Evolution of Polyandry in Birds

Polyandry in which one female forms either simultaneous or sequentialpair bonds with more than one male is a rare vertebrate mateshipsystem. Prior to 1972 only two cases were known with certaintyamong birds. All other reports of polyandry were based on inadequateinformation. Recently, polyandry has been demonstrated in severaladditional species. Surprisingly, they all belong to the avianorder Charadriiformes. Comparisons of the existing polyandroussystems suggest that they can be arranged in a sequence thatleads through a series of relatively minor differences frommonogamy to simultaneous polyandry. Polyandrous species differ from species with other mateshipsystems in the following ways: females large, females more aggressive,egg or clutch size reduced, production of multiple clutches.Except in some sequential systems, the small, subordinate malesperform all incubation behavior and provide all parental carefor the chicks. In the Charadriiformes, polyandry has evolvedin conjunction with sex role reversal and with assumption ofincubation and parental behavior by the male. It is not clearwhy role reversal and parental behavior are related. The simplestforms of polyandry are in high-latitude birds, but the bestdeveloped forms are found in tropical species.     

形目15种鸟类线粒体ND6基因序列差异及其系统进化关系

采用PCR和质粒克隆测序方法 ,首次获得形目 15种鸟类线粒体基因组的ND6基因全长 5 2 2bp的序列。经对位排列 ,序列间未见有插入和缺失 ,共有 2 16个变异位点 ,种间序列差异为 5 17%～ 19 92 %。以白鹳为外群 ,用NJ法构建 15种鸟类的进化关系树。研究结果表明 :构建的系统树将形目 15种鸟类分为 2个支系。第 1支系包括蒙古沙、环颈、灰斑和反嘴鹬。第 2支系包括红脚鹬、林鹬、青脚鹬、翘嘴鹬、翻石鹬、大滨鹬、尖尾滨鹬、斑尾塍鹬、中杓鹬、大杓鹬和白腰杓鹬 ,其中鹬属的 3个种和杓鹬属的 3个种分别组成一个单系 ;翘嘴鹬和翻石鹬、大滨鹬和尖尾滨鹬分别聚为姊妹群 ,表现出较近的亲缘关系 ;斑尾塍鹬独立分支出来。分子证据提示 :鹬科中的塍鹬属、科中的斑属应提升为亚科分类阶元 ;反嘴鹬与科鸟类亲缘关系较近 ,组成一个单系 ,将其归入科下属的一个类群更为合理 ,与核型研究结果及Sibley新分类体系的观点相一致 [动物学报 49(1) :6 1～ 6 7,2 0 0 3]。     

Reproductive Biology of Phrynichus dhofarensis Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002 (Chelicerata, Amblypygi, Phrynichidae)

The Phrynichus deflersi species group is a well-defined group inhabiting the Arabian deserts and adjacent areas. The relationship of this group to other species of Phrynichus (the P. ceylonicus group) is obscure. The study of mating behaviour and spermatophore morphology of a member of the Phrynichus deflersi species group allows comparison with other species of Phrynichus and with Euphrynichus and evidence concerning the interrelationships of these three groups. Features of morphology, mating behaviour and spermatophore morphology of Phrynichus dhofarensis suggest that the P. deflersi species group and the P. ceylonicus species group are sister groups and that both (the genus Phrynichus) comprise the sister group of Euphrynichus. This conclusion remains tentative given that only two members of the P. ceylonicus species group and one of the P. deflersi species group have been studied. Mating success is quite variable, suggesting sexual selection.     

13种野生灵芝菌丝体中胞内三萜与多糖含量的比较

为探究不同野生灵芝的主要活性成分以及对野生灵芝的开发利用价值,对13种野生灵芝菌株在同一条件下进行液体发酵,采用化学分析的方法,比较菌丝体胞内三萜和多糖的含量差异。结果显示,13种灵芝菌株的三萜和多糖含量有很大差异,其中无柄紫灵芝Ganoderma mastoporum、亮盖灵芝G. lucidum和树舌灵芝G. applanatum的三萜含量较高;树舌灵芝G. applanatum、紫芝G. sinense和褐灵芝G. brownii的多糖含量较高。目前国内广泛栽培灵芝G. lingzhi的野生菌株发酵产物中的三萜和多糖含量并不是最高的,研究结果表明不同种类的野生灵芝还有进一步挖掘的潜在价值。     

根虫瘟霉和相关种的分类地位研究及其ITS核苷酸序列分析

根虫瘟霉是最常见的一种虫霉,寄主广泛,世界广布。目前有学者认为该种是个复合种。本研究对世界不同地区和不同寄主的根虫瘟霉及其近缘类群总计19个菌株,进行3个靶位点（ITS、LSU rDNA、RPB2）的分子系统发育学分析。结果显示,根虫瘟霉ITS长度较为保守性,介于1 321-1 324bp之间,而所研究的虫霉亚门的其他类群的长度范围较大,为556-1 654bp。本研究确认根虫瘟霉是单系种,同时西虫瘟霉、矛孢虫瘟霉和英吉利虫瘟霉具有明确种的分类地位。鬼笔状虫瘟霉种应该被视为西虫瘟霉的异名。     

The behavioural and morphological affinities of some vanelline plovers (Vanellinae: Charadrüformes: Aves)

The behavioural displays of six species of vanelline plover ( Vanellus , Charadriidae, Charadriiformes) in southern Africa and Israel were recorded in the field. Using those displays considered to be systematically useful, I compared the relationships between species using behavioural and morphological characters. In general, the relationships between species using behaviour and morphology were congruent. The placement of the blackwinged plover Vanellus melanopterus and lesser blackwinged plover V. lugubris in a superspecies (Snow, 1978) was not supported by either behavioural or morphological data. The superspecific status of the blacksmith plover V. armatus and spurwinged plover V. spinosus proposed by Snow (1978) was supported by both data sets examined here. The morphological data examined indicate that the two South American species, the Chilean lapwing V. chilensis and Andean lapwing V. resplendens , are more closely related to one another than to any other lapwing species, and are probably derived from the Old World blacksmith/spurwinged plover superspecies.     

黄土丘陵区刺槐群落林下物种分布对环境因子的响应

以吴起、安塞、米脂、宜川等地刺槐群落为对象,结合种群生态位宽度及土壤、海拔等环境因子探究刺槐林下物种分布特征及其影响因素,分析该地区刺槐林下物种分布对环境因子的响应机制,为黄土丘陵区刺槐林的管理提供科学依据.结果表明:在黄土丘陵区不同生长年限刺槐林中,分布较为广泛的物种有狗尾草、阿尔泰狗娃花、猪毛蒿、硬质早熟禾、茭蒿、苦荬菜、角蒿等.随刺槐生长年限的增加(10年至50年),林下物种优势种的分布更替依次为:茵陈蒿→硬质早熟禾→猪毛蒿→其他(茜草、悬钩子蔷薇等)→茭蒿→狗尾草.对刺槐林下物种分布影响较大的因子依次为土壤全磷含量(25.6%)>海拔(20.3%)>土壤全氮(19.3%).土壤有机碳含量、土壤全氮含量、土壤全磷含量、土壤含水量与刺槐林下物种的分布数量呈正相关,相关程度因种群不同而有所差异.坡向对刺槐林下物种的分布无明显影响.综上所述,地形与土壤因子在刺槐林下物种的分布中均占有重要地位,坡度越大,海拔越高,刺槐林下物种的分布种类越少.其次,土壤全磷含量和海拔是影响刺槐林下物种分布的重要环境因子.刺槐林下物种的分布是土壤养分状况的反映,对刺槐林的管理具有一定的指示作用.     

Potential for control of seedling blight of wheat caused by Fusarium graminearum and related species using the bacterial endophyte Bacillus mojavensis

Fusarium-infected wheat seed decreases germination, seedling emergence, and causes post emergence seedling death, and can contribute to wheat scab and ear rot of maize, with consequent production of mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol and zearalenone. Current seed treatments have proved ineffective in controlling seedling blight and scab. A patented endophytic bacterial strain, Bacillus mojavensis RRC 101, and several other strains of this species were studied to determine in vitro antagonism to some Fusarium species and to assess the potential of this bacterium to serve as an endophytic biocontrol for seedling blight of wheat produced by species within the F. graminearum complex, as well as other species of Fusarium. Seedling emergence and seed germination were two tests used as indicators of seedling blight. These tests were conducted in growth rooms with two wheat cultivars highly susceptible to scab, Norm and Pioneer 2552, and other cultivars with varying resistance to scab. The results indicated that all strains of this bacterium were antagonistic in vitro to the strains of F. graminearum and its seven related species, as well as four strains of F. pseudograminearum and the two strains of F. verticillioides. Germination of the highly scab susceptible cultivar 2552 was increased from 77 to 97% when planted in soil containing a mixed inoculum of F. graminearum and related species. Seedling emergence in the very susceptible wheat cultivar Norm increased from 20 to 82% when treated with the bacterium. The data indicated that inoculating wheat kernels with B. mojavensis reduced seedling blight of wheat produced by F. graminearum and related Fusarium species indicating the potential for this bacterium as a biocontrol under field condition.     

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of bacteria belonging to the Ochrobactrum-Brucella group by recA and 16S rRNA gene-based comparative sequence analysis

The genetic diversity and phylogenetic interrelationships among 106 Ochrobactrum strains (O. anthropi: 72, O. intermedium: 22, O. tritici: 5, O. oryzae: 2, O. grignonense: 2, O. gallinifaecis: 1, O. lupini: 2), the type strains of the eight Brucella species and other closely related taxa were studied by recA and rrs gene (16S rRNA) comparative sequence analysis. Both markers correctly delineated the various Ochrobactrum species; however, resolution at the subspecies level was considerably higher in the recA gene-based approach. Phylogenetic analyses using neighbor-joining, parsimony, and maximum likelihood algorithms generated trees with similar topologies but the overall branching order, and also the order of the subclades, were not stable in either assay, which could be explained by generally high recA and rrs sequence similarities. Ochrobactrum and Pseudochrobactrum formed separate clades distinct from other Alphaproteobacteria with Bartonella, Agrobacterium, and Rhizobium as the closest relatives. O. gallinifaecis was the most distinct member, when compared to the type species O. anthropi, with rrs and recA similarities of 96.2% and 81.4%. Brucella species were indistinguishable, exhibiting high rrs and recA gene similarities of 98.6% and 85.5% compared with Ochrobactrum intermedium. At the protein level, all RecA sequences among the various Ochrobactrum species and between Ochrobactrum and Brucella were highly similar with only a few amino acid substitutions. O. anthropi and O. tritici were indistinguishable by means of their RecA proteins. A set of initially biochemically classified strains did not cluster within their assigned species and they either grouped within other known species or grouped as potential novel Ochrobactrum species. In further investigations, these strains were reclassified and described as novel species. In summary, Ochrobactrum is a highly diverse genus comprising several novel species. We recommend recA- in addition to rrs gene-analysis for correct species allocation and subtyping of novel Ochrobactrum isolates.     

药用真菌桑黄的种类解析

桑黄的药用记载源自两千多年前的《神农本草经》中的「桑耳」,桑黄名称最早出自唐初甄权所著《药性论》。桑黄异于其他药用真菌之处是外观相似的种类多。两千年来多本古籍所记载之桑黄,乃不同人对于不同真菌种类的阐述,因为古代无能力研究显微特征以区分种类,亦无分子手段进行种类鉴定。现代桑黄的研究起于1968年日本学者发现桑黄的卓越抗癌能力。日、韩过去普遍以Phellinus linteus当作桑黄的拉丁学名。然而,中国学者在1998年发现P. linteus是中美洲的种类,亚洲并无分布。2012年发表真正的桑黄为新种Inonotus sanghuang,只长在桑树上。2016年发表桑黄及其相近种类属于新属：桑黄孔菌属Sanghuangporus,桑黄的拉丁学名因此改为Sanghuangporus sanghuang。桑黄孔菌属目前所知有14种,与生长的树种常具有专一性,只有桑树桑黄这一种长在桑树上。桑树桑黄的药理活性优于市售常见的杨树桑黄S. vaninii及暴马桑黄S. baumii。在中、日、韩广泛栽培的所谓桑黄子实体并非桑树桑黄,而是杨树桑黄（简称杨黄）。有鉴于桑树桑黄及杨树桑黄的优良保健功效及安全性,建议政府部门应尽早研究将这两种药用真菌收录于中国药典,纳入食品原料以及中药品,以促进民众健康和桑黄产业发展;并且应该明确规范这两种药用真菌产品的正确拉丁学名及中文名称。