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[In Process Citation]

The soil dynamics of old-fields, characterized by the early establishment of broom (Cytisus scoparius L.), is analysed in the Breton bocage. The role of former land use practices is estimated by comparing two similar plant successions, post cultivation and post pasture. Different variables (organic matter, mineral N content, microbial biomass, total microbial activity and mineralization) are measured within the soil layer disturbed by farming (between -5 and -25 cm). One year after abandonment, the parameters taken into account show similar values for both series. After 8 years, in broom thickets, the two soil series are characterized by an increase in microbial activity, organic matter and mineral N contents. However, the post cultivation thicket differed by higher N content and mineralization rate than the post pasture thicket, but also by a smaller microbial biomass. It appears that, if the development of similar vegetational communities promotes the same kind of soil dynamics, the former land use practices significantly modify this evolution, for at least the first 8 years following abandonment.

Journal Article↗

Energy evaluation of forest residues originated from shrub species in Galicia.

In this study we present an alternative for the management of the excess of shrub species that nowadays take up around 800000 ha in Galicia (NW Spain). This alternative is based on the exploitation of the energetic resources contained in the excess of shrubs by their combustion in specially designed plants for production of electric energy. The different species were sorted into three groups: Ulex europaeus L. (furze), Sarothamnus scoparius (L.) Link (broom) and Erica sp. (heaths). Their LHV were calculated through measurements of the corresponding HHV and resulted 7600, 7300 and 7200 kJ kg(-1) respectively. Biomass productions (T ha(-1)) were also calculated resulting 20 T ha(-1) (furze), 30 T ha(-1) (broom), and 15 T ha(-1) (heaths). Analyses of all these values make these species very valuable for their energy exploitation. Samples were collected over one year in different zones to study the effect of the environmental conditions on the calorific values.

Bioelectric Energy Sources↗

Effects of four tanniferous plant extracts on the in vitro exsheathment of third-stage larvae of parasitic nematodes.

The anthelmintic properties of tanniferous plants and of their secondary metabolites represent one possible alternative to chemotherapy that is currently being explored as a means of achieving sustainable control of gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants. Previous in vivo and in vitro results suggest that tanniferous plants can have direct anti-parasitic effect against different stages of nematodes. However, the mode of action of the bioactive plant compounds remains obscure. The objectives of the current study were (1) to examine the hypothesis that extracts of tanniferous plants might interfere with the exsheathment of third-stage infective larvae (L3); (2) to assess the role of tannins in the process by examining the consequence of adding an inhibitor of tannins (polyethylene glycol: PEG) to extracts. The effects of 4 tanniferous plant extracts on exsheathment have been examined on L3 of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Artificial exsheathment was induced in vitro by adding hypochloride solution to larval suspension. The evolution of exsheathment with time was measured by repeated observations at 10-min interval for 60 min. The selected plants were: genista (Sarothamnus scoparius), heather (Erica erigena), pine tree (Pinus sylvestris), and chestnut tree (Castanea sativa), with tannin contents ranging from 1.5 to 24.7% of DM. Extracts of a non-tanniferous plant (rye grass, tannin content: 0.3% of DM) were included in the assay as negative controls. The extracts were tested at the concentration of 600 microg/ml and the effects were compared to the rate of exsheathment of control larvae in PBS. No statistical differences in the pattern of exsheathment was observed after addition of rye grass or genista extracts for both nematode species and with heather extracts for T. colubriformis. In contrast, pine tree extracts on larvae of both species and heather extracts with H. contortus induced a significant delay in exsheathment. Last, contact with chest nut extracts led to a total inhibition of the process for both nematodes. These results suggest that extracts of tanniferous plants might affect a key process in the very early stages of larval invasion of the host. In most cases, the addition of PEG led to a total or partial restoration towards control values. This suggests that tannins are largely involved in the inhibitory process. However, other secondary metabolites may also interfere with the process that would help to explain some of the differences in response observed between the two nematode species.

Animals↗

Analysis of the legume-rhizobia symbiosis in shrubs from central western Spain.

AIMS: This work analyses the diversity of rhizobia associated with some of the predominant shrubby legumes in central-western Spain. Symbiotic promiscuity and effectiveness were studied using cross-inoculation experiments with shrubby species. MATERIAL AND RESULTS: Six new bradyrhizobia strains were isolated from nodules collected from wild plants of six leguminous species, Cytisus balansae, C. multiflorus, C. scoparius, C. striatus, Genista hystrix and Retama sphaerocarpa. These isolates were genetically characterized by 16S rDNA partial sequencing and random amplification of polymorphic DNA-PCR fingerprinting. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that these isolates could represent three new Bradyrhizobium species. Shrubby legumes and bradyrhizobia displayed a high symbiotic promiscuity both for infectivity and effectiveness. Symbioses were effective in more than 70% of the associations established by four of the six plant species. CONCLUSIONS: Native woody legumes in western Spain are nodulated by Bradyrhizobium strains. The high degree of symbiotic promiscuity and effectiveness highlights the complex dynamics of these communities in wild ecosystems under a Mediterranean-type climate. Furthermore, the results from this study suggest a potential importance of inoculation for these legume species in soil-restoration projects. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first study, to our knowledge, that combines both molecular analysis and pot trials to study the rhizobia-legume symbiosis for wild legumes.

Biomass↗

Projecting rates of spread for invasive species.

All else being equal, the faster an invading species spreads, the more dangerous its invasion. The projection of spread rate therefore ought to be a central part of the determination of invasion risk. Originally formulated in the 1970s to describe the spatial spread of advantageous alleles, integrodifference equation (IDE) models have since been co-opted by population biologists to describe the spread of populations. More recently, they have been modified to include population structure and environmental variability. We review how IDE models are formulated, how they are parameterized, and how they can be analyzed to project spread rates and the sensitivity of those rates to changes in model parameters. For illustrative purposes, we apply these models to Cytisus scoparius, a large shrub in the legume family that is considered a noxious invasive species in eastern and western North America, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand.

Algorithms↗

Unexpectedly diverse Mesorhizobium strains and Rhizobium leguminosarum nodulate native legume genera of New Zealand, while introduced legume weeds are nodulated by Bradyrhizobium species.

The New Zealand native legume flora are represented by four genera, Sophora, Carmichaelia, Clianthus, and Montigena. The adventive flora of New Zealand contains several legume species introduced in the 19th century and now established as serious invasive weeds. Until now, nothing has been reported on the identification of the associated rhizobia of native or introduced legumes in New Zealand. The success of the introduced species may be due, at least in part, to the nature of their rhizobial symbioses. This study set out to address this issue by identifying rhizobial strains isolated from species of the four native legume genera and from the introduced weeds: Acacia spp. (wattles), Cytisus scoparius (broom), and Ulex europaeus (gorse). The identities of the isolates and their relationship to known rhizobia were established by comparative analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA, atpD, glnII, and recA gene sequences. Maximum-likelihood analysis of the resultant data partitioned the bacteria into three genera. Most isolates from native legumes aligned with the genus Mesorhizobium, either as members of named species or as putative novel species. The widespread distribution of strains from individual native legume genera across Mesorhizobium spp. contrasts with previous reports implying that bacterial species are specific to limited numbers of legume genera. In addition, four isolates were identified as Rhizobium leguminosarum. In contrast, all sequences from isolates from introduced weeds aligned with Bradyrhizobium species but formed clusters distinct from existing named species. These results show that native legume genera and these introduced legume genera do not have the same rhizobial populations.

Alphaproteobacteria↗

[Succession pattern of artificial vegetation community and its ecological mechanism in an arid desert region].

Focusing on the artificial vegetation protection system of the Shapotou section of Baotou-Lanzhou railway in the arid desert region of China, this paper examined the dynamics of dominant plant species and the succession pattern of artificial plant community in the process of establishing and developing regional artificial vegetation. It also studied the driving force and the ecologically intrinsic mechanism of the community succession. The results demonstrated that the species composition of the artificial vegetation dramatically changed after 40 years of succession, from original artificial plant community of shrub and semi-shrub to artificial-natural desert plant community with annual herb dominated. During the process of succession, the importance values of artificial shrubs, such as Caragana korshinskii and Hedysarum scoparius, decreased and gradually retreated from the artificial plant community, while the naturally multiplied annual herb, such as Eragrostis poaeoides, Bassia dasyphylla, Salsola ruthenica, Chloris virgata and etc., were presented one after another and gradually became dominant. Besides, Artemisia ordosica always played a key role in the community due to its ability of naturally sowing and self-replacement. This type of succession pattern was closely related to the shortage of precipitation resource in this region and the formation of soil crust which inhibited the reproduction of shrub and perennial herb with deep root systems. This study provided a theoretical ground for realizing persistent development of artificial plant community.

Desert Climate↗

A novel O-tigloyltransferase for alkaloid biosynthesis in plants. Purification, characterization, and distribution in Lupinus plants.

A novel acyltransferase for alkaloid metabolism, tigloyl-CoA: (-)-13 alpha-hydroxymultiflorine/(+)-13 alpha-hydroxylupanine O-tigloyltransferase (HMT/HLTase), a monomeric 50-kDa protein, was purified to homogeneity from 10-day-old Lupinus termis seedlings. There were two isoforms of this acyltransferase with the same molecular mass (50 kDa) but slightly different isoelectric points (pI 7.8 and 7.6). These two isoforms showed the same catalytic activity of tigloyl transfer from tigloyl-CoA to (-)-13 alpha-hydroxymultiflorine and (+)-13 alpha-hydroxylupanine, which belong to the same (7S, 9S) enantiomeric series of tetracyclic quinolizidine alkaloids; whereas no activity was detected toward an antipodal (7R, 9R) alkaloid, (-)-baptifoline, or to bicyclic quinolizidine alkaloids, (+)-epilupinine and (-)-lupinine. The Km values for HMTase activity were determined to be 21 microM and 46 microM for (-)-13 alpha-hydroxymultiflorine and tigloyl-CoA, respectively; and for HLTase activity, 27 microM and 52 microM for (+)-13 alpha-hydroxylupanine and tigloyl-CoA, respectively. The activity was inhibited by CoASH in a competitive manner, and by (+)-lupanine and (+)-epilupinine in a partially noncompetitive manner. The enzyme showed the highest activity around pH 8.0 and was inactivated by heat treatment and by the addition of sulfhydryl blocking reagents. Such tigloyltransferases for quinolizidine alkaloid metabolism are distributed in some Lupinus species and Cytisus scoparius, in which tigloyl alkaloids are accumulated in addition to non-ester-type alkaloids, but not in other lupin plants, in which only non-ester-type alkaloids are present.

Acyltransferases↗