Abstract:This paper discusses the distribution and abundance of the Cladocera and Cumacea collected in Changjiang Estuary and adjacent waters(29°00'-32°00'N and 122°00'-123°30'E)from May 2002 to March 2003.The abundance of Cumacea peaked in summer at 0.59 ind./m³ and the lowest abundance was in spring at 0.05 ind./m³.The seasonal abundance of Cumacea was influenced by sea surface temperature while the horizontal abundance was influenced by the surface salinity.Totally,four species,i.e.,Diastylis tricincta,Bodotria ovalis,Dimorphostylis asiatica,Iphinoe tenera were recorded,among which D.tricincta was presented in the four seasons with the dominance 0.04,0.03,0.04 and 0.06,respectively;B.ovalis was observed in summer,autumn and winter with the dominance 0.11,0.00 and 1.07,both D.asiatica and I.tenera were observed in autumn with the dominance 0.17 and 0.002 separately.Two Cladocera species,Evadne tergestina and Penilia avirostris,was only recorded in summer with abundance of 32.13 ind./m³ and 43.82 ind./m³.The species of pelagic Cladocera and Cumacea adapted to the brackish water environment so that their distribution was closely related to the Changjiang Dilute Waters.

Abstract:Eukaryotic elongation factor 1α(EF-1α)plays an important role in translation and its sequence is highly conservative as a housekeeping gene.The partial cDNA encoding EF-1α in Oreochromis aureus was isolated using RT-PCR.The cDNA encoding 141 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 15.1 ku was 425 bp.The comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of O.aureus EF-1α with that of O.niloticus,Oryzias latipes,Dicentrarchus labrax,Danio rerio or Salmo trutta showed that the homology rates were 100%,92%,91%,85%,and 82%,respectively,while the amino acids homology was 85% when comparing O.aureus with Mus musculus,Homo sapiens,Gallus gallus,or Rattus norvegicus.The DNA sequence of O.aureus EF-1α consisting of 506 bp was also cloned.Comparing the partial cDNA to its genomic sequence revealed that O.aureus EF-1α gene consisted of an intron,which supplied useful information in designing the EF-1α primer in real time RT-PCR and calculating the EF-1α expression in different tissues.

Abstract:Ctenogobius giurinus is a kind of small freshwater fish which propagates during April-June in the middle reaches of Jialingjiang in Nanchong.It has a egg-laying period of 2-3 hours,one copulation per interval of 1-2 minutes,egg-laying number of 30-50 per copulation,and total egg number of 1 000-1 600.The male C.giurinus is responsible for hatching eggs in most of the time,and the female hatches the eggs temporarily only when the male goes out to hunting for foods.The fertilized eggs were kept in a glass culture utensil during the observation.The results indicate that the fertilized and unfertilized eggs of C.giurinus have a group of sticky fiber on the one end which adheres to the gravel as well as other hard material.Their fertilized eggs are nearly spherical in shape and have a diameter of 0.453-0.644 mm,which are light yellow,translucent and very extensible.There are 1-30 oil globules in each egg,of which 1-4 are obviously bigger in volume.The eggs begin to inflate and become ellipse by absorbing water after 4 min of fertilization.According to the morphological characteristics,the embryonic development of C.giurinus may be divided into seven stages:the fertilized egg and the blastoderm formation stage,the cleavage stage,the blastula stage,the gastrula stage,the neural stage,the organogenesis stage,and hatching stage.Under the water temperature of 22.3-25.7℃,it requires 109 h 52 min for the embryonic development.The organs differentiation are highly degree before hatching,such as pectoral fin bud,gill plate,gas bladder,semicircular canal,evident mandible and geny-teeth.Newly hatched larvae have a total length of 2.485-2.640 mm and body height of 0.350-0.460 mm,which takes 4 days for the disappearance of the yolk sacs and 6 days for the disappearance of the oil globules after hatching.

Abstract:The isolated hepatocytes of Nile Tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus)were exposed to MC-LR to study the mechanism of microcystin-LR(MC-LR)toxicity.After hepatocytes were exposed to 10,50,150,500 μg/L MC-LR for 24 h respectively,the single cell gel electrophoresis assay(SCGE)was used to investigate the effects on DNA.Induction of DNA strand break in all MC-LR exposed groups was significantly higher than that of the control group.Treatment time-and dose-dependent DNA migration caused by MC-LR and was observed.Flow cytometry(FCM)analysis indicated that the percentage of hepatocyte apoptosis increased in a treatment time-and dose-dependent manner.These results provide first experimental evidence showing the mechanism of MC-LR toxicity at cellular and molecular levels.

Abstract:The present study was carried out to determine the regulation of ginkgolide B(GB)on fast-excitatory postsynaptic potential(fast-EPSP)in the neurons of celiac ganglion(CG)and the mechanisms involved in the GB-induced responses.Intracellular recording was employed to measure the fast-EPSP in the neurons of CG freshly isolated from Guinea Pigs(Cavia porcellus).We found that perfusion of GB(4×10^-6 mol/L)significantly decreased the amplitude of fast-EPSP in the CG neurons(n=12,P<0.05).The fast-EPSP was completely inhibited by a low Ca ²⁺/high Mg ²⁺ Krebs solution(n=3),but significantly enhanced by a high Ca ²⁺ Krebs solution(n=12,P<0.05),suggesting a contribution of extracellular Ca ²⁺ to the generation of the fast-EPSP.The high Ca ²⁺ Krebs solution-induced augmentation of the fast-EPSP was significantly attenuated by GB(n=12,P<0.05).These results indicate that GB negatively regulates fast-EPSP in CG neurons in Guinea pigs through an inhibition on external Ca ²⁺ entry.

Abstract:The normal sibling rats of the infertile male were selected for brother-sister breeding.The stocks of every filial generation whose male siblings were infertile were inbred with their brothers or sisters by optimum seeking method.After 20 generations,a rat inbred strain of spontaneous male infertility was established,and was named MIJ.The genetic homozygosity was analyzed by skin grafting.The phenotypes of MIJ were observed,and the mode of infertility inheritance was studied by test cross experiments.The results demonstrated that MIJ rats had reached the norm of inbred strain,and the infertile male rats showed the phenotypes of delayed testicular descent,testicular and epididymis hypoevolutism,oligozoospermia and hypospermatogenesis.The phenotypes of the other rats in the inbred strain were normal.The infertility mutation was inherited in a recessive mode,and was controlled by a monogenic recessive gene in euchromosome.The infertile male rats could serve as a useful model for the study of human infertility.

Abstract:Memory retention of male offspring to their parental urine odors was studied on Chaidamu Root Voles(Microtus limnophylus).Male offspring weaned at 10 days in age.Experiments were conducted in 0,10,20,30,and 40 days after weaning,male offspring were exposed to their parental urine and to unrelated adult male's urine.The results showed that:(1)male offspring approached to paternal odor more frequency than to strange one when they were not separate from their parents.The time difference in visiting their paternal and strange male's odor was significant in 10 d after weaning.There was a significant difference in duration of latency,visiting time and self-grooming frequency in 20 d after weaning between they approach to their paternal odor than to strange one;(2)no difference in behavioral responses to paternal and strange odor was found when subjects were separated 20 to 30 d with their paternal;(3)no difference was recorded in behavioral responses to the odor of their maternal and strange adults when subjects were not weaned;(4)male offspring performed different behavioral patterns to maternal odor than to strange female's odor in 10 d after weaning,while no difference in behavior was recorded when they were weaned in 20 d after weaning.In conclusions,the memory of male offspring to their paternal odor could last 20-30 d after weaning,while their memory to their maternal odor only last 10 d after weaning.

Abstract:Available geographical data of glires were collected to build their digital distribution map in the humid region of China based on habitat analysis supported by GIS.Using the equal-area grids of 6 470 km² as geographical units,the distributional patterns of glires in the humid and semi-humid and semi-humid region of China were studied.There are 156 glires species in the study area,which are classified under 62 genera 12 families and 2 orders,accounting for 71.23% of the total glires species in whole China.Two areas harbor a high species richness in the study area,i.e Qinling Mountain in Shaanxi Province and the mountains in the south of Gansu Province,and Hengduan Mountains in the Yunnan and Sichuan Province.Relatively,the areas with low species richness locates in south of Hebei Province,Shandong,Henan and Jiangsu Province,the part of Anhui Province in the north side of Yangtze River and delta of Yangtze River,the areas of Hunan and Hubei along the Yangtze River,as well as the Sichuan basin.All the geographical units are divided into three groups according to the glires species component by hierarchical cluster analysis,i.e.north and south of the monsoon region dividing by the line from lower reaches of Yangtze River to the Qinling Mountain,and the semi-humid zone of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Abstract:EYA4,homologous to eyes absent(eya)gene of Drosophila,is a member of the four vertebrate transcriptional activators of eya gene family.Previous studies have indicated that EYA4 gene is interrelated with sensorineural hearing loss.The specialized auditory system of bat that receives and processes echo information has an important role in echolocation.Using the RT-PCR method,the open reading frame(ORF)of EYA4 gene was cloned and sequenced in three species of bats(Myotis ricketti,Taphozous melanopogon,and Rousettus leschenaulti).Sequence alignment indicates that the EYA4 gene of all these three bats does not have exon 5 but has a unique exon b between exon 11 and exon 12.Compared to the EYA4 gene of other mammals,R.leschenaulti does not have exon 20 and T.melanopogon does not have exon 19.Moreover,T.melanopogon has a 30 bp deleted exon 16.M.ricketti has variable splicing of exon 19,exon 20 and exon a between exon 2 and exon 3.

Abstract:Five bat individuals were collected by mist net from Maogan Town,Baoting Li and Miao Automomous County,Hainan Province in November 2007.Morphological measurements and analysis on mitochondrial ND1 gene suggested that it was Ia io(Vespertilionidae;Chiroptera).This was the first record of this species in Hainan Province.In the present study,morphological characters and echolocation call parameters were represented detailedly.Comparisons were also performed between our findings and published data about the species recorded in other areas.

Abstract:Body temperature of non-breeding Chinese Alligators(Alligator sinensis)in captivity and the environmental temperature(water temperature and atmosphere)were measured for a whole year.The yearly body temperature of alligators with body length 116.83±32.26 cm(n=183)was 18.81±8.08℃,male was 20.81±9.69℃(n=42)and female was 17.81±8.56℃(n=69),respectiveley.The body temperature of alligator in the active period from April to November was 25.54±5.24℃(n=89),while the water temperature was 25.42±5.20℃(n=89).No significant difference was found between body temperature and water temperature(P>0.05).In hibernating period(December to March of next year),the body temperature of Alligators was 10.78±1.90℃(n=94)and the ground surface temperature at the hibernation point was 10.64±1.74℃(n=94).No significant difference was recorded between their body temperature and ground surface temperature(P>0.05).The results indicated that the body temperature of Chinese Alligators was significantly influenced by the environmental temperature,but not by its body length and gender;water environment was the most important control factor for the fluctuation of the body temperature.The prime body temperature ranged of Chinese alligators was 28-33℃。

Abstract:In order to find a simple and effective way to detect SNP,a method for creation of restriction enzyme cutting sites was developed by using mismatched primers.This method can be used to detect SNP effectively and rapidly.

Abstract:Field survey on bird community was conducted from November 2006 to February 2007 in Qiyunshan Nature Reserve,Jiangxi.Totally,122 species,belonging to 38 families and 13 orders,was recorded.Of them,including 17 species national protected birds,90 species are residents,28 species are winter migrants and 4 are summer migrants.The birds belonging to Oriental realm and Palearctic realm were accounted for 62.30% and 27.87% respectively.The value of Shannon-Wiener index was 3.875,of Pielou index and Simpson index were 0.791 and 0.964.Bird diversity was different among 6 main habitats in the study area.

Abstract:The samples of Sipunculus nudus were treated with 0.04% colchicine solution for 12 h.The celomic liquid was extracted,treated with 6.5‰ seawater for 45 min,and then centrifuged at 1 500 r/min for 8 min.The sediment was fixed by Carnoy's solution.The suspension was dropped on heated slides.The slides were stained with Giemsa(5%,pH 6.8),rinsed in distilled water and air-dried.Well-spread metaphase chromosomes were examined and photographs were taken with a photomicroscope.The chromosome types were categorized according to Levan's report.It was found that the basic number of chromosomes of S.nudus was x=17,2n=2x=34 and the karyotype formula was 2n=2x=26m+8sm,NF=68.All chromosome pairs were metacentric,except that the chromosome pair numbers 2,3,4,8 were submetacentric.Arm ratio was in range of 1.211-2.617.No sex chromosomes and satellites were observed in the present study.

Abstract:The embryonic and larval developments of the prosobranch gastropod mollusk Neverita didyma were observed under laboratory conditions with artificially hatched from egg masses.Early development of N.didyma belong to indirect developmental type.Embryonic development stages include cleavage,blastula,gastrulae,trochophore,and intra-membrane veliger.Larval development stages include veliger,late veliger and groveling larva.Groveling larvae metamorphosed to juvenile.The fertilized egg developed to intra-membrane veliger in about 38 hours and hatched in 5 to 6 days after veligers at temperature 25-26℃.Morphological characteristics of N.didyma veliger can be concluded as:there are a pair of eyes,a pair of statoliths and bi-lobed velum;the velum of late veliger is four-lobed as butterfly,the foot showing broadened;larvae can free-swimming and creeping;late veligers get more growth and gradually become groveling juveniles.

Abstract:Fenneropenaeus penicillatus is one of the main aquatic creatures widely disturbed in southern-east coast of Ningbo,China.To understand the cellular and chemical characteristics,the hemocytes and hemolymph of F.penicillatus were isolated and primarily studied using microscope and chemical analysis.The results showed that the density of hemocyte was(0.43±0.11)×10⁷/ml.A total of three types of hemocytes were isolated including agranuler hemocyte(AH):length 9.7±1.4 μm,width 5.8±0.8 μm,occupying 16.2%±1.8% of the total hemocytes;large-granule hemocyte(LGH):length 11.3±1.3 μm,width 6.7±1.7 μm,occupying 46.6%±3.2% of the total hemocytes;small-granule hemocyte(SGH):length 7.1±0.4 μm,width 5.4±0.4 μm,occupying 35.7%±4.5% of the total hemocytes.Under the condition of 16-18℃ and 60 min incubation time,the phagocytic rate of hemocytes on Staphylococcus aureus(10⁶-10⁷/ml)was 67%±5%.The protein content of hemolymph of the shrimp was 11.78 mg/ml,the relative hemolysis activity of the hemolymph to 3% cock red cells was 2.6,and the coagulant value of the hemolymph to 5% cock red cells was 15-18.The hemolymph showed obvious antimicrobial activity by measuring the area of inhibition of growth around the disc with 10±1 mm to Staphylococcus aureus and 6±2 mm to Escherichia coli.The work laid a foundation to the further research of the active peptides.

Abstract:The toxicity of herbicide-butachlor to four species of spiders(Pirata subpiraticus,Pardosa pseudoannulata,Tetragnatha maxillosa,Ummeliata insecticeps)collected from the rice fields was tested by the dipping method and raising in the experimental room.Then the effect of butachlor at low concentration on the growth and development of P.subpiraticus was investigated in the laboratory.The results showed that high-concentration herbicide-butachlor was strongly toxic to the spiders and the LC₅₀ order of butachlor to spiders was P.pseudoannulata>P.subpiraticus >T.maxillosa>U.insecticeps.And U.insecticeps was the most sensitive to the butachlor,LC₅₀ reached 9.616 05 mg/L.Butachlor also had significant influence on the body weight,survival rate and life history of P.subpiraticus.Compared with the blank,the body weight and the rate of female to male of P.subpiraticus were significant.Generally,the butachlor prolonged the development for 10 d of P.subpiraticus,and decreased the survival rate to 43.4%.

Abstract:The incubating period,hatching period,hatching rate of fertilized egg,deformation rate,larvae survival rate within a certain period of time(24 h and 48 h)and survival activity index(SAI)of newly hatched larvae of Lethrinus nebulosus were observed at salinities of 0,5‰,10‰,15‰,20‰,25‰,30‰,35‰,40‰ and 45‰,and pH values of 5.5,6.0,6.5,7.0,7.5,8.0,8.5,9.0,9.5.The results showed that the incubating period and hatching period of L.nebulosus demonstrated a variation tendency of shortening first and then lengthening within a certain range of salinity and pH values;hatching rate and larvae survival rate within a certain period of time(24 h and 48 h)became higher in salinity from 10‰ to 45‰;hatching rate and larvae survival rate within a certain period of time(24 h and 48 h)became higher in pH values from 6.5 to 9.0.The SAI of newly hatched larvae of L.nebulosus became higher in salinity from 10‰ to 40‰;the SAI of newly hatched larvae of L.nebulosus became higher in pH values from 6.0 to 9.0;larvae only SAI values higher than 3 could be reared to finish their metamorphosis and become young fish.The others would die in several days.Taken together,results showed that:Salinity from 10‰ to 45‰,pH from 6.5 to 9.0 are suitable for hatching and the optimum is salinity from 15‰ to 40‰,pH from 7.0 to 8.5,respectively;Salinity from 10‰ to 40‰,pH from 5.5 to 9.5 are suitable for larvae survival and the optimum is from 20‰ to 25‰ for salinity,and from 7.0 to 8.5 for pH,respectively.

Abstract:Based on the toxicological experimental method,the changes of microscopic structures and the number of immune cells of head-kidney of the Ricefield Eel(Monopterus albus)were investigated after the fish was exposed separately under different concentrations of mercury ions(Hg ²⁺)and the chromium ions(Cr⁶⁺)on day 1,2,4,8.The results showed that:in control,head-kidney parenchyma consisted of the lymphatic tissue,hematopoietic tissue and sinusoid,nephrons were absent.The lymphatic tissue was primary composed of lymphocytes which crowdedly arranged to the lymphocyte rope or gathered the group.The hematopoietic tissue mainly consisted of the red blood cells which crowdedly arranged to the cell rope or gathered the group.Lymphatic tissue and hematopoietic tissue respectively occupied the certain region or interval distributed,and separated by sinusoids.The less melano-macrophage that scattered between the lymphocytes loose arranged,not formed obvious spherical body.Comparing with the control,histological structure of fishes exposed to two kinds of heavy metal ions displayed similar changes.Along with increasing of the heavy metal ion concentration and lengthening of the treatment time,melano-macrophages gathered melano-macrophage centre,and gradually increased in the number and distribution,then reduced.Lymphatic tissue gradually loosed,the arrangement was sparse and chaotic.The lymphocytes border was unclear,the number gradually reduced,and showed retrogressive tendency.The red blood cells were massively damaged,sinusoid was expanded.The influence of Hg ²⁺ on histological structures of head-kidney of the Ricefield Eel was greater than Cr⁶⁺,and the pathological phenomenon was more obvious too.

Abstract:The peripheral blood cells of Paracanthobrama guichenoti were morphologically to perceive as erythrocyte,neutrophil,monocyte,large or small lymphocyte and thrombocyte distinctly on the stained smears of peripheral blood,but eosinophilic granulocyte and basophilic granulocyte were not found.In addition,some immature and diving erythrocyte could be observed.Among these leucocytes,the thrombocyte was the smallest cell while neutrophil the largest;and the number of large lymphocyte was the least,while that of thrombocyte the most.The results of blood biochemical parameters assay indicated that alanine aminotransferase(ALT),cholesterol(CHOL)and total protein(TP)have a fargoing change,especially aspartate aminotransferase(AST).This study also demonstrated that male P.guichenoti resulted in a significantly lower level of relative blood biochemical parameters as compared to the female(P<0.05).

Abstract:In order to study the relationship between body status and circumstances in Eothenomys miletus,body mass and energy contents under different conditions(both infield and laboratory)were measured.The result showed that body mass and energy contents in E.miletus showed seasonal variations.Body mass and energy contents in E.miletus were higher in June and lower in March.Body mass and energy contents in the cold acclimation were decreased significantly to that in the condition of lab-breeding,indicating that temperature is an important factor to influence body mass and energy contents during seasonal changes.The change pattern of body mass and energy contents in E.miletus were related to the adaptation to the environment in Hengduan Mountainous Region.

Abstract:The energy contents of Apodemus chevrieri in field and in laboratory were measured.Our results showed that the body energy contents of A.chevrieri had seasonal variations.The energy contents were the largest in June,and the smallest in March.In cold-acclimation,the energy contents had significant decrease.The change pattern of the body energy contents in A.chevrieri was related to the macroenviroment such as low latitude,high elevation,and lower average ambient temperature.It had reflected survival mechanisms and the adaptive strategies of small mammals in Hengduan Mountainou Region.

Abstract:Agouti and Agouti-related proteins are important signal proteins involved in the regulation of the melanocortin receptor signaling.Aberrant or ectopic expression of these proteins has been shown to cause abnormal coat color pigmentation and development of obesity,diabetes and tumors.A number of mouse models carrying mutations for agouti or agouti-related proteins are being utilized to study the underlying pathogenic mechanisms for a number of important human diseases.This review attempts to summarize a few aspects of important research progress in this area.

Abstract:北京,2009年7月11~16日关于大会自2000年以来,国际保护生物学大会的与会者从1000人稳步增加到超过1600人。会议作为全球保护生物学研究专业人士的聚集地,展示及讨论保护科学研究和实践方面的前沿研究与进展。最为重要的是,大会将全球保护研究的专家学者联系在一起,并作为保护研究信息的重要平台,吸引着各界对保护研究和管理工作感兴趣的人士。第一届国际保护生物学大会于1988年在美国召开,以后相继在非洲、澳洲、欧洲、南美洲举行过。本届大会是该会议首次在亚洲地区举办,它对于展示中国的保护研究成果,提高我国保护生物学研究的影响力和学术地位,具有重要意义。