Task Allocation Depends on Matriline in the Ponerine Ant Gnamptogenys striatula Mayr

Matriline and the predominant social tasks performed by workers are correlated in the functionally polygynous ponerine ant Gnamptogenys striatula. This result favors the idea that polygyny might have been secondarily selected and maintained in ants because it provided more genetic variability and, thus, more potential variation in the regulation of the division of labor within mutualistic societies. As in previous studies on ants, nepotism could not be demonstrated. Because of the relatively small number of individuals per colony, these ponerine ants constitute a valuable model for exploring how polyethism is determined in insect societies.     

Coordination of Raiding and Emigration in the Ponerine Army Ant Leptogenys distinguenda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae): A Signal Analysis

Several glandular sources of trail pheromones have been discovered in army ants in general. Nevertheless, at present the understanding of the highly coordinated behavior of these ants is far from complete. The importance of trail pheromone communication for the coordination of raids and emigrations in the ponerine army ant Leptogenys distinguenda was examined, and its ecological function is discussed. The secretions of at least two glands organize the swarming activities of L. distinguenda. The pygidial gland is the source of an orientation pheromone holding the group of raiding workers together. The same pheromone guides emigrations to new nest sites. In addition, the poison sac contains two further components: one with a weak orientation effect and another which produces strong, but short-term attraction and excitement. The latter component is important in prey recruitment and characterizes raid trails. This highly volatile recruitment pheromone allows the extreme swarm dynamic characteristic of this species. Emigration trails lack the poison gland secretion. Due to their different chemical compositions, the ants are thus able to distinguish between raid and emigration trails. Nest emigration is not induced chemically, but mechanically, by the jerking movements of stimulating workers.     

Interspecific Aggression and Resource Monopolization of the Invasive Ant Anoplolepis gracilipes in Malaysian Borneo

Invasions by introduced ant species can be ecologically destructive and affect a wide range of taxa, particularly native ants. Invasive ant species often numerically dominate ant communities and outperform native ant species in effective resource acquisition. Here, we describe interactions between the invasive ant Anoplolepis gracilipes (Smith) and resident ant species in disturbed habitats in NE Borneo. We measured interference competition abilities of A. gracilipes by performing arena bioassays between two A. gracilipes colonies and seven local ant species, and measured its effective resource competition at baits within supercolonies and at supercolony boundaries. Furthermore, we compared ant species diversity and composition at baits among (A) core areas of A. gracilipes supercolonies, (B) supercolony boundaries and (C) outside supercolonies. Anoplolepis gracilipes was behaviorally dominant over most ant species except Oecophylla smaragdina. Within supercolonies, A. gracilipes discovered all food baits first, and monopolized the vast majority throughout the course of the experiment. At supercolony boundaries, A. gracilipes discovered baits later than resident ant species, but subsequently monopolized half of the baits. Furthermore, the activity and diversity of the ant community within A. gracilipes supercolonies was lower than at its boundaries and outside supercolonies, and the ant communities differed significantly between infested and noninfested areas. Our study supports the hypothesis that successful establishment of A. gracilipes in anthropogenically disturbed habitats may negatively affect resident ant communities through high levels of direct interspecific aggression and almost complete monopolization of resources within high‐density supercolonies.     

Interspecific complementary and competitive interactions between intercropped maize and faba bean

Interspecific complementary and competitive interactions between maize (Zea mays L. cv. Zhongdan No. 2) and faba bean (Vicia faba L. cv. Linxia Dacaidou) in maize/faba bean intercropping systems were assessed in two field experiments in Gansu province, northwestern China, plus a microplot experiment in one treatment of one of the field experiments in which root system partitions were used to determine interspecific root interactions. Intercropping effects were detected, with land equivalent ratio values of 1.21–1.23 based on total (grain+straw) yield and 1.13–1.34 based on grain yield. When two rows of maize were intercropped with two rows of faba bean, both total yield and grain yield of both crop species were significantly higher than those of sole maize and faba bean on an equivalent area basis. When two rows of pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Beijing No. 5) were intercropped with two rows of faba bean, neither total yield nor grain yield of faba bean was higher than of sole faba bean on an equivalent area basis. Interspecific competition between maize and faba bean was relatively weak, with mean relative crowding coefficients of 0.99–1.02 for maize and 1.55–1.59 for faba bean. The microplot experiment in which partitions were placed between root systems showed a significant positive yield effect on maize when the root systems intermingled freely (no partition) or partly (400 mesh nylon net partition) compared with no interspecific root interaction (plastic sheet partition). This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interspecific aggression and character displacement in the damselfly Calopteryx splendens

Problems in species recognition are thought to affect the evolution of secondary sexual characters mainly through avoidance of maladaptive hybridization. Another, but much less studied avenue for the evolution of sexual characters due to species recognition problems is through interspecific aggression. In the damselfly, Calopteryx splendens, males have pigmented wing spots as a sexual character. Large-spotted males resemble males of another species, Calopteryx virgo, causing potential problems in species recognition. In this study, we investigate whether there is character displacement in wing spot size and whether interspecific aggression could cause this pattern. We found first that wing spot size of C. splendens in populations decreased with increasing relative abundance of C. virgo. Secondly, C. virgo males were more aggressive towards large- than small-spotted C. splendens males. Thirdly, in interspecific contests C. virgo males had better territory holding ability than C. splendens males. These results suggest that interspecific aggression may have caused character displacement in wing spot size of C. splendens, because the intensity of aggression towards large-spotted males is likely to increase with relative abundance of C. virgo males. Thus, interspecific aggression may be an evolutionarily significant force that is able to cause divergence in secondary sexual characters.     

林麝化脓病病原菌化脓隐秘杆菌与铜绿假单胞菌互作机制研究

化脓隐秘杆菌Trueperella pyogenes是我国Ⅰ级重点保护野生动物林麝Moschus berezovskii的化脓病原发病原菌,但在化脓病后期的病灶中常能检测到大量铜绿假单胞菌Pseudomonas aeruginosa。虽然在病灶中能同时分离到这2种病原菌,但是它们的种间关系以及优势菌转换机制很大程度上未知。本研究通过构建多种铜绿假单胞菌群体感应基因敲除菌株并结合平板距离培养实验,探讨了化脓隐秘杆菌与铜绿假单胞菌的种间互作关系。结果发现,野生型铜绿假单胞菌的胞外产物可以显著抑制化脓隐秘杆菌的生长;不同铜绿假单胞菌群体感应关键基因缺失菌株均表现出对化脓隐秘杆菌不同程度的抑制作用,但与单突变菌株相比,lasR和rhlR双突变菌株对化脓隐秘杆菌的抑制作用明显减弱。这些发现表明,铜绿假单胞菌可以通过群体感应系统介导的胞外产物来提高对化脓隐秘杆菌的竞争优势。因此,本研究为林麝化脓病过程中的优势病原菌的替换和病情恶化甚至死亡提供了合理的解释,也有助于进一步提高对林麝化脓病病理的认识、治疗方案的改进和新型抗感染药物的研发。     

藤枣生境地木本植物种间关联性与群落稳定性

藤枣(Eleutharrhena macrocarpa)是国家Ⅰ级重点保护植物, 属于木质藤本植物, 野外数量稀少, 种群更新困难。本文通过分析云南省太阳河自然保护区藤枣生境地热带季节雨林乔木层与灌木层中木本植物种群的种间关联性以及群落的稳定性, 揭示种间关联性在藤枣种群濒危机制形成中的作用, 为极小种群的保护提供科学依据。结果表明: 藤枣生境地群落乔木层总体联结性VR (方差比率) > 1, 检验统计量W > χ_0.05(29), 灌木层种群总体联结性VR < 1, χ_0.95(29) < W < χ_0.05(29), 乔木层和灌木层分别呈显著正相关和不显著负相关。x ²检验显示乔木层与灌木层中无联结的种对占多数, 其正负关联比分别是0.238和0.279, 联结系数显示显著和极显著的负联结种对要多于正联结的种对; Pearson相关系数显示乔木层与灌木层正负关联比分别是0.376和0.511, 绝大多数种对的联结关系未达到显著水平, 种对间的独立性相对较强。藤枣与其他植物种群之间对生境有相似的适宜生态位, 通过共同利用资源而共存, 在灌木层则面临较强的种间竞争。藤枣生境地群落稳定性交点坐标为(33.92, 66.07), 显示群落具有较好的稳定性, 而群落建群种与其他种对存在较强的种间竞争, 反映热带季节雨林的脆弱性, 因此生境地群落的严格保护对藤枣种群的更新和生物多样性保育至关重要。     

Conspecific and Interspecific Interactions Between the FEM-2 and the FEM-3 Sex-Determining Proteins Despite Rapid Sequence Divergence

Using degenerate oligonucleotide primers, we isolated the Caenorhabditis remanei orthologue of the C. elegans sex-determining phosphatase gene fem-2 as well as two other protein phosphatase homologues. Despite the significant sequence divergence between C. elegans and C. remanei FEM-2, we used RNAi-mediated gene knockdown to demonstrate that at least some aspects of male development require FEM-2 function in C. remanei. Consistent with this functional conservation, the conspecific interaction between the FEM-2 and the FEM-3 proteins observed in C. elegans also occurs in C. remanei. To further explore whether the rapid evolution of FEM-2 and FEM-3 affects their molecular interactions, we tested for cross-species interactions between the proteins from C. elegans, C. briggsae, and C. remanei. Although all FEM-2/FEM-3 pairs from a single species interact, only two out of six interspecific pairs bind each other, showing that FEM-2 and FEM-3 are coevolving. Both interspecific interactions involved C. briggsae FEM-3. We constructed chimeric versions of FEM-2 consisting of various combinations of the C. elegans and C. remanei proteins. C. briggsae FEM-3 interacted with all the chimeras, even those that did not interact with either C. elegans or C. remanei FEM-3. We hypothesize that the promiscuity of C. briggsae FEM-3 reflects an increased reliance on evolutionarily constrained regions of FEM-2 for binding. If so, our data support the notion that the coevolution of two interacting proteins sometimes involves a shift in the domains that contribute to binding. [Reviewing Editor: Dr. Willie J. Swanson]     

Crossability Barriers in the Interspecific Hybridization between Oryza sativa and O. meyeriana

Oryza meyeriana Baill （GG genome） is a precious germplasm in the tertiary gene pool of cultivated rice （AA genome）, and possesses important traits such as resistance and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. However, interspeciflc crossability barrier, a critical bottleneck restricting genes transfer from O. meyeriana to cultivars has led to no hybrids through conventional reproduction. Therefore, the reasons underlying incrossability were investigated in the present report. The results showed that： （i） at 3-7 d after pollination （DAP）, many hybrid embryos degenerated at the earlier globular-shaped stage, and could not develop into the later pear-shaped stage. Meanwhile, free endosperm nuclei started to degenerate at 1 DAP, and cellular endosperm could not form at 3 DAP, leading to nutrition starvation for young embryo development; （ii） at 11-13 DAP, almost all hybrid ovaries aborted. Even though 72.22% of hybrid young embryos were produced in the interspecific hybridization between O. sativa and O. meyeriana, young embryos were not able to further develop into hybrid plantlets via culturing in vitro. The main reason for the incrossability was hybrid embryo inviability, presenting as embryo development stagnation and degeneration since 3 DAP. Some possible approaches to overcome the crossability barriers in the interspecific hybridization between O. sativa and O. meyeriana are discussed.     

Interspecific Relationships Between the Solitary Ectoparasitoid, Eupelmus vuilleti (Crw.) (Eupelmidae), and Its Sympatric Species, Dinarmus basalis (Rond.) (Pteromalidae), in the Presence of Their Host, Callosobruchus maculatus Pic (Coleoptera Bruchidae)

The eupelmid Eupelmus vuilleti CRW. and the pteromalid Dinarmus basalis Rond. are sympatric in West Africa. The reproduction of E. vuilleti and D. basalis females was analyzed in 10, 20, and 40 host patches when present alone or together. In 10- and 20-hosts patches, the presence of E. vuilleti affected the reproduction and offspring survival chances of D. basalis. In 40-hosts patch, only the offspring survival of D. basalis was affected by the presence of E. vuilleti. In contrast, the presence of D. basalis did not influence the reproduction of E. vuilleti and the survival chances of its offspring at all host densities tested. Multiparasitism did not occur at random. In a choice test, E. vuilleti showed a preference for hosts previously parasitized by D. basalis on healthy hosts. This attraction is mediated by chemical markers deposited by D. basalis females on the surface of the seed. At high host density, the likelihood of encountering a seed containing a host previously parasitized by D. basalis was lower for E. vuilleti, affecting moderately D. basalis reproductive success.     

Interspecific effects of grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) on the space use and population demography of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in conifer plantations

Interspecific competition between red squirrels and grey squirrels was investigated by comparing the population demography, spacing behavior and habitat use of red squirrels in two large conifer plantations in northern England: one site had only red squirrels (the red-only site), in the other both red and grey squirrels occurred (the red–grey site). Despite more abundant food at the red–grey site, red squirrel densities (0.26 ha^–1 at the red–grey site, 0.29 ha^–1 at the red-only site), adult survival rates and the breeding rates of females were similar at both study sites. Grey squirrels at the red–grey site occurred at higher densities (0.92–1.1 ha^–1) than did the reds and tended to have higher breeding rates. In the presence of grey squirrels, the recruitment pattern of red squirrels changed and there was little recruitment of subadults. The juvenile recruitment rate in the red–grey site (13%) was much lower than in the red-only site (50%). Grey squirrels, in contrast, had higher juvenile recruitment rates at the red–grey site (41%). The core areas of the home ranges of red squirrels in the red–grey site were more strongly overlapped by grey squirrels than by conspecifics. Red squirrels did not select the habitat with the best tree seed crop (Scots pine) but preferred dense Sitka spruce plantations; they appeared to avoid the Scots pine area with its high grey squirrel density. Data on foot length and body condition indicated decreased body growth in young red squirrels when grey squirrels were present. Our data suggest that adult red squirrels suffered little from interspecific competition with grey squirrels and that the key factor is decreased juvenile recruitment in red squirrels.     

Photobiont Selectivity and Interspecific Interactions in Lichen Communities. I. Culture Experiments with the Mycobiont Fulgensia bracteata

Abstract: Lichen communities are characterised by interspecific interactions that not only include interactions between different lichen species but also between the symbionts within a single lichen species. The community “Bunte Erdflechtengesellschaft”, growing on weathered calciferous rocks known as Gravel Alvar on Gotland (Baltic Sea, Sweden), shows a high complexity of inter‐ and intraspecific interactions, including Fulgensia bracteata, F. fulgens, Toninia sedifolia, Squamarina cartilaginea, Psora decipiens and Lecidea lurida. F. bracteata and F. fulgens are the dominant species of this community, showing a tendency to overgrow the other species involved and even parasitic behaviour. Culture experiments have been performed to investigate the selectivity of the mycobiont of F. bracteata towards a variety of potential photobionts. The results provide evidence for the selectivity of the mycobiont and varying compatibility of the respective symbionts that can be interpreted as a cascade of interdependent processes of specific and non‐specific reactions of the symbionts involved.     

Negative Correlation between Ant and Spider Abundances in the Canopy of a Bornean Tropical Rain Forest

In tropical rain forests, high canopy trees have diverse and abundant populations of ants and spiders. However, accessing high trees and their fauna remains difficult; thus, how ants and spiders interact in the canopy remains unclear. To better understand the interspecific interactions between these two dominant arthropod groups, we investigated their spatial distributions at the canopy surface in a tropical rain forest in Borneo. We sampled ants and spiders six times between 2009 and 2011 by sweeping with an insect net at the tree crown surfaces of 190 emergent or tall (≥20 m in height) trees. We collected 438 ant individuals belonging to 94 species and 1850 spider individuals (1630 juveniles and 220 adults) belonging to 142 morphospecies (adults only) from a total of 976 samples. The fact that we collected four times more spider individuals than ant individuals suggests that fewer ants forage at the tree crown surface than previously thought. The number of spider individuals negatively correlated with the number of ant individuals and the number of ant species, indicating significant exclusivity between ant and spider spatial distributions at the tree crown surface. Niche‐overlap between the two taxa confirmed this observation. Although our data do not address the causes of these spatial distributions, antagonistic interspecific interactions such as interference behaviors and intra‐guild predation are ecological mechanisms that give rise to exclusive spatial distributions.     

陆地棉与斯特提棉的种间杂种及其色素腺体性状的遗传研究

用陆地棉（G．hirsutumL,AD染色体组;2n＝52）的不同色素腺体基因型与澳洲野生二倍体斯特提棉（G．sturtianumWillis;C染色体组,2n＝26）进行种间杂交,得到4个带不同色素腺体基因的（陆地棉×斯特提棉）F1种间杂种。种间杂种植株总体性状介于两个棉种之间,全株光滑无毛,表皮上有一层较薄的蜡质层,花大,深红色。不同色素腺体基因对种间杂种种子和F1植株色素腺体性状有较大的影响,其中gl2gl2gl3gl3和Gl2Gl2gl3gl3与斯特提棉杂交产生的种间杂种具有种子无色素腺体而植株有色素腺体的特性,只是用gl2gl2gl3gl3配制的种间杂种F1植株的色素腺体较一般有色素腺体陆地棉显著稀少。用gl2gl2Gl3Gl3和Gl2Gl2Gl3Gl3配制的种间杂种种子和F1植株均有色素腺体。研究结果初步表明,控制斯特提棉的子叶色素腺体延缓形成性状的基因对陆地棉无色素腺体基因（gl2gl2gl3gl3）和有色素腺体基因之一（Gl2Gl2）为显性上位,对陆地棉另一有色素腺体基因（Gl3Gl3）为隐性上位。     

Interspecific interactions between the gall-fly Urophora affinis Frfld. (Diptera: Tephritidae) and the weevil Larinus minutus Gyll. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), two biological control agents released against spotted knapweed, Centaurea stobe L. ssp. micranthos

Interspecific competition has been suggested as an explanation for the failure of some insects as biological control agents for weeds. Enclosure and exclusion cages were used, in southern British Columbia, Canada to evaluate the importance of interspecific competition between a seedhead weevil, Larinus minutus, and a gall-inducing fly, Urophora affinis, two biocontrol agents released against spotted knapweed in North America. At the seedhead scale, U. affinis, which is an inferior biological control agent based on knapweed seed mortality, was the superior competitor. Larinus minutus attack rates were significantly lower in the presence of U. affinis compared to release treatments where L. minutus was attacking alone. Reduced L. minutus attack rates were apparent in seed heads expected to contain both species, assuming insect distributions were random, but instead only contained U. affinis. L. minutus did not significantly affect U. affinis density. Although overall attack rates on knapweed seedheads were higher when both species were together at a site, the consequence of the antagonistic interaction is that overall seed destruction was not as high as it could have been if the weevil were attacking on its own. These results support minimizing the number of biocontrol agents released that use similar resources on the target weed, to avoid negative interactions between control agents and potential reductions in biocontrol efficacy resulting from competitive exclusion.     

Interconversion Between Dimers and Monomers of Endogenous Mitochondrial F<Subscript>1</Subscript>-Inhibitor Protein Complexes and the Release of the Inhibitor Protein. Spectroscopic Characteristics of the Complexes

The F₁-inhibitor protein complex (F₁-IP) was purified from heart submitochondrial particles. Size exclusion chromatography of the endogenous complex showed that it contains dimers (D) and monomers (M) of F₁-IP. Further chromatographic analysis showed that D and M interconvert. At high protein concentrations, the interconversion reaction is shifted toward the D species. The release of the inhibiting action of IP is faster at low than at high protein concentrations. During activation of F₁, the M species accumulates through a process that is faster than the release of IP from F₁. These findings indicate that the activation of F₁-IP involves the transformation of D into M, which subsequently loses IP. The spectroscopic characteristics of D, M, and free F₁ show that the binding of IP and dimerization modifies the fluorescence intensity of tyrosine residues and that of the single tryptophan of F₁ which is far from the IP binding site.