Nectar dehydration by male carpenter bees as preparation for mating flights

Summary Females of all social and many solitary bees dehydrate nectar before storing it or adding it to larval provisions. Nectar dehydration by males has rarely been documented. We report on the neotropical facultatively social carpenter bee Xylocopa nigrocincta, in which the nest constant males are fed nectar by their female nestmates. Males dehydrate the nectar at the nest entrance before leaving the nest for mating territories. We show that males thereby minimize their water load, resulting in an improvement of their energy budget during hovering flights in their territories. Males can prolong the duration of territorial flights if they cany highly concentrated nectar. We assume that nectar dehydration as a pre-mating behavior is not correlated with the social organization in Xylocopa species. However, the behavior is particularly weil-developed in X. nigrocincta, where during the mating period males remain integrated in the nest society and are fed by their mothers and sisters.     

Conceptual Frameworks and Methods for Advancing Invasion Ecology

Invasion ecology has much advanced since its early beginnings. Nevertheless, explanation, prediction, and management of biological invasions remain difficult. We argue that progress in invasion research can be accelerated by, first, pointing out difficulties this field is currently facing and, second, looking for measures to overcome them. We see basic and applied research in invasion ecology confronted with difficulties arising from (A) societal issues, e.g., disparate perceptions of invasive species; (B) the peculiarity of the invasion process, e.g., its complexity and context dependency; and (C) the scientific methodology, e.g., imprecise hypotheses. To overcome these difficulties, we propose three key measures: (1) a checklist for definitions to encourage explicit definitions; (2) implementation of a hierarchy of hypotheses (HoH), where general hypotheses branch into specific and precisely testable hypotheses; and (3) platforms for improved communication. These measures may significantly increase conceptual clarity and enhance communication, thus advancing invasion ecology.     

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The Science of Nature -     

Effects of sampling,preparation and defecation on metal concentrations in selected invertebrates at urban sites

In order to obtain basic information for designing standardized test preparation methods, the heavy metals Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb were measured in gastropods (Xerolenta obvia), oligochaetes (Lumbricus terrestris), isopods (Armadillidium vulgare, Trachelipus rathkei) and carabids (Harpalus rubripes, Calathus fuscipes) using different sampling methods and different modes of sample treatment. In some of the experiments, higher Zn, Cd and Pb, and lower Cu-contents were observed in isopods and carabids trapped with formalin-pitfalls compared to manually collected specimens (which were allowed to defecate). Defecation had marked effects on the levels of all four metals investigated in oligochaetes, and on Cd and Pb in gastropods and isopods. Cellulose was fed as an accelerator of gut passage and showed a significant effect on the Pb concentration in the soft body of gastropods. Deionate-washed isopods (A. vulgare) showed higher Cd concentrations than ultrasonic-cleaned individuals. No marked differences were observed between heat-dried and freeze-dried isopods. Carabids showed strong sex-specific differences in metal concentrations. Based on these and previous results, invertebrates should be: collected in vivo, allowed to defecate, be freeze-fixed and (at least in arthropods) ultrasonic-cleaned, determined to species level and in certain groups (carabids) also to sex, and then be sized or sorted by size (age) before further preparation and analysis. If any of these treatments is impractical, comparable sampling and preparation methods are recommended as a minimum requirement in order to avoid bias in the results and/or interpretation.     

Ecology and ecophysiology of tree stems: corticular and wood photosynthesis

Below the outer peridermal or rhytidomal layers, most stems of woody plants possess greenish tissues. These chlorophyll-containing tissues (the chlorenchymes) within the stems are able to use the stem internal CO2 and the light penetrating the rhytidome to photoassimilate and produce sugars and starch. Although net photosynthetic uptake of CO2 is rarely found, stem internal re-fixation of CO2 in young twigs and branches may compensate for 60-90% of the potential respiratory carbon loss. Isolated chlorenchymal tissues reveal rather high rates of net photosynthesis (being up to 75% of the respective rates for leaf photosynthesis). Corticular photosynthesis is thus thought to be an effective mechanism for recapturing respiratory carbon dioxide before it diffuses out of the stem. Furthermore, chloroplasts of the proper wood or pith fraction also take part in stem internal photosynthesis. Although there has been no strong experimental evidence until now, we suggest that the oxygen evolved during wood or pith photosynthesis may play a decisive role in avoiding/reducing stem internal anaerobiosis.     

Response types in Collembola towards copper in the microenvironment

Laboratory studies were carried out to cast light on differences in density responses among collembolan species to copper (Cu)-polluted environments. In a recolonisation experiment, mesofauna originating from a copper (Cupolluted arable field were allowed to colonise defaunated Cu-contaminated and uncontaminated soil cores for 3 months. The abundances of Pseudosinella alba and gamasid mites were higher in the uncontaminated soil, whereas the majority of other collembolans tended to be more abundant in the Cu-enriched soil. Behavioural experiments were conducted to test the ability of single Collembola species to distinguish between filter paper and food soaked in water, Cu, and calcium (Ca) solutions. Onychiurus armatus avoided both Cu and Ca, whereas Folsomia quadrioculata and Folsomia manolachei showed a significant preference for Cu. Isotomurus palustris was not able to distinguish between Cu and water. The results are compared and discussed with regard to other studies on the occurrence and behaviour of Collembola in Cu-contaminated environments. We suggest that microsite selection according to preference or avoidance of high salinity of pore water may partly explain the community structure of Collembola in Cu-polluted soils which are characterised by an increase of euedaphic species. More studies have to be carried out to generalise this concept and to explore to what extent reduced predation by gamasid mites contribute to the success of certain Collembola in Cu-contaminated sites.     

Role of prenatal detection of cardiac tumours in the diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis—report of two cases

Tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal dominant disease with variable expression. Little is known about the intrauterine course of the disease and the fetal age at which specific abnormalities may be detected. The role of prenatal detection of cardiac tumours in the diagnosis of two fetuses at 28 and 32 weeks' gestation based on fetal echocardiography is discussed. The prenatal and postnatal course of the disease is described.