福建罗卜岩闽楠(Phoebe bournei)林中优势树种生态位研究

在福建省三明市罗卜岩自然保护区内选择由落叶阔叶树种为主的常绿落叶阔叶混交林向中亚热带典型常绿阔叶林演替过程中的4个不同演替阶段的代表性群落,以群落组成类型作为一维资源位,以树种的重要值作为资源位上的表现特征,定量分析了闽楠林中优势树种生态位宽度和生态位重叠情况。结果表明,大部分的常绿阔叶树种具有较大的生态位宽度值,而落叶阔叶树种则呈现较小的生态位宽度值;两类树种的;生态位虽有一定程度的重叠,但总体仍然较低。这些结果与两类树种对光等生态因子要求不同直接相关。生态位宽度值较大的常绿阔叶树种之间可产生较高的生态位重叠值。生态位宽度值较大的树种与生态位宽度较小的树种也可产生较大的生态位重叠值,但较小生态位宽度值的树种与较大生态位宽度值的树种往往只有小的生态位重叠值,而较小生态位宽度值的树种之间则可有国产高的生态位重叠值。上述的生态位研究结果有助于理解由落叶阔叶树种为主的常绿落叶阔叶林向中亚热带典型常绿阔叶林演替过程中优势各群的生态适应性变化规律。     

湖北七姊妹山亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林的物种组成和群落结构

亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林是亚热带山地中重要的森林植被类型之一,是维持区域生态安全和保护生物多样性的重要屏障。为深入研究亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林中的生物多样性维持机理和动态过程,我们在湖北恩施七姊妹山国家级自然保护区6 ha亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林动态监测样地调查了所有胸径(DBH)≥1 cm的木本植物,分析了其群落组成、径级结构和优势种的空间结构特征。共记录到木本植物50,316株,其中独立个体有36,596株(去除分枝和萌生),隶属于57科124属245种,包括7种国家级保护植物和76种稀有种(每公顷个体数不超过1株)。样地内落叶物种分别占总物种数的61.2%(150种)和总个体数的52.6%(26,503株)。整个样地内植物个体胸径呈明显的倒"J"型分布,平均胸径为4.38 cm。样地小径级木本植物较多,胸径≥30 cm的木本植物仅175株。样地中重要值排名前4位的物种分别是川陕鹅耳枥(Carpinus fargesiana)、多脉青冈(Cyclobalanopsis multinervis)、交让木(Daphniphyllum macropodum)和缺萼枫香(Liquidambar acalycina)。这些优势种虽然在整个样地均有分布,但大径级个体(DBH≥10 cm)的空间分布差异较为明显。依据群落组成和径级结构特征,湖北七姊妹山森林动态样地属于人为干扰后处于自然恢复中期的森林群落。针对该样地开展长期的森林动态监测,将有助于深入了解亚热带常绿落叶阔叶混交林恢复过程中的群落构建规律和物种多样性维持机制。     

鄂西南木林子常绿落叶阔叶混交林恢复过程中优势树种生态位动态

运用Shannow-wiener生态位宽度指数和Pianka生态位重叠指数,分析了鄂西南木林子常绿落叶阔叶混交林恢复过程中优势树种生态位动态。结果表明:大穗鹅耳枥(Carpinus fargesii)、四照花(Cornus kousa var.Chinensis)、青冈(Cycloblanopsis glauca)生态位总宽度较大,且在5个不同恢复时期均有分布。恢复期14a、35a、60a、85a和110a生态位宽度最大的树种分别为白马桑(Weigela japonica var.sinica)、大穗鹅耳枥、四照花、光皮桦(Betula luminifera)和尾叶冬青(Ilex wilsonii)。随着群落的恢复,优势落叶树种生态位宽度表现出下降趋势,优势常绿树种则呈上升趋势。当恢复到顶极群落阶段,乔木层常绿和落叶树种生态位接近,灌木层常绿灌木占据较大生态位。随着群落的恢复,优势落叶树种与其它树种的生态位重叠值呈波动性下降趋势,优势常绿树种表现为波动性上升趋势,群落全部树种间生态位重叠程度呈小幅度波动性下降趋势。相同或相似生活型的演替早期种间的高生态位重叠,意味着种间对资源利用的相似性和竞争关系,演替后期种与其它树种间的生态位重叠的增加,意味着不同生活型树种在水平空间重叠而在垂直空间分化,这是不同树种对有限环境资源充分利用的一种机制。     

桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层优势物种生态位研究

采用样方法对不同资源位群落进行调查,通过冗余分析（RDA）结合Monte Carlo随机置换检验筛选出对桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层优势物种分布影响显著的土壤资源轴（土壤有机质、土壤水溶钙、土壤速效氮、土壤全氮、土壤pH值和土壤厚度）。利用Levins生态位宽度指数和Pianka生态位重叠指数对桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层14个优势物种在土壤有机质、土壤水溶钙、土壤速效氮、土壤全氮、土壤pH值和土壤厚度6个土壤资源轴上的生态位特征进行研究。结果表明：（1）在土壤有机质和土壤水溶钙资源轴上,生态位宽度最大值为常绿物种檵木（0.89、0.94）;在土壤pH值资源轴上,生态位宽度最大值为常绿物种粗糠柴（0.96）;在土壤速效氮、土壤全氮和土壤厚度资源轴上,生态位宽度最大值为落叶物种南酸枣（0.87、0.99、0.97）。（2）14个优势物种在6个土壤资源轴上,生态位重叠均值由大到小依次为土壤厚度 > 土壤全氮 > 土壤水溶钙 > 土壤速效氮 > 土壤pH值 > 土壤有机质,且均表现为常绿物种与常绿物种形成的种对生态位重叠均值（0.84） > 常绿物种与落叶物种（0.74） > 落叶物种与落叶物种（0.66）。（3）综合6个土壤资源轴,生态位重叠值≥0.5的种对高达480对,占总种对数的87.91%,暗示桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层优势物种在资源匮乏且资源异质性高的特殊生境中存在激烈竞争,且乔木层种间关系相对不稳定。     

湖南大围山杜鹃灌丛的群落组成及结构特征

灌丛是陆地生态系统中最重要的自然植被类型之一, 在植被演替、生物多样性保护和维持生态平衡等方面具有重要作用。本文基于2012年的样地资料, 对湖南大围山杜鹃(Rhododendron simsii)灌丛的物种组成和群落结构进行了分析。结果表明: 群落内共有维管束植物58种, 隶属于36科50属, 其中木本植物19种, 草本植物39种, 缺乏木质藤本; 区系以温带性质为主, 兼受热带亚热带区系的强烈影响; 群落外貌矮平, 灌木层个体集中在1-2 m高度级; 植被分类上, 该群落归属于山地中生落叶阔叶灌丛, 隶属于温性落叶阔叶灌丛群系组; 生活型以地面芽和高位芽植物为主, 反映了亚热带中山山顶温凉湿润的气候特点; 群落各层次优势种明显, 具有较高的稳定性和均匀性; 高度级和基径级分析表明群落内中等大小个体具有保守的生活史策略, 优势种杜鹃为远期衰退种群。综合分析结果表明, 该杜鹃灌丛尚处于群落演替的中期或前中期, 最终将演替为亚热带中山常绿落叶阔叶混交林或常绿阔叶林。     

栲树种群生态位动态研究

用Levins生态位宽度及重叠、Feinsing等生态位宽度和Petraitis生态位重叠计测方法 ,处理缙云山森林群落演替系列取样 ,分析栲树种群的生态位特征及动态 .结果表明 ,栲树种群为缙云山森林群落演替顶极群落常绿阔叶林的优势种群 ,其生态位宽度随群落演替过程基本呈增长趋势 ,而资源利用程度却呈“∧”形 ;对于栲树种群和缙云山森林群落其它 1 4个优势种群间在所有 5类群落中的生态位重叠 ,仅栲树种群与典型针阔混交林中的小叶栲、光叶灰木、川灰木、薯豆、白毛新木姜子、广东山胡椒、大头茶、虎皮楠、杉木、马尾松种群上和针叶林中小叶栲、光叶灰木、杉木种群上 ,表现出显著完全特定重叠 .     

鼎湖山植被演替过程优势种群动态研究Ⅲ．黄果厚壳桂和厚壳桂种群

森林群落的演替过程,是以各优势种群的动态为其表现特征．本项系列研究以系统地揭示鼎湖山森林植被演替过程各优势种群的动态为目的,本文研究了其中演替顶极种黄果厚壳桂和厚壳桂种群的动态．结果表明在演替过程中,其生态位宽度在针阔叶混交林阶段后期逐渐增大,这一趋势将至地带性中生性季风常绿阔叶林阶段．在这类中生性树种的发展过程中,种群的分布格局强度均有在高集群和随机分布之间、围绕低集群分布呈波动的趋势;其与早期先锋树种马尾松种群的生态位重叠值和种间联结值在针阔叶混交林阶段有较低值,至阳生性阔叶树种为优势常绿阔叶林阶段下降为零;而与阳生性树种的生态位重叠值和种间联结值由高向低转变,说明这类种群作为群落顶极种的特性．     

安徽铜陵叶山次生阔叶混交林主要树种的生态位特征分析

采用样方调查法研究了安徽铜陵叶山次生阔叶混交林不同坡位5个样带中20个主要树种的重要值,并对其中14个主要树种的生态位宽度(包括Levins和Hudbert生态位宽度)、生态位相似比例和生态位重叠值进行了计算和分析.结果表明:各样带中的树种组成明显不同,麻栎(Quercus acutissima Carr.)的重要值在Q2样带中最高,而马尾松(Pinus massoniana Lamb.)的重要值则随着海拔的升高逐渐增大并在Q5样带中达到最高;5个样带中麻栎的重要值总和最高,达195.481,说明麻栎在该次生阔叶混交林中占有明显优势.该群落主要树种麻栎、苦槠[Castanpsis sclerophylla (Lindl.)Schott.]、白栎(Quercus fabri Hance)、青冈栎[Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Thunb.) Oerst.)、石栎[Lithocarpus glaber (Thunb.) Nakai]和山鸡椒(Litsea cubeba (L our.) Pers.]的Levins生态位宽度值分别为0.666、0.664、0.653、0.609、0.594和0.541,Hurlbert生态位宽度值分别为0.856、0.862、0.756、0.613、0.717和0.514,这些主要树种的2项生态位宽度指标均较大且排列顺序基本一致,进一步说明麻栎为该次生阔叶混交林的优势种.该群落中,生态位宽度高的树种间生态位相似比例和生态位重叠值都较高;生态位相似比例在0.3以上的种对有58个,占总种对数的63.7％;生态位重叠值在0.4以上的种对有53个,占总种对数的58.2％,说明该群落尚未演替至稳定的常绿阔叶林群落状态.     

栲树种群生态位动态研究

用Levins生态位宽度及重叠、Feinsing等生态位宽度和Petraitis生态位重叠计测方法,处理缙云山森林群落演替系列取样,分析栲树种群的生态位特征及动态.结果表明,栲树种群为缙云山森林群落演替顶极群落常绿阔叶林的优势种群,其生态位宽度随群落演替过程基本呈增长趋势,而资源利用程度却呈“∧”形;对于栲树种群和缙云山森林群落其它14个优势种群间在所有5类群落中的生态位重叠,仅栲树种群与典型针阔混交林中的小叶栲、光叶灰木、川灰木、薯豆、白毛新木姜子、广东山胡椒、大头茶、虎皮楠、杉木、马尾松种群上和针叶林中小叶栲、光叶灰木、杉木种群上,表现出显著完全特定重叠.     

唐家河自然保护区夏季啮齿类的空间生态位

本文在野外调查的基础上, 运用现代生态学中生态位的理论和方法, 采用以Shannon - Wiener 多样性指数为基础的生态位宽度指数和Pianka 生态位重叠指数对唐家河自然保护区的啮齿类动物群落进行了研究。根据海拔高度和植被类型, 将唐家河自然保护区的植被划分为4 个带, 即山地常绿阔叶林带(海拔1 600 m以下) 、常绿与落叶阔叶混交林带(1 600～ 2 100 m) 、针阔叶混交林带(2 100～ 2 400 m) 和亚高山针叶林+ 亚高山灌丛草甸带(2 400～ 3 600 m) 。发现唐家河自然保护区的12 种啮齿类动物中, 高山姬鼠、龙姬鼠和大林姬鼠在4 个垂直植被带上的分布范围最宽。本文还对群落中物种的空间生态位宽度指数与其分布的关系以及各物种对空间资源的竞争与空间生态位重叠指数大小的关系进行了讨论。     

Race and Racism in America and in Anthropology

Race in North America: Origin and Evolution of a Worldview . Audrey Smedley
Anthropology and Race . Eugenia Shanklin     

Degradation and conversion of somatostatin in normal and diabetic rats in vivo and in vitro

Plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in the portal and jugular veins of streptozotocin diabetic rats was compared with that in normal control rats. In the diabetic group, somatostatin levels in the portal (p less than 0.05) and jugular (p less than 0.01) veins were both elevated compared with those in the control group. Moreover, the degree of elevation was greater in the jugular vein than in the portal vein. To further investigate the role of the liver in the clearance of somatostatin-28 in vivo, 2 micrograms of somatostatin-28 was administered as a bolus into the external jugular vein of intact and functionally hepatectomized rats. The mean half-time of somatostatin-28 was significantly longer in intact diabetic rats than in controls (p less than 0.05). The functional hepatectomy did not cause a significant difference in the half-time in diabetic rats but made it longer in control rats. These results suggest that the longer half-time of somatostatin-28 in diabetic rats in vivo is due to its slower hepatic clearance. The hepatic clearance of somatostatin-28 and somatostatin-14 was further studied in vitro using a recirculating liver perfusion method. The hepatic clearance of 1.2 nM of either somatostatin-28 or somatostatin-14 was significantly lower in diabetic rats than in controls (p less than 0.01). This indicates that elevated plasma somatostatin levels in diabetic rats are caused at least in part by decreased hepatic clearance of somatostatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Variation in infectivity and aggressiveness in space and time in wild host-pathogen systems: causes and consequences

Variation in host resistance and in the ability of pathogens to infect and grow (i.e. pathogenicity) is important as it provides the raw material for antagonistic (co)evolution and therefore underlies risks of disease spread, disease evolution and host shifts. Moreover, the distribution of this variation in space and time may inform us about the mode of coevolutionary selection (arms race vs. fluctuating selection dynamics) and the relative roles of G × G interactions, gene flow, selection and genetic drift in shaping coevolutionary processes. Although variation in host resistance has recently been reviewed, little is known about overall patterns in the frequency and scale of variation in pathogenicity, particularly in natural systems. Using 48 studies from 30 distinct host–pathogen systems, this review demonstrates that variation in pathogenicity is ubiquitous across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Quantitative analysis of a subset of extensively studied plant–pathogen systems shows that the magnitude of within‐population variation in pathogenicity is large relative to among‐population variation and that the distribution of pathogenicity partly mirrors the distribution of host resistance. At least part of the variation in pathogenicity found at a given spatial scale is adaptive, as evidenced by studies that have examined local adaptation at scales ranging from single hosts through metapopulations to entire continents and – to a lesser extent – by comparisons of pathogenicity with neutral genetic variation. Together, these results support coevolutionary selection through fluctuating selection dynamics. We end by outlining several promising directions for future research.     

Electroejaculation in chimpanzees and gorillas and artificial insemination in chimpanzees

Electroejaculation was performed in 3 chimpanzees, 1 pygmy chimpanzee, and 2 gorillas with an instrument that delivers a modified sine wave current with a frequency of 24 Hz. The current stimuli were applied by a rectal probe with longitudinal electrodes. The electrical parameters varied from 6 to 12 V and from 30 to 40 mA for response of erection and lay between 8 and 18 V and between 40 and 145 mA during semen emission. Eleven chimpanzee semen samples showed the following data (x ± SD): total volume 1.9 ± 1.3 ml, volume of the liquid fraction 0.3 ± 0.2 ml, spermatozoa per ejaculate 743 ± 376 × 10⁶, sperm motility 52.7 ± 9.6%, morphologically abnormal spermatozoa 12.2 ± 7.5%. From an adult gorilla, three semen samples were collected, in each case without spermatozoa. The electrostimulation of a 6-year-old gorilla led to an erection, but not to semen emission. Three female chimpanzees were inseminated with fresh or frozen semen, each of them within three different estrous cycles. None of these inseminations led to a pregnancy.     

Aminoacylation in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and in methanogenic and halophilic archaebacteria

Abstract Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) from the sulphur-metabolizing thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius has been purified 150-fold using different chromatographic steps. The enzyme has a M _r of 270 000 and exhibits considerable thermostability in a temperature range up to 90°C with optimal activity at 70°C. Conservation of antigenic determinants could not be detected by antibodies against various PRS of all primary kingdoms. As a further means to detect traits of phylogenetic relationship, the cross-species reactivity between PRS and tRNAs of organisms from the three branches of archaebacteria and from all primary kingdoms reveals the group character of all 3 branches of the archaebacterial domain, the sulphur-metabolizing, methanogenic and halophilic archaebacteria.     

Advances in purine and pyrimidine metabolism in health and diseases

ABSTRACT

In June, 2015, the Purine and Pyrimidine Society organized the 16th biennial symposium on Purine and Pyrimidine metabolism at the Faculty House of Columbia University, New York City. This exciting meeting focused on these important molecules, new developments in inborn errors of metabolism; therapeutic analogs. In addition, the biochemistry of mammalian and non-mammalian systems were discussed. Due to significant advances in molecular medicine, the boundaries between clinical and basic sciences have merged into exciting translational research, of which a small portion was highlighted in the presymposium.     

MPD and DNA Bending in Crystals and in Solution

Bending of 15 to 24° is observed within crystal structures ofB-DNA duplexes, is strongly sequence-dependent, and exhibits no correlation with the concentration of MPD (2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol) in the crystallizing solution. Two types of bends are observed: facultative bends or flexible hinges at junctions between regions of G·C and A·T base-pairs, and a persistent and almost obligatory bend at the center of the sequence R-G-C-Y. Only A-tracts are characteristically straight and unbent in every crystal structure examined to date. A detailed examination of normal vector plots for individual strands of a double helix provides an explanation, in terms of the stacking properties of guanine and adenine bases. The effect of high MPD concentrations, in both solution and crystal, is to decrease local bending somewhat without removing it altogether. MPD gel retardation experiments provide no basis for choosing among the three models that seek to explain macroscopic curvature of DNA by means of microscopic bending: junction bending, bent A-tracts, or bent general- sequence DNA. Crystallographic data on the straightness of A-tracts, the bendability of non-A sequences, and the identity of inclination angles in A-tract and non-A-tractB-DNA support only the general-sequence bending model. The pre-melting transition observed in A-tract DNA probably represents a relaxation of stiff adenine stacks to a flexible conformation more typical of general-sequence DNA.