小麦根系特征对干旱胁迫的响应

干旱胁迫时, 小麦(Triticum aestivum)根系率先产生应激响应, 同时向地上部发出信号, 诱导地上部发生生理反应, 从而提高植株抗旱能力。根系构型包括平面几何性状和立体几何结构(即拓扑构型), 具有遗传稳定性和可塑性。干旱胁迫影响根系理化特性, 如根源化学信号、根系细胞酶类和根系渗透作用的响应。根系通过调整其解剖学结构和水分吸收动力等来适应干旱胁迫。该文从根系构型、理化特性和解剖学结构3个方面, 系统阐述了小麦根系特征对干旱胁迫的响应, 并探讨了其与干旱胁迫的关系和当前研究中存在的问题, 以期为相关研究提供参考。     

Reproductive ecology of dioecious Siparuna (Monimiaceae) in Ecuador–a case of gall midge pollination

The reproductive ecology of the dioecious genus Siparuna , belonging to the primitive family Monimiaceae, was investigated in Ecuador. Thirteen species were studied, and species growing at high altitudes (above 500 m) were compared with species growing at lower altitudes. The genus has specialized flowers pollinated by Cecidomyiidae (Asynapta sp. and other genera) that lay eggs chiefly in male flowers since these are more easily accessible than female flowers due to their morphology. Several traits ensure that pollen transfer is accomplished: 1. long flowering of individuals and single flowers; 2. specific floral morphology (unisexuality, landing platform, restricted pore) allowing the flowers to be visited by Cecidomyiidae seeking egg-laying sites, and 3. a low number of ovules that have to be pollinated in each flower. The low number of ovules per flower results in a high pollen-ovule (P/O) ratio even though pollen production in male flowers is only moderate.
High altitude species had larger flowers, higher pollen-ovule ratios, fewer ovules per female flower, and longer periods of anthesis. Gender differences were seen in the longer functionality of female flowers; the larger numbers of male flowers produced; and the average diameter at breast height (DBH) biased for one of the two sexes depending on the species investigated, with no clear trend in the size distributions of individuals of both sexes. Sex ratios departed significantly from unity both to male and female bias but usually were in favour of males. There were no general differences in the ratio of functional male to female flowers at the time of observation nor in the sizes of male and female flowers. The evolution of unisexual flowers in Siparuna can be explained as a result of the differential predation by larvae: unimportant in male flowers, destructive if occurring in female flowers.     

Phenotypic variation in the breeding phenology of the woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare

Summary The breeding phenology of temperate wood-lice is strongly seasonal, the result of physiological constraints and precise environmental cues for reproduction. The adaptive value of such mechanisms is that the release of offspring coincides with favourable conditions for growth and survival (Willows 1984). We recorded the breeding phenology of Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille) on two grassland sites in Great Britain and found between-site and between-year variation in the onset of reproduction, the duration of reproductive activity, the release of offspring, the size of reproductive females and the number of broods per female. Between 82.7 and 97.7% of gravid females sampled were semelparous at 23 months, with the remainder iteroparous, producing a second brood after 35 months. On one site (Weeting Health) improved growth conditions during 1984 allowed some females (19.3% of gravid females sampled in that year) to produce a brood after 11 months. There was also an increase in the number of 3-year-old females found to be gravid. An experimental manipulation of the same habitat confirmed that such changes in life history tactics could be phenotypic responses. The observed phenotypic variation was sufficient to produce a range of life history tactics within a population. Mixtures of life history tactics within a population may be typical of invasive species and populations at the edge of the species range. Our results support the idea that phenotypic plasticity can be an appropriate tactic to maximise fitness in a fluctuating environment (Caswell 1983, 1989).     

What are the consequences of being a downy oak (quercus pubescens) or a holm oak (Q. ilex) for breeding blue tits (Parus caeruleus)?

By comparison with deciduous oaks, the lower yearly production of new leaves in sclerophyllous oaks is hypothesized to have several consequences on animal communities. In particular, the production of arthropod communities that feed upon the leaves should be lower in sclerophyllous than in deciduous oaks, this causing changes in breeding patterns and the demographic balance in insectivorous birds. Studies in both deciduous and sclerophyllous habitats in southern France have shown that: 1) the spring development of new leaves occurs later and more slowly in sclerophyllous than in deciduous oaks, 2) the biomass of caterpillars is much lower in sclerophyllous oak forests, and 3) there is a large variation in life history traits of the Blue Tit depending in which type of habitat they breed. Laying date occurs later and clutch size is lower in sclerophyllous habitats than in deciduous habitats. The evolution of life history traits is discussed according to whether poor sclerophyllous habitats are isolated (e.g. on Corsica) or are parts of landscapes including both habitat types.     

Phenotypic variations in re-lysogenization ofBacillus licheniformis with temperate phage

A bacitracin-producing strainBacillus licheniformis ATCC 10716 harbors two types of inducible phages (LP52 and DLP 10716). 156 strains re-lysogenized with phage LP52 were independently isolated from a cured strain UM12 ofB. licheniformis. Those strains were divided into 12 groups based on colony morphology and pigment production. Some of the re-lysogenized strains grew faster than UM12 and others produced more bacitracin than the cured strain. For example, the production of bacitracin by one of the relysogenized strains, L89, was enhanced by about 70% in comparison with UM12. The phenotypic variations observed with re-lysogenized strains might be due to the re-insertion of the phage genome at different sites of the chromosome in addition to the pleiotropic effect assumed.Abbreviations ATCC American Type Culture Collection - DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid - MC Mitomycin C - OD Optical density - PFU Plaque forming unit - rpm Revolutions per minute - UOD Unit of optical density - UV Ultraviolet Definition Specific growth rate (h^-1) - t time (h) - X cell concentration (g/l)     

Morphological features of Jat dentition

Observations on morphological characters of milk and permanent teeth, based on 648 pairs of dental casts of 356 male and 292 female Jat children of Haryana (India) are reported. Deciduous teeth show high frequencies of bilateral winging of maxillary central incisor, Carabelli's cusp of maxillary second molar, and deflecting wrinkle of mandibular second molar. Reduction of maxillary molar cusps is more marked in males than in females. Y pattern is very common in deciduous molars. Permanent teeth have high frequencies of grooved cingulum of incisors, cingular nodule of lateral incisors and canines, and distal accessary ridge of canines. Low frequencies of Carabelli's cusp and winging are also common. The tendency towards faintly developed shovelling in milk incisors occurs more often than in the permanent teeth.     

Methods for the production of multi-marker strains

Summary The production of a multi-marker strain given a series of strains each carrying a single marker will require a considerable investment in time and resources when based on a series of formal crosses. Such strains can be produced rapidly and with only minimal resources by recurrent cycles of random mating and selection, with selection based on the number of desired alleles carried.     

Paleogenetics of the late Roman-early Byzantine cemeteries at Sayala,Egyptian Nubia

Out of the five late Roman-early Byzantine cemeteries at Sayala, the three large burial complexes CI-III were found to represent the same population not only on the basis of 76·6% of the metric features already studied, but also of 72·9% of the 48 non-metric features examined in the present paper. The remaining features, which show different frequencies, were most probably related to some social and/or genetic isolation of the three subgroups (“lineages”) of the same basic population.The left-right asymmetry of the frequencies was practically irrelevant; sex differences were however present in one-third of the features observed.Some of the traits showed unusually high frequencies, revealing a high rate of inbreeding within a homogeneous population.To evaluate the relationships among the CI-III people and the neighbouring populations, 22 discrete traits were compared with the same traits studied in 11 Ancient Egyptian samples by Berry, Berry & Ucko (1967) and in 6 contemporary African Negro samples by Rightmire (1972). It was shown that the Sayala CI-III population does not resemble either of these groups. The fourth contemporary Sayala sample from A cemetery was also found to be not related with the CI-III sample on the basis of the same traits. The fifth contemporary Sayala sample from N cemetery was too small to be tested. Moreover, the comparison between the CI-III population and the C-group population of Sayala also revealed the lack of genetic continuity. The isolated position found in the CI-III population of Sayala agrees with the hypothesis that it would represent the Blemmyes, people originating from the Eastern Desert.     

Phenotypic changes in the chemistry of Aspergillus nidulans: Influence of culture conditions on mycelial composition

A quantitative study was made of macromolecular (nucleic acids, protein), carbohydrate and mineral (magnesium, potassium and phosphorus) components of Aspergillus nidulans in glucose limited chemostat cultures, under varying conditions of dilution rate, temperature, pH and NaCl concentration.The overall mineral content showed greatest variation in response to changes in culture salinity, which also affected the mycelial carbohydrate content. Concomitant and opposite changes in the conent of cations and carbohydrates under conditions of increasing salinity may be interpreted in terms of mycelial osmoregulation. Slight variations in DNA content but gross fluctuations in the level of RNA were noted under the different cultural conditions examined. Co-ordinate changes in RNA and Mg²⁺ contents were evident only under certain conditions: dilution rate from 0.05–0.07 h^-1 or temperature from 22–30° C. The constant molar stoichiometry between RNA and Mg²⁺ characteristic of unicellular microorganisms was not a feature of fungal growth. The protein content was most affected by shifts of temperature and reached minimal values at 25 and 50° C.The growth environment had a marked influence on the protein synthesising activity of RNA, which increased eightfold as the dilution rate was increased from 0.02–0.175 h^-1, doubled within the temperature range 20–30° C and fell by 50% between 40 and 50° C. These observations are discussed in the context of the constant ribosomal efficiency in protein synthesis hypothesis.     

不同密度樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)幼苗生长和叶片性状对氮磷添加的响应

人类活动改变了氮素从大气向陆地生态系统输入的方式和速率,进而导致森林生态系统养分变化和失衡。研究氮磷添加对不同密度樟树(Cinnamomum camphora)幼苗生长和叶片性状的影响,可以为全球氮磷沉降背景下亚热带地区樟树人工林的经营管理提供依据。本试验以1年生樟树幼苗为试验材料,选择氯化铵(NH_4Cl)作为氮肥模拟大气氮沉降,以二水合磷酸二氢钠(NaH_2PO_4·2H_2O)模拟磷添加。氮磷处理设置CK、施N、施P和施N+P 4个水平,种植密度设置10、20、40和80株·m~(-2 )4个水平。实验数据表明:N、P和N+P处理对樟树幼苗的苗高和地径均有促进作用,且N+P处理对幼苗生长的促进效果最好。N、P和N+P处理在整体上均能增加幼苗叶片的SPAD值,N和N+P处理均增加了幼苗叶片的比叶面积(SLA),而P处理减少了幼苗的SLA。随着种植密度的增大,N、P和N+P处理下樟树平均单株幼苗的苗高、地径、SPAD值呈现下降的趋势,各施肥处理下叶片的SLA变化规律不明显。密度和氮磷添加对叶片的SPAD值产生显著的交互作用。