DIATOM COMMUNITIES FROM A DELAWARE SALT MARSH 1,2

Edaphic diatoms were collected from 5 representative habitats of Canary Creek salt marsh, Lewes, Delaware, from 24 July 1969 to 21 July 1970. Of the 104 taxa encountered, 32 had a general distribution on the marsh and 41 were endemic to one of the 5 habitats sampled. Three of the habitats supported stands of grasses: tall Spartina alterniflora Loisel., dwarf S. alterniflora, and Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene; and these habitats possessed the highest species diversity (H') and the greatest number of diatom species. The remaining 2 habitats, a bare bank and a panne, were devoid of macroscopic vegetation. The diatoms of these last 2 habitats were exposed to hypersaline conditions during warmer periods of the year and this was considered a contributing factor to the lower values observed for the aforementioned parameters of community structure. A comprehensive examination of the community structure characterizing the 5 habitats, employing statistical analyses and the distribution of species, showed each habitat to support its own unique and easily recognizable edaphic diatom community. A multiple regression analysis indicated that the differences between the 5 communities were closely related to differences in temperature and elevation between the habitats, and also a result of significant interactions between edaphic diatoms and filamentous algae.     

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Mentha spicata and Mentha arvensis

The stable integration of GUS and NPTII genes in Mentha arvensis and M. spicata has been achieved by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer. Transformation assays were performed by cocultivating plant leaf disks with either GV2260/GI or EHA105/MOG Agrobacterium strains. Transgenic plants were selected on medium containing 150 mg l⁻¹ kanamycin. Transgene presence and structure was studied by the use of PCR analysis and Southern blot hybridization. Transgene expression was evaluated by RT-PCR and transgene product activity by a histoenzymatic GUS assay. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.