REPORT OF A NEW INVASIVE ALGA IN THE ATLANTIC UNITED STATES: “HETEROSIPHONIA” JAPONICA IN RHODE ISLAND1

Recent collections of tetrasporangiate “Heterosiphonia” japonica Yendo from Watch Hill to Point Judith, Rhode Island, represent the first report of this nonnative alga in the western Atlantic. Native to the Pacific Ocean, this species was unintentionally introduced into European waters by 1984 and has subsequently invaded the eastern Atlantic Ocean widely from France to Norway and south into the Mediterranean Sea. Thus far, all western Atlantic collections of this species are confined to the outer coast of Rhode Island, and at present are not found in Narragansett Bay or in Long Island Sound along the Connecticut coast. Molecular and morphological studies confirm the identity of this newly introduced invasive species.     

Ecological speciation in sympatric palms: 1. Gene expression,selection and pleiotropy

Ecological speciation requires divergent selection, reproductive isolation and a genetic mechanism to link the two. We examined the role of gene expression and coding sequence evolution in this process using two species of Howea palms that have diverged sympatrically on Lord Howe Island, Australia. These palms are associated with distinct soil types and have displaced flowering times, representing an ideal candidate for ecological speciation. We generated large amounts of RNA‐Seq data from multiple individuals and tissue types collected on the island from each of the two species. We found that differentially expressed loci as well as those with divergent coding sequences between Howea species were associated with known ecological and phenotypic differences, including response to salinity, drought, pH and flowering time. From these loci, we identified potential ‘ecological speciation genes’ and further validate their effect on flowering time by knocking out orthologous loci in a model plant species. Finally, we put forward six plausible ecological speciation loci, providing support for the hypothesis that pleiotropy could help to overcome the antagonism between selection and recombination during speciation with gene flow.     

海南岛甘什岭热带低地雨林棕榈藤空间点格局分析

以海南岛甘什岭热带低地雨林白藤(Calamus tetradactylus)、大白藤(C.faberii)、华南省藤(C.rhabdocladus)、黄藤(Daemonorops margaritae)和小钩叶藤(Plectocomia microstachys)5种棕榈藤种群为研究对象,采用点格局分析方法对棕榈藤种内和种间空间分布格局及相互关系进行分析。结果表明:(1)海南岛甘什岭热带低地雨林棕榈藤种群的空间格局与空间尺度有着密切的关系,在小尺度上,5种棕榈藤种群都更倾向于聚集分布,随着尺度的增长,各棕榈藤种群主要趋向于随机分布,形成不同的空间分布格局。(2)各藤种间的空间关联情况在整体尺度上表现出明显负关联的是白藤和黄藤、白藤和大白藤,这可能是因为它们对生存空间及养分的需求相同或相似,存在明显的竞争关系。(3)华南省藤和大白藤在整体尺度上表现出明显正关联,这可能是由于它们在生长过程中相互庇护,用于抵御动物捕食和热带雨林内多变的外部环境。(4)黄藤和小钩叶藤以及白藤和小钩叶藤呈现出明显不相关,这说明它们对环境和生存空间的依赖没有冲突性,能做到和平共存。     

A new zoarcid, Lycodes mcallisteri, from eastern Arctic Canada (Teleostei: Perciformes)

A new zoarcid fish, Lycodes mcallisteri, is described on the basis of nine specimens (230–375 mm SL) from eastern Arctic Canada, Nunavut (Hudson Strait, 298 m; Cumberland Sound and Baffin Bay, 579 m). It resembles about 15 other Lycodes spp. in having a long tail and a "ventromediolateral" type of lateral line. It is distinguished from Arctic members of this group (Lycodes marisalbi, L. palearis, and L. sagittarius) by the high number of pectoral fin rays (22–23), short pelvic fins, low submental crests, and coloration (6–10 light patches dorsally). It resembles two Pacific species (L. macrochir and L. soldatovi) by the high number of pectoral fin rays, but differs by coloration, meristics, and shape of the pectoral fin. Received: April 13, 2000 / Revised: September 7, 2000 / Accepted: January 11, 2001     

PERIPHYTIC DIATOM ASSEMBLAGES FROM BATHURST ISLAND, NUNAVUT, CANADIAN HIGH ARCTIC: AN EXAMINATION OF COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND HABITAT PREFERENCES

Diatoms are potentially the most important biomonitors of environmental change in high arctic lakes and ponds, but to date few autecological data are available. Because of the shallow nature of many of these water bodies, a large proportion of taxa are periphytic and planktonic diatoms are absent for the most part. By determining the microhabitat and substrate preferences of these benthic diatom taxa, the potential exists to infer past changes in available habitats from fossil diatom assemblages collected from sediment cores and ultimately to reconstruct past environmental and climatic changes responsible for these shifts in habitat availability. To refine our understanding of high arctic diatom habitat preference, the common diatom taxa found on submerged moss (bryophyte), sediment, and rock substrates from lakes and ponds on Bathurst Island, Nunavut, Canadian High Arctic were examined. The relationships among key limnological variables and the common taxa from each habitat were examined. Many diatom taxa exhibited varying degrees of microhabitat preference, with moss representing the more unique habitat. In addition, the following limnological variables significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) explained the species variance for each of the three substrates: Na ⁺ and total nitrogen for moss; total phosphorus (filtered) and pH for rock; and Fe^{3 +} , total phosphorus (unfiltered), total nitrogen, temperature, and pH for sediment. These data can be used to help interpret monitoring and paleolimnological studies in this environmentally sensitive region.     

基于亲权鉴定的千岛湖社鼠家群遗传结构与亲缘关系特征研究

于2009年7月至2010年11月,对浙江千岛湖两个岛屿上的社鼠(Niviventer confucianus)种群进行标志重捕,并采用8个高多态性的微卫星位点,对两个岛屿的社鼠种群进行家群分析和亲权鉴定,探讨了社鼠家群的亲缘关系特征。结果显示,8个微卫星位点能可靠地对两个岛屿社鼠种群进行亲权鉴定,A岛已确定亲缘关系的71只社鼠分为12个家群,家群中的个体数最多达到19个,B岛已确定的49只社鼠个体共分为11个家群,家群中的个体数最多达到14个。家群内部成员之间的亲缘关系表现为配对繁殖的个体对间亲缘系数最小,揭示了社鼠倾向于选择亲缘关系较远的异性作为配偶。家群中雄性后代个体之间与雌性个体之间的亲缘关系相比,两岛表现情况相反,该结果暗示两岛屿上社鼠扩散行为可能有所不同。通过计算与同一雄性(或同一雌性)交配的个体间的亲缘系数,发现两个岛屿上的社鼠在与不同异性交配时也存在选择性,即避免选择亲缘关系较近的异性作为混交的对象。     

Didymodon vulcanicus J.A.Jiménez,Hedd. & Frank Müll. (Pottiaceae), a new species from tropical Africa

Didymodon vulcanicus J.A.Jiménez, Hedd. & Frank Müll. is described and illustrated as a new species from volcanic regions of tropical Africa. The species is distinguished morphologically by its lanceolate or more rarely ovate-lanceolate leaves that are strongly incurved distally when dry, acute apices, upper and middle laminal cells arranged in longitudinal rows with a low dorsal papilla over the transverse walls which reaches the two immediate cells, basal cells not or hardly differentiated from the medial cells, and the presence of gemmae in the leaf axils. Drawings and light microscope photographs of the main characters are given, and possible confusion with other closely related taxa is discussed.     

Evolution of restriction sites of ribosomal DNA in natural populations of the field mouse,Apodemus speciosus

An analysis by restriction endonuclease digestion of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was carried out in natural populations of Apodemus speciosus, a field mouse that is endemic to Japan. Two restriction sites, the EcoRI (E3) and DraI (D4) sites, in the nontranscribed spacer region downstream from the gene for 28S RNA showed polymorphism within and between individuals in the populations from the Japanese main islands. By contrast, populations from the small adjoining islands which are thought to have separated from the main islands 1–2 × 10⁴ years ago showed relatively low levels of polymorphism within and between individuals, i.e., one of the polymorphic bands in the case of each enzyme was predominant in these populations, irrespective of the variants. These results indicate that the rate of fixation of site variations depends on population size and that the direction of fixation is random. Furthermore, each polymorphic restriction site seems to be fixed independently.Correspondence to: H. Suzuki     

海南霸王岭不同森林类型附生兰科植物的多样性和分布

附生兰科植物是热带林附生植物的主要类群之一,对于维持热带林生态系统的物种多样性及生态功能具有重要的作用。以海南岛霸王岭国家级自然保护区内的6种热带原始林类型(热带季雨林、低地雨林、热带针叶林、山地雨林、山地常绿林及山顶矮林)中的附生兰科植物为研究对象,通过样带调查(每个森林类型设置12个10m×50m的样带,记录每个样带内胸径(DBH)≥5cm的树木及藤本上附生兰科植物的物种名称、株数及附生位置)分析了附生兰科植物的物种多样性、附生位置及其在不同森林类型中的分布规律。结果表明:1)3.6hm2森林调查样带内共记录到附生兰科植物9634株,分属于26属60种;2)除趋势对应分析(DCA)结果表明,6种森林类型中的附生兰科植物可分成5组(其中,山地常绿林与山顶矮林内的附生兰科植物归为一组);3)分布海拔范围相临近的森林类型的附生兰科植物具有较高的相似性,山地常绿林和山顶矮林附生兰科植物的相似性最高(88.9%);4)6种森林类型中,较高海拔的3种森林类型(山地雨林、山地常绿林和山顶矮林)中,附生兰科植物的丰富度和多度均显著高于其在较低海拔的3种森林类型(热带季雨林、低地雨林和热带针叶林),其中,附生兰科植物在山地常绿林内的丰富度和多度均最高;5)热带季雨林、低地雨林、热带针叶林及山地雨林内,宿主冠区附生兰科植物的多度均高于干区;山地常绿林内两者之间无显著差异;而山顶矮林干区的附生兰科植物的多度高于冠区;6)调查木上附生兰科植物的发生率在高海拔森林类型均高于其在低海拔森林类型,各森林类型内附生兰科植物的多度及物种丰富度与宿主胸径均存在显著正相关关系。     

基于土地利用空间格局的区域生态系统健康评价——以舟山岛为例

土地利用空间格局是影响区域生态系统健康状态的重要因素。构建适用于舟山岛生态系统健康诊断的"活力-组织结构-恢复力-生态系统服务功能"评价指标体系,其活力以植被相对密度指数表征、组织结构以蔓延度等4个景观格局指数表征。选择镇、乡或街道等行政区作为评价单元,以遥感数据和土地利用调查数据为基础,采用G IS和RS技术,提取舟山岛17个乡镇1970-2005年间5个时期的土地利用空间格局和指标信息,采用综合参数评价模型对研究区生态系统健康进行时空动态评价。研究结果表明:(1)35 a来舟山岛生态系统健康整体状况呈下降趋势,相对较好的区域面积下降了18%,相对一般的下降了8%,而相对较差的上升了26%;(2)城市化、滩涂围垦与沿海工业的发展是舟山岛生态系统健康状态下降的主要原因。