环境浓度下壬基酚对秀丽隐杆线虫时间依赖性的毒性兴奋效应

为研究暴露时间对壬基酚生态毒理学效应的影响,选取秀丽隐杆线虫(Caenorhabditis elegans)作为受试生物,采用急性(24 h和72 h)、慢性(10 d) 3个不同时间点,进行壬基酚环境浓度下(0、0.0001、0.001、0.01、0.1、0.2 mg·L~(-1))的暴露实验,以秀丽隐杆线虫的生理指标(体长、运动行为)、生化指标(氧化应激、细胞凋亡、脂褐素)为终点进行评估。结果表明:急性暴露24 h后,活性氧自由基(ROS)在0.01 mg·L~(-1)时即出现了明显的下降,其他生理生化指标无统计学意义上的明显变化。72 h暴露条件下,体长随壬基酚浓度的增加呈现倒U型趋势,在0.0001 mg·L-1时表现出最大刺激效应,比对照组高出26.4%(P0.01);头部摆动频率和身体弯曲频率在2个较高浓度(0.1和0.2 mg·L~(-1))时表现出明显的刺激效应;细胞凋亡水平在0.0001 mg·L~(-1)时显著性下降,呈现负剂量-效应关系(P0.05),在0.2 mg·L~(-1)时表现出最大刺激效应,比对照组降低了45.5%; ROS及脂褐素在壬基酚暴露浓度范围内呈正相关性增加。慢性暴露条件下,脂褐素在0.001 mg·L~(-1)时表现出最大效应,和对照组相比下降了65.4%,并且随着壬基酚浓度的增加呈现U型趋势;其他生理生化指标随着壬基酚浓度的增加表现出明显的负面效应。研究揭示了环境浓度水平的壬基酚对秀丽隐杆线虫的生态毒理效应是时间依赖性的,急性暴露以引起刺激作用为主,表现为毒性兴奋效应,而长期暴露后壬基酚对生理生化指标的负面效应更为明显。上述结果为进行壬基酚的毒性评价及更好地理解其毒性作用机理提供基础数据。     

4-壬基酚对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎/仔鱼的毒性效应

4-壬基酚(4-NP)作为一种稳定的环境内分泌干扰物,会对生物体的生长发育造成影响。以斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎为供试体,研究4-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎生长发育的毒性效应。斑马鱼胚胎被暴露在一系列浓度的4-壬基酚溶液中(2.0、5.0、10.0、25.0、50.0和125.0μg·L-1),暴露120 h后空白组初孵仔鱼因饥饿出现死亡即停止实验。记录暴露120 h内斑马鱼胚胎的死亡数、孵化数,畸形数、仔鱼体长及30 s心跳数。结果表明,4-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎48、72和96 h的半致死浓度(LC50)分别为131.4、47.2和26.8μg·L-1;125.0μg·L-1的4-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎的高致死效应使其孵化率显著降低;与空白对照组相比,4-壬基酚的暴露可显著提高斑马鱼胚胎尾部畸形率和仔鱼的心包囊肿率,其中斑马鱼胚胎尾部畸形率随处理浓度的增加而增加,呈正剂量-效应关系;经4-壬基酚暴露处理的斑马鱼仔鱼的体长及30 s心跳数较空白对照组均显著下降。2.0μg·L-14-壬基酚对斑马鱼胚胎及仔鱼即具有致畸和致死效应,对其胚胎的发育有不利影响。     

五氯酚和八氯代二苯并二嗯英复合暴露对斑马鱼胚胎发育的毒性效应

为了评价环境中五氯酚(PCP)和八氯代二苯并二嚼英(OCDD)对水环境以及鱼类的影响,以斑马鱼为模式生物,研究了PCP和OCDD对其胚胎发育的单一及复合毒性效应.结果表明,PCP单独暴露(浓度25μg·L-1～5mg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎发育具有较强的毒性效应,可导致胚胎孵化率显著下降,死亡率、畸形率显著上升,而OCDD单独暴露(200、500μg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎发育没有明显的毒性效应;OCDD与环境浓度的PCP复合暴露(OCDD PCP1:250μg·L-1 25μg·L-1;OCDD PCP2:250μg·L-1 50μg·L-1)对斑马鱼胚胎的存活与发育等没有显著影响,对斑马鱼胚胎内CYP1A基因表达以及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)的酶活力也没有显著影响,在实验浓度下二者共存没有明显的复合毒性效应.     

氯代阻燃剂得克隆对孔石莼(Ulva pertusa)繁殖及早期发育的影响

得克隆(Dechlorane Plus,DP)是一种在全世界范围内广泛使用的氯代阻燃剂,具有潜在的毒性效应。但目前已有的生态毒理学数据还十分有限。本文选择分布广泛的大型绿藻孔石莼(Ulva pertusa)作为研究对象,探讨不同浓度DP对孔石莼繁殖细胞转化及早期发育的影响。结果表明,低浓度(10-6~10-8mol·L-1)DP暴露不同程度地影响孔石莼繁殖细胞的形成、释放及附着,在试验浓度范围内呈现一定的剂量效应关系。与空白对照组相比,DP处理(10-6mol·L-1)分别使繁殖细胞的形成率、释放率和附着率显著降低了76.76%、46.26%和85.64%。在丝状幼体阶段,DP处理组(10-8和10-7mol·L-1)幼体体长分别比对照组显著减少了32.74%和38.98%。结果表明,DP暴露抑制了孔石莼的繁殖及早期发育。基于绿藻繁殖特性及早期发育的生物学指标对DP暴露较为敏感,能够为海洋环境的DP生物学效应研究提供数据。     

苯并(a)芘对罗非鱼肝脏CYP1A1和GST活性的影响

以罗非鱼为试验动物,研究不同浓度(0.1、1、10和50μg·L-1)苯并(a)芘(BaP)暴露下,罗非鱼肝脏细胞色素P450亚酶1A1(CYP1A1)和谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GST)活性的变化。结果表明,0.1、1和10μg·L-13个浓度组罗非鱼肝脏CYP1A1活性与空白和丙酮溶剂对照组相比没有显著差异(P0.05),50μg·L-1浓度组CYP1A1活性在6和168 h时受到显著诱导(P0.05);0.1和1μg·L-1浓度组肝脏GST活性与空白和丙酮溶剂对照组相比无显著差异(P0.05),10和50μg·L-1浓度组GST活性在336 h时与空白和丙酮溶剂对照组相比差异显著(P0.05)。研究CYP1A1活性与GST活性之间的关系发现,两者的变化趋势相近,尤其是1和50μg·L-12个浓度组,表明这两者之间可能存在一定的对应关系。     

酞酸酯DMP、DEP和DBP对明亮发光杆菌的毒性研究

酞酸酯（PAEs, phthalate acid esters）是目前最普遍的有机污染物之一,一定剂量的酞酸酯会产生生殖和发育毒性等健康危害。以明亮发光杆菌（Photobacterium phosphoreum T3）为受试生物,评价了甲醇和3种PAEs [dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP)]对其剂量—效应关系,以期为酞酸酯暴露风险评价提供一定理论依据。结果表明,采用Logit和Weibull非线性函数（全浓度区间）分别对甲醇和3种PAEs的浓度—效应曲线进行拟合,效果均优于线性函数（局部浓度区间）拟合。其中,甲醇的线性与Logit函数拟合r2分别为0.9592和0.9863,两者EC50分别为1.185和1.044 mol·L-1,结果相近。数据结果表明,采用明亮发光杆菌测试PAEs急性毒性时,以甲醇为助溶剂（浓度<0.247 mol·L-1,毒性效应可忽略）是可行的。在一定浓度范围内,首次以甲醇为助溶剂,以DMP?DEP和DBP 3种PAEs对明亮发光杆菌进行毒性测试。线性拟合DMP?DEP和DBP对明亮发光杆菌的浓度-效应曲线,拟合r2分别为0.9262、0.9214、0.9339,其EC50分别为2.64E-04、2.79E-04和1.14E-05 mol·L-1。与此同时,3组PAEs毒性数据均能以Weibull函数进行非线性拟合, r2分别为0.9749?0.9742和0.9648,效果良好,其EC50分别为1.49E-04、2.72E-04和9.00E-06 mol·L-1。两种拟合结果表明, Weibull 函数非线性拟合效果更优,半致死浓度 EC50结果相近。由上述结果可知,以甲醇为助溶剂时,DMP?DEP 和 DBP分别在6.14E-9~6.14E-3、5.04E-5~2.52E-3和3.76E-9~3.76E-5 mol·L-1浓度范围内,3种PAEs对明亮发光杆菌的急性毒性强弱为DBP>DMP>DEP。在上述浓度范围内,DMP、DEP和DBP对明亮发光杆菌的抑制率分别为96.87%、95.24%和88.35%。     

多氯联苯暴露对食蚊鱼CYP19ɑ 和VTGɑ 基因的表达及骨骼形态雄性化的影响

应用食蚊鱼细胞色素P450芳香化酶基因(CYP19%)和卵黄蛋白原基因(VTG%)m RNA转录水平为指标,研究微量多氯联苯(PCBs)长时间暴露对成年雌性食蚊鱼CYP19%基因和VTG%基因表达的影响,并评价其对雌性食蚊鱼产生的形态雄性化效应。采用静水暴露实验模式,分别设置0.08、0.4、2和10μg·L-1PCBs浓度,并设置对照组和平行组,定量测定14 d和28 d性腺CYP19%和肝脏VTG%m RNA表达水平的变化,以及对椎体脉棘发育的影响。暴露实验结果显示:1各PCBs浓度组(0.08、0.4、2和10μg·L-1PCBs)暴露均能抑制食蚊鱼CYP19%和VTG基因的表达,表明PCBs对食蚊鱼VTG%基因的抑制远大于对食蚊鱼CYP19%基因的抑制;20.4μg·L-1PCBs暴露显著地降低了食蚊鱼第15椎体脉棘的长度并降低第15、16椎体脉棘的L/D值,显示食蚊鱼出现骨骼形态雄性化,表明一定浓度的PCBs暴露会表现出抗雌激素效应。     

铀胁迫对大豆与玉米幼苗细胞DNA损伤的彗星试验研究

以铀浓度为1000 μmol·L-1、800 μmol·L-1、600 μmol·L-1、400 μmol·L-1、200μmol·L-1和100μmol·L-1的6组铀溶液和对照组(0μmol·L-1)培养大豆和玉米幼苗,采用彗星试验研究铀胁迫对大豆和玉米幼苗细胞DNA的损伤情况.试验结果表明,铀浓度为1 000 μ...     

双酚A不同暴露方式对线虫生长生殖发育及凋亡的影响

双酚A(BPA)是公认的环境内分泌干扰物,由于它在人群中的广泛分布,其对公众的健康危害一直广受关注.本研究利用模式生物秀丽隐杆线虫(Caenorhabdites elegans)研究了不同暴露时期、暴露方式下BPA对其生长发育及生殖毒性的影响.我们分别以秀丽线虫的虫卵、L1期幼虫为暴露起始阶段,固体暴露在不含胆固醇的60 mm NGM培养基上进行,液体暴露在含有液体培养基(K medium:32 mmol·L~(-1)KCl,51 mmol·L~(-1)NaCl,3 mmol·L~(-1)CaCl_2和3 mmol·L~(-1)MgSO4)的35 mm培养皿中进行,暴露72 h后,分别对线虫体长、生殖腺发育和生殖细胞凋亡进行检测.结果表明,无论固体暴露还是液体暴露,10μmol·L~(-1)及其以下浓度的BPA均不会对线虫的体长产生影响;而在生殖腺发育毒性评估中,BPA液体暴露表现出的毒性显著强于固体暴露,且BPA对胚胎期线虫的毒性显著强于L1期线虫;生殖细胞凋亡毒性结果显示,固体暴露下L1期线虫比胚胎期线虫对BPA更为敏感,但这种差异在液体暴露条件下并没有显现.     

磷酸三(1,3-二氯-2-丙基)酯对L-02肝细胞氧化应激及凋亡损伤机制

在各类环境介质及生物体甚至人体中都检测到有机磷阻燃剂磷酸三(1,3-二氯-2-丙基)酯(tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate,TDCPP)的存在,为探究TDCPP对人体健康的毒性作用,选取人体正常肝细胞L-02细胞作为模型,考察在体外暴露条件下TDCPP对L-02细胞的细胞存活率、凋亡、氧化应激以及p53通路相关基因方面的影响。MTT结果显示,24 h、48 h、72h的半数致死浓度(LC50)分别为:116.56μmol·L~(-1)、81.89μmol·L~(-1)、65.11μmol·L~(-1)。TDCPP暴露24 h条件下,随着TDCPP暴露浓度的增加,细胞的凋亡率和活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)水平也逐渐增加,100μmol·L~(-1)浓度条件下凋亡高达25.58%±1.61%,ROS水平是对照组的2.07±0.07倍。实时荧光定量PCR法检测线粒体凋亡通路相关基因的表达情况,在TDCPP刺激下,Bax、caspase-3、caspase-9、p53和Apaf-1相对表达量增加,Bcl-2相对表达量减少。蛋白免疫印迹法检测发现Bax/Bcl-2和caspase-3均随浓度增加而递增。本研究为综合评估TDCPP的生物和环境健康毒理效应提供了实验数据及理论支持。     

Aluminium and fluoride concentrations of three tea varieties growing at Lantau Island,Hong Kong

The present project aims to investigate aluminium (Al) and fluoride (F) contents in teas (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze). Three different commercial tea varieties: Assam variety and two China sub-varieties, a large leafed variety and small leafed variety, were collected in two tea gardens of Lantau Island tea plantation of Hong Kong. In general, high concentrations of Al and F were accumulated in the mature leaves (15.3 and of 2.07 g kg^–1 respectively). Among the three varieties, the small leafed variety exhibited the highest Al and F contents followed by the large leafed variety whereas the Assam variety had the lowest Al and F concentrations in its tea bushes. Tea products from a plantation were also analysed and it was noted that black tea had higher Al and F concentrations than green tea. The amount of Al and F released into tea liquor was also tested and the results showed that higher concentrations of Al and F were released into tea liquor under repeated infusion method than continuous infusion method.     

Generalist cuckoo bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Sphecodes) are species-specialist at the individual level

Intensive and incessant arms races between a parasite and its host are generally expected to lead to parasite specialization. Nevertheless, some parasitic species still successfully attack wide spectra of hosts. One of the solutions to the evolutionary enigma of the long-term existence of generalist parasites is their specialization at an individual level, a phenomenon well known, e.g., in European common cuckoo. Over its range, it parasitizes a number of bird species; however, individual females are mostly specialists possessing adaptations to a particular host species. In this study, we test the possibility of individual specialization in generalist cuckoo bees, the insect counterparts of avian cuckoos. Females of cuckoo bees lay each egg into a single brood cell in the nests of other bee species. The host’s offspring is destroyed by the parasitic female or later by her larvae, which feed on pollen supplies accumulated by the host. Both studied cleptoparasitic bees (Sphecodes ephippius and Sphecodes monilicornis) are widely distributed in Europe, where they have been reported to use broad host spectra. We recorded several host species (including some previously unknown) for both cuckoo bee species, and confirmed that these parasites are indeed generalist even at a small local scale. However, we demonstrate that exactly as in the avian cuckoos, each female in both species of generalist bee parasites tends to attack just one host species.     

环境浓度下的混合抗生素对普通小球藻的联合毒性

近年来,抗生素已成为一类备受关注的新型环境污染物。为了探究这类化合物对各类生物的毒性效应,本实验以红霉素(ERY)、恩诺沙星(ENR)、磺胺甲恶唑(SMX)这3种常见的抗生素作为代表,研究其单独作用和两两联合作用对普通小球藻的生长、蛋白合成及丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响。结果表明:ERY、ENR和SMX对小球藻的96 h-EC50分别为85.7、124.5和1 672.7μg·L~(-1),且3种抗生素两两联合时对小球藻的毒性作用类型均为协同作用。此外,当暴露于环境浓度的抗生素时,无论是单独加药还是联合加药,除ERY处理组的小球藻的蛋白合成被轻微抑制外,其他各处理组的蛋白含量与对照组相比,均展现出低剂量刺激效应。对于MDA产量,ENR处理组的MDA含量与对照组无显著差异,其他各处理组均高于对照组;故环境浓度下的ENR并没有对小球藻造成明显的氧化损伤,而其他2种抗生素则对小球藻造成了氧化损伤。该研究为低浓度混合抗生素在淡水环境中联合暴露的生态风险评估提供了科学依据。     

The behaviour of ant transporters at the old and new nests during successive colony emigrations

Colonies of the ant Temnothorax albipennis improve their collective performance over successive emigrations (Langridge et al. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 56:523–529, 2004, Behav Ecol Sociobiol 62:447–456, 2008). Here, by analysing the performance of individual transporters (workers that carry the brood, queen and a proportion of adults), we investigate whether they spend less time at the old and new nests during repeated emigrations. Transporters expedited choosing and picking up brood items at the old nest and depositing them in the new nest. Such improvements were not associated with adult transport. Generally, when carrying brood items, but not when carrying adults, transporters visited several locations in the new nest before depositing them. Transporters did not interact with other adults when depositing brood items. Consequently, reductions in depositing times are the sum of time savings made by individual transporters. By contrast, transporters spent most time interacting with other adults before picking up brood items at the old nest. As the frequency of these interactions did not decline, we suggest the behaviours of interacting adults were modified in a way that hastened their completion. Thus, reductions in picking-up times probably occur because of time saved during interactions.     

Social dominance in migrant and resident turkey vultures at carcasses: evidence for a despotic distribution?

We placed carcasses in three different vegetation types in the heterogeneous savannas of central Venezuela to investigate the role of social dominance in habitat use by flocking migrant and resident turkey vultures (Cathartes aura meridionalis and C. a. ruficollis). Migrants foraged primarily in savanna habitats while residents foraged almost exclusively in gallery forest. In the gallery forest residents discovered carrion first significantly more often than migrants, despite there being equal densities of residents and migrants foraging over this habitat. Because residents fed in smaller groups than migrants at carcasses they had higher feeding rates. There was also a negative relationship between group sizes of residents and migrants. The feeding rate of residents declined in response to increased group size of migrants, but group size of residents had no effect. Migrant group size also had a greater effect on resident feeding rates than king vulture presence or absence. When the effect of migrant and resident group size on feeding rates in migrants was compared, the most significant factor was migrant group size. A second analysis showed that both resident group size and presence or absence of king vultures had a significant effect on feeding rates in migrants. Rates of agonistic encounters in migrant and resident turkey vultures increased weakly in relation to group size. However, there was an increase in residents' encounter rate with migrants in relation to increased migrant group size; there was no difference in resident encounter rates with other residents in relation to resident group size. Migrants dominated residents in almost all agonistic interactions over carcasses. We suggest that savanna habitats were less attractive to residents for foraging because they held larger groups of migrants.     

Spatial and temporal dynamics at manakin leks: reconciling lek traditionality with male turnover

Leks, display grounds where males congregate and females visit to copulate, are typically traditional in location, despite often high turnover of individual males. How leks can persist in face of male turnover is not well understood, in part due to a lack of detailed field data allowing for a clear understanding of lek dynamics. We followed the fate of individual males at 11 to 15 leks of the blue-crowned manakin Lepidothrix coronata across four breeding seasons to gain insights on how leks are formed and changed in space and time. Between years, leks were traditional in location despite changes in territory ownership due to male disappearance and recruitment. New males were equally likely to recruit by taking over existing territories or by establishing new territories. Recruitment was influenced by age, as recruits were more likely to be adults than subadults. Lek size did not affect the probabilities of a male recruiting or persisting at a territory, and vocalization rate, a correlate of mating success in this population, did not affect male persistence. We used our field data to model changes in lek size and composition over longer periods of time (100 years) to understand how lek traditionality can be reconciled with high male turnover. Our simulations showed that leks in our population rapidly stabilize in size despite changes in territory ownership and that rates of male recruitment and disappearance compensate each other, such that leks have the potential to persist for several decades after the original males have disappeared from them.     

Modelling the spatial distribution of red grouper (Epinephelus morio) at Campeche Bank, México, with respect substrate

The red grouper (Epinephelus morio) has historically been one of the most important fisheries of the Campeche Bank area in the Gulf of México, where two fleets from México and one from Cuba participate. Current stocks have been estimated to be a third or less as abundant as in the 1970s; hence, the fishery has been declared to be over-exploited. The federal government of México has expressed the need to investigate the potential use of protected areas as a management tool for recovery of this species. Based on artificial neural network (ANN) modelling, we analysed the spatial distribution of red grouper with respect substrate, considering the demographic structure of the stock. We found a significant relationship between the type of substrate and the three stages of development (juveniles, pre-adults and adults). Juveniles are distributed in shallow waters close to the coast on coral substrates; pre-adults are also associated with coral substrates, but at an intermediate depth; adults are found in deeper waters on sandy substrates. We also identified seasonal reproductive aggregation patterns, always in relation to substrate types. Reproductive aggregation during the winter and early spring in the north-eastern continental shelf and the almost permanent (exception in autumn) concentration of juveniles in coastal waters around the central and eastern coast of Yucatan are of particular importance for management. These patterns represent seasons and areas of high fish vulnerability, which is the basic criterion for further analysis of protected areas.     

Copper tolerance in a population of Silene vulgaris ssp. maritima (A. & D. Love) at Dolfrwynog Bog near Dolgellau,North Wales

Clones of Silene vulgaris ssp. maritima individuals from Dolfrwynog Bog, North Wales and from a coastal control site were propagated under standardised environmental conditions. After five months, cuttings were taken and tested for copper tolerance by means of root extension analysis in solutions of various different copper concentrations. Indices of tolerance suggested that individuals from the Dolfrwynog population were more resistant to elevated copper concentrations than were the control population individuals. Due to the initial five months under standardised conditions, it was assumed that the cloned plant material would have lost all plastic adaptive responses to its native environment. If this assumption was valid then the differences in copper tolerance observed between the two populations had a genetic basis and the Dolfrwynog Bog population is a copper tolerant ecotype.     

Paternity and performance of golden-winged warblers (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vermivora chrysoptera</Emphasis>) and golden-winged X blue-winged warbler (<Emphasis Type="Italic">V. pinus</Emphasis>) hybrids at the leading edge of a hybrid zone

We examined two components of reproduction in a population of golden-winged warblers in the initial stages of hybridization with blue-winged warblers. First, we used genetic analyses of mate choice to determine whether copulations outside the social pairbond (extra-pair copulations; EPCs) occur in these species and their hybrids. Second, we compared several aspects of reproduction (pairing success, clutch size, hatching success, fledging success, and loss of paternity) in nests raised by phenotypic golden-winged warblers to those raised by hybrid individuals. Together, these data provide us with the first quantitative analysis of reproduction within this hybrid system. Our data suggest several reasons why the level of hybridization between these species is likely being underestimated. First, many birds in our population showed only subtle phenotypic signs of introgression indicating that hybrid status can only be determined by close examination. Second, high rates of extra-pair paternity indicate that we cannot base our estimates of hybridization on pairbond data alone. More than 30% of nestlings were the result of EPCs, occurring in 55% of all nests. Third, there was no difference in the number of hybrid or “pure” golden-winged warbler males chosen as social mates, relative to their abundance. Indeed, based on several components of nesting success, it appears as though hybrids are having as great realized reproductive success as are phenotypic golden-winged warblers in our population. Accordingly, we argue that hybrid reproductive success and extra-pair fertilizations are likely playing a major role in the ongoing hybridization between blue-winged and golden-winged warblers. Studies such as this one are important to our understanding of the process and implications of hybridization, and findings may be applicable to other hybrid zones.