New taxa and combinations in the subsectionHeterophylla (Witas.) Fed. of the genusCampanula L

Two new species,Campanula gentilis andC. gelida, are described and two new combinations,C. moravica (Spitzner) comb. nova andC. moravica subsp.xylorrhiza (O. Schwarz) comb. nova, are proposed.     

Soil CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> flux affected by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aporrectodea caliginosa</Emphasis> earthworms

The effects of Aporrectodea caliginosa earthworms on both carbon dioxide (CO₂) accumulation in and emissions from soil, as well as the simultaneous impact of earthworms on soil microbiological properties were investigated in a microcosm experiment carried out over 5.5 months. Concentration of CO₂ in soil air was greater at a depth of 15 cm when compared with a depth of 5 cm, but varied during the season both in control and earthworm-inhabited chambers. Peaks of CO₂ concentrations at both depths occurred in both treatments during August, approximately 80 days after the experiment started. Generally, the presence of earthworms increased the CO₂ concentration at 15-cm depth. Larger CO₂ emissions were consistently recorded in conjunction with higher amounts of CO₂ in soil air when chambers were inhabited by earthworms. The total CO₂ emissions during the experimental period covering 161 days were estimated at 118 g CO₂-C m⁻² and 99 g CO₂-C m⁻² from chambers with and without earthworms respectively. Moreover, the presence of earthworms increased microbial biomass in the centre and at the bottom of chambers, and enhanced both dehydrogenase activity and nitrifying enzyme activity in the soils. We suggest that the effect of earthworms on both the enhanced soil accumulation of CO₂ as well as emissions of CO₂ was mostly indirect, due to the impacts of earthworms on soil microbial community.     

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eimeria</Emphasis> Schneider, 1875 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gerbilliscus guineae</Emphasis> Thomas (Rodentia: Gerbillinae) in the Niokolo Koba National Park,Senegal

We describe two new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 from the gerbiline rodent Gerbilliscus guineae in the Niokolo Koba National Park, Senegal. Faecal examination of samples revealed the presence of sporulated oöcysts of two eimerian coccidia, both possessing an oöcyst residuum. Eimeria permira n. sp. is remarkable in terms of oöcyst size and oöcyst wall texture. Sporulated oöcysts are ellipsoidal, 45.8 (42–50) × 32.5 (31–38) μm; the oöcyst wall is 3–4 μm thick, composed of three layers, with the outer layer sheathed by rough granular material; and the sporocysts are broadly ellipsoidal, 15.4 (15–16) × 11 and with a Stieda body present. Oöcysts of Eimeria gerbillisci n. sp. are subspherical, 22.5 (19.5–24) × 18.8 (16.5–20) μm, with a colourless, faintly granulated oöcyst wall 1.5 thick; and the sporocysts are 10.1 (10–12) × 6.7 (6–8), broadly ellipsoidal and often somewhat pointed towards both ends.     

Field measurement of soil water repellency and its impact on water flow under different vegetation

Numerous recent laboratory studies have shown that vegetation can influence soil water flow by inducing very low levels of water repellency. In this study we extended on this previous research by developing a field-based test using a miniature infiltrometer to assess low levels of water repellency from physically based measurements of liquid flow in soil. The field-based test was verified through a simple laboratory experiment and then applied to determine the impact of vegetation and antecedent soil water content. The soil hydraulic properties determined were hydraulic conductivity, sorptivity, as well as the persistence and index of water repellency. Tests were conducted following a dry spell and wet spell on (1) forest soil (0 cm depth), (2) glade soil (0 cm depth) and (3) glade soil (50 cm depth). It was found that both the persistence and index of water repellency, R, decreased in the order as follows: forest soil > glade soil (0 cm) > glade soil (50 cm) for both dry and wet spell. The range of values of R was 0.28 (wettable) to 360 (highly water repellent), which affected hydraulic conductivity k _r(−2 cm). R increased and hence k _r(−2 cm) decreased in the order: forest soil < glade soil (0 cm) < glade soil (50 cm) for both the dry and wet spell. There were clear interactions between vegetation and changes to water flow caused by presence of repellency. Presented at the International Conference on Biohydrology, Prague, Czech Republic, 20–22 September 2006.     

Campanula xylocarpa— a new species of the seriesSaxicolae Witasek

In this paper, a newCampanula species is described from Eastern Slovakia. Its morphological, distributional and cytological relationships and ecological preferences are briefly discussed and affinity to the otherSaxicolae examined. The taxon is characterized by the following features: specific combination of constant morphological characters; diploid chromosome number (2n=34); ecological specialization to the fissures of limestone and dolomitic rocks; relict occurrence in a small, sharply limited area; very late flowering. Geographically, it appears to be the northernmost representative of theSaxicolae.     

Changes in the proteomes of the hemocytes and fat bodies of the flesh fly Sarcophaga bullata larvae after infection by Escherichia coli

Background  

Insects have an efficient self-defense system that is based on innate immunity. Recent findings have disclosed many parallels between human and insect innate immunity, and simultaneously fine differences in the processes between various species have been revealed. Studies on the immune systems of various insect species may uncover the differences in their host defense strategies.     

The morphology and systematics of Rhabdochona paski Baylis, 1928 (Nematoda: Rhabdochonidae), a widespread parasite of freshwater fishes in Africa

Nematodes of the genus Rhabdochona Railliet, 1916, identified as R. paski Baylis, 1928, were collected from the intestine of Hydrocynus forskahlii (Cuvier) (Characiformes: Alestidae), Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus) and Tilapia zillii (Gervais) (both Perciformes: Cichlidae) from Lake Turkana, Kenya during 2007–2009. Their morphology was studied in detail using light and scanning electron microscopy. Paratypes of R. paski and museum specimens of R. congolensis Campana-Rouget, 1961 from six other host species were examined for comparison. Based on these studies and the available literature data, Rhabdochona congolensis, R. aegyptiaca El-Nafar & Saoud, 1974 (emend.) and R. vesterae Boomker & Petter, 1993 are considered to be junior synonyms of R. paski. The occurrence of this widely distributed African nematode in many fish species belonging to different families and orders suggests that most of them are probably not definitive hosts of this parasite, but only serve as paratenic, paradefinitive or postcyclic hosts (sensu Odening, 1976). True definitive hosts of R. paski appear to be characiform species belonging to some genera (e.g., Alestes, Brycinus, Hydrocynus) of the family Alestidae.