Rapid evolution revealed by dormant eggs
Article Abstract:
Research involving the hatching of long-dormant eggs of Daphnia galeata found in sediments from Lake Constance in central Europe indicates that the mean resistance of Daphnia genotypes to dietary cyanobacteria rose substantially during a period of eutrophication during the 1960s and 1970s. Increased abundance of cyanobacteria during eutrophication is widely seen as a response to increased nutrient inputs. However, rapid adaptive evolution in grazing zooplankton populations could be a significant feedback mechanism that is vital to assessing the net impact of eutrophication on primary producers in lakes.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1999
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Egg bank investment
Article Abstract:
A report by N.G. Hairstone, Jr. and his associates reveals the hatching of nearly 330-year-old eggs of the copepod, Diaptomus sanguineus, in the sediment of a small lake in Rhode Island. These eggs represent an egg bank which enables the plankton to survive unfavorable conditions. The eggs have a thick shell of chitin which protects them from drying and digestion in predators guts. The concurrent hatching of larvae from eggs produced in different years causes a large inter-generational overlap and decreases the rate of evolution.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1995
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Ultradry seed storage cuts cost of gene bank
Article Abstract:
A new study suggests that storing seeds under ultradry conditions is a cost-effective conservation technique and also improves their vigour and longevity. Results from a series of experiments show that successful ultradrying of seeds requires the determination of an optimal moisture content, prevention of damage to sensitive seeds and an effective pretreatment for satisfactory germination.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1998
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