EMBRYOGENY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF BOTHRODENDROSTROBUS MUNDUS (LYCOPSIDA)

Permineralized lycopsid megagametophytes and embryos from Upper Carboniferous strata (Westphalian A) at Burnley, England have been found within isolated megaspores assignable to Setosisporites. The specimens illustrate for the first time the reproductive biology and embryogeny of a free-sporing, bisporangiate, Paleozoic lycopod, and permit reinterpretation of the megagametophyte of Bothrodendrostrobus. Megagametophyte development is entirely endosporal. Embryogeny is comparable to that of the extant genus Isoetes, and is fundamentally different from that of the fossil lycopsid, Lepidocarpon—Lepidophloios. This further illustrates the diversity among Paleozoic lycopods and helps to clarify relationships among both fossil and extant lycopsid taxa.     

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF DIPLOID AND TRIPLOID APIOS AMERICANA (LEGUMINOSAE)

Apios americana Medicus (Leguminosae; Phaseoleae), a tuberous, herbaceous vine, consists of diploid and triploid clones which are morphologically nearly identical. Although A. americana is widespread in eastern North America and flowers profusely throughout its range, fruit set is low. In part, this is because populations north of Connecticut consist almost exclusively of sterile triploid individuals. Although triploid populations occur south of this region, diploids predominate. Fruit set is also low in diploids. We attribute this to partial self-incompatibility and to a low rate of floral visits by leaf-cutter bees (Megachile spp.), the only legitimate pollinator. Visitation is easily measured because flowers have a nonrepetitive explosive tripping mechanism which must be triggered by insects. In two Connecticut populations only 10% of 299 flowers were tripped, and on average only about one-half of these set fruit. We conclude that A. americana maintains populations by vegetative propagation, but expands its range and retains variability through sexual reproduction of diploids.     

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF ERYTHRONIUM GRANDIFLORUM VARIETIES GRANDIFLORUM AND CANDIDUM (LILIACEAE)

This four-year (1982–1986) study compared the pollination biology and cytology of a relatively rare taxon, Erythronium grandiflorum Pursh var. candidum (Piper) Abrams, with that of a geographically widespread sister taxon, E. grandiflorum var. grandiflorum, in the Pacific Northwest. Breeding studies were used to study the reproductive systems of the taxa, to test for interfertility between them, and to seek abnormalities in the breeding system of the rare taxon that might account for its relative rarity. Chromosomes were counted in both taxa and in hybrids from artificial crosses. Ranges of the two taxa were determined from field studies and herbarium specimens. Although the ranges of the taxa overlap in part, populations are usually allopatric. Phenological factors are probably minor in preventing cross-pollination between the taxa. Both taxa are protogynous obligate outcrossers pollinated by bees. Seed production apparently is not pollinator-limited. The two taxa are interfertile only when individuals from allopatric populations are artificially crossed, and thus should be considered two biological species. When the taxa overlap in floral phenology in sympatric populations, they exhibit reciprocal incompatibility. Such incompatibility between closely related perennial species is unusual. It may have arisen via natural selection in mixed populations. Alternatively, if populations of each taxon vary with regard to their incompatibility alleles, they may have acquired their fertility barriers by chance before populations of the two taxa came into contact with each other.     

COMPARATIVE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF ACER PENSYLVANICUM AND A. SPICATUM (ACERACEAE)

Pollination mechanisms and floral features affecting reproduction were examined in two closely-related species, Acer pensylvanicum and A. spicatum. Intra-specific crossing experiments, studies of pollen stainability and ovule number, and observations of the flowers in the field revealed that neither species bears functionally hermaphroditic flowers. Three flower-types were found in each species: staminate, pistillate, and a third type that is morphologically hermaphroditic. The latter form sheds viable pollen, but the pistil does not contain ovules. Pollen-ovule ratios of both species are in the range of expectation for a facultatively xenogamous reproductive system. Outcrossing is accomplished by entomophily in both species. A variety of insects from several orders visit the flowers; however bees in the genus Andrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), especially A. milwaukeensis, are considered the most important pollinators of both maple species because of their fidelity to Acer, their intrafloral behavior, and their ability to carry pollen. However, flies are the most abundant visitors to A. pensylvanicum. Apomixis is an important means of reproduction in A. spicatum. Although floral phenology of these maple species overlaps within a geographical region they were never found blooming simultaneously when growing together.     

植物实验生殖生物学与生殖细胞工程:现在与未来

植物实验生殖生物学是植物实验胚胎学发展的新阶段,其主要特征为操作技术水平的提高与多学科综合性研究的加强。花粉原生质体、生殖细胞、精子,胚囊、卵细胞的操作、雌雄配子体外融合、配子-体细胞杂交等,代表了当前的主要研究趋势。实验生殖生物学与基因工程相结合,开辟了植物生殖工程新技术领域的前景。对生殖工程的意义与内容提出了轮廓设想。     

COMPARATIVE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF HERMAPHRODITIC AND MALE-STERILE IRIS DOUGLASIANA HERB. (IRIDACEAE)

A comparative study of the reproductive biology of male-sterile and hermaphroditic plants in a gynodioecious population of Iris douglasiana Herb. (Iridaceae) was conducted at the University of California's Marine Laboratory at Bodega Bay, California, between 1976–1979. Each year of the study, there were 11.1% male-sterile plants in the population, some of which began blooming at the same time as the earliest blooming hermaphrodites. Male-sterile flowers made up between 7–21% of the flowers produced during the male-sterile flowering period. Male-sterile flowers had smaller sepals and petals than hermaphrodites, there were fewer of them per square meter, and they had fewer pollinated stigmas than did hermaphroditic flowers. In a test to determine pollinator preference, intact hermaphroditic flowers tended to have more pollinated stigmas than did hermaphrodites with their stamens removed or those flowers with shortened sepals made to resemble the smaller male-sterile flowers. Floral phenology and nectar-flow patterns were similar in both types of flowers as were the kinds of amino acids and sugar rewards in the nectar. Male-sterile flowers, however, produced much less nectar per flower. There were no significant differences in the number of ovules per flower or the number of seeds produced per capsule between the two flower types, but the loss of seeds through larval predation was much greater in capsules from hermaphroditic flowers. Early flowering and setting of seed by plants with male-sterile flowers could give them a reproductive advantage over plants with hermaphroditic flowers which experience higher levels of larval predation later in the growing season.     

THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF RASPBERRIES AND PLANT-POLLINATOR COMMUNITY STRUCTURE

Rubus idaeus and Rubus pubescens are congeners which differ with respect to their life history patterns. Rubus idaeus is locally important in the Northeast in areas subject to windthrow, fire, and man-made disturbances, while R. pubescens often forms a significant portion of the ground cover of shaded, damp, woodland areas. The life history pattern of R. idaeus is based upon the short term build up and slow decay of a large seed bank. Vegetative reproduction is more important in the eventual spread of R. pubescens. The reproductive traits of the two species reflect many of the above mentioned constraints and differences. Rubus pubescens produces relatively small quantities of nectar and flowers during a brief 1–2-wk period late in May. Synchronous flowering probably minimizes the incidence of floral predation and makes the low nectar flowers more attractive by reducing the pollinators' flight time. Rubus idaeus is an abundant species, which offers almost unlimited supplies of nectar during at least part of its extended 3–4-month flowering season. It is attractive to a wide range of pollinators and has figured prominently in the design, phenology, and reward structure of the early successional northern hardwoods plant-pollinator community.     

稀有鮈鲫的繁殖生物学

根据野外调查与室内养殖的结果,稀有鮈鲫的繁殖季节为3—11月,在人工控制条件下可周年繁殖。在适宜的水温和充足的饵料条件下孵出后4个月左右即可达性成熟并产卵。对7对鱼共136批次产卵进行了观察统计,平均每尾雌鱼5.4d产卵一次,平均每次产卵300.3粒。根据卵母细胞发育进程、卵径分布、产卵频次以及年产卵量大于怀卵量、含卵量等特征,建议将稀有鮈鲫的特殊产卵类型命名为连续产卵类型,并与生态学上常用的“多次产卵”、“分批产卵”加以区别。最后就稀有鲍鲫作为一种新的实验鱼等应用前景作了展望。       

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THREE SPECIES OF EUPHORBIA SUBGENUS CHAMAESYCE (EUPHORBIACEAE)

The breeding system, pollen tube development, and floral biology of three species of Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce from southeastern Arizona have been examined in field and greenhouse studies. E. albomarginata is entirely dependent on insect vectors for pollination and seed production, E. capitellata requires insect visitors for maximum seed set but is capable of limited self-pollination, and E. hyssopifolia is self-pollinating and entirely independent of insect vectors. All three species are self-compatible. The differences in reliance on insect vectors, diversity of insects and probable amount of outcrossing are related to differences in cyathial size and arrangement. The reproductive biology of the three species is similar to that described for other weedy plant taxa.     

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF ASCLEPIAS EXALTATA

An analysis of the relationships between plant size and survivorship and reproductive success was carried out by sampling four populations of the herbaceous perennial milkweed Asclepias exaltata in Virginia from 1980 to 1982. The annual survivorship rate (about 65%) is the lowest measured for any species of Asclepias. Survivorship was strongly size-dependent but showed no clear relationship with previous history of fruit production. Non-flowering plants were significantly smaller than flowering plants and showed very strong (r > 0.87) correlations between root dry weight and stem or leaf dry weight. Flowering plants were similar to nonflowering plants in root: shoot ratio (approximately 1:1) but differed in that root dry weight was not strongly correlated with stem or leaf dry weight. Components of inflorescence size were strongly correlated within a given level of comparison (e.g., stems per plant with flowers per plant) but less strongly correlated between levels (e.g., stems per plant with flowers per stem). Number of fruits per plant and percentage fruit-set were positively correlated with every component of inflorescence size. Although overall fruit-set was low (about 2%), fruits that were initiated had a high probability of surviving to maturity. There was no evidence of an early period of high fruit abortion: a relatively constant proportion of fruits aborted between each age class.     

瓦氏黄颡鱼的繁殖生物学研究

研究了长江中游嘉鱼至新滩口江段瓦氏黄颡鱼的繁殖生物学。性腺发育可分为6个时期。4-7月性成熟系数较高,为繁殖季节。雌、雄鱼的肥满度和脂肪系数在繁殖前和繁殖后各出现1个峰值,繁殖期出现最小值。绝对繁殖力为1088-19765(粒),平均7728±4093(粒);相对繁殖力为23-88(粒),平均55±16(粒)。绝对繁殖力与体长、体重和年龄呈显著的正相关,其中体重与绝对繁殖力的关系最密切。群体性比接近1:1。属一次性产卵类型。两性最小性成熟年龄均为2龄。为补充群体占优势的繁殖群体。     

COMPARATIVE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF ALPINE BIENNIAL AND PERENNIAL GENTIANS (GENTIANA: GENTIANACEAE) IN CALIFORNIA

Reproductive characteristics of three sympatric species of Gentiana exhibiting perennial and non-perennial life histories were studied in alpine meadows of the White Mountains of California during three consecutive years. High fruit and seed set and the production of a relatively large number of seeds characterized the alpine biennials, Gentiana tenella and G. prostrata. In contrast, fruit and seed set were considerably reduced and yearly seed production was relatively low in the alpine perennial, G. newberryi. Successful seed production in the biennial species was a result of low rates of flower predation, self-pollination, and the allocation of a comparatively high proportion of biomass to reproductive structures. Seed production in the perennial species was limited by high rates of flower predation, insufficient amounts of pollen reaching stigmas, an unusually late flowering period, and by the relatively small proportion of biomass allocated to reproduction.     

THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THE AMPULLARIID SNAIL POMACEA URCEUS (MULLER)

Investigations of the reproductive biology, life cycle and populationdynamics have been undertaken to assess the potential of Pomaceaurceus as a culture species in Trinidad. The species is dioeciousand evidence from microscopic gonad analyses, together withmaturity indices and size frequency distributions in the population,all indicate that the reproductive cycle is annual. Adults spawnat the end of the rainy season months. Hatching and early developmentof the young occur in the dry season (January to May) whileadult females aestivate. The total developmental period variedbetween 22 to 30 days. Mean fecundity is 54 eggs/female witha range of 21 to 93 for egg masses deposited in the field andthose produced under laboratory conditions. ^*Present address: Zoology Dept., University of Aberdeen, TillydroneAve., Aberdeen AB9 2TN. Scotland. (Received 13 January 1988; accepted 11 April 1988)