竹叶柴胡地上部分的化学成分

竹叶柴胡(Bupleurum marginatumWall.ex DC.)为伞形科(Apiaceae)柴胡属(BupleurumL.)植物,主要分布于四川北部、陕西南部、湖北西部及云南、贵州等省区,全株均可入药,为目前市场上药材柴胡的三大主要来源之一。柴胡具解表和里、疏肝解郁、提升中气之功效,在中药学中具有重要地位,在中国也已有2000多年的应用历史。目前,有关北柴胡(B.chinenseDC.)及南柴胡(B.scorzonerifoliumWilld.)的相关研究较多,而对在西南地区广泛使用的竹叶柴胡的研究却甚少。另外,对柴胡的相关研究多集中于根及根茎,有关柴胡茎叶化学成分和药理作用的研究较少。…     

Homologs of eukaryotic Ras superfamily proteins in prokaryotes and their novel phylogenetic correlation with their eukaryotic analogs

Ras superfamily proteins are key regulators in a wide variety of cellular processes. Previously, they were considered to be specific to eukaryotes, and MglA, a group of obviously different prokaryotic proteins, were recognized as their only prokaryotic analogs or even ancestors. Here, taking advantage of quite a current accumulation of prokaryotic genomic databases, we have investigated the existence and taxonomic distribution of Ras superfamily protein homologs in a much wider prokaryotic range, and analyzed their phylogenetic correlation with their eukaryotic analogs. Thirteen unambiguous prokaryotic homologs, which possess the GDP/GTP-binding domain with all the five characteristic motifs of their eukaryotic analogs, were identified in 12 eubacteria and one archaebacterium, respectively. In some other archaebacteria, including four methanogenic archaebacteria and three Thermoplasmales, homologs were also found, but with the GDP/GTP-binding domains not containing all the five characteristic motifs. Many more MglA orthologs were identified than in previous studies mainly in delta-proteobacteria, and all were shown to have common unique features distinct from the Ras superfamily proteins. Our phylogenetic analysis indicated eukaryotic Rab, Ran, Ras, and Rho families have the closest phylogenetic correlation with the 13 unambiguous prokaryotic homologs, whereas the other three eukaryotic protein families (SRbeta, Sar1, and Arf) branch separately from them, but have a relatively close relationship with the methanogenic archaebacterial homologs and MglA. Although homologs were identified in a relative minority of prokaryotes with genomic databases, their presence in a relatively wide variety of lineages, their unique sequence characters distinct from those of eukaryotic analogs, and the topology of our phylogenetic tree altogether do not support their origin from eukaryotes as a result of lateral gene transfer. Therefore, we argue that Ras superfamily proteins might have already emerged at least in some prokaryotic lineages, and that the seven eukaryotic protein families of the Ras superfamily may have two independent prokaryotic origins, probably reflecting the 'fusion' evolutionary history of the eukaryotic cell.     

The interrelationship between productivity,plant species richness and livestock diet: a question of scale?

Question: What relationship exists between productivity, plant species richness and livestock diet? Are the results dependent on scale? Location: A sheep‐grazed Koelerio‐Corynephoretea sandy habitat of the northern upper Rhine (Germany) as a low productivity model system. Methods: The investigation was carried out for three years at a fine scale (2 m²) and for two years at a broad scale (79 m²). Productivity was measured by means of weighed above‐ground phytomass for fine scale and colour‐infrared (CIR) aerial photographs of the same system for fine and broad scales. For both scales, total numbers of vascular plant species and numbers of endangered vascular plant species were extracted from current vegetation relevés. Additionally, we obtained data on livestock diet (grazed phytomass, crude protein content). Results: Statistical analyses show an influence of the year on all variables; relationships between variables are not significant in every year. Species richness and number of endangered species are negatively related to productivity at fine scale while crude protein content and grazed phytomass are positively related to productivity. At the broad scale the diversity‐productivity relationship shows a ‘hump’ with highest species numbers in middle pioneer stages; numbers of endangered species are highest in all pioneer stages. Conclusions: We found a strong impact of scale and year on the diversity‐productivity relationship. It is inappropriate to analyse only small plots (2 m²), and it is necessary to study different years. This vegetation complex is dependent on grazing impact; thus there is an inversely proportional relationship between nature conservation value (high diversity) and livestock nutrition.     

Conifer Cover Increase in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: Frequency,Rates, and Spatial Variation

Extensive fires in recent decades in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) garnered much attention for causing a significant decrease in the extent of conifer forest cover. Meanwhile, conifer forests in unburned parts of the GYE have continued to increase in extent and density. Conifer cover increase has been well documented by repeat historical photography, but the average rate of increase and the spatial variation remain unquantified. We examined changes in conifer cover across biophysical gradients in the GYE based on stratified random samples from aerial photographs. The percent conifer cover for samples in 1971 and 1999 was quantified to determine the frequency and rate of conifer cover change. A slight majority of samples (56%) showed no change, whereas increases (22%) were balanced by decreases (22%). However, among samples that were not recently burned or logged, or already closed-canopy, nearly 40% increased in conifer cover, at an average annual rate of 0.22%. We quantified significant variability in the frequency and rate of conifer cover increase across gradients of elevation, aspect, vegetation type, and proximity to nearby conifer forest. The most dynamic locations were low density conifer woodlands on northerly aspects at lower elevations, with average annual rates of increase up to 0.51%. This study is significant because it demonstrates that rates of conifer cover increase vary across biophysical gradients, an important consideration for management of dynamic forest ecosystems. Improved understanding of this variability helps us to better understand what factors ultimately cause conifer cover increase. It is also a critical step towards accurate quantification of the magnitude of carbon uptake by conifer cover increase.     

Environmental dependence of population dynamics and height growth of a subalpine conifer across its vertical distribution: an approach using high‐resolution aerial photographs

Many studies have reported shifts in the altitudinal ranges of plant species in response to recent global warming. However, most studies of tree species have been conducted on a small scale and have focused on tree line ecotones by examining tree rings and age structure on account of the long life spans of the trees. To examine the impact of climate change on forest dynamics at a regional scale, we investigated differences in the population density and canopy height of a Japanese subalpine coniferous species, Abies mariesii, between 1967 and 2003 by analysis of high‐resolution aerial photographs of the Hakkoda Mountains, Honshu, Japan. In 712 plots within the photographs we analyzed which environmental variables (including elevation, aspect, wetness, and distance from moorlands) account for these changes. The population density of A. mariesii decreased below 1000 m a.s.l. and increased above 1300 m a.s.l. It also increased around moorlands, which may provide refugia at low elevations. The rate of increase in canopy height was lowest on the southeastern slopes and on the periphery of the moorlands. The distinct changes in the population density of A. mariesii at its distribution limits probably reflect the responses of the population to climatic changes during three decades. Areas surrounding the moorlands may offer refugia in spite of the poor growing conditions there.     

Using Resource Selection Functions to Improve Estimation of Elk Population Numbers

Abstract: Stratification is commonly used to improve sampling efficiency of aerial surveys of ungulate populations with strata typically based on a priori information, such as preflight animal observations or vegetation attributes as surrogates for animal densities. We evaluated the usefulness of stratifying survey units for elk (Cervus elaphus) in the Rocky Mountain foothills of Alberta, Canada, using a resource selection function (RSF). We compared precision and design efficiency (DEFF) of population estimates from stratification approaches based on an RSF model to the past approach using amount of forest cover. We used a sample of telemetry relocations taken over a 3-year period from 165 elk, rarified to times of the day and months of the year when aerial surveys are conducted, to develop the RSF. We then used the top RSF model, based on Akaike's Information Criterion, to derive the average RSF value for an 8-km² survey unit. Using survey data from the first year, we evaluated binning schemes to define RSF-oriented strata based on poststratification and showed that Jenks natural breaks in the RSF values provided the greatest improvement in DEFF and increased precision, compared to 2 other stratification schemes. We then used this approach with data from 2 additional surveys to find that stratification by RSF consistently improves relative precision and design efficiency of elk population estimates, whether we employ pre- or poststratification. Where a RSF is available it could be used as a surrogate for animal densities when conducting stratified sampling for population surveys.     

Estimation of Occupied and Unoccupied Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Colony Acreage in Colorado

Abstract: Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are a species of concern and accurate estimates of occupied area are required to assess their status. We conducted aerial line-intercept surveys to estimate colony areas in Colorado, USA, 2006–2007. Optimal allocation based on results from a previous (2002) survey was used to distribute flight time to sample 28 counties. Uncorrected estimates of active and inactive colony areas from the aerial surveys were 329,529 (SE=16,841) ha and 18,292 (SE=2,366) ha, respectively. We attempted to ground-truth a randomly selected sample of 186 colony intercepts but gained complete access to only 150. Ground-truthing demonstrated that aerial surveys estimated only 96% of the true lengths of colony intercepts but overestimated the proportion of active colonies. Corrected estimates of active and inactive colony areas are 319,165 (SE = 20,105) ha and 42,422 (SE = 11,485) ha, respectively. Because ground-truthing was not conducted in the original 2002 survey, uncorrected estimates from this survey are the appropriate metric to be used for comparison to the 2002 data. Our estimates demonstrated a 29% increase (SE = 6.3) in area occupied since surveys were conducted in 2002. These results are useful to state and federal agencies and other conservation partners in determining the condition of the species when conducting status reviews.     

THE ABUNDANCE OF HARBOR SEALS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA

The abundance of harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina richardii ) has declined in recent decades at several Alaska locations. The causes of these declines are unknown, but there is concern about the status of the populations, especially in the Gulf of Alaska. To assess the status of harbor seals in the Gulf of Alaska, we conducted aerial surveys of seals on their haul-out sites in August-September 1996. Many factors influence the propensity of seals to haul out, including tides, weather, time of day, and time of year. Because these "covariates" cannot simultaneously be controlled through survey design, we used a regression model to adjust the counts to an estimate of the number of seals that would have been ashore during a hypothetical survey conducted under ideal conditions for hauling out. The regression, a generalized additive model, not only provided an adjustment for the covariates, but also confirmed the nature and shape of the covariate effects on haul-out behavior. The number of seals hauled out was greatest at the beginning of the surveys (mid-August). There was a broad daily peak from about 1100–1400 local solar time. The greatest numbers were hauled out at low tide on terrestrial sites. Tidal state made little difference in the numbers hauled out on glacial ice, where the area available to seals did not fluctuate with the tide. Adjusting the survey counts to the ideal state for each covariate produced an estimate of 30,035 seals, about 1.8 times the total of the unadjusted counts (16,355 seals). To the adjusted count, we applied a correction factor of 1.198 from a separate study of two haul-out sites elsewhere in Alaska, to produce a total abundance estimate of 35,981 (SE 1,833). This estimate accounts both for the effect of covariates on survey counts and for the proportion of seals that remained in the water even under ideal conditions for hauling out.