Seed size affects rodent‐seed interaction consistently across plant species but not within species: evidence from a seed tracking experiment of 41 tree species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si CHEN ◽  
Li FENG ◽  
Bo WANG
Keyword(s):  
2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keshab Shrestha

Lying at western corner of the Kathmandu city, the Swoyambhu hillock (1403.76m) represents a surviving pristine forest in the metropolitan capital of Nepal. Once an extension of Jamaca (2096m) with luxuriant sub-tropical forest is now invaded by dense human population and other developmental activities. This hillock is still rich with a total plant species of 319. Of them, 65 are trees, 43 shrubs, 194 herbs and 17 climbers. Northern slope of the hillock is rich in tree species with scattered patches of under-growing bushes and ferns, whereas southern, western and eastern slopes are much disturbed with exotic species of plants, creating challenges to the norms of the heritage standard. Domination by Pinus roxburghii (chire pine) and Eucalyptus, Jacaranda and Callistemon, etc are altering the indigenous nature of the hillock. And also the forested hillock has been randomly utilized for refreshment, yoga, ayurbedic remedy and food. Due to growing constructions and exploitations, the forested hillock is now facing a threat to maintain its pristine ecosystem. <i>Nepal Journal of Science and Technology</i> Vol. 7, 2006


Author(s):  
P. C. Nnadi ◽  
B. B. Otene ◽  
Nwiisator David-Sarogoro

This study was carried out to examine the distribution of plant species in Rivers State University campus at different locations at the Rivers State University Nkpolu-Oroworukwo Port Harcourt Nigeria. The general objective of this study was to examine the Ecological distribution of plant species in Rivers State University campus at different locations. The specific objective was to determine the species abundance of various plants in the study area and also to examine the ecological diversity of tree species in the various groups. The study area was divided into three groups (stations) with the various plants species identified and recorded. Data gotten from the field was analyzed using descriptive statistic and some ecological indices such as Margalef, Mehinick, Shannon diversity, Shannon Wiener, Evenness/Equitability and Simpson dominance.  A total of one thousand Sixty-nine (1069) individual plant were identified with 16, 17 and 12 species in stations 1-3 respectively. The highest individual plants (561) were observed in station 1 while the least (87) were observed in station 3. The mean values of stations 1 and 2 were significantly and statistically different from site 3 at p<0.05. The results obtained showed some dominant species to include Elaeis guincensis, Polyaithia longifolia, Pinus spp, Gmelina arborea, Wodyetia bifareata, Citrus sinensis, Cocos nuciferia while others were the least dominant species found in the study area. The Margalef, Mehinicks and Shannon Wiener values were consistently highest in station 2 but lowest in station 3.  Human disturbances had negative impact on tree species abundance especially in site 3. It is therefore recommended that management interventions are necessary in other to stop indiscriminate felling of the various trees species that made up the different groups.


Author(s):  
Weixue Mu ◽  
Jinpu Wei ◽  
Ting Yang ◽  
Yannan Fan ◽  
Le Cheng ◽  
...  

Nyssa yunnanensis is a deciduous tree in family Nayssaceae within the order Cornales. As only 8 individuals in 2 sites recorded in Yunnan province of China, the species was listed as the China&rsquo;s national grade-I protection species in 1999, and also as one of 120 PSESP(Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations) in Implementation Plan of Rescuing and Conserving China&rsquo;s Plant Species with extremely Small Populations(PSESP) (2011-2-15). N. yunnanensis was also been evaluated as Critically Endangered in IUCN red list and Threatened Species List of China's Higher Plants. Hence understanding the genomic characteristics of this highly endangered Tertiary relict tree species is essential, especially for developing conservation strategies. Here we sequenced and annotated the genome of N. yunnanensis using 10X genomics linked-reads sequencing data. The de novo assembled genome is 1474Mb in length with a scaffold N50 length of 985.59kb. We identified 823.51Mb of non-redundant sequence as repetitive elements and annotated 39,803 protein-coding genes in the assembly. Our result provided the genomic characteristics of N. yunnanensis, which will provide valuable resources for future genomic and evolutionary studies, especially for conservation biology studies of this extremely threatened tree species.


Hoehnea ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel Henrique Buttner Queiroz ◽  
Ricardo Augusto Gorne Viani ◽  
Renata Sebastiani

RESUMO The permanence of a plant species in a forest community depends on its number of specimens and its distribution in the various sizes of individuals, including seedlings. Seedlings and seeds from a forest remnant in Pirassununga were collected and analyzed for the degree of threat, possible height of the adult individual, occurrence in phytophysiognomies and region and morphological aspects. 116 seedlings available in 39 morphospecies were collected, and the germination of collected seeds provided 40 species. The present study brought news regarding the morphological aspects, the identification and the distribution of seedlings of tree species in a riparian forest area in the Mogi Guaçu River Basin and in the State of São Paulo.


PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucía Vivanco ◽  
Nicolás Rascovan ◽  
Amy T. Austin

Plant–microbial interactions in the litter layer represent one of the most relevant interactions for biogeochemical cycling as litter decomposition is a key first step in carbon and nitrogen turnover. However, our understanding of these interactions in the litter layer remains elusive. In an old-growth mixed Nothofagus forest in Patagonia, we studied the effects of single tree species identity and the mixture of three tree species on the fungal and bacterial composition in the litter layer. We also evaluated the effects of nitrogen (N) addition on these plant–microbial interactions. In addition, we compared the magnitude of stimulation of litter decomposition due to home field advantage (HFA, decomposition occurs more rapidly when litter is placed beneath the plant species from which it had been derived than beneath a different plant species) and N addition that we previously demonstrated in this same forest, and used microbial information to interpret these results. Tree species identity had a strong and significant effect on the composition of fungal communities but not on the bacterial community of the litter layer. The microbial composition of the litter layer under the tree species mixture show an averaged contribution of each single tree species. N addition did not erase the plant species footprint on the fungal community, and neither altered the bacterial community. N addition stimulated litter decomposition as much as HFA for certain tree species, but the mechanisms behind N and HFA stimulation may have differed. Our results suggest that stimulation of decomposition from N addition might have occurred due to increased microbial activity without large changes in microbial community composition, while HFA may have resulted principally from plant species’ effects on the litter fungal community. Together, our results suggest that plant–microbial interactions can be an unconsidered driver of litter decomposition in temperate forests.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 30-42
Author(s):  
D. V. Veselkin ◽  
D. I. Dubrovin ◽  
O. S. Rafikova ◽  
Y. A. Lipikhina ◽  
N. V. Zolotareva ◽  
...  

The aim of the work is to establish how greatly the light conditions change under the leaf canopy of two invasive plant species in the Middle Urals - Acer negundo and Sorbaria sorbifolia . In June - August 2020, using a portable light meter, 8370 measurements of illumination were performed in forest parks (at a height of 1.5 and 0.5 m, i.e. above and below the canopy of the leaves of the invasive shrub S. sorbifolia and the native shrub Rubus idaeus ; in random points under the canopies of Pinus sylvestris ; on glades, paths and forest edges) and in urban habitats (at a height of 1.5 m and 0.5 m in dense thickets of the invasive tree A. negundo and other tree species). The average illumination intensity was as following: under S. sorbifolia - 4 ± 1 lux × 10; under R. idaeus - 7 ± 1 lux × 10; in A. negundo thickets - 13 ± 2 lux × 10; in thickets of other tree species - 25 ± 4 lux × 10; under the canopies of urban pine forests - 80 ± 10 lux × 10; in the forest edges - 96 ± 14 lux × 10. In dense thickets, A. negundo intercepts about 94% of the light falling on its canopies, S. sorbifolia - about 93%. This is significantly higher than the light interception level in habitats used as control: other tree species canopies of greatly urbanized habitats intercept about 89%, the thickets of R. idaeus - about 82%. Thus, invasive plants reduce the amount of light available to other plant species in communities significantly more than native plants.


2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 1705-1712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernardo L Muatinte ◽  
Johnnie Van den Berg

Abstract Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) populations are maintained in wild host plants such as trees that act as pest reservoirs from where beetle infestation of maize granaries take place. In this study, we assessed the suitability of plant species sold and transported as firewood as well as other plant species in Mozambique as hosts for P. truncatus. Prostephanus truncatus was only recorded from three tree species, which are sold as firewood, i.e., Brachystegia spiciformis, Strychnos spinosa, and Colophospermum mopane. The pest survived and bred in 13 tree and 7 grass species. Dry wood of several tree species and the grasses Acroceras macrum and Hyparrhenia hirta were suitable hosts for pest development. Sale and transport of certain firewood species may be an important driver of the spread of this pest. The importance of dry maize stalks and several grass species in sustaining pest populations is described for the first time. Several grass species are used as thatch or fencing material and, together with maize crop residues close to small-scale granaries, may provide significant sources of beetle infestation.


2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshiya Yoshida ◽  
Yoko Iga ◽  
Megumi Ozawa ◽  
Mahoko Noguchi ◽  
Hideaki Shibata

Scarification is widely conducted in northern Japan to remove understory dwarf bamboo species in degraded forests for replacement with tree species. To explore ways to enhance species diversity and restoration of mixed forest at the treated site, we clarified the mechanisms that lead to compositional heterogeneity of plant species. We evaluated the relative importance of environmental factors (scarification properties, soil properties, light conditions, litter cover, and presence of canopy trees) for the demography of tall tree species (emergence, mortality, and growth) and whole vegetation structure (species diversity and composition) over the two growing seasons immediately following scarification. Of tall tree species, Betula spp. were dominant (60% in total density), followed by Abies sachalinensis (Fr. Schm.) Masters, Acer mono Maxim., and Phellodendron amurense Rupr. Light intensity was an important factor, having mostly negative effects on the demography of these species. Soil factors (e.g., nitrogen content, moisture) affected the demography mainly of shade-intolerant or hygrophilous species. In general, extreme environmental conditions led to the dominance of grasses, forbs, and lianas rather than tall trees. Maintenance of canopy cover, which limits light and supplies seeds as well as litter, proved to be most important in promoting plant species diversification on the scarification site.


2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 439
Author(s):  
Julie Christine Scaloppi ◽  
Andréa Lúcia Teixeira de Souza

Seedling planting is the most common strategy used to reintroduce tropical native tree species; however, direct sowing has simplicity and operational ease advantages. Functional traits such as seed size and growth rates have been shown to be relevant for better plant performance. We evaluated the effects of intraspecific variation in seed size and the reintroduction strategy simultaneously on the development of Hymenaea courbaril (L.) and Enterolobium timbouva (Mart.) introduced in an abandoned eucalyptus plantation over 462 days. Plants from small, medium and large seeds were reintroduced by planting seedlings and direct seeding. Both species achieved high rates of emergence and survival was high in the two reintroduction strategies. Seed size was not related to emergence and mean time to emergence for either species. The survival of both species was higher than 74% in the field, and seed size had little effect on survival rates. In general, H. courbaril plants introduced by direct sowing had higher growth, and seed size correlated positively with stem size. In contrast, the growth of E. timbouva plants introduced by seedling planting was higher than in plants introduced by direct sowing regardless of seed size. The light requirements of this species seem higher than for H. courbaril. Our results suggest the feasibility of reintroducing species by direct sowing in eucalyptus understory, but since plant growth varies between species, there may be a balance between the advantage of the initial plant size provided by planting seedlings and the advantage of a better root development provided by direct sowing.


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