豆田刺吸类害虫、天敌自然种群消长规律及其群落结构的研究

在豆田群落中,常见的天敌昆虫及有益生物为12科13种,它们对寄主均有很强的选择性．小花蝽是大豆蚜的主要天敌,系优势种,其次是龟纹瓢虫．大青叶蝉的主要天敌是蜘蛛类,三突花蛛和草间小黑蛛为优势种．在长期不施用农药的环境下,天敌自然种群对控制害虫发生危害的作用明显．经数学分析,建立了12个数学模型,进一步揭示了两种刺吸类害虫与其天敌之间的关系;天敌种群消长、害虫种群消长与时间变动的关系．尤其通过对豆田群落生物的多样性、稳定性动态分析,表明豆田群落在8月9日至8月29日多样性指数和稳定性指数最大;同时亦表明豆田群落的多样性指数愈高,群落的稳定性愈强．     

中国种子植物区系定量化研究 V．区系相似性

本文总结了应用相似系数即关联系数进行植物区系相似性分析的现状,指出了存在的问题．然后,从集合论角度讨论了区系相似性、相似关系及其相似系数的实质．作者以为在区系相似性分析中应用Ｒ．Ｒ．Ｓｏｋａｌ和Ｃ．Ｄ．Ｍｉｃｈｅｎｅｒ（１９５８）提出的简单匹配系数比较适宜,同时亦能避免以往区系相似性分析中缺乏可比性及某些“表相”相似等问题．最后,还提出了总体相似系数和类型相似系数二个新概念,以便按照吴征镒教授关于中国植物区系研究的学术思想统一研究各个不同地区植物区系的相似性．对此,作者用了６个区系实例进行了演算说明．     

不同育秧方式和插植密度下晚籼稻群体动态结构的研究

不同育秧方式和插植密度下晚籼稻群体动态结构存在差异。旱育秧群体分蘖速度快,分蘖能力强。稀植可促进个体分蘖多发、有效穗数增多,但旱育稀植并无分蘖早发的优势。旱育稀植使主茎基部叶片变短而上部叶片变长,生育后期叶面积消长平稳,地上部干物质积累较多。旱育秧、稀植都使主茎叶总数增多,全生育期延长。     

The evolution of brood parasitism: the role of facultative parasitism

The hypothesis that facultative brood parasitism may serve asan intermediate step in the evolutionary transition from purelyparental reproduction to obligate parasitism was investigated.The population dynamics of a host-parasite complex were computer-simulatedin a model that incorporated different intensities of parasitismand host defense and considered a simplified semelparous birdspecies living in a homogeneous habitat The individuals usetwo different breeding strategies: provide parental care orparasitize the nest of those providing parental care. Underobligate parasitism, the parasites appeared unsuccessful, drovethe host population to extinction, or coexisted with the hostin stable or oscillating proportions. The behavior of the systemdepended on both the effectiveness of the parasite and the defenseof the host. Under facultative parasitism (making the best ofa bad job), the parasites reduced host numbers but did not reducethe population size below the number of breeding sites. Thus,facultative parasitism provides a better opportunity for thedevelopment of defense in the host. The population of a hostthat shows a certain level of defense can be more successfullyinvaded by obligate parasites so that stable coexistence ofhosts and parasites is possible.     

Causes of covariation of phenotypic traits among populations

Morphological and life-history traits often vary among populations of a species. Traits generally do not vary independently, but show patterns of covariation that can arise from genetic and environmental influences on phenotype. Covariance of traits may arise at an among-population level when genetically influenced traits diverge among populations in a correlated manner. Genetic correlations caused by pleiotropy and/or gene linkage can cause traits to evolve together, but among-population covariance can also arise among traits that are not genetically correlated. For example, “selective covariance” can arise when natural selection directly causes correlated change in a suite of traits. Similarly, mutation, migration, and drift may also sometimes cause correlated genetic changes among populations. Because covariation of traits among populations can arise by several different processes, the evolution of suites of traits must be interpreted with great caution. We discuss the sources of among-population covariance and illustrate one approach to identifying the sources' using data on floral traits of Dalechampia scandens (Euphorbiaceae).     

Covariation among floral traits in Spergularia marina (Caryophyllaceae): geographic and temporal variation in phenotypic and among-family correlations

Strong covariation among traits suggests the presence of constraints on their independent evolution due to pleiotropy, to linkage, or to selective forces that maintain particular trait combinations. We examined floral trait covariation among individuals, among maternal families within and across populations, and over time, in greenhouse-raised plants of the autogamous Spergularia marina. We had three aims. First, since the phenotype of traits expressed by modular organs often changes as individuals age, estimates of the degree of genetic covariation between such traits may also change over time. To seek evidence for this, we measured weekly (for five weeks) an array of floral traits among plants representing ～ 10 maternal families from each of four populations. The statistical significance of the phenotypic and among-family correlations among traits changed over time. Second, we compared populations with respect to trait covariation to determine whether populations or traits appear to be evolving independently of one another. Differences observed among populations suggest that they have diverged genetically. Third, we sought correlations that might reflect constraints on the independent evolution of floral traits. Investment in another and ovule production per flower vary independently among maternal families; there was no evidence for a “trade-off” between male and female investment. We propose that in autogamous taxa one should not find a negative correlation between pollen and ovule production per flower, as such taxa cannot evolve sexual specialization and should be under strong selection to maintain an efficient pollen:ovule ratio, preventing the evolution of male-biased or female-biased genotypes. We found that other pairs of floral traits, however, expressed highly signficant correlation coefficients, suggesting the presence of some evolutionary constraints, at least within some populations, although their strength depended on exactly when flowers were sampled.     

Noncancer Risk Assessment: A Probabilistic Alternative to Current Practice

Based on imperfect data and theory, agencies such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) currently derive “reference doses” (RfDs) to guide risk managers charged with ensuring that human exposures to chemicals are below population thresholds. The RfD for a chemical is typically reported as a single number, even though it is widely acknowledged that there are significant uncertainties inherent in the derivation of this number.

In this article, the authors propose a probabilistic alternative to the EPA's method that expresses the human population threshold as a probability distribution of values (rather than a single RfD value), taking into account the major sources of scientific uncertainty in such estimates. The approach is illustrated using much of the same data that USEPA uses to justify their current RfD procedure.

Like the EPA's approach, our approach recognizes the four key extrapolations that are necessary to define the human population threshold based on animal data: animal to human, human heterogeneity, LOAEL to NOAEL, and subchronic to chronic. Rather than using available data to define point estimates of “uncertainty factors” for these extrapolations, the proposed approach uses available data to define a probability distribution of adjustment factors. These initial characterizations of uncertainty can then be refined when more robust or specific data become available for a particular chemical or class of chemicals.

Quantitative characterization of uncertainty in noncancer risk assessment will be useful to risk managers who face complex trade-offs between control costs and protection of public health. The new approach can help decision-makers understand how much extra control cost must be expended to achieve a specified increase in confidence that the human population threshold is not being exceeded.     

Evolution and population biology of theperiodgene

The clock gene period (per), originally identified inDrosophila, evolves relatively quickly within the insects; probably for this reason, no convincingperhomologues have been identified outside this class. However antibodies toDrosophilaPER have labelled neural pacemakers in other organisms, including mammals. Conserved regions, such as the PAS dimerization domain, reflect its functional importance, but the long Thr–Gly repeat encoded withinperis not conserved outside theDrosophila. The repeat appears to be a component of the temperature compensation system in the fly. This is reflected in the population structure of natural Thr–Gly length variants ofD. melanogaster. Patterns of nucleotide variation withinDrosophila perhave been used to examine the selective forces that have shaped the evolution of this gene.     

乔治王岛菲尔德斯半岛地衣研究 Ⅰ.松萝属石萝亚属

本文扼要回顾了松萝属石萝亚属(Usnea subgenus Neuropogon)地衣研究简况,根据形态、化学、分布三者综合的现代地衣物种概念,确认南极乔治王岛菲尔德斯半岛只存在两种石萝即南极石萝(Usnea antarctica)和簇花石萝(Usnea aurantiaco-atra)。除形态、化学特征描述外,详述了这两种石萝在菲尔德斯半岛的生境与分布特征。其中,在藓丛生境中的簇花石萝群体性状分化及其与石生群体性状的比较和讨论是文献中尚未见到的,而生长在木板上的南极石萝则属罕见,其平均生长速率估算为每年增长0.4—1.1mm。在化学上,这两种石萝均属于化学型Ⅰ和化学型Ⅲ,而化学型Ⅱ(含有norstictic,salazinic and usnic acids)不存在于该半岛的两种石萝中。     

The role of the National Trust in the conservation of British butterflies

The National Trust is of paramount importance in the conservation of butterflies in the UK on account of the scale of its land holding and its ability to manage habitats beneficially. Fifty two of the fifty four species currently regarded as resident in Britain occur on Trust land. The Trust has major responsibilities for the conservation of all bar one of the British rarities, and is of special significance in the conservation of the high brown fritillary and heath fritillary, two protected species. The Trust owns some 35 areas (many of which are large) of national importance for butterflies, plus much other property where the butterfly fauna is of regional importance. The Trust is implementing many dynamic projects aimed at conserving rare species, maintains a butterfly site data base and is developing a butterfly population monitoring programme. It is well placed to address the key issue of butterfly conservation on a metapopulation scale. To do this, it must work in partnership with other conservation organizations.