A multi-locus plastid phylogenetic analysis of the pantropical genus Diospyros (Ebenaceae), with an emphasis on the radiation and biogeographic origins of the New Caledonian endemic species

We aimed to clarify phylogenetic relationships within the pantropical genus Diospyros (Ebenaceae sensu lato), and ascertain biogeographical patterns in the New Caledonian endemic species. We used DNA sequences from eight plastid regions (rbcL, atpB, matK, ndhF, trnK intron, trnL intron, trnL-trnF spacer, and trnS-trnG spacer) and included 149 accessions representing 119 Diospyros species in our analysis. Results from this study confirmed the monophyly of Diospyros with good support and provided a clearer picture of the relationships within the genus than in previous studies. Evidence from phylogenetic analyses suggests that Diospyros colonized New Caledonia multiple times. The four lineages of Diospyros in New Caledonia also differ in their degree of diversification. The molecular data indicate that one lineage is paleoendemic and derived from an ancient Australian species. The other three lineages are more closely related to several Southeast Asian species; two of them are neoendemics, and one has radiated rapidly and recently.     

Does individual variation in fruit profitability override color differences in avian choice of red or white <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ilex serrata</Emphasis> fruits?

Although avian color preferences have been studied and documented in controlled experiments, they have not been demonstrated under natural conditions in most cases. We hypothesized that avian fruit choice reflects intraspecific variation in fruit characteristics other than color, rather than fruit color differences. By planting one Ilex serrata Thunb. (red form) and one I. serrata forma leucocarpa Beissner (white form), which produce red and white fruits, respectively, at each of five points, we examined the proportion of fruits removed per tree and fruit choice by three avian species based on fruit color and other fruit characteristics. The proportion of fruits removed increased with pulpy sugar concentration and fruit diameter, but it did not differ between fruit colors. The main foragers, resident brown-eared bulbuls Hypsypetes amaurotis, consumed fruits regardless of color, but correspondingly to fruit removal, and appeared to base their fruit choice on pulpy sugar concentration and fruit diameter rather than on color. In contrast, the minor foragers, migrant Daurian redstarts Phoenicurus auroreus (Pallas) and Siberian bluechats Tarsiger cyanurus (Pallas), tended to choose red fruits and were possibly attracted by them. In conclusion, fruit removal per tree reflected individual variation in fruit profitability more strongly than differences in fruit color, even though the individual variation was not remarkable. The importance of color in fruit choice differed based on species, residency status, and major/minor foragers.     

国产柿属(Diospyros)的叶表皮形态研究及其分类学意义

为了解柿属(Diospyros)植物的叶表皮特征,在光学显微镜下观察了46种2变种植物的叶表皮微形态特征,并进行了主成分分析。结果表明,柿属植物的叶表皮微形态可分为2组：A组的表皮细胞为不规则形,垂周壁浅波状或深波状;B组的表皮细胞为多边形,垂周壁平直或弓形。气孔全部位于下表皮,以无规则型为主,但同时有辐射型、环列型和十字型气孔存在。大多数种具有表皮毛,表皮毛有非腺毛和头状腺毛的区别。柿属植物的叶表皮微形态特征类型多样,能够为部分类群的分类提供较好的形态学证据。     

Differential plating medium for quantitative detection of histamine-producing bacteria.

A histidine-containing agar medium has been devised for quantitative detection of histamine-producing bacteria that are alleged to be associated with scombroid fish poisoning outbreaks. The responsible bacteria produce a marked pH change in the agar, with attendant color change of pH indicator adjacent to the colonies, thus facilitating their recognition. Proteus morganii and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the two most common histidine-decarboxylating species isolated from scombroid fish and mahi mahi.     

13种竹类植物的果实形态特征

对9属13种竹类植物的果实形态特征进行了观察和描述,并对果实形态指标(包括带稃长、带稃宽、带稃长宽比、去稃长、去稃宽、去稃长宽比以及千粒质量)进行了方差分析和变异系数( CV)分析。结果表明：13种竹类植物果实均为基本型颖果,外带内、外稃,果皮质薄不开裂;外稃顶端多数不具芒;果实多具明显的腹部纵沟槽;稃片颜色多呈灰褐色、黄褐色、棕色、灰色或灰绿色;成熟果实颜色多为棕色、棕黑色、棕红色、黄棕色、灰色、灰褐色、黄褐色、黑褐色或褐色;果实形状基本为椭圆形类、卵圆形类和长圆柱形类。供试13种竹类植物间的果实带稃长、带稃宽、带稃长宽比、去稃长、去稃宽、去稃长宽比以及千粒质量均有极显著差异,并且这7个指标的种间CV值分别为34.60%、28.19%、54.63%、21.22%、27.96%、38.19%和57.38%,但各指标的种内CV值明显小于其种间CV值。综合分析结果显示：果实竹类植物果实外稃顶端是否具芒、稃片颜色、稃片对果实的包裹程度、稃片长度与果实长度的关系、去稃果实形状、成熟果实颜色、腹部纵沟槽是否明显和花柱是否宿存等特征可作为竹类植物属和种分类的参考依据;其中,果实千粒质量、带稃长宽比和去稃长宽比较果实长和宽更适合作为竹类植物种的分类依据。此外,13种竹类植物中,刚竹属( Phyllostachys Sieb. et Zucc.)刚竹组( Sect. Phyllostachys)的毛竹﹝Phyllostachys edulis ( Carr.) J. Houz.﹞、淡竹( P. glauca McClure)和乌哺鸡竹( P. vivax McClure)的果实形态极其相似,均具有较长的宿存花柱,明显异于其他竹类植物的果实,可将此特征作为刚竹属种类的识别特征之一。     

极小种群植物川柿叶绿体基因组特征与系统发育分析（附录）

川柿(Diospyros sutchuensis)为极小种群和国家重点保护野生植物,分布范围狭窄,种群数量极少。目前,川柿基因组信息缺乏,在柿属(Diospyros)中的系统亲缘关系不明确。该研究通过Illumina平台对川柿叶绿体基因组进行测序,应用Getorganellev1.7.3.4和PGA软件对基因组进行组装和注释,使用DnaSP6.12.03软件进行多序列对比分析,并使用REPuter、Tandem Reapeats Finder和MISA软件进行重复序列分析,使用CodonW1.4和EasyCodemL软件分别进行密码子偏好性和选择压力分析。同时,基于4个不同的叶绿体基因组序列数据集,使用IQtree软件分析川柿与11个柿属物种的系统发育关系。结果表明:(1)川柿叶绿体基因组全长157 917 bp,包含1对26 111 bp的反向重复区、大单拷贝区(87 303 bp)和小单拷贝区(18 392 bp),GC碱基含量为37.4%。(2)川柿叶绿体基因组共注释到113个基因,包括79个蛋白编码基因、30个tRNA基因和4个rRNA基因; 共检测到49个长重复序列、27个串联重复序列和34个简单重复序列; 蛋白编码基因中高频密码子31个,多数密码子末位碱基为A或U,编码亮氨酸的密码子使用最多; 基因组编码区比非编码区更为保守,10个高变热点区域可作为潜在的分子标记; 蛋白编码基因中有8个基因(ndhB、ndhG、ndhI、rbcL、rpoB、petB、petD、rps12)受到正选择压力。(3)系统发育分析显示,川柿与老鸦柿(D. rhombifolia)和乌柿(D. cathayensis)亲缘关系最为密切,它们与海南柿(D. hainanensis)共同形成一个单系分支。该研究结果既为川柿及柿属种质资源鉴定、遗传多样性保护以及种群恢复等提供了叶绿体基因组资源,也为阐明川柿的系统进化提供了重要的分子信息。     

广州市可食用植物色彩特点及造景应用

以广州地区常见的200种(含变种、变型和品种)可食用植物为材料,对植物不同部位呈现的颜色以及不同季节色彩分布情况进行统计分析,总结可食用植物在色彩方面的特点及局限。其中,可食用植物叶、茎色以绿色为主,花、果色丰富。以色彩理论为基础,对可食用植物进行种植搭配实验,归纳相应的植物色彩搭配策略。策略包括三个方面,针对可食用植物叶色特点,提出绿色调可食用植物搭配策略;针对可食用植物色彩丰富度的差异,提出多部位色彩组合策略;针对植物时间维度的色彩分布差异及衔接空缺,提出持续的色彩植物搭配建议。     

Assessing the Success of Restoration Plantings in a Temperate New Zealand Forest

The success of restoration plantings in restoring indigenous forest vascular plant and ground invertebrate biodiversity was assessed on previously grass-covered sites in the eastern South Island, New Zealand. The composition and structure of grassland, three different aged restoration plantings (12, 30, and 35 years old), a naturally regenerating forest (100 years old), and a remnant of the original old-growth forest of the area were measured. The restoration plantings are dominated by the native tree Olearia paniculata, which is not indigenous to the study area. Despite this, indigenous forest invertebrate and plant species are present in all three restoration sites and with increasing age the restoration sites become compositionally more similar to the naturally regenerating and mature forest sites. In particular the regenerating vegetation of the restoration sites is very similar floristically to the regenerating vegetation of the naturally regenerating and mature forest sites, despite marked differences in the current canopy vegetation reflecting the presence of the planted O. paniculata. The presence of regeneration in all three restoration sites indicates that the functional processes that initiate regeneration, such as dispersal, are present. The majority of regenerating tree species (71%) are bird dispersed and it is clear that birds play an important role in the recolonization of plant species at these sites despite the absence of edible fruit attractive to frugivorous birds on O. paniculata, a wind-dispersed species. The strong correlations between plant and invertebrate community composition and study-site age (r = 0.80, ?0.24, ?0.68 for plants, beetles, and spiders, respectively) suggest that the restoration site plant and invertebrate communities are undergoing change in the direction of the naturally regenerating and mature forest communities. Without restoration, colonization of grassland by forest plants is very slow in the study area and the restoration plantings studied here have been successful because they have considerably accelerated the return to forest at these sites.     

Changes in fish assemblages in catchments in north‐eastern Spain: biodiversity,conservation status and introduced species

1. North‐eastern Spain is a hot spot for the introduction of alien fish species, and its native fish fauna is one of the most endangered worldwide. We used an extensive data set from 2002 to 2003 and historical information from the area to characterize fish diversity and establish conservation priorities in river catchments. 2. Diversity indices were used to characterize fish diversity at the basin scale. An index of conservation status was applied for each species, which considers the occurrence, abundance and endemicity of each taxon. We used indirect ordination methods to test the relationship among basin features and to identify those variables most correlated with each other. To identify physical, biotic and environmental characteristics that seem to make a basin particularly susceptible to invasion, we performed a step‐wise multiple regression to examine the relationship between the number of native, translocated and introduced fish species (including the original native species richness of each basin), and landscape variables. 3. Over a period of approximately 50 years, the mean range size of native fish species has decreased by 60%. The greatest decline occurred in Gasterosteus gymnurus, Anguilla anguilla and Salaria fluviatilis, for which species over 75% of the original distribution area has been lost. The species with the highest conservation index were Gasterosteus gymnurus and Salaria fluviatilis. 4. Basin area and the catchment type explained 70% of variation in native species richness, whereas the number of dams and basin area accounted for more than 80% of variation in the number of introduced species. 5. The original native species richness and the number of introduced species at basin scale were not related, and thus there was no evidence of “biotic resistance” to invasion. The restoration of natural hydrologic processes and the development of specific management tools to protect native species, such as the prioritization of areas for fish conservation and the eradication of local populations of exotic species, are required to restore native fish fauna in these catchments.     

桂西壮族文化与植物多样性保护的关系

为深入了解壮族文化多样性与植物资源利用和保护的互动共存状况,采用资料查阅、访谈及实地调查等方法,对桂西壮族不同方面的文化习俗与植物资源利用的关系进行了分析。结果表明:桂西壮族在地域文化、色彩文化、饮食文化和民俗文化等方面均与植物关系密切。用植物命名的自然村有108个,涉及79属88种植物且多数种类具有经济用途;染色植物有17科21属22种,其中茜草科(Rubiaceae)、爵床科(Acanthaceae)和菊科(Asteraceae)种类相对较多;常见的食用野菜有13科31种,以菊科种类最多(12种),唇形科(Lamiaceae)和伞形科(Apiaceae)种类也占一定比例,且食用部位和食用方法多样。民歌中涉及的植物有260多种,多数种类是日常生活中常见的植物,其中包括野菜植物24种、野果植物11种、染料植物7种以及部分药用植物。研究结果显示:壮族文化中的地域文化、色彩文化、饮食文化、民俗文化以及植物崇拜和乡规民俗等对当地的植物资源保护有重要作用,但也受到多种因素的影响,据此提出了相关的植物资源保护和可持续发展对策。     

北部湾雷州近海春、夏季鱼类群落结构初探

根据2005年4月、7月和8月在北部湾雷州近海进行的渔业资源刺网和底拖网调查,对该海域春、夏季鱼类群落结构进行了初步研究.结果表明,银鲳(Stromateoides argenteus)是当地绝对的优势种,其它鱼类优势种随区域和季节有着较大的差异.分别计算了北部湾雷州近海春、夏季鱼类生物多样性指数的种类丰度指数(R)、多样性指数(H')、均匀度指数(J').聚类分析表明该水域鱼类群落结构存在一定程度的时空异质性,但空间异质性不如时间异质性明显.此外,不同群落中的鱼类呈现出不同的生态型特征.同时部分结果表明,在不同网具的调查下,有的结果会出现较大变化.     

Resource use by howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in the rain forest of Los Tuxtlas,Veracruz, Mexico

The feeding preferences of howler monkeys at their northernmost distribution in the Neotropics are reported for an annual cycle. A remarkable selectivity for 27 species representing 15 families was observed. The Moraceae and Lauraceae plant families were the most important in the diet. The howlers spent an almost equal proportion of their feeding time eating leaves and fruit, and displayed a marked preference for young leaves and mature fruit. The consumption of different plant parts was markedly seasonal and the howlers’ ranging behavior was closely associated with the availability of young leaves and mature fruit. Their home range was unusually large (ca. 60 ha) for howlers and the food species exploited occur at very low densities (93%, ≤ 4 ind/ha). They chose food items richer in protein and energy. Alkaloid compounds, present in some of the leaves, play a secondary role in their dietary selectivity.     

Communication about potentially harmful foods in free-ranging chacma baboons,Papio ursinus

Marked avoidance responses to fruit drugged with cynalin, viewed in this investigation as a potentially harmful food, were observed during attempts at trapping some free-ranging Chacma baboons,Papio ursinus. The sub-adults and juveniles displayed the most interest to the fruit, but in most cases they were threatened away by the high ranking male. Eventually the fruit was ignored altogether which suggested that social communication behaviour manifested in a network of threat-avoidance responses by conspecifics is highly adaptive to a baboon troop because it is a more efficient and safer means of assessing the quality of edible items than is individual experience. Different findings were reported byFairbanks (1975) in an investigation involving some free-ranging red spider monkeys,Ateles geoffroyi, and some captive pig-tailed macaques,Macaca nemestrina. This investigator was unable to find evidence that social communication was used to assess food quality in these two species. The difference in findings of these two investigations are explained by assuming that selective pressures which place premiums on social food quality assessment are stronger among primates who exploit more open habitats with a wider variety of food resources than with primates living in more restricted areas where food variety is limited to only a few staples. This research was supported in part by a Graduate Research Scholarship from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.     

Quantitative sampling of fishes in a simple system: failure of conventional methods

In a capture-mark-recapture fish density estimate carried out in a small freshwater pond in southern Ontario, Canada, a lift net and minnow traps were used as catching gear. Both worked well for initial captures, but most recaptures were in the traps. Density estimates within reasonable confidence limits were possible for only two species, creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) and common shiner (Notropis cornutus). The other 13 species present were either missed entirely or not captured or recaptured sufficiently so estimates for them were inadequate. Subsequent collection of fishes after rotenone poisoning verified the estimates for the two species, if the size selectivity of the gear and the possible effects of marking and limitations of collecting after poisoning were considered.     

Life history responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daphnia longispina</Emphasis> to mosquitofish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gambusia holbrooki</Emphasis>) and pumpkinseed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepomis gibbosus</Emphasis>) kairomones

In the present study, the effect of chemical cues from two fish species (mosquitofish and pumpkinseed), at different concentrations, was tested in life history experiments with Daphnia longispina. The two fish species used represent the most abundant planktivores of many Mediterranean shallow lakes (SW Europe), where the indigenous fish communities have been replaced by such exotic assemblages. Results have shown a similar response of D. longispina to both fish species: kairomones stimulated daphnids to produce more offspring, which resulted in higher fitness (r), relatively to a fishless control. Fish presence also induced an earlier first reproduction, a smaller size at maturity of daphnids, and the production of smaller-sized neonates. Significant correlations with fish concentration (indirect measure of fish kairomone concentration) were found for size at maturity and neonate size, for both fish species. These results are in accordance to the “positive response” observed by other authors, which represents a defence mechanism to face losses caused by fish predators. The chemically mediated size reduction of mature females and neonates is an adaptive response to the size-selective predation exerted by fish. Pumpkinseed introduction is very recent in the lake of origin of the daphnids used in the experiments and its kairomone produced similar effects to mosquitofish in the life history of D. longispina. These results are contrary to the existence of a species-specific kairomone and support the hypothesis of a general fish kairomone. Guest editor: Piet Spaak Cladocera: Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Cladocera     

Fruit Traits in Baboon Diet: A Comparison with Plant Species Characteristics in West Africa

Primate fruit choice among plant species has been attributed to different morphological plant and fruit characteristics. Despite a high abundance of animal-dispersed plant species in the savanna–forest mosaic of West Africa, few data are available on the interplay between morphological fruit traits and primate fruit consumers in this ecosystem. We tested whether olive baboons (Papio anubis) at Comoé National Park, north-eastern Ivory Coast, prefer fruit species with particular characteristics relative to the availability of these traits among the woody plant species at the study site. Specifically we were interested in the suites of traits that best predict fruit choice and seed handling by baboons. The baboons ate fruit/seeds from 74 identified plant species, representing 25 percent of the regional pool of woody plant species. They preferred trees to shrubs and lianas as fruit sources. Otherwise, baboons seemed to consume whatever fruit type, color, and size of fruit and seeds available, though they especially included larger fruit into their diet. Against expectations from the African bird–monkey fruit syndrome of brightly colored drupes and berries, baboons ate mostly species having large, dull-colored fruit. Fruit type and color best described whether baboons included a species into their diet, whereas fruit type and seed size best predicted whether baboons predated upon the seeds of their food plant species. As most plant species at the study site had medium-sized to large fruits and seeds, large frugivores like baboons might be particularly important for plant fitness and plant community dynamics in West African savanna–forest ecosystems.     

基于图像识别技术的金针菇表型高通量采集与分析

金针菇Flammulina filiformis作为国内产销量大、工厂化生产程度高的食用菌种类之一,其育种工作因表型信息采集效率低下而受到限制。本研究以金针菇子实体可见光图像为信息来源,基于育种工作对表型信息的需求,利用图像识别技术和深度学习模型,提出了金针菇高通量表型信息采集分析方法,并开发了相应分析系统软件。利用该套方法结合金针菇子实体的可见光扫描图像,可以自动化大批量计算金针菇子实体的菌盖形状、面积、着生位置、颜色和菌柄长度、宽度、颜色等表型信息。本研究提出的金针菇表型采集与分析方法操作便捷,能大幅减少观测误差,提高表型信息可靠性,提升育种工作效率,可一定程度上应用于其他外形相近的食用菌或作物育种工作;同时获得的数据有助于金针菇表型信息的定量化分析和标准化表型数据集的建立。     

Sustainable fruit-body formation of edible mycorrhizal <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tricholoma</Emphasis> species for 3 years in open pot culture with pine seedling hosts

Three edible mycorrhizal mushrooms, Tricholoma portentosum, T. saponaceum, and T. terreum, that had formed ectomycorrhizas with Pinus densiflora seedlings in vitro, were maintained in open pot culture for 3 years under laboratory conditions. Tricholoma portentosum and T. saponaceum produced fruit bodies several times. For T. terreum, which produced a single fruit body in the third year, this is the first report of mushroom production under controlled conditions. Morphological observation of fruit bodies indicated that they were mature, i.e., well-organized cap, stem, and gills, and basidiospores. These results suggest that cultivation of these three edible Tricholoma mushrooms is feasible.     

A candidate gene approach identified phytoene synthase as the locus for mature fruit color in red pepper (Capsicum spp.)

Abstrat  The color of mature pepper fruit is determined by the composition of carotenoids. The fruit color of red pepper is genetically determined by three loci, y, c1, and c2. We have been developing a genetic map of hot pepper using RFLP and AFLP markers in the F₂ population of an interspecific cross between Capsicum annuum cv TF68 and Capsicum chinense cv Habanero. The color of the ripe fruit of TF68 is red and Habanero is orange. The red color is dominant over orange in the F₁ and the locus controlling this character has been marked in our SNU Linkage Group 7. To identify the gene or markers tightly linked to the red/orange locus, several candidate genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway, namely FPS, GGPS, PSY, PDS, LCY and CCS, were examined. One of the candidate genes, phytoene synthase, cosegregated completely with fruit color in the F₂ population. QTL analysis of the pigment content of F₂ individuals quantified by HPLC also indicated that phytoene synthase is the locus responsible for the development of fruit color. The color, pigment content and genetic behavior of Habanero also suggest that phytoene synthase may be responsible for the c2 gene discriminating between red and orange cultivars. Received: 15 March 2000 / Accepted: 16 August 2000