Allochrony as a potential driver for reproductive isolation in adaptive radiations of European whitefish ecomorphs

In northern Fennoscandian lakes, monophylogenetic lineages of postglacial fishes are radiating into several adaptive forms, but the speciation process is still at an incipient stage. The speciation process has received increased attention over the years, but the underlying mechanisms and drivers are still debated and poorly understood. European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus [L.]) is the most abundant fish species in these lakes and has evolved into several ecomorphs adapted to different trophic niches and habitats. Genetic divergence has been observed among these ecomorphs, but the mechanism(s) responsible for the ongoing build-up of reproductive isolation has still to be revealed. As these systems are young in evolutionary time (<10 kyr), prezygotic and postzygotic extrinsic isolation mechanisms are thought to be more likely to contribute to the reproductive isolation than intrinsic isolation mechanisms. We determined the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of three ecomorphs in two replicated lake systems and used GSI as a proxy to investigate the prezygotic isolation mechanism, allochrony, as a driving factor of divergence in this adaptive radiation of whitefish. We found that the three ecomorphs differed in GSI values within and between lakes, suggesting different spawning times of the ecomorphs. We also show that males of one ecomorph had equal onset of maturity as another ecomorph, giving novel insights into the ongoing gene flow observed between ecomorphs. The result supports allochrony as a driver for the divergence process of whitefish ecomorphs, but more evidence is still needed to rule out that the three ecomorphs make use of different spawning grounds.     

Genetic diversity of the pine pathogen Lecanosticta acicola in Slovenia and Croatia

Brown spot needle blight (BSNB), a disease of pine trees caused by the fungus Lecanosticta acicola, has been known in Slovenia since 2008 and in Croatia since 1975. Recent outbreaks in Slovenia prompted this study to compare L. acicola populations in these two neighbouring European countries. Sixty-nine isolates collected from three pine species (Pinus mugo, P. halepensis and P. nigra) were used to determine the phylogenetic relationships, genetic structure, and reproductive strategy of the pathogen. EF1-α sequences showed that Slovenian and Croatian isolates share a common ancestry with individuals from central and northern Europe. Population structure analysis revealed four distinct population clusters of L. acicola in these two countries, generally corresponding to their respective geographic location and host. An unequal ratio of mating types and a low overall genetic diversity in the population indicated a strong influence of asexual reproduction. Although some of the oldest recorded European occurrences of BSNB are from Croatia, this study provided no evidence that the population studied in Croatia was the source of the sampled outbreaks in Slovenia. Recent outbreaks of L. acicola in Slovenia are most likely due to introductions from other, yet to be identified, sources.     

基于RGB颜色空间的早稻氮素营养监测研究

针对双季稻区水稻过量施肥带来环境污染和成本提高问题,设计不同品种氮肥梯度大田试验,应用数码相机获取早稻冠层数字图像,研究不同色彩参数及早稻氮素营养指标的时空变化特征,以期确立双季早稻氮素营养预测模型。结果表明:不同品种同一氮肥处理下图像色彩参数差异不大;拔节期数字图像参数对氮素营养指标敏感;模型构建结果显示,图像参数INT与水稻氮素营养指标构建的模型决定系数(R2)最大,模型预测效果最佳,R2分别为0.895 7和0.924 7;进一步采用多元回归分析和BP神经网络分析法进行预测,预测效果均较好。对预测结果进行检验,发现品种对于模型的构建影响不大,以BP神经网络分析法构建的叶片氮浓度(LNC)模型和以INT为敏感色彩参数构建的叶片氮积累量(LNA)回归模型效果最优,而多元回归分析方法则效果不佳。早稻冠层RGB颜色空间敏感参数与氮素营养指标间相关性较好,可以实现氮素营养的无损监测诊断。     

矾根主要品种的叶色表型性状分析

通过目测进行分类的方式很难准确界定矾根品种叶色。为建立一套更为科学的基于叶色表型的矾根品种分类体系,笔者利用色差仪对72个矾根品种共计432个样品的叶色进行测定,对获得的L、a、b 3个色度值进行聚类分析,将72个矾根品种分为褐色系、深绿色系、黄色系、灰绿色系、浅绿色系5类色系。对矾根品种各色系的L、a、b值进行相关性分析,发现叶片正面的L值与a值、a值与b值呈负相关,L值与b值呈正相关,但相关性不明显;叶片背面的L值与a值、a值与b值呈负相关,L值与b值呈显著正相关。从多重比较的结果中可以看出,矾根品种各色系之间的L、a、b色度值差异显著,尤其是各色系间叶正面的颜色差异较大,在矾根品种选育工作中,叶片正面的颜色将作为主要参考。     

Artificial Feeding and Laboratory Rearing of Endangered Saproxylic Beetles as a Tool for Insect Conservation

Conservation of threatened animals is frequently limited by lack of knowledge about their ecological preferences, and often artificial feeding is one of the few chances to save endangered species. We investigated the possibility to artificially feed two endangered flat bark beetles dependent on dead wood for their diet—namely, Cucujus cinnaberinus (Scopoli, 1763) and Cucujus haematodes Erichson, 1845—by examining their dietary preferences, life cycle duration, and survival in laboratory conditions. Individuals of the two species were caught in the wild and larvae and adults were fed in laboratory conditions by live or dead prey. Three species of saproxylic beetles: two cerambycids (Acanthocinus griseus Fabricius, 1793 and Rhagium inquisitor Linnaeus, 1758), one scolytid (Ips sexdentatus Börner, 1776) one tenebrionid (Tenebrio molitor (Linnaeus, 1758)) one dipteran (Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826)) and one ant (Lasius sp. Fabricius, 1804) were used as prey, with minced meat as a control. Our results indicated high survival and no difference in prey choice between the two flat beetle species. Larvae and adults preferred dead prey, but no significant preference was detected among dead prey taxa, supporting the hypothesis that the two species are opportunistic scavengers. Comparing data with previous results, both species and their developmental stages should be classified as obligate saproxylic organisms with preference to the dead and decaying organic material. Successful artificial feeding and rearing of these endangered species, followed by the release in the wild through rescue or reintroduction programs, therefore appear relevant for their protection and future conservation.     

中国地方绵羊群体TYRP1基因遗传变异研究

本研究旨在了解酪氨酸酶相关蛋白1（tyrosinase related protein 1，TYRP1）基因在中国地方绵羊群体内的遗传变异，以及TYRP1基因突变与不同毛色表型绵羊群体的相关性。通过直接测序法和PCR-RFLP技术对10个中国地方绵羊群体进行单核苷酸多态性（SNP）检测，利用Beagle、PLINK和POPGENE等软件对突变位点数据进行单倍型构建、连锁不平衡分析和遗传变异研究。突变位点检测结果表明，在绵羊TYRP1基因内识别了13个SNPs，其中位于TYRP1基因外显子上的10个SNPs位点，除个别位点在大尾寒羊、中国美利奴羊和岷县黑裘皮羊中没有发生突变外，其他突变位点在所有绵羊品种中均出现不同程度变异，说明中国地方绵羊群体具有较高的遗传多样性。单倍型分析结果表明，所有样本中共有42个单倍型，优势单倍型0000000000（245/918）、0100000001（91/918）在所有绵羊群体中均存在，除单倍型0101100000（93/918）在中国美利奴羊中没有出现，单倍型0001000001（69/918）在岷县黑裘皮羊、哈萨克羊群体中没有出现外，在其他群体中均存在。连锁分析结果表明，10个SNPs在所有样本中均存在2个连锁模块。群体遗传变异分析表明，中国地方绵羊群体具有较高水平的群体内遗传变异，各绵羊品种间存在明显的遗传分化模式，且各品种遗传关系与其品种传统分类结果基本一致。本研究为进一步研究TYRP1基因对绵羊毛色遗传性状的影响提供了参考依据。     

林木氮素吸收偏好性及其形成机制研究进展

森林土壤中可被林木吸收利用的氮（N）素主要以铵态氮（NH₄+-N）和硝态氮（NO₃--N）的形态存在。受全球气候变暖、氮沉降和人类活动等因素的影响，NH₄+和NO₃-的分布存在很大的时间波动性和空间异质性，且NH₄+-N和NO₃--N亏缺已成为限制林地生产力的主要因素。在森林土壤N亏缺和N异质分布的逆境中，在林木长期进化过程中形成了对不同形态N素的吸收偏好，且这种吸收偏好会随生长环境条件而发生改变。特别是对于NH₄+和NO₃-这2种主要形态的偏好选择性已被证明是决定林木生产力、竞争、共存和生态演替的重要因素之一。对不同树种在N异质分布环境下的N吸收偏好和形成机制的研究，是揭示林木N素营养遗传特性和提高林地N素利用效率的关键。文中从森林土壤中N的主要形态及其分布特征、林木对不同形态N素的吸收偏好和形成机制、林木N吸收偏好的影响因素3个方面进行总结阐述，并对未来研究方向进行展望，以期为我国人工林培育中不同树种的造林配置和合理N素施肥技术提供理论依据和参考。