Scale-bearing Chrysophyceae (Mallomonadaceae and Paraphysomonadaceae) from Mackenzie Delta area lakes, Northwest Territories, Canada

Scale-bearing Chrysophyceae have been examined by means of light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy. Samples were taken from nine arctic lakes in the Mackenzie Delta area of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Seventeen species of the genera Chrysosphaerella, Mallomonas, Paraphysomonas, Spiniferomonas and Synura have been identified. Included in these species are seven species previously unreported from northern Canada and one species reported only in North America. The composition of the chrysophycean flora from the Mackenzie Delta area lakes is compared with that of arctic lakes in the Saqvaqjuac area, Hudson Bay (N.W.T.), Alaskan lakes, and Greenland lakes.     

Scale-bearing Chrysophyceae (Mallomonadaceae and Paraphysomonadaceae) from West Greenland

Phytoplankton samples from twenty-one freshwater localities in the area of Nuuk (Godthåb), West Greenland, have been examined by means of electron microscopy in order to investigate the flora of scale bearing Chrysophyceae. Forty-two taxa of the genera Mallomonas, Synura, Chromophysomonas (Spiniferomonas), Chrysosphaerella and Paraphysomonas have been observed, and thirty-eight of these are illustrated by TEM or SEM micrographs. Thirty-four of the observed taxa, among these all members of the genus Chromophysomonas , are for the first time recorded from Greenland. Chromophysomonas involuta sp.nov. is described. The scale morphology of the Greenlandic specimens is compared with earlier findings from other parts of the world, and the most remarkable features of the chrysophycean flora from the investigated area are discussed.     

Ultrastructure and taxonomy of Paraphysomonas (Chrysophyceae) and related genera 2

This is the second of two accounts reporting on the occurrence and systematics of freshwater species of the colourless chrysophycean genus Paraphysomonas in the Cambridge area, using electron microscopy of whole mounts of both cells and scales and sections of scales. Twenty species are included here, eleven of which are new: P. cancellala, P. canistrum, P. homolepis, P. ignivoma, P. limbata, P. morchella, P. runcinifera, P. stelligera, P. stephanolepis, P. subquadrangularis and P. undulata. Five new subspecies are also established: P. circumvallata ssp. mediogranulata, P. poteriophora ssp. manubriata, P. punctata ssp. atrema , ssp. microlepis and ssp. simplicior. P. diademifera (Takahashi) comb. nov. [= Lepidochromonas diademifera (Takahashi) Kristiansen] has been included in Paraphysomonas since it has been found to be colourless and not pigmented as originally described and also to possess scales of a similar structure to those in other species of Paraphysomonas. One previously described species, P. inconspicua Takahashi, is here considered as a synonym of P. butcheri Pennick & Clarke. P. vacuolata Thomsen is removed from Paraphysomonas since it has been found to possess a chloroplast and will be included in a new genus in the third paper of this series. The 37 presently known species of Paraphysomonas have been arranged in 11 different groups according to similarities in scale structure. Consideration of the possible evolution of scale structure in Paraphysomonas and the possible interrelationships within the genus led to the conclusion that all species should be included in a single genus.     

The Latest Cretaceous Flora of Heilongjiang Province and the Floristic Relationship Between East Asia and North America (Cont.)

The present paper deals with a collection of plant fossils from the Wuyun Group of Heilongjiang Province. These fossils belong to 28 families, 39 genera and 53 species. The flora is composed of 7 species of pteridophytes, 8 of conifers and 37 of angiosperms. All have been fully described, of which ten are new species. Most elements of this flora are subtropic or warm-temperate, with only a few of them are temperate ones. The flora consists of conifers and broad-leaved trees adapted to humid warm-temperate or subtropic climate. With the physiognomy of leaves, 40 per cent of them are of entire margin, and most are medium-sized, with some megaphyllous. The nervation is mostly palmate. These characters indicate that the climate was warm-temperate or subtropic. Among 35 genera known from the Late Cretaceous of East Asia, 27 are also found in North America, which indicates that the floristic relationship between East Asia and North Americal was closer at that time than it is now. Therefore the number of genera in common has been decreasing through the age, because these two regions have been detached from each other since the late Eocene, as a result of continental drift. Only some relic forms left on both sides, and only 4.1% of genera are common to both continents. After the early Tertiary the floras of East Asia and North America have been developing independently. The Chinese flora of the Late Cretaceous may be divided into three Zones from the north to the south: (1) warm temperate-subtropic zone, rich in Metasequoia, Ginkgo, Trochodendroides, Platanus, Trochodendron, Protophyllum, Ampelopsis Pterospermites and Menispermites; (2) subtropic or dry subtropic transitional zone; and (3) subtropictropic zone, rich in Brachyphyllum, Cinnamomum, Nectandra and Palms. The Wuyun flora is considered closely related to the Chajiayang Group and SikhoteAlin flora of USSR, with 15 genera in common and also related to the Kuji flora of Japan (Cenonian), with 11 genera in common. It is interesting to note that 11 genera are also found in North America (Canada and Alaska) of the Late Cretaceous. The palynological assemblage of the Wuyun flora is closely related to Minshui flora of the Souliao Basin, 15 genera being common to the both. Seventy per cent of megafossils of the Wuyun flora have become extinct, which seems to show that the age of the flora is older than Paleocene and is assigned to the Latest Late Crataceous (Maestrichtian-Dani-an).     

Ultrastructure and taxonomy of Paraphysomonas (Chrysophyceae) and related genera 3

New observations are presented on the internal ultrastructure of the scale–bearing chrysophycean genera Chromophysomonas, Chrysosphaerella , the new genus Polylepidomonas and 15 species of Paraphysomonas. These data show that the pigmented genera Chromophysomonas, Chrysosphaerella and Polylepidomonas have a generally similar internal structure and that their taxonomic separation is based only on differences in scale structure. The structure of Paraphysomonas resembles that of these genera but the cells always possess a leucoplast rather than a chloroplast. In cell structure, the pigmented genera resemble the naked genus Ochromonas while Paraphysomonas resembles Spumella , the colourless counterpart of Ochromonas. Evaluation of the differences between these genera and the scale–bearing genera Mallomonas and Synura has led to the conclusion that Chromophysomonas, Chrysosphaerella, Polylepidomonas and Paraphysomonas should no longer be classified within the family Mallomonadaceae. The new family Paraphysomonadaceae is established to include Chrysophyceae with an Ochromonas type of cell structure but which also produce silica scales.     

Invasion Patterns of Lumbricidae Into the Previously Earthworm-free Areas of Northeastern Europe and the Western Great Lakes Region of North America

We examine the patterns of expansion of exotic European earthworms in northeastern Europe and the western Great Lakes region of North America. These areas share many ecological, climatic and historical characteristics and are devoid of indigenous earthworm fauna due to Quaternary glaciations. These regions are being colonized by a similar suite of exotic lumbricid species and it is unlikely that this is the result of chance, but rather indicates that these species have particular characteristics making them successful invaders. The present macro-scale distributions of earthworm species in northern Russia show little connection to the pattern of the last glaciation. Rather, the primary factors that determine the current distributions of earthworm species include climatic conditions, the life history traits of different earthworm species, the suitability of habitat and intensity and patterns of human activity. In the western Great Lakes region of North America, there are three primary factors affecting current distributions of exotic earthworm species including the patterns of human activity and land use practices, the composition of particular source populations of earthworms associated with different vectors of transport and the soil and litter properties of habitats across the region. Disturbance of a habitat does not appear to be a prerequisite to the invasion and establishment of exotic earthworms. Analysis of the macro-scale distributions of Lumbricidae species in northeastern Europe may provide important insights into the potential of invasive European earthworm species to spread in North America, and identify potentially invasive species.     

A Preliminary Account of the Tardigrades of Newfoundland

This is the first published report of tardigrades in Newfoundland and Labrador. Twenty-six species have been identified so far, including four new records for Canada and one new record for North America. Although there is some overlap of species with those found in earlier Canadian studies, there are some interesting discrepancies. The rare occurrence and restricted distribution of the very few heterotardigrades (three species and 30 specimens) found so far in Newfoundland is noteworthy, as is the occurrence of several tardigrade species whose former records have been mainly for Greenland. It appears the environmental conditions in Newfoundland can support a number of species that would normally be restricted to a more northerly distribution. A comparison of the species found in Newfoundland with those of a number of other northern countries suggests that the Newfoundland species are most similar to those found in Greenland and mainland Canada.     

A comparison of the taxonomic richness of temperate plants in East Asia and North America

The taxonomic richness of seed plants at different taxonomic levels was compared between temperate East Asia and North America at both continental and semi-continental scales. In each comparison, land area and latitude range were adjusted to a comparable level between the two continental regions. East Asia is significantly more diverse than North America. In general, differences in taxonomic diversity arise at and below the genus level. At the continental scale, East Asia has 1.3 and 1.5 times as many genera and species, respectively, as North America. The northern part of East Asia has 1.1 times as many species as the northern part of North America. At the genus level, the northern part of East Asia is less diverse than the northern part of North America by a factor of 0.94. This pattern indicates that the diversity bias between the two continental regions results from the flora of southern East Asia. The diversity differences between East Asia and North America are not homogenously distributed across different plant groups. At the species level, East Asia had significantly more species than expected in magnoliids, alismatids, Liliidae, ranunculids, and rosids and had significantly less species in the Commelinidae, Caryophyllidae, and euasterids than North America.     

Characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers for the greenside darter,Etheostoma blennioides (Percidae)

The greenside darter, Etheostoma blennioides is a small benthic fish found in fast‐flowing streams in eastern North America. In Canada, this species is native to three, and introduced into one, Great Lakes tributaries in southwestern Ontario. It is currently listed as a species of Special Concern. To characterize population genetic structure and diversity in the Canadian populations of greenside darter, eight polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the species. The polymerase chain reaction primers were tested between 32 and 60 individuals from the Sydenham River and yielded a high number of alleles (four to 42 per locus), and observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.14 to 0.82.     

The relationship between fecundity and adult body weight in Homeotherms

Summary Bythotrephes cederstroemii Schoedler, a predatory freshwater zooplankter (Crustacea: Cladocera), was first found in the Laurentian Great Lakes in December 1984. The first individuals were from Lake Huron, followed in 1985 with records from Lakes Erie and Ontario. By late August, 1986 the species had spread to southern Lake Michigan (43°N). Bythotrephes has not previously been reported from North America, but has been restricted to a northern and central Palearctic distribution. Its dramatic and widespread rise in abundance in Lake Michigan was greatest in offshore regions. Bythotrephes appears to be invading aggressively, but avoiding habitats presently occupied by glacio-marine relict species that became established in deep oligotrophic North American lakes after the Wisconsin glaciation. Because it is a voracious predator its invasion may lead to alterations in the native zooplankton fauna of the Great Lakes. It offers the chance to study how invading plankton species join an existing community. Judging from its persistence and success in deep European lakes, Bythotrephes may now become a permanent member of zooplankton communities in the Nearctic.     

新疆北部松萝属地衣生态分布与地理区系成分分析

根据多年的实地调查资料和前人研究资料,对新疆北部松萝属地衣的种类以及它们的分布区、区系特征和垂直分布进行了初步研究。结果表明,分布在新疆北部的松萝属地衣共有22种,主要分布在天山和阿勒泰山,生长在树皮、树枝和朽木上。根据它们对环境的适应特征和选择性,将新疆北部松萝属地衣的主要地理成分分为环极北极及北方成分、北美-欧洲成分、世界广布种、北美成分、环极低北极及北方成分、欧洲成分、东亚—北美成分等7种。研究还发现分布在阿勒泰山和天山的松萝属地衣的垂直分布有明显的差异。阿勒泰山的地衣分布海拔比较高,分布范围比较广泛。     

Assembly of Alaska‐Yukon boreal steppe communities: Testing biogeographic hypotheses via modern ecological distributions

Beringia (eastern Asia, Alaska, northwest Canada) has been a land‐bridge dispersal route between Asia and North America intermittently since the Mesozoic Era. The Quaternary, the most recent period of exchange, is characterized by large, geologically rapid climate fluctuations and sea‐level changes that alternately expose and inundate the land‐bridge region. Insights into how Quaternary land‐bridge geography has controlled species exchange and assembly of the North American flora comes from focusing on a restricted community with narrow ecological tolerances: species that are today restricted to isolated steppe habitats (dry grasslands) in the Subarctic. We evaluated (i) potential controls over current spatial distributions of steppe plants and their pollinators in Alaska and Yukon and (ii) their ecological distributions in relation to potential biogeographic histories. Taxa present in North America that are disjunct from Asia tended to have larger altitudinal ranges (tolerating colder temperatures) than taxa disjunct from farther south in North America, which were largely restricted to the warmest, lowest‐elevation sites. Ecological findings support the following biogeographic scenarios. Migration from Asia via the land‐bridge occurred during Quaternary glacial periods when conditions were colder and drier than today. While a corridor for migration of cold‐tolerant species of cold steppe and tundra, the land bridge acted as a filter that excluded warmth‐demanding species. Migration from North America occurred under warm, dry interglacial conditions; thermophilous North American disjuncts taking this route may have long histories in Beringia, or they may have migrated recently during the relatively warm and dry early Holocene, when forest cover was incomplete.     

A Review of the Biology and Ecology of the Quagga Mussel (Dreissena bugensis), a Second Species of Freshwater Dreissenid Introduced to North America

SYNOPSIS. North America's Great Lakes have recently been invadedby two genetically and morphologically distinct species of Dreissena.The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) became established inLake St. Clair of the Laurentian Great Lakes in 1986 and spreadthroughout eastern North America. The second dreissenid, termedthe quagga mussel, has been identified as Dreissena bugensisAndrusov, 1897. The quagga occurs in the Dnieper River drainageof Ukraine and now in the lower Great Lakes of North America.In the Dnieper River, populations of D. polymorpha have beenlargely replaced by D. bugensis; anecdotal evidence indicatesthat similar trends may be occurring in the lower LaurentianGreat Lakes. Dreissena bugensis occurs as deep as 130 m in theGreat Lakes, but in Ukraine is known from only 0–28 m.Dreissena bugensis is more abundant than D. polymorpha in deeperwaters in Dneiper River reservoirs. The conclusion that NorthAmerican quagga mussels have a lower thermal maximum than zebramussels is not supported by observations made of populationsin Ukraine. In the Dnieper River drainage, quagga mussels areless tolerant of salinity than zebra mussels, yet both dreissenidshave acclimated to salinities higher than North American populations;eventual colonization into estuarine and coastal areas of NorthAmerica cannot be ignored.     

On the Distribution and Origin of Salix in the World

1. The distribution of Salix species among the continents. There are about 526 species of Salix in the world, most of which are distributed in the Northern Hemisphere with only a few species in the Southern Hemisphere. In Asia, there are about 375 species, making up 71.29 percent of the total in the world, including 328 endemics; in Europe, about 114 species, 21.67 percent with 73 endemics; in North America, about 91 species, 17.3 percent with 71 endemics; in Africa, about 8 species, 1.5 percent, with 6 endemics. Only one species occurs in South America. Asia, Europe and North America have 8 species in common (excluding 4 cultivated species). There are 34 common species between Asia and Europe, 14 both between Europe and North America and between Asia and North America, 2 between Asia and Africa. Acording to the Continental Drift Theory, the natural circumstances which promoted speciation and protected newly originated and old species were created by the orogenic movement of the Himalayas in the middle and late Tertiary. Besides, the air temperature was a little higher in Asia than in Europe and North America (except its west part) and the dominant glaciers were mountainous in Asia during the glacial epoch in the Quaternary Period. Then willows of Europe moved southwards to Asia. During the interglacial period they moved in opposite direction. Such a to-and-fro willow migration between Asia and Europe and between and North America occurred so often that it resulted in the diversity of willow species in Asia. Those species of willows common among the continents belong to the Arctic flora. 2. The multistaminal willows are of the primitive group in Salix. Asia has 28 species of multistaminal willows, but Europe has only one which is also found in Asia. These 28 species are divided into two groups, “northern type” and “southern type”, according to morphology of the ovary. The boundary between the two forms in distribution is at 40°N. The multistaminal willows from south Asia, Africa and South America are very similar to each other and may have mutually communicated between these continents in the Middle or Late Cretaceous Period. The southern type willows in south Asia are similar to the North American multistaminal willows but a few species. The Asian southern type willows spreaded all over the continents of Europe, Asia and North America through the communication between them before the Quaternany Period. Nevertheless, it is possible that the willows growing in North America immigranted through the middle America from South America. The Asian northern type multistaminal willows may have originated during the ice period. The multistaminal willows are more closed to populars in features of sexual organs. They are more primitive than the willows with 1-3 stamens and the most primitive ones in the genus. 3. The center of origin and development of willows Based on the above discussion it is reasonable to say that the region between 20°-40°N in East Asia is the center of the origin and differentiation of multistaminal willows. It covers Southern and Southwestern China and northern Indo-China Pennisula.     

Bioclimatic analyses of distributions of a parasitoid Peristenus digoneutis and its host species Lygus spp. in Europe and North America

• 1 Peristenus digoneutis Loan is a parasitoid of Lygus plant bugs, which was successfully introduced from Europe into North America in the 1980s for controlling native Lygus populations. Surveys confirmed that P. digoneutis populations have become established throughout eastern North America and that the spread of the parasitoid continues. For unknown reasons, previous releases of P. digoneutis in Western Canada were not successful.
• 2 A bioclimate (climex ®; Hearne Scientific Software Pty Ltd, Australia) model for P. digoneutis in North America was developed, based on climate and ecological parameters, and then validated with actual distribution records. The current distribution of P. digoneutis in eastern North America was consistent with the predicted distribution. The model suggests that P. digoneutis will probably continue its spread westwards throughout the U.S.A. along the Great Lakes.
• 3 The southern distribution of P. digoneutis is expected to be limited by hot summer temperatures, whereas its northern range is limited by the number of Lygus host generations rather than cold stress.
• 4 Peristenus digoneutis has the potential to occur in the southern parts of the prairie ecozone of western Canada; however, Ecoclimatic Index values in the prairies indicate mainly marginal or unfavourable conditions, which may explain why earlier releases of P. digoneutis in Western Canada failed.

     

粤北大东山种子植物区系研究

大东山位于广东北部,地理位置约为２４°５０′～２５°００′Ｎ,１１２°３７′～１１２°４７′Ｅ。大东山有种子植物１６１科,５６０属,１１２４种。其中裸子植物６科,１０属,１４种;被子植物１５５科,５５０属,１１１０种。大东山区系的表征科是蔷薇科、樟科、茶科、壳斗科、山矾科、冬青科、木兰科、安息香科和金缕梅科。属的地理成分组成为热带分布属占５４．３４％,温带分布属占４５．６６％。本区系与江西九连山及福建武夷山区系有密切的联系,与黑石顶、大瑶山和花坪区系的联系也较紧密。大东山区系属华南地区的一部分。     

Phytogeography of the Kaieteur Falls, Potaro Plateau, Guyana: floral distributions and affinities

Aim The plant diversity of one location on the Guiana Shield, Kaieteur National Park in Guyana, is used to examine the various hypothesized origins of the flora and to evaluate which may best explain the current plant distributions. Location Kaieteur National Park is located on eastern edge of the Potaro Plateau in central Guyana, South America. The species examined have distributions that vary from local to global. Methods The distribution patterns of the families, genera and species known from Kaieteur are examined using generalized distribution patterns. Results Data on distribution patterns, elevation and habitat were gathered from 131 flowering plant families, 517 genera and 1227 species. These plants represent all taxa that are currently known to occur in the area of the original Kaieteur National Park. Families tend to have cosmopolitan or pantropical distribution, genera are mostly neotropical and at the species level, most species are restricted to the Guiana Shield (c. 40%), northern South America (69%) or neotropical (96%) in distribution, each level inclusive of the previous. Conclusions The flora at the study site in Kaieteur National Park has its strongest affinity with the Guiana Shield; 42.1% of the species have a distribution that corresponds with the Shield or is more restricted within the Shield. There is a distinct flora on the Guiana Shield and its affinities lie with the flora of northern South American and beyond that, the neotropics. The flora is not closely affiliated with the floras of the Brazilian Shield, the Amazon, the Andes, the eastern coastal forests of Brazil, southern South America, or Africa as has been previous suggested.     

Taxonomy of Gentiana,section Pneumonanthae,in eastern North America

The taxonomy ofGentiana (Gentianaceae), sect.Pneumonanthae, in eastern North America is reviewed. Two species and one variety recognized in recent literature are reduced to synonymy, while one overlooked variety is restored to recognition. Distributional data include several reductions in range resulting from examination of previously misidentified specimens. Thirteen species are native to eastern North America; all are restricted to it. Of these, three are primarily prairie species; three, Appalachian; three, coastal plain; two, southern plateau; one, eastern boreal; and one, Great Lakes region to central boreal. Interfertility and occasional natural hybridization are present even among the most morphologically diverse species.     

Seaweed biogeography of the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States

The northern boundary of the warm temperate region of the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States is set at Cape Hatteras; the southern boundary lies at Cape Canaveral. There is some spillover of cool temperate species south of Cape Hatteras into North Carolina and spillover of warm temperate species south of Cape Canaveral toward Palm Beach. Elements of the warm temperate flora also extend into the northern Gulf of Mexico, but precise limits to the flora cannot be drawn there. Thirty-one species are endemic to the warm temperate flora. The inshore waters of North Carolina include approximately equal numbers of species with northern and southern centres of distribution; the species of the offshore waters have predominantly southern affinities, but also include most of the endemic species. Seasonal changes in the shallow water flora of North Carolina reflect eurythermal cool temperate and tropical elements in winter and summer respectively and a year-round warm temperate element. These groupings have been verified by experimental studies in which light and temperature were varied. The deep water flora is a summer flora dominated by perennial species. The inshore, eurythermal cool temperate and tropical species have a variety of cryptic stages by which they persist throughout the year.Paper presented at the Seaweed Biogeography Workshop of the International Working Group on Seaweed Biogeography, held from 3–7 April 1984 at the Department of Marine Biology, Rijks-universiteit Groningen (The Netherlands). Convenor: C. van den Hoek.