两种观赏蕨类植物的繁殖技术研究

探讨了江南星蕨和庐山石韦两种观赏蕨类的繁殖技术。分株繁殖主要在春季进行,并注意日常管理。两种蕨类的孢子繁殖采用5种基质对照,经试验,江南星蕨孢子繁殖的基质以泥炭土：蛭石：珍珠岩：2：1：1为最佳,而庐山石韦则以基质泥炭土：蛭石=2：1为最好。     

蓝花补血草的组织培养与快速繁殖(简报)

以补血草种子萌发的无菌苗莲座茎及叶片为材料,探讨其组织培养快速繁殖技术,并建立相应的种苗快速繁殖技术规程。     

北京动物园大熊猫繁殖记录

北京动物园在三十年中,共繁殖大熊猫28胎（其中双胎18次）,产仔46只,成活21只,成活率为45．65％,为大熊猫的迁地保护作出了杰出的贡献。1963年第一次在人工饲养下自然繁殖成功大熊猫“明明”;1978年第一次用人工授精方法繁殖成功大熊猫“元晶”;1980年第一次以纯超低温保存的大熊猫冷冻精液人工授精成功产下二仔;1987年第一次在人工饲养下繁殖出子三代;1990年第一次实现不同地理位置的大熊猫自然交配繁殖成功幼仔“亚庆”;1992年第一次繁殖成功大熊猫人工授精第三代幼仔“京京”;1992年第一次以人工授精繁殖长大的雄性大熊猫自然交配成功繁殖“永明”和“永亮”;1992～1993年第一次以人工哺育的方法使未食母乳的大熊猫幼仔“永亮”成活;1993年第一次达到1992年所产的3仔全部成活,成活率为100％。     

黄花蒿繁殖技术研究

本文报道黄花蒿繁殖试验研究结果。种子繁殖于３月上旬以火土＋肥泥为播种基质可获得７１００％～９３３８％的发芽率;扦插繁殖于７～８月份采用顶部枝条作插穗,以火土为基质进行扦插可获得８６００％～９６００％的成活率。     

不同纬度高蔊菜的交配系统和繁殖保障

高山植物的繁殖适应策略一直是进化生态学研究的热点, 但是目前仍缺乏对繁殖适应性状的量化研究。本研究以横断山特有十字花科植物高蔊菜(Rorippa elata)为研究材料, 结合野外同质园控制实验, 在居群水平探讨了其繁殖适应策略。结果表明, 高蔊菜的繁殖能力与纬度呈负相关, 而越冬存活率与纬度呈正相关。不同交配方式结实率的显著性差异分析表明, 高蔊菜具有混合交配系统, 其中自交为主型和中间型的株系各占45.5%和39.4%; 不同株系具有不同程度的繁殖保障现象, 自交为主型最高(0.163), 中间型最低(0.011)。本研究表明高蔊菜在居群水平的繁殖和存活之间存在沿纬度梯度的权衡变化, 以自交为主的混合交配系统为其提供不同程度的繁殖保障。     

虎舌红迁地保护技术的研究

虎舌红是一种极为罕见的观赏植物.本文探讨了虎舌红的繁殖技术,从根本上解决虎舌红的迁地保育问题.规模化繁殖以种子繁殖为主,但这样繁殖的周期较长,而且观赏性有所降低;扦插繁殖成活率低,观赏价值最高;组培繁殖的技术还需深入研究.     

塔里木河下游21种荒漠植物繁殖体形态特征及对环境的适应

以塔里木河下游分属于9科16属的21种荒漠植物为对象,调查了它们的植冠种子库情况以及繁殖体的附属物、形状(三维方差)、大小(三维之和)及质量(百粒重)等形态特征,并探讨了各种繁殖体的生态适应对策.结果表明:(1)13种荒漠植物可利用植冠种子库来躲避环境干扰:7种繁殖体具绢毛,2种繁殖体具翅,1种繁殖体具芒,3种繁殖体具冠毛,可利用风力实现传播与定居,而且它们可利用有水时期的速萌特性来适应当地生态输水这一辅助措施;5种繁殖体形状远离球形(三维方差≥0.126),6种繁殖体形状接近圆球形(三维方差＜0.06).(2)5种具速萌特性的繁殖体(形状圆筒形、圆锥形和蝌蚪形)与8种具有持久土壤种子库的繁殖体(三维方差较小≤0.1且三维之和≤2.75 mm)利用它们互补的生态适应对策使其在研究区成功定居与繁衍; 13种以r-型生活史对策为主且粒小质轻的繁殖体(三维之和≤2.75 mm,单粒重<1 mg)与4种粒大质重的繁殖体(三维之和≥4.8 mm,单粒重＞3.3 mg)利用其互补式繁殖对策将研究区生物多样性维持于一定水平.(3)7～9月份为一年生草本、多年生草本、(半)灌木植物及乔木同时落种的时期,可将人工输水集中于这一时期以实现研究区种子最大数量地萌发.     

子午沙鼠生态学的初步研究

子午沙鼠的数量消长与季节变化有着密切的关系,数量高峰在9-11月。雌鼠妊娠率、繁殖指数均以夏季7月较高,冬季繁殖休止。雌雄性比为1:0.94。夏季以植物茎叶为主食,冬、春、秋三季均以种籽为主食。年龄结构呈金字塔形,老年鼠最少,成年鼠次之,幼年鼠和亚成年鼠数量最高。     

两种鹅掌楸繁殖成效的比较

通过交配设计结合花部性状调查对鹅掌楸(Liriodendron chktense Sarg.)与北美鹅掌楸(L.tulipifera Linn.)的繁殖资源分配与繁殖成效进行了比较.结果表明,鹅掌楸通过增加繁殖器官的数目以提高繁殖成效,而北美鹅掌楸则通过提高繁殖器官功效来保障繁殖成效.根据不同交配组合的子代出苗率分析表明,鹅掌楸总体的雄性繁殖成效高于北美鹅掌楸,而雌性繁殖成效低于北美鹅掌楸.     

毛红椿天然种群有性繁殖适合度及其繁殖更新

以九连山国家自然保护区毛红椿4个天然种群为研究对象,于2006—2016年调查毛红椿有性繁殖和自然更新的情况,分析其繁殖适合度系数和个体水平适合度.结果表明:九连山毛红椿各地理种群结实单株的初始数量较少(3~9株),经70余年的繁衍发育,现存结实单株的数量仅2~10株,且来源于原始单株或子1~2代.不同种群间有性繁殖差异显著,但结实能力呈逐年下降的趋势;随群落发育成熟,土壤种子库保存与种子萌发的失利,导致能正常生长发育成熟的林木数量近乎为0.毛红椿最佳性成熟年龄为40年,早期优势明显,适合度系数早期快速增长,为2.0~2.8,但急剧减少至0.3~0.5,之后较平稳减速至近乎于0;种群间个体有性繁殖适合度(0~14株·cm2)存在较显著差异,但均较低,甚至低至0;以现有繁殖率计算,有性繁殖与更新的适合度实测值均远低于预估值.总之,受有性繁殖遗传适合度低的影响,不同种群间有性繁殖与更新能力趋同衰退;个体有性繁殖适合度进一步降低且面临更高的投资风险,现有繁殖体系因此失衡并趋于恶化.建议开展繁殖交配、授粉结实及遗传多样性评价研究,同时人为干预林分环境,于结实期清理林地枯落物,在幼苗至幼树生长过渡期适当疏伐.     

微流控与细胞迁移技术的研究进展

细胞迁移在多种生理、病理过程中扮演着重要角色。在细胞迁移研究中,琼脂糖平板法、transwell小室法等因操作简单、重现性好被广泛运用于细胞迁移的体外建模。但传统方法大多是检测单因素条件下的细胞迁移情况,却忽略了血流这一重要因素对细胞迁移的影响。微流控芯片的出现不仅解决了上述难题,并能保证迁移试验在多参数条件下一步到位的完成并及进行实时观测。因此,微流控芯片将带来一场细胞迁移技术及相关领域的革命。对近10年微流控技术在细胞迁移研究中运用进行了总结。     

吸血昆虫生殖调控的分子机制

吸血昆虫是可以传播病原微生物的一类节肢动物,包括蚊虫、白蛉、蠓、猎蝽、跳蚤等。由于其特殊的吸血习性,它们成为了疟疾、登革热、丝虫病、锥虫病等急性传染性疾病的媒介载体。虫媒疾病具有传播速度快、扩散面积广和危害重等特点,不仅严重危害人类健康,还容易造成巨大的经济损失。由于针对虫媒传染病的药物匮乏以及虫媒病原对化学药物抗性的不断增加,阻断吸血昆虫的生殖成为控制虫媒疾病传播的有效措施。保幼激素(juvenile hormone, JH)和20-羟基蜕皮激素(20-hydroxyecdysone, 20E)在昆虫生殖过程中扮演着重要的角色。JH与胞内受体复合物Met/Tai结合后调控JH/Met靶基因表达,进而促进卵黄发生过程,为昆虫之后的吸血及产卵提供了必要条件;20E胞内受体为EcR/USP组成的异源二聚体,两者结合后激活下游基因表达,诱导卵黄原蛋白(vitellogenin, Vg)合成,为发育的卵巢提供营养。营养信号通路(胰岛素信号通路以及氨基酸介导的雷帕霉素靶蛋白信号通路)同样可以激活Vg合成,促进昆虫生殖;此外,营养信号通路与JH和20E之间可以相互作用共同调控吸血昆虫发育和繁殖。碳水化合物代谢以及脂代谢等能量代谢过程是昆虫生殖过程中主要能量来源,可以满足吸血昆虫生殖发育不同阶段极高的能量需求。研究表明,JH和20E信号通路在能量代谢过程中起着重要的调控作用;微小RNA在蚊虫这一类吸血昆虫中被证明与肠道微生物稳态、血液消化以及脂代谢等生理学过程密切相关,进一步影响了蚊虫卵巢发育。近年来,随着分子生物学及测序技术的革新,吸血昆虫生殖调控机制的研究不断取得新的进展。本文主要阐述了吸血昆虫生殖调控的分子机制研究进展,以期为通过调控吸血昆虫生殖的方法以阻断病原传播提供重要线索。     

Survival costs of reproduction in the blue tit (Parus caeruleus): a role for blood parasites?

One of the central tenets in life-history theory is that there is a trade-off between current and future reproduction (i.e. a cost of reproduction). The mechanism for this cost of reproduction is, however, largely unknown. One hypothesis is that the high workload during reproduction compromises resistance to parasites and that the resulting increase in parasitaemia has negative effects on the prospects of future survival. Although empirical evidence for a negative relationship between reproductive effort and parasite resistance exists, the causal relationships between reproductive effort, parasite resistance and future reproduction are still unclear. We use a path analytical approach to investigate whether a change in parasite resistance (as measured by intensities of infections by the blood parasite Haemoproteus) after manipulation of reproductive effort, translates into altered survival in female blue tits. Our results show a negative relationship between reproductive effort and parasite resistance, although evident only in first-year breeders. Moreover, we found survival costs of reproduction in first-year breeders. These costs were, however, not mediated by the blood parasite studied.     

On a Reproductive Stage-Structured Model for the Population Dynamics of the Malaria Vector

A reproductive stage-structured deterministic differential equation model for the population dynamics of the human malaria vector is derived and analysed. The model captures the gonotrophic and behavioural life characteristics of the female Anopheles sp. mosquito and takes into consideration the fact that for the purposes of reproduction, the female Anopheles sp. mosquito must visit and bite humans (or animals) to harvest necessary proteins from blood that it needs for the development of its eggs. Focusing on mosquitoes that feed exclusively on humans, our results indicate the existence of a threshold parameter, the vectorial reproduction number, whose size increases with increasing number of gonotrophic cycles, and is also affected by the female mosquito’s birth rate, its attraction and visitation rate to human residences, and its contact rate with humans. A stability analysis of the model indicates that the mosquito can establish itself in the environment if and only if the value of the vectorial reproduction number exceeds unity and that mosquito eradication is possible if the vectorial reproduction number is less than unity, since, then, the trivial steady state which always exist is unique and is globally and asymptotically stable. When a persistent vector population steady state exists, it is locally and asymptotically stable for a range of reproduction numbers, but can also be driven to instability via a Hopf bifurcation as the reproduction number increases further away from unity. The model derivation identifies and characterizes control parameters relating to activities such as human-mosquito contact and the mosquito’s survival chances between blood meals and egg laying. Our results show that the total mosquito population size increases with increasing number of gonotrophic cycles. Therefore understanding the fundamental aspects of the mosquito’s behaviour provides a pathway for the study of human-mosquito contact and mosquito population control. Control of the mosquito population densities would ultimately lead to malaria control.     

Genetic improvement of production while maintaining fitness

Selection for production tends to decrease fitness, in particular, major components such as reproductive performance. Under an infinitesimal genetic model restricted index selection can maintain reproductive performance while improving production. However, reproductive traits are thought to be controlled by a finite number of recessive alleles at low frequency. Culling for low reproduction may weed out the negative homozygous genotypes for reproduction in any generation, thus controlling the frequencies of alleles negative for reproduction. Restricted index selection, culling for low reproduction and a new method called empirical restricted index selection were compared for their efficiency in improving production while maintaining reproduction. Empirical restricted index selection selects animals that have on average the highest estimated breeding values for production and on average the same estimated breeding values for reproduction as the base population. An infinitesimal genetic model and models with a finite number of loci for reproduction with rare deleterious recessive alleles, which have additive, dominant or no pleiotropic effects on production, were considered. When reproduction was controlled by a finite number of loci with rare recessive alleles, restricted index selection could not maintain reproduction. The culling of 20% of the animals on reproduction maintained reproduction with all genetic models, except for the model where loci for reproduction had additive effects on production. Empirical restricted selection maintained reproduction with all models and yielded higher production responses than culling on reproduction, except when there were dominant pleiotropic effects on production.     

Reproduction numbers for epidemics on networks using pair approximation

One way to describe the spread of an infection on a network is by using the method of pair approximation. This method is a deterministic pair-based variant of the usual methods used to describe the progress of an epidemic in randomly mixing populations. However, although the ideas of pair approximation are intuitively clear, it is not straightforward to make all assumptions used explicit. Furthermore, in literature problems arise in defining basic quantities like the basic reproduction number R(0) and the real-time epidemic growth rate parameter r. We formulate the pair approximations and the needed assumptions explicitly. We discuss problems inherent to this method. Furthermore, we define a new reproduction number, similar to R(0) and a new real-time growth rate parameter similar to r. We illustrate the methods of the paper by an example for which we can compare the approximation of the reproduction number with exact results.     

Effects of host blood on mosquito reproduction

Female mosquitoes require blood from their host for egg development. However, the relationship between the composition of host blood and mosquito reproduction, and whether and how this is linked to host selection, remain unclear. A better understanding of these issues is beneficial for mass‐rearing of mosquitoes for vector control. This review provides an overview of the currently known effects of blood constituents on mosquito reproduction. Furthermore, it highlights knowledge gaps and proposes new avenues for investigation. We recommend that research efforts be focused on physiological differences between generalist and specialist mosquito species as models to investigate if and how host preference correlates with reproductive output.     

Carotenoids modulate the trade-off between egg production and resistance to oxidative stress in zebra finches

The allocation of resources to reproduction and survival is a central question of studies of life history evolution. Usually, increased allocation to current reproduction is paid in terms of reduced future reproduction and/or decreased survival. However, the proximal mechanisms underlying the cost of reproduction are poorly understood. Recently, it has been shown that increased susceptibility to oxidative stress might be one of such proximate links between reproduction and self-maintenance. Organisms possess a range of antioxidant defenses, including endogenously produced molecules (e.g., enzymes) and compounds ingested with food (e.g., carotenoids). If reproductive effort increases the production of reactive oxygen species, the availability of antioxidant defenses may partly or fully counteract the free-radical damages. One could, therefore, expect that the trade-off between reproduction and oxidative stress is modulated by the availability of antioxidant defenses. We tested this hypothesis in zebra finches. We manipulated reproductive effort by either allowing or preventing pairs to breed. Within each breeding or non-breeding group, the availability of antioxidant compounds was manipulated by supplementing or not supplementing the drinking water with carotenoids. We found that although birds in the breeding and non-breeding groups did not differ in their resistance to oxidative stress (the breakdown of red blood cells submitted to a controlled free-radical attack), one aspect of breeding effort (i.e., the number of eggs laid by birds in both breeding and non-breeding groups) was negatively correlated with resistance to oxidative stress only in birds that did not benefit from a carotenoid-supplemented diet. This result therefore suggests that carotenoid availability can modulate the trade-off between reproduction and resistance to oxidative stress.     

Effects of blood meal source on the reproduction of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus were fed blood meals from a live chicken (LC), chicken blood in Alsever's (AC) solution, defibrinated bovine blood (DB), or bovine blood in citrate (CB) and incubated at 28° C. The effects of different blood meal sources were evaluated with respect to rates of blood feeding and reproduction (i.e., fecundity and fertility) over two gonotrophic cycles. Mosquitoes that fed on the first blood meal were subjected to a second blood meal as follows (first blood meal / second blood meal): LC/LC, LC/DB, DB/DB, CB/CB, AC/AC. Fecundity and fertility of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in mosquitoes fed LC blood; however, fecundity and fertility in different treatment groups varied by gonotrophic cycle. These results contribute to our understanding of the impact of blood meal source on feeding and reproduction in Cx. p. quinquefasciatus. The potential impacts of blood meal source on virus transmission experiments are discussed.     

An experimental manipulation of life-history trajectories and resistance to oxidative stress

Optimal investment into life-history traits depends on the environmental conditions that organisms are likely to experience during their life. Evolutionary theory tells us that optimal investment in reproduction versus maintenance is likely to shape the pattern of age-associated decline in performance, also known as aging. The currency that is traded against different vital functions is, however, still debated. Here, we took advantage of a phenotypic manipulation of individual quality in early life to explore (1) long-term consequences on life-history trajectories, and (2) the possible physiological mechanism underlying the life-history adjustments. We manipulated phenotypic quality of a cohort of captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) by assigning breeding pairs to either an enlarged or a reduced brood. Nestlings raised in enlarged broods were in poorer condition than nestlings raised in reduced broods. Interestingly, the effect of environmental conditions experienced during early life extended to the age at first reproduction. Birds from enlarged broods delayed reproduction. Birds that delayed reproduction produced less offspring but lived longer, although neither fecundity nor longevity were directly affected by the experimental brood size. Using the framework of the life-table response experiment modeling, we also explored the effect of early environmental condition on population growth rate and aging. Birds raised in reduced broods tended to have a higher population growth rate, and a steeper decrease of reproductive value with age than birds reared in enlarged broods. Metabolic resources necessary to fight off the damaging effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) could be the mechanism underlying the observed results, as (1) birds that engaged in a higher number of breeding events had a weaker red blood cell resistance to oxidative stress, (2) red blood cell resistance to oxidative stress predicted short-term mortality (but not longevity), and (3) was related with a parabolic function to age. Overall, these results highlight that early condition can have long-term effects on life-history trajectories by affecting key life-history traits such as age at first reproduction, and suggest that the trade-off between reproduction and self-maintenance might be mediated by the cumulative deleterious effect of ROS.