GENETIC ORGANIZATION AND EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY IN TWO NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF CIRSIUM

Relationships involving progenitor and derivative species pairs have been documented for a number of plant taxa. In this study, we used starch-gel electrophoresis to examine the probable relationship between Cirsium pitcheri, an endemic thistle restricted to the shorelines of the Great Lakes, and Cirsium canescens, a closely related species of the central Great Plains (U.S.A.). The species shared the same enzyme loci but differed greatly in levels of genetic diversity. C. pitcheri was genetically much less variable than its congener, with fewer polymorphic loci and significantly lower heterozygosity. The genetic variation in C. pitcheri represents a depauperate subset of the alleles present in C. canescens, consistent with the hypothesis that the two species represent a progenitor-derivative species pair. We suggest that C. pitcheri migrated into newly created dune habitats in the Great Lakes region near the end of the Wisconsin glaciation and that its low genetic variability results from repeated and probably prolonged population bottlenecks which accompanied its movement.     

INTROGRESSIVE HYBRIDIZATION AND NONCONCORDANT EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF MATERNAL AND PATERNAL LINEAGES IN NORTH AMERICAN DEER

Introgressive hybridization between mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) was studied using sequence analysis of the paternally inherited, Y-linked, Zfy gene. The distribution of Zfy genotypes indicate that male white-tailed deer disperse into the range of mule deer and successfully breed with mule deer does. In western Texas, F₁ hybrids are rare, but a relatively high proportion of backcross individuals was observed. Phylogenetic analysis of Zfy among white-tailed, mule, and black-tailed deer was consistent with traditional systematic placement of the latter two being sister-taxa, whereas previous mtDNA studies suggested mule and white-tailed deer were sister taxa.     

EFFECTS OF IRRADIANCE AND GRAZING ON LOTIC ALGAL ASSEMBLAGES1

A laboratory experiment was conducted for 75 days to examine how irradiance levels and grazing influence algal biomass and community structure. Twelve laboratory streams were used for experimental analyses, with four channels exposed to one of three irradiance levels (15, 100, or 400 μE·m^?2·s^?1). Three of the four stream at each light level were stocked with the snail Juga silicula (250·m^?2), leaving one stream at each light level without snails. Grazed stream exposed to low light levels developed low amounts of algal biomass (<2 g AFDW·m^?2) and were dominated by adnately attached diatoms. Mean algal biomass increased over time in the grazed streams exposed to intermediate light; by day 75, these streams were characterized by moderate algal biomasses (30-40 g AFDW·m^?2) and filamentous chlorophytes. Algal assemblages in high light, grazed channels had high levels of biomass at day 43 (70 g AFDW·m^?2) that declined to 30 g AFDW·m^?2at day 75 and were dominated by chlorophytes. Among ungrazed streams, algal biomass at day 75 was relatively low in the low light streams (<7g AFDW·m^?2) and was dominated by adnately attached diatoms. Ungrazed streams exposed to intermediate and high light levels had moderate biomasses (23 and 19 g AFDW·m^?2, respectively) and were dominated by chlorophytes and large diatoms. Grazing appeared both to delay and alter successional trajectories of algal assemblages, with alterations most noticeable during early seral stages at intermediate and high light levels. Grazing had the least effect on successional trajectories at low light.     

不同基肥对退化坡地及牧草产量和质量的影响

探讨了不同基肥组合处理对退化坡地的改造利用和对牧草生产的影响．在相同的肥水管理条件下,以“鸡粪＋牛粪＋石灰”的基肥组合（Ａ）处理退化坡地土壤,可使皇草、杂交狼尾草、矮象草和墨西哥玉米的年产量比“猪粪＋牛粪＋石灰”的组合（Ｂ）处理分别高出９．７％、１２．８％、４３．０％和９．９％,前者（Ａ）生产出的牧草的粗蛋白含量略高于后者（Ｂ）,粗纤维含量略低于后者,而粗灰分含量显著高于后者．     

EFFECTS OF INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC FACTORS ON POPULATION FRAGMENTATION IN THREE SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN MINNOWS (TELEOSTEI: CYPRINIDAE)

Geographic patterns of genetic variation (mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA] and allozymes) were used to examine effects of intrinsic characteristics (e.g., vagility, habitat specificity, and reproductive behaviors) and extrinsic factors (e.g., climatic and geological history) on population fragmentation. The three species of cyprinid fishes examined (Tiaroga cobitis, Meda fulgida, and Agosia chrysogaster) occupied similar historical ranges within the lower Colorado River drainage, but differ in intrinsic characteristics conducive to population fragmentation. Relationships among populations were similar across species, reflecting common historical influences, but results indicate the distribution of variation among species is strongly affected by intrinsic characteristics. Variation within two species (T. cobitis and M. fulgida) is subdivided among populations, suggesting little gene flow among rivers. In contrast, similarity of A. chrysogaster populations throughout the Gila River drainage supports the hypothesis that levels of gene flow are high for this species. Levels of mtDNA divergence were much higher than expected for both T. cobitis and A. chrysogaster suggesting long-term isolation of geographic regions. These results indicate that both long-term and short-term extrinsic factors have shaped basic patterns of variation within these fishes; however, the intrinsic characteristics of each species have strongly affected the population genetic structure of these fishes.     

THE OCCURRENCE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ANOMALOUS REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES IN TWO NORTH AMERICAN NON-PARASITIC CUCKOOS COCCYZUS SPP.

Among the unusual breeding habits of the non-parasitic Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos of North America are great variability in clutch size and rate of laying, initiation of incubation long before the clutch is complete, occasional laying in nests of other species, annual irregularity in the timing of the breeding season, and semi-nomadic post-migratory movements into breeding areas where food is abundant. These facts, in addition to their peculiar diet and the very large size of their eggs, suggest that cuckoos have extraordinary problems in obtaining adequate energy for reproduction. At Bloomington, Indiana (U.S.A.), during a 15-year period, anomalies in the reproductive activities of cuckoos were concentrated into two years in which food was abundant. This was particularly true of one of these years, when there was a vast emergence of periodical cicadas: the Yellow-billed Cuckoo advanced its normal schedule and bred during peak cicada abundance, laid unusually large clutches, and parasitized Black-billed Cuckoo nests. Some females may have resumed laying in nests in which, having already deposited clutches of normal size, they had been incubating for long periods; the alternative possibility is that there was intraspecific brood parasitism. The erratic egg-laying behaviour of these cuckoos is attributed to the evolution of mechanisms permitting very quick exploitation of a favourable feeding situation. It is suggested that reproductive behaviour has become so responsive to an abundance of food that normal ordering and integration of the stages of breeding have been lost in some females. Such a loss could be responsible for the laying of eggs in alien nests, and it may have been the antecedent of obligate brood parasitism in parasitic cuckoo species.     

KARYOTYPIC DATA ON NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN ZAMIACEAE (CYCADALES) AND THEIR PHYLOGENETIC IMPLICATIONS

Chromosome numbers and karyotypes of species from four American Zamiaceae (Cycadales) are reported. Zamia shows interspecific and intraspecific chromosome variation, whereas Microcycas, Ceratozamia, and Dioon have constant karyotypes within each genus. In Zamia, all karyotypes have the same number of submetacentric and acrocentric chromosomes, but they differ in the number of metacentric and telocentric chromosomes. Centric fission of metacentric chromosomes is proposed to explain the karyotypic variation in this genus. Zamia shows karyological relationships with Microcycas and Ceratozamia, whereas Dioon appears very distinct from the other American cycad genera. Affinity among Zamia, Ceratozamia, and Microcycas karyotypes and distinctiveness of Dioon karyotypes are supported by comparative analysis of phenotypic characters in the four genera.     

Ar^＋,远红外激光,γ射线单一及复合处理水稻的诱变效果

用Ar~+、远红外两种激光和~(60)Co—r射线单一或复合处理两个籼稻品种的干种子,分析和比较了不同处理对水稻的当代生物学效应及处理二代的变异频率。结果表明,两种激光对当代的几个性状均表现为刺激效应,并有减轻,射线辐射损伤的作用,复合处理二代的变异频率和变异类型数明显高于相应的单一处理。说明复合处理是提高激光育种效果的有效方法。     

Developmental Physiology of Sugar-beet: III. EFFECTS OF DECAPITATION, DEFOLIATION, AND REMOVING PART OF THE ROOT AND SHOOT ON SUBSEQUENT GROWTH OF SUGAR-BEET

Decapitation and subsequent removal of unfolding leaves of sugar-beetplants (Beta vulgaris L.) at 2-, 4-, 14-, and 31-leaf stagesresulted in much greater growth of the remaining leaves, theeffect being more pronounced the less advanced the leaves atthe time of treatment. A two- to three-fold increase in areawas accompanied by a five- to six-fold increase in weight. Bothtreatments caused a transient increase in the rate of growthof the root, the promotive effect being sustained for a longerperiod at the later stages of growth when a greater photo-syntheticsurface was present than earlier. The results suggest that thesepromotive effects came mainly from the availability and distributionof substrates following the retardation of growth processesin the shoot and the removal of the shoot apex acting as a ‘sink’of unknown size. Removal of part of the shoot resulted in proportionately greatergrowth of that remaining, whereas removal of part of the roothad no effect on the shoot unless it was reduced to one quarter.The change in the amount of shoot had no significant effecton the growth of the root, nor was there a compensating effecton the growth of the remaining root after more than one halfof it had been removed. Removal of more than one third of theroot resulted in an appreciable decrease in the net assimilationrate, while removal of part of the shoot of plants with thesame root ‘sink strength’ led to an increased netassimilation rate.     

氮水平和竞争对互花米草与芦苇叶特征的影响

 互花米草 (Spartina alterniflora) 和芦苇 (Phragmites australis) 是滨海盐沼湿地的多年生草本植物,从世界范围来看,它们二者具有区域性的相互入侵特征,因此研究生境条件对两物种互侵机制的影响是一个十分有意义的生态学命题。该文运用随机区组实验设计方法,模拟海滩环境、构建人工种群、控制可变因子,研究了外来种互花米草与本地种芦苇分别单种和混种时,叶特征对不同氮水平、不同植株密度的响应。结果表明：随着氮水平的升高,互花米草和芦苇的叶面积无论是在单种还是混种情况下都显著增加 (p<0.05),但混种条件下芦苇的叶面积在高氮水平下增幅减少,这与高氮状况下互花米草与芦苇的竞争加剧有关;氮水平对单种中两种植物的叶数影响最显著 (p<0.01),对混种中互花米草的叶数和芦苇的叶宽影响最大 (p<0.05)。植株密度增加导致种内和种间竞争加剧,无论在单种还是混种处理下,都造成两种植物叶面积的显著减少 (p<0.05)。单种处理中, 两物种的叶数受密度的响应最显著 (p<0.05);而混种处理中芦苇对互花米草的竞争显著减小了互花米草的叶宽和叶数(p<0.05),互花米草对芦苇的竞争则显著减小了芦苇 的叶长、叶宽和叶数 (p<0.05)。两种植物的竞争结果受到氮营养的调控,低、高氮水平下互花米草的种间竞争能力大于芦苇,中氮水平下则是芦苇的种间竞争能力大于互花米草。高氮水平下互花米草通过叶面积的快速增加抑制了芦苇的叶生长,使其叶面积减少,从而在竞争中占据优势,这可能是互花米草入侵我国海滩芦苇种群的机制之一。     

两种沉水植物黑藻和伊乐藻的种间竞争

采用取代系列实验方法,主要从竞争期的长短出发,研究了黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)和伊乐藻(Elodea nuttallii)的种间竞争关系,并考查了在不同底质(土壤)肥力下两者种间竞争能力的变化情况。实验发现,伊乐藻由于具有较强的耐寒能力,在冬春时空竞争方面占有明显的优势,从而在周年实验中表现出较强的竞争优势,取代黑藻生长。而在短期实验中,黑藻由于可在水面生长形成较上位的冠层的特性,与伊乐藻相比在水体上层空间占领和阳光获取方面具有一定的优势,因此造成两种间竞争的不平衡,竞争偏利于黑藻,且这种优势随底质(土壤)肥力的增加而有所增强,但并没有明显取代现象的发生,两物种可以在混合种群中共存。