The taxonomic status, distribution and conservation of the lowland anoa Bubalus depressicornis and mountain anoa Bubalus quarlesi

1. The anoas are two species of dwarf buffalo, the lowland anoa Bubalus depressicornis and mountain anoa Bubalus quarlesi that are endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The classification of the subgenus Anoa within Bubalus is upheld by assessment of recent genetic and morphological research. The classification of anoas into two species is still debated, but with the absence of significant opposing evidence, this position is adopted here. 2. Information about the distribution of the two species is presented that adds to but largely supports existing reports. However, it is still uncertain whether the two putative species are sympatric or parapatric in their distribution. A review of anoa distribution from historical reports and recent field data (1990s to 2002) highlights their decline throughout Sulawesi, especially in the southern and north-eastern peninsulas. The decline has been attributed to local hunting for meat and habitat loss. Most populations are rapidly becoming fragmented, suggesting that the conservation of viable populations may eventually require management of metapopulations. 3. There is an urgent requirement for conservation efforts to: (i) protect anoas from hunting; (ii) prevent habitat loss in key sites; (iii) complete genetic studies to better determine the number of anoa taxa and Management Units and assess their distribution; and (iv) determine the status of the remaining anoa populations.     

Changing attitudes in nature conservation: the Nature Conservancy and Nature Conservancy Council

An official organization responsible for ecological research and nature conservation was formed in 1949. This paper traces its development and vicissitudes, first as an independent Nature Conservancy, then as a part of the Natural Environment Research Council, and finally as the Nature Conservancy Council. Much has been achieved: ecology is now a household word; there is a strong voluntary tide for nature conservation in the country; and there have been notable achievements in practical conservation. But the dangers to nature in Britain have proved to be much greater than anticipated.     

When is an island not an island? Insular effects and their causes in fynbos shrublands

Summary According to the equilibrium theory of island biogeography, insularisation will lead to species loss from habitat remnants. Extinctions will continue untill species number equilibrates at a level appropriate for the size and isolation of the island remnants. We tested whether insularisation leads to species loss by comparing plant species numbers on islands of fynbos shrublands surrounded by Afrotemperate evergreen forest with extensive mainland tracts of fynbos. Species area curves for islands and subsamples of mainland had significantly different slopes (z _island=0.43, z _mainland=0.16). Small islands had the fewest species (less than one fifth) relative to mainland samples of similar size. The species area curves intersect at 590 ha so that reserve sizes of this order of magnitude are needed to avoid species losses relative to extensive areas of fynbos.We compared traits of species on islands and mainlands to determine processes most affected by insularisation. Island floras did not differ from the mainland in the mix of dispersal types, pollinator syndromes or proportion of dioecious species. Islands did have significantly fewer species of low stature and significantly more species that survive fire only as seed and not by resprouting. We infer that the main cause of species loss is change in disturbance frequency. Islands have fewer fires and lose species dependent on frequent fires. We predict that island effects could be reduced by judicious fire management of small reserves.     

Purification and properties of a F420-nonreactive,membrane-bound hydrogenase from Methanosarcina strain Gö1

The distribution of the F₄₂₀-reactive and F₄₂₀-nonreactive hydrogenases from the methylotrophic Methanosarcina strain Gö1 indicated a membrane association of the F₄₂₀-nonreactive enzyme. The membrane-bound F₄₂₀-nonreactive hydrogenase was purified 42-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity with a yield of 26.7%. The enzyme had a specific activity of 359 mol H₂ oxidized · min^-1 · mg protein^-1. The purification procedure involved dispersion of the membrane fraction with the detergent Chaps followed by anion exchange, hydrophobic and hydroxylapatite chromatography. The aerobically prepared enzyme had to be reactivated anaerobically. Maximal activity was observed at 80°C. The molecular mass as determined by native gel electrophoresis and gel filtration was 77000 and 79000, respectively. SDS gel electrophoresis revealed two polypeptides with molecular masses of 60000 and 40000 indicating a 1:1 stoichiometry. The purified enzyme contained 13.3 mol S^2-, 15.1 mol Fe and 0.8 mol Ni/mol enzyme. Flavins were not detected. The amino acid sequence of the N-termini of the subunits showed a higher degree of homology to cubacterial uptake-hydrogenases than to F₄₂₀-dependent hydrogenases from other methanogenic bacteria. The physiological function of the F₄₂₀-nonreactive hydrogenase from Methanosarcina strain Gö1 is discussed.Abbreviations transmembrane electrochemical gradient of H^- - CoM-SH 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate - F₄₂₀ (N-l-lactyl--l-glutamyl)-l-glutamic acid phospodiester of 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin-5-phosphate - F₄₂₀H₂ reduced F₄₂₀ - HTP-SH 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate - Mb. Methanobacterium - PMSF phenylmethyl-sulfonylfluoride - Cl₃AcOH trichloroacetic acid     

Amino acid substitution analysis of E. coli thymidylate synthase: The study of a highly conserved region at the N-terminus

Amino acid substitution analysis within a highly conserved region of Escherichia coli thymidylate synthase (TS), using suppression of amber mutations by tRNA suppressors, has yielded a bank of 124 new mutationally altered TS proteins. These mutant proteins have been used to study the structure-function relationship of the Escherichia coli TS protein at the N-terminus corresponding to residues 20 through 35. This region contains a block of amino acids whose sequence has been well conserved among other known TS proteins from various organisms. Positions 20 through 25 contain a surface loop structure and positions 26 through 35 encompass a β-strand. We find that residues surrounding a β-bulge structure within the β-strand are particularly sensitive to amino acid substitution, suggesting that this structure is maintained by a highly ordered packing arrangement. Three residues in the surface loop that are present at the base of the substrate binding pocket are also sensitive to amino acid substitution. The remainder of the conserved sites, including those at the dimer interface, are tolerant to most, if not all, of the substitutions tested. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Environment-specific amino acid substitution tables: tertiary templates and prediction of protein folds.

The local environment of an amino acid in a folded protein determines the acceptability of mutations at that position. In order to characterize and quantify these structural constraints, we have made a comparative analysis of families of homologous proteins. Residues in each structure are classified according to amino acid type, secondary structure, accessibility of the side chain, and existence of hydrogen bonds from the side chains. Analysis of the pattern of observed substitutions as a function of local environment shows that there are distinct patterns, especially for buried polar residues. The substitution data tables are available on diskette with Protein Science. Given the fold of a protein, one is able to predict sequences compatible with the fold (profiles or templates) and potentially to discriminate between a correctly folded and misfolded protein. Conversely, analysis of residue variation across a family of aligned sequences in terms of substitution profiles can allow prediction of secondary structure or tertiary environment.     

The sinking ark: pollution and the worldwide loss of biodiversity

Humans are making increasing demands on natural ecosystems. One recent study has concluded that our species is consuming or diverting some 40% of the net photosynthetic productivity of our planet. Many habitats are being converted to simpler systems which provide more harvestable goods to people. As a result, genetic diversity, species and whole ecosystems are disappearing; some scientists suggest that as many as 25% of the world's species could be lost in the next several decades.The sinking ark is usually characterized in terms of pollution, habitat loss, poaching, introduced species and illegal trade in wildlife products, but these are symptoms rather than causes. At a more fundamental level, many of the same factors which have enabled pollution to become such a problem have also been responsible for the loss in biodiversity; the most important factor is that the effects of pollutants on biodiversity have been considered an externality, an unintended side effect of industrial activity which brought measurable benefits to people. Development activities which have depleted biodiversity have proven profitable only because the real costs have been hidden.Keeping the ark afloat will require the Five-I Approach: investigation (learning how natural systems function); information (ensuring that the facts are available to inform decisions); incentives (using economic tools to help conserve biodiversity); integration (promoting a cross-sectoral approach to conserving biodiversity); and international support (building productive collaboration for conserving biodiversity).     

数学模型与自然保护科学

日益加剧的人类干扰和景观破碎化已危及全球的生物多样性。自然保护成为人类所面临的最重要也最富有挑战性的任务。指导这一实践的理论和原则极为需要。本文试图综述与自然保护科学有关的几个学科在理论和实际研究(尤其是模型)方面的近期成果以及发展趋势,从而提出自然保护模型的发展方向。文中涉猎基于不同方法论、不同组织水平的模型,并对数学模型在自然保护科学中的作用和实用性加以讨论。