Reproductive ecology of Vipera latastei, in the Iberian Peninsula: implications for the conservation of a Mediterranean viper

Eurosiberian vipers have been considered model organisms, and studies on their reproductive ecology have afforded much of the current knowledge concerning viviparity in snakes. However, such studies are biased towards northern species and there is little information on Mediterranean species and/or populations. The reproductive ecology of Vipera latastei in the Iberian Peninsula was studied by analysing a large sample of specimens from collections, to better understand the conservation status of this Mediterranean viper. Males and females matured at small and similar body sizes (240 and 265 mm snout-vent length, respectively) and reproductive cycles in both sexes were seasonal. Spermatogenesis peaked in August, vitellogenesis developed in spring and the timing of the mating period was puzzling, with populations mating in autumn, spring, or in both seasons. The most striking finding was that adult females reproduced triennially on average. Lataste's viper is currently in continuous decline in the IP, and most of its populations are isolated in Mediterranean mountains. We hypothesize that prey scarcity and the brevity of the activity period in mountain habitats diminishes the ability of vipers to recover over the short term the energy expended in reproduction. The species needs 2 years for the acquisition and storage of energy ("capital breeder"), and a third year for the expenditure of this energy (in vitellogenesis and embryogenesis), a year during which females feed consistently ("income breeder"). Thus, this viper combines both strategies to supply the reproductive energy cost. Current decline in population and distribution, together with a poor capacity to renew populations, renders Lataste's viper vulnerable to environmental stochasticity.     

The Carboniferous floras of the Iberian Peninsula: A synthesis with geological connotations

A general review is presented of the Carboniferous floral records in the Iberian Peninsula in the context of the geological history and distribution of the different basins. Mississippian floras are found in Sierra Morena, where major strike-slip faults brought in terranes of diverse provenance. Lower Pennsylvanian floras are represented in the Peñarroya-Belmez-Espiel (Córdoba) and Villanueva del Río y Minas (Sevilla) coalfields of SW Spain (also strike-slip controlled), at La Camocha, near Gijón (Asturias), and in other parts of northern Spain. Middle Pennsylvanian is represented near Oporto, but more completely in the Central Asturian Coalfield, as well as other, more limited localities in NW Spain and the Pyrenees. Upper Pennsylvanian (Stephanian Stage-Cantabrian to Stephanian B substages) floras are splendidly represented in NW Spain. Uppermost Pennsylvanian (Stephanian C-Autunian) floras are present in the strike-slip controlled Douro and Buçaco basins of North Portugal, the Pyrenees, Central Spain (Ciudad Real, Guadalajara, Zaragoza), and SW Spain (Guadalcanal and Valdeviar in Sevilla province).A complete succession of megafloral zones is presented. This includes a new Annularia spicata Zone at the top of the Pennsylvanian (equivalent to middle to upper Autunian which has been often attributed to the Lower Permian). The information is summarised in charts compiled from a selection of the most significant species. A number of floral elements are illustrated including the zonal indices. Brief taxonomic comments are provided in the Appendix.     

Ten years inventorying the Iberian fauna: results and perspectives

The Iberian Peninsula is one of the richest European regions in animal species diversity. Since 1988, the objective of the nationally funded Fauna Ibérica project has been to carry out a well-documented inventory of the animal biodiversity in the Iberian-Balearic region. After 10 years of taxonomic work, this project has produced 20 monographs, which have reviewed and inventoried around 11% of the animal species that inhabit the Iberian territory. It has also described 418 new species and 519 species formerly unknown in the Iberian-Balearic region. Considering all the new Iberian species described, we estimate that the researchers involved in this project have so far completed one third of all Iberian taxonomic work. At this rate it would take at least 75 years to finish the taxonomic review of the Iberian fauna. We recommend: (i) uninterrupted public logistical and financial support for taxonomy; (ii) the promotion of a plan for the training of new specialists in the taxonomically little-known groups; (iii) the elaboration of checklists as a way to inventory the Iberian animal biodiversity more rapidly; and (iv) the use of computerized approaches to species inventories taxonomy.     

First record of the Red Gum Lerp Psyllid,Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hem.: Psyllidae), in Europe

The eucalypt‐feeding psyllid Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hom.: Psyllidae), an Australian insect, is reported for the first time in Europe. It was initially detected in Portugal and Spain, in September 2007, on Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn. At present, G. brimblecombei has only been found associated with E. camaldulensis and E. tereticornis Smith, being apparently absent from E. globulus Labill., the main eucalypt species planted on the Iberian Peninsula. Generalist predators, such as ants, spiders and ladybeetles, were observed in trees attacked by G. brimblecombei, but no psyllid parasitoids were detected.     

Herbaceous plant richness and vegetation cover in Mediterranean grasslands and shrublands

Different types of relationship between herbaceous species richness and several parameters indicating abundance of plant material (herbaceous, woody plants, litter and bare ground cover) are presented. The data were obtained from 50 sites along a 300 km strip running from E to W within Spain and Portugal. Each site was representative of the silvo-pastoral landscape of the Mediterranean type ecosystems of the Iberian peninsula, and contained two neighboring patches, one of grassland and the other of shrubland. 3,600 20 × 20 cm subplots were randomly located (72 per site, 36 per patch) crossing the boundary grassland/shrubland. This approach allowed us to analyze the richness-occupation relationship of the space from different points of view: among and within the sites, and among and within the grassland and shrubland plant communities. We found a unimodal relationship between richness-cover similar to the one generally accepted between richness and biomass. Our results show that the dependence of this relationship varies depending on the spatial scale of the analysis and on the type of data used. When the whole region is taken into account, significant unimodal relationships are found between richness and herbaceous cover, litter and bare ground, and a negative linear relationship with woody plant cover. Within the sites there are mainly linear or non-significant relationships. But the results also depend on the type of communities analyzed. In pastures, the unimodal relationship represents the combination of positive and negative linear responses for low and high cover values, respectively. The value for herbaceous cover in which maximum richness occurs is around 60%. In shrublands, this value for cover also corresponds to maximum species richness, although the possibilities of reaching it are limited by other variables, such as woody plant cover. This implies that, on not considering variability at local scale, the relationship is linear and positive. This paper shows the existence of a common model related to herbaceous cover, but this model has multiple controlling factors that act differently in each type of community.     

国产蕺菜的染色体数目变异及核穿壁现象

蕺菜 Houttuynia cordata Thunb.属三白草科蕺菜属,俗称鱼腥草、侧耳根等,主要分 布于 亚洲东部和东南部,我国以长江流域及其以南各省区常见。蕺菜药蔬兼用,为极具开发前景 的植物资源。部分学者曾对蕺菜染色体数目进行过报道,但报道的染色体数目不尽一致（梁汉兴,1991,1995; Hsu,1968; Nilsamranchit et al, 1999）,并且对此 现象未作较为详细而深入的解释。本文对国内部分省区收集的蕺菜种质资源进行染色体数目分析,旨在从细胞学角度探讨蕺菜的遗传多样性,为     

Electrophoretic Karyotype of the Obligate Biotrophic Parasite Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor.

Classical genetic analysis is not possible with the protist Plasmodiophora brassicae due to the intracellular life of this obligate biotrophic parasite . An electrophoretic karyotype has been obtained using contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis to facilitate gene mapping of P. brassicae. Using two different separation conditions 16 chromosomal bands of P. brassicae were distinguished ranging in approximate size from 2.2 Mb to 680 kb. According to this determination of chromosome number and size, the total genome size of P. brassicae was estimated to be 20.3 Mb. The chromosomal bands were further designated by their hybridization pattern with repetitive elements of P. brassicae . The repetitive element H4 (1800 bp) hybridized with 14 chromosomal bands, but the sequence of H4 showed no homology to known centromere or telomere structures and revealed no repetitive motifs.     

中国西部高山8种龙胆属植物的染色体数目

本文报道了我国西部高山上的８种龙胆属植物的染色体数目。其中宽筒龙胆的染色体数目为２ｎ＝４８,提钟龙胆的染色体数目为２ｎ＝２６,小齿龙胆和四数龙胆的染色体数目为２ｎ＝２４,南山龙胆的染色体数目为２ｎ＝１８,上述５种植物的染色体数目为首次报道,其余蓝玉簪龙胆的染色体数目为２ｎ＝２４,线叶龙胆的染色体数目为２ｎ＝４８,钻叶龙胆的染色体数目为２ｎ＝１８。     

Homalothecium meridionale (M.Fleisch. & Warnst.) Hedenäs: a distinct species from H. sericeum (Hedw.) Schimp. (Brachytheciaceae,Bryopsida) in the Iberian Peninsula

Previous molecular studies have done much to shed some light on the taxonomy and phytogeographic position of Homalothecium sericeum and H. meridionale and the present study clarifies the taxonomy and distribution of the two species across Iberia. By conducting a revision of Homalothecium specimens available in Spanish and Portuguese herbaria, we concluded that sporophytic differences are the most appropriate characters for the delimitation of each species. Scanning electron microscope examination of the peristomes of the two taxa helped distinguish between them.

We also noted that H. meridionale is a frequently distributed taxon throughout the Iberian territory, but occurs mostly in Portuguese areas with a Mediterranean influence, becoming less frequent in the Atlantic as well as in continental parts of the Peninsula. As a result of this study, based on numerous new localities in Portugal and Spain, we provide an updated map of the distribution of H. meridionale, and an account of its ecology and habitat affinities.     

国产十四种苋属植物的染色体数目

报道了国产14种苋属植物的染色体数目。部分种的染色体数目为2n=34,即反枝苋Amaranthus retroflexus,刺苋A．spinosus,红苋A．cruentus,腋花苋A．roxburghianus,合被苋A．polygonoides,皱果苋A． viridis,凹头苋A．lividus,苋A．tricolor。其他种的染色体数目为2n=32,即尾穗苋A．caudatus,绿穗苋A． hybridus,千穗谷A．hypochendriacus,繁穗苋A．paniculatus,北美苋A．blitoides,白苋A．albus。其中腋花 苋的染色体数目为首次报道。该属染色体基数为x=16,17。两种染色体基数在苋属2个组(sect．Ama- ranthus和sect．Blitopsis)中均存在。由于苋属植物染色体大多为小型染色体,因此对苋属植物目前尚不 能进行详尽的核型分析。