Interactions between the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) and St. Lucie Cherry (Prunus mahaleb) in rocky habitats

We investigated interactions between the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) and the St. Lucie cherry (Prunus mahaleb) in two rocky areas in north west Spain. Black Redstarts are responsible for about 30 % of P. mahaleb fruit consumption in these areas (604 of a total of 1854 observations of birds feeding; 56 trees, 4 years). On average 14 % of food deliveries to nestlings comprised P. mahaleb fruits (total 8 nests, 3 years; range for individual nests 7-28 %) . The proportion of deliveries comprising fruits was higher during the second half of the nestling period than during the first half. Birds generally alighted on rock after leaving P. mahaleb plants (74 % of cases). Nine-month seed-survival experiments performed in the study area indicate significant variation among the three substrate types considered (grass, rock, rock-under-nest)Nous avons étudié les interactions entre le Rougequeue noir (Phoenicurus ochruros) et le Bois de Sainte Lucie (Prunus mahaleb) dans deux zones rocheuses du nord-ouest de l'Espagne. Les Rougequeues noirs sont responsables d'à peu près 30 % de la consommation des fruits de Prunus mahaleb dans ces zones (604 observations sur un total de 1 854 données d'oiseaux s'alimentant sur 56 arbres, en 4 ans). En moyenne, 14 % des apports de nourriture aux poussins comportaient des fruits de Prunus mahaleb (7 à 28 % pour 8 nids en 3 ans). La proportion des becquées incluant des fruits était plus élevée durant la seconde moitié de la période de nourrissage des poussins que durant la première. En général, les oiseaux se posaient dans les rochers après avoir quitté les pieds-porteurs de Prunus mahaleb (74 % des cas). Des expériences de neuf mois sur la survie des graines effectuées dans la zone d'étude ont montré des différences significatives entre les trois types de substrat considérés (herbes, rochers et rochers sous le nid)

Development of Protocols for Regeneration and Transformation of Apomitic and Sexual Forms of Dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum Poir.)

Paspalum dilatatum (common name dallisgrass), a productive C4 grass native to South America, is an important pasture grass found throughout the temperate warm regions of the world. It is characterized by its tolerance to frost and water stress and a higher forage quality than other C4 forage grasses. P. dilatatum includes tetraploid (2n = 40), sexual, and pentaploid (2n = 50) apomictic forms, but is predominantly cultivated in an apomictic monoculture, which implies a high risk that biotic and abiotic stresses could seriously affect the grass productivity. The obtention of reproducible and efficient protocols of regeneration and transformation are valuable tools to obtain genetic modified grasses with improved agronomics traits. In this review, we present the current regeneration and transformation methods of both apomictic and sexual cultivars of P. dilatatum, discuss their strengths and limitations, and focus on the perspectives of genetic modification for producing new generation of forages. The advances in this area of research lead us to consider Paspalum dilatatum as a model species for the molecular improvement of C4 perennial forage species.Fil: Schrauf, Gustavo Enrique. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Voda, Lisandro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Zelada, Alicia Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular; ArgentinaFil: García, Ana María. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Giordano, Andrea. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Peralta Roa, Pablo Leonel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Guitian, Juan. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Rebori, Juan. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Ghio, Sergio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Couso, Luciana Laura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Castro, Lautaro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Musacchio, Eduardo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Rush, Pablo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Nagel, Jutta. No especifíca;Fil: Wang, Zeng Yu. No especifíca;Fil: Cogan, Noel. La Trobe University; AustraliaFil: Spangenberg, Germán. La Trobe University; Australi

The breeding system of Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Asparagaceae): assessing the role of geitonogamy with captive pollinators

Background and aims – In self-incompatible species, geitonogamous pollen deposition can result in stigma clogging, with negative effects on cross-fertilisation and subsequently reduced fruit and seed set. In this work, using laboratory and field experiments with pollinators in captivity, we describe the reproductive system of Hyacinthoides non-scripta and analyse the effect of the different mechanisms of pollen transfer, trying to quantify the effect of geitonogamy on the reproductive success of the species. Material and methods – Using laboratory and field experiments with pollinators in captivity we evaluated the effect of the different types of pollen transfer. Key results – The results show that H. non-scripta is a self-incompatible species and the pollen tubes in autogamous and geitonogamous pollination are rejected at the base of the style. In the field experiments, the presence of geitonogamous pollen on the stigma did not prevent subsequent fertilization by xenogamous pollen, but it reduced seed production. Conclusion – This study provides evidence that natural rates of geitonogamy significantly reduce female fitness in plants with large numbers of flowers per inflorescence and show how experiments with captive pollinators can help quantify the intensity of this effect

Interactions between the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) and St. Lucie Cherry (Prunus mahaleb) in rocky habitats

We investigated interactions between the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) and the St. Lucie cherry (Prunus mahaleb) in two rocky areas in northwest Spain. Black Redstarts are responsible for about 30 % of P. mahaleb fruit consumption in these areas (604 of a total of 1 854 observations of birds feeding ; 56 trees, 4 years). On average 14 % of food deliveries to nestlings comprised P. mahaleb fruits (total 8 nests, 3 years ; range for individual nests 7-28 %). The proportion of deliveries comprising fruits was higher during the second half of the nestling period than during the first half. Birds generally alighted on rock after leaving P. mahaleb plants (74 % of cases). Nine-month seed-survival experiments performed in the study area indicate significant variation among the three substrate types considered (grass, rock, rock-under-nest).Nous avons étudié les interactions entre le Rougequeue noir (Phoenicurus ochruros) et le Bois de Sainte Lucie (Prunus mahaleb) dans deux zones rocheuses du nord-ouest de l’Espagne. Les Rougequeues noirs sont responsables d’à peu près 30 % de la consommation des fruits de Prunus mahaleb dans ces zones (604 observations sur un total de 1 854 données d’oiseaux s’alimentant sur 56 arbres, en 4 ans). En moyenne, 14 % des apports de nourriture aux poussins comportaient des fruits de Prunus mahaleb (7 à 28 % pour 8 nids en 3 ans). La proportion des becquées incluant des fruits était plus élevée durant la seconde moitié de la période de nourrissage des poussins que durant la première. En général, les oiseaux se posaient dans les rochers après avoir quitté les pieds-porteurs de Prunus mahaleb (74 % des cas). Des expériences de neuf mois sur la survie des graines effectuées dans la zone d’étude ont montré des différences significatives entre les trois types de substrat considérés (herbes, rochers et rochers sous le nid).Guitian Jose, Fuentes Marcelino, Bermejo Teresa, Guitian Pablo, Larrinaga Asier R., Amezquita Pilar. Interactions between the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) and St. Lucie Cherry (Prunus mahaleb) in rocky habitats. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 56, n°1, 2001. pp. 81-91