长江河口湿地不同植被中无齿螳臂相手蟹的分布及其洞穴利用

无齿螳臂相手蟹(Chiromantes dehaani)是长江河口中、高潮滩的优势底栖动物之一,具有重要的生态功能.由于其经济价值较低,所受关注很少.本文调查了相似高程芦苇(Phragmites australis)带、芦苇斑块、菰(Zizania aquatica)植被以及裸地4种生境中无齿螳臂相手蟹的数量分布及其洞穴的利用情况.有植被分布的3种生境间植株密度、植株高度和植物干重生物量(地上部分)差异显著(P＜0.001);4种生境问,陷阱桶采样获取的无齿螳臂相手蟹数量分布(P＜0.001)和性比(P=0.001)差异显著;裸地区域没有无齿螳臂相手蟹可用的洞穴分布,芦苇带、芦苇斑块和菰植被间无齿螳臂相手蟹可用的洞穴密度(P＜0.019)、单位洞穴蟹个体数(P＜0.001)差异显著,挖掘洞穴采样获取的无齿螳臂相手蟹密度差异接近显著水平(P=0.067),洞穴占用率(P=0.667)、不同洞穴占用方式频次组成(P＞0.05)差异不显著;无齿螳臂相手蟹可利用洞穴密度与植株密度、植物干重生物量显著负相关(P＜0.05),而挖掘洞穴采样获取的无齿螳臂相手蟹密度与植株高度(P=0.077)相关性接近显著水平且与洞穴密度(P＜0.001)显著正相关.这些结果表明盐沼植被对无齿螳臂相手蟹的分布和洞穴利用存在影响.而进一步探讨盐沼不同植被对无齿螳臂相手蟹分布的影响,需要先了解无齿螳臂相手蟹在不同植被中分布格局在时间上的变化,并结合无齿螳臂相手蟹在不同植被间的迁移行为以及繁殖周期等进行探讨.     

长江口盐沼湿地无齿螳臂相手蟹(Chiromantes dehaani)胃含物特征与取食偏好

无齿螳臂相手蟹(Chiromantes dehaani)是长江口盐沼湿地大型底栖动物的优势物种,其食性及行为特征对区域生态系统结构与功能的维系具有重要作用。在崇明北滩盐沼湿地取样调研的基础上,通过胃含物分析与室内喂食实验,分析了无齿螳臂相手蟹的食性及其影响因子。结果表明:植物叶片是无齿螳臂相手蟹的主要食物来源,沉积物次之;其对不同叶片的取食量有着明显的差异,具体表现为对芦苇嫩叶的取食量最高,占35.7%,对芦苇凋落叶片的取食量最少,占6.8%;不同样地间不同性别无齿螳臂相手蟹的食物组成也有明显的差异;在野外情况下,无齿螳臂相手蟹对植物的取食受其自身体重、壳宽、螯高的影响较大;室内投喂情况下,无齿螳臂相手蟹对新鲜芦苇嫩叶存在明显的取食偏好(P0.05),其对芦苇嫩叶的取食偏好受其性别的影响较大,而对芦苇凋落叶片的取食偏好受壳宽、体重、螯高的影响较大。无齿螳臂相手蟹的食性具有一定偏好,受食物及其自身生长特征等多种因素的影响。     

长江口芦苇和互花米草盐沼湿地蟹类洞穴分布特征及主要影响因子

蟹类洞穴是蟹类在潮间带盐沼生存、繁衍的特征性结构,具有重要的生态功能。洞穴分布特征及其影响因子的分析,是深入探讨蟹类及其洞穴的生态系统功能的重要基础。2015年10月,在崇明北滩单一芦苇(Phragmites australis)群落,单一互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)群落和芦苇-互花米草混合群落3种典型生境中,对蟹类洞穴的分布特征及其相关的大型底栖动物、植被、沉积物等的特征参数进行了调研与分析。结果表明,生境类型差异对蟹类洞穴分布特征及相关生境因子具有重要影响。蟹类洞穴的分布密度和开口直径在不同生境间存在显著差异(P0.05),且单一芦苇群落生境内洞穴密度要显著高于单一互花米草群落生境(P0.05),洞穴开口直径在单一互花米草生境要显著高于单一芦苇生境(P0.05);大型底栖动物生物量、密度、植物地下部分生物量在不同生境间差异不显著(P0.05),而植株密度、活植株高度、植物地上部分生物量以及沉积物含水率、p H、氧化还原电位在不同生境间存在显著差异(P0.05)。沉积物中值粒径,总氮含量和总碳含量在不同生境间的差异随深度不同会发生变化。不同生境主要生境因子的差异是导致蟹类洞穴分布特征不同的根本原因;蟹类洞穴分布特征受多个生境因子的综合作用。筛选的生境因子的组合虽然与洞穴分布特征具有显著相关性,但相关系数较小。未来研究中需要拓展生境因子涵盖范围,加强多因子综合作用分析。     

滩涂湿地蟹类活动对表层土壤的扰动效应

为探究在不同植物群落中的大型底栖动物无齿螳臂相手蟹(Chiromantes dehaani)对滨海滩涂湿地表层土壤的生物扰动效应, 在江苏大丰糜鹿国家级自然保护区第三核心区的滩涂湿地潮坪区, 春季末期在潮沟附近的互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)群落、白茅(Imperata cylindrica)群落、芦苇(Phragmites australis)群落3个植物群落中, 分别设置多蟹围隔区、少蟹围隔区和无围隔区, 冬季采集并检测处理后围隔区蟹洞数量、土壤的理化性质及植物生物量等生态指标, 分析底栖动物对表层土壤的扰动效应。研究发现: 互花米草及白茅群落中土壤总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)含量在多蟹区显著低于少蟹区, 蟹丘土壤的TOC及TN含量显著高于多蟹区表层土壤; 而在芦苇群落中则相反。互花米草群落多蟹区土壤C/N、白茅群落多蟹区土壤C/N及C/P显著低于少蟹区, 芦苇群落不显著。互花米草群落蟹穴数量与植物生物量呈显著正相关。研究结果显示, 相手蟹扰动降低了互花米草及白茅植物群落表层土壤的有机质稳定性, 加速碳氮分解, 降低表层土壤的碳氮含量, 并促进互花米草植物生物量的增长, 但对芦苇群落表层土壤扰动的影响则相反。     

黄河三角洲高潮滩芦苇植被区天津厚蟹的食源食性

通过稳定同位素方法,研究植物在大型底栖动物的食源占比,可以为滨海湿地下行效应提供直接证据。本文研究了黄河三角洲高潮滩芦苇区天津厚蟹的食性和食源。结果表明: 该植被区蟹类密度为(5.5±1.5) ind·m^-2,存在夜间攀爬芦苇取食的行为。在室内试验条件下,天津厚蟹具有明显的食物偏好,偏好取食芦苇新鲜叶片。通过稳定同位素食源分析发现,在野外自然环境下,芦苇叶片是天津厚蟹的重要食源之一。鲜叶[5月:(6.4±4.9)%;7月:(5.8±4.9)%;9月:(12.5±8.8)%]和枯叶[5月:(12.4±7.8)%;7月:(15.5±9.9)%;9月:(15.1±9.4)%]的食源占比均具有时间异质性。天津厚蟹不仅可能通过取食抑制芦苇生长,还可能通过取食的扰动行为影响该植被区的枯落物分解。     

北部湾红树林蟹类多样性初步研究

2012年7~10月,对北部湾沿海红树林12个采样点的蟹类标本进行了鉴定,共计39种,隶属于11科23属,其中Perisesarma eumolpe为国内新纪录种,米埔近相手蟹P.maipoensis为海南新纪录种;上述蟹类中,沙蟹总科种类最多,为8属20种,占所有种类的51.3%;其次为方蟹总科,共10属14种,占所有种类的35.9%;梭子蟹科与毛刺蟹科各2种,玉蟹科1种。北部湾红树林采样点蟹类多样性指数(H')变化范围为1.861~3.315,平均值为2.641,北海草头村多样性指数值最高(3.315),最低为海南清澜港(1.861);均匀度(J')变化范围为0.587~0.829,平均值为0.727,最高出现在北海草头村,最低为清澜港;丰富度(D')变化范围为0.892~1.972,平均值为1.488。各采样点间的相似性指数范围为0.087~0.632,其中大冠沙与雷州海角村的相似性值最大(0.632),表现为中等相似;海南清澜港与北海草头村的相似性值最低(0.087),表现极不相似。结果表明,方蟹和沙蟹是红树林区蟹类两个最大的类群,北部湾沿海红树林蟹类属于南海蟹类区系,主要由热带和亚热带暖水性种与广温广布种组成,蟹类的组成与分布受纬度、盐度、温度、红树林植被、底质、潮汐等综合因素的影响。     

红树林湿地相手蟹科动物摄食生态研究进展

相手蟹科物种是红树林湿地的主要底栖动物类群,在生态系统中起着重要的作用。我国大陆地区目前已记录的相手蟹科物种数量为12种,低于其它红树林地区(国内常用的采样方法会造成螃蟹物种数量和密度的低估),其中褶痕相手蟹(Sesarma plicata)、无齿相手蟹(S.deaani)和双齿相手蟹(S.bidens)等是常见种。红树植物叶片是相手蟹科动物的主要食物来源,相手蟹科动物通过地表摄食和洞穴贮存的形为消耗了大量的红树植物凋落叶,使这些凋落叶的有机质和营养元素得以保留在生态系统内,在凋落叶的周转和物质归还方面起到重要的作用。它们同时也摄食红树植物的繁殖体并且对不同物种的繁殖体具有摄食偏好,这可能对一些红树物种的植被更新能力和红树植被群落结构产生影响。相手蟹科动物对不同物种和不同状态的红树叶片也存在摄食偏好,通常对腐烂的叶片摄食偏好较强;螃蟹的摄食偏好与叶片的营养成份、粗纤维和单宁含量以及C/N比等性质有关;但在恶劣的野外环境下,螃蟹则会表现出随机性摄食。目前关于相手蟹科动物生态学作用的认识仍不充分,例如它们的种群大小和对凋落物的转化作用等,有待于进一步研究。     

红角鸮的食性及育雏行为初报

红角鸮(Otus sunia)广泛分布于东亚和南亚。2012和2013年的两个繁殖季节,在江苏省南京大学浦口校区通过红外摄像观察记录了红角鸮的摄食及育雏行为,统计了亲代红角鸮育雏食物的种类、育雏的时间和次数。以1 h为一个时段,利用单因素方差分析(ANOVA)及Student-Newman-Keulsa多重比较法分析各时段之间育雏频次的差异。亲鸟育雏的食物大部分为直翅目(62%)和鳞翅目(18%)昆虫,以及非昆虫类的无脊椎动物,如蜘蛛(8%)和唇足动物(7%),红角鸮也捕食小型陆栖脊椎动物例如田鼠、壁虎等育雏,但比例甚低(3%)。红角鸮育雏节律较为明显,亲鸟主要集中在夜间外出觅食,但在白天也有觅食行为。夜间共有三个育雏高峰,分别为日落之后的19:00~20:00时和21:00~22:00时以及日出之前的04:00~05:00时。     

环境丰容对圈养川金丝猴行为影响的初步研究

2007年8月31日—2007年9月11日、2007年9月14日—2007年9月27日、2007年10月15日—2007年10月26日的09∶00—17∶00对成都动物园饲养的1对成年和2只幼年川金丝猴,采用目标动物取样法和瞬时扫描记录法对圈舍丰容前后的川金丝猴行为进行了观察比较。结果表明,在仿生态兽舍(环境丰容后)内,川金丝猴的跳跃、探究、攀爬和观望行为比在笼养圈舍(环境丰容前)内有显著增加,休息行为显著减少(P<0.01);成年川金丝猴搬入仿生态兽舍1个月后,雌雄梳理和行走行为较它们在旧兽舍和刚搬入新馆舍时显著增加(P<0.05),搬入仿生态兽舍1月后与刚搬入仿生态兽舍相比,休息行为发生频次的差异具有高度统计学意义(P<0.01)。未成年金丝猴在12∶00—13∶00间出现运动行为低谷,其余各时段中运动行为所占比例最高;其次为休息行为,其中12∶00—13∶00休息行为达到昼间的高峰;采食高峰为09∶00—10∶00;梳理、警戒以及其他行为在各时段分布较均匀。成年金丝猴昼间行为较多的是梳理和休息行为;15∶00—16∶00运动行为所占比例较高,梳理行为10∶00—12∶00所占比例较高,休息行为在12∶00—13∶00所占比例最高,采食行为的高峰在09∶00—10∶00,警戒行为在09∶00—10∶00和15∶00—16∶00稍高,其他行为所占比例分布较均匀。幼年川金丝猴的运动、采食行为频次百分比极显著高于成年川金丝猴的运动、采食行为频次百分比(P<0.01);而梳理和警戒行为极显著低于成年川金丝猴(P<0.01)。     

上海郊区冬季红隼行为时间分配

2003年11月~2004年2月采用随机个体、连续取样的方式,在上海郊区获取了越冬112只次红隼(Falco tinnunculus)123.33 h的行为数据,对红隼的时间行为分配模式进行了研究与分析。结果表明,冬季红隼白天活动时间大部分用于栖停(44.45%),其次为捕食(18.83%)、停落(12.17%)、飞行(9.98%)、滑翔(8.11%)、悬停(3.46%)、梳羽(1.70%)、戏耍和交互(1.32%)。栖停在早中晚占有较高的比例,而捕食在上午和下午分别具有一个高峰时段。红隼在1 d中具有两个活动高峰分别在上午(8∶00~10∶00)和下午(13∶00~15∶00)。通过对行为发生时间的相关性分析,发现活动高峰主要是由捕食行为及相关的飞行、悬停等行为组成。     

Making a pituitary gland in a dish

The adenohypophysis secretes multiple hormones that control vital physiological functions. A recent article in Nature (Suga et al., 2011) describes a 3D protocol for the derivation of several endocrine pituitary cell types from mouse ESCs.     

Three-body collisions in a plasma in a strong laser field

Electron-ion collisions in a high-density plasma in strong electromagnetic fields are considered. The applicability condition for the approximate model of pair collisions in strong fields are determined. It is shown that this condition is identical to the condition for the plasma to be transparent. Investigations were carried out by the test particle method generalized to the case of several scattering centers. An accurate calculation of short-range collisions is provided by a “jump” method that is based on the exact solution to the problem of the motion of a particle in a Coulomb potential. This method can also be applied in other approaches to simulating a collisional plasma (such as particle-in-cell and molecular dynamics methods).     

Multiple mutations in a specific gene in a small population

Hereditary diseases have been reported with relatively high frequency in some small populations. Founder effect and genetic drift, associated or not with selective advantage of heterozygotes in case of recessive diseases, are the main explanations. Therefore, if we consider one population and one particular disease, only one deleterious allele should be observed.Determination of mutations has shown that in most cases the situation is more complex; more than one mutation is found among the patients. This finding can be explained by a multiple founder effect, with genetic drift and new mutations.     

Transpiration in a eucalypt plantation and a savanna in Venezuela

In Venezuela 30,000?km² of land is covered by savannas, of which 410,000?ha have been planted with several species and hybrids of Eucalyptus for lumber and pulp production. Popular concern about possible diminutions in water availability of reservoirs near eucalypt plantations prompted our interest in measuring water use by these trees. Since these savannas are markedly seasonal, the response of species to seasonal drought is important. We aimed to compare the seasonal changes in single-leaf and whole-plant transpiration in a seasonally dry savanna with that of trees of E. urophylla in an experimental plantation. We also examined the seasonal changes in xylem water potential and stomatal response to air water-vapour saturation deficit (D). Transpiration in eucalypts and the dominant savanna species Trachypogon vestitus and Curatella americana was evaluated using measurements of leaf gas exchange in all three species, sap flux in eucalypts, microclimatic variables and allometric and photometric determinations of green area. In E. urophylla and T. vestitus, but not in C. americana, stomatal conductance (g _s) proved sensitive to D. Integrated values of daily courses of transpiration rate were scaled to one ha in a preliminary approach to estimating ecosystem transpiration (E _ha). The E _ha of the savanna (the sum of E _ha of T. vestitus and C. americana) was on average 2.4 times that of eucalypts during the daytime; when nocturnal eucalypt transpiration was included, the value was 1.9. The evapotranspiration calculated by the Penman–Montieth equation (ET_c) of eucalypts was lower than the savanna all year round. The reference crop ET (ET_o) varied little throughout the seasons, the highest value occurring in March. The ratio E _ha/ET_o for the savanna was on average near one during the dry season and almost two during the rainy season; the corresponding value for E. urophylla was 0.6 for both seasons. The ratio E _ha/ET_c was on average 0.8 for the species and the savanna. The cumulative E _ha for the days of measurements was higher in the savanna than in the eucalypts during the daytime (39.8 and 17.3?mm, respectively), as was the cumulative ET_c (37.5 vs. 20.3?mm). Measured and calculated cumulative ET in eucalypts, including nocturnal values, were 22.0 and 28.4?mm, respectively. At the leaf level, both eucalypts and trees of C. americana apparently may have accessed water from deep horizons, since their values of Ψ changed less seasonally than in T. vestitus. At the ecosystem level, the species that presented the largest changes in transpiration was T. vestitus, which markedly increased savanna transpiration during the rainy season. Our results suggest that, for the days of this study, and considering the environmental conditions of the ecosystems studied, the type of measurements and the scaling procedures, stands of E. urophylla transpire less water than the savanna.     

Tachyarrhythmia in a baboon: a case report

An adult baboon with multiple organ symptomatology and tachycardia was successfully treated with one-time electrical cardioversion. The case is presented to demonstrate the need to include ECG monitoring in diagnostic assessment of primate animals with nonspecific symptoms.     

Prostatectomy in a county hospital; a review of 677 cases in a six-year period

Transurethral procedures were used in 620 of 677 cases in which prostatectomy was done (principally by residents supervised by a urologist) at a county hospital in a six-year period. Open operations were used in the other 57 cases. Results were classified as "excellent" in 46.8 per cent of the transurethral cases and as "good" in 36.3 per cent.     

Effect of a change in step direction from a forward to a lateral target in response to a sensory perturbation

The aim of the current study was to investigate the response of healthy older and young adults to a change in step direction from a forward to a lateral target in response to a sensory perturbation. Nine healthy older (75.1 ± 6.7 years; age range, 65–81 years) and nine young adults (27 ± 3.6 years; age range, 23–31 years) participated in the study. The sensory perturbation was a visual cue presented at random times while subjects stepped over an obstacle from quiet stance. For both young and elderly subjects there was an abrupt change in the slope of both shear ground reaction forces (GRFs) of the stance limb following the perturbation. The slope and peak of the change in GRFs was greater for the young subjects and the onset significantly earlier (205 ms compared to 271 ms). Changes in the GRFs were accompanied by an increase in bilateral gluteus medius and stance limb soleus activity. A late visual cue resulted in a delayed response for elderly subjects. These data show that a stepping response to a sensory perturbation was both delayed and of less magnitude for older adults which has implications for fall risk.     

The phosphorus-chlorophyll a relationship in periphytic communities in a controlled ecosystem

The correlation between total dissolved phosphorus input concentrations and periphytic chlorophyll a concentrations was examined after a four-week colonization period on artificial substrates in large, continuous-flow microcosms. A significant correlation was established; the data produced a linear regression and substantiated a recently proposed curvilinear regression analysis. The curvilinear equation can be used in future microcosm studies as a predictive aid for regulating phosphorus input concentrations.