The effects of agricultural fields and human settlements on the use of rivers by wildlife in the mid-Zambezi valley,Zimbabwe

After the eradication of the Tse-Tse fly in the Mid-Zambezi valley, human settlements and fields extended mainly along the main rivers. In order to investigate the consequences of this human development on wildlife diversity we monitored three rivers of the Mid-Zambezi valley in Zimbabwe: Angwa, Manyame and Kadzi. The rivers were divided in segments of 200 m which were checked for spoors in order to assess the number of species and the number of individuals that used the segments. Human settlements were also recorded. We used a GIS to define the spatial characteristics of the fields present along the rivers, and related them to the distribution and abundance of wild species spoors in the river beds and banks. Our results show that the number of species in one segment of the river decreased with the increasing size of the field area bordering the segment. For all the major ungulate species, the numbers of individuals recorded per segment decreased with increasing field area. A similar trend was observed for small and medium-sized carnivores, though they were in lower numbers when present. Our analyses thus confirm that the extension of human agriculture in wildlife areas has an impact on most wild species, but we also define some threshold value of field size above which there seem to be an acceleration of the decrease in wildlife density and diversity: 3.2 ha for medium and small herbivores and carnivores; only the elephant seem to tolerate larger field area with a threshold value of 32 ha.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Therapeutic effects of recombinant human growth hormone on rat sepsis

AIM:To investigate therapeutic effects of recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) on rat sepsis and its possible mechanisms.METHODS:Mean arterial pressure (MAP), levels of plasma TNFα, IL-1β and endotoxin, leukocyte count and survival rate within 1 week were determined after E. coli injection among control group, sepsis group and sepsis+rhGH group.RESULTS:(1)rhGH diminished the decrease of MAP, reduced plasma endotoxin and TNFα levels and increased neutrophil ratio in total leukocytes in sepsis rat. rhGH increased survival rate within 1 week on sepsis rat. (2)No changes were found in IL-1β level among the three groups.CONCLUSION:rhGH showed desirable beneficial effects on rat sepsis, which may attribute to: improving circulatory function;maintaining intestinal mucosa barrier, attenuating bacteria/endotoxin translocation and inhibiting the production and release of TNFα.     

Effects of land ownership and landscape-level factors on rare-species richness in natural areas of southern Ontario,Canada

Surprisingly few studies have considered the extent to which the nature of the ownership of land is associated with differences in biodiversity. We analysed ownership and other landscape-level effects on rare-species richness for both globally- and regionally-rare biota (including birds, herpetofauna, butterflies, mammals, and plants) in 289 designated natural areas (NAs) in southern Ontario, Canada. Information about each NA −including area, number of plant communities, ownership status and details of species diversity were collected from published sources. Length of perimeter of NA, relative isolation, and an estimate of fragmentation were measured using image analysis and GIS techniques. NAs were in general relatively small, with mean area of 158 ha (median 85 ha, range from 0.9 to 1278 ha) for private NAs; public NAs had mean area of 132 ha (median 16 ha, range from 0.1 to 1481 ha). Mean number of plant communities was 4.6 (median 4, range 1- 13) at private NAs and 3.8 (median 3, range 1-16) at public NAs. Our results show that, of several landscape-level factors, area had the greatest effects on rare-species richness and other biotic indices. Effects of area were followed by effects of plant community diversity, however this was itself significantly affected by area and the extent of perimeter of the NA. Both these factors were followed by effects of ownership of the NA and by effects of isolation of the NA (represented by minimum distance to nearest NA and by number of NAs in 10 km radius). Other landscape- level factors did not appear to have overall significant effects. Variation in area accounted for 0.1% to 29% of variation in number of rare species, with lower values for globally-rare, than for regionally-rare taxa. For all biotic groups, public ownership of NAs was associated with significantly greater rare-species richness compared to private ownership, even after other factors such as area were controlled. For all globally-rare biota except butterflies, area of NA had greater effects on rare-species richness than did ownership. Richness of regionally- rare birds was more affected by plant community diversity than by area of NA. Number of recorded plant communities accounted from 2.1% of variation in number of globally-rare plant species to as high as 31% of variation in regionally-rare butterflies. The diversity of plant communities was itself influenced by total site area (accounting for 45% of variation), extent of elongation of the NA, and both external- and interior- edge perimeters. Public NAs had greatest numbers of rare biota and so should be a significant focus for conservation programs. Smaller, privately-owned patches of natural area dominate (by number and area) in this densely populated region and their significance should not be overlooked. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Observations of Phytophthora spp. in Water Recirculation Systems in Commercial Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock

Samples of water and sediment were taken from drains, reservoirs and wells from four commercial hardy ornamental nurseries with water recirculation systems. The samples were taken on seven different dates throughout a single year from August 1994 to July 1995. The samples were screened for Phytophthora species using five different methods: direct plating, three bait tests (using lupin seedlings, apples and Rhododendron leaves) and a DAS-ELISA (double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent-assay) with two antisera. In the nurseries with old water recirculation systems, Phytophthora species were detected in the drains and in the reservoirs. In the nursery with a new recirculation system, the pathogens were only present in the drains. None of the water samples from wells in any of the nurseries were contaminated. Phytophthora species were present in the water as well as in the sediment samples from drains and reservoirs. They were detected in the water recirculation systems irrespective of the season. The number of isolates increased about sevenfold between late summer and spring. At least 12 different Phytophthora species were identified: some isolates were previously unrecorded species. The epidemiology of the pathogens in outdoor water recirculation systems as well as the importance of the results for commercial nurseries is discussed.     

山西菜田捕食性食蚜蝇优势种及其对菜蚜的控制效果

对山西菜田捕食性食蚜蝇优势种及对菜蚜的控制效果进行了研究，菜田常见捕食性食蚜蝇有黑带食蚜蝇，大灰食蚜蝇，斜斑鼓额食蚜蝇，野食蚜蝇，四条小食蚜蝇，短翅细腹食蚜蝇6种，以黑带食蚜蝇种群数量最大，平均占全年发生总量的36.3%，通过对食蚜蝇产卵量，卵化率，幼虫期捕食量和羽化率测试，筛选出的黑带食蚜蝇，大灰食蚜蝇，斜斑鼓额食蚜蝇幼虫对菜蚜均有较强的捕食能力，其中黑带食蚜蝇为山西菜田菜蚜捕食性食蚜蝇优势种，用黑带食蚜蝇三龄幼虫对菜蚜进行防治试验，结果以1：180防效最佳，72h后控制效果达93.5%。     

转 Bt基因抗虫棉对棉大卷叶螟抗性的研究

:转Bt基因抗虫棉对棉铃虫有很好的抗性,对棉大卷叶螟(SyleptaderogataFabricius)的抗性未见报道。作者研究表明,棉大卷叶螟在棉田为聚集分布型,低龄幼虫有集中为害习性;抗虫棉对其有很好的抗性,平均虫株率为2.2%,较常规棉中棉所12降低96.6%;百株虫量为133.8头,较常规棉降低88.4%。     

云南特有野生果树资源及其分布特点

 云南有各类野生果树资源约500 余种, 其中云南特有的164种, 分属35科54属, 多为热带、亚热带果树和浆果类果树, 形成滇南—滇东南、滇西—滇西北和滇中—滇东北3个特有野生果树集中分布中心。这些果树资源用途广泛, 优异性状明显, 有待深入研究和综合开发利用。     

Microscopic detection of reactive oxygen species generation in the compatible and incompatible interactions of Alternaria alternata Japanese pear pathotype and host plants

 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was examined in the interaction of Alternaria alternata Japanese pear pathotype and host plants using three methods: nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) method for microscopic detection of O₂ ⁻, diaminobenzidine (DAB) methods for microscopic detection of H₂O₂, and cerium chloride methods for ultrastructural detection of H₂O₂. ROS generation was detected by NBT and DAB methods at appressoria on leaves of susceptible cultivars and heat-shocked leaves of resistant cultivars but not in leaves of resistant cultivars. Ultrastructural detection by the cerium chloride method identified ROS generation at cell walls of appressoria and penetration pegs in susceptible, resistant leaves and heat-shocked leaves. These differences in the ultrastructural and microscopic data in resistant areas were due to the restriction of ROS generation in limited areas, the side facing the plant surface, of appressoria and penetration pegs. Therefore, ROS generation was apparently induced regardless of the resistance or susceptibility of the cultivar with the difference being in the volumes generated. After evaluating the pathological role of ROS generation in fungal structures, such generation was found to be associated with early penetration of cell walls in pear plants. Additionally, ROS generation in plants was also found in degrading pectin layers near infected hyphae and in plasma membrane modification sites in susceptible leaves but not in resistant leaves. ROS generation in susceptible leaves might be accompanied with plasma membrane damage, although the role of ROS generation in the pectin layers is not clear. ROS generation in both fungal and plant cells during their interaction was likely associated with the expression of susceptibility. Received: June 3, 2002 / Accepted: July 31, 2002     

稀土对刺槐苗木生理特性影响的研究

稀土对刺槐苗木生理特性影响的研究赵兰勇，梁玉堂（山东农业大学林学院泰安２７１０１８）王九龄（北京林业大学北京１０００８３）关键词稀土，刺槐，光合速率，叶绿素含量，水分利用效率，矿质元素含量近年来，稀土元素在农业上的应用研究越来越受到人们的重视，并且已...