Individual variability in the epidermis of prespawning inshore winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus

Prespawning winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum, manifest epidermal thickening as a secondary sexual characteristic, but with considerable individual variability. The correlation between epidermal thickness and fish size in post-spawned flounder is less apparent in prespawning flounders due to factors associated with sexual maturation. Thus, epidermal thickness in individual prespawning flounder displays significant correlation with gonadosomatic index and. in females, with the degree of final maturation of vitellogenic oocytes. However, both epidermal thickness and gonadosomatic index of individual flounders also display significant correlation with condition factor. It is proposed that body size and condition factor represent important primary physiological determinants influencing individual variability in seasonal epidermal thickness, and that factors associated with sexual maturation represent a secondary physiological determinant.     

The effect of androgen treatment on the epidermis of post-spawned winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum)

The effect of androgen treatment on the thin epidermis of post-spawned winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum), freshly collected from an inshore population was investigated. Over the duration of the experiment, control flounders displayed epidermal thickening and increased goblet cell frequencies associated with captivity in this species. Treatment of males with 11-ketotestosterone induced significantly more differential thickening of the blindside epidermis. Compared with the controls testosterone treatment did not induce additional thickening of male epidermis, but it did increase differential thickening on the blind side of females.     

A bird’s eye view of the peppered moth

Industrial melanism in Biston betularia is one of the best known examples of the role of natural selection in evolution and has received considerable scrutiny for many years. The rise in frequency of the dark form of the moth (carbonaria) and a decrease in the pale form (typica) was the result of differential predation by birds, the melanic form being more cyptic than typica in industrial areas where the tree bark was darkened by air pollution. One important aspect of early work evaluating the relative crypsis of the forms of B. betularia on tree trunks with different lichen flora was the reliance on human observers. Humans, however, do not have the same visual capabilities as birds. Birds have well‐developed ultraviolet (UV) vision, an important component of their colour processing system that affects many aspects of behaviour, including prey detection. We examined the UV characteristics of the two forms of B. betularia and a number of foliose and crustose lichens. In human visible light the speckled form typica appeared cyptic when seen against a background of foliose lichen, whereas the dark form carbonaria was conspicuous. Under UV light the situation was reversed. The foliose lichens absorbed UV and appeared dark as did carbonaria. Typica, however, reflected UV and was conspicuous. Against crustose lichens, typica was less visible than carbonaria in both visible and UV light. These findings are considered in relation to the distribution and recolonization of trees by lichens and the resting behaviour of B. betularia.     

Factors affecting the induction and release of secondary dormancy in Kalanchoë seeds

Abstract. Several short daily R irradiations are required from the first day of incubation on water to induce germination of Kalanchoë seeds. When the same light treatment is given after a prolonged dark incubation period at 20°C, secondary dormancy prevents germination. Factors controlling the induction and breaking of secondary dormancy have been investigated. The induction of secondary dormancy is very temperature dependent. Locally puncturing the seed coat strongly delays it. Secondary dormancy is not induced in the presence of GA₃ during the first 10 d of dark incubation, although this growth substance cannot induce dark germination. Prolonged or cyclic daily R irradiations can relieve secondary dormancy of seeds kept on water, even after a dark period of 20 d. A 24 h treatment at 4°C restores responsiveness to short R exposures of slightly secondarily dormant seeds. The synergism between GA₃ and Pfr in non-dormant Kalanchoë seeds, leading to high effectiveness of even one short FR irradiation, still occurs in seeds made secondarily dormant before transfer to GA₃, but more R or FR irradiations, in combination with GA₃, are required for the release of secondary dormancy. A combination of red light and 6-benzyl-aminopurine is ineffective in removing dormancy.     

Factors affecting the recognition of population-specific odours by juvenile coho salmon*

Juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch from the Quinsam, Big Qualicum and Puntledge Rivers, British Columbia, Canada, discriminated between the chemical emanations of similarly aged salmon from their own and another population. However, common rearing during the embryonic, larval and early free-swimming stages rendered families more attractive to each other than they were otherwise. Preference among populations was also influenced by quantity of odour produced by the fish. Some fish, notably the Quinsam River population, appeared to produce greater quantities of attractants than other fish. Finally, the salmon also preferred water conditioned by faeces of members of their own population over blank water and, in one of two experiments, over water conditioned by faeces of non-population members, suggesting that at least some of the odourants mediating intraspecific discriminations are present in faeces. These results confirm earlier studies demonstrating that salmonid populations differ in odours distinguishable by conspecifics but indicate that experiments investigating this phenomenon must be designed carefully to avoid bias owing to differences other than population-specific traits. The role of population recognition in the lives of salmonids is unclear; it might be a manifestation of more general imprinting for homing, of sibling recognition, or it might play a role in mate choice.     

Factors affecting the distribution of genetic variability in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata

Previous studies on Trinidadian guppies have shown an apparent association of genetic variability, expressed as mean heterozygosity (Ho) at allozyme loci, with river order: fish from lowland sites exhibit higher mean Ho than their upland counterparts. Detailed genetic and behavioural observations were undertaken in the present study by repeated sampling throughout two river courses to examine population heterogeneity. Results show that the predation regime mediated mating behaviour of upland and lowland populations in the wild is not as divergent as previous laboratory observations have suggested. Furthermore, genetic variation at the eight loci variable in Trinidadian populations (p₁₀₀=0·13–O·88, H₀=O·03–0·23) appears to bear little association with predation regime, but is related to sub-structuring of populations by habitat features and geographic isolation. We therefore conclude that the observed patterns of genetic variability arise primarily as a consequence of stochastic as opposed to deterministic factors.     

The effect of natural variation in substrate architecture on the survival of juvenile bicolor damselfish

Coral reefs offer settling fish larvae a spatial mosaic of microhabitats that differ not only in structural complexity but also in the abundance and diversity of predators. This paper provides evidence that interactions between predators and prey are causally linked to variation in relevant architectural characteristics of natural substrates. Juvenile bicolor damselfish, Stegastes partitus, experienced greater mortality on Montastrea annularis boulder coral than on piles of Porites porites coral rubble. This pattern was consistent on both back and fore reef habitats. Architectural differences, variable encounter rates with predators, and access to different food sources all contributed to higher mortality. Spatial and structural differences among refuges provided by the two substrates were most important in affecting survival. Porites rubble contained almost three times the number of crevices (39.9 vs. 14.3 crevices m^–2AM²), had a much smaller mean crevice size (15.9 vs. 48.5 cm²), and had a more complex internal structure than Montastrea coral. Survival of juvenile fish living on Montastrea coral was positively correlated with crevice density (r² = 0.41) whereas survival of fish living on Porites rubble was negatively correlated with crevice size (r² = 0.43). These patterns were evident on fore reef habitats only, whereas on back reef habitats no clear patterns emerged. The effect of these natural differences in architecture on mortality rates of juvenile S. partitus was experimentally tested in the field using a combination of natural and artificial substrates. As the number of large shelters was increased I found that the density of potential predators increased but the survival rates of juvenile bicolor damselfish declined. These results highlight the importance of structural architecture among common reef substrates in affecting predator-prey relationships and in determining the survivorship and small-scale distribution patterns of juvenile reef fish.     

Factors affecting the survival of E. coli in a river

The relationships between physical, chemical and microbial characteristics of an aquatic ecosystem and the survival of E. coli have been studied. Two conditions of the ecosystem (warm and cold) are considered. T₉₀ (time necessary for 90% of a bacterial population to die) in the warm situation shows an inverse exponential relationship with water temperature. Besides the direct relationship temperature-T₉₀, there is an indirect effect of temperature upon T₉₀ through the natural microflora of the water. The relationships between temperature and the heterotrophic population, and between the heterotrophic population and the bacterial consumers (P.F.U.), are exponential and linear, respectively.     

Factors affecting the survival and growth of bacteria introduced into lake water

The populations of Pseudomonas sp. B4, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Micrococcus flavus, and Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli declined rapidly in lake water. The initially rapid decline of the two pseudomonads and R. phaseoli was followed by a period of slow loss of viability, but viable cells of the other species were not found after 10 days. The rapid initial phase of decline was not a result of Bdellovibrio spp., bacteriophages, or toxins in the water since Bdellovibrio spp. were not present and passage of the lake water through filters that should not have removed bacteriophages or soluble toxins led to the elimination of the rapid phase of decline. The addition of 250 g of cycloheximide and 30 g of nystatin per ml eliminated viable protozoa form the lake water, and the population of Pseudomonas sp. B4 did not fall and the decline of E. coli and K. pneumoniae was delayed or slowed under these conditions. Pseudomonas sp. L2 proliferated rapidly in lake water amended with glucose, phosphate, and NH₄NO₃, but its numbers subsequently fell abruptly; however, in water amended with cycloheximide and nystatin, which killed indigenous protozoa, the population density was higher and the fall in numbers was delayed. Of the nutrients, the chief response was to carbon, but when glucose was added, phosphorus and nitrogen stimulated growth further. Removing other bacteria by filtering the lake water before inoculation with Pseudomonas sp. L2 suggested that competition reduced the extent of response of the pseudomonad to added nutrients. We suggest that the decline in lake water of bacteria that are resistant to starvation may be a result of protozoan grazing and that the extent of growth of introduced species may be limited by the supply of available carbon and sometimes of nitrogen and phosphorus, and by predation by indigenous protozoa.     

The influence of the cervix on smear quality. I: Atrophy. An audit of cervical smears taken post‐colposcopic management of intraepithelial neoplasia

Out of 951 smears taken from women attending a hospital cytology clinic, 122 were found to be of poor quality. Twenty‐eight percent of these were associated with clinical and/or cytological atrophy, and in 91% of these the main adverse factor affecting smear quality was scantiness. The relative risk of obtaining a scanty smear was found to be 4.8 times greater in women in whom clinical atrophy was identified when compared with those with no atrophy. It is suggested that a reduction in the number of scanty, and hence potentially inadequate, smears in the screening programme may be achieved by the use of more appropriate sampling implements in all women in whom there is clinical evidence of atrophy. Further review of alternative sampling methods is indicated.     

Factors affecting seed germination and seedling establishment of a long-lived desert shrub (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coleogyne ramosissima</Emphasis>: Rosaceae)

Long-lived desert shrubs exhibit infrequent, episodic recruitment from seed. In spite of this long time scale, selection on life history attributes that affect seedling recruitment should be strong. We studied factors affecting germination phenology and seedling establishment for Coleogyne ramosissima, a dominant shrub species in the ecotone between warm and cold deserts in western North America. We also examined ecotypic differentiation in establishment strategy in response to selection regimes in two contrasting habitats. We followed patterns of dormancy loss, germination, emergence, and survival in reciprocal field experiments at warm winter Mojave Desert and cold winter Colorado Plateau study sites. Seed germination took place in late winter, under winter rain conditions at the warm desert site and under snow at the cold desert site. Distinctive germination phenologies for the two seed populations at contrasting field sites followed predictions based on laboratory germination experiments. There was no seed bank carryover across years. Seedling survival at the end of three growing seasons was remarkably high (mean survival 54%). Most seedling mortality was due to sprout predation by rodents early the first spring in unprotected caches. Emergence and establishment at each site were significantly higher for seeds from the local population, supporting the idea of ecotypic differentiation in establishment strategy. Establishment success was an order of magnitude greater overall at the Colorado Plateau site, which represents the leading edge of an upward elevational shift in distribution for this species under the current climatic regime. The Mojave Desert site is on the trailing edge of this shift, and recruitment there is apparently a much less frequent occurrence.     

Genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation and loss: the case of the Florida black bear (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ursus americanus floridanus</Emphasis>)

Habitat loss and fragmentation can influence the genetic structure of biological populations. We studied the genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation in Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) populations. Genetic samples were collected from 339 bears, representing nine populations. Bears were genotyped for 12 microsatellite loci to estimate genetic variation and to characterize genetic structure. None of the nine study populations deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Genetic variation, quantified by mean expected heterozygosity (H _E), ranged from 0.27 to 0.71 and was substantially lower in smaller and less connected populations. High levels of genetic differentiation among populations (global F _ST = 0.224; global R _ST = 0.245) suggest that fragmentation of once contiguous habitat has resulted in genetically distinct populations. There was no isolation-by-distance relationship among Florida black bear populations, likely because of barriers to gene flow created by habitat fragmentation and other anthropogenic disturbances. These factors resulted in genetic differentiation among populations, even those that were geographically close. Population assignment tests indicated that most individuals were genetically assigned to the population where they were sampled. Habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic barriers to movement appear to have limited the dispersal capabilities of the Florida black bear, thereby reducing gene flow among populations. Regional corridors or translocation of bears may be needed to restore historical levels of genetic variation. Our results suggest that management actions to mitigate genetic consequences of habitat fragmentation are needed to ensure long-term persistence of the Florida black bear.     

Factors affecting winter survival of the florally determinate white lupin cv. Lucyane

In a series of three field experiments with factorial design, on sites that had not grown lupins previously, sowing date was the main factor affecting over-winter survival of autumn-sown white lupin. In 1993, the sowing dates (23 September and 20 October) were too late to prevent much plant death in autumn and early winter, with the onset of frosts. In 1994, the sowing dates (30 August and 22 September) were early enough to prevent severe frost damage, but infestations of bean seed fly (Delia platura) occurred, more in the later than in the earlier sown crops, causing wilting and plant death. Losses were decreased where furothiocarb seed treatment was applied. In 1995, losses were greater in early-sown (12 September) than in later sown (28 September) crops; plant death was gradual, occurring into the spring, and was apparently associated with over-development of young shoots before an unusually long, cold winter. A chlorpyrifos spray (13 or 29 September for early or late sown plots, respectively) slightly increased survival, possibly by controlling Thrips angusticeps. Fungicides applied to seed or as sprays in late autumn had little or no effect in these experiments. In another series of experiments to test fungicides, in 1992-93 and 1993-94, survival was poor following late sowing (in October), but was increased by application of prochloraz in December or January, or, in 1994, by seed treatment with thiram.     

Survival and movement of naïve juvenile spiny lobsters returned to the wild

Using multistate Arnson-Schwartz (AS) mark-recapture models, we show that naïve (captive reared) juvenile southern rock lobsters (Jasus edwardsii, Hutton 1875) survived as well as wild-caught lobsters when released to an area of coastal reef. Lobsters captured as pueruli were ongrown in tanks for 12 to 18 months where they were fed to satiation in the absence of predators. Lobsters were marked with antennal tags each carrying a unique code, and released to coastal reef along with tagged wild-caught lobsters of similar size. During 8 dive surveys of the release reef and 3 surveys of adjacent reefs over a 28 day period, divers resighted 40.3% of the naïve lobsters and 70.2% of the wild lobsters. We show that this discrepancy is a function of differing movement rates and spatial differences in resighting probability. The probability of naïve lobsters moving from the release reef to adjacent areas in the first 4 days post-release (0.72 ± 0.04 S.E.) was almost twice that of wild-caught lobsters (0.38 ± 0.08 S.E.). This behavioural difference did not influence daily apparent survival (0.98 ± 0.016 S.E.), which was constant between groups and over time. Our results are encouraging for the potential of enhancing spiny lobster stocks by releasing juveniles, and demonstrate the utility of AS mark-recapture models as a tool for evaluating medium-term survival of mobile marine species.     

Factors affecting the distribution of a predatory mite on greenhouse sweet pepper

The predatory mite Neoseiulus cucumeris is used for biological control of phytophagous mites and thrips on greenhouse cucumber and sweet pepper. In a previous study, N. cucumeris provided effective control of broad mite but was only rarely found on the sampled leaves, raising questions about the factors affecting N. cucumeris distribution. To determine the distribution of N. cucumeris, leaves of pepper plants were sampled three times per day: just after sunrise, at noon and just before sunset for two years and throughout a 24 h period in one year. The presence of other mites and insects was recorded. Biotic (pollen) and abiotic (temperature, humidity) factors were monitored from the three plant levels. The effect of direct and indirect sunlight on the mites was assessed. N. cucumeris was found primarily in flowers; however, the mite’s distribution was affected by other predators (intraguild predation); in the presence of the predatory bug Orius laevigatus virtually no mites occurred in the flowers. Whereas temperature and humidity varied from the top to the lower level of the plants, apparently neither these factors nor the presence of pollen outside the flowers influenced mite distribution. N. cucumeris was found to be negatively phototropic; therefore N. cucumeris were pre-conditioned to light by rearing under light conditions for 4 months before being released. The light-reared mites were initially more numerous during the noon sampling period, however, rearing conditions caused only a temporary and non-significant change in distribution.     

Factors affecting the reproductive success of the crab spider Misumenoides formosipes: the covariance between juvenile and adult traits

Summary To examine the importance of covariance between stages in traits related to foraging, we quantified the relationships between reproductive success and sizerelated variability in weight gain in juvenile and adult instars of the crab spider Misumenoides formosipes (Araneae: Thomisidae). Prereproductive weight and fecundity are both highly correlated with carapace width, a linear measure of size which does not change within an instar. In field populations, adult females with larger carapaces gain more weight and are more likely to reproduce than females with smaller carapaces. The growth rate of spiders fed ad libitum in the laboratory is unrelated to size, suggesting that size-related differences in the field are due to variation in prey-capture success. Adult females with a carapace width less than 3.4 mm comprised 22% of the population, but were never found to reproduce. Of the individuals that did reproduce, a 17% increase in carapace width resulted in a 100% increase in fecundity. Juvenile stages must be examined to understand adult foraging and reproductive success, because the net weight gained by juvenile instars determines adult size. The final weight gained by spiders in the antepenultimate and penultimate instars explained nearly all the variation in carapace width in the penultimate and adult instars, respectively. We found that constraints on foraging in late juvenile stages are different from the adult stage. Penultimate foraging behavior differs from that of adults, because of constraints on foraging in the period preceding ecdysis. Additionally, in both late juvenile instars, carapace width had little or no effect on the final weight gained within the instar suggesting that factors that affect foraging are different between the juvenile and adult stages. These analyses stress the fact that to fully understand the effects of foraging on reproductive success, we must examine stage-specific constraints throughout an organism's life history.     

Factors Controlling the Planktonic Community in the Shallow-Lake of Créteil,France

A two-year study on the seasonal pattern of plankton was performed in a shallow, polymictic, eutrophic lake. Autogenic successions typical of stratified lakes did not occur. Only small edible algae developed throughout the two years and Cyanophyceae rarely appeared, and did not bloom. Algal sequences depended on wind-induced periodic mixing of water. The seasonal pattern of Rotifers varied greatly from year to year and some species depended on sporadic increases of algae. In contrast, the seasonal pattern of microcrustacea was more regular. Resting stages played an important role in zooplankton development in this variable environment. Successful fish reproduction depended a great deal on climatic conditions. The changes from year to year in predation pressure from young fish appeared to be an important factor controlling zoo-plankton structure.