小气候对东北林蛙生长发育和繁殖的影响

于2009年5月—2010年5月,通过分组实验,研究了在大棚增温环境和围栏常温模拟林下环境条件下东北林蛙(Rana dybowskii)的生长发育情况。结果表明:与围栏常温模拟林下条件相比,大棚圈舍内平均气温、地温和湿度显著升高,有效积温增加;林蛙发育历期缩短,性成熟提前,二龄雌蛙性成熟比例增加,大棚圈舍的雌蛙的繁殖率为93.1%,围栏圈舍雌蛙的繁殖率为76.0%;在大棚中林蛙生长速度加快,饲养的一、二龄林蛙体重分别达到(6.30±2.62)g和(36.55±11.79)g,较围栏中体重提高了85.5%和56.6%;在大棚里林蛙出蛰时间、进食时间提前,停食时间、入蛰时间延后,生长期间延长,每窝平均产卵量增加,林蛙体重与产卵量呈显著的正相关(r=0.921,P<0.01)。     

温度和盐度对皱肋文蛤幼贝存活与生长的影响

在室内控制条件下,研究了不同海水温度和盐度对皱肋文蛤(Meretrix lyrata)幼贝存活与生长的影响。结果表明:皱肋文蛤幼贝适宜生存温度为12.2-35.6℃,最适生存温度为24-30℃;适宜生长温度为23.5-33.0℃,最适生长温度为27-30℃,属典型的南方滩涂贝类。皱肋文蛤幼贝适宜生存盐度为4.3-40.5,最适生存盐度为11-31;适宜生长盐度为17.1-33.4,最适生长盐度为19-23,属广盐性滩涂贝类。该贝低温和高温敏感起始点分别为21℃和33℃;低盐和高盐敏感起始点分别为9和33。皱肋文蛤幼贝对极端温、盐度具有一定的耐受力:在37℃下仍可保持6d,100%不死亡,在39、41℃下分别在3d和5d内全部死亡;在4、6、8、10、12℃下则可分别100%存活3、4、6、9、11d;在盐度为0、5、7、9时保持100%存活的时间分别为5、8、10、10d;在盐度为33、35、37、39时保持100%存活的时间分别为7、5、3、3d,盐度41时当天即出现死亡。     

温湿度对越冬异色瓢虫(Harmonia axyridis)存活的影响

为了明确温度和相对湿度对越冬异色瓢虫存活的影响,采用二次正交旋转组合设计,试验了秋冬季收集的异色瓢虫自然种群在不同温湿度组合下,经不同时间后的存活率和存活时间。结果表明,在试验条件下最佳温湿度组合为０℃,ＲＨ７５％。此条件下处理６个月以上时存活率仍达８０％以上,存活时间近９ｄ;温度对异色瓢虫的存活影响最大,湿度次之,温湿度的交互作用最不重要;由试验结果建立了不同处理时间下,温湿度与存活率和存活时间之间关系的一系列二次回归方程。对方程分析表明：０～４℃为异色瓢虫越冬的适宜温度,小于０℃的低温引起存活率下降和存活时间缩短,ＲＨ７０％～８０％为异色瓢虫越冬的适宜湿度,低于ＲＨ６０％和高于ＲＨ９０％不利于存活;处理后的异色瓢虫的存活率和存活时间随着处理时间的延长而减小。但处理时间为６个月以内时,存活率的下降幅度较小     

浙江早稻谷中稻水象甲的存活研究

研究了早稻收获和储藏期间稻水象甲Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel一代成虫的数量动态及其存活时间与温湿度的关系。早稻收割时尚未迁离稻田的象甲中,仅3～13%的个体随脱落操作落入稻谷中,且这些个体经太阳曝晒2天后存活率不足1%;收割时残留于稻草中的虫量为稻谷中的5.1～12.3倍。储藏1个月的稻谷中所有成虫均死亡,但储藏相同时间的秕谷和稻草中存活成虫分别达到250头/50 kg秕谷和17头/50 kg稻草。成虫在≥90% RH下的存活时间显著长于35～75%RH下,在玻璃管中的存活时间显著长于稻谷中。在稻谷中,温度对成虫存活时间的影响不明显,但在玻璃管中,20℃（恒温）下的存活时间显著长于27.0～33.2℃（室温）下。利用生存分析的指数模型分析了成虫存活与湿度、温度和存放基质的关系,表明在75～98% RH之间,湿度越低则成虫死亡风险越大,较高温度（27.0～33.2℃）和处于稻谷中其死亡风险亦高。这些结果为开展稻谷中稻水象甲的检疫提供了依据。     

环境因子对球孢白僵菌侵染桔小实蝇致病力的影响

本文测定了温湿度、紫外线及常见杀虫剂等环境因子对球孢白僵菌B6菌株侵染桔小实蝇致病力的影响。结果表明,在19℃-31℃的温度范围内,B6菌株对桔小实蝇成虫、蛹与老熟幼虫均有致病力。在19℃-25℃条件下,桔小实蝇上述三种虫态的死亡率均随着温度的升高而增加,但在28℃和31℃温度条件下,桔小实蝇的死亡率则随着温度升高而降低。在1.8&#215;10^8孢子/ml浓度条件下,成虫在25℃温度条件下的致死中时LT50为6.6d,在31℃的LT50为30.2d。在不同温度条件下,B6菌株对桔小实蝇成虫的致死中时差异较大。湿度越大,球孢白僵菌致病力越强,桔小实蝇的死亡速率越快。球孢白僵菌孢子萌发率随着紫外线照射时间增加而逐步降低。测定了7种常见的杀虫剂对球孢白僵菌菌落的生长影响,其中25%高效氯氟氰菊酯、2.0%阿维菌素、40%辛硫磷和10%除尽对菌落生长有促进作用。     

浑善达克沙地黄柳种子发芽和幼苗生长特性的研究

在实验室通过模拟野外自然条件,研究了土壤水分、沙埋厚度和温度对黄柳种子发芽与幼苗生长的影响。结果表明:(1)黄柳种子对水分条件很敏感,发芽的适宜土壤含水量为3%~20%,低于3%或高于20%发芽都会受到抑制;(2)种子萌发需要沙土覆盖,适宜覆沙厚度为0.1~0.4 cm,此条件下第5天种子发芽率达80%以上;但当沙埋厚度超过0.6 cm时,种子出苗就会受到抑制;当沙埋厚度超过1.2 cm时,将不能出苗;(3)种子发芽的适宜温度为15~35℃,当温度高于45℃时种子将不能萌发并最终死亡;(4)幼苗的耐热性较强,40℃处理下幼苗出现热害症状,并且热害症状发展缓慢,60℃处理下90 min后幼苗干枯死亡;(5)种子的寿命为120 d左右。     

海水盐度、温度对文蛤稚贝生长及存活的影响

在实验室条件下,研究了不同盐度（19个梯度）、温度（17个梯度）对文蛤稚贝生长和存活的影响.结果表明：文蛤稚贝的适宜生存盐度在6.5～39.5,最适生存盐度在9.0～31.0,适宜生长盐度在7.3～38.7,最适生长盐度在15.0～23.0;其适宜生存温度在4.0 ℃～36.1 ℃,适宜生长温度在7.0 ℃～35.4 ℃,较适宜生长温度在17 ℃～33.5 ℃,最适生长温度在24 ℃～27 ℃.文蛤稚贝对高温度、低盐度有较强的适应性.     

大蟾蜍蝌蚪与中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的温度效应

将大蟾蜍（Bufo gargarizans）蝌蚪及中国林蛙（Rana chensinensis）蝌蚪分别饲养在5℃、15℃、25℃3个不同的温度条件下,通过定时定量喂食及测量其全长、体长、体宽的变化,分析温度对蝌蚪生长发育的影响。实验结果表明：（1）在5℃下,大蟾蜍蝌蚪的全长和中国林蛙蝌蚪的全长及体长的增长速率最快;在25℃下,大蟾蜍蝌蚪的体长、体宽和中国林蛙蝌蚪的体宽的增长速率最快。（2）在不问温度条件下,大蟾蜍蝌蚪的全长和体长与时间都呈指数关系,而体宽的生长发育与时间呈一种对数增长关系;中国林蛙蝌蚪的全长和体长与时间都呈对数关系,而体宽的生长发育与时间呈一种线形关系,并且相关系数尺都在0．75以上。（3）在相同时间内,25℃的温度条件下大蟾蜍蝌蚪和中国林蛙蝌蚪的变态率最高;在5℃的温度条件下,两种蝌蚪都不能完成变态发育过程,温度对大蟾蜍蝌蚪和中国林蛙蝌蚪的生长发育有显著影响,生长发育速度随生长温度的升高而加快。     

中国林蛙的热生物学研究进展

本文对中国林蛙卵、胚胎、蝌蚪、幼体和成体等不同发育阶段的热生物学研究进行了综述,温度对中国林蛙不同发育阶段均有不同的影响。11～13℃是卵孵化的最适温度,卵孵化率接近100%,胚胎在7～22℃温度范围内均能正常发育;10～20℃是蝌蚪的最佳生长发育温度,成活率都在95%以上;5℃下蝌蚪不能完成变态,在15～30℃之间,温度越高雄性比例越大,15～25℃是成体生活的最适温度。这些研究结果可为中国林蛙的人工养殖提供科学依据。     

温湿度对中华通草蛉越冬成虫存活的影响

室内研究了不同温湿度对中华通草蛉 (Chrysoperla sinica)越冬成虫存活的影响。试验采用因子二次正交旋转组合设计的要求安排 ,研究了越冬成虫在不同的温度组合条件下储存不同时间后的存活率 ,并得到了在不同时间后 ,成虫存活率与温湿度间的二次回归模型。结果表明 ,在试验条件下 ,越冬成虫存活的最佳条件组合是温度为 5℃和相对湿度为 75 % ,此条件下储存90 d的越冬成虫存活率达 85 %以上 ;温度对成虫存活率的影响最大 ,湿度次之 ,温湿度的交互作用最不重要。利用温湿度与存活率之间的回归方程 ,分析并得出了适宜于越冬中华通草蛉成虫存活的条件为温度 5～ 9℃ ,相对湿度 70 %～ 85 % ,温度和湿度过高或过低均不利于成虫的存活     

Influence of Nematodes and Light Sources on Growth and Nodulation of Soybean

The influence of nematodes on nodulation of soybean varied according to their modes of parasitism. In the greenhouse, nodule formation was stimulated by the endoparasites, Meloidogyne hapla and Pratylenchus penetrans, but was inhibited slightly by the ectoparasite, Belonolaimus longicaudatus. In an experiment under controlled conditions in a phytotron, Heterodera glycines severely inhibited nodule formation, whereas plants inoculated with B. longicaudatus and P. penetrans had more nodules per g root than nematode-free plants. Nitrogen-fixing capacity, however, was inhibited by all three nematode species. Different light sources used in the phytotron experiment also influenced growth and nodulation of soybean. A fluorescent plus incandescent light regime resulted in plants with the greatest shoot weight, pod number, and nodules per g root. Plants grown under Lucalox lamps had excessive stem elongation.     

Vascular Streak Dieback of cacao in Southeast Asia and Melanesia: in planta detection of the pathogen and a new taxonomy

Vascular Streak Dieback (VSD) disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in Southeast Asia and Melanesia is caused by a basidiomycete (Ceratobasidiales) fungus Oncobasidium theobromae (syn. =Thanatephorus theobromae). The most characteristic symptoms of the disease are green-spotted leaf chlorosis or, commonly since about 2004, necrotic blotches, followed by senescence of leaves beginning on the second or third flush behind the shoot apex, and blackening of infected xylem in the vascular traces at the leaf scars resulting from the abscission of infected leaves. Eventually the shoot apex is killed and infected branches die. In susceptible cacao the fungus may grow through the xylem down into the main stem and kill a mature cacao tree. Infections in the stem of young plants prior to the formation of the first 3-4 lateral branches usually kill the plant. Basidiospores released from corticioid basidiomata developed on leaf scars or along cracks in the main vein of infected leaves infect young leaves. The pathogen commonly infects cacao but there are rare reports from avocado. As both crops are introduced to the region, the pathogen is suspected to occur asymptomatically in native vegetation. The pathogen is readily isolated but cultures cannot be maintained. In this study, DNA was extracted from pure cultures of O. theobromae obtained from infected cacao plants sampled from Indonesia. The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), consisting of ITS1, 5.8S ribosomal RNA and ITS2, and a portion of nuclear large subunit (LSU) were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences placed O. theobromae sister to Ceratobasidium anastomosis groups AG-A, AG-Bo, and AG-K with high posterior probability. Therefore the new combination Ceratobasidium theobromae is proposed. A PCR-based protocol was developed to detect and identify C. theobromae in plant tissue of cacao enabling early detection of the pathogen in plants. A second species of Ceratobasidium, Ceratobasidium ramicola, identified through ITS sequence analysis, was isolated from VSD-affected cacao plants in Java, and is widespread in diseased cacao collected from Indonesia.     

Relationships of plant pathogenic enterobacteria based on partial atpD, carA, and recA as individual and concatenated nucleotide and peptide sequences

Relationships of the genera in the Enterobacteriaceae containing plant pathogenic species: Brenneria, Dickeya, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Pantoea, Pectobacterium, and Samsonia, were investigated by comparison of their nucleotide and peptide sequences of atpD, carA, recA, and the concatenated sequences. Erwinia spp. and Pantoea spp., with Pectobacterium cypripedii, formed a group distinct from other pathogenic taxa. Pectobacterium, Brenneria, Dickeya, and Samsonia formed a contiguous clade. Samsonia was usually concurrent with Pectobacterium. Most Brenneria were also close to Pectobacterium, suggesting that these three taxa might be better represented as a single genus. Brenneria quercina was not closely associated with other members of this genus and may represent a separate genus. The sequences representing Dickeya were distinct, further supporting the generic status of the taxon. Plant pathogenic Enterobacter spp. display such sequence variability that few definite conclusions as to their specific placement could be made. These data highlight the difficulty of drawing reliable and robust taxonomic conclusions based on comparative analysis of sequence data without some independent criterion to calibrate a scale for diversity.     

Frequency of ace, epa and elrA Genes in Clinical and Environmental Strains of Enterococcus faecalis

Surface proteins play an important role in the pathogenesis of enterococcal infections. Some of them are candidates for a vaccine, e.g., the frequency of endocarditis in rats vaccinated with Ace protein was 75 % as 12 opposed to 100 % in those who weren’t. However, there are other components of enterococcal cells, such as Epa antigens or internalin-like proteins, which may be used in the prophylaxis of infections caused by them. However, also other virulence factors and resistance to antibiotics are important during enterococcal infection. Therefore, the relevance of ace, epa, elrA, other virulence genes, as well as resistance to antibiotics was investigated. 161 Enterococcus faecalis strains isolated from teaching hospitals in Lodz, cultured according to standard microbiological methods, were investigated for the presence of genes encoding surface proteins by PCR. Results were analyzed with χ² test. The elrA gene was found in all clinical and environmental strains, the ace gene was also widespread among E. faecalis (96.9 %). Both tested epa genes were found in the majority of isolates (83.25 %). There was correlation between the presence of esp and ace genes (p = 0.046) as well as between epa and agg genes (p = 0.0094; χ² test). The presence of the genes encoding surface proteins investigated in our study in the great majority of isolates implies that they would appear to be required during E. faecalis infection. Therefore, they could be excellent targets in therapy of enterococcal infections or, as some studies show, candidates for vaccines.     

Algicidal and antifungal compounds from the roots of Ruta graveolens and synthesis of their analogs

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of Ruta graveolens roots yielded rutacridone epoxide with potent selective algicidal activity towards the 2-methyl-isoborneol (MIB)-producing blue-green alga Oscillatoria perornata, with relatively little effect on the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. The diol-analog of rutacridone epoxide, gravacridondiol, which was also present in the same extract, had significantly less activity towards O. perornata. Rutacridone epoxide also showed significantly higher activity than commercial fungicides captan and benomyl in our micro-bioassay against the agriculturally important pathogenic fungi Colletotrichum fragariae, C. gloeosporioides, C. acutatum, and Botrytis cineara and Fusarium oxysporium. Rutacridone epoxide is reported as a direct-acting mutagen, precluding its use as an agrochemical. In order to understand the structure-activity relationships and to develop new potential biocides without toxicity and mutagenicity, some analogs containing the (2-methyloxiranyl)-dihydrobenzofuran moiety with an epoxide were synthesized and tested. None of the synthetic analogs showed comparable activities to rutacridone epoxide. The absolute stereochemistry of rutacridone was determined to be 2'(R) and that of rutacridone epoxide to be 2'(R), 3'(R) by CD and NMR analysis.     

Patterns of plastid and nuclear variation among apomictic polyploids of Hieracium: evolutionary processes and taxonomic implications

Background and Aims

Apomictic species (with asexual seed production) make up for 20–50 % of all taxonomically recognized species in northern Europe, but the phylogenetic relationships of apomictic species and the mode of evolution and speciation remain largely unknown and their taxonomy is consequently disputed.

Methods

In the present study, plastid psbD-trnT sequences (349 accessions) and 12 nuclear microsatellite loci (478 accessions) were used to create an overview of the molecular variation in (mainly) northern European members of the most species-rich of all plant genera, Hieracium s.s. The results are discussed and interpreted in the context of morphological and cytological data on the same species.

Key Results and Conclusions

The complete psbD-trnT alignment was 1243 bp and 50 polymorphisms defined 40 haplotypes. All haplotypes found in the sections of the genus distributed in the northern European lowlands fell into one of two main groups, group H and group V, mutually separated by seven or eight polymorphisms. All accessions belonging to H. sects. Foliosa, Hieracioides (viz. H. umbellatum) and Tridentata and all but one accession of triploid species of H. sects. Oradea and Vulgata showed haplotypes of group V. Haplotypes of group H were found in all accessions of H. sects. Bifida and Hieracium and in all tetraploid representatives of H. sects. Oreadea and Vulgata. Additional haplotypes were found in accessions of the genus Pilosella and in southern European and Alpine sections of Hieracium. In contrast, the distribution of individual haplotypes in the two major groups appeared uncorrelated with morphology and current taxonomy, but polymorphisms within species were only rarely encountered. In total, 160 microsatellite alleles were identified. Levels of variation were generally high with only nine pairs of accessions being identical at all loci (in all cases representing accessions of the same species). In the neighbor-joining analysis based on the microsatellite data, accessions of the same species generally clustered together and some smaller groups of species congruent with morphology and/or current taxonomy were recovered but, except for H. sect. Oreadea, most larger groups were not correlated with morphology. Although the plastid DNA sequences show too little variation and the nuclear microsatellites are too variable to resolve relationships successfully among species or to fully understand processes of evolution, it is concluded that both species and sections as defined by morphology are largely congruent with the molecular data, that gene flow between the sections is rare or non-existent and that the tetraploid species may constitute the key to understanding evolution and speciation in this genus.     

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Lymnaeid Snails and Their Potential Role in Transmission of Fasciola spp. in Vietnam

Freshwater snails of the family Lymnaeidae play an important role in the transmission of fascioliasis worldwide. In Vietnam, 2 common lymnaeid species, Lymnaea swinhoei and Lymnaea viridis, can be recognized on the basis of morphology, and a third species, Lymnaea sp., is known to exist. Recent studies have raised controversy about their role in transmission of Fasciola spp. because of confusion in identification of the snail hosts. The aim of this study is, therefore, to clarify the identities of lymnaeid snails in Vietnam by a combination of morphological and molecular approaches. The molecular analyses using the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA clearly showed that lymnaeids in Vietnam include 3 species, Austropeplea viridis (morphologically identified as L. viridis), Radix auricularia (morphologically identified as L. swinhoei) and Radix rubiginosa (morphologically identified as Lymnaea sp.). R. rubiginosa is a new record for Vietnam. Among them, only A. viridis was found to be infected with Fasciola spp. These results provide a new insight into lymnaeid snails in Vietnam. Identification of lymnaeid snails in Vietnam and their role in the liver fluke transmission should be further investigated.     

The dynamics of interactions between Plasmodium and the mosquito: a study of the infectivity of Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium gallinaceum,and their transmission by Anopheles stephensi,Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti

Knowledge of parasite-mosquito interactions is essential to develop strategies that will reduce malaria transmission through the mosquito vector. In this study we investigated the development of two model malaria parasites, Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium gallinaceum, in three mosquito species Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti. New methods to study gamete production in vivo in combination with GFP-expressing ookinetes were employed to measure the large losses incurred by the parasites during infection of mosquitoes. All three mosquito species transmitted P. gallinaceum; P. berghei was only transmitted by Anopheles spp. Plasmodium gallinaceum initiates gamete production with high efficiency equally in the three mosquito species. By contrast P. berghei is less efficiently activated to produce gametes, and in Ae. aegypti microgamete formation is almost totally suppressed. In all parasite/vector combinations ookinete development is inefficient, 500-100,000-fold losses were encountered. Losses during ookinete-to-oocyst transformation range from fivefold in compatible vector parasite combinations (P. berghei/An. stephensi), through >100-fold in poor vector/parasite combinations (P. gallinaceum/An. stephensi), to complete blockade (>1,500 fold) in others (P. berghei/Ae. aegypti). Plasmodium berghei ookinetes survive poorly in the bloodmeal of Ae. aegypti and are unable to invade the midgut epithelium. Cultured mature ookinetes of P. berghei injected directly into the mosquito haemocoele produced salivary gland sporozoites in An. stephensi, but not in Ae. aegypti, suggesting that further species-specific incompatibilities occur downstream of the midgut epithelium in Ae. aegypti. These results show that in these parasite-mosquito combinations the susceptibility to malarial infection is regulated at multiple steps during the development of the parasites. Understanding these at the molecular level may contribute to the development of rational strategies to reduce the vector competence of malarial vectors.     

Influence of Organic Pesticides on Nematode and Corn Earworm Damage and on Yield of Sweet Corn

Soil fumigants and nonvolatile pesticides increased growth and yield of sweet corn ''Seneca Chief'' over that of control plants in a 3-year study. Nematicide treatments increased average yields by 31% over controls, but did not significantly affect the mean weight per ear. Increase in yield was related to control of Belonolaimus longicaudatus, Trichodorus christiei and Pratylenchus zeae. Nonvolatile chemicals more effectively reduced populations of B. longicaudatus and T. christiei than did soil fumigants. Aldicarb did not control Criconemoides ornatus. All pesticides controlled P. zeae. Pesticides did not control Heliothis zea effectively.