中国石龙子热生物学的研究

通过研究中国石龙子选择体温，临界温度与实验温度对该种的体温，疾跑速，摄食量，食物通过时间，表现消化系数，同化效率和生长的影响发现，中国石龙子选择体温３１．２℃，临界高，低温分别为４２．３和６．３℃，恒温室内中国石龙子的体温与实验温度接近，温度对中国石龙子的疾跑速有显著影响，３４℃中动物疾跑速最高，过高或过低实验温度中的动物疾跑减慢，温度对中国石龙子食物通过时间，单位体重摄食量，粪尿能值，表观消化系     

变转速策略调控灵芝菌丝体发酵高产三萜

灵芝发酵过程中,采用变转速调控策略,对振荡发酵阶段进行优化,以期达到高产三萜的目的。振荡阶段最佳条件为转速由150r/min变为100r/min,该策略与液体静置培养相结合,最终菌丝体三萜产量高达678.0g/L,比优化前提高了21%。振荡发酵阶段的变转速策略有效地提高了三萜的产量。     

长白山生态功能区气候变化特征

为探究长白山生态功能区气候变化特征,本研究利用区域内及周边36个气象站数据与CN05.1格点数据集,采用线性倾向估计法、Mann-Kendall突变检验、累积距平法、Morlet小波分析等方法研究1961—2016年长白山生态功能区内温度(平均气温、四季气温、极端气温)、水分(年降水量、四季降水量、降水日数、相对湿度)、光照(日照时数与日照百分率)和风速因子的时空变化规律.结果表明: 1961—2016年,长白山生态功能区气温升高、日照减少、风速减弱、降水量周期振荡变化.其中,冬季气温[0.45 ℃·(10 a)^-1]与最低温度[0.74 ℃·(10 a)^-1]大幅上升.年平均风速显著降低[-0.21 m·s^-1·(10 a)^-1]但并未发生气候突变.年降水日数大幅降低[-7.01 d·(10 a)^-1],使其与东北地区气候变化特点有所不同.虽然功能区内年降水量倾向率为16.06 mm·(10 a)^-1,但不能以简单的趋势增加或减少来描述降水量变化特征,功能区内降水量变化以26年长周期叠加3年的短周期为主.研究结果对区域生态评估、生态系统响应气候变化、物候变化等研究具有指示意义.     

青海沙蜥的热耐受性、选择体温及摄食和运动表现的热依赖性

研究了青海沙蜥(Phrynocephalus vlangalii)成体的选择体温、热耐受性及食物同化和运动表现的热依赖性。结果显示:选择体温、临界低温和临界高温无显著的两性差异,其平均值分别为33.3、0.9℃和46.9℃。在27-35℃实验温度范围内,体温显著影响日摄食量,表观消化系数(ADC)和同化效率(AE)无显著影响。停顿次数随着体温的升高而降低,至39℃时停顿次数最少,但与37℃和41℃处理下的停顿次数无显著差异。疾跑速在17-39℃范围内随体温升高而加快,在39℃体温下最快。体温大于39℃后速度减慢。在17-27℃体温范围内,随体温的升高持续运动距离无显著差异。持续运动距离在29-41℃体温下大于较低体温(17-27℃)下的测定值。     

Activation of three species of tsetse (Glossina spp.) in response to host derived stimuli

Recordings were made of the activation of hungry Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood, G. pallidipes Austen, and G. austeni Newstead in response to odours from ox breath and ox urine, and a moving visual stimulus, in a wind tunnel. The spontaneous activity of G.m.morsitans was very low (less than 4% of males and 2% of females active per min during control periods). That of G.austeni and G.pallidipes was in the region of 20% except for G.pallidipes females when in excess of 40% were active during control periods. Addition of ox urine odours to the airstream had no effect on activity in any of the species investigated but addition of ox breath odours to the airstream significantly increased activity of G.pallidipes and of G.m.morsitans, although for the latter only approximately 12% of flies were active. For G.austeni the addition of ox breath odours resulted in a significant increase in activity of females but not of males. The moving visual stimulus resulted in a significant increase in the activity of both sexes of G.austeni and G.m.morsitans but no change in the activity of G.pallidipes. The low level of spontaneous activity and the low response to ox breath odours in a strain of G.m.morsitans maintained in the laboratory since 1969 was compared with a new colony of this species which originated from puparia collected in Zimbabwe in 1991. No differences in either spontaneous activity or the response to ox breath odour was recorded, but females from the new colony were significantly more responsive to a moving visual stimulus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Pushed to the edge: Spatial sorting can slow down invasions

Our ability to understand population spread dynamics is complicated by rapid evolution, which renders simple ecological models insufficient. If dispersal ability evolves, more highly dispersive individuals may arrive at the population edge than less dispersive individuals (spatial sorting), accelerating spread. If individuals at the low-density population edge benefit (escape competition), high dispersers have a selective advantage (spatial selection). These two processes are often described as forming a positive feedback loop; they reinforce each other, leading to faster spread. Although spatial sorting is close to universal, this form of spatial selection is not: low densities can be detrimental for organisms with Allee effects. Here, we present two conceptual models to explore the feedback loops that form between spatial sorting and spatial selection. We show that the presence of an Allee effect can reverse the positive feedback loop between spatial sorting and spatial selection, creating a negative feedback loop that slows population spread.     

Suction among pickers: jaw mechanics,dietary breadth and feeding behaviour in beach‐spawning Leuresthes spp. compared with their relatives

Jaw mechanics and dietary breadth in California grunion Leuresthes tenuis and Gulf grunion Leuresthes sardina were compared with three other members of the tribe Atherinopsini to test whether these two species have evolved a novel jaw protrusion that might be associated with feeding narrowly on abundant prey near spawning beaches. Quantitative comparison of cleared‐and‐stained specimens of five members of the atherinopsine clade showed that, compared with false grunion Colpichthys regis, topsmelt Atherinops affinis and jacksmelt Atherinopsis californiensis, L. tenuis and L. sardina have longer, more downwardly directed premaxillary protrusion, expanded dentary and premaxillary bones, greater lower jaw rotation and larger premaxilla–vomer separation. Leuresthes tenuis showed greater differences than L. sardina in these features. Comparison of the gut contents of L. tenuis and A. affinis with zooplankton samples collected simultaneously with these fishes in the water column within 1 km of shore showed that, as predicted, L. tenuis fed predominantly on mysid crustaceans and had a narrower diet than A. affinis. High‐speed video analysis showed that L. tenuis exhibits a mean time to maximum jaw protrusion c. 2·5 times shorter than that of A. affinis. The grunion sister species, especially L. tenuis, have evolved suction feeding that may allow efficient feeding on common, evasive prey near spawning sites. The morphological traits seen in both species of Leuresthes signify a marked difference from their closest relatives in prey capture and suggest a type of jaw protrusion not yet seen in cyprinodontiforms or perciforms.     

Flume length and post‐exercise impingement affect anaerobic metabolism in brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis

The effect of flume length and impingement time on post‐exercise lactate concentrations in brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis were examined. Swimming in longer flumes increased lactate concentrations, as does impingement after swimming in short flumes.     

Acoustic characterisation of thoracic body tissues in the audible frequency range

A previous study by Jones and Thomas [2] suggests that data relating to the physiological condition within the thoracic cavity may be obtainable utilising low frequency acoustic signals applied to the mouth and detected on the chest wall. In order to evaluate the contribution to the mouth to chest wall frequency response of the separate elements within the thorax, and to estimate the effect on this response when the lung physiology changes, an acoustic model of the thorax is required. To aid the development of this model, experiments have been carried out in order to establish the frequency dependence of the acoustic attenuation and speed of propagation through thoracic tissue samples in the audible frequency range 20–500 Hz. Samples from the porcine family were used due to their physical similarity to those of humans and their being obtainable within a short time of death.The results of this work can be utilised in the development of an acoustic model of the human thorax, this in turn enabling simulation and analysis of low frequency acoustic transmission from the trachea to the chest wall.     

Effects of flight training on flight speed and substrate utilization in locusts

ABSTRACT. Regular flight exercise of adult male Locusta migratoria migratorioides (R and F) accelerated the development of maximum flight speed and disrupted the development of the typical pattern of change of flight speed exhibited when normal (untrained) adult male laboratory locusts are flown on roundabouts. Thus, while untrained mature locusts fly fast initially and then slow to a steady cruising speed after 20 min, trained locusts flew at a relatively constant speed throughout a 60-min test period. Flight training also led to a marked reduction in the size of the fat body and the flight muscles, but flight muscle ultrastructural development was not affected. Regular flight exercise had no long-term effect on haemolymph carbohydrate concentration but lipid levels were significantly depressed.