Article
Entomology
Lauren A. Smith DiCarlo, Sandra J. DeBano
Summary: Spiders in semi-arid grasslands of the Pacific Northwest, USA show significant community variability, influenced by environmental factors such as elevation and vegetation cover. Despite differences in locations, there was no clear distinction in spider communities between actively and passively restored sites, highlighting the need to consider multiple factors in biodiversity conservation and restoration planning.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zihe Zhang, Jirui Gong, Xiaobing Li, Yong Ding, Biao Wang, Jiayu Shi, Min Liu, Bo Yang
Summary: Overgrazing is the main cause of grassland degradation and reduced productivity in northern China, with the restoration of degraded grasslands depending on optimal grazing regimes to promote rapid compensatory growth. Studying the effects of different grazing intensities on plant carbon assimilation, partitioning, and hormone regulation, it was found that S. grandis can optimize source-sink relationships and carbon allocation to support regrowth after grazing.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Joaquin Aldabe, Ana Ines Sanchez-Iriarte, Mercedes Rivas, Oscar Blumetto
Summary: Success in conserving biodiversity in rangelands depends on effectively managing the systems to achieve positive economic outcomes while preserving biodiversity. This study found that managing grass height can increase forage mass without replacing native vegetation. However, the impact on grassland bird populations remains unclear. The findings suggest that maintaining grassland bird specialists and potentially increasing livestock production is feasible, but longer time frames may be needed to support endangered tall grass specialists.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Wayne A. Houston, Robert L. Black, Kevin R. Wormington
Summary: This study evaluates the impacts of clearing on biodiversity, and finds that cleared grasslands have significantly lower order richness and abundance of invertebrates associated with ground-layer vegetation compared to nearby uncleared woodlands.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hao Chen, James F. White, Kamran Malik, Fang Qi, Chunjie Li
Summary: Entomosporium leaf spot (ELS) is a serious disease that affects hawthorn plants worldwide. Diplocarpon mespili is the most commonly reported pathogen causing this disease. In this study, the pathogen causing ELS on hawthorn in China was identified as a distinct species, D. mespilicola sp. nov, which is similar to D. mespili. The study also determined the optimal temperature and minimum germination time for the pathogen's conidia. This information may be useful in developing disease management strategies for hawthorn production in the future.
Article
Soil Science
Yuanyuan Jin, Zhenjiang Chen, Yali He, James F. White, Kamran Malik, Taixiang Chen, Chunjie Li
Summary: The effects of Epichloe endophytes and environmental factors on the abundance of nitrifying and denitrifying genes in soil were investigated. The presence of Epichloe endophytes significantly affected the abundance of certain genes, and soil pH, moisture, C/N ratio, and ammonium nitrogen and organic carbon contents were positively related to gene abundance. Endophyte infection also increased plant biomass, while plant total chlorophyll and soil nitrate nitrogen were found to be important factors affecting plant dry weight. Further studies are needed to confirm the role of soil nitrate nitrogen in the relationship between Epichloe endophytes and plant growth and soil microbial community structure.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Rui Zhong, Daniel A. Bastias, Xingxu Zhang, Chunjie Li, Zhibiao Nan
Summary: This study demonstrated the positive effects of Epichloe endophyte on the growth and drought tolerance of Achnatherum inebrians by promoting photosynthetic rate and biomass accumulation.
Article
Microbiology
Yurun Zhai, Zhenjiang Chen, Kamran Malik, Xuekai Wei, Chunjie Li
Summary: The study found that endophytic fungal infection can promote the absorption and transport of Cd in wild barley, and help more Cd to be transported to the aboveground by increasing the proportion of Cd in organelles. Endophytic fungal infection also reduces the content of Cd in more toxic chemical forms in plants to protect normal physiological functions. Therefore, endophytic fungal infection has potential significance in improving heavy metal-polluted soils and water.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jing Liu, Zhenjiang Chen, James F. White, Taixiang Chen, Qian Shi, Yuanyuan Jin, Xiuzhang Li, Chunjie Li
Summary: This study investigates the variation in ergot alkaloid and endogenous hormone content of Achnatherum inebrians from different environments. The results show that altitude and mean month temperature are major factors affecting alkaloids and endogenous hormones levels. Additionally, there are differences in the relationship between alkaloids and endogenous hormones at different altitudes.
JOURNAL OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Longhai Xue, Zhiting Xu, Jiaqi Liu, Hao Chen, James F. White, Kamran Malik, Chunjie Li
Summary: Pyrenophora is a genus of pathogens causing leaf damage and seedborne fungus in Italian ryegrass. Using DNA analysis and morphological characteristics, eight Pyrenophora species were identified, including three newly reported species. Pathogenicity tests showed that all Pyrenophora species could inhibit seed germination and infect Italian ryegrass, with P. dictyoides being the most important seedborne pathogen. The data from this study are useful for accurate identification of Pyrenophora species and the development of seedborne disease management strategies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jie Jin, Rong Huang, Jianfeng Wang, Chao Wang, Ronggui Liu, Hanwen Zhang, Maohua Deng, Shicai Li, Xinglu Li, Rong Tang, Chunjie Li
Summary: This study investigated how the endophyte Epichloe gansuensis helps host plants build up a specific bacterial community when challenged by CdCl2. The results showed that the rhizosphere bacterial community played a greater role in enhancing CdCl2 resistance in the host plant mediated by E. gansuensis. The endophyte recruited distinct rhizosphere bacterial species and relevant functions by affecting root exudates.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Jiaqi Liu, Gensheng Bao, Chunjie Li
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Jiaqi Liu, Zhongfu Long, Longhai Xue, Chunjie Li
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Hao Chen, Rui Zhang, Chunjie Li
Article
Plant Sciences
Jie Jin, Jianfeng Wang, XueLi Niu, Chao Wang, Kamran Malik, Chunjie Li
Summary: Human activities have led to an increase in atmospheric reactive N inputs, negatively impacting plant and microbial communities. The symbiotic relationship between host and endophytic fungi in the N enrichment environment is not well understood.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
L. L. Xu, Y. Q. Qian, L. H. Xue, B. H. Yu, C. J. Li
Article
Agronomy
Jianjun Wang, Taixiang Chen, Xuekai Wei, Malik Kamran, James F. White, Guiqin Zhao, Chunjie Li
Summary: Leaf blight disease (LBD) caused by Pantoea agglomerans is a newly emerged oat disease in China that causes great economic and yield losses of oat production. Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of 13 antimicrobial agents against P. agglomerans and recommend agents with better control efficacy for use. Zhongshengmycin and ethylicin were found to be the most effective in inhibiting the growth of P. agglomerans, with higher bacteriostatic rates and lower EC50 than other agents. Foliar application of zhongshengmycin or ethylicin can be used for the effective management of LBD of oat.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jianjun Wang, Yupei Zhou, Longhai Xue, Xuekai Wei, James F. White, Taixiang Chen, Chunjie Li
Summary: This study investigated the occurrence of seed-borne fungi in oat seeds from Baicheng, Dingxi, and Haibei cities in China and found that Alternaria and Epicoccum were the dominant seed-borne species. The pathogenicity tests showed that these seed-borne fungal pathogens significantly reduced seed germination rate, seedling growth, and vigor index of oat seeds. Seed-borne fungal infection can inhibit seed germination and seedling growth of oat.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yaling Ma, Hucheng Wang, Chunjie Li, Kamran Malik
Summary: Endophytic fungi infection is the major cause of animal intoxication due to drunken horse grass. This study found that using endophyte-free Achnatherum inebrians can positively impact sheep ruminal fermentation and microbial diversity. The recommended ratio of EF in sheep diet should range from 25% to 50%, and the maximum proportion should not exceed 75%.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2022)