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Tree size and herbivory determine below-canopy grass quality and species composition in savannahs
(2009)
Large single-standing trees are rapidly declining in savannahs, ecosystems supporting a high diversity of large herbivorous mammals. Savannah trees are important as they support both a unique flora and fauna. The herbaceous layer in particular responds to the structural and functional properties of a tree. As shrubland expands stem thickening occurs and large trees are replaced by smaller trees. Here we examine whether small trees are as effective in providing advantages for grasses growing beneath their crowns as large trees are. The role of herbivory in this positive tree- grass interaction is also investigated. We assessed soil and grass nutrient content, structural properties, and herbaceous species composition beneath trees of three size classes and under two grazing regimes in a South African savannah. We found that grass leaf content (N and P) beneath the crowns of particularly large (ca. 3.5 m) and very large trees (ca. 9 m) was as much as 40% greater than the same grass species not growing under a tree canopy, whereas nutrient contents of grasses did not differ beneath small trees (< 2.3 m). Moderate herbivory enhanced these effects slightly. Grass species composition differed beneath and beyond the tree canopy but not between tree size classes. As large trees significantly improve the grass nutrient quality for grazers in contrast to smaller trees, the decline of the former should be halted. The presence of trees further increases grass species diversity and patchiness by favouring shade- tolerant species. Both grazing wildlife and livestock will benefit from the presence of large trees because of their structural and functional importance for savannahs.
Background: Hybrids represent a cornerstone in the success story of breeding programs. The fundamental principle underlying this success is the phenomenon of hybrid vigour, or heterosis. It describes an advantage of the offspring as compared to the two parental lines with respect to parameters such as growth and resistance against abiotic or biotic stress. Dominance, overdominance or epistasis based models are commonly used explanations. Conclusion/Significance: The heterosis level is clearly a function of the combination of the parents used for offspring production. This results in a major challenge for plant breeders, as usually several thousand combinations of parents have to be tested for identifying the best combinations. Thus, any approach to reliably predict heterosis levels based on properties of the parental lines would be highly beneficial for plant breeding. Methodology/Principal Findings: Recently, genetic data have been used to predict heterosis. Here we show that a combination of parental genetic and metabolic markers, identified via feature selection and minimum-description-length based regression methods, significantly improves the prediction of biomass heterosis in resulting offspring. These findings will help furthering our understanding of the molecular basis of heterosis, revealing, for instance, the presence of nonlinear genotype-phenotype relationships. In addition, we describe a possible approach for accelerated selection in plant breeding.
Starch is the major storage carbohydrate in plants. It is comprised of glucans that form semicrystalline granules. Glucan phosphorylation is a prerequisite for normal starch breakdown, but phosphoglucan metabolism is not understood. A putative protein phosphatase encoded at the Starch Excess 4 (SEX4) locus of Arabidopsis thaliana was recently shown to be required for normal starch breakdown. Here, we show that SEX4 is a phosphoglucan phosphatase in vivo and define its role within the starch degradation pathway. SEX4 dephosphorylates both the starch granule surface and soluble phosphoglucans in vitro, and sex4 null mutants accumulate phosphorylated intermediates of starch breakdown. These compounds are linear alpha-1,4-glucans esterified with one or two phosphate groups. They are released from starch granules by the glucan hydrolases alpha-amylase and isoamylase. In vitro experiments show that the rate of starch granule degradation is increased upon simultaneous phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of starch. We propose that glucan phosphorylating enzymes and phosphoglucan phosphatases work in synergy with glucan hydrolases to mediate efficient starch catabolism.
Prediction of hybrid biomass in Arabidopsis thaliana by selected parental SNP and metabolic markers
(2009)
A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, derived from two Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, and the corresponding testcrosses with these two original accessions were used for the development and validation of machine learning models to predict the biomass of hybrids. Genetic and metabolic information of the RILs served as predictors. Feature selection reduced the number of variables (genetic and metabolic markers) in the models by more than 80% without impairing the predictive power. Thus, potential biomarkers have been revealed. Metabolites were shown to bear information on inherited macroscopic phenotypes. This proof of concept could be interesting for breeders. The example population exhibits substantial mid-parent biomass heterosis. The results of feature selection could therefore be used to shed light on the origin of heterosis. In this respect, mainly dominance effects were detected.
Two mapping populations of a cross between the Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Col-0 and C24 were cultivated and analyzed with respect to the levels of 181 metabolites to elucidate the biological phenomenon of heterosis at the metabolic level. The relative mid-parent heterosis in the F-1 hybrids was <20% for most metabolic traits. The first mapping population consisting of 369 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and their test cross progeny with both parents allowed us to determine the position and effect of 147 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for metabolite absolute mid-parent heterosis (aMPH). Furthermore, we identified 153 and 83 QTL for augmented additive (Z(1)) and dominance effects (Z(2)), respectively. We identified putative candidate genes for these QTL using the ARACYC database (http://www.arabidopsis.org/ biocyc), and calculated the average degree of dominance, which was within the dominance and over-dominance range for most metabolites. Analyzing a second population of 41 introgression lines (ILs) and their test crosses with the recurrent parent, we identified 634 significant differences in metabolite levels. Nine per cent of these effects were classified as over-dominant, according to the mode of inheritance. A comparison of both approaches suggested epistasis as a major contributor to metabolite heterosis in Arabidopsis. A linear combination of metabolite levels was shown to significantly correlate with biomass heterosis (r = 0.62).
Im Februar 2009 endet die Lehr- und Forschungstätigkeit von Günter C. Behrmann an der Universität Potsdam. Anlässlich seiner Emeritierung gibt das Zentrum für Lehrerbildung der Universität ausgewählte Aufsätze, die Günter C. Behrmann während seiner Potsdamer Zeit publiziert hat, heraus. Diese Aufsätze spiegeln seine Lehr- und Forschungsinteressen sowie sein Engagement in der universitären Selbstverwaltung, sie zeigen die Verbindung zwischen der Deutung einer historischen Lage und den Folgerungen, die Behrmann für die Lösung praktischer politisch-pädagogischer Probleme aus dieser Deutung erschloss. Lebenslauf und Schriftenverzeichnis ergänzen die Festschrift und öffnen den Blick für das Wirken und das wissenschaftliche Werk Günter C. Behrmanns in seiner Gesamtheit.
This article documents the addition of 283 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Agalinis acuta; Ambrosia artemisiifolia; Berula erecta; Casuarius casuarius; Cercospora zeae-maydis; Chorthippus parallelus; Conyza canadensis; Cotesia sesamiae; Epinephelus acanthistius; Ficedula hypoleuca; Grindelia hirsutula; Guadua angustifolia; Leucadendron rubrum; Maritrema novaezealandensis; Meretrix meretrix; Nilaparvata lugens; Oxyeleotris marmoratus; Phoxinus neogaeus; Pristomyrmex punctatus; Pseudobagrus brevicorpus; Seiridium cardinale; Stenopsyche marmorata; Tetranychus evansi and Xerus inauris. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Agalinis decemloba; Agalinis tenella; Agalinis obtusifolia; Agalinis setacea; Agalinis skinneriana; Cercospora zeina; Cercospora kikuchii; Cercospora sorghi; Mycosphaerella graminicola; Setosphaeria turcica; Magnaporthe oryzae; Cotesia flavipes; Cotesia marginiventris; Grindelia Xpaludosa; Grindelia chiloensis; Grindelia fastigiata; Grindelia lanceolata; Grindelia squarrosa; Leucadendron coniferum; Leucadendron salicifolium; Leucadendron tinctum; Leucadendron meridianum; Laodelphax striatellus; Sogatella furcifera; Phoxinus eos; Phoxinus rigidus; Phoxinus brevispinosus; Phoxinus bicolor; Tetranychus urticae; Tetranychus turkestani; Tetranychus ludeni; Tetranychus neocaledonicus; Tetranychus amicus; Amphitetranychus viennensis; Eotetranychus rubiphilus; Eotetranychus tiliarium; Oligonychus perseae; Panonychus citri; Bryobia rubrioculus; Schizonobia bundi; Petrobia harti; Xerus princeps; Spermophilus tridecemlineatus and Sciurus carolinensis.
The incongruous solvation of polyphosphides and phosphanes or the direct reduction of white phosphorus in liquid ammonia leads to the hydrogen polyphosphides catena-dihydrogen triphosphide, P3H23-, and catena-trihydrogen triphosphide, P3H32-, in the crystalline compounds K-3(P3H2)center dot 2.3NH(3) (1), Rb-3(P3H2)center dot NH3 (2), [Rb(18-crown-6)](2)(P3H3)center dot 7.5NH(3) (3), and [Cs(18-crown-6)](2)(P3H3)center dot 7NH(3) (4).
Modelling ungulate dependence on higher quality forage under large trees in African savannahs
(2009)
In African savannahs, large trees improve grass quality, particularly in dry and nutrient poor areas. Enhanced below-canopy grass nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus contents should therefore attract and benefit grazers. To predict whether ungulates really need these forage quality islands we focused on four grazer species, i.e., zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, and warthog, differing in body size and digestive system. We confronted literature estimations of their feeding requirements with forage availability and quality, observed in three South African savannah systems, through linear modelling. The model predicted the proportion of below-canopy grass that grazers should include in their diet to meet their nutritional requirements. During the wet season, the model predicted that all animals could satisfy their daily nutrient requirements when feeding on a combination of below- and outside-canopy grasses. However, wildebeest, having relatively high nutrient demands, could meet their nutrient requirements only by feeding almost exclusively below canopies. During the dry season, all animals could gain almost twice as much digestible protein when feeding on below - compared to outside-canopy forage. Nonetheless, only warthogs could satisfy their nutrient requirements - when feeding almost exclusively on below-canopy grasses. The other ungulate species could not meet their phosphorus demands by feeding at either site without exceeding their maximum fibre intake, indicating the unfavourable conditions during the dry season. We conclude that grazing ungulates, particularly warthog, zebra, and buffalo, actually depend on the available below-canopy grass resources. Our model therefore helps to quantify the importance of higher quality forage patches beneath savannah trees. The composition of grazer communities depending on below-canopy grasses can be anticipated if grazer food requirements and the abundance of large trees in savannahs are known. The model suggests that the conservation of large single-standing trees in savannahs is crucial for maintenance of locally grazing herbivores.
Nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) models are thought to be viable tools for investigating the structure, dynamics, and evolution of the coronae of solar active regions. In a series of NLFFF modeling studies, we have found that NLFFF models are successful in application to analytic test cases, and relatively successful when applied to numerically constructed Sun-like test cases, but they are less successful in application to real solar data. Different NLFFF models have been found to have markedly different field line configurations and to provide widely varying estimates of the magnetic free energy in the coronal volume, when applied to solar data. NLFFF models require consistent, force-free vector magnetic boundary data. However, vector magnetogram observations sampling the photosphere, which is dynamic and contains significant Lorentz and buoyancy forces, do not satisfy this requirement, thus creating several major problems for force-free coronal modeling efforts. In this paper, we discuss NLFFF modeling of NOAA Active Region 10953 using Hinode/SOT-SP, Hinode/XRT, STEREO/SECCHI-EUVI, and SOHO/MDI observations, and in the process illustrate three such issues we judge to be critical to the success of NLFFF modeling: (1) vector magnetic field data covering larger areas are needed so that more electric currents associated with the full active regions of interest are measured, (2) the modeling algorithms need a way to accommodate the various uncertainties in the boundary data, and (3) a more realistic physical model is needed to approximate the photosphere-to-corona interface in order to better transform the forced photospheric magnetograms into adequate approximations of nearly force-free fields at the base of the corona. We make recommendations for future modeling efforts to overcome these as yet unsolved problems.
We introduce a new mixed finite element for solving the 2- and 3-dimensional wave equations and equations of incompressible flow. The element, which we refer to as P1(D)-P2, uses discontinuous piecewise linear functions for velocity and continuous piecewise quadratic functions for pressure. The aim of introducing the mixed formulation is to produce a new flexible element choice for triangular and tetrahedral meshes which satisfies the LBB stability condition and hence has no spurious zero-energy modes. The advantage of this particular element choice is that the mass matrix for velocity is block diagonal so it can be trivially inverted; it also allows the order of the pressure to be increased to quadratic whilst maintaining LBB stability which has benefits in geophysical applications with Coriolis forces. We give a normal mode analysis of the semi-discrete wave equation in one dimension which shows that the element pair is stable, and demonstrate that the element is stable with numerical integrations of the wave equation in two dimensions, an analysis of the resultant discrete Laplace operator in two and three dimensions on various meshes which shows that the element pair does not have any spurious modes. We provide convergence tests for the element pair which confirm that the element is stable since the convergence rate of the numerical solution is quadratic.
The low-productivity South Pacific Gyre (SPG) is Earth's largest oceanic province. Its sediment accumulates extraordinarily slowly (0.1-1 m per million years). This sediment contains a living community that is characterized by very low biomass and very low metabolic activity. At every depth in cored SPG sediment, mean cell abundances are 3 to 4 orders of magnitude lower than at the same depths in all previously explored subseafloor communities. The net rate of respiration by the subseafloor sedimentary community at each SPG site is 1 to 3 orders of magnitude lower than the rates at previously explored sites. Because of the low respiration rates and the thinness of the sediment, interstitial waters are oxic throughout the sediment column in most of this region. Consequently, the sedimentary community of the SPG is predominantly aerobic, unlike previously explored subseafloor communities. Generation of H-2 by radiolysis of water is a significant electron-donor source for this community. The per-cell respiration rates of this community are about 2 orders of magnitude higher (in oxidation/reduction equivalents) than in previously explored anaerobic subseafloor communities. Respiration rates and cell concentrations in subseafloor sediment throughout almost half of the world ocean may approach those in SPG sediment.
Occludin is a self-associating transmembrane tight junction protein affected in oxidative stress. However, its function is unknown. The cytosolic C-terminal tail contains a coiled coil-domain forming dimers contributing to the self- association. Studying the hypothesis that the self-association is redox-sensitive, we found that the dimerization of the domain depended on the sulfhydryl concentration of the environment in low-millimolar range. Under physiological conditions, monomers and dimers were detected. Masking the sulfhydryl residues in the domain prevented the dimerization but affected neither its helical structure nor cylindric shape. Incubation of cell extracts containing full-length occludin with sulfhydryl reagents prevented the dimerization; a cysteine/alanine exchange mutant also did not show dimer formation. This demonstrates, for the first time, that disulfide bridge formation of the domain is involved in the occludin dimerization. It is concluded that the redox-dependent dimerization of occludin may play a regulatory role in the tight junction assembly under physiological and pathological conditions.
Effects of isoflavones on estrogen sensitive tissues are discussed controversially This study was designed to investigate tissue specific effects of an isoflavone exposure through different periods of life in female Wistar rats and to compare the effects of genistein (GEN) to those of mixed dietary isoflavones, GEN and daidzein (DAI). One group received an isoflavone-free diet (IDD). another was fed an isoflavone-rich diet (IRD) and the third group an IDD supplemented with GEN (GEN(d)) prior to mating. throughout pregnancy and up to weaning The offspring were kept on the respective diets during growth. puberty and adulthood The weight of the uterus, the height of the uterine and vaginal epithelium, the bone mineral density of the tibia, and the expression of the estrogen sensitive gene CaBP9K in the liver were determined. At d21, the uterine weight, the uterine epithelium and the expression of CaBP9K in the liver were significantly stimulated in GEN(d) animals compared to IDD and IRD Interestingly, bone mineral density was increased in GEN(d) and in IRD animals Around puberty (d50) neither uterine wet weights nor trabecular bone density differed significantly among the isoflavone groups and the IDD control. At d80 nosignificant differences in uterine weight were observed among IDD. GEN(d) and IRD animals. However, bone mineral density was increased in GEN(d) and IRD animals In summary, Our results demonstrate that lifelong dietary exposure to isoflavones can affect estrogen sensitive tissues, apparently in a tissue selective manner With respect to health risk and benefit our data indicate that an increased bone mineral density can be achieved by lifelong exposure to an IRD. which, in contrast to GEN supplementation, does not seem to stimulate the proliferation of the uterine epithelium
We present a method for the rapid and simple extraction of DNA from marine sediments using electroelution. It effectively separates DNA from compounds, including humic substances, that interfere with subsequent DNA quantification and amplification. After extraction of the DNA from the sediment into an aqueous solution, the crude sample is encased in 2% agarose gel and exposed to an electrical current, which draws the DNA out of the gel into a centrifugal filter vial. After electroelution, the sample is centrifuged to remove contaminants <= 100 000 Da. Recovery of DNA using this method is quantitative and does not discriminate on the basis of size, as determined using DNA standards and DNA extracts from environmental samples. Amplification of DNA is considerably improved due to removal of PCR inhibitors. For Archaea, only these purified extracts yielded PCR products. This method allows for the use of relatively large volumes of sediment and is particularly useful for sediments containing low biomass such as deeply buried marine sediments. It works with both organic-rich and -poor sediment, as well as with sediment where calcium carbonate is abundant and sediment where it is limited; consequently, adjustment of protocols is unnecessary for samples with very different organic and mineral contents.
We report on the detection of a population of weak metal-line absorbers in the halo or nearby intergalactic environment of the Milky Way. Using high-resolution ultraviolet absorption-line spectra of bright quasars (QSO) obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), along six sight lines we have observed unsaturated, narrow absorption in O I and Si II, together with mildly saturated C II absorption at high radial velocities (vertical bar v(LSR)vertical bar = 100-320 km s(-1)). The measured O I column densities lie in the range N(O I) 2 x 10(14) cm(-2) implying that these structures represent Lyman limit Systems and sub-Lyman limit System with H I column densities between 10(16) and 3 x 10(18) cm(-2), thus below the detection limits of current 21 cm all-sky surveys of high-velocity clouds (HVCs). The absorbers apparently are not directly associated with any of the large high column density HVC complexes, but rather represent isolated, partly neutral gas clumps embedded in a more tenuous, ionized gaseous medium situated in the halo or nearby intergalactic environment of the Galaxy. Photoionization modeling of the observed low ion ratios suggests typical hydrogen volume densities of n(H) > 0.02 cm(-3) and characteristic thicknesses of a several parsec down to subparsec scales. For three absorbers, metallicities are constrained in the range of 0.1-1.0 solar, implying that these gaseous structures may have multiple origins inside and outside the Milky Way. Using supplementary optical absorption-line data, we find for two other absorbers Ca II/O I column-density ratios that correspond to solar Ca/O abundance ratios. This finding indicates that these clouds do not contain significant amounts of dust. This population of low column density gas clumps in the circumgalactic environment of the Milky Way is indicative of the various processes that contribute to the circulation of neutral gas in the extended halos of spiral galaxies. These processes include the accretion of gas from the intergalactic medium and satellite galaxies, galactic fountains, and outflows. We speculate that this absorber population represents the local analog of weak Mg II systems that are commonly observed in the circumgalactic environment of low- and high-redshift galaxies.
We determine the metallicity distribution function (MDF) of the Galactic halo by means of a sample of 1638 metal-poor stars selected from the Hamburg/ESO objective-prism survey (HES). The sample was corrected for minor biases introduced by the strategy for spectroscopic follow-up observations of the metal-poor candidates, namely "best and brightest stars first". Comparison of the metallicities [Fe/H] of the stars determined from moderate-resolution (i.e., R similar to 2000) follow-up spectra with results derived from abundance analyses based on high-resolution spectra (i.e., R > 20 000) shows that the [Fe/H] estimates used for the determination of the halo MDF are accurate to within 0.3 dex, once highly C-rich stars are eliminated. We determined the selection function of the HES, which must be taken into account for a proper comparison between the HES MDF with MDFs of other stellar populations or those predicted by models of Galactic chemical evolution. The latter show a reasonable agreement with the overall shape of the HES MDF for [Fe/H] > -3.6, but only a model of Salvadori et al. (2007) with a critical metallicity for low-mass star formation of Z(cr) = 10(-3.4) Z(circle dot) reproduces the sharp drop at [Fe/H] similar to -3.6 present in the HES MDF. Although currently about ten stars at [Fe/H] < -3.6 are known, the evidence for the existence of a tail of the halo MDF extending to [Fe/H] similar to -5.5 is weak from the sample considered in this paper, because it only includes two stars [Fe/H] < -3.6. Therefore, a comparison with theoretical models has to await larger statistically complete and unbiased samples. A comparison of the MDF of Galactic globular clusters and of dSph satellites to the Galaxy shows qualitative agreement with the halo MDF, derived from the HES, once the selection function of the latter is included. However, statistical tests show that the differences between these are still highly significant.
Electrocoating of 2,2 dibutylpropylene dioxythiophene on carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs) in different electrolytes in acetonitrile was performed, and surface morphology and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic investigation has been carried out. Impedance spectra showed the typical form of Z(IM) versus Z(RE) for transmission- line at frequencies 10 Hz, with transition to almost pure capacitive behaviour down to 10 mHz (the lower limit of frequency scan).
Predictions on displacement of suitable habitats due to climate change suggest that plant species with poor colonization ability may be unable to move fast enough to match forecasted climate-induced changes in habitat distribution. However, studies on early Holocene plant migration show fast migration of many plant species that are poor colonizers today. We hypothesize that warmer temperatures during the early Holocene yielded higher seed quality, contributing to explaining the fast migration. We studied how the 3 seed quality variables, seed mass, germinability, and requirements for break of seed dormancy, vary for seeds of 11 forest herb species with varying colonization capacity collected along a 1400-km latitudinal gradient. Within species, seed mass showed a positive correlation with latitude, whereas germinability was more positively correlated with temperature (growing degree hours obtained at time of seed collection). Only slow-colonizing species increased germinability with temperature, whereas only fast-colonizing species increased germinability with latitude. These interactions were only detectable when analyzing germinability of the seeds, even though this trait and seed mass were correlated. The requirement for dormancy break did not correlate with latitude or temperature. The results indicate that seed development of slow colonizers may be favoured by a warmer climate, which in turn may be important for their migration capacity.
Previous studies that have examined the relationship between implicit and explicit motive measures have consistently found little variance overlap between both types of measures regardless of thematic content domain (i.e., power, achievement, affiliation). However, this independence may be artifactual because the primary means of measuring implicit motivescontent-coding stories people write about picture cuesare incommensurable with the primary means of measuring explicit motives: having individuals fill out self-report scales. To provide a better test of the presumed independence between both types of measures, we measured implicit motives with a Picture Story Exercise (PSE; McClelland, Koestner, Weinberger, 1989) and explicit motives with a cue- and response-matched questionnaire version of the PSE (PSE-Q) and a traditional measure of explicit motives, the Personality Research Form (PRF; Jackson, 1984) in 190 research participants. Correlations between the PSE and the PSE-Q were small and mostly nonsignificant, whereas the PSE- Q showed significant variance overlap with the PRF within and across thematic domains. We conclude that the independence postulate holds even when more commensurable measures of implicit and explicit motives are used.
Apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He ages from Ocona canyon at the western margin of the Central Andean plateau record rock cooling histories induced by a major phase of canyon incision. We quantify the timing and magnitude of incision by integrating previously published ages from the valley bottom with 19 new sample ages from four valley wall transects. Interpretation of the incision history from cooling ages is complicated by a southwest to northeast increase in temperatures at the base of the crust due to subduction and volcanism. Furthermore, the large magnitude of incision leads to additional three-dimensional variations in the thermal field. We address these complications with finite element thermal and thermochronometer age prediction models to quantify the range of topographic evolution scenarios consistent with observed cooling ages. Comparison of 275 model simulations to observed cooling ages and regional heat flow determinations identify a best fit history with <= 0.2 km of incision in the forearc region prior to similar to 14 Ma and up to 3.0 km of incision starting between 7 and 11 Ma. Incision starting at 7 Ma requires incision to end by similar to 5.5 to 6 Ma. However, a 2.2 Ma age on a volcanic flow on the current valley floor and 5 Ma gravels on the uplifted piedmont surface together suggest that incision ended during the time span between 2.2 and 5 Ma. These additional constraints for incision end time lead to a range of best fit incision onset times between 8 and 11 Ma, which must coincide with or postdate surface uplift.
From the dichloromethane-methanol (1:1) extract of the seed pods of Derris trifoliata, a new flavanone derivative (S)-lupinifolin 4´-methyl ether was isolated. In addition, the known flavonoids lupinifolin and rotenone were identified. The structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. Lupinfolin showed moderate in vitro antiplasmodial activity against the D6 (chloroquine-sensitive) and W2 (chloroquineresistant) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The different parts of this plant showed larvicidal activities against Aedes aegypti and rotenoids were identified as the active principles.
From the seedpods of Tephrosia elata, a new β-hydroxydihydrochalcone named (S)-elatadihydrochalcone was isolated. In addition, the known flavonoids obovatachalcone, obovatin, obovatin methyl ether and deguelin were identified. The structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. The crude extract and the flavonoids obtained from the seedpods of this plant showed antiplasmodial activities. The literature NMR data on β-hydroxydihydrochalcones is reviewed and the identity of some of the compounds assigned β-hydroxydihydrochalcone skeleton is questioned.
Stable isotope altimetry is a useful tool for estimating paleoelevation in sedimentary records. Yet questions remain regarding how source moisture, climate, and local topography can influence these estimates. Here we present stable isotope altimetry results on late Quaternary pedogenic carbonates of known elevation on both flanks of the Andean orogen at 33 degrees S. We measured delta O-18 values of pedogenic carbonates and river water samples from small drainages at regular elevation increments within the Rio Aconcagua (Chile) and Rio Mendoza (Argentina) catchments. The delta O-18 values of river waters correlate well with elevation and show similar isotopic gradients between the Chilean (-3.7 parts per thousand/km) and Argentine (-4.8 parts per thousand/km) sides of the range. Uncertainties associated with scatter in the river water data and assumptions about the temperature of carbonate formation indicate that elevation estimates have 1 sigma errors of 350-450 m. We estimate the isotopic composition of soil water from pedogenic carbonates on both sides of the range by assuming mean annual temperatures based the modern temperature lapse rate from meteorological station data. Combined, our data show that stable isotope altimetry produces reasonable estimates of modern elevation, with the majority of our samples (60%) within the 1 sigma uncertainties and 77% within 2 sigma.
We analyzed published records of terrigenous dust flux from marine sediments off subtropical West Africa, the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and the Arabian Sea, and lake records from East Africa using statistical methods to detect trends, rhythms and events in Plio-Pleistocene African climate. The critical reassessment of the environmental significance of dust flux and lake records removes the apparent inconsistencies between marine vs. terrestrial records of African climate variability. Based on these results, major steps in mammalian and hominin evolution occurred during episodes of a wetter, but highly variable climate largely controlled by orbitally induced insolation changes in the low latitudes.
The nor-halimane diterpenoid tessmannic acid and its methyl, 2-methylisopropyl and 1-methylbutyl esters, the unusual isocoumarins 8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3-pentylisocoumarin and 7-chloro-8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3-pentylisocoumarin, and 5- pentyl-3-methoxy-N-butylaniline were isolated from the stem and root bark extracts of Tessmannia densiflora Harms (Caesalpiniaceae) that showed mosquito larvicidal activity. The structures were determined on interpretation of spectroscopic data. Tessmannic acid and its methyl ester exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity. The compounds also caused high larvae and adult Anopheles gambiae mosquitoe mortality effects, and stronger mosquito repellency than that shown by the standard repellent DEET, hence indicating Tessmannia species to be potential sources of bioactive natural products.
Background & objectives: This paper reports the larvicidal activity of seventeen Tanzanian plant species against the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae s.s. Giles larvae. Some of the plants are used traditionally as sources of insecticidal materials. Methods: The crude extracts from the leaves, stem and root barks of the investigated plants were obtained by solvent extraction and then bio-assayed following WHO protocols showed LC50 values 10 to 400 ppm after 24 h exposure. The structures were determined on interpretation of spectroscopic data. Results: The most active extracts were those from the stem and root barks of Annona squamosa, Uvaria faulknerae, U. kirkii and Uvariodendron pycnophyllum, all of which had LC50 values between 10 and 100 ppm. Long-term exposure beyond 24 h also showed more susceptibility of the larvae to the extracts. Larvae deformities by forming tail-like structures were observed for the methanol extracts of Tessmannia martiniana var pauloi. Interpretation & conclusion: The results suggest that the investigated plant extracts are promising as larvicides against An. gambiae s.s. Giles mosquitoes and could be useful leads in the search for new and biodegradable plant derived larvicide products.
Der gemeinsame Wandel der inselkeltischen Sprachen wie auch des Englischen vom vorwiegend synthetischen Typus zum vorwiegend analytischen Typus läßt sich vermutlich auf einen ca. 1500 Jahre dauernden intensiven Sprachenkontakt zwischen diesen Sprachen zurückführen. Heute ist das Englische die analytischste Sprache der Britischen Inseln und Irlands, gefolgt vom Walisischen, Bretonischen und Irischen. Letzteres ist von den genannten Sprachen noch am weitesten morphologisch komplex.