Effect of chlorhexidine/EDTA/Tris against bacterial isolates from clinical specimens

Chlorhexidine/EDTA/Tris was more active compared with chlorhexidine against the following species of organisms: Acinetobacter species, Citrobacter species, Enterobacter species, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Providence species, Pseudomonas species, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus faecalis, when tested in isosensitest agar. The addition of 20% serum to the medium reduced its effectiveness mainly against Providence species, Proteus species, and Streptococcus faecalis. However, the potential for this solution as a bladder instillation or topical antiseptic should be considered because of its reduced side effects compared with chlorhexidine alone, and its increased general effectiveness against all isolates tested.     

棘腹蛙生物学特性及资源保护研究进展

棘腹蛙(Quasipaaboulengeri)是无尾目(Anura)叉舌蛙科(Dicroglossidae)棘胸蛙属的两栖动物。因其以农业和森林害虫为食且对生存环境要求高的特点,故有保护和监测环境的生态功能。但由于生态环境恶化和过度捕捉等原因,造成野生棘腹蛙数量急剧下降,被《中国脊椎动物红色名录》列为易危种。本文从棘腹蛙的习性、生存环境特征、系统进化、人工养殖和资源保护等方面进行了综述,为进一步研究棘腹蛙提供基础资料和理论依据。     

Longitudinal distribution and ecophysiological characteristics of Hydropsyche exocellata (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) in large rivers

The position as a potamic or rhithronic species of Hydropsyche exocellata (Trichoptera Hydropsychmae) was analysed with regard to 1) its metabolism temperature curve and the total amplitude of its respiratory metabolism between 5° and 25°C, n) its distribution in some reaches of the Rhône River basin (France), and Hydropsychmae coexisting species in those reaches to assess its place in the stream continuum Metabolism data indicated clearly that H exocellata was a species adapted to the potamon, but distribution data did not confirm metabolism results The absence of H exocellata, for instance, from the lower and potamic reaches from the Rhône River itself, as well as its frequent coexistence with H pellucidula, a well-established near-rhithronic species regarding metabolism, suggests a more complex definition of its position as a potamic species     

元阳梯田地方水稻品种根部内生菌及根际微生物的分离与鉴定

采用组织分离法和土壤稀释涂板法,对元阳哈尼梯田2个地方品种‘月亮谷’和‘红脚老粳’的根部内生细菌及根际土壤细菌进行了分离,研究元阳梯田传统水稻品种特殊的内生菌组成.结果表明: 试验共得到399个菌株.经形态特征及生理生化鉴定,月亮谷根部和其根际土壤分别分离到8和5个属,其中5个属是共有的;红脚老粳的根部和其根际土壤中分别分离到10和7个属,其中6个属是共有的.经分子生物学鉴定,月亮谷根部分离到11个种和5个属,根际土壤分离到8个种和4个属,其中5个种和4个属是共有的;红脚老粳根部分离到9个种和5个属,根际土壤分离到10个种和3个属,其中4个种和2个属是共有的.通过分子生物学鉴定,大部分菌株都可以鉴定到种,而通过形态及生理生化特性只能初步鉴定到属,但两种方法在属层次上的鉴定结果基本一致.元阳地方水稻根部内生细菌及根际土壤细菌具有一定的种属同源性与特异性.     

Energy density and its variation in space limit species richness of boreal forest birds

Aim An area’s ability to support species may be dependent not only on the total amount of available energy it contains but also on energy density (i.e. available energy per unit area). Acknowledging these two aspects of energy availability may increase mechanistic understanding of how increased energy availability results in increased species richness. We studied the relationship between energy density, its variation in space and boreal forest bird species richness and investigated two possible mechanisms: (1) metabolic constraints of organisms, and (2) increased resource availability for specialists. Location Protected areas in Finland’s boreal forest. Methods We tested whether bird species richness was best determined by total energy availability in an area or by energy density and its variation within the area, before and after including bird abundance in the models. We evaluated two main explanatory variables: tree growth reflecting the rate of energy production and tree volume as a measure of biomass. In addition, we modelled individual species’ responses to energy density and its variation, and evaluated the prediction of the metabolic constraints hypothesis that small species are limited by energy density whereas large species are limited by total energy availability in the area. Results Energy density and its variation were good predictors of species richness: together with abundance they explained 84% of variation in species richness (compared with 74% for abundance alone). Pure metabolic constraints were unlikely to explain this relationship. Instead, the mechanism probably involved increased habitat heterogeneity benefiting specialist species. Total energy availability was also an important factor determining species richness but its effect was indirect via abundance. Main conclusions Our results corroborate the importance of energy availability as a driver of species richness in forest bird communities, and they indicate that energy density and its variation in the landscape strongly influence species richness even after accounting for abundance.     

SPECIATION AND FEATHER ORNAMENTATION IN BIRDS

The hypothesis that sexual selection promotes speciation has rarely been tested. We identified 70 evolutionarily independent events of feather ornaments in birds. For each focal species we noted the number of ornamented and nonornamented species belonging to its genus and its number of subspecies, as well as its mating system and the extent of its geographic range. For purposes of comparison, we randomly chose a second, nonornamented species for which we obtained information on the number of subspecies, and in cases in which the nonornamented species was in the same genus, we chose a third, nonornamented species in a related genus and obtained the same information. We then noted the number of species in each genus and the difference in numbers of species, or species richness, between paired genera. For the genera of the focal ornamented species, we regressed number of ornamented species on number of nonornamented species and found a positive relationship. As number of species per genus rose, number of ornamented species per genus rose more rapidly, indicating that more speciose genera have a higher proportion of ornamented species than less speciose genera. We then took the deviations from this regression, the residual number of species, and regressed them on the differences in species richness between the paired genera. This relationship was positive indicating that ornamented genera with more than the expected number of ornamented species were more speciose with respect to their paired genera than were genera with fewer than the expected number of ornamented species. Finally, we compared the deviations from this regression, the residual number of ornamented species, with species' mating system and found a greater residual number of ornamented species among species whose mating system is associated with greater skew in male mating success and thus more intense sexual selection. Ornamented species had more subspecies than nonornamented species, even when controlling for geographic range, suggesting an association between subspeciation and ornaments.     

A RAPD fingerprinting of sibling species of the Drosophila virilis group

A comparative analysis of the sibling species of Drosophila virilis was performed by RAPD-PCR technique using a set of random primers. The degree of relatedness was studied by cluster analysis (UPGMA) and multi-dimensional scaling. The resulting pattern of species relationships contradicts the classical taxonomy. The main result of the cluster analysis is that D. virilis does not cluster with the remaining three species of its phylad, while according to multidimensional scaling, D. virilis is equidistant from all the species of its group, from both the species of its phylad and the species of the montana phylad. The montana phylad is extremely heterogeneous; moreover, the species D. littoralis, D. ezoana, and D. kanekoi appear to be closer to the virilis phylad than to the other species of the montana phylad, wherein these species are traditionally included. The phylogenetic relationships between the studied species discovered using RAPD fingerprinting comply with the results obtained using protein markers and quantitative traits.     

中国新疆天山中东部新记录地衣种类(英文)

文中对采自乌鲁木齐市郊区和南山小渠子多个生境中的大量标本进行了外部形态与内部解剖特征观察,并对少数标本采用了显色反应法(CT)、显微化学结晶法(MCT)及薄层色谱法(TLC)等方法进行了物种鉴定。结果表明:该地区分布的地衣种类有100多种,其中包括1个中国新记录种———副茶渍属(Lecania tonin-ioides),2个新疆新记录种———美国大孢蜈蚣衣(Physconia americana)和细裂岛衣(Cetraria delisei)。副茶渍属的主要特征是鳞状地衣体边缘粉色,子囊长棍棒状,常生长在地面上;美国大孢蜈蚣衣的主要特征是小裂片旺生在子囊盘边缘和地衣体成熟的部分;细裂岛衣的主要特征是子囊棍棒状,髓层C+粉红色,含三苔色酸。文中对这些种类进行了简略描述。     

白条草螟属中国种类分类研究(鳞翅目:螟蛾科:草螟亚科)

研究了中国草螟亚科白条草螟属Classeya Bleszynski的2个种,其中包括1新种,六角白条草螟Classeya hexagona Song et Chen.sp.nov。,编制了白条草螟属中国种的检索表,六角白条草螟Classeya hexagona Song et Chen,sp.nov,与多角白条草螟C.preissneri Bleszynski在雄性外生殖器上的主要区别是：新种的阳茎内有6枚不同大小的角状器,而后者的阳茎内有一排几乎等大的角状器,正模,云南东川,海拔1800m,1980-05-09,无采集人记录,外生殖器标本编号C897（IZAS）,模式标本保存在中国科学院动物研究所动物标本馆。     

Oryza coarctata: the name that best reflects the relationships of Porteresia coarctata (Poaceae: Oryzeae)

Oryza coarctata is a herbaceous species that serves as an important source of germplasm for salt tolerance in rice breeding. Despite biosystematic and phylogenetic studies showing that its closest relatives are other species of Oryza, many taxonomists continue to place it in the monospecific genus Porteresia because it is morphologically and ecologically distinct from other species of Ova. Such a treatment obscures the reality of its genetic similarities to Oryza. The authors strongly recommend returning this species to Oryza. This will have the added advantage of ensuring that all those reading about the species will immediately understand its importance to rice breeding.     

Does a type specimen necessarily or contingently belong to its species?

In a recent article, Alex Levine raises a paradox. It appears that, given some relatively uncontroversial premises about how a species term comes to refer to its species, a type specimen belongs necessarily and contingently to its species. According to Levine, this problem arises if species are individuals rather than natural kinds. I argue that the problem can be generalized: the problem also arises if species are kinds and type specimens are paradigmatic members used to baptize names for species. Indeed, the same problem arises with respect to kinds like gold and the samples used to ground names for them. After arguing that the paradox arises whether or not species are individuals, I attempt to show how the paradox can be resolved. Levine's argument that a type specimen belongs necessarily to its species is specious. The appeal of the argument stems from a failure to distinguish between two different modal statements concerning type specimens, one de dicto and the other de re. Type specimens belong contingently to their respective species. Even so, they can be known a priori to belong to them: hence, that a particular type specimen belongs to its species is an example of contingent a priori knowledge.     

ITS region of the rDNA of Pythium longandrum, a new species; its taxonomy and its comparison with related species

Pythium longandrum (F-73.0) was isolated, from soil samples taken in Lille in northern France. Morphologically the fungus resembles closely Pythium rostratum, however its antheridial characters are unique. The oogonia of this species are provided with hypogynous and monoclinous antheridia. The antheridial cells are inflated and are probably the largest and longest for the genus. The internal transcribed spacer region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA indicates that it is entirely different from all other species of Pythium. This new species is characterized by its spherical to elongated sporangia, smooth-walled oogonia and hypogynous to monoclinous antheridia bearing long antheridial cells closely applied to the oogonia. Morphological features of this new species, together with the sequences of the ITS region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA and comparison with related species are discussed here.     

温州地区黑荆树入侵群落的竞争与动态

黑荆树作为一种入侵植物在国外已经引起了相当的重视,被作为经济植物引入我国以后,目前在很多地区也形成了黑荆树天然更新林.但至今其对于我国生态系统的入侵风险的研究仍然很少.以温州地区6个黑荆树群落为样本,对黑荆树和其它树种的竞争强度、空间关系和群落中物种的相互替代进行了分析,结果表明:(1)黑荆树在群落竞争中并没有体现出优势;(2)黑荆树与其它物种在空间上基本是独立的,这可能是由于竞争强度比较弱,并不能造成明显的竞争性死亡;(3)除马尾松外各群落中物种都维持较高的自我替代,但是在PY04、CN02和RN01群落未来黑荆树仍可能替代其它物种变成主要优势种,而由于其存在幼苗更新困难这种优势不会长久;(4)黑荆树的入侵风险不高,保持群落的生物多样性能够有效地防止黑荆树成为优势物种,因此今后要尽力维持本地群落的生物多样性.     

When invasive exotic populations are threatened with extinction

An important question that arises is what to do when an invasive exotic is a species threatened with extinction within its original distribution and there are few cases in the world illustrating this situation. These species potentially compete with local species for resources and may displace native species or, may in some cases, weaken the gene pool of the native species. The simple eradication of the invasive population could reduce the species′ gene pool, and the eradication process might affect local sympatric species. We recommend a program including identification of areas within the natural range where the species is extinct, removal of the causes of extinction in those areas, then gradual removal of the species from its introduced range and release in the relocation areas following proper guidelines for reintroduction of species.     

裸伞属的的两个新种

本文报道了广东地区裸伞属(Gymnopilus Karsten)的7个种,其中2个新种,除近缘裸伞外,其余为国内新纪录。并附分种检索表。     

Relationship of butterfly diversity with nectar plant species richness in and around the Aokigahara primary woodland of Mount Fuji,central Japan

We examined the relationships between the diversities of vegetation, adult nectar plants, and butterflies in and around the Aokigahara primary woodland on the northwestern footslopes of Mount Fuji, central Japan. The results showed that the nectar resource utilization by adult butterflies was significantly biased to herbaceous plants, especially to perennials, compared to woody species, although most of the study area was in and near a primary woodland. There were greater nectar plant species in sites with greater plant species richness. Among the butterfly community indices analyzed, the strongest correlation was detected between butterfly species richness and nectar plant species richness at each site. Another close correlation was detected between the species richness of nectar plants and herbaceous plants at each site. These results suggest that herbaceous plant species richness in a habitat plays a central role in its nectar plant species richness, and the nectar plant richness is a highly important factor supporting its adult butterfly species richness. Consequently, we propose that the maintenance and management of herbaceous plant species richness in a butterfly habitat, which lead to those of its nectar plant species richness, are very important for conservation of butterfly diversity even in and around woodland landscapes of temperate regions.