Pollination success in a population of dioecious rain forest trees

Pollination success in female trees was determined for a population of Neolitsea dealbata (R. Br.) Merr., a locally abundant dioecious tree pollinated by small, unspecialized insects in northern Queensland rain forest, Australia. The population consisted of a clustered group of trees with a mean male-to-female distance of 4.5 m and more isolated individuals, including females more than 90 m away from the nearest pollen source. A map of all reproductive trees was produced to determine accurate male-to-female distances. The size of the pollen source available to females was defined as a function of the distance to the nearest ten male trees and their sizes (male neighbourhood index). The rate of pollen movement to females was measured by counting pollen tubes (and the number of tubes per style) in female trees 6 days after the commencement of population flowering. The pollination rate decreased steeply to less than half when the nearest male was only 6.5 m away. Although pollen reached a female 330 m away from the nearest pollen source, only 10% of receptive flowers had been pollinated. The short flowering period (2–3 weeks) combined with the the slow rate of pollen movement means that a large proportion of flowers in isolated trees are unpollinated, confirming an earlier finding that isolated females set fewer fruits than gregarious females. The reliability of pollen transfer to females was determined by quantifying insects and their pollen loads trapped at female trees with a range of male neighbourhood indices. Quantities of insects and pollen were significantly correlated with the size of the male neighbourhood index, indicating a strong density-dependent response by vectors to flowering. Pollen was also collected from insect visitors to non-flowering trees. Females with large male neighbourhood indices received more pollen than non-flowering trees with equivalent male neighbourhood indices. However, when the male neighbourhood indices were small for both female and non-flowering trees, the changces of pollinators encountering female and non-flowering trees were similar, suggesting random movements of pollinators in sparse-flowering sub-populations. The dioecious breeding system, brief, synchronous flowering period, clustered population structure and random, opportunistic foraging behaviour of vectors interacted in a way that reduced reproduction in relatively isolated trees. These results demonstrate a mechanism for differential breeding success between trees in natural populations and emphasize the possible impact of logging regimes on pollen flow between trees. Large interconspecific distances in species-rich environments may have been a factor in the selection for synchronous flowering between trees in outcrossing tree species with generalist insect pollinators.     

Field investigations of ammonia exchange between barley plants and the atmosphere. I. Concentration profiles and flux densities of ammonia

The exchange of ammonia between the atmosphere and the canopy of spring barley crops growing at three levels of nitrogen application (medium N, high N and excessive N) was studied over two consecutive growing seasons by use of micrometeorological techniques. In most cases, ammonia was emitted from the canopy to the atmosphere. The emission started around 2 weeks before anthesis, and peaked about or shortly after anthesis. The volatilization of ammonia only took place in the daytime. During the night-time, atmospheric ammonia was frequently aborbed by the canopy. Occasionally, plants in the medium and high N treatments also absorbed ammonia from the atmosphere during the daytime. Daytime absorption of ammonia never occurred in the excessive N canopy. The loss of ammonia from the canopy amounted in both years to 0.5–1.5 kg NH₃-N ha^?1 and increased with the N status of the canopy. In agreement with the small losses of ammonia, the content of ¹⁵N-labelled nitrogen in the plants did not decline during the grain-filling period. The experimental years were characterized by very favourable conditions for grain dry matter formation, and for re-utilization of nitrogen mobilized from leaves and stems. Consequently, a very high part of the nitrogen in the mature plants was located in grain dry matter (80–84% in 1989; 74–80% in 1990). The efficient re-utilization of nitrogen may have reduced the volatilization of ammonia.     

不列颠·哥伦比亚省北部小杆松及白云杉立地指数与生态立地质量的关系

为在ＰｒｉｎｃｅＲｕｐｅｒｔ林区的“亚北方”部分建立生态立地质量与森林生产力的联系,对从９３个小杆松林分和７７个白云杉林分获得的数据进行了分析．所研究的林分处于两个气候状况、８个土壤水分状况以及５个土壤养分状况．这些气候、土壤水分和养分状况被视为等级变量用于林地分类和回归分析．小杆松和白云杉的立地指数随土壤水分和养分状况变化而变化,但不依赖于气候变化．与土壤水分相关的变化格局对两个种来说很相似,但与土壤养分相关的变化格局则全然不同．在所建立的５类回归模型中,土壤小区模型对于两个种都显示出立地指数与土壤水分和养分状况具有很强的相互关系（Ｒ２＞０．８０,ＳＥＥ≤１．６ｍ）．可以认为土壤水分和养分的等级度量在大范围内可作为小杆松和白云杉立地指数的预测预报因子．     

零下低温对杂交杨树皮层膜脂组成的影响

以不耐寒的美洲黑杨（Ｐｏｐｕｌｕｓｄｅｌｔｏｉｄｅｓｃｖ．“Ｌｕｘ”Ｉ－６９／５５,父本）和耐寒性较强的欧美杨（Ｐ．ｅｕｒａｍｅｒｉｃａｎａｃｌｃｖ．Ｉ－４５／５１,母本）的４个杂交Ｆ＿１代无性系（９５杨、５５９杨、６００杨和１３８１杨）为材料,分析了零下低温寒潮前后枝条皮层的脂质组成。结果表明,寒潮影响下,皮层中磷脂含量增加而组成基本不变,膜脂脂肪酸组成的变化规律是：寒潮前脂肪酸不饱和指数（ＩＵＦＡ）值大的无性系,寒潮前后的ＩＵＦＡ值变化量小;寒潮前ＩＵＦＡ值较小的无性系,寒潮前后ＩＵＦＡ值变化量较大。本文借用力学概念,提出相对抗性概念,给出杨树无性系的相对抗性序列。序列表明Ｆ＿１代无性系的耐寒性已较不耐寒的父本提高,这与田间观察基本一致。     

Seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality under the rise of a flagship marine megaherbivore

Large grazers (megaherbivores) have a profound impact on ecosystem functioning. However, how ecosystem multifunctionality is affected by changes in megaherbivore populations remains poorly understood. Understanding the total impact on ecosystem multifunctionality requires an integrative ecosystem approach, which is especially challenging to obtain in marine systems. We assessed the effects of experimentally simulated grazing intensity scenarios on ecosystem functions and multifunctionality in a tropical Caribbean seagrass ecosystem. As a model, we selected a key marine megaherbivore, the green turtle, whose ecological role is rapidly unfolding in numerous foraging areas where populations are recovering through conservation after centuries of decline, with an increase in recorded overgrazing episodes. To quantify the effects, we employed a novel integrated index of seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality based upon multiple, well-recognized measures of seagrass ecosystem functions that reflect ecosystem services. Experiments revealed that intermediate turtle grazing resulted in the highest rates of nutrient cycling and carbon storage, while sediment stabilization, decomposition rates, epifauna richness, and fish biomass are highest in the absence of turtle grazing. In contrast, intense grazing resulted in disproportionally large effects on ecosystem functions and a collapse of multifunctionality. These results imply that (i) the return of a megaherbivore can exert strong effects on coastal ecosystem functions and multifunctionality, (ii) conservation efforts that are skewed toward megaherbivores, but ignore their key drivers like predators or habitat, will likely result in overgrazing-induced loss of multifunctionality, and (iii) the multifunctionality index shows great potential as a quantitative tool to assess ecosystem performance. Considerable and rapid alterations in megaherbivore abundance (both through extinction and conservation) cause an imbalance in ecosystem functioning and substantially alter or even compromise ecosystem services that help to negate global change effects. An integrative ecosystem approach in environmental management is urgently required to protect and enhance ecosystem multifunctionality.     

不同放牧强度下高寒灌丛植物的生长特点

 不同放牧强度下高寒灌丛植物在生长发育、生理生态,物质生产和群落结构等方面主要有以下变化：1．在高寒灌丛草场,禾草类、莎草类和灌丛类植物的叶面积指数和平均生长速率随着放牧强度的减轻而增大;随着放牧强度的增加而减小。植株平均高度,植被盖度水平也与放牧强度呈负相关(p<0.01)。2．各项生长分析参数中：叶面积比率(LAR)、叶面积干重比(SLA)和叶干重比(LWR)与放牧强度之间存在负相关。叶面积指数(LAI)与地上生物量呈正相关(p<0.5),地上部现存在量与放牧强度呈负相关(p<0.01)。3．不同放牧强度条件下,高寒灌丛中的禾草类、莎草类、灌丛类和杂类草植物的种类组成和数量变化明显。其中禾草类和莎草类、灌丛类植物的生物量和种类组成比例在重度放牧下减少,在轻度放牧下增大。反之,重度放牧下杂类草的组成和数量明显增加,而轻度放牧下其比例降低。     

产肠毒素大肠杆菌诱导肠上皮细胞凋亡的研究进展

产肠毒素大肠杆菌(enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, ETEC)是引起人和动物腹泻的重要病原菌之一,其中黏附素和肠毒素是其感染引起腹泻的主要毒力因子。首先,黏附素介导ETEC与宿主小肠上皮细胞的黏附和定殖。随后,定殖的细菌产生肠毒素,导致水、电解质代谢紊乱,最终引起水样腹泻。传统的观点认为ETEC属于非侵袭性大肠杆菌,并不会引起肠上皮细胞凋亡和破坏肠道的屏障结构。但是越来越多的研究证据表明,在体外和体内ETEC感染均可诱导肠上皮细胞凋亡,破坏宿主肠黏膜屏障的完整性,促进疾病发展。本文将就ETEC不同毒力因子诱导细胞凋亡的具体机制、细胞凋亡与疾病发展的相关性以及在临床如何利用抗凋亡治疗预防ETEC感染等方面进行综述,旨为进一步深入阐明ETEC的分子致病机制提供参考,为防治ETEC引起的腹泻提供新策略。     

Environmental,geographical and time-related impacts on avian malaria infections in native and introduced populations of house sparrows (Passer domesticus), a globally invasive species

Aim

The increasing spread of vector-borne diseases has resulted in severe health concerns for humans, domestic animals and wildlife, with changes in land use and the introduction of invasive species being among the main possible causes for this increase. We explored several ecological drivers potentially affecting the local prevalence and richness of avian malaria parasite lineages in native and introduced house sparrows (Passer domesticus) populations.

Location

Global.

Time period

2002–2019.

Major taxa studied

Avian Plasmodium parasites in house sparrows.

Methods

We analysed data from 2,220 samples from 69 localities across all continents, except Antarctica. The influence of environment (urbanization index and human density), geography (altitude, latitude, hemisphere) and time (bird breeding season and years since introduction) were analysed using generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) and random forests.

Results

Overall, 670 sparrows (30.2%) were infected with 22 Plasmodium lineages. In native populations, parasite prevalence was positively related to urbanization index, with the highest prevalence values in areas with intermediate urbanization levels. Likewise, in introduced populations, prevalence was positively associated with urbanization index; however, higher infection occurred in areas with either extreme high or low levels of urbanization. In introduced populations, the number of parasite lineages increased with altitude and with the years elapsed since the establishment of sparrows in a new locality. Here, after a decline in the number of parasite lineages in the first 30 years, an increase from 40 years onwards was detected.

Main conclusions

Urbanization was related to parasite prevalence in both native and introduced bird populations. In invaded areas, altitude and time since bird introduction were related to the number of Plasmodium lineages found to be infecting sparrows.     

尖孢镰孢一新硝酸盐营养突变类型与营养体亲和性

从73个尖孢镰孢(Fusarium oxysporum)不同专化型菌株上获得684个硝酸盐营养突变株(nit mutant)。作相关氮源利用试验及亚硝酸反应后,鉴定出一新硝酸盐营养突变类型:亚硝酸盐还原酶结构基因类型,命名为nit8,占总突变株的6.7%。同时被鉴别的还有nit1、nit3和Nit M三种突变类型,它们分别占突变株总数的81.0%,3.8%和8.5%。此外,首次引入一种亚硝酸反应在这类研究中的应用,还提出了互补指数概念与公式来表示nit突变株营养体之间亲和的能力。     

从城市到城市群：京津冀物质代谢特征及影响因素

随着城市化进程和一体化战略的持续推进,城市管理者急需了解城市规律以消减生态-资源-环境挑战,并提供坚实物质基础。以京津冀城市群及其组成城市为研究对象,创新性地从城市群和城市两尺度核算并分析了2000—2017年物质消耗状况及变化趋势,识别并对比了主要贡献物质、贡献部门和影响因素。研究表明：(1)研究期间,京津冀城市群物质消耗量总体上升。从物质类型看,主要由非金属矿物(>34.2%)拉动;从产业结构看,受到工业部门(>58%)绝对影响。首要驱动因素为经济规模(>50%)。(2)各城市物质消耗量与城市群较为类似,总体也呈增长态势,几乎均受到非金属矿物和工业部门驱动,且经济规模起到正向促进作用,不同的是物质消耗强度作用类型多样,且产业结构效应在城市中贡献更为突出。研究结果在一定程度上明确了城市及城市群代谢的规律,能够为优化资源利用效率和资源配置结构奠定基础,为城市及城市群生态管理与调控提供切实可行的落力点。