Ancient Mitochondrial DNA Reveals the Origin of Sus scrofa from Rebun Island, Japan

The Kabukai A site (5 to 8C A.D.) of the Okhotsk cultural area is on Rebun Island, a small island near the coast, north–northwest of Hokkaido, Japan. Specimens of Sus scrofa, called the Sakhalin pig, were discovered in five cultural layers at the Kabukai A site. Ancient DNA was extracted from the remains of 42 Sakhalin pig bones. Thirty-nine nucleotide sequences of the 574-bp mitochondrial DNA control region, estimated to have originated from at least 21 individuals, were amplified and analyzed phylogenetically. Nine distinct haplotypes (A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, and D2) from this site were classified into four haplotype groups (A, B, C, and D) by parsimonious network analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of 9 ancient and 55 modern haplotypes indicated that the population of Sakhalin pigs at the Kabukai A site belonged to two distinct clusters; haplotype groups A and B formed a cluster comprised only of themselves, and haplotype groups C and D belonged to the cluster of one of the two genetic groups of Japanese wild boars uniquely distributed in the western part of Japan, including one northeast Mongolian wild boar. Analysis of the haplotype distribution among three archaeological sites and their historical transitions among the five layers reflecting the cultural periods at the Kabukai A site suggests that the Sakhalin pig populations were introduced from Sakhalin island and the Amur River basin in the northeastern Eurasian continent together with some cultural influences. Received: 18 April 2000 / Accepted: 24 November 2000     

江西青岚湖圆顶珠蚌的种群结构与繁殖特征研究

2008年7月至2009年7月研究了江西青岚湖圆顶珠蚌(Unio douglasiae)的种群结构与繁殖特征。从其种群结构的周年变动情况来看,该种群趋于稳定状态,壳长40-65mm的个体占大多数。在采集的标本中,最大个体壳长为83.6mm,最小个体壳长为20.3mm。圆顶珠蚌自然种群性比为1:1.20,性成熟最小雌体壳长为27.6mm,体重为2.62g;最小雄体壳长为27.9mm,体重为2.21g;5至6月间繁殖盛期,检测到最小妊娠个体壳长为29.8mm,体重为2.98g,推断一周年的圆顶珠蚌可能达到性成熟。根据圆顶珠蚌生殖细胞的发育规律和滤泡的变化特点,性腺发育分为生长期和成熟期、排放期、恢复期;属多次产卵类型。育儿囊属外鳃型,胚胎在胶质索中发育,钩介幼虫成熟后,胶质索消失成黏液状,成熟钩介幼虫附在新形成的黏液丝上排出体外。妊娠母蚌在受到刺激后,易发生流产,提前排出胶质索。繁殖期为2至7月,4、5、6月为繁殖高峰期,妊娠率分别为80.43%、84.21%和78.05%。平均繁殖力为(183.72±6.43)千粒/个,最大繁殖力为344.64千粒/个,壳长为54.5mm;最小繁殖力为49.95千粒/个,壳长为29.8mm。繁殖力与壳长和体重显著相关。这些结果不仅可以丰富淡水蚌的生物学内容,也能为淡水蚌保护和湖泊与河流的规范管理提供理论依据。       

The influence of the social environment on sexual maturation of female deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdi)

Population Ecology - Female deermice housed from weaning with groups of five females, five males or five males plus five females had significantly smaller uteri at 35–38 days of age compared...     

抗药性叶螨的种群参数和相对适合度

朱砂叶螨对氧化乐果、三氯杀螨醇、双甲脒和哒螨灵产生抗性后（抗药性系数分别为152．83倍、55．59倍、62．61倍和15．67倍）,繁殖力均显著降低,且发育加速。通过组建各品系生命表得知,该螨抗氧化乐果品系、抗三氯杀螨醇品质、抗双甲脒品系和抗哒螨灵品系的相对适合度分别为0．53、0．62、0．59和0．64,均小于1,具有明显的适合度缺陷。抗药性系数和相对适合度呈直线负相关。     

How predator functional responses and Allee effects in prey affect the paradox of enrichment and population collapses

In Rosenzweig-MacArthur models of predator-prey dynamics, Allee effects in prey usually destabilize interior equilibria and can suppress or enhance limit cycles typical of the paradox of enrichment. We re-evaluate these conclusions through a complete classification of a wide range of Allee effects in prey and predator's functional response shapes. We show that abrupt and deterministic system collapses not preceded by fluctuating predator-prey dynamics occur for sufficiently steep type III functional responses and strong Allee effects (with unstable lower equilibrium in prey dynamics). This phenomenon arises as type III functional responses greatly reduce cyclic dynamics and strong Allee effects promote deterministic collapses. These collapses occur with decreasing predator mortality and/or increasing susceptibility of the prey to fall below the threshold Allee density (e.g. due to increased carrying capacity or the Allee threshold itself). On the other hand, weak Allee effects (without unstable equilibrium in prey dynamics) enlarge the range of carrying capacities for which the cycles occur if predators exhibit decelerating functional responses. We discuss the results in the light of conservation strategies, eradication of alien species, and successful introduction of biocontrol agents.     

赤水河外来鱼类尖头(鱥)和董氏须鳅的引种溯源及生态适应性分析

历史上,赤水河流域干流及支流的鱼类物种组成中未曾出现过尖头(鱥)(Rhynchocypris oxycephalus)和董氏须鳅(Barbatula toni).但是,近年来在赤水河支流白沙河的鱼类资源调查中发现了这两个物种的分布,其来源及未来的生存可能性受到关注.本研究比较了尖头(鱥)赤水河野外种群与养殖种群形态上的...     

All-Atom Structural Models for Complexes of Insulin-Like Growth Factors IGF1 and IGF2 with Their Cognate Receptor

Type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) is a membrane-spanning glycoprotein of the insulin receptor family that has been implicated in a variety of cancers. The key questions related to molecular mechanisms governing ligand recognition by IGF1R remain unanswered, partly due to the lack of testable structural models of apo or ligand-bound receptor complexes. Using a homology model of the IGF1R ectodomain IGF1RΔβ, we present the first experimentally consistent all-atom structural models of IGF1/IGF1RΔβ and IGF2/IGF1RΔβ complexes. Our explicit-solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of apo-IGF1RΔβ shows that it displays asymmetric flexibility mechanisms that result in one of two binding pockets accessible to growth factors IGF1 and IGF2, as demonstrated via an MD-assisted Monte Carlo docking procedure. Our MD-generated ensemble of structures of apo and IGF1-bound IGF1RΔβ agrees reasonably well with published small-angle X-ray scattering data. We observe simultaneous contacts of each growth factor with sites 1 and 2 of IGF1R, suggesting cross-linking of receptor subunits. Our models provide direct evidence in favor of suggested electrostatic complementarity between the C-domain (IGF1) and the cysteine-rich domain (IGF1R). Our IGF1/IGF1RΔβ model provides structural bases for the observation that a single IGF1 molecule binds to IGF1RΔβ at low concentrations in small-angle X-ray scattering studies. We also suggest new possible structural bases for differences in the affinities of insulin, IGF1, and IGF2 for their noncognate receptors.     

A three-species model explaining cyclic dominance of Pacific salmon

The four-year oscillations of the number of spawning sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) that return to their native stream within the Fraser River basin in Canada are a striking example of population oscillations. The period of the oscillation corresponds to the dominant generation time of these fish. Various—not fully convincing—explanations for these oscillations have been proposed, including stochastic influences, depensatory fishing, or genetic effects. Here, we show that the oscillations can be explained as an attractor of the population dynamics, resulting from a strong resonance near a Neimark Sacker bifurcation. This explains not only the long-term persistence of these oscillations, but also reproduces correctly the empirical sequence of salmon abundance within one period of the oscillations. Furthermore, it explains the observation that these oscillations occur only in sockeye stocks originating from large oligotrophic lakes, and that they are usually not observed in salmon species that have a longer generation time.