Analysis of regional variation of height growth and slenderness in populations of six urban tree species using a quantile regression approach

Inventory data of six urban tree species from seven cities across Germany were used to model regional variation of height growth, allometric scaling, and slenderness over a wide range of size and age using a quantile regression approach. Variation within and between species and cities was large. Height did not reach an asymptote but declined at higher ages, presumably because of reduction cuts. Allometric scaling and slenderness varied with wind climate, modulus of elasticity, and coefficient of drag. Our data do not support the use of a threshold value of slenderness in tree risk assessment.     

临界氮浓度稀释模型在牧草种子生产中的应用前景

氮素是影响牧草种子产量的关键因素,氮素对于植株分蘖、干物质生产、花序形成、产量组分动态变化等均具有影响.文章主要从临界氮浓度稀释模型的概念、构建方法、研究现状、应用等方面进行了综述,提出临界氮浓度稀释模型在实际生产中应用时存在的问题,并对其在牧草种子生产中的应用前景进行了展望.     

甘肃天祝牧区白牦牛乳脂肪中脂肪酸的分析

以甘肃天祝地区3个牧场所产的白牦牛乳为研究对象,采用气相色谱-质谱联用检测方法,测定3个牧场所产白牦牛乳中脂肪酸含量,比较在枯草期、枯草末期、返青期、青草期4个时期及不同胎次的白牦牛所产牦牛乳中脂肪酸的构成及含量.结果表明:3个牧场白牦牛乳中乳脂肪酸含量差异不显著(P＞0.05);1～5胎次母白牦牛乳中脂肪酸含量差异不显著(P＞0.05).枯草期、枯草末期、返青期、青草期4个时期白牦牛乳中饱和脂肪酸(SFA)、不饱和脂肪酸(USFA)含量比值分别为1.86、1.75、1.62、1.32.随着气温的升高及牧草的成熟,白牦牛乳中饱和脂肪酸含量逐渐降低,而不饱和脂肪酸的含量逐渐升高.     

Dominance in domestic dogs revisited: Useful habit and useful construct?

In the last decade, the validity and relevance of the dominance model was regularly put into question regarding relationships between canids like dogs and wolves, and consequently, human–dog relationships as well. The concept underlying this model, scientifically defined as an intervening variable reflecting status difference between individuals, is applicable when formal status signals symbolize the long-term relationship between individuals, resulting in a formalized dominance hierarchy. This article reviews the basics underlying the concept of dominance and reflects on the value and importance of some new quantitative studies on the applicability of the concept of dominance in domestic dogs. The conclusions are, first, that formal dominance is present in the domestic dog, expressed by context-independent unidirectional formal status signals. Consequently, formal dominance (e.g., submission) plays an important role in assessing status in dog–dog relationships. Second, that nonverbal status–related communication in humans resembles that in dogs to a considerable degree, and hence dogs may be well able to interpret this human status–related nonverbal communication from their perspective. Dominance is therefore also likely to play a role in human–dog relationships. Hence, the dominance concept might be useful to explain the development of certain problems in dog–dog and dog–human relationships. However, enforcing a dominant status by a human may entail considerable risks and should therefore be avoided.     

假苍耳的地理分布及潜在适生区预测

外来入侵植物假苍耳在中国东北部地区快速蔓延,威胁自然生态系统的结构并对人们的健康产生危害。本研究通过野外调查获得假苍耳在东北地区的分布范围,采用Maxent模型软件对假苍耳在我国及世界的潜在适生区进行预测,运用ArcGIS软件中的自然间断点分级法进行适生等级分类,ROC曲线评价Maxent模型预测的准确性,并结合刀切法及环境变量反应曲线判断分析影响假苍耳分布的主要环境变量。结果表明,假苍耳的适生区较广,扩散范围可能继续增大。我国的华北地区、东北地区、华东地区、华中地区、西南地区、西北地区均存在适生区,高度适生区主要分布在我国的黑龙江省、吉林省、辽宁省、内蒙古自治区、山西省、陕西省、河南省、河北省、山东省、北京市、天津市、新疆维吾尔族自治区。世界范围内除南极洲外均存在假苍耳的适生区,高度适生区主要在北美洲的加拿大和美国,非洲的摩洛哥,欧洲的西班牙、克罗地亚、匈牙利、斯洛伐克、波黑、塞尔维亚、马其顿、保加利亚、格鲁吉亚、亚美尼亚和阿塞拜疆,亚洲的土耳其、伊朗、哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦、塔吉克斯坦、中国、朝鲜、韩国和日本。上述适生区预测显示出假苍耳适宜生长在年均温度较高,最冷月份最低温和最冷季度平均温度较低的中纬度地区。     

Genetic evaluation of laying performance in the Zatorska goose: contribution to the conservation programme

1. The aim of the study was to estimate the heritability of the laying performance in the cumulative and partial production of eggs and predict the breeding values of native Zatorska geese in a conservation programme using Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) methodology. Second, the trajectory of the egg production curve was examined.

2. The data contain information about the laying performance of 1831 individuals in the first year of laying. To describe the trajectory of the laying performance, 10 mathematical models were tested. For the genetic parameter estimation of egg production, data from 1038 birds were used with a production higher than 20 eggs during the first season of laying.

3. The analysis of egg production was based on single and multi-trait models. Heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations between phases of the laying performance as well as breeding values were estimated.

4. The best adaptation to the goose egg laying curve was the Ali and Schaeffer model. The estimates of heritability were 0.20 (0.06 SE) using the single-trait model and ranged from 0.12 to 0.24 using the multi-trait model.

5. The results suggest that the BLUP method can support the conservation programme.     

Fit of Wood's function to daily milk records and estimation of environmental and additive and non-additive genetic effects on lactation curve and lactation parameters of crossbred dual purpose cattle

The objectives of this study were to estimate the environmental and additive and non-additive genetic effects on lactation curve and lactation parameters of crosses of Holstein (H), Brahman (B) and Brown Swiss (BS) in Olancho region in Honduras. The data consisted of 54,517 milk yield records from 192 dual-purpose crossbred cows lactating from 2000 to 2005 at the Universidad Nacional de Agricultura de Honduras (UNA). The lactation curve and lactation parameters of interest were the scaling factor to represent yield at the beginning of lactation (a), the factor associated with the inclining (b) and declining (c) slopes of the lactation curves, and the milk yield at initial day of lactation (MY₂₀), peak milk yield (MY_max), day at peak milk yield (t_max), and the total milk yield (TM) per lactation, respectively. The incomplete gamma function (Wood function) was used to estimate lactation curve and lactation parameters from daily milk records of H × B, H × BS and BS × B crossbred cows. The environmental, additive and non-additive genetic effects on lactation curve and lactation parameters were estimated using Dickerson and Kinghorn models. The coefficients of determination of fitness of Wood's function (R²) ranged from 80% to 97% with an average of 93%. The lactation curve of the crossbred cows was similar to those reported for dairy cows grazing in the tropics. Lactation parameters such as MY_max, t_max and TM were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by environmental sources of variation suggesting the necessity of differential management strategies. The moderate to large positive phenotypic correlation of MY_max and TM indicate that one of the milk yield parameters could be used as a selection criterion to improve either one or both traits. Despite the fact that both genetic models showed similar patterns, the absolute value of the parameters varied. For both models, individual additive genetic breed effect for H breed were significant (P < 0.05) and contributed more to TM than the BS breed. In the Dickerson model, highly positive significant (P < 0.01) effect on TM for H×BS and BS×B crosses was found. The Kinghorn model did not show significant effects of dominance on this parameter. The estimate of recombination effect for all crosses involving B breed were negative and significant (P < 0.05) for positive correlated lactation curve parameters. Although the inclusion of non-additive effects on crossbreeding genetic effects were not all significant for lactation curve and lactation parameters, non-additive effects should be taken into account to improve the Honduran dairy cattle production management.     

Genetic (co)variances and breeding value estimation of Gompertz growth curve parameters in Finnish Yorkshire boars, gilts and barrows.

This paper's objectives were to estimate the genetic (co)variance components of the Gompertz growth curve parameters and to evaluate the relationship of estimated breeding values (EBV) based on average daily gain (ADG) and Gompertz growth curves. Finnish Yorkshire central test station performance data was obtained from the Faba Breeding (Vantaa, Finland). The final data set included 121,488 weight records from 10,111 pigs. Heritability estimates for the Gompertz growth parameters mature weight (alpha), logarithm of mature weight to birth weight ratio (beta) and maturation rate (kappa) were 0.44, 0.55 and 0.31, respectively. Genotypic and phenotypic correlations between the growth curve parameters were high and mainly negative. The only positive relationship was found between alpha and beta. Pearson and Spearman rank correlation coefficients between EBV for ADG and daily gain calculated from Gompertz growth curves were 0.79. The Spearman rank correlation between the sire EBV for ADG and Gompertz growth curve parameter-based ADG for all sires with at least 15 progeny was 0.86. Growth curves differ significantly between individuals and this information could be utilized for selection purposes when improving growth rate in pigs.     

鸡肾型传染性支气管炎组织病理学变化规律的研究

为制造疾病模型便于防治鸡肾型传支。将1日龄健康雏鸡70只分为A、B、C 3组(试验组、对照组和感染组),试验组人工接种IBV肾型毒株,感染组晚1 d放入试验组内混养,常规饲养管理,每日4次观察接毒后的临床症状,同时定期剖检病鸡和病死鸡,取多脏器固定于10%福尔马林液中、石蜡切片、HE染色,显微镜下观察组织病理学变化,按严重程度标+~++++后记录并标明曲线。结果表明,在整个试验过程中肾脏的病理变化最为严重并且持续时间较长,从第2天开始出现病变,并持续到第20天;其次是肺脏,病变出现在第5~16天;肝脏和肺脏的病变时间相同只是程度轻一些;心脏的病变出现在第6~13天。1 d后,感染组也出现相似的病理变化,说明此病的传染性很强。