Effect of different light regimes on fitness of two species of Drosophila montium subgroup

Most organisms possess “biological chronometers” in the form of circadian clocks. Organism possessing circadian clock gains fitness advantage in two ways, by synchronizing its behavior through physiological process and secondly by coordinating its internal metabolic process. Environmental manipulations of circadian clocks have been shown to affect many life-history-related traits. Life-history traits are important components of fitness. To enhance individual fitness, organism has to synchronize the physiology with the surrounding environment. The present investigations were made to understand whether rhythm changes affect fitness of two co-existing species of montium a subgroup of Drosophila. The stocks were maintained at 20 ± 1 °C with 75% RH. Fitness such as fecundity, male lifetime fertility, female lifetime fertility, and longevity was assessed in LD (light/dark), LL (continuous light), and DD (continuous dark) for 15 and 30th generations. Fecundity was assessed in 25 pairs of flies for 20 days, and fertility and longevity was assessed in 10 pairs of flies until lifetime. The result revealed differential effect of light regimes on the two different species of Drosophila. Although the two species are related, effect of the three light regimes, LD, LL, and DD on them was different. It is evident that these two species although genetically related exhibit different responses to different light regimes.     

The effect of bacteria on interspecific relationships between the euryhaline rotifer Brachionus rotundiformis and the harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus japonicus

Inconsistent results have been obtained on the population growth of Brachionus rotundiformis and Tigriopus japonicus, when results from single-species and two-species mixed cultures are compared. Bacteria growth was not regulated in these experiments, which could be the cause for this. In order to test this possibility, we conducted similar experiments under axenic and synxenic (with presence of one species of bacteria) conditions. The population growth of B. rotundiformis was suppressed by the presence of T. japonicus in axenic cultures. T. japonicus could not persist in axenic cultures, but its population increased when grown in synxenic cultures. T. japonicus used RT bacteria strain as a food source, while these bacteria were toxic to B. rotundiformis. These results suggest that bacteria can modify the interspecific relationship between B. rotundiformis and T. japonicus.     

东北次生林主要树种比叶面积对光照强度的响应

通过测定不同光照条件下（15％透光、30％透光、60％透光、全光）东北次生林主要树种（红松、红皮云杉、胡桃楸、水曲柳和黄波罗）的比叶面积,探讨了不同树种对光照变化的响应与适应。结果表明:不同树种比叶面积存在明显的差异,尤其是常绿针叶树种与落叶树种之间差异显著（P<0.001）,指示不同功能型树种存在不同的生存策略;随着光照强度降低,所有树种比叶面积呈现增加的趋势,尤其是弱光照（15％）和低光照（30％）相对于全光和中光照（60％）差异显著（P<0.05）;不同树种比叶面积随光照强度的变化幅度明显不同,且变化最显著的光照区域也有所不同;不同年龄红松比叶面积的变化趋势一致,但变幅不同,4年生幼苗对光照响应则更为明显。本研究结果表明,所有树种均能通过改变叶形态来适应光照条件的变化,在低光条件下通过增加单位质量叶面积,提高叶片光捕获能力;但各树种对光照强度变化的不同响应则表明树种之间不同的光适应机制,这对森林生态系统内部树种的共生具有重要意义;年龄较小的幼苗对光照的强响应指示其在植物更新过程中叶片水平上生理生态学机理研究中的重要性。     

Shoot growth phenology of co-existing evergreen and deciduous species in an oak forest

Shoot growth phenology was compared for the saplings of evergreen and deciduous woody species sharing the same microsite. Growth initiation occurred earlier in evergreens (among co-stratal species) while deciduous species completed their growth earlier. Shoot growth rate was significantly greater (P<0.01) for deciduous trees than evergreen trees. The amount of shoot elongations and shoot diameter was also significantly greater (P<0.01) for deciduous trees than evergreens. On the other hand, among shrubs the amount of shoot elongation and shoot diameter was greater for evergreens but the rate of elongation and diameter was more or less similar for both. The duration of shoot elongation and shoot diameter was significantly longer in evergreens than the deciduous species. Leaf packing (number of leaves per shoot) was significantly more dense in evergreen trees (P<0.01) than in deciduous tree species. Leaf packing was more dense in evergreen than deciduous shrubs but the difference was not significant. Leaf area (per individual leaf) at full expansion was significantly greater (P<0.01) in deciduous species. Leaf dry mass and specific leaf mass in the initial stage was significantly greater for evergreen species than for deciduous species. The number of buds/10 cm of shoot was higher in evergreens. However, the per cent mortality was also higher in them.