The spatial pattern of the small fish community in the Biandantang Lake - a small shallow lake along the middle reach of the Yangtze River, China

The spatial pattern of the small fish community was studied seasonally in 1996 in the Biandantang Lake. Based on plant cover, the lake was divided into five habitats, arranged in the order by plant structure complexity from complex to simple: Vallisneria spiralis habitat (V habitat), Vallisneria spiralis-Myriophyllum spicatum habitat (V-M habitat), Myriophyllum spicatum habitat (M habitat), Nelunbo nucefera habitat (N habitat), and no vegetation habitat (NV habitat). A modified popnet was used for quantitative sampling of small fishes. A total of 16 fish species were collected; Hypseleotris swinhonis, Ctenogobius giurinus, Pseudorasbora parva, Carassius auratus and Paracheilognathus imberis were the five numerically dominant species. In both summer and autumn, the total density of small fishes was about 10 ind m(-2). Generally, Ctenogobius giurinus, a sedatory, benthic fish, was distributed more or less evenly among the five habitats, while the other four species had lower densities in the N habitat and NV habitat, which had the simplest structures. The distribution of the small fish species showed seasonal variations. In winter, most species concentrated in the V habitat, which had the most complex structure. In spring, the fish had low densities in the N and NV habitat, and were more or less evenly distributed in the other habitats. In summer, the fish had a low density in the NV habitat, and were evenly distributed in the other habitats. In autumn, the fish had higher densities in the V-M and M habitats than in the others. Generally, spatial overlaps between the dominant species were higher in winter than in the other seasons. It was suggested that the variations in the importance of predation risk and resource competition in habitat choice determined the seasonal changes of spatial patterns in the small fishes in the Biandantang Lake.

水稻同源四倍体三系法杂种优势利用研究

水稻是重要的粮食作物，其产量的增加和品质的改良都是关系国计民生的大事。就我国现阶段的国情而言，水稻产量在现有水平上稳步提升仍是未来十几年甚至几十年农业生产最重要的目标之一。尽管根据“超级杂交水稻育种”的战略设想和水稻育种实践，通过不断地改进育种技术可望在更高的产量水平上进行水稻杂种优势利用，在稻属植物内还具有很大的产量潜力可以挖掘。然而，仅仅从现有的种质基础出发，要更大幅度提高水稻单产，实现“超级杂交稻”的目标也存在一些困难：现有的推广品种是二倍体，尽管种类众多，但是其基因组的来源相对单一；同时，水稻基因组DNA含量也是作物中最少的，基因组内寻求开发潜力有一定困难；水稻作为C3植物，光合利用效率不高也是制约水稻产量提高的因素之一。因此，寻求常规手段以外的技术突破或者方法创新，是实现“超级杂交稻”的目标的迫切需求。本研究利用秋水仙素能抑制细胞分裂中纺锤丝的收缩、使细胞染色体加倍的作用，对水稻幼穗诱导的愈伤组织细胞进行加倍，并分化出再生植株；创制出水稻同源四倍体新的种质材料，在此基础上选育水稻同源四倍体雄性不育三系材料，并实现水稻同源四倍体的三系配套，开展水稻同源四倍体杂种优势利用和四倍体杂交水稻选育研究，建立水稻同源四倍体杂种优势利用的新技术体系。这不仅有助于倍性水平杂种优势的开拓和利用，同时也将为我国新世纪“超级稻”育种研究开辟一条新的技术途径。 水稻幼穗诱导愈伤组织并分化成苗是一项成熟、简单的组织培养技术。本研究以普通二倍体水稻亲本为材料，用秋水仙素进行水稻的多倍体化诱导，创制同源四倍体水稻三系亲本材料并对其进行鉴定。多倍体化以秋水仙素诱导的愈伤组织培养为基础，研究不同秋水仙素浓度梯度和愈伤组织诱导培养基组合对诱导四倍体植株的影响。结果表明在MS+2,4 D 1.0mg/L+ KT0.2mg/L+ IAA0.2mg/L 和500mg/L的秋水仙素处理下，水稻愈伤组织染色体加倍（有最高的效率）效果较好，平均加倍频率可达25.26%，其中，材料CDR22和IR26诱导较易成功，加倍频率分别达到75%和26.5%；相对材料94109 1.3%加倍频率和冈46B 10.8%加倍频率，诱导率差异极显著。 对水稻四倍体材料进行了形态学鉴定结果表明，与二倍体水稻对照相比其株高、穗长、花粉育性等主要农艺性状，确定四倍体材料在穗长和千粒重两方面极显著提高，种子的长度和宽度也显著增长。对花粉育性鉴定，确认水稻四倍体不育系材料仍为不育，保持系材料自交和杂交可育，恢复系材料自交和杂交可育。对四倍体材料进行细胞形态、染色体数目等方面进行细胞学鉴定，经核型分析表明水稻四倍体材料具有48条染色体，是二倍体水稻的两倍。水稻四倍体材料根尖分生组织细胞与二倍体的根尖分生组织细胞相比，细胞体积、细胞核和核仁显著增大。四倍体三系材料在细胞有丝分裂中期均可规则排列在赤道板，并能均等地移向两极；后期观察中没有发现染色体分离滞后现象，分裂末期细胞能够形成大小相对均一的子细胞。水稻同源四倍体三系材料细胞分裂未见异常，植株生长发育正常。 从1996年至2006年，针对结实率、有效分蘖、着粒数和穗长等主要农艺性状，通过系谱选育的方法，对培育的同源四倍体水稻亲本材料进行了连续选择和改良，取得较好成效。表现为结实率的改良效果极佳，所有改良材料的平均结实率均呈上升趋势，如D237（29.70％→72.70％）、DTB（19.55％→53.21％）等。有效分蘖总体呈现上升趋势，但在不同的年份，如1998和2002存在较大的负向波动。部分材料改良效果明显，如D19B（5.87→13.50）、D什香 (7.00→12.00)等；同时一些材料如DTB和D明恢63虽然总体略有提高，但在不同的年份波动很大，因此存在较大改良阻力，原因还有待进一步研究。着粒数的改良上升趋势比较显著，除保持系的DTB之外，其余材料的平均着粒数有显著提高。穗长的改良阻力较大，虽然不同材料总体上有所提高，但效果并不显著，并且不同年份有较大负向波动（2001）。此外还对株高、剑叶长等性状也进行了选择，但效果不显著，原因有待进一步提高。同源四倍体材料产量相关性状遗传改良幅度不一致，保持系和恢复系间的遗传改良效果也存在差异。这为同源四倍体水稻的进一步利用打下了良好的基础。 籼稻和粳稻亚种间杂交及杂种优势利用的主要障碍就是其低的结实率。而同源四倍体杂交水稻的研究为提高杂交水稻的杂种优势利用创造了新的途径。本研究通过随机区组设计方案，挑选性状优良的二倍体水稻材料，包括雄性不育系，保持系和恢复系进行秋水仙素诱导加倍，从而获得同源四倍体水稻对应的三系材料。利用选育的优良水稻同源四倍体三系材料，配制7个杂交组合，杂交F1代与其恢复系亲本进行比较，用于计算超亲优势（HB）；而杂交F1代与生产上大面积推广的二倍体杂交品种汕优63进行比较，用于计算杂种优势。结果显示，同源四倍体杂交水稻的超亲优势表现为：每株有效穗变化幅度为1.4%至105.9%，总粒数为0.5%至74.3%，每穗实粒数为17.6%至255.7%，结实率为9.6%至130.4%。这些农艺性状的改良使得这7个杂种F1的理论产量的超亲优势高达64.8%至672.7%。小区试验中四倍体杂交水稻组合T461A/T4002和T461A/T4193分别比二倍体对照汕优63提高46.3%和38.3%以上，除一个品种以外所有品种产量均接近或高于汕优63的产量。同源四倍体水稻强大的杂种优势表明，亚种间杂交育性低的问题可通过四倍体化及强化选择来解决。此外，同源四倍体杂交水稻器官的巨大性也是其产量提高的有利因素，水稻同源四倍体三系杂种优势利用研究具有一定的理论价值和商业生产潜力。 Rice is one of the major food crops, the improvement of the production and quality of it is an important thing related to the people's livelihood. On China's current national conditions, steadily increase of the rice yield based on the current level is still one of the most important goals in the next decade or even decades of agricultural production. According to the "super hybrid rice breeding" the strategic and rice breeding practice, improvement of the use of hybrid rice heterosis through continuous improvements in breeding technology is expected to get a higher level of rice yield, there are also a great yield potential can be exploited. However, there are also some difficulties to increase rice yield obviously and implement the goal of "super hybrid rice" based on the existing germplasm: Rice varieties in promotion are diploid, although there are many varieties, but their genome are from a comparatively single source; Meanwhile, the rice genome DNA are the least among the crops, it is difficult to exploit the development potential within the genome; Rice as C3 plants, photosynthetic efficiency is not high, it is one of the factors constraint rice yield. Therefore, seeking technological breakthroughs or innovative methods different from conventional means is the urgent needs to reach the target of "super hybrid rice". Using colchicine inhibit spindle contraction during cell division, double the cell chromosome, we induced callus cells from rice panicle to be doubled, and differentiated regeneration; we created a new autotetraploid rice germplasm material, and on that basis we bred male sterility three line autotetraploid rice materials, and the achieved the three line rice autotetraploid matchmaking, researched in autotetraploid rice heterosis usage and tetraploid hybrid rice breeding, constituted a new technology system of autotetraploid hybrid rice heterosis utilization. This not only helps the tetraploid rice heterosis exploration and use, but also inaugurates a new technical means for China in the new century "super rice" breeding research. We chose ordinary diploid rice as materials, using colchicine to induce the polyploidization, created the autotetraploid rice three-line materials and identified them. The polyploidization was based on the colchicine-induced callus tissue culture, and we experimented different colchicine concentrations and culture mediums to induce tetraploid plants, confirmed that the optimal concentration for inducement was 500 mg/L, the average induce rate was 25.26 %. Among all the materials, CDR22 and IR26 had higher induced rate; in contrary, 94109 and GANG46B had lower induced rate, the difference was significant. Autotetraploid materials was identified of both morphological and cytological, compared plant height, length of pollen sterility, and other major agronomic traits with a diploid rice as the control plant, identified that the autotetraploid materials had very significant advantages in ear length and thousand-grain weight, as well as the size of the seeds. Cytology identification included observation of the cell morphology, the number of chromosomes, and karyotype analysis on the autotetraploid materials confirmed that their chromosome number was 48, twice of the diploid rice. Mitoses in the three lines were common: chromosomes arrayed normally in metaphase and separated balanced into the two poles, chromosome moved without lagging in anaphase and daughter cells normally formed in telophase except one. It has been proved that tetraploid rice has normal meiosis as their diploid relatives, which usually including series of sub-phases as interphase, prophase I (five sub-phases), prophase II, metaphase I, II, anaphase I, II and telophase I, II. However, abnormal phenomena, such as formation of tetravalent, trivalent and univalent, chromosome lagging and so on, which would finally block meiosis. Configurations of chromosome in metaphaseⅠwere versatile in structure and form accept the bivalent. That condition varied in different strain, suggesting more complex paring configurations and more versatile genetic characters in tetraploid rice. All these abnormalities in meiosis contributed to low fertility of gamete and might consequently resulted in low seed setting. Successive selection and improvement on seed set, productive tiller per plant, total grains per panicle, panicle length and so on had been carried out from 1996 to 2006. The raise of seed sets was significant in both restorers and maintainers. Seed sets of some strains were improved more significantly than others, for example D237（29.70％→72.70％）、DTB（19.55％→53.21％）and et al.. Productive tiller per plant was improved to some extant. The tendency of improvement was rising on the whole but changed in some years such as 1998 and 2002. Part of the stains increased greatly, such as D19B（5.87→13.50）、Dshixiang (7.00→12.00) and so on, but some strains including DTB and Dminghui63 only increased little and decreased in some years by unknown reason. Total grains per panicle increased significantly and all strains except DTB increased. Improvement of panicle length termed to be hard. Different strains showed different capacities for improvement and floating existed in different years for example 2001. It has been proved that other agronomical traits including plant length, flag leaf length and so on could be improved but not significantly by selection also. In a word, agronomical traits could be raised by successive selection that is prerequisite for further utility of autotetraploid rice. Poor fertility is the main barrier for utilizing heterosis between the two rice (Oryza stiva L.) sub-species, indica and japonica. Recently, the development of autotetraploid hybrids (2n=4x=48) has been suggested as a new method for increasing heterosis in hybrid rice. Using standard experimental protocols, the elite diploid rice male sterile, maintainer, and restorer lines were colchine-doubled and autotetraploid counterparts were obtained. Seven resulting hybrids were analyzed for heterobeltiosis (HB), where the F1 was compared to the male parent, and the degree of heterosis, where the F1 was compared to the diploid commercial hybrid, Shanyou 63. The HB among the autotetraploid hybrids ranged from 1.4 to 105.9% for the productive panicles per plant, 0.5 to 74.3% for total kernels per panicle, 17.6 to 255.7% for filled kernels per panicle, and 9.6 to 130.4% for seed set. Improvements in these yield components resulted in the HB for kernel yield ranging from 64.8 to 672.7% among the seven hybrids. Hybrids T461A/T4002 and T461A/T4193 yielded 46.3 and 38.3% more, respectively than Shanyou 63, and all other hybrids but one yielded the same or more than Shanyou 63. The high heterosis for yield suggests that hybrid sterility between two rice sub-species may be overcome by using tetraploid lines followed by intensive selection. Also, the gigantic features of the autotetraploid hybrids may establish a plant structure able to support the higher yield.

Effect of plant architecture on the structure of epiphytic macro invertebrate communities in a Chinese lake

We examined the effect of different plant architecture types on epiphytic macroinvertebrates of a shallow macrophyte-dominated lake in China. Macroinvertebrates were sampled from four dominant submersed macrophytes in the lake - two dissected plants (Myriophyllum spicatum L. and Ceratophyllum demersum L.) and two undissected plants (Potamogeton maackianus A. Benn. and Vallisneria spiralis L.). Macro invertebrate richness showed significant differences among four submersed macrophyte habitats, and higher density per g of dry plant were associated with dissected plants than undissected plants. The average abundance in dissected plants was as three-six times as in undissected plants. The biodiversity of epiphytic macroinvertebrates was higher in dissected plants than undissected plants. Our results suggest that dissected plants provide different habitat for macroinvertebrates than dissected plant, and this concurs with the hypothesis that the former could support more epiphytic macroinvertebrates than the latter.

New antibiotic with typical plant anthraquinone structure obtained studying terrestrial and marine Streptomycetes

In our screening for new antibiotics from bacteria, the streptomycete isolate M097 from Jiaozhou Bay in China was found to produce aloesaponarin II (1a) and 1,6-dihydroxy-8-hydroxymethyl-anthraquinone (2). Similarly, a terrestrial streptomycete GW24/1694 produced 1a and its methyl ether, the new compound 1-hydroxy-6-methoxy-8-methyl-anthraquinone (1b). All structures were derived by spectrochemical analysis and by comparison with reference data. The results showed that the marine streptomycete isolate M097 and the terrestrial streptomycete GW24/1694 could be a promising material for studying the biosynthetic pathway of polyketides.

Community structure of small fishes in a shallow macrophytic lake (Niushan Lake) along the middle reach of the Yangtze River, China

This study describes the current status of the small fish community in Niushan Lake in China, and examines the spatial and seasonal variations of the community in relation to key environmental factors. Based on macrophyte cover conditions, the lake was divided into three major habitat types: (1) Potamogeton maackianus habitat, (2) Potamogeton maackianus and Myriophyllum spicatum habitat, and (3) uncovered or less-covered habitat. Fish were sampled quantitatively in the three habitat types by block nets seasonally from September 2002 to August 2003. A total of 10 469 individuals from 27 fish species were caught, among which 20 species were considered as small fishes. Rhodeus ocellatus, Paracheilognathus imberbis, Pseudorasbora parva, Micropercops swinhonis and Cultrichthys erythropterus were recognized as dominant small fishes according to their abundance and occurrence. It was noted that (1) small fishes predominated the total number of fish species in the lake, which reflected to some degree the size diminution phenomenon of fish resources; (2) many small fishes had plant detritus as their food item, which was consistent with the abundance of macrophyte detritus in the lake and implied the importance of detritus in supporting small fish secondary production. Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that the spatial distributions of most small fishes were associated with complex macrophyte cover conditions. Macrophyte biomass was positively correlated with species richness, diversity index and the catch per unit of effort (CPUE) of the fish community. Water depth had no significant effects on species diversity and distribution of the small fishes. Correspondence analysis revealed a higher occurrence of the small fishes and higher abundance of individuals in summer and autumn. Seasonal length-frequency distributions of several species indicated that more larval and juvenile individuals appeared in spring and summer. This study provides some baseline information which will be essential to long-term monitoring of small fish communities in the Yangtze lakes.

Structure of the phytoplankton community and its relationship to water quality in Donghu Lake, Wuhan, China

The phytoplankton community structure, in terms of species composition, total standing crop, and abundance of the dominant algal species, at four stations in Donghu Lake, Wuhan, China, was investigated monthly from January 1994 to December 1996. A total of 260 taxa was observed, of which Chlorophyta (106 taxa) contributed the highest portion of the total number of taxa, followed by Bacillariophyta (82 taxa) and Cyanophyta (32 taxa). The total standing crop measured by means of chlorophyll a content, cell density, and cell biovolume, as well as the abundance of the dominant species, declined in the order of Station I to Station IV. Seasonal changes of the standing crop varied greatly among the four stations. Although the cell density at the four stations showed a single peak within a year, the peak density varied from July to November, dependent on the sampling year and the station. For chlorophyll a content and cell biovolume, multiple peaks were observed at Stations I and II, but a single peak was found at Stations III and IV. The phytoplankton community structure indicated that the trophic status was the highest at Station I (most eutrophic), followed by Station II; Stations III and IV were the least trophic areas. The long-term changes in phytoplankton community structure further suggested that changes in phytoplankton community structure were correlated with water quality, and eutrophication of Donghu Lake had been aggravated since the 1950s.

Primary succession of algal community structure in desert soil

The microbiotic crust study is among new focuses in investigating on the desertification control. Based on determination of algal crusts with different successive ages (4-, 8-, 17-, 34-, 42-year-old) and unconsolidated sand in the desert area, species composition and clustering analyses were carried out in this study. Results on successional orientation revealed that (1) the abundance of Cyanophyta, specially of Scytonema javanicum gradually decreased; (2) the abundance of Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta and a species of Cyanophyta, Phormidium tenue increased; (3) the biodiversity increased gradually with the community succession; and (4) biomass of microalgae increased at the early stage, but decreased at the later stage due to the abundance of lichens and mosses. But, the speed of natural succession was so slow that the community-building species was still the first dominant species after 42 years, except that its dominant degree decreased just slightly. However, successive speed and trend were affected by water, vegetation coverage, terrain, time and soil physico-chemical properties as well, especially Mn content in the soil appeared to have a threshold effect.

Effect of lanthanum ion on peroxidase in plant

The interaction of MP-11 as a model of antioxidatase enzymes with La3+ was investigated. It was found that La3+ can increase in the non-planarity of heme and the content of alpha helix and beta turn conformations of the MP11 molecule. The change in the secondary structure of the MP-11 molecule can increase in the exposure extent of heme to the solution. Therefore, the electrochemical reaction of MP-11 is promoted and the electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of H2O2 is increased. The results are consistent with that for the interaction of peroxidases(POD), one of the antioxidatase enzymes, obtained in the living plant experiments at low concentration of La3+.

Antioxidative principals of Jussiaea repens: an edible medicinal plant

Jussiaea repens L. (JRL) is an edible medicinal plant and is also used as a vegetable by the local people in southwestern China. The crude extract and its four fractions derived from JRL were evaluated for the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging ability, hydroxyl radical-scavenging capacity and the potassium ferricyanide reduction property. The ethyl acetate-soluble fraction (EAF) and EAF6 (a subfraction derived from EAF) were the most valuable fraction and subfraction, respectively. Furthermore, bioactivity-guided chromatographic fractionation revealed that three pure compounds greatly contributed to the antioxidant activities. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the major antioxidant constituents in the extract were systematically conducted by NMR, mass spectral analyses and RP-HPLC. The result demonstrated that rosmarinic acid (2.00 mg g(-1) JRL dry weight) quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (9.88 mg g(-1) JRL dry weight), and kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1.85 mg g(-1) JRL dry weight) were the major antioxidative constituents in JRL. These compounds are reported for the first time from this plant.

Chinikomycins A and B: Isolation, structure elucidation, and biological activity of novel antibiotics from a marine Streptomyces sp isolate M045

In our screening of marine Streptomycetes for bioactive principles, two novel antitumor antibiotics designated as chinikomycins A (2a) and B (2b) were isolated together with manumycin A (1), and their structures were elucidated by a detailed interpretation of their spectra. Chinikomycins A (2a) and B (2b) are chlorine-containing aromatized manumycin derivatives of the type 64-pABA-2 with an unusual para orientation of the side chains. They exhibited antitumor activity against different human cancer cell lines, but were inactive in antiviral, antimicrobial, and phytotoxicity tests.

Causes and consequences of changes in nutrient structure in the Jiaozhou Bay

Concentrations and ratios of nutrients in Jiaozhou Bay, China, have changed much in the past decades, with trends indicating an increase in nitrogen and a decrease in silicate. Statistical analysis has shown that the long-term variations of nutrients are associated with agricultural activities, precipitation, and anthropogenic factors. Stoichiometric calculations indicate that the nutrient structure has become more and more unbalanced. There has been almost no possibility for nitrogen limitation since the 1980s, the probability of P limitation has increased, and the probability of Si limitation has also increased markedly from the 1980s to the 1990s. As a consequence of changes in nutrient structure, a decrease in the abundance of net phytoplankton was evident, whereas total chlorophyll a levels have remained roughly unchanged at around 3.55 mu g/L. Thus, it is likely that smaller species have taken the niche vacated by the larger species. Changes in phytoplankton size and species composition may ultimately lead to various functional and structural changes at the system level.

Synthesis, structure and biological activities of 2-(4-methoxybenzoyl)-N-phenyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)thioacetamide

The title compound, 2-(methoxybenzoyl)-N-phenyt-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)thioacetamide was synthesized by several reactions from 4-methoxyacetophenone, triazole and phenyl isothiocyanate. The structure was identified by elemental analysis, H-1 NMR, MS and IR. The single crystal structure of 2-(methoxybenzoyl)-N-phenyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)thioacetamide was determined with X-ray diffraction. The preliminary bioassays show that the title compound exhibits weak antifungal activities and plant-growth regulatory activity.