Oxygen consumption and body temperature in yellow-bellied marmot populations from montane-mesic and lowland-xeric environments

Summary Yellow-bellied marmots characteristically live in montane-mesic environments, but in several areas in western North America, this species extended its range into lowland-xeric habitats. Body mass was significantly smaller in the lowland-xeric population from eastern Washington at 393 m than in the montane-mesic population from western Colorado at 2900 m. Oxygen consumption of marmots from montane-mesic and lowland-xeric environments was signiflcantly affected by ambient temperature (T_A) water regimen, population, and a population x water regimen x temperature interaction. Lowland-xeric animals had a higher metabolic rate at low T_As, but a lower metabolic rate at higher T_As than the montane-mesic aminals. Oxygen consumption was lower on a restricted-water regimen than on ad libitum water in both populations. Coefficients relating oxygen consumption to body mass were affected by T_A, water regimen, and population. These intraspecific coefficients are larger than the interspecific coefficients for all mammals. Body temperature (T_B) was affected significantly by T_A, water regimen, and population. T_A body mass, and a population x water regimen interaction significantly affected conductance. Conductance generally was higher in the lowland-xeric than in the montane-mesic marmots. Both populations increased conductance at high T_A, but the lowland-xeric population dissipated a much higher proportion of the heat by evaporative water loss (EWL) than did the montane-mesic population. Metabolic water production exceeded or equaled EWL at 5–20°C. Smaller body size, reduced metabolism at high T_A, and increased EWL at high T_A characterized the lowland-xeric population.Metabolic rates of yellow-bellied marmots were higher than predicted from body size during the reproductive season but decreased to 67% of that predicted from the Kleiber curve by late summer. Marmots minimize thermoregulatory costs by concentrating activity at times when the microclimate is favorable, by tolerating hyperthermia at high T_A in the field, and by having a conductance lower than that predicted from body size.Abbreviations DHC dry-heat conductance - EHL evaporative heat loss - EWL evaporative water loss - HP heat produced - T _A ambient temperature - T _n body temperature - M body mass     

Reproductive and subsocial behaviour in the ovoviviparous leaf beetle Gonioctena sibirica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract.

• 1 In the spring, females of the leaf beetle Gonioctena sibirica deposited larvae on the ventral surface of growing young leaves situated on the apical position of shoots of the willow Salix bakko.
• 2 The parent females remained with the larvae usually on the underside of the basal part of leaves, facing toward the base of shoots. When other arthropods approached, the females temporarily moved towards these intruders, showing aggressive behaviour such as swinging the body or stamping the legs. Many females remained with their larvae until the larvae grew into the final (fourth) instar. No female produced an additional brood in the field.
• 3 Broods from which parent females were experimentally removed suffered higher mortality than those in which females were left intact. Arthropods such as spiders and ants were observed preying on the larvae. In contrast, the survivorship of broods from which females were removed and intruders were excluded with a sticky substance applied to the base of twigs was not different from that of control broods. These results demonstrate that the main mortality factor of offspring is pedestrian arthropod predators and females physically repel the predators.
• 4 Potentially alternative reproductive strategies, such as producing a large number of offspring by iteroparity and/or larger brood(s) with less or no care, seem to be inhibited in G.sibirica by larval dependence on growing young leaves which are temporally limited and by ovoviviparity which may have limited brood size.

     

竞争和气候对新疆阿尔泰山西伯利亚五针松树木径向生长的影响

阿尔泰山的北方森林是中亚以及全球的生态系统的重要组成部分, 其生长动态可以影响到全球范围的热辐射、碳平衡等。因此, 探究影响阿尔泰山树木径向生长的主要因素至关重要。该研究以新疆喀纳斯国家级自然保护区的西伯利亚五针松(Pinus sibirica)为研究对象, 建立西伯利亚五针松年表, 通过分析不同时间间隔累年生长量、竞争指数以及气候因子之间的关系, 运用线性混合效应模型、相关分析等方法, 探究竞争和气候对新疆阿尔泰山西伯利亚五针松树木径向生长的影响。结果表明: (1)线性混合效应模型结果显示竞争树胸径和与西伯利亚五针松过去30年的累年生长量之间的拟合效果最好; (2)标准年表与3月的平均气温、平均最高气温、平均最低气温之间有显著正相关关系; (3)累年生长量最高值出现在气温0-5 ℃, 竞争指数低于100的时候。累年生长量最低时, 气温达到-10 ℃, 竞争指数也超过了300。目标树的树木径向生长受到竞争树胸径和及生长季前期气温的影响, 两者共同作用。但相较于气候因子而言, 竞争对西伯利亚五针松的树木径向生长有更大的影响作用。     

低温胁迫下红松与西伯利亚红松光合与气孔特性

红松与西伯利亚红松均为寒温带著名的成林树种,具有较强的耐寒性,与红松相比,西伯利亚红松具有更强的耐寒性。为探究低温胁迫下两树种的生理响应机制及抗寒生理机理,本研究以5年生的红松与西伯利亚红松幼苗为材料,对其进行低温处理,3个胁迫温度(0℃、-20℃和-40℃)和3个胁迫时间(6、24和48 h),20℃为对照,研究低温胁迫下红松与西伯利亚红松的光合特性和气孔特性。T检验和方差分析结果表明,各光合指标和气孔密度在红松与西伯利亚红松中的差异显著(P<0.05),低温及低温胁迫时间对红松与西伯利亚红松各光合指标具有极显著影响(P<0.01),低温对红松与西伯利亚红松的气孔开度与气孔面积具有极显著影响(P<0.01)。胁迫前(20℃)和0℃低温胁迫下,红松中的净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率均显著高于西伯利亚红松,但在-20℃条件下胁迫6 h,西伯利亚红松各光合测定指标显著高于红松。随着温度的降低与胁迫时间的延长,两树种的各光合指标均呈下降趋势。红松中的气孔密度显著高于西伯利亚红松,胁迫前(20℃),红松与西伯利亚红松的气孔均为椭圆形,随着温度的降低,两树种的气孔开度和气孔面积显著减小。     

不同土壤水分下山杏光合作用CO2响应过程及其模拟

在半干旱黄土丘陵区,以2年生盆栽山杏为材料,应用CIRAS-2型光合作用系统,测定了8个土壤水分梯度下山杏光合作用的CO₂响应过程,并采用直角双曲线模型、指数方程和直角双曲线修正模型对其CO₂响应数据进行拟合,分析了山杏光合作用与土壤水分的定量关系.结果表明: 山杏CO₂响应过程对土壤水分有明显的阈值响应特征.维持山杏叶片较高的光合速率(P_n)和羧化效率(CE)的土壤相对含水量(RWC)在46.3%～81.9%,在此水分范围内,光合作用没有发生明显的CO₂饱和抑制现象;当RWC超出此范围,土壤水分升高或降低均明显降低山杏叶片的光合能力(P_{n max})、CE和CO₂饱和点(CSP).在不同土壤水分条件下,3个模型对山杏CO₂响应数据的模拟效果有明显差别.在46.3%～81.9%土壤水分范围内,3个模型均能较好地拟合山杏CO₂响应过程及其特征参数CE、CO₂补偿点(Γ)和光呼吸速率(R_p),其拟合精度均表现为直角双曲线修正模型＞指数方程＞直角双曲线模型;当土壤水分含量过高(RWC＞81.9%)或过低(RWC＜46.3%)时,只有直角双曲线修正模型能较好地拟合山杏CO₂响应过程及其特征参数.RWC在46.3%～81.9%范围内,山杏具有较高的光合作用效率;与传统直角双曲线模型和指数方程相比,直角双曲线修正模型具有更好的适用性.     

High-level phenotypic variations in populations of Armeniaca sibirica in Nei Mongol,China

Aims Our objectives were to determine the variations in phenotypic traits of Armeniaca sibirica populations and their spatial patterns. Methods We used nested variation, coefficient of variation, multi-comparison, correlation analysis and principal component analysis to analyze the 23 phenotypic traits for 130 individuals in 13 populations of A. sibirica. Important findings The results showed that there were significant differences in phenotypic variations among and within populations. The variation was greater among populations (47.15%) than within population (16.43%). The mean phenotypic differentiation coefficient was 73.03% among populations, indicating the variance among populations being the main source of the phenotypic variation. The average variation coefficient of 23 traits ranged from 7.01% to 27.23%, with an average of 14.28%. The variation coefficient of nutlet was highest (15.67%), and the variation coefficient of fruit was smallest (12.11%). The phenotypic diversity is highest in Wanjiagou Tumotezuoqi and smallest in Horqin, Right Front Banner Chaersen. Longitude, mean annual precipitation and sunshine duration were significantly correlated with major traits of phenotypic. The 13 populations could be divided into four groups according to the principal component analysis. Leaf traits of Wula Mountain and nutlet traits of Archorchin Banner were significantly correlated with ecological and geographic factors.     

High-level phenotypic variations in populations of Armeniaca sibirica in Nei Mongol,China北大核心CSCD

Aims: Our objectives were to determine the variations in phenotypic traits of Armeniaca sibirica populations and their spatial patterns. Methods: We used nested variation, coefficient of variation, multi-comparison, correlation analysis and principal component analysis to analyze the 23 phenotypic traits for 130 individuals in 13 populations of A. sibirica. Important findings: The results showed that there were significant differences in phenotypic variations among and within populations. The variation was greater among populations (47.15%) than within population (16.43%). The mean phenotypic differentiation coefficient was 73.03% among populations, indicating the variance among populations being the main source of the phenotypic variation. The average variation coefficient of 23 traits ranged from 7.01% to 27.23%, with an average of 14.28%. The variation coefficient of nutlet was highest (15.67%), and the variation coefficient of fruit was smallest (12.11%). The phenotypic diversity is highest in Wanjiagou Tumotezuoqi and smallest in Horqin, Right Front Banner Chaersen. Longitude, mean annual precipitation and sunshine duration were significantly correlated with major traits of phenotypic. The 13 populations could be divided into four groups according to the principal component analysis. Leaf traits of Wula Mountain and nutlet traits of Archorchin Banner were significantly correlated with ecological and geographic factors.     

Characterization of polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci from the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica)

Nine tetrarepeat microsatellite loci for Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) were characterized. By using 35 individuals of unknown relationship collected from Taiwan, we evaluated the polymorphism of these loci. The number of alleles for each locus ranged from five to 12 (mean = 8.78 alleles) and the observed heterozygosity from 0.429 to 0.962 (mean = 0.688) and all loci conformed to Hardy–Weinberg expectation.     

Phylogenetic position of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi and the relationship among its antigenic variants by analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences

Abstract The 16S rRNA gene sequences of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia sibirica were determined by PCR and DNA sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that R. sibirica is positioned in a cluster of the genus Rickettsia with a similarity value of 98.1–99.6%, whereas R. tsutsugamushi is located apart from the cluster with a similarity value of 90.2–90.6%. This evidence suggests that R. tsutsugamushi should be excluded taxonomically from the genus Rickettsia . The phylogenetic classification of six antigenic variants in R. tsutsugamushi moderately reflected their antigenic relationship known in closely and distantly related strains.