The Ordovician-Silurian boundary stratotype: consequences of its approval by the IUGS

Lespérance, Pierre J., Barnes, Christopher R., Berry, William B. N., Boucot, Arthur J. & Mu En-zhi 1987 07 15: The Ordovician-Silurian boundary stratotype: consequences of its approval by the IUGS.
The Ordovician-Silurian stratotype at Dob's Linn, Scotland is the second systemic boundary approved by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). A review of the internationally accepted criteria required of a stratotype shows that few of these are possessed by the Dob's Linn section. The strongest attribute of the section is the presence of zonal graptolites, although the boundary is recognized primarily on a single biological event (base of acuminatus Zone) for which the evolutionary relationships of the taxa are not established. In approving this boundary proposal in 1985, which received only simple majority support within the Ordovician-Silurian Boundary Working Group (OSBWG) and which fails to meet most of the accepted prerequisites for a stratotype, the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) and the IUGS have established an unfortunate precedent. It follows that future systemic boundaries need not meet the accepted standards. It raises serious questions on the assessment and voting procedures of the International Commission on Stratigraphy and on the credence accorded the recommendations developed by the International Subcommission on Stratigraphic Classification of IUGS.     

Effects of glyphosate on phenolic metabolism in yellow nutsedge leaves

The action of the herbicide glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)-glycine] on phenolic metabolism and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL; EC 4.3.1.5) activity was investigated in yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.). Glyphosate caused significant increases in the amount of total soluble hydroxyphenolics in the three fractions studied (neutral, acid and residual). Qualitative and quantitative differences in relation to these fractions and the amount of applied glyphosate were observed. Most of the phenolic compounds which increased after glyphosate treatment were benzoic acids (gentisic. p -OH-benzoic, salicylic and vanillic). Gentisic acid showed the greatest increase in neutral and acid fractions, being twenty- and four-fold, respectively, of the amount found in the control. PAL activity was not affected by the lowest doses of glyphosate (10−⁴and 10−³ M) , but a dramatic decrease in PAL activity was observed after 10−² M treatment. These findings, together with the low levels of cinnamic acids measured in treated yellow nutsedge plants, suggest that PAL activity is only marginally involved in glyphosate action. Since the herbicidal action probably takes place at 5-enol-pyruvylshikimate-3-P synthase (EC 2.5.1.19), an alternative pathway to PAL in phenolic biosynthesis should be activated yielding benzoic acids.     

中国豆科植物新资料

<正>一、虫豆属 Atylosia Wight et Arn,1.白蔓草虫豆 新变种图1Atylosia scarabaeoidea(Linn)Benth ,var aryrophylla Cheng f,var ,nov     

Plant biomass and nutrient levels of a tropical macrophyte (Cyperus papyrus L.) receiving domestic wastewater

The aboveground biomass and nutrient content ofCyperus papyrus were determined in a small tropical swamp receiving domestic wastewater. It was found that the biomass (4,955 g.m^–2 dry weight) was the highest ever reported for papyrus. The levels of both nitrogen and phosphorus in the plant organs were very high. The nitrogen concentrations of the various plant organs were 4.8% roots, 8.4% rhizomes, 4.5% scales, 4.8% culms, and 6.2% umbels on dry weight basis. As to phosphorus the concentrations were 0.09% roots, 0.11% rhizomes, 0.09% scales, 0.10% culms, and 0.13% umbels. The high biomass and nutrient contents of the plants may have been caused by the high nutrient levels in the surrounding water. Comparison of the nitrogen to phosphorus ratios in the plants to those in the surrounding water showed that the plants stored very high amounts of nitrogen.     

中国蜡梅属植物过氧化物同工酶的研究

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳系统,进行了蜡梅属8种植物过氧化物同工酶的研究。结果发现：该属8种植物的酶谱差异显著,每个种均有其特征酶谱。根据其种的酶谱酶带数目、Rf、宽度及其活性强弱的不同,可将各个种加以区别,但不支持保康蜡梅和突托蜡梅作为独立种的存在,也不支持蜡梅属分为蜡梅组和新蜡梅组的观点。同时,采用排序方法对蜡梅属8种植物酶谱的相似程度进行排序结果发现：与该属8种植物酶谱分类相吻合,并从分子水平上论证了它们的亲缘关系,即保康蜡梅为蜡梅的种内变异,以作蜡梅栽培品种处理;突托蜡梅作为浙江蜡梅的变种为佳,从而为蜡梅属植物种群的合理划分,提出了新的依据和手段。     

莎草属果皮微形态特征及其分类学上的意义

首次报道了在立体显微镜及扫描电子显微镜下对莎草属(Cyperus Linn.)14种、2变种植物果皮微形态特征的观察结果。根据纹饰特点的不同,可分为三种类型:(1)网——瘤状复合纹饰;(2)网状纹饰;(3)疣状纹饰。莎草属植物在果皮微形态特征上存在的种间差异可为种的划分提供依据,并为探讨该属的系统演化提供有价值的资料。     

缬草挥发油化学成分的研究

采用气相色谱-质谱联用仪对产于太白县的缬草根和茎叶中的挥发油成分分别进行分析,从根中鉴定出45种成分,以茎叶中鉴定出67种成分,并用GC测定了每一成分在该挥发油中的含量。     

香附子提取物B处理作物种子效应初报

香附子提取物Ｂ处理作物种子效应初报张建新（陕西省农业科学院农业测试中心,杨陵７１２１００）赵伯善（西北农业大学农业化学系,杨陵７１２１００）ＥｆｆｅｃｔｏｆｓｅｅｄｔｒｅａｔｍｅｎｔｗｉｔｈｅｘｔｒａｃｔＢｆｒｏｍＣｙｐｅｒｕｓｒｏｔｕｎｄｕｓ￥Ｚｈ...