Fine Structure and Biomineralization of the Mucilage in Envelopes of Trachelomonas lefevrei (Euglenophyceae)1

Envelope development in Trachelomonas lefevrei (Deflandre) begins with the production of short, coarse mucilaginous strands, morphologically similar to the mucilage produced by non-enveloped euglenoids. These initial mucilaginous secretions subsequently become impregnated with manganese (Mn) and/or iron (Fe). Continued mucilage secretion and mineralization results in a mature envelope that is characteristic for the species. When these mature envelopes are treated with oxalic acid to remove the Mn and Fe, the envelopes collapse and are composed only of short, coarse mucilaginous strands similar to those present during early stages of development, prior to their mineralization. Brief treatment with 10 mM EDTA renders dark envelopes colorless, and our EM-EDS analyses show that this corresponds to a loss of Mn from the envelope; however, if Fe is present in the envelope, it is unaffected by the brief treatment. The mucilage present during early stages of envelope development and that remaining after complete demineralization is also morphologically similar to the mucilage in the plug at the anterior end of the envelope.     

Assessing Ecoregional-Scale Habitat Suitability Index Models for Priority Landbirds

ABSTRACT Emerging methods in habitat and wildlife population modeling promise new horizons in conservation but only if these methods provide robust population-habitat linkages. We used Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data to verify and validate newly developed habitat suitability index (HSI) models for 40 priority landbird species in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions. We considered a species’ HSI model verified if there was a significant rank correlation between mean predicted HSI score and mean observed BBS abundance across the 88 ecological subsections within these Bird Conservation Regions. When we included all subsections, correlations verified 37 models. Models for 3 species were unverified. Rank correlations for an additional 5 species were not significant when analyses included only subsections with BBS abundance >0. To validate models, we developed generalized linear models with mean observed BBS abundance as the response variable and mean HSI score and Bird Conservation Region as predictor variables. We considered verified models validated if the overall model was an improvement over an intercept-only null model and the coefficient on the HSI variable in the model was >0. Validation provided a more rigorous assessment of model performance than verification, and models for 12 species that we verified failed validation. Species whose models failed validation were either poorly sampled by BBS protocols or associated with woodland and shrubland habitats embedded within predominantly open landscapes. We validated models for 25 species. Habitat specialists and species reaching their highest densities in predominantly forested landscapes were more likely to have validated models. In their current form, validated models are useful for conservation planning of priority landbirds and offer both insight into limiting factors at ecoregional scales and a framework for monitoring priority landbird populations from readily available national data sets.     

Wintering site fidelity and movement patterns of Western Sandpipers Calidris mauri in the San Francisco Bay estuary

Western Sandpipers Calidris mauri are the most numerous shorebird species in the San Francisco Bay estuary during winter. A sample of 106 Western Sandpipers was captured in mist nets and radio-marked with 1-g transmitters to examine their wintering site fidelity and movements. Differences in distances moved, home range extent and core area size were examined by age, sex, season, site, time of day and tide. All birds remained in the south San Francisco Bay region during winter and exhibited strong site fidelity, with a mean home range of 22.0 km² or only 8% of the study area. First-year birds had larger home ranges (26.6 ± 3.6 km²) than adults (17.2 ± 2.5 km²) in winter, but home range sizes of males and females were not significantly different in any period. Home range sizes were similar between seasons, but core areas were smaller in spring (6.3 ± 1.2 km²) than in early (9.6 ± 4.0 km²) or late (11.6 ± 1.6 km²) winter. Movements and home range size were similar for radio-marked birds located during day and night. The high degree of regional and local site fidelity demonstrated that the mixture of natural mud fiats and artificial salt ponds in southern San Francisco Bay provided sufficient resources for large wintering populations of Western Sandpipers.     

Beyond the prolegomenon: a molecular phylogeny of the Australian camaenid land snail radiation

From an analysis of over 900 specimens of camaenid land snails, we have assembled a molecular phylogeny of 327 tips covering > 70% genera across the entire continent of Australia and including > 90% of eastern species. Our approach emphasizes sampling to identify lineage flocks from populations down to build a hierarchical gene‐by‐taxa tapestry or supermatrix dataset using three mitochondrial genes, then analysed with Markov chain Monte Carlo and fast maximum likelihood methods. Similarity amongst taxa set results suggests missing data cause only minor distortions. This is supplemented by a separate higher level 28S rDNA phylogeny for a global scale perspective. The shallow divergence of Australasian forms, and their nesting within South‐East Asian groups within the Helicoidea supergroup extending from Europe to North America, is consistent with the Solem hypothesis of Laurasian immigration of c. Miocene origin, and so being more than 400 species in 80‐plus genera spread across the continent of Australia from rainforest to desert, forms an immense radiation. There is a major distinction between eastern and western lineages, with some key exceptions. Finer scale patterns of relictual endemics indicate that many ancestral lineages were in place before the major decline and breakup of the Tertiary mesic forest realm that once dominated Gondwanan Australia, and so chart the phylogenetic turnover of ecosystem change from mesic to xeric. The various higher classification schemes proposed all founder on the sheer scale of this radiation. Of 30 polytypic genera tested, at least 18 are not monophyletic, highlighting (1) the repeated radiation of shell forms, and (2) that the current higher taxonomy is unacceptable. Here we provide a phylogenetic and biogeographically condign arrangement as the basis for future elaborations. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 161 , 531–572.     

Establishment of native perennial shrubs in an agricultural landscape

Abstract Native vegetation has been destroyed or dramatically modified throughout agricultural regions of southern Australia. Extensive restoration of native perennial vegetation is likely to be crucial in these areas for the persistence of native plant and animal species, to ameliorate dryland salinity and soil degradation, and to maintain long‐term agricultural production. The long‐term resilience of these systems will be dependent on the ability of key functional taxa, such as perennial shrubs, to recruit and persist. In this study, we examine the factors limiting establishment of two perennial shrubs in formerly cropped land, the rare Maireana rohrlachii and the common Maireana decalvans. Field and laboratory observations suggest that establishment of both species is not limited by life‐history traits following cultivation. Both species established and persisted under varying levels of plant competition. Similarities existed between species in their initial germination rates. Weak differences were found between species in the growth and survival rates under different levels of competition. The main difference between the two species was in the decline of germinability of fruits with increasing fruit age. From the data, it is difficult to determine what factors limit the establishment of perennial shrubs in these landscapes. The main hypothesis that can be advanced is that establishment of shrub species appears to be limited by propagule availability and this is likely to be a function of past and present grazing management rather than cultivation per se. Further investigation of these land‐use practices may give greater insight into the factors affecting the establishment of this life form across these landscapes.     

Influence of Ammonium on the Growth and Development of Suspension Cultures of Pauľs Scarlet Rose

In this work as in previous studies from this laboratory it was demonstrated that the presence of a trace amount of NH₄⁺ (72.8 μmol) stimulated the growth of Pau?s Scarlet Rose on a defined medium containing NO₃^? (1920 μmol) as the only other source of nitrogen. A kinetic analysis of several growth parameters showed that the rate of increase of dry weight, fresh weight, cell number, and cell volume were greater during early stages of growth (days 0–8) when NH₄⁺ was provided. During later stages (days 8–14) this relationship between the two cultures did not hold. The cells provided NH₄⁺ continued to increase in fresh weight and cell volume, but the cells which were not provided NH₄⁺ had a greater rate of dry weight and cell number increase. These differences led to 14-day-old cultures which were approximately equal in dry weight and cell number but differed by a factor of 2 in fresh weight. The presence of NH₄⁺ speeded up the development and growth of the cells.