Highest Number Of Organisms Research Articles

Culture on Nutritive Media and Characterization of Some Endophytic Bacteria Isolated from the Roots and Leaves of Mangrove Plants: Avicennia germinans, Acrostichum aureum and Rhizophora mangle

Aim: The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the culturable endophytic bacteria from the roots and leaves of three different mangrove plants found growing in same environment.
 Study Design: This study employs experimental design, statistical analysis of the data and interpretation.
 Place of Study: The roots and leaves of three mangrove plants; Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans and Acrostichum aureum were gotten from a waterfront location in old Port Harcourt township of Rivers State, situated at Longitude 40 45’5.18’’N and Latitude 70 0’58.35” E.
 Methodology: Using standard Microbiological techniques, the roots and leaves were treated and endophytic bacteria isolated and subjected to morphological and biochemical tests.
 Results: From the roots, the hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria counts ranged from 7.0x103cfu/g – 1.6x104cfu/g, while the that of the leaves ranged from 3.0 x105cfu/g – 8.0 x105cfu/g. The nitrogen fixing bacteria counts for roots ranged from 4.5 x103cfu/g – 1.0 x104cfu/g and that of the leaves ranged from 3.0 x105cfu/g – 6.0 x105cfu/g. Nitrifying bacteria counts for the roots ranged from 5.0x103cfu/g – 7.0x103cfu/g, while the counts from the leaves ranged from 3.5 x 105cfu/g - 5.0 x105cfu/g. Out of the 24 isolates, 14 were from the roots, while 10 were from the leaves. Percentage of occurrence of the isolates was in this order Bacillus sp 33% > Staphylococcus sp 21%> Klebsiella sp 13%> Pseudomonas sp 9%> Micrococcus sp 8%> Nitrobacter sp 8%> Nitrosomonas sp 4%> Azotobacter sp 4%. This reveals that Bacillus sp occurred most in the plant samples. The result also revealed that the Red Mangrove Roots had the highest number of organisms. The endophytic bacteria isolated were further subjected to morphological and biochemical identification and they were identified as: Pseudomonas sp, Bacillus sp, Staphylococcus sp, Micrococcus sp, Klebsiella sp, Azotobacter sp, Nitrobacter sp. and Nitrosomonas sp. Five of the isolates showed a high potential to degrade crude oil in the following order Pseudomonas sp (H2) > Bacillus sp (BA) > Klebsiella sp (SB)> Bacillus sp (TG) > Pseudomonas sp (H1).
 Conclusion: From the results, the mangrove roots and leaves contained high numbers of active indigenous bacteria most of which are known to use up crude oil as their carbon source. The mangrove roots had higher number of endopyhtic bacteria than the leaves.

Spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton composition in Zobe Reservoir, Dutsinma, Katsina State, Nigeria

The abundance and distribution of phytoplankton algae in Zobe Reservoir was studied from using (3) sampling stations for a period of eight (8) months.The water was also analysed for Physicochemical attributes which includes Temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Biological Oxygen Demand, Nitrate-Nitrogen, Phosphate-Phosphorus, Total Dissolved Solids, Transparency and Electrical Conductivity using standard methods. Results showed that the values of physicochemical parameters recorded were of a typical tropical region. Station ‘B’ (middle) has highest number of organisms (284 org/l), followed by station ‘C’ (221 org/l), the least was recorded in station ‘A’ (162 org/l). Physicochemical attributes did not vary significantly among the stations. Four (4) classes of algae were identified which were dominated by Chlorophyta 386(57.87%), followed by Cyanophyta 126 (18.89%), and the least was Bacillariophyta 47(7.05%) represented byTabellaria flocculosa. There were generally high number of algal organisms (Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Euglenophyta and Bacillariophyta) observed during the dry season than in the wet season. However, Spirogyra sp.had the highest number of occurrence in all stations (204 org/l) followed by Euglena sp. (109 org/l)and the least was Oscillatoria agardhii (22 org/l). There was positive significant correlation (P<0.05) between algae and physicochemical attributes of the reservoir. The study showed that the reservoir was not polluted and the water is safe for domestic use since the number of harmful algal cells recorded were relatively low which were within the standardof World Health Organization for safe water (WHO, 2003).
 Keywords: Phytoplankton, Zobe, Reservoir, Pollution, Cyanophyta.

Hubungan Rugositas Terumbu Karang terhadap Struktur Komunitas Ikan Corallivor dan Herbivor di Perairan Pemuteran, Bali

Reef fishes are the highest number of organisms that can be found in coral reefs in which the abundance depends on the healthy of this ecosystem. Reef fishes are mainly consisted of corallivorous and herbivorous fish. Corralivorous fish feeds on coral polyps while herbivorous fish feeds on algae. Therefore these fishes are an important indicators in the resilience of coral reefs. Studies showed that its abundance is strongly correlated with reef’s conture (rugosity). Pemuteran waters is one of developing tourists attraction in the north Bali island. However, the data of reef fishes and coral reefs in Pemuteran waters remain limited. Therefore, this research aimed to study the reef` condition and rugosity in Pemuteran waters, also to examine the correlation between reefs fishes and reefs rugosity in this area. There were four stations according to purposive sampling method. Data of corallivorous and herbivorous fishes were collected by using the underwater visual census with a 40 m2 transect. Reef rugosity index were determined by using chain transect method. Results showed that reef rugosity in Pemuteran waters was in the medium to high category. Reef rugosity has strong correlation with the total abundance and diversity of corallivorous fishes. However, reef rugosity was only strong correlated with the total abundance but not with the diversity of herbivorous fishes.

Gyrochorte 'highways' and their environmental significance in shallow-marine sediments

The reworking of a trace by a subsequently following organism represents a so-called sequorichnial behavior and leads to formation of a burrowing highway. Burrowing occur more frequently than assumed in the fossil record. Their ichnological and sedimentological meaning is elucidated by using the trace fossil Gyrochorte . Gyrochorte producers exploiting sandy event beds tend to use burrowing highways in the same direction. Evidently, the Gyrochorte producers are thigmotactically highly sensitive as they can recognize a burrow produced by the same species because of the less densely packed grains, a somewhat increased mud content, and supposedly mucus segregated within the burrow. These changes make the reworking of pre-existing burrows energetically advantageous. However, in shallow-marine settings mucus is degraded rapidly and loose sediment consolidates in a short while. Therefore, the time to recognize a pre-existing burrow appears to be limited and a rather high number of organisms is a prerequisite for reutilization of a previous trace. Burrow highways potentially represent an additional criterion to characterize an opportunistic population strategy.

Does the primary deposit affect the biogeochemical transformation of placer gold and associated biofilms?

Placer gold particles derived from epithermal deposits display distinct morphological and compositional features compared with particles from mesothermal systems. Here, it is hypothesized that the chemical composition of primary gold derived from different deposit types is a principle factor affecting the composition of resident biofilm communities as well as the transformation of placer particles. Gold particles were collected from placers originating from the epithermal system at the Eisenberg, Germany's largest primary gold deposit. For comparison, placer gold from mesothermal sources was studied. Morphological differences due to mechanical transport and physical reshaping were not observed. Biogeochemical gold/silver dissolution and gold re-precipitation were evident on epithermal particles and they accentuate the silver-fabrics and gold-rich clusters. In contrast, on mesothermally derived gold particles these processes led to the development of gold-rich rims via the formation of nano-porous secondary gold. Microprobe- and laser ablation mass spectrometric analyses of polished whole particle mounts confirmed differences in gold/silver content/distribution and trace metal content between particles from epi- and mesothermal sources, respectively. On particles from all sites nano- and micro-particulate gold is associated with polymorphic layers. These are composed of microbial cells, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and clay-sized minerals. Multivariate statistical analyses shows a significant difference between biofilm communities from epi- vs. mesothermally derived particles, which is linked to the chemical composition of the primary gold. While a number of key-species capable of gold transformation, e.g., Cupriavidus sp., Geobacter sp. and Rhodoferax sp., were detected on particles from both sources, higher numbers of organisms with the potential for gold solubilization, precipitation and detoxification were associated with particles from the epithermal sources. A range of species involved in gold transformation, i.e., Arthrobacter spp., Delftia sp., Shewanella sp., and Stenotrophomonas spp., were detected only on epithermally derived placer gold. This indicates the communities are sensitive to differences in gold/silver and possibly trace metal-cycling, resulting from differences in their content, distribution and mobilization behaviour in epi- vs. mesothermally derived particles. Ultimately, this study shows that the chemical composition of the primary deposit strongly influences the biogeochemical transformation of placer gold and the composition of associated biofilms, whereas physical transformations appear to be largely unaffected.

Insectos acuáticos asociados a Eichhornia azurea (Schwartz) Kunth en ciénagas del río Atrato, Chocó - Colombia

El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar la comunidad de insectos acuáticos asociados a Eichhornia azurea (Schwartz) Kunth en cuatro ciénagas de la cuenca media y baja del río Atrato (Chocó-Colombia) durante los periodos de aguas altas y bajas; igualmente se evaluó la influencia de las variables ambientales y fisicoquímicas sobre esta comunidad. Durante dos meses se hicieron colectas de insectos acuáticos asociados a las raíces de E. azurea, utilizando un cuadrante de un m2, dotado de una malla de 0,5 mm, con tres replicas por ciénaga y simultáneamente se midieron algunas variables físicas y químicas del agua. La comunidad estuvo compuesta por 6 órdenes, 21 familias y 28 géneros. El mayor número de organismos (55,39%) y de taxones (23) se registró en el periodo de aguas bajas. Los órdenes más abundantes fueron Ephemeroptera (37,55%) y Coleoptera (26,77%), sobresaliendo las familias Baetidae y Noteridae respectivamente; mientras que la mayor riqueza taxonómica fue para coleópteros, dípteros y hemípteros. No se presentaron diferencias significativas en la diversidad y dominancia entre periodos hidrológicos (p>0,05), pero si en la riqueza específica (p<0,05). Los grupos funcionales de mayor abundancia fueron predadores (54,81%) y colectores (43,70%). Las variables fisicoquímicas hídricas no mostraron diferencias significativas entre periodos hidrológicos y se presentaron asociaciones entre la entomofauna acuática y las variables abióticas analizadas, principalmente con el oxígeno disuelto, la conductividad y los sólidos totales disueltos.

Application of fluorescent In situ hybridization for rapid detection of aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in patients with chronic periodontitis

Background: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a proven periodontal pathogen. In dentistry, there is a need to identify and quantitate the organisms from the diseased sites quickly and reliably. Since culture requires several days, molecular methods are being used frequently to detect A. actinomycetemcomitans. Among them, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) is rapid, sensitive and quantitative. An attempt is made here to evaluate the applicability of this technique as a diagnostic tool in periodontology. Materials and Methods: A total of 77 healthy individuals and 77 patients with chronic periodontitis were enrolled for the study. Subgingival plaque was collected, fixed with paraformaldehyde and subjected to FISH. Oligonucleotide probe labelled with 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM) was used for hybridization. After the procedure, the fluorescently stained A. actinomycetemcomitans were identified and counted from the smear and quantitated using a simple grading. Results: The data revealed that plaques from 84.5% of healthy individuals and 98.7% of chronic periodontitis showed the presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans. However, the number of these bacteria were very low in most positive samples from healthy subjects in contrast to patients with chronic periodontitis, who had higher number of organisms. Statistical analysis using Mann–Whitney test revealed a significant difference among the two groups with P ≤ 0.001 and Z = −5.833. Conclusions: The procedure used in the study is simple, rapid and can be easily adaptable. It also has a high sensitivity and has the ability to detect a single bacterial cell. The method can be directly applied to the clinical samples and can be used as a rapid diagnostic tool in periodontics.

Occurrence and distribution of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX) and the impact on macrobenthic community structure in Lagos lagoon, Nigeria.

The widespread distribution of petroleum products arising from the rapid growth of the petroleum industry in Nigeria has resulted in the pollution of the environment through oil spills involving leakages from tankers, pipelines, tank farms, and dumping of waste petroleum products. The impacts and distribution of major toxic components (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX)) of petroleum products in water and sediment samples collected from sampling stations in the Lagos lagoon was investigated over a 2-year period (February 2009-July 2010). The distribution of benthic communities in the different sampling stations of the Lagos lagoon was assessed. The determination of hydrocarbon levels in the samples showed that the levels of total hydrocarbon content (THC) in the water samples around the Atlas Cove and Apapa were high with values ranging from 2.03 to 31.38mg/l and 4.04 to 22.89mg/l, respectively. The highest value of total BTEX in the lagoon sediment was also recorded in the Apapa station (450.53μg/kg), where oil depots and tank farm facilities are located. The study of the macrobenthic community structure showed that the species richness ranged from 1.57 to 2.02 in the reference station, Unilag, while in the Atlas Cove, Iddo, and Apapa stations, it ranged from 1.80 to 2.89, 1.95 to 3.03, and 1.86 to 2.95, respectively. The highest number of organisms (183) was recorded in the reference stations, while the least number (46) was recorded in Apapa. The main hydrocarbon pollution indicator species identified in the impacted aquatic stations were Nais eliguis and Heteromastus filiformis. The levels of hydrocarbon observed in the aquatic environment showed that there is widespread contamination as a result of petroleum product importation, storage, and distribution. The assessment of the monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and benthic community will therefore provide important tools for early detection, diagnosis, and management of hydrocarbon pollution in the Lagos lagoon.

Microbial diagnosis of infection and colonization of cardiac implantable electronic devices by use of sonication

The clinical utility of sonication as an adjunctive diagnostic tool for the microbial diagnosis of cardiac implantable device-associated infections (CIDAIs) was investigated. The implants of 83 subjects were investigated, 15 with a CIDAI and 68 without a clinical infection. Clinical data were analyzed prospectively and sonication fluid cultures (83 patients, 100%) and traditional cultures (31 patients, 37.4%) were performed Generator pocket infection and device-related endocarditis were found in 13 (86.7%) and four (26.7%) subjects, respectively. The mean numbers of previous technical complications and infections were higher in the infected patients compared to the non-infected patients (8 vs. 1, p<0.001; 2 vs. 0, p<0.031, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity for detecting CIDAI was 73.3% (11/15) and 48.5% (33/68) for sonication fluid culture, and 26.7% (4/15) and 100% (16/16) for traditional culture (p<0.001), respectively. A higher number of organisms were identified by sonication fluid than by tissue culture (58 vs. 4 specimens; p<0.001). The most frequent organisms cultured were Gram-positive cocci (66.1%), mainly coagulase-negative staphylococci (35.5%). Thirty-five (51.5%) non-infected subjects were considered colonized due to the positive identification of organisms exclusively through sonication fluid culture. Sonication fluid culture from the removed cardiac implants has the potential to improve the microbiological diagnosis of CIDAIs.

O-041 Intestinal Microbiota Diversity In Premature Neonates After Supplementation With Probiotic Lactobacillus And Bifidobacterium

Purpose Routine probiotic supplementation with Bifiborm ® ( Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis) in infants with gestational age below 30 weeks was introduced in April 2010 at the Department of Neonatology, Rigshospitalet to reduce the risk of NEC. We aimed to investigate the presence of the probiotic agents as well as potential changes in the total microbiota in the stools collected in two cohorts of infants, before and after the introduction of routine probiotics. Methods The first cohort (“control cohort”) was recruited from September 2006 to January 2009; the second cohort (“probiotic cohort”) was recruited from May 2010 to October 2011. Stool samples were collected by nurses as part of routine care at postnatal day 0–5 (sample 1), day 10 (sample 2) and day 30 (sample 3). The total number of samples was 446 in the control cohort and 225 in the probiotic cohort. All the stool samples were examined by conventional culture, tested by PCR for the 16S DNA of the two probiotic agents, as well as denaturing gel gradient electrophoresis (DGGE). The band patterns from DGGE were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA). Results In the probiotic cohort 82% was PCR positive for L. rhamnosus , 34% was positive for B. lactis in contrast to 6% and 3% in the control cohort. The PCA from the DGGE results did discriminate the two groups with a p –70 . This was dominantly caused by a strong first component representing mainly the total of number of bands, with no dominant pattern. Culture showed also a higher number of organisms (pp –22 ) with no specific bacteria. Conclusion L. rhamnosus and B. lactis are not naturally present in the stool of neonates. Administration of probiotics resulted in the presence of the probiotic organisms in the stools and more importantly a profound increase in diversity of the intestinal microbiota. No specific bacteria were seen to be favoured by the probiotic supplementation.

Effects of short-term exposure to fluoxetine and carbamazepine to the collembolan Folsomia candida

Pharmaceuticals, emerging environmental contaminants, have their ecotoxicological effects to non-target organisms in soil largely unknown. This study assessed short-term effects of two human pharmaceuticals, carbamazepine and fluoxetine, to Folsomia candida. Avoidance to spiked soils was assessed after 48 and 96h exposure and biochemical changes (acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activities, and lipid peroxidation levels) after 96h. F. candida avoided soils spiked with 0.04, 0.4 and 4mg carbamazepine kg−1 after 48h. However, higher number of organisms were found in soils with 40mg carbamazepine kg−1, a behavior also displayed for 40mg fluoxetine kg−1 spiked soils. After 96h, F. candida showed avoidance behavior to soils with 4 and 40mg carbamazepine kg−1. Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased in 0.4mg fluoxetine kg−1 exposed organisms. Peroxidative damages were detected in organisms exposed to 4 and 40mgkg−1 carbamazepine and glutathione S-transferase inhibition was observed at 40mgkg−1. Data suggests that carbamazepine and fluoxetine may pose risk to soil collembolan.

Microencapsulation of probiotic bacteria of available techniques, focusing on biomaterials-a review

In the recent past, there has been a rapid increase in the popularity of probiotic health-based products. Benefits of probiotics to human and animal health have been proven in many of scientific research. Survival and stability of probiotic organisms in functional foods have been a major concern, because a high number of organisms are needed to confer health benefits to consumers. Unfortunately, many processing (heating, freezing) and storage conditions (redox level, pH) used in dairy technology are detrimental to the viability of the probiotic bacteria. Providing probiotic living cells with a physical barrier against adverse environmental conditions is therefore an approach currently receiving considerable interest. Microencapsulation of the probiotic cells is one of the highly efficient methods, which is now under the special consideration and is being developed by various researchers. This increase has been the result of several factors, but the primary factor has been the increased awareness on the part of the food industry of the real advantages offered by encapsulated ingredients. This review focuses on probiotics microencapsulation, its methods and biomaterials utilized for encapsulation.

Ecological Assessment of Lake Hora, Ethiopia, Using Benthic and Weed-bed Fauna

Urbanization and human settlement in close proximity to the Ethiopian lakes are among the potential causes of changes in water quality and quantity. The drastic changes occurred into one of the Bishoftu crater lakes (Kilole) best exemplify this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was ecological assessment of Lake Hora using benthic and weed-bed fauna. Samples of benthic and weed-bed were collected monthly from September 2009 to March 2010 at 3 sampling stations (A, B, C), with a standard Ekman grab. Station A is in front of Ras Hotel, Station B is place of Irecha and station C was to the south crater of the lake. The benthic and weed-bed fauna of Lake Hora included a total of 6958 individuals within 27 taxa belonging principally to Copepod (2812) and Chironomidae (1460) and Ecdyonuridae (735). A high number of organisms were observed mainly at stations B and A (3198 and 2342respectively). The correlation result indicates that oxygen showed strong relation to benthic and weed bed fauna distribution and abundance. There were high number of individuals, taxa diversity, evenness and grate number of rare taxa of benthic and weed-bed fauna at stations A and B, but these stations were affected by the community around the lake area for different reasons (for example washing clothes, boat parking and others).However low density and abundance of macroinvertabrates at station C could be due to: low organic matter load at station C which was free of human interactions; steeply slope geographical setting of the profoundly and its catchment and low vegetation cover. The Family Biotic Index result for all the sampling stations was 7.55, according to Hilsenhoff Family Biotic Index this value is indicating likely severe organic pollution and very poor water quality in all sampling sites. As this research finding indicates Lake Hora needs protection management strategies to maintain its sustainable use. Keywords : Benthic Fauna, Ethiopia, Lake Hora, Specimens, Weed-bed

Phytochemical properties of some solvent fractions of petroleum ether extract of the African mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn) leaves and their antimicrobial activity

The leaves of the African Mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn) on Kola acuminata in Nsukka, Eastern Nigeria were studied. The chloroform (A), ethyl acetate (B) and ethyl acetate residue (C) fractions of crude petroleum ether extract of L. micranthus Linn were subjected to phytochemical and antimicrobial evaluation. Results reveal the presence of protein in fraction C, whereas flavonoids, steroids and terpenes were present in all the fractions, but in a low quantity. Fractions A and B had high, while fraction C had moderate quantity of tannins. However, high quantity of resins was present in fraction C followed by fraction A. Fraction B showed the highest susceptibility (25) to Bacillus subtilis , and was active against the fungus, Candida albicans, suggesting its higher potency and fungistatic potential. Apart from Klebsiella spp., the other organisms were not susceptible to fraction A, apparently owing to high resins but no protein content. Fraction C was active against the highest number of organisms ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa , B. subtilis and Klebsiella spp.). In all, this study suggests that A, B and C fractions of crude petroleum ether leaf extract of L. micranthus Linn is parasitic on K. acuminate , may serve as source for compounds with therapeutic potentials. However, the fractionating solvents used in this study may not be the preferred choice for fractionating the active principles of L. micranthus Linn. Interestingly, the possible fungistatic potential of L. micranthus Linn parasitic on K. acuminata as observed in fraction B may be exploited in the design and development of fungistatic drug. Keywords: Phytochemical, antimicrobial, fungistatic, Loranthus micranthus Linn, Kola acuminata , mistletoe

Roles of sorption and tube-dwelling benthos in the cycling of phosphorus in Bering Sea sediments

Adsorption of dissolved phosphate onto iron-hydroxides has been shown to be one of the primary regulators of phosphorus cycling in sediments. Bioturbation and bioirrigation by benthic infauna modify this cycling by accelerating the transport of dissolved and particulate phosphorus and by changing rates of reactions that occur in the sediment, such as the adsorption of phosphate by amorphous iron hydroxides. Hydrographic processes vary regionally in the Bering Sea and nutrient exchange between the sediments of the broad shallow shelf and overlying water may influence water column productivity. These characteristics make the Bering Sea a good study site for examining the processes that influence sedimentary cycling of phosphorus. To examine these processes, we collected samples in four domains (southern middle shelf, southern outer shelf, southern off shelf (consisting of the continental slope and Bering Sea basin) and northern Bering shelf) based on hydrographic regime. At each station we directly measured phosphate flux and sediment oxygen consumption using whole–core incubations. We also measured infaunal burrow abundances, amorphous iron-hydroxide concentrations and phosphate sorption. We found that three out of the four domains had a high affinity for trapping phosphate in the sediment, as indicated by their adsorption coefficients (6.59–81.81). However, the measured phosphate fluxes could not be explained by the adsorption capacity of the sediment alone. The results indicated that on the middle shelf, the phosphate flux positively co-varied with infaunal burrow abundances. The high number of organisms in this domain (10–32 burrows per 50cm2 core) enhances the flux of phosphate to the overlying water. Controls on the phosphate flux on the middle shelf cannot be properly understood unless benthic infaunal abundance is taken into account.

Arthropods Associated withTillandsia deppeana(Bromeliaceae) from Hidalgo State, México, with Three First State Records of Coleoptera Species1

Communities of both transient and resident organisms, interacting in different ways, occur inside tanks (rosettes) of bromeliads. Abundance and composition of the communities differ seasonally. The objectives of this work were to make an initial exploration of the arthropod fauna associated with Tillandsia deppeana in order to obtain a preliminary species list, and to document the abundance of organisms occurring in the rosettes. The arthropods were collected from four plants in a fragmented mountain cloud forest in La Misión municipality, in the north of Hidalgo State, México. A total of 375 arthropod specimens (249 adults and 126 juveniles) belonging to Arachnida, Chilopoda and Hexapoda were obtained and they represent 10 orders, 15 families, and adults and juveniles correspond to 23 and 15 morphospecies respectively. Veliidae (Hemiptera) had the highest number of organisms, while Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) had the highest number of morphospecies. The dryophthorid Metamasius callizona and the staphylinids Hesperus fasciatus and Scaphidium tzinti are reported for the first time from Hidalgo State. In this work we report for the first time the chilopod Scolopendra viridis occurring in an epiphytic bromeliad tank.

Occurrence of Cymbasoma longispinosum Bourne, 1890 (Copepoda: Monstrilloida) in the Curuçá River estuary (Amazon Littoral)

The present work was carried out to verify the occurrence and distribution of Cymbasoma longispinosum Bourne, 1890 in a tropical Amazon estuary from North Brazil. Samplings were performed bimonthly from July/2003 to July/2004 at two different transects (Muriá and Curuçá rivers) situated along the Curuçá estuary (Pará, North Brazil). Samples were collected during neap tides via gentle (1 to 1.5 knots) 200 μm-mesh net tows from a small boat. Additional subsurface water samples were collected for the determination of environmental parameters. Males and females of Cymbasoma longispinosum were only observed during September and November/2003. The highest number of organisms was found in September/2003 at the Muriá River transect. The presence of C. longispinosum in samples obtained during September and November/2003 could probably be related to the reproductive period of this species in the studied estuary, which is directly related to the dry period in the region. The highest salinity values and the highest number of individuals observed in September/2003 corroborate with the previous assumption, since no C. longispinosum was found during the months comprising the rainy period (January to June).

Variant -and individual dependent nature of persistent Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection

BackgroundAnaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of tick-borne fever in ruminants and human granulocytotropic anaplasmosis (HGA). The bacterium is able to survive for several months in immune-competent sheep by modifying important cellular and humoral defence mechanisms. Little is known about how different strains of A. phagocytophilum propagate in their natural hosts during persistent infection.MethodsTwo groups of five lambs were infected with each of two 16S rRNA gene variants of A. phagocytophilum, i.e. 16S variant 1 which is identical to GenBank no M73220 and 16S variant 2 which is identical to GenBank no AF336220, respectively. The lambs were infected intravenously and followed by blood sampling for six months. A. phagocytophilum infection in the peripheral blood was detected by absolute quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsBoth 16S rRNA gene variants of A. phagocytophilum established persistent infection for at least six months and showed cyclic bacteraemias, but variant 1 introduced more frequent periods of bacteraemia and higher number of organisms than 16S rRNA gene variant 2 in the peripheral blood.ConclusionOrganisms were available from blood more or less constantly during the persistent infection and there were individual differences in cyclic activity of A. phagocytophilum in the infected animals. Two 16S rRNA gene variants of A. phagocytophilum show differences in cyclic activity during persistent infection in lambs.

Spatial and temporal distribution of litter arthropods in different vegetation covers of Porto Santo Island (Madeira Archipelago, Portugal)

The main objective of this study is to assess the soil diversity and temporal and spatial distribution of litter macro-arthropods, captured with pitfall traps, on different vegetation covers from Porto Santo Island (Portugal) with different soil physical and chemical characteristics. The PCA clearly separated sampling areas geographically more exposed to winds and solar radiation, from the others that were not. In this analysis, seasons seemed to have no influence on this distribution. Non-exposed areas were characterized by high soil temperatures, water and organic matter contents. Among these areas, those that were covered by Pinus halepensis and Eucalyptus ficifolia showed the highest C/N ratios in winter, which may be explained by likely inhibitory effects of phenolic compounds of the leaves of both species on the decomposition process. The highest number of organisms was recorded on the exposed areas. Variance partitioning using CCA showed that the different vegetation covers and environmental variables explained 19% and 30%, respectively, of the variance in macro-arthropods distribution. Four environmental variables (exposure, temperature, C/N ratio and exchangeable K) were positively correlated with the taxa abundance matrix. The results showed that non-exposed areas with E. ficifolia and Cupressus macrocarpa seemed to favour the establishment of a high diversity of taxa, especially in the summer, when soil conditions tend to be extreme.

Effects of four different doses of organic manures in the production of Ceriodaphnia cornuta

Mass culture of Ceriodaphnia cornuta was done by using a mixture of organic manures: cattle manure:poultry droppings:mustard oil cake (1:1:1) at four different doses: 0.263 kg/m 3 (first dose), 0.526 kg/m 3 (second dose), 1.052 kg/m 3 (third dose) and 2.104 kg/m 3 (fourth dose). The peak of C. cornuta was found on 10th day of inoculum in first two doses and on 14th and 18th day in third and fourth doses, respectively. Among these four doses, significantly ( P < 0.01) higher numbers of organisms (1930/l) were found in the fourth dose followed by third (1470/l), second (1017/l) and first (733/l) doses, respectively. The number of organisms decreased faster in two lower doses than higher doses. pH ranged from 7.20 to 8.09, 7.46 to 8.01, 7.55 to 7.89 and 7.61 to 8.03 in first, second, third and fourth doses, respectively. Dissolved oxygen showed inverse relationship with the dose of manures applied and direct relationship with number of organisms. This study showed that 3.28–4.63 mg/l dissolved oxygen was optimum to obtain the bloom of C. cornuta under the present manure schedule. Maximum number of organism was found when unionized ammonia and phosphate levels ranged between 0.65–0.85 mg/l and 0.42–0.98 mg/l, respectively. The fourth dose of organic manure is optimum for the culture of C. cornuta in outdoor condition and the bloom of the live food can be obtained within 18 days of inoculum.