Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Carnaby's cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris) and related black cockatoo species

Microsatellite loci were isolated from Carnaby's black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris: Aves), a highly valued, endangered, and endemic species of bird from Western Australia. This study describes three dinucleotide and one tetranucleotide microsatellite loci for which the primers produced clear and polymorphic amplification patterns with between two and nine alleles and moderate levels of variability. Two additional dinucleotide markers which were monomorphic in the Carnaby's cockatoo were able to amplify and were polymorphic in two other species of black cockatoo, greatly increasing the utility of these markers.     

Growth and Photosynthesis in Sorghum bicolor Infected with Striga hermonthica

Sorghum plants were grown in the laboratory with the root systemof each plant split between two pots. Three split pot treatmentswere established: (– –) treatment, where both halvesof the root were free from Striga; (– +) treatment, wherethe soil in one half of the pot had been inoculated with Strigaseed; (+ +) treatment, where the soil in both halves of thepot had been inoculated with Striga. Seed, stem and leaf weight were reduced by 82, 60 and 26 percent respectively in (+ +) plants compared to (– –)plants. Partially infected plants (– +) behaved similarlyto (+ +) plants. Rates of light saturating carbon dioxide fixation in (+ +) and(– +) plants were only 60 per cent of those measured in(– –) plants. This reduction was independent ofchanges in stomatal conductance. The effects of Striga on the growth and photosynthesis of sorghumappear to be independent of the degree of parasitism to whichthe host is subjected. The difference in production betweeninfected and uninfected plants was greater than could be accountedfor in term of competition with the parasite for resources,and Striga appears to have a pathological effect on the host. Sorghum, Striga, parasitic angiosperm, growth, photosynthesis     

Influence of Acid and Salt Sprays on Furanocoumarin Concentrations on the Ruta graveolens Leaf Surface

Ruta graveotens subshrubs, known to contain a large fractionof their furanocoumarins on the leaf surface, were used forinvestigation of salt and acid rain effects on the plant surfaceand substances occurring there. Groups of shoots on each plantcovered by plastic bags were sprayed with either sulphuric acid,pII 2.5, saturated sodium chloride solution, or a distilledwater control. Uncovered shoots, an additional control, hadthe highest concentrations of furanocoumarins both on the surfaceand in the whole leaf. The upper leaves contained less furanocoumarinsin absolute amounts but were similar to the lower leaves ona percentage basis. Spraying caused a decrease in total furanocoumarinconcentrations, slight in the case of distilled water and greaterfor acid and salt, but the percentage on the surface after sprayingincreased. The upper and lower leaves reacted differently tosalt than to sulphuric acid and water: with salt, the percentagesof furanocoumarins on the surface of both kinds of leaves showedsimilar increases; with the other two sprays, upper leaves showeda similar increase, but the lower leaves had a much higher percentageon the surface owing to a high rate of extrusion. Simulated acid rain, salt sprays, plant surface, furanocoumarins, Ruta graveolens     

The effect of ammonia treatment on the solubilization of straw and the growth of cellulolytic rumen bacteria

Pre-treatment of straw with anhydrous ammonia increased its susceptibility to solubilization by the predominant cellulolytic bacteria from the rumen, Bacteroides succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus and R. flavefaciens. Ammonia treatment also increased the production of microbial protein and fermentation products by all three species. Scanning electron microscope observations of straw during digestion suggested that the attack of straw by these bacteria was accompanied by the formation of substantial numbers of adherent microcolonies.     

Phosphorus availability and nitrogenase activity in aquatic blue-green algae

Metabolically active phosphorus-starved cultures of blue-green algae assimilate ³²P rapidly in the light and in the dark. The uptake of phosphorus results in a rapid (within 15 min) stimulation in acetylene reduction by Anabaena cylindrica, A. flosaquae, Anabacnopsis circuiaris and Chlorogloea fritschii, with a response being obtained to less than 5 μg/1 of phosphorus. Uptake of phosphorus also causes a rapid increase in respiration in the dark but not in photo respiration, and the size of the cellular ATP pool and the ¹⁴CO₂ fixation rate both increase more slowly. The metabolism of phosphorus-sufficient cells, which assimilate phosphorus more slowly, shows little response when phosphorus is provided. Excess phosphorus is stored in the vegetative cells of blue-green algae as polyphosphate bodies which may form within 60 min of adding phosphorus to phosphorusstarved cells and which serve as a source of phosphorus for the algae when exogenous phosphorus is limiting. Preliminary results from Scottish waters suggest that urban effluents are important sources of available-phosphorus for algal growth and that the levels entering fresh waters from agricultural land are, per unit volume, lower. In both types of water the levels of available-phosphorus are rather similar to the levels of orthophosphate-phosphorus present. Most detergents tested serve as a source of phosphorus for nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae and cause a rapid stimulation in reduction when added to phosphorus-starved cultures. Of the detergents assayed, the biological types were richest in available phosphorus. The addition of detergents may result in a rapid increase in number of polyphosphate bodies present in the algae. Detergents in general also contain an inhibitor of algal metabolism. Whether a stimu-lation or an inhibition occurs depends on the quantities of detergent added and on whether or not the alga is phosphorus-deficient.     

The Effects of Compatible Solutes on the Heat Stability of Glutamine Synthetase from Chickpeas Grown under Different Nitrogen and Temperature Regimes

The activity of glutamine synthetase (GS) extracted from chickpeasgrown under different nitrogen and temperature regimes was examined.Cytosolic GS (GS₁) was much less temperature sensitive thanchloroplastic GS (GS₂). There was no change in the ratio ofthe two isoforms from plants with different growth temperatures.Specific activity of GS appeared to be independent of growthtemperature and was little affected by nitrogen supply. In vitro studies were performed on the heat stability of GS₂in the presence of glycine betaine, proline, and myoinositol.The latter was most effective in preventing loss of enzyme activityat high temperatures. Glycine betaine was also effective asa heat protectant but enzyme activity in the presence of prolinewas lower than the control at temperatures above 30 ?C. Theimportance of myo-inositol protection of metabolism is discussedin relation to the accumulation in chickpeas of another cyclitol,pinitol. Key words: Chickpeas, high temperature stress, glutamine synthetase     

Characteristics of inorganic nitrogen assimilation of plants in fire-prone Mediterranean-type vegetation

A range of approaches was used to investigate how species within a fire-prone Banksia woodland in South West Australia exploited inorganic soil nitrogen sources and how this changes through the development of the fire chronosequence. Nitrate and ammonium were present in soil solution throughout the chronosequence but nitrate predominated in recently burnt sites. Mean shoot nitrate reductase activities were high for all species in recently burnt sites and showed little increase when nitrate was supplied via the transpiration stream. Nitrate reductase of shoots of most species was low at sites not burnt for several years, but following transpirational induction with nitrate, developed activities similar to those at recently burnt sites. The principal amino compounds transported in the xylem were species specific, including asparagine, glutamine and citrulline-dominated species, and changed little in relative composition across the chronosequence. Species most active in leaf nitrate reduction transported the largest amounts of nitrate in their xylem sap and proportional amounts of nitrate in xylem tended to be greatest in recently burnt sites. Most of the species examined appeared to be shoot rather than root nitrate assimilators, but marked differences were recorded in potential of leafy shoots of different species to reduce nitrate. As a general rule, shallow-rooted herbaceous, non-mycorrhizal or VAM-positive species had the highest capacity to reduce nitrate, whereas woody species with ericoid mycorrhizae or combined vesicular arbuscular/ectomycorrhizal associations exhibited little capacity to reduce nitrate in roots or shoots. It seems likely that this latter group utilize ammonium or even organic forms of nitrogen rather than nitrate. Some putative nitrogen-fixing species were active in reducing and transporting nitrate, others were virtually inactive in these respects.     

Zoraptera wing structures: evidence for new genera and relationship with the blattoid orders (Insecta: Blattoneoptera)

Abstract. The order Zoraptera has traditionally been thought to contain only one family (Zorotypidae) and one genus ( Zorotypus Silvestri). An analysis of known zorapteran wings shows that the wing venation contains character sets indicative of the existence of seven genera: Zorotypus, Brazilozoros gen.n., Centrozoros gen.n., Floridazoros gen.n., Latinozoros gen.n., Meridozoros gen.n. and Usazoros gen.n. The wing venation of Meridozoros leleupi (Weidner) from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and Venezuela is described here for the first time.
The major wing structures show that Zoraptera belong to the blattoid lineage. Head and abdomen characters indicate that Zoraptera probably diverged from the Blattoneoptera stock early, almost certainly before the (Protelytroptera + Dermaptera) line, and much before the (Isoptera + (Blattodea + Mantodea)) line. A homologized wing vein system is proposed for the Isoptera.
The homologized wing vein system is based on the hypothesis that the Pterygota originated with the development of protowings, which then diverged through separate but characteristic adaptations for flapping flight. Therefore the basic wing venation pattern is monophyletic, but the changes in wing musculature, articulation and basic braces between main veins are different in the major (super-ordinal) pterygote lineages (Pleconeoptera, Orthoneoptera, Blattoneoptera, Hemineoptera and Endoneoptera). Thus, these characters provide an extremely useful, almost untapped, source of data for higher-level systematics. Both higher-level and lower-level wing characters have been applied here to the phylogeny of Zoraptera and are discussed.