Highly divergent sympatric lineages of Leptotila verreauxi(Aves:Columbidae)suggest a secondary contact area in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec,Mexico

Due to a complex geological and biotic history,the Isthmus of Tehuantepec(IT),has been long recognized as a driver for the evolutionary divergence of numerous lowland and highland taxa.Widely distributed in the lowlands of the American continent,the White-Tipped Dove(Leptotila verreauxi)is a polytypic species with 13 recognized subspecies.Four of these have been recorded in Mexico,and the distribution of three abuts at the IT,suggesting a contact zone.To estimate phylogenetic patterns,divergence times and genetic differentiation,we examined two mt DNA(ND2 and COI)and one n DNA(β-fibint 7)markers.We also used correlative ecological niche models(ENM)to assess whether ecological differences across the IT may have acted as a biogeographical boundary.We estimated paleodistributions during the Middle Holocene,Last Glacial Maximum and Last Interglacial,to evaluate the influence of climate changes on the distribution and demographic changes.Our results showed genetically distinct lineages that diverged approximately 2.5 million years ago.Climatic and ecological factors may have played a dual role in promoting differentiation,but also in the formation of a secondary contact zone in the southern IT.Our ecological niche comparisons indicated that the ecological niche of sympatric lineages at the IT are not identical,suggesting niches divergence;in addition,environmental niche models across the region indicated no abrupt biogeographic barriers,but the presence of regions with low suitability.These results suggest that genetic differentiation originated by a vicariant event probably related to environmental factors,favored the evolution of different ecological niches.Also,the absence of a biogeographic barrier but the presence of less suitable areas in the contact regions,suggest that secondary contact zones may be also maintained by climatic factors for the eastern group,but also by biotic interactions for the western group.

Repellent and Insecticidal Activity of Naphthoquinones from the Heartwood of Tectona grandis on Incisitermes marginipennis(Latreille)

Wood is a lignocellulosic material that,because of its organic nature,is a source of nutrients for bacteria,fungi,and insects.Incisitermes marginipennis(Latreille)is an interesting dry wood-boring termite.Because it is an extremely destructive pest,difficult to control due to its cryptic lifestyle,and for its role in the biogeochemical cycle of carbon and other elements;it is a fundamental organism.The use of less toxic and eco-friendly substances is important for protecting domestic,cultural,and historical heritage made of wood or lignocellulosic materials.The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological activity of various naphthoquinones extracted from the heartwood of T.grandis on I.marginipennis.First,heartwood flour was used for Soxhlet-type extractions to isolate and characterize the heartwood compounds by thin-layer chromatography.To identify the heartwood compounds,nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer were used.The information obtained was supported using the Interactive Spectroscopy software.The identified heartwood compounds were lapachol,tectoquinone,deoxylapachol,dehydro-α-lapachone,tectol and tecomaquinone-I.Using nymphal termites of I.marginipennis as a biological model,the isolated and identified molecules were under three different tests(repellent,insecticide and protective)and their biological activity was individually evaluated.The results showed that the molecules obtained have a repellent-protective effect against I.marginipennis,although not in all cases,these molecules have high percentages of mortality and decreased the weight loss of the treated material exposed to I.marginipennis.

The Relationship between Shell Morphology and Crevice Size Affecting Retreat Selection of the Keeled Box Turtle(Cuora mouhotii)

Rock crevices are important retreat sites for many reptiles.Unlike lizards and snakes,crevicedwelling turtles have rigid shells which severely limit the size and shape of crevices they are able to use.Few studies have addressed the relationship between turtle's shell morphology,behavior,and crevice size.Here,we investigate the relationship between morphology and crevice size selection in the Keeled box turtle(Cuora mouhotii).We radio tracked turtles in the field to document crevice dimensions and turtle behavior associated with crevices,and we conducted a controlled experiment in the lab to understand how a turtle's morphology influences its decision to select crevices with different dimensions.Both laboratory and field experiments demonstrate that turtles select deep and moderately wide crevices that are low enough to barely accommodate the carapace.Crevices used by turtles tend to be about 2 times as wide,1.2 times as high,and 3 times longer than the turtle's shell.Moreover,turtles tended to prefer crevices with horizontal openings in the field and position themselves head first in the crevice.We conclude that morphology,especially carapace height,influences the Keeled box turtles' decision to select specific sizes of crevice.We argue that the tendency for turtles to select crevices that come into contact with their carapace contributes to successful defense against predators,as it would be more difficult for a predator to remove a turtle when the crevice is nearly touching the turtles shell.

Conifer establishment after the eruption of the Paricutin volcano in central Mexico

Background:Volcanic eruptions have large effects on forest ecosystems and create new substrates,triggering primary succession processes.The Paricutín volcano,born in central-western Mexico,erupted between 1943 and 1952.After the cessation of the eruptive activity,plant colonization began on the lava flows and tephra deposits,including the conifer species that dominate the surrounding mature forests.This study aims to reconstruct the history of the establishment of conifer trees on the substrates created by the Paricutín eruption.Methods:16 sampling plots were established along three transects with northern,southern,and south-western aspects,located every 250 m from the preserved forest to the volcanic cone.Increment cores from 400 conifer trees were extracted and their age was determined by cross-dating annual tree rings.The order of the species colonization and the tree establishment,abundance,and dominance patterns were characterized.Also,the influence of the distance from the mature forests and the inter-annual climatic conditions on the temporal tree establishment pattern was evaluated.Results:Eight pine and one fir species have been established since 1970,only 18 years after the end of the eruptive period.However,tree establishment increased by 12.9%annually after 1995,with the youngest tree in our sample getting established in 2015.We did not find a well-defined temporal and spatial pattern of species arrival,which suggests that colonization occurred randomly,although the four pine species that were established early became the most abundant and dominant.Tree establishment was not influenced by the distance from the mature forest,and wet inter-annual conditions did not enhance pulses of tree recruitment,exhibiting a continuous tree establishment pattern.Conclusions:Conifer species have shown a great capacity for colonizing volcanic substrates created by the Paricutín eruption,which suggests that tropical montane conifers can regenerate rapidly under high-magnitude disturbances.These findings support the use of these forest species for ecological restoration.

Spider odors induce stoichiometric changes in fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

Animal senses and signals are amazingly diverse,and the major modalities by which animals acquire sensory input from their environments are sound,light,vibration,and chemical signals.Insects mainly rely on visual,nociceptive,and olfactory cues to discriminate between rewards and risks.It has been shown that the visual and olfactory cues of predators substantially affect the adult phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster(Krams et al.2016),a prominent animal model for biological research.

Seasonal variation in native hydraulic conductivity between two deciduous oak species

植物抗旱性机制包括耐旱性和避旱性。耐旱性的特征主要是木质部易栓塞性和膨压损失点,而避旱性的特征则是叶片脱落和落叶性。虽然这些机制可以权衡物种连续性,但对于干旱引发的叶片脱落和持续时间的变化如何影响木质部和叶片耐受性之间的关系却知之甚少。在本研究中,我们研究两种具有不同叶片脱落叶行为的橡树(栎属)的耐旱性程度差异。我们预测了Quercusdeserticola在旱季结束时落叶(晚落叶)而面临更大的空化风险,导致其比Q.laeta更耐旱,对水分的利用也更加保守。Q.laeta只在旱季中期很短的时间内落叶(短落叶)。本研究在墨西哥中部进行,两种橡树各具有单个种群,它们之间相距1.58公里,海拔差为191米。Q.deserticola(晚落叶)多出现在下坡,而Q.laeta(短落叶)多出现在沿坡度海拔较高的地方。我们评估了样地内茎干的水分传导率的季节差异(雨季和旱季),并检测了两个物种间木质部对空化的脆弱性、叶片水分利用和叶片膨松损失点的差异。两种橡树在耐旱性状方面没有显著差异,主要包括木质部易栓塞性、叶片膨松损失点和气孔导度。然而,两种植物在旱季都有不同的表现:短落叶植物对木质部功能的负面影响要比晚落叶植物低。综上所述,两种橡树在植物生理性能方面的季节变化取决于冠层叶面积的减少。