昆虫内共生菌及其功能研究进展

昆虫内共生菌与宿主之间的互作关系已逐渐成为昆虫学的研究热点之一。昆虫内共生菌具有协助宿主营养代谢、 逃避天敌攻击和增强抗药性等功能： 通过协助宿主营养代谢, 提供食物中缺乏的营养物质来弥补食物中营养物质的不足; 分泌抗菌肽、 毒素等物质以增强对外源寄生物等的防御能力, 抑制对宿主的不利影响; 同时, 也可以增强宿主抗逆性, 调控植物生理反应, 抑制植物对宿主的不利影响; 利用对抗逆性基因精确的表达调控来增强宿主抗药性等。因此, 内共生菌介导的宿主生物学性状的改变, 扩大了宿主昆虫的生态位, 成为昆虫生长发育过程中的重要调控因子。目前, 昆虫内共生菌的功能往往是通过研究宿主感染共生菌前后性状的变化而证实。近几年, 转录组学、 蛋白质组学、 基因组学等技术的进步, 促进了内共生菌与宿主昆虫共生机制研究的发展。通过研究内共生菌及其功能基因在昆虫种群动态中的作用, 特别是内共生菌感染对宿主生殖、 存活、 适应环境能力的影响, 将有利于揭示内共生菌与宿主的共生机制, 并最终为开发新的防控技术提供理论依据。本文针对昆虫内共生菌的功能进行了综述, 并对日后的研究方向进行了展望, 提供了研究昆虫内共生菌与宿主互作关系的方法及建议。     

CO2浓度升高和降水增加协同作用对玉米产量及生长发育的影响

关于[CO₂]升高和降水变化等多因子共同作用对植物的影响报道较少, 制约着人们对植物对全球气候变化响应的认识和预测。玉米(Zea mays)作为重要的C₄植物, 受[CO₂]和降水影响显著, 但鲜有[CO₂]升高和降水增加协同作用对其产量及生长发育影响的报道。该研究利用开顶式生长箱模拟[CO₂]升高(390 (环境)、450和550 μmol·mol^-1), 降水增加量设置为增加自然降水量的15% (以试验地锦州1981-2010年6至8月月平均降水量为基准), 从而形成6个处理: C₅₅₀W_+15%、C₅₅₀W₀、C₄₅₀W_+15%、C₄₅₀W₀、C₃₉₀W_+15%和C₃₉₀W₀。试验材料选用玉米品种‘丹玉39’。结果表明: [CO₂]升高和降水增加的协同作用在玉米的籽粒产量和生物产量上均达到了显著水平(p< 0.05), 二因子均起正作用, 使籽粒产量和生物产量均升高。籽粒产量在[CO₂] 390、450和550 μmol·mol^-1水平下的降水增加处理较自然降水处理分别增加15.94%、9.95%和9.45%, 而生物产量分别增加13.06%、8.13%和6.49%。因为籽粒产量的增幅略大于生物产量的增幅, 所以促进了经济系数的升高。穗部性状变化显著, 其中, 穗粒数、穗粒重、穗长和穗粗等性状值均随[CO₂]升高而升高, 且各[CO₂]水平下均表现为降水增加处理>自然降水处理, 而瘪粒数相反。但是, [CO₂]升高和降水增加的协同作用也促进了轴粗的升高, 对玉米产量的增加起着限制作用。二因子协同作用在净光合速率(P_n)和叶面积上达到了极显著水平(p< 0.01), 而在株高和干物质积累量上达到了显著水平(p< 0.05)。二因子协同作用使玉米叶片的P_n升高, 植株高度升高, 穗位高升高, 茎粗增加, 叶面积变大, 从而促进了干物质积累量的升高, 为玉米增产打下了良好的基础。这表明: 在未来[CO₂]升高条件下, 一定程度的降水增加对玉米的产量具有正向促进作用。     

西藏昆仑针茅草原的基本特征

正昆仑针茅(Stipa roborowskyi)是青藏高原特有的寒旱生多年生密丛型禾草,广泛分布于藏南喜马拉雅山北坡和雅鲁藏布江谷地、阿里地区、羌塘高原中南部和昆仑山地,以及印度和克什米尔地区(Wu et al.,2006;中国科学院中国植被图编辑委员会,2007)。昆仑针茅草原是西藏重要的草原类型之一,但分布较为零散,没有像紫花针茅(S.purpurea)草     

青藏高原20种灌木抗旱形态和生理特征

该研究以青藏高原地区采集的柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinskii)等20种灌木树种为研究对象, 将其二年生幼苗移栽至苗圃培育, 通过田间试验测定三年生苗木生物量根冠比(RSR)、叶片蒸腾速率(T_r)、瞬时水分利用效率(WUE_i)、稳定碳同位素组成(δ¹³C)、叶片解剖结构特征和根系特征(长度、表面积、体积和根尖数)指标, 综合分析其抗旱性能差异, 为青藏高原干旱地区灌木树种抗逆性(耐旱)评价指标的建立、优良抗逆性树种的筛选及各种灌木树种的合理立地配置提供必要的理论依据。研究结果表明: 所选20种灌木为适应长期的干旱逆境, 不同植物种具有不同的抗旱策略。研究中将灌木抗旱机制划分为6个类型: 根系特征抗旱型、叶片旱生结构型、叶片旱生形态型、生物量分配型、节水型、高水分利用效率型。不同属和同属不同种灌木抗旱性有所差异, 沙棘属(Hippophae)植物总体抗旱性不佳, 而金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa)、豪猪刺(Berberis julianae)、树锦鸡儿(Caragana arborescens)、绣线菊(Spiraea salicifolia)和蒙古沙棘(Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. mongolica)综合抗旱性能较好, 总体上属于根系和叶片抗旱特征明显、低耗水、高生产效率的抗旱性强树种, 可以在青藏高原地区植被恢复树种筛选时优先考虑。根系特征值之间存在极显著正相关关系, 叶片结构特征指标之间也存在不同程度的相关关系, 但RSR、T_r、WUE_i和δ¹³C与根系特征值和叶片解剖结构特征指标之间总体上相关性不显著。主成分分析结果显示灌木全根和细根的长度、表面积、体积、根尖数和叶片栅栏组织厚度、海绵组织厚度、瞬时水分利用效率因子载荷较高, 能较好地反映青藏高原灌木树种抗旱性差异相关信息。此外, 灌木树种原产地与抗旱性也存在一定的联系, 青海西宁地区采集的灌木树种总体抗旱性优于甘肃天水和西藏拉萨地区。     

地老虎六索线虫的生物学特性调查

在岳阳地区农田菜地,寄生于小地老虎幼虫Agrotis ypsilon的线虫都是地老虎六索线虫Hexamermis agrotis。田间调查其寄生率高达44%~68%。并对地老虎六索线虫的生活史及温度、湿度、土壤肥料、日照等自然因素对该线虫生存繁殖的影响进行了调查。     

Size-spectra as indicators of the effects of fishing on coral reef fish assemblages

The data requirements and resources needed to develop multispecies indicators of fishing impacts are often lacking and this is particularly true for coral reef fisheries. Size-spectra, relationships between abundance and body-size class, regardless of taxonomy, can be calculated from simple sizeabundance data. Both the slope and the mid-point height of the relationship can be compared at different fishing intensities. Here, we develop size-spectra for reef fish assemblages using body size- abundance data collected by underwater visual census in each of ten fishing grounds across a known gradient of fishing intensity in the Kadavu Island group, Fiji. Slopes of the size-spectra became steeper (F_9,69=3.20, p<0.01) and the height declined (F_9,69=15.78, p<0.001) with increasing fishing intensity. Regressions of numbers of individuals per size class across grounds were negative for all size classes, although the slope was almost zero for the smallest size class. Response to exploitation of each size class category was greatest for larger fish. Steepening of the slope with increasing fishing intensity largely resulted from reductions in the relative abundance of large fish and not from the ecological release of small fish following depletion of their predators. The slope and height of the size-spectrum appear to be good indicators of fishing effects on reef fish assemblages.     

Ellen Dissanayake’s Evolutionary Aesthetic

Dissanayake argues that art behaviors – which she characterizes first as patterns or syndromes of creation and response and later as rhythms and modes of mutuality – are universal, innate, old, and a source of intrinsic pleasure, these being hallmarks of biological adaptation. Art behaviors proved to enhance survival by reinforcing cooperation, interdependence, and community, and, hence, became selected for at the genetic level. Indeed, she claims that art is essential to the fullest realization of our human nature. I make three criticisms: Dissanayake’s theory cannot account adequately for differences in the aesthetic value of artworks; the connections drawn between art and reproductive success are too stretched to account for art's production, nature, and reception; indeed, art enters the picture only because it is so thinly characterized that it remains in doubt that her topic is art as we understand it.     

瘤背石磺的形态、习性和生殖行为

2003年5月～2004年5月研究了上海崇明瘤背石磺(Onchidium struma)的形态特征、生活习性,分别对其消化、呼吸、循环、排泄、生殖、神经等六大系统进行了阐述。结果表明,瘤背石磺生活在潮间带高潮区滩涂的芦苇丛里,摄食泥滩上的有机质和单胞藻类;雌雄同体、异体交配、卵生。生殖系统包括生殖器和雌、雄交接器三部分：生殖器由两性腺、卵黄腺和蛋白腺组成;雄性交接器由输精管、附性腺、阴茎、刺激器等组成,雄性生殖孔位于右侧第一触角中部;雌性交接器由输卵管、受精囊、阴道等组成,雌性生殖孔位于肛门右侧约5．0mm处的腹足与外套膜的交界处。本文并详细描述了石磺的交配行为。     

Contrasting dynamics of ciliate communities in sandy and silty sediments of an estuarine intertidal flat

During a 1-year study of the ciliate faunas of a silty and a sandy site on an intertidal flat in the Westerschelde estuary, a total number of 107 taxa were recorded belonging to at least 52 genera and 15 orders. Our results suggest that physical properties of the sediment were more important in regulating ciliate abundance, diversity and community composition than food availability, predation, temperature or oxygen concentration. Ciliate abundance and diversity were positively related to sediment grain size and the ciliate community of silty sediments was found to be a subset of that of sandy sediments. At the sandy site, where the sediment composition was stable, seasonal changes in the ciliate community were related to changes in food availability and/or temperature. At both the sandy and silty sites, a clear vertical gradient in the ciliate community was observed that appeared to be linked to gradients in food availability and oxygen concentration. These vertical gradients in ciliate community composition, however, were less steep than the measured oxygen gradients, probably due to the presence of oxic microniches in the anoxic zone.