Evidence of Pleistocene plant extinction and diversity from Regatta Point, western Tasmania, Australia

The Early Pleistocene Regatta Point sediments contain macrofossils that suggest that generic and specific rainforest diversity was higher in the region that it is today both locally and regionally, but the diversity was probably lower than it was for most of the Tertiary. The sediments contain extinct species of conifers and angiosperms which have closest living relatives in a wide range of environments, mainly wet forests of warmer areas than western Tasmania, but also relatively cool and dry areas. Simple models of climatically driven extinction explain these extinctions poorly. It is more likely that there was a wide range of causes of extinctions. New species, Acacia bulbosa, Rubus nebuloides, Quintinia tasmanensis, Oxylobium pungens, Laurophyttum australum and Myrtaceaephyllum pleistocenicum , are described. 1997 The Linnean Society of London     

Complex effects of habitat loss on Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos

The development of commercial forests presents potential threats to large raptors that rely on prey caught in open country. We examined the effect of afforestation of breeding habitat used by a population of Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos in Scotland where, over the last 50 years, extensive stands of exotic conifers have been planted. Using data for 31 years on territory occupancy and breeding success, together with spatiotemporally dynamic mapping of forest cover and predicted areas of territory‐use in a Geographical Information System, we examined relationships between forest cover and Eagle ecology at landscape and individual territory scales. Several territories were abandoned during the earliest phases of forest planting, but relatively few were apparently lost to later plantings. Territories with poorer breeding productivity appeared to be more vulnerable to abandonment than territories with better breeding productivity. At the landscape scale, temporal differences in breeding productivity were negatively related to the extent of forest cover, although productivity of individual territories showed no clear relationship with forest cover. Several territories with less than a 5% increase in forest cover experienced reduced productivity; however, territories least constrained by neighbouring pairs of Eagles showed an increase in productivity. Territories experiencing the greatest increases in forest cover showed a greater use of spatially separated nest‐sites by occupying pairs. Hence, pairs that were less constrained by neighbours appeared to compensate for loss of open habitat by shifting their territory‐use, whereas pairs that were more constrained could not compensate for open habitat loss and suffered reduced productivity (and, probably in some cases, abandoned the territory). We suggest that simple guidelines based on the extent and locations of habitat loss are inadequate when predicting effects on large territorial raptors such as Golden Eagles. Consideration should also be given to the ‘quality’ of a territory or occupying pair, as well as the extent to which territory‐use is constrained by neighbouring pairs or other ‘unsuitable habitat’ which may have been affected by previous episodes of open habitat loss.     

Immunoreactivity of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium avium</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">paratuberculosis</Emphasis> 19-kDa lipoprotein

Background  

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis 19-kDa lipoprotein has been reported to stimulate both T and B cell responses as well as induce a number of Th1 cytokines. In order to evaluate the Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis) 19-kDa lipoprotein as an immunomodulator in cattle with Johne's disease, the gene encoding the 19-kDa protein (MAP0261c) was analyzed.     

Studies on the initiation of adventitious roots on mung bean hypocotyl

During the early stages of root induction in hypocotyls of mungbean cuttings, four new peroxidase isoenzymes are formed inthat part of the cutting that produces roots. These isoenzymesare in addition to and different from the three already presentin the hypocotyl. Forty-eight hr is required for the changeto take place from the original three to seven isoenzymes. Thechange in isoenzyme pattern and root initiation itself are retardedwhen streptomycin is applied during the very early stages ofroot induction. However, during the latter part of the first24-hr period after the cutting is made and when some of thenew isoenzymes have already been formed, the rooting processbecomes insensitive to this antibiotic. Cytologically, the occurrenceof cell division is paralleled by the formation of the fournew peroxidase isoenzymes. The delay in the occurrence of celldivision caused by the presence of streptomycin is paralleledby a similar delay in the formation of the four new isoenzymes. (Received November 27, 1970; )     

Phylogeny of psychodid subfamilies (Diptera: Psychodidae) inferred from nuclear DNA sequences with a review of morphological evidence for relationships

Psychodidae is a diverse family of flies with approximately 3000 described species in six subfamilies, including Phlebotominae vectors of human disease. Psychodidae has been the subject of few phylogenetic investigations and development of a stable classification has been hampered by poor understanding of the morphology of larvae, pupae and adults. Specimens were collected, and we analysed DNA sequence data from two nuclear genes for one or more representatives of all subfamilies. The subfamilies with multiple representatives included were resolved as monophyletic with good support. Placement of Horaiellinae, Sycoracinae and Trichomyiinae remains unclear, whereas Bruchomyiinae is hypothesized as the sister group to (Phlebotominae + Psychodinae). Representatives of some psychodine tribes were resolved in agreement with previous hypotheses. Relationships among and within subfamilies are discussed, and morphological characters supporting these relationships are reviewed. One compelling synapomorphy of the male genitalia supporting a relationship between Phlebotominae and Psychodinae is the presence of articulated surstyli with apical retinacula. Only cerci are present and sometimes developed into clasping structures in males of other subfamilies.