The leaf-litter earthworm fauna (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of forests in Limpopo Province,South Africa: diversity,communities and conservation

A qualitative survey of the leaf-litter earthworm fauna of 11 selected indigenous forests in Limpopo Province, South Africa, was conducted to identify the species present, to describe the communities and to assess the relationship between indigenous and exotic species. A total of 8185 individuals from 17 species (five indigenous and 12 exotic species) were recorded. The average earthworm community comprised fewer than five species, but up to seven species were sampled from a single forest. Four of the species recorded are national (one species), regional (one species) or local (two species) endemics. Because these species are not known to live elsewhere, the protection of Limpopo Province forests is critical to their survival. The majority (71%) of the earthworm species sampled was exotic, and differences between exotic and indigenous species richness in forests were mostly significant. At the two spatial scales examined (20 m2 and individual forest) there is no evidence of an association between exotic and indigenous species richness. However, we cannot assume that exotic earthworms do not impact the forest ecosystem.     

青海高原禾草内生真菌资源的调查和分离

青海高原的高寒特性决定其生境内禾草植物的多样性和特异性,然而有关青海高原地区禾草内生真菌的研究报道较少,本研究对青海高原地区48个样点内禾草植物内生真菌带菌率和内生真菌分离进行了研究。结果表明,14种禾本科植物内生真菌平均感染率低于50%,而12种植物内生真菌平均感染率大于50%。其中,缘毛鹅观草(Roegneria pendulina)、紫花针茅(Stipa purpurea)、醉马草(Achnatherum inebrians)、中华羊茅(Festuca sinensis)、硬质早熟禾(Poa sphondylodes)、微药羊茅(F. nitidula)、毛稃羊茅(F. kirilowii)和紫羊茅(F. rubra)的平均带菌率均超过80%。同时,同属禾草植物内生真菌带菌率存在差异。禾草内生真菌分离率较低,其中紫花针茅、麦宾草(Elymus tangutorum)、光稃早熟禾(P. psiolepis)和异针茅(S. aliena)内生真菌在菌落和分生孢子形态上存在差异。可见,青海高原禾草内生真菌带菌率较高,同时不同禾草内生真菌可能存在多样性。     

两类SSR对苜蓿属种质遗传多样性和亲缘关系的比较研究

利用33对细胞核SSR标记和28对叶绿体SSR标记对38份苜蓿属种质进行了遗传多样性和亲缘关系分析。在38份苜蓿属种质中,叶绿体SSR标记的平均等位变异数高于细胞核SSR标记,而遗传多样性指数则相反;分别用细胞核SSR、叶绿体SSR和61对SSR标记对38份苜蓿属种质进行聚类,结果显示:3次聚类都把38份苜蓿属种质划分为一年生和多年生苜蓿两个大类群;以相似系数0.8为准,3次聚类结果的差异主要显示在一年生苜蓿内部尤其是蒺藜苜蓿种质内的品种(系)划分上。     

贺兰山高山草甸的群落生态学研究

在群落调查的基础上，对贺兰山高山草甸进行数量分析。主要的结果如下：（1）贺兰山高山草甸可分为三个群系，分别为珠芽蓼群系、高山嵩草群系和矮嵩草群系，而高山嵩草群系和矮嵩草群系可进一步划分为两个亚群系，不同群系（或亚群系）的群落结构和环境特征之间存在显著的差异；（2）高山嵩草群系和矮嵩草群系之间的界限约为海拔3200m，而珠芽蓼群系主要分布于研究区的偏阴坡，与海拔关系不大；（3）14个频次大于50％的物种在排序图上的空间分布反映了这些物种最适宜生境的位置，而且与群落类型的空间分布一致。     

鲁北滨海地区引种豆科牧草的灰色关联度分析

试验在鲁北滨海地区对经一般观察后初步入选的１４种豆科牧草进行了观察，并采用灰色关联度分析法以干草产量、鲜草产量、繁殖系数、折干率、叶量率、生长速度为主要指标进行综合评价。结果表明：综合性状最好的豆科牧草是草木樨属牧草，其中白花草木樨尤为突出；其次为沙打旺和美国苜蓿，也是适于鲁北滨海地区种植的豆科牧草。     

Serum biochemical analytes in captive Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis)

Background: Establishment of reference values for serum biochemical analytes is important for monitoring health and physiological status of captive animals. Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure and report ranges for serum biochemical analytes in Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis). Methods: Blood samples were collected from 24 healthy captive Amazonian manatees that comprised a mixture of adults, subadults, and calves and males and females; serum analytes were measured and analyzed using a dry reagent bench‐top chemical analyzer. Comparisons were made between sexes and with previously published values of closely related species. Results: Medians and ranges (minimum–maximum) of values for the analytes were: lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), 151 (111–278) U/L (n=20); creatine kinase, 144 (76–315) U/L (n=11); alanine aminotransferase, 10 (2–28) U/L (n=18); aspartate aminotransferase, 14 (5–28) U/L (n=21); γ‐glutamyltransferase, 47 (36–73) U/L (n=21); amylase, 1428 (1010–1874) U/L (n=21); alkaline phosphatase, 73 (36–141) U/L (n=19); total protein, 6.8 (6.2–8.0) g/dL (n=24); albumin, 3.3 (2.6–4.1) g/dL (n=21); cholesterol, 188 (101–399) mg/dL (n=21); triglycerides, 126 (60–236) mg/dL (n=21); glucose, 47 (22–69) mg/dL (n=21); urea, 43 (21–69) mg/dL (n=21); uric acid, 1.1 (0.5–1.8) mg/dL (n=22); creatinine, 2.2 (1.5–3.3) mg/dL (n=22); total bilirubin, 0.2 (0.2–2.0) mg/dL (n=21); calcium, 12.7 (10.2–18.6) mg/dL (n=24); iron, 282 (207–457) μg/dL (n=13); and magnesium, 6.9 (4.3–8.9) mg/dL (n=20). With the exception of LDH, no differences were observed between sexes. Conclusions: The ranges obtained in this study provide important preliminary estimates for concentrations and activities of serum analytes in Amazonian manatees until a larger reference interval study can be conducted.     

DNA barcoding for identification of cryptic species in the field and existing museum collections: a case study of Aethomys and Micaelamys (Rodentia: Muridae)

DNA barcoding has been proposed as a method for species identification. However, this method has been criticised for its over-reliance on a single mitochondrial gene. In this study, four mitochondrial gene regions and one nuclear gene region were used to investigate their different abilities to identify tissue associated with museum specimens of Aethomys chrysophilus, Aethomys ineptus and Micaelamys namaquensis. Aethomys chrysophilus and the more recently elevated A. ineptus are indistinguishable on morphological grounds; however, their ranges are largely parapatric with only one syntopic locality currently known. All of the mitochondrial gene regions were able to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, but they varied in their abilities to resolve differences between A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus. The sequence results identified a specimen from KwaZulu-Natal that was misclassified and should have been identified as A. ineptus. Seven specimens that had not been reclassified following the elevation of A. ineptus to species level were identified as A. ineptus. Individuals of A. chrysophilus from Malawi could not be classified as either A. chrysophilus or A. ineptus, and may be a hybrid or a new, distinct species. This study indicates that DNA barcoding may be used to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, and although it was not able to separate A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, it did indicate specimens from Malawi may be a new cryptic species.     

黑土滩混播人工草地种间竞争力的研究

文章在＂黑土滩＂退化草地上,通过对多种牧草的混播组合试验,研究了＂黑土滩＂混播人工草地种间竞争的动态关系。通过4年的试验观测表明：合理的混播组合及适当的草地管理,能有效地提高人工植被的牧草产量。并且随着生长年限的延长,各组合的相对产量总和（RYT）逐渐增大,种植当年种间竞争大于种内竞争（RYT〈1）,环境资源仍有一定的利用空间;第2~4年种间竞争小于种内竞争（RYT〉1）,各牧草的生态位发生了不同程度的分离。＂垂穗披碱草＋青海草地早熟禾＋青海中华羊茅＋青海冷地早熟禾＂和＂垂穗披碱草＋青海草地早熟禾＋青海中华羊茅＋青海冷地早熟禾＋碱茅＂混播组合能获得相对稳定的群落。     

鸡血藤提取物的制备及药理毒理研究

目的：研究鸡血藤不同极性段提取物的制备方法、抗炎抗氧化活性,评价其安全性。方法：采用水、丙酮和乙醇等不同极性溶剂对鸡血藤有效成分进行提取,探讨鸡血藤不同极性段提取物体外清除自由基能力,并进行鸡血藤水提取物毒理学试验和体内抗炎作用研究。结果：鸡血藤各种提取物在体外均具有一定的清除羟自由基的能力;鸡血藤水提取物具有一定的抗炎活性;最大耐受量为120g／kg,为实际无毒。结论：鸡血藤水提取物具有抗炎、抗氧化活性,安全性好。     

Fine‐scale analysis of heavily invaded Italian freshwater fish assemblages

Inland waters are highly vulnerable to the introduction and spread of non‐native species, due to heavy human use of aquatic ecosystems and the natural linkages among streams and lakes. This is particularly noticeable in freshwater fish communities. To better evaluate how these communities are affected by non‐native species introductions, we conducted a fine‐scale analysis of the changes in Italian freshwater fish assemblages after species introduction. For this analysis, we collected information on fish species present in 44 basins. The present Italian freshwater fish fauna is composed of 48 native and 41 established introduced species, while a further 15 introduced species have been reported but are not yet considered naturalized. The changes in the fish assemblages mostly took place in the past 2 centuries and have increased recently, with nearly 60% of the species introduced in the past 3 decades. The number of species introduced per basin ranged from 0 to 35 (mean 10.85 ± 7.77 species/basin), and in 10 basins the number of species introduced is now equal to or even higher than the number of native species. In the past, introduced species mainly originated from America, but over the past three decades, an increase of introductions from other parts of Europe and Asia has been recorded. Our results show that basins already rich in native species tend to become even richer as a consequence of the establishment of introduced species. This confirms the trend toward a biotic homogenization of ecosystems even at a local scale, due to an increase in the human‐mediated spread of generalist species.