Comparative genetic study confirms exceptionally low genetic variation in the ancient and endangered relictual conifer,Wollemia nobilis (Araucariaceae)

The Wollemi pine, Wollemia nobilis (Araucariaceae), was discovered in 1994 as the only extant member of the genus, previously known only from the fossil record. With fewer than 100 trees known from an inaccessible canyon in southeastern Australia, it is one of the most endangered tree species in the world. We conducted a comparative population genetic survey at allozyme, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci in W. nobilis, Araucaria cunninghamii and Agathis robusta - representatives of the two sister genera. No polymorphism was detected at 13 allozyme loci, more than 800 AFLP loci or the 20 SSR loci screened in W. nobilis. In Ag. robusta only one of 12 allozyme loci, five of 800 AFLP loci and none of the 15 SSR loci were variable. For A. cunninghamii, 10 of > 800 AFLP loci and five of 20 SSR loci were variable. Thus low genetic diversity characterizes all three species. While not ruling out the existence of genetic variation, we conclude that genetic diversity is exceptionally low in the Wollemi pine. To our knowledge this is the most extreme case known in plants. We conclude that the combination of small population effects, clonality and below-average genetic variation in the family are probable contributing factors to the low diversity. The exceptionally low genetic diversity of the Wollemi pine, combined with its known susceptibility to exotic fungal pathogens, reinforces current management policies of strict control of access to the pines and secrecy of the pine locations.     

鳙基于10个微卫星标记的亲子鉴定分析

为开展鳙(Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)家系选育工作,本研究进行了基于微卫星标记的亲子鉴定研究。试验中筛选了10个扩增效率较高的微卫星标记,通过引物荧光修饰,引物结合毛细管电泳分型技术,对鳙48尾亲本及384尾子代进行了基因分型,并计算了等位基因频率和模拟分析和亲子鉴定等分析。结果发现,各位点的等位基因数介于4~13之间,其中9个位点均具有较高的多态性和杂合度(PIC>0.5,He>0.5),研究发现位点的多态性信息含量(PIC)与亲本对排除率(E-PP)存在显著正相关(p<0.01)。模拟分析结果显示,该10个标记预计可用于已知性别的50组亲本(100尾)或未知性别的50尾亲本的鉴定分析(鉴别成功率>95%)。亲子鉴定发现,对试验中2个交配组(每组12对亲本)的鉴别成功率分别为98.96%和100%;且父母本对子代的贡献率存在极显著差异(p<0.01)。通过累积位点的鉴定分析发现,当标记数为7个和9个时分别能满足试验中12组和24组亲本对应子代的鉴定分析(鉴别率>95%),模拟分析和亲子鉴定分析成功率趋势基本符合。本研究所开发的亲子鉴定技术可为鳙家系选育提供技术支持。     

The effect of light stimuli on dark-adapted visual sensitivity in invasive silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp H. nobilis

Non-physical barriers, including the use of underwater strobe lights alone or paired with sound or bubbles, are being considered as a means to prevent the upstream migration of invasive silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp H. nobilis. To optimize potential optical deterrents, it is necessary to understand the visual sensitivity of the fishes. Dark-adapted H. molitrix and H. nobilis were found to possess broad visual sensitivity between 470 to 620 nm with peak spectral sensitivity at 540 nm for H. molitrix and 560 nm in H. nobilis. To assess the effect of a strobe light on vision, dark-adapted H. molitrix, H. nobilis and common carp Cyprinus carpio, were exposed to three different 5 s trains (100, 200, or 500 ms on–off flashes) of white light and the recovery of visual sensitivity was determined by measuring the b-wave amplitude of the electroretinogram (ERG). For all species, the longest recoveries were observed in response to the 500 ms flash trains (H. molitrix mean ± SE = 702.0 ± 89.8 s; H. nobilis 648.0 ± 116.0 s; C. carpio 480 ± 180.0 s). The results suggest that strobe lights can temporarily depress visual sensitivity, which may render optical barriers less effective.     

鲢、鳙在东湖生态系统的氮、磷循环中的作用

我们研究了鲢、鳙在停食状况下氮、磷的排泄量及在有鱼及无鱼的水环境中鱼类及微囊藻的氮、磷释放率。结合有关参数进行换算,从量的方面评价了鲢、鳙在东湖生态系统物质循环中所起作用:①鲢、鳙摄食过程加速了水体氮、磷释放进程(有鱼水体氮、磷释放率分别为无鱼水体的1.88和1.41倍),但其释放量(粪便的氮、磷释放量分别为水体氮、磷总含量的11.45％和3.4％)不足以左右东湖水体初级生产量的变动;②鲢、鳙摄食过程一方面提高了对初级生产量的利用率,而另一方面却通过鱼体积贮从水体中移出大量氮(52.20吨)、磷(11.36吨),分别占水体浮游物总氮、磷的3.01％和5.28％;③鲢、鳙大量摄食浮游动物,降低了被摄食种群的密度,缩短被摄食种群生物量周转期(1982年被摄食种群的生产量为1981年的1.05倍,鲢、鳙放养量为1981年的7倍;这两年鱼摄食量分别占其被摄食种群产量的31.73％及0.63％,被摄食种群的ρ/B系数分别为67.92及48.01);这样水体中浮游动物产量的相对稳定,也就促使浮游植物产量相对平衡。     

几种不同食性鱼类部分血液生化指标的比较研究

采用7020型全自动生化分析仪,测定了黄鳝、鲤鱼、草鱼和鳙鱼血清中总蛋白（TP）、血糖（BG）、甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）、肌酐（creafinine）、尿素（Urea）、尿酸（UA）、磷（P）、钙（Ca）、铁（Fe）和镁（Mg）等11项生化指标,比较研究了这几种不同食性鱼类生化指标的差异.为期二周的饥饿试验,表明黄鳝和鲤鱼等在饥饿状态下生化指标的变化存在较大不同.     

两种温度条件下四种鱼类临界游泳速度的比较

以鳜(Siniperca chuatsi)、瓦氏黄颡鱼(Pelteobagrus vachelli)、鲫(Carassius auratus)、鳙(Aristichthys nobilis)4种暖水性鱼类为研究对象,分别在(28±1)℃和(10±1)℃条件下测定它们的临界游泳速度,采用SPSS17.0统计软件进行数据的分析比较。体长相近的鱼类之间比较,鳜的绝对临界游泳速度和相对临界游泳速度均显著性低于鳙(P0.01),瓦氏黄颡鱼的绝对临界游泳速度和相对临界游泳速度均显著性低于鲫(P0.01)。通过比较两种温度条件下同种鱼的临界游泳速度,结果发现4种鱼在这两种温度条件下的临界游泳速度均有极显著性差异(P0.01),在(28±1)℃条件下4种鱼的临界游泳速度极显著性高于(10±1)℃条件下它们的临界游泳速度。     

光肩星天牛种群间及其近缘种遗传关系的RAPD研究

利用RAPD技术对采自中国和美国的星天牛属Anoplophora 5个种及8个光肩星天牛Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky)地理种群共13个样品进行了遗传相似性分析。选用了Operon公司生产的引物H系列20个,L系列20个,Q系列11个共51个引物,最后从40个引物中筛选出26个具有多态性的引物作为第一组用于星天牛属种间和光肩星天牛种群间分析,从31个引物中筛选出19个具有多态性的引物作为第二组单独用于光肩星天牛种群分析。根据第一组引物实验获得的RAPD聚类图及遗传距离表明,各个地理种群的光肩星天牛和黄斑星天牛A. nobilis都聚在一起,形成一个大的分枝,而四川星天牛A. freyi、楝星天牛A. horsfieldi和星天牛A. chinensis均在此分枝之外。来自美国纽约和芝加哥的光肩星天牛种群聚于中国光肩星天牛种群之外的另一个独立的分枝上。分布在我国宁夏、内蒙古和河北的光肩星天牛以及宁夏黄斑星天牛和山东、陕西的光肩星天牛分别聚在一起,而甘肃的光肩星天牛与甘肃的黄斑星天牛则聚于另一枝,且它们之间的遗传距离很近,仅为0.1324,说明这两者之间有着极其相近的亲缘关系,由此推断光肩星天牛和黄斑星天牛的差异很小,遗传关系难以区分,进一步证实了它们很可能是同一个种下的两个不同的型。第二组引物实验得到了相似的结果,来自中国的6个光肩星天牛种群全部聚于同一枝中并分成两小枝： 分布于我国宁夏、河北、山东、甘肃的光肩星天牛聚在一起,内蒙古和陕西的光肩星天牛则成另一枝,而分布于美国纽约和芝加哥的光肩星天牛仍聚于中国光肩星天牛种群之外的一个单独的分枝上。但是美国光肩星天牛与中国光肩星天牛之间的遗传距离最近的为0.4578, 最远的为0.5960。由此认为,本研究中采自美国的两个光肩星天牛种群的样本和采自中国的光肩星天牛种群的样本之间存在显著差异,遗传关系较远。有必要从中国和世界其他天牛分布地采集更多样本做进一步DNA 分析。     

Hydraulic architecture of leaf blades: where is the main resistance?

The hydraulic architecture of Laurus nobilis L. and Juglans regia L. leaves was studied using three different approaches: (1) hydraulic measurements of both intact leaves and of leaves subjected to treatments aimed at removing the extra‐vascular resistance; (2) direct measurements of the vascular pressure with a pressure probe; and (3) modelling the hydraulic architecture of leaf venation system on the basis of measurements of vein densities and conductivities. The hydraulic resistance of leaves (R_leaf) either cut, boiled or frozen–thawed was reduced by about 60 and 85% with respect to control leaves for laurel and walnut, respectively. Direct pressure drop measurements suggested that 88% of the resistance resided outside the vascular system in walnut. Model simulations were in agreement with these results provided vein hydraulic conductance was 0.12–0.28 that of the conductance predicted by Poiseuille's law. The results suggest that R_leaf is dominated by substantial extra‐vascular resistances and therefore contrast with the conclusions of recent studies dealing with the hydraulic architecture of the leaf. The present study confirms the ‘classical’ view of the hydraulic architecture of leaves as composed by a low‐resistance component (the venation) and a high‐resistance component (the mesophyll).     

新合成的蛋白质和RNA从离体萌发的花粉中释放

应用同位素放射自显影技术,以~3H-尿嘧啶和~3H-亮氨酸作前体,对人工萌发花粉中新合成的 RNA 和蛋白质进行标记;并借助 RNA 合成抑制剂放线菌素 D 和蛋白质合成抑制剂环己亚胺的对比试验,确证了君子兰花粉在萌发过程中,向外释放了新合成的 RNA 和蛋白质。动态如下:标记后1小时,花粉尚未萌发,大量的 RNA 和蛋白质已合成;2小时后,新合成的蛋白质向花粉管方向转移;5小时后扩散到培养基中。新合成的 RNA 在90分钟内暂留在营养核和生殖细胞中;2小时后扩散到花粉细胞质;3小时后集中到花粉管顶端;5小时后释放到花粉外。文章还讨论了技术的关键问题和现象的生物学意义。     

Effect of invasive tagging on the activity of Holothuria whitmaei [Echinodermata: Holothuroidea]: A suitable mark-recapture method for short-term field studies of holothurian behaviour

Although mark-recapture techniques traditionally have been used to obtain ecological data, tagging of soft-bodied holothurians has proven difficult, and the degree to which invasive tags may confound the behaviour of holothurians remains unclear. In this study, diurnal patterns of activity were monitored in the commercial sea cucumber Holothuria whitmaei (black teatfish) after marking the tegument superficially with a number measuring 30 × 20 mm (to a depth of ≤2 mm). Rates of activity in marked specimens increased significantly in the initial hours following marking, and remained higher than those of unmarked control animals for up to 3 days following the procedure. These results suggest (a) that behaviour in holothurians may initially be compromised by marking the tegument and (b) that improved measures of activity may be obtained following a suitable recovery period. This is a useful finding given the need for improved knowledge of commercial holothurian biology, including diurnal and seasonal patterns of behaviour.