Influence of wetland hydroperiod on diversity and abundance of metamorphosing juvenile amphibians

Numbers of successfully metamorphosing juvenile amphibians were tabulated at three wetlands in South Carolina, U.S.A. using terrestrial drift fences with pitfall traps. A relatively undisturbed Carolina bay was studied for eight years, a partially drained Carolina bay for four years, and a man-made borrow pit for three years. Annual production of juveniles at the undisturbed Carolina bay ranged from zero to 75,644 individuals of 15 species. Fewer individuals of fewer species typically metamorphosed at the borrow pit than at the undisturbed bay, with the least numbers at the partially drained Carolina bay. Both total number and species diversity of metamorphosing juveniles at each site each year showed a strong positive correlation with hydroperiod, i.e., the number of days a site contained standing water that year. Data for one common anuran species and the most common salamander species were analyzed separately by multiple regression, in addition to the community analyses. For the mole salamander, Ambystoma talpoideum, hydroperiod was a significant predictor of the number of metamorphosing juveniles, but the number of breeding females was not. For the ornate chorus frog, Pseudacris ornata, the number of breeding females was a significant predictor of the number of metamorphosing juveniles, but hydroperiod was not. Variation in the dates of wetland filling and drying interacts with other factors to determine amphibian community structure and diversity. Either increasing or decreasing the number of days a wetland holds water could increase or decrease the number and species diversity of amphibians in and around a wetland.     

Habitat alteration and its effects on native fishes in the upper Tennessee River system, east-central U.S.A.

The upper Tennessee River drainage, which includes portions of the States of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, supports an exceptionally diverse fish fauna. Recent reductions in abundance and geographic ranges of several freshwater fishes have promulgated the imposition of protective measures for about 115 species among the three states, with nearly half of those species occurring in the upper Tennessee River. Most protected species are darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae) or minnows (Cyprinidae), and are typically small, benthic invertivores. Major impacts on the fish fauna have resulted from dams, introduced species, toxic spills, mining and agriculture. An important cumulative effect of these impacts is fragmentation of the watershed; nearly 40% of the riverine habitat in major tributaries is either impounded or altered by tailwater discharges. The isolation and stress imposed on tributaries of the river have caused and will continue to cause extirpations of fishes, mussels and other aquatic fauna. Numerous federal, state, and private organizations are co-operating in efforts to protect rare species and habitats, improve agricultural and coal-producing practices, and enforce regulations for industrial and municipal effluents.     

Discrepancy in divergence of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes ofDrosophila teissieri andDrosophila yakuba

Summary Restriction sites were compared in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules from representatives of two closely related species of fruit flies: nine strains ofDrosophila teissieri and eight strains ofDrosophila yakuba. Nucleotide diversities amongD. teissieri strains and amongD. yakuba strains were 0.07% and 0.03%, respectively, and the nucleotide distance between the species was 0.22%. Also determined was the nucleotide sequence of a 2305-nucleotide pari (ntp) segment of the mtDNA molecule ofD. teissieri that contains the noncoding adenine+thymine (A+T)-rich region (1091 ntp) as well as the genes for the mitochondrial small-subunit rRNA, tRNA^f-met, tRNA^gln, and tRNA^ile, and portions of the ND2 and tRNA^val genes. This sequence differs from the corresponding segment of theD. yakuba mtDNA by base substitutions at 0.1% and 0.8% of the positions in the coding and noncoding regions, respectively. The higher divergence due to base substitutions in the A+T-rich region is accompanied by a greater number of insertions/deletions than in the coding regions. From alignment of theD. teissieri A+T-rich sequence with those ofD. yakuba andDrosophila virilis, it appears that the 40% of this sequence that lies adjacent to the tRNA^ile gene has been highly conserved. Divergence between the entireD. teissieri andD. yakuba mtDNA molecules, estimated from the sequences, was 0.3%; this value is close to the value (0.22%) obtained from the restriction analysis, but 10 times lower than the value estimated from published DNA hybridization results. From consideration of the relationships of mitochondrial nucleotide distance and allozyme genetic distance found among seven species of theDrosophila melanogaster subgroup, the mitochondrial nucleotide distance observed forD. teissieri andD. yakuba is anomalously low in relation to the nuclear genetic distance.     

A comparison of within-plant karyological heterogeneity between agamospermous and sexualTaraxacum (Compositae) as assessed by the nucleolar organiser chromosome

Morphological variation for the NOR chromosome was studied for four half-siblings of a sexual outbreedingTaraxacum, for three siblings of the obligate agamospermT. pseudohamatum, and for two individuals of the agamospermT. brachyglossum. No rearrangement was detected for the 113 chromosomes of sexuals, or for 41 chromosomes of two agamospermous individuals. In the other three agamospermous individuals, 3/16, 5/50, and 5/20 chromosomes showed evidence of chromosomal rearrangement. The majority of rearrangement events (10/13) occurred to the satellite rather than to the body of the NOR-chromosome. It is considered that such high levels of somatic chromosomal rearrangement in agamospermousTaraxacum may be the result of activity by transposable genetic elements. This recombination may be of selective advantage to asexual plants which cannot generate genetic variability through the sexual process.     

Genetic variation and population structure of cod, Gadus morhua L., in some fjords in northern Norway

Biochemical genetic polymorphism in cod from several fjords in Troms, northern Norway was analysed. Gene frequencies at several polymorphic loci ( Hb, Pgi, Ldh, Pgm, Gpd and Idh ) are given. Significant variation was found both within and between fjords, and even between samples from the same locality sampled in different years, indicating a mosaic structure of the cod population in the area studied. The results of the haemoglobin variation are compared to similar results obtained more than 20 years ago in the same and adjacent areas. The biochemical genetic variation is discussed in relation to stability of gene frequencies, isolation mechanisms and migration patterns.     

Assessment of genetic variability for N2 fixation between and within provenances of Leucaena leucocephala and Acacia albida estimated by 15N labelling techniques

Nitrogen fixed in 13 provenances of Acacia albida and 11 isolines of Leucaena leucocephala inoculated with effective Rhizobium strains was measured by ¹⁵N techniques and the total N difference method. In the test soil, on the average, L. leucocephala derived about 65% of its total N from atmospheric N₂ fixation compared to about 20% by A. albida. Significant differences in the percentage of N derived from atmospheric N₂ (% Ndfa) occurred, between provenances or isolines within species. The % Ndfa ranged from 37 to 74% within L. leucocephala and from 6 to 37 within A. albida; (equivalent to 20–50 mg N plant^–1 and 4–37 mg N plant^–1 for the two species over three months, respectively) and was correlated with the nodule mass (r=0.91). The time course of N₂ fixation of three selected provenances (low, intermediate and good fixers) was followed at 12 weekly intervals over a 36 week period. The % Ndfa of all provenances and isolines increased with time; and except for one of the L. leucocephala provenances, % Ndfa was similar within species at the 36 weeks harvest. There was a significant correlation between % Ndfa and the amount of N₂ fixed (r=0.96). Significant interactions occurred between provenances and N treatments and often growth of uninoculated but N fertilized plants was less variable than for inoculated unfertilized plants.     

Effects of three herbicides on soil microbial biomass and activity

Three post-emergence herbicides (2,4-D, picloram and glyphosate) were applied to samples of an Alberta agricultural soil at concentrations of 0, 2, 20, and 200 μg g⁻¹. The effects of these chemicals on certain microbial variables was monitored over 27 days. All herbicides caused enhancement of basal respiration but only for 9 days following application, and only for concentrations of 200 μg g⁻¹. Substrate-induced respiration was temporarily depressed by 200 μg g⁻¹ picloram and 2,4-D, and briefly enhanced by 200 μg g⁻¹ glyphosate. It is concluded that because changes in microbial variables only occurred at herbicide concentrations of much higher than that which occurs following field application, the side-effects of these chemicals is probably of little ecological significance.     

Partial characterization of the trait for enhanced K+−Na+ discrimination in the D genome of wheat

The long arm of chromosome 4D of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) contains a gene (or genes) which influences the ability of wheat plants to discriminate between Na⁺ and K⁺. This discrimination most obviously affects transport from the roots to the shoots, in which less Na⁺ and more K⁺ accumulate in those plants which contain the long arm of chromosome 4D. Concentrations of Na⁺ and K⁺ in the roots, and Cl⁻ concentrations in the roots and shoots, are not significantly affected by this trait, but Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl⁻ contents of the grain are reduced. The trait operates over a wide range of salinities and appears to be constitutive. At the moment it is not possible to determine accurately the effect of this trait on growth or grain yield because the aneuploid lines which are available are much less vigorous and less fertile than their euploid parents.     

Chloroplast DNA diversity in wild and cultivated species of rice (Genus Oryza,section Oryza). Cladistic-mutation and genetic-distance analysis

Summary Using a novel nonaqueous procedure, chloroplast DNA was isolated from 318 individual adult rice plants, representing 247 accessions and the breadth of the diversity in section Oryza of genus Oryza. Among them, 32 different cpDNA restriction patterns were distinguished using the restriction endonucleases EcoRI and AvaI, and they were further characterized by restriction with BamHI, HindIII, SmaI, PstI, and BstEII enzymes. The differences in the electrophoretic band patterns were parsimoniously interpreted as being the result of 110 mutations, including 47 restriction site mutations. The relationships between band patterns were studied by a cladistic analysis based on shared mutations and by the computation of genetic distances based on shared bands. The deduced relationships were compared with earlier taxonomical studies. The maternal parents for BC genome allotetraploids were deduced. Within species, cpDNA diversity was found larger in those species with an evolutionary history of recent introgression and/or allotetraploidization. Occasional paternal inheritance and recombination of cpDNA in rice was suggested.     

Origin of the Koreans: a population genetic study.

A population genetic study was undertaken to investigate the origin of Koreans. Thirteen polymorphic and 7 monomorphic blood genetic markers (serum proteins and red cell enzymes) were studied in a group of 437 Koreans. Genetic distance analyses by both cluster and principal components models were performed between Koreans and eight other populations (Koreans in China, Japanese, Han Chinese, Mongolians, Zhuangs, Malays, Javanese, and Soviet Asians) on the basis of 47 alleles controlled by 15 polymorphic loci. A more detailed analysis using 65 alleles at 19 polymorphic loci was performed on six populations. Both analyses demonstrated genetic evidence of the origin of Koreans from the central Asian Mongolians. Further, the Koreans are more closely related to the Japanese and quite distant from the Chinese. The above evidence of the origin of Koreans fits well with the ethnohistoric account of the origin of Koreans and the Korean language. The minority Koreans in China also maintained their genetic identity.