Towards an understanding of how phloem amino acid composition shapes elevated CO2‐induced changes in aphid population dynamics

1. The performance of foliage feeders tends to decrease under elevated CO₂, but the responses of phloem‐feeding insects have been much more equivocal. As phloem tissues are less accessible than whole‐plant tissues, much less is known about how phloem composition is altered under elevated CO₂ and the mechanisms driving changes in aphid performance. 2. In this study, the plant mechanisms underlying the performance of Rhopalosiphum padi aphids on Hordeum vulgare (barley) grown under ambient (390 ppm) and elevated (700 ppm) CO₂ were examined. We used aphid stylectomy to sample pure phloem from plants in CO₂‐controlled conditions and high‐performance liquid chromatography to analyse phloem samples for amino acid concentrations. 3. Aphid abundance significantly increased by 127% under elevated CO₂. Consequently, plant biomass decreased under elevated CO₂ in trials with herbivores present, possibly due to the increased herbivore load, but increased when aphids were absent. The intrinsic rate of population increase (r_m) was significantly higher under elevated CO₂; however, there were no statistically significant effects on aphid fecundity or development time. The concentration of individual amino acids tended to increase, although these increases were statistically significant in only a few cases. A principal components analysis revealed that the relative abundance (mol %) of those amino acids considered essential for aphids tended to increase under elevated CO₂. 4. These results indicate that CO₂ may affect nutrient translocation in plants in ways that are contrary to predictions about nitrogen metabolite responses to CO₂. Such plant biochemical responses may underlie observations of improved phloem feeder performance under elevated CO₂.     

Utilization of the Vibrating Probe and Ion-Selective Microelectrode Techniques to Investigate Electrophysiological Responses to Wounding in Pea Roots

This paper examines the ionic composition of wound-induced electricalcurrents in higher plant tissue, using two non-injurious electrophysiologicaltechniques. By simultaneous recording of K⁺, H⁺ , and Ca²⁺ ionfluxes with extracellular ion-selective microelectrodes, wehave determined that a Ca²⁺ influx (2.4 µA cm^–2),a small H⁺ influx (0.17 µA cm^–2) and a large K⁺efflux (16 µA cm^–2) occur immediately after woundingin roots of Pisum sativum L. var. Greenfeast. Using an extracellularvibrating probe at the wound site, net ion currents of 26 µAcm^–2 were measured 5 min after wounding. In a more concentratedbathing medium (1/4 rather than 1/16 strength Hoagland's solution),net ion currents of 59 µA cm^–2 were measured, andthese would appear to be the largest extracellular currentsthat have been measured in plants. We made a quantitative comparisonof the summed ion fluxes with the net ion currents and thisrevealed that ion fluxes, in addition to those measured here,occur after wounding. Key words: Wounding, ion flux, electric current, calcium, potassium     

Magnitude and variations of groundwater seepage along a Florida marine shoreline

Direct groundwater inputs are receiving increasingattention as a potential source of nutrients and otherdissolved constituents to the coastal ocean. Seepageinto St. George Sound, Florida was measuredextensively from 1992 to 1994 using seepage meters. Spatial and temporal variations were documented alonga 7-km stretch of coastline and up to 1 km from shore. Measurements were made at 3 transects perpendicular toshore and 1 transect parallel to shore. The generalresults indicated that seepage decreased with distancefrom shore (2 of 3 transects), and substantialtemporal and spatial variability was observed inseepage flow from nearshore sediments. In addition,trends in mean monthly integrated seepage rates weresimilar to precipitation patterns measured at a nearbycoastal weather station. Based on these measurements, weestimate that the magnitude of groundwater seepage intothe study area is substantial, representing from 0.23 to4.4 m3 sec-1of flow through the sediments, approximately equivalentto a first magnitude spring. Although it is unknown howrepresentative this region is with respect to globalgroundwater discharge, it demonstrates thatgroundwater flow can be as important as riverine andspring discharge in some cases. Our subsurfacedischarge rates suggest groundwater is an importanthydrologic source term for this region and may beimportant to the coastal biogeochemistry as well.     

Distribution of Xantus' Murrelet Synthliboramphus hypoleucus at sea in the Southern California Bight, 1995–97

We radiomarked 153 Xantus' Murrelets Synthliboramphus hypoleucus captured at sea near Santa Barbara Island (SBI), the largest murrelet colony in the California Channel Islands, USA. We tracked these radiomarked murrelets in the Southern California Bight (SCB) off coastal southern California during the 1995-97 breeding seasons. In 1995 during mild El Niño conditions, the murrelets were distributed in non-upwelling areas. In 1996-97, they were distributed in dense patches, aggregating in cool upwelled waters near the northern Channel Islands or south of San Nicolas Island. Murrelets flew longer distances from SBI to foraging areas in 1997 (̄= 111 ± 44 km) than in 1996 (̄= 62 ± 25 km), but the distances they travelled did not differ between months (Apr and May) within years. Mean foraging distances from SBI were similar for 'incubating' murrelets (determined on the basis of repeated visits to SBI) and 'non-incubating' murrelets during the colony attendance period. We attributed the low return rate of radiomarked murrelets to SBI to the capture and marking of a large proportion of birds that were not actively incubating rather than to any adverse effects of radio attachment. We believe changes in murrelet foraging patterns between the 1970s and 1990s are associated with changes in prey resources in the SCB. Flexibility in the foraging strategies of these murrelets may be related to the highly variable marine environment at the southern end of the California Current Up welling System.     

Sclerotic plates or circumorbital bones in early jawed fishes?

Abstract: Circumorbital dermal bones are found in most groups of early vertebrates that have dermal bony plates on the head. Taxonomic distribution of dermal sclerotic plates on the eye itself is less clear, partly because the eyeball is rarely preserved and sometimes because sclerotic bones have been misinterpreted as circumorbital bones. Based on the examination of climatiid Climatius plus mesacanthid, cheiracanthid and acanthodid acanthodiform acanthodians, we conclude that most, if not all, acanthodiforms and climatiids had sclerotic rings. Presence and number of these elements should be included as a character in phylogenetic analyses of early jawed vertebrates.     

Satellite-marked waterfowl reveal migratory connection between H5N1 outbreak areas in China and Mongolia

The role of wild birds in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been greatly debated and remains an unresolved question. However, analyses to determine involvement of wild birds have been hindered by the lack of basic information on their movements in central Asia. Thus, we initiated a programme to document migrations of waterfowl in Asian flyways to inform hypotheses of H5N1 transmission. As part of this work, we studied migration of waterfowl from Qinghai Lake, China, site of the 2005 H5N1 outbreak in wild birds. We examined the null hypothesis that no direct migratory connection existed between Qinghai Lake and H5N1 outbreak areas in central Mongolia, as suggested by some H5N1 phylogeny studies. We captured individuals in 2007 from two of the species that died in the Qinghai Lake outbreaks and marked them with GPS satellite transmitters: Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus ( n  =   14) and Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea ( n  =   11). Three of 25 marked birds (one Goose and two Shelducks) migrated to breeding grounds near H5N1 outbreak areas in Mongolia. Our results describe a previously unknown migratory link between the two regions and offer new critical information on migratory movements in the region.     

Carbonic anhydrase in Ranunculus penicillatus spp. pseudofluitans: activity, location and implications for carbon assimilation

Levels of carbonic anhydrase activity were determined on a total (60 E_Umg^?1 protein), external (7.36 E_U), internal (50.14 E_U) and protoplast (15.63 E_U) basis for Ranunculus penicillatus (Dumort.) Bab ssp. pseudofluitans (Syme) S. Webster, a freshwater aquatic macrophyte, by conventional electrometric methods. The site of activity of ‘external’ carbonic anhydrase (CA) has been visualized using 5-Dimethylaminonapthalene-1- sulphonamide (DNSA)-CA fluorescent complex formation, and is postulated to be closely associated with the epidermal cell wall. The photosynthetic rate of R. penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans at pH 9.0 is in excess of the uncatalysed rate of production of CO₂ from HCO^?₃, and this plant is therefore using HCO^?₃ for photosynthesis. The possible contribution of CA activity to inorganic carbon assimilation, and specifically to transport of HCO^?₃, in submerged aquatic plants is discussed.