On the integration of individual foraging strategies with colony ergonomics in social insects: nectar-collection in honeybees

Summary We experimentally tested whether foraging strategies of nectar-collecting workers of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) vary with colony state. In particular, we tested the prediction that bees from small, fast growing colonies should adopt higher workloads than those from large, mature colonies. Queenright small colonies were set up by assembling 10 000 worker bees with approximately 4100 brood cells. Queenright large colonies contained 35 000 bees and some 14 500 brood cells. Thus, treatments differed in colony size but not in worker/brood ratios. Differences in workload were tested in the context of single foraging cycles. Individuals could forage on a patch of artificial flowers offering given quantities and qualities of nectar rewards. Workers of small colonies took significantly less nectar in an average foraging excursion (small: 40.1 ± 1.1 SE flowers; large: 44.8 ± 1.1), but spent significantly more time handling a flower (small: 7.3 ± 0.4 s ; large: 5.8 ± 0.4 s). When the energy budgets for an average foraging trip were calculated, individuals from all colonies showed a behavior close to maximization of net energetic efficiency (i.e., the ratio of net energetic gains to energetic costs). However, bees from small colonies, while incurring only marginally smaller costs, gained less net energy per foraging trip than those from large colonies, primarily as a result of prolonged handling times. The differences between treatments were largest during the initial phases of the experimental period when also colony development was maximally different. Our results are at variance with simple models that assume natural selection to have shaped behavior in a single foraging trip only so as to maximize colony growth. Offprint requests to: P. Schmid-Hempel     

Sedimentation of particulate matter during a phytoplankton spring bloom in relation to the hydrographical regime

Data presented and discussed here were collected continuously during April/May 1975 in the Bornholm Basin of the Baltic Sea. Sedimentation rates of particulate matter were recorded with 5 multisample sediment traps from different depths in the water column at 2 positions 170 km apart. Current meter data collected during the same period and depths indicated that the positions remained hydrographically distinct during the investigation. Particulate matter from the euphotic zone including diatom cells formed the bulk of the material collected by all traps. This flux of organic particles to the bottom was unimpeded by the strong density stratification present in the water column. The upper traps always collected less material than lower ones. This paradox has been ascribed to diminishing current speeds with depth, concomitant with an increase in sinking rates of phytoplankton and phytodetritus. Both factors influence the sampling efficiency of sediment traps, which are thought to have underestimated actual sedimentation rates here. A time lag of 2 to 3 weeks in bloom development seemed responsible for the characteristic differences between the two positions. The phase of major sedimentation at one position covered about 18 days, and a distinct sequence in the composition of the material collected by the 6 glasses of each trap indicated phases of a progressively deteriorating phytoplankton population in the water column contributing the particulate material. A total of 6.2 g C m^-2 in 34 days was recorded at this station. Apart from a trap situated in an oxygen deficient layer which collected 0.44 g C m^-2 of zooplankton corpses, zooplankton mortality was overestimated by the traps. Large-scale sedimencation of fresh organic matter produced by the spring bloom is probably a regular feature in areas with low over-wintering zooplankton populations and, as such, possibly has a direct stimulatory effect on growth and reproduction of the benthos.Contribution No. 185 of the Joint Research Programme 95, Kiel University.     

Dominions and site-fixed aggressive behavior in breeding male Leucorrhinia intacta (Odonata: Libellulidae)

Summary We report aggressive spacing behavior in male dragonflies, Leucorrhinia intacta, that is characterized by variations in the probability of chasing conspecific male intruders within a defined area around a male's perch. The chase probability depends on the total intruder pressure and the behavior and distance of the intruder from the perched male (Fig. 2). This nonexclusive, site-fixed area has been called a dominion.We also examined the distribution of intruders among the various behavior-distance categories. Chase rates (per 15 min) were correlated mostly with number of intruders that hovered (rather than flew) close to the territorial male. Finally, we examined the impact of the changing chase probabilities on the variation in aggressive interactions as a function of intruder pressure. We conclude that, to some extent, territorial males stabilized defense costs across a variety of intruder pressures by maintaining dominions.     

Vertical distribution of epiplanktonic Chaetognaths in the upper 100 m of the Hilutangan Channel,Cebu, The Philippines

A study was made on the vertical distribution of Chaetognatha in the Hilutangan Channel, based on analyses of 48 plankton samples. Thirty-min horizontal plankton tows were performed at depths of 1, 20, 50, 70 and 100 m in January 1972. Thirteen species of 3 genera of maturing and mature chaetognaths were identified and counted. Sagitta inflata was the most common and abundant species (63.0%), folloed by S. neglecta (9.7%), S. robusta (8.6%), S. regularis (5.4%), S. serratodentata (4.2%), Krohnitta pacifica (2.9%), S. bedoti (2.3%) and S. decipiens (2.0%). S. pulchra (0.7%), S. ferox (0.5%), K. subtilis (0.3%), Pterosagitta draco (0.2%) and S. hexaptera (0.2%) were represented by less than 1% each. Of these 13 species in the upper 100 m, 12 were epiplanktonic while one species, S. decipiens, is generally considered to be mesoplanktonic. Three species were classified as neritic, 3 as neritic-oceanic, and 6 as oceanic, indicating the dominant influence and strong influx of oceanic water into the Hilutangan Channel. Temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen content did not seem to influence the vertical distribution. Examination of gut contents showed that copepods, followed by arrow worms, were most common in the guts of the chaetognaths studied.     

Interactive effects of elevated ozone and carbon dioxide on growth and yield of leaf rust-infected versus non-infected wheat

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Turbo) was grown from seedling emergence to maturity (129 days) in chambers simulating the physical climate and ozone pollution of a field site in Northern Germany from 1 April to 31 July with a mean 1-h daily maximum of 61.5-62.4 nl l(-1) ozone compared to a constant low level of 21.5-22.8 nl l(-1) ozone. The two ozone levels were combined with either a current (374.1-380.2 microl l(-1)) or enriched (610.6-615.0 microl l(-1)) CO(2) atmosphere. Additionally, a leaf rust epidemic (Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici) was induced at tillering stage by repeated re-inoculations with the inoculum formed on the plants. Leaf rust disease was strongly inhibited by ozone, but largely unaffected by elevated CO(2). Ozone damage on leaves was strongly affected by CO(2) and infection. On infected plants, ozone lesions appeared 2-4 weeks earlier and were up to fourfold more severe compared to non-infected plants. Elevated CO(2) did not delay the onset of ozone lesions but it significantly reduced the severity of leaf damage. It also enhanced the photosynthetic rate of flag leaves and increased the water use efficiency, biomass formation and grain yield. The relative increases in growth and yield induced by CO(2) were much larger on ozone-stressed than on non-stressed plants. Both ozone and fungal infection reduced biomass formation, number of grains per plant, thousand grain weight and grain yield; however, adverse effects of leaf rust infection were more severe. Elevated CO(2) largely equalized the negative effects of ozone on the photosynthetic rate, growth and yield parameters, but was not capable of compensating for the detrimental effects of fungal infection. The data imply that the impact of ozone in the field cannot be estimated without considering the predisposing effects deriving from fungal infections and the compensating effects deriving from elevated CO(2).     

Effect of Ca2+-ions on the absorption of Pb2+, Cu2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+ by humic substances

Distribution coefficients for the sorption of Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ by peat were determined as a function of the Ca²⁺-content of peat as well as of the Ca²⁺-concentration in the solution. The amount of heavy metal ions taken up was measured for Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ by atomic absorption spectrometry and for Pb²⁺ by using Pb-212 as a radioactive tracer.The results show that the distribution coefficients of the heavy metal ions increase, if one increases the initial ratio of the $\text{Ca}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{H}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{-}\text{ions}$ in the peat phase. The distribution coefficients for the heavy metal ions decrease, however, if - at constant initial Ca²⁺-content of the peat - the Ca²⁺-concentration of the solution is increased.     

Gestaltungsoptionen für handlungsf?hige Innovationssysteme zur erfolgreichen Substitution gef?hrlicher Stoffe (SubChem)

Ohne Zusammenfassung Online First: 27. 03. 2002 ‚Sustainable Substitution of Hazardous Substances‚; Projektbeschreibung unter wwwoekopolde oder wwwfh-hamburgdelpers/gleich_von bzw. www.uni-hamburgde/kooperationssteI1e-hh. Das Vorhaben wird vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) im F?rderschwerpunkt ‚Rahmenbedingungen für Innovationen zum nachhaitigen Wirtschaften’ (RIW) gef?rdert und von der GSF als Projekttr?ger betreut (FkZ. O7Riw4).