Adaptive introductions: How multiple experiments and comparisons to wild populations provide insights into requirements for long-term introduction success of an endangered shrub

Recovery of an imperiled plant species may require augmentation of existing populations or creation of new ones. Hundreds of such projects have been conducted over the last few decades, but there is a bias in the literature favoring successes over failures. In this paper, we evaluate a series of introductions that experimentally manipulated microhabitat and fire in an adaptive introduction framework. Between 2002 and 2012, we (and our collaborators) carried out ten introductions and augmentations of Florida ziziphus Pseudoziziphus (Condalia, Ziziphus) celata, a clonal shrub limited to very small populations and narrowly endemic to pyrogenic central Florida sandhills. Six of the introductions were designed as experiments to test hypotheses about how demographic performance was affected by microhabitat, fire, and propagule type. Introduced transplants had high survival (<90% annually), inconsistent growth, and little transition to reproduction, while introduced seeds had low germination and survival. Transplants were more efficient than seeds as translocation propagules. Shaded (vs. open) sites supported generally higher transplant and seedling survival and seed germination percentages, but growth responses varied among experiments. Supplemental irrigation increased transplant survival and seed germination, but otherwise seedling and plant survival and growth were not significantly affected. Contrary to expectations based on wild populations, introduced propagules have not been more successful in unshaded sites, suggesting that Florida ziziphus has broader microhabitat preferences than hypothesized. Compared to wild plants, introduced plants had similar survival and responses to fire, slower growth, and more delayed flowering. Introduced plants had no clonal spread. While no introduced population has demonstrated a capacity for long-term viability, one augmented population has flowered and produced viable fruits. Given that Florida ziziphus genets are long-lived, low levels of sexual reproduction may be adequate for the establishment of viable populations. Thus, after many translocations over more than a decade, it is premature to characterize any single translocation as a success or a failure, underscoring the need for a long view of translocation success.     

Diel variations of selected physico-chemical parameters in Lake Kissimmee,Florida

Every two months, diel depth profiles were made of dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature and conductivity at two stations in Lake Kissimmee, Florida, from July 1974 through June 1975. Results suggest that stratification does not occur in the large (137 km²), shallow (mean depth 2.5 m) lake, though steep vertical gradients in these parameters may develop. The data also suggest that when these gradients do occur, they rapidly degenerate at night or under slight wind stress. Since many Florida lakes are relatively shallow (mean depth < 5 m) and topography offers little obstruction to wind action, it is believed that the holomictic condition observed in Lake Kissimmee may be typical of the state's lakes, particularly those in the central portion of the peninsula.     

Genome-wide scan reveals important additive and non-additive genetic effects associated with resistance to Haemonchus contortus in Florida Native sheep

Florida Native sheep is among the sheep breeds best adapted to humid and hot climatic conditions such as those of Florida, USA, and have shown a superior ability to regulate nematode burdens. This is one of the oldest sheep breeds in North America and is an endangered species. To ensure genetic diversity and long-term survival of the breed, protection of the current genetic stock is critical and conservation efforts are required to promote its breeding and production. The objective of the present study was to investigate the importance of additive and non-additive genetic effects on resistance to natural Haemonchus contortus infections in Florida Native sheep using a whole genome scan. A total of 200 sheep were evaluated in the present study. Phenotypic records included faecal egg count (FEC, eggs/gram), FAMACHA® score, packed cell volume (PCV, %), body condition score and average daily gain (ADG, kg). Sheep were genotyped using the GGP Ovine 50K SNP chip and 45.2 k single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers spanning the entire genome were available for quality control procedures. Mixed models were used to analyse the response variables and included the identity by state matrix to control for population structure. Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple testing and a second arbitrary threshold (0.1 × 10^?3) was used. Fifteen SNPs with additive and non-additive genetic effects and located in Ovis aries chromosome OAR1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 21 were associated with FEC, FAMACHA® score, PCV and ADG. These SNPs could be potential genetic markers for resistance to natural H. contortus exposure in Florida Native sheep.     

Microbial Characteristics of a Submerged Karst Cave System in Northern Florida

Karst aquifer systems contain submerged caves that act as conduits for subterranean water flow and are subject to rapid surface recharge at points such as sink holes and submerging streams. We examined the microbial communities in six conduits of the Northern Florida Wakulla Springs cave system and in several hydrologically connected surface sinks. Culturable bacteria were assessed using both oligotrophic and copiotrophic media, and specific media for Enterococcus and Escherichia coli. Culture independent methods included using 16S rRNA PCR amplified DNA for T-RFLP analysis and development of clone libraries for sequencing. Pronounced seasonality was found in all microbiological parameters suggesting responsiveness to surface conditions from recharge of the groundwater despite near constant groundwater temperature. Other differences may reflect the character of the drainage areas feeding different conduits and flow rates and flow reversals that affected residence time in cave conduits. In a region of groundwater flow divide, elevated numbers of a plate counts, flocculent material, and a sulfide smell were reflected in T-RFLP pattern differences. Sequence data from five selected sampling locations revealed the presence of Enterobacter and Klebsiella sequences in surface waters, but not in conduits. One conduit contained a high percentage of sequences with close homology to the archaeal species Thermococcalles archaeon. Other cave-specific sequences were found that do not match previously characterized bacteria. Overall, the data suggest both temporal and spatial differences in the microbial communities within the extensive cave system conduits feeding the spring vent, reflecting both drainage area influences and undocumented subterranean microbial diversity.     

American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) weight gain in captivity and implications for captive reptile body condition

The body condition of an animal is an indicator of health status and is dependent upon many factors, some of which can vary between wild and captive settings. Despite this, there have not been many studies on how captivity affects body condition relative to wild animal populations. This study explores the body condition of captive and wild American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) because reptiles are frequently overlooked in studies of captive animal health and because alligators are well-represented in captivity. We collected body condition data from 209 captive alligators and 935 wild alligators throughout Florida and southeastern Georgia and compared the relationships between body condition and body length for each group. We found that captive alligators exhibited significantly higher body condition values as they aged, and that this result was driven by the difference between captive and wild males. Body condition values for captive juveniles did not differ from wild juveniles, but they differed when comparing adults. Our results suggest that factors such as diet and movement rates play major roles in determining alligator body condition and that body condition may be an important metric for monitoring captive alligator health, especially for older adult males.     

Brief communication: preliminary radiocarbon dates from Florida crania in Hrdlička's gulf states catalog

Ale? Hrdli?ka produced a tremendous amount of data in his career, much of which was published in a series of catalogs by the US National Museum. The Gulf States catalog, for example, contains raw craniometric data for over 700 individuals from the state of Florida alone. However, many of these skeletons are poorly sourced by Hrdli?ka, thus limiting their utility in modern bioarchaeological analyses where context is critical. In particular, the age of the skeletal material is often based solely on associated material culture and information on the sites themselves is not presented by Hrdli?ka. To address this impasse we attempted radiocarbon dates for 10 of the largest Florida sites published in the Gulf States catalog. In addition, archival data in the form of unpublished field notes and personal correspondence were accessed to better contextualize the radiocarbon dates and to provide some guidance on the degree of temporal variability at the sites. Eight AMS radiocarbon dates were successful. Archival data was of variable quality per site. In some cases very little is known about the provenience of the specimens. In other cases, however, individual burials could be allocated to specific strata within specific mounds. The relevance of using published raw data is discussed with respect to the Howells and Boas Immigrant datasets and the impact the dissemination of these resources has had on the discipline. Am J Phys Anthropol 145:163–167, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A comparison of disease burden and symptoms with age among CoVid-19 patients from data in a Florida clinic

Our knowledge of the disease burden and symptoms with age in COVID-19 patients is limited. Therefore, it is of interest to document the clinical aspect of this association with respect to the disease. We used the data of 3363 patients enrolled with an urgent care clinic in Volusia county, Florida for this study. Data shows difference in age among COVID-19 antibody (Ab) - positive patients (48.3 years, 95% CI = 46.9,49.7 years) and Ab-negative patients (46.1 years, 95% CI = 45.4, 46.8 years). However, disease burden by age is not significant on average. Nonetheless, COVID-19 positive patients between 40-69-years of age experienced the highest burden of disease and highest average number of symptoms. Thus, COVID-19 disease burden and number of symptoms experienced were highest among the 40-69-year-old patients. Those above the populations mean age of 46.4 years old were more likely to test positive for COVID-19.     

Amended identification of Oxydia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) on Brazilian peppertree

A colony of moths recently studied and published for control of Schinus terebinthifolia is found not to be Oxydia vesulia (Cramer) but instead a possibly undescribed species. Three species were originally collected. The unknown species is diagnosed by morphology and COI and compared to congeners.     

Interpretation of bryozoan microfossils in lacustrine sediment cores

Bryozoan statoblasts were isolated from the surficial sediments of 30 Florida lakes representing a gradient of trophic conditions. A prerequisite for lake selection was a good data base for water chemistry that was collected within the past 5–10 years. A novel technique of employing 210-Pb as a dilution tracer was used to estimate sedimentation rates for each lake. The net annual accumulation rate for bryozoan statoblasts was calculated for each lake and correlated with twelve physical, chemical, and biological variables. The results suggest that bryozoan distributions are strongly controlled by the extent of the littoral zone and phytoplankton biomass. It appears that bryozoan abundance in excessively weeded lakes may be limited by phytoplankton in spite of the richly developed habitat. Separation of the importance of food requirements from habitat requirements was not possible from this initial survey.     

Accumulation of Elsinochrome Phytotoxin does not Correlate with Fungal Virulence among Elsinoë fawcettii Isolates in Florida

Citrus scab caused by Elsinoë fawcettii is cosmopolitan in humid citrus-growing areas. We have previously demonstrated that production of non-host selective elsinochrome phytotoxin is a prerequisite for fungal full virulence and lesion formation. In this study we evaluated 71 field-collected isolates from Florida for pathogenicity and toxin production and found most of the isolates to be pathogenic to rough lemon, grapefruit and sour orange and able to produce elsinochromes in axenic culture. Elsinochromes were recovered, for the first time, from leaf lesions infected by 21 isolates, including four isolates that did not produce any measurable toxin in culture. There was no direct correspondence between the level of elsinochrome production in culture and virulence among the isolates. However, Elsinoë isolates failed to produce elsinochromes in culture and in planta were non-pathogenic to citrus hosts tested. Several isolates were non-pathogenic or only moderately virulent to the citrus hosts tested even though they could produce elsinochromes in culture, a phenotype not previously described in Florida.     

Coral recruitment and juvenile mortality as structuring factors for reef benthic communities in Biscayne National Park, USA

Coral communities of Biscayne National Park (BNP) on offshore linear bank-barrier reefs are depauperate of reef corals and have little topographic relief, while those on lagoonal patch reefs have greater coral cover and species richness despite presumably more stressful environmental regimes closer to shore. We hypothesized that differences in rates of coral recruitment and/or of coral survivorship were responsible for these differences in community structure. These processes were investigated by measuring: (1) juvenile and adult coral densities, and (2) size-frequency distributions of smaller coral size classes, at three pairs of bank- and patch-reefs distributed along the north-south range of coral reefs within the Park. In addition, small quadrats (0.25 m²) were censused for colonies <2 cm in size on three reefs (one offshore and one patch reef in the central park, and one intermediate reef at the southern end), and re-surveyed after 1 year. Density and size frequency data confirmed that large coral colonies were virtually absent from the offshore reefs, but showed that juvenile corals were common and had similar densities to those of adjacent bank and patch reefs. Large coral colonies were more common on inshore patch reefs, suggesting lower survivorship (higher mortality) of small and intermediate sized colonies on the offshore reefs. The more limited small-quadrat data showed similar survivorship rates and initial and final juvenile densities at all three sites, but a higher influx of new recruits to the patch reef site during the single annual study period. We consider the size-frequency data to be a better indicator of juvenile coral dynamics, since it is a more time-integrated measurement and was replicated at more sites. We conclude that lack of recruitment does not appear to explain the impoverished coral communities on offshore bank reefs in BNP. Instead, higher juvenile coral mortality appears to be a dominant factor structuring these communities. Accepted: 9 September 1999     

First record of dicephalia in a bull shark Carcharhinus leucas (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhinidae) foetus from the Gulf of Mexico,U.S.A.

The first recorded incidence of dicephalia in a bull shark Carcharhinus leucas is reported from a foetus collected by a fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida, U.S.A. External examination, Radiography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a case of monosomic dicephalia where the axial skeleton and internal organs were found to divide into parallel systems anterior to the pectoral girdle resulting in two well‐developed heads.     

Posthurricane Seedling Structure in a Multi‐aged Tropical Dry Forest: Implications for Community Succession

Hurricane‐caused tree mortality in tropical dry forests occurs predominantly in early successional species. Consequently, hurricanes may accelerate succession in these forests. Forest regeneration, however, must be measured over an extended posthurricane time period to demonstrate this pattern. In this study, we recorded tree seedlings in 19 Florida Keys forests during May–August 1995, 3 years after Hurricane Andrew. For these forests—spanning a chronosequence from 14 to over 100 years since the most recent clearing—we used weighted averaging regression on relative abundances of pre‐hurricane trees to calculate a successional age optimum for each species; and used weighted averaging calibration to calculate inferred successional ages for stands based on pre‐hurricane trees and on posthurricane seedlings. To test the hypothesis that successional stage of seedlings exceeded successional stage of pre‐hurricane trees, we compared inferred stand ages based on posthurricane seedlings with those based on pre‐hurricane trees. Across the study area, inferred stand ages based on posthurricane seedlings were greater than those based on pre‐hurricane trees (P < 0.005); however, more seedlings in the youngest stands were early successional than in older stands. Of 29 species present both as pre‐hurricane trees and posthurricane seedlings, 23 had animal‐dispersed seeds. These results provide evidence that: (1) hurricanes do not ‘reset’ succession, and may accelerate succession; and (2) a strong legacy of stand successional age influences seedling assemblages in these forests.     

Susceptibility of Florida Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to dengue viruses from Puerto Rico

Locally acquired dengue cases in the continental U.S. are rare. However, outbreaks of dengue‐1 during 2009, 2010, and 2013 in Florida and dengue‐1 and −2 in Texas suggest vulnerability to transmission. Travel and commerce between Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland is common, which may pose a risk for traveler‐imported dengue cases. Mosquitoes were collected in Florida and used to evaluate their susceptibility to dengue viruses (DENV) from Puerto Rico. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were susceptible to virus infection with DENV‐1 and −2. No significant differences were observed in rates of midgut infection or dissemination between Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus for DENV‐1 (6–14%). Aedes aegypti was significantly more susceptible to midgut infection with DENV‐2 than Ae. albopictus (Ae. aegypti, ∼28%; Ae. albopictus, ∼9%). The dissemination rate with dengue‐2 virus for Ae. aegypti (23%) was greater than Ae. albopictus (0%), suggesting that Ae. albopictus is not likely to be an important transmitter of the DENV‐2 isolate from Puerto Rico. These results are discussed in light of Florida's vulnerability to DENV transmission.     

Zooplankton-trophic state relationships in some north and central Florida lakes

In a survey of eight lake systems located in north-central Florida, total zooplankton abundance showed a strong positive correlation (r²=0.87, a=0.01) with trophic state. Zooplankton abundance averaged 1.0 × 10⁵ organisms · m^–2 in oligotrophic systems and up to 8.2 × 10⁵ organisms · m^–2 in the eutrophic systems. Seasonal variations in total abundance were greatest in the eutrophic lakes where rotifers dominated and periodically produced sharp population peaks (approaching 2.0 × 10⁶· m^–2). In contrast, the more oligotrophic systems had relatively stable levels of total abundance and were dominated by copepods. Diversities of the major taxa in the lakes were variable with one to three species of copepods, zero to four species of cladocera, and two to seven species of rotifers dominant at any one time. Planktonic cladoceran communities were often composed of only one or two species. Low cladocera diversity in these subtropical systems was suggestive of increased predation pressure on this group of crustaceans. A comparison of the total crustacean abundance in the Florida systems to those of some of the Great Lakes indicated that lower standing crops of crustacean zooplankton in the Florida lakes may be a response to both predation and temperature.Contribution Number 043, Marine Science Programs Laboratory, Dauphin Island, Alabama, U.S.A.Contribution Number 043, Marine Science Programs Laboratory, Dauphin Island, Alabama, U.S.A.     

Evaluating summary statistics used to test for incomplete lineage sorting: mito‐nuclear discordance in the reef sponge Callyspongia vaginalis

Conflicting patterns of population differentiation between the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes (mito‐nuclear discordance) have become increasingly evident as multilocus data sets have become easier to generate. Incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) of nucDNA is often implicated as the cause of such discordance, stemming from the large effective population size of nucDNA relative to mtDNA. However, selection, sex‐biased dispersal and historical demography can also lead to mito‐nuclear discordance. Here, we compare patterns of genetic diversity and subdivision for six nuclear protein‐coding gene regions to those for mtDNA in a common Caribbean coral reef sponge, Callyspongia vaginalis, along the Florida reef tract. We also evaluated a suite of summary statistics to determine which are effective metrics for comparing empirical and simulated data when testing drivers of mito‐nuclear discordance in a statistical framework. While earlier work revealed three divergent and geographically subdivided mtDNACOI haplotypes separated by 2.4% sequence divergence, nuclear alleles were admixed with respect to mitochondrial clade and geography. Bayesian analysis showed that substitution rates for the nuclear loci were up to 7 times faster than for mitochondrial COI. Coalescent simulations and neutrality tests suggested that mito‐nuclear discordance in C. vaginalis is not the result of ILS in the nucDNA or selection on the mtDNA but is more likely caused by changes in population size. Sperm‐mediated gene flow may also influence patterns of population subdivision in the nucDNA.     

Polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi)

The Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi) is one of a suite of species restricted to Florida scrub, a threatened ecosystem. We characterized eight microsatellite loci from scrub lizards based on screening of 75–91 individuals per locus. Polymorphism was high (8–20 alleles per locus). Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.32–0.83 and 0.77–0.91, respectively. These markers will be useful for population‐level analyses and can contribute to a genetic foundation for conservation strategies for this endemic species.     

Anaplasma phagocytophilum in small mammals and ticks in northeast Florida

Human anaplasmosis is an emerging tick-borne disease in the United States, but few studies of the causative agent, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, have been conducted in southeastern states. The aim of this study was to determine if A. phagocytophilum is present in small mammals and ticks in northeast Florida. Polymerase chain reaction assays designed to amplify portions of the major surface protein 2 gene (p44), 16S rDNA, and groESL operons were used to test rodent blood and tick DNA samples for the presence of A. phagocytophilum. Positive samples were confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA was detected in less than 5% of cotton mice and 45% of cotton rats from two sites in northeast Florida. Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA was also confirmed in 1.3% of host-seeking adult Ixodes scapularis tested and 2.7% of host-seeking adult Amblyomma americanum. This report describes the first DNA sequence data confirming strains of A. phagocytophilum in rodents and ticks in Florida. The DNA sequences of the msp2, 16S rDNA, and groESL gene fragments obtained in this study were highly similar to reference strains of human pathogenic strains of A. phagocytophilum. These findings suggest that A. phagocytophilum is present and established among some small mammal species in northeast Florida. Although the infection prevalence was low in the total number of ticks tested, the presence of A. phagocytophilum in two human biting tick species, one of which is a known competent vector, suggests that humans in this region may be at risk of granulocytic anaplasmosis caused by this pathogen.