Thirty-four pedons on four moraine groups spanning the last 1 myr are used to investigate mechanisms and rates of soil development in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. All soils are coarse-loamy, mesic, Typic Haplocalcids or Calcic Haploxerolls occurring under short grass-shrub steppe, in a semi-arid climate. The dominant soil-forming processes are the accumulation of organic matter, carbonate, and clay-sized particles. Organic carbon accumulates rapidly in these soils, but significantly higher amounts in the oldest two moraine groups are likely the result of slight differences in soil-forming environment or grazing practices. Accumulation rates of carbonate and clay decrease with age, suggesting either decreased influx in the earliest part of the record or attainment of equilibrium between influx and loss. There are no changes in soil redness, and preservation of weatherable minerals in the oldest soils indicates there is little chemical weathering in this environment. Measured dust input explains the accumulation of both clay and carbonate. We present a carbonate cycling model that describes potential sources and calcium mobility in this environment. Calibration of rates of soil formation creates a powerful correlation tool for comparing other glacial deposits in Argentina to the well-dated moraines at Lago Buenos Aires.

Acarospora brodoana K. Knudsen, Kocourk. & M. Westb. is described from the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California. A black hypothecium distinguishes it from other species with a carbonized epihymenium. Sarcogyne albothallina K. Knudsen, Wheeler & M. Westb. is described from the Missouri Breaks in Montana. A white non-farinose thallus and production of 4-O-methylhiascic acid distinguishes it from other species with a carbonized epihymenium. Both species would previously have been placed in Polysporina. The current reported diversity of Acarosporaceae in North America north of Mexico is 93 species.

Diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, is known for causing damage to Brassica crops and developing resistance to chemical and biological pesticides; it has become one of the most difficult pests to manage in many regions around the world. The only way to reduce reliance on pesticides is to maximize the role of natural control agents for integrated pest management programs and be able to incorporate the mortality from control agents into pest control decision-making. More than 90 hymenopterous parasitoids are associated with DBM worldwide; among them, Diadegma semiclausum, is a major endoparasitoid of P. xylostella. To optimize parasitism of pests in pest control decision-making, it is necessary to develop rapid and simple methods for distinguishing parasitized from non-parasitized larvae in the field. Here we report on a number of diagnostic tools to identify parasitized larvae. One is based on differential melanization reactions in hemolymph due to immune suppression in parasitized larvae. The lack of coagulation reactions in hemolymph provides a simple initial test, where squashing a non-parasitized larva onto nitrocellulose membrane traps chlorophyll-containing gut content on the membrane leaving a green dot of clotted gut material. However, in immune-suppressed parasitized larvae, the gut content was washed away in absence of coagulation reactions and the membrane lacks a green dot. This tool alone or combined with others, allows quick detection of parasitized caterpillars in the field. We further showed that the antibody MAb 9A5 can be used to detect D. semiclausum parasitized larvae of DBM in Western blots.

We examined the patterns of parasite melanization in Gammarus insensibilis using data on microphallids from Pomorie Lagoon (Black Sea) in the light of 3 predictions associated with host survival: (i) hosts invest more in defence in an environment where the likelihood for infection is higher; (ii) multiple immune challenges exhaust host reserves and result in decreased melanization rates in older hosts; (iii) host immune response is directed against the cerebral metacercariae of Microphallus papillorobustus that alter amphipod behaviour and are most detrimental to the host. G. insensibilis was capable of melanizing the metacercariae of all four species of trematodes found to be hosted by the amphipods. The frequency of melanization and mean abundance of melanized metacercariae were substantially higher than those observed in the same amphipod-gammarid system on the French Mediterranean coast. However, the rate of melanization was low and showed a significant decrease with amphipod size. Although the 4 species were differentially melanized, the host response was largely directed against Microphallus hoffmanni and M. subdolum. We suggest that (i) the lower melanization efficiency with age is due to the mode of infection, probably leading to loss of haemolymph and monopolization of the defence resources for wound healing and (ii) in the French system, host response focuses on the most prevalent and abundant species.

The melanization of Dirofilaria immitis microfilariae in Armigeres subalbatus haemolymph in vitro is a two-step process. Firstly, the microfilariae are encased in a transparent capsule, then the capsule material is melanized later. Benzamidine HCl and p-amidinophenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, both serine protease inhibitors, inhibited the deposition of the transparent capsule material and melanization. Diethyldithiocarbamate, a phenoloxidase inhibitor, did not prevent the deposition of the transparent capsule material but it did inhibit melanization. m-Hydroxybenzylhydrazine, a dopa decarboxylase inhibitor, had no inhibitory action on the deposition of the transparent capsule material. However, the time for the transparent capsule to become melanized was delayed due to the presence of m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine in the test system. Immunocytochemical localization showed that prophenoloxidase and/or phenoloxidase was present in the transparent capsule material. These results suggest (1) that prophenoloxidase cascade is essential in the melanization of microfilariae in mosquitoes and its putative activation behaviour is similar to that of other insects and (2) that the deposition of transparent capsule material is a result of the activation of prophenoloxidase by serine proteases and the melanization of the transparent capsule material is due to the presence of active phenoloxidase in capsule.

Different modes of immune reactions of insect vectors of human and animal diseases to nematode and protozoan parasites, fungi, bacteria, viruses and to other biological materials e.g. xenografts are discussed in this paper. Since most of the insect vectors of diseases are adult dipterans with low numbers of circulating haemocytes, their mode of defence against metazoan parasites and fungal pathogens is primarily by means of humoral encapsulation, with little haemocyte participation. Although earlier workers reported that humoral capsules in dipterans were formed without direct participation by haemocytes, this paper reveals increasing evidence of cellular involvement in the formation of humoral capsules, both at the initial and terminal stages of the encapsulation process. The role of phenoloxidase system in non-self recognition and in the process of melanization of haemolymph and capsules formed around parasites and fungal pathogens is also discussed. Immune defence of insect vectors against bacterial invasion by means of haemocytic reactions e.g. phagocytosis and nodule formation and by synthesis and release of humoral antibacterial factors e.g. lysozyme, attacins and cecropins is described and compared with similar reactions reported to occur in other insects. The role of lectins in defence of insect vectors against the parasites they transmit e.g. sandflies against Leishmania, blackflies against Onchocerca and tsetse against Trypanosomes is discussed and the possible mechanisms by which some parasites evade recognition and attack by the vector immune systems are also briefly discussed.

Petroleum ether extract of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart) Solm. was evaluated for its biological activity against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Sitophilus oryzae (L.), Callosobruchus maculatiti (F.) and Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton). The crude extract included in the diet of insects retarded development and caused mortality in the fourth instar larvae of T. castaneum and C. cephalonica. Cuticle melanization in patches were observable in C. cephalonica larvae. High mortality of adult C. maculatus occurred in insects confined to the treated diet as well as in insects exposed to treated surfaces. The extract did not show any toxicity to adult S. oryzae.

Epidinocarsis lopezi proved to be an efficient biological control agent of the cassava mealybug (CM), Phenacoccus manihoti, despite apparently low parasitization rates. Laboratory experiments indicated that its killing power at higher temperatures was two to three times higher than the per cent mummy formation suggested. Following an attack by an E. lopezi female some CM hosts were killed through host feeding and some through successful development of the parasitoid larva, processes which both benefit the parasitoid. If the host was found unsuitable, no egg was laid, and the CM survived the attack. Other CM died from the wasp attack without forming a mummy. This mortality is attributed to mutilation and unsuccessful larval development of E. lopezi. Most ovipositions induced a defence reaction by the host that lead to melanization. This process involved mainly wound tissue, sometimes partial encapsulation of the tail end of the parasitoid larva, and infrequently complete and fatal encapsulation of the parasitoid larva.