Plant chemical defence allocation constrains evolution of local range

Many species of plants in the wild are distributed spatially in patches, the boundaries of which may occur and change because of a complicated interplay between myriad environmental stressors and limitations of, or constraints on, plant coping mechanisms. By examining genetic variation and co‐variation among marker‐inferred inbred lines and sib‐families of an upland wild mustard species within and just a few meters across a natural patch boundary, we show that the evolution of tolerance to the stressful environment outside the patch may be constrained by allocation to glucosinolate compounds (GS) that are defensive against generalist insect herbivores. Several potential stressors were associated with the patch boundary, but carbon isotope ratios indicated that sib‐families with smaller stomatal apertures maintained performance better in response to late season dry conditions, suggesting that drought was an important stressor. The presence of GS may help explain the characteristic patchy distribution of mustards, a relatively diverse and important plant family. This result challenges one end of the continuum of the long‐standing Plant Apparency hypothesis, which essentially states the opposite causation, that low molecular weight toxins like GS are evolutionary responses of patchy distributions and correlated life‐history traits.     

Amino acid composition of aragonitic concholin in the shell of Arctica islandica

Haugen, J. E. & Sejrup, H. P. 1990 04 15: Amino acid composition of aragonitic conchiolin in the shell of Arctica islandica. Lethaia , Vol. 23, pp. 133–141. Oslo. ISSN 0024–1164.
The distribution of amino acids within the two aragonitic shell layers of modern specimens of the mollusc Arctica islandica (Linné) has been studied in detail. The mean total hydrolyzed amino acid content was 19 nmol*mg in the inner layer and 15 nmol/mg in the outer layer. No significant difference in amino acid composition could be found between the two layers. The layers contained minor amounts of free amino acids which made up 0.3–0.7% of the total hydrolyzed amino acid content. The composition of the free amino acid fraction was very similar in each of the two layers, but differed somewhat from the total hydrolyzed fraction. The total hydrolyzed fraction was dominated by aspartic acid, glycine. alanine and glutamic acid, which together made up 62% of the total amount of amino acids, whereas the free fraction was dominated by Asp. Ser, Gly and Tyr. Amino acid content and composition within a single layer showed little variation from umbo to the ventral margin. The amino acid composition is in accordance with previously reported data on similar mineral structures which support the theory of structure specific rather than species specific amino acid composition. * Arctica islandica. amino acids. shell structure .