The foraging behaviour of Little Penguins Eudyptula minor at different light levels

The role of vision in the prey-catching behaviour of Little Penguins Eudyptula minor was tested using four captive penguins in a swimming pool. A live fish was placed in the pool with a penguin at various light intensities before and after dawn and dusk. The penguins' behaviour in the morning was the same as in the evening. As the light decreased, the percentage of fish chased by the penguins decreased, and no fish were caught at a light level less than 0.01 μeinstein/m²/s (which occurs approximately 25 min before sunrise and after sunset at latitude 37̀S). The time the penguins spent searching for the fish also decreased with decreasing light. The probability of a penguin pursuing a fish was found to be dependent on the amount of light, such that log,( p /1 - p ) = 6.323 + 2.08 × log,(light level), where p = the probability of pursuing a fish.     

Mismatches between breeding success and habitat preferences in Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus breeding in forested landscapes

During the past century, the upland breeding areas of Hen Harriers in Ireland have been extensively afforested. There is no evidence that this species avoids breeding in heavily forested landscapes and, indeed, young commercial forests in their second rotation are often selected as nest‐sites. However, Hen Harriers have coexisted with these forested areas for only a few decades and it is possible that such landscapes are suboptimal. We examined the relationship between breeding success and habitat using a dataset spanning three years and four study areas in the south and west of Ireland. We assessed whether nest success and fledged brood size were related to habitat type, both at the nest‐site and in the surrounding landscape. Neither measure of breeding productivity was related to total forest cover or to percentage cover of closed canopy forest in the landscape. However, in a subset of areas, high cover of second‐rotation pre‐thicket (young forests planted on land from which a first rotation has already been harvested) in the surrounding landscape was associated with low levels of breeding success. This may be due to factors related to predation, disturbance or prey availability. The fact that second‐rotation pre‐thicket is a preferred habitat for nesting in Ireland suggests that Hen Harriers may be making suboptimal decisions in the landscapes available to them.     

Ovine lymphocyte antigens: a comparison of Australian and European antisera

Lymphocyte alloantigens were determined in 183 Australian merino sheep, using antisera from Australian and European laboratories. The study had two aims: (1) to compare reagents characterized in the different laboratories and to correlate antigen definition; and (2) to define lymphocyte antigens for use as genetic markers in two flocks of sheep which had been selectively bred for resistance or susceptibility to the intestinal parasite Trichostrongylus colubriformis, in order to extend a previous study which had indicated linkage between resistance to the parasite and the sheep major histocompatibility system. Good or excellent correspondence was found between four Australian and four European specificities and it was concluded that continued international collaboration would allow definition of markers for future genetic or disease susceptibility studies.     

Plant- and stimulus-specific variations in remote-controlled sieve-tube occlusion

Phloem injury triggers local sieve-plate occlusion including callose-mediated constriction and protein plugging of sieve pores. In intact plants, reversible sieve-plate occlusion is induced by electric potential waves (EPWs)—accompanied by Ca²⁺-influx—as result of distant burning. Here, we present additional results which pertain to (a) the variability of EPW-profiles in relation to forisome conformation in intact Vicia faba plants and (b) the differential occlusion reactions to burning and cutting in various plant species. A correlation between stimulus perception and mode of phloem loading is discussed.Key words: callose, electrical potential waves, forisome, membrane potential, phloem transport, sieve-element occlusion, wound potentials     

单链莫内甜蛋白基因的合成及其植物表达载体的构建

目的:合成单链莫内甜蛋白基因,构建其植物表达载体。方法与结果:根据已报道的单链莫内甜蛋白的氨基酸序列及甜味机理,重新设计合成了全长294bp的莫内甜蛋白基因,其中单链莫内甜蛋白氨基酸序列中的Asp69(原AspA16)突变为Asn。利用DNA重组技术,将莫内甜蛋白基因克隆到植物表达载体pBl221中,构建了莫内甜蛋白基因的植物表达载体pBI221-monellin。结论:构建了莫内甜蛋白基因的植物表达载体,为转化园艺植物以改善其口感奠定了基础。     

New species of Barwing Actinodura (Passeriformes: Sylviinae: Timaliini) from the Western Highlands of Vietnam

On the basis of field observations and museum diagnosis of two specimens collected from Ngoc Linh in the Western Highlands (sometimes termed Central Highlands) of Vietnam, we here describe a new species of Actinodura. This species is most closely related to A. ramsayi of Burma, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Among other differences, it has a distinctive black crown - a feature otherwise unknown in the genus Actinodura , of which it is the southernmost known taxon. It occurs in montane evergreen forest from at least about 1100–2400 m asl and is likely to occur widely in this habitat and at this altitude elsewhere in the Western Highlands and in adjacent Laos. We present notes on the taxonomic affinities, ecology, behaviour and conservation of this new species.
A partir d'observations effectuées sur le terrain et de l'analyse en laboratoire de deux spécimens collectés au Mont Ngoc Linh dans le massif de Kontum, nous décrivons ici une nouvelle espèce du genre Actinodura. Cette espèce est la plus proche de A. ramsayi de Chine, Birmanie, Laos, Thaïlande et Viêt-nam. Elle possède une calotte noire distincte, un caractère jusqu'à présent inconnu du genre Actinodura dont elle occupè l'atire la plus mAeridionale connue. Cette espèce vit dans la forêt sempervirente de montagne entre 1100 m et 2400 m d'altitude et se trouve probablement dans un habitat et à une altitude similaires dans les montagnes environnantes du massif de Kontum et du Laos adjacent. Nous présentons ici des informations sur la taxonomie, l'écologie, le comportement et la conservation de cette nouvelle espèce.     

Forisome dispersion in Vicia faba is triggered by Ca2+ hotspots created by concerted action of diverse Ca2+ channels in sieve elements

Remote-controlled Ca²⁺ influx, elicited by electropotential waves, triggers local signaling cascades in sieve elements and companion cells along the phloem of Vicia faba plants. The stimulus strength seems to be communicated by the rate and duration of Ca²⁺ influx into sieve elements (SEs). The cooperative recruitment of Ca²⁺ channels results in a graded response of forisome culminating in full sieve-tube occlusion. Several lines of evidence are integrated into a model that links the mode and strength of the electropotential waves (EPWs) with forisome dispersion, mediated by transiently enhanced levels of local Ca²⁺ release dependent on both plasma membrane and ER Ca²⁺ channels.Key words: distant injury, electropotential wave, remote sieve tube occlusion, activity of sieve element Ca²⁺ channels, signal cascades, Ca²⁺ hotspots