扩增片段长度多态性（AFLP）在动物遗传育种中的应用进展

AFLP是一种新的分子遗传标记技术，它结合了RFLP和PCR技术的优点，具有RFLP的稳定性和PCR的高效性，被称为“最有威力的分子遗传标记”或“下一代分子标记”。相对于国外而言，我国在这方面的研究还比较少。本文综述了扩增片段长度多态性(AFLP)这种遗传标记的原理、技术特点、技术发展及其在动物遗传多样性、种质鉴定、遗传图谱构建、基因定位和标记辅助育种等研究中的应用。     

闭锁群体BLUP选择下遗传方差和近交系数的变化

采用计算机随机模拟方法模拟了在一个闭锁群体内连续对单个性状进行 1 5个世代选择的情况。选择过程中世代不重叠 ,每个世代的种畜根据动物模型最佳线性无偏预测 (BLUP)法估计的育种值进行选留 ,并在此基础上系统地比较了不同群体规模、公母比例和性状遗传力对群体遗传方差和近交系数变化的影响。结果表明 ,扩大育种群规模、增加公畜比例以及对低遗传力性状进行选择时 ,群体遗传方差降低的速度和近交系数上升的速度会更慢 ,在长期选择时可望获得更大的持续进展和适宜的近交增量     

Using traffic flow theory to model traffic mortality in mammals

Traffic has a considerable effect on population and community dynamics through the disruption and fragmentation of habitat and traffic mortality. This paper deals with a systematic way to acquire knowledge about the probabilities of successful road crossing by mammals and what characteristics affect this traversability. We derive a model from traffic flow theory to estimate traffic mortality in mammals related to relevant road, traffic and species characteristics. The probability of successful road crossing is determined by the pavement width of the road, traffic volume, traversing speed of the mammals and their body length. We include the traversability model in a simple two-patch population model to explore the effects of these road, traffic and species characteristics on population dynamics. Analysis of the models show that, for our parameter ranges, traffic volume and traversing speed have the largest effect on traffic mortality. The population size is especially negatively affected when roads have to be crossed during the daily movements. These predictions could be useful to determine the expected effectiveness of mitigating measures relative to the current situation. Mitigating measures might alter the road and traffic characteristics. The effects of these changes on traffic mortality and population dynamics could be analysed by calculating the number of traffic victims before and after the mitigating measures. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seed production of Chenopodium album in competition with field vegetables

Total weed control within a crop is both difficult and expensive to achieve, so that some weeds will often remain to set seed. The seed production resulting from these weeds will ultimately affect the sustainability of the weed control strategy. If too much is allowed to return each season there could be a gradual, but significant, increase in the potential weed flora over a number of seasons. Field trials were carried out in 2000 and 2001 to quantify the potential magnitude of this weed seed return from Chenopodium album L., grown at two planting densities either in pure stands or in competition with one of two crops (cabbage or onion). Crop and weed weights and weed seed production were notably greater in 2001. Both dry weight and seed production of C. album were suppressed by increasing planting density or by the presence of crop, with cabbage having a more suppressive effect. Despite the plasticity in seed production, a linear relationship was demonstrated between log weed seed production and log weed biomass that was robust over a range of competitive situations with onion and cabbage, at different planting densities and in growing seasons. The study also demonstrated that the relationship could be combined with an existing simple competition model to allow the consequences of incomplete weed control to be assessed in terms of potential weed seed return.     

Chromosomal and Plasmid Diversity of Agrobacterium Strains Isolated from Ficus benjamina Tumors

Agrobacteria were previously isolated from tumors developing on branches and aerial and hypogeous roots of weeping fig plants in Italy and in The Netherlands. A representative group of 48 strains was analyzed by PCR–RFLP of 16S and 16S + IGS ribosomal regions, PCR–RFLP of six Ti plasmid (pTi) regions and characterized for plasmid content. Two groups of agrobacteria were separated by cluster analysis of PCR–RFLP profiles of rrs gene: seventeen strains were similar to the new species Agrobacterium larrymoorei, while the remaining strains were included within the agrobacterium biovar 1 group. Sixteen different plasmid profiles from one to five plasmids were observed. In addition, 21 ribotypes and 20 pTi structures were arranged in many different combinations, showing that fig agrobacteria were characterized by a wide heterogeneity. A general lack of correlation between strain ribotypes and plasmid content was observed.     

Distribution of alpha‐neoendorphin,ACTH (18–39) and beta‐endorphin (1–27) in the alpaca brainstem

Using an immunocytochemical technique, we have studied in the alpaca brainstem the distribution of immunoreactive structures containing prodynorphin (alpha‐neoendorphin)‐ and pro‐opiomelanocortin (adrenocorticotrophin hormone (18–39) (ACTH), beta‐endorphin (1–27))‐derived peptides. No peptidergic‐immunoreactive cell body was observed. Immunoreactive fibres were widely distributed, although in most of the brainstem nuclei the density of the peptidergic fibres was low or very low. In general, the distribution of the immunoreactive fibres containing the peptides studied was very similar. A close anatomical relationship occurred among the fibres containing alpha‐neoendorphin, ACTH or beta‐endorphin (1–27), suggesting a functional interaction among the three peptides in many of the brainstem nuclei. The number of fibres belonging to the prodynorphin system was higher than that of the pro‐opiomelanocortin system. A moderate/low density of immunoreactive fibres was observed in 65.11% (for alpha‐neoendorphin (1–27)), 18.18% (for ACTH) and 13.95% (for beta‐endorphin) of the brainstem nuclei/tracts. In the alpaca brainstem, a high density of immunoreactive fibres was not observed. The neuroanatomical distribution of the immunoreactive fibres suggests that the peptides studied are involved in auditory, motor, gastric, feeding, vigilance, stress, respiratory and cardiovascular mechanisms, taste response, sleep‐waking cycle and the control of pain transmission.     

草地群落类型对乳白香青种群特征和雌雄株形态及抗性的影响

为探究亚高山雌雄异株草本植物乳白香青对生境的适应方式,通过测定5个草地群落(A-老芒麦改良草地,B-虉草改良草地,C-天然草地,D-天然草甸,E-沙化草地)中乳白香青种群数、种群密度和面积、分布系数、性比组成,以及雌雄株构件性状、生物量配比、水分分配及抗性物质含量等参数,研究群落组成对乳白香青种群特征、雌雄株形态可塑性及抗性的影响。结果表明,5个草地群落的优势种、群落密度、基盖度、物种密度和优势种高度及土壤理化性状的显著差异(P<0.05),使不同群落中乳白香青种群特征显著不同,群落类型对种群特征参数影响顺序为种群面积>种群密度>性比>年龄结构>种群数>分布系数;D群落中乳白香青种群数和分布系数最高,C中乳白香青种群面积和密度最大,E中乳白香青种群数仅分别为D和C中的30.21%和35.11%,分布系数仅为C中的36.04%;群落类型对乳白香青种群年龄结构和性比有显著影响(P<0.05),雌株数为雄株的2.22~7.03倍;叶数和叶面积、株高和茎径、根长、小花数和苞片层数有显著的性别差异(P<0.05),群落类型对雌雄株的叶数和叶面积、株高、根数、花序数和小花数有显著影响,对雄株茎径和苞片层数有显著影响;雄株总生物量和花分配比显著高于雌株,而根分配比显著低于雌株(P<0.05),群落类型对乳白香青生物量配比有显著影响,雌株生物量配比受影响顺序为花>总生物量>叶>根>茎,雄株受影响顺序为花>茎>叶>总生物量>根;雄株茎、叶、花含水量显著高于雌株(P<0.05),根含水量在性别间和群落间差异较小,雌株构件含水量受群落类型影响顺序为花>茎>叶>根,雄株为叶>茎>花>根。雄株中MDA含量高于雌株,雌株中H₂O₂含量及T-AOC活性大于雄株(P<0.05),群落组成对雌、雄株中H₂O₂和MDA含量及T-AOC活性有极显著影响(P<0.01)。A和B中H₂O₂和MDA含量最低,E中H₂O₂和MDA达最大值,而T-AOC活性最低。雌、雄个体均能依据群落生境调整生长策略,通过构件性状、生物量配比、水分分配和抗性生理等适应性变化,使种群具有与生境匹配的种群特征,利于提高种群适合度和生活史完成。     

Changes in the density and growth of brown trout (Salmo trutta) after intensive removal of sympatric Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in the sub‐Arctic lake Møkkelandsvatn,Norway

This study tests the basic hypothesis that the removal of charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), would cause an increase in both the growth and density of a sympatric trout population, Salmo trutta L. The charr population was characterised by slow‐growing individuals, with a high proportion of mature fish, that is typical for so‐called overpopulated populations. A total of 31,000 charr was removed from the lake in the period 1990–1992, and the density of younger trout (1+, 2+), but not older trout (3+, 4+), increased. The growth of older trout (3+, 4+) increased, but the evidence for similar growth increases of younger trout (1+, 2+) was limited. From 1989 to 1990, the proportion of trout increased from 30 to only 40% of the total catch, but from 1991 to 1994, it was significantly higher (60–80%) than that of charr. Total trout biomass increased to a maximum in 1992 and then decreased so that the biomass of 1994 was nearly similar to that of 1989, that is before the start of the charr removal. Back‐calculated lengths of trout from otoliths showed that 2+ and 3+ trout caught in the pelagic were growing consistently faster over previous years than those caught in the littoral, while this was not the case for the 4+ fish. Therefore, the hypothesis was partially supported; the growth rate of trout increased (age groups 1+ to 4+), while the density of juvenile trout (1+, 2+), but not the older trout (3+, 4+), increased after the removal of charr.