Dataset Information

Regeneration of different plant functional types in a Masson pine forest following pine wilt disease.

ABSTRACT: Pine wilt disease is a severe threat to the native pine forests in East Asia. Understanding the natural regeneration of the forests disturbed by pine wilt disease is thus critical for the conservation of biodiversity in this realm. We studied the dynamics of composition and structure within different plant functional types (PFTs) in Masson pine forests affected by pine wilt disease (PWD). Based on plant traits, all species were assigned to four PFTs: evergreen woody species (PFT1), deciduous woody species (PFT2), herbs (PFT3), and ferns (PFT4). We analyzed the changes in these PFTs during the initial disturbance period and during post-disturbance regeneration. The species richness, abundance and basal area, as well as life-stage structure of the PFTs changed differently after pine wilt disease. The direction of plant community regeneration depended on the differential response of the PFTs. PFT1, which has a higher tolerance to disturbances, became dominant during the post-disturbance regeneration, and a young evergreen-broad-leaved forest developed quickly after PWD. Results also indicated that the impacts of PWD were dampened by the feedbacks between PFTs and the microclimate, in which PFT4 played an important ecological role. In conclusion, we propose management at the functional type level instead of at the population level as a promising approach in ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation.

SUBMITTER: Hu G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3341345 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Regeneration of different plant functional types in a Masson pine forest following pine wilt disease.

Hu Guang G Xu Xuehong X Wang Yuling Y Lu Gao G Feeley Kenneth J KJ Yu Mingjian M

PloS one 20120501 5

Pine wilt disease is a severe threat to the native pine forests in East Asia. Understanding the natural regeneration of the forests disturbed by pine wilt disease is thus critical for the conservation of biodiversity in this realm. We studied the dynamics of composition and structure within different plant functional types (PFTs) in Masson pine forests affected by pine wilt disease (PWD). Based on plant traits, all species were assigned to four PFTs: evergreen woody species (PFT1), deciduous woo ...[more]

PMID: 22563499

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Project description:Pine wilt disease is a dangerous pine disease globally. We used Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) clones, selected through traditional breeding and testing for 20 years, to study the molecular mechanism of their high resistance to pine wood nematodes (PWN,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus). Nine strains of seedlings of genetically stable Masson pine screened from different families with high resistance to PWN were used. The same number of sensitive clones were used as susceptible controls. Total proteins were extracted for tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomic analysis. The key proteins were verified by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). A threshold of upregulation greater than 1.3-fold or downregulation greater than 0.3-fold was considered significant in highly resistant strains versus sensitive strains. A total of 3491 proteins were identified from the seedling tissues, among which 2783 proteins contained quantitative information. A total of 42 proteins were upregulated and 96 proteins were downregulated in the resistant strains. Functional enrichment analysis found significant differences in the proteins with pectin esterase activity or peroxidase activity. The proteins participating in salicylic acid metabolism, antioxidant stress reaction, polysaccharide degradation, glucose acid ester sheath lipid biosynthesis, and the sugar glycosaminoglycan degradation pathway were also changed significantly. The PRM results showed that pectin acetyl esterase, carbonic anhydrase, peroxidase, and chitinase were significantly downregulated, while aspartic protease was significantly upregulated, which was consistent with the proteomic data. These results suggest that Masson pine can degrade nematode-related proteins by increasing protease to inhibit their infestation, and can enhance the resistance of Masson pine to PWN by downregulating carbon metabolism to limit the carbon available to PWN or for involvement in cell wall components or tissue softening. Most of the downregulated proteins are supposed to act as an alternative mechanism for latter enhancement after pathogen attacks. The highly resistant Masson pine, very likely, harbors multiple pathways, both passive and active, to defend against PWN infestation.

Project description:More than 60% of the flora of the Galapagos Islands is introduced and some of these species have become invasive, severely altering ecosystems. An example of an affected ecosystem is the Scalesia forest, originally dominated by the endemic giant daisy tree Scalesia pedunculata (Asteraceae). The remnant patches of this unique forest are increasingly being invaded by introduced plants, mainly by Rubus niveus (blackberry, Rosaceae). To help large-scale restoration of this ecologically important forest, we seek to better understand the natural regeneration of S. pedunculata after invasive plant control. We monitored naturally recruited S. pedunculata saplings and young trees over five years in an area where invasive plant species are continuously being removed by manual means. We measured survival, height and growth of S. pedunculata saplings and young trees along permanent transects. Percent cover of surrounding plant species and of canopy shade directly above each S. pedunculata individual were determined, as well as distance to the next mature S. pedunculata tree. We identified potential factors influencing initial sapling survival and growth by applying generalized linear models. Results showed a rapid growth of saplings and young trees of up to 0.45 cm per day and a high mortality rate, as is typical for pioneer species like S. pedunculata. Sapling survival, growth and mortality seemed to be influenced by light availability, surrounding vegetation and distance to the next adult S. pedunculata tree. We concluded that natural regeneration of S. pedunculata was high only five months after the last herbicide application but that 95% of these recruits had died over the 5-year period. Further studies are needed to corroborate whether the number of surviving trees is sufficient to replace the aging adult trees and this way maintain remnants of the Scalesia forest. Urgent action is needed to help improve future restoration strategies to prevent further degradation of this rapidly shrinking threatened forest ecosystem.

Project description:To explore the molecular mechanism of the response of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana), the main coniferous tree in southern China, to high CO2 stress, transcriptome sequencing was carried out to analyze the genome-wide responses of annual seedlings under different durations (0 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h) of high CO2 stress. The results showed that a total of 3080/1908, 3110/2115 and 2684/1483 genes were up-/down-regulated after 6 h, 12 h and 24 h of treatment, respectively, compared with control check group (CK, 0 h). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that most of these differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in energy metabolism, carbohydrate synthesis, cell wall precursor synthesis and hormone regulation pathways. For energy metabolism, the expression of most genes involved in photosynthesis (including the light reaction and Calvin cycle) was generally inhibited, while the expression of genes related glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and PPP pathway was up-regulated. In addition, the increase in the CO2 concentration induced the up-regulation of gene expression in the sucrose synthesis pathway. Among all starch synthesis genes, GBSS (granule-bound starch synthase) had the highest expression level. On the other hand, during the synthesis of hemicellulose and pectin (cell wall precursor substances), the expression levels of GMD (GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase), MGP (Mannose-1-phosphate guanylyl transferase) and RHM (Rhamnose biosynthetic enzyme) were the highest, suggesting that the synthesis of the raw materials hemicellulose and pectin in Masson pine under stress were mainly supplied by GDP-Man, GDP-Fuc and UDP-Rha. Finally, stress inhibited gene expression in the ABA (Abscisic Acid) synthesis pathway and induced gene expression in the GA (Gibberellin), SA (Salicylic acid), BR(Brassinolide) and MeJA (Methyl Jasmonate) pathways. Stomatal switches were regulated by hormonal interactions. This experiment elaborated on the response and molecular mechanism of Masson pine to CO2 stress and aided in screening carbon sequestration genes for the corresponding molecular research of Masson pine in the future.

Dataset Information

Regeneration of different plant functional types in a Masson pine forest following pine wilt disease.

Publications

Regeneration of different plant functional types in a Masson pine forest following pine wilt disease.

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