“Chinese Elm 1030595 . . . (or can I call you Dale??)”: Communication and representation in mediated encounters with nonhuman others

The last couple of years have seen an uptick of different technological forms presented as mediators of human/nonhuman interaction, and these developments have been accompanied by an increase in scholarly interest. Here, we engage with the human urge to enter into communicative exchanges that implicate “other” entities, but we also wonder what is at stake, analytically and ethically, in these mediated communicative acts. Following an approach informed by work in the environmental humanities as well as science and technology studies and media studies, we explore three sites of (ostensible) encounters between humans and nonhuman others—plants and animals—and argue that while certain technological mediations can facilitate human “noticing” by rendering nonhuman others sense-able, it does not follow that such interventions open up a space where participants can meaningfully respond to each other.

A new species of the elm powdery mildew species complex (Erysiphaceae) on Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia) in East Asia segregated from Erysiphe ulmi

Powdery mildews are common pathogens on wild elm trees as well as on planted ornamentals in Asia and Europe. The taxonomy of the powdery Erysiphe species on elms (Ulmus spp., Ulmaceae) is complicated by taxonomical changes and inconsistently labelled DNA data in databases and publications. Based on morphology and phylogenetic analysis of new collections from Germany and Taiwan, E. ulmi from Europe is revised, while specimens on U. parvifolia from East Asia revealed a separate clade indicating an undescribed species. Morphologically, both species can be distinguished by length of the foot cell of the conidiophore, whereas the teleomorph characteristics were not significantly distinctive.

SLAF-seq Uncovers the Genetic Diversity and Adaptation of Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) in Eastern China

The Chinese elm is an important tree ecologically; however, little is known about its genetic diversity and adaptation mechanisms. In this study, a total of 107 individuals collected from seven natural populations in eastern China were investigated by specific locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq). Based on the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detected by SLAF-seq, genetic diversity and markers associated with climate variables were identified. All seven populations showed medium genetic diversity, with PIC values ranging from 0.2632 to 0.2761. AMOVA and Fst indicated that a low genetic differentiation existed among populations. Environmental association analyses with three climate variables (annual rainfall, annual average temperature, and altitude) resulted in, altogether, 43 and 30 putative adaptive loci by Bayenv2 and LFMM, respectively. Five adaptive genes were annotated, which were related to the functions of glycosylation, peroxisome synthesis, nucleic acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and signaling. This study was the first on the genetic diversity and local adaptation in Chinese elms, and the results will be helpful in future work on molecular breeding.

Key Plant, Key Pests: Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)

This series of Key Plant, Key Pests publications are designed for Florida gardeners, horticulturalists and landscape professionals to help identify common pests associated with common Florida flora. This publication, the second in the Key Plant, Key Pests Series, helps identify the most common pests found on the Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia). This publication provides information and general management recommendations for anthracnose or black elm spot, powdery mildew, trunk canker, borers, eriophyid mites and leaf beetles.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep559