新世纪的中国昆虫系统学

对未来我国昆虫系统学在能力建设、物种编目、理论研究、技术创新和国际合作等方面提出一系列建议。在昆虫系统学能力建设方面,政府和科学家应该在生物分类学能力评估、基础硬件建设、各级生物标本馆中建立伙伴关系（包括标本采集、标本馆管理、 科学研究、 知识共享和标本与资料交换）等方面重点开展工作。在物种编目方面,我国的昆虫物种编目有赖于各级政府和机构继续关注标本的收集和保藏,继续启动一些考察项目,以满足发现和认识昆虫物种的实际需求。在物种水平上研究以往昆虫系统学家的工作,进行地区性和世界性的昆虫类群的订正更是非常必要的。在理论研究方面,我国昆虫系统应该在下列方面积极探索：物种概念、进化理论、比较生物学理论和高级分类系统研究。在技术创新方面,我国的昆虫系统学家应该在数据库与网络技术应用、图形图像处理技术、专家鉴定系统技术、分类性状分析技术、分子生物学技术、系统发育推断程序、信息统一管理技术和知识传播技术等方面进行深入研究,以满足昆虫系统学的发展需求。在国际合作方面,要进一步推动我国昆虫系统学研究机构加入生物分类学全球战略联盟、加入各种相关国际相关组织,要促进物种信息管理系统的建立与共享,要推动研究项目国际化。     

分子系统学在生物保护中的意义

本文综述了近年来分子系统学的原理和方法及其在生物多样性保护中的应用和发展。分子系统学方法可以很好地确定物种保护的基本单元——进化显著性单元,并可用于推测群体的发展状态,从而为物种的保护提供了一项新的具很强操作性的科学手段。     

生物多样性事业需要科学、可操作的物种概念

物种概念(species concept)是生物学家们持续关注的中心问题。物种概念决定物种划分, 而物种划分的合理性关系到生物多样性的研究、保护和可持续利用。本文把现有较流行的物种概念分为6类, 并对它们予以述评后指出: 虽然生物学物种概念、遗传学物种概念、进化物种概念、系统发生物种概念等从不同方面认识了物种的客观真实性和物种的本质, 但在实践中都难以操作。绝大多数物种是由分类学家划分的, 但目前所有的分类学物种概念都包含有不同程度的主观因素, 从而造成物种划分的人为性, 对生物多样性研究造成负面影响。因此, 生物多样性事业需要科学、可操作的物种概念。本文在吸收了生物学物种概念、遗传学物种概念、进化物种概念以及系统发生物种概念等的长处, 也分析了它们的不足和问题的基础上提出一个新的物种概念, 即形态-生物学物种概念。最后, 以芍药属(Paeonia)几个物种的处理为例, 说明这一新的物种概念是可操作的, 划分的物种在形态上区别分明, 易于鉴别。更重要的是, 其结果得到基于25或26个单拷贝或寡拷贝核基因DNA序列所作的系统发生分析的强有力支持。各个物种在系统发生树上形成单系和独立的谱系, 表明其间各自形成独立的基因库, 没有基因交换, 它们独立进化, 有各自的生态位和独立的分布区。因此, 利用这一新的物种概念能够达到预期目标。     

分支系统学和种系发生种

简要评述进化系统学和分支系统学的物种概念问题。介绍了关系物种问题研究的一些新进展,特别是种系发生种概念和种系发生种的划定方法－居群聚合分析和分支单型聚合。     

保护生物学概要

保护生物学的形成是对生物危机的反应和生物科学迅速发展的结果。它是应用科学解决由于人类活动干扰或其它因素引起的物种、群落和生态系统出现的问题的新学科。其”目的是提供保护生物多样性的原理和工具“,其基础科学和应用科学的综合性交叉学科。系统学、生态学、生物地理学和种群生态学的原理和方法是保护生物学重要的理论和实践基础。     

系统学与生物多样性

系统学家２００多年的努力,地球上最多仅有１／１０生物被命名．至今,系统学却被误认为已是古老学科,基础设施和人才走向没落。１９９２年《生物多样性公约》被批准后：对系统学重要性有了重新认识．１９９４年国际上提出了“２０００年系统学议程”。本文对“议程”提出的发现生物多样性、了解生物多样性及管理系统学知识等三大任务及每个任务的优先领域作了介绍．明确了系统学是保护和持续利用生物多样性的重要基础。应把系统学研究提到应有高度加以支持。     

生物多样性研究的几个国际热点

ＤＩＶＥＲＳＩＴＡＳ是国际上生物多样性研究的主要项目,到１９９５年时,这项目发展到一个新的阶段．研究内容由过去４个方面发展到目前代表ＤＩＶＥＲＳＹＦＡＳ核心的５个主要项目组成部分及４个交叉项目组成部分。系统学作为生物学的一门分支学科,它的重要任务之一就是要研究生命的多样性．为了世界性地提高对系统学研究重要性的认识,加强系统学基础设施和人才资源,国际上制定了２０００年系统学议程项目。此外,本文还介绍了ＩＵＢＳ组织的物种２０００项目。     

“物种”与“个体”:究竟谁是生物多样性保护的恰当对象?

生物多性保护实践涉及到两大基本问题:一是我们要保护的是什么,二是我们优先保护什么。从保护对象的角度看,物种和个体均不是生物多样性保护的恰当对象,准确的目标是“物种多样性”。所有的物种都在物种分化程度与分化时间上千差万别,从而导致不可能有统一的标准去划分不同的物种。从多样性或者说物种多样性的目标出发,作为保护对象的物种必须是独立进化的单元,同时,它必须有一个可操作的、相对合理的界定方法,而整合分类法可能就是一条极具吸引力的道路。生物分类学家应当尽可能利用整合分类思想和整合方法,建立可操作的、相对合理的物种概念和优先保护级别划分体系,以避免实际工作中的冲突与困境,更好地服务于生物多样性保护事业。     

地衣,真菌和菌物的研究进展

介绍了有关地衣,真菌和菌物的基础知识,生物共生的基本概念,菌物分子系统学的最新进展,基于最新进展,对于地衣,真菌及菌物在生物系统中的地位做了简述,提出了菌物基因资源产业概念,展望了它的兴起,发展及其与菌物物种多样性研究之间的关系与意义。     

菌物分类学研究中常见的物种概念

物种是生物多样性与分类学研究的基本单元, 物种识别是生物学研究的基本问题之一。物种的划分一直以来都没有一个明确统一的标准, 这使得分类学多少带有主观的色彩, 并经常被看作艺术而不完全是科学的研究。本文简要概述了菌物分类学研究中常见的3个物种概念, 即形态学种、生物学种和系统发育学种的背景和应用现状, 并通过实例讨论了这3个物种概念的特点及应用中存在的问题, 特别是各个物种概念之间的交错, 以期为菌物分类学研究和物种概念探讨提供参考。     

生物系统学与自然保护

生物系统学的知识是自然监测和保护的基础。随着自然保护观念由强调重点物种或代表性生态系统保护转向强调保护地球上生物多样性,生物系统学将在自然保护中发挥更大的作用。     

ON THE BIOSYSTEMATICS OF ANOPHELES DIRUS COMPLEX (DIPTERA:CULICIDAE) IN CHINA*

Abstract Anopheles dirus complex is a major malaria vector in Southeast Asia and South China. Rut the role played by different member of the species complex in malaria transmission is not clearly known. Correct identification of the sibling species is a foundational requirement for working out a sound scheme in mosquito biosystematics. This paper reports the resuets of biosystematic studies on the chromosomal karyotype, egg microstructure, ribosomal DNA sequences of a second internal transcribed spacer region and polymerase chain reactions of the complex in China. Specimens of species A and D from Hainan and Yunnan Provinces were carefully analyzed and the importance of development aspect of the mosquito biosystematics in malaria control is discussed.     

Recent developments in molecular techniques for identification and monitoring of xenobiotic-degrading bacteria and their catabolic genes in bioremediation

The pollution of soil and water with xenobiotics is widespread in the environment and is creating major health problems. The utilization of microorganisms to clean up xenobiotics from a polluted environment represents a potential solution to such environmental problems. Recent developments in molecular-biology-based techniques have led to rapid and accurate strategies for monitoring, discovery and identification of novel bacteria and their catabolic genes involved in the degradation of xenobiotics. Application of these techniques to bioremediation has also improved our understanding of the composition, phylogeny, and physiology of metabolically active members of the microbial community in the environment. This review provides an overview of recent developments in molecular-biology-based techniques and their application in bioremediation of xenobiotics.     

Down in the woods they have no names — BioNET-INTERNATIONAL. Strengthening systematics in developing countries

The biosystematic crisis in the developing world is occasioned by the inadequacy of indigenous capabilities; the withdrawal of free-services by the major world centres of excellence; and the ever-increasing need for biosystematics to support sustainable agricultural development and use of biodiversity. Developing countries are unable to meet their obligations, as signatories, to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The most cost-effective and technically best solution is to establish and sustain realistic self-reliance in biosystematics within developing country sub-regions, through mobilization and pooling of resources for optimum use, and their enhancement through donor-funded human resource and capacity building programmes. BioNET-INTERNATIONAL as a global technical cooperation network comprized of inter-linked sub-regional LOOPs (Locally Organised and Operated Partnerships) provides a sustainable mechanism for achieving this objective. Its initial concern with Invertebrates and Microorganisms is without prejudice to its ultimate scope. The first LOOP, CARINET was established for the Caribbean sub-region in December 1993 and LOOPs for East Africa, South East Asia and South Pacific are underway. The world-wide network is expected to be in place within five years.     

The potential contribution of vegetation ecology to biodiversity research

The contribution of vegetation ecology to the study of biodiversity depends on better communication between the different research paradigms in ecology. Recent developments in vegetation theory and associated statistical modelling techniques are reviewed for their relevance to biodiversity. Species composition and collective properties such as species richness vary as a continuum in a multi-dimensional environmental space; a concept which needs to be incorporated into biodiversity studies. Different kinds of environmental gradients can be recognised and species responses to them vary. Species response curves of eucalypts to an environmental gradient of mean annual temperature have been shown to exhibit a particular pattern of skewed response curves. Generalised linear modelling (GLM) and generalised additive modelling (GAM) techniques are important tools for biodiversity studies. They have successfully distinguished the contribution of environmental (climatic) and spatial (history and species dispersal ability) variables in determining forest tree composition in New Zealand. Species richness studies are examined at global, regional and local scales. At all scales, direct and resource environmental gradients need to be incorporated into the analysis rather than indirect gradients e.g. latitude which have no direct physiological influence on biota. Evidence indicates that species richness at the regional scale is sensitive to environment, confounding current studies on local/regional species richness relationships. Plant community experiments require designs based on environmental gradients rather than dependent biological properties such as productivity or species richness to avoid confounding the biotic components. Neglect of climatic and other environmental gradients and the concentration on the collective properties of species assemblages has limited recent biodiversity studies. Conservation evaluation could benefit from greater use of the continuum concepts and statistical modelling techniques of vegetation ecology. The future development of ecology will depend on testing the different assumptions of competing research paradigms and a more inclusive synthesis of ecological theory.     

中国大劣按蚊复合体生物分类的研究(英文)

大劣按蚊（广义）是东南亚和我国南方的高效传疟媒介,其复合体不同成员种的传疟作用尚未清楚阐明,探索近缘种的正确鉴别为蚊虫生物分类的重要基础。本文报道对我国大劣按蚊复合体（Anophelesdiruscomplex）生物分类的研究结果,应用染色体核型、卵的扫描结构、核糖体DNA间隔2区序列及PCR鉴别检测等方法,确认该复合体A种分布于海南省,D种分布于云南省。文内并对蚊虫生物分类的发展方向及其对疟疾防治的重要性作了讨论。     

Recognition of errors in three-dimensional structures of proteins

A major problem in the determination of the three-dimensional structure of proteins concerns the quality of the structural models obtained from the interpretation of experimental data. New developments in X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy have acceleratedd the process of structure determination and the biological community is confronted with a steadily increasing number of experimentally determined protein folds. However, in the recent past several experimentally determined protein structures have been proven to contain major errors, indicating that in some cases the interpretation of experimental data is difficult and may yield incorrect models. Such problems can be avoided when computational methods are employed which complement experimental structure determinations. A prerequisite of such computational tools is that they are independent of the parameters obtained from a particular experiment. In addition such techniques are able to support and accelerate experimental structure determinations. Here we present techniques based on knowledge based mean fields which can be used to judge the quality of protein folds. The methods can be used to identify misfolded structures as well as faulty parts of structural models. The techniques are even applicable in cases where only the C_α trace of a protein conformation is available. The capabilities of the technique are demonstrated using correct and incorrect protein folds. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Evolutionary mechanisms in tropical ferns

Cytotaxonomic work on tropical fern floras has now reached the stage at which it is possible to compare different geographical regions meaningfully. It is also possible, although the evidence is on a more restricted scale, to compare the taxonomic and geographical incidence of different evolutionary mechanisms of the kind which can be investigated by the experimental techniques of biosystematics. Autopolyploidy, allopolyploidy, genetical speciation without visible chromosome changes, and speciation involving visible structural chromosome changes, are all now known to have taken place in tropical examples some of which will be illustrated. Certain types of change are restricted to certain fern genera being apparently absent from others. Such restrictions do not explain the marked regional peculiarities exhibited by Africa versus India, or by Malaya when compared with Ceylon or Jamaica. Interpretation of the results requires attention to be directed to factors in the past history of the various areas which might not otherwise be recognized.     

Engineering skeletal muscle tissue--new perspectives in vitro and in vivo

Muscle tissue engineering (TE) has not yet been clinically applied because of several problems. However, the field of skeletal muscle TE has been developing tremendously and new approaches and techniques have emerged. This review will highlight recent developments in the field of nanotechnology, especially electrospun nanofibre matrices, as well as potential cell sources for muscle TE. Important developments in cardiac muscle TE and clinical studies on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) will be included to show their implications on skeletal muscle TE.     

The species survival plan and the conference on reproductive strategies for endangered wildlife

The application of advanced reproduction technology to the breeding of vanishing species in captivity, as planned by the Species Survival Plan (SSP) of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, may be crucial to practical longterm propagation of some species. However, current techniques are usually specific to domestic animals and man. Major modifications and new approaches, on a species-specific basis, will be required for broad application to specialized wild animals. Prerequisites include basic studies of unique species' physiology and basic care requirements. The current SSP program needs a major research component.