仙姑弹琴蛙蝌蚪对陌生捕食者克氏原螯虾的反捕反应

以峨眉山的仙姑弹琴蛙 (Ranadaunchina)蝌蚪作为猎物 ,该地区潜在的入侵物种克氏原螯虾 (Procambarusclarkii)为捕食者 ,于冬季设计实验观察仙姑弹琴蛙蝌蚪对陌生入侵捕食者的反捕行为反应。实验按照 3× 3× 2因子设计 ,即 :捕食者状况 3个水平 (食植物的克氏原螯虾、食蝌蚪的克氏原螯虾和无捕食者 ) ,蝌蚪年龄组 3个水平(31- 35期的 2 .5龄蝌蚪、2 6 - 30期的 1.5龄蝌蚪和 2 5期的 0 .5龄蝌蚪 ) ,以及蝌蚪短期经验 2个水平 (有经验和无经验 )。实验发现 :有短期被捕食经验的蝌蚪的活动时间极显著低于无被捕食经验的蝌蚪 ,而静止时间以及隐蔽所利用时间却极显著地高于无经验的蝌蚪 ;短期经验和捕食者状况的交互效应对蝌蚪的活动时间有显著影响 ;而蝌蚪年龄、捕食者状况及其交互效应对蝌蚪的行为反应没有显著影响。这表明 ,有短期被捕食经历的仙姑弹琴蛙蝌蚪并未通过个体学习建立起对陌生捕食者克氏原螯虾的识别能力 ,而是表现出无针对性的活动性受抑、隐蔽时间增加的行为反应。如果自然条件下的仙姑弹琴蛙蝌蚪也有类似反应 ,在克氏原螯虾入侵初期 ,仙姑弹琴蛙蝌蚪则可能会由于无法识别新的捕食者而表现出过度的反捕行为反应 ,承受更大的亚致死作用 ,而对种群生存造成不利影响     

黑斑侧褶蛙蝌蚪断尾后的补偿生长和发育研究

动物在经历不利的生长条件或环境后往往出现补偿生长。研究了黑斑侧褶蛙(Pelophylax nigromaculatus)蝌蚪经历来自食蚊鱼(Gambusia affinis)捕食造成断尾损伤后的补偿生长模式、断尾损失对蝌蚪游泳能力以及变态时间与大小的影响。结果表明,经历捕食压力后,全尾组和1/3断尾组蝌蚪的体长显著大于1/2断尾组蝌蚪的体长,全尾组和1/3断尾组之间的蝌蚪体长差异不显著;第19天时,1/2断尾组蝌蚪经过补偿生长后体长显著大于全尾组蝌蚪,1/3断尾组与全尾组和1/2断尾组之间的蝌蚪体长差异均不显著;三个实验组之间蝌蚪尾长差异不显著;全尾组蝌蚪的疾游速显著大于1/2断尾组蝌蚪的疾游速,1/3断尾组蝌蚪的疾游速与全尾组和1/2断尾组之间差异不显著,表明严重断尾对蝌蚪疾游速产生了消极影响。三个实验组蝌蚪的变态时间和变态前后形态差异均不显著。黑斑侧褶蛙蝌蚪能够在变态前调整生长轨迹补偿早期捕食风险造成的生长损失,断尾损失并不影响变态时间与大小,断尾超过一半的蝌蚪经过补偿生长后仍要付出一定的运动代价。     

外来种克氏原螯虾的危害及其防治

克氏原螯虾作为外来入侵种,已经对其所入侵的栖息地土著动物、植被、土壤结构等生态环境构成了严重威胁。针对我国一些拟引入养殖或正在大面积推广养殖该螯虾的现状,提出防治该物种的一些探索性对策,对拟将引种的地区,必须持慎重态度,进行生态安全评估,制定预警措施     

表型可塑性与外来植物的成功入侵

生物入侵是导致生物多样性丧失的第二大因素,掌握入侵机制可提高外来入侵物种防控管理能力。表型可塑性被认为是外来植物成功入侵的重要机制之一,具有确定的遗传基础。近30年来表型可塑性的研究发展迅猛,野外调查与移植实验相结合,宏观生态与分子生态交叉等多种方法被用来探索外来植物成功入侵的表型可塑性机制。本文从表型可塑性概念、研究发展历程及其在外来植物入侵中的作用等方面进行了综述,并对今后外来入侵植物表型可塑性的研究方向进行了展望。表型可塑性的生态作用是目前研究的关注重点,表型可塑性增强了外来入侵植物的适应性和入侵能力,与遗传分化一起共同促进了外来植物的成功入侵。未来多学科相结合的综合研究方法将成为表型可塑性研究发展趋势,气候变化、土地利用等因素与入侵植物表型可塑性相结合,以及运用基因组学和分子生物学等方法,定量分析比较个体、种群或物种间的表型可塑性是未来研究外来植物入侵机制的方向之一。     

桂林地区克氏原螯虾对泽蛙蝌蚪的捕食

克氏原螯虾（Procambarus clarkii）已入侵我国江苏、湖北、江西、安徽等多个省（市）。为研究克氏原螯虾对其生境中主要两栖动物泽蛙（Rana limnocharis）的影响,我们于2006年5-6月对广西桂林地区自然生境中克氏原螯虾和泽蛙蝌蚪的数量和密度进行了调查,7月在室内进行了克氏原螯虾对泽蛙蝌蚪和饰纹姬蛙（Microhyla ornata）蝌蚪的捕食实验。野外调查结果表明克氏原螯虾的密度与泽蛙蝌蚪的密度呈显著负相关。室内实验结果表明克氏原螯虾对泽蛙蝌蚪的捕食强度与克氏原螯虾体长呈显著正相关,且对泽蛙蝌蚪的捕食强度高于饰纹姬蛙蝌蚪。表明克氏原螯虾对两栖类幼体有比较严重的危害,应加强监测,采取相应措施预防和控制其危害。     

克氏原螯虾幼体及亚成体对中华鳖的趋避行为

【背景】在我国,克氏原螯虾是一种外来入侵水生生物,已经对入侵地的生态环境造成严重的破坏。【方法】在Y形水迷宫中,研究有经验和无经验的幼体及亚成体克氏原螯虾对中华鳖的趋避行为。【结果】幼虾无论是否有经验都会显著回避中华鳖,降低外倾性;而亚成体虾对中华鳖的反应不及幼虾灵敏。【结论与意义】2种不同发育阶段的外来入侵物种克氏原螯虾均会回避土著物种中华鳖,为外来入侵生物防治和动物行为学及相关研究提供了参考。     

温度对黑斑侧褶蛙变态时长及PHA-P反应的影响

为探究温度对蝌蚪变态时长和免疫功能的影响,在21、23、25和27℃水温条件下,测定了黑斑侧褶蛙(Pelophylax nigromaculatus)37期蝌蚪的变态时长,以及变态后对植物血凝素(phytohemagglutinin,PHA-P)反应的变化.结果 表明:体重、体长及体重与体长的比值均无组间差异,21、2...     

水位对黑斑侧褶蛙蝌蚪形态表型、 白细胞数量和应激反应的影响

为探究水位变化对黑斑侧褶蛙（Pelophylaxnigromaculatus）蝌蚪形态表型、免疫功能和应激反应能力的影响,实验室内测定了水位恒定组以及水位快速、中速和慢速下降组37期蝌蚪发育至变态完成期的变态时长、身体大小和血液中各型白细胞的百分比,以及嗜中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值的变化。结果表明,水位快速下降显著缩短了蝌蚪的变态时长（P <0.05）,体长下降明显（P <0.05）,体重和体宽有所降低,但组间差异不显著（P> 0.05）。嗜中性粒细胞的百分比快速下降组显著高于其他处理组,单核细胞的百分比水位恒定组显著高于中速下降组（P <0.05）,嗜酸性粒细胞、嗜碱性粒细胞和淋巴细胞的百分比均无明显的组间差异（P>0.05）;嗜中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值快速下降组显著高于其他处理组（P <0.05）。水位加速下降导致登陆后幼蛙的个体变小,由嗜中性粒细胞和单核细胞所代表的天然免疫能力变化趋势不同,应激反应能力增强,可能不利于幼蛙的存活。     

聚苯乙烯暴露和清除对黑斑侧褶蛙蝌蚪身体大小和脏器系数的影响

为探究不同粒径(50 nm、200 nm和1000 nm)、浓度(清水组、低浓度组、中浓度组和高浓度组)荧光聚苯乙烯微球溶液组合对37期黑斑侧褶蛙(Pelophylax nigromaculatus)蝌蚪身体大小和脏器系数的影响,连续测定了暴露7 d时,之后清水清除饲养7 d(14 d时)和14 d(21 d时),其体重与体全长的比值(重长比)、小肠长度以及心、肝湿重的变化。重长比在200 nm粒径条件下不受聚苯乙烯微球暴露和清除影响(P>0.05);50 nm清水组14 d时低于其他浓度组(P<0.05);1000 nm中浓度组7 d时和14 d时高于21 d时(P<0.05),7 d时高浓度组低于其他浓度组(P<0.05),21 d时清水组和低浓度组都高于中浓度组(P<0.05)。小肠长度系数在200 nm高浓度组随时间而变化,7 d时至14 d时显著增加,21 d时陡降(P<0.05),1000 nm中浓度组7 d时和14 d时都显著高于21 d时(P<0.05);7 d时,1000 nm高浓度组显著低于其他浓度组(P<0.05),50 nm、200 nm均无组间差异(P>0.05)。心、肝湿重系数均不随处理时间而变化(P>0.05);心湿重系数只在50 nm 14 d时变化显著,清水组最高,高、中浓度组其次,低浓度组最低(P<0.05),肝湿重系数只在50 nm和200 nm 14 d时清水组低于其他浓度组(P<0.05)。50 nm、200 nm和1000 nm处理分别影响重长比、心和肝湿重系数,小肠长度系数和肝湿重系数,以及重长比和小肠长度系数,但与粒径和浓度均不呈线性关系。     

不同地位克氏原螯虾对社会环境改变的行为反应

为探究不同社会地位的亚成体克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii)对利益的分配,以及对社会环境改变(体型较大的入侵同类)各自做出的行为反应,本文统计已确立等级序列的成对同性别螯虾对隐蔽所的占有情况,并视频拍摄同性别螯虾入侵时,入侵者及不同地位的原居者的格斗行为,分析格斗次数、格斗时间、首次攻击及被首次攻击对象多个参数。在隐蔽所占有实验中,71%为优势者占有隐蔽所,7%为从属者占有,共同占有或没有占有的各11%。在入侵-反入侵实验中,雄性入侵者对2只原居虾之间的攻击选择无显著差异,雌性入侵者首次攻击显著选择与原优势者格斗;雄性原居者中优势者对入侵者和原从属者的攻击无显著差异,雌性优势者则显著选择与入侵者格斗;雄性原居者中从属者显著选择与入侵者格斗,雌性从属者对入侵者和原优势者的攻击无显著差异。上述结果表明,优势者优先占有资源;雌雄螯虾在入侵和面临入侵时有各自不同的策略;不同地位的螯虾在反入侵时行为反应也各有不同。     

Brain plasticity over the metamorphic boundary: carry-over effect of larval environment on froglet brain development

Brain development shows high plasticity in response to environmental heterogeneity. However, it is unknown how environmental variation during development may affect brain architecture across life history switch points in species with complex life cycles. Previously, we showed that predation and competition affect brain development in common frog (Rana temporaria) tadpoles. Here, we studied whether larval environment had carry-over effects in brains of metamorphs. Tadpoles grown at high density had large optic tecta at metamorphosis, whereas tadpoles grown under predation risk had small diencephala. We found that larval density had a carry-over effect on froglet optic tectum size, whereas the effect of larval predation risk had vanished by metamorphosis. We discuss the possibility that the observed changes may be adaptive, reflecting the needs of an organism in given environmental and developmental contexts.     

Correlated evolution of phenotypic plasticity in metamorphic timing

Phenotypic plasticity has long been a focus of research, but the mechanisms of its evolution remain controversial. Many amphibian species exhibit a similar plastic response in metamorphic timing in response to multiple environmental factors; therefore, more than one environmental factor has likely influenced the evolution of plasticity. However, it is unclear whether the plastic responses to different factors have evolved independently. In this study, we examined the relationship between the plastic responses to two experimental factors (water level and food type) in larvae of the salamander Hynobius retardatus, using a cause-specific Cox proportional hazards model on the time to completion of metamorphosis. Larvae from ephemeral ponds metamorphosed earlier than those from permanent ponds when kept at a low water level or fed conspecific larvae instead of larval Chironomidae. This acceleration of metamorphosis depended only on the permanency of the larvae's pond of origin, but not on the conspecific larval density (an indicator of the frequency of cannibalism) in the ponds. The two plastic responses were significantly correlated, indicating that they may evolve correlatively. Once plasticity evolved as an adaptation to habitat desiccation, it might have relatively easily become a response to other ecological factors, such as food type via the pre-existing developmental pathway.     

Environmental maternal effects on locomotor performance in the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara)

Environmental (i.e. non-genetic) maternal effects have the potential to associate the environmental conditions faced by mothers during gestation or before egg laying with the phenotype of their offspring. For this reason, maternal effects may play a major role in determining offspring phenotype independently of the genotype of the individuals, and can thus be considered a mechanistic basis of phenotypic plasticity. Despite the ecological and evolutionary implications of environmental maternal effects, few studies have experimentally investigated this phenomenon in reptiles. Here we report the results of an experimental laboratory study on the effects of maternal feeding rate and density on offspring locomotor performance in the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara). Lacerta vivipara is a viviparous lizard, and viviparity enhances the probability of a maternal influence on offspring phenotype. We focused on a particular phenotypic trait, maximal sprint running speed, because this trait is thought to be selectively important in squamates. Sprint speed was a repeatable trait, and it varied significantly among families. Maternal feeding rate significantly affected sprint speed, whereas density had no effect on this trait. The effect of maternal feeding rate differed according to the sex of the offspring and their body size, resulting in significant two-way and three-way interactions among these factors. In other words, the maternal feeding rate changed the shape of the allometric relationship between speed and size, but differently for males and females. The complexity of such effects makes it extremely difficult to offer an adaptive interpretation, but emphasizes the role played by the environment in shaping phenotypes among generations.     

Inducible defences as key adaptations for the successful invasion of Daphnia lumholtzi in North America?

The mechanisms underlying successful biological invasions often remain unclear. In the case of the tropical water flea Daphnia lumholtzi, which invaded North America, it has been suggested that this species possesses a high thermal tolerance, which in the course of global climate change promotes its establishment and rapid spread. However, D. lumholtzi has an additional remarkable feature: it is the only water flea that forms rigid head spines in response to chemicals released in the presence of fishes. These morphologically (phenotypically) plastic traits serve as an inducible defence against these predators. Here, we show in controlled mesocosm experiments that the native North American species Daphnia pulicaria is competitively superior to D. lumholtzi in the absence of predators. However, in the presence of fish predation the invasive species formed its defences and became dominant. This observation of a predator-mediated switch in dominance suggests that the inducible defence against fish predation may represent a key adaptation for the invasion success of D. lumholtzi.     

Thermal acclimation of swimming performance in newt larvae: the influence of diel temperature fluctuations during embryogenesis

1.  Thermal acclimation is one of the basic strategies by which organisms cope with thermal heterogeneity of the environment. Under predictable variation in environmental temperatures, theory predicts that selection favours acclimation of thermal performance curves over fixed phenotypes.
2.  We examined the influence of diel fluctuations in developmental temperatures on the thermal sensitivity of the maximal swimming capacity in larvae of the alpine newt, Triturus alpestris .
3.  We incubated newt eggs under three thermal regimes with varying daily amplitudes (1, 5 and 9 °C) and similar means (17·6–17·9 °C), and accordingly we measured the swimming speed of hatched larvae at three experimental temperatures (12, 17 and 22 °C), which they would normally experience in their natural habitat.
4.  Embryonic development under low and middle temperature fluctuations produced larvae with similar swimming speeds across experimental temperatures. In contrast, the most fluctuating regime induced development of phenotypes, which at 12 °C swam faster than larvae developed under moderate diel fluctuations.
5.  Our results provide evidence that diel temperature fluctuations induce acclimation of thermal dependence of locomotor performance. In ectotherms experiencing diel cycles in environmental temperatures, this plastic response may act as an important pacemaker in the evolution of thermal sensitivity.     

ADAPTIVE GENETIC VARIATION IN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF TADPOLES OF THE HYBRIDOGENETIC RANA ESCULENTA COMPLEX

The distribution and proportion of the sexual species Rana lessonae to the hemiclonal hybrid R. esculenta among natural habitats suggests that these anurans may differ in adaptive abilities. I used a half-sib design to partition phenotypic and quantitative genetic variation in tadpole responses at two food levels into causal variance components. Rana lessonae displays strong phenotypic variation across food levels. Growth rate is strictly determined by environmental factors and includes weak maternal effects. Larval period and body size at metamorphosis both contain moderate levels of additive genetic variance. The sire x food interactions and the lack of environmental correlations indicate that adaptive phenotypic plasticity is present in both of these traits. In contrast, R. esculenta displays less phenotypic variation across food levels, especially for larval period. Variation in body size at metamorphosis is underlain by genetic variation as shown by high levels of additive genetic variance, yet growth rate and larval period are not. Significant environmental correlations between larval period at high food level and growth, larval period, and body size at low food, indicate phenotypic plasticity is absent. A positive phenotypic correlation between body size at metamorphosis and larval period for R. lessonae at both food levels suggests a trade-off between growing large and metamorphosing quickly to escape predation or pond drying. The lack of a similar correlation for R. esculenta at the high food level suggests it may be less constrained. Different levels of adaptive genetic variation among larval traits suggest that the sexual species and the hybridogenetic hemiclone differ in their abilities to cope with temporally and spatially heterogeneous environments.     

DELAYED COSTS OF AN INDUCED DEFENSE IN TADPOLES? MORPHOLOGY,HOPPING, AND DEVELOPMENT RATE AT METAMORPHOSIS

Models for the evolution of plasticity predict that individuals having phenotypes induced by exposure to enemies should experience relatively low fitness when enemies are absent. However, costs of induced phenotypes have been difficult to find in both plants and animals, perhaps because costs are expressed at later stages in the life cycle. We searched for delayed costs of an induced defense in larvae of the water frog Rana ridibunda, which exhibits strong phenotypic responses to predators. Tadpoles grew to metamorphosis in outdoor artificial ponds, in either the presence or absence of Aeshna dragonfly larvae confined within cages. We collected metamorphs at forelimb emergence, estimated their development rate until tail resorption was complete, and measured their body and leg shape and hopping performance. Development rate through metamorphosis reflects the duration of a transitional period during which metamorphs are especially vulnerable to predators, and hopping performance may reflect ability to escape predators. Froglets from the dragonfly treatment lost mass through metamorphosis significantly faster than those from predator-free ponds, but they resorbed their tails at about the same rate, despite the fact that their tails were relatively large to begin with. Froglets developing from predator-induced tadpoles had shorter, more muscular legs, and hopped 5% longer distances (difference not significant). Therefore, producing an induced defense against insect predators during the tadpole stage did not exact a cost during or immediately after metamorphosis; if anything, tadpoles with the predator-induced phenotype gave rise to more vigorous froglets. These results focus attention on other costs of the induced phenotype, as well as alternative explanations for plasticity that do not rely on direct fitness trade-offs.