Effect of a fluctuating thermal regime on adult and larval reef corals

Abstract. We compared responses of adults and larvae of the brooding corals Pocillopora damicornis and Seriatopora hystrix to 12-h exposures to constant temperature treatments (21°C, 28°C, or 30°C) and a treatment in which temperature fluctuated from 28° to 21°C, simulating daily temperature variation generated by tidally driven upwelling in their natural habitat (Nanwan Bay, southern Taiwan). In all treatments, the maximum dark-adapted quantum yield of photosystem II (F_V/F_M) of the larvae was ∼49% lower than that of adult corals; F_V/F_M in the larvae also differed among temperature treatments, with the highest values in the fluctuating treatment. These results show that the larvae of at least P. damicornis are more sensitive to temperature than adults, and suggest that larvae are physiologically well suited to fluctuating temperature regimes. To assess whether the timing of larval release affected their performance, larvae of P. damicornis were compared among release days within a single reproductive event. Groups of larvae released on nine consecutive days differed significantly in size, Symbiodinium content, and F_V/F_M. This demonstration of functional differences among coral larvae that are released on different dates within a single reproductive event creates the potential for advantages to accrue from the coincidence of larval phenotypes with temporally varying conditions. Adult colonies may experience selective advantages by producing broods of functionally variable larvae, in order to match extreme phenotypes to unusual environmental conditions.     

野黄瓜(Cucumis hystrix Chakr.)与3种不同基因型栽培黄瓜(C. sativus L.)种间杂交及杂种鉴定

野黄瓜(Cucumis hystrix,2n=24)为短日照植物,因其与栽培黄瓜(C.sativus,2n=14)花期不遇等杂交障碍的存在而使种间杂交难以顺利进行。对野黄瓜短光照处理40 d以上,使得两者花期相遇,成功地进行了野黄瓜与3种不同基因型栽培黄瓜(“二早子”、“长春密刺”和“NC4406”)的正反杂交,从中获得了3种杂交组合的幼胚。采用改良的方法对这3种基因型杂种胚进行胚胎拯救,再生频率达80%以上,其杂种的真实性通过植物学性状观察、体细胞染色体计数和天冬氨酸转氨酶(AAT)同工酶分析得到了证实。研究中还发现不同基因型杂种F1的育性存在明显差异,其中以C.hystrixדNC4406”育性最高,花粉可染率达23.3%,是在二倍体水平上进行育种利用的良好材料。     

Development of 10 polymorphic microsatellite markers from herbicide‐bleached tissues of the brooding pocilloporid coral Seriatopora hystrix

Here we report the isolation of 44 microsatellites from the brooding, pocilloporid coral, Seriatopora hystrix, developed from a partial genomic DNA library using a repeat enrichment protocol. A further eight previously published microsatellites were also tested; five of these were developed for S. hystrix, whereas three were isolated from corals of the closely related genus Pocillopora. Out of these, we incorporated nine and 10 primer pairs into two multiplex reactions that reliably amplified polymorphic microsatellites in populations from the west and the east coast of Australia, respectively. Number of alleles ranged from three to 22 per locus.     

Development of species‐specific markers in an organism with endosymbionts: microsatellites in the scleractinian coral Seriatopora hystrix

We report on the development of microsatellites in Seriatopora hystrix, a coral with algal endosymbionts. In order to obtain a genomic library free of algal DNA, we conducted a whole genome preamplification from minute amounts of symbiont‐free tissue. The resulting fragments were cloned into pUC18, and Escherichia coli were transformed with the recombinant plasmids. Twenty‐nine microsatellites were isolated from a library screen with a fluorescently labelled (CA)₁₅ probe. Five of these yielded reliable polymorphic markers.     

Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of edible plant‐derived essential oils against the pyrethroid‐susceptible and ‐resistant strains of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

The chemical compositions and larvicidal potential against mosquito vectors of selected essential oils obtained from five edible plants were investigated in this study. Using a GC/MS, 24, 17, 20, 21, and 12 compounds were determined from essential oils of Citrus hystrix, Citrus reticulata, Zingiber zerumbet, Kaempferia galanga, and Syzygium aromaticum, respectively. The principal constituents found in peel oil of C. hystrix were β‐pinene (22.54%) and d‐limonene (22.03%), followed by terpinene‐4‐ol (17.37%). Compounds in C. reticulata peel oil consisted mostly of d‐limonene (62.39%) and γ‐terpinene (14.06%). The oils obtained from Z. zerumbet rhizome had α‐humulene (31.93%) and zerumbone (31.67%) as major components. The most abundant compounds in K. galanga rhizome oil were 2‐propeonic acid (35.54%), pentadecane (26.08%), and ethyl‐p‐methoxycinnamate (25.96%). The main component of S. aromaticum bud oil was eugenol (77.37%), with minor amounts of trans‐caryophyllene (13.66%). Assessment of larvicidal efficacy demonstrated that all essential oils were toxic against both pyrethroid‐susceptible and resistant Ae. aegypti laboratory strains at LC₅₀, LC₉₅, and LC₉₉ levels. In conclusion, we have documented the promising larvicidal potential of essential oils from edible herbs, which could be considered as a potentially alternative source for developing novel larvicides to be used in controlling vectors of mosquito‐borne disease.     

Multiple scales of genetic connectivity in a brooding coral on isolated reefs following catastrophic bleaching

Understanding the pattern of connectivity among populations is crucial for the development of realistic and spatially explicit population models in marine systems. Here we analysed variation at eight microsatellite loci to assess the genetic structure and to infer patterns of larval dispersal for a brooding coral, Seriatopora hystrix, at an isolated system of reefs in northern Western Australia. Spatial autocorrelation analyses show that populations are locally subdivided, and that the majority of larvae recruit to within 100 m of their natal colony. Further, a combination of F- and R- statistics showed significant differentiation at larger spatial scales (2-60 km) between sites, and this pattern was clearly not associated with distance. However, Bayesian analysis demonstrated that recruitment has been supplemented by less frequent but recent input of larvae from outside the local area; 2-6% of colonies were excluded from the site at which they were sampled. Individual assignments of these migrants to the most likely populations suggest that the majority of migrants were produced at the only site that was not decimated by a recent and catastrophic coral bleaching event. Furthermore, the only site that recovered to prebleaching levels received most of these immigrants. We conclude that the genetic structure of this brooding coral reflects its highly opportunistic life history, in which prolific, philopatric recruitment is occasionally supplemented by exogenously produced larvae.     

野黄瓜(Cucumis hystrix Chakr.)与3种不同基因型栽培黄瓜(C.sativus L.)种间杂交及杂种鉴定

野黄瓜（Cucumis hystrix ,2n=24）为短日照植物,因其与栽培黄瓜（Csativus,2n=14）花期不遇等杂交障碍的存在而使种间杂交难以顺利进行。对野黄瓜短光照处理40d以上,使得两者花期相遇,成功地进行了野黄瓜与3种不同基因型栽培黄瓜（“二早子”、“长春密刺”和“NC4406”）的正反杂交,从中获得了3种杂交组合的幼胚。采用改良的方法对这3种基因型杂种胚进行胚胎拯救,再生频率达80％以上,其杂种的真实性通过植物学性状观察、体细胞染色体计数和天冬氨酸转氨酶（AAT）同工酶分析得到了证实。研究中还发现不同基因型杂种F1的育性存在明显差异,其中以C.hystrix x“NC4406”育性最高,花粉可染率达23．3％,是在二倍体水平上进行育种利用的良辑材料．     

GENE SEQUENCE DIVERSITY AND THE PHYLOGENETIC POSITION OF ALGAE ASSIGNED TO THE GENERA PHAEOPHILA AND OCHLOCHAETE (ULVOPHYCEAE,CHLOROPHYTA)1

The phylogenetic position of microfilamentous marine green algae assigned to the species Phaeophila dendroides, Entocladia tenuis (Phaeophila tenuis, and Ochlochaete hystrix was examined through phylogenetic analyses of nuclear‐encoded small subunit rDNA and chloroplast‐encoded tufA gene sequences. These analyses placed the P. dendroides strains within the Ulvophyceae, at the base of a clade that contains representatives of the families Ulvaceae, Ulvellaceae, and the species Bolbocoleon piliferum, supporting an earlier hypothesis that P. dendroides constitutes a distinct lineage. Substantial divergence in both nuclear and plastid DNA sequences exists among strains of P. dendroides from different geographic localities, but these isolated strains are morphologically indistinguishable. The lineage may have an accelerated rate of gene sequence evolution relative to other microfilamentous marine green algae. Entocladia tenuis and O. hystrix are placed neither in the P. dendroides clade nor in the Ulvellaceae as previous taxonomic schemes predicted but instead form a new clade or clades at the base of the Ulvaceae. Ruthnielsenia gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate Kylin's species, which cannot be placed in Entocladia (=Acrochaete), Phaeophila, or Ochlochaete. Ruthnielsenia tenuis (Kylin) comb. nov., previously known only from Atlantic coasts, is reported for the first time from the Pacific coast of North America (San Juan Island, WA, USA). Isolates of R. tenuis from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America have identical small subunit rDNA and tufA gene sequences.     

不同胁迫处理对刺栲叶片叶绿素a荧光的影响

探讨了光强、温度和水分胁迫对刺栲(Castanopsis hystrix)体叶片叶绿素a荧光特征的影响,由此了解它的基本生物学特性。结果表明:(1)强光(1 300μmol.m-2.s-1左右)未胁迫时下降6.1%,表现轻微光抑制;(2)黑暗下低温(4℃,72 h)处理后电子传递速率下降较少(21.1%),初始荧光Fo保持稳定;与25℃对照相比,Fv/Fo和Fv/Fm无显著变化,表明黑暗下零上低温对PSⅡ潜在活性及光化学效率影响较小;(3)高温(40℃)胁迫显著影响了PSⅡ反应中心活性,ETR,Fv/Fm和Fv/Fo下降在处理2 h后达到极显著水平(p<0.01),Fo上升在处理4 h后也达到显著水平(p<0.05);(4)PEG诱导的水分胁迫严重影响了其光合机构活性,表现在无论与处理前比较、还是与耐旱种降真香(Acronychia pedunculata)的比较,其Fo上升和Fv/Fm、Fv/Fo下降都达到显著水平,表明其不耐干旱。     

马尾松红锥混交林现状分析与评价

本文根据广西六万林场马尾松、红锥混交林的调查结果,分析了松、锥混交林各树种的胸径、树高和材积的生长现状;土壤的理化特性;松锥混交林营造技术措施。并对该场松锥混交林存在的问题,初步探讨了松锥混交林合理的种间关系和营林的主要技术措施。