Rapid population divergence linked with co-variation between coloration and sexual display in strawberry poison frogs

The likelihood of speciation is assumed to increase when sexually selected traits diverge together with ecologically important traits. According to sexual selection theory, the evolution of exaggerated display behavior is driven by increased mating success, but limited by natural selection, for example, through predation. However, the evolution of aposematic coloration (i.e., an ecologically important trait) could relieve the evolution of exaggerated display behavior from the bound of predation, resulting in joint divergence in aposematic coloration and sexual display behavior between populations. We tested this idea by examining conspicuousness, using color contrasts between individuals and their native backgrounds, and sexual display of 118 males from genetically diverged populations of the Strawberry poison frog, Dendrobates pumilio. Our results show that the level of conspicuousness of the population predicts the sexual display behavior of males. Males from conspicuous populations used more exposed calling sites. We argue that changes in aposematic coloration may rapidly cause not only postmating isolation due to poorly adapted hybrids, but also premating isolation through shifts in mating behaviors.     

根田鼠栖息地选择的影响因素

2002 年7～9 月在中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统定位站地区对根田鼠的栖息地选择进行了研究。对根田鼠栖息地利用强度变量(一定面积内的跑道长度、跑道分叉数、洞口数) 与12 个栖息地特征变量进行多元线性逐步回归分析表明: 显著影响跑道长度的变量为灌丛高度、竞争性啮齿类、电线杆、早熟禾、围栏、灌丛间距和双子叶植物生物量; 显著影响跑道分叉数的变量为灌丛高度、竞争性啮齿类、电线杆、早熟禾和围栏; 显著影响洞口数的变量为灌丛高度、土壤含水率和围栏。对影响利用强度变量的因素进行综合生态学分析表明,在小生境尺度上, 研究期间影响根田鼠栖息地选择的因素主要为捕食风险和种间竞争, 食物资源和土壤硬度也有一定程度的影响。     

额济纳绿洲胡杨林更新及群落生物多样性动态

研究额济纳绿洲胡杨群落演替中的生物多样性指数与胡杨林年龄、密度、地下水埋深、地表土壤含水量的相互关系,及胡杨更新中的根蘖株数、实生株数与胡杨林年龄、密度相互关系。结果表明:胡杨种群在更新过程中根蘖株数与胡杨年龄、密度相关显著,根蘖性随胡杨年龄增长而加强,随密度增大而减弱,实生株的分布与胡杨年龄相关显著,而与密度、遮萌度相关不显著,实生苗只出现在中龄林中,而在老龄胡杨林和幼龄胡杨林中均无胡杨实生苗;胡杨群落演替过程中生物多样性与群落的土壤含水量、地下水埋深和林冠遮萌度相关不显著,而与胡杨的年龄、密度相关显著,胡杨群落在演替过程中生物多样性和均匀度增高,个体数量却减少,胡杨在种群发育过程不仅表现出自疏现象,并在群落演替过程中表现明显的排斥异种现象。一个观点:逆境生存的建群植物种个体繁殖的最大收益性导致群落演替出现间断现象。由于极端环境胁迫下,胡杨在繁殖对策选择上,在胡杨林内胡杨种群更新选择以无性繁殖为主,而在胡杨林外的其它生境中胡杨种群更新以有性繁殖为主。针对上述观点,胡杨保护和更新在不同的生境中以不同的更新方式进行。     

Adaptive divergence for a fitness-related trait among invasive Ambrosia artemisiifolia populations in France

The impact of natural selection on the adaptive divergence of invasive populations can be assessed by testing the null hypothesis that the extent of quantitative genetic differentiation (Q(ST) ) would be similar to that of neutral molecular differentiation (F(ST) ). Using eight microsatellite loci and a common garden approach, we compared Q(ST) and F(ST) among ten populations of an invasive species Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) in France. In a common garden study with varying water and nutrient levels, we measured Q(ST) for five traits (height, total biomass, reproductive allocation, above- to belowground biomass ratio, and days to flowering). Although low F(ST) indicated weak genetic structure and strong gene flow among populations, we found significant diversifying selection (Q(ST) > F(ST) ) for reproductive allocation that may be closely related to fitness. It suggests that abiotic conditions may have exerted selection pressure on A. artemisiifolia populations to differentiate adaptively, such that populations at higher altitude or latitude evolved greater reproductive allocation. As previous studies indicate multiple introductions from various source populations of A. artemisiifolia in North America, our results suggest that the admixture of introduced populations may have increased genetic diversity and additive genetic variance, and in turn, promoted the rapid evolution and adaptation of this invasive species.     

Genetic differences among populations in sexual dimorphism: evidence for selection on males in a dioecious plant

Genetic variation among populations in the degree of sexual dimorphism may be a consequence of selection on one or both sexes. We analysed genetic parameters from crosses involving three populations of the dioecious plant Silene latifolia, which exhibits sexual dimorphism in flower size, to determine whether population differentiation was a result of selection on one or both sexes. We took the novel approach of comparing the ratio of population differentiation of a quantitative trait (Q(ST) ) to that of neutral genetic markers (F(ST) ) for males vs. females. We attributed 72.6% of calyx width variation in males to differences among populations vs. only 6.9% in females. The Q(ST) /F(ST) ratio was 4.2 for males vs. 0.4 for females, suggesting that selection on males is responsible for differentiation among populations in calyx width and its degree of sexual dimorphism. This selection may be indirect via genetic correlations with other morphological and physiological traits.     

Self seeks like: many humans choose their dog pets following rules used for assortative mating

Theoretical and experimental studies suggest that mating and pair formation are not likely to be random. Assortative mating, characterized as self seeking like, seems to be widely practiced in nature. Experimental evidence for it is strong among humans seeking a mate. Assortative mating increases the probability of finding a genetically similar mate, without fomenting inbreeding, achieving assortative mating without hindering the working of other mate-selection strategies that aim to maximize the search for good genes, optimizing the working of sex in evolutionary terms. Self seeking like seems to be a behavioural inborn trait among humans, and here we present evidence that the same behavioural mechanism seems to be at work when humans choose a pet. We show that in a significant proportion of human–pet pairs, sampled in pet beauty contests, the partners show much higher facial resemblances than can be expected by random pair formation.     

Evidence of post-pollination barriers among three colour morphs of the deceptive orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina (L.) Soó

Floral-colour polymorphism in rewardless orchids has been hypothesized to be maintained by means of naïve insects, which after visiting a flower without reward will tend to fly elsewhere, looking for a flower of a different colour. In this study, levels of male and female reproductive success were monitored in Southern Italy populations of the deceptive orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina, through field observations over 3 years. These populations were characterized by the presence of a rare pink morph which is sympatric with the more frequent yellow and red morphs. In addition, final plant fertility was evaluated through percentages of embryo-containing seeds produced in both natural conditions and hand-pollination experiments. Results showed that pollinator preferences were independent of the morph frequencies and thus do not promote the predicted negative frequency-dependent selection. Although yellow and pink morphs showed significantly higher male reproductive success (RS), we found comparable levels of female RS, which suggest that pollinator behaviour cannot be the main mechanism which maintains this polymorphism. Interestingly, we found different percentages of embryo-containing seeds in fruits set under natural conditions as well as in those obtained from experimental crosses. In particular, pink morph showed a very low intrinsic fertility. Moreover, fertility in intra- was higher than in inter-morph crosses. To our knowledge, this is the first study pointing out the occurrence in the orchid family of post-pollination reproductive barriers. Findings are discussed in light of present hypothesis on the evolution and maintenance of colour polymorphism in deceptive orchids and other angiosperms.     

The effects of controlled propagation on an endangered species: genetic differentiation and divergence in body size among native and captive populations of the Socorro Isopod (Crustacea: Flabellifera)

The endangered Socorro Isopod, Thermosphaeroma thermophilum, is endemic to a single thermal spring in Socorro, NM. This species is cannibalistic, with males more cannibalistic than females, and with females and juveniles more vulnerable than males as prey. In 1990, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, created the Socorro Isopod Propagation Facility (SIPF) near the natural habitat, Sedillo Spring (SS), to increase total population size and to examine the effects of habitat heterogeneity on population growth. We report the genetic and morphological effects of this experiment, using the natural population as a control. Captive subpopulations experienced bottlenecks of known intensity and duration, as well as different intensities of cannibalism. Using 57 AFLP markers, we show that in 6 years (1990–1996), captive subpopulations diverged significantly from the natural population. Also during this 6-year period, body lengths of captive isopods diverged nearly 2-fold from the natural population, evidently because cannibalism and thus selection favoring large size was more intense in captive subpopulations than in nature. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that cannibalism and the apparent response to selection on body size became variable among captive subpopulations when physical structure was added to three of the four SIPF pools in April 1997. As expected if cannibalism was the source of selection for large body size, by August 1998 (15 months = 7–8 generations), the rate at which body size increased became inversely proportional to the amount of physical structure within pools. Although we are unable to separate the specific effects of population subdivision and cannibalism, our results show that these conditions in combination caused rapid changes in genetic variation and the external morphology of these captive subpopulations. Our results have important implications for future attempts to manage and propagate endangered species.     

治疗性抗体药物开发中IgG亚型选择

治疗性抗体药物针对不同的适应证具有专一性和有效性。目前已上市的治疗性抗体药物多是以IgG为框架开发的,并且绝大部分属于IgG1亚型。在治疗性抗体药物的开发中,由于各亚型具有不同的结构与功能,影响其理化性质、生物活性和触发效应功能的能力等,为达到期望的治疗效果并且避免不良反应,应选择适宜的抗体亚型进行抗体设计。主要综述了影响IgG亚型选择的相关因素,以及IgG1、IgG2和IgG4亚型在治疗性抗体药物开发中的应用研究,以期为治疗性抗体药物研发提供新思路。     

Host selection by the Louse Fly Crataerina pallida, an avian nest ectoparasite of the Common Swift Apus apus

Preferences by parasites for particular hosts may have important implications for the functioning of host–parasite systems, however, this parasitic life-history trait remains little studied. No detrimental effect of Louse Fly Crataerina pallida parasitism has been found on Common Swift Apus apus nestling hosts. Host selection choices may be mediating the effect this parasite has and account for this apparent avirulence. Two aspects of parasite host selection were studied at a breeding colony of Common Swifts during 2008; (1) intra-brood differences in C. pallida parasitism were studied to determine the influence of nestling rank, (2) differences in male and female C. pallida parasitism were investigated, as they may result in varying costs of parasitism to hosts. C. pallida populations were found to preferentially parasitize higher rather than lower ranking nestlings within broods of both two and three chicks. Greater proportions of females were seen upon nestlings than at the nest, and upon higher ranking than lower ranking nestlings within broods. These results indicate that host selection occurs and this may thus account for the lack of parasitic virulence reported within this host–parasite system.