Acoustical signals in the dance language of the giant honeybee,Apis dorsata

Summary Acoustical signals emitted by dancing bees have recently been shown to transmit information about the location of food sources in the western honeybee, Apis mellifera. Towne (1985) reported that in the Asian honeybee species Apis dorsata, which builds a single comb in the open under overhanging rocks or tree branches, sound signals were not emitted by the dancers. This led to the conclusion that acoustical communication is restricted to bees that nest in the dark, like A. mellifera. Here we show that in fact A. dorsata produces dance sounds similar to those emitted by A. mellifera, and that these acoustical signals contain information about distance, direction and profitability of food sources. The acoustical transfer of information has thus evolved independently of nesting in dark cavities. The significance of nocturnal activity in Apis dorsata for the evolution of sound communication is discussed. Correspondence to: W.H. Kirchner     

Depth limits of Bermudan scleractinian corals: a submersible survey

Depth distribution, zonation pattern and growth morphology of 17 hermatypic and 4 ahermatypic coral species were investigated at eight different locations along the Bermuda platform with the research submersible GEO and by SCUBA diving in August–September 1983. Hermatypic coral growth occurs to a depth of 50 to 70 m, with a single Montastrea cavernosa growing at 78 m. Dominant forms in shallow-water coral communities are Diploria sp. and Porites astreoides, while M. cavernosa, Agaricia fragilis and Scolymia cubensis occur in deep-water associations below 60 m. Vertical visibilities (up to 178 m) and distribution of the photosynthetically active radiation revealed good light penetration values (1% level at about 100 m depth), which should favour hermatypic coral growth to a much greater depth than it actually occurs. Nor should the prevailing temperatures limit the depth of coral growth. Most deep-water hermatypes observed grow on remnants of Pleistocene reefs down to about 60 m. The vast areas of large massed rhodolith nodules below 50 to 60 m are unsuitable bottom for coral colonisation. Macroalgae growth seems to be the strongest factor controlling coral growth in deep water. Bermuda stony corals have a low growth form diversity. Various intraspecific morphs may occur at the same as well as at different depths, with a general trend towards flatter shapes with depth. Comparison with a similar study on Red Sea corals suggests that annual distribution of radiant energy on the most northern Atlantic reefs of Bermuda may be responsible for the occurrence of flat and cuplike growth forms in relatively shallow water, and for the shallower depth limits of hermatypic growth.     

Images of the invisible-prospection methods for the documentation of threatened archaeological sites

To understand the development of prehistoric cultural and economic activities, archaeologists try to obtain as much relevant information as possible. For this purpose, large numbers of similar sites must be identified, usually by non-destructive prospection methods such as aerial photography and geophysical prospection. Aerial archaeology is most effective in locating sites and the use of digital photogrammetry provides maps with high accuracy. For geophysical prospection mainly geomagnetic and geoelectrical methods or the ground-penetrating radar method are used. Near-surface measurements of the respective contrasts within physical properties of the archaeological structures and the surrounding material allows detailed mapping of the inner structures of the sites investigated. Applying specially developed wheeled instrumentation, high-resolution magnetic surveys can be carried out in a standard raster of 0.125Ǵ.5 m covering up to 5 ha per day. Measurements of ground resistivity or radar surveys in a raster of 0.5 or 0.5Ǵ.05 m, respectively, are used to gain information on archaeological structures and on the main stratigraphic sequence of sites covering up to 0.5 ha per day. Data on intensities of the Earth's magnetic field, apparent resistivities of the ground or amplitudinal information of radar reflections are processed using a digital image processing technique to visualize the otherwise invisible archaeological structures or monuments buried in the ground. Archaeological interpretation, in the sense of detecting, mapping and describing the archaeological structures, is done using GIS technology by combining all relevant prospection data. As most of the Middle European archaeological heritage is under a massive threat of destruction, dramatically accelerated by intensive agriculture or industrial transformation of the landscape, the prospection techniques presented here represent an approach towards an efficient documentation of the disappearing remains of our ancestors.     

Die Titicaca-See-Region auf dem Altiplano von Peru und Bolivien und die Folgen eingeführter Fische für Wildarten und ihren Lebensraum

In the course of a long-term case study (since 1960) the interaction between different exotic fish (salmonids, atherinids) on the endemic ichthyofauna (genusOrestias: Cyprinodontidae) introduced to the interandean basin of Lake Titicaca was observed. The contribution deals not only with the actual consequences which endanger endemic species but also the socio-economic effects on the native Indian population, both causing further ecological problems in the region of concern.