Near Situ Conservation for Wild Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations

Minimum Viable Population (MVP) is the endangered species faced with extinction need prior conservation. A new method of “near situ conservation” has being particularly raised by the Forestry Department of Yunnan Province for conserving Plant Species with Extremely Small Population (PSESP) in China. In accordance with the practices and results of near situ conservation for PSESP and after our study on comparison for growth and adaptation of some state emphasized plant species between near situ and ex situ conservation in recent years, the authors hold that near situ conservation for the plant species faced with extremely high risk of extinction in the wild is more efficient than that of their ex situ conservation. We therefore suggest that the system of near situ conservation need to be constructed as soon as possible, and the high risk extinction mechanism for PSESP need to be urgently studied for selecting the effective conservation methods and adopting scientific measures. Meanwhile, for near situ conservation practices of PSESP, the principles of similarities of climates, habitats and communities must be followed for reducing the investment and raising the conservation effectiveness.     

Asymbiotic Seed Germination and in vitro Seedling Rapid Development of Paphiopedilum spicerianum

In this paper, we studied the asymbiotic seed germination and seedling development of Paphiopedilum spicerianum, a wild plant with extremely small populations (PSESP) in China. By analogizing the influences of different media, seed maturity, pretreatments and lights on the seed germination, the results showed that the best germination condition is using the seeds at 270 days after pollination, pretreating with 1% NaOCl for 40 min, on the 1/4MS+10% coconut water medium under 24 hours darkness for 4 weeks. For seedling formation, 30g·L-1 Hyponex No 1 medium with 10mg·L-1 α naphthlene acetic acid, 05g·L-1 activated charcoal and 10% banana homogenate was the most effective. For seedling development, the same medium used for seedling formation with supplemented 10g·L-1 6 benzyladenine was most suitable.     

Researching little-known species: the African bat Otomops martiensseni (Chiroptera: Molossidae)

Listed as 'vulnerable' by the International Union for theConservation of Nature, the molossid bat Otomopsmartiensseni occurs widely in Africa and, according to someauthorities, in Madagascar. Apart from a few known cave roosts, there are fewrecords of O. martiensseni, although around Durban, SouthAfrica, the species is common and roosts in buildings. Originally described asthree species, populations of O. martiensseni differsignificantly in size (length of forearm) between East Africa and Durban orMadagascar, but not between Durban and Madagascar. Seventeen buildings used asroosts by O. martiensseni averaged 34.5 ± 15.8years old. In the Durban area, bats entered roosts by landing andcrawling. Roost populations ranged from 7 to 29 individuals, typicallyconsisting of one adult male, several adult females and young (bats withunossified epiphyses), suggesting a harem social structure. The ratio of adultfemales to young was virtually 1:1, and among young the ratio of males:femalesaveraged 2:1. Radio-tracking showed that individuals used several day and nightroosts, and foraged widely in a landscape dominated by sugarcane and urbandevelopment. The echolocation and many social calls of O.martiensseni are readily audible to human observers, allowing anon-contact, low technology method for monitoring the local distribution andactivity of these bats. Although listed as a species of special concern inKwaZulu Natal, there these bats appear to be candidates for inclusion on a'blue' list of species, ones showing stabilized or increasedabundance. We recommend that O. martiensseni be recognizedas a 'flagship' species in the Durban area, r epresenting theresilience of nature.     

不同地理居群蓝尾石龙子染色体组型的比较

研究了浙江杭州、洞头、温州和福建宁德4个地理居群蓝尾石龙子(Eumeces elegans)的染色体组型,其二倍体均为2n=26(20V 6I),NF=46,含有大型染色体6对、小型染色体7对,除3对小型的近端染色体外,其余均为中部着丝粒。但4个不同地理居群蓝尾石龙子之间的染色体在相对长度、臂比值、着丝粒指数等方面存在着一定的差异,说明不同地理居群的蓝尾石龙子的染色体具有丰富的多样性。     

Relationships among maize inbred lines and populations from European and North-American origins as estimated using RFLP markers

RFLP markers have proven to be a reliable and highly informative tool for characterizing genetic diversity in maize. Joint analysis of inbred lines and populations should provide valuable information with respect to (1) a better understanding of the genetic basis of present elite germplasm and (2) the identification of populations that may prove to be useful sources of genetic diversity for breeding programs. Sixty-two inbred lines of known heterotic groups and ten maize populations, some of them significant contributors to the genetic basis of the heterotic groups, were assayed at 28 RFLP loci. Joint data analyses first underlined that the populations displayed a large number of alleles that were absent in the set of inbred lines. Associations among inbreds and populations further proved consistent with pedigree data of the inbreds and provided new information on the genetical basis of heterotic groups. In particular, European flint inbreds were revealed to be as close to the Northeastern U.S. flint population studied as to the typical European populations. These results advocate the analysis of larger sets of populations by means of molecular markers in order to (1) gain insight into the history of maize germplasm and (2) set up appropriate strategies for the use of genetic resources in breeding programs. Received: 23 February 1998 / Accepted: 5 February 1999     

Identifying populations useful for improving parents of a single cross based on net transfer of alleles

Summary Theory and methods for identifying populations (P _y ) with the highest frequency of favorable dominant alleles not present in an elite single cross (I ₁× I ₂) have been developed recently. During selection, new favorable alleles can be transferred from P _y to either I ₁ or I ₂ only at the risk of losing favorable alleles already present in the single cross. A net improvement (NI) statistic, which estimates the relative number of favorable alleles that can be gained from P _y minus the relative number of favorable alleles that can be lost from I ₁ or I ₂, is presented. NI is calculated as maximum [(I ₁×P _y –I ₁×I ₂)/2,(I ₂×P _y –I ₁×I ₂)/2]. Because I ₁ × I ₂ is constant in an experiment, the method reduces to choosing P _y populations with the best mean performance in combination with either I ₁ or I ₂. For a set of maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield data, NI was highly correlated to three other statistics proposed for choosing populations, namely: (1) minimally biased estimate (l ) of the relative number of favorable dominant alleles present in P _y but not in I ₁ and I ₂; (2) minimum upper bound on l ; and (3) predicted performance of the three-way cross [P _y (I ₁× I ₂)]. While l estimates potential improvement likely to be achieved only through long-term recurrent selection, NI is probably a better predictor of short-term improvement in single-cross performance.A contribution from Lifaco Genetics, a subsidiary of Groupe Limagrain     

South American Origins of Microctonus hyperodae Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Established in New Zealand as Defined by Morphometric Analysis

Eight South American geographic populations of the thelytokous parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were released in New Zealand in 1991 to assist in the suppression of the pasture pest Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). With one exception, parasitoids from each South American geographic population were released in equal numbers at each New Zealand release site. It was postulated that the South American geographic population(s) best suited to the conditions encountered at each New Zealand release locality would eventually become prevalent there. A morphometric analysis of adult parasitoids of known South American origins, reported previously, allowed M. hyperodae derived from west of the Andes (i.e. two collection sites in Chile) to be distinguished from parasitoids derived from east of the Andes (i.e. three collection sites in Argentina and one each in Brazil and Uruguay). Parasitoids derived from a fourth site in Argentina (S. C. de Bariloche) could not be clearly discriminated from either the 'east of the Andes' or 'west of the Andes' categories. A morphometric analysis of M. hyperodae adults collected from five of the New Zealand release sites from 1992-1994 is presented in this contribution. The analysis indicated that parasitoids derived from east of the Andes were significantly more prevalent than expected. The possible reasons for the initial success in New Zealand of one or more east of the Andes populations include the greater fecundity of M. hyperodae collected in Uruguay and the likelihood that M. hyperodae from east of the Andes co-evolved more recently with the stock from which New Zealand's L. bonariensis was founded.     

Population history reconstruction,based on craniometry I. The backtracking approach and initial results

This study reports on the initial results of an investigation into the taxonomic efficacy of different subsets of craniometric variables. Taxonomic performances of such subsets were evaluated in relation to a benchmark of expected results. This evaluation was allowed through the use of recent Eskaleut skeletal groups having an essentially known population historical relationship to one another. Exploratory data analysis revealed a provisionally optimal trait subset, i.e. one which produced a matrix of inter-group generalized biological distances in closest congruence with the “expected” model. This taxonomically efficacious, 18-trait battery (B18) was derived from a larger (B36) subset, comprised of 36 traits identified as the most powerful multivariate discriminators. In formulating the B18 battery, the B36 parent list was culled of measurements identified as being the most prone to error or noise stemming from imprecision, lack of morphometric efficacy, age regression, and minor cranial deformation. Also, and importantly, adaptive traits were culled if they covered craniofacial regions which are physiologically responsive, or biomechanically related, to the function of mastication. These results are gratifying, for they suggest that if proper consideration is given to various quality control criteria, computed intergroup biological distances have a greater likelihood of expressing information on population history relationships. While the provisional results reported here on taxonomic optimality are particular to the region under study, the underlying (“Backtracking”) approach is generalizable. Steps are outlined whereby this approach to population history reconstruction can be undertaken for any geographic region which meets stated prerequisites concerning materials and methods.     

Methods to evaluate populations for alleles to improve an elite hybrid

Elite hybrids can be improved by the introgression of favorable alleles not already present in the hybrid. Our first objective was to evaluate several estimators derived from quantitative genetic theory that attempt to quantify the relative number of useful alleles in potential donor populations. Secondly, we wanted to evaluate two proposed ways of determining relatedness of donor populations to the parents of the elite hybrid. Two experiments, each consisting of 21 maize populations of known pedigree, were grown at three and four environments in Minnesota in 1991. Yield and plant height means were used to provide estimates of each of the following statistics: (1) LPLU, a minimally biased statistic, (2) UBND, the minimum estimate of an upper bound, (3) NI, the net improvement, (4) PTC, the predicted three-way cross, and (5) TCSC, the testcross of the populations. These statistics are biased estimators of the relative number of unique favorable alleles contained within a population compared to a reference elite hybrid. Based on rank correlations, all statistics except NI ranked populations similarly. The percent novel germplasm relative to the single cross to be improved was positively correlated with the estimates of favorable alleles except when NI was used as the estimator. The relationship estimators agreed with the genetic constitution of the donor populations. Strong positive correlations existed between diversity, based on the relationship rankings, and all the estimator rankings, except NI. Potential donor populations were effectively identified by LPLU, UBND, PTC, and TCSC. NI was not a good estimator of unique favorable alleles.     

Ecological factors and adaptive processes in N2-fixing bacterial populations of the plant environment

Summary Physiology and genetics of non-symbiotic N₂-fixing bacteria have made much progress in recent years, especially in the case of a few reference strains. Nevertheless, understanding the ecology of diazotrophs cannot be achieved by studying only laboratory microorganisms. It is necessary to study naturally-occurring populations, to characterize their densities, size, composition, variability and variations in order to understand how a plant can select a rhizosphere population from a soil population. Very few comparisons of phenotypic diversity and dominant phenotypes in these two habitats have been made up to now. More studies of this type would allow a better knowledge of the selective pressures which actually drive the shift of population and they would permit investigation of the underlying mechanisms. These can vary from mere metabolic adaptation to selection of pre-adapted genotypes. A third mechanism is possible in which pre-adapted genes are maintained in soil populations at very low frequencies and energy costs, and whose transfer is triggered by the selective factor to which they constitute an adaptation.