Growth and nutrient uptake of coniferous seedlings: Comparison among 10 species at various seedbed densities

Summary The evaluation of biomass production and uptake of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg for various plant components (roots, stems, and foliage) and totals by 10 species of 2-0 coniferous seedlings grown at a controlled range of densities in a highly productive forest nursery documents considerable differences among species and seedling parameters. The species are ranked by biomass and nutrient-element relationships on a unit area of seedbed basis, quantifying the magnitude of the differences among the species at the various density levels. The 10 species include Abies balsamea, Larix leptolepis, Picea abies, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Picea pungens, Pinus resinosa, Pinus strobus, Pinus sylvestris, and Pseudotsuga menziesii.Contribution of the Forest Resources Council, School of Environmental and Resource Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York 13210.Contribution of the Forest Resources Council, School of Environmental and Resource Management, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York 13210.     

Genotypic characteristics in populations of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum from New York State,USA

White mould, caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is one of the most destructive diseases of beans globally. In New York State, USA, white mould causes substantial losses in soybean, snap, dry and succulent baby lima beans, which are grown successively in intensive crop rotations. Management strategies for white mould in these crops are reliant upon the prophylactic use of fungicides. No complementary information on the genetic structure of the populations of S. sclerotiorum in New York State, USA is available. Twenty isolates of S. sclerotiorum were collected from symptomatic bean plants within each of 10 fields across New York State, USA in 2014. Eight microsatellite (SSR) markers were used to characterise the genotypic diversity of the hyphal‐tipped isolates. Twenty‐four multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were detected within the population but one MLG was most prevalent. Although STRUCTURE analysis identified two subpopulations, these subpopulations were not associated with geographic location, suggesting no spatial structure to the population. In addition, the pathogen populations were predominantly clonal, with some evidence of infrequent outcrossing. These findings may assist in understanding the durability of management strategies for white mould and support the selection of representative isolates for host resistance screening for pathogen populations in the sampling area.     

Genetic diversity,admixture, and hatchery influence in Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) throughout western New York State

Although Brook Trout are distributed across most of eastern North America, population numbers have declined in many regions due to habitat loss, climate change, and competition with non‐native species. In New York State, Brook Trout habitat has been substantially reduced, with many areas showing complete extirpation of Brook Trout populations, predominantly in the western portion of the state. Small, fragmented populations are at risk of genetic diversity loss, inbreeding depression, and reduced fitness, leading to a greater potential for local extirpation. Genetic monitoring is a practical tool that can facilitate further conservation‐decision making regarding small populations. In this study, we used 12 microsatellite loci to examine 3,436 sampled Brook Trout, representing 75 sites from the Allegheny, Erie/Niagara, Genesee, Oswego, Lake Ontario, and Susquehanna drainage basins throughout western New York State. Three Brook Trout hatchery strains were also genetically characterized to evaluate the degree of hatchery introgression between wild populations and hatchery strains stocked in the region. Overall, estimates of genetic diversity varied widely: Allelic richness ranged from 2.23 to 7.485, and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.402 to 0.766. As observed for Brook Trout in other regions, we found a high degree of genetic differentiation among populations, with all comparisons except one showing significant F_ST values. Hatchery introgression was found to be minimal, with estimates ranging from 1.96% to 3.10% of wild individuals exhibiting membership proportions to a hatchery strain cluster exceeding 10% (q ≥ 0.10). Results from this investigation can be used to prioritize management efforts for Brook Trout in western New York State and act as a baseline to monitor future population trends.     

A Molecular and Fitness Evaluation of Commercially Available versus Locally Collected Blue Lupine Lupinus perennis L. Seeds for Use in Ecosystem Restoration Efforts

Dependence on wild seed sources is often impractical for large‐scale habitat restoration programs. Reliance on commercial seed supplies of unknown provenance and fitness is thereby warranted. Little consideration has been given, however, to how the large volumes of seed required should be sourced. We evaluated commercial and locally collected seed sources for potential use in a New York State‐based, landscape‐scale program for restoring blue lupine Lupinus perennis. Through analysis of microsatellite markers we determined that “native” lupine designations by some commercial suppliers were in fact interspecific hybrids and therefore unreliable; at least two commercial sources, however, were genetically as close to native New York populations as native New York populations were to one other. Common garden experiments revealed that seed source influenced first‐year overwintering survival and subsequent height growth of surviving plants; seed sources more closely related genetically to native New York populations survived better and produced more stems per individual in the field in the area targeted for restoration. We conclude that (1) commercial suppliers often but not always offer reliably characterized seed sources of sufficient genetic similarity to native populations to warrant their use in restoration projects and (2) genetic affinity of potential seed stock to native populations is positively related to its fitness in the environment targeted for restoration.     

A revised account of initial mute swan (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cygnus olor</Emphasis>) introductions to the northeastern United States

The success or failure of species introductions is linked to their location, date, size, and frequency. However, reliance on synthetic works to identify and quantify these factors can lead to errors if original sources are misinterpreted or misquoted. Furthermore, information cannot be verified if authors fail to cite their sources and repetition may lead to compounded errors that have implications for studies of invasion patterns and processes. Naturalized populations of mute swans (Cygnus olor) in the Atlantic Flyway, for example, are repeatedly attributed to two large introductions in New York State. Tracing this belief back to original reports and using additional historical records, this inquiry investigates the first introductions of mute swans in New York State and presents evidence for three initial sites. Newspapers are also recommended as a newly searchable archive of species introduction records.     

Experimental Invasions Using Biological Control Introductions: The Influence of Release Size on the Chance of Population Establishment

Introductions of biological control organisms offer a unique opportunity to experimentally study the process of invasion by exotic species. I used two chrysomelid beetles, Galerucella calmariensis and Galerucella pusilla, which are currently being introduced into North America for the biological control of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), to determine how the initial size of a release affects the probability that the introduced population grows and persists. I released both species into stands of their host plant at 36 sites scattered throughout central New York State using four release sizes: 20, 60, 180, and 540. I returned to these sites over the next 3 years to census the populations. For both species, the probability of population establishment increased with release size. Population growth rates also depended positively on release size. The implication from these results is that the demographic factors whose influence depends on population size or density such as demographic stochasticity, Allee effects, and genetics play important roles in the establishment of invading populations. A second set of releases was used to determine if it was at all possible for a single gravid female to found a population. Out of twenty individual females released, one female (a G. calmariensis) founded a population that persisted until the end of the study (3 generations). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Finding Hamiltonian paths in tournaments on clusters

This paper presents a general methodology for the communication-efficient parallelization of graph algorithms using the divide-and-conquer approach and shows that this class of problems can be solved in cluster environments with good communication efficiency. Specifically, the first practical parallel algorithm, based on a general coarse-grained model, for finding Hamiltonian paths in tournaments is presented. On any such parallel machines, this algorithm uses only (3log p+1), where p is the number of processors, communication rounds, which is independent of the tournament size, and can reuse the existing linear-time algorithm in the sequential setting. For theoretical completeness, the algorithm is revised for fine-grained models, where the ratio of computation and communication throughputs is low or the local memory size, , of each individual processor is extremely limited for any , solving the problem with O(log p) communication rounds, while the hidden constant grows with the scalability factor 1/∊. Experiments have been carried out on a Linux cluster of 32 Sun Ultra5 computers and an SGI Origin 2000 with 32 R10000 processors. The algorithm performance on the Linux Cluster reaches 75% of the performance on the SGI Origin 2000 when the tournament size is about one million. Computational resources and technical support are provided by the Center for Computational Research (CCR) at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Chun-Hsi Huang received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2001. His is currently an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut. His interests include High Performance Parallel Computing, Cluster and Grid Computing, Biomedical and Health Informatics, Algorithm Design and Analysis, Experimental Algorithms and Computational Biology. Sanguthevar Rajasekaran received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from Harvard University in 1988. Currently he is the UTC Chair Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Connecticut and the Director of Booth Engineering Center for Advanced Technologies (BECAT). His research interests include Parallel Algorithms, Bioinformatics, Data Mining, Randomized Computing, Computer Simulations, and Combinatorial Optimization. Laurence Tianruo Yang received is Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the Oxford University. He is currently a professor of Computer Science of the St. Francis Xavier University in Canada. His research interests include high-performance computing, embedded systems, computer archtecture and high-speed networking. Xin He received his Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the Ohio State University in 1987. He is currently Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo. His research interests include Algorithms, Data Structures, Combinatorics and Computational Geometry.     

The effect of grazing by the detritivore Orchestia grillus on Spartina litter and its associated microbial community

Summary Orchestia grillus efficiently feeds upon microorganisms attached to ingested Spartina alterniflora litter, but does not digest litter itself. Microorganisms respond to Orchestia grazing with increased metabolic activity, reflected in accelerated decomposition of the nitrogen fraction of litter and increased microbial biomass. Increased microbial activity may be partly a function of ammonia excretion and higher diffusion rate due to animal movement, but mainly it is a direct response to grazing. Microbial biomass increases with grazing because the pool of available nitrogen becomes larger. A model postulating interactions between Orchestria, Spartina litter and attached microorganisms is presented.This is contribution no. 180 from the Program in Ecology and Evolution at the State University of New York at Stony Brook     

Differential foliar responses of northern hardwoods to fertilization

A 70-year-old thinned northeastern Fagus-Betula-Acer stand in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York was fertilized with varying combinations of N, P, K, and lime in the spring of 1976.Betula alleghaniensis Brit.,Acer saccharum Marsh.,Acer rubrum L., andFagus grandifolia Ehrh. foliage was collected in the autumn for 1974 through 1977 and analyzed for foliage areas and weights, and levels of ash, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Na, Fe, Zn, Al, Cu, and Co. Comparisons are made within species and among treatments, expressed as concentrations on a dry weight basis. Elemental composition is examined to determine the differential foliar responses to fertilization.Contribution of State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, 13210.The authors are Graduate Research Assistant, Director of Huntington Forest, Technical Research Assistant, and Professor of Forest Soil Science (now deceased), SUNY, respectively.     

The Remote Borderland: Transylvania in the Hungarian Imagination.

The Remote Borderland: Transylvania in the Hungarian Imagination. László Kürti. New York: State University of New York Press, 2001. 259 pp.     

A Review of the Biology and Ecology of Three Invasive Perennials in New York State: Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and Pale Swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum rossicum)

Terrestrial weeds continue to evolve in association with the rapid global changes in our land-use systems, due to their regenerative strategies, their adaptability to change, and their inherent diversity. Currently, invasive weeds are estimated to cost the United States’ economy up to $35 billion per year, and this total is rapidly increasing, as greater numbers of invasive species become naturalized. Several invasive exotic species have more recently established across New York State, creating difficulties for agricultural producers, roadside and natural areas managers, and homeowners and resulting in millions of dollars expended annually for their control. Three perennials that have become particularly problematic in New York State in recent years in both agricultural and roadside settings include Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc.), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.), and pale swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleop.) Barbar.). This review describes their history, biology, ecology, and potential for management and focuses on key characteristics contributing to their spread in New York State and adjacent regions.     

Population genetic structure and history of fragmented remnant populations of the New England cottontail (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sylvilagus transitionalis</Emphasis>)

The New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) has suffered from extensive loss and fragmentation of its habitat and is now a species of conservation priority in the northeastern United States. Remnant New England cottontail populations currently occur in five geographically disjunct locations: southern Maine and southeastern New Hampshire (MENH); the Merrimack Valley in central New Hampshire (NH-MV); Cape Cod, Massachusetts (CC); parts of eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island (CTRI); and western Connecticut, southeastern New York and southwestern Massachusetts (CTNY). We used microsatellite genotyping to discern patterns of population structure, genetic variability, and demographic history across the species’ range and to assess whether the observed patterns are a consequence of recent habitat loss and fragmentation. Our findings show that the geographic populations are highly differentiated (overall F _ST = 0.145; P < 0.001). Using Bayesian clustering analyses, we identified five genetic clusters, which corresponded closely to the geographic populations, but grouped MENH & NH-MV together (ME/NH) and identified an isolated population in eastern Connecticut (Bluff Point). The genetic clusters showed little evidence of recent gene flow and are highly influenced by genetic drift. The CC and Bluff Point populations show signs they experienced a genetic bottleneck, whereas the ME/NH population shows evidence of ongoing decline. Populations in Bluff Point, CC, and ME/NH also show significantly reduced genetic variation relative to the other clusters (CTNY and CTRI without Bluff Point). Without immediate human intervention, the short-term persistence of New England cottontail populations in Maine, New Hampshire and Cape Cod is at great risk. Conservation efforts at this time should focus on within-population sustainability and eventually restoring connectivity among these isolated populations.     

Genetic variation of recent Alu insertions in human populations

The Alu family of intersperesed repeats is comprised of ovr 500,000 members which may be divided into discrete subfamilies based upon mutations held in common between members. Distinct subfamilies of Alu sequences have amplified within the human genome in recent evolutionary history. Several individual Alu family members have amplified so recently in human evolution that they are variable as to presence and absence at specific loci within different human populations. Here, we report on the distribution of six polymorphic Alu insetions in a survey of 563 individuals from 14 human population groups across several continents. Our results indicate that these polymorphic Alu insertions probably have an African origin and that there is a much smaller amount of genetic variation between European populations than that found between other populations groups. Present address: Department of Pathology, Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Medical Center, 1901 Perdido St., New Orleans, LA 70112 Correspondence to: M.A. Batzer     

Genetic analyses of the Asian longhorned beetle (Coleoptera,Cerambycidae, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anoplophora glabripennis</Emphasis>), in North America,Europe and Asia

The Asian longhorned beetle, (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky)), is endemic to China and Korea and an important invasive insect in North America and Europe. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequence data of invasive populations of A. glabripennis in North America and Europe, and microsatellite allele frequency data of beetles from North America. We show that populations in New York City and Long Island NY; New Jersey, Chicago, IL, and Toronto, Canada have limited genetic diversity compared to populations in China. In addition, the data suggest that separate introduction events were responsible for many of the populations in North America and for European populations in Austria, France, Germany and Italy. Populations on Long Island, NY are suspected to have been initiated by the transport of cut wood from New York City. A. glabripennis beetles found in Jersey City, NJ appear to be derived from an expansion of the New York City, NY population, whereas beetles found in Linden, NJ are an expansion from the Carteret, NJ population. Limited genetic diversity did not stop this invasive insect from establishing damaging populations in North America. Founders of introduced A. glabripennis populations in North America and Europe are likely derived from populations in China that are themselves invasive, rendering difficult the identification of source populations. Invasiveness in an insect’s natural range could be an important predictor of potential pest status of introduced populations.     

A call to fins! Zebrafish as a gerontological model

Among the wide variety of model organisms commonly used for studies on aging, such as worms, flies and rodents, a wide research gap exists between the invertebrate and vertebrate model systems. In developmental biology, a similar gap has been filled by the zebrafish (Danio rerio). We propose that the zebrafish is uniquely suited to serve as a bridge model for gerontology. With high fecundity and economical husbandry requirements, large populations of zebrafish may be generated quickly and cheaply, facilitating large-scale approaches including demographic studies and mutagenesis screens. A variety of mutants identified in such screens have led to modelling of human disease, including cardiac disorders and cancer. While zebrafish longevity is at least 50% longer than in commonly used mouse strains, as an ectothermic fish species, its life span may be readily modulated by caloric intake, ambient temperature and reproductive activity. These features, coupled with a growing abundance of biological resources, including an ongoing genome sequencing project, make the zebrafish a compelling model organism for studies on aging.     

Rhythmic settling induced by temperature cycles in continuously-stirred autotrophic cultures of Euglena gracilis (Z strain)

Summary Temperature cycles which produced synchrony of cell division in autotrophic Euglena (preceding paper, Terry and Edmunds, 1970) usually also evoked a cellular settling rhythm. The rhythm was expressed as a recurrent cycle of cell attachment to culture-vessel surfaces, with nearly the same phase angle to each of the different temperature cycles. Attachment occurred in cultures stirred rapidly enough for thorough mixing of the cell suspension, but it was possible to prevent attachment by increased agitation. The settling rhythm was entrained by temperature cycles with periods shorter than the minimum period length required to phase cell division, but the rhythm also persisted with a circadian period at constant temperature in continuous light following entrainment by 12,12 hr temperature cycles. The rhythm appeared in stationary-phase cultures exposed to either cold-synchronizing or heat-synchronizing temperature cycles, and also in growth-phase cultures exposed to cold-synchronizing cycles. The settling rhythm was generally not observable in heat-synchronized growth-phase cultures although it often appeared in the same cultures as they approached the stationary phase.This work is derived from a dissertation submitted to the Department of Biological Sciences of the State University of New York at Stony Brook by OzTerry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. It was supported in part by a National Science Foundation Cooperative Graduate Fellowship to 0. Terry and in part by National Science Foundation research grants GB-4140 and GB-6892 and by State University of New York Research Foundation Grant-in-Aid 31-7150A to L. Edmunds.     

Elusive Culture: Schooling, Race, and Identity in Global Times

Elusive Culture: Schooling, Race, and Identity in Global Times. Daniel A. Yon. New York: State University of New York Press, 2000. 175 pp.     

More Than Class: Studying Power in U.S. Workplaces

More Than Class: Studying Power in U.S. Workplaces. Ann E. Kingsolver. ed. New York: State University of New York Press, 1998. 222 pp.     

On the number of New World founders: a population genetic portrait of the peopling of the Americas

The founding of New World populations by Asian peoples is the focus of considerable archaeological and genetic research, and there persist important questions on when and how these events occurred. Genetic data offer great potential for the study of human population history, but there are significant challenges in discerning distinct demographic processes. A new method for the study of diverging populations was applied to questions on the founding and history of Amerind-speaking Native American populations. The model permits estimation of founding population sizes, changes in population size, time of population formation, and gene flow. Analyses of data from nine loci are consistent with the general portrait that has emerged from archaeological and other kinds of evidence. The estimated effective size of the founding population for the New World is fewer than 80 individuals, approximately 1% of the effective size of the estimated ancestral Asian population. By adding a splitting parameter to population divergence models it becomes possible to develop detailed portraits of human demographic history. Analyses of Asian and New World data support a model of a recent founding of the New World by a population of quite small effective size.