美洲龟甲轮虫的分类特征及与我国热带地区常见龟甲轮虫的比较

美洲龟甲轮虫Keratella americana Carlin,1943年被认为主要分布在美洲地区,但陆续报告在其他地区有出现。2015年在对华南地区浮游动物调查时发现,星云湖、抚仙湖、百色水库及飞来峡水库中均出现该种类。检测了广西百色水库中龟甲轮虫的COⅠ序列,与已知美洲龟甲轮虫序列相似度高达98%。中国该龟甲轮虫种群与墨西哥美洲龟甲轮虫种群间差异度为2%,进一步确定为美洲龟甲轮虫。文章描述了美洲龟甲轮虫形态及生境,使用扫描电镜法比较了美洲龟甲轮虫、螺形龟甲轮虫Keratella cochlearis（Gosse,1851）、热带龟甲轮虫Keratella tropica（Apstein,1907）及无棘龟甲轮虫Keratella tecta（Gosse,1851）的咀嚼器。美洲龟甲轮虫主要特点为:背甲长度远大于宽度,侧中棘刺短于侧棘刺,背甲中央最后一个板块未封闭,向后棘刺延伸。4种龟甲轮虫咀嚼器主要区别在于砧基的形状,美洲龟甲轮虫砧基比其他3种轮虫发达,螺形龟甲轮虫砧基似“T”形,热带龟甲轮虫砧基为扇形,无棘龟甲轮虫平直。种间的砧基存在明显差异,可作为热带地区龟甲轮属的分类依据。     

植物防御策略及其环境驱动机制

植物与环境长期相互作用和生存竞争的过程中,为了抵抗不利环境,形成了一套完整的防御体系。植物一方面通过改变形态结构作为机械/物理防御策略,另一方面则在生理生化做出响应作为化学防御策略。在化学防御中,植物主要以次生代谢物及防御性酶等作为抵抗和响应病原菌、植食动物以及非生物环境胁迫的重要生化基础,而常以叶脉网络结构、茎/叶韧性、硬度及其纤维素、半纤维素和木质素含量等来增强机械防御能力。本文从机械防御和化学防御两个角度评述了植物的防御体系,并从生物侵害、气候因素和资源分配3个方面综合评述了植物防御策略及其环境作用机制。从植物防御角度出发,可以更深层次地理解和发掘植物与环境的内在联系并提供新的思路,为全面认识植物区域环境适应、抗虫种质资源选育以及科学营林等相关研究提供参考。     

萼花臂尾轮虫多态性及形态型转化

在实验室条件下研究了萼花臂尾轮虫3种形态型(双短侧棘刺、单短侧棘刺和无侧棘刺)个体之间的关系。从轮虫的培养水体中随机挑出若干3种形态型雌体的幼轮虫(龄长<24h),分别培养在正常培养液和晶囊轮虫培养液过滤液中。将实验轮虫的后代(F1代)置于200倍显微镜下检查其个体的形态型。实验结果表明,在正常培养液中,每种形态型轮虫个体都可以产生3种形态型的后代。当培养在晶囊轮虫培养液过滤液中时,这3种形态型轮虫的后代都具有2个显著增长的侧棘刺。此外,这3种形态型个体的轮虫能够共存于同一培养环境中,而且每种形态型个体的轮虫都具有3种生殖类型的雌体。由此推测萼花臂尾轮虫是一个由3种基础形态型个体组成的形态型轮虫复合体。     

萼花臂尾轮虫多态性及形态型转化

在实验室条件下研究了萼花臂尾轮虫3种形态型(双短侧棘刺、单短侧棘刺和无侧棘刺)个体之间的关系。从轮虫的培养水体中随机挑出若干3种形态型雌体的幼轮虫(龄长<24 h)，分别培养在正常培养液和晶囊轮虫培养液过滤液中。将实验轮虫的后代(F1代)置于200倍显微镜下检查其个体的形态型。实验结果表明，在正常培养液中，每种形态型轮虫个体都可以产生3种形态型的后代。当培养在晶囊轮虫培养液过滤液中时，这3种形态型轮虫的后代都具有2个显著增长的侧棘刺。此外，这3种形态型个体的轮虫能够共存于同一培养环境中，而且每种形态型个体的轮虫都具有3种生殖类型的雌体。由此推测萼花臂尾轮虫是一个由3种基础形态型个体组成的形态型轮虫复合体。     

长江口轮虫生物多样性特征分析

长江口径流在南北支分布不均导致北支盐度高于南支,因此南北支之间生物群落存在一定差异。2010年在长江口分支前的江段和南北支设置5个断面,开展轮虫生态研究。分支前的太海汽渡断面处共采集到轮虫9种,隶属6科8属,其中优势种为没尾无柄轮虫、暗小异尾轮虫、萼花臂尾轮虫等;长江口南支2个断面共采集轮虫20种,隶属于6科12属,南支优势种为暗小异尾轮虫、盘状鞍甲轮虫和蹄形腔轮虫;长江口北支2个断面共采集轮虫11种,隶属于7科10属,北支优势种为舞跃无柄轮虫、没尾无柄轮虫和盘状鞍甲轮虫。南支轮虫种类、密度、多样性都高于北支,南北支的轮虫群落相似度较低。轮虫与水域环境因子相关性分析显示,盐度的差别影响了轮虫种类组成、密度和空间分布。     

流溪河水库敞水区轮虫多样性与群落的动态特征

流溪河水库是位于北回归线上的大型峡谷型供水水库,于2013—2014年对该水库敞水区轮虫群落及其环境因子进行观测,分析敞水区轮虫多样性与群落动态特征。流溪河水库介于贫营养到中营养水平之间,丰水期(5月—9月)的总磷、透明度均高于枯水期(10月—4月),两年的总磷的平均值为0.019mg/L,透明度为2.55m。两年共检出轮虫40种,单月检出物种数波动范围为8—19种,月均检出轮虫13种。螺形龟甲轮虫、真翅多肢轮虫、沟痕泡轮虫和胶鞘轮虫是主要优势轮虫。2013、2014年轮虫年均总丰度分别为68.9、66.9个/L,两年物种丰富度在丰水期大于枯水期,但枯水期轮虫群落Simpson多样性指数均大于丰水期。采用Bray-Curtis距离测度群落之间的相异性,计算表明两年的枯水期轮虫群落之间的平均距离均大于丰水期,即丰水期时轮虫群落相似性较高,枯水期时轮虫群落变异较大。丰水期的水温和水质参数的变化相对稳定,种类的优势度更为明显,导致丰水期群落之间更为相似。主成分分析表明,无柄轮属、胶鞘轮属、多肢轮属、异尾轮属、泡轮属、晶囊轮属和皱甲轮属的主要种类的全年分布有较大的差异,而其余多数轮虫种类全年分布差异较小,反映了我国南亚热带地区水温全年变幅小,可维持较多的全年性种类共存。群落的方差解析与RDA分析表明,相对于生物与化学变量,物理环境变量主导了流溪河水库敞水区轮虫群落的变异,就单个变量而言,水温和食物是影响流溪河水库敞水区轮虫群落结构的重要因素,降雨则是影响轮虫群落结构变异的宏观因素。绝大多数轮虫为滤食性的,处于食物链底端,个体小、生活史短,轮虫群落在对环境因子变化的响应上与浮游植物具有相似性。     

温度对矩形龟甲轮虫生命表统计学参数和形态特征的影响

应用单个体培养方法研究了温度(10℃、15℃、20℃和25℃)对双后棘刺、单后棘刺和无后棘刺矩形龟甲轮虫的净生殖率、内禀增长率、世代时间、平均寿命和后代混交率等生命表统计学参数以及后代体长、体宽、前中棘刺长、左右两前侧棘刺长、左右两后棘刺长、后棘刺数目等形态参数的影响.结果表明,各生命表统计学参数和后代形态参数在3种形态型轮虫间的差异因温度的不同而异,它们对温度升高的反应也因轮虫形态型的不同而异.温度显著影响轮虫的内禀增长率、世代时间、平均寿命和后代所有的形态参数(P＜0.05);形态型显著影响轮虫后代的体长、前中棘刺长和左右两后棘刺长(P＜0.05),但对轮虫的生命表统计学参数均无显著影响(P＞0.05);而温度和形态型的交互作用显著影响轮虫的世代时间和后代的形态参数(P＜0.05).3种形态型轮虫间,双后棘刺轮虫后代的体长(122.1±0.6μm)显著短于无后棘刺和单后棘刺轮虫后代的体长(分别为126.3±0.7μm和125.1±0.7 μm),前中棘刺长(32.5±0.3 μm)显著长于无后棘刺和单后棘刺轮虫后代的前中棘刺长(分别为31.l±0.3μm和30.8±0.3μm),左后棘刺长(31.2±1.0μm)和右后棘刺长(32.3±0.9 μm)均与单后棘刺轮虫后代的(分别为29.5±0.8 μm和31.5±0.6 μm)相似,但显著短于无后棘刺轮虫后代(分别为36.7±1.5 μm和37.3±1.6μm).矩形龟甲轮虫后代的棘刺长、体宽和体长之间的关系也受温度和形态型的影响.     

影响培养轮虫的因素及对策

简述了水生浮动物轮虫的形态结构、繁殖和生活史,以及培养轮虫的意义,阐明了在轮虫的培养中,温度,pH值,饵料的种类及密度,光照,氨和二氧化氮等因素,对轮虫卵和种群生长的影响及其对策,结合当前水产养殖现状,对培养轮虫的发展前景谈了几点想法。     

小型湖泊水生植物栽培对轮虫群落结构的影响

为了解水生植物栽培对水环境及轮虫群落结构的影响,于2015年10月至2016年9月,对广州市暨南大学校园两个小型湖泊——明湖和南湖进行了周年调查.明湖无水生植物生长,南湖3—10月有水生植物轮叶黑藻生长,其中6—9月为植物旺盛生长时期.调查发现: 两湖共记录轮虫50种,分属于23个属,其中臂尾轮属、异尾轮属和腔轮属种类较多,均有8种.明湖记录轮虫32种,南湖记录39种. 明湖优势种主要有广布多肢轮虫、暗小异尾轮虫和微型多突轮虫;南湖优势种主要有螺形龟甲轮虫、爱德里亚狭甲轮虫和囊形腔轮虫.明湖轮虫丰度在2015年10月最高,达到3790 ind·L^-1,2016年3月最低,为854 ind·L^-1.南湖轮虫丰度在2015年11月最高,达到3555 ind·L^-1,2016年1月最低,为977 ind·L^-1.相似性分析表明,明湖与南湖水体轮虫群落结构差异显著,其中螺形龟甲轮虫为两湖群落结构差异贡献率最高的物种,其次为广布多肢轮虫.冗余分析表明,明湖轮虫群落结构主要受总磷、叶绿素a、水温的影响;南湖水生植物旺盛生长期,轮虫群落结构受总磷、温度、叶绿素a、深度的影响较大,优势种为底栖的无棘鳞冠轮虫、爱德里亚狭甲轮虫和囊形腔轮虫;水生植物开始生长时期主要受总氮和透明度的影响,优势种为浮游的广布多肢轮虫和等棘异尾轮虫;而无水生植物生长期主要受pH和溶解氧的影响较大,优势种亦为浮游性种,广布多肢轮虫、裂痕龟纹轮虫等.水生植物生长可有效降低N、P营养盐浓度,改善水质,增加空间异质性,支持更多轮虫种类生存,对水域生态系统的稳定具有重要作用.     

四种臂尾轮虫rDNA16S-23S基因间隔区的序列测定与分析

轮虫是一类小型无脊椎动物,在水生态系统中具有重要的作用。有关轮虫的分类,以往的研究手段主要局限于传统的外部形态和内部特征的比较。       

Bdelloid Rotifers (Rotifera, Bdelloidea) as a Component of Soil and Land Biocenoses

Morphological, physiological, and ecological adaptations of bdelloid rotifers (phylum Rotifera, class Bdelloidea) to the conditions of soil and land biocenoses are described. The morphological structures, obligate parthenogenesis, and anhydrobiosis allowed these rotifers to colonize various semiaquatic areas with sharp fluctuations of environmental conditions: the edaphon, coniferous and deciduous litters, mosses, and lichens. The role of bdelloid rotifers in the food web and environmental indication is noted. Controversial problems concerning the origin of this group of worms are considered.     

Algal defenses,population stability,and the risk of herbivore extinctions: a chemostat model and experiment

The effects of inducible defenses and constitutive defenses on population dynamics were investigated in a freshwater plankton system with rotifers as predators and different algal strains as prey. We made predictions for these systems using a chemostat predator–prey model and focused on population stability and predator persistence as a function of flow-through rate. The model exhibits three major types of behavior at a high nutrient concentration: (1) at high dilution rates, only algae exist; (2) at intermediate dilution rates, algae and rotifers show stable coexistence; (3) at low dilution rates, large population fluctuations occur, with low minimum densities entailing a risk of stochastic rotifer extinctions. The size and location of the corresponding areas in parameter space critically depend on the type of algal defense strategy. In an 83-day high-nutrient chemostat experiment we changed the dilution rate every 3 weeks, from 0.7 to 0.5 to 0.3 to 0.1 per day. Within this range of dilution rates, rotifers and algae coexisted, and population fluctuations of algae clearly increased as dilution rates decreased. The CV of herbivore densities was highest at the end of the experiment, when the dilution rate was low. On day 80, herbivorous rotifers had become undetectable in all three chemostats with permanently defended algae (where rotifer densities had already been low) and in two out of three chemostats where rotifers had been feeding on algae with inducible defenses (that represented more edible food). We interpret our results in relation to the paradox of enrichment.     

Inducible defenses and rotifer food chain dynamics

Theoretical studies have predicted that inducible defenses affect food chain dynamics and persistence. Here we review and evaluate laboratory experiments that tested hypotheses developed from these theoretical studies. This review specifically focuses on the effects of inducible defenses in phytoplankton-rotifer food chain dynamics. First, we describe the occurrence of colony formation within different strains of green algae (Scenedesmaceae) in response to infochemicals released during grazing by the herbivorous rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. Then we examined the effects of inducible defenses on the population dynamics of this planktonic system in which algal strains that differed in their defense strategies were used. Simple food chains were composed of green algae (Scenedesmaceae), herbivorous rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus) and carnivorous rotifers (Asplanchna brightwellii). In this system B. calyciflorus exhibits an inducible defense against predation by developing long postero-lateral spines. Experimental studies showed that inducible defenses, as opposed to their absence, could prevent high-amplitude population fluctuations. We discuss the dual effects of induced defenses on extinction probabilities and consider the fit of a theoretical model to experimental data to understand the mechanisms that underlie the observed dynamics. Guest editors: S. S. S. Sarma, R. D. Gulati, R. L. Wallace, S. Nandini, H. J. Dumont & R. Rico-Martínez Advances in Rotifer Research     

Biogeographic variation in behavioral and morphological responses to predation risk

The expression of prey antipredator defenses is often related to ambient consumer pressure, and prey express greater defenses under intense consumer pressure. Predation is generally greater at lower latitudes, and antipredator defenses often display a biogeographic pattern. Predation pressure may also vary significantly between habitats within latitudes, making biogeographic patterns difficult to distinguish. Furthermore, invasive predators may also influence the expression of prey defenses in ecological time. The purpose of this study was to determine how these factors influence the strength of antipredator responses. To assess patterns in prey antipredator defenses based upon geographic range (north vs. south), habitat type (wave-protected vs. wave-exposed shores), and invasive predators, we examined how native rock (Cancer irroratus) and invasive green (Carcinus maenas) crab predators influence the behavioral and morphological defenses of dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) prey from habitats that differ in wave exposure across an ~230 km range within the Gulf of Maine. The expression of behavioral and morphological antipredatory responses varied according to wave exposure, geographic location, and predator species. Dogwhelks from areas with an established history with green crabs exhibited the largest behavioral and morphological antipredator responses to green crabs. Dogwhelk behavioral responses to rock crabs did not vary between habitats or geographic regions, although morphological responses were greater further south where predation pressure was greatest. These findings suggest that dogwhelk responses to invasive and native predators vary according to geographic location and habitat, and are strongly affected by ambient predation pressure due to the invasion history of an exotic predator.     

轮虫和枝角类的种间竞争及其影响因子研究进展

轮虫和枝角类是浮游动物群落的重要组成部分和优势类群,它们之间的竞争互作是调节水生态系统结构和功能的主要动力之一。普遍的观点认为,轮虫和大型枝角类难以共存,往往被竞争排斥,而和小型枝角类可以共存;实际上,轮虫和枝角类的种间竞争结局存在一定的不确定性。介绍了轮虫和枝角类的种间竞争方式及其相对重要性,对影响轮虫和枝角类种间竞争结局的因素,包括温度、食物、相对起始密度、个体大小、食物临点、耐饥饿能力、捕食及竞争者和捕食者释放的化感物质等,进行了系统的梳理和分析,并提出了今后亟待解决的科学问题和研究切入点。     

Environmental factors determining the structure of rotifer communities in a river-shed reservoir

This study was designed to find out which environmental factors (temperature, oxygen concentration and food resources) are more important in steering the rotifers vertical distribution and community structure in an oligo-changing to-mesotrophic reservoir. It was observed that, despite the influence of temperature and oxygen content of the water, biotic factors especially the food availability and changes in trophic state were crucial in shaping the vertical distribution and species composition of rotifers in Meimoa Reservoir, located in Tagus River in Portugal.     

Cue reliability, risk sensitivity and inducible morphological defense in a marine snail

Reliable cues that communicate current or future environmental conditions are a requirement for the evolution of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, yet we often do not know which cues are responsible for the induction of particular plastic phenotypes. I examined the single and combined effects of cues from damaged prey and predator cues on the induction of plastic shell defenses and somatic growth in the marine snail Nucella lamellosa. Snails were exposed to chemical risk cues from a factorial combination of damaged prey presented in isolation or consumed by predatory crabs (Cancer productus). Water-borne cues from damaged conspecific and heterospecific snails did not affect plastic shell defenses (shell mass, shell thickness and apertural teeth) or somatic growth in N. lamellosa. Cues released by feeding crabs, independent of prey cue, had significant effects on shell mass and somatic growth, but only crabs consuming conspecific snails induced the full suite of plastic shell defenses in N. lamellosa and induced the greatest response in all shell traits and somatic growth. Thus the relationship between risk cue and inducible morphological defense is dependent on which cues and which morphological traits are examined. Results indicate that cues from damaged conspecifics alone do not trigger a response, but, in combination with predator cues, act to signal predation risk and trigger inducible defenses in this species. This ability to “label” predators as dangerous may decrease predator avoidance costs and highlights the importance of the feeding habits of predators on the expression of inducible defenses.     

Community structure of rotifers in two environments of the upper River Paraná floodplain (MS) - Brazil

We evaluate the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the community structure of rotifers across a regional hydrological cycle in lotic and lentic environments of the upper River Paraná. Depth, transparency, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a and densities of rotifers were measured at two stations in Lake Guaraná (littoral and open water regions) and at one station in the River Baía (open water region). Highest densities of rotifers were found at the lake littoral. Canonical correlation analysis related environmental variables with the densities of the most abundant rotifers. The strongest relationship was with chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, hydrological level and water temperature. Diversity of rotifers at each station was mainly explained by fluctuations in hydrological level. Results of grouping analysis suggested the formation of groups according to phases of the hydrological cycle.     

Evolution of Rotifer Life Histories

When compared to most other multicellular animals, rotifers are all relatively small, short-lived and fast-reproducing organisms. However among and within different rotifer species there is a large variation in life history patterns. This review accounts for such variation in rotifers, with a strong focus on monogonont rotifers. As the life cycle of monogonont rotifers involves both asexual and sexual reproduction, life history patterns can be examined on the level of the genetic individual, which includes all asexual females, sexual females and males that originated from one resting egg. This concept has been applied successfully in many areas, for example in predicting optimal levels of mictic reproduction or sex allocation theory. The benefits and implications of the view of the genetic individual are discussed in detail. Rotifer life histories can also be viewed on the level of physiological individuals. A large part of this review deals with the life histories of individual amictic females and addresses life history traits like body size, egg size and resource allocation patterns. It asks which trade-offs exist among those traits, how these traits change under the influence of environmental factors like food availability or temperature, and whether these changes can be interpreted as adaptive.     

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of plankton communities in Lake Donghu, China, as revealed by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and its relation to biotic and abiotic factors.

The 16S and 18S rRNA genes of planktonic organisms derived from five stations with nutrient gradients in Lake Donghu, China, were studied by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprinting, and the relationships between the genetic diversity of the plankton community and biotic/abiotic factors are discussed. The concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), NH(4)-N and As were found to be significantly related (P<0.05) to morphological composition of the plankton community. Both chemical and morphological analyses suggested that temporal heterogeneity was comparatively higher than spatial heterogeneity in Lake Donghu. Although the morphological composition was not identical to the DGGE fingerprints in characterizing habitat similarity, the two strongest eutrophic stations (I and II) were always initially grouped into one cluster. Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that the factors strongly correlated with the first two ordination axes were seasonally different. The concentrations of TN and TP and the densities of rotifers and crustaceans were generally the main factors related to the DGGE patterns of the plankton communities. The study suggested that genetic diversity as depicted by metagenomic techniques (such as PCR-DGGE fingerprinting) is a promising tool for ecological study of plankton communities and that such techniques are likely to play an increasingly important role in assessing the environmental conditions of aquatic habitats.