Variation of foraging rate and wing loading, but not resting metabolic rate scaling, of insect pollinators

Morphological, physiological and behavioural variation with body size (i.e. scaling) may affect costs of living in a particular environment for insects and, ultimately, pollination or foraging success. However, few studies have directly assessed the scaling of these traits at the species level. Using two similar-sized pollinator species (the hawkmoth Macroglossum trochilus and the fly Moegistorhynchus longirostrus), we compare intraspecific scaling relationships of resting metabolic rate (RMR), foraging rate (FR) and wing loading (WL) to address this paucity of data. Scaling of RMR was similar for both taxa although the intercepts for the relationships differed. However, these two species showed variation in WL scaling relationships and fundamentally different FR scaling. For M. longirostrus, FR scaling was positive but non-significantly related to body mass while for M. trochilus FR scaling was negative. This suggests that variation in FR and WL, but not RMR scaling, among these flies and hawkmoths may impose significant energetic costs which could affect animal–plant interactions in the wild.     

Genetic structure of Mediterranean chukar (Alectoris chukar, Galliformes) populations: conservation and management implications

The chukar (Alectoris chukar, Galliformes) is a species hunted throughout its native range from the East Mediterranean to Manchuria and in the USA, which hosts the world’s largest introduced population. This study aims to investigate the genetic structure of Mediterranean chukar populations to aid management decisions. We genotyped 143 specimens at two regions of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA: cytochrome b, control region) and eight loci of the microsatellite DNA. Samples were collected in northern (Limnos, Lesvos, Chios) and southern (Crete) Aegean islands (Greece) and Cyprus. We also carried out mtDNA-based comparison with chukars (n?=?124) from Asia (16 countries) and the USA (five states). We propose six management units for Mediterranean populations. Given their genetic integrity, Limnos and Cyprus, which host different subspecies, proved to be of primary conservation interest. We found exotic A. chukar mtDNA lineages in Lesvos, Chios and Crete and produced definitive genetic evidence for the Asian origin of the US chukars.     

Epigeic Collembola in winter wheat under organic,integrated and conventional farm management regimes

Community characteristics of Collembola assemblages in conventional, integrated and organic fields of winter wheat were compared among three randomly chosen areas in England using analysis of similarities, cluster analysis, multi-dimensional scaling and several measures of diversity and evenness. Indicator values were used to identify indicator species. Significant differences were found in the abundance of most species and in community structure among the three geographical regions but few differences between the farming regimes were significant. Despite a lack of significant differences among regimes, Entomobrya multifasciata and Isotomurus spp. were consistently, although not significantly more common in conventional than organic fields whereas the opposite was true for Isotoma viridis and Isotoma notabilis. Farming regime significantly affected the abundance of Sminthurinus elegans and Sminthurus viridis but the effect differed between geographical regions. Community composition and species dominance were influenced by farming regime, but no species were indicative of the different farming systems, as most occurred ubiquitously in all fields. Organically and conventionally farmed fields were found not to differ significantly from each other in community composition, but both differed from integrated fields. These findings are compared with the results from other recent European studies of the effects of farming systems on arthropods and their wider ecological implications are discussed.     

Millennium-old farm breeding of Chinese softshell turtles (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pelodiscus</Emphasis> spp.) results in massive erosion of biodiversity

Chinese softshell turtles (Pelodiscus spp.) are widely distributed, ranging from the Amur and Ussuri Rivers in the Russian Far East through the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and eastern, central, and southern China to southern Vietnam. In East and Southeast Asia, Chinese softshell turtles are traditionally exploited for food and have been farm-bred in China since the Spring and Autumn Period, more than 2400 years ago. Currently, the annual production of Pelodiscus amounts to 340,000 t in China alone. Using mitochondrial DNA (2428 bp) and five nuclear loci (3704 bp), we examined broad sampling of wild and farm-bred Pelodiscus to infer genetic and taxonomic differentiation. We discovered four previously unknown mitochondrial lineages, all from China. One lineage from Jiangxi is deeply divergent and sister to the mitochondrial lineage of Pelodiscus axenaria. The nuclear loci supported species status for P. axenaria and the new lineage from Jiangxi. Pelodiscus maackii and P. parviformis, both harboring distinct mitochondrial lineages, were not differentiated from P. sinensis in the studied nuclear markers. The same is true for two new mitochondrial lineages from Zhejiang, China, represented by only one individual each, and another new lineage from Anhui, Guangdong, Jiangxi and Zhejiang, China. However, Vietnamese turtles yielding a mitochondrial lineage clustering within P. sinensis were distinct in nuclear markers, suggesting that these populations could represent another unknown species with introgressed mitochondria. Its species status is also supported by the syntopic occurrence with P. sinensis in northern Vietnam and by morphology. In addition, we confirmed sympatry of P. axenaria and P. parviformis in Guangxi, China, and found evidence for sympatry of P. sinensis and the new putative species from Jiangxi, China. We also discovered evidence for hybridization in turtle farms and for the occurrence of alien lineages in the wild (Zhejiang, China), highlighting the risk of genetic pollution of native stock. In the face of the large-scale breeding of Pelodiscus, we claim that the long-term survival of distinct genetic lineages and species can only be assured when an upscale market segment for pure-bred softshell turtles is established, making the breeding of pure lineages lucrative for turtle farms. Our findings underline that the diversity of Pelodiscus is currently underestimated and threatened by anthropogenic admixture. We recommend mass screening of genetic and morphological variation of Chinese softshell turtles as a first step to understand and preserve their diversity.     

Cross-habitat variation in the phenology of a colonial spider: insights from a reciprocal transplant study

In species with widespread distribution, populations found in markedly different environments can show differences in developmental traits. This, in time, can have an effect on reproductive success. Sources of variation in developmental traits can be genetic or environmentally induced. I examined the relationship between environmental and genetic influences on juvenile development in populations of the colonial spider, Parawixia bistriata, located at sites with different moisture regimes and associated environmental variables (e.g., prey availability). It was expected that individuals from different populations would show differences in developmental traits and that those differences will be associated with lower reproductive success at dry sites. I recorded the phenology and developmental traits of native and transplanted individuals in the field and estimated reproductive success based on clutch size. Colonies from wet versus dry sites showed different phenologies, with individuals at dry sites maturing later. Transplant results suggest plasticity in instar duration caused by environmental effects. Despite differences in resources and spider phenology, clutch sizes of native dry and wet populations were similar. Transplanted individuals, however, were differentially affected. Transplants from wet to dry sites (WD) showed lower growth rates and smaller clutches, whereas transplants from dry to wet sites had larger clutch sizes than in native habitat. Delayed maturation and failure to reproduce in WD individuals is associated with a lower tendency to capture prey in groups and less aggressive interactions during prey capture. Thus, despite negative environmental effects on development, dry native individuals have evolved non-developmental traits that allow successful reproduction.     

Evidence of at least two evolutionary lineages in Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini) suggested by mtDNA variability and geometric morphometrics of forewings

Melipona subnitida, a tropical stingless bee, is an endemic species of the Brazilian northeast and exhibits great potential for honey and pollen production in addition to its role as one of the main pollinators of the Caatinga biome. To understand the genetic structure and better assist in the conservation of this species, we characterized the population variability of M. subnitida using geometric morphometrics of the forewing and cytochrome c oxidase I gene fragment sequencing. We collected workers from six localities in the northernmost distribution. Both methodologies indicated that the variability among the sampled populations is related both to the environment in which samples were collected and the geographical distance between the sampling sites, indicating that differentiation among the populations is due to the existence of at least evolutionary lineages. Molecular clock data suggest that this differentiation may have begun in the middle Pleistocene, approximately 396 kya. The conservation of all evolutionary lineages is important since they can present differential resistance to environmental changes, as resistance to drought and diseases.     

近25年来我国海岸线开发强度变化研究

海岸线资源作为社会经济发展与城市扩张的重要空间基础,成为沿海城市社会经济发展的最重要因素。本文基于1990年、2000年、2010年和2015年4个时期的遥感影像提取岸线数据,计算25年来我国大陆海岸线开发强度变化量及年均变化速度,研究其时空演变规律,得出以下结论:（1）我国海岸线开发强度变化速度保持增长趋势,空间分布上以长江入海口为分界线,北方沿海城市普遍高于南方,时空演变形态呈现"三期"和"两型"两种特征;（2）重度开发岸线多分布于山东、辽宁和浙江三省,而天津、江苏和上海范围内其所占本省已开发利用岸线总长度的比例较大,均大于70%;（3）近25年来,我国大陆海岸线开发强度指数,以上海市为分界线,北方沿海城市指数全部高于0.6,均高于南方。     

Development and growth in synanthropic species: plasticity and constraints

Urbanization poses serious extinction risks, yet some species thrive in urban environments. This may be due to a pronounced developmental plasticity in these taxa, since phenotypically, plastic organisms may better adjust to unpredictable urban food resources. We studied phenotypic plasticity in Nuctenea umbratica, a common European forest and urban vegetation spider. We subjected spiderlings to low (LF), medium (MF) and high (HF) food treatments and documented their growth and developmental trajectories into adulthood. Spiders from the three treatments had comparable numbers of instars and growth ratios, but differed in developmental periods. Longest developing LF spiders (♀?=?390, ♂?=?320 days) had the smallest adults, but MF (♀?=?300, ♂?=?240 days) and HF (♀?=?240, ♂?=?210 days) spiders reached comparable adult sizes through shorter development. While males and females had comparable instar numbers, females had longer development, higher growth ratios, adult sizes and mass; and while males adjusted their moulting to food availability, female moulting depended on specific mass, not food treatment. We discussed the patterns of Nuctenea sex-specific development and compared our results with published data on two other Holarctic urban colonizers (Larinioides sclopetarius, Zygiella x-notata) exhibiting high plasticity and fast generation turn-over. We conclude that despite relatively unconstrained developmental time in the laboratory enabling Nuctenea to achieve maximal mass and size—main female fitness proxies—their relatively fixed growth ratio and long generation turn-over may explain their lower success in urban environments.     

Are linear habitats in agrarian landscapes source areas of beneficial or pest rodents?

This study tested the hypotheses that populations of the montane vole Microtus montanus (a potential pest species) and deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus (a potential beneficial species) in linear habitats will be (i) positively related to the type of vegetation (abundance and diversity of vascular plants) within and adjacent to those habitats; and (ii) correlated with population changes and productivity (reproductive performance, recruitment, and survival) in nearby apple (Malus domestica) orchards. Population dynamics of M. montanus and P. maniculatus were measured by intensive live-trapping from 2003 to 2006 in replicated hedgerows, riparian strips, and nearby orchards, in southern British Columbia, Canada. Hedgerows were borders between orchards, orchards and old fields, as well as orchards and natural forest. Contrary to hypothesis (i), M. montanus and P. maniculatus populations were not positively related to vegetation type within linear habitats and their adjacent crop and non-crop areas. Mean abundance and diversity of vegetation attributes were similar among linear habitats. Hypothesis (ii) was not supported for M. montanus populations in linear habitats since they did not correlate with population changes in nearby apple orchards, during a peak year in abundance. Populations of P. maniculatus were similar in abundance and other demographic variables among the linear habitats and apple orchards, and hence hypothesis (ii) was supported for this species.     

Assembly and loss of the polar flagellum in plant-associated methylobacteria

On the leaf surfaces of numerous plant species, inclusive of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), pink-pigmented, methanol-consuming, phytohormone-secreting prokaryotes of the genus Methylobacterium have been detected. However, neither the roles, nor the exact mode of colonization of these epiphytic microbes have been explored in detail. Using germ-free sunflower seeds, we document that, during the first days of seedling development, methylobacteria exert no promotive effect on organ growth. Since the microbes are evenly distributed over the outer surface of the above-ground phytosphere, we analyzed the behavior of populations taken from two bacterial strains that were cultivated as solid, biofilm-like clones on agar plates in different aqueous environments (Methylobacterium mesophilicum and M. marchantiae, respectively). After transfer into liquid medium, the rod-shaped, immobile methylobacteria assembled a flagellum and developed into planktonic microbes that were motile. During the linear phase of microbial growth in liquid cultures, the percentage of swimming, flagellated bacteria reached a maximum, and thereafter declined. In stationary populations, living, immotile bacteria, and isolated flagella were observed. Hence, methylobacteria that live in a biofilm, transferred into aqueous environments, assemble a flagellum that is lost when cell density has reached a maximum. This swimming motility, which appeared during ontogenetic development within growing microbial populations, may be a means to colonize the moist outer surfaces of leaves.     

巴中北部岩溶山区地下水化学特征及演化分析

为研究我国南、北岩溶发育过渡带地下水的水文地球化学特征及形成机制.采集巴中市北部双峰垭地区25组地下水样品,运用描述性统计分析、变异系数、Schoeller图、舒卡列夫分类、Piper图解、Gibbs与离子比例系数等方法对研究区岩溶水化学及分布特征进行分析,并探讨控制地下水化学演化的主要过程.结果表明,研究区南、北地下水存在一定的差异,北区地下水阴阳离子以HCO3-、Ca2+和Mg2+为主,水化学类型以HCO3-Ca·Mg型为主,南区地下水阴阳离子以HCO3-和Ca2+为主,水化学类型以HCO3-Ca型为主;地下水水文地球化学演化过程均受水-岩作用和阳离子交替吸附作用的控制,但对比之下南区蒸发结晶作用比北区更加强烈,北区大气降雨作用更加显著;气候与岩性的差异是导致研究区南、北部地下水化学存在差异的主要原因.     

春季福建北部海域浙闽沿岸流消亡期浮游桡足类种类组成及其分布

根据2009年4月在福建北部海域（24°47＇17.0″～26°48＇02.9″N;119°29＇36.0″～120°57＇13.8″E）所采集的浮游桡足类样品,对该海域浮游桡足类的种类组成、个体密度、优势种及其分布特点进行了分析探讨,并与2007年＂908专项＂春季航次相应调查范围的资料相比较,探讨其年际变化及内在原因.本航次共记录浮游桡足类48种,哲水蚤目种类数最多,优势种为中华哲水蚤（Calanus sinicus）和平滑真刺水蚤（Euchaeta plana）.调查区浮游桡足类的平均丰度为231.96 ind.m-3,其平面分布呈现近海大于外海,北部海区高于南部海区的趋势,种类数平面分布呈现调查区的南部多于北部,东部大于西部近岸海区.浮游桡足类的群落结构与以往的调查结果基本一致,优势种突出、多样性指数较低;但其平面分布存在着年际变化,＂908专项＂春季航次浮游桡足类的高密度中心分布在三沙湾至闽江口之间的附近海域,而本航次的高密度中心位于三沙湾外部的近岸海域,这可能与考察期间受东北季风强度所左右的浙闽沿岸流强弱有关.根据浮游桡足类的生态习性本航次记录的浮游桡足类分为沿岸暖水,沿岸暖温和热带大洋性3个生态类群,沿岸暖水性和热带大洋性类群的种数多,沿岸暖温性类群个体密度占优势,本研究还对浮游桡足类种类数、多样性指数及其丰度分布与环境的关系进行了讨论,调查海区浮游桡足类群落的种类数以及多样性主要受温度和盐度的影响,并随着温度、盐度的增高而增加.     

Disentangling the effects of local and regional factors on the thermal tolerance of freshwater crustaceans

In the global warming context, we compared the thermal tolerance of several populations of the crustacean Gammarus pulex (Amphipoda: Gammaridae) along a latitudinal thermal gradient in the Rh?ne Valley. To disentangle the effect of regional (North vs. South) and local (site-specific) factors, the ecophysiological responses of populations were investigated at two levels of biological organisation: whole organism level considering body size [critical thermal maximum (CTmax), mean speed of locomotion (MS), time mobile (TM)] and organelle function level [mitochondrial respiratory control ratios (RCRs)]. CTmax and RCRs, but not MS and TM, revealed a significantly higher thermal tolerance in southern populations compared to northern ones. Nevertheless, temperatures ≥ 30°C were deleterious for all populations, suggesting that populations located in the warmer limit of the species distribution will be more threatened by climate change as they live closer to their upper thermal limits. The strong differences observed between populations indicate that the species-level thermal tolerance used in predictive models may not be informative enough to study the impact of global warming on species distributions. This work also reveals that an appropriate choice of indicators is essential to study the consequences of global warming since the response of organisms at the whole body level can be influenced by local conditions.     

Immunity and fitness in a wild population of Eurasian kestrels Falco tinnunculus

The immune system of vertebrates consists of several components that partly interact and complement each other. Therefore, the assessment of the overall effectiveness of immune defence requires the simultaneous measurement of different immune components. In this study, we investigated intraspecific variability of innate [i.e. natural antibodies (NAb) and complement] and acquired (i.e. leucocyte profiles) immunity and its relationship with fitness correlates (i.e. blood parasite load and reproductive success in adults and body mass and survival until fledging in nestlings) in the Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus. Immunity differed between nestlings and adults and also between adult males and females. Adult kestrels with higher levels of complement were less parasitised by Haemoproteus, and males with higher values of NAbs showed a higher reproductive success. In nestlings, the H/L ratio was negatively related to body mass. Survival until fledging was predicted by all measured immunological variables of nestlings as well as by their fathers' level of complement. This is the first time that innate immunity is linked to survival in a wild bird. Thus, intraspecific variation in different components of immunity predicts variation in fitness prospects in kestrels, which highlights the importance of measuring innate immune components together with components of the acquired immunity in studies assessing the effectiveness of the immune system in wild animals.     

Extreme longevity in a deep-sea vestimentiferan tubeworm and its implications for the evolution of life history strategies

The deep sea is home to many species that have longer life spans than their shallow-water counterparts. This trend is primarily related to the decline in metabolic rates with temperature as depth increases. However, at bathyal depths, the cold-seep vestimentiferan tubeworm species Lamellibrachia luymesi and Seepiophila jonesi reach extremely old ages beyond what is predicted by the simple scaling of life span with body size and temperature. Here, we use individual-based models based on in situ growth rates to show that another species of cold-seep tubeworm found in the Gulf of Mexico, Escarpia laminata, also has an extraordinarily long life span, regularly achieving ages of 100–200 years with some individuals older than 300 years. The distribution of results from individual simulations as well as whole population simulations involving mortality and recruitment rates support these age estimates. The low 0.67% mortality rate measurements from collected populations of E. laminata are similar to mortality rates in L. luymesi and S. jonesi and play a role in evolution of the long life span of cold-seep tubeworms. These results support longevity theory, which states that in the absence of extrinsic mortality threats, natural selection will select for individuals that senesce slower and reproduce continually into their old age.     

Molecular evidence of facultative intraguild predation by Monochamus titillator larvae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on members of the southern pine beetle guild

The southern pine bark beetle guild (SPBG) is arguably the most destructive group of forest insects in the southeastern USA. This guild contains five species of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae): Dendroctonus frontalis, Dendroctonus terebrans, Ips avulsus, Ips calligraphus, and Ips grandicollis. A diverse community of illicit receivers is attracted to pheromones emitted by the SPBG, including the woodborers Monochamus carolinensis and Monochamus titillator (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). These woodborers have been traditionally classified as resource competitors; however, laboratory assays suggest that larval M. carolinensis may be facultative intraguild predators of SPBG larvae. This study used polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based molecular gut content analyses to characterize subcortical interactions between M. titillator and members of the SPBG. The half-lives of SPBG DNA were estimated in the laboratory prior to examining these interactions in the field. A total of 271 field-collected M. titillator larvae were analyzed and 26 (9.6?%) tested positive for DNA of members of the SPBG. Of these larvae, 25 (96.2?%) tested positive for I. grandicollis and one (3.8?%) for I. calligraphus. Failure to detect D. terebrans and D. frontalis was likely due to their absence in the field. I. avulsus was present, but primers developed using adult tissues failed to amplify larval tissue. Results from this study support the hypothesis that larval Monochamus spp. are facultative intraguild predators of bark beetle larvae. Additionally, this study demonstrates the capabilities of PCR in elucidating the interactions of cryptic forest insects and provides a tool to better understand mechanisms driving southern pine beetle guild population fluctuations.     

Effects of gene flow from IMI resistant sunflower crop to wild Helianthus annuus populations

Wild sunflower, H. annuus ssp. annuus, is an invasive species widely distributed in several regions of the world, including central Argentina where it shares a large area with domesticated sunflower. The discovery of imidazolinone resistance in a wild sunflower population allowed the development of Clearfield^® technology in cultivated sunflower. This technology was rapidly adopted in Argentina but the trait could possibly be transferred to the naturalized wild populations through natural hybridization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the transfer of IMI resistance to wild sunflower populations and its effect on wild plants’ fitness. Plants of five wild populations and their progenies of crosses with an IMI-resistant hybrid were evaluated through a dormancy, herbicide resistance, and SSR markers study. Relative fitness was compared in the five populations, F1s and backcrosses with wild and crop parental plants. Hybridization with an IMI-resistant hybrid did not alter seed dormancy. F1 individuals were more resistant to imazapyr than their wild ancestors but less tolerant than the commercial variety. SSR markers confirmed the transfer of resistance and identified resistant plants within the wild populations. Fitness was reduced in the first generation after crossing but was recovered in the following generations. Thus, to ensure durability and efficiency of Clearfield^® technology, management practices like crop rotation and herbicide usage with different modes of action should be considered.     

利用OMI遥感数据研究中国区域大气NO_2

利用臭氧观测仪（Ozone Monitoring Instrument,OMI）卫星遥感反演的NO2柱浓度数据,分析了自2004年以来中国地区对流层NO2柱浓度（TroNO2）和总NO2柱浓度（TotNO2）的时空特征及其影响的原因.中国区域平均TroNO2和TotNO2呈现上升的趋势,年平均分别增长了4.67%和2....     

廊坊市秋冬季大气细颗粒物污染特征及来源解析

分析了2019～2020年秋冬季廊坊市北部、市区和南部这3个站点的大气细颗粒物及其化学组成.空间分布上,PM_2.5浓度整体为：南部>市区>北部.PM_2.5主要成分为有机物、硝酸盐、硫酸盐、铵盐、矿物组分、氯离子和元素碳,分别占PM_2.5的质量分数为25.4%、21.5%、11.0%、11.5%、13.7%、3.5%和5.8%,金属元素及其他物质的质量分数分别为0.3%和7.2%;二次无机盐浓度呈现市区(28.7μg·m^-3)高于北部(28.0μg·m^-3)和南部(26.8μg·m^-3)郊区的变化特征,而有机物(其浓度分别为16.6、13.0和18.5μg·m^-3,由北向南,下同)、矿物组分(9.6、6.7和9.7μg·m^-3)、氯盐(2.0、2.0和2.8μg·m^-3)和元素碳(3.6、3.2和4.3μg·m^-3)浓度呈现南部和北部郊区高于市区的变化特征.随...     

Cross-sex genetic correlation does not extend to sexual size dimorphism in spiders

Males and females are often subjected to different selection pressures for homologous traits, resulting in sex-specific optima. Because organismal attributes usually share their genetic architectures, sex-specific selection may lead to intralocus sexual conflict. Evolution of sexual dimorphism may resolve this conflict, depending on the degree of cross-sex genetic correlation (r _MF) and the strength of sex-specific selection. In theory, high r _MF implies that sexes largely share the genetic base for a given trait and are consequently sexually monomorphic, while low r _MF indicates a sex-specific genetic base and sexual dimorphism. Here, we broadly test this hypothesis on three spider species with varying degrees of female-biased sexual size dimorphism, Larinioides sclopetarius (sexual dimorphism index, SDI?=?0.85), Nuctenea umbratica (SDI?=?0.60), and Zygiella x-notata (SDI?=?0.46). We assess r _MF via same-sex and opposite-sex heritability estimates. We find moderate body mass heritability but no obvious patterns in sex-specific heritability. Against the prediction, the degree of sexual size dimorphism is unrelated to the relative strength of same-sex versus opposite-sex heritability. Our results do not support the hypothesis that sexual size dimorphism is negatively associated with r _MF. We conclude that sex-specific genetic architecture may not be necessary for the evolution of a sexually dimorphic trait.