Evidence for sexy sons in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)

The sexy son hypothesis suggests that females obtain future fitness benefits from mating with polygynous males through the inheritance by their sons of traits contributing to mating success. We tested this hypothesis in the facultatively polygynous European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) in two ways. We first compared sons of monogynous and polygynous free-living males for their abilities in nest site acquisition and female-directed behaviors in controlled aviary tests. We then investigated eggs laid in monogynous and polygynous matings for concentrations of maternal steroid hormones that could affect behavioral differentiation of sons. Sons of polygynous fathers defended more nest boxes and produced more courtship song than sons of monogynous fathers. Mean concentrations of maternal androstenedione (A4), 5-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone (T), and 17-estradiol (E) in yolks were not affected by mating status. However, the within-clutch pattern of A₄ depended on mating status, with higher concentrations in last than in first eggs of clutches of monogynous but not polygynous matings. These results suggest that (1) sons may inherit from their fathers behavioral qualities for the successful acquisition of nest sites and attraction of mates; (2) differential exposure to maternal steroid hormones during development in the egg is unlikely the cause of the behavioral differences between adult sons of monogynous and polygynous fathers; and (3) females adjust the within-clutch pattern of androgen to mating status, possibly in response to the expected contribution of their mate to nestling care.     

生态活度生态位--理论、方法及其应用

“生态活度生态位（Eco-vigor Niche）”是对生态位概念和理论的发展．它描述区域生态系统中一个占据特定空间位置的复合生态系统单元（或景观斑块）．在与其它单元相互作用过程中所形成的相对地位与作用。在由自然生态活度坐标和社会经济生态活度坐标构成的二维空间中．生态活度生态位可以用二维空间中的矢量表达。该矢量的“长度”意味着,生态系统单元的资源优势程度与提供生态服务的能力;矢量的“方向”则意味着该生态系统单元所具有的．由其社会经济生态活度和自然生态活度相比较而体现出来的属性．反映出该单元在区域复合生态系统中的性质和角色。“生态活度生态位”可以表达区域生态系统内的空间分异特征。反映各生态单元在区域内扮演的角色．判断各单元在区域生态系统中的功能定位．为生态区划、生态规划、土地利用规划等提供依据。     

Gradient Genogeographic Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L. Populations in Europe

Gradients of Nei's genetic distances between 15 samples of Pinus sylvestris L. trees were analyzed along three submeridional transects, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean and Transcaucasia. As a result, distinct chorogenetic differentiation was revealed between the populations of this species growing in climatically specific regions of northern and southern Europe. Considerable Nei's distances (DN = 0.045–0.056) and their gradients, combined with differences in stable phenotypic characters (the composition of monoterpenes and morphological parameters of cones) determined at the Pyrenean and Caucasian mountain borders, suggest that the P. sylvestris species structure includes two South Eurasian subspecies, the Pyrenean P. sylvestris L., ssp. iberica Svoboda and the Transcaucasian P. sylvestris L., ssp. hamata (Stev.) Fomin.     

天津市土壤元素背景值的地域差异及成因分析

论述了天津土壤中Cu,Pb等13种微量元素背景值在行政区，土壤类型中的差异规律，并分析了引起元素背景值地域差异的原因。     

不同分化形态的嗜肺军团菌对嗜热四膜虫BF1的感染和胞内增殖特征

嗜肺军团菌是一种广泛分布于淡水生态环境中的条件性胞内致病菌,其不同的分化形态与菌体的存活、感染力和毒力有密切关系.本文对不同分化形态的表达绿色荧光蛋白的嗜肺军团菌在不同感染复数(multiplicityofinfec-tion,MOI)下感染嗜热四膜虫BF1株的条件以及胞内增殖的特征进行了研究.结果表明,胞内的军团菌比大肠杆菌有更强的抗消化能力,30℃时处于对数生长期的嗜肺军团菌即使在MOI等于100的情况下仍然在24h内被四膜虫消化殆尽,而平板培养至稳定期的菌体即使MOI只有50即可实现胞内增殖,并在18h内使宿主数量急剧下降.饲喂军团菌后,四膜虫都有一个数量先上升的过程,然后依MOI的不同呈现稳定或下降的趋势.本文还通过荧光显微镜观察描述了一定MOI下四膜虫对稳定期菌体的消化和形态变化的动态过程.图7参14     

基于SPSS的苏北地区可持续发展能力空间分异研究

以区域可持续发展能力建设为切入点,结合苏北地区的实际,建立适合该地区的可持续发展能力评价指标体系,然后运用SPSS软件的因子分析和聚类分析的方法,对苏北地区可持续发展能力进行综合评价。结果表明,区内各县市可持续发展能力差异较大,但其空间分异呈现出某些特征:经济可持续发展能力呈现由地区东南部向中间递减的“一”字型空间格局;资源环境可持续发展能力呈现由地区中部分别向东、向西递减的“凸”字型空间格局;社会可持续发展能力呈“M”字型空间格局;综合可持续发展能力呈“H”字型空间格局;以中心城市为核心,可持续发展能力向周边呈辐射状递减趋势。根据这些空间分异特征,提出了一些促进苏北地区可持续发展能力建设的建议。     

热污染对陡河水库鱼类及其水环境的影响

研究表明,热污染对水环境影响主要表现在水温的频繁变化、水平和纵向上温差明显以及改变水生物的群落结构.寄生虫感染率增加,冷热冲击对胚胎发育的危害和浮游生物群落变化形成的饵料基础是影响鱼类数量和生长的重要因素,鱼类在群落中的生态位特点则决定着对各种变化的反应结果.     

Keeping the blood flowing—plasminogen activator genes and feeding behavior in vampire bats

The blood feeding vampire bats emerged from New World leaf-nosed bats that fed on fruit and insects. Plasminogen activator, a serine protease that regulates blood coagulation, is known to be expressed in the saliva of Desmodus rotundus (common vampire bat) and is thought to be a key enzyme for the emergence of blood feeding in vampire bats. To better understand the evolution of this biological function, we studied the plasminogen activator (PA) genes from all vampire bat species in light of their feeding transition to bird and subsequently mammalian blood. We include the rare species Diphylla ecaudata and Diaemus youngi, where plasminogen activator had not previously been studied and demonstrate that PA gene duplication observed in Desmodus is not essential to the vampire phenotype, but relates to the emergence of predominant mammalian blood feeding in this species. Plasminogen activator has evolved through gene duplication, domain loss, and sequence evolution leading to change in fibrin-specificity and susceptibility to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Before undertaking this study, only the four plasminogen activator isoforms from Desmodus were known. The evolution of vampire bat plasminogen activators can now be linked phylogenetically to the transition in feeding behavior among vampire bat species from bird to mammalian blood. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

甘南高寒退化草地生态位特征及生产力研究

采取样方法,对玛曲县高寒中度退化草地的植物种群群落进行了研究分析,结果表明:以莎草植物(嵩草)为绝对优势种,杂类草(金莲花)为主要伴生种。非优势种垂穗披碱草、甘青青兰生态位宽度较大,分别为0.913和0.911,而绝对优势种嵩草和主要伴生种金莲花的生态位宽度较低,分别为0.906和0.641。生态位相似性比例大于0.50%的种对约占种群总对数的42.29%。生态位重叠值大于0.040的种对,约占种群总对数的20.55%。生态位宽度较大的两个种群,种对相似性比例一般较高,具有较大的生态位重叠(如种对乳白香青和毛茛0.082),而生态位窄的物种相互间生态位重叠比例较小(如种对二裂委陵菜和金莲花0.033)。高生态位宽度与低生态位宽度的种群也可能有较高的重叠值(如种对车前和毛茛0.065),反之则低。杂类草鲜草产量、地上生物量比例最高,依次为100.00 g/(m2.a)、43.37%。     

地震新闻报道同质化对策研究

在深入分析地震新闻报道同质化特征及其原因的基础上,本文认为有效解决地震新闻报道同质化的途径有三：一是相关部门要转变思想,明确地震新闻在地震科普中的重要作用;二是新闻媒体要转变地震新闻报道方式,追求差异化报道;三是要引导受众转变新闻消费观念,以刺激新闻生产者的积极性。