The effects of dispersal limitation and topographic heterogeneity on beta diversity and phylobetadiversity in a subtropical forest

We assessed the effects of topographic heterogeneity and stem density on species composition between grains of different sizes (20 × 20, 50 × 50, and 100 × 100 m), based on partial Mantel tests. Similarity in species composition was measured by the abundance-based Jaccard index (C_J) and by an index that incorporates phylogenetic information into C_J (pC_J). Plants were divided into five groups, arbor, subarbor, and shrub according to life form and two other groups: species that produce dry fruits (PDF) and that produce fleshy fruits (PFF). C_J and pC_J between any two grains at each grain size were calculated separately for these groups and for all species combined. In order to examine what influences C_J and pC_J, we analyzed their correlations with topographic heterogeneity variables and two dispersal limitation-related variables (stem and topographic resistance). Our data indicate that at all three grain sizes, C_J and pC_J decrease with increasing distance for all plant groups. Dispersal limitation and topographic heterogeneity were both important at 20 × 20 and 50 × 50 m grain sizes for C_J and pC_J of all plant groups; and at 100 × 100 m grain size, topographic heterogeneity dominates over dispersal limitation for some plant groups. C_J and pC_J of PDFs are less negatively correlated with stem resistance than those of PFFs. We conclude that both beta diversity and phylobetadiversity are dependent on plant groups and grain sizes.     

Suitability of three aphid species for Aphidius gifuensis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Parasitoid performance varies with hosts of origin

Oviposition behavior and offspring fitness of the parasitoid Aphidius gifuensis (Ashmead) were compared on three aphid species, Sitobion avenae F., Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and Aphis gossypii Glover using wasps collected from both S. avenae and M. persicae. A. gifuensis produced more mummies and adults on S. avenae and M. persicae than on A. gossypii regardless of the host of origin. Mummy production was influenced by attack rate and percentage of aphids superparasitized. The F₁ generations from S. avenae and M. persicae were more female-biased and wasps were larger than those from A. gossypii. Although there were significant differences in development time of A. gifuensis in the three aphid species, the difference was generally shorter than one day. Fewer mummies were produced when A. gifuensis was transferred between S. avenae and M. persicae, but no significant difference was observed in emergence rate, percentage of female offspring, or body size. The effects of host species on A. gifuensis female performance and offspring fitness are discussed, along with the potential for using A. gifuensis to control M. persicae and A. gossypii.     

Caffeine-stimulated muscle IL-6 mediates alleviation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Caffeine intake is associated with a reduced risk developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. We report here that caffeine markedly improved high fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice resulting in a 10-fold increase in circulating IL-6 levels, leading to STAT3 activation in the liver. Interestingly, the expression of IL-6 mRNA was not increased in the liver, but increased substantially in the muscles of caffeine-treated mice. Caffeine was found to stimulate IL-6 production in cultured myotubes but not in hepatocytes, adipocytes, or macrophages. The inhibition of p38/MAPK abrogated caffeine-induced IL-6 production in muscle cells. Caffeine failed to improve NAFLD in IL-6 and hepatocyte-specific STAT3 knockout mice, indicating that the IL-6/STAT3 pathway is vital for the hepatoprotective effects of caffeine in NAFLD. The possibility that IL-6/STAT3-mediated hepatic autophagosome induction and hepatocytic oxygen consumption are involved in the anti-NAFLD effects of caffeine cannot be excluded, based on the findings presented here. Our results reveal that caffeine ameliorates NAFLD via crosstalk between muscle IL-6 production and liver STAT3 activation.     

塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘荒漠绿洲过渡带不同土地利用影响下土壤化学计量特征

荒漠绿洲过渡带在维护绿洲生态安全和绿洲稳定上具有重要作用。垦荒等土地利用的增强使得荒漠绿洲过渡带的健康稳定受到了巨大的挑战。以塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘典型荒漠绿洲过渡带为研究对象,系统分析了不同土地利用方式(桑田、半自然柽柳林、瓜地、棉花-玉米地)对土壤养分化学计量特征的影响。土壤取样沿农田到荒漠方向进行,分5层进行。研究发现,土壤各养分指标均受土地利用方式(4种)、土层(5层)和与农田边缘垂直距离(4梯度)的显著影响,且存在一定的交互作用。土地利用方式显著影响土壤各养分元素含量。随土层由浅到深,有机碳(C)、有效氮(N)和有效磷(P)基本呈下降趋势,全N具有波动变化,而全P变化不显著。随与农田边缘垂直距离的增加,各养分含量基本呈递减趋势。对同一土层(共选择三层)不同土地利用方式下土壤养分具体分析表明,棉花-玉米地这一利用方式在农田内部具有最高的土壤有机C和全N含量,其次为桑田。随着与农田边缘垂直距离的增加,土壤C、N含量优势减弱。除农田内部样地(0 m)外,三层土壤全P含量基本呈桑田柽柳林棉花-玉米地趋势。表层有效N含量在农田内部样地(0 m)瓜地最高,其他距离处(大于等于20 m)棉花-玉米地高,下层土壤有效氮含量在农田内部各土地利用方式间无差异。在各距离样点处不同土地利用类型间土壤有效P含量的变化无明显规律,在农田内部以瓜地有效P含量最高。棉花-玉米地土壤全量N/P在农田内部和与农田边缘垂直距离20 m处含量最高。三土层土壤有效N/P在农田内部以柽柳林最高,随着与农田边缘垂直距离增加,土壤有效N/P显著改变。综合来看,土地利用对荒漠绿洲过渡带土壤营养含量的增加具有正向作用,由土壤养分变化带来的生态效应值得关注。     

古尔班通古特沙漠4种草本植物叶片与土壤的化学计量特征

在荒漠极端环境下,对2种短命植物(角茴香和土大戟)和2种类短命植物(簇花芹和弯花黄芪)叶片与土壤化学计量特征及其相互关系进行研究.结果表明:每个物种所有样地的各土壤因子之间均无显著差异;土壤氮(N)含量(0.18~0.22 mg·g-1)远低于土壤磷(P)含量(1.58~1.62 mg·g-1),N/P仅为0.12~0.15,表现出严重的土壤N缺乏.4种植物叶片N、P含量及N/P之间均有显著差异,其中,弯花黄芪最大,分别为57.36 mg·g-1、2.46 mg·g-1及23.43,角茴香其次,分别为34.05 mg·g-1、1.98 mg·g-1及17.56,土大戟分别为27.07 mg·g-1、1.87 mg·g-1及14.51,簇花芹分别为28.63 mg·g-1、2.20 mg·g-1及13.10.各物种N、P含量之间均具有显著的相关性,但绝大部分土壤因子与叶片化学计量值之间没有显著相关性.     

缺锌和HCO_3~-处理对诸葛菜和油菜有机酸特征的影响

以诸葛菜和油菜为材料,水培环境下设置4个不同的缺锌和碳酸氢根离子胁迫处理,分别为+Zn0(含Zn且不加HCO3-的处理组),+Zn10(含Zn且加10 mmol·L-1HCO3-的处理组),-Zn0(缺Zn且不加HCO3-的处理组)和-Zn10(缺Zn且加10 mmol·L-1HCO3-的处理组),利用离子色谱法分析了4个处理的两种植物幼苗器官(根、茎、叶)及根系分泌物中的有机酸特征。结果表明:(1)高浓度碳酸氢根离子处理显著增加了两种植物器官及根系分泌的有机酸总量,尤其是在缺锌和高浓度碳酸氢根离子双重胁迫下(-Zn10处理),诸葛菜器官和根系分泌的有机酸比油菜更敏感,草酸、柠檬酸和苹果酸是诸葛菜器官和根系分泌物中的优势酸,这三种有机酸的含量分别占其有机酸总量的75%及以上;(2)叶片是两种植物有机酸产生的主要器官,有机酸的含量和分配比例从地上部分(叶和茎)到地下部分(根)减少;(3)两种植物器官和根系分泌物中的有机酸变化趋势一致,叶片中有机酸主要来源于暗呼吸过程和光呼吸过程,其他器官和根系分泌物中的有机酸主要来源于暗呼吸过程;(4)诸葛菜对缺锌和高浓度碳酸氢根离子的适应能力强于油菜,为诸葛菜的喀斯特适生性和低锌和高浓度碳酸氢根离子环境(如喀斯特环境)的生态修复提供了理论依据。     

Genetic diversity and structure of Pinus dabeshanensis revealed by expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers

Assessing patterns of genetic variation in rare endangered species is critical for developing both in situ and ex situ conservation strategies. Pinus dabeshanensis Cheng et Law is an endangered species endemic to the Dabieshan Mountains of eastern China. To obtain fundamental information of genetic diversity, population history, effective population size, and gene flow in this species, we explored patterns of genetic variation of natural populations, in addition to an ex situ conserved population, using expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats (EST-SSR) markers. Our results revealed moderate levels of genetic diversity (e.g., H_E = 0.458 vs. H_E = 0.423) and a low level of genetic differentiation (F_ST = 0.028) among natural and conserved populations relative to other conifers. Both contemporary and historical migration rates among populations were high. Bayesian coalescent-based analyses suggested that 3 populations underwent reductions in population size ca. 10,000 yr ago, and that two populations may have experienced recent genetic bottlenecks under the TPM. Bayesian clustering revealed that individuals from the ex situ population were largely assigned to the ‘red’ cluster. Additionally, our results identified private alleles in the natural populations but not in the ex situ population, suggesting that the ex situ conserved population insufficiently represents the genetic diversity present in the species. Past decline in population size is likely to be due to Holocene climate change. Based on the genetic information obtained for P. dabeshanensis, we propose some suggestions for the conservation and efficient management of this endangered species.     

分子标记辅助改良杂交稻协优57及其父母本的蒸煮食味品质

协优57是一个产量高和适应性强的杂交中籼组合,但由于其父母本直链淀粉含量（AC）高,导致杂交稻米的AC较高、蒸煮食味品质较差。先前利用PCR-AccⅠ分子标记辅助选择对协优57的亲本057[恢复系,记作057（GG）]和协青早A[不育系,记作协A（GG）]的W x基因进行改良。利用改良前、后的各亲本分别配组,分析不同组合的AC、食味品质和颗粒性淀粉结合酶（GBSS）活性。结果表明,改良单亲的GT型组合协A（GG）×057（TT）、协A（TT）×057（GG）杂交稻米的AC由原组合协A（GG）×057（GG）的28%分别降到19.9%和19.3%,但均一性较差。改良双亲的TT纯合型组合协A（TT）×057（TT）的杂交稻米,不仅AC降到中等偏低水平（13.1%）,而且AC的均一性也有了很大的提高,蒸煮食味品质明显改善。GBSS活性分析表明：三种W x基因型的GBSS活性总体表现为GG〉GT〉TT。