MICROEVOLUTION AND PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY IN DONAX SERRA RODING (BIVALVIA: DONACIDAE) ON HIGH ENERGY SANDY BEACHES

Morphological differences between populations of the wedge clamDonax serra inhabiting two different coasts and biogeographicregions of South Africa were investigated. Both adults and juvenilesoccupied different positions along the beach gradient dependingon the coast: on the southeast coast adults occurred in themid intertidal and juveniles and recruits were low intertidalto subtidal; on the west coast the zonation pattern was reversed.Not only adults but also juvenile clams had shapes differingsignificantly between the two coasts; west coast clams werethinner, rounder and had a higher body density than the southeastones-recruits were less dense in the former coast. Differencesin shell shape between coasts are probably the result of directionalselection on the adults with the microevolutionary changes beingmaintained by geographical isolation. Shell density, on theother hand, seems to be environmentally determined through physiologicalcontrol of shell calcification, i.e. more mobile intertidalclams having lower shell density than less mobile subtidal clams.Ontogenetic changes in shape and density are presumably adaptiveand appear to be related to mobility, i.e. the larger, heavierand denser adults being more stable in the substrate, and thesmaller, thinner and less dense juveniles being more mobileand dispersive. Phenotypic plasticity in present D. serra populationsis an important factor that enabled this species to occupy differenthabitats and biogeographic regions and to survive 5 millionyears of environmental changes. ¹ Present address: Laboratory for Ecology and Aquaculture, ZoologicalInstitute, Katholic Universiteit, Leuven, Naamsestraat 59 B-3000,Leuven, Belgium. E-mail: agsoares{at}eudoramail.com (Received 15 October 1997; accepted 5 January 1998)     

Genital and allozyme similarity between Arion urbiae and A. anguloi (Mollusca: Pulmonata)

A comparison of the genital features of Arion urbiae and A. anguloi suggests that the species are extremely similar, if not identical. This hypothesis is supported by an electrophoretic analysis of 13 putative enzynme loci, which shows that the two species are also genetically yery similar (I = 0.947), while the related A. subfuscus consists of two distinct genetic types (I = 0.421). These results are further confirmed by a study of esterase profiles obtained with isoelectric focusing. It is therefore concluded that A. urbiae and A. anguloi are most probably conspecifie, whereas the genetic types of A. subfuscus may represent two different species.     

A new species of Festuca L.from Spain

A new species of Festuca (Festuca rivas-martinezii de la Fuente & Ortúñez) is described from the Sierra de Ayllón, Sierra de Guadarrama, Sierra de Gredos and associated chains (northcentral Spain: provinces of Avila, Guadalajara, Madrid and Segovia. Some morphological, anatomical and cytological characters of the taxon are presented.     

Effects of climate change on productivity of cereals and legumes; model evaluation of observed year-to-year variability of the CO2 response

The effect of elevated [CO₂] on the productivity of spring wheat, winter wheat and faba bean was studied in experiments in climatized crop enclosures in the Wageningen Rhizolab in 1991–93. Simulation models for crop growth were used to explore possible causes for the observed differences in the CO₂ response. Measurements of the canopy gas exchange (CO₂ and water vapour) were made continuously from emergence until harvest. At an external [CO₂] of 700 μmol mol^?1 Maximum Canopy CO₂ Exchange Rate (CCERmax) at canopy closure was stimulated by 51% for spring wheat and by 71% for faba bean. At the end of the growing season, above ground biomass increase at 700 μmol mol^?1 was 58% (faba bean), 35% (spring wheat) and 19% (winter wheat) and the harvest index did not change. For model exploration, weather data sets for the period 1975-88 and 1991–93 were used, assuming adequate water supply and [CO₂] at 350 and 700 μmol mol^?1. For spring wheat the simulated responses (35–50%) were at the upper end of the experimental results. In agreement with experiments, simulations showed smaller responses for winter wheat and larger responses for faba bean. Further model explorations showed that this differential effect in the CO₂ response may not be primarily due to fundamental physiological differences between the crops, but may be at least partly due to differences in the daily air temperatures during comparable stages of growth of these crops. Simulations also showed that variations between years in CO₂ response can be largely explained by differences in weather conditions (especially temperature) between growing seasons.     

Membrane-Associated Polysaccharides Composition, Nutritional Requirements and Cell Differentiation in Herpetomonas roitmani: Influence of the Endosymbiont

Herpetomonas roitmani , a trypanosomatid containing a bacterial endosymbiont, was cured by high doses of chloramphenicol. Wild-type and cured flagellates were compared as to polysaccharide composition, nutritional requirements and cellular differentiation. Fucose (18.0%), xylose (15.7%), mannose (38.9%), galactose (10.8%), glucose (16.4%) and inositol (< 1.0%) were identified as polysaccharide components of cured H. roitmani as assessed by gas-liquid chromatography. However, the wild-type strain displayed a markedly different sugar profile, in that xylose was absent and inositol preferentially synthesized, whereas the other monosaccharide components remained unchanged. Variations in nutritional pattern also occurred between both strains. The bacterial endosymbiont seems to provide the flagellates with nutritional factors, including usual amino acids, vitamins, purine (as adenine) and hemin. The process of cell differentiation was also significantly influenced by the endosymbiont. Opisthomastigote forms predominate (72.0%) in cured as compared with wild-type H. roitmani (37.0%).     

Are environmental conditions recorded by the organic matrices associated with precipitated calcium carbonate in cyanobacterial microbialites?

The amino acid composition of organic matrices associated with calcium carbonate precipitates in microbialites built by different Phormidium species (cyanobacteria) has been compared for samples recovered in lagoonal settings from two regions of the Southern Tropical Pacific separated by more than 4000 km: New Caledonia (Nouméa lagoon) and French Polynesia (Tikehau atoll). Calcium carbonate precipitation in these microbial structures was observed mainly in the interior of the domes and clearly separated from the photosynthetically active surface layer. This study focuses on the hydrolysable amino acid composition of the associated organic matrices that are typically rich in cysteine, leucine, alanine and arginine in New Caledonia, whereas they are particularly rich in dicarboxylic amino acids in French Polynesia. This striking difference is seemingly related to different environmental conditions that characterize the two reef settings. The high cysteine content suggests an origin from metallothioneins produced by the cyanobacteria and/or by epiphytic diatoms that were observed on the top layer, as the result of the input of metals from terrestrial origin in the Nouméa lagoon. In addition, we analysed the bulk organic matter of the photosynthetically active surface layer and of the interior of the domes. The former showed remarkable variations of amino acid composition throughout the year 2001, which may potentially reflect the impact of climatological events (e.g. cyclones) and/or a much stronger seasonality in New Caledonia than in French Polynesia. Although the mechanisms behind the differences remain elusive, our study clearly shows that environmental conditions can be reflected by amino acid compositions, particularly for the organic matrices associated with carbonate precipitates.     

The Respiratory Metabolism of Strelitzia juncea Ait. Seeds: The Effect of Dormancy Release through Oxygen Incubation of the Seeds on the Activity of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase and 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase

Incubation of Strelitzia juncea seeds in an oxygen atmosphereresulted in an increase in the G6PDH activity of crude embryoextracts on day one, while radicle protrusion started on dayfive. Similarly, 6PGDH activity increased over the first 4 dof incubation in oxygen. The ratio of 6PGDH/G6PDH was 3.0<x < 3.7 regardless of treatment or incubation period. Supplying oxygen per se to dormant seed and studying its effecton the activity of the two key pentose phosphate (PP) pathwayenzymes, appear to support Roberts' hypothesis that oxygen shortagerestricts PP pathway activity in dormant seeds. Key words: Dormancy, pentose phosphate pathway, Strelitzia juncea     

Characterization of a Cytochalasin D-Resistant Mutant of Entamoeba histolytica

Characterization of a cytochalasin D-resistant mutant of the human parasite Entamoeba histolytica capable of growing at 10 μM cytochalasin is described. The mutant cells also show resistance to 5 mM colchicine and 100 μM cytochalasin B, drugs proved deleterious for wild type trophozoites. The mutants show increased osmotic fragility and electric mobility but reduced phagocytic activity, and agglutination by Concanavalin A. On the other hand pinocytic activity remains unaltered when compared with the wild type cells. Polymerized actin, seen by staining with phalloidin, often appears polarized to one end of the trophozoites and forms few of the endocytic invaginations found in wild type amebas. An altered distribution of part of the actin could explain the differences in surface properties and motility observed in the mutant amebas.     

A learning-related variation in electroantennogram responses of a parasitic wasp

ABSTRACT Odour responses of parasitic insects, in search of their hosts, can change due to experience. Leptopilina heterotoma (Thomson) (Hymenoptera; Eucoilidae), a parasitic wasp of drosophilid larvae, is known to alter its preference for odours emanating from host food substrates through learning. These kinds of behavioural modifications in insects are assumed to be the result of complex processes in the brain. The results presented in this report, however, suggest that this learning-related behavioural variation is not restricted to brain processes but that it involves changes in sensitivity of olfactory receptor neurones.