In California and Oregon, two recently described oomycete forest pathogens, Phytophthora nemorosa and P. pseudosyringae, overlap in their host and geographic ranges with the virulent P. ramorum, causal agent of "sudden oak death." Epidemiological observations, namely broader geographic distribution and lack of landscape-level mortality, led to the hypothesis they are native to this region, wher...

DNA-based genetic markers can reveal paternity whenever the direct assignment of fathers to offspring is precluded by multiple matings and internal fertilisation (e.g. Hughes, 1998). Microsatellites are the current marker of choice in many behavioural studies, and have revealed important insights into genetic mating systems of European amphibians (e.g., Garner & Schmidt, 2003). However, the num...

Species of the genus Aquilegia are exceptionally diverse in their floral morphology and color, commonly known as columbine. They are widely planted ornamentals and are highly attractive for hummingbirds. However, little is known about their genetic diversity. We examined the genetic diversity of the species and cultivars using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Sixteen EcoRI...

Abstract Species-rich calcareous grasslands in Europe strongly declined during the twentieth century due to drastic land use changes. Many were converted into more productive pastures or are covered by shrubs forests today, since they overgrown after abandonment afforested. Restoration of shrub forest clearing and subsequent recolonization grassland species from adjacent is, therefore, an impor...