Is there a risk-dilution effect of naturally fallen fruits on post-dispersal seed predation by wood mice?

Aims

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that heavy predation of fallen fruits reduces the predation of neighboring post-dispersed seeds.

Methods

We performed a seed/fruit removal cafeteria experiment to assess the effects of seed species, of fruit species, and of density of fallen fruits on seed predation by wood mice (Apodemus sp.). In total, 6,930 seeds and 9,660 fruits from seven species were used. A generalized linear mixed model procedure was used to test these effects.

Results

Seed predation was significantly affected by the species of both seeds and neighboring fruits, but not by their density. Multiple comparison tests showed that most of treatments tested had no significant effects of species and density of neighboring fruits on seed removal. However, seed removal was significantly lower in some treatments with fruits than in the treatments without fruits for one of the seven seed species tested. Seed removal of two species tested was significantly differed among some treatments with different fruit species.

Conclusion

Most of the results in this study do not support our overall hypothesis. However, a part of results supported our hypothesis, suggesting that seed removal is affected by complex interactions between the preference of wood mice for fruits and fruiting environment.     

Relationship between light and diel vertical migration of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diaphus theta</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphausia pacifica</Emphasis> off eastern Hokkaido

Underwater irradiance in sound-scattering layers (SSLs) during diel vertical migration (DVM) of marine organisms was investigated by a drifting vessel at locations in the western North Pacific during the period August 24–27, 2008. The inhabitants of the layers were identified via sampling as Diaphus theta, a type of myctophid fish, and Euphausia pacifica, a species of zooplankton. Underwater irradiance was estimated by the Beer–Lambert law using irradiance measurements on the deck and the diffuse attenuation coefficients obtained in the water. During DVM, the mean irradiances at 490 nm at the lower and upper boundaries of the SSL composed of E. pacifica were ?54.0 and ?45.3 dB, respectively. In contrast, the values for the boundaries of the D. theta SSL were ?82.5 and ?59.3 dB, respectively. It was possible to distinguish between D. theta and E. pacifica based on these ranges and the differences between the mean volume-backscattering strength (ΔMVBS) at 120 and 38 kHz. It was also possible to distinguish between D. theta/E. pacifica and other causes of scattering more clearly using these two parameters together than when using the ΔMVBS parameters separately. Our results suggest that underwater irradiance is an important parameter for discriminating among organisms in DVM.     

Seasonal variations of tracheid formation and amount of auxin (IAA) and gibberellin A4 (GA4) in cambial-region tissues of mature sugi (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptomeria japonica</Emphasis>) cultivar grown in a Nelder plot with different tree densities

The role of phytohormones in tracheid formation remains unclear in conifers. In this study, to obtain information on the role of auxin (IAA) and gibberellin A4 (GA4), we examined seasonal variation in the amount of phytohormones in cambial-region tissues and tracheid formation of sugi cultivar planted in a Nelder plot with different tree densities. We demonstrated that the amount of IAA was positively correlated with the number of tracheids formed in early and mid-season, but not in late season, and had no relation to tracheid differentiation. Crown length and height at the crown base had a positive and negative effect, respectively, on IAA amounts in early and mid-season, but not in late season. Height-to-diameter ratio was negatively correlated with IAA amounts in early and mid-season, but not in late season. Sugi trees with wider spacing continued tracheid formation in late season with smaller amounts of IAA, although the trees with narrower spacing ceased tracheid formation with larger amounts of IAA. Cambial growth cessation in late season might be controlled not by IAA amount, but by short-day-induced insensitivity to IAA. GA4 had no relation with the indexes of growth traits or tracheid formation.     

Three-dimensional common-feature hypotheses of inhibitors of calling behaviour and in vitro [14C]acetate incorporation by pheromone glands of Plodia interpunctella

Some octopamine (OA) agonists were found to suppress the calling behaviour and pheromone biosynthesis in vitro of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), a stored-product pest. Compounds were screened using a calling behaviour bioassay of female P interpunctella. Three active derivatives, with activity at the nanomolar level, were identified. In order of decreasing pheromonostatic activity these were: 2-(2-ethyl-6-methylanilino)oxazolidine > 2-(2,6-diethylanilino)thiazolidine > 2-(2,6-diethylanilino)oxazolidine. These compounds showed also in vitro inhibitory activities in de novo pheromone biosynthesis. Three-dimensional pharmacophore hypotheses were built from a set of 19 compounds. Among the ten common-featured models generated by the program Catalyst/HipHop, a hypothesis including a ring aromatic group (RA), a positive ionizable group (PI) and two hydrophobic aliphatic (HpA1) features was considered to be essential for inhibitory activity in the calling behaviour and pheromone biosynthesis in vitro. Active compounds mapped well onto all the RA, PI and HpA1 features of the hypothesis. Less-active compounds were shown not to achieve the energetically favourable conformation which was found in the active molecules in order to fit the 3-D common-feature pharmacophore models. The present studies demonstrate that inhibition of calling behaviour and PBAN-stimulated incorporation of radioactivity is by OA-agonistic activity.     

Desiccation-tolerance ofFagus crenata blume seeds from localities of different snowfall regime in central Japan

In beech (Fagus crenata Blume) forests on the Pacific Ocean side in Central Japan, snowpack depth is little and xeric conditions may prevail in winter, in contrast to heavy snow in beech forests on the Japan Sea side. The effects of such conditions during winter on the viability of beech seeds were studied at a beech forest on the Pacific Ocean side. Thickness and weight ratio of pericarp of beech seeds were significantly greater in populations on the Pacific Ocean side compared to the Japan Sea side, this apparently being related to snowpack depth in winter. During the initial stage of seed drying, the drying rate of seeds from the Fuji population (the Pacific Ocean side) was less than that from the Sumon population (the Japan Sea side), possibly due to the thicker pericarp. Germination percentage of seeds which dried to a water content as low as 7% d.w. did not decrease for either population, indicating desiccation tolerance of beech seeds. In the beech forest (University Forest at Yamanaka) on the Pacific Ocean side, water content of seeds sown below litter from both populations remained sufficient for viability during winter. Germinating seeds from the populations on the Japan Sea side were more desiccation-sensitive in early spring, compared to those from the Fuji population, partially due possibly to differences in pericarp thickness.     

追肥与收获时期对水稻产量和品质影响的研究

通过不同追肥与收获处理对水稻"黄金米"品种的产量、蛋白质含量、直链淀粉含量、食味品质以及外观商品品质的影响进行了研究.结果表明,追肥时期以幼穗形成期最好;追肥量越多,产量越高.蛋白质含量越高,食口品质越差,20 Kg/hm2追肥量(纯N)最适;抽穗后41 d收获食味品质最优;追肥时期、追肥量与直链淀粉含量高低无关.     

Effects of crown release on basal area growth rates of some broad-leaved tree species with different shade-tolerance

We compare three or four years effects of crown release on stem growth rates among four deciduous broad-leaved tree species,Fagus crenata, Quercus crispula, Magnolia obovata andAcer mono, in an even-aged coppice forest, central Japan. The crown release significantly improved relative growth rates for basal-area (RGR_BA) of the four species. However the effects of neighboring gap area (GAPA) on the RGR_BA differed among the species. The effects were significant forQ. crispula andM. obovata, indicating that growth rates of these two species increase with intensity of the crown release. In contrast, the RGR_BA ofF. crenata andA. mono were not correlated with the GAPA, suggesting that their growth rates are unrelated to the intensity. We considered that such differences among species were closely related to their photosynthetic characteristics of light use; less-tolerant species (Q. crispula andM. obovata) exhibit greater growth rates relative to the intensity of crown release than tolerant species (F. crenata andA. mono). Based on these results, we proposed implications for thinning practices in mixed forests of species with different shade-tolerance.     

Estimating larval supply of Ezo abalone <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haliotis discus hannai</Emphasis> in a small bay using a coupled particle-tracking and hydrodynamic model: insights into the establishment of harvest refugia

Most juveniles of Haliotis discus hannai have been found to be descendants of wild individuals, although most adults were artificially produced (released) individuals as a result of restocking inside the refugium located near the head of Oshoro Bay, Hokkaido, Japan. To estimate the larval supply from released and wild individuals into the refugium and to compare the suitability of locations as larval sources, we simulated larval dispersal using a coupled hydrodynamic and particle-tracking model. The simulation results indicated that more larvae may be supplied from the wild adults inside the bay to the refugium than from the released adults. These results are consistent with the observed high abundance of wild juveniles in the refugium. Most larvae from the refugium were predicted to disperse out of the bay. We found that larval retention in the bay was at least one order of magnitude higher than that in the refugium. Thus, it may be more effective in terms of self-replenishment and reproduction if the refugium were to be expanded to the bay scale. There were only minor differences among the compared sites at the head of the bay in terms of their suitability as larval sources. Consequently, the establishment of new refugia in this area could be expected to provide an effectiveness equal to that of the current refugium.     

Changes in renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system during cardiac remodeling after mitral valvuloplasty in dogs

BackgroundInformation regarding changes in renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system (RAAS) during cardiac remodeling after mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) in dogs remains lacking.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo assess the longitudinal effects of MVP on circulating RAAS activity.AnimalsEight client‐owned dogs receiving MVP for myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).MethodsThis is a cohort study. Plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin II (AT2), aldosterone (PAC), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine concentrations, were measured in these dogs before (baseline) and at 3 consecutive monthly follow‐ups (Post‐1M, Post‐2M, Post‐3M). Echocardiography was concomitantly used to assess the process of cardiac recovery after MVP.ResultsThe echocardiography revealed a significant decrease in LVIDDN, LA/Ao, FS, E velocity, E/A, E′ sep, S′ lat, E′ lat, and A′ lat after MVP compared with baseline (P < .05). There was a significant reduction in the PRA (2.45, 3.05, 2.74 vs 8.8 ng/mL/h; P = .002), AT2 (466, 315, 235 vs 1200 pg/mL; P = .009), and PAC (39.88, 47, 54.62 vs 179.5 pg/mL; P = .01), respectively at Post‐1M, Post‐2M, Post‐3M compared to the baseline. Additionally, BUN and creatinine concentrations decreased from Post‐1M. The RAAS variables showed significant, weak to moderate, relationship with selected echocardiographic variables.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceMitral valvuloplasty contributes to decreased RAAS activity in MMVD dogs, which paralleled the process of cardiac reverse remodeling up to Post‐3M. This information facilitates formulating strategies to optimize clinical outcomes for dogs after MVP.