Characterization of microsatellite DNA markers in a critically endangered species,Mekong giant catfish,Pangasianodon gigas

Microsatellite DNA markers for a critically endangered Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas Roberts and Vidthayanon, 1991) were developed from fin clips collected from captive fish using (GT)₁₅ probe. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to four. The expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.13 to 0.68. Also, these primers were successfully amplified in four closely related species, Pangasius bocourti, Pangasius conchophilus, Pangasius larnaudii and Pangasius sanitwongsei with the number of alleles per locus ranged from 1 to 13, 1 to 16, 1 to 12 and 1 to 4, respectively. These markers should prove to be very useful for the evaluation of genetic diversity for this species and other related Pangasius species.     

秦岭山区中国大鲵生境因子的选择

通过对秦岭山区中国大鲵(Andrias davidianus)栖息地生境因子调查、统计,利用R语言分析了各因子与大鲵生境选择的相关性,得出研究结果:秦岭山区影响大鲵生存的主要因子为栖息地类型(相关系数r=0.98),其次是水温(相关系数r=-0.8)、河岸坡度(r=-0.6)和p H (r=-0.6);浊度(相关系数r=0.5)、电导率(r=0.49)、DO(r=0.4)、人为干扰(r=0.35)和海拔(r=0.31)对大鲵分布影响不大。研究结果为探讨中国大鲵对野生环境的适应性选择提供了参考。     

野化培训大熊猫幼仔的食性转换

本文以2010—2020年15只母兽带仔野化培训的大熊猫幼仔为研究对象,基于红外视频监控系统观察和音频颈圈解译获得的行为资料、GPS颈圈跟踪定位采集的粪样数据,分析了野化培训大熊猫幼仔的行为发育进程和食性转换特征。结果表明：随着野化培训大熊猫幼仔的生长发育,与觅食和警戒相关的行为得到充分发育,且具有较强的时间关联性,包括食乳、爬行、走动、玩耍物品、爬树、咬玩竹子、饮水和采食竹子等。8 ~ 10月龄的大熊猫幼仔开始取食竹子,其发育性食性转换过程划分为3个阶段：食乳期 (1 ~ 7月龄)、食母乳—食竹子转换期 (8 ~ 28月龄) 和食竹期 (29 ~ 39月龄),其中转换期细分为关键期 (8 ~ 18月龄) 和过渡期 (19 ~ 28月龄)。从统计检验来看,不同食性阶段间差异显著;过渡期的大熊猫幼仔可离开母兽独立生活,此阶段大熊猫幼仔食物组分比例与食竹期相比无显著差异。野化培训大熊猫幼仔的季节性食性转换规律与带仔母兽和野生大熊猫具有相似的格局,即春季主要取食竹笋,夏、秋季则以嫩竹茎和竹叶为食,冬季采食竹叶与竹茎。     

Isolation and characterization of 16 tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the red panda (Ailurus fulgens)

A total of 15 polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the red panda, Ailurus fulgens, were characterized in this study. Based on evaluations of 33 red pandas, the number of observed alleles for each locus ranged from seven to 17 and the expected and observed heterozygosities were 0.412–0.897 and 0.121–0.909, respectively. The mean polymorphic information content was 0.721. These markers would greatly strengthen the utilization of microsatellite tools in genetic variation studies in red panda populations.     

道路影响下野生动物廊道的选址——以大熊猫保护廊道为例

沿道路设置供野生动物迁徙、扩散和连接栖息地的廊道是应对道路干扰最有效的措施,科学选址则是野生动物廊道建设的前提,也是廊道研究的薄弱领域。以大熊猫廊道为例对野生动物廊道选址指标体系、方法和程序进行了探索,将栖息地特征、地形因素、植被可转化性、工程成本作为大熊猫廊道选址指标,基于Arcgis和栖息地格局、海拔、坡度、植被数据,为四川306省道椅子垭口段确定了两处大熊猫廊道位置,并用监测数据证明了所选位置具有较大的可行性和准确性。研究表明栖息地格局是廊道选址的重要基础,应侧重对地形因素的研究。研究为廊道选址方法和流程进行了示范,还对选址指标体系优化、提高选址的科学性进行了探讨,有助于推动野生动物廊道研究从理论探索走向实际应用。     

硇洲岛牡蛎相关细菌抗菌筛选及系统发育分析

以8个敏感菌株作为指示菌,采用管碟法对分离自湛江硇洲岛（20°52′N～20°56′N,110°33′E～110°38′E）潮汐带香港巨牡蛎(Crassostrea hongkongensis)中的72株细菌的发酵液进行抗菌筛选,并对阳性菌株进行基因组DNA提取、16S rRNA基因PCR扩增和序列测定,继而进行系统发育分析。抗菌实验结果表明,受试菌株中有23株菌的发酵产物具有抗菌活性（阳性率31.9%）,其中有5个菌株（JSM 111024、JSM 111027、JSM 111029、JSM 111076、JSM 111083）具有较强的抗菌活性。基于16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育分析表明,这23株菌具有较高的类群多样性和物种多样性,属于3个系统发育群/门(Alpha Proteobacteria、Gamma Proteobacteria、Bacteroidetes)中的8个科(Aeromonadaceae、Flavobacteriaceae、Halomonadaceae、Idiomarinaceae、Phyllobacteriaceae、Pseudoalteromonadaceae、Shewanellaceae、Xanthomonadaceae)的8个属(Idiomarina、Halomonas、Myroides、Nitratireductor、Oceanimonas、Pseudoalteromonas、Shewanella、Wohlfahrtiimonas),可分为11个物种。优势类群为Gamma Proteobacteria亚门（14株）,其中优势属为Oceanimonas属（6株）;第二大类群为Bacteroidetes门（7株）,都属于Flavobacteriaceae科的Myroides属。具有较强抗菌活性的5个菌株中,有4个菌株（JSM 111024、JSM 111027、JSM 111029、JSM 111083）属于Alpha Proteobacteria 亚门Phyllobacteriaceae科〖WTBX〗Oceanimonas属,而菌株JSM 111076属于Gamma Proteobacteria 亚门Aeromonadaceae科Nitratireductor属。     

The plant cell inhibitor KRP6 is involved in multinucleation and cytokinesis disruption in giant-feeding cells induced by root-knot nematodes

The plant cell cycle inhibitor gene KRP6 has been investigated in roots infected by plant-parasitic root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Unexpectedly, KRP6 overexpressing lines revealed a distinct role for this specific KRP as an activator of the mitotic cell cycle. This function was confirmed in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cultures ectopically expressing KRP6. A blockage in the mitotic exit was observed in cell suspensions and in giant cells resulted in the appearance of multi-nucleated cells. KRP6 expression during nematode infection and the similarity in phenotypes among KRP6 overexpressing cell cultures and giant-cell morphology strongly suggest that KRP6 is involved in multinucleation and acytokinesis occurring in giant-cells. Once again nematodes have been shown to manipulate the plant cell cycle machinery in order to promote gall establishment.     

The effect of the armored scale,Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), on shoot growth of the invasive plant Arundo donax (Poaceae: Arundinoideae)

The effect of feeding by the armored scale, Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Leonardi, 1920) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on the growth of the plant Arundo donax L. (Poaceae) was evaluated under field conditions in its native range. The study was designed to evaluate the impact of R. donacis, a candidate agent for biological control of A. donax which is invasive in arid riparian ecosystems of the Southwestern USA and Mexico. The study was carried out at five A. donax sites in the Province of Alicante, Spain, differing in altitude and climate. At each site, 30 infested lateral shoots were selected and 15 were randomly treated monthly with imidacloprid insecticide. Shoot lengths were measured monthly over a 1-year period in a comparative growth analysis. Shoots infested with R. donacis had an over 2-fold reduced growth rate as compared to treated shoots. Growth of shoots varied by site, and the effect of R. donacis on growth was most pronounced in the late spring, when mature females produced first instar scale crawlers. The impact of R. donacis on A. donax growth under field conditions in the native range, combined with its narrow host specificity, indicate that R. donacis is a promising candidate for biological control of A. donax in North America and other areas invaded by this weed.     

大熊猫取食竹笋期间的昼夜活动节律和强度

采用内置记录活动水平传感器的GPS项圈研究了卧龙自然保护区3只野生大熊猫春季取食竹笋期间的昼夜活动节律和强度,并分析了太阳辐射、温度因子对大熊猫活动节律与强度的影响。3只大熊猫的平均活动率为68.05%,受孕雌性大熊猫的活动率(70.86%)和活动强度(范围:0-255;水平方向/垂直方向,23.82±0.30/ 17.63±0.22)均比其它两只大熊猫(70.55%, 14.71±0.17/13.52±0.15 ;62.76%,17.74±0.23/13.61±0.18)高。大熊猫有3次活动高峰,分别出现在6:00-7:00,18:00-21:00和23:00-3:00,一个明显的活动低谷,出现在9:00-12:00。大熊猫白天的活动率(68.32%)和活动强度(19.59±0.20/ 15.45±0.15)比夜间(67.67%,17.63±0.19/14.21±0.15)高。大熊猫的活动强度与太阳辐射之间存在显著负相关(r=-0.822, P<0.001),与空气温度之间不存在显著的相关性。     

Bayesian adaptive survey protocols for resource management

Transparency in resource management decisions requires a proper accounting of uncertainty at multiple stages of the decision-making process. As information becomes available, periodic review and updating of resource management protocols reduces uncertainty and improves management decisions. One of the most basic steps to mitigating anthropogenic effects on populations is determining if a population of a species occurs in an area that will be affected by human activity. Species are rarely detected with certainty, however, and falsely declaring a species absent can cause improper conservation decisions or even extirpation of populations. We propose a method to design survey protocols for imperfectly detected species that accounts for multiple sources of uncertainty in the detection process, is capable of quantitatively incorporating expert opinion into the decision-making process, allows periodic updates to the protocol, and permits resource managers to weigh the severity of consequences if the species is falsely declared absent. We developed our method using the giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas), a threatened species precinctive to the Central Valley of California, as a case study. Survey date was negatively related to the probability of detecting the giant gartersnake, and water temperature was positively related to the probability of detecting the giant gartersnake at a sampled location. Reporting sampling effort, timing and duration of surveys, and water temperatures would allow resource managers to evaluate the probability that the giant gartersnake occurs at sampled sites where it is not detected. This information would also allow periodic updates and quantitative evaluation of changes to the giant gartersnake survey protocol. Because it naturally allows multiple sources of information and is predicated upon the idea of updating information, Bayesian analysis is well-suited to solving the problem of developing efficient sampling protocols for species of conservation concern. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.