Oviposition Preference of Botanophila Flies (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) towards Stroma Size of Epichloë (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) Hosts

Stromata of grass-infecting fungi from the genus Epichloë (Clavicipitaceae: Ascomycota) serve as a food source and egg-laying surface for flies of genus Botanophila (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Larger stromata should make it possible for flies to lay more eggs and provide more food to offspring. This hypothesis was tested in four different grass-fungus associations that occur in central Poland. In two of these associations, Epichloë bromicola on Elymus repens and Epichloë typhina on Puccinellia distans, flies showed a preference for longer stromata, and egg density on these stromata was significantly higher than in the other two associations. A negative correlation between egg density and offspring success was observed in only one association, E. bromicola-El. repens. However, offspring success in this association did not differ significantly from offspring success in associations with lower egg density on the stromata, in which flies showed no preference for the stroma length. Long-term observations (2000-2010) of fly-fungus interaction in the E. typhina-P. distans association showed that fly preference toward stroma length may vary over time but with no clear tendency. No significant correlations were found between the larval density on a stroma and either larval weight or mortality. The results of the current study question our assumptions that egg laying depends on the stroma length and the fate of eggs laid (i.e., their hatching success and the condition, in terms of weight and survival, of the larvae) on egg density. It is possible that flies choose stromata based on attributes other than siz

Patient, tumor, and healthcare factors associated with regional variability in lung cancer survival: a Spanish high‑resolution population‑based study

Purpose The third most frequently diagnosed cancer in Europe in 2018 was lung cancer; it is also the leading cause of cancer death in Europe. We studied patient and tumor characteristics, and patterns of healthcare provision explaining regional variability in lung cancer survival in southern Spain. Methods A population-based cohort study included all 1196 incident first invasive primary lung cancer (C33–C34 according to ICD-10) cases diagnosed between 2010 and 2011 with follow-up until April 2015. Data were drawn from local population-based cancer registries and patients’ hospital medical records from all public and private hospitals from two regions in southern Spain. Results There was evidence of regional differences in lung cancer late diagnosis (58% stage IV in Granada vs. 65% in Huelva, p value < 0.001). Among patients with stage I, only 67% received surgery compared with 0.6% of patients with stage IV. Patients treated with a combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery had a 2-year mortality risk reduction of 94% compared with patients who did not receive any treatment (excess mortality risk 0.06; 95% CI 0.02–0.16). Geographical differences in survival were observed between the two regions: 35% vs. 26% at 1-year since diagnosis. Conclusions The observed geographic differences in survival between regions are due in part to the late cancer diagnosis which determines the use of less effective therapeutic options. Results from our study justify the need for promoting lung cancer early detection strategies and the harmonization of the best practice in lung cancer management and treatment.Maria Jose Sanchez Perez is supported by the Andalusian Department of Health: Research, Development, and Innovation Office project grant PI-0152/2017. Miguel Angel Luque-Fernandez is supported by the Spanish National Institute of Health, Carlos III Miguel Servet I Investigator Award (CP17/00206)

A window into fungal endophytism in Salicornia europaea: deciphering fungal characteristics as plant growth promoting agents

Aim Plant-endophytic associations exist only when equilibrium is maintained between both partners. This study analyses the properties of endophytic fungi inhabiting a halophyte growing in high soil salinity and tests whether these fungi are beneficial or detrimental when non-host plants are inoculated. Method Fungi were isolated from Salicornia europaea collected from two sites differing in salinization history (anthropogenic and naturally saline) and analyzed for plant growth promoting abilities and non-host plant interactions. Results Most isolated fungi belonged to Ascomycota (96%) including dematiaceous fungi and commonly known plant pathogens and saprobes. The strains were metabolically active for siderophores, polyamines and indole-3-acetic acid (mainly Aureobasidium sp.) with very low activity for phosphatases. Many showed proteolytic, lipolytic, chitinolytic, cellulolytic and amylolytic activities but low pectolytic activity. Different activities between similar fungal species found in both sites were particularly seen for Epiccocum sp., Arthrinium sp. and Trichoderma sp. Inoculating the non-host Lolium perenne with selected fungi increased plant growth, mainly in the symbiont (Epichloë)-free variety. Arthrinium gamsii CR1-9 and Stereum gausapatum ISK3-11 were most effective for plant growth promotion. Conclusions This research suggests that host lifestyle and soil characteristics have a strong effect on endophytic fungi, and environmental stress could disturb the plant-fungi relations. In favourable conditions, these fungi may be effective in facilitating crop production in non-cultivable saline lands

The fungus Epichloe typhina in populations of a halophyte Puccinellia distans: salinity as a possible inhibitor of infection

Puccinellia distans is a non-agricultural halophytic grass that has become another host plant for Epichloe typhina, hitherto not reported from Poland. In 1992 we noticed the first symptoms of choke disease in a single population of P. distans in central Poland. Since then we have observed choke disease in 5 populations of P. distans only in man-made habitats. These habitats are strongly anthropogenically salinated but they exhibit the pattern of species composition characteristic of natural salines. In this paper we test the hypothesis that the level of salinity affects the infection of P. distans by the fungus E. typhina. Seven plots were established in the field and each plot was divided into 25 subplots. Within each plot the level of infection in a spring generation of shoots was negatively correlated with salinity (common regression within the plots, beta = -0.674, df = 117, p < 0.001). Negative correlation was also found in an autumn generation within the plots (beta = -0.682, df = 94, p < 0.001) after excluding plot P in which the frequency of infected individuals was the lowest and equal only to 0.05. The proportion of individuals infected by the endophytic stage of the fungus in the populations was assessed using diagnostic polymerase chain reaction. The greatest percentage (98.3%) of infected individuals was found in the population growing in the habitat of the lowest salinity. The high salinity reduces the chance of P. distans to become infected, but may promote the stroma formation of E. typhina twice in the season. Disease expression in autumn clearly represents a misadaptation which could be explained by the fact that the species interactions described here appeared relatively recently as a result of human activity. This hypothesis requires further experimental verification

Isoenzyme markers of two hepatic species: Barbilophozia lycopodioides [Wallr.] Loeske, and B. hatcheri [A. Evans] Loeske

Two closely related species of the genus Barbilophozia: B. lycopodioides and B. hatcheri were studied in populations from the Tatra Range (S Poland), where they are frequent and widely distributed. Both species play an important role in plant communities and grow here very often side by side. Typically developed plants are quite easy to distinguish (even in the field), however morphologically intermediate forms, difficult to recognize by using of classical taxonomic methods, sometimes are found. We found enzymatic markers, that allow to recognize the critical forms. Both studied species are different in enzymatic patterns of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and peroxidases (PX). In GOT four different phenotypes were detected. The first two (GOT 1 and GOT 2) were characteristic for B. hatcheri and next two (GOT 3 and GOT 4) for B. lycopodioides. Peroxidase patterns, that were monomorphic and specific for each species, exhibit different mobility in anodal and cathodal parts of gel. Results of the studies allowed us to draw the conclusion, that PX and GOT are good isoenzymatic markers and they can have practical application for identification of Barbilophozia species

Carex secalina [Cyperaceae], a critically endangered species of Europe: historic and new localities in Poland

Carex secalina, a species recognized as extinct in Poland for 40 years, was re-discovered in 2000 and it’s natural populations covered by monitoring. From among nine historic localities, only for two - Jacewo and Turzany, in the vicinity of Inowrocław - the occurrence of the species was confirmed. In the course of the field studies, six new localities, not previously recorded in literature, were discovered. The sedge occupies sub-halophytic habitats in which it occurs along with halophytic species (particularly, such as Glaux maritima and Pucinellia distans) and a group of ruderal taxons. One of the newly discovered localities of C. secalina comprises an anthropogenic habitat. On the whole, the population sizes ranged from 20 to 350 individuals. The studies revealed a positive correlation between the size of a population and cattle pasturing, i.e. C. secalina forms the largest populations in the habitats remaining under the intense pressure of grazing and treading. Moreover, it was found that the high generative reproduction rate compensates the damage caused by animal grazing. The results suggest that an active protection of the sedge populations through the agricultural use of its habitats is the only effective way of securing it’s further occurrence in Poland, while including the sub-halophytic pastures with C. secalina in the agricultural and environmental program should be a priority task in the nearest future

Oviposition preference of Botanophila flies (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) towards stroma size of Epichloë (Hypocreales: Clavicipitacea ) hosts

ISSN:0013-8746ISSN:1938-290

Carex secalina [Cyperaceae], a species critically endangered in Europe: from propagule germination to propagule production

The size and reproduction ability of the three field populations of Carex secalina Willd. ex Wahlenb. have been assessed. In the parallel garden study selected traits from the life history of the species have been studied, such as age at first reproduction, fertility, the size of seeds, their germination ability and size of seedlings. The populations of C. secalina discovered in Poland in 2000 are characterised by small abundance and small area. All individuals from the three populations in the garden produced generative shoots in the third year of life. Statistically significant differences between the populations were found in the production of shoots with unisexual spikes and bisexual ones, the latter had not been reported in the hitherto literature on the species. The seeds started germinating after a 6-months rest. The first seedlings were observed in the first decade of May. The largest seedlings were noted in the population producing the smallest seeds. The results contribute to explaining the renewal of the populations of this species in the field

Lavatera thuringiaca L.— a relict of former cultivation on an historic Earthwork in Poland: distribution and reproduction of individuals

Lavatera thuringiaca L. (Malvaceae) is considered to be a relict of medieval cultivation, connected in its contemporary distribution with the remnants of former settlements and anthropogenic habitats. The paper presents the distribution of L. thuringiaca individuals on the historic earthwork in Western Poland (Kórnik locality 2a)and variation in the selected individual characteristics. In the years 2001—2004, a total of 323 specimens were recorded. All the specimens were growing on the earthwork slope with southern exposure. The cessation of agricultural use of the central part of the object made it possible for L. thuringiaca to colonize the area. The highest reproduction rate was found for the specimens in the second year of the study, as at that time the biggest number of generative roots was recorded. In 2002, the highest mean number of fruits (289) was observed. In the following years this number was smaller, in 2003 amounting to 149 and in 2004 to 141 specimens. Significant changes were also found in seed size during the four years of observations. The biggest seeds were observed in the first year of analyses (5.18), while the smallest in the last year (4.94). In our opinion, on the basis of the 4-year in-situ observations of L. thuringiaca, the life strategy of this species is not different from that of other perennial plants. Annual production of generative shoots and a high number of seeds ensure the persistence of the population of this species on the earthwork and the possibility of its spread under advantageous conditions.Вид Lavatera thuringiaca L. (Malvaceae) вважається середньовічним реліктом культури, пов’язаним із сучасними залишками колишніх поселень і антропогенних оселищ. У статті подано відомості про поширення L. thuringiaca в районі історичного землеробства в Західній Польщі (Курнік, 2a) та варіювання окремих ознак. Протягом 2001—2004 рр. виявлено 323 місцезнаходження; усі особини росли на схилах південної експозиції. Припинення сільськогосподарського використання центральної частини досліджуваної території дозволило L. thuringiaca колонізувати її. Найвищий коефіцієнт відтворення був відзначений в особин на другий рік дослідження, оскільки саме тоді зафіксовано найбільшу кількість генеративних пагонів. У 2002 р. спостерігалася висока кількість плодів (289). У наступних роках це число зменшилося і у 2003 р. знизилося до 149, а в 2004 — до 141. Значні зміни виявлені також у розмірах насіння протягом чотирьох років спостережень. Велике насіння відзначено в перший рік аналізу (5,18), тоді як менше — в останній рік (4, 94). На нашу думку, що базується на чотирирічних спостереженнях in-situ L. thu ringiaca, життєва стратегія виду не відрізнялася від інших багаторічних рослин. Річне поновлення генеративних пагонів і висока насіннєва продуктивність забезпечили збереження популяції цього виду на оброблюваних землях і можливість його поширення за сприятливих умов.Lavatera thuringiaca L. (Malvaceae) считается средневековым реликтом культивирования, связанным с современным распределением остатков бывших поселений и антропогенных местообитаний. В статье приведены данные о распространении L. thuringiaca в районе исторического земледелия в Западной Польше (Курник, 2a) и вариировании отдельных признаков. В течении 2001—2004 годов было отмечено 323 местонахождения; все особи росли на склонах южной экспозиции. Прекращение сельскохозяйственного использования центральной части исследованной территории позволило L. thuringiaca колонизировать ее. Наивысший коэффициент возобновления был отмечен у особей на второй год исследования, поскольку в это время зафиксировано наибольшее число генеративных побегов. В 2002 г. наблюдалось высокое количество плодов (289). В последующие годы это число уменьшилось и в 2003 г. снизилось до 149, а в 2004 — 141. Существенные изменения наблюдались также в размерах семян в течение четырех лет. Большие семена отмечены в первый год анализа (5,18), тогда как меньшие – в последний год (4,94). По нашему мнению, базирующемуся на четырехлетних наблюдениях in-situ L. thuringiaca, жизненная стратегия вида не отличалась от других многолетних растений. Годовые возобновления генеративных побегов и высокая семенная продуктивность обеспечили сохранение популяций этого вида на обрабатываемых землях и возможность его распространения в благоприятных условиях