Growth, fledging success and post-fledging survival of juvenile Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

We studied the consequences of differences in growth rate on the subsequent survival of Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus chicks. Fledging success increased sharply with growth rate, from zero in chicks growing at less than 6 g per day to about 85% in chicks growing at more than 10 g per day. The age at which chicks fledged varied from 27 to 52 days. Chicks which fledged at an early age displayed a much faster growth rate than later fledging chicks. Although slow growth resulted in a considerable prolongation of the period before fledging, slow-growing chicks fledged at a smaller size and with a lower body-weight than fast-growing chicks. After fledging, all chicks remained almost completely dependent on their parents up to an age of 3 months and often longer.
Almost 40% of the fledglings eventually returned to the breeding area. This figure probably reflects post-fledging survival. Age and size at fledging had no effect on a chick's probability of return. Body-weight at fledging had a small positive correlation with the return probability, but this was not statistically significant. We conclude that although slow growth severely reduces a chick's chance of fledging, it probably does not result in irreversible damage causing an increased risk of mortality during the first years after fledging. Apparently, any possible disadvantage associated with small size or low body-weight could be compensated for after fledging.     

Plant‐mediated effects of butterfly egg deposition on subsequent caterpillar and pupal development,across different species of wild Brassicaceae

1. Herbivory can change plant quality, which may have consequences for interactions between the inducing herbivore and other insect community members. 2. Studies investigating the effects of plant quality on herbivore performance often have neglected the egg stage, and instead introduced larvae onto the plant. Recently, we reported that herbivore oviposition by Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus) (Large Cabbage White Butterfly) reduced the plant quality of Brassica nigra L. (black mustard) for subsequent herbivores. 3. It remains unclear how persistent and common these plant‐mediated effects of oviposition are. Here, five species of wild Brassicaceae were used (B. nigra L., Brassica oleracea L., Sinapis arvensis L., Moricandia arvensis L., and Moricandia moricandioides Boiss). The response to oviposition by the specialist P. brassicae was determined by following the natural sequence of events: oviposition, egg, larval, and pupal development. All tested plant species are known to interact with P. brassicae in nature. Caterpillar, pupal mass, and development time on plants exposed to butterfly eggs were assessed compared with egg‐free plants. 4. It was shown that the plant‐mediated effects of oviposition are not specific for B. nigra but occur in most of the tested plant species except for M. arvensis. However, the strength of the plant‐mediated effect on caterpillar growth depended on plant species. Thus, across different members of the Brassicaceae family, oviposition can influence plant quality and has negative consequences on P. brassicae growth. Further studies are needed to assess to what extent this trait might be phylogenetically conserved.     

Évolution horaire au cours d'une journée normale de la photosynthèse, de la transpiration, de la respiration foliaire et racinaire et de la nutrition N.P.K. chez Zea mays

Hourly development during a normal day of photosynthesis, transpiration, leaf and root respiration, and of N.P.K nutrition in Zea mays. Metabolism of Zea mays L. cv. INRA F₇×F₂ can be measured hourly with the “C₂3A system”, under favourable and constant growth conditions. The photosynthesis is especially stable and is submitted only to a development linked with the leaf surface growth. During the vegetative stage the leaf surface increases regularly both in the day and in the night. The water loss does not change during the diurnal period and remains important during the night if humidity is less than 100%. The leaf respiration is nearly stable. The root respiration, measured with O₂ and CO₂, fluctuates according to a typical rhythm with two maxima. Day and night mean rates were about the same. The respiratory quotient is about one during the vegetative stage. There is no decrease in the rate of phosphate absorption during the night, and a very small decrease in the rate of nitrate absorption. Ammonium is totally consumed in the first hours after renewal of the nutrient solution. At the same time the potassium consumption is decreased, and then presents a maximum followed by a night reduction. Under our conditions, all of the observations allowed us to assume the presence of an adequate reserve of assimilates and suggest the existence of a precise regulation process, which can ensure an even day night functioning of the plant metabolism, but which does not preclude the presence of internal rhythms, as indicated by the oscillation of the root respiration.     

Testing the regeneration niche hypothesis with Gesneriaceae (tribe Sinningiae) in Brazil: Implications for the conservation of rare species

The germination requirements of sexually reproducing plants are regulated by environmental factors such as temperature. Those factors acting at the germination phase are part of the regeneration niche, which is fundamental in the processes that contribute to habitat suitability and geographic distribution. We tested the hypothesis that rarity is associated with regeneration niche in three species of plants in the family Gesneriaceae (tribe Sinningieae), Sinningia rupicola (Mart.) Wiehler, Paliavana sericiflora Benth and Sinningia allagophylla (Mart.) Wiehler, which vary in their distribution and habitat specificity but share a small zone of sympatry in rocky fields south of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The regeneration niche was tested using a seed germination experiment under controlled light conditions at seven fixed temperatures (10–40°C at 5°C intervals). Each of the three species germinated differently at the various temperatures. The species with the smallest geographic range, S. rupicola, also had the most restricted germination: germination peaked at 15°C when relatively few seeds germinated (45%), and even fewer germinated at other temperatures. The regeneration niche was wider in P. sericiflora and wider still in S. allagophylla, with germination greater than 90% between 15–25°C and greater than 80% between 15–30°C, respectively. Our germination results provide qualified support for the hypothesis of correlation of the regeneration niche with geographic distribution of related plant taxa, with important conservation implications for rare and endangered species.     

Plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) has the potential to act as a safety valve for excess excitation energy in the alpine plant species Ranunculus glacialis L.

Ranunculus glacialis leaves were tested for their plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX) content and electron flow to photorespiration and to alternative acceptors. In shade‐leaves, the PTOX and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH) content were markedly lower than in sun‐leaves. Carbon assimilation/light and C_i response curves were not different in sun‐ and shade‐leaves, but photosynthetic capacity was the highest in sun‐leaves. Based on calculation of the apparent specificity factor of ribulose 1·5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), the magnitude of alternative electron flow unrelated to carboxylation and oxygenation of Rubisco correlated to the PTOX content in sun‐, shade‐ and growth chamber‐leaves. Similarly, fluorescence induction kinetics indicated more complete and more rapid reoxidation of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool in sun‐ than in shade‐leaves. Blocking electron flow to assimilation, photorespiration and the Mehler reaction with appropriate inhibitors showed that sun‐leaves were able to maintain higher electron flow and PQ oxidation. The results suggest that PTOX can act as a safety valve in R. glacialis leaves under conditions where incident photon flux density (PFD) exceeds the growth PFD and under conditions where the plastoquinone pool is highly reduced. Such conditions can occur frequently in alpine climates due to rapid light and temperature changes.     

Ultraviolet and green parts of the colour spectrum affect egg rejection in the song thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Much attention has been devoted to understanding the evolution of egg mimicry in avian brood parasites. The majority of studies have been based on human perception when scoring the mimicry of the parasitic egg. Surprisingly, there has been no detailed study on the recognition and sensitivity towards differently coloured parasitic eggs. We investigated effect of different colours of the experimental eggs measured by ultraviolet (UV)-visible reflectance spectrophotometry on rejection behaviour in the song thrush ( Turdus philomelos ). We carried out a set of experiments with four blue model eggs representing mimetic eggs, whereas six other colours represented nonmimetic eggs. Our results revealed that two colours originally designed as a mimetic were rejected at a high rate, whereas one group of the nonmimetic was accepted. A multiple regression model of absolute differences between song thrush and experimental eggs on rejection rate showed that the level of mimicry in the UV and green parts of the colour spectrum significantly influenced egg rejection in the song thrush. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed study showing that different colour perception by the birds can affect their responses towards the parasitic egg. These findings suggest that the combination of UV and visible ranges of the spectra plays a major role in the evolution of discrimination processes, as well as in the evolution of the mimicry of the parasitic egg.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 92 , 269–276.     

Different stresses, similar morphogenic responses: integrating a plethora of pathways

Exposure of plants to mild chronic stress can cause induction of specific, stress-induced morphogenic responses (SIMRs). These responses are characterized by a blockage of cell division in the main meristematic tissues, an inhibition of elongation and a redirected outgrowth of lateral organs. Key elements in the ontogenesis of this phenotype appear to be stress-affected gradients of reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidants, auxin and ethylene. These gradients are present at the the organismal level, but are integrated on the cellular level, affecting cell division, cell elongation and/or cell differentiation. Our analysis of the literature indicates that stress-induced modulation of plant growth is mediated by a plethora of molecular interactions, whereby different environmental signals can trigger similar morphogenic responses. At least some of the molecular interactions that underlie morphogenic responses appear to be interchangeable. We speculate that this complexity can be viewed in terms of a thermodynamic model, in which not the specific pathway, but the achieved metabolic state is biologically conserved.     

Establishment and expansion of Lake Malawi rock fish populations after a dramatic Late Pleistocene lake level rise

Major environmental events that fragment populations among multiple island habitats have potential to drive large-scale episodes of speciation and adaptive radiation. A recent palaeolimnological study of sediment cores indicated that Lake Malawi underwent major climate-driven desiccation events 75 000–135 000 years ago that lowered the water level to at least 580 m below the present state and severely reduced surface area. After this period, lake levels rose and stabilized, creating multiple discontinuous littoral rocky habitats. Here, we present evidence supporting the hypothesis that establishment and expansion of isolated philopatric rock cichlid populations occurred after this rise and stabilization of lake level. We studied the Pseudotropheus ( Maylandia ) species complex, a group with both allopatric and sympatric populations that differ in male nuptial colour traits and tend to mate assortatively. Using coalescent analyses based on mitochondrial DNA, we found evidence that populations throughout the lake started to expand and accumulate genetic diversity after the lake level rise. Moreover, most haplotypes were geographically restricted, and the greatest genetic similarities were typically among sympatric or neighbouring populations. This is indicative of limited dispersal and establishment of assortative mating among populations following the lake level rise. Together, this evidence is compatible with a single large-scale environmental event being central to evolution of spatial patterns of genetic and species diversity in P. ( Maylandia ) and perhaps other Lake Malawi rock cichlids. Equivalent climate-driven pulses of habitat formation and fragmentation may similarly have contributed to observed rapid and punctuated cladogenesis in other adaptive radiations.     

Uncertainties in the relationship between atmospheric nitrogen deposition and forest carbon sequestration

In a recent study, Magnani et al. report how atmospheric nitrogen deposition drives stand-lifetime net ecosystem productivity (NEP_av) for midlatitude forests, with an extremely high C to N response (725 kg C kg⁻¹ wet-deposited N for their European sites). We present here a re-analysis of these data, which suggests a much smaller C : N response for total N inputs. Accounting for dry, as well as wet N deposition reduces the C : N response to 177 : 1. However, if covariance with intersite climatological differences is accounted for, the actual C : N response in this dataset may be <70 : 1. We then use a model analysis of 22 European forest stands to simulate the findings of Magnani et al. Multisite regression of simulated NEP_av vs. total N deposition reproduces a high C : N response (149 : 1). However, once the effects of intersite climatological differences are accounted for, the value is again found to be much smaller, pointing to a real C : N response of about 50–75 : 1.