The role of epiphytism in architecture and evolutionary constraint within mycorrhizal networks of tropical orchids

Characterizing the architecture of bipartite networks is increasingly used as a framework to study biotic interactions within their ecological context and to assess the extent to which evolutionary constraint shape them. Orchid mycorrhizal symbioses are particularly interesting as they are viewed as more beneficial for plants than for fungi, a situation expected to result in an asymmetry of biological constraint. This study addressed the architecture and phylogenetic constraint in these associations in tropical context. We identified a bipartite network including 73 orchid species and 95 taxonomic units of mycorrhizal fungi across the natural habitats of Reunion Island. Unlike some recent evidence for nestedness in mycorrhizal symbioses, we found a highly modular architecture that largely reflected an ecological barrier between epiphytic and terrestrial subnetworks. By testing for phylogenetic signal, the overall signal was stronger for both partners in the epiphytic subnetwork. Moreover, in the subnetwork of epiphytic angraecoid orchids, the signal in orchid phylogeny was stronger than the signal in fungal phylogeny. Epiphytic associations are therefore more conservative and may co‐evolve more than terrestrial ones. We suggest that such tighter phylogenetic specialization may have been driven by stressful life conditions in the epiphytic niches. In addition to paralleling recent insights into mycorrhizal networks, this study furthermore provides support for epiphytism as a major factor affecting ecological assemblage and evolutionary constraint in tropical mycorrhizal symbioses.     

The mitochondrial and nuclear genetic structure of Myotis capaccinii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Eurasian transition, and its taxonomic implications

Allopatric isolation in glacial refugia has caused differentiation and speciation in many taxa globally. In this study, we investigated the nuclear and mitochondrial genetic differentiation of the long fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii during the ice ages in south-eastern Europe and Anatolia. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analyses indicated a suture zone similar to those recorded in other animal species, including bats, suggesting the association of more than one refugium with the region. Contrary to most of the other species where a suture zone was seen in Anatolia, for M. capaccinii the geographical location of the genetic break was in south-eastern Europe. This mitochondrial differentiation was not reflected in the nuclear microsatellites, however, suggesting that the lack of contact during the ice ages did not result in reproductive isolation. Hence taxonomically, the two mitochondrial clades cannot be treated as separate species.     

Metabolome and water status phenotyping of Arabidopsis under abiotic stress cues reveals new insight into ESK1 function

Metabolomic investigation of the freezing-tolerant Arabidopsis mutant esk1 revealed large alterations in polar metabolite content in roots and shoots. Stress metabolic markers were found to be among the most significant metabolic markers associated with the mutation, but also compounds related to growth regulation or nutrition. The metabolic phenotype of esk1 was also compared to that of wild type (WT) under various environmental constraints, namely cold, salinity and dehydration. The mutant was shown to express constitutively a subset of metabolic responses which fits with the core of stress metabolic responses in the WT. But remarkably, the most specific metabolic responses to cold acclimation were not phenocopied by esk1 mutation and remained fully inducible in the mutant at low temperature. Under salt stress, esk1 accumulated lower amounts of Na⁺ in leaves than the WT, and under dehydration stress its metabolic profile and osmotic potential were only slightly impacted. These phenotypes are consistent with the hypothesis of an altered water status in esk1 , which actually exhibited basic lower water content (WC) and transpiration rate (TR) than the WT. Taken together, the results suggest that ESK1 does not function as a specific cold acclimation gene, but could rather be involved in water homeostasis.     

Use of time in a decision‐making process by a parasitoid

1. Time perception is seldom studied in invertebrates, with the limited experimental evidence being insufficient to provide a comprehensive pattern of the capacity of invertebrates to measure time and use it in decision‐making processes. 2. In this study, it was hypothesized that insect parasitoids have evolved the capacity to measure time precisely and to use it to optimize foraging decisions related to host exploitation. To examine time perception in females of the gregarious egg parasitoid Trichogramma euproctidis, the present study used their ability to adjust their investment (number of eggs laid) in a host to the initial transit duration (interval between the first contact with the host and the following contact with the substrate). Females utilize this method to assess host egg size, as a large egg necessarily requires more time to evaluate than a small host. In this study, the initial transit duration for a given sized egg was artificially extended by suspending it. 3. For similar sized hosts, female T. euproctidis significantly increased both oviposition duration and progeny allocation following a longer initial transit duration. 4. These results demonstrate the intrinsic capacity of this parasitoid to measure time and to adjust their progeny investment accordingly. This is believed to be one of the few demonstrations of a retrospective measure of time in an invertebrate.     

Internal Nutrient Translocation in Chestnut Tree Stemwood: III. Dynamics Across an Age Series of Castanea sativa (Miller)

Nutrient translocation in chestnut tree stemwood was calculatedfrom the distribution of nutrient content throughout the tissuelife-span. The dynamics of internal translocation were followedduring the crop rotation by means of an age series of five coppicedstands (2–19 years). N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents in treerings were estimated from the concentrations along a verticaland radial gradient and from the ring volume obtained usingstem ring analysis.Real nutrient translocation was calculatedstepwise between successive stages in the age series;apparenttranslocation was computed on a complete tree rotation by comparingthe initial content just after the ring was formed with themineral content in the oldest stand. There was a marked translocationof N, P, K and Ca when the rings were physiologically-activetissues. Real translocation of N, P and K (but not Ca) increasedwith stand age, obviously in parallel with the enlarged stemwoodbiomass reaching 23.2 and 20.6 kg ha^-1for K and N in the lastyears of rotation, nearly 5 kg ha^-1for Mg and about 3 kg ha^-1forCa and P. Potassium was the most mobile element since translocationreached 60% of the total amount immobilized in the stemwoodat the end of the rotation, whereas values for N, P and Mg wereapproximately 25% and 10% for calcium. Total apparent translocationreached respectively 39.2 and 32.4 kg ha^-1for K, N, approximately12 and 7 kg ha^-1for Mg and Ca and only 4.4 kg ha^-1for P. Totalapparent translocation as a percentage of total wood immobilizationwas 114% for K, 83% for Mg, 63% for P, but only 39% for N and24% for calcium. Translocation; nutrient content; stemwood; tree ring; coppice; age series; dynamics; chestnut tree; Castanea sativa Miller     

SEM Characterization of an Extracellular Matrix Around Somatic Proembryos in Roots of Cichorium

Roots of in vitro plantlets of a hybrid Cichorium intybus L.x C. endivia L. placed for 10 d in an agitated liquid inductionmedium in darkness at 35 °C give somatic embryos of varioussizes which disrupt the epidermis. Proembryos can be observedinside the root; they show a fibrillar network linking the surfacecells. The network is observed in agitated and static liquidmedium; it is not well developed on solid medium. It is notremoved by lipid solvents and pectinase but disappears partlywith protease. Ether-methanol (1:1 v/v) for 45 min and Tris-HC1buffer for 3 h at 30 °C destroy it. As in animal cells suchexternal proteic networks are constituents of an extracellularmatrix linked to the cytoskeleton, we tested microtubule destabilizationby colchicine and cold treatments which removed the network;this effect was reversed by DMSO and high temperature. Cichorium, extracellular matrix, extracellular proteins, somatic embryogenesis     

Additional Nucleotide Sequences in Precursor 16S Ribosomal RNA from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

MATURE 5S, 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA species present in E. coli ribosomes are the end products of complex biosyn-thetic pathways. They are formed by reduction in length, and methylation of longer RNA chains transcribed on the ribosomal RNA cistrons of E. coli DNA. While these modifications take place the ribosome structure is formed by progressive addition of ribosomal proteins and conformational changes in the resulting ribonucleoprotein precursor particles¹.     

Factors involved in resistance to blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary) in potatoes and assessment of resistance using detached leaves

In leaves of potatoes inoculated with Phytophthora infestans early in the growing season, more but smaller lesions with later onset of sporulation and fewer sporangia developed than on those inoculated later. None of these factors was uniform on detached leaves of all clones, so could not be used separately to forecast field resistance satisfactorily; when considered together, a reasonable prediction was feasible. With some clones, tests of detached leaflets gave a better indication of behaviour in the field than laboratory tests of whole plants.     

Etude Ultrastructurale des Mérozoites et de la Schizogonie des Coccidies (Eimeriina): Eimeria magna (Perard 1925) de I'Intestin des Lapins et E. tenella (Railliet et Lucet, 1891) des Coecums des Poulets

SYNOPSIS. An electron microscopic study is made of merozoites and schizogony of Eimeria magna and Eimeria tenella from rabbits and chickens infected 5 days before fixation.
The merozoite outer layer is formed by a unit membrane lined by a dense osmiophilic layer. A micropyle is present. The apical complex of the cell is constituted by a conoid surmounted by 2 rings and surrounded by another from which about 26 subpellicular, tubular fibrils start. Two "rhoptries" (= toxonemes) go thru the conoid to the apex of cell. Rare sarconemes (= convoluted tubes) are disseminated in the anterior part of merozoites. A nucleus with nucleolus, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lipid globules and glucidic grains were observed.
Schizogony starts by the formation of a multinucleated schizont which has a centriolar structure. The new merozoites appear as evaginations of the schizont's membrane. Cellular organelles (conoid, rhoptries, micropyle, sarconemes) differentiate and the nuclei enter the diverticula of the schizont. Then the development of merozoites proceeds by "external budding".
The ultrastructural similarities between the merozoites of Eimeria and the endodyocytes of Toxoplasmea, appear to us to be extremely interesting and indicate a close relationship between the Toxoplasmea and the Coccidia.     

Notes on the History and Adaptation of the Apache Tribes

Sometime between A.D. 1100 and 1600 a group of Athapaskan-speaking tribes migrated from northwestern North America into the southwestern United States, where most eventually came to be referred to as Apaches. Compared with the majority of Amerindian tribes, relatively little is known about this group, specially about their life prior to the arrival of Europeans in the seventeenth century. This paper is an attempt to gather together widely scattered information about their prehistoric movements, their economy, and their general style of adaptation to the Southwest.