Long term lily scale bulblet storage: effects of temperature and storage in polyethylene bags

Collections of lily genotypes are usually maintained by yearly planting, harvesting and storage of the bulbs. To facilitate this maintenance, a storage method has been developed for a collection of lily genotypes, including Asiatic hybrids, Oriental hybrids, Lilium longiflorum and L. henryi. Scale bulblets were stored either dry, sealed air-tight in polyethylene bags, or in moist vermiculite in open polyethylene bags for a period of 2 yr. The decrease in mass, sprouting proportion and ion leakage or sprouting proportion alone were determined for treatments carried out at -2°C, °C and 17°C. Sealing scale bulblets in polyethylene bags at -2°C resulted in the smallest decrease in mass, the least ion leakage and the highest sprouting proportion after 2 yr of storage.     

Do dung beetle larvae need microbial symbionts from their parents to feed on dung?

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Population Dynamics and Behavior of Bighorn Sheep with Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis

ABSTRACT Introduced disease is a major mortality factor in some populations of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Epizootics of infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) and contagious ecthyma occurred in bighorn sheep in the Silver Bell Mountains of south-central Arizona, USA, from 1 December 2003 to 31 March 2004. Our objectives were to 1) investigate the influence of the epizootic on abundance and demographics and 2) examine how IKC affected the mortality, behavior, and movements of clinically affected animals. Morbidity was 39%, and all sex and age classes were affected. The population declined 23%, with most mortality in the adult female (1 M, 11 F) segment of the population. Of the diseased animals that were marked (n = 27), 44% recovered and 44% died. Predation (50%) and starvation (33%) were the primary causes of mortality of diseased bighorn sheep. Bighorn sheep that were infected spent less time feeding and moved less than noninfected animals during the epizootic. Managers might be able to minimize losses of infected animals through predator control. To minimize losses to starvation, managers should refrain from any activity that disturbs infected animals (including treatment) because disturbances increase energy expenditures and expose infected animals to injury.     

Population Interactions and the Determinants of Population Size

Abstract The flux of individuals within populations is dependent upon six controlling processes: the intrinsic rate of increase of the plant, intraspecific competition for resources, interspecific competition, natural enemies, mutualisms and refuge effects such as the immigration of seeds from other populations. Although population interactions are generally believed to play a major role in determining the flux of individuals within populations, little attempt has been made to quantify the strength of these interactions and their role in the dynamics of populations. In this paper we examine the role of competition, herbivory and mutualistic interactions in determining the dynamics of a range of annual plant species. Firstly, it is shown that the dynamics of three weed species ( Bromus sterilis, Galium aparine, Papaver rhoeas ) in an experimental community in an arable cropping system of winter wheat are determined primarily by the rapid population growth of B. sterilis . Interactions between the species play a minor part in the dynamics of the system. Secondly, it is shown that current levels of grazing by overwintering populations of brent geese have a minor impact on the abundance of Salicornia europaea , but that increased grazing has the potential to reduce abundance and increase the instability of S. europaea populations. This is a consequence of the aggregative response of the geese, which results in an increasing proportion of the seeds of S. europaea being eaten as plant density increases. Thirdly, it is shown that there is a complex interaction between root pathogenic and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in natural field populations of Vulpia ciliata and that the benefit of mycorrhizal fungi to the plant is in providing protection against pathogens.     

Molecular genetic analysis of black poplar (Populus nigra L.) along Dutch rivers

The genetic structure of remaining black poplar ( Populus nigra ) trees on the banks of the Dutch Rhine branches was investigated using the AFLP technique. In total, 143 trees, including one P. deltoides and some P. x euramericana , were analysed using six AFLP primer combinations which generated 319 polymorphic bands. The AFLP patterns showed that some of the trees sampled as P. nigra were clearly different. These deviating patterns were also observed for the P. deltoides tree and all trees already identified as hybrid P. x euramericana . Hybrids between the two species are morphologically sometimes difficult to distinguish from the species itself. Two important possible source populations for recolonization of the riverbanks of the river Rhine, consisting of mature flowering P. nigra trees, appeared to consist of only a few genotypes each. In contrast, young black poplar trees growing alone or in small groups downstream of the possible source populations appeared to be predominantly generatively derived because no clones of mature trees were found among them. Therefore vegetative propagation seems a very local strategy whereas colonization of new areas appears to occur through generative propagation. Whether the genetic diversity within these black poplars is sufficient for recolonization of river banks and survival of the metapopulation is a question for further research.     

Differentiating aquatic plant communities in a eutrophic river using hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing

1. This study evaluates the efficacy of remote sensing technology to monitor species composition, areal extent and density of aquatic plants (macrophytes and filamentous algae) in impoundments where their presence may violate water‐quality standards. 2. Multispectral satellite (IKONOS) images and more than 500 in situ hyperspectral samples were acquired to map aquatic plant distributions. By analyzing field measurements, we created a library of hyperspectral signatures for a variety of aquatic plant species, associations and densities. We also used three vegetation indices. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), near‐infrared (NIR)‐Green Angle Index (NGAI) and normalized water absorption depth (D_H)_, at wavelengths 554, 680, 820 and 977 nm to differentiate among aquatic plant species composition, areal density and thickness in cases where hyperspectral analysis yielded potentially ambiguous interpretations. 3. We compared the NDVI derived from IKONOS imagery with the in situ, hyperspectral‐derived NDVI. The IKONOS‐based images were also compared to data obtained through routine visual observations. Our results confirmed that aquatic species composition alters spectral signatures and affects the accuracy of remote sensing of aquatic plant density. The results also demonstrated that the NGAI has apparent advantages in estimating density over the NDVI and the D_H. 4. In the feature space of the three indices, 3D scatter plot analysis revealed that hyperspectral data can differentiate several aquatic plant associations. High‐resolution multispectral imagery provided useful information to distinguish among biophysical aquatic plant characteristics. Classification analysis indicated that using satellite imagery to assess Lemna coverage yielded an overall agreement of 79% with visual observations and >90% agreement for the densest aquatic plant coverages. 5. Interpretation of biophysical parameters derived from high‐resolution satellite or airborne imagery should prove to be a valuable approach for assessing the effectiveness of management practices for controlling aquatic plant growth in inland waters, as well as for routine monitoring of aquatic plants in lakes and suitable lentic environments.