Male scent-marking pheromone of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus ardens ardens</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera; Apidae) attracts both conspecific queens and males

To explore the role of the volatiles emitted from male labial gland (LG) of the bumblebee Bombus ardens ardens, we investigated the responses of virgin queens and males to volatiles using a gas chromatography–electroantennographic detector (GC–EAD) system and Y-tube olfactometer. GC–EAD analysis revealed that citronellol, the main compound detected in the male LG, caused clear electrophysiological responses in the antennae of B. a. ardens virgin queens and males although two minor compounds elicited antennal responses when applied in a high concentration. Behavioral tests using a Y-tube olfactometer showed that queens and males were significantly attracted to both LG extracts and citronellol more than to the solvent alone. This is the first study to demonstrate that citronellol as a major compound of male scent-marking pheromone in B. a. ardens functions as a sex attractant for queens. The results also suggest that this compound has another function as a trail marker used by males.     

Seasonality and microhabitat selection in a forest-dwelling salamander

Many small terrestrial vertebrates exhibit limited spatial movement and are considerably exposed to changes in local environmental variables. Among such vertebrates, amphibians at present experience a dramatic decline due to their limited resilience to environmental change. Since the local survival and abundance of amphibians is intrinsically related to the availability of shelters, conservation plans need to take microhabitat requirements into account. In order to gain insight into the terrestrial ecology of the spectacled salamander Salamandrina perspicillata and to identify appropriate forest management strategies, we investigated the salamander’s seasonal variability in habitat use of trees as shelters in relation to tree features (size, buttresses, basal holes) and environmental variables in a beech forest in Italy. We used the occupancy approach to assess tree suitability on a non-conventional spatial scale. Our approach provides fine-grained parameters of microhabitat suitability and elucidates many aspects of the salamander’s terrestrial ecology. Occupancy changed with the annual life cycle and was higher in autumn than in spring, when females were found closer to the stream in the study area. Salamanders showed a seasonal pattern regarding the trees they occupied and a clear preference for trees with a larger diameter and more burrows. With respect to forest management, we suggest maintaining a suitable number of trees with a trunk diameter exceeding 30 cm. A practice of selective logging along the banks of streams could help maintain an adequate quantity of the appropriate microhabitat. Furthermore, in areas with a presence of salamanders, a good forest management plan requires leaving an adequate buffer zone around streams, which should be wider in autumn than in spring.     

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.     

湟水河流域水质时空变化特征及其污染源解析

基于2012—2014年水质数据,综合应用多元统计分析与一维水质模型(Qual2Kw),系统分析了湟水河水质时空变化及其污染物来源.结果表明:湟水河河流水质主要受化学需氧量、生化需氧量、铜、六价铬、水温、溶解氧、总氮、氨氮等8项水质指标影响,且氨氮和总氮污染严重;湟水河水质时间上可划分为3个时段:时段1(6—10月)、时段2(5月和11月)和时段3(12月—4月),时段1水质明显优于时段2和时段3,湟水河水体受工业生活排放污水的影响显著,面源污染对河流水质的影响低于点源污染;空间上可分为3大区段:湟水河上游、中游和下游,中游西宁市段污染较重;基于Qual2Kw模型的污染物贡献比例计算结果揭示了湟水河民和桥断面的氨氮负荷主要来源于扎马隆(S2)-西钢桥(S3),总氮主要来源于报社桥(S5)-小峡桥(S6),其中支流点源是氨氮的主要污染源,普通点源即城镇生活污水和工业废水排放是总氮的主要污染来源,上游干流农田地表径流、畜禽养殖废水、农村生活污水等污染源氨氮、总氮排放也不容忽视.研究结果可以为湟水河流域水环境管理提供科学依据.     

Alteration of dominant cyanobacteria in different bloom periods caused by abiotic factors and species interactions

Freshwater cyanobacterial blooms have drawn public attention because they threaten the safety of water resources and human health worldwide. Heavy cyanobacterial blooms outbreak in Lake Taihu in summer annually and vanish in other months. To find out the factors impacting the cyanobacterial blooms, the present study measured the physicochemical parameters of water and investigated the composition of microbial community using the 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer amplicon sequencing in the months with or without bloom. The most interesting finding is that two major cyanobacteria, Planktothrix and Microcystis, dramatically alternated during a cyanobacterial bloom in 2016, which is less mentioned in previous studies. When the temperature of the water began increasing in July, Planktothrix appeared first and showed as a superior competitor for M. aeruginosa in NO₃^?-rich conditions. Microcystis became the dominant genus when the water temperature increased further in August. Laboratory experiments confirmed the influence of temperature and the total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) form on the growth of Planktothrix and Microcystis in a co-culture system. Besides, species interactions between cyanobacteria and non-cyanobacterial microorganisms, especially the prokaryotes, also played a key role in the alteration of Planktothrix and Microcystis. The present study exhibited the alteration of two dominant cyanobacteria in the different bloom periods caused by the temperature, TDN forms as well as the species interactions. These results helped the better understanding of cyanobacterial blooms and the factors which contribute to them.     

气候变化主要因子对马铃薯生物量积累及产量和品质的影响

利用新型开顶式气室(OTC)开展CO2浓度升高和大气增温试验,分别为模拟增温2.0℃,模拟增温2.0℃且CO2浓度增加到650μmol·mol-1,对照CO2浓度约410μmol·mol-1,对马铃薯叶片、叶柄和茎等地上生物量、根和块茎等地下生物量积累过程及其特征参数的协同影响研究,分析气候变化对马铃薯产量形成和品质的...     

NH3-N在大连湾的水环境行为模拟研究

应用三维水质模型对大连湾中的主要污染物NH3-N的行为进行了模拟,对NH3-N浓度的时空变化规律以及其影响因素进行了研究,选择主要的模型参数进行了灵敏度分析。由空间分布的模拟结果可知,在大连湾,NH3-N浓度主要集中在排污口附近区域,灵敏度分析显示,在排污口区水体的扩散能力对NH3-N浓度的影响较大。由季节变化模拟结果可知,在湾顶部的排污口区NH3-N浓度显示明显的季节变化趋势。在湾中部和朝海边界的湾口区NH3-N浓度较低,变化平缓。模拟结果可以为大连湾的污染控制、水质规划和管理提供科学依据。     

藻类在大连湾的水环境行为数值模拟研究

应用三维水质模型对大连湾水体中的藻类碳浓度的时空变化规律以及其影响因素进行了研究,选择主要的模型参数进行了灵敏度分析。由空间分布的模拟结果可知,在大连湾,藻类主要集中在排污口附近区域。由季节变化模拟结果可知,在湾顶部的排污口区藻类生产显示明显的季节变化趋势,在夏季,主要受到磷酸盐浓度的限制。灵敏度分析显示,在排污口区水体的扩散能力对藻类生产的影响较大,在湾中部和湾口区主要受到磷酸盐负荷的影响。模拟结果可以为大连湾的污染控制、水质规划和管理提供科学依据。     

N和P对锥状斯氏藻(Scrippsiellat trochoidea)生长及孢囊形成的影响

在实验室设置了5个N、P浓度梯度,研究了它们对锥状斯氏藻（Scrippsiella trochoidea）营养细胞生长和孢囊形成的综合效应。结果表明,当N、P浓度分别超过10和1．5μg／L时,就能维持锥状斯氏藻一定的种群数量,而在高N、P浓度组（N浓度为500μg／L,P浓度为74μg／L组）的生长势态明显优于其他浓度组,稳定生长期持续时间较长,且有着较高的细胞比生长速率。孢囊一般在营养细胞达到稳定生长期后开始形成,但低营养盐浓度组孢囊开始形成的时间较早。各试验组孢囊形成率相近,最终形成率为17．8％～35．6％。     

白炽灯灯丝残骸微观形貌分析

本文模拟火灾中不同情况,制备普通白炽灯破坏的灯丝残骸,利用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）分析灯丝残骸的微观形貌,研究灯丝在不同情况下破坏的特征。发现通电状态下破坏的灯丝氧化严重,与未通电状态的灯丝具有明显的区别。即使经历了高温或火焰灼烧作用后,微观形貌特征仍具有明显的差别。根据这种微观特征可以判断火场中白炽灯的通电状态。