Benthic invertebrates of some saline lakes of the Sud Lipez region,Bolivia

The benthic invertebrates fauna of most of the saline lakes of the Sud Lipez region (Bolivia, Altiplano) has been until now quite unstudied. Samples collected during an extensive survey of 12 lakes and two small inflow rivers allow a first list of the main macroinvertebrates living in these biotopes.The heterogeneous nature of these saline lakes with their freshwater springs and phreatic inflows offers a variety of habitats to macroinvertebrates. The benthic fauna in lakes with salinities > 10 g l^–1 is not so low in density but includes few species and is dominated by Orthocladiinae and Podonominae larvae. In contrast, the freshwater springs and inflows are colonized by a diverse fauna, with a mixture of both freshwater and saline taxa, but dominated by Elmidae and Amphipoda. The lakes are quite isolated and, apart from some cosmopolitan organisms, their fauna can be quite distinctive.     

Characterization of the length polymorphism in the A+T-rich region of the Drosophila obscura group species

Summary In the twelve Drosophila obscura group species studied, belonging to the affinis, obscura, and pseudoobscura subgroups, the mitochondrial DNA length ranges from 15.8 to 17.2 kb. This length polymorphism is mainly due to insertions/deletions in the variable region of the A+T-rich region. In addition, one species (D. tristis) possess a tandem duplication of a 470-bp fragment that contains the replication origin.The same duplication has occurred at least twice in the Drosophila evolutionary history due to the fact that the repetition is analogous to repetitions found in the four species of the D. melanogaster complex.By comparing the nucleotide sequence of the conserved region in D. ambigua, D. obscura, D. yakuba, D. teissieri, and D. virilis, we show the presence of a secondary structure, likely implied in the replication origin, which could favor the generation of this kind of duplications.Finally, we propose that the high A and T content in the variable region of the A + T-rich region favors the formation of less-stable secondary structures, which could explain the generation of minor insertion/deletions found in this region.Offprint requests to: A. Latorre     

Evolution of thedec-1 eggshell locus inDrosophila. II. Intraspecific DNA sequence analysis reveals length mutations in a repetitive region inD. melanogaster

Summary Thedec-1 eggshell gene inDrosophila melanogaster encodes follicle cell proteins required for proper eggshell assembly. As shown by Southern and Northern analyses thedec-1 gene occurs in four alleles (Fcl-4) among wild-type strains. Its second exon has a distinct feature in the form of 12 repeats with 78–91 nucleotides; the first five show nearly 100% homology. DNA sequence comparison of the repeated region of the alleles revealed that the length polymorphisms are caused by changes in the numbers of the first five repeats. The results suggest that the alleles have been generated by unequal intragenic crossing-over and/or slippage during DNA replication and that the allelic length variants have arisen independently. The possiblilty that the most common allele,FC1, has a selective advantage over the other alleles is discussed.     

Discrimination of folding types of globular proteins based on average distance maps constructed from their sequences

It has been shown that probable portions which form contacts in a protein can be predicted by means of an average distance map (ADM) as well as regular structures (-helices and -turns) defined as short-range compact regions (Kikuchiet al., 1988a,c). In this paper, we analyze the occurrence of those portions and short-range compact regions on ADMs for various proteins regarding their folding types. We have found out that each folding type of proteins shows characteristic distribution of such parts on ADMS. We also discuss the possibility of the prediction of folding types of proteins by ADMs.     

Two centuries of spatial and temporal dynamics of freshwater fish introductions

Aim

Investigating major freshwater fish flows (translocations) between biogeographic regions and their temporal dynamics and also quantifying spatial patterns and temporal changes in the array of introduced species, and the emergence and distance between major donor and recipient regions.

Location

Global.

Time Period

1800–2020.

Major Taxa Studied

Freshwater fishes.

Methods

We analysed a global dataset on freshwater fish introductions (4241 events of 688 species). Freshwater fish flows were investigated with flow diagrams and χ² tests, while PERMANOVA (permutational multivariate analysis of variance) was used to test the association between species and regions and temporal shifts. Cluster analysis revealed major recipient areas and composition of the introduced species. Finally, changes in distances between donor and recipient sites were tested with PERMANOVA.

Results

The number of introductions between biogeographic regions mirrored the European and North American dominance before World War II (WWII) and the trends in recreational fishing, biocontrol programmes and food production, especially in the Sino-Oriental region, which has a long tradition of aquaculture and fishkeeping. Over the years, the origins and composition of introduced species changed uniquely in each biogeographic region, although the most introduced species are common to every region. Salmonids and other cold-water species were frequently introduced before the 1950s, whereas tropical ornamental and aquaculture species currently prevail. Distances between donor and recipient sites did not vary over the time. After WWII, the Sino-Oriental region consolidated its dominance and the Ethiopian and Neotropical regions emerged as new global donor and recipient regions.

Main Conclusions

Global policy should focus on tropical ornamental and aquaculture species, which could benefit from global warming, especially in the Sino-Oriental region, because it currently dominates freshwater fish species flows, and the Ethiopian and Neotropical regions, because they recently emerged as important global donor and recipient regions of freshwater fish introductions.     

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。     

长三角地区植被覆盖演变城乡差异及其原因

城市生态环境和城市化之间的关系是城市可持续发展的关键。研究不同城市化水平下植被覆盖的长时间演变趋势,对理解城市化过程对植被生长动态的影响,城市更新以及推进城市绿化的科学管理具有重要意义。然而,目前对城市内部沿城乡梯度植被生长趋势差异的认识还比较有限。以我国城市化发展最为强烈的长三角地区为研究对象,基于2000-2020年长三角归一化植被指数数据,采用趋势分析和地理探测器方法,探究了长三角地区城市内部植被覆盖演变城乡差异,并从土地利用/覆被变化和城市化发展的角度解析其成因。研究结果表明：（1）2000-2020年长三角地区植被总体呈绿化趋势,植被明显绿化占最大比例（52.06%）,轻微绿化与稳定不变地区占31.68%,零星分布的褐化区占6.82%。（2）城市老城区植被覆盖变化总体呈现返绿趋势（0.016/10 a）,新城区褐化明显（-0.019/10 a）,农郊区绿化突出（0.023/10 a）。在上海、南京和杭州等人口城市化水平较高的城市中,老城区土地利用变化强度最高,其绿化趋势也最高,体现了城市更新过程对绿地空间的促进作用;而在人口城市化水平相对较低的宣城、蚌埠和阜阳等城市,土地利用变化强度相对较低的农郊区也呈现明显的绿化趋势,更多的是受到区域生态保护的影响。（3）土地城市化是长三角地区老城区和新城区植被覆盖变化的主导因子,而城市化因子对农郊区解释程度总体不显著。从长三角总体区域看,城镇人口比重、不透水面积/总面积以及地区生产总值三者对植被覆盖演变存在显著影响,其中城镇人口比重影响最大。     

Population structure of mud flounder Paralichthys orbignyanus from the south-western Atlantic Ocean

The mud flounder Paralichthys orbignyanus (Pleuronectiformes, Paralichthyidae) inhabits shallow waters of low salinities and mud bottoms in the temperate marine coastal regions of the Bonaerensean Ecoregion of the Argentinean Biogeographic Province in the south-western Atlantic Ocean. Specimens of P. orbignyanus were collected from Lagoa dos Patos (LDP) (southern Brazil), Mar Chiquita (MCH) and Marisol (MAR) both located in Buenos Aires (Argentina), and San Antonio Oeste (SAO) in the San Matías Gulf, Rio Negro (Argentina). A fragment of the mitochondrial DNA of the Control Region and seven microsatellite loci were characterized. In the Control Region, P. orbignyanus showed high variability, low nucleotide diversity, mild population expansion and a coalescence time of 35,000 years before the present. Flounders provided evidence of a genetic structure between the sampling sites LDP, MCH, MAR vs. SAO. On the other hand, P. orbignyanus displayed a lower to moderate contemporary genetic structure among all samples except between LDP and MCH. With no evidence of isolation by distance, this analysis supports a model of limited gene flow that is likely to be associated with a consistent larvae retention in all sampling sites. In addition, the present connectivity is ascribed to a lower migration process from SAO in the San Matías Gulf congruent with the prevailing littoral drift.     

Nucleotide Sequence Assessment of Four ORFs of Citrus Tristeza Virus: Evidence of Recombination

Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV), usually occurs in nature as a mixture of genotypes. Six naturally infected citrus (Citrus sinensis) trees grafted on sour orange rootstock were collected from three citrus growing governorates in Egypt (Sharqia, Qalyubia and Garbia). In this study, RT-PCR, Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) and nucleotide sequence analysis were used for four independent CTV genomic regions (p65, p18, p20, and p23) to detect and assess the sequence and genetic variabilities among CTV Egyptian isolates. RTPCR products (650 bp) for the CTV p23 gene obtained from the selected isolates were used for the SSCP analysis and DNA sequencing. SSCP patterns of p23 gene for individual isolates yielded different complex haplotype patterns. Nucleotide sequence analysis of p23 region amplified from six isolates under study revealed that p23 shared high nucleotide identity 98.7% with T36 isolate from USA, Florida. Phylogenetic analysis of p23 gene indicated a close evolutionary relationship between all examined isolates and Qaha isolate (T36 isolate group), suggesting that they may have originated from closely related ancestors. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the three genes located on CTV 3′-coterminal overhang, p18, p20 and p65, amplified from isolate A3, Sharqia governorate, revealed that the p18, p65, and p20 genes were related to the T3-KB isolate from South Africa with 99%–100% sequence homology. Phylogenetic relationship analysis for p65, p18 and p20 ORFs clustered the current A3 isolate with T3 genotype group. The recombination analysis identified three of six isolates from Sharqia, and Garbia as potential recombinant for p23 gene. The isolates T36 and T3 were identified as major donors for recombination events in isolate A3. Our results concluded that p23 ORF likely to be as a hotspot region for recombination and originated through recombination event. The current study indicated that recombination is an important factor for the origin of CTV strains in Egypt.     

POPULATION STRUCTURE IN AN INSHORE CETACEAN REVEALED BY MICROSATELLITE AND mtDNA ANALYSIS: BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS SP.) IN SHARK BAY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

We examined population substructure of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops sp). in Shark Bay, Western Australia, using 10 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). For microsatellite analysis, 302 different animals were sampled from seven localities throughout the bay. Analysis of genetic differentiation between sampling localities showed a significant correlation between the number of migrants ( Nm ) calculated from F _ST, R _ST and private alleles, and distance between localities–a pattern of isolation-by-distance. For mtDNA, 220 individuals from all seven localities were sequenced for a 351 base pair fragment of the control region, resulting in eight haplotypes, with two distinct clusters of haplotypes. Values of F _ST and (φ)_ST for mtDNA yielded statistically significant differences, mostly between localities that were not adjacent to each other, suggesting female gene flow over a scale larger than the sampled localities. We also observed a significant correlation between the number of female migrants calculated from F _ST and φ_ST and the distance of sampling localities. Our results indicate that dispersal in female dolphins in Shark Bay is more restricted than that of males.