Sex-specific effects of parasites on telomere dynamics in a short-lived passerine—the blue tit

The pollination syndrome concept implies that flowers evolved with particular sets of characteristics, such as colors, shapes, orientations, and rewards, as a means of attracting pollinators. However, these traits may have also evolved to deter unwanted visitors. The North American genus Penstemon exhibits a great floral diversity that is mainly associated with bumblebee and hummingbird pollination. Evolutionary shifts from insect pollination to hummingbird pollination have occurred in Penstemon repeatedly, but some species maintain mixed-pollination systems and intermediate floral traits between bee- and hummingbird-pollination modes. The apparently intermediate floral traits of species with mixed-pollination systems might be potentially acting to deter bumblebee foragers. Then, bird-flower traits might be selected with increased hummingbird visitation over evolutionary time might, resulting in specialization to and the evolution of floral traits present in hummingbird-pollinated species. Here, we modified bee-pollination floral traits in Penstemon gentianoides with a mixed pollination system, to resemble hummingbird-pollination traits, and measured the effects of trait modification on bumblebee foraging behavior and plant female reproductive fitness. Our results showed that reduction in the width of the corolla tube and the absence of the corolla lip negatively affects bumblebee visitation and their efficiency as pollinators, and that the synergistic interaction of both traits enhanced the “anti-bee” effect. We conclude that acquisition of floral traits that resemble those of hummingbird-pollination enables Penstemon plant species to deter bumblebee visits.

     

Pollination syndromes ignored: importance of non-ornithophilous flowers to Neotropical savanna hummingbirds

Generalization prevails in flower–animal interactions, and although animal visitors are not equally effective pollinators, most interactions likely represent an important energy intake for the animal visitor. Hummingbirds are nectar-feeding specialists, and many tropical plants are specialized toward hummingbird-pollination. In spite of this, especially in dry and seasonal tropical habitats, hummingbirds may often rely on non-ornithophilous plants to meet their energy requirements. However, quantitative studies evaluating the relative importance of ornithophilous vs. non-ornithophilous plants for hummingbirds in these areas are scarce. We here studied the availability and use of floral resources by hummingbirds in two different areas of the Cerrado, the seasonal savannas in Central Brazil. Roughly half the hummingbird visited plant species were non-ornithophilous, and these contributed greatly to increase the overall nectar availability. We showed that mean nectar offer, at the transect scale, was the only parameter related to hummingbird visitation frequency, more so than nectar offer at single flowers and at the plant scale, or pollination syndrome. Centrality indices, calculated using hummingbird–plant networks, showed that ornithophilous and non-ornithophilous plants have similar importance for network cohesion. How this foraging behaviour affects reproduction of non-ornithophilous plants remains largely unexplored and is probably case specific, however, we suggest that the additional energy provided by non-ornithophilous plants may facilitate reproduction of truly ornithophilous flowers by attracting and maintaining hummingbirds in the area. This may promote asymmetric hummingbird–plant associations, i.e., pollination depends on floral traits adapted to hummingbird morphology, but hummingbird visitation is determined more by the energetic "reward" than by pollination syndromes.     

Degradation of Populus euphratica community in the lower reaches of the Tarim River, Xinjiang, China

IntroductionRiparian systems are aquatic-terrestrial ecotones withunique biotic , biophysical and landscape characteristics(Gregory, 1991 ; Naiman, 1997 ; Wiens , 2002) and areshaped by fluvial geomorphic processes . Riparian plantcommunities perform an i…     

The plant physical features selected by wildcats as signal posts: an economic approach to fecal marking

The chemical signals of solitary and territorial felid species are essential for their intraspecific communication. We studied the selection of plant substrates during the fecal marking behavior of the European wildcat Felis silvestris from September 2008 to June 2009 in a protected area in Northwest Spain. The aim of the study was to examine the selection of plants as signal posts with respect to their physical characteristics. We hypothesized that wildcats deposit their fecal marks on plants with physical characteristics (e.g., size, species, and visual conspicuousness) that enhance the olfactory and visual effectiveness of the signal. Our results indicate that diameter, plant group, visual conspicuousness, and interaction between the diameter and plant group influence the decision of wildcats to deposit their fecal marks on plants. The wildcats chose plants with greater diameters and greater visual conspicuousness as scent-marking posts. Moreover, the wildcats chose woody and herbaceous plants, and certain plant species were marked more frequently than expected at random. Indeed, our results indicate that the fecal marks were not randomly distributed on the plants: the wildcats chose to place their marks on plants with certain physical characteristics that maximized the detectability of the signal by intruders and potential mates, thus facilitating the spatial distribution of the species.     

Insect pollinated plants benefit from organic farming

Organic farming is predicted to enhance diversity in agroecosystems. This study addresses the question of whether the often observed positive effect of organic farming on arable weed and pollinator diversity results in a significant shift in arable weed community structure towards a higher proportion of insect pollinated species in organic crop fields. To examine whether plant community patterns were consistent with this hypothesis, arable weed communities were compared with respect to the type of pollination (i.e. insect pollination versus non-insect pollination) in the edges and centres of 20 organic and 20 conventional wheat fields. Plant species numbers of both pollination types were much higher in organic than in conventional fields and higher in the field edge than in the field centre. A comparison of the proportions of both pollination types to all plant species revealed that the relative number of insect pollinated species was higher in organic than in conventional fields and higher at the field edge than in the field centre, whereas the relative number of non-insect pollinated species was higher in conventional fields and in the field centre. Our results show that insect pollinated plants benefit disproportionately from organic farming, which appeared to be related to higher pollinator densities in organic fields, whereas in the centres of conventional fields non-insect pollinated plants dominate presumably due to a limitation of pollinators. Hence, disruption of plant-pollinator interactions due to agricultural intensification may cause important shifts in plant community structure.     

Ant–plant–herbivore interactions in the neotropical cerrado savanna

The Brazilian cerrado savanna covers nearly 2 million km² and has a high incidence on foliage of various liquid food sources such as extrafloral nectar and insect exudates. These liquid rewards generate intense ant activity on cerrado foliage, making ant–plant–herbivore interactions especially prevalent in this biome. We present data on the distribution and abundance of extrafloral nectaries in the woody flora of cerrado communities and in the flora of other habitats worldwide, and stress the relevance of liquid food sources (including hemipteran honeydew) for the ant fauna. Consumption by ants of plant and insect exudates significantly affects the activity of the associated herbivores of cerrado plant species, with varying impacts on the reproductive output of the plants. Experiments with an ant–plant–butterfly system unequivocally demonstrate that the behavior of both immature and adult lepidopterans is closely related to the use of a risky host plant, where intensive visitation by ants can have a severe impact on caterpillar survival. We discuss recent evidence suggesting that the occurrence of liquid rewards on leaves plays a key role in mediating the foraging ecology of foliage-dwelling ants, and that facultative ant–plant mutualisms are important in structuring the community of canopy arthropods. Ant-mediated effects on cerrado herbivore communities can be revealed by experiments performed on wide spatial scales, including many environmental factors such as soil fertility and vegetation structure. We also present some research questions that could be rewarding to investigate in this major neotropical savanna.     

长春市主要街路代表性植物叶片铅含量分析

应用火焰原子吸收光谱法,对长春市14条主要街路交通密集地段两侧绿化带中采集到的12种代表性植物叶片的铅含量进行了分析。结果表明,植物叶片的铅含量范围在8.20 mg/kg～58.5 mg/kg之间,平均值为19.7 mg/kg。木本植物叶片的平均铅富集能力略低于草本植物,并且木本植物叶片平均铅含量的空间变异性较大;木本植物中杨树叶片的平均铅富集能力最强而榆树最低,草本植物中绣线菊的叶片平均铅富集能力最强而八宝景天最低;草本植物中绣线菊的叶片在所有供试植物叶片中平均铅富集能力最强,其次为木本植物中杨树的叶片,而草本植物中八宝景天的叶片平均铅富集能力最低。不同植物在同一街路以及同种植物在不同街路之间其叶片的铅含量都不同。     

西双版纳热带雨林榕树种群变化与环境的关系

植物物种的多样性在生态环境保护中具有重要的地位。西双版纳热带雨林生物多样性极为丰富,是我国生物多样性研究的关键地区。榕树是热带雨林中的关键植物类群之一,关于该地区榕树种群变化与环境关系的研究结果表明：①西双版纳热带雨林内已知榕属植物有69种、变种和亚种,其中榕亚属有23个种和变种;白肉榕亚属有4个种;聚果榕亚属有2个种和变种;无花果亚属有41个种、亚种和变种;西双版纳是中国榕树种群最丰富的地区。②榕树的分布与环境有着密切的关系,榕树种类和数量以保护完好的热带原始雨林最为丰富,在该类环境中的榕以高大乔木、乔木为主;被破坏林地和次生林内的榕树种群则以小乔木、灌木、灌丛、木质藤本为主;而热带雨林环境破坏严重的地区中则以一部分先锋榕树种为主。③保护好热带雨林中的关键植物类群榕属,是保护和恢复热带雨林生态环境的重要措施之一。     

Relative sensitivities of woody plants to acid deposition in south areas of China

Relative sensitivities of 30 species of common woody plants to simulated acid rain with pH values of 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.5 and control were studied. The results showed that 6 species of these plants were sensitive to simulated acid rain. The moderate included 18 species. The resistant included 6. Relative sensitivities to ambient acid rain and air pollutants and visible injury degree of 30 species of common woody plants in Chongqing City were investigated. Results showed that 6 species with foliage lesion rate at above 10 percent were sensitive, that 6 species with no lesion were resistant and that other 18 species with lesion at 10 percent below were moderate. Other 7 cities (Guiyang, Zunyi, Duyun, Changsha, Zhuzhou, Liuzhou and Guilin City) were also investigated and results were consistent with those of Chongqing City. The experimental and investigated results showed relative sensitivities and visible injury degree of woody plants to simulated acid rain were consistent with those of the woody plant     

上海地区开发利用木本能源植物初探

阐述了能源植物的概念、开发利用能源植物的意义，以及能源植物的发展现状和趋势。重点论述了上海地区开发利用木本能源植物的必要性、可行性，并就如何开发利用木本能源植物提出了相关建议。     

8种木本植物对矿渣中重金属的吸收与富集研究

研究通过测定栽培在铅锌矿渣中的8种木本植物体内的Pb、Zn、Cu、Cd含量,分析比较了其吸收和富集4种重金属的能力。结果表明:Pb、Zn、Cu、Cd主要富集在植物根部,只有很少一部分重金属转移到植物地上部组织中,8种植物并非超富集植物,实地植物修复中可选取光皮树、黧蒴栲、楠木以及杜鹃作为修复铅锌污染土壤的潜力树种。     

Low abundance of long-tongued pollinators leads to pollen limitation in four specialized hawkmoth-pollinated plants in the Atlantic Rain forest,Brazil

Long-tubed hawkmoth-pollinated species present some of the most remarkable examples of floral specialization depending exclusively on long-tongued hawkmoths for sexual reproduction. Nonetheless, long-tongued hawkmoths do not rely exclusively on specialized plants as nectar sources, which may limit sexual reproduction through pollen limitation. However, very few studies have quantified the level of pollen limitation in plants with highly specialized floral traits in tropical regions. In this context, we studied four sympatric hawkmoth-pollinated species in a highland Atlantic Rain forest and assessed pollen limitation and their dependence on pollinators by analyzing the floral biology, breeding system, pollination mechanisms, and abundance of long-tongued pollinators. We showed that the four species are self-compatible, but are completely dependent on long-tongued hawkmoths to set fruits, and that flower visitation was infrequent in all plant species. Pollen limitation indices ranged from 0.53 to 0.96 showing that fruit set is highly limited by pollen receipt. Long-tongued moths are much less abundant and comprise only one sixth of the hawkmoth fauna. Pollen analyses of 578 sampled moths revealed that hawkmoths visited ca. 80 plant species in the community, but only two of the four species studied. Visited plants included a long-tubed hawkmoth-pollinated species endemic to the lowland forest ca. 15–20 km away from the study site. Specialization index (H ₂ ′?=?0.20) showed that community-level interactions between hawkmoths and plants are generalized. We suggest that sexual reproduction of these highly specialized hawkmoth-pollinated species is impaired by competition among plants for pollinators, in conjunction with the low abundance and diversity of long-tongued pollinators.     

冀南野生木本资源植物研究

冀南产野生木本资源植物200种，隶属43科91属。其中超过5种的科有13个，蔷薇科30种最多，其次为豆科24种，忍冬科、榆科、杨柳科均在10种以上。1、油松Pinustabulaeformis松科。木材可供建筑、电杆、矿柱、造船、家具及木纤维工业原料等用材；树干可提取松节油；树皮可提取栲胶     

陆生植物化感作用抑制藻类生长的研究进展

目前关于植物化感抑制藻类生长的研究主要集中于水生植物,陆生植物对藻类化感作用的研究相对较少.陆生植物具有分布广泛、生物量大、便于培植、容易收割、加工方便等特点,许多草本植物和木本植物体内含有丰富的化感物质,在抑制水中藻类生长和应急处置水华等方面具有良好的应用前景.根据国内外近年来对陆生植物关于抑制藻类生长的研究报道,按草本和木本分类,并以植物的科划分,较全面地评述了15科26种陆生植物化感作用的研究进展.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal phylogenetic groups differ in affecting host plants along heavy metal levels

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF） are important components of soil microbial communities,and play important role in plant growth. However, the effects of AMF phylogenetic groups（Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae） on host plant under various heavy metal levels are not clear. Here we conducted a meta-analysis to compare symbiotic relationship between AMF phylogenetic groups（Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae） and host plant functional groups（herbs vs. trees, and non-legumes vs. legumes） at three heavy metal levels. In the meta-analysis, we calculate the effect size（ln（RR）） by taking the natural logarithm of the response ratio of inoculated to non-inoculated shoot biomass from each study. We found that the effect size of Glomeraceae increased, but the effect size of non-Glomeraceae decreased under high level of heavy metal compared to low level. According to the effect size, both Glomeraceae and non-Glomeraceae promoted host plant growth, but had different effects under various heavy metal levels. Glomeraceae provided more benefit to host plants than non-Glomeraceae did under heavy metal condition, while non-Glomeraceae provided more benefit to host plants than Glomeraceae did under no heavy metal. AMF phylogenetic groups also differed in promoting plant functional groups under various heavy metal levels.Interacting with Glomeraceae, herbs and legumes grew better than trees and non-legumes did under high heavy metal level, while trees and legumes grew better than herbs and non-legumes did under medium heavy metal level. Interacting with non-Glomeraceae, herbs and legumes grew better than trees and non-legumes did under no heavy metal. We suggested that the combination of legume with Glomeraceae could be a useful way in the remediation of heavy metal polluted environment.     

Comparison of riparian plant communities under four land management systems in southwestern Wisconsin

Riparian plant community composition is influenced by moisture, erosion, original native plant communities, and current and past land use. This study compared riparian plant communities under four types of management: woody buffer strip, grassy buffer strip, rotational grazing, and continuous grazing. Study sites were located along spring-fed streams in the unglaciated region of southwestern Wisconsin, USA. At each site, plant community surveys were conducted using a point transect method. Among the treatments, woody buffer strips, rotationally grazed and continuously grazed riparian areas had greater plant species richness than grassy buffer strips, and woody buffer strips had the greatest native plant species richness. Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) was prevalent in grassy buffer strips (44% of all observations), common in woody buffer strips (15%), and rare in sites that were rotationally or continuously grazed (3 and 5%, respectively). Pasture sites had greater proportions of native grasses and grass relatives and moderate levels of overall native species richness. Considered a water quality best management practice, well-managed rotational grazing may be a reasonable alternative to buffer strips which can contribute to protection and enhancement of native vegetation biodiversity.     

滇西北与滇东南干热河谷植物群落物种多样性研究

环境变迁下生物多样性格局形成及维持机制研究是生物多样性研究的核心科学问题之一. 滇西北和滇东南两地曾在地质历史上具有相似森林植被,随着板块运移,两地出现明显环境区化,植被类型亦产生巨大变化,仅在两地干热河谷生长着相似外貌和类型的植物群落,而其物种组成和生物多样性格局有何异同尚不清晰. 该研究分别在怒江和元江干热河谷设置100 km样带,每间隔4 km布设样地,对其植被进行群落学调查. 通过计算两地不同生活型植物重要值、Alpha及Beta多样性指标,拟阐明起源相近、外貌相似的两地植被在环境变迁后群落物种组成及生物多样性的变化规律. 结果表明:①滇西北干热河谷共调查到维管植物125种(51科104属),滇东南干热河谷共调查到114种维管植物(44科102属). 滇西北乔木和灌木物种丰富度均略高于滇东南,草本反之. 滇西北乔木多度极显著高于滇东南(P<0.01),灌木多度未出现显著性差异,草本多度滇东南显著高于滇西北(P<0.05). ②从科水平分析,滇西北和滇东南乔木和草本优势科组成种类相似,但灌木优势科组成种类差异性较大. 从种水平分析发现,两地乔木优势种种类差异较大,而灌木和草本组成相似. ③滇西北植物群落Shannon-Wiener指数、Simpson指数均略低于滇东南,但无显著性差异,而Pielou指数显著低于滇东南(P<0.05). 滇西北干热河谷植物群落中优势种单一,物种分布具有聚集性;滇东南植物群落物种分布较均匀,物种多样性丰富. ④两地植物群落之间相异性系数较高,处于极不相似水平,群落间生境差异性较大,不同生活型植物Beta多样性差异极显著(P<0.001),其中以灌木物种组成的相异性最大. 研究显示,起源相近、外貌相似的滇西北与滇东南干热河谷的植物群落物种组成存在明显差异,Alpha多样性差异不明显,Beta多样性存在显著性差异,环境变迁后区域环境差异改变了植物群落结构.      

陈家大院泡湖泊湿地植物多样性研究

研究陈家大院泡湖泊湿地植物多样性规律对于改善大庆市萨尔图区的生态环境,了解物种群落丰富度具有重要意义.通过野外样地调查,分析了陈家大院泡湖泊湿地植物群落组成,并计算了植物群落多样性特征指数,包括Margalef指数,Simpson指数,Shannon-wiener指数和Pielou均匀度指数,结果表明,研究区湖泊湿地共有38种植物,分别隶属于18科34属,除榆树为木本植物外,有36种草本植物以及1种藓类植物.经数据处理后得出,每个样方平均含有3个物种,植株个体数目平均为115,Margalef指数平均值为0.567,Simpson指数平均值为0.814,Shannon-wiener指数平均值为0.313,Pielou均匀度指数平均值为0.267.由此看出,陈家大院泡湖泊湿地植物多样性水平较低,植物群落组成较为单一,生态环境脆弱.     

四川盆地木本固氮资源和利用途径

通过野外调查和试验,应用乙炔还原法检测根瘤固氮酶活性,每次列出四川盆地的木本固氮资源名录,并研究了它们的结瘤固氮特征和生态特性,提出了开发利用木本固氮资源的五种基本途径。     

浙江沿海无居民海岛植物群落物种组成及多样性

无居民海岛是自然资源的宝库,人类活动对无居民海岛的影响日益剧烈,掌握它们的植物群落物种组成和多样性现状有利于进行海岛植被多样性的监测和保护。本文运用植物群落生态学方法,对浙江沿海5个无居民海岛的植被物种组成及多样性进行了研究。结果如下:(1)调查区域共记录到高等植物77科,166属,226种,其中草本151种,木本植物75种。基于双向指示种分析方法(TWINSPAN)分析,将该区域植物群落分为17个类型。(2)17个群落的物种Shannon指数均在1.91?—?2.60,Pielou指数(均匀度指数)值在0.80附近浮动,Margalef指数(丰富度指数)在1.86?—?3.80,各个群落的丰富度指数与多样性指数变化趋势大体一致,与群落均匀度无明显关系。植物区系成分多样,主要为泛热带成分和北温带成分。本研究可为我国沿海无居民海岛的资源保护及其开发利用提供科学数据。