增温条件下花粉来源对红雉凤仙花生殖成功的影响

花粉来源影响着植物的生殖成功和种群的遗传结构, 母体效应则有利于子代适应母代经历的环境。然而, 气候变暖背景下, 花粉来源联合母体效应对植物生殖成功的影响仍不明了。该研究以兼性异交的中国特有植物红雉凤仙花(Impatiens oxyanthera)为研究对象, 采用双因素随机区组设计, 设置母代增温(+0 ℃和+2 ℃)嵌套子代增温(+0 ℃、+2 ℃和+4 ℃)共6种实验处理, 探讨不同母代增温条件下子代增温对红雉凤仙花花粉来源限制的影响。结果显示: 红雉凤仙花异交的结实率和种子数均高于自交的相应值, 且随着子代增温幅度提升, 这2个值均呈现不同程度降低, 特别是自交结实率和种子数随子代增温明显降低, 而母代增温则减缓了自交引起的生殖成功率降低的效应。上述结果说明, 红雉凤仙花异交生殖成功率大于自交。子代增温显著降低了兼性异交植物自交的适合度, 母代增温可以减缓这种不利影响, 从而表现出对增温的跨代适应性。     

害虫基因防治新方向:转基因昆虫的研究

利用转基因昆虫防治害虫是害虫基因防治方法之一,它是用遗传工程方法,体外连接昆虫转座子、对昆虫有害基因和启动子,构建一个复合转座子（transposonswitharmedcassettes,TAC）在昆虫转座子的引导下,TAC插入昆虫基因组,形成转基因昆虫。转基因昆虫与野生型昆虫交配,TAC随着昆虫转座子的自然扩散传递到子代,并在后代中迅速扩散,经过几个世代,TAC扩散到靶昆虫种群的所有个体。TAC中的对昆虫有害基因在启动子的调控下表达,使害虫种群“自毁”。近年来,随着分子遗传学和基因工程研究的迅速发展,利用转基因昆虫防治害虫成为害…     

昆虫种群的遗传调控

昆虫种群的遗传调控是利用昆虫自身生长发育的关键基因,采用性别控制开关,通过遗传转化使雄虫成为携带导致后代雌虫发育异常或雌性不育的遗传控制复合体（性别开关元件和靶标基因的复合体）．昆虫种群遗传调控是一种基于不育技术的昆虫种群控制系统,具有种类特异、环境友好和便捷高效等特点．目前为止,已经由早期的通过辐射不育方法发展到释放携带显性致死基因昆虫的方法,并在多种昆虫中获得成功．本文综述了昆虫种群遗传调控的发展历程,介绍了昆虫种群遗传调控相关的理论与方法,包括特异的调控元件、致死或缺陷基因和遗传转化体系的应用,并列举了几种昆虫种群遗传调控的实例,最后对于昆虫种群遗传调控系统中存在的问题以及可能的发展方向进行了展望．     

母代越冬经历对中华通草蛉子代发育与繁殖的影响

【目的】为探究母代越冬经历对中华通草蛉Chrysoperla sinica子代生长发育、滞育诱导和繁殖能力的影响,【方法】采用年龄-龄期两性生命表方法研究了越冬初期(11月份)、越冬中期(1月份)和越冬末期(3月份)中华通草蛉自然越冬成虫其子代种群在25℃、光周期15L∶9D和9L∶15D条件下的生长发育及种群动态变化。【结果】长光周期(15L∶9D)下不同越冬时期对中华通草蛉子代的成虫前期并没有显著性影响,但越冬中期的子代成虫历期显著短于其他两个越冬时期;产卵前期以越冬中期子代显著高于其他两个越冬时期;单雌平均产卵量则以越冬末期显著高于越冬初期和越冬中期;内禀增长率、周限增长率和净增殖率均以越冬末期子代最高;平均世代周期以越冬中期子代最长。短光周期(9L∶15D)下中华通草蛉子代成虫历期以越冬末期最长,越冬初期次之,越冬中期最短;子代产卵前期以越冬初期最长,越冬中期次之,越冬末期最短;产卵历期以越冬末期最长;单雌平均产卵量以越冬末期最高;子代生命表参数变化趋势与长光照处理一致;子代种群存活率以越冬末期最高,越冬初期次之,越冬中期最低。【结论】相比越冬初期和越冬中期,越冬末期中华通草蛉子代种群表现出较强的增殖能力;短光周期可诱导中华通草蛉成虫滞育,产卵前期的长短可代表滞育深度,母代越冬经历对子代种群滞育诱导有一定的削减作用,母代越冬时间越长,削减作用越明显。     

昆虫与栎树的相互关系及其对栎林更新的影响

本文概述了昆虫和栎树的相互关系以及栎林种群更新研究的进展,从叶片和栎实两个方面分别分析昆虫对栎树的危害、栎树对昆虫的防御以及栎林种群更新中的问题等。（1）危害栎树的昆虫种类丰富,它们以取食叶片和栎实为主,昆虫的寄生几乎使栎实完全失去活力。（2）栎树的防御效应能影响昆虫啃食叶片的程度,被昆早寄生的栎实提前下落以及栎实产量周期性的大小年变化,能降低昆虫寄生和取食栎实所带来的损失。（3）昆虫啃食叶片降低栎树的能量利用和营养物质贮存,昆虫对栎实的寄生和取食给栎树的种子库及苗库带来压力,直接影响到栎林的种群更新,此外,昆虫对栎实的寄生也会影响脊椎动物搬运栎实时的选择取向,间接控制栎实扩散,进而影响栎树的种群更新。     

高温天数和吡虫啉互作对麦长管蚜世代内与世代间生态表型的影响

麦长管蚜Sitobion avenae是麦类作物主要的害虫之一,严重影响麦类作物的质量和产量.为了探究不同高温天数和农药互作对麦长管蚜世代内与世代间生活史性状的影响,调查了成蚜经高温事件34℃/3 h持续1d、3d和5d与低剂量吡虫啉互作,对生活史性状的影响.结果 表明,在世代内,随着高温天数增加,存活率随之下降,仅高温处理下由67.5％下降为12.5％,与农药结合后由70％下降为10％,但对寿命、繁殖却没有影响(P＞0.05).不同高温天数和吡虫啉的互作延迟效应主要加剧了对繁殖的负面影响,尤其是在高温天持续3d和5d(P＜0.05),显著抑制了母代种群参数的增长.在世代间,母代单独经历不同高温天数后,对子代存活、发育、繁殖和寿命均没有显著影响(P＞0.05).高温天数和吡虫啉的互作主要对子代存活产生了负面影响,下降率可达33.3％,但两者的互作却对子代成蚜寿命、繁殖产生了正面刺激作用,大大减缓对子代种群参数的影响.上述结果将为气候变暖和农药双重胁迫下麦长管蚜种群动态的预测、防控提供一定的理论指导.     

对叶榕传粉小蜂性比率的调节和稳定

传粉榕小蜂呈现偏雌的性比率,单双倍体性别决定系统、局域配偶竞争和近交效应被认为是调节偏雌性比率的3个主要机制。通过研究影响对叶榕传粉小蜂性比率的因素,结果表明传粉榕小蜂的偏雌性比率随局域配偶竞争强度的降低而增加;受母代雌蜂交配次数的影响,随着母代雌蜂交配次数的增加,子代的偏雌性比率逐渐降低,这一结果首次揭示了传粉榕小蜂的交配制次数对性比率的影响,并在个体水平上定量了性比率变异与雌蜂交配频次的关系。传粉小蜂的性比率与共生的非传粉小蜂的关系,非传粉小蜂的介入直接减少了传粉小蜂的数量,甚至对传粉小蜂的种群有显著影响,结果发现非传粉小蜂对传粉小蜂雌雄性的分配比率没有显著影响,传粉榕小蜂仍能正常地进行繁殖。传粉与非传粉者小蜂之间作用关系的确定,可为进一步理解两者的稳定共生的机制提供科学证据。     

母代环境升温对菹草石芽形态、碳氮元素含量及子代萌发过程的影响

母代环境的影响在水生植物生活史以及子代生长特征方面扮演十分重要的作用。因此, 了解母代环境的影响将有助于预测水生植物生活史特征对未来气候变暖的响应机制。研究以菹草(Potamogeton crispus)为研究对象, 采用实验生态学手段, 通过设置了3种不同升温模式, 研究母代不同升温模式环境下产生的菹草石芽在形态、化学计量学特征及萌发等方面的变化特征。研究结果表明: 不同的升温模式对菹草产生的石芽湿重无显著影响, 但是较高幅度的升温显著促进了石芽长度和宽度的增加; 石芽的化学计量学特征表明, 母代高幅度的升温会导致菹草石芽总N含量显著升高, 同时C/N比显著下降; 母代升温环境对菹草石芽的萌发速率及幼苗生长有一定程度的促进作用。综上所述, 菹草母代环境温度的升高显著影响了石芽的形态、化学计量学特征及萌发情况。     

氰氟虫腙对小菜蛾阿维菌素抗性和敏感种群的亚致死效应(英文)

在实验室条件下采用生命表技术研究了氰氟虫腙亚致死剂量（LC₂₅）对小菜蛾Plutella xylostella阿维菌素抗性（AV-R）和敏感（AV-S）种群的亚致死效应, 旨在为小菜蛾对阿维菌素的抗性治理提供理论基础。结果表明： 氰氟虫腙对小菜蛾3龄幼虫抗性种群的LC₅₀和LC₂₅分别为0.24 mg/L和0.09 mg/L; 对敏感种群的LC₅₀和LC₂₅分别为0.20 mg/L和0.07 mg/L。氰氟虫腙亚致死剂量0.09 mg/L 处理小菜蛾后, 对处理代的影响表现为显著降低处理种群的化蛹率、 蛹重、 羽化率、 繁殖力; 明显延长蛹期, 缩短成虫产卵期和寿命; 对子代种群的影响表现为显著降低卵的孵化率、 幼虫各龄期的存活率, 延长发育历期。处理种群的内禀增长率（r_m）、 周限增长率（λ）和净增值率（R₀）显著低于对照种群（P<0.0001）。亚致死剂量的氰氟虫腙对小菜蛾抗性种群的影响大于敏感种群, 对处理代种群的影响大于子代种群。氰氟虫腙亚致死剂量可以极大地影响小菜蛾尤其是阿维菌素抗性种群的种群动态, 因此氰氟虫腙对于小菜蛾的抗性治理具有积极的作用。     

温度制约下的白背飞虱窝卵数

窝卵数,俗称卵块大小（clutchsize,每卵块所包含的卵粒数）,是近年来深受注意的昆虫产卵行为之一[1,2]。针对各种生态条件,人们已提出各种假说,阐述昆虫产卵块比产单粒优越;一些数学模型提出,随着在同一小斑块（Patch）产卵的雌虫数增加或幼虫期竞争加剧,卵块一般会变小［1］,即卵块大小是受物种本身的特性诸如分类地位、卵巢管数目、母代个体大小、年龄以及种群密度、营养条件、天敌、环境因素（温度、光照、湿度等）影响的。白背飞虱Sogatellaf。roil。ra（HorvAt）是水稻的主要害虫之一,其卵成块地产在水稻叶鞘、叶片组织内…     

Paternal levels of DNA damage in spermatozoa and maternal parity influence offspring mortality in an endangered ungulate

Understanding which factors influence offspring mortality rates is a major challenge since it influences population dynamics and may constrain the chances of recovery among endangered species. Most studies have focused on the effects of maternal and environmental factors, but little is known about paternal factors. Among most polygynous mammals, males only contribute the haploid genome to their offspring, but the possibility that sperm DNA integrity may influence offspring survival has not been explored. We examined several maternal, paternal and individual factors that may influence offspring survival in an endangered species (Gazella cuvieri). Levels of sperm DNA damage had the largest impact upon offspring mortality rates, followed by maternal parity. In addition, there was a significant interaction between these two variables, so that offspring born to primiparous mothers were more likely to die if their father had high levels of sperm DNA damage, but this was not the case among multiparous mothers. Thus, multiparous mothers seem to protect their offspring from the deleterious effects of sperm DNA damage. Since levels of sperm DNA damage seem to be higher among endangered species, more attention should be paid to the impact of this largely ignored factor among the viability of endangered species.     

Factors affecting offspring survival and development in a cooperative bird: social, maternal and environmental effects

1. In many noncooperative vertebrates, maternal effects commonly influence offspring survival and development. In cooperative vertebrates, where multiple adults help to raise young from a single brood, social effects may reduce or replace maternal effects on offspring. 2. Factors affecting offspring survival and development at different stages (fledging, nutritional independence and adulthood) were tested in the cooperatively breeding Arabian babbler to determine the relative importance of social, maternal and environmental factors at each stage. An influence of maternal effects was found during the nestling stage only. 3. Social factors affected the survival and development of young at all stages. The amount of food received from helpers influenced post-fledging weight gain, development of foraging skills, and survival to reproductive age. Environmental effects were also important, with groups occupying high-quality territories more likely to produce young that survived to maturity. 4. The strong influence of helper contributions on the survival and development of young at all stages from hatching to maturity suggests social factors may have important long-term effects on offspring fitness in cooperative societies. Traditional measures of offspring survival in cooperative birds, which commonly measure survival to fledging age only, may underestimate the significant benefit of helper contributions on the survival and development of young.     

Maternal influences on offspring phenotypes and sex ratios in a multi‐clutching lizard with environmental sex determination

Maternal and environmental factors are important sources of phenotypic variation because both factors influence offspring traits in ways that impact offspring and maternal fitness. The present study explored the effects of maternal factors (maternal body size, egg size, yolk‐steroid allocation, and oviposition‐site choice) and seasonally‐variable environmental factors on offspring phenotypes and sex ratios in a multi‐clutching lizard with environmental sex determination (Amphibolurus muricatus). Maternal identity had strong effects on offspring morphology, but the nature of maternal effects differed among successive clutches produced by females throughout the reproductive season (i.e. maternal identity by environment interactions). The among‐female and among‐clutch variation in offspring traits (including sex ratios) was not mediated through maternal body size, egg size, or variation in yolk steroid hormones. This lack of nongenetic maternal effects suggests that phenotypic variation may be generated by gene by environment interactions. These results demonstrate a significant genetic component to variation in offspring phenotypes, including sex ratios, even in species with environmental sex determination. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95 , 256–266.     

Dynamic influence of maternal and pup traits on maternal care during lactation in an income breeder, the antarctic fur seal

Life-history theory predicts that selection will favor optimal levels of parental effort that balance benefits of current reproduction with costs to survival and future reproduction. The optimal level of effort depends on parental traits, offspring traits, and provisioning strategy. Additionally, how these factors influence effort may differ depending on the stage of reproduction. The relative importance of maternal and offspring traits on energy allocation to offspring was investigated in known-age Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella across four stages of reproduction, using birth mass and milk-consumption measurements. Maternal traits were important during three of the four stages investigated, with larger females giving birth to larger pups and investing more in pups during perinatal and molt stages. Pup mass influenced maternal effort during the premolt stage, and provisioning strategy influenced postnatal maternal effort at all stages. Energy provided to the offspring during an attendance visit was positively related to the duration of the foraging-trip/visit cycle; however, when investment was controlled for trip/visit cycle duration, the overall rate of energy transfer was similar across trip durations. In addition to strong effects of maternal mass, pup traits affected energy allocation, suggesting that pup demand is important in determining maternal care. These findings emphasize the importance of considering state variables in life-history studies and suggest that timing of measurements of effort in species with long provisioning periods may influence conclusions and our ability to make comparisons of reproductive effort among species.     

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.     

Epigenetic targeting in the mouse zygote marks DNA for later methylation: a mechanism for maternal effects in development

The transgenic sequences in the mouse line TKZ751 are demethylated on a DBA/2 inbred strain background but become highly methylated at postimplantation stages in offspring of a cross with a BALB/c female. In the reciprocal cross the transgene remains demethylated suggesting that imprinted BALB/c methylation modifiers or egg cytoplasmic factors are responsible for this striking maternal effect on de novo methylation. Reciprocal pronuclear transplantation experiments were carried out to distinguish between these mechanisms. The results indicate that a maternally-derived oocyte cytoplasmic factor from BALB/c marks the TKZ751 sequences at fertilization; this mark and postzygotic BALB/c modifiers are both required for de novo methylation of the target sequences at postimplantation stages. Using genetic linkage analyses we mapped the maternal effect to a locus on chromosome 17. Moreover, seven postzygotic modifier loci were identified that increase the postimplantation level of methylation. Analysis of interactions between the maternal and the postzygotic loci shows that both are needed for de novo methylation in the offspring. The combined experiments thus reveal a novel epigenetic marking process at fertilization which targets DNA for later methylation in the foetus. The most significant consequence is that the genotype of the mother can influence the epigenotype of the offspring by this marking process. A number of parental and imprinting effects may be explained by this epigenetic marking.     

Mother knows best,even when stressed? Effects of maternal exposure to a stressor on offspring performance at different life stages in a wild semelparous fish

The environment mothers are exposed to has resonating effects on offspring performance. In iteroparous species, maternal exposure to stressors generally results in offspring ill-equipped for survival. Still, opportunities for future fecundity can offset low quality offspring. Little is known, however, as to how intergenerational effects of stress manifest in semelparous species with only a single breeding episode. Such mothers would suffer a total loss of fitness if offspring cannot survive past multiple life stages. We evaluated whether chronic exposure of female sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to a chase stressor impaired offspring performance traits. Egg size and early offspring survival were not influenced by maternal exposure to the repeated acute stressor. Later in development, fry reared from stressed mothers swam for shorter periods of time but possessed a superior capacity to re-initiate bouts of burst swimming. In contrast to iteroparous species, the mechanisms driving the observed effects do not appear to be related to cortisol, as egg hormone concentrations did not vary between stressed and undisturbed mothers. Sockeye salmon appear to possess buffering strategies that protect offspring from deleterious effects of maternal stress that would otherwise compromise progeny during highly vulnerable stages of development. Whether stressed sockeye salmon mothers endow offspring with traits that are matched or mismatched for survival in the unpredictable environment they encountered is discussed. This study highlights the importance of examining intergenerational effects among species-specific reproductive strategies, and across offspring life history to fully determine the scope of impact of maternal stress.     

Maternal warming affects early life stages of an invasive thistle

Maternal environment can influence plant offspring performance. Understanding maternal environmental effects will help to bridge a key gap in the knowledge of plant life cycles, and provide important insights for species’ responses under climate change. Here we show that maternal warming significantly affected the early life stages of an invasive thistle, Carduus nutans. Seeds produced by plants grown in warmed conditions had higher germination percentages and shorter mean germination times than those produced by plants under ambient conditions; this difference was most evident at suboptimal germination temperatures. Subsequent seedling emergence was also faster with maternal warming, with no cost to seedling emergence percentage and seedling growth. Our results suggest that maternal warming may accelerate the life cycle of this species via enhanced early life‐history stages. These maternal effects on offspring performance, together with the positive responses of the maternal generation, may exacerbate invasions of this species under climate change.     

Variation among populations of Diodia teres (Rubiaceae) in environmental maternal effects

Previous studies have quantified variation in environmental maternal effects (EME) within populations, but these effects could differ among populations as well. In this study we grew clonal replicates of individuals from three populations of the annual plant Diodia teres in their native and non-native environments. Our goal was to estimate the effects of maternal environment and maternal population on seed and seedling traits. Seeds that were produced in this field study were then planted in two soil types to quantify effects of the offspring environment on seedling traits. There was substantial variation among populations for seed weight. We found population variation for EME, and maternal environment by offspring environment interactions. We conclude that variation among populations in EME may be an unrecognized component of local adaptation, and that attempts to control maternal effects by statistically accounting for variation in seed weight may be ineffective.     

Heat stress and age induced maternal effects on wing size and shape in parthenogenetic Drosophila mercatorum

Maternal effects on progeny wing size and shape in a homozygous parthenogenetic strain of Drosophila mercatorum were investigated. The impact of external maternal factors (heat stress) and the impact of internal maternal factors (different maternal and grand maternal age) were studied. The offspring developed under identical environmental conditions, and due to lack of genetic variation any phenotypic difference among offspring could be ascribed to maternal effects. Wing size was estimated by centroid size, shape was analysed with the Procrustes geometric morphometric method and variation in landmark displacement was visualized by principal component analysis. Both kinds of maternal effects had a significant impact on progeny wing size and shape. Maternal heat stress led to the same pattern of response in size and shape among the progeny, with increased difference between the control group and progeny from heat stressed flies in both size and shape with increased maternal heat stress temperature. The effects of maternal age, however, led to different responses in size and shape between the different progeny groups. The observed variation in landmark displacements was similar, and in both cases mainly associated with shape differences of the posterior part of the wing. Finally, our results suggest that maternal effect has some evolutionary implications by altering the genetic correlations among traits, which can affect the response to selective pressures.