共查询到20条相似文献,搜索用时 15 毫秒
1.
We compared the quantity and quality of the epicuticular wax of diapause and non-diapause pupae in two closely related Pieris species, P. brassicae and P. rapae crucivora. Main components of their epicuticular wax were identified as hydrocarbons. In P. brassicae, more than 95% of hydrocarbons were saturated regardless of whether the pupae were in diapause or not. In P. rapae crucivora, 93% of hydrocarbons were saturated in non-diapause pupae whereas in diapause pupae 41% were saturated and 59% unsaturated. From measurements of body surface area by nuclear magnetic resonance microimaging, we calculated the average thickness of the wax layer. The thickness in diapause and non-diapause pupae of P. brassicae was 800 and 160 nm, respectively. In P. rapae crucivora, the thickness was 195 nm in diapause and 11 nm in non-diapause. This is the first report to clarify the compositional difference in epicuticular wax between diapause and non-diapause pupae. 相似文献
2.
We have found that giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia japonica) are killed in less than 10 min when they are trapped in a bee ball created by the Japanese honeybees Apis cerana japonica, but their death cannot be solely accounted for by the elevated temperature in the bee ball. In controlled experiments, hornets
can survive for 10 min at the temperature up to 47°C, whereas the temperature inside the bee balls does not rise higher than
45.9°C. We have found here that the CO2 concentration inside the bee ball also reaches a maximum (3.6 ± 0.2%) in the initial 0–5 min phase after bee ball formation.
The lethal temperature of the hornet (45–46°C) under conditions of CO2 concentration (3.7 ± 0.44%) produced using human expiratory air is almost the same as that in the bee ball. The lethal temperature
of the honeybee is 50–51°C under the same air conditions. We concluded that CO2 produced inside the bee ball by honeybees is a major factor together with the temperature involved in defense against giant
hornets. 相似文献
3.
Laura Rodríguez-Loeches Alejandro Barro Martha Pérez Frank Coro 《Die Naturwissenschaften》2009,96(4):531-536
Both sexes of Phoenicoprocta capistrata have functional tymbals. The scanning electron microscopy revealed differences in the morphology of these organs in males
and females. Male tymbals have a well-developed striated band, constituted by 21 ± 2 regularly arranged striae whereas female
tymbals lack a striated band. This type of sexual dimorphism is rare in Arctiidae. The recording of the sound produced by
moths held by the wings revealed that while males produced trains of pulses organized in modulation cycles, females produced
clicks at low repetition rate following very irregular patterns. Statistically, there are differences between sexes in terms
of the duration of pulses, which were 355 ± 24 μs in the case of males and 289 ± 29 μs for females. The spectral characteristics
of the pulses also show sexual dimorphism. Male pulses are more tuned (Q
10 = 5.2 ± 0.5) than female pulses (Q
10 = 2.7 ± 0.5) and have a higher best frequency (42 ± 1 kHz vs. 29 ± 2 kHz). To our knowledge, this is the first report on
an arctiid moth showing sexual dimorphism in tymbal’s anatomy that leads to a best frequency dimorphism. Males produce sound
at mating attempts. The sounds recorded during mating are modulation cycles with the same spectral characteristics as those
recorded when males are held by the wings. The morphological and acoustic features of female tymbals could indicate a process
of degeneration and adaptation to conditions under which the emission of complex patterns is not necessary.
Frank Coro no longer works at Universidad de La Habana. 相似文献
4.
Stephan Baumgartner Martin Wolf Peter Skrabal Felix Bangerter Peter Heusser André Thurneysen Ursula Wolf 《Die Naturwissenschaften》2009,96(9):1079-1089
Quantitative meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials investigating the specific therapeutic efficacy of homeopathic remedies
yielded statistically significant differences compared to placebo. Since the remedies used contained mostly only very low
concentrations of pharmacologically active compounds, these effects cannot be accounted for within the framework of current
pharmacology. Theories to explain clinical effects of homeopathic remedies are partially based upon changes in diluent structure.
To investigate the latter, we measured for the first time high-field (600/500 MHz) 1H T1 and T2 nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times of H2O in homeopathic preparations with concurrent contamination control by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Homeopathic preparations of quartz (10c–30c, n = 21, corresponding to iterative dilutions of 100−10–100−30), sulfur (13x–30x, n = 18, 10−13–10−30), and copper sulfate (11c–30c, n = 20, 100−11–100−30) were compared to n = 10 independent controls each (analogously agitated dilution medium) in randomized and blinded experiments. In none of the
samples, the concentration of any element analyzed by ICP-MS exceeded 10 ppb. In the first measurement series (600 MHz), there
was a significant increase in T1 for all samples as a function of time, and there were no significant differences between homeopathic potencies and controls.
In the second measurement series (500 MHz) 1 year after preparation, we observed statistically significant increased T1 relaxation times for homeopathic sulfur preparations compared to controls. Fifteen out of 18 correlations between sample
triplicates were higher for controls than for homeopathic preparations. No conclusive explanation for these phenomena can
be given at present. Possible hypotheses involve differential leaching from the measurement vessel walls or a change in water
molecule dynamics, i.e., in rotational correlation time and/or diffusion. Homeopathic preparations thus may exhibit specific
physicochemical properties that need to be determined in detail in future investigations.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献
5.
Platycampus larvae are highly cryptic leaf feeders characterised by a dorso-ventrally flattened body, the dorsal integument resembling
a shield. Dorsal and ventral cuticles from Platycampus luridiventris were compared by histology and gel electrophoresis. By Azan-staining, a red and a blue layer were distinguished in the dorsal
cuticle, while the ventral cuticle showed one, almost uniform blue layer, as in both cuticles of control species. The two
cuticles from P. luridiventris had similar amounts and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles of soluble proteins, but not
insoluble proteins. One insoluble protein (MW ≈ 41 kDa) was visible as a large band in the ventral cuticle only. It is likely
that this protein renders the cuticle elastic, and that the dorsal, red layer is the exocuticle, mainly composed of insoluble
proteins. We discuss eco-physiological implications of the exocuticle in insects. Further, data from the literature indicate
that the defence strategy in P. luridiventris larvae relies on being visually cryptic towards avian predators and tactically cryptic towards arthropod predators and parasitoids.
Crypsis in both senses is favoured by the shield effect, itself based on an abnormally thick dorsal exocuticle. Although the
larvae are external feeders, they may be considered as hidden from an ecological perspective. 相似文献
6.
The bathymetric distribution of marine benthic invertebrates is likely governed by a combination of ecological and physiological
factors. The present study investigates oxygen consumption and heartbeat rate in response to attempted feeding at 1, 100 and
150 atm in the shallow-water spider crab, Maja brachydactyla, from temperate European waters. No significant difference was evident between the resting heartbeat rate of specimens at
1 or 100 atm, which were 56 and 65 bpm, respectively (Mann–Whitney, U = 5382.0; n = 95, 98; p = 0.079). However, at 150 atm the resting heartbeat rate was significantly higher than that observed for 100 atm at 108 bpm
(Mann–Whitney, U = 149.0; n = 45, 98; p < 0.001). At 150 atm, feeding was never observed and coupled with the elevated resting heartbeat rate; it is suggested by
150 atm continued survival is unfeasible. At 1 and 100 atm, feeding instigated a distinct increase in heartbeat rate, which
remained elevated for over 30 h. This increase peaked within 1 h at 1 atm. At 100 atm, this required 4 h and postprandial
oxygen consumption was significantly higher than at 1 atm (Kruskal–Wallis, H = 85.036; df = 2; p < 0.001). Elevated hydrostatic pressure is hypothesized to extend the duration and the total metabolic energy devoted to
specific dynamic action. The metabolic requirements of feeding under hyperbaric conditions may even reach such a critical
demand that feeding is entirely inhibited. 相似文献
7.
The intertidal midge Clunio, which reproduces on exposed rocky seashores, becomes enclosed in an irregularly shaped air bubble during short submersion
by incoming waves. This water-repellent property of Clunio’s cuticle is caused by a complete cover of hydrophobic microtrichia offering an effective surf tolerance. These microtrichia
not only trap a thin air layer above the cuticle but also maintain a larger air bubble between the insect’s ventral side and
legs. The effectiveness of the water repellence was quantitatively characterised on the basis of a known model (Crisp and
Thorpe, Discuss Faraday Soc 3:210–220, 1948). The parameters of the model are the contact angle θ (>90°) at the contact line of air/water/microtrichia and the distance between individual microtrichia and their radius. When
the microtrichia are 1.1 μm apart and have a radius of 0.1 μm and an estimated contact angle θ of 140°, the air layer is stable against hydrostatic pressures of up to 3 m water column. As shown by a modified version
of the model, considerably larger air bubbles can be trapped by the microtrichia cover of the legs up to distances of 0.5 mm
from the body. The widely spaced (about 8 μm apart) and longer setae of Clunio are not involved in the formation of air layers and air bubble. 相似文献
8.
Sound stimulates the tympanic membrane (TM) of anuran amphibians through multiple, poorly understood pathways. It is conceivable
that interactions between the internal and external inputs to the TM contribute to the nonlinear effects that noise is known
to produce at higher levels of the auditory pathway. To explore this issue, we conducted measurements of TM vibration in response
to tones in the presence of noise in the frog Eupsophus calcaratus. Laser vibrometry revealed that the power spectra (n = 16) of the TM velocity in response to pure tones at a constant level of 80 dB sound-pressure level (SPL) had a maximum
centered at an average frequency of 2,344 Hz (range 1,700–2,990 Hz) and a maximum velocity of 61.1 dB re 1 μm/s (range 42.9–66.6
dB re 1 μm/s). These TM-vibration velocity response profiles in the presence of increasing levels of 4-kHz band-pass noise
were unaltered up to noise levels of 90 dB SPL. For the relatively low spectral densities of the noise used, the TM remains
in its linear range. Such vibration patterns facilitate the detection of tonal signals in noise at the tympanic membrane and
may underlie the remarkable vocal responsiveness maintained by males of E. calcaratus under noise interference. 相似文献
9.
Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a larval parasitoid of Helicoverpa/Heliothis spp. In the course of mass rearing of M. croceipes, we found that females oviposited in the conspecific adults in rearing cages. When 20 pairs of inexperienced females and
males or of experienced females and males were reared in a cage, the males lived for 14–15 days and the females for 18–20 days
on average. At their death, 37–42% of the males and 50–57% of the females contained conspecific eggs or first instar larvae
in their abdominal cavity. When two of inexperienced females met on a host-infested leaf of soybean, they attempted to sting
each other. Of the attacked females, 30% contained a conspecific egg laid in their abdomen. In abdominal cavity of the adults
parasitized by a conspecific female, the majority of the parasitoid eggs laid disappeared within 1 day after oviposition.
Only 10–30% of the parasitoid eggs laid in conspecific adults hatched 3–4 days after oviposition, but those larvae never molted
to second instar. When the adults were stung by one or two conspecific females, their subsequent longevity was significantly
shorter than that for the control adults. Oviposition in conspecific adults may be prevalent in other parasitic wasps that
quickly oviposit without intensive host examination, and have cuticle and size of abdomen to be stung by conspeicifcs. 相似文献
10.
Cerumen, or propolis, is a mixture of plant resins enriched with bee secretions. In Australia, stingless bees are important
pollinators that use cerumen for nest construction and possibly for colony’s health. While extensive research attests to the
therapeutic properties of honeybee (Apis mellifera) propolis, the biological and medicinal properties of Australian stingless bee cerumen are largely unknown. In this study,
the chemical and biological properties of polar extracts of cerumen from Tetragonula carbonaria in South East Queensland, Australia were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses and in
vitro 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) cell-free assays. Extracts were tested against comparative (commercial tincture of A. mellifera propolis) and positive controls (Trolox and gallic acid). Distinct GC-MS fingerprints of a mixed diterpenic profile typical
of native bee cerumen were obtained with pimaric acid (6.31 ± 0.97%, w/w), isopimaric acid (12.23 ± 3.03%, w/w), and gallic
acid (5.79 ± 0.81%, w/w) tentatively identified as useful chemical markers. Characteristic flavonoids and prenylated phenolics
found in honeybee propolis were absent. Cerumen extracts from T. carbonaria inhibited activity of 5-LOX, an enzyme known to catalyse production of proinflammatory mediators (IC50 19.97 ± 2.67 μg/ml, mean ± SEM, n = 4). Extracts had similar potency to Trolox (IC50 12.78 ± 1.82 μg/ml), but were less potent than honeybee propolis (IC50 5.90 ± 0.62 μg/ml) or gallic acid (IC50 5.62 ± 0.35 μg/ml, P < 0.001). These findings warrant further investigation of the ecological and medicinal properties of this stingless bee cerumen,
which may herald a commercial potential for the Australian beekeeping industry. 相似文献
11.
Ryoko Matsumoto Shigeru Suzuki Khisigjav Tsogtbaatar Susan E. Evans 《Die Naturwissenschaften》2009,96(2):233-242
New material of the enigmatic diapsid Khurendukhosaurus is described from the Mongolian type locality, Khuren Dukh, providing additional data on the vertebral column, pelvis, and
hind limb. It confirms the choristoderan status of the genus and permits a more detailed phylogenetic analysis that supports
a relationship between Khurendukhosaurus and the long-necked Asian Hyphalosauridae. The existence of tall caudal neural spines implies that Khurendukhosaurus was a deep-tailed swimmer. This and the open sacral costocentral sutures suggest a primarily aquatic lifestyle.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Institutional abbreviations MNHN BL, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; MPC, Mongolian Paleontological Center; PIN, Paleontologicheski
Institut, Akademii Nauk, Moscow; HMNS, Hayashibara Museum of Natural Sciences, Okayama, Japan. 相似文献
12.
Pablo Perez Goodwyn Yasunori Maezono Naoe Hosoda Kenji Fujisaki 《Die Naturwissenschaften》2009,96(7):781-787
Although the colour of butterflies attracts the most attention, the waterproofing properties of their wings are also extremely
interesting. Most butterfly wings are considered “super-hydrophobic” because the contact angle (CA) with a water drop exceeds
150°. Usually, butterfly wings are covered with strongly overlapping scales; however, in the case of transparent or translucent
wings, scale cover is reduced; thus, the hydrophobicity could be affected. Here, we present a comparative analysis of wing
hydrophobicity and its dependence on morphology for two species with translucent wings Parantica sita (Nymphalidae) and Parnassius glacialis (Papilionidae). These species have very different life histories: P. sita lives for up to 6 months as an adult and migrates over long distance, whereas P. glacialis lives for less than 1 month and does not migrate. We measured the water CA and analysed wing morphology with scanning electron
microscopy and atomic force microscopy. P. sita has super-hydrophobic wing surfaces, with CA > 160°, whereas P. glacialis did not (CA = 100–135°). Specialised scales were found on the translucent portions of P. sita wings. These scales were ovoid and much thinner than common scales, erect at about 30°, and leaving up to 80% of the wing
surface uncovered. The underlying bare wing surface had a remarkable pattern of ridges and knobs. P. glacialis also had over 80% of the wing surface uncovered, but the scales were either setae-like or spade-like. The bare surface of
the wing had an irregular wavy smooth pattern. We suggest a mode of action that allows this super-hydrophobic effect with
an incompletely covered wing surface. The scales bend, but do not collapse, under the pressure of a water droplet, and the
elastic recovery of the structure at the borders of the droplet allows a high apparent CA. Thus, P. sita can be translucent without losing its waterproof properties. This characteristic is likely necessary for the long life and
migration of this species. This is the first study of some of the effects on the hydrophobicity of translucency through scales’
cover reduction in butterfly wings and on the morphology associated with improved waterproofing.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献
13.
Strategic 3-hydroxy-2-butanone release in the dominant male lobster cockroach, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nauphoeta cinerea</Emphasis> 总被引:3,自引:1,他引:2
In the lobster cockroach Nauphoete cinerea, the dominant–subordinate hierarchy formed via the agonistic interactions is unstable, and changes in rank order are common.
Our previous results showed that in the first encounter fight during initial rank formation, microgram levels of 3H-2B are
released by the aggressive posture (AP)-adopting dominant male. In the present study, the pattern of daily pheromone (3H-2B)
release during the domination period and on the day of rank switch, rank duration, and rank switch frequency were investigated
in three-male groups and six-male groups to examine the effect of higher frequency of agonistic encounters. The results showed
that, in the three-male groups (50-day observation period), daily 3H-2B release rate was not constant, but fluctuated, the
average duration of dominant rank was 16.6 ± 2.0 days, rank switch occurred in 58.8% of groups, and the frequency of rank
switching (average number of rank switches/group/50 days) was 1.4 ± 0.2. For the six-male groups (30-day observation period),
the daily 3H-2B release rate also fluctuated, but the duration of dominant rank was significantly shorter at 4.2 ± 0.6 days,
rank switch occurred in 100% of groups, and the frequency of rank switching (average number of rank switches/group/30 days)
was significantly higher at 6.9 ± 0.6. The results for both sets of male groups showed that as a new rank formed (either on
the first encounter day or on the day of rank switching), the dominant status was significantly associated with a higher 3H-2B
release rate. In the animal kingdom, fighting usually involves communication or the exchange of signals, and the results of
this study indicated that the fluctuating daily 3H-2B release rate adopted by the dominants is a kind of strategic release
and the 3H-2B release rate is a signal used to determine dominance. 相似文献
14.
Kay Grossmann Thuro Arnold Robin Steudtner Stefan Weiss Gert Bernhard 《Die Naturwissenschaften》2009,96(8):963-974
Low-temperature alteration reactions on uranium phases may lead to the mobilization of uranium and thereby poses a potential
threat to humans living close to uranium-contaminated sites. In this study, the surface alteration of uraninite (UO2) and uranium tetrachloride (UCl4) in air atmosphere was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy using
an excitation wavelength of 408 nm. It was found that within minutes the oxidation state on the surface of the uraninite and
the uranium tetrachloride changed. During the surface alteration process U(IV) atoms on the uraninite and uranium tetrachloride
surface became stepwise oxidized by a one-electron step at first to U(V) and then further to U(VI). These observed changes
in the oxidation states of the uraninite surface were microscopically visualized and spectroscopically identified on the basis
of their fluorescence emission signal. A fluorescence signal in the wavelength range of 415–475 nm was indicative for metastable
uranium(V), and a fluorescence signal in the range of 480–560 nm was identified as uranium(VI). In addition, the oxidation
process of tetravalent uranium in aqueous solution at pH 0.3 was visualized by CLSM and U(V) was fluorescence spectroscopically
identified. The combination of microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy provided a very convincing visualization of the brief
presence of U(V) as a metastable reaction intermediate and of the simultaneous coexistence of the three states U(IV), U(V),
and U(VI). These results have a significant importance for fundamental uranium redox chemistry and should contribute to a
better understanding of the geochemical behavior of uranium in nature.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献
15.
Where clocks are redundant: weak circadian mechanisms in reindeer living under polar photic conditions 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Biological rhythms are a result of interplay between endogenous clocks and the ambient light–dark (LD) cycle. Biological timing
in resident polar organisms presents a conundrum because these experience distinct daily LD cycles for only a few weeks each
year. We measured locomotor activity in reindeer, Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus (SR, n = 5 and 6) and R. tarandus tarandus (NR, n = 6), ranging freely at 78 and 70°N, respectively, continuously throughout 1 year using data loggers. NR, but not SR, are
gregarious which enabled us to examine the integrated effects of differences in social organisation and the photic environment
at two different latitudes on the organisation of activity. In both sub-species, ultradian bouts of activity and inactivity
alternated across the 24-h day throughout the year. This pattern was modified by the LD cycle in NR but barely at all in SR.
Periodogram analysis revealed significant ultradian rhythmicity in both sub-species; the frequency of daily cycles of activity
increased from three per day in winter to nearly five in summer. We conclude that this increase, and a concomitant increase
in the level of daily activity, reflected the seasonal increase in the animals’ appetite and the quality of their forage.
Secondly, the combination, most evident in SR, of a weak photic response, weak circadian mechanisms and a weak social synchronization
reduces the constraints of biological timing in an environment which is effectively non-rhythmic most of the year and permits
expression of the basic ultradian pattern of ruminant activity. Third, the weaker 24-h rhythmicity in SR compared to NR indicates
a latitudinal decrease in circadian organization and photic responsiveness in Rangifer. 相似文献
16.
Laura Domingo Stephen T. Grimes M. Soledad Domingo M. Teresa Alberdi 《Die Naturwissenschaften》2009,96(4):503-511
Expansion of C4 grasses during Late Miocene and Early Pliocene constitutes one of the most remarkable biotic events of the Cenozoic era.
The Teruel–Alfambra region (northeastern Spain) contains one of the most complete Miocene–Pliocene sequences of mammalian
fossil sites in the world. In this study, stable isotope (δ
13C and δ
18O) analyses have been performed on the tooth enamel from the equid Hipparion from 19 localities spanning a time interval from approximately 10.9 to 2.7 Ma. This time range starts with the first appearance
of this genus in Spain and ends at its extinction. An increase in δ
13C at about 4.2 Ma has been observed, indicative of a shift toward a more open habitat. This shift may be related to a large
scale vegetation change which occurred across the Miocene–Pliocene boundary when C4 grasses expanded. This expansion might in turn be linked to global tectonic events such as the uplift of the Himalaya and/or
the closure of the Panama Isthmus. However, other more regional factors may have ultimately enhanced the trend toward more
open habitats in the Western Mediterranean Basin. The Messinian Salinity Crisis was a major environmental event that may have
been responsible for the isotopic changes seen in the equid Hipparion from the Iberian Peninsula along with an increase in the aridity detected ~4.6 Ma ago in the Sahara. Even though the exact
factor triggering the isotopic change observed in the Hipparion enamel remains mostly unknown, this study demonstrates that the global environmental changes detected across the Miocene–Pliocene
boundary are also recorded in the realm of the Iberian Peninsula.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献
17.
Flowers adapted for hummingbird pollination are typically red. This correlation is usually explained by the assertion that
nectar- or pollen-stealing bees are “blind” to red flowers. However, laboratory studies have shown that bees are capable of
locating artificial red flowers and often show no innate preference for blue over red. We hypothesised that these findings
might be artefacts of the simplified laboratory environment. Using bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) that had been trained to visit red and blue artificial flowers, we tested whether colour preference was influenced by complexity
of the background on which they were foraging. Many bees were indifferent to flower colour when tested using a uniform green
background like those commonly used in laboratory studies, but all bees showed strong colour preferences (usually for blue)
when flowers were presented against a photograph of real foliage. Overall, preference for blue flowers was significantly greater
on the more realistic, complex background. These results support the notion that the red of “hummingbird syndrome” flowers
can function to reduce bee visits despite the ability of bees to detect red and highlight the need to consider context when
drawing inferences about pollinator preferences from laboratory data.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献
18.
Xiaoming Xu Jie Tang Zhaoyang Li Chang Liu Weizheng Han 《Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change》2011,16(6):721-731
In this study, paddy fields in Jilin province which are flooded parcel of arable lands used for growing rice (Oryza sativa Linn.) were selected as the object. Long-term exploitation of paddy fields led to variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and green
house gases (GHGs) emissions which might contribute to global warming. In order to calculate the amount of global warming
potentials (GWPs) of emissions from ricepaddies and find the correlations among rice yield, SOC storage and GWP, DeNitrification-DeComposition
(DNDC) model was used to simulate SOC densities and fluxes of main GHGs emitted from paddy fields. After verification, simulation
results were used to calculate SOC storages and 100-year GWPs from 1949 to 2009. Results indicated that SOC densities in depths
of 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm all kept increasing. Average methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes were 278.55 kg carbon (kgC) ha−1 a−1 and 2.22 kg nitrogen (kgN) ha−1 a−1. The SOC storage (0–30 cm) had increased from 3.96 × 109kgC in 1949 to 47.85 × 109kgC in 2009. In addition, GWP emission was increasing exponentially in the past 61 years, from 0.16 × 106 Mg carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-equivalents) to 66.36 × 106 Mg CO2-equivalents. Both SOC storage and GWP presented obviously linear relation to rice yields. Overall, the research suggested
that long-term rice yields could be used to estimate the SOC storage and GWP variations. 相似文献
19.
Here, we provide evidence for a wavelength-dependent effect of light on magnetic compass orientation in Pelophylax perezi (order Anura), similar to that observed in Rana catesbeiana (order Anura) and Notophthalmus viridescens (order Urodela), and confirm for the first time in an anuran amphibian that a 90° shift in the direction of magnetic compass
orientation under long-wavelength light (≥500 nm) is due to a direct effect of light on the underlying magnetoreception mechanism.
Although magnetic compass orientation in other animals (e.g., birds and some insects) has been shown to be influenced by the
wavelength and/or intensity of light, these two amphibian orders are the only taxa for which there is direct evidence that
the magnetic compass is light-dependent. The remarkable similarities in the light-dependent magnetic compasses of anurans
and urodeles, which have evolved as separate clades for at least 250 million years, suggest that the light-dependent magnetoreception
mechanism is likely to have evolved in the common ancestor of the Lissamphibia (Early Permian, ~294 million years) and, possibly,
much earlier. Also, we discuss a number of similarities between the functional properties of the light-dependent magnetic
compass in amphibians and blue light-dependent responses to magnetic stimuli in Drosophila melanogaster, which suggest that the wavelength-dependent 90° shift in amphibians may be due to light activation of different redox forms
of a cryptochrome photopigment. Finally, we relate these findings to earlier studies showing that the pineal organ of newts
is the site of the light-dependent magnetic compass and recent neurophysiological evidence showing magnetic field sensitivity
in the frog frontal organ (an outgrowth of the pineal). 相似文献
20.
Kevin L. Woo Maree Hunt David Harper Nicola J. Nelson Charles H. Daugherty Ben D. Bell 《Die Naturwissenschaften》2009,96(3):415-419
By investigating the mechanisms that underlie the perception of environmental cues, we may begin to understand how the sensory
system governs behavioral responses. This is the first empirical study to examine learning and visual sensitivity in a reptile
species, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). We established a non-intrusive psychophysical method by employing an instrumental paradigm in order to examine discrimination
learning and the ability to distinguish different flicker frequencies in the tuatara. Seventeen tuatara were trained under
an operant conditioning task to respond to various discriminative stimuli flickering between 2.65 and 65.09 Hz. Tuatara were
able to learn the operant task and discriminate between a constant light and flicker frequency rates between 2.65 and 45.61 Hz,
but not at 65.09 Hz. We demonstrated a reliable psychophysical method where these reptiles could learn a basic operant task
and discriminate visual stimuli in the form of flicker frequency rates. The tuatara’s ability to perceive flickering light
is comparable to that of avian, mammalian, and other reptilian species. This method is thus suitable for more comprehensive
examinations of vision and additional sensory abilities in other reptiles.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献