Plant community patterns in unburned and burned blackbrush ( Coleogne ramosissima Torr.) shrublands in the Mojave Desert

The blackbrush vegetation type is dominated by Coleogyne ramossisima , which is thought to preclude the coexistence of many other plant species. Fire can remove blackbrush cover and possibly increase plant species richness and evenness. Fire also may increase the frequency and cover of alien annual grasses, thereby intensifying landscape flammability. We tested these predictions in unburned and burned (6-14 years postfire) blackbrush at 3 sites spanning the range of this vegetation type in the Mojave Desert. Species richness in unburned blackbrush was similar to published values for vegetation types in western North America, bur richness varied significantly among the 3 sites and 4 spatial scales (1, 10, 100, and 1000 m 2 ). Richness values declined in order from annual forbs, woody perennials, herbaceous perennials, annual grasses, cacti, to perennial grasses. Fire reduced Coleogyne cover, thus boosting species evenness. In contrast, species richness decreased after burning, although the results varied among spatial scales. Total cover was unaffected by fire because cover of wood perennials decreased, while cover of annual forbs, annual grasses, herbaceous perennials, and perennial grasses increased. Native species richness and cover decreased, whereas alien richness and cover increased after burning especially where the alien forb Erodium cicutarium was present. Fire had no effect on frequency and variable effects on cover of alien annual grasses. These results indicate that in blackbrush species richness can vary among sites and local spatial scales, and effects of fires can vary among plant life-forms and between natives and aliens.     

Distinctive but functionally convergent song phenotypes characterize two new allopatric species of the Chrysoperla carnea-group in Asia,Chrysoperla shahrudensis sp. nov. and Chrysoperla bolti sp. nov. (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Chrysoperla shahrudensis sp. nov. is discovered in northern Iran, co-occurring with at least five other cryptic species of the Chrysoperla carnea-group. It is distinguished by the volley period and tonality of its courtship duetting song. Another Asian species from alpine meadows of northern Kyrgyzstan, previously C. ‘adamsi-K’ but here named Chrysoperla bolti sp. nov., has a song distinct from but convergent with both C. shahrudensis and North American Chrysoperla adamsi. Coordinated duets can be established in the laboratory between individuals of C. shahrudensis and recorded songs of either C. bolti or C. adamsi. Such functional song equivalence in distinct allopatric species suggests that repeated episodes of parallel speciation can drive the origin of cryptic species diversity in lacewings. Morphology, life history, and ecology of larvae and adults of C. shahrudensis and C. bolti are then formally described. Adding C. shahrudensis to a large mitochondrial DNA data set for ≈ 21 species shows it to be similar to neither C. adamsi nor C. bolti, further supporting independent, convergent evolution of song rather than song similarity due to relationship. Although C. bolti and C. shahrudensis are both from Asia and share some basic temporal song features, the two taxa are distinct, allopatric biological species.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D9B7BDC9-6C09-468B-A6B-D378628EC557     

Presynaptic depolarization of olfactory afferent fibers in cat prepyriform cortex

Resumen El efecto de estímulos condicionantes sobre el potencial evocado del área prepiriforme fué estudiado en gatos. La estimulación del bulbo olfatorio y de la corteza prepiriforme contralateral provocan inhibiciones de larga duración (> de 100 mseg); estas pertenecen al tipo presináptico a juzgar por la depolarización aferente primaria (DAP) de los terminales axónicos y los efectos desinhibitorios de la picrotoxina.     

Sequence of Plasmodium falciparum chromosomes 1, 3-9 and 13

Since the sequencing of the first two chromosomes of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, there has been a concerted effort to sequence and assemble the entire genome of this organism. Here we report the sequence of chromosomes 1, 3-9 and 13 of P. falciparum clone 3D7--these chromosomes account for approximately 55% of the total genome. We describe the methods used to map, sequence and annotate these chromosomes. By comparing our assemblies with the optical map, we indicate the completeness of the resulting sequence. During annotation, we assign Gene Ontology terms to the predicted gene products, and observe clustering of some malaria-specific terms to specific chromosomes. We identify a highly conserved sequence element found in the intergenic region of internal var genes that is not associated with their telomeric counterparts.     

Liver catalysis in the association of estrogen to protein

Zusammenfassung Die Inkubation von 16-C¹⁴-Oestron und 4-C¹⁴-Oestradiol--acetat in Puffer (pH 7.4) bei Gegenwart von Rattenleber ergibt elektrophoretisch zwei deutliche radioaktive Bänder. Das erste Band entsteht im Albuminbereich und stimmt mit den früheren Beobachtungen vonSzego undRoberts ² überein. Das zweite, früher nicht beschriebene Band entsteht deutlich ausserhalb des Albuminbereiches. Beide Kurvengipfel werden mit wenig homogenisierter Rattenleber, die möglichst frei von Mikrosomen ist, gewonnen. Der zweite Gipfelpunkt wird in diesem Fall der obenauf schwimmenden Phase zugeschrieben.