Mid-Wisconsin to Holocene permafrost and landscape dynamics based on a drained lake basin core from the northern Seward Peninsula, Northwest Alaska

Permafrost-related processes drive regional landscape dynamics in the Arctic terrestrial system. A better understanding of past periods indicative of permafrost degradation and aggradation is important for predicting the future response of Arctic landscapes to climate change. Here, we used a multi-proxy approach to analyze a ~4 m long sediment core from a drained thermokarst lake basin on the northern Seward Peninsula in western Arctic Alaska (USA). Sedimentological, biogeochemistical, geochronological, micropaleontological (ostracoda, testate amoeba) and tephra analyses were used to determine the long-term environmental Early-Wisconsin to Holocene history preserved in our core for Central Beringia. Yedoma accumulation dominated throughout the Early to Late-Wisconsin but was interrupted by wetland formation from 44.5 to 41.5 ka BP. The latter was terminated by deposition of 1 m of volcanic tephra, most likely originating from the South Killeak Maar eruption at about 42 ka BP. Yedoma deposition continued until 22.5 ka BP and was followed by a depositional hiatus in the sediment core between 22.5 and 0.23 ka BP. We interpret this hiatus as due to intense thermokarst activity in the areas surrounding the site, which served as a sediment source during the Late-Wisconsin to Holocene climate transition. The lake forming the modern basin on the upland initiated around 0.23 ka BP, which drained catastrophically in spring 2005. The present study emphasizes that Arctic lake systems and periglacial landscapes are highly dynamic and permafrost formation as well as degradation in Central Beringia was controlled by regional to global climate patterns and as well as by local disturbances.

Chryseobacterium flavum sp nov., isolated from polluted soil

A Gram-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated CW-E 2(T), was isolated from a polluted soil sample collected from Jiangsu Province, China. A taxonomic study of the isolate, including phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene seque

An anatomical study of the human lumbar ligamentum flavum

Objectives: A detailed investigation of the gross and microscopic anatomy of ligamentum flavum. Methods: Material included 14 lumbar vertebral columns obtained from the Anatomy Department, King Faisal University, Dammam during the period between January 2005 and January 2006. Height, width, and thickness of ligamenta flava were measured. A microscopic study was also performed. Computed tomography scan was carried out on the lumbar vertebrae of 30 patients for measuring the ligamentum flavum. Results: The anatomical results showed that the right and left ligamenta flava join in the midline forming an acute angle with a ventral opening. The ligamentum flavum is rectangular and has 4 borders and 2 surfaces. It is attached inferiorly to the superior edge and the postero-superior surface of the lamina below. It is attached superiorly to the inferior edge and the antero-inferior surface of the lamina above. Its height ranges from 14-22 mm. The width of its lower part ranges from 11-23 mm, and the thickness ranges from 3.5-6 mm. The histological results revealed that it is comprised chiefly of elastic fibres and some collagen fibres. Conclusion: The information reported in this study is of clinical value in the practice of lumbar epidural anesthesia or analgesia. Epidural puncture will be best performed through the lower and medial portion of the ligamentum flavum slightly lateral to the midline.

The impact of Solanum elaeagnifolium, an invasive plant in the Mediterranean, on the flower visitation and seed set of the native co-flowering species Glaucium flavum

We examined the effect of the invasive Solanum elaeagnifolium (Solanaceae) on flower visitation patterns and seed set of the co-flowering native Glaucium flavum (Papaveraceae). We observed flowering G. flavum plants in invaded and uninvaded sites and found that G. flavum flowers in uninvaded sites received significantly more total visits. In addition, we hand-pollinated flowers on plants of G. flavum with (i) pure conspecific pollen, (ii) pure S. elaeagnifolium pollen and (iii) three different mixtures of the two types of pollen (containing 25, 50 and 75% invasive pollen). As a control, flowers were left unmanipulated or were permanently bagged. Seed set did not differ significantly between flowers receiving pollen mixtures and pure conspecific pollen. However, in the open pollination treatment, seed set was significantly lower than in the 100% conspecific pollen treatment, which suggests pollen limitation. Bagged flowers had very low seed set. G. flavum was generally resilient against the deposition of S. elaeagnifolium pollen.

Castasetum viridi-flavum - Lycaste aromatica

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Hornmohn und Disteln : Glaucium flavum - Silybum marianum - Cirsium oleraceum - Onopordon acanthium

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Sprossendigungen : Cnicus benedictus - Glaucium flavum - Cirsium oleraceum

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The biology of Australian weeds, Limnocharis flava

The genus name Limnocharis is derived from the Greek limno (meaning marsh or pond) and charis (meaning grace) (Haynes and Holm-Nielson 1992) and flava is Latin for yellow. The genus is generally accepted to have two species, Limnocharis flava (Linneaus) Buchenau 1868 and L. laforestii (Duchass. ex Griseb) 1858. L. flava was first named Alisma flava by Linneaus in 1753 (Haynes and Holm-Nielsen 1986). Since then, other synonyms have included Damasonium flavum Mill. 1772, Limnocharis emarginata Humb. and Bonpl. 1808, Limnocharis plumieri Rich. 1815, Limnocharis laforestii Duchas. ex Griseb (1858) and Limnocharis mattogrossensis O. Ktze. (1893) (Woodson and Schery 1943).

Survey of fungal infestation of some fish species from Tagwai dam, Minna, Niger State

Survey of Fungal infestation of some species of fish in Tagwai Dam Minna was carried out from March to June 2002. Fungi were isolated from the scale/skin, gills and fins. Twenty-one fungi species were identified from 18 species of fish microbial growth was measured by direct cell count using Stuart colony counter. Most of the fungi encountered were of the mould group and infestation occurred among all the species sampled. The infestation was predominantly by Aspergillus species and the scale/skin was most widely affected. The study showed the identified fungi in order of frequency to be as follows. Aspergillius niger. Rrhizopus spp. Mmucor spp Aspergilus flavum. Aspergillus parasitous. Aspergillus fumigatus, Microsporum canis. Penicillum virridicalumand Fusarium spp respectively. Aspergillus niger occurred on all the species of fish sampled. Barrilius spa and Chrysichrhy auratus longifilis had significantly higher (P<0.05) mean fungal load on their fins and gills. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the mean fungal load in different parts of the body of other fish species sampled

Revisão taxonômica das espécies brasileiras de Funariaceae Schwagr. (Bryophyta)

Funariaceae Schwägrichen é uma família de musgos cosmopolita que crescem em diversos habitats, por um ou raramente dois anos, mas algumas espécies podem ser perenes. Possuem como característica marcante o gametófito uniforme e uma ampla diversidade na arquitetura do esporófito. Este estudo realizou a revisão taxonômica da família Funariaceae no Brasil através da análise dos espécimes-tipos de coleções de herbários, nacionais e internacionais, e consulta a literatura específica sobre os táxons. É apresentada uma listagem revista e atualizada da família Funariaceae que ocorrem no Brasil, chaves de identificação para gêneros e espécies, descrições morfológicas, distribuição geográfica, status de conservação, ecologia, comentários, relação do material examinado e ilustrações. Para o Brasil eram citados 51 binômios agrupados em três gêneros: Entosthodon Schwagr. (11 binômios), Funaria Hedw. (20 binômios) e Physcomitrium (Brid.) Brid. (20 binômios). Os gêneros são taxonomicamente distintos pelo tipo de ornamentação dos esporos, forma da cápsula, forma das células do exotécio, presença ou ausência de peristômio, comprimento da seta, forma do ânulo e forma da caliptra. Após a revisão dos nomes foi estabelecida uma combinação nova a partir de Funaria ramulosa (Hampe) Paris: Entosthodon ramulosus (Hampe) M. S. Dias & D. F. Peralta. Foram estabelecidos 10 novos sinônimos: Funaria luteolimbata Broth. F. obtusa-apiculata Müll. Hal. e F. ramulosa (Hampe) Paris como sinônimos de Entosthodon ramulosus (Hampe) M. S. Dias & D. F. Peralta; Physcomitrium flavum (Müll. Hal.) Broth. como sinônimo de E. bonplandii (Hook.) Mitt.; Physcomitrium badium Broth. como sinônimo de P. umbonatum Mitt.; P. lindmanii Broth., P. sylvestre Müll. Hal. e P. convolutaceum Müll. Hal. como sinônimos de P. thieleanum Hampe. P. serrulatum Mitt., P. cupulare Müll Hal. e P. platyphylloides Paris como sinônimos de P. subsphaericum Schimp. Entosthodon puiggarii Geh. & Hampe é o nome legítimo do táxon Physcomitrium puiggarii Geh & Hampe e foi constatado que Funaria capillipes (Müll. Hal. ex Broth.) Broth., é uma combinação inválida. Seis táxons foram excluídos de Funariaceae por não possuírem os caracteres morfológicos diagnósticos da família e seis espécies não foram incluídas no tratamento taxonômico por falta de informação sobre as mesmas e foram consideradas como espécies duvidosas. Portanto, são reconhecidos para o Brasil 11 táxons em Funariaceae: quatro de Entosthodon (E. bonplandii (Hook.) Mitt., E. obtusifolius Hook. f. in Hooker, E. puiggarii Geh. & Hampe in Hampe & Geheeb. e E. ramulosus (Hampe) M. S. Dias & D. F. Peralta); dois de Funaria (F. calvescens Schwagr. e F. hygrometrica Hedw.) e cinco de Physcomitrium (P. capillipes Müll. Hal. ex Broth., P. falcifolium Müll. Hal. in Brotherus, P. umbonatum Mitt., P. subsphaericum Schimp. e P. thieleanum Hampe). Cinco táxons são endêmicos do Brasil: Entosthodon puiggarii, E. ramulosus, Physcomitrium capillipes, P. falcifolium, P. umbonatum e a espécie P. capillipes é conhecida apenas pelo tipo nomenclatural. A partir da análise de diversos materiais originais, é apresentada aqui uma nova reinterpretação da família Funariaceae do Brasil, com novas sinonimizações, reconhecimento de uma nova combinação, e lectótipos

四川黄龙杓兰属植物的传粉生物学

兰科植物传粉生物学的研究以往多集中于单个物种上，很少对两个以上的物种同时进行研究。但后一类研究对于理解一个地区或一个代表类群的传粉适应是大有裨益和非常必要的，毕竟单一种植物与其传粉者在一个居群或是一年中的相互关系所提供的有效信息是非常有限的。杓兰属Cypripedium L.是兰科植物中比较原始的类群，全世界约有50种;中国是杓兰属植物的分布中心，有30多种。但是，有关该属植物的传粉生物学研究集中在欧、美的种类，中国绝大部分物种尚未进行这方面的研究。本文通过对分布于四川省黄龙寺自然保护区的8种杓兰属植物的传粉生物学研究，探讨了该属植物的传粉机制、适应进化及生殖隔离等问题。 1． 杓兰属植物的繁育系统 虽然所研究的8种杓兰人工自交授粉均可以成功结实，但在自然条件下都必须依赖于昆虫才能结实成功，表明杓兰属植物的繁殖系统以异交授粉为主。 2． 杓兰属植物的传粉系统以及传粉系统的进化趋势 杓兰属植物一向被认为是典型的蜂类传粉物种，本文所包括的西藏杓兰C. tibeticum King ex Rolfe、离萼杓兰C. plectrochilum Franch.、绿花杓兰C. henryi Rolfe与褐花杓兰C. smithii Schltr.的传粉生物学研究也证明了这一点。但研究发现最进化的“无苞组”的3种杓兰，即无苞杓兰C. bardolphianum W. W. Smith et Farrer、小花杓兰C. micranthum Franch.与四川杓兰C. sichuanense Perner都是由蝇类传粉的，而黄花杓兰C. flavum P. F. Hunt et Summerh.则可由蜂类和蝇类共同传粉。结合杓兰的种间系统关系，本文认为杓兰属中存在从蜂类传粉系统向蝇类传粉系统的进化趋势。 3．杓兰属植物传粉系统的特化机制 传粉观察表明8种杓兰均有多种多样的访花昆虫，但只有1种或1类具有相同功能的昆虫能成为其传粉者。这说明杓兰属植物是具备特化传粉系统的种类。以离萼杓兰为例进行的花色、花香及花结构的分析表明，杓兰拥有特化的传粉者几乎完全是由于受到花结构的限制，特别是雄蕊到唇瓣底高度（AL）、柱头到唇瓣底高度（SL）、唇瓣入口直径（DL）与唇瓣出口宽度（EL）的大小。这些因素决定了昆虫是否能进入唇瓣，是否能碰触到柱头和花粉，是否能从出口挤出来。因此，杓兰的唇瓣的主要功能不仅是象原来所认为的作为“陷阱”来诱捕昆虫，而且同样作为一种促进产生“特化传粉”的机制而存在。 4． 杓兰属植物吸引昆虫的机制 杓兰属植物具有复杂的吸引昆虫的机制。离萼杓兰、黄花杓兰主要以泛化的食源性欺骗机制来吸引昆虫，绿花杓兰能通过其唇瓣和退化雄蕊的光滑特性诱使其传粉昆虫被动进入唇瓣中，西藏杓兰可以通过“筑巢式欺骗”来吸引昆虫，无苞杓兰则可通过模拟成熟果实来吸引其特化的传粉者—果蝇Drosophila spp.。 5． 杓兰属植物的花部特征与传粉系统的适应 在整个杓兰属内，不同种类植物的花色与花香和传粉者种类间没有统一的规律。但是，杓兰属植物的唇瓣大小与其传粉者大小之间存在比较明显的适应关系。体积最大的西藏杓兰、褐花杓兰与黄花杓兰由体型最大的熊蜂Bombus spp.传粉，体积中等的离萼杓兰、绿花杓兰、四川杓兰由中等大小的蜂或蝇传粉，而体积最小的无苞杓兰与小花杓兰由体型很小的果蝇传粉。 在杓兰属中，大部分种类的花粉只是粘性的团状，只有一部分能在一次访问中被昆虫带出，如黄花杓兰、西藏杓兰、离萼杓兰及绿花杓兰的花粉团。与此不同，在2个“无苞组”的杓兰，即无苞杓兰、小花杓兰中，它们的花粉凝聚成块状，而且它们的传粉昆虫(果蝇)的一次访问可带出一侧雄蕊的全部花粉。它们的花粉成块可能是对果蝇这类小昆虫传粉的一种适应。 6． 杓兰属植物的生殖隔离机制 本文的研究表明，杓兰属植物之间人工杂交授粉可以成功结实，它们主要是通过受精前隔离机制保持物种界限的。它们的受精前隔离机制多种多样。具有相同传粉者—果蝇的无苞杓兰与小花杓兰通过地理隔离机制保持物种界限; 同域的西藏杓兰与黄花杓兰通过利用不同大小的熊蜂作为传粉者来保持生殖隔离;同域的离萼杓兰与绿花杓兰可能通过花香成分的不同特化吸引同一属中不同种的传粉昆虫;而同域的西藏杓兰与褐花杓兰之间并不具备完善的生殖隔离机制。