Reproduction characteristics and crow’s index in different groups of yevpatoria population

According to the obstetric history of Yevpatoria residents of postreproductive age, the parameters of the differential fertility as components of the natural selection (index Crow) in Slavic (Russian and Ukrainian) and non-Slavic individuals have been calculated. It is shown that, in the studied population, in one generation, the index of total selection decreased from 0.3 to 0.32 by reducing the value I _m. For Slavic females, the average number of pregnancies is 5.26, while the number of offspring is 1.75, and the index of total selection equals 0.31. For non-Slavic women, these ratings were 4.84, 2.09, and 0.46. In non-Slavic women, natural reproductive losses occur more frequently than in Slavic women, which may be associated with inbreeding, the level of which is usually higher in members of the Muslim faith. The average number of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the non-Slavic families is 0.759, while for Slavic families, it is 0.503. Reproductive problems were observed in 36.4% of Slavic families and 44.8% of non-Slavic families. The index of total selection in non-Slavs (0.46) is 1.5 times higher than in Slavs (0.31). The difference is due to the selection component, coupled with differential fertility (0.36 and 0.23, respectively). Interethnic differences in the rate of natural increase can change the ethnic and denominational composition of the city, leading to an increase in the Muslim component.     

European checkerspots (Melitaeini: Lepidoptera,Nymphalidae) are not aposematic – the point of view of great tits (Parus major)

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Genetic Demographic Structure of the Belgorod Population: Age,Ethnicity, Education,and Occupation

Data from marriage records of the city of Belgorod for 1960, 1985, and 1995 have been used to determine some parameters of population structure in this city. The coefficients of correlation with respect to age of marriage between spouses in the couples contracting marriages in these years were 0.74, 0.62, and 0.80, respectively. Women of reproductively unfavorable age (under 20 or over 30 years) accounted for 5.5, 0.83, and 19% of all women contracting marriages in these years, respectively. The proportions of interethnic marriages in these years were 16.9, 14.9, and 15.6%, respectively. The percentage of Slavs decreased from 99 to 97% during the 35 years studied, whereas the proportion of Russians insignificantly increased (from 90.4 to 91.4%). The proportion of Caucasian ethnic groups increased by six time (from 0.3 to 1.8%), and that of other non-Slavic ethnic groups increased by almost two times (from 0.7 to 1.2%). The marriage convergence (K) with respect to ethnicity (0.095, 0.106, and 0.090 in 1960, 1985, and 1995, respectively) was lower than that with respect to education (0.296 and 0.350 in 1985 and 1995, respectively) or occupation (0.212 and 0.231 in 1985 and 1995, respectively). The maximum coefficients of ethnically, educationally, and occupationally assortative marriage have been found, respectively, in ethnic minority groups (A′ = 20%); in persons with higher and primary education (A′ = 37.5 and 49.9%, respectively); and in the military officers/soldiers, engineers, healthcare professionals, and researchers (the respective A′ values are 65.6, 32.2, 31.5, and 39.8%).__________Translated from Genetika, Vol. 41, No. 6, 2005, pp. 823–829.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Atramentova, Filiptsova.     

ONTOGENETIC NICHE SHIFT IN THE BRACHIOPOD TEREBRATALIA TRANSVERSA: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LOSS OF ROTATION ABILITY AND ALLOMETRIC GROWTH

Abstract: Many articulated brachiopods experience marked life habit variations during ontogeny because they experience their fluid environment at successively higher Reynolds numbers, and they can change the configuration of their inhalant and exhalant flows as body size increases. We show that the extant brachiopod Terebratalia transversa undergoes a substantial ontogenetic change in reorientation governed by rotation around the pedicle. T. transversa′s reorientation angle (maximum ability to rotate on the pedicle) decreases during ontogeny, from 180 degrees in juveniles to 10–20 degrees in individuals exceeding 5 mm, to complete cessation of rotation in individuals larger than 10 mm. Rotation ability is substantially reduced after T. transversa achieves the adult lophophore configuration and preferred orientation with respect to ambient water currents at a length of 2.5–5 mm. We hypothesize that the rotation angle of T. transversa is determined mainly by the position of ventral and dorsal points of attachment of dorsal pedicle muscles relative to the pedicle. T. transversa shows a close correlation between the ontogenetic change in reorientation angle and ontogeny of morphological traits that are related to points of attachment of dorsal pedicle muscles, although other morphological features can also limit rotation in the adult stage. The major morphological change in cardinalia shape and the observed reduction of rotation affect individuals 2.5–10 mm in length. The position of ventral insertions of dorsal pedicle muscles remains constant, but contraction of dorsal pedicle muscles is functionally handicapped because dorsal insertions shift away from the valve midline, rise above the dorsal valve floor, and become limited by a wide cardinal process early in ontogeny (<5 mm). The rate of increase of cardinal process width and of distance between dorsal pedicle muscle scars substantially decreases in the subadult stage (5–10 mm), and most of the cardinalia shell traits grow nearly isometrically in the adult stage (>10 mm). T. transversa attains smaller shell length in crevices than on exposed substrates. The proportion of small‐sized individuals and population density is lower on exposed substrates than in crevices, indicating higher juvenile mortality on substrates prone to grazing and physical disturbance. The loss of reorientation ability can be a consequence of morphological changes that strengthen substrate attachment and maximize protection against biotic or physical disturbance (1) by minimizing torques around the pedicle axis and/or (2) by shifting energy investments into attachment strength at the expense of the cost involved in reorientation.     

Changes in fatty acids contents and growth characteristics in transformed oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

Spring oilseed rapeBrassica napus L. ssp.oleifera cv. HM-81 was transformed with T_L-DNA of the Ri plasmid of the agropine strainAgrobacterium rhizogenes 15834. Selfed progenies (R₂ and R₃ generations) were studied for changes in values of growth characteristics and fatty acids contents. Transformants are ‘homozygous’ for T_L-DNA. Both generations of transformants differed significantly from the nontransformed control plants in reduced length, lower number of pods per plant, lower total mass of seeds and the higher number of branches. The contents of palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids were significantly higher in transformants when compared with the control. On the contrary, the contents of both stearic and oleic acids were in most of transformants significantly lower. Only traces of erucic acid (less than 0.05 % ) were found, both in transformed and nontransformed plants.     

Genetic demographic structure of the Belgorod population: age, ethnicity, education, and occupation

Data from marriage records of the city of Belgorod for 1960, 1985, and 1995 have been used to determine some parameters of population structure in this city. The coefficients of correlation with respect to age of marriage between spouses in the couples contracting marriages in these years were 0.74, 0.62, and 0.80, respectively. Women of reproductively unfavorable age (under 20 or over 30 years) accounted for 5.5, 0.83, and 19% of all women contracting marriages in these years, respectively. The proportions of interethnic marriages in these years were 16.9, 14.9, and 15.6%, respectively. The percentage of Slavs decreased from 99 to 97% during the 35 years studied, whereas the proportion of Russians insignificantly increased (from 90.4 to 91.4%). The proportion of Caucasian ethnic groups increased by six time (from 0.3 to 1.8%), and that of other non-Slavic ethnic groups increased by almost two times (from 0.7 to 1.2%). The marriage convergence (K) with respect to ethnicity (0.095, 0.106, and 0.090 in 1960, 1985, and 1995, respectively) was lower than that with respect to education (0.296 and 0.350 in 1985 and 1995, respectively) or occupation (0.212 and 0.231 in 1985 and 1995, respectively). The maximum coefficients of ethnically, educationally, and occupationally assortative marriage have been found, respectively, in ethnic minority groups (A' = 20%); in persons with higher and primary education (A' = 37.5 and A' = 49.9%, respectively); and in the military officers/soldiers, engineers, healthcare professionals, and researchers (the respective A' values are 65.6, 32.2, 31.5, and 39.8%).     

Spatial characteristics of marriage migration in the Belgorod population

Data from marriage records of the city of Belgorod for 1960, 1985, and 1995 have been used to calculate parameters characterizing migration in the Belgorod population. The marriage migration coefficients (m) in these years were 0.83, 0.68, and 0.58, respectively, and the endogamy indices were 0.05, 0.13, and 0.22, respectively. The marriage convergence (K) with respect to birthplace in the same years were 0.15, 0.13, and 0.14, respectively. In the period studied, spatial parameters reflecting the genetic efficiency of migration increased. The mean migration distance also increased; it was 430, 667, and 926 km in 1960, 1985, and 1995, respectively. The migration distances for men and women in the same years were 477, 725, and 986 km and 383, 609, and 866 km, respectively. The radius of the Belgorod population in terms of Malecot's isolation by distance model increased in the period studied (55, 81, and 95 km in 1960, 1985, and 1995, respectively). The parameter b in that period decreased (0.00110, 0.00074, and 0.00062, respectively), which indicates a decrease in the inbred component. The increase in marital distance (590, 796, and 891 km in 1960, 1985, and 1995, respectively) indicates a steady increase in the outbred component of the population.     

Genetic demography of Ukrainian urban populations in the 1990s: the ethnic composition of the migration flow in the Kharkov population

Marriage records were used to study the dynamics of the migration flow into the population of Kharkov in 1960-1993. The decrease in the migration rate was accompanied by changes in the ethnic composition of the migrants. The entire migration flow from the republics of the Baltic region consisted of Russians and Ukrainians. The increase in the migration flow from Transcaucasia was mainly accounted for by the migration activity of indigenous populations. Most migrants from Moldova, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan were also representatives of the respective indigenous populations. Malecot's coefficient of isolation by distance (b) decreased from 0.00123 to 0.0081.     

Diversity and ecology of algae from the Nahal Qishon river,northern Israel

In 59 samples of periphyton and phytoplankton collected in 2002 - 2003 from the Nahal Qishon (Qishon River), northern Israel, we found 178 species from seven divisions of algae and cyanoprocaryotes. Diatoms, clorophytes, and cyanoprocaryotes prevail. Nitzschia and Navicula (Bacillariophyta) are the most abundant. Most of the species are cosmopolitan or widespread, except Lagynion janei (Chrysophyta), which is endemic for the Mediterranean Realm. About 17% of species (26) are new for Israel and five of them represent the first recorded genera: Crinalium endophyticum Crow, Actinocyclus normanii (Gregory) Hustedt, Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum (Agardh) Kütz (Chlorophyta), Lagynion janei Bourelly, and Stylococcus aureus Chodat. Most of them come from a rare riverine assemblage with red alga Audouinella pygmea, as well as from the estuarine assemblage. Alkaliphiles predominate among the indicators of acidity, with few acidophiles confined to the communities under the impact of industrial wastes. Among the indicators of salinity, most numerous are the oligohalobien-indifferents and species adapted to a moderate salinity level. The relative species richness of ecological groups and the indices of saprobity are correlated with changes in conductivity, pH, and N-nitrate concentration. Indicators of organic pollution fall in the range of betameso- to alfamesosaprobic self-purification grades. Our studies show ecological significance of the Nahal Qishon as a model for a strongly disturbed aquatic ecosystem in the coastal zone of eastern Mediterranean.     

Genetic Demography of Ukrainian Urban Populations in the 1990s: Ethnicity and Birthplaces of Migrants to the Poltava Population

Analysis of the birthplaces and ethnicity of males and females contracting marriages in the city of Poltava in 1960, 1985, and 1995 revealed a trend towards return of Ukrainians from various regions of the former Soviet Union to their places of origin. In the migration flow, Russians were gradually substituted by Ukrainians, and the total proportion of Slavs increased. The isolation by distance (b) decreased from 0.00122 to 0.00075 in the period from 1960 to 1985 and then increased to 0.00098 by 1995. Positive association was found between the parent–offspring distance and marriage distance (the correlation coefficient r = 0.65–0.75).