一株多菌灵降解菌NY97-1的分子鉴定及GFP标记

用PCR方法扩增的多菌灵降解菌NY97-1的16SrDNA片段经TA克隆后,进行序列测定和BLAST同源序列比较分析,确定了其分类地位为短小芽孢杆菌(Bacilluspumilus,B.p).经BamHⅠ酶切的启动子探针载体pUC19-gfp与NY97-1基因组DNA的Sau3AⅠ酶切片段酶连,酶连产物转化E.coliDH5a,建立B.p的启动子基因文库.挑选其中的两个强阳性克隆,亚克隆来自短小芽孢杆菌总基因组的启动子活性片段F4、F5,构建大肠杆菌-短小芽孢杆菌穿梭表达载体pNW33N-F4-gfp、pNW33N-F5-gfp.通过电转化得到gfp在B.p中的两株标记菌株.在荧光显微镜下,观察到了明亮的绿色荧光,证明活性片段F4、F5均具有组成型启动子的功能,实现了gfp基因在B.p中组成型表达,且遗传稳定,为今后研究多菌灵降解菌B.p在自然环境中的定殖、分布及动态变化打下了基础.图3表2参20     

luxAB基因标记甲基对硫磷降解菌DLL-1在土壤和植株根部的生态行为研究

发光酶标记是 1种有效的跟踪微生物在生态环境中动态行为的技术手段。采用luxAB基因标记技术对甲基对硫磷降解菌DLL - 1在土壤中的分布和植株内的定殖情况进行了研究。结果表明 ,DLL - 1可以较长时间的在植株根际定殖 ,3 0d后仍可用X -感光片检测到菌体的存在 ,而根际外未检测到DLL - 1。植株根剖开后在培养基上培养 2 4h后进行X -光片曝光 ,发现DLL - 1能够进入植株根内并定殖。菌株回收后采用测定其农药降解活力和检查质粒图谱 2种方法证实 ,所观测的回收菌株就是接种的DLL - 1菌株     

luxAB基因标记甲基对硫磷降解菌DLL—1在土壤和植株根部的生态行为研究

发光酶标记是1种有效的跟踪微生物在生态环境中动态行为的技术手段。采用luxAB基因标记技术对甲基对硫磷降解菌DLL-1在土壤中的分布和植株内的定殖情况进行了研究。结果表明，DLL-1可以较长时间的在植株根际定殖，30d后仍可用X-感光片检测到菌体的存在，而根际外未检测到DLL-1。植株根剖开后在培养基上培养24h后进行X-光片曝光，发现DLL-1能够进入植株内并定殖。菌株回收后采用测定其农药降解活力和检查质粒图谱2种方法证实，所观测的回收菌株就是接种的DLL-1菌株。     

外源降解菌对黄麻根区净化能力的生物强化作用

通过原生质体电融合得到经EGFP标记的外源细菌(蒽高效降解菌An和表面活性剂产生菌P)与黄麻根际优势菌融合的2株融合子Tu-An与融合子Tu-P,然后将两种融合子以及出发菌株分别定殖到播种了黄麻(Corchoruscapsulari)的蒽污染土壤中,对不同污染物浓度下的细菌定殖、植物生长及蒽降解做了初步研究.研究表明,在相同的初始接种量下,融合子的定殖数量明显高于出发菌株;在两种融合子共存的条件下,定殖数量也略高于单一融合子的定殖数量.在接种外源菌的土壤中,植物获得了更好的生长条件,得以良好生长;而没有投加降解菌的组别中,黄麻的生长明显受到了较严重的抑制.投加外源降解菌可以促进生物降解,达到生物强化的目的.实验研究说明,把外源降解菌投加到污染土壤中进行生物强化修复是可行的.图3表2参20     

荧光假单胞菌(Pseudomonas fluorescens)工程菌株田间残留和扩散的追踪检测

分别在北京和江苏省连云港市对携带Btcry基因的荧光假单胞菌工程菌进行了田间残留与扩散的追踪检测 .对越冬前后的试验地和保护地土壤样品进行抗生素抗性平板分离 ,能检测到极少量的具有与出发菌株相同抗性的荧光假单胞菌菌落 ,但没有发现工程菌株的残留与扩散 .对江苏试验地样品还进行了工程菌株质粒卡那霉素和壮观霉素抗性标记基因的抗性菌落分离 ,绝大多数样品中都能分离到包括荧光假单胞菌在内的抗性菌落 ,土样中菌密度n(cfu) =10 4 ～ 10 5g-1,但进行Btcry基因PCR -RFLP检测时没有从样品中得到特异扩增产物 .研究结果表明 :工程菌株抗性标记基因在自然界广泛存在 ,工程菌在株环境中没有残留和扩散 ,具有良好的生物安全性 .表 4参 8     

利用GFP和抗性双类型标记监测联合固氮菌在玉米根际的定殖

将来自质粒ｐＫＲＰ１０、ｐＫＲＰ１１和ｐＫＲＰ１２的氯霉素、卡那霉素和四环素抗性基因分别插入质粒ＧＦＰｍｕｔ２中ｇｆｐ基因下游的ＰｓｔＩ位点,得到ｇｆｐ和不同抗性基因共存的重组质粒,转化Ｅｎｔｅｒｏｂａｃｔｅｒ ｇｅｒｇｏｖｉａｅ ５７－７野生型菌株和耐铵工程菌Ｅ７后,得到既有抗生素抗性又在蓝光下呈现亮绿荧光的菌株。用它们接种玉米后,利用这两种选择标记双重筛选重新分离到的细菌确定了接种菌在玉米幼苗     

利用纤维二糖的酵母工程菌构建

以扣囊复膜孢酵母染色体DNA为模板,通过PCR方法扩增到其β-葡萄糖苷酶基因bgl1,经EcoRⅠ、BamHⅠ双酶切并和经相同酶切的穿梭表达载体pYX212连接,构建了重组质粒pYX-sbgl,转化酿酒酵母W 303-1A,bgl1基因获得了活性表达,β-葡萄糖苷酶活力为0.504 IU/mL.转化子能以纤维二糖为唯一碳源生长,并能应用于同时糖化和发酵纤维素底物生产乙醇,使乙醇产量较宿主酵母有了一定的提高.图6表1参14     

大鼠血红素加氧酶-1基因在乳酸乳球菌中的克隆与表达

采用RTPCR技术从大鼠脾总RNA中分离扩增HO1基因,将该基因克隆进pGEMTeasy质粒中,转化大肠杆菌DH5α,提取质粒,分析基因,酶切后与含有乳酸乳球菌启动子NisA的pSEC质粒连接,经电击转化,将重组质粒转入乳酸乳球菌NZ9000中,转化子在含有氯霉素的脑心浸液培养基上培养.用Nisin诱导HO1表达,SDSPAGE和Westernblot分析、鉴定表达产物,并且用分光光度法测定工程菌表达的HO1活性为0.45nmolmg(protein)-1h-1.图5参18     

苏云金芽孢杆菌无质粒突变株BMB171的转化和表达性能

研究了苏云金芽孢杆菌无质粒突变株ＢＭＢ１７１的转化性能和表达ｃｒｙ１Ａｃ和ｃｒｙ１Ｃａ基因的性能．用ｐＨＴ３１０１、ｐＢＭＢ３０５、ｐＢＭＢ１７３６、ｐＢＭＢ６７１、ｐＢＴＬ１和ｐＨＶ１２４９等６种外源质粒电转化无质粒突变株ＢＭＢ１７１,其转化频率分别是Ｂｔ４Ｑ７、Ｂｔ４Ｄ１０和Ｂｔｉ．ＩＰＳ．７８／１１等３种常用受体菌相应最高转化频率的１０００、６．７、１２．５、６６．７、３５００和２倍,其每μｇＤＮＡ的最高转化子数达１０７．导入ＢＭＢ１７１的外源质粒的稳定性与其复制子类型和质粒大小有关．无质粒突变株ＢＭＢ１７１表达ｃｒｙ１Ａｃ基因的表达量高于对照受体菌Ｂｔ４Ｑ７,略低于Ｂｔ４Ｄ１０和Ｂｔｉ．ＩＰＳ．７８／１１,而ＢＭＢ１７１表达ｃｒｙ１Ｃａ基因的表达量高于这３种受体菌;对小菜蛾３龄幼虫和甜菜夜蛾初孵幼虫的毒力测定结果表明,ＢＭＢ１７１表达ｃｒｙ１Ａｃ基因的杀虫毒力高于Ｂｔ４Ｑ７和Ｂｔ４Ｄ１０,略低于Ｂｔｉ．ＩＰＳ．７８／１;而表达ｃｒｙ１Ｃａ基因的毒力高于这３种受体菌     

绿色荧光蛋白基因标记内生枯草芽孢杆菌

用枯草芽孢杆菌168菌株rpsD基因的启动子替换质粒pGFP4412中蜡状芽孢杆菌4412启动子,从而构建了能在枯草芽孢杆菌中表达绿色荧光蛋白基因gfpmut3a的载体pS4GFP,将其导入具有内生、防病、促生作用的野生型枯草芽孢杆菌BS-2菌株中,筛选获得遗传稳定性好且具有良好发光表型的标记菌株BS-2-gfp.该标记菌株在小白菜体内的定殖研究结果表明,该菌株能够在小白菜根际及根、茎、叶内定殖和传导,接菌50d后仍能在其体内分离到标记菌株.图5参17     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

A palaeo-hydrogeological model for arsenic contamination in southern and south-east Asia

An argument is presented in which areas of natural arsenic contamination of modern groundwaters throughout Asia have a common origin. Arsenic originally accumulated in oceanic ferro-manganoan sediments of the eastern Palaeo-Tethys. This was further concentrated through oceanic crustal extinction in what later became the south-east Chinese accreted mineralised terrain. Proto-Himalayan uplift of this area created the palaeo-drainage systems of the Ganges – Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Mekong, and Red Rivers, with consequent headwater erosion of arsenic-rich sediments. Their downstream deposition as immature and easily redistributed Neogene sandstones, silts, and iron-rich clays has created secondary and tertiary reservoirs of adsorbed and authigenic arsenic, from which the current arsenic-rich groundwaters have evolved. Considering river basins within the above palaeo-hydrogeological framework provides a basis for assessing the risk of arsenic in groundwater basins of south and south-eastern Asia.     

Cost‐effective conservation of an endangered frog under uncertainty

How should managers choose among conservation options when resources are scarce and there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of actions? Well‐developed tools exist for prioritizing areas for one‐time and binary actions (e.g., protect vs. not protect), but methods for prioritizing incremental or ongoing actions (such as habitat creation and maintenance) remain uncommon. We devised an approach that combines metapopulation viability and cost‐effectiveness analyses to select among alternative conservation actions while accounting for uncertainty. In our study, cost‐effectiveness is the ratio between the benefit of an action and its economic cost, where benefit is the change in metapopulation viability. We applied the approach to the case of the endangered growling grass frog (Litoria raniformis), which is threatened by urban development. We extended a Bayesian model to predict metapopulation viability under 9 urbanization and management scenarios and incorporated the full probability distribution of possible outcomes for each scenario into the cost‐effectiveness analysis. This allowed us to discern between cost‐effective alternatives that were robust to uncertainty and those with a relatively high risk of failure. We found a relatively high risk of extinction following urbanization if the only action was reservation of core habitat; habitat creation actions performed better than enhancement actions; and cost‐effectiveness ranking changed depending on the consideration of uncertainty. Our results suggest that creation and maintenance of wetlands dedicated to L. raniformis is the only cost‐effective action likely to result in a sufficiently low risk of extinction. To our knowledge we are the first study to use Bayesian metapopulation viability analysis to explicitly incorporate parametric and demographic uncertainty into a cost‐effective evaluation of conservation actions. The approach offers guidance to decision makers aiming to achieve cost‐effective conservation under uncertainty.     

Threats to intact tropical peatlands and opportunities for their conservation

Large, intact areas of tropical peatland are highly threatened at a global scale by the expansion of commercial agriculture and other forms of economic development. Conserving peatlands on a landscape scale, with their hydrology intact, is of international conservation importance to preserve their distinctive biodiversity and ecosystem services and maintain their resilience to future environmental change. We explored threats to and opportunities for conserving remaining intact tropical peatlands; thus, we excluded peatlands of Indonesia and Malaysia, where extensive deforestation, drainage, and conversion to plantations means conservation in this region can protect only small fragments of the original ecosystem. We focused on a case study, the Pastaza‐Marañón Foreland Basin (PMFB) in Peru, which is among the largest known intact tropical peatland landscapes in the world and is representative of peatland vulnerability. Maintenance of the hydrological conditions critical for carbon storage and ecosystem function of peatlands is, in the PMFB, primarily threatened by expansion of commercial agriculture linked to new transport infrastructure that is facilitating access to remote areas. There remain opportunities in the PMFB and elsewhere to develop alternative, more sustainable land‐use practices. Although some of the peatlands in the PMFB fall within existing legally protected areas, this protection does not include the most carbon‐dense (domed pole forest) areas. New carbon‐based conservation instruments (e.g., REDD+, Green Climate Fund), developing markets for sustainable peatland products, transferring land title to local communities, and expanding protected areas offer pathways to increased protection for intact tropical peatlands in Amazonia and elsewhere, such as those in New Guinea and Central Africa which remain, for the moment, broadly beyond the frontier of commercial development.     

Human Influence and Classical Biogeographic Predictors of Rare Species Occurrence

Biogeographic theory predicts that rare species occur more often in larger, less‐isolated habitat patches and suggests that patch size and connectivity are positive predictors of patch quality for conservation. However, in areas substantially modified by humans, rare species may be relegated to the most isolated patches. We used data from plant surveys of 81 meadow patches in the Georgia Basin of Canada and the United States to show that presence of threatened and endangered plants was positively predicted for patches that were isolated on small islands surrounded by ocean and for patches that were isolated by surrounding forest. Neither patch size nor connectivity were positive predictors of rare species occurrence. Thus, in our study area, human influence, presumably due to disturbance or introduction of competitive non‐native species, appears to have overwhelmed classical predictors of rare species distribution, such that greater patch isolation appeared to favor presence of rare species. We suggest conservation planners consider the potential advantages of protecting geographically isolated patches in human‐modified landscapes because such patches may represent the only habitats in which rare species are likely to persist. Influencia Humana y Predictores Biogeográficos Clásicos de la Ocurrencia de Especies Raras     

Seasonal dynamics of macro-algae in the South Lake of Tunis

The macro-algae communities observed in the south lake of Tunis are characterized by the predominance of nitrophilous algae which are in the order of biomass importance:Ulva, Cladophora andEnteromorpha. We have noted seasonal changes of alga distribution. The wind appears to be one of the most important factors influencing this distribution. The total biomass reaches a maximum in the spring. Rapid decomposition of the biomass leads to a severe ecological imbalance, resulting in crises of anoxia and fish death. A restoration project has already started. It aims at removal of contaminated muds and the introduction of a new circulation system. The main objectives of this work were to collect information on the distribution and biomass of the phytobenthic communities as a first step in the constitution of a database for further comparison.     

Patterns and biases of climate change threats in the IUCN Red List

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments rely on published data and expert inputs, and biases can be introduced where underlying definitions and concepts are ambiguous. Consideration of climate change threat is no exception, and recently numerous approaches to assessing the threat of climate change to species have been developed. We explored IUCN Red List assessments of amphibians and birds to determine whether species listed as threatened by climate change display distinct patterns in terms of habitat occupied and additional nonclimatic threats faced. We compared IUCN Red List data with a published data set of species’ biological and ecological traits believed to infer high vulnerability to climate change and determined whether distributions of climate change‐threatened species on the IUCN Red List concur with those of climate change‐threatened species identified with the trait‐based approach and whether species possessing these traits are more likely to have climate change listed as a threat on the IUCN Red List. Species in some ecosystems (e.g., grassland, shrubland) and subject to particular threats (e.g., invasive species) were more likely to have climate change as a listed threat. Geographical patterns of climate change‐threatened amphibians and birds on the IUCN Red List were incongruent with patterns of global species richness and patterns identified using trait‐based approaches. Certain traits were linked to increases or decreases in the likelihood of a species being threatened by climate change. Broad temperature tolerance of a species was consistently related to an increased likelihood of climate change threat, indicating counterintuitive relationships in IUCN assessments. To improve the robustness of species assessments of the vulnerability or extinction risk associated with climate change, we suggest IUCN adopt a more cohesive approach whereby specific traits highlighted by our results are considered in Red List assessments. To achieve this and to strengthen the climate change‐vulnerability assessments approach, it is necessary to identify and implement logical avenues for further research into traits that make species vulnerable to climate change (including population‐level threats).     

Parasitic wasps orient to green leaf volatiles

Summary Undamaged plants emit low levels of green leaf volatiles (GLVs), while caterpillar-damaged and artificially damaged plants emit relatively higher levels of certain GLVs. Female braconid parasitoids,Microplitis croceipes, oriented to both damaged plants and to individual GLVs in no-choice tests in a wind tunnel, but seldom oriented to undamaged plants. Female ichneumonid parasitoids,Netelia heroica, also oriented to individual GLVs in a wind tunnel. Males of both wasp species failed to orient to the GLVs. These data show that leaf-feeding caterpillars can cause the release of GLVs, and that parasitic wasps can respond to these odors by flying upwind (chemoanemotactic response), which brings the wasps to their caterpillar hosts. This supports the hypothesis that plants communicate with members of the third trophic level,i.e., plants under herbivore attack emit chemical signals that guide natural enemies of herbivores to sites of plant damage. In this interaction, the GLVs serve as tritrophic plant-to-parasitoid synomones. That parasitoids from two different wasp families oriented to GLVs suggests that the response may be widespread among the Hymenoptera.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture