Climate sensitivity of conifer growth doesn’t reveal distinct low–high dipole along the elevation gradient in the Wolong National Natural Reserve,SW China

Recent climate warming is usually hypothesized to cause tree growth decline in the semi-arid regions where forests are particularly vulnerable to warming induced increases of water deficit. But there is still a large knowledge gap of climate warming effects on tree growth of cold temperate forest in the sub-humid region. Here we assess how climate warming has affected tree growth in the Wolong National Natural Reserve, Southwestern China, where recent warming might not cause tree growth decline because of the cold-humid climatic conditions. Tree-ring data from four co-dominant coniferous species (Larix potaninii var. macrocarpa, Tsuga chinensis, Abies faxoniana and Juniperus saltuaria) along an elevation gradient (from 2700 m to 3700 m) all imprinted temperature signals, and were both positively and significantly correlated with instrumental record of temperature data during the analyzed period of 1954–2010. Furthermore, the rising temperature since 1980 induced pervasive tree growth increases and stronger temperature signals for the coniferous species along the elevation gradient. The tree-ring chronology recorded a strong coherence with instrumental temperature since 1980 and was successful to keep up with the pace of climate warming rate. If climate warming continues, further increases in forest growth could be expected, and the terrestrial carbon sink will be strengthened for the local forest ecosystem in the future.     

Host‐plant range expansion to Gymnocladus dioica by an introduced seed predatory beetle Megabruchidius dorsalis

A seed predatory beetle, Megabruchidius dorsalis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) native to the Oriental region was first found to utilize a North American Gymnocladus dioica (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) in its introduced area in Central Europe. A maximum of three adult exit holes were found on a single seed. Host‐plants of the bruchine beetle have been reviewed from its native and introduced regions, including a host record of Gleditsia fera from Taiwan. Our review indicated the beetle's strict oligophagy on caesalpinioid Gleditsia species. On the contrary, our finding suggests that the beetle's host‐range extends to the caesalpinioid Umtiza clade. On the plant side, this study provides a counterexample to the enemy release hypothesis that predicts fewer predators/parasites in an organism's range of introduction than in their native range; Gy. dioica is attacked by the seed predator in its introduced region, whereas in its native range it is free from seed predators.     

Heterogeneity–diversity relationships in sessile organisms: a unified framework

The hypothesis that environmental heterogeneity promotes species richness by increasing opportunities for niche partitioning is a fundamental paradigm in ecology. However, recent studies suggest that heterogeneity–diversity relationships (HDR) are more complex than expected from this niche‐based perspective, and often show a decrease in richness at high levels of heterogeneity. These findings have motivated ecologists to propose new mechanisms that may explain such deviations. Here we provide an overview of currently recognised mechanisms affecting the shape of HDRs and present a conceptual model that integrates all previously proposed mechanisms within a unified framework. We also translate the proposed framework into an explicit community dynamic model and use the model as a tool for generating testable predictions concerning how landscape properties interact with species traits in determining the shape of HDRs. Our main finding is that, despite the enormous complexity of such interactions, the predicted HDRs are rather simple, ranging from positive to unimodal patterns in a highly consistent and predictable manner.     

The Amazon River as a dispersal barrier to passerine birds: effects of river width, habitat and taxonomy

Aim To evaluate the relative effectiveness of the lower and upper sections, respectively, of the Amazon River as a barrier to bird distribution, and to evaluate ecological and taxonomic factors affecting the efficacy of the river barrier. Location Amazon River of South America between its confluence with the Napo River in the west and its delta in the east. Methods Using published distribution maps for 448 species of passerine birds occurring along the Amazon River, we evaluated whether each was distributed along one bank only (river presumed to be a barrier) or both banks (no barrier) to test the predictions that the river was more effective as a dispersal barrier: (1) along the lower, wider portion of the river than the upper, narrower portion; (2) for species inhabiting forests than open country; (3) for species inhabiting forest understorey than forest canopy; (4) for species restricted to terra firme (never inundated upland forest) than those not restricted to terra firme and (5) for certain taxonomic groups. Results Our analyses demonstrated that the Amazon River was most effective as a dispersal barrier along its lower portion and for species restricted to forests and terra firme. However, the river was not significantly more of a barrier for species inhabiting forest understorey than forest canopy. The river was most significant as a barrier to dispersal for the antbirds (Thamnophilidae) and was less significant as a barrier to species belonging to several large families including woodcreepers (Dendrocolaptidae), ovenbirds (Furnariidae), flycatchers (Tyrannidae), cotingids (Cotingidae), tanagers (Thraupidae), seed‐eating finches (Emberizidae) and blackbirds (Icteridae). Main conclusions The robust widths of Amazonian rivers are widely considered to represent impediments to dispersal and gene flow for many taxa of birds and other animals, and may have represented agents of vicariance in the diversification of species. Our study reaffirms the effectiveness of the lower Amazon River as a current barrier to bird dispersal for forest birds and provides new insights into the effects of habitat and taxonomy on the efficacy of the river barrier. Although supportive of several predictions of the river hypothesis of biological diversification, our study is limited in addressing the historical impact of river barriers as agents of vicariance in the process of diversification.     

金毛弓背蚁的巢穴结构、头宽频数分布及活动节律

对金毛弓背蚁Camponotus tonkinus Santschi的巢穴结构、工蚁头宽频数特征及巢外活动节律作了系统的观察和分析。发现金毛弓背蚁地下巢穴极为复杂,有纵横交错的通道系统和众多的小室,蚁后室位于巢穴底部,工蚁的头宽为连续性,范围在1.05-3.85mm,频数分布为不对称的单峰,头宽在1.4～2.Omm的个体最多,占总数的72.7%,晴朗天气里工蚁出入巢活动在上午和下午各有一个高峰,中午随温度升高金毛弓背蚁外出活动进入低谷.     

Changes in radial tree growth for Picea abies, Larix decidua, Pinus cembra and Pinus uncinata near the alpine timberline since 1750

Changes in radial growth of the four coniferous species growing in the French Alps near the upper treeline are investigated. Thirty-seven populations of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.], European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra L.) and mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Mill. ex Mirb.) were sampled by taking 1320 cores and analysing tree-ring widths. Sites were chosen in various climatic conditions (macroclimate and aspect) and on two kinds of bedrock in order to take into account the ecological behaviour of these species. Belledonne, Moyenne-Tarentaise, Haute-Maurienne and Briançonnais areas were sampled along increasing gradients of summer aridity and winter continentality. The calculation of time series after removing the age trend brings strong evidence for an increase in radial growth during the two last centuries, but with different stages and fluctuations for each species. This growth trend is significantly enhanced since 1860 for the spruce, and since 1920 for the two pine species. Furthermore, it also appears on Larix decidua with the same pattern despite periodical growth reduction due to attacks of the larch bud moth (Zeiraphera diniana Gn.). The analysis of ring-widths at a given cambial age reveals that this enhanced phenomenon is observed especially during the tree’s early years (25–75 years). The analysis of four regional climatic series, and three longer series of temperature (in farther single sites) reveals synchronous decadal fluctuations and an evident secular increase in minimum temperatures (especially in January and from July to October), that may be involved in tree-growth enhancement. Thermic amplitudes are significantly reduced during the whole growing period, what is more pronounced in Belledonne, the most oceanic region. Long term growth changes are well described by stepwise regression models, especially for the pine species. These models involved both a linear trend (CO₂ concentration or N-deposition) and low frequency of Turin monthly temperatures. However, they show different patterns than those observed from response functions at a yearly scale.     

The α-galactosidase from Escherichia coli K12

Growth of Escherichia coli on melibiose requires the induced synthesis of α-galactoside permease and α-galactosidase. Hydrolysis of the chromogenic substrate p-nitrophenyl-σ-galactoside by whole bacteria is dependent on intact oxidative metabolism. The α-galactosidase from E. coli was isolated for the first time as a soluble enzyme. In cell-free extracts p-nitrophenyl-α-galactoside hydrolisis was observed only at high protein concentrations and the activity decreased exponentially with the square of the dilution. The reason for this behaviour was shown to be that, unlike other known α-galactosidases, the enzyme of E. coli requires NAD. For optimal activity the enzyme also requires Mn²⁺, a high concentration of 2-mercaptoethanol, and a pH of 8.1. The approximate molecular weight of the active from of α-galactosidase as determined by sedimentation in a sucrose gradient is 200 000. Due to the instability of the enzyme, its purification has not been achieved.     

Ultraviolet inactivation and excision-repair in Bacillus subtilis. II. Differential inactivation and differential repair of transforming markers

Ultraviolet inactivation of transforming Bacillus subtilis markers was studied with the aid of an eightfold auxotrophic recipient and its excision-repair-deficient derivative. The results allow the following conclusions. (i) Wild-type B. subtilis cells are able to repair approx. 80% of the UV-induced lesions causing inactivation of transforming activity in UV-sensitive recipients; (ii) Saturating amounts of donor DNA increase the apparent marker sensitivities. This phenomenon is most pronounced in transformation of UV-sensitive recipients; (iii) various markers are inactivated to different degrees, both when assayed on the wild-type as well as on the UV-sensitive strain; (iv) Various markers are repaired to different degrees in the wild-type recipient.