The orangutan–oil palm conflict: economic constraints and opportunities for conservation

The future of the orangutan (Pongo spp.) is far from secure despite the species’ high profile and media attention. The traditional threat to the orangutan has been widespread logging, but the continuing conversion of remaining habitat for oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) cultivation is hastening its extinction in the wild. This situation is driven by a robust global market for palm oil as a vegetable oil and biofuel. In tackling this conservation problem, therefore, economic factors cannot be overlooked. This article analyses these factors and how they curtail effective orangutan conservation. Of significance are the high opportunity costs of orangutan conservation and market failures associated with the public-goods nature of the orangutan’s forest habitat. Conservationists should consider these constraints when formulating remedial action. This article assesses strategies that reduce the opportunity cost of conserving habitat (via supply-side approaches that divert oil palm cultivation away from forests) and enhance the realisable value of orangutan habitat (by capitalising on the demand for non-market values such as carbon storage). It is concluded that the former group of strategies are likely to have limited effect on curtailing deforestation, but with the right institutional policies in place they can act as stopgaps while strategies involving carbon financing and payments for biodiversity develop sufficiently to render habitat retention financially competitive.

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycena</Emphasis> from alpine sites in Norway

Mycena aphanes and Mycena exilis, belonging to section Filipedes and section Polyadelphia, are proposed as new species. They are described and illustrated and compared to other species in the two sections. Mycena aphanes is a strikingly characteristic Mycena with fulvous or yellowish brown colours of both pileus and stipe. Mycena exilis is characterized by its occurrence on fallen Salix leaves, a pale brown pileus, occasionally with a pale pink tinge, narrowly adnate lamellae, four-spored basidia, and the presence of clamp connections.

A single operon-encoded form of the acetyl-CoA decarbonylase/synthase multienzyme complex responsible for synthesis and cleavage of acetyl-CoA in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Methanosarcina thermophila</Emphasis>

Methanogens growing on C-1 substrates synthesize 2-carbon acetyl groups in the form of acetyl-CoA for carbon assimilation using the multienzyme complex acetyl-CoA decarbonylase/synthase (ACDS) which contains five different subunits encoded within an operon. In species growing on acetate ACDS also functions to cleave the acetate C-C bond for energy production by methanogenesis. A number of species of Methanosarcina that are capable of growth on either C-1 compounds or acetate contain two separate ACDS operons, and questions have been raised about whether or not these operons play separate roles in acetate synthesis and cleavage. Methanosarcina thermophila genomic DNA was analyzed for the presence of two ACDS operons by PCR amplifications with different primer pairs, restriction enzyme analyses, DNA sequencing and Southern blot analyses. A single ACDS operon was identified and characterized, with no evidence for more than one. MALDI mass spectrometric analyses were carried out on ACDS preparations from methanol- and acetate-grown cells. Peptide fragmentation patterns showed that the same ACDS subunits were present regardless of growth conditions. The evidence indicates that a single form of ACDS is used both for acetate cleavage during growth on acetate and for acetate synthesis during growth on C-1 substrates. Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available for this article at

---

Individual variability of behavioural responses by Wandering Albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) to human disturbance

Sub-Antarctic Marion Island has had a permanent research station for 50 years and the islands Wandering Albatrosses have been intensively studied for 20 years. The reactions of breeding birds to approaches by a human on foot were recorded. Three response variables were calculated: intensity of vocal reaction (IVR), intensity of non-vocal reaction (INR) and overall response index (ORI). At 5 m from the nest, twice as many birds stood and/or vocalised as at 15 m. Nearest neighbour distance, age and gender did not explain individual variability of responses. Study colony birds had higher IVR scores than non-study colony birds; birds at colonies closest to the station had the highest ORI scores. A better breeding record was associated with lower IVR and ORI scores, but a causative relationship remains to be demonstrated. A minimum viewing distance of 25 m is recommended for breeding Wandering Albatrosses.

---

Demything “wilderness”: implications for protected area designation and management

Protected areas are a cornerstone of many conservation approaches, and concepts of pristineness and wilderness are often considered central to protected area designation and management. However, these concepts are rarely explored through a historical lens that captures the philosophies and assumptions underlying protected area designation. In this paper, we aim to improve our understanding of protected area designation and management by reviewing the history of four main conservation approaches: (1) Wilderness conservation and the Yellowstone Model; (2) Wise use and the Game Reserve Model; (3) Wildlife and Biodiversity conservation; and (4) Ecosystem management. Through examination of the history of these Models, we discuss the values, rationale and assumptions behind each approach, and how these interface with protected area designation. In each case, we explore the extent of dependence on concepts of wilderness and pristineness. We also highlight the evolution of alternative criteria for designating protected areas, and ascertain how far these alternative values influence protected area designation and management.

Identification of trophic interactions between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrolophus caliginosus</Emphasis> (Heteroptera: Miridae) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myzus persicae</Emphasis> (Homoptera: Aphididae) using real time PCR

Understanding food web interactions in native or agricultural ecosystems is an important step towards establishing sustainable pest management strategies. While the role of generalist predators as biological control agents is increasingly appreciated, the study of trophic interactions between individual predator species and their prey provides practical difficulties. Recently, different approaches have been suggested to determine prey items from predator guts using molecular methods. Macrolophus caliginosus is a generalist predator active in herbaceous agro-ecosystems. We developed a system to identify the DNA of its prey after ingestion, using Myzus persicae as a model. Esterase (MpEST) and cytochrome oxidase I (MpCOI) genes were targeted in the aphid, while M. caliginosus COI gene was used as control for predator DNA. Real time PCR proved to be specific and sensitive enough to detect prey DNA upon ingestion after feeding experiments. The system provided a linear amplification response with only 10 fg of prey genomic DNA as template. The detection system of MpCOI gene was more sensitive than MpEST, while the detection period was similar for both genes. Possibilities for using the system in ecological and biosafety studies with regard to sustainable pest management are discussed.

Mapping the geographic distribution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aglaia bourdillonii</Emphasis> Gamble (Meliaceae), an endemic and threatened plant,using ecological niche modeling

Aglaia bourdillonii is a plant narrowly endemic to the southern portion of the Western Ghats (WG), in peninsular India. To understand its ecological and geographic distribution, we used ecological niche modeling (ENM) based on detailed distributional information recently gathered, in relation to detailed climatic data sets. The ENMs successfully reconstructed key features of the species’ geographic distribution, focusing almost entirely on the southern WG. Much of the species’ distributional potential is already under protection, but our analysis allows identification of key zones for additional protection, all of which are adjacent to existing protected areas. ENM provides a useful tool for understanding the natural history of such rare and endangered species.

Progress in understanding the <Emphasis Type="Italic">N-</Emphasis>demethylation of alkaloids by exploiting isotopic techniques

The reaction of N-demethylation plays an important role in the degradation of some alkaloids in a number of organisms. This review presents how our understanding of the N-demethylation of nicotine in plants has been improved through studies in cell cultures of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and N. glutinosa using a variety of isotopic techniques. The overall aim is to understand how metabolism recycles the alkaloid skeleton, both in terms of the metabolic route(s) exploited and the reaction mechanisms of the enzymes involved. The former has been approached using high-resolution 2-dimensional NMR and GC-MS methods; the latter by determining kinetic isotope effects and modelling the potential reaction steps. It appears that the mechanism for nicotine demethylation in plants is similar to but has significant differences from that described for mammals and Pseudomonas bacteria. These differences are discussed.

A queueing model for predicting message latency in uni-directional <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-ary <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-cubes with deterministic routing and non-uniform traffic

The interconnection network is one of the key architectural components in any parallel computer. The distribution of the traffic injected into the network is among the factors that greatly influences network performance. The uniform traffic pattern has been adopted in many existing network performance evaluation studies due to the tractability of the resulting analytical modelling approach. However, many real applications exhibit non-uniform traffic patterns such as hot-spot traffic. K-ary n-cubes have been the mostly widely used in the implementation of practical parallel systems. Extensive research studies have been conducted on the performance modelling and evaluation of these networks. Nonetheless, most of these studies have been confined to uniform traffic distributions and have been based on software simulation. The present paper proposes a new stochastic model to predict message latency in k-ary n-cubes with deterministic routing in the presence of hot-spot traffic. The model has been validated through simulation experiments and has shown a close agreement with simulation results.

Evidence of gonochorism in a grouper, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycteroperca rosacea</Emphasis>, from the Gulf of California,Mexico

The sexual pattern and sexual development of the leopard grouper, Mycteroperca rosacea, were investigated from 483 specimens collected from the Gulf of California, Mexico. Histological and population data indicated a gonochoric sexual pattern. Some juveniles passed through an immature bisexual phase of gonadal development, but no evidence of post-maturational sex change was found. The immature bisexual phase is believed to be associated only with male development. The size distribution and size at sexual maturity were similar for both males and females. In accordance with predictions of the size-advantage model, the gonochoric sexual pattern of M. rosacea is likely influenced by its group-spawning mating system.

Development of the rhopalial nervous system in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aurelia</Emphasis> sp.1 (Cnidaria,Scyphozoa)

We examined the development of the nervous system in the rhopalium, a medusa-specific sensory structure, in Aurelia sp.1 (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) using confocal microscopy. The rhopalial nervous system appears primarily ectodermal and contains neurons immunoreactive to antibodies against tyrosinated tubulin, taurine, GLWamide, and FMRFamide. The rhopalial nervous system develops in an ordered manner: the presumptive gravity-sensing organ, consisting of the lithocyst and the touch plate, differentiates first; the “marginal center,” which controls swimming activity, second; and finally, the ocelli, the presumptive photoreceptors. At least seven bilaterally arranged neuronal clusters consisting of sensory and ganglion cells and their neuronal processes became evident in the rhopalium during metamorphosis to the medusa stage. Our analysis provides an anatomical framework for future gene expression and experimental studies of development and functions of scyphozoan rhopalia. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Revealing the anti-HRP epitope in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caenorhabditis</Emphasis>

Antibodies are very often used as specific cell and/or tissue markers. An example of this is anti-horseradish peroxidase (HRP), an antibody raised against a plant glycoprotein, which was shown some twenty-five years ago to specifically stain neural tissue in an animal, Drosophila melanogaster. This peculiar finding was later expanded to other invertebrate species including Caenorhabditis elegans, which were also shown to bear anti-HRP epitopes. Initial experiments indicated that the epitopes recognised by anti-HRP in invertebrates are of carbohydrate nature. Indeed, more recent experiments have characterised relevant core α1-3-fucosylated N-glycan structures that act as epitopes in various model and parasitic organisms. Moreover, a number of enzymes required for the synthesis of such structures have been identified. Over the years, medically-relevant roles of these structures have become apparent as regards allergenicity and immunoregulation. Although major advances have been made in understanding of the underlying mechanisms and structures related to the anti-HRP epitope, the in vivo role of the relevant epitopes in neural and other tissues is yet to be resolved. Current understanding of the anti-HRP epitopes synthesis and their relevance is discussed and elaborated.

Evolution of photoperiodic time measurement is independent of the circadian clock in the pitcher-plant mosquito, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wyeomyia smithii</Emphasis>

For over 70 years, researchers have debated whether the ability to use day length as a cue for the timing of seasonal events (photoperiodism) is related to the endogenous circadian clock that regulates the timing of daily events. Models of photoperiodism include two components: (1) a photoperiodic timer that measures the length of the day, and (2) a photoperiodic counter that elicits the downstream photoperiodic response after a threshold number of days has been counted. Herein, we show that there is no geographical pattern of genetic association between the expression of the circadian clock and the photoperiodic timer or counter. We conclude that the photoperiodic timer and counter have evolved independently of the circadian clock in the pitcher-plant mosquito Wyeomyia smithii and hence, the evolutionary modification of photoperiodism throughout the range of W. smithii has not been causally mediated by a corresponding evolution of the circadian clock.

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hox</Emphasis> cluster duplication in the basal teleost <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hiodon alosoides</Emphasis> (Osteoglossomorpha)

Large-scale—even genome-wide—duplications have repeatedly been invoked as an explanation for major radiations. Teleosts, the most species-rich vertebrate clade, underwent a “fish-specific genome duplication” (FSGD) that is shared by most ray-finned fish lineages. We investigate here the Hox complement of the goldeye (Hiodon alosoides), a representative of Osteoglossomorpha, the most basal teleostean clade. An extensive PCR survey reveals that goldeye has at least eight Hox clusters, indicating a duplicated genome compared to basal actinopterygians. The possession of duplicated Hox clusters is uncoupled to species richness. The Hox system of the goldeye is substantially different from that of other teleost lineages, having retained several duplicates of Hox genes for which crown teleosts have lost at least one copy. A detailed analysis of the PCR fragments as well as full length sequences of two HoxA13 paralogs, and HoxA10 and HoxC4 genes places the duplication event close in time to the divergence of Osteoglossomorpha and crown teleosts. The data are consistent with—but do not conclusively prove—that Osteoglossomorpha shares the FSGD. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Biological activity and identification of nucleopolyhedroviruses isolated from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mythimna separata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera litura</Emphasis> in Japan

We compared the infectivity of two nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs), MyseNPV G isolated from Mythimna separata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and SpltNPV S isolated from Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). MyseNPV G was more pathogenic against M. separata than against S. litura. Although SpltNPV S was more pathogenic than MyseNPV G against S. litura, it did not infect M. separata. Restriction endonuclease (REN) analysis of viral genomic DNA revealed that the two NPVs have quite different REN profiles. Based on nucleotide sequences of the coding regions of polyhedrin, lef-8 and lef-9, SpltNPV S was closely related to other SpltNPV isolates, whereas MyseNPV G appeared to belong to the Mamestra NPV group, and was distinct from a Chinese isolate of Leucania (=Mythimna) separata NPV. The potential of MyseNPV G and SpltNPV S to control pest insects is discussed.