作物生产是一个种群过程

从分析自然选择和人工选择在目标和方向上的重大差异入手,指出自然选择的核心是生存竞争,其结果产生个体优势;人工选择的方向是群体优势,其目标是获得较高的经济产量。作物是典型的人工选择的产物,研究作物的生产过程就庆当以降低个体的竞争能力和提高繁殖分配为主,据此,对小麦植株高度,根系特征以及种群生态学在农业中的应用进行了讨论     

沙米表型可塑性对土壤养分、水分和种群密度变化的响应

研究了土壤营养、土壤水分和种群密度等环境因素对沙米表型可塑性的影响.结果表明：土壤营养、土壤水分和种群密度对沙米的形态特性和生物量具有显著影响;随着土壤营养的增加,沙米的根冠比从0.135减小到0.073,但与土壤水分和种群密度无显著相关关系.对土壤营养和土壤水分变化响应的沙米繁殖分配可塑性是“真正的可塑性”; 沙米繁殖分配与土壤营养呈负相关,与土壤水分呈正相关; 在高土壤营养或低土壤水分条件下,沙米的繁殖分配随个体大小变化的速率较大;种群密度对沙米的繁殖分配无影响,其繁殖分配主要受个体大小的制约.在3个环境因素中,土壤营养对沙米形态特性和生物量特性的可塑性影响最大.     

旱地小麦理想株型研究进展

理想株型选择是旱地小麦节水栽培和高产育种的重要前提。围绕群体条件下旱地小麦产量形成、节水效率和干旱适应性等关键指标,从根型、茎型、叶型和穗型4个方面总结了旱地小麦株型演变规律和调控机理。旱地小麦从野生近缘种二倍体和四倍体向现代六倍体进化的漫长演变过程中,株型经历了从"高根冠比、低收获指数、高冠幅/株高比、小穗和种子扁长"等"杂草"型向"低根冠比、高收获指数和高粒叶比及小冠幅/株高、大穗多粒"的"作物"型的演变。从株型各组件演变规律看,根型以根系大小适中、根条数较多、根系生理活性较高为主;茎型以各茎节长度比例趋近"黄金分割"演变,株高控制在80-100 cm左右的适中高度;叶型以叶片直立、旗叶长宽比例适中为主,倒二叶长维持在20 cm左右;穗型以直立、大穗和小穗数多为主;单株分蘖数趋于减少,株型结构趋于紧凑。上述组件特征将促使旱地小麦向弱竞争能力的方向发展。总之,旱地小麦经历了自然选择和人工选择双重压力,其株型结构有利于群体产量和水分利用效率提高,从而获得较高的种群适合度。     

表型可塑性变异的生态-发育机制及其进化意义

表型可塑性赋予生物个体在不同环境条件下通过产生不同表型来维持其适合度的能力.研究结果显示多数可塑性变异的产生是基于对环境变异信号的响应、改变基因表达式样并调整发育轨迹的结果,表观遗传调控体系在基因选择性表达和可塑性变异的跨世代传递过程中发挥了重要作用.不同物种和种群对环境变化的敏感性、发生可塑性变异的能力以及可塑性反应模式不尽相同,预示着控制可塑性能力并独立于控制性状的可塑性基凶的存在,这些基因是直接响应环境信号并控制表型表达的调控基因.表型可塑性不仅是物种适应性进化的一个重要方面,也是选择进化的产物,物种的表型可塑性变异对其生态适应和进化模式有深远的影响.     

植物逆境miRNA研究进展

包括生物和非生物在内的多种逆境胁迫是植物正常生长和作物产量提高的重要限制性因素。植物在长期的进化过程中, 通过诱导表达某些抵御或防卫途径的关键基因来实现对胁迫的响应。研究表明, 逆境胁迫不仅会诱导植物蛋白质编码基因的表达, 也会诱导一些非蛋白质编码基因的表达, 这类非蛋白质编码基因的表达产物在植物的生长、发育和应对逆境胁迫等过程中起到重要的调控作用。miRNA(小分子RNA)就是这类非蛋白质编码基因产物中的重要类群, 研究发现, 多种逆境均会诱导miRNA的产生, 其作用是通过引导目的基因mRNA的降解和阻止翻译过程来调控靶基因, 最终通过形态或生理上的变化达到对逆境的适应。文章主要对植物逆境胁迫下miRNA的研究, 特别是逆境胁迫诱导miRNA的产生、靶基因调控以及miRNA在植物适应逆境胁迫过程中的作用进行了综述, 同时, 文章还对在逆境胁迫下植物miRNA的研究方法进行了初步的探讨。     

沙米表型可塑性对土壤养分、水分和种群密度变化的响应

研究了土壤营养、土壤水分和种群密度等环境因素对沙米表型可塑性的影响．结果表明：土壤营养、土壤水分和种群密度对沙米的形态特性和生物量具有显著影响;随着土壤营养的增加,沙米的根冠比从0．135减小到0．073,但与土壤水分和种群密度无显著相关关系．对土壤营养和土壤水分变化响应的沙米繁殖分配可塑性是“真正的可塑性”;沙米繁殖分配与土壤营养呈负相关,与土壤水分呈正相关;在高土壤营养或低土壤水分条件下,沙米的繁殖分配随个体大小变化的速率较大;种群密度对沙米的繁殖分配无影响,其繁殖分配主要受个体大小的制约．在3个环境因素中,土壤营养对沙米形态特性和生物量特性的可塑性影响最大．     

野大豆种群转座子和转录因子的多样性和分子适应

对环境变化的适应机理一直是进化生物学和生态学长期争论的核心课题。根据适应逆境的生态学和分子生理的最新进展,设想逆境诱导转座子的转座,影响转录因子的表达,随即改变一系列抗性基因的表达水平,抗性种群快速适应形成;由此可能建立一个统一的进化理论。从黄河入海口野生大豆(Glycine soja)盐渍种群植株DNA扩增到一段干旱应答元件结合蛋白基因(DREB)序列,称为GsDREB1。克隆了一个全长的类Gypsy逆转录转座子整合酶基因序列,称为GsINT。种群内各植株该序列有多个拷贝,植株间存在限制片段长度多态性。根据所得的这两个序列,设计并合成包括GsINT 5'上游保守序列的Gs-1等若干引物,试图检测野大豆基因组中GsDREB1的5'上游是否存在逆转录转座子整合酶序列。将GsDREB1标记为探针,Southern杂交表明用Gs-1为正向引物GmDR1为逆向引物所扩增的产物既是多拷贝而又与GsDREB1高度同源。这一对引物扩增和部分测序的结果暗示逆转录转座子有的插入DREB的5'上游,种群内外植株间显现两基因间隔长度的多样性。据此提出抗性种群形成即适应进化分子机理的下列假说。正常种群主要由非抗性普通植株组成。当环境发生变化处于逆境条件时,种群内植株转座频率大大增加。转座子非定向地插入基因组。多数突变中性,不影响表型。少数插入到转录因子的5'上游或其编码区,可促进或阻抑其表达,由此引发转录因子所控制的抗性基因网络表达的增加或减少,抗性相应增加或降低。总的结果是在短时间内就能积累包括高抗性植株在内的有各种抗性水平的个体;对逆境敏感的个体不断地被自然选择所淘汰,但逆境不断诱导其产生,少数植株有可能利用逆境减弱的较短时间完成发育得以生存下来。此假说可以解释逆境条件下的植物种群为什么能快速形成而有更高的遗传多样性;又为什么抗性种群在高抗性植株产生的同时有时存在敏感植株。逆境促进的转座改变转录因子基因表达可能是植物生理和形态快速进化的一般分子机理。     

庆祝《动物学杂志》创刊五十周年 云南师范大学环境生物学、生态安全与恢复实验室

云南师范大学生命科学学院动物生理生态学实验室成立于1990年，是一个年轻、充满朝气的集体，为云南师范大学示范实验室。主要以我国热带亚热带小型哺乳动物为研究对象，采用生理学、细胞学、分子生物学和生态学的方法和技术手段，运用现代进化生物学的理论和思想，从分子、组织、器官、个体和种群等不同层次上，揭示动物在胁迫环境下的能量利用、分配和信息传递的分子机制及进化扩散途径以及各种环境胁迫因子对动物或人类生存适应特征、适应对策、适应模式及其分子机制、扩散途径和遗传多样性：其研究成果可以直接应用于人类疾病的防治、新药的开发、环境保护、动物保护等领域。     

植物的表型可塑性、异速生长及其入侵能力

表型可塑性是指同一个基因型对不同环境响应产生不同表型的特性,特定性状的可塑性本身可以遗传,也可以接受选择而发生进化。植物个体的异速生长是指生物体某一特征的相对生长速率不等于第二种特征的相对生长速率的特性,该特性是由物种的遗传性决定的一种固定特征,植物往往朝着最佳的异速生长曲线进化。植物特定基因型在不同环境下,诸如生物量分配和种群几何学上的一些表型差异,既可由异速生长造成,也可由表型可塑性造成。植物本身的异速生长是一种"外观可塑性",而异速生长曲线的改变才是真正的可塑性。植物的表型可塑性、异速生长对于入侵植物的适应具有重要意义。干扰等异质性生境下表型可塑性成为物种生存扩散的有利性状,表型可塑性强的物种更有可能成为广布种。植物本身的异速生长特性或其异速生长曲线的改变都能影响其入侵能力。     

空心莲子草在我国的适应性及入侵机制

空心莲子草是入侵我国的重要杂草之一,它在我国能广泛传播和迅速蔓延,与其自身特有的形态生理适应性、强大的繁殖特性和竞争力,以及传入地缺乏自然控制机制密切相关.空心莲子草从其原产地过渡到新的侵入地的过程中,在生态环境适应方面发生重大变化,产生一系列的形态结构、生理过程,以求适应陆地生活条件.其表型可塑性使得空心莲子草有更宽的生态幅,可利用的潜在资源范围也随之扩展;强大的营养繁殖能力,使其迅速产生大量的后代,在失去自然天敌调控的情况下,尤为适应其侵入种的生长、繁殖、发展和传播,种群数量的激增又会加速其传播扩散速度,导致空心莲子草爆发成灾.在综述空心莲子草在形态、生理、繁殖的适应性特征及天敌因素和入侵特性的基础上,根据前人的有关论述,分析了空心莲子草在我国的适应性特征及入侵机制,指出了空心莲子草在我国适应性及入侵机制应着重研究的方向,提出了综合治理和充分利用空心莲子草的对策.     

Evolutionary responses of Drosophila melanogaster to selection at different larval densities: changes in genetic variation,specialization and phenotypic plasticity

Abstract We studied the evolutionary response to novel environments by applying artificial selection for total progeny biomass in populations of Drosophila melanogaster maintained at three different larval population densities. We found the relative amount of genetic variability for characters related with biomass to be lower and the correlation between them more negative at the intermediate density, and that selection resulted in changes in phenotypic plasticity and in patterns of resource allocation between traits. We found some evidence for tradeoffs between densities, which suggests that populations living at heterogeneous densities might be subject to disruptive selection. Our results show that adaptation to new environments may be a complex process, involving not only changes in trait means, but also in correlations between traits and between environments.     

Nests in the cities: adaptive and non-adaptive phenotypic plasticity and convergence in an urban bird

Phenotypic plasticity plays a critical role in adaptation to novel environments. Behavioural plasticity enables more rapid responses to unfamiliar conditions than evolution by natural selection. Urban ecosystems are one such novel environment in which behavioural plasticity has been documented. However, whether such plasticity is adaptive, and if plasticity is convergent among urban populations, is poorly understood. We studied the nesting biology of an ‘urban-adapter’ species, the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis), to understand the role of plasticity in adapting to city life. We examined (i) whether novel nesting behaviours are adaptive, (ii) whether pairs modify nest characteristics in response to prior outcomes, and (iii) whether two urban populations exhibit similar nesting behaviour. We monitored 170 junco nests in urban Los Angeles and compared our results with prior research on 579 nests from urban San Diego. We found that nests placed in ecologically novel locations (off-ground and on artificial surfaces) increased fitness, and that pairs practiced informed re-nesting in site selection. The Los Angeles population more frequently nested off-ground than the San Diego population and exhibited a higher success rate. Our findings suggest that plasticity facilitates adaptation to urban environments, and that the drivers behind novel nesting behaviours are complex and multifaceted.     

Selection experiments and the study of phenotypic plasticity1

Abstract Laboratory selection experiments are powerful tools for establishing evolutionary potentials. Such experiments provide two types of information, knowledge about genetic architecture and insight into evolutionary dynamics. They can be roughly classified into two types: (1) artificial selection in which the experimenter selects on a focal trait or trait index, and (2) quasi‐natural selection in which the experimenter establishes a set of environmental conditions and then allows the population to evolve. Both approaches have been used in the study of phenotypic plasticity. Artificial selection experiments have taken various forms including: selection directly on a reaction norm, selection on a trait in multiple environments, and selection on a trait in a single environment. In the latter experiments, evolution of phenotypic plasticity is investigated as a correlated response. Quasi‐natural selection experiments have examined the effects of both spatial and temporal variation. I describe how to carry out such experiments, summarize past efforts, and suggest further avenues of research.     

On the fate of seasonally plastic traits in a rainforest butterfly under relaxed selection

Many organisms display phenotypic plasticity as adaptation to seasonal environmental fluctuations. Often, such seasonal responses entails plasticity of a whole suite of morphological and life‐history traits that together contribute to the adaptive phenotypes in the alternative environments. While phenotypic plasticity in general is a well‐studied phenomenon, little is known about the evolutionary fate of plastic responses if natural selection on plasticity is relaxed. Here, we study whether the presumed ancestral seasonal plasticity of the rainforest butterfly Bicyclus sanaos (Fabricius, 1793) is still retained despite the fact that this species inhabits an environmentally stable habitat. Being exposed to an atypical range of temperatures in the laboratory revealed hidden reaction norms for several traits, including wing pattern. In contrast, reproductive body allocation has lost the plastic response. In the savannah butterfly, B. anynana (Butler, 1879), these traits show strong developmental plasticity as an adaptation to the contrasting environments of its seasonal habitat and they are coordinated via a common developmental hormonal system. Our results for B. sanaos indicate that such integration of plastic traits – as a result of past selection on expressing a coordinated environmental response – can be broken when the optimal reaction norms for those traits diverge in a new environment.     

Morphological plasticity and adaptation level of distylous Primula nivalis in a heterogeneous alpine environment

Plant populations at high elevation face extreme climatic conditions and resource limitations. The existence of distylous species at different elevations can help us investigate their adaptation to high altitudes, the evolution of their morphological characteristics, as well as their responses to limited resources. Here, 17 populations of Primula nivalis at different elevations were evaluated regarding variations in plant morphological characteristics, biomass allocation, and morphological plasticity in a heterogeneous environment. Our results demonstrate that heterogeneous environments can affect plant morphological characteristics and resource allocation in each sexual morph of these plants. Moreover, environmental variations reduced morphological plasticity in the two plant morphs, and the plasticity of long style (LS) plants was greater than that of short style (SS) plants. There were significant negative correlations between morphological characteristics and elevation, rainfall, temperature, and sunshine, and these are the main variables that affect morphological characteristics and resource allocation of both morphs of P. nivalis plants in heterogeneous environments. The morphological characteristics of P. nivalis plants transplanted from high to lower elevations were not significantly different in either population. LS plants had greater morphological plasticity and adaptability in heterogeneous environments than SS plants. Elevational gradients and heterogeneous environments differentiated both morphs of P. nivalis plants with regards to morphology as well as adaptations. LS plants showed a higher level of adaptability than SS plants.     

Developmental plasticity and evolutionary explanations

Developmental plasticity looks like a promising bridge between ecological and developmental perspectives on evolution. Yet, there is no consensus on whether plasticity is part of the explanation for adaptive evolution or an optional “add‐on” to genes and natural selection. Here, we suggest that these differences in opinion are caused by differences in the simplifying assumptions, and particular idealizations, that enable evolutionary explanation. We outline why idealizations designed to explain evolution through natural selection prevent an understanding of the role of development, and vice versa. We show that representing plasticity as a reaction norm conforms with the idealizations of selective explanations, which can give the false impression that plasticity has no explanatory power for adaptive evolution. Finally, we use examples to illustrate why evolutionary explanations that include developmental plasticity may in fact be more satisfactory than explanations that solely refer to genes and natural selection.     

The evolutionary ecology of individual phenotypic plasticity in wild populations

The ability of individual organisms to alter morphological and life-history traits in response to the conditions they experience is an example of phenotypic plasticity which is fundamental to any population's ability to deal with short-term environmental change. We currently know little about the prevalence, and evolutionary and ecological causes and consequences of variation in life history plasticity in the wild. Here we outline an analytical framework, utilizing the reaction norm concept and random regression statistical models, to assess the between-individual variation in life history plasticity that may underlie population level responses to the environment at both phenotypic and genetic levels. We discuss applications of this framework to date in wild vertebrate populations, and illustrate how natural selection and ecological constraint may alter a population's response to the environment through their effects at the individual level. Finally, we present future directions and challenges for research into individual plasticity.     

Evidence of adaptive divergence in plasticity: density- and site-dependent selection on shade-avoidance responses in Impatiens capensis

We investigated the conditions under which plastic responses to density are adaptive in natural populations of Impatiens capensis and determined whether plasticity has evolved differently in different selective environments. Previous studies showed that a population that evolved in a sunny site exhibited greater plasticity in response to density than did a population that evolved in a woodland site. Using replicate inbred lines in a reciprocal transplant that included a density manipulation, we asked whether such population differentiation was consistent with the hypothesis of adaptive divergence. We hypothesized that plasticity would be more strongly favored in the sunny site than in the woodland site; consequently, we predicted that selection would be more strongly density dependent in the sunny site, favoring the phenotype that was expressed at each density. Selection on internode length and flowering date was consistent with the hypothesis of adaptive divergence in plasticity. Few costs or benefits of plasticity were detected independently from the expressed phenotype, so plasticity was selected primarily through selection on the phenotype. Correlations between phenotypes and their plasticity varied with the environment and would cause indirect selection on plasticity to be environment dependent. We showed that an appropriate plastic response even to a rare environment can greatly increase genotypic fitness when that environment is favorable. Selection on the measured characters contributed to local adaptation and fully accounted for fitness differences between populations in all treatments except the woodland site at natural density.     

REACTION NORMS OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND LIFE-HISTORY TRAITS TO LIGHT AVAILABILITY IN IMPATIENS CAPENSIS

For plants, light availability is an important environmental factor that varies both within and between populations. Although the existence of sun and shade “ecotypes” is controversial, it is often assumed that trade-offs may exist between performance in sun and in shade. This study therefore investigated variation in reaction norms to light availability within and between two neighboring natural populations of the annual Impatiens capensis, one in full sun and the other in a forest understory. Seedlings were collected randomly from both populations and grown to maturity in a greenhouse under two light conditions: full light and 18% of full light. Selfed full-sib seed families were collected from plants from both populations grown in both parental light environments. To characterize family reaction norms, seedlings from each family were divided into the same two light treatments and individuals were scored for a variety of morphological and life-history traits. The maternal light environment had little impact on progeny reaction norms. However, the two study populations differed both qualitatively and quantitatively in plastic response to light availability (indicated by significant population x environment interactions in mixed-model ANCOVA). Much of this difference was attributable to population differences in light sensitivity of axillary meristem allocation patterns, which produced concurrent differences in reaction norms for a suite of developmentally linked traits. Within each population, different sets of traits displayed significant variation in plasticity (indicated by significant family x environment interactions). Thus, the genetic potential for evolutionary response to selection in heterogeneous light environments may differ dramatically between neighboring plant populations. Between-environment genetic correlations were largely positive in the woods population and positive or nonsignificant in the sun population; there was no evidence for performance trade-offs across environments or sun or shade “specialist” genotypes within either population. There was little evidence that population differences represented adaptive differentiation for sun or shade; rather, the results suggested the hypothesis of differential selection on patterns of meristem allocation caused by population differences in timing of mortality and intensity of competition.