The links between immunity, parasite burden and host demography and population dynamics remain poorly characterised in wild mammals. I will present data from wild Soay sheep on St Kilda testing associations between key elements of humoral immunity (circulating antibody levels of different isotypes and specificities) and parasite burdens, condition and over-winter survival in both neonates and adult animals.

This study reports differences in progeny allocation, host preference and resource utilization in three closely related species of hyperparasitids. Two species are wingless and the other has wings. The results suggest that variation in morphological traits and ecology, as well as interactions with ants, strongly influence reproductive success, behaviour and development.  

An ecological model of domestication hypothesises that crop progenitors have traits which were advantageous in areas of human settlement, e.g. greater seed yield, biomass and height, and that these traits co-vary with seed mass. This was tested for grasses and legumes in a glasshouse experiment and patterns between and within species are discussed. 

Recently developed theory of probabilistic reaction norms (PRNs) can help separate phenotypic plasticity from presumed evolutionary effects. We demonstrate the potential of PRNs for life history evolution studies in insects in a non-model semiaquatic heteropteran, Microvelia reticulata. We show that both dimorphic growth rates and dimorphic PRNs across multiple instars drive sexual dimorphism in adult size in this species.

Daphnia respond to their predators with changes in several morphological, behavioural and life history traits. We examine the genotype specific relationships across a suite of traits representing these predator induced changes in 19 genotypes of Daphnia pulex, from three source populations. We find large differences in the relationships between traits among the genotypes.

When nymphs were exposed at their ULT₅₀ mean development time to adult was increased in both males and females. Exposure of nymphs and adults at their ULT₅₀ temperatures significantly extended the time required for their progeny to complete egg development for all mating combinations compared with control. Overall, sub-lethal heat stress inhibited development, lowered fecundity and extended egg development time.

In this talk I will discuss the hormonal control of reproduction and immune function, in conjunction with my work on the burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides, and the hormone Juvenile Hormone.  I will cover my work to date regarding manipulation of hormone levels, and the resulting reproductive success and level of investment into immunity.   

Leaf defences typical of tropical forest species include delayed greening and extra-floral nectaries. Do species invest more in leaf defences in areas of higher herbivore pressure? From comprehensive surveys in Ecuador (high) and Panama (low), we examined differences in the incidence of leaf defences, and the effects of defences on the long-term growth and survival rates of 1,300 tree species.

We present a new global map of biomes where the ground cover is dominated by grasses, and the first attempt to globally map C₃ and C₄ dominant grasses based entirely on ground-based observations. The distributions of dominant grass species are explained in relation to phylogeny, photosynthetic pathway, climate and fire.

Non-targeted metabolomics provides a snapshot of the relative concentration of metabolites present in biological tissue. We used metabolomics to explore the relationships between growth and nutrient storage in seven monocarpic plant species. Size-corrected RGR was negatively associated with allocation to root carbohydrates and amino acids. Storage is likely to be a key trait underpinning the growth-survival trade-off in plants.

Little is known about survival rates and life history patterns of tropical birds, partly due to the paucity of data.  Analysis of mark-recapture data collected over five years on a constant effort basis from the forests of Trinidad enabled survival rates to be estimated for 18 tropical passerines, and for potential life history trade-offs in these species to be explored.

Life-history theory predicts the existence of a main axis of demographic variation: the fast-slow continuum. Here we use the COMPADRE database to examine demographic variation in 383 plants. We found two primary axes: the fast-slow continuum, strongly influenced by phylogeny, and a second, novel axis related to reproductive investment and not driven by phylogenetic nor environmental filtering, suggesting its universality.

The effect of ionic toxicity of different concentrations of lead chloride salt was examined by measuring different parameters dunring seed germination and seedling development of   Cucumis sativusL.  This species could tolerate the toxicity of lead chloride and could be used as a phytoremediation tool.

Key wards: Lead chloride,Cucumber., phytoremediation

We analyzed the photosynthetic responses (gas exchange and fluorescence) of 150 days old potted seedlings to ozone and latitude in populations located across the range of the species.

We conclude that the populations native to the Northern and the Southern borders of the range are more resistant to ozone but display a lower acclimation capacity to change in resource availability.