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Photoperiod
Kinds of Photoperiod Terms modified by Photoperiod Selected AbstractsDivergent Regulation of Hypothalamic Neuropeptide Y and Agouti-Related Protein by Photoperiod in F344 rats With Differential Food Intake and GrowthJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 7 2009A. W. Ross Hypothalamic genes involved in food intake and growth regulation were studied in F344 rats in response to photoperiod. Two sub-strains were identified: F344/NHsd (F344/N) and F344/NCrHsd (F344/NCr); sensitive and relatively insensitive to photoperiod respectively. In F344/N rats, marked, but opposite, changes in the genes for neuropeptide Y (NPY) (+97.5%) and agouti-related protein (AgRP) (,39.3%) expression in the arcuate nucleus were observed in response to short (8 : 16 h light/dark cycle, SD) relative to long (16 : 8 h light/dark cycle, LD) day photoperiods. Changes were associated with both reduced food intake and growth. Expression of the genes for cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the arcuate nucleus was unchanged by photoperiod. POMC in the ependymal layer around the third ventricle was markedly inhibited by SD. Parallel decreases in the genes for growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and somatostatin (Somatostatin) mRNA in the arcuate nucleus and Somatostatin in the periventricular nucleus were observed in SD. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and insulin were lower in F344/N rats in SD, whereas neither leptin nor corticosterone levels were affected. By contrast, F344/NCr rats that show only minor food intake and growth rate changes showed minimal responses in these genes and hormones. Thus, NPY/AgRP neurones may be pivotal to the photoperiodic regulation of food intake and growth. Potentially, the SD increase in NPY expression may inhibit growth by decreasing GHRH and Somatostatin expression, whereas the decrease in AgRP expression probably leads to reduced food intake. The present study reveals an atypical and divergent regulation of NPY and AgRP, which may relate to their separate roles with respect to growth and food intake, respectively. [source] Photoperiod,Testicular,Immune Interaction in a Seasonal Breeder Indian Palm Squirrel Funambulus pennanti During the Reproductively Inactive and Active PhasesJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2009R. Ahmad The differential effect of long (LD; 16 : 8 h light/dark), short (SD; 10 : 14 h light/dark) and natural day length (NDL; 12 : 12 h light/dark) during the reproductively inactive (RIP) and active (RAP) phases was assessed in relation to immunity and reproductive function of a tropical rodent Funambulus pennanti. They presented high immunity and low testicular activity during RIP and an opposite during RAP. SD increased spleen and thymus weight, leukocyte and lymphocyte counts, cell mediated immunity [i.e. blastogenic response in terms of percentage stimulation ratio of splenocytes and thymocytes (when challenged with concanavalin A)] and delayed type hypersensitivity to oxazolone. SD during RIP increased the above mentioned parameters and reduced testes weight compared to NDL groups. During RAP, LD reduced all the immunological parameters when compared with NDL and SD experiencing groups of RIP and RAP phases. The LD group reduced the immunological parameters compared to RAP, suggesting that LD had always an inhibitory effect on immune status being independent of reproductive phases. The intensity of the stimulatory effects of SD and inhibitory effects of LD during both reproductive phases was significantly different. We exposed another set of squirrels to the above photoperiodic schedule for prolonged period (30 weeks) during RAP. A clear testicular refractoriness followed by immunorefractoriness was observed in the group experiencing SD and LD for 30 weeks. The photorefractoriness presented by the testes was inversely related to the immunorefractoriness. The peripheral melatonin level of those squirrels reflected the photoperiodic signal perceived by squirrels for immunomodulation and gonadal function, suggesting that immune system and gonadal function might have coevolved. [source] Affective and Adrenocorticotrophic Responses to Photoperiod in Wistar RatsJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 2 2008B. J. Prendergast The present study tested the hypothesis that seasonal intervals of exposure to modest changes in photoperiod, typical of those experienced by humans living in temperate latitudes (10,14 h light/day), engage changes in emotional behaviour of Wistar rats, a commonly-used animal model for investigations of affective physiology. Short day lengths (, 12 h light/day) induced behavioural despair in a forced-swim test, exploratory anxiety in an open field arena, and anhedonia in a two-bottle sucrose preference task, relative to longer day lengths. Plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone was lower in short-day relative to long-day rats, but testosterone and corticosterone concentrations were comparable across treatments. In common with animals that engage reproductive responses to day length, reproductively nonresponsive mammals such as Wistar rats exhibit changes in affective state following small changes in day length. Wistar rats may provide an animal model for the study of seasonal mood regulation because the neuroendocrine, depressive, anxious and anhedonic responses of Wistar rats to short days bear similarities to those observed in some human populations. Standard laboratory husbandry practices (exposure to a 12 : 12 h light/dark cycle) may inadvertently deliver a chronic background depressive and anxiogenic stimulus. [source] Progress Toward Year-round Spawning of Southern Flounder Broodstock by Manipulation of Photoperiod and TemperatureJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 3 2006Wade O. Watanabe Reliable methods have been developed for controlled spawning of captive southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, broodstock during their natural winter (December,February) spawning season. From 1999 to 2004, we evaluated the effects of manipulation of photoperiod and temperature on both advance and delay spawning to produce viable embryos throughout the year. Wild-caught adult broodstock were held in 4.8- to 7.0-m3 controlled-environment tanks at a sex ratio of approximately 12 females to 4 males. Broodstock were subjected to different artificial photothermal conditioning regimes: extended winter (EW), accelerated (A-10-, A-6-, A-4.5-, and A-3.8-mo regimes), and delayed (D-16- and D-14-mo regimes), with gradual and abrupt transitions, respectively, from long to short daylengths. Under an EW cycle, fish were exposed to constant short daylengths (10 L: 14 D) after the winter solstice in January. Eighty-seven natural spawnings from December to April produced 18.3 × 106 eggs, with 20.9% hatching successfully (i.e., overall egg viability). Under an A-10-mo cycle, rate of decrease in daylength was accelerated after the summer solstice in July, to reach winter conditions in October. Seven induced spawning trials from October to November produced 897 × 103 eggs, with 40.4% viability. Under an A-6-mo cycle, rate of change of photoperiod was accelerated after the winter solstice in January, to reach winter conditions in July. Three induced spawning trials in July produced 550 × 103 eggs, with 14.7% viability. Under an A-4.5-mo cycle, broodstock exposed to EW from January through April were exposed to an accelerated cycle to reach winter conditions by October. Four induced spawning trials from September to November produced 729 × 103 eggs, with 28.7% viability. Under an A-3.8-mo cycle, broodstock exposed to EW conditions from January through April were exposed to an accelerated cycle to reach winter conditions by September. Five induced spawning trials from September to November produced 510 × 103 eggs, with 45.9% viability. Under a D-16-mo cycle, fish were exposed to a decelerated decline in photoperiod after the summer solstice in July, to reach winter conditions in May, when atretic females were observed. Under a D-14-mo cycle, fish were exposed to constant summer conditions from December through mid-June and then to an abrupt decline in photoperiod to winter conditions in late June. Six induced spawning trials from September to November produced 763 × 103 eggs, with 13.0% viability. Production of viable embryos was greatest during the extended winter because of abundant natural spawnings. While successful natural spawnings were rare during the fall or summer, viable embryos were produced through induced spawnings during all seasons of the year, with no significant (P > 0.05) differences in egg viability. Extended winter conditions prolonged spawning from 3 to 5 mo. Accelerated (3.8,10 mo) regimes were effective in producing viable embryos from summer through fall, but a minimum of 5 mo was required to complete gonadal recrudescence. While constant long daylengths after the summer solstice delayed gonadal recrudescence, with spawning obtained 2.5 mo after an abrupt reduction to short daylengths, a decelerated decline in photoperiod did not. Artificial control of daylength enabled precise control of gonadal recrudescence and year-round spawning in southern flounder without adverse effects on the quality of eggs and larvae and will improve availability of seedstock for commercial aquaculturists. [source] Photoperiod at conception predicts C677T-MTHFR genotype: A novel gene-environment interactionAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Mark Lucock Data is presented, which suggest that the day length a woman experiences during the periconceptional period predicts the C677T-MTHFR genotype of her child. Logistic regression analysis involving 375 neonates born in the same geographical location within a three year period demonstrated that photoperiod (minutes) at conception predicts both genotype (P = 0.0139) and mutant allele carriage (P = 0.0161); the trend clearly showing that the 677T-MTHFR allele frequency increases as photoperiod increases. We propose a number of explanations, including a hypothesis in which a long photoperiod around conception decreases maternal systemic folate because of UVA induced dermal oxidative degradation of 5-methyl-H4folate, leading to a lower cellular 5,10-methylene-H4folate status. In this scenario, 5,10-methylene-H4folate would be more efficiently used for dTMP and DNA synthesis by 677T-MTHFR embryos than wildtype embryos giving the 677T-MTHFR embryos increased viability, and hence increasing mutant T-allele frequency. Alternate hypotheses include: increased seasonal availability of folate rich foods that genetically buffer any negative effect of 677T-MTHFR in embryos; seasonal oxidative stress lowering embryo-toxic homocysteine; an undefined hormonal effect of photoperiod on the neuroendocrine axis, which mediates genotype/embryo selection. The effect of photoperiod on genotype seems clear, but the speculative molecular mechanism underpinning the effect needs careful examination. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Synchronized diapause termination of the peach twig borer Anarsia lineatella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): Brownian motion with drift?PHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2010PETROS T. DAMOS The course of diapause development is studied for the first time for Anarsia lineatella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) under field and laboratory conditions for three successive years (2005,2007) in northern Greece. Photoperiod has a significant influence on diapause termination and the mean number of days to pupation decreases progressively throughout the winter season. Cold storage, for at least 30 days at 4°C, results in a synchronized reactivation of the larvae, with the developmental time of larvae chilled for 45 and 60 days at 4°C becoming significantly shorter. A theoretical stochastic description of the effect of chilling on diapause termination is attempted. Larvae have discrete ,physiological stages' with different degrees of diapause intensity, and the insect passes through those stages with a probability distribution S(t) that evolves over time. This pattern of progressive transition is similar to Brownian motion and finally leads to a successfully synchronized diapause break in spring. Hence, A. lineatella overwinters in a weak diapause state and may complete diapause development in late January, although it shows synchronized termination in early February, after the experience of essential chilling. [source] Photoperiod and temperature affect the life cycle of a subtropical cockroach, Opisoplatia orientalis: seasonal pattern shaped by winter mortalityPHYSIOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2004Dao-Hong Zhu Abstract.,Opisoplatia orientalis is an ovoviviparous cockroach living in the subtropical areas in Japan. Both adults and nymphs overwinter on Hachijo Island (33°N). The nymphs sampled before and after overwintering showed a similar pattern in frequency distribution of head widths with a definite peak of fifth instars. The present study was conducted to determine how this pattern was formed by investigating the effects of photoperiod and temperature on development and reproduction. Photoperiod influenced the number of nymphal instars, resulting in a longer duration of nymphal development at LD 12 : 12 h than at LD 16 : 8 h. However, the rate of development at each instar was only affected to a small extent by photoperiod and no sign of diapause was detected. It was suggested that the photoperiodic response controlling the number of nymphal instars might have evolved to adjust the timing of adult emergence and reproduction to the favourable season. The prereproductive period and time intervals between nymph depositions were prolonged as temperature declined, but there was no evidence for diapause in adults. Mortality occurred in eggs and embryos inside of the body of the females during winter. Thus, it was inferred that female adults would reset ovarian development in spring and deposit nymphs in summer simultaneously, and these nymphs would reach the fifth instar before winter comes. This winter mortality hypothesis was supported by experiments in which reproductive activity and mortality were monitored for field-collected adults under either constant or changing temperature conditions simulating those in the field. [source] Effect of the Photoperiod and Administration of Melatonin on the Pars Tuberalis of Viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus): An Ultrastructural StudyTHE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010Edith Perez Romera Abstract The pituitary pars tuberalis (PT) is a glandular zone exhibiting well-defined structural characteristics. Morphologically, it is formed by specific secretory cells, folliculostellate cells, and migratory cells coming from the pars distalis. The purpose of this work was to investigate differences in specific cellular characteristics in the PT of viscachas captured in summer (long photoperiod) and winter (short photoperiod), as well as the effects of chronic melatonin administration in viscachas captured in summer and kept under long photoperiod. In summer, the PT-specific cells exhibited cell-like characteristics with an important secretory activity and a moderate amount of glycogen. In winter, the PT-specific granulated cells showed ultrastructural variations with signs of a reduced synthesis activity. Also, PT showed a high amount of glycogen and a great number of cells in degeneration. After melatonin administration, the ultrastructural characteristics were similar to those observed in winter, but the amount of glycogen was higher. These results suggest possible functional implications as a result of morphological differences between long and short photoperiods, and are in agreement with the variations of the pituitary-gonadal axis, probably in response to the natural photoperiod changes through the pineal melatonin. The ultrastructural differences observed in PT, after melatonin administration, were similar to those observed in the short photoperiod, thus supporting the hypothesis that these cytological changes are induced by melatonin. Anat Rec, 293:871,878, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The evolution of alternative morphs: density-dependent determination of larval colour dimorphism in a butterflyBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009KARL GOTTHARD Understanding the ultimate causes for the presence of polymorphisms within populations requires knowledge of how the expression of discrete morphs is regulated. In the present study, we explored the determination mechanism of a colour dimorphism in larvae of the butterfly Pararge xiphia (Satyrinae: Nymphalidae) with the ultimate aim of understanding its potential adaptive value. Last-instar larvae of P. xiphia develop into either a green or a brown morph, although all individuals are invariably green during the preceding three instars. A series of laboratory experiments reveal that morph development is strongly environmentally dependent and not the result of alternative alleles at one locus. Photoperiod, temperature, and in particular larval density, all influenced morph determination. The strong effect of a high larval density in inducing the brown morph parallels other known cases of density-dependent melanization in Lepidopteran larvae. Because melanization is often correlated with increased immune function, this type of determination mechanism is expected to be adaptive. However, the ecology and behaviour of P. xiphia larvae suggests that increased camouflage under high-density conditions may be an additional adaptive explanation. We conclude that the colour dimorphism of P. xiphia larvae is determined by a developmental threshold that is influenced both by heredity and by environmental conditions, and that selection for increased immune function and camouflage under high-density conditions may be responsible for maintaining the dimorphism. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 98, 256,266. [source] Photoperiod as a reproductive cue in the marsupial genus Antechinus: ecological and evolutionary consequencesBIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 3 2006BRONWYN M. MCALLAN Species in the Australian marsupial genus Antechinus exhibit a short annual mating period which is concluded by the abrupt death of all males. The timing of the annual rut within each of the ten described species varies little from year to year at any given locality, but for some species can differ by up to four months between locations. To determine the influence of photoperiod in regulating the precise interannual synchrony of mating and ovulation, we first investigated populations of each species at over 300 localities throughout their geographical ranges to identify the time of reproduction. We then compared the absolute photoperiod and the rate of change of photoperiod prevailing at the time of reproduction in all population localities. A different, and characteristic, rate of change of photoperiod was correlated strongly with the reproductive timing of four species; there was probably a correlation with reproduction in four more species, but sample sizes were small. For two species, there was no obvious photoperiodic correlation with time of reproduction. There was no evidence that absolute photoperiod or ambient temperature explained the synchrony or narrow timespan of reproduction among any species of Antechinus. Different species-specific ovulatory responses to photoperiod appear to separate the timing of reproduction in sympatric species, with the larger member of species pairs usually breeding first. We suggest that photoperiodic cues (1) allow females to produce young during seasons when food is most reliable and abundant and their energetic demands are maximal; (2) facilitate allochronic isolation between sympatric congeners, and (3) maximize body size differences and hence ecological separation between species. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 87, 365,379. [source] Does timing of daily feeding affect growth rates of juvenile three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus L?ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 3 2001M. Ali Abstract , To assess the consequences of unpredictability in the availability of food, this study measured the effect of timing of the daily feeding on food consumption and growth rates of juvenile Gasterosteus aculeatus. The experiment lasted 21 days at 14 °C and a photoperiod of 10 hours of light and 14 hours of dark. Fish were housed individually and allocated at random to three treatments. The mean initial weight of fish was 0.402 g. Group 1 were fed live enchytraeid worms for 2 h after lights came on ("morning"), group 2 was offered food for 2 h randomly at any time of the day ("random") during the light period and group 3 received food for 2 h before the lights went off ("evening"). There was no significant effect of timing of feeding on mean daily food consumption, which was 0.052 g day,1. Daily consumption on the random schedule was more irregular than on the two fixed schedules. Timing of feeding had no significant effect on mean specific growth rate (G) (2.42% day,1), gross growth efficiency (23.3%), white muscle RNA:DNA ratio (5.6), carcase lipid content (31.7% dry wt) and carcase dry matter content (27.4% wet wt). Thus, a lack of predictability in the availability of food during the light period of the day did not impose a detectable cost on the growth performance of the stickleback., [source] Reproduction in three species of rainbowfish (Melanotaeniidae) from rainforest streams in northern Queensland, AustraliaECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 2 2001B. J. Pusey Abstract , The reproductive biology of three species of rainbowfish (Melanotaeniidae) in northeastern Australian rainforest streams was investigated. Two species, Melanotaenia eachamensis and Cairnsichthys rhombosomoides are endemic to the area, whereas the third, M. splendida splendida, is more widespread. The species were all highly fecund, producing many hundreds of eggs between 1.10 and 1.24 mm in diameter. Melanotaenia eachamensis was the most fecund, produced the largest eggs of the three species, and consequently exhibited the greatest maternal investment (as measured by gonadosomatic index). The majority of reproductive effort occurred during the dry season, although reproductively active fish were present year-round for each of the species, but particularly so for M. s. splendida and C. rhombosomoides. No evidence for a role by temperature or photoperiod as environmental cues for reproduction was found, and it was suggested that gonad development was strongly tied to somatic growth. The concentration of reproduction to the dry season ensures that larvae are produced during a period of relatively stable and benign physical conditions. Comparison of temporal changes in gonadosomatic index values suggest that the spawning season of M. eachamensis, which occurs in high-elevation streams, is more restricted and commences about 1 month earlier than either other species. A similar phenology was observed for the M. s. splendida population found at high elevation and highlights the potential for spatial differences in stream productivity to influence life history., [source] Effect of variation in photoperiodic response on diapause induction and developmental time in the willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicoloraENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA, Issue 1 2000Michihiro Ishihara Abstract The willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) overwinters in adult diapause. In this study, the photoperiodic responses for diapause induction and developmental time were examined in the Ishikari (Hokkaido, Japan) population of P. versicolora. All females entered reproductive diapause under short daylength (L10:D14), but 31.7% of females did not enter diapause under long daylength (L16:D8). The developmental time from oviposition to adult emergence was significantly longer at L10:D14 than that at L16:D8. Norm of reaction curves illustrated variation among families in the photoperiodic responses for diapause induction and for developmental time. ANOVA indicated significant family × photoperiod interactions in the developmental time. At L16:D8, developmental time was positively correlated with the incidence of diapause in females. This means that a female having a longer developmental time tends to have a longer critical photoperiod. Such variation may be maintained by differences in selection pressures on the growth rate and the critical photoperiod for diapause induction between univoltine and bivoltine genotypes because Ishikari is located in a transitional area between populations with univoltine and bivoltine life cycles. [source] Reproductive responses to photoperiod and temperature by artificially hibernated bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) queensENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2008Md. Ruhul AMIN Abstract Post-hibernated bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) queens were kept for 1 week under photoperiodic conditions of 8 h light : 16 h dark, and at four different temperatures (24, 28, 32 and 36°C). The reproductive performance of the queens was then observed. It was found that exposure temperature and hibernation duration did not affect the oviposition rate. The pre-oviposition period was found to be shortest (3.8 ± 0.7 days) for queens that had hibernated for 4.0 months and had been activated at 28°C. Timing of the initiation of the switch-point was not affected by exposure temperature and hibernation duration. Significantly higher numbers of workers (268.0 ± 31.4) and sexual queens (119.3 ± 16.8) were produced by the queens that had hibernated for 3.0 months and had been activated at 28 and 36°C, respectively. The queens that had hibernated for 4.0 months and had been activated at 36°C produced the highest number of males (296.2 ± 32.3). [source] Maternal control of cold and desiccation tolerance in eggs of the band-legged ground cricket Dianemobius nigrofasciatus in relation to embryonic diapauseENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2008Shin G. GOTO Abstract Cold and desiccation tolerance was investigated in the eggs of the band-legged ground cricket Dianemobius nigrofasciatus in relation to embryonic diapause. Diapause eggs were more tolerant to both desiccation and cold than non-diapause eggs. In addition, diapause-destined eggs on day zero (0,12 h after being laid) already showed high tolerance to these stresses before entering diapause. This clearly indicates that stress tolerance, like diapause, is controlled by photoperiod, but is not directly associated with diapause itself. Because the acquisition of stress tolerance predates the onset of diapause, it is plausible that diapause programming during some period before the onset of diapause is involved in the acquisition of stress tolerance. Weights and sizes were nearly identical in short-day and long-day eggs until day five. Sorbitol, a major sugar alcohol in eggs of D. nigrofasciatus, was accumulated at the same level in short-day and long-day eggs on days zero and five. These results indicate that the surface-to-volume ratio as well as the accumulation of sugar alcohol is not involved in the acquisition of stress tolerance. Maternal factors are clearly involved in the acquisition of stress tolerance in D. nigrofasciatus eggs, but the physiological mechanisms underlying the tolerance are still unclear. [source] Impact of artificial photoperiodism on the colony development of the bumblebee Bombus terrestrisENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2007Md Ruhul AMIN Abstract This study investigated the effect of the photoperiodic regimes 0 h light : 24 h dark (LD 0:24), LD 8:16, LD 16:8 and LD 24:0 at 28°C and 50% Relative Humidity (RH) on the colony development of hibernated (2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 months) bumblebee queens. The queens which had hibernated for 3.0 months and which were reared in a LD 8:16 photoperiod showed the highest rate of colony initiation (88.2%), colony foundation (67.6%) and progeny queen production (38.2%). The photoperiod LD 8:16 also produced the shortest period of colony initiation and colony foundation. The highest number of sexual males (171.2 ± 12.2) and queens (91.2 ± 9.9) were produced in the colonies when 3.5 and 3.0 month hibernated queens were kept in an LD 8:16 photoperiod. The results show that light regime and hibernation duration affect colony characteristics of Bombus terrestris. [source] Effect of photoperiod on the development and diapause of the green lacewing Chrysopa pallens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2005Kengo NAKAHIRA Abstract To investigate the physiology of Chrysopa pallens, the effect of photoperiod on diapause and development was examined in a Japanese population (33.4°N). The response stage for diapause of C. pallens was considered to be the prepupal stage. The critical photoperiod for diapause induction at 20.0°C was between 13 h light : 11 h dark (LD 13:11) and LD 14:10. The larval developmental period was affected by photoperiod: larvae in diapause took longer to complete their development. This difference of larval developmental period in relation to photoperiod was considered to be an adjustment of larval diapause timing. [source] Differentiation in life cycle of sympatric populations of two forms of Hyphantria moth in central MissouriENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2005Makio TAKEDA Abstract Wing patterns of Hyphantria adult male moths collected in central Missouri were examined throughout the breeding season. Three major peaks of adult flight were observed: the first peak consisted mainly of adults with spotted wings, while the second and third peaks consisted of immaculate adults. Black-headed larvae appeared in the field following the first major peak of moth flight, and red-headed larvae appeared in the field following the second peak. Sympatric red-headed and black-headed forms were collected in the field and subsequently reared on an artificial diet under conditions of 16 h light : 8 h dark (LD 16:8) at 25°C. The larval period of the black-headed form was shorter than the red-headed, whereas the pupal period of the black-headed form was longer than the red-headed. Pupal development is retarded in some individuals at high temperatures in the black-headed form. Photoperiodic response curves for pupal diapause were different between the two forms. The critical photoperiod for pupal diapause was 15 h 10 min in the red-headed form, which was longer than that for the black-headed form (14 h 40 min). The two forms responded to shifts in photoperiod differently. These developmental responses temporally separate the two forms in the field; the red-headed and black-headed forms represent a set of adaptations favoring univoltinism and bivoltinism, respectively. Red-headed larvae fed mainly at night, while the black-headed larvae fed without a clear day,night rhythm. Nocturnal feeding in the red-headed form is adaptive to protection against predation, but fails to fully utilize heat units and thus to produce a second generation. [source] Winter survival and oviposition before and after overwintering of a parasitoid wasp, Ooencyrtus nezarae Ishii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2004Takeshi TERAOKA Abstract Winter survival and oviposition before and after overwintering in Ooencyrtus nezarae, an egg parasitoid of phytophagous heteropterans, were examined in Osaka, Japan. Eggs of Riptortus clavatus parasitized by O. nezarae were kept under natural photoperiod and temperature. When honey was supplied, some female adults emerging from early September to late November overwintered. The percentage of overwintering individuals increased as the date of adult emergence advanced. Most female adults supplied with honey and hosts oviposited soon after emergence, then stopped laying eggs. Female adults emerging in mid-October and early November laid eggs and then overwintered. The induction of diapause in the field seems to vary greatly depending on host availability. Without honey, the survival time of female adults was very short, whether host eggs were supplied or not. After overwintering, most females began to lay eggs in early May if host eggs were supplied, and they produced both male and female progeny. In the study area, a legume field in Osaka, parasitization by O. nezarae was observed from early July to November. [source] Seasonal changes in wing dimorphism of the lygaeid bug Dimorphopterus japonicus (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) in relation to environmental factorsENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2003Rikiya SASAKI Abstract The lygaeid bug Dimorphopterus japonicus Hidaka, which mainly feeds on a eulalia, Miscanthus sinensis, shows marked wing dimorphism of brachyptery and macroptery. Its production of macropters is stimulated in rearing conditions such as high temperature, long photoperiod and crowding during the nymphal stage. In this study, we investigated the seasonal prevalence in occurrence and the seasonal change in incidence of macroptery in D. japonicus for field populations in Okayama, western Japan. The results demonstrated that nymphal density was a key factor in determining the proportion of macropters, indicating an escape strategy from crowded populations. The field surveys also revealed that this bug has a univoltine life cycle in Okayama. There was a seasonal change in the incidence of macroptery in the new generation. The combined effects of temperature and photoperiod on wing-form determination explained this seasonality trait. [source] Effect of photoperiod on development and growth in a pentatomid bug, Dolycoris baccarumENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2003Keiji Nakamura Abstract The effect of photoperiod on nymphal development, growth and adult size was examined in a pentatomid bug, Dolycoris baccarum, collected in Osaka (a warm temperate region) and Hokkaido (a subfrigid region), Japan. When insects were reared from eggs at 25°C, the developmental period was long and adult size was large under photoperiods close to the critical photoperiod for the induction of adult diapause. Adults of the Hokkaido population were larger than those of the Osaka population. There was no significant correlation between developmental period and adult size. Insects also showed variation in their growth rate: growth rate was low under photoperiods a little longer than the critical photoperiod for the induction of diapause. The ecological significance of variation in development and growth is discussed. [source] Differential expression of antenna and core genes in Prochlorococcus PCC 9511 (Oxyphotobacteria) grown under a modulated light,dark cycleENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Laurence Garczarek The continuous changes in incident solar light occurring during the day oblige oxyphototrophs, such as the marine prokaryote Prochlorococcus, to modulate the synthesis and degradation rates of their photosynthetic components finely. How this natural phenomenon influences the diel expression of photosynthetic genes has never been studied in this ecologically important oxyphotobacterium. Here, the high light-adapted strain Prochlorococcus sp. PCC 9511 was grown in large-volume continuous culture under a modulated 12 h,12 h light,dark cycle mimicking the conditions found in the upper layer of equatorial oceans. The pcbA gene encoding the major light-harvesting complex showed strong diel variations in transcript levels with two maxima, one before the onset of illumination and the other near the end of the photoperiod. In contrast, the mRNA level of psbA (encoding the reaction centre II subunit D1), the monocistronic transcript of psbD (encoding D2) and the dicistronic transcript of psbDC were all tightly correlated with light irradiance, with a minimum at night and a maximum at noon. The occurrence of a second peak during the dark period for the monocistronic transcript of psbC (encoding one of the PS II core Chl a antenna proteins) suggested the involvement of post-transcriptional regulation. Differential expression of the external antenna and core genes may constitute a mechanism of regulation of the antenna size to cope with the excess photon fluxes that Prochlorococcus cells experience in the upper layer of oceans around midday. The 5, ends of all transcripts were mapped, and a conserved motif, 5,-TTGATGA-3,, was identified within the putative psbA and pcbA promoters. [source] Rhythmic expression of clock genes in the ependymal cell layer of the third ventricle of rodents is independent of melatonin signalingEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 12 2008Shinobu Yasuo Abstract Reproductive physiology is regulated by the photoperiod in many mammals. Decoding of the photoperiod involves circadian clock mechanisms, although the molecular basis remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that the ependymal cell layer lining the infundibular recess of the third ventricle (EC) is a key structure for the photoperiodic gonadal response. The EC exhibits daylength-dependent changes in the expression of photoperiodic output genes, including the type 2 deiodinase gene (Dio2,). Here we investigated whether clock genes (Per1 and Bmal1) and the albumin D-binding protein gene (Dbp) are expressed in the EC of Syrian hamsters, and whether their expression differs under long-day and short-day conditions. Expression of all three genes followed a diurnal rhythm; expression of Per1 and Dbp in the EC peaked around lights-off, and expression of Bmal1 peaked in the early light phase. The amplitude of Per1 and Dbp expression was higher in hamsters kept under long-day conditions than in those kept under short-day conditions. Notably, the expression of these genes was not modified by exogenous melatonin within 25 h after injection, whereas Dio2 expression was inhibited 19 h after injection. Targeted melatonin receptor (MT1, MT2, and both MT1 and MT2) disruption in melatonin-proficient C3H mice did not affect the rhythmic expression of Per1 in the EC. These data show the existence of a molecular clock in the rodent EC. In the hamster, this clock responds to long-term changes in the photoperiod, but is independent of acute melatonin signals. In mice, the EC clock is not affected by deletion of melatonin receptors. [source] Estrogen-dependent selectivity of genomic responses to birdsongEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 6 2006Donna L. Maney Abstract Behavioral responses to sociosexual signals often depend on gonadal steroid hormones, which are thought to modulate behavior by acting on motivational systems in the brain. There is mounting evidence that sex steroids may also modulate perception of sociosexual signals by affecting sensory processing. In seasonally breeding songbirds such as the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), the female's behavioral response to hearing male song depends on her plasma levels of estradiol (E2). Here, we examined whether plasma E2 also affects the selectivity of the song-induced zenk (egr-1) response in the auditory forebrain, which is known to vary according to the behavioral relevance of song stimuli. Non-breeding females were held on a winter-like photoperiod and implanted with silastic capsules containing either no hormone or E2. E2-treated birds hearing 42 min of conspecific song had more cells immunoreactive for the protein product of zenk in the auditory forebrain than did those hearing frequency-matched synthetic tones. In birds not treated with E2, however, the zenk response to song did not differ from that to tones. We found similar effects in the avian homolog of the inferior colliculus, indicating that E2 may affect the processing of auditory information upstream of the forebrain. Our data suggest that in females, zenk induction in the auditory system is selective for song only when plasma E2 exceeds non-breeding levels. E2-dependent plasticity of auditory pathways and processing centres may promote recognition of and attention to conspecific song during the breeding season. [source] THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND GENETIC CONTROL OF SEASONAL POLYPHENISM IN LARVAL COLOR AND ITS ADAPTIVE SIGNIFICANCE IN A SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLYEVOLUTION, Issue 2 2002Wade N. Hazel Abstract Seasonal polyphenism, in which different forms of a species are produced at different times of the year, is a common form of phenotypic plasticity among insects. Here I show that the production of dark fifth-instar caterpillars of the eastern black swallowtail butterfly, Papilio polyxenes, is a seasonal polyphenism, with larvae reared on autumnal conditions being significantly darker than larvae reared on midsummer conditions. Both rearing photoperiod and temperature were found to have individual and synergistic effects on larval darkness. Genetic analysis of variation among full-sibling families reared on combinations of two different temperatures and photoperiods is consistent with the hypothesis that variation in darkness is heritable. In addition, the genetic correlation in larval darkness across midsummer and autumnal environments is not different from zero, suggesting that differential gene expression is responsible for the increase in larval darkness in the autumn. The relatively dark autumnal form was found to have a higher body temperature in sunlight than did the lighter midsummer form, and small differences in temperature were found to increase larval growth rate. These results suggest that this genetically based seasonal polyphenism in larval color has evolved in part to increase larval growth rates in the autumn. [source] Differential Effects of Cold Exposure on Muscle Fibre Composition and Capillary Supply in Hibernator and Non-Hibernator RodentsEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5 2001S. Egginton Changes in the composition of fibre types and the capillary supply of skeletal muscle (tibialis anterior) were quantified in rats and hamsters subjected to 8-10 weeks of cold exposure and reduced photoperiod (10 °C, 1 h light-23 h dark). Muscle mass decreased in both species (by 12% and 17%, respectively). Following acclimation to cold there were no specific changes in fibre cross-sectional area (FCSA) in rats, whereas in hamsters there was a substantial atrophy of Type II, but not Type I fibres. In rat muscle there was little difference between the two groups in average capillary to fibre ratio (C:F) (1.76 ± 0.15, normothermia, N; 1.69 ± 0.05, hypothermia, H) and average capillary density (CD) (188 ± 14 mm,2, N; 201 ± 12 mm -2, H). Similarly, the average C:F was unaltered in hamsters (2.75 ± 0.11, N; 2.72 ± 0.15, H), although the 30% smaller fibre size observed with hypothermia resulted in a corresponding increase in average CD, to 1539 ± 80 mm,2 (P < 0.01). However, there was a coordinated regional adaptation to cold exposure in hamsters resulting in capillary rarefaction in the glycolytic cortex and angiogenesis in the oxidative core. Following acclimation of rats to cold there was a reduction in the supply area of individual vessels (capillary domain), particularly in the cortex (9310, N; 8938 ,m2, H; P < 0.05). In contrast, hypothermic hamsters showed only a small decrease in mean domain area in the cortex (948 ,m2, N; 846 ,m2, H; n.s.) but a marked reduction in the core (871 ,m2, N; 604 ,m2, H; P < 0.01). Rats showed little or no change in local capillary supply (LCFR) to fast fibres on acclimation to cold, while in hamsters the LCFR of Type IIb fibres showed a decrease in the cortex (2.7, N; 2.3, H) and an increase in the core (3.0, N; 3.3, H) during acclimation to cold. These data suggest that during a simulated onset of winter rats maintain FCSA and capillary supply as part of an avoidance strategy, whereas hamsters increase muscle capillarity in part as a consequence of disuse atrophy. [source] Developmental and environmental regulation of antifreeze proteins in the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitorFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 21 2000Laurie A. Graham The yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, contains a family of small Cys-rich and Thr-rich thermal hysteresis proteins that depress the hemolymph freezing point below the melting point by as much as 5.5 °C (,T = thermal hysteresis). Thermal hysteresis protein expression was evaluated throughout development and after exposure to altered environmental conditions. Under favorable growth conditions, small larvae (11,13 mg) had only low levels of thermal hysteresis proteins or thermal hysteresis protein message, but these levels increased 10-fold and 18-fold, respectively, by the final larval instar (> 190 mg), resulting in thermal hysteresis >,3 °C. Exposure of small larvae (11,13 mg) to 4 weeks of cold (4 °C) caused an ,,20-fold increase in thermal hysteresis protein concentration, well in excess of the less than threefold developmental increase seen after 4 weeks at 22 °C. Exposure of large larvae (100,120 mg) to cold caused 12-fold and sixfold increases in thermal hysteresis protein message and protein levels, respectively, approximately double the maximum levels they would have attained in the final larval instar at 22 °C. Thus, thermal hysteresis increased to similar levels (> 4 °C) in the cold, irrespective of the size of the larvae (the overwintering stage). At pupation, thermal hysteresis protein message levels decreased >,20-fold and remained low thereafter, but thermal hysteresis activity decreased much more slowly. Exposure to cold did not reverse this decline. Desiccation or starvation of larvae had comparable effects to cold exposure, but surprisingly, short daylength photoperiod or total darkness had no effect on either thermal hysteresis or message levels. As all environmental conditions that caused increased thermal hysteresis also inhibited growth, we postulate that developmental arrest is a primary factor in the regulation of T. molitor thermal hysteresis proteins. [source] Microgeographic life history variation in an alpine caddisfly: plasticity in response to seasonal time constraintsFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009LISA N. S. SHAMA Summary 1.,Temporally constrained environments, such as habitats with short growth seasons or short hydroperiods, cause potentially strong selection on life histories. Depending on the predictability of these events and the extent of spatial and temporal heterogeneity, local populations could become adapted either via a fixed phenotype or via life history plasticity in response to these environmental cues. 2.,We used a common garden experiment to investigate microgeographic variation in life history responses to combined changes in photoperiod (ambient/late) and hydroperiod (constant/drying) time constraint cues in an alpine caddisfly (Trichoptera). We compared six populations (three permanent/three temporary streams) originating from a small, alpine floodplain and which spanned an expected gradient in growth period duration (GPD) with distance from glaciers. 3.,We made two main predictions in relation to locally varying selection pressures: (i) populations nearest glaciers (shorter GPD and strongest time constraints) should have the fastest development rates and (ii) populations from permanent streams should be less able to respond to drying hydroperiods than populations from temporary streams. 4.,All populations and both sexes accelerated development in response to late season photoperiod cues. However, only permanent stream populations showed an increase in development time with increasing GPD, suggesting that other factors were influencing populations in temporary streams. 5.,Permanent stream populations showed countergradient variation (genetic and environmental influences were in opposition) in development time, and under-compensation of growth rates resulted in a converse Bergmann cline in body size (smaller body size along gradients of declining season length). The extent of plasticity in response to hydroperiod, and the combined effects of both time constraints, differed between populations and sexes, but were not consistent among populations. 6.,Taken together, our results suggest adaptive plasticity in response to season length. The lack of a predictable pattern in response to hydroperiod may be due to gene flow or weak selection. We conclude that spatially structured populations can strongly differ in phenotypic plasticity even at microgeographic scales. [source] Intraseasonal climate and habitat-specific variability controls the flowering phenology of high alpine plant speciesFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Karl Hülber Summary 1. ,High alpine plants endure a cold climate with short growing seasons entailing severe consequences of an improper timing of development. Hence, their flowering phenology is expected to be rigorously controlled by climatic factors. 2. ,We studied ten alpine plant species from habitats with early and late melting snow cover for 2 years and compared the synchronizing effect of temperature sums (TS), time of snowmelt (SM) and photoperiod (PH) on their flowering phenology. Intraseasonal and habitat-specific variation in the impact of these factors was analysed by comparing predictions of time-to-event models using linear mixed-effects models. 3. ,Temperature was the overwhelming trigger of flowering phenology for all species. Its synchronizing effect was strongest at or shortly after flowering indicating the particular importance of phenological control of pollination. To some extent, this pattern masks the common trend of decreasing phenological responses to climatic changes from the beginning to the end of the growing season for lowland species. No carry-over effects were detected. 4. ,As expected, the impact of photoperiod was weaker for snowbed species than for species inhabiting sites with early melting snow cover, while for temperature the reverse pattern was observed. 5. ,Our findings provide strong evidence that alpine plants will respond quickly and directly to increasing temperature without considerable compensation due to photoperiodic control of phenology. [source] Circannual control of the life cycle in the Varied Carpet Beetle Anthrenus verbasciFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2003T. Nisimura Summary 1Anthrenus verbasci shows a circannual pupation rhythm, and a transfer from long-day to short-day conditions caused a phase shift. Short-day conditions produced synchronous pupation, and the critical day-length was between 13 and 14 h, which corresponded to the natural day-length in September. 2A decrease in temperature does not seem to act as a zeitgeber under natural conditions, because a change from 25 to 20 °C caused no or little phase shift. 3Under conditions of natural photoperiod and temperature, larvae pupated synchronously in April, although under natural day-length at 20 °C larvae pupated in February. Therefore, a decrease in day-length crossing the critical value in September probably shifts the phase of the circannual rhythm so that the gate to pupation opens in February, and probably low temperatures in winter suppress pupation until April. 4Newly hatching larvae transferred outdoors pupated successfully only when transferred between late April and mid-September, although larvae transferred after mid-July developed into smaller pupae than those transferred earlier. Therefore, synchronous pupation and emergence in spring are needed to allow larvae of the next generation to grow sufficiently before winter. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||