Defoliation-induced enhancement of total aboveground nitrogen yield of grasses

We conducted an experiment in a northern mixed-grass prairie at Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, USA to evaluate the effect of defoliation frequency on aboveground net primary production (ANPP), shoot nitrogen concentration, and aboveground N yield of graminoids. ANPP was significantly reduced at weekly and biweekly defoliation frequencies, but unaffected relative to unclipped controls at monthly and bimonthly frequencies. By contrast, clipping at all frequencies increased shoot N concentration above that of controls, and this increase was greatest at monthly or more frequent defoliations. Total aboveground N yield and potential N yield to grazers were greatest at intermediate (bimonthly to biweekly) frequencies. We suggest that grazers may maximize their nutritional status in this system by periodically regrazing areas at frequencies near the approximately monthly optimum that we observed.     

Population structure of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus as revealed by field manipulation of allele frequencies

Summary Allele frequencies in natural T. californicus populations were perturbed by introduction of copepods from neighboring differentiated populations. In five experiments, the Gpt ^F allele was introduced into single recipient pools at a frequency of approximately 20%. In each case, the introduced allele declined to low frequencies (<3%) in less than one month, apparently due to dilution by residents of other pools on the same outcrop. In a larger scale experiment, the Pgi ^F was introduced into four pools on a single small rock outcrop; all pools on the outcrop were subsequently monitored. While the allele frequency fell from approximately 40% to 10% during the first six weeks after the transplant, no further change in frequency was observed for the duration of the experiment (16 months). Within six weeks some spread of the allele to non-recipient pools on the same outcrop was observed; by eight months, allele frequencies in all pools on the outcrop were similar. Hence, despite the extensive turnover of subpopulations as single pools evaporate or are washed out, genetic homogeneity and stability of entire outcrops are maintained via extensive inter-pool gene flow; this contrasts sharply with the highly restricted levels of inter-outcrop gene flow.     

Towards resolving and redefining Amphipyrinae (Lepidoptera,Noctuoidea, Noctuidae): a massively polyphyletic taxon

Amphipyrinae have long been a catchall taxon for Noctuidae, with most members lacking discernible morphological synapomorphies that would allow their assignment to one of the many readily diagnosable noctuid subfamilies. Here data from seven gene regions (> 5500 bp) for more than 120 noctuid genera are used to infer a phylogeny for Amphipyrinae and related subfamilies. Sequence data for 57 amphipyrine genera – most represented by the type species of the genus – are examined. We present here the first large‐scale molecular phylogenetic study of Amphipyrinae and the largest molecular phylogeny of Noctuidae to date; several proposed nomenclatural changes for well‐supported results; and the identification of areas of noctuid phylogeny where greater taxon sampling and/or genomic‐scale data are needed. Adult and larval morphology, along with life‐history traits, for taxonomic groupings most relevant to the results are discussed. Amphipyrinae are significantly redefined; many former amphipyrines, excluded as a result of these analyses, are reassigned to other noctuid subfamily‐level taxa. Four genera, Chamaeclea Grote, Heminocloa Barnes & Benjamin, Hemioslaria Barnes & Benjamin and Thurberiphaga Dyar, are transferred to the tribe Chamaecleini Keegan & Wagner tribe n. in Acontiinae. Stiriina is elevated to Stiriinae rev. stat. , Grotellina is elevated to Grotellinae rev. stat. and Annaphilina is elevated to Annaphilini rev. stat. Acopa Harvey is transferred to Bryophilinae, Aleptina Dyar is transferred to Condicinae, Leucocnemis Hampson and Oxycnemis gracillinea (Grote) are transferred to Oncocnemidinae, Nacopa Barnes & Benjamin is transferred to Noctuinae and Narthecophora Smith is transferred to Stiriinae. Azenia Grote (and its subtribe Azeniina), Cropia Walker, Metaponpneumata Möschler, Sexserrata Barnes & Benjamin and Tristyla Smith are transferred to Noctuidae incertae sedis. Hemigrotella Barnes & McDunnough (formerly in subtribe Grotellina) is retained in Amphipyrinae. Argentostiria Poole and Bistica Dyar are retained in Stiriini but removed from incertae sedis position. This published work has been registered on ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4A140782‐31BA‐445A‐B7BA‐6EAB98ED43FA .     

Synthesis of fibronectin in normal and osteoarthritic articular cartilage

The content and the biosynthesis of fibronectin was examined in disease-free articular cartilage and in articular cartilage from osteoarthritic canine joints. Fibronectin content was increased in extracts of cartilage from osteoarthritic joints. Incubation of cartilage in vitro with [³H]phenylalanine and subsequent isolation of [³H]fibronectin from a gelatin affinity column and characterization by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by immunoprecipitation indicated that disease-free and osteoarthritic cartilage explants synthesized fibronectin. About 50% of the [³H]fibronectin was recovered in the incubation medium. The osteoarthritic cartilage synthesized and accumulated up to 5-fold more [³H]fibronectin than disease-free cartilage.     

Use of Radiation Hybrid panels to map genetic loci

The mapping of genetic loci within organisms has been accelerated by the advent of Radiation Hybrid (RH) panels. These panels are available for humans and non-humans including mice, baboon, rat, and canine. This article contains a general protocol for the use of the Genebridge 4 whole genome RH panel to map a human locus. This protocol may also be adjusted to suit the other RH panels currently available.     

Application of a bioinformatics training delivery method for reaching dispersed and distant trainees

Many initiatives have addressed the global need to upskill biologists in bioinformatics tools and techniques. Australia is not unique in its requirement for such training, but due to its large size and relatively small and geographically dispersed population, Australia faces specific challenges. A combined training approach was implemented by the authors to overcome these challenges. The “hybrid” method combines guidance from experienced trainers with the benefits of both webinar-style delivery and concurrent face-to-face hands-on practical exercises in classrooms. Since 2017, the hybrid method has been used to conduct 9 hands-on bioinformatics training sessions at international scale in which over 800 researchers have been trained in diverse topics on a range of software platforms. The method has become a key tool to ensure scalable and more equitable delivery of short-course bioinformatics training across Australia and can be easily adapted to other locations, topics, or settings.     

Gross intestinal morphometry and allometry in primates

Although it is generally assumed that among mammals and within mammal groups, those species that rely on diets consisting of greater amounts of plant fiber have larger gastrointestinal tracts (GIT), statistical evidence for this simple claim is largely lacking. We compiled a dataset on the length of the small intestine, caecum, and colon in 42 strepsirrhine, platyrrhine, and catarrhine primate species, using specimens with known body mass (BM). We tested the scaling of intestine length with BM, and whether dietary proxies (percentage of leaves and a diet quality index) were significant covariates in these scaling relationships, using two sets of models: one that did not account for the phylogenetic structure of the data, and one that did. Intestine length mainly scaled geometrically at exponents that included 0.33 in the confidence interval; Strepsirrhini exhibited particularly long caeca, while those of Catarrhini were comparatively short. Diet proxies were only significant for the colon and the total large intestine (but not for the small intestine or the caecum), and only in conventional statistics (but not when accounting for phylogeny), indicating the pattern occurred across but not within clades. Compared to terrestrial Carnivora, primates have similar small intestine lengths, but longer large intestines. The data on intestine lengths presented here corroborate recent results on GIT complexity, suggesting that diet, as currently described, does not exhaustively explain GIT anatomy within primate clades.     

Plant–animal interactions between carnivorous plants,sheet‐web spiders,and ground‐running spiders as guild predators in a wet meadow community

1. Plant–animal interactions are diverse and widespread shaping ecology, evolution, and biodiversity of most ecological communities. Carnivorous plants are unusual in that they can be simultaneously engaged with animals in multiple mutualistic and antagonistic interactions including reversed plant–animal interactions where they are the predator. Competition with animals is a potential antagonistic plant–animal interaction unique to carnivorous plants when they and animal predators consume the same prey.
2. The goal of this field study was to test the hypothesis that under natural conditions, sundews and spiders are predators consuming the same prey thus creating an environment where interkingdom competition can occur.
3. Over 12 months, we collected data on 15 dates in the only protected Highland Rim Wet Meadow Ecosystem in Kentucky where sundews, sheet‐web spiders, and ground‐running spiders co‐exist. One each sampling day, we attempted to locate fifteen sites with: (a) both sheet‐web spiders and sundews; (b) sundews only; and (c) where neither occurred. Sticky traps were set at each of these sites to determine prey (springtails) activity–density. Ground‐running spiders were collected on sampling days. DNA extraction was performed on all spiders to determine which individuals had eaten springtails and comparing this to the density of sundews where the spiders were captured.
4. Sundews and spiders consumed springtails. Springtail activity–densities were lower, the higher the density of sundews. Both sheet‐web and ground‐running spiders were found less often where sundew densities were high. Sheet‐web size was smaller where sundew densities were high.
5. The results of this study suggest that asymmetrical exploitative competition occurs between sundews and spiders. Sundews appear to have a greater negative impact on spiders, where spiders probably have little impact on sundews. In this example of interkingdom competition where the asymmetry should be most extreme, amensalism where one competitor experiences no cost of interaction may be occurring.

     

HYLAS: program for generating H curves (abstract three-dimensional representations of long DNA sequences)

The computer program HYLAS generates from a standard DNA lettersequence a three-dimensional space curve (H curve) which embodiesthe entire information content of the original nucleotide sequence.The program can display H curves either as two-dimensional (frontand side view) projections or as stereo-pair images. The curvescan be marked at specific nucleotide locations, annotated, rotatedfor observation from any viewing angle, and manipulated forconvenient side-by-side comparisons. Unlike the cumbersome lettersequences, H curves can be drastically condensed in size withoutlosing their ability to reflect the global nucleotide-distributionpattern of the entire DNA sequence. Often, biologically importantloci can be visually identified on the H curves. HYLAS is writtenin FORTRAN with separate mainframe (IBM- VM/CMS) and microcomputer(MS-DOS) versions. It uses the Tektronix-TCS library of graphicsubroutines. Received on October 24, 1988; accepted on July 15, 1989