闽北地区枫香优树子代生长性状变异分析及选择

在福建省三明市郊国有林场对来自安徽省南部黄山地区的53个枫香家系进行子代测定试验,开展优良家系选择。结果表明,14年生时,试验林树高、胸径、地径、材积、圆满度的平均值分别为9.87 m、7.87 cm、11.18 cm、0.0267 m3、0.72,变幅分别为0.90~16.7 m、2.30~15.60 cm、3.20~22.50 cm、0.00072~0.15060 m3、0.21~0.97,树高、胸径、地径、材积、圆满度的家系遗传力分别为0.476、0.550、0.531、0.520和0.414,单株遗传力分别为0.188、0.211、0.207、0.221和0.107。通过综合比较,从参试的53个家系中选择出9个速生优良家系,树高、胸径和材积的平均值分别为10.70 m、8.98 cm和0.0415m3,平均遗传增益分别为2.50%、5.00%和19.37%,这些优良家系适宜福建省三明地区推广应用。     

First record of autochthonous canine ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia canis in Romania

This case study describes the first genetically confirmed and clinically manifested autochthonous Ehrlichia canis infection in a 9‐year‐old female mixed‐breed dog from Romania. Health screening of the dog included clinical examination, evaluation of stained peripheral blood smear and hematologic variables, as well as serologic testing and molecular analysis. Clinical signs included fever, apathy, dehydration, pale mucous membranes, and weakness. The microscopic examination of the blood smear and immunologic assays for Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and E canis antibodies, and for Dirofilaria immitis antigen yielded negative results. Hematologic abnormalities included moderate nonregenerative anemia, leucopenia with neutropenia, and moderate thrombocytopenia. The biochemical abnormalities identified were hypoalbuminemia, and mildly increased serum enzyme activities of AST and ALT. In addition, increased urea and creatinine levels associated with low urine specific gravity and proteinuria were also present. Nested PCR amplification of the partial E canis 16S rRNA gene demonstrated the presence of this rickettsial pathogen in the dog's blood, which subsequently was confirmed through sequencing based on the 100% homology with GenBank deposited E canis isolates. After specific treatment with doxycycline (10 mg/kg, orally, SID) for one month, the proteinuria, and hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities with the exception of mild azotemia resolved. This report supports the geographical expansion of canine ehrlichiosis caused by E canis in nonendemic regions of Europe.     

Characterization of an intravenous lipopolysaccharide inflammation model in calves with respect to the acute-phase response

Our objective was to develop a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammation model in calves to evaluate the acute-phase response with respect to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute-phase proteins, fever development and sickness behaviour. Fourteen 4-week-old male Holstein Friesian calves were included and randomly assigned to a negative control group (n = 3) and an LPS-challenged group (n = 11). The latter received an intravenous bolus injection of 0.5 μg of LPS/kg body weight. Blood collection and clinical scoring were performed at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 28, 32, 48, 54 and 72 h post LPS administration (p.a.). In the LPS group, the following clinical signs were observed successively: tachypnoea (on average 18 min p.a.), decubitus (29 min p.a.), general depression (1.75 h p.a.), fever (5 h p.a.) and tachycardia (5 h p.a.). Subsequent to the recovery from respiratory distress, general depression was prominent, which deteriorated when fever increased. One animal did not survive LPS administration, whereas the other animals recovered on average within 6.1 h p.a. Moreover, the challenge significantly increased plasma concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin, with peaking levels at 1, 3.5, 24 and 18 h p.a., respectively. The present LPS model was practical and reproducible, caused obvious clinical signs related to endotoxemia and a marked change in the studied inflammatory mediators, making it a suitable model to study the immunomodulatory properties of drugs in future research.     

Using genetic tools to inform conservation of fragmented populations of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across their range in China

A herd of 15 Chinese elephants attracted international attention during their 2021 northward trek, motivating the government to propose establishment of an Asian elephant national park. However, planning is hampered by a lack of genetic information on the remaining populations in China. We collected DNA from 497 dung samples from all 5 populations encompassing the entire range of elephants in China and used mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to investigate their genetic and demographic structure. We identified 237 unique genotypes (153 females, 84 males), representing 81% of the known population. However, the effective population size was small (28, range 25–32). Historic demographic contraction appeared to account for low haplotype diversity (H_d = 0.235), but moderate nucleotide and nuclear diversity (π = 0.6%, H_e = 0.55) was attributable to post-bottleneck recovery involving recent population expansion plus historical gene exchange with elephants in Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. The 5 populations fell into 3 clusters, with Nangunhe elephants differing consistently from the other 4 populations (F_ST = 0.23); elephants from Mengyang, Simao, and Jiangcheng belonged to a single population (henceforth, MSJ), and differed from the Shangyong population (F_ST = 0.11). Interpopulation genetic variation reflected isolation by distance and female-biased dispersal. Chinese elephants should be managed as 2 distinct units: Nangunhe and another combining Shangyong and MSJ; their long-term viability will require restoring gene flow between Shangyong and MSJ, and between elephants in China and neighboring countries. Our results have the potential to inform conservation planning for an iconic megafaunal species.     

县域耕地土壤养分时空变异特征研究

土壤养分空间变异研究是精准农业实施的前提,对提高粮食作物单位面积产量和保护农业生态环境具有重要作用。为掌握陕西渭北旱塬区土壤养分时空变异规律,综合空间自相关和重心模型,分析1980—2007年、2007—2017年白水县耕地土壤有机质(SOM)、速效磷(AP)和速效钾(AK)的时空变异特征。结果表明：(1)研究区土壤SOM的平均含量分别增加了1.29、3.22 g·kg^-1,AP的平均含量分别增加了6.89、24.45 mg·kg^-1,仅有AK的平均含量呈现出先减少后增加的趋势。(2)三期耕地土壤养分的变异系数范围为30.2%～90.8%,属于中等变异。1980—2017年,耕地土壤SOM、AP和AK的全局Moran’s I指数均降低,空间结构性减弱,随机因素作用增强。(3)土壤SOM、AP和AK含量均有不同程度的增加,土壤SOM含量总体呈北低南高分布,土壤AP、AK含量分布情况较为一致,呈东高西低。(4)土壤SOM含量重心在东南方向发生偏移,AP、AK含量重心在东北方向发生偏移。土壤养分标准差椭圆空间分布格局同研究区分布方向一致,转角呈现“...     

基于多源遥感数据的高寒草地生物量反演模型精度——以夏河县桑科草原试验区为例

基于MODIS、Landsat-8 OLI和HJ-1A/1B CCD卫星遥感资料,结合2013-2014年甘南州夏河县桑科草原试验区野外实测数据,建立了高寒草地地上生物量遥感反演模型,筛选出基于不同遥感资料植被指数的生物量最优反演模型,比较分析了生物量最优模型的空间效应。同时,分析了2000-2013年基于MODIS植被指数估算的试验区产草量的年际变化特征。结果表明,草地生物量最优反演模型为基于Landsat-8 OLI NDVI数据的对数模型(y=727.54lnx1+495.23,R2=0.772,RMSE=31.333 kg DM·hm-2);在30和250 m空间分辨率下,基于MODIS NDVI及EVI、Landsat-8 OLI NDVI和HJ-1A/1B CCD NDVI最优模型估算的生物量均高于实测生物量,其中Landsat-8 OLI NDVI数据估算的草地生物量与实测生物量值最接近;2000-2013年试验区草地总生物量整体上具有显著增加的趋势(R2=0.590 7,P0.001),平均增加速率达50.57 kg DM·hm-2·a-1。     

紫花针茅生殖器官形态的变异及其与环境因子的关系

紫花针茅(Stipa purpurea)是青藏高原分布面积最广的植物之一,对高原环境具有广泛的适应性。该植物具有的锥形繁殖体(包括种子和附属结构),是其适应环境的主要特征之一。为揭示该植物对高原环境的适应性表现,本研究对不同纬度的20个紫花针茅种群繁殖体的形态特征及其与环境的关系进行比较研究。结果表明,1)种长的变化幅度为0.692~1.255 cm,种宽的变化幅度为0.392~0.713 mm,芒长的变化幅度为2.394~8.736cm,种子重的变化幅度为0.678~1.560 mg。芒长和种子重具有较高的种群间变异系数。种子重与种长呈极显著正相关关系(P0.01),和芒长呈显著正相关关系(P0.05);种长、种宽、芒长相互之间均呈极显著正相关关系。2)种长、种子重与等效纬度均呈显著正相关关系,与年均降水量均呈显著负相关关系;种长与年均温呈现出凸型变异的关系。3)20个种群依据繁殖体特征进行聚类分析可分为3组,聚类结果与地理分布基本一致。     

Egg trait variation in a large hawk‐cuckoo (Hierococcyx sparverioides) host population of Chinese babax (Babax lanceolatus)

Mutual interaction between brood parasites and their hosts is a well‐known model system for studying host–parasite coevolution. Both parties have acted reciprocally, resembling an evolutionary arms race, in which adaptations and counter‐adaptations have evolved as a result of host–parasite dynamics, such as the classical cuckoo–host system. Discrimination among parasite and cuckoo eggs and rejection of foreign eggs is regarded as an important anti‐parasitism strategy. The Chinese babax (Babax lanceolatus) is a large hawk‐cuckoo (Hierococcyx sparverioides) host distributed in southwest China. A previous study shows that the babax is an intermediate egg rejector, and most cuckoo eggs are accepted by the Chinese babax, although a small proportion of hosts reject cuckoo eggs. Interestingly, the large hawk‐cuckoo lays non‐mimetic eggs in contrast to the uniform blue eggs of babaxes. Because egg coloration is a critical cue used by host species in favor of the recognition of parasitic eggs by hosts, we used a spectrometer to quantify egg color variation to understand the differentiation in discrimination ability between the egg rejectors and acceptors. We found that the chroma of intra‐clutch variation of babax eggs was more consistent in egg rejectors than in acceptors. However, no statistical significance was found in inter‐clutch variation between these two types of hosts. Our results suggest that hosts lay eggs with a low level of intra‐clutch variation without the necessity of a high level of inter‐clutch variation simultaneously as predicted by the egg signature hypothesis. This study may further indicate that selection pressures from evolutionarily recent parasites can drive individual‐based differences in an anti‐parasitism strategy.     

One hundred years of population ecology: Successes,failures and the road ahead

Population ecology is the most mature of the three subdisciplines of ecology partly because it has a solid mathematical foundation and partly because it can address the primary questions of distribution and abundance with experimental protocols. Yet there is much left to do to integrate our population knowledge into community and ecosystem ecology to help address the global issues of food security and the conservation of biodiversity. Many different approaches are now being developed to bring about this integration and much more research will be necessary to decide which if any will be most useful in achieving our goals of explaining the changes we see in the distribution and abundance of animals and plants. Food web ecology would appear to be the best approach at present because it uses the detailed information of the population ecology of particular species in combination with data on consumer–resource interactions to apply to the applied problems of biodiversity conservation, food security, pest management and disease prevention. If we can use our understanding of population ecology to address the practical problems of our time in a creative way, we will benefit both the human population and the Earth's biodiversity. Much remains to be done.