Arrival and habitat use by Lapwings Vanellus vanellus in the early breeding season

The arrival on the breeding grounds and habitat use in relation to agricultural land use by Lapwings Vanellus vanellus was compared in rough grazing and arable study areas in the Midland Valley of Scotland. First arrivals took place in early February. Males preceded females and territory occupation by the males began soon after first arrival. During the pre-breeding period birds remained in flocks and day time habitat use and activity was strongly influenced by the lunar cycle. Birds fed mainly in those habitats in which prey (leatherjackets and earthworms) were most plentiful, and in which their feeding success was high. The choice of nesting habitat was not influenced by food availability in the immediate vicinity of the nest site but by the crypticity of the clutch and incubating adults. On rough grazing birds preferred unimproved land while on arable land spring cereal was the preferred habitat. The choice of actual nesting field on the arable land was influenced by the risk of predation and the proximity of suitable feeding fields for the adults and chicks.     

Effects of Malaria (Plasmodium berghei) on the Maternal-Fetal Relationship in Mice

Plasmodium berghei infection was more severe in pregnant than in nonpregnant mice. Infection initiated on gestation day 7 resulted in rapidly increasing parasitemia and deaths of all pregnant mice within 12 days, while some nonpregnant mice survived until day 21 postinfection. When mice were infected on gestation day 12 or 14, a proportion of mice died before parturition; but some animals survived to deliver living pups. Reduced birthweights and increased spleen weight to body weight ratios were seen in pups from infected mice as compared with pups from uninfected animals. Histopathological abnormalities of placentae from infected animals included degeneration of the normal labyrinthine architecture and thickening of the trophobast separating maternal and fetal blood vessels.     

Greater seed production in elevated CO2 is not accompanied by reduced seed quality in Pinus taeda L.

For herbaceous species, elevated CO₂ often increases seed production but usually leads to decreased seed quality. However, the effects of increased atmospheric CO₂ on tree fecundity remain uncertain, despite the importance of reproduction to the composition of future forests. We determined how seed quantity and quality differed for pine trees grown for 12 years in ambient and elevated (ambient+200 μL L^?1) CO₂, at the Duke Forest free‐air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) site. We also compared annual reproductive effort with yearly measurements of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), precipitation (P), potential evapotranspiration (PET) and water availability [precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration (P?PET)] to investigate factors that may drive interannual variation in seed production. The number of mature, viable seeds doubled per unit basal area in high‐CO₂ plots from 1997 to 2008 (P<0.001), but there was no CO₂ effect on mean seed mass, viability, or nutrient content. Interannual variation in seed production was positively related to ANPP, with a similar percentage of ANPP diverted to reproduction across years. Seed production was negatively related to PET (P<0.005) and positively correlated with water availability (P<0.05), but showed no relationship with precipitation (P=0.88). This study adds to the few findings that, unlike herbaceous crops, woody plants may benefit from future atmospheric CO₂ by producing larger numbers of seeds without suffering degraded seed quality. Differential reproductive responses between functional groups and species could facilitate woody invasions or lead to changes in forest community composition as CO₂ rises.     

Evolution of Distorted Pellicle Patterns in Rigid Photosynthetic Euglenids (Phacus Dujardin)

ABSTRACT. Members of the euglenid genus Phacus are morphologically differentiated from other photosynthetic species by the presence of a rigid cytoskeleton (pellicle) and predominantly dorsoventrally flattened, leaf-shaped cells. In order to better understand the evolutionary history of this lineage, we used scanning electron microscopy to examine patterns of pellicle strips in Phacus acuminatus, Phacus longicauda var. tortus, Phacus triqueter, Phacus segretii, Phacus pleuronectes, Phacus similis, Phacus pusillus, Phacus orbicularis, Phacus warszewiczii , and Discoplastis spathirhyncha , a putative close relative of Phacus and Lepocinclis . Our observations showed that while the earliest diverging species in our analyses, namely P. warszewiczii , has three whorls of exponential reduction, most members of Phacus have clustered patterns of posterior strip reduction that are bilaterally symmetrical distortions of the radially symmetrical "whorled" patterns found in other photosynthetic euglenids. Comparative morphology, interpreted within the context of molecular phylogenetic analyses of combined nuclear small subunit rDNA and partial nuclear large subunit rDNA sequences, demonstrates that clustered patterns of posterior strip reduction arose after the divergence of Phacus from other photosynthetic euglenids and are the result of developmental processes that govern individual strip length. Clustered patterns of pellicle strips in Phacus do not appear to be adaptively significant themselves; they evolved in association with the origin of cell flattening and cell rigidity, which may be adaptations to a planktonic lifestyle.     

Carbon dynamics during flood events in a lowland river: the importance of anabranches

1. Our objective was to measure the influence of hydrological connection with anabranch channels on the availability of major carbon sources in a lowland, anabranching floodplain river landscape. 2. Results show that anabranch channels are sinks for large quantities of sediment‐associated carbon, facilitated by high rates of sediment deposition, and are sources for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), partly via inundation‐stimulated release from surface sediments and leaf litter. This dual role influences ecological pattern and process at multiple spatial and temporal scales, including within‐flow pulse phase differences in carbon availability and anticlockwise hysteresis in the DOC–discharge relationship. 3. Hydrological connection with anabranch channels in riverine landscapes appears to increase the retention, concentration and diversity of carbon sources over both space and time, changing the timing of carbon transport downstream and shortening the carbon spiral at a landscape scale. 4. In contrast to floodplains, anabranches exchange carbon sources with the river ecosystem during flow pulses below bankfull. They are relatively easy to target for management because they have definable commence‐to‐flow levels and require relatively small amounts of water for connection. However, the type and amount of carbon exchanged between the anabranches and the river channel will vary depending on the frequency, magnitude and duration of flow pulses. 5. Managed, periodic connection of anabranch channels via environmental flows should be considered as an option between large flood events.     

Shell decay rates of native and alien freshwater bivalves and implications for habitat engineering

1. Spent shells of bivalves can provide habitat for other organisms, as well as playing important roles in biogeochemical cycles. The amount of spent shell material that will accumulate at a site depends on rates of both shell production and decay, although the latter is rarely considered. 2. We measured the instantaneous decay rates of four species of freshwater bivalves across a range of sites in south‐eastern New York, and found that rates varied by more than 500‐fold across sites and species. 3. Differences in decay rates were related to water chemistry (Ca, pH, dissolved inorganic C), the presence of a current, and the size of the bivalve shell. 4. Combining these decay rates with estimates of shell production derived from the literature, we conclude that the Unionidae, Corbicula, and Dreissena are all capable of producing large accumulations (>10 kg dry mass m⁻²) of spent shells, while members of the Sphaeriidae probably rarely will produce such large accumulations. 5. Hence the replacement of native unionid bivalves by the alien Corbicula and Dreissena may have little effect on standing stocks of spent shells, unless the aliens invade sites where unionids are scarce or absent.     

THREE SCALING METHODS FOR CONSUMER RATING OF SALT INTENSITY

This study aimed to identify a scaling technique, which would offer the greatest degree of discrimination and accuracy in an evaluation of soup samples, varying in salt concentration (0.3, 0.8 and 1.3% salt). A Seven Point Category Scale, a 100 mm Line scale and non-modulus Magnitude Estimation were used to evaluate samples by consumers (n = 36).
A Friedman Two-Way ANOVA and a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test were applied to the data to compare discriminatory ability and accuracy of the scaling techniques. Results revealed that each of the techniques could be used to discriminate between samples (P<0.001). However, none of the three techniques were significantly more accurate than one another. In view of the results and consumer preference/comments for using the Seven Point Category Scale, this technique is proposed as an effective method for consumer rating of salt intensity.     

Differences in Rehydration of Three Desiccation-tolerant Angiosperm Species

The rehydration characteristics of the desiccation-tolerantplantsCraterostigma wilmsii andMyrothamnus flabellifolia (homoiochlorophyllous)andXerophyta viscosa (poikilochlorophyllous) were studied todetermine differences among them. A desiccation-sensitive plant(Pisum sativum) was used as a control. Recovery of water content,quantum efficiency (F_V/F_M), photosynthetic pigments and chloroplastultrastructure as well as damage to the plasmamembrane werestudied. P. sativum did not recover after desiccation and considerabledamage occurred during rehydration. The desiccation-tolerantplants appeared to differ in their responses to dehydrationand rehydration. The small herbaceousC. wilmsii generally showedlittle damage in the dry state and recovered faster than theother tolerant species.M. flabellifolia took longer to recoverthanC. wilmsii probably due to the presence of a woody stemin which dehydration-induced xylem embolisms slowed the rateof recovery. The poikilochlorophyllous speciesX. viscosa tookthe longest to recover because it took longer to reconstitutethe chloroplasts and the photosynthetic pigments. Quantum efficiencyrecovered in all species before water content and chlorophyllcontent recovered to control levels. The significance of thesedifferent responses to desiccation and recovery from desiccationis discussed. Desiccation-tolerant; F_V/F_M; homoiochlorophyllous; poikilochlorophyllous; chlorophyll; chloroplast; ultrastructure; Craterostigma wilmsii ; Myrothamnus flabellifolia ; Xerophyta viscosa ;Pisum sativum     

Biodiversity recovery during rainforest reforestation as indicated by rapid assessment of epigaeic ants in tropical and subtropical Australia

There is growing interest in the potential for reforestation to assist the recovery of rainforest biodiversity. There is also a need to identify taxonomically tractable groups for use as cost‐effective indicators when monitoring the status of biodiversity within reforested sites. Insects are an important component of terrestrial biodiversity but often require considerable resources to sample at species level. Ant genera and generic‐based functional groups have been suggested as possible indicators of environmental disturbance. Here we ask to what extent the development of biodiversity is indicated by epigaeic ant genera and functional groups, across different types of reforestation in tropical and subtropical Australia. In each region, we used pitfall traps to sample the ants in replicate sites of: unmanaged regrowth, monoculture and mixed species plantations and ‘ecological restoration’ plantings, together with reference sites in pasture and rainforest. We recorded 35 epigaeic ant genera (and 4623 individuals) from 50 tropical sites, and 39 genera (and 9904 individuals) from 54 subtropical sites, with 47 genera overall. Community composition of both genera and functional groups differed between pasture and rainforest, although many genera were widespread in both. Reforested sites were intermediate between pasture and rainforest in both regions, and showed a gradient associated with decreasing grass and increasing tree and litter cover. Older monoculture plantations and ecological restoration plantings had the most rainforest‐like ant assemblages, and mixed‐species cabinet timber plots the least, of the reforested sites. We conclude that ground‐active ant genera and functional groups sampled in rapid surveys by pitfall‐trapping showed only a modest ability to discriminate among different types of reforestation. Species‐level identification, perhaps together with expanded sampling effort, could be more informative, but would require resourcing beyond the scope of rapid assessments.