Seasonal, discharge-driven patterns of mayfly assemblages in an intermittent Neotropical stream

1. Streams in the seasonal wet and dry tropics have highly dynamic discharge regimes. Our study stream, located in mid-western Brazil, drains into the Pantanal, South America's largest wetlands, and is characterized by frequent spates in the rainy season and several weeks of interrupted flow in the dry season.
2. In order to understand how these seasonal flow patterns influence the aquatic fauna, floating litter was studied because: (i) this habitat is exposed to the current, and thus is likely to be most affected abiotically and biotically by changes in flow; and (ii) this habitat is abundant in unaltered tropical streams. Studies were conducted in a third- and a fourth-order reach. Mayflies were chosen as study organisms because they were frequent and species-rich on floating litter, and because they should to be responsive to changes in current velocity.
3. In the course of 15 months, covering one rainy and two dry seasons, mayflies showed pronounced seasonal patterns at family and genus level, which were evidently driven by discharge. Two periods of high mayfly densities were observed in the course of one year. One maximum coincided with the peak of the rainy season, the other with the peak of the dry season, and both were distinct in faunistic composition. At high current velocities the leptophlebiid Farrodes sp. was dominant and Leptohyphes sp., Acerpenna sp. and Paracloeodes sp. were frequent. In the dry season, when the river was reduced to isolated standing waters, 86–93% of all mayflies were Caenis sp.
4. Altogether sixteen mayfly genera from the families Baetidae, Caenidae, Leptohyphidae, Leptophlebiidae and Oligoneuriidae were recorded. Two genera are new to science, the baetid Aturbina was recently described (among others, from material from our study river), Acerpenna and Paracloeodes are new records for South America, and Miroculis and Terpides are recorded for the first time south of the Amazon.     

Can a sponge feeder be a herbivore? Tylodina perversa (Gastropoda) feeding on Aplysina aerophoba (Demospongiae)

Feeding biology in mollusks has important biological, ecological and evolutionary implications because many of the characteristics we observe in mollusks arise from their co-evolution with diet organisms. We investigated the relationship between the opisthobranch Tylodina perversa and the sponges Aplysina aerophoba and Aplysina cavernicola in order to ascertain the trophic interactions between them. The opisthobranch preferred specimens of Aplysina aerophoba inhabiting shallow overdeep waters, ectosome of Aplysina aerophoba over choanosome, and showed no preference for Aplysina cavernicola . The sponge Aplysina cavernicola lacks the cyanobacteria abundant in the ectosome of Aplysina aerophoba . Our study shows that the opisthobranch Tylodina perversa actively selects for sponges or sponge zones with high concentration of cyanobacteria, i.e. only a fraction of the ingested material is of animal origin. Addition of cyanobacteria to symbiont-free sponge material induced a shift in mollusk preference. Our results cast doubt over the widely recognized qualification of Tylodina perversa as a carnivorous sponge feeder and show evidence that cyanobacteria determine the opisthobranch food selection. Whether this is an isolated example of how symbionts may determine trophic interactions between hosts and predators or it is widespread in benthic organisms remains an open question that requires further investigation.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London . Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 78 , 429–438.     

Fertility table and rate of population growth of the predator Supputius cincticeps (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) on one plant of Eucalyptus cloeziana in the field

The reproductive potential and population growth (r_m and λ) of the predator Supputius cincticeps (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) were evaluated using a life and fertility table. S. cincticeps was reared on one plant of Eucalyptus cloeziana in the field and fed with Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) pupae. Females of this predator had a net reproductive rate (R₀) of 21.02 females/female; an intrinsic rate of population increase (r_m) of 0.041 and finite rate of increase (λ) of 1.042. This resulted in population growth of S. cincticeps in the eucalyptus plant with a doubling time of 17.01 days. This natural enemy can be reared under field conditions with alternative prey for use in biological control. Such individuals of S. cinticeps will be better adapted to field conditions when they are liberated.     

Disruption of Ca2+ Homeostasis In Trypanosoma Cruzi By Crystal Violet

ABSTRACT. We have demonstrated previously that crystal violet induces a rapid, dose-related collapse of the inner mitochondrial membrane potential of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. In this work, we show that crystal violet-induced dissipation of the membrane potential was accompanied by an efflux of Ca²⁺ from the mitochondria. In addition, crystal violet inhibited the ATP-dependent, oligomycin-, and antimycin A-insensitive Ca²⁺ uptake by digitonin-permeabilired epimastigotes. Crystal violet also induced Ca²⁺ release from the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum of digitonin-permeabilized trypomastigotes. Furthermore, crystal violet inhibited Ca²⁺ uptake and the (Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺)ATPase of a highly enriched plasma membrane fraction of epimastigotes, thus indicating an inhibition of other calcium transport mechanisms of the cells. Disruption of Ca²⁺ homeostasis by crystal violet may be a key process leading to trypanosome cell injury by this drug.     

INTRANUCLEAR NETWORK OF 3–5nm AND 8–10nm FIBERS IN EL-4 LYMPHOMA CELLS

While much evidence indicates a high degree of spatial organization in the nucleus, the underlying molecular structures that support it remain poorly characterized. By extracting with high concentrations of RNase A in a modification of the sequential extraction protocol of Penman, we have identified a novel intranuclear network in the mouse lymphoma cell line, EL-4. Micrographs of embedment-free sections of extracted cells reveal anastomosing filaments of two different diameters: 3–5nm and 8–10nm. The 3–5-nm filaments are interconnected in many junctions and appear to blend smoothly into each other. The 8–10-nm fibers frequently split into two 3–5-nm filaments. Some 3–5-nm fibers appear to be connected at 90° angles with the 8–10-nm fibers. All junctions are smooth with no apparent junction protein. Flow cytometric analysis of RNase A- (and DNase I-) extracted nuclear matrices indicates that they do not contain significant amounts of protein that react with anti-actin and anti-vimentin monoclonal antibodies. Extraction of EL-4 nuclear matrices with high salt does not reveal 8–10-nm core filaments described after similar treatment of tumor cell lines of cervical and mammary origin. The novel characteristics of the core filaments in EL-4 lymphoma cells may reflect cell-type specificity of the nuclear matrix.     

SELECTION OF ASSESSORS BASED ON THEIR SKILL IN IDENTIFYING BASIC TASTES IN LOW CONCENTRATION SOLUTIONS

A method for the first step in the selection of trained sensory assessors, based on their skill in identifying basic tastes in low concentration solutions, was defined and evaluated. The solutions used were: 0.4 and 0.8% sucrose; 0.03, 0.04 and 0.06% citric acid; 0.08 and 0.15% sodium chloride; 0.02 and 0.03% caffeine. Concentration ranges were found adequate. The criterion for selection was to have over 65% correct answers. Out of 226 candidates who received the test, 141 (62%) were selected. The probability of a candidate having more than a certain percentage of correct answers was calculated. The influence of the dilution water quality on the perception of basic tastes was significant; distilled water was the most adequate.     

MYOFIBRILLOGENESIS OF THE LATERAL MUSCULATURE IN THE TROUT (SALMO TRUTTA L.)

The developing sarcomeres in the lateral musculature of 60-somite trout embryos have been examined with special reference to the ultrastructure and sequence of events accompanying sarcomere formation. Myogenesis begins at the first somites in the head region and progresses towards the tail of the embryo. The tail somites are composed of undifferentiated presumptive myoblasts, myoblasts and mesenchyme cells. The very tip of the tail contains a mass of undifferentiated cells. Myofibrils with fully developed sarcomeres and well-organized sarcoplasmic reticulum are present in the midbody somites.
Microtubules are found in muscle cells throughout the period preceding the sarcomere assembly. They may represent a cytoskeletal network which contributes directly to the shape of myoblasts.
Thick and thin filaments appear mostly near the periphery of the cell. In successive stages of the sarcomere development "Z-bodies" appear, which then coalesce to form Z-bands. The assembly of the thick and thin filaments into sarcomeres seems to occur at that stage of myogenesis when the "Z-bodies" develop a certain amount of bonding sites for thin filaments, which interact with thick filaments to form A-bands and I-bands.     

Patch size effects are more important than genetic diversity for plant–herbivore interactions in Brassica crops

1. Considerable evidence suggests that the diversity within plant communities may strongly affect the strength of species interactions, but the majority of studies only considered interspecific diversity. 2. This paper examines the effect of intraspecific genetic diversity within Brassica fields on two Brassica specialists, cabbage root fly, and diamondback moth, and on a parasitoid attacking diamondback moths. Genetic diversity was manipulated both in a replacement and an additive design. 3. Both herbivore densities and parasitism rates were higher in smaller plots, with limited responses to increased within‐plot diversity. All species showed variable densities across genotypes, and preference hierarchies were species specific. 4. Responses to plot size in root flies scaled with the diameter‐to‐area ratio, suggesting that patch detectability affected local density, whereas responses by diamondback moths and parasitoids deviated from this ratio. These species differences could be traced to differences in the residence time within patches, where diamondback moths typically spend longer and more variable time periods in patches than root flies. 5. The lack of response to genetic diversity by both herbivores suggests that egg‐laying rates are affected by decisions on the plant and not by attraction from a distance, neither to the plant itself nor the patch. Patterns of differential attack may then be due to different acceptability for studied genotypes. 6. Future theories on insect responses to spatial heterogeneity should focus on species traits and how traits interact with information landscapes in the field.     

Genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms reveal population history and adaptive divergence in wild guppies

Adaptation of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to contrasting upland and lowland habitats has been extensively studied with respect to behaviour, morphology and life history traits. Yet population history has not been studied at the whole‐genome level. Although single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most abundant form of variation in many genomes and consequently very informative for a genome‐wide picture of standing natural variation in populations, genome‐wide SNP data are rarely available for wild vertebrates. Here we use genetically mapped SNP markers to comprehensively survey genetic variation within and among naturally occurring guppy populations from a wide geographic range in Trinidad and Venezuela. Results from three different clustering methods, Neighbor‐net, principal component analysis (PCA) and Bayesian analysis show that the population substructure agrees with geographic separation and largely with previously hypothesized patterns of historical colonization. Within major drainages (Caroni, Oropouche and Northern), populations are genetically similar, but those in different geographic regions are highly divergent from one another, with some indications of ancient shared polymorphisms. Clear genomic signatures of a previous introduction experiment were seen, and we detected additional potential admixture events. Headwater populations were significantly less heterozygous than downstream populations. Pairwise F_ST values revealed marked differences in allele frequencies among populations from different regions, and also among populations within the same region. F_ST outlier methods indicated some regions of the genome as being under directional selection. Overall, this study demonstrates the power of a genome‐wide SNP data set to inform for studies on natural variation, adaptation and evolution of wild populations     

Sex and age differences in reflectance and biochemistry of carotenoid‐based colour variation in the great tit Parus major

The plumage coloration in great tits (Parus major) is the subject of much behavioural and ecophysiological research, yet there is a lack of analyses of the natural colour variation and its mechanisms. We used reflectance spectrometry and high‐performance liquid chromatography to explore individual, sexual and age‐related variation in carotenoid coloration and pigmentation, paramount to the often presumed, but rarely substantiated, costs and ‘honesty’ of carotenoid displays. In adults, we found that sex was the strongest predictor of ‘brightness’ (higher in males) and of ‘hue’ (longer wavelength in females). There was no sex difference in ‘carotenoid chroma’ or carotenoid content of feathers which also was unrelated to adult age (1 or 2+ years) and condition. Similar patterns were revealed for nestlings. Regarding the biochemical ‘signal content’, ‘carotenoid chroma’, but not ‘hue’, was significantly related to the carotenoid content (lutein and zeaxanthin) of feathers. These results refute the previously assumed exaggeration of carotenoid pigmentation in male great tits, and question the condition‐dependence of carotenoid coloration in this species. However, the sexual dimorphism in total reflectance or ‘brightness’, most likely due to melanins rather than carotenoids, may have implications for signalling or other adaptive explanations that need to be explored. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95 , 758–765.