Factors affecting female-biased sex ratio in a trap-nesting wasp, Trypoxylon malaisei

We examined the female-biased sex ratio of a trap-nesting wasp Trypoxylon malaisei considering the following factors: (1) local mate competition (LMC), (2) resource quality, (3) partial bivoltinism, and (4) presence of constrained females. The sex ratio (expressed as male ratio) at emergence was strongly female biased, i.e., 0.30 and 0.19, in terms of the number and investment, respectively. To evaluate the primary sex ratio, we analyzed the data from nests where all the offspring successfully emerged, excluding nests composed of single-sex offspring. The primary sex ratio was also female biased, at 0.33 and 0.21, in terms of the number and investment, respectively. LMC was highly responsible for the female-biased sex ratio because both the nonrandom oviposition sequence [females at inner cells and male(s) at outer cells] and earlier emergence of males allowed sib-matings to occur. In contrast, the other three factors little affected the female-biased sex ratio: the sex ratio was fairly constant when resource quality (nest size) varied, partial bivoltinism was extremely rare or absent, and constrained females were absent or did not reproduce at all. Received: June 19, 1998 / Accepted: January 18, 1999     

Environmental controls on nitric oxide emission from northern Chihuahuan desert soils

A survey of nitric oxide (NO) emission from Chihuahuan desert soils found mean NO fluxes <0.1 ng NO-N cm^–2h^–1 during the dry season. These fluxes were at thelower end of the range reported for temperate grassland and woodlandecosystems. NO fluxes from wet or watered soils were higher(0.1–35 ng NO-N cm^–2 h^–1).Watering of black grama grassland soils produced an initial pulse of 12ng cm^–2 h^–1 (12-h after 1-cm watering)with high fluxes sustained over 4 days with repeated watering. Initialpulses from shrubland soils were lower (maximum 5 ngcm^–2 h^–1), and fluxes declined withrepeated watering. Repeated watering of creosotebush soils depleted thesoil NH ₄ ⁺ pool, and NO emissions weredirectly related to soil NH ₄ ⁺ concentrationsat the end of the experiment. In watered andNH ₄ ⁺ -fertilized creosotebush soils, NO fluxeswere positively related to potential net nitrification rates.NH ₄ ⁺ -fertilization boosted the initial NOpulse 15 times in the shrubland and 5 times in black grama grasslandrelative to watered controls. These experimental results point towardgreater substrate limitation in shrublands. In this desert basin, NOemission averaged 0.12 kg N ha^–1 y^–1in untreated soil and 0.76 kg N ha^–1y^–1 in watered soil. We multiplied these averages bythe distribution of grassland and shrubland vegetation within a58,600-ha area of the Jornada del Muerto basin to estimate regionallosses of 0.15–0.38 kg NO-N ha^–1y^–1 for this area of the Chihuahuan desert.     

Spatial heterogeneity of soil respiration and related properties at the plant scale

Geostatistical techniques were used to quantify the scale and degree of soil heterogeneity in 2 m² plots around 9-year-old poplar trees and within a wheat field. Samples were taken during two years, on an unaligned grid, for analysis of soil respiration, C and N content, available P, gravimetric moisture, pH, nitrification potential, and root biomass. Kriged maps of soil respiration, moisture, and C content showed strong spatial structure associated with poplar trees but not with wheat rows. All soil properties showed higher autocorrelation in June than in April. Isopleth patchiness for all variates was less in June. This was associated with lower respiration rates due to lower litter decomposition. From the degree and scale of heterogeneity seen in this study, we conclude that the main causes of soil heterogeneity at this scale (2 m²) are likely to be found at micro scales controlled in part by plant root and plant residue patterns. These must be understood in the evaluation of ecosystem processes. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Short-term influence of recolonisation by the polycheate worm [2pt] Nereis succinea on oxygen and nitrogen fluxes and [2pt] denitrification: a microcosm simulation

The short-term effects of sediment recolonisation by Nereis succinea on sediment-water column fluxes of oxygen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and rates of denitrification, were studied in microcosms of homogenised, sieved sediments. The added worms enhanced oxygen uptake by the sediments, due to the increased surface area provided by the burrow walls and the degree of stimulation was stable with time. Similarly, ammonium fluxes to the water column were stimulated by N. succinea, but declined over the 3 day incubation in all microcosms including the controls. Nitrate fluxes were generally greater in the faunated microcosms, but highly variable with time. Denitrification rates were positively stimulated by N. succinea populations, denitrification of water column nitrate was stimulated 10-fold in comparison to denitrification coupled to nitrification in the sediments. Rates of denitrification of water column nitrate were not significantly different from rates in undisturbed sediment cores with similar densities of N. succinea, whereas rates of coupled nitrification–denitrification were 3-fold lower in the experimental set-up. These results may reflect the relative growth rates of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, which allow more rapid colonisation of new burrow surfaces by denitrifier compared to nitrifier populations. The data indicate that recolonisation by burrowing macrofauna of the highly reduced sediments of the Sacca di Goro, Lagoon, Italy, following the annual dystrophic crisis, may play a significant role in the reoxidation and detoxification of the sediments. The increased rates of denitrification associated with the worm burrows, may promote nitrogen losses, but due to the low capacity of nitrifying bacteria to colonise the new burrow structures, these losses would be highly dependent upon water column nitrate concentrations.     

箭叶锦鸡儿群落加速亚高山草甸-箭叶锦鸡儿-硕桦林演替系列的演替进程(英文)

利用PVC管顶盖埋管原位培育法测定了东灵山顶亚高山草甸 (紫苞风毛菊 (SaussureaiodostegiaHonce) 丝柄苔草 (CarexcapillarisL .)_箭叶锦鸡儿 (Caraganajubata (Pall.Poir.) )灌丛_硕桦林 (BetulacostataTrautv .)演替序列中土壤有机N的年度净矿化与硝化作用 ,并以之作为土壤供氮能力的指标 ,比较了锦鸡儿灌丛与硕桦林和草甸土壤的供氮能力和维持氮素的能力。结果表明 ,3个生态系统土壤无机氮库 (包括NH 4 N和NO-3 _N)及净N矿化与硝化速率都存在明显的季节变化 ;除 1996年 6月硕桦林 (P <0 .0 1)和草甸NH 4_N显著高于锦鸡儿灌丛 (P <0 .0 1) ,1996年 8月锦鸡儿灌丛NO-3 _N显著高于草甸 (P <0 .0 5 )外 ,在不同取样时期无机氮库大小在 3个生态系统之间都不存在显著差异 ;锦鸡儿灌丛每公顷的年度总矿化量 (16 .0 1kg·hm-2 )高于硕桦林 (12 .0 5kg·hm-2 )和草甸 (1.6 4kg·hm-2 ) ;净硝化量 (11.37kg·hm-2 )略高于草甸 (10 .90kg·hm-2 ) ,低于硕桦林 (14.36kg·hm-2 )。尽管锦鸡儿灌丛土壤无机氮含量 ,矿化、硝化速率并不明显高于硕桦林和草甸 ,但其总年度净矿化量最高 ,所以锦鸡儿灌丛土壤的供氮能力在 3个群落中最强。此外 ,由于锦鸡儿灌丛的总年度硝化量低于硕桦林 ,略高于草甸 ,因此 ,锦鸡儿灌     

Improved Parameters for Generating Partial Charges: Correlation with Observed Dipole Moments

The Universal Force Field was initially combined with the Charge Equilibrium Scheme in the molecular mechanics program AMMP in order to generate partial charges for protein atoms. A new parameter set with improved generation of partial charges has been derived in order to analyse a wider range of atoms and compounds. The electrostatic parameters were modified to achieve better correlation with experimental dipole moments for a training set of 160 compounds, which included alkali metal halogenides, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, amines, thiols, sulphides, oxo compounds, aromatic and heteroaromatic molecules. The correlation coefficient for the calculated and experimental dipole moments was improved from 0.57 to 0.98. The new parameters were tested for another 149 compounds and the correlation coefficient increased from 0.48 to 0.85. The newly generated Modified Parameter Set for AMMP (MOPSA) improves the predictive power of the program, especially in the area of the macromolecular modelling and drug design, where the nonbonded energies play a crucial role.Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s008940050114     

Nitrogen addition,rather than altered precipitation,stimulates nitrous oxide emissions in an alpine steppe

Anthropogenic‐driven global change, including changes in atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition and precipitation patterns, is dramatically altering N cycling in soil. How long‐term N deposition, precipitation changes, and their interaction influence nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions remains unknown, especially in the alpine steppes of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). To fill this knowledge gap, a platform of N addition (10 g m⁻² year⁻¹) and altered precipitation (±50% precipitation) experiments was established in an alpine steppe of the QTP in 2013. Long‐term N addition significantly increased N₂O emissions. However, neither long‐term alterations in precipitation nor the co‐occurrence of N addition and altered precipitation significantly affected N₂O emissions. These unexpected findings indicate that N₂O emissions are particularly susceptible to N deposition in the alpine steppes. Our results further indicated that both biotic and abiotic properties had significant effects on N₂O emissions. N₂O emissions occurred mainly due to nitrification, which was dominated by ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria, rather than ammonia‐oxidizing archaea. Furthermore, the alterations in belowground biomass and soil temperature induced by N addition modulated N₂O emissions. Overall, this study provides pivotal insights to aid the prediction of future responses of N₂O emissions to long‐term N deposition and precipitation changes in alpine ecosystems. The underlying microbial pathway and key predictors of N₂O emissions identified in this study may also be used for future global‐scale model studies.     

Immediate-Early Gene Expression during Regenerative and Mitogen-Induced Liver Growth in the Rat

The nongenotoxic carcinogens phenobarbitone (PB) and methyl clofenapate (MCP) and the hepatomitogen pregnenolone 16α carbonitrile (PCN) are direct inducers of hepatic S -phase in rats, whereas the S -phase seen after partial hepatectomy is regenerative. We have investigated S -phase and immediate-early gene expression (c-myc and c-jun) in rat liver following these treatments to study the differences in gene expression associated with direct vs. regenerative responses. Both partial hepatectomy (one- and two-thirds) and mitogen treatment caused an increase in hepatic S -phase that peaked around 36 hours. Two-thirds partial hepatectomy caused the greatest increase in S -phase followed by one-third partial hepatectomy, then the mitogens PCN, MCP, and PB in that order. This order of response was also seen with c-jun and to a lesser degree with c-myc expression, suggesting that immediate-early gene expression might be linked not only to regenerative S -phase but also to direct mitogen-induced responses. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biochem Toxicol 12: 79–82, 1998     

Relationships between floristic gradients in a primary succession

Abstract. Correlations between five floristic gradients at small spatial extents (10 - 20 m) and one successional gradient over a larger spatial extent (1.5 km) are analysed. Floristic data (62 taxa) were sampled on five terminal moraines of known age deposited after the ‘Little Ice Age’ (1750–1930). The floristic gradients on the moraine ridges were sampled by two or three transects on each moraine, and the successional gradient by 114 plots on all moraines. The sequential orders of species were determined by constrained and unconstrained Correspondence Analysis. The similarities between species order on the successional gradient and the exposure gradients at the same age were tested against the null hypothesis of no correlation. The null hypothesis was rejected using both Monte Carlo permutation tests and Spearman's rank correlations, except on the oldest moraine. Here a closed canopy has developed, which eliminates the environmental variability associated with ridge morphology. The similarity between the successional gradient and the moraine-ridge gradients is attributed to variation in environmental severity, mainly caused by glacier wind and related factors such as temperature and moisture. Similarity was highest on the moraines in the middle of the glacier foreland, which have many successional stages present and have a relatively exposed relief. The distribution of growth/life-forms along gradients of small spatial extent are comparable to the successional gradient, but lichens, herbs and graminoids differ in their behaviour. The resemblance between species gradients at a small spatial extent and species gradients on a larger spatial extent is interpreted as an ecological self-similar pattern, where young and old substrate are linked to exposed-xeric and protected-mesic habitats, respectively.     

Remote sensing improves prediction of tropical montane species diversity but performance differs among taxa

Texture information from passive remote sensing images provides surrogates for habitat structure, which is relevant for modeling biodiversity across space and time and for developing effective ecological indicators. However, the applicability of this information might differ among taxa and diversity measures. We compared the ability of indicators developed from texture analysis of remotely sensed images to predict species richness and species turnover of six taxa (trees, pyraloid moths, geometrid moths, arctiinae moths, ants, and birds) in a megadiverse Andean mountain rainforest ecosystem. Partial least-squares regression models were fitted using 12 predictors that characterize the habitat and included three topographical metrics derived from a high-resolution digital elevation model and nine texture metrics derived from very high-resolution multi-spectral orthophotos. We calculated image textures derived from mean, correlation, and entropy statistics within a relatively broad moving window (102 m × 102 m) of the near infra-red band and two vegetation indices. The model performances of species richness were taxon dependent, with the lowest predictive power for arctiinae moths (4%) and the highest for ants (78%). Topographical metrics sufficiently modeled species richness of pyraloid moths and ants, while models for species richness of trees, geometrid moths, and birds benefited from texture metrics. When more complexity was added to the model such as additional texture statistics calculated from a smaller moving window (18 m × 18 m), the predictive power for trees and birds increased significantly from 12% to 22% and 13% to 27%, respectively. Gradients of species turnover, assessed by non-metric two-dimensional scaling (NMDS) of Bray-Curtis dissimilarities, allowed the construction of models with far higher predictability than species richness across all taxonomic groups, with predictability for the first response variable of species turnover ranging from 64% (birds) to 98% (trees) of the explained change in species composition, and predictability for the second response variable of species turnover ranging from 33% (trees) to 74% (pyraloid moths). The two NMDS axes effectively separated compositional change along the elevational gradient, explained by a combination of elevation and texture metrics, from more subtle, local changes in habitat structure surrogated by varying combinations of texture metrics. The application of indicators arising from texture analysis of remote sensing images differed among taxa and diversity measures. However, these habitat indicators improved predictions of species diversity measures of most taxa, and therefore, we highly recommend their use in biodiversity research.