Response of Picea rubens seedlings to intermittent mist varying in acidity, and in concentrations of sulfur-, and nitrogen-containing pollutants

Two-year-old red spruce seedlings ( Picea rubens Sarg .) growing in. field chambers were repeatedly exposed to acidic mist with a factorial combination of 3 fluctuating levels of acidity: median pH values of 3.0 (range of 2.5 to 3.5), 3.5 (range of 3.0 to 4.0), and 4.0 (range of 3.5 to 4.5). and 3 ion compositions: sulfate. nitrate and ammonium, and a combination of all 3 ions. The experiment was performed during the growing season over a period of 3.5 months. Mist exposures were intermittent with 5 wet-dry cycles for each 16-h overnight exposure period, Foliar necrosis occurred on seedlings treated with the most acidic mist and was most severe when the mist contained sulfate. At a median pH of 3.5, a value close to that of cloud water occurring in the eastern United States, injury developed with sulfuric acid mist, but not. when the mist contained nitric acid. The combination of high acidity and sulfate significantly decreased volume of aboveground tissues, while high acidity and nitrate increased volume. Root and needle dry weights were not affected. However, high acidity of mist was associated with increased leader shoot length. These results indicate, that there is a risk of foliar injury and changes in growth of red spruce with cloud water at a median acidity of pH 3.5 or below, especially when there are high concentrations of sulfate and low concentrations of nitrate.     

Fairy wrasses perceive and respond to their deep red fluorescent coloration

Fluorescence enables the display of wavelengths that are absent in the natural environment, offering the potential to generate conspicuous colour contrasts. The marine fairy wrasse Cirrhilabrus solorensis displays prominent fluorescence in the deep red range (650–700 nm). This is remarkable because marine fishes are generally assumed to have poor sensitivity in this part of the visual spectrum. Here, we investigated whether C. solorensis males can perceive the fluorescence featured in this species by testing whether the presence or absence of red fluorescence affects male–male interactions under exclusive blue illumination. Given that males respond aggressively towards mirror-image stimuli, we quantified agonistic behaviour against mirrors covered with filters that did or did not absorb long (i.e. red) wavelengths. Males showed significantly fewer agonistic responses when their fluorescent signal was masked, independent of brightness differences. Our results unequivocally show that C. solorensis can see its deep red fluorescent coloration and that this pattern affects male–male interactions. This is the first study to demonstrate that deep red fluorescent body coloration can be perceived and has behavioural significance in a reef fish.     

Properties of Oligomeric Forms of Phosphofructokinase from Chlorella kessleri Grown under Different Light Conditions

Fast protein liquid chromatography on Superose 6 of crude extracts from Chlorella kessleri, Fott et Novákóva, grown autotrophically in blue or in red light yields three different oligomeric forms of phosphofructokinase (PFK, EC 2.7.1.11). Their substrate affinities and responses to homotropic and heterotropic effectors are different. In vitro, the degree of oligomerization of the enzyme can be influenced by specific intermediates or cofactors. Its substrate, MgATP (10 mM/5 mM), and the negative effector, phosphoenolpyruvate (5 mM), both lead to some dissociation, while the second substrate, fructose-6-phosphate (5 mM), and the positive effector, inorganic phosphate (50 mM), have no effect. It is discussed whether formation or dissociation of oligomeric PFK forms in vivo result from alterations in the levels or in the intracellular distribution of effector molecules and whether such processes are involved in the different regulation of cell metabolism in blue or in red light.     

Eight new microsatellite loci for the critically endangered fire‐bellied toad Bombina bombina and their cross‐species applicability among anurans

We describe eight new microsatellite loci for the critically endangered fire‐bellied toad, Bombina bombina. Seven of them are polymorphic with two to seven alleles per locus, an expected heterozygosity between 0.41 and 0.8, and an observed heterozygosity between 0.27 and 0.7. The yield of new loci was relatively low, presumably due to mildly repetitive sequence motifs in microsatellite flanking regions. As typical for anurans, cross‐species amplification was limited (here, to congeners Bombina orientalis and Bombina variegata). Combining these new loci with those already available provides a reasonable number of loci for population studies and pedigree analysis in Bombina.     

Characterization of polymorphic microsatellites in the castration parasite plant‐ant Allomerus octoarticulatus cf. demerarae (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

Fifteen microsatellite loci were isolated from the Peruvian tropical plant‐ant Allomerus octoarticulatus cf. demerarae (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae) and their polymorphism was characterized. High levels of within‐population variation were observed at most loci, with number of alleles ranging from one to 21, and heterozygosity from 0 to 1 per population sample. Cross‐species amplification of these loci was also tested in one other species of the ant genus Allomerus (Allomerus decemarticulatus), displaying similar life history.     

Observations on the Ecology of Weaver Ants (Oecophylla smaragdina Fabricius) in a Thai Mangrove Ecosystem and Their Effect on Herbivory of Rhizophora mucronata Lam.

Ants of the genus Oecophylla are predators of other insects and are able to protect a variety of terrestrial plants against pest insects; however, observations on the ecology of these ants in mangrove forests are lacking. General observations on the ecology of Oecophylla smaragdina were carried out in a Thai mangrove forest to determine if these ants can protect their host plants in less favorable mangrove habitats. Leaf herbivory and the density of O. smaragdina ants were measured on Rhizophora mucronata trees at two sites. The results showed a negative correlation between ant density and herbivory. At both sites, the mean percent damaged leaf area was more than four times higher on trees without ants compared to “ant‐trees.” A significant negative correlation was found between tree mean percent leaf damage and the density of ants on the tree. Furthermore, on trees with ants, there was less herbivory on leaves close to ant nests compared to other leaves on the tree. Most damage was caused by chrysomelid beetles (62%) and sesarmid crabs (25%) and both types of herbivory were significantly reduced on ant‐trees.     

Isolation and characterization of 16 tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the red panda (Ailurus fulgens)

A total of 15 polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the red panda, Ailurus fulgens, were characterized in this study. Based on evaluations of 33 red pandas, the number of observed alleles for each locus ranged from seven to 17 and the expected and observed heterozygosities were 0.412–0.897 and 0.121–0.909, respectively. The mean polymorphic information content was 0.721. These markers would greatly strengthen the utilization of microsatellite tools in genetic variation studies in red panda populations.     

A Temporally Explicit Production Efficiency Model for Fuel Load Allocation in Southern Africa

Abstract We present a regional fuel load model (1 km² spatial resolution) applied in the southern African savanna region. The model is based on a patch-scale production efficiency model (PEM) scaled up to the regional level using empirical relationships between patch-scale behavior and multi-source remote sensing data (spatio-temporal variability of vegetation and climatic variables). The model requires the spatial distribution of woody vegetation cover, which is used to determine separate respiration rates for tree and grass. Net primary production, grass and tree leaf death, and herbivory are also taken into account in this mechanistic modeling approach. The fuel load model has been calibrated and validated from independent measurements taken from savanna vegetation in Africa southward from the equator. A sensitivity analysis on the effect of climate variables (incoming radiation, air temperature, and precipitation) has been conducted to demonstrate the strong role that water availability has in determining productivity and subsequent fuel load over the southern African region. The model performance has been tested in four different areas representative of a regional increasing rainfall gradient—Etosha National Park, Namibia, Mongu and Kasama, Zambia, as well as in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Within each area, we analyze model output from three different magnitudes of canopy coverage (<5, 30, and 50%). We find that fuel load ranges predicted by the model are globally in agreement with field measurements for the same year. High rainfall sustains green herbaceous production late in the dry season and delays tree leaf litter production. Effect of water on production varies across the rainfall gradient with delayed start of green material production in more arid regions.