Carbon dioxide enrichment affected flower numbers transiently and increased successful post-pollination development stably but without altering final acorn production in mature pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.)

Acorn production in oak(Quercus spp.)shows considerable inter-annual variation,known as masting,which provides a natural defence against seed predators but a highly-variable supply of acorns for uses such as in commercial tree planting each year.Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases have been very widely reported to influence plant growth and seed or fruit size and quantity via the‘fertilisation effect’that leads to enhanced photosynthesis.To examine if acorn production in mature woodland communities will be affected by further increase in CO_(2),the contents of litter traps from a Free Air Carbon Enrichment(FACE)experiment in deciduous woodland in central England were analysed for numbers of flowers and acorns of pedunculate oak(Quercus robur L.)at different stages of development and their predation levels under ambient and elevated CO_(2) concentrations.Inter-annual variation in acorn numbers was considerable and cyclical between 2015 and 2021,with the greatest numbers of mature acorns in 2015,2017 and 2020 but almost none in 2018.The numbers of flowers,enlarged cups,immature acorns,empty acorn cups,and galls in the litter traps also varied amongst years;comparatively high numbers of enlarged cups were recorded in 2018,suggesting Q.robur at this site is a fruit maturation masting species(i.e.,the extent of abortion of pollinated flowers during acorn development affects mature acorn numbers greatly).Raising the atmospheric CO_(2) concentration by 150μL L^(−1),from early 2017,increased the numbers of immature acorns,and all acorn evidence(empty cups+immature acorns+mature acorns)detected in the litter traps compared to ambient controls by 2021,but did not consistently affect the numbers of flowers,enlarged cups,empty cups,or mature acorns.The number of flowers in the elevated CO_(2) plots’litter traps was greater in 2018 than 2017,one year after CO_(2) enrichment began,whereas numbers declined in ambient plots.Enrichment with CO_(2) also increased the number of oak knopper galls(Andricus quercuscalicis Burgsdorf).We conclude that elevated CO_(2) increased the occurrence of acorns developing from flowers,but the putative benefit to mature acorn numbers may have been hidden by excessive pre-and/or post-dispersal predation.There was no evidence that elevated CO_(2) altered masting behaviour.

Tradeoffs of nitrogen investment between leaf resorption and photosynthesis across soil fertility in Quercus mongolica seedlings during the hardening period

The most important process before leaf senescence is nutrient resorption,which reduces nutrient loss and maximizes plant fitness during the subsequent growth period.However,plants must retain certain levels of nitrogen(N)in their leaves to maintain carbon assimilation during hardening.The objective of this study was to investigate the tradeoffs in N investment between leaf N resorption and N for photosynthesis in seedlings with increased soil fertility during the hardening period.A field experiment was conducted to determine if and how soil fertility treatments(17,34,or 68 mg N seedling−1)affected N resorption and allocation to the photosynthetic apparatus in Quercus mongolica leaves during the hardening period.Seedlings were sampled at T1(after terminal bud formation),T2(between terminal bud formation and end of the growing period),and T3(at the end of the growing period).Results showed that photosynthetic N content continued to rise in T2,while N resorption started from non-photosynthetic N.Leaf N allocation to the photosynthetic apparatus increased as soil fertility increased,delaying N resorption.Additionally,soil fertility significantly affected N partitioning among different photosynthetic components,maintaining or increasing photosynthetic traits during senescence.This study demonstrates a tradeoff in N investment between resorption and photosynthesis to maintain photosynthetic assimilation capacity during the hardening period,and that soil fertility impacts this balance.Q.mongolica leaves primarily resorbed N from the non-photosynthetic apparatus and invested it in the photosynthetic apparatus,whereas different photosynthetic N component allocations effectively improved this pattern.

落叶阔叶树种蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica)对林缘不同光环境光能和水分的利用

由于砍伐、林火等形成的林缘是典型的生态过渡区,并以高生物多样性和快速变化的光环境为最显著特征。研究植物在林缘附近不同光环境下对光能和水分的利用特征有利于在个体层次揭示林木更新、森林群落动态的生理生态学基础,具有重要意义。蒙古栎是长白山地区落叶阔叶林及阔叶红松林中的常见阳性树种。通过对长白山白桦林林缘及附近蒙古栎的野外观测研究,结果表明:①林冠对林缘光照等的影响随距离林缘远近的不同而不同。林缘及附近区域的光环境存在巨大差异,温度和水分条件等也有显著变化。②蒙古栎光合的日进程为单峰型,净光合速率的高峰值达20μmolCO2·m-2·s-1,未见明显午休;林外蒙古栎的净光合速率及日光合总量均大于(或远大于)林缘和林内的净光合速率及日光合总量,表明蒙古栎在林外强光下生长最快;此外,对低光的高效利用显示蒙古栎可在林内低光环境正常生长。③蒙古栎在不同光环境下蒸腾速率的日进程为单峰型,林外最高可达近8mmolH2O·m-2·s-1。虽然蒙古栎在林外的蒸腾速率、日蒸腾量及水分利用率均较高,但与林内弱光环境相比,水分利用率增加的趋势略有降低,这是蒙古栎对林外强光环境的一种适应。④蒙古栎叶片的气孔导度随光照的增加而增大,这有利于植物在强光下增加净光合速率和蒸腾速率,有利于植物在强光下快速生长。另外,蒙古栎的叶片胞间CO2浓度从早至晚呈增加趋势;随日PAR总量的增加,蒙古栎的叶片胞间CO2浓度呈降低趋势。弱光环境下胞间CO2浓度的增加,有利于植物固定CO2、增加对光能和水分的利用效率。

Population Distribution and Dynamics of Quercus liaotungensis, Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Acer mono in Dongling Mountain, Beijing

The spatial distribution and population dynamics of Quercus liaotungensis Koidz., Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance and Acer mono Maxim. were studied in three warm temperate deciduous forests in Dongling Mountain, Beijing. Clumped distributions appeared in most seedlings (≤0.4 m), short saplings (0.4-1 m) and tall saplings (1-2 m). Random distributions appeared in adults of Q. liaotungensis in Plot 1, F. rhynchophylla in Plot 3. The LSD method was used to discern the differences of different aged population. The class distribution of Q. liaotungensis was nearly a reverse-J shape for Plot 1 and Plot 3, suggesting that the population regenerates continuously. The age-structures of F. rhynchophylla and A. mono in Plot 1 and the test results indicated that they would increase continuously. In Plot 2, the class distribution and the test results showed that all populations would not regenerate continuously.

Comparison of Major Nutrient Release Patterns of Quercus liaotungensis Leaf Litter Decomposition in Different Climatic Zones

Leaf litter decomposition of liaotong oak (Quercus liaotungensis Koize) under temperate, subtropical and tropical forests was examined using a litter bag technique. Decomposition rates and release dynamics of nutrients Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn and P were observed separately at all three sites for I to 2 a periods. The leaf litter mass loss of liaotong oak was simulated with Olson's exponential model. Significant differences of leaf litter mass loss were found in forests of all three climate zones. Litter decomposition was accelerated with the increase of both annual mean precipitation and temperature. Our results agreed with other studies demonstrating that litter decomposition processes were greatly affected not only by soil organisms (including soil fauna and microorganisms), but also by chemical factors. These chemical factors were important for controlling the release of nutrients, especially elements of Fe and Mn. We also found that Fe and Mn content increased in semi-decayed leaf litter as litter mass decreased. This result was presumably due to chelating process which accumulated soil Fe and Mn ions into the decomposing litter. In conclusion, our study allowed us to determine the classification of the characteristics of different nutrient release patterns.

Seed Shadow of Quercus liaotungensis in a Broad-leaved Forest in Dongling Mountain

The seed shadow of oak ( Quercus liaotungensis Koidz.) was investigated in a broad_leaved deciduous forest in Dongling Mountain in 1997. The seed rain patterns under oak tree crown for three out of four oak trees fit quadratic distribution, with high coefficients of determination. For each of the four trees selected in this study the seed rain size estimated from the viable acorns collected from the traps deployed under the crown was low, ranging from 26 to 259. For each of the four oak trees, the average density of the seed rain under oak tree crown ranged from 0.76 to 7.26 seeds/m 2. The average seed rain density estimated from the acorns in the traps deployed randomly in the field was 1.57 seeds/m 2. After all viable acorns fell, the acorn ground density estimated from the acorns in the quadrats was 0.13 seeds/m 2, but no viable acorns were found on the ground under the tree crown of the four oak trees, although the area under the crown was over 5 folds than the area of the combined quadrats. These results indicated that a large number of acorns was removed or predated by vertebrates once the acorns fell on the ground and acorns predation was more intensive in the sites directly under the parent trees than the sites away from the parent trees; this supports the distance_dependent hypothesis. Of the total acorns of all four oak trees, the viable acorns only accounted for 18.1%, and 17.8% for acorns infected by insect larvae, 12.1% for immature acorns, 3.6% for decayed acorns, and the acorns predated by rodent directly in the crown was the highest, accounting for 48.4%. The proportion of acorns predated by animals including vertebrates and invertebrates amounts up to 78.3%, indicating that acorn predation by animals is a limiting factor affecting acorn survival before seed dispersal. The sustained time of viable acorn fall ranged from September 8 to October 3 for the four oak trees, with the peak between 16th and 26th September. The number of acorns was not significantly different among the four directions around the trunk base.

Study on the Changes of Non-structural Carbohydrates and Nitrogen Contents of Quercus aquifolioides Scrub along Different Elevation Gradient

[Objective] The aim was to compare the content changes between the non-structural carbohydrates（NSC）and the total nitrogen in various growing seasons,and to explore the response relationship between altitude and the contents.[Method] Taking Quercus aquifolioides scrub which widely distributed in Zheduoshan in the west of Sichuan as the experimental objects,the changes between NSC and the toal nitrogen in various growing seasons at different altitude were studied.[Result] The results showed that the content of NSC in Quercus aquifolioides underground increased with the lift of elevation in the dormancy,but decreased in the early germination,growing period and growth stage.The content of NSC in the ground tissue changed non-linearly with increasing elevation.In addition,the total nitrogen of Quercus aquifolioides organizations was decreasing with increasing elevation in the dormant period,which did not change significantly in the other periods.This result implied that the content of NSC in Quercus aquifolioides underground was more sensitive to temperature.[Conclusion] The experiment laid basis for the exploration of the physical and ecological mechanism of underground plants adaptability to highland environment,their response to global climate changes and adjustment to high altitude ecological system.

Success factors for high-quality oak forest(Quercus robur, Q. petraea) regeneration

Background: Within the framework of close-to-nature forestry, oak forest(Quercus robur, Q. petraea) regeneration techniques that consider both silvicultural and nature conservation demands have become a very important issue.While there are many experimental and local studies that aim at disentangling the relationships between different environmental and silvicultural factors and the success of oak regeneration, systematic supra-regional studies at the greater landscape level are missing so far.Against this background, the first objective(a) of this study was to present an efficient and sufficiently accurate sampling scheme for supra-regional forest regrowth inventories, which we applied to young oaks stands. The second, and major, objective(b) was to identify the crucial success factors for high-quality oak forest regeneration in northwest Germany.Results: Objective(a): Factors that have been identified as potentially crucial for the success or failure of oak regeneration were either included in a field inventory procedure or extracted from forest inventory databases. We found that the collected data were suitable to be analyzed in a three-step success model, which was aimed at identifying the crucial success factors for high-quality oak forest regeneration.Objective(b): Our modeling procedure, which included a Bayesian estimation approach with spike-and-slab priors,revealed that competitive pressure from the secondary tree species was the most decisive success factor;no competition, or low competition by secondary tree species appeared to be particularly beneficial for the success of high-quality oak regeneration. Also fencing and the absence of competitive vegetation(weeds, grass, bracken)seemed to be beneficial factors for the success of oak regeneration.Conclusions: Trusting in biological automation was found to be mostly useless regarding economically viable oak forest regeneration. To efficiently organize oak regeneration planning and silvicultural decision-making within a forest enterprise, it is strongly recommended to initially evaluate the annual financial and personnel capacities for carrying out young growth tending or pre-commercial thinning and only then to decide on the extent of regenerated oak stands. Careful and adaptive regeneration planning is also indispensable to secure the long-term ecological continuity in oak forests. Oak regeneration should therefore preferably take place within the close vicinity of old oak stands or directly in them. The retention of habitat trees is urgently advised.

Quercus yangyiensis sp. nov. from the Late Pliocene of Baoshan, Yunnan and Its Paleoclimatic Significance

A new Quercus （Fagaceae） morphospecies is described based on well-preserved fossil leaves.The fossils were collected from Yangyi Formation of the Upper Pliocene at the Yangyi coalmine,Baoshan,western Yunnan,China.Details of the microstructure of mesophyll tissue are preserved because lithification of the fossils was not complete.The fossil laminas possess typical characteristics of Quercus sect.Heterobalanus：quite thick and coriaceous cuticle; secondary veins bifurcating near the margin in the middle and top of the leaf; and upper epidermis with adaxial hypodermis.Based on a detailed morphological and anatomical comparison with all living and fossil species of Quercus sect.Heterobalanus,the fossil leaves prove to be different in their sparse and garland-shaped multicellular trichomes on the lower epidermis,and so it is described as a new species Quercus yangyiensis He,Li et Sun sp.nov.The much sparser trichomes of our fossils compare well with those of living Quercus sect.Heterobalanus and indicate a more humid climate during the deposition of the Yangyi Formation in the Late Pliocene.

Development of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) seedlings in response to tree shelters and mulching in northwestern Tunisia

The need for reforestation in cork oak （Quercus suber L.） areas is challenged by difficulties. Principal among these is herbivory of young plants, vegetative competition, and slow growth rates of cork oak seedlings. We evaluated the early development of cork oak seedlings treated using tree shelters and mulching in northwestern Tunisia. We tested three tree shelter treatments （non-vented, vented, and control） to shield seedlings from animal damage and five mulch types to control competing vegetation （Italian Stone Pine, Lentisk, combination of Italian Stone Pine and Lentisk （organic mulches）, gravel （inorganic mulch） and no mulch）. At the end of the two-year experiment, sheltered seedlings were 89-99% taller than unshelteredseedlings and had higher numbers and lengths of shoot growth flushes. In contrast, both stem diameter growth and dry weight biomass （from samples extracted after two years） were significantly reduced inside tree shelters. Root-to-shoot ratio was not significantly different in sheltered vs. unsheltered seedlings, suggesting that tree shelters do not adversely affect this parameter. Mulching alone did not favour growth, but could be beneficial when combined with tree shelters. The combination of vented tree shelters and gravel mulch was the most effective treatment for promoting diameter, height and stem volume growth.

Pharmacognostic studies of insect gall of Quercus infectoria Olivier(Fagaceae)

Objective:To study the detailed pharmacognostic profile of galls of Quercus infectoria Olivier(Q.infectoria olivier)(Fagaceae),an important medicinal plant used in the Indian system of medicine.Methods:Samples of galls of Q.infectoria were studied by macroscopical,microscopical,physiochemical,phytochemical.fluorescence analysis and othjer methods for standardization as recommended by WHO.Results:Macroscopically,the crude drug is globose with horny appearances on external surface(1.4-2.3 cm in length and 1-1.5 cm in diameter),with greyish-brown to brownish-black in colour externally and dark brown buff colored.Surface is smooth with numerous horny protuberances giving rough touch,and witfi unpleasant odour.Microscopically,a wide zone of radially elongated parenchyma cells between upper and lower epidermis were found.The vascular strands were present at all places and radially elongated sclerides touched the lower epidermis.In physico-chemical studies,the moisture,total ash,acid insoluble ash,alcohol soluble,water soluble,petroleum ether,chloroform extractive value and tannin content were found to be 2.790,5.020,0.110,38.780,41.210,0.402,1.590 and 49.200 percentage respectively.Prcliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of phenols,flavonoids,steroids,triterpenes,tannins,saponins and alkaloids.Cooclusions:The results of the present study serve as a valuable source of information and provide suitable standards for identification of this medicinally important plant drug material for future investigations and applications.

Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitor activities of natural compounds isolated from Quercus gilva Blume leaves

Objective: To isolate and investigate antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitor compounds in the leaves of Quercus gilva Blume(Q. gilva).Methods: Dry leaves of Q. gilva were extracted with methanol and the methanolic extract was further separated by silica gel column chromatography using several solvents with increasing polarity. The antioxidant activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated using various in vitro assays: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity, β-carotene bleaching assay, and reducing power assay. The α-glucosidase inhibitory assay was conducted against α-glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Results: Three compounds were isolated and their structures were identii ed as catechin(1), epicatechin(2), and tiliroside(3) using an instrumental analysis. Compound 2 had higher antioxidant activity with inhibitory concentrations(IC50) of(22.55 ± 2.23) μmol/L than that of quercetin, which was used as the standard, with an IC50 of(28.08 ± 2.39) μmol/L, followed by compound 1 with IC50 of(40.86 ± 3.45) μmol/L. On the other hand, compound 3 had the lowest antioxidant activity with an IC50 of(160.24 ± 8.15) μmol/L. However, compound 3 had the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC50 of(28.36 ± 0.11) μmol/L, followed by compounds 1 and 2 with(168.60 ± 5.15) and(920.60 ± 10.10) μmol/L, respectively.Conclusions: The results obtained for the antioxidant activities and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities in a methanolic extract from the leaves of Q. gilva coni rmed the potential of this plant as a source of natural antioxidants and antidiabetic medicine.

Hyperspectral imaging technology to detect the vigor of thermal-damaged Quercus variabilis seeds

This study investigated the feasibility of hyperspectral imaging techniques to estimate the vigor of heatdamaged Quercus variabilis seeds.Four thermal damage grades were classified according to heat treatment duration(0,2,5,and 10 h).After obtaining hyperspectral images with a 370–1042 nm hyperspectral imager that included visible and near infrared light,germination was tested to confirm estimates.The Savitzky–Golay(SG)second derivative was used to preprocess the spectrum to reduce any noise impact.The successive projections algorithm(SPA),principal component analysis,and local linear embedding algorithm were used to extract the characteristic spectral bands related to seed vigor.Finally,a model for seed vigor classifi-cation of Q.variabili s based on partial least squares support vector machine(LS-SVM)with different spectral data sets was developed.The results show that the spectrum after SG second derivative preprocessing was better for developing the model,and SPA performed the best among the three feature band selection methods.The combination SG second derivative-LS-SVM provided the best classification model for Q.variabilis seed vigor,with the prediction set reaching 98.81%.This study provides an important basis for rapid and nondestructive assessment of the vigor of heat-damaged seeds using hyperspectral imaging techniques.

Predisposing factors’effects on mortality of oak (Quercus) and hickory (Carya) species in mature forests undergoing mesophication in Appalachian Ohio

Background:Mature oak(Quercus spp.)and hickory(Carya spp.)trees are gradually being replaced by more shadetolerant tree species across the eastern U.S.,likely due to fire suppression and increased precipitation.Oaks and hickories are highly valuable to wildlife;therefore,studying their mortality patterns can provide information on the longevity of habitat quality for many animal species.Oak mortality has most often been studied following large oak decline events,but background mortality rates in forests with aging oak and hickory canopies warrant equal attention,especially in the context of widespread oak and hickory regeneration failure.Methods:We studied background mortality rates of five oak and one hickory species over a 23–25 year time period(1993–1995 to 2018),using 821/20th hectare permanent plots on the Marietta Unit of the Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio.We calculated mortality rates based on remeasurement of individual trees for white oak(Quercus alba),chestnut oak(Quercus montana),northern red oak(Quercus rubra),black oak(Quercus velutina),scarlet oak(Quercus coccinea),and pignut hickory(Carya glabra).For each of these species other than scarlet oak,we also modeled the relationships of mortality probability with a priori topographic,soil,stand structural,and individual tree covariates,using a mixed-effects logistic regression framework.Results:The species with the highest mortality rate was scarlet oak(61.3%),followed by northern red oak(41.4%),black oak(26.7%),pignut hickory(23.9%),white oak(23.4%),and chestnut oak(19.1%).In our models,northern red oak mortality was associated with more mesic slope positions,shallower solums,more acidic soils,and older stand ages.Pignut hickory and chestnut oak mortality rates were associated with higher basal areas on the plot,while white oak mortality showed the opposite pattern.Conclusions:Our data suggest that red oak subgenus trees in mature forests of our area will become increasingly uncommon relative to white oak subgenus trees,as the result of higher mortality rates likely related to the shorter lifespans of these species.Particularly vulnerable areas may include more mesic topographic positions,shallower or more acidic soil,and older stands.Since maintaining oak subgenus diversity is beneficial to wildlife diversity in the eastern U.S.,managers in areas with extensive mature mixed-oak forests could choose to favor the red oak subgenus when conducting silvicultural treatments.

The control of soil polarization in Populus simonii and Quercus liaotungensis forests by forage litter on the Loess Plateau,P. R. China

Soil polarization in pure forest stands affects the stability and sustainable development of the ecosystem. The most effective approaches to the prevention of soil polarization may be the use of forage litter as fertilizer or the direct establishment of tree-grass communities. We investigated monospecific plantations of Populus simonii and Quercus liaotungensis. Such plantations have been established throughout the Loess Plateau of China. A 120-day decomposition incubation experiment with forest humus soil mixed with 7 common leguminous forage litterspecies was performed to study the uses of forage litter in controlling soil polarization in pure forests. The addition of forage litter of Astragalus adsurgens, Lespedeza bicolor, and Vicia viUosa to the soil of pure P. simonii forest clearly improved the soil quality, these forage species are suitable for planting with P. simonii, whereas Melilotus officinalis, Medicago sativa, and Onobrychis viciifolia litter produced obvious deterioration, thus these forages should not be planted with P. simonii. Coronilla varia litter showed no significant influence. The addition of forage litter of M. sativa to the soil of pure Q. liaotungensis forest clearly improved the soil quality, and C. varia and V. villosa also yielded improvements but were slightly less effective than M. sativa litter, these forages are suitable to be planted with Q. liaotungensis. However, L. bicolor showed obvious deterioration, followed by O. viciifolia and A. adsurgens, and M. officinalis had no significant influence. These spe- cies should not be planted with Q. liaotungensis.

Infl uence of the slope aspect on the ectomycorrhizal fungal community of Quercus variabilis Blume in the middle part of the Taihang Mountains,North China

The slope aspect is one of the most critical topographic factors in mountainous areas.Little is known,however,about the eff ect of the aspect on the ectomycorrhizal(ECM)fungal community.Additionally,we know very little about the composition of ECM fungal communities associated with Quercus variabilis,which is widely distributed in East Asia.In this study,we compared the richness,community composition,and exploration types of ECM fungi associated with Q.variabilis between predominantly south-and north-facing slopes in the Taihang Mountain,North China for the fi rst time.DNA was extracted from the root tips of Q.variabilis,and Illumina MiSeq sequencing was used to identify ECM fungi.In total,168 operational taxonomic units belonging to 28 genera were detected,and the ECM community was found to be dominated by Russula,Inocybe,Tomentella,Scleroderma,and Cortinarius.Compared with the north-facing slopes,the ECM communities on the south-facing slopes had higher diversity.The community composition and exploration types were directly aff ected by the slope aspect.Also,the aspect-induced edaphic variables,such as total phosphorus,total nitrogen,total potassium,pH,and soil water content,were important sources of variation in ECM fungal richness and distributions of exploration types.Diff erent genera tended to be distributed in various slope aspects.Cenococcum,Genea,and Clavulina were signifi cantly enriched in north-facing slopes,while Geopora,Helvelosebacina,Scleroderma,Gyroporus,Astraeus,Boletus,Tricholoma,Hebeloma,Cortinarius and unclassifi ed Thelephoraceae were more abundant in south-facing slopes.Hydrophobic ECM fungi were obviously enriched in the south-facing slope,but there was no statistical diff erence between hydrophilic among the south-and north-facing slopes.Our study deepened our knowledge of the aspect-driven variation in ECM fungal communities associated with Q.variabilis.

Population structure and spatial pattern analysis of Quercus aquifolioides on Sejila Mountain,Tibet,China

Understanding population structure provides basic ecological data related to species and ecosystems.Our objective was to understand the mechanisms involved in the maintenance of Quercus aquifolioides populations.Using a 1 ha permanent sample plot data for Q.aquifolioides on Sejila Mountain,Tibet Autonomous Region(Tibet),China,we analyzed the population structure of Q.aquifolioides by combining data for diameter class,static life table and survival curve.Simultaneously,the spatial distribution of Q.aquifolioides was studied using Ripley’s L Function in point pattern analysis.The results showed:(1) Individuals in Q.aquifolioides populations were mainly aggregated in the youngest age classes,that accounted for94.3% of the individuals; the older age classes had much smaller populations.Although the youngest age classes(ClassesⅠ and Ⅱ) had fewer individuals than Class Ⅲ,the total number of individuals in classes Ⅰ and Ⅱ was also greater than in classes Ⅳ to Ⅸ.In terms of tree height,fewsaplings,more medium-sized saplings and few large-sized trees were found.The diameter class structure of Q.aquifolioides populations formed an atypical ‘pyramid’type; the population was expanding,but growth was limited,tending toward a stable population.(2) Mortality of Q.aquifolioides increased continuously with age; life expectancy decreased over time,and the survivorship curve was close to a Deevey I curve.(3) The spatial distribution pattern of Q.aquifolioides varied widely across different developmental stages.Saplings and medium-sized tree showed aggregated distributions at the scales of 0–33 m and 0–29 m,respectively.The aggregation intensities of saplings and medium-sized trees at small scales were significantly stronger than that of large-sized trees.However,large-sized trees showed a random distribution at most scales.(4) No correlation was observed among saplings,medium-and large-sized trees at small scales,while a significant and negative association was observed as the scale increased.Strong competition was found among saplings,medium-and large-sized trees,while no significant association was observed between medium-and largesized trees at all scales.Biotic interactions and local ecological characteristics influenced the spatial distribution pattern of Q.aquifolioides populations most strongly.

Two New Cycloartane Triterpenes from The Leaves of Quercus valiabilis Blume

Two new cycloartane triterpenes were separated from the leaves of Quercus valiabilis Blume. The structures were identified as 4α,14α-dimethyl-9β,19-cycloergost-3α-yl-24-one and 4α,14α-dimethyl-9β,19-cycloergost-24(24′)-en-3α-yl-acetate.

Research advances in allelopathy of Quercus L.

The term allelopathy refers to biochemical interaction between all types of plants including microorganisms through production of chemical compounds that escape into the environment and exist widely in Quercus L. The development of investigations into types of allelochemicals, their compounding and spreading pathways, as well as expression of allelopathy in Quercus L. are reviewed in this paper： We have closely and systematically emphasized the functional mechanisms of allelopathy in forest plants for our next research project on allelopathy in Quercus L.

α-Glucosidase inhibitor produced by an endophytic fungus, Xylariaceae sp. QGS 01 from Quercus gilva Blume

Xylariaceae sp.QGS 01,an endophytic fungus isolated from the stem of Quercus gilva Blume showed high-glucosidase inhibitory activity.α-Glucosidase inhibitor have the role as one of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes to postpone absorption of glucose in the digestive organs.The α-glucosidase inhibitor constituents were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the mycellium of endophytic fungi Xylariaceae sp.QGS 01 using a bioassay-guided fractionation technique.Further separation and purification of the active fraction led to the isolation of constituents with strong inhibitory activities against-glucosidase:8-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-3-methylisocoumarine(1)with inhibitory concentration(IC50)values against-glucosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae of 41.75μg/mL,while quercetin as the standard had an IC50 value of 4.80g/mL.The results of the present study showed that the endophytic fungus Xylariaceae sp.QGS 01 is potentially a rich source of antidiabetic medicine.