The impact of aspect on forest structure and floristics in some Eastern Australian sites

Aspect exerts a major influence on the structure and floristics of forests at upslope positions on steep ridges near the escarpment of north-eastern New South Wales. The vegetation of northwest facing sites differed from that of the southeast aspect in species richness and diversity, canopy cover, and canopy height, whilst differences between northeast and southwest aspects were significant for fewer attributes. The gross effect of aspect was in segregating eucalypt and rainforest communities. Aspect-induced differences in light, heat, moisture and edaphic conditions produced a sort of potential canopy species during recruitment. In the absence of substantial disturbance, the divergence of the structural character of developing forest canopies between aspects tends to enhance the floristic divergence in the subcanopy space. Although the study area is representative of a large region of forested steeplands in the hinterland of north-eastern New South Wales, the upper slope segments and four aspects studied can be expected to represent the extreme manipulation. In any event, it is unlikely that the extent of site divergence represented in these old-growth forests would be maintained under managed re-growth strategies.     

Physiological and growth responses of three sizes of containerized Picea mariana seedlings outplanted with and without vegetation control

Three different stock sizes of containerized black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.) seedlings were planted in an abandoned agricultural field. The small planting stock was of a conventional type produced in 110 cm³ containers. The experimental medium and large stock types were produced in 340 and 700 cm³ containers, respectively. Gas exchange, xylem water potential and dry masses were measured six times during each of the first two growing seasons in field plots with and without vegetation control. During the first growing season, the effect of planting shock masked most physiological and growth differences among seedling types. During the second growing season, in plots with vegetation control, small and medium seedlings had similar values of physiological variables and of growth as measured by relative growth rates (RGR), but the large seedlings showed lower values of both net photosynthesis and of RGR, a difference attributed to low initial quality of the root system in the larger seedlings. In plots without vegetation control, the trend was identical, but differences were not significant; the greater height of the larger seedlings, and the resulting greater access to light, compensated for their lower initial quality. The similarity in response between the medium and the small seedlings shows that a fourfold increase in shoot size (1.68–6.82 g) in the initial size and a doubling of the shoot : root ratio (2.17–4.54) of the planting stock did not result in increased planting shock or reduced growth in these containerized conifer stock types. The results also show the importance of the interaction between stock height and the vertical light profile created by the competing vegetation in the final assessment of stock performance.     

Fine litterfall and nutrient dynamics during forest regrowth in the humid subtropics of north-eastern India

Fine litterfall and nutrient return patterns were studied in three subtropical humid forest stands (7-, 13- and 16-year old), regrowing after selective tree cutting in north-eastern India. The seasonality of fine litterfall was unimodal, with a peak during spring and a trough during rainy season in the forest regrowths of three different ages. The rate of fine litterfall increased with increasing basal area of the woody vegetation during forest regrowth. Leaf litter accounted for 83% of the total litterfall. N concentration was maximum during autumn and minimum during rainy season; nutrient concentrations were highest in the leaf litter. Seasonal variation in P concentration was small. Maximum and minimum input of N and P to the forest floor through fine litter coincided with the respective periods of litter production.     

Modifying the microclimate around young oaks through vegetation manipulation: Effects on seedling growth and branching

The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of vegetation control on the microclimate (light, air temperature, vapor-pressure deficit (VPD)) and on the growth of young planted, sessile oak seedlings. Three types of vegetation control, creating a range of above-ground interaction intensity, were compared. In the open treatment, vegetation was chemically controlled and was maintained at a low height; in the closed treatment, vegetation was manually controlled and a few dominant individuals that overtopped the oak seedlings were cut; and in the sheath treatment, the vegetation in a 0.5-m diameter circle around each seedling was manually cut to a height equal to three quarters of the total seedling height. In all treatments, a strong reduction of incoming radiation was observed, as well as an increase in air temperature and VPD during the day, and a decrease in daily PET, compared to the reference located 4 m above the vegetation. However, the neighboring vegetation did not modify the microclimate around the seedling to a level that could have induced a significant reduction in seedling photosynthesis and, thus, in seedling growth. Seven years after planting, seedlings were shortest in the open treatment and tallest in the closed treatment (334, 372, 378 cm in the open, sheath and closed treatments, respectively). Seedlings in the open treatment allocated proportionally more biomass to diameter increment than to height growth, compared to seedlings in the sheath and closed treatments. The seedlings averaged 1.77, 1.10 and 1.00 forks in the open, sheath and closed treatments, respectively, and the average height of the lowest fork was 171, 206 and 226 cm in the same treatments. The reduction of the number of forks per seedling was not related to a reduction of the appearance of new forks, but rather to a reduction in the persistence of the existing forks. These changes in stem allometry and in fork development seemed to be related to the lateral shade afforded by the vegetation.     

氟化物对荔枝营养生长和生殖生长的影响

对广东东莞市荔枝叶片黄化的调查分析表明,荔枝叶片生长受阻,叶尖,叶边缘黄化主要是由于叶片含氟量过高所致．用氟化钠溶液对荔枝新梢进行喷雾试验,其受害症状与污染区调查的症状是一致的．在氟污染区,随着荔枝叶龄的增加,叶片中氟含量会显著提高,且叶片各部位的含氟量有由叶中脉向边缘增大的趋势．在含有一定浓度的氟化物培养基中荔枝花粉的萌发会受到抑制．大量积累在柱头上的氟化物既可对柱头造成伤害,又可直接影响落在柱头上的花粉的萌发,这可能是破坏受精作用的主要原因．     

泛酸对种母鸡繁殖性能的影响

选用２４００羽艾维菌父母代种母鸡分４组,饲喂不同水平的泛酸饲料,添加量分别为０,５０,１００,１５０ｍｇ·ｋｇ－１日粮,在夏季进行为期６０ｄ的饲养试验,研究炎热季节泛酸对种母鸡生产性能和繁殖性能的影响。结果表明,高剂时泛酸提高种母鸡的产蛋量（Ｐ＜００１）、蛋重（Ｐ＜００５）和采食量（Ｐ＜００５）泛酸具有改进蛋品质的作用,提高浓蛋白高度、哈夫单位（Ｐ＜００１）,促进蛋黄的合成（Ｐ＜００５）,降低蛋黄中胆固醇含量（Ｐ＜００１）,增加蛋壳的厚度和强度（Ｐ＜００５）;泛酸提高种蛋的受精率和孵化率（Ｐ＜００５）,对降低胚胎后期死亡率有明显的作用。     

Effect of food restriction on female reproductive performance in the redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (Parastacidae,Decapoda)

Aquaculture activity has grown remarkably in the last years, crustaceans being the most profitable products because of their high prices. Feeding costs represent a large portion of total operating costs in the aquaculture industry. In this context, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of food restriction on the reproductive performance of redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. Females at the onset of sexual maturity were stocked with males and were fed daily a formulated diet at 1.5% (control group) and 0.5% (restricted group) of their mean weight. The experimental period lasted 105 days. The percentage of ovigerous females and broods successfully hatched tended to be higher in restricted females compared with control females, but egg volume and weight did not differ between both experimental groups. However, the lipid concentration of rematuring ovaries was lower in restricted females than control females, suggesting that food restriction affects the amount of reserves transferred to the ovaries during vitellogenesis. The nutritional state of females was independent of the amount of food provided, as reflected by similar growth parameters and biochemical composition of the hepatopancreas in control and restricted females. Based on these results, we conclude that it is possible to reduce the feeding rate of C. quadricarinatus females to one‐third of its original value without affecting their reproductive performance and somatic growth, at least for a 105‐day period. This finding provides a useful tool for commercial producers to decrease production costs and improve water quality in culture systems.     

Evaluating spawning performance among captive Florida pompano Trachinotus carolinus broodstock using microsatellite‐based parentage assignment

Florida pompano has been identified as a promising candidate for commercial‐scale aquaculture production, but to date, little information is available regarding captive broodstock spawning characteristics. Genetic markers were tested for their power in monitoring mating outcomes and potential in analysing heritability of rapid growth trait in Trachinotus carolinus. A total of 20 unrelated adults (10 females and 10 males) were chosen for a hormone‐induced mass spawning event. The 515 fastest growing and 485 slowest growing fish of the total 4852 offspring were considered a selected progeny stock, and fish were collected at 45 days post hatch based on their growth traits. Parentage analyses based on the 20 breeders and 1,000 selected progeny were performed using a total of nine microsatellite markers, a 100% assignment rate was achieved, and a four‐marker set was the minimum number for the parentage assignment. The effective breeding number for the selected progeny was 11 (six females and five males), among which three females and two males were predominant contributors with the total contribution of 95.8% and 94.7% respectively. The proportion of fast‐growing offspring from broodfish and each mating cross (sire/dam) was used for detecting whether variation in growth of the offspring was related to parental stocks. Results showed that three adults and their mated combination exhibited the greatest fast‐growing offspring proportion (69.73% and 55.95%). This research provided new information regarding spawning performance and parental contribution during mass spawning events; both important first steps towards developing improved management strategies for captive Florida pompano broodstock.     

细角螺生殖系统的形态结构观察

运用解剖学和组织学方法,研究了细角螺生殖系统的结构,并描述了该螺生殖系统的形态构造,探讨了细角螺生殖系统的结构特点。结果表明:细角螺雄性生殖系统由精巢、输精集合管、储精囊、输精管、阴精囊和交接器组成;雌性生殖系统由卵巢、输卵集合管、蛋白腺、缠卵腺、黑腺、交接囊、阴道和腹足口组成。交接器是细角螺特有的结构,在其它腹足纲动物中未见报道。腹足口仅雌性特有,是区分雌雄的唯一形态特征。繁殖期蛋白腺分泌强嗜酸性物质,缠卵腺分泌强嗜碱性物质。在细角螺中发现黑腺结构,其具体功能还有待于进一步研究。     

康拉克湖区叶尔羌高原鳅繁殖特性的初步研究

试验研究了康拉克湖区叶尔羌高原鳅的繁殖特性,包括雌、雄鱼的外部特征和内部构造及繁殖习性。雌雄鱼从体型、胸鳍形态上均有所不同;卵巢为单一囊状,以1根输卵管通到泄殖孔;精巢分为左右两叶,表面光滑无皱褶;成熟卵的颜色为浅黄色,粘性,沉性卵。生殖高峰期在5月中旬到6月底。成熟雌鱼性成熟系数高,平均35.23,最高达67.83。回归分析显示,繁殖群体全长与体质量呈极显著的幂函数关系;绝对繁殖力与全长、体重呈正相关;相对繁殖力、成熟系数与全长和体质量不存在显著的函数关系。