Stoichiometry in an ecological context: testing for links between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daphnia</Emphasis> P-content,growth rate and habitat preference

We used laboratory experiments with ten Daphnia taxa to test for links between Daphnia P-content, growth rate and habitat preference. The taxa represent a wide range of body sizes and most show distinct preferences for one of three habitats: shallow lakes, deep, stratified lakes or fishless ponds. Previous studies show that taxa from shallow lakes and fishless ponds experience high predation risk and rich food resources, whereas taxa from deep lakes experience low predation risk, strong food limitation and potentially P-deficient resources. Thus, we predicted higher P-content and higher maximal growth rates in taxa from ponds and shallow lakes and lower P-content, lower maximal growth but reduced sensitivity to P-limitation in taxa preferring stratified lakes. In each of 25 experiments, a clonal Daphnia cohort was cultured for 4 days on a P-sufficient (molar C:P ratio 70) or a P-deficient (C:P 1,000) diet of a green alga at a high concentration (1 mg C l^–1). The P-content of adult Daphnia fed the P-sufficient diet ranged from 1.52 to 1.22% mass. Small-bodied taxa from shallow lakes had higher P-content than larger-bodied taxa from deep lakes or fishless ponds. However, we found a nonsignificant negative correlation between P-content and growth on the P-sufficient diet, rather than the positive relationship predicted by the growth rate hypothesis. The P-deficient diet resulted in declines in both growth rate and P-content compared with the P-sufficient controls and the extent of the declines differed between taxa. Taxa from ponds showed a marginally greater decline in growth with the P-deficient diet compared with taxa from shallow or deep lakes. However, contrary to stoichiometric theory, no relationship was found between a species P-content and growth depression on the P-deficient diet. Although we found evidence for habitat adaptations, our results show that factors other than Daphnia P-content are important in determining differences between Daphnia species in both maximal growth rate and sensitivity to P-limited growth.     

Protective role of 20-hydroxyecdysone against lead stress in Chlorella vulgaris cultures

Treatment of cultured C. vulgaris cells with 10(-6)-10(-4) M lead decreased their growth and chemical composition during the first 48 h of cultivation. However, at concentrations above 10(-4) M, lead is cytotoxic to Chlorella vulgaris cells, resulting in cellular fragmentation and lysis. In contrast, at concentrations below 10(-6) M lead had no influence on the growth and metabolism of C. vulgaris cells. 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) (10(-10)-10(-8) M) increased growth and chemical composition of C. vulgaris cells over a concentration range. Levels per cell of chlorophylls, protein, sugars are all increased by 20E treatment, when compared to non-treated control cells. However, the cultures treated with 20E and lead show a lower stimulation than the cultures treated with 20E alone. The effects of 20E mixed with lead on the growth and the level of cellular lead, chlorophyll, sugar and protein in C. vulgaris are also reported. The decreased growth and composition of C. vulgaris cells treated with lead was restored by the 20E. Application of 20E to C. vulgaris cultures reduced the impact of lead stress on growth, prevented chlorophyll, sugar and protein loss and increased phytochelatins synthesis. Furthermore, 20E did not restore toxic effect of lead on C. vulgaris cells. The combined treatment with lead and 20E appeared to have a stimulatory effect on the above parameters during the 48 h of cultivation, as compared to the control. 20E reduced the toxicity of lead and the growth recovered to the level of cells treated with 20E alone. Concentration-dependent stimulation was observed with increasing concentration of 20E and decreasing concentration of lead.     

遮荫对夏玉米产量及生长发育的影响

在大田条件下研究了不同时期和不同程度遮荫对夏玉米产量及生长发育的影响.结果表明,遮荫显著降低玉米产量.不同时期遮荫对其影响不同,花粒期（从开花到成熟期）遮荫的影响最显著,农大108（ND108）和掖单13号（YD13）遮荫50%、90%处理分别减产67.5%、79.4%和82.9%和86.7%,其次是穗期（从拔节到开花期）遮荫,ND108和YD13分别减产34.1%、55.3%和47.2%、65.7%,而苗期（从出苗到拔节期）遮荫对其影响相对较小,ND108和YD13分别减产16.9%、24.5%和18.9%、24.3%.遮荫对YD13产量的影响大于ND108.遮荫时期对玉米产量的影响显著地大于遮荫程度.遮荫后两个玉米品种的生育进程都延迟,并随着遮荫程度的增加,对其影响加剧.穗期遮荫显著影响玉米的穗分化,花丝数和雄穗分枝数显著降低,对YD13的影响大于ND108.苗期和穗期遮荫显著抑制玉米叶面积、株高和茎节的生长.     

RBEs of Thermal Neutron Capture Therapy and 10B(n,α)7 Li Reaction on Melanoma-Bearing Hamsters

Using Greene's melanoma transplanted into Syrian (golden) hamsters, we determined the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of thermal neutron capture therapy (TNCT) using ¹⁰B-paraboronophenylalanine (¹⁰B-BPA) in comparison with a 9-MeV electron beam. We also obtained the RBE of the ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li reaction by calculation based on summed dose data from TNCT. Throughout this study, the Kyoto University Research Reactor was used as the source for thermal neutrons; the reactor was specially altered to attain a low contamination level both for gamma-rays and fast neutrons. ¹⁰B-BPA was administered 8 hours before thermal neutron irradiation to the hamsters with melanoma. The tumor was then irradiated at 5 MW for 90 minutes. The absorbed dose from this TNCT was calculated by the method of Fairchild and Goodman (Phys. Med. Biol. 1966; 2:15–30). The RBEs of the TNCT and the ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li reaction obtained by the tumor growth delay time (TGDT) method were 2.22 and 2.51, respectively, at 10.5 days of TGDT. These RBE values varied with TGDT and the absorbed dose. The RBE value of TNCT had a peak at 7.0 days of TGDT; that of the ¹⁰B(n,α)⁷Li reaction was higher at a low absorbed dose level and lower at a high absorbed dose level.     

模拟水流条件下初级生产力及光动力学参数

为探讨水动力作用及其他物理因子改变对湖泊初级生产力的影响 ,1999年 5月 8日～ 6月 2 4日在中国科学院太湖湖泊生态系统研究站大型生态实验槽内进行模拟水动力实验 ,分 3种水流状态 2种光强测定初级生产力及其他相关参数。分析了初级生产力、光合速率的垂直分布 ,光合速率随光强的变化 ,并借助光动力学模型拟合得到光动力学参数。结果表明 ,在静止状态下 ,当水表面光强大于 5 0 0μmol/ (m2 · s)时 ,0～ 0 .4 m处存在光抑制现象 ,最大初级生产力出现在 0 .4～ 0 .6 m,此后由于动力作用使水体悬浮物增加 ,改变了水下光照条件 ,致使最大初级生产力呈向上移动的趋势 ,出现在 0～ 0 .2 m间 ;光合速率在静止状态下随深度递减缓慢 ,而到大水流状态则递减极为迅速 ,大水流状态下的平均光合速率明显低于静止状态和小水流状态 ;基于 2种类型的光动力学模型进行非线性拟合得到的 P- I曲线相关性很好 ,2种模型模拟的结果比较接近 ,基本上能够反映太湖光合速率随光强变化的实际情况 ;在太湖这种大型浅水湖泊 ,水动力的作用使得水体中悬浮物增加 ,造成光强的迅速衰减 ,这可能会大大降低湖泊的初级生产过程     

培养基成分对口腔福赛类杆菌生长影响的研究

目的比较不同培养基成分对福赛类杆菌ATCC43037生长的影响,寻找一种有效促进福赛类杆菌生长的培养基.方法将福赛类杆菌ATCC430 37 接种到5种不同培养基(包括琼脂板和液体培养基)中,在厌氧培养箱内37℃厌氧培养7 d,观察平板上菌落生长情况,在λ=550 nm处每24 h测定液体培养菌液A值.细菌通过革兰染色和PCR法鉴定.结果1.生长在血平板上的福赛类杆菌ATCC43037菌落形态呈粉红色或白色小斑点状,在以BHI 为基础培养基中添加氯化血红素、维生素K3、N-乙酰胞壁酸的No2血琼脂培养基生长最好,而在无氯化血红素、维生素K3及血的No4琼脂板上不生长.2.福赛类杆菌ATCC43037在以TSB 为基础培养基中添加酵母提取物、植物蛋白胨、氯化血红素、维生素K3、N-乙酰胞壁酸和D TT的No1液体培养基生长最好,培养7 d后A值＞0.8,在缺乏N-乙酰胞壁酸的No5液体培养基中几乎不生长.3.菌落细菌革兰染色为G 梭状杆菌,PCR法鉴定为福赛类杆菌.结论福赛类杆菌在血平板和液体培养基中存在不同的生长特性,N-乙酰胞壁酸是福赛类杆菌在液体培养基中生长最重要的成分,DTT有益于细菌生长.     

Application of species richness estimators for the assessment of fungal diversity

Species richness and distribution patterns of wood-inhabiting fungi and mycetozoans (slime moulds) were investigated in the canopy of a Central European temperate mixed deciduous forest. Species richness was described with diversity indices and species-accumulation curves. Nonmetrical multidimensional scaling was used to assess fungal species composition on different tree species. Different species richness estimators were used to extrapolate species richness beyond our own data. The reliability of the abundance-based coverage estimator, Chao, Jackknife and other estimators of species richness was evaluated for mycological surveys. While the species-accumulation curve of mycetozoans came close to saturation, that of wood-inhabiting fungi was continuously rising. The Chao 2 richness estimator was considered most appropriate to predict the number of species at the investigation site if sampling were continued. Gray's predictor of species richness should be used if statements of the number of species in larger areas are required. Multivariate analysis revealed the importance of different tree species for the conservation and maintenance of fungal diversity within forests, because each tree species possessed a characteristic fungal community. The described mathematical approaches of estimating species richness possess great potential to address fungal diversity on a regional, national, and global scale.     

南京郊区小菊访花昆虫的行为与活动规律

2006年6-10月对中国菊花种质资源保存中心内栽培小菊的访花昆虫进行了观察.结果表明:小菊的访花昆虫有32种,多数隶属于膜翅目、鳞翅目、双翅目和半翅目;不同月份访花昆虫的种类不同;不同种类访花者的形态特征、访花目的及访花行为有所不同,在植物传粉中的作用有很大差异;西方蜜蜂(Apis mellifera)为小菊的主要传粉者,其种群数量大,平均访花频率达16朵·min-1;晴天,西方蜜蜂和大红蛱蝶(Vanessa indica)的访花蜂数与温度的变化呈显著正相关(r=0.876,0.887);气温骤降、阴天及降雨会影响访花昆虫的种类和数量;同一天内不同时间,访花昆虫的访花频率有差异,一般每天11:00-13:00的访花频率最高.     

Effects of temperature on embryonic and early larval growth and development in the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa)

We investigated the effects of temperature on the growth and development of embryonic and early larval stages of a western North American amphibian, the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa). We assigned newt eggs to different temperatures (7, 14, or 21 °C); after hatching, we re-assigned the newt larvae into the three different temperatures. Over the course of three to four weeks, we measured total length and developmental stage of the larvae. Our results indicated a strong positive relationship over time between temperature and both length and developmental stage. Importantly, individuals assigned to cooler embryonic temperatures did not achieve the larval sizes of individuals from the warmer embryonic treatments, regardless of larval temperature. Our investigation of growth and development at different temperatures demonstrates carry-over effects and provides a more comprehensive understanding of how organisms respond to temperature changes during early development.