崇明东滩潮间带潮沟浮游动物的种类组成及多样性

为了揭示潮间带潮沟水域浮游动物的多样性, 作者于2008年4–12月在崇明东滩选取6条潮沟共18个站点进行4个季节的浮游动物采样调查。检获到浮游动物44种, 隶属于6个类群, 其中桡足类占绝对优势, 达总种类数的79.5%。分析了浮游动物的种类组成、优势种、群落结构及物种多样性等生态特征参数的季节变化。优势种有9种, 春季以细巧华哲水蚤(Sinocalanus tenellus)优势度最高, 夏季以火腿许水蚤(Schmackeria poplesia)优势度最高, 秋季以火腿许水蚤和中华华哲水蚤(Sinocalanus sinensis)优势度较高, 冬季则以四刺窄腹剑水蚤(Limnoithona etraspina)和中华华哲水蚤的优势度较高。多样性指数显示, Shannon-Wiener指数(H′)值以夏冬季较高, 物种丰富度指数(d)值以夏秋季较高, Pielou均匀度指数(J′)值以冬季最高。与崇明岛附近的长江口北港北支水域已有的研究结果相比, 种类组成差异较大, 仅有6个共有种。浮游动物的生态特征与潮汐关系密切, 涨潮时物种多样性略高于落潮时, 涨潮和落潮时优势种的种类及优势度也均呈现出一定差异。盐度、温度、径流及潮流等环境因素对潮沟浮游动物的时空分布产生了重要影响。     

蒙古栎群落交错带(ecotone)的研究

通过群落学的样地法对蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica)群落和核桃楸(Juglans mandshurica)群落、蒙古栎群落和长白落叶松(Larix olgensis)群落、蒙古栎群落和杂灌丛群落及其交错带进行了研究,分析了在三个地点的几种群落结构和物种组成方面的差异,计算了各群落的物种丰富度指数(d_Gl)、Simpson 物种多样性指数(D)、Shannon-Weiner物种多样性指数(H′)及Pielou均匀度指数(J)。研究发现在通化和大青沟两个地区群落交错带的物种丰富度及Shannnon多样性指数最高;而在桦甸群落交错带的物种丰富度和物种多样性指数要比核桃楸群落低,比蒙古栎群落高,没有表现出特别强烈的边缘效应。本文也分析了群落乔木层、灌木层和草本层盖度之间的关系。     

湖北沙湖冬季鸟类群落特征

2006年12月—2007年1月采用样线法对湖北沙湖自然保护区鸟类进行了调查,按照生境特征分为芦苇、草甸、农田、水域4个鸟类群落。共记录到鸟类76种,隶属12目28科,占湖北省鸟类种数456种的16.67%。其中,国家Ⅰ、Ⅱ级保护鸟类各1种和10种;濒危物种1种,易危物种2种,稀有物种1种。鸟类群落总体α多样性指数(H′)为2.37,均匀性指数(J)为0.55,优势度(C)为0.17,4个鸟类群落的H′、J和C值分别为：1.67～2.44、0.50～0.86、0.11～0.26。β多样性指数分析表明：农田-草甸的鸟类群落相似性指数(S_i)最高,为0.74,农田-水域的相似性指数最低,为0.40;Bray-Curtis指数(C_N)最高值是芦苇-草甸的鸟类群落,为0.00640,最低值是水域-农田,为0.00022。生境间异质性和人为活动是影响沙湖冬季鸟类群落特征的主要因素。     

长山列岛邻近海域鱼类群落种类组成和多样性时空变化

为了解黄、渤海生态系统交错带长山列岛邻近水域鱼类群落种类组成和多样性,根据2016年10月,2017年1月、5月及8月进行的鱼类资源底拖网调查数据,应用相对重要性指数、物种多样性指数、k优势度曲线等方法,研究了长山列岛邻近海域鱼类群落种类组成、物种多样性时空变化及其与环境因子的关系。结果表明: 该海域共计捕获鱼类77种,以温水性、底层、洄游性鱼类为主,优势种组成季节变化明显,春季、冬季主要优势种为黄鮟鱇,夏季以日本鲭、鳀等中上层鱼类为主。全年共计出现洄游性鱼类46种,季节间物种迁移指数均在100以上,其中秋季物种迁移指数最大。鱼类群落物种丰富度指数在春季最高、Shannon多样性指数和均匀度指数在秋季最高。夏季物种丰富度指数与表层水温呈显著负相关;冬季物种丰富度指数与水深、底层水温呈极显著正相关,Shannon多样性指数与底层水温呈极显著正相关。长山列岛邻近海域作为黄、渤海两大生态系统的交错带,鱼类群落表现出高物种多样性、洄游种多以及明显的时空异质性。     

中街山列岛海洋保护区鱼类物种多样性

基于2010-2012年在中街山列岛海洋保护区进行的8个航次底拖网调查数据资料,从鱼类分类学和生态类群等方面,结合多样性、资源密度和相对重要性指数,对该保护区鱼类物种多样性特征进行了分析。调查海域共采集鱼类55种,隶属2纲12目32科44属。其中,鲈形目鱼类26种,占47.3%;趋礁性鱼类41种,占74.5%;暖温性、暖水性和冷温性鱼类分别为30、24和1种,其中暖水种约占所有偶见种的70%;定居种、近海洄游种和季节性种分别为27、24和24种;底层、近底层和中上层鱼类分别占40.0%、36.4%和23.6%,其中矛尾鰕虎鱼(Chaeturichthys stigmatias)、龙头鱼(Harpodon nehereus)和鳀科鱼类分别成为各水层的绝对优势种。所有调查站点鱼类平均生物量指数夏季最高(1043.7 kg/km²),春季最低;尾数密度指数春季最高(122×10³ 尾/km²),冬季最低;生物量与尾数密度指数最高与最低季节之间均存在显著性差异(P<0.05)。对多样性的分析显示,Margalef丰富度(D)冬季最高,秋季最低,Shannon-Wiener多样性(H')与Pielou均匀度(J')均为夏季最高,秋季最低。聚类和NMDS方法分析显示不同季节鱼类群落组成格局差异极显著(P<0.01)。研究结果表明,中街山列岛海洋保护区鱼类资源结构受近海季节性洄游种类影响较大,鱼类分布季节动态多呈现洄游性更替节律,保护区内虽已出现鱼类多样性下降趋势和生态系统功能退化现象,传统经济种类的优越性在逐渐下降或边缘化,但独特的岛礁生境仍能很好地发挥着维持固有种类和提供良好栖息场所的优势,随着海洋牧场建设与一系列资源保护与修复措施,石首鱼科幼体已形成优势群体,而且保护区内出现大量小型饵料鱼类。     

长江河口湿地鱼类的种类组成及多样性分析

为了解长江河口湿地鱼类种类组成的现状及变化趋势, 作者于2004–2007年间在长江河口湿地设置了33个采样站点, 采用多种调查网具对该水域的鱼类资源状况进行了较为系统的调查。共调查到鱼类123种, 隶属1纲18目46科。结合文献记录, 本地区共有鱼类208种, 隶属2纲22目67科。海鲢(Elops saurus)和印度小公鱼(Sardinella sindensis)为本地区的新记录种。鱼类组成以鲤形目和鲈形目为主; 生态型以淡水鱼类最多。长江南支、北支和口门区水域的种类组成存在一定的差异, 南支常见种以鲤形目鱼类为主, 而北支和口门区以鲈形目鱼类为主。与1990年以前的调查资料相比, 长江河口湿地鱼类物种数有所减少, 其中软骨鱼类和鲀科鱼类下降相对较多。一些重要经济种逐渐变为偶见种, 甚至成为濒危物种, 如鲥(Tenualosa reevesii)、前颌间银鱼(Hemisalanx prognathus)和暗纹东方鲀(Takifugu obscurus)等。导致河口湿地鱼类物种多样性下降的主要原因可能是过度捕捞、水域污染和栖息地丧失等。     

胶州湾海域鱼类群落种类组成及多样性

为了解胶州湾海域鱼类群落结构特征,根据2016—2017年间对胶州湾海域进行的4个航次底拖网调查数据,采用相对重要性指数、生态多样性指数和典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)、非线性多维标度排序(non-metric multidimensional scaling,NMDS)等方法分析了胶州湾海域鱼类群落的种类组成和多样性特征。结果表明:调查共采集到鱼类46种,隶属2纲10目30科41属,以硬骨鱼纲鱼类为主(45种,97.83%)。其中,鲈形目(Perciformes)最多(22种,47.83%),其次是鲉形目(Scorpaeniformes),占15.22%。种类数季节变化明显,以夏季最高,23种;秋季最低,16种。优势种组成以赤鼻棱鳀(Thryssa kammalensis)、褐菖鲉(Sebastiscus marmoratus)、褐牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)、大泷六线鱼(Hexagrammos otakii)、许氏平鮋(Sebastes schlegeli)和矛尾鰕虎鱼(Chaeturichthys stigmatias)等鱼类为主。多样性分析显示,鱼类物种多样性存在明显的季节差异。多样性指数(H′)季节变化范围为1.668—2.453,以夏季最高,春季最低;均匀度指数(J′)季节变化范围为0.577—0.808,以秋季最高,春季最低;丰富度指数(D′)季节变化范围为2.431—3.123,以冬季最高,秋季最低。典范对应分析表明,水温、盐度、水深和pH是影响胶州湾海域鱼类群落物种组成的主要环境因子,且水温和pH是影响鱼类群落结构及多样性时空变化的主要因子。与历史调查资料相比,由于人类活动对胶州湾生态系统的干扰,鱼类群落结构发生了较大变化,优势种组成更替明显,多样性水平降低,鱼类群落结构趋向简单化。     

太白山南坡夏秋季鸟类组成

太白山是秦岭山脉的主峰, 生物区系成分复杂。为了研究太白山鸟类区系在过去20年间的变化, 我们于2007年5–7月(夏季)和9–10月(秋季), 根据海拔和典型植被在太白山南坡选定5种生境类型(退耕林、阔叶林、混交林、针叶林和高山灌丛草甸), 并在各种生境中选择样区采用样线法对鸟类组成进行调查。两个季节共观察到鸟类122种, 其中留鸟85种, 夏候鸟31种, 冬候鸟1种, 旅鸟5种。不同的生境类型中优势种和常见种不同, 而且在夏秋两季也有变化。中低海拔退耕林带鸟类物种数最多, 夏季有60种, 优势种为绿背山雀(Parus monticolus)、黄腹山雀(P. venustulus)和冠纹柳莺(Phylloscopus reguloides); 秋季有59种, 优势种为大山雀(Parus major)。中海拔阔叶林带夏季有鸟类40种, 优势种为绿背山雀、黄腹山雀和异色树莺(Cettia flavolivaceus); 秋季37种, 优势种是黄腹山雀、黑冠山雀(Parus rubidiventris)和银脸长尾山雀(Aegithalos fuliginosus)。 中高海拔针阔混交林带夏季有46种, 优势种是黄腰柳莺(Phylloscopus proregulus)、极北柳莺(P. borealis)和黑冠山雀; 秋季有37种, 优势种是黑冠山雀、褐冠山雀(Parus dichrous)和长尾山椒鸟(Pericrocotus ethologus)。高海拔针叶林带夏季有36种, 优势种是黄腰柳莺和黑冠山雀; 秋季有27种, 优势种是血雉(Ithaginis cruentus)和黑冠山雀。高山灌丛草甸带物种最少, 夏秋季都只有7种。各生境中鸟类物种组成的季节周转率随着海拔的升高而下降, 物种丰富度也呈现同样的趋势。太白山南北坡鸟类物种组成有较高的相似性。与20年前相比, 尽管在每种生境类型中优势种和常见种的组成仍相似, 但太白山南北坡的鸟类物种组成有较大的变化。     

春季长江口及其邻近海域鱼类浮游生物群落特征

根据1999年5月和2001年5月长江口及其邻近海域的鱼类浮游生物和环境调查资料,应用双向指示种分析（TWINSPAN）和典范对应分析（CCA）方法探讨了长江口及其邻近海 域鱼类浮游生物的群落特征.结果表明：采获的11 540 个鱼类浮游生物隶属11目18科32种,其中凤鲚、鳀、六丝矛尾鰕虎鱼、白氏银汉鱼、松江鲈为优势种,占总丰度的92.49％. TWINSPAN分类将鱼类浮游生物群落划分为3个类群：1）以凤鲚为优势种的河口群组;2）以 松江鲈和白氏银汉鱼为优势种的沿岸群组;3）以鳀和六丝矛尾鰕虎鱼为优势种的近海群组.CCA排序给出了各群组与环境因子的相互关系,表明影响这一海域鱼类浮游生物分布的主 要环境因子为盐度、深度、溶解氧和悬浮物.     

瓯江口夏、秋季浮游动物种类组成及其多样性

依据2007年6和9月瓯江12水域两个航次的浮游动物调查资料,研究瓯江口浮游动物种类组成和多样性特征,并探索水团等因素对浮游动物优势种及物种多样性分布的影响.结果表明:调查水域共鉴定出浮游动物76种(不含18种浮游幼体和仔鱼),隶属于7门8纲20目41科,其中桡足类是最主要的优势类群;瓯江口水域浮游动物主要由亚热带种构成;就盐度适应而言,浮游动物种类数以外海种居多,而近海种在浮游动物总丰度中占有明显优势;秋季浮游动物种类数显著高于夏季;秋季的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(2.89)明显高于夏季(2.23),这与秋季物种数较高有关;夏季水团交汇处的大门岛邻近水域多样性指数最高,秋季该水域多样性指数呈现从河口到外海逐渐增加的趋势.     

Epigenetics and aging: the targets and the marks

'Aging epigenetics' is an emerging field that promises exciting revelations in the near future. Here we focus on the functional and biological significance of the epigenetic alterations that accumulate during aging and are important in tumorigenesis. Paradigmatic examples are provided by the global loss of DNA methylation in aging and cancer and by the promoter hypermethylation of genes with a dual role in tumor suppression and progeria, such as the Werner syndrome (WRN) and lamin A/C genes. Another twist is provided by sirtuins, a family of NAD-dependent deacetylases that act on Lys16 of histone H4, which are emerging as a link between cellular transformation and lifespan.     

Biophysics and Structure of the Patch and the Gigaseal

Interpreting channel behavior in patches requires an understanding of patch structure and dynamics, especially in studies of mechanosensitive channels. High resolution optical studies show that patch formation occurs via blebbing that disrupts normal membrane structure and redistributes in situ components including ion channels. There is a 1-2 μm region of the seal below the patch where proteins are excluded and this may consist of extracted lipids that form the gigaseal. Patch domes often have complex geometries with inhomogeneous stresses due to the membrane-glass adhesion energy (E_a), cytoskeletal forces, and possible lipid subdomains. The resting tension in the patch dome ranges from 1-4 mN/m, a significant fraction of the lytic tension of a bilayer (∼10 mN/m). Thus, all patch experiments are conducted under substantial, and uneven, resting tension that may alter the kinetics of many channels. E_a seems dominated by van der Waals attraction overlaid with a normally repulsive Coulombic force. High ionic strength pipette saline increased E_a and, surprisingly, increased cytoskeletal rigidity in cell-attached patches. Low pH pipette saline also increased E_a and reduced the seal selectivity for cations, presumably by neutralizing the membrane surface charge. The seal is a negatively charged, cation selective, space with a resistance of ∼7 gigohm/μm in 100 mM KCl, and the high resistivity of the space may result from the presence of high viscosity glycoproteins. Patches creep up the pipette over time with voltage independent and voltage dependent components. Voltage-independent creep is expected from the capillary attraction of E_a and the flow of fresh lipids from the cell. Voltage-dependent creep seems to arise from electroosmosis in the seal. Neutralization of negative charges on the seal membrane with low pH decreased the creep rate and reversed the direction of creep at positive pipette potentials.     

Serology and systematics of the Ebenales and the Theales

The systematic position ofthe Ebenaceae, Sapotaceae, Styracaceae, Ochnaceae, Stachyuraceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Clusiaceae and Hypericaceae has been investigated using serological comparisons of sets of antigenic determinants. The results show that the Sytracaceae and Sapotaceae are undoubtedly more closely associated with the Actinidiaeceae and Theaceae, respectively, than with each other. We found no corresponding determinants betnween antigen systems from the Ebenaceae and systems from any other family whose relations to this family have been proposed. As discovered previously, investigations of antigen systems from the Ochnaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Stachyuraceae, Clusiaceae and Hypericaceae are against the idea of a natural order “Theales” in which these families, or at least some of them, are combined with the Theaceae and Actinidiaceae. This paper completes our previous investigations which largely support a superorder Ericanae sensu Ehrendorfer and Takhtajan. We propose to include the Actinidiaceae and Theaceae in this superorder, assigning them a central position laong with the Sapotaceae and Sytracaeae on one side and the Primulales and Ericales on the other. Another most interesting finding is that there are corresponding determinants between antigen systems from the members of the Ericanae and representatives of the Polemoniaceae and Loasaceae.     

On the structure and dynamics of the complex of the nucleosome and the linker histone

Several different models of the linker histone (LH)–nucleosome complex have been proposed, but none of them has unambiguously revealed the position and binding sites of the LH on the nucleosome. Using Brownian dynamics-based docking together with normal mode analysis of the nucleosome to account for the flexibility of two flanking 10 bp long linker DNAs (L-DNA), we identified binding modes of the H5-LH globular domain (GH5) to the nucleosome. For a wide range of nucleosomal conformations with the L-DNA ends less than 65 Å apart, one dominant binding mode was identified for GH5 and found to be consistent with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments. GH5 binds asymmetrically with respect to the nucleosomal dyad axis, fitting between the nucleosomal DNA and one of the L-DNAs. For greater distances between L-DNA ends, docking of GH5 to the L-DNA that is more restrained and less open becomes favored. These results suggest a selection mechanism by which GH5 preferentially binds one of the L-DNAs and thereby affects DNA dynamics and accessibility and contributes to formation of a particular chromatin fiber structure. The two binding modes identified would, respectively, favor a tight zigzag chromatin structure or a loose solenoid chromatin fiber.     

The Choroid Plexuses and the Barriers Between the Blood and the Cerebrospinal Fluid

1. The fluid homeostasis of the brain depends both on the endothelial blood–brain barrier and on the epithelial blood–cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier located at the choroid plexuses and the outer arachnoid membrane.2. The brain has two fluid environments: the brain interstitial fluid, which surrounds the neurons and glia, and the CSF, which fills the ventricles and external surfaces of the central nervous system.3. CSF acts as a fluid cushion for the brain and as a drainage route for the waste products of cerebral metabolism.4. Recent findings suggest that CSF may also act as a third circulation conveying substances secreted into the CSF rapidly to many brain regions.     

Connections between the globus pallidus and putamen and the hypothalamus and subthalamus

In 16 adult cats with electrolytically destructed external and internal parts of the globus pallidus and in 8 cats with destructed putamen direct strio-pallido-hypothalamic and strio-pallido-subthalamic pathways have been studied. Degeneration of the axonal preterminals and terminals have been examined in preparations treated after Nauta--Gygax, Nauta--Laidlow, Finck--Heimer with simultaneous additional staining of the nuclei with cresyl violet after Kawamura--Niimi. Direct pallido- and putamen-hypothalamic pathways to nuclei of the grey tubercle, posterior and lateral nuclei of the hypothalamus were stated. Direct pathways from the putamen to the subthalamic nucleus have been revealed, however, these pathways are represented in less degree than those of pallido-subthalamic connections. Direct pathways from the external portion of the globus pallidus and putamen to the subthalamic nucleus are more pronounced and represented by greater numbers of projections than those of strio-pallido-hypothalamic origin.     

Baculoviruses and apoptosis: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Since 1991, when a baculovirus was first shown to inhibit apoptosis of its host insect cells, considerable contributions to our knowledge of apoptosis have arisen from the study of these viruses and the anti-apoptotic genes they encode. Baculovirus anti-apoptotic genes include p35, which encodes the most broadly acting caspase inhibitor protein known, and iap (inhibitor of apoptosis) genes, which were the first members of an evolutionarily conserved gene family involved in regulation of apoptosis and cytokinesis in organisms ranging from yeast to humans. Baculoviruses also provide an ideal system to study the effects of an apoptotic response on viral pathogenesis in an animal host. In this review, I discuss a number of interesting recent developments in the areas of apoptotic regulation by baculoviruses and the effects of apoptosis on baculovirus replication and pathogenesis.