A new species of Astragalus L. (section Onobrychoidei DC.: Fabaceae) from Turkey

A new species of Astragalus L., A. trabzonicus (section Onobrychoidei DC.), is described and illustrated from north‐east Anatolia in Turkey. The diagnostic, pollen morphological, and chromosomal characteristics are discussed. A distribution map and conservation status are given. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 157 , 741–747.     

Geometric morphometric analysis of a new Miocene bumble bee from the Randeck Maar of southwestern Germany (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The first fossil bumble bee (Apinae: Bombini) from the Miocene Randeck Maar of southwestern Germany is described and illustrated. The specimen is subjected to a geometric morphometric analysis along with a diversity of other bumble bee species representing most major extant lineages, and particularly the subgenus Bombus s.s. The morphometric analysis supports the placement of the Randeck Maar species within Bombus s.s., as a species distinct from all others in the subgenus. It shows that extant subgenera of bumblebees were already derived in the early/middle Miocene. The Randeck Maar fossil is formally described as Bombus (Bombus) randeckensis Wappler & Engel sp. n. .     

Fish and mucus-dwelling bacteria interact to produce a kairomone that induces diel vertical migration in Daphnia

1. Bacterial populations associated with fish have previously been documented to be crucial for the production of chemical signals governing the interactions between predator fish and zooplankton prey. 2. In this study, we investigated the roles of fish and mucus‐dwelling bacteria in kairomone production by conducting two sets of experiments related to elimination of bacteria with antibiotics and using fish mucus in bioassays of Daphnia pulex’s diel vertical migration. 3. Daphnia’s migratory response to the antibiotic‐treated fish was about half the strength of the response to the fish cue treatment. Furthermore, when the same antibiotic‐treated fish were removed from the antibiotic‐containing water and transferred into control water for 24 and 48 h, the extent of D. pulex’s migration depended on the length of the incubation period, apparently corresponding to the regeneration of bacterial colonies associated with mucus. The migration pattern observed in the 24 h treatment was similar to that of antibiotic‐treated fish. On the other hand, a pronounced migration occurred in the 48 h following antibiotic treatment; here, we found a higher density of fish surface dwelling bacteria than at the start of the experiment. 4. In the experiment involving fish mucus, the mucus‐enriched control water induced a weak response similar to antibiotic‐treated fish. 5. On the basis of the results from the two experiments, we suggest that both fish and fish mucus‐dwelling bacteria interact in the release of kairomone in ecologically relevant quantities.     

Phylogenetic and populational study of the Tuber indicum complex

When examined using SEM, Chinese samples of Tuber indicum and T. sinense displayed the same ascospore ornamentation as that of T. pseudohimalayense, T. indicum, collected in India by Duthie in 1899, and samples renamed T. himalayense in 1988. The different authors who named the four taxa (T. indicum, T. himalayense, T. sinense, T. pseudohimalyense) described differences in the surface of the peridium which could be considered as usual variations within a single species. We consider T. indicum, T. himalayense, T. sinense and T. pseudohimalayense as one species, T. indicum. Within this T. indicum complex, according to ITS and β-tubulin sequences, there are two groups in China, which could be considered as geographical ecotypes. This study is the first to identify a genetic and phylogeographical structure within the Chinese Tuber species.     

An investigation of the frost hardiness of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) during bud break

The aim of this investigation was to assess ice nucleation and frost resistance of two varieties of grapevine (Siegrebbe and Madeleine Angevine) during bud burst under radiative freezing conditions analogous to those during Spring in the UK. During bud burst, grapevines were almost entirely resistant to freezing during frosts of less than -3°C by virtue of their ability to supercool. The risk of frost damage increased significantly as bud development progressed, and once buds had passed growth stage DS3 they became more sensitive to freezing and freezing damage was more extensive. The two varieties did not differ in frost resistance but, because of its earlier developing habit, variety Siegrebbe could be more prone to frost damage in the field. Buds were more prone to damage after freezing once bud burst had commenced and the damage could not be reversed by acclimating plants for periods of 7 to 21 days at 4°C in an 8 h photoperiod. Such acclimation appeared to predispose frozen buds to more extensive damage.     

Astragalus bahcesarayensis (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae), a new species of section Alopecuroidei DC. from Turkey

Astragalus bahcesarayensis H. Akan, M. Fırat & M. Ekici (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae) from Turkey is described and illustrated. It is compared with A. dipsaceus Bunge and A. panduratus Bunge. The geographical distributions of the new species and related species are mapped.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 156 , 439–444.     

A new species of Astragalus L (Leguminosae) from south Anatolia

A new species Astragalus yilmazii Aytac & M. Ekici sp. nov. (Leguminosae) is described and illustrated from South Anatolia, Turkey. Diagnostic, morphological and molecular data are discussed for the new taxon. In addition its pollen structure is examined.