城市化地区典型水体的N2O排放通量特征——以南京市为例

内陆淡水水体是大气中N₂O的重要排放源,然而目前对于内陆典型城市水体N₂O排放通量的监测数据依然匮乏,典型城市水体的N₂O排放特征及驱动因素尚不清楚。本研究选取了南京市江北新区的典型水体,包括湖库、河流、养殖池塘和景观池塘,在2020年5月-2021年4月利用漂浮箱法连续监测了不同水体类型的水-气界面N₂O排放特征,并通过测定水环境特征,探究驱动水体N₂O排放通量的关键因素。研究结果表明,典型城市水体整体均表现为N₂O排放源,河流和养殖池塘的日平均排放通量最大,分别为（503±1236）μg m^-2 d^-1和（508±797）μg m^-2 d^-1,其次为景观池塘（（179±989）μg m^-2 d^-1）,而湖库的N₂O排放通量最小,仅表现为微弱的N₂O排放源（（54±212）μg m^-2 d^-1）。水体的N₂O排放呈现季节性差异,河流和养殖池塘夏季的N₂O排放通量显著高于其他季节（P<0.01）。水体全年N₂O排放数据与水体温度和溶解氧含量（DO）呈显著相关。而在温度较高的5月份-9月份（>20℃）,氮输入成为影响N₂O排放通量的关键因素（P<0.01）,因此控制城市水体的氮输入尤其是在水温较高的夏季是减少N₂O排放的有利措施。此外,由于水文化学条件差异等因素,小型封闭水体包括养殖池塘和景观池塘的N₂O排放通量差异较大,未来应加强监测不同水体的水文化学特征和N₂O的时空排放特征,探讨影响小型封闭水体水-气界面N₂O排放通量的具体驱动因素。此研究为城市区域N₂O排放的精准核算提供了数据支撑,为N₂O排放模型的修正提供了科学依据。     

黄土高原旱塬区陇东苜蓿草地N2O释放动态及微生物驱动因子的研究

在甘肃庆阳黄土高原,采用静态箱-气相色谱法测定了3年龄陇东苜蓿草地不同物候期的N²O释放通量,采用最大或然数法(MPN)测定了土壤0～30 cm硝化细菌和反硝化细菌数量,探讨旱区紫花苜蓿草地N²O释放规律与其土壤微生物的关系。结果表明:（1）3年龄陇东苜蓿草地年内N²O释放通量在-0.099～0.085 mg·m^-2·h^-1之间;N²O释放通量在头茬花期和越冬前再生期达到高峰,而二茬再生期和越冬期则处于N²O吸收期,成为N²O贮存库。（2）陇东苜蓿草地亚硝酸细菌、硝酸细菌和反硝化细菌数量在不同物候期和土壤层次间存在差异。（3）3年龄陇东苜蓿草地N²O释放通量与土壤水分含量、土壤pH、硝酸细菌和反硝化细菌数量间呈显著正相关线性关系。（4）庆阳黄土高原旱区陇东苜蓿草地是较弱的农业N²O释放源,远低于同类研究和国际释放平均水平。     

川西平原小流域不同水体N2O排放特征及驱动因素

氧化亚氮（N₂O）是一种潜在的、强大的温室气体,应该根据京都议定书规定开展监测和削减。河流、水库、鱼塘和沟渠等受人类影响的小流域水生生态系统是氮素生物地球化学循环的活跃区域,更是N₂O重要的源和汇。然而,同一流域不同水体N₂O的排放特征差异及其驱动因素尚不清楚。因此,选择川西平原西河流域作为研究区,于2016年6月到2017年5月连续监测不同水体水气界面的N₂O排放强度,并结合聚类分析解析N₂O排放特征的驱动因素。结果显示,不同水体的N₂O年排放通量差异显著,沟渠的N₂O年排放通量最高（（52.68±36.09）μg m^-2 h^-1）,城市段河流和鱼塘次之（（34.16±23.97）μg m^-2 h^-1和（29.03±31.41）μg m^-2 h^-1）,乡镇段和农区段河流再次（（8.32±28.60）μg m^-2 h^-1和（8.52±9.43）μg m^-2 h^-1）,水库最低（（-16.45±29.76）μg m^-2 h^-1）。除水库表现为N₂O的汇,其他水体均表现为N₂O的排放源。另外,不同水体N₂O排放的季节特征差异显著,农区段河流和农业沟渠表现为夏天最高,冬春最低（P<0.05）,而其他水体均表现为冬春显著高于夏秋（P<0.05）。根据N₂O排放季节特征及其驱动因素可将西河流域水体分为四类：第一类农业类水体的N₂O排放季节特征受气象因素和农业活动的联合驱动;第二类城乡类河流和第三类鱼塘分别受控于人类活动和养殖活动,与降雨温度等气象指标关系较弱;第四类水库主要受控于气象因素。并且,第一类农业类水体已成为大气N₂O排放的重要源,农业氮素管控是区域控制N₂O排放的重点。     

水沙条件及氮输入对黄河口滨岸潮滩湿地碱蓬和土壤15N吸收特征的影响

受自然及人为活动的影响,黄河三角洲水沙条件存在较大变化,由此带来的外源营养物质增加对潮滩湿地植被生长及元素吸收利用具有重要的影响。为此采用3因素4水平的正交试验,以黄河口滨岸潮滩湿地先锋物种碱蓬（Suaeda salsa）为研究对象,利用¹⁵N示踪技术,研究了水沙条件及氮输入对碱蓬和土壤¹⁵N吸收特征的影响。结果表明：淹水深度、泥沙沉积及氮输入对土壤全氮含量的影响不显著,但外源氮输入对土壤¹⁵N固持量（N_dff）和比例（N_dff%）的影响达到显著水平,且最大值（10.44 mg/kg和3.83%）均出现在W₄S₂N₃（30 cm淹水+3 cm泥沙沉积+6 g/m²氮输入）处理;碱蓬叶和茎中全氮含量、¹⁵N吸收量（N_dff）及比例（N_dff%）在深淹水和泥沙沉积处理时较大,而根中全氮含量、N_dff及N_dff%在高氮输入较大。且根N_dff和N_dff%最大值（1.10 mg/kg和18.21%）在W₁S₄N₄（2 cm淹水+12 cm泥沙沉积+9 g/m²氮输入）处理时取得,此时碱蓬的生长情况最好,表明适当的淹水和泥沙埋深以及高氮输入（9 g/m²）有利于根系对外源氮的吸收,从而促进植株的生长。由此可见,在黄河三角洲水沙变化大的背景下,淹水、泥沙沉积和外源氮输入的适当把控,可促进碱蓬对外源氮的吸收利用而有助于其生长,从而对维护黄河三角洲潮滩湿地的健康具有重要作用。     

氮添加对马尾松人工林土壤团聚体氮矿化及土壤酶活性的影响

土壤氮库是生态系统氮素重要的源和汇。以三峡库区马尾松（Pinus massoniana）人工林为研究对象,从团聚体视角出发分析土壤养分和酶活性对氮添加的响应规律,以及相应的变化对氮矿化的影响,为预测该地区在大气氮沉降持续增加的背景下土壤氮动态提供参考。设置4种量的氮添加处理（N₀：0 kg N hm^-2 a^-1;N₃₀：30 kg N hm^-2 a^-1;N₆₀：60 kg N hm^-2 a^-1;N₉₀：90 kg N hm^-2 a^-1）,将土壤按粒径分为>2000 μm （大团聚体）、250-2000 μm （小团聚体）和<250 μm （微团聚体）3个组分的团聚体,观察团聚体氮矿化特征。结果表明：（1）与对照相比,N₃₀和N₆₀处理提高了有机质（SOM）含量,但土壤SOM和全氮（TN）含量在N₉₀下开始出现下降;氮添加降低了土壤速效磷（aP）含量,在小团聚体中表现最为显著。除微团聚体中的POD和NAG以外,其余3种酶的活性均在N₃₀和N₆₀处理之下被提高。（2）土壤平均净硝化速率整体高于土壤平均净氨化速率;大团聚体和小团聚体中净氨化速率在氮添加处理后显著降低,大团聚体净硝化速率低于其他两个粒径;土壤净氮转化速率在N₉₀处理下最高。（3）土壤养分和无机氮含量与土壤酸性磷酸酶（AP）、N-乙酰-β-D-葡糖苷酶（NAG）、过氧化物酶（POD）、硝酸还原酶（NR）和脲酶（UE）的活性呈显著相关,酶活性变化是多因子综合作用的结果;RDA分析显示,UE与土壤净氨化速率存在显著正相关,NAG和POD是与净氮转化速率分别存在显著正相关和显著负相关的关键土壤酶。综上所述,硝化作用是土壤净氮转化的主要贡献者,微团聚体在土壤氮矿化中发挥主要作用,NAG和POD是改变土壤净氮转化的主要生物酶。此外,氮添加会引起土壤氮素的流失,引起土壤的磷限制,并对土壤养分循环产生显著影响。     

氮素添加对贝加尔针茅草原土壤团聚体微生物群落的影响

大气氮沉降增加作为全球气候变化的重要因素,其对土壤生态系统影响的研究受到了生态学家的广泛关注。土壤微生物是有机物分解和养分循环的主要参与者,在维持土壤的功能多样性和可持续发展方面发挥着重要的作用。氮沉降的激增会引起土壤微生物群落结构和功能的改变。土壤中营养物质在不同团聚体组分中分布的不均匀,为微生物提供了空间异质微生境。为揭示草原土壤不同粒径团聚体中微生物群落分布及其对氮素添加响应特征。自2010年起,在内蒙古贝加尔针茅草原典型地段设置N₀（0 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₁₅（15 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₃₀（30 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₅₀（50 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₁₀₀（100 kg hm^-2 a^-1）、N₁₅₀（150 kg hm^-2 a^-1）6个氮素添加处理模拟氮沉降野外控制试验。采用磷脂脂肪酸（phospholipid fatty acid,PLFA）法测定>2 mm、0.25-2 mm和<0.25 mm 3个粒径土壤团聚体中微生物PLFA含量,探讨氮素添加对土壤团聚体微生物群落结构的影响。结果表明：氮素添加提高了土壤碳、氮含量,降低了土壤pH。氮素添加显著提高了0.25-2 mm土壤团聚体微生物群落磷脂脂肪酸总量、真菌磷脂脂肪酸含量和真菌/细菌（Fungi/bacteria,F/B）、革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌（Gram-positive bacteria/gram-negative bacteria,G⁺/G^-）的比值（P<0.05）,降低了土壤团聚体微生物Margalef丰富度指数（P<0.05）。相关性分析表明,土壤团聚体微生物总PLFAs、真菌PLFAs含量、G⁺/G^-、F/B与土壤有机碳、全氮含量呈显著正相关关系,与C/N值负相关。综合研究表明,连续8年氮素添加显著提高了土壤有机碳和全氮含量、降低了土壤pH;提高了0.25-2 mm土壤团聚体真菌群落,土壤有机碳、全氮的固持与真菌群落的增加有关。     

不同恢复方式下大兴安岭重度火烧迹地林地土壤温室气体通量

为研究大兴安岭重度火烧迹地在不同恢复方式下林地土壤CO₂、CH₄和N₂O排放特征及其影响因素,采用静态箱/气相色谱法,在2017年生长季（6月-9月）对3种恢复方式（人工更新、天然更新和人工促进天然更新）林地土壤温室气体CO₂、CH₄、N₂O通量进行了原位观测。研究结果表明：（1）3种恢复方式林地土壤在生长季均为大气CO₂、N₂O的源,CH₄的汇;生长季林地土壤CO₂排放通量大小关系为人工促进天然更新（（634.40±246.52）mg m^-2 h^-1） > 人工更新（（603.63±213.22）mg m^-2 h^-1） > 天然更新（（575.81±244.12）mg m^-2 h^-1）,3种恢复方式间无显著差异;人工更新林地土壤CH₄吸收通量显著高于人工促进天然更新;天然更新林地土壤N₂O排放通量显著高于其他两种恢复方式。（2）土壤温度是影响3种恢复方式林地土壤温室气体通量的关键因素;土壤水分仅对人工更新林地土壤N₂O通量有极显著影响（P < 0.01）;3种恢复方式林地土壤CO₂通量与大气湿度具有极显著的响应（P < 0.01）;土壤pH仅与天然更新林地土壤CO₂通量显著相关（P < 0.05）;土壤全氮含量仅与人工促进天然更新林地土壤CH₄通量显著相关（P < 0.05）。（3）基于100年尺度,由3种温室气体计算全球增温潜势得出,人工促进天然更新（1.83×10⁴ kg CO₂/hm²） > 人工更新（1.74×10⁴ kg CO₂/hm²） > 天然更新（1.67×10⁴ kg CO₂/hm²）。（4）阿木尔地区林地土壤年生长季CO₂和N₂O排放量为8.85×10⁶ t和1.88×10² t,CH₄吸收量为1.05×10³ t。     

城市小型景观水体溶存N2O浓度及排放通量特征

淡水生态系统是大气中N₂O的重要排放源,受到国内外广泛关注。城市小型景观水体作为区域淡水系统的重要组成,具有环境容量小,受人类活动干扰强烈,其N₂O排放特征及影响机制并不清楚。选择重庆大学城8个典型景观水体和2个城市外围的自然水体（对照）作为研究对象,利用顶空法和漂浮箱法对水体溶存N₂O浓度及排放通量进行季节性监测,并通过分析生境特征及水环境特征,探究城市小型景观水体N₂O排放特征及关键影响因素。结果表明：1）小型景观水体TN、NO₃^--N、NH₄⁺-N、NO₂^--N含量总体偏低但变异性极强（变化范围分别为0.31-1.47 mg/L、0.05-0.79 mg/L、0.03-0.14 mg/L、0.00-0.04 mg/L）,硝态氮是主要的氮形态;景观水体氮丰度远高于外围的自然水体;2）10个小型水体N₂O浓度范围为16.51-158.96 nmol/L,平均为（47.60±21.47） nmol/L,均处于过饱和状态;漂浮箱法实测8个景观水体N₂O排放通量均值为（0.13±0.05）mmol m^-2 d^-1,是对照水体的1.3-5.2倍,高于大部分已有研究结果,是大气N₂O的排放热源;3）景观水体N₂O排放通量与水体各形态氮含量呈显著的正相关关系,较高的N负荷和强烈的氮转化过程是导致景观水体成为N₂O排放热源的主要因子,水体N含量可以作为景观水体N₂O排放强度的有效指示因子;同时水生植物分布对水体N₂O排放影响显著,有植物分布的水域比开敞水域高1.4倍;4）漂浮箱法和边界层模型法对小型景观水体N₂O排放通量的监测结果呈较好的线性关系,但不同季节仍存在着一定差异,需要进一步优化模型估算方法;5）水体N₂O排放通量对温度的季节性变化较为敏感,呈夏季最高,春、秋季次之,冬季最低的季节模式。本研究强调,城市小型景观水体具有较高的N₂O排放速率,在区域氮循环及全球淡水系统温室气体排放清单中具有不可忽视的作用,在未来研究中应得到更多关注。     

黄带犀猎蝽成虫对斜纹夜蛾幼虫的捕食功能反应

[目的] 探明黄带犀猎蝽成虫对斜纹夜蛾幼虫的捕食潜力。[方法] 在室内条件下,研究了黄带犀猎蝽对斜纹夜蛾2、3、4龄幼虫的捕食功能反应、搜寻效应和干扰反应。[结果] 黄带犀猎蝽成虫对斜纹夜蛾2、3、4龄幼虫的捕食功能反应模型均符合Holling II型,即其捕食量随猎物密度的增加而增加,其搜寻效应随猎物密度的增加而减小,HollingⅡ方程依次为：N_a=0.9750N/（1+0.0273N）、N_a=1.1654N/（1+0.0804N）,N_a=1.3058N/（1+0.1799N）;黄带犀猎蝽成虫自身密度干扰反应符合HasseⅡ型（E=0.337P^-0.565）,即随着自身密度的增加,平均捕食量逐渐减少,捕食作用率逐渐降低。[结论] 黄带犀猎蝽成虫对斜纹夜蛾幼虫有较好的防治潜力,可用于斜纹夜蛾的生物防治中。     

黄河上游灌区稻田N2O排放特征

黄河上游灌区稻田高产区过量施肥现象十分突出,氮肥过量施用引起土壤氮素盈余,导致N₂O排放量增大,由此引起的温室效应引起广泛关注。采用静态箱-气相色谱法研究黄河上游灌区稻田不同施肥处理下N₂O排放特征。试验设置5个施肥处理,包括常规氮肥300 kg/hm²下单施尿素和有机肥配施2个处理,分别用N300和N300-OM代表;优化氮肥240 kg/hm²下单施尿素和有机肥配施2个处理,分别用N240和N240-OM代表;对照不施氮肥用N0代表。试验结果得出,灌区水稻生长季稻田土壤N₂O排放主要集中在水稻分蘖前及水稻生长的中后期,稻田氮肥施用、灌水及土壤温度的变化对N₂O排放通量影响较大,不同处理水稻各生育阶段N₂O累积排放量与稻田土壤耕层NO^-₃-N含量动态变化显著相关。稻田N₂O排放不是黄河上游灌区稻田氮素损失的主要途径,但灌区稻田N₂O排放的增温潜势较大;稻田氮肥过量施用会显著增加N₂O排放量,在相同氮素水平下,有机肥配施会显著增加稻田土壤N₂O的排放量(P＜0.01)。优化施氮能有效减少灌区稻田水稻生长季N₂O排放量。稻田不同处理的水稻整个生长季土壤N₂O排放总量为2.69-3.87 kg/hm²,肥料氮通过N₂O排放损失的百分率仅为0.43%-0.64%。在灌区习惯灌水和高氮肥300 kg/hm²时,N300-OM处理的稻田N₂O排放量达3.87 kg/hm²,在100 a时间尺度上的全球增温潜势(GWPs)为20.76×10⁷ kg CO₂/hm²;优化施氮240 kg/hm²水平下,N240和N240-OM处理的N₂O累计排放量较N300-OM处理,分别降低了1.18 kg/hm²和0.57 kg/hm²,在100 a尺度上每年由稻田N₂O排放引起的GWPs分别降低了6.33×10⁷ kg CO₂/hm²和3.06×10⁷ kg CO₂/hm²。     

Genetic structure of the Iberian pig breed using microsatellites

An analysis of 25 microsatellite loci in 210 animals has been used to define the genetic structure of the Iberian pig, traditionally classified into several varieties. In addition, a sample of 20 Duroc pigs was used as an outgroup for topology trees. Inter-variety genetic variation was estimated by unbiased average heterozygosity and the number of alleles observed. Significant deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) were shown for 19 loci across the whole population. By contrast, equilibrium deviation within varieties was much lower. Genetic variation measures, genetic distance values and a neighbour-joining tree were used to estimate subdivision. In addition, an individual tree was constructed to contrast the assignation of animals into varieties. Despite the low bootstrap values obtained in the varieties neighbour-joining tree, the degree of genetic variation found was sufficient to support the division of the Iberian pig into varieties, although in some cases the traditional classification cannot be accepted. These results have shown the value of this marker panel in the study of intra-breed genetic structures.     

RBT--a tool for building refined Buneman trees

SUMMARY: We have developed a tool implementing an efficient algorithm for refined Buneman tree reconstruction. The algorithm--which has the same complexity as the neighbour-joining method and the (plain) Buneman tree construction--enables refined Buneman tree reconstruction on large taxa sets. AVAILABILITY: The source code for RBT, written in Java, is available under the GNU Public License (GPL) at http://www.birc.dk/Software/RBT CONTACT: besen@daimi.au.dk.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> L. genotypes utilizing sequence-related amplified polymorphism and genotyping by sequencing in association with cluster analysis

Identifying parental combinations that exhibit high heterosis is a constant target for commercial Brassica napus L. hybrid development programs. Finding high heterotic parental combinations can require hundreds of test crosses and years of yield evaluation. Heterotic pool development could be used to divide breeding material into specific breeding pools and focus the number of parental combinations created. Here, we report the genotypic characterization of 79 B. napus genotypes by calculating genetic distance based on sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) and genotyping by sequencing (GBS) in association with a neighbour-joining clustering algorithm. Despite the different genotypic analyses, neighbour-joining cluster analysis based on genetic distance of SRAP and GBS produced similar clusters. Homology between SRAP and GBS clusters was approximately 77 % when manually comparing clusters and 68 % when comparing clusters using Compare2Trees. This research demonstrates that SRAP can have similar efficacy when compared to next-generation sequencing technology for heterotic pool classification. This information may provide an important breeding scaffold for the development of hybrid cultivars based upon genetic distance and cluster analysis.     

QuickJoin--fast neighbour-joining tree reconstruction

We have built a tool for fast construction of very large phylogenetic trees. The tool uses heuristics for speeding up the neighbour-joining algorithm-while still constructing the same tree as the original neighbour-joining algorithm-making it possible to construct trees for 8000 species in <10 min on a single desktop PC. In comparison, the same task takes more than 30 min using the QuickTree neighbour-joining implementation.     

A preliminary examination of genetic variation in a peripheral population of Blanding's turtle, Emydoidea blandingii

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to compare the Nova Scotia population of Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) with several populations from the species' main range. The Nova Scotia population is believed to have been isolated from the main range for 4000-8000 years. Cluster analysis using a neighbour-joining algorithm produced a dendrogram showing the Nova Scotia population clustering separately from those populations in the main range. Analysis of molecular variance shows 34.28% of total variance to be accounted for between the Nova Scotia population and populations in the main range. While this study is preliminary, the results suggest that the Nova Scotia population of Blanding's turtle may be important to the maintenance of genetic diversity in the species.     

Assumed and inferred spatial structure of populations: the Scandinavian brown bears revisited

We reanalysed the spatial structure of the Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos) population based on multilocus genotypes. We used data from a former study that had presumed a priori a specific population subdivision based on four subpopulations. Using two independent methods (neighbour-joining trees and Bayesian assignment tests), we analysed the data without any prior presumption about the spatial structure. A subdivision of the population into three subpopulations emerged from our study. The genetic pattern of these subpopulations matched the three geographical clusters of individuals present in the population. We recommend considering the Scandinavian brown bear population as consisting of three (instead of four) subpopulations. Our results underline the importance of determining genetic structure from the data, without presupposing a structure, even when there seems to be good reason to do so.     

Single primer amplification reaction methods reveal exotic and indigenous mulberry varieties are similarly diverse

Mulberry is the sole food source for mulberry silkworm and a number of indigenous and exotic varieties are used in sericulture. Studies on assessment of genetic diversity have been done amongst a few mulberry varieties using one or at the most two methods. However, no comprehensive study on a large number of varieties has been carried out. In present study, single primer amplification reaction (SPAR) methods have been used for determination of diversity in 27 mulberry varieties (exotic as well as indigenous), using four minisatellite core sequence primers for directed amplification of minisatellite DNA (DAMD), three simple sequence repeat (SSR) motifs as primers for inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and 20 arbitrary sequence decamer primers for random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) reactions. The Jaccard coefficients were determined for the DAMD, ISSR and RAPD band data (total of 58, 39 and 235 bands respectively). All three methods revealed wide range of distances supporting a wide range of mulberry genetic diversity. A cumulative analysis of the data generated by three methods resulted in a neighbour-joining (NJ) tree that gave a better reflection of the relatedness and affinities of the varieties to each other. Comparison of the three methods by marker indices and the Mantel test of correlation indicated that though all methods were useful for the assessment of diversity in mulberry, the DAMD method was better. When considered as two groups (10 exotic and 17 indigenous varieties), the mulberry varieties in the exotic group were found to have slightly greater diversity than the indigenous ones. These results support the concept of naturalization of mulberry varieties at locales distant from their origins. NBRI communication No. 542.     

Genetic diversity analysis of BMY cattle based on microsatellite DNA markers

BMY cattle (1/2 Brahman, 1/4 Murray Grey and 1/4 Yunnan Yellow cattle) has been inter se breeding since 1980s. Genetic diversity of BMY cattle was extensively investigated using 16 microsatellite markers. A total of 130 microsatellite alleles and high allele size variance were detected. All loci displayed high genetic diversity with overall mean of N(a) = 8.13, PIC = 0.7224 and H(e) = 0.7666, which were higher than those of many other beef breeds. The allele-sharing neighbour-joining tree clearly displayed the new genotypic combinations and the minglement from both BMY cattle and Brahman. The results provided the genetic information to match the standards of new beef breed in South China.     

Mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence between two cryptic species of Lethenteron, with reference to an improved identification technique

Genetic divergences and population structures were examined in the cryptic Lethenteron sp. N and sp. S, based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome oxidase subunit I (CO I) region sequences. An improved method of discrimination between L . sp. N and sp. S was found using PCR, with diagnostic primers for each species-specific sequence in the mtDNA CO I region. Identification of 50 individuals of each species by this analysis was consistent with that by allozyme analysis of nuclear DNA. L . sp. N and sp. S, identified on the basis of diagnostic alleles at five allozymic loci, were independently grouped in a neighbour-joining (NJ) tree, with a large sequence difference (mean ±  s . d . = 9·10 ± 0·36%) between them. Within each species, the values of sequence divergence among localities were significantly higher in L . sp. S (1·61 ± 0·44%) than in L . sp. N (1·10 ± 0·48%). On the tree and nested clade analyses, several phylogenetic groups comprising geographically close localities were detected in the former, although scarcely detected in the latter, probably resulting from dispersal pattern differences between them.