五种雀形目鸟类核型的比较研究

染色体核型的比较研究,对于了解物种的特性,探索物种的遗传、进化、系统发育及分类地位都有一定的意义。有关鸟类的核型研究,国外已有不少报道(Castrovicja,1969; Hammar,1966,1975; Ray-Chaudhuri et al.,1969;Shidds,1982;Ta—kagi,1972等)国内在这方面的工作开展较迟,已作过核型分析的鸟类为数不多,仅见王应祥等(1982)的报道。迄今,作过核型研究的鸟类已达500多种,其中雀形目有200种。本文比较分析了五种野生雀形目鸟类的核型,它们是黑头蜡嘴雀,斑鸫,黄腹山雀,红尾伯劳和灰背椋鸟。     

Effect of biologically active plants used as netst material and the derived benefit to starling nestlings

Summary The European starling Sturnus vulgaris preferentially incorporates fresh sprigs of particular plant species for use as nesting material. Chemicals found in these plants may act to reduce pathogen and ectoparasite populations normally found in nest environments. The present experiments were performed to test this Nest Protection Hypothesis. In the fild, we experimentally determined that wild carrot Daucus carota, a plant species preferred as nest material, effectively reduced the number of hematophagous mites found within nests relative to control nests without green vegetation. Chicks from nests containing wild carrot had higher levels of blood hemoglobin than chicks from control nests. However, there were no differences in weight or feather development. In the laboratory, we found that wild carrot and fleabane, Erigeron philadelphicus, (also preferred by starlings as nest material) substantially reduced the emergence of feeding instars of mites, while garlic mustard, Alliaria officinalis, (commonly available but not preferred) had little effect on the emergence of mites. We infer that preferred plant material may act to inhibit feeding or otherwise delay reproduction of mites, thereby reducing risk of anemia to developing nestlings.     

Synthesis of protein and mRNA is necessary for transition of suspension-cultured Catharanthus roseus cells from the G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle

The effects of inhibition of the synthesis of protein, mRNA or rRNA on the progression of the cell cycle have been analyzed in cultures of Catharanthus roseus in which cells were induced to divide in synchrony by the double phosphate starvation method. The partial inhibition of protein synthesis at the G₁ phase by anisoniycio or cycloheximide caused the arrest of cells in the G₁ phase or delayed the entry of cells into the S phase. When protein synthesis was partially inhibited at the S phase, cell division occurred to about the same extent as in the control. When asynchronously dividing cells were treated with cycloheximide, cells accumulated in the G₁ phase, as shown by flow-cytometric analysis. The partial inhibition of mRNA synthesis by α-amanitin at the G₁ phase caused the arrest of cells in the G₁ phase, although partial inhibition of mRNA synthesis at the S phase had little effect on cell division. In the case of inhibition of synthesis of rRNA by actinomycin D at the G₁ phase, initiation of DNA synthesis was observed, but no subsequent DNA synthesis or the division of cells occurred. However, the addition of actinomycin D during the S phase had no effect on cell division. These results suggest that specific protein(s), required for the progression of the cell cycle, are synthesized in the G₁ phase, and that the mRNA(s) that encode these proteins are also synthesized at the G₁ phase.     

Chick begging as a signal: are nestlings honest?

Begging by dependent avian offspring is known to correlate withhunger level, and parents use this as a signal of brood demandto adjust their chick feeding behavior. While there is informationon how each chick adjusts its begging to its own condition,little is known of how chicks adjust to the state of their nestmates. In two experiments we manipulated the competitive environmentof individual European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) chicks byaltering the state of nest mates while holding the state oftarget chicks constant In the first experiment we placed thetarget chick's nest mates in neighboring nests with brood sizesof two, five, or eight chicks. Following the manipulation wereturned them to their own nests and recorded begging behavioron videotape. In the second experiment we separated a targetchick from its siblings and manipulated feeding level in thelaboratory. The siblings were fed at one of three levels; meanwhile,all the target chicks were fed at the intermediate level. Afterthe manipulation we placed the target chicks with their siblingsand recorded their begging in response to an artificial stimulus.In neither experiment was the begging effort of the unmanipulatedtarget chicks affected by the changes in begging behavior oftheir siblings. This result supports the view that begging isa reliable signal of individual chick state and does not involveresponses to the effort of nest mates.     

The role of glucose in ajmalicine production by catharanthus roseus cell cultures

The role of glucose in ajmalicine production by Catharanthus roseus was investigated in the second stage of a two-stage batch process. Activities of tryptophan decar-boxylate (TDC) and anthranilate synthase (AS), two enzymes In the pathway leading to ajmalicine, were higher after induction with 40 g/L glucose than after induction with 60 or 80 g/L glucose. Experiments with different media containing mixtures of glucose and the nonpermeating osmotic agent xylose, and using an already induced culture as inoculum, revealed that a minimum amount of glucose is required to support ajmalicine production after enzyme induction. This requirement was not an osmotic effect. The relation between the glucose concentration and the specific ajmalicine production rate, q(p), was investigated in seven (fed-)batch cultures with constant glucose concentrations: 23, 29, 35, 53, 57, 75, and 98 g/L. In the cultures with a low glucose concentration (23, 29, and 35 g/L) the q(p) was 2.7-times higher than the cultures with 53 and 57 g/L, and almost six times higher than the cultures with a high glucose concentration (75 and 98 g/L). A glucose perturbation experiment (from 53 to 32 g/L) demonstrated that the ajmalicine production rate was adjusted without much delay. A kinetic equation is proposed for the relationship between the glucose concentration and q(p). Differences in enzyme induction and ajmalicine production at different glucose levels could not be explained by the intracellular concentrations of glucose, fructose, sucrose, or starch. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons Inc.     

Reflective organelles in the anterior pigment epithelium of the iris of the European starling Sturnus vulgaris

The ultrastructure and chemical composition of reflective organelles in the anterior pigment epithelium of the iris of the European starling Sturnus vulgaris were examined. The reflective organelles produced a diffuse white reflectance at the iris mid-section which was visible only when the stroma was removed. The pigment granules were clear, angular, and birefringent under the light microscope. In electron micrographs the granules were irregular in shape and density, sometimes crystalline in appearance, but more often they were lost during sectioning or staining. Guanine was abundant in the modified pigment epithelium of the starling, but not in the pigment epithelia of other birds that lacked birefringent granules. Pteridines, such as xanthopterin and leucopterin, were present in small amounts. Pteridines were also present in the iris stroma which had no reflective organelles. The reflective organelles in the starling pigment epithelium resemble both the reflecting platelets of lower vertebrate chromatophores and the reflective granules in the tapeta of various vertebrates. Possible derivation of the organelles from these sources is discussed.     

Patch assessment in foraging flocks of European starlings: evidence for the use of public information

A field experiment was carried out to determine whether group-foragingstarlings (Sturnus vulgaris) use public information to helpthem estimate the quality of an artificial resource patch anddepart accordingly. Three kinds of information are potentiallyavailable in a group: patch-sample information, pre-harvestinformation, and public information. These three types of informationcan be combined into four patch assessment strategies: (1) patch-samplealone; (2) patch-sample and pre-harvest; (3) patch-sample andpublic; and (4) patch-sample, pre-harvest, and public. Dependingon the foraging environment we presented to the starlings, eachassessment strategy made a unique set of predictions concerningthe patch departure decisions of pairs of birds based on differencesin their foraging success. The environment was manipulated intwo ways: by altering the variability in patch quality and bychanging compatibility, the ease with which individual birdscould simultaneously acquire both patch-sample and public information.Our observations on patch persistence and departure order demonstratethat the starlings used a combination of patch-sample and publicinformation, but not pre-harvest information, to estimate thequality of the experimental patch. Moreover, our results suggestthat starlings use public information only when it is easilyavailable and ignore it under incompatible conditions. Thisstudy provides the first evidence of public information usein a patch assessment problem.     

一氧化氮参与盐胁迫下长春花酚类代谢的调控研究

为研究外源一氧化氮(NO)调控盐胁迫下长春花中酚类化合物的响应,采用液相色谱—质谱联用(LCMS)技术靶向分析梯度浓度硝普纳(SNP)处理对盐胁迫下长春花幼苗根、茎、花、叶4个部位中酚类化合物组分及含量水平的变化。结果共鉴定出L-苯丙氨酸和18种酚类物质,C6C1类5种、C6C3类5种、C6C3C6类8种,其中原儿茶酸、绿原酸、槲皮素在长春花根、茎、花、叶4个部位中均存在;不同浓度SNP处理后长春花不同部位酚类化合物响应积累明显不同,其中C6C1和C6C3小分子酚酸类化合物主要积累在根和茎中,C3C6C3类主要富集在花和叶中;L-苯丙氨酸在茎、叶中相对含量较高,盐胁迫下茎中含量显著升高,且随外源NO浓度增大呈下降趋势。外源NO影响盐胁迫下植物器官中酚类化合物的积累和变化,其中根和茎响应敏感,从种类和相对含量的角度,茎和叶更适合检测酚类化合物。     

Effects of the winter beechmast crop on bird occurrence in British gardens

Capsule Woodland birds were significantly less likely to occur in gardens in years of high beechmast crop.

Aim To test the hypothesis that woodland species that feed on beechmast will have significantly lower occurrence rates at garden feeders in mast years.

Methods Weekly winter occurrence rates at garden feeders between 1970/71 and 1999/2000 for 40 species were analysed in relation to annual beechmast abundance, classified into low, medium and high years. A repeated-measures logistic regression model was used to assess whether beechmast abundance explained further significant variation additional to underlying seasonal and annual trends.

Results Seven species that commonly feed on beechmast showed significantly lower occurrence in gardens in years of highest beechmast abundance: Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major, Woodpigeon Columba palumbus, Great Tit Parus major, Coal Tit Periparus ater, Nuthatch Sitta europaea, Jay Garrulus glandarius and Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs. Blackbird Turdus merula and Siskin Carduelis spinus, which showed similar significant patterns, are likely to take beechmast as elements of their diet. Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba was the only insectivorous species to show significant effects, but occurrence was lowest in years of intermediate beechmast abundance. For the latter species, this may have been due to confounding effects of temperature, but there were no such confounding effects of either temperature, or the number of bird feeders provided in gardens, for the other nine species.

Conclusion Use of artificial food sources by birds in gardens is influenced by resources in the surrounding countryside, suggesting that food provided in gardens may play a significant part in the population dynamics of these species, that population monitoring without consideration of the garden habitat may be deficient, and that volunteer-based garden bird recording may provide data that can be used as an indicator of changes in the wider countryside.