A novel role for proline in plant floral nectars

Plants offer metabolically rich floral nectar to attract visiting pollinators. The composition of nectar includes not only sugars, but also amino acids. We have examined the amino acid content of the nectar of ornamental tobacco and found that it is extremely rich (2 mM) in proline. Because insect pollinators preferentially utilize proline during the initial phases of insect flight and can reportedly taste proline, we determined whether honeybees showed a preference for synthetic nectars rich in proline. We therefore established an insect preference test and found that honeybees indeed prefer nectars rich in the amino acid proline. To determine whether this was a general phenomenon, we also examined the nectars of two insect-pollinated wild perennial species of soybean. These species also showed high levels of proline in their nectars demonstrating that plants often produce proline-rich floral nectar. Because insects such as honeybees prefer proline-rich nectars, we hypothesize that some plants offer proline-rich nectars as a mechanism to attract visiting pollinators.     

Local and distant residence times of contaminants in multi-compartment models. Part II: application to assessing environmental mobility and long-range atmospheric transport

In Part I, the concepts of inherent, local and distant residence times (DRTs) were reviewed as metrics of the extent to which chemical discharges or emissions in one region or box are transported to distant regions. In this second part, the concepts are applied to geographically relevant systems to illustrate their applicability to the assessment of chemicals for long-range transport potential (LRTP). It is shown that the relative ranking of chemicals as characterized by the DRT method is similar to that of the characteristic travel distance concept. A DRT source-receptor matrix is developed that can express the chemical-specific potential of source regions to contaminate a specific receptor region of concern such as the Arctic. The matrix can be modified to identify for a specific source region the likely destinations of emissions as well as to assess the relative vulnerability of regions in the global environment to contaminants of concern.     

Biological Responses to Contrasting Hydrology in Backwaters of Upper Mississippi River Navigation Pool 25

Water level management in Mississippi River Pool 25 differentially influences off-channel habitats in the mid-pool and lower pool. Hydrologic models indicate lower pool off-channel habitats dry with greater frequency and duration compared to similar habitats at mid-pool. We examined the influence of this contrasting hydrology on substrate characteristics, organic matter, macroinvertebrate, and fish communities in off-channel habitats during 2001–2003. Benthic organic matter standing stocks were stable in mid-pool habitats but lower pool values were variable because of annual differences in moist-soil vegetation production. Generally, small-bodied and multivoltine invertebrate taxa had high community biomass and dominated lower pool habitats, whereas longer-lived and large-bodied taxa were more abundant and had higher community biomass in mid-pool habitats having longer hydroperiods. Fish communities were dominated by cyprinids in both habitats, and mid-pool habitats tended to be higher in overall species richness. Unique fish taxa were collected in each pool, with primarily rheophilic forms in mid-pool habitats and limnophilic forms in lower pool habitats. Results indicate that contrasting hydrology associated with a mid-pool control point directly and indirectly influences biological communities in off-channel habitats. Further, management regimes that promote hydrologic diversity in off-channel habitats may enhance biological diversity at larger spatial and temporal scales.     

Effect of specimen planar area on electromagnetic flanging

The specimen parameter that is often mentioned with respect to the ability to achieve electromagnetic forming (EMF) is the specimen thickness. If the skin depth is small compared to this parameter, efficient forming will be achieved. However, another parameter that may affect the ability to achieve efficient forming is the specimen's planar area, i.e., the length and width of the specimen. This would particularly become an important factor if EMF is used to fabricate meso/microscale components. In this research, a flat spiral coil was used to flange 0.508 mm thickness, CuZn30 specimens of varying widths (i.e., 10, 14, 18, 22, 35, and 47 mm). These widths were varied in order to modify the projected area of the coil over the specimen. Results showed that a decrease in the specimen width was generally associated with a decrease in forming (i.e., lower flanging angle) due to edge effects in induced eddy currents. Since the magnetic field distribution from the flat spiral coil is asymmetric, material was overhung on both sides of the die. This yielded an extra half turn on the left side of the specimen, and increased forming. The die was also translated to assess differences in flanging generated. In order to achieve meso/microforming with EMF, attention to the interaction between coil design and specimen dimensions is required.     

Australian approaches to coastal vulnerability assessment

The Australian coastline is one of the longest and most diverse of any in the world, and Australian researchers have developed preliminary models of the behaviour of major coastal systems such as beaches and reefs. The Australian population is particularly focused along the coastline, especially in metropolitan centres; however, the population of regional centres along the coast is increasing steadily in response to a phenomenon termed seachange. Coastal systems are increasingly threatened by potential impacts as a result of climate change, as indicated by the successive assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Although Australia played a central role in applying a common methodology (CM), developed from IPCC guidelines in the 1990s, and in devising alternative approaches, which were initially trialled at nine sites on the Australian coast, there has not been a nationally co-ordinated approach to assessing the coastal vulnerability of Australia, and such an approach is only emerging now. Instead, there have been a series of different approaches adopted to look at the different parts of the Australian coast, including wetland mapping in northern Australia; geomorphic unit mapping in South Australia; storm surge vulnerability modelling in Queensland; probabilistic approaches to beach erosion in New South Wales; indicative mapping of potential coastal retreat in Tasmania. Additionally, there have been methods proposed by insurers and coastal engineers to meet their requirements. Since 2005, the Australian government has once again seen the need for a national coastal vulnerability assessment, and a series of studies are planned or under way to achieve the aims of a National Climate Change Adaptation Framework.     

Local and distant residence times of contaminants in multi-compartment models. Part I: a review of the theoretical basis

In this, Part I of a two-part series, a review is presented of some generally appreciated residence time properties of multimedia models. The novel concept of “distant residence time” (DRT) is developed to provide additional insights into the characterization of environmental transport. DRT is the proportionality constant between the rate of emission of a contaminant into one compartment or region and the mass that results at steady-state in a distant compartment. The concept, which can be viewed as an expression of environmental mobility, is illustrated for various configurations of compartments and is shown to be consistent with the concepts of global fractionation and cold condensation. The dynamic responses of chemical quantities at distant locations to changing emission rates are also discussed. It is shown that approximate solutions for DRTs and their time dependence are useful for characterizing the long-range transport of chemicals and for interpreting monitoring data.