Vegetation of a coastal sand dune system in southern New Zealand

The introduction of vigorous exotic species has destroyed much of the native sand dune vegetation along the coasts of South Island, New Zealand. However, some dunes built by the native cyperad Desmoschoenus spiralis still remain in the southwest. The dunes at Cole Creek, on the West coast of South Island, were chosen as a relatively pristine study area. 15 transects were laid through semi-fixed dunes into dwarf forest. Environmental measurements were taken at regular intervals through the dunes: pH, soil moisture, organic matter, conductivity, nutrient status and elevation. Classification and ordination of these data demonstrated that two major environmental areas were present - open dune and dwarf forest - with an abrupt ecotone between them. Vegetation analyses revealed a loosely-banded pattern, parallel to the sea. Vegetation types with few but constant species such as Desmoschoenus spiralis and Calystegia soldanella, predominated in the open dune. Forest species were rarely found seaward of the dune/forest boundary, though there was evidence the Spatial Mass Effect was operating. Multiple regression and canonical correlation of the vegetation and environmental factors showed that the main factors affecting vegetation patterns were the environmental complex related to distance from the sea, elevation above mean tide, soil alkalinity and moisture.     

建立适用于旋毛虫抗肿瘤相关基因筛选的动物模型

目的为利用抑制消减杂交（SSH）法筛选旋毛虫抗肿瘤相关基因,建立理想的动物模型获取可靠的实验样本。方法Balb／c小鼠随机分为检测组（Tester）和驱动组（Driver）,Tester为经口服感染旋毛虫250条、400条和550条组,Driver为不接种组,在感染后11d,两组同时在皮下分别接种SP^2/0细胞2×10^6个,只,检测组和驱动组小鼠荷瘤后,于20d后处死,采集两组肿瘤组织和脾脏组织,用天平称量肿瘤块的重量,游标卡尺测量肿瘤块3个互相垂直直径进行体积比较;为了检测两组小鼠免疫情况,又采用流式细胞术检测体内T淋巴细胞的动态变化,以便评估所需样本的可靠性。结果将肿瘤组织与正常组织分离后,经统计分析比较两组肿瘤块重量和体积大小的差异均极为显著（P〈0．01）通过检测T淋巴细胞亚类,FACS共检测1×10^5个细胞,分别得到脾细胞中CD3^＋、CD4^＋和CD8^＋T淋巴细胞的数量,感染组小鼠机体的CD3^＋、CD4^＋、CD8^＋和CD4^＋／CD8^＋显著增高,在接种不同剂量的旋毛虫后荷瘤,小鼠脾脏特异的T淋巴细胞亚类：CD3^＋差异显著（P〈0．05）;CD4^＋差异显著（P〈0．05）;CD8^＋差异显著（P〈0．05）;CD4^＋／CD8^＋差异显著（P〈0．05）。通过以上指标的测定,我们认为所建立的动物模符合SSH的实验要求。结论建立的旋毛虫抗实体瘤动物模型,可用于旋毛虫抗肿瘤差异基因筛选的实验起始材料,为进一步研究旋毛虫抗肿瘤分子机制创造条件。     

Cr^3＋胁迫对苦草叶片活性氧清除系统和叶细胞超微结构的影响

研究了不同浓度Cr^3＋胁迫对苦草[Vallisneria natarts（Lour．）Hara]叶片活性氧清除系统及细胞超微结构的影响。结果表明,随Cr^3＋浓度的提高（0．5-15．0mg·L^-1）,苦草叶片中O2^-·和MDA含量、SOD和POD及CAT活性均呈现先上升后显著下降的变化趋势,且在10．0和15．0mg·L^-1 Cr^3＋胁迫条件下显著低于对照（P〈0．05）。在1．0mg·L^-1Cr^3＋胁迫条件下,O2^-·的含量达到最高（0．96 OD·g^-2）;在2．0mg·L^-1Cr^3＋胁迫条件下,MDA含量和SOD、POD及CAT活性最高。随Cr^3＋胁迫浓度的提高,苦草叶片细胞超微结构受损程度逐渐加深,导致核仁和高尔基体消失;线粒体脊突膨胀,线粒体膜受损并出现囊泡状结构;叶绿体变形、类囊体膨胀受损并最终导致叶绿体破损。表明高浓度Cr^3＋胁迫对苦草叶片细胞产生了不可逆的伤害。     

长梗苦草花粉粒的电镜观察

通过扫描电镜和透射电镜首次对沉水植物梗苦草（Vallisneria longipedunculata)的花粉粒进行了观察,其花粉粒的细胞壁非常薄,无萌发孔,但有2－3个具有较质丝的凹穴。花粉粒细胞壁的覆盖层十分不明显。具散生的颗粒;外壁内层较为厚实,但柱状结构分化不明显,整体呈海绵状;花粉内壁较厚。在花粉粒内部,有大量的单粒和复粒的淀粉粒,但未见到半复粒。     

苦草属植物雄花果实种子显微结构的研究

苦草属植物体外部形态相似,叶线行或带形,野外难以直接鉴定到种,而雄花雄蕊数目、果实和种子的显微结构是苦草属(Vallisneria)植物物种的鉴别性特征之一。苦草属物种的雄花小,仅有1.5 mm,人工解剖雄花观察方法难以实现雄花雄蕊数目的识别;本研究采用雄株雄佛焰苞水培预培养技术获取自然开放的雄花并利用解剖学显微镜对3种苦草属植物雄花、果实和种子进行了解剖观察和研究。显微结构观察表明,苦草(V. natans)雄蕊1枚,果实圆柱形,表面光滑,种子无翅,具纵条纹;刺苦草(V. spinulosa)雄蕊2枚,果实三棱形,棱上具刺,种子具翅;密刺苦草(V. denseserrulata)雄蕊2枚,果实三棱圆柱形,表面光滑,种子无翅。依据文献,密刺苦草、刺苦草、长梗苦草(V. longipedunculata)和安徽苦草(V. anhuiensis)是安徽苦草属新分布记录种,其中长梗苦草和安徽苦草是分布于安徽的新种。     

不同氮源对苦草(Vallisneria natans)生长及生理指标的影响

通过实验室静态模拟,研究了在富营养条件下(4.0 mg.L-1TN,0.2 mg.L-1TP)不同比例铵态氮和硝态氮(6∶0、5∶1、3∶3、1∶5和0∶6)对苦草〔Vallisneria natans(Lour.)Hara〕的生长与生理指标的影响。结果表明,随着铵态氮和硝态氮比例的下降,苦草相对生长率和蛋白质含量先升高后下降,超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS)活性逐渐下降,硝酸还原酶(NR)活性逐渐升高。在4.0 mg.L-1TN和0.2 mg.L-1TP条件下,若不考虑磷的作用,高浓度铵态氮对苦草的生理功能有影响,对其生长有明显的抑制作用;而当铵态氮浓度小于0.67 mg.L-1时却可以促进苦草的生长。     

Glycosylation changes in different developmental stages of Trichinella

The in situ identification of carbohydrate structures in Trichinella spiralis intestinal larvae, adults and L1 muscular larvae was carried out by lectin histochemistry, with emphasis on the O-linked glycans. The absence of reactivity with two lectins-TML and MAL indicated that Trichinella spiralis does not synthesize sialic acid. Reactivity with HPA, VVL-B4, PNA and UEA-I staining suggested that T. spiralis synthesizes and expresses on its cuticle O-linked glycans analogous to Tn-antigen (GalNAc-α-Ser/Thr), T-antigen (Gal-β1,3-GalNAc-α-Ser/Thr) and also structures analogous to A-blood group antigens (GalNAc-α1,3-Gal-β1,3(4)-(Fuc-α1,2-)-R). Expression of the saccharidic moieties is stage-specific. Blood group-A and T-antigen structures were identified on the cuticle of the intestinal and muscular larvae. The Tn-antigen structure was missing in the intestinal larvae. Appropriate ligands for WGA were not identified in the adult individuals. The obtained results may contribute to a better understanding of the glycobiology of this parasitic nematode in relation to occupation of its intracellular niche. The presence of saccharidic structures analogous to some of those expressed on the intestinal epithelial cells may serve as a protective shield on the surface of the parasite.     

Book review

Fucoid macroalgae are important primary producers and habitat modifiers on North Atlantic intertidal rocky shores. With decreasing latitude, western European fucoid populations display reduced levels of abundance, biomass and recruitment, while experiencing higher levels of physical environmental stress during summer months. We hypothesized that such reduction in the south is accompanied by a detectable decline in fucoid reproductive capacity. To test this hypothesis, morphological and reproductive traits of core (Welsh) and marginal (Portuguese) populations of two common fucoid species, Fucus vesiculosus and F. spiralis (Ochrophyta, Fucales), were examined. Morphological measurements showed that for a given thallus length, both fucoid species had smaller thallus volume and lower biomass in the southerly marginal part of the range. Significantly lower biomass of reproductive tissue of F. vesiculosus and a smaller number of receptacles per individual on specimens of both species indicate that levels of reproductive output are probably lower in southern populations. Despite the differences in reproductive traits observed between regions, reproductive effort (measured as the percentage of total dry biomass represented by reproductive tissue) of both species remained similar, as algae from both regions made similar investments in reproduction. The results indicate that stressful conditions reduced growth and number of receptacles of both species and amount of reproductive biomass of F. vesiculosus in the south but do not seem to change the way these algal species invest their energy. The decline in mass and reproductive biomass of specimens from southern shores found in this study, when combined with the lower abundance of adults and lower recruitment levels previously observed, is a strong indication of fucoid populations with lower levels of propagule output. This is an important factor when considering responses of these populations to a changing environment.     

鄱阳湖越冬白鹤在农业用地的食物组成

白鹤(Grus leucogeranus)是IUCN极危物种,全球仅存3 500～4 000只,其中约98%的个体在鄱阳湖越冬。以前白鹤在鄱阳湖主要在浅水生境挖掘苦草(Vallisneria spp.)的冬芽为食。然而,近年来农业用地已成为白鹤的重要觅食地。目前对于白鹤在农业用地的食物组成尚不清楚。本研究采用粪便显微镜检法对2017年11月至2018年4月采集的70份白鹤粪便样品进行分析。结果表明,白鹤的食物来源于10科15种植物,其中,水稻(Oryza sativa)、莲藕(Nelumbo nucifera)和紫云英(Astragalus sinicus)为最主要的食物,这3种植物在检测到的食物中的相对密度分别为34.34%、22.99%和10.61%,而白鹤的传统食物苦草冬芽所占的比例极低(2.05%)。由此可见,白鹤的食物组成已经发生变化,农作物已成为白鹤的重要食物来源。白鹤在农业用地中觅食使该物种的保护面临一系列问题,尤其是高强度的人为干扰,对此,提出了相应的保护措施,希望为白鹤提供安全、稳定的觅食环境。