Multifunctionalised benzoxazinones in the systems Oryza sativa–Echinochloa crus‐galli and Triticum aestivum–Avena fatua as natural‐product‐based herbicide leads

BACKGROUND: Fifteen novel derivatives of D‐DIBOA, including aromatic ring modifications and the addition of side chains in positions C‐2 and N‐4, had previously been synthesised and their phytotoxicity on standard target species (STS) evaluated. This strategy combined steric, electronic, solubility and lipophilicity requirements to achieve the maximum phytotoxic activity. An evaluation of the bioactivity of these compounds on the systems Oryza sativa–Echinochloa crus‐galli and Triticum aestivum–Avena fatua is reported here. RESULTS: All compounds showed inhibition profiles on the two species Echinochloa crus‐galli (L.) Beauv. and Avena fatua L. The most marked effects were caused by 6F‐4Pr‐D‐DIBOA, 6F‐4Val‐D‐DIBOA, 6Cl‐4Pr‐D‐DIBOA and 6Cl‐4Val‐D‐DIBOA. The IC₅₀ values for the systems Echinochloa crus‐galli–Oryza sativa and Avena fatua–Triticum aestivum for all compounds were compared. The compound that showed the greatest selectivity for the system Echinochloa crus‐galli–Oryza sativa was 8Cl‐4Pr‐D‐DIBOA, which was 15 times more selective than the commercial herbicide propanil (Cotanil‐35). With regard to the system Avena fatua–Triticum aestivum, the compounds that showed the highest selectivities were 8Cl‐4Val‐D‐DIBOA and 6F‐4Pr‐D‐DIBOA. The results obtained for 6F‐4Pr‐D‐DIBOA are of great interest because of the high phytotoxicity to Avena fatua (IC₅₀ = 6 µM , r² = 0.9616). CONCLUSION: The in vitro phytotoxicity profiles and selectivities shown by the compounds described here make them candidates for higher‐level studies. 8Cl‐4Pr‐D‐DIBOA for the system Echinochloa crus‐galli‐Oryza sativa and 6F‐4Pr‐D‐DIBOA for Avena fatua‐Triticum aestivum were the most interesting compounds. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

The role of discharge variation in scaling of drainage area and food chain length in rivers

Food chain length (FCL) is a fundamental component of food web structure. Studies in a variety of ecosystems suggest that FCL is determined by energy supply, environmental stability, and/or ecosystem size, but the nature of the relationship between environmental stability and FCL, and the mechanism linking ecosystem size to FCL, remain unclear. Here we show that FCL increases with drainage area and decreases with hydrologic variability and intermittency across 36 North American rivers. Our analysis further suggests that hydrologic variability is the mechanism underlying the correlation between ecosystem size and FCL in rivers. Ecosystem size lengthens river food chains by integrating and attenuating discharge variation through stream networks, thereby enhancing environmental stability in larger river systems.     

Phosphorylation by p38 MAPK as an alternative pathway for GSK3beta inactivation

Glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) is involved in metabolism, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Inhibition of GSK3beta activity is the primary mechanism that regulates this widely expressed active kinase. Although the protein kinase Akt inhibits GSK3beta by phosphorylation at the N terminus, preventing Akt-mediated phosphorylation does not affect the cell-survival pathway activated through the GSK3beta substrate beta-catenin. Here, we show that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) also inactivates GSK3beta by direct phosphorylation at its C terminus, and this inactivation can lead to an accumulation of beta-catenin. p38 MAPK-mediated phosphorylation of GSK3beta occurs primarily in the brain and thymocytes. Activation of beta-catenin-mediated signaling through GSK3beta inhibition provides a potential mechanism for p38 MAPK-mediated survival in specific tissues.     

Fire-derived charcoal causes loss of forest humus

Fire is a global driver of carbon storage and converts a substantial proportion of plant biomass to black carbon (for example, charcoal), which remains in the soil for thousands of years. Black carbon is therefore often proposed as an important long-term sink of soil carbon. We ran a 10-year experiment in each of three boreal forest stands to show that fire-derived charcoal promotes loss of forest humus and that this is associated with enhancement of microbial activity by charcoal. This result shows that charcoal-induced losses of belowground carbon in forests can partially offset the benefits of charcoal as a long-term carbon sink.     

Genetic diversity and differentiation of sea trout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo trutta</Emphasis>) populations in Lithuanian rivers assessed by microsatellite DNA variation

The genetic diversity and differentiation of sea trout were studied in three river basins in Lithuania: Akmena-Dane, Bartuva, and Nemunas. A total of 282 individuals were genotyped at eight microsatellite loci. A similar level of genetic diversity was found in all of the populations studied: mean allelic richness ranged from 3.64 to 5.03, and average expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.588 to 0.721. Significant genetic divergence was observed among the different river basins as well as between populations within the drainages. All pairwise F _ST values were highly significant, ranging from 0.027 to 0.197. The analysis of molecular variance showed rather weak hierarchical population structuring within the Nemunas basin, which may be explained by extensive gene flow among different river basins or, alternatively, reflect the influence of artificial breeding. Information on genetic diversity and differentiation of the Lithuanian sea trout populations will be useful for future management decisions.     

Avian predation on wild and cultured sea urchin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Strongylocentrotus intermedius</Emphasis> in a rocky shore habitat

ABSTRACT:   The present study reports the annual variation in consumption of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius by avian predators on a rocky shore where the culture of sea urchins has been conducted. Carrion crow and a few gull species were the most abundant avian predators and consumed a large number of sea urchins. Crows consumed mostly natural sea urchins, approximately 36 kg ww/ha per year on the intertidal rocky bench, but the gull species consumed mostly cultured sea urchins, approximately 100 kg ww/ha per year in the culture area. The seasonal variation in the amount of sea urchins consumed by crows was higher than that by the gull species, presumably because of the difference in foraging behavior in association with the seasonal tidal cycle. The natural sea urchins consumed are an allochthonous input from the subtidal to the intertidal habitat, and thus, crow predation may not affect the natural and the cultured populations of the sea urchin. The gull species consumed much of the cultured sea urchin, and thus, may be regarded as an effective predator causing damage to sea urchin culture. The results suggest that further studies are needed to determine why the gull species selectively feed on cultured sea urchins.     

The role of flatfishes in the organization and structure of the eastern Bering Sea ecosystem

We evaluated the role of flatfishes in the organization and structure of the eastern Bering Sea ecosystem using the Ecopath/Ecosim approach. As basic input data for the Ecopath/Ecosim model, we used estimates of biomass from bottom trawl surveys and age-structured population models, production/biomass (P/B) ratio, consumption/biomass (Q/B) ratio, diet composition (DC), and fisheries harvests for each component of species or species groups. We estimated the trophic level of each component, niche overlaps among flatfishes, and the impacts of competition and predation on flatfish species in the eastern Bering Sea ecosystem. Based on those estimates, we developed the tropho-dynamic structure of the ecosystem, and the model was used to simulate ecological effects of fishery exploitation patterns. No single flatfish species appeared to have a profound and uniquely important role in the organization and structure of the ecosystem. Instead, the most important component among the guild of flatfish species appeared to be yellowfin sole Pleuronectes asper, which had greater biomass than other flatfish and a relatively diverse diet among the small flatfish species. Pacific halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis, Greenland turbot Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, and arrowtooth flounder Atheresthes stomias were important keystone predators in the eastern Bering Sea ecosystem together with some groups of marine mammals and sea birds. Intra flatfish complex cannibalism was not observed, however, substantial diet overlaps were common in the flatfish guild system.     

Proposal for stock-recruitment relationship for Japanese sardine <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sardinops melanostictus</Emphasis> in North-Western Pacific

ABSTRACT:   This study assessed the stock-recruitment relationship (SRR) for the Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus in the North-western Pacific. Of the 20 SRR models investigated, the Akaike information criterion (AIC) was the minimum (AIC = 551.2) when the data were separated into two groups (A and B) and the log-normal distribution was applied as the error term. Group A was constructed with SRR data from 1976–1987 and 1992–2004. Group B consisted of data from 1988–1991. The AIC minimum model was R  = 22.8 S  ×  e ^ε for Group A, where R , S , and ε denote the recruitment of sardine (individual number of 0-year old fish), spawning stock biomass (SSB), and error term, respectively. This model indicated that recruitment was proportional to the SSB and that no density-dependent effect operated over the range of SSB investigated (51 000–11.3 million t). Recruitment was markedly higher (lower) when the sea surface temperature (SST) of the Kuroshio Extension area in February was low (high). The essential SRR can simply be expressed as R  = 22.8 S  ×  e ^ε with the level of recruitment deviating from the model to a greater or lesser degree depending on the environmental conditions.     

A new primer for 16S rDNA analysis of microbial communities associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Porphyra yezoensis</Emphasis>

To construct high-quality 16S rDNA clone libraries for microbial communities associated with Porphyra yezoensis and to minimize the detection of rDNA from leafy gametophytes of P. yezoensis, we designed a new 16S rDNA universal primer (75F). Of the clones prepared using 75F, which was designed to distinguish between bacteria and P. yezoensis, 95% were classified into four groups, namely, β-proteobacteria, γ-proteobacteria, Lentisphaerae, and Flavobacteria. PCR-based analysis of the 16S rDNA primer constructed in this study can be used to implement 16S rDNA-based methodologies for the investigation of microbial community composition and diversity related to the Porphyra group.