Floristic analysis of vascular plant genera of North America north of Mexico: characteristics of phytogeography

The phytogeographical characteristics of North America north of Mexico (NANM) were examined based on an analysis of the 1904 indigenous genera of the vascular plants known to the area. According to the worldwide distribution patterns of the genera, the 1904 genera were grouped into ten phytogeographical elements (categories). About 67.3% of the genera found in the native flora of NANM also occur in other areas of the world; of these, 71.4% occur in the Old World. About 32.7% of the 1904 genera are endemic to North America. The origins of the floristic relationships between North America and the rest of the world and the origin of the present-day flora of North America are discussed. The current floristic patterns of the NANM vascular plant genera resulted in part from palaeogeological events such as the unification of tectonic plates into a single supercontinent, Pangaea, and then the breakup of the united supercontinent into Laurasia and Gondwana followed by the fragmentation of Laurasia and Gondwana into individual continents as they are today due to the movement of plate tectonics. Many of the endemic genera of North America likely originated in the North American continent during the Tertiary, particularly during the uplifting of Rocky Mountains.     

The paradox of the clumps mathematically explained

The lumpy distribution of species along a continuous one-dimensional niche axis recently found by Scheffer and van Nes (Scheffer and van Ness 2006) is explained mathematically. We show that it emerges simply from the eigenvalue and eigenvectors of the community matrix. Both the transient patterns—lumps and gaps between them—as well as the asymptotic equilibrium are explained. If the species are evenly distributed along the niche axis, the emergence of these patterns can be demonstrated analytically. The more general case, of randomly distributed species, shows only slight deviations and is illustrated by numerical simulation. This is a robust result whenever the finiteness of the niche is taken into account: it can be extended to different analytic dependence of the interaction coefficients with the distance on the niche axis (i.e., different kernel interactions), different boundary conditions, etc. We also found that there is a critical value both for the width of the species distribution σ and the number of species n below which the clusterization disappears.

西藏昆仑针茅草原的基本特征

正昆仑针茅(Stipa roborowskyi)是青藏高原特有的寒旱生多年生密丛型禾草,广泛分布于藏南喜马拉雅山北坡和雅鲁藏布江谷地、阿里地区、羌塘高原中南部和昆仑山地,以及印度和克什米尔地区(Wu et al.,2006;中国科学院中国植被图编辑委员会,2007)。昆仑针茅草原是西藏重要的草原类型之一,但分布较为零散,没有像紫花针茅(S.purpurea)草     

青海湟水流域植物区系研究

湟水流域位于青海省的东部,约处于北纬35°56′～37°38′,东经100°35′～103°05′。属于青藏高原和黄土高原的过渡地带,海拔1650～4395m,全区面积约16600km~2,属于大陆性气候和高原大陆性气候类型。本区共有野生种子植物83科、400属、1234种。分别占本区所属的青藏高原植物亚区唐古特地区总科数的92.22％、总属数的78.74％、总种数的54.00％。研究表明,湟水流域植物区系特征为:①在唐古特地区中种类相对较丰富;②温带成分占92.80％,以绝对优势确定了本区系为明显的温带性质(属于以北温带成分,特别是欧亚大陆温、寒地带典型成分为优势的,兼具温性、寒温和高寒类型的温带区系性质,或可称为在温带区系中的过渡区系所具有的“复合型”区系特征);③木本类型少,大多数种类为多年生草本植物,缺乏古老和原始类群,一些中国特有种衍生于其广布的亲缘种中,表明本区系具有年轻和衍生的性质;④我国西南高山区系和华北区系对该区系具有双重影响;⑤为青藏高原植物亚区唐古特植物地区同华北植物地区相互过渡的代表区系之一;⑥特有属和特有种少。在中国种子植物区系分区中,本区属于青藏高原植物亚区中的唐古特地区。     

A novel identification approach for discovery of 5-HydroxyTriptamine 2A antagonists: combination of 2D/3D similarity screening,molecular docking and molecular dynamics

5-HydroxyTriptamine 2A antagonists are potential targets for treatment of various cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disorders. In this study, we have developed and performed a unique screening pipeline for filtering ZINC database compounds on the basis of similarities to known antagonists to determine novel small molecule antagonists of 5-HydroxyTriptamine 2A. The screening pipeline is based on 2D similarity, 3D dissimilarity and a combination of 2D/3D similarity. The shortlisted compounds were docked to a 5-HydroxyTriptamine 2A homology-based model, and complexes with low binding energies (287 complexes) were selected for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in a lipid bilayer. The MD simulations of the shortlisted compounds in complex with 5-HydroxyTriptamine 2A confirmed the stability of the complexes and revealed novel interaction insights. The receptor residues S239, N343, S242, S159, Y370 and D155 predominantly participate in hydrogen bonding. π–π stacking is observed in F339, F340, F234, W151 and W336, whereas hydrophobic interactions are observed amongst V156, F339, F234, V362, V366, F340, V235, I152 and W151. The known and potential antagonists shortlisted by us have similar overlapping molecular interaction patterns. The 287 potential 5-HydroxyTriptamine 2A antagonists may be experimentally verified.     

An updated checklist of the vascular flora native to Italy

An updated inventory of the native vascular flora of Italy, providing details on the occurrence at regional level, is presented. The checklist includes 8195 taxa (6417 species and 1778 subspecies), distributed in 1092 genera and 152 families; 23 taxa are lycophytes, 108 ferns and fern allies, 30 gymnosperms and 8034 angiosperms. The taxa currently occurring in Italy are 7483, while 568 taxa have not been confirmed in recent times, 99 are doubtfully occurring in the country and 19 are data deficient. Out of the 568 not confirmed taxa, 26 are considered extinct or possibly extinct.     

Predicting the environmental niche of the genus Phymaturus: Are palluma and patagonicus groups ecologically differentiated?

The genus Phymaturus (Reptilia: Liolaemidae) is distributed in the mountains and rocky plateaux of Argentina and Chile and comprises two groups of species, palluma and patagonicus. The two lineages have diverged early in the evolution of the genus and up to today, there is very little geographical overlap between them. We worked with records of localities from the literature, herpetological collections and field data to evaluate habitat suitability of the genus Phymaturus. We used 11 environmental variables to develop environmental niche models (ENMs) for each group within the genus using the Maxent software, and to determine those variables that best explain the distribution of each group. We also estimated measures of niche similarity using ENMTools to determine whether niche differentiation is real or apparent. The geographical overlap between the groups was very low considering the large geographical range of the genus. Some variables, such as mean annual temperature, soil type and bare soil cover, have a high contribution to the models for both groups. The current niche overlap between Phymaturus groups indicates that the environmental niches of the palluma and patagonicus groups are not equivalent. Based on background analysis, we cannot reject the hypothesis that similarity (or divergence) between groups of Phymaturus is no more than expected based on the availability of habitat. The results of this study are a first approximation to the knowledge of the environmental variables associated with the palluma and patagonicus groups, and reveal that the ecological differences found between these groups are more likely due to habitat availability in their respective regions than to differences in habitat preferences.     

Resilience of tropical rain forests: tree community reassembly in secondary forests

Understanding the recovery dynamics of ecosystems presents a major challenge in the human-impacted tropics. We tested whether secondary forests follow equilibrium or non-equilibrium dynamics by evaluating community reassembly over time, across different successional stages, and among multiple life stages. Based on long-term and static data from six 1-ha plots in NE Costa Rica, we show that secondary forests are undergoing reassembly of canopy tree and palm species composition through the successful recruitment of seedlings, saplings, and young trees of mature forest species. Such patterns were observed over time within sites and across successional stages. Floristic reassembly in secondary forests showed a clear convergence with mature forest community composition, supporting an equilibrium model. This resilience stems from three key factors co-occurring locally: high abundance of generalist species in the regional flora, high levels of seed dispersal, and local presence of old-growth forest remnants.     

俄罗斯北部平原(VYCHEGDA河盆地)全新世植物群和植被

对Vychegda河流域靠近Baika村(61°16'N,46°44'E)洪积平原的一个剖面进行了孢粉学研究.化石点位于泰加林带中部,靠近欧洲云杉林和亚乌拉尔-西伯利亚云、冷杉-西伯利亚松林界限附近.该河流盆地森林覆盖率高达98%.根据放射性碳年代测定,沉积涵盖了全新世大约自9000 yrs B.P.以来的大部分地层.主要运用化石植物群组成来恢复这一地区全新世以来的植被和气候变化,通过某些化石植物群的全部植物种类的现代地理分布的分析,可以发现与过去植被最接近的现代对应植被类型的位置,通过确定所有植物种现代生长地区的景观和气候来推测与古环境最接近的景观和气候.整个孢粉组合序列中云杉、松和桦占统治地位,但是植物群的成分和植被有变化.暖温带树种,如椴、榆及栎等在森林中的含量有变化,在全新世最暖期,相当于中晚大西洋期(6000-4500 yrs B.P.)达到最高.这些变化通过对应的现代植物群在俄罗斯平原的"迁移"反映出来,从中、南乌拉尔向西至Sukhona河盆地然后再返回到研究区的Vychegda河下游.运用古植物群的方法定量恢复的主要气候指标表明在大西洋期7月份月均温比现代高2.5℃,1月份月均温比现在高出1℃,年降雨量和现在接近.这段时间可以认为是本地区全新世的气候最适宜期.     

陕北黄土高原蒿属植物的分类与分析

陕北黄土高原有蒿属植物30种1变种,居该地产种子植物属中所含种数的首位。所产蒿属植物在不同的植被带中梯度变化明显,替代现象显著。在生态类型上,旱生类型从南向北递增,中生类型从南向北递减。在区系组成上可分为6种分布区类型,即:我国特有分布,3种;温带亚洲分布,14种1变种;北温带及中亚分布各4种;旧世界温带分布,3种;东亚分布的2种。可见陕北黄土高原蒿属植物种类丰富,梯度变化明显,旱化现象显著,地理成分复杂,但以温带亚洲分布类型为主,兼有其它成分,属典型的温带性质。