二点叶蝉自然种群的时空动态

选择受密度影响较小的负二项分布K值 ,描述玉米上二点叶蝉自然种群在 3个海拔高度上的空间格局及时序动态。在玉米生育期间 ,二点叶蝉种群即可作聚集分布亦可作均匀分布。 4月中下旬 ,二点叶蝉种群呈均匀分布 (K <0 ) ;5月份 ,呈聚集分布 (K >0 ) ;6月上中旬呈均匀分布 (K <0 ) ;6月下旬至 7月上旬呈聚集分布 (K >0 ) ,表现为扩散→聚集→再扩散→再聚集的总趋势。K值亦表明 ,5月份高海拔聚集强度最高 ,6月下旬至 7月上旬则低海拔的聚集强度最高。根据Taylor的幂函数法和Iwao的M -X回归方程的系数 ,高、中海拔的聚集强度大于低海拔     

Deathly Drool: Evolutionary and Ecological Basis of Septic Bacteria in Komodo Dragon Mouths

Komodo dragons, the world''s largest lizard, dispatch their large ungulate prey by biting and tearing flesh. If a prey escapes, oral bacteria inoculated into the wound reputedly induce a sepsis that augments later prey capture by the same or other lizards. However, the ecological and evolutionary basis of sepsis in Komodo prey acquisition is controversial. Two models have been proposed. The “bacteria as venom” model postulates that the oral flora directly benefits the lizard in prey capture irrespective of any benefit to the bacteria. The “passive acquisition” model is that the oral flora of lizards reflects the bacteria found in carrion and sick prey, with no relevance to the ability to induce sepsis in subsequent prey. A third model is proposed and analyzed here, the “lizard-lizard epidemic” model. In this model, bacteria are spread indirectly from one lizard mouth to another. Prey escaping an initial attack act as vectors in infecting new lizards. This model requires specific life history characteristics and ways to refute the model based on these characteristics are proposed and tested. Dragon life histories (some details of which are reported here) prove remarkably consistent with the model, especially that multiple, unrelated lizards feed communally on large carcasses and that escaping, wounded prey are ultimately fed on by other lizards. The identities and evolutionary histories of bacteria in the oral flora may yield the most useful additional insights for further testing the epidemic model and can now be obtained with new technologies.     

枇杷园蜘蛛混合种群空间分布型的动态分析

枇杷园蜘蛛混合种群的空间分布型在不同季节存在差异,其空间分布型主要由枇杷园蜘蛛本身的生殖水平、游猎型和定居型数量的多寡,主要目标害虫的数量及分布,气候环境的变化及其越冬生态习性,枇杷园蜘蛛的种群密度及其种间竞争程度决定。     

Competitive Asymmetry Reduces Spatial Effects on Size-Structure Dynamics in Plant Populations

The growth of each individual in plant populations was simulatedby a spatial competition model for five density levels and fourdifferent spatial distribution patterns of individuals, varyingfrom highly clumped to regular. The simulation results wereanalysed using the diffusion model for evaluating the effectsof density and distribution pattern on the size-structure dynamicsin relation to the degree of competitive asymmetry. At low densities,changes in statistics of plant weight over time such as mean,coefficient of variation, skewness, and Box-Cox-transformedkurtosis differed greatly among spatial patterns, irrespectiveof the degree of competitive asymmetry. In completely symmetriccompetition, the spatial effect on size-structure dynamics remainedrelatively large irrespective of densities, although mean plantweight became similar among the spatial patterns with increasingdensity. However, the spatial effect diminished with increaseddensity in strongly asymmetric competition, when similar sizedistributions were realized irrespective of the spatial patterns.Therefore, it was concluded that: (1) irrespective of the degreeof competitive asymmetry, spatial pattern is important for size-structuredynamics at low densities; (2) spatial pattern is nearly immaterialunder strongly asymmetric competition at high densities; and(3) under crowded conditions, neighbourhood effects are muchmore apparent at the population level in less asymmetric competition.These processes and outcomes are linked to the forms of thefunctions of mean growth rate of individuals [G(t,x) function]and variance in growth rate [D(t,x) function]. These functionsare variable depending on the spatial pattern under symmetriccompetition, but are rather stable under strongly asymmetriccompetition at high densities irrespective of the spatial patterns.Therefore, size structure under strongly asymmetric competitioncan be regarded as a stable system, whereas that under symmetriccompetition is regarded as a variable system in relation tothe spatial pattern and process. From this, it was inferredthat: (1) the goodness-of-fit of spatial competition modelsfor crowded plant populations is higher in less asymmetric competition;and (2) higher species diversity in plant communities is associatedwith the lower degree of competitive asymmetry.Copyright 1994,1999 Academic Press Asymmetric competition, diffusion model, neighbourhood effect, size-structure stability, spatial competition model, spatial distribution pattern, species diversity, symmetric competition     

红树林群落优势种群自疏过程的生长动态

在深圳福田红树林保护区设置永久样地,经1994、1996、1998和2002年4次调查表明:群落中个体的断枝、死亡现象很明显,样地总面积200 m2中出现的总个体数分别为417、341、196和132个,种群平均密度依次为2.08、1.70、0.98和0.66个/m2;间隔期的死亡率依次为18.2%、42.5%和32.6%.种群个体存在明显的增粗生长,在每2年间隔期,优势种群桐花树(Aegiceras corniculatum(L.)Blanco)、秋茄(Kandelia candel(L.)Druce)和白骨壤(Avicennia marina(Forsk.)Vierh.)的胸径增加最大值分别达3.63 cm、2.45 cm、4.52 cm,且以白骨壤加粗较大.增高生长也很明显,第二次调查时341个个体中,233个出现增高生长,第三次调查时,196个个体中127个出现增高生长;2年间隔期,以桐花树增高生长最普遍,达1.5 m,秋茄增高生长最大的达1.9 m,白骨壤达1.8 m.生物量亦呈明显的相关变化,在逐次间隔调查中,地上部分总生物量依次降低,或稍增加后再次降低,但存活种群个体的平均生物量大多依次增加,4次调查期间单位面积的总生物量分别为7.57 kg/m2、8.36 kg/m2、5.15 kg/m2和7.71 kg/m2,与谭凤仪等(1995b)早期通过标准木等方式的计算结果相似.研究结果证实红树林群落的自疏过程是一种重要的演变过程,以植株、分枝干枯频繁发生为特征;演替过程中,新苗出现很少,而高度(长度)生长、增粗生长、干枯发生等与群落中种群的组成、结构、密度状况等直接相关.     

大青沟森林植物群落主要木本植物种群分布格局及动态的研究

本文运用方差／均值比率法及聚集强度的某些指数研究了大青沟森林植物群落主要木本植物种群的分布格局及其动态。主要木本植物种群的分布格局大多为集群型,只有部分群落中大果榆、色木槭及家榆种群为随机分布。格局动态的分析表明,水曲柳、黄菠萝、春榆、大果榆种群幼苗一幼树一小树一中树一大树分布格局由集群分布逐渐变为随机分布,而蒙古栎由于较强的萌生性,大树阶段仍为集群分布。分析表明影响种群分布格局的因子大致可归纳为两类：一是物种本身的生物学特性,二是由环境条件引起的种内种间竞争;方差／均值比率法是一种较好的分析种群分布格局的方法。     

Impact of Spatial and Temporal Variation in Calf Survival on the Growth of Elk Populations

Abstract: The realized impact of a vital rate on population growth (λ) is determined by both the relative influence of the vital rate on λ (elasticity) and its magnitude of variability. We estimated mean survival and reproductive rates in elk (Cervus elaphus) and spatial and temporal variation in these rates from 37 sources located primarily across the Rocky Mountain region and northwestern United States. We removed sampling variance from estimates of process variance both within and across vital-rate data sets using the variance discounting method developed by White (2000). Deterministic elasticities calculated from a population matrix model parameterized with these mean vital rates ranked adult female survival (e_Scow = 0.869) much higher than calf survival (e_Scalf = 0.131). However, process variance in calf survival was >11 times greater than process variance in female survival across data sets and 10 times greater on average within studies. We conducted Life-Stage Simulation Analysis to incorporate both vital-rate elasticity patterns and empirical estimates of variability to identify those vital rates most influential in elk population dynamics. The overwhelming magnitude of variation in calf survival explained 75% of the variation in the population growth rates generated from 1,000 matrix replicates, compared to just 16% of the variation in λ explained by variation in female survival. Variation in calf survival greatly impacts elk population growth and calls into question the utility of classical elasticity analysis alone for guiding elk management. These results also suggest that the majority of interannual variability that wildlife managers document in late-winter and spring elk surveys is attributable to variation in calf survival over the previous year and less influenced by variation in the harvest of females during the preceding autumn. To meet elk population size objectives, managers should consider the inherent variation in calf survival, and its apparent sensitivity to management, in addition to female harvest.     

Molecular Determinants of Epidermal Growth Factor Binding: A Molecular Dynamics Study

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase family that plays a role in multiple cellular processes. Activation of EGFR requires binding of a ligand on the extracellular domain to promote conformational changes leading to dimerization and transphosphorylation of intracellular kinase domains. Seven ligands are known to bind EGFR with affinities ranging from sub-nanomolar to near micromolar dissociation constants. In the case of EGFR, distinct conformational states assumed upon binding a ligand is thought to be a determining factor in activation of a downstream signaling network. Previous biochemical studies suggest the existence of both low affinity and high affinity EGFR ligands. While these studies have identified functional effects of ligand binding, high-resolution structural data are lacking. To gain a better understanding of the molecular basis of EGFR binding affinities, we docked each EGFR ligand to the putative active state extracellular domain dimer and 25.0 ns molecular dynamics simulations were performed. MM-PBSA/GBSA are efficient computational approaches to approximate free energies of protein-protein interactions and decompose the free energy at the amino acid level. We applied these methods to the last 6.0 ns of each ligand-receptor simulation. MM-PBSA calculations were able to successfully rank all seven of the EGFR ligands based on the two affinity classes: EGF>HB-EGF>TGF-α>BTC>EPR>EPG>AR. Results from energy decomposition identified several interactions that are common among binding ligands. These findings reveal that while several residues are conserved among the EGFR ligand family, no single set of residues determines the affinity class. Instead we found heterogeneous sets of interactions that were driven primarily by electrostatic and Van der Waals forces. These results not only illustrate the complexity of EGFR dynamics but also pave the way for structure-based design of therapeutics targeting EGF ligands or the receptor itself.     

Effects of human activities on Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park

Understanding how threatened wildlife can coexist with humans over the long term is a central issue in conservation and wildlife management. Komodo National Park in Eastern Indonesia, harbors the largest extant populations of the endemic Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Consistent with global trends, this species is expected to be increasingly exposed to human activities and in particular growing ecotourism activities. Here we comprehensively evaluated how human activities affected individual and population level attributes of Komodo dragons. We compared Komodo dragons phenotypic (behaviour, body size, and body condition) and demographic (age structure, sex ratio, survival, and density) responses to variation in human activities across national park. Komodo dragons were found to exhibit pronounced responses to high human activity level relative to sites with low and negligible human activities. Komodo dragons exposed to ecotourism exhibited significantly less wariness, larger body mass, better body condition, and higher survival. These results are entirely consistent with ecotourism activities that provided Komodo dragons with long-term and substantial nutritional subsidies as a consequence of feeding and human food refuse. However, we also noted the potential negative consequences of altered behaviour and adult-biased populations in ecotourism areas which may influence demographic processes through intraspecific competition or predation. To address this issue, we recommend that three management strategies to be implemented in future include: (1) removal of human-mediated nutritional subsidies, (2) alternative ecotourism, and (3) spatial regulation of ecotourism. Furthermore, we advocate the development of approaches to achieve a socio–ecological sustainability that benefits both people and wildlife conservation.     

Genetic Determinants of Circulating Sphingolipid Concentrations in European Populations

Sphingolipids have essential roles as structural components of cell membranes and in cell signalling, and disruption of their metabolism causes several diseases, with diverse neurological, psychiatric, and metabolic consequences. Increasingly, variants within a few of the genes that encode enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism are being associated with complex disease phenotypes. Direct experimental evidence supports a role of specific sphingolipid species in several common complex chronic disease processes including atherosclerotic plaque formation, myocardial infarction (MI), cardiomyopathy, pancreatic β-cell failure, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, sphingolipids represent novel and important intermediate phenotypes for genetic analysis, yet little is known about the major genetic variants that influence their circulating levels in the general population. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) between 318,237 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and levels of circulating sphingomyelin (SM), dihydrosphingomyelin (Dih-SM), ceramide (Cer), and glucosylceramide (GluCer) single lipid species (33 traits); and 43 matched metabolite ratios measured in 4,400 subjects from five diverse European populations. Associated variants (32) in five genomic regions were identified with genome-wide significant corrected p-values ranging down to 9.08×10⁻⁶⁶. The strongest associations were observed in or near 7 genes functionally involved in ceramide biosynthesis and trafficking: SPTLC3, LASS4, SGPP1, ATP10D, and FADS1–3. Variants in 3 loci (ATP10D, FADS3, and SPTLC3) associate with MI in a series of three German MI studies. An additional 70 variants across 23 candidate genes involved in sphingolipid-metabolizing pathways also demonstrate association (p = 10⁻⁴ or less). Circulating concentrations of several key components in sphingolipid metabolism are thus under strong genetic control, and variants in these loci can be tested for a role in the development of common cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, and psychiatric diseases.     

Spatial Adaptation of Populations in Ecological Models

Biophysics - A discrete dynamic model of populations is described; in this model, spatial migration is specified by a finite-state Markov chain, while growth and nonlinear interactions are defined...     

濒危植物南方红豆杉种群克隆生长空间格局与动态

在南方红豆杉集中的广西元宝山林区设置样地 ,采用相邻格子样方法和T形距离取样法调查取样。应用方差 均值比的t检验法判定种群分布格局类型 ,用负二项参数、格林指数、Morisita指数、丛生指标、平均拥挤度和聚块性指数、T形距离指数等方法测度集聚强度 ,对南方红豆杉种群克隆生长的空间格局及动态进行研究。结果表明 :整个种群在 1 0m×1 0m、1 0m× 5m、5m× 5m、 3m×2m等不同空间尺度下均表现为集聚分布格局 ,但集群强度不高。在种群生活史中 ,从幼苗到大树 ,集群程度减小 ,大树呈随机分布。南方红豆杉有强烈的萌生能力 ,大量产生萌生分株 ,幼苗期剧烈的种内和种间竞争作用 ,导致个体密度下降、集群程度降低 ,种群表现扩散趋势 ,而小树、中龄树因占据了所需的生态位空间 ,种内竞争相对减缓 ,集聚强度有所增强 ,随个体生态位空间的扩张 ,种内和种间竞争重新加剧 ,种群密度下降 ,种群空间格局转为随机分布。南方红豆杉种群不同大小级分布格局这种动态变化反映了种群在生长发育过程中的生态策略和适应机制。     

Growth of Individuals in Plant Populations

Relationships between individual plant weight and net photosynthesisper day (G(t, x) function of plant weight) in plant populationsof various stand structures were simulated based on a canopyphotosynthesis model. The G(t, x) functions of plant weightare determined mainly by LAI (leaf area index), the relationshipbetween individual plant weight and leaf area, canopy structureand extinction coefficient. The concave relationship betweenindividual plant weight and leaf area at small LAI (<2),at small extinction coefficient (< 0.5), or at the canopystructure having the maximum leaf area density at the bottomproduces a concave G(t, x) function, which generates negativeskewness of plant weight. The linear relationship between individualplant weight and leaf area at large LAI (> 2) produces aconvex G(t, x) function, which generates positive skewness ofplant weight. These simulation results coincide with G(t, x)functions obtained experimentally and with the well-known phenomenonof stand dynamics in which skewness of plant weight becomesnegative in the early growth stage and then increases to a positivevalue as a stand grows and becomes crowded. Helianthus annuus L., individual plant size, mean growth rate, canopy photosynthesis model, skewness, stand structure     

Dynamics of Newly Established Elk Populations

Abstract: The dynamics of newly established elk (Cervus elaphus) populations can provide insights about maximum sustainable rates of reproduction, survival, and increase. However, data used to estimate rates of increase typically have been limited to counts and rarely have included complementary estimates of vital rates. Complexities of population dynamics cannot be understood without considering population processes as well as population states. We estimated pregnancy rates, survival rates, age ratios, and sex ratios for reintroduced elk at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA; combined vital rates in a population projection model; and compared model projections with observed elk numbers and population ratios. Pregnancy rates in January (early in the second trimester of pregnancy) averaged 54.1% (SE = 5.4%) for subadults and 91.0% (SE = 1.7%) for adults, and 91.6% of pregnancies resulted in recruitment at 8 months. Annual survival rates of adult females averaged 0.96 (95% CI = 0.94-0.98) with hunting included and 0.99 (95% CI = 0.97-0.99) with hunting excluded from calculations. Our fitted model explained 99.8% of past variation in population estimates and represents a useful new tool for short-term management planning. Although we found no evidence of temporal variation in vital rates, variation in population composition caused substantial variation in projected rates of increase (Λ = 1.20-1.36). Restoring documented hunter harvests and removals of elk by the National Park Service led to a potential rate of Λ = 1.26. Greater rates of increase substantiated elsewhere were within the expected range of chance variation, given our model and estimates of vital rates. Rates of increase realized by small elk populations are too variable to support inferences about habitat quality or density dependence.     

Invasion Waves in Populations with Excitable Dynamics

Whilst the most obvious mechanism for a biological invasion is the occupation of a new territory as a result of direct ingress by individuals of the invading population, a more subtle “invasion” may occur without significant motion of invading individuals if the population dynamics in a predator prey scenario has an “excitable” character. Here, “excitable” means that a local equilibrium state, either of coexistence of predator and prey, or of prey only, may, when disturbed by a small perturbation, switch to a new, essentially invaded state. In an invasion of this type little spatial movement of individuals occurs, but a wave of rapid change of population level nevertheless travels through the invaded territory. In this article we summarise and review recent modelling research which shows that the macroscopic features of these invasion waves depend strongly on the detailed spatial dynamics of the predator–prey relationship; the models assume simple (linear) diffusion and pursuit-evasion, represented by (non-linear) cross-diffusion, as examples. In the context of plankton population dynamics, such waves may be produced by sudden injections of nutrient and consequent rapid increase in plankton populations, brought about, for example, by the upwelling caused by a passing atmospheric low pressure system.     

Diversity and Dynamics of Indigenous Rhizobium japonicum Populations

A simple method, based upon the separation of cellular proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, has been devised for distinguishing between isolates of Rhizobium japonicum. Eleven laboratory strains, previously classified into five serogroups, were analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Groups determined subjectively according to protein patterns matched the serogroups, with one exception. Most strains within serogroups could be distinguished from one another. For studying the ecology of Rhizobium, an important advantage of this technique compared with serology or phage typing is that it discriminates among previously unencountered indigenous bacterial isolates as well as among known laboratory strains. SDS-gels were used to analyze the Rhizobium population of 500 nodules, sampled throughout the growing season, from soybeans at two different Wisconsin localities. Although the soybeans had been inoculated with laboratory strains of R. japonicum, indigenous R. japonicum predominated. At one location, 19 indigenous gel types were distinguished and classified mainly into four groups. At the other location, 18 gel types, falling mainly into three groups, were detected. The predominance of a particular group varied, in some cases dramatically, depending upon the time and depth of nodule formation.     

Structural and Functional Dynamics of Sulfate-Reducing Populations in Bacterial Biofilms

We describe the combined application of microsensors and molecular techniques to investigate the development of sulfate reduction and of sulfate-reducing bacterial populations in an aerobic bacterial biofilm. Microsensor measurements for oxygen showed that anaerobic zones developed in the biofilm within 1 week and that oxygen was depleted in the top 200 to 400 μm during all stages of biofilm development. Sulfate reduction was first detected after 6 weeks of growth, although favorable conditions for growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were present from the first week. In situ hybridization with a 16S rRNA probe for SRB revealed that sulfate reducers were present in high numbers (approximately 10⁸ SRB/ml) in all stages of development, both in the oxic and anoxic zones of the biofilm. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that the genetic diversity of the microbial community increased during the development of the biofilm. Hybridization analysis of the DGGE profiles with taxon-specific oligonucleotide probes showed that Desulfobulbus and Desulfovibrio were the main sulfate-reducing bacteria in all biofilm samples as well as in the bulk activated sludge. However, different Desulfobulbus and Desulfovibrio species were found in the 6th and 8th weeks of incubation, respectively, coinciding with the development of sulfate reduction. Our data indicate that not all SRB detected by molecular analysis were sulfidogenically active in the biofilm.     

Populations and infectious diseases: Dynamics and evolution

The host-parasite or host-pathogen system was analyzed from dynamical and evolutionary viewpoints using simple mathematical models incorporating vertical transmission, immunity and its loss. We first analyzed a model without density regulation of host population. In the analysis on dynamics, the condition for the pathogen to work as a density regulating factor was obtained. In the analysis on evolution, criteria for the evolution of host and pathogen were proposed. These criteria implies that the evolution of hosts should result in an increase in infected host density, whereas the evolution of pathogens a decrease in susceptible host density. The direction of evolution at some parameters of host and that of pathogen were examined when the parameters were independently and freely changeable. Among the parameters, only reduction in additional mortality due to infection was the evolutionary trend common to both host and pathogen. In all the other parameters examined, trend of evolution predicted in host is reversed in pathogen. We then analyzed whether the obtained criteria still hold in models with density regulation of hosts. Using randomly generated parameter sets, we obtained the result that the criteria should hold very likely though they do not always hold. We discussed evolution of virulence when there is a constraint between the traits.