Seed banks of Bromus tectorum -dominated communities in the Great Basin

We seeded Agropyron cristatum and 16 native Great Basin perennial species on Bromus tectorum -dominated sites to compare temporal patterns of seedling emergence and early survival among species. To indicate variability between sites and between years, plots were planted on 2 sites in western Utah in autumn 1994, and plantings were repeated near 1 site in autumn 1995. Two sites included burned and unburned seedbed treatments. We monitored seedling emergence and survival from early winter until July of the 1st year. Four seasonal patterns of emergence were evident, indicating considerable potential for different seasonal patterns of precipitation to favor recruitment of difference species. Emergence of all shrubs, except Ephedra nevadensis , began in February and essentially ended by April. Seedlings of Ephedra nevadensis and of the grasses Agropyron and Pseudoroegneria spicata emerged over an extended period from February through June. Most other grasses and the 2 forbs began emerging in April and continued into June. Pleuraphis jamesii emergence did not begin until May. Although many seedlings of the 3 chenopod shrubs emerged, none survived, suggesting their episodic recruitment is more a function of survival than of emergence. Survival of 2 Chrysothamnus species was also low. Pseudoroegneria and Agropyron had the highest numbers of seedlings surviving on the moister site, followed by Elymus elymoides and Stipa comata . Survival of Agropyron , but not the native Elymus , was more depressed on the drier of the 2 sites planted in 1994. Stipa, Oryzopsis hymenoides , Pleuraphis , and Ephedra survived as well on the drier site as on the moister site, or better. On the 1995 planting sites Bromus was greatly reduced by the burn treatment, and, in contrast to the effect of burn treatments on the 1994 site, survival of all species except Oryzopsis and Ephedra was higher on burned than on unburned treatments. Overall, Stipa, Oryzopsis , and Pleuraphis had low emergence but consistently higher survival.     

Computer analysis of cross sections of leaves of Chrysothamnus taxa and their relation to environmental conditions

Thirty-eight accessions of 20 taxa (species and subspecies) of Chrysothamnus from a range of environments were grown in a uniform garden. During mid-June, terminal and lateral leaves were removed, fixed, and processed for light-microscopy studies. Area and perimeter measurements of ink tracings of midleaf vein cross sections were measured using computer-scan techniques. Leaf area and perimeter were compared with vein perimeter and area measurements. Area and perimeter of these Chrysothamnus leaves varied in response to the environment at the collection location. Plants native to hot, dry conditions had small, thick leaves, whereas plants native to cooler, more mesic conditions had relatively large, thin leaves. Similarly, leaves with round veins were adapted to hot, dry environments and leaves with elliptical veins were adapted to cooler, more mesic environments. Both terminal (young) and lateral (older) leaves were sampled. Terminal leaves showed significant (p < .05) correlational responses to environmental parameters, whereas the lateral leaves, while fronding in the predicted morphological directions, did not generally show significant responses. The different responses of terminal and lateral leaves may have been due to canopy position and uniform environmental conditions of the garden. Leaves with large cross sections characteristically had large veins, and leaves with small cross sections characteristically had small veins. Large leaf cross sections were normally flat. Small leaf cross sections were normally round. Decreasing leaf size and increasing leaf thickness were correlated with aridity.     

Range extension of the long-nosed snake, Rhinocheilus l. lecontei, into east-central Utah

A review of the distribution of Rhinocheilus l. lecontei, in Utah, with a northward extension of its range in the Upper Colorado River Basin.     

Production, losses, and germination of Ceanothus fendleri seeds in an Arizona ponderosa pine forest

I quantified seed production and ovule losses for Ceanothus fendleri Gray (Fendler ceanothus) plants protected from large ungulate herbivores in a ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa [Laws]) forest of northern Arizona. I also tested seed germination responses to cold stratification and heat treatments in the laboratory. Fruit production on fecund stems ranged from 7.4 to 38.2 fruits per stem, which equated to 22.2-118.2 potential seeds based on 3 ovules per fruit. Stems that produced fruit were significantly large relative to their expected sizes. Predispersal ovule losses ranged from 70.7% to 91.4% across the 2 years studied. A chalcidoid seed parasite ( Eurytoma squamosa Bugbee) consumed 11%-28% of the total number of seeds produced. Postdispersal seed predation varied from 0% to 24% and was significantly affected by forest floor substrate in 1 study year. Cumulative ovule losses were estimated to be 71%-92%. Cold stratification did not significantly affect seed germination, and exposure to 90°C resulted in the highest germination percentage. Both dormant and nondormant seeds suggested a bet-hedging life history strategy. This study provides basic ecological information important for management of ponderosa pine forest and nursery production of C. fendleri .     

Breeding ecology of White-faced Ibis ( Pleagadis chihi ) in the Upper Klamath Basin, California

The White-faced Ibis ( Plegadis chihi ) is a California state and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service species of special management concern. We studied White-faced Ibis breeding ecology from May through July 1995 on Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in the upper Klamath Basin of California. A total of 2029 pairs nested in 3 colonies exclusively in early-successional hardstem bulrush ( Scirpus acutus ). Nest initiation dates ranged from 10 May to 12 June, and mean clutch size was 3.16. Reproductive success averaged 87% apparent nest success ( n = 115), 82% hatchability, 97% whole and partial brood survival, and 2.39 fledglings per successful nest. Mayfield estimates of nest survival were 79.1% during the laying and incubation period and 95% during the nestling period. Overall nest success as estimated by the Mayfield method was 75.4%. Our estimates of nest success are some of the highest reported anywhere in the literature for White-faced Ibis. Therefore, Lower Klamath NWR may maintain preferred White-faced Ibis breeding habitats in years of otherwise poor habitat conditions across the Intermountain West.     

Systematics and distribution of the winter stonefly genus Capnia (Plecoptera:Capniidae) in North America

The genus Capnia in North America is reviewed and compared to other genera in the family. The genus is divided into 10 species groups. A key to the 51 species of Capnia in North America is given along with a listing of type localities, type repositories, diagnoses, and distributions. New illustrations of structures bearing characters important for identification and classification are presented. An annotation of the list of Capnia of North America given by Stark, Szczytko, and Baumann (1986) reflecting current generic placement of species is produced. From this list Capnia bakeri and sugluka are moved to Mesocapnia . Capnia barbata Frison is placed in synonymy under Capnia decepta . The movement of cygna (synonym of venosa ), elevata, fibula, manitoba, venosa , and wanica to Capnura (Nelson and Baumann, 1987b) is noted. Capnia disala and ensicala are placed in Paracapnia .     

Stream temperatures and the elevational distribution of redband trout in southwestern Idaho

During July to September 1994-1995, I examined water temperatures at the lower end of the elevational distribution of redband trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri ) in 4 streams in the Owyhee Mountains in southwestern Idaho. Maximum water temperatures in Castle, Shoofly, Little Jacks, and Big Jacks creeks during low flows during a drought in 1994 ranged from 26.7° C to 29.0° C. Water temperatures fluctuated 9.5-11° C during the 24-h period maximum temperatures were observed. Stream flows at the lower end of Big Jacks and Little Jacks creeks in 1994 were 3 s -1 and subsided underground 50-130 m downstream pools inhabited by trout. Trout were distributed to lower elevations where drainage basin area was larger in 2 of 3 yr ( P 5 km downstream of the lowest pool inhabited by trout in 1995-1996.     

Genome-wide association study identifies a new melanoma susceptibility locus at 1q21.3

We performed a genome-wide association study of melanoma in a discovery cohort of 2,168 Australian individuals with melanoma and 4,387 control individuals. In this discovery phase, we confirm several previously characterized melanoma-associated loci at MC1R, ASIP and MTAP-CDKN2A. We selected variants at nine loci for replication in three independent case-control studies (Europe: 2,804 subjects with melanoma, 7,618 control subjects; United States 1: 1,804 subjects with melanoma, 1,026 control subjects; United States 2: 585 subjects with melanoma, 6,500 control subjects). The combined meta-analysis of all case-control studies identified a new susceptibility locus at 1q21.3 (rs7412746, P = 9.0 × 10(-11), OR in combined replication cohorts of 0.89 (95% CI 0.85-0.95)). We also show evidence suggesting that melanoma associates with 1q42.12 (rs3219090, P = 9.3 × 10(-8)). The associated variants at the 1q21.3 locus span a region with ten genes, and plausible candidate genes for melanoma susceptibility include ARNT and SETDB1. Variants at the 1q21.3 locus do not seem to be associated with human pigmentation or measures of nevus density.     

Mox2 is a component of the genetic hierarchy controlling limb muscle development.

The skeletal muscles of the limbs develop from myogenic progenitors that originate in the paraxial mesoderm and migrate into the limb-bud mesenchyme. Among the genes known to be important for muscle development in mammalian embryos are those encoding the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs; MyoD, Myf5, myogenin and MRF4) and Pax3, a paired-type homeobox gene that is critical for the development of limb musculature. Mox1 and Mox2 are closely related homeobox genes that are expressed in overlapping patterns in the paraxial mesoderm and its derivatives. Here we show that mice homozygous for a null mutation of Mox2 have a developmental defect of the limb musculature, characterized by an overall reduction in muscle mass and elimination of specific muscles. Mox2 is not needed for the migration of myogenic precursors into the limb bud, but it is essential for normal appendicular muscle formation and for the normal regulation of myogenic genes, as demonstrated by the downregulation of Pax3 and Myf5 but not MyoD in Mox2-deficient limb buds. Our findings show that the MOX2 homeoprotein is an important regulator of vertebrate limb myogenesis.