Photodiscoloration of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) sapwood III Early stage of photodiscoloration reaction with lignans

The reaction during the early stage of photodiscoloration of constituents in western hemlock [Tsuga heterophylla (Raf. Sarg., Pinaceae] sapwood was investigated with chemical methods. The main photodiscoloring constituents, hydroxymatairesinol, allohydroxymatairesinol, -conidendrin, and oxomatairesinol, were used as substrates for light-irradiation experiments in vitro. The structures of photodiscoloration reaction products were elucidated by isolation and instrumental analyses and/or co-high-performance liquid chromatography analyses with authentic specimens. The experiment was undertaken to distinguish each series of liquid phases using chloroform, water (both including a trace of methanol), and methanol, and the solid phase. The reaction products allohydroxymatairesi (2), oxomatairesinol (3), -conidendrin (4), allo-7-methoxymatairesinol (5), 7-methoxymatairesinol (6), and vanillin (7) were isolated or detected in the reaction mixture of a hydroxymatairesinol system. The reaction products hydroxymatairesinol (1), 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were confirmed in the reaction system of allohydroxymatairesinol, which was an epimer of hydroxymatairesinol. Product 3 was confirmed from the -conidendrin system, and reaction product 7 was confirmed from oxomatairesinol. The photodiscoloration reaction of western hemlock sapwood could be initiated by the formation of phenoxy radicals from the respective constituents. The reaction was then presumed to progress via formation of a quinonemethide intermediate in many of them. It was suggested that the reactive species, such as phenoxy radical or quinonemethide intermediate, formed by lightirradiation might be converted to quinone derivatives and colored oligomers. Products 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, formed from substrates such as hydroxymatairesinol, allohydroxymatairesinol, -conidendrin, and oxomatairesinol, were the same as the original metabolic constituents of western hemlock. Therefore it was concluded that the photodiscoloration of western hemlock depends not on the quantitative level of a few respective metabolites but, rather, on the coexistence of many metabolites.Part of this paper was presented at the 46th Annual Meeting of Japan Wood Research Society at Kumamoto, April 1996     

Strawberry cultivar identification based on hypervariable SSR markers

We genotyped strawberry cultivars by two newly selected and two previously reported SSR markers. All four markers produced interpretable electropherograms from 75 accessions consisting of 72 Fragaria × ananassa cultivars or lines and three octoploid Fragaria species accessions. These SSR markers were highly polymorphic; in particular, one of the newly developed markers, FxaHGA02P13, was capable of distinguishing all of the accessions except for a mutant strain that was derived from another accession in the set. When two markers were combined, all 48 full-sib individuals could be distinguished. Fingerprinting patterns were reproducible between multiple samples, including the leaves, sepals, and fruit flesh of the same accession. Principal-coordinate analysis of the 75 accessions detected several groups, which reflect taxon and breeding site. Together with other available markers, these SSR markers will contribute to the management of strawberry genetic resources and the protection of breeders’ rights.     

Evaluation of estimates of crown condition in forest monitoring: comparison between visual estimation and automated crown image analysis

• Context  

In long-term forest monitoring, tree crown condition has been visually rated to diagnose tree vigor and forest condition. However, visual estimates are subjective. A semiautomatic image analysis system, called CROCO, was developed to estimate crown condition quantitatively. CROCO calculates a DSO value which decrease with increasing crown transparency.     

Combined use of a synthetic trail pheromone and insecticidal bait provides effective control of an invasive ant

BACKGROUND: Except for sex pheromones, use of pheromones in pest management has been largely unexplored. A high concentration of trail pheromone disrupts ant trail following and foraging, and thus synthetic trail pheromone can be a novel control agent for pest ants. In this study, a year‐long treatment of small areas (100 m² plots of urban house gardens) with synthetic trail pheromone, insecticidal bait or both was conducted to develop a novel control method of the invasive Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Mayr). RESULTS: The ant population could be maintained lower than or similar to the initial level only by combined treatment with synthetic trail pheromone and insecticidal bait. Actually, the ant population was nearly always lowest in combination treatment plots. Throughout the study period, the ant population in plots treated with either one of synthetic trail pheromone or insecticidal bait remained similar to no‐treatment plots. CONCLUSIONS: Combination treatment may be a more effective and environmentally friendly method for controlling invasive ants than conventional methods. Extermination of ants by insecticidal bait and inhibition of re‐infestation by pheromone may be the mechanism of the combination effect. This is the first study to show a significant effect of synthetic trail pheromone on ant population. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Fixed ammonium in some Bangladesh soils

Nitrogen is the most deficient element and the most limiting factor for crop production in Bangladesh. The total N content in Bangladesh soils ranges between 0.02 and 0.12% (Ahsan and Karim 1988). The low N content indicates the presence of a small organic N pool and suggests that inorganic N plays an important role as a N source for crops. Contribution of “fixed” or “nonexchangeable” NH₄ ⁺ to the N economy of soil has been reported for many tropical soils (Rodrigues 1954; Moore and Ayeke 1965; Dalal 1977; Sahrawat 1995). However, there are few reports on fixed NH₄ ⁺ status in Bangladesh. In the present study, therefore, attempts were made to collect data on fixed NH₄ ⁺ of some major soil series from the important physiographic units of Bangladesh.     

Food habits of great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae at Lake Biwa, Japan, with special reference to ayu Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis

ABSTRACT:   The recent increase in numbers of individuals of a piscivorous bird, the great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae , around Lake Biwa has affected the commercial catch of ayu Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis . The food habits of the bird were studied based on 66 stomachs in 1998 and 2001–2002, and a seasonal variation in food contents was observed. The proportion of ayu in stomachs increased after April, and became most dominant during July and August (0.62 in proportion of weight, 0.85 in frequency of occurrence). In contrast, ayu was not found in the stomachs after late October. The increase of ayu in individuals and density in the surface layer of the pelagic zone of the lake during spring was considered as a trigger for the change of the food habits of the birds. The feeding impact of great cormorant on ayu in Lake Biwa was estimated to be approximately 46 t during April to June, and 310 t in July and August. During the main period for the commercial ayu catch (November to the following June), the estimated mass consumed by the bird is much smaller in comparison with the commercial catch.     

Improvement in school-size estimates of pelagic fish using information from sector-scanning sonar

School‐size estimates based on information from a sector‐scanning sonar were compared with those based on information from an echo sounder. Three pairs of size estimates of anchovy schools in the coastal waters, off Fukuoka Prefecture were shown as examples. They included the possibility of improving the size estimates by using information from sector‐scanning sonar to consider the size in the transverse direction. In these examples, the thickness and extent of the school varied in the transverse direction. A large difference was found between the estimates from the sounder information and those from the sector‐scanning sonar information, although whether or not the estimated size decreased differed according to each case. Also, whether the thickness information or the extent information is influential differed according to each case. The size information from the sector‐scanning sonar in the transverse direction caused a change in the estimated size from 66 to 16 (×10³ m³, mainly by different extent), 305 to 146 (×10³ m³, thickness increased but extent decreased), and 819 to 746 (×10³ m³, three seemingly separated schools fused into one).     

Seasonal changes and controlling factors of gross N transformation in an evergreen plantation forest in central Japan

We conducted a year-round measurement of gross N transformation rates using the ¹⁵N dilution method, and analyzed seasonal changes and the mechanisms regulating gross N transformation in the Kiryu Experimental Forest in central Japan. While soil microbial biomass C (SMB-C) decreased from the dormant to growing seasons at the organic (O) horizon, no significant trend was observed in SMB-N. This resulted in SMB-C/N being high in the dormant season and low in the growing season, and suggests that the microbial composition changed seasonally. No clear seasonal trend was found in gross NH₄ ⁺ production rates at either the O or surface mineral soil horizons. In contrast, the NH₄ ⁺ consumption rate varied seasonally, with high values in January and April during the dormant season and low values in July and October during the growing season. There was no clear trend in seasonal fluctuation of net NH₄ ⁺ production rates. Gross NH₄ ⁺ production and gross NH₄ ⁺ consumption rates were 10 times greater than the gross nitrification rate. Almost all of the produced NH₄ ⁺ was immobilized, indicating that N tightly cycles at this study site. Considered together with results of the gross N transformation rates, the dominance of high SMB-C/N microbes might stimulate immobilization in the dormant season. At this study site, the change in microbial composition likely influences gross N transformation through immobilization efficiency.     

Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses Elicited by Tone-Burst Stimuli in Clinically Normal Dogs

Brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) to click and tone-burst stimuli (0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 kHz) were recorded from 32 ears in 16 adult Beagles. BAERs were used to establish a normative database and describe response thresholds and latencies (wave I-IV) for the different stimuli. The frequencies of sound used were 8, 4, 2, 1, and 0.5 kHz. Sound stimuli were delivered by a closed headphone and masking stimuli were not applied. The BAER waveforms obtained were similar to those reported previously, except for a frequency-following response evoked by 1-kHz tone-bursts. The threshold was lowest when clicks and 4-kHz tone-bursts were used. Significant differences were observed between the mean values of the peak latencies for clicks and 4-and 8-kHz tone-bursts. The tone-burst stimulation used in our experiment was shown to be an appropriate method for detecting the BAERs. Thus, for investigating the frequency-specificity of the auditory sense, BAER data obtained using tone-burst sound in dogs may be meaningful.