Characteristics of softwater streams in Rhode Island II. Composition and seasonal dynamics of macroalgal communities

Forty stream segments in Rhode Island, U.S.A., were examined seasonally from June 1979 to March 1982. Thirty-nine species of macroalgae were collected, respresenting 25 genera. The composition of the lotic flora was 54% green algae, 31% red algae, 5% blue-green algae, 5% xanthophytes, 3% chrysophytes and 3% diatoms. The majority of these taxa (85%) were filamentous. From a biweekly examination of five stream segments, macroalgal communities could be grouped according to light regime. Species in unshaded streams exhibited little seasonality, whereas in streams shaded by one or more layers of riparian canopy, maxima in species numbers and abundance occurred during colder seasons. The most widespread and abundant species were the blue-green alga Phormidium retzii, the green alga Draparnaldia acuta, and the diatom Eunotia pectinalis. P. retzii and E. pectinalis were aseasonal annuals, while D. acuta was primarily a winter-spring form. It appears that pH is a major factor affecting broad geographic distribution patterns of stream macroalgae, whereas the light regime established by overhanging canopy is an important factor which influences localized abundance and seasonality of lotic macroalgal communities. Niche pre-emption appears to be a common mode of resource space division among stream macroalgae in Rhode Island. E. pectinalis is the strongly developed dominant in this drainage system.     

DISTRIBUTION AND SYSTEMATICS OF FRESHWATER CERAMIALES (RHODOPHYTA) IN NORTH AMERICA1

Twenty-five freshwater populations of Ceramiales were collected in North America, 24 of which were from the tropical rainforest region of Central America and the Caribbean. The streams tended to be moderate in mean current velocity (X?= 23.3 cm·S^?1) and maximum width (X?= 6.3 m) but high in temperature (X?= 23.1°C), pH (X?= 7.9), and specific conductance (X?= 320 μS·cm^?1). Three Bostrychia species were restricted to the Caribbean islands: B. moritziana (Sonder ex Kütz.) J. Ag. (syn. B. cornigera Mont. and B. radicans f. moliforme Post), with ecorticate indeterminate axes, monosiphonous ultimate branches, and cladohaptera; B. radicans (Mont.) Mont. (syn. B. leprieurii Mont and B. rivularis Harv.), with ecorticate and polysiphonous axes throughout and cladophaptera; and B. tenella (Lamour.) J. Ag., with corticate indeterminate axes, monosiphonous ultimate branches, and peripherohaptera. Ballia prieurii Kütz. was found in Belize and Costa Rica and was characterized by rebranched determinate laterals, opposite branching, and long apical cells (X?= 61 μm) and axial cells (X?= 43 μm). Caloglossa leprieurii (Mont.) J. Ag. was localized in Puerto Rico while. C. ogasawaerensis Okam. was collected only in Costa Rica. The two species were separated by site of branching (midrib vs. margin) and blade width (X?= 384 vs. 861 μm). Polysiphonia subtilissima Mont. from Florida and Jamaica had four pericentral cells, no cortication, rhizoids arising from pericentral cells, and branches initiated at trichoblast scars.     

DISTRIBUTION AND SYSTEMATICS OF THE FRESHWATER GENUS TUOMEYA (RHODOPHYTA,BATRACHOSPERMACEAE)1

Twenty-seven populations of Tuomeya, including the types of Tuomeya fluviatilis Harvey and Baileya americana Kützing, were analyzed from the entire known range of the genus: northern Newfoundland to northern Florida and east of the Mississippi River. Key morphological features were examined in detail since it has been recently proposed that Tuomeya should be reduced to a section of the genus Batrachospermum. Our observations confirmed the presence of several characteristics unique to Tuomeya: gametophyte development from a basal mass of undifferentiated cells rather than a chantransia stage, pseudoparenchymatous growth, and carpogonia with obliquely to perpendicularly attached trichogynes. Based on these findings, we conclude that the genus Tuomeya should be retained. Using multivariate morphometrics, two groupings were found that differed significantly in plant length (X = 14.1 and 24.1 mm, respectively). However, since there was no other morphometric, environmental, or geographic basis for separation of the groupings, only one species is recognized, T. americana (Kützing) Papenfuss. Populations tend to occur in large streams (>2.8 m wide) with low ion content (≤ 100 μS · cm^?1).     

Proposal for adoption of the base of the Undulograptus austrodentatus Biozone as a global Ordovician stage and series boundary level

The base of the Undulograptus austrodentatus Biozone appears to be a synchronous event that is widely recognizable within graptolitic facies around the world. It occurs within an interval in which graptolite species ranges are now well known and in which there is a rapid turnover in the composition of graptolite faunas. This turnover reflects the rapid evolutionary radiation of the Diplograptacea simultaneously with the appearance of several distinctive pseudisograptid and glossograptid species. These events provide the basis for the recognition of two thin but widely applicable subzones; a lower Arienigraptus zhejiangensis Subzone and an upper U. sinicus Subzone. The occurrence of the lower boundary of the U. austrodentatus Biozone within a succession of first appearances also permits accurate and reliable identification of the boundary as well as assessment of stratigraphic completeness across the boundary interval in correlated sections. Diverse graptolite faunas of late Yapeenian and early Darriwilian age occur in association with the Histiodella altifrons Biozone of the North American midcontinent conodont zonation and the Paroistodus originalis and Microzarkodina parva biozones of the North Atlantic conodont zonation. They also occur in association with the shelly-fossil zonations developed for several different continents. These features of the base of the U. austrodentatus Biozone make it a suitable level for use as the boundary level for a global stage. Its stratigraphic position within the Ordovician System relative to other likely global stages as well as its coincidence with one of the major events in graptolite evolutionary history suggest that this level also may be a suitable level for the base of a global Middle Ordovician Series.Ordovician System, Ordovician stages, graptolite zonation, chronostratigraphy, international correlation. Charles E. Mitchell and Jörg Maletz, Department of Geology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260-1550, USA; 13th July, 1994; revised 22nd May, 1995.     

Ultrastructural changes in major organelles during spermatial differentiation inBangia (Rhodophyta)

Summary The major organelles within the cells of maleBangia atropurpurea (Roth) C. Ag. filaments undergo a series of ultrastructural transformations during the production of spermatia. Initially, thylakoids within the large axial chloroplast develop a reticulate pattern commencing at the central pyrenoid region. Subsequent changes involve loss of lobes and diminution of volume through division; chloroplasts in final stages contain a few dilated, distorted thylakoids and many plastoglobuli. During differentiation the large nucleolus disappears from the nucleus and four masses of chromatin aggregate near the nuclear envelope. Furrows originating from the nuclear envelope form double membranes around each of the chromatin masses and most of the nucleoplasm is eliminated. Several types of fibrillar vesicles are formed during the process and large floridean starch reserves are utilized. Multilamellar bodies and microbody-like structures occur within the cells during certain phases of spermatiogenesis.     

Heterogeneity of Intermediate Filament Expression in Vascular Smooth Muscle: A Gradient in Desmin Positive Cells from the Rat Aortic Arch to the Level of the Arteria Iliaca Communis

The display of the two distinct intermediate filament proteins, desmin and vimentin, in rat vascular smooth muscle tissue was studied by immunofluorescence microscopy on frozen sections of aorta and other blood vessels. Vascular smooth muscle cells present in these vessels always appeared rich in vimentin. However, staining of sections covering six distinct but contiguous parts of the aorta showed that the number of desmin containing cells was low distal to the truncus brachiocephalicus, but increases until in distal parts of the aorta and in the arteria iliaca communis almost all cells appear positive for desmin. Thus blood vessels show heterogeneity of intermediate filament expression not only in cross-section but can also display heterogeneity along their length. Muscular arteries such as the renal artery and the arteria femoralis, as well as arterioles and veins including the vena jugularis and the vena cava also contain desmin. Thus it may be that low numbers of desmin-positive cells are typical of elastic arteries, while muscular arteries and other blood vessels are characterized by large numbers of desmin-positive cells. We discuss whether desmin-positive and desmin-negative vascular smooth muscle cells may perform different functions and raise the possibility that desmin expression may coincide with the turn on of a specially regulated contractility program.     

Conjugation morphology of Zygogonium ericetorum (Zygnematophyceae,Charophyta) from a high alpine habitat

Reproductive characteristics are important for defining taxonomic groups of filamentous Zygnematophyceae, but they have not been fully observed in the genus Zygogonium. Specimens of Z. ericetorum previously studied and used to clarify the generic concept lacked fertile material, which was obtained recently. This study illustrates for the first time, using color light microscopic and fluorescence images, a consequent conjugation stage in Z. ericetorum, including completely developed zygospores and purple cytoplasmic residue content left outside the zygospores, similar to aplanospore formation. Structures confirmed earlier reports and provided new observation informative regarding phylogenetically relevant reproductive characters of Z. ericetorum.     

New Natural Noncannabinoid Ligands for Cannabinoid Type-2 (CB2) Receptors

Since the discovery that Δ ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol and related cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa L. act on specific physiological receptors in the human body and the subsequent elucidation of the mammalian endogenous cannabinoid system, no other natural product class has been reported to mimic the effects of cannabinoids. We recently found that N-alkyl amides from purple coneflower (Echinacea spp.) constitute a new class of cannabinomimetics, which specifically engage and activate the cannabinoid type-2 (CB₂) receptors. Cannabinoid type-1 (CB₁) and CB₂ receptors belong to the family of G protein-coupled receptors and are the primary targets of the endogenous cannabinoids N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine and 2-arachidonoyl glyerol. CB₂ receptors are believed to play an important role in distinct pathophysiological processes, including metabolic dysregulation, inflammation, pain, and bone loss. CB₂ receptors have, therefore, become of interest as new targets in drug discovery. This review focuses on N-alkyl amide secondary metabolites from plants and underscores that this group of compounds may provide novel lead structures for the development of CB₂-directed drugs.