Natural and experimental hybridization inArmeria (Plumbaginaceae):A. villosa subsp.carratracensis

An experimental crossing program was carried out in order to test the hypothesis thatArmeria villosa subsp.carratracensis, a serpentine endemic from Southern Spain, is of hybrid origin. Fruit-set and mainly pollen stainability data in artificial hybrids demonstrate that internal interspecific barriers are weak. Two generations of backcrossing with the two putative parents —A. colorata andA. villosa subsp.longiaristata— can restore pollen stainability to an average of 83.2 and 68.7, respectively. A morphometric analysis of 148 specimens belonging to parental species, different artificial hybrid generations and wild putative hybrid race shows that (1) morphological characters have a strong genetic basis and thus are good markers in identifying hybrids and introgression inArmeria; (2) artificial backcrossing produces in morphometrical characters a variation which conforms in both trend and magnitude to what is commonly attributed in the wild to introgression; (3) the position of the putative hybrid race is intermediate between the two parental species used in the program. These results are in accordance with the hypothesis of hybrid origin ofA. villosa subsp.carratracensis. Natural and experimental hybridization inArmeria, I     

Population sizes and within-deme movement of Trimerotropis saxatilis (Acrididae), a grasshopper with a fragmented distribution

Capture-mark-recapture studies were initiated in 1990 on four Missouri populations of the lichen grasshopper, Trimerotropis saxatilis. This grasshopper lives only on glade habitat, predominantly in the Ozark Mountains. Genetic data suggest that no gene flow occurs among T. saxatilis populations. Lichen grasshopper population size (both present and historical), and the likelihood of movement within and between glades, are the subjects of this study. Population sizes on all glades were found to be small (<280 individuals) and to vary from year to year. Inbreeding effective sizes were found to be much larger than census sizes. On one of the sites, Graham Cave Glade, population size was calculated for 5 years; in 3 of those years (1991, 1993 and 1994) our studies of this population also tested for movement of T. saxatilis individuals among different regions of the moderately subdivided glade. Maintenance of Graham Cave Glade (burning and clearing) was initiated after the 1991 capture-mark-recapture season. Comparisons of before-and after-burning intraglade movement probabilities did not show a significant difference. Grasshoppers more frequently remained in the part of the glade where they were previously captured, but were able to move about the moderately subdivided glade. The presence of a closed-canopy forest, rather than distance, appears to be an effective dispersal barrier.     

Computed energy profiles for ion transport in the gramicidin A channel

Energy profiles have been established for the transport of Na⁺, K⁺ and Cs⁺ through the gramicidin A channel. In Urry’s head-to-headβ _3.3 ^6.3 left-handed helical dimer structure, using a refined methodology for the calculation of intra and intermolecular interactions. The computations show the important role, for the energy profile and the position of the possible binding site, of the flexible ethanolamine chain, whose significance was till now overlooked. The calculations indicate that the barriers at the entrance and at the center of the channel should be in the order Na⁺ XXX K⁺ XXX Cs⁺ but predict also that the energies of the binding sites should be the greatest for Na⁺ and, then, comparable for K⁺ and Cs⁺. The indications concerning the barriers are confirmed by experiment.     

Barriers to ecosystem restoration presented by soil legacy effects of invasive alien N2‐fixing woody species: implications for ecological restoration

Impacts of invasive alien N₂‐fixing woody species and how they can persist as soil legacy effects after invasive species control are well appreciated, but how soil legacy effects can present barriers to restoration is poorly understood. Finding better ways to deal with these barriers to restoration is essential to improving restoration outcomes. In this study, we review 440 studies to identify barriers to restoration and potential management actions for the barriers to restoration, and provide practical application examples of the management actions. Our findings suggest that altered soil microbial communities, depleted native soil seed banks, elevated N status, secondary invasion and weedy native species dominance, and reinvasion are potential barriers to restoration. Furthermore, carbon addition, litter removal, soil microbial treatments, establishing species adapted to low N levels, prescribed burning, classical biological control, grazing, mowing, herbicide or graminicide application, manual weeding, soil N management, soil solarization, weed mats, native species reintroduction, and nurse plants are potential management actions for these barriers to restoration. However, there is little evidence suggesting that several of these barriers to restoration hinder improved restoration outcomes and this could be due to little research on them. More research is needed to assess their relative importance in hindering improved restoration outcomes. Management actions are rarely applied in combination, despite that they often address distinct barriers to restoration. Management actions should be combined into an integrated management effort to improve restoration outcomes.     

Frequency of interspecific matings and of hybrid offspring in sympatric populations of Vtviparus ater and V. contectus (Mollusca: Prosobranchia)

In species pairs able to produce fertile hybrids, the amount of introgression can be limited by the frequency of interspecific copulations. We investigated the frequency of interspecific copulations between Kviparus ater and V. contectus and the proportion of hybrid offspring of V. ater females in natural populations in northern Italy. Although there was significant assortative mating, the frequency of interspecific copulations was substantial. At sites where V. contectus was rare, 5.9% of all matings, and up to 73% of matings in which V. contectus was involved, were interspecific. At sites where both species were abundant 14.8% of all matings were interspecific. Male-male matings occurred in approximately 3% of copulations. In 1993, 12 out of 325 V. ater females collected from 10 sympatric populations and held in isolation for two to five months gave birth to 25 hybrid offspring, out of a total of 2548 offspring produced by all females. The proportion of hybrid offspring (ranging from 0 to 2.3% depending on the site) was positively related to the proportion of V. contectus in the population. Since interspecific copulations are frequent and hybrid offspring are produced in nature, we conclude that assortative mating is not an effective isolating mechanism between V. ater and V. contectus.     

Genetic structure of the threatened Phaedranassa schizantha (Amaryllidaceae)

Phaedranassa schizantha (Amaryllidaceae) is an endangered species endemic to Ecuador and two varieties have been described: P. schizantha var. schizantha and P. schizantha var. ignea. We assessed population genetic structure and demographic patterns in 11 populations across the range of the species using 13 microsatellite loci. Our data show that genetic diversity was generally lower in the southern part of the range and was especially low in populations closest to cities. We found significant population differentiation (F_ST = 0.14, D_EST = 0.34) and evidence of a genetic bottleneck. Genetic variation did not show isolation by distance. Instead, results suggest genetic barriers around two main cities. Bayesian analysis identified two genetic groups, neither of which represents either of the two varieties previously recognized. Coalescent analysis indicates a relatively recent colonization pattern between the two genetic groups (< 3000 generations). Conservation efforts need to be taken to facilitate genetic exchange between the groups, especially between locations that seem to be genetically isolated.     

Phylogeography of the antilopine wallaroo (Macropus antilopinus) across tropical northern Australia

The distribution of antilopine wallaroo, Macropus antilopinus, is marked by a break in the species’ range between Queensland and the Northern Territory, coinciding with the Carpentarian barrier. Previous work on M. antilopinus revealed limited genetic differentiation between the Northern Territory and Queensland M. antilopinus populations across this barrier. The study also identified a number of divergent lineages in the Northern Territory, but was unable to elucidate any geographic structure. Here, we re‐examine these results to (1) determine phylogeographic patterns across the range of M. antilopinus and (2) infer the biogeographic barriers associated with these patterns. The tropical savannahs of northern Australia: from the Cape York Peninsula in the east, to the Kimberley in the west. We examined phylogeographic patterns in M. antilopinus using a larger number of samples and three mtDNA genes: NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2, cytochrome b, and the control region. Two datasets were generated and analyzed: (1) a subset of samples with all three mtDNA regions concatenated together and (2) all samples for just control region sequences that included samples from the previous study. Analysis included generating phylogenetic trees based on Bayesian analysis and intraspecific median‐joining networks. The contemporary spatial structure of M. antilopinus mtDNA lineages revealed five shallow clades and a sixth, divergent lineage. The genetic differences that we found between Queensland and Northern Territory M. antilopinus samples confirmed the split in the geographic distribution of the species. We also found weak genetic differentiation between Northern Territory samples and those from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, possibly due to the Kimberley Plateau–Arnhem Land barrier. Within the Northern Territory, two clades appear to be parapatric in the west, while another two clades are broadly sympatric across the Northern Territory. MtDNA diversity of M. antilopinus revealed an unexpectedly complex evolutionary history involving multiple sympatric and parapatric mtDNA clades across northern Australia. These phylogeographic patterns highlight the importance of investigating genetic variation across distributions of species and integrating this information into biodiversity conservation.     

The impact of aquatic macrophyte (Salix sp. and Cladium mariscus (L.) Pohl.) removal on habitat conditions and macroinvertebrates of tufa barriers (Plitvice Lakes, Croatia)

The effects of aquatic macrophyte (willows and sawgrass) removal on flow velocity, tufa deposition, POM dynamics, and macroinvertebrate community structure were studied in the tufa barrier habitats of the barrage system of Plitvice Lakes, Croatia. Samples were collected from two hydraulic habitats (fast > 100 cm s⁻¹ and slow < 100 cm s⁻¹) at both a control (no macrophytes removed) and impact (macrophytes removed) site. Samples were collected with a core sampler (four layers in vertical profile of barrier bed) monthly on 6 dates before and 7 dates after the removal of macrophytes. Macrophytes were removed in May 2002 at the impact site. After the macrophyte removal flow velocity decreased significantly at both hydraulic habitats. Retarded flow resulted in: (a) a decrease in macroinvertebrate density and diversity since most of the taxa were rheophilic (preferring habitats with higher flow velocity) and (b) an increase in POM concentrations (FPOM and UPOM) since decreases in flow velocity facilitate particle deposition in lotic habitats. The effects of macrophyte removal were present, and diminish along the vertical sediment profile of the barrier bed. Tufa deposition was not influenced by the macrophyte removal. Electronic supplementary material Electronic supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users.