Infection of Sentinel Cotton Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) by Aerial Conidia ofNeozygites fresenii(Entomophthorales: Neozygitaceae)

Uninfected adultAphis gossypii(Homoptera: Aphididae) apterae (sentinel aphids) on cotton leaves were exposed for 8 h to the air over a commercial cotton field in Louisiana during the night of 1–2 July 1995. At 0015 h there were 90,437 primary conidia/m³air of the fungusNeozygites fresenii(Entomophthorales: Neozygitaceae) at the midfield position as determined from Rotorod samples. Forty-eight percent (n = 106) of the sentinel aphids exposed for 8 h at midfield were infected by aerial conidia ofN. fresenii.Exposure of sentinel aphids outside the cotton field, at 10 and 100 m downwind and 10 m upwind, resulted in 34.8% (n = 131), 24.0% (n = 129), and 17.4% (n = 146) infected aphids, respectively. These data demonstrate that wind-dispersed aerial conidia ofN. freseniiare infective and rapidly and efficiently disperse the pathogen throughout aphid populations within and between fields.     

Relationship of Aerial Broad Band Reflectance to Meloidogyne incognita Density in Cotton

Aerial images were obtained on 22 July 1999 and 4 August 2000 from five cotton sites infested with Meloidogyne incognita. Images contained three broad bands representing the green (500-600 nm), red (600-700 nm), and near-infrared (700-900 nm) spectrum. Soil samples were collected and assayed for nematodes in the fall at these sites. Sampling locations were identified from images, by locating the coordinates of a wide range of light intensity (measured as a digital number) for each single band, and combinations of bands. There was no single band or band combination in which reflectance consistently predicted M. incognita density. In all 10 site-year combinations, the minimum number of samples necessary to estimate M. incognita density within 25% of the population mean was greater when sampling by reflectance-based classes (3 to 4 per site) than sampling based on the entire site as one unit. Two sites were sampled at multiple times during the growing season. At these sites, there was no single time during the growing season optimal to take images for nematode sampling. Aerial infrared photography conducted during the growing season could not be used to accurately determine fall population densities of M. incognita.     

A photographic census of flamingos in the Rift Valley lakes of Tanzania

An aerial photographic census of flamingos ( Phoenicopterus minor and P. ruber) was conducted on 20 July 1994 on nine lakes in Tanzania: Lakes Natron, Manyara, Magadi (Ngorongoro), Burungi, Embagai, Eyasi, Lagarja, Masek, and Ambussel. This census, conducted concurrently with a survey in Kenya, documented the numbers and distribution of flamingos in the Rift Valley Lakes of East Africa. The total population size of flamingos in the Tanzanian lakes surveyed was |mF907,000. The largest concentrations in Tanzania were found in Lake Natron and Embagai Crater Lake. Although flamingos are known to breed in Lake Natron, no evidence of breeding was observed during the survey. The total estimate for the southern Kenya and northern Tanzania Rift Valley was |mF2·8 million. Trends in flamingo populations, survey methodology, and future monitoring needs are discussed.     

COUNTING STELLER SEA LION PUPS IN ALASKA: AN EVALUATION OF MEDIUMFORMAT, COLOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Estimates of Steller sea lion ( Eumetopias jubatus ) pup production are valuable for estimating population trend and size. Currently in Alaska, pups are counted by visiting rookeries, driving older animals into the water, then walking through the rookeries and counting the pups, a highly disruptive procedure. At smaller rookeries, with good vantage points, pups are occasionally counted from the periphery of rookeries without disturbing the sea lions. We evaluated counts made from medium-format, color, aerial photographs as an alternative to drive counts and peripheral counts. Neither the peripheral counts nor the aerial photographic counts disturbed animals on the rokeries. There were strong 1:1 linear relationships between photographic counts and drive counts ( r ²= 0.966, P < 0.001) and between photographic counts and peripheral counts ( r ²= 0.999, P < 0.001). Precision was similar for all three methods of counting. We suggest that medium-format, color, aerial photographs is appropriate for routine surveys of Steller sea lion pups in Alaska because it is not disruptive to the hauled-out sea lions and provides comparable estimates with similar precision to drive and peripheral counts. Large areas canbe rapidly surveyed during periods of good weather with a minimum of manpower.     

Flavonoids from Achyrocline flaccida

Three new flavonoids: 5-hydroxy-7-(3-methyl-2,3-epoxybutoxy)flavanone,5-hydroxy-3,8-dimethoxy 7-(3-methyl-2,3-epoxybutoxy)flavone and 4′-hydroxy-5-methoxy-7-(3-methyl-2,3-epoxybutoxy)flavone were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of Achyrocline flaccida. Tamarixetin, gnaphaliin, isognaphaliin, 5,7,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyflavone, chrysoeriol, galangin 3-methyl ether, naringenin 5-methyl ether, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid were also isolated.     

Changes in large herbivore populations across large areas of Tanzania

We collated aerial census data collected during the late 1980s to early 2000s for large herbivore populations in eight large census zones in Tanzania. Of the ungulate populations that showed significant changes in densities at the start versus end of this decade, most declined; very few populations increased significantly. Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, hartebeest, reedbuck, roan antelope, sable antelope, warthog and zebra, for example, declined in over 50% of the zones where they were surveyed. Interestingly, small‐bodied species fared particularly poorly in many census zones, whereas elephant and giraffe generally fared well across the country. Most populations of all herbivores declined in some portions of the country (e.g. Burigi‐Biharamulo, Katavi, Greater Ruaha and Tarangire census zones). These surveys suggest that, even in a country renowned for its protected areas and conservation commitment, some large herbivore populations need more conservation attention in order to remain stable.     

DECLINES IN HARBOR SEAL (PHOCA VITULINA) NUMBERS IN GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, 1992–2002

Glacier Bay National Park had one of the largest breeding aggregations of harbor seals in Alaska, and it is functionally the only marine reserve for harbor seals in Alaska; yet, numbers of seals in the Bay are declining rapidly. Understanding why seals in Glacier Bay are declining may clarify their minimal habitat needs. We estimated population trends using models that controlled for environmental and observer‐related factors. In 1992, 6,200 seals were counted on icebergs in a tidewater glacial fjord and at terrestrial sites; by 2002 only 2,550 seals were counted at these same haul‐outs. Numbers of non‐pups in the glacial fjord declined by 6.6%/yr (?39%/8 yr) in June and by 9.6%/yr (?63%/11 yr) in August and at all other haul‐outs by 14.5%/yr (?75%/10 yr) during August. In the glacial fjord the number of pups remained steady from 1994 to 1999 and made up an increasing proportion of seals counted (5.4%/yr), and the proportion of pups peaked at 34%–36%. The rapid declines do not appear to be due to changes in seal behavior or redistribution. The declines reinforce genetic evidence that harbor seals in Glacier Bay are demographically isolated from other populations and indicate that current management stocks need to be redefined. Changes in Glacier Bay's ecosystem and population demographic data from the glacial fjord suggest that interspecific competition and predation are likely factors in the declines.     

Fungi in Their Own Right

Although fungi have contributed tremendously to understanding biological phenomena common to all eukaryotic organisms, some of their properties testify as to their uniqueness. Among these are growth by apical extension of hyphae, the manufacture of hydrophobins for emergence into the air, and the possession of an extended somatic heterokaryon in basidiomycetes. This justifies studies on the molecular basis of development aimed particularly at this group of organisms, which are of great importance to life on earth and human society.     

The Anatomical Structures and Floral Development of Euryale ferox Salisb

The pedicel of E. ferox possesses closed, scattered vascular bundles and contains no cambium. Four main air canals are well developed. Mesophyll of sepal is differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma. Petal is simpler in structure than that of sepal with no palisade tissue differentiated. Stamens show a wide varity of shapes; those in the outer whorls are usually petaloid while the inner whorls are of the conventional type bearing four-loculate anthers. Ovary is inferior, multicarpellarv and syncarpous with laminar plancentae in each locule. The flower primordium grows out from the mixed bud. It is enveloped by an axillary scale. The preliminary indication of floral initiation is the periclinal divisions of the second layer of the shoot apex which is closer to the leaf base. By the time a flower primordium becomes 465μm high, the floral parts begin to arise in a continuous acropetal sequences, namely sepals, petals, stamens and carpels successively with initiation of their primordia by periclinal divisions of the second or third layer on the flank of the floral apex respectively. By the fact that the growth of the outer layered cells of the receptacle is faster than those of the inner ones, an epigynous flower and an inferior ovary is thus to be formed. The ventral margin of the carpel has become conduplicately appressed and fused in the lower portion, while the upper part has not been fused, an ovarian canal is appeared from top of the ovary. There is no differentiation of a style. A central receptacular core is found among the carpels. On the basis of anatomical and developmental studies of the floral organs, we suggest that Euryale ferox exhibits a number of most primitive features, such as petaloid stamens, carpel with ovarian canal, elongated receptacle, prominent residual floral apex and laminar placentation. The development of floral parts and characteristics of ovary indicate that genus Euryale is much more similar to Victoria, Nymphae and Nuphar than to Nelumbo and Brasenia.