Flash competition in male Photinus macdermotti fireflies

Summary The courtship of Photinus macdermotti fireflies involves a flash code in which the male emits a pair of flashes about two seconds apart and the female responds with a flash about 1.2 s after the second flash of the male pair. The male repeats his pair of courting flashes at varying intervals of four seconds or more. Lloyd (1979, 1981 a, b) observed that rival males in Florida sometimes interject flashes between the courtship flashes of the courting male. We have found that the competitive behavior of males of the same species on Long Island, New York, was somewhat different. Rival males timed their competing flashes from either the first or second of the original males's courting flashes. When a competing flash from the rival male was timed from the first courting flash it was synchronized with the original male's second courting flash. When a competing flash was timed from the second courting flash, a delayed flash resulted which appeared after the female's response. In either case the male's display period was preserved, insuring that the female would continue to respond. Either of these rival male flashes could sometimes induce the female to respond in his direction.     

Field assessment of oxytetracycline exposure to the freshwater macrophytes Egeria densa Planch. and Ceratophyllum demersum L

In a microcosm study, two aquatic macrophytes, Egeria densa and Ceratophyllum demersum were exposed to nominal concentrations of 0, 5, 20, 50, and 250 microg/L oxytetracycline (n=3), plus 20 microg/L oxytetracycline amended with additional nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Responses were monitored bi-weekly over a six-week exposure period. Both plant species exhibited a significant decline in growth in the 250 microg/L oxytetracycline and the N- and P-amended units. Decreased light penetration resulting from accumulating oxytetracycline by-products appears to be the primary modifier in the growth of these plants. Increased susceptibility to oxytetracycline exposure was noted in some paired plantings (e.g., E. densa root development), relative to individual plants in these treatments, however, no clear explanation for this response is available. Based on the toxicity data generated in this study, we estimate that current concentrations of oxytetracycline in freshwater environments do not pose a direct risk to E. densa and C. demersum.     

Fish mercury increase in Lago Manso, a new hydroelectric reservoir in tropical Brazil

It has been frequently demonstrated that mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish rise in newly constructed hydroelectric reservoirs in the Northern Hemisphere. In the present work, we studied whether similar effects take place also in a tropical upland reservoir during impoundment and discuss possible causes and implications. Total Hg concentrations in fish and several soil and water parameters were determined before and after flooding at Rio Manso hydroelectric power plant in western Brazil. The Hg concentrations in soil and sediment were within the background levels in the region (22-35 ng g(-1) dry weight). There was a strong positive correlation between Hg and carbon and sulphur in sediment. Predatory fish had total Hg concentrations ranging between 70 and 210 ng g(-1) f.w. 7 years before flooding and between 72 and 755 ng g(-1) f.w. during flooding, but increased to between 216 and 938 ng g(-1) f.w. in the piscivorous and carnivorous species Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum, cachara, and Salminus brasiliensis, dourado, 3 years after flooding. At the same time, concentrations of organic carbon in the water increased and oxygen concentrations decreased, indicating increased decomposition and anoxia as contributing to the increased Hg concentrations in fish. The present fish Hg concentrations in commonly consumed piscivorous species are a threat to the health of the population dependent on fishing in the dam and downstream river for sustenance. Mercury exposure can be reduced by following fish consumption recommendations until fish Hg concentrations decrease to a safe level.     

Effect of the spionid polychaeteBoccardia syrtis on the distribution and survival of juvenileMacomona liliana (Bivalvia: Tellinacea)

The tellinid bivalveMacomona liliana (Iredale) occurs at relatively low densities on a sandbank (Te Tau bank) in Manukau Harbour, New Zealand. Te Tau bank is dominated by polychaetes, including the tube-building spionidBoccardia syrtis (Rainer). JuvenileM. liliana are known to disperse as post-settlement juveniles by byssus-drifting. Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess whether the low abundance ofM. liliana on Te Tau bank was due to the presence ofB. syrtis, or to some reaction to the sediment itself. In particular, we, examined how juvenileM. liliana survived after exposure to Te Tau bank sediments with and without the spionid tube-mat for 1 mo in still-water conditions, and how they responded when given a choice of different sediment/tube-mat treatments in moving water. JuvenileM. liliana did not appear to have a strong aversion to settling and burrowing in sediments from Te Tau bank. Sediments without the tube-mat did not adversely affect the survivorship of the bivalves, but survival was significantly lower amongst theB. syrtis tube-mat. In the presence of a current, the juvenile bivalves settled in Te Tau bank sediments without a tube-mat, but avoided settling amongst liveB. syrtis. An artificial tube-mat enhanced settlement. Avoidance of liveB. syrtis appears to be an avoidance of the worms themselves rather than a response to the physical presence of their tubes.     

Persistent organochlorine residues in soils from tropical and sub-tropical Asian countries

Soil samples from paddy fields, uplands, and urban areas (gardens and roadsides) collected from Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan were analysed to determine the residual levels of persistent organochlorine compounds such as DDTs, HCHs, and PCBs. DDT concentration in soil samples from Vietnam were found to be highest, with a mean value of 110 ng g(-1), and were followed by those in Taiwanese soils with a mean value of 20 ng g(-1). HCH concentrations were highest in soil samples from Vietnam (a mean value of 4.8 ng g(-1)) and were followed by those from Taiwan (a mean value of 1.4 ng g(-1)). Concentrations of PCBs were found to be highest in Taiwanese soil samples, with a mean of 95 ng g(-1). Interestingly, relatively high concentrations of PCBs in rural cultivated-soil samples from Vietnam were recorded with a mean value of 25 ng g(-1), probably suggesting PCB release from different kinds of weapons used during the Second Indochina war. The lowest concentrations of DDTs, HCHs, and PCBs were obtained in soil samples from Thailand, with mean values of 8.3 ng g(-1), 0.4 ng g(-1), and 2.7 ng g(-1), respectively.     

Determination of F2-isoprostanes in cultured human lung epithelial cells after exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

The environmental impact of nanotechnology has caused a great concern. Many in vitro studies showed that many types of nanoparticles were cytotoxic. However, whether these nanoparticles caused cell membrane damage was not well studied. F₂-isoprostanes are specific products of arachidonic acid peroxidation by nonenzymatic reactive oxygen species and are considered as reliable biomarkers of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In this article, we investigated the cytotoxicity of different nanoparticles and the degree of cellular membrane damage by using F₂-isoprostanes as biomarkers after exposure to nanoparticles. The human lung epithelial cell line A549 was exposed to four silica and metal oxide nanoparticles: SiO₂ (15 nm), CeO₂ (20 nm), Fe₂O₃ (30 nm), and ZnO (70 nm). The levels of F₂-isoprostanes were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The F₂-isoprostanes’ peak was identified by retention time and molecular ion m/z at 353. Oasis HLB cartridge was used to extract F₂-isoprostanes from cell medium. The results showed that SiO₂, CeO₂, and ZnO nanoparticles increased F₂-isoprostanes levels significantly in A549 cells. Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle also increased F₂-isoprostanes level, but was not significant. This implied that SiO₂, CeO₂, ZnO, and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles can cause cell membrane damage due to the lipid peroxidation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of effects of cellular exposure to metal oxide and silica nanoparticles on the cellular F₂-isoprostanes levels.     

Scavenging of atmospheric formaldehyde by wet precipitation

Despite the great importance that formaldehyde has in atmospheric photochemistry, few studies have been reported on rain water. In this paper, concentrations of HCHO in rain fractions within rain events are presented. Two sampling sites were chosen: one at Mexico City, a great polluted urban area, and the second at Rancho Viejo, a forested area under the meteorological influence of the city. The results show a general decrease during the early portion of the rain event. This seems to indicate that below-cloud scavenging is the most important mechanism while, from the small variations observed in the latter portion of the rainfall, it is possible to assume within-cloud scavenging as the predominant mechanism. Using the HCHO concentrations in rain water, the mixing ratios were estimated for the two sampling sites. The values were 0.68 ppb and 0.44 ppb at Mexico City and Rancho Viejo, respectively. Measurements at ground level in Mexico City gave a mean HCHO concentration in air of 24 ppb, much higher than the estimated mixing ratio. The high levels of HCHO found in ambient air and in rain water reflect anthropogenic emissions as the potential atmospheric sources.