Endogenous control of spawning in a marine copepod

Daily pattern of egg release has been studied in the marine calanoid copepod, Labidocera aestiva (Wheeler) under cycling light-dark (12L-12D, 12D-12L) conditions, and constant light (24L) or darkness (24D). Under cycling conditions maximum egg release occurred during the dark phase. Rhythmic spawning was also evident under 24D, but not under 24L. The results suggest that the pattern of nocturnal egg release is regulated by an endogenous rhythm entrained by light.     

光周期对菊花花芽分化及其叶片和芽内源多胺含量的影响

以切花菊品种神马为材料,研究不同光周期(16h昼/8h夜;12h昼/12h夜;8h昼/16h夜)对菊花花芽分化过程中叶片和芽内腐胺(Put)、亚精胺(Spd)和精胺(Spm)含量的影响.结果显示:(1)16h/8h处理植株始终没有花芽分化,8h/16h处理的花芽分化开始和完成分别在处理后第13.9天和第23.1天出现,比12h/12h处理的分别提前1.7d和2.8d.(2)16h/8h处理叶片和芽中Put、Spd和Spm含量始终都没有明显变化,而8h/16h和12h/12h处理的叶片和芽中Put、Spd、Spm含量都比16h/8h处理的明显增加,而且8h/16h和12h/12h处理的叶片Put和Spd含量在处理第10天和第20天时出现2个高峰,芽中Put和Spd含量在处理第15天时出现一个高峰;另外,8h/16h处理的叶片和芽中Put、Spd含量比12h/12h处理的有所增加,但差异不显著.结果表明,菊花神马是质型短日照植物,短日照可诱导神马叶片和芽内合成多胺,而且日照时数越短,越有利于叶片和芽内Put、Spd、Spm的积累和促进花芽分化.     

Effects of temperature and photoperiod on the development and oviposition ofApanteles sp. groupUltor [Hym.: Braconidae], a larval parasite of the carob mothEctomyelois ceratoniae [Lep.: Pyralidae]

Development of the solitary parasitoidApanteles sp. groupultor in larvae ofEctomyelois ceratoniae was investigated at different constant temperatures. Temperature had a significant effect upon parasitoid development during both host-internal and host-external phases. The duration of the host-internal phase varied from 41 days at 15–17°C to 8.6 days at 29°C, the duration of the host-external phase varied from 16.5 days at 16–17°C to 5.4 days at 29°C. Effect of photoperiod upon parasite development and parasitization of hosts were determined under daily photophases, of 24, 16, 12, 8 and 0 hours. No significant differences in oviposition rate were found among the 5 treatments. In any photoperiod studied, the parasite progeny developed normally without entering diapause.      

Photoperiod and food restriction differentially affect reproductive and immune responses in Siberian hamsters Phodopus sungorus

1.  Organisms must contend with seasonal fluctuations in energy availability. To maintain a positive energy balance year-round, a number of adaptations have evolved including seasonal changes in reproduction, energetics and immunity. Photoperiod is the primary environmental signal most animals use to predict seasonal events. Despite the established link between energetics and immune function, little is known regarding how changes in energy availability affect immunity.
2.  The goal of the present study was to determine the effects of food restriction on photoperiodic changes in reproduction and immune function in the Siberian hamster ( Phodopus sungorus ). Adult hamsters were housed in long or short days and were food restricted or fed ad libitum . Immune responses were quantified by measuring specific antibody production and bacterial killing capacity.
3.  Food restriction decreased body and relative reproductive masses in long-day animals. Antibody responses, but not bacterial killing ability, were enhanced in food restricted short-day animals as compared with ad libitum fed controls. We also found differential effects of body fat on immune responses depending on the immune measure.
4.  The effects of food restriction on immune function appear to vary based on the restriction regimen, the response measured, and the physiological state of the organism including energy balance, metabolic rate and reproductive status.
5.  In conclusion, these results suggest that a wide range of factors can differentially affect immune function. In addition, these effects may vary based on the specific response examined. Future studies should include a variety of measurements to provide a more integrative and accurate picture of reproductive, energetic, and photoperiodic effects on immune function.     

Mite-load function improves precision of feeding damage estimation in Tetranychus urticae

The influence of temperature and light regime on the feeding intensity of Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) was studied on bean plants. A nonlinear relationship was found between temperature and feeding activity of T. urticae. The feeding intensity increased from 10 °C to 35 °C. At 10 °C there was practically no feeding, whereas at 35 °C maximum feeding occurred. above 35 °C the activity of the mites decreased. No difference could be found in the feeding intensity of mites kept at permanent darkness or permanent light. Based on the observed relationship between temperature and feeding activity and intensity of damage symptoms, respectively, we propose the use of a mite-load function to define the mite stress imposed on the plant.

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Zusammenfassung Wir untersuchten den Einfluss von Temperatur und Licht auf die Saugtätigkeit von Tetranychus urticae auf Bohnenpflanzen und fanden eine nicht-lineare Beziehung zwischen Temperatur und Saugaktivität. Die Saugintensität stieg bei Temperaturen über 10 °C an bis zum Saugmaximum bei 35 °C und sank dann relativ rasch ab. Permanentes Licht- oder Dunkelregime übte keinen Einfluss auf die Saugleistung aus. Aufgrund der beobachteten Zusammenhänge zwischen Temperatur, Saugintensität und Intensität der Ausbildung der Schadsymptome entwickelten wir ein verbessertes Mass (mite-load) für die Erfassung des Spinnmilbenstresses auf die Wirtspflanze. Die präsentierten Daten zeigen, dass mit der mite-load Funktion die Saugschäden von T. urticae präziser erfasst werden können als mit den bisher gebräuchlichen Milbendichten pro Blatt oder Milbentagen.

     

Dormancy release in beech buds (Fagus sylvatica) requires both chilling and long days

Chilling and daylength requirements for dormancy release and budburst in dormant beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) buds have been studied in cuttings flushing in controlled environments after different durations of outdoor chilling. Non-chilled buds sampled in mid October required long days (LD) only for budburst. Buds chilled until March still required LD for normal budburst, whereas buds sampled in November and December were unable to sprout regardless of daylength conditions and would do so only after a substantial period of chilling. Four ecotypes of distant latitudinal and altitudinal origin responded very similarly with a typical quantitative photoperiodic response. In fully chilled shoots sampled in March only 13 to 40% budburst took place in 8-h SD and only after three times as long time as in continuous light. It is concluded that this dual dormancy control system ensures optimum winter stability in trees under conditions of climatic warming. In the closely related Carpinus betulus L. budburst was unaffected by daylength.     

高等植物开花时程的调控与光受体Ⅰ.开花时程的基因与光受体调控

系统评述了高等植物开花时程的调控与植物光受体的联系.重点说明了控制开花时程的遗传途径以及光周期途径的有关基因的研究进展.影响高等植物开花的最重要的因子之一便是光周期,光周期对高等植物开花的调控是通过相关基因间的相互作用来实现的,这些基因包括参与花启动发育控制基因,昼夜节律时间钟调控基因及光受体信号转导基因.近5年左右的时间通过对拟南芥及其一系列突变体的研究为我们展示了这一热门领域的广阔的前景.     

光敏雄性不育谷子683小孢子败育途径观察

对光敏雄性不育谷子（Setaria italica）683在长日（＞15h）和短日（＝10h）下小孢子的发育途径、花药中药粉总数及游离花粉总数作了观察和统计,发现长日条件下,小孢了败育主要发生在造孢细胞和花偻母细胞时期,此时,有60％－80％的药室的造胞细胞和花偻母细胞严重收缩,细胞结构破坏,演变成着色极深的“异常黑块”（埃氏苏木精染色）。每花药中花粉平均数,长日条件下为66.84,短日照下为111.86,差异显著,每视野中的游离花粉平均数,长日条件下为13.73,而在短日条件下为20.1.研究对“异常黑块”的出现与花粉总数大幅度降低的关系作了分析,并讨论了“异常黑块”发生的可能原因及其与小孢子败育的关系。     

Dynamic expressions of hypothalamic genes regulate seasonal breeding in a natural rodent population

Seasonal breeding is a universal reproductive strategy in many animals. Hypothalamic genes, especially type 2 and 3 iodothyronine deiodinases (Dio2/3), RFamide‐related peptide 3 (Rfrp‐3), kisspeptin (Kiss‐1) and gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH), are involved in a photoperiodic pathway that encodes seasonal signals from day length in many vertebrate species. However, the seasonal expression patterns of these genes in wild mammals are less studied. Here, we present a four‐year field investigation to reveal seasonal rhythm and age‐dependent reproductive activity in male Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) and to detect relationships among seasonal expression profiles of hypothalamic genes, testicular activity, age and annual day length. From breeding season (April) to nonbreeding season (October), adult male voles displayed a synchronous peak in gonadal activity with annual day length around summer solstice, which was jointly caused by age structure shifts and age‐dependent gonadal development patterns. Overwintered males maintained reproductive activity until late in the breeding season, whereas most newborn males terminated gonadal development completely, except for a minority of males born early in spring. Consistently, the synchronous and opposite expression profiles of Dio2/3 suggest their central function to decode photoperiodic signals and to predict the onset of the nonbreeding season. Moreover, changes in Dio2/3 signals may guide the actions of Kiss‐1 and Rfrp‐3 to regulate the age‐dependent divergence of reproductive strategy in wild Brandt's vole. Our results provide evidence on how hypothalamic photoperiod genes regulate seasonal breeding in a natural rodent population.