The cytotaxonomic study of theVicia cracca complex 2. The taxa of the southern part of northern Europe

In the southern parts of Scandinavia there occur two species of theVicia cracca L. complex:Vicia cracca L., represented by the chromosome race 2n=28, andV. oreophila ?ertová. WhereasV. oreophila predominantly inhabits habitats of primary character, especially near the coast, the tetraploid race ofV. cracca, which is the commonest in other parts of area, occurs predominantly on sites of secondary character, such as the borders of paths, roads, meadows and bushy places. The two species differ in several characters.     

Some new taxa inLotus corniculatus L.

Four new taxa in the variable speciesLotus corniculatus L. has been described: var.alandicus Chrtková-?ertová, var.norvegicus Chrtková-?ertová, var.fallax Chrtková-?ertová and var.posoniensis Chrtková-?ertová.     

Über den Einflu\ des Hyperhypophysismus auf das Wachstum,die Entwicklung und Pigmentation der Amphibienlarven

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Invasive round goby Neogobius melanostomus has sex‐dependent locomotor activity and is under‐represented in catches from passive fishing gear compared with seine catches

The higher proportion of males of the invasive round goby Neogobius melanostomus in samples from two activity selective passive fishing gears compared with one activity non‐selective fishing gear in three Dutch lakes is related to higher male locomotory activity and is a sex‐dependent trait. This difference in activity reflects the different ecology of male and female N. melanostomus.     

Phylogeography of the Lacerta viridis complex: mitochondrial and nuclear markers provide taxonomic insights

Based on broad, nearly rangewide sampling, we reanalysed the phylogeography of the Lacerta viridis complex using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the intron 7 of the nuclear β‐fibrinogen gene. Using the mitochondrial marker, we identified in phylogenetic analyses 10 terminal clades clustering in four deeply divergent main lineages whose relationships are weakly resolved. These lineages correspond to Lacerta bilineata, L. viridis, the previously identified Adriatic or West Balkan lineage and a newly discovered fourth lineage from the Anatolian Black Sea coast and the south‐eastern Balkan Peninsula. Except for the latter lineage, there is considerable phylogeographic structuring in each lineage, with higher diversity in the south of the distribution ranges. This pattern indicates the existence of two distinct microrefugia in the Italian Peninsula and Sicily and of up to seven microrefugia in the Balkan Peninsula, but of only one refugium along the Black Sea coast of Anatolia. We identified secondary contact zones of the main lineages and of terminal clades within these lineages. However, most of the formerly described putative contact zone of L. bilineata and L. viridis turned out to be a contact zone between the Adriatic lineage and L. viridis, but L. bilineata seems to be involved only marginally. Our nuclear marker could not unambiguously resolve whether there is gene flow in contact zones. Thus, further research is necessary to decide whether the four main lineages are conspecific or whether they represent distinct biological species. We restrict the name L. v. meridionalis to the newly identified genetic lineage from Turkey and south‐eastern Europe, synonymize some previously recognized taxa and suggest a tentative nomenclature for the L. viridis complex.     

Ontogenetic plasticity of anatomical and ecophysiological traits and their correlations in Iris pumila plants grown in contrasting light conditions

To better understand what directs and limits the evolution of phenotype, constraints in the realization of the optimal phenotype need to be addressed. That includes estimations of variability of adaptively important traits as well as their correlation structures, but also evaluation of how they are affected by relevant environmental conditions and development phases. The aims of this study were to analyze phenotypic plasticity, genetic variability and correlation structures of important Iris pumila leaf traits in different light environments and ontogenetic phases, and estimate its evolutionary potential. Stomatal density, specific leaf area, total chlorophyll concentration and chlorophyll a/b ratio were analyzed on I. pumila full‐sib families in the seedling phase and on the same plants after 3 years of growth in contrasting light conditions typical for ontogenetic stage in question. There was a significant phenotypic plasticity in both ontogenetic stages, but significant genetic variability was detected only for chlorophyll concentrations. Correlations of the same trait between different stages were weak due to changes in environmental conditions and difference in ontogenetic reaction norms of different genotypes. Ontogenetic variability of correlation structures was detected, where correlations and integration were higher in seedlings compared with adult plants 3 years later. Correlations were affected by environmental conditions, with integration being higher in the lower light conditions, but correlations between phases being stronger in the higher light treatment. These findings demonstrated that the analyzed traits can be selected and can mostly evolve independently in different environments and ontogenetic stages, with low genetic variability as a potentially main constraint.     

Blue mould decay of stored onion bulbs caused by Penicillium polonicum,P. glabrum and P. expansum

Onion bulbs (Allium cepa L.) can be stored for up to 12 months to ensure their availability all year, but one of the limiting factors is decay caused by blue mould fungi. Postharvest development of blue mould is not only economically important, but also poses a health hazard due to mycotoxin contamination. Onion bulbs of different yellow and red cultivars with blue mould symptoms were collected from three storage facilities in Serbia. Pathogenic isolates were identified and characterized based on their molecular (partial β‐tubulin gene), morphological (micro‐ and macromorphology, and colony growth) and biochemical properties (analyses of indole metabolites via Ehrlich test). Three Penicillium species were identified: P. polonicum, P. glabrum and P. expansum. Virulence on inoculated onion bulbs varied significantly within isolates of P. glabrum, but the most virulent isolate of P. polonicum and P. glabrum did not differ, nor did they differ from an isolate of P. expansum. Variability in virulence of individual P. glabrum isolates corresponded to differences in their molecular and macromorphological characters. P. glabrum and P. expansum were identified for the first time as causal agents of onion bulb decay in Serbia. Data from this investigation provide insight into diversity of economically important and possibly toxigenic blue mould fungi which brings attention to their presence in storage facilities and therefore the necessity of the application of prevention measures.