江苏潮滩湿地不同生境互花米草形态与生物量分配特征

通过对江苏潮滩湿地不同生境互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)种群生境特征、形态与生物量分配特征的分析,研究籽实成熟期互花米草形态与生物量分配特征及其影响因素.结果表明:(1)江苏潮滩湿地自海向陆不同生境间互花米草单株地上生物量、各形态指标、叶生物量比、繁殖分配Ⅰ和繁殖分配Ⅱ差异均显著(P<0.05),且与形态指标及其他生物量分配指标相比,繁殖分配的变异系数最大.(2)互花米草发生地米草生长时间最长,各形态指标(除种子数外)及单株地上生物量均最高;定居时间为1 a的米草各形态指标及单株地上生物量均最低.互花米草单株地上生物量及各形态指标分别与种群定居时间之间均呈正相关关系,其中单株地上生物量、茎长、叶长、叶宽、茎直径和种子数与种群定居时间均在α=0.01或α=0.05水平上呈显著正相关.(3)互花米草各形态指标(除种子数外)与土壤有机质、土壤总氮间均在α=0.01或α=0.05水平上呈显著正相关,土壤有机质与总氮是引起互花米草形态特征差异的重要因素.(4)互花米草各生物量分配指标与种群定居时间及土壤环境因子间在大多数情况下相关不显著,在特定的生境中互花米草特殊的生物量分配特征可能是其适应并成功入侵江苏潮滩湿地不同生境的重要原因之一.     

长江口滨海湿地芦苇和白茅形态和生长特征对地下水位的响应

芦苇是长江口地区滨海滩涂湿地主要建群种,如何控制白茅扩散、维持原生植被已成为滨海湿地管理亟待解决的生态问题之一.以长江口崇明东滩湿地为研究对象,通过野外调查滨海湿地芦苇(Phragmites australis)和白茅(Imperata cylindrica)种群特征,比较3个不同地下水位(低、中、高水位)条件下芦苇与白茅幼苗和成株生长特征.结果表明:对幼苗而言,地下水位对芦苇单株生长特征影响不显著,地下水位升高会促进芦苇种群密度增加,而显著限制白茅种群密度增加;对成株而言,在单株水平,中水位芦苇株高、基径、叶面积和地上生物量以及相对生长速率显著高于低水位和高水位,并且芦苇相对于白茅的生长优势在中水位条件下最为明显.除株高和基径以外,白茅的其它生长指标在3个地下水位梯度间均无明显差异;在种群水平,芦苇种群植株密度,叶面积指数,叶、茎和地上生物量随着地下水位升高而逐渐升高,在高水位达到最优.与芦苇相反,白茅种群植株密度,叶面积指数,叶、茎和地上生物量随着地下水位升高而逐渐降低,在低水位生长最好.虽然白茅在单株水平上生长不如芦苇,但是凭借其极强的无性繁殖能力在芦苇群落中迅速扩散,与芦苇竞争光照、水分等资源,并且在地下水位较低的条件下白茅种群生长尤为旺盛.因此,在植物幼苗阶段通过人工水位调控适当提高地下水位可以抑制中生性植物白茅的生长,从而有助于恢复东滩湿地以芦苇为单优势种的湿地群落结构和功能.     

九寨沟自然保护区4种水深梯度下芦苇分株地上生物量的分配与生长

芦苇是世界自然遗产--九寨沟自然保护区的一种重要的湿地植物.本文对该地区芦苇海4个不同水深梯度下芦苇的无性系地上分株的生物量分配、生长与繁殖策略进行了比较研究.结果表明,在47 cm (水在土层表面上)水深环境中,芦苇单株的平均生物量(4.2 g)最大.在-15 cm (水在土层表面下15 cm)的生境中,叶生物量百分比(叶生物量占单株总生物量的百分比, 46.1%)最大.芦苇地上分株高度、地上分株有分枝的单株百分比(茎上有分枝的分株占样地总分株的百分数)也存在明显的差别.茎的生物量分配百分比和生长速率随水深的增加而增加.在滩地生境中,开花率、花序的生物量百分比明显大于水较深的生境.分株株高与分株生物量、茎生物量与叶生物量都表现出较明显的幂指数异速生长规律.在-15 cm水深的生境中,叶生物量的生长快于茎的增长;在其他水深梯度的生境中,则是茎生物量的增加快于叶生物量的增加.     

不同光照和淹浸程度对木榄幼苗生长的综合效应

光照和淹水是影响无瓣海桑(Sonneratia apetala)林下乡土红树自然更新的主要限制因子。为了探究光照和水淹对木榄(Bruguiera gymnorrhiza)幼苗生长的影响,运用潮汐模拟系统培养木榄幼苗,设置淹水9、12、15和18 h,光照30%、60%和100%,共12个光照+淹水交互处理组合,研究木榄幼苗的叶数、节数、高度、叶生物量、茎生物量、根生物量及总生物量等7项指标。结果表明,(1)光照处理对木榄幼苗叶数、节数和高度影响均不显著,节数和叶数随光照强度增加而增多,高度随光照强度增加而降低;叶、茎、根及总生物量随光照强度的增加而升高,淹水时间9 h和12 h处理组,叶、茎、根及总生物量随光照强度的增加显著升高,淹水18h时差异不显著。(2)淹水处理对叶数、节数和高度影响均不显著,节数随淹水时间增加而增多,叶数和高度随淹水时间增加呈先增加后降低趋势;光照30%时,叶、茎、根及总生物量呈先升后降再升再降低的趋势;光照60%和100%处理组,木榄幼苗叶、茎、根及总生物量呈先升高后降低趋势,各部分生物量在光照100%处理组中差异显著,光照60%和30%处理组生物量差异不显著。(3)光照-淹水交互处理对叶数、节数和高度影响均不显著,节数以18 h100%组最多,叶数以12 h100%组最多,高度以12 h30%组最高;对叶、茎、根及总生物量有显著影响,其最大的处理组合均为12 h100%。(4)结合相关性分析可知,叶数、茎生物量、叶生物量和根生物量与这些环境因素显著相关,节数和高度与其他指标相关性不显著。主成分分析得出光照对木榄幼苗的适应性生长起到关键作用,光照60%～100%和淹水时间9～12 h对木榄幼苗生长有促进作用。     

豆禾混播草地群落稳定性的比较

连续13年测定了由白三叶(Trifolium repens)、多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne)等5种牧草混播形成的群落的地七生物量,以比较各群落的稳定性.结果表明,地上生物量与物种数成正比,复杂组合的地上生物量高于简单组合.V4组合[红三叶(Trifolium pratense)+白三叶(T.repens)+多年生黑麦草(L.perenne)+无芒雀麦(Bromus inermis Leyss)+紫羊茅(Festucarubra)]地上生物量最高.与其它群落比较差异极显著p<0.01);V1组合[(红三叶(T.pratense)+多年生黑麦草(L.perenne)]对杂草的抗性和竞争力最差,群落最不稳定;V3组合(白三叶+紫羊茅)对杂草具有很强的抗性和竞争力,群落稳定性最好.     

云南红豆杉活性成分10-DAB累积分布规律

为研究云南红豆杉10-DAB的累积规律及单株10-DAB累积量,采用HPLC法测定不同海拔、不同生长时期、不同采收期的云南红豆杉枝叶中10-DAB含量,同时测定枝叶生物量.结果显示:红豆杉中10-DAB累积受季节影响显著,从4月份到10月份呈现逐渐递增趋势,10月份10-DAB累积达到最高,之后呈下降趋势;生长年限为2年时,其10-DAB累积最高,且与3、4、5年相比具有显著差异(P0.05),之后随生长年限增加10-DAB累积逐年下降;10-DAB累积在海拔(900±50) m以下无显著性差异(P 0.05),高于(900±50) m后随海拔增加而降低,且与(500±50) m相比有极显著性差异(P0.01);生长年限相较于海拔,权重占比更大,对10-DAB的累积影响更大;从单株10-DAB累积量来看,海拔高于900 m,单株枝叶10-DAB累积量随海拔升高而呈下降趋势;3年生单株枝叶10-DAB累积量大于2、4和5年生,单株10-DAB累积量最高可达0.697±0.026 g.本研究表明,生长年限、季节、海拔、生物量均显著影响云南红豆杉单株10-DAB累积量,适宜种植云南红豆杉10-DAB药用原料林的最佳海拔范围应在500-900 m,最佳采收生长年限为第3-4年,采收季节10月份;结果可为云南红豆杉最佳生长条件的选择及科学采收提供理论依据.(图6表2参33)     

放牧对克氏针茅功能性状的影响

植物功能性状是植物对周围环境的适应及响应,进一步了解植物的功能性状,对于深入了解由放牧导致的草地退化具有重要意义。于内蒙古大学生态学研究基地开展4年(2012-2015年)放牧控制试验,通过研究克氏针茅(Stipa krylovii)在放牧干扰下的个体功能性状,探讨内蒙古典型草地生态系统中克氏针茅对放牧的响应和适应对策。2016年,在克氏针茅种群生物量高峰期(8月)测定了连续4年放牧(2012-2015年)和无牧条件下(对照)的植株高度(PH)、总叶面积(TLA)、茎叶比(SLW)、茎质量(SW)、总质量(AB)、总叶质量(TLQ)、比叶面积(SLA)、叶数(LN)、营养枝数(NNB)、丛幅(WCC)共10个性状指标。结果表明:(1)4年放牧显著降低了植株高度和比叶面积(P0.05),与对照相比,植株高度和比叶面积分别下降了31%和58%;显著增加了克氏针茅的营养枝数和叶数(P0.05);与对照相比,营养枝数与叶数分别增加了50%和63%;(2)其中比叶面积、营养枝数、叶数这3个功能性状为敏感性指标,其余7个为惰性指标;(3)生物量与株高、茎质量、营养枝数、总叶质量、茎叶比、丛幅、叶面积、和叶数存在极显著的正相关关系(P0.01),与比叶面积呈现显著负相关关系;(4)株高、茎质量、总叶质量、总质量、丛幅、叶面积之间存在显著正相关关系。该研究认为,克氏针茅各功能性状对放牧干扰的不同响应,是其对干扰产生的生态对策,进而维持种群的稳定性。     

不同生育期入侵植物大狼把草的生物量分配格局及异速生长分析

生物量分配格局和异速生长关系与植物生态策略的形成密切相关,对探讨植物对环境的适应性,揭示入侵植物的入侵机制有着重要意义。目前,对于入侵植物不同生育期之间的生物量分配格局和异速生长关系的差异研究较少。以入侵植物大狼把草(Bidens frondosa)为研究对象,采用挖掘法和称重法对大狼把草苗期、营养期和繁殖期的生长特性和生物量分配格局进行研究,并利用标准化主轴估计(standardized major axis estimation,SMA)方法对构件形态特性与生物量间的异速生长关系进行分析。结果表明:株高、植株基径、分枝数和叶片数均随着生育期的推进而增加,根长、总叶面积和平均单叶叶面积均在营养期达到最高。叶生物量分配比在苗期最大(48.88%),茎生物量分配比在生殖期最大(59.89%);苗期和营养期根生物量分配比显著高于生殖期(P0.05),茎生物量分配比随生育期的推进而升高,而叶生物量分配比随生育期的推进而下降,且不同生育期间存在显著差异(P0.05)。大狼把草植株基径与各构件生物量间呈异速生长关系,总叶面积与茎、叶生物量大致呈等速生长关系,但不同生育期间、构件间的异速生长关系存在一定差异。可见,不同生育期大狼把草的生长特性、生物量分配格局及异速生长关系存在差异,显示了其灵活的生长和资源分配策略。     

鹤山针阔叶混交林的种群竞争初步研究

通过对鹤山针阔叶混交林种群竞争的研究发现,10年生同龄大叶相思—马尾松群落中,大叶相思生长良好,马尾松种群生长不良和死亡率高达72％;异龄大叶相思—湿地松群落内两种群均生长良好;马尾松、湿地松和大叶相思等纯 林内个体高度和胸径的分化差异小,而混交林内各种群个体高度和胸径分化差异大,尤其是大叶相思比针叶树种更明显;在考虑种群竞争指标时,个体枝叶的生物量或单位面积的生物量比植株数和构件更好;大叶相思—湿地松混交林总的生物量为69.091/hm~2,大叶相思—马尾松混交林为55.282/hm~2,这两个群落的生物量均低于7年生大叶相思纯林;营造针阔叶混交林时应以异龄块状混交方式为主。     

续断菊与玉米间作系统不同植物部位Cd、Pb分配特征

采用植物修复的方法对会泽铅锌矿周围受Cd、Pb污染的农用地进行修复,将超富集植物续断菊和农作物玉米在污染农用地间作种植,以减少农用地重金属含量,并获得合格的农产品。通过田间小区直接种植的方式,测定植物生物量及各器官重金属含量,研究续断菊(Sonchus asper L.Hill)与玉米(Zea mays L.)间作系统植物不同器官Cd、Pb分配特征。结果表明,(1)间作续断菊生物量相比单作增加了31.55%,间作玉米生物量相比单作增加了29.02%。(2)从拔节期到成熟期,间、单作玉米各器官Cd质量分数呈下降趋势。成熟期与拔节期相比,间作玉米根、茎、叶Cd质量分数分别降低了24.51%、29.06%、55.32%,单作玉米根、茎、叶Cd质量分数分别降低了22.05%、7.20%、45.02%。在不同时期,间作玉米根、叶Cd质量分数都低于单作玉米根、叶Cd质量分数。根部Cd质量分数在抽穗期和成熟期差异显著;叶部Cd质量分数在成熟期差异性显著;茎部Cd质量分数在抽穗期和成熟期呈现出单作大于间作,在成熟期差异显著。玉米各部位Pb质量分数呈现出先增加后下降趋势,且成熟期根、茎Pb质量分数小于拔节期,而该期叶Pb质量分数则大于拔节期。不同时期,间作玉米根、叶Pb质量分数小于单作玉米根、叶,根在抽穗期和成熟期Pb质量分数差异性显著;间作玉米籽粒Cd、Pb质量分数显著小于单作。(3)续断菊根部及地上部Cd质量分数随时间推移而呈现逐渐增加趋势,间作续断菊根部及地上部Cd质量分数分别增加16.88、15.45 mg·kg-1,单作续断菊根部及地上部Cd质量分数分别增加5.5、10.09 mg·kg-1,间作续断菊地上部Cd质量分数显著大于单作,间作根部大于单作根部,在抽穗期和成熟期出现显著差异。(4)间作、单作种植模式下土壤Cd、Pb质量分数均有下降,土壤Cd质量分数在间作模式下降25.99%,单作续断菊模式下降23.19%,单作玉米模式下降14.78%;土壤Pb质量分数在间作模式下降6.78%,单作续断菊模式下降7.53%,单作玉米模式下降7.23%。结果表明,续断菊和玉米间作促进了续断菊各部位对镉的积累量,同时抑制了玉米各部位镉的积累量。     

喀斯特地区长期草地利用制度对群落稳定性的影响

草地利用方式和混播组合对群落特性的长期影响不同。利用方式对白三叶（Trifolium repens）盖度没有显著影响,而混播组合与利用方式的交互作用影响显著。白三叶在宿营处理和刈割为主利用下的与鸭茅（Dactylis glomerata）混播中的比例最低,而在刈割利用和宿营处理的多年生黑麦草（Lolium perenne）组合中的盖度最高。混播组合对禾本科组分盖度影响不显著,但利用方式和交互作用有显著的作用,长期放牧绵羊的混播草地多年生黑麦草很少。混播组合对杂草密度、盖度和多样性指数的影响不明显,而利用方式和交互作用显著地影响杂草盖度和多样性指数。放牧草地中的杂草密度高于刈割草地的,其中放牧利用的白三叶/多年生黑麦草草地最高。放牧牛的草地杂草密度较少,而放牧绵羊的草地杂草较多。白三叶、禾本科牧草以及杂草的密度都显著地受混播组合、利用方式及其交互作用的影响,说明密度是一个敏感的指标。     

喀斯特地区长期草地利用制度对群落稳定性的影响

草地利用方式和混播组合对群落特性的长期影响不同。利用方式对白三叶(Trifolium repens)盖度没有显著影响,而混播组合与利用方式的交互作用影响显著。白三叶在宿营处理和刈割为主利用下的与鸭茅(Dactylis glomerata)混播中的比例最低,而在刈割利用和宿营处理的多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne)组合中的盖度最高。混播组合对禾本科组分盖度影响不显著,但利用方式和交互作用有显著的作用,长期放牧绵羊的混播草地多年生黑麦草很少。混播组合对杂草密度、盖度和多样性指数的影响不明显,而利用方式和交互作用显著地影响杂草盖度和多样性指数。放牧草地中的杂草密度高于刈割草地的,其中放牧利用的白三叶/多年生黑麦草草地最高。放牧牛的草地杂草密度较少,而放牧绵羊的草地杂草较多。白三叶、禾本科牧草以及杂草的密度都显著地受混播组合、利用方式及其交互作用的影响,说明密度是一个敏感的指标。     

Co-infection patterns and geographic distribution of a complex pathosystem targeted by pathogen-resistant plants

Increasingly, pathogen-resistant (PR) plants are being developed to reduce the agricultural impacts of disease. However PR plants also have the potential to result in increased invasiveness of nontarget host populations and so pose a potential threat to nontarget ecosystems. In this paper we use a new framework to investigate geographical variation in the potential risk associated with unintended release of genetically modified alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV)-resistant Trifolium repens (white clover) into nontarget host populations containing AMV, clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV), and white clover mosaic virus (WCIMV) in southeastern Australia. Surveys of 213 sites in 37 habitat types over a 300 000-km2 study region showed that T. repens is a significant weed of many high-conservation-value habitats in southeastern Australia and that AMV, ClYVV, and WClMV occur in 15-97% of nontarget host populations. However, T. repens abundance varied with site disturbance, habitat conservation value, and proximity to cropping, and all viral pathogens had distinct geographic distributions and infection patterns. Virus species frequently co-infected host plants and displayed nonindependent distributions within host populations, although co-infection patterns varied across the study region. Our results clearly illustrate the complexity of conducting environmental risk assessments that involve geographically widespread, invasive pasture species and demonstrate the general need for targeted, habitat- and pathosystem-specific studies prior to the process of tiered risk assessment.     

Modelling the abundance of three key plant species in New Zealand hill-pasture using a decision tree approach

Decision tree models were developed to investigate and predict the relative abundance of three key pasture plants [ryegrass (Lolium perenne), browntop (Agrostis capillaris), and white clover (Trifolium repens)] with integration of a geographical information system (GIS) in a naturalised hill-pasture in the North Island, New Zealand, and were compared with regression models with respect to model fit and predictive accuracy. The results indicated that the decision tree models had a better model fit in terms of average squared error (ASE) and a higher percentage of adequately predicted cases in model validation than the corresponding regression models. These decision tree models clearly revealed the relative importance of environmental and management variables in influencing the abundance of these three species. Hill slope was the most significant environmental factor influencing the abundance of ryegrass while soil Olsen P and annual P fertilizer input were the most significant factors influencing the abundance of browntop, and white clover, respectively. Soil Olsen P of approximately 10 μg/g, or a slope of about 10.5° was critical points where the competition between ryegrass and browntop tended to come to an equilibrium. Integrating the decision tree models with a GIS in this study not only facilitated the model development and analyses, but also provided a useful decision support tool in pasture management such as in assisting precision fertilizer placement. The insights obtained from the decision tree models also have important implications for pasture management, for example, it is important to maintain a soil Olsen P higher than 10 μg/g in order to keep the dominance of ryegrass in the hill-pasture.     

半干旱区人工封育草场植物群落物种多样性与复杂性研究──以宁夏盐池为例

围栏封育促进植被恢复效果研究方法很多,其中通过研究植被的群落特征及物种多样性来阐述恢复状况仍是比较常用和有效的手段,但多样性测度对生物群落的自组织及有序性方面的特征描述欠缺,鉴于此,多样性与复杂性测度结合起来研究群落结构与功能显得更有意义。研究人工封育对植被恢复过程中群落的多样性与复杂性的影响,必然有助于揭示生态恢复过程机理。目前,利用多样性与复杂性测度相结合来对群落结构进行量化研究不多,用于对草原生态系统植物群落结构研究更少。本文通过样地调查,利用多样性和复杂性指数相结合定量研究半干旱区人工封育草场植物群落物种多样性、复杂性随封育年限的变化规律,并对比分析复杂性与物种多样性之间的相关性。结果表明,（1）老封育区、新封育区丰富度指数整体高于对照区,说明封育有利于物种丰富度的增加。但随封育时间的延长,封育区的优势种占据主要的资源空间,丰富度指数降低。长时间封育,草场植被丰富度将发生规律性波动变化,低峰值和高峰值出现频率均约为4~5年/次。老封育区、新封育区的SW、SP多样性指数值大部分也高于对照区,说明封育措施增加草场植被的多样性。物种多样性指数受降水影响显著,当降水量增加或减少时,多样性指数也相应出现增加或减少,但降水影响效应具有一定的滞后性。老封育区、新封育区均匀度变化比较平稳,且指数值高于对照区,说明封育有利于均匀度的增加。（2）老封育区、新封育区总复杂性指数、无序结构复杂性指数值大部分比对照区指数值高,且指数波动相对平稳,说明封育区群落结构比对照区稳定,更适合荒漠草原植被的生长,封育增加了群落总复杂性、无序结构复杂性。封育也提高群落有序结构复杂性,但?     

Long-Term Landscape Change and Bird Abundance in Amazonian Rainforest Fragments

Abstract:  The rainforests of the Amazon basin are being cut by humans at a rate >20,000 km²/year, leading to smaller and more isolated patches of forest, with remaining fragments often in the range of 1–100 ha. We analyzed samples of understory birds collected over 20 years from a standardized mist-netting program in 1– to 100-ha rainforest fragments in a dynamic Amazonian landscape near Manaus, Brazil. Across bird guilds, the condition of second growth immediately surrounding fragments was often as important as fragment size or local forest cover in explaining variation in abundance. Some fragments surrounded by 100 m of open pasture showed reductions in insectivorous bird abundance of over 95%, even in landscapes dominated by continuous forest and old second growth. These extreme reductions may be typical throughout Amazonia in small (≤10 ha), isolated fragments of rainforest. Abundance for some guilds returned to preisolation levels in 10- and 100-ha fragments connected to continuous forest by 20-year-old second growth. Our results show that the consequences of Amazonian forest loss cannot be accurately described without explicit consideration of vegetation dynamics in matrix habitat. Any dichotomous classification of the landscape into "forest" and "nonforest" misses essential information about the matrix.     

Biologically active secondary metabolites in white clover (Trifolium repens L.) – a review focusing on contents in the plant, plant–pest interactions and transformation

Summary.  To exploit biologically active compounds from white clover (Trifolium repens L.) for suppressing weeds and soil-borne diseases, either as isolated products (biopesticides) or through cultivars with enhanced production of these compounds, the biologically active compounds must be identified, plant content measured, and their fate in soil known. The present review summarizes the published knowledge needed for such exploitation; providing essential information on structure and concentration of flavonols, flavones, condensed tannins, isoflavones, isoflavanones, pterocarpans, coumestans, cyanogenic glucosides, and saponins in healthy and stressed white clover plants. Various stresses and particular cultivars affect the concentrations of several of the compounds. Information on biological effects and the degradation/transformation of these compounds in plants or by microorganisms is available. There is no information on the degradation pathway in soil, the mechanisms of exudation and leaching of compounds from plants, and soil sorption properties of the compounds. The clover soil fatigue problem is increasing in grasslands and causes problems especially in organic farming. Research efforts focused on biological elements of clover soil fatigue have not explained it, and the influence of secondary metabolites has not been investigated. There are few investigations into the interaction between beneficial fungi/fungal-diseases and the occurrence of biologically active secondary metabolites in white clover plants. Such studies are critical to better understand beneficial fungi and pathogens.     

Bee community shifts with landscape context in a tropical countryside.

The ongoing scientific controversy over a putative "global pollination crisis" underscores the lack of understanding of the response of bees (the most important taxon of pollinators) to ongoing global land-use changes. We studied the effects of distance to forest, tree management, and floral resources on bee communities in pastures (the dominant land-use type) in southern Costa Rica. Over two years, we sampled bees and floral resources in 21 pastures at three distance classes from a large (approximately 230-ha) forest patch and of three common types: open pasture; pasture with remnant trees; and pasture with live fences. We found no consistent differences in bee diversity or abundance with respect to pasture management or floral resources. Bee community composition, however, was strikingly different at forest edges as compared to deforested countryside only a few hundred meters from forest. At forest edges, native social stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) comprised approximately 50% of the individuals sampled, while the alien honeybee Apis mellifera made up only approximately 5%. Away from forests, meliponines dropped to approximately 20% of sampled bees, whereas Apis increased to approximately 45%. Meliponine bees were also more speciose at forest edge sites than at a distance from forest, their abundance decreased with continuous distance to the nearest forest patch, and their species richness was correlated with the proportion of forest cover surrounding sample sites at scales from 200 to 1200 m. Meliponines and Apis together comprise the eusocial bee fauna of the study area and are unique in quickly recruiting foragers to high-quality resources. The diverse assemblage of native meliponine bees covers a wide range of body sizes and flower foraging behavior not found in Apis, and populations of many bee species (including Apis), are known to fluctuate considerably from year to year. Thus, the forest-related changes in eusocial bee communities we found may have important implications for: (1) sustaining a diverse bee fauna in tropical countryside; (2) ensuring the effective pollination of a diverse native plant community; and (3) the efficiency and stability of agricultural pollination, particularly for short-time-scale, mass-flowering crops such as coffee.     

Modelling the movement and survival of the root-feeding clover weevil,Sitona lepidus,in the root-zone of white clover

White clover (Trifolium repens) is an important pasture legume but is often difficult to sustain in a mixed sward because, among other things, of the damage to roots caused by the soil-dwelling larval stages of S. lepidus. Locating the root nodules on the white clover roots is crucial for the survival of the newly hatched larvae. This paper presents a numerical model to simulate the movement of newly hatched S. lepidus larvae towards the root nodules, guided by a chemical signal released by the nodules. The model is based on the diffusion–chemotaxis equation. Experimental observations showed that the average speed of the larvae remained approximately constant, so the diffusion–chemotaxis model was modified so that the larvae respond only to the gradient direction of the chemical signal but not its magnitude. An individual-based lattice Boltzmann method was used to simulate the movement of individual larvae, and the parameters required for the model were estimated from the measurement of larval movement towards nodules in soil scanned using X-ray microtomography. The model was used to investigate the effects of nodule density, the rate of release of chemical signal, the sensitivity of the larvae to the signal, and the random foraging of the larvae on the movement and subsequent survival of the larvae. The simulations showed that the most significant factors for larval survival were nodule density and the sensitivity of the larvae to the signal. The dependence of larval survival rate on nodule density was well fitted by the Michealis–Menten kinetics.     

Effect of rhizosphere on soil microbial community and pyrene biodegradation

To access the influence of a vegetation on soil microorganisms toward organic pollutant biogegration, this study examined the rhizospheric effects of four plant species (sudan grass, white clover, alfalfa, and fescue) on the soil microbial community and in-situ pyrene (PYR) biodegradation. The results indicated that the spiked PYR levels in soils decreased substantially compared to the control soil without planting. With equal planted densities, the efficiencies of PYR degradation in rhizosphere with sudan grass, white clover, alfalfa and fescue were 34.0%, 28.4%, 27.7%, and 9.9%, respectively. However, on the basis of equal root biomass the efficiencies were in order of white clover >> alfalfa > sudan > fescue. The increased PYR biodegradation was attributed to the enhanced bacterial population and activity induced by plant roots in the rhizosphere. Soil microbial species and biomasses were elucidated in terms of microbial phospholipid ester-linked fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed significant changes in PLFA pattern in planted and non-planted soils spiked with PYR. Total PLFAs in planted soils were all higher than those in non-planted soils. PLFA assemblages indicated that bacteria were the primary PYR degrading microorganisms, and that Gram-positive bacteria exhibited higher tolerance to PYR than Gram-negative bacteria did.