Inorganic nitrogen processing and assimilation in a forested wetland

Feeding selectivity by five epilithic, case-building trichopteran species from a first-order stream was examined using laboratory experiments. Larvae had the choice of three food types: periphyton and detritus from the stream, and nettle broth as an artificial food source. Food type influenced the microdistribution of these species. Larvae were able to distinguish between different food types and showed species-specific responses to the various types of food. Drusus annulatus, Micrasema longulum and Apatania fimbriata favoured periphyton, while Agapetus fuscipes and Silo pallipes showed no preference for periphyton over detritus. Four of the five species examined (Apatania fimbriata was the exception) tended to avoid nettle broth. The complexity of foraging behaviour was illustrated by M. longulum. Given a choice between detritus, periphyton and periphyton with the addition of moss, they clearly preferred the latter food type, scraping mostly on the epiphytic algae. Proportions of a given species selecting periphyton were correlated with percentage areas of algae in the gut contents of that species in the field. D. annulatus, M. longulum and A. fimbriata showed the greatest preference for periphyton, and consumed the highest proportions of algae in the field. A. fuscipes and S. pallipes often selected detritus, and these species had the lowest proportions of algae, and the highest proportions of detritus, in their guts.     

The influence of environmental manipulations on inter– and intra–individual variation in food acquisition and growth performance of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus

Repeated measurements of food intake made on juvenile Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus , held under different rearing conditions enabled examination of the effects of environmental manipulations on both intra– and inter–individual variations in food intake to be made. This permitted the assessment of the influences of differential food acquisition on individual growth rates and biomass gain. When charr were held in isolation individual fish showed relatively little day–to–day variability in food intake and inter–individual differences in intake were small ('base–fine' values). All fish exhibited positive rates of growth and the overall range was narrow. Nevertheless, there was a highly significant positive correlation between food intake and growth, indicating that those individuals that consumed the greatest quantities of food were also those that had the highest rates of weight gain. The rearing of charr in groups led to increases in both intra– and inter–individual variations in food intake to levels considerably above 'base–line'. This increased variability in food intake was reflected in rates of weight gain being more variable amongst the charr reared in groups, with fish that lost weight often being recorded. Manipulation of the rearing environment had marked influences upon intra–individual variability in food intake, inter–individual differences in food acquisition and rates of weight gain. High stocking densities and exposure of the fish to moderate water currents were most effective in reducing levels of variability to approach those observed under 'base–line' conditions.     

Insulin pretreatment (imprinting) produces elevated capacity in the insulin binding of Tetrahymena. Different binding by the cilia of the body and oral field

Gold-labeled insulin is bound first of all to the cilia of the oral field of Tetrahymena. A primary treatment (hormonal imprinting) with insulin increases the binding capacity even after 24h and makes it more sensitive for appearance a week later, within a minute of giving insulin-gold. The food vacuoles contain insulin-gold in pretreated cells or without pretreatment as well, though in imprinted situations the label can be found in pinocytotic vesicles at the bases of cilia in the oral field. Altogether, a functional difference can be observed between the cilia of the oral and non-oral surfaces of Tetrahymena and hormonal imprinting has a specifying effect on the binding of labeled hormone.     

Survey of the howling monkey population at La Pacifica: A seven-year follow-up

We surveyed the howling monkey population at La Pacifica in Costa Rica over a 1-month period in July and August 1991. The survey method consisted of an initial 6-day survey, directly comparable to a 1984 survey, and at least two repeat surveys of all areas to locate all groups and to identify all animals. The initial survey indicated an increase in the number of groups and a decrease in the size of groups from earlier surveys, though the group composition was unchanged. We used the results of initial and repeat surveys to determine population size and composition. We located 30 groups with a total of 370 animals. Twenty-one groups contained animals marked with collars and/or legbands, and four additional groups contained animals with clearly identifiable white markings. Although the population structure has changed over 7 years, it is still within the species-typical range for Alouatta palliata.     

Diet ofColobus polykomos on Tiwai Island: Selection of food in relation to its seasonal abundance and nutritional quality

A group of Colobus polykomosat Tiwai, Sierra Leone, demonstrated seasonal flexibility in its diet, with seeds, young leaves, and mature leaves each dominating the diet at different times. Comparison of food consumption with phenological data indicates that seeds are eaten whenever available and are preferred to other foods, while young leaves are preferred to mature leaves. Colobus polykomosalso prefer liane to tree leaves, despite the relatively high quality of mature tree foliage at the Tiwai site. Analysis of protein, fiber, and energy values of foods selected and items available, but not eaten, suggests that preference is related to protein and energy maximization. Leguminous plants, especially Papilionaceae and Mimosaceae, are highlighted as important food sources for C. polykomos;seeds and leaves from these families have a high nitrogen content, and the protein content of leguminous seeds often equals or exceeds that found in leaves. It is predicted, therefore, that colobines living in habitats with a high density of legumes will feed heavily on seeds, subject to constraints such as seasonal availability. Where suitable leguminous species are less common, a mixture of fruits, seeds, and young or mature leaves or both is likely to be selected. The results of this and other recent studies of colobines do not support the notion that colobines are specialist folivores.     

Changes in carbon storage in temperate humic loamy soils after forest clearing and continuous corn cropping in France

Soil samples from forest and agricultural sites in three areas of southwest France were collected to determine the effect of forest conversion to continuous intensive corn cropping with no organic matter management on soil organic carbon (C) content. Soils were humic loamy soils and site characteristics that may affect soil C were as uniform as possible (slope, elevation, texture, soil type, vegetation). Three areas were selected, with adjacent sites of various ages of cultivation (3 to 35 yr), and paired control forest sites. The ploughed horizon (0-Dt cm) and the Dt-50 cm layer were collected at each agricultural site. In forest sites, each 10 cm layer was collected systematically down to 1 meter depth. Carbon concentrations were converted to total content to a given depth as the product of concentration, depth of sample and bulk density, and expressed in units of kg m^-2. For each site and each sampled layer, the mineral mass of soil was calculated, in order to base comparisons on the same soil mass rather than the same depth. The pattern of C accumulation in forest soils showed an exponential decrease with depth. Results suggested that soil organic carbon declined rapidly during the first years of cultivation, and at a slower rate thereafter. This pattern of decrease can be fitted by a bi-exponential model assuming that initial soil organic carbon can be separated into two parts, a very labile pool reduced during the first rapid decline and more refractory fractions oxidizing at a slower rate. Sampling to shallow depths (0-Dt cm) resulted in over-estimation of the rate of carbon release in proportion to the initial amount of C, and in under-estimation of the total loss of C with age. The results for the 0–50 cm horizon indicated that losses of total carbon average about 50% in these soils, ranging in initial carbon content from 19 to 32.5 kg m^-2. Carbon release to the atmosphere averaged 0.8 kg m^-2 yr^-1 to 50 cm depth during the first 10 years of cultivation. The results demonstrate that temperate soils may also be an important source of atmospheric carbon, when they are initially high in carbon content and then cultivated intensively with no organic matter management.     

Survival of Aeromonas hydrophila and Listeria monocytogenes on fresh vegetables stored under moderate vacuum

Storage at 6.5°C under moderate vacuum effectively prevented growth of Aeromonas hydrophila on chicory endive, but had only a limited inhibitory effect on the growth of the organism on mung bean sprouts. Growth of Listeria monocytogenes on chicory endive was strongly stimulated under these conditions, whereas it was decreased on mung-bean sprouts.     

武汉东湖桡足类的生态学演变

根据１９６２－１９６３,１９７４－１９７５,１９７９－１９９１年在武汉东湖进行的调查资料,考察了过去三十年内在东湖两个代表性采样站桡足类的种类组成及现存量的变化。结果表明：桡足类种类数由６０年代的１４种减少为９０年代的７种,Ｉ、Ⅱ站在种类组成的差别趋于消失。统计结果表明,东湖桡足类现存量以８０年代初、中期较高。但在水平分布格局上却发生了根本变化,由１９８７年前的Ｉ站现存量高于Ⅱ站,至１９８７年后Ⅱ站高于Ｉ站。本文还就影响东湖桡足类演变的生态因子进行了讨论。     

On the relationship between food, reproduction and survival of two carabid beetles: Calathus melanocephalus and Pterostichus versicolor

Abstract.

• 1 The relative influences of temperature and availability of food on reproduction, survival and growth of all developmental stages of two carabid beetle species are discussed with special reference to the suggested relationship between availability of food, size of egg production and survival of adults from one breeding season to the next.
• 2 Temperature as well as food supply influence the length of larval growth and adult body size. Beetles grown at low temperatures and low amounts of food are smaller than those grown at higher temperature and with more food.
• 3 The number of eggs laid per female was correlated with the amount of food gathered. There was no inverse relationship (trade-off) between reproductive output and survival in the field until the next breeding season.
• 4 In 1980 no significant relationship was found between winter mortality and the amounts of food gathered by beetles in the period after reproduction and before winter diapause. However, in 1981 in C. melanocephalus a lower number of starved beetles survived the winter than the fed ones and‘field’beetles.
• 5 Only in the first part of the feeding activity period in autumn can enough food be gathered by C.melunocephalus for successful hibernation. In the second part of this period there is not enough food to build up the fat reserves needed to survive the winter.
• 6 Difference in population fluctuations of both species are discussed in relation to their life histories.