Distribution of Insect Attacks in Biological Control of Weeds: Infestation of Centaurea virgata Flowerheads by a Gall Fly

The success of biological control efforts to reduce weed density through release of insects may depend as much on the distribution of insect attacks among individual plants or plant parts as on the mean level of infestation. We used an index of dispersion to describe the distribution of Urophora quadrifasciata (Diptera: Tephritidae) galls among squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata) flowerheads at 18 west central Utah sites in the first 5 years following introduction of the biological control agent. Two thirds of the samples showed a significantly aggregated distribution of galls among flowerheads. Statistical analysis showed that site and year accounted for relatively small proportions of the variance in the index of dispersion. The degree of gall aggregation among flowerheads was positively correlated with the mean flowerhead quality (mean number of seeds per flowerhead; P = 0.013) and tended to be negatively correlated with the mean fly density per flowerhead at a site in a given year (P = 0.097). Our data suggest that higher quality flowerheads, and possibly higher quality plants, are preferentially attacked by U. quadrifasciata and therefore are more heavily subject to reduced reproductive potential through biological control. However, an aggregated distribution of fly attacks may undercut the potential of the fly to reduce seed production by the weed population as a whole. Understanding both the distribution of insect attacks among individual plants and the behavioral mechanisms producing such distribution patterns is important to the biological control of weeds.     

两种野生灌木幼苗对干旱和盐交叉胁迫的生理响应

长枝木蓼(Ateaphaxis viegata)和刺叶锦鸡儿(Caragana acanthophulla)是乌鲁木齐周边植被组成的重要种,在植被恢复中具有潜在价值。该文通过盆栽控水控盐法研究两种野生灌木幼苗在不同程度的干旱和盐交叉胁迫下的生理反应。结果表明,干旱和盐交叉胁迫下,长枝木蓼可溶性糖增幅较刺叶锦鸡儿大;轻度交叉胁迫时,两种灌木的可溶性糖含量高于仅干旱胁迫或盐胁迫下的。中度和重度交叉胁迫下,长枝木蓼叶片丙二醛含量增幅高于刺叶锦鸡儿。交叉胁迫下,两种灌木叶片叶绿素含量下降,且长枝木蓼叶片的叶绿素含量降幅大于刺叶锦鸡儿。因膜系统的过氧化作用,使MDA含量升高。轻度干旱胁迫提高了两种野生灌木对盐胁迫的耐受能力。两种灌木能很好地适应中度交叉胁迫,重度交叉胁迫对两种灌木的伤害很大,但也能生存。综合比较各参数发现,刺叶锦鸡儿更耐早,而长枝木蓼更耐盐;综合比较各生理参数发现,刺叶锦鸡儿对干旱和盐胁迫的耐受能力较长枝木蓼强。     

中国鳞伞属拟火菇亚属新记录种

报道了中国鳞伞属Pholiota拟火菇亚属Subgen. Flammuloides的3个新记录种：暗红褐鳞伞P. decorata、黄盘鳞伞P. fulvodisca和杂纹鳞伞P. virgata,并提供详尽的形态描述和线条图。研究标本存放于吉林农业大学菌物标本馆（HMJAU）。     

松嫩平原羊草、虎尾草群落钙元素时空分布的比较研究

本文分析了松嫩平原羊草（Ｌｅｙｍｕｓｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）群落和虎尾草（Ｃｈｌｏｒｉｓｖｉｒｇａｔａ）群落钙元素在土壤中和植物体中的分布特征及季节动态,以及土壤中钠钙含量的关系。结果表明,两种群落的土壤水溶性和交换性钙含量均为春秋两季较高,夏季较低,优势种植物体中钙的含量为羊草明显高于虎尾草,根部均高于其它部位。两种群落土壤中交换性钙的垂直分布均以表层最低,并随着土层深度而逐渐增加,其中羊草群落各土层的含量均高于虎尾草群落。     

刺木蓼和长枝木蓼种子休眠的解除及萌发条件

刺木蓼（Atraphaxis spinosa）和长枝木蓼（A.virgata）为蓼科木蓼属灌木,是乌鲁木齐周边植被组成的重要种。这两种木蓼种子成熟后不萌发,处于休眠状态,对其种子进行5℃（黑暗）和野外低温层积处理,结果表明：5℃层积处理能明显提高两种木蓼种子在15/6、20/10、25/15和30/20℃（昼12 h/夜12 h）的萌发率。野外层积处理显著提高了种子在15/6℃的萌发率。刺木蓼和长枝木蓼的种子均为非深度生理休眠,分别经8、6周的低温层积处理后种子休眠得以解除。刺木蓼种子的休眠程度比长枝木蓼深,休眠解除后,种子萌发所需的最低温度降低。这两种木蓼种子经过冬天的低温层积,可以在春天较低的生境温度下萌发。     

The status of Clarkia australis (Onagraceae)

Clarkia australis and C. virgata grow on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada of California. Clarkia australis was established to accommodate populations of C. virgata from south of the Tuolumne River that could not be successfully hybridized to populations north of the river. Although the species is maintained in the new Jepson Manual, its validity has been questioned because only two populations were originally tested, and they had no useful morphological traits that distinguished them from C. virgata. We report here the results of a large program of interpopulation hybridizations that show that C. australis is distinct and that its reproductive isolation from C. virgata is complete and absolute and reflects a compatibility block that apparently causes abortion of hybrid seeds in early development. Both species include populations north and south of the Tuolumne River and, in general, those of C. australis occupy higher elevations. Morphologically, the species are extremely similar though the mean values of several dimensions of the petals are different. However, significant variation among their populations has the consequence that, at present, the only certain way to assign particular populations to species is to test their compatibility with previously tested populations.     

Parameters affecting the early seedling development of four neotropical trees under oxygen deprivation stress

Some of the parameters that determine flooding resistance-and consequently habitat zonation-were investigated in four neotropical trees (Schizolobium parahyba, Sebastiania commersoniana, Erythrina speciosa and Sesbania virgata). The constitutive parameters of seeds (size, nature and amount of reserves) only partly influenced resistance to flooding, mainly through a high carbohydrate : size ratio. Parameters describing metabolic efficiency under stress conditions were more important. Among them, fermentation capacity and levels of ATP and of total adenylates played a key role. The highest resistance to anoxia was associated with increased availability of free sugars, elevated alcohol dehydrogenase activity and corresponding mRNA levels, more efficient removal of ethanol and lactate, and higher adenylate levels. Finally, as a lethal consequence of energy shortage, free fatty acids were released on a massive scale in the flooding-sensitive species Schizolobium parahyba, whereas lipid hydrolysis did not occur in the most resistant species Sesbania virgata.     

东北草原盐碱植物虎尾草的热值和能量分配特征的研究

虎尾草全株、茎和叶的热值的季节变化规律相似,从7月初至8月初出现2个峰值,然后呈逐渐下降趋势.穗的热值变化呈U字型,2个峰值分别出现在8月初和9月中旬.立枯体热值变化不规则,最大在8月初.虎尾草种群地上部能量的季节动态呈双峰曲线,峰值分别出现在8月初和9月初,最大值在9月初为7381.27kJ     

松嫩平原主要盐碱植物群落生物生态学机制的初步探讨

 本文采用野外调查分析和室内实验相结合的方法,从不同方面初步探讨松嫩平原三个盐碱植物群落的生物生态学机制,实验和分析结果表明：(1)土壤盐碱含量是决定盐碱植物群落组成和分布的主导因素。在植物群落的生态分布上,表现出虎尾草群落、星星草群落和碱蓬群落对盐碱的耐性有逐渐增强的趋势。(2)在实验室控制条件下,群落的建群种碱蓬、星星草、虎尾草对盐碱生境的生理适应性依次减弱。(3)在盐碱含量不同的土壤上,星星草体内脯氨酸含量与土壤总含盐量,特别是土壤中Na+含量呈正相关,说明植物通过调节体内某些生理反应来适应盐碱生境。上述结果初步揭示了松嫩平原主要盐碱植物群落的生物生态学机制。     

Effects of anoxia on root ultrastructure of four neotropical trees

Summary. The root ultrastructure of seedlings grown in anaerobic conditions was investigated in four neotropical species: Sesbania virgata, Erythrina speciosa, Sebastiania commersoniana (all present in waterlogged or flooded areas), and Schizolobium parahyba (that occupies mainly dry areas). Anaerobiosis induced an increase in the size of mitochondria, dilatation of cristae and of the endoplasmic reticulum, and fragmentation or concentric arrangement of reticulum saccules. The ultrastructural alterations were reversible only for S. virgata and E. speciosa. The seedlings of S. parahyba and S. commersoniana were more sensitive to oxygen deprivation and presented extensive cell disruption. The results are discussed in terms of energy supply.Correspondence and reprints (present address): Departamento de Biologia Animal e Vegetal, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P.O. Box 6001, 86051-970, Londriná, Paraná, Brazil.