pleistocene refugium.