Reserve selection in the Succulent Karoo,South Africa: coping with high compositional turnover

The Succulent Karoo biome is home to the world's richest succulent flora. It has approximately 1954 endemic plant species, and is the only semi-arid region to qualify as a hotspot of global significance. Despite its importance, only 2% of the biome is currently protected. Based on its flora, the biome can be divided into 12 bioregions, reflecting its high compositional turnover in relation to environmental and geographical gradients. Only three of these bioregions (the Gariep Centre, the Namaqualand Rocky Hills and the Tanqua Karoo) contain National Parks, and three contain large (over 10000 ha) provincial reserves (the Gariep Centre, the Namaqualand Rocky Hills and the Little Karoo). The current reserve system does little to conserve biodiversity, with only one reserve significantly conserving Red Data Book (RDB) plant diversity. Using a RDB plant species database of 3874 records at a quarter degree scale (QDS = 15×15), we used hotspot analyses and iterative reserve selection algorithms to identify possible locations for future reserves. The hotspot analysis and iterative analyses yielded similar results for the top 11 QDS, mainly due to very high local endemism. Also because of the local endemism and the high species turnover within the biome, the real-world iterative algorithm (starting with the seven already reserved QDS) selected a very large total number of QDS (59% of the total in the biome) to conserve all RDB species. As a possible alternative to conservation planning based on QDS, we also assessed priorities at the scale of bioregions, but showed that representation at this geographic level misses important areas defined at a finer scale. We suggest that if the objective is to maximise the retention of RDB species in the landscape (to pre-empt extinction by scheduling the allocation of limited conservation resources), at least the top 5% of QDS (n=11) selected by the iterative procedure, and identified as the core conservation sequence by analysis of endemicity and threat, should be given priority for reservation. Less extensive and, in some cases, less formal conservation action can be applied to QDS later in the sequence, based on species-specific monitoring and action plans. Of the 11 core areas, four fall in a node centred on the Vanrhynsdorp Centre, two fall in a node centred on the Kamiesberg, and the remaining five are isolated. With existing reserves, the core areas capture 50% of the RDB flora in 8% of the biome.     

A comparative cytogenetic study of five piranha species (Serrasalmus,Serrasalminae) from the Amazon basin

Cytogenetic studies were conducted on five piranha species belonging to the genus Serrasalmus, subfamily Serrasalminae (Serrasalmus altispinis, S. compressus, S. elongatus, S. manuelli, and S. spilopleura). All the species were collected in the Amazon basin: confluence of Negro and Solimõoes Rivers (CatalãoLake), Solimões River (Marchantaria Island – Camaleão Lake), Uatumã River (Hydroelectric Power Station of Balbina), and Pitinga River (Hydroelectric Power Station of Pitinga). All the five species possess 2n = 60 chromosomes with 5–12 subtelo- and acrocentric chromosomes bearing nucleolar organizer regions. A proximal C-band positive heterochromatin block was evident on the long arms of a medium-sized metacentric chromosome pair in all the analized species, thus making it a cytogenetic marker for the genus. It is hypothesized that 2n = 60 chromosomes represents a derived feature in terms of the chromosomal evolution of piranhas because the basal lineages possess 2n = 62. Both Robertsonian centric fusion and non-Robertsonian rearragements such as pericentric inversions seem implicated in the chromosomal evolution of this group.     

NaCl、Na2 SO4 和Na2GO3 胁迫对小麦叶片自由基含量及质膜透性的比较研究

 分别用浓度为25mmol／L、50mmol／L、100 mmol／L和200 MMOL／l的Nacl、Na2SO4和Na2CO3的营养液培养小麦4d,较之不含盐的营养液,其自由基含量上升,产生速率增加,叶片质膜透性增加。不同盐的影响也不同,在低浓度时,NaCl的影响大于Na2SO4,高浓度时,NaCl影响小于Na2CO3,Na2CO3的影响最为显著。实验结果也表现出小麦叶片自由基含量和质膜透性呈现较好的相关性。因此可认为,盐胁迫促使自由基含量增加,自由基通过过氧化作用影响质膜透性,从而影响植物的生长。     

国家重点保护野生植物的保护现状及潜在分布区预测分析

野生植物是自然生态系统的重要组成部分,中国是野生植物种类最丰富的国家之一。研究国家重点保护野生植物的分布特征、保护现状以及潜在分布区,对于制定与支持生物多样性保护策略具有重要意义。该研究基于1 032种(隶属于129科315属)国家重点保护野生植物,利用前5%丰富度算法识别其热点地区,并与自然保护区叠加评估其保护成效、确定保护空缺,进而运用MaxEnt模型预测了国家重点保护野生植物的潜在分布区分布与变化趋势。结果表明:(1)中国南部和西南部是国家重点保护野生植物物种丰富度最高的地区,尤其是四川中部、云南南部和东南部、广西北部、广东北部与海南。(2)热点网格的保护成效分析表明,171个(85.50%)热点网格得到了有效保护(含80.50%的物种),29个(14.50%)热点网格未得到自然保护区的保护(含51.20%物种)。(3)通过比较当前与未来气候变化下国家重点保护野生植物的潜在分布区分布,发现未来潜在分布区将向西藏东南部、广西西南部、广东南部以及福建南部等地扩张,而向环四川盆地、云南南部和贵州南部等地缩减。因此,需要加强这些区域生物多样性的动态监测,持续关注气候变化对该区域国家重点保护野生植物的影响。基于该研究所确定的热点网格、保护成效以及潜在分布区的分析结果,可为国家重点保护野生植物多样性优先保护区的确定和保护政策的制定提供有力的数据支持与参考。     

向日葵ACC氧化酶基因(HaACO1)的克隆及表达分析

目的:克隆向日葵中的ACC氧化酶基因(HaACO1),并对其进行生物信息学分析及盐胁迫表达分析,为理解向日葵ACC氧化酶生理功能并加强对ACO基因的利用奠定基础。方法:以前期从盐胁迫的内葵杂4号根中获得的ACC氧化酶基因片段4-4-7TDF(KM823963)为基础,通过RT-PCR和5'/3'RACE技术克隆ACO基因的全长cDNA序列,利用生物信息学软件对获得的cDNA序列及编码的蛋白质序列进行分析。同时采用PCR方法克隆基因组DNA(genemic DNA,gDNA)序列,并对其进行结构分析。利用实时荧光定量PCR分析Na Cl胁迫下向日葵根、下胚轴、叶中HaACO1的表达量和不同NaCl浓度及不同胁迫时间下根中Ha ACO1的表达量。结果:Ha ACO1的cDNA序列全长为1 135bp,其开放阅读框为942bp,编码313个氨基酸。预测其分子质量和等电点分别为35.84k Da和5.13,基因登录号为KP966508。HaACO1与已报道的多种植物的ACO基因核苷酸序列及其推导的氨基酸序列有较高的相似性,分别为76%~83%和77%~88%。gDNA起始密码子至终止密码子序列长1 018bp,包含2个外显子和1个内含子,基因登录号为KP988289。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明向日葵HaACO1在不同器官及不同NaCl浓度、不同时间诱导下存在特异性表达差异。结论:获得的向日葵HaACO1是植物ACO家族成员之一,该基因应答盐胁迫具有独特的表达模式。     

食用菌超细粉免疫调节和抗氧化功能研究

以糙皮侧耳、双孢蘑菇、金针菇、3个黑木耳品种、3个香菇品种为材料,通过测定小鼠体重、免疫器官重量、细胞免疫功能、体液免疫功能、单核-巨噬细胞的吞噬功能、血清及肝脏中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶、超氧化物歧化酶、肝脏中白介素-6、丙二醛等指标进行小鼠免疫功能的评价研究。结果表明:"四川青川"香菇、"北神奇1号"黑木耳和"黑龙江黑29"黑木耳能显著增强小鼠的细胞免疫功能;糙皮侧耳、"辽宁恒仁"香菇、金针菇、"北神奇1号"黑木耳、"黑龙江黑29"黑木耳均能显著促进小鼠单核吞噬细胞的吞噬能力,增强小鼠机体的免疫力;糙皮侧耳、"四川青川"香菇、"辽宁恒仁"香菇、金针菇和"黑龙江黑29"黑木耳具有提高小鼠肝脏中白介素-6含量的作用;双孢蘑菇、"福建古田"香菇、"辽宁恒仁"香菇、金针菇增加小鼠血清溶血素水平,具有显著的特异性体液免疫增强作用。此外,双孢蘑菇、金针菇、"北神奇1号"黑木耳、"吉林黑29"黑木耳均可显著提高血清和肝脏中的GSH-PX活性;糙皮侧耳能提高小鼠血清中和肝脏中SOD活性;从而达到清除自由基和抗氧化损伤的作用。综合上述结果,9种食用菌超细粉均具有显著增强小鼠免疫调节能力和抗氧化作用,为食用菌功能食品产品开发利用提供支撑。     

西瓜炭疽病菌圆刺盘孢分生孢子产生条件的研究

为研究圆刺盘孢Colletotrichum orbiculare的分生孢子产生条件,通过改变培养基的成分、理化性状及培养条件等方法,进行了诱导产孢试验,并对所产生的分生孢子量进行测定。结果表明,C.orbiculare在西瓜茎叶煎汁培养基上25℃恒温黑暗培养30d可产生大量分生孢子,产孢量高达7.15×109个/m L。在显微镜下观察发现,病菌在西瓜茎叶煎汁培养基上和在西瓜茎秆病斑上产生的分生孢子在形态上存在差异,前者产生的分生孢子稍短和略宽,两端钝圆;而后者产生的分生孢子相对长而细,两端较尖。试验证明寄主西瓜茎叶成分对病菌分生孢子的产生具有明显促进作用。     

滞育七星瓢虫的代谢适应与抗寒性评价

滞育是部分昆虫固有的适应逆境胁迫的遗传属性,七星瓢虫具有显著的滞育现象。本文以七星瓢虫雌成虫为试材,研究正常发育、滞育及滞育解除后3组处理试虫糖、脂、蛋白等关键代谢物质含量波动规律,总结滞育期间的代谢适应特点,解析其与过冷却能力的相关性,探索滞育对七星瓢虫逆境胁迫耐受力的促升效应,丰富七星瓢虫的滞育基础理论研究。利用物质干湿重差数法测定七星瓢虫的含水量;利用氯仿-甲醇(体积比为2∶1)法抽提除去自由水个体的脂肪;总糖、海藻糖、甘油、山梨醇及总蛋白的测定采用标准曲线法,利用SUN-II型智能昆虫过冷却点测定仪测定七星瓢虫的过冷却点(supercooling point,SCP)。结果表明,七星瓢虫滞育组含水量(58.11%±6.55%)显著低于正常发育组(68.49%±2.26%)和滞育解除组(65.84%±4.02%)(F=8.15,P0.01),滞育解除后含水量恢复至正常发育组水平;滞育组总糖(10.60±0.54μg/mg)、糖原(8.72±0.62μg/mg)、脂肪(173.66±19.01μg/mg)含量远远高于正常发育组和滞育解除组(F=46.57,P=0.0006;F=114.25,P0.0001;F=8.48,P0.01);滞育组总蛋白含量(49.20±3.80μg/mg)显著低于正常发育组(71.02±6.15μg/mg)和滞育解除组(69.45±4.66μg/mg)(F=46.57,P=0.0006);滞育组中海藻糖(1.31±0.27μg/mg)、甘油(1.74±0.50μg/mg)、山梨醇(9.84±3.02μg/mg)含量与正常发育组、滞育解除组无显著性差异(F=0.79,P=0.4946;F=1.33,P=0.3004;F=1.69,P=0.2387)。七星瓢虫在滞育条件下其过冷却点(-16.53℃±1.44℃)显著低于正常发育组(-14.07℃±1.33℃)和滞育解除组(-15.29℃±2.10℃)(F=13.47,P0.0001),经过滞育低温驯化后滞育解除组过冷却点较对照组有所降低。滞育诱发七星瓢虫发生显著的代谢适应,蛋白含量显著降低,抑制新陈代谢进程;糖脂含量显著升高,保障滞育维持及解除后发育的能量需求;七星瓢虫滞育属糖原积累型;滞育个体过冷却点大幅下降,耐寒性显著提升。     

CONVERGENT AND CORRELATED EVOLUTION OF MAJOR LIFE‐HISTORY TRAITS IN THE ANGIOSPERM GENUS LEUCADENDRON (PROTEACEAE)

Natural selection is expected to cause convergence of life histories among taxa as well as correlated evolution of different life‐history traits. Here, we quantify the extent of convergence of five key life‐history traits (adult fire survival, seed storage, degree of sexual dimorphism, pollination mode, and seed‐dispersal mode) and test hypotheses about their correlated evolution in the genus Leucadendron (Proteaceae) from the fire‐prone South African fynbos. We reconstructed a new molecular phylogeny of this highly diverse genus that involves more taxa and molecular markers than previously. This reconstruction identifies new clades that were not detected by previous molecular study and morphological classifications. Using this new phylogeny and robust methods that account for phylogenetic uncertainty, we show that the five life‐history traits studied were labile during the evolutionary history of the genus. This diversity allowed us to tackle major questions about the correlated evolution of life‐history strategies. We found that species with longer seed‐dispersal distances tended to evolve lower pollen‐dispersal distance, that insect‐pollinated species evolved decreased sexual dimorphism, and that species with a persistent soil seed‐bank evolved toward reduced fire‐survival ability of adults.