Responses of evergreen and deciduous Quercus species to enhanced ozone levels

Plants of one evergreen oak (Quercus ilex) and three deciduous oaks (Q. faginea, with small leaves; Q. pyrenaica and Q. robur, with large leaves) were exposed both to filtered air and to enhanced ozone levels in Open-Top Chambers. Q. faginea and Q. pyrenaica were studied for the first time. Based on visible injury, gas exchange, chlorophyll content and biomass responses, Q. pyrenaica was the most sensitive species, and Q. ilex was the most tolerant, followed by Q. faginea. Functional leaf traits of the species were related to differences in sensitivity, while accumulated ozone flux via stomata (POD_1.6) partly contributed to the observed differences. For risk assessment of Mediterranean vegetation, the diversity of responses detected in this study should be taken into account, applying appropriate critical levels.     

武汉市主要绿化树种滞尘效应研究

本实验对武汉市城区主干道主要绿化树种的滞尘效应与叶表面结构进行了研究。结果表明：（1）同一尘源条件下，不同树种的滞尘能力差异显著。乔木中悬铃木滞尘能力较高，可达6.9345 g/m²；小乔木中紫薇和紫叶李是滞尘能力较高的树种，滞尘能力分别为1.9543 g/m²和1.8790 g/m²；灌木中红花檵木和杜鹃等有较强的滞尘能力，分别可达4.0373 g/m²和3.8875 g/m²；（2）利用扫描电镜观察叶表面结构发现：叶表具毛被、褶皱、较深的不规则网格等特征的树种滞尘能力较高，叶表平滑或叶表网格结构规则且较浅时滞尘能力较低；（3）同一树种在不同的尘源条件下滞尘能力差异显著，空气中颗粒物浓度越高，滞尘能力也越大。以车流量近似模拟尘源条件表明，滞尘能力与车流量呈正相关。     

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids and pentacyclic triterpene saponins in the defensive secretions of Platyphora leaf beetles

Summary. Field collected exocrine defensive secretions of nine neotropical Platyphora species were analyzed for the presence of plant acquired pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and pentacyclic triterpene saponins. All species secrete saponins. In addition, five species feeding on Tournefortia (Boraginaceae), Koanophyllon (Asteraceae, tribe Eupatorieae) and Prestonia (Apocynaceae) were shown to sequester PAs of the lycopsamine type, which are characteristic for species of the three plant families. The PA sequestering species commonly store intermedine, lycopsamine and their O^3′-acetyl or propionyl esters as well as O⁷- and O⁹-hydroxyisovaleryl esters of retronecine. The latter as well as the O^3′-acyl esters were not found in the beetles’ host plants, suggesting the ability of the beetles to esterify plant derived retronecine and intermedine or its stereoisomers. Despite the conformity of the beetles’ PA patterns, considerable inconsistencies exist regarding the PA patterns of the respective host plants. One host plant was devoid of PAs, while another contained only simple necines. Since the previous history of the field collected beetles was unknown this discrepancy remains obscure. In contrast to the Palearctic chrysomeline leaf beetles, e.g. some Oreina species which ingest and store PAs as their non-toxic N-oxides, Platyphora leaf beetles absorb and store PAs as the toxic free base (tertiary PA), but apparently avoid to accumulate PAs in the haemolymph. This suggests that Chrysolina and Platyphora leaf beetles developed different lines of adaptations in their parallel evolution of PA mediated chemical defense. Received 30 November 2000; accepted 5 February 2001     

大叶女贞叶面结构对滞留颗粒物粒径的影响

为分析叶面微结构对滞留颗粒物粒径的影响,以分布较广的常绿植物——大叶女贞为研究对象,用激光粒度分析仪(湿法)测定叶面尘的粒径分布,用扫描电子显微镜和原子力显微镜观察叶面微结构;并用图像处理软件(图像法)分析叶面颗粒物的粒径特征,探讨不同测定方法对叶面颗粒物粒径分布的可能影响.结果表明,大叶女贞叶面滞留颗粒物粒径呈双峰分布,湿法测定的颗粒物粒径范围为0.4～ 52.6μm,粒径峰值为18.9 μm、36.2 μm,粒径均值为8.8 μm;图像法测定的颗粒物粒径范围为0.4～27.8 μm,粒径峰值为17.5μm、27.8μm,粒径均值为7.2μm.叶表面分布有大量的突起和凹陷,凹陷直径介于0.6～ 30 μm,直径小于2.5μm和10 μm的凹陷约占到总量的50％和80％.可吸入颗粒物(PM10)和细颗粒物(PM2.5)主要滞留在叶表的凹陷结构中,有少量粒径大于10 μm的颗粒物滞留在突起之上.PM2.5和PM10的体积分数仅占滞尘总量的17.9％和50.4％(湿法)、16.8％和45.9％(图像法),但数量多于大粒径颗粒物,这与小粒径的颗粒在个数上占优势、但大粒径的颗粒则对叶面滞留颗粒物的质量(或体积)贡献较大有关.叶背面颗粒物附着密度较正面小,PM2.5等颗粒物多分布在气孔周围,有少量颗粒物沉积在气孔上,从而堵塞气孔.     

Evaluation of antioxidant potentials of Morinda morindoides leaf extract

This study investigated antioxidant status of animals given aqueous extract of Morinda morindoides leaves using the levels of reduced glutathione, total-thiol, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as malondialdehyde concentrations as indices, and its in vitro antioxidant capacity. Thirty rats divided into five groups were used. Group A served as control and were administered distilled water while groups B, C, D, and E were given 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg per kilogram body weight of water-extracted constituents of M. morindoides for 28 days. Total phenolic compounds amounted to 83.6 ± 5.9 mg g^?1 gallic acid equivalent, while total flavonoid content was 9.5 ± 0.9 mg g^?1 pyrocathecol equivalent. Malondialdehyde in plasma was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner, ranging from 21% in groups B and C to 84% in groups D and E. Vitamins C and E were significantly increased, in group E by 91% and 17% compared with control. Total thiols and glutathione in plasma were significantly increased, with group E having 2.5-fold and 4.2-fold higher values than control.     

Characteristics of Cajander Larch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix cajanderi</Emphasis> Mayr) on Dredging Waste Dumps in the Amur Region

Former dredging sites were studied in the taiga zone of the Amur region (in Khabarovsk Krai). The involvement of Larix cajanderi in plant succession on dredging waste dumps was revealed. Some morphological-anatomical parameters of L. cajanderi needles were compared in trees growing on the dumps and in adjacent open larch stands on waterlogged peaty soils.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 259–263.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Osipov, Burundukova.     

Ozone Deposition at a Forest Site in NE Bavaria

The dry deposition of ozone to aconiferous forest in northeastern Bavaria(southern Germany) was quantified during 1999with both the eddy correlation method and a bigleaf model. The model included parameterizationsof the atmospheric transfer resistances fromdirect measurements, stomatal resistance from aplant ecological model, and an estimation of thecuticle resistance as function of leaf wetness.Early in the season, the measured and themodelled deposition fluxes were in goodagreement, although the modelled fluxes tended tounderestimate the measured ones. Thisunderestimation was more pronounced in the latesummer, when high nocturnal fluxes werefrequently measured. The model parameterizationof the cuticle and the stomatal resistances didnot allow for such high fluxes. In these cases,the 24 hour average of the measured fluxes wereup to 4.5 times higher than the modelled ones.The reasons for these large discrepancies remainunknown. However, assigning the unaccounted partof the deposition to a nonstomatal surfacedeposition pathway, a new parameterization of therespective resistance yielded an average value of300 s m^-1. It exhibited a decreasing trendthrough the vegetation period.     

A Method for Evaluating the Morphological Diversity of Strawberry Leaves in Natural Populations

A method for comparing polymorphic characters is proposed. As an example, the morphological diversity of strawberry leaves is evaluated. Initially, the factors determining leaf shape and the main directions of its variation are identified. These directions are used as coordinates outlining the space of possible realizations of the character. The polymorphic sets of real leaves from individual populations differ in being located in different parts of this space.     

Ultrastructure effects of omethoate and cypermethrin insecticides on maize seedlings

Increasing studies suggest that insecticides are one of the plant stress elements that affect plant growth and productivity by interfering with cell metabolic and biochemical activities. Here, we show that the application of commonly used pesticides omethoate and cypermethrin on maize (Zea mays L. cv. Luyu 9) seedling leaves resulted in adverse effects on leaf ultrastructure changes under laboratory conditions. Electron microscopic studies reveal that the topical application of organophosphorus insecticide omethoate causes direct injury of leaf ultrastructures including cell wall breakdown of abaxial epidermis cells, inner cells, stomata guard cells; degradation of mitochondrial membrane, and chloroplast envelope membrane; and abnormal changes of lamella arrangement of chloroplast. And the topical application of cypermethrin insecticide causes plasmolysis of cells of the adaxial epidermis, mitochondrial cristae are degraded, and loosen arranged lamella of amyloplasts. All these changes indicated that omethoate and cypermethrin are stress factors that caused adverse effects on plant ultrastructures and biochemical molecules.     

开花后小麦地上部镉、砷分布及其转运特征

为了探明小麦开花后叶片和茎节对籽粒中镉(Cd)和砷(As)累积的影响效应,采用田间小区试验,研究了山农28(SN28)和济麦22(JM22)两个小麦品种地上部各器官Cd和As的分布规律和迁移特征.结果表明,在灌浆期,小麦地上部的Cd主要分布在节中,Cd由节间3到节2、节间2到节1和叶鞘1到节1的转运能力显著强于其他部位.在成熟期,Cd主要分布于叶片中,Cd由叶鞘到叶片和由节1到穗轴的转运能力显著增强.此外,JM22中颖壳到穗轴和穗轴到籽粒的Cd转运能力显著低于SN28,使JM22的穗轴、颖壳和籽粒中Cd含量与SN28相比分别显著降低了22.3%、 40.8%和44.4%.同时,从灌浆期到成熟期小麦地上部的As主要分布于叶片中,且JM22颖壳和籽粒中As含量显著低于SN28,降幅分别为25.8%和33.3%.在灌浆期和成熟期,小麦中As转运系数由叶鞘到节显著高于叶到叶鞘和节到节间,平均增幅为438%和190%.此外,JM22中As由颖壳到籽粒和穗轴到籽粒的转运系数分别比SN28显著降低40.6%和44.4%.总之,开花后小麦旗叶、节1和穗轴调控了Cd转运及其在籽粒的累积,而小麦的叶3、旗...