单点交叉多子代遗传算法

在现有文献研究的基础上,对传统遗传算法作了进一步研究,依据生物进化理论,提出了一种单点交叉多子代遗传算法,并给出了多子代的产生方法.单点交叉多子代遗传算法所产生的子代个体数量与传统遗传算法相比明显增多,这样不但可增大产生更优秀个体的可能性,而且使得种群竞争更激烈,故可使传统遗传算法的性能得到更好的改善.4个测试函数的测试结果表明,本文给出的单点交叉多子代遗传算法比传统遗传算法的运算速度明显提高,迭代次数明显减少,从而验证了本文提出的单点交叉多子代遗传算法的有效性。     

围栏条件下母体密度应激对根田鼠 F1代性器官指数的影响

为探讨自然条件下母体密度应激对根田鼠F1代性器官指数的影响,通过在围栏内建立不同密度的母体种群获得相应的F1代个体,以此建立了不同密度的子代种群,并测定了母体种群建群者的血浆皮质酮含量,将建立子代种群后剩余的F1代个体带回实验室饲养.实验结束后,测定了全部F1代个体的性器官指数及皮质酮含量.结果表明,高密度母体种群建群者的皮质酮含量显著高于低密度母体种群建群者;出生于高密度母体种群的F1代个体处于高密度子代种群,其性器官指数显著低于出生于低密度母体种群且处于低密度子代种群的F1代个体,而皮质酮含量显著高于后者;出生于高密度母体种群的F1代个体处于低密度子代种群,其性器官指数及皮质酮含量与出生于低密度母体种群且处于低密度子代种群的F1代个体间无显著差异.此外,实验室饲养条件下,出生于高密度和低密度母体种群的F1代个体间的睾丸指数无显著差异.本研究结果说明,在根田鼠种群中,单一的母体密度应激对子代的性器官指数无影响,但生前应激子代在性成熟后,当再次遭遇密度应激时,其性器官指数显著降低,母体密度应激和当前环境对种群的未来繁殖能力具有耦合效应.     

长期冷藏对越冬代异色瓢虫繁殖及子代生长发育和捕食能力的影响

异色瓢虫被认为是一种重要的捕食性天敌,常被用来防治蚜虫、介壳虫、叶螨等害虫。为了更好地开发利用东北地区丰富的越冬代异色瓢虫自然资源,本研究调查了低温冷藏(3℃冷藏0,30,60,90,120,150 d)对吉林采集的越冬代异色瓢虫繁殖及其子代生长发育和捕食能力的影响。研究结果表明,经历90 d冷藏的瓢虫产卵量最大,明显高于冷藏60 d个体的产卵量,与冷藏120 d、150 d及未经冷藏个体的产卵量不存在明显差异;经历不同冷藏期的瓢虫与室内人工饲养种群子代具有相似发育历期(约16.0 d);而且长期冷藏也未对瓢虫子代幼期的捕食能力产生负面影响,冷藏150 d瓢虫的子代在整个幼虫阶段能捕食662.8头蚜虫,与未冷藏个体和人工饲养种群个体不存在明显差异。本研究为开发利用东北地区越冬代异色瓢虫自然资源的生物防治作用提供了理论依据。     

白背飞虱飞行能力的数量遗传机制

本文对白背飞虱飞行能力的数量遗传机制进行了初步研究。选型交配结果表明,白背飞虱的飞行能力由多基因控制。飞行持续时间的遗传力回归于父本与母本分别为0.1096±0.0401和0.0794±0.0416。上向选择长飞行种群的迁飞型频率不产生选择响应,飞行持续时间有一定的响应,但不显著。短飞行下向选择子代的飞行持续时间响应显著,而且迁飞型频率也产生一定的响应。可以预期持久的下向选择会使种群丧失飞行能力。     

围栏条件下母体社群应激对根田鼠子代免疫力的影响

为探讨自然条件下母体社群应激对根田鼠子代免疫力的影响,在野外围栏建立高密度和低密度根田鼠种群,将围栏出生的F1代幼体在室内饲养至性成熟后,测定其血清抗匙孔血蓝蛋白抗体的IgG水平、血液学参数和脾脏指数,以及种群建群者的血浆皮质酮含量.结果表明,高密度种群建群者的皮质酮含量高于低密度种群建群者.子代个体的各类血细胞的数量无差异.高密度种群子代的IgG含量低于低密度种群的子代,但脾脏指数高于后者.上述不同免疫参数结果相互印证说明,高密度种群引起的母体社群应激对子代免疫力有抑制作用.此外,本文探讨了母体应激效应的概念和生态学意义及其在种群调节中的作用.     

普通野生稻小种群的交配系统与遗传多样性

小种群的遗传动态是保育遗传学关注的核心问题之一,而种群遗传动态又与交配系统密切相关.普通野生稻(Oryza rufipogon Griff.)是具有重要经济价值的濒危物种,目前其种群规模都较小,研究其小种群交配系统与遗传变异性对普通野生稻的保护具有重要意义.运用7对SSR引物,对采自江西东乡普通野生稻小种群的36份种茎和其中20个家系共计601份子代进行了分析.结果显示:该种群的表观异交率为0.318,多位点法估计(MLTR)的多位点异交率为0.481;50%以上的子代共享亲本,非随机交配明显;东乡普通野生稻种群交配系统属于混合交配类型.比较亲本和子代种群的遗传变异性显示:子代种群比亲本种群遗传变异性更丰富;子代种群的杂合子不足与种群变小自交比例上升有关;而亲本种群杂合子过剩可能与杂合基因型的选择优势有关.这些结果说明创造条件扩大种群规模对普通野生稻的原生境保护显得尤为重要.     

根田鼠母体捕食应激对其子代运动及探究行为的作用

本文研究了根田鼠母体捕食应激对其子代运动及探究行为的作用。母体自妊娠中期至分娩期间,每天被短暂且重复地暴露给艾鼬。分娩后,对母体及其子代正常饲养。在子代性成熟后,分别测定其运动和探究行为。母体捕食应激显著降低子代的运动时间和频率。在探究行为中,母体捕食应激子代的探究潜伏期和探究时间均显著大于对照子代;其次,母体捕食应激雌性子代的探究次数显著小于对照。另外,个体的运动水平以及探究潜伏期和探究次数均存在性别差异。本研究结果表明,田鼠类母体捕食应激对其子代运动和探究行为有显著的抑制作用,由此可能对子代适合度,乃至种群波动产生负效应。     

母代越冬经历对中华通草蛉子代发育与繁殖的影响

【目的】为探究母代越冬经历对中华通草蛉Chrysoperla sinica子代生长发育、滞育诱导和繁殖能力的影响,【方法】采用年龄-龄期两性生命表方法研究了越冬初期(11月份)、越冬中期(1月份)和越冬末期(3月份)中华通草蛉自然越冬成虫其子代种群在25℃、光周期15L∶9D和9L∶15D条件下的生长发育及种群动态变化。【结果】长光周期(15L∶9D)下不同越冬时期对中华通草蛉子代的成虫前期并没有显著性影响,但越冬中期的子代成虫历期显著短于其他两个越冬时期;产卵前期以越冬中期子代显著高于其他两个越冬时期;单雌平均产卵量则以越冬末期显著高于越冬初期和越冬中期;内禀增长率、周限增长率和净增殖率均以越冬末期子代最高;平均世代周期以越冬中期子代最长。短光周期(9L∶15D)下中华通草蛉子代成虫历期以越冬末期最长,越冬初期次之,越冬中期最短;子代产卵前期以越冬初期最长,越冬中期次之,越冬末期最短;产卵历期以越冬末期最长;单雌平均产卵量以越冬末期最高;子代生命表参数变化趋势与长光照处理一致;子代种群存活率以越冬末期最高,越冬初期次之,越冬中期最低。【结论】相比越冬初期和越冬中期,越冬末期中华通草蛉子代种群表现出较强的增殖能力;短光周期可诱导中华通草蛉成虫滞育,产卵前期的长短可代表滞育深度,母代越冬经历对子代种群滞育诱导有一定的削减作用,母代越冬时间越长,削减作用越明显。     

UV-B长期胁迫对麦长管蚜子代种群动态的影响

为了探明UV-B长期辐射亲代麦长管蚜Sitobion avenae Fabricius后对其子代种群动态的影响。采用特定年龄生命表方法,设置不同强度(0,0.50,0.70 mW/cm~2)UV-B连续多代处理麦长管蚜成虫,统计麦长管蚜分别经历UV-B辐射一代,六代,十一代,十五代后其子代麦长管蚜存活率和繁殖力、繁殖参数、种群参数的变化。结果表明:(1)经UV-B处理亲代麦长管蚜后,其子代种群的内禀增长率r与周限增长率λ在低强度处理组各世代之间无显著差异,在高强度处理组各世代之间呈先上升后下降的趋势。(2)处理组麦长管蚜种群繁殖力F、净增殖率R_0、平均世代周期T、产卵天数和成蚜寿命均在G7代达到最大值,且与对照组无显著差异。(3)亲代麦长管蚜经UV-B胁迫处理后对子代种群的存活率影响显著。研究结论:亲代麦长管蚜经过不同代数的UV-B胁迫,可显著影响子代的生长发育与繁殖,且对处于不同世代的子代生态学指标产生不同影响。研究的创新点在于探究亲代麦长管蚜经历紫外胁迫后对其子代生长、发育与繁殖的影响,为逆境胁迫下蚜虫的生态遗传与进化机理提供理论依据。     

短时极端高温对松毛虫赤眼蜂成虫致死作用及子代适合度的影响

极端高温天气事件在高产作物种植区频繁发生,潜在影响了寄生蜂对害虫的防控能力.为明确短时极端高温对松毛虫赤眼蜂Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura成虫致死作用及子代发育适合度的影响,本研究模拟夏季田间最高气温,以42℃高温处理松毛虫赤眼蜂成蜂0.5h和1 h,统计并观测了各处理条件下母代蜂致死率、繁殖力、子代蜂寿命、羽化率、性比和畸形率.结果显示:短时高温对松毛虫赤眼蜂有致死作用,表现为雌、雄蜂直接死亡及子代羽化率降低.42℃处理1 h,雌、雄蜂死亡率分别为40.28％和58.25％.短时极端高温导致松毛虫赤眼蜂子代适合度降低,表现为雌蜂寿命缩短、繁殖力下降,子代蜂畸形率增加及子代蜂雄性比上升.结果表明,短时极端高温对松毛虫赤眼蜂适合度产生负面影响,降低种群数量.本研究为夏季田间释放松毛虫赤眼蜂提供重要理论依据.     

The adaptive significance of population differentiation in offspring size of the least killifish,Heterandria formosa

We tested the hypothesis that density‐dependent competition influences the evolution of offspring size. We studied two populations of the least killifish (Heterandria formosa) that differ dramatically in population density; these populations are genetically differentiated for offspring size, and females from both populations produce larger offspring when they experience higher social densities. To look at the influences of population of origin and relative body size on competitive ability, we held females from the high‐density population at two different densities to create large and small offspring with the same genetic background. We measured the competitive ability of those offspring in mesocosms that contained either pure or mixed population treatments at either high or low density. High density increased competition, which was most evident in greatly reduced individual growth rates. Larger offspring from the high‐density population significantly delayed the onset of maturity of fish from the low‐density population. From our results, we infer that competitive conditions in nature have contributed to the evolution of genetically based interpopulation differences in offspring size as well as plasticity in offspring size in response to conspecific density.     

Late stage deferral of parturition in the viviparous lizard Niveoscincus ocellatus (Gray 1845): implications for offspring quality and survival

The ability of viviparous lizards to defer parturition after completion of embryonic development is a potentially key strategy for enhancing offspring fitness. Using the spotted snow skink, Niveoscincus ocellatus , we investigated the ability of females to defer birth if placed into cold conditions at the same time, for 1, 2 or 3 weeks at the end of gestation. The ability to defer birth was compared between two populations at each end of the species' altitudinal range. We hypothesized that females from the high elevation population would be less likely to defer parturition under extended periods of poor conditions, thus ensuring that young were not born too late in the season. In all but the 3-week treatment group from the high elevation population, females were able to defer birth when placed under cold conditions: for all groups, there was no treatment effect on offspring phenotype at birth, dispersal distance or survivorship after release. However, there was a significant negative effect of treatment on offspring growth measured after release, with the results differing between the populations. Females from the high elevation population were less able to defer birth under long periods (3 weeks) of cold conditions, and this was accompanied by a decrease in viability of the offspring.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 90 , 735–746.     

Physiological effects on demography: a long-term experimental study of testosterone's effects on fitness

Understanding physiological and behavioral mechanisms underlying the diversity of observed life-history strategies is challenging because of difficulties in obtaining long-term measures of fitness and in relating fitness to these mechanisms. We evaluated effects of experimentally elevated testosterone on male fitness in a population of dark-eyed juncos studied over nine breeding seasons using a demographic modeling approach. Elevated levels of testosterone decreased survival rates but increased success of producing extra-pair offspring. Higher overall fitness for testosterone-treated males was unexpected and led us to consider indirect effects of testosterone on offspring and females. Nest success was similar for testosterone-treated and control males, but testosterone-treated males produced smaller offspring, and smaller offspring had lower postfledging survival. Older, more experienced females preferred to mate with older males and realized higher reproductive success when they did so. Treatment of young males increased their ability to attract older females yet resulted in poor reproductive performance. The higher fitness of testosterone-treated males in the absence of a comparable natural phenotype suggests that the natural phenotype may be constrained. If this phenotype were to arise, the negative social effects on offspring and mates suggest that these effects might prevent high-testosterone phenotypes from spreading in the population.     

Parasite Stress Predicts Offspring Sex Ratio

In this study, I predict that the global variation of offspring sex ratio might be influenced in part by the level of parasite stress. From an energetic standpoint, higher gestational costs of producing a male offspring could decrease male births in a population with limited resources. This implies that, any factor that limits the parental resources could be expected to favor female offspring production. Human sex ratio at birth (SRB) is believed to be influenced by numerous socioeconomic, biological, and environmental factors. Here, I test a prediction that parasite stress, by virtue of its effects on the general health condition, may limit the parental investment ability and therefore could influence the SRB at the population level. The statistical analysis supports this prediction, and show that the level of parasite stress has a significant inverse relation with population SRB across the world. Further, this relation is many-folds stronger than the association of SRB with other factors, like; polygyny, fertility, latitude, and son-preference. Hence, I propose that condition affecting ability of parasites (but not adaptive significance) could be a likely causal basis for the striking variation of SRB across populations.     

Offspring for the next generation: most are produced by small plants within herbaceous populations

Within crowded natural plant populations, the traditional prediction is that most of the offspring from which future generations are drawn will be contributed by the relatively few individuals belonging to the larger size classes. Yet, the extent to which this is true should depend on the extent to which the inevitably more numerous, but relatively small suppressed plants within the same population manage not only to survive suppression, but also to reproduce before death. We recorded the above-ground dry mass for mature reproductive plants from natural populations of 21 species of herbaceous angiosperms. The size distributions of these reproductive plants were all strongly right-skewed, and in every case, the vast majority of the estimated offspring production within the population was contributed by the three, four, or five smallest deciles of the plant size distribution. Our data suggest, in contrast with traditional theory, that most of the coexisting species within crowded vegetation are successful residents not because they are relatively large, but because they produce numerous descendants from numerous offspring that have ‘reproductive economy’—i.e. offspring with the ability, despite suppression to a very small size, to also produce offspring of their own for the next generation.     

Biased estimation of the recombination fraction using half-sib families and informative offspring

A maximum-likelihood method to estimate the recombination fraction and its sampling variance using informative and noninformative half-sib offspring is derived. Estimates of the recombination fraction are biased up to 20 cM when noninformative offspring are discarded. In certain scenarios, the sampling variance can be increased or reduced up to fivefold due to the bias in estimating the recombination fraction and the LOD score can be reduced up to 5 units when discarding noninformative offspring. Comparison of the estimates of recombination fraction, map distance, and LOD score when constructing a genetic map with 251 two-point linkage analyses and six families of Norwegian cattle was carried out to evaluate the implications of discarding noninformative offspring in practical situations. The average discrepancies in absolute value (average difference when using and neglecting noninformative offspring) were 0.0146, 1.64 cM, and 2.61 for the recombination fraction, map distance, and the LOD score, respectively. A method for simultaneous estimation of allele frequencies in the dam population and a transmission disequilibrium parameter is proposed. This method might account for the bias in estimating allele frequencies in the dam population when the half-sib offspring is selected for production traits.     

Indirect effects of human-induced environmental change on offspring production mediated by behavioural responses

Human-induced rapid environmental changes often cause behavioural alterations in animals. The consequences that these alterations in turn have for the viability of populations are, however, poorly known. We used a population of threespine sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus in the Baltic Sea to investigate the consequences of behavioural responses to human-induced eutrophication for offspring production. The investigated population has been growing during the last decades, and one cause could be increased offspring production. We combined field-based surveys with laboratory-based experiments, and found that an enhanced growth of macroalgae relaxed agonistic interactions among males. This allowed more males to nest, improved hatching success, and increased the number of reproductive cycles that males completed. Thus, the behavioural responses were adaptive at the individual level and increased offspring production. However, a larger proportion of small males of low competitive ability reproduced in dense vegetation. As male size and dominance are heritable, this could influence the genetic composition of the offspring. Together with a higher number of offspring produced, this could influence natural selection and the rate of adaptation to the changing environment. Thus, behavioural responses to a rapid human-induced environmental change can influence offspring production, with potential consequences for population dynamics and evolutionary processes.     

Optimal sex ratios in structured populations

In this paper, we develop a general method to determine evolutionary equilibrium sex ratios and to check evolutionary stability, continuous stability and invadability in exact genetic models with or without dominance. This method is then applied to three kinds of models for structured populations: the first one concerns Hamilton's LMC model, except that only a fraction beta of female offspring mate with male offspring born in the same colonies, while a fraction 1-beta mate with male offspring chosen at random within the whole population; in the second model, it is assumed that partial dispersal of inseminated females occurs after mating; in the third model, partial dispersal of male and female offspring occurs before mating. In the first model, the effect of population regulation is studied while, in the other models, two kinds of dispersal are considered: proportional and uniform.     

Transgenerational priming of immunity: maternal exposure to a bacterial antigen enhances offspring humoral immunity

Young vertebrates have limited capacity to synthesize antibodies and are dependent on the protection of maternally transmitted antibodies for humoral disease resistance early in life. However, mothers may enhance fitness by priming their offspring's immune systems to elevate disease resistance. Transgenerational induced defences have been documented in plants and invertebrates, but maternal priming of offspring immunity in vertebrates has been essentially neglected. To test the ability of mothers to stimulate the immune systems of offspring, we manipulated maternal and offspring antigen exposure in a wild population of birds, pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). We show that immunization of the mother before egg laying apparently stimulates a transgenerational defence against pathogens by elevating endogenous offspring antibody production. If the disease environments encountered by mothers and offspring are similar, this transgenerational immune priming may allow young to better cope with the local pathogen fauna.     

Estimates of direct and indirect effects for early juvenile survival in captive populations maintained for conservation purposes: the case of Cuvier's gazelle

Together with the avoidance of any negative impact of inbreeding, preservation of genetic variability for life‐history traits that could undergo future selective pressure is a major issue in endangered species management programmes. However, most of these programmes ignore that, apart from the direct action of genes on such traits, parents, as contributors of offspring environment, can influence offspring performance through indirect parental effects (when parental genotype and phenotype exerts environmental influences on offspring phenotype independently of additive genetic effects). Using quantitative genetic models, we estimated the additive genetic variance for juvenile survival in a population of the endangered Cuvier's gazelle kept in captivity since 1975. The dataset analyzed included performance recording for 700 calves and a total pedigree of 740 individuals. Results indicated that in this population juvenile survival harbors significant additive genetic variance. The estimates of heritability obtained were in general moderate (0.115–0.457) and not affected by the inclusion of inbreeding in the models. Maternal genetic contribution to juvenile survival seems to be of major importance in this gazelle's population as well. Indirect genetic and indirect environmental effects assigned to mothers (i.e., maternal genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects) roughly explain a quarter of the total variance estimated for the trait analyzed. These findings have major evolutionary consequences for the species as show that offspring phenotypes can evolve strictly through changes in the environment provided by mothers. They are also relevant for the captive breeding programme of the species. To take into account, the contribution that mothers have on offspring phenotype through indirect genetic effects when designing pairing strategies might serve to identify those females with better ability to recruit, and, additionally, to predict reliable responses to selection in the captive population.