Root/Shoot Allocation and Root Architecture in Seedlings: Variation among Forest Sites, Microhabitats, and Ecological Groups1

I analyzed patterns of variation in root mass allocation and root morphology among seedlings of woody species in relation to environmental factors in four Neotropical forests. Among forests, I explored the response of root traits to sites varying in water or nutrient availability. Within each forest, I explored the plastic response of species to different microhabitats: gaps and understory. Additionally, I explored evidence for life history correlation of root and shoot traits by comparing species differing in their successional group (light‐demanding [22 spp.] or shade tolerant [27 spp.]) and germination type (species with photosynthetic cotyledons or species with reserve cotyledons). At each forest site, young seedlings from 10 to 20 species were excavated. A total of 55 species was collected in understory conditions and 31 of them were also collected in gaps. From each seedling, six morphological ratios were determined. Allocation to roots was higher in forest sites with the lowest soil resources. Roots were finer and longer in the most infertile site, while roots were deeper in the site with the longest dry season. Seedling traits did not differ between germination types. Shade tolerant species allocated more to roots and developed thicker roots than light‐demanding species. Light‐demanding species showed stronger plastic responses to habitat than shade tolerant species, and species with photo‐synthetic cotyledons showed lower plasticity than species with reserve cotyledons. Overall, these results suggest that among Neotropical species, root allocation and root morphology of seedlings reflect plant adjustments to water or nutrient availability at geographic and microhabitat scales. In addition, life history specialization to light environments is suggested by differences among groups of species in their allocation to roots and in their root morphology.     

Relationships between carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios and nitrogen levels in leaves ofClusia species and two other Clusiaceae genera at various sites and different altitudes in Venezuela

Samples of the Clusiaceae generaClusia, Oedematopus andDystovomita were collected at various sites and different altitudes in northern and south-western Venezuela. Analyses of stable isotopes of carbon and hydrogen and of leaf-nitrogen levels were performed on the dried samples. Correlations among these variables, i.e. carbon isotope discrimination (), hydrogen isotope ratio (D) and N-levels, and with altitude were assessed. In the samples, where values of above 15 indicate predominant performance of C₃ photosynthesis, there were slight tendencies of increasing , D and N-levels with increasing altitude and of increasing with increasing N. Although these correlations taken separately were not statistically significant, they support each other and indicate increasing transpiration and increased leaf-nutrient supply at increasing altitude. Performance of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in species ofClusia appears to be restricted to altitudes below 1500 m a.s.l. There was a significant negative correlation of with altitude in the samples, where values of below 10 indicated predominant performance of CAM. This suggests that phases II and IV of CAM are progressively suppressed towards the upper altitudinal limit of CAM inClusia in northern Venezuela. It is concluded that among the large number of environmental factors and combinations thereof, which determine the expression of CAM inClusia and trigger C₃-CAM transitions in C₃/CAM intermediate species, low availability of water is the most important.     

Transpiration and drought resistance of Douglas-fir seedlings exposed to excess ammonium

 In a pot trial growth and transpiration of 3-year-old Douglas-fir seedlings on an acid, sandy soil was examined at a deficient (30 kg N ha^{–  1} year^{–  1}) and an excessive level (120 kg N ha^{–  1} year^{–  1}) of NH₄ application. Dissolved ammonium sulphate was applied to the pots weekly for two growing seasons. In half of the pots a complete set of other nutrients was applied in optimal proportions to the applied nitrogen. Water supply was optimal and transpiration was recorded. At the end of the second treatment season irrigation was stopped for 2 weeks during dry and sunny weather. Both high application of NH₄ and additional nutrients increased shoot growth and transpiration demand in the first treatment year. The root system was smaller at higher N level and this reduced water uptake accordingly. In the second year the combination of high NH₄ ⁺ and additional nutrients affected root functioning predominantly due to salinity effects and this seriously decreased water uptake capacity and shoot water potentials, finally resulting in tree death. Without addition of other nutrients the high NH₄ ⁺ application resulted in a high degree of soil acidification, which damaged the roots, that showed a decrease in water uptake capacity. At the low NH₄ supply level soil acidification was lower, and root functioning was not affected, and the trees recovered quickly from the imposed drought. Higher needle K and P status depressed transpiration rates at the low NH₄ application rate. Received: 9 January 1995 / Accepted: 18 September 1995     

适用于获取最优化配方的一种算法

本文应用印楝种仁提取物（F3）与敌敌畏混配为例,以斜纹夜蛾（Spodopteralitura）为目标害虫,介绍一种适用于获取最优化配方的算法,在二次通用回归旋转组合设计的基础上,经参数辨识,获取二次回归方程,经失拟性、回归显著性检验,本方程基本能够反映杀虫剂用量与斜纹夜蛾幼虫死亡机率值之间的关系．在害虫防治实践中,要求在防治费用最小的基础上,目标害虫有最大的死亡率.因此,以防治目标害虫的费用作为优化算法的目标函数,以害虫死亡机率值最大作为约束条件,有如下的一组优化算式为目标函数约束条件式中a1,a2分别为参试杀虫剂1,2最低用量,b1,b2则为相应的最高用量．C1,C2分别为杀虫剂1,2的单价,N1,N2为杀虫剂l,2的用量．Y为目标害虫死亡机率值回归方程．本文所依据的试验设计中,以对数函数关系变换编码值与使用浓度之间的关系,所以应用拉格朗日求极值原理求取最优化配方．由计算所得的混配比例与其他方法所获结果一致．     

Fitness effects of sex ratio response to host quality and size in the parasitoid wasp Spalangia cameroni

The parasitoid wasp Spalangia cameroni oviposited a greaterproportion of daughters in stable fly pupae than in house flypupae, even when I controlled for stable flies being smallerthan house flies. Sex ratio manipulation in response to hostquality has been modeled as being adaptive through an effectof host quality on the size and hence offspring production ofdaughters. 5. cameronis response to host species may insteadbe adaptive through an effect on larval survivorship, the developmenttime of daughters, and the size of sons. There was greater survivalof daughters than sons on stable flies. Controlling for hostsize, I found that development time of daughters was about 2%less on stable flies than on house flies. The decrease in developmenttime corresponds to a 2% increase in fitness as estimated byr, the intrinsic rate of increase, and is equivalent to abouta 9% increase in offspring production. Sons were about 2% largerfrom house flies than stable flies, which may increase offspringproduction by up to 3%. Host species had no consistent effecton size of daughters or development time of sons. In additionto the response to host species, mothers oviposited a greaterproportion of daughters in larger stable fly hosts. Whetherthis behavior is adaptive is unclear. Although offspring werelarger when they developed on larger stable flies, the rateof increase was less for daughters dian for sons. Effects ofstable fly size on offspring development time were negligible.     

A comparison of Bonus and Quota mating systems for utilising the sex-determining region Y gene in terminal sire beef cattle breeding

The use of the sex-determining region Y gene in terminal sire beef cattle breeding was investigated, assuming that fertile transgenic bulls carrying this gene on an autosome can be created. The benefit of these transgenic bulls arises from having an increased proportion of calves with a male phenotype. Two mating strategies utilising the transgenic bulls were devised and compared; the Quota scheme whereby a quota of normal bulls is used alongside the transgenic bulls in a breeding nucleus, and the Bonus scheme in which a phenotypic bonus is assigned to transgenic bulls indicating the added value of their offspring. Bonus and Quota breeding schemes were comparable, in terms of the value of offspring of the bulls, for the first 6 years of selection, after which time the Quota breeding scheme was superior. For time horizons less than 10 years, and large assumed phenotypic superiorities of male calves, breeding schemes with transgenic bulls were superior to traditional breeding schemes without transgenic bulls. If the time horizon was longer, or if the assumed superiority of male calves was small, then traditional breeding schemes were generally superior to those utilising transgenic bulls. Scenarios were observed, however, where transgenic bulls were always superior to normal bulls, in terms of their value as sires. Equations were derived to predict genetic gain and the equilibrium genetic lag between normal and transgenic bulls in Quota breeding schemes.     

Photomorphogenesis and canopy dynamics. Phytochrome-mediated proximity perception accounts for the growth dynamics of canopies of Populus trichocarpa × deltoides'Beaupré'

The phytochrome family of signal-transducing photoreceptors provides plants with the capacity to perceive variations in the relative fluxes of red (R) and far-red (FR) radiation. This capacity has been proposed to be of ecological value in the perception of the proximity of neighbouring plants and the consequent induction of shade avoidance responses. The work reported here has evaluated this potential by determining quantitatively the effect of neighbour proximity on the growth of canopies of Populus trichocarpa×deltoides‘Beaupré’ trees, and relating the measured variables to the long-term vectoral radiation quality inside each canopy. The spectral distribution of radiation inside four canopies of Populus trichocarpa×deltoides‘Beaupre’ of different densities was monitored throughout the growing season. Spectral distributions inside the canopies were measured in 10° wedges at different heights and angles. The results are presented as PFD over 400–700 nm (PFD400–700) and PFD over 400–800 nm (PFD400–700). Results are also presented for the calculated phytochrome photoequilibrium (Pfr/P) and red:far-red ratio (R:FR). Data are presented as in-canopy angular and height profiles, and as diurnal and seasonal variations. PFD_400–700 and Pfr/P were found to be reduced inside each canopy, the reduction being greatest in the most dense canopy, and least in the most open canopy. At any height within each canopy, calculated Pfr/P decreased linearly with time throughout the growing season, until leaf senescence began. The reduction was greater in the denser canopies and was found to be similar for three consecutive field seasons. Linear relationships were found between plant stem growth rate, plant spacing and Pfr/P calculated from radiation propagated approximately horizontally within the canopies. The findings support the role of phytochrome in proximity perception in the natural environment and provide a quantitative basis for investigating the competitive interactions between plants growing in dense stands. The hypothesis is proposed that the dynamics of developing or regenerating canopies can be accounted for on the basis of phytochrome-mediated perception of the proximity of neighbouring plants.     

Site-specific isotope fractionation of hydrogen in the biosynthesis of plant fatty acids

The overall deuterium content of plant lipids has been investigated by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), and the site-specific natural isotope fractionation of hydrogen has been studied by ²H-NMR at natural abundance (SNIF-NMR). An analytical strategy has been developed in order to exploit the isotopomeric composition determined in clusters associated with different chemical sites of one or several fatty acid components. The method, which combines spectrometric and chromatographic data, enables isotopic criteria to be directly derived from raw vegetable oils containing in general two saturated and two unsaturated fatty acids. These results provide new information on isotopic fractionation caused by biochemical, physiological and natural environmental effects. Some alternation in the molecular deuterium distribution has been detected which may be related to the mechanism of fatty acid elongation. The successive methylene groups introduced through malonyl CoA are the subjects of different kinetic isotope effects since one of them is exclusively derived from NADH whereas the other has a contribution from pyruvate. A discriminant analysis of the cluster isotopic parameters enables several kinds of botanical precursors to be distinguished. The authenticating performances can be improved by taking into account the influence of climatic effects related to the region in which the plant grew.     

Growth and shoot: root ratio of seedlings in relation to nutrient availability

The influence of mineral nutrient availability, light intensity and CO₂ on growth and shoot:root ratio in young plants is reviewed. Special emphasis in this evaluation is given to data from laboratory experiments with small Betula pendula plants, in which the concept of steady-state nutrition has been applied.Three distinctly different dry matter allocation patterns were observed when growth was limited by the availability of mineral nutrients: 1, Root growth was favoured when N, P or S were the major growth constraints. 2, The opposite pattern obtained when K, Mg and Mn restricted growth. 3, Shortage of Ca, Fe and Zn had almost no effect on the shoot:root ratio. The light regime had no effect on dry matter allocation except at very low photon flux densities (< 6.5 mol m^-2 day^-1), in which a small decrease in the root fraction was observed. Shortage of CO₂, on the other hand, strongly decreased root development, while an increase of the atmospheric CO₂ concentration had no influence on dry matter partitioning. An increased allocation of dry matter to below-ground parts was associated with an increased amount of starch in the tissues. Depletion of the carbohydrate stores occurred under all conditions in which root development was inhibited. It is concluded that the internal balance between labile nitrogen and carbon in the root and the shoot system determines how dry matter is being partitioned in the plant. The consistency of this statement with literature data and existing models for shoot:root regulation is examined.     

The K/Na and Ca/Na ratios and rapeseed yield,under soil salinity or sodicity

Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is a crop relatively tolerant to salt and sodium. Our objective was to study the interactions between Na, K and Ca and their relationship with its yield under the isolated effects of soil salinity or sodicity.Two experiments were carried out using pots filled with the Ah horizon of a Typic Natraquoll. There were three salinity levels (2.3 dS m^-1; 6.0 dS m^-1 and 10.0 dS m^-1) and three sodicity levels, expressed as sodium adsorption ratios (SAR: 12; 27 and 44). The soil was kept near field capacity.As soil salinity increased, the K/Na and Ca/Na ratios in the tissues decreased markedly but yields and aerial biomass production were not affected. As soil SAR value increased, the K/Na and Ca/Na ratios in plants and K-Na and Ca-Na selectivities decreased. Plants could not maintain their Ca concentration in soil with a high SAR. The grain yield and biomass production diminished significantly in the highest SAR treatment. Our results are consistent with those showing detrimental osmotic effects of salts in Brassica napus. Conversely, under sodicity, the K/Na and Ca/Na ratios in plant tissues decreased considerably, in accordance with grain and biomass production. These results show that the effects of sodicity are different from those of salinity.