Ultrastructural and Cytochemical Studies of 'Air Blisters' in Pilea cadierei Gagnep. and Guillaumin

Cells from the sub-epidermal layer of Pilea cadierei preparedfor electron microscopy using standard fixation and embeddingprocedures appear extremely osmiophilic, with the organellesstanding out in negative relief. However, when tissues werefixed in glutaraldehyde supplemented with either procaine orcaffeine (substances known to complex with phenols) the osmiophilicmaterial was generally limited to the vacuole. After procaineor caffeine fixation the surrounding cytoplasm appeared as inadjacent, nonphenolic cells. Some small aggregates of phenolicmaterial appear in the cisternae of the endoplasmic reticular,indicating these organelles may be involved in either the synthesisor transport of phenolics in Pilea. Since one of the major functionsof phenolics is in light-screening, air blisters may serve toscreen out damaging radiation from the underlying tissue. Thepresence of typical shade-type plastids in Pilea air blistersis a further indication of this light-screening role. Pilea cadierei, aluminium plant, air blister, cytochemistry, ultrastructure, light screening, phenolics     

In situ localization of the sites of paraquat action

Abstract. Effects of paraquat were monitored by electron microscopic, cytochemical, and in vivo spectrophotometric procedures. Electron microscopy of paraquat-treated pea leaf discs indicates that the chloroplasts are affected primarily with both thylakoid dilation and apparent lamellar fusions, resulting in a 'honeycomb' of lamellae. No ultra-structural effects were noted when leaf discs were incubated in both DCMU and paraquat. Paraquat-induced peroxide was located cytochemically along the stroma lamellae, on the ends of the grana stack and in the dilated thylakoids. Less destruction was noted in those samples where peroxide was precipitated by cerium chloride, indicating that peroxide or one of its products is one of the major causes of paraquat toxicily. In C₄ plants mesophyll plastids exhibited much more peroxide deposition than was detected in bundle sheath plastids. No plastid peroxide depositions were noted in a photobleaching mutant that is resistant to paraquat. In situ cytochrome f oxidation-reduction was followed during paraquat treatments and resulted in a hastening of the dark re-reduction of cytochrome f after only 1 h of treatment. This effect was prevented by DCMU or CeCI₃. Electron transport, as measured by cytochrome f oxidation-reduction, was completely obliterated by a 24 h paraquat treatment. These in situ studies on paraquat confirm previous studies that the primary effect in the light is on the plastid and involves peroxide or further products generated by peroxide.     

Scale‐dependent longitudinal patterns in mussel communities

1. Species richness and assemblage patterns of organisms are dictated by numerous factors, probably operating at multiple scales. Freshwater mussels (Unionidae) are an endangered, speciose faunal group, making them an interesting model system to study the influence of landscape features on organisms. In addition, landscape features that influence species distributions and the scale at which the factors have the greatest impact are important issues that need to be answered to conserve freshwater mussels. 2. In this study, we quantified freshwater mussel communities at 16 sites along three mid‐sized rivers in the south‐central United States. We addressed the following questions: (i) Are there predictable longitudinal changes in mussel community composition? (ii) What landscape variables best explain shifts in community composition? and (iii) At what scale do landscape variables best predict mussel community composition? 3. After controlling for the influence of longitudinal position along the stream, we compared mussel distributions to a suite of hypothesised explanatory landscape variables across multiple scales – catchment scale (entire drainage area), buffer scale (100‐m riparian buffer of the entire catchment) and reach scale (100‐m riparian buffer extending 1 km upstream from the sampling site). 4. We found a significant and consistent longitudinal shift in dominant mussel species across all three rivers, with community composition strongly related to distance from the headwaters, which is highly correlated with stream size. After accounting for stream size, variables at the buffer scale were the best predictors of mussel community composition. After accounting for catchment position, mean channel slope was the best explanatory variable of community composition and appeared in all top candidate models at the catchment and buffer scales. Coverage of wetland and urban area were also correlated with community composition at the catchment and buffer scales. 5. Our results suggest that landscape‐scale habitat factors influence mussel community composition. Landscape features at the buffer scale performed best at determining community composition after accounting for position in the catchment; thus, further protection of riparian buffers will help to conserve mussel communities.     

Context-dependent effects of freshwater mussels on stream benthic communities

1. We asked whether unionid mussels influence the distribution and abundance of co‐occurring benthic algae and invertebrates. In a yearlong field enclosure experiment in a south‐central U.S. river, we examined the effects of living mussels versus sham mussels (shells filled with sand) on periphyton and invertebrates in both the surrounding sediment and on mussel shells. We also examined differences between two common unionid species, Actinonaias ligamentina (Lamarck 1819) and Amblema plicata (Say 1817). 2. Organic matter concentrations and invertebrate densities in the sediment surrounding mussels were significantly higher in treatments with live mussels than treatments with sham mussels or sediment alone. Organic matter was significantly higher in the sediment surrounding Actinonaias than that surrounding Amblema. Actinonaias was more active than Amblema and may have increased benthic organic matter through bioturbation. 3. Living mussels increased the abundance of periphyton on shells and the abundance and richness of invertebrates on shells, whereas effects of sham mussels were similar to sediment alone. Differences in the amount of periphyton growing on the shells of the two mussel species reflected differences in mussel activity and shell morphology. 4. Differences between living and sham mussel treatments indicate that biological activities of mussels provide ecosystem services to the benthic community beyond the physical habitat provided by shells alone. In treatments containing live mussels we found significant correlations between organic matter and chlorophyll a concentrations in the sediment, organic matter concentrations and invertebrate abundance in the sediment and the amount of chlorophyll a on the sediment and invertebrate abundance. There were no significant correlations among these response variables in control treatments. Thus, in addition to providing biogenic structure as habitat, mussels likely facilitate benthic invertebrates by altering the availability of resources (algae and organic matter) through nutrient excretion and biodeposition. 5. Effects of mussels on sediment and shell periphyton concentrations, organic matter concentrations and invertebrate abundance, varied seasonally, and were strongest in late summer during periods of low water volume, low flow, and high water temperature. 6. Our study demonstrates that freshwater mussels can strongly influence the co‐occurring benthic community, but that effects of mussels are context‐dependent and may vary among species.