An improved specimen generation method for DEM based on local Delaunay tessellation and distance function

Discretizing a domain of interest into a set of particles for discrete element simulation is the first step to generate a specimen. An improved algorithm, the Seed Expansion Method (SEM), is proposed in this work. A seed is first generated inside a given domain. Then, the domain is filled by the seed expansion based on a local Delaunay tessellation and a distance function. An optional operation, refilling, is suggested to further improve the packing density after the completion of SEM. Polydisperse dense packing can be generated by the proposed method for an arbitrarily shaped domain in both 2D and 3D. A specimen can be obtained that approximately conforms to a specified size distribution and packing density. Multiple subdomains of a domain can be filled by packings with different densities and size distributions. A specimen with higher density can be obtained by comparing it with the existing methods. Mathematically, the features of the method include both simplicity and high efficiency. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水淹对三峡水库消落带苍耳种子萌发的影响

三峡水库实验性蓄水后,水库消落带内出现了罕见的苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum)带.通过对不同水淹处理后苍耳种子萌发特性的测定,研究水淹对苍耳种子萌发的影响.结果表明,苍耳种子具有较强的耐淹能力,即使受近8个月原位水淹胁迫,90％以上的苍耳种子依然保持有生活力.在25℃下,原位水淹的苍耳种子去总苞后的发芽率显...     

Seed predation and moisture limit germination of recalcitrant Dobera glabra (Salvadoraceae) seeds in the Afar rangelands, Ethiopia

We studied current recruitment failure of Dobera glabra, an important famine-food throughout the dryland parts of the Horn of Africa. The species has previously been found to have recalcitrant seeds, a strategy not common for plants in dryland areas. We experimentally tested (1) how germination capacity of D. glabra is affected by seed form, storage period and moisture under nursery conditions, and (2) how seed predation by vertebrate herbivore and seed exposure at germination site affect germination under field conditions in northern Afar rangelands, Ethiopia. D. glabra seeds that received either mulching or supplementary watering (3 days/week) had a higher germination success than controls. The seeds are probably desiccation sensitive since stored seeds had poor germination performance compared to fresh seeds. Seeds in the rangeland plots protected from herbivores had significantly higher germination success compared to open plots. Our findings demonstrate that seed predation and moisture limitation highly reduced the germinability of the recalcitrant D. glabra seeds, indicating that the species might have persisted due to past wetter periods and low herbivore density in dry environments.     

几种荒漠植物种子萌发对干旱胁迫的响应及其抗旱性评价研究

以不同渗透势的PEG-6000溶液(0～-1.8 MPa)为模拟干旱胁迫条件,研究了盐爪爪(Kalidium foliatum)、黑果枸杞(Lycium ruthenicum Murr)、沙蒿(Artemisia arenaria)和油蒿(Artemisiaordosica)4种荒漠植物种子萌发及幼苗生长对干旱胁迫的响...     

汞离子对细基江蓠孢子萌发和生长的影响

研究了4种Hg2+浓度对细基江蓠果孢子和四分孢子附着、萌发和生长的影响。结果表明:与对照组相比,Hg2+抑制了果孢子附着却促进了四分孢子的附着,但0.0025 mg/L浓度与对照组的差异不显著(P>0.05),各浓度间差异显著(P<0.05);Hg2+在实验浓度范围内(0.0025、0.0050、0.0075、0.0100 mg/L)影响了孢子的正常萌发,使孢子不能正常分裂和生长,刺激了孢子脱落,并且使盘状体的形态发生变异;`Hg2+不同浓度之间也存在显著差异(P<0.05),并且Hg2+浓度越高对孢子的萌发和生长影响越大。     

Germination of phytoplankton resting cells from surface sediments in two areas of the Southern Chinese coastal waters

To understand the role of phytoplankton resting cells in the outbreak of algal blooms, particularly harmful algal blooms, surface sediments were collected monthly from April 2007 to March 2008 from two bays near the international ports in the Southern Chinese coastal waters. Sieved sediments were incubated for 20 and 40 days, and germinated vegetative cells were observed. Altogether, 97 taxa were recorded, of which 50 were diatoms and 35 dinoflagellates. Vegetative cells of cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, dictyophytes, euglenophytes, haptophytes, and raphidophytes were also observed. Centric diatoms such as Chaetoceros, Melosira, Skeletonema, and Thalassiosira dominated. Scrippsiella, Gymnodinium, and Alexandrium were common dinoflagellate taxa. Diatom spores germinated in samples from all seasons but were abundant in the autumn and winter samples. Low numbers of dinoflagellate cells germinated in the winter samples. The nanophytoplankton taxa, Gymnodinium corii and Chrysochromulina sp., which have not been recorded in the previous phytoplankton surveys, were abundant, suggesting either their new appearance in the water column or perhaps that they were overlooked in routine phytoplankton monitoring due to their small sizes. Vegetative cells of harmful or potentially harmful taxa were germinated, and some of them such as Amphidinium, Gambierdiscus, Ostreopsis, and Coolia have not previously been reported in the study area. Based on the results of the incubation of sediments from the two bays near the international ports, it is suggested that international shipping increases the risk of the introduction of new phytoplankton species and thus promotes the incidence of harmful algal blooms.     

Effects of modified clay on cysts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scrippsiella trochoidea</Emphasis> for harmful algal bloom control

We present results on the effect of modified clay on cyst formation of Scrippsiella trochoidea in harmful algal bloom （HAB）. Modified clay （in concentration of 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 g/L） were added to cultures, and observations were made on cysts of S. trochoidea under controlled laboratory conditions. Results indicate that the removal rate of algal cells reached 97.7% at the clay concentration of 1.0 g/L. The cyst formation rate increased from 4.6% to 24.6% when the concentration of clay was increased from 0 to 1.0 g/L. Two cyst metamorphs were observed： spinal calcareous cysts and smooth noncalcareous ones. The proportion of the spinal cysts decreased from 76.9% to 24.1% when clay concentration increased from 0 to 1.0 g/L. In addition, modified clay affected cyst germination. The germination rate decreased with the increases in the clay concentrations. Non-calcareous cysts had a lower germination rate with a longer germination time. We conclude that modified clay could depress algal cell multiplication and promote formation of temporal cysts of S. trochoidea, which may help in controlling HAB outbreaks.     

Observation of female gamete (Carpogonia) germination of Porphyra yezoensis and P. oligospermatangia

Several papers have reported that part or whole leafy thallus seemingly consisting of zygotospores can give rise to both blades and conchocelis in the same culture ofPorphyra. Study on samples of wild and cultivatedPorphyra yezoensis andP. oligospermatangia were conducted to clarify the origination of the young blades in the culture. It is confirmed that single cells on the blade of both species, which normally intermixed with zygotospores, germinated into young blades. TEM and SEM observation has shown that the single cells ofPorphyra yezoensis had typical features of female gamete (carpogonia) but archeospore. Therefore, the female gametes are responsible in developing leafy thalli. This project was sponsored by the NSFC (No. C-0205-05-39770593)     

Responses to salt stress in the halophyte Plantago crassifolia (Plantaginaceae)

General responses to salt stress have been investigated in the halophyte Plantago crassifolia. Seed germination was strongly inhibited by NaCl, although seed viability and germination capacity were not affected by salt pre-treatments. A concentration-dependent inhibition of plant growth was observed in the presence of NaCl, which was accompanied by the accumulation of Na⁺ ions in the leaves, as determined by cation exchange HPLC. A 20-fold increase of proline content in leaves was observed when plants were treated with 500 m NaCl, suggesting a protective role against high salinity stress for this amino acid, whose possible mechanism of action is discussed.     

Plant life-form and germination in a Mexican inter-tropical desert: effects of soil water potential and temperature

We investigated the effects of soil water potential (SWP) and temperature on seed germination of six coexisting species of an inter-tropical desert. These species include three life-forms; the shrubs Cercidium praecox andProsopis laevigata ; the columnar succulents Neobuxbaumia tetetzo and Pachycereus hollianus; and the arborescent semi-succulents Beaucarnea gracilis and Yucca periculosa. In the six species germinability increased and germination time and speed of germination (t⁵⁰) decreased as SWP decreased. The SWP treatments were 0 MPa, −0·12 MPa, −0·2 MPa, −0·41 MPa and −0·66 MPa. There was, however, a SWP threshold below which germination time and t⁵⁰increased and germinability decreased. The shrubs had the highest germinability whereas the columnar succulents had the lowest. The shrubs also had shorter germination time andt⁵⁰ than arborescent semi-succulents whereas seeds of the columnar succulents were indeterminate. In all species except P. laevigata germinability increased and the germination time and t⁵⁰decreased as temperature increased. The temperature treatments were 12°C, 20°C and 26°C. The shrubs had the shortest t⁵⁰and germination time and the highest germinability at all temperatures. Arborescent semi-succulents had the lowest germinability and longest germination time and t⁵⁰at the three temperatures treatments. Our results support the hypothesis that in desert environments different plant life-forms utilise different germination strategies to persist.