REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF FEMALE SEA OTTERS

Abstract: Several important aspects of reproduction in the female sea otter, such as gestation, pupping frequency, period of pup dependency, and annual pupping rate, were unclear when this study was begun. We present data from 75 tagged adult females that indicate gestation is variable, but on average is about 6 months, the length of pup dependency is 6 mo, thus the pupping interval is usually 12–13 mo. Most females breed for the first time in their fifth year of life. About 85–90% of adult females pup in a given year.     

THE EVOLUTION OF REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION AS A CORRELATED CHARACTER UNDER SYMPATRIC CONDITIONS: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE

A set of experiments is described that tests the general hypothesis that sympatric speciation is genetically feasible whenever reproductive isolation evolves indirectly as a correlated character. We specifically test the hypothesis that disruptive selection on habitat preference can lead to sympatric speciation when individuals mate locally within their selected habitat. Drosophila melanogaster was used as a model system. A 35-generation experiment using a complex habitat maze led to complete reproductive isolation between subpopulations using different spatiotemporal habitats. The reproductive isolation that developed over the course of the experiment was a result of offspring returning to mate in the habitat type selected by their parents, i.e., a gradual breakdown in migration between habitats.     

铁-锰氧化鞘细菌的生境条件及分离鉴定

从水库采集不季节和不同水层的水样及水下输水管道堵塞物刊物分析和分离,表明,铁－锰氧化鞘细菌分布在水库不同水层的低浓度有机营养的水流和水下输水管道的堵塞物中。菌在水库中较适的生境条件在夏秋两季,温度为２１￣２５℃、ｐＨ６．１６￣６．８７,总铁含量〉０．４３ｍｇ／Ｌ和微氧环境的中下层及底层。该菌的采用富集培养和限制营养浓度的选择培养基。富集鞘细菌以尿素－葡萄糖－几机盐培养基和Ｓｔｏｋｅｓ培养基为较有效     

OBSERVATIONS ON THE AUTUMN MIGRATION IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE SEA OF AZOV AND THE CASPIAN

Bird-migration was observed 5 October-14 November 1942 along 150 km. of railway line between Salsk and Stalingrad (between the Sea of Azov and the Lower Volga). The typical steppe-birds of South Russia were recorded—larks, harriers, bustards etc.—and also astonishing numbers of crows, starlings, finches, thrushes, pigeons and others. Magpies, Yellow Buntings (many), sparrows, Crested Larks, Great Tits and Partridges also appeared as migrants.
Most birds were travelling southwest or south but the geese were going west (except for one flock), as were Redwings and part of the Great Bustards and Yellow Buntings. Eastward movement was rare.
The immediate destination of the birds observed can only be presumed, but those flying west would reach the coasts of the Sea of Azov and very likely continue further. Birds flying southwest and south were headed for the eastern half of the Black Sea, or the Caucasus. This range, which forms a very pronounced barrier, is well known to be crossed by migrants.
After the autumn sojourn another period of observation followed, 1–18 January 1943 (mostly between Proletarskaja and Salsk).
In all, 45 species were observed alive, and under telegraph wires birds of 25 species were found dead, including 10 not otherwise recorded.     

ADAPTATIONS TO NESTING HABITAT IN THE REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR OF THE BLACK-BILLED GULL LARUS BULLERI

SUMMARY The nesting habitats adopted by most colonies of Black-billed Gulls Larus bulleri are river-beds that are subject to flooding. A number of respects in which the reproductive behaviour of Black-billed Gulls differs from that of at least most other gulls, such as Black-headed Gulls, can be viewed as adaptations, or byproducts of adaptations, to such nesting habitats:—

• (a) A different breeding site from the year before is often selected
• (b) The bulk of pair formation is accomplished before the gulls occupy their breeding sites; nesting territories are set up by mated pairs
• (c) In hostile encounters during the pair formation phase, site attachments are weak or transitory
• (d) In agonistic situations generally, attack thresholds appear to be relatively high, and fleeing thresholds relatively low
• (e) High intensity forms of“Choking” appear to be missing from the agonistic display repertoire
• (f) The growth of nest groups is rapid and orderly; nesting territories are small and the concentration of nests in the groups high
• (g) The time between occupation of the gullery site and the start of laying is short, and the synchrony of laying is high; this is probably related to the close proximity of the nests
• (h) The parents and young abandon the nest very soon after the egg hatch, and no “brood” nests are made
• (i) The young may develop locomotory powers more quickly than is the case in most other species; they can swim at an early age, and take to the water in tightly packed groups during alarms

The question of why these gulls should choose such vulnerable breeding sites is discussed.     

MASS CULTURE OF MICROCYSTIS UNDER STERILE CONDITIONS

SUMMARY

The design and use of a 601 all-glass culture system for the mass production of Microcystis (or other unicellular algae) under sterile conditions, are described. Bleaching and lysis of the cells could be prevented by controlling the pH and CO₂ concentration of the cell suspension. The cell yield obtained within a week was 8,5 g l^?1 fresh mass (total yield: 507,9 g) and 1,02 g l^?1 dry mass (total yield: 60,9 g). Fe-free medium was sterilized by filtration before addition of autoclaved FeSO₄.     

DISRUPTIVE SELECTION ON HABITAT PREFERENCE AND THE EVOLUTION OF REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION: AN EXPLORATORY EXPERIMENT

A. pair of replicate experiments was carried out to examine the role of habitat specialization in the process of sympatric speciation. The rationale of the experimental design was that disruptive selection for habitat preference can facilitate the process of sympatric speciation by reducing an antagonistic interaction between the processes of recombination and selection. Replicate populations of Drosophila melanogaster were subjected to disruptive selection for habitat preference and simultaneous selection for positive assortative mating, for a period of 46 generations. The experimental protocol simulated the introduction of a frugivorous fly population into a new environment that contained a mosaic of eight equally abundant habitats. Only two habitats were suitable to the flies, and these required opposite patterns of geotaxis, phototaxis, chemotaxis, and developmental time to be successfully located. At the beginning of each generation, flies were placed as pupae into the middle of a maze containing eight discrete habitats. To produce disruptive selection on habitat preference, only those flies that chose one or the other of two selected habitats were permitted to contribute gametes to the next generation. Flies from each of the selected habitats were cultured separately to simulate independent carrying capacities within each habitat. Because flies rarely mated until they assorted themselves into the available habitats, genes affecting habitat preference pleiotropically produced assortative mating between flies with similar habitat preference. A genetic marker was used to continuously monitor the level of potential gene flow between the flies derived from the two selected habitats. During the course of the experiment, there was a gradual increase in the philopatry of the flies, indicating the development of habitat specialization. The evolution of habitat specialization resulted in substantial reproductive isolation between the subpopulations utilizing each habitat resource.     

三七中达马烷型皂甙的热不稳定性及酸水解产物

前人已证明人参和三七中富含的达马烷型人参皂甙在通常酸性水解下甙元即发生变化,而在弱酸(如50％醋酸,0.1N盐酸)条件下则形成次级皂甙。本文报道人参甙(ginseno-sides)和三七甙(notoginsenosides)的水溶液在水浴上加热亦分别形成相应的C-20位去糖基的次级皂甙。联系到人参和三七均有在蒸煮加工后C-20位去糖基皂甙收率增大的趋势,似可认为人参和三七中的这类皂甙有相当一部分是在生药的加工泡制以及提取过程中形成的次级皂甙,而不一定是植物体的原生成分。将人参甙Rb_1单体以酸水解,不仅得到主产物人参二醇(3),还分离到异去氢原人参二醇(5)、达马烷-20(22)-烯-3β,12β,26-三醇(6)、20(R)-达马烷-3β,12β,20,25-四醇(7)以及20(S)-和20(R)-原人参二醇(1、2)的混合物,从而认为这些微量成分与人参二醇一样均为达马烷型人参皂甙在酸性水解条件下C-20位糖基断裂后由真甙元的侧链转化形成的工作产物。     

筋骨草素C在碱性条件下的脱水反应

具有较为特殊化学结构的蜕皮甾酮筋骨草素C,在碱性条件下发生脱水反应,这是一个较为少见的脱水反应。我们对此反应提出了一个可能的机制;并从热力学及分子轨道理论基础上作了一些定性解释。     

培养条件下发菜的形态建成

固体培养基培养的发菜(Nostoc flagelliforme)在黑暗与低光强(2·s)条件下细胞发育受到抑制,在光强10、20、30、60 μmol/m2·s 条件下细胞生长良好, 但在60 μmol/m2·s 条件下藻丝体易变黄; 液体充气培养的发菜在光强20、60、180 μmol/m2·s 条件下生长速率、类胡萝卜素与多糖含量均随光强升高而增加。发菜在低营养水平时形成的异形胞较多, 异形胞的发生位置也多样, 有端生、间生和连生。当琼脂浓度为0.5%—4%时发菜具有相同的形态发育特征, 从藻殖段发育至丝状聚集体状态, 再从聚集体中释放藻丝; 当琼脂浓度为6%—8%时发菜发育至丝状聚集体状态, 藻丝包裹在厚胶鞘中, 观察不到藻丝和藻殖段的释放。以上结果表明光照和培养基的含水量对发菜细胞发育具有重要影响。       

ADSORPTION OF BACTERIOPHAGE UNDER VARIOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF THE HOST

1. The adsorption rate constant of phage to bacterium is found to change between wide limits, depending on the physiological state of the bacterium. 2. The experiments of Krueger and of Schlesinger on the residual free phage in contact with an excess of bacteria are discussed and the view of Schlesinger, that they represent phage particles with reduced affinity to the bacterial host is supported by experiments. 3. The theory of von Smoluchowski and Schlesinger is compared with the experiments. 4. The implications of these findings for the assay methods currently used are discussed.     

南方鲇的繁殖生物学研究：繁殖时间,产卵条件和产卵行为

南方鲇的雌鱼３－４龄性达成熟,雄鱼２—３龄性达成熟;在此期间,同龄组中已成熟个体的体长、体重、肥满度和成熟系数的平均值均大于未成熟个体。繁殖期为３月中旬至５月中旬,其间,嘉陵江平均水温为１５—２４℃。雌鱼的性腺在６－８月由Ⅵ期退化至Ⅱ期,９至１１月经Ⅲ期发育至Ⅵ期,１２月至来年２月以Ⅳ期性腺状况越冬。雌、雄鱼成熟系数周年曲线均为单峰型,该种鱼为单批产卵类型。产卵场为流水卵石浅滩,水深０．４－１．５ｍ,流速每秒０．７ｍ左右。产卵前雌雄亲鱼有相互激烈追逐、咬斗的发情行为．     

REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF FUCUS VESICULOSUS (PHAEOPHYCEAE) IN THE BALTIC SEA

Marine organisms colonizing brackish habitats such as the Baltic Sea must cope with the negative effects of low salinities on reproductive success because these may reduce gamete viability and/or increase polyspermy. Reproductive characteristics of the marine seaweed Fucus vesiculosus L. were studied in several brackish habitats, particularly in the northern Baltic Sea, to understand its ability to reproduce where few other marine species survive. Polyspermy and fertilization success were variable at the boundary of the continuous distribution of F. vesiculosus in the Baltic Sea, and polyspermy was high (10%–30%) when fertilization was successful. A strong female bias (80%–86%, ca. 5.5:1) was found at the northernmost limit of Baltic F. vesiculosus. Electrophysiological studies showed that many eggs have a high input resistance (519 ± 150 MΩ[mean ± SE, n = 14] at Drivan, 1995), which may be helpful in preventing polyspermy in this brackish habitat. The polyspermy block remains sodium-dependent in the northern Baltic. Sperm bound quickly to northern Baltic eggs in natural water, but fertilization was delayed compared to marine F. vesiculosus. A subset of northern Baltic eggs studied during an optimal reproductive period (7–11 July 1995) had a membrane potential (E_m) of ca. −100 mV and an effective fertilization potential (FP) of ca. 2 min with a plateau of −25 mV, but repolarized too rapidly for the FP to be protective. Pronuclear migration and cell wall secretion occurred more slowly in Baltic than in marine zygotes. The reproductive success of theseboundary populations may be dependent upon windows of opportunity when there are favorable combinations of the levels of salinity, water motion, population density, and sex ratio. These factors and the short duration of the reproductive season in the northern Baltic Sea may result in reproductive failure in some years.