Food availability is important to the dynamics of animal social organizations or populations. However, the role of winter
food availability in animal population dynamics is still controversial. We carried out an experimental study to test Lack’s
hypothesis that reduced food in winter limits survival and spring numbers of breeding individuals of social groups, using
the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) as model species. We established 24 gerbil social groups in 24, 10 × 10 m, pens in September 2008. We provided wheat seeds
as supplemental food in 12 enclosures from September 2008 to March 2009; the other 12 enclosures, not provided with supplemental
food, served as controls. We live-trapped gerbils at a 2-week interval from September to April. Supplemental food during winter
increased biweekly survival by 10% relative to that in control groups. Only four control social groups survived to the end
of our study whereas all 12 food-supplemented social groups survived through our study period. Supplemental food also increased
cumulative numbers of recruits and group sizes of gerbils. We conclude that winter food availability limits winter survival
and spring social groups or population sizes of Mongolian gerbils. 相似文献
Capsule Interpretation of nest survival estimates may be improved by incorporating the search method used to locate nests as a covariate.Aims To compare annual survival estimates for Dickcissel Spiza americana nests and determine if incorporating search method (structured, opportunistic, or behavioural searches) improved model fit.Methods Dickcissel nests were located using structured, opportunistic, or behavioural searches over three years (2011–2013) in Mississippi, USA. Models were used to estimate daily survival rates (DSRs) and to analyse factors influencing nest survival.Results DSRs for Dickcissels were best explained by quadratic date, nest age, age found, and year, but incorporating search method improved model fit. Daily survival was 1.51 times greater for nests located using opportunistic search methods relative to structured searches, but was not significantly different between structured and behavioural searches.Conclusions Survival estimates varied by search method, specifically between structured searches and opportunistically located nests. This might have arisen because heterogeneity in nest placement or parental behaviour may influence the sample of nests located with a given search method. Researchers may be able to account for this potential source of bias by including search method as a model covariate when using standard survey designs or modelling approaches. 相似文献
Aroma serves as one of the decisive factors influencing the value of banana commodities. Most of characteristic volatile organic components (VOCs) are formed during post-harvesting. However, the changing of VOCs of banana at different post-harvesting stages remain ambiguous. In this study, the VOCs of Cavendish banana for the four typical post-harvesting stages (green stage/half of yellow stage/yellow ripening stage/over ripening stage) are clarified using headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME), combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results inferred that the relative content of branched-chain esters such as acetate and butyrate, which form the main contributors of aroma in bananas, is higher in the T2 and T3 stages. Further, RNA-Seq technology was employed to clarify the formation mechanism of banana aroma in the post-harvesting stage. The MaTGL4 gene of the linoleic acid metabolism pathway and the MaBCAT3 and MaBCAT5 genes of the valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation pathway in banana suggest the expression is active late in the ripening stage, and the upregulated expression of these genes is analogous to the formation of aroma components such as branched-chain esters and hexenal. The above results not only provide baseline data on the differences in physical and chemical properties of VOCs in various post-harvesting stages of banana production, but also provide theoretical guidance facilitating the subsequent improvement of the commercial value of bananas through genetic improvement.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are synthesized and assembled as PHA granules that undergo well-regulated formation in many microorganisms. However, this regulation remains unclear in haloarchaea. In this study, we identified a PHA granule-associated regulator (PhaR) that negatively regulates the expression of both its own gene and the granule structural gene phaP in the same operon (phaRP) in Haloferax mediterranei. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR) assays demonstrated a significant interaction between PhaR and the phaRP promoter in vivo. Scanning mutagenesis of the phaRP promoter revealed a specific cis-element as the possible binding position of the PhaR. The haloarchaeal homologs of the PhaR contain a novel conserved domain that belongs to a swapped-hairpin barrel fold family found in AbrB-like proteins. Amino acid substitution indicated that this AbrB-like domain is critical for the repression activity of PhaR. In addition, the phaRP promoter had a weaker activity in the PHA-negative strains, implying a function of the PHA granules in titration of the PhaR. Moreover, the H. mediterranei strain lacking phaR was deficient in PHA accumulation and produced granules with irregular shapes. Interestingly, the PhaR itself can promote PHA synthesis and granule formation in a PhaP-independent manner. Collectively, our results demonstrated that the haloarchaeal PhaR is a novel bifunctional protein that plays the central role in the regulation of PHA accumulation and granule formation in H. mediterranei. 相似文献