Seed dormancy,soil type and protective shelters influence seedling emergence at Shark Bay,Western Australia: Insight into global dryland revegetation

Seedling emergence is a major constraint on dryland revegetation success. In this study, we investigated seedling emergence of six framework shrub species as influenced by seed treatment, soil type and protective shelters using a large field trial in arid Western Australia. We observed the main effects of seed treatment and soil type to account for the majority of the variation in emergence. For species that exhibit pronounced dormancy, we found emergence of dormancy‐alleviated or treated (T) seed to be significantly greater than dormant or untreated (UT) seed, with responses varying across species (e.g. 41 times greater for Acacia ligulata Benth., and 10 times greater for Stylobasium spathulatum Desf.). For shallowly or nondormant species like Senna glutinosa (DC) Randall, UT seed emergence was slightly greater than for T seed. Compared to subsoil, topsoil was more receptive to infiltration (3.44 vs. 0.38 mm/min), and less prone to compaction (1.24 vs. 1.67 g/cm³) and crusting (0.6 vs. 1.3 kg/cm²); however, subsoil had greater moisture retention. Shelters failed to benefit soil moisture retention in either soil type, but enhanced emergence for most species. This study provides insight into how various cost‐effective treatments can be utilized to manipulate seed dormancy to optimize seedling emergence, the intrinsic value of topsoil as a superior growth medium and the benefit of novel, low‐cost shelters for enhancing seedling emergence. In arid environments, sowing T seed in combination with UT seed increases the likelihood of capitalizing on inherently variable precipitation events.     

How the environment shapes animal signals: a test of the acoustic adaptation hypothesis in frogs

Long‐distance acoustic signals are widely used in animal communication systems and, in many cases, are essential for reproduction. The acoustic adaptation hypothesis (AAH) implies that acoustic signals should be selected for further transmission and better content integrity under the acoustic constraints of the habitat in which they are produced. In this study, we test predictions derived from the AAH in frogs. Specifically, we focus on the difference between torrent frogs and frogs calling in less noisy habitats. Torrents produce sounds that can mask frog vocalizations and constitute a major acoustic constraint on call evolution. We combine data collected in the field, material from scientific collections and the literature for a total of 79 primarily Asian species, of the families Ranidae, Rhacophoridae, Dicroglossidae and Microhylidae. Using phylogenetic comparative methods and including morphological and environmental potential confounding factors, we investigate putatively adaptive call features in torrent frogs. We use broad habitat categories as well as fine‐scale habitat measurements and test their correlation with six call characteristics. We find mixed support for the AAH. Spectral features of torrent frog calls are different from those of frogs calling in other habitats and are related to ambient noise levels, as predicted by the AAH. However, temporal call features do not seem to be shaped by the frogs’ calling habitats. Our results underline both the complexity of call evolution and the need to consider multiple factors when investigating this issue.     

Moisture‐driven xylogenesis in Pinus ponderosa from a Mojave Desert mountain reveals high phenological plasticity

Future seasonal dynamics of wood formation in hyperarid environments are still unclear. Although temperature‐driven extension of the growing season and increased forest productivity are expected for boreal and temperate biomes under global warming, a similar trend remains questionable in water‐limited regions. We monitored cambial activity in a montane stand of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) from the Mojave Desert for 2 consecutive years (2015–2016) showing opposite‐sign anomalies between warm‐ and cold‐season precipitation. After the wet winter/spring of 2016, xylogenesis started 2 months earlier compared to 2015, characterized by abundant monsoonal (July–August) rainfall and hyperarid spring. Tree size did not influence the onset and ending of wood formation, highlighting a predominant climatic control over xylem phenological processes. Moisture conditions in the previous month, in particular soil water content and dew point, were the main drivers of cambial phenology. Latewood formation started roughly at the same time in both years; however, monsoonal precipitation triggered the formation of more false rings and density fluctuations in 2015. Because of uncertainties in future precipitation patterns simulated by global change models for the Southwestern United States, the dependency of P. ponderosa on seasonal moisture implies a greater conservation challenge than for species that respond mostly to temperature conditions.     

中度嗜盐菌在生物技术中的应用

生存于盐环境下的中度嗜盐菌在生物技术方面具有很多潜在的应用价值。其中,中度嗜盐菌在盐发酵食品加工业和食品添加剂中已经被广泛应用;由中度嗜盐菌分泌的胞外酶如淀粉酶、脂肪酶等能够在高盐环境下继续保持较高的活力;中度嗜盐菌细胞内积累的多种类相容性溶质也可以作为生物大分子稳定剂以及抗冻剂等;其它如其产生的生物表面活性剂、多聚糖类物质能够在石油回收和生物修复中进行应用等。     

Extreme temperatures increase the deleterious consequences of inbreeding under laboratory and semi-natural conditions

The majority of experimental studies of the effects of population bottlenecks on fitness are performed under laboratory conditions, which do not account for the environmental complexity that populations face in nature. In this study, we test inbreeding depression in multiple replicates of inbred when compared with non-inbred lines of Drosophila melanogaster under different temperature conditions. Egg-to-adult viability, developmental time and sex ratio of emerging adults are studied under low, intermediate and high temperatures under laboratory as well as semi-natural conditions. The results show inbreeding depression for egg-to-adult viability. The level of inbreeding depression is highly dependent on test temperature and is observed only at low and high temperatures. Inbreeding did not affect the developmental time or the sex ratio of emerging adults. However, temperature affected the sex ratio with more females relative to males emerging at low temperatures, suggesting that selection against males in pre-adult life stages is stronger at low temperatures. The coefficient of variation (CV) of egg-to-adult viability within and among lines is higher for inbred flies and generally increases at stressful temperatures. Our results contribute to knowledge on the environmental dependency of inbreeding under different environmental conditions and emphasize that climate change may impact negatively on fitness through synergistic interactions with the genotype.     

Short-term variability in physical forcing in temperate reservoirs: effects on phytoplankton dynamics and sedimentary fluxes

1. The effects of wind events on phytoplankton dynamics were investigated in two temperate reservoirs. 2. Meteorological forcing, change in physical and chemical structure of the water column and biological responses of phytoplankton communities were followed for 3 weeks in three seasons. 3. Depending on the season, the phytoplankton response differed in response to nutrient and light conditions, and to the intensity of stratification and mixing. 4. We demonstrated that, on a time scale of a few days, wind events can modify phytoplankton dynamics, in terms of size structure and exported biomass. An increase of mixing favoured the largest size class and disadvantaged the smallest size class, while an increase in stratification had the opposite effects. The short‐term change in size structure was reflected in the sedimentary fluxes but with a time lag.     

青藏高原高山区和泛北极地区种子植物多倍体比较

多倍化是植物快速适应极端环境胁迫的一种重要机制。青藏高原高山区和泛北极地区具有相似的极端低温环境, 且两地的植物曾有密切的交流和联系。然而, 多倍体物种对两地植物区系生物多样性的贡献是否相同仍不清楚。我们系统地收集两地已有染色体数目和倍性报道的种子植物物种名录, 共计1,770种, 其中青藏高原高山区774种, 泛北极地区996种; 同时也相应地收集了每个物种的生活型信息。分析显示青藏高原高山区多倍体植物的比例为20.9%, 泛北极地区多倍体植物比例为61.5%; 青藏高原高山区一年生草本、多年生草本和木本植物中多倍体的比例分别为20.7%、21.6%和12.8%, 泛北极地区一年生草本、多年生草本和木本植物中多倍体的比例分别为60.2%、65.5%和38.3%。这些结果表明泛北极地区比青藏高原高山区具有较高比例的多倍体物种。青藏高原高山植物区系在渐新世‒中新世之交开始兴起, 此时高原已达到一定高度, 而后的高寒环境相对稳定, 致使多倍体物种相对较少; 而泛北极地区植物区系在3-4 Ma兴起, 此后经历了冰期‒间冰期、海平面波动等反复剧烈的气候环境变化, 可能促进了大量的多倍化事件发生。本研究通过比较青藏高原高山区和泛北极地区植物多倍体物种的比例, 揭示了两地多倍体比例差异的可能原因, 将提高对多倍体适应极端环境的理解。     

Evolutionary refugia and ecological refuges: key concepts for conserving Australian arid zone freshwater biodiversity under climate change

Refugia have been suggested as priority sites for conservation under climate change because of their ability to facilitate survival of biota under adverse conditions. Here, we review the likely role of refugial habitats in conserving freshwater biota in arid Australian aquatic systems where the major long‐term climatic influence has been aridification. We introduce a conceptual model that characterizes evolutionary refugia and ecological refuges based on our review of the attributes of aquatic habitats and freshwater taxa (fishes and aquatic invertebrates) in arid Australia. We also identify methods of recognizing likely future refugia and approaches to assessing the vulnerability of arid‐adapted freshwater biota to a warming and drying climate. Evolutionary refugia in arid areas are characterized as permanent, groundwater‐dependent habitats (subterranean aquifers and springs) supporting vicariant relicts and short‐range endemics. Ecological refuges can vary across space and time, depending on the dispersal abilities of aquatic taxa and the geographical proximity and hydrological connectivity of aquatic habitats. The most important are the perennial waterbodies (both groundwater and surface water fed) that support obligate aquatic organisms. These species will persist where suitable habitats are available and dispersal pathways are maintained. For very mobile species (invertebrates with an aerial dispersal phase) evolutionary refugia may also act as ecological refuges. Evolutionary refugia are likely future refugia because their water source (groundwater) is decoupled from local precipitation. However, their biota is extremely vulnerable to changes in local conditions because population extinction risks cannot be abated by the dispersal of individuals from other sites. Conservation planning must incorporate a high level of protection for aquifers that support refugial sites. Ecological refuges are vulnerable to changes in regional climate because they have little thermal or hydrological buffering. Accordingly, conservation planning must focus on maintaining meta‐population processes, especially through dynamic connectivity between aquatic habitats at a landscape scale.     

Extent of adaptation is not limited by unpredictability of the environment in laboratory populations of Escherichia coli

Environmental variability is on the rise in different parts of the earth, and the survival of many species depends on how well they cope with these fluctuations. Our current understanding of how organisms adapt to unpredictably fluctuating environments is almost entirely based on studies that investigate fluctuations among different values of a single environmental stressor such as temperature or pH . How would unpredictability affect adaptation when the environment fluctuates between qualitatively very different kinds of stresses? To answer this question, we subjected laboratory populations of Escherichia coli to selection over ~ 260 generations. The populations faced predictable and unpredictable environmental fluctuations across qualitatively different selection environments, namely, salt and acidic pH . We show that predictability of environmental fluctuations does not play a role in determining the extent of adaptation, although the extent of ancestral adaptation to the chosen selection environments is of key importance.