When is an island not an island? Insular effects and their causes in fynbos shrublands

Summary According to the equilibrium theory of island biogeography, insularisation will lead to species loss from habitat remnants. Extinctions will continue untill species number equilibrates at a level appropriate for the size and isolation of the island remnants. We tested whether insularisation leads to species loss by comparing plant species numbers on islands of fynbos shrublands surrounded by Afrotemperate evergreen forest with extensive mainland tracts of fynbos. Species area curves for islands and subsamples of mainland had significantly different slopes (z _island=0.43, z _mainland=0.16). Small islands had the fewest species (less than one fifth) relative to mainland samples of similar size. The species area curves intersect at 590 ha so that reserve sizes of this order of magnitude are needed to avoid species losses relative to extensive areas of fynbos.We compared traits of species on islands and mainlands to determine processes most affected by insularisation. Island floras did not differ from the mainland in the mix of dispersal types, pollinator syndromes or proportion of dioecious species. Islands did have significantly fewer species of low stature and significantly more species that survive fire only as seed and not by resprouting. We infer that the main cause of species loss is change in disturbance frequency. Islands have fewer fires and lose species dependent on frequent fires. We predict that island effects could be reduced by judicious fire management of small reserves.     

On the relationship between two indices (“Bulk density” and “dry-matter content”) of dry-matter accumulation in plant organs

“Bulk density” and “dry-matter content” are useful indices of dry-matter accumulation in plant organs. A theoretical equation describing the relationship between these two indices was put forward. To examine the reliability of this equation, the seasonal changes of these two indices were investigated in the leaves and stems of different ages ofAucuba japonica. In each organ both indices varied seasonally almost parallel to each other, but the seasonal changes of dry-matter content were less obvious than those of bulk density. The observed bulk density was always larger than that calculated from the observed dry-matter content by the theoretical equation. A drying experiment showed that this discrepancy was caused by the decrement of the volume of the plant material by water loss during the period from the weight measurement to the volume measurement. When the water loss was negligible, the equation described well the relationships between the two indices of the experimental materials. It was also shown that this equation was useful for the estimation of the amount of air space in plant materials.     

Fishing spots and sea tenure: Incipient forms of local management in Atlantic forest coastal communities

Recent work has dealt with the local management of aquatic resources as an alternative to Hardin's (1968) tragedy of the commons. In communities with no formal management of resources, informal ownership of fishing spots or conflicts with outside competitors may determine the basis for future local management. In this study, I analyze the use of aquatic resources by five fishing communities on the Atlantic Forest coast of southeast Brazil: Búzios Island, Puruba, and Picinguaba in São Paulo State, and Jaguanum and Itacuruçá Islands at Sepetiba Bay in Rio de Janeiro State. Informal ownership of fishing spots, used for set gillnet fishing, is regulated by kin ties at Búzios Island. The artisanal fishers of Sepetiba Bay, especially those from Jaguanum Island, have a conflict with Bay intruders, such as the shrimp and herring trawlers. Two coastal communities, Puruba and Picinguaba, have conflicts with fishing regulations from a State Park (Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar),created in 1977. The transformation of populated areas of the Atlantic Forest to Extractive Reserves might be a way to avoid conflicts with intruders and with governmental agencies, and to involve local populations in management. Kinship rules at Búzios Island and the territorial behavior of fishers at Sepetiba Bay may form a basis for local organization.     

Degradation of the endosperm cell walls of Lactuca sativa L., cv. grand rapids in relation to the mobilisation of proteins and the production of hydrolytic enzymes in the axis,cotyledons and endosperm

The timing of changes in total nitrogen and soluble amino nitrogen content, and in the activities of proteinase (pH 7.0), isocitrate lyase, catalase, phytase, phosphatase (pH 5.0), -galactosidase and -mannosidase were studied in extracts from the cotyledons, axis and endosperms of germinating and germinated light-promoted lettuce seeds. The largest amount of total nitrogen (2.7% seed dry weight) occurs within the cotyledons, as storage protein. As this decreases the total nitrogen content of the axis increases and the soluble amino nitrogen in the cotyledons and axis increases. Proteinase activity in the cotyledons increases coincidentally with the depletion of total nitrogen therein. Enzymes for phytate mobilisation and for gluconeogenesis of hydrolysed lipids increase in activity in the cotyledons as the appropriate stored reserves decline. Beta-mannosidase, an enzyme involved in the hydrolysis of oligo-mannans released by the action of endo--mannase on mannan reserves in the endosperm, arises within the cotyledons. This indicates that complete hydrolysis of mannans to the monomer does not occur within the endosperm. Mobilisation of all cotyledon reserves occurs after the endosperm has been degraded, providing further evidence that the endosperm is an early source of food reserves for the growing embryo.Abbreviations HEPES N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulphonic acid - EDTA ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt - TCA trichloroacetic acid Part 2 of a series, of which the first was published in Planta 139, 1–8 (1978)     

Kinetics of the cooperativity of the Ca2+-transporting adenosine triphosphatase of sarcoplasmic reticulum and the mechanism of the ATP interaction.

The extent of the negative cooperativity with MgATP of the Ca²⁺-stimulated ATPase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum has been studied with various membrane preparations and under various conditions. Preparations studied were fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, deoxycholate-solubilized and fractionated ATPase, triton extracted reticulum, vesicles reconstituted from either detergent, and limited trypsin digests of the reticulum. Conditions studied were suboptimal, optimal, and inhibitory Ca²⁺ concentrations; temperatures from 13 to 46 °C; 1 or 5 mm MgCl₂; 0.1 m KCl, 0.1 m NaCl, or no added salt; and Triton or deoxycholate present in the assay. With preparations in which vesicles could accumulate Ca²⁺ ion, the ionophore A23187 was added to prevent inhibition by internal Ca²⁺ ions. Under all circumstances, the negative cooperativity of MgATP was present (Hill coefficient of 0.2 to 0.8), indicating the persistence of the properties of the enzyme molecule and its lipid environment giving rise to kinetic negative cooperativity. Attempts to measure the number of ATP sites by protection against N-ethylmaleimide inactivation and by binding of an analog suggested, but did not prove, that there was only one specific, active ATP binding site below 0.5 mm. These results are interpreted to be consistent with either of two mechanisms for ATP cooperativity of the Ca²⁺-stimulated ATPase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum: (a) a single, high affinity ATP active site and a second, lower affinity “allosteric” activator site; or (b) a single ATP site which demonstrates two affinities through some kinetic mechanism such as a substrate-induced, slow transition.     

Preparation, characterization, and functions of rabbit lymph node populations. III. Antigen-induced uptake of thymidine and dibutyryl cyclic AMP: inhibition of thymidine uptake by cholera toxin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP.

Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-primed lymph node cell (LNC) populations were incubated with various amounts of KLH and the cellular incorporation of tritiated thymidine ([³H]TdR) or tritiated N⁶, O^2′ dibutyryl cyclic AMP ([³H]DbcAMP) was determined. T LNC responded more vigorously than did complement receptor lymphocytes (CRL), i.e., B cells, at all KLH concentrations, during all time intervals examined, and in the presence or absence of normal rabbit serum (NRS). The depletion of adherent cells from KLH-primed LNC resulted in no significant decrease in KLH-induced incorporation of either [³H]TdR or [³H]DbcAMP in any of the LNC populations. Thus it appeared that variation among LNC populations in the incidence of macrophages did not account for the marked variation in their responses. Cultures containing equal numbers of T and CRL were induced to incorporate more [³H]TdR or [³H]DbcAMP than either population cultured separately or the sum of their individual responses. It was concluded that KLH-induced incorporation of these substances into primed, isolated LNC, was primarily manifested in the T-cell population. The synergism seen in cultures containing mixtures of T and CRL suggested that B cells are induced to incorporate [³H]TdR or [³H]DbcAMP in the presence of antigen and T-cell product(s). KLH-induced incorporation of [³H]TdR into KLH-primed LNC was inhibited by cholera enterotoxin (CT) and DbcAMP as previously reported. However, CT or DbcAMP inhibited this incorporation into T LNC to a greater extent than into CRL or unfractionated LNC.     

小兴安岭凉水自然保护区蝶类多样性

2012—2013年选取原始阔叶红松林、人工林、天然次生林和灌丛草甸4种典型植被生境,对小兴安岭凉水自然保护区的蝶类进行了系统研究。共捕获蝶类1438头,分属7科47属76种,4种植被生境中蝶类群落优势类群均为蛱蝶科,不同生境蝶类群落相似性与生境植被类型密切相关。计算分析了4种植被生境中蝶类多样性指数、物种丰富度、优势度指数、均匀度指数和种-多度关系,结果表明:3种森林生境蝶类多样性大于灌丛草甸,原始阔叶红松林蝶类具有最高的多样性指数、较高的物种丰富度、均匀度指数以及最低的优势度指数,种-多度分布为对数正态分布,说明环境质量优越,最适合蝶类生存和繁衍;灌丛草甸蝶类的多样性指数、物种丰富度和均匀度指数均为最低,而优势度指数最高,种-多度分布为对数级数分布,反映植物群落结构较单一,适合各种蝶类生存和繁衍的资源不足;天然次生林蝶类多样性指数、物种丰富度高于人工林,均匀度小于人工林,但前者种-多度分布为对数级数模型,后者为对数正态模型,说明在封山育林状态下,对森林植被组成进行适当合理的干扰,有利于森林的健康发展     

穆棱东北红豆杉年轮-气候关系及其濒危机制

东北红豆杉是国家I级重点保护野生濒危植物,其径向生长与气候的关系对于探讨其种群濒危机制具有极其重要的意义。利用穆棱自然保护区内天然东北红豆杉树木年轮样本,建立了长300多年的树轮年表(1700—2005年)。分析径向生长特征发现东北红豆杉总体上呈波动式下降的生长方式,在1770年和1930年左右存在两个生长释放区,该地区调查的样本最大年龄达到370a左右。年表与气候变量之间相关分析表明,冬春季节最低气温、平均气温是树木生长的主要限制因子,其他气候因子也有一定的影响,但不起主要作用。1942年以后东北红豆杉年轮指数与Wilson重建的北半球气温变化吻合度降低,温度对东北红豆杉的径向生长限制性降低,这表明气候变暖可能有利于东北红豆杉的径向生长,但不足以说明气候变暖与东北红豆杉衰退的关系,其他气候因子的年轮气候响应分析也不能确定气候变化在东北红豆杉衰退中的主导作用。人为破坏可能是东北红豆杉衰退的主要因素,但气候变化在其中起到多大的贡献还有待深入研究。     

云雾山铁杆蒿茎叶浸提液对封育草地四种优势植物的化感效应

为了揭示铁杆蒿群落在植被演替中的作用,通过研究铁杆蒿茎叶浸提液对铁杆蒿草地4种优势植物(百里香、大针茅、本氏针茅和赖草)的种子萌发及幼苗生长的干扰,结果表明:高浓度的铁杆蒿浸提液(甲醇浸提液和水浸提液)使得百里香、大针茅、本氏针茅和赖草的种子发芽指数降低,发芽率、芽长和根长低于对照,种子平均发芽时间延长达1.13-2.16 d。而低浓度浸提液(0.005 g/mL)使得百里香的发芽要高于对照11.63%(水浸提液)、15.12%(甲醇浸提液)。在幼苗生长期,铁杆蒿浸提液对4种受试植物幼苗芽和根的生长受到不同程度的抑制,不同浓度的浸提液对植物的化感作用强度不同,随浓度的增加,抑制作用越强,0.1 g/mL相对其他浓度有显著性差异;其中0.005 g/mL浸提液对本氏针茅和赖草的幼苗生长有促进作用,幼根生长高出对照19.00%、16.06%,水浸提液对幼芽促进了2.33%、9.06%,在0.1 g/mL浓度下,本氏针茅或大针茅的生长完全受到抑制,芽长和根长抑制率为100%;同一浓度下的不同浸提液对植物的抑制作用也不同,其中百里香对铁杆蒿浸提液的敏感度是最低的;甲醇浸提液的化感作用要强于水浸提液。在封育过程中,百里香群落向铁杆蒿群落的过渡,铁杆蒿的化感作用是该草地演替的一个重要影响因子。     

河漫滩湿地生态阈值——以二卡自然保护区为例

以典型河漫滩湿地 —— 二卡自然保护区为研究区域,进行生态阈值研究。根据湿地补给河流 —— 海拉尔河的月均流量频率分布特征,选取58.72 m³/s(P=74.6%)、119.26 m³/s(P=44.4%)、190.35 m³/s(P=23.8%)分别代表河流的低、中、高径流期,分析各径流期湿地分布特征。结果表明,低、中径流期内草本沼泽及盐化沼泽所占比例较高,而高径流期则以季节性河流湿地及湖泊湿地为主。低径流期内,作为湿地中心区的湖泊湿地景观破碎度出现一个较明显的跃变,由中径流期的0.57增加到1.37。此时的湿地状态可近似的作为区域的生态阈值,即维持湿地面积占全区域面积的43.03%。而中、高径流期湿地面积比例可近似作为保护区湿地面积的适宜值和理想值,分别为53.66%和69.53%。其研究结果为二卡自然保护区的管理及保护提供支持,并为河漫滩湿地研究提供思路。