Planning connectivity at multiple scales for large mammals in a human-dominated biodiversity hotspot

Connectivity for large mammals across human-altered landscapes results from movement by individuals that can be described via nested spatial scales as linkages (or zones or areas) with compatible land use types, constrictions that repeatedly funnel movement (as corridors) or impede it (as barriers), and the specific paths (or routes) across completely anthropogenic features (such as highways). Mitigation to facilitate animal movement through such landscapes requires similar attention to spatial scale, particularly when they involve complex topography, diverse types of human land use, and transportation infrastructure. We modeled connectivity for Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and gaur (Bos gaurus) in the Shencottah Gap, a multiple-use region separating two tiger reserves in the Western Ghats, India. Using 840 km of surveys for animal signs within a region of 621 km², we modeled landscape linkages via resource selection functions integrated across two spatial resolutions, and then potential dispersal corridors within these linkages using circuit theoretical models. Within these corridors, we further identified potential small-scale movement paths across a busy transportation route via least-cost paths and evaluated their viability. Both elephants and gaur avoided human-dominated habitat, resulting in broken connectivity across the Shencottah Gap. Predicted corridor locations were sensitive to analysis resolution, and corridors derived from scale-integrated habitat models correlated best with habitat quality. Less than 1% of elephant and gaur detections occurred in habitat that was poorer in quality than the lowest-quality component of the movement path across the transportation route, suggesting that connectivity will require habitat improvement. Only 28% of dispersal corridor area and 5% of movement path length overlapped with the upper 50% quantile of the landscape linkage; thus, jointly modeling these three components enabled a more nuanced evaluation of connectivity than any of them in isolation.     

浙江省生境质量时空演变与生态红线评估

生境质量是反映生物多样性状况与局地生态功能的重要指标,在高质量发展背景下研究区域生境质量的时空演变具有重要意义。以浙江省为研究区,基于InVEST模型、热点分析及地理探测器模型探究生境质量的时空演变与影响因素,并利用生境质量结果对浙江省生态红线开展了定量评估。结果表明:(1)2000-2015年,浙江省生境质量均值呈减速下降趋势,空间上形成了西北、西南、中东高和东北、中部低的分布格局;生境退化度呈现"中心-外围"的圈层辐射结构。(2)热点分析显示,生境质量与生境退化度在乡镇尺度上集聚特征相似、冷热点空间分布趋势相反。(3)地理探测分析发现,地形(高程、坡度)是影响浙江省生境质量的主要因素,植被因素(NPP、NDVI)的贡献度随时间推移逐渐增大;浙江省生境质量空间分异受到自然因子与社会经济因子的协同作用。(4)浙江省生态红线的生境质量整体较高且稳定,不同红线类型的生境质量存在差异;高生境质量区与生态红线的错位区域主要分布在浙西南、西北部山区,而北部、中部以及东部相对较少。基于此,对生态红线调整、区域生态功能区划提出对应的策略,以期提升浙江省生态空间管控。     

Relazione Intorno Al Bilnncio Consuotivo delta Società Botmicn Itnlinna per l'nnno 1929

A study of the bryophyte flora of the gypsum outcrops in six sites of the Nature 2000 Network of the Emilia-Romagna Region was conducted in order to contribute to the conservation of the biodiversity of these sites. Subsequently, the main ecological and chorological aspects of the areas were analyzed, and with this information a series of target species was identified as indicators of the conditions of naturality or of progressive anthropization and deterioration of the areas.     

Rainfall and parasitic wasp (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea) activity in successional forest stages at Barro Colorado Nature Monument, Panama, and La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica

1 In 1997, we ran two Malaise insect traps in each of four stands of wet forest in Costa Rica (two old‐growth and two 20‐year‐old stands) and four stands of moist forest in Panama (old‐growth, 20, 40 and 120‐year‐old stands). 2 Wet forest traps caught 2.32 times as many ichneumonoids as moist forest traps. The average catch per old‐growth trap was 1.89 times greater than the average catch per second‐growth trap. 3 Parasitoids of lepidopteran larvae were caught in higher proportions in the wet forest, while pupal parasitoids were relatively more active in the moist forest. 4 We hypothesize that moisture availability is of key importance in determining parasitoid activity, community composition and trophic interactions.     

Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen: purification and characterization of ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase with modified regulatory properties from Escherichia coli B mutant CL1136-504

The l-thyroxine binding site in human serum thyroxine-binding globulin was investigated by affinity labeling with N-bromoacetyl-l-thyroxine (BrAcT₄). Competitive binding studies showed that, in the presence of 100 molar excess of BrAcT₄, binding of thyroxine to thyroxine-binding globulin was nearly totally abolished. The reaction of BrAcT₄ to form covalent binding was inhibited in the presence of thyroxine and the affinity-labeled thyroxinebinding globulin lost its ability to bind thyroxine. These results indicate BrAcT₄ and thyroxine competed for the same binding site. Affinity labeling with 2 mol of BrAcT₄/mol of thyroxine-binding globulin resulted in the covalent attachment of 0.7 mol of ligand. By amino acid analysis and high voltage paper electrophoresis, methionine was identified as the major residue labeled (75%). Lysine, tyrosine, and histidine were also found to be labeled to the extent of 8, 8, and 5%, respectively.     

A novel potent metal-binding NDM-1 inhibitor was identified by fragment virtual,SPR and NMR screening

NDM-1 can hydrolyze nearly all available β-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems. NDM-1 producing bacterial strains are worldwide threats. It is still very challenging to find a potent NDM-1 inhibitor for clinical use. In our study, we used a metal-binding pharmacophore (MBP) enriched virtual fragment library to screen NDM-1 hits. SPR screening helped to verify the MBP virtual hits and identified a new NDM-1 binder and weak inhibitor A1. A solution NMR study of ¹⁵N-labeled NDM-1 showed that A1 disturbed all three residues coordinating the second zinc ion (Zn2) in the active pocket of NDM-1. The perturbation only happened in the presence of zinc ion, indicating that A1 bound to Zn2. Based on the scaffold of A1, we designed and synthesized a series of NDM-1 inhibitors. Several compounds showed synergistic antibacterial activity with meropenem against NDM-1 producing K. pneumoniae.     

Cord-factor analogs: synthesis of 6,6'-di-O-mycoloyl- and -corynomycoloyl-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl alpha-D-galactopyranoside)

Appropriate solvolysis of 2,3,2',3'-tetra-O-benzyl-4,6,4', 6'-tetra-O-mesyl-alpha,alpha-trehalose gave 2,3,2',3' -tetra-O-benzyl-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl alpha-D-galactopyranoside) (2). Selective tosylation or mesylation of 2 respectively gave the 6, 6'-ditosylate (3) and 6,6'-dimesylate (4), the structures of which were confirmed by the 1H-n.m.r. spectra of the corresponding 4,4'-di-O-acetyl derivatives. Treatment of 3 with potassium mycolate in toluene, and subsequent hydrogenolysis, gave the 6'-mycolate 6-tosylate derivative. Treatment of 3 with potassium mycolate or potassium corynomycolate in hexamethylphosphoric triamide, followed by catalytic hydrogenolysis, yielded the respective cord-factor analogs 6,6'-di-O-mycoloyl-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl alpha-D-galactopyranoside) and 6,6'-di-O-corynomycoloyl-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl alpha-D-galactopyranoside). The same 6,6'-diesters were obtained from the 6,6'-dimesylate 4. Putative 4,6-anhydro-6'-monomycolates are also described.