The biosynthesis of ubiquitin by parathyroid gland

Data are presented on the isolation, biosynthesis, and identification of a small peptide (H) from parathyroid gland. Under our experimental conditions this peptide (H) represents, in addition to secretory protein-I and proparathyroid hormone, the other major protein which is rapidly synthesized during shorterm incubations of tissue slices. N-terminal sequence analysis was performed on samples of peptide H and the resulting data used to conduct a search of the sequence data bank. The search established the identity of peptide H as ubiquitin. These findings establish parathyroid gland as another system which rapidly produces ubiquitin $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$, in addition to the systems employing hypothalamus and pituitary where ubiquitin biosynthesis was initially observed by Seidah $\text{et}$$\text{al}$ and Scherrer $\text{et}$$\text{al}$.     

The induction of cytokinin habituation in primary pith explants of tobacco

Pith parenchyma tissue ofNicotiana tabacum L. cv. Havana 425 becomes cytokinin habituated when incubated at 35°C on an auxin-containing medium. Under these conditions, habituated, hyperplastic nodules appear on the tissues. We used these nodules to estimate the incidence of habituation by a statistical method. The rate of habituation varied with the season. Tissue isolated from plants in the spring habituated approx. 7 times faster than did tissue isolated from plants in winter. The fact that the average rate, >4×10^–3 per cell generation, was 100–1,000 times faster than the rate of somatic mutation inNicotiana species and depended on the physiological state of the tissue provides further evidence that habituation involves epigenetic changes rather than rare, random genetic mutations. We also found that kinetin (6-furfurylaminopurine) induced habituation and that the concentration required depended on the duration of cytokinin treatment. For long incubation times, approx. 6×10^–10 M kinetin, which is about 1,000-fold lower than the concentration optimal for growth of cytokinin-requiring pith tissue, was sufficient to induce habituation. These results support the hypothesis that the habituated state is maintained by a positive feedback loop in which cytokinins either induce their own synthesis or inhibit their own degradation.     

Decomposition of dominant submerged macrophytes: implications for nutrient release in Myall Lake, NSW, Australia

Breakdown and nutrient dynamics of submerged macrophytes were studied in Myall Lake, Australia. Mass loss of Myriophyllum sulsagineum was the lowest (64.90%) among the studied macrophytes during the 322 days followed by charophytes (60.79%), whereas Najas marina and Vallisneria gigantea lost 91.15 and 86.02% of their respective initial mass during that time. The overall exponential breakdown rates of Najas marina and Vallisneria gigantea were similar, with k-values of 0.24 and 0.23 day⁻¹, respectively. These rates were significantly higher than the break down rates of charophytes (0.007 day⁻¹) and M. sulsagineum (0.008 day⁻¹). During growth phase, water column depicted lower nutrient concentrations while during decay period, significant increase in water column nutrients resulted. Release of nutrients from decomposing macrophytes and incorporation of these nutrients into sedimentary phase as well as uptake of nutrients by the growing macrophytes, can present a considerable cycling pathway of nutrients in Myall lake system. The results of this study suggest that different submerged macrophytes may differ appreciably in quality and may exhibit different decomposition rates, patterns and nutrient dynamics in aquatic ecosystems in general, and Myall lakes in particular.     

Comparison of reproductive parameters for populations of eastern North Pacific common dolphins: Delphinus capensis and D. delphis

Reproductive parameters were estimated and compared for eastern North Pacific populations of common dolphins using specimen and photogrammetric data. Age and length data for Delphinus capensis and D. delphis specimens recovered as bycatch or strandings were used to estimate the postnatal growth rates needed to estimate age for calves measured in aerial photographs. Bayesian methods propagated uncertainty among models and revealed that the 2009 cohort of calves had birth dates centered on 6 March 2009 for D. capensis and 12 December 2008 for D. delphis. The evidence for discrete calving seasons suggests a mechanism of reproductive isolation has evolved between species. Photogrammetric data and Bayesian methods were also used to estimate the average length at which calves swim independently: 145.1 cm (≈ 11.1 mo) in D. capensis and 140.1 cm (≈ 14.0 mo) in D. delphis, and the proportion of calves (calves/dolphins counted): 0.045 in D. capensis and 0.069 in D. delphis. The latter parameter was converted to an index of calf production (calf/female dolphin) that was >50% lower than pregnancy rates suggesting few births occurred during the study year. Comparisons of regional differences in calf production suggest variability in habitat use patterns within the study area.     

The effect of water level management on the soils and vegetation of two coastal Louisiana marshes

Wetland degradation and loss is the result of a combination of natural causes and anthropogenic activities and is a serious problem in coastal Louisiana, where approximately 80% of the total US coastal wetland loss since the 1930's has occurred. One method currently used to address this wetland loss problem is structural marsh management, which is the use of levees and water control structures to control hydroperiod. The effects of structural marsh management on two managed marshes in Southern Louisiana (Unit 4 of the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge and the Fina LaTerre Mitigation Bank) were evaluated by comparing the soils and the dominant emergent marsh vegetation (Spartina patens) of the two managed marshes with those of two nearby unmanaged marshes. Soil redox potential, water depth, interstitial water sulfide concentration, salinity, NH₄-N and elemental concentrations of Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe and Zn were measured four times during 1989 which was a drawdown year. Net and total CO₂ exchange rate, primary productivity, leaf area, stem density, and live, dead and total aboveground biomass were also measured. The managed marsh at Rockefeller had lower water levels, significantly less reduced surface and 15 cm deep soils and significantly lower interstitial sulfide concentrations and salinity levels. Na, K, Mg and Ca concentrations reflected the same pattern as salinity. Live aboveground biomass, primary productivity and leaf area were 3–4 times greater in the managed marsh. This indicates that marsh management improved soil conditions and provided an environment favorable to more vigorous plant growth. The management scheme at Fina LaTerre was also successful at maintaining lower water levels than in the adjacent unmanaged area. However, surface soils were more reduced and interstitial salinity higher, on average, in the managed marsh indicating generally poorer water circulation. Primary productivity was 50% less and stem density, leaf area, net CO₂ and total CO₂ exchange rates were significantly lower in the managed marsh, compared to the nearby reference marsh. Conditions in the managed marsh indicate that the management scheme was not successful at improving soil conditions when compared to those in the adjacent unmanaged marsh. This study indicates that structural marsh management is not the universal answer to problems faced by Louisiana's coastal wetlands, but may be of value in specific situations.     

Rates of brood development in a social wasp: effects of colony size and parasite infection

Summary Colonies of eusocial insect species are most vulnerable during the founding stage. Many species have evolved means to minimize the length of the founding, or pre-emergence, stage by accelerating the rate of development of the first worker offspring. Other things being equal, the sooner a colony can begin producing workers, the less the risk of colony failure, the steeper the growth curve of the colony during the ergonomic stage, and the larger the colony will be at reproductive maturity. Swarm-founding species, whose founding units consist of hundreds or thousands of workers, may face less selection pressure to minimize the duration of the founding stage than independent-founding species. However, swarm size varies within species, and small swarms face greater risk of extinction during the founding stage than large swarms. This consideration predicts that within a species, small swarms should have shorter founding stages than large swarms, likely by rearing a small group of precocious brood. On the other hand, evidence that large social groups organize colony labor more efficiently, gather resources more predictably, and homeostatically maintain physical conditions inside the nest within narrower ranges, predicts that larger groups should rear all brood more rapidly and therefore have shorter founding stages. To test whether small or large swarms have shorter founding stages in colonies of Polybia occidentalis, a Neotropical swarm-founding wasp, we measured brood development rates in colonies collected after 28 days of development, just short of the minimum egg-to-adult development time. We found that as size increased across colonies, pre-emergence times decreased, mean age of pupae in the nest increased, and median age of the brood (larvae + pupae) increased. That is, brood developed significantly faster in large colonies than in small ones. Using these same measures, we also found that infection by a gregarine parasite increased brood development time, independently of colony size.Received 10 April 2003; revised 29 October 2003; accepted 21 November 2003.     

Evaluating DNA degradation rates in faecal pellets of the endangered pygmy rabbit

Noninvasive genetic sampling of faecal pellets can be a valuable method for monitoring rare and cryptic wildlife populations, like the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis). To investigate this method's efficiency for pygmy rabbit monitoring, we evaluated the effect of sample age on DNA degradation in faecal pellets under summer field conditions. We placed 275 samples from known individuals in natural field conditions for 1–60 days and assessed DNA quality by amplifying a 294‐base‐pair (bp) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus and five nuclear DNA (nDNA) microsatellite loci (111–221 bp). DNA degradation was influenced by sample age, DNA type, locus length and rabbit sex. Both mtDNA and nDNA exhibited high PCR success rates (94.4%) in samples <1 day old. Success rates for microsatellite loci declined rapidly from 80.0% to 42.7% between days 5 and 7, likely due to increased environmental temperature. Success rates for mtDNA amplification remained higher than nDNA over time, with moderate success (66.7%) at 21 days. Allelic dropout rates were relatively high (17.6% at <1 day) and increased to 100% at 60 days. False allele rates ranged from 0 to 30.0% and increased gradually over time. We recommend collecting samples as fresh as possible for individual identification during summer field conditions. Our study suggests that this method can be useful for future monitoring efforts, including occupancy surveys, individual identification, population estimation, parentage analysis and monitoring of genetic diversity both of a re‐introduced population in central Washington and across their range.     

POOR STATISTICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE MANTEL TEST IN PHYLOGENETIC COMPARATIVE ANALYSES

The Mantel test, based on comparisons of distance matrices, is commonly employed in comparative biology, but its statistical properties in this context are unknown. Here, we evaluate the performance of the Mantel test for two applications in comparative biology: testing for phylogenetic signal, and testing for an evolutionary correlation between two characters. We find that the Mantel test has poor performance compared to alternative methods, including low power and, under some circumstances, inflated type‐I error. We identify a remedy for the inflated type‐I error of three‐way Mantel tests using phylogenetic permutations; however, this test still has considerably lower power than independent contrasts. We recommend that use of the Mantel test should be restricted to cases in which data can only be expressed as pairwise distances among taxa.     

Forest plantation diversification with Leguminosae tree species: Consequences on litter decomposition and nutrient recycling

Mixed tree plantations provide greater ecosystem services than monocultures. Leguminosae tree species can be appropriate complements to achieve a sustainable soil management target. A key aspect of species trait complementarity is the litter mixture effects in the litter decomposition process. We evaluated how the mixture of poplar litter (Populus deltoides Marsh.) with Leguminosae tree species modulated the litter decomposition process and C, N and P recycling, through changes driven by the Leguminosae litter chemical traits. Under field conditions, we compared poplar litter alone (monoculture) with its 50:50 mixture with Enterolobuim contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong., or Peltophorum dubium (Spreng.). Compared to poplar litter, its mixture with E. contortisiliquum had a 25% lower C:N ratio and a similar N:P ratio, whereas mixture with P. dubium had a 9% lower C:N and a 29% lower N:P ratios. The mixture with E. contortisiliquum showed a 64% faster decomposition rate, and 55% and 203% faster C and N release rates, respectively, compared to poplar. In contrast, in the mixture with P. dubium, there was no difference in the litter, C and N decay rates with poplar litter alone. The mixture with P. dubium had a 37% lower P retention compared to poplar, whereas P was released rather than retained in the mixture with E. contortisiliquum. The mixture with E. contortisiliquum showed a net antagonistic effect in the litter decomposition rate. However, in the mixture, poplar litter decomposed 33% faster and the E. contotrtisiliquum litter decomposed 35% slower than species alone. The C:N and N:P ratios in the litter mixture were relevant traits shaping the magnitude and direction of litter decomposition and nutrient recycling processes. The incorporation of both Leguminosae to monospecific poplar plantations could contribute to counteract P limitation in this system and to improve soil fertility and functioning.     

MAXIMUM AMMONIUM UPTAKE RATES OF SCENEDESMUS QUADRICAUDA (CHLOROPHYTA) AND MICROCYSTIS NOVACEKII (CYANOBACTERIA) GROWN UNDER NITROGEN LIMITATION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR COMPETITION1

We measured maximum ammonium uptake rates of the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda (Turpin) Brébisson and the blue-green alga Microcystis novacekii (Kom.) Comp. grown in nitrogen (ammonium)–limited chemostats. Maximum uptake rates per cellular carbon were larger in S. quadricauda than in M. novacekii. These rates increased with increased specific growth rates. Maximum uptake rates per cellular nitrogen were also larger in S. quadricauda than in M. novacekii. The maximum uptake rates per cellular nitrogen were nearly constant against increased cellular N:C ratios under nitrogen-limited conditions. The higher maximum uptake rates indicate that S. quadricauda had higher uptake abilities for ammonium than M. novacekii when grown under nitrogen limitation. We examined the competition between both species under two distinct nutrient supply modes, using measured maximum uptake values and computer simulations. Microcystis novacekii prevailed in the small-pulse, high-frequency nutrient supply mode, whereas S. quadricauda became competitively superior in the large-pulse, low-frequency nutrient supply mode. These results indicate that we could control nuisance blooms of blue-green algae in lakes and reservoirs by changing the nutrient supply modes.