Abstract: This study aimed at showing the applicability of using a combination of four sampling methods (i.e., Winkler extractors, pitfall traps, baiting and manual collection), something most often conducted in the tropics, to create an inventory of ant species diversity in temperate environments. We recorded a total of 33 ant species in the Grands Causses by comparing three vegetal formations: a steppic lawn ('causse' sensu stricto), which was the most species-rich (29 species), followed by an oak grove (22 species) and a pine forest (17 species). No sampling method alone is efficient enough to provide an adequate sampling, but their combination permits one to make a suitable inventory of the myrmecofauna and to obtain information on the ecology of these ant species.

Abstract: To investigate the energy, matter and reactive and non-reactive trace gas exchange between the atmosphere and a spruce forest in the German mountain region, two intensive measuring periods were conducted at the FLUXNET site DE-Bay (Waldstein-Weidenbrunnen) in September/October 2007 and June/July 2008. They were part of the project “ExchanGE processes in mountainous Regions” (EGER). Beyond a brief description of the experiment, the main focus of the paper concerns the coupling between the trunk space, the canopy and the above-canopy atmosphere. Therefore, relevant coherent structures were analyzed for different in- and above canopy layers, coupling between layers was classified according to already published procedures, and gradients and fluxes of meteorological quantities as well as concentrations of non-reactive and reactive trace compounds have been sorted along the coupling classes. Only in the case of a fully coupled system, it could be shown, that fluxes measured above the canopy are related to gradients between the canopy and the above-canopy atmosphere. Temporal changes of concentration differences between top of canopy and the forest floor, particularly those of reactive trace gases (NO, NO2, O-3, and HONO) could only be interpreted on the basis of the coupling stage. Consequently, only concurrent and vertically resolved measurements of micrometeorological (turbulence) quantities and fluxes (gradients) of trace compounds will lead to a better understanding of the forest-atmosphere interaction.

Abstract: Across the evolutionary history of insects, the shift from nitrogen-rich carnivore/omnivore diets to nitrogen-poor herbivorous diets was made possible through symbiosis with microbes. The herbivorous turtle ants Cephalotes possess a conserved gut microbiome which enriches the nutrient composition by recycling nitrogen-rich metabolic waste to increase the production of amino acids. This enrichment is assumed to benefit the host, but we do not know to what extent. To gain insights into nitrogen assimilation in the ant cuticle we use gut bacterial manipulation, 15N isotopic enrichment, isotope-ratio mass spectrometry, and 15N nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to demonstrate that gut bacteria contribute to the formation of proteins, catecholamine cross-linkers, and chitin in the cuticle. This study identifies the cuticular components which are nitrogen-enriched by gut bacteria, highlighting the role of symbionts in insect evolution, and provides a framework for understanding the nitrogen flow from nutrients through bacteria into the insect cuticle.

Abstract: P>1. The complex structure of tree bark reflects its many functions, which include structural support as well as defence against fire, pests and pathogens. Thick bark, however, might limit respiration by the living tissues of the trunk. Nevertheless, little research has addressed community-level variation in bark thickness, and to the best of our knowledge, no one has tested multiple hypotheses to explain variation in bark thickness. 2. We conducted an extensive survey of bark thickness within and among species of trees in the tropical rain forests of French Guiana. Trunk bark thickness increased by 1 center dot 2 mm per 10 cm increase in stem diameter, and varied widely at all taxonomic levels. Mean trunk bark thickness was 4 center dot 5 mm (range: 0 center dot 5-29 mm), which was less that found in two Amazonian rain forests in previous studies. This survey of bark thickness should be of use for forest management since tree survival through fire is strongly predicted by bark thickness. 3. We combined the survey data with multiple datasets to test several functional hypotheses proposed to explain variation in bark thickness. We found bark to provide an average of 10% of the flexural rigidity of tree stems, which was substantially less than that found in the only other study of bark stiffness. Bark thickness was uncorrelated with species' association with fire-prone habitats, suggesting that the influence of fire on bark thickness does not extend into moist Forests. There was also little evidence that bark thickness is affected by its function as a defence against herbivory. Nor was there evidence that thick bark limits trunk respiration. 4. A re-analysis of previously collected anatomical data indicated that variation in rhytidome (non-conducting outer bark) thickness explains much of the variation in overall bark thickness. As rhytidome is primarily involved in protecting the living tissues of the trunk, we suggest that bark thickness is driven mostly by its defensive function. 5. Functional explanations for the variation in bark thickness were not clear-cut. Nevertheless, this study provides a foundation for further investigation of the functional bases of bark in tropical trees.