城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力

剖析城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力,不仅有助于城市生态环境问题的解决,而且为城市用地结构优化、城市景观规划等工作提供科学依据。以快速城市化的中型城市—扬州市为例,利用多期(1995、2000、2005、2010年和2015年)Landsat卫星影像、乡镇水平的扬州统计年鉴等数据,运用景观格局分析、增强回归树(Boosted regression trees)等方法,研究建设用地的扩张模式、形态及景观格局,定量探究地理、社会和经济因子对景观格局的影响机制,从而明晰景观格局演变特征及其驱动力。结果表明,1995—2015年,建设用地面积持续增加,填充式(Infilling)、边缘式(Edge-expansion)和跳跃式(Leapfrog)3种扩张模式在各时段均有出现,但其优势度随着城市发展而改变。建设用地的形态在城市扩张的过程中经历着"集聚"和"扩散"的交替变化过程,景观格局则出现了同质化倾向,景观破碎化下降、聚合度增加。地理因子(海拔和到县市中心的距离)对景观格局的综合影响虽然高于社会经济,但它的影响力却随着城市发展呈现出下降趋势,社会经济的作用则逐渐增强。海拔和人口密度的增加会促进景观的破碎化、抑制景观的集聚;人口数量的增加会促进景观的集聚、降低景观的破碎化;其余因子(到县市中心的距离、人均GDP和第二产业占比)的作用则随城市的发展而发生转变,如人均GDP对景观破碎化的作用表现为"促进→抑制"的转变、第二产业则为"抑制→促进"。     

Reappraisal of early Miocene rails (Aves,Rallidae) from central France: diversity and character evolution

In Europe, Miocene rails (Aves, Rallidae) are quite abundant, but their phylogenetic placement in the context of recent forms has remained elusive. Rails from the early Miocene of the Saint‐Gérand‐le‐Puy area in central France were first described in the 19th century, and currently, only two species are recognized, namely Palaeoaramides christyi and Paraortygometra porzanoides. Our examination of the material however suggests the presence of four, likely coeval, species of rail from these deposits. Palaeoaramides eximius, previously synonymized with Palaeoaramides christyi, is here shown to probably be a distinct species, and a previously unrecognized rail, Baselrallus intermedius gen. et sp. nov., is described. To find out how these fossil rails are related to modern Rallidae, we compared them with an extensive sample of extant rails and identified plesiomorphic and derived features for crown group Rallidae. Our assessment does not support a particularly close relationship of either Palaeoaramides to Aramides or Paraortygometra to Crex (Ortygometra), and overall, these fossil rails are more primitive than previously assumed. Based on our observations of the morphology of the previously undescribed humerus of Palaeoaramides, we show this taxon to be outside crown group Rallidae, and perhaps closely related to the early Oligocene taxon Belgirallus. On the other hand, Paraortygometra porzanoides bears a resemblance to recent flufftails (Sarothrura spp.) in some elements, but whether it can be included in a clade together with flufftails is uncertain.     

Induction of Multichotomous Branching by CLAVATA Peptide in Marchantia polymorpha

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Epigenetic inheritance and plant evolution

Being sessile organisms, plants show a high degree of developmental plasticity to cope with a constantly changing environment. While plasticity in plants is largely controlled genetically, recent studies have demonstrated the importance of epigenetic mechanisms, especially DNA methylation, for gene regulation and phenotypic plasticity in response to internal and external stimuli. Induced epigenetic changes can be a source of phenotypic variations in natural plant populations that can be inherited by progeny for multiple generations. Whether epigenetic phenotypic changes are advantageous in a given environment, and whether they are subject to natural selection is of great interest, and their roles in adaptation and evolution are an area of active research in plant ecology. This review is focused on the role of heritable epigenetic variation induced by environmental changes, and its potential influence on adaptation and evolution in plants.     

The Laterosensory Canal System in Epigean and Subterranean Ituglanis (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), With Comments About Troglomorphism and the Phylogeny of the Genus

The laterosensory system is a mechanosensory modality involved in many aspects of fish biology and behavior. Laterosensory perception may be crucial for individual survival, especially in habitats where other sensory modalities are generally useless, such as the permanently aphotic subterranean environment. In the present study, we describe the laterosensory canal system of epigean and subterranean species of the genus Ituglanis (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae). With seven independent colonizations of the subterranean environment in a limited geographical range coupled with a high diversity of epigean forms, the genus is an excellent model for the study of morphological specialization to hypogean life. The comparison between epigean and subterranean species reveals a trend toward reduction of the laterosensory canal system in the subterranean species, coupled with higher intraspecific variability and asymmetry. This trend is mirrored in other subterranean fishes and in species living in different confined spaces, like the interstitial environment. Therefore, we propose that the reduction of the laterosensory canal system should be regarded as a troglomorphic (= cave‐related) character for subterranean fishes. We also comment about the patterns of the laterosensory canal system in trichomycterids and use the diversity of this system among species of Ituglanis to infer phylogenetic relationships within the genus. J. Morphol. 278:4–28, 2017. ©© 2016 Wiley Periodicals,Inc.     

Hallucal tarsometatarsal joint in Australopithecus afarensis

Hallucal tarsometatarsal joints from African pongids, modern humans, and Australopithecus afarensis are compared to investigate the anatomical and mechanical changes that accompanied the transition to terrestrial bipedality. Features analyzed include the articular orientation of the medial cuneiform, curvature of the distal articular surface of the medial cuneiform, and the articular configuration of the hallucal metatarsal proximal joint surface. Morphological characteristics of the hallucal tarsometatarsal joint unequivocally segregate quadrupedal pongids and bipedal hominids.