Photosynthetic Electron Transport under Phosphorylating Conditions as Influenced by Different Concentrations of Various Salts

Osman, M. E-A. H. and El-Shentenawy, F. 1988. Photosyntheticelectron transport under phosphorylating conditions as influencedby different concentrations of various salts.—J. exp.Bot. 39: 859–863. The rate of light-induced electron transport by isolated spinachthylakoids under phosphorylating conditions, as affected bydifferent concentrations of Br^–, Cl^–, NO₃^–,HCO₃^–, SO₄^2– and CO₃^2– has been investigated.The results show that both low and high concentrations of HCO₃^2–stimulated the oxygen evolution capacity under phosphorylatingconditions, whereas only low concentrations of CO₃^2–,SO₄^2– and Cl^– stimulated the oxygen evolution capacity.However, irrespective of concentration, both Br^– and NO₃^–reduced this capacity. The rate of photosynthetic electron transportwas generally stimulated by addition of ADP, even in cases whereelectron transport was inhibited by addition of bromide andnitrate. The different concentrations of these anions also causedreduction of the power generated by proton pumping and usedfor phosphorylation. The greatest level of reduction was observedin the presence of high concentrations of Cl^– and HCO₃^–. Key words: Spinach thylakoids, photosynthetic electron transport, phosphorylation     

Histochemical analysis of accessory genital gland secretions in female Pimpla turionellae L. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

The secretions produced by the 3 accessory glands of the female genital tract of Pimpla turionellae were investigated histochemically. The uterus gland secretion was identified as a mixture of hyaluronic acid and lipoprotein, that of the poison gland as a neutral mucoprotein. The product of the alkaline gland (Dufour's gland) consists of lecithin and a cholesterol ester. Pimpla females, as parasites of Lepidoptera pupae, inject these secretions into the host hemocoel during oviposition, thus preventing hemocytic encapsulation of their eggs. The physiological functions of the secretions are briefly discussed.     

Biomass of primary and secondary vegetation in Rondônia, Western Brazilian Amazon

Biomass estimates of primary and different ages of secondary vegetation are reported for a tropical forest region in Rondônia, Western Brazilian Amazon. The estimates are based on published allometric equations, and on vegetation composition and allometric data collected in areas of primary forest and secondary vegetation of ages 2, 3, 5, 9, 11, 16 and 18 years. Primary forest biomass estimates varied from 290 to 495 t ha^–1. Secondary vegetation biomass estimates accounted for 40–60% of the primary forest biomass after 18 years of abandonment. Secondary growth rates in lightly used areas are estimated to have varied from 6.6 to 8.7 t ha^–1 y^–1 between the third and the eighteenth years after abandonment. CO₂ sequestration by regrowing vegetation is discussed for two scenarios of land abandonment.     

无花果在阿图什维吾尔族民间的传统应用的调查研究

无花果(Ficus carica)是世界上驯化最早的果树之一,也是我国引入最早且现在仍在大规模种植的果树之一。新疆是我国无花果的最早种植地,也是目前种植面积最大的规模化生产地,而阿图什地区又是新疆的无花果主产区。为明确现有无花果品种,保护和传承少数民族的无花果应用传统知识,本研究采用民族植物学和植物分类学方法,对阿图什地区的无花果进行实地采集,走访调查当地维吾尔族群众,记录无花果的当地民间应用方式。结果显示阿图什地区栽培的无花果地方品种有:早熟无花果、黄无花果、小圆黄无花果及晚熟无花果等5个品种。阿图什地区维吾尔族民间流传着无花果的很多传统"民间处方",与其他植物配伍,在医药上有很多作用。此外,在庭园绿化上也大量应用无花果,具有很好的观赏效果。对阿图什地区维吾尔族民间无花果传统利用进行调研,有利于深度开发无花果资源,也将对维吾尔族植物传统知识的研究产生影响。     

A new species of Silene (Caryophyllaceae) from east Anatolia, Turkey

Silene bitlisensis O.Tugay & Ertugrul from the Green Line Afforestation Zone (B9: Bitlis Province) is a new species described and illustrated here. It is closely related to S. caramanica Boiss. & Heldr. var. ilarslanii Aytaç & Dural, from which it mainly differs in its habit, leaf, and floral features.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 156 , 463–466.     

Studies on the bacterial diseases of Sudan crops

New records are presented of bacterial diseases affecting the following weed plants: Heliotropium sudanicum, Rhynchosia memnonia, Vigna radiata, V. pubigera, Euphorbia acalyphoides and Phyllanthus niruri. Bacterial leaf blight of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) caused by Xanthomonas phaseoli f. cajani is reported for the first time from the Sudan. The causal bacteria, all of which belong to the genus Xanthomonas, are compared with related pathogens. The differences between these bacteria are considered of little diagnostic value. Pathogenically, they can be separated into three groups: (i) the Heliotropium pathogen; (ii) the bacteria affecting leguminous plants; and (iii) the bacteria affecting species of the family Euphorbiaceae. Because of the diversity in opinion on speciation in the genus Xanthomonas, two alternative proposals are put forward. In the first, Xanthomonas is considered a monotypic genus with X. campestris as the sole species. The pathogens reported in this work from previously unrecorded hosts, which proved to differ in pathogenicity from established ones, are considered to be new formae speciales. These are X. campestris f.sp. heliotropii from H. sudanicum, X. campestris f.sp. rhynchosiae from R. memnonia, X. campestris f.sp. vigna-radiatae from V. radiata, X. campestris f.sp. euphorbiae from E. acalyphoides and X. campestris f.sp. phyllanthii from P. niruri. The organism from V. pubigera is accordingly identified as X. campestris f.sp. vignicola. Other bacteria used for comparison are also reduced to ff.sp. of X. campestris. The other proposal is to lump together pathogens with overlapping host ranges in a single species that comprises a number of ff.sp. differing in pathogenicity. Thus the bacteria from leguminous plants are all considered to belong to X. phaseoli as previously suggested by Sabet. New ff.sp. are created for the pathogens from R. memnonia (X. phaseoli f.sp. rhynchosiae), and V. radiata (X. phaseoli f.sp. vigna-radiatae). The organism from V. pubigera is identified in this case as X. phaseoli f.sp. vignicola. The bacteria from members of the Euphorbiaceae are considered to belong to X. ricini on priority grounds. X. cassavae and X. poinsettiaecola which have been used for comparison are reduced to the ff.sp. X. ricini f.sp. cassavae and f.sp. poinsettiaecola respectively. Two new ff.sp. are created: for E. acalyphoides pathogen, X. ricini f.sp. euphorbiae and for P. niruri pathogen, X. ricini f.sp. phyllanthii. The creation of a new species (X. heliotropii sp.nov.) is proposed for the Heliotropium pathogen. The present study shows that many weed plants may be affected with new bacterial strains that can also infect cultivated crops.     

Processes affecting newly-settled juveniles and the consequences to subsequent community development

Summary

Processes affecting the growth and mortality of the juvenile benthic life-stages that immediately follow larval metamorphosis and settlement are as important as those processes controlling the supply of settling larvae or later interactions among established adults. In addition, the ecology of juveniles is of ten distinctly different from that of other life-stages, including differences in interactions with predators and competitors and responses to the physical environment. In particular, newly-settled stages of ten experience quantitatively or qualitatively different predation than older life-stages. We have documented this in a New England hard substrate community where the wrasse, Tautogolabrus adspersus, and two species of tiny gastropods, Mitrella lunata and Anachis lafresnayi, prey on newly-settled andjuvenile ascidians but not on adults. An extensive series of field experiments was conducted using artificial pilings placed subtidally. Results demonstrated that (1) the predators were extremely active and fairly specific in their prey, (2) predators could eliminate prey species regardless of settlement densities, (3) predation varied drastically with life-stage, and (4) predators control community structure and composition by altering the number of settling larvae that survived their first several weeks to become identifiable recruits. Because of differences in predator abundances the development and species dominance within the community varied drastically between sites.