Hybrid origins and F1 dominance in the free-floating, sterile bladderwort, Utricularia australis f. australis (Lentibulariaceae)

Abandonment of sexual reproduction is a well-known characteristic in aquatic plants, while the causes, levels, and consequences of sterility are often unknown. Utricularia australis f. australis (Lentibulariaceae) is a free-floating, sterile bladderwort distributed widely in temperate and tropical regions. Experimental crosses in cultivated conditions, AFLP analysis, and cpDNA haplotypes of natural populations clearly demonstrated that U. australis f. australis originates from the asymmetric hybridization between two parental taxa: U. australis f. tenuicaulis (mostly as female) and U. macrorhiza (mostly as male). No post-F(1) hybrids were detected using the additive patterns of AFLP bands combined with the observation of extensive sterility in U. australis f. australis. Recurrent hybridizations and subsequent perpetuation by asexual reproduction were demonstrated by the unique, but monomorphic, AFLP genotypes observed in each U. australis f. australis population. Hybrids and parental species did not coexist, implying the superiority of the hybrid U. australis f. australis in certain environmental conditions. It remains unclear whether populations of U. australis f. australis are maintained by colonizing propagules or as relicts of past hybridization events.     

Characterizing an invasion assemblage: first comparison of insect communities on native and introduced subspecies of Phragmites australis in Ontario,Canada

Biological Invasions - Introduced Phragmites (Phragmites australis ssp. australis) forms part of an invasion assemblage in North America that includes non-native insect herbivores and parasitoids,...     

Metabolic rate and thermoregulation in two species of tuco-tuco, Ctenomys talarum and Ctenomys australis (Caviomorpha, Octodontidae)

1. Resting metabolic rate and body temperature in function of ambient temperature were determined for two species of Ctenomys. 2. Oxygen consumption was lowest between 25 and 30 degrees C and was 0.946 +/- 0.030 and 0.968 +/- 0.022 in Ctenomys talarum (from Mar de Cobo and Necochea, respectively). Resting metabolic rate was 0.343 +/- 0.053 at 30 C in C. australis. 3. Mean rectal temperature at thermoneutrality was 36.1 +/- 0.13 and 37.3 +/- 0.17 in C. talarum and C. australis, respectively. 4. Limited thermoregulation occurred in C. talarum down to 20 degrees C but C. australis maintained body temperature down to 10 degrees C. 5. Both species of tuco-tucos became hyperthermic at ambient temperatures above thermoneutrality.     

A REVISION OF THE SYSTEMATICS OF THE NIZYMENIACEAE (GIGARTINALES,RHODOPHYTA) BASED ON POLYSACCHARIDES,ANATOMY, AND NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCES1

The Australian endemic family Nizymeniaceae, based on Nizymenia australis Sonder, consists of three species in the two genera Nizymenia (1 sp.) and Stenocladia (2 spp.). We have reassessed the generic composition of the family based on evidence from nonfibrillar wall polysaccharides, vegetative anatomy, and the nucleotide sequences of an internal transcribed spacer, ITS 2, of the nuclear ribosomal cistron. Investigation of the polysaccharides by constituent sugar analysis, sulfate content determination, and methylation analysis, combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and infrared analysis, showed that the polysaccharides elaborated by the three species were branched, highly sulfated xylogalactans. These polysaccharides also contained significant amounts of mono-O-methyl galactose (5–8 mol% of total sugars), mainly 4-O-methyl galactose. Although no discrete chemical structures could be assigned to the polysaccharides, the analyses showed that those from Nizymenia australis and Stenocladia australis (Sonder) Silva were more alike than either was to that from S. furcata (Harvey) J. Agardh. This polysaccharide affinity was echoed by a suite of vegetative anatomical features. However, the only likely synapomorphy was the presence of refractive, thick-walled medullary rhizines in both N. australis and S. australis. The ITS 2 sequences were inferred from direct sequencing of the products of polymerase chain reaction amplification. Comparison of the ITS 2 sequences of its three species with those of two outgroups indicated that the family Nizymeniaceae is monophyletic but that interspecific relationships within the family could not be resolved. We conclude that there is insufficient evidence to separate any of the species from the rest at the genus level. Therefore, all three species are consolidated into the genus Nizymenia. This necessitates nomenclatural changes of Stenocladia australis to Nizymenia conferta (Harvey) Chiovitti, Saunders, et Kraft comb. nov.     

湿地芦苇植株氮素分布动态特征分析

 湿地植物组织器官氮素变化是湿地氮循环的一个重要环节。对盘锦湿地芦苇(Phragmites australis)植株整个生长季地上和地下不同器官的含氮量进行分析, 结果表明: 芦苇不同器官(叶片、茎秆、根须、根茎)的含氮量差异显著, 总体表现为叶片＞茎秆＞根须＞根茎, 地上器官的含氮量大于地下器官, 且各器官含氮量的高值出现在生育前期。生长期叶片含氮量与累积叶面积指数呈负相关关系, 而成熟期叶片含氮量与叶面积指数呈负相关关系; 根茎含氮量随土壤深度的增加而增加; 根系含氮量与生物量呈线性关系。整个生长季芦苇群落氮库随生长进程逐渐增大, 2005年芦苇地上冠层和地下30 cm以上的氮储量分别为25.76和24.04 g·m^–2。     

森林类型对土壤有机质、微生物生物量及酶活性的影响

以澳大利亚南昆士兰州典型森林类型——湿地松、南洋杉和贝壳杉林为对象,开展土壤可溶性有机碳和氮(SOC和SON)、微生物生物量碳和氮(MBC和MBN),以及土壤酶活性的研究,剖析森林类型对土壤质量的影响.结果表明:不同林型土壤SOC、SON含量分别在552 ～1154 mg·kg-1和20.11～57.32mg·kg-1;MBC、MBN分别在42～149 mg·kg-1和7～35 mg·kg-1.MBC、MBN之间呈显著相关.土壤几丁质酶、酸性磷酸酶、碱性磷酸酶和β-葡萄糖苷酶的活性分别为2.96 ～7.63、16.5 ～29.6、0.79 ～ 3.42和3.71 ～9.93 μg ·g-1·h-1,亮氨酸氨肽酶活性为0.18～0.46 μg·g-1·d-1.不同林型土壤SOC含量,以及土壤几丁质酶和亮氨酸氨肽酶活性为湿地松林、南洋杉林、贝壳杉林依次降低;而SON含量为南洋杉林＞贝壳杉林＞湿地松林,且南洋杉林的SON含量显著(P＜0.05)高于湿地松林;MBC和MBN以及碱性磷酸酶活性为贝壳杉林＞湿地松林＞南洋杉林;酸性磷酸酶和β-葡萄糖苷酶活性为湿地松林＞贝壳杉林＞南洋杉林.在土壤生物代谢因子中,MBC、MBN、SON和亮氨酸氨肽酶对不同森林类型土壤影响较大.     

Sympatric Australian Lasaea species (Mollusca: Bivalvia) differ in their ploidy levels, reproductive modes and developmental modes

The cosmopolitan marine bivalve genus Lasaea is predominantly composed of highly polyploid asexual lineages with one exception: the diploid, sexual Australian species L. australis. Two undescribed, direct-developing congeners co-occur with the indirect-developing L. australis on the rocky intertidal of southeastern Australia. One of these, L. colmani sp. nov., is also diploid and sexual. The other direct-developing congener is an asexual polyploid composed of a variety of clonal lineages. All three sympatric Australian Lasaea congeners are morphologically distinguishable, although prodissoconch distinctions are required to separate large polyploid clams from equivalently-sized L. australis. Similarities in mitochondrial gene sequence and in shell morphology suggest that L. australis and the Australian sympatric polyploid clones share an exclusive common ancestor despite differing in developmental mode, ploidy and reproductive mode. However, detailed karyological analyses failed to identify a chromosome set morphologically similar to that of L. australis among the sympatric Australian polypoid complement. We propose that generation of the polyploid Australian clones (presumably by hybridization) was followed by radical karyological rearrangement.     

培养基质、储藏方式和盐度对三种海滨植物种子萌发的影响

研究了培养基质、储藏方式和盐度对3种海滨植物互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)、盐地碱蓬(Suaeda salsa)和芦苇(Phragmites australis)种子萌发的影响,探索在潮间带环境下海滨植物种子萌发适应策略。结果表明:3种植物的干藏种子和湿藏芦苇种子随着盐度的升高,萌发率和萌发速率均显著下降,湿藏互花米草和盐地碱蓬种子在各盐度下萌发率和萌发速率差异不显著。各盐度-土培-干藏互花米草,中、高盐度-土培-干藏盐地碱蓬,土培各处理,中、高盐度-水培-干藏,高盐度-水培-湿藏芦苇种子萌发失败。湿藏提高了各盐度处理下土培互花米草,中、高盐度-水培和土培盐地碱蓬,淡水、中盐度-水培芦苇种子的萌发率和萌发速率。干藏互花米草种子在中、高盐度和土埋条件下种子的萌发受到抑制,限制了互花米草向高潮带与潮上带的扩展;而经常受潮水浸淹保持湿润的种子能抵抗高盐和泥沙沉积,导致互花米草种群逐步向低潮带方向发展;湿藏芦苇种子在淡水中萌发率和萌发速率最高,当潮上带盐度降低时,芦苇具有很强的竞争优势,但是对盐度和土埋敏感,限制了其向海的拓展;盐地碱蓬在中、高盐度和土培条件下萌发速率最高,快速萌发的适应策略和广适应性在盐地碱蓬占据高潮带和中潮带广大区域的过程中起到了重要的作用。     

Morphological, morphometric, meristic and osteological evidence for two species of hake (Actinopterygii: Gadiformes: Merluccius) in Argentinean waters

Morphologically, both classic and landmark-based morphometry and meristic analyses of 241 specimens of Merluccius, along with the re-examination of six paratype specimens of Merluccius hubbsi, the holotype and three paratypes of Merluccius patagonicus and the syntype of Merluccius australis revealed the presence of only two species of Merluccius in Argentinean waters. Internal structures (hyomandibula, urohyal and sagitta otolith) of M. hubbsi were compared to those reported for M. patagonicus and were shown to have identical morphology. Type specimens of M. patagonicus showed a complete overlap in morphometric and meristic characters with M. hubbsi, whereas M. australis had a greater number of second dorsal and anal-fin rays, and more lateral-line scales. In addition, M. australis had a smaller eye and longer snout than M. hubbsi and M. patagonicus. The results indicate that there is no evidence for a third hake species in Argentinean waters. Merluccius patagonicus is a synonym of M. hubbsi.     

Isolation and amino acid sequence of a short-chain neurotoxin from an Australian elapid snake, Pseudechis australis.

A short-chain neurotoxin Pseudechis australis a (toxin Pa a) was isolated from the venom of an Australian elapid snake Pseudechis australis (king brown snake) by sequential chromatography on CM-cellulose, Sephadex G-50 and CM-cellulose columns. Toxin Pa a has an LD50 (intravenous) value of 76 micrograms/kg body wt. in mice and consists of 62 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of Pa a shows considerable homology with those of short-chain neurotoxins of elapid snakes, especially of true sea snakes.     

Equal partnership: two trematode species, not one, manipulate the burrowing behaviour of the New Zealand cockle, Austrovenus stutchburyi

Metacercariae of the trematode Curtuteria australis (Echinostomatidae) accumulate in the foot of the New Zealand cockle Austrovenus stutchburyi, severely impairing the cockle's ability to burrow under the sediments. This results in increased predation by birds on cockles, and thus enhanced transmission rates of the parasite to its bird definitive hosts. This host manipulation by the trematode is costly: fish regularly crop the tip of the foot of cockles stranded on the sediment surface, killing any metacercariae they ingest. A second, previously undetected trematode species (characterized by 23 collar spines) co-existing with C. australis, has been found in the foot of cockles in the Otago Harbour, South Island, New Zealand. The relative abundance of the two species varies among localities, with the identity of the numerically dominant species also changing from one locality to the next. Both C. australis and the new species have a strong preference for encysting in the tip of the cockle's foot, where their impact on the burrowing ability of the host is greatest, and where they both face the risk of cropping by fish. Results indicate that these two species are ecological equivalents, and their combined numbers determine how the cockle population is affected.     

基于CA模型的上海九段沙互花米草和芦苇种群扩散动态

基于1997年以来上海九段沙栽种芦苇和互花米草种群扩散格局的多年现场调查与遥感解译分析,并结合3S技术,构建了适合滩涂盐沼植物种群动态的元胞自动机（CA）模型．结果表明：该模型能较好地模拟九段沙上芦苇和互花米草种群扩散的格局和趋势,并验证了互花米草和芦苇的空间抢先占有模型以及锋面状连续扩散格局;土著植物芦苇与外来植物互花米草占据相同的生态位,而互花米草的种群扩散速度是芦苇的3—5倍,随着九段沙的不断淤涨,互花米草种群的快速扩展还将持续．构建的CA模型有助于深入研究外来物种扩散格局与其生态学过程之间的相互关系,对湿地生物多样性保护和资源管理具有重要意义．     

Predation is associated with variation in colour pattern, but not body shape or colour reflectance, in a rainbowfish (Melanotaenia australis)

1. In freshwater fishes, inter-population variation in male phenotype is often associated with differences in predation intensity, but these effects can be difficult to disentangle from environmental influences. 2. The western rainbowfish Melanotaenia australis exhibits marked sexual dimorphism - females are plain with a slender body, while males have striking coloration and are deeper in the body. Male traits differ in expression among populations, but this has not been described or explored in the literature. 3. This paper describes a study designed to test for geographic structuring of male phenotype in M. australis and to determine whether between-population variation in male phenotype is attributable to variation in predation regime, after accounting for environment. 4. We collected data describing habitat, and the size, activity and abundance of predators at sites containing M. australis populations. We then used photography, spectrometry and geometric morphometrics to describe colour pattern, spectral reflectance and body shape in males from these populations. Finally, we used permutation-based multivariate statistics to partition variance in these traits according to environment and predation regime. 5. Downstream environments posed higher predation risk to M. australis. Furthermore, males from these sites consistently exhibited larger cheek spots and fewer coloured lateral stripes than those from upstream sites. Variation in predation regime accounted for a significant proportion of the total variance in these traits (30·9%), after controlling for the effects of environment. 6. Variation in predation regime did not explain variation in reflectance or shape. Environmental variation, however, explained a significant portion of the total variance in reflectance (74·9%), and there was a strong trend towards it explaining a portion of the total variance in body shape (34·9%). 7. We conclude that natural selection by predators may be an important determinant of the evolution of colour pattern variation in M. australis, but not of that of body shape or colour reflectance. 8. Further study of M. australis will complement existing models, which show complex relationships between predation regime, environment and phenotype. Understanding these relationships is prerequisite to predicting the evolution of phenotypic variation in natural systems.     

敦煌阳关盐沼湿地芦苇种群小尺度空间分布格局

植物种群的空间分布格局是研究连接植物与外界环境关系的重要桥梁,是植物种群稳定性和生活史策略的表现形式。本研究以敦煌阳关盐沼湿地克隆植物芦苇(Phragmites australis)为对象,设置湿生区、轻度盐化区、重度盐化区和荒漠区采样梯度,应用Ripley K(d)函数分析法研究了芦苇种群的小尺度空间分布格局特征及生态适应对策。结果表明:(1)随着从湿生到荒漠区环境梯度的变化,芦苇种群的盖度、密度、高度、地上生物量及种群领地面积都呈现出显著下降的趋势,空斑面积呈现出显著增加的趋势,而种群领地密度则呈现出先增加后下降的趋势;(2)从湿生到荒漠生境,芦苇种群的小尺度空间拓展策略主要表现为由聚集分布为主、非聚集分布(随机分布或均匀分布)为辅,转变为随机分布为主、非随机分布(聚集分布或均匀分布)为辅的特征。研究结果明晰了干旱区内陆河湿地中芦苇种群的空间分布格局特点及其影响因素,为进一步理解克隆植物的生态适应机制提供了案例研究,为科学保护和管理干旱区内陆河湿地生态系统提供了理论依据。     

莫莫格湿地芦苇对水盐变化的生理生态响应

认识湿地植物对不同水盐环境的生理生态响应特征和规律,是确定湿地生态需水阈值的关键,为湿地生态需水量计算及生态恢复提供科学依据.通过对莫莫格湿地水盐环境因子与芦苇生理生态特征指标进行调查研究,并利用国际通用植被数量分析软件CANOCO4.5对其关系进行了冗余度分析(RDA).结果表明:湿地水深、Na+,HCO(3)含量3个环境因子组合对芦苇生理生态特征变异的解释量达到54.7％,说明这3个变量是影响芦苇生理生态特征变异的重要因子,水深是关键驱动因子.水深与芦苇株高、生物量、叶绿素含量、最大光化学效率Fv/FM以及光化学性能指数PIABS成显著正相关,随着水深的增加,芦苇株高、生物量以及叶绿素含量等逐渐增加.Na+含量、HCO(3)含量与芦苇生理生态特征的相关性没有达到显著水平.因此,中轻度盐碱湿地生态恢复需要重点考虑水深条件对湿地生态的影响,其次是水质( Na+/HCO(3))因素的影响作用,确保适宜生态水位,满足生态恢复需要.     

黄河三角洲典型植被与地下水埋深和土壤盐分的关系

土壤盐分和地下水埋深是影响黄河三角洲植被发育和分布的重要因素.本文通过野外调查与统计分析,研究了黄河三角洲区域典型植被(翅碱蓬 柽柳、刺槐、芦苇和棉花)、地下水埋深、土壤盐分之间的关系.结果表明: 研究区地下水埋深显著影响土壤盐分,平均影响系数为0.327,地下水埋深在0.5～1.5 m的土壤盐渍化最严重;整个研究区内植被发育较差,其中,研究区78%面积的归一化植被指数(NDVI)<0.4,地下水埋深、土壤盐分对天然植被分布有显著影响;土壤盐分对研究区翅碱蓬-柽柳、刺槐、芦苇及棉花NDVI的影响显著,地下水埋深对翅碱蓬-柽柳NDVI的影响显著,对芦苇、棉花、刺槐NDVI的影响不显著.     

The lipid,fatty acid and amino acid composition of ratite eggs from three different species of kiwis Apteryx australis mantelli,A. haasti and A. oweni bred in captivity on the same diet

The lipid composition of the eggs obtained from three different species of New Zealand kiwis (Apteryx australis mantelli, A. haasti and A. oweni) were investigated and compared. Although those of A. australis mantelli were known to have high levels of triacylglycerols and Iow levels of phospholipids (83% and 8% respectively), the other species had reduced quantities of triacylglycerols (65–69%) but compensated with increased levels of phospholipids (23–24%). These findings were similar to those of the domestic hen eggs. As regards to the proportion of lipid to protein in the kiwi eggs, A. australis mantelli and A. haasti contained similar ratios of 1.00–0.51 but A. owenihad higher levels of lipids, 1.00–0.38. The distribution of amino acids in each case was similar.     

Endoparasite fauna of five Gadiformes fish species from the coast of Chile: host ecology versus phylogeny

The aims of the present study were to compare, using multivariate analyses, the degree of similarity of the endoparasite fauna of five fish species belonging to the order Gadiformes: Merluccius gayi, Merluccius australis, Macruronus magellanicus (Gadoidei) and Micromesistius australis and Nezumia pulchella (Macrouroidei), from the southern and central Chilean coast, and to evaluate whether the composition of the endoparasite fauna was determined by phylogenetic or ecological relationships. We employed our database of Merluccius australis, M. magellanicus and Micromesistius australis, which was complemented with published information for M. magellanicus, Merluccius australis, Micromesistius australis, M. gayi and N. pulchella. A higher number of endoparasite species was recorded for Merluccius australis, Micromesistius australis and M. magellanicus, namely Anisakis sp. and Hepatoxylon trichiuri, which is the most prevalent parasite among these hosts. Aporocotyle wilhelmi and Hysterothylacium sp. were detected only in M. gayi, whereas Lepidapedon sp. was found exclusively in N. pulchella. These results suggest that fish ecology rather than host phylogeny was the most important factor for the determination of similarity in parasite composition. This result could be explained by the similar trophic patterns of hosts and by the predominance of generalist larval species among these fish parasite communities.     

Effects of surgically implanted PIT tags on growth, survival and tag retention of yellow shortfin eels Anguilla australis under laboratory conditions

This study evaluated the effects of surgically implanted passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags on growth rate, survival and tag retention of yellow shortfin eels Anguilla australis with an initial mean mass of 101 g. There were no significant differences in body mass, total length, specific growth rate and survival between tagged and untagged A. australis in a 108 day laboratory trial. This tagging method was very reliable, with a tag retention of >95%.     

The morphology and histology of the endocrine pancreas of the southern hemisphere lamprey, Geotria australis gray

The location and arrangement of the pancreatic endocrine tissue in larval and adult Geotria australis (Geotriidae) differ markedly from those exhibited by the comparable stages of Northern Hemisphere lampreys (Petromyzontidae). In larval Geotria australis, the main zones of islet proliferation are located laterally between the oesophagus and the inner edge of the two large intestinal diverticula unique to this species rather than dorsal and ventral to the oesophagus. In adult Geotria australis, the islet follicles are closely packed into a single discrete capsule which could be easily removed surgically, rather than into cranial, intermediate, and caudal cords. The differences in the adult can be related to a lack of involvement of the bile duct in islet formation during metamorphosis. While B cells were found in both larval and adult islet follicles, the PI acidophilic cells and argyrophilic cells, which appeared respectively at stages 3 and 4 in metamorphosis, were present in all adult stages.