植物对荒漠生境的趋同适应

Convergent adaptation of desert plants to their arid habitats

植物体的表型特征是其基因与生态因子二者共同作用的结果,生活在荒漠生境中的植物由于遭受相同的自然选择压力,在外部形态、内部结构、生活史特征、生理特性、次生代谢产物的合成以及大分子物质的诱导产生等诸多表型方面均表现出高度趋同的现象。随着研究手段的改善,对植物趋同适应的研究已逐渐深入到了分子水平。研究荒漠生境中植物的趋同适应对于人们深刻地认识和理解植物与环境间的相互关系及其分子基础,以及利用功能基因改良重要作物的抗逆性等将会产生深远的影响;对极端干旱环境下特殊次生代谢产物的定向发现及重要先导化合物的筛选等有着重大的指导意义;同时对我国的西部开发及干旱区的生态恢复亦有重要的参考价值。

Plant phenotypes are controlled both by its genetic and environmental factors. Desert plants are of similar adaptation ways to their extremely arid living conditions as far as their morphological traits, life history strategies, photosynthesis characteristics, alkaloid accumulation and stress shock proteins induction are concerned, which can deepen our recognition of the mutual relationship between plants and their habitats, can help us to find and select some functional genes to improve the capability of photosynthesis and the resistance to environmental stresses of some important crops, and can illustrate us a reasonable way to find some special natural productions of plants under extremely arid conditions. It is also of some important reference value in ecological restoration in arid regions.