黑河上游高寒退化草地狼毒种群小尺度点格局分析

植被斑块化是自然界的一种普遍现象, 斑块的形成和变化对植物种群格局的形成和变化具有重要影响。在黑河上游祁连山北坡高寒退化草地, 采用点格局分析方法, 研究了小尺度上狼毒(Stellera chamaejasme)种群的种群密度、组成格局以及分布格局。结果表明: 随着狼毒种群分盖度的增大, 种群密度、领地密度和组成格局呈现规律性的变化, 斑块内部狼毒种群的数量出现增减交替变化趋势, 组成格局规律明显; 狼毒种群的分布格局表现出与尺度关联的变化趋势, 在31%-40%分盖度下, 狼毒种群在所有尺度上表现为随机分布, 在41%-50%、51%-60%、61%-70%、71%-80%分盖度下随着尺度增大, 分布格局的基本模式为: 随机—聚集—随机或均匀—随机—聚集—随机分布, 在聚集状态下, 聚集强度不同。以成株为核心的斑块内部种群表现为随机分布或均匀分布, 相对于外部表现为聚集分布, 随着成株个体数量的逐渐增多, 种群竞争关系由种间竞争转化为种内竞争, 促进了斑块扩张与合并、斑块增多与吞并, 从而实现了种群扩散。     

Distribution of birds on eastern and western slopes of the sierra aconquija in the northwestern argentine Andes

The populations of birds (diurnal birds of prey excluded) were studied on both east and west oriented slopes in the Sierra de Aconquija, Tucumán province, northwestern Argentina. The transect method of bird observation was combined with strip surveys. The study period was mid November till early March, during which time most of the Andean bird species are breeding. The eastern slope has frequent fog, whereas the western one is sunny with scarcely rain. Species occurrence and abundance were recorded which in part depend on the altitude. Probable further reasons for these patterns of local distribution are discussed.     

三江源区高寒坡地退化植物群落多样性和地上生物量沿海拔梯度的变化特征

山地生态系统退化对生物多样性和地上生物量,以及相互关系在海拔高度梯度上的格局影响,是认识全球变化和人类干扰引起自然生态系统变化的重要内容。以青藏高原三江源区高寒坡地退化草甸和灌丛为研究对象,探讨退化草甸、灌丛群落物种多样性与地上生物量关系及其沿海拔梯度的变化规律。结果表明:(1)坡地退化的上坡位植被盖度显著大于下坡位(P＜0.05)。坡地退化高寒草甸和高寒灌丛,植物物种多样性沿海拔梯度变化规律一致,均呈现"单峰"分布格局。坡地退化高寒草甸Shannon-wiener指数和Simpson指数二次回归方程解释度达到80%和70%以上(P＜0.05)。(2)坡地退化高寒草甸和高寒灌丛的地上生物量与海拔梯度的变化规律一致,即随海拔升高高寒坡地地上生物量呈先增加后降低的变化趋势。海拔梯度对退化高寒山地地上生物量的解释度达到85%以上(P＜0.05)。(3)物种多样性和地上生物量的关系在两个坡地上表现出一致的规律,呈线性增加的变化趋势。高寒草甸坡地回归方程解释度达到70%,高寒灌丛坡地达到60%(P＜0.05)。坡地退化高寒灌丛植物群落多样性和地上生物量高于高寒草甸植物群落。高寒坡地退化草甸和灌丛植物群落物种多样性以及其与地上生物量之间的关系沿海拔梯度的变化规律一致,海拔梯度造成的环境差异对植物群落物种多样性和地上生物量影响仍较大。该研究对认识三江源区退化山地形成生态学机制,及提出有效的生态恢复措施具有重要参考价值。     

Non-Decaying postsynaptics potentials and delayed spikes in hippocampal pyramidal neurons generated by a zero slope conductance created by the persistent Na+ current

The negative slope conductance created by the persistent sodium current (I_NaP) prolongs the decay phase of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs). In a recent study, we demonstrated that this effect was due to an increase of the membrane time constant. When the negative slope conductance opposes completely the positive slope conductances of the other currents it creates a zero slope conductance region. In this region the membrane time constant is infinite and the decay phase of the EPSPs is virtually absent. Here we show that non-decaying EPSPs are present in CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells in the zero slope conductance region, in the suprathreshold range of membrane potential. Na⁺ channel block with tetrodotoxin abolishes the non-decaying EPSPs. Interestingly, the non-decaying EPSPs are observed only in response to artificial excitatory postsynaptic currents (aEPSCs) of small amplitude, and not in response to aEPSCs of big amplitude. We also observed concomitantly delayed spikes with long latencies and high variability only in response to small amplitude aEPSCs. Our results showed that in CA1 pyramidal neurons I_NaP creates non-decaying EPSPs and delayed spikes in the subthreshold range of membrane potentials, which could potentiate synaptic integration of synaptic potentials coming from distal regions of the dendritic tree.     

Uncertainty Distributions for Cancer Potency Factors: Combining Epidemiological Studies with Laboratory Bioassays—the Example of Acrylonitrile

For eight chemicals or chemical mixtures with clear positive epidemiological evidence of carcinogenicity by inhalation (acrylonitrile, arsenic, benzene, beryllium, cadmium, chromium VI, coke oven emissions, and nickel), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) uses that evidence to obtain a single best estimate of cancer potency factor. The methods used have so far been ad hoc, because of the differences in published studies, although there are common factors. In every case, the uncertainties involved in the various stages of analysis are qualitatively acknowledged, and often quantitatively estimated, but no formal attempt has been made to propagate the uncertainties. I here provide a detailed case study for acrylonitrile that (a) incorporates all estimates of uncertainty mentioned by the US EPA in their analysis and propagates that uncertainty to produce an uncertainty distribution; (b) updates the USEPA analysis to incorporate more recent epidemiological data from the same study used in their analysis.

For most of the materials known to be carcinogenic to humans (through epidemiologic evidence), there are also available cancer bioassays performed on laboratory animals. If the procedures used for estimating human carcinogenic potencies from laboratory animal bioassays are to be believed in cases where there are no human epidemiological data, their evidence should also be used where there is epidemiological evidence. A consistent method of incorporating the results of both epidemiological studies and laboratory animal bioassays into a single probability distribution for a human cancer potency is here detailed, using acrylonitrile as an example for which there is positive epidemiological data. The methods are sufficiently general to allow the incorporation of any combinations of positive and negative bioassay and epidemiological data.     

Optimal stomatal behavior theory for simulating stomatal conductance

Among the most critical processes in simulating terrestrial ecosystem performance is the regulatory role of stomata in carbon and water cycles. Compared with field measurements, the changes in stomatal slope caused by the biophysical environment provide a simple but effective synthetic framework for studying climate-related carbon and water cycling, due to its sensitivity to CO₂, vapor pressure deficit, and photosynthesis. It is also crucial in understanding the effects of climate change on photosynthesis and water use efficiency. Endeavored by numerous scholastic efforts, stomatal conductance models have been improved based on experimental, semi-experimental, and mechanical processes. However, the underlying biological mechanisms and the dynamics of key parameters in these models remain unexplored, especially regarding the changes in stomatal slope. By improving the understanding of the stomata’s regulatory role, we reduced the uncertainty of stomatal conductance simulation. We then synthesized the recent developments and lessons in optimal stomatal behavior theory to simulate stomatal conductance and included an introduction to widely used stomatal conductance models and parameters, the main factors influencing stomatal slopes, and applications of the mechanical stomatal conductance models in different ecosystems. Based on our literature review, we proposed that future research is needed on the optimal stomatal behavior theory and its applications in simulating stomatal conductance.     

A synthesis of genetic connectivity in deep‐sea fauna and implications for marine reserve design

With anthropogenic impacts rapidly advancing into deeper waters, there is growing interest in establishing deep‐sea marine protected areas (MPAs) or reserves. Reserve design depends on estimates of connectivity and scales of dispersal for the taxa of interest. Deep‐sea taxa are hypothesized to disperse greater distances than shallow‐water taxa, which implies that reserves would need to be larger in size and networks could be more widely spaced; however, this paradigm has not been tested. We compiled population genetic studies of deep‐sea fauna and estimated dispersal distances for 51 studies using a method based on isolation‐by‐distance slopes. Estimates of dispersal distance ranged from 0.24 km to 2028 km with a geometric mean of 33.2 km and differed in relation to taxonomic and life‐history factors as well as several study parameters. Dispersal distances were generally greater for fishes than invertebrates with the Mollusca being the least dispersive sampled phylum. Species that are pelagic as adults were more dispersive than those with sessile or sedentary lifestyles. Benthic species from soft‐substrate habitats were generally less dispersive than species from hard substrate, demersal or pelagic habitats. As expected, species with pelagic and/or feeding (planktotrophic) larvae were more dispersive than other larval types. Many of these comparisons were confounded by taxonomic or other life‐history differences (e.g. fishes being more dispersive than invertebrates) making any simple interpretation difficult. Our results provide the first rough estimate of the range of dispersal distances in the deep sea and allow comparisons to shallow‐water assemblages. Overall, dispersal distances were greater for deeper taxa, although the differences were not large (0.3–0.6 orders of magnitude between means), and imbalanced sampling of shallow and deep taxa complicates any simple interpretation. Our analyses suggest the scales of dispersal and connectivity for reserve design in the deep sea might be comparable to or slightly larger than those in shallow water. Deep‐sea reserve design will need to consider the enormous variety of taxa, life histories, hydrodynamics, spatial configuration of habitats and patterns of species distributions. The many caveats of our analyses provide a strong impetus for substantial future efforts to assess connectivity of deep‐sea species from a variety of habitats, taxonomic groups and depth zones.     

Differential scaling within an insect compound eye

Environmental and genetic influences cause individuals of a species to differ in size. As they do so, organ size and shape are scaled to available resources whilst maintaining function. The scaling of entire organs has been investigated extensively but scaling within organs remains poorly understood. By making use of the structure of the insect compound eye, we show that different regions of an organ can respond differentially to changes in body size. Wood ant (Formica rufa) compound eyes contain facets of different diameters in different regions. When the animal body size changes, lens diameters from different regions can increase or decrease in size either at the same rate (a ‘grade’ shift) or at different rates (a ‘slope’ shift). These options are not mutually exclusive, and we demonstrate that both types of scaling apply to different regions of the same eye. This demonstrates that different regions within a single organ can use different rules to govern their scaling, responding differently to their developmental environment. Thus, the control of scaling is more nuanced than previously appreciated, diverse responses occurring even among homologous cells within a single organ. Such fine control provides a rich substrate for the diversification of organ morphology.