Experiments with artificial nests provide evidence for ant community stratification and nest site limitation in a tropical forest

Ants are dominant in tropical forests and many species nest in hollow cavities. The manner in which species are vertically stratified in these complex habitats is not known, with lack of nest sites being proposed to limit ant populations. Here, we assess ant community stratification and nest site limitation in a lowland rainforest in New Guinea using experimental addition of artificial bamboo nests of two cavity sizes (small: ~12 mm large: ~32 mm diameter) placed at ground level, in the understorey, and in the canopy. We also conducted a pilot experiment to test the utility of nest translocation. Nests were checked for occupancy after 10 weeks and half of the occupied nests were then translocated between forest plots, while keeping same vertical position. Occupancy of small nests was much higher in the understorey and canopy than at ground level (~75% vs. ~25%). Translocation was successful, as a majority of nests was inhabited by the same species before and after translocation and there was no impact of translocation to a different plot compared to the control, except for a reduction in colony size at ground level. Our experiment demonstrates a vertical stratification in community composition of ants nesting in hollow dead cavities and shows that these ants are more nest site limited in the higher strata than at ground level. Use of small artificial cavities has great potential for future experimental studies, especially for those focused on arboreal ants, as occupancy is high and translocation does not negatively affect their colony size. Abstract in Tok Pisin is available with online material.     

Albino inflorescence proliferation of Dendrocalamus latiflorus

Summary Inflorescence proliferation is a plant tissue culture technique that, can be used to obtain in vitro inflorescences year-round without the intervening development of vegetative organs. In this study, we used albino mutant inflorescences of Dendrocalamus latiflorus as the original explant material to investigate, the effect of plant growth regulators on long-term inflorescence proliferation. The albino inflorescences proliferated on solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with thidiazuron (TDZ), and the optimal concentration for successful long-term inflorescence proliferation was 0.45 μM TDZ. A combination of α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) with 0.45 μM TDZ inhibited the inflorescence proliferation. Inflorescences cultured on a TDZ-free medium supplemented with 26.82 μM NAA rooted in 21 d, vegetative shoots formed by 42 d and, in one case, flowering occurred after 63 d. The auxins 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D, 4.52 μM) and pieloram (4.14 μM) induced shoot formation. The protocol described can be used to produce large numbers of mutant inflorescences within a relatively short period of time.     

Relative efficiency of preferred and nonpreferred patterns of lateralized foraging in the gentle lemur (Hapalemur griseus)

Lateralized patterns of hand use in species-typical bamboo shoot foraging were evaluated for efficiency in five female and six male gentle lemurs (Hapalemur griseus sp.). Efficiency was defined as amount of time required to complete a foraging response sequence. The foraging pattern consisted of four component movements: PULL-IN, COUNTERFORCE, TURN, and FEED-IN. These component movements had been shown in a previous study to incorporate lateral hand biases that formed subsets of patterns that were characteristic for each gentle lemur. The duration of each foraging sequence was measured from the beginning of the first component to the initiation of the terminal component. Frequency of use scores were employed to divide the pattern sequences of each subject into preferred and nonpreferred categories. A within-subjects comparison of the mean durations of preferred patterns (M = 2.56 sec) with those of non- preferred patterns (M = 3.02 sec) found that preferred patterns were executed more rapidly, t(10) = 3.36, P = .007. A multiple regression showed that order of pattern preference accounted for 89% of the variance in mean duration of response time (R² = .89, P = .056). Thus, the use of preferred lateralized hand patterns resulted in more rapid bamboo shoot harvesting. Speed in foraging may be regarded as an adaptive strategy for a species that subsists on a high bulk, low nutrient density food such as bamboo. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

竹叶提取物对心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

本文通过两种不同的模型来探讨竹叶提取物对心肌缺血再灌注(缺氧/复氧)损伤的保护作用。在体内模型中不同剂量的竹叶提取物均提高了模型组室内压最大上升和下降速率,降低了左室末期舒张期压力,提高了心输出量。同时降低了模型组肌酸磷酸激酶及乳酸脱氢酶的活性,减少了丙二醛的含量,增加了超氧化物歧化酶的活性,通过电压依赖性钙通道及受体依赖性钙通道降低了钙的含量。说明竹叶提取物对心肌缺血再灌注(缺氧复氧)损伤具有保护作用,其作用是通过电压依赖性钙通道及受体依赖性钙通道降低了钙的含量而对心肌缺血再灌注(缺氧复氧)损伤产生保护作用。     

毛竹受害后化学物质含量的变化及其对刚竹毒蛾种群参数的影响

研究了毛竹受刚竹毒蛾危害后,竹叶主要次生物质和营养物质的变化及其对刚竹毒蛾种群参数的影响。结果表明:毛竹受刚竹毒蛾危害后,竹叶中单宁和黄酮的含量显著增加,而总糖、可溶性糖和蛋白质的含量显著下降;刚竹毒蛾幼虫取食被害竹叶后,表现出发育历期延长、体重减轻、生殖力下降等现象。     

林地覆盖对雷竹林土壤微生物特征及其与土壤养分制约性关系的影响

为了探讨林地覆盖雷竹林退化机理,给退化雷竹林恢复提供理论参考,对不同覆盖年限(CK、1、3 a 和6 a) 雷竹林土壤微生物区系组成和生物量碳(C_mic)、氮(N_mic)、磷(P_mic)等特征因子进行了测定,并分析了其与土壤养分的制约性关系。结果表明:(1) 雷竹林土壤微生物以细菌为主,真菌次之,放线菌最少,分别占土壤微生物总量的90.11%-98.03%、1.04%-9.22%和0.67%-1.37%。随覆盖年限增加,细菌、放线菌比率呈下降趋势,真菌比率呈上升趋势;土壤微生物总数、细菌和放线菌数量及C_mic、N_mic、P_mic均呈先升高后降低的变化趋势,试验雷竹林间差异极显著,真菌数量总体呈极显著升高趋势。(2)雷竹林土壤微生物特征因子与土壤有机质(SOM)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)、碱解氮(Available nitrogen, AN)和pH均呈显著或极显著相关,其中,CK和覆盖1 a、3 a雷竹林土壤微生物特征因子与土壤养分主要呈正相关,与pH呈负相关,而覆盖6 a雷竹林则相反。(3)不同覆盖年限雷竹林土壤养分与土壤微生物的制约性关系存在一定的差异,CK雷竹林土壤SOM、TN、AN、速效钾(AK)和pH主要影响土壤C_mic、N_mic和细菌,覆盖1 a雷竹林土壤SOM、TN、TP和AK主要影响土壤P_mic、放线菌和细菌,覆盖3 a雷竹林土壤SOM、TN、速效磷(AP)和AN主要影响土壤N_mic、放线菌和真菌,覆盖6 a雷竹林土壤SOM、TN和pH主要影响土壤N_mic、真菌。研究表明:长期覆盖雷竹林土壤细菌、放线菌数量与比例明显降低,真菌数量与比例明显提高,土壤养分与土壤微生物的制约性作用关系会发生较为明显变化,产生土壤障害,这是覆盖雷竹林退化的主要原因之一。     

圈养大熊猫野化培训期的生境选择特征

大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)是我国特有的珍稀物种,也是世界上最濒危的野生动物之一。为了将人工繁育的部分大熊猫个体重引入其历史分布区或复壮野生种群,中国保护大熊猫研究中心从2003年开始进行圈养大熊猫的野外放归工作,通过野化培训以提高圈养大熊猫适应和选择野外环境的能力。对野化培训大熊猫"淘淘"的生境选择研究表明:该野化培训大熊猫幼仔经常活动于新笋密度较大的区域[生境与对照:(2.68±1.14)对(1.58±0.66)],却避开成竹密度过大[(9.91±2.51)对(12.18±4.68)]、竹子较高[(4.57±1.09) m对(4.98±0.66) m]以及枯死竹过多[(2.52±0.86)对(3.39±1.33)]的区域;喜欢活动于离水源[(1.59±0.67)对(2.19±0.87)]和隐蔽场所较近[(5.37±2.14) m对(8.35±7.76)m],以及距离乔木较远[(3.09±0.69) m对(2.70±0.42) m]和郁闭度较低[(1.85±0.57)对(2.10±0.47)]的区域(P < 0.05),新笋密度大小是该栖息地在整个野化培训期间是否被利用的最重要因素。该野化培训大熊猫幼仔保持着与带仔母兽相近的生境选择特征,对竹子环境的选择也与卧龙野生大熊猫相似,野化培训对该大熊猫幼仔产生了积极的作用。野化培训大熊猫幼仔形成的家域和核域面积分别为9.21 hm² 和1.93 hm²,占野化培训圈面积的51.95%和10.89%,其中家域面积仅有卧龙野生大熊猫的1.4%-2.4%,所以在以后的野化培训过程中需要采取增加野化培训圈中环境丰富度等方式,促进野化培训大熊猫形成较大的家域面积。     

The production of phytolith‐occluded carbon in China's forests: implications to biogeochemical carbon sequestration

The persistent terrestrial carbon sink regulates long‐term climate change, but its size, location, and mechanisms remain uncertain. One of the most promising terrestrial biogeochemical carbon sequestration mechanisms is the occlusion of carbon within phytoliths, the silicified features that deposit within plant tissues. Using phytolith content–biogenic silica content transfer function obtained from our investigation, in combination with published silica content and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) data of leaf litter and herb layer in China's forests, we estimated the production of phytolith‐occluded carbon (PhytOC) in China's forests. The present annual phytolith carbon sink in China's forests is 1.7 ± 0.4 Tg CO₂ yr ^{? 1}, 30% of which is contributed by bamboo because the production flux of PhytOC through tree leaf litter for bamboo is 3–80 times higher than that of other forest types. As a result of national and international bamboo afforestation and reforestation, the potential of phytolith carbon sink for China's forests and world's bamboo can reach 6.8 ± 1.5 and 27.0 ± 6.1 Tg CO₂ yr^?1, respectively. Forest management practices such as bamboo afforestation and reforestation may significantly enhance the long‐term terrestrial carbon sink and contribute to mitigation of global climate warming.