The Atlantic forest in the Volta Velha Reserve: a tropical rain forest site outside the tropics

With its very broad latitudinal extension (from 5° to 30°S), Brazil's Atlantic Rain Forest includes sites that wouldnot be classified as tropical by commonly used climatic classificationsystems. This situation particularly holds for the sites nearthe southern limits of this ecosystem. The goal of this study was to assess forest floristic composition, physiognomic aspects (deciduousspecies, leaf types, leaf area index) and reproductive biology (monoecious/dioeciousspecies, pollination syndromes and dispersal syndromes) of the Atlantic forest in the Volta VelhaReserve, southern Brazil (26°04 S, 48°38 W Gr). The research focuses on theaffinities of this site, which lies outside generally accepted boundaries for tropical forest. Theresults demonstrate that Volta Velha has a typically tropical floristic composition, apparentlymaintained by local climatic conditions. The differences between the characteristics of the VoltaVelha forest and those of other tropical stands are within the range of differences observed amongclassically defined tropical sites.     

七子花的繁殖生物学研究

对国家2级保护植物七子花（Heptacodium miconioides)的开花、传粉与结实等繁殖特性进行了研究。结果显示：七子花的花无梗,由多轮紧缩呈头状的聚伞花序组成顶生圆锥花序,多数花序开两轮花（基轮和中轮）,少数只开基轮花。自花传粉的比例高,花后4h的柱头花粉多超过60粒,8h的柱头可多达142粒,其中近1／3的花粉萌发,少数能到达子房。每个子房仅1枚胚珠可育,其平均结实率为40．6％,上轮花的开花会影响下轮花的结实率,降低幅度可达34．8％,早开花的结实也会影响迟开花的结实。表明七子花的结实率很低,资源限制是影响结实的主要因素。     

Reproductive lability in pre-dispersal biology ofRhamnus alaternus L. (Rhamnaceae)

Summary Rhamnus alaternus L. is a dioecious, fleshy-fruited shrub, typical of Mediterranean vegetation, which has been recorded from the region since the tropical Tertiary. Reproductive biology of this species has been studied in Southern Italy over a period of 4 years with both field and laboratory experiments. In all the studied populations male plants predominate over the females, have a higher flower density and flower regularly every year while females are usually alternate-bearing. A strong negative association between fruit formation and vegetative growth has been found indicating that the presence of fruits on a branch reduces the growth of new shoots. This phenomenon, together with alternate-bearing, is evidence of a strong competition between vegetative growth and reproductive activity and indicates resource limitation. Flower morphology and quantity of pollen produced are typical of insect pollinated species, and flies of the Empididae and Muscidae were trapped bearing pollen at female plants but pollen is also dispersed by wind. Field experiments on pollination success showed that the exclusion of insects as pollen vectors produces a significant decrease in fruit development. Excess pollen provided by hand-pollination increases fruit set over open-pollination and reproductive success in the field is therefore pollen limited. The variability of sex expression, male fitness, fruit production, regrowth and pollination presented here suggests that these predispersal characteristics ofR. alaternus have been subject to evolutionary change since the tropical Tertiary climate was replaced by a Mediterranean one. This points to the possibility that reproductive, as well as morphological and physiological characteristics, may be equally selected for in extreme environments such as the Mediterranean.     

恒河猴在生殖生物学中的应用进展

目的非人灵长类动物在生殖生物学研究领域是一种非常重要的实验动物。人类利用非人灵长类动物与人的生物学等方面相似的特征,开展了生殖生物学、生理学、药理学、毒理学以及生育调节等方面的研究工作,为生殖生物学基础研究以及人类健康和疾病问题的基础研究和临床前研究提供了理想的动物模型。随着生命科学的发展,对非人灵长类实验动物质量提出了更高的要求,人们认识到实验时,应用健康的优质非人灵长类动物的重要性。本文简要概括了非人灵长类动物恒河猴的生物学特性,阐述了非人灵长类动物恒河猴在生殖生物学中的应用研究。     

宽叶金粟兰滇东北居群的繁殖生物学

对宽叶金粟兰（ＣｈｌｏｒａｎｔｈｕｓｈｅｎｒｙｉＨｅｍｓｌ）滇东北的野外居群和栽培植株花序发育、传粉、结实率、无性繁殖等观察试验的结果显示,宽叶金粟兰以种子繁殖为主,但有时可通过地下合轴茎顶端分支进行无性繁殖。其顶生、侧生花序均能正常开花结实,种子可萌发,在株丛周缘形成新个体。但其顶生花序与侧生花序的雄蕊异形,顶生花序花芽在地下分化形成,雄蕊具明显伸长的３个药隔和４个药室,不产香味,平均结实率６３％;侧生２、３级花序在直立枝条顶端叶腋中分化形成,无伸长药隔并仅具２个药室,在顶生花序果脱落后才开花结实,平均结实率７６％和８３％,略高于顶生花序。传粉实验观察证明其不需要昆虫传粉,为自花授粉可育,不同于本属其它植物。因此其雄蕊异型现象可能是传媒方式改变的结构简化适应     

Woody Plant Species Richness in the Turvo State Park,a Large Remnant of Deciduous Atlantic Forest,Brazil

This paper presents a quantitative inventory of woody plants with DBH ≥ 5 cm in Turvo State park, a large remnant (17,500 ha) of seasonal deciduous Atlantic forest in Southern Brazil. The forest inventory was based on 141 sampling points (point centered quarter method). Seventy-eight species from 37 families were recorded, the density was 879 plants ha⁻¹ and the basal area 25.12 m² ha⁻¹. Timber species of commercial value made up 35% of the species and 72% of the basal area. The ten most abundant species made up 52% of the species, and the ten species with highest basal area accounted for 48% of the total basal area and 12% of the species. Zoochory was the dominant mode of seed dispersal, representing 63% of species and 67% of the plant density. Nine percent of the species were pioneers, 56% were secondary species accounting for 62% of the total basal area, and 35% were opportunistic-climax species accounting for 54% of the plant density. Turvo park has exceptionally high biodiversity and is the last intact large remnant of the Alto-Uruguai river ecosystem. In addition to species richness and an abundance of high value timber species, this forest is of value for the rich genetic resources, and for medicinal and ornamental plants.     

Pollination and seed dispersal modes of woody species of 12-year-old secondary forest in the Atlantic Forest region of Pernambuco,NE Brazil

The ability of degraded areas to recover secondary vegetation and the degree of integrity of plant–animal interactions of the resulting vegetation is getting increasingly important for biodiversity and landscape conservation. We studied the seed dispersal and pollination modes of woody species of two 12-year-old secondary forest patches, beforehand used for sugarcane cultivation. Sixty plots were installed with a total area of 0.6 ha. A total of 61 woody species were encountered. Although the study sites were isolated from old-growth forests by the matrix of sugarcane, the array of dispersal modes was the same as in old-growth forest fragments and the percentage of animal-dispersed species was similar (89.8%). The percentage of large-seeded species was even larger than expected (18%), despite the local extinction of large-bodied mammals and birds. Besides the dispersal of large seeds mainly by rodents and bats, more than half of the large-seeded species are consumed by humans and may have reached the study areas this way. Most pollination modes found in forest fragments in the region were also present in the secondary forests; however, no pollination mediated by vertebrates was found among the studied species, neither by birds nor by bats, and a high percentage of species showed an unspecialized pollination mode (55.7%). Due to the high abundance of a few species pollination by hawkmoths was very common among canopy individuals (42.7%), and many sub-canopy individuals were pollinated by large bees (39.8%). The study exemplifies the resilience of sites degraded by intense agriculture, which may still lead to a forest, simplified in plant–animal interactions. Such secondary forest is likely to serve for protection against erosion, and increasing connectivity between forest fragments.     

Reproductive Biology of two Species of Phrynichus, P. exophthalmus Whittick, 1940 and P. deflersi arabicus nov. ssp. (Chelicerata: Amblypygi)

Courtship, mating and spermatophores of Phrynichus exophthalmus and P. deflersi arabicus nov. ssp. are described. Courtship of P. exophthalmus is more complex than in other amblypygids, with close contact between mates nearly throughout the mating dance. After spermatophore formation, the female is lured to the spermatophore and then firmly pressed onto it. Mating behaviour and spermatophore confirm the placement of this species in the Phrynichus ceylonicus group and show that the similarities with Euphrynichus, like long and thin pedipalps with bacilliform apophyses instead of spines, are the result of convergent evolution. Courtship of P. d. arabicus is conservative, similar to that of P. dhofarensis and many other amblypygids. After spermatophore formation, the female is lured to the spermatophore, then pulled over and pressed onto it. The results suggest that the P. ceylonicus group and the P. deflersi group and sister groups, but the low number of investigated species precludes a definite conclusion.     

浙江凤阳山自然保护区种子植物区系的统计分析

在野外调查和分类处理的基础上,报道了浙江凤阳山种子植物区系的统计分析结果。现知凤阳山有种子植物１６４科、６５９属、１４８８种（含种下分类群）。科、属、种的分布区类型分析表明：科的分布区类型以泛热带分布最多（４０．９％）,其次是世界分布（２０．７％）和北温带分布（１９．５％）,温带分布少于热带分布（４７：８１）;属的分布区类型以泛热带分布最多（２０．５％）,其次是北温带分布（１８．０％）和东亚分布     

Interactions between aroids and arboreal mammals in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest

The Brazilian Atlantic rainforest harbours at least 129 non-volant mammal species. There is also a diverse and numerous epiphytic flora associated with this Neotropical rainforest, including several species of Araceae. Nevertheless, knowledge of the ecology of this group of plants and its interaction with animals is poor. In this study we investigated the interactions between epiphytic aroids and arboreal mammals in the Atlantic forest. We carried out the field work between November 1995 and June 1997 in the Parque Estadual Intervales, southeastern Brazil, a still well preserved forest area of approximately 490 km². We analysed faecal samples from primates (Cebus apella and Brachyteles arachnoides), collected during observations in the field, and marsupials (Didelphis aurita, Micoureus demerarae, Gracilinanus microtarsus), collected from animals captured monthly or bi-monthly in live-traps. We recorded 17 species of Araceae in the study area. The seeds of eight species occurred in the faecal samples: Anthurium harrissi, Monstera adansonii, Philodendron corcovadense, P. appendiculatum, P. exymium, P. crassinervium, P. obliquifolium, and Heteropsis oblongifolia. Aroids were present in faecal samples of the primates during most of the year, with a mean monthly percentage of occurrence of about 56.2%. For marsupials, aroids also were a seasonally important food source, as between November and June the mean monthly percentage of occurrence in faecal samples was about 26.5%. Our data indicate that aroids are an important food source for arboreal and semi-arboreal mammals and that these animals may play an important role as seed dispersers of this group. Aroids and arboreal mammals appear to interact more strongly in Atlantic forest than in other Neotropical forests.     

中国大鲵繁殖生物学研究进展

中国大鲵（Amndrias davidiamus Blanchard）是我国特有濒危的两栖物种,是研究生物进化、生物多样性、性别决定分子机制等的好材料,对于科学研究具有巨大的潜在贡献。近年来人们对它的研究力度不断加大,本文综述厂大鲵的繁殖生物学的近期研究工作,也简要探讨了大鲵繁殖生物学今后研究的主要工作,以期为大鲵繁殖生物学及繁殖技术的进一步的研究提供有价值的参考。     

Reproductive indicators in natural populations of Douglas-fir in Mexico

The reproductive capacity in nine Mexican Douglas-fir populations was determined by analyzing seed production traits from 144 trees collected in 2001. Significant variation was found for all traits among populations; they contributed between 21% and 43% of total phenotypic variation found in these traits, indicating broad differences in reproductive capacity for that particular year. Seed efficiency (filled seed/seed potential) varied from 14% to 42% among populations; all populations from Central Mexico had a seed efficiency below 25%. The proportion of developed that were empty seeds varied from 0.40 to 0.81 among populations, whereas seed size varied also from 0.88 to 1.21 g per 100 seeds among them. Average ratio of filled seed weight to cone weight (reproductive efficiency) was 29.6 mg g⁻¹, but it varied three-fold between populations with extreme values. Populations with larger cones had greater seed potential and heavier seed but not necessarily higher reproductive or seed efficiency. Most reproductive indicators were significantly correlated with latitude, with lower values in the marginal populations from Central Mexico, in the southern extreme of the species range. Given these results, the need for conservation of Douglas-fir populations in Central Mexico is discussed.     

The frequency, distribution and reproductive biology of dioecious species in the native flora of Britain and Ireland

The proportion of dioecious species in the flora of the British Isles has been underestimated in the past, partly because the total number of native species was overestimated and partly because some dioecious species were omitted for various reasons. We estimate that, in a total native angiosperm flora of 1377 species and species-equivalents, 4.3% (59 species) are dioecious, a substantially higher percentage than the previous estimates of 2, 3.1 and 3%. If gymnosperms are included, 4.4% (61 of 1380 species of seed plant) are dioecious. A review of published work shows that few of these dioecious species have been well-studied, and that for some little or no information is available about their sex ratios and reproductive biology.     

Reproductive Biology of the Distylous Manettia luteo-rubra (Rubiaceae)

The reproductive biology of Manettia luteo-rubra was studied in the coastal montane Atlantic rain forest of southeastern Brazil. This Rubiaceae is a perennial vine that flowers all the year round, but has a flowering peak during the dry season. It presents reciprocal herkogamy, thus the plants are morphologically distylous. The morphs occur in a 1:1 ratio, and pollen diameter and corolla length vary between short and long-styled flowers. Manettia luteo-rubra displays typical heterostylous self-incompatibility and sets almost no fruits from self- or intramorph pollinations. The flowers are tubular, red with yellow lobes, and odourless. Anthesis is asynchronous, and the flowers last about four days. Concentration of sugars in nectar is similar in both morphs, ca. 24%, this concentration being typical for hummingbird flowers. Three species of hummingbirds are the major pollinators of the flowers of M. luteo-rubra at the study site: the hermits Phaethornis eurynome and P. squalidus, and the trochiline Thalurania glaucopis. Three species of Heliconius butterflies act as minor pollinators. Both morphs of M. luteo-rubra exhibit natural fruit-set of about 80%, this reproductive output being maintained throughout the year by the pollinators' constancy to the flowers.     

共聚焦激光扫描显微镜在发育生物学中的应用

共聚焦激光扫描显微镜以高空间分辨率、非介入无损伤性连续光学切片、实时动态观察等优越性,应用于生物医学众多领域中。本文主要论述共聚焦激光扫描显微镜在发育生物学中的应用。     

四川辖曼自然保护区硬刺高原鳅生物学研究

对四川若尔盖辖曼自然保区220尾硬刺高原鳅的生物学进行了研究。硬刺高原鳅体长22.56～98.56mm,体重0.12～13.98g;体重与体长呈显著的幂函数关系:W=0.0095L3.2033(r=0.9956)。Fulton肥满度雌体平均为1.35,雄体平均为1.37;Clark肥满度雌体平均为1.03,雄体平均为1.05。雄性成熟个体最小体长为74.61mm,体重为5.79g。雌性成熟个体最小体长为71.06mm,体重为5.20g。平均绝对怀卵量5175粒/尾。食性主要为摇蚊幼虫,其次是藻类和维管植物。     

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒分子生物学研究进展

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征是由猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒(PRRSV)诱发的一种接触性传染病,其症状主要表现为怀孕母猪流产、早产、产死胎、木乃伊胎及成年猪的呼吸道症状。本病自1987年在美国爆发后,给世界养猪业造成巨大损失。近年来,由于其危害性大而引起专家学者的关注,PRRS在分子生物学方面研究者较多。就其病原特性,基因结构,病毒蛋白,分子生物学诊断以及PRRS基因工程疫苗的研究等方面进行论述。     

Amphibian Chytrid Fungus Broadly Distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest

To investigate the occurrence of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Brazil, we conducted histological screenings of 96 preserved specimens of anurans collected at 10 sites in the Atlantic rain forest. Data show this fungus to be widely distributed. Infected specimens included Colostethus olfersioides (Dendrobatidae), Bokermannohyla gouveai and Hypsiboas freicanecae (Hylidae), as well as Thoropa miliaris and Crossodactylus caramaschii (Leptodactylidae), extending the area of B. dendrobatidis occurrence in Brazil approximately 1,600 km N, 200 km S, and 270 km E. The altitudinal range of the chytrid is broad, spanning from less than 100 m (Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins, Reserva Biológica do Tinguá) to about 2,400 m (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia). An infection record dating to 1981 roughly coincides with the time of the first observations of amphibian declines in the country. Widespread occurrence of B. dendrobatidis in the Atlantic Forest adds to the challenge of conserving an already endangered biome given the potential risk of further local biodiversity loss. Further research is needed to understand how environmental and genetic factors relate to chytridiomycosis in leading to or preventing local die-offs. Protected sites at mid and high elevations may be particularly threatened, while lowland populations may be functioning as reservoirs. Conservation efforts should also involve monitoring studies and habitat protection.     

Reproductive Biology of the Smooth Dogfish, Mustelus canis, in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Shark populations tend to be highly vulnerable to overexploitation due to low fecundity and slow growth rates. Recent fishing pressure on the smooth dogfish in the northwest Atlantic has created a necessity for more information about their basic biology. Length and age at maturity, fecundity, and reproductive season were estimated. Total length at 50% maturity was 102cm for females, and 86cm for males. The majority of females were mature at age 4 or 5, and all males were mature at 2 or 3 years of age. Females had an 11–12 month gestation with parturition occurring in May, ovulation occurring between May and July likely in late May and early June, and mating occurring between May and September. Fecundity ranged between 3 and 18 pups per litter, and was positively related to length and age, with a mean of 9.53 pups per litter. Sperm was found in the terminal zone of the oviducal gland of females throughout the year.     

香木莲有性生殖特性与其濒危机制的研究

针对香木莲(Manglietia aromatica Dandy)结籽率低以及野外实生苗稀少的现象,本文研究了香木莲雌配子体发育过程、花粉萌发力、开花生物学特性与种子结构的观察.结果表明,在雌配子体发育阶段存在以下退化现象:1) 从大孢子母细胞开始减数分裂到功能大孢子形成阶段,在此过程中珠心内的功能结构发生退化,功能大孢子未能正常形成,仅残留有退化痕迹,退化率为27.9%;2) 胚囊成熟时,受精前卵器细胞发生退化,退化率为80%.花粉萌发实验结果表明,在人工培养条件下具有正常萌发能力的花粉不足0.01%.这些都是香木莲结籽率低的重要原因.同时,香木莲的开花生物学特性限制了传粉的顺利进行.调查和研究的结果显示,人为的砍伐是造成香木莲种群急剧减少的直接原因;有性生殖障碍和生境破坏是制约香木莲种群更新的最主要因素.由此提出了对香木莲的拯救和保护对策:就地保护;研究并推广繁育技术,进行种群重建;进行迁地保护,保存尽可能多的种质资源.