Nonlinear dynamics and bifurcations of a coupled oscillator model for calling behavior of Japanese tree frogs (Hyla japonica)

Synchronization has been observed in various systems, including living beings. In a previous study, we reported a new phenomenon with antisynchronization in calling behavior of two interacting Japanese tree frogs. In this paper, we theoretically analyse nonlinear dynamics in a system of three coupled oscillators, which models three interacting frogs, where the oscillators of each pair have the property of antisynchronization; in particular, we perform bifurcation analysis and Lyapunov function analysis.     

Dendritic synchrony and transient dynamics in a coupled oscillator model of the dopaminergic neuron

Transient increases in spontaneous firing rate of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons have been suggested to act as a reward prediction error signal. A mechanism previously proposed involves subthreshold calcium-dependent oscillations in all parts of the neuron. In that mechanism, the natural frequency of oscillation varies with diameter of cell processes, so there is a wide variation of natural frequencies on the cell, but strong voltage coupling enforces a single frequency of oscillation under resting conditions. In previous work, mathematical analysis of a simpler system of oscillators showed that the chain of oscillators could produce transient dynamics in which the frequency of the coupled system increased temporarily, as seen in a biophysical model of the dopaminergic neuron. The transient dynamics was shown to be consequence of a slow drift along an invariant subset of phase space, with rate of drift given by a Lyapunov function. In this paper, we show that the same mathematical structure exists for the full biophysical model, giving physiological meaning to the slow drift and the Lyapunov function, which is shown to describe differences in intracellular calcium concentration in different parts of the cell. The duration of transients was long, being comparable to the time constant of calcium disposition. These results indicate that brief changes in input to the dopaminergic neuron can produce long lasting firing rate transients whose form is determined by intrinsic cell properties.     

Conversion of Japanese red cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) into a feed for ruminants by white-rot basidiomycetes

The potential of five white-rot fungi to convert Japanese red cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) into feed for ruminants was determined. Pleurotus ostreatus (ATCC 66376), Pholiota nameko (IFO 30373), Dichomitus squalens (CBS 432.34), Lentinula edodes (IFO 6654) and Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (ATCC 90467) were inoculated into chips of cedar sapwood. L. edodes was cultured at 25 °C, and the other fungi at 28 °C, for 4, 8, 12, or 20 weeks. The in vitro organic matter (OM) digestibility (IVOMD) in cedar wood cultured without fungus were between 0.047 and 0.068, while it was elevated to 0.446 by culturing with C. subvermispora and to 0.281 by culturing with L. edodes for 20 weeks. In contrast, the IVOMD were 0.200, or lower, in cedar wood cultured with P. ostreatus, P. nameko, or D. squalens. The in vitro gas production (IVGP) in cedar wood cultured with P. ostreatus, P. nameko, or D. squalens was 37 ml/g OM, or lower, while that in cedar not inoculated with fungus was between 4 and 17 ml/g OM. In contrast, the IVGP in cedar wood cultured with C. subvermispora for 20 weeks increased to 107 ml/g OM, and that in cedar wood cultured with L. edodes increased to 58 ml/g OM. Lignin degradability in cedar wood cultured with C. subvermispora and L. edodes for 20 weeks were 0.578 and 0.288, respectively. These changes in IVOMD and IVGP demonstrate that a selective white-rot fungus, C. subvermispora has the ability to convert cedar wood into feed for ruminants, although further increase is required before the cultured cedar wood would have widespread feed potential.     

Pectins in the fruits of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica)

The pectin content, composition and physico-chemical properties were studied in the fruits of two genotypes of Japanese quince. On average, the fruits contained 11 g pectins/100 g dry fruit and 1.4 g pectins/100 g fresh fruit. A sequential extraction was used to isolate the pectins from the fruits. The cells from the flesh were examined using a confocal laser scan microscope, fresh and after each extraction step of the sequence. The dilute acid conditions were the most efficient for pectin extraction. Pectins extracted by water or potassium oxalate had higher (>600 ml/g) intrinsic viscosities than the pectins extracted by dilute acid (<400 ml/g). Anionic exchange chromatography was performed on the acid-extracted pectins. They were constituted of four populations, the first one being mainly composed of arabinans, the second one of homogalacturonans, the third one of rhamnogalacturonans. The composition of the last one varied with the genotype studied.     

Amino acid sequence of myoglobin from the chitonLiolophura japonica and a phylogenetic tree for molluscan globins

Myoglobin was isolated from the radular muscle of the chitonLiolophura japonica, a primitive archigastropodic mollusc.Liolophura contains three monomeric myoglobins (I, II, and III), and the complete amino acid sequence of myoglobin I has been determined. It is composed of 145 amino acid residues, and the molecular mass was calculated to be 16,070 D. The E7 distal histidine, which is replaced by valine or glutamine in several molluscan globins, is conserved inLiolophura myoglobin. The autoxidation rate at physiological conditions indicated thatLiolophura oxymyoglobin is fairly stable when compared with other molluscan myoglobins. The amino acid sequence ofLiolophura myoglobin shows low homology (11–21%) with molluscan dimeric myoglobins and hemoglobins, but shows higher homology (26–29%) with monomeric myoglobins from the gastropodic molluscsAplysia, Dolabella, andBursatella. A phylogenetic tree was constructed from 19 molluscan globin sequences. The tree separated them into two distinct clusters, a cluster for muscle myoglobins and a cluster for erythrocyte or gill hemoglobins. The myoglobin cluster is divided further into two subclusters, corresponding to monomeric and dimeric myoglobins, respectively.Liolophura myoglobin was placed on the branch of monomeric myoglobin lineage, showing that it diverged earlier from other monomeric myoglobins. The hemoglobin cluster is also divided into two subclusters. One cluster contains homodimeric, heterodimeric, tetrameric, and didomain chains of erythrocyte hemoglobins of the blood clamsAnadara, Scapharca, andBarbatia. Of special interest is the other subcluster. It consists of three hemoglobin chains derived from the bacterial symbiont-harboring clamsCalyptogena andLucina, in which hemoglobins are supposed to play an important role in maintaining the symbiosis with sulfide bacteria.     

Use of different approaches to model presence/absence of Salmo marmoratus in Piedmont (Northwestern Italy)

In Piedmont (Italy) the environmental changes due to human impact have had profound effects on rivers and their inhabitants. Thus, it is necessary to develop practical tools providing accurate ecological assessments of river and species conditions. We focus our attention on Salmo marmoratus, an endangered salmonid which is characteristic of the Po river system in Italy. In order to contribute to the management of the species, four different approaches were used to assess its presence: discriminant function analysis, logistic regression, decision tree models and artificial neural networks. Either all the 20 environmental variables measured in the field or the 7 coming from feature selection were used to classify sites as positive or negative for S. marmoratus. The performances of the different models were compared. Discriminant function analysis, logistic regression, and decision tree models (unpruned and pruned) had relatively high percentages of correctly classified instances. Although neither tree-pruning technique improved the reliability of the models significantly, they did reduce the tree complexity and hence increased the clarity of the models. The artificial neural network (ANN) approach, especially the model built with the 7 inputs coming from feature selection, showed better performance than all the others. The relative contribution of each independent variable to this model was determined by using the sensitivity analysis technique. Our findings proved that the ANNs were more effective than the other classification techniques. Moreover, ANNs achieved their high potentials when they were applied in models used to make decisions regarding river and conservation management.     

Purification and characterization of a non-S-RNase and S-RNases from styles of Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia)

In this study we biochemically characterized stylar ribonucleases (RNases) of Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), which exhibits S-RNase-based gametophytic self-incompatibility. We separated the RNase fractions NS-1, NS-2, and NS-3 from stylar extracts of the cultivar Nijisseiki (S(2)S(4)). The RNase in each fraction was purified to homogeneity through a series of chromatographic steps. Chemical analysis of the proteins revealed that the basic RNases in the NS-2 and NS-3 fractions were the S(4)- and S(2)-RNases, respectively. Five additional S-RNases were purified from other cultivars. An acidic RNase in the NS-1 fraction was also purified from other cultivars, and identified as a non-S-allele-associated RNase (non-S-RNase). The non-S-RNase is composed of 203 amino acids, is non-glycosylated and is a N-terminal-pyroglutamylated enzyme of the RNase T(2) family. The substrate specificities and optimum pH levels of the non-S-RNase and S-RNases were similar. Interestingly, the specific activity of the non-S-RNase was 7.5-221-fold higher than those of the S-RNases when tolura yeast RNA was used as the substrate. The specific activity of the S(2)-RNase was 8.8-28.6-fold lower than those of the other S-RNases. These differences in specific activities among the stylar RNases are discussed.     

采伐对红松种群结构与动态的影响

红松是我国长白山阔叶红松林的主要建群种,受森林采伐的影响,种群数量急剧下降,现已被列为国家二级保护植物。通过绘制种群静态生命表、生存函数、存活曲线和径级分布图,研究原始林,15%择伐、40%择伐和皆伐后恢复的天然次生林内,红松种群结构和动态的变化规律。结果表明:(1)采伐干扰对红松种群的波动周期影响不大,15%的择伐强度可以提高红松种群的生存期望。(2)原始林和15%择伐林内红松种群存活曲线均为DeeveyⅡ型,种群处于稳定期;40%择伐林内存活曲线介于DeeveyⅡ型和DeeveyⅢ型之间,种群由稳定期向成熟期过渡;皆伐林内存活曲线为DeeveyⅠ型,种群处在增长期。(3)原始阔叶红松林林、15%择伐林和40%择伐林内,红松种群径级结构均呈稳定的倒J型,且在幼树阶段均存在生长更新的停滞现象;与原始林相比,15%择伐林内幼树比例略有下降;40%择伐林和皆伐迹地,随采伐强度的增加,幼树比例明显增大。(4)方差分析表明,4个种群的生存过程差异较大,采伐干扰对红松种群生存过程的影响达到显著水平。     

Genetic diversity in mitochondrial 12S rDNA of western Palearctic water frogs (Anura, Ranidae) and implications for their systematics

The nucleotide sequence of a part of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene of eight western Palearctic water frog species was analysed. The results are consistent with the species status of Rana bedriagae, Rana bergeri, Rana epeirotica, Rana lessonae, Rana perezi, Rana ridibunda, Rana saharica and Rana shqiperica . The obtained DNA data suggest that lake frogs from Greece and Yugoslavia on the one hand and lake frogs from Georgia, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan on the other hand represent two distinct species. However, it is not yet clear whether lake frogs from Georgia, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan belong to R. ridibunda or represent a new species. The very high similarity between the analysed 12S rDNA segments of German R. ridibunda and R. lessonae confirm the finding that mtDNA of R. lessonae was transmitted into the mitochondrial gene pool of R. ridibunda probably as a result of backcrosses with the hybridogenetic hybrid R. kl. esculenta . The results of parsimony analyses speak in favour of very close phylogenetic relations between R. perezi and R. saharica ; with a high probability these species represent an adelphotaxon. Furthermore, the clades ( R. lessonae + R. shqiperica + R. bergeri ) and ( R. ridibunda + R. bedriagae ) are considered to be sister groups. According to the mt 12S rDNA data R. epeirotica seems to be more closely related to the supraspecific taxon ( R. ridibunda + R. bedriagae ) than to ( R. lessonae + R. shqiperica + R. bergeri ). Thus, it can be excluded that R. shqiperica and R. epeirotica represent sister species.     

基于Biome-BGC模型及树木年轮的太白红杉林生态系统对气候变化的响应研究

利用Biome-BGC模型模拟了1960—2013年太白山太白红杉林生态系统的净初级生产力(NPP),对其与太白红杉的径向生长关系进行了探讨,并分析了NPP值对气候变化的响应关系。结果表明:1960—2013年太白山太白红杉林北坡NPP年均值为305.33g C m~(-2)a~(-1),南坡为320.71g C m~(-2)a~(-1),南北坡的NPP值均呈现出一定的上升趋势,北坡的上升速率(0.47g C m~(-2)a~(-1))要小于南坡(1.29g C m~(-2)a~(-1)),但是北坡太白红杉分布下限区NPP值波动浮动较大。且北坡太白红杉NPP值随着海拔高度的上升而逐渐下降,低海拔的变化振幅要大于高海拔地区,南坡无明显变化。多数采样点的模拟NPP值与树轮宽度指数年际变化趋势趋于一致,相关关系呈显著相关。太白红杉标准年表、模型模拟NPP值与气象因子的相关分析均表明太白红杉的生长与生长季气温的相关性显著高于降水,即生长季的气温是太白红杉生长的限制因子。气候的变化作为制约太白红杉生境的重要因素,影响了太白红杉树木的生长,进而对NPP的变化产生了影响。树木年轮很好的检验了Biome-BGC模型模拟结果。     

Modeling the occurrence of 15 coniferous tree species throughout the Pacific Northwest of North America using a hybrid approach of a generic process‐based growth model and decision tree analysis

Question: Can we interpret how climatic variation limits photosynthesis and growth for one widely distributed species, and then relate these responses to model the geographic distributions of other species? Location: The forested region of the Pacific Northwest, United States and Canada. Methods: We first mapped monthly climatic data, averaged for the period 1950 to 1975 at 1 km resolution across the region. The recorded presence and absence of 15 native tree species were next mapped at 1 km resolution from data acquired on 22 771 field survey plots. To establish seasonal limits on photosynthesis and water use, a process‐based growth model (3‐PG, Physiological Processes to Predict Growth) was parameterized for Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), one of the most widely distributed species in the region. Automated decision tree analyses were used to predict the distribution of different species by creating a suite of rules associated with the relative constraints that soil drought, atmospheric humidity deficits, suboptimal and subfreezing temperatures would impose on the growth of Douglas‐fir. Results: The 3‐PG process‐based modeling approach, combined with automated decision tree analyses, predicted presence and absence of 15 conifers on field survey plots with an average accuracy of 82±12%. Predictive models of current distribution for each species differed in the number of, order in, and physiological thresholds selected. A deficit in the soil water balance, followed by departures from optimum temperatures in the summer were the two most important variables selected in predicting species distributions. Conclusions: Although empirical models using different sampling techniques and statistical analyses may be more accurate in predicting current distribution of species, the hybrid approach presented in this paper provides a greater mechanistic understanding of the limits to growth and tree distributions. These attributes of process‐based models make them particularly useful in designing mitigating strategies to projected changes in climate.     

Phase locking,period doubling bifurcations and chaos in a mathematical model of a periodically driven oscillator: A theory for the entrainment of biological oscillators and the generation of cardiac dysrhythmias

A mathematical model for the perturbation of a biological oscillator by single and periodic impulses is analyzed. In response to a single stimulus the phase of the oscillator is changed. If the new phase following a stimulus is plotted against the old phase the resulting curve is called the phase transition curve or PTC (Pavlidis, 1973). There are two qualitatively different types of phase resetting. Using the terminology of Winfree (1977, 1980), large perturbations give a type 0 PTC (average slope of the PTC equals zero), whereas small perturbations give a type 1 PTC. The effects of periodic inputs can be analyzed by using the PTC to construct the Poincaré or phase advance map. Over a limited range of stimulation frequency and amplitude, the Poincaré map can be reduced to an interval map possessing a single maximum. Over this range there are period doubling bifurcations as well as chaotic dynamics. Numerical and analytical studies of the Poincaré map show that both phase locked and non-phase locked dynamics occur. We propose that cardiac dysrhythmias may arise from desynchronization of two or more spontaneously oscillating regions of the heart. This hypothesis serves to account for the various forms of atrioventricular (AV) block clinically observed. In particular 22 and 42 AV block can arise by period doubling bifurcations, and intermittent or variable AV block may be due to the complex irregular behavior associated with chaotic dynamics.     

单花、有侧花牡丹品种花芽分化特点及内源激素变化

为比较单花牡丹品种‘梨花粉’、有侧花牡丹品种‘姊妹游春’和‘云鄂粉’的花芽分化进程、形态特征差异及花芽分化期内源激素的变化,该研究通过解剖和石蜡切片,观察‘梨花粉’‘姊妹游春’和‘云鄂粉’的花芽分化过程,采用酶联免疫吸附分析法测定不同分化阶段‘梨花粉’和‘姊妹游春’的生长素(IAA)、脱落酸(ABA)、赤霉素(GA₃)及玉米素核苷(ZR)的含量。结果表明：(1)‘梨花粉’花芽分化仅6个时期;有侧花品种‘姊妹游春’和‘云鄂粉’花芽分化为11个时期,顶花原基先分化,侧花原基后分化。(2)叶原基分化期至苞片原基分化期,‘姊妹游春’和‘梨花粉’花芽中ABA、GA₃及ZR的含量均升高,IAA含量降低;‘姊妹游春’侧花原基分化起始阶段,ABA、GA₃含量降低,ZR、IAA含量升高。(3)‘梨花粉’ABA/IAA比值在形态分化期时最低。综上认为,有侧花牡丹品种花芽分化比单花牡丹品种早,分化时间长,顶花和侧花部分花器官分化期重叠;较高水平的ZR、IAA以及较低的ABA、GA₃有利于启动侧花原基分化。该研究结果为牡丹...     

云南蒙自钳嘴鹳夜栖地利用及夜栖树选择

动物对夜栖地选择的灵活程度是其分布和扩散的重要因素之一。钳嘴鹳(Anastomus oscitans)为中国新分布种,要了解其扩散趋势,掌握其夜栖地需求至关重要。2015年11月至2018年7月在云南蒙自坝区,使用卫星跟踪技术对6只钳嘴鹳进行了夜栖地利用和夜栖树选择研究,结果表明:(1)钳嘴鹳可以在多种生境中夜栖,包括林地、沼泽、岛屿等。从群体水平上分析,钳嘴鹳主要夜栖于沼泽中,利用率为(51.19±12.34)%,其次为林地(31.55±11.34)%和岛屿(17.26±5.70)%;从个体水平上来看,不同钳嘴鹳的夜栖地利用方式差异较大,其中4只主要利用沼泽,而另外2只主要利用林地;(2)随机森林分析表明:影响钳嘴鹳夜栖树选择的首要因子为距觅食地距离,其次为树高、地径和最低枝高度,而人为干扰因子的影响较弱。综合来看,钳嘴鹳对夜栖地类型以及夜栖树均表现出了极强的适应性和可塑性,这可能是其能够快速扩散的重要原因之一。同时也表明夜栖树并不能成为一个有力的限制因子,钳嘴鹳有可能继续向国内的南方湿地区扩散。     

立地条件差异对天然东北红豆杉(Taxus cuspidata)种间竞争的影响

立地因子空间梯度特征是影响种间竞争的重要因素。通过研究主要竞争树种及竞争强度随海拔、坡向、坡位和坡度等立地因子变化的规律,揭示不同立地条件对天然东北红豆杉种间竞争的影响,为濒危东北红豆杉种群的保护与恢复提供理论指导。研究结果表明：东北红豆杉的种间竞争压力主要来自紫椴、臭冷杉、色木槭、红松、青楷槭、枫桦、花楷槭等7个树种,主要竞争树种以小径级个体居多。立地因子差异对种间竞争强度和主要竞争树种的排序有明显影响。东北红豆杉在阴坡受到的种间竞争压力是阳坡的3.27倍,主要树种的竞争强度显著高于阳坡,竞争树种的排序发生更迭;随着坡位的提升,东北红豆杉受到的种间竞争压力明显增加,主要竞争种类和强度也发生变化;坡度增加,种间竞争强度增加,主要竞争树种排序发生变化;海拔对种间竞争的影响总体不大,但影响主要竞争树种的竞争强度和排序。     

大花杓兰亲环素基因的克隆及生物信息学分析

亲环素是一个多基因家族,在植物生命活动中发挥着重要的作用。该研究以大花杓兰(Cypripedium macranthum)为材料,采用RT-PCR技术克隆到1个亲环素基因(CyP),并对其进行生物信息学分析。结果表明:大花杓兰CyP基因的开放阅读框序列为525 bp,命名为CmCyP(GenBank登录号为MH411125),编码174个氨基酸。预测CmCyP蛋白是一个位于细胞质、相对分子量约为18 kD、理论pI为8.73、无信号肽、跨膜结构域的亲水性蛋白质。磷酸化和糖基化位点预测分析发现,CmCyP蛋白存在18个潜在的磷酸化位点和2个潜在的糖基化位点。蛋白保守结构域预测分析发现,CmCyP蛋白包含一个高度保守的肽脯氨酰顺反异构酶结构域,属于单结构域亲环素。对二级结构进行预测分析发现,CmCyP蛋白中存在无规卷曲70个、延伸链56个、α-螺旋23个、β-折叠25个,这4种结构元件在三级结构中也有体现。系统进化树结果显示,大花杓兰CmCyP蛋白与铁皮石斛(Dendrobium catenatum)和万带兰(Vanda hybrid cultivar)的CyP蛋白的亲缘关系较近。该研究首次克隆了大花杓兰亲环素基因(CmCyP),为进一步探讨CmCyP基因的生物学功能奠定了基础。     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for the European tree frog (Hyla arborea)

We developed 11 new microsatellite markers for the European tree frog (Hyla arborea), and tested patterns of polymorphism in 54 adults (27 males and 27 females) from two ponds close to Lausanne (Western Switzerland). One marker was sex linked and two pairs displayed linkage disequilibrium. Comparisons of allele numbers with heterozygosity values support a stepwise-mutation model at neutral equilibrium, with mutation rates spanning nearly two orders of magnitude. These markers will prove useful for population genetic studies and fine-scale investigations requiring genetic assignment techniques.     

Age structure and body size of the Chuanxi Tree Frog Hyla annectans chuanxiensis from two different elevations in Sichuan (China)

Age, body size, and growth patterns in the subtropical anuran Hyla annectans chuanxiensis from high (Dengchigou Protection Station) and low (Lingguan Town) elevations in Baoxing County of Sichuan province (China) were described using skeletochronology. Females were significantly older than males at the low-elevation site, but there was no significant difference between the sexes at the high-elevation site. Age at sexual maturity of both males and females was 2 years at the high-elevation site, whereas males matured at 1 year and females at 2 years at the low-elevation site. Males and females from the low-elevation population reached a maximum age of 3 and 4 years, respectively, whereas males and females from the high-elevation population reached a maximum age of 4 and 5 years, respectively. At both sites, females were significantly larger than males. Females and males from the high-elevation population were larger than individuals from the low-elevation population. When the effect of age was controlled, the differences in body size of the two populations were significant only for females. Von Bertalanffy growth curves indicated that the growth rates in males was greater than in females in both populations. They also showed that the growth of both sexes slowed at an earlier age in the low-elevation population than in the high-elevation population. The findings suggest that age is a major factor underlying body size patterns for both sexes, but that the elevation of the locality affects the body size of females.     

赤杨对辽东落叶松人工林土壤氨基糖积累的影响

微生物残留物是土壤稳定性碳库的重要组成部分,然而其对固氮树种的响应还不清楚。以辽东山区日本落叶松(Larix kaempferi)人工纯林和落叶松-赤杨混交林为研究对象,以氨基糖作为微生物残留物的生物标识物,研究了赤杨对落叶松人工林根际和非根际土壤氨基糖积累的影响。结果表明,混交林中落叶松根际和非根际各氨基糖单体含量均显著高于纯林,说明赤杨引入有利于土壤微生物残留物的积累。其中,混交林落叶松根际及非根际土壤氨基糖葡萄糖含量分别比纯林高出99.5%(P0.01)和154%(P0.01);胞壁酸含量分别比纯林高出66.1%(P0.01)和132.3%(P0.01)。赤杨引入对氨基葡萄糖/胞壁酸比值的影响不显著,但显著增加氨基糖对土壤有机碳的贡献。冗余度分析表明全氮是驱动土壤中氨基糖发生变化的主要因子。表明赤杨引入显著提高微生物固持的土壤碳库和有机碳稳定性,这对落叶松人工林合理经营具有重要意义。