Ecological adaptation of Eupatorium adenophorum populations to light intensity

Eupatorium adenophorum is one of main invasive plants in China and has caused great economic losses. A study was conducted to determine the biomass allocation, leaf morphology and growth response of E. adenophorum seedlings that grew under five different intensities （relative irradiances RI 10%, 20 %, 30%, 55%, 100%） for 14 months. Results reveal that the species shows typical leaf morphological adaptation to different light conditions. The total biomass of seedlings increased with the increase of light intensity from 10% to 55% RI but decreased at RI 100% （full sunlight）. Height growth increased with the increase of light intensity from 10% to 30% RI but decreased when light intensity was over 30% RI. At low light levels, plants enhanced light availability by means of increasing biomass allocation to leaves and formation of larger, thinner leaves with high specific leaf area （SLA）, leading to a high leaf area ratio （LAR） and high stem strips length （SSL）. The mean relative growth rate （RGR） of the plant increased with the light intensity increase and attained the maximum at 55% RI. The growth of seedlings at 30%-55% RI was much better than that at full light condition. This might be an adaptive strategy that supports the vigorous invasiveness of this species, because a high-shaded canopy could prevent other plant species from surviving and growing. This study indicates that E. adenophorum could adapt to different light conditions, especially to low light habit. This can explain its greater invasiveness.

Organic Acids Secreted from Plant Roots under Soil Stress and Their Effects on Ecological Adaptability of Plants

[Objective] In this study,the secretion of organic acids from plant roots under soil nutrient and water stress and the effects of organic acids on ecological adaptability of plants were investigated,which provided theoretical basis for improving the adaptability of plants to a variety of stress conditions.The results showed that,under nutrient and water stress,the content of organic acids secreted from plant roots increased significantly as a common active adaptive response.Organic acids could improve the activities of a variety of antioxidant enzymes,contents of osmotic regulatory substances,contents of chlorophyll and photosynthesis levels,promote nutrient absorption and transportation in plants,and ultimately contribute to plant growth and biomass accumulation,reduce the toxicity of stress conditions to plants and improve the stress resistance and adaptability of plants.

Ecological Assessment on the Introduced Sonneratia caseolaris and S. apetala at the Mangrove Forest of Shenzhen Bay, China

yTwo exotic species, Sonneratia caseolaris (L.) Engl. and S. apetala B. Ham., were introduced to Futian Mangrove Forest Nature Reserve, Shenzhen Bay, in 1993 for afforestation. Winter cold caused frigid harm but did not appear to be an obstacle to the introduction. The cold tolerance of the parental and filial generation increased in several years. The two Sonneratia spp. could propagate by seeds and disperse in Shenzhen Bay. While the two species grew faster than indigenous species, at the same time they promoted the growth of indigenous species, but they could not replace indigenous mangrove species. Suitable habitat was more important than the distance from the source in the natural spreading for the two species. The niche of the two species did not overlap with the niche of indigenous species. The two species did not self regenerate, although they could disperse on localized area in Shenzhen Bay. Therefore, it was unlikely that the two species would pose ecological disaster.

Study on Ecological Adaptability of Flue-cured Tobacco Variety ‘NC297’ in Yunnan Province

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the ecological adaptability of flue-cured tobacco variety ‘NC297’ in Yunnan Province. MethodContinuous years of multi-location demonstration experiments were conducted at different altitudes, to explore the ecological adaptability of flue-cured tobacco variety ‘NC297’. ResultThe results showed that ‘NC297’ had extensive ecological adaptability at different altitudes, with well-coordinated tobacco leaf yield （2 016-2 562 kg/hm 2 ）, resistance, quality and other major agronomic traits, which were similar to the performance in its original habitat. ‘NC297’ had high fertilizer tolerance, high disease resistance, high quality and proper yield, which was easy to cure with high comprehensive score of the appearance quality and relatively appropriate ratio of sugar to nicotine and difference between contents of total sugar and reducing sugar. The aroma of ‘NC297’ was sweeter and richer than that of control varieties ‘K326’ and ‘Yunyan 87’. ‘NC297’ belonged to delicate fragrance-type tobacco, as a high-quality variety suitable for cultivation in regions with medium or high fertility at middle altitudes of 1 600-1 800 m. The most suitable planting density was 15 000-16 500 plants/hm 2 , the optimal fertilization ratio was N∶P 2 O 5 ∶K 2 O=1∶1∶3, application amount of nitrogen fertilizer was 105 -135 kg/hm 2 in the field and 75 -105 kg/hm 2 in the ground. ConclusionFlue-cured tobacco variety ‘NC297’ has high ecological adaptability and good quality characteristics at different altitudes and can be promoted and cultivated in different ecological zones.

Statistical analysis on ecological adaptation of pelagic Amphipoda in the East China Sea

This article studied the diversity of Amphipoda＇s environmental adaptation using statistic method- ology based on the seasonal investigation data obtained from the East China Sea waters （23°30′- 33°N, 118°30′128°E） from 1997 to 2000. Fifty-four Amphipoda species were identified： among which eight species could stand a temperature difference over 10 ℃ and eight species could tolerate the temperature gap ranged from 5 to 10 ℃; while only six species could stand the salinity fluctuation more than 5. Based on above facts as well as calculated optimal temperature and salinity we divided all Amphipoda species into four groups： （1） eurythermic and euryhalinous species including Lestrigonus schizogeneios, L. macrophthalmus, Tetrathyrus forcipatus, L. bengalensis and Hyperi- oides sibaginis; （2） temperate-warm species containing Hyperoche medusarum, Parathemisto gau- dichaudi, Themisto japonica and Hyperia galba; （3） oceanic tropical species consisted of Oxycephalus clausi~ Lyeaea pulex, Eupronoe minuta, Simorhychotus antennarius, O. poreelus, Platyscelus ovoides and Rhabdosoma ahitei; （4） subtropical species involving one nearshore subtropical water species （Corophium uenoi） and 37 offshore subtropical ones. Compared with other zooplankton such as Eu- phausia and Chaetognatha, Amphipoda was characterized by low dominance but wide distribution in the East China Sea, and this could be ascribed to its high adaptation diversity.

Ecological adaptation of Reaumuria soongorica root system architecture to arid environments

The architectural parameters of Reaumuria soongorica root system in different habitats of Gansu Province, China were analyzed to examine its ecological adaptability to arid environments. Results show that： （1） Topological indices of R. Soongorica root sys- tem are small in all habitats, and root branching pattem tends to be dichotomous. Also, the indices gradually increase in the Min- qin windblown sand region and the Zhangye Gobi region in Hexi Corridor, which indicates that drought tends to produce her- ringbone-like root branching pattems. （2） Fractal dimension values ofR. Soongorica root system are small and not obvious in the Minqin windblown sand region and the Zhangye Gobi region in Hexi Corridor, with values of 1.1778 and 1.1169, respectively. Fractal dimension values are relatively large in Jiuzhoutai semi-arid hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau, which indicates that the R. Soongorica root system has better fractal characteristics in this region than in the other regions. （3） Total branching ra- tios of the R. Soongorica root system in arid regions of Hexi Corridor are smaller than that in the Jiuzhoutai semi-arid hilly and gully region of the Loess Plateau. This shows that root branching ability in the semi-arid region is stronger, and it decreases to some degree with increased drought. （4） The root connection lengths of R. soongorica root system are long in all habitats, but there are significant length differences between the different habitats. The root connection length at the Minqin windblown sand region is the longest. It is concluded that R. soongoriea adapts to arid environments by decreasing root branching, decreasing root overlap and increasing root connection length, which makes its root branching pattern tend to be herringbone-like to reduce com- petition in root internal environment for nutrients and to enhance root absorption rate of nutrients, and ensure effective nutrition space. Thus the roots can absorb enough water and nutrients in resource-poor settings to ensure normal physiological requirements.

Study on the Ecological Adaptability of Fluecured Tobacco Variety Longjiang237 in Heilongjiang Tobacco Area

The research explored indices of Longjiang237, including agronomic characters, characters in growth period, tolerance to diseases, economic characters, appearance quality, physical characters, chemical components, and sensory quality,with NC89 as a control. The results showed that Longjiang No.237, immune to TMV, grew strongly, with a long growth term, and had low demands on nitrogen.Besides, Longjiang237 takes advantages in terms of yield, grade index and output value index, which grew by 10.46%, 8.00% and 18.41%, respectively. Additionally,highlights should be given to potassium, aroma quality, odor, strength, irritation, and aftertaste of tobaccos.

Ecological Adaptability of Introduced Bamboo Species

To enrich ornamental bamboo species in south Henan, 22 ornamental bamboo species were introduced from Anji County, Zhejiang Province, and quadrat survey was adopted to study the ecological adaptability of the introduced species. The results showed that 14 of the introduced species survived in south Henan, and particularly Phyllostachys vivax f. aureocaulis, Phyllostachys vivax f. huanwen, Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis, Bambusa multiplex, Phyllostachys nigra, Pseudosasa amabilis, Pleioblastus maculatus showed good performance in height growth, diameter growth and resistance, so these species are most suitable for the promotion in south Henan.

Leaf epidermal characters of Lonicera japonica and Lonicera confuse and their ecology adaptation

The leaf epidermis of Japanese honeysuckle （Lonicera japonica Thunb.） and Wild Honeysuckle （Lonicera confusa） in the genus of Flos Lonicerae were mainly observed by scanning electron microscopes （SEM） to study the characteristics of stomata, trichomes and dermal cell, etc.. The results showed that stoma exists only on the lower epidermis and its distribution is irregular, and leaf epidermis consist of epidermis cells, stoma complexes and bushy trichomes including glandular hair and non-glandular hair. On the upper epidermis, anticlinal wall caves in sinuous groove to countercheck the transpiration. Evidences from leaf morphological structures serve as another proof on drought-resistant mechanisms. Some strumaes distributing regularly are hypothesized as oxalic calcium on the lower epidermis under laser scanning confocal microscopy （LSCM） with Fluo-3/AM, which can increase their endurance to drought stress. Therefore, the above characteristics of Flos Lonicerae can reduce the loss of water and make Japanese honeysuckle and Wild Honeysuckle adapt to the droughty environment at Karst area in southwest China. However, there is some difference of the two species. From the SEM （Scanning Electron Microscopy） result, it is shown that on the upper epidermis, some glandular hair regularly present along the midrib of Japanese honeysuckle, but Wild Honeysuckle has no glandular hair on the upper epidermis, which can verify the relationships of Flos Lonicerae species and provide the significance for classification of Flos Lonicerae.

Effects of High Temperature on Activities of Some Protective Enzymes in Mononychellus tanajoa

[Objective] Mononychellus tanajoa is a mite speices recently invaded into China in 2008. Temperature is one of the most important ecological factors affecting the growth and reproduction of M. tanajoa. The objective of the current study was to reveal the effects of high temperature incubation on the activities of some protective enzymes in M. tanajoa at different growth stages. The results would contribute to the understanding of the adaptable distribution of M. tanajoa after its invasion into China, the mechanisms in its invasion, diffusion and ecological adaptation, and the monitor- ing, early warning and effective prevention of its damage. [Method] Six protective enzymes, Le. polyphenol oxidase （PPO）, peroxidase （POD）, ascorbate oxidase （AsA- POD）, catalase （CAT）, superoxide dismutase （SOD） and esterase （EST）, were cho- sen to study their activities after the mites at different growth stages were incubated at a extremely high temperature of 42 ~C for a certain period of time up to 24 h. The activities were measured by spectrophotometric endpoint assay method. [Results] Enzyme activities in M. tanajoa were affected by the high temperature incubation. However, differences in enzyme activity changes were found among different protec- tive enzymes and among different growth stages of M. tanajoa. Activities of PPO, POD, AsA-POD and CAT were significantly increased in the larval mites and female adult mites of M. tanajoa. CAT activity was significantly decreased in protonymph and deutonymph of M. tanajoa. Activities of PPO, POD and AsA-POD in protonymph and deutonymph showed no obvious difference from the control. [Conclusion] The activity changes of some protective enzymes in M. tanajoa following high-temperature treatment are part of its anti-stress reaction mechanism. In mite protonymph and deutonymph, activities of PPO, POD and AsA-POD are similar to the untreated con- trol which may be associated with the thermostability of M. tanajoa. It is concluded that, the long-time stress of extreme temperature may result in the increase of the thermostability of mite individuals, the enhancement of the population thermal stability and subsequently lead to rapid expansion of the population.

Responses of root growth of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. (Fabaceae) to different simulated groundwater depths in the southern fringe of the Taklimakan Desert, China

Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. （Fabaceae） is a spiny, perennial herb. The species grows in the salinized, arid regions in North China. This study investigated the response characteristics of the root growth and the dis- tribution of one-year-old A. sparsifolia seedlings to different groundwater depths in controlled plots. The eco- logical adaptability of the root systems of A. sparsifolia seedlings was examined using the artificial digging method. Results showed that： （1） A. sparsifolia seedlings adapted to an increase in groundwater depth mainly through increasing the penetration depth and growth rate of vertical roots. The vertical roots grew rapidly when soil moisture content reached 3%-9%, but slowly when soil moisture content was 13%-20%. The vertical roots stopped growing when soil moisture content reached 30% （the critical soil moisture point）. （2） The morphological plasticity of roots is an important strategy used by A. sparsifolia seedlings to obtain water and adapt to dry soil conditions. When the groundwater table was shallow, horizontal roots quickly expanded and tillering increased in order to compete for light resources, whereas when the groundwater table was deeper, vertical roots developed quickly to exploit space in the deeper soil layers. （3） The decrease in groundwater depth was probably respon- sible for the root distribution in the shallow soil layers. Root biomass and surface area both decreased with soil depth. One strategy of A. sparsifolia seedlings in dealing with the increase in groundwater depth is to increase root biomass in the deep soil layers. The relationship between the root growth/distribution of A. sparsifolia and the depth of groundwater table can be used as guidance for harvesting A. sparsifolia biomass and managing water resources for forage grasses. It is also of ecological significance as it reveals how desert plants adapt to arid environments.

Response and adaptation to the accumulation and distribution of photosynthetic product in peanut under salt stress

To clarify the response and adaptability of peanut under salt stress,Huayu 25 was used as the material,and non-salt stress(CK),0.15% salt stress(S1),and 0.3% salt stress(S2) were applied as three treatments.The study analysed the effects of salt stress on photosynthetic characteristics,photosynthetic substances accumulation and distribution as well as the ecological adaptability of peanuts.The results showed that net photosynthetic rate(Pn),SPAD value,leaf area,and peanut yield were reduced under salt stress.Pn in CK was 13.71 and 28.72% higher than that in S1 and S2 at the 50 th day after planting,respectively.At the same growth period,the SPAD value among treatments was ranked as follows: CK>S1>S2.The 100-pod mass,100-kernel mass,kernel rate to pod,and pod mass per plant were reduced under salt stress,and the trend was CK>S1>S2.The distribution proportion of dry matter in different organs of peanut plant was changed to adapt to such stress.Roots under salt stress intensively distributed in a 0-40 cm soil layer for salt resistance.Dry mass proportion in stems and pods increased during the vegetative stage and early period of reproductive stage,respectively.The maximum growth rates of the pod volume,pod dry weight,and seed kernel dry weight all declined,and the pod and kernel volume at harvest were reduced,improving the seed plumpness under salt stress.This finding could be useful in growing peanut in saline soil.

Anatomical and morphological characteristics of Populus euphratica in the lower reaches of Tarim River under extreme drought environment

Populus euphratica Oliv.is an old desert tree species that has been naturalized and invades zones along the watercourses in many arid and semiarid regions.The plant species developed some plasticity to adapt to the gradual environmental gradients.The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the changes in leaf morphology of P.euphratica reflect the adaptability of the plant to the unique environment of the lower reaches of Tarim River in China.The foliar architecture,blade epidermal and internal anatomies of P.euphratica were analyzed at different sites along the Tarim River.Compared with the abaxial surface of the leaves,their adaxial surface has more hairs,a greater stomatal density and opening,higher mesophyll proportion,and increased blade thickness,palisade width,and epidermal thickness.The long trichome of the roots found at site 6 in the Yinsu section may be an adapted structure of the plants in arid areas.The mature leaves of P.euphratica have comparatively more epidermis and cuticles,well developed palisades and more chloroplasts at different sites compared to the young leaves.Foliar morphological and anatomical variability in P.euphratica may be considered an adaptive advantage that enables leaves to develop and function in different habitats,marked by strong variations in solar radiation,air temperature,humidity and water table.

Cyber-Physical-Social System Between a Humanoid Robot and a Virtual Human Through a Shared Platform for Adaptive Agent Ecology

Two artificial agents(a humanoid robot and a virtual human) are enriched with various similar intelligence,autonomy, functionalities and interaction modalities. The agents are integrated in the form of a cyber-physical-social system(CPSS) through a shared communication platform to create a social ecology. In the ecology, the agents collaborate(assist each other) to perform a real-world task(search for a hidden object)for the benefits of humans. A robot-virtual human bilateral trust model is derived and a real-time trust measurement method is developed. The role of taking initiative in the collaboration is switched between the agents following a finite state machine model triggered by bilateral trust, which results in a mixedinitiative collaboration. A scheme is developed to evaluate the performance of the agents in the ecology through the CPSS.The results show that the robot and the virtual human perform satisfactorily in the collaboration through the CPSS. The results thus prove the effectiveness of the real-world ecology between artificial agents of heterogeneous realities through a shared platform based on trust-triggered mixed-initiatives. The results can help develop adaptive social ecology comprising intelligent agents of heterogeneous realities to assist humans in various tasks through collaboration between the agents in the form of a CPSS.

Response of C:N:P in the plant-soil system and stoichiometric homeostasis of Nitraria tangutorum leaves in the oasis-desert ecotone,Northwest China

Nitraria tangutorum nebkhas are widely distributed in the arid and semi-arid desert areas of China.The formation and development of N.tangutorum nebkhas are the result of the interaction between vegetation and the surrounding environment in the process of community succession.Different successional stages of N.tangutorum nebkhas result in differences in the community structure and composition,thereby strongly affecting the distribution of soil nutrients and ecosystem stability.However,the ecological stoichiometry of N.tangutorum nebkhas in different successional stages remains poorly understood.Understanding the stoichiometric homeostasis of N.tangutorum could provide insights into its adaptability to the arid and semi-arid desert environments.Therefore,we analyzed the stoichiometric characteristics of N.tangutorum in four successional stages,i.e.,rudimental,developing,stabilizing,and degrading stages using a homeostasis model in an oasis-desert ecotone of Northwest China.The results showed that soil organic carbon(SOC),total nitrogen(TN),and total phosphorus(TP)contents and their ratios in the 0-100 cm soil depth were significantly lower than the averages at regional and global scales and were weakly influenced by successional stages in the oasis-desert ecotone.TN and TP contents and C:N:P in the soil showed similar trends.Total carbon(TC)and TN contents in leaves were 450.69-481.07 and 19.72-29.35 g/kg,respectively,indicating that leaves of N.tangutorum shrubs had a high storage capacity for C and N.Leaf TC and TN contents and N:P ratio increased from the rudimental stage to the stabilizing stage and then decreased in the degrading stage,while the reverse trend was found for leaf C:N.Leaf TP content decreased from the rudimental stage to the degrading stage and changed significantly in late successional stages.N:P ratio was above the theoretical limit of 14,indicating that the growth of N.tangutorum shrubs was limited by P during successional stages.Leaf N,P,and N:P homeostasis in four successional stages was identified as''strictly homeostasis''.Redundancy analysis(RDA)revealed that soil acidity(pH)and the maximum water holding capacity were the main factors affecting C:N:P stoichiometric characteristics in N.tangutorum leaves.Our study demonstrated that N.tangutorum with a high degree of stoichiometric homeostasis could better cope with the arid desert environment.

Study on Karyotype of Hobby (Falco subbuteo) and Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

This paper reported karyotypes of the Hobby and Kestrel collected from the suburb of Qiqihaer City. These karyotypes were compared and analyzed, on the basis of the study of karyotypes of nine birds species in Falconiformes by Bian Xiaozhuang and Li Qingwei. It was considered that differences in habits of birds and ecological environment not only cause falcons to differ from others, but also differences in a genus, even within a species. This difference may result from fusion of microchromosomes.

Phenotypic Plasticity in Embryonic Development of Reptiles:Recent Research and Research Opportunities in China

Adaptive developmental plasticity can enable an organism to modify its phenotype rapidly, in response to local （and perhaps, unpredictable） conditions, by altering reaction norms during development. Previous studies on this topic have been dominated by western scientists, employing western study systems and approaches. Recently, the expansion of Chinese ecological research has seen a broadening of studies taxonomically （phylogenetically）. Here, we briefly summarize research that has been conducted on developmental plasticity in Chinese reptiles over the past two decades, and suggest productive directions for future studies in this field. There are exciting research opportunities in this field in China, and we call for increased collaboration between western and eastern scientists to elucidate the role of developmental plasticity in evolutionary responses of organisms to environmental changes. As human activities increase the intensity and frequency of such changes, the need to understand responses of biological systems becomes an increasingly urgent priority.

Endocast Morphological Variation and Its Driving Forces in Scutiger boulengeri

Cranialendocasts canbeusedasareliable proxy for brain size,reflecting the evolutionary and environmental selection pressure of species.Although studies on endocasts in amphibians have increased in recent years,those performed on endocasts of Anura are comparatively rare,especially at the intraspecific level.Here,using a high-altitude endemic toad-Scutiger boulengeri-as a model,through the application of integrative methods(morphology,anatomy,phylogeny,and ecology),we studied intraspecific variations in endocast morphology and explored its driving forces.Three-dimensional reconstruction and the brain-to-endocranial cavity(BEC)index suggested that the endocast of S.boulengeri can reflect brain morphology to a large extent.Elliptic Fourier analysis andprincipal componentanalysis revealedgreat variability in the cranial endocast morphology among individuals,as well as the variation concentrated in the regions of telencephalon and optic tectum.In the species,individuals with large bodies are accompanied by a larger endocast size;the relative endocast sizes have significant cladedifferences but no sexual dimorphism.Additionally,the relative endocast sizes of S.boulengeri were not associated with phylogenetic history and aquatic preference but were positively correlated with altitude and negatively correlated with oxygen content,temperature,and precipitation factors(annual mean temperature,temperature seasonality,annual precipitation,and precipitation seasonality).Thesefindings suggested that high-altitude and extreme environmental conditions acted as important selectiveforces in morphological variation of the cranial endocastof S.boulengeri.

Sophora davidii： A Native Shrub Used for Rocky Desertification Control and Development

Sophora davidii has strong adaptability and is tolerant of cold,drought,barren soil,fire,trampling,mowing,etc. Besides,it has good ecological benefit and a variety of uses. It is an excellent native shrub species for the control of rocky desertification,as well as the preferred tree species for the ecological control of mountainous areas with severe and extremely severe rocky desertification and shallow soil. It has wide prospects in the follow-up development of the controlled rock desertification regions. The afforestation technology of planting bimonthly seedlings in small ponds has low cost and good effect,so S. davidii is an ideal tree species to replace Dodonaea viscosa in afforestation.

Interspecific differences and ecological correlations between scale number and skin structure in freshwater fishes

Fish skin is mainly composed of the epidermis,dermis,and its derivative scales.There is a wide diversity in scale number in fishes,but the diversity of skin structure lacks systematic histological comparison.This research aimed to improve our understanding of the functional relationship between the scale number and the skin structure in freshwater fishes and to determine which ecological factors affect the scale number and skin structure.First,we presented a method to quantify skin structure in fish and histologically quantified the skin structure of 54 freshwater fishes.Second,we collected the scale number and habitat information of 509 Cyprinidae fishes in China and explored which ecological factors were related to their scale number.Third,common carp and scaleless carp were used as models to study the effects of scale loss on swimming.We found a strong negative correlation between scale thickness and scale number.The main factor affecting the skin structure of fishes was the species’water column position,and the skin of benthic fishes was the most well-developed(thicker skin layers(dermis,epidermis)or more/larger goblet cells and club cells).The scale number was related to two factors,namely,temperature and water column position,and cold,benthic and pelagic adaptation may have contributed to increased scale numbers.Only in benthic fishes,the more well-developed their skin,the more scales.In common carp,scale loss did not affect its swimming performance.In summary,we suggest that there is a rich diversity of skin structure in freshwater fishes,and the scales of fish with well-developed skin tend to degenerate(greater number/smaller size/thinner,or even disappear),but the skin of fish with degenerated scales is not necessarily well developed.