Microclimates and water budget of algae,lichens and a moss on some nunataks in Queen Maud Land

During the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition of 1984–1985, land parties worked in the area of Mühlig-Hofmannfjella and Gjelsvikfjella in Queen Maud Land (5° 20E, 1° 37W, 1000–1600 m a.s.l.). The nunataks in this area, which represents one of the climatic limits for terrestrial life on earth, is among those areas absorbing the highest quantity of shortwave radiation during a period of 24 h in summer. In spite of this the air temperature never, or very seldom, exceeds 0° C. The limiting factor for photosynthesis over most of the summer was water availability. Melt-water plays an important role in spring. During rest of the growth season, water from condensation is probably the most important water source for plants. On calm nights the rate of condensation during 6 h may reach 0.5 mm, which constitutes only 10%–30% of daily potential evapotranspiration. Plants situated in narrow clefts or shielded by stone blocks have the highest rate of potential photosynthesis. These locations are shielded from direct solar radiation most of the time, but the radiation from surrounding stone surfaces is higher than from the atmosphere and heat loss by turbulence is smaller than for exposed locations. These locations also probably have the highest rate of actual photosynthesis.     

The abundance of the blue shark,Prionace glauca,in the western English Channel

Synopsis Since 1952, a sport fishery for the blue shark,Prionace glauca, has existed off the south coast of Cornwall in England. Annual catches from this fishery have ranged from < 200 to>6000 sharks. The fishery was based on a previously unexploited stock in the 1950s. The abundance of the species in the English Channel declined in the early 1960s and again in the mid-1970s. The declining abundance was investigated in relation to sea surface temperature (SST), prey abundance, and fishing pressure. Short-term fluctuations in SST were found to be responsible for changes in the distribution of the population, but not for changes in abundance. The abundance of prey species in the Channel was observed to be inversely related to the abundance of blue sharks. The reduced abundance of blue sharks lowered the level of effective predation on the prey populations, allowing their abundance to increase. It was concluded that the nature of the fishing practice off the Cornish coast was responsible for a significant part of the decrease in shark abundance. By killing large numbers of sub-adult females, the reproductive capacity of the population was lowered. Continued fishing pressure prevented the population from recovering; and as of 1987, the abundance of the species in the Channel is still declining. Various conservation measures have been proposed.     

Conformational and helicoidal analysis of the molecular dynamics of proteins: "curves," dials and windows for a 50 psec dynamic trajectory of BPTI

A new procedure for the graphic analysis of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on proteins is introduced, in which comprehensive visualization of results and pattern recognition is greatly facilitated. The method involves determining the conformational and helicoidal parameters for each structure entering the analysis via the method "Curves," developed for proteins by Sklenar, Etchebest, and Lavery (Proteins: Structure, Function Genet. 6:46-60, 1989) followed by a novel computer graphic display of the results. The graphic display is organized systematically using conformation wheels ("dials") for each torsional parameter and "windows" on the range values assumed by the linear and angular helicoidal parameters, and is present in a form isomorphous with the primary structure per se. The complete time evolution of dynamic structure can then be depicted in a set of four composite figures. Dynamic aspects of secondary and tertiary structure are also provided. The procedure is illustrated with an analysis of a 50 psec in vacuo simulation on the 58 residue protein, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), in the vicinity of the local minimum on the energy surface corresponding to a high resolution crystal structure. The time evolution of 272 conformational and 788 helicoidal parameters for BPTI is analyzed. A number of interesting features can be discerned in the analysis, including the dynamic range of conformational and helicoidal motions, the dynamic extent of 2 degrees structure motifs, and the calculated fluctuations in the helix axis. This approach is expected to be useful for a critical analysis of the effects of various assumptions about force field parameters, truncation of potentials, solvation, and electrostatic effects, and can thus contribute to the development of more reliable simulation protocols for proteins. Extensions of the analysis to present differential changes in conformational and helicoidal parameters is expected to be valuable in MD studies of protein complexes with substrates, inhibitors, and effectors and in determining the nature of structural changes in protein-protein interactions.     

A Markov approach for describing post-fire succession of vegetation

Vegetation dynamics in the coastal area of the Seto Inland Sea region in Japan, where wild fires occur frequently, were described using a stationary Markov model. In this region, vegetation types ofMiscanthus-Pleioblastus grassland,Lespedeza-Mallotus scrub,Pinus-Rhododendron forest andCrassocephalum-Erechtites community have been identified, and these show cyclic succession under the influence of fires. The model uses parameters determining fire frequency and rate of successional change to analyze the effect of variation in these parameters on the areal ratio of each vegetation type at equilibrium and on the time taken for one vegetation type to succeed another (elapsed successional time). The effect of fire frequency differs between hypothetical habitats with high and low productivity. A policy for vegetation management in areas of high and low productivity is proposed. The advantages and limitations of applying Markov models to studies of vegetation succession are also discussed.     

Establishment of Plantago lanceolata L. and Plantago major L. among grass

Summary Establishment of Plantago lanceolata and P. major ssp major among grass was studied in a field experiment in which survival and selection on date of seedling emergence and plant size was investigated in relation to the vegetation structure. P. major — in contrast to P. lanceolata — was not able to establish itself in grass because of its lower competitive ability caused by later germination, smaller seedling size, and shorter leaves. In both species there was selection for early germination. For P. lanceolata a significant correlation was found between the strength of selection and the light climate, determined by the structure of the grass sward. Plants that germinated early were at an advantage because they were larger, especially the leaves, when compared with plants that germinated late. It seems likely that selection was mainly by competition for light. Contrary to expectation P. major-seedlings had a higher shade tolerance than those of P. lanceolata. The performance of both species is discussed in relation to their different life strategies.Grassland species research group publication no 142     

The convergent trajectories of bird communities along ecological successions in european forests

Summary There is much more variation in the composition of bird communities in the earlier open and semi-open seral stages of ecological successions in forested landscapes of Europe than later on in preforested and forested climactic stages. The demonstration of this trend is achieved from the study of four habitat gradients, two in the mediterranean region (Provence and Corsica) and two in central Europe (Burgundy, France and Poland). A multivariate analysis has been used to illustrate the dynamics of communities along these succession. Displays of the results in bivariate space as well as an illustration of the distributional profiles of some of the most characteristic species show that: i) there is a discrimination between the two mediterranean gradients and the two medioeuropean ones and ii) each succession starts with a very distinct set of species and then the four gradients regularly converge in the last climactic stage where there is almost no discrimination between communities. These results are discussed in the light of the history of European biotas during the Pleistocene. The reason why there is more variation in species composition in the earlier seral stages than in the later forested stages are discussed according to current theories on the role of habitat selection on speciation processes.     

Polar hydrogen positions in proteins: Empirical energy placement and neutron diffraction comparison

A method for the prediction of hydrogen positions in proteins is presented. The method is based on the knowledge of the heavy atom positions obtained, for instance, from X-ray crystallography. It employs an energy minimization limited to the environment of the hydrogen atoms bound to a common heavy atom or to a single water molecule. The method is not restricted to proteins and can be applied without modification to nonpolar hydrogens and to nucleic acids. The method has been applied to the neutron diffraction structures of trypsin ribonuclease A, and bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor. A comparison of the constructed and the observed hydrogen positions shows few deviations except in situations in which several energetically similar conformations are possible. Analysis of the potential energy of rotation of Lys amino and Ser, Thr, Tyr hydroxyl groups reveals that the conformations of lowest intrinsic torsion energies are statistically favored in both the crystal and the constructed structures.     

A function describing all-sized trunk diameter distribution in warm-temperate rain forests

A simple relation (v-lnB) (u-lnx)=c was recognized betweenx as dbh (or individual basal area) andB as the cumulative basal area abovex, for various stands of warm-temperate rain forests of Yakushima Island, southern Japan (v, u andc, parameters). The model parameters explained a difference in the pattern of stand development between secondary succession after clear-felling and gap regeneration within primary forests.     

Long-term vegetation change in the Juncus squarrosus grassland at Moor House,northern England

Data from the long-term experiment on sheep grazing versus zero sheep grazing (i.e. in an enclosure) on the composition of the Juncus squarrosus grassland at the Moor House NNR are presented. The data have been analysed to assess change in (1) the abundance of individual species, (2) higher plant and bryophyte communities, and (3) vegetation structure. The higher plant data suggested that both the enclosed-and grazed plots were changing in the same direction, but the enclosed plot was moving much faster. The general tendency was towards a blanket bog vegetation dominated by Eriophorum vaginatum and Calluna vulgaris. Juncus squarrosus has declined very quickly in the enclosed plot, but there has also been a slower decline in the grazed one. A significant increase in Calluna vulgaris has occurred only in the enclosed plot. In contrast, the bryophyte data showed completely different successional trajectories in the two treatment plots.The vegetation structure changed markedly after release from grazing, with a decrease in phytomass, but increase in necromass in the lowest height strata. There was no noticeable change in structure over the 18 year period in the grazed plot.Particular problems found in this study were that some species either fluctuated widely in response, or changed in a curvilinear manner.     

Tree species regeneration in a mid-elevation,temperate rain forest in Isla de Chiloé, Chile

The regeneration of canopy and subeanopy species in a mid-elevation, primary rain forest in the Coastal Range of Isla de Chiloé (42°30S), in the cold-temperate region of Chile, was studied by comparing seedling and sapling abundances under the forest canopy, and within 36 tree-fall gaps. The forest was dominated byAmomyrtus luma andLaurelia philippiana (33 and 32% of the main canopy individuals), and two subcanopy species (Myrceugenia ovata, andMyrceugenia planipes) were also important. Uncommon species in the canopy wereDrimys winteri, Amomyrtus meli, andRaphithamnus spinosus. Tree-fall gaps were created generally by the fall of several trees, and the main canopy species were the principal gap-makers. Gap sizes varied between 28 and 972 m², with a mean of 197 m². Seedling and sapling abundances indicate that the dominant species are capable of regenerating below the canopy, but they also germinate and show enhanced growth within small light gaps. For one of the common subcanopy species (M. planipes) and the two infrequent canopy species (D. winteri, andA. meli) regeneration seems to depend entirely on tree-fall gaps. Thus, in this forest, light gaps allow the persistence of infrequent canopy species, but seem less important for the regeneration and maintenance of dominant canopy species.