瑞昌石灰岩红壤区退耕还林土壤动物群落特征

以江西瑞昌石灰岩红壤区采取多树种混交、竹阔混交和林苗一体化3种模式退耕还林6年后的林地为研究对象,分析退耕还林对土壤动物群落及其数量变化的影响.退耕还林地土壤动物隶属于6门17纲34目,优势类群为线虫纲,占总类群数的86.7％;常见类群为蜱螨目、线蚓科以及弹尾目.对照农耕地土壤动物隶属于5门10纲21目,优势类群为线虫纲,占总密度的86.7％;常见类群为蜱螨目和线蚓科.退耕还林地土壤稀有类群数(30类)明显大于农耕地(18类).除冬季外退耕还林地土壤动物类群数和平均密度显著高于农耕地.土壤动物的垂直分布具有明显的表聚性,表层(0～5 cm)土壤动物数量与5～10、10～15 cm土层存在极显著差异,且退耕还林地表聚性较农耕地更明显.退耕还林地土壤动物类群数均为夏季＞秋季＞春季＞冬季,且夏、秋季与春、冬季差异显著;平均密度为秋季＞夏季＞春季＞冬季,季节间差异显著.退耕还林地土壤动物生物多样性指数显著高于农耕地,3种退耕还林模式中,多树种混交模式的生物多样性最高,林苗一体化模式最低.     

中国旱区样带尺度植物多样性和生产力与环境因子的关系

旱区植物多样性、生产力与环境因子的关系是旱区生态学研究的重要课题,对于揭示该地区植被的环境适应机制有重要的参考价值。基于中国旱区东西样带的系统采样和原位调查,定量分析了各影响因素对旱区植物多样性和生产力变化的解释作用,阐明了旱区群落生产力的调控机制。结果表明：(1)旱区群落性状加权值与地上生物量间的关系(R²=0.46)相较于Shannon-Wiener指数与地上生物量的关系(R²=0.21)更为紧密。(2)旱区群落Shannon-Wiener指数、群落性状加权值、地上生物量与年均降水量、土壤有机碳含量、土壤总氮含量线性正相关,与土壤总磷含量无显著相关性;Shannon-Wiener指数、群落性状加权值与年均气温线性负相关,地上生物量与年均气温无显著相关性。(3)年均降水量对旱区群落性状加权值的解释率为40.9%,两者为正相关关系;年均气温对Shannon-Wiener指数的解释率为28.3%,两者为负相关关系。(4)群落性状加权值对地上生物量的直接路径显著,年均降雨量、年均气温和土壤有机碳通过群落性状加权值间接影响地上生物量。     

科尔沁沙地不同造林类型对土壤动物多样性的影响

为深入认识流沙生境中种植人工林对土壤动物多样性的影响,选择科尔沁流动沙地及其周围灌木林和乔木林地(生长年龄均为30年左右)为研究样地,对土壤动物群落与土壤环境进行调查,分析了土壤动物群落结构对流动沙地种植人工林的响应及影响因素.结果表明:流动沙地种植人工林对土壤性状产生显著影响,尤其是灌木林覆盖流动沙地显著改善了土壤环境,增加了土壤水分,提高了土壤营养条件.在3种林地中共捕获土壤动物485只、11个类群.优势类群为蜱螨目和弹尾目,常见类群为啮目,其他8个类群为稀有类群.从流动沙地到灌木林地和乔木林地,土壤动物密度减少,类群数和Shannon指数增加,而均匀度指数下降.但土壤动物密度、类群数、Shannon指数和均匀度指数在3种样地间均无显著性差异.土壤电导率是影响土壤动物类群数分布的重要因素.在科尔沁沙地,流动沙地种植人工林能够改善土壤环境和影响土壤动物多样性,但以30年的人工林研究其对流动沙地土壤动物群落的影响存在局限性.     

长白山地低山区土壤动物群落特征及其对环境因子变化的响应

为探讨长白山地低山区土壤动物群落特征及其对环境因子变化的响应,分别于2014年春季(5月)、夏季(7月)及秋季(9月)对长白山地低山区的次生针阔叶混交林、次生落叶阔叶林、蒙古栎林和耕地土壤动物进行研究。研究表明,4个生境共获土壤动物58类,30445只,隶属3门6纲22目52科(亚目)。各生境大型、中小型土壤动物具有一定的差异性,且各生境季节变化不同。总体来看,耕地生境土壤动物密度与类群数明显低于其它3个生境,大型土壤动物的密度季节变化较显著,中小型土壤动物的密度和类群数的季节波动均较大。次生落叶阔叶林生境大型、中小型土壤动物群落多样性指数和丰富度指数均高于其它3个生境,耕地最低。中小型土壤动物多样性指数、丰富度指数季节波动较大,春季、夏季与秋季之间差异性较大,大型土壤动物季节波动较小。通过对大型、中小型土壤动物与13种环境因子进行Pearson相关分析可知,大型土壤动物对土壤温度和土壤湿度具有正向响应,其密度、类群数与土壤温度具有显著正相关关系,中小型土壤动物的密度、类群数对土壤湿度具有显著正向响应;土壤动物对pH的响应程度较低,对有机质具有显著正向响应;土壤动物对全效养分N、P、K的响应程度高,大型土壤动物的密度对速效养分N、P、K的响应程度高,中小型土壤动物类群数对速效养分N、P、K的响应程度高,对Ca、Mg的响应程度较低。     

西双版纳不同演替状态热带次生林土壤节肢动物群落特征

采用样地调查法,对西双版纳4种不同演替状况热带次生林：中平树(Macavanga denticulate)、崖豆藤(Millettia laptobotrya)、野芭蕉(Musa acuminata)与黄竹(Dendrocalamus membranaceae)林的土壤节肢动物群落结构与季节变化进行了研究．结果表明,4类不同演替状况次生林土壤节肢动物群落在数量优势类群组成上无较大差异,蜱螨目为所有4类林地的突出优势类群,膜翅目、弹尾目和鞘翅目在不同林地中分别为不同数量等级的次优势类群,而在常见和稀有类群的组成上,各林地表现出较大的差异．土壤节肢动物类群数、个体数和DG多样性指数以正向演替的崖豆藤林最高,偏途演替的黄竹林最低,但中平树、崖豆藤和野芭蕉林的差异不大．4类林地土壤节肢动物类群数和个体数的垂直分布分别以凋落物层和土壤表层(0～5cm)最高,其它各层分布因林地不同各异,并存在明显的季节差异．各林地土壤节肢动物个体数和类群数的季节消长总体表现出干季和雨季初期与末期高于雨量最大的雨季中期,由于不同林地植被结构、凋落物数量和质量以及土壤水热状况不同,其季节变化显现样地差异,除了受林地降水量和温度变化影响外,食物的丰欠和栖息场所的干扰状况也有重要的影响作用．     

一个年龄序列巨桉人工林植物和土壤生物多样性

为了全面、系统研究和评价退耕后桉树人工林生物多样性,采用立地条件控制及空间代替时间法,对四川丹棱县退耕营造的巨桉(Eucalyptus grands)人工林(1-10a)植物和土壤生物多样性进行了同步研究.结果显示,植物和土壤动物的物种数、密度和多样性指数及土壤微生物数量呈相似变化趋势,即轮伐期前同步(4a左右)降低,此后随林龄显著增加.CCA分析显示,植物生活型随林龄由藤本植物、地面芽和1年生植物向多年生草本高位芽和高位芽植物过渡.土壤微生物以细菌占据数量优势;土壤动物以腐食性功能团占据优势,杂食性次之.腐食性功能团1-7a降低而后升高,杂食性呈S型升高趋势;植食性和捕食性功能团百分比较低随林龄显著降低.土壤动物优势类群中线虫纲个体百分比随林龄显著降低,蜱螨目百分比和A/C值(蜱螨目/弹尾目数量比)呈S型上升趋势.各林龄巨桉林地植物多样性均显著高于对照农耕地;除1,2a及4-7a样地植物多样性显著低于对照马尾松林,其余均与其无显著差异.土壤生物多样性,轮伐期前巨桉林地与对照农耕地差异不显著,此后则显著高于农耕地;各林龄样地土壤生物多样性均显著低于对照马尾松林.植物和土壤生物多样性指标显著相关,且相关系数随土壤层次加深而降低.     

内蒙古武川县农田退耕还草对大型土壤动物群落的影响

用手拣法采集大型土壤动物,应用个体数、类群数、多样性指数等指标分析了内蒙古武川县农田退耕还草管理下大型土壤动物群落的变化.共捕获大型土壤动物49类1479只,隶属于3纲、7目、41科;农田退耕后大型土壤动物的类群数、个体数和生物量均有增加趋势;Margalef丰富度指数(D_Ma)和密度-类群指数(DG)显示,农田退耕还草后大型土壤动物群落多样性明显增加,但由于退耕时间短,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H′)和Pielou均匀度指数(E)并不比农田高;不同动物类群对退耕还草的响应不同.退耕后采用紫花苜蓿或紫花苜蓿+蒿属植物的人工种植管理方式较为合适.     

不同郁闭度控制下马尾松（Pinus massoniana）人工林土壤动物群落特征

采用郁闭度控制方法,形成马尾松人工林郁闭度梯度(0.5,0.6,0.7,0.8,0.9)试验样地,研究不同郁闭度下土壤动物群落特征。运用手捡法、Tullgren法和Baermann法进行土壤动物群落调查。结果显示,1)共捕获土壤动物8 860只,隶属于4门11纲25目111科,其中大型土壤动物589只,以蜚蠊、疣和康叭为优势类群;中小型土壤动物8271只,以等节和丽甲螨为优势类群。2)大型土壤动物以杂食性为主,杂食性在0.9郁闭度显著增加,捕食性显著减少;中小型土壤动物以菌食和腐食性为主,腐食性土壤动物随郁闭度增大逐渐增加,菌食性逐渐减少。中小型捕食性土壤动物在郁闭度0.5—0.7显著增加,0.7—0.9无显著变化。3)大型土壤动物仅5—10 cm土层类群数在0.9郁闭度显著增加;中小型土壤动物总个体数及枯落物层个体数、5—10 cm土层类群数显著增加(0.5—0.7)后减少(0.7—0.9);中小型土壤动物总类群数在郁闭度0.5—0.6显著增加,枯落层类群数在郁闭度0.5—0.8显著增加,0.8—0.9显著减少。4)大型、中小型土壤动物多样性在土层中差异显著。中小型土壤动物Simpson优势度指数随郁闭度增大而减小,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Pielou均匀性指数则显著增大,Margalef丰富度指数先显著增高(0.5—0.6)后趋于平稳(0.6—0.9);大型土壤动物Jaccard相似性指数低于中小型。5)CCA分析表明,不同类群土壤动物对环境因子响应不同,郁闭度、含水量、有机质及全P对土壤动物类群影响显著。研究表明,0.7郁闭度马尾松人工林下土壤动物优势度、丰富度适中,林下植被恢复情况较好,该郁闭度可能更有利于土壤动物多样性和群落稳定性。     

新疆玛纳斯河流域土壤螨类群落多样性

为探究玛纳斯河流域不同生境土壤螨类群落多样性及其时空特征,采用野外采样和改进的Tullgren法采集土壤螨类进行分类鉴定及比较分析。结果,共采集土壤螨类33208只,隶属4亚目86科140属。其中Ceratozetes和Oribatula为优势类群。不同垂直带生境土壤螨类个体数量和类群数量之间差异显著(P0.05),个体数依次为ⅥⅪⅧⅨⅠⅩⅦⅣⅤⅡⅢⅫ。垂直分布表明不同土层间的个体数差异极显著(P0.01),土壤螨类主要集中分布于表层土壤。不同生境土壤螨类在不同季节均有显著差异(P0.05),个体数依次为9月4月7月11月。在12种不同生境之间土壤螨类群落多样性指标均有显著差异(P0.05),Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H)依次为ⅠⅤⅣⅥⅢⅩⅡⅨⅧⅦⅪⅫ,而Margalef(M)丰富度指数依次为ⅠⅥⅢⅩⅪⅧⅤⅣⅦⅡⅨⅫ。不同生境土壤螨类群落间的相似性处于中等不相似。结果表明研究流域不同垂直带生境土壤螨类群落多样性具有明显的生境和季节变化特征。     

洞庭湖湿地与农田土壤动物多样性研究

为探讨洞庭湖退田还湖工程的生态恢复进程, 2005年10月对洞庭湖退田还湖区3类典型生境7个样地土壤动物群落结构进行了调查, 共获土壤动物标本8,484头, 隶属于5门11纲32个动物类群。其中, 还湖湿地捕获土壤动物类群26类, 优势类群为线虫类、蜱螨目; 未还湖农田生境捕获土壤动物类群28类, 优势类群为线虫类、蜘蛛目; 原始湿地(对照)仅捕获土壤动物13类, 优势类群为腹足类。对Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H')、Pielou均匀性指数(E)、Simpson优势度指数(C)、Margalef丰富度指数(D)和复杂性指数(C_j) 5个多样性指标进行分析, 结果表明: (1)与Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H')相比, 复杂性指数(C_j)表征的土壤动物多样性更能客观地反映土壤动物分布的真实情况; (2)群落多样性与均匀度显著相关(P<0.05), 而与其他指数关系不密切; (3)在类群数上, 还湖湿地和未还湖农田都多于对照的原始湿地, 有极显著差异(P<0.01); 个体数量上看, 未还湖农田多于原始湿地, 存在极显著差异(P<0.01), 还湖湿地与原始湿地相比却没有显著差异(P>0.05)。这说明: 洞庭湖退田还湖后生态恢复较慢, 恢复效率较低。     

Race and Racism in America and in Anthropology

Race in North America: Origin and Evolution of a Worldview . Audrey Smedley
Anthropology and Race . Eugenia Shanklin     

Degradation and conversion of somatostatin in normal and diabetic rats in vivo and in vitro

Plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the portal and jugular veins of streptozotocin diabetic rats was compared with that in normal control rats. In the diabetic group, somatostatin levels in the portal (p less than 0.05) and jugular (p less than 0.01) veins were both elevated compared with those in the control group. Moreover, the degree of elevation was greater in the jugular vein than in the portal vein. To further investigate the role of the liver in the clearance of somatostatin-28 in vivo, 2 micrograms of somatostatin-28 was administered as a bolus into the external jugular vein of intact and functionally hepatectomized rats. The mean half-time of somatostatin-28 was significantly longer in intact diabetic rats than in controls (p less than 0.05). The functional hepatectomy did not cause a significant difference in the half-time in diabetic rats but made it longer in control rats. These results suggest that the longer half-time of somatostatin-28 in diabetic rats in vivo is due to its slower hepatic clearance. The hepatic clearance of somatostatin-28 and somatostatin-14 was further studied in vitro using a recirculating liver perfusion method. The hepatic clearance of 1.2 nM of either somatostatin-28 or somatostatin-14 was significantly lower in diabetic rats than in controls (p less than 0.01). This indicates that elevated plasma somatostatin levels in diabetic rats are caused at least in part by decreased hepatic clearance of somatostatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Variation in infectivity and aggressiveness in space and time in wild host-pathogen systems: causes and consequences

Variation in host resistance and in the ability of pathogens to infect and grow (i.e. pathogenicity) is important as it provides the raw material for antagonistic (co)evolution and therefore underlies risks of disease spread, disease evolution and host shifts. Moreover, the distribution of this variation in space and time may inform us about the mode of coevolutionary selection (arms race vs. fluctuating selection dynamics) and the relative roles of G × G interactions, gene flow, selection and genetic drift in shaping coevolutionary processes. Although variation in host resistance has recently been reviewed, little is known about overall patterns in the frequency and scale of variation in pathogenicity, particularly in natural systems. Using 48 studies from 30 distinct host–pathogen systems, this review demonstrates that variation in pathogenicity is ubiquitous across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Quantitative analysis of a subset of extensively studied plant–pathogen systems shows that the magnitude of within‐population variation in pathogenicity is large relative to among‐population variation and that the distribution of pathogenicity partly mirrors the distribution of host resistance. At least part of the variation in pathogenicity found at a given spatial scale is adaptive, as evidenced by studies that have examined local adaptation at scales ranging from single hosts through metapopulations to entire continents and – to a lesser extent – by comparisons of pathogenicity with neutral genetic variation. Together, these results support coevolutionary selection through fluctuating selection dynamics. We end by outlining several promising directions for future research.     

Electroejaculation in chimpanzees and gorillas and artificial insemination in chimpanzees

Electroejaculation was performed in 3 chimpanzees, 1 pygmy chimpanzee, and 2 gorillas with an instrument that delivers a modified sine wave current with a frequency of 24 Hz. The current stimuli were applied by a rectal probe with longitudinal electrodes. The electrical parameters varied from 6 to 12 V and from 30 to 40 mA for response of erection and lay between 8 and 18 V and between 40 and 145 mA during semen emission. Eleven chimpanzee semen samples showed the following data (x ± SD): total volume 1.9 ± 1.3 ml, volume of the liquid fraction 0.3 ± 0.2 ml, spermatozoa per ejaculate 743 ± 376 × 10⁶, sperm motility 52.7 ± 9.6%, morphologically abnormal spermatozoa 12.2 ± 7.5%. From an adult gorilla, three semen samples were collected, in each case without spermatozoa. The electrostimulation of a 6-year-old gorilla led to an erection, but not to semen emission. Three female chimpanzees were inseminated with fresh or frozen semen, each of them within three different estrous cycles. None of these inseminations led to a pregnancy.     

Aminoacylation in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and in methanogenic and halophilic archaebacteria

Abstract Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) from the sulphur-metabolizing thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius has been purified 150-fold using different chromatographic steps. The enzyme has a M _r of 270 000 and exhibits considerable thermostability in a temperature range up to 90°C with optimal activity at 70°C. Conservation of antigenic determinants could not be detected by antibodies against various PRS of all primary kingdoms. As a further means to detect traits of phylogenetic relationship, the cross-species reactivity between PRS and tRNAs of organisms from the three branches of archaebacteria and from all primary kingdoms reveals the group character of all 3 branches of the archaebacterial domain, the sulphur-metabolizing, methanogenic and halophilic archaebacteria.     

Trajectories and Constraints in Brain Evolution in Primates and Cetaceans

A negative allometric relationship between body mass (BM) and brain size (BS) can be observed for many vertebrate groups. In the past decades, researchers have proposed several hypotheses to explain this finding, but none is definitive and some are possibly not mutually exclusive. Certain species diverge markedly (positively or negatively) from the mean of the ratio BM/BS expected for a particular taxonomic group. It is possible to define encephalization quotient (EQ) as the ratio between the actual BS and the expected brain size. Several cetacean species show higher EQs compared to all primates, except modern humans. The process that led to big brains in primates and cetaceans produced different trajectories, as shown by the organizational differences observed in every encephalic district (e.g., the cortex). However, these two groups both convergently developed complex cognitive abilities. The comparative study on the trajectories through which the encephalization process has independently evolved in primates and cetaceans allows a critical appraisal of the causes, the time and the mode of quantitative and qualitative development of the brain in our species and in the hominid evolutionary lineage.     

Advances in purine and pyrimidine metabolism in health and diseases

ABSTRACT

In June, 2015, the Purine and Pyrimidine Society organized the 16th biennial symposium on Purine and Pyrimidine metabolism at the Faculty House of Columbia University, New York City. This exciting meeting focused on these important molecules, new developments in inborn errors of metabolism; therapeutic analogs. In addition, the biochemistry of mammalian and non-mammalian systems were discussed. Due to significant advances in molecular medicine, the boundaries between clinical and basic sciences have merged into exciting translational research, of which a small portion was highlighted in the presymposium.