The turf grass Sporobolus virginicus is halophyte and has high salinity tolerance. To investigate the molecular basis of its remarkable tolerance, we performed Illumina high-throughput RNA sequencing on roots and shoots of a S. virginicus genotype under normal and saline conditions. The 130 million short reads were assembled into 444,242 unigenes. A comparative analysis of the transcriptome wit...

Research at 10 locations in coastal subtropical Queensland, Australia, has shown that salt marshes contained heterogeneous distributions of eggshells of the pest and vector mosquito Aedes vigilax (Skuse) (Diptera:Culicidae). The eggshell distribution was related to specific vegetation assemblages, with a mix of the grass, Sporobolus virginicus (L.) Kunth (Poales: Poaceae), and the beaded glassw...

Research at 10 locations in coastal subtropical Queensland, Australia, has shown that salt marshes contained heterogeneous distributions of eggshells of the pest and vector mosquito Aedes vigilax (Skuse) (Diptera:Culicidae). The eggshell distribution was related to specific vegetation assemblages, with a mix of the grass, Sporobolus virginicus (L.) Kunth (Poales: Poaceae), and the beaded glassw...

Understanding the mechanisms used by halophytic members of the Poaceae to cope with salt stress will contribute to the knowledge necessary to genetically engineer salt-tolerant crops. In this study, we identified a genotype of Sporobolus virginicus, a halophytic turf grass collected in Japan, and investigated its growth rate, ion concentration and secretion, and proline concentration in compari...

Traditional methods of managing salt marsh mosquitoes focus primarily on maximizing the reduction of mosquito populations, with minimizing environmental impact as a secondary consideration. An environment-oriented approach to salt marsh management for mosquito control, runnelling, is described and compared with other forms of habitat modification such as ditching and Open Marsh Water Management...

We used carbon stable isotopes to examine the influence of the size of saltmarsh patches on the trophic contribution of saltmarsh grass and mangroves to 2 species of resident crabs (Parasesarma erythrodactyla and Australoplax tridentata). Crabs were collected at different distances across the saltmarsh–mangrove interface at each of 10 saltmarshes of different sizes (0.01 to 8.10 ha) adjacent to...

Information about trace element composition in vegetation from tropical environments is scarce. Trace elements were evaluated on vegetation samples collected at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facilities (AFWTF) in Vieques, agricultural areas in Vieques and mainland Puerto Rico, and at the Guánica State Forest. Analyses were conducted using atomic absorption after dry-ashing of samples and ...