Abstract:The biodiversity of soil macrofauna were surveyed by sampling five quadrats(20 cm×20 cm)in 5 green-lands (poplar wood,rapeseed farm,grassland in park,nursery,and lawn)at Yancheng City in spring,2011. The habitat of poplar,grassland in park and nursery had a higher value of α biodiversity which characterized by density-group index(DG),complexity index(C)and Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index(H'),while habitat of rapeseed farm and lawn had a lower value. A significant linear correlation was found between DG index and C index(P<0.01,n=5). Based on the β biodiversities(Jaccard’s similarity coefficient),we made Hierarchical Cluster analysis and the results of that the soil macrofauna communities can be divided into two groups formed by habitat of poplar,grassland in park,and nursery as one group,rapeseed farm and lawn group as the second group. Our results indicated that the biodiversity of soil macrofauna communities is related to the complexity of habitat characters. The distribution of trees might be an important factor that influenced on the soil macrofauna communities in green-land. The biodiversities variation among different green-lands can provide help in green-lands design in the cities.

Abstract:Although Red Knobby Newts (Tylototriton shanjing) has been listed as National Grade Ⅱ protected species in China, its breeding ecology information have not been well reported, yet. We conducted a study on its reproductive characteristics, including sexual morphological difference, breeding habitat use, courtship and mating behavior, egg laying and hatching, in breeding seasons of 2007-2010 at Xinping County in Ailao Mountain range, Yunnan Province. The morphological measurement of male and female was difference. They bred mainly in rice paddies and humid ditches. The sex ratio of breeding individuals changed with breeding period, more males in the earlier and later of breeding season, while more females in the middle breeding phase. They made courtship mainly in the shady humid ditch although they also completed courtship and mating in lentic water. Female layed eggs 1-2 day after mating and gave 126±18 eggs (n=17) in 22.2±2.7 hours (n=15) in average with 1-3 min interval between each egg from early May through late June. In the early breeding season, females laid their eggs into water with 4-10 cm deep against the terrace of rice paddy, however, after middle May female laid eggs in grassy seepage areas of the rice paddy ridge. The mean clutch size was 126±18(n=17), average hatching period 17.3±0.1 d (n=225) with a estimated hatching rate of 59.8%(n=79). The average body length of the hatchling was 12.7 mm(n=6).

Abstract:Chemical discrimination is important for reptiles in reducing population competition and mating choice. In order to understand the discriminating ability of Crocodile Lizard(Shinisaurus crocodilurus)on familiar and unfamiliar individual through chemical cues,we used cotton swabs containing perfume(cologne),chemical stimuli from urine of familiar and unfamiliar individuals as chemical odours,to test the discrimination ability of lizard by counting the times of tongue flicking and latency duration. Both of male and female Crocodile Lizards flicked their tongue much higher frequency when they were served cotton swabs with familiar and unfamiliar odours than they did with cologne;the latency time toward familiar and unfamiliar odours were significantly shorter than that toward cologne. However,the tongue-flick frequency of males toward unfamiliar and familiar male odour was not significant difference,but males exhibited a much shorter latency time toward the former than they did toward the latter. Males licked their tongue more frequency at shorter latency time when they tested unfamiliar female odours than they did with familiar female odour. Female responded to familiar male odour was significantly shorter than they did to unfamiliar male odour. Male licked their tongue with a significant higher frequency in responding to unfamiliar female odour than female did to unfamiliar male odour. The results showed that the Crocodile Lizard could discriminate conspecific chemical cues from control cues,and could discriminate familiar and unfamiliar ones from chemical cues. This ability of discrimination familiar and unfamiliar ones may play important role in holding territory and in finding mating chance.

Abstract:Data on female reproductive traits can be crucial to understanding the evolutionary causes of sexual size dimorphism(SSD)of lizards. Here we quantified SSD and female reproductive traits to identify potential associations between SSD and female reproduction in Scincella modesta. We collected 43(17 ♀ ♀,26 ♂ ♂)S. modesta in this study,the largest male and female were 47.4 mm and 46.6 mm in snout-vent length(SVL),respectively. Adults are sexually dimorphic in head length and abdomen length but not in body size or head width,with males were larger in head length,whereas females were larger in abdomen length. Females produced single clutch of eggs during the breeding season. Clutch size and clutch mass were positively correlated with maternal SVL and abdomen length,whereas egg size was not positively correlated with maternal SVL. The coefficient variation of clutch size and clutch mass was 0.20 and 0.12,respectively. When holding female SVL constant using a partial correlation analysis,egg length was negatively related to clutch size,egg width was independent with clutch size. These results suggest that S.modesta is a species with sexually monomorphic SSD,sexual selection and fecundity selection,in which males have larger head length for higher mating success and females have larger abdomen length due to their higher capacity for laying eggs.

Abstract:By using serum-free co-culture of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells isolated from Rhesus Monkey(Macaca mulatta),we analyzed the effect of adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),luteinizing hormone(LH),cAMP,endorphin,and naloxone on the secretion of estradiol. We showed that ACTH,LH,cAMP,and naloxone stimulated estradiol production in co-cultured system and this stimulation was enhanced by increased Leydig cells. We also showed that endorphin inhibited estradiol secretion by Leydig cells and Sertoli cells when a certain amount of Leydig cells were present. Thus,these results suggest the amount of Leydig cells may play an important role in estradiol production in Leydig-Sertoli cells co-culture.

Abstract:To explore the mechanism of immune regulation of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in human decidual stromal cells,the expression of chemokine in early human decidual stromal cells after treatment with four different concentrations of TGF-β1 (0 ng/ml,1 ng/ml,5 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml) were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot.The results showed that high concentration of TGF-β1 significantly up-regulated the expression of chemokine ligand CX3CL1,CXCL12 and CXCL16,while down-regulated the expression of chemokine receptor CXCR4 and CXCR6 at the mRNA and protein levels.This study suggests that TGF-β1 plays a significant role in regulating chemokine ligand/receptor expression and may participate in immune tolerance of maternal-fetal interface by chemokines.

Abstract:Feeding site selection of the Ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) was investigated at Daocheng in western Sichuan Province of China from January to March 2010.87 birds were observed; density of birds is 1.24 per km,the average group size is 2.12 ± 0.89.41 used sites and 74 controlled sites were recorded (altitude from 3 715 to 4 200 m).By stepwise discriminant analysis,the key factors relating to feeding site selection of the Ibisbill were stone cover with diameter more than 30 cm,acreage of island,interfering distance,river width and the width of bank.Observations on both foraging and ingestion indicated that the foraging frequency is 18.39±2.36 (n=50) and ingestion success rate is 29.39%±13.24% (n=50).9 kinds of food resource were examined,and sampling method suggested that Ibisbill preyed mainly on caddisfly larvae(Trichoptera)(37.72%±12.96%), stonefly larvae(Plecoptera)(36.36%±6.06%) and crustaceans (17.76%±7.74%).

Abstract:In the present study,the effects of several frequently-used cell culture media (L-15,2×L-15,3×L-15,M199 and RMPI-1640) on cell morphology and viability of hemocytes from the mitten crab,Eriocheir sinensis were studied,in order to screen an optimum culture medium for crab hemocytes.Furthermore,different proportions of fetal bovine serum (FBS) (0%,5%,10%,and 15%) as a supplement were added into an optimum culture medium to research the effects of serum on hemocyte culture.The results showed that:3×L-15 culture medium could support the best survival of hemocytes in in vitro culture.The hemocytes remained a maximum number and intact morphology relatively,and the viability of hemocytes after 96 h culture was more than 60% in 3×L-15 medium.On the contrary,the other media did not support well of the hemocyte culture,with the viability decrease to lower than 50% and obvious cell morphology changes within 12 h.In addition,the supplement of FBS had adverse effect on cell morphology and viability.These results show that 3×L-15 medium without FBS is adequate for E.sinensis primary hemocyte culture.

Abstract:Gansu Heihe River National Nature Reserve,which located in the middle river basin of the second large inland river of China,is a sort of wetland ecosystem reserve.The bird richness and abundance of the breeding season (from May to August) and the migration season (March to April and September to October) in this area were surveyed in 2008 by the methods of line transect and fixed-radius point count in four types of habitats (wetlands,farm village,plantation and desert).A total of 116 bird species belonging to 17 Orders and 35 Families were recorded in this survey,which includes 73 summer visitors,20 migratory crossing birds,17 residents and 6 wintering birds.In wetland habitats,50 bird species including 47 summer visitors were observed in breeding season and 44 bird species including 17 migratory crossing birds in migration season,but in other habitats (farm village,plantation and desert),the breeding birds consist of 33 summer visitors and 17 residents,the migratory crossing birds only contribute 3 species.These results indicate that the Reserve is very rich in summer visitor birds and migratory crossing birds,which distributed mostly in the wetland habitats,and suggested that the Reserve is the important breeding site and stopover for migratory birds in the northwest of China.

Abstract:The morphology of the hypotrichous ciliate Uroleptus limnetis and the organization pattern of its cortical ciliature were revealed by using scanning electron microscopy and direct fluorescent labelling of FLUTAX.The ventral cortical ciliature was composed of adoral zone of membranelles (AZM),undulating membranes (UM),frontal-ventral-transverse cirri (FVTC),left and right marginal cirri (LMC,RMC),and the base-associated microtubules were visualized.The results useful for further clarifying the morphology of Uroleptus and the research of phylogenetics.

Abstract:Genetic structure and phylogeography of seventeen natural populations of Macrobrachium nipponense in Huaihe River were analyzed based on mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) gene sequence. Total DNA was extracted from 10-19 individuals of each population. A fragment of the 623 bp COI gene was amplified using the primers LCO1492 and HCO2198. 48 variable nucleotides were detected, and 31 haplotypes with 12 shared haplotypes were found in 17 populations. The result of haplotypic and nucleotide diversity analysis showed a middle genetic diversity. AMOVA analysis across all populations showed that there were low levels of genetic divergences among the 17 populations (F_st = 0.041 3, P<0.05). The Kimura 2-paramter genetic distance between Wuhe and Jiaogang, Huajia, Wabu populations (D_A= 0.014) was higher than that between other populations. UPGMA tree and haplotype network based on the 31 haplotypes indicated that the populations of the lower Huaihe River formed one clade and the populations of the middle Huaihe River formed the two others. The biomodel mismatch distribution of pairwise haplotype difference and the neutrality tests showed that population expansion occurred. These results would offer theoretical direction for the protection and utilization of the M.nipponense in Huaihe River.

Abstract:The resting metabolic rate (RMR) of both starvation (2 weeks) and control juvenile Cyprinus carpio [body mass 10±36 ± 0.22 g, n = 88] were measured at both 15 and 25℃, respectively. The spontaneous activity indicated by fin (both pectoral and tail fins) beat frequency during movement (FBF_movement), average fin beat times during whole 10 min observation period (FBF_10min) and percent time spent moving (PTM) were measured at the same time. Both the temperature and starvation showed significant effects on RMR (P< 0.05). The RMR of starved fish exhibited a similar 19%-20% decrease compared to that of control fish at both 15 and 25℃, respectively, while the RMR of control and starved fish increase by about 80%-83% with the increase of temperature. The starvation has significantly different effect on spontaneous activity at different temperature (P< 0.05). When acclimated at 15℃, starvation treatment showed no effect on FBF_movement while it elicited a significantly lower PTM, resulting in a significantly lower FBF_10min in starved fish. However, starvation treatment showed no effect on PTM while it elicited a significantly higher FBF_movement, resulting in a significantly higher FBF_10min in starved fish acclimated at 25℃. It suggested that when undergo starvation, the juvenile C.carpio reduce its spontaneous activity to save energy at 15℃, but increase its spontaneous activity possibly for food hunting at 25℃. The different responses of spontaneous activity to starvation of fish acclimated at different temperature may be related to the richness of food resources and physiological status condition of fish in wild environment at different temperature. However, starved fish showed a similar RMR response to temperature change when compared to control fish.

Abstract:This paper reports the effects of long-term starvation on non-specific immune parameters of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). Fish with body weight (31.86±1.47)g were randomly divided into two groups (the control group and the starvation group), and three parallel samples were investigated in each experimental group. Cytotoxicity of natural killer cells against K562 in the spleen and head-kidney was detected by LDH releasing assay when the fish were starved for 15, 30, 45 or 60 d, and the activities of lysozyme in the serum and hepatopancreas and alkaline phosphatase in the serum were also examined. The results indicated that under starvation stress the natural killer activity was significantly lower in starvation group than that in control group in the kidney and spleen of the Grass Carp fingerlings(P<0.05), and the activity no longer prominently decreased as starvation time extended. The activity of lysozyme in the serum and hepatopancreas showed the trend of first-decrease then-increase with the increase of the starvation time and the activity of alkaline phosphatase in the serum was significantly lower compared to the control group on 15 d, 45 d, and 60 d, which maintained at a constant level after 30 d. All these results suggest that under long-term starvation stress the non-specific immune level of Grass Carp fingerlings decreases. Natural killer cell activity is one of the critical indexes to evaluate the cellular immunity, which is more specific and sensitive than the activity of lysozyme or alkaline phosphatase.

Abstract:In Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) IGF2b is an important member of IGF family, and the 5′ flanking region sequence contributes to its function largely. The 5′ flanking region sequence was cloned by genome walking method and the methylation of GC-rich region in the sequence was also analysed through sulfate-modified method. It was shown that IGF2b 5′ flanking region sequence was 695 bp in length. Multiple transcription factor binding sites and TATA box were found by TFSEARCH analysis. IGF2b 5′ flanking region sequence shared 87% identity with that of zebrafish as revealed by BLAST. Two individuals of Jian Carp(C.c.var.jian)had 3 methylated sites, while only one individual of Huanghe Carp (C.c.haematopterus) had similar modification among the 17 GC-rich regions examined. Thus, methylation modification level is low in this region, and this GC-rich sequence was stable in both Jian Carp and Huanghe Carp.

Abstract:Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to detect the expression of ten isozymes (LDH, CCO, EST, CAT, POD, ME, MDH, G6PD, GDH, and ADH) in six different tissues, including eye, gill, skin, muscle, fin, and liver. Part of isozymes gene loci and zymograms were analyzed for providing the foundation for conservation and development of germplasm resources and genetic breeding. The results showed that the electrophoresis patterns of isozymes exhibited an apparent tissue-specificity except for CCO which showed no evident difference in 6 tissues examined. Biochemical genetic analysis showed that the ten isozymes were coded by 21 gene loci, six of which were found to be polymorphic. Finally, based on the zymograms, six isozymes including Est-1, Me-B, s-MDH, G6pd-A, G6pd-B and Adh-A were analyzed genetically for their subunit structure, coding gene loci and numbers as well as their specific expression, and the proportion of polymorphic loci was P=6/21=28.57%.

Abstract:Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus)is an important economic fishes in the Dongting Lake water system. In order to realize their cells genetic background, the chromosomes number and karyotype of the wild Crucian Carps collected from the Yuanshui River and Lishui River of the Dongting Lake water system were analyzed one by one using chromosomes of kidney cell-PHA culture in vivo prepared by flame-drying technique. The results show that there are two different ploidy levels Crucian Carps which the chromosomes number are 100 and 150±, respectively in both the Yuanshui River and Lishui River. The karyotype formula of 100 chromosomes is 2N=28M+22SM+28ST+22T, NF=150; and the karyotype formula of 150 basic chromosomes is 3N=42M+33SM+42ST+33T,NF=225. With the 100 wild Crucian Carps from different sample points of the Yuanshui River and Lishui River, the proportion of the triploid Crucian Carps (85%)is sharply higher than that of the diploid Crucian Carps (15%), and the morphological characteristics of the diploids and the triploids have no significant differences (P>0.05). The Crucian Carps with two different ploidy levels coexisting in the same water system will have certain theoretical and practical significance to their evolutionary study and genetic breeding, and the huge reduction of the diploid Crucian Carps suggested that resources protection of them in the sight of chromosome set genetic diversity should be strengthened.

Abstract:In order to study effects of serum leptin level on energy metabolism, we measured body mass, serum leptin levels, energy intake, rest metabolic rate (RMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) in Eothenomys miletus under cold acclimation (5℃) or rewarming (30℃). Cold acclimation induced increases in RMR, NST, energy intake. Those measurements decreased after rewarming. Body mass, serum leptin levels decreased during cold acclimation treatment and increased after rewarming. Serum leptin levels were positively correlated with body mass and negatively correlated with RMR, NST and energy intake. These results suggest that body mass, energy intake, thermogenic Capacity in E.miletus has a strong phenotypic plasticity. Serum leptin participated in the regulation of energy balance and body mass in E.miletus during cold acclimation and rewarming.

Abstract:To study daily rhythms of body temperature, metabolic rates and evaporative water loss of Tupaia belangeri, we took measurements on body temperature (Tb) for 24 h by implanting thermometer into their body. We also measured rest metabolic rate (RMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) and evaporative water loss (EWL) in 4 periods of 05:00-07:00, 11:00-13:00, 17:00-19:00 and 23:00-01:00 within 24 h. The body temperature showed a change in circadian rhythm with a maximum and minimum value of 39.45±0.26℃ and 36.34±0.24℃ at 11:00 and 03:00, respectively. The value of NST, RMR and EWL taken in the four periods within 24 h also significantly varied and exhibited a circadian rhythm. The minimum value of RMR_TNZ was 2.28±0.09 ml/(g·h) at 11:00-13:00 and maximum value was 2.58±0.04 ml/(g·h) occurred at 23:00-01:00; the highest value of NST occurred at 05:00-07:00 valued at 3.08±0.14 ml/(g·h) and the lowest value was 2.69±0.06 ml/(g·h) exhibited at period of 11:00-13:00; The maximum value of EWL was taken at 17:00-19:00 with 3.60±0.31 mg/(g·h). The body temperature variation was varied with change of ambient temperature and with the activeness of the animal in the different period in the 24 h rhythm. The RMR and NST was increase in the night when the ambient temperature was decrease. The animal adjusted their body temperature by increasing EWL in the day.

Abstract:Two snake specimens, identified as Gloydius intermedius, were collected in Xiaolongmen Forestry in June 2011. This snake is the first record in Beijing. Measurements on the two samples were provided in this paper.

Abstract:A reptile specimen was collected at Lailou Village of Sandu County, Qiannan autonomous prefecture, Guizhou Province on July 29, 2010. It was identified as Tropidophorus hainanus which was a new Reptilia record in Guizhou Province.