Nest Fern Research Articles

シマオオタニワタリを用いた緑のカーテンによる室内の二酸化炭素およびホルムアルデヒドの除去

シマオオタニワタリを用いた緑のカーテンによる室内の二酸化炭素およびホルムアルデヒドの除去

A portable reflectance-absorptance-transmittance meter for photosynthetic work on vascular plant leaves

PAM (pulse amplitude modulation) fluorometers can be used to estimate the electron transport rate (ETR) [μmol(e−) m−2 s−1] from photosynthetic yield determinations, provided the absorptance (\(Ab{t_\lambda }\)) of the photoorganism is known. The standard assumed value used for absorptance is 0.84 (leaf absorptance factor, AbtF). We described a reflectance-absorptancetransmittance (RAT) meter for routine experimental measurements of the actual absorptance of leaves. The RAT uses a red-green-blue (RGB) LED diode light source to measure absorptances at wavelengths suitable for use with PAM fluorometers and infrared gas analysers. Results using the RAT were compared to \(Ab{t_\lambda }\) spectra using a Taylor integrating sphere on bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus), banana, Doryanthes excelsa, Kalanchoe daigremontiana, and sugarcane. Parallel venation had no significant effect upon Abt465 in banana, Doryanthes, a Dendrobium orchid, pineapple, and sugarcane, but there was a slight difference in the case of the fern A. nidus. The average Abt465 (≈ 0.96) and Abt625 (≈ 0.89) were ≈14% and 6% higher than the standard value (AbtF = 0.84). The PAR-range Abt400–700 was only ≈ 5% higher than the standard value (≈ 0.88) based on averaged absorptance from the blue, green, and red light data and from where the RGB-diode was used as a ‘white’ light source. In some species, absorptances at blue and red wavelengths are quite different (e.g. water lily). Reflectance measurements of leaves using the RAT would also be useful for remote sensing studies.

Asplenium bird’s nest ferns in rainforest canopies are climate-contingent refuges for frogs

Epiphytes are important for canopy dwelling organisms because they provide a cool and moist microhabitat in the relatively hot and dry canopy. Here we examine whether epiphytic Asplenium ferns act as important habitats for arboreal frogs. We conducted extensive fern and habitat surveys for frogs in the Philippines, and complimented these surveys with roaming day and night canopy surveys to identify the full extent of habitat use across the vertical strata. We artificially dried ferns of various sizes to identify relationships between water and temperature buffering. Ferns are the preferred diurnal microhabitat and breeding habitat for arboreal frogs. A strong positive relationship exists between fern size and frog usage and abundance. Our drying experiments show that large ferns buffer maximum temperatures and reduce variability in temperatures, and buffering is directly linked to their hydration. Frogs are likely using large ferns for their moist, cool, environments for breeding and daytime retreat, which supports the buffered microhabitat hypothesis—these plants promote species coexistence through habitat creation and amelioration of physical stress. However, drying experiments suggest that this buffering is contingent on regular rainfall. Altered rainfall regimes could lead to the unexpected loss of the functional capacity of these important fern habitats.

Research on Biological Materials for Artificial Propagation of Bird Nest Fern Spore

Bird Nest Fern is a perennial evergreen large epiphytic or herb. Under natural conditions, most nest fern spores lack of suitable conditions for germination, and because of certain conditions are not met and stop growth. the people digging improperly on the Nest Fern ,the Nest Fern resources have been severely damaged, in order to protect the Nest Fern natural resources .we should strengthen the cultivation of nest fern. This study were different amount of coconut husk, different concentrations of 6-BA and different concentrations of GA3 nest fern spore germination test, results are as follows:When the Coconut husk amount of certain nest fern spore germination rate increased with increasing concentration of 6-BA,6-BA concentration of 0.7mg/L,the spore germination rate of 6.25%. Concentration of 6-BA, nest fern spore germination rate increased with the coconut husk increased. When the coconut husk volume and 6-BA concentration must soak spores with different concentrations of GA3 12~15min, nest fern spore germination with GA3 concentration increases, by analysis of variance, GA3 concentration of 200 mg/L, can greatly enhance spore germination rate; Three true leaves of seedlings grown by transplanting, and has successfully bred a number of nest fern seedlings.

Characterization of the mucilage isolated from the edible fronds of bird's nest fern (Asplenium australasicum)

With the increasing attentions in exploiting natural additives for food industry, the mucilage isolated from the young fronds of Asplenium australasicum (J. Sm.) Hook under diverse extraction conditions was investigated for their physicochemical properties. It was observed that the yields of the mucilage were generally raised with increasing citric acid concentration, extraction temperature and time. Chemical analysis revealed that the mucilage was composed mainly of anionic polysaccharides and proteins (4.7–20.7%), depending on the extraction conditions. Furthermore, in comparison with some commercial food hydrocolloids reported in the literatures, A. australasicum mucilage showed significant surface activity, as evidenced by a pronounced reduction (about 29–36%) on the surface tension of water and excellent emulsion stability in a model oil-in-water type emulsion. The surface tension of A. australasicum mucilage solution decreased with increasing mucilage concentration to a certain point (0.075–0.1%), but remained fairly constant as the mucilage concentration was further increased up to 0.5%. Moreover, the emulsifying activity of A. australasicum mucilage was pH and oil/water volume ratio dependent. These results suggest that the acid-extracted mucilage from the young fronds of A. australasicum is a potential natural thickener and emulsification stabilizer.

Aphelenchoides bicaudatusfrom Ornamental Nurseries in Taiwan and Its Relationship with Some Agricultural Crops

Aphelenchoides bicaudatus nematodes were identified in planting materials and water samples from 35 floral ornamental nurseries in Taiwan. A pure line of the nematode was established from the bulk samples collected, and the nematode was identified as A. bicaudatus on the basis of morphometric data and the 18S gene sequence (GU984233). Host range tests were conducted by inoculating A. bicaudatus onto Phalaenopsis spp. strawberry, rice, bird's-nest fern, cyclamen, dendrobium, African violet, and saxifrage (all reported hosts of A. besseyi). Symptoms did not develop during the 4 weeks following inoculation. However, after staining, both eggs and nematodes inside plant tissue of Phalaenopsis roots, strawberry leaf buds, and rice sheath indicated that A. bicaudatus had established in these hosts. These results revealed a potential new host-parasite relationship of A. bicaudatus, and suggest that this nematode may infect these economically important hosts.

Sexual Compatibility among Different Host-Originated Isolates of Aphelenchoides besseyi and the Inheritance of the Parasitism

Nine isolates of Aphelenchoides besseyi from two different hosts were studied. The isolates were identified at the species level according to morphometrics and fine structures observed under a scanning electron microscope. Two fern-originated isolates, Fu, and Fm, one rice-originated isolate, Rl, were not able to reproduce from a single juvenile, based on at least 50 replicates. The other six isolates were able to develop into a small population when inoculated with a single juvenile, demonstrating parthenogenesis. Crosses between isolates were conducted. In a compatibility cross experiment, three fern-originated isolates were selfed and crossed reciprocally, and all nine crossings had viable offspring. When fern isolates were used as paternal lines, the only two successful crosses were with the Rd line, and as maternal lines, only the Ff x Re and Fu x Rn crosses had viable offspring. Rl was used as the maternal line and Fm as the paternal line to study the inheritance of the bird’s-nest fern parasitism. Twenty of the 80 attempted crosses resulted in viable offspring and among these; six lines had the ability to parasitize on the bird’s-nest fern. When the F1 lines were back-crossed to the Rl maternal line, 20 viable offspring lines were obtained and among them 4 were able to parasitize bird’s-nest fern. These results indicate that bird’s-nest fern parasitism can be transferred to new generations by cross fertilization.

Public goods, public services and by‐product mutualism in an ant–fern symbiosis

Mutualism can evolve when organisms make novel connections that happen to benefit all parties. When such connections involve a host that provides a public good for multiple visitor species, selection for reciprocal cooperation is only likely if the host has the power to preferentially increase the fitness of those visitors that provide a better quality service. In contrast, when interactions form between multiple visitors and a host that lacks the power to partition the public good, we predict that interactions are likely to persist only as by‐product mutualisms, in which symbiosis benefits both host and visitor, but in which neither partner makes costly investments. Focusing on the symbiosis between ants and litter trapping epiphytes in the canopy of lowland dipterocarp rain forest in Borneo, we show that at least 71 ant species share the public good of housing within the root‐mass of epiphytic bird's nest ferns (Asplenium spp.). Ferns supporting a higher biomass of ants experienced less herbivory, and experimental exclusions of ants from fronds confirmed that this is caused by the ants protecting the ferns from herbivores. These results establish that there are clear by‐product benefits for both parties of housing for ants and protection for ferns. If these benefits were to drive selection for reciprocal cooperation, we would expect larger ferns to support ant colonies that were larger or colonies that produce more reproductive individuals. This was not the case. Larger ferns instead supported more ant colonies, indicating that the housing provided by the fern is a public good that is not restricted to better cooperating ant species. Mutualism via novel connections is thus unlikely to evolve between a host and multiple partners, even if there are clear by‐product benefits to all parties, unless the host can direct benefits to cooperators.

Oil palm expansion into rain forest greatly reduces ant biodiversity in canopy, epiphytes and leaf-litter

Oil palm cultivation is expanding rapidly into many of the world’s most biodiverse tropical regions. One of the most functionally important and ecologically dominant animal groups in these environments is the ants. Here, we quantify the overall impacts of clear-felling lowland dipterocarp rainforest and conversion into oil palm plantation on ant diversity. At study sites in Sabah, Malaysia we collected ants from three microhabitats: 1 – the canopy, 2 – bird’s nest ferns (Asplenium nidus complex, a common epiphyte in forest and oil palm), and 3 – leaf litter. We also measured temperature, humidity and light at collection sites to assess their impacts on ant community composition. Total ant species richness decreased from 309 to 110 (−64%) between forest and oil palm plantation. However, this impact was not the same across all microhabitats, with bird’s nest ferns maintaining almost the same number of ant species in oil palm compared to forest (forest-oil palm, ferns: 36–35 (3% loss), canopy: 120–58 (52% loss), leaf litter: 216–56 (74% loss)). Relative abundance distributions remained the same for fern-dwelling ants, but became less even for oil palm ants in both the canopy and the leaf litter. These differences may be due in part to the ability of bird’s nest ferns to provide a stable microclimate in hot, dry plantations. We also found that non-native ant species were more abundant in oil palm than in forest, and few forest ant species survived in plantations in any of the microhabitats. Only 59 of the 309 forest species persisted in oil palm plantations, corresponding to an 81% loss of forest species resulting from habitat conversion. Although oil palm supports many more ant species than has been previously reported, converting forest into plantation still leads to a dramatic reduction in species richness. The maintenance of forested areas is therefore vital for the conservation of ant biodiversity.

The Effect of Rain Forest Canopy Architecture on the Distribution of Epiphytic Ferns (Asplenium spp.) in Sabah, Malaysia

ABSTRACTEpiphytic plants are a dominant component of the rain forest canopy biota. They represent a significant proportion of canopy plant biomass and diversity, play a key role in nutrient cycling, and support highly abundant and diverse animal communities. Understanding the factors affecting their distribution in this three‐dimensional habitat is consequently of great importance, not least because they may be particularly vulnerable to climate change and habitat conversion. Here we investigate how canopy architecture affects the distribution of two species of bird's nest fern (Asplenium spp.) in pristine rain forest. Both species were found at high abundances (Asplenium phyllitidis: 136/ha, SE ± 31.6, Asplenium nidus: 44/ha, SE ± 9.2) and their distributions were differentially affected by canopy architecture. Asplenium phyllitidis was found only at heights < 30 m in areas with a thicker lower canopy layer. Asplenium nidus was found at all heights in the canopy and was associated with emergent trees and areas with an open understory. Larger A. phyllitidis were found higher in the canopy while larger A. nidus were found on trunks and branches with a wider diameter. Asplenium nidus seems adapted to withstand the hot dry conditions in the upper canopy and in gaps, and its size is consequently limited only by the size of its support. Asplenium phyllitidis is dominant in areas that are cooler and damper, and so the growth rate of individuals may be limited by light levels. We discuss possible implications of this partitioning for epiphyte communities in the face of climate change and habitat conversion.

The impact of forest conversion to oil palm on arthropod abundance and biomass in Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract:Deforestation rates in South-East Asia are among the highest of any tropical region, with expansion of oil palm being one important factor. Despite this, few studies have investigated the impact of oil palm expansion on the arthropod fauna. We report here the first study on the impact of forest conversion to oil palm on overall arthropod abundance, biomass and composition. We compared arthropod abundance and biomass, collected from epiphytic bird's nest ferns, the canopy, and leaf litter between primary forest, logged forest and oil palm plantation. Epiphytes, canopy and litter all contained a lower abundance (epiphytes: 67.2%, canopy: 2.3% and litter: 77.1% reduction) and biomass (epiphytes: 87.5%, canopy: 37.9% and litter: 72.4% reduction) of arthropods in oil palm compared with primary forest. However, not all orders of arthropods showed the same level of decline, with some groups having higher abundance and biomass in oil palm, resulting in an altered community composition in the epiphytes and canopy in oil palm compared with forest. Our results show that forest conversion to oil palm impacts detrimentally on invertebrates in all compartments of the forest ecosystem.

The impact of bird's nest ferns on stemflow nutrient concentration in a primary rain forest, Sabah, Malaysia

Bird's nest ferns (Asplenium nidus complex) (Yatabe & Murakami 2003) are common epiphytes of the Old World tropics and house a high abundance of arthropods (Ellwood & Foster 2004). Through interception and retention of leaf litter (Paoletti et al. 1991, Piggott 1996, Richardson 1999), epiphytes interrupt litterfall dynamics (Clark et al. 1998, Nadkarni & Matelson 1991) and delay the return of nutrients to the forest floor (Nadkarni 1984). Precipitation percolating through the canopy as throughfall is enriched as nutrients are leached from plant surfaces (Levia & Frost 2006). Water flowing down the trunk of trees as stemflow is further enriched from prolonged contact and accumulated nutrient deposits on the trunk (Levia & Frost 2003, Liu et al. 2002). Epiphytes can alter stemflow nutrient concentrations by slowing water percolation and by nutrient uptake and release (Awasthi et al. 1995, Strigel et al. 1994).

Determinants of litter accumulation and the abundance of litter-associated microarthropods in bird's nest ferns (Asplenium nidus complex) in the forest of Yambaru on Okinawa Island, southern Japan

We studied the distributional pattern of bird's nest ferns (Asplenium nidus complex) and the factors that determined litter accumulation and the abundance of litter-associated microarthropods in the ferns in the forest of Yambaru on the northern part of Okinawa Island, southern Japan. We located 53 bird's nest ferns (41 ferns on 27 live trees of 13 species, and 12 on 5 dead trees) in a ca. 4-ha plot, collected litter samples from 37 ferns on 25 live trees, and then extracted a total of 11205 microarthropods (Acari and Collembola) from all the litter samples. The ferns preferred concave slopes and tended to be distributed on the tree species that had the typical characteristics of high population density and/or large basal area in the forest. The ferns were usually established on large trees [≥10m high or ≥20cm diameter at breast height (DBH)], although the number and size of the ferns were not related to the size of the host trees. The amount of litter accumulated in the ferns was correlated neither with the size (height and DBH) of the host tree nor with the height and position of the ferns. The amount of accumulated litter had a significant positive correlation only with fern size; this might have caused the positive correlations between fern size and the abundance of litter-associated microarthropods and the number of species of oribatid mites in the ferns.

Does the Existence of Bird's Nest Ferns Enhance the Diversity of Oribatid (Acari: Oribatida) Communities in a Subtropical Forest?

We examined the effects of the presence of bird's nest ferns on the species diversity of oribatid mites in the whole forest in terms of the three categories of species diversity (α-, β-, and γ-diversity) in a subtropical forest in south-western Japan. The species diversity (1 − D) of oribatid communities in the ferns was significantly lower than those in bark of trees and the forest-floor litter and soil, and was similar to that in the branches. The oribatid faunas in the litter in and the roots of the fern were more similar to those in both the forest-floor litter and soil than to the faunas in the other arboreal habitats. However, the ferns can be colonized by endemic oribatid species specialized to such environments. The number of oribatid species estimated for a hypothetical stand with no ferns was about 180 species from 80 samples; this value did not differ significantly from that in another hypothetical stand with ferns (ca. 190 species). Thus, the species richness of oribatid communities estimated for the whole forest (the γ-diversity) was not affected by the presence or absence of bird's nest ferns. The α- and β-diversities of oribatid communities on bird's nest ferns were lower than those in other habitats, and they might not dramatically raise the overall γ-diversity of invertebrate communities in the whole forest. The bird's nest ferns, however, can generate a unique habitat for specialized species, and this would help to maintain species diversities of invertebrates at the whole-forest scale in subtropical forests.

Effects of distribution and structural traits of bird's nest ferns (Asplenium nidus) on oribatid (Acari: Oribatida) communities in a subtropical Japanese forest

We studied oribatid (Acari: Oribatida) communities in two distinct microhabitats (litter and root) of the bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus) in an approximately 4-ha area in a subtropical forest, Okinawa, Japan. We collected a total of 15 729 oribatid mites from 37 ferns and examined whether the size and height of the ferns and the distance between ferns affected the structure of the oribatid communities in terms of the species composition, number of individuals, density (individuals per 100 g dry wt of substrate), number of species and species diversity (Simpson's index). Oribatid communities differed significantly in species composition and density between litter and root components and were evenly distributed horizontally throughout the plot. The density of oribatid mites in the litter decreased significantly with increasing height of the ferns, and the species composition and the numbers of individuals and species in the litter were affected by fern size. Our results suggest that the litter and root of bird's nest ferns allowed diverse oribatid communities to become established, and variations in size and height of the ferns may help to maintain or enhance the diversity of oribatid communities in bird's nest ferns in subtropical forests.

Canopy Ferns in Lowland Dipterocarp Forest Support a Prolific Abundance of Ants, Termites, and Other Invertebrates1

ABSTRACTThe epiphytic Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus complex) has a large basket‐shaped rosette that accumulates leaf litter. We investigated the role of these ferns in supporting invertebrate populations in the primary lowland dipterocarp forest of Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia. Ferns were divided into three size classes: large (rosette diameter >60 cm), intermediate (30–60 cm), and small (<30 cm). Seven hectares of forest were surveyed: the canopy had a mean density of 30 large ferns/ha and 20 intermediate ferns/ha. Six large and five intermediate ferns were removed from the crowns of Parashorea tomentella (Dipterocarpaceae) at heights between 39 and 52 m. The largest ferns had fresh weights of ca 200 kg. The mean animal abundance in large and intermediate ferns was 41,000 and 8000, respectively. Termites and ants represented at least 90 percent of the abundance in these ferns. Of die 11 ferns, 4 contained a nest of Hospitalitermes rufus (Nasutitermitinae), while another contained a nest of an undescribed species of Hospitalitermes. An additional 56 small ferns were removed from die low canopy (2–6 m above the forest floor), of which only 1 contained a termite nest (Nasutitermes neoparvus). These results suggest that Bird's Nest Ferns contain ca 0.5 million termites/ha and contribute almost one ton (dry mass) of suspended soil and plant material/ha. Five of the trees containing large ferns were fogged immediately before the removal of die ferns. From these samples we were able to estimate the total number of animals in each tree crown. When each estimate was added to die abundance in each fern, the results suggested that a single large fern may contain from 7 to 93 percent of die total number of invertebrates in die crown. Although these results must be treated with caution because of die small sample size, they have important implications for studies of canopy invertebrates.

Canopy Ferns in Lowland Dipterocarp Forest Support a Prolific Abundance of Ants, Termites, and Other Invertebrates1

The epiphytic Bird’s Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus complex) has a large basket-shaped rosette that accumulates leaf litter. We investigated the role of these ferns in supporting invertebrate populations in the primary lowland dipterocarp forest of Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia. Ferns were divided into three size classes: large (rosette diameter >60 cm), intermediate (30–60 cm), and small (<30 cm). Seven hectares of forest were surveyed: the canopy had a mean density of 30 large ferns/ha and 20 intermediate ferns/ha. Six large and five intermediate ferns were removed from the crowns of Parashorea tomentella (Dipterocarpaceae) at heights between 39 and 52 m. The largest ferns had fresh weights of ca 200 kg. The mean animal abundance in large and intermediate ferns was 41,000 and 8000, respectively. Termites and ants represented at least 90 percent of the abundance in these ferns. Of the 11 ferns, 4 contained a nest of Hospitalitermes rufus (Nasutitermitinae), while another contained a nest of an undescribed species of Hospitalitermes. An additional 56 small ferns were removed from the low canopy (2–6 m above the forest floor), of which only 1 contained a termite nest (Nasutitermes neoparvus). These results suggest that Bird’s Nest Ferns contain ca 0.5 million termites/ha and contribute almost one ton (dry mass) of suspended soil and plant material/ha. Five of the trees containing large ferns were fogged immediately before the removal of the ferns. From these samples we were able to estimate the total number of animals in each tree crown. When each estimate was added to the abundance in each fern, the results suggested that a single large fern may contain from 7 to 93 percent of the total number of invertebrates in the crown. Although these results must be treated with caution because of the small sample size, they have important implications for studies of canopy invertebrates.

U14snoRNAs of the fern, Asplenium nidus, contain large sequence insertions compared with those of higher plants

Northern analyses of U14snoRNAs in different plant species showed the expected hybridising band of approximately 120 nt in monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous angiosperms. In the lower plant, Bird's nest fern ( Asplenium nidus), U14s were larger and three hybridising RNAs of approximately 190, 210 and 250 nt were observed. RT-PCR cloning of all three size variants using primers to the conserved 5′ and 3′ ends of higher plant U14snoRNAs showed large insertions in one of the plant-specific regions corresponding in position to the yeast U14-specific Y-domain. The insertions are pyrimidine-rich in their 5′ halves and purine-rich in their 3′ halves and are likely to be sequestered in stem structures consistent with the proposed model of U14snoRNA secondary structure. The 5′ flanking regions of one of the fern U14 variants was generated by PCR and lacked classical plant snRNA promoter elements.

Notes Relating to Australian Ferns, Especially from Norfolk &amp; Lord Howe Islands

The cristate bird's-nest fern from Norfolk Is. is here called Asplenium australasicum f. robinsonii stat. & comb. nov.; A. "pteridoides" from Lord Howe Is. is resolved into A. pteridoides and A. surrogatum sp. nov.; a hybrid between A. diforme and A. dimorphum is recorded from Norfolk Is.; Cheilanthes humilis comb. nov., C. nitida comb. nov. and C. brownii are established as the correct names for three Australian species; the endemic Marattia from Lord Howe Is. is called M. howeana stat. nov.; Sticherus lobatus and Ophioglossum pendulum are recorded from Lord Howe Is.

New guinea salt fern (Asplenium acrobryum complex): Identity, distribution, and chemical composition of its salt

Fronds of a fern of theAsplenium acrobryum complex were traditionally used as a source of salt in the inland areas of Papua New Guinea. All previously published reports of the use of fern salt in the botanical and ethnobotanical literature had erroneously identified the species involved asAsplenium nidus, one of the common bird’s-nest ferns. A chemical analysis of the salts contained in the ash of the salt fern as well as those species related toAsplenium nidus revealed that the bulk of the inorganic component was potassium, calcium and chloride. These results are comparable to those published for the salt-yielding grass,Coix gigantean. There is no obvious chemical reason why onlyAsplenium acrobryum should be used for salt production in preference toAsplenium nidus and related species. In view of the low levels of consumption of such salt it is unlikely that there will be any cases of potassium toxicity attributable to the use of these plants.