A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF GENETIC VARIATION IN THE ADVERTISEMENT CALL OF THE GRAY TREEFROG,HYLA VERSICOLOR

Genetic variation in sexual displays is crucial for an evolutionary response to sexual selection, but can be eroded by strong selection. Identifying the magnitude and sources of additive genetic variance underlying sexually selected traits is thus an important issue in evolutionary biology. We conducted a quantitative genetics experiment with gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor) to investigate genetic variances and covariances among features of the male advertisement call. Two energetically expensive traits showed significant genetic variation: call duration, expressed as number of pulses per call, and call rate, represented by its inverse, call period. These two properties also showed significant genetic covariance, consistent with an energetic constraint to call production. Combining the genetic variance–covariance matrix with previous estimates of directional sexual selection imposed by female preferences predicts a limited increase in call duration but no change in call rate despite significant selection on both traits. In addition to constraints imposed by the genetic covariance structure, an evolutionary response to sexual selection may also be limited by high energetic costs of long‐duration calls and by preferences that act most strongly against very short‐duration calls. Meanwhile, the persistence of these preferences could be explained by costs of mating with males with especially unattractive calls.     

COSTS AND BENEFITS OF A PREDATOR-INDUCED POLYPHENISM IN THE GRAY TREEFROG HYLA CHRYSOSCELIS

The phenotypes of gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) tadpoles vary depending on whether predators are present in the pond. Tadpoles reared in ponds with predatory dragonfly larvae are relatively inactive compared with tadpoles in predator-free ponds, and have relatively large, brightly colored tailfins with dark spots along the margins. Models for the evolution of plasticity predict that induced phenotypes such as this should confer high fitness relative to the typical phenotype when in the presence of predators, but should be costly when the predator is absent. Our study tested for the predicted fitness trade-off in H. chrysoscelis by first rearing tadpoles in mesocosms under conditions that induce the alternate phenotypes, and then comparing the performance of both phenotypes in both environments. We generated the two phenotypes by rearing tadpoles in 600-liter outdoor artificial ponds that contained either two caged dragonflies (Anax junius) or an empty cage. Tadpoles from the two environments showed significantly different behavior, tail shape, and tail color within two weeks of exposure. We compared the growth and survival of both phenotypes over four weeks in ponds where there was no actual risk of predation. Under these conditions, both phenotypes grew at the same rate, but the predator-induced phenotype had significantly lower survival than the typical phenotype, indicating that induced tadpoles suffered greater mortality from causes other than odonate predation. We tested the susceptibility of both phenotypes to predation by exposing them to dragonflies in 24-h predation trials. The predator-induced phenotype showed a significant survival advantage in these trials. These results confirm that the predator-induced phenotype in H. chrysoscelis larvae is associated with fitness costs and benefits that explain why the defensive phenotype is induced rather than constitutive.     

ADVERTISEMENT CALLS OF THE TREE FROGS,HYLA ARBOREA AND HYLA SAVIGNYI (ANURA: HYLIDAE) IN TURKEY

ABSTRACT

The systematic classification of tree frogs (Hyla) inhabiting different regions of the country of Turkey is unclear. Recordings of natural advertisement calls of individual male tree frogs in different locations in Turkey were analyzed to determine variation in acoustic features that may be related to taxonomic status. Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that call duration, intercali interval and number of pulses per call varied significantly between frogs in different locales. Call duration, intercall interval, and number of pulses per call were related to air temperature. Dominant frequency differed significantly between different groups of frogs, and was temperature-independent. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that tree frogs in Turkey represent two distinct species, Hyla arborea and Hyla savignyi.     

EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF MULTIVARIATE FEMALE CHOICE IN GRAY TREEFROGS (HYLA VERSICOLOR): EVIDENCE FOR DIRECTIONAL AND STABILIZING SELECTION

Even simple biological signals vary in several measurable dimensions. Understanding their evolution requires, therefore, a multivariate understanding of selection, including how different properties interact to determine the effectiveness of the signal. We combined experimental manipulation with multivariate selection analysis to assess female mate choice on the simple trilled calls of male gray treefrogs. We independently and randomly varied five behaviorally relevant acoustic properties in 154 synthetic calls. We compared response times of each of 154 females to one of these calls with its response to a standard call that had mean values of the five properties. We found directional and quadratic selection on two properties indicative of the amount of signaling, pulse number, and call rate. Canonical rotation of the fitness surface showed that these properties, along with pulse rate, contributed heavily to a major axis of stabilizing selection, a result consistent with univariate studies showing diminishing effects of increasing pulse number well beyond the mean. Spectral properties contributed to a second major axis of stabilizing selection. The single major axis of disruptive selection suggested that a combination of two temporal and two spectral properties with values differing from the mean should be especially attractive.     

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE EFFORT DEPENDS ON THE DEGREE OF ORNAMENTATION OF THEIR MATES

Sexual selection theory assumes that secondary sexual characters do not influence female reproductive effort. Female animals may invest relatively more in reproduction if they acquire mates of high phenotypic quality, because offspring sired by preferred males may be relatively more viable than offspring sired by less preferred males. Here we report for the first time in a field study that females of the monogamous barn swallow Hirundo rustica adjust their reproductive effort to the attractiveness of their mates. Experimental manipulation of male tail length, which is a trait currently subject to a directional female mating preference, affected the reproductive effort by females in single broods as well as their decision on the seasonal number of clutches. These results, and those of previous experiments, demonstrate that female barn swallows assess the quality of their mates throughout the reproductive season and adjust their reproductive decisions accordingly. This result has important implications for the theory of sexual selection and for the possibility of testing current models of female mate preferences, because the viability of offspring will be confounded by differential reproductive effort.     

ALLOZYME AND ADVERTISEMENT CALL VARIATION IN THE TÚNGARA FROG,PHYSALAEMUS PUSTULOSUS

We analyzed variation in advertisement calls and allozymes in 30 populations along a 5000-km transect throughout most of the range of the túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus. All 12 call variables measured show significant differences among populations despite the importance of the advertisement call in species recognition. Some call variables exhibited clinal variation, whereas most others differed between the two major allozyme groups that have invaded Panama at different times, perhaps 4–4.5 million yr apart. Call variables that primarily affect discrimination among conspecifics tended to exhibit greater variation than call variables that are crucial for species recognition. The proximate mechanism of production underlying a call variable, however, is a better predictor of its variation. Contrary to predictions of some sexual selection models, call variation exhibits predictable patterns of geographical variation, although a substantial portion of variation among populations is not explained by geographic position. Although allozymes, calls, and geography usually covary, closer populations can have more similar calls independent of allozyme similarity.     

凹叶厚朴大、小孢子发生和雌、雄配子体发育的研究

凹叶厚朴花药四囊型,腺质绒毡层有1-2层细胞,小孢子形成时胞质分裂方式为修饰性同时型,小孢子四分体排列方式为左右对称型．成熟花粉粒为二细胞型。四分体和小孢子在发生时有不规则变形。子房单心皮,心皮腹面壁上着生2个胚珠,胚珠倒生型,厚珠心,双珠被;孢原细胞一个,并且自表皮下第2层细胞处分化。胚囊发育为单孢蓼型。凹叶厚朴的胚胎学特征与木兰科其它植物的胚胎学特征基本相同,属于较原始的被子植物胚胎类型。在凹叶厚朴大、小孢子发生和雌、雄配子体发育过程中存在部分败育现象。本文初步探讨了凹叶厚朴濒危的生殖生物学原因。     

L-NAME、G-CSF对急性胆道感染大鼠生存率和肺脏影响

目的 :了解大鼠在急性胆道感染时应用 L- NAME、G- csf后 ,其肺脏和生存率的影响。方法 :72只 SD大鼠随机分为 4组 ,即 :假手术组、急性胆道感染组、L- NAME处理组、G- csf处理组。采用胆总管注入大肠埃希菌 0 .2 m l(菌型 :2 5 92 2 ,浓度 4× 10 9CFU/ ml) ,双重结扎制成胆总管的急性胆道感染模型 ,观察肺组织光镜下的一般结构。 72只 SD大鼠随机分为 4组 ,分组方法如上 ,观察每组大鼠在 2 4、48、72 h的存活率。结果 :G- csf处理组与急性胆道感染组比较 ,肺脏病理损害减轻 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,存活率则显著增高 ((P<0 .0 1或 P<0 .0 5 )。L- NAME处理组肺脏病理改变有加重趋势。结论 :外源性细胞因子 L- NAME及 G- csf可影响感染中某些炎性介质的分泌和释放 ,L - NAME加重脏器损害 ,G- csf可减轻脏器损害 ,提高存活率。     

施肥对稻田生态系统气体调节功能及其价值的影响

 该文以2002年在上海市奉贤县五四农场进行的稻田生态系统田间实验为基础,对尿素施用对稻田生态系统气体调节功能（释放O2和温室气体调节）的影响进行研究。研究结果表明：1）在水稻（Oryza sativa）生长期间,施加尿素能显著增加稻田日O2释放量及其价值量;2）在水稻生长期间,施加尿素稻田综合CO2的通量及其价值并不比未施肥稻田存在显著优势,尿素施用能明显增强稻田N2O排放通量,降低稻田CH4排放通量。尿素施用对温室气体调节具有正效应,促进稻田对温室气体吸收。     

地区性的植物受威胁及优先保护综合评价方法探讨

植物的稀有及受威胁的不同程度是评价它们优先保护的基础。当前国内外对植物的稀有性和受威胁的各个等级没有定量的限定,很难掌握其标准。根据植物个体生态、种群动态及群落生态,本研究以植物分布区类型、区域内分布状况、生物群落确限度、植物群落中的重要值和植物群落结构五个方面作为植物稀有、受威胁的表达信息。然后对各种信息,按表达的强弱采用5到1的数量尺度进行标记,并根据植物受威胁系数计算的结果,把植物的稀有、渐危和濒危当作一种简单的植物受威胁的危险程度增加的线性关系来处理。 本方法采用了《世界自然资源保护大纲》所推荐的确定应予优先考虑的受威胁物种的图解公式,按物种损失的急切性和损失的大小确定了优先保护的次序,达到了保护物种多样性的目的。此外,引进和延伸了“特别考虑种”的概念去校订所计算的植物受威胁系数及上述图解公式计算结果,解决了对具有重要经济价值、遗传潜力及生态意义种类的优先保护。 这一地区性的植物受威胁及优先保护的定量评价方法,计算简单,容易掌握。     

经遗传修饰生物体的研究进展及其释放后对环境的影响

８０年代以来,以基因工程为代表的生物技术突飞猛进。转移不同性状的转基因作物在美国被批准进入大田试验的有４０个以上的作物,包括小麦、玉米和水稻等４种谷类粮食作物,主要的纤维作物棉花,蔬菜种类１０种以上,水果９种,其它还有油料作物,牧草和花卉等。到１９９６年６月已被批准进入市场的已有１８种,还有一批有待批准商业化。今年２月,美国农业部已第一次批准一种喂饲其它螨的转基因螨进入大田试验。第一个转基因线虫也正在申请向环境释放。已至少有２５个发展中国家,１０个以上作物转基因成功,ＧＭＯｓ作大田释放的总数在１６０次以上。基因工程能带来巨大的经济效益和社会效益。但是有不少数量的科学家或如“有关科学家联盟”等一些非政府组织指出基因工程的产物向环境释放会可能带来生态或环境危险。发达国家中,美国与欧洲国家的政府对ＧＭＯｓ批准释放的态度也是一样的,后者要比前者慎重得多。最近丹麦科学家已证实转基因油菜中的抗除草剂基因已经转入杂草中;由美国一种子公司开发的转基因大豆被证实对人体过敏而其产品决定不向市场投放。要有充分的科学实验,自然科学家与社会科学家相结合,对经遗传修饰生物体可能带来巨大经济效益和造成环境或生态危机进行充分的评估。在这基础上作出权衡,供政府决策者能作出正确的决策。这不仅在中国而是在全世界范围内已到了一个关键时刻。因此,生物安全问题是每次《生物多样性公约》缔约国会议的主要讨论议题。     

浙江瓯江流域鼋的分布和繁殖的研究

鼋（Ｐｅｌｏｃｈｅｌｙｓ ｃａｎｔｏｒｉｉ Ｇｒａｙ,１８６４）是国家一级保护动物,曾广泛分布于长江中下游以南地区,浙江省内基本均有分布,目前仅发现于瓯江流域,但也数量不多,濒临灭绝。本文以瓯江流域近期鼋资源的分布、繁殖和产卵场等进行调查,以求对保护种群提供对策和依据。     

云南抚仙湖鱼类的若干生物学特性及其对湖泊环境的适应

作者于１９８８年１１月至１９８９年１１月逐月取样研究了抚仙湖鱼类的的生物学特性。在此基础上,本文尝试从生物与环境相统一的观点出发,结合湖泊环境的演变历史,进一步探讨了其生物学特性对湖泊环境的适应。研究结果表明,仙湖鱼类具有一系列共同的生物学特性。依其性质可把这些生物学特性区分为原始性状或特化性状。原始性状提示了抚仙湖现生鱼类是源自该湖所属的江河鱼类区系。特化性状则是鱼类在长期的进化过程中适应相同湖     

中国和邻近地区杉科特有植物的核型及其进化水平的初步研究

中国和邻近地区杉科特有植物的核型类型,柳杉属、水松属、水杉属均为“1A”,杉木属、台湾杉属分别为“1B”和“2B”,它们的进化水平似依序递增并组成A-柳杉属——水松属——台湾杉属和L-水杉属——杉木属二条演化路线。该结果得到某些形态学性状和古植物学的支持,基本上适用于整个杉科。     

IMPACT OF NIGHT-FLOAT ROTATION ON SLEEP,MOOD, AND ALERTNESS: THE RESIDENT'S PERCEPTION

Night-float rotations were designed to alleviate the workload of residents on night call and thereby improve patient safety. However, the impact of the night float on residents is yet to be surveyed. We assessed the impact of the night-float rotation on pediatric residents using an anonymous questionnaire that covered topics, based on recall, about sleep, mood, alertness, adjustment, and others. The study was conducted in a major tertiary pediatric teaching hospital in the United States. Participants were pediatric residents who had completed one or two night-float rotations and were in active training at our teaching hospital at the time of the study. Fifty-two of 60 eligible residents (87%) responded. Sleep duration during the night-float rotation was shorter than during day-shift work in 24 residents (46%), longer in 20 (38%), and unchanged in eight (15%). A higher proportion of residents took longer to fall asleep, had more difficulty falling asleep, had more sleep interruptions, and felt less rested upon awakening. Twenty-four residents (46%) felt that their bodies never adjusted to the night shift. Also, 22 residents (43%) felt moody or depressed in contrast to seven (14%) who felt depressed during the daytime rotation (p=0.0001). Twenty-one residents (41%) felt they were slower in their thinking during the night float than daytime rotations. The results suggest that disturbances of sleep and mood and decreased alertness, typical of night shift, are present in the night-float rotation. Residency programs should monitor closely the impact of the night-float rotation on resident well being and patient safety. The impact of night-shift work should be considered in the design of night-float schedules, and teaching should be provided for residents to learn coping strategies for night-shift work.     

棕色田鼠XO雌体育性研究

通过对棕色田鼠外形特征,卵巢切片,怀胎和生产雌鼠染色体鉴定等方面研究,证实了该鼠ＸＯ雌鼠可孕,并具有生殖能力。染色体鉴定表明,ＸＸ雌体中的两条Ｘ性染以体,一条为Ｍ类型另一条为ＳＭ类型;ＸＯ雌体中的Ｘ性染色体为Ｍ类型。所以ＸＯ雌性的生育能力可能与Ｘ染色体有关,其上可能存在雌性育性基因。     

镉、铅及其相互作用对小白菜生理生化特性的影响

本文研究了溶液培养条件下小白菜对镉,铅的吸收积累规律的镉,铅及其相互作用小白菜生理生化特性的影响,结果表明：植物体内镉,铅含量与培养中镉,铅浓度呈正相关性,镉可降低植物对铅的吸收;镉超过一定浓度后,对叶绿素起破坏作用,并促进抗坏血酸分解,使游离脯氨酸累,抑制硝酸还原酶活性。含镉的培养液中,由于铅的加入,加强了镉对植物的毒害作用。