青藏苔草和紫花针茅形态结构及其生态适应性

为了研究高原植物对青藏高原特殊环境的适应机制，本文选取青藏高原高寒草原优势物种紫花针茅和青藏苔草作为研究物种，运用数量分析的方法对它们的形态结构及生态适应性进行了研究。试图通过对环境因子和这些形态结构变化之间的关系进行分析以找出这两种植物是如何适应严酷的环境以及这两种具有不同克隆生长方式的植物是否具有不同的适应机制。 2004年8月，我们沿青藏公路设置一条从西大滩到羊八井的样带，并进行取样。样带的生态特征从南到北变化较大：海拔从4586m上升到4901m，生长季降水量从384.0cm下降到202.2cm，生长季月均温从5.1℃下降到1.4℃，生长季月均相对湿度从65%，下降到54%，生长季蒸发量从1242cm下降到798cm，生长季月均风速从2.4m/s增大到4.0m/s。将采集的植物叶片材料制成石蜡切片，采用番红固绿对染，在显微镜下观察测量。同时研究了青藏苔草的根茎特征。数据分析中运用了变异系数比较，多重比较，相关分析和回归分析被用来分析结构变化及其与生态因子的关系。 结果表明，两物种的叶片结构特征在不同环境中的种群间存在显著差异。总体上，青藏苔草的保护组织、光合组织以及综合指标变异系数明显大于紫花针茅的，仅输导组织相关指标的变异系数小于紫花针茅的。这些结果表明，在叶片结构水平上青藏苔草比紫花针茅具有较大的可塑性，也意味着青藏苔草对生态因子变化的潜在适应能力可能较紫花针茅强。 紫花针茅和青藏苔草的大部分叶片结构特征与其生存环境的生态因子间存在着线性回归关系：紫花针茅叶肉细胞大小随土壤有效K含量增高而减小;下表皮厚度和韧皮部面积随生长季云盖度增高而增大;单一导管半径和导管平均面积随生长季月均湿度的增加而增大;青藏苔草上表皮细胞厚度随生长季月均最低温的降低而增厚;泡状细胞厚度随大陆度的增强而增加;上表皮细胞大小随土壤pH的增大而增大;导管总数和韧皮部面积随土壤速效P含量的增高而增加;气腔总面积随土壤有效K含量增高而增大。 青藏苔草分枝方式为典型的合轴分枝。分株间由埋藏在地下的匍匐根状茎连接，其扩展方式不呈直线形。青藏苔草喜沙质土，其根茎一般分布在沙土中10cm以下，在部分通气性能良好的风成沙丘或沙地，深度可超过50cm，间隔子长度依生境的不同而变化很大，短的仅约3cm，而长的可达2m多。 青藏苔草的间隔子长度和节间长度随有效温度的增加而减小，根茎每间隔子节间数随降水的增加而减少，在较低有效温度下和较低水分供给的情况下单位面积分布的克隆分株数量较少，在较高有效温度下和较高水分供给的情况下单位面积的克隆分株数量分布较多。这种变化趋势有助于青藏苔草有效迅速地占领条件适合的生境，充分利用生境内的各种资源，扩大种群;在不利条件下，青藏苔草则减少单位面积内克隆分株的分布，以适应不良生境。

青藏高原过牧草地上灌木种类和分布对小尺度植被格局的影响

植物种间作用是决定物种分布、种群动态、群落演变和生态系统功能的重要因子。长期以来，相关研究集中在竞争作用上。然而自1990年代以来，易化作用逐渐受到重视，被认为是植物群落中物种共存的主要推动力，尤其是在极端和受到干扰的环境中。很多研究都揭示出植物对其他特定的物种产生直接或间接的正向的作用。护卫植物主要通过两种机制对临近的物种产生正向作用，即对恶劣的自然环境的改善和对高强度干扰的阻止和减轻。灌木在很多条件下能够成为护卫植物，影响种群的分布、群落的多样性和生态系统的功能。 中国西南部的青藏高原的牧场上，非生物的环境胁迫（比如生长季短暂、辐射强度大和极端温度等）和生物的干扰作用（比如过度放牧等）都很强。有文献表明，随着过度放牧现象的加重和草地的不断退化，灌木的分布有逐渐扩大的趋势。针对灌木对过度放牧草地上小尺度植被格局的影响，我们在若尔盖地区展开了以下两方面的研究。 为了研究不同种类灌木的影响，我们在若尔盖高原上选择了既具有恶劣的自然环境又遭受过度放牧压力的草地，对三种灌木内外的相同大小面积上小尺度范围内的植被进行调查。三种灌木分别是高山绣线菊、窄叶鲜卑花和金露梅，它们在形态结构、高度和可食性上都存在差异。在不考虑灌木种类的基础上，我们发现物种丰度、总盖度、开花的物种数和花序数都是灌木内部高于外部，而均匀度则恰好相反，是外部要高于内部，香农多样性指数内外没有明显的差异。金露梅灌丛中内外物种丰度和均匀度的差异要明显高于窄叶鲜卑花，但是总盖度、开花的物种数和花序数的差异不随着灌木种类的不同而有明显的差异。大多数的物种（占总物种数的47-85%）并没有因为灌木的存在而在内外出现的频数上表现出差异，而相当一部分物种（占总物种数的13-39%）在灌木外部的频率要高，仅仅有很少的物种（占总物种数的3-13%）因为灌木的存在而受益，内部的频数要高于外部。这种对某些物种的保护作用没有表现在群落水平上，即提高群落的物种丰富度和多样性，因为同时发生的灌木和其他植物的竞争作用也会限制以致排除冠层下面某些物种的存在。灌木的可食性和形态结构（比如盖度、高度、冠层的紧实度等）能对它们跟其他植物的相互之间净作用的类型和强度产生影响。不同的灌木能保护不同种类、不同数量的植物，表明易化作用是物种特异性的，跟护卫植物有关，也跟受益者有关。通过植被的排序，金露梅和高山绣线菊内外的植被得到了很明显的分离，而窄叶鲜卑花的则没有。总体上来说，灌木的存在确实能够通过提高出现或开花的频率，保护了某些对放牧比较敏感的物种，而且这种易化作用是物种特异性的。内外植被的差异在放牧压力最大的金露梅灌丛中最大，表明过度放牧导致的大尺度的植被状况对于小尺度上灌丛内外的植被的差异所起的作用比灌木种类的作用更大。 为了研究同种灌木不同的分布类型对植被格局的影响，选择金露梅作为目标灌木。金露梅是当地常见灌木，有的植株孤立存在，有的则是很多株联合形成比较大的斑块。我们选择金露梅形成的斑块中央、外沿金露梅植株内部、外围和孤立的金露梅植株内部、外部五个位置，并在小尺度上进行了植被调查和比较，发现金露梅的存在确实保护了一些物种，但是种类有限，反而是大部分的物种在外部的频数要高与内部;从群落水平来看，金露梅冠层下的植被从丰富度、多样性上来讲并没有超过外部，仅仅是具有更高的均匀度和同质性;生殖方面的结果也是类似的，而且大部分物种跟其分布呈现出基本类似的格局。金露梅斑块的存在和自然围栏的产生没有起到很明显的保护作用，并没有使得斑块中央植被的丰富度、多样性、均匀度提高，而仅仅是提高了植物的长势（表现为具有较高的总盖度等）;在物种水平，没有发现什么特异种的存在，仅仅发现能够促进一些物种在内部的生长或开花，而且比例很低。在这种效应的影响下，斑块边缘的金露梅相对于孤立的金露梅而言，也没有表现出更好的保护植被的能力。几乎所有的群落水平的指标都仅仅是受到灌木内外这个因素的影响，而两种分布格局（即：在斑块边缘和孤立存在）的影响是微乎其微的。植被排序的结果也充分证明了这一点，灌木内外的植被被明显的分离开来，而不同灌木中相应位置的植被则是混杂在一起。并且在物种水平上，除了极个别的物种之外，绝大部分物种内外的差异是是一致的，没有受到灌木分布格局的影响。即使个别物种具有不同的格局，也没有证据表明是受到了斑块中央植被的影响而产生的。

青藏高原东北部祁连圆柏树木年轮学研究中的年龄与个体生长问题

树木年轮的生长与气候因子、立地环境条件以及树木自身生长节律等密切相关。一方面，干旱半干旱区的树木年轮宽窄能够比较真实地记录过去的气候变化，据此，可以利用树木年轮资料重建干旱半干旱区过去几百年甚至上千年的气候变化。另一方面，立地环境条件也可能改变年轮生长与气候因子之间的响应关系。 有“世界屋脊”之称的青藏高原地区的气候变化与亚洲季风及全球气候系统密切相关。青藏高原也是世界上地形最复杂的高原，具有极其复杂的地形、地貌。因此，在青藏高原尤其是其东北部的干旱半干旱区开展树木年轮气候学及生态学研究具有极其重要的意义。本研究的目标就是利用树木年轮生态学方法研究树龄、立地条件等对青藏高原东北部祁连圆柏树木年轮宽度生长的可能影响。 为实现以上目标，本研究拟订了以下主要研究内容：探究祁连圆柏树种的年轮宽度生长对气候的响应关系中的年龄问题;比较每个样方内的个体径向生长变化以及三个样方内祁连圆柏个体径向生长规律;探讨导致个体径向生长差异的可能原因。 本文的研究材料为青藏高原常见的长寿树种祁连圆柏，研究方法是国际上通用的树木年轮学研究方法和手段。主要结果归纳如下： 1）依据国际树木年轮库的标准，建立了青藏高原东北部包括德令哈、乌兰、香日德、油葫芦、青羊沟、芒扎、东沟七个采样点的树木年轮年表。 2）运用响应函数、相关函数及单因素方差分析等方法分析了年龄因素对树木年轮生长与气候关系的可能影响。结果为：年龄在200-500年之间的祁连圆柏径向生长对气候变化的响应关系比较好。幼树对气候变化的响应相对差。而当树龄大于500年时，尽管由于树木内部生理变化，对气候变化的响应相对减弱，但是单因素方差分析结果显示这种减弱未能达到显著水平。因此，总体而言，我们认为长寿的祁连圆柏树种是重建古气候的理想材料。 3）通过设立样方，分析了样方内个体径向生长之间的相关性和差异性，以及生长释放与抑制事件发生的规律。同时还探讨了树间距离、立地微环境、限制性气候因子等对树木年轮生长的可能影响。主要研究结果：青藏高原东北部祁连圆柏年轮宽度序列中生长抑制事件发生的频率相对生长释放事件低很多，且存在个体间的差异;不同样方内个体径向生长之间的相关性有差别，乌兰样方内单棵树年轮宽度指数序列之间的相关性比香日德样方以及德令哈样方内单棵树年轮宽度指数序列之间的相关性差;乌兰样方内树木年轮生长受立地微环境的影响比较大。 本论文中年龄相关的树木年轮生长与气候因子响应关系的研究进一步证实了祁连圆柏在重建古气候方面的应用价值;通过设立样方进行祁连圆柏种群内个体差异及立地条件对比方面的研究结果对重建青藏高原地区的气候变化、了解采样地的干扰历史以及树木年轮采样工作等也同样具有重要的参考意义。

增温与土地利用变化对青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统温室气体通量影响的研究

随着青藏高原气候变暖进程及放牧压力与开垦面积的逐年加大，非常有必要评价青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统温室气体通量对气候变暖、放牧（包括粪尿斑）和开垦的响应和反馈。与此同时，我们进行了粪尿斑及开垦对土壤理化性质影响研究。本研究对于青藏高原高寒草甸C、N循环关键过程对全球变化响应的认识具有重要意义。 本文通过2年（2006-2007）增温（白天+1.2℃，晚上+1.7℃）与放牧耦合试验，在生长季观测了增温与放牧对高寒草甸生态系统温室气体通量的影响。研究初步表明，增温试验显著增加10 cm土壤温度1℃左右；在放牧频度相对较高的2007年，放牧也显著增加了土壤温度1℃左右。总体上，增温对土壤湿度的影响不显著。 增温可以促进土壤对CH4的吸收，而放牧对CH4通量影响不大或起到一定程度抑制作用。在较低放牧频度的2006年，放牧显著降低了植物-土壤系统CO2总释放量，增温促进了CO2的释放。而在放牧频度相对较高的2007年生长季，没有发现增温及放牧对土壤-植被系统CO2释放显著的影响。2006年放牧后，增温促进了高寒草甸土壤N2O的释放；2007年，增温不放牧小区N2O总通量较对照增加了24.6%，同时放牧处理也促进了N2O释放。基于土壤温度和土壤湿度的线性回归模型可以解释55%-89%的CH4通量变异，而土壤湿度较土壤温度对CH4通量影响更大。土壤温度是影响CO2和N2O通量的主要因子，通过拟合的指数型曲线，土壤温度可以分别解释43%-63%CO2通量变异与65%-81%N2O通量变异。 在2005年与2006年夏季放牧期间，对牦牛粪尿斑处理对高寒草甸CH4、CO2和N2O通量进行了观测。牛粪小区2年观测期内CH4平均通量为687 μg m-2 h-1，而尿斑和对照土壤吸收CH4（平均通量分别为-34 μg m-2 h-1和-39 μg m-2 h-1）。牛粪小区CO2在2005年和2006年观测期内累积释放量较对照分别增加了35.8%和49.7%，而牛尿小区与对照累积释放量差异不显著。牛尿与牛粪小区N2O累积释放量显著高于对照，在2005年牛尿与牛粪小区N2O累积释放量较对照分别增加了3.7和3.5倍，而在2006年分别增加了2.1和1.8倍。因此，在估算放牧高寒草甸生态系统N2O释放时，来自牛粪斑释放量是不能被忽略的。但在中等放牧强度下（1.45头ha-1 y-1），有粪尿斑覆盖的高寒草甸在观测期内全球变暖潜势较相同面积没有粪尿斑覆盖的草甸仅增加了1%。土壤水分孔隙度（WFPS）可以解释牛尿小区35%和对照小区36%CH4通量变异。土壤温度是控制CO2释放的主要因子之一，它可以解释所有处理40-75% CO2的变异。牛尿处理（34%）、牛粪处理（48%）及对照（56%）N2O时间变异则同时受土壤温度和WFPS的驱动。在观测期内，牛尿可以显著提高土壤的pH值。粪尿斑对土壤微生物量碳氮没有产生显著性影响，但在一定时段内能显著增加土壤无机氮含量。 通过在青藏高原高寒草甸开展的人工草地试验，初步探讨了不同土地利用方式（种植燕麦、开垦后闲置及自然恢复）对CO2、CH4和N2O通量，以及土壤无机氮和微生物量氮的影响。燕麦地、自然恢复草地及开垦闲置地与天然草地相比，吸收CH4的能力均表现为增强（CH4的吸收总量分别增加了31.9%、57.2%和71.0%）。由于燕麦地生物量低于天然草地与恢复草地，造成了燕麦地土壤-植被CO2释放量低于天然草地和恢复草地。而闲置地几乎没有植被覆盖，其CO2释放量显著低于天然草地。草地恢复8年后，CO2释放基本恢复到天然草地的水平。闲置地N2O总通量显著高于天然草地，较天然草地增加了60.5%。观测期内燕麦地与天然草地相比，N2O总通量增加了24.3%，但没有达到显著性水平。开垦及种植燕麦，增加了土壤硝态氮的含量，而自然恢复地、燕麦地、天然草地和闲置地在观测期内土壤铵态氮平均含量没有观察到显著性差异。燕麦地土壤微生物量氮平均含量最低（119.7 mg N kg-1），而自然恢复草地、天然草地和闲置地土壤微生物量氮差异不大。

Assessment of cattle genetic introgression into domestic yak populations using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers

Hybridization between yak Poephagus grunniens and taurine Bos taurus or indicine B. indicus cattle has been widely practiced throughout the yak geographical range, and gene flow is expected to have occurred between these species. To assess the impact of cattle admixture on domestic yak, we examined 1076 domestic yak from 29 populations collected in China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Russia using mitochondrial DNA and 17 autosomal microsatellite loci. A cattle diagnostic marker-based analysis reveals cattle-specific mtDNA and/or autosomal microsatellite allele introgression in 127 yak individuals from 22 populations. The mean level of cattle admixture across the populations, calculated using allelic information at 17 autosomal microsatellite loci, remains relatively low (mY(cattle) = 2.66 +/- 0.53% and Q(cattle) = 0.69 +/- 2.58%), although it varies a lot across populations as well as among individuals within population. Although the level of cattle admixture shows a clear geographical structure, with higher levels of admixture in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Mongolian and Russian regions, and lower levels in the Himalayan and Pamir Plateau region, our results indicate that the level of cattle admixture is not significantly correlated with the altitude across geographical regions as well as within geographical region. Although yak-cattle hybridization is primarily driven to produce F-1 hybrids, our results show that the subsequent gene flow between yak and cattle took place and has affected contemporary genetic make-up of domestic yak. To protect yak genetic integrity, hybridization between yak and cattle should be tightly controlled.

Phylogenetic study of complete cytochrome b genes in musk deer (genus Moschus) using museum samples

As an endangered animal group, musk deer (genus Moschus) are not only a great concern of wildlife conservation, but also of special interest to evolutionary studies due to long-standing arguments on the taxonomic and phylogenetic associations in this group. Using museum samples, we sequenced complete mitochondrial cytochrome b genes (1140 bp) of all suggested species of musk deer in order to reconstruct their phylogenetic history through molecular information. Our results showed that the cytochrome b gene tree is rather robust and concurred for all the algorithms employed (parsimony, maximum likelihood, and distance methods). Further, the relative rate test indicated a constant sequence substitution rate among all the species, permitting the dating of divergence events by molecular clock. According to the molecular topology, M. moschiferus branched off the earliest from a common ancestor of musk deer (about 700,000 years ago); then followed the bifurcation forming the M. berezouskii lineage and the lineage clustering M. fuscus, M. chrysogaster, and M. leucogaster (around 370,000 years before present), interestingly the most recent speciation event in musk deer happened rather recently (140,000 years ago), which might have resulted from the diversified habitats and geographic barriers in southwest China caused by gigantic movements of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in history. Combining the data of current distributions, fossil records, and molecular data of this study, we suggest that the historical dispersion of musk deer might be from north to south in China. Additionally, in our further analyses involving other pecora species, musk deer was strongly supported as a monophyletic group and a valid family in Artiodactyla, closely related to Cervidae. (C) 1999 Academic Press.

Cytogenetics, morphology and evolution of four subspecies of the Giant Sheep argali (Ovis ammon) of Asia

Dalai-lamae (Ovis ammon dalai-lamae), Gobi (O. a. darwini), Kara Tau (O. a. nigrimontana) and Tibetan (O. a. hodgsoni) argali share a 2n = 56 diploid chromosome number and a karyotype consisting of 2 pairs of biarmed and 25 pairs of acrocentric autosomes, a large acrocentric X and a minute Y chromosome. The Giemsa-banding patterns of the largest pair of biarmed chromosomes were identical to those of the largest biarmed chromosomes in all wild sheep and domestic sheep of the genus Ovis. The banding patterns of the second pair of biarmed chromosomes (metacentric) were identical to the third pair of biarmed chromosomes in Ovis with 2n = 54 and to the third largest pair of chromosomes in the 2n = 52 karyotype of Siberian snow sheep (O. nivicola). The G-banded karyotypes of dalai-lamae, darwini, hodgsoni and nigrimontana are consistent with all subspecies of argali (O. ammon), except that the Y chromosome is acrocentric instead of metacentric as typical of the argaliform wild sheep and Ovis. The Dalai-lamae and Tibetan argali specimens exhibit the light-colored, long-haired ruffs and body coloration typical of argalis from the Tibetan Plateau. The Gobi argali, from the extreme western Gobi, is similar to the dark phase argali.

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of Oriental voles: genus Eothenomys (Muridae, Mammalia)

Oriental voles of the genus Eothenomys are predominantly distributed along the Southeastern shoulder of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1143 bp) obtained from 23 specimens (eight species)

Phylogenetic relationships in genus Niviventer (Rodentia : Muridae) in China inferred from complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene

Chinese species of the genus Niviventer, predominantly distributed in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau and in Taiwan, are a diverse group and have not yet received a thorough molecular phylogenetic analysis. Here, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relatio

藏北色林错流域的水文特征

本文报道丁1997年和1998年夏季对藏北色林错等水体水文特征的考察情况结 果表明，色林错是一个大型深水湖泊，表层水温在下午4：30左右达到最高，清晨7：30左右时最 低浅水区域表层湖水在6月份的极端最高水温为2l 2℃．韫端最低水温为11 0℃，而H甲均水温 变幅仅5 6℃，其幅度大于在同一时段湖区内不同区域之间表层水温的变化色林错湖水的DH值 较高．为9 19 9 66；表层水的pH昼夜变化较小，仅O．15．最高值出现在凌晨．同时水体不同区域 及深度的pH值基本一致．其溶解氧变化在4．62—5 12mg／L，而且不同深度水层之间的变幅较小． 仅0 03—0 35mg／L；但其湖汉浆东如瑞溶解氧的昼夜变幅为4 58 5 59mg／I，；盐度的日变幅为 1 60％ 2 20％考察表明．藏北水体的盐分有一个从河流到湖泊、以及由流水向静水富集的趋 势；鱼类的分布与水体盐分的含母密切相关，即鱼类随着水体盐分的增加而消失，代之H嗜盐性卣 虫的出现及大量繁衍

Otolith microstructure of Oxygymnocypris stewartii (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae, Schizothoracinae) in the Lhasa River in Tibet, China

Otolith microstructure of Oxygymnocypris stewartii collected from the Lhasa River was examined and described with regards to the early life history events. The monthly changes in the number of microincrements on the margin of the otolith were examined to validate the approximately daily periodicity of otolith increment formation. The microstructure of otoliths was used to detect changes in microincrement deposition patterns corresponding with events during early life. The annuli, microincrements and checks including the hatch check, yolk absorption check and several recurrent patterns in the otolith were described. Periodicity of the recurrent patterns was weekly, fortnightly and monthly. Through counting the number of the microincrements, it was confirmed that the primary growth of O. stewartii was in a period of 7 or 8 months from late March to October; it was estimated that O. stewartii might hatch between April and May.

Otolith characteristics and age determination of an endemic Ptychobarbus dipogon (Regan, 1905) (Cyprinidae: Schizothoracinae) in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Tibet

We describe the microincrements, checks and annuli in the lapilli of the schizothoracine Ptychobarbus dipogon, an endemic species of the Tibetan plateau. We collected samples in the Yarlung Tsangpo River and its tributaries on a monthly basis (from April 2004 to August 2006). We describe the shape features of the three pairs of otoliths and document the full trajectory of lapillus development. We found that five to seven checks were clearly visible in the opaque zone of the first annulus. The pattern of 21-23 daily growth increments within each check might be explained as a lunar-induced deposition. We counted between 137 and 154 increments within the first annulus. Annuli appeared as a sequence of gradually declining increment widths, whereas false rings were characterized by abrupt checks. Our oldest estimates were 23(+)years for males and 44(+) for females. The time of annulus completion was clearly between March and April each year using monthly marginal increments analysis. We consider the factors responsible for daily increment formation as an endogenous circadian rhythm. Environmental information, such as strong sunlight and cold water temperatures in the Tibetan Plateau, could reinforce the endogenous daily cycle. Our results provided important data addressing the ecology and population dynamics of P. dipogon.

Phylogeography of Schizothorax o'connori (Cyprinidae: Schizothoracinae) in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Tibet

Schizothorax o'connori is endemic to the Yarlung Tsangpo River on the Tibetan Plateau. We assessed the relative impacts of historical and contemporary factors in organizing genetic variation in S. o'connori populations using mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. We analyzed 191 samples from 11 populations and identified 78 haplotypes. The phylogenetic analyses and analysis of molecular variance all supported the same conclusions of two well-differentiated east-west phylogroups, separated by the Tsangpo Great Gorge. The split between the two clades accounted for 58% of the genetic variance observed among the examined samples. Waterfalls as effective barriers played an important role in shaping the phylogeographical structure of this species. Analyses of migration rates revealed that upstream dispersal was limited crossing waterfalls. Our study revealed substantial spatial and temporal variation in the influence of landscape features on contemporary patterns of genetic structure in S. o'connori. Interglacial range expansions clearly left their mark on contemporary populations above the Tsangpo Great Gorge.

Origin of Gymnocypris przewalskii and phylogenetic history of Gymnocypris eckloni (Teleostei : Cyprinidae)

The origins and phylogenetic patterns were assessed for G. przewalskii and G. eckloni by analyzing the complete mtDNA cytochrome b gene sequence (1140bp). Phylogenetic analyses further supported that there were three mtDNA lineages (A-C) identified in G. przewalskii and G. eckloni, demonstrating that outer rakers of the first gill have little significance in the phylogeny of the Gymnocypris fishes. The network established showed that G. eckloni of the Yellow River specific haplotype A1 was a founder and it radiated all haplotypes of G. przewalskii which suggested G. przewalskii might only originate from one of two maternals of G. eckloni from the Yellow River. Fs test and mismatch analysis showed at least two expansion events in the population of G. przewalskii about 0.2734 Ma and 0.0658 Ma, while G. eckloni from Qaidam Basin could have experienced severe bottleneck effect about 0.0693 Ma. The population expansion was detected in subclades A1 and A21 with the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) about 0.2308 +/- 0.01 Ma and 0.1319 +/- 0.015 Ma, respectively, which were within the geological age range of "Gonghe Movement" event that caused the separation of Lake Qinghai from the upper Yellow River. These results suggested the effect of the fish diversification by rapid uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in the Late Pleistocene.

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the highly specialized grade schizothoracine fishes (Teleostei : Cyprinidae) inferred from cytochrome b sequences

We recovered the phylogenetic relationships among 23 species and subspecies of the highly specialized grade schizothoracine fishes distributing at 36 geographical sites in the Tibetan Plateau and its Surrounding regions by analyzing sequences of cytochrome b genes. Furthermore, we estimated the possible divergent times among lineages based on a historical geological isolation event in the Tibetan Plateau. The molecular data revealed that the highly specialized grade schizothoracine fishes were not a monophyletic group, but were the same as genera Gymnocypris and Schizogypsis. Our results indicated that the molecular phylogenetic relationships apparently reflected their geographical and historical associations with drainages, namely species from the same and adjacent drainages clustered together and had close relationships. The divergence times of different lineages were well consistent with the rapid uplift phases of the Tibetan Plateau in the late Cenozoic, suggesting that the origin and evolution of schizothoracine fishes were strongly influenced by environment changes resulting from the upheaval of the Tibetan Plateau.