The plant hormone salicylic acid interacts with the mechanism of anti‐herbivory conferred by fungal endophytes in grasses

The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) is recognized as an effective defence against biotrophic pathogens, but its role as regulator of beneficial plant symbionts has received little attention. We studied the relationship between the SA hormone and leaf fungal endophytes on herbivore defences in symbiotic grasses. We hypothesize that the SA exposure suppresses the endophyte reducing the fungal‐produced alkaloids. Because of the role that alkaloids play in anti‐herbivore defences, any reduction in their production should make host plants more susceptible to herbivores. Lolium multiflorum plants symbiotic and nonsymbiotic with the endophyte Epichloë occultans were exposed to SA followed by a challenge with the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi. We measured the level of plant resistance to aphids, and the defences conferred by endophytes and host plants. Symbiotic plants had lower concentrations of SA than did the nonsymbiotic counterparts. Consistent with our prediction, the hormonal treatment reduced the concentration of loline alkaloids (i.e., N‐formyllolines and N‐acetylnorlolines) and consequently decreased the endophyte‐conferred resistance against aphids. Our study highlights the importance of the interaction between the plant immune system and endophytes for the stability of the defensive mutualism. Our results indicate that the SA plays a critical role in regulating the endophyte‐conferred resistance against herbivores.     

转基因抗虫作物对非靶标昆虫的影响

转基因抗虫作物自 1996年被批准商业化种植以来 ,它的抗虫性和经济效益已得到了普遍肯定 ,同时 ,转基因抗虫作物对非靶标生物的影响 ,如转基因抗虫作物的长期种植 ,是否会导致次要害虫上升为主要害虫 ,是否会影响有益昆虫 ,包括重要经济昆虫、捕食性和寄生性天敌以及重要蝶类的种类及种群数量 ,已成为转基因抗虫作物生态风险评估的重要内容。一些研究结果表明 ,转基因抗虫作物在对靶标害虫有效控制的同时 ,一些对杀虫蛋白不敏感的非靶标害虫有加重危害的趋势 ,由于种植转基因抗虫作物 ,减少了化学农药的使用 ,客观上也使非靶标害虫种群数量上升 ,这对转基因抗虫作物害虫综合治理提出了新的要求。靶标害虫数量的减少直接影响了害虫天敌种群数量 ,靶标害虫取食转基因抗虫作物后发育迟缓 ,也间接影响了天敌昆虫的生长发育 ,转基因抗虫作物的花粉或花蜜是一些重要经济昆虫如蜜蜂、熊蜂和一些寄生蜂 ,甚至捕食性天敌的食物来源 ,或花粉飘落到一些鳞翅目昆虫如家蚕或重要蝶类昆虫的寄主植物上 ,直接或间接对这些昆虫造成一定影响。目前大多数研究表明转基因抗虫作物对非靶标昆虫 ,特别是对有益昆虫没有明显的不利影响 ,也有研究报道认为对某些有益昆虫有一定的不良影响。这为深入开展转基因抗虫作物的生态安全     

Are populations of European earwigs,Forficula auricularia,density dependent?

Biocontrol using naturally occurring predators is often limited by population parameters of those predators. Earwigs, Forficula auricularia L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), are important predators in fruit orchards. They are capable of suppressing outbreaks of pest species, such as pear psyllid and various apple aphid species. Earwigs therefore play an important role in integrated pest management in fruit orchards and are essential in organic top fruit cultures. However, earwig populations are very unstable, showing large between-year variation in densities, which limits their practical use. Extensive knowledge of regulating processes of populations is therefore crucial for efficient orchard management. A 2-year phenological study in several apple and pear orchards in Belgium showed a significant displacement of third instars during the second brood in relation to the presence of adults. We also observed a yearly population crash at the time of moulting into adults. This population decrease was correlated with earwig numbers at peak density. The crash occurred at lower earwig densities in apple orchards than in pear orchards. Six possible regulating mechanisms for this density-dependent decrease are discussed: (1) migration, (2) pesticides or orchard management, (3) starvation, (4) pathogens, (5) parasites and parasitoids, and (6) predation or cannibalism. If we can identify these regulating processes, specific management activities could be developed to prevent the population crash, hereby increasing population densities in the orchards.     

柏木低效林林窗改造初期边界木细根形态和生物量变异

为深入探究川中丘陵区柏木低效林林窗改造初期边界木林细根的生态适应,利用土柱法对34年生柏木低效林在人造小面积开窗(50m2、100m2、150m2)处理1年后的林窗边界木1~5级细根直径、根长、比根长、根长密度和生物量变异进行研究。结果显示:(1)柏木1~5级细根平均直径、根长随着根序的上升而增加,比根长、根长密度随着根序的上升而减小。(2)与林内对照(无林窗)相比,人工开林窗处理后边界木细根在同一根序上的平均直径变化不显著,根长和比根长增加,根长密度和生物量则呈降低的趋势。(3)开窗150m2面积林窗抚育后的柏木边界木更大限度地提高了低级根序的物质分配,提高比根长并降低组织密度,更快速地利用地下林窗空间资源。研究表明,柏木低效林林窗式疏伐得到的土壤资源由于更新草本、灌木的生长,增加了林木根系竞争土壤空间的压力,使得根系进行扩展性生长,细根形态和生物量表现出异质性变化。     

北京地区侧柏和垂柳释放有益挥发性有机物组分日动态变化特征

以侧柏(Platycladus orientalis)和垂柳(Salix babylonica)为研究对象,采用动态顶空套袋采集法和自动热脱附-气相色谱/质谱联用技术来分析这些植物释放的挥发性有机物(VOCs)的组成和释放模式。选择不同的时间和天气条件下的样本进行采集,并记录相关信息。通过对原始数据的分析,确定有益挥发性有机物(BVOCs)的成分和相对百分含量。研究结果显示,侧柏和垂柳在不同季节释放的BVOCs成分主要包括醇类、醛类、烯烃类等其他类化合物,这些有益BVOCs在植物的生理和生态功能中扮演着重要的角色,对于深入了解植物与环境之间的相互作用具有重要意义。侧柏和垂柳释放BVOCs成分在不同季节会有所变化。其次,研究分析了侧柏和垂柳在不同季节中有益BVOCs成分的含量和变动趋势。侧柏在不同季节的释放模式呈现出明显的差异。春季的释放模式呈现出“单峰单谷”曲线,夏季的释放模式呈现出“单峰”曲线,而秋季的释放模式呈现出“双峰单谷”曲线。这表明侧柏在不同季节中的挥发物释放存在明显的季节性变化。相比之下,垂柳的释放模式在不同季节中相对稳定,呈现出一致的“单峰型”曲线。这说明垂柳的挥发物释放...     

Evolution of pleiotropic costs in experimental populations

The fitness of populations adapting to new environments is expected to decline in different environments, but empirical studies often do not lend support for such adaptation costs. We test the idea that the initial fitness of the selected populations in the environment where the cost is estimated is key for interpreting tests of ecological trade‐offs. We isolated single clones of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae every ~250 generations from replicate experimental lineages that had been selected during 5000 generations in a glucose‐limited environment. We then selected these clones in a galactose‐limited environment for ~120 generations. Finally, we estimated single‐clone fitness in both environments, before and after selection on galactose. The pleiotropic effects on glucose of selection on galactose evolved from positive to negative as fitness in glucose increased, providing strong support for the importance of initial fitness for determining the sign and magnitude of pleiotropic effects. This demonstrates that the sign of pleiotropic effects for fitness following adaptation to a new environment can change during long‐term adaptation to an original environment. We also found no relationship between the size of the fitness changes in galactose and glucose, such that pleiotropic effects in glucose became relatively smaller as the sizes of direct effects on galactose increased.     

Limits to adaptation in asexual populations

In asexual populations, the rate of adaptation is basically limited by the frequency and properties of spontaneous beneficial mutations. Hence, knowledge of these mutational properties and how they are affected by particular evolutionary conditions is a precondition for understanding the process of adaptation. Here, we address how the rate of adaptation of asexual populations is limited by its population size and mutation rate, as well as by two factors affecting the fraction of mutations that confer a benefit, i.e. the initial adaptedness of the population and the variability of the environment. These factors both influence which mutations are likely to occur, as well as the probability that they will ultimately contribute to adaptation. We attempt to separate the consequences of these basic population features in terms of their effect on the rate of adaptation by using results from evolution experiments with microorganisms.     

Impact of oilseed rape expressing the insecticidal serine protease inhibitor, mustard trypsin inhibitor-2 on the beneficial predator Pterostichus madidus

Abstract Insect-resistant transgenic plants have been suggested to have deleterious effects on beneficial predators feeding on crop pests, through transmission of the transgene product by the pest to the predator. To test this hypothesis, effects of oilseed rape expressing the serine protease inhibitor, mustard trypsin inhibitor -2 (MTI-2), on the predatory ground beetle Pterostichus madidus were investigated, using diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella as the intermediary pest species. As expected, oilseed rape expressing MTI-2 had a deleterious effect on the development and survival of the pest. However, incomplete pest mortality resulted in survivors being available to predators at the next trophic level, and inhibition studies confirmed the presence of biologically active transgene product in pest larvae. Characterization of proteolytic digestive enzymes of P. madidus demonstrated that adults utilize serine proteases with trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like specificities; the former activity was completely inhibited by MTI-2 in vitro. When P. madidus consumed prey reared on MTI-2 expressing plants over the reproductive period in their life cycle, no significant effects upon survival were observed as a result of exposure to the inhibitor. However, there was a short-term significant inhibition of weight gain in female beetles fed unlimited prey containing MTI-2, with a concomitant reduction of prey consumption. Biochemical analyses showed that the inhibitory effects of MTI-2 delivered via prey on gut proteolysis in the carabid decreased with time of exposure, possibly resulting from up-regulation of inhibitor-insensitive proteases. Of ecological significance, consumption of MTI-2 dosed prey had no detrimental effects on reproductive fitness of adult P. madidus.     

厦门地区仓储物害虫和益虫初步名录

本名录记述厦门地区仓储物害虫71种（隶属6目31科）,益虫9种（隶属5目9科）,其中有1种中国新纪录害虫;15种福建省新记录害虫,4种福建省新记录益虫。