大针茅草原蛴螬群落特征研究

内蒙古典型草原的主体植被类型——大针茅(Stipa grandis)草原中,有蛴螬4科9种．构成大针茅草原蛴螬群落的4个科中,以鳃金龟科种类数、个体数为最多,主要种群的重要值排序为黑皱鳃金龟、东方绢金龟、马铃薯鳃金龟及弓斑常丽金龟．几种蛴螬在发生上大致呈3种类型：春季和秋季大量发生．如东方绢金龟;一年中密度波动较小,如弓斑常丽金龟;秋季大量发生,如黑皱鳃金龟和马铃薯鳃金龟．大针茅草原蛴螬群落的多样性特征在于秋季群落多样性和物种的丰度较高,而夏季相对较低．春季蛴螬群落种群丰度较高,但群落结构相对较单调．     

The composition and function of all‐male herds of Thornicroft's giraffe,Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti,in Zambia

Temporary all‐male social groups are formed in a number of animal species. We examined 34 years of data collected from 36 male Thornicroft's giraffe in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia, to test a set of predictions related to five possible functions of all‐male herds (predator protection, practicing aggressive skills, prolonging life, nutritional demands and resource learning). We found that all‐male herds were significantly smaller than mixed‐sex herds, usually contained a mature bull, and were not dependent upon season or habitat. Dyadic associations between males in single sex herds were quite weak, with <25% of potential male dyads sighted together in an all‐male herd. Our data are best explained as a resource learning strategy adopted by males to obtain more extensive knowledge about the habitat, including both food and female distribution. However, other benefits in the form of predator protection, dietary intake and sharpening competitive skills for future contests over estrous females also seem to mediate formation of giraffe all‐male groups. We conclude that the primary advantage of roaming in all‐male herds changes during the life history of males.     

Sulfur and molybdenum fractionation in marine and riverine alluvium paddy soils

Intermittently submergence and drainage status of paddy fields can cause alterations in morphological and chemical characteristics of soils. We conducted a sequential fractionation study to provide an insight into solubility of Sulfur (S) and Molybdenum (Mo) in flooded alluvial paddy soils. The samples (0–15 and 15–30 cm) were taken from marine and riverine alluvial soils in Kedah and Kelantan areas, respectively, and were sequentially extracted with NaHCO₃, NaOH, HCl, and HClO₄–HNO₃. Total S in upper and lower layers of Kedah and Kelantan ranged between 273 and 1121 mg kg^?1, and 177 to 1509 mg kg^?1, respectively. In upper layers and subsoil of Kedah, average total Mo were 0.34 and 0.27 mg kg^?1, respectively. Average total Mo in Kelantan were 0.25 mg kg^?1 (surface layer) and 0.28 mg kg^?1 (subsoil). Cation exchange capacity (CEC) was positively correlated with plant available amounts of Mo in upper layers of Kedah area. Also, total and medium-term plant-available S was correlated with total carbon (C) at lower layers of Kelantan soil series. But in surface layers of Kelantan soil series, CEC was strongly correlated with total and medium-term plant-available S. Our results indicates that the influence of flooding conditions on soil S and Mo contents in paddy fields may cause long-term changes in S and Mo chemical reactivities.     

长白山北坡森林土壤汞的含量和形态分布

分别于2009年4月和9月对长白山北坡的土壤样品进行了采集,研究北方森林地区不同海拔土壤样品中的总汞和甲基汞的分布情况.长白山土壤THg和MeHg含量分别为0.08～0.73 mg·kg-1和0.05～0.56 μg·kg-1,库存量分别为97 kg·km-2和128 g·km-2,高于吉林省背景值,MeHg的最高含量...     

Ultrasonication of insulin-loaded microgel particles produced by internal gelation: Impact on particle's size and insulin bioactivity

Alginate-dextran sulfate (ADS) microgel has been used to protect insulin from gastrointestinal attack and as a carrier to promote insulin permeation through intestinal epithelium. The throughput of ADS submicron particles generation by emulsification/internal gelation is limited by its wide size distribution.     

The restoration of the T-lymphoid system of nude mice: lower efficiency of nonlymphoid, epithelial thymus grafts.

The T-cell deficiency of nude mice is due to an abnormal differentiation of the thymus epithelium; it can be persistently corrected by grafting a neonatal thymus. However, grafted adult thymuses or epithelial thymuses are not repopulated by large numbers of host-derived lymphocytes, as is the case when a whole neonatal thymus is grafted. Furthermore, the repopulation of the spleen and lymph nodes by T cells is less pronounced than after whole neonatal thymus transplantation, and the restoration of the reactivity to T-cell mitogens is irregular. Therefore, the integrity and the age of the thymus graft are important for a good restoration of the T-lymphoid system of congenitally athymic animals.     

Formation of soil organic carbon pool is regulated by the structure of dissolved organic matter and microbial carbon pump efficacy: A decadal study comparing different carbon management strategies

To achieve long-term increases in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, it is essential to understand the effects of carbon management strategies on SOC formation pathways, particularly through changes in microbial necromass carbon (MNC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Using a 14-year field study, we demonstrate that both biochar and maize straw lifted the SOC ceiling, but through different pathways. Biochar, while raising SOC and DOC content, decreased substrate degradability by increasing carbon aromaticity. This resulted in suppressed microbial abundance and enzyme activity, which lowered soil respiration, weakened in vivo turnover and ex vivo modification for MNC production (i.e., low microbial carbon pump “efficacy”), and led to lower efficiency in decomposing MNC, ultimately resulting in the net accumulation of SOC and MNC. In contrast, straw incorporation increased the content and decreased the aromaticity of SOC and DOC. The enhanced SOC degradability and soil nutrient content, such as total nitrogen and total phosphorous, stimulated the microbial population and activity, thereby boosting soil respiration and enhancing microbial carbon pump “efficacy” for MNC production. The total C added to biochar and straw plots were estimated as 27.3–54.5 and 41.4 Mg C ha⁻¹, respectively. Our results demonstrated that biochar was more efficient in lifting the SOC stock via exogenous stable carbon input and MNC stabilization, although the latter showed low “efficacy”. Meanwhile, straw incorporation significantly promoted net MNC accumulation but also stimulated SOC mineralization, resulting in a smaller increase in SOC content (by 50%) compared to biochar (by 53%–102%). The results address the decadal-scale effects of biochar and straw application on the formation of the stable organic carbon pool in soil, and understanding the causal mechanisms can allow field practices to maximize SOC content.     

梯棱羊肚菌≥0℃积温对其生长发育的影响

为研究≥0℃积温对梯棱羊肚菌Morchella importuna生长发育的影响,通过调查不同海拔种植的梯棱羊肚菌的生长发育,应用农业气象方法和统计法计算出其不同海拔≥0℃的气温积温和地温积温。结果显示,不同海拔种植的梯棱羊肚菌生育期存在差异,但其生育期≥0℃的气温积温和地温积温差异小。梯棱羊肚菌从播种到原基分化、子实体成熟、原基发育到子实体成熟≥0℃气温积温分别为(563±21)℃·d、(712±20)℃·d、(149±21)℃·d。离地表0cm、5cm、10cm不同深度≥0℃的地温积温有较大的差异,5cm深度≥0℃的地温积温可以作为其生长发育热量需求的参考,估计区间是：从播种到原基分化、子实体成熟、原基发育到子实体成熟分别为(741±36)℃·d、(915±46)℃·d、(174±23)℃·d。     

The importance of growth and mortality costs in the evolution of the optimal life history

A central assumption of life history theory is that the evolution of the component traits is determined in part by trade-offs between these traits. Whereas the existence of such trade-offs has been well demonstrated, the relative importance of these remains unclear. In this paper we use optimality theory to test the hypothesis that the trade-off between present and future fecundity induced by the costs of continued growth is a sufficient explanation for the optimal age at first reproduction, alpha, and the optimal allocation to reproduction, G, in 38 populations of perch and Arctic char. This hypothesis is rejected for both traits and we conclude that this trade-off, by itself, is an insufficient explanation for the observed values of alpha and G. Similarly, a fitness function that assumes a mortality cost to reproduction but no growth cost cannot account for the observed values of alpha. In contrast, under the assumption that fitness is maximized, the observed life histories can be accounted for by the joint action of trade-offs between growth and reproductive allocation and between mortality and reproductive allocation (Individual Juvenile Mortality model). Although the ability of the growth/mortality model to fit the data does not prove that this is the mechanism driving the evolution of the optimal age at first reproduction and allocation to reproduction, the fit does demonstrate that the hypothesis is consistent with the data and hence cannot at this time be rejected. We also examine two simpler versions of this model, one in which adult mortality is a constant proportion of juvenile mortality [Proportional Juvenile Mortality (PJM) model] and one in which the proportionality is constant within but not necessarily between species [Specific Juvenile Mortality (SSJM) model]. We find that the PJM model is unacceptable but that the SSJM model produces fits suggesting that, within the two species studied, juvenile mortality is proportional to adult mortality but the value differs between the two species.