The mystery of a missing bone: revealing the orbitosphenoid in basal Epicynodontia (Cynodontia,Therapsida) through computed tomography

The basal non-mammaliaform cynodonts from the late Permian (Lopingian) and Early Triassic are a major source of information for the understanding of the evolutionary origin of mammals. Detailed knowledge of their anatomy is critical for understanding the phylogenetic transition toward mammalness and the paleobiological reconstruction of mammalian precursors. Using micro-computed tomography (μCT), we describe the internal morphology of the interorbital region that includes the rarely fossilized orbitosphenoid elements in four basal cynodonts. These paired bones, which are positioned relatively dorsally in the skull, contribute to the wall of the anterior part of the braincase and form the floor for the olfactory lobes. Unlike procynosuchids and the more basal therapsids in which the orbitosphenoids are well developed, dense, and bear a ventral keel, the basal epicynodonts Cynosaurus, Galesaurus, and Thrinaxodon display cancellous, reduced, and loosely articulated orbitosphenoids, a condition shared with many eucynodonts. The hemi-cylindrical orbitosphenoid from which the mammalian condition is derived re-evolved convergently in traversodontid and some probainognathian cynodonts.     

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.     

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.     

植物的非传统稳定同位素前处理及测定技术研究进展

一直以来植物都是多领域的研究重点,随着非传统稳定同位素的不断发展,植物非传统稳定同位素研究日益增加。但因植物样品中有机物含量高,同位素分馏复杂,样品前处理及测定中存在诸多难题。本文对植物样品非传统稳定同位素工作中常用的前处理方法和测定技术进行了总结。综述了直接萃取法、湿法消解和高温灰化法的原理、操作和优缺点;以K、Ca、Mg、Fe、B等典型非传统稳定同位素为例介绍了非传统稳定同位素常用测定技术,旨在为植物样品的非传统稳定同位素测定进行梳理,最后对其应用方向和测试方法的发展方向进行了展望。     

焦化场地典型多环芳烃类污染物精细化风险评估

为准确评估多环芳烃(PAHs)污染土壤对人体的健康风险,解决目前基于总量风险评估导致土壤PAHs修复目标值过严的问题,采用德国标准研究院颁布的生物可给性测试方式研究了石家庄某焦化厂土壤中苯并[b]荧蒽(BBF)、苯并[k]荧蒽(BKF)、苯并[a]芘(BAP)、茚并[1,2,3-cd]芘(IPY)和二苯并[a,h]蒽(...     

Effects of cyclodextrins on hydrolysis of malathion

Cyclodextrins （CDs）, with hydrophobic interior cavity and hydrophilic external surface, are capable of accelerating or inhibiting chemical degradation of organophosphorus pesticides through forming inclusion complexes between CDs and pesticides. This work evaluated the effects of CDs on hydrolysis of malathion in an attempt to assess their potential application in environmental approach. β-CD and its two derivatives, randomly methylated β-CD （RAMEB） and hydroxypropyl β-CD （HP-β-CD）, were tested. It was found that RAMEB could inhibit the hydrolysis of malathion, and this was the function of pH and temperature, the inhibitory effects increase with increasing concentration of RAMEB and elevating temperature between 15 and 35℃. On the other hand, β-CD and HP-β-CD have little or no stabilizing effects on malathion at all pH and temperature studied, except that the large concentration of β-CD and HP- β-CD can mildly reduce hydrolysis of malathion. Both 2 mol/L and 5 mol/L urea increase the inhibitory effects of RAMEB on hydrolysis of malathion at 25℃, oH 9.0.     

乌梁素海冰盖中微塑料的分布特征及其与盐度、叶绿素a的响应关系

目前关于淡水湖泊冰盖中微塑料的分布特征研究还鲜见报道.为阐明乌梁素海冰盖中微塑料的赋存特征以及其与冰盖盐度、叶绿素a浓度之间的响应关系,通过野外采样、显微镜观察、傅里叶红外光谱测定和相关性分析等方法,对冰封期乌梁素海冰盖中微塑料的丰度、颜色、形状和种类进行鉴定,通过相关性分析探求微塑料在冰盖中的分布特征及其与盐度、叶绿...     

长江经济带数字产业化与产业数字化的耦合协调分析

数字产业化与产业数字化是数字经济的"双重向度",其耦合协调程度对于优化数字经济发展结构具有重要意义.揭示与阐述数字产业化与产业数字化的耦合机理,建立评价两者耦合协调度的理论模型,设计评价两者耦合协调状况及趋势的指标体系,运用长江经济带11省市2013～2018年的面板数据,实证分析长江经济带数字产业化与产业数字化的耦合协调度.结果表明:长江经济带数字产业化水平和产业数字化水平稳步提升,总体耦合协调度区域差异明显,存在数字产业化滞后产业数字化的趋势.从加快推进新型数字产业发展、以"新基建"助力传统产业数字化转型、为区域间数字经济协调发展和区域内数字化转型构建更好制度体系、加强数字人才培养和激励等方面,提出促进我国数字产业化与产业数字化融合发展的政策建议.