The importance of seed reserves for seedling performance: an integrated approach using morphological,physiological, and stable isotope techniques

To investigate how seed reserves affect early seedling performance, we conducted a factorial greenhouse experiment using Lithocarpus densiflora (Tanoak). Seedlings were grown from large (5.8±0.7 g) and small (3.2±0.4 g) seeds and, following shoot emergence, seeds were either removed or left attached. Seedlings were harvested for quantification of biomass and ¹³C at seven time periods following seed removal (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 days) and seedling photosynthesis was measured three separate time periods (2–4, 49–82, 95–128 days after seed removal). Biomass increased for all seedlings, but the increase was significantly larger for seedlings with attached seeds than with removed seeds. Seed removal just after shoot emergence significantly decreased seedling biomass, but seed removal 64 days after shoot emergence had no effect on seedling biomass. Seedling photosynthesis per unit leaf area varied by time and seed presence, but not by seed size. At the first period, seedlings with attached seeds had significantly higher photosynthetic rates than seedlings with removed seeds, at the second period there was no effect of seed removal, and at the third time period seedlings with attached seeds had significantly lower photosynthetic rates than seedlings with removed seeds. Despite temporal variation in photosynthesis per unit leaf area, seedlings with attached seeds always had significantly greater leaf area than seedlings with removed seeds, resulting in significantly higher total plant photosynthesis at all three time periods. The ¹³C values of both the leaves and roots were more similar to that of the seed for seedlings with attached seeds than for seedlings with removed seeds, however, seed removal and seed size strongly affected root ¹³C. This study demonstrates that seed reserves have important effects on the early growth, physiology, and ¹³C of L. densiflora seedlings.     

Forest encroachment into a Californian grassland: examining the simultaneous effects of facilitation and competition on tree seedling recruitment

Competition and facilitation are both considered major factors affecting the structure of plant assemblages, yet few studies have quantified positive, negative, and net effects simultaneously. In this study, we investigated the positive, negative, and net effects of tree saplings on the encroachment of two tree species, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflora), into a coastal California grassland. The study involved three components: sampling the spatial distributions of P. menziesii and L. densiflora in the grasslands, a field experiment examining seedling survival in different grassland environments, and a greenhouse experiment examining the effects of soil moisture on early seedling performance. The field experiment was conducted over a 2-year period, using Pseudotsuga in 2002 and both species in 2003. Seedlings were separated into four treatment groups: those planted in open grassland, in shaded grassland, under artificial (plastic) conifer saplings, and under natural Pseudotsuga saplings. Air temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture, incident radiation levels and fog water inputs were measured for each treatment group in 2003. In the greenhouse experiment, Pseudotsuga and Lithocarpus seedlings were grown for 13 weeks in watering treatments simulating the summer soil moisture conditions of the open grasslands and under Pseudotsuga saplings. Surveys of naturally established seedlings found that Lithocarpus occurred only under Pseudotsuga saplings, while most Pseudotsuga seedlings were located near but not directly under conspecific saplings. In the field experiment, positive effects of tree saplings were much larger than negative effects, resulting in strong net facilitation of seedling establishment. Survival for both species was always higher under the plastic and live trees than in the open or shade plots. The primary mechanism facilitating seedling survival appeared to be increased soil moisture caused by input of fog precipitation coupled with reduced microsite evaporation. The greenhouse experiment further showed that soil moisture strongly affected seedling performance, with both species having much higher photosynthetic rates in the higher moisture treatment. In the lower moisture treatment, Pseudotsuga seedlings had higher photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance than Lithocarpus, suggesting they may be able to better tolerate the environmental conditions found in the open grasslands. Our combined results suggest that rate and patterning of woody plant encroachment can be strongly influenced by facilitation and that fog precipitation may play a key role in plant interactions.     

中国壳斗科柯属一新记录及二新异名

通过对中国主要标本馆壳斗科柯属标本的整理,发现一中国分布新记录种防城柯。基于标本形态学特征将光果柯和川柯分别作为硬壳柯和圆锥柯的异名进行归并。     

湖南省南岳原生性森林群落的研究 Ⅲ.长叶石栎林

湖南省南岳原生性森林群落长叶石栎林是一种尚未报道过的群落新类型,即长叶石栎＋多脉青冈－尾叶山茶－求米草群丛（Association of Lithocarpus henryi Cyclobalanopsis multinervis-Camellia caudata-Oplismenus undulatifolius）,属于典型的常绿落叶阔叶林。该群落属的区系成分主要是北温带和泛热带2种分布区类型,其中温带性质成分占主体;而种的区系成分主要是华夏、东亚、华东－华中3种分布式样,具有华东－华中区系的过渡交替色彩。群落可以明显分为乔木层、灌木层和草本层,其中乔木层又可分为2个亚层,该群落能稳定相当一段时间,更新演替过程中虽然会保持常绿落叶阔叶林性质,但其优势种可能被尾叶山茶、多脉青冈等树种取代。该群落物种多样性水平接近季雨林与稀树草原之间的水平;Shannon-Weaver、Brillouin和McIntosh等3个多样性指数及其对应的均匀度指数可能适合研究群落物种多样性;在研究群落物种多样性时必须要多用一些公式进行测定才可能避免出现错误的结果。不同的物种相对多度分布格局模型在拟合群落不同层次时其结果并不一致。     

哀牢山木果柯林及退化植被下土壤氮素矿化和硝化作用

采用封顶埋管法,我们于11月21日至次年4月15日,分3个培养期共165天(包括干季初期、中期和末期),对哀牢山原生木果柯林(Lithocarpusxylocarpusforest)、栎类次生林(secondary oakforest)和人工茶叶地(teaplantation)三种群落类型的土壤氮素矿化和硝化作用进行了研究.结果表明:在3个培养期中,不同群落下土壤的氮素矿化和硝化作用都具有明显差异;而且它们均具有明显的干季动态,但变化趋势不尽相同.净氨化速率远高于净硝化速率,后者约为前者的0.5%～10%.结果表明,培养期、群落类型和样方诸因子对净氮矿化速率和净硝化速率的影响均存在不同程度的交互作用.人为干扰能导致氮素矿化和硝化速率等生态系统过程的变化,我们的研究结果为此提供了证据支持.与木果柯原始林相比,茶地和次生林的氮素转化过程更多地受物理因素的控制(如温度和水分).这意味着哀牢山地区的木果柯原始林的保护应该受到重视.     

中国柯属5种资源植物潜在地理分布及其对气候变化的响应

利用最大墒模型和地理信息系统软件对柯属（Lithocarpus）5种资源植物在我国的适宜分布区进行了定量预测,并对未来不同气候情景下其分布区的变化进行了分析。结果显示：木姜叶柯（L.litseifolius（Hance）Chun.）在我国秦岭淮河以南广泛分布,短尾柯（L.brevicaudatus（Skan）Hay.）主要分布在我国亚热带中东部区域;木姜叶柯在未来气候（2061-2080年）RCP2.6、RCP8.5两种情景下适生区面积分别减少了5.1%和3.0%,而短尾柯却分别增加了0.5%和1.5%。白柯（L.dealbatus（Hook.f.et Thoms.ex DC.）Rehd.）适宜区主要分布在云南北部、四川南部,烟斗柯（L.corneus（Lour.）Rehd.）主要分布在两广省份的南亚热带地区。白柯和烟斗柯在RCP2.6情景下适生区面积分别减少了12.1%和17.8%,在RCP8.5情景下分别减少了3.5%和15.9%,这两个种的适宜区面积减少较多。厚斗柯（L.elizabethae（Tutch.）Rehd.）主要分布于广西,在两种情景下适宜区面积分别增加了7.3%和6.3%。研究结果表明,由于分布区存在差异,同属不同物种的未来分布对气候变化的响应不同。     

哀牢山木果石栎林种群调节与竞争的初步研究

本文研究了哀牢山徐家坝地区优势种群木果石栎的自我调节,其自疏指数为 –2.8208。采用重要值百分数求取竞争系数,以优势种群在正常纯林中的优势度作为其容纳量,并用Lotka—Volterra竞争方程讨论木果石栎群落的优势种群木果石栎、景东石栎、腾冲栲的竞争,结果表明平衡时,相对优势度分别为29.52%、39.90%、30.58%。即木果石栎群落将由木果石栎,景东石栎,腾冲栲三种植物共优组成。     

浙江天童常绿阔叶林石栎叶片昆虫取食状类型和取食强度研究

在浙江天童常绿阔叶林中随机选择10株石栎（Lithocarpus glaber）大树,每株选择冠层向阳枝条2枝,取其所有成熟叶片（2332片）对昆虫取食状类型和取食强度进行了分析。结果表明,石栎叶片昆虫取食状类型多样,计有15种,但出现频度有很大不同;顶食状和缘食状的频度分别在30％以上;切叶状、连续小孔状和大孔状的频度在10％～30％：小孔状、阴面食状、叶中脉、泡状的频度在6．4％～1．5％;其余6种类型的频度〈1％。对叶片的危害程度取决于取食面积和频度,顶食状等3种类型频度高、取食面积大,对叶片的危害重;而阴面食状等11种类型取食面积较小,频度低,对叶片的危害较小;连续小孔状尽管取食频度高,但取食面积小,对叶片的危害也小。连续小孔状和切叶状之间存在显著正相关,但连续小孔食状与阴面食状之间,切叶状、连续小孔食状与小孔食状之间则存显著负相关,其它取食状之间均没有显著相关性,反映出不同昆虫类型的取食生态位关系。石栎叶片昆虫取食率为13．6％,介于温带森林和热带森林之间;但石栎叶片的昆虫取食频率64％,小于辽东栎,可能是由于防御机制上的差异所至;此外,石栎叶片昆虫取食强度还受到植株本身因素和小生境等因素的影响。     

哀牢山木果柯林及退化植被下土壤氮素矿化和硝化作用(英文)

采用封顶埋管法,我们于11月对21至次年4月15日,分3个培养期共165天(包括干季初期、中期和末期),对哀牢山原生本果柯林(Lithocarpus xylocarpus forest)、栎类次生林(sccondary oak forest)和人工茶叶地(tea planation)三种群落类型的土壤氮素矿化和硝化作用进行了研究。结果表明:在3个培养期中,不同群落下土壤的氮素矿化和硝化作用都具有明显差异;而且它们均具有明显的干季动态,但变化趋势不尽相同。净氨化速率远高于净硝化速率,后者约为前者的0.5％～10％。结果表明,培养期、群落类型和样方诸因子对净氮矿化速率和净硝化速率的影响均存在不同程度的交互作用。人为干扰能导致氮素矿化和硝化速率等生态系统过程的变化,我们的研究结果为此提供了证据支持。与木果柯原始林相比,茶地和次生林的氮素转化过程更多地受物理因素的控制(如温度和水分)。这意味着哀牢山地区的木果柯原始林的保护应该受到重视。