Akustische Differenzierung verwandtschaftlicher Beziehungen in derParus (Periparus)-Gruppe nach Untersuchungen im Nepal-Himalaya

Zusammenfassung Die fünf Formen der UntergattungParus (Periparus) des südlichen Zentral-Asien(rufonuchalis, rubidiventris, beavani, melanolophus, aemodius) werden morphologisch, biologisch-ökologisch und vor allem akustisch differenziert. Die Spezifität der Gesänge gilt als wesentliches Art-Kriterium; sie wird mit Attrappen-Versuchen getestet.1.Rufonuchalis, rubidiventris undbeavani (Fichtenmeisen-Gruppe) bilden im Nepal-Himalaya Arealgrenzen aus.Rufonuchalis undrubidiventris leben dort sympatrisch,rubidiventris undbeavani allopatrisch ohne Introgressionszone. Rubidiventris undbeavani haben übereinstimmende ökologische Ansprüche;rufonuchalis als größere und trockenadaptierte Form weicht merklich ab. Die Arealgrenzen vonrufonuchalis undrubidiventris sind im westlichen Nepal-Himalaya klimatisch bedingt (Monsun!), nicht durch Konkurrenz mit anderenPeriparus-Formen.Reviergesänge der farblich fast ununterscheidbarenrufonuchalis undbeavani divergieren sehr, die vonrubidiventris undbeavani sind gleich. Rufonuchalis verfügt über 2 Gesangstypen: Trillergesang dient der Reviermarkierung, Pfiffgesang der Revierverteidigung. Beide Gesangsformen entsprechen nicht demParus-Gesangsschema, wohl aber der Klappergesang vonrubidiventris undbeavani. Beavani reagiert im Attrappen-Test nur auf denrufonuchalis-Pfiffgesang und besitzt vergleichbare Lautäußerungen.Rufonuchalis-Trillergesang findet beibeavani ebenfalls Entsprechungen, jedoch nicht beirubidiventris.Spezialisierte Trillergesang-Elemente vonrufonuchalis undbeavani werden als homolog betrachtet. Bei diesen allopatrischen Formen konnten sie erhalten bleiben, der mitrufonuchalis sympatrischerubidiventris hat sie reduziert.Die gleichfarbigenrufonuchalis undbeavani haben das Himalaya-System nie kontinuierlich besiedelt; ihre Areale standen ursprünglich über die Waldzonen Zentralasiens miteinander in Verbindung.Akustische Analyse und Verbreitungsmuster weisenrufonuchalis undrubidiventris (mit den Subspeziesrubidiventris undbeavani) als eigene Spezies aus; sie werden zu einer Superspezies verklammert.2. Die Areale vonP. ater aemodius undP. melanolophus stehen im zentralen Himalaya in sekundärem Kontakt; sie bilden dort eine Hybrid-(Introgressions-)Zone von 70 km Breite.An keiner Stelle desaemodius- bzw.melanolophus-Areals kommen die beiden Ausgangsformen bzw. Hybriden und Ausgangsformen nebeneinander vor. Merkliche Zuwanderung in das Hybridgebiet aus östlichen oder westlichen Arealteilen findet nicht statt.Es existieren Hybriden, die nicht intermediär zwischen den Ausgangsformen stehen, sondern von ihnen in Farbmuster und Färbung markant abweichen (rostbäuchige Hybriden).Vom Gebiet reineraemodius-Phäne zu dem reinermelanolophus-Phäne verläuft eine Merkmalsprogression:aemodius-Beige der Unterseite zu Rostrot;aemodius-Beige der Flanken zumelanolophus-Grau. Rostrot der Unterseite schlägt fast ohne Übergang zumelanolophus-Grau um (bisher nur für eine Population belegt).Alle Populationen des Hybridgürtels sind voll fortpflanzungsfähig (Reviergesang, Revierabgrenzung, -Brutfleck, -Gonadenentwicklung). Die Ausgangsformen haben (noch) keine verschiedenen adaptiven Niveaus erreicht; die Hybriden sind bei der Paarbildung (offensichtlich) nicht unterlegen.Isolationsmechanismen zwischen Ausgangsformen und Hybriden sind (heute) nicht (mehr) entwickelt; füraemodius undmelanolophus werden gering entwickelte akustische (und optische) postuliert (Hinweise durch Hybridisation in Gefangenschaft).Rostfarbigkeit wird als altes Merkmal derPeriparus-Gruppe angesehen, sein Auftreten bei den Hybriden als Atavismus.Reviergesänge aus derater/melanolophus-Gruppe sind einander sehr ähnlich. Der Gesang mitteleuropäischera. ater und der vonmelanolophus zeichnet sich durch ansteigende Elemente aus, diea. aemodius fehlen. Auf solche Gesangstypen reagiertaemodius nur mangelhaft.Die Gesänge in den Hybridpopulationen gleichen jenen vonaemodius; das wird auf Lernen desaemodius-Repertoires der Hybriden während des ersten Kontaktes vonmelanolophus undaemodius zurückgeführt.Süddeutschea. ater reagieren nur zur Zeit höchster Revierverteidigungs-Bereitschaft auf einen bestimmtenaemodius-Strophentyp. Auf diesen Strophentyp reagierten auch syntop lebendeP. major; er enthält Merkmale der Gesänge beider Arten.Die genetische Divergenz vonaemodius undmelanolophus — kenntlich an den rostbäuchigen Hybriden — legt nahe, den Artstatus beider bedingt aufrechtzuerhalten: SuperspeziesP. ater mit den SemispeziesP. ater undP. melanolophus.

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Acoustic differentiation of phylogenetic relations in theParus (Periparus) group from investigations in the Nepal Himalayas

Summary In the Nepal Himalayas 5 taxa of the subgenusParus (Periparus) exist — the greatest concentration of this subgenus in the whole Palearctic region. The taxa belong to 2 groups: 1.rufonuchalis, rubidiventris, beavani; 2. aemodius, melanolophus (fig. 1). All forms settle in the same altitude belt from about 2800 to 4200 m — three of them even in the same locality.Rufonuchalis is adapted to dry habitats mainly of West Central Asia and is thus restricted in Nepal to the Western parts (fig. 3, 4).The up to now unclarified status of all forms is determined as follows: Distinct species areP. rufonuchalis andP. rubidiventris (with highly different subspeciesP. r. rubidiventris andP. r. beavani) and they are regarded as a superspecies.P. rufonuchalis andP. r. rubidiventris live syntopically in West Nepal and display different territorial songs.Both differ remarkably in body size and bill size. Certain acoustic similarities indicating close relationship could be shown betweenrufonuchalis and the allopatric (fig. 3, 4)rubidiventris beavani; r. beavani reacts to the playback of whistle song (Pfiffgesang, fig. 10) ofP. rufonuchalis (see also fig. 14).The areas ofP. r. rubidiventris andP. r. beavani are separated apparently only by the Bhote Kosi river in East Nepal (fig. 4). Introgression is not (yet) known; the songs are identical (fig. 8). P. melanolophus andP. ater aemodius hybridize in West Nepal in a zone of secondary contact. Their areas are linked by a zone of introgression (fig. 17, 18). In that zone cinnamomeous bellied hybrids locally occur differing thus strikingly in colour from both parental species (fig. 1). Sympatric occurrence ofmelanolophus andater aemodius is not known and is not expected either.Territorial songs ofa. aemodius (fig. 21) andmelanolophus (fig. 25) are very similar and both species obviously do not differ in their ecology. Despite the small introgression belt, similar songs and apparently very similar or even identical adaptive peaks,P. ater andP. melanolophus are still treated as distinct species but reduced to semispecies level. In doing so the genetic divergence betweenater aemodius andmelanolophus indicated by the cinnamomeous bellied hybrids is emphasized.

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Mit einem Jahresstipendium des Deutschen Akademischen Austauschdienstes und einer Sachbeihilfe der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft. — Ergebnisse der Nepal-Reisen 1969/70, 1973 und 1974, Nr. 36. — Nr. 35: Senckenbergiana biol., 56 (4/6): 247–256, 1975.     

Bovine-associated mucoprotein: I. Distribution among adult and fetal bovine tissues and body fluids

Bovine-associated mucoprotein (BAMP), solubilized with water from the delipidated membranes of bovine milk fat globules, is not restricted to fat globules or to the alveolar epithelial cells from which they are formed. BAMP also has a widespread distribution on other bovine glandular epithelial cells and on undifferentiated cells in lymphoid germinal centers and in several fetal tissues. Free BAMP is present in bovine colostrum, milk, other secretory fluids, and in fetal serum but is absent from adult and colostrum-deprived calf sera. In bronchoalveolar fluids, BAMP is preferentially found in the mucus-rich fraction. BAMP is antigenically distinct from all adult serum proteins, free secretory component, beta 2-microglobulin, lactoferrin, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, and five different caseins. BAMP as a free protein constitutes one-sixth of the total amount of BAMP present in milk. The BAMP-related component of fetal serum lacks antigenic determinants present on the BAMP of milk as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation and partial blocking of immunofluorescence. The fetal component is not fetuin or alpha 1-fetoprotein. These data suggest that BAMP may be useful in studies of the membranes of proliferating or differentiating epithelial cells.     

Freeze-drying and analysis of plant and other biological material

The freeze-drying of biological material, which is to be quantitatively analyzed (micro-amount level) for compounds of low or intermediate molecular weight, should be either omitted or handled under strict control. This is because compounds such as amino acids, sugars, flavonoids, glycosides, coenzymes, peptides, etc., might be removed from concentrates and (or) the ground biological material by the high vacuum.     

Thermal stability of fatty acid-serum albumin complexes studied by differential scanning calorimetry.

Differential scanning calorimetry has been used to study the thermal stability of bovine serum albumin as affected by binding of fatty acids (lauric acid and stearic acid) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). All the ligands stabilized the protein molecules in a similar manner, but to different levels. A maximum increase in denaturation temperature of 30 degrees C was obtained with lauric acid. The thermograms indicate the presence of several ligand-albumin complexes having different heat stabilities. Variations in pH in 0.9% NaCl affected the heat stability of both ligand-poor and ligand-rich albumin, the former being more sensitive to variations in pH within the physiological range. Variations in NaCl concentration affected the thermal stabilities at neutral pH, expecially at low salt concentrations. While ligand-rich albumin was somewhat destabilized by increasing NaCl concentrations, ligand-poor albumin was strongly stabilized. The potential use of differential scanning calorimetry in ligand-albumin research is discussed.     

Climate change promotes transitions to tall evergreen vegetation in tropical Asia

Vegetation in tropical Asia is highly diverse due to large environmental gradients and heterogeneity of landscapes. This biodiversity is threatened by intense land use and climate change. However, despite the rich biodiversity and the dense human population, tropical Asia is often underrepresented in global biodiversity assessments. Understanding how climate change influences the remaining areas of natural vegetation is therefore highly important for conservation planning. Here, we used the adaptive Dynamic Global Vegetation Model version 2 (aDGVM2) to simulate impacts of climate change and elevated CO₂ on vegetation formations in tropical Asia for an ensemble of climate change scenarios. We used climate forcing from five different climate models for representative concentration pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. We found that vegetation in tropical Asia will remain a carbon sink until 2099, and that vegetation biomass increases of up to 28% by 2099 are associated with transitions from small to tall woody vegetation and from deciduous to evergreen vegetation. Patterns of phenology were less responsive to climate change and elevated CO₂ than biomes and biomass, indicating that the selection of variables and methods used to detect vegetation changes is crucial. Model simulations revealed substantial variation within the ensemble, both in biomass increases and in distributions of different biome types. Our results have important implications for management policy, because they suggest that large ensembles of climate models and scenarios are required to assess a wide range of potential future trajectories of vegetation change and to develop robust management plans. Furthermore, our results highlight open ecosystems with low tree cover as most threatened by climate change, indicating potential conflicts of interest between biodiversity conservation in open ecosystems and active afforestation to enhance carbon sequestration.     

“Into and Out of” the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau and the Himalayas: Centers of origin and diversification across five clades of Eurasian montane and alpine passerine birds

Encompassing some of the major hotspots of biodiversity on Earth, large mountain systems have long held the attention of evolutionary biologists. The region of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP) is considered a biogeographic source for multiple colonization events into adjacent areas including the northern Palearctic. The faunal exchange between the QTP and adjacent regions could thus represent a one‐way street (“out of” the QTP). However, immigration into the QTP region has so far received only little attention, despite its potential to shape faunal and floral communities of the QTP. In this study, we investigated centers of origin and dispersal routes between the QTP, its forested margins and adjacent regions for five clades of alpine and montane birds of the passerine superfamily Passeroidea. We performed an ancestral area reconstruction using BioGeoBEARS and inferred a time‐calibrated backbone phylogeny for 279 taxa of Passeroidea. The oldest endemic species of the QTP was dated to the early Miocene (ca. 20 Ma). Several additional QTP endemics evolved in the mid to late Miocene (12–7 Ma). The inferred centers of origin and diversification for some of our target clades matched the “out of Tibet hypothesis’ or the “out of Himalayas hypothesis” for others they matched the “into Tibet hypothesis.” Three radiations included multiple independent Pleistocene colonization events to regions as distant as the Western Palearctic and the Nearctic. We conclude that faunal exchange between the QTP and adjacent regions was bidirectional through time, and the QTP region has thus harbored both centers of diversification and centers of immigration.     

Angiogenic Properties of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells

Angiogenesis, the formation of capillaries from pre-existing blood vessels, is a key process in tissue engineering. If blood supply cannot be established rapidly, there is insufficient oxygen and nutrient transport and necrosis of the implanted tissue will occur. Recent studies indicate that the human dental pulp contains precursor cells, named dental pulp stem cells (hDPSC) that show self-renewal and multilineage differentiation capacity. Since these cells can be easily isolated, cultured and cryopreserved, they represent an attractive stem cell source for tissue engineering. Until now, only little is known about the angiogenic abilities and mechanisms of the hDPSC. In this study, the angiogenic profile of both cell lysates and conditioned medium of hDPSC was determined by means of an antibody array. Numerous pro-and anti-angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and endostatin were found both at the mRNA and protein level. hDPSC had no influence on the proliferation of the human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1), but were able to significantly induce HMEC-1 migration in vitro. Addition of the PI3K-inhibitor {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002 and the MEK-inhibitor U0126 to the HMEC-1 inhibited this effect, suggesting that both Akt and ERK pathways are involved in hDPSC-mediated HMEC-1 migration. Antibodies against VEGF also abolished the chemotactic actions of hDPSC. Furthermore, in the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, hDPSC were able to significantly induce blood vessel formation. In conclusion, hDPSC have the ability to induce angiogenesis, meaning that this stem cell population has a great clinical potential, not only for tissue engineering but also for the treatment of chronic wounds, stroke and myocardial infarctions.     

Maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA

Maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is generally observed in many eukaryotes. Sperm-derived paternal mitochondria and their mtDNA enter the oocyte cytoplasm upon fertilization and then normally disappear during early embryogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying this clearance of paternal mitochondria has remained largely unknown. Recently, we showed that autophagy is required for the elimination of paternal mitochondria in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Shortly after fertilization, autophagosomes are induced locally around the penetrated sperm components. These autophagosomes engulf paternal mitochondria, resulting in their lysosomal degradation during early embryogenesis. In autophagy-defective zygotes, paternal mitochondria and their genomes remain even in the larval stage. Therefore, maternal inheritance of mtDNA is accomplished by autophagic degradation of paternal mitochondria. We also found that another kind of sperm-derived structure, called the membranous organelle, is degraded by zygotic autophagy as well. We thus propose to term this allogeneic (nonself) organelle autophagy as allophagy.