Pocono mesic till barrens in retreat: topography,fire and forest contagion effects

The Pocono mesic till barrens (PMTB) are a unique assemblage of fire-maintained shrub communities that support numerous rare species. Historically these barrens covered a large area in the vicinity of Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA. However, due largely to regional fire suppression instituted in the early 1960s, over 70% of the area covered by barrens succeeded to fire-intolerant forest that does not support the rare species. We investigated the influence of forest proximity on barrens succession across three geomorphic types during periods of high fire frequency and fire suppression, testing the hypothesis that forest processes such as seed rain, shading, and detrital enrichment of soils enhances barrens succession through a contagion effect. Evidence of a forest contagion effect should be shown by increased rates of barrens succession with increasing proximity to the nearest forest edge. In order to detect a forest contagion effect, barrens persistence and barrens succession were modeled in proximity zones of 0-50 m, 50-100 m, 100-200 m, and greater than 200 m from the nearest forest edge. We used existing GIS data layers for fire, geomorphology, and vegetation distribution in 1938, 1963, and 1992. The layers were modified and overlain using ArcView software to determine persistence and succession rates for each unique combination of layers in each proximity zone from 1938 to 1963 (pre-fire suppression) and 1963 to 1992 (post-fire suppression). ANCOVA results indicate that proximity to the nearest forest edge significantly affected barrens persistence rates in both time periods, but succession rates were significantly affected in 1938 to 1963 only. Twenty-eight percent of the 1938 barrens succeeded to forest by 1963; 56% of the 1963 barrens became forest by 1992. Results support previous findings that barrens persistence is enhanced by increased fire frequency, and that barrens persist longer where they overlie flat glacial till than on other geomorphology types.     

我国北部农牧交错区城郊土地利用时空变化—以包头市为例

以包头市城郊区为例 ,在地理信息系统支持下 ,以乡镇 (苏木 )为研究单元 ,研究本地区土地利用时空动态变化过程 ,并分析其变化驱动因素。从微观角度分析了北方农牧交错区城郊区土地利用变化特征。农牧交错区是人类活动影响强烈之地带 ,土地利用变化与土地持续研究利用 ,对生态安全和地区持续发展具有十分重要的意义。     

Modelling land cover transitions: A solution to the problem of spatial dependence in data

Raster-based spatial land cover transition models (LCTMs) are widely used in landscape ecology. However, many LCTMs do not account for spatial dependence of the input data, which may artificially fragment the output spatial configuration. We demonstrate the consequences of ignoring spatial dependence, thus assigning probabilities randomly in space, using a simple LCTM. We ran the model from four different initial conditions with distinct spatial configurations and results indicated that, after 20 simulation steps, all of them converged towards the spatial configuration of the random data set. From an ecological perspective this is a serious problem because ecological data often exhibit distinct spatial configuration related to ecological processes. As a solution, we propose an approach (region approach) that accounts for spatial dependence of LCTM input data. Underlying spatial dependence was used to apply spatial bias to probability assignment within the model. As a case study we applied a region approach to a Vegetation Transition Model (VTM); a semi-Markovian model that simulates forest succession. The VTM was applied to approximately 500,000 ha of boreal forest in Ontario, at 1 ha pixel resolution. When the stochastic transition algorithms were applied without accounting for spatial dependence, spatial configuration of the output data became progressively more fragmented. When the VTM was applied using the region approach to account for spatial dependence output fragmentation was reduced. Accounting for spatial dependence in transition models will create more reliable output for analyzing spatial patterns and relating those patterns to ecological processes.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ascorbic acid level of Belgian apple genetic resources

With the help of the public, a wide collection of old apple cultivars (cvs) was established progressively at our Department from 1975 onwards. Currently, more than 1400 apple accessions are being maintained and three quarters of them are subjected to field evaluation for disease resistance and agronomic characters. This paper presents results of the ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) contents of old cvs combining interesting disease resistance and agronomic features in order to promote them as cvs adapted to production systems which are more environmentally friendly or to be used as parents in breeding programmes. First, a methodological study shows the importance of the variability of ascorbic acid content depending on fruit position in the trees, fruit size, fruit skin colour and maturity stage. Statistical analyses show that the sample size of six fruits per cv is sufficient to detect a difference of 20% between cvs. Old apple cvs such as Grenadier^RGF, Transparente de Croncels, Bramley’s Seedling, Reinette des Capucins, Reinette Libotte and Reinette de Waleffe contain three and seven times more ascorbic acid than the commercial cvs Gala and Elstar, respectively. The paper highlights the need to evaluate the rich potential in our genetic resources.     

Seasonal variation in pigmentation and anthocyanidin phenetics in commercial Eustoma flowers

The seasonal change in petal color and pigmentation of 29 commercial Eustoma cultivars was studied. The flowers are basically divided into four groups according to the major anthocyanidin phenotype in association with petal coloration, i.e., delphinidin (Dp)-based (purple flower), cyanidin (Cy)-based (reddish purple flower), pelargonidin (Pg)-based (pink flower), and none (white flower) groups. The constitution of petal anthocyanidins was not changed by forcing treatment in most of the flowers. Lightness (L^*) and chroma (C^*, color saturation) showed a change along with the increase/decrease of hue angle difference (ΔH^*), thus simultaneously the chromatic tonalities tended to move to redder and bluer, respectively. Floral pigment clustering described two flower groups in a dendrogram, based on anthocyanidin constitutions as phenetic markers, which are apparently the Dp- and Pg-based phenotypes of anthocyanidin syntheses. The Cy-based flowers made a subcluster with the Pg-based flowers, indicating a close relationship in the biosynthesis of the two anthocyanidins, and suggesting the Dp- and Pg-syntheses complement one another.     

Callus induction and plant regeneration from cotyledonary explants of ash gourd (Benincasa hispida L.)

A protocol for the production of complete plantlets through multiple shoots from the cotyledon-derived calli of ash gourd (Benincasa hispida L.) is described. The embryos were excised from mature seeds and cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurin (BAP, 1–5 μM). After 10 days the well-developed green cotyledons from the growing embryos were isolated and cultured on MS medium fortified with 2,4-D (1–6 μM). The cultured cotyledons gave rise to luxuriantly growing calli after 6 weeks. These calli were subcultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of BAP (1–6 μM) alone or in combination with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA, 0.2 and 0.5 μM) for regeneration. The regenerated shoots were multiplied and rooted on quarter strength MS medium supplemented with indole-3-butyric acid or NAA (1–5 μM). The rooted shoots were transplanted to soil with 90% success.     

鸭疫里氏杆菌形态特征的电镜观察

自鸭传染性浆膜炎的病死鸭中分离鉴定的鸭疫里氏杆菌(RA)Ⅰ、Ⅱ型两个菌株，用负染法和超薄切片法制备样品，于透射电镜下进行观察。结果观察到约占1／3的RA具有特殊的形态结构：在细菌的顶端或侧面有1～2个与菌体相连的芽状赘生物，有的也能从菌体上脱落下来。它在超薄切片中的大小约为菌体的1／3～1／5，能观察到其内部也具有类似菌体内部的结构。且具有类似菌体的“细胞壁”，类似于核体部分的结构位于“细胞壁”的一侧。而用相同的方法制作的鸭大肠杆菌(E．cozi)对照样品，却见不到这种特殊的形态结构。说明这种形态特征可能是RA特有的。     

宁夏毛乌素沙地退化草原恢复演替过程中物种多样性与生产力的变化

对宁夏毛乌素沙地退化草原种植不同林龄柠条Caragana korshinskii后物种的多样性、群落结构及草地生产力进行了研究,结果表明:种植柠条林对退化草地的植被恢复有积极的作用,植物群落的多样性随柠条林龄的增加而增加,而且随林龄年份的增加,群落结构更趋于稳定.草地生产力由于土壤储水量相对较高,表现为随林龄的增加,草产量受季节降水量变化的影响较小,相对稳定的趋势.     

春季休牧对草原和家畜生产力的影响

从4月上旬到6月下旬,在内蒙古锡林郭勒典型草原,进行春季休牧试验,对休牧和非休牧的草原进行生产力监测.结果表明:春季休牧可以有效地保护草原生态环境,经过两个月休牧后,草原植被状况明显改善;休牧期间采用低投入维持性饲养,可以显著降低饲养成本.并对休牧措施的生态效益、生产实践可行性和经济合理性进行综合讨论和评价.     

草原灌丛化入侵:过程、机制和效应

草原灌丛化已成为全球性问题,也是生态学、畜牧学研究的热点问题。紧扣草原灌丛化过程、发生机理及其生态学后效等关键问题,介绍了国内外的最新研究进展。灌木入侵途径包括有意识引进入侵和自然入侵2类,入侵过程分为传播到达、定居建群和扩散入侵3个阶段。放牧、火烧、温室气体增加,干旱以及降水格局改变等均可导致草本向木本的转化,且机制复杂,主要有影响草本,木本植物盖度、水分利用效率、化感作用等。木本植物入侵打破了草原生态系统的稳定,表现出沃岛效应,影响动植物的分布以及生态系统的功能和服务。阐明草原“草本-木本”群落演替机制,可为我国研究草原灌丛化和管理提供理论借鉴。