Honeybees Use Celestial and/or Terrestrial Compass Cues for Inter‐Patch Navigation

Foraging honeybees (Apis mellifera) are well known to fly straight from the hive, their primary hub, to distal goals as well as between familiar feeding sites. More recently, it was shown that a distal feeding site may be used as a secondary hub. If not fully satiated, the foraging bee may decide to depart the first feeding site in a new compass direction straight to one of many other feeding sites (inter‐patch foraging). Using a recently developed recording method, we discovered that the chosen departure direction at a secondary hub can be guided exclusively by either celestial or terrestrial compass cues. Given our data, we draw two theoretical inferences. First, the bees must be capable of learning and remembering multiple, spatially distinct, navigation vectors between the hive and among multiple feeding sites. Second, this documented and useful representation of multiple navigation vectors between multiple, identified target locations logically implies composite place‐vector mapping, stored in long‐term memory.     

Evolution of the DEAD box helicase family in chicken: chickens have no DHX9 ortholog

Viral RNA represents a pattern molecule that can be recognized by RNA sensors in innate immunity. Humans and mice possess cytoplasmic DNA/RNA sensors for detecting viral replication. There are a number of DEAD (Asp‐Glu‐Ala‐Asp; DExD/H) box‐type helicases in mammals, among which retinoic acid‐inducible gene 1 (RIG‐I) and melanoma differentiation‐associated protein 5 (MDA50) are indispensable for RNA sensing; however, they are functionally supported by a number of sensors that directly bind viral RNA or replicative RNA intermediates to convey signals to RIG‐I and MDA5. Some DEAD box helicase members recognize DNA irrespective of the origin. These sensors transmit IFN‐inducing signals through adaptors, including mitochondrial antiviral signaling. Viral double‐stranded RNAs are reportedly sensed by the helicases DDX1, DDX21, DHX36, DHX9, DDX3, DDX41, LGP2 and DDX60, in addition to RIG‐I and MDA5, and induce type I IFNs, thereby blocking viral replication. Humans and mice have all nucleic acid sensors listed here. In the RNA sensing system in chicken, it was found in the present study that most DEAD box helicases are conserved; however, DHX9 is genetically deficient in addition to reported RIG‐I. Based on the current genome databases, similar DHX9 deficiency was observed in ducks and several other bird species. Because chicken, but not duck, was found to be deficient in RIG‐I, the RNA‐sensing system of chicken lacks RIG‐I and DHX9 and is thus more fragile than that of duck or mammal. DHX9 may generally compensate for the function of RIG‐I and deficiency of DHX9 possibly participates in exacerbations of viral infection such as influenza in chickens.     

Comparative Epidemiology of Three Virus Diseases on Zucchini Squash

Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), Papaya ringspot virus – type W (PRSV‐W) and Zucchini lethal chlorosis virus (ZLCV) cause important diseases on zucchini squash crops in Brazil. ZYMV and PRSV‐W belong to the genus Potyvirus and are transmitted by aphids, whereas ZLCV belongs to Tospovirus and is transmitted by the thrips Frankliniella zucchini. These three viruses may occur simultaneously in the field, and the epidemiology of the corresponding diseases may be determined by interactions among viruses, hosts and vectors. In this work, the progress of the diseases caused by these viruses was studied over a temporal and geographic range for three planting seasons (PS). For the lethal chlorosis (ZLCV), a monomolecular model was found to be the best fit for the data, though only during the third PS. For data collected during the first two PS, the Gompertz model was found to fit the data best. The spatial distribution of disease indicated disease aggregation at the end of the crop cycle. For the yellow mosaic (ZYMV), the model that best fit in the 1st PS was the logistic and in the 2nd and 3rd PS was monomolecular. The spatial pattern of the disease was random when the disease incidence was low but aggregated when the disease incidence was high. The common mosaic (PRSV‐W) showed the lowest incidence in all three PS. An exponential model was the best fit for data collected during all PS, and the spatial pattern of the disease was random. Interactions among the three viruses apparently did not result in changes in the epidemiology of the diseases. Removal of sources of inoculum and planting at an unfavourable time for reproduction of virus vectors are the two main measures recommended for the control of these diseases. The use of insecticide is indicated only for the control of the F. zucchini.     

Species‐specific responses to island connectivity cycles: refined models for testing phylogeographic concordance across a Mediterranean Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex

The contribution of Pleistocene sea level changes to diversification patterns in archipelagos around the world, and specifically whether the repeated cycles of island connectivity and isolation acted as a ‘species pump’ is debated. The debate has been perpetuated in part because of the type of evidence used to evaluate the species‐pump hypothesis. Specifically, existing tests of the ‘Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex’ (PAIC) model of diversification interpret the lack of concordant divergence times among multiple codistributed taxa as a rejection of the PAIC model. However, the null expectation of concordance disregards taxon‐specific ecological traits and geographic characteristics that may affect population persistence and gene flow among islands. Here, we study the factors affecting population divergence in thirteen flightless darkling beetle species (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) across the PAIC system of the Cycladic plateau in the Aegean archipelago. Based on isolation‐by‐resistance analyses, hierarchical amova and the degree of genealogical sorting on individual islands, we identify a major effect of bathymetry and habitat stability on the levels of genetic divergence across the PAIC, with island size and body size playing a secondary role as well. We subsequently use bathymetric maps and habitat association to generate predictions about the set of islands and group of taxa expected to show phylogeographic concordance. We test these predictions using hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation and show how our interpretations regarding the role of PAICs as drivers of divergence change when relying on a null expectation of concordance compared to a refined model that takes geography and ecological traits into account.     

成骨不全及其分子机制

成骨不全作为罕见性遗传性结缔组织疾病,具有临床异质性与遗传异质性,迄今已经分为15个亚型.有常染色体显性遗传与常染色体隐性遗传两种遗传方式.常染色体显性遗传以Ⅰ型胶原蛋白结构基因COL1A1、COL1A2突变为主.非Ⅰ型胶原蛋白突变的常染色体隐性遗传的成骨不全患者数量少,但致病基因种类多,涉及到胶原合成后异常修饰,胶原蛋白分子伴侣及羧基端前肽剪切酶缺陷、成骨细胞与破骨细胞分化及转录因子异常、钙离子通道与Wnt信号通路分子等诸多方面.致病基因及其机制的研究,对于成骨不全的基因确诊及个体化药物治疗意义重大.     

屋面绿化卷材根系层土壤温度变化特征

根据3种厚度屋面绿化卷材根系层土壤温度、自然条件下的土壤温度和附近气象站大气温度观测资料,采用对比分析、线性回归等方法,对不同屋面绿化卷材根系层土壤温度的变化特征进行了研究。结果表明:屋面绿化卷材根系层土壤温度年变化规律与大气温度年变化规律基本一致;卷材具有一定的隔热保温作用,且随着薄膜厚度的增加,绿化卷材保温隔热效果越明显;不同型号卷材根系层土壤温度的日变幅随薄膜厚度的增加而减小;根系层土温日变幅与厚度关系可拟合成指数函数;不同厚度屋面卷材根系层土壤温度同大气温度之间均存在极显著的线性关系。     

阿尔泰山南坡种子植物区系特点分析

阿尔泰山脉地处亚洲中部,斜跨中国、俄罗斯、蒙古、哈萨克斯坦四国国境,生态环境良好,植物资源丰富。本文在查阅文献资料的基础上,结合野外实地调查,比较了中国新疆、俄罗斯、蒙古及哈萨克斯坦阿尔泰山野生种子植物的种类、组成及其分布区类型的差异,分析了四地阿尔泰山野生种子植物的相似性与差异性。结果显示:(1)四地阿尔泰山野生种子植物资源丰富,按丰富度大小依次为:俄罗斯阿尔泰山蒙古阿尔泰山中国新疆阿尔泰山哈萨克斯坦阿尔泰山。(2)含1种和2~10种的科和属在四地阿尔泰山的科和属种都具有绝对优势。(3)四地阿尔泰山种子植物科的分布区类型均以世界分布型和北温带分布型为主;在属级水平上,以北温带分布型、旧世界温带分布型、世界分布型和地中海、西亚至中亚分布型为主。(4)四地阿尔泰山种子植物科和属的相似性系数都超过了50%,说明四地阿尔泰山的亲缘关系密切。研究表明,四地阿尔泰山种子植物区系存在一定的差异,中国新疆阿尔泰山对整个阿尔泰山的各个植物区系的接触、混合和特化起桥梁作用。     

水位变化对高原湿地湖滨带优势植物水葱的生长胁迫

干旱等引起的水位变化使大面积湖泊湿地湖滨带退化消失,其对湿地植物及其群落的影响是近年来的研究热点,对生长于零地面水位环境水葱(实验组)的生长特性(相对生长速率、基茎、分枝数)和抗性相关物质(茎丙二醛、脯氨酸含量)进行研究,与正常水环境(淹水约20 cm)下生长的水葱(对照组)进行对比,以揭示地面水位变为零(干旱)对水葱生长产生的影响。结果表明:不同实验时间段,水葱的相对生长速率不同,5月,实验组和对照组分别为2.00 cm·d-1和3.18 cm·d-1;6月中上旬,分别为2.35 cm·d-1和2.44 cm·d-1;6月中下旬,分别为0.95 cm·d-1和0.99 cm·d-1;7月之后,分别为0.02 cm·d-1和0.05 cm·d-1。实验组水葱平均分枝数为2.94枝/丛,对照组为4.86枝/丛;实验组水葱基径为5.15 mm,对照组为7.33 mm;实验组水葱茎的相对含水量为73.28%,对照组为75.28%;实验组水葱平均丙二醛、脯氨酸含量分别为10.27μg·kg-1和9.44μmol·kg-1,对照组分别为6.46μg·kg-1和6.40μmol·kg-1。实验组和对照组水葱除了茎相对含水量差异不显著,其余指标均差异显著(对照组优于实验组),这表明地面水位变为零相对不利于生葱生长,会降低主要植物为水葱的湿地生态系统的生产力,最终加速该种湿地生态系统退化演替。研究结果可为揭示气候变化(干旱)对湿地挺水植物的生长以及对高原湿地生态系统的影响提供科学依据。     

青羊湖林场不同林分物种多样性与水源涵养能力的研究

通过群落调查和林下土壤及枯落物特性的分析,研究了青羊湖林场南酸枣（Choerospondias axillaris）林、未抚育马尾松（Pinus massoniana）林、抚育马尾松林、马尾松-南酸枣混交林4种林分的物种多样性及水源涵养能力。结果表明：（1）4种林分共有维管束植物135种,隶属58科97属,其中南酸枣林物种相对较丰富(88种),混交林次之(76种),抚育马尾松林较少(64种),未抚育马尾松林则相对最少(55种);（2）林分类型对物种多样性有重要影响,南酸枣林和混交林草本物种多样性较两种针叶林高,而灌木物种多样性则较低;（3）DCA排序结果显示,南酸枣林和混交林物种相似性程度较高,两种马尾松林与南酸枣林、混交林差异明显;（4）林分类型对水源涵养能力有重要影响,相比两种马尾松林,南酸枣林和混交林的林下枯落物蓄积量分别降低10.1%和15.2%,最大持水量降低34.1%和44.7%,而且0～10 cm土壤容重降低14.7%和7.4%,10～20 cm土壤容重降低14.1%和4.0%,20～30 cm土壤容重降低8.7%和4.9%,但总储水量增加15.8%和4.5%,即南酸枣林和混交林具有较高的水源涵养能力。研究认为,生态抚育增加了马尾松林的水源涵养能力。