The use of heterospecific scent marks by the sweat bee <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halictus aerarius</Emphasis>

To forage effectively amongst flowers, some bee species utilize olfactory cues left by previous visitors in addition to direct assessment of visual cues to identify rewarding flowers. This ability can be more advantageous if the bees can recognize and use scent marks left by heterospecifics, not just marks left by members of their own species. We conducted field experiments to investigate whether the sweat bee Halictus aerarius avoids visiting flowers of trailing water willow Justicia procumbens emptied by other bee species. We found that H. aerarius rejected the flowers visited by both heterospecifics and conspecifics. They also rejected visited flowers artificially replenished with nectar. Our results demonstrate that social bees outside the Apidae can detect marks left on flowers by heterospecifics but that (on this plant species) they are unable to discriminate against flowers by directly detecting nectar volume. H. aerarius exhibited different rejection rates according to the identity of the previous bee species. We suggest that the frequency of rejection responses may depend on the amount of chemical substances left by the previous bee. In general, the use of scent marks left by previous visitors is almost certainly advantageous, enabling foragers to avoid flowers with depleted nectar levels and thereby improving their foraging efficiency.     

几种常用屋顶绿化植物的耐热性评价

耐热性足屋顶绿化植物必备的指标之一.试验采用盆栽法,选择佛甲草、沿阶草、高羊茅、白三叶4种屋顶绿化常用植物,研究了在高温胁迫条件下植株的形态特征、脯氨酸含量、超氧岐化酶含量、丙二醛含量、可溶性糖含量、叶绿素含量.结果表明:所有参试植物的生长和生理指标都随热胁迫的程度而变化,但植物之间差异显著.其耐热性强弱顺序为:佛甲草...     

Conspicuous and aposematic spines in the animal kingdom

Spines serve as a common physical defence mechanism in both the plant and animal kingdoms. Here we argue that as in plants, defensive animal spines are often conspicuous (shape and colour) and should be considered aposematic. Conspicuous spines may evolve as signals or serve as a cue for potential predators. Spine conspicuousness in animals has evolved independently across and within phyla occupying aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, indicating that this convergent phenomenon is highly adaptive. Still, many spines are cryptic, suggesting that conspicuity is not simply constrained by developmental factors such as differences in the chemical composition of the integument. Aposematism does not preclude the signalling role of conspicuous spines in the sexual arena.     

Predominance of self-compatibility in hummingbird-pollinated plants in the Neotropics

Both plant traits and plant–pollinator interactions are thought to influence plant mating systems. For hummingbird-pollinated plants, foraging strategy (territorial or traplining) is also expected to influence plant mating. We hypothesize that the traplining behavior of hermits promotes outcrossing, whereas the behavior of non-hermits favours self-incompatibility. Thus, selection is expected to maintain self-incompatibility in plants pollinated by non-hermits. We explore the incidence of self-incompatibility in Neotropical hummingbird-pollinated plants and its association with hummingbird behavior and plant traits. We conducted a literature review (56 species) and performed hand-pollination experiments in 27 hummingbird-pollinated plants in an Atlantic rainforest. We found that self-incompatibility (measured as <0.3 for the Index of Self-incompatibility [ISI]) occurred in only 33 % of the Neotropical hummingbird-pollinated plants. The interaction of hummingbird and habit type affected ISI, as did phylogenetic relationships. Specifically, herbs pollinated by non-hermits had higher ISI than woody plants pollinated by non-hermits, and herbs pollinated by both hermits and non-hermits. For the Atlantic rainforest plant guild, 30 % of the species were self-incompatible. ISI was higher in herbs than in woody species and increased with plant aggregation but was not dependent on foraging behavior, plant density, or floral display. Although hummingbirds differ in their foraging strategies, these behavioral differences seem to have only a minor influence on the incidence of self-incompatibility. Phylogenetic relatedness seems to be the strongest determinant of mating system in Neotropical hummingbird-pollinated plants.     

Relatedness communicated in lemur scent

Lemurs are the most olfactory-oriented of primates, yet there is still only a basic level of understanding of what their scent marks communicate. We analyzed scent secretions from Milne-Edwards' sifakas (Propithecus edwardsi) collected in their natural habitat of Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We sought to test whether the scent mark could signal genetic relatedness in addition to species, sex, season, and individuality. We not only found correlations (r ²?=?0.38, P?=?0.017) between the total olfactory fingerprint and genetic relatedness but also between relatedness and specific components of the odor, despite the complex environmental signals from differences in diet and behavior in a natural setting. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of an association between genetic relatedness and chemical communication in a wild primate population. Furthermore, we found a variety of compounds that were specific to each sex and each sampling period. This research shows that scent marks could act as a remote signal to avoid inbreeding, optimize mating opportunities, and potentially aid kin selection.     

绿色雨水基础设施适应性植物的选择和设计

针对绿色雨水基础设施建设过程中植物选择不当、景观效果差、养护成本高等问题,提出定性与定量相结合的评价选择方法。以北京地区草本植物为例,根据GSI设施结构、功能特征拟定植物基本属性指标,建立植物综合评价指标体系,对30种常用草本植物进行评分分级,筛选出与设施功能相适应的植物种类;并探讨了草甸型植物景观在绿色雨水基础设施中的应用前景及设计方法,为高效益、低成本的绿色雨水基础设施建设提供新思路。     

矿区周边土壤重金属污染治理的优势植物筛选——以关中西部某铅锌冶炼区为例

通过对关中西部某铅锌冶炼区周边实地调查、采样和室内样品分析,采用原子吸收分光光度计测定铅锌冶炼区周边地区长势良好的13种优势植物对Pb、Zn、Cd、Cr、Cu、Ni的吸收与富集能力及其富集特征。结果表明,矿区土壤均受到Pb、Zn、Cd 3种重金属的污染,13种植物体内的Pb、Zn、Cd的含量比正常植物的含量高出数倍,白蒿、蒲公英、播娘蒿、牛舌草和秃疮花这5种植物对于Pb、Zn、Cd这3种重金属的转移系数均大于1,从植物体内重金属含量、转运系数和富集系数3个指标来看,白蒿和蒲公英可作为首选的2种先锋植物。此结果为利用本土植物治理铅锌矿区土壤重金属污染提供一定的参考依据。     

贵州省河谷型村镇建设中外来植物的入侵风险评估

在村镇建设和国土空间生态修复中,植物配置对区域生态安全和人居环境健康会产生一定的潜在影响,特别是外来植物容易产生的入侵风险和危害.为掌握贵州省赤水河流域村镇建设中外来植物组成、分布和生态风险,选择某河谷型村镇,在其建成区和非建成区布设了49个样点,调查与分析了外来植物的种类组成、分布特征及地形因素影响,并应用层次分析法(AHP)评估了37种外来植物的入侵风险.结果表明:①该河谷型村镇共发现植物276种,隶属于99科230属.其中,外来植物37种,隶属于18科32属,草本植物种数最多,占外来植物总数的64.9%,外来植物中有22种来源于美洲.②外来植物主要分布在海拔400~650 m之间.外来植物种数与入侵强度呈极显著正相关(P < 0.01),与海拔、乡土植物种数均呈极显著负相关(P < 0.01),海拔对外来植物种数影响最大,贡献率为68.7%,入侵强度和乡土植物种数的贡献率分别为12.4%和9.6%.③37种外来植物中入侵风险等级为高级的有13种(占35.1%),包括小蓬草(Conyza canadensis L.Cronq.)、反枝苋(Amaranthus retroflexus L.)、三叶鬼针草(Bidens pilosa L)和土荆芥(Ysphania ambrosioides L.)等,入侵风险等级为中级和低级的分别为13种和10种.研究显示,该河谷型村镇外来植物分布受海拔和乡土植物影响,低海拔地区外来植物较多;入侵风险等级为高级的外来植物有13种,建成区和非建成区分布相差不大.研究结果可为该河谷型小镇对入侵风险等级为高级的外来植物进行生态风险防控和乡土植物的合理开发利用提供支撑.      

Degradation of Populus euphratica community in the lower reaches of the Tarim River, Xinjiang, China

IntroductionRiparian systems are aquatic-terrestrial ecotones withunique biotic , biophysical and landscape characteristics(Gregory, 1991 ; Naiman, 1997 ; Wiens , 2002) and areshaped by fluvial geomorphic processes . Riparian plantcommunities perform an i…     

Blue-green eggshell coloration is not a sexually selected signal of female quality in an open-nesting polygynous passerine

It has been proposed that blue-green egg colours have evolved as a post-mating signal of female quality, selected by males allocating their parental effort in response to the strength of this signal. We tested two main assumptions of the sexually selected egg coloration hypothesis: (1) whether the intensity of eggshell blue-green chroma (BGC) reflects female quality; and (2) whether males make their decisions on the level of parental care that they provide according to the intensity of eggshell BGC. As a model species, we chose the facultatively polygynous great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). In this species, females simultaneously paired with the same male, compete for his nest attendance and could benefit from signalling their quality through egg coloration. However, we found no association between the variation in eggshell BGC and the measures of female quality (physical condition, mean egg volume and age). Moreover, great reed warbler males did not adjust their investment (as measured in terms of nest defence against a brood parasite) in relation to the eggshell BGC. We conclude that blue-green egg coloration in this open-nesting passerine is unlikely to have a signalling function. Rather, the large colour variation among clutches of individual females may depend on yearly fluctuations in environmental conditions.     

The importance of crossroads in faecal marking behaviour of the wolves (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Canis lupus</Emphasis>)

For wolves (Canis lupus) scats play an important function in territorial marking behaviour. Depositing scats at strategic sites such as crossroads and on conspicuous substrates probably increases their effectiveness as visual and olfactory marks. It is therefore likely that scats will be deposited, and will accumulate, at particular crossroads where the probability of being detected by other wolves is greatest. To check this hypothesis, a wolf population in NW Spain was studied for two consecutive years, from May 1998 to March 2000, and the spatial distribution of 311 scats detected along roads (both at and away from crossroads) was analysed. This study was conducted over an area of 12,000 ha in Montes do Invernadeiro Natural Park. The results confirm that wolves preferably deposit their scats at crossroads (60.1%) and on conspicuous substrates (72.1%). Significantly more scats were found at intersections with numerous, easily passable roads connecting distant territories. Thus, wolves preferably deposit their faeces at crossroads with high accessibility and driveability. The larger the surface area of the crossroads, the more scats were found. Crossroads are therefore highly strategic points that facilitate the detection of scats.     

饮用水源人工湿地运行初期水生植物繁衍研究

研究了大规模的城市饮用水源人工湿地运行初期水生植物繁衍特性和改进措施.建立了嘉兴市石臼漾生态湿地水生维管束植物名录,分析了水生植物的种类、分布面积、群落结构和生物量,目的旨在揭示石臼漾湿地运行初期其水生植物繁衍情况和群落结构特征,探讨水生植被的优化管理措施.石臼漾湿地现存水生维管束植物共计25科41属49种,远超过初始...     

大连石灰石矿矿坑边坡绿化植物种类选择

大连石灰石矿矿坑边坡绿化生态修复工程主要采用厚层基材喷附和液力喷播两种工艺,喷播植物种类的选择将直接影响其生态修复效果。以该工程为例,根据工程区地理及环境特征,基于边坡绿化的基本原则,因地制宜地提出了适宜的边坡绿化植物。     

Physicochemical characteristics of ambient particles settling upon leaf surfaces of urban plants in Beijing

Particulate pollution is a serious health problem throughout the world, exacerbating a wide range of respiratory and vascular illnesses in urban areas. Urban plants play an important role in reducing particulate pollution. Physicochemical characteristics of ambient particles settling upon leaf surfaces of eleven roadside plants at four sites of Beijing were studies. Results showed that density of particles on the leaf surfaces greatly varied with plant species and traffic condition. Fraxinus chiuensis, Sophora japonica Ailanthus altissima, Syringa oblata and Prunus persica, had larger densities of particles among the tall species. Due to resuspension of road dust, the densities of particles of Euonymus japonicns and Parthenocissus quinquefolia with low sampling height were 2-35 times to other taller tree species. For test plant species, micro-roughness of leaf surfaces and density of particles showed a close correlation. In general, the larger micro-roughness of leaf surfaces is, the larger density of particles is. Particles settling upon leaf surfaces were dominantly PM30 （particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter; 98.4%） and PM2.5 （particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter; 64.2%） which were closely relative to human health. Constant elements of particles were C, O, K, Ca, Si, Al, Mg, Na, Fe, S, Cl and minerals with higher content were SiO2, CaCO3, CaMg（CO3）2, NaCI and 2CASO4. H2O, SiO2. CaCO3 and CaMg（CO3）2 mainly came from resuspension of road dust. 2CaSO4. H2O was produced by the reaction between CaCO3 derived from earth dust or industrial emission and SO2, H2SO4 or sulfate. NaCl was derived from sea salt.     

Convergent evolution: floral guides, stingless bee nest entrances, and insectivorous pitchers

Several recent hypotheses, including sensory drive and sensory exploitation, suggest that receiver biases may drive selection of biological signals in the context of sexual selection. Here we suggest that a similar mechanism may have led to convergence of patterns in flowers, stingless bee nest entrances, and pitchers of insectivorous plants. A survey of these non-related visual stimuli shows that they share features such as stripes, dark centre, and peripheral dots. Next, we experimentally show that in stingless bees the close-up approach to a flower is guided by dark centre preference. Moreover, in the approach towards their nest entrance, they have a spontaneous preference for entrance patterns containing a dark centre and disrupted ornamentation. Together with existing empirical evidence on the honeybee's and other insects’ orientation to flowers, this suggests that the signal receivers of the natural patterns we examined, mainly Hymenoptera, have spontaneous preferences for radiating stripes, dark centres, and peripheral dots. These receiver biases may have evolved in other behavioural contexts in the ancestors of Hymenoptera, but our findings suggest that they have triggered the convergent evolution of visual stimuli in floral guides, stingless bee nest entrances, and insectivorous pitchers.     

Color polymorphism in a land snail Cepaea nemoralis (Pulmonata: Helicidae) as viewed by potential avian predators

Avian predation is one of the most probable factors maintaining polymorphism of shell coloration in Cepaea nemoralis. This assumption is justified by the fact that birds frequently forage on snails and their prey choice varies with morph coloration. However, in all preceding studies, the conspicuousness of morphs was determined only by using human vision which is significantly different from birds’ visual perception. In this study, we assessed how birds perceive colors of four Cepaea nemoralis morphs using physiological models of avian color vision. We calculated combined chromatic and achromatic contrast between shells and three habitat background types as a measure of shell conspicuousness. The degree of background color matching in Cepaea nemoralis depended on both shell morph and habitat type. On average, banded morphs were more conspicuous than unbanded morphs. Morphs were the most cryptic against dry vegetation and the most conspicuous on bare ground. We also found a significant interaction between habitat type and color morph. The relative conspicuousness of shell morphs depended on habitat and was the most variable against green vegetation. Our study provides the first insight into how potential avian predators view Cepaea nemoralis morphs. The results are discussed in light of multiple hypotheses explaining selective predation on Cepaea nemoralis morphs.     

A risk assessment system for alien plant bio-invasion in Xiamen of China

Bio-invasion has caused serious ecosystem damage and enormous economic losses in China, and it has been the greatest factor to island bio-diversity reduction. Xiamen, as an important seaport with a relatively high conservation value, is particularly vulnerable to bio-invasion for its typical island ecosystem as well as frequent human-made disturbance. As a result of field surveys, literature review, and consultation with experts, a list of 67 alien plants identified as major invaders (12 species) and emerging invaders (55 species) in Xiamen has been compiled. Based on the analysis of the current situation of bio-invasion in Xiamen, a risk assessment system for alien plant invasion has been designed using a ranking system and an analytic hierarchy process. The system consists of 17 secondary indices, grouped into 6 primary indices reflecting the different stages in the bio-invasion process: introduction, establishment, dispersion, current range, infestation, and artificial control. Biogeographical, ecological, and experience-linked aspects of the species as well as artificial disturbance were taken into account in the index selection and criterion development. The system was then validated (and worked well) using fifty well-known alien plant species as candidates. Appropriate recommendations are proposed to help local policy-makers prioritize their decisions on such alien plants.     

岩溶区典型灌丛植物根系丛枝菌根真菌群落结构解析

运用末端限制性片段长度多态性T-RFLP法(terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism),检测岩溶区典型13种灌丛植物根系丛枝菌根(arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM)群落结构变化特征,探讨岩溶区AM与宿主植物是否存在选择特性.结果表明,不同灌丛植物根际土壤养分存在显著差异,豆科植物显著高于非豆科植物.聚类分析表明,13种灌丛植物均能被AM侵染,不同灌丛植物根系AM群落结构存在显著差异,尤其豆科与非豆科植物,但AM群落结构在9种非豆科植物间差异显著而在4种豆科植物间则差异不显著.冗余分析表明,影响豆科与非豆科植物根系AM群落结构的因子各异,土壤Olsen-P、p H和全氮是影响岩溶区灌丛植物根系AM群落组成结构的主要因子.研究还表明,岩溶区灌丛植物根系AM与宿主植物具有选择特性,这种选择特性出现在植物功能群的几率比植物种类大,将AM应用于岩溶区植物恢复时,应考虑AM与宿主植物的选择特性问题.     

淮北国家城市湿地公园野生植物区系及栽培植物营建

论文对淮北煤矿塌陷区国家城市湿地公园野生植物区系进行调查,对公园栽培植物营建进行分析。结果表明：1）该区共有野生植物42科95属115种,其中单子叶植物6科27种,双子叶植物35科87种,蕨类植物1科1种。菊科（Compositae）、禾本科（Gramineae）和豆科（Leguminosae）为优势科;属的成分相对分散,均为寡种属和单种属;植物以农田杂草为主,区系成分简单,野生湿地植物种类优势明显。2）湿地公园湿地植被划分为2个植被型组、5个植被型和18个群系。白茅（Imperata cylindrical）、藜（Chenopodium album）、狗牙根（Cynodon dactylon）、苍耳（Xanthium sibiricum）、芦苇（Phragmites australis）、香蒲（Typha orientalis）等为湿地公园湿地植物优势种群,形成大面积优势群落。3）栽培植物共计19科31属34种,主要有意杨（Populus × canadensis ‘I-214’）、垂柳（Salix babylonica）、冬青卫矛（Euonymus japonica）、马尼拉草（Zoysia tenuifolia）等。4）园区有喜旱莲子草（Alternanthera philoxeroides）等外来植物共10种,其中小花山桃草（Gaura parviflora）为安徽省首次记录。论文针对公园野生植物保护及栽培植物营建中存在的主要问题,提出了相应的保护及修复对策。     

氯消毒和紫外消毒对城市污水处理厂二沉池出水中粪大肠菌群耐药性的影响

为考察城市污水处理厂消毒方式对出水中细菌耐药性的影响,使用二沉池出水进行氯消毒和紫外消毒试验. 选择AMP(氨苄西林)、TET(盐酸四环素)、CIP(环丙沙星)和CHL(氯霉素)作为典型的抗生素,研究消毒前后粪大肠菌群耐药率的变化. 结果表明:当水中ρ(有效氯)在0~1.0mg/L范围内增加时,粪大肠菌群对AMP和CIP的耐药率都有所升高,而对TET的耐药率却呈下降趋势. 当使用1.0mg/L氯消毒之后,粪大肠菌群对AMP、TET、CIP、CHL的耐药率分别为35.1%、5.6%、62.3%、0. 粪大肠菌群对AMP、TET和CIP的耐药性在氯消毒后会逐渐恢复. 氯消毒后48h,粪大肠菌群对AMP、TET和CIP的耐药率均高于消毒前. 在较低的紫外辐照剂量 (约16mJ/cm2以下)范围内,随着紫外辐照剂量的升高,粪大肠菌群对多种抗生素的耐药率均有降低,而较高的紫外辐照剂量则可能导致粪大肠菌群耐药率升高.