Functional diversity of Cercidiphyllum japonicum, communities in the Shennongjia Reserve, central China

Functional diversity is significant to ecological processes of plant communities. We analyzed the variation of functional diversity of endangered species, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, communities along an elevational gradient in the Shennongjia Reserve, central China. Sixty plots of 10 9 20 m from 1,350 to 2,050 m were set up and species composition, traits and environmental variables were measured and recorded. These data were analyzed using five functional diversity indices, functional attribute diversity, modified functional attribute diversity, plot based functional diversity, community based functional diversity and Rao＇s functional diversity indices（Rao＇s index）,Functional diversities of C. japonicum communities were rich and varied greatly. Functional diversity declined nonlinearly with increasing elevation. Functional diversity was significantly correlated with species richness and heterogeneity. Elevation was a key environmental variable influencing functional diversity and species diversity. The five functional diversity indices were all effective for measuring functional diversity of communities. Functional diversity can be used as an indicator of conservation efficiency of endangered species such as C. japonicum.

Construction of SSR Linkage Map and Analysis of QTLs for Rolled Leaf in Japonica Rice

Genetic analysis of rolled leaf is important to rice ideotype breeding. To detect loci controlling rolled leaf of japonica restorer lines, SSR marker genotypes and phenotypes of flag leaf rolling index （LRI） were investigated in Xiushui 79 （P1, a japonica rice variety）, C Bao （P2, a japonica restorer line） and 254 recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross between P1 and P2 , and in two environments. A genetic map of this cross was constructed, QTLs for LRI were detected and their interactions with environments were analyzed. Among 818 pairs of SSR primers, 90 primers showed polymorphism between P1 and P2, and 12 markers showed highly significant correlation with LRI in both environments based on single marker regression analysis. The genetic map containing 74 information loci has a total distance of 744.6 cM, with an average of 10.1 cM between two adjacent loci. Three QTLs （qRL-1, qRL-7 and qRL-8-1） were detected with two softwares： WinQTLCart 2.5 and QTLNetwork2.0. qRL-8-1 was a new locus, accounting for 15.5% and 12.8% of phenotypic variations in the two environments, respectively. The phenotypic variation explained by additive effect was 6.6%. No interaction was found between qRL-8-1 genotype and environments.

QTL and QTL × Environment Effects on Agronomic and Nitrogen Acquisition Traits in Rice

Agricultural environments deteriorate due to excess nitrogen application. Breeding for low nitrogen responsive genotypes can reduce soil nitrogen input. Rice genotypes respond variably to soil available nitrogen. The present study attempted quantification of genotype x nitrogen level interaction and mapping of quantitative trait loci （QTLs） associated with nitrogen use efficiency （NUE） and other associated agronomic traits. Twelve parameters were observed across a set of 82 double haploid （DH） lines derived from IR64/Azucena. Three nitrogen regimes namely, native （0 kg/ha; no nitrogen applied）, optimum （100 kg/ha） and high （200 kg/ha） replicated thrice were the environments. The parents and DH lines were significantly varying for all traits under different nitrogen regimes. All traits except plant height recorded significant genotype × environment interaction. Individual plant yield was positively correlated with nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen uptake. Sixteen QTLs were detected by composite interval mapping. Eleven QTLs showed significant QTL × environment interactions. On chromosome 3, seven QTLs were detected associated with nitrogen use, plant yield and associated traits. A QTL region between markers RZ678, RZ574 and RZ284 was associated with nitrogen use and yield. This chromosomal region was enriched with expressed gene sequences of known key nitrogen assimilation genes.

Metamicrobiomics in herbivore beetles of the genus Cryptocephalus （Chrysomelidae）： toward the understanding of ecological determinants in insect symbiosis

The Cryptocephalus marginellus （Coleoptera： Chrysomelidae） complex is composed by six species that are supposed to have originated by events of allo- or parapatric speciation. In the present study we investigated the altemative hypotheses that the bacterial communities associated with six populations of this species complex are shaped by environmental factors, or reflect the proposed pattern of speciation. The microbiota associated with the six populations, from five species of the complex, have been characterized through 16S rRNA pyrotag sequencing. Based on a 97% sequence similarity threshold, data were clustered into 381 OTUs, which were analyzed using a variety of diversity indices. The microbiota of C. acquitanus and C. marginellus （Calanques） were the most diverse （over 100 OTUs）, while that from C. zoiai yielded less bacterial diversity （45 OTUs）. Taxonomic assignment revealed Proteobacteria, Tenericutes and Firmicutes as the dominant components of these beetles＇ microbiota. The most abtmdant genera were Ralstonia, Sphingomonas, Rickettsia, and Pseudomonas. Different strains of Rickettsia were detected in C. eridani and C. renatae. The analysis of β-diversity revealed high OTU turnover among the populations of C. marginellus complex, with only few shared species. Hierarchical clustering taking into account relative abundances of OTUs does not match the phylogeny of the beetles, therefore we hypothesize that factors other than phylogenetic constraints play a role in shaping the insects＇ microbiota. Environmental factors that could potentially affect the composition of bacterial communities were tested by fitting them on the results of a multi-dimensional scaling analysis. No significant correlations were observed towards the geographic distances or the host plants, while the composition of the microbiota appeared associated with altitude. The metabolic profiles of the microbiotas associated with each population were inferred from bacterial taxonomy, and interestingly, the obtained clustering pattern was consistent with the host phylogeny.