盐胁迫对3种华南园林植物元素特性的影响

为筛选耐盐园林植物,研究了盐胁迫下狗牙花(Ervatamia divaricate)、红背桂(Excoecaria cochinchinensis)和花叶假连翘(Duranta erecta)的养分积累和分配规律。结果表明,盐胁迫增加了所有植物器官的Na和叶片K含量、狗牙花和红背桂各器官的Cl和N含量,但降低了所有植物枝干、红背桂和花叶假连翘根的K含量;各植物的P含量变化各异。盐胁迫增加了所有植物Na和Cl的积累量,并富集于枝干和叶片;狗牙花和花叶假连翘各器官的N、P和K积累量及红背桂各器官的P和K积累量随着Na Cl的浓度增加而下降。总之,盐胁迫使植物Na和Cl含量和积累量升高,而各器官生物量以及N、P和K积累量下降。3种植物中,狗牙花和花叶假连翘能更好地适应华南地区盐胁迫环境。     

中国南海海域海洋深层水细菌多样性

中国南海与作为海洋生物多样性中心的印太珊瑚大三角区具有一定的环境与生物连通性,其生境多样,为各种生物类群提供了有利的热带和亚热带海洋环境栖息地,具有极其丰富的生物多样性,是中国海洋生物多样性热点地区,也是重要的海洋生物多样性资源宝库。海洋细菌在生态系统循环中发挥重要作用,通过对南海海洋深层水细菌的探测,可以更加清晰地了解西太平洋和印太交汇区的生物多样性。研究基于参加开放项目获得的南海的深海站点水样,采用高通量测序进行了16S rRNA基因序列测序,分析了南海深海海水细菌群落多样性、菌群构成和多样性特征。该站点南海海洋深层水测定的细菌分属于15门、20纲、24目、86科、140属、150种,表明该区海洋深层水细菌群落丰富。测得优势菌属包括类芽胞杆菌属(Paenibacillus)、芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、海旋菌属(Thalassospira)、噬甲基菌属(Methylophaga)、拟杆菌属(Bacteroides)、纤细芽胞杆菌属(Gracilibacillus)、海洋芽胞杆菌属(Oceanobacillus)、海源菌属(Idiomarina)、嗜油菌属(Oleiphilus)、食碱菌属(Alcanivorax),这些属的细菌在生物材料或药物、生物燃料、水处理、降解石油烃等方面均有开发利用的潜力。属内的解淀粉芽孢杆菌(Lentibacillus amyloliquefaciens)、施氏假单胞菌(Pseudomonas stutzeri)、柴油食烷菌(Alcanivorax dieselolei)、三浦半岛盐乳杆菌(Halolactibacillus miurensis)、海迪茨氏菌(Dietzia maris)可以具体鉴定到种,这些深海细菌目前已在产抗生素、生物防治、石油降解、反硝化等方面被开发利用。基于高通量测序显示出采样点南海海洋深层水细菌具有独特菌群特征和多样性,有其极为丰富的生物学开发利用价值。     

An intercontinental comparison of dung beetle diversity between two mediterranean-climatic regions: local versus regional and historical influences

The species richness of biological communities is influenced by both local ecological, regional ecological, and historical factors. The relative importance of these factors may be deduced by comparison between communities in climatically and ecologically equivalent, but geographically and historically separate regions of the world. This claim is based on the hypothesis that community processes driven by similar local ecological factors lead to convergence in species richness whereas those driven by differing regional or historical factors lead to divergence. An intercontinental comparison between the winter rainfall regions of South Africa and the Iberian Peninsula showed that overall species richness of dung beetles was dissimilar at local, subregional and regional scales in Scarabaeidae s. str. but similar at all scales in Aphodiinae. Removal of species widespread in the summer rainfall region of Africa or the temperate region of Europe (regional component) resulted in dissimilarity in species richness of mediterranean endemics at all scales in both dung beetle taxa. However, the lines joining each set of species richness values were parallel which may indicate similarities in processes between different mediterranean climatic regions despite slight differences in latitudinal range. The dominant pattern of dissimilarity or non-convergence may be related primarily to intercontinental differences in regional biogeographical and evolutionary history (faunal dispersal, glaciation effects in relation to geographical barriers to dispersal, speciation history, long-term disturbance history). The limited pattern of similarity or convergence in overall species richness of Aphodiinae may be a chance result or primarily related to intercontinental similarities in local ecological factors.     

External brain anatomy in relation to the phylogeny of Caninae (Carnivora: Canidae)

Caninae is one of the most studied mammalian groups, nevertheless there are relatively few comparative studies on their neuroanatomy. This work contributes to a better knowledge of this subfamily, since it describes the external cerebrum anatomy of 29 out of the 35 living Caninae species, 11 of which are described for the first time. Information about their frontal region appears to be a welcome supplement to the study of the phylogeny. Two distinctive features are recognized, that can be traced back in the fossil record: the sulcal pattern medial to the coronal sulci, and the shape and relative size of the proreal gyrus. Four types are described for the first feature: (1) orthogonal: Canis, Lycaon, Cuon, Atelocynus, Speothos , (2) pentagonal: Vulpes, Alopex, Otocyon, † Eucyon , (3) parenthesis-like: † Dusicyon, Pseudalopex, Chrysocyon , (4) heart-shaped: Urocyon, Cerdocyon, Pseudalopex culpaeus, Nyctereutes . Three types are described for the second feature: (1) elongated and bilaterally compressed: Canis, Cuon, Lycaon, Atelocynus, Speothos, Cerdocyon, † Dusicyon, Chrysocyon, Pseudalopex , † Nyctereutes sinensis , † N. tingi , (2) small: Vulpes, Otocyon, Urocyon, Alopex , (3) wide and low: Nyctereutes procyonoides. On the basis of these features some phylogenetic interpretations are presented: the fossil Asian Nyctereutes is close to Cerdocyon, Speothos is close to Atelocynus , Chrysocyon is not related to Canis , Urocyon differs from Vulpes and Pseudalopex culpaeus differs from the rest of the Pseudalopex species.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 138 , 505–522.     

STATUS AND ECOLOGY OF SOTALIA FLUVIATILIS IN THE CAYOS MISKITO RESERVE, NICARAGUA

In March through May of 1996–1998, we conducted research in the Cayos Miskito Reserve, Nicaragua, to assess the status, ecology, and distribution of Sotalia fluviatilis , a dolphin known from southern Brazil to Honduras. Aerial and boat surveys of lagoons, inlets, and coastal areas were conducted and observational information collected on Sotalia activity, behavior, and other factors relating to its ecology. During boat surveys 183 groups (536 individuals) were sighted (for areas with Sotalia , mean overall density = 0.604 individuals/km², coastal areas = 0.647/km², inlets = 0.578/km², and lagoons = 0.486/km²). Overall, based on all sightings, mean group size was 3.01 (SD = 1.79, range 1–15) and varied among years ( = 4.20 in 1996, 2.58 in 1997, and 3.39 in 1998), but not for different months. We estimate that 49 Sotalia inhabited the portions of the Reserve we studied. Sightings of Sotalia groups were non-random (nearest-neighbor analysis); clumping of sightings indicates that some areas were preferred. In both Pahara inlet and Wauhta lagoon, sightings were more frequent after 1200 than in the morning. In coastal areas Sotalia were sighted most often within 100 m of shore (54.0%), less often from 101 to 200 m (39.1%), and infrequently from 201 to 300 m (6.8%). Seldom were animals observed in more than 5 m of water, and usually it was considerably shallower ( i. e. , <2 m). Feeding was the predominant of five recorded activities ( i. e. , traveling, feeding, socializing, resting, and other), based on time of group sighting (70.3%) and during instantaneous sampling (56.3%). Resource distribution appears to be an important factor influencing Sotalia distribution in the Reserve.     

Description of Two New, Mycophagous Soil Ciliates (Ciliophora, Colpodea): Fungiphrya strobli n. g., n. sp. and Grossglockneria ovata n. sp.

ABSTRACT The morphology and infraciliature of two new, mycophagous soil ciliates are described. Specimens were isolated from dried, rewetted soil samples with the non-flooded Petri dish method and investigated in vivo and with various silver impregnation techniques. Fungiphrya strobli n. g., n. sp. was discovered in the mud of rock-pools on the summit of Table Mountain, Republic of South Africa. It is a holotrichously ciliated, about 50 × 40 μm-sized grossglockneriid with the oral apparatus on the right side of the cell. The adoral ciliature, minute in all other members of the group, is well developed and has a mean of eight kineties forming a conspicuous left, oral polykinetid, highly reminiscent of that found in small species of the genus Colpoda . The ejected extrusomes have a unique, inflated distal end. Grossglockneria ovata n. sp. was discovered in leaf litter from the Lackawanna State Forest in Pennsylvania, USA. It differs from the other members of the genus by the ovate shape, smooth cortex, and the sparse, irregularly-shaped mucocysts. Taxonomic characters and ranking of grossglockneriids are discussed. Because of the complex, unique feeding tube associated with a unique feeding strategy, mycophagy, it is argued that grossglockneriid ciliates should be classified in a separate order, in spite of their close genetic relatedness to members of the order Colpodida.     

Systematics, cladistics and biogeography of the American genus Farrodes (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae: Atalophlebiinae)

Cladistic and biogeographic analyses of the genus Farrodes are presented. Two species groups are delineated within Farrodes: F. caribbianus and F. bimaculatus. Three species formerly placed in other genera– Thraulus caribbianus Traver, Thraulus roundsi Traver and Homothraulus maculatus (Needham & Murphy)–are transferred to Farrodes. The species of the F. caribbianus species group are revised. Three new species are described: F. savagei from Venezuela, F. maya and F. mexicanus from Mexico. Keys to separate the two species groups of Farrodes and the species of the F caribbianus species group are provided. Successive cladistic analyses were carried out on both adult and nymphal characters using Hennig86 and CLADOS. The matrix was composed of all available data (nymphal characters were missing for some species), from nymphal and adult stages separately and on taxa represented by both adult and nymphal characters. Species of the genera Simothraulopsis and Homothraulus (components of the Farrodes lineage) were included in the analyses, and Ecuaphkbia was used as the outgroup. Results of the four analyses are compatible. The historical biogeography of Farrodes , with a distribution from nordiern Argentina to southern Texas, is analysed using the program COMPONENT. Areas of endemism are established, and some of their relationships compared with those of other groups available in the literature.     

Late Late Cambrian Trilobites From Near Birch Inlet, South-Western Tasmania

The first late Late Cambrian basinal-facies trilobites to be described from Tasmania are from a succession exposed 8.5 km west of Birch Inlet, south-western Tasmania. Twenty-one taxa are described; the six agnostoid species include a new species of Leiagnostus, L inletensis. The polymeroids include five new species: Hedinaspis uniformis, Proceratopyge longa, Niobella birchensisSkljarella expansa and Ivshinaspis reticulata.SkljarellaIvshinaspis are described for the first time from Australia. The specimens are preserved in siltstone belonging to a basinal facies; the fauna has more in common with those of the South-East China Faunal Province than with the shallow-water carbonate-facies faunas from northern Australia. The fauna is of late Late Cambrian age (Payntonian–earliest Datsonian) on the north Australian biostratigraphic scale. The Birch Inlet fauna is correlated with those of the Siyangshan Formation of Zhejiang, the Guoziguonen Formation of Xinjiang and the Shengjiawan Formation of Hunan. There are similarities with late Late Cambrian faunas from Nevada, Kazakhstan and New Zealand. K ey words : Trilobita, Late Cambrian, Tasmania, basinal facies, biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography.     

BROMALITES FROM THE SOOM SHALE LAGERSTÄTTE (UPPER ORDOVICIAN) OF SOUTH AFRICA: PALAEOECOLOGICAL AND PALAEOBIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract:  Bromalites from the Soom Shale are allocated to five main categories on the basis of shape, content and internal structure: those containing broken conodont elements; those containing brachiopod fragments; corrugated/spiral forms; coiled coprolites and wrinkled coprolites. It is impossible to allocate specific bromalites to the organisms that formed them, but the occurrence of crushed discinoid valves in several specimens demonstrates that an effective durophagous predator was present in the Soom Shale community. The presence of fragmented elements of conodonts in other specimens provides direct evidence of tiering within the predatory trophic level in the Soom Shale. Conodonts, other agnathan vertebrates, orthoconic cephalopods and eurypterids are all possible contenders for producing most of the bromalites recorded, but there may have been unrecorded large predators in the community.     

Chiniquodontid cynodonts: systematic and morphometric considerations

Systematic and morphometric reappraisal of most specimens previously assigned to the cynodont clade Chiniquodontidae reveal that the group is diagnosed by two autapomorphies: (1) the distinctive angulation between the posterior portion of the maxillary and the anterior portion of the zygomatic arch and (2) very extended pterygoid flanges, ending in a thin projection; and a combination of features including: posterior postcanines sectorial with principal cusps backwardly recurved, and a long osseous palate. The species Chiniquodon theotonicus (including Belesodon magnificus , Probelesodon kitchingi , P. lewisi and P. minor ) and C. sanjuanensis (comb. nov.) were the only recognised members of the family on the basis of qualitative characters. The South American species Cromptodon mamiferoides , Probainognathus jenseni and Thrinaxodon brasiliensis are thus excluded from the group, as are the African taxa Aleodon brachyrhamphus and Cistecynodon parvus . Allometric analysis of chiniquodontids sensu stricto reveals that: (1) all specimens can be confidently arranged in a single growth series, irrespective of their original species assignments; and (2) most of the measurements change isometrically with respect to skull length. Adults are virtually scaled–up juveniles, showing a deepened zygoma, a longer osseous palate, and a wider anterior muzzle in the canine region. Thus, allometric data reinforce the proposed synonymy of all forms, with the specific status of C. sanjuanensis supported by qualitative diagnostic traits.