Farms,pastures and woodlands: the fine‐scale distribution of Palearctic Culicoides spp. biting midges along an agro‐ecological gradient

The spatial epidemiology of Bluetongue virus (BTV) at the landscape level relates to the fine‐scale distribution and dispersal capacities of its vectors, midges belonging to the genus Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Although many previous researches have carried out Culicoides sampling on farms, little is known of the fine‐scale distribution of Culicoides in the landscape immediately surrounding farms. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of Culicoides populations at increasing distances from typical dairy farms in north‐west Europe, through the use of eight Onderstepoort‐type black‐light traps positioned along linear transects departing from farms, going through pastures and entering woodlands. A total of 16 902 Culicoides were collected in autumn 2008 and spring 2009. The majority were females, of which more than 97% were recognized as potential vectors. In pastures, we found decreasing numbers of female Culicoides as a function of the distance to the farm. This pattern was modelled by leptokurtic models, with parameters depending on season and species. By contrast, the low number of male Culicoides caught were homogeneously distributed along the transects. When transects entered woodlands, we found a higher abundance of Culicoides than expected considering the distance of the sampling sites to the farm, although this varied according to species.     

Age-specific Chaoborus predation on rotifer prey

SUMMARY. 1. This is the first study to examine predator-prey interactions between Chaoborm instars and rotifer prey. The predatory behaviour of instars I–III of Chaoborus pimctipennis and the diet selectivity of instars I—IV feeding on rotifers were examined in the laboratory. Prey used in direct observations of predatory behaviour included a variety of rotifers (Symhacta pectlnata, S. ohUmga, Polyarthra remata, Asplanchna girodi, Keratella crassa, spined and unspined forms of Keratella cochlearis) and two crustaceans (Bosmitia longirostris, Mesocyclops edax nauplii. 2. In general, strike efficiencies (percentage of strikes resulting in inges- tion) increased in successive instars I—III. Early instar (I and II) strike efficiencies were low when compared with other invertebrate predators. For a given instar. mean prey handling times varied among prey species more than strike efficiencies. Mean handling times for small, soft-bodied rotifers were lowest and those for wide, hard-bodied prey were highest. 3. Instar I exhibited significantly greater selectivity for the small, soft- bodied S. obUmga than for the larger S. pectinata, hard-bodied K. crassa, and spined and unspined forms of K. cochlearis. Instars II—IV positively selected both the large and small Symhaeta species over all Keratella species. The relationship between Chaobortts selectivity and prey value (weight of prey per unit handling time) can be described by a power function. Ingestion rates of rotifers by older instars (III and IV) are among the highest reported for invertebrate predators. 4. Rotifer vulnerability to Chaoborus predation probably depended on rotifer cuticle texture, body width, and hydrodynamic disturbances. Spined rotifers were not necessarily protected from Chaoborus predation because Chaohorus can manipulate and swallow them. Giguere et al.'s 1982) encounter rate model must be modified to predict encounter rates of slow-moving rotifer prey with Chaohorus.     

The production of hydrogen peroxide by high oxygen pressures

Hydrogen peroxide is formed in solutions of glutathione exposed to oxygen. This hydrogen peroxide or its precursors will decrease the viscosity of polymers like desoxyribonucleic acid and sodium alginate. Further knowledge of the mechanism of these chemical effects of oxygen might further the understanding of the biological effects of oxygen. This study deals with the rate of solution of oxygen and with the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in chemical systems exposed to high oxygen pressures. At 6 atmospheres, the absorption coefficient for oxygen into water was about 1 cm./hour and at 143 atmospheres, it was about 2 cm./hour; the difference probably being due to the modus operandi. The addition of cobalt (II), manganese (II), nickel (II), or zinc ions in glutathione (GSH) solutions exposed to high oxygen pressure decreased the net formation of hydrogen peroxide and also the reduced glutathione remaining in the solution. Studies on hydrogen peroxide decomposition indicated that these ions act probably by accelerating the hydrogen perioxide oxidation of glutathione. The chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt, inhibited the oxidation of GSH exposed to high oxygen pressure for 14 hours. However, indication that oxidation still occurred, though at a much slower rate, was found in experiments lasting 10 weeks. Thiourea decomposed hydrogen peroxide very rapidly. When GSH solutions were exposed to high oxygen pressure, there was oxidation of the GSH, which became relatively smaller with increasing concentrations of GSH.     

Further observations on developmental polymorphism and its evolution in the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus

SUMMARY. In laboratory experiments, long, Asplanchna-induced posterolateral spines of Brachionus calyciflorus were very effective in preventing their capture and subsequent ingestion by the predator Asplanchna sieboldi but provided no protection against predation by Mesocyclops edax. Young, short-spined B. calyciflorus were always captured after attack by adult A. sieboldi and were ingested in about 12 seconds. Adult, short-spined forms were captured on c. 35% of occasions when attacked by this predator and were ingested in about 50 s. Young and adult long-spined forms were captured by this predator on c. 60% of occasions when attacked, but they both almost invariably escaped or were rejected 20–35 s after capture. Short- and long-spined B. calyciflorus adults were always captured when attacked by adult, female M. edax and were completely ingested in about 20 s and 30 s, respectively. Life-table experiments conducted with B. calyciflorus at several levels of the food organism, Aerobacter aerogenes, showed that neither the possession of long posterolateral spines nor the production of offspring with long posterolateral spines interfered with survivorship, fecundity, or reproductive potential. In the laboratory, the volumes of the amictic parthenogenetic eggs of B. calyciflorus cultured on Euglena or Aerobacter were significantly greater in individuals from populations maintaining long posterolateral spines than in comparable-sized individuals from populations maintaining short spines. Egg volume was generally independent of adult body length, but it was significantly greater in Brachionus fed on Euglena compared with Aerobacter. Possible reasons why B. calyciflorus does not produce long posterolateral spines in the absence of Asplanchna are discussed. Few organisms other than B. calyciflorus are known to develop novel defensive phenotypes in direct response to the presence of a predator. It is suggested that such developmental responses evolve only when two conditions apply: (1) the defensive structure is primarily effective against a single type of predator, and (2) the prey organism exhibiting the response has a short generation time.     

Conodont ecology: pelagic versus benthic

A principal point of disagreement in conodont ecology between the pelagic depth stratification model and the benthic model of lateral segregation is the mode of life of the conodont animal. A study of the literature on certain Recent benthic and planktic organisms that may serve as ecologic analogues (chaetognaths, isopods, foraminifers) indicates that distributional patterns alone are not definitive of a pelagic versus a benthic habit. Therefore, we doubt that it is possible to determine the major ecologic mode of conodonts solely from distributional data. Because there is not consistent congruence between lithofacies and conodont biofacies, it is unlikely that conodonts were infaunal or sessile epifaunal benthos. The probable alternatives are nektobenthic or neritic pelagic animals and these may have been subject to such similar controlling hydrographic factors that it is now extremely difficult to distinguish between them, especially in an extinct group of uncertain zoologic affinity. Apparently, the only significant line of evidence for pelagic mode is the Occurrence of some conodonts in black shales that are devoid of unquestioned benthic fossils and presumably formed under anoxic bottom conditions.     

ANALYSIS OF A HERTWIG EFFECT INDUCED BY THE IRRADIATION OF RANA PIPIENS SPERM WITH ULTRAVIOLET

Some of the underlying parameters of the classical H ertwig Effect were delineated in this study. It was shown that the irradiation of Rana pipiens sperm with an incremental regime of ultraviolet is accompanied by an initial decrease in viability followed by its recrudescence at higher doses. The most impaired survival is concomittant with aneuploid chromosomal conditions. The types of growth abnormalities are also seen to be somewhat dose-specific particularly at 8 sec where acephalic embryos seem to characterize the various aneuploid states observed. This paves the way for a detailed study of both the relationship between aneuploidy, growth anomalies and the important question of the mechanism of chromosomal loss (or removal). That more fundamental, perhaps molecular, events may underlie the H ertwig Effect is further demonstrated by the severe depression in mitotic activity that accompanies the aneuploid conditions.     

Planktonic microbial community composition across steep physical/chemical gradients in permanently ice-covered Lake Bonney, Antarctica

Lake Bonney is a chemically stratified, permanently ice‐covered Antarctic lake that is unusual because anomalous nutrient concentrations in the east lobe suggest that denitrification occurs in the deep suboxic waters of the west lobe but not the east lobe, resulting in high concentrations of nitrate and nitrite below the east lobe chemocline. Environmental factors that usually control denitrification rates (e.g. organic carbon, nitrate, oxygen) do not appear to explain the nitrate distribution in the east lobe, suggesting that other factors (e.g. trace metals, salts, microbial community structure, etc.) may be involved. In order to explore the potential importance of microbial community composition, samples collected from multiple depths in both lobes were compared on the basis of 16S rRNA gene diversity. 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) clone libraries generated from five depths were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), rarefaction, statistical and phylogenetic analyses. Bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences were determined for clones corresponding to unique RFLP patterns. The bacterial community below the chemocline (at 25 m) in the east lobe was the least diverse of the five depths analysed and was compositionally distinct from the communities of the overlying waters. The greatest compositional overlap was observed between 16 and 19 m in the east lobe, while the east lobe at 25 m and the west lobe at 13 and 16 m had relatively distinct communities. Despite very little compositional overlap between the suboxic, hypersaline depths of the east and west lobes (25 m and 16 m, respectively), sequences closely related to the denitrifying Marinobacter strain ELB17 previously isolated from the east lobe were found in both libraries. Most of the Lake Bonney sequences are fairly distinct from those reported from other Antarctic environments. Archaeal 16S rRNA genes were only successfully amplified from the two hypersaline depths analysed, with only one identical halophilic sequence type occurring in both libraries, indicating extremely low archaeal diversity. Overall, microbial community composition varies both between lobes and across depths within lobes in Lake Bonney, reflecting the steep gradients in physical/chemical parameters across the chemocline, as well as the anomalous nutrient chemistry of the system.