The role of non-natural foods in the nutritional strategies of monkeys in a human-modified mosaic landscape

Many tropical animals inhabit mosaic landscapes including human-modified habitat. In such landscapes, animals commonly adjust feeding behavior, and may incorporate non-natural foods. These behavioral shifts can influence consumers' nutritional states, with implications for population persistence. However, few studies have addressed the nutritional role of non-natural food. We examined nutritional ecology of wild blue monkeys to understand how dietary habits related to non-natural foods might support population persistence in a mosaic landscape. We documented prevalence and nutritional composition of non-natural foods in monkey diets to assess how habitat use influenced their consumption, and their contribution to nutritional strategies. While most energy and macronutrients came from natural foods, subjects focused non-natural feeding activity on five exotic plants, and averaged about a third of daily calories from non-natural foods. Most non-natural food calories came from non-structural carbohydrates and least from protein. Consumption of non-natural foods related to time in human-modified habitats, which two groups used non-randomly. Non-natural and natural foods were similar in nutrients, and the amount of non-natural food consumed drove variation in nutritional strategy. When more daily calories came from non-natural foods, females consumed a higher ratio of non-protein energy to protein (NPE:P). Females also prioritized protein while allowing NPE:P to vary, increasing NPE while capitalizing on non-natural foods. Overall, these tropical mammals achieved a similar nutrient balance regardless of their intake of non-natural foods. Forest and forest-adjacent areas with non-natural vegetation may provide adequate nutrient access for consumers, and thus contribute to wildlife conservation in mosaic tropical landscapes.     

Vertically stratified frugivore community composition and interaction frequency in a liana fruiting across forest strata

Vertical stratification is a key feature of tropical forests and structures plant–frugivore interactions. However, it is unclear whether vertical differences in plant-frugivore interactions are due to differences among strata in plant community composition or inherent preferences of frugivores for specific strata. To test this, we observed fruit removal of a diverse frugivore community on the liana Marcgravia longifolia in a Peruvian rain forest. Unlike most other plants, Marcgravia longifolia produces fruits across forest strata. This enabled us to study effects of vertical stratification on fruit removal without confounding effects of plant species and stratum. We found a high number of visits of a few frugivore species in the understorey and a low number of visits of many different frugivores in the canopy and midstorey. Whereas partial and opportunistic frugivores foraged across strata with differing frequencies, obligate frugivores were only found eating fruits in the higher strata. Avian frugivores foraging in the canopy were mainly large species with pointed wings, whereas under- and midstorey avian foragers were smaller with rounded wings. Our findings suggest a continuous shift in the frugivore community composition along the vertical gradient, from a few generalized frugivores in the understorey to a diverse set of specialized frugivores in the canopy. This shift in the frugivore community leads to correlated, reciprocal changes from specialized to generalized plant-frugivore interactions. Thus, we conclude that vertical niche differentiation between species in tropical forests persists even when food resources are available across strata. This highlights its role for promoting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.     

Carbohydrate distribution and cellular injuries in acid rain and cold-treated spruce needles

Summary The cellular structures of acid rain-irrigated needles of several provenances of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) seedlings were studied after winter experimental freezing. Frost injuries and recovery were characterized by visual damage scoring and classification of mesophyll cell alterations, also using histochemical methods for carbohydrate fluorescent staining. The treatment with-30° C during the late dormancy period was sufficient to cause significant injuries and intracellular degradation in the tissues of the green needles. The most affected seedlings in terms of visual injury scoring were found among those treated with clean water or at pH 3, while freezing injury, defined as an occlusion of phenolic substances in the central vacuole of the mesophyll cells, was most abundant in the needles from spruces irrigated either with clean water or at pH 4 or pH 3. Electron microscopy revealed the details of the injury, e. g. thinning out of the cytoplasm and chloroplast stroma, darkening of the chloroplasts and eventually swelling of the chloroplasts and protoplast. PAS and ConA reactions in the needle tissue revealed intense starch accumulation in the mesophyll and transfusion tissues as early as in March, with a tendency to increase, especially in the untreated needles during the recovery period. Plasma membrane disturbances were indicated by histochemical identification of callose deposits in the mesophyll cell walls, these being most abundant in the acid rain-treated needles. All these findings suggest that freezing at –30° C was more deleterious to the seedlings pretreated with acid or clean water than to those not given additional irrigation.     

Secretion systems and membrane-associated structures in rust fungi after high pressure freezing and freeze-fracturing

Excellent preservation and new structural details can be demonstrated in rust-infected leaf tissue after high pressure freezing and freeze-fracturing. A tubular-vesicular complex was the most remarkable cytoplasmic structure observed in cells of the bean rust fungus Uromyces appendiculatus var. appendiculatus during its establishement in its host Phaseolus vulgaris. In fungal cells undergoing intensive synthesis of wall material, this membranous system extended throughout the cytoplasm; in addition, vesicles were accumulated adjacent to the plasma membrane. Here, membrane-associated configurations were observed which seem to be involved in exo- and/or endocytotic processes. It is assumed that the tubular-vesicular complex belongs to the endomembraneous system of the bean rust fungus and that it is involved in the synthesis and secretion of wall material.     

Soil algae from acid rain impacted forest areas of the Krušné hory Mts. 1. Algal communities

The soil algal communities of forested and reforested, limed and unlimed plots were compared in the acid rain impacted Kru sné hory Mountains. The floristic composition of unlimed plots is similar to that found in acid forest soils with a naturally low pH and no effect of the acid rain on these communities can be detected. Chlorophyceae are the only group present in these soils. In limed areas with a higher soil pH, algal diversity is significantly increased while algal densities remain similar. Chlorophyceae, while still the dominant group, are accompanied in these soils by Bacillariophyceae, Xanthophyceae, Eustigmatophyceae and Cyanophyceae. Total vegetation cover and thus light hitting the soil surface seems to be most important in determining the algal biomass.     

First report on new evidence for the occurrence of Podocarpus and possible human presence at the mouth of the Amazon during the Late-glacial

Palynological studies on late Quaternary lake sediments from the region of the Amazon estuary, 100 km north-east of Belém, Pará State, Brazil, enable reconstruction of lowland Amazonian rain forest during the Late-glacial and Holocene periods. Late-glacial forests included populations of Podocarpus which suggests a distinct climatic cooling. Ilex was abundant in the early Holocene. Records of the mangrove taxon, Rhizophora, indicate rapid Atlantic sea-level rise in the beginning of the Holocene. High charcoal representation may reflect the first arrival of Amerindians in the Amazon coastal area, probably about 10 800 B.P.     

水稻叶片对模拟酸雨伤害的生理反应

水稻暴露于ｐＨ２．５～４．２的模拟酸雨中２个月后测定表明：叶片叶绿素含量下降,细胞液离子外渗率增加,气孔阻抗增高,蒸腾速率降低。不同叶位的水稻叶片对模拟酸雨的敏感性不同,杂交稻（汕优６３）对模拟酸雨的敏感性较粳稻（中粳８６４）高     

尖峰岭热带山地雨林主要神类能量背景值测定分析

本文报道了海南岛尖峰岭热带山地雨林主要树种６７种、灌木及大型木质藤本植物１６种的各器官的热值。结果表明,热带森林主要种类的热值差异甚大,即使相同属内的一些种类,均具有明显的差异,这种差异与植物种的生物学特性有关,即在生活型的分类系统中,芽位越高的植物其热值越高,但在同一树种中,不同个体大小的植株,其差异不明显;不同植物种的根系热值也差异不大。一般情况下,树叶的热值较大,树干、树皮、树枝和根系次之。已初步证明了部分热带植物含有较多的硅、锰、铁、钙等元素,它们在样品燃烧后形成了颗粒状的剩余物,这是一个值得更深入探讨的新问题。     

尖峰岭热带山地雨林主要种类能量背景值测定分析

 本文报道了海南岛尖峰岭热带山地雨林主要树种67种、灌木及大型木质藤本植物16种的各器官的热值。结果表明,热带森林主要种类的热值差异甚大,即使相同属内的一些种类,均具有明显的差异,这种差异与植物种的生物学特性有关,即在生活型的分类系统中,芽位越高的植物其热值越高,但在同一树种中,不同个体大小的植株,其差异不明显;不同植物种的根系热值也差异不大。一般情况下,树叶的热值较大,树干、树皮、树枝和根系次之。 已初步证明了部分热带植物含有较多的硅、锰、铁、钙等元素,它们在样品燃烧后形成了颗粒状的剩余物,这是一个值得更深入探讨的新问题。     

Cell wall synthesis in cotton roots after infection with Fusarium oxysporum

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum penetration hyphae infect living cells in the meristematic zone of cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) roots. We characterized wall modifications induced by the fungus during infection of the protodermis using antibodies against callose, arabinogalactan-proteins, xyloglucan, pectin, polygalacturonic acid and rhamnogalacturonan I in high-pressure frozen, freeze-substituted root tissue. Using quantitative immunogold labelling we compared the cell walls before and after hyphal contact, cell plates with plasmodesmata during cytokinesis, and wall appositions induced by fungal contact. In the already-existing wall, fungal contact induced only minor modifications such as an increase of xyloglucan epitopes. Wall appositions mostly exhibited epitopes similar to the cell plate except that wall appositions had a much higher callose content. This study shows that wall appositions induced by Fusarium oxysporum hyphae are the result of normal cell wall synthesis and the addition of large amounts of callose. The appositions do not stop fungal growth.