The expression of histone 2A in onion (Allium cepa) during the onset of dormancy, storage and emergence from dormancy

The tissue-specific and developmental expression of histone 2A was studied in onion ( Allium cepa 'Robusta'), using northern blots. Histone 2A expression was enriched in basal tissues, particularly in the inner, meristematically active parts of bulbs. The expression was assessed during a time course of bulb development, dormancy onset and post-harvest sprouting in field-grown material. During bulb development histone 2A expression in the inner bulb declined rapidly during bulb ripening, reaching a minimum with the onset of dormancy. During post-harvest storage, expression increased slowly, reaching a peak in the spring, coinciding with the first observed sprout emergence. It was concluded that in onion, as in other plant systems, histone 2A expression is linked to cell division and dormancy level, the peak in expression during post-harvest storage indicating the time of dormancy breakage. In cultivars where post-harvest sprouting occurred much earlier or much later than in 'Robusta', this expression peak occurred at about the same time of year, regardless of sprouting time. It was concluded that differences in storage longevity between cultivars were not due to differing times of dormancy breakage. Factors controlling the rate of sprout emergence post-dormancy are likely to be major determinants of storage capacity.     

Spatial and temporal assessment of sources contributing to the annual austral spring mid-tropospheric ozone maxima over the tropical South Atlantic

The primary source of the annual austral spring mid‐tropospheric ozone maxima over the tropical South Atlantic has generally been assumed to be biomass burning. However, ozone precursor emissions from biogenic, lightning, and anthropogenic sources in subequatorial Africa before and during the ozone peak are shown to be comparable, if not greater, in magnitude to regional biomass burning production. Moreover, an investigation of the spatial and temporal characteristics of these ozone precursor sources (i.e. vegetative and microbial activity, lightning‐induced generation, and anthropogenic emissions) suggests that these alternative sources can potentially make a substantial contribution to the seasonal ozone peak. This argument is supported by the practical limitations of atmospheric transport available to regionally produced ozone and ozone precursors.     

Assessing Impacts of Wind-Energy Development on Nocturnally Active Birds and Bats: A Guidance Document

ABSTRACT Our purpose is to provide researchers, consultants, decision-makers, and other stakeholders with guidance to methods and metrics for investigating nocturnally active birds and bats in relation to utility-scale wind-energy development. The primary objectives of such studies are to 1) assess potential impacts on resident and migratory species, 2) quantify fatality rates on resident and migratory populations, 3) determine the causes of bird and bat fatalities, and 4) develop, assess, and implement methods for reducing risks to bird and bat populations and their habitats. We describe methods and tools and their uses, discuss limitations, assumptions, and data interpretation, present case studies and examples, and offer suggestions for improving studies on nocturnally active birds and bats in relation to wind-energy development. We suggest best practices for research and monitoring studies using selected methods and metrics, but this is not intended as cookbook. We caution that each proposed and executed study will be different, and that decisions about which methods and metrics to use will depend upon several considerations, including study objectives, expected and realized risks to bird and bat populations, as well as budgetary and logistical considerations. Developed to complement and extend the existing National Wind Coordinating Committee document “Methods and Metrics for Assessing Impacts of Wind Energy Facilities on Wildlife” (Anderson et al. 1999), we provide information that stakeholders can use to aid in evaluating potential and actual impacts of wind power development on nocturnally active birds and bats. We hope that decision-makers will find these guidelines helpful as they assemble information needed to support the permitting process, and that the public will use this guidance document as they participate in the permitting processes. We further hope that the wind industry will find valuable guidance from this document when 1) complying with data requirements as a part of the permitting process, 2) evaluating sites for potential development, 3) assessing impacts of operational wind-energy facilities, and 4) mitigating local and cumulative impacts on nocturnally active birds and bats.     

Perissothallus, a new genus for Late Pennsylvanian–Early Permian noncalcareous algae conventionally assigned to Schizopteris (aphleboid foliage)

The morphogenus Schizopteris was established in the early 19th century for late Palaeozoic aphleboid foliage of uncertain affinities, and numerous specimens have subsequently been assigned to this taxon. Some of these fossils do not represent foliage, but rather noncalcareous algae. Although this inconsistency has been noted, an attempt to exclude the algae from Schizopteris has not yet been undertaken. Here we propose the new genus Perissothallus to accommodate those fossils conventionally assigned to Schizopteris that represent algae. The name P. versiformis is introduced for the type species from the Upper Pennsylvanian of Kansas (USA). Specimens from the Lower Permian of Germany are interpreted as a second species of Perissothallus , and the name P. densus is proposed. Perissothallus consists of erect cylindrical branches that radiate from a small holdfast and dichotomize repeatedly. Vegetative reproduction occurs in the form of daughter thalli produced on prostrate branches. Similarities in basic structure exist between Perissothallus and members of the extant algal genera Codium (Chlorophyta), Dictyota (Phaeophyta), and Scinaia (Rhodophyta).  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 477–488.     

Stable isotope niche differentiation in sticklebacks with symmetric and asymmetric pectoral fins

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is often, but controversially, viewed as an indicator of fitness and a target of selection. In the brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans (Kirtland), FA of the pectoral fins, which are the main source of propulsion, is inversely correlated with fecundity. We examined the hypothesis that asymmetry of the pectoral fins could affect locomotion in such a way as to influence foraging and niche use in prereproductive brook stickleback. Nitrogen and carbon stable isotope analysis showed the diet of symmetric and asymmetric males diverged with increasing body size. Larger symmetric males fed at higher trophic levels and had a diet based on carbon emanating from a more pelagic source than their asymmetric counterparts. Such effects were not observed in females or smaller males. The number of chironomid larvae found in the gut was greater on average in asymmetric than symmetric fish. The results from this study strongly suggest FA of pectoral fins affects the foraging behaviour of C. inconstans and that stable isotope analyses of individual phenotypes provides a useful tool for assessing the ecological consequences of FA.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 92 , 617–623.     

Influence of presence and spatial arrangement of belowground insects on host‐plant selection of aboveground insects: a field study

Abstract 1. Several studies have shown that above‐ and belowground insects can interact by influencing each others growth, development, and survival when they feed on the same host‐plant. In natural systems, however, insects can make choices on which plants to oviposit and feed. A field experiment was carried out to determine if root‐feeding insects can influence feeding and oviposition preferences and decisions of naturally colonising foliar‐feeding insects. 2. Using the wild cruciferous plant Brassica nigra and larvae of the cabbage root fly Delia radicum as the belowground root‐feeding insect, naturally colonising populations of foliar‐feeding insects were monitored over the course of a summer season. 3. Groups of root‐infested and root‐uninfested B. nigra plants were placed in a meadow during June, July, and August of 2006 for periods of 3 days. The root‐infested and the root‐uninfested plants were either dispersed evenly or placed in clusters. Once daily, all leaves of each plant were carefully inspected and insects were removed and collected for identification. 4. The flea beetles Phyllotreta spp. and the aphid Brevicoryne brassicae were significantly more abundant on root‐uninfested (control) than on root‐infested plants. However, for B. brassicae this was only apparent when the plants were placed in clusters. Host‐plant selection by the generalist aphid M. persicae and oviposition preference by the specialist butterfly P. rapae, however, were not significantly influenced by root herbivory. 5. The results of this study show that the presence of root‐feeding insects can affect feeding and oviposition preferences of foliar‐feeding insects, even under natural conditions where many other interactions occur simultaneously. The results suggest that root‐feeding insects play a role in the structuring of aboveground communities of insects, but these effects depend on the insect species as well as on the spatial distribution of the root‐feeding insects.     

Predicting adaptive evolution under elevated atmospheric CO2 in the perennial grass Bromus erectus

Increasing concentrations of CO₂ in the atmosphere are likely to affect the ecological dynamics of plant populations and communities worldwide, yet little is known about potential evolutionary consequences of high CO₂. We employed a quantitative genetic framework to examine how the expression of genetic variation and covariation in fitness‐related traits, and thus, the evolutionary potential of a species, is influenced by CO₂. In two field experiments, genotypes of the dominant grassland perennial Bromus erectus were grown for several years in plots maintained at present‐day or at elevated CO₂ levels. Under noncompetitive conditions (experiment 1), elevated CO₂ had little impact on plant survival, growth, and reproduction. Under competitive conditions in plots with diverse plant communities (experiment 2), performance of B. erectus was reduced by elevated CO₂. This suggests that the effect of CO₂ was largely indirect, intensifying competitive interactions. Elevated CO₂ had significant effects on the expression of genetic variation in both the competitive and noncompetitive environment, but the effects were in opposite direction. Heritability of plant size was generally higher at elevated than at ambient CO₂ in the noncompetitive environment, but lower in the competitive environment. Selection analysis revealed a positive genotypic selection differential for plant size at ambient CO₂, indicating selection favoring genotypes with high growth rate. At elevated CO₂, the corresponding selection differential was nonsignificant and slightly negative. This suggests that elevated CO₂ is unlikely to stimulate the evolution of high biomass productivity in this species.