Climate change and perishable food hoards of an avian predator: Is the freezer still working?

Changing climate can modify predator–prey interactions and induce declines or local extinctions of species due to reductions in food availability. Species hoarding perishable food for overwinter survival, like predators, are predicted to be particularly susceptible to increasing temperatures. We analysed the influence of autumn and winter weather, and abundance of main prey (voles), on the food‐hoarding behaviour of a generalist predator, the Eurasian pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum), across 16 years in Finland. Fewer freeze–thaw events in early autumn delayed the initiation of food hoarding. Pygmy owls consumed more hoarded food with more frequent freeze–thaw events and deeper snow cover in autumn and in winter, and lower precipitation in winter. In autumn, the rotting of food hoards increased with precipitation. Hoards already present in early autumn were much more likely to rot than the ones initiated in late autumn. Rotten food hoards were used more in years of low food abundance than in years of high food abundance. Having rotten food hoards in autumn resulted in a lower future recapture probability of female owls. These results indicate that pygmy owls might be partly able to adapt to climate change by delaying food hoarding, but changes in the snow cover, precipitation and frequency of freeze–thaw events might impair their foraging and ultimately decrease local overwinter survival. Long‐term trends and future predictions, therefore, suggest that impacts of climate change on wintering food‐hoarding species could be substantial, because their ‘freezers’ may no longer work properly. Altered usability and poorer quality of hoarded food may further modify the foraging needs of food‐hoarding predators and thus their overall predation pressure on prey species. This raises concerns about the impacts of climate change on boreal food webs, in which ecological interactions have evolved under cold winter conditions.     

A chromosome‐level genome assembly reveals the genetic basis of cold tolerance in a notorious rice insect pest,Chilo suppressalis

The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, is one of the most damaging insect pests to rice production worldwide. Although C. suppressalis has been the focus of numerous studies examining cold tolerance and diapause, plant–insect interactions, pesticide targets and resistance, and the development of RNAi‐mediated pest management, the absence of a high‐quality genome has limited deeper insights. To address this limitation, we generated a draft C. suppressalis genome constructed from both Illumina and PacBio sequences. The assembled genome size was 824.35 Mb with a contig N₅₀ of 307 kb and a scaffold N₅₀ of 1.75 Mb. Hi‐C scaffolding assigned 99.2% of the bases to one of 29 chromosomes. Based on universal single‐copy orthologues (BUSCO), the draft genome assembly was estimated to be 97% complete and is predicted to encompass 15,653 protein‐coding genes. Cold tolerance is an extreme survival strategy found in animals. However, little is known regarding the genetic basis of the winter ecology of C. suppressalis. Here, we focused our orthologous analysis on those gene families associated with animal cold tolerance. Our finding provided the first genomic evidence revealing specific cold‐tolerant strategies in C. suppressalis, including those involved in glucose‐originated glycerol biosynthesis, triacylglycerol‐originated glycerol biosynthesis, fatty acid synthesis and trehalose transport‐intermediate cold tolerance. The high‐quality C. suppressalis genome provides a valuable resource for research into a broad range of areas in molecular ecology, and subsequently benefits developing modern pest control strategies.     

Cold and hungry: combined effects of low temperature and resource scarcity on an edge-of-range temperate primate,the golden snub-nose monkey

Both biotic and abiotic factors play important roles in influencing ecological distributions and niche limits. Where biotic and abiotic stressors co-occur in space and time, homeostatic systems face a scenario in which stressors can compound to impose a challenge that is greater than the sum of the separate factors. We studied the homeostatic strategies of the golden snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus roxellana, a species living in temperate deciduous forests at the edge of the global distribution range for folivorous primates, to cope with the co-occurrence of cold temperatures and resource scarcity during winter. We discovered that in winter the monkeys experience a dietary energy deficit of 101 kJ mbm⁻¹ d⁻¹ compared with calculated needs, despite increased feeding. This is partly offset by behavioral changes (reduced locomotion and increased resting) and reducing skin temperature by an average of 3.2°C through a cutaneous vasoconstriction to decrease heat loss. However, their major strategy is ingesting surplus energy and accumulating fat reserves when food was not limiting during summer and autumn. Their 14% of body mass lost over the winter represented an energy yield of 102 kJ mbm⁻¹ d⁻¹, which closely matched the calculated winter energy deficit of 101 kJ mbm⁻¹ d⁻¹. However, the latter value assumes that all the 75.41 kJ mbm⁻¹ d⁻¹ of protein ingested in winter was available for energy metabolism. This is almost certainly an over-estimate, suggesting that the study population was in negative energy balance over the study period. Our study therefore suggests that despite its suit of integrated homeostatic responses, the confluence of low temperatures and resource limitation during winter places this edge-of-range primate close the threshold of what is energetically viable. It also provides a framework for quantitative models predicting the vulnerability of temperate primates to global change.     

蝴蝶兰PhNAC1基因序列分析及对低温胁迫的响应

为探讨NAC转录因子在蝴蝶兰低温胁迫响应中的分子调控机理,该研究以蝴蝶兰的叶片为材料,运用RT-PCR及RACE技术克隆得到一条蝴蝶兰的NAC转录因子基因完整的cDNA序列,命名为PhNAC1(GenBank登录号MF797909),并分析了其在两种低温条件下的表达模式。结果表明:PhNAC1基因cDNA序列全长1 442 bp,ORF全长942 bp,编码313个氨基酸。预测其蛋白分子量为35.22 kDa,等电点为6.95,属于稳定亲水性蛋白。二级结构预测表明,无规则卷曲和延伸链为该蛋白的主要结构元件,与三级结构预测结果基本相符。PhNAC1编码的氨基酸序列与其他已登录的兰科植物NAC蛋白进行同源序列比对,表明与小兰屿蝴蝶兰(XP_0205763790)亲缘关系较近,序列一致性达97%,其次为铁皮石斛(XP_020695081),一致性为84%。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明,PhNAC1基因在营养器官和生殖器官中均有表达,在蕊柱中的表达量最高。在11℃/6℃低温条件下,PhNAC1基因的转录表达水平在前5天随着处理时间逐渐升高,到第7天开始下降;在4℃低温条件下,PhNAC1基因的表达水平在处理0.5 h时表达量有所下降,1 h后表达量上升至对照水平,之后无明显变化,在处理24至48 h又逐渐升高,推测PhNAC1基因参与蝴蝶兰低温胁迫响应。     

雪灾干扰后林冠开阔度对黄心树幼苗更新的影响

幼苗更新是森林更新的关键过程,而林窗对于植物幼苗更新、生长及最终存活具有重要影响。极端气候事件会使森林在短时间内形成大量林窗,从而显著影响林内幼苗更新和存活。本研究以2015年雪灾后云南省哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林优势种黄心树(Machilus bombycina)幼苗为对象,对194个1 m×1 m样方中的幼苗生长和死亡动态进行为期4年的监测,利用线性混合模型(LMM)和广义线性混合模型(GLMM),分析林冠开阔度对幼苗高度相对生长率、叶片相对增长率、新增率和死亡率的影响,研究了雪灾干扰后的林冠开阔度对植物幼苗更新的影响。结果表明:(1)林冠开阔度随时间推移逐渐变小(20.07%~9.97%),且速度由快到慢;(2)2015-2016年,已有幼苗高度相对生长率与林冠开阔度呈显著正相关(P<0.05),其余年份两者间无显著相关性;2016-2017年已有幼苗叶片相对增长率与林冠开阔度呈显著正相关(P<0.05),其余年份两者间无显著相关性;(3)林冠开阔度与幼苗新增率和死亡率均无显著相关性。本研究表明,雪灾后造成的林冠开阔度增加有利于黄心树幼苗生长。     

纳米二氧化硅复合寒冷对A549细胞毒性及其炎性因子分泌的影响*

目的: 本研究旨在探讨纳米二氧化硅(Nano-SiO₂)颗粒和寒冷复合对人肺腺癌上皮细胞A549细胞毒性及炎性因子分泌的影响。方法: 本研究以A549细胞为实验对象,分别用10, 50, 100, 200 μg/ml Nano-SiO₂颗粒对A549细胞染毒,以及分别在35℃,33℃,31℃条件下对A549细胞进行低温暴露,培养48 h后,观察细胞形态及测定细胞相对存活率。根据单因素分析结果,选出对A549细胞相对存活率有显著降低作用的Nano-SiO₂剂量和温度的基础上,按照2×2析因设计实验,分为4组:①37℃对照组;②Nano-SiO₂染毒组;③低温暴露组;④Nano-SiO₂和低温复合组,不同条件下暴露48 h后,收集细胞上清液采用比色法检测LDH活性,以及ELISA法测定细胞因子白介素-6(IL-6)和白介素-8(IL-8)的水平,采用qRT-PCR法检测细胞IL-6和IL-8的基因表达水平。结果: 100 μg/ml Nano-SiO₂组和31℃低温组能够显著降低A549细胞活性(P＜0.01),在复合条件作用下对A549细胞活性抑制最为显著,且炎性因子IL-6和IL-8及mRNA的表达水平均显著升高(P＜0.01)。结论: 100 μg/ml Nano-SiO₂与31℃低温复合暴露可协同降低A549细胞的相对存活率,增加炎性因子IL-6和IL-8表达水平。     

Max试验验证症状限制心肺运动试验为最大极限运动进一步临床研究*

目的: 验证临床受试者所完成的心肺运动试验（CPET）为最大极限运动,进一步设计完善Max试验验证CPET结果客观定量功能评估的准确性及以某特定指标的特定数值作为停止运动的标准是否可行。方法: 选择2017年9月至2019年1月在阜外医院签署知情同意书后进行CPET和Max试验受试者216例。其中正常受试者41例,因CPET峰值呼吸交换率（RER）≤1.10,或运动中心率和血压不上升,对CPET极限运动结果存在质疑的临床患者175例进行研究。其中60例已初步报告,本研究进一步扩大研究。Max试验方法：完成CPET测试后,先蹬车≥60 r/min,再施加130%峰值功率的恒定功率,鼓励受试者运动至不能坚持的极限状态。计算分析Max试验30 s的最大心率和最大摄氧量、及其与峰值心率和峰值摄氧量之间的差值和百分差值。百分差值=（Max值-峰值值）/Max值× 100%。评测标准：①若心率和摄氧量任一指标的差值百分比≤-10%（Max测试的数值低于CPET峰值数据）则定义Max试验操作失败,否则为成功;2若心率和摄氧量的差值百分比均在-10%~10%,则Max试验操作成功,证明CPET数据为极限运动,CPET 峰值相关数据较为准确;③若心率和摄氧量差值任一指标差值百分比≥10%时,则Max试验操作成功,证明CPET结果为非极限运动。结果: 病例组峰值摄氧量（L/min、ml/（min·kg）、%pred）、无氧阈（L/min、ml/（min·kg）、%pred）、峰值氧脉搏（ml/beat、%pred）、峰值RER、峰值收缩压（mmHg）、峰值运动负荷（W/min）、峰值心率（bpm）、摄氧有效性峰值平台（OUEP）（比值、%pred）低于正常组,二氧化碳通气有效性平均90 s最低值（Lowest Ve/VCO₂）（比值、%pred）、二氧化碳通气效率斜率（Ve/VCO₂ Slope）（比值、%pred）高于正常组（P<0.05）。所有正常组与病例组均安全无任何事件完成CPET和Max试验。216例受试者中,Max试验成功198例（91.7%）,其中证明CPET为极限运动182例,为非极限运动16例;失败18例（8.3%）。结论: 在临床检查中,若对CPET结果是否为最大极限存在质疑,利用Max试验可验证CPET是否为极限运动。Max试验方法安全可行,值得进一步深入研究和临床推广应用。     

鄱阳湖流域极端降水时空分布和非平稳性特征

全球变暖背景下的极端天气气候事件显著增加。本研究基于PreWhitening Mann-Kendall(PWMK)、极点对称模态分解法和广义可加模型,利用鄱阳湖流域1959—2019年16个国家级气象站点的逐日降水数据,从极端降水的强度、频率和持续性3个维度系统检测和分析流域极端降水的时空分布和非平稳性特征。结果表明: 研究期间,鄱阳湖流域极端降水强度和频率呈显著增加趋势,持续性呈下降趋势,极端降水整体表现出强度大、频率高、持续时间短的特点;极端降水存在明显的汛期和非汛期时间分异规律,汛期极端降水集中在流域北部和中部,而非汛期多集中于中部,子流域中信江流域降水量增加趋势最显著,达到2.10 mm·a^-1;汛期极端降水的持续时间越长,强度和范围越小,非汛期极端降水则相反;鄱阳湖流域的极端降水强度和频率以平稳性特征为主,持续性表现出非平稳性特征。随着鄱阳湖流域极端降水量的不断增加,其可能引发的灾害风险将进一步增大。