Active aggregation among sexes in bean flower thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti) on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Male sexual aggregations are a common territorial, mating‐related or resource‐based, behaviour observed in diverse organisms, including insects such as thrips. The influence of factors such as plant substrate, time of day, and geographic location on aggregation of thrips is uncertain, therefore we monitored the dispersion of male and female bean flower thrips (BFT), Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae), over three cowpea growth stages and across three cowpea‐growing areas of Kenya. Our results indicated that for all the crop growth stages, the density of BFTs varied over the time of day, with higher densities at 10:00, 13:00, and 16:00 hours than at 07:00 hours. Thrips densities did not differ among blocks at the budding stage, but they did at peak flowering and podding stages. Dispersion indices suggested that both male and female BFTs were aggregated. Active male aggregation occurred only on green plant parts and it varied across blocks, crop stages, and locations. Similarly, active female aggregation was observed in peak flowering and podding stages. Such active aggregation indicates a semiochemical or behaviour‐mediated aggregation. Identification of such a semiochemical may offer new opportunities for refining monitoring and management strategies for BFT on cowpea, the most important grain legume in sub‐Saharan Africa.     

Breeding system of diploid sexuals within the Ranunculus auricomus complex and its role in a geographical parthenogenesis scenario

The larger distribution area of asexuals compared with their sexual relatives in geographical parthenogenesis (GP) scenarios has been widely attributed to the advantages of uniparental reproduction and polyploidy. However, potential disadvantages of sexuals due to their breeding system have received little attention so far. Here, we study the breeding system of five narrowly distributed sexual lineages of Ranunculus notabilis s.l. (R. auricomus complex) and its effects on outcrossing, inbreeding, female fitness, and heterozygosity. We performed selfing and intra‐ and interlineage crossings by bagging 481 flowers (59 garden individuals) followed by germination experiments. We compared seed set and germination rates, and related them to genetic distance and genome‐wide heterozygosity (thousands of RADseq loci). Selfings (2.5%) unveiled a significantly lower seed set compared with intra‐ (69.0%) and interlineage crossings (69.5%). Seed set of intra‐ (65%) compared to interpopulation crossings (78%) was significantly lower. In contrast, all treatments showed comparable germination rates (32%–43%). Generalized linear regressions between seed set and genetic distance revealed positive relationships in general and between lineages, and a negative one within lineages. Seed set was the main decisive factor for female fitness. Germination rates were not related to genetic distance at any level, but were positively associated with heterozygosity in interlineage crossings. Experiments confirmed full crossability and predominant outcrossing among sexual R. notabilis s.l. lineages. However, up to 5% (outliers 15%–31%) of seeds were formed by selfing, probably due to semi‐self‐compatibility in a multi‐locus gametophytic SI system. Less seed set in intrapopulation crossings, and higher seed set and germination rates from crossings of genetically more distant and heterozygous lineages (interlineage) indicate negative inbreeding and positive outbreeding effects. In GP scenarios, sexual species with small and/or isolated populations can suffer from decreased female fitness due to their breeding system. This factor, among others, probably limits range expansion of sexuals.     

INBREEDING DEPRESSION IN TWO MIMULUS TAXA MEASURED BY MULTIGENERATIONAL CHANGES IN THE INBREEDING COEFFICIENT

In mixed-mating plant populations, one can estimate the relative fitness of selfed progeny w by measuring the inbreeding coefficient F and selfing rate s of adults of one generation, together with F of adults in the following generation (after selection). In the first application of this multigenerational method, we estimated F and s for adults over three consecutive generations in adjacent populations of two annual Mimulus taxa: the outbreeding M. guttatus and the inbreeding M. platycalyx. This gave estimates of w for the last two generations. Although average multilocus selfing rates were high in both taxa (0.63 in M. guttatus; 0.84 in M. platycalyx), the relative fitness of selfed progeny averaged only 0.19 in M. guttatus and 0.32 in M. platycalyx. An alternative estimator for w that incorporates biparental inbreeding gave even lower estimates of w. These values are significantly below the 0.5 threshold thought to favor selfing, and show that partially selfing populations can harbor substantial genetic load. In accordance with the purging hypothesis, the more highly selfing M. platycalyx showed marginally lower inbreeding depression than M. guttatus in both years (P = 0.08). Inbreeding depression and selfing rates also varied among years in concert among taxa. Several sources of bias are discussed, but computer simulations indicate it is unlikely that w is biased downwards by linkage of marker loci to load loci.     

The relation between the neutrality index for mitochondrial genes and the distribution of mutational effects on fitness

We explore factors affecting patterns of polymorphism and divergence (as captured by the neutrality index) at mammalian mitochondrial loci. To do this, we develop a population genetic model that incorporates a fraction of neutral amino acid sites, mutational bias, and a probability distribution of selection coefficients against new nonsynonymous mutations. We confirm, by reanalyzing publicly available datasets, that the mitochondrial cyt-b gene shows a broad range of neutrality indices across mammalian taxa, and explore the biological factors that can explain this observation. We find that observed patterns of differences in the neutrality index, polymorphism, and divergence are not caused by differences in mutational bias. They can, however, be explained by a combination of a small fraction of neutral amino acid sites, weak selection acting on most amino acid mutations, and differences in effective population size among taxa.     

人工红树林湿地系统净化污水研究进展

咸淡水交接处这种特殊的生境造就了红树植物“抗污”和“降污”的功能,但能否将自然红树林湿地作为污水处理场所目前仍有争议。按照构建的人工红树林湿地的类型,分为三大类：模拟潮汐湿地系统、人工红树林污水处理系统以及红树林种植-养殖生态耦合系统。第一类系统模拟了自然海滩上的潮涨潮落的情形,第二类系统与一般人工湿地相类似,而第三类系统是指在养殖塘种植红树植物以去除有机物和营养盐。不同的类型反映了该领域研究工作的不断深入,展现了红树林湿地净化污水从理论探索向实际应用不断靠近的过程。应用人工红树林湿地净化污水具有较大的可行性,前景可观。     

不同冬季覆盖作物对双季稻田土壤有机碳的影响

以冬闲-双季稻种植模式为对照(CK),分析了黑麦草-双季稻(Ry)、紫云英-双季稻(Mv)、马铃薯-双季稻(Po)和油菜-双季稻(Ra)5种不同种植模式下冬季覆盖作物秸秆还田后对0～5、5～10、10～20 cm土壤有机碳、活性有机碳、碳库管理指数和有机碳储量的影响.结果表明:与CK处理相比,黑麦草、紫云英、马铃薯和油菜秸秆还田处理均提高了稻田0～5、5～10、10～20 cm土壤总有机碳和活性有机碳含量,其中Po处理最高.冬季覆盖作物秸秆还田均提高了稻田不同层次土壤的碳库活度、碳库活度指数、碳库指数和土壤碳库管理指数,其大小顺序均表现为Po>Mv>Ry>Ra>CK.不同冬季覆盖作物秸秆还田处理与CK处理相比均有利于提高稻田不同层次土壤有机碳储量,其中以紫云英秸秆还田的效果最好,黑麦草和马铃薯次之;各处理稻田土壤有机碳储量均随土壤深度的增加而递增.     

香溪河水生昆虫功能性状及功能多样性空间格局

近年来,生物多样性研究已从群落物种多样性拓展至功能多样性层面,使用功能性状表征功能组成及功能多样性是当前底栖动物生态学研究的热点之一。物种功能性状对环境变化敏感,对群落和种群沿环境梯度的演替具有许多潜在的指示作用。为了解香溪河水系水生昆虫功能性状空间分布格局及环境因子对功能多样性的影响,于2005年12月及2006年1月、2月对该水系的香溪河、九冲河、高岚河、古夫河4条河流的水生昆虫进行了调查,并对理化指标进行了测定;参考相关文献资料,本研究选择化性、漂移性、游泳能力、吸附能力、形状、个体大小、流态偏好、温度偏好、生活型、营养习性等10个功能性状纳入分析。研究结果发现,香溪河水系共鉴定水生昆虫127种,四节蜉(Baetis sp.)、高翔蜉(Epeorus sp.)、短尾石蝇(Nemoura sp.)为区域优势分类单元,相对丰度分别为38.6%、9.1%、6.7%;4条河流间优势物种组成差异较大。10个功能性状中相对丰度最高的等级性状分别为1世代/a(Volt2)、高漂移率(Drft3)、无游泳能力(Swim1)、无吸附能力(Atch1)、流线型(Shpe1)、小型个体(Size1)、沉积/侵蚀流态兼好型(Rheo2)、广温型(Ther2)、附着型(Habi4)、收集者(Trop1);单因素方差分析及独立样本T检验表明,化性、附着能力、大小、流速偏好、温度偏好、漂移性、生活型、营养习性等性状级别间差异显著,而游泳能力、形状性状等级间无显著差异。对10个功能性状的33个等级性状在4条河流间相对丰度的差异性进行研究,结果发现,Volt1、Drft2、Swim2、Atch1、Atch2、Size3、Rheo1、Ther3、Habi2、Habi3、Trop3、Trop5等12个等级性状相对丰度在4条河流间差异显著。功能性状多样性、树状图功能多样性用来描述4条河流功能多样性,结果表明,功能性状多样性指数均值在古夫河、高岚河、九冲河、香溪河分别为2.8、3.2、6.9和5.4;树状图功能多样性指数均值在分别为4.8、5.7、11.1、8.8。功能冗余度均值在4条河流分别为2.9、3.4、4.6、3.9。运用逐步回归分析功能多样性、功能冗余度与环境参数的关系,结果表明,功能性状多样性指数受总氮、水深影响显著;树状图功能多样性指数受总氮、水深、流速影响显著;功能冗余度指数受硝态氮、溶解氧、二氧化硅影响显著。     

基于冠层反射光谱的棉花干物质积累量估测

通过分析不同施氮水平下棉花地上部干物质积累量与冠层光谱反射率及其衍生的比值植被指数(RVI)、归一化植被指数(NDVI)及差值植被指数(DVI)之间的关系,确立了棉花地上部干物质积累量的敏感波段及预测模型.结果表明:两个可见光波段(560和710 nm)和5个近红外波段(810、870、950、1 100和1 220 nm)组成的植被指数与棉花地上部干物质积累量的相关性较好,其中RVI(1 100, 560)的相关性最好.通过逐步回归分析确立的棉花地上部干物质积累量的预测模型为:地上部干物质积累量(g·m-2)=66.274×RVI(1 100, 560)-148.84.说明通过遥感手段估测棉花地上部干物质积累量是可行的.     

Using the floristic quality concept to assess created and natural wetlands: Ecological and management implications

We applied the floristic quality index (FQI) to vegetation data collected across a chronosequence of created wetland (CW) sites in Virginia ranging in age from one to 15 years post-construction. At each site, we also applied FQI to a nearby forested reference wetland (REF). We tested the performance of the index against a selection of community metrics (species richness, diversity, evenness, percent native species) and site attributes (age, soil physiochemical variables). FQI performed better when non-native species (C-value = 0) were removed from the index, and also when calculated within rather than across vegetation layers. A modified, abundance-weighted FQI showed significant correlation with community and environmental variables in the CW herbaceous layer and REF herbaceous and shrub-sapling layers based on Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) ordination output. These results suggest that a “natives only”, layer-based version of the index is most appropriate for our region, and an abundance-weighted FQI may be useful for assessing floristic quality in certain layers. The abundance-weighted format has the advantage of preserving the “heritage” aspect of the species conservatism concept while also entraining the “ecology” aspect of site assessment based on relative abundances of the inhabiting species. FQI did not successfully relate CW sites to REF sites, bringing into question the applicability of the FQI concept in comparing created wetlands to reference wetlands, and by analogy, the use of forested reference wetlands in general to assess vegetation development in created sites.