A test of the endogenous and exogenous selection hypotheses for the maintenance of a narrow avian hybrid zone

The contributions of genetic and environmental factors to differential reproductive success across hybrid zones have rarely been tested. Here, we report a manipulative experiment that simultaneously tested endogenous (genetic-based) and exogenous (environmental-based) selection within a hybrid zone. We transplanted mated pairs of two chickadee species (Poecile atricapilla and P. carolinensis) and their hybrids into isolated woodlots within their hybrid zone and monitored their reproductive success. Although clutch sizes were similar, based on an estimate of the genetic compatibility of a pair, hybrid pairs produced fewer nestlings and fledglings than did pairs of either parental species. According to a linear model generated from the data, a pure pair of either parental species would be expected to produce 1.91-2.48 times more fledglings per nesting attempt, respectively, than the average or least compatible pair in the experiment. Our result of decreased reproduction for hybrid pairs relative to parental species pairs within same environment (the hybrid zone in this experiment) support the endogenous selection hypothesis for maintenance of this hybrid zone. Because the experiment was conducted entirely within the hybrid zone (i.e., the same environment for parental and hybrid pairings), our data do not support the exogenous selection hypothesis as it predicts either all pairings doing poorly or the hybrid pairs more successful than the parental pairs.     

生物化学验证性实验与设计性实验结合教学的实践

为了加强本科生的综合素质和实验技能培养,对生物化学实验课进行了教学改革,采用基础实验与设计性实验相结合的教学方法。设计性实验要求加强老师的指导作用,并充分发挥学生的主体性。实践证明这种教学模式充分调动了学生的学习主动性,提高了实验操作技能和创新思维的能力;同时,通过文献查阅及对实验困难问题的解决,更好地巩固了理论知识。     

黑曲霉产木聚糖酶发酵条件的研究

正交设计试验结果表明,黑曲霉（Ａｓｐｅｒｇｉｌｌｕｓ ｎｉｇｅｒ ｍ１２）产木聚糖酶活力达７６．６０ｕ／ｍｌ,合适的产酶发酵条件如下,培养基（ｇ／Ｌ）：麸皮４０,尿素６．６７,ＫＨ２ＰＯ４ １．０,ＭｇＳＯ４．７Ｈ２Ｏ０．５,ＮａＣｌ０．３,Ｔｗｅｅｎ－８０ ３．０,ＣａＣＯ３ ２．０,２８℃,１２０ｒ／ｍｉｎ水浴振荡培养５．５ｄ。     

Effects of long‐term straw return on soil organic carbon storage and sequestration rate in North China upland crops: A meta‐analysis

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is essential for soil fertility and climate change mitigation, and carbon can be sequestered in soil through proper soil management, including straw return. However, results of studies of long‐term straw return on SOC are contradictory and increasing SOC stocks in upland soils is challenging. This study of North China upland agricultural fields quantified the effects of several fertilizer and straw return treatments on SOC storage changes and crop yields, considering different cropping duration periods, soil types, and cropping systems to establish the relationships of SOC sequestration rates with initial SOC stocks and annual straw C inputs. Our meta‐analysis using long‐term field experiments showed that SOC stock responses to straw return were greater than that of mineral fertilizers alone. Black soils with higher initial SOC stocks also had lower SOC stock increases than did soils with lower initial SOC stocks (fluvo‐aquic and loessial soils) following applications of nitrogen‐phosphorous‐potassium (NPK) fertilizer and NPK+S (straw). Soil C stocks under the NPK and NPK+S treatments increased in the more‐than‐20‐year duration period, while significant SOC stock increases in the NP and NP+S treatment groups were limited to the 11‐ to 20‐year period. Annual crop productivity was higher in double‐cropped wheat and maize under all fertilization treatments, including control (no fertilization), than in the single‐crop systems (wheat or maize). Also, the annual soil sequestration rates and annual straw C inputs of the treatments with straw return (NP+S and NPK+S) were significantly positively related. Moreover, initial SOC stocks and SOC sequestration rates of those treatments were highly negatively correlated. Thus, long‐term straw return integrated with mineral fertilization in upland wheat and maize croplands leads to increased crop yields and SOC stocks. However, those effects of straw return are highly dependent on fertilizer management, cropping system, soil type, duration period, and the initial SOC content.     

“微生物学”国家精品课程基础实验教学体系的构建与实践

微生物学实验作为独立于微生物学理论课的基础实验课程, 是当代生命科学中一门重要的专业必修课。南开大学“微生物学”国家精品课程教学组针对提升大学生核心竞争力的培养目标, 在实验教学中以夯实基本实验技能为指导思想, 建立了分层次的微生物学实验内容; 采用分级式教学新模式, 以强化基本技能训练为基石, 全面提升学生的综合素质, 激发学生的创新能力; 并将实验素养纳入实验成绩的评价体系, 规范学生的科研道德。     

对一个生物化学教学实验的探索

聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳被广泛地应用于生物大分子的分离,鉴定,检测,定性和定量分析,少量样品制备等领域,它是生化实验中影响因素最多,最复杂,最容易出现问题的实验,需要不断地进行改进和完善,以调控实验教学进度,提高教学的质量和效率。     

Identification of smallholder farmers and pastoralists' preferences for sheep breeding traits: choice model approach

Identification of breeding objective traits pertinent to specific production environments with the involvement of target beneficiaries is crucial to the success of a breed improvement program. A choice experiment was conducted in four locations representing different production systems and agro-ecologies that are habitat to four indigenous sheep breeds (Afar, Bonga, Horro and Menz) of Ethiopia with the objective of identifying farmers'/pastoralists' preferences for sheep breeding traits. Following a synthesis of secondary information and diagnostic surveys, two communities per location consisting of 60 households each having at least four breeding ewes were identified. Producers' priority attributes used in the choice sets were identified through in-depth production system studies conducted from December 2007 to March 2008. On the basis of prior information, four to seven attributes were used to design choice sets with different profiles in order to capture results that mimic real life of the different communities. The attributes and levels chosen for the sheep profile were as follows: body size (large/small), coat color (brown/white/black), tail type (good/bad) for both rams and ewes; horn (polled/horned) and libido (active/poor) for rams; and lambing interval (three lambings in 2 years/two lambings in 2 years time), mothering ability (good mother/bad mother), twinning rate (twin bearer/single bearer) and milk yield (two cups per milking/one cup per milking) for ewes. A fractional factorial design was implemented to construct the alternatives included in the choice sets. The design resulted in a randomized selection of 48 sheep profiles (24 sets) for both sexes, which were grouped into four blocks with six choice sets each. An individual respondent was presented with one of the four blocks to make his/her choices. Results indicate that producers' trait preferences were heterogeneous except for body size in rams and mothering ability in ewes where nearly homogeneous preferences were investigated. In the pastoral production system, attention was given to coat color of both breeding rams and ewes, favoring brown and white colors over black. Ram libido influenced producers' decisions in Bonga, Horro and Menz areas. The influence of milk yield and twinning on respondents' decision making was high in Afar and Horro, respectively. Breeders in all areas attempt to combine production and reproduction traits as well as they can in order to maximize benefits from their sheep. The elicited measurable objective traits were used to design alternative community-based sheep breeding plans for the four indigenous sheep breeds in their production environments that have been implemented since.     

Rapid evolution in native plants cultivated for ecological restoration: not a general pattern

• The growing number of restoration projects worldwide increases the demand for seed material of native species. To meet this demand, seeds are often produced through large‐scale cultivation on specialised farms, using wild‐collected seeds as the original sources. However, during cultivation, plants experience novel environmental conditions compared to those in natural populations, and there is a danger that the plants in cultivation are subject to unintended selection and lose their adaptation to natural habitats. Although the propagation methods are usually designed to maintain as much natural genetic diversity as possible, the effectiveness of these measures have never been tested.
• We obtained seed of five common grassland species from one of the largest native seed producers in Germany. For each species, the seeds were from multiple generations of seed production. We used AFLP markers and a common garden experiment to test for genetic and phenotypic changes during cultivation of these plants.
• The molecular markers detected significant evolutionary changes in three out of the five species and we found significant phenotypic changes in two species. The only species that showed substantial genetic and phenotypic changes was the short‐lived and predominantly selfing Medicago lupulina, while in the other, mostly perennial and outcrossing species, the observed changes were mostly minor.
• Agricultural propagation of native seed material for restoration can cause evolutionary changes, at least in some species. We recommend caution, particularly in selfing and short‐lived species, where evolution may be more rapid and effects may thus be more severe.

     

土壤—小麦食物链硒转移模式及其应用

利用~(75)Se为示踪剂,研究了土壤-小麦系统中Se的迁移和分布规律。土壤Se植物可利用系数SA=0.3—1.9,土壤不同,SA值也不同。土壤固液两相中Se的分配系数Kd=141—395,说明土壤对Se有强烈的吸附作用,Kd大小顺序为:暗棕色森林土>黑土>草甸棕壤。小麦对土壤Se的浓集系数CF=0.09—0.14,小麦不是浓集Se的作物;Se在小麦各器官间CF值>1,表明其在小麦体内运转比较容易。作者提出了一个食物链Se转移模式,评价了土壤有效Se水平,指出草甸棕壤有效Se充足,黑土和暗棕色森林土则不足。估算了病区每人每天摄Se量为26.6μg,远低于我国成人安全摄Se量建议值40—240μg/人·日的下限值。     

开展综合性基础医学实验课程,提高医学研究生科研技能

随着高校研究生招生规模的不断扩大,研究生教育的质量问题日益引起社会广泛关注。本文分析了研究生科研实验中存在的主要问题及现行实验课程中的不足,并对实验课程如何适应科研的需要进行了阐述。强调研究生实验课程应注重突出学科交叉性、先进性、实用性和研究性,并形成集生物化学、分子生物学、病理学、遗传学、细胞生物学和免疫学等多学科相互渗透、相互交叉、相互补充的系列性、综合性、研究性的基础医学实验教学课程,旨在使学生更系统、更全面地掌握医学实验技术和技能,为后续的研究性实验工作和科研水平的提高打好一个坚实的基础。