Nurse plant theory and its application in ecological restoration in lower subtropics of China

urse plants are those that facilitate the growth and development of other plant species (target species) beneath their canopy because they offer benign microhabitats that are more favorable for seed germination and/or seedling recruitment than their surrounding environment. Nurse plants have been mainly used to restore vegetation in arid and sub-arid zones in recent years. Based on summarizing the definition of nurse plant and target plant, we review the nursing effect mechanisms, ecological factors that influence nursing effect, relationships between nurse plant and ecological restoration. This review also brings forward possible pairs of nurse and target species at lower subtropical areas. Furthermore, we provide the potential tendency in nurse plant research and application.     

Nurse plant theory and its application in ecological restoration in lower subtropics of China

Nurse plants are those that facilitate the growth and development of other plant species （target species） beneath their canopy because they offer benign microhabitats that are more favorable for seed germination and/or seedling recruitment than their surrounding environment. Nurse plants have been mainly used to restore vegetation in arid and sub-arid zones in recent years. Based on summarizing the definition of nurse plant and target plant, we review the nursing effect mechanisms, ecological factors that influence nursing effect, relationships between nurse plant and ecological restoration. This review also brings forward possible pairs of nurse and target species at lower subtropical areas. Furthermore, we provide the potential tendency in nurse plant research and application.     

Introduced species and their missing parasites

Damage caused by introduced species results from the high population densities and large body sizes that they attain in their new location. Escape from the effects of natural enemies is a frequent explanation given for the success of introduced species. Because some parasites can reduce host density and decrease body size, an invader that leaves parasites behind and encounters few new parasites can experience a demographic release and become a pest. To test whether introduced species are less parasitized, we have compared the parasites of exotic species in their native and introduced ranges, using 26 host species of molluscs, crustaceans, fishes, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Here we report that the number of parasite species found in native populations is twice that found in exotic populations. In addition, introduced populations are less heavily parasitized (in terms of percentage infected) than are native populations. Reduced parasitization of introduced species has several causes, including reduced probability of the introduction of parasites with exotic species (or early extinction after host establishment), absence of other required hosts in the new location, and the host-specific limitations of native parasites adapting to new hosts.     

北京市湿地植物多样性及旱生植物入侵对生物多样性的影响

通过研究北京市湿地植物群落的结构,群落植物物种的组成、分布等情况,对湿地植物物种的重要值和湿地的生物多样性进行了分析。结果表明北京市主要湿地的物种组成和群落结构存在很大的差异,湿地内主要物种的重要值有季节性的变化。决定湿地群落中植物组成的主要因素是：旱生植物入侵、人为活动的干扰强度和湿地的水资源状况。因为连年降雨的减少导致了北京市湿地面积的下降和旱生植物的入侵问题日益加重。如汉石桥湿地保护区,捧草等入侵植物的群落盖度达到90％以上,有些形成单优势的群落,抑制了芦苇等湿地植物的生长。使湿地在整体上呈退化的趋势,湿地的景观价值、生态价值、湿地功能和湿地的生物多样性均严重损坏。因此,必须采取措施解决北京市湿地的水资源短缺问题,减少人类活动干扰,以恢复北京市郊县湿地和城市建成区湿地的活力,保护湿地的生物多样性。     

Release of invasive plants from fungal and viral pathogens

Invasive plant species both threaten native biodiversity and are economically costly, but only a few naturalized species become pests. Here we report broad, quantitative support for two long-standing hypotheses that explain why only some naturalized species have large impacts. The enemy release hypothesis argues that invaders' impacts result from reduced natural enemy attack. The biotic resistance hypothesis argues that interactions with native species, including natural enemies, limit invaders' impacts. We tested these hypotheses for viruses and for rust, smut and powdery mildew fungi that infect 473 plant species naturalized to the United States from Europe. On average, 84% fewer fungi and 24% fewer virus species infect each plant species in its naturalized range than in its native range. In addition, invasive plant species that are more completely released from pathogens are more widely reported as harmful invaders of both agricultural and natural ecosystems. Together, these results strongly support the enemy release hypothesis. Among noxious agricultural weeds, species accumulating more pathogens in their naturalized range are less widely noxious, supporting the biotic resistance hypothesis. Our results indicate that invasive plants' impacts may be a function of both release from and accumulation of natural enemies, including pathogens.     

Positive interactions among alpine plants increase with stress

Plants can have positive effects on each other. For example, the accumulation of nutrients, provision of shade, amelioration of disturbance, or protection from herbivores by some species can enhance the performance of neighbouring species. Thus the notion that the distributions and abundances of plant species are independent of other species may be inadequate as a theoretical underpinning for understanding species coexistence and diversity. But there have been no large-scale experiments designed to examine the generality of positive interactions in plant communities and their importance relative to competition. Here we show that the biomass, growth and reproduction of alpine plant species are higher when other plants are nearby. In an experiment conducted in subalpine and alpine plant communities with 115 species in 11 different mountain ranges, we find that competition generally, but not exclusively, dominates interactions at lower elevations where conditions are less physically stressful. In contrast, at high elevations where abiotic stress is high the interactions among plants are predominantly positive. Furthermore, across all high and low sites positive interactions are more important at sites with low temperatures in the early summer, but competition prevails at warmer sites.     

The nature of plant species

Many botanists doubt the existence of plant species, viewing them as arbitrary constructs of the human mind, as opposed to discrete, objective entities that represent reproductively independent lineages or 'units of evolution'. However, the discreteness of plant species and their correspondence with reproductive communities have not been tested quantitatively, allowing zoologists to argue that botanists have been overly influenced by a few 'botanical horror stories', such as dandelions, blackberries and oaks. Here we analyse phenetic and/or crossing relationships in over 400 genera of plants and animals. We show that although discrete phenotypic clusters exist in most genera (> 80%), the correspondence of taxonomic species to these clusters is poor (< 60%) and no different between plants and animals. Lack of congruence is caused by polyploidy, asexual reproduction and over-differentiation by taxonomists, but not by contemporary hybridization. Nonetheless, crossability data indicate that 70% of taxonomic species and 75% of phenotypic clusters in plants correspond to reproductively independent lineages (as measured by postmating isolation), and thus represent biologically real entities. Contrary to conventional wisdom, plant species are more likely than animal species to represent reproductively independent lineages.     

江汉大学校园绿化现状调查与分析

对江汉大学校园绿化现状、植物种类、数量、分布、配置等进行了调查和分析,结果表明:江汉大学校园共有绿化植物205种,隶属于72科146属;校园绿化树种以乡土树种为主,适应能力强,绿化效果明显;校园绿化植物主要以木本植物为主,草本、藤本植物应用较少,绿化结构简单。调查发现江汉大学校园绿化中存在的突出问题是植物种类及应用形式较少,盲目引种,群落构成、种植设计不合理等,并就此提出了深化校园绿化建设的对策和建议。     

北京市公园绿地植物多样性研究

保护城市的生物多样性至关重要。城市公园是城市园林绿地系统的主体,也是城市里植物多样性最集中的地方,研究城市公园植物多样性可为城市生物多样性保护提供基础数据。通过北京市主要公园绿地植物的调查,分析了城市公园绿地植物的种类构成,计算并论述了公园绿地的生物多样性特征,以期能够为北京生态城市建设提供科学依据。调查发现北京城市公园绿地植物物种较为丰富,共有90科,251属,393种;植物种类构成以乡土种为主体,引进种也较为丰富。其中北京本地种281种,占总数的71．50％,国内引进种62种,占总数的15．78％,国外引进种50种,占总数的12．72％;公园绿地植物物种丰富度以草本植物最高,其次是灌木植物,乔木植物总体稍低于灌木;公园绿地植物物种多样性总体较高。     

Parasitic plants indirectly regulate below-ground properties in grassland ecosystems

Parasitic plants are one of the most ubiquitous groups of generalist parasites in both natural and managed ecosystems, with over 3,000 known species worldwide. Although much is known about how parasitic plants influence host performance, their role as drivers of community- and ecosystem-level properties remains largely unexplored. Parasitic plants have the potential to influence directly the productivity and structure of plant communities because they cause harm to particular host plants, indirectly increasing the competitive status of non-host species. Such parasite-driven above-ground effects might also have important indirect consequences through altering the quantity and quality of resources that enter soil, thereby affecting the activity of decomposer organisms. Here we show in model grassland communities that the parasitic plant Rhinanthus minor, which occurs widely throughout Europe and North America, has strong direct effects on above-ground community properties, increasing plant diversity and reducing productivity. We also show that these direct effects of R. minor on the plant community have marked indirect effects on below-ground properties, ultimately increasing rates of nitrogen cycling. Our study provides evidence that parasitic plants act as a major driver of both above-ground and below-ground properties of grassland ecosystems.     

植物源昆虫拒食剂的研究与应用前景

拒食剂可以定义为能抑制昆虫取食而不直接杀死它们的化合物。昆虫常继续留在经拒食剂处理的植物上并可能因饥饿而死。大部分植物依赖次生代谢物来防御植食性昆虫。各种研究表明协同进化的压力使植物越来越能抵抗昆虫的取食。大部分植物源拒食性次生性化合物可以分为倍半萜烯内酯类、异黄酮类、苦木素类和柠檬苦素类化合物４ 大类。虽然到目前为止关于结构与生物活性间关系方面尚未建立确实的规律,但结构与生物活性间关系的研究可以为了解发生在某些昆虫的膜受体水平上的分子过程提供线索,因而可以指导分离或合成高效拒食剂。昆虫感知拒食剂化合物可以通过刺激特定昆虫的特化的拒斥感器或者干扰接收诱食刺激化合物的神经元的正常功能实现。因为植物拒食剂是天然化合物,能在自然环境中很容易地被分解,较少环境污染,因而在ＩＰＭ 中具有重要的作用。为了开发出无公害新农药,需要进一步进行其作用机制、对环境的影响、结构与生物活性间关系、高效拒食剂的合成及田间试验等方面的研究。     

钒冶炼厂周边陆生植物对重金属的富集特征

对某钒冶炼厂周边土壤和植被进行现场采样,共采集到高等植物20科29种,土壤样品7个,采用ICP- MS和ICP-OES分析本土植物和土壤中重金属含量.结果表明,冶炼厂周边土壤普遍存在V、Cr和Cd污染现象,重金属V和Cr的污染问题突出.29种植物体内均检测到V、Cr、Cd和Pb,其中V含量相对较高.本土植物蜈蚣草体内重金属V含量最高,其地上部分V积累量为86.51 mg·kg-1,地下部分为814.25 mg·kg-1;野胡萝卜对Cd的富集和转运能力显著高于其他植物,地上部分和地下部分Cd含量分别为18.56 mg·kg-1和5.66 mg·kg-1.两种植物表现出对钒冶炼导致周边复合重金属污染极高的耐性,可作为钒冶炼厂周边土壤重金属污染植物修复的先锋物种.     

自然生境下北美车前和车前竞争策略的选择性差异

竞争是显著影响植物生长速度和产量的重要因素,外来植物优越的竞争能力和竞争策略,被认为是其成功入侵新栖息地的一个重要机制。本研究分析了不同生长模式和密度下北美车前和车前的生殖投资和竞争特性,探讨其竞争策略的选择性差异。结果表明:土著种车前的根冠比显著高于外来种北美车前的,但其生殖投资则与此相反,且其净生殖投资受到竞争带来的显著影响而降低;而外来植物北美车前则可以在竞争中保持甚至提高净生殖投资,并降低根冠比。生殖投资和竞争指数分析结果均表明,在竞争环境中,北美车前通过提高种子的竞争力、而车前则通过提高根系的竞争力来维持竞争平衡。这种土著种与外来种竞争策略的选择性差异,促使外来植物能够较好的与土著种在同一群落中共存,也可能是北美车前提高入侵能力,并获得入侵成功的一种机制。     

河南主要外来有害植物的初步研究

河南外来有害植物共计 2 1种 ,大部分原产欧洲和美洲。本文研究了河南外来有害植物的区系组成、传入途径、影响因素、主要危害、防治以及综合利用等方面。结果表明外来有害植物主要通过人为引种传播。河南特殊的地理位置、植物自身传播能力、自身生态适应性 ,造成了河南外来有害植物的分布现状。这些植物对河南的农林业生产造成了较大的危害 ,但也可以被充分利用 ,将其变害为宝。     

西藏地区种子植物多样性分布格局和多样性分化特点

以大尺度的植物分布信息为基础,结合地理信息系统和统计学分析,对西藏地区的种子植物多样性地理分布格局和多样性分化特点进行了探讨.结果表明,从种到科,植物多样性和区系分化强度的数据集离散度呈递减趋势.与科相比,种、属的植物多样性的空间变异程度更为明显,这可能与种、属和科所代表的不同时期的地质历史有关.相对中部和北部而言,无论是在种、属水平,还是在科水平,西藏地形更为复杂的南部尤其是东南部拥有更高的植物多样性.种子植物的区系分化强度与表征地形复杂度的海拔高差存在显著的正相关关系,这说明复杂的地形可能有利于区系的分化.区系分化强度对研究区域植物多样性的地理分布格局存在明显的影响,这可能与西藏地质历史上地层的差异性抬升引起的气候变迁有关.     

河池学院校园寄生植物的危害及其防治

通过对河池学院校园寄生植物的深入调查，共发现了广寄生（Taxillus chinensis（DC．）Danser）等六种常见的寄生植物，归纳了寄生植物分布的七个主要特点，并说明其危害。用数理统计方法对调查数据进行整理分析，得出寄生植物侵害率较高的园林植物种类，提出生态校园建设及寄生植物防治的六点措施。     

Females increase offspring heterozygosity and fitness through extra-pair matings

Females in a variety of species commonly mate with multiple males, and there is evidence that they benefit by producing offspring of higher genetic quality; however, the nature of these genetic benefits is debated. Enhanced offspring survival or quality can result from intrinsic effects of paternal genes---'good genes'--or from interactions between the maternal and paternal genomes--'compatible genes'. Evidence for the latter process is accumulating: matings between relatives lead to decreased reproductive success, and the individual level of inbreeding--measured as average heterozygosity--is a strong fitness predictor. Females should thus benefit from mating with genetically dissimilar males. In many birds, social monogamy restricts mate choice, but females may circumvent this by pursuing extra-pair copulations. Here we show that female blue tits, Parus caeruleus, increase the heterozygosity of their progeny through extra-pair matings. Females thereby produce offspring of higher reproductive value, because less inbred individuals have increased survival chances, a more elaborate male secondary sexual trait (crown colour) and higher reproductive success. The cost of inbreeding may therefore be an important factor driving the evolution of female extra-pair mating.     

内生芽孢杆菌防治植物病害的应用及作用机制研究进展

植物内生细菌由于其独特的生境,成为植物病害防治中的重要生防因子.芽孢杆菌在植物体内分布具有广泛性和多样性,其在防治病害和促进植物生长发育方面的作用被广泛研究和应用.芽孢杆菌控制植物病害的作用机制主要包括竞争、拮抗、促进植物生长和诱导植物抗病性四个方面.植物诱导抗性作为植物内生细菌防病的主要机制之一,具有非特异性、广谱性和系统性,在植物病害的生物防治中可被广泛应用.     

Genetic variation increases during biological invasion by a Cuban lizard

A genetic paradox exists in invasion biology: how do introduced populations, whose genetic variation has probably been depleted by population bottlenecks, persist and adapt to new conditions? Lessons from conservation genetics show that reduced genetic variation due to genetic drift and founder effects limits the ability of a population to adapt, and small population size increases the risk of extinction. Nonetheless, many introduced species experiencing these same conditions during initial introductions persist, expand their ranges, evolve rapidly and become invasive. To address this issue, we studied the brown anole, a worldwide invasive lizard. Genetic analyses indicate that at least eight introductions have occurred in Florida from across this lizard's native range, blending genetic variation from different geographic source populations and producing populations that contain substantially more, not less, genetic variation than native populations. Moreover, recently introduced brown anole populations around the world originate from Florida, and some have maintained these elevated levels of genetic variation. Here we show that one key to invasion success may be the occurrence of multiple introductions that transform among-population variation in native ranges to within-population variation in introduced areas. Furthermore, these genetically variable populations may be particularly potent sources for introductions elsewhere. The growing problem of invasive species introductions brings considerable economic and biological costs. If these costs are to be mitigated, a greater understanding of the causes, progression and consequences of biological invasions is needed.     

Ancestral chloroplast genome in Mesostigma viride reveals an early branch of green plant evolution

Sequence comparisons suggest that all living green plants belong to one of two major phyla: Streptophyta (land plants and their closest green algal relatives, the charophytes); and Chlorophyta (the rest of green algae). Because no green algae are known that pre-date the Streptophyta/Chlorophyta split, and also because the earliest diverging green algae show considerable morphological variation, the nature of the unicellular flagellate ancestor of the two green plant phyla is unknown. Here we report that the flagellate Mesostigma viride belongs to the earliest diverging green plant lineage discovered to date. We have sequenced the entire chloroplast DNA (118,360 base pairs) of this green alga and have conducted phylogenetic analyses of sequences derived from this genome. Mesostigma represents a lineage that emerged before the divergence of the Streptophyta and Chlorophyta, a position that is supported by several features of its chloroplast DNA. The structure and gene organization of this genome indicate that chloroplast DNA architecture has been extremely well conserved in the line leading to land plants.