Diamondback moth performance and preference for leaves of Brassica oleracea of different ages and strata

The preference–performance hypothesis predicts that moth behaviour links plant variations with caterpillar attack and distribution, and the plant‐age hypothesis states that specialist herbivores are more successful in exploring younger plant tissue. We integrated these predictions to investigate underlying mechanisms by which moths and caterpillars of Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) track and exploit within‐plant variability of leaf age and stratification. We measured leaf proteins, glucosinolates and fibre, as well as larval choice, developmental performance, and moth oviposition preference with regard to leaf age classes (young, mature and senescent) of three varieties (collard, cauliflower and cabbage) of the main host plant Brassica oleracea L. Larvae consistently fit the prediction that specialist herbivores prefer and perform better on young, upper leaves that have the highest protein level, despite the highest content of defence compounds. Conversely, moths laid more eggs on fibrous and less nutritious leaves from the lower and senescent stratum. We argue that the leaf stratification of host plants imposes conflicting selective pressures concerning offspring feeding and protection on adult females. If egg mortality is catastrophic on the upper nutritious leaves in a particular microclimatic context (e.g. sun, heat, winds, drought or rain‐washing), then oviposition preference will remain for the suboptimal lower and senescent leaves. The ability of larvae to spread upwards over the plant to access the more nutritious leaf stratum is critical when eggs are preferentially laid on the protective low‐quality leaves.     

芦苇叶水提物的化感活性分析及潜在化感成分的筛选

采用不同溶剂对芦苇﹝Phragmites australis ( Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.﹞叶片水提物进行萃取,并以小麦( Triticum aestivum Linn.)和萝卜( Raphanus sativus Linn.)种子为实验材料对不同萃取物的化感效应进行检测;采用薄层层析和柱层析对抑制作用最强的正丁醇萃取物进行进一步分离,并采用GC-MS法对生物活性较高的组分进行组成成分分析;在此基础上,选择相对含量高并具有代表性的潜在化感成分进行生物活性检测,以期筛选出芦苇叶中的潜在化感成分。结果显示：随质量浓度(20、100和500 mg·L-1)提高,芦苇叶水提物的石油醚、二氯甲烷、乙酸乙酯、正丁醇和水萃取物对小麦和萝卜种子萌发的抑制作用均逐渐增强,其中正丁醇萃取物的抑制作用最强。在正丁醇萃取物的11个组分中,Fr.5、Fr.6、Fr.7、Fr.9和Fr.10组分均能显著抑制萝卜或小麦幼苗的生长,经质量浓度500 mg·L-1各组分处理液处理后萝卜或小麦幼苗的株高、根长及单株鲜质量均显著低于对照(P<0.05)。采用GC-MS法从Fr.5、Fr.6、Fr.7、Fr.9和Fr.10组分中分别鉴定出11、15、15、12和22种成分,分别占各组分总相对含量的83.02%、91.31%、87.36%、97.92%和94.34%,主要成分包括糖类、醇类、有机酸类、酮类、酰胺类和酯类。对14种潜在化感成分生物活性的检测结果显示这些成分对小麦幼苗生长有明显的抑制作用,其中,经质量浓度20 mg·L-1油酸酰胺、棕榈酸甲酯、亚油酸、2-苯乙胺、2-甲基烯丙醇和4-羟基-3-甲氧基苦杏仁酸处理后,小麦幼苗的株高、根长及单株鲜质量显著低于对照。综合分析结果显示：芦苇叶水提物具有较强的化感活性,其潜在的化感成分为油酸酰胺、棕榈酸甲酯、亚油酸、2-苯乙胺、2-甲基烯丙醇和4-羟基-3-甲氧基苦杏仁酸。     

Foliar nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry of alien invasive plants and co-occurring natives in Xishuangbanna

Aims How alien invasive plants and co-occurring native plants utilize nutrients is one of major issues in invasion ecology. Foliar nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents and stoichiometry can elucidate the uptake ability and limitation status of nutrients in plants, which provides basic knowledge for understanding the invading ability and co-occurrence or disappearance of plants.
Methods Based on typical alien invasive plants (Chromolaena odorata, Ageratina adenophora) and native plants in southwestern China, this study focused on strategies of N and P utilization among invasive plants and native plants under different invasion conditions. The species compositions, aboveground biomass, leaf N and P contents and leaf N:P were investigated for plants in plots with no invasion and with different invasion extents (estimated by the plot-based percentage of invaders’ biomass in total community) at Mt. Kongming in Xishuangbanna region, Yunnan Province, China.
Important findings The species number decreased significantly with the invasion extent of both C. odorata and A. adenophora, although the aboveground biomass was greatly enhanced. Leaf N and P contents did not differ between the two studied invaders, but they showed significantly higher N and P levels than both co-occurring and only native species (p < 0.05). Besides, leaf N and P contents of invaders increased with the invasion extent, and leaf N of native plants also showed an increasing trend with the invasion extent. When the influence of invasion was checked for the same species, leaf P contents decreased, whereas leaf N and N:P increased for most native plants under invasion. Based on the absolute foliar N and P contents, N:P values, we inferred that native plants were still limited by N, although N availability might be enhanced by invasion. Both invasive plants had leaf N:P values lower than 10, suggesting a higher P uptake relative to N uptake. All above results highlighted a higher N and P uptake of typical alien invasive plants in southwestern China.     

基于Farquhar改进模型的北亚热带森林常见树种光合限速因子研究

为探讨北亚热带地区植物的光合限速因子,利用改进的Farquhar模型研究了9种常见树种的光合特性。结果表明,与常绿树种相比,落叶树种枫香(Liquidambar formosana)和乌桕(Sapium sebiferum)的最大净光合速率(Pmax)和表观羧化速率(CE)较大;核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化酶/加氧酶(Rubisco)活性是他们的光合限速因子。地带性树种青冈栎(Cyclobalanopsis glauca)的Pmax和CE在常绿木本植物中最大,青冈较强的光合能力可能是来源于Vcmax和TPU。耐阴灌木八角金盘(Fatsia japonica)和美人茶(Camellia uraku)的Pmax较小,其光合限速因子是叶肉细胞导度和呼吸速率。低光照下植物较低的光合能力是由于较小的叶肉导度(gm)和TPU导致的;有效光合辐射短时间的降低使得物种的gm平均减少了60.14%。因此,不同树种在不同环境条件下的光合限速因子不尽相同,应根据树种不同的光合生理特性来合理布局,科学育林。     

小蓬NeMT2基因的克隆及其植物表达载体的构建

该研究利用RACE ( Rapid amplification of cDNA ends)技术从小蓬中成功分离编码金属硫蛋白( Metal-lothionein,MT)的cDNA序列,命名为NeMT2,在GenBank中登录号为KT835290。该基因全长590 bp,开放阅读框为237 bp,编码78个氨基酸,编码的氨基酸序列中含有14个半胱氨酸残基( Cys,C),呈C-C,C-X-C,C-X-X-C排列,集中分布在肽链的N端和C端,基因编码蛋白的分子量为7.6036 kD,等电点为4.71。系统发育分析表明,小蓬金属硫蛋白NeMT2与藜科的海蓬子( AEF01492)和盐穗木( AHI62953)同源性最高,其次是甜菜( XP 010667708.1)。生物信息学分析表明,金属硫蛋白NeMT2无信号肽结构,属于非跨膜亲水性蛋白;疏水性分析表明,NeMT2蛋白的35~45个氨基酸之间有较强的疏水性,其中第41位Asp具最强的疏水性(1.444);结构预测分析该蛋白质二级结构的主要元件是无规则卷曲。通过RT-PCR对NeMT2基因的表达分析发现, NeMT2基因在铜矿区和非铜矿区的小蓬叶片中均有表达,但该基因在铜矿区小蓬叶片的表达量明显高于非铜矿区。将小蓬NeMT2基因定向克隆到植物表达载体pCAMBIA1300的35S 启动子下游,构建该基因的植物超表达载体pCAMBIA1300＋NeMT2。该研究结果为进一步研究该基因的功能和小蓬响应重金属胁迫的分子机制提供了一定基础。     

荒漠草原中间锦鸡儿林土壤养分效应对群落组分和多样性的影响

为系统认识荒漠草原中间锦鸡儿人工林草本植被特征及演变趋势对土壤养分的响应,采用空间代替时间的方法,以天然草地为对照,构建3个中间锦鸡儿林龄(16a、25a、37a)研究序列,调查不同中间锦鸡儿林灌丛内外土壤植被并分析二者之间的关系。结果表明:(1)随林龄增加,不同功能群植物重要值呈不同变化趋势,其中禾本科植物显著增加,豆科植物显著降低,杂草类植物先减小后增加。(2)α多样性分析显示,荒漠草原中间锦鸡儿人工林16a灌丛外物种丰富度(S)、香浓维纳指数(H)最高(P0.01);不同林龄均匀度指数(J)、优势度指数(P)未表现出明显的变化规律。(3)β多样性分析显示,Cody指数(βc)和Morisita-Horn(CMH)相似指数均表现出16a与25a、37a之间的物种差异较大、25a与37a之间物种差异相对较小、37a中间锦鸡儿林与天然草地物种组成相似,βws指数在25a中间锦鸡儿林最大。(4)人工中间锦鸡儿林存在显著的土壤碳氮"肥岛效应",其中土壤有机碳是不同林龄植物群落组成差异的显著性影响因子,土壤速效氮为不同林龄灌丛外植物多样性差异的显著性影响因子,但灌丛内植物多样性对土壤养分的响应并不显著。研究认为,中间锦鸡儿林土壤养分演替正效应提高了植物多样性,增强了植物物种的更替程度,但建植后期(37a)植物群落存在向天然草地演替趋势。     

江西金盆山自然保护区种子植物区系研究

江西金盆山自然保护区位于江西省龙南县、全南县与信丰县的交汇处,为武夷山脉与南岭山脉之间的过渡区域,保护区植物种类丰富、区系地理成分复杂。经野外实地调查、查阅相关文献资料,对保护区内种子植物的科、属、种分布区类型进行统计分析。结果表明：（1）金盆山保护区共有野生种子植物161科659属1 474种,其中裸子植物6科7属7种,占江西裸子植物总种数（83种）的8.43%,被子植物155科652属1 467种,占江西被子植物总种数（4 369种）的33.58%。（2）区系分析显示,金盆山保护区内科的分布区类型中热带分布和温带分布分别占总科数（除去世界分布）的64.22%和35.77%,热带分布占优势地位;属的分布区类型中热带分布和温带分布分别占总属数（除去世界分布）的50.95%和47.55%,二者接近平衡;种的分布区类型中热带分布种和温带分布分别占总种数（除去世界分布）的33.98%和37.15%,而且中国特有种419种,占总种比的28.88%。（3）金盆山保护区种子植物具有单种属、寡种属多,植物区系起源古老的特点,其中有寡种属212属,占总属比的32.17%;单种属374属,占总属比的56.75%;其中寡种属所含种数537种,占总种比的36.43%。（4）与邻近6个保护区的植物区系比较表明,金盆山保护区与武夷山脉的联系较南岭山脉更近,而且金盆山保护区表现出比邻近的阳际峰等武夷山脉地区热带性质更明显。     

西藏维管植物新记录

本研究首次发现西藏新记录属云实属(Caesalpinia Linn.)植物——见血飞(Caesalpinia cucullata Roxb.),另外报道了11个新记录种和2个变种:瓶尔小草科(Ophioglossaceae)薄叶阴地蕨(Botrychium daucifolium Wall.),凤尾蕨科(Pteridaceae)华中凤尾蕨(Pteris kiuschiuensis var.centrochinensis ChingS.H.Wu),毛茛科(Ranunculaceae)尾叶铁线莲(Clematis urophylla Franch.),椴树科(Tiliaceae)刺蒴麻(Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq.),锦葵科(Malvaceae)拔毒散(Sida szechuensis Matsuda),中华地桃花[Urena lobata var.chinensis(Osbeck)S.Y.Hu],柳叶菜科(Onagraceae)草龙[Ludwigia hyssopifolia(G.Don)Exell]、卵叶丁香蓼(Ludwigia ovalis Miq.),唇形科(Lamiaceae)小鱼仙草[Mosla dianthera(Buch.-Ham.)Maxim.],玄参科(Scrophulariaceae)石龙尾[Limnophila sessiliflora(Vahl)Bl.],爵床科(Acanthaceae)白接骨[Asystasia neesiana(Wall.)Nees],桔梗科(Campanulaceae)卵叶半边莲(Lobelia zeylanica Linn.),天南星科(Araceae)百足藤[Pothos repens(Loureiro)Druce]。研究结果进一步丰富了西藏的植物区系,并为研究与相邻地区植物区系的联系增加了新内容。     

To what extent can and should revegetation serve as restoration?

Desertification and climate change are degrading large areas of arid and semiarid habitat in many regions. In response, many countries have implemented revegetation programs, commonly using Atriplex nummularia, native to Australia. Although not intrinsically targeted at habitat restoration, these programs aim to restore (stabilize) erosional processes and provide livestock forage (usually goats, sheep). Few investigators have assessed the utility of these novel habitats for native fauna. In a recent, extensive survey of small mammal communities in lands revegetated with A. nummularia in north‐central Chile, we captured a single animal, the marsupial (Thylamys elegans). We also captured no birds in our live traps and saw numerous darkling beetles in traps. These striking results contrasted with data from a nearby ungrazed park with natural vegetation where 10 small mammal species are known with total abundances ranging from 15 to 80 animals in similar sampling efforts. These revegetated lands provide poor habitat for native mammals, and we argue that revegetation efforts should include proactive risk assessment and cost‐benefit analyses in a structured decision‐making framework. In addition, managers should target increased plant species diversity to support broader biological diversity in addition to the need to control erosion. Although our work has focused on revegetation with Atriplex, numerous other plant species have been intentionally introduced to arid lands, usually for economic reasons; many of these, like Atriplex, have unintended consequences for native biota.     

Overcoming challenges on using native seeds for restoration of megadiverse resource‐poor environments: a reply to Madsen et al.

Madsen et al. (2016) reviewed several major limiting factors to establishment of seedlings in nonforest ecosystems (NFE), and proposed seed enhancement technologies to overcome these restoration barriers. However, biodiverse nutrient‐poor NFE present additional hurdles that preclude landscape‐scale seed‐based restoration and were not mentioned in their review. Here, we discuss issues related to native seed availability and provenance, and shortfalls in knowledge on seed quality testing and dormancy release that severely hamper restoration of degraded nutrient‐impoverished NFE. We present alternatives for overcoming these challenges and highlight the need for investments to find more practical and cost‐effective options for broad‐scale restoration.