Predispersal reproductive ecology of an arid land crucifer,Moricandia moricandioides: effect of mammal herbivory on seed production

In this paper the effect of herbivory on the seed production ofMoricandia moricandioides(Cruciferae), an annual species living in arid habitats of south-eastern Spain, is analysed. Firstly, the flowering and fruiting phenology and the composition and structure of the pollinator guild is described, in order to compare the overall effect of mutualistic speciesvs. that of antagonistic species onM. moricandioidesseed production. The loss of female reproductive success due to each herbivore species attacking the plant is then quantified, in an attempt to differentiate the effects on plant seed production of each herbivorous species. The results indicate that only antagonistic organisms interacting withM. moricandioidesinfluenced the female fitness of this plant species. In fact, pollinator abundance or activity did not correlate with the number of seeds dispersed by the plants. In addition, of all the herbivore species, only sheep activity significantly influenced seed production ofM. moricandioidesindividuals, the effect of the remaining crucivorous herbivores being cancelled by the stronger herbivory of sheep. The results of this study suggest that herbivory by sheep, in addition to decreasing the seed production ofM. moricandioides, could be an important determinant of the current distribution pattern of this crucifer species on the ramblas of the Baza basin.     

Compensatory responses of an arid land crucifer, Chorispora tenella (Brassicaceae), to experimental flower removal

We studied experimentally the compensatory ability of an annual arid land crucifer, Chorispora tenella, with respect to density of conspecifics. Chorispora tenella was able to compensate for flower losses by modulating the rates of abortion of flowers, fruits and ovules. In addition, plants growing at lower density compensated more intensely against losses than plants growing at high density. Nevertheless, as a consequence of compensation, plants in all treatments produced the same quantity of seeds (equal compensation). These results suggest that, from flower production to fruit and ovule maturation, C. tenella maintained a number of ovules that exceeded those that it could eventually mature. This could help to colonize arid environments successfully, in which resources are typically scarce and spatio-temporally unpredictable.     

《中国沙漠植物志》十字花科（CRUCIFERAE）订正

 通过对中国沙漠地区十字花科植物标本鉴定和文献考证,对《中国沙漠植物志》十字花科3属,14种,1亚种和1变种的名称做了订正,包括枝芥属和对枝芥,爪花芥属及福海爪花芥和大花爪花芥,念珠芥属及短果念珠芥、蚓果芥和直毛蚓果芥（变种）,短梗厚壁荠,垂果四棱荠,薄果荠,新疆庭荠,倒卵叶庭荠,沼生蔊菜,异蕊芥,棒果芥,灰毛糖芥,芝麻菜（亚种）,无包芥。