Lysimachiacavicola (Primulaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China.

Lysimachiacavicola (Subgen. Idiophyton, Primulaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China, is here described and illustrated based on morphological data. Although it shares similarities with L.microcarpa, L.fooningensis, and L.capillipes, there are distinguishing characteristics that set it apart. These include erect stems either solitary or in clusters of 1 to 2, herbaceous, terete, and densely glandular hairy. The leaves are either ovate or elliptical lanceolate, with inconspicuously reticulate veins. The petiole measures 2-4 mm in length covered with minute glandular hairy. The corolla is deeply parted, measuring 6-8 mm in length, with narrowly elliptic or narrowly oblong lobes that are 1-2 mm wide. The capsule is globose, measuring 2-3 × 2-3 mm, and possesses a chalky, brittle texture, which splits into 5-valved segments. The calyx of the plant appears yellowish-white during fruiting. This newly discovered species is endemic to limestone areas in Fengshan County, Guangxi, China.

De novo Assembly of the Camellia nitidissima Transcriptome Reveals Key Genes of Flower Pigment Biosynthesis.

The golden camellia, Camellia nitidissima Chi., is a well-known ornamental plant that is known as "the queen of camellias" because of its golden yellow flowers. The principal pigments in the flowers are carotenoids and flavonol glycosides. Understanding the biosynthesis of the golden color and its regulation is important in camellia breeding. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of flower development in C. nitidissima, a number of cDNA libraries were independently constructed during flower development. Using the Illumina Hiseq2500 platform, approximately 71.8 million raw reads (about 10.8 gigabase pairs) were obtained and assembled into 583,194 transcripts and 466, 594 unigenes. A differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and co-expression network was constructed to identify unigenes correlated with flower color. The analysis of DEGs and co-expressed network involved in the carotenoid pathway indicated that the biosynthesis of carotenoids is regulated mainly at the transcript level and that phytoene synthase (PSY), ß -carotene 3-hydroxylase (CrtZ), and capsanthin synthase (CCS1) exert synergistic effects in carotenoid biosynthesis. The analysis of DEGs and co-expressed network involved in the flavonoid pathway indicated that chalcone synthase (CHS), naringenin 3-dioxygenase (F3H), leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase(ANS), and flavonol synthase (FLS) play critical roles in regulating the formation of flavonols and anthocyanidin. Based on the gene expression analysis of the carotenoid and flavonoid pathways, and determinations of the pigments, we speculate that the high expression of PSY and CrtZ ensures the production of adequate levels of carotenoids, while the expression of CHS, FLS ensures the production of flavonols. The golden yellow color is then the result of the accumulation of carotenoids and flavonol glucosides in the petals. This study of the mechanism of color formation in golden camellia points the way to breeding strategies that exploit gene technology approaches to increase the content of carotenoids and flavonol glucosides and to decrease anthocyanidin synthesis.

Plant genotypes affect aboveground and belowground herbivore interactions by changing chemical defense.

Spatially separated aboveground (AG) and belowground (BG) herbivores are closely linked through shared host plants, and both patterns of AG-BG interactions and plant responses may vary among plant genotypes. We subjected invasive (USA) and native (China) genotypes of tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) to herbivory by the AG specialist leaf-rolling weevil Heterapoderopsis bicallosicollis and/or the root-feeding larvae of flea beetle Bikasha collaris. We measured leaf damage and leaves rolled by weevils, quantified beetle survival, and analyzed flavonoid and tannin concentrations in leaves and roots. AG and BG herbivores formed negative feedbacks on both native and invasive genotypes. Leaf damage by weevils and the number of beetle larvae emerging as adults were higher on invasive genotypes. Beetles reduced weevil damage and weevils reduced beetle larval emergence more strongly for invasive genotypes. Invasive genotypes had lower leaf and root tannins than native genotypes. BG beetles decreased leaf tannins of native genotypes but increased root tannins of invasive genotypes. AG herbivory increased root flavonoids of invasive genotypes while BG herbivory decreased leaf flavonoids. Invasive genotypes had lower AG and BG herbivore resistance, and negative AG-BG herbivore feedbacks were much stronger for invasive genotypes. Lower tannin concentrations explained overall better AG and BG herbivore performances on invasive genotypes. However, changes in tannins and flavonoids affected AG and BG herbivores differently. These results suggest that divergent selection on chemical production in invasive plants may be critical in regulating herbivore performances and novel AG and BG herbivore communities in new environments.

Effects of Successive Rotation Regimes on Carbon Stocks in Eucalyptus Plantations in Subtropical China Measured over a Full Rotation.

Plantations play an important role in carbon sequestration and the global carbon cycle. However, there is a dilemma in that most plantations are managed on short rotations, and the carbon sequestration capacities of these short-rotation plantations remain understudied. Eucalyptus has been widely planted in the tropics and subtropics due to its rapid growth, high adaptability, and large economic return. Eucalyptus plantations are primarily planted in successive rotations with a short rotation length of 6~8 years. In order to estimate the carbon-stock potential of eucalyptus plantations over successive rotations, we chose a first rotation (FR) and a second rotation (SR) stand and monitored the carbon stock dynamics over a full rotation from 1998 to 2005. Our results showed that carbon stock in eucalyptus trees (TC) did not significantly differ between rotations, while understory vegetation (UC) and soil organic matter (SOC) stored less carbon in the SR (1.01 vs. 2.76 Mg.ha(-1) and 70.68 vs. 81.08 Mg. ha(-1), respectively) and forest floor carbon (FFC) conversely stored more (2.80 vs. 2.34 Mg. ha(-1)). The lower UC and SOC stocks in the SR stand resulted in 1.13 times lower overall ecosystem carbon stock. Mineral soils and overstory trees were the two dominant carbon pools in eucalyptus plantations, accounting for 73.77%~75.06% and 20.50%~22.39%, respectively, of the ecosystem carbon pool. However, the relative contribution (to the ecosystem pool) of FFC stocks increased 1.38 times and that of UC decreased 2.30 times in the SR versus FR stand. These carbon pool changes over successive rotations were attributed to intensive successive rotation regimes of eucalyptus plantations. Our eight year study suggests that for the sustainable development of short-rotation plantations, a sound silvicultural strategy is required to achieve the best combination of high wood yield and carbon stock potential.

[Understory vegetation composition and main woody population niche of artificial masson pine forest in south subtropical area].

This paper studied the characteristics of the natural understory vegetation in the artificial masson pine forest replanted after Chinese fir cut for 13 years. The results indicated that there were 100 species of understory vegetation, including 74 species of shrub or small arbor, accounting for 74.0% of the total species, belonging to 41 faculties and 63 categories, and 26 herbs belonging to 14 faculties and 23 categories. The tropical and subtropical elements were dominant in the vegetation, while the temperate ones were scare. The species diversity and richness were decreased after masson pine regenerated from Chinese fir. The analysis of important value showed that the main species of shrub or small arbor were Tinomiscium tonkinensis, Mycetia longiflora, Evodia lepta, Paederia scandens, Mussaenda pubuscens, Actinodaphne pilosa and Quercus glauca, and those of herb were Cyrtococcum patens, Blechnunm orientale, Dicranopteris dichotoma, Adiantum flabellulatum, Adiantum edgeworthii and Pteris semipinnata. The biomass of the vegetation in different slope positions was decreased in order of upside> downside > middle part. There was a significantly positive correlation between the niche breath and the important value of main woody population. The important values of woody populations were higher than those of the others, and their niche breadths were also larger, which meant that they were more adaptable to the habitat. The niche overlaps of six population counterparts Tinomiscium tonkinensis-Mycetia longiflora, Tinomiscium tonkinensis-Evodia lepta, Mussaenda pubuscens-Maesa japonica, Quercus glauca-Aphananthe aspera, Actinodaphne pilosa-Saraca chinensis and Evodia lepta-Quercus glaucathese were very large, which could offer information for the restoration and reconstruction in selecting natural vegetation. The large niche overlaps of major woody population counterparts suggested their similar utilization of natural resources.

[Effects of continuous cropping on understorey species diversity in Eucalypt plantations].

By the methods of time-space series analysis and field monitoring, this paper studied the species diversity and its maintaining mechanism in Dongmen Eucalypt plantations of Guangxi. The results indicated that during the period of 1998 - 2003, continuous cropping of Eucalyptus plantation resulted in a reduction of species diversity. The plant species number of second generation was reduced by 54.43% in a 667 m2 plot, and by 50% in 18 sampling plots (each of 4 m2), and the species richness and Shannon-Wiener index of 6-year second generation forest decreased by 39.39% and 17.76%, respectively, compared with the first generation. The continuous cropping not only decreased the species diversity, but also changed the species composition and characteristics of the community. Life-form spectra of Eucalypt plantations varied with generation. The plant life-form consisted of microphanerophytes, liana phanerophytes, and nana-phanerophytes in the first generation, while the herbaceous-phanerophytes and chamaephytes occurred in the second generation. The k-strategy and r-strategy species accounted for 69.32% and 30.68% in the first generation, while 47.83% and 52.17% in the second generation, respectively. Therefore, continuous cropping of Eucalypt plantations was advantage for herb, therophytes and r-strategy species, but disadvantage for woody plants and k-strategy species. Seed band and vegetative body in soil were considered to play an important role in maintaining diversity. A new hypothesis, initial plant Diaspora, on the maintaining mechanism of species diversity in Eucalypt plantation was put forward.