Dormant bacteria in lake sediments as palaeoecological indicators

Lake sediments contain viable allochthonous bacteria that can be cultured and used for palaeoecological studies. To be a good palaeoindicator, a bacterium must be able to survive in sediments for long periods of time, but also be unable to reproduce in the lake bottom. Bacteria can survive the unfavourable environmental conditions in lake sediments as resting cells. The endospore is the most specialized form and gives the bacterium an extreme longevity. The oldest viable endospores isolated from lake sediments that we are aware of are about 9000 years old.Several species, mainly in the genera Thermoactinomyces, Bacillus and Clostridium, form endospores. Clostridium perfringens has been used as palaeoindicator for sewage pollution, while Thermoactinomyces vulgaris is an indicator for past agricultural activity in the boreal forest zone and a potential climatic indicator in other vegetation zones. Although isolation and enumeration of bacterial endospores from lake sediments is rather easy and has considerable potential as a powerful tool in palaeoecology, the number of studies using palaeoecological approaches is limited.     

Germination in tamaulipan thornscrub of north-eastern Mexico

In semi-arid environments plants should be selected to germinate at times most suitable for seedling establishment. Germinability, rate of germination and temperature preference for germination (12 or 28°C constant) were analysed with respect to growth form (grass, forb, woody), longevity and seed size. Short-lived species showed preferential germination at either high or low temperature, whereas long-lived species tended to be indifferent to season. Germinability was >20% for 28 spp., 17 species were <10% and 21 species did not germinate under any circumstances. Growth form or life-span did not influence germination. Woody species germinated rapidly. Germinability and germination rate were positively associated.     

低温和赤霉素对百合鳞茎休眠解除的影响

以百合品种“西伯利亚”为材料,研究了低温和赤霉素（GA₃）处理对百合鳞茎休眠解除过程中形态和碳水化合物含量的影响,以及不同温度条件下鳞茎不同部位内源GA₃含量的变化。结果表明：低温（5℃）和0.15 g·L^-1 GA₃处理35 d时芽长与鳞茎高比值为67.954%,芽生长点位于鳞茎直立高度约2/3处,解除休眠所需天数最少;鳞茎在0~14 d时淀粉降解最快,第35天时可溶性总糖和还原糖含量最高。低温处理的内层鳞片和芽内源GA₃含量变化显著,且温度越低,变化越明显。低温条件下内层鳞片和芽的内源GA₃含量较高,上升趋势最为明显;而外层鳞片和根的GA₃含量水平较低,变化趋势较小。可见,顶芽和内层鳞片可能为整个鳞茎休眠解除活动的中心。     

Effect of sand burial depth on seed germination and seedling emergence of Calligonum L. species

A greenhouse study was conducted to determine the effects of sand burial on seed germination and seedling emergence of ten Calligonum L. species. The results suggested that the deeper the seeds in sand, the lower and slower their germination and seedling emergence. Seedling emergence occurred from a maximum depth of 12 cm with most seedlings emerging from 2 and 4 cm depths. The percent seedling emergence, number of days of first emergence, percent seed germination and percent of dormant seeds were significantly affected by different species and burial depth. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of days to first emergence and burial depth. Both mean percent germination and percent seedling emergence were negatively correlated with depth significantly for each species.     

几种荒漠植物干旱休眠机理的初步研究

研究了阿拉善荒漠区天然生长的荒漠植物梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)、骆驼蓬(Peganum harmala)、白刺(Nitraria tangutorum)、霸王(Zygophyllum xanthoxylon)、红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)、珍珠(Salsolapasserina )、油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)叶片的相对含水量、脯氨酸、甜菜碱、海藻糖以及脱落酸(Abscisic Acid,ABA)含量在不同生长季节的变化特征。结果表明,ABA可促进脯氨酸、甜菜碱的积累;脯氨酸在9月累积较多,甜菜碱在7月大量累积,海藻糖在5月和9月积累较多,脱落酸在9月累积较多。脱落酸和脯氨酸对植物休眠可能存在着促进作用。     

海草土壤种子库：特征、影响因素、研究方法及其在受损海草场恢复中的作用

海草的土壤种子库具有巨大的时空异质性,不同种类密度差别可达5个数量级,同一种植被的土壤种子库,在不同环境、不同阶段亦相差甚大。种子具有休眠现象的海草可形成持久种子库(种子寿命≥1 a),例如喜盐草属(Halophila)、针叶草属(Syringodium)、川蔓草属(Ruppia)和丝粉草属(Cymodocea),或短暂种子库(种子寿命<1 a),例如鳗草属(Zostera)和虾形草属(Phyllospadix)。种子没有休眠现象,例如海菖蒲属(Enhalus)和泰来草属(Thalassia),或具有胎生现象的海草,例如全楔草属(Thalassodendron)和根枝草属(Amphibolis),则不形成土壤种子库。植被特性、环境条件、动物行为等影响海草的土壤种子库。海草土壤种子库密度的研究方法可分为直接计数法和幼苗萌发法两种,采用何种方法取决于种子的大小以及破除休眠的可控性。土壤种子库尤其是持久种子库是一年生海草场或受到较大干扰海草场恢复的关键。我国绝大部分的海草场面临巨大的人为威胁,且不少海草场由一年生海草组成,因此,保护好这些海草场的土壤种子库至关重要。