Russian comparative embryology takes form: a conceptual metamorphosis toward “evo‐devo”

This essay recapitulates major paths followed by the Russian tradition of what we refer to today as evolutionary developmental biology (“evo‐devo”). The article addresses several questions regarding the conceptual history of evolutionary embryological thought in its particularly Russian perspective: (1) the assertion by the St. Petersburg academician Wolff regarding the possible connections between environmental modifications during morphogenesis and the “transformation” of species, (2) the discovery of shared “principles” underlying animal development by von Baer, (3) the experimental expression of Baer's principles by Kowalevsky and Mechnikoff, (4) Severtsov's theory of phylembryogenesis, (5) Filatov's approach to the study of evolution using comparative “developmental mechanics”, and (6) Shmalgausen's concept of “stabilizing” selection as an attempt to elucidate the evolution of developmental mechanisms. The focus on comparative evolutionary embryology, which was established by Kowalevsky and Mechnikoff, still continues to be popular in present‐day “evo‐devo” research in Russia.     

The interactions between plant life form and fungal traits of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi determine the symbiotic community

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have traditionally been considered generalist symbionts. However, an increasing number of studies are pointing out the selectivity potential of plant hosts. Plant life form, determined by plant life history traits, seems to drive the AM fungal community composition. The AM fungi also exhibit a wide diversity of functional traits known to be responsible for their distribution in natural ecosystems. However, little is known about the role of plant and fungal traits driving the resultant symbiotic assemblages. With the aim of testing the feedback relationship between plant and fungal traits on the resulting AM fungal community, we inoculated three different plant life forms, i.e. annual herbs, perennial herbs and perennial semi-woody plants, with AM fungal communities sampled in different seasons. We hypothesized that the annual climate variation will induce changes in the mean traits of the AM fungal communities present in the soil throughout the year. Furthermore, the association of plants with different life forms with AM fungi with contrasting life history traits will show certain preferences according to reciprocal traits of the plants and fungi. We found changes in the AM fungal community throughout the year, which were differentially disrupted by disturbance and altered by plant growth form and plant biomass. Both plant and fungal traits clearly contributed to the resultant AM fungal communities. The revealed process can have implications for the functioning of ecosystems since changes in dominant plant life forms or climatic variables could influence the traits of AM fungal communities in soil and hence ecosystem processes.     

根系氮吸收过程及其主要调节因子

氮（N）是植物根系吸收最多的矿质元素之一．全球变化将使土壤中N的有效性发生改变,影响陆地生态系统碳分配格局与过程．研究根系N吸收及其调控对预测生态系统结构和功能具有重要理论意义．由于土壤中存在多种形态的N源,长期的生物进化和环境适应导致植物根系对不同形态N的吸收部位、机理及调控有较大差别．因此,植物长期生长在以某一形态N源为主的土壤上就形成了不同的N吸收机制和策略．本文简述了近年来在植物根系N吸收和调控方面的最新研究进展,重点评述了不同形态N在土壤中的生物有效性,根系N吸收部位,N在木质部中的装载和运输,不同形态N（NO3^-、NH4^＋和有机氮）的吸收机制,以及根系N吸收的自身信号调控和环境因子对根系N吸收的影响．在此基础上,提出了目前根系N吸收研究中存在的几个问题．     

青藏高原及周边高山地区的植物繁殖生态学研究进展

青藏高原及周边高山地区孕育了极为丰富的植物多样性资源, 研究该地区植物如何顺利完成繁殖过程有助于我们理解植物对典型高山环境的进化和适应机制。该文综述了青藏高原地区高山植物在资源分配、繁殖方式、花部特征演化等方面的研究进展, 包括全球气候变化对植物繁殖特征的影响, 以及一些新技术和新方法在本研究领域的应用。在高山地区限制性环境中, 随海拔升高, 繁殖分配通常表现出增大的趋势, 其中投入到雄性资源的比例上升, 但具体的资源分配模式还要取决于植株的交配系统、个体大小、生活史特征、遗传特性以及环境中的资源有效性等。面对资源和传粉的双重限制, 植物在不同繁殖方式之间存在权衡, 当传粉者稀少时, 克隆繁殖和自交有利于繁殖保障; 而有性繁殖和异交能够提高种子的质量和后代的遗传多样性, 从而在复杂多变的气候条件下有利于种群的维持。因此, 不同繁殖方式的结合以及泛化的传粉互作网络可能是应对高山限制性环境的最优选择。花部特征的演化主要受到当地传粉者的选择压力, 但是外来传粉者、植食者、盗蜜者以及非生物环境(如温度、雨水和紫外辐射等)对花部性状的影响越来越受到重视。近年来, 青藏高原因其脆弱性和对气候变化的高度敏感性而在全球气候变化研究中备受关注, 以全球变暖和氮沉降增加为显著特征的全球气候变化正在直接或间接地影响着该地区高山植物的繁殖特征。气候变化影响植物和传粉者的物候并引起物种的迁移, 最终将导致植物与传粉者的时空不匹配。植物通过改变花部特征(花展示、花冠结构、花报酬的数量和质量)来响应气候变化, 这可能会改变其传粉者的类型、数量和访花行为, 从而最终影响植物的繁殖成功。3D打印和高通量测序等新技术和新方法的应用有助于促进植物繁殖生态学研究的进一步发展。3D打印的花能够精确控制其形态构造, 可以用于研究精细的花部特征变化对于传粉者行为的影响, 在此基础上与人工饲养的传粉者结合使用, 有助于进一步研究传粉者介导的花部特征演化。随着高通量测序技术的发展, 植物繁殖生态学领域, 尤其是花部特征演化的许多重要问题的潜在机制得以深入研究。该文最后提出了目前研究中需要注意的问题以及值得深入研究的发展方向。     

Distribution of aquatic vascular plants in lowland rivers: separating the effects of local environmental conditions, longitudinal connectivity and river basin isolation

1. Changes in species distributions along rivers have rarely been observed independently of changes in environmental conditions and meaningful comparison between different catchments is made difficult by the limited geographical distribution of species. This study presents a new approach to quantify the effect of the spatial structure of lowland river networks on aquatic plant distribution and to explore the potential underlying processes using species life‐history characteristics. 2. Twenty‐five species of aquatic vascular plants recorded in 62 sites across five calcareous river basins were used to investigate (i) the temporal turnover of plant species, (ii) the habitat utilisation of species, (iii) the trade‐offs between different plant life‐history characteristics and (iv) the relationship between species life‐history characteristics and habitat utilisation. 3. The annual plant turnover within a 3‐year period was, although significant, extremely low. It suggests that results from spatial surveys conducted over 3 years should not be undermined by temporal changes. 4. Spatial connectivity along and between rivers was more important than in‐channel physical characteristics in shaping species assemblages. Neither chemical factors (ammonium, phosphate) nor extrinsic biotic competitors (filamentous green algae) significantly influenced plant distribution. 5. The most common combinations of life‐history characteristics were neither related to environmental conditions nor to spatial isolation. Instead, they could reflect natural selection processes associated with larger scales than those considered in this study. 6. Plant distribution was most strongly related to the dispersal and regeneration abilities of the plants, supporting the hypotheses relating to longitudinal connectivity. The hypothesis that different growth forms would be associated with different in‐channel physical features was not verified. As expected, there were no substantial differences in plant life‐history characteristics between river basins.     

The life form concept and the use in the analysis of life cycle evolutionary strategies

The life form is a generalized morphoecological characteristic of an animal giving an idea of the organism as a whole, its position and function and functional role in the ecosystem. This characteristic is inherent to a species or to a group of congeneric species (for applied goal it is better to use a genus, not species) considered in the framework of higher taxon (from family to type). The principal contradiction of life form concept is determined by the existence of ontogenetic stages and changes of life forms during the whole life of individual. It is usually assumed that the concept of life form should be applied only to the adult stage, thus ignoring the integral character of the life cycle as indivisible unit of selection, evolution and functioning in ecosystem. We propose that a morphologically specific ontogenetic of a given species should be used as an elementary lowest unit in the classification of life forms. Thus it can be considered as integrated internally structured morphoecological unit in time and multidimensional space of abiotic and biotic environmental factors. As an example we describe the types of reproductive strategies and classification of elementary (ontogenetic) life forms in cephalopods. We present characteristics of the life cycle of some typical cephalopod species inhabiting different biotopes and having different models of locomotion, feeding, reproduction and development.     

水分胁迫下烯效唑对百日草幼苗光合特性及叶解剖结构的影响

以百日草‘芳菲1号’为试材,研究不同水分胁迫下烯效唑(S3307)对其幼苗生长、光合特性及叶解剖结构的影响,以明确S3307对百日草的抗旱作用及其机理。结果显示:(1)在水分胁迫下,百日草的生长均受到不同程度的抑制,叶绿素含量显著降低,光合作用受到抑制,叶解剖结构有所变化。(2)S3307处理后,均能够显著降低所对应的不同程度水分胁迫下百日草的株高,显著增加茎粗、叶面积、叶片厚度、栅栏组织厚度和根冠比,显著增加叶绿素含量,提高百日草的净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr)和水分利用效率(WUE)。研究表明,S3307能够提高百日草的抗旱性,而且在轻度和中度水分胁迫下Pn的下降主要是由气孔因素引起,而在重度水分胁迫下光合速率的下降是由非气孔因素引起的。     

Ecology of pollination in a tropical Venezuelan savanna

Pollination modes ecology of a total of 164 plant species was evaluated according to habitats and plant life forms in the Venezuelan Central Plain. Frequency distribution of nine pollination modes showed that, at the community level bee pollination (38.6%) was dominant. Butterfly (13.9%), fly (12.7%), and wasp (10.8%) pollination were the second most frequent. Moth (6.2%) and wind (10.4%) pollination occurred with similar frequency, and the least common were bird (3.1%), beetle (2.3%) and bat (1.9%) pollination. There was a significant interaction effect indicating that pollination mode was affected by the type of habitat. Bee pollination was the most common pollination mode in all habitats with butterfly, fly and wasp pollination being secondary for forest and forest-savanna transition; and butterfly, wasp, wind and fly pollination being secondary for savanna. Wind, butterfly and fly pollination were found in disturbed areas as secondary pollination modes. Pollination modes were significantly associated and affected by life forms. Bee pollination was dominant in all life forms with wasp, butterfly and fly pollination being the secondary for trees, shrubs, and lianas; and butterfly and wind pollination being the secondary for herbaceous species. The number of pollination modes (richness) among life forms ranged between four and nine for epiphytes and perennial herbs respectively. The highest values of diversity indexes among life forms were found in trees and shrubs. The richness and diversity indices of pollination modes were statistically higher for more structured habitats, forest and forest-savanna transition, than herbaceous habitats, savanna and disturbed areas, which is associated with the highest values of diversity indexes in trees and shrubs. Equitability was higher for forest and disturbed areas than forest-savanna transition and savanna. The results of comparative richness, equitability, diversity indices, and the frequency distribution of pollination modes of 19 samples from tropical and temperate communities indicated that richness of pollination modes may be different between tropical and temperate communities. The proportion of each pollination mode suggests four grouping: (1) rain forests and their strata, (2) grassland savanna, and associated disturbed areas, (3) temperate communities, and (4) the most heterogeneous group, contained mostly neotropical communities, including the four habitats of the Venezuelan Central Plain. The frequency of pollination modes, richness, diversity and equitability of communities, habitats, successional stages, and vegetation strata varies with respect to geography, vegetation structure, and plant species richness.     

Multilevel Control of Organelle DNA Sequence Length in Plants

We have compared the length of noncoding organelle DNA spacers in a broad sample of plant species characterized by different life history traits to test hypotheses regarding the nature of the mechanisms driving changes in their size. We first demonstrate that the spacers do not evolve at random in size but have experienced directional evolutionary trends during plant diversification. We then study the relationships between spacer lengths and other molecular features and various species attributes by taking into account population genetic processes acting within cell lineages. Comparative techniques are used to test these relationships while controlling for species phylogenetic relatedness. The results indicate that spacer length depends on mode of organelle transmission, on population genetic structure, on nucleotide content, on rates of molecular evolution, and on life history traits, in conformity with predictions based on a model of intracellular competition among replicating organelle genomes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The evolution of plant life span: facts and hypotheses

There are two different views on the evolution of life forms in Cormophyta: from woody plants to herbaceous ones or in opposite direction - from herbs to trees. In accordance with these views it is supposed that life span in plants changed in the course of evolution from many years (perennials) to few years (annuals, biennials), or went in reverse - from few years to many years. The author discusses the problems of senescence and longevity in Cormophyta in the context of various hypotheses of ageing (programmed death theory, mutation accumulation, antagonistic pleiotropy, disposable soma, genes of ageing, genes of longevity). Special attention is given to bio-morphological aspects of longevity and cases of non-ageing plants ("negative senescence", "potential immortality"). It is proposed to distinguish seven models of simple ontogenesis in Cormophyta that can exemplify the diversity of mechanisms of ageing and longevity. The evolution of life span in plants is considered as an indirect result of natural selection of other characteristics of organisms or as a consequence of fixation of modifications (episelectional evolution). It seems that short life span could emerge several times during evolution of one group of plants, thus favoring its adaptive radiation.     

植物生活史型的多样性及动态分析

主要阐述了植物生活史型的基本定义和基本模式。根据植物的生态幅（Ｅｃｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌ　ａｍｐｌｉｔｕｄｅ）、适合度（Ｆｉｔｎｅｓｓ）和能量分配格局将植物生活史型划分出Ｖ生活史型、Ｓ生活史型和ｃ生活史型３个基本类型以及ＶＳ生活史型、ＳＶ生活史型、ｃＳ生活史型、Ｓｃ生活史型等６个具有混合特征的过渡类型。文中分析了权衡（丁ｒａｄｅ—ｏｆｆ）植物生活史各阶段的能量需求,使之合理地进行能量分配,进而使植物生活史型获得最佳的繁殖和存活效益以及最大的适合度的重要性,指出韧生代谢和次生代谢增值物生活史型及其生活史型之间相互转换的密切关系。韧生代谢物质主要用于营养生长,次生代谢物质主要用于促进繁育和拮抗环境胁迫。植物生活史型在特定时空中依生境的连续变化而发生相互转换,呈现出具动态特征的植物生活史型诺。提出了植物生活史型的形成机制,即生境中的资源状况和干扰程度构成了环境筛的径度,进而形成选择压力,以使植物按需分配能量,合成初级代谢产物或次级代谢产物来应对选择压力,形成自身的生态幅和适应对策,最终与生境相互作用过程中表现出的适合度来表征相应的生活史型。还提出了植物生活史型之间相互转化的机制,即每一种植物生活史型均有与该生活史型相对应的生境类型、选择压力、代谢物质和生活史对策,由于时空的连续变化,生境类型也发生过渡性变化,形成过渡类型（ＥＤ、ＤＥ、ＤＦ、ＦＤ）,因而导致选择压力、代谢物质、生活史对策也发生过渡性变化,形成过渡类型ＬＭ、ＭＬ、ＭＨ、ＨＭ、ＫＲ、ＲＫ、ＲＴ、ＴＲ、ＢＰ、ＰＢ、ＰＡ、ＡＰ,最终通过ＶＳ、ＳＶ、ＳＣ、ＣＳ等过渡类型的形成而实现植物生活史型之间的相互转换。文中以高山红景天（Ｒｈｏｄｉｏｌａ　ｓａｃｈａｌｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）等５种植物生活史型谱为例,分析了各植物生活史型谱的动态特征并指出：Ｖ生活史型的植物因营养体较为发达、寿命较长,且能通过正常的有性生殖繁衍后代,通常都能产生稳定种群;以Ｓ生活史型为主的植物,因台子中含有来自双亲的两套基因,故有性生殖过程能产生较多遗传性不同的后代,使种群的适应环境变化的能力加强,因而容易形成爆发种群;以ｃ生活史型为主的植物,其遗传物质与母体完全相同,故种群适应环境变化的能力较弱,因而容易导致种群濒危。     

Plant life span and response to inoculation with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Summary This study sought to investigate the relationships among residual soil phosphorus (P) pools, plant life span, successional persistence and responsiveness to vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) infection. Plants of five species which varied in life span, persistence, and VAM responsiveness were grown in nutrientpoor soils in a glasshouse for 8 weeks and given weekly feedings with either high- or low-P solutions. There was little effect of plant life span or VAM status on changes in residual available (1 M KCl extractable) P. In contrast, there were strong correlations between VAM responsiveness and changes in the exchangeable P pool (1 M NH₄C₂H₃O₂ extractable). Plants with greater VAM responsiveness and greater persistence through succession were able to reduce this potentially available P pool by as much as 50% in 8 weeks. In contrast, plants with poor or negative responsiveness to mycorrhizal infection and little successional persistence exhibited little control over potentially available P pools. These data confirm other studies which demonstrate that VA mycorrhizae access insoluble forms of P, thereby controlling potential supply rate over the longer term. Such control over soil P pools may contribute to successional persistence via either inhibition or tolerance mechanisms, and should be considered in any comprehensive theory of the mechanisms underlying succession.     

Genetic-evolutionary basis of symbiosis doctrine

The author presents the current notion of symbiosis as one of the main adaptation of an organism to changeable environment. Symbiosis is considered as a super organism genetic system within which there are different interactions (including mutualism and antagonism). Genetic integration of symbiotic partners can be realized as cross regulation of their genes, exchange of gene products (proteins, RNA), gene amplification and sometimes gene transfer between organisms. On the phenotypic level these processes result in signal interactions, integration of partner metabolic systems and development of symbiotic organs. Co-evolution is considered as an assemblage of micro- and macroevolution processes basing on pre-adaptations and proceeding under influence of different forms of natural selection (individual, frequency-depended and kin selection). Symbiosis can be compared with sexual process since both are the forms of organism integration characterized by different genetic mechanisms and evolutionary consequences. The genome evolution in symbiotic microorganisms can proceed by: 1) simplification of genome in obligate symbiosis (loss of genes that are necessary for independent existence, transfer of some genes to the host organism); 2) complication of genome in facultative symbiosis (increase in genome plasticity, structural and functional differentiation of genome into systems controlling free-living and symbiotic parts of life cycle). Most of symbiotic interactions are correlated to an increase in genetic plasticity of an organism that can lead to evolutionary saltations and origin of new forms of life.     

Possible adaptive and non-adaptive radiation in three plant genera in the Japanese archipelago

The adaptive radiation of flowering plants as manifested by the floral diversity has long been considered associated with the diversity of plant–pollinator interactions, because changes in plant–pollinator interactions are hypothesized as one of the major mechanisms driving plant ecological speciation. To understand the relative contributions of various mechanisms for plant radiation, including pollinator changes, it is useful to study a plant group for which comparative study of the species life history across the whole lineage is feasible. To this end, we will focus on the plant lineages that have presumably radiated in the Japanese archipelago, namely, the genera Asimitellaria, Asarum, and Arisaema. By comparing these three genera, we will comment on the possible modes of adaptive radiation and diversification among the endemic flora of Japan.     

Estimation of population bottlenecks during systemic movement of tobacco mosaic virus in tobacco plants

More often than not, analyses of virus evolution have considered that virus populations are so large that evolution can be explained by purely deterministic models. However, virus populations could have much smaller effective numbers than the huge reported census numbers, and random genetic drift could be important in virus evolution. A reason for this would be population bottlenecks during the virus life cycle. Here we report a quantitative estimate of population bottlenecks during the systemic colonization of tobacco leaves by Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Our analysis is based on the experimental estimation of the frequency of different genotypes of TMV in the inoculated leaf, and in systemically infected leaves, of tobacco plants coinoculated with two TMV genotypes. A simple model, based on the probability that a leaf in coinoculated plants is infected by just one genotype and on the frequency of each genotype in the source, was used to estimate the effective number of founders for the populations in each leaf. Results from the analysis of three leaves per plant in plants inoculated with different combinations of three TMV genotypes yielded highly consistent estimates. Founder numbers for each leaf were small, in the order of units. This would result in effective population numbers much smaller than the census numbers and indicates that random effects due to genetic drift should be considered for understanding virus evolution within an infected plant.     

METAMODELS AND PHYLOGENETIC REPLICATION: A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO THE EVOLUTION OF DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYS

Molecular genetic analysis of phenotypic variation has revealed many examples of evolutionary change in the developmental pathways that control plant and animal morphology. A major challenge is to integrate the information from diverse organisms and traits to understand the general patterns of developmental evolution. This integration can be facilitated by evolutionary metamodels—traits that have undergone multiple independent changes in different species and whose development is controlled by well-studied regulatory pathways. The metamodel approach provides the comparative equivalent of experimental replication, allowing us to test whether the evolution of each developmental pathway follows a consistent pattern, and whether different pathways are predisposed to different modes of evolution by their intrinsic organization. A review of several metamodels suggests that the structure of developmental pathways may bias the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution, and highlights phylogenetic replication as a value-added approach that produces deeper insights into the mechanisms of evolution than single-species analyses.     

The steps of vascular plant and land ecosystem evolution

Basal steps of higher plant evolution are reconstructed by the structure of their conducting tissues. Historically, transport networks are derivatives of buffer zones for symbiotic exchange between prokaryotic pro-cursers. Two symbiogenetic acts (prochlorophytes + protists → higher algae; marine algae + fungi → higher land plants) are fixed in plant body by two networks for water transport. Descending phloem arises in phylogenesis from the membrane capsule of cyanobacteria. Fungi mycelium is a source of rising xylem exudates. The diversity of plant life forms is considered as a sequence of adaptive evolution of algo-myco-bacterial complex. Relationship to global chronical of climate events is shown by the specificities of Paleogene thermal floras and Neogene cold floras. The trends of plant genome size evolution are discussed.     

植物耐虫性研究进展

本文简要介绍了植物耐虫性的含义、发生范围、耐虫性的进化过程和遗传特性、耐虫性机理以及影响植物耐虫性表达的非生物和生物因子。植物耐虫性机理的研究涉及光合作用能力变化、同化产物的再分配、内源激素的变化、休眠分生组织的激活和补偿生长、储藏器官的利用、植物物候学和植株株型结构的变化等。研究表明,植物受害后光合作用强度的变化与其耐虫性没有相关性,有些耐虫植物受害后光合作用能力增加,有些植物光合作用强度无明显影响或者下降较少; 害虫取食为害可促进耐虫植物的同化产物得到最大程度利用,能激活耐虫植物的休眠分生组织,产生超补偿作用; 耐虫植物受害部位细胞分裂素含量显著升高; 虫害引起物候学变化小的植物具有较强的耐虫性; 植物的冠层结构、叶形态、根茎比、茎蘖数等植株株型变化与耐虫性有关。影响植物耐虫性表达的因子主要有温度、大气CO₂浓度、土壤营养水平、农用化学物质、植株年龄、害虫分布类型和取食方式、植物共生物等。不同植物在相同温度下对同一种害虫的耐害性差异大,其主要原因可能是由于温度的变化引起同化产物的分配和再分配以及气孔关闭对气体交换和光合作用能力的影响; 生长在高CO₂含量大气中的植物,对害虫的为害有较强耐受性。土壤营养水平对植物耐虫性表达的影响大于温度,增施磷、钾肥可增加植物的耐虫性。聚集分布型害虫为害对植物造成的损失大于随机分布型和均匀分布型害虫,害虫的取食方式、传粉昆虫的活动、植物内生真菌和菌根真菌的感染均影响到植物耐虫性的表达水平。文中最后讨论了植物耐虫性在害虫综合治理中的重要性及应用前景。     

Variability in thermal and UV-B energy fluxes through time and their influence on plant diversity and speciation

Throughout Earth's history there have been temporal and spatial variations in the amount of visible and ultraviolet radiation received by ecosystems. This paper examines if temporal changes in these forms of energy receipt could have influenced the tempo and mode of plant diversity and speciation, focusing in particular upon Cenozoic time-scales. Evidence for changing patterns of plant diversity and speciation apparent in various fossil records and molecular phylogenies are considered alongside calculated changes in thermal and solar ultraviolet energy (specifically UV-B) over the past 50 Myr. We suggest that changes in thermal energy influx (amount and variability) affected the tempo of evolution through its influence upon community dynamics (e.g. population size, diversity, turnover, extinctions). It was not only the amount of thermal energy but also variability in its flux that may have influenced these processes, and ultimately the rate of diversification. We suggest that variations in UV-B would have influenced the mode and tempo of speciation through changes to genome stability during intervals of elevated UV-B. We argue, therefore, that although variability in thermal energy and UV-B fluxes through time may lead to the same end-point (changing the rate of diversification), the processes responsible are very different and both need to be considered when linking evolutionary processes to energy flux.     

Adaptivity of social systems: the problem for scientific research

The notion of adaptive evolution of social systems as of a real process of selection of the properties of such systems implies group selection. But strong evidences of effective group selection seem impossible, at least in vertebrates. However, understanding the origin of social systems adaptivity based on individual selection is difficult, as well, without analyzing the proximal mechanisms of the formation of such systems. I suppose that social systems change due to changes of individual features that underlie the proximal mechanisms of the system formation. These features are the characteristics of neurophysiological and hormonal regulatory mechanisms. They are strongly associated with intrinsic biochemical processes and are coded in the genome. Thus, the evolution of social systems is the evolution of their proximal mechanisms. At the same time, the specificity of neurophysiological and hormonal regulation determines not only social interactions, but also the individual behaviour of animals. The most important characteristics of life history, such as the regime of activity, foraging strategy, etc., are strongly affected by the same regulatory mechanisms. This view is useful for understanding the relations combining many features into an integrated and adaptive species-specific life form. I suppose that such forms emerged as evolutionary consequences of changes in regulatory mechanisms adaptive to specific environment. Thus, we have as substantial reasons to discuss adaptations of social systems to ecological features as to discuss ecological features adapted to particular social systems. The species-specificity of regulatory mechanisms is probably based on different kinds of evolutionary choice between the rapidity and the perfection of adaptation, between flexibility and stability, and between sensibility and resistibility. I think that this choice depends largely on the predictability of the environment. The less predictable it is, the more it increases the selective value of sensibility, flexibility, and rapidity of evolution. On the contrary, stable and predictable environment stimulates less rapid but more perfect adaptations. Such choices consolidate in the genome during evolution as specific features of neurophysiological and hormonal regulation systems. These specific features, in their turn, determine ecological, behavioural, and physiological species-specificity. From this point of view, evolutionary changes in social systems can be readily perceived as consequences of the selection of individuals, promoting optimal properties under particular conditional features of regulation systems. The boundary condition for this model is the absence of specificity of the characteristics of regulation systems to different forms of stress. This condition needs to be considered closely.