Photosynthetic pathways in a midwestern rock outcrop succulent,Sedum nuttallianum Raf. (Crassulaceae)

Shoots of Sedum nuttallianum exhibited CAM^* acid fluctuations in the field. These nocturnal acid accumulations persisted in the laboratory under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. Simultaneous measurements of transpiration, however, indicated daytime stomatal opening and nocturnal stomatal closure. Measurements of CO₂ and H₂O vapor exchange continuously for six days after watering substantiated these results in part: the majority of CO₂ uptake occurred during the day early in the experiment; however, after several days without water, nighttime CO₂ uptake was stimulated and eventually was greater than the drastically reduced daytime CO₂ uptake. This nighttime uptake was never quite sufficient to account for all estimated increases in tissue acidity. Thus, a combination of CAM and CAM-cycling occurred early in the desiccation experiment. Evidence for CAM and a form of CAM-idling was found later in the experiment. Though nighttime CO₂ uptake occurred and persisted after only one day without water, rates were too low to alter the tissue ¹³C/¹²C value from a C₃-like number (–30). Thus, although CAM and CAM-idling may have survival value during extended droughts, shoots of S. nuttallianum apparently utilize the C₃ pathway to obtain most of their carbon.Abbreviations C₃ pathway - CO₂ fixation pathway in which an intermediate containing 3 carbon atoms is formed - CAM Crassulacean acid metabolism - Chl Chlorophyll - c_i internal CO₂ concentration - DW Dry weight - g_c mean conductance to CO₂ - FW Fresh weight - PAR Photosynthetically active radiation - SD Standard deviation - vpd Vapor pressure deficit - WUE Water use efficiency     

Lethal effects of experimental warming approximating a future climate scenario on southern African quartz-field succulents: a pilot study

Here we examine the response of succulents in a global biodiversity hot spot to experimental warming consistent with a future African climate scenario. Passive daytime warming (averaging 5.5 degrees C above ambient) of the natural vegetation was achieved with 18 transparent hexagonal open-top chamber arrays randomized in three different quartz-field communities. After 4-months summer treatment, the specialized-dwarf and shrubby succulents displayed between 2.1 and 4.9 times greater plant and canopy mortalities in the open-top chambers than in the control plots. Those surviving in cooler ventilated areas and shaded refuges in the chambers had lower starch concentrations and water contents; the shrubby succulents also exhibited diminished chlorophyll concentrations. It is concluded that current thermal regimes are likely to be closely proximate to tolerable extremes for many endemic succulents in the region, and that anthropogenic warming could significantly exceed their thermal thresholds. Further investigation is required to elucidate the importance of associated moisture deficits in these warming experiments, a potential consequence of supplementary (fog and dew) precipitation interception by open-top chambers and higher evaporation therein, on plant mortalities.     

广东珠海40种景天科多肉植物的适应性评价

于2015年10月起在广东珠海对40 种景天科多肉植物进行为期2年的生长观测,对其观赏性、生态适应性进行评价,以期筛选适合本土生长的优良多肉植物。结果显示,综合评价等级最优(Ⅴ级)植物9种,分别为姬胧月Graptopetalum ‘Bronze’、胧月Graptopetalum paraguayense、铭月Sedum adolphli、秋丽Graptosedum ‘Francesco Baldi’、江户紫Kalanchoe marmorata、窄叶不死鸟Kalanchoe ‘Fortyniner’、燕子掌Crassula portulacea、丸叶姬秋丽Graptopetalum mendozae、姬秋丽Graptopetalum ‘Mirinae’;综合评价等级优(Ⅳ级)植物6种,分别为子持莲华Orostachys furuser、鲁氏石莲Echeveria runyonii、初恋Echeveria huthspinke、冬美人Pachyphytum oviferum ‘Pachytoides’、青星美人Pachyphytum ‘Doctor Comelius’、千佛手Sedum super ‘Burros’。上述种类可在珠海及周边城市推广应用。     

Interpreting some outstanding features of the flora and vegetation of Madagascar

Six features are covered. (1) The high endemism, which is not discussed in detail, is all-pervasive, and has resulted from the isolation of Madagascar from Africa some 125 million years ago and their present separation by 430 km. (2) The great richness in plant species (especially relative to Africa), seen particularly in the families of woody species in the wetter vegetation-types, involves both sympatry and allopatry within genera, and is explicable in terms of much less extreme drying out than in Africa during the Pleistocene and effective ‘species-pumping’ rather than mass extinctions during that period. (3) The abundance and species-richness of palms, pandans, tree-ferns, bamboos, and certain families of dicot trees (notably Lauraceae, Monimiaceae, Myrsinaceae and Myristicaceae) in the lowland rain forests also appears to be a result of both past and present wetness of the climate, while it is hypothesized that the low stature of most lowland rain forests, paucity of large-girth trees, and small size and sparsity of broad-leaved herbs, are a result of most rain forest soils being old and relatively nutrient-poor. (4) Within the dry evergreen forest region where rainfall is moderate (900–1600 mm yr⁻¹) a sub-set of trees with fire-resistant bark seems to have evolved at sites prone to frequent ground fires, some perhaps spreading out of adjacent palm savanna on seasonally flooded sites. (5) Both the evolution of thicket rather than grassy woodland in the driest areas (300–600 mm yr⁻¹), and the abundance of evergreen trees and shrubs on ordinary soils – not confined to run-on sites – are explicable in terms of there being a finite chance of rain throughout the year rather than one short wet season, coupled with relatively high values for air humidity throughout the year. The same factors probably explain the abundance and variety of succulents in the thicket; they are found throughout and not just on rocks. (6) Concerning physical defence against herbivores, the rain forests, dry evergreen forests and deciduous forests all show a complete lack of plants with physiognomic features plausibly related to browsing by extinct giant birds (a strong contrast with New Zealand), but in the semi-deciduous thicket there are many tiny-leaved, mostly non-spiny shrubs and small trees, whose dense branching and impenetrability have plausibly evolved as a defence against browsing by elephant birds. The Didiereaceae of the thicket are spiny (unlike members of the same family in Africa), and are giant analogues of the ‘ocotillo’ (Fouquieria splendens) in western North America rather than of Cactaceae; their spines appear to be protecting the leaves more than the stems against arboreal primates, spine length paralleling leaf length.     

厦门植物园多肉植物资源及应用评价

本文概述厦门植物园多肉植物资源的种类和类型,描述其栽培特性,评价多肉植物的园林应用及经济价值的开发状况,为进一步开发利用提供依据。     

Protein crystalloids in ribosome-deficient plastids of Aeonium domesticum cv. variegatum (Crassulaceae)

Protein crystalloids are typical constituents of Aeonium domesticum plastids. They are composed of hexagonally arranged tube-like elements situated in the stroma without a bordering membrane. The single tubule has an external diameter of about 20 nm and an internal one of about 10 nm. The green-white-green mesochimera Ae. domesticum cv. variegatum contains normal chloroplasts in the green tissue and colourless plastids in the pale tissue. The defective plastids have a double-layered envelope, scarce internal membrane structures and contain, in the mature stage, a large vacuole. Plastid ribosomes can be detected only rarely in proplastids. They lose their ribosome complement entirely in the course of development. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of total nucleic acids extracted from white tissue revealed the absence of the 23S and 16S rRNA normally present in plastids. Despite the loss of ribosomes, the plastids contain large protein crystalloids, which are structurally identical with those of normal green chloroplasts. Consequences concerning problems of encoding and transport of crystalloid protein(s) are briefly discussed.Abbreviations CAM crassulacean acid metabolism - FIP fraction I protein - L I epidermis - L II subepidermal layer - L III leaf core - SPC succulent protein crystalloid This is the first part of a series on the crystalloid-forming succulent protein     

厦门地区露地栽培多肉植物的种类筛选及其园林应用研究

本文介绍适合厦门地区露地栽培的仙人掌等多肉植物种类及其园林应用情况,并结合多年的观察记录,对这类植物的适应性进行评估和讨论,就其发展前景作简要阐述。     

基于网络爬虫技术对电子商务多肉物种资源数据的研究

【目的】近年来,通过电子商务平台获取境外珍贵的多肉物种资源已成为一种重要渠道,大量濒危物种通过第三方物流方式非法流入我国。甄别濒危物种并梳理出多肉物种资源重点查验名单,能够为物种资源查验尤其是植物多肉类濒危物种查验提供参考。【方法】以跨境多肉物种资源交易的热门平台"多肉之家"为研究对象,基于网络爬虫技术平台,获取电商多肉植物926条种类数据,并对数据进行筛选和归类分析。【结果】"多肉之家"平台上交易的多肉植物共涉及23科878种,其中包含18种CITES附录Ⅰ以及120种CITES附录Ⅱ濒危物种,约占16%。进一步对濒危植物进行归类分析发现,濒危植物中仙人掌科和大戟科多肉植物种类最多,分别为66和36种,两者占总计濒危植物种类的74%。【结论】网络爬虫技术在获取电商类平台的交易植物的种类数据上具有较好的实用性。