Numerical analysis of a reinforcement learning model with the dynamic aspiration level in the iterated Prisoner's dilemma

The phenomenon of geographic parthenogenesis is closely tied to the question of why sexual reproduction is the dominant mode of reproduction in animals and plants. Geographic parthenogenesis describes the fact that many species reproduce asexually at the boundaries of their range. We present a mathematical model that derives the dominance of sexuals at the center and the dominance of asexuals at the boundary of a species' range from exactly the same mechanism. Our model is based on a set of resources that regrow slowly and that can be consumed only by those individuals that have a suitable genotype. Genotype is implemented by a multilocus model with two alleles at each locus, and with free recombination during production of sexual offspring. The model is tailored to seasonal species with intermittent mixis and low survival of offspring, such as Daphnia and aphids. Several patches of resources are arranged in a row, with a gradient of those parameters that typically vary through the range of species. By letting sexually and asexually reproducing populations compete, we obtain the typical patterns of geographic parthenogenesis.     

Bioreactor technology in marine microbiology: from design to future application

Marine micro-organisms have been playing highly diverse roles over evolutionary time: they have defined the chemistry of the oceans and atmosphere. During the last decades, the bioreactors with novel designs have become an important tool to study marine microbiology and ecology in terms of: marine microorganism cultivation and deep-sea bioprocess characterization; unique bio-chemical product formation and intensification; marine waste treatment and clean energy generation. In this review we briefly summarize the current status of the bioreactor technology applied in marine microbiology and the critical parameters to take into account during the reactor design. Furthermore, when we look at the growing population, as well as, the pollution in the coastal areas of the world, it is urgent to find sustainable practices that beneficially stimulate both the economy and the natural environment. Here we outlook a few possibilities where innovative bioreactor technology can be applied to enhance energy generation and food production without harming the local marine ecosystem.     

向日葵种质的SSR分析

以向日葵种质‘阜8321,的114份单株为材料,利用23对引物进行SSR分析.结果表明,23对引物扩增共获得57条带,其中24条多态性带,多态性比率为42.11％.聚类分析显示114个个体间遗传相似性较高,遗传相似系数为0.86～1.00,在遗传相似系数0.87附近,可将114份单株分为两个类群,第一类群包括4份样品,其余110个单株为第二类群.PopGen 3.2软件分析得出种质内个体间平均有效基因位点数、平均香农指数和位点预期杂合度分别为1.4682、0.4078和0.2606.说明该种质个体间SSR位点存在一定的差异,为异质型种质,在繁种更新中应注意维持其遗传完整性.     

不同供氮水平下反枝苋的化感作用与资源竞争能力

为探讨反枝苋(Amaranthus retroflexus)在入侵农田生态系统过程中的化感作用与资源竞争能力之间的关系,采用添加活性炭的方法,比较了在有无活性炭条件下,反枝苋与大豆(Glycine max)的生物量积累、生物量分配及不同器官含氮量随供氮水平的变化情况。结果表明,在低供氮水平时,化感作用在竞争中占有的比重较大,在高供氮水平时,化感作用所占的比重相对降低;在高供氮条件下,反枝苋增加了对根和叶的生物量分配,而在低供氮条件下,则增加对繁殖器官的生物量分配;在氮素营养贫瘠的条件下,添加活性炭的大豆含氮量要明显小于不添加活性炭时,随着供氮水平的上升,差异逐渐减小。说明在入侵过程中,反枝苋可以通过调节自身的化感作用和生物量分配来适应不同的氮素营养条件。     

基于生态系统方法的大海洋生态系管理

大海洋生态系是指海洋中具有独特海洋学和生态学特征的一个较大的区域,其自然特性要求采用基于生态系统的方法对其进行管理.一系列的国际条约和章程均明确或间接支持采用基于生态系统方法管理大海洋生态系,实现海洋资源的可持续利用.实践方面,加拿大、澳大利亚、美国等采用了基于生态系统方法对其海洋进行管理,全球环境基金会等国际组织实施了一些基于生态系统方法的大海洋生态系项目,加勒比共同体等区域组织建立了旨在实现其渔业可持续发展的区域渔业机制.而基于生态系统方法的大海洋生态系管理能否最终成功实施,不仅是一个科学和法律问题,而且在很大程度上也是一个政治问题,依赖于相关国 家的政治意愿与相互合作的程度.     

秦岭太白山北坡土壤拮抗性放线菌分布及特性

以太白山北坡12个不同海拔高度的代表性土样为研究对象,采用皿内琼脂块法筛选拮抗性放线茵.结果表明:在太白山北坡不同海拔高度土壤中生存着大量拮抗性放线菌,在分离出的141株放线菌中,有82.3％的放线菌对21种靶标菌有拮抗作用.其中,海拔800～1845、3488、3655和3670 m土壤中的拮抗性放线菌分别占其总数73.7％～86.8％、81.3％、78.9％及82.3％,在海拔1200～2300及3400 m以上土壤中分离到的广谱强拮抗性放线菌占其总数的42.1％.在拮抗性放线菌中,对金黄色葡萄球菌有强拮抗性的放线菌占拮抗菌总数的24.1％,对棉花黄萎病、草莓疫霉及人参根腐病原菌等多种植物病原菌有强拮抗性的放线菌分别占拮抗菌总数的2.4％、6.9％和11.2％.土壤放线菌拮抗潜势SAAP可作为评价土壤中拮抗性放线菌资源蕴藏量的定量指标.     

芋螺毒素基因资源研究进展

芋螺毒素和微生物的次生代谢产物与植物的生物碱一样,具有生物多样性的特点。芋螺毒素特有的二硫键骨架和化学修饰后特异的空间结构,使其具有特异的稳定性和药理学活性。对芋螺毒素基因的分析和新型基因的克隆筛选,是深入研究各种受体、离子通道及其亚型,进而在克隆表达的靶受体上设计和筛选高效新药的前提。芋螺毒素基因资源的研究在芋螺毒素新基因及其编码产物毒素肽的发现与利用方面发挥了重要作用。现对该领域的新进展进行论述。     

Changes in soil and vegetation following stabilisation of dunes in the southeastern fringe of the Tengger Desert, China

Properties of the soil and sand-binding vegetation were measured at five sites plus a control on dunes of the Tengger Desert stabilized for periods of up to 50 years. In the topsoil, fine particles, total N, P, K and organic matter increased significantly with increasing site age. However, there were no significant changes in deeper soil profiles (>0.4 m depth). Soil pH, calcium carbonate content, and total salt content tended to increase with age. Soil water in the topsoil changed little with increasing age, but was closely related to rainfall during the 50-year period. For deeper soil layers (0.4–3.0 m) soil water decreased significantly with age. After revegetation, the number of herbaceous species increased up to 30 years and then levelled off to 12–14 species, whereas the number of shrub species decreased from the 10 initial sand-binding species to only 3 species. Shrub cover decreased from a highest average of about 33% to the current 9%, whereas cover and biomass of herbaceous species increased throughout succession from 1956 to 2006. The development of soil and cryptogamic crusts on the surface of stabilized dunes enhanced the colonization and establishment of herbaceous plants due to increasing water availability, clay and silt content and soil nutrients. We propose that changes in properties of the surface soil led to increased interception of water, favoring shallow rooted grasses and forbs over perennial shrubs.     

Pond canopy cover: a resource gradient for anuran larvae

1. The gradient in pond canopy cover strongly influences freshwater species distributions. This study tested the effects of canopy cover on the performance of two species of larval anurans, a canopy cover generalist (Rana sylvatica, the wood frog) and an open‐canopy specialist (R. pipiens, the leopard frog), and tested which factors co‐varying with canopy cover mediate these effects. 2. A field transplant experiment demonstrated that canopy cover had negative performance effects on both species. However, leopard frogs, which grow faster than wood frogs in open‐canopy ponds, were more strongly affected by closed‐canopy pond conditions. 3. Closed‐canopy ponds had lower temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and food nutritional quality as indicated by carbon‐to‐nitrogen ratio (C : N) analysis of field‐sampled food types, and of gut contents of transplanted larvae. 4. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that higher temperature and food quality but not DO substantially increased larval growth. However, only food quality increased growth rates of leopard frogs more than wood frogs. 5. The strong correlation of growth rates to gut content C : N in the field, and the similarity of growth curves as a function of resource quality in the field and laboratory, strongly suggest that resources are of primary importance in mediating intraspecific, and especially interspecific differences in performance across the canopy cover gradient.