Promoting and preserving biodiversity in the urban forest

Efforts at mitigating global biodiversity loss have often focused on preserving large, intact natural habitats. However, preserving biodiversity should also be an important goal in the urban environment, especially in highly urbanized areas where little natural habitat remains. Increasingly, research at the city/county scale as well as at the landscape scale reveals that urban areas can contain relatively high levels of biodiversity. Important percentages of species found in the surrounding natural habitat, including endangered species, have been found in the urban forest.

This contribution concisely highlights some examples of urban biodiversity research from various areas of the world. Key issues involved in understanding the patterns and processes that affect urban biodiversity, such as the urban–rural gradient and biotic homogenization, are addressed. The potential for urban areas to harbor considerable amounts of biodiversity needs to be recognized by city planners and urban foresters so that management practices that preserve and promote that diversity can be pursued. Management options should focus on increasing biodiversity in all aspects of the urban forest, from street trees to urban parks and woodlots.     

基于转录组测序的高羊茅分蘖与株高相关差异表达基因分析

分蘖与株高是禾本科草类植物重要的农艺性状,明确参与调控分蘖与株高的基因类型对牧草和草坪草分子辅助育种具有重要意义。以表型差异明显的两个高羊茅品种“Kentucky-31”（K31）和“Regenerate”为材料,旨在构建高羊茅分蘖节转录组图谱,挖掘在分蘖节部位调控生长发育相关的差异表达基因（differentially expressed genes,DEGs）。基于高通量测序技术平台Illumina HiSeq 2500×Miseq 300进行转录组测序,并将得到的数据进行de novo组装,结果共获得77872条单基因簇（unigene）。将获得的unigenes与非冗余蛋白数据库（non-redundant protein database,NR）、蛋白质数据库（universal protein,Uniprot）、基因本体数据库（gene ontology,GO）、东京基因与基因组数据库（kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes,KEGG）以及直系同源蛋白簇（clusters of orthologous groups,COG）数据库进行比对,结果显示：分别有59927、40213、44447、15146和13767条unigenes成功获得注释。“Regenerate”与“K31”对比有1573个上调DEGs和1441个下调DEGs。GO富集分析发现,DEGs主要富集在细胞、细胞组分、大分子复合物组装等生物过程。DEGs中共注释到42个差异表达转录因子,主要包括TCP、WRKY和ARF等19种类型。还注释到与8类植物激素相关的DEGs,包括生长素、细胞分裂素、脱落酸、赤霉素、乙烯、油菜素甾醇、水杨酸和茉莉酸。利用实时荧光定量PCR对DEGs进行表达模式验证,发现其与RNA-Seq测序结果一致,证实了测序结果的准确性。研究结果丰富了高羊茅的转录组序列资源,初步获得控制株高及分蘖发育的候选因子,为进一步开展基因功能及分子育种研究提供了理论支持。     

植物生长调节剂对马铃薯叶片生理代谢及产量品质的影响

大田栽培条件下,以马铃薯克新13为材料,叶面喷施植物生长调节剂2-N,N-二乙氨基乙基己酸酯(Diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate,简称DTA-6)、缩节安(Mepiquat chloride,简称DPC)以及烯效唑(Uniconazole,简称S3307),研究植物生长调节剂对马铃薯叶片生理代谢及产量、品质形成的影响。结果表明:在马铃薯块茎膨大期喷施植物生长调节剂,均显著增加了单薯重、淀粉产量和鲜薯产量,其中,以DTA-6调控效果为最佳,单薯重、淀粉产量、鲜薯产量和淀粉含量比CK分别增加了10.40%、40.26%、26.56%和11.32%,块茎还原糖含量比CK降低了20%。此外,调节剂处理均提高了马铃薯叶片叶绿素含量、净光合速率、蒸腾速率和细胞间隙CO_2浓度,加快了叶片的光合作用,各指标与产量之间呈正相关。随着时间的推移,各处理的叶片淀粉和蔗糖含量呈先降低后升高的变化趋势,淀粉酶活性呈降低的变化趋势,调节剂对叶片蔗糖转化酶活性的调控效果呈不同规律的变化。总体而言,调节剂均提高了马铃薯产量,改善了块茎品质,其中DTA-6处理效果最佳。     

Characterization and quantitative assessment of interspecific and intraspecific penetration of below-ground vegetation by cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.) rhizomes

Cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.), an invasive C4 perennial grass, negatively influences native plant communities by forming dense monotypic stands that alter ecosystem properties and lower local species diversity. A hypothesized mechanism by which cogongrass achieves competitive dominance is a novel use of below-ground vegetative disturbance of neighboring vegetation (i.e. puncturing). However, very little empirical evidence is found in the peer-reviewed literature to quantify this phenomenon, much less establish it as a true form of competitive interaction. The present field study was conducted to quantify the occurrence of rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration, both interspecifically and intraspecifically, document how this phenomenon is influenced by spatial location relative to the cogongrass stand, and determine the role that above-ground and below-ground biomass might have in the process. Analyses of 100 sod samples indicated that rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration is a much larger intraspecific phenomenon than an interspecific one. The data also strongly suggested spatial location as a significant factor, with most penetrations occurring in the interior of a cogongrass stand as opposed to the advancing border. Significant correlations between rhizome-mediated, below-ground vegetative penetration and above-ground cogongrass biomass were found in the overall plot analysis and most strongly in the advancing border of the cogongrass stands.     

植物生长调节剂对混播牧草产量及生理特征的影响

应用随机区组试验,研究了赤霉酸(GA3) 6-BA、GA3、6-BA及KT对混播牧草产量及若干生理特征的影响。结果表明:植物生长调节剂处理后,苜蓿Medicago sativa和无芒雀麦Bromus inermis的叶绿素含量及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性均明显高于对照(CK),同时也抑制了丙二醛(MDA)的含量升高。在分别测定苜蓿和无芒雀麦干草产量中,各处理与对照之间差异极显著(P<0.01),其中GA3 6-BA与GA3、6-BA、KT这3种处理差异极显著(P<0.01),其干草总产量达到最高(9 004.5 kg/hm2);另外,GA3、6-BA处理都与KT处理结果差异显著(P<0.05)。     

沙质草地植物群落及土壤质地对补播和翻耕措施的响应

选取3个翻耕模式(深翻、浅翻及免耕),以未补播的原生沙质草地为对照(CK),分析不同模式下禾-豆混播草地土壤颗粒组成、植物群落结构特征及数量特征,研究退化沙质草地土壤质地及植物群落对翻耕和补播措施的响应。结果表明:深翻、浅翻、免耕及CK对应的草地群落物种丰富度分别为9、9、5种和8种,机械扰动和补播牧草降低了游击型克隆植物的繁殖与扩展能力,提高了补播牧草在群落中的优势度,深翻处理下多年生禾本科及豆科牧草优势度最为明显,翻耕及补播后草地植物群落物种多样性和均匀度明显增大,生态优势度与物种多样性变化趋势正好相反,其中浅翻处理下补播草地群落物种多样性和均匀度最高,游击型克隆植物提高了原生草地生态优势度;补播草地群落地上生物量大小表现为:深翻(348.39 g·m~(-2))浅翻(285.77 g·m~(-2))免耕(242.08 g·m~(-2))CK(141.83 g·m~(-2)),且与原生草地存在极显著性差异(P0.01);补播草地土壤颗粒组成主要以50~250μm的细沙粒为主,深翻、浅翻及补播牧草显著提高了0~20 cm土层土壤黏粉粒含量和土壤颗粒体积分形维数(P0.01),土壤质地改善效果明显,土壤整体稳定性明显提高。     

苜蓿组织培养研究进展

苜蓿Medicago spp.组织培养已在多个种上取得成功,且以紫花苜蓿M. sativa最多。对苜蓿组织培养的外植体选择、培养基组成成分、愈伤组织和体细胞胚的诱导、植株再生以及基因型的选择5个方面阐述了苜蓿组织培养的研究现状。并进一步对目前存在的问题和发展趋势进行了归纳,以期为苜蓿基因工程和细胞工程研究提供有益的借鉴。     

合肥市白毫早、乌牛早茶园天敌与蓟马的空间跟随关系

为利用天敌有效防治茶园蓟马,2015—2016年选择安徽农业大学农业科技试验基地的白毫早和乌牛早2种茶园进行试验,对2种茶园的蓟马数量及其天敌数量进行调查,采用地学统计学方法与灰色关联度法相结合方法综合分析与蓟马空间跟随关系密切的天敌种类。结果表明,2015年和2016年2年,白毫早茶园蓟马共2 408头,其捕食性天敌共12 156头,与蓟马空间跟随关系密切的前4位天敌依次是锥腹肖蛸Tetragnatha maxillosa、茶色新圆蛛Neoscona theisi、粽管巢蛛Clubiona japonicola和草间小黑蛛Erigonidium graminicolum,2年密切指数之和分别为1.952、1.843、1.800和1.751;2015年和2016年2年,乌牛早茶园蓟马共6 540头,其捕食性天敌共12 376头,与蓟马空间关系密切的前4位天敌依次是八斑球腹蛛Theridion octomaculatum、异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis、茶色新圆蛛和锥腹肖蛸,2年密切指数之和分别为1.863、1.829、1.762和1.759。综合分析2年白毫早和乌牛早2种茶园,与蓟马空间关系密切的前4位天敌依次是锥腹肖蛸、茶色新圆蛛、异色瓢虫和草间小黑蛛,密切指数之和为3.710、3.605、3.512和3.473。     

Predicting quantitative host plant resistance against phoma black stem in sunflower

Phoma black stem is an important disease in sunflower, against which no specific management method is currently deployed in France. Relevant phenotyping methods for quantitative resistance are critical for integration of this trait into breeding programmes. Components of resistance associated with physiological resistance, and morphological traits associated with disease escape were measured on 21 sunflower genotypes under growth chamber (on seedlings), greenhouse (on adult plants), and field conditions, together with disease intensity in the field. Potential predictors were first selected for sensitivity and robustness from mixed model anova s. Analyses involving ranking tests and logistic regressions were then performed to identify predictors for field resistance. The identification of predictors for resistance involved analyses conducted in two broad steps: process‐oriented experiments, and epidemic‐oriented experiments. This stepwise approach departs from many studies aimed at identifying predictors for field resistance, which rely mainly on the computation of correlation coefficients between predictors and measured field disease variables. Predictors for quantitative resistance were identified: (i) lesion length and lesion expansion on stems of plants before flowering stage, and (ii) lesion length on first leaf petioles of seedlings. A high number of leaves and tall plants were associated with disease escape. Control genotypes for susceptibility and quantitative resistance were identified, and implications for breeding and improvements were derived from this work.     

Resistance to foliage-feeding insects in conifers: implications for pest management

The ecological implications of insect resistance in conifers are rarely discussed. It is however a fairly straightforward plant-insect interaction and should be treated as such, making use of the increasing amount of information in this field. Work on tree breeding is usually carried out by silviculturalists who, not surprisingly, rarely consider the insect component of the environment in which the treess are growing. In all fairness, it must be stated that many entomologists, fail to consider the plant component of the interaction. Clonal forestry will almost certainly result in the loss of genetic variability. The use of clonal material has already been cited as a possible source for the diminution of the resistance against pests and diseases and if particular resistance mechanisms against forest pests are sought in the future the reduction in genetic material caused by clonal selection could have serious consequences. The ethics of clonal forestry have been questioned as have the ethics of biotechnological advances in the area of recombinant DNA molecules. The potential of both these techniques should be publicized and brought to the attention of the general public and the scientific community at large and evaluated. To improve our forest environment and to protect the environment as a whole, entomologists, geneticists, physiologists and silviculturalists must work together to produce better trees that require little, if any, chemical aid, be it insecticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilizers. An increasing awareness of the environmental problems generated by large-scale insecticide applications to forest plantations, coupled with an increasingly chemophobic work-force and the difficulty in obtaining pesticide registration for use in forest environments, means that the forest industry world-wide must look to the use of integrated control measures with more diligence than has been shown in the past. Many recent outbreaks of pests and diseases have been linked with particular seed origins of tree crops. Host plant resistance as part of a suite of other proposed integrated control tools is thus an obvious candidate for development. Despite this, scientists concerned with tree improvement continue to select largely for silvicultural traits rather than for resistance to pests and disease. The different avenues open to plant breeders are examined and the potential of breeding trees resistant to insect attack highlighted. Using resistant trees as part of an integrated pest management system has five very important properties. Firstly, there is no additional pest control cost to the grower, secondly, it operates at all levels of insect incidence and not just when the pest is at high population levels, thirdly, it reduces the insect population cumulatively, fourthly it avoids toxic residues and environmental pollution and, finally, it usually interacts well with the other integrated pest management strategies in existence.