Sexual size dimorphism and male contest in wild Siamese fighting fish

Larger males of the wild Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens were more successful in male contests. There were no differences in fighting duration among treatments. Comparing agonistic behaviour between large and small males in ±1 and ±2 S.D treatments, larger males attacked, chased and performed total agonistic behaviour more than smaller males. There were no differences between larger and smaller males concerning other agonistic behaviour during fighting. Females presented with two potential mates of different sizes did not prefer larger males.     

Effect of Non-Volatile Constituents of Elsholtzia ciliata (Thunb.) Hyl. from Southern Vietnam on Reactive Oxygen Species and Nitric Oxide Release in Macrophages

The extract of Elsholtzia ciliata aerial parts was subjected to bio-guided isolation using the intercellular ROS reduction in J774A.1 macrophages to monitor the anti-oxidative activity. Fifteen compounds were isolated from the active fractions including eleven flavonoids (vitexin, pedalin, luteolin-7-O-β-d -glucopyranoside, apigenin-5-O-β-d -glucopyranoside, apigenin-7-O-β-d -glucopyranoside, chrysoeriol-7-O-β-d -glucopyranoside, 7,3′-dimethoxyluteolin-6-O-β-d -glucopyranoside, luteolin, 5,6,4′-trihydroxy-7,3′-dimethoxyflavone, 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone (compound 13 ), 5-hydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyflavone); three hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (caffeic acid, 4-(E)-caffeoyl-l -threonic acid, 4-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-l -threonic acid) and one fatty acid (α-linolenic acid). The biological evaluation of these compounds (10–2.5 μm ) indicated that all of them exerted good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, in particular compound 13 .     

铜胁迫条件下土壤微生物对海州香薷光合特性和叶绿素荧光参数的影响

为探讨铜（Cu）胁迫条件下土壤微生物对海州香薷（Elsholtzia splendens）光合生理和叶绿素荧光参数的影响,实验设置添加Cu（Cu胁迫）、接种土壤微生物、添加Cu与接种土壤微生物等3个处理,以不添加Cu与不接种土壤微生物为对照（CK）。结果表明：接种土壤微生物处理的植株相对叶绿素含量、净光合速率（P_n）、水分利用效率（WUE）均显著高于CK;且对初始荧光（F_o）和最大光化学效率（F_v/F_m）均有显著性影响。与CK相比,添加Cu降低了海州香薷的P_n和气孔导度（G_s）,但胞间CO₂浓度（C_i）的变化与P_n相反,表明其对光合作用的影响主要是非气孔限制因素。添加Cu的植株相对叶绿素含量显著下降,但Cu胁迫下接种土壤微生物提高了植株相对叶绿素含量,差异显著。在Cu胁迫条件下,接种土壤微生物的植株具有较高的F_v/F_m及较低的F_o,显著提高了海州香薷的WUE、P_n、G_s。说明接种土壤微生物可通过提高相对叶绿素含量、改善叶绿素荧光和光合作用来减轻Cu胁迫对海州香薷植株造成的伤害,从而提高海州香薷耐受Cu胁迫的能力。     

Grimmia homodictyon Dixon

Abstract

We examined photosynthetic responses of two dominant pleurocarpous mosses, Actinothuidium hookeri (Mitt.) Broth. and Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) Schimp. to low-level nitrogen (N) addition. The study was conducted in an old-growth fir forest on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The added N, 1 g N/m², was mainly absorbed by the new-growth. The concentrations of chlorophyll a and b both increased 8 days after N addition. The quantum yield of Photosystem II (Φ_PSII) also increased. However, no significant changes were found in terms of gas exchange parameters. The mass-based CO₂ assimilation rate, chlorophyll a content, and chlorophyll a/b ratio (which is related to antenna size of the photosystem), of H. splendens were all higher than those of A. hookeri. Shoot mass per area (SMA) of H. splendens was lower than that of A. hookeri. We conclude that the photosynthetic rate was less sensitive to low-level N addition than chlorophyll contents and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, suggesting other limiting factors in the photosynthetic process. Additionally, the faster growing H. splendens has a higher photosynthetic capacity than A. hookeri, allocating fewer resources to structural tissue.     

Copper-induced alteration in sucrose partitioning and its relationship to the root growth of two Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun populations

Hydroponic culture was used to comparatively investigate the copper (Cu)-induced alteration to sucrose metabolism and biomass allocation in two Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun populations with one from a Cu-contaminated site (CS) and the other from a non-contaminated site (NCS). Experimental results revealed that biomass allocation preferred roots over shoots in CS population, and shoots over roots in NCS population under Cu exposure. The difference in biomass allocation was correlated with the difference in sucrose partitioning between the two populations. Cu treatment (45 μM) significantly decreased leaf sucrose content and increased root sucrose content in CS population as a result of the increased activities of leaf sucrose synthesis enzymes (sucrose phosphate synthetase and sucrose synthase) and root sucrose cleavage enzyme (vacuolar invertase), which led to increased sucrose transport from leaves to roots. In contrast, higher Cu treatment increased sucrose content in leaves and decreased sucrose content in roots in NCS population as a result of the decreased activities of root sucrose cleavage enzymes (vacuolar and cell wall invertases) that led to less sucrose transport from leaves to roots. These results provide important insights into carbon resource partitioning and biomass allocation strategies in metallophytes and are beneficial for the implementation of phytoremediation techniques.     

Increased plant growth and copper uptake of host and non-host plants by metal-resistant and plant growth-promoting endophytic bacteria

The effects of inoculation with two metal-resistant and plant growth-promoting endophytic bacteria (Burkholderia sp. GL12 and Bacillus megaterium JL35) were evaluated on the plant growth and Cu uptake in their host Elsholtzia splendens and non-host Brassica napus plants grown in natural Cu-contaminated soil. The two strains showed a high level of ACC deaminase activities. In pot experiments, inoculation with strain GL12 significantly increased root and above-ground tissue dry weights of both plants, consequently increasing the total Cu uptake of E. splendens and Brassica napus by 132% and 48.2% respectively. Inoculation with strain JL35 was found to significantly increase not only the biomass of B. napus, consequently increasing the total Cu uptake of B. napus by 31.3%, but Cu concentration of E. splendens for above-ground tissues by 318% and roots by 69.7%, consequently increasing the total Cu uptake of E. splendens by 223%. The two strains could colonize the rhizosphere soils and root interiors of both plants. Notably, strain JL35 could colonize the shoot tissues and significantly increase the translocation factors and bioaccumulation factors of E. splendens. These results suggested that Burkholderia sp. GL12 and B. megaterium JL35 were valuable bacterial resource which had the potential in improving the efficiency of Cu phytoextraction by E. splendens and B. napus in a natural Cu-contaminated soil.     

Morphological clines in dendritic landscapes

1. In complex landscapes such as river networks, organisms usually face spatio‐temporal heterogeneity and gradients in geomorphological, water, ecological or landscape characteristics are often observed at the catchment scale. These environmental variables determine developmental conditions for larval stages of freshwater insects and influence adult phenotypic characteristics. Environmental clines are therefore expected to generate morphological clines. Such a process has the potential to drive gradual geographical change in morphology‐dependent life history traits, such as dispersal. 2. We studied the influence of aquatic and terrestrial environmental factors on morphological variations in Calopteryx splendens across the Loire drainage. To investigate these effects we took explicitly into account the hierarchical structure of the river network. 3. We analysed eight morphological traits. Results showed significant body size variation between tributaries and the presence of a morphological cline at the drainage scale. We observed an effect of pH and water temperature on body size. Individuals in downstream sites were larger than individuals in upstream sites, and adults whose larval stages were exposed to alkaline pH and high temperatures during summer were larger. 4. Body size affects flight abilities in insects. Thus, our results suggest that morphological clines may generate an asymmetric dispersal pattern along the downstream–upstream axis, downstream populations dispersing farther than upstream ones. Such a process is expected to influence population genetic structure at the drainage scale if larval drift and floods do not balance an asymmetrical dispersal pattern of adults along the downstream–upstream gradient. To assess the influence of environmental gradients on the variation of life history traits it is important to understand the population biology of freshwater insects, and more generally of riverine organisms. It is also essential to integrate such data in conservation or restoration programmes.     

Effects of plant leachates from four boreal understorey species on soil N mineralization, and white spruce (Picea glauca) germination and seedling growth

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Natural regeneration of white spruce (Picea glauca) after disturbance has been reported to be very poor. Here a study was made to determine whether C compounds released from understorey species growing together with white spruce could be involved in this regeneration failure, either by (1) changing soil nutrient dynamics, (2) inhibiting germination, and/or (3) delaying seedling growth. METHODS: Foliage leachates were obtained from two shrubs (Ledum palustre and Empetrum hermaphroditum) and one bryophyte (Sphagnum sp.) with high phenolic compound concentrations that have been reported to depress growth of conifers in boreal forests, and, as a comparison, one bryophyte (Hylocomium splendens) with negligible phenolic compounds. Mineral soil from a white spruce forest was amended with plant leachates to examine the effect of each species on net N mineralization. Additionally, white spruce seeds and seedlings were watered with plant leachates to determine their effects on germination and growth. KEY RESULTS: Leachates from the shrubs L. palustre and E. hermaphroditum contained high phenolic compound concentrations and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while no detectable levels of C compounds were released from the bryophytes Sphagnum sp. or H. splendens. A decrease in net N mineralization was determined in soils amended with L. palustre or E. hermaphroditum leachates, and this effect was inversely proportional to the phenolic concentrations, DOC and leachate C/N ratio. The total percentage of white spruce germination and the growth of white spruce seedlings were similar among treatments. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the shrubs L. palustre and E. hermaphroditum could negatively affect the performance of white spruce due to a decrease in soil N availability, but not by direct effects on plant physiology.     

密花香薷挥发油化学成分及其抗菌、抗病毒活性的研究

采用水蒸气蒸馏法提取密花香薷挥发油,测得密花香薷挥发油的得率为0.12％.利用气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用技术对密花香薷挥发油的化学成分进行了分析研究,鉴定了26种化合物,占挥发油总量的76.04％.体外抗菌试验和抗病毒试验的结果表明:密花香薷挥发油具有抗菌和抗病毒作用.     

藏药细穗香薷挥发性化学成分的研究

研究细穗香薷(Elsholtzia ianthina)的挥发油成分。采用水蒸气蒸馏法提取,用气相色谱质谱联用技术进行分析,用面积归一法计算出有关的相对含量,鉴定出45个化合物．主要的挥发油化学成分为三环[4．3．1．13,8]十一烷—1—醇,2,3,5,6—四甲基酚,共占挥发油总量的56．29％。