The morphology of the wet, non-papillate (WN) stigma form in the tribe Caesalpinieae (Gaesalpinioideae: Leguminosae)

Stigmas in 24 species of 11 genera, classified in three groups, Caesalpinia, Peltophorum and Dimorphandra, of the tribe Caesalpinieae have been examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. All are of the WN (wet, non-papillate) form. The receptive stigmatic surface comprises a crater, generally at the apex of the style, which in fresh flowers is full of clear fluid. The crater rim may be fringed with non-receptive hairs, and its shape and depth are variable between species. Extreme forms are found in Caesalpinia sappan where crater hairs are short and the crater funnel-shaped and very deep, and C. vesicaria and Delonix regia where crater hairs are long and the crater appears very shallow.     

Review of cetaceans stranded on the Irish coast, 1901–95

Published records of cetaceans stranded on the Irish coast during the period 1901–95 are reviewed. In this review the number of stranding events has been used in the analysis and includes both live strandings and those animals washed up dead. There were 529 records involving 21 species. The Harbour Porpoise (27%) was the most frequently reported species, followed by Common Dolphins (16%) and Pilot Whales (15%). Minke Whales (8%) were the most frequently reported mysticete. The number of reported strandings has increased since the 1960s which is thought to be mainly due to increased observer effort. Cetaceans have stranded on all Irish coasts but mainly along the south coast and along the western seaboard but with no apparent overall seasonal trend. There was a peak in the strandings of Common Dolphins during 1991–92 when 27% (28 records) of all strandings were reported and of White-sided Dolphins when 60% (28 records) were reported, both of which were attributed to possible interactions with fisheries. The number of Striped Dolphins stranded on the Irish coast has increased steadily since the 1980s and may reflect increasing water temperatures.
These stranding records are considered inadequate to determine the status of most species of cetaceans in Irish waters but are sufficient to identify unusual stranding events such as high mortalities due to fisheries interactions or epizootics. More observer coverage is required before the stranding data are adequate for monitoring the status of most species but a stranding scheme is considered the most effective and efficient method of long-term monitoring of cetaceans in Irish waters.     

Chilling Injury in Cucumber Leaves in Relation to Temperature

An Arrhenius plot of the respiration rate of cucumber leavesshows a break at 12°C; below this temperature Q₁₀ is 5.7.Leaves can survive exposure to 10°C for a week, but if chilledat 8°C for 3 d they show some loss of fresh weight and leakelectrolytes when immersed in water. At 5°C there is a markedloss of water leakage of electrolytes within a few hours.     

Carbon Dioxide Production in Early Anaerobiosis

1. Slices of swede tissue placed under nitrogen produce carbondioxide and ethanol in equal amounts after an initial phaselasting about 1.5 hours. During this initial phase some 2 µM./g.fr. wt. of extra carbon dioxide is produced. The productionof such extra carbon dioxide is not affected by iodoacetate,fluoride, or arsenite which inhibit glycolysis or by dinitrophenolwhich stimulates glycolysis. Slices incubated in air in thepresence of cyanide also produce extra carbon dioxide. 2. A second extra burst of carbon dioxide can be induced aftersome hours of anaerobiosis by treating slices with methyleneblue, DPN, or TPN, or as a result of a short air experience. 3. Experiments with labelled sugars support the view that theextra carbon dioxide originates ultimately from carbohydrate,being released, it is proposed, in the oxidative decarboxylationof either pyruvate or 6-phosphogluconate. Carbon dioxide productionthen continues so long as oxidants are available in the cell,finally coming to a standstill when cell components reach theirreduced states.     

Optimal patch use by foraging workers of Lasius fuliginosus, L. niger and Myrmica ruginodis

1. The predictions of the marginal value theorem, that foragers should spend more time in both better quality patches and more distant patches, were tested with three European ant species, Lasius fuliginosus , L. niger and Myrmica ruginodis.
2. As the quality of patches of sucrose solution increased, the feeding time of foraging workers of L. niger also increased.
3. At constant patch quality, feeding times of L. niger and M. ruginodis increased with increasing distance of the patch from the nest entrance.
4. Foraging workers of L. fuliginosus showed a similar response to patch distance in the field, but feeding times were also significantly influenced by air temperature, decreasing as temperature increased.
5. These results show qualitative agreement with the predictions of the marginal value theorem.