笋秀夜蛾雄蛾对性信息素化合物的电生理和行为反应

利用气质联用仪对笋秀夜蛾雌蛾性腺体粗提物成分进行了分析比对,通过触角电位(EAG)试验研究了笋秀夜蛾雄成虫对性信息素组分的电生理反应,以Y形嗅觉仪进行了室内和林间的行为生测.结果表明： 雌蛾性腺体粗提物中顺11-十六碳乙酸酯(Z11-16:Ac)和顺11-十六碳烯醇(Z11-16:OH)为笋秀夜蛾性信息素活性组分,性腺粗提物、两种化合物及其混合物均能激发雄蛾明显的EAG反应,且EAG反应值随性信息素组分浓度增加而增加.Z11-16:Ac和Z11-16:OH按57∶43配置成的二元混合物所激发的EAG反应强于同等剂量下的单一组分.室内的行为生测和林间诱捕试验结果与EAG反应基本一致,Z11-16:Ac+Z11-16:OH(57∶43)混合物对雄蛾引诱力最强,在林间单诱捕器(诱芯浓度为10⁴ng·μL^-1)的平均诱捕量达到(48.5±6.7)头.     

辽东山区落叶松人工林地上生物量和养分元素分配格局

落叶松是我国北方最主要的人工用材林树种,由于人工林树种单一、结构简单等原因,导致土壤养分循环出现失衡.研究落叶松生物量和养分元素分配规律,可以为落叶松人工林的合理经营和养分循环研究提供科学参考.本文以辽东山区19年生二代落叶松人工林(胸径12.8 cm,树高15.3 m,密度2308株·hm^-2)为对象,研究其地上各器官(干、枝、皮、叶)生物量、碳和养分元素含量(N、P、K、Ca、Mg、Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn)的积累规律和分配格局.结果表明：单株落叶松生物量为70.26 kg,林分水平落叶松生物量为162.16 t·hm^-2,各器官生物量差异显著,排序为：树干>树枝>树皮>树叶;单株落叶松养分积累量为749.94 g,林分水平落叶松养分积累量为1730.86 kg·hm^-2,其中,大量元素和微量元素的养分积累量均为树干显著高于树枝、树皮和树叶.全叶期每砍伐一棵落叶松(19年生),平均从系统中带出749.94 g养分元素;如果将树皮、树枝、树叶留在林地仅仅带走树干,带出的养分元素可减少40.7%.
     

Whole-genome assembly and annotation of northern wild rice,Zizania palustris L., supports a whole-genome duplication in the Zizania genus

Zizania palustris L. (northern wild rice, NWR) is an aquatic grass native to North America that is notable for its nutritious grain. This is an important species with ecological, cultural and agricultural significance, specifically in the Great Lakes region of the USA. Using flow cytometry, we first estimated the NWR genome size to be 1.8 Gb. Using long- and short-range sequencing, Hi-C scaffolding and RNA-seq data from eight tissues, we generated an annotated whole-genome de novo assembly of NWR. The assembly was 1.29 Gb in length, highly repetitive (approx. 76.0%) and contained 46 421 putative protein-coding genes. The expansion of retrotransposons within the genome and a whole-genome duplication (WGD) after the Zizania–Oryza speciation event have both led to an increase in the genome size of NWR in comparison with Oryza sativa L. and Zizania latifolia. Both events depict a genome rapidly undergoing change over a short evolutionary time. Comparative analyses revealed the conservation of large syntenic blocks between NWR and O. sativa, which were used to identify putative seed-shattering genes. Estimates of divergence times revealed that the Zizania genus diverged from Oryza approximately 26–30 million years ago (26–30 MYA), whereas NWR and Z. latifolia diverged from one another approximately 6–8 MYA. Comparative genomics confirmed evidence of a WGD in the Zizania genus and provided support that the event occurred prior to the NWR–Z. latifolia speciation event. This genome assembly and annotation provides a valuable resource for comparative genomics in the Oryzeae tribe and provides an important resource for future conservation and breeding efforts of NWR.     

Exposure to a fungal pathogen increases the critical thermal minimum of two frog species

The ability of an organism to tolerate seasonal temperature changes, such as extremely cold temperatures during the winter, can be influenced by their pathogens. We tested how exposure to a virulent fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), affected the critical thermal minimum (CT_min) of two frog species, Hyla versicolor (gray treefrog) and Lithobates palustris (pickerel frog). The CT_min is the minimum thermal performance point of an organism, which we estimated via righting response trials. For both frog species, we compared the righting response of Bd‐exposed and Bd‐unexposed individuals in either a constant (15ºC) environment or with decreasing temperatures (−1°C/2.5 min) starting from 15°C. The CT_min for both species was higher for Bd‐exposed frogs than unexposed frogs, and the CT_min of H. versicolor was higher than L. palustris. We also found that Bd‐exposed frogs of both species righted themselves significantly fewer times in both decreasing and constant temperature trials. Our findings show that pathogen exposure can reduce cold tolerance and limit the thermal performance range of hosts, which may lead to increased overwintering mortality.     

Seed depredation negates the benefits of midstory hardwood removal on longleaf pine seedling establishment

Midstory hardwoods are traditionally removed to restore longleaf pine on fire‐excluded savannas. However, recent evidence demonstrating midstory hardwood facilitation on longleaf pine seedling survival has brought this practice into question on xeric sites. Also, midstory hardwoods could facilitate longleaf pine seedling establishment, as hardwood litter may conceal seeds from seed predators or improve micro‐environmental conditions for seedling establishment. However, little is known about these potential mechanisms. In this study, we tracked longleaf pine seed depredation and germination in artificially seeded plots (11 seeds/m²) in a factorial design fully crossing hardwood retention or removal with vertebrate seed predator access or exclusion in the Sandhills Ecoregion of North Carolina, U.S.A. Seed depredation averaged 78% across treatments and was greatest in unexcluded plots. Hardwood retention did not affect seed depredation. Longleaf pine averaged 3.6 germinants/4 m² across treatments, and was six times more abundant where vertebrates had been excluded. Hardwood removal had a strong positive effect on seedling germination, likely due to the removal of litter, but only when vertebrates were excluded. Our results indicated midstory hardwoods are not facilitating longleaf pine seedling establishment. Nevertheless, our results indicated that hardwood removal may not increase longleaf pine seedling establishment, as seed depredation diminished the effectiveness of hardwood removal under mast seed availability. Collectively, these results demonstrate the underlying complexity of the longleaf pine ecosystem, and suggest that planting may need to be part of the restoration strategy on sites where seed depredation limits longleaf pine natural regeneration.     

长江口近岸水域棘头梅童鱼资源现状的评估

为了评估长江口近岸水域棘头梅童鱼的资源状况,利用2012—2013年底拖网调查数据,基于体长频率分布的方法研究了长江口近岸棘头梅童鱼的生长和种群参数.采用FiSATⅡ软件中的ELEFAN模块计算了长江口棘头梅童鱼的Von Bertalanffy生长参数,结合Pauly经验公式估算其自然死亡系数,并建立Beverton-Holt动态综合模型预测其资源变化趋势.结果表明: 2012—2013年共采集到棘头梅童鱼样本4201尾,体长范围18~155 mm,其生长系数(K)和极限体长(L_∞)分别为1.1和162.75 mm,种群总死亡系数(Z)、自然死亡系数(M)和捕捞死亡系数(F)分别为4.040、1.683和2.357.当前长江口近岸水域棘头梅童鱼的资源开发率(E)为0.583,大于F_opt (0.5),年平均资源数量为1.33亿尾,对应的资源量为576.02 t.目前长江口水域棘头梅童鱼资源已处于过度捕捞状态.