Perennial grasses have developed intricate mechanisms to adapt to diverse environments,enabling their resistance to various biotic and abiotic stressors.These mechanisms arise from strong natural selection that contri...Perennial grasses have developed intricate mechanisms to adapt to diverse environments,enabling their resistance to various biotic and abiotic stressors.These mechanisms arise from strong natural selection that contributes to enhancing the adaptation of forage plants to various stress conditions.Methods such as antisense RNA technology,CRISPR/Cas9 screening,virus-induced gene silencing,and transgenic technology,are commonly utilized for investigating the stress response functionalities of grass genes in both warm-season and cool-season varieties.This review focuses on the functional identification of stress-resistance genes and regulatory elements in grasses.It synthesizes recent studies on mining functional genes,regulatory genes,and protein kinase-like signaling factors involved in stress responses in grasses.Additionally,the review outlines future research directions,providing theoretical support and references for further exploration of(i)molecular mechanisms underlying grass stress responses,(ii)cultivation and domestication of herbage,(iii)development of high-yield varieties resistant to stress,and(iv)mechanisms and breeding strategies for stress resistance in grasses.展开更多
In-depth research was conducted on the types,seasonal patterns,spatial levels,overwintering,summering,drought resistance,and disease and pest resistance of ornamental grasses in the road flower borders of Hefei,Anhui ...In-depth research was conducted on the types,seasonal patterns,spatial levels,overwintering,summering,drought resistance,and disease and pest resistance of ornamental grasses in the road flower borders of Hefei,Anhui Province.Through field investigations,a total of 36 ornamental grasses were identified,with Liliaceae having the most species and the Lamiaceae the least.The results show that there are more warm season ornamental grasses,of 23 species;Acorus gramineus and Melinis minutiflora have poor overwintering ability;Arrhenatherum elatius,Festuca glauca,and Stipa tenuissima have poor summer tolerance;most ornamental grasses have strong drought resistance and resistance to pests and diseases.The comprehensive investigation shows that ornamental grasses have good application prospects and adaptability in the road flower borders in Hefei city.展开更多
Tall clonal grasses commonly display competitive advantages with nitrogen(N)enrichment.However,it is currently unknown whether the height is derived from the vegetative or reproductive module.Moreover,it is unclear wh...Tall clonal grasses commonly display competitive advantages with nitrogen(N)enrichment.However,it is currently unknown whether the height is derived from the vegetative or reproductive module.Moreover,it is unclear whether the height of the vegetative or reproductive system regulates the probability of extinction and colonization,and determines species diversity.In this study,the impacts on clonal grasses were studied in a field experiment employing two frequencies(twice a year vs.monthly)crossing with nine N addition rates in a temperate grassland,China.We found that the N addition decreased species frequency and increased extinction probability,but did not change the species colonization probability.A low frequency of N addition decreased species frequency and colonization probability,but increased extinction probability.Moreover,we found that species reproductive height was the best index to predict the extinction probability of clonal grasses in N-enriched conditions.The low frequency of N addition may overestimate the negative effect from N deposition on clonal grass diversity,suggesting that a higher frequency of N addition is more suitable in assessing the ecological effects of N deposition.Overall,this study illustrates that reproductive height was associated with the clonal species extinction probability under N-enriched environment.展开更多
Planting mulch grasses in orchards,as a technique to build ecological orchards,can be one of the strategic approaches for rural revitalization.This study sorted out the common varieties of mulch grasses and analyzed t...Planting mulch grasses in orchards,as a technique to build ecological orchards,can be one of the strategic approaches for rural revitalization.This study sorted out the common varieties of mulch grasses and analyzed their application statuses in orchards of southern China.According to different utilization purposes of mulch grasses in orchards,scientific suggestions were given from aspects of grass selection,cultivation techniques,management methods and use modes.The study will provide reference for the construction of ecological orchards in southern China.展开更多
A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the in?uence of soil moisture content on plant growth and the rhizosphere microbial community structure of four plant species (white clover, alfalfa, sudan gras...A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the in?uence of soil moisture content on plant growth and the rhizosphere microbial community structure of four plant species (white clover, alfalfa, sudan grass, tall fescue), grown individually or in a mixture. The soil moisture content was adjusted to 55% or 80% water holding capacity (WHC). The results indicated that the total plant biomass of one pot was lower at 55% WHC. At a given soil moisture, the total plant biomass of white clover and tall ...展开更多
Bacterial endophytes have been shown to improve abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. Plants growing under harsh conditions along the Oregon Coast could contain bacterial endophytes that improve persistence a...Bacterial endophytes have been shown to improve abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. Plants growing under harsh conditions along the Oregon Coast could contain bacterial endophytes that improve persistence and growth of grasses in this environment. Thirty-four plants consisting of eight different species were collected along the Oregon coast from four different sites. Bacterial endophytes were isolated from root crown, stem and leaf tissues. A portion of the 16S rRNA ITS regions of each isolate was amplified, sequenced, and used to perform a BLAST search against the nucleotide database collection at National Center for Biotechnology Information. One-hundred and thirty-three different bacterial isolates, ninety-four of which were unique, representing thirty-six different taxonomic groups were found. Over 50% of the total bacteria isolates were in just five taxonomic groups. Pseudomonads were the most predominant bacteria isolated, making up 20.3% of the total isolates, followed by Curtobacterium and Microbacterium, each at 8.2%, Bacillus at 7.5% and Xanthomomas at 6%. Forty-seven percent (17 of 36) of the taxonomic groups contained only a single isolate. Fourteen bacterial isolates from five taxonomic groups, nine of which were from the genus Pseudomonas, were found to have 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity, an enzyme associated with improving plant growth under stress. These newly discovered bacterial endophytes will be a valuable biological resource to develop approaches to increase the yield and adaptability of grasses and other crops grown in diverse environments and to meet the challenges associated with an unpredictable climate.展开更多
Pappophorum vaginatum is the most abundant C4 perennial grass desirable to livestock in rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina. We hypothesized that （1） defoliation reduce net primary productivity, and root...Pappophorum vaginatum is the most abundant C4 perennial grass desirable to livestock in rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina. We hypothesized that （1） defoliation reduce net primary productivity, and root length density and weight in the native species, and （2） root net primary productivity, and root length density and weight, are greater in P. vaginatum than in the other, less desirable, native species （i.e., Aristida spegazzinfi, A. subulata and Sporobolus cryptandrus）. Plants of all species were either exposed or not to a severe defoliation twice a year during two growing seasons. Root proliferation was measured using the cylinder method. Cylindrical, iron structures, wrapped up using nylon mesh, were buried diagonally from the periphery to the center on individual plants. These structures, initially filled with soil without any organic residue, were dug up from the soil on 25 April 2008, after two successive defoliations in mid-spring 2007. During the second growing season （2008-2009）, cylinders were destructively harvested on 4 April 2009, after one or two defoliations in mid- and/or late-spring, respectively. Roots grown into the cylinders were obtained after washing the soil manually. Defoliation during two successive years did reduce the study variables only after plants of all species were defoliated twice, which supported the first hypothesis. The greater root net primary productivity, root length den- sity and weight in P. vaginatum than in the other native species, in support of the second hypothesis, could help to explain its greater abundance in rangelands of Argentina.展开更多
The presence of grassland biomes and species cannot be predicted by examining bottom up causes such as precipitation and temperature. Top down causes including herbivory and fire seem to be major controlling aspects w...The presence of grassland biomes and species cannot be predicted by examining bottom up causes such as precipitation and temperature. Top down causes including herbivory and fire seem to be major controlling aspects with other factors secondary. We examined soil depth and competitive ability of two North American C4 grasses in a greenhouse experiment. Changes in dry mass were determined and competitive intensity was calculated for both species. Species were grown separately or together in pots 30, 90, or 180 cm deep. When grown in monoculture, Schizachyrium scoparium total and belowground dry mass increased from the 30 to 90 cm depth, with no further significant increase from 90 to 180 cm. Aboveground dry mass did not increase significantly with depth. Total dry mass of Buchloe dactyloides increased significantly with depth when grown in monoculture. Aboveground dry mass increased from 30 to 90 cm depth but not from 90 to 180 cm. Belowground dry mass of B. dactyloides did not increase significantly with depth. In 180 cm pots, 53% of S. scoparium root dry mass was in the top 30 cm;74% of B. dactyloides root dry mass was in the top 30 cm. Roots of B. dactyloides were not found deeper than 90 cm. Aboveground dry mass of S. scoparium was not different in mixture or monoculture at any depth. Buchloe dactyloides aboveground dry mass in mixture was significantly lower than monoculture at the 30 cm depth, but not at 90 or 180 cm. The greatest competitive intensity was in the shallow soil pots. Soil depth could partially explain mosaics found in C4 grasslands where both species were found together with S. scoparium on deeper soils and B. dactyloides on shallower soils.展开更多
[Objective] To investigate the effects of rooting agents on the growth and photosynthetic traits of Sudan grasses. [ Method] The responses of the growth and some photosynthetic traits of Sudan grasses to three NK II r...[Objective] To investigate the effects of rooting agents on the growth and photosynthetic traits of Sudan grasses. [ Method] The responses of the growth and some photosynthetic traits of Sudan grasses to three NK II rooting agents were determined according to the randomized complete block design. [ Result] Compared to control treatment, the Sudan grass treated by NK 11-298 showed higher chlorophyll a and carotenoid contents, higher chlorophyll fluorescence parameter values （ PSII quantum efficiency： ФPSII; photochemical quenching： qP; and electron transport rate： ETR）, higher maximum photosynthetic rate （Pmax） and respiration rate （ Rd）, and the highest biomass accumulation. The chlorophyU fluorescence parameter values of Sudan grasses treated by NK 11-888 and NK 11-16 were higher than those of control treatment （ P 〈 0.05）, and other indexes had no significant difference. [ Conclusion] The rooting agents should be selected carefully according to their practice aims because of sensibility of Sudan grass to rooting agents.展开更多
Definition and ornamental characteristics of ornamental grasses,as well as a general background of Kew Gardens were introduced,with an emphasis of species and landscaping modes of ornamental grasses in Kew Gardens.
The native prairies of the Great Plains USA are dominated by perennial C4 grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Spring hard freeze injury to C4 perennial grasses is rare b...The native prairies of the Great Plains USA are dominated by perennial C4 grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Spring hard freeze injury to C4 perennial grasses is rare but information is lacking in the literature. Our objective was to document effects of spring hard freeze damage to C4 perennial grasses native to the Great Plains USA. On 2 May at 24:00 pm, air temperature near Mead, Nebraska was below freezing and remained below freezing until 8:00 am on 3 May, with a minimum air temperature of -2.8°C. Based on 50-year of weather data for this site, a minimum threshold temperature of 0°C on or after 3 May occurred 16 times, but a minimum threshold temperature of -2.8°C on or after 3 May occurred only twice. Grass tillers were visually evaluated to determine extent of freeze damage. The terminal 3- to 5-cm of the leaf lamina was blackened 4-d after freezing and had complete browning, rolling, and desiccation 14-d after freezing. Tiller survival was not negatively affected by the freezing temperatures in May 2004. As the growing season progressed, all agronomic and livestock responses were within normal ranges for these C4 grasses. This is the first field report of multiple C4 prairie grass species responses to a spring hard freeze following significant spring growth. Plant recovery to this late-spring hard freeze demonstrates the ecological resilience of these C4 prairie grasses. These rare spring hard freezes had short-term impacts on C4 grasses but did not negatively impact agronomic performance for forage or bioenergy later in the growing season.展开更多
The climate of North Patagonia (Argentina) is semiarid and the region periodically suffers severe droughts that may lastseveral years, decreasing forage offer and consequently cow livestock and productivity. In most o...The climate of North Patagonia (Argentina) is semiarid and the region periodically suffers severe droughts that may lastseveral years, decreasing forage offer and consequently cow livestock and productivity. In most of the cattle fields extensive grazing isusually continuous through the year-long. The absence of pasture rotational schemata affects rangeland health changing thecomposition of plants communities in detriment of the valuable species. When under a severe drought, the appreciated forageLeptochloa crinita (= Trichloris crinita) stopped reproduction and the population became scarce, a grazing schedule was designed in acattle farm to avoid foraging during spring and summer in a paddock located in the valley plains, where the species was disappearing.Besides L. crinita populations, the sympatric presence of the Poaceae Aristida mendocina, Distichlis spicata and Distichlis scoparia isexpected, each one in slightly different patches within the same area. The forage value differs between species but all of them are eatenby bovines. For ten years the plant communities were studied with the aims of determining the incidence of the patches on the paddockcarrying capacity in early autumn and estimating the contribution of the four C4 species to bovine diet by microhistology. Free ofgrazing during its growing period, L. crinite enhanced the area of its patches and the biomass production of its good quality forage andwas consumed preferently. A. mendocina is not prized by cattle but contributed to the diet at the end of the foraging period. Distichlisspp. is important component of the cows’ diet, especially in dry years. Management actions to preserve a valuable species may haveside effects involving other community members.展开更多
The Saharian ecosystems present an important intensity of rising sensitization to: Erosion, and desertification whose impacts are irreversible. On the one hand, the weakness of the yield and the poverty of soil lead t...The Saharian ecosystems present an important intensity of rising sensitization to: Erosion, and desertification whose impacts are irreversible. On the one hand, the weakness of the yield and the poverty of soil lead to a limited biodiversity. In addition to these difficulties, hydra is the main cause of the rarification of certain pastoral species such as Cenchrus ciliaris and Digitaria commutata. The ecological study underlines a distribution of these species which are very dependent on water resources in the dry regions of Tunisia. The bioclimatic (temperature, pluviometry) variations lead to modifications to these species from one area to another which are translated through several parameters. Concerning the number of bundles, the difference is important. The national park of Bouhedma records the highest number, compared with Bni khdach, Jerba, Khanguit aicha and Matmata respectively. The variation inter-site of study also is considerable by the study of the morphological parameters (height, number and length of leaves by bundle, number of ear) whose bundles of the national park Bouhedma occupy the first class.展开更多
In order to determine the threshold and potential distribution of climatic conditions for perennial cultivated grasses in the Northwest plateau of Sichuan, China, the niche model is used to simulate the main climatic ...In order to determine the threshold and potential distribution of climatic conditions for perennial cultivated grasses in the Northwest plateau of Sichuan, China, the niche model is used to simulate the main climatic factors affecting the distribution of perennial cultivated grasses, and to predict the current and future climate change prospects. The results show that: 1) Wet index, accumulated temperature, isothermal, and annual average temperature range are the four major climatic factors affecting the distribution of perennial cultivated grasses in the Northwest Sichuan Plateau. 2) Model training and prediction data can be achieved well under the appropriate range of major climatic factors. 3) Under the background of climate warming, from now to 2080, the potential distribution of perennial cultivated grasses in the Northwest plateau of Sichuan, China will increase. The study aims to provide scientific decision-making basis for maintaining grassland ecosystem stability and promoting desertification management and even industrial restructuring of agriculture and animal husbandry.展开更多
Native （Andropogon gayanus, Panicum maximum and Pennisetum purpureum） and exotic grasses （Brachiaria ruzi：iensis, Panieum maximum cv. C1 and T58） consumed in tropical humid zone were evaluated by estimating their...Native （Andropogon gayanus, Panicum maximum and Pennisetum purpureum） and exotic grasses （Brachiaria ruzi：iensis, Panieum maximum cv. C1 and T58） consumed in tropical humid zone were evaluated by estimating their voluntary intake and in vivo digestibility. The measurements were performed with 4 male Djallonke sheep （28 kg LW） fed ad libitum in metabolic cages, during a 10-days in vivo trial, preceded by a 14-days accommodation period. Each grass was studied at 3 stages of development. The samples （distributed grasses, refusals and faeces） were analysed for organic matter （OM）, crude fibre （CF）, neutral detergent fibre （NDF）, acid detergent fibre （ADF）, acid detergent lignin （ADL） and crude protein （CP） contents. Voluntary digestible organic matter intake （VDOMI） and voluntary digestible crude protein intake （VDCPI） were calculated （in g kg ^-1 LW075） as synthetic parameters to compare the grasses. The chemical composition of the distributed forages varied significantly （P 〈 0.001） between species or cultivars and development stages. After 4-5 leaves per tiller stage, CP contents decreased in all species and lowest in native species. Andropogon gayanus was the most l ignified species at any stage of development. At the end of the rainy season, Pennisetum purpureum leaves and Brachiaria ruziziensis had the highest CP. For all the grasses, CP contents were higher （and CF contents lower） in the consumed material, compared to the offered forages, showing thereby the high selectivity by the sheep. Dry matter intake, OM and CP digestibility varied greatly （P 〈 0.001） between forages and development stages with high interactions between these factors （P 〈 0.001）. Voluntary digestible organic matter intake and VDCPI were the highest （P 〈 0.05） for native Panicum maximum and Pennisetum purpureum. There was a relationship between digestibility and intake parameters, and ADL content of the grasses seems to be an important factor determining at least digestibility.展开更多
The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed that "we should coordinate the systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasses" The ecological...The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed that "we should coordinate the systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasses" The ecological protection and restoration project of the mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasses is an important part of the construction of ecological civilization, and is also an inevitable requirement for the protection of biodiversity and the realization of carbon neutrality and peak carbon dioxide emissions. Lingbao city is located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and the eastern part of the Xiaoqinling Mountains, which is of great significance as an ecological safety barrier. This paper takes Lingbao city as an example to carry out the research on ecological protection and restoration of mountains, rivers, fields, lakes and grasses. On the basis of understanding the current situation of the ecological environment in Lingbao city, the principle of "Overall protection, systematic restoration and comprehensive management" was established, and the spatial layout of "One mountain, one tableland and one river" ecological protection and restoration was proposed. Five ecological engineering categories, namely, mountain ecological environment protection and restoration, water ecological environment protection and restoration, forest ecological environment protection and restoration, land improvement and yellow river ecological environment protection and restoration, were deployed to assist the high-quality development of the yellow river basin. The mechanism and measures to promote the ecological protection and restoration project are discussed. The research results can provide support for the local government to practice the "Two Mountains Theory".展开更多
Copper （Cu） mine tailings, because of their high content of heavy metals, are usually hostile to plant colonization. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the tolerance of four forage grasses to heavy metals i...Copper （Cu） mine tailings, because of their high content of heavy metals, are usually hostile to plant colonization. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the tolerance of four forage grasses to heavy metals in Cu mine tailings and to examine the variation in the microbial functional diversity of soils from the tailing sites in southern China. All the four grass species survived on Cu mine tailings and Cu mine tailing-soil mixture. However, on pure mine tailings, the growth was minimal, whereas the growth was maximum for the control without mine tailings. The tolerance of grasses to heavy metals followed the sequence： Paspalum notatum 〉 Festuea arundinaeea 〉 Lolium perenne 〉 Cynodon daetylon. The planting of forage grasses enhanced the soil microbial biomass. The Biolog data indicated that the soil microbial metabolic profile values （average well color development, community richness, and Shannon index） of the four forage grasses also followed the sequence： P. notatum 〉 F. arundinaeea 〉 L. perenne 〉 C. daetylon. Thus, P. notatum, under the experimental conditions of this study, may be considered as the preferred plant species for revegetation of Cu mine tailing areas.展开更多
Construction of "water-saving landscape architecture" is a crucial content of building "conservation-minded society'',an important approach of ensuring the sustainable development of landscaping...Construction of "water-saving landscape architecture" is a crucial content of building "conservation-minded society'',an important approach of ensuring the sustainable development of landscaping industry.It targets at exploring a reasonable means of using the nature,so as to improve ecological conditions and environment,save resources and energies,and promote the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.Landscape plant is a significant component of landscape architecture,it is a key section to choose proper drought-resistant plant species for the landscape construction.展开更多
Soil compaction is a limitation to establishment of native forest species on reclaimed surfacemined lands in Appalachia. Previously, non-native forage species such as tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus(Schreb.) Dum...Soil compaction is a limitation to establishment of native forest species on reclaimed surfacemined lands in Appalachia. Previously, non-native forage species such as tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus(Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.) have been planted because they easily established on reclaimed mine soil. There is now interest in establishing robust native prairie species to enhance biodiversity and provide greater potential for root activity in the compacted soil. We conducted a 10-week glasshouse study comparing growth of “Pete” eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloidesL.), “Bison” big bluestem (Andropogon gerardiiVitman), and “Jesup MaxQ” tall fescue at soil bulk densities (BD) of 1.0, 1.3, and 1.5 g·cm-3. We also examined effects of arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant growthin relation to compaction. Sources of AMF were a reclaimed surface coal mine soil and a native tallgrass prairie soil. Shoot and root biomass of tall fescue and big bluestem were reduced at 1.5 BD while eastern gamagrass growth was not affected. Growth ofbig bluestem and eastern gamagrass was greaterwith AMF than without, butsimilar between AMF sources. Tall fescue growthwas not enhanced by AMF. Overall, tall fescue biomass was 3 times greater than eastern gamagrass and 6 times greater than big bluestem when comparing only AMF-colonized grasses. Eastern gamagrass and big bluestem are both slower to establish than tall fescue. Eastern gamagrass appears to be more tolerant of compaction, while big bluestem appears somewhat less tolerant.展开更多
基金supported by the Chief Scientist Program of Qinghai Province(2024-SF-101).
文摘Perennial grasses have developed intricate mechanisms to adapt to diverse environments,enabling their resistance to various biotic and abiotic stressors.These mechanisms arise from strong natural selection that contributes to enhancing the adaptation of forage plants to various stress conditions.Methods such as antisense RNA technology,CRISPR/Cas9 screening,virus-induced gene silencing,and transgenic technology,are commonly utilized for investigating the stress response functionalities of grass genes in both warm-season and cool-season varieties.This review focuses on the functional identification of stress-resistance genes and regulatory elements in grasses.It synthesizes recent studies on mining functional genes,regulatory genes,and protein kinase-like signaling factors involved in stress responses in grasses.Additionally,the review outlines future research directions,providing theoretical support and references for further exploration of(i)molecular mechanisms underlying grass stress responses,(ii)cultivation and domestication of herbage,(iii)development of high-yield varieties resistant to stress,and(iv)mechanisms and breeding strategies for stress resistance in grasses.
基金National Training Programs of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates(202312216029)2022 Training Programs of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates of Anhui Province(S202212216122)+1 种基金Key Research Project of Natural Sciences in Universities of Anhui Province(2023AH051816)General Teaching Research Project of Anhui Province(2022jyxm665).
文摘In-depth research was conducted on the types,seasonal patterns,spatial levels,overwintering,summering,drought resistance,and disease and pest resistance of ornamental grasses in the road flower borders of Hefei,Anhui Province.Through field investigations,a total of 36 ornamental grasses were identified,with Liliaceae having the most species and the Lamiaceae the least.The results show that there are more warm season ornamental grasses,of 23 species;Acorus gramineus and Melinis minutiflora have poor overwintering ability;Arrhenatherum elatius,Festuca glauca,and Stipa tenuissima have poor summer tolerance;most ornamental grasses have strong drought resistance and resistance to pests and diseases.The comprehensive investigation shows that ornamental grasses have good application prospects and adaptability in the road flower borders in Hefei city.
基金supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.32071603 and 32122055)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA26020101)。
文摘Tall clonal grasses commonly display competitive advantages with nitrogen(N)enrichment.However,it is currently unknown whether the height is derived from the vegetative or reproductive module.Moreover,it is unclear whether the height of the vegetative or reproductive system regulates the probability of extinction and colonization,and determines species diversity.In this study,the impacts on clonal grasses were studied in a field experiment employing two frequencies(twice a year vs.monthly)crossing with nine N addition rates in a temperate grassland,China.We found that the N addition decreased species frequency and increased extinction probability,but did not change the species colonization probability.A low frequency of N addition decreased species frequency and colonization probability,but increased extinction probability.Moreover,we found that species reproductive height was the best index to predict the extinction probability of clonal grasses in N-enriched conditions.The low frequency of N addition may overestimate the negative effect from N deposition on clonal grass diversity,suggesting that a higher frequency of N addition is more suitable in assessing the ecological effects of N deposition.Overall,this study illustrates that reproductive height was associated with the clonal species extinction probability under N-enriched environment.
基金Supported by National Key Research&Development Project(2018YFD0800501)Hunan Key Research&Development Project(2016JC2028)Science and Technology Innovation Project in Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences(2018QN33)~~
文摘Planting mulch grasses in orchards,as a technique to build ecological orchards,can be one of the strategic approaches for rural revitalization.This study sorted out the common varieties of mulch grasses and analyzed their application statuses in orchards of southern China.According to different utilization purposes of mulch grasses in orchards,scientific suggestions were given from aspects of grass selection,cultivation techniques,management methods and use modes.The study will provide reference for the construction of ecological orchards in southern China.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40621061)the National Basic Research Program (973) of China(No. 2005CB121105)
文摘A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the in?uence of soil moisture content on plant growth and the rhizosphere microbial community structure of four plant species (white clover, alfalfa, sudan grass, tall fescue), grown individually or in a mixture. The soil moisture content was adjusted to 55% or 80% water holding capacity (WHC). The results indicated that the total plant biomass of one pot was lower at 55% WHC. At a given soil moisture, the total plant biomass of white clover and tall ...
文摘Bacterial endophytes have been shown to improve abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. Plants growing under harsh conditions along the Oregon Coast could contain bacterial endophytes that improve persistence and growth of grasses in this environment. Thirty-four plants consisting of eight different species were collected along the Oregon coast from four different sites. Bacterial endophytes were isolated from root crown, stem and leaf tissues. A portion of the 16S rRNA ITS regions of each isolate was amplified, sequenced, and used to perform a BLAST search against the nucleotide database collection at National Center for Biotechnology Information. One-hundred and thirty-three different bacterial isolates, ninety-four of which were unique, representing thirty-six different taxonomic groups were found. Over 50% of the total bacteria isolates were in just five taxonomic groups. Pseudomonads were the most predominant bacteria isolated, making up 20.3% of the total isolates, followed by Curtobacterium and Microbacterium, each at 8.2%, Bacillus at 7.5% and Xanthomomas at 6%. Forty-seven percent (17 of 36) of the taxonomic groups contained only a single isolate. Fourteen bacterial isolates from five taxonomic groups, nine of which were from the genus Pseudomonas, were found to have 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity, an enzyme associated with improving plant growth under stress. These newly discovered bacterial endophytes will be a valuable biological resource to develop approaches to increase the yield and adaptability of grasses and other crops grown in diverse environments and to meet the challenges associated with an unpredictable climate.
基金National Council for Scientific and Technological Research of Argentina (CONICET PIP Ner. 00211)
文摘Pappophorum vaginatum is the most abundant C4 perennial grass desirable to livestock in rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina. We hypothesized that （1） defoliation reduce net primary productivity, and root length density and weight in the native species, and （2） root net primary productivity, and root length density and weight, are greater in P. vaginatum than in the other, less desirable, native species （i.e., Aristida spegazzinfi, A. subulata and Sporobolus cryptandrus）. Plants of all species were either exposed or not to a severe defoliation twice a year during two growing seasons. Root proliferation was measured using the cylinder method. Cylindrical, iron structures, wrapped up using nylon mesh, were buried diagonally from the periphery to the center on individual plants. These structures, initially filled with soil without any organic residue, were dug up from the soil on 25 April 2008, after two successive defoliations in mid-spring 2007. During the second growing season （2008-2009）, cylinders were destructively harvested on 4 April 2009, after one or two defoliations in mid- and/or late-spring, respectively. Roots grown into the cylinders were obtained after washing the soil manually. Defoliation during two successive years did reduce the study variables only after plants of all species were defoliated twice, which supported the first hypothesis. The greater root net primary productivity, root length den- sity and weight in P. vaginatum than in the other native species, in support of the second hypothesis, could help to explain its greater abundance in rangelands of Argentina.
文摘The presence of grassland biomes and species cannot be predicted by examining bottom up causes such as precipitation and temperature. Top down causes including herbivory and fire seem to be major controlling aspects with other factors secondary. We examined soil depth and competitive ability of two North American C4 grasses in a greenhouse experiment. Changes in dry mass were determined and competitive intensity was calculated for both species. Species were grown separately or together in pots 30, 90, or 180 cm deep. When grown in monoculture, Schizachyrium scoparium total and belowground dry mass increased from the 30 to 90 cm depth, with no further significant increase from 90 to 180 cm. Aboveground dry mass did not increase significantly with depth. Total dry mass of Buchloe dactyloides increased significantly with depth when grown in monoculture. Aboveground dry mass increased from 30 to 90 cm depth but not from 90 to 180 cm. Belowground dry mass of B. dactyloides did not increase significantly with depth. In 180 cm pots, 53% of S. scoparium root dry mass was in the top 30 cm;74% of B. dactyloides root dry mass was in the top 30 cm. Roots of B. dactyloides were not found deeper than 90 cm. Aboveground dry mass of S. scoparium was not different in mixture or monoculture at any depth. Buchloe dactyloides aboveground dry mass in mixture was significantly lower than monoculture at the 30 cm depth, but not at 90 or 180 cm. The greatest competitive intensity was in the shallow soil pots. Soil depth could partially explain mosaics found in C4 grasslands where both species were found together with S. scoparium on deeper soils and B. dactyloides on shallower soils.
基金supported by the Science Research Development Fund of Tianjin Agricultural University(2008D004)the National Natural Science Foundation(30900191)
文摘[Objective] To investigate the effects of rooting agents on the growth and photosynthetic traits of Sudan grasses. [ Method] The responses of the growth and some photosynthetic traits of Sudan grasses to three NK II rooting agents were determined according to the randomized complete block design. [ Result] Compared to control treatment, the Sudan grass treated by NK 11-298 showed higher chlorophyll a and carotenoid contents, higher chlorophyll fluorescence parameter values （ PSII quantum efficiency： ФPSII; photochemical quenching： qP; and electron transport rate： ETR）, higher maximum photosynthetic rate （Pmax） and respiration rate （ Rd）, and the highest biomass accumulation. The chlorophyU fluorescence parameter values of Sudan grasses treated by NK 11-888 and NK 11-16 were higher than those of control treatment （ P 〈 0.05）, and other indexes had no significant difference. [ Conclusion] The rooting agents should be selected carefully according to their practice aims because of sensibility of Sudan grass to rooting agents.
基金Sponsored by Scientific Research Program of Shenzhen Urban Management Bureau,"Application of Ornamental Grasses Resources in Garden Landscapes"
文摘Definition and ornamental characteristics of ornamental grasses,as well as a general background of Kew Gardens were introduced,with an emphasis of species and landscaping modes of ornamental grasses in Kew Gardens.
文摘The native prairies of the Great Plains USA are dominated by perennial C4 grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Spring hard freeze injury to C4 perennial grasses is rare but information is lacking in the literature. Our objective was to document effects of spring hard freeze damage to C4 perennial grasses native to the Great Plains USA. On 2 May at 24:00 pm, air temperature near Mead, Nebraska was below freezing and remained below freezing until 8:00 am on 3 May, with a minimum air temperature of -2.8°C. Based on 50-year of weather data for this site, a minimum threshold temperature of 0°C on or after 3 May occurred 16 times, but a minimum threshold temperature of -2.8°C on or after 3 May occurred only twice. Grass tillers were visually evaluated to determine extent of freeze damage. The terminal 3- to 5-cm of the leaf lamina was blackened 4-d after freezing and had complete browning, rolling, and desiccation 14-d after freezing. Tiller survival was not negatively affected by the freezing temperatures in May 2004. As the growing season progressed, all agronomic and livestock responses were within normal ranges for these C4 grasses. This is the first field report of multiple C4 prairie grass species responses to a spring hard freeze following significant spring growth. Plant recovery to this late-spring hard freeze demonstrates the ecological resilience of these C4 prairie grasses. These rare spring hard freezes had short-term impacts on C4 grasses but did not negatively impact agronomic performance for forage or bioenergy later in the growing season.
基金This research was part of projects funded by Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro(PI 40D166,40A304,40A625)INTA AUDEAS CONADEV(CIAC-940176).
文摘The climate of North Patagonia (Argentina) is semiarid and the region periodically suffers severe droughts that may lastseveral years, decreasing forage offer and consequently cow livestock and productivity. In most of the cattle fields extensive grazing isusually continuous through the year-long. The absence of pasture rotational schemata affects rangeland health changing thecomposition of plants communities in detriment of the valuable species. When under a severe drought, the appreciated forageLeptochloa crinita (= Trichloris crinita) stopped reproduction and the population became scarce, a grazing schedule was designed in acattle farm to avoid foraging during spring and summer in a paddock located in the valley plains, where the species was disappearing.Besides L. crinita populations, the sympatric presence of the Poaceae Aristida mendocina, Distichlis spicata and Distichlis scoparia isexpected, each one in slightly different patches within the same area. The forage value differs between species but all of them are eatenby bovines. For ten years the plant communities were studied with the aims of determining the incidence of the patches on the paddockcarrying capacity in early autumn and estimating the contribution of the four C4 species to bovine diet by microhistology. Free ofgrazing during its growing period, L. crinite enhanced the area of its patches and the biomass production of its good quality forage andwas consumed preferently. A. mendocina is not prized by cattle but contributed to the diet at the end of the foraging period. Distichlisspp. is important component of the cows’ diet, especially in dry years. Management actions to preserve a valuable species may haveside effects involving other community members.
文摘The Saharian ecosystems present an important intensity of rising sensitization to: Erosion, and desertification whose impacts are irreversible. On the one hand, the weakness of the yield and the poverty of soil lead to a limited biodiversity. In addition to these difficulties, hydra is the main cause of the rarification of certain pastoral species such as Cenchrus ciliaris and Digitaria commutata. The ecological study underlines a distribution of these species which are very dependent on water resources in the dry regions of Tunisia. The bioclimatic (temperature, pluviometry) variations lead to modifications to these species from one area to another which are translated through several parameters. Concerning the number of bundles, the difference is important. The national park of Bouhedma records the highest number, compared with Bni khdach, Jerba, Khanguit aicha and Matmata respectively. The variation inter-site of study also is considerable by the study of the morphological parameters (height, number and length of leaves by bundle, number of ear) whose bundles of the national park Bouhedma occupy the first class.
文摘In order to determine the threshold and potential distribution of climatic conditions for perennial cultivated grasses in the Northwest plateau of Sichuan, China, the niche model is used to simulate the main climatic factors affecting the distribution of perennial cultivated grasses, and to predict the current and future climate change prospects. The results show that: 1) Wet index, accumulated temperature, isothermal, and annual average temperature range are the four major climatic factors affecting the distribution of perennial cultivated grasses in the Northwest Sichuan Plateau. 2) Model training and prediction data can be achieved well under the appropriate range of major climatic factors. 3) Under the background of climate warming, from now to 2080, the potential distribution of perennial cultivated grasses in the Northwest plateau of Sichuan, China will increase. The study aims to provide scientific decision-making basis for maintaining grassland ecosystem stability and promoting desertification management and even industrial restructuring of agriculture and animal husbandry.
文摘Native （Andropogon gayanus, Panicum maximum and Pennisetum purpureum） and exotic grasses （Brachiaria ruzi：iensis, Panieum maximum cv. C1 and T58） consumed in tropical humid zone were evaluated by estimating their voluntary intake and in vivo digestibility. The measurements were performed with 4 male Djallonke sheep （28 kg LW） fed ad libitum in metabolic cages, during a 10-days in vivo trial, preceded by a 14-days accommodation period. Each grass was studied at 3 stages of development. The samples （distributed grasses, refusals and faeces） were analysed for organic matter （OM）, crude fibre （CF）, neutral detergent fibre （NDF）, acid detergent fibre （ADF）, acid detergent lignin （ADL） and crude protein （CP） contents. Voluntary digestible organic matter intake （VDOMI） and voluntary digestible crude protein intake （VDCPI） were calculated （in g kg ^-1 LW075） as synthetic parameters to compare the grasses. The chemical composition of the distributed forages varied significantly （P 〈 0.001） between species or cultivars and development stages. After 4-5 leaves per tiller stage, CP contents decreased in all species and lowest in native species. Andropogon gayanus was the most l ignified species at any stage of development. At the end of the rainy season, Pennisetum purpureum leaves and Brachiaria ruziziensis had the highest CP. For all the grasses, CP contents were higher （and CF contents lower） in the consumed material, compared to the offered forages, showing thereby the high selectivity by the sheep. Dry matter intake, OM and CP digestibility varied greatly （P 〈 0.001） between forages and development stages with high interactions between these factors （P 〈 0.001）. Voluntary digestible organic matter intake and VDCPI were the highest （P 〈 0.05） for native Panicum maximum and Pennisetum purpureum. There was a relationship between digestibility and intake parameters, and ADL content of the grasses seems to be an important factor determining at least digestibility.
文摘The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed that "we should coordinate the systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasses" The ecological protection and restoration project of the mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasses is an important part of the construction of ecological civilization, and is also an inevitable requirement for the protection of biodiversity and the realization of carbon neutrality and peak carbon dioxide emissions. Lingbao city is located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and the eastern part of the Xiaoqinling Mountains, which is of great significance as an ecological safety barrier. This paper takes Lingbao city as an example to carry out the research on ecological protection and restoration of mountains, rivers, fields, lakes and grasses. On the basis of understanding the current situation of the ecological environment in Lingbao city, the principle of "Overall protection, systematic restoration and comprehensive management" was established, and the spatial layout of "One mountain, one tableland and one river" ecological protection and restoration was proposed. Five ecological engineering categories, namely, mountain ecological environment protection and restoration, water ecological environment protection and restoration, forest ecological environment protection and restoration, land improvement and yellow river ecological environment protection and restoration, were deployed to assist the high-quality development of the yellow river basin. The mechanism and measures to promote the ecological protection and restoration project are discussed. The research results can provide support for the local government to practice the "Two Mountains Theory".
基金the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (Nos40171054 and 40125005)the National Key Basic Research Support Foundation of China (No2002CB410809/10)
文摘Copper （Cu） mine tailings, because of their high content of heavy metals, are usually hostile to plant colonization. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the tolerance of four forage grasses to heavy metals in Cu mine tailings and to examine the variation in the microbial functional diversity of soils from the tailing sites in southern China. All the four grass species survived on Cu mine tailings and Cu mine tailing-soil mixture. However, on pure mine tailings, the growth was minimal, whereas the growth was maximum for the control without mine tailings. The tolerance of grasses to heavy metals followed the sequence： Paspalum notatum 〉 Festuea arundinaeea 〉 Lolium perenne 〉 Cynodon daetylon. The planting of forage grasses enhanced the soil microbial biomass. The Biolog data indicated that the soil microbial metabolic profile values （average well color development, community richness, and Shannon index） of the four forage grasses also followed the sequence： P. notatum 〉 F. arundinaeea 〉 L. perenne 〉 C. daetylon. Thus, P. notatum, under the experimental conditions of this study, may be considered as the preferred plant species for revegetation of Cu mine tailing areas.
文摘Construction of "water-saving landscape architecture" is a crucial content of building "conservation-minded society'',an important approach of ensuring the sustainable development of landscaping industry.It targets at exploring a reasonable means of using the nature,so as to improve ecological conditions and environment,save resources and energies,and promote the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.Landscape plant is a significant component of landscape architecture,it is a key section to choose proper drought-resistant plant species for the landscape construction.
文摘Soil compaction is a limitation to establishment of native forest species on reclaimed surfacemined lands in Appalachia. Previously, non-native forage species such as tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus(Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.) have been planted because they easily established on reclaimed mine soil. There is now interest in establishing robust native prairie species to enhance biodiversity and provide greater potential for root activity in the compacted soil. We conducted a 10-week glasshouse study comparing growth of “Pete” eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloidesL.), “Bison” big bluestem (Andropogon gerardiiVitman), and “Jesup MaxQ” tall fescue at soil bulk densities (BD) of 1.0, 1.3, and 1.5 g·cm-3. We also examined effects of arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant growthin relation to compaction. Sources of AMF were a reclaimed surface coal mine soil and a native tallgrass prairie soil. Shoot and root biomass of tall fescue and big bluestem were reduced at 1.5 BD while eastern gamagrass growth was not affected. Growth ofbig bluestem and eastern gamagrass was greaterwith AMF than without, butsimilar between AMF sources. Tall fescue growthwas not enhanced by AMF. Overall, tall fescue biomass was 3 times greater than eastern gamagrass and 6 times greater than big bluestem when comparing only AMF-colonized grasses. Eastern gamagrass and big bluestem are both slower to establish than tall fescue. Eastern gamagrass appears to be more tolerant of compaction, while big bluestem appears somewhat less tolerant.
