Microsatellite-dense genetic map: towards genome coverage in a tropical maize (Zea mays L.) population

Dense molecular genetic maps are used for an efficient quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and in the marker-assisted selection programs. A dense genetic map was generated with 139 microsatellite markers using 256 F2 plants generated by the crossing of two tropical maize inbred lines (L-02-03D and L-20-01F). This map presented 1,858.61 cM in length, where 10 linkage groups were found spanned, with an average interval of 13.47 cM between adjacent markers. Seventy seven percent of the maize genetic mapping bins were covered, which means an increase of 14% coverage in relation to the previous tropical maize maps. The results provide a more detailed and informative genetic map in a tropical maize population representing the first step to make possible the studies of genetic architecture to identify and map QTL and estimate their effects on the variation of quantitative traits, thus allowing the manipulation and use in tropical maize breeding programs.

Floristic and vegetation structure of a granitic grassland in Southern Brazil

A floristic and structural survey of a natural grassland community was conducted on Morro do Osso, a granitic hill in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Structural data were surveyed in 39 one square meter plots placed over two major grassland areas. An accidental fire has occurred in one of the areas approximately one year prior to our survey, leading to further analysis of parameters differences between sites. The floristic list contains 282 species, whereas the structural survey has found 161 species. Families with highest accumulated importance values were Poaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae. The diversity and evenness indexes were 4.51 nats ind-1 and 0.86, respectively. Cluster analysis denoted two groups coinciding with the areas distinguished by the fire disturbance. A similarity analysis between our data and two other data sets from nearby granitic hills resulted in 28% to 35% similarity, with equivalent species-family distribution and many common dominant species, corroborating the concept of a continuous flora along the South Brazilian granitic hills.

The coastal restinga vegetation of Pará, Brazilian Amazon: a synthesis

The present article reviews studies (some unpublished) of the vegetation of coastal sandy soils (restinga) along the coast of Pará State, northern Brazil. A total of 411 higher plant species are reported; Fabaceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Myrtaceae are the most species-rich families. Nearly half of the restinga species (48%) are terrestrial herbs; palms, trees and shrubs account for 39% of the species, the remainder being lianas and epiphytes. Species are frequently wide-spread and occur in coastal areas of Southeastern Brazil as well as at inland sites in the Amazon region. Only two species appear to be exclusively coastal; whereas other species appear to exhibit a preference for sandy soils. Plant assemblages are commonly classified by means of "formations" associated with certain habitats but current data do not allow the description of well-defined plant associations. The species composition at different sites along the Pará coast does not show any clear regional grouping pattern. Seasonal changes in the composition of restinga vegetation are most probably linked to variation in ground water level. Restinga forest is mostly low and open; among the dominant tree species are Humiria balsamifera Aubl., Pouteria ramiflora (Mart.) Radlk., Anacardium occidentale L., Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth, and Tapirira guianensis Aubl.

Plant-plant associations and population structure of four woody plant species in a patchy coastal vegetation of Southeastern Brazil

We examined plant population structure and interspecific associations for juveniles and adults of four woody species (Andira legalis (Vell.) Toledo, Clusia hilariana Schltdl., Protium icicariba (DC.) Marchand and Vernonia crotonoides Sch. Bip. ex Baker) in a patchy vegetation on a sandy coastal plain (restinga) in SE - Brazil. We found 101 vegetation patches in a 0.5 ha grid and these were divided into two distinct size classes, with large patches (> 20 m²) containing the majority of adult individuals of the species studied. The most abundant species, P. icicariba (465 individuals) and C. hilariana (312), had actively regenerating populations, whereas A. legalis (20) and V. crotonoides (338) showed evidence of intermittent regeneration. The regeneration niches of the four species differed as did their investment in vegetative reproduction: for instance, 81% of C. hilariana seedlings were found growing inside tank-bromeliads contrasting with only 3% of P. icicariba in this habitat. Additionally, 28% of regenerants of C. hilariana originated vegetatively, contrasting with only 6% for P. icicariba. All significant associations between species found in the study were positive. There was a positive association between adults of C. hilariana and P. icicariba, as well as between adults of C. hilariana and juveniles of both. This suggests that P. icicariba is successfully establishing under the canopy of C. hilariana and highlights the role of C. hilariana in generating vegetation cover that will be later dominated by other woody plant species, as an important process for maintenance of plant diversity in this restinga vegetation.

Reproductive biology of Protium spruceanum (Burseraceae), a dominant dioecious tree in vegetation corridors in Southeastern Brazil

We investigated the reproductive biology of Protium spruceanum (Benth.) Engler in vegetation corridors of secondary Atlantic forest in Lavras, southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The reproductive phenology was investigated fortnightly over a one year period. Floral biology studies involved pollen viability analysis, nectar production, stigmatic receptivity, pollen tube growth, visiting insect species and visit rates. The small, pale yellowish flowers (0.3-0.4 cm diameter) are functionally unisexual and organized in dense inflorescences (ca. 45 flowers). P. spruceanum presented annual flowering between September and November. Staminate flowers supplied a high percentage of viable pollen (90.6%) and relatively abundant nectar (x = 4.5 μL). Pistillate flowers produced only nectar to flower visitors (x = 4.0 μL). The effective pollinators were Apis mellifera and Trigona sp. (Hymenoptera, Apidae). Pollen tubes of cross-pollinated flowers were observed entering the ovaries 48 h after pollination. The fruiting season is from October to March, with a peak in November, coinciding with the rainfall peak. Ecological implications of these findings, and alternative arguments to explain the high genetic diversity at regional landscape are discussed.

Impacts of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam construction on pioneer vegetation formations along the Xingu River, Pará State, Brazil

There is an important pioneer vegetation formation along the Xingu River in the area where the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam is being constructed that is highly adapted to a seasonally fluctuating water levels. The aim of this study was to examine the habitat and flora of the pioneer formations in the Belo Monte area. The area was divided in three sections for study purposes (Reservoir, Low Flow, and Control) that were expected to experience different degrees of impact from the dam project. The calculations of habitat losses were based on satellite imagery classifications, and a total of 111 plots were established in the three areas for vegetation sampling. Habitat losses of the pioneer formations will total 89.7% when the project is fully functional. Forty-five of the 72 recorded species are restricted to single areas. Species richness and diversity were significantly lower in the control area. The completion of the Belo Monte reservoir will result in habitat reductions and will consequently reduce the richness and diversity of pioneer formations. Studies suggest monitoring the populations located in the reduced flow area to determine possible impacts resulting from changes in the regional hydrological cycle caused by the Xingu River dam.

Influence of edaphic variables on the floristic composition and structure of the tree-shrub vegetation in typical and rocky outcrop cerrado areas in Serra Negra, Goiás State, Brazil

The present study analyzed the influence of edaphic variables on the floristic compositions and structures of the arboreal and shrub vegetation of typical cerrado (TC) and rocky outcrop cerrado (RC) communities in the Serra Negra mountain range in Piranhas Municipality, Goiás State, Brazil. Ten 20×50m plots were established in each community, and all individuals with minimum diameters ³5cm measured at 30cm above soil level were sampled. Composite soil samples were collected at 0-20cm depths in each plot for physical and chemical analyses. The proportions of above-ground rock cover work also estimated in each RC plot. A total of 2,009 individuals (83 species, 69 genera, and 34 families) were recorded. Qualea parviflora was the only species consistently among the 10 most structurally important taxa in both communities, and was considered a generalist species. The observed and estimated species richnesses were greater in RC than in TC, although plant basal areas and heights did not differ between them. There were positive correlations between rock cover×plant density and rock cover×basal areas. TWINSPAN and PCA analysis separated the TC and RC plots, and three RC habitat specialist species (Wunderlichia mirabilis, Norantea guianensis, and Tibouchina papyrus) were identified. Soil variables were found to have greater effects on the species compositions of the TC and RC sites than the geographic distances between sampling plots. According to CCA analysis, the exclusive (or more abundant species) of each community were correlated with soil variables, and these variables therefore determined the selection of some species and influenced the differentiation of the vegetation structures of the communities studied.

The tree-shrub vegetation in rocky outcrop cerrado areas in Goiás State, Brazil

We describe the floristic composition of the tree-shrub vegetation in 10 areas of rocky outcrop cerrado in Goiás State, Brazil. Ten 20×50m plots (totaling 1ha) were established and all of the individuals with diameters at 30cm above soil level (DB30) ³5cm were included in the sampling. Comparative analyses of the flora were realized using similarity indices (Sørensen and Czekanowski), classification analysis (TWINSPAN), and the Mantel test. A total of 13,041 tree-shrub individuals were sampled, distributed among 219 species, 129 genera and 55 families. Fabaceae was the most well-represented family, followed by Myrtaceae, Melastomataceae, Vochysiaceae, Malphigiaceae, and Rubiaceae. Fully 42.3% of the comparisons evaluated by the Sørensen index were >0.50, while all the values were <0.50 for the Czekanowski index, with the exception of Jaraguá and Mara Rosa areas. The TWINSPAN classification generated four divisions and, in general, only the differences in the size of the population were responsible for the groupings. The Mantel test indicated that there was no relationship between floristic similarity and the distances between the areas (r=0.32, P=0.05). It therefore appears that the areas of rocky outcrop cerrado in Goiás State are relatively floristically homogeneous and that they are principally distinguished by the differences in the sizes of the populations of their dominant species, and the presence of exclusive species in certain areas.

Density, proportion, and dendritic coverage of retinal ganglion cells of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus jacchus)

We performed a quantitative analysis of M and P cell mosaics of the common-marmoset retina. Ganglion cells were labeled retrogradely from optic nerve deposits of Biocytin. The labeling was visualized using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) histochemistry and 3-3'diaminobenzidine as chromogen. M and P cells were morphologically similar to those found in Old- and New-World primates. Measurements were performed on well-stained cells from 4 retinas of different animals. We analyzed separate mosaics for inner and outer M and P cells at increasing distances from the fovea (2.5-9 mm of eccentricity) to estimate cell density, proportion, and dendritic coverage. M cell density decreased towards the retinal periphery in all quadrants. M cell density was higher in the nasal quadrant than in other retinal regions at similar eccentricities, reaching about 740 cells/mm² at 2.5 mm of temporal eccentricity, and representing 8-14% of all ganglion cells. P cell density increased from peripheral to more central regions, reaching about 5540 cells/mm² at 2.5 mm of temporal eccentricity. P cells represented a smaller proportion of all ganglion cells in the nasal quadrant than in other quadrants, and their numbers increased towards central retinal regions. The M cell coverage factor ranged from 5 to 12 and the P cell coverage factor ranged from 1 to 3 in the nasal quadrant and from 5 to 12 in the other quadrants. These results show that central and peripheral retinal regions differ in terms of cell class proportions and dendritic coverage, and their properties do not result from simply scaling down cell density. Therefore, differences in functional properties between central and peripheral vision should take these distinct regional retinal characteristics into account.

Media coverage outside the courtroom : public opinion of restrictions imposed on news journalists and psychological effects on crime victims

Comme les études sur la couverture médiatique ont démontré qu’elle influence pratiquement toute personne qu’elle touche, des consommateurs aux jurés aux témoins, les deux études de cette thèse doctorale ont respectivement examiné l’opinion du public sur l’imposition de restrictions sur les médias dans les palais des justices et l’impact de la couverture médiatique sur la santé mentale des victimes de crime. Le gouvernement québécois a récemment introduit des restrictions sur les médias dans les palais de justice afin de minimiser l’influence des journalistes et des caméramans. Bien que l’affaire a atteint la Cour suprême du Canada, une étude préliminaire a trouvé que le public est largement favorable à ces restrictions (Sabourin, 2006). La première partie de cette thèse doctorale cherchait à approfondir ce sujet avec un échantillon plus représentatif de la population. Deux cent quarante-trois participants comprenant six groupes expérimentaux ont rempli des questionnaires mesurant leur opinion de ces restrictions. Les participants ont été divisé en deux conditions expérimentales où ils ont visionné soit des clips audiovisuels démontrant une atmosphère de débordement dans des palais de justice ou des clips plutôt calmes. Un troisième groupe n’a visionné aucun clip audiovisuel. De plus, il y avait deux versions du questionnaire ayant 20 items où les questions ont été présenté en sens inverse. L’étude a trouvé qu’une grande majorité des participants, soit presque 79 pourcent, ont supporté la restriction des médias dans les palais de justice. Il est intéressant de noter qu’un des groupes n’a pas supporté les restrictions – le groupe contrôle qui a lu les énoncés supportant l’absence des restrictions en premier. La deuxième composante de cette thèse doctorale a examiné l’impact des médias sur les victimes de crime. De nombreuses études expérimentales ont démontré que les victimes de crime sont particulièrement susceptibles à des problèmes de santé mentale. En effet, elles ont trois fois plus de chances de développer un trouble de stress post-traumatique (TSPT) que la population générale. Une étude a confirmé cette conclusion et a trouvé que les victimes de crimes qui avaient une impression plutôt négative de leur couverture médiatique avaient les taux les plus élévés de TSPT (Maercker & Mehr, 2006). Dans l’étude actuelle, vingt-trois victimes de crimes ont été interviewé en utilisant une technique narrative et ont complété deux questionnaires mésurant leur symptômes du TSPT et d’anxiété, respectivement. Une grande proportion des participantes avaient des symptômes de santé mentale et des scores élévés sur une échelle évaluant les symptômes du TSPT. La majorité des narratives des participants étaient négatives. Les thèmes les plus communs incluent dans ces narratives étaient l’autoculpabilisation et une méfiance des autres. La couverture médiatique ne semblaient pas être liée à des symptômes de santé mentale, quoique des facteurs individuels pourraient expliquer pourquoi certains participants ont été favorables envers leur couverture médiatique et d’autres ne l’été pas. Les résultats de ces deux études suggèrent que le public approuve la restriction des médias dans les palais de justice et que des facteurs individuels pourraient expliqués comment la couverture médiatique affecte les victimes de crime. Ces résultats ajoutent à la littérature qui questionne les pratiques actuelles qu’utilisent les médias.

BROADBAND WIDE COVERAGE UNIPLANAR ANTENNA

The Present thesis deals with the numerical as well as experimental investigations conducted on the resonance and radiation characteristics of Drum shaped monopole antenna, Funnel shaped monopole antenna and the shorted coplanar antenna.An introduction to the over view of antennas, state of the art planar antenna technologies, different feeding techniques and introduction of coplanar waveguides have been discussed.

Microalgal vegetation in the selected Mangrove Ecosystem of Kerala.

Department of Marine Biology, Cochin University of Science & Technology

Coverage effects on the magnetism of Fe/MgO(001) ultrathin films

Different aspects of the structure-magnetism and morphology-magnetism correlation in the ultrathin limit are studied in epitaxial Fe films grown on MgO(001). In the initial stages of growth the presence of substrate steps, intrinsically higher than an Fe atomic layer, prevent the connection between Fe islands and hence the formation of large volume magnetic regions. This is proposed as an explanation to the superparamagnetic nature of ultrathin Fe films grown on MgO in addition to the usually considered islanded, or Vollmer-Weber, growth. Using this model, we explain the observed transition from superparamagnetism to ferromagnetism for Fe coverages above 3 monolayers (ML). However, even though ferromagnetism and magnetocrystalline anisotropy are observed for 4 ML, complete coverage of the MgO substrate by the Fe ultrathin films only occurs around 6 ML as determined by polar Kerr spectra and simulations that consider different coverage situations. In annealed 3.5 ML Fe films, shape or configurational anisotropy dominates the intrinsic magnetocrystalline anisotropy, due to an annealing induced continuous to islanded morphological transition. A small interface anisotropy in thicker films is observed, probably due to dislocations observed at the Fe¿MgO(001) interface.

Vegetation changes in a river oasis on the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert in China between 1956 and 2000

The indigenous vegetation surrounding the river oases on the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert has drastically diminished due to overexploitation as a source of fodder, timber and fuel for the human population. The change in the spatial extent of landscape forms and vegetation types around the Qira oasis was analyzed by comparing SPOT satellite images from 1998 with aerial photographs from 1956. The analysis was supplemented by field surveys in 1999 and 2000. The study is part of a joint Chinese-European project with the aim of assessing the current state of the foreland vegetation, of gathering information on the regeneration potential and of suggesting procedures for a sustainable management. With 33 mm of annual precipitation, plants can only grow if they have access to groundwater, lakes or rivers. Most of the available water comes into the desert via rivers in the form of seasonal flooding events resulting from snow melt in the Kun Lun Mountains. This water is captured in canal systems and used for irrigation of arable fields. Among the eight herbaceous and woody vegetation types and the type of open sand without any plant life that were mapped in 2000 in the oasis foreland, only the latter, the oasis border between cultivated land and open Populus euphratica forests and Tamarix ramosissima-Phragmites australis riverbed vegetation could be clearly identified on the photographs from 1956. The comparison of the images revealed that the oasis increased in area between 1956 and 2000. Shifting sand was successfully combated near to the oasis borders but increased in extent at the outward border of the foreland vegetation. In contrast to expectations, the area covered with Populus trees was smaller in 1956 than today due to some new forests in the north of the oasis that have grown up since 1977. Subfossil wood and leaf remnants of Populus euphratica that were found in many places in the foreland must have originated from forests destroyed before 1956. In the last 50 years, the main Qira River has shifted its bed significantly northward and developed a new furcation with a large new bed in 1986. The natural river dynamics are not only an important factor in forming the oasis’ landscape but also in providing the only possible regeneration sites for all occurring plant species. The conclusion of the study is that the oasis landscape has changed considerably in the last 50 years due to natural floodings and to vegetation degradation by human overexploitation. The trend towards decreasing width of the indigenous vegetation belt resulting from the advancing desert and the expansion of arable land is particularly alarming because a decrease in its protective function against shifting sand can be expected in the future.