Ecotypic differentiation in Medicago polymorpha L. along an environmental gradient in central Chile. II. Winter growth as related to phenology and temperature regime

In this second article of a series analysing ecotypic differentiation ofthe Burr Medic (Medicago polymorpha L.),occurring along a 1000 km natural aridity gradient in centralChile, we report variations in growth potential at low temperature in relationto phenology and latitude of collecting site. In two experiments conducted inoutdoor nursey trials at Cauquenes, in the 'intermediate'(i.e., subhumid) mediterranean zone (35°58 S,72°17 W), biomass accumulation among 4 and 18 accessions ofBurrMedic, was compared. In Experiment 1, the two early-flowering accessionscollected in the arid and semiarid zones (northern Chile) showedsignificantly greater winter growth potential than the twolate-floweringaccessions from humid, south-central Chile, at five different sowingdensities. In Experiment 2, winter growth was compared, at a single sowingdensity, among 18 accessions collected in various sites along the ariditygradient. Here again, growth patterns were closely correlated to latitude ofcollecting site, with early-flowering ecotypes from the north showingsignificantly greater winter growth potential than those from the south. In athird experiment, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate and leaf arearatio and phytomass production were compared among eight accessions grown undertemperature regimes simulating natural growth conditions at Cauquenes in June(winter) and October (spring), i.e.,12°/7°Cand 18°/13°C day/night, respectively. Asbefore, northern accessions showed higher growth potential in the lowertemperature regime than those from humid and perhumid areas at more southernlatitudes. These results suggest that in arid to semiarid environments, whererainfall is erratic and unpredictable, ecotypes of Burr Medic are naturallyselected which show early-flowering and high growth capacity duringwinter, the period of the year when rainfall is most likely to occur inmediterranean-climate regions. Conversely, in humid areas, with higherrainfall predictability, and higher frequency of killing frost, ecotypes havebeen selected with longer periods of growth potential but lower winter growth.Applied and ecological aspects of the results are discussed in the context of along-term program of annual pasture improvement programme.     

Genome size variation and evolution in Veronica

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The amount of DNA per chromosome set is known to be a fairly constant characteristic of a species. Its interspecific variation is enormous, but the biological significance of this variation is little understood. Some of the characters believed to be correlated with DNA amount are alpine habitat, life history and breeding system. In the present study, the aim is to distinguish between direct causal connections and chance correlation of the amount of DNA in the genus Veronica. METHODS: Estimates of DNA amount were analysed for 42 members of Veroniceae in connection with results from a phylogenetic analysis of plastid trnL-F DNA sequences and tested correlations using standard statistical tests, phylogenetically independent contrasts and a model-based generalized least squares method to distinguish the phylogenetic effect on the results. KEY RESULTS: There appears to be a lower upper limit for DNA amount in annuals than in perennials. Most DNAC-values in Veroniceae are below the mean DNA C-value for annuals in angiosperms as a whole. However, the long-debated correlation of low genome size with annual life history is not significant (P = 0.12) using either standard statistical tests or independent contrasts, but it is significant with the generalized least squares method (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The correlation of annual life history and low genome size found in earlier studies could be due to the association of annual life history and selfing, which is significantly correlated with low genome size using any of the three tests applied. This correlation can be explained by models showing a reduction in transposable elements in selfers. A significant correlation of higher genome sizes with alpine habitats was also detected.     

Relationship between the annual rhythms in melatonin and immune system status in the tropical palm squirrel, Funambulus pennanti

Melatonin (MEL) regulation of seasonal variation in immunity has been studied extensively in temperate mammals. This report is the first on a tropical mammal, the Indian palm squirrel, F. pennanti. In response to the annual environmental cycle, we studied the rhythms of plasma MEL and the immune parameters of total blood leucocytes, absolute blood lymphocytes and blastogenic responses of blood, thymus and spleen lymphocytes. We found that in parallel with MEL all the immune parameters increased during the month of April onward, when natural day length, temperature, humidity and rainfall were increasing. Maximum values occurred during November (reproductively inactive phase) when the values of all the physical factors were comparatively low. Lowest values occurred during January-March (reproductively active phase) when the values of the physical factors were lowest. In order to establish a clear interrelationship between the pineal MEL and the immune system function, we manipulated these squirrels with exogenous MEL (25mg/100g B wt/day) at 1730 h during their pineal inactive phase (March) while another group was pinealectomized (Px) during November when their pineal was active. The MEL injection significantly increased all the immune parameters, while Px decreased them significantly. Hence, we suggest that MEL is immuno-enhancing for this tropical squirrel, and plays an important role in the maintenance of its immunity in accordance with the seasonal changes in environmental factors and gonadal status. (Chronobiology International, 18(1), 61-69, 2001)     

Interactions of lichens with heavy metals

Recent developments in knowledge about the interactions between lichens and heavy metals at different levels, from populations to cells and from ecology to molecular biology are reviewed. Sources of heavy metals, mechanisms of heavy metal accumulation and detoxification by lichens are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on ultrastructural changes as well as physiological parameters such as membrane integrity, pigment composition, chlorophyll a fluorescence, photosynthesis, respiration, contents of ATP, amino acids, ergosterol, ethylene, non-protein thiols, activity of antioxidant enzymes and expression of stress proteins.     

Using empirical likelihood to combine data: application to food risk assessment

Summary .  This article introduces an original methodology based on empirical likelihood, which aims at combining different food contamination and consumption surveys to provide risk managers with a risk measure, taking into account all the available information. This risk index is defined as the probability that exposure to a contaminant exceeds a safe dose. It is naturally expressed as a nonlinear functional of the different consumption and contamination distributions, more precisely as a generalized U-statistic. This nonlinearity and the huge size of the data sets make direct computation of the problem unfeasible. Using linearization techniques and incomplete versions of the U-statistic, a tractable "approximated" empirical likelihood program is solved yielding asymptotic confidence intervals for the risk index. An alternative "Euclidean likelihood program" is also considered, replacing the Kullback–Leibler distance involved in the empirical likelihood by the Euclidean distance. Both methodologies are tested on simulated data and applied to assess the risk due to the presence of methyl mercury in fish and other seafood.     

The pineal gland, but not melatonin, is associated with the termination of seasonal testicular activity in an annual reproductive cycle in roseringed parakeet Psittacula krameri

The role of the pineal gland and its hormone melatonin in the regulation of annual testicular events was investigated for the first time in a psittacine bird, the roseringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri). Accordingly, the testicular responsiveness of the birds was evaluated following surgical pinealectomy with or without the exogenous administration of melatonin and the experimental manipulations of the endogenous levels of melatonin through exposing the birds to continuous illumination. An identical schedule was followed during the four reproductive phases, each characterizing a distinct testicular status in the annual cycle, namely, the phases of gametogenic quiescence (preparatory phase), seasonal recovery of gametogenesis (progressive phase), seasonal initiation of sperm formation (pre-breeding phase), and peak gametogenic activity (breeding phase). In each reproductive phase, the birds were subjected to various experimental conditions, and the effects were studied comparing the testicular conditions in the respective control birds. The study included germ cell profiles of the seminiferous tubules, the activities of steroidogenic enzymes 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD), and Δ⁵3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Δ⁵3β- HSD) in the testis, and the serum levels of testosterone and melatonin. An analysis of the data reveals that the pineal gland and its hormone melatonin may play an inhibitory role in the development of the testis until the attainment of the seasonal peak in the annual reproductive cycle. However, in all probability, the termination of the seasonal activity of the testis or the initiation of testicular regression in the annual reproductive cycle appears to be the function of the pineal gland, but not of melatonin.     

两类柑桔杂种砧木对脐橙(Citrus sinensis Osbeck)幼树生长和叶片糖营养含量年变化的影响

以体细胞杂种红桔＋枳和红桔＋粗柠檬、有性杂种Troyer枳橙和Swingle枳柚作砧木的耐湿脐橙(Citrus sinensis Osbeck)2年生嫁接苗为试材,通过盆栽试验研究了砧木对苗木生长和叶片糖营养含量年变化动态的影响。结果表明：红桔＋枳的生长势和花量明显地强于和大于其它砧木,红桔＋粗柠檬的生长和花量表现介于2种有性杂种之间。叶绿素a／b和类胡萝卜素含量在不同砧木间无显著差异,而不同砧木显著或极显著地影响叶绿素含量各指标。砧木影响叶片可溶性糖和淀粉含量年变化动态的基本特征。在休眠期,红桔＋枳的可溶性糖和淀粉含量都高于2种有性杂种砧木,而红桔＋粗柠檬则反之;在生长期,红桔＋粗柠檬的可溶性糖和淀粉含量表现出高于有性杂种砧木的趋势,而红桔＋枳则介于2种有性杂种砧木之间。同时还重点讨论了2种体细胞杂种砧木的利用价值。     

Annual changes in the brain neurosecretory profile of the Indian freshwater Leech,Poecilobdella viridis (Blanchard) in relation to reproduction

Annual changes in the brain neurosecretory profile of Poecilobdella viridis in relation to reproductive activity have been investigated. The changes in A cell neurosecretory activities were found to be in strong correlative correspondence with the reproductive programme. Heavy accumulation of neurosecretory material was observed in A cells perikarya during the reproductive period i.e. from March to June, 1975, with enlarged nuclei and during reproductive quiescence i.e. from August, 1974 to January 1975, the neurosecretory activity was low.     

Risk perception and specific behaviors of anglers concerning mercury contamination of fish

Abstract

In recent years, mercury levels in some predatory fishes of several lakes of South-West France, exceeding the European Union nutritional recommendations threshold for safe consumption have been noticed. This led to a decision by regional authorities to ban consumption of those species. We conducted a questionnaire-based study on 276 users of four lakes of the region, two of which were affected by the ban, in order to better understand how it had affected perception of the risk and the associated behaviors. Our study revealed that anglers were the major fish consumers. It also showed that the ban had a poor impact on anglers’ actual fish consumption, despite their being globally well informed about its existence. We conclude that the ban has had a weak impact on anglers’ perception of risk, and that safety nutrition policies should better take into account this factor in the future.