Domesticating Imperialism: Sexual Politics and the Archaeology of Empire

ABSTRACT  The archaeology of empire is permeated by sexual narratives. This has been especially true of archaeological research on the Spanish Americas, where the material remains of colonial settlements have often been interpreted as products of a literal and figurative marriage between two cultures. However, investigating colonization as a consensual domestic arrangement has masked the ways in which imperial projects relied on the exercise of power, including sexual regulations and sexual coercion. Recent archaeological and ethnohistoric research at the Spanish-colonial military settlement of El Presidio de San Francisco affords a different perspective, one in which the public and institutional exercise of sexual control was central to the imperial project.     

Inferences of selection and migration in the Danish house mouse hybrid zone

We analysed the patterns of allele frequency change for ten diagnostic autosomal allozyme loci in the hybrid zone between the house mouse subspecies Mus musculus domesticus and M. m. musculus in central Jutland. After determining the general orientation of the clines of allele frequencies, we analysed the cline shapes along the direction of maximum gradient. Eight of the ten clines are best described by steep central steps with coincident positions and an average width of 8.9 km (support limits 7.6–12.4) flanked by tails of introgression, indicating the existence of a barrier to gene flow and only weak selection on the loci studied. We derived estimates of migration from linkage disequilibrium in the centre of the zone, and by applying isolation by distance methods to microsatellite data from some of these populations. These give concordant estimates of σ =  0.5–0.8 km generation     . The barrier to gene flow is of the order of 20 km (support limits 14–28), and could be explained by selection of a few per cent at 43–120 underdominant loci that reduces the mean fitness in the central populations to 0.45. Some of the clines appear symmetrical, whereas others are strongly asymmetrical, and two loci appear to have escaped the central barrier to gene flow, reflecting the differential action of selection on different parts of the genome. Asymmetry is always in the direction of more introgression into musculus , indicating either a general progression of domesticus into the musculus territory, possibly mediated by differential behaviour, or past movement of the hybrid zone in the opposite direction, impeded by potential geographical barriers to migration in domesticus territory.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 84 , 593–616.     

Inferring the history of speciation in house mice from autosomal,X‐linked,Y‐linked and mitochondrial genes

Patterns of genetic differentiation among taxa at early stages of divergence provide an opportunity to make inferences about the history of speciation. Here, we conduct a survey of DNA‐sequence polymorphism and divergence at loci on the autosomes, X chromosome, Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA in samples of Mus domesticus, M. musculus and M. castaneus. We analyzed our data under a divergence with gene flow model and estimate that the effective population size of M. castaneus is 200 000–400 000, of M. domesticus is 100 000–200 000 and of M. musculus is 60 000–120 000. These data also suggest that these species started to diverge approximately 500 000 years ago. Consistent with this recent divergence, we observed considerable variation in the genealogical patterns among loci. For some loci, all alleles within each species formed a monophyletic group, while at other loci, species were intermingled on the phylogeny of alleles. This intermingling probably reflects both incomplete lineage sorting and gene flow after divergence. Likelihood ratio tests rejected a strict allopatric model with no gene flow in comparisons between each pair of species. Gene flow was asymmetric: no gene flow was detected into M. domesticus, while significant gene flow was detected into both M. castaneus and M. musculus. Finally, most of the gene flow occurred at autosomal loci, resulting in a significantly higher ratio of fixed differences to polymorphisms at the X and Y chromosomes relative to autosomes in some comparisons, or just the X chromosome in others, emphasizing the important role of the sex chromosomes in general and the X chromosome in particular in speciation.     

Integrative taxonomy improves understanding of native beneficial fauna: revision of the Nearctic Peristenus pallipes complex (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and implications for release of exotic biocontrol agents

The Nearctic Peristenus pallipes complex (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) consists of two species groups that are further divided into nine species, separated largely using ecological rather than morphological differences. The species are re‐examined with an integrative approach using morphometric multivariate ratios, molecular (COI and CytB), and ecological data to test the validity of the nine species. The data support only three valid species [P. dayi Goulet, P. mellipes (Cresson) and P. howardi Shaw] rather than nine. New synonymies include: P. braunae Goulet under P. dayi Goulet 2006 syn.n. ; P. carcamoi Goulet, P. otaniae Goulet and P. pseudopallipes (Loan) under P. mellipes (Cresson) syn.n. , and finally P. broadbenti Goulet 2006 and P. gillespiei Goulet 2006 under P. howardi Shaw 1999 syn.n . In light of these taxonomic revisions, the biology and distributions of the Nearctic P. pallipes complex are updated, resulting in three morphologically variable, widespread, multivoltine species rather than nine largely univoltine species with patchy distributions. The integrative taxonomic approach used here allowed for a more accurate delineation of native fauna and their potential to be competitively displaced by foreign biocontrol agents.     

Cryptic species within the freshwater isopod Mesamphisopus capensis (Phreatoicidea: Amphisopodidae) in the Western Cape, South Africa: allozyme and 12S rRNA sequence data and morphometric evidence

The freshwater phreatoicidean isopod Mesamphisopus capensis has been regarded as the most widespread of the four Mesamphisopus species occurring in the Western Cape, South Africa. To determine whether this species was monotypic across its distribution over two mountainous regions, separated by a low-lying coastal plain remnant, genetic differentiation among populations from 11 localities was studied through allozyme electrophoresis of 12 loci and sequencing of a 338-bp 12S rRNA mtDNA fragment from representative individuals. Populations of the two regions were separated by a mean identity value of 0.477. Fixed allele differences at two loci distinguished these regions. Estimates of θ indicated substantial differentiation among populations across the entire sample, as well as within each of the regions. Topologies derived through parsimony and neighbour joining supported the monophyly of the two regions. On the basis of these topologies, allele frequencies and an allozyme dendrogram, five groups were identified. Discriminant function analyses, performed on body and pereopod variables independently, revealed these groups to be well differentiated with a high rate of correct a posteriori reclassification. Using genetic distance criteria these five distinct forms may be considered to be putative species. From a conservation perspective, the two regions can be seen to represent two evolutionarily significant units, while the five groups should be regarded as management units.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 81 , 235–253.     

Effects of short chain fatty acids on radicle emergence and root growth in lettuce

Abstract. Short chain fatty acids inhibit both radicle emergence and root growth in lettuce. The transition from ineffectual to inhibitory levels occurs abruptly. Root growth is more sensitive to lower concentrations than radicle emergence and is invariant with chain length. The effect of short chain alcohols on radicle emergence is similar to that of short chain acids, but their comparatively severe inhibition of root growth varies with chain length. Alkanes of the same chain lengths have no noticeable effect. Respiration is not altered by a representative short chain fatty acid (heptanoic). Lettuce seeds are sensitized to phytochrome-absorbed light by short chain fatty acids as found by Berrie and co-workers.     

Bacterial metabolism in the River Danube: parameters influencing bacterial production

1. Microbial parameters were determined at five sampling sites in the River Danube up-and downstream of Vienna, Austria, twice monthly over an annual cycle. Bacterial production (BP) was estimated from thymidine and leucine incorporations; additionally, the effect of turbulence on BP and the conversion factors for converting incorporation rates into bacterial cell production were determined using the cumulative approach. 2. BP under turbulent conditions was not significantly different from that under stagnant conditions. For thymidine, a mean annual conversion factor of 3.2 ± 10¹⁸ cells mol^?1 thymidine incorporated was calculated. For leucine, the corresponding factor was 0.07 ± 10¹⁸ cells mol^?1 leucine. Average annual BP calculated by thymidine incorporation was significantly higher than BP calculated from leucine incorporation and ranged from 47.2 to 77.5 μg C 1-^?1 day^?1 depending on the tracer and the conversion factor used. 3. Bacterial growth rates ranged from 0.1 day^?1 during winter to 1.7 day^?1 in the summer. A strong correlation was found between temperature as well as chlorophyll a and bacterial growth when temperature was greater than 5 °C; a major spring phytoplankton bloom at a temperature below 5 °C did not increase BP. 4. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations varied between 2 and 7.2 mg C 1-^?1 and comprised between 50 and 92% of the total organic carbon pool in the River Danube, Based on the DOC concentration and an assumed bacterial growth yield of 20% we calculated mean DOC turnover times of around 60 days in the winter and less than 8 days during the summer.     

Characteristics of ovary, ovule and mature megagametophyte in Rhododendron L. (Ericaceae) and their taxonomic significance

PALSER, B. F., PHILIPSON, W. R. & PHILIPSON, M. N., 1991. Characteristics of ovary, ovule and mature megagametophyte in Rhododendron L. (Ericaceae) and their taxonomic significance. The ovary, ovule and megagametophyte at the time the latter is mature are described for 177 species representing all subgenera, sections and most subsections recognized in Rhododendron. All three, but particularly the ovary, vary considerably. The ovary is compared among species as to size; shape of apex–tapered vs. depressed; relative dimensions; indumentum–five basic hair types; wall structure including crystal distribution and frequency, stomata, cuticular ornamentation; locule number, shape and size relative to radius; wall thickness relative to radius; placenta size, shape, depth of cleft, level of cleft junction, presence or not of a decurrent placental stalk ridge; number of ovules, their arrangement and orientation on placenta; and presence and distribution of internal stomata and hairs. The nectary which girdles the base of the ovary also varies in size, shape, indumentum, stomata and some internal features. The ovule is anatropous, unitegmic and tenuinucellate with the lateral and micropylar nucellus disappearing completely and the megagametophyte elongating into the micropyle in all species. Also common to almost all are an endothelium, hypostase, differentiated epidermis–most often tanniniferous, and starch in integument around egg apparatus and micropyle. There are differences in size, shape, proportion occupied by gametophyte and micropyle, thickness of integument, degree of differentiation of some features, amount and area of starch and occurrence of chalazal and micropylar tails or of incipient micropylar and/or chalazal appendages. The megagametophyte, which develops according to the Polygonum pattern, has two distinct portions, the chalazal bounded by the endothelium with small antipodal cells at its end and the usually broader micropylar part within the micropyle containing a rather large egg apparatus with distinctive synergids; starch is present in the central cell and the polar nuclei are most often fused. Differences occur in proportions of the parts to one another, amount of starch, etc. Sixty-three characters were entered onto a computer, clustered by two different techniques and dendrograms constructed. Personal analysis and both dendrograms show section Vireya to be characterized by a syndrome of distinctive features and clearly separated from the rest of the genus. Subgenus Hymenanthes also has its particular syndrome but is somewhat less distinct from the remainder of the genus. Even less distinct but still grouped together are species of section Choniasirum and of section Sciadorhodion. Many species of section Rhododendron and of subgenus Tsutsusi tend to cluster together but section Rhododendron and most sections of the azalea complex are more generalized and moderate in the ovary, ovule and megagametophyte characters and do not separate sharply from one another.     

Human Monocyte Regulation of Connective Tissue Growth

Accelerated fibroblast accumulation, mitosis, and depositionof collagen during fibrotic processes are frequently precededby intense inflammatory exudates of mononuclear cells whichare derived from the peripheral blood. In vitro, we examinedthe role of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in activationof human fibroblasts. The adherent mononuclear phagocyte, ormonocyte, was found to release mediators which stimulate fibroblastproliferation and enhance collagen production. Adherence totissue culture dishes in vitro was found to activate the releaseof these monocyte products, and represents a process which mimicsin vivo extravasation of monocytes from the blood vessel intothe connective tissue. The release of these mediators is dependenton monocyte protein synthesis, metabolism, and protease activity.Little is known of the role that immunologic sensitization toautologous connective tissue components might play in inducing such inflammatory responses which can result in pathologicfibrotic sequelae. In beginning to explore these possibilities,we have found that levels of antibodies to types I (interstitial)and IV (basement membrane) collagen correlate directly withthe extent of pulmonary fibrosis in patients with scleroderma.Furthermore, we can sensitize mice to homologous types I orIV collagen, or laminin (a basement membrane attachment protein),and elicit a delayed type hypersensitivity response which ismarked by mononuclear cell infiltration. Cell-mediated immunityto these antigens can be transferred to normal recipients withsensitized T-lymphocytes. We discuss these data and proposea hypothesis for mechanisms of monocyte extravasation fibroblastactivation fibrosis.