Intraspecific variability in leaf traits strongly affects alder leaf decomposition in a stream

This study assessed the intraspecific variability of senescent leaves of alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertn.) and the effects of this variability on leaf decomposition in streams. Leaves were collected at five geographically distant locations in Europe. We analyzed 10 batches of leaf samples for seven quantitative leaf traits as well as leaf decomposition rate in coarse and fine mesh bags exposed in a single stream. The geographic origin of leaf samples largely explained the observed variation in litter quality and decomposition rate. Phosphorus (0.034–0.187%) and lignin (3.9–18.7%) concentrations in leaves varied widely. Together, these two traits accurately predicted leaf decomposition rate (r²=84.1%). Intraspecific variation in leaf decomposition rate was within a range similar to that reported for interspecific variation among co-occurring riparian plant species in Europe. Our study demonstrates extensive intraspecific variability in leaf traits on a continental scale, which can have enormous effects on major ecosystem processes such as leaf decomposition.     

沙丘稀有种准噶尔无叶豆花部综合特征与传粉适应性

植物花部特征进化与传粉适应性一直是进化生态学领域关注的核心问题之一。以古尔班通古特沙漠自然生长的准噶尔无叶豆为对象,对其花部特征和传粉特性进行了野外观察和室内的分析研究。结果表明:种群花期历时21 d,花序花期历时7-12 d,单花花期一般3 d,若遇阴雨天气,花期可延长1-2 d,整个花期龙骨瓣一直保持闭合状态。单花10枚花药在旗瓣微张时已全部完成散粉。准噶尔无叶豆主要靠分泌花蜜、鲜艳的花色以及旗瓣基部的黄色辐射状纹理结构吸引传粉者。准噶尔无叶豆花期的有效传粉者为4种蜂类昆虫,它们的平均访花频率为(7.75±0.57)次·花^-1·d^-1,访花高峰期表现为三峰型: 13:00-14:00,16:00-17:00和19:00-20:00。准噶尔无叶豆人工套袋实验表明该种为自交亲和型,主动自交少见,生殖成功依赖传粉者。胚珠成功受精至果实完全成熟阶段存在自交衰退,柱头角质层结构和花粉刷结构是准噶尔无叶豆在进化过程中形成的减少自交,倾向异交的机制。     

多元性状同胞对连锁分析方法及其在原发性高血压基因定位数据中的应用

提出新的以广义最小二乘法原理处理同胞对数据间的相关性,以多元响应回归的方法处理多个性状数据间的相关性的多元性状同胞对连锁分析方法,模型的参数估计使用MCMC方法．并把此模型应用于原发性高血压基因定位的实际数据中．结果表明,与把多元性状拆成单一性状进行分析的方法相比,本文的方法可以提高估计的精度和检验的效能．     

Autoinduction of bacterial bioluminescence in a carbon limited chemostat

Several strains of four species of luminous marine bacteria were maintained in a chemostat at a constant dilution rate and a variety of steady state densities by carbon (glycerol) limitation in order to study the relationship between culture density and bioluminescence activity. In general, luminescence per cell was constant at high culture density, and decreased dramatically at low culture density. For Vibrio fischeri, luminescence decreased to nondectable levels when the culture was maintained at low density; such dark cells were stimulated to synthesize luciferase and became luminous within minutes when purified autoinducer was added to the chemostat. Two strains, Photobacterium phosphoreum NZ11D and Photobacterium leiognathi S1, did not show the decrease in light intensity at low culture density that was characteristic of all other strains tested; they appeared to be constitutive for bioluminescence.Abbreviations BCM basal salts glycerol medium - BM basal salts medium - BSA bovine serum albumin - D dilution rate - DTT dilitiothreitol - LU light unit=2×10¹⁰ quanta s^-1 - OD optical density - SWC sea water complete medium - specific growth rate     

福寿螺表型性状的空间尺度变异

格局和尺度是生态学的核心概念。尺度的变化可能导致生态学格局的改变。入侵物种性状的变异会对种群的建立和扩散产生重要的影响。为了研究入侵物种福寿螺(Pomacea canaliculata)表型性状的尺度变异并推测可能的作用机制,在广东省开展了福寿螺的体质量、体高、体宽、壳口宽4个表型性状在城市、乡镇、生境、样方、个体5个空间尺度上变异的研究。通过拟合混合模型,进行方差分解,结果发现个体和样方差异解释了近80%的性状变异,生境的差异解释了除体重外其他性状的剩余变异;除体重外乡镇和城市尺度上性状的变异并不明显。结果进一步表明,区域尺度的过程如气候特征等对福寿螺表型性状变异不起主要作用;福寿螺种群特征的研究及防控的重点应考虑其遗传结构特征及局部尺度环境因素。通过不同尺度下性状的变异系数和频度分布曲线的分析,进一步验证了以上结果。     

Condition dependence and the maintenance of genetic variance in a sexually dimorphic black scavenger fly

The maintenance of genetic variation in traits under strong sexual selection is a longstanding problem in evolutionary biology. The genic capture model proposes that this problem can be explained by the evolution of condition dependence in exaggerated male traits. We tested the predictions that condition dependence should be more pronounced in male sexual traits and that genetic variance in expression of these traits should increase under stress as among‐genotype variation in overall condition is exposed. Genetic variance in female and nonsexual traits should, by contrast, be similar across environments as a result of stabilizing selection on trait expression. The relationship between the degree of sexual dimorphism, condition dependence and additive genetic variance (V_a) was assessed for two morphological traits (body size and relative fore femur width) affecting male mating success in the black scavenger fly Sepsis punctum (Diptera: Sepsidae) and for development time (a nonsexual trait often correlated with body size). We compared trait expression between the sexes for two cross‐continental populations that differ in degree of sexual dimorphism (Ottawa and Zurich). Condition dependence was indeed most pronounced in males of the strongly dimorphic Zurich population (males larger), and V_a was similar for males and females unless the trait was strongly sex specific and condition dependent. Contrary to prediction, however, V_a primarily increased under food limitation in both sexes, and genetic variance in fore femur width was low to nil, perhaps depleted by putatively strong sexual selection. Solely for body size of Zurich males, V_a increased more in males than females at limited food, in accordance with the predictions of the genic capture model. Overall therefore, quantitative genetic evidence in support of the model was inconsistent and weak at best.     

狂犬病疫苗蔗糖密度梯度离心纯化工艺开发

目的:开发冻干人用狂犬病疫苗(鸡胚成纤维细胞)的连续流蔗糖密度梯度离心纯化工艺。方法:分别比较两种不同初始蔗糖浓度和不同上样速度对纯化效果的影响,初步确定纯化工艺;通过多批次实验确定样品收集范围;比较不同浓缩倍数条件下杂质去除和抗原回收情况,确定合适的收获液浓缩比例;比较不同批次样品纯化后的杂质去除率和重复性,判定本纯化工艺的稳定性。结果:选取60%作为初始蔗糖浓度,在上样速度为150～200ml/min时,可以有效地对10倍浓缩的病毒收获液进行纯化;卵清蛋白、牛血清白蛋白和庆大霉素去除率分别达到99%,95%和95%,且工艺具有极好的稳定性。结论:开发的连续流蔗糖密度梯度离心技术可以作为冻干人用狂犬病疫苗(鸡胚成纤维细胞)的产业化纯化工艺。     

Trait coordination and environmental filters shape functional trait distributions of forest understory herbs

1. Understanding the drivers of trait selection is critical for resolving community assembly processes. Here, we test the importance of environmental filtering and trait covariance for structuring the functional traits of understory herbaceous communities distributed along a natural environmental resource gradient that varied in soil moisture, temperature, and nitrogen availability, produced by different topographic positions in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
2. To uncover potential differences in community‐level trait responses to the resource gradient, we quantified the averages and variances of both abundance‐weighted and unweighted values for six functional traits (vegetative height, leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen, and leaf δ¹³C) using 15 individuals of each of the 108 species of understory herbs found at two sites in the southern Appalachians of western North Carolina, USA.
3. Environmental variables were better predictors of weighted than unweighted community‐level average trait values for all but height and leaf N, indicating strong environmental filtering of plant abundance. Community‐level variance patterns also showed increased convergence of abundance‐weighted traits as resource limitation became more severe.
4. Functional trait covariance patterns based on weighted averages were uniform across the gradient, whereas coordination based on unweighted averages was inconsistent and varied with environmental context. In line with these results, structural equation modeling revealed that unweighted community‐average traits responded directly to local environmental variation, whereas weighted community‐average traits responded indirectly to local environmental variation through trait coordination.
5. Our finding that trait coordination is more important for explaining the distribution of weighted than unweighted average trait values along the gradient indicates that environmental filtering acts on multiple traits simultaneously, with abundant species possessing more favorable combinations of traits for maximizing fitness in a given environment.

     

Cadmium hyperaccumulation and reproductive traits in natural Thlaspi caerulescens populations

During the last decade, the metal hyperaccumulating plants have attracted considerable attention because of their potential use in decontamination of heavy metal contaminated soils. However, in most species, little is known regarding the function, the ecological and the evolutionary significances of hyperaccumulation. In our study, we investigated the parameters influencing the Cd concentration in plants as well as the biological implications of Cd hyperaccumulation in nine natural populations of Thlaspi caerulescens. First, we showed that Cd concentration in the plant was positively correlated with plant Zn, Fe, and Cu concentrations. This suggested that the physiological and/or molecular mechanisms for uptake, transport and/or accumulation of these four heavy metals interact with each other. Second, we specified a measure of Cd hyperaccumulation capacity by populations and showed that T. caerulescens plants originating from populations with high Cd hyperaccumulation capacity had better growth, by developing more and bigger leaves, taller stems, and produced more fruits and heavier seeds. These results suggest a tolerance/disposal role of Cd hyperaccumulation in this species.