Experimental analysis of patch dynamics in tallgrass prairie plant communities

Abstract. Previous research has indicated that patch structure at small spatial scales (<100m²) in tallgrass prairies was defined by a diverse array of infrequent species because dominant species occurred in all samples at this scale. Also, patch structure was not significantly different from that derived from random species associations. Based on these results, we hypothesized that remo val of a dominant species would have no effect on patch structure in these prairies. We tested this hypothesis by removing a dominant grass, Schizachyrium scoparium (Poaceae), from half of each of four 10 m × 10 m study blocks, and comparing differences in patch structure between control and removal halves before and after removal. The minimum resolution in our study was 1 m². Patches of similar species composition were defined by cluster analysis of presence/absence data and cover data. Patch sizes ranged from 1 to 34 m². Following the removal of S. scoparium there was an overall increase in the number of species in the removal half of each block compared to pre-treatment levels. However, the number of patch types and number of spatially mapped groups, based on presence/absence or cover data, did not change between control and removal plots after the removal of S. scoparium. This supports the hypothesis that removal of a large, dominant species would have no effect on patch structure at this scale of resolution in these prairies. Thus, patch structure, as defined here, is an emergent property in these grasslands that is not predictable from changes in species composition. This property of stochastic patch structure results from interactions of processes operating at scales both larger and smaller than our scale of resolution. Stochastic models may provide a reasonable approach to modelling small-scale patch dynamics in tallgrass prairie communities.     

中药金樱子的研究应用概况

本文就国内外对中药金樱子的化学成分及其提取分离方法、药理学研究和临麻应用作了综述,为金樱子的综合开发提供依据。     

Evaluating plant-soil feedback together with competition in a serpentine grassland

Plants can alter biotic and abiotic soil characteristics in ways that feedback to change the performance of that same plant species relative to co-occurring plants. Most evidence for this plant-soil feedback comes from greenhouse studies of potted plants, and consequently, little is known about the importance of feedback in relation to other biological processes known to structure plant communities, such as plant-plant competition. In a field experiment with three C4 grasses, negative feedback was expressed through reduced survival and shoot biomass when seedlings were planted within existing clumps of conspecifics compared with clumps of heterospecifics. However, the combined effects of feedback and competition were species-specific. Only Andropogon gerardii exhibited feedback when competition with the clumps was allowed. For Sorghastrum nutans, strong interspecific competition eliminated the feedback expressed in the absence of competition, and Schizachyrium scoparium showed no feedback at all. That arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may play a role in the feedback was indicated by higher AM root colonization with conspecific plant neighbours. We suggest that feedback and competition should not be viewed as entirely separate processes and that their importance in structuring plant communities cannot be judged in isolation from each other.     

钻形紫菀开花期种群构件的生物量分配

在野外用样方法,选取60株钻形紫菀(Aster subulatus Michx.)开花植株,进行根、茎、叶及花等构件的生物量及其物质分配关系的研究.结果表明:钻形紫菀开花期构件生物量为茎>花>根>叶,其变异系数分别为57.15%、64.66%、57.65%和55.2%,具有较大表型可塑性;在各构件物质分配变异系数中,花生物量分配的变异系数相对较大,说明其调节生殖分配的能力较强;植株高度与各构件生物量呈显著的正相关性,随着各构件生物量的增加均呈幂函数形式增加;花生物量分配与总生物量呈显著的正相关性,其余构件生物量分配均与总生物量及花生物量分配呈负相关性,物质分配由营养构件、支持构件、光合构件向生殖构件转移.反映出钻形紫菀具有自我调节生长力的分配策略,对异质环境具有较强适应能力.     

中药金樱子的化学成分

从中药金樱子（Rosa laevigata Michx.）的果实是分离到7个化合物,经理化性质和波谱分析分别确定为β－谷甾醇（1）、胡萝卜甙（2）、乌苏酸（3）、2α,3β,19α,23－四羟基乌苏－12－烯－28酸（4）,2α,3β,19α,23－四羟基乌苏－12－烯－28酸28－O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷（5）,2α,3β,19α,23－三羟基乌苏－12－烯－28酸（6）和4',5,7－三羟黄酮醇－3－O－β-D-（6”－O－（E）－p－羟基苯丙烯酰）吡喃葡萄糖苷（7）,其中化合物4、5、7为首次从金樱子果实中分离得到。     

Cyanide-induced death of cells in plant leaves

Destruction of guard cell nuclei in epidermis isolated from leaves of pea, maize, sunflower, and haricot bean, as well as destruction of cell nuclei in leaves of the aquatic plants waterweed and eelgrass were induced by cyanide. Destruction of nuclei was strengthened by illumination, prevented by the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol and an electron acceptor N,N,N ,N -tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, and removed by quinacrine. Photosynthetic O2 evolution by the leaf slices of a C3 plant (pea), or a C4 plant (maize) was inhibited by CN- inactivating ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, and was renewed by subsequent addition of the electron acceptor p-benzoquinone.     

西北荒漠带花棒根际丛枝菌根真菌生态地理分布

2015年7月, 沿荒漠植物花棒(Hedysarum scoparium)天然分布带, 在内蒙古、宁夏、甘肃选取7个典型样地, 采集花棒根际0-30 cm土层样品, 研究丛枝菌根(AM)真菌群落结构变化和土壤因子的生态功能。试验基于形态特征对分离的AM真菌孢子进行分类鉴定, 共分离鉴定AM真菌6属42种。群落结构分析表明不同样地的AM真菌群落结构差异显著, 土壤因子对AM真菌群落有重要影响。由东到西随干旱程度加剧, AM真菌种丰度、孢子密度、Shannon-Wiener指数逐渐降低。共有种孢子密度由东向西逐渐降低, 但在群落中所占比例逐渐增加。同一样地不同AM真菌种属、不同样地同一种属的AM真菌孢子密度不同。相关性分析结果显示土壤有机碳、pH值、氨态氮和有效磷对AM真菌影响显著, 土壤湿度对AM真菌影响极显著。结果表明花棒根际AM真菌群落结构和物种多样性具有明显的空间异质性, 并与土壤因子关系密切, 其中土壤湿度对AM真菌生态分布的影响最明显。     

一种新发现的镉超积累植物--钻叶紫菀(Aster subulatus Michx.)

通过野外调查和温室营养液砂培试验,发现并鉴定出钻叶紫菀（Aster subulatus Michx.）是一种新的镉（Cd）超积累植物。调查结果发现,钻叶紫菀对土壤中高含量的Cd有很强的忍耐、吸收和积累能力,其地上部茎、叶Cd含量分别为90.0-150.7mg/kg和119.8-172.6mg/kg,平均值分别为132.8mg/kg和139.2mg/kg。砂基营养液培养试验证明,钻叶紫菀对生长介质中的Cd有很强的忍耐能力,当生长介质中Cd浓度高达150mg/L时,植株仍生长正常,其株高与对照相比无显著差异;地上部Cd含量及其积累量均随生长介质中Cd浓度的增加而增加,当生长介质中Cd浓度为120mg/L时,地上部茎Cd含量和积累量达到最高值,分别为5672.50mg/kg、4.93mg/株。结果表明,钻叶紫菀是一种新的Cd超积累植物,为今后探明植物超积累Cd的机理和Cd污染土壤的植物修复提供一种新的种质资源。