Fine-scale genetic diversity and genet dynamics of the fairy ring fungus Floccularia luteovirens on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau

The fungus Floccularia luteovirens is mainly distributed in the alpine meadows of the Qinghai–Tibet plateau. Its fruit bodies tend to form fairy rings with a visible stimulating zone. Our previous studies have investigated the large-scale genetic structure among wild populations of F. luteovirens, but the mechanisms underlying the current genotype distribution pattern remain unknown. The balance between sexual and asexual reproduction affects the establishment and structure of populations. Measuring genet size and density is an effective approach to investigating the reproduction strategies of this species. In the current study, 234 fruit bodies and 79 soil samples were collected from three sampling sites over 3y, revealing that F. luteovirens exhibits relatively large genets. Very few new genets were detected over the 3y, illustrating that this species relies more on vegetative growth and can persist for long periods underground as mycelia. Moreover, the underground genet data showed a close relationship with the above-ground genet data. Our study found limited fine-scale gene flow, contrary to our previous large-scale genetic study of F. luteovirens, the present study found limited fine-scale gene flow of this species. The commercial trade of F. luteovirens fruit bodies by humans probably enhances the gene flow over QTP.     

Latitudinal variation in the fruiting phenology of a bird-dispersed plant (shape Crataegus monogyna) in Western Europe

A number of fleshy-fruit-bearing plants of temperate regions are dispersed by migratory frugivorous birds. It has been suggested that the more southerly populations of such species should produce ripe fruits later than more northerly populations, to ensure that fruit is available when the birds arrive. I will call this the adaptive delay hypothesis. To test this hypothesis, I monitored fruiting phenology of Crataegus monogyna Jacq. at ten sites (in all of which fruit consumption is very largely by redwings, Turdus iliacus, and fieldfares, Turdus pilaris) between northern Spain (42° N) and northern Scotland (59° N). There was no negative correlation between latitude and date of fruit ripening (earliest recorded date on which ripe fruits had appeared, or earliest recorded date by which all fruits had ripened). My results thus argue against the adaptive delay hypothesis.     

Protecting rare, little known, old-growth forest-associated fungi in the Pacific Northwest USA: A case study in fungal conservation

In 1994, 234 fungal species were listed for protection under the Survey and Manage Programme (SMP) guidelines of the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP), an area encompassing 9.7 M ha of federal land in the states of Washington, Oregon, and northern California. The fungal species were presumed rare, associated with late-successional old-growth forests, and in need of protection not afforded by the major elements of the NWFP, including a vast system of forest reserves. The SMP guidelines thus called for protecting known sites while gathering information through surveys to learn more about species rarity, distribution, habitat requirements, and persistence concerns. If new information revealed that a species was not rare, not associated with late-successional old-growth forests, or that other aspects of the NWFP guidelines provided for their persistence (e.g. adequate protection provided by forest reserves), the species could be removed from the programme. The first assemblage of known site records from fungal herbaria yielded approximately 3500 records for all listed species. After 12 y of survey the total number of records increased four-fold to approximately 14400 records. Fifty-five percent of species were found at 20 or fewer sites and considered rare; 42 % were found at ten or fewer sites. Over the life of the programme, 39 species were removed from the programme primarily because they were no longer considered rare; many were found at several hundred sites throughout the NWFP area. Mapped distributions of known sites varied among species. When viewed across species, however, known sites were well distributed throughout the NWFP area, thus indicating the importance of the entire NWFP area in maintaining this diverse array of fungi. The NWFP relies on a system of late-successional forest reserves to act as a coarse-filter conservation approach to provide protection for late-successional species. Ninety percent of fungal species had some portion of their known sites within reserves, but only 34 % of total sites occurred within reserves. Thus, for the rarest species, applying a fine-filter conservation approach that protects known sites outside of reserves becomes an important aspect of species protection. The SMP became a costly and controversial aspect of the NWFP and underwent several administrative revisions including attempts to end the programme in 2004 and 2007. Regardless of costs and controversy, this conservation programme represents an unprecedented attempt to conserve rare fungal species at a regional scale. One of the more important lessons learned is the absolute need for professional mycologists to develop long-term partnerships with resource managers and other scientists, and apply mycological expertise to complex species and habitat conservation issues in an interdisciplinary setting.     

The effect of canopy cover and seasonal change on host plant quality for the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeidesmelissasamuelis)

Larvae of the Karner blue butterfly, Lycaeidesmelissasamuelis, feed solely on wild lupine, Lupinusperennis, from the emergence to summer senescence of the plant. Wild lupine is most abundant in open areas but Karner blue females oviposit more frequently on lupines growing in moderate shade. Can differences in lupine quality between open and shaded areas help explain this disparity in resource use? Furthermore, many lupines are senescent before the second larval brood completes development. How does lupine senescence affect larval growth? We addressed these questions by measuring growth rates of larvae fed lupines of different phenological stages and lupines growing under different shade conditions. The habitat conditions under which lupines grew and plant phenological stage did not generally affect final larval or pupal weight but did significantly affect duration of the larval period. Duration was shortest for larvae fed leaves from flowering lupines and was negatively correlated with leaf nitrogen concentration. Ovipositing in areas of moderate shade should increase?second-brood larval exposure to flowering lupines. In addition, larval growth was significantly faster on shade-grown lupines that were in seed than on similar sun-grown lupines. These are possible advantages of the higher-than-expected oviposition rate on shade-grown lupines. Given the canopy-related trade-off between lupine?abundance and quality, maintenance of canopy heterogeneity is an important conservation management goal. Larvae were also fed leaves growing in poor soil conditions and leaves with mildew infection. These and other feeding treatments that we anticipated would inhibit larval growth often did not. In particular, ant-tended larvae exhibited the highest weight gain per amount of lupine eaten and a relatively fast growth rate. This represents an advantage of ant tending to Karner blue larvae.     

金顶侧耳化学成分的研究

对榆黄蘑的化学成分进行了研究,从子实体中分离和鉴定出D-甘露醇、麦角甾醇、1-癸醇、5-氧代-L-脯氨酸甲酯、5,10-二乙氧基-2,3,7,8-四氢化-1H,6H-联吡咯-[1,2-a;1,2-d]吡嗪、邻苯二甲酸二丁酯和环戊-1,2-二酮等物质。并采用高效薄层析和高效液相色谱两种方法证明了洛伐他汀在金顶侧耳中的存在。     

Probing the perils of dichotomous binning: how categorizing female dogs as spayed or intact can misinform our assumptions about the lifelong health consequences of ovariohysterectomy

In 2009, we reported findings from the first study evaluating the relationship between canine longevity and number of years of lifetime ovary exposure. All previous studies examining gonadal influences on canine longevity relied upon categorizing females as “intact” or “spayed” based on gonadal status at the time of death. Our study of Rottweilers generated a novel result: Keeping ovaries longer was associated with living longer. This result challenged previous assumptions that spayed females live longer. In the present investigation, we explored a methodological explanation for the apparent contradiction between our results and those of others, so we might better understand the impact that timing of spaying has on longevity. We hypothesized that naming female dogs as “spayed” or “intact” based upon gonadal status at time of death – a method we refer to as dichotomous binning – inadequately represents important biological differences in lifetime ovary exposure among bitches spayed at different ages. This hypothesis predicts that a strong relationship between years of lifetime ovary exposure and longevity in a population could be obscured by categorizing females as spayed or intact. Herein, we provide support for this hypothesis by reanalyzing longevity data from 183 female Rottweilers. In this study population, there was a three-fold increased likelihood of exceptional longevity (living ≥13 yr) associated with the longest duration of ovary exposure. However, categorizing females in this population as spayed or intact yielded the spurious, contradictory assertion that spayed females (presumed to have the least ovary exposure) are more likely to reach exceptional longevity than those that are intact. Thus, by ignoring the timing of spaying in each bitch, the inference from these data was distorted. It follows from this new understanding that dichotomous binning—naming females as spayed or intact—is inadequate for representing lifetime ovary exposure, introducing misclassification bias that can generate misleading assumptions regarding the lifelong health consequences of ovariohysterectomy.     

A prevention strategy against fungal attack for the conservation of cultural assets using a fungal index

The present study aimed to establish a prevention strategy to protect cultural assets from fungal attack. A fungal index that assesses conditions critical for fungal growth was determined using a fungal detector in the storerooms of historical buildings in Higashiomi area, Japan. The index measurements were repeated after 4 weeks' exposure of the detectors during the seasons when relative humidity outdoors and/or indoors was high. The index values obtained were from below the measurable lower limit to above the upper limit. The prevention strategy proposed was as follows. Each microclimate was categorized into three levels, A, B, or C, depending on the index values, <1.8, 1.8–18 or >18, respectively. If all microclimates in a room maintain level A continuously, the room is considered free of contamination. If some microclimates maintain level B, fungal contamination might occur. If microclimates maintain level C, fungal contamination is unavoidable, and countermeasures should be taken promptly. Finally, fungal indices are measured for evaluation of the countermeasures and for level-A confirmation. The systematic use of fungal indices will provide practically useful information for conservation and must be applicable to IPM (Integrated Pest Management) in museums and libraries.     

金耳子实体和发酵菌丝体多糖的分离、纯化与结构的比较研究

人工段木栽培的金耳（TremellaaurantialbaBandonietZang）子实体和深层培养的金耳菌丝体分别经沸水提取、醇析、透析,Sevape法脱蛋白、SephadexG—100柱层析纯化,得子实体纯多糖TAf和菌丝体纯多糖TAm。玻璃纤维纸电泳表明TAm和TAf为单一均匀多糖。薄层层析表明,TAm的单糖组成为半乳糖、葡萄糖、甘露糖、岩藻糖、鼠李糖。TAf的单糖组成为葡萄糖、甘露糖、木糖、鼠李糖、葡萄糖醛酸。UV分析表明组成中不含核酸和蛋白质。TAf经乙醇分级分离得TAf－1和TAf－2。TAf－1经SephadexG－100柱层析表明其为单一均匀物质。红外光谱分析证明,TAf－1和TAf－2有多糖吸收峰,存在吡喃环,α-糖苷键和β-糖苷键连接。     

Reproductive Traits and Phenology of Plants in Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest on the Coromandel Coast of India

Qualitative reproductive traits of 84 plant species belonging to 41 families were studied in tropical dry evergreen forest on the Coromandel coast of India. Majority of species had rotate type, white-coloured, scented flowers, rewarding nectar and pollen and pollinated chiefly by bees. An association between floral traits and pollination spectrum is evident. Bee pollination was prevalent in pollination systems. Among the fruit types, drupe and berry were common in black and red colour respectively, and dispersed by zoochorous mode. Seeds of brown- and green-coloured dry fruits, without any reward were disseminated by wind and explosion. The reproductive phenophase of trees and lianas occurred mostly during the dry period from January to June, which receives rainfall of less than 50 mm a month. However, shrubs showed a peak in flowering and fruiting in wet period. Detailed phenological observations of 22 woody species revealed a seasonal and unimodal pattern in flowering. Although some species were in flower round the year, flowering activity was skewed towards the dry season. The fruiting activity showed a bimodal pattern, one peak in dry season and another in wet season. Many species displayed a temporal aggregation in flowering and fruiting. The significant relation was obtained between reproductive traits and phenology of plants in the tropical dry evergreen forest.     

Sublethal effects of iridovirus disease in a mosquito

Recognition of the importance of debilitating effects of insect virus diseases is currently growing. Commonly observed effects of sublethal infection at the individual level include extended development times, reduced pupal and adult weights, and lowered fecundity. However, for the most part, sublethal infections are assumed to be present in survivors of an inoculum challenge, rather than demonstrated to be present by microscopy or molecular techniques. Invertebrate iridescent viruses are dsDNA viruses capable of causing disease with symptoms obvious to the naked eye, a “patent” infection, that is lethal. Furthermore, inapparent “covert” infections may occur that are non-lethal and which can only be detected using bioassay or molecular techniques. In this study, replication of Invertebrate iridescent virus 6 in Aedes aegypti larvae was demonstrated in the absence of patent disease. A sensitive insect bioassay (using Galleria mellonella) allowed the detection of covert infections, which were more common than patent infections. A concentration-response relationship was detected for the incidence of patent infections. Covert infections were up to 2 orders of magnitude commoner than patent infections, but the prevalence of covert infections did not appear to be related to virus inoculum concentration. Exposure of larvae to virus inoculum resulted in extended juvenile development times. A reduction in the mean and an increase in the variability of fecundity and adult progeny production was observed in females exposed to an inoculum challenge, although formal analysis was not possible. Males appeared capable of passing virus to uninfected females during the mating process. Covertly infected females were smaller and had shorter lifespans than control or virus-challenged females. A conservative estimate for the reduction in the net reproductive rate (R ₀) of such insects was calculated at slightly more than 20% relative to controls. Received: 5 October 1998 / Accepted: 13 February 1999     

Flower development and reproductive continuity in MediterraneanRuscus aculeatus L. (Liliaceae)

Summary Ruscus aculeatus is a subandroecious species widespread in Mediterranean environments. Our studies on floral differentiation show that the unisexual flowers pass through a stage in which both androecial and gynoecial primordia are initiated. The hypothesis that dioecy has arisen secondarily from hermaphroditism is discussed. Data on flowering phenology of Mediterranean populations ofR. aculeatus showed it has a long flowering season (about 7 months). This phenology is similar to that of the Mediterranean species originated before the development of the Mediterranean climate. Members of the family Ruscaceae where present in Laurasia during the tropical Tertiary and the present study on flower and fruit morphology and reproductive phenology reveals forR. aculeatus a list of characters generally reported for tropical species. Small and greenish flowers, fleshy fruits, few large seeds, and resprouting capacity, together with long flowering season and continuous availability of ripe fruits, occur all together inR. aculeatus. It constitutes a tropical reproductive syndrome which might have survived the climatic fluctuations of the Quaternary, the establishment of the Mediterranean climate, and the present anthropogenic disturbs.     

Survey of the long-tailed macaques introduced onto Tinjil Island,Indonesia

From February 1988 though June 1990, 475 adult long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were released on Tinjil Island to establish a breeding program that will provide monkeys for biomedical research while contributing to Indonesia's primate conservation efforts. A survey was conducted during the summer of 1990 to assess the status of the island's population. Basic demographic data were consistent with those from other field studies of long-tailed macaques, and estimates of reproductivity suggest a successful breeding program. The facility established on Tinjil Island should serve as a useful model for future primate resource and conservation programs. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.