The reproductive biology of Stellaria longipes Goldie (Caryophyllaceae) in North America

Stellaria longipes is a very variable species of circumpolar distribution and wide ecological amplitude. Individuals are herbaceous, perennial, and facultative outbreeders. Gynodioecy is very common. We studied the microsporogenesis and embryo development in both male sterile and male fertile genotypes. Male sterile plants are vigorous and set more seed than the bisexual genotypes.     

Incidence of histoplasmin skin test reactivity in Somalia: An epidemiological study

Histoplasmosis is an important systemic mycotic infection with a wide geographic distribution. Its occurrence has been mostly studied in the US (6) and in Central America (6), but very little is known about its distribution in Africa, where a specific variant exists. Skin test surveys in the Democratic Republic of Somali indicate that Histoplasma capsulatum or a closely related agent has a focus in this east African country.     

Occurrence of limnic micro-crustaceans in relation to temperature and oxygen

Information on the distribution of 56 micro-crustaceans from different types of waters in south and central Sweden was analyzed to reveal their relationships to temperature and oxygen content. A very wide tolerance range concerning these factors was found for most species.     

Pseudocyclic transformation in the evolution of modular organisms and the problem of the integrity of biological systems

Pseudocyclic (P) integration was very important in the evolution of modular organisms. Its wide distribution was possible because of their morphogenesis, ontogeny, and systemic specifics. P-transformations are often related to changes around the boundaries of subsystems and structures, with a relatively low integrity of modular biosystems.     

中国蜡梅属种质资源的分布及其特点

根据对中国蜡梅属种质资源的调查,结合已有资料,重点阐述了中国蜡梅属植物的地理分布、水平和垂直分布特点及其生境特点。现知中国蜡梅属植物主要分布于我国的13个省,其水平分布很广,很连续,主要分布于秦岭以南、横断山脉以东的广大地区。垂直分布跨度很大,但垂直分布的上下限与经纬度无显著的相关性。蜡梅属植物对水热条件要求较严格,土壤基质多为沙壤土,在群系组成中,蜡梅属植物多为林木层和灌木层的优势成分。蜡梅属植物跨有5个植被类型,主要生长在常绿落叶阔叶混交林和常绿阔叶林地带。     

Genetic variation in three species in the Lampropholis delicata (Lacertilia: Scincidae) complex

The Lampropholis delicata complex consists of three closely related species, which have very different habitat requirements and geographic distributions. Percentage polymorphism and average heterozygosity per population are lowest in the species with the narrowest habitat requirements. Genetic differentiation between populations is also lowest in this species, which had a very limited and almost continuous distribution. For one species, which occurs in a very wide range of habitats, both natural and disturbed, genetic variability is compared between samples from disturbed and undisturbed habitats. Average heterozygosity is significantly lower in samples from disturbed than in those from undisturbed sites.     

Antioxidant enzyme activities in subcellular fractions of larvae of the black swallowtail butterfly,Papilio polyxenes

The black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polyxenes, larvae are specialized feeders of pro-oxidant rich plants of Apiaceae and Rutaceae. An important defense against toxic forms of oxygen species generated by ingestion of the pro-oxidants, are the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), GSH-dependent glutathione peroxidases (selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase [GPOX] and peroxidase activity of selenium-independent glutathione-S-transferase [GT_px]), and glutathione reductase (GR). The subcellular distribution of these enzymes in black swallowtail larvae was investigated and was found to resemble the patterns described for larvae of two other lepidopteran species: the southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania, and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni. The confinement of SOD in the cytosol and mitochondria was typically eukaryotic, but the relative proportion (1:1) was markedly different from the mammalian pattern (4:1; cytosol:mitochondria). The most obvious difference between the black swallowtail and other lepidoptera as a group, and mammalian species, is in very wide intracellular distributions of CAT, GTpx, and GR in insect species. Insects possess very low levels of a GPOX-like activity which reduces both H₂O₂ and organic peroxides. Consequently, insects have elaborate activities with a wide subcellular distribution of both CAT which decomposes H₂O₂, and GTpx which decomposes organic peroxides. The reduction of peroxides is dependent on GSH, which in this process is oxidized to GSSG. GR which reduces GSSG to GSH is also of wide subcellular distribution, analogous to the distribution pattern of GTpx.     

The sequence specificity of a mammalian DNA methylase.

The sequence specificity of an extensively purified DNA methylase preparation from Krebs II mouse ascites cells has been examined. The enzyme appears to be highly sequence dependent. Moreover the sequence distribution of cytosine residues that are methylated, bears a very close resemblance to the sequence distribution of 5'-methyl cytosine found in vivo in a wide range of vertebrate cells and is consistent with methylation of cytosines in the sequence R-Yn-C-R.     

淫羊藿属(小檗科)花瓣的演化和地理分布格局的研究

淫羊藿属的种数与60年前大不相同,现在已知约有50种。该属种类间断地分布于日本至北非 的阿尔及利亚之间的广大地区,这一分布格局表明了该属的古老性质。它们在欧亚大陆的分布极不均 匀,约有80％的种类产于中国中部至东南部,而且根据花瓣的演化分析结果表明,只有中国的淫羊藿属 植物具有连续不断的演化过程。由此可见,中国中部至东南部成为北半球淫羊藿属植物的汇集中心是 有充分根据的。淫羊藿属种类基本上是林地草本植物,常生于水青冈林下,为林下草本层的优势种,而 且该属的分布格局与第三纪植物属——水青冈属在欧亚大陆的分布格局极为相似,说明淫羊藿属植物 在早第三纪时期已广泛分布于北半球。中新世时期由于中亚地区气候变干,加之印度板块向欧亚大陆 俯冲并引起喜马拉雅山脉隆起,致使中亚地区进一步干旱,水青冈属和淫羊霍属植物随之消失,进而导致其东亚—地中海、西亚间断分布格局的形成。     

Petal evolution and distribution patterns of Epimedium Linn. (Berberidaceae)

The genus Epimedium as known at present comprises 50 species, in contrast to the 21 species recognized by Stearn in 1938. Its wide and fragmented range from Japan westward to Algeria indicates its antiquity. The species of the genus Epimedium are far from being evenly distributed over Eurasian land. Approximately 80% species of the total species of the genus are now represent ed in the central-southeastern China. This must be considered as a very high concentration of the number of species for a genus in a relatively not very large area like that of the central-southeastern China. On the other hand, an analysis of the petal evolution seems to indicate that the genus Epi medium has enjoyed uninterrupted evolution only in China. From the above facts, we can see clearly that the central-southeastern China has the credit of being a center of concentration for the species of Epimedium in the North Hemisphere. Epimedium occupies two widely separated regions, in East Asia and the Mediterranean regions; within each region there are extensive areas from which the ge nus is entirely absent. Despite the wide and discontinuous distribution outlined above, the ecological requirements of the species appear to be much alike. Essentially woodland herbs, the Epimedium plants often grow in the shade of Fagus forest as dominant species of herb layer in East Asia and the Mediterranean land, and its distribution pattern is very similar to that of Fagus in Eurasian land. It is significant that the distribution pattern of Epimedium coincides in many respects with the modern distribution pattern of the Tertiary genus Fagus. It is reasonable, despite the lack of fossil evidence, to suppose that Epimedium had acquired its wide dispersion in the North Hemisphere during the Paleogene if not before the collision of India with the Eurasia plate and the subsequent uplift of the Himalayas increased aridity in Central Asia. This led to its further disjunction.     

Genome Sequence of Rhizobium grahamii CCGE502, a Broad-Host-Range Symbiont with Low Nodulation Competitiveness in Phaseolus vulgaris

Here we present the genome sequence of Rhizobium grahamii CCGE502. R. grahamii groups with other newly described broad-host-range species, which are not very efficient Phaseolus vulgaris symbionts, with a wide geographic distribution and which constitutes a novel Rhizobium clade.     

Variation and taxonomy in Hordeum depressum and in the H. brachyantherum complex (Poaceae)

The variation pattern in the perennial Hordeum brachyantherum complex and in the annual H. depressum are described. The diploid form of H. brachyantherum s. lat., endemic to California in USA, previously recognized as a separate species is here treated as a subspecies ( H. brachyantherum ssp. californicum ). Despite its restricted distribution it shows a considerable variation and overlap in morphology with the tetraploid ssp. brachyantherum , and no unambiguous determination based on morphology between the two tax a is possible. The tetraploid cytotype has a large distribution area in western North America and easternmost Asia and a very wide morphological variation. It has also a small disjunct distribution area in easternmost Canada. A single hexaploid population from California is referred to ssp. brachyantherum .     

Characterization of the transposons Tn1822 (Tc) and Tn1824 (TpSm) and the light they throw on the natural spread of resistance genes

The transposons Tn1822 (Tc) and Tn1824 (TpSm) described in this paper are very similar or identical to the transposons Tn1771 and Tn1721 (Tc), and Tn7 (TpSm), respectively. They were isolated from different sources and replicons, however, suggesting a wide distribution of these types of transposons. The method used to isolate and characterize the transposons, involving a temperature-sensitive P1 phage as their transient vehicle, is particularly suitable for epidemiological studies on transposon distribution.     

多倍体昆虫

昆虫纲几个主要目中都有多倍体昆虫 ,但十分稀少 ,总共不足百种。多倍体昆虫多为不能飞的和行动迟缓的小型昆虫 ,全为孤雌生殖种类。通常多倍体孤雌生殖型的地理分布比二倍体两性生殖型的更为广泛     

Osteopygis (Testudines: Cheloniidae) from the Lower Tertiary of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco

Osteopygis emarginatus Cope 1868 is described from the Lower Tertiary of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco, on the basis of skulls and lower jaws. Osteopygis is a cosmopolitan turtle that had a wide geographical distribution during the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene. Osteopygis emarginatus is a very conservative species which crossed the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary without major changes.     

Dynamic evolution of selenocysteine utilization in bacteria: a balance between selenoprotein loss and evolution of selenocysteine from redox active cysteine residues

Background  

Selenocysteine (Sec) is co-translationally inserted into protein in response to UGA codons. It occurs in oxidoreductase active sites and often is catalytically superior to cysteine (Cys). However, Sec is used very selectively in proteins and organisms. The wide distribution of Sec and its restricted use have not been explained.     

鄂西南泽泻科植物的分布

在鄂西南,泽泻科植物主要集中在利川、恩施、鹤峰和建始四县市,常见于沼泽和水田,多生在腐殖质丰富而略带酸性(pH<7)的土壤上。在垂直方向上,随海拔升高,该科植物种数增加;但分布量以低山最多,其次是高山。除少数广布种外,其余多数种类分布范围狭窄,对生境有特定选择,这与鄂西南沼泽和水田等生境的分布状况密切相关。鄂西南泽泻科植物主要属东亚亚热带温带分布,该科区系与江西、江苏和日本的同类区系关系十分密切。     

鄂西南泽泻科植物的分布

在鄂西南,泽泻科植物主要集中在利川、恩施、鹤峰和建始四县市,常见于沼泽和水田,多生在腐殖质丰富而略带酸性(pH<7)的土壤上。在垂直方向上,随海拔升高,该科植物种数增加;但分布量以低山最多,其次是高山。除少数广布种外,其余多数种类分布范围狭窄,对生境有特定选择,这与鄂西南沼泽和水田等生境的分布状况密切相关。鄂西南泽泻科植物主要属东亚亚热带温带分布,该科区系与江西、江苏和日本的同类区系关系十分密切。     

Ecology of bdelloids: how to be successful

Bdelloids inhabit many different environments. The entire taxon is an order belonging to the phylum Rotifera. In spite of its wide distribution, it has a very uniform morphology, suggesting that natural selection has had almost no effect on its morphological characteristics.This paper reviews the geographical and ecological distributions of bdelloids and their ability to tolerate different conditions is discussed. Two characteristics account for the wide distribution of bdelloids, parthenogenetic reproduction and their ability to withstand unfavorable conditions through anhydrobiosis. The former is an apomictic thelytoky which may ensure genetic homogeneity within clones. However, evidence which suggests variability among and within parthenogenetic clones is discussed. Some recent experimental evidence indicates that anhydrobiosis does not affect the life history of the surviving individuals. The effects of anhydrobiosis on bdelloid populations are considered.     

Rotifer occurrence in relation to water colour

Information on the distribution of 223 species of planktic, periphytic and benthic rotifers from diverse waters in south and central Sweden was analyzed to reveal their relationships to the content of humolimnic substances, measured as mg Pt/l. Most rotifers have a very wide tolerance range against this factor. The majority of the planktic species prefer a low content of humolimnic substances, and the non-planktic rotifers mainly occurring in brown-coloured water show, in addition, a preference for low pH. No connection with trophic degree could be traced.