Effects of age, dominance, and seasonal changes on proximity relationships in female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in a free-ranging group at Katsuyama

The present study compares the behavior of old female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) with that of their full adult daughters in a free-ranging group, with respect to dominance and seasonal changes. Old mothers (21 to 25 years old) spent more time resting and alone than did their middle-aged adult daughters (10 to 17 yr old). However, the number of skin-related animals in proximity to the subject females, did not differ between mothers and their adult daughters. Mothers maintained proximity to more non-kin-related immature animals in the mating season than did their adult daughters, perhaps to avoid sexual aggression from males and to reduce the loss of body temperature in the cold. Dominance rank clearly influenced the social interactions of old mothers: high-ranking mothers interacted with more non-related adult females and immature animals than did low-ranking mothers, indicating that old age does not decrease the attractiveness of high-ranking animals.     

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis reveals genetic relationships among the annual Cicer species

 Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers were used to distinguish between nine different Cicer taxa representing the cultivated chickpea and eight other related annual wild species. Of the 75 random10-mer primers tested, only 8 amplified genomic DNA across all the species. A total of 115 reproducibly scorable RAPD markers were generated, all except 1 polymorphic, and these were utilized to deduce genetic relationships among the annual Cicer species. Four distinct clusters were observed and represented C. arietinum, C. reticulatum and C. echinospermum in first cluster followed by C. chorassanicum and C. yamashitae in the second cluster, while C. pinnatifidum, C. judaicum and C. bijugum formed the third cluster. Cicer cuneatum did not cluster with any of the species and was most distantly placed from the cultivated species. Except for the placement of C. chorassanicum and C. yamashitae, deduced species’ relationships agreed with previous studies. In addition, species-diagnostic amplification products specific to all the nine species were identified. The results clearly demonstrate a methodology based on random-primed DNA amplification that can be used for studying Cicer phylogeny and chickpea improvement. Received: 27 July 1998 / Accepted: 5 August 1998     

The Tertiary Vegetation and Flora and Floristic Regions in China

The development or adaptation radiation of angiosperms has been closely related to the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment. Several environmental factors, influencing each other, have affected the evolution or development of angiosperms, which falls into different stages. The lines between these stages are not consistent with the traditional geological ages. Floristic regionalization might be better based on the stages of the development. Angiosperms have become important or dominant elements in the flora since the middle and late period of the Late Cretaceous. The development of angiosperms may be divided into four stages: (1) Initial stage: The angiosperms were not yet well established during the Early Cretaceous. The number of species and individuals was limited, the leaf small, mostly with entire margine, irregular venation and poor differentiation of venation; (2) Flourished stage: The angiosperms increased dramatically and became abundant. The leaf was larger with more regular venation and the differentiation of venation was remarkable. The percentage of angiosperms was from 40%-60% in the flora, and eventually arose, becoming predominant, with important families well presented. This was probably from the Late Cretaceous to the Early Tertiary; (3) Herbs-Flourished stage: Some of woody plants were extinct, while herbs greatly increased, because of the changes in climate, sea level and mountain uplift during the Neogene period; (4)Quaternary stage: The mountain glacier in China, influenced by global glacial-interglacial alternation due to the climatic fluctuation, advanced and regressed during the Quaternary. The climatic fluctuation apparently affected the distribution of plants. But the components of the flora were similar to or slightly different from the features of the present one. The aim of the present paper is to discuss the floristic regions at the second and third stages. The Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary stage: A. The Late Cretaceous-Paleogene flora of northern China 1. Warm-temperate to subtropical deciduous broad-leaved and conifer forests in North and Northeastern China 2. Dry subtropical flora of Northwestern and Central China B. Southern China Late Cretaceous-Paleogene flora 3. Deciduous and evergreen forests with coniferous elements in the subtropical coastal region of east China 4. Evergreen forests of South China 5. Evergreen forests of lower mountains in the Tethys The Neogene stage-Herbs-flourished stage: 1. Temperate forests and grasslands to semidesert-desert floras of northwestern China; 2. Warm temperate deciduous forests of north and northeastern China; 3. Warm temperate to subtropical deciduous and evergreen forests of central and east China; 4. Evergreen forests of the subtropical and tropics mangrove vegetation of south China; 5. Subtropical evergreen and deciduous forests on the Yunnan and Xizang plateau.     

直接模糊聚类的截取水平选择及其在植被数量分析中的应用

植被生态研究中常用的聚类法,是着眼于研究区域中植被和环境因子呈间断分布或变化梯度较大的一类情况,对原始数据中各个体按其属性进行归类。直接模糊聚类法则以各个体间的属性相近程度来定义一模糊关系矩阵,然后对矩阵取不同的水平截集,从而得出一等级分类。当模糊关系确定以后,截取水平的选择就成了聚类结果的决定性因素。至目前为止,直接模糊聚类中的截取水平通常由分析者主观给定,或者是以逐步试验,逐步修改的方法确定的。这样,聚类结果就不可避免地带有较大的主观和任意性。笔者认为截取水平应选在模糊关系变化较大之处,使聚类结果尽可能地反映原始数据的结构特征。这一原理已被实施于一通用软件中,实例分析表明,如此选择的截取水平确能比较客观地反映原始数据的特征,从而得出较为合理的聚类结果。     

Late-glacial and Holocene vegetation history and dynamics as shown by pollen and plant macrofossil analyses in annually laminated sediments from Soppensee, central Switzerland

The palynostratigraphy of two sediment cores from Soppensee, Central Switzerland (596 m asl) was correlated with nine regional pollen assemblage zones defined for the Swiss Plateau. This biostratigraphy shows that the sedimentary record of Soppensee includes the last 15 000 years, i.e. the entire Late-glacial and Holocene environmental history. The vegetation history of the Soppensee catchment was inferred by pollen and plant-macrofossil analyses on three different cores taken in the deepest part of the lake basin (27 m). On the basis of a high-resolution varve and calibrated radiocarbonchronology it was possible to estimate pollen accumulation rates, which together with the pollen percentage data, formed the basis for the interpretation of the past vegetation dynamics. The basal sediment dates back to the last glacial. After reforestation with juniper and birch at ca. 12 700 B.P., the vegetation changed at around 12 000 B.P. to a pine-birch woodland and at the onset of the Holocene to a mixed deciduous forest. At ca. 7000 B.P., fir expanded and dominated the vegetation with beech becoming predominant at ca. 500¹⁴C-years later until sometime during the Iron Age. Large-scale deforestation, especially during the Middle Ages, altered the vegetation cover drastically. During the Late-glacial period two distinct regressive phases in vegetation development are demonstrated, namely, the Aegelsee oscillation (equivalent to the Older Dryas biozone) and the Younger Dryas biozone. No unambiguous evidence for Holocene climatic change was detected at Soppensee. Human presence is indicated by early cereal pollen and distinct pulses of forest clearance as a result of human activity can be observed from the Neolithic period onwards.     

青海省癿扎林区森林植被调查初报

位于青藏高原东南部的癿扎林区,是高山暗针叶林分布的边缘。其植物种类单纯,结构简单。本林区是森林植被向高寒灌丛、草甸的过渡地带,在一定意义上反映出青藏高原植被从森林一草甸中间过渡的一些特点。本文采取典型调查和路线踏查相结合的方法,在7300余公顷林地中共选出20×20m2典型样地8块。在8块样地的野外调查基础上,参考有关资料,首次对癿扎林区高寒常绿针叶林的生态环境、主要类型及其分布规律等问题作初步论述。     

1H NMR conformational study on n-terminal nonapeptide sequences of HIV-1 Tat protein: a contribution to structure–activity relationships

On the basis of our recent results, the N-terminal sequence of HIV-1 Tat protein as a natural competitive inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DP IV) is supposed to interact directly with the active site of DP IV hence mediating its immunosuppressive effects via specific DP IV interactions. Of special interest is the finding that amino acid substitutions of the Tat(1–9) peptide (MDPVDPNIE) in position 5 with S-isoleucine and in position 6 with S-leucine led to peptides with strongly reduced inhibitory activity suggesting differences in the solution conformation of the three analogues. Therefore, ¹H NMR techniques in conjunction with molecular modelling have been used here to determine the solution structure of Tat(1–9), I⁵-Tat(1–9) and L⁶-Tat(1–9) and to examine the influence of amino acid exchanges on structural features of these peptides. The defined structures revealed differences in the conformations what might be the reason for different interactions of these Tat(1–9) analogues with certain amino acids of the active site of DP IV. © 1998 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

沙蜥属系统学研究综述

沙蜥属隶属于鬣蜥科,是欧亚大陆荒漠和稀疏草原常见的蜥蜴。该属特征变异较大,存在许多争议。本文从其分类史、系统演化关系、生物地理学研究三个方面进行总结,并指出沙蜥属卵生类群的系统关系还比较混乱,生物地理历史过程有待进一步研究。