The reproductive biology of the crystal goby with a comparison to that of the transparent goby

A histological analysis of the gonad of the pelagic crystal goby Crystallogobius linearis , from the coastal central area of the Adriatic Sea, showed it to be a truly semelparous species; after the first spawning the mature gonads of both males and females appeared to have lost the capability for further spawning. Mature females had very low fecundity (200–700 mature oocytes) and small egg size (0·2–0·55 mm) similarly to other progenetic species. This reproductive strategy is compared with that of Aphia minuta , and a possible cause for the post-reproductive mortality of the two gobies is suggested and discussed.     

Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) offers cardiac protection against ischaemia/reperfusion in the isolated perfused rat heart

Rooibos, a unique South African herbal tea, is known to be an important source of unique polyphenolic compounds. In the present study we have quantified the main polyphenolic compounds in both fermented/traditional and unfermented/"green" rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and evaluated its cardioprotective effects against ischaemia/reperfusion injury. Male Wistar rats consumed aqueous rooibos and green tea (Camellia sinensis) extracts (2%, w/v) for 7 weeks before their hearts were rapidly excised and perfused in a working heart perfusion apparatus. The results showed that the rooibos supplemented hearts significantly improved aortic output recovery after reperfusion when compared to the green tea supplemented hearts. Additionally, we showed that the rooibos extracts, containing the highest amount of flavonols, significantly decreased the level of cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, both pro-apoptotic proteins, during reperfusion when compared to green tea. Green tea supplementation increased phosphorylation of total PKB/Akt, Akt (threonine 308) and Akt (serine 473). The rooibos extracts did not cause significant change in the levels of the pro-survival PKB/Akt (threonine 308 and serinet 473). The GSH/GSSG ratio in the hearts of the green tea supplemented group was significantly (p<0.05) lower when compared to RF (37.78±28.63), RU (33.20±4.13) and C (45.50±14.96). The results clearly demonstrate the cardio-protective properties of aqueous rooibos extracts via the inhibition of apoptosis which can possibly be related to the flavonol content of this unique South African herbal tea.     

土壤水分胁迫下沙漠葳的光合生理特征

以从美国西部引进的沙生灌木——沙漠葳（Chilopsis linearis）的2年生实生苗为材料,通过盆栽试验于7-9份进行轻度、中度和重度土壤水分胁迫处理并分析其光合生理响应特征.结果显示：（1）60 d中度或重度土壤水分胁迫使沙漠葳的净光合速率（Pn）、水分利用效率（WUE）和光补偿点（LCP）显著降低,暗呼吸速率（DRR）减弱,而气孔导度（Cs）增大,气孔限制值（Ls）变小.（2）Pn日变化在7月份的轻度和中度土壤水分胁迫下表现为双峰曲线,其余月份的胁迫处理均为单峰曲线,同期内各胁迫处理Pn峰值出现的时间基本相同,而且8月份各水分胁迫的Pn值显著高于其它月份;WUE的日变化趋势和Pn日变化相似,而且土壤水分胁迫越严重,其水分利用效率越低;各水分胁迫处理的Pn和Tr光响应拟合曲线均基本呈抛物线形或倒抛物线形.（3）在轻度和中度土壤水分胁迫的初期,Pn降低主要受气孔限制因素的影响,随着胁迫期的延长和胁迫的加重,Pn降低由气孔限制为主逐步转向以非气孔限制为主.研究表明,沙漠葳对干旱胁迫具有一定的适应能力,但长期中度或重度干旱胁迫都会影响沙漠葳的正常生长发育,使其光合生产力大大降低.     

玉米花粉对螟长距茧蜂成虫寿命的影响

为了探明玉米花粉对玉米螟幼虫期主要天敌螟长距茧蜂的营养效应,作者在田间养虫室研究了玉米花粉对螟长距茧蜂成虫寿命的影响。结果表明：玉米花粉液能明显延长螟长距茧蜂的成虫寿命。雄成虫寿命与食物水分有密切关系。单一玉米花粉对成虫寿命影响很小,只有与水混合才能使花粉粒中的养分渗透到水中而发挥作用。雌成虫寿命随取食花柑液时间的增长而延长。花粉的浸水时间以24小时最佳。结果证明了玉米、玉米螟与螟长距茧蜂三个营养层间在食物营养方面的协同进化关系。     

Genetic and physiological characterization of Flaveria linearis plants having a reduced activity of cytosolic fructose-1.6-bisphosphatase

We investigated the genetic control of cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (cytFBPase) activity, and the relationships between sucrose synthesis capacity and photosynthesis, growth, flowering and whole-plant carbon partitioning in Flaveria linearis Lag. F₁; F₂, and selfed lines generated from plants with low or high cytFBPase activity were used. CytFBPase activity was controlled by one gene and inherited co-dominantly, giving three classes of activity (low, intermediate and high). Reversed O₂ sensitivity of photosynthesis, which indicates an end-product limitation on photosynthesis, was controlled by one gene and co-segregated with low cytFBPase activity. A low activity of cytFBPase decreased the growth rate. A recessive day-neutral flowering trait in Flaveria linearis did not co-segregate with cytFBPase activity. Plants with low cytFBPase activity had an increased shoot-to-root ratio, and flowering caused an additional shift in carbon partitioning to shoots only in plants with low cytFBPase activity. These data indicate that altering sucrose synthesis can affect photosynthesis and plant growth and development.     

Der Einfluß von Insektiziden auf die Mumienmortalität des Parasitoiden Monoctonus cerasi (Marshall) (Hymenoptera,Aphidiidae)

Die Behandlung von Zuckerrübensaatgut mit Furadan und anderen systemischen Insektiziden auf der Basis des Wirkstoffes Carbofuran wurde im ukrainischen Zuckerrübenanbau etabliert. Sie ist ökonomisch und ökologisch vorteilhaft gegenüber anderen Anwendungsformen von Insektiziden. Die biologische Effektivität gegenüber den Rüsslerarten Bothynoderes punctiventris Germ und Tanymecus palliatus (F). Erdfioharten (Chaetocnema spp.) und Moosknopfkäfer (Atomaria linearis Steph.) ist zwar abhängig von Witterung, Dosis und Saatgutfraktion, aber in der Regel ausreichend. Gegenüber der Rübenblattlaus (Aphis fabae Scop.), Rübenminierfliege (Pegomya hyoscyami (Panz.) sowie Drahtwürmern (Elateridae‐Larven) ist die Wirkung stärker von Aussaattermin und Witterung abhängig. Die Phytotoxizität wird vom Humusgehalt des Bodens und seiner Feuchtigkeit, dem pH‐Wert, der Bodenart, aber auch der Saatgutfraktion beeinflußt. Eine kurzzeitige negative Beeinflussung bodenmikrobiologischer Aktivität wurde festgestellt, jedoch erwies sich die Aussaat behandelten Saatgutes praktisch ohne Einfluß auf die epigäische Nützlingsfauna.     

On the absence of previously reported Japanese and Peruvian species of Prionitis (Halymeniaceae, Rhodophyta) in the northeast Pacific

Partial rbc L sequences of type specimens, historically significant specimens and recently collected comparative specimens are used to demonstrate that Prionitis decipiens (Montagne) J. Agardh (type locality: Paita, Peru), Prionitis angusta (Harvey) Okamura (type locality: Shimoda, Japan, currently known as Grateloupia angusta (Harvey) Kawaguchi et Wang) and Prionitis cornea (Okamura) E. Y. Dawson (type locality: Shizuoka, Japan, currently known as Grateloupia cornea Okamura), all previously reported from the northeast (NE) Pacific (California, USA and Baja California, Mexico), were not, and currently are not, present. Historically significant specimens from the NE Pacific specifically annotated by E. Y. Dawson as belonging to P. cornea or specifically annotated by I. A. Abbott as belonging to P. angusta were sequenced and shown to belong to either Prionitis linearis Kylin (type locality: La Jolla, California, USA) or to Prionitis filiformis Kylin (type locality: San Francisco, California, USA). The lectotype of Gelidium decipiens Montagne (basionym of Prionitis decipiens ) is narrowed to a single specimen illustrated by Montagne, and a lectotype is designated for P. linearis . The utility of partial rbc L sequences (less than 200 base pairs) for determining the identity of specimens is discussed, as is the importance of sequencing type and historically significant specimens.     

Effects of fern thickets on woodland development on landslides in Puerto Rico

Abstract. Thicket-forming ferns are common colonizers of disturbed habitats in the tropics, but little is known about their ecology. The effects of thickets formed by the fern Dicranopteris pectinata on tree seedlings on five landslides in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in northeastern Puerto Rico were both positive and negative. Soil moisture and total soil N were higher under fern thickets than in adjacent open areas and soil bulk density and soil surface temperatures were lower. Germination of seeds of the tree Cecropia schreberiana was higher for seeds sown under fern thickets than for those sown into adjacent open areas. Tree seedlings of Tabebuia hetero-phylla exhibited a threefold reduction in photosynthesis under ferns, probably resulting from a twelvefold reduction of photosynthetic photon flux density. Growth of Tabebuia seedlings was reduced under ferns but the distribution of seedlings of naturally occurring woody plants was not strongly correlated with the presence of fern thickets. Although fern thickets on low-nutrient landslide soils appear to facilitate germination, they inhibit growth of tree seedlings and may, therefore, delay forest development on landslides in Puerto Rico.