Using environmental and geographic data to optimize ex situ collections and preserve evolutionary potential

Maintenance of biodiversity through seed banks and botanical gardens, where the wealth of species’ genetic variation may be preserved ex situ, is a major goal of conservation. However, challenges can persist in optimizing ex situ collections if trade-offs exist among cost, effort, and conserving species evolutionary potential, particularly when genetic data are not available. We evaluated the genetic consequences of population preservation informed by geographic (isolation by distance [IBD]) and environmental (isolation by environment [IBE]) distance for ex situ collections for which population provenance is available. We used 19 genetic and genomic data sets from 15 plant species to assess the proportion of population genetic differentiation explained by geographic and environmental factors and to simulate ex situ collections prioritizing source populations based on pairwise geographic distance, environmental distance, or both. Specifically, we tested the impact prioritizing sampling based on these distances may have on the capture of neutral, functional, or putatively adaptive genetic diversity and differentiation. Individually, IBD and IBE explained limited population genetic differences across all 3 genetic marker classes (IBD, 10–16%; IBE, 1–5.5%). Together, they explained a substantial proportion of population genetic differences for functional (45%) and adaptive (71%) variation. Simulated ex situ collections revealed that inclusion of IBD, IBE, or both increased allelic diversity and genetic differentiation captured among populations, particularly for loci that may be important for adaptation. Thus, prioritizing population collections based on environmental and geographic distance data can optimize genetic variation captured ex situ. For the vast majority of plant species for which there is no genetic information, these data are invaluable to conservation because they can guide preservation of genetic variation needed to maintain evolutionary potential within collections.     

Extrinsic and intrinsic determinants of winter foraging and breeding phenology in a temperate seabird

In temperate regions, winter presents animals with a number of challenges including depressed food abundance, increased daily energy requirements, higher frequency of extreme weather events and shortened day length. Overcoming these constraints is critical for overwintering survival and scheduling of future breeding of long-lived species and is likely to be state dependent, associated with intrinsic abilities such as food acquisition rates. We examined the relationship between environmental and intrinsic factors on overwintering foraging and subsequent breeding phenology of the European shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis, a diurnal marine predator. We tested a range of hypotheses relating to overwintering foraging time and location. We found that individuals greatly increased their foraging time in winter to a peak of more than 90% of available daylight at the winter solstice. The seasonal patterns of foraging time appear to be driven by a combination of light levels and weather conditions and may be linked to the availability of the shag's principal prey, the lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus. There was no evidence that shags dispersed south in winter to increase potential foraging time. Foraging time decreased after the winter solstice and, crucially, was correlated with subsequent breeding phenology, such that individuals that spent less time foraging in February bred earlier. The relationship was much stronger in females than males, in line with their more direct control of timing of breeding. Our results demonstrate that pre-breeding intrinsic foraging ability is critical in determining breeding phenology.     

Strategic environmental policy; eco-dumping or a green strategy?

The Porter hypothesis claims that a strong environmental policy best serves the interests of a nation's export industry. While this hypothesis seems to be based on some form of bounded rationality, this paper argues that governments may have good reasons for setting an especially strong environmental policy even though firms are fully rational. If the available abatement technology turns the environment into an “inferior input”, competitiveness is spurred by a strong environmental policy. The government should take advantage of this, and set an especially strict emission quota or an especially high emission tax. The findings in the paper also has consequences for the desirability of international cooperation with respect to national environmental policy. If a strict environmental policy spurs competitiveness, the environment is better protected without cooperation.     

几个菜心品种硝酸盐累积差异的研究

通过对7个菜心品种在2种氮源形态下进行水培试验,以及对植株和吸收液的分析测试,探讨菜心品种间的硝酸盐累积、氮素营养特性及养分吸收的差异,为制定硝酸盐调控措施和选育低硝酸盐菜心品种提供依据。     

Influence of maternal food availability on offspring dispersal

Prenatal effects caused by the maternal environment during gestation are known to contribute to the phenotype of the offspring. Whether they have some adaptive value is currently under debate. We experimentally tested the existence of such a maternal effect (food availability during gestation) on dispersal of offspring in the common lizard (Lacerta vivipara). Pregnant females were captured and kept in the laboratory until parturition. During this period, females were offered two rates of food delivery. After parturition, we released mothers and offspring at the mother's capture point. Dispersal of young was significantly affected by the mother's nutrition. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of a prenatal effect on dispersal. Offspring of well fed mothers dispersed at a higher rate than those of less well fed mothers. As current hypotheses clearly predict the opposite result, our evidence calls for their reassessment. Dispersers are not always the least fit individuals or those coming from the poorest environments.     

High serum S-equol content in red clover fed ewes: the classical endocrine disruptor is a single enantiomer

An expedient high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the quantitative analysis of environmental estrogenic isoflavonoids, particularly (S)-equol, in red clover fed ewes. We report here the phytoestrogen analysis of red clover silage and the serum of ewes fed with this feed. Ewes received daily 10.5 g of formononetin on average from red clover silage. In the serum samples a major part of formononetin had been metabolised to equol (average 7.7 μg ml⁻¹). According to chiral HPLC analysis, the equol present in the serum of ewes was solely of the (S)-form. We also demonstrate the presence of the metabolite O-demethylangolensin (O-DMA) in ovine serum.     

A new synergetic paradigm in environmental numerical modeling: Hybrid models combining deterministic and machine learning components

A new type of environmental numerical models, hybrid environmental numerical models (HEMs) based on combining deterministic modeling and machine learning components, is introduced and formulated. Conceptual and practical possibilities of developing HEM, as an optimal synergetic combination of the traditional deterministic/first principles modeling (like that used for solving PDEs on the sphere representing model dynamics of global climate models) and machine learning components (like accurate and fast neural network emulations of model physics or chemistry processes), are discussed. Examples of developed HEMs (hybrid climate models and a hybrid wind–wave ocean model) illustrate the feasibility and efficiency of the new approach for modeling extremely complex multidimensional systems.     

Assessment of patch quality by ladybirds: relative response to conspecific and heterospecific larval tracks a consequence of habitat similarity?

Summary. Aphid colonies can reach high levels of abundance but last for short periods of time. The larvae of aphidophagous ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) that feed on these colonies might therefore suffer from starvation, which favours the occurrence of cannibalism and intraguild predation. Thus, the assessment of patch quality becomes crucial and it has been shown that female ladybirds refrain from laying eggs in the presence of an oviposition deterring semiochemical deposited by their larvae. Adalia bipunctata (L.), Adalia decempunctata (L.) and Coccinella septempunctata L. are 3 sympatric species of ladybirds, which can co-occur in aphid colonies. As a consequence, their eggs and larvae are under threat, not only from cannibalism but also intraguild predation. Females should, therefore, also use the tracks deposited by heterospecific larvae to assess the quality of aphid colonies as oviposition sites. The expectation is that: 1- the strength of the reaction to each other’s larval tracks should be correlated with percentage habitat overlap and that 2- the reaction to conspecific larval tracks should be stronger than to heterospecific tracks. In order to test these hypotheses, females’ oviposition behaviour was analysed and a chemical analysis of the tracks of their larvae undertaken. The results show that oviposition behaviour is not related to habitat overlap. Both species of Adalia react to tracks of their own larvae and those of C. septempunctata, but A. decempunctata reacted more strongly than A. bipunctata. C. septempunctata reacted very slightly to its own tracks but not to those of either species of Adalia. The larval tracks are mainly composed of alkanes. Those of the two species of Adalia are qualitatively 100% similar and 60% so when the quantitative results are compared. They are, however, only 24–29% similar to those of Coccinella septempunctata.     

三种典型渔药对大型溞(Daphnia magna)的急性毒性及其关键环境影响因子分析

测试了三种典型渔药三氯异氰尿酸(Trichloroisocyanuricacid,TCCA)、叔丁基对羟基茴香醚(Butylatedhydroxyanisole,BHA)、盐酸环丙沙星(Ciprofloxacinhydrochloride,CPFX)对大型(Daphniamagna)的急性毒性。结果表明,对于大型的毒性由大到小的顺序为:三氯异氰尿酸,叔丁基对羟基茴香醚,盐酸环丙沙星,48hLC50分别为0.19mg·L-1,3.15mg·L-1和135.15mg·L-1。通过三因素三水平正交试验分析了主要环境因子pH值、硬度、腐殖酸对三种渔药对大型毒性的影响,发现pH显著影响TCCA的毒性,硬度显著影响CPFX的毒性,而BHA毒性受环境因素影响不显著。     

Environmental conditions influence egg color of reed warblers <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acrocephalus scirpaceus</Emphasis> and their parasite,the common cuckoo <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cuculus canorus</Emphasis>

The outer layer of the eggshell in birds is in many cases covered by pigments that are assumed to be genetically determined traits with a negligible environmental component. To test the hypothesis that spring environmental conditions (i.e., temperature and rainfall) may affect bird egg pigmentation, we measured by spectrophotometry and photography egg coloration and spottiness on reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus L.) clutches parasitized by the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus L.) collected over a period of 24 years and preserved in the Zoological Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark. In addition, we investigated whether spring environmental conditions may influence the coevolutionary relationship between the cuckoo and its host via changes in cuckoo–host egg matching. Generalized mixed models revealed that reed warbler eggs were more brilliant in those springs with a higher rainfall and tended to be bluer and greener in springs with a lower relative temperature. On the other hand, cuckoo eggs were bluer and greener in springs with a higher rainfall. Cuckoo–host egg matching in blue-greenness and spottiness was better in springs with a higher rainfall. These results provide support for the existence of an environmental component on bird egg coloration and suggest that environmental factors may potentially affect the outcome of important features of the arms race between cuckoos and reed warblers.