Morphological plasticity of a spreading aquatic macrophyte,Ranunculus peltatus,in response to environmental variables

Ranunculus peltatus Schrank is an aquatic macrophyte spreading in northeastern France. As with other Ranunculus species, its growth demonstrates considerable plasticity. A preliminary understanding of its development and precise adaptive strategy is possible through functional ecology. The present study took morphological traits into account in order to analyse R. peltatus' development and morphological plasticity in relation to environmental parameters. During the five-month growing season, field measurements of ten different morphological traits were performed monthly at twelve sampling sites presenting various physical and chemical characteristics. Three overall growth stages occurred between April and August 2000: a stage of elongation of the main stem, a stage of branching and flowering and a stage of decline associated with vegetative dispersion. The sampling sites were defined according to environmental parameters and divided into three groups corresponding to three morphologically different R. peltatus populations. Plants in upstream, nutrient-poor, undisturbed sites were small and achieved little sexual reproduction. Plants in nutrient-rich, undisturbed sites had long shoots and were branched. Plants in weakly shaded, disturbed sites were small but produced many flowers. Correlations between morphological traits and environmental parameters showed significant relationships between chemical parameters and some characteristic vegetative growth traits. Physical environmental parameters were found to be less well correlated with morphological traits than the chemical parameters. The phenology and morphological plasticity of R. peltatus confer competitive advantages that could explain its ability to spread in some circumstances. Finally, the previous classification of R. peltatus as a Grime CSR species is discussed in relation to its plasticity. According to its morphological characteristics, R. peltatus tended indeed to adopt a C-strategy in nutrient-rich undisturbed sites, a S-strategy in nutrient-poor undisturbed sites and a R-strategy in disturbed sites.     

猫视网膜年龄相关的形态学变化

取老年猫(12龄,3～3．5kg)和青年猫(1～3龄,2～2．5kg)各4只的视网膜,经4％多聚甲醛处理后,用H．E．染色以显示视网膜结构,Nissl染色显示神经节细胞,免疫组织化学ABC法染色以显示星形胶质细胞特征性标志物胶质纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)的阳性反应细胞的分布。显微镜下观察测量视网膜厚度,计数神经节细胞、GFAP免疫反应阳性细胞数。与青年猫比较,老年猫视网膜总厚度以及外核层、外网状层、内核层和内网状层厚度均显著减小;神经节细胞层的细胞密度显著下降;GFAP免疫反应阳性细胞显著增加,GFAP阳性细胞阳性反应强,胞体明显膨胀,突起稠密粗大。推测在衰老过程中视网膜细胞有神经元丢失现象,可能是造成视觉功能衰退的重要原因之一;视网膜星形胶质细胞的功能增强可能会延缓衰老。     

Morphological convergence in conifer-dwelling passerines

We tested for morphological convergence in conifer specialists among 88 passerines belonging to seven different phylogenetic lineages by discriminant factor analysis. We found a parallel trend among the seven lineages in body mass and digital pad morphology, whereas no such trends existed for the feeding and flight apparatus. Compared to the control species, the conifer specialists have smaller body masses and higher digital pads with maximal widths lying more distally within each of the seven lineages. These traits are interpreted as adaptations to dwelling among coniferous needles.Communicated by: F. Bairlein     

Redescription of Pseudoaugeneriella nigra (Langerhans, 1880), new combination (Polychaeta, Sabellidae), with remarks on some characters of Fabriciinae

The fabriciin sabellid species, Fabricia nigra Langerhans, 1880 from the Macaronesian region, is assigned to the genus Pseudoaugeneriella Fitzhugh, 1998, based on information provided by newly collected specimens. The species is redescribed, including the variability of key characters. Moreover, structures of the anterior end — dorsal lips, ventral filamentous appendages, peristomial rings — of Pseudoaugeneriella nigra and other species of Fabriciinae are studied histologically and by means of SEM. The systematic significance of these characters in Fabriciinae is discussed.     

西藏色季拉山种子植物垂直带谱的划分与分布特点研究

将色季拉山种子植物分布划分为山地暖温带针阔混交林带、山地温带针叶林带、亚高山寒温带针叶林带、高山寒带疏林、灌丛、草甸带和高山荒漠带。在上述基础上 ,分析了各带谱的区系组成、性质和特有种分布特点。     

Foliar characteristics,cambial activity and wood formation in Azadirachta indica A. Juss. as affected by coal–smoke pollution

This study, aimed at elucidating changes in the foliar and cambial behavior in Azadirachta indica (Neem tree) due to coal-smoke pollution, has revealed inhibitory effects of pollution stress on leaf pigments concentrations, nitrate reductase activity and the contents of reducing sugars and total N content, whereas stimulatory effects were given on stomatal index and nitrate and sulphur contents. Under smoke effects, stomatal conductance was low, leading to a drop in the net photosynthetic rate and a rise in the internal CO₂ concentration of leaf. Cambial reactivation in the stem was delayed at the polluted site. Although the total span of the cambial activity was reduced, greater amount of wood was observed to accumulate in the stem axis under heavy pollution stress. Vessel proportion in the wood increased, whereas size of vessel elements and xylem fibers decreased. “Vulnerability factor” (ratio between mean vessel diameter and mean vessel abundance) and “mesomorphic ratio” (multiplication product of vulnerability factor and mean length of vessel element) of the stem–wood, both declined with increase in the pollution stress, thus indicating a tendency of the species for shifting towards xeromorphy when grown under stress. Given the opposite trends of photosynthetic rate and wood increment, the carbon-partitioning pattern rather than the photosynthetic rate seems to have influenced the accumulation of new wood. The Neem tree proves to be suitable for growing in the polluted areas.     

Character of Leaf Epidermis and Their Systematic Significance of Daphne and Wikstroemia (Thymelaeaceae)

Fifty six species (varieties) of Daphne, forty five species (varieties) of Wikstroemia and twelve species of outgroups from Thymelaeaceae, with ten phenotypic characters were selected, to study the leaf epidermal microfeatures by using light microscopy, Results reveal that Daphne and Wikstromia are consistent in most of leaf features. The epidermal cell are polygonal and irregular in shape. The patterns of anticlinal wall are straight, curved and U shape. The cell sizes range in 30-40μm × 10-20μm. Some species have singly hair on surface. Stomatal distribution is random, size range in 20-36μm × 17-25μm, most are broadly elliptical and narrowly elliptical, stomatal frequency are 100-250S/mm2, and the anomocytic stomatal type is dominate. It is apparently that many stomatal and epidermal features in Daphne and Wikstromia are crossed, and no distinguishable features are suitable for separating this two genera. Results from epidermal characters analysis don’t support monophyletic status of Daphne and Wikstroemia. Eriosolena should not be include in the genus Daphne as the special papillae only found in Eriosolena composita rather than in other genera of Thymeleaceae. In compare with other genera, Rhamnoneuron, Eriosolena, Stelleropsis, Daphnopsis and Edgeworthia in Thymelaeoideae, Daphne and Wikstroemia might be derived and originated latter based on the stomatal features.     

开花期低温胁迫对水稻花粉性状及剑叶理化特性的影响

以耐冷水稻品种996和冷敏感品种4628为材料,开花期在人工气候室进行7 d低温（06:00-8:00和19:00-23:00,19 ℃;08:00-10:00和16:00-19:00,21 ℃;10:00-16:00,23 ℃;23:00-06:00,17 ℃）和适温（06:00-8:00和19:00-23:00,24 ℃;08:00-10:00和16:00-19:00,26 ℃;10:00-16:00,30 ℃;23:00-06:00,22 ℃)处理,研究了低温胁迫对水稻花药开裂、花粉性状及剑叶叶绿素、可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白质含量、膜透性等理化特性的影响.结果表明：开花期低温胁迫导致水稻花药开裂系数、花粉萌发率显著下降,中部和下部颖花的不育花粉率增加.996的花药开裂系数和花粉萌发率显著高于4628,表明耐冷品种996在开花期低温胁迫下能保持较好的花粉散落特性和花粉萌发特性.低温胁迫下,996的剑叶可溶性蛋白质和游离脯氨酸含量及其增幅显著高于4628,而丙二醛含量和相对电导率及其增幅却显著低于4628,说明耐冷品种在低温胁迫下的保护性反应更迅速和强烈,其膜结构及功能更稳定.     

大别山区黑沟绿太阳鱼种群的形态特征研究

绿太阳鱼是2015年4月在大别山区淠河流域支流中新发现的入侵鱼类。利用2015年7月从黑沟中采集的78尾绿太阳鱼标本,对该物种的形态特征进行了详细测量和分析。结果发现绿太阳鱼种群内的形态相似性较高,但还存在一定的形态差异。相比性别,年龄是造成这种形态差异的主要原因。雄性从Ⅰ龄开始出现显著的形态分化,而雌性差异并不显著。这种形态学的差异完全符合雄鱼筑巢护卵的习性,具体表现在雄鱼头部指标（D1-2、D2-3、眼间距、眼后头长、头长）、臀鳍附近指标（D5-7、D5-8）、背鳍基部指标（D6-8）和尾柄处指标（D9-10）增大。同时相比Ⅰ龄以上的雄鱼,雌鱼和0龄雄鱼的尾柄指标（D8-10、D8-9）较长,身体更适于流水环境。这种雌雄体型上的变化,将有助于雄鱼占领溪流环境中的静水区（深潭）,而雌鱼和0龄鱼占领流水区（急滩、湍流）,这为该种群适应山区溪流的水文环境,合理分配生态位提供了便利条件,同时也使其对大别山区其他鱼类具有较大的生态危害潜力。     

模拟阴天对南美白对虾养殖水体理化及其生长指标的影响

为探索阴天对南美白对虾(Penaeus vannamei Boon)养殖水体理化及其生长指标的影响, 实验采用黑色遮荫网模拟阴天弱光环境对南美白对虾进行遮荫实验, 设置遮荫组与对照组各5个平行, 实验周期7周。遮荫组采用黑色遮荫网交替性遮荫, 即第1、第3、第5、第7周遮荫, 第2、第4、第6周曝光, 对照组正常养殖。结果显示: 遮荫组与对照组的pH、DO、Chl. a、 -N、NH₃-N、 -N、 -N及 -P的浓度在遮荫处理下具有显著性差异(P<0.05), Chl. a、 -N及 -P的浓度具有明显的波动性, 表现为遮荫时Chl. a的浓度极显著降低(P<0.01), -N、 -P的浓度极显著升高(P<0.01); 曝光时遮荫组Chl. a的浓度较遮荫时升高, -N的浓度极显著降低(P<0.01), -P浓度的增长幅度降低, 此时遮荫组与对照组Chl. a、 -N及 -P的浓度无显著差异。 -N的浓度在实验前5周, 遮荫组高于对照组, 第6、7周对照组高于遮荫组。 -N浓度在整个实验周期中则是遮荫组高于对照组。南美白对虾生长指标结果显示: 两个组生长指标具有显著性差异。研究表明: 妨害南美白对虾生长的主要是NH₃-N, 然后是 -N; 藻类可间接促进南美白对虾生长。遮荫处理抑制藻类吸收养殖水体中的有毒离子、恶化南美白对虾的生长环境并危害对虾的生存、生长。