藏羚羊mtDNA D-Loop区遗传多样性研究

该研究采用非损伤性DNA基因分型技术,对可可西里地区10个藏羚羊（Pantholops hodgsonii）个体的mtDNA非编码区部分片段（444~446bp）进行了序列分析,结果显示A、T%含量（61.8%）明显高于G、C%含量（38.2%）,共发现10种单倍型,包括48个多态位点,其中转换位点44个、颠换位点1个、插入位点1个、缺失位点2个。单倍型间平均遗传距离为0.031,单倍型多态性（h）为1.000,核苷酸多态性（π）为2.96%。说明藏羚羊线粒体控制区存在着丰富变异,最后从藏羚羊的生态习性及地理分布两方面对这一结果进行了分析探讨。      

Genetic diversity of an endangered aquatic plant, Potamogeton lucens subspecies sinicus

The genetic diversity of the species, Potamogeton lucens subsp. sinicus var. teganumensis, which is critically endangered in Japan, was investigated. This species now occurs in only two known localities in Japan. One is a native population (Oitoike population), but the other (Teganuma-Okahotto population) is found in a small artificial pond that was dug in 1998. It is considered that the Teganuma-Okahotto population grew from a soil seed bank. Based on RAPD variation, we compared the genetic diversity of the two populations of P. lucens var. teganumensis in Japan and one population of P. lucens subsp. sinicus var. sinicus in China. The Teganuma-Okahotto population showed RAPD variation, suggesting that it may be derived from more than one seed buried in old sediments. This population also had the highest value of Shannon's Information Index among the three study populations. This finding suggests that seeds buried in sediments can contain genetic variability, and may be used to conserve the genetic diversity of rare and endangered plants.     

The extent of clonality and genetic diversity in the rare Caldesia grandis (Alismataceae): Comparative results for RAPD and ISSR markers

Genetic variation and clonal diversity of three natural populations of the rare, highly clonal marsh herb Caldesia grandis Samuelsson were investigated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Both of the markers worked effectively in clone identification of C. grandis. RAPD markers detected more diversity than ISSR markers in the three populations examined. Of the 60 RAPD primers screened, seven produced highly reproducible bands. Using these primers, a total of 61 DNA fragments were generated with 52 (85.25%) being polymorphic indicating considerable genetic variation at the species level. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that a large proportion of genetic variation (81.5%) resided within populations, while only a small proportion (18.5%) resided among populations. With the use of 52 polymorphic RAPD markers, we were able to identify 127 genets among 342 samples from three populations. The proportion of distinguishable genets (PD: mean 0.37), Simpson's diversity index (D: mean 0.91), and evenness (E: mean 0.78) exhibited high levels of clonal diversity compared to other clonal plants. These results imply that sexual reproduction has played an important role at some time during the history of these populations. Nevertheless, the high level of diversity could have been also partially generated from somatic mutations, although this is unlikely to account for the high diversity generally found among C. grandis genets.     

Tree species composition and diversity gradients in white-water forests across the Amazon Basin

Aim Attention has increasingly been focused on the floristic variation within forests of the Amazon Basin. Variations in species composition and diversity are poorly understood, especially in Amazonian floodplain forests. We investigated tree species composition, richness and α diversity in the Amazonian white‐water (várzea) forest, looking particularly at: (1) the flood‐level gradient, (2) the successional stage (stand age), and (3) the geographical location of the forests. Location Eastern Amazonia, central Amazonia, equatorial western Amazonia and the southern part of western Amazonia. Methods The data originate from 16 permanent várzea forest plots in the central and western Brazilian Amazon and in the northern Bolivian Amazon. In addition, revised species lists of 28 várzea forest inventories from across the Amazon Basin were used. Most important families and species were determined using importance values. Floristic similarity between plots was calculated to detect similarity variations between forest types and over geographical distances. To check for spatial diversity gradients, α diversity (Fisher) of the plots was correlated with stand age, longitudinal and latitudinal plot location, and flood‐level gradient. Results More than 900 flood‐tolerant tree species were recorded, which indicates that Amazonian várzea forests are the most species‐rich floodplain forests worldwide. The most important plant families recorded also dominate most Neotropical upland forests, and c. 31% of the tree species listed also occur in the uplands. Species distribution and diversity varied: (1) on the flood‐level gradient, with a distinct separation between low‐várzea forests and high‐várzea forests, (2) in relation to natural forest succession, with species‐poor forests in early stages of succession and species‐rich forests in later stages, and (3) as a function of geographical distance between sites, indicating an increasing α diversity from eastern to western Amazonia, and simultaneously from the southern part of western Amazonia to equatorial western Amazonia. Main conclusions The east‐to‐west gradient of increasing species diversity in várzea forests reflects the diversity patterns also described for Amazonian terra firme. Despite the fine‐scale geomorphological heterogeneity of the floodplains, and despite high disturbance of the different forest types by sedimentation and erosion, várzea forests are dominated by a high proportion of generalistic, widely distributed tree species. In contrast to high‐várzea forests, where floristic dissimilarity increases significantly with increasing distance between the sites, low‐várzea forests can exhibit high floristic similarity over large geographical distances. The high várzea may be an important transitional zone for lateral immigration of terra firme species to the floodplains, thus contributing to comparatively high species richness. However, long‐distance dispersal of many low‐várzea trees contributes to comparatively low species richness in highly flooded low várzea.     

Patterns of species richness on very small islands: the plants of the Aegean archipelago

Aim To investigate the species–area relationship (SAR) of plants on very small islands, to examine the effect of other factors on species richness, and to check for a possible Small Island Effect (SIE). Location The study used data on the floral composition of 86 very small islands (all < 0.050 km²) of the Aegean archipelago (Greece). Methods We used standard techniques for linear and nonlinear regression in order to check several models of the SAR, and stepwise multiple regression to check for the effects of factors other than area on species richness (‘habitat diversity’, elevation, and distance from nearest large island), as well as the performance of the Choros model. We also checked for the SAR of certain taxonomic and ecological plant groups that are of special importance in eastern Mediterranean islands, such as halophytes, therophytes, Leguminosae and Gramineae. We used one‐way anova to check for differences in richness between grazed and non‐grazed islands, and we explored possible effects of nesting seabirds on the islands’ flora. Results Area explained a small percentage of total species richness variance in all cases. The linearized power model of the SAR provided the best fit for the total species list and several subgroups of species, while the semi‐log model provided better fits for grazed islands, grasses and therophytes. None of the nonlinear models explained more variance. The slope of the SAR was very high, mainly due to the contribution of non‐grazed islands. No significant SIE could be detected. The Choros model explained more variance than all SARs, although a large amount of variance of species richness still remained unexplained. Elevation was found to be the only important factor, other than area, to influence species richness. Habitat diversity did not seem important, although there were serious methodological problems in properly defining it, especially for plants. Grazing was an important factor influencing the flora of small islands. Grazed islands were richer than non‐grazed, but the response of their species richness to area was particularly low, indicating decreased floral heterogeneity among islands. We did not detect any important effects of the presence of nesting seabird colonies. Main conclusions Species richness on small islands may behave idiosyncratically, but this does not always lead to a typical SIE. Plants of Aegean islets conform to the classical Arrhenius model of the SAR, a result mainly due to the contribution of non‐grazed islands. At the same time, the factors examined explain a small portion of total variance in species richness, indicating the possible contribution of other, non‐standard factors, or even of stochastic effects. The proper definition of habitat diversity as pertaining to the taxon examined in each case is a recurrent problem in such studies. Nevertheless, the combined effect of area and a proxy for environmental heterogeneity is once again superior to area alone in explaining species richness.     

Proximate sources of marine biodiversity

When temperature and other kinds of barrier divide formerly continuous populations and confine them to more restricted geographical areas, there is an evolutionary reaction that will, over time, result in the formation of endemic species. In such cases, an allopatric speciation process is considered to have taken place because reproductive isolation was caused by physical means instead of by natural selection. In contrast, when populations exist in a very high-diversity area and remain undivided by physical events, they exhibit a tendency to speciate by means of sympatry (or parapatry). This process, sometimes called competitive or ecological speciation, does involve reproductive isolation by means of natural selection. Populations that exist in geographical provinces bounded by physical barriers add to the overall diversity through the production of endemic species. This increase by species packing is relatively slow due to the very gradual tempo of the allopatric speciation process. Populations existing in centres of origin add to the general diversity through the production of species that are dominant in terms of their ability to spread over large parts of the world. It is proposed that such species are usually formed by sympatric speciation, a process that can be c. 20 times faster than species formation by allopatry. It is not suggested that sympatry is exclusive to centres of origin, nor that allopatry is confined to peripheral provinces. Both processes are widespread, but there do appear to be distinctive geographical concentrations. Considering that numbers of widespread species produced by centres of origin may eventually become subdivided by barriers, and thus give rise to descendants by allopatry, it is difficult to say how much of our present species diversity has come from one source or the other. Both speciation by sympatry from centres of origin and speciation by allopatry in peripheral provinces appear to be important sources of marine biodiversity.     

桓仁林蛙蝌蚪胚后发育的初步观察

本文对桓仁林蛙蝌蚪胚后发育的过程和形态特征进行了观察、测量和描述,并与中国林蛙和昆嵛林蛙进行了比较.胚后发育可分为19期,对其后肢芽、趾、前肢的发育,唇齿的变化过程,口、鼻、眼的位置与形状,以及肛管与尾的变化等方面做了系统的描述.     

用离散量的方法识别蛋白质的超二级结构

用离散量的方法,对2208个分辨率在2.5I以上的高精度的蛋白质结构中四类超二级结构进行了识别。从蛋白质一级序列出发,以氨基酸(20种氨基酸加一个空位)和其紧邻关联共同为参数,当序列模式固定长取8个氨基酸残基时,对“822”序列模式3交叉检验的平均预测精度达到78.1%,jack-knife检验的平均预测精度达到76.7%;当序列模式固定长取10个氨基酸残基时,对“1041”序列模式3交叉检验的平均预测精度达到83.1%,jack-knife检验的平均预测精度达到79.8%。     

四川白坡山自然保护区冬季鸟类群落调查

2003年12月对四川白坡山自然保护区的鸟类群落的种类和数量进行了调查,实际发现鸟类151种,结合历史文献23种,保护区鸟类共有174种,隶属于12目41科。保护区有国家级重点保护鸟类14种,四川省保护鸟类2种,我国特有鸟类5种。保护区鸟类区系以东洋界成分为主。利用多样性指数分析了不同群落的鸟类多样性,结果表明:地处1300~2600 m的中山云南松及其混交林群落鸟类多样性最高,原因是该群落中生境类型丰富多样。     

The Role of Landscape Patterns of Habitat Types on Plant Species Diversity of a Tropical Forest in Mexico

The relationships among landscape characteristics and plant diversity in tropical forests may be used to predict biodiversity. To identify and characterize them, the number of species, as well as Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were calculated from 157 sampling quadrats (17,941 individuals sampled) while the vegetation classes were obtained from multi-spectral satellite image classification in four landscapes located in the southeast of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The mean number of species of trees, shrubs and vines as well as the mean value of the total number of species and the other two diversity indices were calculated for four vegetation classes in every one of the four landscapes. In addition, the relationships between landscape patterns metrics of patch types and diversity indices were explored. The multiple statistical analyses revealed significant predictor variables for the three diversity indices. Moreover, the shape, similarity and edge contrast metrics of patch types might serve as useful indicators for the number of species and the other two diversity variables at the landscape scale. Although the association between the three diversity indices and patch types metrics showed similar behavior, some differences were appreciated. The Shannon diversity index, with its greater sensitivity to rare species, should be considered as having a greater importance in interpretation analysis than Simpson index.