Conservation implications of adaptation to tropical climates from a historical perspective

Tropical climates and the biodiversity associated with them have long interested natural historians. Alexander von Humboldt inspired a generation of scientists, such as Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, to observe and study tropical ecosystems. More recently, the mid‐20th century saw Theodosius Dobzhansky and Daniel Janzen lay the foundations for studying adaptation to tropical climates. Now in the 21st century, we are beginning to realize the threats posed by current and future climate change to tropical populations which, despite relatively low levels of projected warming for low‐latitude regions, face potentially significant detrimental impacts. Building on the insights of researchers in decades and centuries past, improved understanding of tropical ecology, evolution and biogeography will help us to conceive how future global change will impact on biodiversity.     

The temperature acclimation potential of tropical bryophytes

Bryophyte biomass and diversity in tropical moist forests decrease dramatically from higher altitudes towards the lowlands. High respiratory carbon losses at high temperatures may partly explain this pattern, if montane species are unable to acclimatise their metabolic rates to lowland temperatures. We transplanted ten bryophyte species from two altitudes (1200 and 500 m a.s.l.) to lower (warmer) altitudes (500 m and sea level) in Panama. We studied short‐term temperature acclimation of CO₂ exchange for 2.5 months, and survival and growth for 21 months following transplantation. Short‐term acclimation did not occur, and on a longer time scale mortality was highest and growth lowest in the transplanted samples. A few transplanted samples of most species, however, survived the whole experiment and finished with growth rates similar to controls. This recovery of growth rate suggests temperature acclimation, in spite of no measurable metabolic changes in smaller random samples. This acclimation even compensated for shorter periods of CO₂ uptake due to more rapid drying. Nevertheless, these species are not abundant in lowland forests, perhaps due to dispersal or establishment limitation. The apparent heterogeneity of the acclimation potential within species may allow populations to adapt locally and avoid being forced uphill under climatic warming.     

Effects of global change on key processes of primary production in marine ecosystems

工业革命以来, 不断加剧的人类活动所引起的大气CO₂浓度增加、温度上升等全球变化问题, 正使得海洋生态系统面临着前所未有的压力。该文通过文献计量的方法分析了国内外的研究现状, 简要地回顾了全球变化对海洋生态系统影响研究的发展简史, 并聚焦海洋暖化、海洋酸化和富营养化与缺氧这三个核心研究方向, 重点阐述了它们对海洋生态系统初级生产的关键过程的影响, 总结了已取得的重要进展以及存在的主要问题, 最后提出前沿展望。     

Recent increase in body size of the American marten Martes americana in Alaska

Using museum specimens, we studied recent changes in skull size of the American marten Martes americana , in continental Alaska. In Alaska, global warming has resulted in milder winters that may contribute to an improved food supply in the wild. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that body size of the marten had increased during the second half of the 20th century, in response to global warming. We found that skull size, and by implication body size, increased significantly during the second half of the 20th century, possibly due to an improved food supply and/or lower metabolic demands in winter. Improved food availability in winter may result from the improved nutritional conditions for prey, and/or from increased access to prey resulting from a longer snow-free season. Longitude had a significant positive effect on skull size and a significant negative effect on teeth size. In Alaska, the climate is milder along the western coast and becomes harsher inland. Hence, the milder climate was associated with larger body size providing further support for our prediction that body size of the American marten was influenced by food availability and reduced energy expenditure. The negative relationship between longitude and teeth size may indicate a trend towards a larger prey in inland marten populations, but we have no data to support or refute this hypothesis.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 93 , 701–707.     

夜间变暖提高荫香叶片的光合能力

研究了不同氮供应的条件下夜间变暖对荫香叶片光合能力的影响。当植株生长在相同的日间温度(25℃),而夜间温度从18℃增至20℃时,叶片的光合速率增高(p<0.05)。高氮供应的植株,夜间变暖下其叶片光合速率较低氮供应的高,氮供应增高能促进夜间变暖提高叶片光合速率的效应。在低氮供给和夜间变暖下,植株叶片的光下呼吸和暗呼吸的增高显著(p<0.05)。无论在高氮或低氮供应下,生长在夜间变暖下的植物,其叶片的R ub isco最大羧化速率(Vcm ax)和光合电子传递最大速率(Jm ax)增高(p<0.05),氮供应能增强夜间变暖对Vcm ax和Jm ax的正向效应。夜间变暖降低植株叶片的比叶重,而增加单位叶干重的氮含量(Nm),单位叶面积的氮含量(Na)没发生明显变化。随着全球气候变化,夜间趋暖将有利于树木叶片光合能力的提高,结合高氮供给将会明显地增高植物的碳固定。     

Ecological speciation without host plant specialization; possible origins of a recently described cryptic Papilio species

North American Papilio canadensis and P. glaucus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae, these Papilio = Pterourus) have previously been described as having allopatric distributions separated by a narrow hybrid zone running from Minnesota to southern New England, and southward in the Appalachian Mountains (possibly to northern Georgia). Recent patterns of hybridization and introgression suggest a more complex interaction between the two, possibly even resulting in the formation of a new species (Pterourus appalachiensis Pavulaan & Wright, 2002). Recently, extensive northward interspecific introgression of P. glaucus‐diagnostic traits has been observed in the hybrid zone. These include wing bands and other color patterns, the ability to feed on tulip tree leaves, and Hk‐100 allozymes; all are autosomally encoded. However, there has been little northward introgression of certain other P. glaucus traits (such as facultative diapause and bivoltinism, and Ldh‐100 allozymes, both X‐linked; and the Y‐linked melanic mimicry gene in females). Interspecific recombination of the X‐chromosome has evidently occurred, as shown by discordant patterns of X‐linked markers. The P. glaucus X‐linked Pgd‐100 and Pgd‐50 alleles have introgressed 200–400 km north of the historical hybrid zone, yet the P. glaucus X‐linked Ldh‐100 allele has not. The allele frequency shift for both genes is more closely related to the ‘thermal landscape’ (i.e., accumulated degree‐days above a developmental base threshold of 50 °F (=10 °C)) than to latitude. Delayed post‐diapause eclosion of cohorts within the hybrid zone, e.g., the New York/Vermont border area, has produced a natural ‘false‐second generation’ flight (a hybrid swarm of synchronous males and females, where 2300–2700 °F degree‐days have accumulated each year since 1998) that is reproductively isolated from flights of both parental species. Moreover, the newly described P. appalachiensis exhibits a unique combination of traits. These include obligate diapause, a univoltine habit, and the Ldh‐80 or Ldh‐40 alleles (as for P. canadensis), the Pgd‐100 or Pgd‐50 alleles (as for P. glaucus), and a delayed ‘false‐second generation’ reproductive flight period (as observed in the hybrid zone). Since 2001, a rare allele or ‘hybrizyme’ (Ldh‐20) has appeared in this false second generation at high frequencies (40–50%). We hypothesize that strong selection against the facultative diapause (od‐)trait (and the linked Ldh‐100 allele) in regions with 2800 °F degree‐days or less, and divergent selection in favor of Pgd‐100 (or a closely linked trait) combined with allochronic reproductive isolation, has resulted in recombinational, parapatric, hybrid speciation. There is no evidence at present that host‐plant shifts or changes in sex pheromones have driven this process, in contrast to many other speciation events in the Lepidoptera.     

Uncertainty Analysis in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Case Study on Plant-Protection Products and Implications for Decision Making (9 pp + 3 pp)

Goal, Scope, and Background Uncertainty analysis in LCA is important for sound decision support. Nevertheless, the actual influence of uncertainty on decision making in specific LCA case-studies has only been little studied so far. Therefore, we assessed the uncertainty in an LCA comparing two plant-protection products.Methods Uncertainty and variability in LCI flows and characterization factors (CML-baseline method) were expressed as generic uncertainty factors and subsequently propagated into impact scores using Monte-Carlo simulation. Uncertainty in assumptions on production efficiency for chemicals, which is of specific interest for the case study, was depicted by scenarios. Results and Discussion Impact scores concerning acidification, eutrophication, and global warming display relatively small dispersions. Differences in median impact scores of a factor of 1.6 were sufficient in the case study for a significant distinction of the products. Results of toxicity impact-categories show large dispersions due to uncertainty in characterization factors and in the composition of sum parameters. Therefore, none of the two products was found to be significantly environmentally preferable to the other. Considering the case study results and inherent characteristics of the impact categories, a tentative rule of thumb is put forward that quantifies differences in impact scores necessary to obtain significant results in product comparisons.Conclusion Published LCA case-studies may have overestimated the significance of results. It is therefore advisable to routinely carry out quantitative uncertainty analyses in LCA. If this is not feasible, for example due to time restrictions, the rule of thumb proposed here may be helpful to evaluate the significance of results for the impact categories of global warming, acidification, eutrophication, and photooxidant creation.     

模拟酸雨对小黑麦种子萌发及幼苗生理特性的影响

以小黑麦品种中饲237为材料。在不同pH值的模拟酸雨条件下对种子萌发及幼苗生理特性进行了研究。分别测定了发芽率、发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数和种子脱氢酶含量、幼苗鲜重、幼苗叶片叶绿素含量、叶片电导率等指标。结果表明,种子的各项发芽指标及种子脱氢酶含量、幼苗鲜重、叶绿素含量等随酸雨pH值减小整体呈降低趋势,叶片电导率则随酸雨pH值减小而有增加趋势。     

模拟光条件下有性繁殖香根草光合生理的研究

利用人工模拟光源研究了两种不同处理的(半水淹和对照)有性繁殖香根草的光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、水分利用效率(WUE)和叶面饱和蒸气压亏缺(Vpdl)随模拟光辐射(SPR)的变化规律。结果表明,半水淹处理的Pn、Gs、Tr和WUE均比长势良好的对照处理高,这可能与淹水胁迫和香根草所处的物候期不同有关。有性繁殖香根草的光补偿点较低,而光饱和点较高,26 0 0 μmol·m-2 ·s-1SPR强度Pn还未达最大值。结合生长指标参数综合比较,两种处理的分值却相同。因此可以认为,有性繁殖香根草保持了亲本水陆两栖的特性,并具有强大的耐涝能力,适于河岸、水库、堤岸等潮湿地栽种     

Global Warming: A Consequence of Human Activities Rivaling Earth's Biogeochemical Processes

The planet is growing warmer because of a massive disruption in global biogeochemical cycles. We are burning our reserves of fossil fuels, which formed over a period of 300 million years, in the blink of an eye in geologic time. One manifestation of our addiction to fossil fuels is a dramatic change in the composition of the atmosphere and its radiative properties. Evidence is discussed in this commentary that human-induced global warming has already occurred, that powerful inertia is in place to cause future warming, and that humans and ecosystems are currently being affected. Stabilizing the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide at 550 ppm within the next century will require a 70% cutback in emissions. Thus, a whole new system of powering our global economy is necessary.