bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observations on the formation, development, and structure of the tuber of Testudinaria elephantipes, and on the origin of the vegetative shoot
Authors: Sparshott E. N.
Published: May 2008

The young plants used for these observations were grown from seed collected in the Southern Karroo.

The tuber of Testudinaria elephantipes is at first small, white, and spherical. Later it turns brown and develops a flattened or concave base and a thin continuous periderm.

In the older, massive, semi-globular condition the tuber has a thick, deeply fissured, corky crust. Towards the base of the tuber the cork forms a thinner layer, broken only by the protrusion of roots. Various developmental stages are figured.

There is no cork over a small area at the apex of the tuber. The growing point of the vegetative shoot is in this region, and is enclosed within a number of persistent scale leaves.

The seed contains a small embryo embedded in considerable endosperm. There is no suggestion of tuberisation in the embryo.

The development of the seedling is described and figured. A longitudinal section suggests that the plumular axis consists at first of little more than a stem apex and one leaf.

Lack of opportunity for translocation of food synthesised is probably the cause of tuberisation. An explanation of the lack of symmetry is suggested. Tuberisation is not due to fungal infection.

The anatomy of seedlings at different stages of development is described. The initial thickening of the hypocotyl results partly from cell division and partly from hypertrophy of the cortical parenchyma cells. Tuberisation is finally due to secondary growth originating in the pericycle.

The early development of the cork crust and the growth zone is described.

The structure of a three-year old tuber is dealt with in some detail. In general, the growth zone is hemispherical. Beneath the apex and just above the base no continuous meristem appears, though local growth zones may be found over the base. Vascular strands and medullary parenchyma are cut off towards the inside of the meristem, and secondary parenchyma towards the outside.

The vascular tissue forms a small flat network under the apex and a larger network over the base, and these plates are connected by a complex system of anastomosing vascular strands running down the side of the tuber towards the inside of the growth zone. These vascular systems form growth rings. The bulk of the tissue cut off from the growth zone is parenchymatous.

Fissures abutting on the medullary rays appear in the cork. The exposed parenchyma within the cork becomes suberised and a new band of cork is formed. Over the base of the tuber the original cork layer persists.

An explanation is given for the origin of adventitious shoots.

The sympodial origin of the seasonal vegetative shoots formed at the apex of the tuber is described and figured.

The tuber is held to consist of a secondarily thickened hypocotyl and a very short epicotyl.
Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, in Japanese patients with advanced refractory solid tumors
Authors: Minami Hironobu , Kawada Kenji , Ebi Hiromichi , Kitagawa Koichi , Kim Yon‐il , Araki Kazuhiro , Mukai Hirofumi , Tahara Makoto , Nakajima Hikaru , Nakajima Keiko
Published: May 2008

Sorafenib is a novel oral multikinase inhibitor that targets Raf serine/threonine and receptor tyrosine kinases, and inhibits tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis. We have conducted a phase I study of sorafenib to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and potential efficacy of this agent in 31 Japanese patients with advanced refractory solid tumors. Sorafenib (100–600 mg) was given as a single dose followed by a 7‐day wash‐out period, and then administrated twice daily (bid). The most frequent drug‐related adverse events were rash/desquamation (61%), hand–foot skin reactions (39%), diarrhea (36%), and elevations of serum lipase (36%) and amylase (26%) levels. Dose‐limiting toxicities (DLTs) were grade 3 diarrhea at 200 mg bid and grade 3 fatigue at 600 mg bid. Grade 3 and 4 pancreatic enzyme elevations were observed at 200–600 mg bid, but they were not deemed dose‐limiting because they were asymptomatic and were not associated with pancreatitis or chronic damage to the pancreas. The AUC and Cmax of sorafenib increased linearly with dose up to 400 mg bid. Partial responses were observed in one of 10 patients with non‐small cell lung cancer and one of three patients with renal cell carcinoma. In conclusion, sorafenib 400 mg bid was well tolerated in Japanese patients with advanced refractory solid tumors. The recommended dose for future clinical trials is 400 mg bid. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 1492–1498)
Occurrence of Francisella piscicida in farmed and wild Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua L., in Norway
Authors: Ottem K F , Nylund A , Isaksen T E , Karlsbakk E , Bergh Ø
Published: May 2008

Francisellosis, caused by the bacterium Francisella piscicida, has become one of the most serious diseases in Atlantic cod production in Norway. The major aim of this study was to determine the distribution of F. piscicida in farmed and wild fish in areas with cod farming along the Norwegian coast, and its occurrence in cod from areas without cod farming. Two real‐time PCR assays, targeting the 16S rRNA gene and the FopA gene of F. piscicida, were developed since sensitive and specific diagnostic tools are required for detecting asymptomatic carriers of the bacterium. A total of 422 wild cod from 13 sampling areas and 955 farmed cod from 10 areas along the coast of Norway were examined. Using the real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, F. piscicida was detected in wild populations of cod from all counties examined south of Sogn og Fjordane in southern Norway (overall prevalence 13%, n = 221). Wild cod north of Sogn og Fjordane were negative for the bacterium (n = 201). Farmed cod from most parts of Norway were F. piscicida positive. The apparent absence of the bacterium in wild populations of cod in the northern parts of Norway and its widespread occurrence in wild cod from southern parts of Norway is believed to relate to differences in seawater temperatures.
Electroencephalogram asymmetry and spectral power during sleep in the northern fur seal
Authors: LYAMIN OLEG I. , LAPIERRE JENNIFER L. , KOSENKO PETER O. , MUKHAMETOV LEV M. , SIEGEL JEROME M.
Published: May 2008

The fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus), a member of the Pinniped family, displays a highly expressed electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry during slow wave sleep (SWS), which is comparable with the unihemispheric sleep in cetaceans. In this study, we investigated the EEG asymmetry in the fur seal using spectral analysis. Four young (2–3 years old) seals were implanted with EEG electrodes for polygraphic sleep recording. In each animal, EEG spectral power in the frequency range of 1.2–16 Hz was computed in symmetrical cortical recordings over two consecutive nights. The degree of EEG asymmetry was measured by using the asymmetry index [AI = (L − R)/(L + R), where L and R are the spectral powers in the left and right hemispheres, respectively]. In fur seals, EEG asymmetry, as measured by the percent of 20‐s epochs with absolute AI > 0.3 and >0.6, was expressed in the entire frequency range (1.2–16 Hz). The asymmetry was significantly greater during SWS (25.6–44.2% of all SWS epochs had an absolute AI > 0.3 and 2.1–12.2% of all epochs had AI > 0.6) than during quiet waking (11.0–20.3% and 0–1.9% of all waking epochs, respectively) and REM sleep (4.2–8.9% of all REM sleep epochs and no epochs, respectively). EEG asymmetry was recorded during both low‐ and high‐voltage SWS, and was maximal in the range of 1.2–4 and 12–16 Hz. As shown in this study, the degree of EEG asymmetry and the frequency range in which it is expressed during SWS in fur seals are profoundly different from those of terrestrial mammals and birds.
Alertness, mood and performance rhythm disturbances associated with circadian sleep disorders in the blind
Authors: LOCKLEY STEVEN W. , DIJK DERK‐JAN , KOSTI OURANIA , SKENE DEBRA J. , ARENDT JOSEPHINE
Published: May 2008

Blind people report disturbances in alertness, mood and performance. In laboratory studies, these waking functions can only be maintained when the wake‐dependent deterioration is opposed by appropriately‐timed endogenous circadian rhythms. We aimed to quantify whether variations in waking function experienced by blind people living in society were dependent on the phase relationship between the sleep‐wake cycle and the circadian pacemaker. The time course of alertness, mood and performance was assessed in 52 blind subjects with and without circadian rhythm disorders every 2 h for 2 days per week for 4 weeks. Sleep‐wake timing and circadian phase were assessed from diaries and weekly measurements of urinary 6‐sulphatoxymelatonin rhythms, respectively. In those subjects who woke at either a normal circadian phase (n = 26) or abnormally early (n = 5), alertness, mood and performance deteriorated significantly with increased time awake (P < 0.05). In 17 non‐entrained (‘free‐running’) subjects, waking function varied significantly with circadian phase such that subjects rated themselves most sleepy (P = 0.03) and most miserable (P = 0.02) when they were awake during the time of peak melatonin production. The internal phase relationship between sleep‐wake behaviour and the circadian melatonin rhythm in entrained subjects contributed to predictable differences in the daily profile of alertness, mood and performance. Disruption of this phase relationship in non‐entrained blind individuals with circadian rhythm sleep disorders resulted in impaired waking function during the day equivalent to that usually only experienced when awake during the night. Treatment for circadian rhythm disorders should be targeted in normalizing these phase relationships.
Cold exposure impairs dark‐pulse capacity to induce REM sleep in the albino rat
Authors: BARACCHI FRANCESCA , ZAMBONI GIOVANNI , CERRI MATTEO , SINDACO ELIDE DEL , DENTICO DANIELA , JONES CHRISTINE ANN , LUPPI MARCO , PEREZ EMANUELE , AMICI ROBERTO
Published: May 2008

In the albino rat, a REM sleep (REMS) onset can be induced with a high probability and a short latency when the light is suddenly turned off (dark pulse, DP) during non‐REM sleep (NREMS). The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent DP delivery could overcome the integrative thermoregulatory mechanisms that depress REMS occurrence during exposure to low ambient temperature (Ta). To this aim, the efficiency of a non‐rhythmical repetitive DP (3 min each) delivery during the first 6‐h light period of a 12 h : 12 h light–dark cycle in inducing REMS was studied in the rat, through the analysis of electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, hypothalamic temperature and motor activity at different Tas. The results showed that DP delivery triggers a transition from NREMS to REMS comparable to that which occurs spontaneously. However, the efficiency of DP delivery in inducing REMS was reduced during cold exposure to an extent comparable with that observed in spontaneous REMS occurrence. Such impairment was associated with low Delta activity and high sympathetic tone when DPs were delivered. Repetitive DP administration increased REMS amount during the delivery period and a subsequent negative REMS rebound was observed. In conclusion, DP delivery did not overcome the integrative thermoregulatory mechanisms that depress REMS in the cold. These results underline the crucial physiological meaning of the mutual exclusion of thermoregulatory activation and REMS occurrence, and support the hypothesis that the suspension of the central control of body temperature is a prerequisite for REMS occurrence.
Natural selection in avian protein‐coding genes expressed in brain
Authors: AXELSSON ERIK , HULTIN‐ROSENBERG LINA , BRANDSTRÖM MIKAEL , ZWAHLÉN MARTIN , CLAYTON DAVID F. , ELLEGREN HANS
Published: May 2008

The evolution of birds from theropod dinosaurs took place approximately 150 million years ago, and was associated with a number of specific adaptations that are still evident among extant birds, including feathers, song and extravagant secondary sexual characteristics. Knowledge about the molecular evolutionary background to such adaptations is lacking. Here, we analyse the evolution of > 5000 protein‐coding gene sequences expressed in zebra finch brain by comparison to orthologous sequences in chicken. Mean dN/dS is 0.085 and genes with their maximal expression in the eye and central nervous system have the lowest mean dN/dS value, while those expressed in digestive and reproductive tissues exhibit the highest. We find that fast‐evolving genes (those which have higher than expected rate of nonsynonymous substitution, indicative of adaptive evolution) are enriched for biological functions such as fertilization, muscle contraction, defence response, response to stress, wounding and endogenous stimulus, and cell death. After alignment to mammalian orthologues, we identify a catalogue of 228 genes that show a significantly higher rate of protein evolution in the two bird lineages than in mammals. These accelerated bird genes, representing candidates for avian‐specific adaptations, include genes implicated in vocal learning and other cognitive processes. Moreover, colouration genes evolve faster in birds than in mammals, which may have been driven by sexual selection for extravagant plumage characteristics.
Gene flow and population subdivision in a pantropical plant with sea‐drifted seeds Hibiscus tiliaceus and its allied species: evidence from microsatellite analyses
Authors: TAKAYAMA KOJI , TATEISHI YOICHI , MURATA JIN , KAJITA TADASHI
Published: May 2008

The genetic differentiation and structure of Hibiscus tiliaceus, a pantropical plant with sea‐drifted seeds, and four allied species were studied using six microsatellite markers. A low level of genetic differentiation was observed among H. tiliaceus populations in the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, similar to the results of a previous chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) study. Frequent gene flow by long‐distance seed dispersal is responsible for species integration of H. tiliaceus in the wide distribution range. On the other hand, highly differentiated populations of H. tiliaceus were detected in West Africa, as well as of Hibiscus pernambucensis in southern Brazil. In the former populations, the African continent may be a geographical barrier that prevents gene flow by sea‐drifted seeds. In the latter populations, although there are no known land barriers, the bifurcating South Equatorial Current at the north‐eastern horn of Brazil can be a potential barrier to gene flow and may promote the genetic differentiation of these populations. Our results also suggest clear species segregation between H. tiliaceus and H. pernambucensis, which confirms the introgression scenario between these two species that was suggested by a previous cpDNA study. Our results also provide good evidence for recent transatlantic long‐distance seed dispersal by sea current. Despite the distinct geographical structure observed in the cpDNA haplotypes, a low level of genetic differentiation was found between Pacific and Atlantic populations of H. pernambucensis, which could be caused by transisthmian gene flow.
Severe combined immunodeficiency: A cohort of 40 patients
Authors: Yeganeh Mehdi , Heidarzade Marzieh , Pourpak Zahra , Parvaneh Nima , Rezaei Nima , Gharagozlou Mohammad , Movahedi Masoud , Shabestari Mahnaz Sadeghi , Mamishi Setareh , Aghamohammadi Asghar , Moin Mostafa
Published: May 2008

Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) consists of a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders characterized by an arrest in T lymphocyte development which is variably associated with an abnormal differentiation of B and NK cells. In order to depict the clinical state of Iranian patients with SCID, records of forty patients were reviewed. Patients were classified based on the flow cytometry data in two groups of B− and B+. In thirty two families (80%) parents were consanguine and in 17 families (50%) there were affected members other than proband. We showed that autosomal forms of SCID might be more frequent due to higher rate of consanguineous marriages. Alongside several infective complications, complicated Bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) vaccination was documented in 18 cases (45%) following the routine vaccination at birth. BCG immunization is still a part of standard vaccination for newborns in developing countries; whereas in communities with a better health condition it could be held for a few months and performed for kids whose immune system sounds intact. We discuss where consanguine mating is common, a test of screening should be run timely. A complete blood count of cord blood could reveal lymphocytopenia at birth; this helps early diagnosis. Genetic consultation would help the families with affected members preventing new SCID offspring.
Clinical features and natural history of physical urticaria in children
Authors: Khakoo Gulamabbas , Sofianou‐Katsoulis Aikaterini , Perkin Michael R , Lack Gideon
Published: May 2008

Physical triggers are the most common precipitating factors for chronic urticaria in childhood. We investigate the natural history of physical urticaria (PU) and attempt to identify prognostic features. A retrospective study covering a 3 yr period (1999–2002) identified 82 children with PU seen in a tertiary referral centre. Parents of 53 children with PU responded to follow up by questionnaire and were included in the data analysis. The questionnaire ascertained symptom severity, remission status, effects of treatment and prognostic factors in determining resolution of the urticaria. Not all parents answered every question. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the remission and non‐remission groups and Kaplan–Meir survival analysis was used to derive estimates of time to achieve remission. All 53 children with PU had chronic urticaria, with dermatographic, cholinergic and mixed subtypes of PU forming over 70% of the subtypes. Overall, 13% (6/45) of the children reported respiratory symptoms with the episodes of urticaria, and 67% (35/52) reported associated angioedema. In univariate analysis, a history of other allergic conditions in the child was associated with a greater chance of non‐remission (p = 0.007). No significant difference in the age of onset of urticaria and duration of individual bouts was noted between the remission and non‐remission groups. Episodes of urticaria were significantly less frequent (p = 0.02) in the remission group (monthly/weekly/daily – 70%/30%/0%) than the non‐remission group (38%/34%/28%). Among the 20 children achieving remission, on average this occurred 30 months after onset of symptoms. In the survival analysis, the number of children becoming urticaria free was 11.6% (95% CI: 5.4%–23.9%) at 1 yr post‐onset and 38.4% (95% CI: 25.9%–54.3%) 5 yr post‐onset. In conclusion, based on this selected tertiary population, the prognosis for PU may not be as benign as has previously been reported. A history of allergic conditions and more frequent episodes of urticaria were associated with a poorer prognosis.
The Black Band Disease of Atlantic Reef Corals.
Authors: Taylor Dennis L.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Tissue necrosis in reef corals is associated with the appearance of the cyanobacterium, Phormidium corallyticum Rützler & Santavy, occurring in dense growths at the boundary between living and dead polyps. Studies at several sites in Florida, the Bahamas and Jamaica confirm the correlation between diseased tissues and the growth of this cyanobacterium. As a prerequisite to further investigations of the disease, its causes and control, Phormidium corallyticum was isolated from necrotic areas on four separate species of reef corals, and grown in axenic culture using liquid and semisolid media. Data on its growth and nutrition in culture are presented. Growth rates appear to be sub‐optimal under the conditions used, suggesting possible nutrient deficiencies that could not be identified in this study. Phormidium corallyticum will grow in the dark or with low light (20μEin m‐1 s‐1) when the medium is supplemented with a range of organic compounds.
Zooplankton Grazing during Dinoflagel‐late Blooms in a Cape Cod Embayment, with Observations of Predation upon Tin‐tinnids by Copepods
Authors: Turner Jefferson T. , Anderson Donald M.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The patterns and rates of feeding by the copepod Acartia hudsonica and larvae of the polychaete Polydora sp. were investigated during the spring in an estuarine embayment. These dominant macrozooplankters fed upon the natural particulate assemblages (predominantly dino‐flagellates) spiked with the toxic dinoflagellate Gonyaulax tamarensis. G. tamarensis was ingested by both zooplankters, as was Heterocapsa triquetra, the most abundant alternative food item. Ingestion rates generally increased as dinoflagellate concentrations increased, resulting in a relatively constant (and low) filtration rate for each grazer. Dinophysis acuminata, another dominant dinoflagellate, was essentially ungrazed. Thus, the zooplankters did not ingest one dinoflagellate and consumed others in proportion to their availability but at low rates. Based on these low rates and the small number of A. hudsonica observed during the spring, we infer minima! grazing impact on a 1980 G. tamarensis bloom. In contrast, the impact of polychaete larvae may have been substantial, since their extreme numerical abundance more than compensated for low filtration rates.

In one instance, the tintinnid Eutintinnus pectinis was accidentally included in a grazing experiment. Our ingestion data demonstrate that A. hudsonica, when presented with a combination of tintinnids and several species of phytoplankton (G. tamarensis and D. acuminata) ingested the tintinnids at high rates, in proportion to their high abundance. Since the nanoflagellate Chroomonas amphioxea was found within the loricae of many of the surviving tintinnids, this also provided a qualitative demonstration of the often‐hypothesized nanoplankton to tintinnid to copepod link in a marine food chain.
The Biology of Upogebia pusilla (Petagna) (Decapoda, Thalassinidea) I. The Burrows
Authors: Dworschak Peter C.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The biology of the thalassinidean shrimp Upogebia pusilla was studied on a tidal flat in the Lagoon of Grado (Northern Adriatic). Burrows were investigated using in situ resin casting and with additional in situ and laboratory observations. Burrows show a basic pattern consisting of a U or a double U with turning chambers and a vertical shaft. Mean burrow diameter depends on animal size, it is smaller than the rigid carapace of the animal. Dimensions, distance between openings, depth of U, total depth, volume and surface are size dependent. The burrow wall is smooth and oxidized. Burrows are always inhabited by a single shrimp. Although they overlap, they are never interconnected. They are mainly constructed by compression of the sediment and are relatively permanent structures. A comparison of the burrows of Thalassinidea with regard to shape, number and appearance of openings, dimensions, properties of the burrow wall and dynamics is given.
Seasonality of Plankton Assemblages in a Temperate Estuary
Authors: Turner Jefferson T. , Bruno Stephen F. , Larson Ralph J. , Staker Robert D. , Sharma Gurdial M.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Synoptic measurements of temperature, salinity, nutrients, primary productivity, chlorophyll a, and abundance and composition of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and ichthyoplank‐ton were made over an annual cycle on the Peconic Bay estuary (Long Island, New York, USA).

There were pronounced seasonal fluctuations in all variables measured. During the warmer season, the plankton was dominated by nanophytoplankton (athecate microflagellates and chlorophytes, short chains of diatoms), small zooplankton (copepod nauplii, copepodites, and adults of small copepod species) and gelatinous carnivores (ctenophores and medusae). During the colder season, the plankton was dominated (in terms of primary productivity and chlorophyll a) by netplankton, larger zooplankton (adult copepods) and fish larvae. The winter bloom of apparent netplankton (> 20 μm fraction) was largely an artifact of the screening method employed, in that long chains of a diatom with small individual cell size (Skeletonema costatum) comprised 84.4–97.8% of the phytoplankton present. There was a significant negative relationship over the year between length of diatom chains and number of smaller zooplankton. For this reason, as well as initiation of the winter bloom during a period of declining levels of both light and zooplankton, inception of the bloom appeared more related to release of zooplankton grazing pressure than to illumination. Temporally offset pulses of ctenophores and other zooplankton during the warmer season suggest substantial predation by ctenophores. Apparent decimation of copepod populations by ctenophore predation in late summer and fall immediately preceeded inception of the winter diatom bloom. Larval Ammodytes americanus were the dominant ichthyoplankton, and these co‐occurred in winter with increased abundances of larger adult copepods of species upon which A. americanus is known to feed. With certain modifications the patterns recorded for Peconic Bay corresponded to both of two generalized trophic pathways proposed by Greve & Parsons (1977) for temperate waters: nanoplankton → small zooplankton → gelatinous zooplankton carnivores or

netplankton → larger zooplankton → young fish.

The former pattern characterized the warmer season, and the latter the colder season. Comparison of patterns in Peconic Bay with those in some other temperate estuarine and coastal waters suggests similarity, particularly for estuaries of the northeastern United States.
Ammothea hilgendorfi (Böhm, 1879), an Adventitious Pycnogonid new for the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Krapp Franz , Sconfietti Renato
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The authors demonstrate the probable immigration and stable settling of the pycnogonid Ammothea hilgendorfi (Böhm, 1879) at one station in the lagoon of Venice. The species is widely distributed naturally on both sides of the Pacific Ocean and has probably immigrated on ship hulls through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean. Two more cases (the pycnogonid Anoplodactylus portus and the amphipod Elasmopus pectenicrus) of adventitious species in this sea are compared.
Seasonal, Geographical and Size Differences in Oxygen Consumption, Digestive Gland and Gills in Carcinus maenas (L), a Study of Condition for Ecologists
Authors: Aldrich John Carlson
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The excited rate of oxygen consumption, and the wet weights of the digestive gland and the gills were studied in relation to overall size. One experiment was made in Roscoff, France, one in Portaferry, N. Ireland, and three in Wicklow, Ireland. Higher levels of oxygen consumption were found in Roscoff together with greater gill weight. Seasonal changes in the level of oxygen consumption in Wicklow may be influenced by the dry wt/wet wt ratio of the gills ‐ probably an index of condition for the crabs as a whole. The power functions for allometric growth were virtually constant for each factor in all five experiments. All levels of factors were reduced in males weighing more than 60 g. Disproportions in the weights of the chelae marked the populations in Roscoff and Portaferry, compared with Wicklow. These suggest a genetic basis for the geographical differences in oxygen consumption and gill weight. The importance of local experiments for local conditions and the possibilities for predicting physiological rates from morphology are discussed.
A Survey of Estuarine Benthic, Zoo‐planktonic and Phytoplanktonic Communities of Amvrakikos Gulf, Ionian Sea
Authors: Nicolaidou A. , Moraitou‐Apostolopoulou M. , Ignatiades L.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The estuarine ecosystem of the Amvrakikos Gulf, a semi‐enclosed embayment of the Ionian Sea, was surveyed at 9 stations in June, 1980. Quantitative and qualitative relationships among the phytoplanktonic, zooplanktonic and benthic populations were examined and related to environmental parameters. It was found that quantitative maxima of each of the three components occurred at different stations. When stations were grouped according to a similarity index of each community, it could be shown that the stations were very similar with regard to phytoplankton and slightly less similar with regard to zooplankton. The stations differed considerably as far as the benthos is concerned. The phytoplankton also exhibited a lower species diversity (0.08‐0.82 bits‐indiv.‐1) than the zooplankton (1.08‐2.10 bits indiv.‐1) and the benthos (0.85‐5.06 bits indiv.‐1). Differences in salinity among stations showed no significant correlation with the abundance or species diversity of phytoplankton, zooplankton or benthos.
The Effect of an Infaunal Suspension Feeding Bivalve Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) on Benthic Recruitment*
Authors: Maurer Don
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Animal‐animal interactions are recognized as critical in benthic invertebrate recruitment. The hypothesis tested was that benthic recruitment is more successful in low densities of infaunal suspension feeders than in high densities. Densities of young hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) ranging from 82.5 to 330m‐2 were placed in defaunated boxes of sand. The mean number of species, mean number of individuals, mean wet weight biomass, mean species richness and mean dominance index per sample were calculated per density of hard clams from May to October. The experiment did not support the hypothesis. It was concluded that feeding behaviour of dense populations of M. mercenaria did not preclude successful recruitment of other benthic species.
Resource Management of Precious Corals:
Authors: Grigg Richard W.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Precious corals as a group consist of a variety of species which belong to several classes of Anthozoan corals. In general, all are long lived, slow growing and are characterized by slow rates of annual recruitment and adult mortality. In favorable environments, where large beds of commercial quantity exist, their life history parameters often approximate steady state. In such instances, fishery management models in which the assumption of steady state is explicit, can be applied to their management. In this paper, the history and ecology of precious corals are reviewed in light of modern attempts of resource management using fishery models. In Hawaii, the BEVERTON and HOLT model has been adapted for the management of black, pink and gold coral species. The application of this model as it applies to precious corals is described and an example is given illustrating that it can also be used for shallow water reef building corals which form discrete colonies.
A Study in Ultra‐Ecology: Microorganisms on the Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) DELILE
Authors: Novak Rudolf
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Microbial colonization on the leaves of a shoot of the mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) DELILE was studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Methods of field ecology such as transect, random plot and stratified sampling survey were applied to the microbial niveau to gain both qualitative and quantitative information on the microbial assemblage.

While macro‐epiphytic growth was significantly greater on the outer leaf sides, microbial colonization density was significantly higher on the inner leaf sides, both on leaf surface and epiphyte surface. Diatoms colonized the surface of incrusting algae and epiphytic animals in significantly lower numbers than the Posidonia leaf surface and were absent on erect epiphytic algae. Bacterial densities on epiphyte surfaces even exceeded values of the corresponding leaf surfaces on algal thalli near the leaf tips and on old leaves. Diatoms reach highest mean density on mature leaves and close to the leaf tips, while bacteria reach their greatest density on the oldest leaf and closer to the leaf base. Diatom density in general increases with exposure time of plant surface, while greatest bacterial density was observed at 7–10 weeks exposure. Basal leaf parts on younger leaves were dominated by rod‐shaped bacteria, while distal leaf parts and old leaves were dominated by small coccoid bacteria. Surfaces of epiphytic algae were always distinctly dominated by small coccoid bacteria, and edges of thalli attracted high microbial densities. Microbial biomass (calculated from cell volumes using standard conversion factors) amounts to 2.3 g dry weight m‐2 in the Posidonia stand where the shoot was sampled.

The observed patterns of epiphytic colonization are interpreted as the result of a complex, dynamically changing system of interactions both within the epiphytic community and between the epiphytic community, the host plant, and it's environment. A model of the organization of the epiphytic community on Posidonia leaves is presented. “Ultra‐ecology” is a term introduced to denote a type of SEM research in the micro‐environment which is analogous to in situ investigation in “macroscopic” ecological work.
Scytosiphon Iomentaria (Phaeophyta) as an Indicator of Heavy‐Metal Contamination of Sea Waters
Authors: Khristoforova Nadezhda K.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The brown alga Scytosiphon lomentaria is discussed as a possible indicator of heavy‐metal contamination of marine coastal waters. A comparison with other brown algae shows that a strong development of the specific surface of S. lomentaria thallus increases the ability of accumulating suspended iron and lead from ambient waters. The paper presents the results obtained from several localities in the Sea of Japan. Scytosiphon has an advantage over other indicator species used in the monitoring of sea heavy‐metal contamination due to its virtually “cosmopolitic” distribution.
The Bryozoan Rhynchozoon larreyi (Audouin, 1826)–A Successful Competitor in Coral Reef Communities of the Red Sea
Authors: Ristedt Heinrich , Schuhmacher Helmut
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Rhynchozoon larreyi (Audouin, 1826) is a successful competitor for space in sessile reef communities at Port Sudan and Eilat (Red Sea). At these localities it has always been found in association with Zanclea sp. The relationship between the two species is regarded as mutualistic. The hydroid benefits through association with a successful spatial competitor; the bryozoan gains advantage through protection of its surface from predation and fouling. Morphological modification of the bryozoan colony in response to this association leads to a highly organized reticulate surface pattern, which provides both symbionts with access to feeding currents.
Physiology of Laminaria
Authors: Conolly Nichola J. , Drew Edward A.
Published: May 2008

Abstract.Sporophytes ofLaminaria digitataandL. saccharinawere collected from the shore at different times of year. Intact sporophytes of both species, and discs cut fromL. digitatalamina tissue were maintained for several weeks in laboratory cultures under various nitrate, phosphate, temperature and daylength regimes. Substrate‐saturated uptake rates of approximately 24 μgN g dry weight‐1h‐1from 20 μM nitrate and 8 μgP g dry weight‐1h‐1from 10 μM phosphate were more than sufficient to account for internal nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation. Other nitrogen sources ‐ nitrite, ammonium and urea ‐ were also taken up, independently of each other, and supported growth.

During the late spring decline of ambient nutrient levels, when growth rates on the shore also decline markedly, enrichment with nitrate (15 μM) and phosphate (3μ) together prevented this decline and also maintained peak photosynthetic rates (net photosynthesis = 10.4 μlO2cm‐2h‐1) which otherwise dropped to 4.5 μO2cm‐2h‐1over 47 days at ambient nutrient levels (0.5 μM nitrate and phosphate). Slow summer growth rates in June/July were enhanced to greater than spring peak values by combined nitrate (7.5 μM) and phosphate (1.8 μM) enrichment; neither was sufficient alone, although the individual nutrients were accumulated internally. A lesser, but significant enhancement was also achieved in September.

In midwinter, nutrient enhancement itself (10.5 μM nitrate and 3.0 μM phosphate) had a small effect on growth rates only if summer water temperature (15°C) was used, but the dramatic effect of an increased photoperiod (7.5 to 17.5 h) was in excess of that expected for the increased radiant energy available. This was found to be due, at least inL. digitaiadiscs, to the re‐establishment of a surface meristoderm in the dormant winter tissue; this was particularly active with high phosphate supply. Growth of the new lamina in January on the shore was much reduced if the old lamina was removed, although the time of initiation of new growth remained unchanged. In the laboratory, the old lamina was found to be a source of nitrogen for new lamina but not of fixed carbon or phosphorus. New lamina photosynthesis, manifest as mannitol accumulation, was directly proportional to phosphate supply up to at least 7.5 μM phosphate. Mannitol accumulation was then suppressed by a nitrate supply above 12 um, presumably by diversion of fixed carbon to other biosynthetic pathways.
The Distribution of Midwater Fish Maurolicus muelleri (GMELIN) Eggs in the Jabuka Pit Region of the Adriatic Sea
Authors: GAMULIN Tomo , Hure Jure
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The distribution of M. muelleri eggs throughout the Adriatic Sea were studied in relation to environmental conditions. Eggs were present in all seasons, with the highest concentrations in the small region of the Jabuka pit (273m depth). The authors point out that the geomorphological, hydrographic and trophic conditions in this small region of the Adriatic are favourable for the presence of greater M. muelleri populations.
Distribution and Ecology of Epiphytic Portfera in two Posidonia oceanica (L.) DELILE Meadows of the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Sea*
Authors: Pansini M. , Pronzato R.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Two geographically distant Posidonia meadows located in the Western Mediterranean Sea were analysed using SCUBA diver‐taken samples. The material was collected at depths of 1, 5, 15 and 30 m, sampling all the plants within a 400cm2 area, as well as selecting bundles with epiphytic Porifera from a 5 m: area divided into quadrates. The effectiveness of both methods is compared, as the data in the literature were obtained from dredgings.

The abundance and distribution of the seventy‐five identified species of Porifera were examined, taking into account the depth of the sampling stations and additional environmental factors. The two meadows studied were compared using statistical methods; some doubts are raised about the existence of a specific Porifera population characteristic of Posidonia beds.
Study and Cartography of the Benthic Communities of Medes Islands (NE Spain)
Authors: Gili Josep Maria , Ros Joandomènec
Published: May 2008

Abstract. A bionomic study and cartography of the benthos of Medes Islands (NE Spanish coast, Catalan Costa Brava) is presented. From 1977 to 1980 the fauna and flora of the meso‐ and macrobenthos were sampled by a triple sampling procedure: standard, visual and photographic samples were simultaneously taken along underwater transects, yielding 124 punctual inventories, 176 visual inventories and some 1000 photographic “samples”. These, together with the floristic and faunistic study of each algal and invertebrate group, served as the basis for the bionomic survey of the islands' bottoms. In a first approach, the hard substrata of the infra‐ and circalittoral Stages were studied, along with the Posidonia meadows, and their communities diagrammatically sketched along representative transects. Further work focused on the submarine caves and tunnels of the area, the supra‐ and mediolittoral communities and the coastal detritic soft bottoms. The bionomic survey of the Medes Islands has emphasized, with minor differences, the basic similarity between the archipelago's benthic communities and those described elsewhere in the Northwestern Mediterranean. The identified communities or groups of communities are the trottoir, the photophilic algae, the sciaphilic algae (precoralligenous), the coralligenous and cave communities on hard substrata, as well as the Posidonia meadow and the coastal detritic community on soft substrata. These have been used as the basic macro‐units in the bionomic cartography of the islands, which has been plotted on a 1:2000 map. Their distribution, over a surface area of some 2 km2 and to a depth of up to 60–70 m, follows that of the heterogeneous substrate, its slope and the hydrodynamical and illumination conditions of the area.
Nutrient Cycling and a Stoichiometric Model in Epidavros, a Deep Basin in the Aegean Sea
Authors: Friugos Nicholas
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The nutrient cycling of Epidavros, a deep basin in the Saronikos Gulf, was studied in relation to various environmental factors during 1973–1976 at a station characterized by stagnant conditions. The regeneration of nutrients was related to the consumption of oxygen, and a seasonal nutrient cycle occurred with low nutrient concentrations in the spring and summer, followed by high nutrient levels in autumn and winter. In addition high values of nitrate and silicate were observed in the deeper waters, which tended to be anoxic, although the water masses were renewed during spring 1974. The distribution pattern of nutrients together with nutrient ratios were compared with previous studies of the same and neighbouring areas as well as of other isolated basins. A stoichiometric model indicates that plankton organisms in the Epidavros basin have approximate atomic ratios for C: N: P of 150: 14:1, while the ratio of change for nitrogen and phosphorus in the water is only 8.8:1 by atoms. This is probably because of the slow rate of regeneration of nitrogenous material and/or assimilation and regeneration in organic forms. The water/plankton relation in the Epidavros basin appears to be very similar to that in the Baltic Sea.
The Reproductive Cycle of Ophioderma brevispinum (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea)
Authors: HENDLER GORDON , TYLER P. A.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. .The reproductive cycle of the brittlestar Ophioderma brevispinum is described using histological and organ index data for a population in Massachusetts, U.S.A. The cycle consists of a one month mid‐summer spawning phase followed by gametogenesis and gradual gonadal growth during the winter, and greatly accelerated gonadal growth from May to June. At the end of the spawning season, oogonia proliferate near the base of the ovary, and a continuous layer of spermatogonia lines the testis. As oocytes grow to a maximum diameter of 350 um, yolk granules accumulate and the cytoplasm becomes less basophilic. Prior to spawning, the testis becomes branched and sulcate, and a whorl of spermatozoa produced by columns of spermatids accumulates in the lumen. Comparisons between the reproductive cycles of different populations of O. brevispinum and its congeners support the hypothesis that temperature may be a critical exogenous factor, but definitely not the only factor, in the initiation and duration of the growth and spawning phases of the ophiuroid reproductive cycle.
Zonation and Evolution of a Rocky Bottom Hydroid Community*
Authors: BOERO FERDINANDO , FRESI EUGENIO
Published: May 2008

Abstract. .The distribution in space and time of a hydroid community on a vertical rocky substratum is studied from the surface to 20 m depth. The role of the major environmental factors (light, water movement, temperature) in determining the zonation is evaluated. The results are compared with the main zonation models of Mediterranean benthos. The autecology of the collected species is briefly described.
Larval Stages and Balanus (Cim'pedia) Settlement in a Port Environment with a Key to Naupliar Stages of Tyrrhenian Species
Authors: GERACI SEBASTIANO , ROMAIRONE VlTTORIO
Published: May 2008

Abstract. .Some observations on larval life and barnacle settlement in the Port of Genoa are reported together with a key of the nauplii of the four species recorded in the Tyrrhenian coasts: Balanus amphiuite, Balanus perforatus, Balanus trigonus and Balanus eburneus. Weekly densities of naupliar stages for each species as well as the average percent reduction from one stage to the next until the cypris stage have been recorded. The amount of the latter is recorded both in plankton and along with settled barnacles on artificial substrata.
The Feeding Apparatus in four Pacific Tube Blennies (Te/eos fei: Chaenopsidae):
Authors: Kotrschal Kurt , Lindquist David G.
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Tube blennies (Chaenopsidae) have the largest relative mouth size compared with other blennioids. Their peculiar oral jaw apparatus may be interpreted as adaptation towards opportunistic feeding, making a wide spectrum of prey types and sizes accessible for these “hemisessile” fishes.

Three sympatric species of Gulf of California Acanthemblemaria show different, though overlapping habitat and microhabitat utilization, but are nearly identical in feeding. Accordingly, sizes and shapes of the oral jaw apparati are very similar in the species under consideration. Possible reasons for this apparent lack of ecomorphological divergence are discussed.
Gastric Evacuation in the Juveniles of two Flatfish from a Western Mediterranean Bay
Authors: Morais L. Tito de
Published: May 2008

Abstract. The gastric evacuation (at 11 oC and 19 oC) and the relation between prey size and fish size of juveniles of Buglossidium luteum and Arnoglossus thori (Pisces, Heterosomata) are studied. The fish were collected at 20 m depth in the Banyuls Bay (France, Western Mediterranean). B. luteum showed a very rapid evacuation rate at 19 oC (2h to 4h for a IgDW meal) and a slower one at 11oC (9h 30min for a IgDW meal). A. thori showed similar rates at both temperatures (6h 20min to 7 h 30 min for a IgDW meal). The relationship between prey size and predator size showed that A. thori always took larger prey than B. luteum. The diet of the latter changes only slightly with the increasing size of the fish. In contrast, the diet of A. thori changes more rapidly towards larger prey. A hypothesis explaining the contradictory evidence concerning the effect of fish and meal size on gastric evacuation is proposed.
Biometric and Genetic Analysis of the Marine Rissoid Rissoa auriscalpium (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia) and its Ecological Implications
Authors: Colognola Rita , Masturzo Pietro , Russo Giovanni Fulvio , Scardi Mlchele , Vlnci Daniele , Fresi Eugenio
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Two forms of Rissoa auriscalpium were found in Posidonia oceanica beds around the Island of Ischia (Gulf of Naples). In order to investigate their taxonomical value and to quantify the discriminating features found, the radular, conchometric, genetic, and ecological features of the two forms were analyzed. Ecological observations showed that the distribution of the two forms is strongly correlated with hydrodynamic factors.
Spatio‐temporal Changes of Sabellarian Reefs Built by the Sedentary Polychaete Sabellaria alveolata (Linné)
Authors: Gruet Yves
Published: May 2008

Abstract. Important intertidal sabellarian reefs are built by the polychaete Sabellaria alveolata (LINNÉ) in the Mont Saint‐Michel Bay in Normandy at Champeaux (France). Typical profiles and plans were done over a ten year period. At the same time, population dynamics were examined during the last six years. At this site a nearly complete morphological cycle spread itself over more than ten years. Initially built on rock substrate (primary settlement phase), the studied reefs actually lie on a sandy shore. The growth phase begins by stages of balls which are then joined with new settlements between or on older tubes (secondary settlement). This phase comes to an end with an important platform stage. Then, the destruction phase brings us back to dead eroded reefs on which new worms can settle (secondary settlement). This cycle seems to be independent of the age of the living population, although new settlements of young worms and also sufficient hydrodynamics seem necessary.