Unidirectional hybridization at a species' range boundary: implications for habitat tracking

Aim Introgressive hybridization between a locally rare species and a more abundant congener can drive population extinction via genetic assimilation, or the replacement of the rare species gene pool with that of the common species. To date, however, few studies have assessed the effects of such processes at the limits of species' distribution ranges. In this study, we have examined the potential for hybridization between range-edge populations of the wintergreen Pyrola minor and sympatric populations of Pyrola grandiflora. Location Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland and Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Methods Genetic analysis of samples from Greenland and Canada was carried out using a combination of nuclear and chloroplast single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Results Analysis of nuclear SNPs confirmed hybridization in populations of morphologically intermediate individuals, as well as revealing the existence of cryptic hybrids in ostensibly morphologically pure P. minor populations. Analysis of chloroplast SNPs revealed that this hybridization is unidirectional and suggests that hybrids originate via pollen swamping of P. minor by the more common P. grandiflora. Main conclusions Extensive unidirectional hybridization may lead to the extinction of peripheral populations of P. minor where the two species grow sympatrically. Extinction could occur as a result of genetic assimilation where F1s are fertile, or via the removal of unidirectionally pollinated sterile F1s, or by a combination of these processes. This could compromise the ability of species to respond to climate change via habitat tracking, although the final outcome of these processes may ultimately depend on the rate of global climate change and its effect on the species' distributions. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

European hare (Lepus europaeus) invasion ecology: Implication for the conservation of the endemic Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus)

European hare Lepus europaeus populations have undergone recent declines but the species has successfully naturalised in many countries outside its native range. It was introduced to Ireland during the mid-late nineteenth century for field sport and is now well established in Northern Ireland. The native Irish hare Lepus timidus hibernicus is an endemic subspecies of mountain hare L. timidus and has attracted major conservation concern following a long-term population decline during the twentieth century and is one of the highest priority species for conservation action in Ireland. Little is known about the European hare in Ireland or whether it poses a significant threat to the native mountain hare subspecies by compromising its ecological security or genetic integrity. We review the invasion ecology of the European hare and examine evidence for interspecific competition with the mountain hare for habitat space and food resources, interspecific hybridisation, disease and parasite transmission and possible impacts of climate change. We also examine the impact that introduced hares can have on native non-lagomorph species. We conclude that the European hare is an emerging and significant threat to the conservation status of the native Irish hare. Invasive mammal species have been successfully eradicated from Ireland before and immediate action is often the only opportunity for cost-effective eradication. An urgent call is issued for further research whilst the need for a European hare invasive Species Action Plan (iSAP) and Eradication strategy are discussed.

Antimicrobial peptides from the skin secretion of the Wuyi Mountain torrent frog, Amolops wuyiensis: An inhabitant of a pristine aquatic environment

The antimicrobial peptides of amphibian skin secretions are proposed to aid survival in microbe-rich environments. While many amphibians inhabit such environments, other such as the Wuyi Mountain torrent frog, Amolops wuyiensis, live in pristine waters flowing from underground mountain springs. This species thus represents an interesting model in which to study antimicrobial peptides. “Shotgun” cloning of a skin-derived cDNA library from this species identified transcripts encoding a brevinin-1 and a ranatuerin-2. Peptides with coincident molecular masses to both predicted mature peptides were identified in HPLC fractions of skin secretion. Synthetic replicates of both peptides were generated by solid-phase peptide synthesis and tested for activity using Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The brevinin was found to be broad-spectrum and potent with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 24 µM (Sa), 5 µM (Ec) and 20 µM (Ca). In contrast, the ranatuerin was less effective and of narrower spectrum with an MIC > 200 µM for Sa, 40 µM (Ec) and 120 µM (Ca). Thus this species of amphibian that lives in a pristine environment does indeed possess at least one potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide in its skin secretion arsenal. This phenomenon could be explained in several ways. Firstly, it may represent an ancestral peptide required when the stem species inhabited microbe-rich environments. However, there is mounting evidence for the second reason, that suggests the function of such peptides is not primarily in antimicrobial defence.

A meta-analysis of latitudinal variations in life-history traits of roach, Rutilus rutilus, over its geographical range: linear or non-linear relationships?

1. We collated information from the literature on life history traits of the roach (a generalist freshwater fish), and analysed variation in absolute fecundity, von Bertalanffy parameters, and reproductive lifespan in relation to latitude, using both linear and non-linear regression models. We hypothesized that because most life history traits are dependent on growth rate, and growth rate is non-linearly related with temperature, it was likely that when analysed over the whole distribution range of roach, variation in key life history traits would show non-linear patterns with latitude.

Power Efficient Dynamic-Range Utilisation for DSP On FPGA

A power and resource efficient ‘dynamic-range utilisation’ technique to increase operational capacity of DSP IP cores by exploiting redundancy in the data epresentation of sampled analogue input data, is presented. By cleverly partitioning dynamic-range into separable processing threads, several data streams are computed concurrently on the same hardware. Unlike existing techniques which act solely to reduce power consumption due to sign extension, here the dynamic range is exploited to increase operational capacity while still achieving reduced power consumption. This extends an existing system-level, power efficient framework for the design of low power DSP IP cores, which when applied to the design of an FFT IP core in a digital receiver system gives an architecture requiring 50% fewer multipliers, 12% fewer slices and 51%-56% less power.

Application of the zero-range potential model to positron annihilation on molecules

In this paper we use a zero-range potential (ZRP) method to model positron interaction with molecules. This allows us to investigate the e?ect of molecular vibrations on positron–molecule annihilation using the van der Waals dimer Kr2 as an example. We also use the ZRP to explore positron binding to polyatomics and examine the dependence of the binding energy on the size of the molecule for alkanes. We ?nd that a second bound state appears for a molecule with ten carbons, similar to recent experimental evidence for such a state emerging in alkanes with twelve carbons.

Project Omnivore: A Variable Compression Ratio ATAC 2-Stroke Engine for Ultra-Wide-Range HCCI Operation on a Variety of Fuels

The paper describes the principal features of Omnivore, a spark-ignition-based research engine designed to investigate the possibility of true wide-range HCCI operation on a variety of fossil and renewable liquid fuels. The engine project is part-funded jointly by the United Kingdom's Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department of the Environment of Northern Ireland (DoENI). The engineering team includes Lotus Engineering, Jaguar Cars, Orbital Corporation and Queen's University Belfast.

The extent of grazing release from epiphytism for Sargassum muticum (Phaeophyceae) within the invaded range

The overall biotic pressure on a newly introduced species may be less than that experienced within its native range, facilitating invasion. The brown alga Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt is a conspicuous and successful invasive species originally from Japan and China. We compared S. muticum and native macroalgae with respect to the biotic pressures of mesoherbivore grazing and ectocarpoid fouling. In Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland, S. muticum thalli were as heavily overgrown with seasonal blooms of epiphytic algae as native macroalgal species were. The herbivorous amphipod Dexamine spinosa was much more abundant on S. muticum than on any native macroalga. When cultured with this amphipod, S. muticum lost more tissue than three native macroalgae, Saccharina latissima (Linnaeus) Lane et al., Halidrys siliquosa (Linnaeus) Lyngbye and Fucus serratus Linnaeus. Sargassum muticum cultured with both ectocarpoid fouling and amphipods showed a severe impact, consistent with our previous findings of large declines in the density of S. muticum observed in the field during the peak of fouling. Despite being a recent introduction into the macroalgal community in Strangford Lough, S. muticum appears to be under biotic pressure at least equal to that on native species, suggesting that release from grazing and epiphytism does not contribute to the invasiveness of this species in Strangford Lough.