Mutualism variation in the nodulation response to nitrate.

The evolution of mutualisms under novel selective pressures will play a key role in ecosystem responses to environmental change. Because fixed nitrogen is traded in plant­rhizobium mutualisms, increasing N availability in the soil is predicted to alter coevolution of these interactions. Legumes typically decrease the number of associations (nodules) with rhizobia in response to nitrate, but the evolutionary dynamics of this response remain unknown. We grew plant and rhizobium genotype combinations in three N environments to assess the coevolutionary potential of the nodule nitrate response in natural communities of plants and rhizobia. We found evidence for coevolutionary genetic variation for nodulation in response to nitrate (G × G × E interaction), suggesting that the mutualism response to N deposition will depend on the combination of partner genotypes. Thus, the nitrate response is not a fixed mechanism in plant­rhizobium symbioses, but instead is potentially subject to natural selection and dynamic coevolution.

Skeletal repair in the aged: a preliminary study in rabbits.

Bone mass loss associated with aging can lead to osteoporosis and multiple bone fractures with impaired healing requiring prolonged hospitalization and costly medical care. We have used an experimental implantation model to test the ability of old animals to form new bone. Bone repair inducers, consisting of demineralized bone matrix (DBM), bone marrow, and collagen, were implanted in the abdominal wall muscles of 1-month and 16-month old rabbits. DBM contains a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) that induces the differentiation of primitive mesenchymal cells into bone producing cells. The stromal cells of bone marrow can differentiate into osteoblasts after implantation, while collagen could serve as a calcification nucleus or framework for new tissue formation. Animals were killed 4 to 6 weeks after implantation. Implants were X-rayed, examined histologically, and analyzed for water content, calcium, and alkaline phosphatase. Only the implants of bone marrow enclosed in filter chambers (0.45 micron pore diameter) were associated with bone formation. Intramuscular implants of DBM and bone marrow in the old animals induced the formation of new bone but contained less calcium and lower levels of alkaline phosphatase than implants in the young animals. Collagen implants were resorbed and failed to induce bone formation or calcify. The results indicate that formation of new bone, under the conditions of this study, is reduced with aging.

Semiochemicals produced by western balsam bark beetle,Dryocoetes confusus Swaine (Coleoptera: Scolytidae).

The most prominent beetle-produced volatiles identified in the abdominal extracts of maleDryocoetes confusus Swaine after they had bored for 24 hr in logs of subalpine fir,Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. were:exo andendo-brevicomin,trans-verbenol, verbenone, myrtenol,trans-pinocarveol,cis- andtrans-p-menthen-7-ol, 3-caren-10-ol, and several monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Myrtenol was the only conspicuous compound in extracts from males that had been exposed toA.lasiocarpa resin volatiles for 24 hr. Laboratory bioassays indicated that both (-)- and (+)-exo-brevicomin were attractive to femaleD. confusus, and that the (-) enantiomer did not inhibit response to its antipode. Results from field trapping experiments indicated that bothero-brevicomin and myrtenol are aggregation pheromones forD. confusus.exo-Brevicomin baits were effective in causing attack byD. confusus on baited and surrounding trees, suggesting that this pheromone may have utility in manipulating populations of the beetle.