Collaboration on the Book Club Project: The Multiple Roles of Researchers,Teachers, and Students

Our article describes the potential benefits of university/public school collaborations for the teachers, researchers, and students involved. Even these common terms teachers, researchers, and students shifted meanings as each participant of our project assumed various roles. All of us were classroom teachers, though Taffy, Ginny, and Sue had returned to the university

Quantifying Relative Diver Effects in Underwater Visual Censuses

Diver-based Underwater Visual Censuses (UVCs), particularly transect-based surveys, are key tools in the study of coral reef fish ecology. These techniques, however, have inherent problems that make it difficult to collect accurate numerical data. One of these problems is the diver effect (defined as the reaction of fish to a diver). Although widely recognised, its effects have yet to be quantified and the extent of taxonomic variation remains to be determined. We therefore examined relative diver effects on a reef fish assemblage on the Great Barrier Reef. Using common UVC methods, the recorded abundance of seven reef fish groups were significantly affected by the ongoing presence of SCUBA divers. Overall, the diver effect resulted in a 52% decrease in the mean number of individuals recorded, with declines of up to 70% in individual families. Although the diver effect appears to be a significant problem, UVCs remain a useful approach for quantifying spatial and temporal variation in relative fish abundances, especially if using methods that minimise the exposure of fishes to divers. Fixed distance transects using tapes or lines deployed by a second diver (or GPS-calibrated timed swims) would appear to maximise fish counts and minimise diver effects

Composition and temporal stability of turf sediments on inner-shelf coral reefs

Elevated sediment loads within the epilithic algal matrix (EAM) of coral reefs can increase coral mortality and inhibit herbivory. Yet the composition, distribution and temporal variability of EAM sediment loads are poorly known, especially on inshore reefs. This study quantified EAM sediment loads (including organic particulates) and algal length across the reef profile of two bays at Orpheus Island (inner-shelf Great Barrier Reef) over a six month period. We examined the total sediment mass, organic load, carbonate and silicate content, and the particle sizes of EAM sediments. Throughout the study period, all EAM sediment variables exhibited marked variation among reef zones. However, EAM sediment loads and algal length were consistent between bays and over time, despite major seasonal variation in climate including a severe tropical cyclone. This study provides a comprehensive description of EAM sediments on inshore reefs and highlights the exceptional temporal stability of EAM sediments on coral reefs

Low-quality sediments deter grazing by the parrotfish Scarus rivulatus on inner-shelf reefs

Elevated sediment loads in the epilithic algal matrix (EAM) deter grazing by herbivorous fishes and may compromise their critical roles on coral reefs. However, the properties of sediments that drive herbivore deterrence are unknown. Binary choice trials in aquaria were used to examine the effects of three sediment attributes—sediment source, grain size and organic load—on grazing by the abundant inner-shelf parrotfish, Scarus rivulatus. Fish were presented with a choice between EAM-covered rocks treated with (a) terrigenous or reefal sediments, (b) fine or coarse sediments or (c) sediments with high or low organic loads. Scarus rivulatus did not show a preference for sediments from different sources (terrigenous vs. reefal); however, a clear preference was evident for fine-grained sediments over coarse (109 % more bites) and sediments with high organic loads over low (147 % more bites). The avoidance of coarse sediments is likely to be a key factor driving the inhibition of grazing on mid-shelf reefs, which are dominated by coarse sediments. In contrast, on inner-shelf reefs, grazing by parrotfishes may be deterred primarily by high sediment loads, which reduce the proportional organic content in EAM sediments. Our study highlights the potential impact of sediments on critical ecological processes and the threats posed by changing sediment loads on inner-shelf reefs

The African Swine Fever Virus Protein j4R Binds to the Alpha Chain of Nascent Polypeptide-Associated Complex

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) j4R protein is expressed late during the virus replication cycle and is present in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of infected cells. By using the yeast two-hybrid system, direct binding, and coprecipitation from cells, we showed that the j4R protein binds to the alpha chain of nascent polypeptide-associated complex (αNAC). Confocal microscopy indicated that a proportion of j4R and αNAC interact in areas close to the plasma membrane, as well as through the cytoplasm in cells. In vitro binding studies suggested that binding of j4R to αNAC did not interfere with the binding of α- and βNAC subunits (the BTF3 transcription factor)

Evidence for different lineages of rinderpest virus reflecting their geographic isolation

Sequence analysis of part of the fusion protein gene from recent isolates of rinderpest virus revealed that distinct lineages of the virus exist which reflect the geographical location of their isolation in Africa and Asia. Current strains circulating in Kenya and Sudan were most similar, both in terms of nucleotide sequence and pathogenic nature, to viruses isolated in Egypt and in Nigeria in 1983/1984 and they were quite distinct from an East African isolate (RBT-1) from the 1960s. Two older isolates of the virus, the Japanese avianized/lapinized vaccine strain dating from the 1930s and the Old Kabete strain dating from 1911, each differed considerably from the other viruses. The sequence data were derived from the region where the precursor protein is cleaved to yield the biologically active F1/F2 heterodimer; all strains analysed had a highly basic connecting peptide which is required for efficient cleavage by endogenous host cell proteases. No correlation was found between amino acid changes at this site and the rinderpest virus pathogenicity unlike the association reported for Newcastle disease virus