Contents of Volume 53

Plant Molecular Biology -     

Intra- and inter-specific effects of mast seeding on seed fates of two sympatric <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corylus</Emphasis> species

We released seeds of two sympatric tree species, Corylus mandshurica (seed with thinner seed hull, higher nutrition) and C. heterophylla (seeds with thicker seed hull, lower nutrition) in the masting year of C. mandshurica in 2008, and C. heterophylla in 2009, respectively, to investigate how seed masting of the two sympatric Corylus species affects seed removal and dispersal fitness of the two species differently at both intra- and inter-specific levels. At intra-specific level, the authors found mast seeding of both C. mandshurica and C. heterophylla significantly reduced seed removal, seed consumption, but increased seed dispersal distance and seed dispersal fitness of the released seeds. Mast seeding of C. mandshurica increased seed caching of C. mandshurica. At inter-specific level, the authors found mast seeding of C. mandshurica reduced seed removal of C. heterophylla, but mast seeding of C. heterophylla did not significantly reduce seed removal of C. mandshurica. Mast seeding of C. mandshurica reduced seed consumption of C. heterophylla, while mast seeding of C. heterophylla reduced seed consumption of C. mandshurica. We found mast seeding of C. mandshurica significantly reduced seed dispersal distance of C. heterophylla, while mast seeding of C. heterophylla significantly increased seed dispersal distance of C. mandshurica. We found that mast seeding of C. mandshurica significantly increased seed dispersal fitness of C. heterophylla, while mast seeding of C. heterophylla did not significantly increase seed dispersal fitness of C. mandshurica. More studies are needed to reveal the ecological consequences of mast seeding at inter-specific or community-level. Seed traits may attribute the differences of mast seeding at inter-specific level. Because seeds with thinner seed hull and higher nutrition were more harvested and eaten by rodents, mast seeding of C. mandshurica might have reduced seed removal and seed consumption, but increased dispersal fitness of C. heterophylla (seeds with thicker seed hull, lower nutrition). Therefore, synchrony among species is, or is not, selectively beneficial to the focus species depends on seed traits which determine gains from mast seeding at inter-specific level.     

Complete Genome Sequence of Hepatitis E Virus from Rabbits in the United States

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a single-strand positive-sense RNA virus in the family Hepeviridae. The disease caused by HEV, hepatitis E, is an important public health problem in developing countries of Asia and Africa and is also endemic in many industrialized countries, including the United States. HEV has been identified from several other animal species in addition to humans, including the pig, chicken, mongoose, deer, rabbit, ferret, bat, and fish. Here we report the complete genome sequence of the first strain of HEV from rabbits in the United States. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the U.S. rabbit HEV is a distant member of the zoonotic genotype 3 HEV, thus raising a concern for potential zoonotic human infection. A unique 90-nucleotide insertion within the X domain of the ORF1 was identified in the rabbit HEV, and this insertion may play a role in the species tropism of HEV.     

青藏高原草地承载力空间演变特征及其预警

为研究青藏高原草地承载力的空间演变特征并对其进行预警，以已有的青藏高原净初级生产力数据为基础，核算了该地区的草地理论载畜量及演变趋势，并结合县域实际存栏量，划定了草地承载力的预警等级。结果表明：（1）青藏高原草地承载力整体呈东高西低的格局，其中高寒草原和高寒草甸是该地区草地承载力的主要组成部分；（2）2000-2015年，青藏高原理论载畜量由8614.89万羊单位增至9451.53万羊单位；（3）青藏高原整体处于超载状态，2000-2010年超载状况加剧，至2015年超载状况稍有缓解，草畜平衡指数由67.88%增至79.90%，再降至67.91%。目前亟需优先控制72个红色预警县（超载状态正在加剧）的牲畜存栏量，避免超载状况进一步恶化。未来需要通过控制牲畜存栏量、调整畜牧区发展布局和提高草地生产力等多项措施的结合来改善青藏高原地区的草地承载状况，维持草地生态系统的可持续发展。