A synthesis on the impact of non-native conifer plantations on ant and beetle diversity in north-western Patagonia

Softwood forestry with non-native tree species is increasing worldwide and especially in many developing countries of the Southern Hemisphere. Tree plantations are beneficial in environmental and socioeconomic aspects, but at the same time there are recognised costs associated with afforestation. Our aim was to revise the existing information on the impact of exotic conifer plantations in north-western Patagonia on insect biodiversity. A total of five studies were selected and, in these, not every insect group responded in a similar manner to the habitat replacement. There was a tendency towards a reduction in abundance and species richness of several insects inside pine plantations. This change in abundance and richness was especially evident for ant assemblages and when pine plantations were dense. Beetle assemblages, in turn, showed diverse responses to the replacement of native vegetation with forests depending on the native habitat matrix. Our findings confirm that practices that reduce tree density (via thinning or during plantation) should be recommended to minimise their impact on insect biodiversity in north-western Patagonia. The consistent behaviour of ant assemblages, coupled with their abundance, ease to sample and unambiguous taxonomy make them reliable candidates for long-term monitoring of the impact conifer forestation in north-western Patagonia, as well as probably in other regions of the world in which non-native pines replace natural environments.     

不同粒径的桉树皮基质对桉树苗木的影响

以桉树皮为材料,通过对3种粒径桉树皮基质理化性质分析和苗木调查,研究不同粒径对基质理化性能和育苗效果的影响。试验结果表明：在育苗过程中,粒径〈2mm的桉树皮基质理化性质相对更稳定,苗木生长量最大,育苗效果最好;粒径2～5mm和5～10mm的桉树皮基质理化性质变化较明显,而粒径5～10mm的基质孔隙性变化最大,化学性质不够稳定,粒径对育苗基质和育苗效果影响较大。     

Physiology and Regulation of Seasonal Nitrogen Cycling in Woody Plants

Summary

Seasonal nitrogen cycling in trees is a mechanism for conserving and reusing nitrogen that may contribute to nitrogen use efficiency. In this review the physiological and molecular regulation of seasonal nitrogen storage is examined. Research using the 32 kDa bark storage protein gene, bspA of poplar (Populus) as a model system has revealed important facets regulating gene expression and subsequent nitrogen storage. Recent progress has demonstrated that bspA expression is a photoperiod response mediated by phytochrome and secondary messengers including Ca²⁺ and protein phosphorylation are involved in signaling pathways. Furthermore, evidence indicates that photoperiod modulated expression likely involves metabolic signaling mediated by glutamine and sucrose. A model is proposed that integrates the various facets of poplar bspa expression.     

7个橡胶树品系树皮结构与农艺性状相关性研究

以我国自主选育的热试662、热试419等7个开割无性系为试材,采用石蜡切片技术,观测树皮乳管列数目、厚度等乳管分化特征参数,分析上述参数与胶乳产量、茎围等主要农艺性状的相关性。结果如下:1)7个品系中,石细胞以内的次生韧皮部厚度与茎围,再生皮的厚度呈正相关。2)胶乳产量与石细胞以内的次生乳管列数目,树皮中的次生乳管列数目与树皮总厚度的比值呈正相关;其中,热试419树皮结构的次生乳管列数目与树皮结构的总厚度的比值明显高于其他品系,次生乳管的总列数最多,乳管分化能力较强,且胶乳产量最高。3)热试9359和RRIM600次生乳管的分化能力较强,产胶潜力大。该实验结果为以树皮乳管分化指标辅助评价主要农艺性状提供了参考,也为参试品系割胶技术的开发提供了依据。     

肉桂和同源根皮不同极性部位的成分分析及其抑菌效果

以肉桂及其同源根皮为原料,采用80%乙醇分别对两者进行回流提取,经系统溶剂法萃取得到两者的石油醚部位、乙酸乙酯部位、正丁醇部位和水部位,并采用滤纸片法研究各极性部位对常见的3种致病菌(金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌、绿脓杆菌)的抑菌活性。研究结果表明:相同质量的肉桂和根皮提取得到的各极性部位的质量、成分种类及含量均有所差异,其中石油醚部位所含成分大致相同,但主要成分反式肉桂醛、邻甲氧基肉桂醛含量差异较大;两者乙酸乙酯部位、正丁醇部位和水部位分别含有黄酮类,皂苷类和多糖类成分;此外根皮乙酸乙酯部位还含有邻甲氧基肉桂醛、乙酸肉桂酯,根皮水部位含有D-半乳糖。肉桂石油醚部位、根皮石油醚部位、根皮乙酸乙酯部位对3种菌均有一定的抑制作用,当这3个部位的质量浓度均为500 g/L时,对金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌、绿脓杆菌的抑菌圈直径分别大于(17.62±0.22)、(25.21±2.09)和(12.82±0.30)mm,肉桂乙酸乙酯部位抑菌作用较弱,肉桂和根皮正丁醇部位和水部位对3种供试菌种均无抑制作用。     

The importance of host characteristics and canopy openness for pest management in urban forests

Urban forests are important for the health of cities. These forests face high anthropogenic pressure, including demands on their multi-functional role. Therefore, the impact of pests-induced disturbances may be greater for urban forests than forests outside of cities. Monitoring of pests in their native environment is an important tool for the management of urban forests. To better understand how pest population density is affected by the forest environment, we used the Oak bark beetle, Scolytus intricatus, as a model organism. The study was carried out in 2014–2015 in the urban forests of Pardubice City, Czech Republic. Pest population density was studied at three levels: branch, tree and patch. The increasing branch diameter was identified as an important variable with a threshold of 70 mm for entrance holes and 45 mm for emergence holes. Increasing host tree diameter at breast height with a threshold of 46.8 cm was statistically significant at the tree level in terms of the number of entrance holes. Increasing spring canopy openness was identified as an important variable at the patch level with a threshold of 50.78% and had a decreasing trend for the number of reared adults and their total body size. Big oak trees with thick branches under closed spring canopy are the most susceptible to attack by S. intricatus. Based on our findings, we propose that the maintenance of mature oaks under open canopies is important for urban forest management. Avoiding mixed plantings of oaks and conifers should promote these open canopies and lead to multiple advantages regarding oak silviculture.     

Check list of water beetles recorded from Changbai Mountain area

Inttxiducti()nWaterbeetlesoftenrefert()apalpic()n1ia,co11stitutcaratllerlargegroupofcolcopter:l,distrit,utedi11allparts()ftIleworld.TI1eyshowagrcatlnorpl1ologicaIdivcrsityal1datremel1tIousrangeil1size.Traditiollalwaterquality11lol1it()ri11gco11sists()fdippi11gwatersampIesoutofstreallls,carryil1gtllesesaIl1plcsbacktolaboratory,andtl1ensul)jecth1gtlle11lt<)aseriesofcllemicalallalyses'ByIookingattI1eco11ce11tratio11sofvariouspolIuta11ts,scie11[istsl1oPC[()makeprc(Iictiol1saboutl1owda11gerous…     

Spatial distribution pattern of attack of the oak borer,Platypus quercivorus (Murayama) (Coleoptera: Platypodidae), and scolytid ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) on fresh logs

The spatial distribution patterns of the attack on fresh logs ofPasania edulis was studied for the oak borer,Platypus quercivorus (Murayama), and two species of Scolytid ambrosia beetles,Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) andXyleborus attenuatus Blanford, in 1994 and 1995. On the logs where onlyP. quercivorus attacked, the entry holes were distributed uniformly when attack intensity was low. However, the distribution pattern became more aggregated with the increase in attack intensity. On logs where bothP. quercivorus and the two Scolytid species attacked, there was a negative association between the spatial distribution of the entry holes ofP. quercivorus and that of scolytids. Simultaneous attack of two scolytids also increased the degree of aggregation of the entry holes ofP. quercivorus. The entry holes of scolytids were distributed in groups irrespective of the attack intensity of scolytids andP. quercivorus. These results suggest an asymmetrical interspecific relationship betweenP. quercivorus and scolytids. Concentration of the entry holes ofP. quercivorus in a small area may cause a considerable decline in the reproductive success in the galleries constructed there.     

光肩星天牛生态控制模式的研究

光肩星天牛（Ａｎｏｐｌｏｐｈｏｒａ ｇｌａｂｒｉｐｅｎｎｉｓ Ｍｏｔｓｃｈ）是钻蛀性害虫,国内２７个省有３７种树木被害甚至大批枯死,从而引起森林逆向性发展,使有林地变为无林地,沦为沙漠或荒原。光肩星天牛是国际严格检疫对象。由于商品木质包装物携带光肩星天牛,近两年造成我国外贸损伤达２４０亿美元。所以,光肩星天牛的防治是一个亟待解决的问题。经过２０ａ的研究,取得了突破性进展,抑制住了森林的逆向性发展,     

Antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities of Pinus radiata bark extract in salmonid cell lines

A fish meal supply shortage is limiting aquaculture development. Currently, plant‐based proteins, such as soya bean meal, are being used as an alternative protein source, despite that such a diet can adversely affect fish, such as by inducing an inflammatory response. A possible solution is to include dietary additives in farm diets to counteract negative effects. One such solution originates from pine bark extracts, which present bioactive properties. In this study, the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties of Pinus radiata bark extracts were evaluated for the first time in a salmonid cell line. This extract chemically demonstrated antioxidant activity through 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH = 58.4 ± 1.1%) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP = 575 ± 17 mgEqFe(II)·g extract^?1) assays. Additionally, the extract showed high flavonoid and phenolic compound contents. Up to 100 mg mL^?1, the P. radiata extract showed no cytotoxicity in the CHSE‐214 salmonid embryo cell line. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the extract (50 μg mL^?1) was evaluated by a dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) assay in the SHK‐1 salmon cell line challenged with an oxidant stimulus (H₂O₂), showing 58.9% activity. The extract also protected DNA from oxidative damage, as observed through a comet assay. When assessing anti‐inflammatory properties in an in vitro inflammation model, the extract significantly reduced the relative expression of the pro‐inflammatory cytokines interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) and of the inducible cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) enzyme. These results suggest a potential application of P. radiata bark extract in functional foods in aquaculture.