Research Note, July 1988

This is issue 24: Willows and Moose: A Study of Grazing Pressure, Slough Creek Exclosure, Montana, 1961-1986https://scholarworks.umt.edu/montana_forestry_notes/1019/thumbnail.jp

Genetic diversity and population structure of Anopheles triannulatus s. l. in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, using DNA barcoding

Introduction: Anopheles triannulatus is not incriminated as a vector of malaria transmission in Colombia despite recent reports of infection with Plasmodium spp. in populations related to the northwestern and southeastern lineages. Genetic diversity can delimit information about gene flow and population differentiation in localities with malaria. Objective: To estimate the genetic diversity of An. triannulatus in five municipalities with high and low incidence of malaria in the department of Córdoba. Materials and methods: The entomological collections were done between August and November, 2016, in Tierralta, Puerto Libertador, Montelíbano, Sahagún, and Planeta Rica. We used the COI barcoding fragment as molecular marker. The genetic analysis included the estimation of genetic parameters such as the diversity haplotype, the genetic structure, the gene flow, the Tajima’s D test, the haplotype network, and the phylogenetic relationship. Results: We obtained 148 sequences with a length of 655 nucleotides of the COI gene, from which we derived 44 haplotypes. The H2 and H21 haplotypes were the most frequent in the populations. The values of the Tajima’s D test were negative and not significant (p>0.10). The genetic structure index (FST=0.01427) and the gene flow (Nm=17.27) evidenced no differentiation between sampled populations due to the high exchange of migrants. Using phylogenetic inferences and the haplotype network, we identified one single species without geographic differentiation or lineages in the geographic range studied. Conclusions: The genetic diversity calculated for An. triannulatus in this context indicated stable populations in constant exchange

Bird Use of Stormwater-Management Ponds: Decreasing Avian Attractants on Airports

Characteristics of stormwater-management ponds that contribute to avian hazards to aviation at airports have not been quantified. We selected 30 stormwater-management ponds (average 0.1 ha), approximately 50km from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, as surrogates to on-airport facilities. We conducted 46 weeks of avian surveys (between 14 February 2005 and 17 February 2006) and evaluated model fit of 6 a priori models relative to pond use by an avian group via Kullback–Leibler information. Our full model, composed of pond surface area (sa), ratio of area of open water to area of emergent and woody vegetation (ow:ew), perimeter irregularity, and geographic isolation, was among 3 best approximating models for pond use by 9 of 13 groups (within Anatidae, Ardeidae, Charadriidae, Columbidae, Accipitridae, Laridae, and Rallidae) considered. The full model and models lacking sa or ow:ew were indistinguishable in fit for a group composed of avian species considered hazardous to aviation. For models selected, Akaike weights (i.e., relative likelihoods) ranged from 0.869 to 0.994. In contrast, relative likelihood for a mean model (i.e., a model including only an intercept) was \u3c10−4 for all groups. We suggest that designs of stormwater management ponds at airports in the Pacific Northwest should minimize the pond perimeter via circular or linear designs. Also, ponds should be located so as to reduce the number and proximity of other water resources within 1 km. For existing stormwater-management ponds at airports, we suggest reducing the availability of open water via covering or drawdown

Impact of a hypomorphic Artemis disease allele on lymphocyte development, DNA end processing, and genome stability

Artemis was initially discovered as the gene inactivated in human radiosensitive T−B− severe combined immunodeficiency, a syndrome characterized by the absence of B and T lymphocytes and cellular hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation. Hypomorphic Artemis alleles have also been identified in patients and are associated with combined immunodeficiencies of varying severity. We examine the molecular mechanisms underlying a syndrome of partial immunodeficiency caused by a hypomorphic Artemis allele using the mouse as a model system. This mutation, P70, leads to premature translation termination that deletes a large portion of a nonconserved C terminus. We find that homozygous Artemis-P70 mice exhibit reduced numbers of B and T lymphocytes, thereby recapitulating the patient phenotypes. The hypomorphic mutation results in impaired end processing during the lymphoid-specific DNA rearrangement known as V(D)J recombination, defective double-strand break repair, and increased chromosomal instability. Biochemical analyses reveal that the Artemis-P70 mutant protein interacts with the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit and retains significant, albeit reduced, exo- and endonuclease activities but does not undergo phosphorylation. Together, our findings indicate that the Artemis C terminus has critical in vivo functions in ensuring efficient V(D)J rearrangements and maintaining genome integrity

An endemic plant and the plant-insect visitor network of a dune ecosystem

Network theory increasingly is used to quantify and evaluate mutualistic interactions, such as those among plants and their flower-visiting insects or pollinators. Some plant species have been shown to be important in community structure using network metrics; however, the roles of plant taxa, particularly rare species, are not well understood. Pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), a threatened endemic of Great Lakes shorelines, flowers late-June to early-August, when other floral resources may be less abundant or unavailable. We performed 10 min insect visitor observations on all insect pollinated plants in 44–10 m by 10 m plots at Sturgeon Bay, northern lower MI, USA, during C. pitcheri flowering and recorded plant species, number of open flowers, species of insect visiting, and number of visits by insects. Pitcher's thistle received 18.2% of all 600 recorded visits, 61.1% more than the next most visited plant. Pitcher's thistle also received visits from 22 of the 59 different insect species in the network, twice as many as the next most visited plant species. Species-level network analysis metrics showed that Pitcher's thistle was most generalized, with greatest species strength, betweenness, and connectance scores of any other plant taxon, demonstrating network topological importance. Pitcher's thistle received significantly more insect visits relative to its abundance that did any other plant species. Therefore, conservation of C. pitcheri and of other rare taxa, particularly in xeric and low diversity systems, can be significant beyond species-level management and may extend to conservation of the plant-insect community.Joyner Open Access Publishing Support Fun

Herman, the Buck-Toothed Arabian Guppy

Part of the Grab and Go With Science series, in this activity, youth will use chromatography to analyze the components of different pollutants. Youth will observe how different ingredients in a mixture are carried along at different rates in water and, therefore, end up in different places. They will draw conclusions regarding the source of a pollutant by comparing the outcomes of their experiments

Collinsia parviflora

Angiosperm

NCSR: Community as a Context for Learning

This is the third manual in a series on community-based education. This manual includes lessons, tools, resources, and forms that will provide guidance to assist educators and students in entering their and connecting to their community for the first time. This manual also will provide support and valuable resources for those already out there in the community conducting community-based projects. The manual is divided into four sections: Exploring Your Community, Needs and Opportunities Assessment, Designing and Conducting a Community Project, and Community-based Project Examples. The first section includes lessons, tools, resources, and forms that will assist and support those educators interested in having students better understand the community where they live and work. Section two provides resources for educators on conducting needs and opportunities assessments in a community in preparation for project selection. The third section provides a process for selecting and conducting an authentic community-based project. Section four provides a detailed case study that follows the process that is outlined in this manual