Resource partitioning in ecological communities

To understand resource partitioning, essentially a community phenomenon, we require a holistic theory that draws upon models at the individual and population level. Yet some investigators are still content mainly to document differences between species, a procedure of only limited interest. Therefore, it may be useful to conclude with a list of questions appropriate for studies of resource partitioning, questions this article has related to the theory in a preliminary way. 1) What is the mechanism of competition? What is the relative importance of predation? Are differences likely to be caused by pressures toward reproductive isolation? 2) Are niches (utilizations) regularly spaced along a single dimension? 3) How many dimensions are important, and is there a tendency for more dimensions to be added as species number increases? 4) Is dimensional separation complementary? 5) Which dimensions are utilized, how do they rank in importance, and why? How do particular dimensions change in rank as species nuimber increases? 6) What is the relation of dimensional separation to difference in phenotypic indicators? To what extent does the functional relation of phenotype to resource characteristics constrain partitioning? 7) What is the distance between mean position of niches, what is the niche standard deviation, and what is the ratio of the two? What is the niche shape?     

Microsatellite characterization of closely related fine-wool sheep breeds

Nine fine-wool sheep breeds from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan are analyzed with respect to 20 microsatellite genes. A high level of heterozygosity for each locus is shown. A low level of interbreed differentiation (θ = 1.9%) is established. A complex origin of the investigated Merino sheep breeds is shown genetically.     

Resource partitioning and interspecific competition in two two-species insular anolis lizard communities

Population experiments with Anolis lizard species demonstrate a relation between the amount of between-species competition and the degree of interspecific resource partitioning (the more the partitioning the less the competition). Specifically, the amount of resource partitioning between the two species (Anolis gingivinus and Anolis wattsi pogus) on the island of St. Maarten is less than that between the two species (Anolis bimaculatus and Anolis wattsi schwartzi) on the island of St. Eustatius. The presence of Anolis wattsi both lowers the growth rates and raises the perch heights of Anolis gingivinus individuals. In contrast, Anolis wattsi has no effect on Anolis bimaculatus. Thus, when there is less resource partitioning, Anolis wattsi has a greater competitive effect. This verifies, for these species, a central assumption of competition theory: the strength of between-species competition is inversely related to the amount of interspecific resource partitioning.     

DNA 条形码在山茶属近缘植物鉴别中的应用

山茶属(Camellia)是山茶科(Theaceae)中物种丰富、经济效益较高的属.分类学上对山茶属的亚属、组以及种的划分争议较大,著名的3大山茶属植物分类系统分别由Sealy、张宏达和闵天禄提出.DNA条形码技术是指通过对植物基因组中的特定基因进行片段扩增、测序发现其碱基变化规律的技术手段,在分类学研究中显示出巨大的应用潜力.选取trnH-psbA和matK序列的通用引物,对山茶属不同植物基因组DNA进行扩增和序列测定,分别得到了ttrnH-psbA序列和marK序列各61条,山茶属matK序列相似度极高(98.40％),物种分辨率较低.trnH-psbA的属间物种分辨能力达到100％,而在山茶属内物种分辨率仅为13.11％.结果表明:trnH-psbA序列能够有效地区分不同属间的植物,但种间分类能力较弱.     

Temperature tolerances of some closely related tropical atlantic and pacific fish species

Species of Pacific shallow-water fish are more tolerant of low temperatures than Atlantic species are. At high temperatures Atlantic species are more tolerant than Pacific species. For species pairs of Bathygobius differences in the tolerance of low temperatures are small and can be removed by acclimation to 23 degrees C. Differences in the tolerance to low temperature in transisthmian species of Apogon, however, are large and persist after acclimation to 23 degrees C. Some Pacific species adapt to the cooler temperatures of their habitat through increasing their rates of oxygen consumption at ambient temperatures or decreasing the dependence of oxygen uptake rate on temperature, or both.     

Resource partitioning in bumble bees: the role of behavioral factors

Small Bombus ternarius workers for age most frequently on the distal parts of goldenrod flower clusters when large B. terricola workers are present. This shift results from B. ternarius avoiding B. terricola. In this way B. ternarius can exploit, without conflict, resources whose availability changes constantly because of fluctuating numbers of larger consumers.     

Molecular biology. New way found to study closely related proteins

Rather than designing specific inhibitors for closely related proteins, researchers are remodeling the proteins to make them uniquely susceptible to inhibition. As described in the 21 September issue of Nature, the technique involves enlarging the active site of an enzyme so that it can bind an inhibitor that won't fit into the active sites of related--but unaltered--enzymes. Researchers can then insert the gene that encodes the modified enzyme into cells or living animals and turn off that enzyme by feeding them the inhibitor--without affecting other, very similar, enzymes. The technique may have some advantages over other approaches to studying the functions of individual proteins, such as mutating or knocking out the genes that encode them, which may disrupt embryonic development, producing abnormal animals or no animals at all.     

基于近缘物种SSR引物和EST-SSR序列的梅花SSR引物开发

为获得更多的梅花SSR引物,本研究筛选了84对梅花近缘物种的引物,并从梅花EST数据库的序列中设计了23对EST-SSR引物,用12个梅花品种对这些引物进行了多态性检测。结果表明,近缘物种的引物有69对能扩增出条带,有效扩增率达82.1%,从中筛选的14对引物共得到85个等位基因,平均值为6个。有效等位基因数在2.07...     

Serologic identification and characterization of a macaque T-lymphotropic retrovirus closely related to HTLV-III

Human T-lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III) is thought to play an etiologic role in the development of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In this study the serologic characterization of a new simian retrovirus that is related to HTLV-III is described. This new virus, here referred to as STLV-III, was isolated from sick macaques at the New England Regional Primate Research Center. Radioimmunoprecipitation analysis revealed STLV-III-specific proteins of 160, 120, 55, and 24 kilodaltons, all similar in size to the major gag and env proteins of HTLV-III. These antigens were recognized by representative macaque serum samples and human reference serum samples positive for HTLV-III antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies directed to p24, the major core protein of HTLV-III, also immunoprecipitated a 24-kilodalton species in lysates of cells infected with the macaque virus. This HTLV-III-related virus, which naturally infects a nonhuman primate species, may provide a useful model for the study of HTLV-III and the pathogenesis of AIDS.     

Niche partitioning among Prochlorococcus ecotypes along ocean-scale environmental gradients

Prochlorococcus is the numerically dominant phytoplankter in the oligotrophic oceans, accounting for up to half of the photosynthetic biomass and production in some regions. Here, we describe how the abundance of six known ecotypes, which have small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences that differ by less than 3%, changed along local and basin-wide environmental gradients in the Atlantic Ocean. Temperature was significantly correlated with shifts in ecotype abundance, and laboratory experiments confirmed different temperature optima and tolerance ranges for cultured strains. Light, nutrients, and competitor abundances also appeared to play a role in shaping different distributions.     

rRNA基因间隔区序列用于亲缘关系密切的根瘤菌种群鉴定及系统发育分析

通过rRNA基因内转录间隔区的碱基序列分析,对中华根瘤菌属Sinorhizobium、慢生根瘤菌属Bradyrhizobium和中慢生根瘤菌属Mesorhizobium种间亲缘关系十分密切的菌株进行区分．结果表明,rRNA基因间隔区序列能很好地区分种间亲缘关系十分密切的菌株．用rRNA基因间隔区序列构建的系统发育树与rRNA基因序列构建的系统发育树结果十分相似．     

灰茶尺蛾和小茶尺蠖两近缘种的生物学特性差异

灰茶尺蛾(Ectropis grisescens)和小茶尺蠖(Ectropis obliqua)外形极其相似,为近缘种,但其生物学特性的差异尚不明确。本文采用室内饲养观测的方法,比较了两近缘种各发育阶段在体长、体质量、发育历期及种群增长指数等方面的差异。结果表明,两近缘种在虫体发育的各个阶段,以高龄幼虫、蛹和成虫阶段的体长、体质量差异明显,灰茶尺蛾均显著高于小茶尺蠖;灰茶尺蛾的全世代发育历期为36.6 d,极显著短于小茶尺蠖39.7 d的发育历期;灰茶尺蛾的世代存活率为0.60,种群增长指数为58.1,而小茶尺蠖分别为0.28和24.9,灰茶尺蛾均极显著高于小茶尺蠖。分析认为,灰茶尺蛾比小茶尺蠖具有较大的虫体、较快的发育速率和较强的繁殖能力。     

华南地区3种具有不同入侵性的近缘植物对低温胁迫的敏感性

以五爪金龙(Ipomoea cairica (L.) Sweet,重度入侵植物)、裂叶牵牛(Ipomoea nil (L.) Choisy,轻度/非入侵植物)和三裂叶薯(Ipomoea triloba L.,非入侵植物)3种起源于热带美洲、且在华南地区具有不同入侵性的番薯属藤本植物作为研究对象,通过比较它们在低温胁迫下的生理响应探究3种植物对低温的敏感性与它们入侵性之间的关系。通过测定在不同温度(28、15、10 ℃)处理下植物的生物量、活性氧、渗透调节物质、根系活力、光合特征等生理指标发现,五爪金龙、裂叶牵牛及三裂叶薯均通过增加光合系统Ⅱ的热耗散、积累渗透调节物质以及增强根系活力来应对低温环境,但15 ℃的温度条件已经对3种植物形成较为强烈的胁迫作用,表现为H₂O₂和丙二醛的积累、光合系统Ⅱ受损、根部细胞死亡以及生物量、根长的极显著下降(P<0.01),证明3种植物对低温胁迫均具有较高的敏感性。综合比较3种植物各生理指标的响应幅度发现,它们对低温的耐受性表现为:五爪金龙 > 裂叶牵牛 > 三裂叶薯,这与它们在华南地区的入侵危害程度一致,暗示低温敏感性的差异可能是其入侵性差异的重要原因。结果表明,低温敏感性是影响外来植物入侵性和入侵区域的重要因素,五爪金龙较高的低温敏感性是限制其在华南以外地区形成入侵危害的重要原因。     

Growth inhibitor from BSC-1 cells closely related to platelet type beta transforming growth factor

Purified growth inhibitor from BSC-1 cells and type beta transforming growth factor from human platelets are shown to have nearly identical biological activity and to compete for binding to the same cell membrane receptor. These findings suggest that the growth inhibitor and the type beta transforming growth factor are similar molecules. The data also show that the same purified polypeptide can either stimulate or inhibit cell proliferation depending on the experimental conditions.     

菊花近缘种属植物抗蚜性机制研究

以高抗蚜虫材料‘黄金艾蒿’和不抗材料菊花脑为材料,比较分析两者叶片解剖结构及蚜虫接种对防御酶活性和基因表达量变化的影响。结果表明:高抗材料‘黄金艾蒿’栅栏组织厚度(77.3μm)、栅栏组织/海绵组织厚度比(0.9)大于不抗材料菊花脑(57.3μm、0.4),而海绵组织厚度(93.6μm)和层数(2.9层)小于菊花脑(139.8μm、6.2层)。接种蚜虫后,2种材料叶片过氧化物酶(POD)、多酚氧化酶(PPO)和苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)3种抗虫相关酶的活性及相关基因的表达量均有所提高,且高抗材料的上升速度比不抗材料快、幅度大,并在接种后期保持较高水平;2种材料的酶活性变化均比相对应的基因表达量变化滞后。抗感材料叶片解剖结构和蚜虫接种前后防御反应与抗虫水平相关,可以作为其苗期蚜虫抗性评价的指标。     

Inverted duplication including Endothelin 3 closely related to dermal hyperpigmentation in Silkie chickens

The dermal hyperpigmentation phenotype in chickens is controlled by the dominant fibromelanosis allele. One of the ten unique characteristics of Silkie chickens is the fibromelanosis phenotype, which is pigmentation in the dermal layer of the skin and connective tissue. In this study, we found a mutation of fibromelanosis, a genomic rearrangement that included an inverted duplication of endothelin3 (EDN3), is responsible. We show that, as a stimulator of melanoblast proliferation, EDN3 expression was increased in silkie embryos and in both skin and muscle throughout adulthood. EDN3 expression led to an increase in expression of the downstream genes EDNRB2 and TYRP2, and was closely relate with the hyperpigmentation phenotype. We examined eight different Chinese chicken breeds showing hyperpigmentation and conclude that this structural genetic variant exists in all fibromelanosis chicken breeds.     

巴什拜羊群体遗传多样性与遗传分化的研究

利用10个微卫星标记对新疆巴什拜羊4个品系(红毛、白毛、黑毛和瘦肉型新品系)189个个体进行检测,分析群体遗传多样性和群体间的遗传分化、系统发育关系。结果表明:在巴什拜羊10个微卫星座位中共检测到110个等位基因,平均每个座位等位基因数为11个;4个群体10个微卫星标记的平均多态信息含量为0.791 4,平均杂合度为0.814 9,说明巴什拜羊4个群体均具有丰富的遗传多样性;4个绵羊群体的总近交系数为-0.178 2,群体内近交系数为-0.211 2,群体间基因分化系数为0.023 7,说明4个绵羊群体间2.37%的遗传变异来自群体间,而97.63%的遗传变异是由各群体内个体间的差异引起的;基因流(Nm)平均值为8.916 7。聚类分析发现,红毛品系与黑毛品系亲缘关系较近,之后与白毛品系相聚,最后与瘦肉型新品系聚在一起,聚类结果与品系育成史基本一致。     

Comparison of evapotranspiration and energy partitioning related to main biotic and abiotic controllers in vineyards using different irrigation methods

Knowledge of evapotranspiration (ET) and energy partitioning is useful for optimizing water management, especially in areas where water is scarce. A study was undertaken in a furrow-irrigated vineyard (2015) and a drip-irrigated vineyard (2017) in an arid region of north-west China to compare vineyard ET and energy partitioning and their responses to soil water content (SWC) and leaf area index (LAI). ET and soil evaporation (E) and transpiration (T) were determined using eddy covariance, microlysimeters, and sap flow. Seasonal average E/ET, T/ET, crop coefficient (Kc), evaporation coefficient (Ke), and basal crop coefficient (Kcb) were 0.50, 0.50, 0.67, 0.35, and 0.29, respectively, in the furrow-irrigated vineyard and 0.42, 0.58, 0.57, 0.29, and 0.43 in the drip-irrigated vineyard. The seasonal average partitioning of net radiation (Rn) into the latent heat flux (LE), sensible heat flux (H) and soil heat flux (G) (LE/Rn, H/Rn, and G/Rn), evaporative fraction (EF) and Bowen ratio (β) were 0.57, 0.26, 0.17, 0.69 and 0.63, respectively, in the furrow-irrigated vineyard and 0.46, 0.36, 0.17, 0.57 and 0.97 in the drip-irrigated vineyard. The LE/Rn, H/Rn, EF, and β were linearly correlated with LAI. The E, Kc, Ke, E/ET, LE/Rn, LEs/Rn (ratio of LE by soil E to Rn), H/Rn, EF and β were closely correlated with topsoil SWC (10 cm depth). Responses of ET and energy partitioning to the LAI and SWC differed under the two irrigation methods. Drip irrigation reduced seasonal average E/ET and increased average T/ET. From the perspective of energy partitioning, seasonal average H/Rn increased whereas LE/Rn, especially LEs/Rn, decreased. Compared with furrow irrigation, drip irrigation decreased the proportion of unproductive water consumption thereby contributing to enhanced water use efficiency and accumulation of dry matter.     

水稻蔗糖转运蛋白研究进展

\t\t\t\t\t目的\t\t\t\t\t对拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)、水稻(Oryza sativa) SUTs家族的基因及其上游区的序列进行了核酸组成和系统发生关系的分析,为深入研究该基因作用及其分子调控机制提供参考。\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t方法\t\t\t\t\t利用邻近法和基因结构分析,解析SUTs基因及其上游序列的系统发生关系。\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t结果\t\t\t\t\t水稻SUTs基因及其上游区的GC含量都明显高于拟南芥;拟南芥和水稻SUTs基因的序列长度与GC含量呈明显负相关,其基因结构分类与邻近法分类相一致,都可分为3个亚族;拟南芥SUCs上游区的序列长度与其GC含量的相关性不明显,而水稻的SUTs上游区序列长度与其GC含量有较弱的负相关性。此外,拟南芥4个SUC基因(AtSUC6~9)上游序列的系统发生关系与基因序列的系统发生完全一致,但其他的AtSUCs和OsSUTs基因的上游序列系统发生关系与基因序列的系统发生关系并不一致。\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t结论\t\t\t\t\tSUTs基因在进化过程中其序列和基因结构相对保守,而其上游序列在进化过程变化较大,揭示了SUTs基因调控序列的复杂性。\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t