ALBERT

Description: The theory of evolution by natural selection can help explain why people care about other species. Building upon recent insights that morality evolves to secure fitness advantages of cooperation, we propose that conservation ethics (moral beliefs, attitudes, intuitions and norms regarding other species) could be adaptations that support cooperation between humans and non-humans. We present eco-evolutionary cost–benefit models of conservation behaviours as interspecific cooperation (altruism towards members of other species). We find that an evolutionary rule identical in structure to Hamilton's rule (which explains altruistic behaviour towards related conspecifics) can explain altruistic behaviour towards members of other species. Natural selection will favour traits for selectively altering the success of members of other species (e.g. conserving them) in ways that maximize inclusive fitness return benefits. Conservation behaviours and the ethics that evolve to reinforce them will be sensitive to local ecological and socio-cultural conditions, so will assume different contours in different places. Difficulties accurately assessing costs and benefits provided by other species, time required to adapt to ecological and socio-cultural change and barriers to collective action could explain the apparent contradiction between the widespread existence of conservation ethics and patterns of biodiversity decline globally.

Description: We synthesized a selective molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MIP-SPE) column and established an extraction and enrichment method using this MIP-SPE column. By coupling with HPLC, we developed a new method to detect trace amounts of melamine in eggs. The MIP-SPE column was synthesized by in situ thermal-initiated polymerization using melamine as the template, methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker and azodiisobutyronitrile as the initiator. HPLC was used to evaluate the identification and enrichment capability of the MIP-SPE column and for the measurement of melamine in the sample. The melamine concentration exhibited an excellent linear relationship in the range of 0.1–25.0 µg ml –1 ( r = 0.9983). The identification capability of the MIP-SPE column was apparently superior to that of the non-imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction column; an average enrichment factor of 46.8-fold (RSD = 3.5%) was obtained for 0.4 µg ml –1 melamine by the MIP-SPE column. When the MIP-SPE HPLC method was applied to the detection of melamine in eggs, an average recovery rate of 93.5–102.0% (RSD = 3.6–4.9%) and a limit of detection of 0.05 µg kg –1 were obtained. This method is simple, fast and cost-effective; thus, it can greatly simplify the pre-treatment of complex samples and can be used in the detection of residual melamine in eggs and other products.

Description: Habitual reliance on tool use is a marked behavioural difference between wild robust (genus Sapajus ) and gracile (genus Cebus ) capuchin monkeys. Despite being well studied and having a rich repertoire of social and extractive foraging traditions, Cebus sp. rarely use tools and have never been observed using stone tools. By contrast, habitual tool use by Sapajus is widespread. We review theory and discuss factors which might explain these differences in patterns of tool use between Cebus and Sapajus . We then report the first case of habitual stone tool use in a gracile capuchin: a population of white-faced capuchins ( Cebus capucinus imitator ) in Coiba National Park, Panama who habitually rely on hammerstone and anvil tool use to access structurally protected food items in coastal areas including Terminalia catappa seeds, hermit crabs, marine snails, terrestrial crabs and other items. This behaviour has persisted on one island in Coiba National Park since at least 2004. From 1 year of camera trapping, we found that stone tool use is strongly male-biased. Of the 205 camera trap days where tool use was recorded, adult females were never observed to use stone tools, although they were frequently recorded at the sites and engaged in scrounging behaviour. Stone tool use occurs year-round in this population; over half of all identifiable individuals were observed participating. At the most active tool use site, 83.2% of days where capuchins were sighted corresponded with tool use. Capuchins inhabiting the Coiba archipelago are highly terrestrial, under decreased predation pressure and potentially experience resource limitation compared to mainland populations—three conditions considered important for the evolution of stone tool use. White-faced capuchin tool use in Coiba National Park thus offers unique opportunities to explore the ecological drivers and evolutionary underpinnings of stone tool use in a comparative within- and between-species context.

Description: A novel method combining high-performance liquid chromatography with online post-column electrochemical derivatization and fluorescence detection was established for the detection of reserpine in mouse serum. Reserpine separation was conducted using a C18 column with 5 mM H 3 PO 4 and acetonitrile (55/45, v/v) as eluent. Reserpine was then electro-oxidized into a strongly fluorescent compound using an electrolytic cell device. Detection parameters, such as potential and fluorescence wavelength, were optimized. The linearity of the proposed method ranged from 0.01 to 5.0 mg l –1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9997. The limit of qualification ( S / N = 10) and limit of detection ( S / N = 3) were 9.7 and 2.9 µg l –1 , respectively. Resperine recoveries from spiked blank and drug-treated mouse serum samples ranged from 92.0 to 115%.

Description: This study was performed to determine the storage stability of organophosphorus pesticide residues in high oil content commodity matrices, peanut and soya bean. The storage conditions included different types of solvents (ethyl acetate, acetone and hexane) and corresponding extracted matrix solutions, light and temperature. It was found that three pesticides degraded quickly especially in ethyl acetate solvent. They decreased greater than 30% when stored for 3 days at –20°C in ethyl acetate; the results showed that the stability could be improved in the extracted matrix solutions. Light had a slight effect for stability of phorate and fenthion, while it played an important effect for disulfoton with the exception of ethyl acetate as solvent. Even at –20°C, exposure to solvents or extracted matrix solution resulted in 40.67, 96.33 and 35.07% loss of phorate, disulfoton and fenthion. Hence, it could be assumed that these three residues could be more stable at lower temperature, in the dark and in acetone or hexane extracted peanut and soya bean solutions.

Description: Collective motion is a fascinating and intensely studied manifestation of collective behaviour. Circular milling is an impressive example. It occurs in fishes, processionary caterpillars and army ants, among others. Its adaptive significance, however, is not yet well understood. Recently, we demonstrated experimentally circular milling in the marine plant–animal worm Symsagittifera roscoffensis . We hypothesized that its function is to gather the worms and facilitate the dense films they form on the beach to promote the photosynthesis of their symbiotic algae. Here, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, the occurrence of S. roscoffensis circular mills in nature and show that it is by no means rare. The size and behaviour of circular mills in their natural environment is compatible with our earlier experimental results. This makes S. roscoffensis a good study system for understanding the proximate and ultimate mechanisms of circular milling.

Description: Xerophytes play an active role in preventing soil denudation and desertification in arid and semi-arid areas. Peganum harmala L. (Zygophyllaceae family), a seasonally growing, poisonous and drought-tolerant plant, is widely distributed in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and used as a traditional herbal medicine as well as, in winter, a fodder source. Previous research has focused on the pharmacological activity of isolated compounds and stress responses to growth environments. However, the metabolic profile of P. harmala and variations in its metabolites, including medicinally active and stress resistance components, have not been illustrated during different growth stages. Here, we collected plant samples in May, August, October and December. We determined the metabolic composition of methanol extracts using NMR spectroscopy, and comparisons of four growth stages were accomplished by applying statistical analysis. The results showed that vasicine, choline and sucrose were significantly elevated in samples harvested in May. Significantly higher amounts of betaine, lysine, 4-hydroxyisoleucine and proline were found in samples collected in August than in samples collected in other months, and the concentrations of phosphorylcholine, glucose, acetic acid and vasicinone were highest in December. The relationships between differential biomarkers and plant physiological states affected by diverse growth environmental factors were discussed. Our result deepened the understanding of metabolic mechanisms in plant development and confirmed the advantage of using NMR-based metabolomic treatments in quality evaluation when P. harmala is used for different purposes.

Description: As entomopathogens are detrimental to the development or even survival of insect societies, ant colonies should avoid digging into a substrate that is contaminated by fungal spores. Here, we test the hypotheses that Myrmica rubra ant workers (i) detect and avoid fungus-infected substrates and (ii) excavate nest patterns that minimize their exposure to entomopathogenic spores. Small groups of M. rubra workers were allowed to dig their nest in a two-dimensional sand plate of which one half of the substrate contained fungal spores of Metarhizium brunneum , while the other half was spore-free. We found that the overall digging dynamics of M. rubra nests was not altered by the presence of fungus spores. By contrast, the shape of the excavated areas markedly differed: control nests showed rather isotropic patterns, whereas nests that were partially dug into a fungus-contaminated substrate markedly deviated from a circular shape. This demonstrates that the sanitary risks associated with a digging substrate are key factors in nest morphogenesis. We also found that M. rubra colonies were able to discriminate between the two substrates (fungus-infected or not). Furthermore, some colonies unexpectedly showed a high consistency in excavating mainly the infected substrate. This seemingly suboptimal preference for a contaminated soil suggests that non-lethal doses of fungal spores could help ant colonies to trigger ‘immune priming’. The presence of fungi may also indicate favourable ecological conditions, such as humid and humus-rich soil, that ants use as a cue for selecting suitable nesting sites.

Description: Classical dye absorption-based pH test papers are widely used to measure the degree of acidity of media for quantification or semi-quantification by the observation of the naked eye on the variation of colour. However, it remains a challenging task to extend portable and cheap methods to a wide range of analytes for accurate quantification. Here, we report a dosage-sensitive test paper for the assay of mercury ions (Hg 2+ ) with wide colour evolution. The ratiometric fluorescent probe was prepared by mixing blue-emission silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) and red-emission carbon dots (r-CDs). The Si NCs serve as the reaction site and the r-CDs as the internal reference. Upon the addition of Hg 2+ , the blue fluorescence of the Si NCs was quenched, while the red fluorescence of the r-CDs remained constant, resulting in the consecutive fluorescence colour changes from blue to orange red. The probe demonstrates high selectivity and sensitivity of the visualization assay of Hg 2+ with a detection limit of 7.63 nM. Moreover, we printed the ratiometric fluorescence probe result onto a piece of filter paper to prepare a test paper, which represents an on-site, sensitive, rapid and cost-effective method for the visual determination of Hg 2+ by the naked eye.

Description: In animal families, parents are expected to adapt to their offspring's traits, and offspring, in turn, are expected to adapt to the environment circumscribed by their parents. However, whether such coevolutionary trajectories differ between closely related species is poorly understood. Here, we employ interspecific cross-fostering in three species of burying beetles, Nicrophorus orbicollis , Nicrophorus pustulatus and Nicrophorus vespilloides , to test for divergent co-adaptation among species with different degrees of offspring dependency on parental care, and to test whether they are able to discriminate against interspecific parasites. We found that offspring survival was always higher when offspring were reared by conspecific rather than heterospecific parents. In the case of N. orbicollis raising N. pustulatus , none of the larvae survived. Overall, these results indicate that parent and offspring traits have diverged between species, and that the differential survival of conspecific and heterospecific larvae is because of improper matching of co-adapted traits, or, in the case of N. orbicollis with larval N. pustulatus , because of selection on parents to recognize and destroy interspecific brood parasites. We suggest that burying beetles experiencing a high risk of brood parasitism have evolved direct recognition mechanisms that enable them to selectively kill larvae of potential brood parasites.