Light intensity regulates growth and reproduction of a snail grazer (Gyraulus chinensis) through changes in the quality and biomass of stream periphyton

1. The light : nutrient hypothesis (LNH) proposes that herbivore growth rates are maximised at intermediate light‐to‐nutrient ratios. A reduction to light intensity (i.e. decreased light‐to‐nutrient ratio) should lead to reduced food availability for herbivores while excessive light intensity in oligotrophic environments (i.e. increased light‐to‐nutrient ratios) should increase the C : N and C : P ratios of producers. However, this hypothesis has not yet been supported by studies on stream ecosystems. 2. We tested the LNH by experimental application of controlled natural gradients in light intensity to oligotrophic laboratory channels that included periphyton and the freshwater snail Gyraulus chinensis. 3. The results in this oligotrophic environment indicate that light regulated the flow of matter between trophic levels and grazer reproduction by controlling C : P ratios of the producers.     

Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Hemerocallis fulva and Hemerocallis citrina (Hemerocallidaceae)

Twenty microsatellite loci were isolated from a hybrid of two daylilies, Hemerocallis fulva and Hemerocallis citrina. We characterized individuals from two H. fulva populations and two H. citrina populations in Japan and observed three to 20 alleles per locus in H. fulva and one to 19 alleles per locus in H. citrina. Mean observed heterozygosity within populations ranged from 0.35 to 0.85 in H. fulva and from 0 to 0.95 in H. citrina. In about a half of the loci, the observed heterozygosity did not deviate from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These loci are proved useful in studying gene flow and qualitative trait loci mapping using the two species.     

Nutrient utilization and requirement under photoheterotrophic growth of Marchantia polymorpha: Improvement of the culture medium

Previously we reported on a suspension culture of chlorophyllous cells of a liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L., under photoheterotrophic conditions. The chemically defined medium was a modified Murashige and Skoog's medium, which contained, besides glucose, inorganic salts, a growth regulator (2,4-D), and twenty-four organic compounds as micro constituents. Because of this complexity, we undertook a simplification of the medium. Having examined the utilization of the major nutrients and the requirements for the micro constituents, we have succeeded in improving the medium. The new medium contains phosphate at 3.13 mM and only eight out of the twenty-four original micro organic constituents. In this new medium, the cells grow under a well-balanced nutritional condition, with richer chlorophyll and at a higher rate during the exponential phase than in the original medium.     

BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN YEAST DURING SPORULATION. II. ACETATE METABOLISM

Acetate metabolism was studied with Saccharomyces cerevisiae diploid strain G2-2 in sporulating culture, asporogenic diploid strains 3c × a and 3c × 3a, and respiratory deficient haploid strain 3c (asporogenic). Acetate in a sporulating medium was utilized by sporogenic and asporogenic diploid yeasts linearly with time. Activities of aconitase, NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase initially increased in the cell-free homogenate of either strain. Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased. Isocitrate lyase activity increased remarkably in the sporogenic strain but not in the asporogenic strain. The rate of production of ¹⁴CO₂ from ¹⁴C-1-acetate was accelerated more than from ¹⁴C-2-acetate in intact cells of the sporogenic strain during sporulating culture. Fractionation of radioactive cell substances showed remarkable lipid synthesis. Accumulation and reutilization of cold acid-soluble precursor substances occurred during sporogenesis. The role of glyoxylate and tricarboxylate cycle enzymes in sporulation is discussed.