Why have endemic pollinators declined on the Ogasawara Islands?

Flower visitors recently decreased in the Ogasawara Islands which are subtropical Pacific oceanic islands located 1,000 km south from Japan mainland. The aim of this study was to determine the main cause of this pollinator decline. We assumed four hypothesis, (i) honeybee competition hypothesis, (ii) forest decline hypothesis, (iii) agricultural insecticides hypothesis, and (iv) anole predation hypothesis. They were tested by distribution survey in the field, historical survey using literature, and predation experiment using mesh cages. As a result, the factors affecting the distribution among the islands and the timing of observed declines of native pollinators supported the anole predation hypothesis rather than other hypotheses. In addition, result of experimental predation test well explained the composition of flower visitors in the main islands (Chichi-jima and Haha-jima). So, we concluded that one invasive predator (the anole) has changed the pollination network in the Ogasawara Islands. To conserve the native pollination network, eradication of this invasive predator should take priority over the eradication of honeybees.     

Development of an extended shelf-life,liquid formulation of the biofungicide <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma asperellum</Emphasis>

The formulation of microbial biomass represents a critical step in advancing the commercial development of prospective biological control products. Trichoderma asperellum has demonstrated biological control capability against Fusarium head blight. In the present studies, Trichoderma asperellum was grown in liquid media of differing composition. The effect of various amendments on the preservation of the viability and competitiveness, in vitro, of fungal mycelium and spores in a liquid paste was determined. The amendments with greatest effect were the addition of starch as a food base, reduction of metabolic activity by lowering the pH of the biomass paste and the addition of small amounts of copper. Oxygen availability was also shown to be important in maintaining biomass viability and competitiveness. Optimization of these factors produces a biomass paste formulation of T. asperellum that remains active, in vitro, for at least 6 months at room temperature.     

Water-soluble granules containing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus megaterium</Emphasis> for biological control of rice sheath blight: formulation,bacterial viability and efficacy testing

Endospores of B. megaterium were formulated in granule formulations with sodium alginate, lactose and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30) by the wet granulation technique. The granule formulation exhibited good physical characteristics, such as high-water solubility and optimal viscosity, that would be suitable for spray application. The bacteria remained viable in the dry granule formulation at 10⁹ c.f.u./g after 24 months storage at room temperature. Under laboratory conditions, aqueous solutions of the formulation showed high activity against mycelial growth of R. solani (99.64 ± 0.14% mycelial inhibition). High viability of the bacterial antagonist on leaf sheath and leaf blade at day 7 after spraying with the formulation was observed (approximately 10⁶ c.f.u./g of plant). Application of an equivalent number of un-formulated endospores resulted in much loss of the bacterial endospores even 1 day after application. In a small pilot field study, an aqueous solution of the formulation (3%w/v) applied by spraying at days 1, 5 and 10 after pathogen inoculation of the rice plants was more effective in suppressing rice sheath blight disease than one application of a fungicide (Iprodione) at day 1. Additionally, rice plants sprayed with the aqueous solution of the granule formulation had higher panicle and whole kernel weights than those of fungicide-treated and control (untreated) plants.     

Isolation and identification of a potential biocontrol agent Bacillus subtilis QM3 from Qinghai yak dung in China

Biocontrol agents have not been previously associated with yak dung. We describe here the isolation of strain QM3 from Qinghai yak dung in China. In vitro antagonistic assay showed that this strain could suppress the growth of various plant pathogens effectively, especially the pathogen Alternaria solani. Based on phenotypic, physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic (16S rDNA) studies, strain QM3 could be classified as a strain of Bacillus subtilis. Both OD₆₆₀ and inhibition effect of eight different kinds of culture media presented strongly significant difference with 0.006 (P < 0.01) and 0.003 (P < 0.01), respectively. Culture media YPF-Ca were selected from eight different kinds of culture media according to OD₆₆₀ and inhibitory effect. Different thermal treatments on the crude supernatant showed the antibiotic activity presented no significant (P = 0.54, P > 0.05) with ANOVA at the 5% level when temperature was no higher than 100°C. These results were similarly in agreement with the reported thermo-resistance of iturin antibiotics produced by Bacillus. This is the first report on the isolation of Bacillus subtilis from the yak dung.     

A cryptic invasion within an invasion and widespread introgression in the European water frog complex: consequences of uncontrolled commercial trade and weak international legislation

In Western Europe, many pond owners introduce amphibians for ornamental purposes. Although indigenous amphibians are legally protected in most European countries, retailers are circumventing national and international legislation by selling exotic nonprotected sibling species. We investigated to what extent non‐native species of the European water frog complex (genus Pelophylax) have become established in Belgium, using morphological, mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers. A survey of 87 sampling sites showed the presence of non‐native water frogs at 47 locations, mostly Marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus). Surprisingly, at least 19% of all these locations also harboured individuals with mitochondrial haplotypes characteristic of Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae). Nuclear genotyping indicated widespread hybridization and introgression between P. ridibundus and P. cf. bedriagae. In addition, water frogs of Turkish origin obtained through a licensed retailer, also contained P. ridibundus and P. cf. bedriagae, with identical haplotypes to the wild Belgian populations. Although P. ridibundus might have invaded Belgium by natural range expansion from neighbouring countries, our results suggest that its invasion was at least partly enhanced by commercial trade, with origins as far as the Middle East. Also the invasion and rapid spread of Anatolian lineages, masked by their high morphological similarity to P. ridibundus, is likely the result of unregulated commercial trade. We expect that Anatolian frogs will further invade the exotic as well as the native range of P. ridibundus and other Pelophylax species elsewhere in Western and Central Europe, with risks of large‐scale hybridization and introgression.     

外来木本植物入侵的生态预测与风险评价综述

外来植物引种导致的入侵已经成为当前生物多样性保育和引种工作面临的一个紧要研究课题。综述了木本植物入侵的生态预测和生态风险评价方面的国内外相关研究进展。首先介绍了目前国内外木本植物引种的概况,对木本植物入侵的生态预测基本原理做了较为详细的总结。目前比较被认可的生态预测途径主要包括编辑入侵植物名录利用入侵历史纪录预测、物种特征作为入侵的预测指标、繁殖体压力作为建群概率的决定性因素、环境匹配作为入侵潜力的预测工具及专家意见等,并对物种特征进行了归类和分析。物种特征指标主要包括物种的繁殖和快速生长性状指标、对入侵地区局部条件和干扰体系的适应性指标、生物地理分布指标等,并指出在生态预测中单独使用这些指标是不严谨的,而应当多途径互相结合验证。同时还简介了WRA等几个应用较为广泛的实用性植物入侵风险评价系统。分析了目前国内外在木本植物入侵的生态预测方面面临的一些困难,包括入侵机理的复杂性导致的预测难度增大和可信性下降,所用数据库标准的不统一和更新的困难等,指出在进行木本植物引种的生态预测和风险评价研究的同时,必须加强相关法律法规建设,重视入侵机理研究,完善相关的数据库。出于实际情况的限制,可以借鉴国际上实用性杂草风险分析和有害生物风险分析的方法,逐步建立我国的入侵风险评价系统,以满足目前对木本植物入侵的预测和风险评价的需求。     

生态系统工程师：理论与应用

生物通过非同化--异化过程影响环境的事实普遍存在,生态学家对此也开展了大量的研究,但缺乏相应理论框架的指导,使得这些工作的潜在价值未能得到充分的体现.学者Clive G.Jones等提出的"生态系统工程师"概念,概括了此类生态学现象的一般特征,为认识生物对环境的影响提供了一种新的理论框架.介绍了生态系统工程师概念及相关的理论体系,包括3个术语、2类生态系统工程师、5种生态系统工程概念模型以及工程效应的测定方法.同时,论述了该概念在入侵生态学、保护生物学、恢复生态学等领域的应用前景.最后,讨论了未来的研究方向.可以预料,生态系统工程师概念及相关理论的不断发展将有助于对生态学本质的认识,并为生态系统管理提供新的思路.     

不同栖息地状态下外来种入侵及对本地种生存影响的模拟

外来种入侵引起的生态及经济问题日益严重,人类活动导致大规模栖息地持续变化的背景下,外来种的入侵过程及本地物种多样性的演化更为复杂.在Tilman多物种共存模型基础上,建立了栖息地持续变化条件下的外来种入侵干扰模式,分别模拟了栖息地不变、持续毁坏及持续恢复条件下的外来种入侵及对本地物种多样性的生态影响.模拟结果表明:(1)拓殖率小(入侵性弱)的外来种不能成功定殖,栖息地的持续变化对其没有任何影响.(2)拓殖率增大的外来种入侵过程复杂,栖息地持续毁坏导致其灭绝时间相比于栖息地不变时明显推迟,栖息地持续恢复使其灭绝提前;一定时间内持续增加栖息地可以减小此类外来种入侵危害.(3)拓殖率足够大的外来种能够成功定殖,快速定殖-扩散的入侵过程不会因栖息地毁坏而迅速改变,其响应具有时间滞后性;栖息地持续恢复也有利于其迅速蔓延,占有率呈线性疯狂增长.(4)在具有外来种入侵的本地生态系统中,栖息地持续改变(增加或减少)对本地物种多样性的发展均不利.     

东方田鼠在生物医学研究中的应用及展望

东方田鼠在分类、分布、形态、生态、实验室饲养、部分生物学特征、遗传学、微生物学和寄生虫学等方面的研究取得了一系列进展。近年来,东方田鼠开发为日本血吸虫病、糖尿病和自发性卵巢癌实验动物模型新品系。应用这些模型可对日本血吸虫病、糖尿病和自发性卵巢癌的病理学改变、发病机制、药物治疗和疫苗开发等多方面进行研究。本文就东方田鼠在生物医学研究中的应用研究现状作一综述。     

Secondary metabolites from species of the biocontrol agent Trichoderma

Trichoderma species are free-living fungi that are highly interactive in root, soil and foliar environments and have been used successfully in field trials to control many crop pathogens. Structural and biological studies of the metabolites isolated from Trichoderma species are reviewed. This review, encompassing all the literature in this field up to the present and in which 269 references are cited, also includes a detailed study of the biological activity of the metabolites, especially the role of these metabolites in biological control mechanisms. Some aspects of the biosynthesis of these metabolites and related compounds are likewise discussed.