Spatial pattern dynamics among co-dominant populations in early secondary forests in Southwest China

The canopy of subtropical natural forests usually consists of several co-dominant populations(CDPs),which play a crucial role in forest structure,formation of the forest environment,and ecological function.However,little attention has been given to changes in spatial patterns in CDPs during natural succession.Cyclobalanopsis glauca(Thunb.)Oerst.,Quercus variabilis Blume,and Pinus yunnanensis var.tenuifolia W.C.Cheng & Y.W.Law are canopy species that form CDPs in zonal forests along the Nanpan River in southwest China.We used the g(r) function and its bivariate distribution model,g_(12)(r),which is based on distances between pairs of points,to explore the dynamics of the three CDP species with respect to distribution patterns and spatial correlations in two secondary forests(one 30-year-old forest [30-YF] and one 57-year-old forest [57-YF]).The following key results were obtained:(1) there was a clumped pattern in the 30-YF,but the intensity of aggregation varied among populations and life stages.The distribution pattern gradually shifted to become random with longer succes sion time(i.e.,30-YF vs.57-YF),expansion of the observation scale(r=0-20 m),and at later life stages.(2) Aside from the mid-sized C.glauca trees and large P.yunnanensis trees,the trees repulsed each other at certain scales(r=0-2,5-6,11-12,14-16 m) in the 30-YF.Almost all of the life stages in the CDPs were independently correlated.This independent correlation was exacerbated by a longer succession time.(3) An increase in life stages and longer succession also promoted independent changes in intraspecific correlations.(4) Intraspecific correlations were stronger than interspecific correlations.Our results showed that reducing exclusive competition is essential to coexistence in CDPs.Inter-and intra-specific repulsion may occur at the same time,but intraspecific repulsion was the main driving force behind the random distributions and independent correlations.

Molecular characterization of RAPD and SCAR marker linked to the frog-eye leaf spot resistance gene in soybean

Two fragments SCS362o and SCS3580 of the co-dominant marker OPS0362o&580 that were linked to the resistance gene of soybean frog-eye leaf spot have been completely sequenced. A significant insertion of 30 bp is the main reason of the polymorphism between the two fragments. The results of Southern hybridization indicate that SCS362o derives from a single- or low-copy sequence and can be used as an RFLP probe. A co-dominant SCAR marker SCSSeao&sao has been developed based on the sequences. The segregation of SCS362o&58o is similar to that of RAPD marker OPS03620&580. Significant polymorphism has been shown between resistant and susceptible genotypes when 62 soybean genotypes were surveyed for the SCAR marker. Therefore, the marker can be used in the resistance breeding of soybean frog-eye leaf spot by marker-assisted selection.

Inheritance of resistance to race 7 of Cercospora sojina in soybeans and RAPD tagging of the resistance gene

Frog-eye leaf spot of soybean caused by Cercospora sojina Hara is a kind of worldwide disease. Resistance to race 7 of C. sojina was found to be due to a single dominant gene through analyzing resistant behavior of the cross NEAU91212 （susceptible to race 7）× NEAU9674 （resistant to all races）. 3 RAPD markers linked to the resistant gene Rcsc 7 were identified using the BSA method. 2 fragments of OPS03620 and OPS03580 amplified with primer OPS03 co-dominantly segregated in the F2 individuals. The genetic distance between OPS03620 and the resistant gene is 8.7 cM. According to the co-dominant marker, the accuracy of predicting the homozygous and heterozygous resistant F2 individuals were 100% and 97.6%, respectively.