Indigenous tropical ecology

Two major works on the ecology of Sumatra and Sulawesi two of the world's great tropical islands, have appeared relatively recently. These volumes represent the rarest of genres in tropical ecology: works of indigenous origin with an indigenous audience in mind. An examination of these exciting books prompts us to examine a wider literature on tropical ecology.     

热带、亚热带玉米育种素材的遗传改良

以泰国玉米品种与适应种质共122份为素材,采用改良穗行、顶交或测交方案,按精准的育种目标与定向设计,创制出具有鲜明独特特征的开放授粉品种(Open pollinate varieties,OPVs)。育种素材选择考虑表现优良、广适性、遗传多样性等3个因素;合成系统考虑实现遗传混合与重组、均等比较遗传贡献、施之温和选择压力、充分交配达到遗传平衡(遗传组成母本性状相近)等4条要素。相继创制Suwan 1复合种及其(半)硬粒型衍生种(Suwan 2、3复合种,Suwan 5、KS24综合种),含有不同血缘的马齿型KS6、KS28,Non-Suwan 1血缘的马齿型Caripeno DMR、KS27、KS23等。对10个OPVs采用S1选择法分别实施了C2～C13轮选择,从中育成近50个自交系,组配并发放16个优良单(三)交种。目前泰国各单位育成的每个杂交种中,至少有一个亲本系来源于Suwan(KS)种质。文章还依据合成OPVs及选系理论,对合成OPVs遗传成分适度多样化、亲缘关系、优势群与模式和合成OPVs对杂交优势育种的启示问题加以探讨。     

Stress responses in tropical sparrows: comparing tropical and temperate Zonotrichia

Seasonal modulation of the adrenocortical response appears to be ubiquitous in mid- to high-latitude vertebrates but has not been investigated in tropical vertebrates. Previous studies demonstrate that temperate passerines show seasonality in corticosterone secretion and corticosteroid binding globulin capacities. We examined seasonal and sex differences in the stress response in an equatorial population of Zonotrichia capensis, the only Zonotrichia that breeds in the tropics, and compared the results with those of northern Zonotrichia. Seasonal differences in tropical Zonotrichia would presumably be independent of photoperiod and thus directly related to such activities as reproduction and feather molt. In addition, we investigated the possible role of binding globulin as a sex steroid binding globulin, as suggested for temperate passerines. Similar to northern congeners, Z. capensis show seasonal modulation in total corticosterone and binding globulin capacity with higher levels during breeding than molt. However, unlike many temperate passerines, there are no sex differences in corticosterone secretion or binding globulin capacity. Furthermore, the seasonal differences in total corticosterone diminish when the free levels are calculated. The contrast between equatorial and northern congeners indicates factors such as breeding environment and life-history strategy may play important roles in shaping stress response in these species.     

Dealing with diversity: The Smithsonian tropical research Institute and tropical biology

Despite unprecedented research attention in recent years, the tropics remain an unexplored frontier. To achieve a better understanding of tropical ecosystems in the face of rapid and irrevocable destruction, it is essential to develop and improve field facilities for long-term comparative research worldwide. This article describes the work of one such facility - the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama - as model for future investigations.     

Limnology of tropical impoundments

Summary Amaravathy Reservoir in Madras State has a visible bloom of blue green algae throughout the year. Though thermal stratification is absent or rare, biochemical stratification occurs frequently. Oxygen depletion in hypolimnion is common and oxygen deficit is high. Vertical variations in pH were noted often. Nitrate and phosphate were absent. High silicate content was noted at times. Primary production was high in this reservoir. Growth of fish was found to be very good.     

Energetics of tropical hibernation

In this field study, the energetic properties of tropical hibernation were investigated by measuring oxygen consumption and body temperature of the Malagasy primate Cheirogaleus medius in their natural hibernacula. These lemurs use tree holes with extremely varying insulation capacities as hibernacula. In poorly insulated tree holes, tree hole temperature and body temperature fluctuated strongly each day (between 12.8 and 34.4°C). The metabolic rate under these conditions also showed large daily fluctuations between about 29.0 ml O₂/h and 97.9 ml O₂/h in parallel with changes in body temperature. In well insulated tree holes in very large trees on the other hand, tree hole temperature and body temperature remained relatively constant at about 25°C. Lemurs hibernating in these tree holes showed a more constant metabolic rate at an intermediate level, but hibernation was interrupted by repeated arousals with peak metabolic rates up to 350 ml O₂/h. The occurrence of these spontaneous arousals proved that the ability for thermoregulation persists during hibernation. Arousals were energetically costly, but much less so than in temperate and arctic hibernators. Despite the decisive influence of tree hole properties on the pattern of body temperature and metabolic rate during hibernation, the choice of the hibernaculum does not seem to be of energetic importance. The overall energetic savings by tropical hibernation amounted to about 70% as compared to the active season (31.5 vs. 114.3 kJ/d). Therefore, tropical hibernation in C. medius is an effective, well-regulated adaptive response to survive unfavourable seasons.     

Rethinking tropical ecosystem management

Tropical Environments: The Functioning and Management of Tropical Ecosystems by M. Kellman and R. Tackaberry Routledge, 1997. ￡60.00 hbk, ￡18.99 pbk (xix+380 pages) ISBN 0 415 11608 2/0 415 11609 0.     

Pathology in tropical medicine

The pathology o f a parasitic disease is a major link between the investigating parasitologist and those concerned with its epidemiology, socioeconomic impact, clinical treatment and control. The epidemiologist requires information about the incidence and prevalence of major pathological lesions attributable to on infection, which in turn will determine the social and economic impact of the disease and thus its priority for control. For both diagnosis and treatment, the clinician requires an understanding of the pathological mechanisms, and the potential for new drugs or vaccine development largely depends on such understanding. Recent years have seen remarkable improvements in determining the nature of pathology associated with parasitic infections. and in understanding their causative mechanisms. With this issue, Parasitology Today begins a series of special reviews designed to bring together these insights into parasite pathology (see pages 271-282). In this introductory overview. Charles Mackenzie traces the origins and development of the science.     

Neglected tropical disease vaccines

The neglected tropical diseases or ‘NTDs’ represent the most common infections of the world's one billion poorest people. Unlike the better known acute or emerging infections, the NTDs are generally chronic and disabling (and often disfiguring) conditions. The long-term disability they cause has been revealed as a major reason why poor people in developing countries cannot escape the poverty trap. Because NTDs are associated with poverty, vaccines against these conditions are sometimes referred to as antipoverty vaccines. However, despite their global public health and economic importance, such vaccines have largely been ignored by industry and today are predominantly being produced through the activities of non-profit product development partnerships (PDPs). The Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative based at the Sabin Vaccine Institute is one such PDP developing two antipoverty vaccines for hookworm and schistosomiasis, respectively. It has been proposed to combine these vaccines in order to target polyparasitic co-infections leading to severe anemia. Ultimately, to ensure global access of a multivalent anthelminthic vaccine, it may be linked to deworming programs through vaccine-linked chemotherapy. This would be an important step towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals for sustainable poverty reduction by 2015.     

No evidence that elevated CO2 gives tropical lianas an advantage over tropical trees

Recent studies indicate that lianas are increasing in size and abundance relative to trees in neotropical forests. As a result, forest dynamics and carbon balance may be altered through liana‐induced suppression of tree growth and increases in tree mortality. Increasing atmospheric CO₂ is hypothesized to be responsible for the increase in neotropical lianas, yet no study has directly compared the relative response of tropical lianas and trees to elevated CO₂. We explicitly tested whether tropical lianas had a larger response to elevated CO₂ than co‐occurring tropical trees and whether seasonal drought alters the response of either growth form. In two experiments conducted in central Panama, one spanning both wet and dry seasons and one restricted to the dry season, we grew liana (n = 12) and tree (n = 10) species in open‐top growth chambers maintained at ambient or twice‐ambient CO₂ levels. Seedlings of eight individuals (four lianas, four trees) were grown in the ground in each chamber for at least 3 months during each season. We found that both liana and tree seedlings had a significant and positive response to elevated CO₂ (in biomass, leaf area, leaf mass per area, and photosynthesis), but that the relative response to elevated CO₂ for all variables was not significantly greater for lianas than trees regardless of the season. The lack of differences in the relative response between growth forms does not support the hypothesis that elevated CO₂ is responsible for increasing liana size and abundance across the neotropics.     

Bryophyte phytomass in tropical ecosystems

Knowledge about bryophyte production and phytomass in the tropics is poor and has been derived principally from studies of epiphytic bryophytes. Such work has been undertaken in Transvaal, Tanzania, Venezuela, Peru and Borneo. Except for the studies in Peru and Borneo, the vegetation types studied and the methods used have been too variable to allow many comparisons or generalizations to be made. However, in general it can be stated that phytomass of epiphytic bryophytes in equatorial latitudes increases from the tropical lowlands to the foreslline. This striking phenomenon has been hypothetically explained by gradients of factors such as precipitation, humidity, temperature and desiccation, or combinations of these. Recent experiments on the gas exchange of tropical-montane bryophytes have revealed that the rate of net assimilation decreases dramatically above 25^oC and that high temperature combined with low light intensities, as realized in the tropical lowland forest, results in high rates of respiration and insufficient net photosynthesis. Experiments with temperate bryophytes show the same results. If can be assumed that tropical lowland species have special physiological adaptations to survive these unfavourable conditions, such as a specialized phytochrome system or effective storage of photosynthetic products. Additional factors could include the relatively high nutrient supply provided by abundant precipitation in tropical montane forests, and damage to cells by strong desiccation in the tropical lowlands.     

Nitrate distribution in tropical soils

Summary The downward movement of the nitrate ion in the top 5 ft of Tippera clay loam was followed by applying sodium nitrate at the rate of 2000 pounds per acre to bare fallow soil after different rain intervals during the 1957/58 wet season. At the end of the season soil samples were collected at 6-inch intervals and compared with samples from adjacent plots that received an equivalent anion quantity of sodium chloride after the same rain intervals. After 23.7 inches of rain the distribution of nitrate and chloride anions the soil profile was nearly identical and it was concluded that the anions are equally mobile in this soil.The mean movement of the anion was 1.075 inches for each inch of rainfall. A high positive correlation of 0.946 was obtained between mean movement and rainfall. The downward movement of both anions out of the topsoil appeared to be enhanced by channels left by partly decomposed roots.Application of sodium chloride on sandier soils revealed a much higher mean movement of anions on Blain sand than on Tippera clay loam after equal amounts of rain, but on Florina sand with a high silt content in the topsoil the mean anion movement approached that of the clay soil. The difference is explained in terms of low infiltration rate into the Florina soil.The practical implications of leaching of nitrate in Tippera soil are briefly discussed.     

A tropical rain forest feast

An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests (2nd edn) by T.C. Whitmore Oxford Science Publications, 1998. ￡45 hbk, ￡19.50 pbk (224 pages) ISBN 0 19 850148 X/0 19 850147 1 Tropical Rain Forest: A Wider Perspective edited by F.B. Goldsmith Chapman and Hall (Conservation Biology Series) 1998. ￡69.00 hbk (xix+416 pages) ISBN 0 412 81510 9 Vanishing Treasures of the Philippine Rain Forest by L.R. Heaney and J.C. Rigalado Jr University of Chicago Press, 1998. ￡19.25/$24.00 pbk (96 pages) ISBN 0 91486819 5.