Sex Identification in the Mink (Mustela vison Schreber) by Metrical Measurements of the Skull

The dental length and length of the first molar in the upper jaw of mink are characteristics used to estimate a discriminant function for sex identification of Norwegian populations. Reliability of the method is theoretically 93.2%.     

Triterpeneglycosides as Inhibitors of Fungal Growth and Metabolism

The inhibitory effect of the triterpeneglycosides aescin and avenacin on growth capability, leakage of organic and inorganic substances, and uptake of potassium ions in Ophiobolus graminis and Neurospora crassa was antagonized by the cations Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, the former having the greatest effect. The effect was different in the two fungi and was influenced by the buffer system.     

Is Crowsoniella relicta really a cucujiform beetle?

Crowsoniella relicta Pace, one of the most obscure and cryptic beetle taxa, was recently transferred from Archostemata to the polyphagan series Cucujiformia. We discuss the arguments in favour of this hypothesis. The placement of the species is evaluated with a cladistic approach and two different morphological data sets: one aiming mainly to clarify the relationships of extinct and extant archostematans, and one aimed at resolving species‐level phylogeny for the suborder. The results suggest clearly that a position of Crowsoniella within a polyphagan subgroup is very unlikely, and that a placement in Archostemata is justified and should be maintained. Due to the serious lack of anatomical information, non‐destructive µ‐CT scanning of enigmatic taxa like Crowsoniella Pace and Sikhotealinia Lafer should have high priority.     

Fast response of Scots pine to improved water availability reflected in tree‐ring width and δ13C

Drought‐induced forest decline, like the Scots pine mortality in inner‐Alpine valleys, will gain in importance as the frequency and severity of drought events are expected to increase. To understand how chronic drought affects tree growth and tree‐ring δ¹³C values, we studied mature Scots pine in an irrigation experiment in an inner‐Alpine valley. Tree growth and isotope analyses were carried out at the annual and seasonal scale. At the seasonal scale, maximum δ¹³C values were measured after the hottest and driest period of the year, and were associated with decreasing growth rates. Inter‐annual δ¹³C values in early‐ and latewood showed a strong correlation with annual climatic conditions and an immediate decrease as a response to irrigation. This indicates a tight coupling between wood formation and the freshly produced assimilates for trees exposed to chronic drought. This rapid appearance of the isotopic signal is a strong indication for an immediate and direct transfer of newly synthesized assimilates for biomass production. The fast appearance and the distinct isotopic signal suggest a low availability of old stored carbohydrates. If this was a sign for C‐storage depletion, an increasing mortality could be expected when stressors increase the need for carbohydrate for defence, repair or regeneration.     

Multivariate Analysis Confirms the Continuum View of Plant Form

Multivariate analysis, specifically principal components analysis,shows that in flowering plants structures occur that arc intermediatebetween the typical representatives of a root, a caulome (stemand stem homologues), a phyllome (leaf and leaf homologues),a shoot and a trichome. Since these intermediates span the wholerange between the typical forms, a morphological continuum isdocumented. Implications and consequences of these findingsare discussed (e.g. homology, homeosis). The telome theory andHagemann's theory of the evolution of plant form are interpretedas referring to changes in the patterning of the morphologicalcontinuum. Plant morphology, principal components analysis, morphological continoum, angiosperms, flower, shoot, stem, leaf, enation, trichome, root, telome, thallus, morphological categories, homology, partial homology, homeosis     

Adaptive landscape genetics: pitfalls and benefits

Landscape genetics offers a promising framework for assessing the interactions between the environment and adaptive genetic variation in natural populations. A recent workshop held at the University of Neuchatel brought together leading experts in this field to address current insights and future research directions in adaptive landscape genetics. Considerable amounts of genetic and/or environmental data can now be collected, but the forthcoming challenge is to do more with such manna. This requires a markedly better understanding of the genetic variation that is adaptive and prompts for advances in information management together with the development of a balance between theory and data. Moreover, showing the links between landscapes and adaptive genetic variation will ultimately move the field beyond association studies.     

Microsatellites for diversity studies in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

Ten polymorphic microsatellites were developed for the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), a widely used model organism in biological and medical researches. All loci were used to analyse the microsatellite variability in wild golden hamsters from Syria and in a sample of domestic animals comprising different strains. Average mean expected heterozygosity (H_E) and mean allele number (A) of domestic hamsters measured 0.279 ± 0.058 and 2.6 ± 0.306, respectively, compared to 0.809 ± 0.019 and 8.3 ± 1.075 found for wild hamsters. Cross‐species application in other Mesocricetus species proved conservation of most loci throughout the genus.     

A Comparative Study of 14 Strains of Naegleria australiensis Demonstrates the Existence of a Highly Virulent Subspecies: N. australiensis italica n. spp.1

Fourteen strains of Naegleria australiensis, including the type strain, were compared for virulence for mice, maximum growth temperature, lectin agglutination, isoenzyme pattern, and total protein banding pattern. Their relation to other species of Naegleria also was compared by immunoelectrophoretic analysis. Strains with high virulence, comparable to that of N. fowleri, were found to be different in concanavalin A agglutination as well as with regard to zymograms and total protein patterns. Although serologically different from N. fowleri and reacting with N. australiensis antiserum in the fluorescent antibody test, these high-virulence strains differed in number of immunoelectrophoretic precipitin bands. Because of these results, the high-virulence strains are considered to be a subspecies of N. australiensis. The low-virulence strains showed minor differences from the type strain. Thus, N. australiensis does not appear to be as homogenous a species as N. fowleri. Pathogenic N. australiensis also seems to be more widespread than previously thought.