On the function of female ornaments: male bluethroats prefer colourful females

Female ornaments in animals with conventional sex roles have traditionally been considered non-functional, being merely a genetically correlated response to selection for male ornamentation. Alternatively, female ornaments may be influenced by selection acting directly on the females, either through female–female competition or male choice. We tested the latter hypothesis in mate choice experiments with bluethroats (Luscinia s. svecica), a passerine bird in which females vary considerably in coloration of an ornamental throat patch. In outdoor aviaries placed in prime breeding habitat, males were allowed to choose between a colourful and a drab female. We found that males associated more with, and performed more sexual behaviours towards, colourful females. Female coloration was not age-related, but correlated significantly with body mass and tarsus length. Thus, we have demonstrated both a male preference for female ornamentation, and a relationship between ornament expression and female body size, which may be indicative of quality. Our results refute the correlated response hypothesis and support the hypothesis that female ornamentation is sexually selected.     

城市生态韧性水平空间评估及其驱动力——以北京市通州区为例

随着城镇化水平的提高、城镇化进程的发展,城市生态系统逐渐变得脆弱不堪,增强城市生态韧性水平对城市发展起关键性作用。以韧性的核心内涵为基础评估城市生态韧性水平,探究城市防范化解生态风险能力在空间上的差异,从而制定分区生态治理制度,是提升城市防范化解生态风险能力的有效办法。从抵抗力、适应力和恢复力三方面构建了城市生态韧性水平空间评估模型,以2020年北京市通州区行政边界、土地利用、重点排污单位、人口等数据为例,评估了2020年北京市通州区生态韧性空间格局,并利用空间自相关模型对其分区生态治理进行研究。最后利用地理加权回归分析模型（Geographical weighted regression,GWR）进行驱动力分析,探讨社会经济层面对城市生态韧性水平空间的影响,并提出建设性建议。主要得到以下结论：（1）在空间结构上,通州区生态韧性低值区域最多,占比为52.80%,主要分布于通州区北部、东北部、中部偏西及东南部;高值区域最少,占比0.83%,零星分布于偏西部地区和偏南部地区。通州区由于缺乏相对适宜的整体规划和统筹安排,使城市生态系统的循环体系受到了负面影响,从而导致东南地区抵抗力弱。同时,近年来降水点的南移使得大量水资源在城市热岛效应的作用下流失,通州区东南部及通州大运河沿线区域内恢复力呈现出大范围低值水平。（2）通州区中心偏西北地区为副中心的核心地带,呈现低韧性水平-高排污企业密度的集聚分布情况,且生态韧性低值区域主要集聚于新华街、中仓街、玉桥街等区域,说明这些区域的环境生态风险防范化解能力比较低,需要因地制宜地对生态危机做出可持续的分区生态治理,增强区域对生态风险的调节能力。（3）结合GWR模型的驱动力分析,城市生态韧性水平主要被城市功能多样性驱动,且城市功能多样性越强,城市生态韧性水平越低,在通州区西北部的城市副中心负向影响最为显著。研究结果为城市生态韧性水平发展优化提供了理论依据,为促进国土空间合理利用和有效保护发挥积极作用。     

国内农业碳源/汇效应研究:视角、进展与改进

结构复杂、自然生态与社会经济过程交织、地域特征显著的农业碳源/汇效应存在基于内部结构、双重属性、区域尺度等多种研究视角。国内基于内部结构视角的农业碳源/汇效应研究多局限于种植业,且多以单一的碳源或碳汇研究为主;农业组分细化与组分关联的系统综合研究明显不足。在基于双重属性视角的研究中,自然生态视角侧重于碳吸收和直接碳排放,社会经济视角则聚焦于间接碳排放;由自然与经济相互割裂到相互融合的二元农业碳源/汇综合方法尚需深化。基于区域尺度视角的研究多集中在大中尺度和样地尺度,小尺度县域研究比较薄弱;农产品供应链关联的区域间碳流及减排值得关注。针对中国小规模家庭农场和种养关联的多种经营特征,农业碳源/汇效应研究应将农业产业组分、农产品碳源/汇构成解析与种养关联碳源/汇综合并重,发展和完善评估模型、提高参数本土化程度,追踪农产品生产、流通与消费等区域间碳流全过程。研究综述国内基于内部结构、双重属性和区域尺度等视角的农业碳源/汇效应研究进展,并提出基于我国农业经营特征的碳源/汇效应改进研究。     

Visual scanning by common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): Functional aspects and the specialrrole of adult males

The rates of visual scanning and vocalizations were studied in a group of captive marmosets (Callinthrix jacchus) after the presentation of five different stimuli (artificial flower, playback of long calls, female/male conspecific, stuffed wild cat) in order to assess the function of visual scanning. Only the presentation of a stuffed cat induced a significant response. The adult males in particular increased their scanning rate and all adult individuals decreased their rate of vocalizations. The results indicate that visual scanning in marmosets is an appropriate measure of vigilance which seems to serve the function of predator detection and avoidance. The strong response of adult males suggests that they play a special role in predator detection.     

Experimental effects of immersion time and water temperature on body condition,burying depth and timing of spawning of the tellinid bivalve <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macoma balthica</Emphasis>

The burying depth of many bivalve molluscs on intertidal mudflats varies throughout the year and differs between places. Many factors are known to influence burying depth on a seasonal or spatial scale, with temperature and tidal regime probably being very important. Burying depth, body condition and gonadal development of Macoma balthica were followed throughout winter and spring in an experiment in which water temperature and immersion time were manipulated. Unexpectedly, relative water temperature, in contrast to the prediction, did not generally affect body condition or burying depth. This was probably a consequence of the exceptionally overall low water temperatures during the experimental winter. Differences in temperature did, however, result in different timing of spawning: M. balthica spawned earlier at higher spring temperatures. Longer immersion times led to higher body condition only late in spring, but led to deeper burying throughout almost the whole period. There was no effect of immersion time on the timing of spawning. We conclude that a longer immersion time leads to deeper burying, independent of body condition. We also conclude that burying behaviour of M. balthica is not determined by the moment of spawning. Electronic Publication     

Rod and cone visual pigments and phototransduction through pharmacological, genetic, and physiological approaches

Activation of the visual pigment by light in rod and cone photoreceptors initiates our visual perception. As a result, the signaling properties of visual pigments, consisting of a protein, opsin, and a chromophore, 11-cis-retinal, play a key role in shaping the light responses of photoreceptors. The combination of pharmacological, physiological, and genetic tools has been a powerful approach advancing our understanding of the interactions between opsin and chromophore and how they affect the function of visual pigments. The signaling properties of the visual pigments modulate many aspects of the function of rods and cones, producing their unique physiological properties.     

Short-Term Dynamics of Tidepool Fish Community: Diel and Seasonal Variation

Short-term temporal dynamics in a tidepool fish community were quantitatively examined through a series of direct observation at consecutive low tides in a temperate-subtropical intertidal of southwestern Japan. The visual observation was sufficiently effective compared with the capture by anaesthetics and allowed a continual, undisturbed monitoring. Species composition markedly varied between consecutive day versus night in spring-autumn, but not in winter. In contrast, species composition on consecutive days and on consecutive nights was relatively stable all through the year. The pattern of diel change in abundance varied among species and seasons. C. gulosus, Istiblennius sp. and Girella spp. showed the tendency of night-time occurrence, while B. fuscus individuals tended to occur by day. These trends of day–night differences were mainly observed in spring and summer and rarely in winter. Size differences between day and night were detected in B. fuscus, C. gulosus, Istiblennius sp. and Girella spp. This tidepool fish community demonstrated variation in abundance and body size on short time scales, which may be attributable to behavioural differences among species.     

Transducin subunit stoichiometry and cellular distribution in rod outer segments

Transducin is a heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein found in the outer segment of vertebrate retinas that links the photoactivation of rhodopsin (R*) with activation of a robust type VI cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE6). Association of the alpha subunit of Transducin (G(alphat)) with the beta-gamma complex (G(betagamma)) is necessary for interaction of the holoprotein with R* and exchange of a GTP for a previously bound GDP. We have investigated the abundances of the three Transducin subunits by eluting them from bovine rod outer segment membranes by centrifugation under various conditions in vitro. We find that a substantial amount of G(betagamma) is eluted from ROS under conditions that do not elute G(alphat) and that there is an overall three to fourfold molar excess of G(betagamma) to G(alphat) in rod outer segments. These results suggest that the production and/or turnover of G(alphat), G(beta), and G(gamma) in the rod outer segment are controlled independently.     

多聚左旋赖氨酸包被玻片的可视化检测方法

分子量15万—30万的多聚左旋赖氨酸(Poly-L-Lysine,PLL)常被用于盖玻片的包被,以促进培养细胞贴壁或切片组织黏附。然而,用市场上劣质的PLL将使组织或细胞不能牢固黏附在包被玻片上,进而导致实验失败。因而,建立实用直观的PLL质量检测方法,对于PLL包被玻片的质量控制至关重要。然而,目前世界上未见相关方法报道。因此,作者本着实用原则建立了一种实验室可视化检测盖玻片表面PLL的方法,这种方法利用化学反应将异硫氰酸荧光素(Fluorescein isothiocyanate,FITC)添加到PLL的侧链氨基(-NH2)上,再利用荧光成像检测附着在玻片表面的FITC-PLL,同时荧光照片也可以通过Fiji软件进行分析,获得定量的检测结果。利用此方法,研究发现利用不同浓度的PLL包被盖玻片后,PLL偶联的FITC荧光强度和PLL浓度成正相关。通过检测市面上的两种商品化PLL,与对照相比,两种商品化PLL附着密度极低,推断利用这两种不合格的PLL包被玻片,将导致切片样本从玻片上脱落。此方法适用于实验室自制或商品化PLL黏附盖玻片质量的可视化检测,也为附着在玻璃或塑料表面的带有-NH2基团物质的定量检测方法的建立提供参考。