Impacts of atmospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> concentrations and soil water on the population dynamics,fecundity and development of the bird cherry-oat aphid<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhopalosiphum padi</Emphasis>

The impacts of elevated CO₂ and soil water on the population dynamics, adult fecundity and nymphal period of the bird cherry-oat aphidRhopalsiphum padi (Linnaeus) were evaluated in three experiments: (i)Combined effects of CO ₂ and soil water on aphid populations. Spring wheat was grown in pots at three CO₂ concentrations (350, 550 and 700 ppm) and three soil water levels (40%, 60% and 80% of field water capacity, FWC) in field open-top chambers (OTC) and infested with the bird cherry-oat aphid. Aphid population dynamics were recorded throughout the growing season; at the same time, adult fecundity and duration of the nymphal period were recorded. Chemical composition of spring wheat leaves was also analyzed. (ii)Indirect effects of CO ₂ concentrations and soil water on aphid adult fecundity and nymphal period. The experiment was conducted with the leaf discs method in the laboratory. Aphids were reared on leaf discs excised from the treated wheat in OTC with different CO₂ and soil water levels. (iii)Direct effects of CO ₂ concentrations on aphid adult fecundity and nymphal period. Aphids were reared on leaf discs excised from the wheat grown under natural conditions. The experiment was conducted with the leaf disc method in OTC with the three CO₂ concentrations. It was found that the direct effect of CO₂ concentration on aphid population parameters was minor. CO₂ and soil water affected aphid population indirectly through their effects on wheat characteristics. The aphid population under 550 ppm CO₂ was far larger than the one under 350 ppm CO₂, whereas the population under 700 ppm CO₂ was slightly higher than that under 550 ppm CO₂. The largest aphid population was obtained with the 60% soil water treatment, regardless of CO₂ treatment. The effects of CO₂ concentration on aphid population were, however, not significantly correlated with soil water level. Adult fecundity increased with CO₂ concentration, the highest fecundity being achieved under 60% FWC treatments. The nymphal period was not affected by CO₂ concentration. The shortest period occurred under 60% FWC. Atmospheric CO₂ and soil water had significant effects on the chemical composition of the wheat leaves. Aphid population size was positively correlated with leaf water content, concentrations of soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates and starch, and negatively correlated with DIMBOA and tannins concentrations. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Oct. 20, 2003.     

Effect of diet composition and slaughter weight on animal performance, carcass and meat quality, and fatty acid composition in veal calves

The effect of true milk use in the diet of Spanish Brown Swiss male calves on animal performance, carcass and meat quality, and fatty acids composition was studied. In experiment 1, the effect of milk intake [ad libitum continuous (ADLIB) feed vs. restricted 0.7 during 75 days followed by ad libitum feed (RESTR)] and slaughter endpoint (225 kg vs. 5 month) were studied. In experiment 2, ad libitum concentrate feeding [grain-fed (GF)] was compared with milk supplementation until slaughter [milk-fed (MF)] in calves slaughtered at 345 kg. As regards to milk intake, carcass weight and degree of fatness were higher in the ADLIB group (P<0.05). The RESTR group revealed a higher percentage of saturated fatty acids (P<0.05). In experiment 2, the MF group exhibited a higher fat percentage (P<0.05), lower press and cooking losses (P<0.05), and higher scores for tenderness and juiciness (P<0.05) than the GF group. The percentage of saturated fatty acids was higher in the MF group (P<0.05). The results suggest that true milk use in veal production could be an advantageous alternative in terms on production costs, animal performance, and carcass and meat quality.     

高效阴离子交换色谱法测定毛头鬼伞多糖中的单糖组成

本文采用高效阴离子交换色谱—脉冲安培检测器（HAPEC-PAD），建立了一种测定多糖中单糖比例的方法。以NaOH为淋洗液、CarboPac^TM A20预处理柱，CarboPac^TMPA20分离柱，金工作电极，Ag/AgCl参比电极，8种自然界中常见单糖标准品做混合标样，探索方法可行性。在淋洗液浓度为2．5mmol／L时，各种单糖组分得到有效分离，其线性和重现性均良好并在此基础上测定了毛头鬼伞多糖中单糖比例；与传统的方法相比，此方法具有前处理简单、灵敏度高、节省时间和试剂等优点。     

自由放养下绵羊的营养参数

根据绵羊的营养参数和饲养标准,结合日增重水平,计算了不同日增重水平对应的体重月平均动态及其所对应的粗蛋白日需要量和代谢能日需要量。不同日增重水平,达到生长期望所需要的日数不同,日增重水平越高,达到生长期望总所需要的粗蛋白和代谢能越少,但月平均的日需要量越多。自由放养的东北细毛羊当年生羔羊的日增重水平仅相当于舍饲饲养日增重的100g水平,根据代谢能计算,年总需干草340kg,可以作为计算载畜量的基本参数。自由放养情况下,即使能量满足需要,粗蛋白也短缺。当年生羔羊日增重在150￣200g,9￣10月龄内体重达到46￣50kg是北方草地家畜生产的理想目标,通过补饲可以实现。     

杂交稻稻瘟菌致病菌系的组成及其变化

对四川省大面积主栽杂交稻组合汕优６３、汕优２号上的稻瘟病菌进行生理小种测定的结果表明，致病菌系由多个生理小种群组成，其中以ＺＢ、ＺＣ群小种为主。用不同生理小种的菌株接种汕优２号和汕优６３的结果表明：ＺＢ群小种对汕优２号的致病频率最高，为１００％，而不同生理小种群对汕优６３的致病频率无显著差异，平均为７５％。致使这两个杂交稻组合丧失抗性的菌株来自四川省发病多年的常规稻、雄性不育系和早熟杂交稻组合。四     

Evaluation of the Feeding Value of Palm Press Fibre Using In Vitro Digestibility Techniques

Palm press fibre (PPF) was obtained from two sources, a small-scale oil palm processing unit and a large-scale factory processing unit, and its chemical composition was determined. In vitro digestibility techniques were used to assess the feeding value of untreated, defatted and sodium hydroxide-treated PPF. For the NaOH treatment, 0.5 g oven-dried PPF was treated for 24 h with 5% NaOH in three ways: treated and not washed (NaNW); treated and washed (NaW); and treated after milling (NAD).The results indicate that, on a dry matter basis, PPF is low in nitrogen (12–13 g/kg), moisture (37–90 g/kg) and ash (53–62 g/kg), but high in ether extract (269–355 g/kg), neutral detergent fibre (532–768 g/kg), acid detergent fibre (375–548 g/kg) and lignin (219 g/kg). The in vitro dry matter digestibility values were low for the samples from both sources, but the large-scale factory-processed PPF had higher in vitro dry matter digestibility (0.215 vs 0.166) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (0.196 vs 0.145). Defatting the PPF and treating it with 5% NaOH solution significantly (p<0.01) improved both the dry matter and organic matter digestibility. Washing the NaOH-treated PPF resulted in a higher digestibility of dry matter as against NaNW or NAD. These results suggest that defatting and treatment with 5% NaOH would improve the feeding value of PPF.     

Biology of leptin in the pig

The recently discovered protein, leptin, which is secreted by fat cells in response to changes in body weight or energy, has been implicated in regulation of feed intake, energy expenditure and the neuroendocrine axis in rodents and humans. Leptin was first identified as the gene product found deficient in the obese ob/ob mouse. Administration of leptin to ob/ob mice led to improved reproduction as well as reduced feed intake and weight loss. The porcine leptin receptor has been cloned and is a member of the class 1 cytokine family of receptors. Leptin has been implicated in the regulation of immune function and the anorexia associated with disease. The leptin receptor is localized in the brain and pituitary of the pig. The leptin response to acute inflammation is uncoupled from anorexia and is differentially regulated among swine genotypes. In vitro studies demonstrated that the leptin gene is expressed by porcine preadipocytes and leptin gene expression is highly dependent on dexamethasone induced preadipocyte differentiation. Hormonally driven preadipocyte recruitment and subsequent fat cell size may regulate leptin gene expression in the pig. Expression of CCAAT-enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) mediates insulin dependent preadipocyte leptin gene expression during lipid accretion. In contrast, insulin independent leptin gene expression may be maintained by C/EBP auto-activation and phosphorylation/dephosphorylation. Adipogenic hormones may increase adipose tissue leptin gene expression in the fetus indirectly by inducing preadipocyte recruitment and subsequent differentiation. Central administration of leptin to pigs suppressed feed intake and stimulated growth hormone (GH) secretion. Serum leptin concentrations increased with age and estradiol-induced leptin mRNA expression in fat was age and weight dependent in prepuberal gilts. This occurred at the time of expected puberty in intact contemporaries and was associated with greater LH secretion. Further work demonstrated that leptin acts directly on pituitary cells to enhance LH and GH secretion, and brain tissue to stimulate gonadotropin releasing hormone secretion. Thus, development of nutritional schemes and (or) gene therapy to manipulate leptin secretion will lead to practical methods of controlling appetite, growth and reproduction in farm animals, thereby increasing efficiency of lean meat production.     

新疆北屯绿洲弃耕农田的植被变化特征

在北屯绿洲选择了3组不同年限的次生盐渍化弃耕农田,分别计算了样地内每种植物的重要值,采用Shannon-Wiener指数、Pielou指数、Simpson指数测定了生物多样性.结果表明:3组群落组成存在显著差异,优势种更替明显.3组群落构成依次为,一年生草本、一年生草本 多年生小半灌木、多年生草本 灌木.物种多样性表现为2年群落＞5年群落＞13年群落;群落均匀度表现为2年群落＞5年群落,而5年与13年群落相当,但是生态优势度却表现出与物种多样性相反的趋势,即2年群落＜5年群落＜13年群落.     

Multi-scale study of bird species distribution and of their response to vegetation change: a Mediterranean example

Land use changes operate at different scales. They trigger a cascade of effects that simultaneously modify the composition or structure of the landscape and of the local vegetation. Mobil animals, and birds in particular, can respond quickly to such multi-scalar changes. We took advantage of a long term study on the response of songbirds to land-use changes on four Mediterranean islands in Corsica and Sardinia to explore the benefits of a multi-scale analysis of the relationships between songbird distribution, vegetation structure and landscape dynamics. Field data and aerial photographs were used to describe the vegetation at three different scales. Birds were censused by point counts. We used statistical variance decomposition to study how bird distribution and vegetation at various scales were linked. We analysed multi-scale vegetation changes (floristic composition, plot vegetation type, and landscape structure) and their consequences on bird distribution with multivariate and non-parametrical tests. The distribution of most species was linked to at least two spatial scales. The weight of a given scale was consistent with life-history traits for species whose biology was well-known. In the examples studied, vegetation composition, vegetation type and landscape changes that resulted from land abandonment negatively affected birds depending on open or heterogeneous areas. Our results emphasize that multi-scale analyses can greatly enhance our understanding of bird distribution and of their changes. Management of these populations should take into account measures at various spatial scales depending on the sensitivity of the species.     

放牧强度、植被结构与草地生态环境的关系

本文综述了放牧对草地植物组成及植物生物量的影响、不同放牧方式和强度对家畜和草地的影响、高寒草甸地区人工草地建植和利用的研究进展。为了保护草地植物多样性及获得较高草地生产量,应使草地承受适当的放牧压力。