Landscape barriers reduce gene flow in an invasive carnivore: geographical and local genetic structure of American mink in Scotland

To be effective, management programmes geared towards halting or reversing the spread of invasive species must focus on defined and defensible areas. This requires knowledge of the dispersal of non-native species targeted for control to better understand invasion and recolonisation scenarios. We investigated the genetic structure of invasive American mink ( Neovison vison ) in Scotland, and incorporated landscape genetic approaches to examine resultant patterns in relation to geographical features that may influence dispersal. Populations of mink sampled from 10 sites in two regions (Argyll and Northeast Scotland) show a distinct genetic structure. First, the majority of pairwise population comparisons yielded F _ST values that were significantly greater than zero. Second, amova revealed that most of the genetic variance was attributable to differences among regions. Assignment tests placed 89 or more of individuals into their sampled region. Bayesian clustering methods grouped samples into two clusters according to their region of origin. Wombling approach identified the Cairngorms Mountains as a major impediment to gene flow between the regions. Mantel pairwise correlations between genetic and geographical distances estimated as least-cost distance assuming a linear increase in the cost of movement with increasing elevation were higher than Euclidean distances or distance along waterways. Spatial autocorrelation analyses revealed stronger spatial structuring for females than for males. These results suggest that gene flow by American mink is restricted by landscape features (mountain ranges) and that eradication attempt should in the first instance break down the connectivity between management units separated by mountains.     

Quantifying the three main components of salinity tolerance in cereals

Salinity stress is a major factor inhibiting cereal yield throughout the world. Tolerance to salinity stress can be considered to contain three main components: Na⁺ exclusion, tolerance to Na⁺ in the tissues and osmotic tolerance. To date, most experimental work on salinity tolerance in cereals has focused on Na⁺ exclusion due in part to its ease of measurement. It has become apparent, however, that Na⁺ exclusion is not the sole mechanism for salinity tolerance in cereals, and research needs to expand to study osmotic tolerance and tissue tolerance. Here, we develop assays for high throughput quantification of Na⁺ exclusion, Na⁺ tissue tolerance and osmotic tolerance in 12 Triticum monococcum accessions, mainly using commercially available image capture and analysis equipment. We show that different lines use different combinations of the three tolerance mechanisms to increase their total salinity tolerance, with a positive correlation observed between a plant's total salinity tolerance and the sum of its proficiency in Na⁺ exclusion, osmotic tolerance and tissue tolerance. The assays developed in this study can be easily adapted for other cereals and used in high throughput, forward genetic experiments to elucidate the molecular basis of these components of salinity tolerance.     

Spatial and temporal variation in the macroinvertebrate fauna of streams of the northern jarrah forest, Western Australia: functional organization

SUMMARY. 1. Spatial and temporal changes in functional organization of the invertebrate community of streams of the northern jarrah forest, Western Australia, were examined in the light of predictions of the river continuum concept (Vannote et al. , 1980).
2. The composition of the fauna was largely as predicted for forested headwater streams with detritivores, principally collectors, dominating the fauna. Although shredders are generally considered to be codominant in such streams, they were not abundant in the riffle areas sampled in this study.
3. Some of the observed temporal changes in the composition of functional feeding groups were in agreement with those predicted by the generalized model. The abundance and richness of collectors were higher during the summer than winter, whereas the converse was true for filterers. This corresponded to the presumed availability of deposit and suspended fine-particulate organic matter during summer and winter respectively. Scrapers and predators showed no consistent temporal pattern among sites. However, the density of the latter was highly correlated with the density of other invertebrates, particularly collectors.
4. Temporal changes in the abundance and richness of shredders were not synchronized with the marked summer input of coarseparticulate organic matter. The possible reasons for this, and the role of shredders in Australian stream systems, are discussed.     

Isozymes in the Culture Forms of Leishmania tarentolae*

SYNOPSIS. Leishmania tarentolae grown in Trager's defined medium C, blood brain heart infusion broth and blood agar contained 2 forms of malic dehydrogenase (MDH) after zone electrophoresis in potato starch: one at the point of origin and the other migrating towards the anode. The pH optimum with oxaloacetate as substrate was ? 8.35 for the anodal form and 7.50 for the point of origin enzyme. The Michaelis constant (Km) with oxaloacetate was 1.8–2.8 × 10^?5 M for the anodal form and 4.0 × 10^?5 M for the nonmigratory form. At pH 7.4, both MDHs were inhibited by oxaloacetate concentrations greater than 3.75 × 10^?4 M. Ratios of activity with different NAD analogs were dissimilar. A few of the non-migratory enzyme ratios corresponded with those reported for mitochondrial MDH. There was no correspondence between the ratios shown by anodal MDH and ratios reported either for mitochondrial MDH or for cytoplasmic MDH. The thionicotinamide analog was not utilized by point of origin MDH; however, the anodal form did show greater activity with this analog which is a characteristic of cytoplasmic MDH. Anodal MDH was more stable than non-migratory enzyme. Heat inactivation studies indicated 80% inactivation at 68°C for the anodal form and 100% inactivation at 37°C for the other form. The point of origin enzyme had a half life of about 48 hours at 4°C whereas anodal MDH was stable for at least one week at 4°C. Addition of enzyme stabilizing agents (Cleland's reagent, mercaptoethanol and gelatin) did not prevent breakdown of the non-migrating enzyme. Phosphate buffer increased the activity of the point of origin enzyme but had no effect on anodal MDH. On the basis of the above results, non-migratory enzyme is thought to be a variant of mitochondrial MDH. The characteristics of the anodal MDH do not readily indentify it as a typical mitochondrial or cytoplasmic type and it may be a modified type similar to those found in parasitic protozoa by other workers.     

Studies on the Growth in Culture of Plant Cells: IV. THE INITIATION OF DIVISION IN SUSPENSIONS OF STATIONARY-PHASE CELLS OF ACER PSEUDOPLATANUS L.

Techniques are described whereby a culture medium can be ‘conditioned‘by separation from a dense cell suspension either by a sinteror by a dialysis membrane. The enhanced growth-promoting activityof the conditioned, as compared with a new medium, is revealedby using a low density of cells (15 x 10³ or less cells perml) to initiate the test cultures from a stationary-phase suspension.The optimum pH of the conditioned medium is c6.4. To obtaina conditioned medium of high activity it is necessary to usean appropriate volume ratio of culture medium to conditioningcell suspension and to limit the conditioning period. Conditioningof the culture medium reduces by a factor of 10 (i.e. down toc. 1000 cells per ml) the minimum effective cell density neededfor self-sustaining growth. There therefore exists a population-dependentrequirement which is not met by the conditioned medium as nowprepared. The retention of the activity of the conditioned mediumin various situations has been studied as a preliminary to workon the chemical basis of conditioning.     

PLEISTOCENE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH VERTEBRATE FAUNA

• 1 This review covers the Pleistocene history of British non-marine Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia and especially Mammalia, which alone have a good fossil record. Aves are also briefly discussed.
• 2 The fossil material available is often inadequate for purposes of taxonomy and identification. Further problems arise because many groups of Mammalia have undergone rapid evolution during the Pleistocene.
• 3 In this paper the fossil record is related to the currently accepted stratigraphic table of the British Pleistocene (Shotton & West, 1969). Wherever possible, fossil records have been assigned to pollen assemblage zones. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the relationship between faunal history and vegetational history, as determined from fossil pollen and macroscopic plant remains.
• 4 Although fossils are relatively scarce in the fluviatile and lacustrine deposits of open sites, compared with the often rich cave assemblages, the stratigraphy of the former is usually much clearer and the sediments commonly contain pollen. It is difficult to correlate cave sequences with those of open sites.
• 5 It is important to take into account possible bias in a fossil assemblage according to its mode of accumulation, e.g. assemblages from occupation sites may represent only those animals which were hunted by man.
• 6 Lower Pleistocene vertebrates are rather poorly-known. The majority of fossils are from the marine Crags of East Anglia (Pre-Ludhamian to Pastonian) and a single cave assemblage of this age is known (Dove Holes). Few records can be related to particular stages, but a few finds from Easton Bavents are assigned to Antian and Baventian stages.
• 7 Early Middle Pleistocene vertebrates are represented mainly by the rich assemblages from the marine and fresh-water Weybourne Crag and Cromer Forest Bed Series (Baventian to Early Anglian) of Norfolk and Suffolk. The East Runton fauna appears to be of pre-Cromerian (?Pastonian) age. A good fauna is known from the type Cromerian deposits at West Runton (zone Cr 11). A few records are available for zone ?Cr III and one for the Early Anglian. The assemblages from other localities appear to represent more than one stage at each site, e.g. the so-called ‘Bacton Forest Bed’ fauna is composite, including both Cromerian and ?Pastonian taxa. Outside East Anglia one open site (Sugworth) and one cave fauna (Westbury) of probable Cromerian age are known.
• 8 Many of the fossils found in lacustrine and river-terrace deposits of the Middle and Upper Pleistocene glacial-interglacial succession (Anglian to present day) can be assigned to particular stages, zones or even subzones. Cave assemblages rarely predate the Ipswichian. No pre-Devensian records are available for either Scotland or Ireland. The Anglian fauna is very poorly known. The Hoxnian is represented principally by the Clacton (zone Ho IIb) and Swanscombe faunas. The Baker's Hole deposit, the basal gravels of the Summertown-Radley Terrace and the Glutton and Bear Strata in Tornewton Cave have yielded faunas of probable Wolstonian age. The early Ipswichian is poorly represented (Selsey), many fossils are known from zone Ip Iib (e.g. Trafalgar square, Swanton Morley, Aveley), there are a few records from early zone Ip III (Aveley, Swanton Morley) and fairly good faunas from zone Ip III/IV (Histon Road, Stutton). Several open and cave-site faunas resemble those of zones Ip II and Ip III and the assemblages from Ilford, Brundon, etc., appear to date from the end of this interglacial. The Early Devensian is represented by the Wretton fauna and probably by some cave faunas. Middle Devensian faunas are fairly well known (e.g. Upton Warren) and there are a number of records for the Late-Devensian (Ballybetagh, High Furlong, Nazeing). Many cave faunas date from the Middle or Late Devensian. Good faunas are available from the early Flandrian, zone F1 I (e.g. Star Carr). The present-day native fauna (zone F1 111) is also discussed.
• 9 The main faunal characteristics for each subdivision of the Pleistocene are summarized in the Conclusions. There is a major faunal change between the predominantly Tertiary fauna of the Red Crag Nodule Bed (Probably Pre-Ludhamian and older) and that of the Red Crag (Pre-Ludhamian and Ludhamian). There appears to have been comparatively little change in fauna through the rest of the Lower Pleistocene but the more intense climatic fluctuations of the Middle and Upper Pleistocene were accompanied by rapid faunal change and the appearance of characteristic ‘steppe-tundra’ faunas in the Wolstonian and Devensian cold stages. The Late-Devensian and Flandrian faunas are impoverished in comparison to earlier stages. This may be partly due to the activities of man as well as climatic and vegetational changes.
• 10 There is usually good agreement between fauna and vegetational conditions when these can be compared, but a few taxa (e.g. Cricetus cricetus, Equus) have clearly changed their ecological requirements during the Pleistocene. Changes of fauna in response to vegetational changes within interglacials are known from the Hoxnian and especially the Ipswichian. The ‘steppe-tundra’ vegetation of cold stages was accompanied by a mixture of animals nowadays extinct or living in either steppe or tundra.

     

The Beginnings of Cultivation in the Midwest-Riverine Area of the United States

Archaeology has become increasingly concerned with the interpretation of prehistoric subsistence settlement systems. In the area of the major river valleys south of the Great Lakes, a significant example of this concern has been the question of the role of cultivation in changing subsistence economies from the Late Archaic through Woodland periods. This article assembles all published (and unpublished) archaeological information on the remains of cultivated plants recovered from Woodland sites in the Midwest-Riverine area. It then reviews current hypotheses for the beginnings of cultivation in light of this evidence.     

Influence of Complexation on the Uptake by Plants of Iron, Manganese, Copper and Zinc: I. EFFECT OF EDTA IN A MULTI-METAL AND COMPUTER SIMULATION STUDY

After growing barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in nutrient solutionscontaining EDTA, uptake of the nutrient metals was determinedat three harvests and concentrations of the various chemicalspecies of each metal in the growth solutions was modelled bycomputer simulation. Complexation with EDTA had different effectson the uptake of the ions Fe³⁺, Mn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺. At thehighest EDTA level (EDTA/Fe=2/l) the plants were chlorotic andgrowth was inhibited. This is attributed to a deficiency inZn rather than in Fe. The critical level of free Zn²⁺ requiredin nutrient solutions for healthy growth was found to be approximately10^–1010^–10 mol dm^–3, which is consistent withthat found by earlier workers for other plant species. Barleytolerated much lower levels of the free ions of copper and ironwithout exhibiting any obvious adverse effects. Key words: EDTA, micronutrients, trace metals, computer simulation, deficiencies, absorption, iron, manganese, copper, zinc     

Estimation of parrot and hornbill densities using a point count distance sampling method

The suitability of point count distance methods for estimating densities of tropical parrots and hornbills was assessed during surveys in Indonesia. The methods will perform well, so long as the following are considered. (1) Enough bird records must be accumulated to model species' detection curves precisely. For some species, around 2000 point counts may be needed and, in very rare species, the method may not be appropriate. Pooling data across habitats, species or years may increase precision in cases of small sample size. (2) Point counts are likely to be less biased than line transects because bird detection rates close to the recorder may be higher and there may be less chance of double-counting birds. Distances greater than 400 m between census points are unnecessary. (3) Count periods lasting ten minutes may be needed to ensure that most birds close to the recorder are detected. Controlled flushing of concealed birds after the main count period may also be appropriate. (4) The best time of day for census is the period when bird detectability is high but bird mobility low. For many large avian frugivores, this corresponds to the period between one hour after dawn and 10.30 h. (5) Records of flying birds must be excluded from density calculations. In the species studied, between 2% and 20% should be added to density estimates to compensate for the exclusion of flying birds.