Rangeland dynamics of southern Ethiopia: (2). Assessment of woody vegetation structure in relation to land use and distance from water in semi-arid Borana rangelands

The structure and advancement of woody vegetation was studied in a semi-arid rangeland of southern Ethiopia under three land-use systems (communal land, a government ranch and a traditional grazing reserve enclosure) and along a distance gradient (near, middle and far) from water sources. A total of 54 woody plant species were identified. Based on the subjective opinions of the pastoralists, 85% of the identified woody plants have forage values to livestock. Cadaba farinsoa, Ormocarpum trichocarpum, Rhus natalensis, Acacia brevispica, Cordia gharaf and Hibiscus sparseaculeatus were reported to have fair to good palatability. Tree equivalent (TE) density of all woody plants combined was greater (P <0.01) in the government ranch (1) 188 TE ha(-1)) and the communal land (1083 TE ha(-1)) than in the traditional grazing reserve (419 TE ha(-1)), whereas this did not vary significantly (P >0.05) along the distance gradient from water. The most important encroaching woody plant species in the study areas were in descending order: Commiphora africana, Acacia drepanolobium, A. brevispica, Acacia. tortilis, Grewia tembensis and Lannea floccosa. The density of individual encroaching woody plant species along the distance gradient from water was not consistent. All encroaching woody species had the highest TE density in the communal land. The prevalence of these species followed the pattern of intensity of use within the communal grazing area. Most of the woody species had the highest abundance in the height class >0-2m regardless of land use and distance gradient from water. This study investigated the advance of severe woody encroachment in the communal and government sites as well as along the distance gradient from water. Some of the important contributing factors that can be suggested are heavy grazing pressure (in both the communal and government sites), expansion of cultivation and reduced mobility of livestock due to settlement of the pastoralists in the communal land.     

Exploring public perceptions of solutions to tree diseases in the UK: Implications for policy-makers

Tree diseases are on the increase in many countries and the implications of their appearance can be political, as well as ecological and economic. Preventative policy approaches to tree diseases are difficult to formulate because dispersal pathways for pest and pathogens are numerous, poorly known and likely to be beyond human management control. Genomic techniques could offer the quickest and most predictable approach to developing a disease tolerant native ash.The population of European Ash (Fraxinus Excelsior) has suffered major losses in the last decade, due to the onset of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (previously called Chalara Fraxinea) commonly known in the UK as ash dieback. This study presents evidence on the public acceptability of tree-breed solutions to the spread of Chalara, with the main aim to provide science and policy with an up-stream ‘steer’ on the likely public acceptability of different tree breeding solutions. The findings showed that whilst there was a firm anti-GM and ‘we shouldn’t tamper with nature’ attitude among UK publics, there was an equally firm and perhaps slightly larger pragmatic attitude that GM (science and technology) should be used if there is a good reason to do so, for example if it can help protect trees from disease and help feed the world. The latter view was significantly stronger among younger age groups (Millennials), those living in urban areas and when the (GM)modified trees were destined for urban and plantation, rather than countryside settings. Overall, our findings suggest that the UK government could consider genomic solutions to tree breeding with more confidence in the future, as large and influential publics appear to be relaxed about the use of genomic techniques to increase tolerance of trees to disease.     

红肉猕猴桃新品种的选育研究

本文介绍了新选育的给网猕猴桃新品种。该品种子房鲜红色，果实横切面呈红，黄绿相间的图案；果实较大，平均单果重９２．５ｇ，最重达１５０ｇ，含糖量高，味甜，可溶性固形含量为１９．６％，总糖１３．４５％，总酸０．４９％，ＶＣ１３５．７７ｍｇ／１００ｇ，糖酸比２７．４５。     

采果期甜椒氮素营养特性及分配规律

利用^15N示踪技术研究了水培甜椒果实收获期间吸收的氮素在体内的动态分配规律。结果表明：甜椒果实收获期间营养器官与生殖器官干物质积累动态呈一平行的线性增长趋势，果实干物质积累量于始采期以后开始超过叶片，而果实氮素积累到盛采期才超过叶片，果实含氮量在整个采果期间保持稳定，随生长发育，叶片含氮迅速下降，盛采期时与果实和根相近，且均高于茎和侧枝，始采期通过根吸收的标记态氮主要贮存在叶片与果实中，叶片、果实是甜椒始采用氮素分配的最主要器官。此后，叶片和根成为主要的氮素输出器官，而果实则成为主要的输入器官。研究发现，甜椒体内的氮即使一度成为结合态，能能够被再度输出，但是，氮素在植株体内滞留的时间越长，越难以再度向外输出，并且不同器官输出的难易程度也是不相同的，比较而言，叶片和根中一度成为结合态的氮素容易被再交输出，甜椒果实是氮的强力库，氮素竞争力最强。     

VA菌根在柑桔上的应用及其前景

由于菌根在农业、林业生产中的重要性,对菌根的研究,尤其是对VA菌根的研究已引起人们广泛的重视.本文对VA菌根的研究及利用现状,尤其是VA菌根与植物营养,VA茵根与植物的抗性生理以及VA菌根、根瘤菌与植物三联体的效应等方面的动态作一综述,并对柑桔菌根今后的研究提出几点建议,其中包括菌根资源的调查、菌根资源圃的建立、柑桔菌根与环境、菌根与柑桔的抗性生理等。     

Reproductive effort of colonial and solitary breeding tree sparrows Passer montanus L.

A total of 250 nestboxes were arranged in five plots in a suburban area of Budapest, Hungary (19°04E, 47°41N). In each plot, 25 were placed at 50 m intervals to simulate solitary breeding and 25 3–5 m apart to simulate colonial breeding. Length of nest building period, feeding frequency, nestling mortality, nestlings' diet, productivity and parental condition were compared for colonial and solitary breeding tree sparrows Passer montanus. Parents with long nest-building periods, including the majority of first-year females, produced fewer young than parents which built over short periods. Parents fed nestlings morefrequently and nestlings had lower mortality in second than first broods; whether or not a third brood was reared was determined by the costs invested in first and second broods. Females that laid a third clutch had reared fewer young in first and second broods and were heavier than females that reared many young in two broods. Colonial birds had higher feeding frequencies, more similar diets and suffered lower nestling mortality than solitary parents for first broods, but they fed less frequently, diets were less similar, and nestling mortality was higher in second and third broods. It is suggested that colonial breeders benefited from the social stimulation of simultaneous feeding in first broods, but the advantage of synchronicity in feeding declined in second broods and the sparser breeding spacing of solitary parents was more advantageous for feeding in second and third broods. Birds that changed nest spacing between broods had fed nestlings less frequently and had higher nestling mortality before changing than birds which retained their spacing. Parents which changed from colonies to solitary nests fed more frequently with lower nestling mortality in the next brood than parents which retained colonial nests for their second (and third) brood. Solitary parents did not show such a relationship. The rearing of three broods caused higher weight loss in colonial than solitary parents.Correspondence to: L. Sasvári     

Does begging affect growth in nestling tree swallows,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Tachycineta bicolor</Emphasis>?

Much of the theoretical work on the evolution of begging assumes this elaborate display is costly. The evidence for an energetic cost to begging has, however, been equivocal. Metabolic studies on nestling birds suggest that begging requires minimal energy, but some growth studies have shown that excess begging reduces growth rates. One difficulty in interpreting these results is that metabolic and growth studies have each been performed on different species. Here, we test whether high begging frequencies depress growth in nestling tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, a species in which the metabolic cost of begging has been measured. When we compared the growth of nestlings stimulated to beg at either high or low frequencies, we found no significant differences in their mass gained, wing growth or portion of ingested energy devoted to begging either during the experimental period or in the 24 h following the end of the experiment. We also found no significant relationship between begging intensity and growth measurements. The results of our study are consistent with previous metabolic studies on this species suggesting that the energetic cost of begging is relatively low. More generally, evidence for a fitness cost of begging via decreased growth is equivocal.Communicated by J. Dickinson     

KClO3对龙眼产期的调控效应

以自行配制、主要有效成份为KClO3的龙眼产期调控剂进行田间试验．结果表明：催花土壤施用剂量以每平方米树冠面积180g效果最佳；不同品种龙眼对药物的敏感程度不同，以石硖、储良龙眼最为敏感，平均抽花率可达80％以上．不同季节和不同梢期施药，龙眼抽花率存在显著差别；药剂干施回泥后淋水、干施淋水后回泥和拌水淋施这3种土壤给药方式的促花效果差异不显著；反季节与正造栽培收获的龙眼相比，果实质量存在一定差异，春季收获的果实个大肉厚，外观较佳，但糖份含量等品质指标则较差．KClO3调控龙眼产期的效果明显，配合相应的树体管理和土壤水分养分调控措施，可实现龙眼产期的人工合理控制．表7参20     

白兰瓜果腐病病原菌的分离鉴定及优势病菌的毒性测定

对引起白兰瓜贮藏期果腐病的病原菌进行了分离、鉴定和致病性测定，明确了Fusarium lateritium Nees，Cephalothecium roseum，Aspergillus spp．，Penicillium spp．，Rhizopus stolonifer等5种引起白兰瓜果实腐烂的病原真菌，其中以F.lateritium Nees的危害最为严重，为优势菌，其次为C.roseum．而F.lateritium在pH6的Richard培养液中，置25℃黑暗静置培养14d后获得的培养滤液对白兰瓜种子胚根的抑制率最强．F.lateritium产生的毒素为非专化性毒素．表4参7