Survival Under Conditions of Environmental Stress: Variability of Brain Morphology and Behavior in the House Mouse

Two populations of laboratory mice lived outdoors in open pens for two years. Thereafter, some of them were bred in the laboratory. Morphometric analysis showed that the size of the synaptic projection area of mossy fibers (in the CA3 region of the hippocampus), which has an important functional role, and some behavioral traits of the open-pen mouse progeny had significant genetically determined differences from those in the initial population. This was attributed to differential breeding accounted for by the influence of severe environmental factors. Under environmental stress, selection occurred in the population and the mice with behavioral and neuromorphological characteristics differing from those of the control group proved to be better adapted to such conditions.     

基于期望运行轨迹的车道变换行为安全性分析

为解决车道变换行为对交通运行安全影响的定量分析难题,基于车辆和驾驶员行为特性,构建车道变换行为期望运行轨迹,提出基于缓和曲线的轨迹形式,并结合车道变换行为引发的4种碰撞形式,在车辆运行纵向和横向分别构建安全运行判断方程和安全运行限制方程,分析安全距离对运行速度和车辆侧向加速度梯度的敏感度,给出车道变换行为安全运行判断方程的应用案例。研究结果表明,侧向加速度的变化梯度直接影响车道变换的安全性。     

PFOA对斑马鱼胚胎发育、行为和DNA损伤的毒性研究

全氟辛酸(PFOA)是一种分布广泛的环境持久性有机污染物,在野生动物与人体内普遍被检出。目前PFOA发育毒性的特点和机制尚未阐明,已有的研究显示,PFOA毒性与受试物种及性别密切相关。因此,利用不同物种进行PFOA毒性研究对阐明其毒性机制十分重要。本研究选用了斑马鱼这种理想的脊椎动物模型,考察了PFOA暴露对其胚胎发育的自主运动、心跳、行为、细胞凋亡和DNA损伤的影响。研究发现,始于6hpf的PFOA暴露会导致斑马鱼胚胎自主运动异常,心率降低,且具有一定的剂量依赖性;6～24hpf的高浓度的PFOA暴露(>414.0mg·L-1)会导致胚胎发生显著的细胞凋亡,凋亡主要出现在眼部、头部、心脏和尾部。较高浓度的PFOA暴露(165.6mg·L-1)会使仔鱼的光刺激应激行为模式发生变化。此外,PFOA暴露会致使斑马鱼发生DNA损伤,且损伤程度随PFOA浓度的升高而加重,表明PFOA具有一定的基因毒性。上述结果表明,PFOA对斑马鱼胚胎具有发育毒性,具体表现为自主运动异常,心率降低和行为反应能力变弱,同时伴随畸形、细胞凋亡和DNA损伤。     

农户有限理性土地利用行为决策影响因素——以陕西省米脂县高西沟村为例

利用有限理性理论与方法进行行为决策研究已成为多样化决策研究中的热点。研究微观尺度土地利用变化中农户有限理性行为决策的影响因素,对于揭示农户土地利用驱动因子、调整农户决策行为与优化农业景观格局具有重要的理论与现实意义。论文以陕西省米脂县高西沟村为例,通过构建农户效应收益模型,利用2009—2011年农户调查数据揭示理性最优决策与农户实际决策之间的差异性;利用体现农户行为满意度的Probit模型分析有限理性决策的影响因素。结论为:①高西沟村农户理性最优决策与实际决策差异性较大,说明农户在实践中采用有限理性进行土地利用生产;②构建Probit模型模拟农户满意度决策行为态度,选取的4类变量较好地解释了农户决策的影响因子。其中,农业收入回归系数为0.78、反映相对经济地位下降变量0.41、退耕面积-0.42、耕地面积-0.62、打工收入-0.34、性别0.48、劳动力0.31,均处于显著相关水平。各变量估计结果与理论预测和实际调查结果相符合,具有较强的解释力。     

盐酸四环素对秀丽线虫(C.elegans)的急性与多代毒性研究

环境中抗生素的生态安全性受到越来越多的关注.以盐酸四环素(TCH)为对象、秀丽线虫(C.elegans)为模式生物,开展了急性与多代毒性研究.急性毒性实验表明盐酸四环素对秀丽线虫的LC50为167.5mg·L-(112h)、82.9mg·L-(124h),与现有四环素毒性数据相比,秀丽线虫对TCH的毒性更为敏感.分别对虫卵和成虫进行多代毒性的研究表明,盐酸四环素环境水平(μg·L-1)下的暴露,对秀丽线虫母代(P0)、子一代(F1)和子二代(F2)的逆向运动抑制率(RMI)、身体弯曲频率(BBFI)、Omega运动抑制率(OMI)3个行为学指标均具有显著的抑制作用,而且行为学指标比死亡率更加敏感,虫卵比成虫更加敏感.多代毒性作用的结果表明,盐酸四环素对P0、F1和F2产生的毒性存在差异,对于RMI和BBFI,其毒性作用强度为P0>F2>F1;对于OMI,其毒性作用强度为P0>F1≈F2.代际之间没有显示世代毒性逐代恶化或逐代修复的一般规律,可能与行为学指标的敏感性差异、盐酸四环素自身的降解、生物抗性有关.     

2种有机磷农药联合胁迫下日本青鳉的逐级行为响应

采用水质安全在线生物预警系统(BEWs)记录行为强度数据,探讨了2种有机磷农药敌百虫和对硫磷联合胁迫下,不同暴露浓度、不同暴露时间日本青鳉的行为响应.在不同浓度比例的农药暴露中,20、10、5、1和0.1TU的暴露浓度下行为反应时间分别为:1.4、4.8、6.4、32.2和43.0h,并且每个浓度不同配比之间行为反应时间差异不明显.结果表明,在2种有机磷农药的暴露下,日本青鳉的逐级行为响应既受化合物浓度高低的影响,又受暴露时间的影响,但每个浓度的不同配比之间的行为响应时间差异不明显,而且每个浓度2种药物不同配比暴露下的青鳉鱼的逐级行为响应基本一致,即2种作用机制相似的有机磷农药对日本青鳉的行为毒性是简单的相加作用.     

磷酸三苯酯对斑马鱼早期生命阶段的神经毒性研究

磷酸三苯酯(triphenyl phosphate,TPP)作为多溴联苯醚类阻燃剂的替代产品,是一类生产和需求量均相当高的有机磷酸酯类阻燃剂,目前已在多种环境介质以及生物体内均有不同程度检出。由于结构和有机磷农药具有相似性,其对生物的神经毒性值得关注。本研究以斑马鱼为实验动物,研究了TPP(5~625%g·L-1)的胚胎发育毒性和行为毒性,并通过检测乙酰胆碱酯酶活性以及神经系统相关基因的转录水平,探讨其可能的毒性机制。研究发现,TPP可导致斑马鱼胚胎孵化时间延长,体长变短,心率变慢。同时,TPP暴露也可以影响斑马鱼幼鱼在持续光照和明暗周期刺激下的游泳行为,表现为低浓度增加而高浓度降低其游泳速度。而TPP暴露后幼鱼乙酰胆碱酯酶活性以及神经发育相关基因转录水平的变化可能是导致其行为毒性的原因。虽然实验中所设定的暴露浓度高于环境中一般浓度,但TPP在短期暴露中所表现出的胚胎和神经发育毒性表明TPP对于水生生物可能存在一定风险,需要进一步研究加以确认。     

Effect of scale on trait predictors of species responses to agriculture

Species persistence in human‐altered landscapes can depend on factors operating at multiple spatial scales. To understand anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity, it is useful to examine relationships between species traits and their responses to land‐use change. A key knowledge gap concerns whether these relationships vary depending on the scale of response under consideration. We examined how local‐ and large‐scale habitat variables influence the occupancy dynamics of a bird community in cloud forest zones in the Colombian Chocó‐Andes. Using data collected across a continuum of forest and agriculture, we examined which traits best predict species responses to local variation in farmland and which traits best predict species responses to isolation from contiguous forest. Global range size was a strong predictor of species responses to agriculture at both scales; widespread species were less likely to decline as local habitat cover decreased and as distance from forest increased. Habitat specialization was a strong predictor of species responses only at the local scale. Open‐habitat species were particularly likely to increase as pasture increased, but they were relatively insensitive to variation in distance to forest. Foraging plasticity and flocking behavior were strong predictors of species responses to distance from forest, but not their responses to local habitat. Species with lower plasticity in foraging behaviors and obligate flock‐following species were more likely to decline as distance from contiguous forest increased. For species exhibiting these latter traits, persistence in tropical landscapes may depend on the protection of larger contiguous blocks of forest, rather than the integration of smaller‐scale woodland areas within farmland. Species listed as threatened or near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List were also more likely to decline in response to both local habitat quality and isolation from forest relative to least‐concern species, underlining the importance of contiguous forests for threatened taxa.     

苏云金芽孢杆菌BtZ01对小鼠胚胎和胚后发育的影响

为了探讨苏云金芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)Bt Z01对小鼠胚胎发育和胚后生长发育的影响,将48只孕鼠随机分组,试验组饲喂浓度分别为106CFU·m L-1、108CFU·m L-1、5×109CFU·m L-1的Bt Z01菌液,并设灭菌水为对照组。采用行为致畸学方法检查Bt Z01对小鼠胚胎和胚后发育的影响并制作脏器切片,测量脏器指数等指标。结果表明,与对照组相比,各试验组小鼠在胚胎和胚后发育各阶段体重和体长无显著差异(P0.05),胚胎畸形发生率无增加,骨骼染色观察发现高剂量组小鼠后囟门显著大于其他3组(P0.05)。18 d与48 d小鼠部分脏器指数存在显著差异,但病理切片观察发现仅高剂量组肾脏有病变发生。试验结果表明,苏云金芽孢杆菌Bt Z01在浓度为108CFU·m L-1及以下时对小鼠胚胎发育及胚后生长发育无不良影响。     

A Behaviorally Explicit Demographic Model Integrating Habitat Selection and Population Dynamics in California Sea Lions

Abstract: Although there has been a call for the integration of behavioral ecology and conservation biology, there are few tools currently available to achieve this integration. Explicitly including information about behavioral strategies in population viability analyses may enhance the ability of conservation biologists to understand and estimate patterns of extinction risk. Nevertheless, most behavioral‐based PVA approaches require detailed individual‐based data that are rarely available for imperiled species. We present a mechanistic approach that incorporates spatial and demographic consequences of behavioral strategies into population models used for conservation. We developed a stage‐structured matrix model that includes the costs and benefits of movement associated with 2 habitat‐selection strategies (philopatry and direct assessment). Using a life table for California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), we explored the sensitivity of model predictions to the inclusion of these behavioral parameters. Including behavioral information dramatically changed predicted population sizes, model dynamics, and the expected distribution of individuals among sites. Estimated population sizes projected in 100 years diverged up to 1 order of magnitude among scenarios that assumed different movement behavior. Scenarios also exhibited different model dynamics that ranged from stable equilibria to cycles or extinction. These results suggest that inclusion of behavioral data in viability models may improve estimates of extinction risk for imperiled species. Our approach provides a simple method for incorporating spatial and demographic consequences of behavioral strategies into population models and may be easily extended to other species and behaviors to understand the mechanisms of population dynamics for imperiled populations.