Surveillance of biting midges (Culicoides spp.) in Northern Ireland: influence of seasonality,surrounding habitat and livestock housing

Biting midges, Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), are important vectors of viral pathogens. Following the outbreak of bluetongue serotype 8 in Europe between 2006 and 2009, many Culicoides surveillance programmes were initiated to identify vector‐active periods, in accordance with European Commission regulation 2007/1266/EC. This study utilized surveillance data from 4 years of continuous light‐trapping at 14 sites in Northern Ireland. The number of captured Culicoides varied from none during the vector‐free period (December–April) to more than 36 000 per night during peak activity in the summer. The Obsoletus group represented 75% of Culicoides collected and the Pulicaris group represented 21%. A total of 91% of Culicoides were female, of which 42% were parous. Abundance data, sex ratios and parous rates suggested that both the Obsoletus and Pulicaris groups underwent three generations/year. The Obsoletus group was associated with cattle‐rearing habitats and woodland, the Impunctatus group was found in habitats related to sheep rearing and the Pulicaris group were associated with both cattle and sheep. Housing did not reduce incursion of female Obsoletus group Culicoides but it did for males and for the Pulicaris group Culicoides. The influence of housing was strongly affected by time of year, probably reflecting the presence of livestock indoors/outdoors.     

A Study of the Seed Proteins of Synthesized Brassica napus with Respect to its Parents

The parental and hybrid seed of three synthesis experiments(B. oleracea x B. campeslris = B. napus) has been analysed byacrylamide gel electrophoresis for general proteins and certainenzymes. A serological study has been made of one of the synthesisexperiments. The protein and enzyme patterns of the newly establishedhybrids are compared with those of two well-established varietiesof B. napus. The results suggest that the hybrid seed has noprotein which differs from those in the parental types, andthat the protein spectrum of the hybrid is a summation of someof the proteins found in the parents. The analytical methodsemployed are discussed with particular reference to their valueas an assessment of plant genotype.     

Electrical Coupling, Potentials, and Resistances in Oat Coleoptiles: Effects of Azide and Cyanide

Electrophysiological measurements were made on oat coleoptile(Avena sativa L. cv. Victory) parenchyma cells. Both 1 mM potassiumcyanide and 1 mM sodium azide cause reductions in cell restingpotential and electrical coupling and an increase in the combinedtonoplast and plasmalemma resistance. The reduction in coupling is probably attributable to a decreasein current flow through plasmodesmata, resulting from an increasein plasmodesmatal resistance. Potassium cyanide also induces some callose formation withincell walls and this may contribute to the observed reductionin coupling. However, sodium azide does not induce callose formation.Presumably other processes are involved in the reduction ofcoupling which are not attributable to callose.     

Functional innovation through vestigialization in a modular marine invertebrate

Few studies show how morphological vestigialization may facilitate functional innovation. Fewer still describe the co‐occurrence of the derived and more ancestral structures in the same genetic individual. In the present study, we explore that rare instance in a modular (colonial) marine invertebrate. Using laser scanning confocal microscopy with fluorescent staining and behavioural observations, we describe homologous structures in polymorphic modules (zooids) in the bryozoan Bugula flabellata and document the occurrence of previously unreported retractor and circular muscles in the more derived module, the bird's‐head avicularium. In the evolution of a sessile feeding zooid to a moveable nonfeeding zooid with sensory and grasping functions, transformations were effected in the food‐capture apparatus, orificial structures, musculature, and sensory structures. We expand on and clarify previous reports of homologies between ancestral and derived modules in bryozoans and argue that vestigialization and augmentation of homologous structures were coincident with functional innovations in the avicularium. The present study offers rare evidence for the evolution of functional innovation through vestigialization. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 104 , 63–74.     

Enzyme Distribution Between the Cortex and the Infected Region of Soybean Nodules

Analysis of the distribution of enzymes of carbohydrate, carboxylicacid and nitrogen metabolism in nodule tissues prepared by protoplastisolation techniques has led to some confusion about their whereabouts.In this study nodule cortical and central (infected) tissuewas separated manually using a scalpel blade. Protein contents of whole nodules, central region and cortexwere found to be 19, 25 and 5-0 mg g^–1 fresh weight, respectively.Specific activities of glutamine synthetase (GS), phosphoenolpyruvatecarboxylase (PEPC), invertase (INV) and sucrose synthase (SS)were higher in the central region than in the cortex. The reversewas true for UDP glucose pyrophosphorylase (UDPGPP), phosphoglucomutase(PGM) and phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI). The central (infected) region represented a minimum of 65% ofthe nodule fresh weight. Calculations based on this estimateand on the activities per gram fresh weight indicate that thebulk of the potential enzyme activity is located in the centralregion. This was particularly so for SS, INV and GS where greaterthan 96% of the relevant activity was located in the centralregion. Even the enzymes which had greater specific activitiesin the cortex (UDPGPP, PGM and PGI) were, in fact, predominantlyfound in the central region (86, 81, and 85%, respectively).The conclusion from this data must be that most metabolism inthe nodule is likely to occur in the central region, althoughthis does not negate the importance of the cortex in carbonand nitrogen flux. Key words: Glycine max, soybean, nodules, cortex, infected region, enzymes     

Density Effects on the Size Structure of Annual Plant Populations: An Indication of Neighbourhood Competition

Size variability among plants has been observed to increasewith higher stand density, leading to the speculation that resourcedistribution among competing plants is primarily asymmetricrather than symmetric. The relationships between size variability,stand density, and type of resource distribution among competingplants were investigated using a spatially explicit, individual-plantmodel of annual plant population dynamics. When plants variedin neighbourhood competition, size variability increased withhigher stand densities whether shared resources were symmetricallyor asymmetrically distributed among competing plants. Size variabilitydid not increase with higher stand densities when neighbourhoodcompetition was constant for all plants. These simulations indicatethat increased size variability among competing plants doesnot distinguish between symmetric and asymmetric resource distribution,but rather is direct evidence for neighbourhood competition. Size hierarchy, neighbourhood competition, density effects, asymmetric competition, symmetric competition