Size-dependent mortality in a Neotropical savanna tree: the role of height-related adjustments in hydraulic architecture and carbon allocation

Size-related changes in hydraulic architecture, carbon allocation and gas exchange of Sclerolobium paniculatum (Leguminosae), a dominant tree species in Neotropical savannas of central Brazil (Cerrado), were investigated to assess their potential role in the dieback of tall individuals. Trees greater than ∼6-m-tall exhibited more branch damage, larger numbers of dead individuals, higher wood density, greater leaf mass per area, lower leaf area to sapwood area ratio (LA/SA), lower stomatal conductance and lower net CO₂ assimilation than small trees. Stem-specific hydraulic conductivity decreased, while leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity remained nearly constant, with increasing tree size because of lower LA/SA in larger trees. Leaves were substantially more vulnerable to embolism than stems. Large trees had lower maximum leaf hydraulic conductance ( K _leaf) than small trees and all tree sizes exhibited lower K _leaf at midday than at dawn. These size-related adjustments in hydraulic architecture and carbon allocation apparently incurred a large physiological cost: large trees received a lower return in carbon gain from their investment in stem and leaf biomass compared with small trees. Additionally, large trees may experience more severe water deficits in dry years due to lower capacity for buffering the effects of hydraulic path-length and soil water deficits.     

Re-Definition of the Genus Acanthamoeba with Descriptions of Three Species

SYNOPSIS. Ten strains of Acanthamoeba from freshwater habitats were isolated in clonal cultures. Studies were made of trophic structure, nuclear division, cyst structure, some aspects of cytochemistry, and other characteristics. One strain was identified as A. castellanii (Douglas, 1930), one as A. astronyxis (Ray and Hayes, 1954), and 8 as A. polyphaga (Puschkarew, 1913). Strains of Acanthamoeba isolated by other workers were also examined comparatively.
The pattern of nuclear division in all strains resembled that in metazoan cells, with the exception that centrioles were never found. Trophic amoebae had a PAS-positive surface outline. Cyst walls were strongly PAS-positive and also gave a positive test for cellulose with zinc chloroiodide.
The genus Acanthamoeba Volkonsky, 1931 is re-defined, being distinguished from Hartmannella Alexeieff, 1912, emend. Volkonsky, chiefly by the formation of tapering, hyaline pseudopods (acanthopodia) and by a cyst made up of an ectocyst and a polyhedral or stellate endocyst, with excystment by removal of opercula. Other characteristics found in all strains include a distinctive food cup, the presence of many small refractile globules in the cytoplasm of trophic amoebae, and a cyst wall containing cellulose. The degree of spindle convergence, employed by Volkonsky as a generic criterion, was unusable.
Differential diagnoses based principally on cyst structure are offered for A. castellanii, A. astronyxis , and A. polyphaga. The strain previously called Mayorella palestinensis Reich, 1933 is a distinct species of Acanthamoeba.     

Xenobiotic-induced apoptosis: significance and potential application as a general biomarker of response

The process of apoptosis, often coined programmed cell death, involves cell injury induced by a variety of stimuli including xenobiotics and is morphologically, biochemically, and physiologically distinct from necrosis. Apoptotic death is characterized by cellular changes such as cytoplasm shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and plasma membrane asymmetry. This form of cell suicide is appealing as a general biomarker of response in that it is expressed in multiple cell systems (e.g. immune, neuronal, hepatal, intestinal, dermal, reproductive), is conserved phylogenetically (e.g. fish, rodents, birds, sheep, amphibians, roundworms, plants, humans), is modulated by environmentally relevant levels of chemical contaminants, and indicates a state of stress of the organism. Further, apoptosis is useful as a biomarker as it serves as a molecular control point and hence may provide mechanistic information on xenobiotic stress. Studies reviewed here suggest that apoptosis is a sensitive and early indicator of acute and chronic chemical stress, loss of cellular function and structure, and organismal health. Examples are provided of the application of this methodology in studies of health of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in the Laurentian Great Lakes.     

Fine Structure of Sporozoites of Eimeria nieschulzi*

SYNOPSIS. An electron microscope study of sporozoites of Eimeria nieschulzi Dieben, 1924 revealed that they have a pellicle which is thickened at the anterior end to form 2 polar rings. Radiating posteriorly from the rings, directly beneath the pellicle, are approximately 25 microtubules which may aid in support and locomotion of the sporozoite. Within the polar ring is a dense conoid. Numerous toxonemes extend posteriorly from the area of the conoid. Two paranuclear bodies are present and some toxonemes are closely associated with the anterior body. Numerous ribosomes, bodies containing granular material, and osmiophilic vesicle bounded bodies are also present. Each sporozoite has a single nucleus with a diffuse karyosome and distinct nuclear double membrane.     

Cultivation and Lyophilization of Mastigina sp.

SYNOPSIS Mastigina sp. is an amoeboid flagellate isolated from pine frass collected in the Guadarrama Mountains in Spain. It feeds on bacteria and yeasts. It prefers yeasts that produce extracellular polysaccharides, and the 2 species that have been used predominantly for cultivation of the flagellate are Pachysolen tannophilus and Hansenula holstii. Mastigina sp. is easily isolated in axenic culture and grows abundantly therein. Its locomotive form, averaging 27 μ in length, resembles that of a limax amoeba, with a vesiculate nucleus at the anterior end. Cells are capable of simultaneous movement by pseudopodia and flagella. It develops rapidly on dead or living yeast cells in shaken cultures and the trophozoites may convert quantitatively to cysts. The cysts remain viable for long periods of time in refrigerated suspensions and in the lyophilized state. They are spherical or ovoid and smooth-walled cysts; the trophozoite emerges from them by breaking the wall.     

Midday stomatal conductance is more related to stem rather than leaf water status in subtropical deciduous and evergreen broadleaf trees

Midday depressions in stomatal conductance (g_s) and photosynthesis are common in plants. The aim of this study was to understand the hydraulic determinants of midday g_s, the coordination between leaf and stem hydraulics and whether regulation of midday g_s differed between deciduous and evergreen broadleaf tree species in a subtropical cloud forest of Southwest (SW) China. We investigated leaf and stem hydraulics, midday leaf and stem water potentials, as well as midday g_s of co‐occurring deciduous and evergreen tree species. Midday g_s was correlated positively with midday stem water potential across both groups of species, but not with midday leaf water potential. Species with higher stem hydraulic conductivity and greater daily reliance on stem hydraulic capacitance were able to maintain higher stem water potential and higher g_s at midday. Deciduous species exhibited significantly higher stem hydraulic conductivity, greater reliance on stem capacitance, higher stem water potential and g_s at midday than evergreen species. Our results suggest that midday g_s is more associated with midday stem than with leaf water status, and that the functional significance of stomatal regulation in these broadleaf tree species is probably for preventing stem xylem dysfunction.     

Auxin Synthesis in Crown Gall Tumor Tissue: A Comparison of Three Putative Precursors

Axenic crown gall tumor callus (from Vinca rosea L.) which is known to synthesize its own auxin is able to convert exogenous ¹⁴C-indole or tryptamine to indoleacetic acid [5.4 and 10 × 10⁻⁶μmol × h⁻¹× (g fr wt)⁻¹ respectively], but little or no ³H-tryptophan is converted [less than 6.4 × 10⁻⁸×μmol × h⁻¹× (g fr wt)⁻¹].