Alternative reproductive tactics and male-dimorphism in the horned beetle Onthophagus acuminatus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Adult dung beetles (Onthophagus acuminatus) exhibit continuous variation in body size resulting from differential nutritional conditions experienced during larval development. Males of this species have a pair of horns that protrude from the base of the head, and the lengths of these horns are bimodally distributed in natural populations. Males growing larger than a threshold body size develop long horns, and males that do not achieve this size grow only rudimentary horns or no horns at all. Previous studies of other horned beetle species have shown that horned and hornless males often have different types of reproductive behavior. Here I describe the mating behaviors of the two male morphs of O. acuminatus during encounters with females. Females excavate tunnels beneath dung, where they feed, mate and provision eggs. Large, horned males were found to guard entrances to tunnels containing females. These males fought with all other males that attempted to enter these tunnels. In contrast, small, hornless males encountered females by sneaking into tunnels guarded by other males. In many instances, this was accomplished by digging new tunnels that intercepted the guarded tunnels below ground. Side-tunneling behavior allowed sneaking males to enter tunnels beneath the guarding male, and mate with females undetected. Both overall body size and relative horn length significantly affected the outcome of fights over tunnel ownership. These results suggest that alternative reproductive tactics may favor divergence in male horn morphology, with long horns favored in males large enough to guard tunnels, and hornlessness favored in smaller males that adopt the “sneaking” behavioral alternative. Received: 12 October 1996 / Accepted after revision: 8 August 1997     

沙芥幼苗叶片解剖结构和光合作用对干旱胁迫的响应

为了了解干旱胁迫对植物光合作用和叶片结构的影响,明确植物光合作用和结构对干旱胁迫的响应,本研究以沙生植物、中国特有种---沙芥为材料,采用Li-6400光合仪和常规石蜡切片法,研究了干旱胁迫下沙芥光合参数、叶片解剖结构的变化,结合前期对沙芥叶片内活性氧物质含量变化的研究,试图阐述沙芥叶片应对干旱胁迫的机制,揭示沙生植物—沙芥在干旱环境中的生存策略,为植物耐旱性提供理论依据。结果表明：随着土壤含水量下降,净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔导度(Gs)、叶片厚度、上表皮厚度、下表皮厚度呈下降趋势;海绵组织厚度呈先下降后上升的趋势;胞间二氧化碳浓度(Ci)呈上升的趋势;气孔限制值(Ls)、水分利用率(WUE)、栅栏组织和栅栏组织/海绵组织和叶片组织结构紧密度(CTR)呈先先上升后下降的趋势;且在土壤含水量大于39% WHC时沙芥光合和结构受影响较小,在土壤含水量低于39% WHC时,沙芥光合作用受到抑制,而叶片紧密度变大,能够较好的抵御干旱环境。结果表明干旱胁迫下沙芥幼苗叶片光合作用的下降是非气孔因素造成的,且其叶片结构的变化会影响光合作用,光合作用通过产生活性氧对结构也有影响。说明沙芥能够很好的适应中度干旱以上的环境,在重度干旱环境中沙芥通过调节叶片结构以适应环境,这可能是沙芥能够在沙漠地区生存繁殖的原因之一。     

Evolution of male dimorphic allometry in a population of the Japanese horned beetle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trypoxylus dichotomus septentrionalis</Emphasis>

I conducted a detailed morphological analysis of the Japanese horned beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus septentrionalis to clarify the allometric relationship between horn length and body size and examined its mating success and reproductive behaviour in the field. The relationship between horn and body size was not discontinuous at the switch point body size, but the slope of the linear relationship changed at the switch point. Shape of the allometric relationship was initially steep and became flatten around the switch point in both linear and log scales; that is, minor males showed a positive relationship and major males showed a negative one. Major males gained more mating success than minor males. Within major males, individuals with larger horn or body size had higher mating success than individuals with smaller ones. Within minor males there were no differences in horn and body size between mated and unmated individuals. Although sneak-like behaviours were exhibited by both morphs, it is likely that these behaviours rarely lead to direct benefit. These results suggest that dimorphic allometry of T. dichotomus is consistent with the hypothesis of a continuous reaction norm that meets a ceiling, which restrains further allometric growth.     

麻疯树成熟胚乳再生植株及其气孔分析

对麻疯树成熟胚乳进行组织培养获得胚乳再生植株,并对其气孔进行分析.麻疯树成熟胚乳在25℃、12 h光照条件下培养7 d愈伤组织诱导完成,2,4-D浓度为2.0 mg L-1的MS培养基愈伤诱导效果最好,诱导率达89.29%.愈伤组织在含BAP的改良培养基上培养至黄绿色后转入分化培养基,在含IAA 0.25 mg L-1和ZT 1.5 mg L-1的WPM培养基上不定芽分化率达32.50%.将分化的不定芽从愈伤组织上剥离后转入含IBA、BAP和GA3的培养基上进行芽伸长培养.取胚乳不定芽叶片接种在含IBA 0.1 mg L-1、BAP 0.5 mg L-1和TDZ 0.5 mg L-1的MS培养基上诱导生芽后,再转入含IAA 0.25mgL-1、KT 0.5mg L-1、BAP 1.0 mg L-1和GA3 0.25 mg L-1的培养基上进行丛生芽的诱导,成芽率为85.2%.这些芽在含0.1 mgL-1 IBA的1/2 MS培养基上生根,大约有37.5%的芽生了根,平均有5.2条根系形成.与母本植株相比,再生的胚乳植株保卫细胞更大,且气孔密度减小.图2表6参24     

8种植物叶片对城市大气苯并（a）芘（BaP）的吸收比较

城市化及汽车的发展导致城市大气中多环芳烃（PAHs）含量较高,强致癌作用污染物苯并（a）芘（BaP）含量也相应增高。植物是大气环境天然的过滤器,能滞留、吸附和累积空气中多种污染物。选择广州市8种常见行道树,4种乔木：红花羊蹄甲（Bauhiniablakeana）、腊肠树（Cassiafistula）、高山榕（Ficus...     

植物叶片相对吸硫量的研究及在绿化中的应用

为探索北京市本土植物对污染物硫的降解能力,从重度污染区(首钢邻山)、轻度污染区(北京植物园内山上)和对照区(北京周边数个森林公园)分别采集21种植物叶片,采用比浊法消解和定容、IRIS advantage型等离子体发射光谱仪测定其含硫量。分析不同程度污染区植物叶片的相对吸硫量。不同污染区绿化降硫时,考虑选用相应地带叶片净吸硫量大的植物类型。     

氮添加对侵蚀退化红壤化学性质及芒萁叶功能性状的影响

蕨类植物芒萁(Dicranopteris dichotoma)是我国南方红壤侵蚀区重要的水土保持植物,但目前氮添加对芒萁叶功能性状及其基部土壤化学性质以及这二者之间关系的影响尚不清楚.以芒萁作为研究对象,采用盆栽实验,设置CK(0 g m-2 a-1)、N1(1.1 g m-2 a-1)、N2(2.3 g m-2 a-...     

天然提取物抗PM2.5诱导A549细胞凋亡的作用

采集北京城区大气可吸人颗粒物中的细颗粒物(PM25),用其对人肺腺癌A549细胞染毒,探讨PM25对细胞增殖的毒性和诱导细胞凋亡的作用,并且考察了加入不同浓度的红豆越橘提取物和竹叶提取物对其的抗性作用.实验采用MTT法检测细胞增殖作用,采用Annexi V-FITC/PI双染法和流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡.结果显示:PM2...