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Partani S, Danandeh Mehr A, Jafari A. Enhancing nutrient absorption through the influence of mangrove ecosystem on flow rate and retention time in salt marshes. Sci Total Environ 2024; 924:171518. [PMID: 38460696 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of pneumatophores (the aerial roots of Avicenna marina) on water flow rate, retention time, contact time, and consequently on nutrient absorption through the sediment in sub-tropical salt marshes. The goal is to realize how the density of mangroves in salt marshes influences the kinematic factors of streamflow at estuaries. To this end, a field experiment was carried out to assess nutrient and organic compound levels in the sediment and water samples, spanning six sampling stations along the Chabahar River discharging to the Chabahar Bay, Iran. Then, we delved into the influence of altering environmental parameters, such as density and geometry, on the kinematic features of the flow through statistical analysis and hydraulic modeling. The results showed that the aerial roots reduce the flow rate and increase both retention and contact times. The longest retention time was observed at station #5 due to increased vegetation density and decreased instream velocity. In addition, measurements of total organic matter, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen indicated that an extended contact time resulted in increased absorption flux to the stream by sediments. As a result, pneumatophores can serve as an effective sink for organic matter in ecotones in salt marshes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadegh Partani
- Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran
| | - Ali Danandeh Mehr
- Civil Engineering Department, Antalya Bilim University, Antalya, Turkey; MEU Research Unit, Middle East University, Amman, Jordan.
| | - Ali Jafari
- Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran; Modares Environmental Research Institute, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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Li Y, Xin Z, Yao B, Duan R, Dong X, Bao Y, Li X, Ma Y, Huang Y, Luo F, Li X, Wei X, Jiang ZR, Lozada-Gobilard S, Zhu J. Density affects plant size in the Gobi Desert. Sci Total Environ 2024; 912:169401. [PMID: 38114032 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Plant size is a crucial functional trait with substantial implications in agronomy and forestry. Understanding the factors influencing plant size is essential for ecosystem management and restoration efforts. Various environmental factors and plant density play significant roles in plant size. However, how plant size responds to mean annual precipitation (MAP), mean annual temperature (MAT), and density in the arid areas remains incomplete. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted comprehensive vegetation surveys in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China with a MAP below 250 mm. We also collected climate data to disentangle the respective influences of climate and density on the community-weighted plant height, crown length, and crown width. Our observations revealed that the community-weighted mean plant height, crown length, and width demonstrated a positive association with MAT but negative relationships with both MAP and density. These patterns can be attributed to the predominance of shrubs over herbs in arid regions, as shrubs tend to be larger in size. The proportion of shrubs increases with MAT, while it decreases with MAP and density, resulting in higher plant height and larger crown dimensions. Although both MAP and MAT affect plant size in the Gobi Desert, our findings highlight the stronger role of plant density in regulating plant size, indicating that the surrounding plant community and competition among individuals are crucial drivers of plant size patterns. Our findings provide valuable guidance for nature-based solutions for vegetation restoration and ecosystem management, highlighting the importance of considering plant density as a key factor when designing and implementing restoration strategies in arid areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Li
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Gansu Dunhuang Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China; Kumtag Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China
| | - Zhiming Xin
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Bin Yao
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Gansu Dunhuang Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China; Kumtag Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China
| | - Ruibing Duan
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Xue Dong
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Yanfeng Bao
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Gansu Dunhuang Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China; Kumtag Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China
| | - Xinle Li
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Yuan Ma
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Yaru Huang
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Fengmin Luo
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Xing Li
- Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dengkou County, Inner Mongolia 015200, China; Inner Mongolia Dengkou Desert Ecosystem National Observation Research Station, Dengkou 015200, China
| | - Xu Wei
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Zi-Ru Jiang
- Laboratory of Forest Protection, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 4648601, Japan
| | | | - Jinlei Zhu
- Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Gansu Dunhuang Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China; Kumtag Desert Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Dunhuang 736200, China.
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Silveira MJ, Florêncio FM, de Carvalho Harthman V, Thiébaut G. Responses of three invasive alien aquatic plant species to climate warming and plant density. J Plant Res 2023; 136:817-826. [PMID: 37505305 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-023-01482-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming may impact plant invasion success directly, as well as indirectly through changes among interactions within plant communities. However, the responses of invasive alien aquatic species to plant density and rising temperatures remain largely unknown. We tested the effects of plant density and neighbour plant identity at different temperatures to better understand the performance of a community of invasive species exposed to climate warming. A microcosm experiment was conducted with three invasive aquatic plants species-Elodea canadensis, Egeria densa and Lagarosiphon major-, at mono and polycultures with low and high plant density, at 16 °C, 19 °C and 23 °C. The results clearly demonstrated that rising temperature influenced, either as a single parameter or as a combined factor, at least one of the measured traits of the three invasive species. Leaf area of E. densa, root number of L. major and growth of E. densa and L. major were influenced by temperature, plant density and neighbour identity. Plant density influenced all traits with the exception of leaf area of E. canadensis and lateral branch production of E. densa. Neighbour identity had no effect on growth rate and leaf area of E. canadensis, on lateral branch and roots production of E. densa and on leaf area of L. major. These findings establish that rising temperature could enhance competition or facilitation among E. canadensis, L. major and E. densa and could cancel the beneficial effects of the presence of a neighbour species; however, the magnitude of this effect was strongly dependent on plant density. Rising temperature due to climate change will likely play a crucial role in interactions between invasive species within plant communities and in the further spread of these invasive aquatic plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcio José Silveira
- Universidade Estadual de Minas Gerais, Unidade Ubá, Av. Olegário Maciel, 1427, Ubá, MG, CEP 36500-000, Brazil.
- University Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO, UMR 6553, 35000, Rennes, France.
| | - Fernanda Moreira Florêncio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais, PEA, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, UEM, Av Colombo, 5790, Bloco G90, Jardim Universitário, Maringá, PR, CEP 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Vanessa de Carvalho Harthman
- Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, UFMS/Campus Pantanal, Av Rio Branco, Bairro Universitário, Corumbá, MS, CEP 79304-902, Brazil
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Zamukulu PM, Bagula EM, Mondo JM, Chuma GB, Safina FB, Cishesa TH, Kavange AB, Masumbuko DR, Kazadi JW, Mushagalusa GN, Lubobo AK. Optimization of plant density and fertilizer application to improve biofortified common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) yield on Nitisols of South-Kivu, Eastern D.R. Congo. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17293. [PMID: 37408887 PMCID: PMC10319197 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil nutrient depletion and poor farming practices are serious challenges limiting crop productivity in soils of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R. Congo). An experiment was conducted in two cropping seasons to assess the effect of plant density (25 plants m2 and 33 plants m2) and fertilizer application (with and without NPK) on the yield and yield components of three biofortified common bean varieties (HM21-7, RWR2245 and RWR2154). The experiment involved two plant densities, two fertilizer rates and three varieties arranged in a split-split plot design with three replications. Results showed that yield significantly varied with plant density, variety and fertilizer rate (p < 0.05). The best performing variety in terms of grain yield was HM21-7 (1.5 t ha-1) as compared to RWR2154 (1.09 t ha-1) and RWR2245 (1.14 t ha-1). The NPK fertilizer increased the grain yield by 38.2%. Grain yield increased also with the plant density, highest grain yield being recorded on higher plant density (1.37 t ha-1) as compared to low lower plant density (1.25 t ha-1). Agronomic efficiency (AE) was influenced by the variety, with the highest AE obtained on RWR2245 (23.27 kg kg-1) and on high plant density (20.34 kg kg-1). Therefore, we concluded that increasing the plant density by reducing the plant spacing, using NPK fertilizer and high yielding varieties provide with an opportunity to improving common bean yields on Nitisols dominating the highlands of eastern D.R. Congo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patient M. Zamukulu
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), P.O. Box 3323, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
- Institut Supérieur d’Etudes Agronomiques et Vétérinaires (ISEAV), Walungu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
| | - Espoir M. Bagula
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), P.O. Box 3323, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
- Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural (ISDR), Uvira, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
| | - Jean M. Mondo
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), P.O. Box 3323, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
| | - Géant B. Chuma
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), P.O. Box 3323, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
- Laplec-UR SPHERES, Department of Geography, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Ecole Doctorale d’Agroécologie et Science du Climat du consortium UEA-UCB-UOB-UCG, D.R. Congo
| | - Francine B. Safina
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), P.O. Box 3323, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
- Ecole Doctorale d’Agroécologie et Science du Climat du consortium UEA-UCB-UOB-UCG, D.R. Congo
| | - Thierry H. Cishesa
- Institut Supérieur d’Etudes Agronomiques et Vétérinaires (ISEAV), Walungu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
| | - Anicet B. Kavange
- Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural (ISDR), Shabunda, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
| | | | - Josué W. Kazadi
- CIAT-HarvestPlus Project, P.O. Box 1860, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
| | - Gustave N. Mushagalusa
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), P.O. Box 3323, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
| | - Antoine K. Lubobo
- Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique (UEA), P.O. Box 3323, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
- CIAT-HarvestPlus Project, P.O. Box 1860, Bukavu, South-Kivu, D.R. Congo
- Faculty of Agronomy, University of Lubumbashi (UNILU), P. O. Box 1825, Lubumbashi, D.R. Congo
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Soni L, Szota C, Fletcher TD, Farrell C. Influence of green roof plant density and redirecting rainfall via runoff zones on rainfall retention and plant drought stress. Sci Total Environ 2023; 889:164043. [PMID: 37187400 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Green roofs are a promising engineered ecosystem designed to reduce stormwater runoff and restore vegetation cover in cities. Plants can contribute to rainfall retention by rapidly depleting water in the substrate, however, this increases the risk of plant drought stress. This study determined whether lower plant density or preferentially redirecting rainfall to plants on green roofs could reduce drought stress without reducing rainfall retention. Plant density was manipulated, and metal structures were installed above the substrate surfaces to redirect the flow of rainwater towards plants (runoff zones). Green roof modules were used to test three plant density treatments: unplanted, half-planted (10 plants/m2) and fully-planted (18 plants/m2), and two runoff zone treatments which were installed in unplanted and half-planted modules. It was expected that 1) green roofs with greater plant density would experience more drought stress (i.e., lower leaf water status), and 2) green roofs with runoff zones would show higher ET and hence retention compared with those without runoff zones, as water will be directed to plants (run-on zones), facilitating growth. Contrary to the hypothesis, evapotranspiration (ET) and rainfall retention were similar for half-planted and fully-planted modules, such that ~82 % of applied rainfall was retained. While both vegetation treatments dried out the substrates before rainfall was applied, the fully-planted modules dried out quicker and showed significantly lower leaf water status than half-planted modules. This indicates that planting at lower density may reduce plant drought stress, without reducing rainfall retention. Installing runoff zones marginally reduced ET and rainfall retention, likely due to shading by the runoff zone structures reducing evaporation from the substrate. However, runoff also occurred earlier where runoff zones were installed as they likely created preferential flow paths that reduced soil moisture and therefore ET and retention. Despite reduced rainfall retention, plants in modules with runoff zones showed significantly higher leaf water status. Reducing plant density therefore represents a simple means of reducing plant stress on green roofs without reducing rainfall retention. Installing runoff zones on green roofs is a novel approach that could reduce plant drought stress, particularly in hot and dry climates, albeit at a small cost of reduced rainfall retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubaina Soni
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, 500, Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia.
| | - Christopher Szota
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, 500, Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
| | - Tim D Fletcher
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, 500, Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
| | - Claire Farrell
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, 500, Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
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Wang JF, Yang YF, Liu GB, Wang B, Zhang FB, Fang NF. Investigating the effects of herbaceous root systems on the soil detachment process at the species level. Sci Total Environ 2023; 859:160196. [PMID: 36403841 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant root growth significantly affect soil detachment process, whereas the mechanism of how roots affect the soil detachment process by overland flow at species level is not fully understood. This study was conducted to investigate the soil detachment rate responds to plant-induce soil properties and root traits at species level. Two typical herbaceous plants, Bothriochloa ischcemum (Linn.). Keng (BI; fibrous root system) and Artemisia vestita Wall. ex Bess (AG; tap root system), from the Loess Plateau were studies for one year under six planted densities of 5 plants m-2, 10 plants m-2, 15 plants m-2, 20 plants m-2, 25 plants m-2, and 30 plants m-2. In total, 24 steel tanks were planted, and two plots were used as bare soil controls. Their soil detachment rates were tested under a constant overland flow (1.5 l s-1) on a 26.2 % slope. The results showed that soil detachment rate under the six planted densities ranged from 0.034 kg m2 s-1 to 0.112 kg m2 s-1 for BI and was ranged from 0.053 kg m2 s-1 to 0.132 kg m2 s-1 for AG, which all greatly reduced soil detachment rate and were 68.17 % to 92.33 % and 69.20 % to 87.27 % less than that of the control. In general, BI was more effective in reducing soil detachment rate than AG, achieving a mean soil detachment rate that was 23.75 % lower. With increasing plant density, soil detachment rate decreased as a power function. The overland flow hydraulic characteristics, soil properties and root traits influenced by plant density were positively or negatively correlated with soil detachment rate. Specifically, soil detachment rate decreased with velocity, bulk density, root length density, and increased with shear stress and Darcy-Weisbach friction factor as power or exponential functions. On this basis, the soil detachment rate (Dr) can be satisfactorily estimated by overland flow velocity (v), soil bulk density (BD) and root length density (RLD) as a power function (Dr = 63.03v0.174 × BD-20.712 × RLD-0.233R2 = 0.65; NSE = 0.60; p < 0.01).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Fang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Yan-Fen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guo-Bin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Bing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Feng-Bao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Nu-Fang Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Luo H, Tang F. Mepiquat chloride application combined with high plant population density promotes carbon remobilization in the roots of upland cotton. Plant Physiol Biochem 2023; 194:70-84. [PMID: 36379179 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Carbon reserves in cotton roots can be remobilized to support reproductive growth, thus potentially affecting cotton yield. However, the regulation of carbon remobilization in cotton roots and its relationship with cotton yield are still poorly understood. Plant population density (PPD) and mepiquat chloride (MC) have been hypothesized to affect the dynamics of nonstructural carbohydrate content and the resulting carbon remobilization in cotton roots through the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism enzyme activities. A mid-maturation cotton line 4003-6 was field-grown in 2019 and 2020. Three different levels of PPD (D1: 2.25 plants m-2, D2: 4.5 plants m-2, and D3: 6.75 plants m-2) and two levels of MC dosage (M0: 0 g hm-2, M1: 82.5 g hm-2) were combined to create six populations differing in terms of the source-sink relationship. The changes in the hexose, sucrose, and starch contents and the key carbon metabolic enzyme activities in cotton roots were examined during peak squaring (PS) to late boll opening (LB). The combination of the PPD of 6.75 plants m-2 and MC application (M1D3) exhibited the greatest cotton yield and reproductive biomass-to-leaf area ratio from peak flowering (PF) onwards. M1D3 presented the greatest total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) remobilization amount of 2.96 and 3.80 g m-2, the highest efficiency of 39.11% and 48.39%, and the largest gross contribution to seed cotton yield of 0.66% and 0.79% in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The three parameters were positively correlated with the seed cotton yield except for the remobilization rate in 2019. Unlike the other treatments, the greater carbohydrate content per unit ground area in M1D3 prior to the PF stage was attributed to the higher sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) activities during the PS to first flowering (FF) stages. Conversely, the greater α-amylase and β-amylase activities in M1D3 at the PF stage accounted for the lower starch content at the EB stage, and the smaller vacuolar invertase (VIN) and cell wall invertase (CWIN) activities at the EB stage could be responsible for the lower hexose concentration at that time. The TNC remobilization amount had a positive association with the AGPase and SPS activities at the FF stage and with β-amylase activity at the PF stage in cotton tap roots in 2019 and 2020. This study provides a cotton yield-improving alternative through the promotion of carbon remobilization in roots using certain agronomic practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Genetic Breeding, College of Agronomy, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
| | - Feiyu Tang
- Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology, Ecology and Genetic Breeding, College of Agronomy, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China.
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Zhang N, Tian L, Feng L, Xu W, Li Y, Xing F, Fan Z, Xiong S, Tang J, Li C, Li L, Ma Y, Wang F. Boll characteristics and yield of cotton in relation to the canopy microclimate under varying plant densities in an arid area. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12111. [PMID: 34917420 PMCID: PMC8645204 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Planting density affects crop microclimate and intra-plant competition, playing an important role on yield formation and resource use, especially in areas where the cotton is grown at relatively high plant densities in Xinjiang, China. However, more studies are needed to examine how the change in planting density affects the microclimate factors such as the fraction of light intercepted (FLI), air temperature(T) and relative humidity (RH) within different canopy layers, which in turn affect the boll number per plant (BNF), boll number per unit area (BNA), boll weight (BW), and boll-setting rate (BSR) at fruiting branch (FB) positions FB1–3, FB4–6, and FB≥7 in cotton. To quantify the relationships between boll characteristics, yield, and microclimate factors, we conducted a 2-year field experiment in 2019–2020 in Xinjiang with six plant densities: 9 (P1), 12 (P2), 15 (P3), 18 (P4), 21 (P5), and 24 (P6) plants m−2. With each three plants m−2 increase in density, the average FLI and RH across different canopy layers increased by 0.37 and 2.04%, respectively, whereas T decreased by 0.64 °C. The BNF at FB≥ 7, FB4–6, and FB1–3 decreased by 0.82, 0.33, and 0.5, respectively. The highest BNA was observed in the upper and middle layers in the P4 treatment and in the lowest canopy layer with the P5. The highest BW was measured in the middle canopy layer for P3, and the highest BSR was measured in the lower layer for P3. Plant density exhibited linear or quadratic relationships with FLI, T, and RH. Microclimate factors mainly affected the boll number in each layer, but had no significant effects on the BW in any layer or the BSR in the middle and lower layers. Cotton yield was non-linearly related to plant density. The 2-year maximum yield was achieved at a plant density of 21 plants m−2, but the yield increase compared to the yield with a density of 18 plants m−2was only 0.28%. Thus, we suggest that the optimal plant density for drip-irrigated cotton in Xinjiang is 18 plants m−2, which could help farmers grow machine-harvested cotton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Zhang
- College of Agronomy/Engineering Research Centre of Cotton Ministry of Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Liwen Tian
- Cash Crop Research Institute, Xinjiang Agricultural Academy, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Lu Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
| | - Wenxiu Xu
- College of Agronomy/Engineering Research Centre of Cotton Ministry of Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yabing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
| | - Fangfang Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
| | - Zhengyi Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
| | - Shiwu Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
| | - Jianghua Tang
- College of Agronomy/Engineering Research Centre of Cotton Ministry of Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Chunmei Li
- College of Agronomy/Engineering Research Centre of Cotton Ministry of Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ling Li
- College of Agronomy/Engineering Research Centre of Cotton Ministry of Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yunzhen Ma
- College of Agronomy/Engineering Research Centre of Cotton Ministry of Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Fang Wang
- College of Agronomy/Engineering Research Centre of Cotton Ministry of Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
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Nwokoro CC, Kreye C, Necpalova M, Adeyemi O, Busari M, Tariku M, Tokula M, Olowokere F, Pypers P, Hauser S, Six J. Developing recommendations for increased productivity in cassava-maize intercropping systems in Southern Nigeria. Field Crops Res 2021; 272:108283. [PMID: 34840408 PMCID: PMC8607329 DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2021.108283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cassava-maize intercropping is a common practice among smallholder farmers in Southern Nigeria. It provides food security and early access to income from the maize component. However, yields of both crops are commonly low in farmers' fields. Multi-locational trials were conducted in Southern Nigeria in 2016 and 2017 to investigate options to increase productivity and profitability through increased cassava and maize plant densities and fertilizer application. Trials with 4 and 6 treatments in 2016 and 2017, respectively were established on 126 farmers' fields over two seasons with a set of different designs, including combinations of two levels of crop density and three levels of fertilizer rates. The maize crop was tested at low density (LM) with 20,000 plants ha-1 versus high density (HM) with 40,000 plants ha-1. For cassava, low density (LC) had had 10,000 plants ha-1 versus the high density (HC) with 12,500 plants ha-1.; The fertilizer application followed a regime favouring either the maize crop (FM: 90 kg N, 20 kg P and 37 kg K ha-1) or the cassava crop (FC: 75 kg N, 20 kg P and 90 kg K ha-1), next to control without fertilizer application (F0). Higher maize density (HM) increased marketable maize cob yield by 14 % (3700 cobs ha-1) in the first cycle and by 8% (2100 cobs ha-1) in the second cycle, relative to the LM treatment. Across both cropping cycles, fertilizer application increased cob yield by 15 % (5000 cobs ha-1) and 19 % (6700 cobs ha-1) in the FC and FM regime, respectively. Cassava storage root yield increased by 16 % (4 Mg ha-1) due to increased cassava plant density, and by 14 % (4 Mg ha-1) due to fertilizer application (i.e., with both fertilizer regimes) but only in the first cropping cycle. In the second cycle, increased maize plant density (HM) reduced cassava storage root yield by 7% (1.5 Mg ha-1) relative to the LM treatment. However, the negative effect of high maize density on storage root yield was counteracted by fertilizer application. Fresh storage root yield increased by 8% (2 Mg ha-1) in both fertilizer regimes compared to the control without fertilizer application. Responses to fertilizer by cassava and maize varied between fields. Positive responses tended to decline with increasing yields in the control treatment. The average value-to-cost ratio (VCR) of fertilizer use for the FM regime was 3.6 and higher than for the FC regime (VCR = 1.6), resulting from higher maize yields when FM than when FC was applied. Revenue generated by maize constituted 84-91% of the total revenue of the cropping system. The highest profits were achieved with the FM regime when both cassava and maize were grown at high density. However, fertilizer application was not always advisable as 34 % of farmers did not realize a profit. For higher yields and profitability, fertilizer recommendations should be targeted to responsive fields based on soil fertility knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Chigemezu Nwokoro
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Group of Sustainable Agroecosystems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
- National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Christine Kreye
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Magdalena Necpalova
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | | | - Mutiu Busari
- Department of Soil Science and Land Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
| | - Meklit Tariku
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, ICIPE Campus, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mark Tokula
- National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Florence Olowokere
- Department of Soil Science and Land Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
| | - Pieter Pypers
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, ICIPE Campus, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Stefan Hauser
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Johan Six
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Group of Sustainable Agroecosystems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland
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Yan J, Zhu Z, Zhou J, Chu X, Sui H, Cui B, van der Heide T. Saltmarsh resilience controlled by patch size and plant density of habitat-forming species that trap shells. Sci Total Environ 2021; 778:146119. [PMID: 33725609 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Habitat fragmentaion into small patches is regarded as a vital cause of biodiversity loss. Fragmentationof habitat-forming species is especially harmful, as patchiness of such species often controls ecosystem stability and resilience by density and patch size-dependent self-reinforcing feedbacks. Although fragmentation are expected to weaken or even break such feedbacks, it remains unclear how the resulting patchiness of habitat-forming species affect ecosystem resilience to environmental stresses. Here, using Spartian alterniflora, the habitat-forming species in saltmarshes as a model, we investigate how patch size, plant density, and shell aggregation interactively control the persistence of a degrading salt marsh that suffered from erosion induced by hydrodynamics. Our results demonstrate that large patches can trap more shells along the patch edge than the smaller ones, therefore significantly facilitating plant re-growth within the patch. Shell removal experiments further reveal that large patches trapping more shells along patch edges reinforce their own persistence by decreasing erosion and thus facilitating plant recovery. By contrast, small patches with lesser plants cannot persist as they trap less shells along patch edges but are able to accumulate more shells at interior locations where they hinder plant re-growth, indicating a critical threshold of patch size ~20 m2 below which ecosystem collapses. The current study highlights the importance to identify critical threshold of stress-resistant patch sizes in transition-prone ecosystems as early-warning to alert undesired ecosystem collapse and restoration practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaguo Yan
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and Utrecht University, Yerseke, the Netherlands
| | - Zhenchang Zhu
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou 511458, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Beijing Water Engineering Construction and Management Affairs Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xun Chu
- Beijing Guohuan Tsinghua Environmental Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd, China
| | - Haochen Sui
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Baoshan Cui
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Tjisse van der Heide
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, the Netherlands; Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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11
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Zhang W, Gao J. A comparative study on the reproductive success of two rewarding Habenaria species (Orchidaceae) occurring in roadside verge habitats. BMC Plant Biol 2021; 21:187. [PMID: 33874891 PMCID: PMC8054408 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-02968-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most orchid species have been shown to be severely pollination limited, and the factors affecting reproductive success have been widely studied. However, the factors determining the reproductive success vary from species to species. Habenaria species typically produce nectar but exhibit variable fruit set and reproductive success among species. Here, we investigated the influence of the flowering plant density, inflorescence size, breeding system, and pollinator behaviour on the reproductive success of two rewarding Habenaria species. RESULTS Our observations indicated that Habenaria limprichtii and H. petelotii co-occur in roadside verge habitats and present overlapping flowering periods. Both species were pollination limited, although H. limprichtii produced more fruits than H. petelotii under natural conditions during the 3-year investigation. H. petelotii individuals formed distinct patches along roadsides, while nearly all H. limprichtii individuals clustered together. The bigger floral display and higher nectar sugar concentration in H. limprichtii resulted in increased attraction and visits from pollinators. Three species of effective moths pollinated for H. limprichtii, while Thinopteryx delectans (Geometridae) was the exclusive pollinator of H. petelotii. The percentage of viable seeds was significantly lower for hand geitonogamy than for hand cross-pollination in both species. However, H. limprichtii may often be geitonogamously pollinated based on the behaviours of the pollinators and viable embryo assessment. CONCLUSIONS In anthropogenic interference habitats, the behaviours and abundance of pollinators influence the fruit set of the two studied species. The different pollinator assemblages in H. limprichtii can alleviate pollinator specificity and ensure reproductive success, whereas the more viable embryos of natural fruit seeds in H. petelotii suggested reducing geitonogamy by pollinators in the field. Our results indicate that a quantity-quality trade-off must occur between species with different breeding strategies so that they can fully exploit the existing given resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenliu Zhang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaption and Evolutionary Ecology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, Yunnan, China
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, Yunnan, China
| | - Jiangyun Gao
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaption and Evolutionary Ecology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, Yunnan, China.
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, Yunnan, China.
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12
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Shah AN, Wu Y, Tanveer M, Hafeez A, Tung SA, Ali S, Khalofah A, Alsubeie MS, Al-Qthanin RN, Yang G. Interactive effect of nitrogen fertilizer and plant density on photosynthetic and agronomical traits of cotton at different growth stages. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:3578-3584. [PMID: 34121901 PMCID: PMC8176129 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual effects of application of nitrogen (N) and plant densities (PD) were reported in various studies; however an interactive effect of N and PD in cotton was not studied. To explore the benefits of interactive effects of N fertilizer and PD to increase the quality of cotton. This study was carried out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement. In split plot arrangement, main plot was consisted of N application rate and in sub plots different PD were done. There were two nitrogen levels; low N level (F1) 120 kg ha-1 and high N level (F2) 180 kg ha-1 and three planting densities; 8 plants m-2 as low density (LD), 10 plants m-2 as medium density (MD) and 12 plants m-2 as high density (HD). In this study we observed the interactive effect of N application levels and PD on cotton photosynthetic and agronomic traits of various stages of development. Results showed that cotton growth and N contents was varied among treatments on different development stages. Plant biomass production, photosynthetic rate (Pn), intercellular CO2 (Ci), water use efficiency (WUE) and N contents were unaffected at the seedling stage by N application rate and PD, however, the highest Pn, Ci and N contents was at squaring stage followed by blooming stage. Higher seed cotton yield and lint yield were obtained F1 with HD, and F2 with MD yielded the highest N contents and cotton yield among treatments. We found that the squaring stage was more critical, followed by the blooming stage when considering N rate and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan Noor Shah
- MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China.,Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan 64200, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Yingying Wu
- MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Mohsin Tanveer
- MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Abdul Hafeez
- MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Shahbaz Atta Tung
- MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Saif Ali
- MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Ahlam Khalofah
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha,61413, Saudi Arabia.,Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, P.O.Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moodi Saham Alsubeie
- College of Sciences, Biology department, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Rahmah N Al-Qthanin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha,61413, Saudi Arabia.,Prince Sultan Bin-Abdul-Aziz Center for Environment and Tourism Studies and Researches, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 960, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Guozheng Yang
- MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
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Yu H, Yang J, Cui H, Li Z, Jia F, Chen J, Li X. Effects of plant density on tillering in the weed grass Aegilops tauschii Coss. and its phytohormonal regulation. Plant Physiol Biochem 2020; 157:70-78. [PMID: 33091798 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Aegilops tauschii Coss, a notorious wheat field weed, poses a serious threat to wheat in China. Tillers are an important agronomic tool for yield. In this study, a total of 12 Ae. tauschii populations were collected from China to investigate the effect of plant density on tiller occurrence and its phytohormonal regulation. We assayed the growth parameters of Ae. tauschii and the levels of endogenous hormones at different plant densities. The results showed that plant density had a significant effect on the quantity and quality of Ae. tauschii seeds produced per plant. In particular, the tiller and spike numbers per plant were negatively affected by plant density (P < 0.0001). The contents of 13 endogenous hormones in the tiller nodes changed in response to plant density. Among them, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin (GA) positively responded to plant density. However, the reverse result was found for cytokinin (CTK). Interestingly, phylogenetic tree analysis of auxin (AeYUCCA), CK (AeIPT) and GA (AeCPS) biosynthesis related genes found that phylogenies in the Gramineae for the three different genes were various, hinting at horizontal gene transfer. Moreover, the dynamics of the expression of AeYUCCA, AeIPT and AeCPS were roughly consistent with their phytohormone contents during tillering stage. When externally sprayed on plants of Ae. tauschii, 2,4-D isooctyl ester and GA3 markedly reduced its tillering while 6-BA had no significant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Weed Biology and Management, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Yang
- Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Hebei Street No.360, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, 066004, People's Republic of China
| | - Hailan Cui
- Key Laboratory of Weed Biology and Management, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Zheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Weed Biology and Management, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Jia
- Key Laboratory of Weed Biology and Management, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingchao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Weed Biology and Management, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiangju Li
- Key Laboratory of Weed Biology and Management, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No.2 Yuanmingyuanxilu, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
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Adebayo AR, Sebetha ET. Data on influence of different nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density on grain yield and yield components of Water Efficient Maize (WEMA) variety. Data Brief 2020; 30:105582. [PMID: 32382603 PMCID: PMC7200769 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.105582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant density and applications of nitrogen fertilizer have been recognized as the main crop management techniques to improve maize yield. The data showed effect of different nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density on grain yield and yield components of water efficient maize. A Field experiment was conducted during the 2015/16 and 2016/17 planting seasons in two (Taung and Mafikeng) localities of North–West Province, South Africa to evaluate the influence of N fertilizer rates and plant density on grain yield and yield components of Water Efficient Maize (WEMA) variety. The experiment was laid out in split plot fitted into a randomized complete block design with four replicates in each site. The main plot effect was three plant densities (33333, 44444 and 55555 plants/ha) and nitrogen rates (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg N ha−1) constituted the subplot. The parameters measured were grain yield and grain yield components. Data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) of GenStat 11th edition. Differences in the treatment means were tested by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% level of probability. Regression and correlation analyses were used to determine relationship between grain yield, yield components and nitrogen rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abidemi Ruth Adebayo
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Food Security and Safety Niche Area Research Group, North-West University Mafikeng Campus, Private Bag x 2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Erick Tshivetsi Sebetha
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Food Security and Safety Niche Area Research Group, North-West University Mafikeng Campus, Private Bag x 2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
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15
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Yang D, Cai T, Luo Y, Wang Z. Optimizing plant density and nitrogen application to manipulate tiller growth and increase grain yield and nitrogen-use efficiency in winter wheat. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6484. [PMID: 30828492 PMCID: PMC6396748 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The growth of wheat tillers and plant nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) will gradually deteriorate in response to high plant density and over-application of N. Therefore, in this study, a 2-year field study was conducted with three levels of plant densities (75 ×104plants ha−1, D1; 300 ×104plants ha−1, D2; 525 ×104plants ha−1, D3) and three levels of N application rates (120 kg N ha−1, N1; 240 kg N ha−1, N2; 360 kg N ha−1, N3) to determine how to optimize plant density and N application to regulate tiller growth and to assess the contribution of such measures to enhancing grain yield (GY) and NUE. The results indicated that an increase in plant density significantly increased the number of superior tillers and the number of spikes per m2(SN), resulting in a higher GY and higher partial factor productivity of applied N (PFPN). However, there was no significant difference in GY and PFPN between plant densities D2 and D3. Increasing the N application rate significantly increased the vascular bundle number (NVB) and area (AVB), however, excess N application (N3) did not significantly improve these parameters. N application significantly increased GY, whereas there was a significant decrease in PFPN in response to an increase in N application rate. The two years results suggested that increasing the plant density (from 75 ×104plants ha−1to 336 ×104plants ha−1) in conjunction with the application of 290 kg N ha−1N will maximize GY, and also increase PFPN(39.7 kg kg−1), compared with the application of 360 kg N ha−1N. Therefore, an appropriate combination of increased planting density with reduced N application could regulate tiller number and favor the superior tiller group, to produce wheat populations with enhanced yield and NUE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongqing Yang
- College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Tie Cai
- College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongli Luo
- College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenlin Wang
- College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, People's Republic of China
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16
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Xue W, Bezemer TM, Berendse F. Density-dependency and plant-soil feedback: former plant abundance influences competitive interactions between two grassland plant species through plant-soil feedbacks. Plant Soil 2018; 428:441-452. [PMID: 30996488 PMCID: PMC6435205 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-018-3690-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS Negative plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) are thought to promote species coexistence, but most evidence is derived from theoretical models and data from plant monoculture experiments. METHODS We grew Anthoxanthum odoratum and Centaurea jacea in field plots in monocultures and in mixtures with three ratios (3:1, 2:2 and 1:3) for three years. We then tested in a greenhouse experiment the performance of A. odoratum and C. jacea in pots planted with monocultures and 1:1 mixtures and filled with live and sterile soils collected from the field plots. RESULTS In the greenhouse experiment, C. jacea produced less aboveground biomass in soil conditioned by C. jacea monocultures than in soil conditioned by A. odoratum monocultures, while the aboveground biomass of A. odoratum in general did not differ between the two monospecific soils. The negative PSF effect was greater in the 1:1 plant mixture than in plant monocultures for A. odoratum but did not differ for C. jacea. In the greenhouse experiment, the performance of C. jacea relative to A. odoratum in the 1:1 plant mixture was negatively correlated to the abundance of C. jacea in the field plot where the soil was collected from. This relationship was significant both in live and sterile soils. However, there was no relationship between the performance of A. odoratum relative to C. jacea in the 1:1 plant mixture in the greenhouse experiment and the abundance of A. odoratum in the field plots. CONCLUSIONS The response of a plant to PSF depends on whether the focal species grows in monocultures or in mixtures and on the identity of the species. Interspecific competition can exacerbate the negative plant-soil feedbacks compared to intraspecific competition when a plant competes with a stronger interspecific competitor. Moreover, the abundance of a species in mixed plant communities, via plant-soil feedback, negatively influences the relative competitiveness of that species when it grows later in interspecific competition, but this effect varies between species. This phenomenon may contribute to the coexistence of competing plants under natural conditions through preventing the dominance of a particular plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xue
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - T. Martijn Bezemer
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology, Section Plant Ecology and Phytochemistry, Leiden University, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Berendse
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
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17
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Capuana M, Colzi I, Buccianti A, Coppi A, Palm E, Del Bubba M, Gonnelli C. Paradoxical effects of density on measurement of copper tolerance in Silene paradoxa L. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018; 25:1331-1339. [PMID: 29086177 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-0593-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This work investigated if the assessment of tolerance to trace metals can depend on plant density in the experimental design. A non-metallicolous and a metallicolous populations of Silene paradoxa were hydroponically cultivated at increasing density and in both the absence (-Cu conditions) and excess of copper (+Cu conditions). In -Cu conditions, the metallicolous population showed a lower susceptibility to plant density in comparison to the non-metallicolous one, explained by a higher capacity of the metallicolous population to exploit resources. In +Cu conditions, an alleviating effect of increasing density was found in roots. Such effect was present to a greater extent in the non-metallicolous population, thus making the populations equally copper-tolerant at the highest density used. In shoots, an additive effect of increasing plant density to copper toxicity was reported. Its higher intensity in the metallicolous population reverted the copper tolerance relationship at the highest plant densities used. In both populations, a density-induced decrease in root copper accumulation was observed, thus concurring to the reported mitigation in +Cu conditions. Our work revealed the importance of density studies on the optimization of eco-toxicological bioassays and of metal tolerance assessment and it can be considered the first example of an alleviating effect of increasing plant number on copper stress in a metallophyte.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Capuana
- Institute of Bioscience and Bioresources-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Polo Scientifico, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Ilaria Colzi
- Department of Biology, Università di Firenze, via Micheli 1, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Antonella Buccianti
- Department of Earth Science, Università di Firenze, via La Pira 4, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Andrea Coppi
- Department of Biology, Università di Firenze, via Micheli 1, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Emily Palm
- Department of Agri-Food and Environmental Science, Università di Firenze, via delle Idee 30, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Florence, Italy
| | - Massimo Del Bubba
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Gonnelli
- Department of Biology, Università di Firenze, via Micheli 1, 50121, Florence, Italy.
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Soleymani A. Light response of sunflower and canola as affected by plant density, plant genotype and N fertilization. J Photochem Photobiol B 2017; 173:580-588. [PMID: 28697475 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Crop response to light is an important parameter determining crop growth. Three field (split plots) experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of plant density, plant genotype and N fertilization on the light absorption and light extinction of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and canola (Brassica napus L.). A detailed set of plant growth, light absorption and crop yield and oil related parameters were determined. Light was measured at noon during the sunny days with clear sky. In experiment I, although the plant density (PD) of 14 resulted in the highest rate of sunflower light absorption (31.37%) and light extinction (0.756), the highest rate of grain yield and grain oil yield was resulted at PD12 at 3639 and 1457.9kg/ha, respectively; as well as by genotype SUP.A. In experiment II (canola), PD80 resulted in the highest rate of light absorption (13.13%), light extinction (0.63), grain yield (2189.4kg/ha) and grain oil yield (556.54kg/ha). This was also the case for Genotype H. In experiment III (canola), although N150 resulted in the highest rate of light absorption (10.74%) and light extinction (0.48), the highest rate of grain yield (3413.6kg/ha) and grain oil yield (891.86kg/ha) was resulted at N100 as well as by Genotype H401. Results indicate how light properties, crop growth and yield of sunflower and canola can be affected by plant and environmental parameters, which are also of practical use by farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Soleymani
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, P.O.BOX: 81595-158, Iran.
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Ren B, Liu W, Zhang J, Dong S, Liu P, Zhao B. Effects of plant density on the photosynthetic and chloroplast characteristics of maize under high-yielding conditions. Naturwissenschaften 2017; 104:12. [PMID: 28246890 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1445-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Plant density has been recognized as a major factor determining the grain yield. The photosynthetic performance changes as the density increases. The main objective of this research was to evaluate responses of photosynthetic performance and chloroplast ultrastructure to planting densities in two summer maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids Denghai661 (DH661) and Nongda108 (ND108). DH661 was planted at densities of 30,000, 45,000, 60,000, 75,000, 90,000, 105,000, 120,000, or 135,000 plants ha-1. ND108 was planted at densities of 30,000, 45,000, 60,000, 75,000, or 90,000 plants ha-1. Research variables included leaf area, grain yield, chlorophyll content, leaf gas exchange parameters, number of chloroplasts, and chloroplast ultrastructure. As plant density increased, chlorophyll a and b content significantly decreased; carotenoids initially decreased and then increased; the net photosynthetic rate during each growth period significantly decreased; the membrane structure of mesophyll cells was gradually damaged; the number of chloroplasts significantly decreased; the external form of chloroplasts shifted from long and oval to elliptical or circular; the number of grana significantly decreased, while the number of grana lamellae increased; grana gradually became hypogenetic and eventually dissolved; plot yield increased; and yield per plant significantly decreased. The yield per plant of DH661 at 135,000 plants ha-1 and that of ND108 at 90,000 plants ha-1 decreased by 65.8 and 42.5%, respectively, compared with those at 30,000 plants ha-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baizhao Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology and College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Liu
- Yantai Academy of Agricultural Science, Yan tai, 265599, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiwang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology and College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shuting Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology and College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology and College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology and College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
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20
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Al-Aklabi A, Al-Khulaidi AW, Hussain A, Al-Sagheer N. Main vegetation types and plant species diversity along an altitudinal gradient of Al Baha region, Saudi Arabia. Saudi J Biol Sci 2016; 23:687-697. [PMID: 27872563 PMCID: PMC5109499 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant species composition patterns and vegetation types were investigated along Elevational Gradients in Al Baha region, Saudi Arabia. Sandy plain, wadis, drainage lines, rocky outcrops, hills and fallow lands occur over a wide geographic range encompassing variation in plant species and communities among these different ecological sites. To provide a quantitatively based classification of the vegetation we used Multi Variant Statistical Package (MVSP) software, followed by the re-arrangement of a matrix of the similar plant species in rows and similar sample sites in columns. Plant density and environmental variables were measured and recorded in each quadrat. Two-way indicator species analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were used to analyze the relationships between vegetation and environmental variables, while Arc Map was used to analyze the pattern of plant species density. A total of 59 sample plots (25 × 25 m), stratified, randomly-placed relevés were collected in Al Baha region, along a cross section running from south-west to north-west. About 190 plant species belonging to 59 families were recognized. This study showed that these plant species formed 15 vegetation types that primarily correspond mainly to different combinations of elevation, and topography. The study concluded that this research has provided the first quantitative and systematic survey of the vegetation in Al Baha region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Al-Aklabi
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Arts, Albaha University (BU), Baljurashi, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Nageeb Al-Sagheer
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation, Saudi Arabia
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21
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Andersson P, Ehrlén J, Hambäck PA. Plant patch structure influences plant fitness via antagonistic and mutualistic interactions but in different directions. Oecologia 2016; 180:1175-82. [PMID: 26714828 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3532-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Plant patch structure and environmental context can influence the outcome of antagonistic and mutualistic plant-insect interactions, leading to spatially variable fitness effects for plants. We investigated the effects of herbivory and pollen limitation on plant reproductive performance in 28 patches of the self-compatible perennial herb Scrophularia nodosa and assessed how such effects varied with plant patch size, plant density and tree cover. Both antagonistic and mutualistic interactions had strong effects on plant reproductive performance. Leaf feeding from herbivores reduced both fruit production and seed germination, and leaf herbivory increased with plant patch size. Experimentally hand-pollinated flowers produced more seeds than open-pollinated flowers, and pollen limitation was more severe in patches with fewer plants. Our study on S. nodosa is one of few which documents that plant patch structure influences the outcome of both antagonistic and mutualistic plant-insect interactions. The results thus provide an example of how variation in plant patch structure and environmental factors can lead to spatially variable fitness effects from mutualistic and antagonistic interactions.
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22
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Pascov CM, Nevill PG, Elliott CP, Majer JD, Anthony JM, Krauss SL. The critical role of ants in the extensive dispersal of Acacia seeds revealed by genetic parentage assignment. Oecologia 2015; 179:1123-34. [PMID: 26255273 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3400-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Ants are prominent seed dispersal agents in many ecosystems, and dispersal distances are small in comparison with vertebrate dispersal agents. However, the distance and distribution of ant-mediated dispersal in arid/semi-arid environments remains poorly explored. We used microsatellite markers and parentage assignment to quantify the distance and distribution of dispersed seeds of Acacia karina, retrieved from the middens of Iridomyrmex agilis and Melophorus turneri perthensis. From parentage assignment, we could not distinguish the maternal from each parent pair assigned to each seed, so we applied two approaches to estimate dispersal distances, one conservative (CONS), where the parent closest to the ant midden was considered to be maternal, and the second where both parents were deemed equally likely (EL) to be maternal, and used both distances. Parentage was assigned to 124 seeds from eight middens. Maximum seed dispersal distances detected were 417 m (CONS) and 423 m (EL), more than double the estimated global maximum. Mean seed dispersal distances of 40 m (±5.8 SE) (CONS) and 79 m (±6.4 SE) (EL) exceeded the published global average of 2.24 m (±7.19 SD) by at least one order of magnitude. For both approaches and both ant species, seed dispersal was predominantly (44-84% of all seeds) within 50 m from the maternal source, with fewer dispersal events at longer distances. Ants in this semi-arid environment have demonstrated a greater capacity to disperse seeds than estimated elsewhere, which highlights their important role in this system, and suggests significant novel ecological and evolutionary consequences for myrmecochorous species in arid/semi-arid Australia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M Pascov
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia.,School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Paul G Nevill
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia. .,School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia. .,Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
| | - Carole P Elliott
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia.,School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Environment and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Jonathan D Majer
- School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia.,Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Janet M Anthony
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia.,School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Siegfried L Krauss
- Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia.,School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
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Hansi M, Weidenhamer JD, Sinkkonen A. Plant growth responses to inorganic environmental contaminants are density-dependent: experiments with copper sulfate, barley and lettuce. Environ Pollut 2014; 184:443-8. [PMID: 24121419 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The density-dependence of terrestrial plant-plant interactions in the presence of toxins has previously been explored using biodegradable compounds. We exposed barley and lettuce to four copper concentrations at four stand densities. We hypothesized that toxin effects would decrease and Cu uptake would increase at increasing plant densities. We analyzed toxin effects by (a) comparing plant biomasses and (b) using a recent regression model that has a separate parameter for the interaction of resource competition and toxin interference. Plant response to Cu was density-dependent in both experiments. Total Cu uptake by barley increased and the dose per plant decreased as plant density increased. This study is the first to demonstrate that plant density mediates plant response to metals in soil in a predictable way. This highlights the need to explore the mechanisms for and consequences of these effects, and to integrate the use of several plant densities into standard ecotoxicological testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Hansi
- University of Helsinki, Department of Environmental Sciences, Section of Environmental Ecology, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
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