Spatial and temporal patterns of predation on seeds of the surfgrass Phyllospadix torreyi

Spatial and temporal patterns of predation on seeds of the seagrass Phyllospadix torreyi S. Watson were quantified at four sites near Santa Barbara, California, USA. Over a period of four flowering seasons during 1995 to 1998, monthly patterns of seed fall and intensity of seed predation were similar among sites, but were temporally quite variable. Abundance of dispersed seeds varied greatly both among seasons and years. Within any one year, seeds were present in the environment every month, but they peaked in abundance during the fall months following the annual flowering period. Seeds were more abundant during the earlier years of the study. The intensity of predation steadily increased throughout the study period, from a low of ≤10% seeds consumed during 1995 to ∼50% consumption by 1997, and it was not correlated with abundance of seeds in the environment. Pre-dispersal seed loss also was estimated in two flowering seasons by counting the numbers of seeds consumed prior to release from the plant, and was relatively low (<15%). No differences were detected among the four study sites in patterns of pre-dispersal loss. Field surveys were done at two sites to identify potential seed predators. Three of the most abundant species identified in these surveys were tested in the laboratory to determine size-specific patterns of feeding activity and to assess which early life stages of P. torreyi (fruits within spadices, dehisced fruits, seedlings) were most vulnerable to predation. All three of the early life stages were consumed. The crabs Pugettiaproducta (Randall) and Pachygrapsus crassipes Randall were much more voracious predators than the isopod Idotea resecata Stimpson. Received: 8 June 1999 / Accepted: 2 February 2000     

A basidiomycete isolated from the skeleton of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Pocillopora damicornis</Emphasis> (Scleractinia) selectively stimulates short-term survival of coral skeletogenic cells

Endolithic fungi bore through the extracellular calcium carbonate skeleton of reef-building scleractinian corals, both healthy and dead, and effect net erosion of coral reefs. Potential fungal interactions with coral tissue were investigated using an in vitro approach suggested by earlier observations of skeletal repair cones at the site of fungal perforation in Porites sp. A fungal strain was isolated from the skeleton of a long-term culture of healthy, tissue-covered, Pocillopora damicornis Linnaeus colonies maintained in a recirculating system in Monaco. As coral soft tissue spontaneously dissociated in vitro, the skeleton became exposed and hyaline hyphae emerged radially from 15% of the total clipped branches. In this study, which was performed between January 2001 and March 2003, 35 skeleton–hypha explants were embedded in agar-based solid medium, yielding 60% hyphal growth. A fungal strain (F19-3-1) of the dominant (80%) morphology was isolated and propagated in agar-based solid medium. The strain was identified by 18S and 26S rDNA gene sequence analysis as a basidiomycete in the genus Cryptococcus. Co-cultures were used to provide experimental exposure of coral soft tissue to the fungus. The fungus extended the survival of coral cells by 2 days, selectively maintaining skeletogenic cell types. This effect may be interpreted as stimulation by the fungus of a short-term coral defense response.Communicated by J.P. Grassle, New Brunswick     

Lack of population subdivision among the minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from Icelandic and Norwegian waters based on mitochondrial DNA sequences

The minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is subject to commercial whaling, but stock identification and assessment are still uncertain. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences were determined to examine the population structure of minke whales from the central and northeastern parts of the North Atlantic, as well as the Antarctic regions IV and V. The analyses include 345 nucleotide positions of the control region of 110 individuals, and 250 nucleotide positions of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene for a representative selection of North Atlantic minke whales. Maximum parsimony analyses and sequence divergence calculations did not reveal any genetic differentiation between individuals from the central and northeastern parts of the North Atlantic. These results do not support the International Whaling Commission's separation of minke whales in this area into different management units, and they are in conflict with previously reported results from allozyme analyses. Comparison of minke whale control region sequences showed that the sequence diversity of North Atlantic minke whales is substantially lower (0.0065) than that of Antarctic minke whales (0.0166), and clearly demonstrated that individuals from these two areas represent genetically distinct populations.     

Modeling Diapause Termination of Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus using Statistical Tools to Detect Sudden Behavioral Changes and Time Dependencies

This paper presents statistical methodology to analyze longitudinal binary responses for which a sudden change in the response occurs in time. Probability plots, transition matrices, and change-point models and more advanced techniques such as generalized auto-regression models and hidden Markov chains are presented and applied on a study on the activity of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, the major vector of Theileria parva, a fatal disease in cattle. This study presents individual measurements on female R. appendiculatus, which are terminating their diapause (resting status) and become active. Comprehending activity patterns is very important to better understand the ecology of R. appendiculatus. The model indicates that activity and non-activity act in an absorbing way meaning that once a tick becomes active it shows a tendency to remain active. The change-point model estimates that the sudden change in activity happens on December 10. The reaction of ticks on acceleration and changes in rainfall and temperature indicates that ticks can sense climatic changes. The study revealed the underlying not visually observable states during diapause development of the adult tick of R. appendiculatus. These states could be related to phases during the dynamic event of diapause development and post-diapause activity in R. appendiculatus.     

Prenatal diagnosis of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase deficiency

NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I of the mitochondrial respiratory chain) deficiency is a severe disorder with an often early fatal outcome. Prenatal diagnosis for complex I defects currently relies mainly on biochemical assays of complex I in fetal tissues such as chorionic villi (CV), and is only in a minority of cases possible by means of mutational analysis of nuclear-encoded genes of complex I. We report on our experience to date with prenatal diagnosis in pregnancies at risk for complex I deficiency. We measured complex I activity in native CV and/or cultured CV in 23 pregnancies in 15 families. In accordance with the results of the investigations in CV, 15 children were born clinically unaffected. Two prenatally diagnosed unaffected fetuses and two prenatally diagnosed affected fetuses were lost prematurely with spontaneous or provoked abortions, respectively. Two affected children were born (prenatally found to be affected). In two pregnancies a discrepancy between native and cultured cells was found. We conclude that prenatal diagnosis for complex I deficiency can be reliably performed. Pitfalls were encountered in using cultured CV as a result of maternal cell contamination (MCC). Future research on pathogenic nuclear mutations underlying complex I deficiency will extend the possibilities for prenatal diagnosis at the molecular level. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Urban Flood Damage and Greenhouse Scenarios - The Implications for Policy: An Example from Australia

Urban flooding is often used as an illustration of the potentially adverse effects of greenhouse-induced climate change on extreme events. There is however, a paucity of studies that convert climate scenarios into changes in flood damage. This account summarises the use of modelling techniques, for three flood prone urban catchments in south eastern Australia, to assess changes to urban flood losses for the 'most wet' and 'most dry' scenarios for the year 2070. The most wet scenario indicates that annual average flood damage could increase within the range of 2.5 to 10 times, under the most dry scenario flood regimes would be similar to those experienced at present. The socio-economic scenarios based on the changes to flood losses are used to consider policy responses. It is unlikely that many local government authorities will respond because of lack of interest and because of major changes to the climate scenarios proposed over the last decade. Any response is likely to be incremental and accord with the 'no regrets' and the precautionary principle'.