Adaptation and species range

Phase III of Sewall Wright's shifting-balance process involves the spread of a superior genotype throughout a structured population. However, a number of authors have suggested that this sort of adaptive change is unlikely under biologically plausible conditions. We studied relevant mathematical models, and the results suggest that the concerns about phase III of the shifting-balance process are justified, but only if environmental conditions are stable. If environmental conditions change in a way that alters species range, then phase III can be effective, leading to an enhancement of adaptedness throughout a structured population.     

Adaptation and the origin of species

As reflected in the title of his masterwork On the Origin of Species, Darwin proposed that adaptation is the primary mechanism of speciation. On this, Darwin was criticized for his neglect of reproductive isolation, his lack of appreciation for the role of geographic barriers, his failure to distinguish varieties from species, and his typological species concept. Two developments since Darwin, the biological species concept of Ernst Mayr and the methods of Coyne and Orr for estimating the contribution of different barriers to the total reproductive isolation, provide a framework for reconciling Darwin's view on the primacy of adaptation in speciation with later proposals that emphasize reproductive isolation. A review of the few studies that have estimated the contributions of multiple isolating barriers suggests that habitat isolation and other barriers that operate before hybrid formation are much stronger than intrinsic postzygotic isolation. In light of these data, I suggest that Darwin's focus on adaptation in the origin of species was essentially correct, a conclusion that calls for future studies that explore the links between adaptation and speciation, in particular, ecogeographic isolating barriers that result from adaptive divergence in habitat use. The recent revival in thinking about ecological factors and adaptive divergence in the origin of species echoes Darwin's much-criticized "principle of divergence" and suggests that the emerging views from today's naturalists are not so different from those espoused by Darwin some 150 years ago.     

十种姜科植物的染色体数目研究

报道了姜科3属10种植物的染色体数目。(1)姜属5种:版纳姜2n=22,弯管姜2n=22,圆瓣姜2n=22,红球姜2n=22,紫色姜2n=22;(2)舞花姜属4种:舞花姜2n=24,毛舞花姜2n=48,双翅舞花姜2n=48,澜沧舞花姜2n=32;(3)凹唇姜属1种:白斑凹唇姜2n=36。其中弯管姜、圆瓣姜、紫色姜、澜沧舞花姜、白斑凹唇姜的染色体数目为首次报道。     

Serological comparison of ten glycolytic Mycoplasma species

Seventeen strains of mycoplasmata representing 11 named species were compared serologically by three parameters: growth inhibition on agar, double immunodiffusion, and complement fixation. In growth-inhibition studies, a strain labeled Mycoplasma histotropicum was found related to and perhaps best classified as M. pulmonis, a relationship confirmed by double immuno-diffusion studies. A comparison of the remaining 10 species demonstrated that two pairs of species could be shown to be closely related by complement fixation and double immunodiffusion but not by growth inhibition; these were: M. granularum-M. laidlawii and M. felis-M. canis. M. pneumoniae and M. gallisepticum were the most serologically unique organisms in this study, showing very few cross-reactions with each other or other species. Overall, taxonomic groupings obtained by comparative serology appeared to correlate with the groupings obtained when the guanine plus cytosine contents of the deoxyribonucleic acid of mycoplasmata were employed as classification criteria. The group of organisms having a guanine plus cytosine content of 23 to 28% (M. canis, M. fermentans, M. hyorhinis, M. neurolyticum, and M. pulmonis) appeared to be generally serologically related. Thus the remarkable heterogeneity observed in the base composition of the deoxyribonucleic acid of order Mycoplasmatales is also reflected and apparently paralleled by a corresponding serological heterogeneity.     

Effect of temperature on seed germination of ten species and varieties ofLimnanthes

Ten accessions of seed of the genus Limnanthes, representing seven species and their varieties, were tested for germination at temperatures of 40°, 50°, 60°, 70° F, and at room temperature varying from 72°–78° F. Four of the ten accessions germinated best at 40°, three at 50°, and three at 60° F. Germination was relatively poor at 70° F and almost zero at room temperature. The total germination averaged over all accessions was about the same for both 40° F and 50° F, slightly less for 60° F. Seeds at 60° F reached a peak in germination rate in four days; those at 50° F required six days; those at 40° F required 11 days. Seeds, started at room temperature and moved to 50° F 15 days later, attained only about half the total germination of a similar group of seeds originlly started at 50° F. Some of the species tested germinated almost equally well at 40°, 50°, or 60° F; others germinated best only at, or near, one of these temperatures. Substantially all of the seeds that germinated over a period of 50 days did so in less than 30 days; most of these germinated in the first 14 days.     

Microstructure-stiffness relationships of ten European and tropical hardwood species

Hardwood species exhibit a huge anatomical variability. This makes them perfect study objects for exploring relations between structural features at different length scales and corresponding stiffness properties of wood. We carry out microscopic analysis, nanoindentation tests, as well as macroscale ultrasonic and quasi-static tension tests and build a complete set of microstructural and corresponding micromechanical data of ten different (European and tropical) hardwood species. In addition, we apply micromechanical modeling to further elucidate the individual influences of particular structural features, which might appear only in a superimposed manner in experiments. The test results confirm the dominant influences of the microfibril angle on the stiffness at cell wall level and of density at the macroscopic scale. Vessels and ray cells affect the macroscopic stiffness of the wood tissue not only through their content, but also through their arrangement and shape: A ring-porous structure results in comparably higher longitudinal but lower radial stiffness than a diffuse-porous one. As for ray cells, large and particularly compactly shaped bundles might reduce the stiffness in tangential direction because of the fiber deviations they cause. Moreover, vessel and ray content might affect the relation between nanoindentation modulus and density-corrected macroscopic longitudinal stiffness.     

不同种子预处理对10种沙拐枣植物萌发的影响

为了确定沙拐枣植物种子的萌发特性及最优播前预处理方法,在实验室条件下,对10种沙拐枣植物的种子进行了磨砺、硫酸和热水浸泡、冷藏、种子浸出液处理,然后进行发芽实验研究。萌发实验的结果表明,10种沙拐枣植物对于不同的种子预处理,均表现出相似的萌发反应。磨砺、硫酸浸泡和冷藏处理对种子萌发有明显地促进作用。与对照相比,种子浸出液处理对种子的发芽率、发芽速度均具有明显地抑制作用,并能增强种子的休眠。冷藏处理具有打破有活力的种子休眠、促进种子萌发的作用,但它与热水浸泡处理一样,对有活力种子表现出一定的致死作用。沙拐枣植物的萌发模式在不同种子预处理问均表现出明显的差异性。机械磨擦和硫酸处理能够促进种子的萌发率及发芽势。泡果沙拐枣(Callingonum junceum)在本项实验中表现出很强的萌发能力。     

十种贵州产苔类植物染色体数目

报道了贵州产 1 0种苔类植物染色体数目。它们是护蒴苔Calypogeiafissa,n =9,全缘广萼苔Chan donanthusbirmensis,n=9,尖瓣褶叶苔Diplophyllumapiculatum ,n =8,刺齿合叶苔Scapaniaciliata ,n =9,格氏合叶苔S .griffithii,n=9,羽枝羽苔Plagiochilafruticosa,n =8,延叶羽苔P .semidecurrens,n =8,尖叶扁萼苔Radulakojana ,n =7,丛生光萼苔Porellacaespitans,n=8,塔柱大光耳叶苔Frullaniataradakensi,n =9。其中尖瓣褶叶苔 ,格氏合叶苔 ,塔柱大光耳叶苔的染色体数目为首次报道     

Polymorphism and gene arrangement among plastomes of ten Epilobium species

Summary Plastid DNAs of ten different Epilobium species from four continents have been analysed using the restriction endonucleases BamHI, BglI, BglII, EcoRI, PstI, PvuII and SalI. With respect to the position of cleavage sites of those enzymes, each species has a specific plastome. Fragment patterns of different species from the same continent show a higher degree of similarity than those from different continents. Physical maps of the circular plastid DNA molecule have been constructed for each of the ten species by localising the cleavage sites of the enzymes BglI, PvuII and SalI. As in most other higher plants, the plastid DNA of Epilobium is segmentally organized into two inverted repeats separated by a large and a small single copy region. In heterologous hybridization experiments using radioactively labelled gene probes, the positions of structural genes coding for the rRNAs and for seven polypeptides have been determined. In contrast to its closest relative, Oenothera, the gene arrangement of Epilobium plastomes has the same order as in spinach. This indicates that changes in gene arrangement may be genus-specific and not the result of one or several events affecting all members of a plant family.Abbreviations kbp kilobase pairs - ptDNA plastid DNA - rDNA ribosomal DNA - rRNA ribosomal RNA - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate     

Light and electron microscope study of a new species of Thelohania (Microsporida) in the shrimp Pandalus jordani

Thelohania butleri n. sp. was found in cells of skeletal muscles of the shrimp Pandalus jordani, from Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia, Canada. Sporulation stages were studied with the light and the electron microscope. Earliest stages were small and apparently uninucleate. Next were small diplokaryotic cells that possibly arose by fusion of the former. These enlarged and underwent sporogony. Sporogony was a series of three binary divisions, each producing unikaryotic cells. There was no sporogonial plasmodium. The spore was ovoid, 4.8 × 3.1 μm (stained), with a large crescentic nucleus and rounded posterior vacuole. The polar filament was isofilar, doubly coiled, with about 10 turns. This species closely resembles the type T. giardi Henneguy. It is concluded that sporogony by means of three binary divisions and lack of a sporogonial plasmodium may be essential characters of the genus Thelohania Henneguy, 1982.     

10种帘蛤科贝类COI基因序列分析及系统发育研究

应用通用引物扩增了凸加夫蛤(Gafrarium tumidum)、锯齿巴非蛤(Paphiagallus)、细纹卵蛤(Pitar striatum)、钝缀锦蛤(Tapes dorsatus)、裂纹格特蛤(Marcia hiantina)5种帘蛤科贝类COI基因片段,并与GenBank数据库收录的加夫蛤(Gafrarium pectinatum)、沟纹巴非蛤(Paphia exarata)、日本卵蛤(Pitar japonicum)、日本格特蛤(Marcia japonica)、四射缀锦蛤(Tapes belcheri)5种帘蛤科贝类的同源序列进行比对分析.结果表明:所有物种扩增片段长度均为616 bp,序列A+T平均含量(62.9％)明显高于G+C含量.在616个位点中,保守位点数为282个,变异位点数为334个,其中简约信息位点数为283个.以COI基因片段序列为标记,以海螂科砂海螂(Mya arenaria)作外群,构建了帘蛤科贝类的系统进化树,其拓扑结构显示:细纹卵蛤和日本卵蛤聚为一枝,凸加夫蛤和加夫蛤聚为一枝,锯齿巴非蛤和沟纹巴非蛤聚为一枝,四射缀锦蛤单独聚为一枝,钝缀锦蛤、裂纹格特蛤和日本格特蛤聚为一枝,最后所有帘蛤科物种聚为一枝,与外群相区别,其结果与传统形态分类基本一致.研究表明,线粒体COI基因作为帘蛤科贝类DNA条形码在物种鉴定方面具有可靠性,可以作为物种分类的重要辅助手段.     

十种虫生真菌液体培养芽生孢子的形态发生

芽生孢子是许多真菌通过出芽方式产生的无性孢子,在液体发酵中主要以这种形式大量繁殖。真菌杀虫剂活性成分分生孢子的大量生产使用液体发酵得到的芽生孢子作为接种物,另外,它也是当今虫生真菌遗传转化的重要受体,因而研究虫生真菌芽生孢子的形态和发生特点具有重要意义。本研究分别对液体发酵中的球孢白僵菌、粉棒束孢、蝉棒束孢、环链棒束孢、玫烟色棒束孢、细脚棒束孢、斜链棒束孢、金龟子绿僵菌、蝗绿僵菌和蜡蚧霉等10种常见虫生真菌芽生孢子的形成过程进行显微观察,了解其分生孢子产生过程的异同。结果表明,芽生孢子的产生方式有两种类型：1）蝉棒束孢在其整个生活史中以菌丝生长为主,芽生孢子产生的数量很少。2）其他各种真菌芽生孢子产生方式相似,在菌丝体形成后就开始大量以菌丝出芽或缢缩产生芽生孢子,接着还可通过芽生孢子的出芽或缢缩断裂产生新的芽生孢子。芽生孢子的产生分为3个时期：初期先由菌丝形成芽生孢子;指数期芽生孢子大量增殖,菌丝和芽生孢子都可产生芽生孢子;后期以芽生孢子产新芽生孢子为主要方式。     

Effect of high temperatures and ash on germination of ten species from gorse shrubland

Seeds of ten species of Cistaceae, Ericaceae and Poaceae were examinated to compare their responses to high temperatures and ash, simulating the direct effect of fire on germination. A variable response to these factors between families and within species from the same family was detected.In Cistaceae, heat treatment pre-sowing stimulated germination. In Ericaceae, germination was stimulated by thermic shock, but a wide range of response was detected (between all four species), from Erica ciliari, very sensitive, to Daboecia cantabrica and Calluna vulgaris which showed no significant response. The range of reaction shown by the species of this family suggest that the size of the seeds is directly related to the difference in response, at least in species with a similar structure. In Poaceae, germination was not found to be dependent upon thermic shock.The effect of ash varies in magnitude. Although it decreased the germination percentage in all species, in Avenula marginata (Poaceae) the effect was not statistically significant, whilst in Ericaceae, particularly in those showing the highest levels of germination in the control (C. vulgaris and E. umbellata), the effect is to inhibit germination completely. In respect to the effect of ash the families could be arranged in the order Ericaceae>Cistaceae>Poaceae.Complex interactions between various dormancy types and seed size could explain these results. In species which depend on physical dormancy temperature has an important role. When other dormancy type is dominant in the control of germination, the medium characteristics could have a relevant role on seed response. In addition, the seed-size could determine the threshold of tolerance to temperature.     

Non-destructive estimation of root mass using electrical capacitance on ten herbaceous species

Background and Aims

Characteristically baseline levels of Sb in the environment are low, but problematic local elevation trends arise from anthropogenic activities such as mining and incineration. Arsenic (analog of Sb) accumulation by rice can be reduced by iron (Fe) plaque. A hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate whether Fe plaque could reduce the uptake and translocation of different Sb species in different rice cultivars.

Methods

After Fe plaque on rice roots was induced in solution containing 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.7, 1.2, 2.0?mM Fe²⁺ for 24?h, seedlings were transferred into nutrient solution with 20?μM Sb(V) or Sb(III) for 3?d.

Results

About 60–80% (Sb(III) treatment) and 40–60% (Sb(V) treatment) of the total Sb accumulated in Fe plaque. There was a significant correlation between the concentrations of Sb and Fe on the root surface. A similar relationship was observed in roots and shoots. Cultivar (Jiahua 1) formed the most Fe plaque, had the highest Fe associated Sb sequestration but the lowest Sb concentration in the root interior.

Conclusions

Fe plaque may act as a ‘buffer’ for Sb(V) and Sb(III) in the rhizosphere, and cultivars played an important role in the different species Sb uptake and translocation.     

围封10年对荒漠草原群落物种多样性与优势种空间分布格局的影响

围封是修复退化草原生态系统的主要措施之一,科学与优化围封方式是目前草地资源管理中急需解决的科学问题。以内蒙古围栏封育10年和未围封的荒漠草原为研究对象,分析围封和未围封对内蒙古荒漠草原群落物种多样性和优势种空间分布格局的影响,旨在为荒漠草原的恢复与重建提供科学依据。结果显示:(1)围封10年显著提高了荒漠草原的植被盖度、密度、高度和地上生物量;(2)围封10年对Margalef多样性指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson丰富度指数和Pielou均匀度指数无显著影响,但围封均低于未围封样地;(3)围封10年对优势种短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)及糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)的空间分布格局有较为显著的影响,与未围封相比围封后糙隐子草的分布格局变得单一,短花针茅分布格局变得多样。总体看来,围封10年后,荒漠草原群落物种组成、物种优势度和优势种的空间分布格局均发生一定程度变化,反映出围封后草地生态系统中植物适应其生存环境的策略,围封方式应根据立地条件,科学制定围封年限以达到较好的生态恢复效果。