The correlation of substitution effects across populations and generations in the presence of nonadditive functional gene action

Allele substitution effects at quantitative trait loci (QTL) are part of the basis of quantitative genetics theory and applications such as association analysis and genomic prediction. In the presence of nonadditive functional gene action, substitution effects are not constant across populations. We develop an original approach to model the difference in substitution effects across populations as a first order Taylor series expansion from a “focal” population. This expansion involves the difference in allele frequencies and second-order statistical effects (additive by additive and dominance). The change in allele frequencies is a function of relationships (or genetic distances) across populations. As a result, it is possible to estimate the correlation of substitution effects across two populations using three elements: magnitudes of additive, dominance, and additive by additive variances; relationships (Nei’s minimum distances or Fst indexes); and assumed heterozygosities. Similarly, the theory applies as well to distinct generations in a population, in which case the distance across generations is a function of increase of inbreeding. Simulation results confirmed our derivations. Slight biases were observed, depending on the nonadditive mechanism and the reference allele. Our derivations are useful to understand and forecast the possibility of prediction across populations and the similarity of GWAS effects.     

Why should an aged male baboon ever transfer troops?

Dispersals by subadult or adult male baboons are common. In contrast, the occasional transfer of aged baboons is puzzling, given the physical dangers of transfer and the cognitive demands of mastering the ecological and social rules of a new troop. The present data suggest a possible explanation for such transfers in a study of two troops of olive baboons (Papio anubis) in Kenya. Aged males who remained in the troop in which they had been dominant were subjected to significantly higher rates of approach-avoid interactions by the current high-ranking cohort (i.e., the individuals they had dominated years past) when compared to males who had transferred into the troop in their old age. Thus, transfer in old age offers the advantage of relative anonymity. Of the 14 males who progressed into older adulthood in the same troop in which they were in their prime, seven ultimately transferred to a different troop. The seven who remained and the seven who transferred did not differ in the rate at which they were subjected to approach-avoid interactions. However, those who remained had significantly higher rates of various affiliative behaviors (copulations, consortships, grooming and contact with females, and positive interactions with infants). Thus, amid the disadvantages of an old age spent in the troop in which a male baboon was in his prime, a high degree of social affiliation might constitute a sufficient disincentive against transferring. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Prior residence, aggression and territory acquisition in hatchery-reared and wild brown trout

In an artificial stream environment, established wild brown trout initiated 44% of the mean aggressive acts whilst hatchery-reared trout initiated 34% and introduced wild trout initiated 22%. Established wild fish maintained home stations closer to a point source of feed than did both hatchery-reared and introduced wild conspecifics. Established wild fish were the only group to show a positive mean specific growth rate during the trials. Introduced wild fish showed a slightly negative mean specific growth rate, whilst introduced hatchery-reared fish exhibited a considerable negative mean specific growth rate. These results suggest that established wild brown trout in a semi-natural stream environment display a prior-resident effect over late introductions of hatchery-reared and wild conspecifics. Introduced hatcheryreared fish were more aggressive and exhibited a lower mean specific growth rate than simultaneously stocked wild fish, suggesting that excessive expenditure of energy for unnecessary aggression may contribute to the poor survival of hatchery-reared fish after they are stocked into streams.     

The role of behavioral dominance in structuring patterns of habitat occupancy in a migrant bird during the nonbreeding season

Several species of territorial migratory birds exhibit sexualhabitat segregation on their wintering grounds, with some habitatscontaining mostly males and others mostly females. The objectiveof this study was to determine if in the American redstart(Setophaga ruticilla) in Jamaica habitat segregation is dueto social mechanisms or due to sex-specific habitat specialization.I used habitat-specific patterns of arrival by young males and females, observations of territorial displacements, removalexperiments, and simulations of territorial intrusions to differentiatebetween these two mechanisms. Redstarts were studied in twohabitat types, a male-biased mangrove forest and a female-biasedscrub habitat. In autumn, male and female hatch-year redstartsinitially settled in equal numbers in each habitat, and segregationof the sexes occurred gradually and mostly later in the arrival period. This shift corresponded with an increase in densityof older birds and an increase in territorial displacements.Removal experiments showed that vacancies in male-biased habitatwere filled more rapidly and with greater frequency than thosein female-biased habitat and that vacated male territoriesin mangrove were replaced more often by females than by males. Simulations of territorial intrusions and analyses of body sizeindicated that levels of aggression and body size of both malesand females were greater in mangrove habitat, suggesting thatthese factors may be important in determining the outcomesof dominance interactions. I conclude that patterns of sexualhabitat segregation in redstarts are structured by the dominance behavior of older and more dominant individuals, and these aremostly males.     

生长素调控植物株型形成的研究进展

高等植物通过调节顶端分生组织和侧生分生组织的活性建立地上株型系统,分生组织的活性受环境信号、发育阶段和遗传因素的综合调控,植物激素参与这些信号的整合。顶端优势是植物分枝调控的核心问题,而生长素对顶端优势的形成和维持发挥关键作用。本文综述了近几年与植物地上部分株型形成相关的生长素合成代谢、极性运输及信号转导领域的研究进展,并提出了展望。     

街道峡谷绿化带设置对空气流场及污染分布的影响模拟研究

合理设置道路绿化带能够改变街道空气流场进而改善空气质量。利用风洞试验结合数值模型的方法测试了树冠形状和绿化带位置对街道峡谷的风场影响。在数值模型中,采用针对植物模型不同高度赋予不同叶面积密度(leaf area density,LAD)值的新方法近似模拟不同树冠形状的植物,通过输入污染源数据,得到风场及污染物浓度数据结果;与风洞试验结果进行对比,验证了其有效性;进而,利用数值模型分析了不同绿化带设置下街道峡谷内行人的污染暴露特征,结果表明绿化带位置及树冠形状影响街道峡谷中的涡流结构,形成复杂的细小湍流,从而影响街道峡谷中的风环境和污染物分布。阔叶树冠和位于街道峡谷中央的绿化带位置有利于降低行人污染暴露风险。未来研究中,通过增加风洞试验布点、考虑热力作用及气象因子的影响,或许可以提供更加详细的改善街道峡谷微环境的绿化带布局,为城市大气环境管理和绿地系统建设提供科学依据。     

中国蓝带蚊的系统发育数值分析

本文应用系统发育数值分析方法,对我国已知22种蓝带蚊的幼虫、雌蚊和雄蚊69个综合特征进行数值分析.根据修正的Wagner法计算值画出的分支图,与聚类分析法画出的矩阵图作比较,认为分支图更能反映已知种间的亲缘关系,并结合蓝带蚊属全球已知种的区系分布,计算各区的祖系比值作分析,新热带区的祖系比值特大,可能是蓝带蚊属的发源地.     

薄罗藓科和羽藓科某些属分类位置的探讨

利用垂直板型聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术,对羊角藓,短肋羽藓,多疣麻羽藓,皱叶牛舌藓,暗绿多枝藓,多毛藓,薄罗藓,细叶小羽藓、小粗疣藓和狭叶小羽藓１０种植物进行过氧化物酶酯酶酯,酯酶,苹果酸脱氢酶,谷草转氨酶和乳酸脱氢酶分析。结果表明将多枝藓属,牛舌藓属,羊角藓属合并独立成为牛舌藓科是合理的;小羽藓属和麻羽藓属宜归入薄罗藓科。同时表明同工酶技术和数值分类方法可用来澄清某些苔藓植物不同科、属之间的亲缘关系     

乌鲁木齐南部山区岩面生地衣群落特征的研究

应用多元分析中的主分量分析及聚类分析方法对分布在乌鲁木齐南部山区森林生态系统中岩面生地衣群落进行数量分类并对群落结构物种多样性、相似性和均匀度等群落参数进行了比较系统的研究。结果表明,乌鲁木齐南部山区的岩面生地衣共计49种,隶属于4目13科23属,岩面生地衣形成3种群落:(1)湿润石生地衣群落(Hygro-lichen community)定名为疣微孢衣Acarospora verruculosa+粉盘平茶渍A.alphaplaca+斑纹网衣Lecidea tessellata群落;(2)干燥石生地衣群落(Xero-lichen community)定名为多形茶渍Lecanora polytropa+破小网衣Lecideacarpathica群落;(3)高山石生地衣群落(Alpino-lichen community)定名为不等瓶口衣Verrucaria iaequalis+皮果衣Dermatocarpon miniatum群落。同时发现在乌鲁木齐南部山区森林生态系统中岩面生地衣群落的分布与海拔高度和基物的种类有密切的关系,不同海拔的不同类型的森林生态系统中分布着不同种类的岩面生地衣。