香港珍稀濒危植物的分布及保育

在第一批共３８８种中国重点保护的珍稀濒危植物中,有１４种分布于香港特别行政区。其中蕨类植物２种,裸子植物２种,被子植物１０种。此１４种珍稀濒危植物,除了狭叶瓶尔小草外,亦分布于广东省。而其中被列为国家级渐危种类的土沉香及白桂木,在香港则较为常见。本文阐述了此１４种珍稀濒危植物在香港的分布情况及其保育工作。     

马松蒿属(玄参科)的名实问题

发现马松蒿Xizangia serrata Hong与齿叶翅茎草Pterygiella serrata Hand．—Mazz．属于同一种,因此马松蒿及其代表的单型属——马松蒿属Xizangia Hong均应处理为异名。     

Hunger rapidly overrides the risk of predation in the subtidal scavenger Nassarius siquijorensis (Gastropoda: Nassariidae): an energy budget and a comparison with the intertidal Nassarius festivus in Hong Kong

This study shows that, as with its intertidal counterpart, Nassarius festivus, the rate at which subtidal Nassarius siquijorensis moves towards food bait is similar for starved and well-fed individuals. This study also investigates another facet of nassariid nutrition related to the degree of hunger, i.e. the effect of simulated predation upon a feeding assemblage. Individuals which fed within 7 days, cease feeding and depart palatable food if crushed conspecifics are added. Between 7 and 13 days since its last meal, however, N. siquijorensis will feed when food is available, despite the possibility of predation. For the intertidal N. festivus, the critical time for hunger to override the risk of predation is between 14 and 21 days. The difference between subtidal and intertidal species may be due to a difference, in terms of days, that a meal can provide for their energy expenditure, particularly with regard to respiration. The bigger, subtidal, N. siquijorensis needs to feed more frequently than the smaller, intertidal, N. festivus.     

香港大蹄蝠出飞时间及其季节变化

于2014年5月至2015年4月,对香港低海拔栖息地的大蹄蝠夜晚出飞活动时间进行了研究。结果显示大蹄蝠出飞时间平均为日落后（14.6±6.1) min,出飞时间与民用曙暮光呈强正相关（r = 0.968, P < 0.0001）,而出飞结束时刻同样与民用曙暮光时间呈现显着相关(r = 0. 977, P < 0. 0001)。。在一年中较冷的12月和1月则没有蝙蝠出飞记录。大蹄蝠虽然在亚洲分布广泛,但是相对于温带地区的蝙蝠物种来说, 关于该物种的基础生态学研究较少。本文对大蹄蝠的季节性出飞行为所开展研究工作,以利有关长远保育的深入研究。     

基于12S和16S rRNA序列的湍蛙属部分物种的系统发育关系

测定了湍蛙属 6个种共 10个种群 ,以及 4个外群种的线粒体 12S和 16SrRNA基因片段 ,比对后有94 0bp序列 ,发现 35 2个变异位点、 186个简约性位点。运用NJ法、MP法、ML法构建了系统关系树 ,各系统树一致表明内群为一单系群 ,分为两组 :第一组中 ,四川湍蛙两种群先聚合 ,再和棕点湍蛙聚为一支 ;第二组中 ,香港湍蛙和戴云湍蛙聚为一支 ,而香港大屿山离岛湍蛙种群首先与华南湍蛙相聚 ,再与武夷湍蛙构成姐妹支。研究结果表明 :香港地区增加 1种湍蛙分布 ;戴云湍蛙是一有效种 ;四川湍蛙的石棉和洪雅种群间遗传差异达到或超过其他种间的分歧水平。     

Experimentally derived estimates of growth by juvenile Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda (Xiphosura) from nursery beaches in Hong Kong

Juvenile Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda with prosomal widths of between 17.1 and 91.1 mm were obtained from their nursery beaches in Hong Kong. They were kept in the laboratory and fed a mixture of squid, prawn and fish. Prosomal width and wet weight were measured weekly to obtain growth data. Over half of the individuals molted during a five and a half month captivity period. After every ecdysis, prosomal width and wet weight of T. tridentatus grew by averages of 24.2% and 71.5% over pre-molt measurements, respectively. Similar values were obtained for C. rotundicauda, i.e. 24.0% and 77.3%, respectively. Three T. tridentatus with prosomal widths of between 26.5 and 35.0 mm molted twice between 89 and 149 days, leading to an average growth rate of 0.1 mm·day⁻¹ and 0.04 g·day⁻¹ in terms of prosomal width and wet weight, respectively. A positive growth allometry (b coefficient=2.97) was identified, indicating that weight gain for T. tridentatus, and possibly C. rotundicauda, was faster than prosomal width growth after each ecdysis. The effect of temperature on growth was also determined by comparing the percentages of T. tridentatus which molted at ∼28 °C and ∼18 °C. Fifty percent of individuals molted at the former, but only 10% at the latter. This study indicates that Hong Kong horseshoe crabs take a shorter time to reach sexual maturity, as compared with conspecifics in Japan, because they can molt more frequently at higher sediment/water temperatures (∼28 °C) if food is available.     

离子束诱变木聚糖酶产生菌(Aspergillus niger A3)筛选方法的比较研究

木聚糖酶产生菌株的初筛方法主要分为平板法和液体发酵法。它们都有一定的优点和不足。找出适宜于离子束诱变育种的初筛方法,是必要而且是必须的。本文就木聚糖酶产生菌的几种初筛方法做了比较研究,以便找出适宜于离子束诱变高产木聚糖酶菌株育种的初筛方法。     

Substrate Availability May Be More Important than Aquatic Insect Abundance in the Distribution of Riparian Orb-web Spiders in the Tropics

Spiders that are abundant along streams may depend on energy subsidies across land–water ecotones, but the effects of season and habitat structure on this trophic linkage remain poorly understood in the tropics. We carried out surveys and a manipulative experiment to investigate the effects of season and substrate availability on the distribution of riparian orb-web spiders in Hong Kong, southern China. In the surveys, spider abundance, prey, substrate use, and web orientation were recorded. The experiment involved installation of in-stream artificial substrates (ropes and bamboo poles) to increase substrate availability for web attachment. We found no seasonal difference in web abundance, but seasonal differences were observed for the prey on webs: aquatic insects (mostly Ephemeroptera and chironomid midges) contributed 69 percent of total prey collected during the wet season, but only 38 percent during the dry season. Most webs (50–80%) were < 0.5 m above the water and 45–51 percent of them tended to be orientated horizontally to the water surface and supported by overhanging vegetation and boulders. The addition of artificial substrates resulted in a 23–34 percent increase in the number of webs at the four treatment sites compared to controls, indicating that availability of web-building substrates is a critical determinant of the spider distribution. Our results suggest that riparian zones are potential 'hotspots' of food availability for spiders, and that the aquatic insect subsidy allows this habitat to support increased densities of spiders when the constraint of substrate availability is relaxed.     

Clarithromycin–Amoxycillin‐Containing Triple Therapy: A Valid Empirical First‐Line Treatment for Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Hong Kong?

Background: Recent studies have suggested the eradication rate for Helicobacter pylori infection with standard amoxycillin–clarithromycin‐containing triple therapy as first‐line treatment have fallen below 80%. Levofloxacin‐containing triple therapy was proposed as an alternative. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the standard 7‐day clarithromycin‐containing triple therapy against the 7‐day levofloxacin‐containing triple therapy, and to assess whether the classical triple therapy is still valid as empirical first‐line treatment for H. pylori infection in Hong Kong. Methods: Three hundred consecutive H. pylori‐positive patients were randomized to receive either 1 week of EAL (esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d., and levofloxacin 500 mg daily) or EAC (esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d., and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d.). H. pylori status was rechecked by ¹³C‐urea breath test 6 weeks after treatment. Patients who failed either of the first‐line eradication therapy were invited to undergo H. pylori susceptibility testing. Results: H. pylori eradication was achieved in 128 of 150 (85.3%) patients in EAL and 139 of 150 (92.7%) patients in EAC groups, respectively (p = .043), for both intention‐to‐treat and per‐protocol analysis. More patients in the clarithromycin‐ than the levofloxacin‐containing therapy group developed side effects from the medication (21.3% vs 13.3%, p = .060). Nine patients (six from the EAL group and three from the EAC group) who failed their corresponding eradication therapy returned for susceptibility testing. All nine isolates were highly resistant to levofloxacin (minimum inhibitory concentration or MIC > 32 μg/mL), whereas only two of the six isolates from the EAL group were resistant to clarithromycin (MIC > 0.5 μg/mL). Conclusions: The standard 7‐day clarithromycin‐containing triple therapy is still valid as the most effective empirical first‐line eradication therapy for H. pylori infection in Hong Kong, as prevalence of primary resistance of H. pylori to amoxycillin and clarithromycin remains low. Patients who failed their empirical first‐line eradication therapy should undergo H. pylori susceptibility testing to guide further treatment.     

A comparison of gut evacuation models for larval mackerel (Scomber scombrus) using serial photography

A novel technique is described, using serial photography of the gut contents of transparent living larval fishes, to generate individual gut evacuation time series. This technique was applied to Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus larvae to compare three widely used models of gut evacuation: linear, exponential and square-root. Regression r ² for the exponential model exceeded those for the linear and square root models in 20 of 21 time series, strongly supporting the exponential model. At the initial gut fullness for each time series, total gut evacuation rates calculated with the exponential model averaged 2·2 and 1·3 times greater than those calculated with the linear and square-root models, respectively, and would produce correspondingly higher estimates of feeding rates for field-collected larvae with similar levels of gut fullness. The results highlight the importance of choosing the appropriate evacuation model in feeding studies, particularly those intended to examine short-term changes in larval fish feeding rates, a contributing factor to the highly variable yearly recruitment of many marine fish species.