人工接种堆肥和自然堆肥微生物区系与分子多态性的变化

采用传统培养方法和PCR-DGGE技术研究了人工接种堆肥和自然堆肥微生物群落的演变过程。结果表明:(1)传统培养方法显示,两种堆肥堆制过程中微生物数量均呈“升高—降低—升高—降低”变化趋势,整个堆肥过程中细菌数量占优势。(2)DGGE图谱显示,两种堆肥不同时期存在不同的细菌种群,其条带数量亦呈“升高—降低—升高—降低”变化趋势。堆肥升温期条带丰富但优势条带不明显;堆肥高温期条带数量减少但出现优势条带,表明高温阶段以嗜热菌或耐高温菌为主;堆肥降温期条带数量再次增多;堆肥腐熟期条带数量少且无优势条带,表明腐熟阶段微生物种群数量少且代谢强度趋于平缓。(3)DGGE图谱表明,人工接种菌株成为堆肥高温期优势菌株。人工接种增加了堆肥中微生物总量,提高了堆肥微生物种群多样性,并且促进了堆肥菌群演替,从而缩短堆肥腐熟时间。     

Regulation of worker reproduction in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris): workers eavesdrop on a queen signal

In the annual bumblebee Bombus terrestris, the onset of queen-worker conflict over male production is seasonally and socially constrained. Workers will do better if they start to reproduce (the so-called competition phase) only after ascertaining that larvae are committed to gyne development but before the season ends because they gain more by rearing sister-gynes than their own sons. Here, we tested two nonmutually exclusive hypotheses as to what triggers the onset of worker reproduction: Workers can directly monitor larval development and/or workers eavesdrop on the queen signal that directs gyne development. Exposing workers to gyne larvae through a double mesh did not advance the competition phase compared to control colonies. However, when workers, but not the queen, were allowed contact with gyne larvae, both the competition phase and gyne production were advanced. Thus, while larvae do not emit a volatile pheromone that discloses their developmental route, the physical contact of workers with such larvae triggers early competition phase. However, workers exclusively exposed to worker larvae (colonies prevented from producing gyne larvae) started to reproduce at the same time as control colonies. Replacing the resident queen with an older queen (from gyne-rearing colonies) advanced the competition phase, irrespective of worker age. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that workers eavesdrop on the queen pheromones. This is adaptive because it allows workers a broader time-window for reproduction and thus to gain fitness from rearing both sister-gynes and sons before the season ends without affecting colony development.     

Queen fertility, egg marking and colony size in the ant Camponotus floridanus

In ant societies, workers do not usually reproduce but gain indirect fitness benefits from raising related offspring produced by the queen. One of the preconditions of this worker self-restraint is sufficient fertility of the queen. The queen is, therefore, expected to signal her fertility. In Camponotus floridanus, workers can recognize the presence of a highly fertile queen via her eggs, which are marked with the queen's specific hydrocarbon profile. If information on fertility is encoded in the hydrocarbon profile of eggs, we expect workers to be able to differentiate between eggs from highly and weakly fertile queens. We found that workers discriminate between these eggs solely on the basis of their hydrocarbon profiles which differ both qualitatively and quantitatively. This pattern is further supported by the similarity of the egg profiles of workers and weakly fertile queens and the similar treatment of both kinds of eggs. Profiles of queen eggs correspond to the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of the respective queens. Changes in the cuticular profiles are associated with the size of the colony the queen originates from and her current egg-laying rate. However, partial correlation analysis indicates that only colony size predicts the cuticular profile. Colony size is a buffered indicator of queen fertility as it is a consequence of queen productivity within a certain period of time, whereas daily egg-laying rate varies due to cyclical oviposition. We conclude that surface hydrocarbons of eggs and the cuticular profiles of queens both signal queen fertility, suggesting a major role of fertility signals in the regulation of reproduction in social insects.     

Colony level sex allocation in a polygynous and polydomous ant

The colony-level sex allocation pattern of eusocial Hymenoptera has attracted much attention in recent studies of evolutionary biology. We conducted a theoretical and empirical study on this subject using the dolichoderine ant Technomyrmex albipes. This ant is unusual in having a dispersal polymorphism in both males and females. New colonies are founded by an alate female after mating with one or more alate males in the nuptial flight. In mature colonies, the reproductive role of the foundress queen is taken over by wingless offspring (supplementary reproductives). Mature colonies are extremely polygynous, with many wingless queens reproducing through intea-colonial mating with wingless males (inbreeding), and producing both alate and wingless sexuals. The population sex ratio of wingless sexuals was found to be extremely female-biased, while the population allocation ratio of alates was almost 1:1. This result suggests that there is local mate competition among wingless sexuals. A specific model for this extraordinary life cycle predicted that the asymmetry of regression relatedness (b _f/b _m) will disappear during the first few generations of wingless reproductives after the foundress dies. If colonies begin to produce alates after several wingless generations, this undermines the hypotheses for intercolonial sex ratio variation based on the relatedness asymmetry. We compared the magnitude of variation in sex ratios and other characteristics between two levels (within-colony-inter-nest and between-colony). Although there was considerable within-colony variation in all the examined characteristics, between-colony variances were always larger. This means that allocation is important at the whole-colony level, not that of the nest. There was no apparent correlation between the sex ratio of alates and colony size. Furthermore, partial correlation analysis indicated that neither the number of workers nor investment in alates explained the variation in the sex ratio of alates. The only factor which was significantly correlated with the sex ratio of alates was the sex ratio of wingless sexuals (a positive correlation). We conclude that both the alate and wingless sex ratios may be influenced by a common primary sex ratio at the egg stage, the variance of which may have genetic components. In the wingless sexuals, partial correlation analysis indicated that colony size and the number of workers explained the sex allocation ratio. The number of wingless females was strongly (positively) correlated with the total investment in wingless sexuals, while the number of males showed no such correlation. There is, however, no convincing explanation for the variation in sex allocation ratio of wingless sexuals, because the estimates of investment in wingless males may have a large sampling error. Correspondence to: K. Tsuji     

Effects of Widespread Fish Introductions on Paedomorphic Newts in Europe

Abstract:  As a result of factors such as global warming, habitat destruction, and species introduction, amphibians are declining worldwide. No one, however, has analyzed the status of polymorphic amphibian species at a national or continental scale, although some local reports exist. Our aim was to report on the loss of intraspecific heterochrony as a loss to diversity in determining the consequences of fish stocking on European populations of paedomorphic newts. Paedomorphosis is a polymorphism in which larval traits are retained in the adult stage. We surveyed 39 paedomorphic populations of the alpine (  Triturus alpestris ) and palmate ( T. helveticus ) newts, all but one of which initially occupied fishless ponds and lakes in France, Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Greece. Exotic fishes were found in 44% of the studied aquatic habitats, with a 100% presence in Montenegro. At all sites paedomorphs disappeared and metamorphs declined. Only fish explained these population changes because alternative factors such as drying were not significant. More catastrophically, fish introductions occurred in habitats known to support the largest populations of newts and even some endemic subspecies. If management and legislative measures are not taken to stop fish stocking, protect paedomorphs as conservation units at national and international levels, and restore natural habitats, all the largest paedomorphic populations may disappear in the near future. Their disappearance would represent a loss of one of the rare, fascinating examples of intraspecific heterochrony.     

Adaptive peaks and alternative foraging tactics in brook charr: evidence of short-term divergent selection for sitting-and-waiting and actively searching

Some recently emerged brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) inhabiting still-water pools along the sides of streams are sedentary and eat crustaceans from the lower portion of the water column. Others are more active and eat insects from the upper portion of the water column. We provide evidence that this divergent foraging behavior reflects short-term divergent selection brought about by intraspecific competition in the presence of alternative food sources. Rates of encounters and interactions between individuals were density dependent, and encounter and interaction events were closely timed with prey capture attempts. In addition, aggressive fish made more foraging attempts per minute than nonaggressive fish. Aggressive fish were also either inactive or very active, while nonaggressive fish exhibited intermediate levels of activity. Growth rate potential, an important component of fitness during the early life stages of brook charr, was assessed using tissue concentrations of RNA and found to be highest for sedentary fish and for active fish making frequent foraging attempts, and lower for fish exhibiting intermediate levels of activity. Our findings support contentions that individual behavior plays an important role during initial steps in the evolution of resource polymorphisms. Received: 27 July 1998 / Accepted after revision: 16 November 1998     

Effects of Amazonian flying rivers on frog biodiversity and populations in the Atlantic rainforest

Given the speed at which humans are changing the climate, species with high degrees of endemism may not have time to avoid extinction through adaptation. We investigated through teleconnection analysis the origin of rainfall that determines the phylogenetic diversity of rainforest frogs and the effects of microclimate differences in shaping the morphological traits of isolated populations (which contribute to greater phylogenetic diversity and speciation). We also investigated through teleconnection analysis how deforestation in Amazonia can affect ecosystem services that are fundamental to maintaining the climate of the Atlantic rainforest biodiversity hotspot. Seasonal winds known as flying rivers carry water vapor from Amazonia to the Atlantic Forest, and the breaking of this ecosystem service could lead Atlantic Forest species to population decline and extinction in the short term. Our results suggest that the selection of morphological traits that shape Atlantic Forest frog diversity and their population dynamics are influenced by the Amazonian flying rivers. Our results also suggest that the increases of temperature anomalies in the Atlantic Ocean due to global warming and in the Amazon forest due to deforestation are already breaking this cycle and threaten the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest hotspot.     

常温厌氧MBR中微生物群落结构与膜污染研究

为考察微生物群落结构与膜污染的关系,在常温下运行厌氧膜生物反应器,并应用末端限制性片段长度多态性分析(T-RFLP)技术,对膜丝表面微生物群落结构变化进行了研究,同时考察了微生物群落结构变化与反应器中溶解性微生物产物(SMP)、胞外聚合物(EPS)的关系.结果表明:在常温状态下膜污染周期约为18d,CODCr的去除率约为93%,运行效果稳定;微生物代谢产物的浓度随着微生物种群的演替呈逐渐升高的趋势,加速了膜污染进程;膜压(pTM)处于缓慢上升期时,膜丝表面微生物优势菌群为Raoultella、Owenweeksia hongkongensis,膜压(pTM)处于稳定上升期时,膜丝表面的优势菌群演替为 Delftia acidovorans、Halothiobacillus neapolitanus,最后当膜压(pTM)处于快速上升期时,bp78的微生物成为了膜丝表面的顶级群落.膜压(pTM)处于缓慢上升期和稳定上升期时,膜压(pTM)与微生物群落结构的多样性呈显著正相关;膜污染进入快速上升期时,膜丝表面出现了顶级群落,此时微生物群落多样性明显降低且与膜压升高呈弱相关;膜丝表面微生物群落均匀度随着膜压(pTM)的升高呈现出先增高后降低的趋势,膜丝表面微生物群落经历了不断附着,相互竞争至顶级群落出现的演替过程.     

基于T-RFLP和因子分析的香蒲根际细菌群落研究

以北京市永定河王平湿地为研究对象,应用末端限制性片段长度多态性(T-RFLP)对王平湿地再生水补水口及其远离补水口的香蒲根际细菌和氨氧化细菌(AOB)的群落结构及多样性变化进行分析,在此基础上结合MiCA3比对、典范对应分析(CCA)和多元统计中因子分析(FA),解析湿地不同空间细菌群落功能特性的变化.结果显示再生水补水口细菌群落各多样性指数均明显低于远离补水口细菌群落,而氨氧化细菌群落则呈现相反趋势.基于传统的T-RFLP片段MiCA3比对、CCA和FA相结合的分析表明:对细菌群落,占再生水补水口细菌群落总丰度55.6%的菌群与150bp代表的鞘氨醇单胞菌(Sphingomonas sp.)具相似净化功能,并与总有机碳生物化学循环过程具密切关系,其次占再生水补水口上游细菌群落总丰度75.5%的菌群与81bp为代表的假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas sp.)和Geitlerinema sp.具相似净化功能,并与氮的生物化学循环过程具密切关系.占再生水补水口下游细菌群落总丰度68.7%的菌群与138bp代表的小单孢菌属(Micromonospora sp.)具相似净化功能,同时与重金属Cu、V、和Ti生物化学循环具密切关系.对氨氧化细菌,266bp受铵态氮影响较大,占再生水补水口氨氧化细菌群落总丰度65.5%的菌群与266bp代表的Nitrosomonas sp.具相似的生境特征,适合在高氨环境中生长;与58bp所代表的Nitrosospira sp.具相似功能特性菌群丰度在远离补水口样点中较前者呈现显著增加趋势,表征该类菌群适合在相对低氨环境中生长.     

The interethnic differences of the human serum paraoxonase polymorphism analysed by a quantitative and a qualitative method †

The polymorphism of the human serum paraoxonase¹ was analyzed by two distinguished methods in six different ethnic groups (Caucasians, Mongoloids, Negroids), using (1) the Computer Method² and (2) the Carro‐Ciampi Method³‘⁴. Analysis of the response of the enzyme activities to salts resulting in low and high activity ratios.

Comparison of the results:

In Caucasians we distinguished three phenotypes by the Computer method. The polymorphism was governed by two alleles. The Hardy‐Weinberg rule for a two‐allele model was valid. Individuals belonging to the homozygotic group with low activity had a low activity ratio (Carro‐Ciampi method). With both methods a frequency between 57% and 61% was observed for this group. Individuals with medium and high activity had a high activity ratio.

In Negroids and Mongoloids samples we found (by the Computer method) a low activity group (Ghanaians 9.6%, Jamaicans 13.6%, Indonesians 6.7%, Koreans 19.6%). The Hardy‐Weinberg rule for a two‐ or three‐allele model was not valid. Individuals belonging to the low activity group had a low activity ratio, all individuals with higher activity a high activity ratio (Carro‐Ciampi method).

Our results suggest that the members of the low activity group in the three races are homozygote for an identical allele.