Simulated warming enhances biological invasion of Solidago canadensis and Bidens frondosa by increasing reproductive investment and altering flowering phenology pattern.

Phenological and reproductive shifts of plants due to climate change may have important influences on population dynamics. Climate change may also affect invasive species by changing their phenology and reproduction, but few studies have explored this possibility. Here, we investigated the impact of climate change on the phenology, reproduction and invasion potential of two alien Solidago canadensis and Bidens frondosa and one native weed, Pterocypsela laciniata, all of which are in the Asteraceae family. The three species responded to simulated climate change by increasing reproductive investments and root/leaf ratio, prolonging flowering duration, and while the two alien species also displayed a mass-flowering pattern. Moreover, our experimental results indicated that the alien invasive species may have greater phenological plasticity in response to simulated warming than that of the native species (P. laciniata). As such, climate change may enhance the invasion and accelerate the invasive process of these alien plant species.

Phylogenetic relationships of four endemic genera of the Phasianidae in China based on mitochondrial DNA control-region genes.

The taxonomic status of some genera within the Phasianidae remains controversial. To demonstrate the phylogenetic relationships of four endemic genera (Tetraophasis, Ithaginis, Crossoptilon and Chrysolophus) and other 11 genera of Phasianidae in China, a total of 1070 nucleotides of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-region genes were sequenced. There are 376 variable sites including 345 parsimony sites. The genetic distance ranged from 0.067 (Chrysolophus and Phasianus) to 0.181 (Perdix and Bambusicola) among the 15 genera. Maximum likelihood method was used to construct a phylogenetic tree, which grouped all the genera into two deeply divergent clades. Perdix was shown to be a non-partridge genus. Alternatively, it appears ancestral to either partridges or pheasants. The sibling taxa of the four endemic genera were Lophophorus, Tragopan, Lophura and Phasianus, respectively. Calibrated rates of molecular evolution suggested that the divergence time between the four genera and related taxa was 4.00-5.00 million years ago, corresponding to the Pliocene. Considering their molecular phylogenetics, fossil and geographical distribution patterns, the four endemic genera might have originated in the southwestern mountains in China.

{µ-6,6'-Dimeth-oxy-2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo-methyl-idyne)]diphenolato}-µ-nitrato-dinitratoholmium(III)zinc(II).

In the title heteronuclear Zn(II)-Ho(III) complex (systematic name: {µ-6,6'-dimeth-oxy-2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo-methyl-idyne)]diphenolato-1κ(4)O(1),O(1'),O(6),O(6'):2κ(4)O(1),N,N',O(1'))-µ-nitrato-1:2κ(2)O:O'-dinitrato-1κ(4)O,O'-holmium(III)zinc(II)), [HoZn(C(18)H(18)N(2)O(4))(NO(3))(3)], with the hexa-dentate Schiff base compartmental ligand N,N'-bis-(3-methoxy-salicyl-idene)ethyl-enediamine (H(2)L), the Ho and Zn atoms are triply bridged by two phenolate O atoms of the Schiff base ligand and one nitrate ion. The five-coordinate Zn atom is in a square-pyramidal geometry with the donor centers of two imine N atoms, two phenolate O atoms and one of the bridging nitrate O atoms. The Ho(III) center has a ninefold coordination environment of O atoms, involving the phenolate O atoms, two meth-oxy O atoms, two O atoms from two nitrate ions and one from the bridging nitrate ion. Weak inter-molecular C-H⋯O inter-actions generate a two-dimensional double-layer structure.

{µ-6,6'-Dieth-oxy-2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo-methyl-idyne)]diphenolato}trinitratoholmium(III)nickel(II).

In the title heteronuclear Ni(II)-Ho(III) complex (systematic name: {µ-6,6'-dieth-oxy-2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo-methyl-idyne)]diphenolato-1κ(4)O(1),O(1'),O(6),O(6'):2κ(4)O(1),N,N',O(1')}trinitrato-1κ(6)O,O'-holmium(III)nickel(II)), [HoNi(C(20)H(22)N(2)O(4))(NO(3))(3)], with the hexa-dentate Schiff base compartmental ligand N,N'-bis-(3-ethoxy-salicyl-idene)ethyl-enediamine (H(2)L), the Ho and Ni atoms are doubly bridged by two phenolate O atoms of the Schiff base ligand. The coordination of Ni is square-planar with the donor centers of two imine N atoms and two phenolate O atoms. The holmium(III) center has a tenfold -coordination environment of O atoms, involving the phenolate O atoms, two eth-oxy O atoms and two O atoms each from the three nitrates. Weak C-H⋯O and O⋯Ni [3.383 (4) Å] inter-actions generate a two-dimensional zigzag sheet.