Aestival dormancy in the cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Summary In a geographically wide distribution the life cycles of different populations of the cabbage moth Mamestra brossicae are adapted to a remarkable diversity of climatic conditions. This is undoubtedly a proof of its success in adaptation. Some populations living in regions characterized by a drought period interrupting the growth season are capable of distinguishing between one critical day length signalling the onset of the drought period and another signalling the end of the growth season. This study, therefore, is primarily concerned with the geographical patterns in the variability of the adaptional responses of populations exposed to environmental conditions requiring different strategies and tactics in, synchronizing individual, life cycles. It is also a contribution to our understanding of evolutionary mechanisms maintaining median responses to photoperiodically inductive day lengths in geographically different populations. The populations investigated originated from regions differing in predictability of the incidence, onset and duration of a drought period: Freiburg (48.0°N, Southern Germany), Avignon (44.0°N, Southern France), and Argelès (42.5°N, Southern France). Geographical variation with respect to both onset and duration of a drought period consequently results in clinal variation of the variability of innate day length thresholds triggering aestival dormancy and of innate duration of aestivation. In this paper we considered the influence of geographically changing temperatures on aestival dormancy induction. Even in southern populations of M. brassicae a temperature dependent switch off-mechanism exists which prevents aestival dormancy under certain environmental conditions. The effective temperatures vary geographically, too. What the geographical patterns in adaptive responses really are, is discussed.This research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Sa 259/3-1)     

Population characteristics of Gammarus pulex (L.) from five English streams

Gammarus pulex were sampled from five English streams during April 1992. The population density, number of precopula pairs and incidence of parasitic infection were recorded, and the biomass was estimated from subsamples by relating body area to dry weight. Physical and chemical measurements were taken from each stream. The abundance and standing crop biomass differed significantly between streams, probably due to the influence of pollutants or the physical structure of the stream bed. The size of individual G. pulex also differed significantly between streams, although there was no obvious causal explanation for this. Few individuals were visibly parasitised in any of the populations. Males were significantly larger than females, both in precopula pairs and in the general populations. The sex ratio differed between populations and may explain inter-stream differences in the relationship between precopula male and female size.     

Intraspecific evolution ofMicroseris pygmaea (Asteraceae,Lactuceae) analyzed by cosegregation of phenotypic characters (QTLs) and molecular markers (RAPDs)

The Chilean annual,Microseris pygmaea, has differentiated in distinct coastal and inland series of populations after long-distance dispersal from western North America. Two plants from the most diverse biotypes were crossed, a large F₂ was raised and analysed for segregation of 30 phenotypic characters. Segregation of molecular markers (47 RAPDs, 1 RFLP, 2 isozymes) was determined in a subpopulation of 45 plants which include all extremes for the phenotypic characters. 32 marker/character cosegregations were significant at the 1% level in t-tests between dominant and homozygous recessive marker genotypes. Considering linkage among markers and pleiotropy of certain marker loci, the number of independent quantitative trait loci (QTLs) is reduced to about 18. Interactions among 2 or 3 QTLs affecting one character have been characterized. The phenotypic differentiation ofM. pygmaea during its evolution from a single founder individual begins to be understood at the level of single-gene mutants.     

Characterizing bisexual Artemia populations by isoelectric focusing

Isoelectric focusing (IEF) of protein extracts, -Esterase and Phosphoglucose isomerase, from groups of Artemia adults from different bisexual populations were studied. Both gave clear separation between the Old and New World species. The second was more polymorphic, allowing a discrimination among Mediterranean populations.     

Origin and evolution of GBV-C/hepatitis G virus and relationships with ancient human migrations

The GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) is a newly identified human RNA virus, belonging to the Flaviviridae family. Persistent infection by GBV-C/HGV is common in humans, and genetically divergent isolates have been identified in different parts of the world. Due to the absence of a real pathogenic role of GBV-C/HGV in liver disease and its extremely low mutation rate, this virus is a potential marker to trace prehistoric links between human populations. In this study, origin and evolution of GBV-C/HGV were examined using a set of fully sequenced strains of worldwide origin. A first phylogenetic analysis, addressed to the short (255 nucleotides) NS5A overlapping coding region by the neighbor-joining method, suggested an ancient African origin of GBV-C/HGV. This notion was confirmed when the same analysis was applied to the genomic regions showing the lowest rate of synonymous substitutions, covering one-fourth (2184 nucleotides) of the total coding potential of the virus genome. By using a multivariate statistical method and extending the analysis to the complete coding region, fine details of the evolutionary history of GBV-C/HGV were further elucidated. By this approach, isolates from Southeast Asia appeared to be the most closely related to those of African origin, consistent with a major route of ancient human migrations from Africa to southeastern parts of the Asian continent. Received: 26 October 2000 / Accepted: 28 February 2001     

Fine-Scale Population Genetic Structure of Zhikong Scallop (Chlamys farreri): Do Local Marine Currents Drive Geographical Differentiation?

Marine scallops, with extended planktonic larval stages which can potentially disperse over large distances when advected by marine currents, are expected to possess low geographical differentiation. However, the sessile lifestyle as adult tends to form discrete "sea beds" with unique population dynamics and structure. The narrow distribution of Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri), its long planktonic larval stage, and the extremely hydrographic complexity in its distribution range provide an interesting case to elucidate the impact of marine currents on geographical differentiation for marine bivalves at a fine geographical scale. In this study, we analyzed genetic variation at nine microsatellite DNA loci in six locations throughout the distribution of Zhikong scallop in the Northern China. Very high genetic diversity was present in all six populations. Two populations sampled from the same marine gyre had no detectable genetic differentiation (F (ST) = 0.0013); however, the remaining four populations collected from different marine gyres or separated by strong marine currents showed low but significant genetic differentiation (F (ST) range 0.0184-0.0602). Genetic differentiation was further analyzed using the Monmonier algorithm to identify genetic barriers and using the assignment test conducted by software GeneClass2 to ascertain population membership of individuals. The genetic barriers fitting the orientation of marine gyres/currents were clearly identified, and the individual assignment analysis indicated that 95.6% of specimens were correctly allocated to one of the six populations sampled. The results support the hypothesis that significant population structure is present in Zhikong scallop at a fine geographical scale, and marine currents can be responsible for the genetic differentiation.     

Aspects of the distribution of HbS in the United States

Frequencies of HbS obtained by several screening clinics are analyzed for age, sex, and location effects. All seem to be present in some form, though age and sex effects may be conditional on location. An attempt is made to elaborate the common observation of increasing frequency with age. This is shown to be the result of differences in fertility favoring the normal. A simulation which íncludes 25% admixture was done. The results indicate a genetically relevant New World experience for the population to be about 9–12 generations with the heterozygote having fitness of 0.96–0.99.     

Pacific Coral-reef Fishes: The Implications of Behaviour and Ecology of Larvae for Biodiversity and Conservation, and a Reassessment of the Open Population Paradigm

The two-phase life history of most marine fishes and invertebrates has enormous implications for dispersal, population connectivity, and resource management. Pelagic dispersal larvae of marine animals traditionally thought to ensure that populations are widespread, that chances of local extinction are low, and that marine protected areas (MPA) can easily function to replenish both their own populations and those of unprotected areas. Traditionally, dispersal is considered to depend primarily on two variables: pelagic larva duration and far-field currents. These conclusions arise from the open population paradigm and are usually accompanied by a simplifying assumption: larvae are distributed passively by far-field currents. Unfortunately, they ignore the complex reality of circulation and hydrological connectivity of reefs, and do not consider newly-demonstrated behavioural capabilities of coral-reef fish larvae. Far-field circulation varies with depth and often excludes water bodies where propagules are released, and this has important implications for predicting trajectories of even passive larvae. However, larvae are not passive: late-stage larvae of coral-reef fishes can swim faster than currents for long periods, can probably detect reefs at some distance, and can actively find them. This behaviour is flexible, which greatly complicates modelling of larval fish trajectories. Populations at ecological (as opposed to evolutionary) scales are probably less open and more subdivided than previously assumed. All this means that dispersal predictions based solely on far-field water circulation are probably wrong. An emerging view of larval-fish dispersal is articulated that takes these new data and perspectives into account. This emerging view shows that re-evaluation of traditional views in several areas is required, including the contribution of larval-fish biology and dispersal to biodiversity patterns, the way reef fishes are managed, and the way in which MPA are thought to operate. At evolutionary and zoogeographic scales, reef-fish populations are best considered to be open.     

Persistence of structured populations in random environments

Environmental fluctuations often have different impacts on individuals that differ in size, age, or spatial location. To understand how population structure, environmental fluctuations, and density-dependent interactions influence population dynamics, we provide a general theory for persistence for density-dependent matrix models in random environments. For populations with compensating density dependence, exhibiting “bounded” dynamics, and living in a stationary environment, we show that persistence is determined by the stochastic growth rate (alternatively, dominant Lyapunov exponent) when the population is rare. If this stochastic growth rate is negative, then the total population abundance goes to zero with probability one. If this stochastic growth rate is positive, there is a unique positive stationary distribution. Provided there are initially some individuals in the population, the population converges in distribution to this stationary distribution and the empirical measures almost surely converge to the distribution of the stationary distribution. For models with overcompensating density-dependence, weaker results are proven. Methods to estimate stochastic growth rates are presented. To illustrate the utility of these results, applications to unstructured, spatially structured, and stage-structured population models are given. For instance, we show that diffusively coupled sink populations can persist provided that within patch fitness is sufficiently variable in time but not strongly correlated across space.     

The effects of re-use of polyethylene glycol priming osmotica upon the development of microbial populations and germination of leeks and carrots

Three batches of leek seeds were osmotically primed successively in the same polyethylene glycol solution in a bubble column at a seed concentration of 100 g/litre for seven days at 15°C. Three batches of carrot seeds were similarly primed in a separate solution for six days at 15°C. The concentration of microorganisms in the solutions increased rapidly during priming of the first seed batch for both seed types, but increases during priming of the second and third batches were small. The seeds were the main source of the microorganisms; priming reduced the numbers of colonies of filamentous fungi and increased those of bacteria and yeasts. The priming treatments improved the percentage germination of the three seed batches of primed carrots and reduced the mean time to germination in both species and the mean time to emergence in compost. Percentage emergence was not affected by priming except in the third batch of primed carrot seed. The presence of large numbers of microorganisms in the priming solutions did not greatly affect seed performance when the same osmoticum was used three times with leeks and twice with carrots. Priming did not affect the number of abnormal seedlings.