Steller sea lion spatial‐use patterns derived from a Bayesian model of opportunistic observations

Despite acquisition of a substantial catalog of telemetry data from Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) over the past two decades, scientists still lack comprehensive regionally explicit knowledge about Steller sea lion habitat use. The Platforms of Opportunity data contain records of Steller sea lion sightings throughout the species’ entire range and have potential to fill gaps in knowledge about their spatial use; however, the data have not previously been used because effort (e.g., time spent surveying or area sampled) was not recorded when sightings were obtained. For this study a novel approach was used to overcome the lack of effort data through development of an effort index and a Bayesian negative binomial model. The model quantified Steller sea lion encounter rates and associated uncertainty within 15 × 15 km² grid cells across the species’ entire range. Year‐round, as well as breeding and nonbreeding season encounter rates were estimated. The results of this analysis identify several previously undocumented areas of high use by Steller sea lions, indicate that only 37% of Steller sea lion high‐use areas fall within designated critical habitat, and demonstrate that use of depth and distance from shore as indicators of Steller sea lion habitat is contraindicated.     

长江经济带国土空间开发与保护路径优化

长江经济带是重大国家战略发展区域,优化其国土空间开发保护格局是实现生态文明建设的重要内容。研究基于“核心点-发展轴-战略区”的框架,通过国土空间利用强度表征指标及夜间灯光数据识别发展核心点,借助有序加权平均算法模拟多种决策愿景下的空间发展阻力面,运用最小累积阻力模型和电路理论模型识别空间发展轴线及其内部的开发保护战略区,定量构建不同决策偏好的空间格局优化方案,突破了传统研究中单一目标和定性分析的局限。结果表明：长江经济带国土空间发展核心点共63个,约占区域总面积的5%,呈现自东向西递减的空间分布特征;城镇扩张、协同发展和生态约束三类情景下发展轴线均为61条,所覆盖的县级单元分别占总数的36.6%、36.5和36.7%,呈现出“一横三纵”的格局特征;城镇扩张、协同发展和生态约束三类情景下开发战略区分别占轴线面积的4.5%、4.9%、4.8%,多分布于长江干流及其支流沿线。保护战略区分别占轴线面积的17.1%、13.9%、15.3%,主要分布于长江南岸区域。在此基础上形成的国土空间开发保护格局基础架构,能够为落实长江经济带“共抓大保护、不搞大开发”提供决策参考。     

Comparison of in vitro and in vivo oligomeric states of a wild type and mutant trimeric inner membrane multidrug transporter

Many membrane proteins exist and function as oligomers or protein complexes. Routine analytical methods involve extraction and solubilization of the proteins with detergents, which could disturb their actual oligomeric state. AcrB is a trimeric inner membrane multidrug transporter in E. coli. In previous studies, we created a mutant AcrB_P223G, which behaves like a monomer when extracted from the cell membrane. However, the actual oligomeric state of AcrB_P223G in cell membranes remained unclear, which complicated the interpretation of the mechanism by which the mutation affects function. Here we used several complementary methods to determine the oligomeric state of AcrB_P223G in E. coli cell membranes. Two sets of quantitative fluorescent techniques were exploited. For these, we created fluorescent tagged AcrB, AcrB-CFP and AcrB-YPet. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) were employed to characterize independently the efficiency of energy transfer between co-expressed AcrB-CFP and AcrB-YPet, and the diffusion coefficient of AcrB-YPet and AcrB_P223G-YPet in live E. coli cells. Second, we introduced Cys pairs at the inter-subunit interface and used controlled oxidation to probe inter-subunit distances. The results from all studies converge on the conclusion that AcrB_P223G exists as a trimer in cell membranes, which dissociates during the purification steps. The small change in trimer affinity and structure leads to a significant loss of AcrB activity. In addition, throughout this study we developed protocols and established benchmark values, useful for further studies on membrane protein associations in cell membranes.     

苎麻田灯下金龟子种类组成及优势种群发生动态研究

为了调查苎麻田金龟子的种类及发生规律,于2013年4~9月,在湖北省咸宁市咸安区苎麻科技示范园进行了频振式杀虫灯诱虫试验,系统诱集金龟子并鉴定种类,分析灯下不同金龟子种群动态。结果表明：频振式杀虫灯在苎麻田诱集金龟子类4科10种,以铜绿丽金龟Anomala corpulenta Motschulsky和暗黑鳃金龟Holotrichia parallela Motschulsky为绝对优势种类。金龟子从4月末至9月初均灯下可见,5月中旬至6月上旬为铜绿丽金龟诱集高峰,6月上旬至7月中旬为暗黑腮金龟诱集高峰期。     

基于GIS支持下的土地资源空间格局生态优化

以防治水土流失和维护景观整体生态优化为目标,选择我国滇西南地区亚热带山地为典型案例,利用遥感数据和GIS的空间信息处理技术,采用适宜性评价与土地资源利用格局整体优化相结合的方法,用最小累积阻力模型(MCR)确定土地利用的功能分区和生态格局组分,探讨山地土地资源空间格局生态优化途径.结果表明:(1)基于GIS空间分析技术和"成本距离加权"制图分析工具,采用最小累积阻力模型(MCR)的土地资源空间格局生态优化方法是可行的;(2)将水平生态过程作为一种对景观的控制过程来对待,以常绿阔叶林和思茅松林为保护源,基于最小累积阻力面(MCR)模型,构建了对土地资源整体生态功能起维护作用,对源内物种的迁移或扩散过程具有关键作用的廊道、辐射道和战略点等生态格局组分;(3)基于MCR阻力值建立的频率序列及拐点图,拐点两侧的土地利用类型异质性较大,可以作为划分土地功能分区的临界点,以此划分出有利于生态安全的核心源保护区、生态缓冲区、生态过渡区、生态边缘区、农业耕作区和居民生活区等6类土地功能区,并提出各功能区的管理措施.     

Differential Use of Trails by Forest Mammals and the Implications for Camera-Trap Studies: A Case Study from Belize

Relative abundance indices are often used to compare species abundance between sites. The indices assume that species have similar detection probabilities, or that differences between detection probabilities are known and can be corrected for. Indices often consist of encounter frequencies of footprints, burrows, markings or photo captures along trails or transect lines, but the assumption of equal detection probabilities is rarely validated. This study analyzes detection probabilities of a range of Neotropical mammals on trails in dense secondary forests, using camera-trap and track data. Photo captures of the two large cats, jaguars ( Panthera onca ) and pumas ( Puma concolor ), were correlated solely with trail variables, while photo captures of their potential prey species had no correlation or negative correlation with trail variables. The Neotropical mammals varied greatly in their tendency to follow or cross trails based on footprints surveys. This indicates that camera locations on trails will have varying detection probability for these Neotropical mammals. Even the two similar-sized jaguars and pumas, occupying relatively similar niches, differed subtly in their use of trails. Pumas followed trails more completely while jaguars were more likely to deviate from trails. The ecological significance of these findings is that jaguars seem to be more willing to use the forest matrix away from trails than do pumas. We conclude that trail-based indices, such as photographic captures or tracks along trails, are not appropriate for comparison between Neotropical species, and not even between relatively similar species like jaguars and pumas.     

Metabolism of Ethanol to 1-Hydroxyethyl Radicals in Rat Liver Microsomes: Comparative Studies with Three Spin Trapping Agents

Metabolism of ethanol to 1-hydroxyethyl radicals by rat liver microsomes was studied with three nitrone spin trapping agents (POBN, PBN, and DMPO) under essentially comparable conditions. The data indicate that POBN was the superior spin trapping agent for 1-hydroxyethyl radicals, and that DMPO was least efficient. Addition of deferoxamine completely prevented detection of 1-hydroxyethyl radicals with PBN or DMPO, but caused only 50% decrease in EPR signals when POBN was the spin trap. However, superoxide dismutase only decreased 1-hydroxyethyl radical formation when POBN was the spin trap. Other experiments demonstrated that POBN was the most effective of these nitrones for reduction of Fe(III) in aqueous solutions. Furthermore, 1-hydroxyethyl radical adducts were formed when POBN was added to mixtures of ethanol, phosphate buffer, POBN and FeCl₃, but this effect did not occur with either PBN or DMPO. Thus, these data indicate that undesirable effects of POBN on iron chemistry may influence results of spin trapping experiments, and complicate interpretation of the resulting data.     

Neuronal labeling patterns in the spinal cord of adult transgenic Zebrafish

We describe neuronal patterns in the spinal cord of adult zebrafish. We studied the distribution of cells and processes in the three spinal regions reported in the literature: the 8th vertebra used as a transection injury site, the 15th vertebra mainly used for motor cell recordings and also for crush injury, and the 24th vertebra used to record motor nerve activity. We used well‐known transgenic lines in which expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) is driven by promoters to hb9 and isl1 in motoneurons, alx/chx10 and evx1 interneurons, ngn1 in sensory neurons and olig2 in oligodendrocytes, as well as antibodies for neurons (HuC/D, NF and SV2) and glia (GFAP). In isl1:GFP fish, GFP‐positive processes are retained in the upper part of ventral horns and two subsets of cell bodies are observed. The pattern of the transgene in hb9:GFP adults is more diffuse and fibers are present broadly through the adult spinal cord. In alx/chx10 and evx1 lines we respectively observed two and three different GFP‐positive populations. Finally, the ngn1:GFP transgene identifies dorsal root ganglion and some cells in dorsal horns. Interestingly some GFP positive fibers in ngn1:GFP fish are located around Mauthner axons and their density seems to be related to a rostrocaudal gradient. Many other cell types have been described in embryos and need to be studied in adults. Our findings provide a reference for further studies on spinal cytoarchitecture. Combined with physiological, histological and pathological/traumatic approaches, these studies will help clarify the operation of spinal locomotor circuits of adult zebrafish. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 642–660, 2016     

Critical nuclear DNA size and distribution associated with S phase initiation

Using HeLa S-3 cells synchronized by selective detachment, in this paper we report a parallel study of nuclear morphology and autoradiography grain patterns between middle G₁ and middle S phases: Our results show two distinct [³H]-thymidine labeling patterns. The first “peripheral” labeling pattern has a characteristic nuclear size distribution, in contrast to the heterogeneous and varying size distributions of Feulgen-stained nuclei, and apparently is characteristic of very early S phase. The sizes of the second labeling pattern—homogeneous or inhomogeneous grain distribution throughout the nucleus—are equal or larger than the first and vary with S phase progression. Together, the corresponding nuclear sizes of the labeled nuclei represent the larger extreme of nuclear areas, and the labeling index closely parallels the fraction of nuclei with areas larger than the minimum size of the labeled nuclei. These results suggest a characteristic nuclear size (reflecting unique intranuclear DNA distribution) as a necessary, if not sufficient, requirement for S phase initiation. Parallel experimentation with rat liver cells—synchronized in vivo by partial hepatectomy and analyzed by thin section autoradiography—confirms the existence of a peripheral labeling pattern in both the very early part and the very late part of S phase, which reconciles our data with previous results and points to the fact that both initiation and termination sites for DNA replication are near the nuclear periphery.