Influence of Invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plants Parthenocissus</Emphasis> vitacea and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vinca minor</Emphasis> on Biodiversity Indices of Forest Communities

The distribution and phytocenotic association of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor on the territory of the Bryansk oblast has been studied. An assessment of the distribution of invasive species is performed on a grid basis. Vinca minor is registered in 19 cells on the territory of the oblast, which is 4.9% of the total number of cells and 11.9% of the surveyed cells; Parthenocissus vitacea is registered in 50 cells, which is 12.8% of the total number of cells and 31.2% of the surveyed cells. The invasive status of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is category 3: an adventive species whose invasions into natural and seminatural habitats in the region at the moment are rare and, as a rule, confined to the outskirts of populated areas, abandoned parks, and old plantings. The indices of successful invasion in forest communities is the formation of syntaxonomically valid variants of the communities of Corylo avellanae-Pinetum sylvestris Bulokhov et Solomeshch 2003 with depleted cenoflora. Invasive species change the phytosphere and reliably decrease the indices of α and β diversity, the structural indices of communities. The invasion of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is successful due to active vegetative reproduction, allelopathic effects on native species, and decreasing illumination of the ground cover. The introduction of invasive species into complex pine forests blocks demutational changes of endogenous succession during the restoration of broad-leaved forests: they simplify the structure of communities and reduce the intensity of the mosaic. Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor can exhibit signs of an edificator, a community builder, and a violent and transformer type. There has been only one case of a radical transformation of the natural community, registered on the territory of the Lyubin Khutor nature monument (Novozybkovskii district, Bryansk oblast).     

Widespread distribution of Pine martens (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Martes martes</Emphasis>) in a fragmented suburban landscape

Pine martens (Martes martes) are forest specialists that depend either on large patches of forest or on the absence of barriers between smaller forest patches. It thus seems likely that they would disappear from landscapes with heavily fragmented forests and a high density of presumptive barriers that are typical of Central Europe. We studied the distribution of pine martens in a suburban landscape characterised by fragmented forests and a high density of presumptive barriers (e.g. housing areas, roads). We assessed the presence of pine martens using camera traps in a sample of 170 1?×?1-km quadrats and used occupancy modelling to account for imperfect detection. We found an almost complete and countrywide distribution of the pine marten. Larger roads and housing areas were not negatively related to its current distribution as we predicted. We conclude that pine martens are capable to survive in some heavily fragmented landscapes.     

Gap dynamics and regeneration strategies in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Juniperus-Laurus</Emphasis> forests of the Azores Islands

We asked the following questions regarding gap dynamics and regeneration strategies in Juniperus-Laurus forests: How important are gaps for the maintenance of tree diversity? What are the regeneration strategies of the tree species? Thirty canopy openings were randomly selected in the forest and in each the expanded gap area was delimited. Inside expanded gaps the distinction was made between gap and transition zone. In the 30 expanded gaps a plot, enclosing the gap and transition zone, was placed. In order to evaluate the differences in regeneration and size structure of tree species between forest and expanded gaps, 30 control plots were also delimited in the forest, near each expanded gap. In the 60 plots the number of seedlings, saplings, basal sprouts and adults of tree species were registered. Canopy height and width of adult individuals were also measured. The areas of the 30 gaps and expanded gaps were measured and the gap-maker identified. Juniperus-Laurus forests have a gap dynamic associated with small scale disturbances that cause the death, on average, of two trees, mainly of Juniperus brevifolia. Gap and expanded gap average dimensions are 8 and 25 m², respectively. Gaps are of major importance for the maintenance of tree diversity since they are fundamental for the regeneration of all species, with the exception of Ilex azorica. Three types of regeneration behaviour and five regeneration strategies were identified: (1) Juniperus brevifolia and Erica azorica are pioneer species that regenerate in gaps from seedlings recruited after gap formation. However, Juniperus brevifolia is a pioneer persistent species capable of maintaining it self in the forest due to a high longevity and biomass; (2) Laurus azorica and Frangula azorica are primary species that regenerate in gaps from seedlings or saplings recruited before gap formation but Laurus azorica is able to maintain it self in the forest through asexual regeneration thus being considered a primary persistent species; (3) Ilex azorica is a mature species that regenerates in the forest.     

Tree squirrel habitat selection and predispersal seed predation in a declining subalpine conifer

Differential responses by species to modern perturbations in forest ecosystems may have undesirable impacts on plant-animal interactions. If such disruptions cause declines in a plant species without corresponding declines in a primary seed predator, the effects on the plant could be exacerbated. We examined one such interaction between Pinus albicaulis (whitebark pine), a bird-dispersed, subalpine forest species experiencing severe population declines in the northern part of its range, and Tamiasciurus hudsonicus (red squirrel), an efficient conifer seed predator, at 20 sites in two distinct ecosystems. Hypotheses about squirrel habitat preferences were tested to determine how changes in forest conditions influence habitat use and subsequent levels of predispersal cone predation. We performed habitat selection modeling and variable ranking based on Akaike’s information criterion; compared the level and variance of habitat use between two forest types (P. albicaulis dominant and mixed conifer); and modeled the relationship between P. albicaulis relative abundance and predispersal cone predation. T. hudsonicus did not demonstrate strong habitat preference for P. albicaulis, and thus, declines in the pine were not met with proportional declines in squirrel habitat use. P. albicaulis habitat variables were the least important in squirrel habitat selection. Squirrel habitat use was lower and varied more in P. albicaulis-dominant forests, and predispersal cone predation decreased linearly with increasing P. albicaulis relative abundance. In Northern Rocky Mountain sites, where P. albicaulis mortality was higher and abundance lower, squirrel predation was greater than in Central Rocky Mountain sites. In ecosystems with reduced P. albicaulis abundance, altered interactions between the squirrel and pine may lead to a lower proportion of P. albicaulis contributing to population recruitment because of reduced seed availability. Reducing the abundance of competing conifers will create suboptimal squirrel habitat, thus lowering cone predation in P. albicaulis and ensuring more seeds are available for avian dispersal.     

Life history,breeding biology and movement in a new species of carnivorous marsupial,the buff-footed antechinus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Antechinus mysticus</Emphasis>) and a sympatric congener,the subtropical antechinus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Antechinus subtropicus</Emphasis>)

Antechinus are one of just a few mammal genera worldwide which exhibit semelparous reproduction. Consequently, the life history of many antechinus has been well studied. However, in the last few years, several new species have been described in the genus and their ecology is little known. Here, the first multi-year ecological study of breeding, growth and movement in one of these species, the buff-footed antechinus, Antechinus mysticus, was undertaken. Over a 2-year period, monthly capture-mark-recapture data from two geographically close sites (~2.5 km apart) in south-east Queensland, Australia, were collected. At one site, the subtropical antechinus, Antechinus subtropicus, also occurred. This allowed the investigation of possible competitive effects between this larger Antechinus species and A. mysticus. Intensive trapping across the breeding season of A. mysticus also allowed the growth rates of pouch young of a wild antechinus population to be calculated for the first time. Results showed that A. mysticus followed the synchronous, semelparous breeding strategy seen in all congeners. Male A. mysticus were last caught in August, and females gave birth in September. Average distance moved by A. mysticus was comparable with congeners. Competition with A. subtropicus may affect A. mysticus because A. mysticus weighed more and males moved further when not in sympatry with A. subtropicus. However, female A. mysticus moved further when in sympatry with A. subtropicus, confounding clear interpretation. Overall, the life history information obtained for A. mysticus provides a foundation for further research and will aid the conservation management of this new species.     

Reproductive Behavior of the Bug <Emphasis Type="Italic">Molipteryx fuliginosa</Emphasis> Uhler (Heteroptera,Coreidae) in the South of the Russian Far East

Reproductive behavior of Molipteryx fuliginosa (Uhler) was investigated in Primorskii Territory of Russia. From 4 to 18 repeated copulations of one female lasting from 2 to 48 hours were recorded in cages. The behavior of ovipositing females and the stages of oviposition are described for the first time. The number of eggs laid between copulations varied from 1 to 13, the number of oviposition acts, from 4 to 11, and the total female fecundity, from 21 to 38 eggs. Caged females laid eggs on plants and also on dead substrates unsuitable for nymphal feeding, such as cloth, dry branches, and a wooden pole. Copulation of M. fuliginosa was also observed under natural conditions. The preferred mating places of M. fuliginosa in anthropogenically modified habitats and in small-leaved riparian forests were plants of Rubus idaeus L., R. caesius L., and Rubus sp. After mating, females migrated in search of places for oviposition. Single eggs were found on the following plants not known previously as hosts of this bug: Solanum lycopersicum L., Carex sp., Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski, and Taraxacum officinale Wigg. The females seemed to lack selectivity in the choice of place for oviposition, which was not always associated with host plants, despite their abundance and availability.     

Life history differences and latitudinal variation in recruitment in two species of arctic-boreal perciform fishes,the fish doctor <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gymnelus viridis</Emphasis> and the Arctic shanny <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stichaeus punctatus</Emphasis>

Growth and recruitment were examined in two arctic-boreal, shallow water marine perciform species: the fish doctor Gymnelus viridis (Zoarcidae) and the Arctic shanny Stichaeus punctatus (Stichaeidae). G. viridis ranges in the Canadian Arctic from northern Hudson Bay to northern Ellesmere Island, whereas S. punctatus has a more southerly range from Nova Scotia coastal waters to northern Hudson Bay. At Nuvuk Islands in northeastern Hudson Bay, where the two species are sympatric in shallow water, they had comparable juvenile growth rates but temporal variation in 0+ recruitment was substantially greater in S. punctatus. This difference may stem from their contrasting early life histories. S. punctatus spawns large numbers of small demersal eggs that hatch into pelagic larvae, whereas G. viridis spawns small numbers of large demersal eggs that hatch directly into demersal juveniles with no pelagic stage, suggesting that recruitment in G. viridis should be less sensitive to yearly variation in the onset of the ice-free period in Hudson Bay and the subsequent pulse of pelagic invertebrate production. Relative to Nuvuk, recruitment variation in G. viridis was found to be greater at Resolute, Cornwallis Island, close to its northern range limit, whereas recruitment variation in S. punctatus was not evident in Newfoundland, closer to its southern range limit.     

Knockout of <Emphasis Type="Italic">OsACOS12</Emphasis> caused male sterility in rice

Pollen development in flowering plants is critical for male reproductive success. The pollen wall that protects the pollen from various environment stresses and bacterial infections plays an essential role in pollen development. The formation of pollen wall is associated with the biosynthesis and transport of sporopollenin components. ACOS5 in Arabidopsis encodes an acyl-CoA synthetase 5 required for sporopollenin biosynthesis. We identified the rice homolog of ACOS5 as OsACOS12. The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated OsACOS12 knockout mutant has complete male sterility due to a defect in pollen wall formation. β-Glucuronidase reporter gene analysis and RNA in situ hybridization indicated that OsACOS12 was specifically expressed in tapetum and microspores. The subcellular localization of OsACOS12-YFP demonstrated that OsACOS12 protein was primarily localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and nucleus. Our results suggest that OsACOS12 plays a critical and conserved role in pollen wall formation and pollen development and has implications in rice breeding.     

South African mouse shrews (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Myosorex</Emphasis>) feel the heat: using species distribution models (SDMs) and IUCN Red List criteria to flag extinction risks due to climate change

Five species of mouse or forest shrews (Myosorex) are endemic to South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, four of which (Myosorex varius, Myosorex cafer, Myosorex longicaudatus and Myosorex cf. tenuis) are associated with montane or temperate grassland, fynbos and/or forest habitats while a fifth (Myosorex sclateri) is associated with lowland subtropical forests. Due to their small size, specialised habitat, low dispersal capacity, high metabolism and sensitivity to temperature extremes, we predicted that, particularly for montane species, future climate change should have a negative impact on area of occupancy (AOO) and ultimately extinction risks. Species distribution models (SDMs) indicated general declines in AOO of three species by 2050 under the A1b and A2 climate change scenarios (M. cafer, M. varius, M. longicaudatus) while two species (M. sclateri and M. cf. tenuis) remained unchanged (assuming no dispersal) or increased their AOO (assuming dispersal). While temperate species such as M. varius appear to be limited by temperature maxima (preferring cooler temperatures), the subtropical species M. sclateri appears to be limited by temperature minima (preferring warmer temperatures). Evidence for declines in AOO informed the uplisting (to a higher category of threat) of the Red List status of four Myosorex species to either vulnerable or endangered as part of a separate regional International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessment.     

Male-male interactions and their influence on the mating behavior and success in the fountain darter, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Etheostoma fonticola</Emphasis>

Behavioral interactions between individuals of the same sex can affect the outcome of intersexual selection. For this reason, intrasexual selection is oftentimes examined independently from intersexual selection in studies aimed at understanding mating behaviors. However, a more complete understanding of sexual selection effects within a population can only come from exploring both intrasexual and intersexual selection and the potential interactions between the levels of selection. Association preferences in male and female Etheostoma fonticola do not reveal a size preference for same sex or opposite-sex individuals. However, male-male interactions may influence female choice in E. fonticola. We examined whether male E. fonticola that differ in body size exhibit differences in agonistic behaviors and mating success. Larger males do exhibit higher rates of aggressive behaviors and smaller males, in turn, exhibit more defensive behaviors. However, differences between larger and smaller males in male-male interactions did not translate into differences in spawning success. These results suggest that male size influences dominance relationships in E. fonticola but not mating success. There were also no differences between large and small males in mating attempts, which could be an outcome of the year-round breeding season found in this species, females laying eggs singly, or males fertilizing eggs individually.     

Regional chronologies of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cedrela</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">fissilis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cedrela angustifolia</Emphasis> in three forest types and their relation to climate

Key message

Although tree-ring chronologies of Cedrela fissilis and Cedrela angustifolia showed a common climatic signal, local conditions influence growth, suggesting that forest guidelines should be appropriate to the species and context.

Abstract

Cedrela species are highly valued because of the quality of their timber. Understanding the behaviour of each different Cedrela species and their ecology is of importance to ensuring that forest harvesting and management do not endanger the survival of natural populations. These species grow in a wide range of environmental gradients and different types of forests in Bolivia. This study used dendrochronological methods to analyse growth–precipitation relationships of two Cedrela species coming from three locations with different environmental conditions: dry Chiquitano (Concepción), Chiquitano transitional Amazonian (Guarayos), and Bolivian-Tucuman montane forests (Postrervalle). The rainy season in all locations runs from October to April and the dry season runs from May to September. Twelve Cedrela fissilis specimens were sampled from dry Chiquitano, 11 Cedrela fissilis specimens from Chiquitano transitional Amazonian, and 30 Cedrela angustifolia specimens from Bolivian-Tucuman montane forests. The samples were crossdated and exhibited a common signal between trees from three sites, despite tree rings from the Chiquitano transitional Amazonian forest being narrower and displaying blurred bands of parenchyma in the boundaries. Significant inter-series correlation was found for the C. fissilis species series from dry Chiquitano with r = 0.261 (p < 0.01) and Chiquitano transitional Amazonian forests with r = 0.284 (p < 0.01), and for Cedrela angustifolia from Bolivian-Tucuman montane forests with r = 0.374 (p < 0.01). Mean annual growth was 2.07, 1.92, and 2.82 mm year^?1 at the three sites, respectively. Cedrela species from dry Chiquitano and Bolivian-Tucuman montane forests were sensitive to precipitation from October to April of the current growth year (wettest season) and to low temperatures from May to July of the current growth year (driest season). Samples from Chiquitano transitional Amazonian were more sensitive to precipitation during late rainy season (March, April, and May of the current growth year) and high temperatures during the rainy months (November–December). Growth differences between sites and species in response to climate variations and local conditions should be taken into account and handled with different forest management guidelines.

     

Delayed selfing ensures reproductive assurance in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Utricularia praeterita</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Utricularia babui</Emphasis> in Western Ghats

Numerous bladderwort (Utricularia) species are distributed worldwide, but their reproductive biology is rarely investigated. Bladderworts are known to depend on tiny organisms to meet a significant proportion of their energy requirement by trapping them in bladders. However, information on the extent of their reliance on insects for pollination success is limited. We examined the reproductive strategy of two Utricularia species viz. Utricularia praeterita and U. babui, endemic to Western Ghats, India. The main aspects of the investigation involved floral biology, breeding system, pollination mechanism, and reproductive success. Flowers of both the species are structured for outbreeding through entomophilous floral suites, herkogamy, protandrous dichogamy and sensitive lobes of the stigma. With nearly 65% natural fruit-set, both the species appeared to be sufficiently open-pollinated. However, pollinators failed to show in plants of U. praeterita while in U. babui there was an apparent mismatch between the extent of fruit-set and pollinator visits. The study demonstrated that in the absence/insufficient visits of pollinators, the two species resort to autonomous selfing. In U. babui, denser patches of plants appeared to be crucial for attracting the pollinators. Both species are self-compatible, and reproductive success is predominantly achieved by delayed autonomous selfing. The sensitive stigma in the species fails to prevent selfing due to diminished herkogamy during the late anthetic stages. It is inferred that in the pollinator-limited environment, delayed selfing contributes to absolute natural fecundity in U. praeterita, while it produces a mixed progeny in U. babui.     

Shade tolerance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ailanthus altissima</Emphasis> revisited: novel insights from southern Switzerland

The tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) is considered to be an early-successional, gap-obligate pioneer species with vigorous height growth, low shade tolerance, early fecundity and large seed production. It is a highly invasive species in many temperate and Mediterranean ecosystems outside its natural range, especially after disturbance. Due to its low shade tolerance, the potential of A. altissima to colonise undisturbed forests is thought to be low. In this study we analysed the potential of juvenile A. altissima to grow and survive in sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) forests in southern Switzerland. We used hemispherical photography to assess the light conditions of 204 individuals of A. altissima (31 % generative, 69 % vegetative) aged between 1 and 7 years (median: 3 years) in six sites. Generative (seed-borne) and vegetative (clonal ramet) offspring of A. altissima are able to grow in light conditions well below the requirements of shade-intolerant tree species such as European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The relatively low light conditions found to be sufficient for the growth and survival of generative regeneration of A. altissima suggest a higher shade tolerance for this species than previously stated, at least for early regeneration. Consequently, the colonisation frontier of A. altissima should be intensively monitored in both forest openings but also in closed canopy forests in the vicinity of seed-bearing A. altissima.     

Understanding the human impact on Akita-sugi cedar (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptomeria japonica</Emphasis>) forest in the late Holocene through pollen analysis of annually laminated sediments from Ichi-no-Megata,Akita, Japan

Akita-sugi (Cryptomeria japonica, Japanese cedar that is grown in Akita) forests are among the most important for commercially valuable timber in Japan. Historically, these forests have been severely exploited, although now some parts of them are conserved. It is important to know the detailed history of the forests in order to utilize them sustainably in the future. This study analyzes the pollen in an annually laminated lake sediment core from Ichi-no-Megata on the Oga peninsula, Akita, Japan, to understand the history of Akita-sugi cedar forests. An age-depth model was developed based on the results of an accelerator mass spectrometer dating of 13 plant macrofossils from the surface to 422 cm in depth, the Towada-a tephra and other well-known event layers. The dominant pollen taxa were Cryptomeria and Fagus crenata by ad 1000. The first increase of Cryptomeria was detected around 1700 bc. By the 1st century ad, Cryptomeria forest was established. At that time, Cryptomeria was mixed with deciduous trees, mainly F. crenata. The pollen analysis found evidence that the main loss of woodland occurred during the 11th century ad, when forest lands were cleared for agriculture. Substantial natural forests nevertheless remained until the 16th century, after which forest resources were exhausted. Conservation and plantation activities took place later, but human activity in response to severe famines prevented the recovery of the forests. After the famine periods, the remaining forests recovered to their previous condition, but after World War II, the natural forests shrank further and plantation forests without deciduous trees were established over large areas.     

Continuing influences of introduced hedgehogs <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erinaceus europaeus</Emphasis> as a predator of wader (Charadrii) eggs four decades after their release on the Outer Hebrides,Scotland

Non-native predators can cause major declines or even localised extinctions in prey populations across the globe, especially on islands. The removal of non-native predators can, therefore, be a crucial conservation management tool but there can be challenges when they are viewed as charismatic in their own right. Four decades after their introduction to islands in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, European hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus continue to be an important nest predator for a declining population of breeding waders. Where hedgehogs were rare, clutch survival rates (assessed using nest temperature loggers) of five species of waders (dunlin Calidris alpina, lapwing Vanellus vanellus, redshank Tringa totanus, snipe Gallinago gallinago and ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula) were higher than where hedgehogs were relatively more abundant. Hedgehogs were the most frequent nest predator identified using cameras. However, factors influencing population sizes of breeding waders are complex and unlikely to be attributable to a single species of predator. The interactions between predation, land use, habitat and the changes in each deserve further attention.     

Reproductive interference between two serious pests,oriental fruit flies <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bactrocera carambolae</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B. dorsalis</Emphasis> (Diptera: Tephritidae), with very wide but partially overlapping host ranges

Bactrocera carambolae and B. dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) are extremely destructive pests of fruits and vegetables in the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier reports have described that B. carambolae and B. dorsalis, respectively, use mainly star fruit and mango, suggesting a certain level of host partitioning which can be ascribed neither to differences in larval food qualities nor host-specific parasitoid mortality. This study specifically examined reproductive interference (antagonistic sexual interaction) between B. carambolae and B. dorsalis as a potential factor strongly affecting their host partitioning. We observed mating behaviors, especially interspecific courtships and mating, by cohabiting the conspecific and heterospecific pairs together. Consequently, we quantified their effects on the reproductive success of females. Males of both species frequently courted their own females, but they also courted females of other species. Courtship refusal by females was not selective in males of either species. This incomplete discrimination of both sexes led to frequent occurrences of interspecific sexual interactions in both species, but only B. carambolae females showed reduced reproductive success. These results suggest that B. dorsalis, superior in reproductive interference, can occupy high-quality mango, whereas B. carambolae, inferior in reproductive interference, must use low-quality star fruit.     

Mating System and Sleeping Behaviour of the Male and Female <Emphasis Type="Italic">Centris</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paracentris</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">burgdorfi</Emphasis> Friese (Apidae,Centridini)

We describe the mating behaviour of males of Centris (Paracentris) burgdorfi, a solitary, univoltine bee, with a wide distribution in Brazil. We also describe the unusual sleeping sites of males and females. The study was performed during two breeding seasons, in northeastern Brazil, where the species nests in aggregations in petrified dunes. Data on mating behaviour were collected through direct observations of the bees at the nesting-emergence site. Males compete intensely for virgin females in the morning, sometimes killing rivals. The high competition for females near the nesting site makes that the male has to take the female to another place to get genital contact. In the evening, males do not use plants to spend the night, instead they aggregate in sleeping clusters inside old burrows in the nesting-emergence area while females sleep in groups on plants that provide the floral oil used in nest construction.     

Effect of Gonadotropic Hormones on Stress Resistance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Drosophila melanogaster</Emphasis> Females Infected with Different <Emphasis Type="Italic">Wolbachia pipientis</Emphasis> Genotypes

The effect of gonadotropic hormones (juvenile (JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E)) on heat stress resistance was for the first time studied in wild type D. melanogaster line females infected with different genotypes of the Wolbachia pipientis alpha-proteobacterium. It was found that an experimental increase in JH level induces a decrease in the heat stress resistance, while an increase in 20E level induces its increase in sixday females both uninfected with the Wolbachia and infected with different bacterium strains (wMelCS, wMelPop, and wMel). However, the intensity of response differs: a decrease in the survival with an increase in JH level and its increase with an increase in 20E level are more pronounced in females infected with pathogenic wMelPop strain and less pronounced in females infected with the wMelCS genotype than in uninfected females and females infected with the wMel genotype. Data obtained suggest that the wMelCS genotype induces a decrease and wMelPop induces an increase in the level of stress hormone (dopamine), since previously we demonstrated that an increase in the JH level in mature females increases the dopamine level, an increase in the 20E level decreases it, and an increase/decrease in the dopamine level, in turn, leads to a decrease/increase of the Drosophila female resistance to heat stress.     

Infectious Diseases in Free-Ranging Blonde Capuchins, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sapajus flavius,</Emphasis> in Brazil

The main threats to primates worldwide are the degradation, fragmentation, and loss of their habitats; hunting (especially for bushmeat); and illegal trade. For many species, the most important threat is forest fragmentation, resulting in small populations that are restricted to isolated forest patches. In this situation, primates are particularly vulnerable to disease. The Endangered blonde capuchin (Sapajus flavius) is now restricted to a few forest patches in Northeast Brazil. We investigated the occurrence of parasites and bacterial diseases in one of three free-ranging groups of S. flavius in a small forest patch in Paraíba state, Northeast Brazil. We tested for antibodies against Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, Leptospira spp. (24 strains), and Brucella spp.. We used molecular analysis to detect Plasmodium spp., and evaluated blood smears for the presence of hemoparasites. All individuals tested negative for Leptospira spp. and B. abortus, but 8 of 48 (16%) presented antibodies for both Leishmania spp. and T. cruzi. We identified antibodies to T. gondii in 12% of the individuals tested. Plasmodium brasilianum infection was present in 4% of the individuals tested, and blood smears showed microfilariae parasites in 46% of the individuals tested. The occurrence of these infectious diseases in S. flavius may pose a significant threat in terms of reduced recruitment and poor survival rates, and an understanding of the influence of pathogens is crucial for the management of small populations of primates.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">SnRK2</Emphasis> Homologs in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gossypium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">GhSnRK2.6</Emphasis> Improved Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Upland Cotton and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis>

SnRK2s are a large family of plant-specific protein kinases, which play important roles in multiple abiotic stress responses in various plant species. But the family in Gossypium has not been well studied. Here, we identified 13, 10, and 13 members of the SnRK2 family from Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium arboreum, and Gossypium hirsutum, respectively, and analyzed the locations of SnRK2 homologs in chromosomes based on genome data of cotton species. Phylogenetic tree analysis of SnRK2 proteins showed that these families were classified into three groups. All SnRK2 genes were comprised of nine exons and eight introns, and the exon distributions and the intron phase of homolog genes among different cotton species were analogous. Moreover, GhSnRK2.6 was overexpressed in Arabidopsis and upland cotton, respectively. Under salt treatment, overexpressed Arabidopsis could maintain higher biomass accumulation than wild-type plants, and GhSnRK2.6 overexpression in cotton exhibited higher germination rate than the control. So, the gene GhSnRK2.6 could be utilized in cotton breeding for salt tolerance.