大叶醉鱼草访花昆虫行为与活动规律

于2009年4～9月对云南农业大学苗圃内栽植的大叶醉鱼草访花昆虫进行观察。结果表明,大叶醉鱼草的访花昆虫有63种,隶属双翅目、半翅目、膜翅目、鳞翅目、鞘翅目、革翅目和螳螂目;食蚜蝇科为大叶醉鱼草种群的主要传粉昆虫;不同月份访花昆虫的种类不同;天气变化会影响访花昆虫的种类和数量;同一天内不同时间,访花昆虫的访花频率有差异,一般每天12:00～16:00的访花频率最高。     

马家柚花部特征及其访花昆虫种类调查

马家柚是江西优质水果品种,但自花授粉结实率低,需要异花传粉。昆虫是自然界中重要的传粉媒介,通过调查马家柚访花昆虫种类和了解马家柚的花部特征,可为使用昆虫实现马家柚授粉提供参考依据。本研究首先调查了马家柚的访花昆虫种类,其次对马家柚花不同形态参数进行测量,并采用蒸馏法提取马家柚鲜花的精油及利用GC-MS分析挥发油的组分。马家柚共有访花昆虫23种,隶属于5目 12科,其中中华蜜蜂Apis cerana cerana是最常见的访花昆虫。马家柚的花为双性花,具白色花瓣,黄色花药和绿色柱头。花朵盛开后,花瓣分离,呈辐射对称。雄蕊围绕雌蕊着生,花丝28~47枚。雌蕊具近球形柱头,直径为5.10±0.88 mm,表面具乳白色液体。从马家柚花挥发油中共获得78种化合物,鉴定出其中73种,相对含量占99.40%。挥发油中萜类化合物种类最多,共有39种,相对含量为70.19%;其次是脂肪酸衍生物,有30种,相对含量为28.53%;苯环类化合物4种,相对含量为0.60%。含量较高的组分是法尼醇,α-橙花叔醇和芳樟醇,其含量分别是28.48%、12.85%、10.12%。马家柚访花昆虫种类多样,这可能与其花部结构特征及丰富多样的挥发物作为视觉和嗅觉信号吸引不同类型昆虫有关。     

芍药的访花昆虫和传粉昆虫

20 0 0～ 2 0 0 2年对内蒙古赤峰市高格斯台罕乌拉自然保护区内野生芍药 (PaeonialactifloraPall.)和内蒙古农校芍药园内栽培品种芍药的访花昆虫进行调查 ,经整理鉴定有 2 9种 ,自然保护区内芍药的访花昆虫种类有 1 7种 ,芍药园内的访花昆虫有 1 7种。根据传粉行为和数量的比较确定了自然保护区内主要传粉昆虫为丽斑芫菁、黄胫宽花天牛、黑胫宽花天牛、短毛斑金龟、饥星花金龟、白星花金龟和大淡脉隧蜂 ;芍药园内的主要传粉昆虫为意大利蜜蜂、棕边管食蚜蝇、长尾管食蚜蝇、大淡脉隧蜂、灰带管食蚜蝇和小淡脉隧蜂。     

多叶斑叶兰繁育系统与传粉生物学研究

为探讨多叶斑叶兰(Goodyera folisa)的繁育系统与传粉生物学特征,对其开花物候、花粉活力与柱头可授性、人工授粉、花的挥发性成分以及昆虫传粉行为进行了研究。结果表明,多叶斑叶兰的唇瓣黄色,萼片白色或白色带红褐色;单花花期为(9.4±0.8)d;花粉在开花后第1天具备活力,柱头在开花后第2天具备可授性,花粉活力和柱头可授性都在开花后第5天达到峰值。去雄套袋和不去雄套袋都不能结实,人工自花授粉、同株异花授粉和异株异花授粉的结实率分别为93.3%、95.0%和96.7%,自然结实率为43.3%。花朵的主要挥发性成分为1-辛烯-3-醇、3-辛醇和N,N-二甲基甲酰胺。多叶斑叶兰传粉者为中华蜜蜂(Apis cerana)。多叶斑叶兰具有自交亲和能力,但在自然界不具有主动自交现象,必须依赖中华蜜蜂传粉,花色及花香气味为吸引传粉者的主要因素。     

八角金盘传粉昆虫及其访花行为

八角金盘(Fatsia japonica(Thunb.)Dccne.et Planch.)为冬季开花植物,探讨其访花昆虫种类及访花行为对研究冬季开花植物的传粉生物学规律具有重要意义。对八角金盘访花昆虫种类、访花频率、访花时间、访花行为进行了初步研究。结果发现:八角金盘的传粉昆虫有2目、3科、3种,主要为膜翅目胡蜂科金环胡蜂Vespa mandarinia Smith、双翅目食蚜蝇科斜斑鼓额食蚜蝇Scaeva pyrastri(L.)及丽蝇科大头金蝇Chrysomya(Compsomyia)megacephala(Fabricius);八角金盘提供的酬物主要为花粉与花蜜,食蚜蝇舔食其花粉与花蜜,而金环胡蜂与大头金蝇主要吮吸花蜜;金环胡蜂、大头金蝇及斜斑鼓额食蚜蝇的访花高峰均在10:30—14:30;斜斑鼓额食蚜蝇访花时间较长,5～10min,金环胡蜂访花时间较短,8～30s,大头金蝇访花时间最短只有3～5s。八角金盘具有较低的自花授粉能力,但主要为异花授粉植物。     

兴安鹿蹄草传粉昆虫及其访花行为

对兴安鹿蹄草(Pyrola dahurica(H.Andr.)Kom.)访花昆虫种类、访花频率、访花时间、访花行为进行初步研究。结果表明:(1)兴安鹿蹄草的访花昆虫有3目、10科、16种,其中传粉昆虫为5科9种,主要的传粉昆虫为杂棘蝇Phaonia hybridassp.、熊蜂Bombus ignitus、东北驼花天牛Piidonia puziloi(Soisky)及花蚤Mordellidae sp.。(2)各种传粉昆虫访花频率差异较大,杂棘蝇和花蚤日访花有2次高峰,分别在上午9:00~10:00时和下午14:00~15:00时;熊蜂日访花频率较低,在中午11:00~12:00和下午15:00~16:00时较高;东北驼花天牛日访花高峰出现在中午前后。(3)东北驼花天牛访花时间较长,10~15min,主要吃兴安鹿蹄草花粉。杂棘蝇访花时间较短,10~25s,主要舔食柱头分泌物。熊蜂访花时间最短只有5~10s,主要吃兴安鹿蹄草花粉。     

春砂仁的访花昆虫种类及其访花和筑巢行为

阳春砂仁(Amomum villosumLour.)是我国四大南药之一,但花的形态结构较特殊,不易自然授粉。通过野外调查,在3个砂仁种植场共采集到砂仁的访花昆虫21种,其中蜜蜂类11种,蚂蚁类10种。蜜蜂类中,以黄绿彩带蜂Nomia strigataSmith和东方蜜蜂中华亚种Apis(Siamatapis)cerana ceranaFabricius较常见;蚂蚁类中,以细纹小家蚁Monomorium destructor(Jerdon)和黑头酸臭蚁Tapinomamelanocephalum(Fabricius)较常见。此外,还观察记录了黄绿彩带蜂、东方蜜蜂和蚂蚁的访花行为,以及黄绿彩带蜂的筑巢行为。     

大叶铁线莲访花昆虫调查及盗蜜昆虫行为研究

大叶铁线莲Clematis heracleifolia DC. 的花朵大多下垂,需要传粉昆虫为其传粉,目前尚无关于其访花昆虫研究的报道。 通过2年的野外观察研究,共观察到27种昆虫访问大叶铁线莲。 发现有盗蜜行为的昆虫7种, 其中1种同时具有初级盗蜜和次级盗蜜行为,2种具有初级盗蜜行为,4种具有次级盗蜜行为;黄胸木蜂Xylocopa appendiculata Smith是主要的盗蜜昆虫,其盗蜜行为影响了其它昆虫的访花行为,对大叶铁线莲的传粉造成一定的影响。 在其余20种访花昆虫中,双带弄蝶Lobocla bifasciata (Bremer et Grey)、贡尺蛾Gonodontis aurata Prout、熊蜂Bombus sp.和姬蜂虻Systropus sp.是优势种; 而小青花金龟Oxycetonia jucunda Faldermann和日本条螽Ducetia japonica (Thunberg)访花频率最低,且访花目的只是取食花朵。 通过对大叶铁线莲访花昆虫的调查和盗蜜昆虫行为的研究,为大叶铁线莲的传粉生物学和保护提供参考依据。     

白花野牡丹的开花进程、花部形态特征及访花昆虫观察

为了解白花野牡丹( Melastoma candidum f. albiflorum J. C. Ou)的开花进程、花部形态特征及访花昆虫的种类和访花行为,分别于2011年和2012年对栽培于深圳市中国科学院仙湖植物园的白花野牡丹花期进行观察和统计分析。结果表明：白花野牡丹的单花花期约12 h,7：00雌蕊柱头从即将开放的花蕾中伸出、8：00左右花朵半开放、8：30左右花瓣完全展开、16：00左右花瓣开始闭合、19：00左右花瓣完全闭合,翌日花瓣不再开放并逐渐萎蔫,至第4天花部完全脱落。白花野牡丹的花序为近头状的伞房花序,每个花序有3~8朵花;雌蕊1枚;雄蕊2轮(5+5,6+6),内轮雄蕊较短、而外轮雄蕊较长;不分泌花蜜。白花野牡丹花期的访花昆虫有2目5科13种,其中传粉昆虫有2科6种,包括领木蜂( Xylocopa collaris Lepeletier)、东亚无垫蜂〔Amegilla ( Zonamegilla) parhypate Lieftinck〕、蓝彩带蜂(Nomia chalybeata Smith)、彩带蜂(Nomia sp.)、中华蜜蜂(Apis cerana cerana Fabricius)和绿芦蜂(Pithitis smaragdula Smith)。这6种传粉昆虫的访花行为、访花规律及传粉效率各异,其中,领木蜂、东亚无垫蜂、中华蜜蜂和绿芦蜂的日活动规律为单峰型,访花高峰期均在10：00或11：00;而蓝彩带蜂和彩带蜂的日活动规律为双峰型,2个访花高峰期分别在10：00和15：00。花瓣开始松动时,小体型的中华蜜蜂和绿芦蜂开始传粉;随着花瓣继续开放,中等体型的蓝彩带蜂和彩带蜂成为主要传粉者;花瓣完全开放后,大体型的领木蜂和东亚无垫蜂成为主要传粉者。研究结果显示：白花野牡丹花粉是传粉昆虫的惟一报酬;各传粉昆虫的访花行为与白花野牡丹的开花进程密切相关,因此,可以有效保证白花野牡丹的繁殖。     

燕山地区访花昆虫多样性及其影响因子

为了解燕山地区访花昆虫的群落结构及与其生境类型、干扰程度、海拔之间的关系, 本文采用样线法和灯诱法于2019年、2020年每年的7-8月对该地区湿地、森林、灌丛、草地、农田5种生境, 不同海拔梯度(0-1,200 m)的访花昆虫进行了采集。共采集访花昆虫1,306头, 隶属7目44科153种, 其中鳞翅目昆虫物种数最多, 半翅目昆虫个体数最多。灌丛生境的访花昆虫多样性最高。在中低海拔200-400 m段, Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数和Simpson优势度指数均最高。双变量回归结果表明, Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Margalef丰富度指数分别与最暖季降水量和年降水量显著正相关(P < 0.05)。冗余分析(redundancy analysis)结果表明, 环境因子显著影响访花昆虫多样性, 但不同测度之间存在一定差异。温度和湿度均与Pielou均匀度指数呈正相关, 与Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数和Simpson优势度指数呈负相关; 弱干扰和中干扰程度对访花昆虫多样性影响最小, 科学管理农牧活动是保护访花昆虫多样性的关键。     

Combined effects of inflorescence architecture, display size, plant density and empty flowers on bumble bee behaviour: experimental study with artificial inflorescences

Pollen dispersal by pollinators is governed by the extent to which diverse effects on pollinator behaviour act independently or augment or moderate each other. Using artificial inflorescences, we assessed the behavioural responses of bumble bees to inflorescence architecture (raceme, panicle, and umbel), inflorescence size (7 or 13 flowers), inter-inflorescence distance and the proportion of empty flowers per inflorescence. The advantage of large inflorescences in terms of attractiveness was larger for racemes and umbels than for panicles, whereas the effect of inter-inflorescence distance on the number of successive probes was smaller for racemes than for panicles and umbels. The number of flowers probed per visit increased almost proportionally with display size when fewer flowers were empty, whereas the number increased less when many flowers were empty. Our results suggest that display size and the spatial arrangement of flowers and nectar within inflorescences can contribute to efficient pollination by affecting pollinator behaviour interactively.     

Pollination by passerine birds: why are the nectars so dilute?

Bird-pollinated flowers are known to secrete relatively dilute nectars (with concentrations averaging 20–25% w/w). Many southern African plants that are pollinated by passerine birds produce nectars with little or no sucrose. Moreover, these hexose nectars are extremely dilute (10–15%). This suggests a link between sugar composition and nectar concentration. Nectar originates from sucrose-rich phloem sap, and the proportion of monosaccharides depends on the presence and activity of invertase in the nectary. Hydrolysis of sucrose increases nectar osmolality and the resulting water influx can potentially convert a 30% sucrose nectar into a 20% hexose nectar, with a 1.56 times increase in volume. Hydrolysis may also increase the gradient for sucrose transport and thus the rate of sugar secretion. When sucrose content and refractometer data were compared, some significant correlations were seen, but the occurrence of sucrose-rich or hexose-rich nectars can also be explained on phylogenetic grounds (e.g. Erythrina and Protea). Hexose nectars may be abundant enough to drip from open flowers, but evaporation leads to much variability in nectar concentration and increases the choices available to pollinators.     

Dynamics of forager arrivals and nectar renewal in flowers of Anchusa strigosa

Summary Long-tongued Anthophora spp. bees collecting nectar from flowers of Anchusa strigosa (Boraginaceae) exhibit systematic foraging. Successive forager arrivals at individual flowers are not independent, and the time elapsed between successive arrivals at a particular flower is distributed more uniformly than be expected on the basis of a random arrival process. Distributions of inter-arrival time for individual flowers show standard deviation/mean ratios of 0.44–0.79, a range which is consistent with results obtained for two other plant-pollinator systems. The rate at which nectar is renewed between successive forager arrivals is independent of the amount of nectar in the flower, and the renewal process is strongly linear. Practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.     

Pollination disruption by European honeybees in the Australian bird-pollinated shrubGrevillea barklyana (Proteaceae)

European honeybees (Apis mellifera) were less efficient pollinators ofGrevillea barklyana than nectar-feeding birds. Nectar-collecting honeybees did not contact reproductive parts of flowers. Pollen-collecting honeybees preferentially visited malestage flowers but rarely visited female-stage flowers. Fruit set on caged inflorescences that allowed access to honeybees but excluded birds was reduced by more than 50% compared to inflorescences that were visited by both types of visitors. Further, fruit set on caged inflorescences was less than on bagged inflorescences that excluded both birds and honeybees, indicating that pollen removal by bees decreased opportunities for delayed autonomous selfing in the absence of birds. Although fruit set was not pollen-limited at the study site, pollen removal by honeybees would decrease fruit set in small populations where birds are scarce. In addition, pollen removal by honeybees would reduce opportunities for outcrossing and reproductive success through male function. Although honeybees have been in Australia for insufficient time to have exerted selection on floral traits, evolutionary shifts in response to these animals are likely to occur in the future.     

Knipholone, a selective inhibitor of leukotriene metabolism

Inhibition of leukotriene formation is one of the approaches to the treatment of asthma and other inflammatory diseases. We have investigated knipholone, isolated from the roots of Kniphofia foliosa, Hochst (Asphodelaceae), for inhibition of leukotriene biosynthesis in an ex vivo bioassay using activated human neutrophile granulocytes. Moreover, activities on 12-lipoxygenase from human platelets and cycloxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 from sheep cotyledons and seminal vesicles, respectively, have been evaluated. Knipholone was found to be a selective inhibitor of leukotriene metabolism in a human blood assay with an IC(50) value of 4.2microM. However, at a concentration of 10microg/ml, the compound showed weak inhibition of 12(S)-HETE production in human platelets and at a concentration of 50microM it produced no inhibition of COX-1 and -2. In our attempt to explain the mechanism of inhibition, we examined the antioxidant activity of knipholone using various in vitro assay systems including free radical scavenging, non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation, and metal chelation. Knipholone was found to be a weak dose-independent free radical scavenger and lipid peroxidation inhibitor, but not a metal chelator. Therefore, the leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitory effect of knipholone was evident by its ability either to inhibit the 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) or as a competitive (non-redox) inhibitor of the enzyme. Cytotoxicity results also provided evidence that knipholone exhibits less toxicity for a mammalian host cell.     

Cytokinesis in brown algae: studies of asymmetric division in fucoid zygotes

Summary. The mechanism of cytokinesis was investigated during the first asymmetric division in fucoid zygotes. A plate of actin assembled midway between daughter nuclei where microtubules interdigitated and defined the cytokinetic plane. A membrane was then deposited in islands throughout the cytokinetic plane; the islands eventually fused into a continuous partition membrane and cell plate material was deposited in the intermembrane space. All of these structures matured from the center of the cell outward (centrifugal maturation). Pharmacological agents were used to investigate the roles of microtubules, actin, and secretion in cytokinesis. The findings indicate a mechanism of cytokinesis that may be unique to the brown algae.Correspondence and reprints: Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0840, U.S.A.     

Bumblebee visits to Impatiens spp.: pattern and efficiency

Summary Three Japanese species of Impatiens, which secrete nectar continuously in long spurs, were visited by Bombus diversus workers consecutively throughout the day. B. diversus workers showed characteristic patterns of behavior in flower use, flower choice, and patch departure. (1) Bumblebees stayed longer on a flower which had been unvisited for a while than on a flower which had been visited recently. (2) Bumblebees preferred visiting flowers which had been unvisited for a while to visiting those which had been visited recently, and to visiting those which had been unvisited for a long period. (3) Bumblebees had a higher probability of leaving a patch after they had stayed on a flower for a short period than after they had stayed for a longer period. The bumblebees appeared to perceive both remotely and proximately chemical cues deposited by other foraging individuals, which indicated nectar rewards in a flower, and thus obtained a higher nectar intake than the mean amount of nectar left in a flower.     

Gateway cloning is compatible with protein secretion from Pichia pastoris

Secretion of a recombinant protein from the yeast Pichia pastoris requires the presence of a signal peptide at the amino terminus. Maintaining the full amino acid sequence of the signal peptide is thought to be important for proper signal processing and protein secretion. We show that at least for one protein, a synthetic human interferon, the presence of a Gateway recombination site within the signal peptide is fully compatible with high levels of protein secretion. The amino termini of the secreted interferon proteins cloned with Gateway and cloned with restriction enzymes and ligase are identical, and the proteins were highly active in biological assays. Compatibility with Gateway cloning simplifies construction of plasmids directing secretion of recombinant proteins from P. pastoris.