萼花臂尾轮虫休眠卵大小变异在其生活史对策中的作用

以周期性孤雌繁殖的淡水浮游生物——萼花臂尾轮虫（Brachionus calyciflorus）为研究对象．对其安徽品系的休眠卵进行了大、中、小分组,在2个不同食物浓度条件下培养并观察其种群增长、有性生殖方面的特点,以及后代形态大小和新产休眠卵大小。实验发现休眠卵大小对轮虫种群瞬时增长率、混交雌体百分率和后代形态均没有显著影响;而食物浓度则对轮虫种群的瞬时增长率有显著影响;休眠卵大小和食物浓度均显著影响后代休眠卵的大小。     

西藏双须叶须鱼年龄与生长特点研究

双须叶须鱼（Ptychobarbus dipogon Regan）隶属裂腹鱼亚科（Schizothoracinae）叶须鱼属（Ptychobarbus）,是西藏特有经济鱼类,2016年被列入中国脊椎动物红色名录,必须加快推动该鱼的养护工作。2013年2~3月份及2014年2~6月份,在雅鲁藏布江谢通门段与支流拉萨河上游段采集1 030尾双须叶须鱼样本,以脊椎骨作为年龄鉴定材料进行年龄与生长特点研究,以期分析和评价该类群鱼类资源情况。研究结果如下：双须叶须鱼样本中最大年龄为49龄,最小年龄为4龄;体重与体长关系是样本总体W=4.4×10^-5?SL^2.7688、雌鱼W_♀=5.0×10^-4?SL^2.3474、雄鱼W_♂=2.8×10^-5?SL^2.8414;体长生长方程为雌鱼L_t（♀）=431.8［1-e^-0.19（t+1.19）］,渐进体长L∞_（♀）=431.8 mm,拐点年龄为3.3龄,雄鱼L_t（♂）=367.6［1-e^-0.42（t+3.37）］,渐进体长L∞_（♂）=367.7 mm;体重生长方程为雌鱼W_t（♀）=767.40［1-e^-0.19（t+1.19）］^2.3474,雄鱼W_t（♂）=545.02［1-e^-0.42（t+3.37）］^2.8414;群体异速生长指数b=2.768 8与匀速生长指数3存在显著性差异,即P<0.05。研究表明双须叶须鱼体趋向低龄化,应当予以充分关注。     

大型和小型萼花臂尾轮虫的遗传和生活史特征比较研究

近年来，有关生物个体大小变异规律的研究已经成为生活史对策研究的重要内容之一。研究发现，大小相似的萼花臂尾轮虫（Brachionus Calyciflorus）母体所产休眠卵孵化出的不同克隆后代个体大小变化显著，其中，最大个体是最小个体体积的6.25倍。推测种群内产生不同大小的后代个体是轮虫应对环境变化的一种适应性进化策略，然而目前对上述不同大小轮虫克隆的遗传和生活史特征的研究尚未见报道。以mtDNA COI基因和rDNA ITS序列作为分子标记，比较了个体大小差异显著的不同克隆萼花臂尾轮虫的遗传分化程度和分类地位，并在不同温度（20℃、25℃、30℃）和不同斜生栅藻（Scenedesmus obliquus）食物密度（1.0×10⁶、3.0×10⁶、5.0×10⁶个/mL）下比较了它们的生活史特征。结果表明，萼花臂尾轮虫种群内个体大小变异并非由于遗传特征的明显分化所导致，大型和小型个体轮虫克隆在两种分子标记上并不构成姐妹种，且两种形态型间还存在共享单倍型。温度、食物密度、轮虫形态型，以及温度和食物密度各自与轮虫形态型之间的交互作用，均显著影响轮虫的生活史特征。小型轮虫在1.0×10⁶个细胞/mL食物密度下显著延长了胚胎和幼体的发育时间，缩短了生殖期历时；大型轮虫在1.0×10⁶个细胞/mL和3.0×10⁶个细胞/mL食物密度下显著延长了幼体的发育时间，但是其用于胚胎发育和生殖的时间却不随食物密度的变化而变化。各温度和食物密度条件下，大型轮虫的生殖期历时、平均寿命和世代时间均显著延长，或有延长趋势；而两者的种群增长能力之间的差异却因温度和食物密度的不同而异。20℃、25℃以及3.0×10⁶个细胞/mL和5.0×10⁶个细胞/mL食物密度下两种形态型轮虫的生殖能力相似；30℃条件下小型轮虫的生殖能力更强；1.0×10⁶个细胞/mL食物密度下大型轮虫的生殖能力更强。小型轮虫在各温度和各食物密度下均未产生混交雌体后代，而大型轮虫在20℃低温下有较高的后代混交率。因此，大型和小型个体轮虫克隆具有显著不同的生活史策略，且利用有性生殖直接产生个体体积明显变异的不同克隆后代是萼花臂尾轮虫适应不可预测环境变化的一种"赌注策略"。     

圈养林麝粪样类固醇激素水平与麝香分泌的关系

基于非损伤取样和放射免疫法（RIA）,于2018年9月1日-10月15日期间对四川马尔康林麝繁育场的36头雄性圈养林麝（Moschus berezovskii）的粪样类固醇激素水平进行了检测,结合麝香分泌数据采集,探究了林麝的粪样睾酮和皮质醇水平与其麝香分泌的关系,结果表明：四川马尔康圈养林麝的麝香分泌（12.53±0.76）g（n=36）与粪样睾酮水平（106.03±12.34）ng/g（n=36）呈显著正相关（r=0.436,P < 0.01）,泌香较多雄麝（16.50±0.61）g（n=17）的睾酮水平（141.51±21.86）ng/g（n=17）显著地高于泌香较少（8.98±0.59）g（n=19）雄麝（74.27±7.93）ng/g（n=19）（t=-3.252,df=34, P < 0.01）,方程y=0.021x+10.270（R²=0.120,P < 0.05）可较好地拟合二者间关系。麝香分泌与皮质醇浓度（47.49±1.53）ng/g（n=36）相关不显著（r=0.078,P > 0.05）,泌香较多雄麝的皮质醇浓度（48.98±2.28）ng/g（n=17）略高于泌香较少雄麝（46.17±2.14）ng/g（n=19）,差异不显著（P > 0.05）,方程y=0.038x+10.730（R²=0.023,P > 0.05）可近似拟合皮质醇与泌香量间的关系。此外,雄麝睾酮水平对泌香量有显著影响（P < 0.05）,睾酮水平较高林麝泌香量（14.97±1.17）g（n=12）显著高于睾酮水平较低个体的泌香量（11.32±0.90）g（n=24）（F=4.79,P < 0.05）,而睾酮、皮质醇和年龄对麝香分泌的综合效应及变量间的交互作用均不显著（P > 0.05）。研究确定了圈养林麝粪样睾酮和皮质醇水平与麝香分泌量间的关系,可用于麝类驯养实践的麝香产量预测及品系选育。     

萼花臂尾轮虫有性生殖、种群增长和休眠卵产量间的关系

利用种群指数增长和Logistic增长模型,通过计算机模拟研究了萼花臂尾轮虫有性生殖发生的频率,后代中的混交雌体发率对种群增长和休眠卵产量的影响。在所模拟的参数范围内,随有性生殖发生频率由100％减小到20％,获得了大休眠卵产量所需的混交雌体百分率由9％增大到69％,随密度制约作用的增大（环境容纳量K值由1000减小到100）,该混交雌体百分率由18％增大到69％,休眠卵产量由1072．10降低至133．67,种群的内禀增长率与获得最大休眠卵产量所需的混交雌体百分率间呈曲线相关。当有性生殖发生得越频繁,种群增长所受的密度制约作用较小时,后代中10％－30％的个体为混交雌体时的种群中休眠卵产量较大。     

镜湖萼花臂尾轮虫种群等位酶分析和生殖参数的季节变化

应用聚丙烯酰胺垂直平板凝胶电泳分析了镜湖萼花臂尾轮虫春季和夏季种群的葡萄糖磷酸异构酶（GPI）、苹果酸脱氢酶（MDH）和葡萄糖磷酸变位酶（PGM）三种酶系统,检测出GPI和MDH酶谱在两季节种群间存在着明显的差异;根据酶谱的不同可以把春季种群内的24个克隆划分为6个基因型不同的克隆群,夏季种群内的10个克隆划分为7个基因型不同的克隆群;春、夏两个季节种群内具有2个基因型相同的克隆群;各基因型在轮虫种群内的发生频率不尽相同。对轮虫两季节种群内共13个具有不同基因型的轮虫克隆在4个温度（15℃、20℃、25℃和30℃）下的种群增长率、种群中的混交雌体率和混交雌体受精率以及休眠卵产量等生殖参数所作的研究结果表明,各克隆的生殖参数对升高温度的反应不尽相同,温度和克隆以及两者间的交互作用对轮虫各生殖参数具有极显著的影响;这可能是镜湖萼花臂尾轮虫种群丰富的遗传变异得以维持的原因之一。上述结果显示,镜湖萼花臂尾轮虫种群不仅在生化遗传特征方面存在着显著的季节变异,在孤雌生殖速率（以种群增长率为指标）以及有性生殖的发生、过程和结局-混交雌体的产生、受精作用和休眠卵形成等生态特征方面还具有丰富的季节分化。     

不同CO2浓度升高和氮肥水平对水稻叶绿素荧光特性的影响

为研究不同CO₂浓度升高和氮肥水平对水稻叶绿素荧光特性的影响,利用由开顶式气室（OTC）组成的CO₂浓度自动调控平台开展田间试验。以粳稻9108为试验材料,CO₂浓度设置CK（对照,环境大气CO₂浓度）、C₁（CO₂浓度比CK增加160 μmol/mol）和C₂（CO₂浓度比CK增加200 μmol/mol）3个水平;氮肥设置低氮（N₁：10 g/m²）、中氮（N₂：20 g/m²）和高氮（N₃：30 g/m²）3个水平。结果表明,在低氮条件下,与CK相比,C₁处理使拔节期的F_o上升4.8%（P=0.031）;C₂处理使拔节期的F_o上升6.3%（P=0.015）,F_v/F_m下降4.8%（P=0.003）,使孕穗期的F_o上升12.7%（P=0.039）,F_v/F_o下降18.2%（P=0.039）。在高氮条件下,与CK相比,C₂处理使灌浆期的F_m、F_v和F_v/F_m分别下降3.6%（P=0.039）、4.9%（P=0.013）和1.3%（P=0.039）。在中氮条件下,与CK相比,C₁和C₂处理的影响不明显。在整个生育期内,CO₂浓度升高与施氮处理交互作用对水稻叶绿素荧光特性的影响未到达显著水平。研究表明,大气CO₂浓度升高使水稻叶片光系统Ⅱ受损,抑制其电子传递能力、电子受体Q_A氧化还原情况、最大光化学效率和潜在活性,通过适量施氮可以有效地缓解其负面效应。     

水生生态系统食物网复杂性与多样性的关系

探索食物网的复杂结构是生态学的中心问题之一。基于构建的黄河口海草床食物网并耦合实际食物网的数据集，整理了包含河口、湖泊、海洋和河流四种水生生态系统类型的48个实际食物网案例。以食物网的节点数反映食物网多样性，物种之间的营养链接数、链接密度和连通度来表示食物网的复杂性，采用营养缩尺模型描述水生生态系统食物网的复杂性特征与节点数的普适性规律。结果表明：所涉及的48个水生生态系统食物网的多样性和复杂性跨度较大，其中，节点数的分布范围为4-124，链接数为3-1830，链接密度为0.75-15.71，连通度为0.06-0.25。不同类型水生生态系统间的连通度存在显著性差异（P=0.01），节点数、链接数、链接密度不存在显著性差异。各类型生态系统的食物网链接数、链接密度均随节点数的增加而增加（R²=0.92，P<0.001和R²=0.82，P<0.001）。湖泊生态系统的连通度随节点数的变化不明显，围绕在0.20附近；而其他3种类型生态系统的食物网连通度随节点数的增加而降低（R²=0.06-0.41，P<0.001）。对全球尺度的水生食物网多样性和复杂性的定量化研究对于提升对食物网的复杂结构的科学认识，从系统尺度探究多样性和复杂性的关系提供数据支撑。     

雅砻江中游厚唇裸重唇鱼种群结构与生长特性

于2020年10月至2021年3月在四川省甘孜藏族自治州雅砻江江段（雅江县至新龙县）采集厚唇裸重唇鱼（Gymnodiptychus pachycheilus）样本189尾,用以研究雅砻江中游厚唇裸重唇鱼的种群结构与生长特性,分析其野生资源现状、影响因素及保护对策。结果显示雅砻江中游厚唇裸重唇鱼调查种群由3-9龄组成,其中优势年龄组为4-6龄,占样本总数的87.83%;种群平均体长和体重分别为264.1 mm和250.5 g,雌雄性比为1.48：1,雌性和雄性最小性成熟个体年龄均为4龄,对应体长分别为202.0 mm和220.0 mm,对应体重分别为105.0 g和133.0 g;种群的平均肥满度为1.22,体长（L）与体重（W）关系式为W=5.00×10^-6L^3.146（R²=0.948,n=189）,属于匀速生长类型;种群体长和体重的Von Bertalanffy生长方程分别为L_t=727.5[1-e^{-0.097（t-0.508）}],W_t=5224.9[1-e^{-0.097（t-0.508）}]^3.146;生长拐点年龄为12.4龄,对应的体长和体重分别为505.2 mm和1568.3 g。研究表明目前雅砻江中游厚唇裸重唇鱼表现出年龄结构趋于低龄化,体型趋于小型化的种群结构特点,且具有自然寿命较长、生长缓慢、渐近体长较大等生长特性,加之雅砻江饵料基础和水文条件较差等因素,推测雅砻江中游厚唇裸重唇鱼所具备的种群增长潜力较低,其野生资源的自然恢复面临挑战。因此,应尽快开展雅砻江流域厚唇裸重唇鱼野生资源的保护工作。     

广西扶绥白头叶猴对栖息地的选择与利用

为了解白头叶猴（Trachypithecus leucocephalus）的栖息地利用规律及其影响因素,2016年2月至2017年1月,采用瞬时扫描取样法对广西崇左白头叶猴国家级自然保护区一群白头叶猴的栖息地利用进行了研究。结果表明,白头叶猴对山体不同部位的利用存在显著性差异（χ² =39.467,df=3,P<0.001）,其中,对崖壁（56.75±9.55）%的利用比例最大,其次是对山坡（39.42±10.93）%和山顶（2.98±2.54）%的利用,而对山脚（0.84±1.47）%的利用频率最低。白头叶猴对不同微生境类型的利用存在差异（χ²=27.709,df=3,P<0.001）,其中对乔木（49.37±12.31）%的利用比例最大,其次是裸岩（24.05±13.61）%,随后依次为藤本（15.48±8.01）%和灌木（10.87±5.45）%。白头叶猴主要在山坡上觅食,利用崖壁移动、休息,进行社会活动;主要利用裸岩进行社会活动,觅食、移动、休息主要发生在乔木上。从整体来看,白头叶猴在雨季对乔木的利用频率显著大于旱季（Z=-2.680,n=12,P=0.007）;雨季在山坡觅食频率显著大于旱季（Z=-2.517,n=12,P=0.012）,而在崖壁觅食频率刚好相反（Z=-2.842,n=12,P=0.004）;白头叶猴雨季在乔木休息的频率显著大于旱季（Z=-2.355,n=12,P=0.019）。白头叶猴对栖息地的利用受到温度的影响。白头叶猴对乔木的总体利用频率随着平均温度的升高而增加（r=0.664,n=12,P=0.018）;觅食时,对崖壁、裸岩的利用频率均与平均温度成负相关关系（崖壁：r=-0.685,n=12,P=0.014;裸岩：r=-0.600,n=12,P=0.039）;休息时,对乔木的利用频率与平均温度呈正相关关系（r=0.650,n=12,P=0.022）。不同季节,白头叶猴对栖息地的利用方式不同。白头叶猴的栖息地利用模式可能是在觅食利益和捕食风险之间作出的权衡,并受到环境温度的影响。     

Polymorphism in stem females and successive parthenogenetic generations in Brachionus calyciflorus Pallas

We have described the polymorphism in the hatchlings of resting eggs and the morphological variations between the stem females hatched from resting eggs and their successive parthenogenetic generations in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. We hatched resting eggs of B. calyciflorus in two different culture mediums: unconditioned medium (IOM) and Asplanchna-conditioned (ACM). The hatching rate of resting eggs in IOM and ACM were 32.5% and 28.5%, respectively, and showed no significant difference. Stem females hatching from these resting eggs had three morphotypes (unspined, single short-spined, and two short-spined) and over 80% of these females were spineless ones. Moreover, the frequency of each morphotype stem females showed similar tendency in IOM and ACM. The production of a variety of morphotypes among stem mothers—rather than all unspined as has been previously reported for this species—may be regarded as a form of bet-hedging in this population of B. calyciflorus. Phenotypic changes in morphology between the stem females hatched from resting eggs and their successive parthenogenetic generations in B. calyciflorus were found. The possible mechanisms, responsible for high proportion of spineless phenotype at early generations from resting eggs and increased spined phenotype in successive parthenogenetic generations, were discussed in the article.     

Effect of food concentration on the production and viability of resting eggs of the rotifer Brachionus: implications for the timing of sexual reproduction

1. Life‐table experiments with Brachionus calyciflorus test several hypotheses related to the idea that sexual reproduction in monogonont rotifers should occur when food resources are favourable. 2. The food concentration necessary for a fertilised mictic female to produce one phenotypically normal resting egg was higher than that for an amictic female to produce one daughter. At the lowest concentration of Cryptomonas erosa (1.25 × 10³ cells mL^?1), the lifetime fecundity of these two types of females was 0.9 and 1.4, respectively. 3. The lifetime fecundity of both fertilised mictic females and amictic females increased with food concentration to 3.4 resting eggs and 15.2 daughters female^?1, respectively. The approach to maximal fecundity with increasing food concentration was more rapid for fertilised mictic females, such that their lifetime fecundity relative to that of amictic females gradually decreased from 0.64 (at 1.25 × 10³ C. erosa mL^?1) to 0.22 (at 2.5 × 10⁴ C. erosa mL^?1). 4. The probability of a fertilised mictic female producing one or more abnormal resting eggs during her lifetime was high (approximately 75%). The mean proportion of abnormal eggs produced per female varied among the different food‐concentration treatments (26–38%) but was not higher at the low food concentrations. 5. The proportion of normal resting eggs that hatched was high (51–71%); those produced at low food concentrations were no less likely to hatch than those produced at high food concentrations. No abnormal resting eggs hatched. 6. The probability of a fertilised mictic female producing an abnormal resting egg increased rapidly with her age at all food concentrations. The probability of a normal resting egg hatching declined with maternal age at the low food concentration in one of two experiments. 7. The results support the idea that induction of mictic females should occur when food resources are good. Coincidence of sexual reproduction with low food availability risks low production of resting eggs for several reasons. Population size may be small, with a low probability of encounters between young mictic females and males, and fertilised mictic females may be unable to mature and produce resting eggs.     

Effect of female aging on the morphology and hatchability of resting eggs in the rotifer <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachionus plicatilis</Emphasis> Müller

This study examined the morphology and hatchability of Brachionus plicatilis resting eggs as a function of the aging of maternal fertilized mictic females. One-hundred twenty fertilized B. plicatilis (Australian strain) were individually cultured and monitored daily until death. All cultures were maintained at 25°C, 11 ppt, and fed the micro-algae Tetraselmis tetrathele. Resting eggs produced by the females were investigated using two parameters: egg morphology, and hatching rate. Under these culture conditions, females normally produce 1–6 (mean ± SD = 2.7 ± 1.2) resting eggs during their lifetime. However, the number of resting eggs with abnormal morphology increased as a function of maternal age. Among resting eggs with normal morphology (n = 225), 82.2% were produced during the first and second spawning, and had hatching rates of more than 60%, while the hatching rates were below 30% in resting eggs with a spawning order of >2. Thus, the quality of B. plicatilis resting eggs was negatively correlated with maternal age.     

Fire and recovery of resting egg bank: an experimental study in paddy fields in Pathum Thani province,Thailand

The effects of straw burning, exposure conditions and exposure durations on the diversity of zooplankton resting eggs were examined by hatching resting eggs in sediment collected from rice fields in Pathum Thani province, Thailand. Well-mixed surface sediment samples from with- and without straw burning paddies were stored under three conditions, (4°C and darkness; 28–40°C and darkness; and 28–40°C and light), for different periods of time (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 months). Thirty zooplankton species were identified from hatching experiments. Of these, 25 species were Rotifera, 3 were Cladocera, 1 was Ostracoda and 1 was Copepoda. Repeated Measurement analysis showed that straw burning significantly decreased the number of zooplankton species, the zooplankton abundance and zooplankton diversity (P = 0.000, 0.019 and 0.004, respectively). A significant effect of storage conditions on the number of species was also present (P = 0.016), whereas zooplankton abundance and zooplankton diversity were not affected (P = 0.583 and 0.180). In addition, exposure time had an effect on number of zooplankton species and diversity (P = 0.001 and 0.033) but not on zooplankton abundance (P = 0.676). The traditional practice of residue burning post harvest therefore has a substantially negative effect on zooplankton biodiversity.     

Females from resting eggs and parthenogenetic eggs in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus: lipid droplets, starvation resistance and reproduction

1. In the heterogonic life cycle of monogonont rotifers, amictic (female‐producing) females develop from two types of eggs: fertilised resting (diapausing) eggs and parthenogenetic subitaneous eggs. Females hatched from resting eggs initiate clonal populations by female parthenogenesis and are called stem females. This study compares females from resting and parthenogenetic eggs that were produced under identical culture conditions and were of similar birth order. 2. Newborn stem females had many more lipid droplets in their tissues than similar‐sized, newborn females from parthenogenetic eggs. When neonates were stained with Nile Red and viewed under epifluorescent illumination, these droplets were shown to be sites of neutral‐lipid storage products. 3. Stem females had no posterolateral spines and short anterior spines, while their mothers and offspring in subsequent, parthenogenetic generations typically had long posterolateral spines and elongated anterior spines. 4. Newborn stem females survived starvation significantly longer than newborn females from parthenogenetic eggs. 5. When females from resting and parthenogenetic eggs were cultured from birth to death at a high food concentration, the reproductive potential (r day^?1) of the stem females was significantly higher (0.82–0.88 versus 0.70), primarily because of egg production at an earlier age. The mean lifetime fecundity (R_o) of stem females was significantly greater than that of females from parthenogenetic eggs. 6. Extensive lipid reserves should increase the ability of stem females to colonise new habitats. Firstly, compared with females from parthenogenetic eggs, stem females are more likely to experience starvation or food limitation. Resting eggs hatch in response to physical and chemical factors that are not directly related to food availability, and from sediments that may be far from food‐rich surface waters. Secondly, when food is abundant, stem females have a greater reproductive potential.     

Phenotypic Variations in the Life History of Two Clones of Macrobiotus richtersi (Eutardigrada, Macrobiotidae)

A comparative study of life history traits of two clones (CDMr01 and CDMr02) of a triploid thelytokous apomictic population of the eutardigrade Macrobiotus richtersi has been carried out. Both clones were reared under the same lab conditions: temperature of 14 °C, photoperiod of 12 h/12 h (L/D), and nematodes ad libitum as food. Statistical analysis of the life history traits considered has indicated interclonal variability. The two clones were significantly different in the number of eggs per clutch (fertility), number of eggs laid per female per life span (fecundity), hatching percentage of eggs and hatching time. Similarities between clones have been observed with regard to life span, total number of ovipositions per life span, and age at first oviposition. In addition, significant differences in hatching time, with eggs hatched over a long period, were found within each clone. Interclonal variability in life history traits indicated the effects of genetic factors, whereas intraclonal variability reflected the effects of environmental factors. The evolutionary and adaptive significance of the life history phenotypic variations is discussed.     

Growth and fecundity of Daphnia after diapause and their impact on the development of a population

Laboratory and field investigations revealed that the life history traits of exephippial and parthenogenetic generations of Daphnia differ substantially. Daphniids hatching from resting eggs grow faster and their definitive body sizes are bigger than of hatchlings from subitaneous eggs. Size at maturity for exephippial animals is significantly larger. In spite of this, they mature a few days earlier than parthenogenetic females. In this study, the difference was 3–4 days for the laboratory experiments and 1–3 days for the field. Fecundity of the exephippial generation is markedly higher. Here, the clutch size for this generation was up to 3.5–4.0 times as large as for the parthenogenetic generation. Moreover, obtained results suggest that the relationship between clutch size and body length for both generations differ significantly.Estimates of the intrinsic rate of increase for field Daphnia populations demonstrated that life history traits of exephippial animals lead to a two or threefold higher rate of increase in the conditions of invertebrate predation pressure. Under moderate fish pressure, obtained r values for the daphniids hatching from resting eggs were larger than those from subitaneous. High growth rate of exephippial females is disadvantageous only under the conditions of severe pressure by fish. Obtained results suggest that hatchlings from diapausing eggs an acceleration of population increase by several times during the beginning of the development of a population with periodical re-establishment from resting eggs.     

Effects of winter conditions on Daphnia dynamics and genetic diversity in a dimictic temperate reservoir

1. Winter conditions shape plankton dynamics and community composition in temperate regions, but their effect on dynamics and genetic composition of cyclical parthenogens like Daphnia is largely unclear. 2. For 5 years, we studied the dynamics, hatching from resting eggs and genetic structure of a D. galeata × longispina hybrid complex in a dimictic, temperate reservoir. Our main hypothesis was that higher spring densities and an earlier population peak will be observed after warmer winters, with a lower genetic diversity because of a lower contribution of resting eggs to population growth. 3. The study period could clearly be categorised into cold‐winter years (n = 3) and warm‐winter years (n = 2). Daphnia densities at the end of spring overturn were ～10‐fold lower after cold winters than after warm ones, but no pattern emerged concerning the timing and the height of the population peak in early summer. 4. Hatching intensity from resting eggs was higher and contributed up to 8.5% to Daphnia abundance in a cold‐winter year compared to a negligible contribution in a warm‐winter year. Consistent with this finding, new multilocus genotypes (MLGs) adding to the overwintering stock after the end of spring overturn and presumably originating from resting eggs increased genetic diversity and attained high frequencies within the population only after a cold winter. New MLGs were recorded also after warm winters, but they never gained dominance and no shift in genetic diversity was observed. However, genetic diversity was not generally reduced after warm winters. 5. Our results confirm earlier findings that winter conditions have only a limited effect on the main growth phase and the peak of Daphnia during late spring and early summer. However, winter conditions determine the contribution of resting eggs to the population development, which may profoundly alter the genetic composition of the population compared to the previous season.     

Reproductive trade-off of the copepod Acartia tonsa in a hypersaline estuary of the Southwestern Atlantic. Temporal variations in the morphology of eggs

The purpose of the present work was to study the seasonal variations in egg production, morphology and hatching success in the cryptic species Acartia tonsa, taking into account variations in female size, population abundance and environmental factors in a turbid and hypersaline estuary. Sampling was performed during the austral warm (18–23°C and 32–36 salinity) and cold seasons (5–7°C; 32–38) in Bahía Blanca Estuary (BBE), Argentina, during 2007 and 2009. Field-collected females were incubated in the laboratory simulating in situ environmental conditions, and specimens from fixed samples were measured using optical and scanning electronic microscopy. Acartia tonsa’s marked seasonality in its reproductive traits was found to ensure its permanence in the water column all over the year. During the warm season, small-sized females were observed to invest their energy in the production of subitaneous eggs with high hatching success and smooth appearance (12.95?±?2.38 eggs f^?1 day^?1 and specific egg production rate (SEP) of 16.57%C f^?1 day^?1). During the cold season, females invested C in body mass as well as in the production of resting eggs of three different morphotypes (6.56?±?3.2 eggs f^?1 day^?1 and SEP of 7.37%C f^?1 day^?1). Although these morphotypes were found to show differences in surface ornamentation, they exhibited the same delayed hatching behaviour. The eggs with shorter spines were found to integrate the resting egg bank in BBE. Our findings confirming a delayed egg hatching behaviour and a great tolerance to low temperatures and high salinities in the A. tonsa population in BBE suggest that this possible strain is a valuable phenotype for aquaculture.     

Induction of diapausing amictic eggs in Synchaeta pectinata

Amictic females of a clone of S. pectinata from Star Lake (Norwich, Vermont) may produce diapausing as well as non-diapausing (subitaneous) eggs. The proportion of diapausing eggs produced in cultures was unaffected by temperature (12 vs 19 °C) or rotifer population density (minima of 0.33 vs 3 ind. ml^–1) at 19 °C. However, at 19 °C this proportion was higher in cultures maintained at a low food level suppressing reproduction (5 × 10³ cells ml^–1 Cryptomonas erosa) than in those maintained at a high food level (2 × 10⁴ cells ml^–1); the treatment effect was marginally significant (p=0.067). Consistent with the effect of low food availability, a period of starvation was very effective in inducing the development of diapausing eggs. None of 19 females cultured individually from hatching at 19 °C on C. erosa (2 × 10⁴ cells ml^–1) in 1-ml volumes produced any diapausing eggs in 4 days (0 out of 349 eggs), while 13 out of 16 females subjected to a 15-hour starvation period 6 hours after birth produced one or more diapausing eggs during that time (34% of the 158 eggs produced by the 16 females were diapausing). Diapausing eggs produced and left at 19 °C hatched after 4 to 13 days. Those produced in cultures with a low food level took significantly longer to hatch (9.7 days) than those produced in cultures with a high food level (8.1 days) (p=0.022). In natural communities, S. pectinata should be able to respond directly and rapidly to poor food conditions by producing eggs that undergo an obligatory dormant period before resuming development.