PCR primers for polymorphic microsatellite loci in the desert locust,Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Nine pairs of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers that amplify polymorphic microsatellite loci in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal), were developed using a magnetic bead‐based enrichment protocol. A sample of 48 locusts collected during the 1993 and 1995 upsurge periods in Eritrea, East Africa, were genotyped. The number of alleles per locus ranged from six to 20; the average was 12.67. Allelic distributions were significantly different between samples from different localities.     

荒漠灌丛土壤动物分布及其生态功能

在干旱、半干旱荒漠生态系统中,灌丛作为一种重要的植被类型,其独特的形态和生理适应特性能够有效促进退化生态系统结构与功能的恢复。土壤动物是荒漠生态系统中不可或缺的重要组成部分,对促进灌丛"肥岛"演变具有重要的生态作用,有利于灌丛生态功能的发挥及退化生态系统的恢复。近年来,国内外学者对荒漠灌丛微生境土壤动物的研究逐步深入,取得大量的研究成果。在此基础上,首先综述荒漠灌丛微生境土壤动物群落分布和生态功能,总结灌丛与土壤动物分布间作用关系的数学模型,针对荒漠灌丛土壤动物研究中存在的问题提出了未来可能的研究方向和建议。     

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Zephyranthes phycelloides (Amaryllidaceae,tribe Hippeastreae) from Atacama region of Chile

Sporadic rains in the Atacama Desert reveal a high biodiversity of plant species that only occur there. One of these rare species is the “Red añañuca” (Zephyranthes phycelloides), formerly known as Rhodophiala phycelloides. Many species of Zephyranthes in the Atacama Desert are dangerously threatened, due to massive extraction of bulbs and cutting of flowers. Therefore, studies of the biodiversity of these endemic species, which are essential for their conservation, should be conducted sooner rather than later. There are some chloroplast genomes available for Amaryllidaceae species, however there is no complete chloroplast genome available for any of the species of Zephyranthes subgenus Myostemma. The aim of the present work was to characterize and analyze the chloroplast of Z. phycelloides by NGS sequencing. The chloroplast genome of the Z. phycelloides consists of 158,107 bp, with typical quadripartite structures: a large single copy (LSC, 86,129 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 18,352 bp), and two inverted repeats (IR, 26,813 bp). One hundred thirty-seven genes were identified: 87 coding genes, 8 rRNA, 38 tRNA and 4 pseudogenes. The number of SSRs was 64 in Z. phycelloides and a total of 43 repeats were detected. The phylogenetic analysis of Z. phycelloides shows a distinct subclade with respect to Z. mesochloa. The average nucleotide variability (Pi) between Z. phycelloides and Z. mesochloa was of 0.02000, and seven loci with high variability were identified: psbA, trnS^GCU-trnG^UCC, trnD^GUC-trnY^GUA, trnL^UAA-trnF^GAA, rbcL, psbE-petL and ndhG-ndhI. The differences between the species are furthermore confirmed by the high amount of SNPs between these two species. Here, we report for the first time the complete cp genome of one species of the Zephyranthes subgenus Myostemma, which can be used for phylogenetic and population genomic studies.     

Daily biphasic behaviour in keratin-feeding desert trogid beetles in relation to climate

Abstract. 1. Patterns of daily activity of two ectothermic species of the trogid genus Omorgus were studied in the Kalahari of southern Africa in summer. The relationship between time and type of activity, and environmental temperature, relative humidity and light intensity, was investigated.
2. Beetle activity was biphasic, with peaks in activity at sunset and sunrise in both species.
3. Afternoon activity coincided with high temperatures and low humidity and morning activity with minimum daily temperature and maximum humidity.
4. Afternoon activity, which peaked at about 34°C and 25% r.h., consisted predominantly of complex breeding behaviour and dispersal. High temperatures are necessary for these activities.
5. In the morning feeding predominated. At this time temperature was about 27°C and r.h. above 60%. High r.h. is important because it restricts respiratory loss of water, improves food (moist hair and skin keratin) quality and may compensate for faecal water loss.
6. No evidence of competition between the two species was found.     

Buried seed population in the herbaceous lomas on Loma Ancon in the coastal desert of central Peru

Herbaceous lomas in the Peruvian coastal desert, of South America establish in spring, and its habitat is limited to the southern or southwestern slopes along the coast that are affected by thick fog. The time of appearance, the duration and the thickness of the fog vary greatly from year to year, so the lomas can grow only in habitats with enough water to, sustain seed germination and plant growth. This paper studies the species composition and density of the buried seed population, of the herbaceous lomas of Loma Ancon in order to clarify the mechanisms of the lomas' establishment. The mean number of species with viable seeds was about, 12 spp. m⁻² and that of dead seeds was about 22 spp. m⁻². The dominant species wereSolanum tuberiferum, S. pinnatifidum andNolana humifusa, both in viable and dead seeds. Viable seed density was about 5000–8000 seeds m⁻², which is comparable with the seed densities of other herbaceous communities. Dead seed density was about 15000–27000 seeds m⁻², or nearly three times the viable seed density, because the rate of decomposition was slow in the extremely dry conditions. The net increase of viable seeds by seed production was estimated at about 5000 seeds m⁻² in 1980, and the increase in the number of dead seeds was 2200 seeds m⁻².     

Factors influencing species diversity in saline waters of Death Valley,USA

Salinity is a major factor influencing the distributions and abundances of aquatic macroinvertebrates of saline waters in Death Valley, California, USA. A general pattern of declining numbers of species with increasing salinity is seen in Death Valley waters. Some species are restricted to low salinities, others are found only in highly saline pools, and still others are widely distributed over a broad range of salinities.Salinity alone cannot explain distributions seen in the field. Distributions and abundances of species such as the caddisfly Limnephilus assimilis Banks are broader than would be predicted on the basis of laboratory studies of salinity and temperature. I present evidence that for such species, biotic factors such as reduced predation at high salinities may compensate for increased physiological stress.     

Availability of water controls Crassulacean acid metabolism in succulents of the Richtersveld (Namib desert,South Africa)

Features of Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) were studied in a variety of different succulents in response to climatic conditions between March 1977 and October 1983 in the southern Namib desert (Richtersveld). A screening in 1977 and 1978 revealed that nearly all investigated succulents performed a CAM, but overnight accumulation of malate declined gradually with decreasing soil water potential, tissue osmotic potential, and leaf water content. This was further substantiated by an extended period of insufficient rainfall in 1979 and 1980 which damaged the evergreen CAM succulents between 80 and 100%. In most of the species still living, neither CO₂-gas exchange nor diurnal acid fluctuation, indicative of CAM, could be detected unless an abundant rainfall restored both CAM features. Plants persisted in a stage of latent life.Water supply is one necessary prerequisite for CAM in the Richtersveld. But even well-watered plants with CAM were sensitive to short-term water stress caused by high water-vapour partialpressure deficit (VPD) in the night, which reduced or prevented CO₂ uptake and resulted in a linear relation between overnight accumulated malate and VPD. The results do not support the opinion that, for the Namib succulents, CAM is an adaptive mechanism to water stress since long-term and short-term water stress stopped nocturnal malate synthesis, but instead lead to the conclusion that nocuturnal CO₂ fixation is only performed when the water status of the plant can be improved simultaneously.Abbreviations CAM Crassulacean acid metabolism - VPD water vapour pressure deficit Dedicated to Professor H. Ziegler on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

北疆荒漠的锈菌

本文报告新疆北部荒漠的锈菌11属92种。大多数标本是作者1986年8—9月间在巴尔鲁克山、塔尔巴哈台山、准噶尔盆地西缘及南缘地区、西天山的巩留及博格达山等地采得。这一带植被主要由超旱生灌木、半灌木及草本所组成,天山北坡山地发育着较丰茂的草甸及森林植被,植物区系属于中亚荒漠植物区系。文中描述了一个新种,即葛缕子生柄锈Puccinia caricola J.Y.Zhuang;我国新记录种有12个,它们是葱杨栅锈Melampsora allii-populina Kleb.、柳叶栅锈Melampsora epitea Thuem.、尖头多胞锈Phragmidium acuminasum(Fr.)Cooke、胀柄多胞锈Phragmidium bulbosum(Str.)Schlecht.、阿尔及利亚柄锈Puccinia algerica Patouill.、伯内特柄锈Puccinia burnettiiGriff.、巨堆柄锈Puccinia gigantea Karst.、科马罗夫柄锈Puccinia komarovii Tranz.、高山蓼柄锈Puccinia polygoni-alpini Cruchet & Mayor、新塔花柄锈Puccinia zizi-phorae Sydow、柴胡单胞锈Uromyces bupleuri P.Magn.及角果藜单胞锈Uromycesceratocarpi Sydow。所有标本保藏在中国科学院微生物研究所真菌标本室。     

A long-term perspective of dissolved organic carbon transport in Sycamore Creek, Arizona, USA

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics were examined over five years (1989–1993) in Sycamore Creek, a Sonoran Desert stream, specifically focusing on DOC concentration in surface and hyporheic waters, and rates of export. In 1989 and 1990, the years of lowest stream discharge (0.08 and 0.04 m³ s^–1 annual mean of daily discharge, respectively), DOC was high, averaging 7.37 and 6.22 mgC l^–1 (weighted annual means). In contrast, from 1991 through 1993, a period of increased flow (1.1, 1.2 and 4.3 m³ s^–1), concentration was significantly lower (P<0.001) with annual mean concentrations of 3.54, 3.49 and 3.39 mgC l^–1. Concentration exhibited little spatial variation between two sampling stations located 6 km apart along the mainstem or between surface and hyporheic waters. Annual export of DOC from Sycamore Creek varied 100-fold over the five-year period from a mean rate of only 24 kgC d^–1 in 1990 to 2100 kgC d^–1 in 1993. Ninety percent of DOC was exported by flows greater than 2.8 m³ s^–1, and 50% during flows greater than 27 m³ s^–1; flows of 2.8 and 24 m³ s^–1 occurred only 9 and 1% of the time. The export of organic matter in Sycamore Creek appears to be coupled to El Niño-Southern Oscillation phenomena. The years of highest export, 1991–1993, had El Niño conditions while 1989 and 1990 had medial conditions.     

几种沙漠地区野生药用植物资源及其引种栽培

几种沙漠地区野生药用植物资源及其引种栽培尹林克（中国科学院吐鲁番沙漠植物园,新疆吐鲁番８３８００８）Ｒｅｓｏｕｒｃｅｓｏｆｓｅｖｅｒａｌｓｐｅｃｉｅｓｏｆｗｉｌｄｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌｐｌａｎｔｓｉｎｄｅｓｅｒｔｒｅｇｉｏｎａｎｄｔｈｅｉｒｉｎｔｒｏｄｕ...