Plant Fragments Research Articles

THEORETICAL ASPECTS ON THE MOVEMENT OF PLANT FRAGMENTS ON THE SURFACE OF A PLANE SIFTERS CLASSIFIER

This paper presents the main theoretical elements underlying the process of dimensional separation of the fragments of chopped medicinal plants. To sort chopped plant mixture from the same medicinal plant, there are used vibratory classifiers with plane sifters, which are the active working body. Case studies were conducted and there were analyzed, based on numerical applications, the movements of plant fragments on a classifier with linear vibrations along the sifter, existing in practice. Numerical simulation has provided information on trajectory parameters of the jump of a plant fragment on the vibratory plane sifter, useful elements in the theoretical grounding of the equipment workflow.

Unusual Devonian coal: A new type of jet

A new type of jet from continental Devonian sediments is described. The substrate for gagatization was fragments of Archaeopteris plants, whose burials in sandstone strata are characterized by a kind of spheroidal weathering of organic matter; the material is completely fusainized. This type of jet combines the properties of classical jet and inertinite. The new type of jet was named tsilmanite—after the place of its discovery.

Strategies for a successful plant invasion: the reproduction of Phragmites australis in north‐eastern North America

Summary Knowing the relative contribution of vegetative propagation and sexual reproduction to the dispersal and establishment of exotic plants is crucial for devising efficient control strategies. This is particularly true for the common reed (Phragmites australis), one of the most invasive species in North America. For the first time, we combined in situ field observations and genetic evidence, based on two genotyping techniques, that is microsatellite markers (SSR) and genotyping by sequencing (GBS), to determine the propagation strategies of this invader at its northern distribution limit in North America and especially in roadside ditches. Field observations revealed that, in a region where the common reed is already abundant, both seeds and plant fragments contributed to the establishment of new populations. Newly established individuals originated mostly (84%) from seeds rather than fragments, but a larger proportion of individuals originating from fragments survived the second year compared to seedlings. High genetic diversity among marsh and roadside common reed stands indicated the prime role of sexual reproduction for dispersal. The vast majority of genotypes were found in only one stand; such high genetic variability can only be explained by sexual reproduction. Half the surveyed stands comprised a single clone, suggesting that local expansion mainly occurred vegetatively. As the small proportion of SSR genotypes initially thought to be common between distant stands proved to be distinct (as revealed by GBS data), it is likely that all the stands examined were initially founded by genetically distinct individuals. Synthesis. Our study suggests that long‐distance dispersal by seeds is important for the common reed, in marshes and roadsides, while both seeds and plant fragments contribute to short‐distance dispersal along roads, at least in regions where the species is already abundant. The success of this invader in North America seems to be attributable to a reproduction strategy combining the advantages of sexuality with those of vegetative propagation. Moreover, this study shows that the GBS approach strongly reduces uncertainties associated with the use of a limited number of markers. This approach is especially valuable for ecologists dealing with an ever‐increasing number of invaders, of which few have identified microsatellite markers.

Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula, in the Early Cretaceous: interpretations from the Walker Bay erratics

Chen, K., Stilwell, J.D. & Mays, C., 12.3.2015. Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula in the Early Cretaceous: interpretations from the Walker Bay erratics. Alcheringa 39, 000–000. ISSN 0311-551Fossiliferous, volcaniclastic sandstone erratics, containing abundant plant fragments, palynomorphs and a possible insect wing, were extracted from the previously unstudied Walker Bay moraine, Livingston Island (ca 62°36ʹS, 60°42ʹW). These samples provide new insights into high southern latitude ecosystems of the South Shetland Islands region during the Early Cretaceous greenhouse interval. The palynofloral assemblage, in particular the co-occurrence of Ischyosporites punctatus, Concavissimisporites penolaensis and Reticulatisporites pudens, suggests that deposition could have occurred between the early Aptian and mid-Albian (ca 125–109 Ma), but was most likely early to mid-Albian (ca 112–109 Ma). The high relative abundance of the pteridophyte taxon, Cyathidites and associated fungal disaster taxa, together with significant quantities of volcaniclastic material, indicates a volcanically perturbed post-eruption riparian environment. Petrologic evidence suggests that the volcanic sediments were deposited rapidly in the above-mentioned fluvial setting. Comparisons to geological studies conducted on Livingston Island reveal an affinity of the Walker Bay erratics to the Byers Group; the unique palynofloral assemblage and petrological features of the erratics suggesting that the volcanogenic lithic sandstone facies may represent a previously undescribed unit of the upper Cerro Negro Formation.Kevin Chen [kevin.chen@monash.edu], Jeffrey D. Stilwell* [jeffrey.stilwell@monash.edu] & Chris Mays [chris.mays@monash.edu], School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Vic 3800, Australia. *Also affiliated with Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.

Lejeuneaceae (Marchantiophyta) from a species-rich taphocoenosis in Miocene Mexican amber, with a review of liverworts fossilised in amber

We describe a diverse taphocoenosis in a piece of Mexican amber that includes two morphotypes assignable to the leafy liverwort family Lejeuneaceae, an angiosperm seed, a putative bud scale, dematiaceous hyphomycetes as well as dipteran and hymenopteran insects belonging to Phoridae (genera Megaselia, Puliciphora, and Apocephalus), Cecidomyiidae, Psychodidae and Mymaridae (genus Alaptus). Liverworts are known from eight amber deposits but have only rarely been observed in Mexican amber. A perianth-bearing liverwort gametophyte in the piece of amber is classified as Mastigolejeunea extincta sp. nov., and several sterile gametophytes are described as Ceratolejeunea sublaetefusca sp. nov. With these new species, approximately 60 liverworts have been described from amber to date. Remarkable syninclusions include a hyphomycete which is the first darkly-pigmented filamentous microfungus with clear reproductive structures reported from Mexican amber. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy of a fragment of the investigated amber piece revealed a “Type I” Mexican amber. A whole solubility test suggested a mature resin, although the resin was not much oxidized during the process of amberization. Available evidence suggests that the amber was produced by a Hymenaea tree and that the resin was exposed on its bark, behaving as a sticky trap for insects and vascular plant fragments, and also embedding some epiphytic liverworts and fungi.

Elemental and biomarker characteristics in a Pleistocene aquifer vulnerable to arsenic contamination in the Bengal Delta Plain, India

An elevated level of arsenic (As) in the Indo-Gangetic delta plain aquifers has been reported since the 1990s. Organic matter (OM) present in groundwater and aquifer sediments supports the microbial communities in these aquifers. During installation of a drinking water well, 26 sediment intervals of 6m each were retrieved up till 156m from a Pleistocene brown sand aquifer (BSA). Grain size distribution, sequential extraction of metals and total extractable lipids were analyzed in each sample. These parameters were statistically correlated in order to establish relationship between the physical vs. inorganic and organic characteristics, and how these properties affected the distribution of As in BSAs. The aquifer sediments consisted of medium to coarse sand except the surface sediments and those at the bottom of the well, which had high clay and slit content. Arsenic (As) concentration in sediments ranged from 2 to 21mg/kg and indicated a strong correlation with grain size. Arsenic was mostly associated with crystalline oxides and silicate-rich minerals. Arsenic showed significant correlation with Fe in all fractions, and suggests presence of pyrite bound As-bearing minerals in these sediments. The diagnostic sedimentary lipid biomarkers indicated presence of compounds derived from vascular plants and microbial cell wall. This inference was supported by various diagnostic lipid ratios. The biomarkers were abundant in surface and deeper layers, which had high clay and silt content. The BSA sediments indicated preferential preservation of n-alkanes over other functional compounds, which were more reactive and subject to degradation. The thick clay layer at 132–156m contained visible plant fragments, and OM in this layer indicated preferential preservation of organic carbon most likely due to the absence of specific microbial communities that degraded these compounds and mobilized As. Statistical analyses indicated the influence of selective inorganic and organic components (As, Fe and fatty acids) controlling the co-distribution of various inorganic and organic components in the aquifer.

Radiocarbon ages of insects and plants frozen in the No. 31 Glacier, Suntar-Khayata Range, eastern Siberia

The aim of this study was to estimate the age of glacier ice in the No. 31 Glacier in the Suntar-Khayata Range of eastern Siberia by performing dating of insects thought to be long-legged fly species (Dolichopodidae) as well as plants (species unknown) fragments preserved in the ice. Ice samples containing organisms were collected at depths of 0.4–1.1m at five points from the middle to lowest parts of the glacier in 2013. The age of an insect collected at the lowest point on the glacier was estimated as 2038±32yr B.P. Insects collected at higher points had a modern or near-modern radiocarbon age. The age of plant fragments collected at the uppermost and middle points was 1531±44 and 1288±26yr B.P., respectively, and that of a mixture of plant and insect fragments collected at the lowest point was 9772±42yr B.P. When comparing specimens collected at the same point, the plant fragments were found to be older than the insects. In 2012–2014 observations, some living insects were found on the glacier, and thus the age of the insects appears to correspond to the age of the ice. On the other hand, the plant fragments might have already aged since detachment from the source plants. This study found an approximately 2000-year gap in the age of the ice between the lowest and higher points. Annual mass balance observations from 2012 to 2014 showed that in recent years, the glacier sometimes had no accumulation area. Therefore, the wide gap in the age of ice may be due to a difference in past melting processes between the lowest and higher points on the glacier.

Foraging ecology of three sympatric ungulate species - Behavioural and resource maps indicate differences between chamois, ibex and red deer.

BackgroundThe spatial distribution of forage resources is a major driver of animal movement patterns. Understanding where animals forage is important for the conservation of multi-species communities, since interspecific competition can emerge if different species use the same depletable resources. However, determining forage resources in a spatially continuous fashion in alpine grasslands at high spatial resolution was challenging up to now, because terrain heterogeneity causes vegetation characteristics to vary at small spatial scales, and methods for detection of behavioural phases in animal movement patterns were not widely available. We delineated areas coupled to the foraging behaviour of three sympatric ungulate species (chamois, ibex, red deer) using Time Local Convex Hull (T-LoCoH), a non-parametric utilisation distribution method incorporating spatial and temporal autocorrelation structure of GPS data. We used resource maps of plant biomass and plant nitrogen content derived from high-resolution airborne imaging spectroscopy data, and multinomial logistic regression to compare the foraging areas of the three ungulate species.ResultsWe found significant differences in plant biomass and plant nitrogen content between the core foraging areas of chamois, ibex and red deer. Core foraging areas of chamois were characterised by low plant biomass and low to medium plant nitrogen content. Core foraging areas of ibex were, in contrast, characterised by high plant nitrogen content, but varied in plant biomass, and core foraging areas of red deer had high plant biomass, but varied in plant nitrogen content.ConclusionsPrevious studies carried out in the same study area found no difference in forage consumed by chamois, ibex and red deer. Methodologically, those studies were based on micro-histological analysis of plant fragments identifying them to plant family or functional type level. However, vegetation properties such as productivity (biomass) or plant nutrient content can vary within vegetation communities, especially in highly heterogeneous landscapes. Thus, the combination of high spatial resolution resource maps with a utilisation distribution method allowing to generate behavioural maps (T-LoCoH) provides new insights into the foraging ecology of the three sympatric species, important for their conservation and to monitor expected future changes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40462-015-0033-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Coal-bearing submarine slump sediments from Oligocene–Miocene transition of the Eastern Carpathians (Bieszczady Mountains, SE Poland)

A new finding of lustrous coal particles from the youngest flysch sediments of the Silesian Nappe, Polish Eastern Carpathians, outcropped in the Bieszczady Mountains is here presented. The coal material occurs in a 1-m thick submarine slump layer in the Kiczera Dydiowska Sandstones, which belong to the youngest part of the Krosno Beds. Coal particles are numerous (up to 16%) in a massive sandstone of the slump layer. The siliciclastic particles from these sediments are classified as material from weathered rocks of continental block or they have been recycled from post-orogenic sediments. Lustrous coal represents coaly plant fragments, which are mostly homogeneous, belonging to macerals of vitrinite group. Some coal pebbles display tree structure, typical of gelified xylites, due to impregnation of cell walls by resinite, which occurrence in this material indicates terrestrial plants producing waxes and resins. Some of gelified plant debris shows evidence of pyritization, what in the absence of inertinite macerals in coal may indicate dysoxic conditions during first decomposition processes of organic matter under water environment. Coaly-bearing slump moved down most probably from SW during Oligocene–Miocene transition time. This shows that an intrabasinal massif, as the uplifted fragment of ?Precambrian craton, which supplied large amount of siliciclastic material to the Silesian–Subsilesian basin during the lower–middle Oligocene, still existed at the end of the Oligocene.

Limiting age for the Provo shoreline of Lake Bonneville

Pluvial Lake Bonneville features a prominent shoreline at the Provo level, which has been interpreted as having formed during a period of threshold-stabilized overflow. The timing of Provo shoreline development is important for paleoclimate interpretations and for inferences on geomorphic process rates. Estimates for the timing of the shoreline formation, based on radiocarbon measurements from gastropod shells, are from approximately 18 to 15 calka. One key radiocarbon age on plant fragments from Swan Lake, which formed in the threshold spillway after overflow ceased, has been taken as a young limiting age. The conventional age of 12090 ± 300 14C when calibrated at 2σ has large uncertainty (13375–15103 calBP). We report six new AMS radiocarbon ages recovered from new Swan Lake sediment cores. A twig near the base of lacustrine muds was dated at 11,615 ± 40 14Cyr (13,350 to 13,560 calBP). Age determinations on roots in that interval and deeper in the core are somewhat younger. These ages limit the last overflow of the Provo stand to earlier than ∼13.5 calkaBP, consistent with the younger bound of the imprecise age reported by Bright. If conservative interpretations of sedimentation rates for the thick well-sorted sand interval below the lacustrine muds are correct and landscape change that resulted in damming of Swan Lake is accounted for, cessation of flow probably occurred before ∼14.5 calkaBP.

The elucidation of stress memory inheritance in Brassica rapa plants.

Plants are able to maintain the memory of stress exposure throughout their ontogenesis and faithfully propagate it into the next generation. Recent evidence argues for the epigenetic nature of this phenomenon. Small RNAs (smRNAs) are one of the vital epigenetic factors because they can both affect gene expression at the place of their generation and maintain non-cell-autonomous gene regulation. Here, we have made an attempt to decipher the contribution of smRNAs to the heat-shock-induced transgenerational inheritance in Brassica rapa plants using sequencing technology. To do this, we have generated comprehensive profiles of a transcriptome and a small RNAome (smRNAome) from somatic and reproductive tissues of stressed plants and their untreated progeny. We have demonstrated that the highest tissue-specific alterations in the transcriptome and smRNAome profile are detected in tissues that were not directly exposed to stress, namely, in the endosperm and pollen. Importantly, we have revealed that the progeny of stressed plants exhibit the highest fluctuations at the smRNAome level but not at the transcriptome level. Additionally, we have uncovered the existence of heat-inducible and transgenerationally transmitted tRNA-derived small RNA fragments in plants. Finally, we suggest that miR168 and braAGO1 are involved in the stress-induced transgenerational inheritance in plants.

Chronology of Lake Bonneville, 30,000 to 10,000 yr B.P.

368 radiocarbon ages between 30 and 10 cal ka for samples collected from outcrops and shorelines from the Lake Bonneville basin have been compiled for this paper. Samples include 1. organic materials from sources outside the lake, such as wood, charcoal, plant fragments from emergent aquatics, and dispersed wetland organics, and 2. carbonate materials deposited in the lake, such as mollusk shells, tufa, charophyte debris, ooids, and marl. In general, organic materials provide rather than precise ages for lacustrine events, but their interpretation is less complicated than interpretation of results from carbonate samples. The data set shows evidence of contamination of different carbonate samples with both younger carbon and older carbon. For example, a radiocarbon reservoir at certain places within the lake during the middle transgressive phase accounts for ages of mollusk shells that are older than basal wood ages at similar altitudes. The large number of ages permits an accurate reconstruction of the lake chronology; conflicts between ages can be detected and reliable ages can be meaningfully integrated in interpretations. If fewer ages were available, the chronology might look simpler, but its accuracy would be unknown.

Post-traumatic chronic discharging orbital sinus: An interesting case report

We report a rare case of a chronic discharging orbital sinus with retained multiple pieces of wooden stem. A 50-year-old male presented with swelling and discharge of 8 months duration on the medial aspect of right upper lid following a fall. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed presence of a foreign body granuloma. Orbital exploration revealed presence of multiple fragments of plant stems. Removal of these stem pieces along with granulation tissue resulted in resolution of his symptoms. The patient, on retrospective enquiry, gave the history of presence of Parthenium plants in the area where he fell. This case report highlights the need to suspect a retained foreign body in the presence of a non-healing wound.

Plant taphonomy and palaeoenvironment from the Upper Cretaceous of Isona, Tremp Basin, southern Pyrenees, Catalonia, Spain

Lower Maastrichtian plant fossils were newly collected from the base of the Xullí unit, Tremp Group, in Isona, Tremp Basin, southern Pyrenees. They consist of conifers, monocot and eudicot angiosperms. Palynology shows algal oospores, fern spores, gymnosperm and angiosperm pollen grains.Sedimentological and taphonomic analyses indicate that this assemblage is parautochthonous and allochthonous. The plant fragments probably came from a nearby exposed area and were deposited in the distal floodplain. These taphonomic data shed light on the exact location and sampling biases of the palaeobotanical collection from Isona gathered by Vicente i Castells in the 1980s.Angiosperms and ferns dominated the plant community, which grew inland in freshwater environments. Cheirolepids inhabited coastal freshwater lakes in the same basin (the Posa unit) and in the geographically close basin of Vallcebre.

Organic petrographic characteristics of the Crocker Formation, NW Sabah, Malaysia

The deep marine Crocker Formation in NW Sabah, Malaysia has been well studied in terms of sedimentology, stratigraphy and structural geology. However, not much is known about its potential as a petroleum source rock. This study partly addresses this subject by means of petrographic analysis to characterise the Crocker sediments in terms of its organic matter content and thermal maturity. Crushed rock samples mounted in resin blocks were examined under reflected white and ultraviolet light. Petrographic analysis indicates that the Crocker Formation samples have low phytoclast content (<2%). The mostly indigenous phytoclasts (microscopic plant fragments) can be divided into 4 groups based on their reflectance values; vitrinite with dark inclusions (lowest reflectance), vitrinite, oxidised vitrinite and inertinite (highest reflectance). These phytoclast groups exhibit a reflectance profile of 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2%Ro respectively. Such an approach (measuring the reflectance of different phytoclast groups) can aid the petrographer to evaluate and validate vitrinite reflectance measurements in samples such as the Crocker that has a variable phytoclast assemblage. The average vitrinite reflectance is 0.82%Ro, which indicates that the Crocker sediments analysed were once buried to a depth of 4.1 km on average. Although its thermal maturity is within the oil generation window at present day, the Crocker Formation is considered a poor petroleum source rock because it is poor in phytoclast content (<2%) and appears to lack oil-prone liptinitic macerals. However, favourable source rock units could exist within the Crocker in the form of slump or mass- transport units, if the organic or phytoclast content is high enough and oil-prone organic matter is sufficiently present. Further geochemical analysis and regional data need to be incorporated for a more comprehensive analysis and assessment of the Crocker as a petroleum source rock and/or an analogue for subsurface geological units.

Isotopic characterization of organic matter from the Danek Bonebed (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) with special reference to amber

During the course of excavating the Maastrichtian Danek Bonebed in the city of Edmonton, a range of well-preserved organic materials was recovered alongside vertebrate remains, including amber, coal, and unpermineralized plant fragments. Herein, we report carbon and hydrogen stable isotopic characterizations of these materials to provide ancillary insights into genesis of the fossil deposit. These analyses permit isotopic comparisons between the various organic fractions at the Danek locality, as well as with other Late Cretaceous localities in Alberta. The investigation of amber proves particularly informative, with carbon stable isotope ratios that are regionally consistent and furthermore conform to the larger, global-scale isotopic trend for this material, and hydrogen results that inform paleoclimatic conditions at the time of amber formation. When coupled with chemotaxonomic information from amber Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, the isotopic results indicate a consistent taxodioid forest composition and relatively stable environmental conditions across the three horizons that encapsulate the Danek bonebed.

Short-term impacts of salinity pulses on ionic ratios of the seagrasses Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrightii

We examined the effects of short-term salinity pulses on ion accumulation in the seagrasses Thalassia testudinum and Halodule wrightii. Plant fragments were exposed for approximately 1 week to 10, 23 (ambient salinity), 30, 40, 50 and 70psu. The concentrations of total ions, Cl− and Na+ increased with higher salinity in leaves and rhizomes of both seagrass species. In contrast, the concentrations of K+ and Ca2+ generally decreased with higher salinity, although the decrease was relatively small and only observed at extreme salinities. Our results indicate the concentrations of Cl− and Na+ were higher in rhizomes than in leaves, possibly reflecting effective ion exclusion mechanisms in leaves. Under ambient (control) salinity the ratios K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ were 38% and 46% higher in H. wrightii than in T. testudinum leaves, which support the notion that H. wrightii is more tolerant of salinity increases than T. testudinum. In concert, our results show novel observations of ion osmolyte concentrations in these seagrass species that point to adaptive responses to salinity pulses. Despite these adaptive responses, pulses of extremely high salinity (>50psu) lasting approximately 1 week are detrimental to these seagrass species.

Load Capacity of Workers of Atta robusta During Foraging (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Worker ants are highly polymorphic in the genus Atta and they are usually classified into castes according to the specific functions they perform in a colony. Minor workers (head width ≤ 2.0 mm) help to maintain and grow the symbiotic fungus whereas larger workers (head width &gt; 2.0 mm) cut and transport plant fragments. This study investigated the roles in the cutting and transporting of different plant resources of different Atta robusta worker classes that were classified based on the size of their head capsule. Experiments were conducted in the restinga of Grussaí/Iquipari, São João da Barra, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. In each month between October 2009 and September 2010, we collected 100 ants and their respective loads from the trails of four nests of Atta robusta. The samples were individually transported to the laboratory, where the ants and their loads were weighed and the head capsules of the ants were measured. Large ants transported heavier loads. These ants usually transported more fruit and seeds than smaller ants.

Diet Analysis of Leopoldamys Neilli, a Cave-dwelling Rodent in Southeast Asia, Using Next-Generation Sequencing from Feces

Leopoldamys neilli is a Murinae rodent endemic to limestone karst of Thailand and the Lao PDR, but its ecology and the reasons of its endemism to karst are still totally unknown. The aim of this pilot study was to examine the plant composition of the diet of L. neilli at the level of order and family using DNA for molecular identification and to compare it with two other forest-dwelling Leopoldamys species, L. herberti and L. sabanus. A 202bp fragment of the rbcL gene was amplified and sequenced for twenty-three fecal samples of the three species using 454 pyrosequencing. We successfully identified a total of seventeen orders and twenty-one plant families, corresponding to thirty-three putative species, in the feces of these three Leopoldamys species. Solanaceae were the most common plants in the diet of L.neilli regardless of the region and sampling season, and they were also present in feces of both L. herberti and L. sabanus. The Araceae, Fabaceae, and Apocynaceae families were also identified in feces of L. neilli collected in various regions of Thailand and at different seasons. Plants of the Oleaceae family are consumed by both L. herberti and L. sabanus but were not found in the diet of L. neilli. Further improvements of the study, such as the use of additional genes, the creation of a reference collection, the microhistological examination of plant fragments to determine which parts of the plant are consumed, and the analysis of the animal diet of Leopoldamys are suggested to enhance the quality and accuracy of the results obtained.

Hyphomycetes in rain water, melting snow and ice

The investigations performed by direct microscopy method or bait technique (fragments of plants, cellophane, snake skin) using rain water flowing from trees, different types of roofs and melting snow and ice allowed determination of 146 species including 55 new to Poland. Aero-aquatic species were predominant and only several belonged to typically aquatic &lt;i&gt;Hyphomycetes&lt;/i&gt;.