@article{RuelensdeMaagdProostetal.2013, author = {Ruelens, Philip and de Maagd, Ruud A. and Proost, Sebastian and Theissen, G{\"u}nther and Geuten, Koen and Kaufmann, Kerstin}, title = {FLOWERING LOCUS C in monocots and the tandem origin of angiosperm-specific MADS-box genes}, series = {Nature Communications}, volume = {4}, journal = {Nature Communications}, number = {8}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {London}, issn = {2041-1723}, doi = {10.1038/ncomms3280}, pages = {8}, year = {2013}, abstract = {MADS-domain transcription factors have been shown to act as key repressors or activators of the transition to flowering and as master regulators of reproductive organ identities. Despite their important roles in plant development, the origin of several MADS-box subfamilies has remained enigmatic so far. Here we demonstrate, through a combination of genome synteny and phylogenetic reconstructions, the origin of three major, apparently angiosperm-specific MADS-box gene clades: FLOWERING LOCUS C- (FLC-), SQUAMOSA- (SQUA-) and SEPALLATA- (SEP-) -like genes. We find that these lineages derive from a single ancestral tandem duplication in a common ancestor of extant seed plants. Contrary to common belief, we show that FLC- like genes are present in cereals where they can also act as floral repressors responsive to prolonged cold or vernalization. This opens a new perspective on the translation of findings from Arabidopsis to cereal crops, in which vernalization was originally described.}, language = {en} } @article{LiangHeinrichSimardetal.2013, author = {Liang, Wei and Heinrich, Ingo and Simard, Sonia and Helle, Gerhard and Linan, Isabel Dorado and Heinken, Thilo}, title = {Climate signals derived from cell anatomy of Scots pine in NE Germany}, series = {Tree physiology}, volume = {33}, journal = {Tree physiology}, number = {8}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0829-318X}, doi = {10.1093/treephys/tpt059}, pages = {833 -- 844}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Tree-ring chronologies of Pinus sylvestris L. from latitudinal and altitudinal limits of the species distribution have been widely used for climate reconstructions, but there are many sites within the temperate climate zone, as is the case in northeastern Germany, at which there is little evidence of a clear climate signal in the chronologies. In this study, we developed long chronologies of several cell structure variables (e. g., average lumen area and cell wall thickness) from P. sylvestris growing in northeastern Germany and investigated the influence of climate on ring widths and cell structure variables. We found significant correlations between cell structure variables and temperature, and between tree-ring width and relative humidity and vapor pressure, respectively, enabling the development of robust reconstructions from temperate sites that have not yet been realized. Moreover, it has been shown that it may not be necessary to detrend chronologies of cell structure variables and thus low-frequency climate signals may be retrieved from longer cell structure chronologies. The relatively extensive resource of archaeological material of P. sylvestris covering approximately the last millennium may now be useful for climate reconstructions in northeastern Germany and other sites in the temperate climate zone.}, language = {en} } @article{RietschGodinaScheffler2013, author = {Rietsch, Katrin and Godina, Elena and Scheffler, Christiane}, title = {Decreased External Skeletal Robustness in Schoolchildren - a Global Trend? ; Ten Year Comparison of Russian and German Data}, series = {PLoS one}, volume = {8}, journal = {PLoS one}, number = {7}, publisher = {PLoS}, address = {San Fransisco}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0068195}, pages = {7}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Objectives: Obesity and a reduced physical activity are global developments. Physical activity affects the external skeletal robustness which decreased in German children. It was assumed that the negative trend of decreased external skeletal robustness can be found in other countries. Therefore anthropometric data of Russian and German children from the years 2000 and 2010 were compared. Methods: Russian (2000/2010 n = 1023/268) and German (2000/2010 n = 2103/1750) children aged 6-10 years were investigated. Height, BMI and external skeletal robustness (Frame-Index) were examined and compared for the years and the countries. Statistical analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney-Test. Results: Comparison 2010 and 2000: In Russian children BMI was significantly higher; boys were significantly taller and exhibited a decreased Frame-Index (p = .002) in 2010. German boys showed significantly higher BMI in 2010. In both sexes Frame-Index (p = .001) was reduced in 2010. Comparison Russian and German children in 2000: BMI, height and Frame-Index were different between Russian and German children. German children were significantly taller but exhibited a lower Frame-Index (p<.001). Even German girls showed a significantly higher BMI. Comparison Russian and German children in 2010: BMI and Frame-Index were different. Russian children displayed a higher Frame-Index (p<.001) compared with Germans. Conclusions: In Russian children BMI has increased in recent years. Frame-Index is still higher in Russian children compared with Germans however in Russian boys Frame-Index is reduced. This trend and the physical activity should be observed in the future.}, language = {en} } @article{MassieRyabovBlasiusetal.2013, author = {Massie, Thomas Michael and Ryabov, Alexei and Blasius, Bernd and Weithoff, Guntram and Gaedke, Ursula}, title = {Complex transient dynamics of stage-structured populations in response to environmental changes}, series = {The American naturalist : a bi-monthly journal devoted to the advancement and correlation of the biological sciences}, volume = {182}, journal = {The American naturalist : a bi-monthly journal devoted to the advancement and correlation of the biological sciences}, number = {1}, publisher = {Univ. of Chicago Press}, address = {Chicago}, issn = {0003-0147}, doi = {10.1086/670590}, pages = {103 -- 119}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Stage structures of populations can have a profound influence on their dynamics. However, not much is known about the transient dynamics that follow a disturbance in such systems. Here we combined chemostat experiments with dynamical modeling to study the response of the phytoplankton species Chlorella vulgaris to press perturbations. From an initially stable steady state, we altered either the concentration or dilution rate of a growth-limiting resource. This disturbance induced a complex transient response-characterized by the possible onset of oscillations-before population numbers relaxed to a new steady state. Thus, cell numbers could initially change in the opposite direction of the long-term change. We present quantitative indexes to characterize the transients and to show that the dynamic response is dependent on the degree of synchronization among life stages, which itself depends on the state of the population before perturbation. That is, we show how identical future steady states can be approached via different transients depending on the initial population structure. Our experimental results are supported by a size-structured model that accounts for interplay between cell-cycle and population-level processes and that includes resource-dependent variability in cell size. Our results should be relevant to other populations with a stage structure including organisms of higher order.}, language = {en} } @article{PavesiKetmaier2013, author = {Pavesi, Laura and Ketmaier, Valerio}, title = {Patterns of genetics structuring and levels of differentiation in supralittoral talitrid amphipods - an overview}, series = {Crustaceana : international journal of crustacean research}, volume = {86}, journal = {Crustaceana : international journal of crustacean research}, number = {7-8}, publisher = {Brill}, address = {Leiden}, issn = {0011-216X}, doi = {10.1163/15685403-00003212}, pages = {890 -- 907}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Talitrids are the only family within the order Amphipoda to have colonised supralittoral and terrestrial environments. They live in a variety of settings, from sandy to rocky and pebble beaches, to river and lake banks, and to leaf litter and caves. A common feature is the absence of a planktonic larval stage to facilitate passive dispersal over long-distances. However, some species have broad distributions. Genetic studies over the past 25 years have tried to explain this apparent contradiction by assessing patterns of species genetic structuring on different geographical scales. Here, we review the molecular studies available to date and focus on the population genetics of talitrids. Most of these studies considered populations in the Mediterranean area, but also along the Atlantic coast and in Canary Island caves. From this review, the group emerges as a potential model to understand processes of dispersal and divergence in non-highly-vagile supralittoral organisms. At the same time, studies on these issues are still too restricted geographically: a worldwide scale including different regions would provide us with a better perspective on these problems.}, language = {en} } @article{ReimThammRolkeetal.2013, author = {Reim, Tina and Thamm, Markus and Rolke, Daniel and Blenau, Wolfgang and Scheiner, Ricarda}, title = {Suitability of three common reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR in honey bees}, series = {Apidologie : a quality journal in bee science}, volume = {44}, journal = {Apidologie : a quality journal in bee science}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Paris}, issn = {0044-8435}, doi = {10.1007/s13592-012-0184-3}, pages = {342 -- 350}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Honey bees are important model organisms for neurobiology, because they display a large array of behaviors. To link behavior with individual gene function, quantitative polymerase chain reaction is frequently used. Comparing gene expression of different individuals requires data normalization using adequate reference genes. These should ideally be expressed stably throughout lifetime. Unfortunately, this is frequently not the case. We studied how well three commonly used reference genes are suited for this purpose and measured gene expression in the brains of honey bees differing in age and social role. Although rpl32 is used most frequently, it only remains stable in expression between newly emerged bees, nurse-aged bees, and pollen foragers but shows a peak at the age of 12 days. The genes gapdh and ef1 alpha-f1, in contrast, are expressed stably in the brain throughout all age groups except newly emerged bees. According to stability software, gapdh was expressed most stably, followed by rpl32 and ef1 alpha-f1.}, language = {en} } @article{WeisseMoserScheffeletal.2013, author = {Weisse, Thomas and Moser, Michael and Scheffel, Ulrike and Stadler, Peter and Berendonk, Thomas U. and Weithoff, Guntram and Berger, Helmut}, title = {Systematics and species-specific response to pH of Oxytricha acidotolerans sp nov and Urosomoida sp (Ciliophora, Hypotricha) from acid mining lakes}, series = {European journal of protistology}, volume = {49}, journal = {European journal of protistology}, number = {2}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Jena}, issn = {0932-4739}, doi = {10.1016/j.ejop.2012.08.001}, pages = {255 -- 271}, year = {2013}, abstract = {We investigated the morphology, phylogeny of the 18S rDNA, and pH response of Oxytricha acidotolerans sp. nov. and Urosomoida sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotricha) isolated from two chemically similar acid mining lakes (pH similar to 2.6) located at Langau, Austria, and in Lusatia, Germany. Oxytricha acidotolerans sp. nov. from Langau has 18 frontal-ventral-transverse cirri but a very indistinct kinety 3 fragmentation so that the assignment to Oxytricha is uncertain. The somewhat smaller species from Lusatia has a highly variable cirral pattern and the dorsal kineties arranged in the Urosomoida pattern and is, therefore, preliminary designated as Urosomoida sp. The pH response was measured as ciliate growth rates in laboratory experiments at pH ranging from 2.5 to 7.0. Our hypothesis was that the shape of the pH reaction norm would not differ between these closely related (3\% difference in their SSU rDNA) species. Results revealed a broad pH niche for O. acidotolerans, with growth rates peaking at moderately acidic conditions (pH 5.2). Cyst formation was positively and linearly related to pH. Urosomoida sp. was more sensitive to pH and did not survive at circumneutral pH. Accordingly, we reject our hypothesis that similar habitats would harbour ciliate species with virtually identical pH reaction norm.}, language = {en} } @article{ThinesKummer2013, author = {Thines, Marco and Kummer, Volker}, title = {Diversity and species boundaries in floricolous downy mildews}, series = {Mycological progress : international journal of the German Mycological Society}, volume = {12}, journal = {Mycological progress : international journal of the German Mycological Society}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {1617-416X}, doi = {10.1007/s11557-012-0837-7}, pages = {321 -- 329}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Floricolous downy mildews are a monophyletic group of members of the genus Peronospora (Oomycota, Peronosporales). These downy mildews can be found on a variety of families of the Asteridae, including Asteraceae, Campanulaceae, Dipsacaceae, Lamiaceae, and Orobanchaceae. With the exception of Peronospora radii, which can also cause economically relevant losses, sporulation usually takes place only on floral parts of their hosts. However, only very few specimens of these mostly inconspicuous downy mildews have so far been included in molecular phylogenies. Focusing on Lamiaceae, we have investigated multiple specimens of floricolous downy mildews for elucidating species boundaries and host specificity in this group. Based on both mitochondrial and nuclear loci, it became apparent that phylogenetic lineages in the Lamiaceae seem to be host genus specific and significant sequence diversity could be found between lineages. Based on distinctiveness in both phylogenetic reconstructions and morphology, the downy mildew on flowers of Stachys palustris is introduced as a new species, Peronospora jagei sp. nov., which can be morphologically distinguished from Peronospora stigmaticola by broader and shorter conidiospores. The diversity of the floricolous down mildews might be higher than previously assumed, although specimens from a much broader set of samples will be needed to confirm this view.}, language = {en} } @article{MirhajBoitRazzaketal.2013, author = {Mirhaj, M. and Boit, Alice and Razzak, M. A. and Wahab, M. A.}, title = {Yield performance comparison between cultures of rice cum prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and rice cum fish (Cyprinus carpio, Oreochromis niloticus) in North-Eastern Bangladesh}, series = {Aquaculture : an international journal devoted to research on the exploration and improvement of all aquatic food resources, both floristic and faunistic, from freshwater, brackish and marine environment, related directly or indirectly to human consumption}, volume = {392}, journal = {Aquaculture : an international journal devoted to research on the exploration and improvement of all aquatic food resources, both floristic and faunistic, from freshwater, brackish and marine environment, related directly or indirectly to human consumption}, number = {5}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0044-8486}, doi = {10.1016/j.aquaculture.2013.01.038}, pages = {26 -- 33}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Integrated and concurrent cultures in rice fields are a promising approach to sustainable farming as the demand for aquacultural and agricultural products continues to grow while land and water resources become increasingly scarce. Prawn farming mainly takes place in coastal regions in improved extensive to semi-intensive aquacultures but a trend to shift the industry to inland regions has been noticed. This inland study in Northern Bangladesh used different input regimes such as fertilizer and additional feed to compare the performance of prawn and fish in flooded paddy fields in regard to water quality measurements. Maximal net yields and body weight gain with minimized negative impact on water quality were found when initial body weights of prawn were optimized. Regarding yield factors in reference to the reduction of costs due to the avoidance of expensive fertilizer/feed and effort, prawn performed better than integrated fish cultures considering a higher market value of prawn with net yields of up to 97 +/- 55 kg ha(-1) for unfed and 151 +/- 61 kg ha(-1) for fed treatments. Rice yields of up to 4.7 +/- 0.1 t ha(-1) for unfed and 4.4 +/- 0.1 t ha(-1) were achieved for fed treatments. The findings suggest that for small scale farmers, prawn cum rice cultures are an economically profitable and comparatively easily manageable alternative to rice cum fish cultures.}, language = {en} } @article{WeisseLaufensteinWeithoff2013, author = {Weisse, Thomas and Laufenstein, Nicole and Weithoff, Guntram}, title = {Multiple environmental stressors confine the ecological niche of the rotifer Cephalodella acidophila}, series = {Freshwater biology}, volume = {58}, journal = {Freshwater biology}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0046-5070}, doi = {10.1111/fwb.12104}, pages = {1008 -- 1015}, year = {2013}, abstract = {1The planktonic food web in extremely acidic mining lakes is restricted to a few species that are either acidophilic or acidotolerant. Common metazoans inhabiting acidic mining lakes with a pH below 3 include rotifers in the genera Cephalodella and Elosa. 2The life history response of Cephalodella acidophila to three environmental key factors, pH (2, 3.5, 5.0 and 7.0), temperature (10, 17.5 and 25 degrees C) and food concentration (10000, 35000 and 50000algal cells per mL), was investigated in a full factorial design using life-table experiments. 3The effect of each of the three environmental variables investigated on the rotifer life cycle parameters (life span, fecundity and population growth rate) differed. C.acidophila is a stenoecious species with a pH optimum in the range 34 and a comparably high food threshold. Combining the laboratory results with field data, we conclude that C.acidophila is severely growth limited in its natural habitat. However, low pH alone is not harmful as long as temperatures are moderate to warm and food is abundant. 4The population of C.acidophila in the field is maintained mainly due to release from competitors and predators.}, language = {en} }