Differential use of stored sperm during oviposition in the damselfly Calopteryx splendens xanthostoma (Charpentier)

Female Calopteryx splendens xanthostoma (Charpentier) (Odonata), have two discrete sperm storage organs, the bursa copulatrix and the paired spermathecae. We used the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA(RAPD) profiling technique to determine from which sperm storage organ spermatozoa were used to fertilise eggs during behaviourally distinct oviposition bouts. During oviposition bouts following remating sperm from the bursa copulatrix are largely used to fertilise eggs, but when females avoid remating before an oviposition bout the sperm used to fertilise eggs are derived mainly from the paired spermathecae. Our observations suggest that female C. s. xanthostoma can avoid male paternity assurance mechanisms by a combination of behavioural and anatomical adaptation: the reason(s) they do so is unclear. Received: 28 November 1995/Accepted after revision: 5 August 1996     

The influence of environmental factors on the molluscicidal activity of Euphorbia milii latex

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate the influence of biotic (snail size and presence of food during the test) and abiotic factors (temperature, water hardness and concentration of organic materials) on the molluscicidal activity of Euphorbia milii latex. Bioassays were conducted with B. glabrata (10 snails per concentration) and snail lethality was evaluated after 24 hr and 48 hr of exposure to lyophilized latex solutions. Neither the degree of water hardness, nor the presence of food during the test affected latex‐induced snail mortality. The snail size had a minor influence on E.milii‐induced snail lethality. Newly‐hatched (shell diameter ≤ 1mm) as well as young (3–8 mm) snails were slightly less susceptible than older (10–25 mm) mollusks. On the other hand, the molluscicidal effect of E.milii latex was modified by environmental factors such as temperature (i.e. LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values were halved for every 10°C rise in temperature) and concentration of organic materials in the water (i.e. the higher the concentration of organic matter, the higher the LC₅₀ value). The efficacy of E.milii latex as a molluscicide can be modified by factors such as water temperature and concentration of organic materials, and to a lesser extent by snail size.     

木霉制剂对海州香薷生长和铜吸收的影响

将里氏木霉FS10-C用苜蓿粉发酵制成固体木霉制剂.采用温室盆栽试验,研究在外源铜浓度为0,100,200,400mg/kg的土壤上,施加木霉制剂对海州香薷生长和铜吸收的影响.结果表明:施加木霉制剂后,除400mg/kg外源铜浓度土壤上地上部干重外,海州香薷生物量在各外源铜浓度土壤上均呈增加趋势.施加木霉制剂的各外源铜浓度土壤NH4OAc提取态铜含量均显著高于空白组(P<0.05),且除100mg/kg外源铜土壤上地上部外,海州香薷铜积累量均呈增加趋势.其中地上部积累量在200和400mg/kg外源铜土壤上均差异显著(P<0.05),根积累量在100mg/kg外源铜土壤上差异显著(P<0.05),总积累量在100和400mg/kg外源铜土壤上均差异显著(P<0.05).可见,里氏木霉FS10-C制剂可通过促进植物生长和提高土壤铜的植物有效性而提高海州香薷对铜的吸收能力,是一种颇具研发潜力的生物修复剂.     

Second german heavy-metal survey by means of mosses,and comparison of the first and second approach in germany and other european countries

This paper shows the geographic distribution in Germany of iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) analyzed in mosses in 1995/96 and compares it with the results of the 1990/91 pilot study within a European moss-monitoring programme. Other elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ti, V, Zn) are compared on basis of the overall element medians for Germany of the 1990/91 and 1995/96 survey. Samples of Pleurozium schreberi, Scleropodium purum, Hypnum cupressiforme and Hylocomium splendens were taken at a total of 1026 sites. In the 1995/96 monitoring campaign, 95% of the original sites of the 1990/91 study were resampled. The results from 1995/96 display local elevated values and many cases of areas affected by known sources of heavy-metal emissions. The industrialized and urban regions of Germany are shown up clearly by the 1995/96 moss-monitoring results: the Ruhr area, parts of Saarland and Baden-Württemberg, as well as areas in eastern Germany. Relatively low values for many elements were found in large areas of Lower Saxony and Bavaria. A comparison of the results of the 1990/91 and 1995/96 moss-monitoring programmes shows a fall in the concentration of the presented elements (except cadmium, copper and zinc) over the relevant period. Especially in the former GDR, chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), titanium (Ti) and vanadium (V) decreased significantly. This is, firstly, a reflection of the closure of and/or technological improvements to large power plants; secondly it is due to the fact that lignite has given way to other fuels. Vanadium (V) and nickel (Ni), typical constituents of crude oil, also show a decrease in the western part and thus document changes in the type of fuel consumed. The significant fall in lead concentration in 1995/96 as compared to 1990/91 in what used to be East and West Germany probably results from the increasing use of lead-free petrol. A comparison of the median values for 1990/91 and 1995/96 in mosses to the rate of emission of heavy metals in Germany for 1990 and 1995 shows similar trends in the case of elements such as arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb). The comparison of the medians of the elements analyzed for 19 European countries indicates for most of the elements a general tendency to lower values in 1995, except for Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Italy and United Kingdom.     

Subcellular localization of copper in tolerant and non-tolerant plant

The ability of Elsholtzia splendens Naki( E. splendens) to accumulate copper appears to be governed by its high degree of copper tolerance. However, the tolerance mechanism on the physiological basis is unknown. Using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays(EDX), the likely location of copper within the cells of the tolerant and non-tolerant was determined. Here the role of vacuolar and cell wall compartmentalization in this copper tolerant plant were investigated. A direct comparison of copper locations of E. splendens and the non-tolerant Astragalus sinicus L. ( A. sinicus ) showed that the majority of copper in the tolerant was localized primarily in the vacuolar, cell wall, on the plasmamembrane, beside lipid grains induced by copper pollution, in the chloroplasts and amyloids; but in the non-tolerant, copper precipitates only be observed on the plasmamembrane, in the chloroplasts and cytoplasm under copper exposure conditions that were toxic to both species. This revealed that the tolerant accumulates more copper in the vacuole and cell wall than the non-tolerant, where was regarded as the storage compartment of tolerant plant or hyperaccumulator for heavy metals.     

盐碱地环境下芨芨草土壤微生物群落的初步分析

新疆的盐碱化土壤分布广泛,它与荒漠化过程相伴而生,不但造成了资源的破坏、农业生产的巨大损失,而且还对生物圈和生态环境构成威胁。芨芨草(Achnatherumsplendens(Trin)Nevski)有着耐寒、耐旱、耐盐、根系发达、适应性广,能够涵养水分、改良土壤等特性,因此芨芨草成为在新疆种植的改良盐碱地土壤的可选植物之一。目前,关于芨芨草在改良盐碱土地的过程中,它对改变盐碱地土壤微生物群落方面的研究还很少有人报道。作者采用稀释平板分离计数法测定了芨芨草不同地块垂直分布的各个土层中细菌、放线菌、真菌的数量,初步研究分析了种植芨芨草的盐碱地土壤微生物群落分布变化的特点,讨论了芨芨草的种植对盐碱地土壤环境的影响。试验表明,种植芨芨草对盐碱地土质的改良可能起到了一定的作用,随着芨芨草种植年限的增加,不但使细菌和放线菌的总数升高,而且细菌和放线菌数量的垂直分布表现出向上层移动的趋势,同时出现了真菌。此研究结果为种植芨芨草改良盐碱地土壤环境的进一步研究奠定基础。     

根分泌物与微生物对污染土壤重金属活性的影响

研究了铜富集植物海州香薷(Elsholtziasplendens)和鸭跖草(Commelinacommunis)根分泌物,以及假单胞菌(P.aeruginosaZD4-3)和白腐真菌(P.Chrysosprim)对污染土壤重金属活性的影响.结果表明,海州香薷和鸭跖草根分泌物对污染土壤中Cu有一定的活化能力,不同处理间差异不大,鸭跖草根分泌物对Cu的活化能力大于海州香薷.不同处理根分泌物中有机酸种类或含量有所差异,但主要以草酸和出峰时间为6.5min左右的未知有机酸为主.假单胞菌对污染土壤Cu、Pb和Zn有很强的活化作用;白腐真菌对Cu、Zn有活化作用,对Pb则表现为固定作用,海州香薷根分泌物降低了供试假单胞菌对重金属的活化效果,但增加了白腐真菌对重金属的活化效果.