Ecology

  2012 MAY 18 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to the authors of a study from Jiangsu, People's Republic of China, "Aims and methods Concentrations of heavy metals such as Cd, As, Hg, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni in different tissues (seeds, roots and shoots) of the mature canola (Brassica napus L.) plants and in the associated rhizosphere soils from Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region of China, were determined to evaluate the heavy metals' pollution in the soils and the canola seeds, and to discuss their accumulation and translocation characteristics in canola plants. At the same time, the phytoextraction potential of the canola plant for the above heavy metals was theoretically calculated and discussed on the basis of above measured data. ...read more

  2012 APR 27 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "Plants of the genus Caragana (Fabaceae) are dominant shrub species of high ecological and economic importance on the Ordos Plateau in China. Due to natural environmental variability and anthropogenic impacts, Caragana pastures have experienced severe degradation, which has decreased their carrying capacity," scientists in Hohhot, People's Republic of China report.

  "In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of eight Caragana species (C. purdomii, C. opulens, C. stenophylla, C. intermedia, C. korshinskii, C. roborovskyi, C. tibetica and C. brachypoda) on the Ordos Plateau by using ISSR markers. The results reveal high genetic diversity of all the species, with the percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) reaching 100%. However, interspecific differences in genetic diversity within the genus were significant, as indicated by higher levels of genetic diversity of C. stenophylla, C. tibetica, C. intermedia, C. korshinskii and C. roborovskyi (PPB > 86%) when compared to the C. brachypoda with the lowest genetic diversity (PPB = 42.86%). Caragana brachypoda showed the lowest genetic similarity with and largest genetic distance from other taxa of the genus. Caragana tibetica had higher genetic diversity than C. roborovskyi. A large genetic distance was found between C. roborovskyi and C. tibetica, although the two species belong to Ser. Tragacanthoides and grow in a semidesert area. Such differences in genetic structure may be the reason for large areas occupied by C. tibetica, whereas C. roborovsky has rather limited distribution in the semidesert area. Caragana intermedia had high genetic diversity and a large genetic differentiation between intraspecific populations implying strong adaptability of the species to environmental fluctuations and selection capabilities. There was an obvious gene flow between C. intermedia and C. korshinskii, suggesting possible hybridization between these species is consistent with ecological variability, which may be important characteristics of Caragana plants in terms of molecular variation in the ecotone of Ordos plateau," wrote J.Y. Yang and colleagues, Inner Mongolia University ...read more

  2012 MAR 16 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to the authors of a study from Tokyo, Japan, "Cinnamomum camphora ( L.) J. Presl ( Lauraceae) is an evergreen tree distributed in southern Japan, Taiwan, and southeastern China ( Japan Forest Technical Association, 1964; Iwatsuki et al., 2006). In Japan, C. camphora is designated as a prefectural tree in several prefectures, and large individuals or populations are often designated as natural monuments by the government. However, it is controversial whether this species is native to Japan or was introduced from other regions, such as China ( Iwatsuki et al., 2006). ...read more