西北干旱区多种植物地理分布与气候的相关性及其可能潜在分布预测

　　作为西部大开发的关键地区，西北干旱区由于地理位置和环境条件的独特性、生态系统的脆弱性以及人类活动的长期干扰，对其周边乃至全国的生态环境有较大的影响，在这一地区研究植物种分布与气候的关系，并模拟预测其可能的潜在分布范围，具有理论上和实践上的重要意义。 　　通过广泛收集了西北干旱区优势种和常见种的地理分布资料，共选择128个植物种，利用Holdridge的生命地带分类系统，计算各植物种的生物温度(BT)、可能蒸散(PE)、降水量(P)及可能蒸散率(PER)，分析植物种与气候的相互关系，并将所有植物种进行经验归纳分类。随后，对这砦植物种及其气候信息进行TWINSPAN定量分类，并与经验分类结果相比较，得出西北干旱区128种植物的生态气候分类，分属于以下几大类型：高寒草甸、森林一草原过渡带、草原（典型草原、荒漠草原）、荒漠（草原化荒漠、荒漠、高寒荒漠）。具体来说，包括以下17个生态气候类型： 1)高寒草甸：异针茅。 2)森林一草原过渡带：牛尾蒿、鬼箭锦鸡儿、沙棘。 3)草原a：沙蒿。 4)草原b：长芒草、百里香（变种）、多叶隐子草、贝加尔针茅、大针茅。 5)草原c：羊茅、小叶锦鸡儿、荒漠锦鸡儿、线叶菊、华北岩黄芪、廿青针茅、碱蒿、内蒙古沙蒿、裂叶蒿、狭叶锦鸡儿、山竹岩黄芪、女蒿、小蓬、两伯利亚杏、沙地柏、角果碱篷、霸王、糙隐子草。 6)草原d：紫狐茅、紫花针茅。 7)草原一荒漠草原a：包括沙竹、琵琶柴、吉尔吉斯针茅。 8)草原一荒漠草原b：华北米蒿、差巴嘎蒿、星星草、长芒针茅、铁竿蒿、柠条锦鸡儿。 9)荒漠草原：沙生冰草、蒙古冰草、羊草、冷蒿、中亚紫菀木、刺旋花、老瓜头、木贼麻黄、西伯利亚白刺、唐古特白刺、戈壁针茅、石生针茅、盐地碱蓬、冰草、蓍状亚菊、油蒿、木蓼、刺针枝蓼、长枝木蓼、中间锦鸡儿、尖叶盐爪爪、黄花琵琶柴、松叶猪毛菜、珍珠猪毛菜、东方针茅、囊果碱蓬、四合木、白滨藜、短脚锦鸡儿。 10)草原化荒漠，荒漠a：川青锦鸡儿、优若藜、苦艾蒿、无芒隐子草、沙冬青、籽蒿、地白蒿、菭草、齿叶白刺、绵刺、盐角草、多枝柽柳、盐生假木贼。 11)草原化荒漠．荒漠b：蒿叶猪毛菜、短花针茅、芨芨草、灌木亚菊、博乐蒿、小蒿、喀什蒿、南山短花菊、盐爪爪、木本猪毛菜、针茅、细枝盐爪爪。 12)草原化荒漠．荒漠c：白梭梭、白羊草、无叶假木贼。 13）干旱荒漠a：戈壁短花菊、荒漠细柄茅、刺蓬、沙生针茅、多花柽柳、细枝柽柳。 14)干旱荒漠b：梭梭柴、铃铛刺、天山猪毛菜、帕米尔麻黄、座花针茅、旱蒿、克氏狐茅、短叶假木贼、准格尔沙蒿、长穗柽柳、刚毛柽柳。 15)高寒荒漠植被：匍生优若藜。 16)干旱荒漠c：粉花蒿、白杆沙拐枣、膜果麻黄、花花柴、灌木紫菀木、裸果木、合头草、塔里木沙拐枣。 17)超干旱荒漠植被：沙拐枣、胡杨、盐穗木、灰杨、盐节木、圆叶盐爪爪。 　　综合分类结果表明：多数植物种的生态气候类型与实际生境相符，但也有少数植物种有明显偏差，主要原因有三点：首先，某些种的分布范围超出了西北干旱区，在东北、华北、甚至全国范围内分布，所计算的植物种的气候范围本身存在局限性;其次，西北干旱区的研究资料如植物种的分布范围、分布点的气象资料等有许多缺失：最后，由于文献中对某些植物种分布范围的描述比较笼统，无法确定其精确的地理分布界限，使得植物种所对应的分类结果与其真正所属的植 被类型有一些偏差。 　　本文还进一步在这128种植物中选取了10种分布明确、资料齐备的代表性植被类型的优势种，根据它们的降水和生物温度指标，模拟预测了它们的可能潜在分布区，包括其主要中心分布区和最大可能分布区，并与实际分布范围进行比较。结果表明．其潜在分布区的分布范围与实际调查所得资料所处范围基本一致，特别是中心分布区的预测图，而最大可能分布区与实际有一定误差。

中国植物功能型-生物群区的划分

气候在大尺度上决定着植被的分布、结构和组成，植被结构和生理状态的改变可以通过改变植被的反射率、粗糙度以及水分通量进而影响气候，这样形成了气候一植被的相互作用。在植被一气候相互作用的研究中，植物功能型是重要的概念和方法，它可以在详尽描述植被生物物理和生理特征的同时，有效削减植被的复杂性。植物功能型的概念和方法已经在植物群落、生态系统的复杂性和功能、古植被和古气候研究，以及陆面过程模型和动态全球植被模型中得到了广泛的应用。但是针对我国植被-气候的相互作用和区域尺度的全球变化研究，还需要一套特定的植物功能型．生物群区体系。 　　本论文根据我国植被生态学和植被分类的研究背景，结合植被．气候相互作用和区域全球变化研究的需要，提出了一套适宜于中国的植物功能型．生物群区划分方案。首先，根据中国植被和气候特征，筛选并确定了影响植被生物物理和生理属性以及植被分布的6个关键的植物功能特征：然后，根据这6个特征，对植物进行功能型划分，得到了29类植物功能型：再根据我国植被的实际情况和研究需要，选定了其中的18类作为我国的植物功能型。这套功能型包括了7类‘树’功能型，6类‘灌木’功能型和5类‘草’功能型，其中含有4类高寒植物功能型，专门用于描述青藏高原的植被分布，并根据需要设置了2类‘裸地，功能型。 　　根据我国气候一植被分布定量关系的相关研究以及BIOME1和Box体系的研究结果，选定7个环境变量作为限制我国植物功能型分布的关键气候因子：最冷月平均气温、最暖月平均气温、大于50C的有效生长积温、大于OºC的有效生长积温、Priestley-Taylor系数（实际蒸散与潜在蒸散的比值）、降水量、最暖月和最冷月平均气温之差。采用半峰宽法初步确定每个植物功能型的环境限定因子取值范围。并根据这套植物功能型及其环境参数建立了适宜于我国的生物群区体系，从而得到了我国的植物功能型-生物群区体系(the Chinese Plant functional Types and Biomes，CNPB)。 为了验证这套植物功能型-生物群区体系，将BIOME1和中国的植物功能型生物群区体系(CNPB)对中国植被在当前气候条件和未来气候情景下分布的模拟结果进行了比较。结果表明，这套体系可以更有效地模拟中国植被在当前和未来气候条件下的分布，特别是对青藏高原植被描述的详细程度有实质性的提高。

典型草原物候特征及其对生态系统功能的影响研究

植物物候反映的是植物(包括农作物)和环境(气候、水文、土壤条件)的周期性变化之间的相互关系。在气候变化背景下，植物物候已经发生了显著变化，并且对生态系统产生了重要影响。然而，目前的物候研究大多是针对木本植物，对于草本植物的研究则相对缺乏，而且草本植物的物候节律表现出较木本植物更为复杂的特征，不但受温度影响，亦受到水分因素的影响。 本研究利用内蒙古典型草原区克氏针茅草原建群种羊草和克氏针茅自1985～2003年19年的物候资料和气象数据，分析了物候特征及气候因子的变化趋势，探究了两种植物返青期和枯黄期的主导因子。结果表明，克氏针茅草原近20年来的气候发生了显著的变化，总体表现为温度升高、降水量降少、土壤水分含量减少。与以往物候研究结果不同的是，羊草和克氏针茅返青期在气候变暖的背景下却显著滞后。相关分析显示返青前期土壤水分是导致返青滞后的主要原因。对于枯黄期的相关分析同样显示水分因子是制约两种植物生长季结束的关键因子。在检验现有返青期和枯黄期物候模型对于典型草原适用性的基础上，本研究选择应用广泛、计算简便的CTM(Cumulative Temperature Model)模型作为改进返青期物候模型的基础，在其中加入了水分的影响，使得改进返青期物候模型可以很好的模拟典型草原植物返青期，模拟误差小于7天。同时，构建了考虑水分和温度共同影响的枯黄期模型。改进后的物候模型提高了DCTEM(Dynamic Chinese Terrestrial Ecosystems Model)模型的模拟精度。 基于耦合改进物候模块的DCTEM模型对影响生态系统NPP(Net Primary Productivity)、NEP(Net Ecosystem Productivity)和AET(Annual Evapotranspiration)的因子加以分析。结果显示，降水量是影响克氏针茅草原生态系统功能的主要因子，其对于NPP、NEP、AET以及土壤异养呼吸等均有不同程度的影响。其次，生长季长度变化对于克氏针茅生态系统功能呈现出显著的影响作用，其影响程度仅次于降水量。 为了量化在实际的气象条件下单位生长季长度变化所引起生态系统NPP、NEP和AET的变化幅度，设置了三个引起生长季长度变化的物候模拟情景(动态枯黄情景、动态返青情景、动态起止情景)以及对照情景。研究结果显示，不同情景下植物生长季长度变化对于生态系统功能有着不同程度的影响。动态枯黄情景下由于草原枯黄期使整个生长季每延长一天NEP增加3.11％，NPP为0.34％，对于AET的影响最小为0.06％;动态返青情景下，由于草原返青期波动使得整个生长季延长一天则NEP增加1.54%，NPP为0.15％，对于AET的影响最小为0.01％;在动态起止情景下，生长季延长一天则NEP增加3.37%，NPP为0.39％，对于AET的影响最小为0.06％。总体而言，由于枯黄期引起的生长季变化对生态系统功能影响程度比由于返青期引起的程度高。此外，不同的生态系统功能要素对于物候变化的影响程度也有所不同。在几种模拟情景下，NEP受到生长季变化的影响最大，其次为NPP，AET受物候变化影响最小。

点源污染对三峡库区陆生植物群落的影响

三峡库区一些污染严重的工业企业是当地主要的点源污染源，对周围植物群落产生了巨大危害，而植物是生态系统赖以存在的基础，它的生长发育直接影响到生态系统的结构及其正常功能的实现。本研究按照与点源污染源的距离为梯度，通过在三峡库区兴山县白沙河磷化工厂周围布设了32个植物群落固定样地，并以点源污染无法影响到的植物群落为对照，进行样地的野外群落学调查;在每个样地取不同种植物叶片100克左右和样地0~20cm土壤500克，以石灰滤纸法同步进行大气氟化物的取样。样品带回室内应用氟离子选择电极法，测定大气氟化物含量、植物叶片氟的累积量和土壤水溶性氟的含量。同时在野外调查时使用PAM2100叶绿素荧光仪测定植物最大光化学效率即Fv/Fm的值。通过野外调查试验和相关的室内分析，研究了（1）：点源污染对三峡库区陆生植物群落组成和物种多样性的影响;（2）：点源污染中的主要污染物对植物及土壤环境的影响;（3）：不同物种叶片最大光化学效率Fv/Fm对污染胁迫响应的差异。结果如下： 点源污染对植物群落物种丰富度以及Pielou均匀度指数均有不同程度的影响，对于群落结构相对简单的马尾松林和柏木林的不利影响更为显著。相对于污染区来说，对照区中物种重要值的集中程度有所下降。许多物种的重要值在污染区与对照区有明显的变化。马尾松（Pinus massoniana）、檵木（Loropetalum chinense ）、铁仔（Myrsine africana）、卷柏（Selaginella tamariscina ）等对照区重要值较污染区为高，黄檀（Dalbergia hupeana ）、菱叶海桐（Pittosporum truncatum）、君迁子（Diospyros lotus）等污染区的重要值较对照区为高。群落中有些物种比如柏木（Cupressus funebris）的天然更新也受到污染的影响。 污染区土壤pH值大多低于对照区，但是与离污染源距离的相关性不强。污染区有些物种比如马尾松、柏木等叶片中的全氟含量与大气中氟化物的含量和土壤水溶性氟含量明显正相关。但是另外有些物种氟的累积量受点源污染的影响不显著，比如菱叶海桐、翅柃（Eurya alata）等在污染严重的样地内生存状况仍然很好。 在距离点源污染近的样地内，大多数物种的最大光化学效率Fv/Fm的值显著下降。栓皮栎（Quercus variabilis）、马尾松和柏木等的Fv/Fm值与距污染源的距离呈明显的正相关，都是随着离污染源越来越近而逐渐降低。根据污染区相对对照区Fv/Fm值下降幅度的不同，把植物划分为三种类型：对污染敏感型如柏木、铁仔、檵木等，中等敏感型如油桐（Vernicia fordii）、香叶树（Lindera communis）和不敏感型如山胡椒（Lindera glauca）和 蝴蝶花（Iris japonica）等。

内蒙古典型温带草原植物功能群去除对土壤氮矿化的影响

由于人为因素导致的全球范围内的第六次物种大灭绝已经成为不争的事实，但人类还不清楚这种现象对生态系统功能的影响。在回答生物多样性与生态系统功能关系的问题上，补偿作用是一个争论的热点。为了阐明生物多样性对生态系统功能的影响，于2005年夏开始，在内蒙古温带典型草原开展了一个研究生物多样性与生态系统功能的物种去除试验。本研究是该项目的一部分。 元素循环是生态系统的重要功能之一，而氮素是限制草地生态系统生产力的主要因素，氮矿化是氮循环的关键步骤，因此，本研究重点讨论植物功能群对土壤氮矿化作用的影响，提出3点假设：1. 不同植物功能群对土壤氮矿化速率影响不同；2. 植物功能群去除前后氮矿化速率不同；3.植物功能群之间存在补偿效应。为了证明这些假设，于2006年9月、2007年6月和2007年8月份分别进行了室内培养（温度25℃，湿度60％田间最大持水量）用于测量氮矿化速率，同时于2007年6月和2007年8月份进行野外培养用于测量野外条件下的氮矿化速率，并在去除处理2年后得到以下主要结果： 1.　植物功能群去除数与土壤氮矿化速率呈单峰曲线关系（P<0.05），去除少量植物功能群氮矿化速率上升，去除更多的植物功能群后氮矿化速率下降； 2.　植物功能群去除数与土壤硝态氮含量呈线性正相关关系（P<0.0001），植物功能群的丧失加剧了土壤NO3--N的流失； 3.　多年生非禾草（PF）比其他植物功能群显著降低了氮矿化速率（P<0.05）； 4.　短期内（去除处理1年内）在凋落物回填的情况下，去除0个植物功能群与去除全部植物功能群的氮矿化速率无显著差异（P>0.05）； 5.　内蒙古温带典型草原在近3年内（2005、2006、2007）土壤碳库、氮库变化较小。

Game Vertebrate Densities in Hunted and Nonhunted Forest Sites in Manu National Park, Peru

Manu National Park of southern Peru is one of the most renowned protected areas in the world, yet large-bodied vertebrate surveys conducted to date have been restricted to Cocha Cashu Biological Station, a research station covering <0.06 percent of the 1.7Mha park. Manu Park is occupied by >460 settled Matsigenka Amerindians, 300-400 isolated Matsigenka, and several, little-known groups of isolated hunter-gatherers, yet the impact of these native Amazonians on game vertebrate populations within the park remains poorly understood. On the basis of 1495 km of standardized line-transect censuses, we present density and biomass estimates for 23 mammal, bird, and reptile species for seven lowland and upland forest sites in Manu Park, including Cocha Cashu. We compare these estimates between hunted and nonhunted sites within Manu Park, and with other Neotropical forest sites. Manu Park safeguards some of the most species-rich and highest biomass assemblages of arboreal and terrestrial mammals ever recorded in Neotropical forests, most likely because of its direct Andean influence and high levels of soil fertility. Relative to Barro Colorado Island, seed predators and arboreal folivores in Manu are rare, and generalist frugivores specializing on mature fruit pulp are abundant. The impact of such a qualitative shift in the vertebrate community on the dynamics of plant regeneration, and therefore, on our understanding of tropical plant ecology, must be profound. Despite a number of external threats, Manu Park continues to serve as a baseline against which other Neotropical forests can be gauged.

Composition and evolution of the V2r vorneronasal receptor gene repertoire in mice and rats

Pheromones are chemicals produced and detected by conspecifics to elicit social/sexual physiological and behavioral responses, and they are perceived primarily by the vomeronasal organ (VNO) in terrestrial vertebrates. Two large superfamilies of G protein-coupled receptors, V1rs and V2rs, have been identified as pheromone receptors in vomeronasal sensory neurons. Based on a computational analysis of the mouse and rat genome sequences, we report the first global draft of the V2r gene repertoire, composed of similar to 200 genes and pseudogenes. Rodent V2rs are subject to rapid gene births/deaths and accelerated amino acid substitutions, likely reflecting the species-specific nature of pheromones. Vertebrate V2rs appear to have originated twice prior to the emergence of the VNO in ancestral tetrapods, explaining seemingly inconsistent observations among different V2rs. The identification of the entire V2r repertoire opens the door to genomic-level studies of the structure, function, and evolution of this diverse group of sensory receptors. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of TRPC2, an Essential Genetic Component of VNS Chemoreception, Provides Insights into the Evolution of Pheromonal Olfaction in Secondary-Adapted Marine Mammals

Pheromones are chemical cues released and sensed by individuals of the same species, which are of major importance in regulating reproductive and social behaviors of mammals. Generally, they are detected by the vomeronasal system (VNS). Here, we first investigated and compared an essential genetic component of vomeronasal chemoreception, that is, TRPC2 gene, of four marine mammals varying the degree of aquatic specialization and related terrestrial species in order to provide insights into the evolution of pheromonal olfaction in the mammalian transition from land to water. Our results based on sequence characterizations and evolutionary analyses, for the first time, show the evidence for the ancestral impairment of vomeronasal pheromone signal transduction pathway in fully aquatic cetaceans, supporting a reduced or absent dependence on olfaction as a result of the complete adaptation to the marine habitat, whereas the amphibious California sea lion was found to have a putatively functional TRPC2 gene, which is still under strong selective pressures, reflecting the reliance of terrestrial environment on chemical recognition among the semiadapted marine mammals. Interestingly, our study found that, unlike that of the California sea lion, TRPC2 genes of the harbor seal and the river otter, both of which are also semiaquatic, are pseudogenes. Our data suggest that other unknown selective pressures or sensory modalities might have promoted the independent absence of a functional VNS in these two species. In this respect, the evolution of pheromonal olfaction in marine mammals appears to be more complex and confusing than has been previously thought. Our study makes a useful contribution to the current understanding of the evolution of pheromone perception of mammals in response to selective pressures from an aquatic environment.

Adaptive evolution of energy metabolism genes and the origin of flight in bats

Bat flight poses intriguing questions about how flight independently developed in mammals. Flight is among the most energy-consuming activities. Thus, we deduced that changes in energy metabolism must be a primary factor in the origin of flight in bats. The respiratory chain of the mitochondrial produces 95% of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) needed for locomotion. Because the respiratory chain has a dual genetic foundation, with genes encoded by both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, we examined both genomes to gain insights into the evolution of flight within mammals. Evidence for positive selection was detected in 23.08% of the mitochondrial-encoded and 4.90% of nuclear-encoded oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes, but in only 2.25% of the nuclear-encoded nonrespiratory genes that function in mitochondria or 1.005% of other nuclear genes in bats. To address the caveat that the two available bat genomes are of only draft quality, we resequenced 77 OXPHOS genes from four species of bats. The analysis of the resequenced gene data are in agreement with our conclusion that a significantly higher proportion of genes involved in energy metabolism, compared with background genes, show evidence of adaptive evolution specific on the common ancestral bat lineage. Both mitochondrial and nuclear-encoded OXPHOS genes display evidence of adaptive evolution along the common ancestral branch of bats, supporting our hypothesis that genes involved in energy metabolism were targets of natural selection and allowed adaptation to the huge change in energy demand that were required during the origin of flight.

MULTIVARIATE COMPARISON OF THE FORELIMB BETWEEN STUMP-TAILED AND RHESUS MACAQUES

Rhesus macaques and stump-tailed macaques are sympatric in western Yunnan (China), coexisting or occupying habitats that show little difference. This paper tests hypotheses based on theoretical expectation from the differing biomechanical demands of terrestrial and arboreal quadrupedalism in stump-tailed macaques and rhesus macaques, respectively. Individuals of these two macaque taxa were markedly separated by the first two principal components and discriminant analyses based on 18 variables of the upper limb. The rhesus macaques appear to be more adapted for arboreal quadruped habits because of elongation of the clavicle and forearm, a larger humeral head and greater midshaft sagittal diameters of the radius and ulna.

SCALING OF LIMB PROPORTIONS AND LIMB BONE DIAMETERS IN 3 SPECIES OF CHINESE SNUB-NOSED LANGURS (GENUS RHINOPITHECUS)

In this study, aspects of the structural mechanics of the upper and lower limbs of the three Chinese species of Rhinopithecus were examined. Linear regression and reduced major axis (RMA) analyses of natural log-transformed data were used to examine the dimensions of limb bones and other relationships to body size and locomotion. The results of this study suggest that: (1) the allometry exponents of the lengths of long limbs deviate from isometry, being moderately negative, while the shaft diameters (both sagittal and transverse) show significantly positive allometry; (2) the sagittal diameters of the tibia and ulna show extremely significantly positive allometry - the relative enlargement of the sagittal, as opposed to transverse, diameters of these bones suggests that the distal segments of the fore- and hindlimbs of Rhinopithecus experience high bending stresses during locomotion; (3) observations of Rhinopithecus species in the field indicate that all species engage in energetic leaping during arboreal locomotion. The limbs experience rapid and dramatic decelerations upon completion of a leap. We suggest that these occasional decelerations produce high bending stresses in the distal limb segments and so account for the hypertrophy of the sagittal diameters of the ulna and tibia.

CLASSIFICATION AND EVOLUTION OF ASIAN COLOBINES

In order to study the differentiation of Asian colobines, 14 variables measured on 123 skulls, including Rhinopithecus, Presbytis, Presbytiscus (Rhinopithecus avunculus), Pygathrix and Nasalis were analyzed by one-way, cluster and discriminant function analyses. Information on paleoenvironmental changes in China and southeast Asia since the late Tertiary was used to examine the influences of migratory routes and range of distribution in Asian colobines. A cladogram for 6 genera of Asian colobines was constructed from the results of various analyses. Some new points or revisions were suggested: (1) Following one of two migratory routes, ancient species of Asian colobines perhaps passed through Xizang (Tibet) along the northern bank of the Tethys sea and through the Heng Duan Shan regions of Yunnan into Vietnam. An ancient landmass linking Yunnan and Xizang was already present on the east bank of the Tethys sea. Accordingly, Asian colobines would have two centers of evolutionary origin: Sundaland and the Heng Duan Shan regions of China. (2) Pygathrix shares more cranial features with Presbytiscus than with Rhinopithecus. This differs somewhat from the conclusion reached by Groves. (3) Nasalis (karyotype: 2n = 48) may be the most primitive genus among Asian colobines. Certain features shared with Rhinopithecus, e.g. large body size, terrestrial activity and limb proportions, can be interpreted as symple-siomorphic characters. (4) Rhinopithecus, with respect to craniofacial features, is a special case among Asian colobines. It combines a high degree of evolutionary specialization with retention of some primitive features thought to have been present in the ancestral Asian colobine.

Medaka vasa is required for migration but not survival of primordial germ cells

Vasa is essential for germline development. However, the precise processes in which vasa involves vary considerably in diverse animal phyla. Here we show that vasa is required for primordial germ cell (PGC) migration in the medakafish. vasa knockdown by two morpholinos led to the PGC migration defect that was rescued by coinjection of Vasa RNA. Interestingly, Vasa knockdown did not alter the PGC number, identity, proliferation and motility even at ectopic locations. We established a cell culture system for tracing PGCs at the single cell level in vitro. In this culture system, control and morpholino-injected gastrulae produced the same PGC number and the same time course of PGC survival. importantly, vasa-depleted PGCs in culture had similar motility and locomotion to normal PGCs. Expression patterns of wt1a, sdf1b and cxcT4b in migratory tissues remained unchanged by Vasa knockdown. By chimera formation we show that PGCs from vasa-depleted blastulae failed to migrate properly in the normal environment, whereas control PGCs migrated normally in vasa-disrupted embryos. Furthermore, ectopic PGCs in vasa-depleted embryos also retained all the PGC properties examined. Taken together, medaka vasa is cell-autonomously required for PGC migration, but dispensable to PGC proliferation, motility, identity and survival. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of constructed wetland system on the removal of dibutyl phthalate (DBP)

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) have become widely diffused in the environment via the manufacturing process. Numerous experiments have shown that the bioaccumulation of PAEs occurred in the aquatic and terrestrial food chain; meanwhile, it was found that some of PAEs were considered as potential carcinogens, teratogens and mutagens. In this research, two vertical/reverse-vertical flow constructed wetland systems were set up to study its removal efficiency of dibutyl, phthalate (DBP) pollution. The results showed that the constructed wetland system could remove DBP effectively, and the removal rates reached nearly 100%. Substrate microorganism and enzymatic activities probably played key roles during DBP removal, and the removal of DBP probably mainly took place in the upper layer of chamber A in the constructed wetland systems. (C) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Responses of photosynthetic activity in the drought-tolerant cyanobacterium, Nostoc flagelliforme to rehydration at different temperature

Photosynthetic activity during rehydration at four temperatures (5, 15, 25, 35 degrees C) was studied in a terrestrial, highly drought-tolerant cyanobacterium, Nostoc flagelliforme. At all the temperatures, the optimum quantum yield F-v/F-m increased rapidly within I It and then increased slowly during the process of rehydration. The increase in F-v/F-m at 25 and 35 degrees C was larger than that at 5 and 15 degrees C. In addition, the changes of initial intensity of fluorescence (F-0) and variable fluorescence (F-v) were more significant at 25 and 35 degrees C than those at 5 and 15 degrees C. Chlorophyll a content increased with the increase of temperature during the course of rehydration, with this being more pronounced at 25 and 35 degrees C. The photosynthetic rates at 25 and 35 degrees C were higher than those at 5 and 15 degrees C. Induction of chlorophyll fluorescence with sustained rewetting at 5 and 15 degrees C had two phases of transformation, whereas at 25 and 35 degrees C it had a third peak kinetic phase and showed typical chlorophyll fluorescence steps on rewetting for 24 h, representing a normal physiological state. A comparison of the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, chlorophyll a content, and the chlorophyll fluorescence induction led to the conclusion that N. flagelliforme had a more rapid and complete recovery at 25 and 35 degrees C than that at 5 and 15 degrees C, although it could recover its photosynthetic activity at any of the four temperatures. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.