Two questions in the research of animal personality—whether there is a correlation between a personality trait and individual reproductive success,and what is the genetic basis underlying a personality trait—remain ...Two questions in the research of animal personality—whether there is a correlation between a personality trait and individual reproductive success,and what is the genetic basis underlying a personality trait—remain unresolved.We addressed these two questions in three shrub-nesting birds,the Azure-winged Magpie(Cyanopica cyanus,AM),White-collared Blackbird(Turdus albocinctus,WB),and Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush(Trochalopteron henrici,BL).The personality type of an individual was first identified according to its response to a territorial intruder.Then,we compared the fleeing distance,breeding parameters,and differential expressed genes(DEGs) in the brain transcriptome between bold and shy breeders.In the three species,bold breeders exhibited more aggressiveness towards an intruder of their territory than did shy breeders.The reproductive success of bold breeders was significantly higher than that of shy breeders in AM but not in WB and BL.The three species shared one DEG,crabp1,which was up-regulated in bold relative to in shy individuals.By regulating the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone,higher crabp1 gene expression can decrease cellular response to retinoic acid.Therefore,bold individuals are insensitive to external stresses and able to exhibit more aggressiveness to intruders than their shier counterparts.Aggressiveness is beneficial to bold individuals in AM but not in WB and BL because the former could evoke neighbors to make the same response of defending against intruders but the latter could not.Although a personality trait may have the same genetic basis across species,its correlation with reproductive success depends largely on the life history style of a species.展开更多
In this work we report a methodological procedure with an integrated physical-perceptual approach that allows units of landscape in protected natural areas to be differentiated. First, indirect methods were applied by...In this work we report a methodological procedure with an integrated physical-perceptual approach that allows units of landscape in protected natural areas to be differentiated. First, indirect methods were applied by means of a mapping procedure, which identified the physical components of major relevance. We then generated maps of natural units, anlyzing the “printed” landscape of a territory. Secondly, we developed direct methods to identify and describe the reresentative elements of the landscape, analyzing the “perceived” landscape. The identification and delimitation of these landscape units with geographical information systems provide detailed maps facilitate the tasks of planning and management. The procedure was validated by means of its application in two protected natural spaces. The treatment used here considers landscape not only as an aesthetic element but also as something “live” elaborating maps that should be of use in land planning and management of natural areas.展开更多
DEAR EDITOR,Based upon morphological and molecular evidence,the authors revised the genus Rohanixalus Biju,Garg,Gokulakrishnan,Chandrakasan,Thammachoti,Ren,Gopika,Bisht,Hamidy and Shouche,2020(Anura:Rhacophoridae)in C...DEAR EDITOR,Based upon morphological and molecular evidence,the authors revised the genus Rohanixalus Biju,Garg,Gokulakrishnan,Chandrakasan,Thammachoti,Ren,Gopika,Bisht,Hamidy and Shouche,2020(Anura:Rhacophoridae)in China through describing one new species,adding one species to the fauna(R.shyamrupus)and supplementing data on one species(Rohanixalus hansenae;Supplementary Materials).展开更多
Dawazisaurus brevis（gen. et sp. nov.） is a newly discovered Triassic marine reptile, represented by a complete skeleton from Member II of the Guanling Formation of Luoping, Yunnan Province, China. This paper aims to...Dawazisaurus brevis（gen. et sp. nov.） is a newly discovered Triassic marine reptile, represented by a complete skeleton from Member II of the Guanling Formation of Luoping, Yunnan Province, China. This paper aims to（1） present a thorough description of the species,（2） make a detailed comparison to demonstrate if the species can be referred to any known sauropterygian taxa, and（3） conduct phylogenetic analyses to establish the internal relationships of the species with other sauropterygians. In addition, the discovery of Dawazisaurus provides a chance not only to test the phylogenetic patterns of the Sauropterygia obtained by previous studies but also to evaluate the previous hypotheses on the origin of the sauropterygian groups at different levels. D. brevis is an eosauropterygian, characterized by a unique combination of derived features such as a pair of large nasals joining in the formation of the internarial septum, a short trunk with 16 dorsal vertebrae; the zygapophyses of the trunk vertebrae very small or weakly developed; the posterior margin of the skull roof deeply V-shaped, and an ossified distal carpal 5. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that D. brevis appears to be more closely related to the Nothosauroidea than the Pistosauroidea within the Eosauropterygia.展开更多
DEAR EDITOR On April 7, 2013, approximately 50 Great Knots （Calidris tenuirostris）, Red Knots （C. canutus） and Bar-tailed Godwits （Limosa lapponica） were seen on the coast of Jinmen （Quimoy） （N24°26′; E...DEAR EDITOR On April 7, 2013, approximately 50 Great Knots （Calidris tenuirostris）, Red Knots （C. canutus） and Bar-tailed Godwits （Limosa lapponica） were seen on the coast of Jinmen （Quimoy） （N24°26′; E118°18′） in Fujian, China. Among these birds, three Great Knots were banded with Australian yellow leg-flags （ENE, LCC and USP in Figures 1, 2 and 3, respectively）, which are new to Jinmen.展开更多
Cenozoic （Miocene to Pleistocene） basaltic rocks in Jiangsu province of eastern China include olivine tholeiite and alkali basalt. We present major, trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic data as well as Ar-Ar dating of t...Cenozoic （Miocene to Pleistocene） basaltic rocks in Jiangsu province of eastern China include olivine tholeiite and alkali basalt. We present major, trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic data as well as Ar-Ar dating of these basalts to discuss the petrogenesis of the basalts and identify the geological processes beneath the study area. On the basis of chemical compisitions and Ar-Ar dating of Cenonoic basaltic rocks from Jiangsu province, we suggest that these basalts may belong to the same magmatic system. The alkali basalts found in Jiangsu province have higher ~FeO, MgO, CaO, Na20, TiO2 and P205 and incompatible elements, but lower A1203 and compatible elements contents than olivine tholeiite which may be caused by fractional crystallization of olivine, pyroxene and minor plagioclase. In Jiangsu basaltic rocks the incompatible elements increase with decreasing MgO/~FeO ratios. The primitive mantle-normalized incompatible elements and chondrite-normalized REE patterns of basaltic rocks found in Jiangsu province are similar to those of OIB. Partial loss of the mantle lithosphere accompanied by rising of asthenospheric mantle may accelerate the generation of the basaltic magma. The 143Nd/144Nd vs. S7Sr/S6Sr plot indicates a mixing of a depleted asthenospheric mantle source and an EM1 component in the study area. According to Shaw＇s equation, the basalts from Jiangsu province may be formed by 1%-5% partial melting of a depleted asthenospheric mantle source. On the basis of Ar-Ar ages of this study and the fractional crystallization model proposed by Brooks and Nielsen （1982）, we suggest that basalts from Jiangsu province may belong to a magmatic system with JF-2 as the primitive magma which has undergone fractional crystallization and evolved progressively to produce other types of basalts.展开更多
Stream animals on tropical high islands have ecological counterparts among continental fauna but are confronted with highly dynamic and variable environmental conditions that can far exceed those occurring in mainland...Stream animals on tropical high islands have ecological counterparts among continental fauna but are confronted with highly dynamic and variable environmental conditions that can far exceed those occurring in mainland streams.In response to weather fronts passing through an island chain or to localized fluctuations in the formation of orographic rain,water levels in island streams can change from low flows of a few centimeters depth to sudden flash floods of several meters and back to clear shallow water within a few days.Studies of the five species of indigenous Hawaiian stream fishes have shown that the dispersal of larvae out to sea and their return several months later during their amphidromous life cycles constantly restock streams and provide a kind of ready reserve for recolonizing streams after unusually harsh disturbances,such as the recent Hurricane Iniki.Because of the predominance of amphidromy among the major species of stream fishes and macroinvertebrates on tropical Pacific high islan s,we hypothesize that maintaining biodiversity in these island streams when conditions are otherwise favorable and restoring animal life to formerly diverted streams may be no more complicated than assuring that the freshwater-marine threshold remains open and that natural fluctuations in flow are unhampered.展开更多
In China,flash floods are one of the main natural disasters causing loss of life and damage to infrastructure.The threat of flash floods is exacerbated with climate change and increased human activities,such that the ...In China,flash floods are one of the main natural disasters causing loss of life and damage to infrastructure.The threat of flash floods is exacerbated with climate change and increased human activities,such that the number of disasters has shown a clear upward trend in recent years.However,due to the scarcity of instrumental data or overly short timeseries,we are still lacking critical data to understand spatio-temporal patterns and driving factors of extreme flash floods.This missing knowledge is however crucial for a proper management of these hazards,especially in remote mountain environments.In forested catchments,dendrogeomorphology allows the reconstruction of past process activity based on growth disturbances(GDs)in trees that have been affected by past flash floods.Therefore,in our study,for the first time,we reconstruct past flash floods in the Qilian Mountains,northeast Tibetan Plateau,over past centuries.To this end,we sampled 99 Qinghai spruce(Picea crassifolia)trees affected by flash floods,with a total of 194increment cores,and identified 302 GDs induced by past flash floods.These GDs have been caused by at least 21 flash floods that we are able to reconstruct over the last 170 years.The position of GDs within tree rings and the intra-seasonal dating of past events also allowed discussion of the likely synoptic situations that may have led to the triggering of flash floods in the past.Logistic regression analysis confirms that significant correlation exists between cumulative maximum 5-day August-September precipitation and reconstructed flash floods,which is corresponding to the majority of scars and related tangential rows of traumatic resin ducts(TRDs)found in the latewood portion of growth rings.These results support the idea that abundant precipitation occurring at the end of the summer season and early fall is the key factor driving flash floods in our study area.Our research not only fills the gaps regarding historical flash flood histories in the Qilian Mountains,but also provides a scientific basis for the region's response to climate change and flood prevention and reduction.展开更多
Museums offer a lifelong edutainment environment with flexible choices for the public and provide fruitful interdisciplinary learning resources to support competency-based education.However,the lack of proper scaffold...Museums offer a lifelong edutainment environment with flexible choices for the public and provide fruitful interdisciplinary learning resources to support competency-based education.However,the lack of proper scaffolding and supports in museums negatively affect learner learning.Further,the individual differences need to be considered to effectively support the diverse learners learning in museums.In this study,an innovative learning model to support competency education for lifelong learning in museums is proposed.A game-based learning service named CoboFun that offers various types of problem-solving activities was developed to facilitate learners’interaction with exhibits and their peers in the museum.To examine the service design of CoboFun,learners’perceptions were evaluated and the differences in their cognitive styles were examined(Field Independent(FI)and Field Dependent(FD)).The results showed that both FI and FD learners enjoyed learning with CoboFun but that flexible learning tools needed to be provided to satisfy the different needs for the learners with different cognitive styles.展开更多
The invasion process involves overcoming certain barriers with negative effects on the biodiversity and ecosystem function. This is the case of the African dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella, which was introduced in...The invasion process involves overcoming certain barriers with negative effects on the biodiversity and ecosystem function. This is the case of the African dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella, which was introduced in the United States and other countries in Central and South America to help in dung removal activity. The distribution of D. gazella has been documented in the Americas, but in Venezuela there is little information. Trying to understand the process of invasion of the Colombian-Venezuelan savannas and measure their potential impact, the information stored in collections and literature was collected. Five new state records were reported for Venezuela, as well as four scenarios of the process of introduction and establishment of this species in the region. Although the amount of records has increased, the number of individuals sampled is still incipient. The possible areas of invasion and the potential negative effects that the presence of this species exerts in these regions are also discussed. In addition, potential areas of invasion and negative effects of this species are discussed. Results emphasize the importance of generating models of the invasive process in order to design programs that monitor the effects incurred by the presence of D. gazella on native species and propose control and mitigation mechanisms.展开更多
In this manuscript, we present an explicit way to describe the violation of CP symmetry in the standard model (SM) of electrweak interactions. In such a way, complex Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrices are achiev...In this manuscript, we present an explicit way to describe the violation of CP symmetry in the standard model (SM) of electrweak interactions. In such a way, complex Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrices are achieved which stand for the violation of CP symmetry. At the beginning, two necessary but not sufficient conditions for yielding a complex CKM matrix are stated as criteria. Then we found an interesting condition between the real and imaginary parts of a Hermitian 3 × 3 matrix which may provide extra relations among its parameters and reduce the number of them from eighteen down to five. In previous investigations, this can be done only down to nine. With another assumption among some of those parameters, the mass-matrix pattern is further simplified so as to be diagonalized analytically and in consequence four matrices which reveal S<sub>N</sub> symmetries among or between quark generations are obtained. In some of such S<sub>N</sub>-symmetric cases, the derived CKM matrices are complex which indicate that CP symmetry is violated accordingly. Taking the Jarlskog invariant as an estimate of the CPV strength, the value predicted by this model is orders stronger than the empirical value detected experimentally. However, that happens to fill partly the gap between the cosmologically observed amount of Baryon Asymmetry of the Universe (BAU) and that current Standard Model of particle physics predicts. It also proves the long suspected existence of BAU-productive eras in early universe if some fermions were indistinguishable, <em>i.e.</em>, S<sub>N</sub>-symmetric, under circumstances with extremely high temperatures.展开更多
Two elongatoolithid dinosaur eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province and the embryonic skeletons they bear are described. They represent the first oviraptorosaurian eggs with embryonic skeletons in...Two elongatoolithid dinosaur eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province and the embryonic skeletons they bear are described. They represent the first oviraptorosaurian eggs with embryonic skeletons in China and provide the first example that an oospecies can be correlated to certain dinosaur taxon/taxa. The two eggs are the same as the pair of the eggs inside a female oviraptorosaurian pelvis from the same horizon of the same area in both macro- and micro-structures of the egg shells, and can he referred to the oospecies, Macroolithus yaotunensis Zhao, 1975. The morphology of the preserved part of the embryonic skeletons indicates that they may have been laid by an oviraptorid, Heyuannia huangi from Guangdong Province or a closely related oviraptorosaurian, which may have been lived in the Ganzhou area too in the Late Cretaceous. The embryonic skeletons of the two eggs are not in the same developing stage. In one of the eggs, the postzygapophysis of the preserved vertebrae are well ossified, indicating that it was just hatched.展开更多
The flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC) problem at tree-level is a very critical defect of the two Higgs doublet extension of standard model (SM). In this article, a two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM) in which such def...The flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC) problem at tree-level is a very critical defect of the two Higgs doublet extension of standard model (SM). In this article, a two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM) in which such defects do not exist at all is to be demonstrated. The general pattern of matrix pairs which can be diagonalized simul-taneously by a same unitary transformation is proposed without extra constraints like symmetries or zeros in M matrices. Only an assumption of the hermiticity of mass matrices is employed in the derivation. With this assumption, number of parameters in the mass matrix of a specific fermion type is reduced from eighteen down to five. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors are analytically derived and it is surprising that unitary transformation matrix thus derived depends on only two parameters. It is a very general and elegant way to solve the tree-level FCNC problem radically and it includes previous similar models as special cases with specific parameter values.展开更多
Dispersal is an individual life-history trait that can influence the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of both the source and recipient populations.Current studies of animal dispersal have paid little attention to ...Dispersal is an individual life-history trait that can influence the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of both the source and recipient populations.Current studies of animal dispersal have paid little attention to how the responses of residents in a recipient population affect the social resettlement of dispersers into a new habitat.We addressed this question in the blue-breasted quail Synoicus chinensis by designing an outsider introduction experiment to simulate a scenario of interaction between residents and dispersers.In the experiment,we introduced an unfamiliar quail into a group of 3 differently ranked residents and then examined their behavioral responses to the arrival of the outsider.We found that all residents made negative responses by pecking at the outsider to maintain their pecking order,in which high-ranked residents displayed significantly greater intensity than those of lower ranks.This result highlighted that adverse behavioral responses of residents would prevent outsiders from obtaining hierarchical dominance in the recipient group.Moreover,the residents’sex ratio,their relative ages to the outsiders,and whether outsiders counter-pecked at the residents all influenced the probability of outsiders prevailing against the residents.Those outsiders that displayed counter-peck courage were more likely to gain higher dominance and hence resettle into the recipient group successfully.Our findings suggest that resident groups may impose a selection among dispersers via adverse behavioral responses.Therefore,social factors that can influence the resettlement step of dispersers in a new habitat should be accounted for in future studies of animal dispersal.展开更多
This paper describes newly discovered dinosaur and crocodylomorph egg fragments from the Upper Cretaceous Sanshui and Dalangshan formations of the Sanshui Basin of Guangdong Province,southern China.Despite the absence...This paper describes newly discovered dinosaur and crocodylomorph egg fragments from the Upper Cretaceous Sanshui and Dalangshan formations of the Sanshui Basin of Guangdong Province,southern China.Despite the absence of macroscopic information,the eggshell specimens can be identified to the oofamilies Prismatoolithidae,Elongatoolithidae and Krokolithidae,and it is hypothesized that these three families of eggs correspond to troodontids,oviraptorids and crocodiloids,respectively.Comparison with egg fossils from Nanxiong Basin,Heyuan Basin and Ganzhou Basin highlights the similarity between these egg assemblages and those from Nanxiong Basin.The egg fossils found in the Sanshui and the Dalangshan for-mations enrich the known faunal types in the research area and facilitate further studies on the diversity of Late Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages in the Sanshui Basin.展开更多
Origin and tectonic evolution of the Qilian Precambrian basement on NW China were investigated using zircon U-Pb ages with collaborating stratigraphic and paleontological evidence. Zircon grains were separated from tw...Origin and tectonic evolution of the Qilian Precambrian basement on NW China were investigated using zircon U-Pb ages with collaborating stratigraphic and paleontological evidence. Zircon grains were separated from two schists, two granitic gneisses and one mylonized gneiss and dated with SHRIMP. Seventy percent of sixty-one detrital zircon ages from two schists ranges from 0.88 Ga to 3.09 Ga, mostly within 1.0 Ga to 1.8 Ga with a peak at 1.6 Ga to 1.8 Ga, and twenty percent varies from 2.0 Ga to 2.5 Ga. A few falls in the Archean and Neoproterozoic periods. The two granitic gneisses were dated 930±8 Ma and 918±14 Ma, whereas the mylonized granitic gneiss was dated 790±12 Ma. These ages represent two periods of magmatisms, which can be correlated with the early and late stages of magmatisms associated with the Jinningian movement on the Yangtze Blocks. The results from this and previous studies indicate that the ages of the Precambrian detrital zircons from the Qilian Block are widely distributed in the Proterozoic era, distinct from the North China Block which was stable in the Neo-Mesoproterozoic era. By contrast, the age histograms of the detrital zircons from the Qilian Block is similar to those from Precambrian basement of the Yangtze Craton. Therefore, it is suggested that the Qilian Block had a strong affinity toward the Yangtze Craton and might belong to the supercontinent Gondwana in the Neoproterozoic time. This inference is supported by Nd model age (TDM), stratigraphic, and paleontological evidence. It is further considered that the Qilian Block was rifted from the supercontinent Gondwana during late Sinian to form an isolated continent in the Proto-Tethyan Ocean, moving towards the Alaxa Block in the North China Craton. The part of Proto-Tethyan Ocean between the Qilian and Alaxa Blocks should correspond to the so-called Paleo-Qilian Ocean. Following the closure of the Paleo-Qilian Ocean in the early Paleozoic, the Qilian Block collided with the Alaxa Block to form the North Qilian Orogenic Belt. Based on this tectonic explanation, the North Qilian ophiolites should represent parts of lithosphere from the Proto-Tethyan Ocean. Lithological and geochronological evidence also indicates that the Qilian Block underwent continental reactivation possibly induced by the deep northward subduction of the North Qaidam Block in early Paleozoic time.展开更多
Sixty-two geologically meaningful U-Pb dates were obtained by using SHRIMP technique for the detrital zircons in three metasedimentary rocks from stratigraphically uppermost parts of the Longshoushan Group in the pres...Sixty-two geologically meaningful U-Pb dates were obtained by using SHRIMP technique for the detrital zircons in three metasedimentary rocks from stratigraphically uppermost parts of the Longshoushan Group in the present study. Eighty percents of these dates range from 1.7 Ga to 2.2 Ga with a peak at 1.8-2.0 Ga and twenty percents from 2.3 Ga to 2.7 Ga. The youngest detrital zircon is dated at 1724±19 Ma which is interpreted as the maximum depositional age of the metasedimentary rocks. Therefore, the age for the diagenesis and lithification of the original sedimentary rocks of the Longshoushan Group before the metamorphism must be younger than 1724±19 Ma. Comparison of the age histograms of these detrital zircons with the ages of the igneous rocks on the surrounding older massifs suggests that the sediments of the Longshoushan Group were most likely derived from the Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton. This implies that the affinity between Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton was strong and that they might have been a unified craton during middle-early Proterozoic time.展开更多
“Lingzhi”is a mushroom that has been renowned in China for more than 2,000 years because of its claimed medicinal properties plus its symbolic fortune.“Lingzhi”has high economic value mostly as a dietary supplemen...“Lingzhi”is a mushroom that has been renowned in China for more than 2,000 years because of its claimed medicinal properties plus its symbolic fortune.“Lingzhi”has high economic value mostly as a dietary supplement in the modern market especially in East Asia,and its medicinal functions have become a hot study topic.For over a century,the highly prized medicinal fungus,known as“Lingzhi”in East Asia,has been assigned to Ganoderma lucidum,a species originally described from Europe.Molecular studies in recent years have revealed that the commercially cultivated‘G.lucidum’(“Lingzhi”)in East Asia is a different species from the true G.lucidum.The present study aims to clarify the species identity of“Lingzhi”based on morphological studies and analysis of rDNA nuc-ITS sequences,and additional gene fragments of mt-SSU,RPB1,RPB2,and TEF1-αof“Lingzhi”were provided.All Ganoderma species that mostly resemble“Lingzhi”in phylogeny and/or morphology were included for analysis.We propose a new species G.lingzhi for“Lingzhi”,which has an East Asia distribution.The most striking characteristics which differentiate G.lingzhi from G.lucidum are the presence of melanoid bands in the context,a yellow pore surface and thick dissepiments(80–120μm)at maturity.G.curtisii is most closely related to G.lingzhi in phylogeny and is from North America.Ganoderma flexipes,G.multipileum,G.sichuanense,G.tropicum and‘G.tsugae’,are also closely related with G.lingzhi and are reported from China.These species are compared and discussed.‘Ganoderma tsuage’reported from China is determined as conspecific with G.lucidum,hence the distribution of G.lucidum extends from Europe to northeastern China.展开更多
Although Inonotus linteus complex is placed in the genusInonotus,its perennial basidiocarps with a dimitic hyphal system,at least in the trama,distinguish the complex from other species in the genus,which have an annu...Although Inonotus linteus complex is placed in the genusInonotus,its perennial basidiocarps with a dimitic hyphal system,at least in the trama,distinguish the complex from other species in the genus,which have an annual habit and a monomitic hyphal system.The species number of Inonotus linteus complex has been increased in China and tropical America in recent publications.However,whether species in this complex belong to Inonotus has not specifically been addressed.To explore the phylogenetic placement of species of Inonotus linteus complex,we performed a comprehensive study using morphological and phylogenetic data based on global samples.nLSU(53 with 13 new)and ITS(70 with 18 new)datasets were used to produce the phylogenetic results.Taking into consideration the phylogenies inferred from the nLSU and ITS datasets,Inonotus is a polyphyletic genus comprising at least three clades.Clade A,the core Inonotus clade,contains the generic type,Inonotus hispidus,while Clades B and C comprise species from the Inonotus linteus complex.Morphological and phylogenetic evidence indicates that Clades B and C are new genera,and Sanghuangporus and Tropicoporus are introduced in this study.Ten species are transferred to Sanghuangporus and seven to Tropicoporus.Tropicoporus excentrodendri and T.guanacastensis spp.nov.are described,and their distinctive characters are discussed.Keys to the two new genera and the Inonotus sensu stricto,and to species of each new genus are provided.展开更多
基金provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 32071491, 31772465, 31672299, 31572271, and 32260128)the Natural Sciences Foundation of the Tibetan (XZ202101ZR0051G)。
文摘Two questions in the research of animal personality—whether there is a correlation between a personality trait and individual reproductive success,and what is the genetic basis underlying a personality trait—remain unresolved.We addressed these two questions in three shrub-nesting birds,the Azure-winged Magpie(Cyanopica cyanus,AM),White-collared Blackbird(Turdus albocinctus,WB),and Brown-cheeked Laughingthrush(Trochalopteron henrici,BL).The personality type of an individual was first identified according to its response to a territorial intruder.Then,we compared the fleeing distance,breeding parameters,and differential expressed genes(DEGs) in the brain transcriptome between bold and shy breeders.In the three species,bold breeders exhibited more aggressiveness towards an intruder of their territory than did shy breeders.The reproductive success of bold breeders was significantly higher than that of shy breeders in AM but not in WB and BL.The three species shared one DEG,crabp1,which was up-regulated in bold relative to in shy individuals.By regulating the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone,higher crabp1 gene expression can decrease cellular response to retinoic acid.Therefore,bold individuals are insensitive to external stresses and able to exhibit more aggressiveness to intruders than their shier counterparts.Aggressiveness is beneficial to bold individuals in AM but not in WB and BL because the former could evoke neighbors to make the same response of defending against intruders but the latter could not.Although a personality trait may have the same genetic basis across species,its correlation with reproductive success depends largely on the life history style of a species.
文摘In this work we report a methodological procedure with an integrated physical-perceptual approach that allows units of landscape in protected natural areas to be differentiated. First, indirect methods were applied by means of a mapping procedure, which identified the physical components of major relevance. We then generated maps of natural units, anlyzing the “printed” landscape of a territory. Secondly, we developed direct methods to identify and describe the reresentative elements of the landscape, analyzing the “perceived” landscape. The identification and delimitation of these landscape units with geographical information systems provide detailed maps facilitate the tasks of planning and management. The procedure was validated by means of its application in two protected natural spaces. The treatment used here considers landscape not only as an aesthetic element but also as something “live” elaborating maps that should be of use in land planning and management of natural areas.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Fund for Central Universities (SWU-KR22014)National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC32170478,32370478)+8 种基金Yunnan Fundamental Research Project (202001AW070016,202005AC160046)“Special Fund for Youth Team of Southwest University” (SWU-XJPY202302)to Y.Z.Y.National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFC2602500)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP) (2019QZKK0501)Survey of Wildlife Resources in Key Areas of Xizang (ZL202203601)China’s Biodiversity Observation Network (Sino-BON)Animal Branch of Germplasm Bank of Wild Species,Chinese Academy of Sciences (Large Research Infrastructure Fund)to J.C.Unit of Excellence 2024 on Integrative diversity assessment of aquatic animals from Thailand (Fundamental FundFF67)to C.S。
文摘DEAR EDITOR,Based upon morphological and molecular evidence,the authors revised the genus Rohanixalus Biju,Garg,Gokulakrishnan,Chandrakasan,Thammachoti,Ren,Gopika,Bisht,Hamidy and Shouche,2020(Anura:Rhacophoridae)in China through describing one new species,adding one species to the fauna(R.shyamrupus)and supplementing data on one species(Rohanixalus hansenae;Supplementary Materials).
基金supported by research grants from the NMNS and the National Science CouncilTaiwan(NSC-95-2116-M-178-001)(to Y.-n.C)+1 种基金from the CMN(RCP09 to X.-c.W)from Tokyo Gakugei University(to T.S)
文摘Dawazisaurus brevis（gen. et sp. nov.） is a newly discovered Triassic marine reptile, represented by a complete skeleton from Member II of the Guanling Formation of Luoping, Yunnan Province, China. This paper aims to（1） present a thorough description of the species,（2） make a detailed comparison to demonstrate if the species can be referred to any known sauropterygian taxa, and（3） conduct phylogenetic analyses to establish the internal relationships of the species with other sauropterygians. In addition, the discovery of Dawazisaurus provides a chance not only to test the phylogenetic patterns of the Sauropterygia obtained by previous studies but also to evaluate the previous hypotheses on the origin of the sauropterygian groups at different levels. D. brevis is an eosauropterygian, characterized by a unique combination of derived features such as a pair of large nasals joining in the formation of the internarial septum, a short trunk with 16 dorsal vertebrae; the zygapophyses of the trunk vertebrae very small or weakly developed; the posterior margin of the skull roof deeply V-shaped, and an ossified distal carpal 5. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that D. brevis appears to be more closely related to the Nothosauroidea than the Pistosauroidea within the Eosauropterygia.
文摘DEAR EDITOR On April 7, 2013, approximately 50 Great Knots （Calidris tenuirostris）, Red Knots （C. canutus） and Bar-tailed Godwits （Limosa lapponica） were seen on the coast of Jinmen （Quimoy） （N24°26′; E118°18′） in Fujian, China. Among these birds, three Great Knots were banded with Australian yellow leg-flags （ENE, LCC and USP in Figures 1, 2 and 3, respectively）, which are new to Jinmen.
基金supported by the National Science Council located in Taipei
文摘Cenozoic （Miocene to Pleistocene） basaltic rocks in Jiangsu province of eastern China include olivine tholeiite and alkali basalt. We present major, trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic data as well as Ar-Ar dating of these basalts to discuss the petrogenesis of the basalts and identify the geological processes beneath the study area. On the basis of chemical compisitions and Ar-Ar dating of Cenonoic basaltic rocks from Jiangsu province, we suggest that these basalts may belong to the same magmatic system. The alkali basalts found in Jiangsu province have higher ~FeO, MgO, CaO, Na20, TiO2 and P205 and incompatible elements, but lower A1203 and compatible elements contents than olivine tholeiite which may be caused by fractional crystallization of olivine, pyroxene and minor plagioclase. In Jiangsu basaltic rocks the incompatible elements increase with decreasing MgO/~FeO ratios. The primitive mantle-normalized incompatible elements and chondrite-normalized REE patterns of basaltic rocks found in Jiangsu province are similar to those of OIB. Partial loss of the mantle lithosphere accompanied by rising of asthenospheric mantle may accelerate the generation of the basaltic magma. The 143Nd/144Nd vs. S7Sr/S6Sr plot indicates a mixing of a depleted asthenospheric mantle source and an EM1 component in the study area. According to Shaw＇s equation, the basalts from Jiangsu province may be formed by 1%-5% partial melting of a depleted asthenospheric mantle source. On the basis of Ar-Ar ages of this study and the fractional crystallization model proposed by Brooks and Nielsen （1982）, we suggest that basalts from Jiangsu province may belong to a magmatic system with JF-2 as the primitive magma which has undergone fractional crystallization and evolved progressively to produce other types of basalts.
文摘Stream animals on tropical high islands have ecological counterparts among continental fauna but are confronted with highly dynamic and variable environmental conditions that can far exceed those occurring in mainland streams.In response to weather fronts passing through an island chain or to localized fluctuations in the formation of orographic rain,water levels in island streams can change from low flows of a few centimeters depth to sudden flash floods of several meters and back to clear shallow water within a few days.Studies of the five species of indigenous Hawaiian stream fishes have shown that the dispersal of larvae out to sea and their return several months later during their amphidromous life cycles constantly restock streams and provide a kind of ready reserve for recolonizing streams after unusually harsh disturbances,such as the recent Hurricane Iniki.Because of the predominance of amphidromy among the major species of stream fishes and macroinvertebrates on tropical Pacific high islan s,we hypothesize that maintaining biodiversity in these island streams when conditions are otherwise favorable and restoring animal life to formerly diverted streams may be no more complicated than assuring that the freshwater-marine threshold remains open and that natural fluctuations in flow are unhampered.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[Grant No.41977392]the National Key R&D Program of China[Grant No.2019YFA0606602]+2 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA20090000)Qilian Mountain National Park Qinghai Province management bureaufinanced by the China Scholarship Council。
文摘In China,flash floods are one of the main natural disasters causing loss of life and damage to infrastructure.The threat of flash floods is exacerbated with climate change and increased human activities,such that the number of disasters has shown a clear upward trend in recent years.However,due to the scarcity of instrumental data or overly short timeseries,we are still lacking critical data to understand spatio-temporal patterns and driving factors of extreme flash floods.This missing knowledge is however crucial for a proper management of these hazards,especially in remote mountain environments.In forested catchments,dendrogeomorphology allows the reconstruction of past process activity based on growth disturbances(GDs)in trees that have been affected by past flash floods.Therefore,in our study,for the first time,we reconstruct past flash floods in the Qilian Mountains,northeast Tibetan Plateau,over past centuries.To this end,we sampled 99 Qinghai spruce(Picea crassifolia)trees affected by flash floods,with a total of 194increment cores,and identified 302 GDs induced by past flash floods.These GDs have been caused by at least 21 flash floods that we are able to reconstruct over the last 170 years.The position of GDs within tree rings and the intra-seasonal dating of past events also allowed discussion of the likely synoptic situations that may have led to the triggering of flash floods in the past.Logistic regression analysis confirms that significant correlation exists between cumulative maximum 5-day August-September precipitation and reconstructed flash floods,which is corresponding to the majority of scars and related tangential rows of traumatic resin ducts(TRDs)found in the latewood portion of growth rings.These results support the idea that abundant precipitation occurring at the end of the summer season and early fall is the key factor driving flash floods in our study area.Our research not only fills the gaps regarding historical flash flood histories in the Qilian Mountains,but also provides a scientific basis for the region's response to climate change and flood prevention and reduction.
基金Funding/Acknowledgements:This study is supported in part by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China under contract number MOST 108-2511-H-178-001 and MOST 109-2511-H-178-001.
文摘Museums offer a lifelong edutainment environment with flexible choices for the public and provide fruitful interdisciplinary learning resources to support competency-based education.However,the lack of proper scaffolding and supports in museums negatively affect learner learning.Further,the individual differences need to be considered to effectively support the diverse learners learning in museums.In this study,an innovative learning model to support competency education for lifelong learning in museums is proposed.A game-based learning service named CoboFun that offers various types of problem-solving activities was developed to facilitate learners’interaction with exhibits and their peers in the museum.To examine the service design of CoboFun,learners’perceptions were evaluated and the differences in their cognitive styles were examined(Field Independent(FI)and Field Dependent(FD)).The results showed that both FI and FD learners enjoyed learning with CoboFun but that flexible learning tools needed to be provided to satisfy the different needs for the learners with different cognitive styles.
文摘The invasion process involves overcoming certain barriers with negative effects on the biodiversity and ecosystem function. This is the case of the African dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella, which was introduced in the United States and other countries in Central and South America to help in dung removal activity. The distribution of D. gazella has been documented in the Americas, but in Venezuela there is little information. Trying to understand the process of invasion of the Colombian-Venezuelan savannas and measure their potential impact, the information stored in collections and literature was collected. Five new state records were reported for Venezuela, as well as four scenarios of the process of introduction and establishment of this species in the region. Although the amount of records has increased, the number of individuals sampled is still incipient. The possible areas of invasion and the potential negative effects that the presence of this species exerts in these regions are also discussed. In addition, potential areas of invasion and negative effects of this species are discussed. Results emphasize the importance of generating models of the invasive process in order to design programs that monitor the effects incurred by the presence of D. gazella on native species and propose control and mitigation mechanisms.
文摘In this manuscript, we present an explicit way to describe the violation of CP symmetry in the standard model (SM) of electrweak interactions. In such a way, complex Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrices are achieved which stand for the violation of CP symmetry. At the beginning, two necessary but not sufficient conditions for yielding a complex CKM matrix are stated as criteria. Then we found an interesting condition between the real and imaginary parts of a Hermitian 3 × 3 matrix which may provide extra relations among its parameters and reduce the number of them from eighteen down to five. In previous investigations, this can be done only down to nine. With another assumption among some of those parameters, the mass-matrix pattern is further simplified so as to be diagonalized analytically and in consequence four matrices which reveal S<sub>N</sub> symmetries among or between quark generations are obtained. In some of such S<sub>N</sub>-symmetric cases, the derived CKM matrices are complex which indicate that CP symmetry is violated accordingly. Taking the Jarlskog invariant as an estimate of the CPV strength, the value predicted by this model is orders stronger than the empirical value detected experimentally. However, that happens to fill partly the gap between the cosmologically observed amount of Baryon Asymmetry of the Universe (BAU) and that current Standard Model of particle physics predicts. It also proves the long suspected existence of BAU-productive eras in early universe if some fermions were indistinguishable, <em>i.e.</em>, S<sub>N</sub>-symmetric, under circumstances with extremely high temperatures.
基金supported by research grants from the NMNS and the National Science Council of RO China(NSC 96-2116-M-178-001) to Cheng Y.-N.the Ministry of Land and Resources,the Ministry of Science and Technology(973 Project,2006CB701405) and China Geological Survey for supportsupported by the NMNS for his sabbatical stay and grants from Canadian Museum of Nature,Canada
文摘Two elongatoolithid dinosaur eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province and the embryonic skeletons they bear are described. They represent the first oviraptorosaurian eggs with embryonic skeletons in China and provide the first example that an oospecies can be correlated to certain dinosaur taxon/taxa. The two eggs are the same as the pair of the eggs inside a female oviraptorosaurian pelvis from the same horizon of the same area in both macro- and micro-structures of the egg shells, and can he referred to the oospecies, Macroolithus yaotunensis Zhao, 1975. The morphology of the preserved part of the embryonic skeletons indicates that they may have been laid by an oviraptorid, Heyuannia huangi from Guangdong Province or a closely related oviraptorosaurian, which may have been lived in the Ganzhou area too in the Late Cretaceous. The embryonic skeletons of the two eggs are not in the same developing stage. In one of the eggs, the postzygapophysis of the preserved vertebrae are well ossified, indicating that it was just hatched.
基金This paper is a contribution to the project07M/0080/2002funded by the Consejerńa de Educación de la Comunidad de Madrid.David Palomino wassupported by an"El Ventorrillo"Field Station-CSICgrant
文摘The flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC) problem at tree-level is a very critical defect of the two Higgs doublet extension of standard model (SM). In this article, a two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM) in which such defects do not exist at all is to be demonstrated. The general pattern of matrix pairs which can be diagonalized simul-taneously by a same unitary transformation is proposed without extra constraints like symmetries or zeros in M matrices. Only an assumption of the hermiticity of mass matrices is employed in the derivation. With this assumption, number of parameters in the mass matrix of a specific fermion type is reduced from eighteen down to five. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors are analytically derived and it is surprising that unitary transformation matrix thus derived depends on only two parameters. It is a very general and elegant way to solve the tree-level FCNC problem radically and it includes previous similar models as special cases with specific parameter values.
基金Financial support was provided by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(Grant 32071491 and 31772465)the Natural Sciences Foundation of the Tibetan(XZ202101ZR0051G).
文摘Dispersal is an individual life-history trait that can influence the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of both the source and recipient populations.Current studies of animal dispersal have paid little attention to how the responses of residents in a recipient population affect the social resettlement of dispersers into a new habitat.We addressed this question in the blue-breasted quail Synoicus chinensis by designing an outsider introduction experiment to simulate a scenario of interaction between residents and dispersers.In the experiment,we introduced an unfamiliar quail into a group of 3 differently ranked residents and then examined their behavioral responses to the arrival of the outsider.We found that all residents made negative responses by pecking at the outsider to maintain their pecking order,in which high-ranked residents displayed significantly greater intensity than those of lower ranks.This result highlighted that adverse behavioral responses of residents would prevent outsiders from obtaining hierarchical dominance in the recipient group.Moreover,the residents’sex ratio,their relative ages to the outsiders,and whether outsiders counter-pecked at the residents all influenced the probability of outsiders prevailing against the residents.Those outsiders that displayed counter-peck courage were more likely to gain higher dominance and hence resettle into the recipient group successfully.Our findings suggest that resident groups may impose a selection among dispersers via adverse behavioral responses.Therefore,social factors that can influence the resettlement step of dispersers in a new habitat should be accounted for in future studies of animal dispersal.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41888101)the 111project (No. B20011)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 265QZ201903)
文摘This paper describes newly discovered dinosaur and crocodylomorph egg fragments from the Upper Cretaceous Sanshui and Dalangshan formations of the Sanshui Basin of Guangdong Province,southern China.Despite the absence of macroscopic information,the eggshell specimens can be identified to the oofamilies Prismatoolithidae,Elongatoolithidae and Krokolithidae,and it is hypothesized that these three families of eggs correspond to troodontids,oviraptorids and crocodiloids,respectively.Comparison with egg fossils from Nanxiong Basin,Heyuan Basin and Ganzhou Basin highlights the similarity between these egg assemblages and those from Nanxiong Basin.The egg fossils found in the Sanshui and the Dalangshan for-mations enrich the known faunal types in the research area and facilitate further studies on the diversity of Late Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages in the Sanshui Basin.
基金the Chinese Development Found and National Science Council (Grant Nos. 91-2116-M-006-16 and 92-2116-M-006-010)
文摘Origin and tectonic evolution of the Qilian Precambrian basement on NW China were investigated using zircon U-Pb ages with collaborating stratigraphic and paleontological evidence. Zircon grains were separated from two schists, two granitic gneisses and one mylonized gneiss and dated with SHRIMP. Seventy percent of sixty-one detrital zircon ages from two schists ranges from 0.88 Ga to 3.09 Ga, mostly within 1.0 Ga to 1.8 Ga with a peak at 1.6 Ga to 1.8 Ga, and twenty percent varies from 2.0 Ga to 2.5 Ga. A few falls in the Archean and Neoproterozoic periods. The two granitic gneisses were dated 930±8 Ma and 918±14 Ma, whereas the mylonized granitic gneiss was dated 790±12 Ma. These ages represent two periods of magmatisms, which can be correlated with the early and late stages of magmatisms associated with the Jinningian movement on the Yangtze Blocks. The results from this and previous studies indicate that the ages of the Precambrian detrital zircons from the Qilian Block are widely distributed in the Proterozoic era, distinct from the North China Block which was stable in the Neo-Mesoproterozoic era. By contrast, the age histograms of the detrital zircons from the Qilian Block is similar to those from Precambrian basement of the Yangtze Craton. Therefore, it is suggested that the Qilian Block had a strong affinity toward the Yangtze Craton and might belong to the supercontinent Gondwana in the Neoproterozoic time. This inference is supported by Nd model age (TDM), stratigraphic, and paleontological evidence. It is further considered that the Qilian Block was rifted from the supercontinent Gondwana during late Sinian to form an isolated continent in the Proto-Tethyan Ocean, moving towards the Alaxa Block in the North China Craton. The part of Proto-Tethyan Ocean between the Qilian and Alaxa Blocks should correspond to the so-called Paleo-Qilian Ocean. Following the closure of the Paleo-Qilian Ocean in the early Paleozoic, the Qilian Block collided with the Alaxa Block to form the North Qilian Orogenic Belt. Based on this tectonic explanation, the North Qilian ophiolites should represent parts of lithosphere from the Proto-Tethyan Ocean. Lithological and geochronological evidence also indicates that the Qilian Block underwent continental reactivation possibly induced by the deep northward subduction of the North Qaidam Block in early Paleozoic time.
基金Supported by the Chinese Development and National Science Council (Grant Nos. 91-2116-M-006-16 and 92-2116-M-006-010)
文摘Sixty-two geologically meaningful U-Pb dates were obtained by using SHRIMP technique for the detrital zircons in three metasedimentary rocks from stratigraphically uppermost parts of the Longshoushan Group in the present study. Eighty percents of these dates range from 1.7 Ga to 2.2 Ga with a peak at 1.8-2.0 Ga and twenty percents from 2.3 Ga to 2.7 Ga. The youngest detrital zircon is dated at 1724±19 Ma which is interpreted as the maximum depositional age of the metasedimentary rocks. Therefore, the age for the diagenesis and lithification of the original sedimentary rocks of the Longshoushan Group before the metamorphism must be younger than 1724±19 Ma. Comparison of the age histograms of these detrital zircons with the ages of the igneous rocks on the surrounding older massifs suggests that the sediments of the Longshoushan Group were most likely derived from the Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton. This implies that the affinity between Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton was strong and that they might have been a unified craton during middle-early Proterozoic time.
基金financed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Project Nos.30910103907,31070022).
文摘“Lingzhi”is a mushroom that has been renowned in China for more than 2,000 years because of its claimed medicinal properties plus its symbolic fortune.“Lingzhi”has high economic value mostly as a dietary supplement in the modern market especially in East Asia,and its medicinal functions have become a hot study topic.For over a century,the highly prized medicinal fungus,known as“Lingzhi”in East Asia,has been assigned to Ganoderma lucidum,a species originally described from Europe.Molecular studies in recent years have revealed that the commercially cultivated‘G.lucidum’(“Lingzhi”)in East Asia is a different species from the true G.lucidum.The present study aims to clarify the species identity of“Lingzhi”based on morphological studies and analysis of rDNA nuc-ITS sequences,and additional gene fragments of mt-SSU,RPB1,RPB2,and TEF1-αof“Lingzhi”were provided.All Ganoderma species that mostly resemble“Lingzhi”in phylogeny and/or morphology were included for analysis.We propose a new species G.lingzhi for“Lingzhi”,which has an East Asia distribution.The most striking characteristics which differentiate G.lingzhi from G.lucidum are the presence of melanoid bands in the context,a yellow pore surface and thick dissepiments(80–120μm)at maturity.G.curtisii is most closely related to G.lingzhi in phylogeny and is from North America.Ganoderma flexipes,G.multipileum,G.sichuanense,G.tropicum and‘G.tsugae’,are also closely related with G.lingzhi and are reported from China.These species are compared and discussed.‘Ganoderma tsuage’reported from China is determined as conspecific with G.lucidum,hence the distribution of G.lucidum extends from Europe to northeastern China.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Project No.31200015).
文摘Although Inonotus linteus complex is placed in the genusInonotus,its perennial basidiocarps with a dimitic hyphal system,at least in the trama,distinguish the complex from other species in the genus,which have an annual habit and a monomitic hyphal system.The species number of Inonotus linteus complex has been increased in China and tropical America in recent publications.However,whether species in this complex belong to Inonotus has not specifically been addressed.To explore the phylogenetic placement of species of Inonotus linteus complex,we performed a comprehensive study using morphological and phylogenetic data based on global samples.nLSU(53 with 13 new)and ITS(70 with 18 new)datasets were used to produce the phylogenetic results.Taking into consideration the phylogenies inferred from the nLSU and ITS datasets,Inonotus is a polyphyletic genus comprising at least three clades.Clade A,the core Inonotus clade,contains the generic type,Inonotus hispidus,while Clades B and C comprise species from the Inonotus linteus complex.Morphological and phylogenetic evidence indicates that Clades B and C are new genera,and Sanghuangporus and Tropicoporus are introduced in this study.Ten species are transferred to Sanghuangporus and seven to Tropicoporus.Tropicoporus excentrodendri and T.guanacastensis spp.nov.are described,and their distinctive characters are discussed.Keys to the two new genera and the Inonotus sensu stricto,and to species of each new genus are provided.
