Morphological diversity of the red squirrel, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sciurus vulgaris</Emphasis>, in Ireland

The red squirrel in Britain and Ireland has been described as a separate subspecies, Sciurus vulgaris leucourus, based on bleaching of the tail and ear tufts. However, recent investigations in northern England found this light colour confined to one area, probably due to the rapid spread of introduced continental European red squirrels. This study reports the first detailed survey of tail colour and cranial measurements in the Irish red squirrel population to (1) investigate the distribution of the light colour morph in Ireland and (2) determine whether the Irish red squirrel population is morphologically divergent from populations elsewhere in the species range. The light tail colour was found in 57% of individuals and in all regions, although it was most common in the northwest. The mixture of different colour morphs indicates the Irish population is a mixture of different subspecies, including S. vulgaris leucourus, while the cranial measurements suggest the Irish squirrel may be morphologically divergent from populations elsewhere. Combined, these results support previous suggestions that conservation measures seek to maintain the diversity within the Irish red squirrel population.     

Conservation genetics of snowy plovers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Charadrius alexandrinus</Emphasis>) in the Western Hemisphere: population genetic structure and delineation of subspecies

We examined the genetic structure of snowy plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) in North America, the Caribbean, and the west coast of South America to quantify variation within and among breeding areas and to test the validity of three previously recognized subspecies. Sequences (676 bp) from domains I and II of the mitochondrial control region were analyzed for 166 snowy plovers from 20 breeding areas. Variation was also examined at 10 microsatellite loci for 144 snowy plovers from 14 breeding areas. The mtDNA and microsatellite data provided strong evidence that the Puerto Rican breeding group is genetically divergent from sites in the continental U.S. (net sequence divergence = 0.38%; F _ST for microsatellites = 0.190). Our data also revealed high levels of differentiation between sites from South America and North America (net sequence divergence = 0.81%; F _ST for microsatellites = 0.253). In contrast, there was little genetic structure among breeding sites within the continental U.S. Our results suggest that snowy plovers in Florida should be considered part of C. a. nivosus (rather than part of C. a. tenuirostris, where they are currently placed), whereas snowy plovers from Puerto Rico should be considered part of C. a. tenuirostris. Snowy plovers in South America should remain a separate subspecies (C. a. occidentalis). Although U.S. Pacific and Gulf Coast breeding areas were not genetically distinct from other continental U.S. sites, demographic isolation, unique coastal habitats, and recent population declines suggest they warrant special concern.     

两个不同地区东方田鼠杂交子代RAPD标记分析

目的研究不同地区东方田鼠杂交后产下的子代的遗传特性.方法筛选4条10bp随机引物对宁夏和洞庭湖地区东方田鼠杂交子代的基因组进行随机扩增多态DNA(RAPD)分析,并对不同地区亲代以及子代相互之间的基因组DNA进行相似性分析.结果①所有东方田鼠均有相同的扩增片段出现;②两个不同地区的亲代分别有特异性片般;③亲代的DNA带型均能在子代中找到;④同一胎次东方田鼠之间基因共享度大约在72%～96%之间.结论RAPD分析能在一定程度上反映出东方田鼠种的特性以及亚种的特异性,而且同一胎次之间基因共享度较高.     

Fisher判别分析法在川金丝猴亚种鉴定中的应用

根据川金丝猴头骨标本的性征指标数据,应用Fisher判别分析方法,对川金丝猴的亚种进行了判别分类．     

基于鸟类特有种亚种分化的保护优先性

我们以中国鸟类特有种为代表,基于鸟类物种分化程度来探讨多样性保护优先区。本文参照105种中国特有鸟种的分化等级来制作物种地理分布图。依据生物种的概念,给单型种赋值“1”,对具有n各亚种分化的物种赋值“n”。利用GIS叠加与制图功能对物种的分布做图以反映不同区域的物种分化等级。结果发现分布中心赋值很高并以同心圆形式向周边递减,反映了物种在中国西南部横断山区至秦岭高度分化的地理格局,并由此向外递减。作为全球25个生物多样性热点之一的横断山区,可能不仅是物种种级而且是种下级多样性的热点。因此,该地区的多样性保护优先性,不仅要考虑目前物种多样性分布的格局而且要考虑其未来发展     

寄生在鲤鱼及草(鲩)鱼的鱊头槽绦虫的多样性

研究了寄生于鲤鱼及草(鲩)鱼的鱊头槽绦虫(Bothriocephalus acheiloghathi)的多样性.作者在1986-2000年收集材料,遍及中国19个省及自治区.在江苏等5省只收集到其它寄生虫的材料,故结果未列入附录1和2.研究结果表明,鲤鱼及草鱼的寄生鱊头槽绦虫的地理分布截然不同.寄生于鲤鱼的鱊头槽绦虫分布于黄河水系的西北地区及黑龙江水系的东北各省及长江上游的四川、云南和贵州,南方各省的鲤鱼不感染这种绦虫.寄生于草鱼的鱊头槽绦虫分布于沿珠江水系的广东、广西及闽江水系的福建,感染池塘的幼龄草鱼,天然水体中未发现感染阳性的草鱼.交义感染试验表明,寄生在这两种鲤科鱼类的头槽绦虫有极强的宿主特异性,草鱼感染的头槽绦虫一年内大部分时间排出发育完全的胚胎卵,而鲤鱼感染的头槽绦虫排出的虫卵多为早期分裂卵,甚至在盛夏,水温在28℃-30℃的情况下也无例外.虫卵发育程度不同,卵的孵化期也有差异.在同等温度28℃-29℃时,草鱼头槽绦虫虫卵的孵化期为1.69±0.17 d;鲤鱼的头槽绦虫虫卵的孵化期为3.98±0.3 d.此外,种群结构也有明显区别,草鱼的头槽绦虫在繁殖季节,体长＜1 cm的幼虫占种群的主体,年终时绦虫全部从宿主体内消失,生活周期从初染至消敛约1年;鲤鱼的头槽绦虫主体全年皆为孕节成虫,在Ⅱ龄商品鱼中继续繁殖.本研究表明,鲤鱼及草鱼的寄生鱊头槽绦虫显示的多样性是因长期适应不同生活环境从而演化为两个不同的亚种[动物学报 53(3):470-480,2007].     

Intra-specific variation in social organization of gorillas: implications for their social evolution

We analysed intra-specific variation in the social organization of gorillas and ecological and social factors influencing them, based on recent data on diet, day journey length, home range size, group size and proportion of multi-male groups in three subspecies [western lowland gorillas (WLG); eastern lowland gorillas (ELG); mountain gorillas (MG)]. Median group size was similar across subspecies and across habitats, but the extraordinarily large group including >30 gorillas was only found in habitat with dense terrestrial herbaceous vegetation. Within-group competition may determine the upper limit of group size in frugivorous WLGs and ELGs in lowland habitats with scarce undergrowth. A frugivorous diet may be a causal factor of subgrouping in multi-male groups of WLGs and ELGs, while a folivorous diet may prevent subgrouping in multi-male groups of MGs. Social factors, rather than ecological factors, may play an important role in the formation of multi-male groups and their cohesiveness in MGs. High gregariousness of female gorillas and their prolonged association with a protector male are explained by their vulnerability to both infanticide (MGs) and predators (ELGs). Comparison of long-term changes in group composition and individual movements between ELGs in Kahuzi and MGs in the Virungas suggest that the occurrence of infanticide may promote kin-male association within a group. Threat of infanticide may stimulate MG females to transfer into multi-male groups to seek reliable protection and maturing MG males to stay in their natal groups after maturity. By contrast, the absence of infanticide may facilitate ELG females to associate with infants and other females at transfer and ELG males to establish large groups in a short period by taking females from their natal groups, by luring females from neighbouring groups, or by takeover of a widow group after the death of its leading male. These conditions may prevent ELG and WLG maturing males from remaining to reproduce in their natal groups and possibly result in a rare occurrence of multi-male groups in their habitats. Similar reproductive features of MG and ELG females suggest both female strategies have been adaptive in their evolutionary history.     

Identification of QTLs affecting traits of agronomic importance in a recombinant inbred population derived from a subspecific rice cross

To detect QTLs controlling traits of agronomic importance in rice, two elite homozygous lines 9024 and LH422, which represent the indica and japonica subspecies of rice (Oryza sativa), were crossed. Subsequently a modified single-seed-descent procedure was employed to produce 194 recombinant inbred lines (F₈). The 194 lines were genotyped at 141 RFLP marker loci and evaluated in a field trial for 13 quantitative traits including grain yield. Transgressive segregants were observed for all traits examined. The number of significant QTLs (LOD 2.0) detected affecting each trait ranged from one to six. The percentage of phenotypic variance explained by each QTL ranged from 5.1% to 73.7%. For those traits for which two or more QTLs were detected, increases in the traits were conditioned by indica alleles at some QTLs Japonica alleles at others. No significant evidence was found for epistasis between markers associated with QTLs and all the other markers. Pleitropic effects of single QTLs on different traits are suggested by the observation of clustering of QTLs. No QTL for traits was found to map to the vicinity of major gene loci governing the same traits qualitatively. Evidence for putative orthologous QTLs across rice, maize, oat, and barley is discussed.     

Subgrouping of bacterial populations by cellular fatty acid composition

Abstract The cellular fatty acid composition of six bacterial species isolated from the seeds and leaves of sugar beet ( Beta vulgaris ) and from soil were analysed. The quantitative data from the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles were highly reproducible. Numerical analysis of Xanthomonas maltophilia . FAME profiles sub-grouped strains according to when they were isolated in the growing season. The analytical method used was sensitive enough to differentiate strains of Klebsiella terrigena isolated from either soil or leaves. The results from this study confirm reports that analyses of bacterial FAME composition were rapid to perform, specific and allowed differentiation of strains within the same species.     

玉米8个栽培亚种（类型）的核型和C—带带型的比较研究

本文首次报道了玉米8个亚种、2个亚型和2个杂交品种的核型和Giemsa C-带带型。所有材料的根尖细胞染色体数目均为2n=20。主要由中部和亚中部着丝点染色体组成。第6染色体短臂均具随体,但大小不同。所有材料均显示有亚端带和端带,在第6染色体的短臂上显示有NOR或/和随体带。C-带的分布、总数目和总长度各不相同。其总带数变异于6至18之间,C-带总长度为5.65—11.40％之间。在核型中,具中部着丝点的染色体数目及C-带总数,罕见栽培或原始的类型通常多于广泛栽培的类型。此外,有关核型和C-帝的变异和进化也进行了简略的讨论。