Interference and exploitation components in interespecific competition between sympatric intertidal hermit crabs

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of interference and exploitation competition in shell partitioning between two hermit crab species (Pagurus criniticornis and Clibanarius antillensis). Field samples revealed that shells of the gastropod Cerithium atratum were the main resource used by both hermit crab species and that Pagurus used eroded or damaged shells in higher frequency than Clibanarius. The exploitative ability of each species was compared between species in the laboratory using dead gastropod (Cerithium) baits to simulate predation events and signalize newly available shells to hermit crabs. Pagurus reached the baits more rapidly than Clibanarius, but this higher exploitative ability did not explain shell utilization patterns in nature. Another experiment evaluated the dominance hierarchy between these two hermit crab species and revealed that Clibanarius was able to outcompete Pagurus for higher quality shells in agonistic encounters. This higher interference competitive ability of Clibanarius in relation to Pagurus may explain field observations. Nevertheless, Pagurus may be responsible to enhance shell availability to other hermit crab species that have lower ability to find and use newly available shells. Differently, the poorer condition of shells used by Pagurus, the higher ability of this species to attend gastropod predation events and its higher consumption rate by shell-breaking crabs (Menippe nodifrons) may increase its predation risks, thus revealing the disadvantages of such an exploitative competitive strategy for hermit crabs.     

虎杖象甲培植真菌营养特性及对菌丝附属物形成的影响

虎杖象甲培植共生真菌形成的共生体系是植菌昆虫菌业中的典型代表。共生真菌Penicillium herquei如何向虎杖象甲Euops chinensis提供营养尚未明确。本研究发现共生真菌P. herquei的菌丝表面存在大量瘤状凸起物及由凸起物衍生的附属丝等特化结构,该结构可能为虎杖象甲提供营养;对共生真菌的营养研究表明,共生真菌能高效利用山梨醇、蔗糖、海藻糖、葡萄糖等单糖或双糖,以及酪氨酸、甘氨酸、谷氨酰胺等昆虫非必须氨基酸,同时在高碳和最适碳源条件下有利于菌丝特化附属物的产生。研究结果不仅提供了植菌卷叶象甲菌业中共生真菌在营养方面的适应性进化证据,而且为进一步揭示共生真菌适应卷叶象甲的营养机制奠定了基础。     

共生真菌对兰科植物种间杂交后代种子萌发的效应

石斛属(Dendrobium)植物在种子共生萌发过程中与真菌有着较为专一的共生关系, 为探讨这种共生关系在种间杂交后代上的进化和适应, 深入理解兰科植物和真菌共生关系的形成机制, 该研究利用能有效促进铁皮石斛(Dendrobium officinale)和齿瓣石斛(D. devonianum)种子萌发形成幼苗, 并具有较强专一性的胶膜菌属(Tulasnella)真菌SSCDO-5和瘤菌根菌属(Epulorhiza)真菌FDd1, 开展真菌对铁皮石斛和D. tortile种间杂交种子萌发效应的研究。结果表明, 在真菌与种子共生培养68天时, SSCDO-5菌株和FDd1菌株都能有效地促进杂交种子形成原球茎和幼苗, 两个接菌处理之间无显著差异, 来源于铁皮石斛的SSCDO-5菌株不但没有表现出优势, 反而在杂交石斛幼苗形成率上低于来源于齿瓣石斛的FDd1菌株(SSCDO-5: (22.13 ± 6.62)%; FDd1: (29.53 ± 5.51)%); SSCDO-5菌株和铁皮石斛在幼苗形成和发育阶段的共生专一性并没有在杂交后代上得到遗传或表现, 或者说是杂交打破了这种专一性的共生关系, 使得杂交后代能够和不同的真菌建立新的共生关系。该结果不支持关于共生真菌专一性是石斛属植物杂交后代形成的重要限制因素的假设, 推测石斛属植物在幼苗分化和发育阶段与真菌这种专一性的共生关系是在适应特定生态环境的过程中形成和建立的。     

Infestation of the blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis by the copepod Pseudomyicola spinosus and its relation to size,density, and condition index of the host

The copepod Pseudomyicola spinosus infests marine mussels and other commercial bivalve species. There is a lack of information on the infestation process and on its relationship to size, density, and health of the host. To obtain this information, an infestation study of the copepod in Mytilus galloprovincialis in field conditions was carried out. Results showed that the intensity of infestation is closely related to host size [F((2,810))=198.33; p<0.001], but not to density [F((2,810))=0.96; p<0.38]. After an initial colonization of the host by the infested copepodite stages, an equilibrium between the intensity of the infestation and host size is maintained; mean intensity in small mussels was 1.57, in medium mussels it was 4.23, and in large mussels it was 9.86. Adult stages were observed after a period of 30 days, and ovigerous females were observed after a period of 45 days. Copepods may be found on the branches and mantle (89.5%) and inside the digestive tract (10.5%); in this last case and at the end of the study period some histological disorders were found such as obstruction of the intestine, rupture of the digestive epithelia, and encapsulations around digestive tissues. Most infested mussels showed the lowest meat weight in relation to shell weight; however, the reproductive stage may affect this observation.     

早期真菌与本土和外来松的菌根合成

为探讨早期真菌与本土和外来松树的共生特性,选用3种早期外生菌根真菌(环褐乳牛肝菌Suillus luteus、虎皮乳牛肝菌S. phylopictus和酒红蜡蘑Laccaria vinaceoavellanea)接种2种本地松(云南松Pinus yunnanensis、华山松P. armandii)和2种外来松(P. greggii、P. maximartinensis),并对接种后的侵染率、菌根特征和松苗株高等进行测量和分析,结果显示：6个月后,2种乳牛肝菌与4种松均能形成菌根,华山松与2种乳牛肝菌的亲和性最好,酒红蜡蘑仅能与2种外来松P. greggii和P. maximartinensis形成菌根,且菌根合成成功率仅为14.3%。此次合成的10种菌根组合均为首次报道,其中同一种真菌与不同松形成的菌根在形态和解剖特征上较为接近。3种真菌对宿主生长的促进作用因树种而异,整体上外来松苗的生长速率要快于本土松苗;华山松苗虽然菌根感染率最高,但生长效应却均不明显。研究认为：孢子接种对乳牛肝菌、蜡蘑等早期真菌的菌根合成研究是一种经济有效的手段;外生菌根真菌可能对外来树种具有更为重要的作用,与本土树种相比,外来树种与外生菌根真菌在能否形成菌根、菌根形成时间以及对宿主的生长效应等方面存在差异,需要开展进一步深入的相关研究。     

Suitability of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) instars for the parasitization by Encarsia bimaculata and Eretmocerus sp. nr. furuhashii (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) on glabrous and hirsute host plants

The host instar preferences of Encarsia bimaculata and Eretmocerus sp. nr. furuhashii parasitizing Bemisia tabaci and their development on four host plants, collard, eggplant, cucumber and tomato, were studied in the laboratory. Both of the parasitoids accepted all nymphal stages of B. tabaci, but E. bimaculata preferred third and fourth instars while Er. sp. nr. furuhashii preferred second and third instars under both choice and no choice conditions. Regardless of host stage parasitized, adults of parasitoids emerged only from fourth instars. When given the simultaneous choice of all instars, E. bimaculata reduced parasitization of first and second instars (3.73 and 4.76%, respectively) while increasing parasitization of third and fourth instars (5.44 and 6.93%, respectively), in contrast Er. sp. nr. furuhashii increased its parasitization of second and third instar nymphs (1.27 and 3.17%, respectively) and decreased that of first and fourth instars (7.0 and 3.06%, respectively). Host plants did not significantly influence instar preference for either parasitoid. Developmental periods of both the parasitoids from egg to adult emergence were longest when first instars were parasitized and shortest when fourth instars were selected. Parasitoid developmental time was generally shorter on glabrous plants than on hirsute plants.     

网隙裂粉韧革菌不同生长时期转录组分析

网隙裂粉韧革菌Amylostereum areolatum是松树蜂Sirex noctilio携带并传播的共生真菌,与松树蜂之间存在严格的互利共生关系,其正常生长发育是松树蜂完成生活史的关键因子之一。为研究该共生菌生长发育的相关机制,我们对共生菌菌丝最大生长速率前期（7d）和后期（12d）样本进行转录组测序,在转录水平上分析差异表达基因在共生菌生长发育中的功能。结果显示,两个不同生长时期共有差异基因2 425个,其中在共生菌最大生长速率前期样本中上调的基因有946个,下调的有1 479个。Nr注释和GO功能富集分析结果表明,共生菌最大生长速率前期的差异表达基因主要与碳水化合物代谢、蛋白质合成以及水解酶活性相关。Pathway富集分析表明,差异表达基因显著富集在糖酵解/糖异生代谢通路上,并且这些基因在共生菌最大生长速率前期的样本中显著上调,表明其可能在网隙裂粉韧革菌的生长发育中发挥重要作用。通过分析两个不同生长时期共生菌基因的表达情况,挖掘参与共生菌生长发育的关键基因,旨在为探索松树蜂与其共生菌的互利共生机制提供理论基础。     

海南热带雨林国家公园不同植被类型的大型真菌多样性

为揭示海南热带雨林国家公园大型真菌多样性及不同植被类型对真菌群落的影响, 本研究于2020年和2021年湿季对海南热带雨林国家公园内7个管理局辖区开展了大型真菌多样性调查, 比较了不同植被类型(山地雨林、低地雨林、低地雨林次生林、人工林)的大型真菌生活型(共生型、腐生型)组成差异。从设置的58条1 km长的样带内采集到1,869份子实体标本, 根据子实体形态与ITS rDNA序列分析, 从中鉴定出562种真菌, 涉及17目64科174属, 其中80%以上的物种由伞菌目、牛肝菌目、红菇目、多孔菌目、鸡油菌目、锈革孔菌目和炭角菌目构成。大型真菌的营养型以腐生型(占48.2%物种)和共生型(44.8%)为主。每条样带的平均物种丰富度和多度以中海拔的山地雨林最高, 分别为28 ± 5种和33 ± 6个, 而人工林最低, 分别为11 ± 1种和11 ± 2个。植被类型主要影响共生型大型真菌物种丰富度(P = 0.026)和子实体多度(P = 0.019)及Shannon-Wiener多样性(P = 0.028), 但对腐生型大型真菌的影响并不显著。多响应置换过程(multiple response permutation procedure, MRPP)检验结果表明, 不同植被类型对共生型与腐生型大型真菌群落物种组成均有显著影响(腐生型: P = 0.004, 共生型: P = 0.041)。冗余分析(redundancy analysis, RDA)的结果表明, 植被类型对腐生型和共生型真菌群落物种组成差异的解释度均较低(共生型: R² = 0.068, P = 0.004; 腐生型: R² = 0.067, P = 0.004)。海拔仅对腐生型真菌群落物种组成产生微弱影响(R² = 0.029, P = 0.001), 而对共生型真菌影响不显著(R² = 0.024, P = 0.072)。在不同保护地之间, 共生型(R² = 0.148, P = 0.001)与腐生型(R² = 0.123, P = 0.002)真菌物种组成均具显著差异; 基于样带‒真菌矩阵的网络图显示, 海南热带雨林国家公园内尖峰岭、霸王岭、五指山等国家级自然保护区的山地雨林是共生型大型真菌多样性较高区域, 应作为共生型真菌与宿主的优先保护区域。     

Aspects of Marker/Reporter Stability and Selectivity in Soil Microbiology

Based on several experiences of microbial release using genetically modified Rhizobium leguminosarum, we have highlighted a number of aspects related to the suitability of introduced markers such as resistance to mercury and β-galactosidase activity, the latter serving the function of high-expression level reporter gene obtained by the introduction of a synthetic promoter conferring strong inducible expression in Gram-negative bacteria. In vitro expression and in vivo performances of the chosen examples have been followed in model strains comparing gene dosage and expression levels. The technical possibility of unambiguously monitoring the marked GMM has been evaluated in medium- and long-term experiments carried out both in microcosms and soil, also including the presence of the plant symbiotic host. Marker stability, regardless the nature of the gene, was shown to be dependent on the location of the genetic modification and on its degree of gene expression regulation. Reporter strength was found to be an advantage allowing the distinction of marker-bearing bacterial while negatively affecting their genetic stability. Plasmid-borne regulated reporters were found to be stable up to the stages of rhizosphere colonization, but were more critically selected against upon symbiotic host invasion.