Detection and validation of EST-SSR markers associated with sugar-related traits in sugarcane using linkage and association mapping

Sugar-related traits are of great importance in sugarcane breeding. In the present study, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping validated with association mapping was used to identify expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats (EST-SSRs) associated with sugar-related traits. For linkage mapping, 524 EST-SSRs, 241 Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms, and 10 genomic SSR markers were mapped using 283 F₁ progenies derived from an interspecific cross. Six regions were identified using Multiple QTL Mapping, and 14 unlinked markers using single marker analysis. Association analysis was performed on a set of 200 accessions, based on the mixed linear model. Validation of the EST-SSR markers using association mapping within the target QTL genomic regions identified two EST-SSR markers showing a putative relationship with uridine diphosphate (UDP) glycosyltransferase, and beta-amylase, which are associated with pol and sugar yield. These functional markers can be used for marker-assisted selection of sugarcane.     

A process‐based model supports an association between dispersal and the prevalence of species traits in tropical reef fish assemblages

Habitat dynamics interacting with species dispersal abilities could generate gradients in species diversity and prevalence of species traits when the latter are associated with species dispersal potential. Using a process‐based model of diversification constrained by a dispersal parameter, we simulated the interplay between reef habitat dynamics during the past 140 million years and dispersal, shaping lineage diversification history and assemblage composition globally. The emerging patterns from the simulations were compared to current prevalence of species traits related to dispersal for 6315 tropical reef fish species. We found a significant spatial congruence between the prevalence of simulated low dispersal values and areas with a large proportion of species characterized by small adult body size, narrow home range mobility behaviour, pelagic larval duration shorter than 21 days and diurnal activity. Species characterized by such traits were found predominantly in the Indo‐Australian Archipelago and the Caribbean Sea. Furthermore, the frequency distribution of the dispersal parameter was found to match empirical distributions for body size, PLD and home range mobility behaviour. Also, the dispersal parameter in the simulations was associated to diversification rates and resulted in trait frequency matching empirical distributions. Overall, our findings suggest that past habitat dynamics, in conjunction with dispersal processes, influenced diversification in tropical reef fishes, which may explain the present‐day geography of species traits.     

桂林岩溶石山植物群落植物功能性状对不同坡向环境因子的响应

该研究以桂林岩溶石山不同坡向的植物群落为对象,探讨植物功能性状(比叶面积、叶绿素含量、木材密度和环境因子随坡向的变化规律。结果表明:比叶面积和叶绿素含量为阴坡>半阴坡>阳坡,阴坡和半阴坡分别与阳坡差异性显著;木材密度为阴坡<半阴坡<阳坡,阴坡、半阴坡分别与阳坡差异性显著。土壤有机质含量表现为阴坡大于阳坡,且阴坡与阳坡差异性显著;土壤全磷、土壤有效磷均表现为阳坡含量最高,且阴坡与阳坡差异性显著;土壤有效钾、土壤全钾则分别为阴坡、半阴坡含量最高,土壤全钾含量在各坡向上差异均显著,而土壤有效钾则为阴坡、半阴坡与阳坡均差异性显著。回归分析表明群落水平比叶面积在阴坡和半阴坡上与土壤有机质含量呈显著负相关;群落水平叶绿素含量与土壤全磷含量和土壤有效钾含量在阴坡上呈显著正相关;在不同坡向梯度上群落水平木材密度与环境因子无相关性。群落水平上植物功能性状随坡向的变化规律,反映了岩溶石山植物群落构建过程中环境对功能性状的筛选效应。     

五大连池火山色木槭叶功能性状特征

植物功能性状反映了植物对生长环境的响应和适应, 是连接植物与环境的桥梁, 研究植物功能性状特征及其随坡向的变化规律, 对认识不同微地形生境下植物群落空间格局形成及适应机制具有重要意义。本文以五大连池不同历史年代的8座火山共有树种色木槭(Acer mono)为研究对象, 测定了9类叶功能性状, 研究了植物叶功能性状在火山间及火山坡向间(阴坡-阳坡)的变化规律, 以期揭示生境对火山植物主要叶功能性状的影响, 以及阴阳坡植物生存策略的变化, 初步探讨了植物对环境的适应机制。结果表明: (1)坡向的变化是造成色木槭叶功能性状差异的重要原因; (2)火山间叶功能性状的差异反映了它们具有不同的资源环境, 色木槭生长主要受氮元素的限制; (3)南北坡向及火山间叶片厚度与叶面积均呈极显著的正相关关系, 叶片厚度与比叶面积在不同火山间均呈显著的正相关关系, 这与色木槭在火山土壤条件下的自我保护密切相关, 色木槭通过这些指标间的功能调节来适应环境的变化, 并形成最佳功能组合。五大连池不同历史年代火山的色木槭采用增加植物叶片叶干物质浓度、叶面积、叶片厚度、叶氮和叶磷浓度提高固碳能力, 通过降低比叶面积和氮磷比来适应干旱、土壤养分贫瘠的环境。     

漓江河岸带植物功能性状变异与关联

研究植物功能性状随环境梯度的变异和关联格局, 对于认识不同环境梯度下群落构建和植物适应型具有重要意义。该研究以漓江河岸带不同河段植物群落为研究对象, 调查了研究区内36个样方的物种组成, 测量了样方内42种木本植物的叶面积(LA)、比叶面积(SLA)和木材密度(WD)的功能性状值, 并运用性状梯度分析法对3个功能性状进行群落内(α组分)和群落间(β组分)组分分解及相关性分析。结果表明: (1)群落平均LA表现为中游最小且和下游差异显著, 群落平均WD则表现为中上游显著高于下游, 群落平均SLA在两两河段间均差异显著。(2)不同河段的3个植物功能性状β组分差异显著且实际观测值均小于随机模拟的零模型分布, 但α组分在河岸带不同河段均差异不显著且3个功 能性状的α组分分布范围均小于β组分, 说明在河岸带不同河段的群落构建过程中环境筛选的作用要大于群落内种间的相互作用。(3)性状SLA与LA在群落间和群落内呈现出实际观测和随机模拟的相关性均较低, 暗示了LA和SLA各自代表了植物在不同生态策略上的维度; 但SLA和WD实际观测值和随机模拟值呈现出较强的负相关关系, 暗示这2个性状对于环境筛选表现出较高的整体趋同适应性, 体现了植物功能性状对群落间环境变异的依赖性大于群落内种间相互作用的依赖性。     

山东滨海盐碱地11个造林树种叶解剖特征对土壤条件的响应

叶片作为植物与大气环境连接的重要纽带, 对逆境具有强烈的响应。基于叶性状探讨植物对环境的适应机制对盐碱地植物群落构建具有指导意义。该研究以山东省滨海盐碱地3种不同土壤条件下的11个造林树种为对象, 通过对各树种叶解剖性状的测定分析, 阐明叶片功能性状与盐碱地土壤环境的关系, 以期为盐碱地植被修复与群落构建提供科学依据。主要研究结果: (1) 11个树种的叶片厚度较大, 栅栏组织发达, 紧密排列在叶肉近轴面, 呈3-5层。各树种叶片的栅栏组织与海绵组织厚度比值(PT/ST)普遍较高但差异较大, 可指示叶解剖特征在树种间的差异性。(2)不同树种的叶解剖结构在立地环境间具有显著差异, PT/ST可作为指示指标。(3)相关分析和冗余分析表明, 树种叶片解剖结构与立地土壤条件具有密切联系。PT/ST与土壤理化性质相关程度高, 且与土壤pH以及土壤电导率(25 ℃)均呈显著正相关关系, 与土壤硝态氮含量呈显著负相关关系。叶片特征和叶脉特征可解释叶性状随环境变异约84%的信息量。综上所述,叶解剖结构与盐碱地土壤条件存在密切关系, 基于叶解剖特征可进一步分析树种对盐碱环境的适应性, 并为盐碱地植物群落构建的树种选择提供科学依据。     

桂林岩溶石山青冈群落植物功能性状的尺度变化与关联

研究植物功能性状在不同尺度的变异和关联,对于揭示植物对环境的适应策略和群落构建规律具有重要意义。以岩溶石山青冈群落为研究对象,测量了研究区内20个样方74种木本植物的叶面积、比叶面积和木材密度3个功能性状值,利用性状梯度分析法分析了3个性状在群落内部(α组分)及群落间(β组分)的变异格局及相关性。结果表明:(1)群落内3个植物功能性状的α值范围均大于β值范围,即物种相对于共生物种性状值的变化大于沿着群落平均性状梯度的变化。(2)植物功能性状比叶面积的种内差异引起的变化小于群落水平。(3)叶面积与比叶面积、比叶面积与木材密度、叶面积与木材密度的β组分相关性均最强,而α组分间无相关性或相关性较弱,即叶面积与比叶面积、比叶面积与木材密度、叶面积与木材密度两两性状间的相关性在群落间的依赖程度比群落内共生物种的依赖性要强,暗示物种在群落内和群落间采取不同的生态策略来适应环境。     

细裂槭与其近缘种的比较形态学及分类学研究

通过对细裂槭与其近缘种大叶细裂槭、疏毛槭的表型性状及叶片微形态进行比较研究,探讨细裂槭在植物分类学上的地位。结果表明:(1)不同产地细裂槭表型性状变异主要来源于居群内。(2)同一产地细裂槭与其近缘种的一些表型性状存在较大的差异。(3)反映叶片大小和翅果形状指标的平均变异系数相对较大,不能准确反映种间关系,故不支持《中国植物志》、Flora of China以及各类地方植物志中以叶片大小和双翅连接角度作为细裂槭、大叶细裂槭和疏毛槭的主要分类依据。(4)疏毛槭叶上表皮和下表皮均具表皮毛,且生活周期内不脱落,与《中国植物志》和Flora of China对疏毛槭的记载略有不同。依据许炳强提出的植物叶脉序演化关系,细裂槭与大叶细裂槭的叶脉序特征基本一致,而疏毛槭较细裂槭和大叶细裂槭原始,该研究结果支持Flora of China对细裂槭和大叶细裂槭的合并处理,并将细裂槭作为疏毛槭的变种处理。     

NRDR inhibits estradiol synthesis and is associated with changes in reproductive traits in pigs

Cumulus cells secreting steroid hormones have important functions in oocyte development. Several members of the short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family are critical to the biosynthesis of steroid hormones. NADPH‐dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase ( NRDR), a member of the SDR superfamily, is overexpressed in pig breeds that also show high levels of androstenone. However, the potential functions and regulatory mechanisms of NRDR in pig ovaries have not been reported to date. The present study demonstrated that NRDR is highly expressed in pig ovaries and is specifically located in cumulus granulosa cells. Functional studies showed that NRDR inhibition increased estradiol synthesis. Both pregnant mare serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin downregulated the expression of NRDR in pig cumulus granulosa cells. When the relationship between reproductive traits and single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NRDR gene was examined, we found that two SNPs affected reproductive traits. SNP rs701332503 was significantly associated with a decrease in the total number of piglets born during multiparity, and rs326982309 was significantly associated with an increase in the average birth weight during primiparity. Thus, NRDR has an important role in steroid hormone biosynthesis in cumulus granulosa cells, and NRDR SNPs are associated with changes in porcine reproduction traits.