Until now, nonnative plant species were rarely found at high elevations and latitudes. However, partly because of climate warming, biological invasions are now on the rise in these extremely cold environments. These plant invasions make it timely to undertake a thorough experimental assessment of what has previously been holding them back. This knowledge is key to developing efficient managemen...

One of the most commonly seeded crops in Canada is canola, a cultivar of oilseed rape (Brassica napus). As a mass-flowering crop grown intensively throughout the Canadian Prairies, canola has the potential to influence pollinator success across tens of thousands of square kilometers of cropland. Bumble bees (Bombus sp.) are efficient pollinators of many types of native and crop plants. We measu...

We are now reaching the stage at which specific genetic factors with known physiological effects can be tied directly and quantitatively to variation in phenology. With such a mechanistic understanding, scientists can better predict phenological responses to novel seasonal climates. Using the widespread model species Arabidopsis thaliana, we explore how variation in different genetic pathways c...

To date, the effect of natural selection on candidate genes underlying complex traits has rarely been studied experimentally, especially under ecologically realistic conditions. Here we report that the effect of selection on the flowering time gene FRIGIDA (FRI) reverses depending on the season of germination and allelic variation at the interacting gene FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). In field studie...

(Phenology, fruit set and dispersal of Cordia multispicata Cham., an important weed shrub of abandoned pastures in eastern Amazonia). The reproductive ecology of the distylous tropical shrub Cordia multispicata was studied in an abandoned pasture in Paragominas County , Pará state, Brazil. It is a common species in the Amazon basin where it occurs as a weed in open and disturbed habitats. C. mu...

Floristic composition and dispersal syndromes were determined along one year in an open ombrophilous forest fragment in the Municipal Park of Maceió, Alagoas State, Brazil. A total of 178 species belonging to 61 families were examined. Fabaceae was the most species-rich family, with 24 species. Among sampled species, 123 had their syndromes of diaspore dispersal determined, and most of them (69...

This study identified statistically significant, and practically important, seasonal pheromone trap response dynamics of Euschistus conspersus (Uhler) in processing tomatoes in 12 fields over 5 years in California, USA. Commercial fields were monitored weekly using traps baited with Euschistus spp. pheromone and direct canopy shake samples. Regression analysis determined no significant relation...

Representations of femininity in video games and other media are often discussed with reference to the most popular games, their protagonists and their sexist predicament. This framing leaves in shadow other dimensions. We aim to identify some of them and to open a broader horizon for examining and designing femininity and gender in games. To this end we look into games with creative portrayals...

Above- and belowground phenology and water relations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum Jacq. trees in the dry forest of Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica were studied during two consecutive phenological cycles, from November 1998 to June 2000. Aboveground phenological activity, including leaf shedding, growth and maturation of dormant fruits, new leaf flushing and flowering, occurred during the dr...

increasing the water use efficiency in crop production is an important issue today. an experiment was conducted in 2009 in order to evaluate the corn reaction to partial root zone drying at fars province. treatments consisted of four irrigation levels (control, alternative furrow irrigation during whole season, alternative furrow irrigation until flowering then full irrigation and full irrigati...