Explaining postnatal growth plasticity in a generalist brood parasite

Selection of a particular host has clear consequences for the performance of avian brood parasites. Experimental studies showed that growth rate and fledging mass of brood parasites varied between host species independently of the original host species. Finding correlates of this phenotypic plasticity in growth is important for assessing adaptiveness and potential fitness consequences of host choice. Here, I analyzed the effects of several host characteristics on growth rate and fledging mass of the young of brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), a generalist, non-evicting brood parasite. Cowbird chicks grew better in fast-developing host species and reached higher fledging mass in large hosts with fast postnatal development. A potential proximate mechanism linking fast growth and high fledging mass of cowbird with fast host development is superior food supply in fast-developing foster species. So far, we know very little about the consequences of the great plasticity in cowbird growth for later performance of the adult parasite. Thus, cowbird species could become interesting model systems for investigating the role of plasticity and optimization in the evolution of growth rate in birds.     

Adaptation to climate change in Ethiopia and South Africa: options and constraints

Climate change is expected to adversely affect agricultural production in Africa. Because agricultural production remains the main source of income for most rural communities in the region, adaptation of the agricultural sector is imperative to protect the livelihoods of the poor and to ensure food security. A better understanding of farmers’ perceptions of climate change, ongoing adaptation measures, and the decision-making process is important to inform policies aimed at promoting successful adaptation strategies for the agricultural sector. Using data from a survey of 1800 farm households in South Africa and Ethiopia, this study presents the adaptation strategies used by farmers in both countries and analyzes the factors influencing the decision to adapt. We find that the most common adaptation strategies include: use of different crops or crop varieties, planting trees, soil conservation, changing planting dates, and irrigation. However, despite having perceived changes in temperature and rainfall, a large percentage of farmers did not make any adjustments to their farming practices. The main barriers to adaptation cited by farmers were lack of access to credit in South Africa and lack of access to land, information, and credit in Ethiopia. A probit model is used to examine the factors influencing farmers’ decision to adapt to perceived climate changes. Factors influencing farmers’ decision to adapt include wealth, and access to extension, credit, and climate information in Ethiopia; and wealth, government farm support, and access to fertile land and credit in South Africa. Using a pooled dataset, an analysis of the factors affecting the decision to adapt to perceived climate change across both countries reveals that farmers were more likely to adapt if they had access to extension, credit, and land. Food aid, extension services, and information on climate change were found to facilitate adaptation among the poorest farmers. We conclude that policy-makers must create an enabling environment to support adaptation by increasing access to information, credit and markets, and make a particular effort to reach small-scale subsistence farmers, with limited resources to confront climate change.     

Flood protection and endogenous sorting of households: the role of credit constraints

Human migration is increasingly seen as a promising climate change adaptation and flood risk reduction strategy. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how spatial differences in flood risk, due to differences in flood protection, reduce the mobility of vulnerable households through a credit constraint mechanism. Using an equilibrium model with two households types and endogenous sorting, we show how spatial differences in flood protection lead to clustering of vulnerable households in a risky region, in a real-world setting of common United States (US) flood zones. We find clustering effects of some size for flood zones with return periods of less than 30 years.     

pH及光照对两种赤潮甲藻种群生长和胞外碳酸酐酶活性的影响

研究了pH和光照强度对两种赤潮甲藻(Prorocentrum donghaiense和Karlodinium micrum)的种群生长及其胞外碳酸酐酶(CA)活性的影响。结果表明,pH 7.5、光照强度30μmol/(m2.s)是两种微藻的最适种群生长条件,在种群生长的最适pH和光照强度下,胞外CA活性最大。最适培养条件下,两种甲藻胞外碳酸酐酶活性随着种群生长周期而变化,指数生长期至平台期CA酶活增加,平台期至衰退期CA酶活降低,平台期胞外CA活性最大。     

多氯联苯(PCBs)污染对秋茄Kandelia candel生长的影响

通过盆栽实验研究了不同浓度(180×10-9、900×10-9、1 800×10-9和2 700×10-9)的多氯联苯(PCBs)对红树植物秋茄Kandelia candel幼苗生长的影响.结果表明:秋茄的生长指标茎高、茎径、茎体积和生物量的生长量呈现先上升后下降的变化趋势,不过各处理的生长指标均高于对照组;研究表明,秋茄能在PCBs浓度为2 700×10-9的沉积物中正常生长,对PCBs有较强的耐受性和适应性.     

三种海洋微藻生长期脂肪酸组成研究

球等鞭金藻、盐藻和小球藻脂肪酸组成气相色谱分析的结果表明 ,三种海洋微藻在指数生长期总多不饱和脂肪酸含量 (TPUFA)明显比稳定生长期高 ,而总饱和脂肪酸含量 (TSFA)在指数生长期间相对较低。球等鞭金藻的DHA ,小球藻的EPA和盐藻的C18∶3均在培养后的第 6d均达最大值。     

Evolutionary constraints in the mechanism of flavin catalysis

Analysis of the possible evolution of flavin catalysis in succinate dehydrogenase suggests as the ultimate stage an active site that bears one or more acid functions and uses the enediol form of the substrate rather than the carbanion as a nucleophile. In the case of flavoenzyme catalyzed oxidation of fatty acylCoA, α-amino acids and α-hydroxy acids evolution to a similar mechanism seems to be blocked.     

Song acquisition and acquisition constraints in the nightingale,Luscinia megarhynchos

We thank R. Lange for tutoring the birds and his assistance in data analysis. The study was supported by the DFG (To 13/13).     

Postnatal nutrition influences male attractiveness and promotes plasticity in male mating preferences

Poor early-life nutrition could reduce adult reproductive success by negatively affecting traits linked to sexual attractiveness such as song complexity. If so, this might favor strategic mate choice, allowing males with less complex songs to tailor their mating tactics to maximize the reproductive benefits. However, this possibility has been ignored in theoretical and empirical studies. By manipulating the micronutrient content of the diet (e.g., low or high) during the postnatal period of male zebra finches, we show for the first time (1) that males reared on a poor (low) micronutrient diet had less complex songs as adults; (2) that these males, in contrast to the high micronutrient diet group, were more selective in their mating strategies, discriminating against those females most likely to reduce their clutch size when paired with males having less complex songs; and (3) that by following different mating strategies, males reared on the contrasting diets obtained similar reproductive benefits. These results suggest that early-life dietary conditions can induce multiple and long-lasting effects on male and female reproductive traits. Moreover, the results seem to reflect a previously unreported case of adaptive plasticity in mate choice in response to a nutritionally mediated reduction in sexual attractiveness.     

互花米草在不同生境中的形态可塑性与生物量分配

该文以分布于广西合浦山口红树林保护区的互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)为研究对象,研究了不同的生境条件(淤泥质、泥沙质、沙质)对其形态因子和生物量的影响.结果表明:生境条件对互花米草的形态因子和生物量的生长有显著影响.三种生境中,以淤泥质中生长的互花米草的单位面积株数和生物量最高;比较单株的形态因子,则以泥沙质中的互花米草长势最佳,并与淤泥质、沙质相差显著;在淤泥质与沙质中,除地下生物量外,其它形态因子与生物量之间没有显著差异;在不同的生境中互花米草生物量的分配存在一定的差异;土壤透气性及养分含量可能是影响互花米草形态因子和生物量差异的主要因素.     

Adaptation to climate change in the Northeast United States: opportunities, processes, constraints

Scientific evidence accumulating over the past decade documents that climate change impacts are already being experienced in the US Northeast. Policy-makers and resource managers must now prepare for the impacts from climate change and support implementing such plans on the ground. In this paper we argue that climate change challenges the region to maintain its economic viability, but also holds some opportunities that may enhance economic development, human well-being, and social justice. To face these challenges and seize these opportunities effectively we must better understand adaptation capacities, opportunities and constraints, the social processes of adaptation, approaches for engaging critical players and the broader public in informed debate, decision-making, and conscious interventions in the adaptation process. This paper offers a preliminary qualitative assessment, in which we emphasize the need for (1) assessing the feasibility and side effects of technological adaptation options, (2) increasing available resources and improving equitable access to them, (3) increasing institutional flexibility, fit, cooperation and decision-making authority, (4) using and enhancing human and social capital, (5) improving access to insurance and other risk-spreading mechanisms, and (6) linking scientific information more effectively to decision-makers while engaging the public. Throughout, we explore these issues through illustrative sectoral examples. We conclude with a number of principles that may guide the preparation of future adaptation plans for the Northeast.     

UV-B辐射增强和蒽对3种赤潮微藻生长的相互作用

通过实验生态学的方法,研究了赤潮异弯藻、亚历山大藻和中肋骨条藻的生长对UV-B辐射增强和蒽处理的响应.结果表明:低剂量的UV-B辐射和低浓度的蒽处理对3种赤潮微藻的生长有刺激作用,而高剂量的UV-B辐射处理和高浓度的蒽处理对3种赤潮微藻的生长均显示出抑制作用.UV-B辐射对赤潮异弯藻、亚历山大藻和中肋骨条藻的96 h半抑制剂量分别为1.63、2.34和2.58 J/m2,蒽处理对赤潮异弯藻、亚历山大藻和中肋骨条藻的96 h半抑制剂量分别为0.078、0.119和0.112 mg/L.在刺激浓度的蒽处理的同时,添加刺激剂量的UV-B辐射条件下,3种赤潮微藻的生长同样表现出了抑制作用.     

海温季节性变化对藻类生长影响的定量研究

利用沿海海洋观测台站多年的海温观测资料,依据赤潮藻比生长率与海水温度间的响应关系,模拟了不同适温藻种比生长率在相同海区季节性变化规律,以及同一适温藻种比生长率在不同海区的季节性变化规律。结果表明:不同适温藻种在相同海区有不同的高生长时段,赤潮藻通常易在高生长时段出现爆发性增殖而形成赤潮;同样的,由于南北地域的差异性导致海温季节性变化规律不同,同一适温藻种在不同海区最大比生长率出现的时间也各不相同,比生长率的季节性变化规律有较大差异。以夜光藻和东海原甲藻为例,模拟了该藻种在各自赤潮多发海域比生长率的季节变化规律,并与1933～2009年间的赤潮灾害发生记录资料对比,藻种在各海区的高生长时段与赤潮高发期较为吻合。     

探索低碳约束下的环境监测与保护

低碳生活是现代社会乃至全球提倡的一种观点.随着我国工业建设的高速发展,排放出大量的工业废水、废气,致使环境受到了严重的破坏,近些年,针对这些情况,我国政府做出了一些重大的整改措施,对一些高污染企业进行了相关的整改,空气质量得到了明显的改善.     

Morphological change and phenotypic plasticity in native and non-native pumpkinseed sunfish in response to competition

Non-indigenous species are oftentimes exposed to ecosystems with unfamiliar species, and organisms that exhibit a high degree of phenotypic plasticity may be better able to contend with the novel competitors that they may encounter during range expansion. In this study, differences in morphological plasticity were investigated using young-of-year pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) from native North American and non-native European populations. Two Canadian populations, isolated from bluegill sunfish (L. macrochirus) since the last glaciation, and two Spanish populations, isolated from bluegill since their introduction in Europe, were reared in a common environment using artificial enclosures. Fish were subjected to allopatric (without bluegill) or sympatric (with bluegill) conditions, and differences in plasticity were tested through a MANOVA of discriminant function scores. All pumpkinseed populations exhibited dietary shifts towards more benthivorous prey when held with bluegill. Differences between North American and European populations were observed in body dimensions, gill raker length and pelvic fin position. Sympatric treatments induced an increase in body width and a decrease in caudal peduncle length in native fish; non-native fish exhibited longer caudal peduncle lengths when held in sympatry with bluegill. Overall, phenotypic plasticity influenced morphological divergence less than genetic factors, regardless of population. Contrary to predictions, pumpkinseeds from Europe exhibited lower levels of phenotypic plasticity than Canadian populations, suggesting that European pumpkinseeds are more canalized than their North American counterparts.     

长江经济带绿色发展:关于状态、特征与制约的文献综述

文章基于文献综述梳理和探究长江经济带绿色发展的研究现状、状态水平、空间格局及制约因素等,结果表明:长江经济带绿色发展水平呈稳步上升趋势,在全国处于中上游水平;整体而言,长江经济带经济增长质量略滞后于生态环境治理,生态系统健康与生态服务是新时期长江经济带绿色发展的重点工作;长江经济带绿色发展水平空间差异明显,下游更易受资源环境的约束,中游面临产业结构固化的困境,上游发展绿色经济动能乏力;长江经济带既有的增长方式和发展模式形成了较难转型的路径依赖,在创新驱动发展、优化资源配置、改善协调关系等方面还需进一步加强。本文结合相关研究和热点进行述评,以期为长江经济带在多重目标下寻找平衡,创新绿色发展模式提供借鉴和参考。