The Comparative Effectiveness of Rodents and Dung Beetles as Local Seed Dispersers in Mediterranean Oak Forests

The process of seed dispersal of many animal-dispersed plants is frequently mediated by a small set of biotic agents. However, the contribution that each of these dispersers makes to the overall recruitment may differ largely, with important ecological and management implications for the population viability and dynamics of the species implied in these interactions. In this paper, we compared the relative contribution of two local guilds of scatter-hoarding animals with contrasting metabolic requirements and foraging behaviours (rodents and dung beetles) to the overall recruitment of two Quercus species co-occurring in the forests of southern Spain. For this purpose, we considered not only the quantity of dispersed seeds but also the quality of the seed dispersal process. The suitability for recruitment of the microhabitats where the seeds were deposited was evaluated in a multi-stage demographic approach. The highest rates of seed handling and predation occurred in those microhabitats located under shrubs, mostly due to the foraging activity of rodents. However, the probability of a seed being successfully cached was higher in microhabitats located beneath a tree canopy as a result of the feeding behaviour of beetles. Rodents and beetles showed remarkable differences in their effectiveness as local acorn dispersers. Quantitatively, rodents were much more important than beetles because they dispersed the vast majority of acorns. However, they were qualitatively less effective because they consumed a high proportion of them (over 95%), and seeds were mostly dispersed under shrubs, a less suitable microhabitat for short-term recruitment of the two oak species. Our findings demonstrate that certain species of dung beetles (such as Thorectes lusitanicus), despite being quantitatively less important than rodents, can act as effective local seed dispersers of Mediterranean oak species. Changes in the abundance of beetle populations could thus have profound implications for oak recruitment and community dynamics.     

Fruit Bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) as Seed Dispersers and Pollinators in a Lowland Malaysian Rain Forest1

The aims of this study were to (1) characterize the food resources exploited by fruit bats (Pteropodidae) within an old‐growth Malaysian dipterocarp forest, (2) test the viability of the seeds they disperse, and (3) provide an estimate of the proportion of trees that are to some degree dependent upon bats for seed dispersal and/or pollination. Fruit species exploited by bats could be distinguished from those eaten by birds largely on the basis of color (as perceived by human beings). Bat‐dispersed fruits were typically inconspicuous shades of green–yellow or dull red–brown, whereas fruits eaten by birds were generally bright orange to red. Dietary overlap between bats and nonflying mammals was relatively high. In contrast to primates and squirrels, which were major seed predators for several of the plant species under investigation, fruit bats had no negative impact on seed viability. A botanical survey in 1 ha of old‐growth forest revealed that 13.7 percent of trees (?15 cm girth at breast height) were at least partially dependent upon fruit bats for pollination and/or seed dispersal.     

Misreading the African Landscape: Society and Ecology in a Forest-Savanna Mosaic

Misreading the African Landscape: Society and Ecology in. Forest-Savanna Mosaic. J. Fairhead and M. Leach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. 354 pp.     

Landscape Distribution of Microbial Activity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys: Linked Biotic Processes, Hydrology, and Geochemistry in a Cold Desert Ecosystem

In desert ecosystems, microbial activity and associated nutrient cycles are driven primarily by water availability and secondarily by nutrient availability. This is especially apparent in the extremely low productivity cold deserts of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. In this region, sediments near streams and lakes provide the seasonally wet conditions necessary for microbial activity and nutrient cycling and thus transfer energy to higher organisms. However, aside from a few studies of soil respiration, rates of microbial activity throughout the region remain unexplored. We measured extracellular enzyme activity potentials (alkaline phosphatase, leucine-aminopeptidase, beta-glucosidase, phenol oxidase, and peroxidase) in soils adjacent to lakes and streams, expecting activity to be primarily related to soil water content, as well as time of season and organic matter supply. Phosphatase and beta-glucosidase activities were higher in shoreline than upland soils; however, potential rates were not correlated with soil water content. Instead, soil organic matter, salinity, and pH were the best predictors of microbial activity. Microbial nutrient limitation metrics estimated from extracellular enzyme activity were correlated with pH and salinity and exhibited similar patterns to previously published trends in soil P and N content. Compared to other terrestrial ecosystems, organic matter specific rates for leucine-aminopeptidase and oxidative enzyme activities were high, typical of alkaline desert soils. Phosphatase activity was close to the global mean whereas beta-glucosidase activity was extremely low, which may reflect the lack of vascular plant derived organic matter in the Dry Valleys. In this cold desert ecosystem, water availability promotes microbial activity, and microbial nutrient cycling potentials are related to soil geochemistry. Author contributions:   LHZ performed research, analyzed data, and wrote the paper; RLS contributed new methods and wrote the paper; JEB conceived/designed study, performed research and analyzed data; MNG conceived/designed study and performed research; CTV conceived/designed study and performed research.     

Effects of Landscape and Riparian Condition on a Fish Index of Biotic Integrity in a Large Southeastern Brazil River

Environmental conditions of a large river in southeastern Brazil were assessed by evaluating fish assemblage structure (index of biotic integrity, IBI), landscape use (forest, pasture, urban area, and tributary water) and riparian condition. A survey of the 338 km-long middle reach of the Rio Paraiba do Sul, containing a large urban-industrial complex, was conducted in two seasons: summer/wet and winter/dry. Fish were sampled with a standardized level of effort twice at seven sites, between March 2001 and April 2002, by gill nets, cast nets, sieves and seines. Riparian condition was evaluated by direct observations, and land use maps were used to assess landscape condition of an 8 km² buffer surrounding each site. IBI scores ranged from 5 to 36 (out of a possible range of 4–40), with lowest values at an urban-industrial landscape, and highest scores upstream and downstream, indicating the river’s recovery capacity. The most appropriate time to assess IBI was during the winter/dry period, when sampling was more effective and the IBI was more sensitive to changes in environmental quality. Landscape use and riparian condition were correlated, and IBI was positively correlated with % pasture, % tributary area, and riparian condition, but negatively correlated with % urban area. In some cases urban areas eliminated riparian woody vegetation, destabilizing site physical habitat structure.     

Effects of Humans on Behaviour of Wildlife Exceed Those of Natural Predators in a Landscape of Fear

Background

Human disturbance can influence wildlife behaviour, which can have implications for wildlife populations. For example, wildlife may be more vigilant near human disturbance, resulting in decreased forage intake and reduced reproductive success. We measured the effects of human activities compared to predator and other environmental factors on the behaviour of elk (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus 1758) in a human-dominated landscape in Alberta, Canada.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We collected year-round behavioural data of elk across a range of human disturbances. We estimated linear mixed models of elk behaviour and found that human factors (land-use type, traffic and distance from roads) and elk herd size accounted for more than 80% of variability in elk vigilance. Elk decreased their feeding time when closer to roads, and road traffic volumes of at least 1 vehicle every 2 hours induced elk to switch into a more vigilant behavioural mode with a subsequent loss in feeding time. Other environmental factors, thought crucial in shaping vigilance behaviour in elk (natural predators, reproductive status of females), were not important. The highest levels of vigilance were recorded on public lands where hunting and motorized recreational activities were cumulative compared to the national park during summer, which had the lowest levels of vigilance.

Conclusions/Significance

In a human-dominated landscape, effects of human disturbance on elk behaviour exceed those of habitat and natural predators. Humans trigger increased vigilance and decreased foraging in elk. However, it is not just the number of people but also the type of human activity that influences elk behaviour (e.g. hiking vs. hunting). Quantifying the actual fitness costs of human disturbance remains a challenge in field studies but should be a primary focus for future researches. Some species are much more likely to be disturbed by humans than by non-human predators: for these species, quantifying human disturbance may be the highest priority for conservation.     

The Bold and the Variable: Fish with High Heterozygosity Act Recklessly in the Vicinity of Predators

Variation in the innate behavioral response to predation threat is often assumed to reflect genetic differences among the prey individuals. To date, no published results, however, exist that would offer explanation for the origin of this behavioral variation within populations. Using microsatellites as markers, we estimated the genetic variability of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) individuals whose behavior had been individually recorded in a trade‐off situation where both predator chemical cues and food were present. Mean overall heterozygosity and the internal relatedness of fish associated significantly with their activity and foraging, so that the genetically more variable individuals showed more risk‐prone behavior under predation risk. No association between genetic variability and behavior was found in trials where predator odors were not present. These results were consistent over the three study populations of brown trout with different backgrounds, suggesting that the phenomenon is of general nature in this species. Of the possible mechanisms suggested to enable the existence of the positive association between neutral microsatellite variation and fitness‐related trait, the local effect hypothesis gained more support from our data than the general effect hypothesis.     

A Vicilin-Like Seed Storage Protein,PAP85, Is Involved in Tobacco Mosaic Virus Replication

One striking feature of viruses with RNA genomes is the modification of the host membrane structure during early infection. This process requires both virus- and host-encoded proteins; however, the host factors involved and their role in this process remain largely unknown. On infection with Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), a positive-strand RNA virus, the filamentous and tubular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) converts to aggregations at the early stage and returns to filamentous at the late infectious stage, termed the ER transition. Also, membrane- or vesicle-packaged viral replication complexes (VRCs) are induced early during infection. We used microarray assays to screen the Arabidopsis thaliana gene(s) responding to infection with TMV in the initial infection stage and identified an Arabidopsis gene, PAP85 (annotated as a vicilin-like seed storage protein), with upregulated expression during 0.5 to 6 h of TMV infection. TMV accumulation was reduced in pap85-RNA interference (RNAi) Arabidopsis and restored to wild-type levels when PAP85 was overexpressed in pap85-RNAi Arabidopsis. We did not observe the ER transition in TMV-infected PAP85-knockdown Arabidopsis protoplasts. In addition, TMV accumulation was reduced in PAP85-knockdown protoplasts. VRC accumulation was reduced, but not significantly (P = 0.06), in PAP85-knockdown protoplasts. Coexpression of PAP85 and the TMV main replicase (P126), but not their expression alone in Arabidopsis protoplasts, could induce ER aggregations.     

Wildlife Depletion in a West African Farm-Forest Mosaic and the Implications for Hunting Across the Landscape

Unsustainable hunting is a threat to conservation and rural livelihoods that depend on bushmeat for food and income. To reduce the pressure on forest-dependent vulnerable species, hunting in farmland might complement offtake from forests and provide a sustainable source of bushmeat. To explore this possibility, we investigated patterns of hunting and wildlife depletion, and integration of hunting into agricultural livelihoods, in an intensively managed farm-forest mosaic landscape. Surveys were conducted across 63 households over a year in a Ghanaian cocoa-farming community surrounded by a timber production forest. The findings indicated a high level of wildlife depletion in the landscape and the local extinction of the largest species, especially in farmland. Most hunting occurred in forests and offtake from farmland was low, yet hunting in farmland was disproportionately common relative to its coverage in the landscape. Most farmland hunting was opportunistic and integrated with agricultural activities. Our findings suggest that intensively used farmland provides little opportunity to reduce hunting pressure in forests.     

Habitat Characteristics of Forest Fragments Determine Specialisation of Plant-Frugivore Networks in a Mosaic Forest Landscape

Plant-frugivore networks play a key role in the regeneration of sub-tropical forest ecosystems. However, information about the impact of habitat characteristics on plant-frugivore networks in fragmented forests is scarce. We investigated the importance of fruit abundance, fruiting plant species richness and canopy cover within habitat fragments for the structure and robustness of plant-frugivore networks in a mosaic forest landscape of South Africa. In total, 53 avian species were involved in fruit removal of 31 fleshy-fruiting plant species. Species specialisation was always higher for plants than for frugivores. Both species and network-level specialisation increased with increasing fruit abundance and decreased with increasing fruiting plant species richness and canopy cover within fragments. Interaction diversity was unaffected by fruit abundance and canopy cover, but increased slightly with increasing fruiting plant species richness. These findings suggest that especially the availability of resources is an important determinant of the structure of plant-frugivore networks in a fragmented forest landscape.     

Traditional Cattle Grazing in a Mosaic Alkali Landscape: Effects on Grassland Biodiversity along a Moisture Gradient

Extensively managed pastures are of crucial importance in sustaining biodiversity both in local- and landscape-level. Thus, re-introduction of traditional grazing management is a crucial issue in grassland conservation actions worldwide. Traditional grazing with robust cattle breeds in low stocking rates is considered to be especially useful to mimic natural grazing regimes, but well documented case-studies are surprisingly rare on this topic. Our goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional Hungarian Grey cattle grazing as a conservation action in a mosaic alkali landscape. We asked the following questions: (i) How does cattle grazing affect species composition and diversity of the grasslands? (ii) What are the effects of grazing on short-lived and perennial noxious species? (iii) Are there distinct effects of grazing in dry-, mesophilous- and wet grassland types? Vegetation of fenced and grazed plots in a 200-ha sized habitat complex (secondary dry grasslands and pristine mesophilous- and wet alkali grasslands) was sampled from 2006–2009 in East-Hungary. We found higher diversity scores in grazed plots compared to fenced ones in mesophilous- and wet grasslands. Higher cover of noxious species was typical in fenced plots compared to their grazed counterparts in the last year in every studied grassland type. We found an increasing effect of grazing from the dry- towards the wet grassland types. The year-to-year differences also followed similar pattern: the site-dependent effects were the lowest in the dry grassland and an increasing effect was detected along the moisture gradient. We found that extensive Hungarian Grey cattle grazing is an effective tool to suppress noxious species and to create a mosaic vegetation structure, which enables to maintain high species richness in the landscape. Hungarian Grey cattle can feed in open habitats along long moisture gradient, thus in highly mosaic landscapes this breed can be the most suitable livestock type.     

Bacillus thuringiensis DB27 Produces Two Novel Protoxins,Cry21Fa1 and Cry21Ha1, Which Act Synergistically against Nematodes

Bacillus thuringiensis has been widely used as a biopesticide, primarily for the control of insect pests, but some B. thuringiensis strains specifically target nematodes. However, nematicidal virulence factors of B. thuringiensis are poorly investigated. Here, we describe virulence factors of nematicidal B. thuringiensis DB27 using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model. We show that B. thuringiensis DB27 kills a number of free-living and animal-parasitic nematodes via intestinal damage. Its virulence factors are plasmid-encoded Cry protoxins, since plasmid-cured derivatives do not produce Cry proteins and are not toxic to nematodes. Whole-genome sequencing of B. thuringiensis DB27 revealed multiple potential nematicidal factors, including several Cry-like proteins encoded by different plasmids. Two of these proteins appear to be novel and show high similarity to Cry21Ba1. Named Cry21Fa1 and Cry21Ha1, they were expressed in Escherichia coli and fed to C. elegans, resulting in intoxication, intestinal damage, and death of nematodes. Interestingly, the effects of the two protoxins on C. elegans are synergistic (synergism factor, 1.8 to 2.5). Using purified proteins, we determined the 50% lethal concentrations (LC₅₀s) for Cry21Fa1 and Cry21Ha1 to be 13.6 μg/ml and 23.9 μg/ml, respectively, which are comparable to the LC₅₀ of nematicidal Cry5B. Finally, we found that signaling pathways which protect C. elegans against Cry5B toxin are also required for protection against Cry21Fa1. Thus, B. thuringiensis DB27 produces novel nematicidal protoxins Cry21Fa1 and Cry21Ha1 with synergistic action, which highlights the importance of naturally isolated strains as a source of novel toxins.     

Dynamics of Small RNA Profiles of Virus and Host Origin in Wheat Cultivars Synergistically Infected by Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus and Triticum Mosaic Virus: Virus Infection Caused a Drastic Shift in the Endogenous Small RNA Profile

Co-infection of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV, a Tritimovirus) and Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV, a Poacevirus) of the family Potyviridae causes synergistic interaction. In this study, the effects of the synergistic interaction between WSMV and TriMV on endogenous and virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) were examined in susceptible (‘Arapahoe’) and temperature-sensitive resistant (‘Mace’) wheat cultivars at 18°C and 27°C. Single and double infections in wheat caused a shift in the profile of endogenous small RNAs from 24 nt being the most predominant in healthy plants to 21 nt in infected wheat. Massive amounts of 21 and 22 nt vsiRNAs accumulated in singly and doubly infected Arapahoe at both temperatures and in Mace at 27°C but not 18°C. The plus- and minus-sense vsiRNAs were distributed throughout the genomic RNAs in Arapahoe at both temperature regimens and in Mace at 27°C, although some regions served as hot-spots, spawning an excessive number of vsiRNAs. The vsiRNA peaks were conserved among cultivars, suggesting that the Dicer-like enzymes in susceptible and resistant cultivars similarly accessed the genomic RNAs of WSMV or TriMV. Accumulation of large amounts of vsiRNAs in doubly infected plants suggests that the silencing suppressor proteins encoded by TriMV and WSMV do not prevent the formation of vsiRNAs; thus, the synergistic effect observed is independent from RNA-silencing mediated vsiRNA biogenesis. The high-resolution map of endogenous and vsiRNAs from WSMV- and/or TriMV-infected wheat cultivars may form a foundation for understanding the virus-host interactions, the effect of synergistic interactions on host defense, and virus resistance mechanisms in wheat.     

Symptom Severity, Yield, Seed Mottling and Seed Transmission of Soybean Mosaic Virus in Susceptible and Resistant Soybean: The Influence of Infection Stage and Growth Temperature

The effect of soybean mosaic virus (SMV) infection on symptom severity, yield, seed mottling and seed transmission in soybean in relation to the growth stage at infection and subsequent temperature was investigated using a susceptible (Harosoy), a moderately resistant (Evans) and a highly resistant (Merit) cultivar. Disease symptoms were more severe with early infection. A greater reduction in plant growth and seed yield, and higher percentages of mottled seeds and seed transmission of SMV also occurred with early infection. Virus titer was higher in younger plants than in older ones and also higher in plants infected at the ealier stage than at the later stage of growth. Merit (a highly resistant cultivar previously reported to be immune to seed mottling) inoculated at the early stage of plant growth resulted in infection and production of some mottled seeds. Temperature affected all parameters investigated. The effect of temperature was greater in the susceptible cultivar than in the resistant one. The optimal temperature for symptom severity, yield, seed mottling and seed transmission was 20 °C. Virus titer was highest at 30 °C in all three cultivars. Maturity of susceptible cultivar was delayed by infection.     

贵州毕节喀斯特地区优势植物种子萌发特性初步研究

对采自贵州毕节地区的11种植物的种子萌发特性进行了初步研究,结果表明：①盐肤木、火棘、化香、云贵金丝桃与白栎种子在4周之内能够萌发;除云贵鹅耳枥胚坏死之外（萌发实验前后对种子进行解剖）,其他5种植物的种子都未萌发,处于不同的休眠状态。②盐肤木、化香、云贵金丝桃的种子光照时的萌发率远高于黑暗时的萌发率,具有显著差异,尤其是云贵金丝桃,因此3种植物种子均属于喜光性种子;而火棘与白栎种子有无光照都可以萌发,而且萌发率没显著差异,因此属于光不敏感或光中性种子。③盐肤木、云贵金丝桃的种子在30℃较高温条件下萌发最好;白栎、火棘种子在15℃、20℃低温条件下萌发更好;化香种子萌发温度既不能低于20℃也不能高于25℃。④刺异叶花椒种子吸水率高达85%,胚包埋在胚乳之中非常微小、未分化,因此可以初步判定属于形态休眠或者形态生理休眠;而平枝荀子、西域旌节花、云南旌节花种子吸水率都在20%以上,胚长/种子长都超多1/2,并且胚已发育完全,应属于生理休眠;小果蔷薇种子吸水率约27%,胚长/种子长都达2/3,并且通过对种子的解剖发现胚还未发育,应属于形态生理休眠。     

Determinants of Plant Community Assembly in a Mosaic of Landscape Units in Central Amazonia: Ecological and Phylogenetic Perspectives

The Amazon harbours one of the richest ecosystems on Earth. Such diversity is likely to be promoted by plant specialization, associated with the occurrence of a mosaic of landscape units. Here, we integrate ecological and phylogenetic data at different spatial scales to assess the importance of habitat specialization in driving compositional and phylogenetic variation across the Amazonian forest. To do so, we evaluated patterns of floristic dissimilarity and phylogenetic turnover, habitat association and phylogenetic structure in three different landscape units occurring in terra firme (Hilly and Terrace) and flooded forests (Igapó). We established two 1-ha tree plots in each of these landscape units at the Caparú Biological Station, SW Colombia, and measured edaphic, topographic and light variables. At large spatial scales, terra firme forests exhibited higher levels of species diversity and phylodiversity than flooded forests. These two types of forests showed conspicuous differences in species and phylogenetic composition, suggesting that environmental sorting due to flood is important, and can go beyond the species level. At a local level, landscape units showed floristic divergence, driven both by geographical distance and by edaphic specialization. In terms of phylogenetic structure, Igapó forests showed phylogenetic clustering, whereas Hilly and Terrace forests showed phylogenetic evenness. Within plots, however, local communities did not show any particular trend. Overall, our findings suggest that flooded forests, characterized by stressful environments, impose limits to species occurrence, whereas terra firme forests, more environmentally heterogeneous, are likely to provide a wider range of ecological conditions and therefore to bear higher diversity. Thus, Amazonia should be considered as a mosaic of landscape units, where the strength of habitat association depends upon their environmental properties.     

Differences in Coprophilous Beetle Communities Structure in Sierra de Minas (Uruguay): a Mosaic Landscape

Coprophilous beetles represent an abundant and rich group with critical importance in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Most coprophagous beetles have a stenotopic distribution in relation to vegetation types. Because of this, they are usually very sensitive to environmental changes and are considered well suited as bioindicator organisms. The aim of this study was to analyze variations in coprophilous beetle assemblages in natural and anthropogenic habitats. Coprophilous beetle communities were sampled monthly for 1?year using pitfall traps baited with cow dung, in native xeric upland forests, 15-years-old plantations of Pinus elliottii and pastures in Sierra de Minas, Lavalleja, Uruguay. A total of 7,436 beetles were caught and identified to species or morphospecies level. The most abundant families were Aphodiidae, Scarabaeidae, and Staphylinidae. Differences in species richness, abundance, Shannon index, evenness, and dominance were detected between habitats. Abundances of most frequent families were significantly higher in both kinds of forests. Species richness and diversity of Aphodiidae and Staphylinidae were higher in forests, while Scarabaeidae showed the highest richness and diversity in pine plantations. Species composition significantly differed between habitats. Uroxys terminalis Waterhouse and Ataenius perforatus Harold typified the assemblages in native forests and pine plantations and also discriminated both communities because of their differential pattern of abundance between habitats. Typifying species in pastures were Onthophagus hirculus, Ateuchus robustus (Harold), and Ataenius platensis Blanchard. Habitat type had a strong effect on the coprophilous beetle community structure and composition.     

Calanthe Mild Mosaic Virus, a New Potyvirus Causing a Mild Mosaic Disease of Calanthe Orchid in Japan

Calanthe mild mosaic potyvirus (CalMMV), a previously undescribed virus found in several locations in Japan, causes mild leaf mosaic and flower colour breaking of Calanthe plants. CalMMV was mechanically transmitted only to Calanthe sp., Phalaenopsis sp. and Tetragonia expansa of 50 plant species tested and was transmitted by the aphid Myzus persicae in a nonpersistent manner. The virus has flexuotis particles about 764 nm long and induced the formation of intracellular cytoplasmic cylindrical inclusions. The virus particles contain a single poly-peptide of 32.0 kDa and a single RNA of mol. weight 3.1 × 10⁶. As determined by immuno-electron microscopy, CalMMV is distantly related to the Japanese isolate of dendrobium mosaic potyvirus (DeMV-J), but it showed no serological relationship to any of seven other potyviruses. The sequence of the 3'-terminal 1306 nucleo-tides of the viral genome was determined. The coat protein (CP) coding sequence is predicted to be 804 nucleotides in length, encoding a protein of 268 amino acids with a calculated mol. weight of 30 389. The 3' noncoding region is 169 nucleotides long and is followed by a polyadenylate tract. The amino acid sequence of the CP of CalMMV was 73% homologous to that of DeMV-J, but less than 66% to other potyviruses.