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The Paleocene sediments from Barsingsar lignite mine section of Bikaner-Nagaur Basin in Rajasthan, India were subjected to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis to resolve its botanical history in relation to its terpenoid composition. The terpenoid suite was characterised by sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, and sporadic triterpenoids. The presence of sesquiterpenoids along with drimane, norcadalenes, cadalenes and their related compounds hint to higher plant input. High abundance of diterpenoids and their temporal universality imply a significant gymnosperm input. The diterpenoid-class of terpenoids, primarly comprises of conifer-derived abietane, phyllocladane, kaurane, pimarane/isopimarane and podocarpane-class compounds. It further point to Southern Hemisphere conifer families, Podocarpaceae and Araucariaceae. Exceptional void of phenolic abietane and labdane derivatives rule out the probability of Pinaceae as the source of these terpenes. A very low abundance of pentacyclic terpenoids like oleanane-derivatives suggest low angiosperm-derived terpenoid contribution. The average value of pristane/phytane in the realm, 1.7 indicated oxic to suboxic depositional setting. The values of ar -AGI (aromatic Angiosperm/Gymnosperm Index), t-AGI 1 and t-AGI 2 spans over 0.01 to 1, 0.009 to 1.23, and 0.002 to 0.34 respectively for the section. The research provided evidence of the occurrence of a tropical rainforest where conifers were a significant element or remained a refugia in the midst of emerging angiosperms as life stabilized in the Paleogene after the devastating Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary. [Display omitted] • First report of source-specific terpenoid biomarkers from Bikaner-Nagaur Basin, western India. • Abundance in gymnosperm-derived diterpenoids over angiosperm-derived triterpenoids in the organic matter. • A significant chemotaxonomic marker for Araucaria had been reported. • Clue to conifer elements (Podocarpaceae and Araucariaceae) in the Indian Paleogene rainforests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Globally, conifer dominance is restricted to nutient-poor habitats in colder, drier or waterlogged environments, probably due to competition with angiosperms. Analysis of canopy structure is important for understanding the mechanism of plant coexistence in relation to competition for light. Most conifers are shade intolerant, and often have narrow, deep, conical crowns. In this study it is predicted that conifer-admixed forests have less distinct upper canopies and more undulating canopy surfaces than angiosperm-dominated forests. Methods By using a ground-based, portable light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, canopy structure was quantified for old-growth evergreen rainforests with varying dominance of conifers along altitudinal gradients (200–3100 m a.s.l.) on tropical and sub-tropical mountains (Mount Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo and Yakushima Island, Japan) that have different conifer floras. Key Results Conifers dominated at higher elevations on both mountains (Podocarpaceae and Araucariaceae on Kinabalu and Cupressaceae and Pinaceae on Yakushima), but conifer dominance also varied with soil/substrate conditions on Kinabalu. Conifer dominance was associated with the existence of large-diameter conifers. Forests with higher conifer dominance showed a canopy height profile (CHP) more skewed towards the understorey on both Kinabalu and Yakushima. In contrast, angiosperm-dominated forests had a CHP skewed towards upper canopy, except for lowland dipterocarp forests and a sub-alpine scrub dominated by small-leaved Leptospermum recurvum (Myrtaceae) on Kinabalu. Forests with a less dense upper canopy had more undulating outer canopy surfaces. Mixed conifer–angiosperm forests on Yakushima and dipterocarp forests on Kinabalu showed similar canopy structures. Conclusions The results generally supported the prediction, suggesting that lower growth of angiosperm trees (except L. recurvum on Kinabalu) in cold and nutrient-poor environments results in a sparser upper canopy, which allows shade-intolerant conifers to co-occur with angiosperm trees either as emergents or as codominants in the open canopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We examined the recovery of Afrotemperate forest from colonial logging. [•] Historically logged forests do not converge on the composition of primary forest. [•] Primary forests were dominated by two conifer species (Podocarpaceae). [•] Long-lived pioneer angiosperms dominated the canopies of secondary forest. [•] Above-ground carbon was 2 to 3-fold higher in primary forest. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Slow growth rate limits the development of seedlings from the Podocarpaceae family. The extended photoperiod (EP) is well known to promote tree seedling growth, but it may also cause the possibility of nutrient dilution without a proper nutrient supply regime. Exponential fertilization (EF) has been proven to counter nutrient dilution within tree seedlings efficiently. However, no study has determined the response ofPodocarpusseedlings to the interaction of EF and photoperiod. We fed 13-month old Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus[Thunb.] D. Don) seedlings using EF applied at rates of 0 (control), 50 (E50), 100 (E100), and 150 (E150) mg nitrogen (N) seedling−1for 5 months, during which half of all seedlings were cultured in the natural photoperiod (NP) with the others exposed to EP. The longer photoperiod resulted in greater seedling height and biomass accumulation of Buddhist pine seedlings. Relative to NP, EP increased N content at the whole-plant level but decreased N concentration in the stem and root, which indicated the symptom of N dilution. However, both phosphorus (P) content and P concentration increased in response to the longer photoperiod. EF rates in the E100 and E150 treatments were evaluated to be the ‘sufficiency’ ones for both N and P in EP and NP, respectively. In conclusion, EP could stimulate the growth of Buddhist pine seedlings but caused N dilution within them at the same time, and photoperiod would change the nutritional response of these seedlings to EF. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We have generated matK, rbcL, and nrITS2 DNA barcodes for 320 specimens representing all 18 extant genera of the conifer family Podocarpaceae. The sample includes 145 of the 198 recognized species. Comparative analyses of sequence quality and species discrimination were conducted on the 159 individuals from which all three markers were recovered (representing 15 genera and 97 species). The vast majority of sequences were of high quality (B30 = 0.596–0.989). Even the lowest quality sequences exceeded the minimum requirements of the BARCODE data standard. In the few instances that low quality sequences were generated, the responsible mechanism could not be discerned. There were no statistically significant differences in the discriminatory power of markers or marker combinations (p = 0.05). The discriminatory power of the barcode markers individually and in combination is low (56.7% of species at maximum). In some instances, species discrimination failed in spite of ostensibly useful variation being present (genotypes were shared among species), but in many cases there was simply an absence of sequence variation. Barcode gaps (maximum intraspecific p–distance > minimum interspecific p–distance) were observed in 50.5% of species when all three markers were considered simultaneously. The presence of a barcode gap was not predictive of discrimination success (p = 0.02) and there was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of barcode gaps among markers (p = 0.05). In addition, there was no correlation between number of individuals sampled per species and the presence of a barcode gap (p = 0.27). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Podocarpium podocarpum (DC.) Yang et Huang (Leguminoseae) is a very important Podocarpium species with significant anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-pyretic activities, which has not yet been subjected to adequate phytochemical investigation. Objective: To isolate and identify bioactive compounds from P. podocarpum. Materials and methods: Ethanol extract of the whole plant of P. podocarpum was subjected to repeated column chromatography. Chemical structures of the compounds were identified by 1D, 2D-NMR spectra and MS data. Human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) and pancreatic carcinoma (PANC-1) cell lines were employed to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity of the isolated constituents at six concentrations (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0, 100.0 μg/ml). Results: A new phenylpropanoid glycoside, podocarioside A ( 1), together with four known compounds, ( E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-propoxyphenyl) acrylic acid ( 2), schizandrin ( 3), dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol ( 4) and dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol ( 5), were isolated from P. podocarpum. Compounds 1, 3 and 4 showed moderate cytotoxic against HeLa cells with IC50 values of 38.62, 8.64 and 5.85 μg/mL, respectively, while none exhibited toxicity against PANC-1 cells. Discussion and conclusion: This is the first report on the isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from P. podocarpum. In vitro cytotoxic assay of the isolated constituents establishes the potential of those components as antitumor agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the Transantarctic Mountains (TAMs), soils from the middle Paleozoic and from the Oligocene to the present have been examined. Soils representing other sections of the geologic column are missing, probably because of the low proportion of ice-free areas (0.35%) in Antarctica. The evolution of soils in Antarctica reflects changes in climate and geologic conditions as the continent became separated and increasingly isolated from Gondwana. A greenhouse climate existed during the middle Paleozoic; and an icehouse climate began in the early Oligocene. The climate of the TAMs has become increasingly hyper-arid since the middle Miocene. Humans have had a dramatic effect on the climate of the TAMs during the Anthropocene. The first forest soils (under Callixylon–Archaeopteris forest) on Earth, identified as Alfisols, were discovered in Antarctica and assigned to the middle Devonian. During the Permian, Dicroidium forests covered Entisols and Inceptisols. In the Oligocene, Nothofagus–Podocarpaceae forests contained Gelisols. Miocene-aged soils enriched in silt are common in the TAMs, but they tend to be poorly developed because they have been eroded. A soil evolutionary sequence exists in the TAMs from the Holocene through the Pliocene that includes Glacic Haploturbels on ice-cored Holocene drift, Typic Haploturbels on late Pleistocene surfaces, Typic Anhyorthels on middle Pleistocene surfaces, Salic Anhyorthels on early Pleistocene surfaces, and Petrosalic Anhyorthels on Pliocene surfaces. These changes reflect gradual sublimation of ice in ice-cored drift and ice-wedge polygons, a recovery of the surface from cryoturbation, accumulation of salts, and eventual development of a salt pan. Soils of the TAMs are undergoing rapid change as the climate warms, including loss of semi-permanent snowbanks, an expansion of the hyporheic zone, flushing of salts from soils along valley walls, and the development of thermokarst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fossil conifers from an early Miocene flora at Balcombe Bay near Melbourne, Australia, are described and illustrated. The most prominent elements are Araucaria balcombensis Selling emend. R.S.Hill and Dacrycarpus mucronatus P.M. Wells & R.S.Hill, and several other unidentified podocarp leaves are represented. Ovuliferous cones of D. mucronatus are described, along with isolated araucarian microsporophylls and podocarp pollen cones - both with pollen in situ. The floristic elements are similar to Eocene-Oligocene flora described from Tasmania, and indicate that these floras extended to now mainland Australia and persisted into the Miocene. They are indicative of a wetter and warmer climate than the present time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves from the Eocene Bournemouth Freshwater Beds of southern England assigned originally to the genus Podocar-pus L'Her. ex Pers. (Podocarpaceae) as Podocarpus eocenicus Unger-currently treated as Amentotaxus gladifolia (K. Ludwig) D.K.. Ferguson, Jahnichen & Alvin-are re-examined to assess their generic and familial status. Well-preserved cuticle on one specimen and its gross morphology, together with the morphology of other associated specimens suggests that they should be placed in Prumnopitys Philippi (Podocarpaceae), the long, lanceolate leaves resembling Pr. amara (Blume)de Laub. (=Sunda-carpus amarus (Blume) C.N. Page). Because the fossil taxon is consistent with the genus Prumnopitys and not with Amentotaxus gladifolia (Taxaceae), a new species, Prumnopitys anglica D.R. Greenw., C.R. Hill & Conran sp. nov., is proposed. Phylogenetic comparison with other Prumnopitys species suggests that/V. anglica is close to the extant Australasian species, Pr. amara but is still relatively isolated. The presence of Prumnopitys in the earliest Palaeocene of Asia and the Eocene of southern England supports the view that Podocarpaceae were an uncommon but distinctive component of Northern Hemisphere Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene floras before becoming largely extinct there in the Neogene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it has been speculated that seeds of the gymnosperm family Podocarpaceae have an underdeveloped embryo, no detailed studies have been done to definitively answer this question. Our purpose was to determine if embryos in seeds of two species of Podocarpaceae, Podocarpus costalis and Nageia nagi, from Taiwan are underdeveloped and to examine the kind of dormancy the seeds have. Embryos in fresh seeds of P. costalis were 4.6 ± 0.5 mm long, and they increased in length by about 54% before radicle emergence (germination), demonstrating that the embryo is underdeveloped at seed maturity. Seeds germinated to >90% at 30/20, 25/15 and 25°C in light in ≤ 4 weeks, without any cold stratification pretreatment. Thus, seeds of P. costalis have morphological dormancy (MD). Embryos in fresh seeds of N. nagi were 7.4 ± 0.8 mm long and they increased in length by about 39% before radicle emergence (germination) occurred, indicating that the embryo is underdeveloped at seed maturity. Seeds germinated to < 25% at 30/20 and 25°C in light in 4 weeks but to >90% at the same temperatures in 12 weeks. Thus, most seeds of N. nagi have morphophysiological dormancy (MPD). Although underdeveloped embryos are considered to be a primitive condition in seed plants, they also occur in the most advanced orders. The occurrence of underdeveloped embryos in Podocarpaceae documents that they are not restricted to a basal clade in gymnosperms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new glycine derivative, podocarpiamide ( 1), a new indole alkaloid, 1-methoxy-1 H-indol-3-ethanol ( 2), together with two known compounds, 1-methoxy-1 H-indole-3-acetic acid ( 3) and methyl 1-methoxy-1 H-indole-3-acetate ( 4), were isolated from the fermentation broth of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis podocarpi. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis including 1D- and 2D-NMR (HSQC, HMBC, and COSY) and MS experiments. Compound 1 has an interesting unusual carbamic acid structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nageia fleuryi (Hickel) de Laub. 1987 belongs to the genus Nageia in the family Podocarpaceae and is distributed throughout southeast Asia, including China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. It is a plant with high economic beneficial for food and construction industries. Here, we report on the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of N. fleuryi for the first time. The complete cp genome is similar to many gymnosperm plants, however, it lacks inverted repeat regions and does not possess a typical quadripartite structure. The complete cp genome is 133,870 bp in size and the overall guanine-cytosine (GC) content was found to be 37.27%. The total number of genes is 119, including 82 protein-coding genes, 33 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Of these, 14 genes contain one intron, two genes contain two introns, and rps12 possessed a trans-splicing mechanism. Finally, the phylogenic tree demonstrated that N. fleuryi is closely related to Nageia nagi (AB830885.1 and LC572156.1)., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Podocarpus macrophyllus was determined in this study. According to the results, the genome is 134,239 bp in length. The GC content of the whole chloroplast genome is 37.0%. The complete chloroplast genome of P. macrophyllus encodes a total of 120 genes, including 34 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes and 82 protein-coding genes. Like other conifers chloroplast genomes, P. macrophyllus has no inverted repeat sequences. To reveal the phylogenetic relationship of P. macrophyllus , we constructed phylogenetic trees using other species of Podocarpaceae, and the phylogenetic analysis showed that P. macrophyllus is evolutionarily closest to Podocarpus longifoliolatus ., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Abstract: The last 15,000 years of vegetation, fire and climate history were reconstructed from the Laguna Natosa Peat bog core (3600 m elevation) in the Páramo of Jimbura region in the Cordillera Real, close to the Peruvian border of southern Ecuador in the southernmost part of the Andean depression. The pollen record, dated by 5 radiocarbon dates, indicates that during the late Glacial (ca. 15,000–12,000 cal yr BP) a gradual expansion of mountain forest, restricting the páramo vegetation to small patches, and a shift of the forest line to higher elevation took place; reflecting an increase in temperature. However, a clear signal of the warmer Bølling/Allerød interstadial and the cooler Younger Dryas period, are not reflected in the record. During the transition from the late Glacial to the early/mid-Holocene (ca. 12,000–4800 cal yr BP), tree taxa such as Hedyosmum and Podocarpaceae are well represented, suggesting that the upper forest line, especially in the mid-Holocene, reached slightly higher elevations than at present. Hence, páramo vegetation was limited, indicating warmer climatic conditions for the early to mid-Holocene period than today. The late Holocene from 4800 cal yr BP until the present is characterized by higher occurrences of páramo taxa. During this period, the upper forest line shifted downwards giving room to the expansion of the páramo vegetation to its current size. Fire was rare during the late Glacial period but became more frequent after about 8000 cal yr BP, probably due to the dry event during the mid-Holocene and increased human activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chromosome numbers have been determined for plants of five species and one unnamed entity of Hydrocotyle, mostly from the Chatham Islands. The chromosome number of H. bowlesioides is reported for the first time, the numbers for H. heteromeria, H. microphylla and H. moschata agree with previously published counts from plants from the New Zealand mainland. Four chromosome races were found in H. robusta, this adds to the list of New Zealand endemic species that show intraspecific chromosome number variation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background and Aims Leaf and wood plasticity are key elements in the survival of widely distributed plant species. Little is known, however, about variation in stomatal distribution in the leaf epidermis and its correlation with the dimensions of conducting cells in wood. This study aimed at testing the hypothesis that Podocarpus lambertii, a conifer tree, possesses a well-defined pattern of stomatal distribution, and that this pattern can vary together with the dimensions of stem tracheids as a possible strategy to survive in climatically different sites. Methods Leaves and wood were sampled from trees growing in a cold, wet site in south-eastern Brazil and in a warm, dry site in north-eastern Brazil. Stomata were thoroughly mapped in leaves from each study site to determine a spatial sampling strategy. Stomatal density, stomatal index and guard cell length were then sampled in three regions of the leaf: near the midrib, near the leaf margin and in between the two. This sampling strategy was used to test for a pattern and its possible variation between study sites. Wood and stomata data were analysed together via principal component analysis. Key Results The following distribution pattern was found in the south-eastern leaves: the stomatal index was up to 25 % higher in the central leaf region, between the midrib and the leaf margin, than in the adjacent regions. The inverse pattern was found in the north-eastern leaves, in which the stomatal index was 10 % higher near the midrib and the leaf margin. This change in pattern was accompanied by smaller tracheid lumen diameter and length. Conclusions Podocarpus lambertii individuals in sites with higher temperature and lower water availability jointly regulate stomatal distribution in leaves and tracheid dimensions in wood. The observed stomatal distribution pattern and variation appear to be closely related to the placement of conducting tissue in the mesophyll. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil chronosequences provide an opportunity to examine the influence of long-term pedogenesis on the biomass and composition of associated tree communities. We assessed variation in the species composition of trees, saplings, and seedlings, and the basal area of adult trees, in lowland temperate rain forest along the Haast chronosequence on the west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The sequence consists of Holocene dune ridges formed following periodic earthquake disturbance and is characterized by rapid podzol development, including a marked decline in phosphorus concentrations, accumulation of a thick organic horizon, and formation of a cemented iron pan. Tree basal area increased for the first few hundred years and then declined in parallel with the decline in total soil phosphorus, consistent with the concept of forest retrogression. There were also marked changes in the composition of the tree community, from dominance by conifers on young soils to a mixed conifer-angiosperm forest on old soils. Although a variety of factors could account for these changes, partial Mantel tests revealed strong correlations between tree community composition and soil nutrients. The relationships differed among life history stages, however, because the adult tree community composition was correlated strongly with nutrients in the mineral soil, whereas the seedling community composition was correlated with nutrients in the organic horizon, presumably reflecting differences in rooting depth. The changes in the tree community at Haast are consistent with disturbance-related succession in conifer-angiosperm forests in the region, but the opposite of patterns along the nearby Franz Josef post-glacial chronosequence, where conifers are most abundant on old soils. The Haast chronosequence is therefore an important additional example of forest retrogression linked to long-term soil phosphorus depletion, and provides evidence for the role of soil nutrients in determining the distribution of tree species during long-term succession in lowland temperate rain forests in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: Three new terpenoids, 2α,16-dihydroxy-4β-carboxy-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-19-nor-totarol (1), nagilactone K (2), and 15-hydroxy phaseic acid (3), together with nine known compounds, were isolated from the leaves of Podocarpus gracilior. Their structures were determined by means of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy as well as by mass spectrometry analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Eight compounds, nagilactone C 7-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-d-xylopyranoside, nagilactone C 7-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-d-xylopyranoside, nagilactone C 7-O-β-d-xylopyranoside, nagilactone A 7-O-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-d-xylopyranoside, 2β,15S,16,17,19-pentahydroxy-isopimar-8(14)-ene 17-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 2β,15R,16,17,19-pentahydroxy-isopimar-8(14)-ene 17-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, 1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-4-hydroxycyclohexenyl)-1-hydroxy-buta-1-en-3-one 4-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and vitexin 2″-O-β-d-(-acetyl)-glucopyranoside together with 13 known compounds, were isolated from the leaves of Podocarpus elongatus. Structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy as well as by ESI mass spectrometry and chemical methods. The absolute configurations of the 15,16-diol moieties in two compounds were determined using Snatzke’s method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

* Premise of the study: Eocene caldera-lake beds at Laguna del Hunco (LH, ca. 52.2 Ma) and R í o Pichileufú (RP, ca. 47.7 Ma) in Argentine Patagonia provide copious information about the biological history of Gondwana. Several plant genera from these sites are known as fossils from southern Australia and New Zealand and survive only in Australasian rainforests. The potential presence of Dacrycarpus (Podocarpaceae) holds considerable interest due to its extensive foliage-fossil record in Gondwana, its remarkably broad modern distribution in Southeast Asian and Australasian rainforests, its high physiological moisture requirements, and its bird-dispersed seeds. However, the unique seed cones that firmly diagnose Dacrycarpus were not previously known from the fossil record. * Methods: I describe and interpret fertile (LH) and vegetative (LH and RP) material of Dacrycarpus and present a nomenclatural revision for fossil Dacrycarpus from South America. * Key results: Dacrycarpus puertae sp. nov. is the first fossil occurrence of the unusual seed cones that typify living Dacrycarpus, attached to characteristic foliage, and of attached Dacrycarpus pollen cones and foliage. Dacrycarpus puertae is indistinguishable from living D. imbricatus (montane, Burma to Fiji). Dacrycarpus chilensis (Engelhardt) comb. nov. is proposed for Eocene vegetative material from Chile. * Conclusions: Modern-aspect Dacrycarpus was present in Eocene Patagonia, demonstrating an astonishingly wide-ranging paleogeographic history and implying a long evolutionary association with bird dispersers. Dacrycarpus puertae provides the first significant Asian link for Eocene Patagonian floras, strengthens the biogeographic connections from Patagonia to Australasia across Antarctica during the warm Eocene, and indicates high-rainfall paleoenvironments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The development of protocols for the conservation of fungi requires knowledge of the factors controlling their distribution, diversity, and community composition. Here we compare patterns of variation in fungal communities across New Zealand''s Nothofagus forests, reportedly the most myco-diverse in New Zealand and hence potentially key to effective conservation of fungi in New Zealand. Diversity of leaf endophytic fungi, as assessed by culturing on agar plates, is assessed for three Nothofagus sp. growing in mixed stands from four sites. Host species was found to have a greater influence on fungal community assemblage than site. The leaf endophyte communities associated with Nothofagus solandri and Nothofagus fusca (both Nothofagus subgenus Fuscopora), were more similar to each other than either were to the community associated with Nothofagus menziesii (Nothofagus subgenus Lophozonia). The broad taxonomic groups isolated, identified on the basis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, were similar to those found in similar studies from other parts of the world, and from an earlier study on the endophyte diversity in four podocarp species from New Zealand, but there were few matches at species level. Average levels of endophyte species diversity associated with single Nothofagus species and single podocarp species were similar, despite historical literature and collection data recording more than twice as many fungal species on average from the Nothofagus species. The significance of these findings to fungal conservation is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The angiosperm radiation has been linked to sharp declines in gymnosperm diversity and the virtual elimination of conifers from the tropics. The conifer family Podocarpaceae stands as an exception with highest species diversity in wet equatorial forests. It has been hypothesized that efficient light harvesting by the highly flattened leaves of several podocarp genera facilitates persistence with canopy-forming angiosperms, and the angiosperm ecological radiation may have preferentially favoured the diversification of these lineages. To test these ideas, we develop a molecular phylogeny for Podocarpaceae using Bayesian-relaxed clock methods incorporating fossil time constraints. We find several independent origins of flattened foliage types, and that these lineages have diversified predominantly through the Cenozoic and therefore among canopy-forming angiosperms. The onset of sustained foliage flattening podocarp diversification is coincident with a declining diversification rate of scale/needle-leaved lineages and also with ecological and climatic transformations linked to angiosperm foliar evolution. We demonstrate that climatic range evolution is contingent on the underlying state for leaf morphology. Taken together, our findings imply that as angiosperms came to dominate most terrestrial ecosystems, competitive interactions at the foliar level have profoundly shaped podocarp geography and as a consequence, rates of lineage diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Podocarpus angustifolius is an endangered recalcitrant-seeded small tree, endemic to mountain rain forests in the central and Pinar del Río regions in Cuba. In this study, the germination patterns of P. angustifolius seeds were evaluated and the nature of the soil seed bank was determined. Using a weighted two-factor design, we analyzed the combined germination response to seed source (i.e. freshly matured seeds directly collected from trees versus seeds extracted from soil samples) and pretreatment (i.e. seed water-immersion for 48h at room temperature). Germination was delayed for four weeks (≈30 days) in all cases, regardless of both factors analyzed. Moreover, nine additional days were necessary to achieve high germination values (in the case of fresh, pretreated seeds). These results overall may indicate the existence of a non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy in P. angustifolius seeds. The water-immersion significantly enhanced seed germination, probably as a result of the hydration of recalcitrant seeds. Although germination of seeds extracted from soil samples was low, probably due to aging and pathogen effects throughout the time of burial, the study revealed the existence of a persistent soil seed bank (at least short-termed) of ≈42 viable seeds per m2 in the upper 10cm of soil. Such a record is noteworthy since references to persistent soil seed banks in recalcitrant-seeded species are scarce in the literature. The population consequences derived from the formation of persistent soil seed banks in this endangered species are discussed. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (3): 1061-1069. Epub 2011 September 01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical high mountain forests in Lore Lindu National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia, were described by their floristic composition and the importance of tree families (Family importance values, FIV), based on tree inventories conducted on 4 plots (each 0.24 ha) in old-growth forest stands at c. 1800 and 2400 m a.s.l. (mid- and upper montane elevations). To identify general patterns and regional peculiarities of the forests in the SE Asian and SW Pacific context, the biogeography of the tree species was analysed using distribution records. Out of the total of 87 tree species, only 18 species were found at both elevational zones. The discovery of new species and new distribution records (28% of the data set) highlights the deficiencies in the taxonomic and distribution data for Sulawesi. Sulawesi endemism rate was 20%. In the mid-montane Fagaceae-Myrtaceae forests, Lithocarpus spp. (Fagaceae) were overall important (4 spp. occupying around half of the total basal area) and the Myrtaceae the most species rich (8 spp.), thus showing typical features of Malesian montane forests. The upper montane conifer-Myrtaceae forest contained several high mountain tree taxa and showed affinity to the forests of New Guinea. The mountain flora comprised both eastern and western Malesian elements, with the nearest neighbouring islands Borneo and Maluku both sharing species with Sulawesi, reflecting the complex palaeogeography of the island. A separate analysis showed the mid-montane forest to possess greatest biogeographical affinity to Borneo/western Malesia, and the upper montane forest had a number of typical elements of Papuasia/eastern Malesia and the Phillipines, which may be a result of historical patterns in land connection and the emergence of mountain ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight species of Podocarpaceae foliage are recognised from the late Oligocene or early Miocene Newvale site, South Island, New Zealand, and the following five new species are described: two of Dacrydium Lamb. and one each of Dacrycarpus (Endl.) de Laub., Phyllocladus Rich. ex Mirb. and Halocarpus Quinn. The latter is the first macrofossil record of this New Zealand endemic genus. All these conifers, plus Agathis Salisb., Microcachrys Hook.f. and Podocarpus Pers., co-occurred in the local vegetation at Newvale. In conjunction with prior records of macrofossils and pollen, these fossils indicate that the late Paleogene to early Neogene conifer flora of New Zealand was very diverse, with all but one of the extant genera present, together with several regionally or globally extinct genera, and multiple species of many of these genera. This fossil diversity is similar to the Paleogene fossil conifer diversity observed in south-eastern Australia (and particularly Tasmania) and in parts of North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud forests of northern Mesoamerica represent the northern and southern limit of the contact zone between species otherwise characteristic of North or South America. Several phylogeographic studies featuring temperate conifer species have improved our understanding of species responses to environmental changes. In contrast, conifer species that presumably colonized northern Mesoamerica from South America are far less studied. A phylogeographic study of Podocarpus matudae (Podocarpaceae) was conducted to identify any major evolutionary divergences or disjunctions across its range and to determine if its current distribution is associated with pre-Quaternary climatic and/or long-distance dispersal events. Northern Mesoamerica (Mexico and Guatemala). Sixteen populations (157 individuals) of P. matudae were screened for variation at two plastid DNA markers. The intra-specific phylogenetic relationships among haplotypes were reconstructed using Bayesian inference. Population genetic analyses were undertaken to gain insight into the evolutionary history of these populations. To test whether genetic divergence among populations occurred at different time-scales plastid DNA sequence data and fossil- and coalescent-based calibrations were integrated. The combination of plastid markers yielded 11 haplotypes. Differentiation among populations based on DNA variation ( G) (0.707, SE 0.0807) indicated a clear population structure in P. matudae. Differentiation for ordered alleles ( N) (0.811, SE 0.0732) was higher than that for G, indicating phylogeographical structure in P. matudae. Most of the total variation (81.3%, P < 0.0001) was explained by differences among populations. The estimated divergence time between the unique haplotypes from a Guatemalan population and the two most common haplotypes from the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico was between 10 and 20 Ma, and further haplotype divergence in the poorly resolved clade of the Sierra Madre Oriental occurred between 3 and 0.5 Ma. Divergence estimations support the hypothesis that extant Podocarpus matudae populations are pre-Quaternary relicts. This finding is consistent with fossil and pollen data that support a Miocene age for temperate floristic elements in Mesoamerican cloud forests, whereas further haplotype divergence within the Sierra Madre Oriental, Chiapas and Guatemala occurred more recently, coinciding with Pleistocene cloud forest refugia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopic descriptions of the wood of the six species of Colombian Podocarpaceae were made. The studied species belong to the genera Podocarpus, Prumnopitys and Retrophyllum. Trees were selected from natural forests of the Andean region of central-west Colombia. From each tree, the basal portion of the trunk was collected and the anatomical characteristics of the wood were studied in microtome sections and macerated preparations. In general, there was remarkable uniformity in the characteristics of the six species, although some differences in quantitative traits were found. All of the species were characterized by the absence of axial and radial resin canals, predominantly uniseriate pits on the radial walls of the axial tracheids and the presence of pits on the tangential walls of the axial tracheids. The rays were composed solely of parenchyma cells, with end and horizontal walls smooth, uniseriate and occasionally biseriate, and with height from very low (up to four cells) to medium (5-15 cells). The cross-field pits were cupressoid in all species. Diffuse axial parenchyma with smooth transverse walls were present in five species, but absent in Prumnopitys harmsiana. The principal quantitative differences were found in axial tracheid length, pit size, number of pits per cross-field, ray height and axial parenchyma abundance. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, , 293-302. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To evaluate the importance of plant–soil feedbacks in forest ecosystems, it is fundamental to understand the spatial range within which plant species control soil physicochemical and microbial properties. We investigated the spatial pattern of soil properties associated with canopy trees in a tropical montane forest on Mt. Kianbalu, Borneo. We analyzed soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities (biomarker lipid abundance) as a function of soil depth and distance from the tree trunk of a conifer (Dacrydium gracilis) or a broadleaf tree (Lithocarpus clementianus). The concentration of condensed tannins and fungi-to-bacteria were higher beneath Dacrydium than beneath Lithocarpus. Furthermore, carbon-degrading enzyme activities were lower beneath Dacrydium. These effects of the tree species were more distinct on soil properties beneath the tree crown than on those outside the tree crown. These effects appeared to be largely due to differences in litter chemistry, and the distinct set of soil properties formed corresponding to the above canopy crown. In conclusion, the species-rich forest on the tropical mountain contains spatially distinct units of soil properties associated with canopy trees, and this spatial pattern can influence ecosystem dynamics in the forest through plant–soil feedback effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Dacrycarpus imbricatus is a vulnerable conifer in China whose geographical distribution encompasses large island but small mainland populations, providing a framework for contrasting the patterns of population genetic composition. In this study, seven populations on Hainan Island and the Chinese mainland were sampled throughout its distribution range and assessed using ISSR. The results did not show significant differences neither in genetic variation nor in genetic differentiation between the island and the mainland populations (P >0.05). Severe bottlenecks were identified at population, island/mainland as well as range-wide scales. A relatively high level of variation but a low degree of differentiation was revealed. Ecological and life traits were suggested to play main roles in the shaping of genetic variation pattern. Of them long generation times could have exerted a lagging effect on both the genetic variation and differentiation. Our findings may contribute to establish management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nomenclature of Podocarpus angustifolius Griseb. and P. aristulatus Parl., names applied to two taxonomically distinct Cuban species of Podocarpus sect. Pumilis (Podocarpaceae), is discussed. Both names are based on material collected by Charles Wright. The complexities of typifying names based on this collector's material are summarised, emphasising that material bearing the same "Wright number" cannot always be considered duplicate type material, Wright's numbers being distribution not collection numbers. In this particular case, the dioecy of Podocarpus further complicates matters because the original material of P. angustifolius at GOET, formerly regarded as a holotype, consists of two shoots of different sexes, plus detached seeds that are more mature than those on the mounted female shoot. We demonstrate that these three elements all have different provenances and must be regarded as syntypes. The name Podocarpus angustifolius Griseb. is lectotypified by the detached seeds at GOET, and a supporting epitype designated to fix the application of the name. Podocarpus aristulatus Parl. was based partly on the type of the earlier name P. angustifolius Griseb. of which Parlatore was unaware. However, Parlatore did not see all syntypes present in Grisebach's original material of that name; moreover his name P. aristulatus has been consistently applied to a taxonomically different entity from eastern Cuba, rather than western Cuba where the lectotype of Podocarpus angustifolius was collected. In order to maintain nomenclatural stability it is recommended that P. aristulatus be either lectotypified or conserved with a new conserved type. The latter option is favoured and a separate proposal to that effect is being published simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study investigates how estimated tree aboveground biomass (AGB) of tropical montane rain forests varies with elevation, and how this variation is related to elevational change in floristic composition, phylogenetic community structure and the biogeography of the dominant tree taxa. Location Lore Lindu National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Methods Floristic inventories and stand structural analyses were conducted on 13 plots (each 0.24 ha) in four old-growth forest stands at 1050, 1400, 1800 and 2400 m a.s.l. (submontane to upper montane elevations). Tree AGB estimates were based on d.b.h., height and wood specific gravity. Phylogenetic diversity and biogeographical patterns were analysed based on tree family composition weighted by AGB. Elevational trends in AGB were compared with other Southeast Asian and Neotropical transect studies ( n = 7). Results AGB was invariant from sub- to mid-montane elevation (309–301 Mg ha−1) and increased slightly to 323 Mg ha−1 at upper montane elevation. While tree and canopy height decreased, wood specific gravity increased. Magnoliids accounted for most of the AGB at submontane elevations, while eurosids I (including Fagaceae) contributed substantially to AGB at all elevations. Phylogenetic diversity was highest at upper montane elevations, with co-dominance of tree ferns, Podocarpaceae, Trimeniaceae and asterids/euasterids II, and was lowest at lower/mid-montane elevations, where Fagaceae contributed > 50% of AGB. Biogeographical patterns showed a progression from dominant tropical families at submontane to tropical Fagaceae ( Castanopsis, Lithocarpus) at lower/mid-montane, and to conifers and Australasian endemics at upper montane elevations. Cross-continental comparisons revealed an elevational AGB decrease in transects with low/no presence of Fagaceae, but relatively high AGB in montane forests with moderate to high abundance of this family. Main conclusions AGB is determined by both changes in forest structure and shifts in species composition. In our study, these two factors traded off so that there was no net change in AGB, even though there were large changes in forest structure and composition along the elevational gradient. Southeast Asian montane rain forests dominated by Fagaceae constitute important carbon stocks. The importance of biogeography and species traits for biomass estimation should be considered by initiatives to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) and in taxon choice in reforestation for carbon offsetting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first fossil record of the genus Nageia Gaertner from the Tertiary of southern China is reported. Nageia hainanensis sp. nov. is described from the Eocene Changchang Formation of Hainan Island. The extant species of Nageia are widely distributed in southeastern Asia, from northeastern India to southeastern China and southern Japan, and southward through Indochina to the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea. The fossil evidence of Nageia has been discovered from the Lower Cretaceous of the Far East of Russia and Japan. The distribution of both modern and fossil species of Nageia indicates that this genus could have originated in the northeastern part of Asia in the Early Cretaceous and spread to south China at least in the Eocene. Discovery of Nageia fossil record in south China provides important evidence for the geological and phytogeographic history of the genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Evolution of ancient lineages inhabiting austral latitudes of the southern Andes has taken place in response to historical processes occurring at distinct spatial and temporal scales. We tested the hypothesis that distribution patterns of genetic polymorphisms within Podocarpus nubigena Lindl. (Podocarpaceae) were shaped by contemporary events acting at local scales such as Quaternary glaciations as well as pre-Quaternary palaeogeographical features of the landscape. We predict that such cold hardy species was able to survive locally in refugia during ice ages. As a result of local long-lasting persistence, its gene pool may also reflect the pre-Quaternary palaeogeography of southern South America. We collected fresh leaves from 30 randomly selected individuals at 14 populations. Leaf tissue was analyzed by isozyme electrophoresis using 12 putative loci most of which (92%) were polymorphic in at least one population. Elevated total genetic diversity was recorded H T =0.275 which was similarly high throughout populations with an overall significant mean among-population isolation (F ST =18%). Multivariate cluster and Bayesian analyses yielded significant latitudinal divergence at 43°S associated to a palaeobasin that produced a barrier for gene flow. Populations south of 43°S and those growing in lowland areas on Quaternary substrates of the North Patagonian Massif (Q NPM) present the highest genetic diversity suggesting long-lasting persistence. In contrast, northern mountain populations on pre-Quaternary substrates (pre-Q NPM) hold reduced genetic variation due to altitudinal movements in response to climate shifts. We suggest that palaeogeography of southern South America in addition to Neogene glaciations have shaped the genetic makeup of such ancient lineage as Podocarpus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]