Effect of Ploughing Depth on the Growth and Yield of Heracleum candicans： a Threatened Medicinal Herb and a Less-explored Potential Crop of the Himalayan Region

This paper examines the effect of ploughing depths （A -- 60 cm, B -- 45 cm and C -- 30 cm） on the growth and yield of Heracleum candicans Wall （Apiaceae）, a threatened medicinal herb of the Himalayan region. This less-explored plant is being suggested as a potential crop for the mountain agriculture. The study was carried out in an orchard in Himachal Pradesh, India at 2500 m altitude, for two successive growth years. During the first year, all plants remained in juvenile state; in the second year, nearly 65 % plants produced flowers only under 60cm ploughing depth. Among its morphological traits, plant height, collar diameter and aboveground flesh weight were found to be strongly correlated （P 〈 0.01） with the belowground biomass during the first year （r =0.968, 0.925 and 0.973, respectively） and during the second year （r=0.945, 0.928 and 0.775, respectively）. Increase in the ploughing depth was significantly correlated （P〈0.01） with all growth parameters, including the belowground dry weight, marketable portion of the produce. The belowground biomass （commercial yield; 16.28 Qt/hec） at depth A was about 2.6 and 4.7 times higher than those recorded at depths B and C, respectively. The results clearly justify the importance of deep ploughing and this paper strongly recommends it for economically sustainable cropping.     

Rare species, habitat diversity and functional redundancy in marine benthos

Macro-ecological theories relating species richness, abundance, range size, biological traits and environmental tolerance have rarely been tested in marine soft-sediments, despite the spatial extent of these habitats and the inherent richness of resident communities. This study examines the contribution of rare species to marine soft-sediment communities from New Zealand, focussing on the relationships of range size with abundance, environment, habitat diversity and life history traits. 54% of the 351 species sampled exhibited restricted ranges (found at ≤ 2 sites). In contrast to many terrestrial systems, we observed only a weak positive relationship between abundance and frequency of occurrence. Restricted-range species were not randomly distributed, with their distribution related to habitat characteristics, suggesting an important link between habitat diversity and rarity. They exhibited a similar range of traits to the total observed species pool, suggesting that they are not only important to biodiversity but could play a role in stability. Restricted range species were generally not small and this, together with the number of different biological traits represented, suggests that rare species are important to the functioning of marine systems. Thus, our results highlight the importance of considering rare species in habitat-based approaches to conservation.     

桂东流源地区地球化学特征及找矿预测

通过对桂东县流源地区的成矿规律与地球化学特征进行了分析．区内矿脉主要受NE向断裂控制，地球化学异常有效地反映了各矿床点的分布．根据地球化学异常特征及控矿规律，分析了异常区的预测矿种及找矿意义，预测了两个多金属矿远景区，为区内找矿指明了方向．     

日本囊对虾(Marsupenaeus japonicus)秋繁仔虾形态表型与抗流性能间的相关性

于水温(18.0±1.0)°C、盐度20、pH 8.1±0.2条件下,以水流为胁迫因子(时长1min),以日本囊对虾秋繁同生群仔虾[总长(7.643±0.639)mm]为实验对象,以溢水口(实验初始时刻仔虾放置处)为起点,按等距离间距法将自制的水流测定装置(总长1m)依次划分为A(0—25cm)、B(25—50cm)、C(50—75cm)、D(75—100cm)和E(100cm)等五个区段,在确认实验终了时刻分布于A区段内仔虾数量占实验仔虾总数5%的水流速度为0.823cm/s后,以此为实验流速,借助显微扫描像素测量技术和多元分析方法定量研究了A、B、C、D、E实验群体(依次为实验终止时刻分布于A、B、C、D、E区段内的仔虾)个体间形态比例性状间的差异。结果表明:(1)在所涉15项形态测量指标中,各实验群体间均无显著差异(P0.05)的形态性状共计8项,依次为X_4(眼径)、X_5(头胸甲长)、X_6(头胸甲高)、X_7(第一腹节长)、X_8(第二腹节长)、X_9(第三腹节长)、X_~(10)(第四腹节长)和X_14(腹节高);(2)在所涉17项形态比例指标中,实验群体间均无显著差异(P0.05)的形态比例性状共计7项,依次为C_2(额剑长/总长)、C_9(第五腹节长/总长)、C_(10)(尾节长/总长)、C_(11)(尾扇长/总长)、C_(15)(头胸甲高/头胸甲长)、C_(16)(腹节高/第一腹节长)和C_(17)(尾节高/尾节长);(3)经主成分分析,提取到的5个特征值均大于1的主成分,累计贡献率达80.795%,其中第1主成分39.561%,其载荷绝对值大于0.5的主要影响变量占形态比例性状总数的47.059%;(4)将A实验群体定义为水流胁迫处理选留群,B、C、D、E实验群体统归为水流胁迫处理淘汰群。采用逐步判别法,以判别贡献率较大的C_1(第一触角柄长/总长)、C3(眼径/总长)、C7(第三腹节长/总长)、C13(额剑长/头胸甲长)为自变量,所建的Fisher分类函数方程组可较清晰地区分淘汰群和选留群个体,其中选留群的判别准确率P_1、P_2分别为98%和84.85%,淘汰群的判别准确率P_1、P_2分别为82.25%和97.63%,两者综合判别准确率为90.12%。综上可知,借助形态表型分型可实现日本囊对虾仔虾不同抗流性能群体间的筛选。     

文蛤早期发育阶段生长性状遗传参数的估计

采用部分因子设计构建了23个全同胞家系,应用单性状及两性状动物模型对文蛤(Meretrix meretrix)早期不同生长发育时期的生长性状进行遗传力和相关性估计。结果表明,文蛤附着变态期以及稚贝期生长性状的遗传力并无显著差别,在0.11~0.41范围内变化,属于中等遗传力。非遗传的共同环境效应随着年龄的增长而呈现上升趋势,由附着变态期的0.02逐渐增加到稚贝期的0.38,且稚贝期的共同环境效应显著大于其附着变态期(P0.01)。壳长与壳高表型相关和遗传相关的分析结果显示,从附着变态期到稚贝期,壳长与壳高之间的表型相关及遗传相关都存在极显著的正相关性,相关系数的范围分别为0.84~0.95、0.93~0.99。早期发育连续时间段生长性状之间的遗传相关均为正相关,但并不显著,且不同时期的遗传相关也不尽相同(0.34~0.71)。     

马氏珠母贝生长性状的相关分析

对马氏珠母贝(Pinctadamartensi)不同生长时期的壳长、壳高、壳宽和活体质量进行了一年多的跟踪测量。分析表明,在不同生长时期,其4个性状的两两间的相关系数均达到极显著水平(P<0.01),但其相关系数大小排列顺序存在差异,8次测量的平均相关系数大小依次为壳高-壳长>壳宽-体质量>壳高-体质量>壳长-体质量>壳长-壳宽>壳高-壳宽。在不同生长时期,活体质量对壳高、壳宽的偏回归系数均极显著(P<0.01),而对壳长的偏回归系数在第1,3,7,15个月时不显著(P>0.05)。该研究的结果可为珍珠贝的选育种的重要目标性状的确定提供理论指导。     

Opportunistic-tended life history traits of Siniperca kneri in the Three Gorges Reservoir,China: potential responses to impoundment

Reservoir impoundment changes original fluvial habitats into lentic environments. Fish species adapted to lentic habitats may take the advantage of such habitat changes and show typical life history traits might facilitate the population increase. Siniperca kneri rarely occurred in fishery landing in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) area before its impoundment in 2003, but it is now a dominant species. In this study, a total of 438 females of S . kneri were collected monthly during September 2012 through January 2014 using gill nets in the TGR. The age, growth, and reproductive biology were then investigated, and compared with other S . kneri populations. The standard length at age 1 was 149.9 mm in the TGR, which is larger than the three compared populations (i.e., Sandaohe Reservoir, Xinfengjiang Reservoir, and North River), but smaller than one (the Guishi Reservoir). The youngest mature female in the TGR was age 1, which is younger than that of the two compared populations (i.e., Xinfengjiang Reservoir and the North River). The relative fecundity in the TGR was 140 eggs/g, which is higher than that of the only available compared population (Xinfengjiang Reservoir, 96 eggs/g). Our results demonstrated that S . kneri in the TGR tended to have faster growth in the first year, a younger age at first maturation, and higher reproductive eff ort. We suggest that such opportunistic-tended life history traits might facilitate rapid increase of the population.     

Relationships between body weight and other morphological traits in young sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicas

Correlation, multiple regression, and path analyses were used to investigate the relationships between body weight and three other morphological traits in juvenile Japanese sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicus . We measured live body weight (BW), body length (BL), numbers of papillae (NP), and numbers of tube feet (NF) at 60, 80, 100, and 130 days post-hatching (dph). We calculated path correlation coefficients, correlation indices ( R 2 ), and coefficients of determination with BW as the dependent variable and the other morphological traits as independent variables. The coefficient of variation for BW was high across all age groups, and all measured morphological traits were significantly correlated ( P < 0.01). BL had the greatest direct eff ect on BW across all age groups (60 dph, 0.526;80 dph, 0.404;100 dph, 0.620;and 130 dph, 0.681), while NF had the greatest indirect eff ect on BW across all age groups (60 dph, 0.528;80 dph, 0.452;100 dph, 0.666;and 130 dph, 0.603). Regression analyses between morphological traits and BW indicated that R 2 was greater than 0.85 only in the 100-dph specimens. The indirect eff ects of the other measured morphological traits on BW were age-dependent. The optimal regression equations, as determined with stepwise regression, were, for 60-dph specimens: BW 60 =10 (-3.04+0.092BL+0.014NP+0.014NF)( R 2 =0.632);for 80-dph specimens: BW 80 =10 (- 3.035+0.056BL+0.017NP+0.02NF)( R 2 =0.686);for 100-dph specimens: BW 100 =10 (- 3.742+0.069BL+0. 633 · lg (NP)+0. 464 · lg (NF))( R 2 =0.893);and for 130-dph specimens: BW 130 =10 (- 2.472+0.065BL+0.012NP)( R 2 =0.774). Our work clarified the correlation between various morphological traits and body weight of a commercially-important sea cucumber species ( A . japonicus ). Our predictive models for body weight might be useful for the aquaculture and selective breeding of A . japonicus . These models might also provide theoretical support for the indirect selection of traits that are difficult to select directly.     

Altering intertidal sediment topography: effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

Sedimentary marine systems are often highly productive and perform important nutrient regeneration functions as they efficiently decompose organic material. In recent years the role of habitat effects and of species composition in ecosystem functioning has become of interest. Estuarine environments are frequently subject to considerable anthropogenic pressures whilst supporting a variety of habitats ranging from well sorted soft muds through biogenically stable sediments to highly mobile coarse sands. There is therefore considerable spatial complexity in habitat type and faunal composition. This study set out to observe the effects of altering the topographical habitat features of an estuarine mudflat on a range of porewater nutrient concentrations (NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, PO₄³⁻ and SiO) collected from four depths (3, 5, 9, and 12 cm) and on faunal composition. Two treatments (Shelled Nets and Net Controls) were used to alter the topography from simple mud to a mussel shell crumble and were compared to un-manipulated Control areas. Sediment granulometry and organic matter content analyses alongside biological traits analysis of the fauna were also conducted.
Differences were observed in porewater nutrient concentrations between the Control and both netted treatments at 5 cm depth only; the species diversity and abundance were also different in the netted treatments compared to the Controls, although no difference between the two manipulated treatments were observed. The changes in faunal composition were attributed solely to the altered topography and the observed nutrient changes were attributed to the faunal alteration rather than the topographical manipulation.