Context. Mutualistic interactions between animals and plants shape the structure of plant-animal systems and, subsequently, affect plant-community structure and regeneration.Aims. To assess the effects of plant and rodent functional traits on the formation of mutualistic and predatory interactions regarding seed dispersal and predation in a warm-temperate forest.Methods. Seed scatter-hoarding and predation by six sympatric rodent species on seeds belonging to five sympatric tree species were tested under enclosure conditions. Key results. Functional traits (i.e. rodent body size and seed traits) are important to mutualism/predation in this seed-rodent system. The rodent-seed network is highly nested: large-sized rodents have mutualistic or predatory interactions with both large-and small-sized seed species, but small-sized rodents interacted with small-sized seed species only. Large seeds or seeds with hard coats enhanced mutualism and reduced predation.Conclusion. Body size of rodents and seed traits such as handling time and nutritional value are key factors in the formation of mutualistic and predatory interactions within seed-rodent systems.Implications. To promote seedling establishment in degenerated forests, introducing or protecting large-sized scatter hoarders and reducing the density of pure seed eaters are needed.Additional keywords: behavioural difference, plant-animal interactions, plant regeneration, seed dispersal.

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Chitosan was deacetylated and carboxymethylated to prepare O‐carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) for further electrospinning. CMC was characterized using FTIR, NMR, and chemical titration, indicating a degree of carboxymethylation of 51.4%. CMC was electrospun together with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to prepare membranes composed of nanofibers. The electrospinning conditions were optimized. The CMC/PVA membrane obtained at the conditions of 15.2 g/mL CMC 50 mL, 8 g/mL PVA 5 mL, 25 kV, and a distance of 23 cm, had nanofibers without beads, with diameters of 70–200 nm. The mats were crosslinked by glutaraldehyde before platelet adhesion measurement. The nanofibrous structure remained after crosslinking while the wettability decreased. CMC/PVA mats with higher CMC amount and fewer beads, had fewer adherent platelets and less platelets aggregation showing better hemocompatibility. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43565.

Bacterial cellulose was alkylated by alkyl halide in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimmidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) with NaH as the alkaline agent. The derivatives were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, elemental analyses, X-ray diffraction, and thermal gravimetric analyses. The resultant bacterial cellulose alkylated derivatives (BCADs) had a degree of substitution (DS) between 0.21 and 2.01. The effects of the alkylating agent, reactant amount, and temperature on the DS were investigated. BCADs with a butyl substituent had a higher DS than did those with ethyl or propyl groups. The crystallinity and thermal stability of the derivatives decreased after modification owing to the change in morphological structure.