Interactions between spatially separated herbivores indirectly alter plant diversity

Above‐ and belowground herbivores promote plant diversity when selectively feeding on dominant plant species, but little is known about their combined effects. Using a model system, we show that neutral effects of an aboveground herbivore and positive effects of a belowground herbivore on plant diversity became profoundly negative when adding these herbivores in combination. The non‐additive effects were explained by differences in plant preference between the aboveground‐ and the belowground herbivores and their consequences for indirect interactions among plant species. Simultaneous exposure to aboveground‐ and belowground herbivores led to plant communities being dominated by a few highly abundant species. As above‐ and belowground invertebrate herbivores generally differ in their mobility and local distribution patterns, our results strongly suggest that aboveground–belowground interactions contribute to local spatial heterogeneity of diversity patterns within plant communities.     

寄主植物对桉树枝瘿姬小蜂生物学特性的影响

桉树枝瘿姬小蜂Leptocybe invasa Fisher&La Salle是桉属(Eucalyptus)植物的重要枝叶害虫。自2007年在我国发现以来,对广西、海南及广东地区的桉树种植已造成严重危害。本文在野外调查的基础上,研究了海南和广东地区共5种桉树上桉树枝瘿姬小蜂的虫体大小、寿命及怀卵量。结果表明,桉树品种能够显著影响桉树枝瘿姬小蜂的虫体大小;用40%蜂蜜水进行补充营养时,不同寄主植物上桉树枝瘿姬小蜂雌成虫的寿命差异显著,而桉树枝瘿姬小蜂雄虫在不同寄主间无显著性差异;不同寄主植物上桉树枝瘿姬小蜂雌成虫的怀卵量不同,并且随着日龄的延长,其怀卵量呈现上升的趋势。     

麦套春棉主要害虫和天敌的生态位研究

调查了麦套着棉不同时期内,棉株上、中、下部棉蚜AphisgossypiiGover、棉叶螨TetranychustruncatusEhara、棉铃虫Helicoverpaarmigera（Hubner）和其主要天敌的数量。求得各期害虫与害虫、害虫与天敌、天敌与天敌之间的生态位宽度和重叠指数,并分析了它们彼此在空间上的竞争关系。     

Stable isotopes identify dispersal patterns of stonefly populations living along stream corridors

1. Populations in different locations can exchange individuals depending on the distribution and connectivity of suitable habitat, and the dispersal capabilities and behaviour of the organisms. We used an isotopic tracer, ¹⁵N, to label stoneflies (Leuctra ferruginea) to determine the extent of adult flight along stream corridors and between streams where their larvae live. 2. In four mass, mark‐capture experiments we added ¹⁵NH₄Cl continuously for several weeks to label specific regions of streams within the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, NH, U.S.A. We collected adult stoneflies along the labelled streams (up to 1.5 km of stream length), on transects through the forest away from labelled sections (up to 500 m), and along an 800‐m reach of adjacent tributary that flows into a labelled stream. 3. Of 966 individual adult stoneflies collected and analysed for ¹⁵N, 20% were labelled. Most labelled stoneflies were captured along stream corridors and had flown upstream a mean distance of 211 m; the net movement of the population (upstream + downstream) estimated from the midpoint of the labelled sections was 126 m upstream. The furthest male and female travelled approximately 730 m and approximately 663 m upstream, respectively. We also captured labelled mature females along an unlabelled tributary and along a forest transect 500 m from the labelled stream, thus demonstrating cross‐watershed dispersal. 4. We conclude that the adjacent forest was not a barrier to dispersal between catchments, and adult dispersal linked stonefly populations among streams across a landscape within one generation. Our data on the extent of adult dispersal provide a basis for a conceptual model identifying the boundaries of these populations, whose larvae are restricted to stream channels, and whose females must return to streams to oviposit.     

How Honeybees Defy Gravity with Royal Jelly to Raise Queens

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Ultrastructure of compatible and incompatible interactions in phloem sieve elements during the stylet penetration by cotton aphids in melon

Resistance of the melon line TGR‐1551 to the aphid Aphis gossypii is based on preventing aphids from ingesting phloem sap. In electrical penetration graphs (EPGs), this resistance has been characterized with A. gossypii showing unusually long phloem salivation periods (waveform E1) mostly followed by pathway activities (waveform C) or if followed by phloem ingestion (waveform E2), ingestion was not sustained for more than 10 min. Stylectomy with aphids on susceptible and resistant plants was performed during EPG recording while the stylet tips were phloem inserted. This was followed by dissection of the penetrated leaf section, plant tissue fixation, resin embedding, and ultrathin sectioning for transmission electron microscopic observation in order to study the resistance mechanism in the TGR. The most obvious aspect appeared to be the coagulation of phloem proteins inside the stylet canals and the punctured sieve elements. Stylets of 5 aphids per genotype were amputated during sieve element (SE) salivation (E1) and SE ingestion (E2). Cross‐sections of stylet bundles in susceptible melon plants showed that the contents of the stylet canals were totally clear and also, no coagulated phloem proteins occurred in their punctured sieve elements. In contrast, electron‐dense coagulations were found in both locations in the resistant plants. Due to calcium binding, aphid saliva has been hypothesized to play an essential role in preventing/suppressing such coagulations that cause occlusion of sieves plate and in the food canal of the aphid's stylets. Doubts about this role of E1 salivation are discussed on the basis of our results.     

越冬代棉大卷叶螟的种群动态

对棉大卷叶螟Sylepta derogata Fabricius第5代、第6代室内种群饲养结果显示,该虫的有效越冬虫源为第5代滞育的老熟幼虫,滞育率24.4%～33.1%,第6代棉大卷叶螟的发生对第2年的种群基数影响不大。滞育老熟幼虫的越冬存活率为60.0%～71.9%。次年越冬代羽化的成虫雌虫少,雄虫多,单雌产卵量平均为163.4～198.8粒。     

高温对昆虫影响的生理生化作用机理研究进展

温度是影响昆虫生命活动的重要因素,将其与某一时间的种群数量结合,可用于对昆虫未来种群数量进行预测预报。过高的环境温度常使昆虫的生长发育、生殖及存活等受到严重影响,对这种影响缺乏了解降低了害虫测报的准确性。探明高温对昆虫生理生化的作用机理是了解高温对昆虫生命活动影响的根本途径。总结了高温对昆虫生理生化的重要影响。高温使昆虫表皮的蜡质层瓦解,油脂融化,表皮渗透性增加,虫体大量失水。引起昆虫体内重要离子的浓度发生变化,改变许多重要大分子的电荷状态,使生物大分子的动力学能量增大,离子键、氢键和范德华力降低,分子间疏水作用增强,大分子保持形状的能力降低,空间构象发生改变,从而影响生物大分子行使其功能。高温使昆虫细胞骨架瓦解,细胞遭到破坏;细胞膜内磷脂组分比例改变,细胞膜流动性下降。虫体内重要遗传物质DNA和RNA复杂的二级结构和三级结构在高温下发生改变,对昆虫性状的稳定遗传造成严重影响。细胞内蛋白质的数量和种类组成均发生改变,原有常温下的蛋白质合成系统关闭,空间构象及功能发生变化,而产生耐热性物质（如热激蛋白）的蛋白质合成系统则开启。高温影响酶及酶促反应速率,对昆虫体内神经传导关键酯酶——乙酰胆碱酯酶的影响使昆虫无法进行正常的神经传递,丧失躲避不良环境的能力。高温影响脂质、低聚糖等物质的代谢。最后梳理了高温作用下昆虫各种生理生化指标发生变化之间可能存在的关联性,并提出高温对昆虫造成伤害的顺序过程假设。讨论了不同程度的高温对昆虫造成死亡的机理可能不同。指出了未来该领域研究的重点内容,如高温对昆虫造成损害的最初作用位点;高温伤害的完整生理生化路径;耐热性产生的生化基础;高温对昆虫不同发育阶段或生命过程的具体作用机制等。     

昆虫飞行速度和持续时间监测仪硬件设计

本文设计了利用微机记录昆虫飞行状态的实验装置,这种装置由两部分组成,一部分是设计和制作一个飞行磨供昆虫飞行,另一部分是制作光电传感器和微机检测系统,记录信号并把信号进行识别、分析、归类,送往计算机显示和打印。介绍了其工作原理和使用方法。     

Insect cells and their potential as stabilization barriers for DNA of multiple and single nucleopolyhedroviruses against ultraviolet-B-simulated sunlight inactivation

A cell line from Trichoplusia ni (TN-CL1) infected with the Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV-HPP) and a cell line from Helicoverpa zea (BCIRL-HZ-AM1) infected with the Helicoverpa zea single nucleopolyhedrovirus (HzSNPV/BrCL2) were subjected to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation at a predetermined level of exposure that would inactivate greater than 95% of the virus suspended in the liquid. The working hypothesis was that the homologous insect cells would utilize their inherent deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair mechanism(s) to prevent, repair, or at least mitigate the damaging effects of UV-B light on viral DNA synthesis. We attempted to determine this by using infected cells that were subjected to UV-B irradiation at different postinoculation periods under two experimental conditions of exposure: (1) shielded, and (2) nonshielded. Of the two cell lines infected with their respective homologous viruses, the virus from TN-CL1 cells was the least sensitive to UV-B light because the extracellular virus (ECV) and occlusion body (OB) levels of virus-infected TN-CL1 cells were higher than those of the virus-infected BCIRL-HZ-AM1 cells. Production of ECV and OB from both cell lines was lower in the exposed, nonshielded treatment than in the exposed, shielded treatment. However, AcMNPV-HPP was produced in enough quantity to indicate that TN-CL1 might impart a level of protection to the virus against UV light.