生物的月週期純粹是外在環境造成或是有內生性週律參與?如果是內生性的，那麼週期是如何調控的？有可能是獨立的一個生物時鐘計算30天時間，或是它與近日週律有關，實際在計算大約30個日週期？本研究主要探討海生搖蚊P. oceana在野外的環境中，半月週期同步羽化的機制。先前已知改變全期的日週期長短(period)，對受精至羽化所需時間只有50﹪效果，所以搖蚊應該不是完全計算時間或是計算日數，而是由兩者混合組成，因此有兩個可能：羽化週期前半是計算時間，後半是計算日數；相對假設是羽化週期前半是計算日數，後半是計算時間，我們的實驗在野外環境採同一天的受精卵，以人工飼養方式並改變前半期或後半期近日週期的長短(period)，觀察各組羽化時間，來驗証到底月/月週期是如何調控的，結果隨處理後半期近日週期長短，造成百分之百的反應在羽化時間上，而且由羽化所需時間與給予的近日週期迴歸分析，得知第一高峰斜率14.8與第二高峰斜率29.4之間相差14.6，此接近15的數字即為搖蚊半月週期計數的近日週期數目，這是在生物上第一次發現這樣的計時機制。在夜光方面也證實其不但有集中效果，且能相移(phase shift)羽化週期，每延後一天加入羽化時間跟著延後0.52天。在不同溫度處理下，Q10約為1.18，此半月周期計時機制有溫度補償現象，顯然可不受季節影響。

We studied the eclosion rhythm of the marine midge Pontomyia oceana in southern Taiwan. The lunar/semilunr rhythm is known to be endogenous since it persists under continous light or dark conditions. In this study, we discovered that the period of the eclosion rhythm is about 15 days, although the midges have to spend an additional 15 days in the beginning of their lives before entering the eclosion rhythm. The period of the semilunrar eclosion rhythm is controlled by counting cycles of endogenous circadian rhythms which in term was entrainable by external light-dark (LD) cycles. We demonstrated this by modifying the period of LD cycles in different parts of their life histories with or without the entraining factor and then observing the ecolsion times in the laboratory. Night light can entrain the semilunar eclosion rhythm; we discovered that the cue and the eclosion are in the same phase of the semilunar rhythm but with a full cycle of shift. Temperature compensation in period control is demonstrated in this species. Q10 values close to 1 is found between 24 to 30°C in the laboratory.

壹、前言…………………………………………………………………1
貳、材料與方法…………………………………………………………5
參、結果…………………………………………………………………8
肆、討論………………………………………………………………11
參考文獻………………………………………………………………15
表………………………………………………………………………19
圖………………………………………………………………………20
附表……………………………………………………………………33

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