The absorption of food iron can be greatly influenced by other constituents in the diet such as ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and phenolics. Ascorbic acid increases the bioavailability of iron by converting Fe³ to Fe² , while phenolics can reduce the bioavailability of iron by binding to it. Phenolics (e.g., tannins), however, are often not included in diets of captive animals because they 1) can act as digestibility reducers by binding to dietary protein, and 2) require the feeding of fresh leaf material which can be hard to obtain on a regular basis. Conversely, ascorbic acid levels can be excessive from fresh fruit (e.g., oranges) and green vegetables that are often fed. Captive folivorous and frugivorous animals, in particular, can be affected by excessive uptake of dietary iron leading to clinical/pathological iron storage disease; excess ascorbic acid and/or a lack of dietary tannins have both been suggested as contributing to the incidence of these health conditions. Experiments reported herein determined the effects of tannic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid and a variety of plant extracts on the in vitro solubilization of iron. Binding curves used a stock solution of ferric ammonium sulfate (FAS) to which the pH was varied. Putative plant tannin/polyphenolic extracts were prepared from red seedless Thompson grapes, Black Riber grapes, blueberries, blackberries, walnut hulls, and grape seed extract. Binding was measured colorimetrically as absorbance at λ max. Most pure compounds tested and the putative tannin/polyphenolic sources bound iron, except several samples of red seedless grapes and blueberries. Grape seed extract, sold commercially as an antioxidant dietary supplement, was especially effective at binding iron. Iron binding was effectively quenched in some samples when ascorbic acid concentrations were elevated. Understanding the interactions among iron, phenolics, and ascorbic acid in vitro will assist in modeling and developing optimal diets for managed feeding programs and overall improved health in captive zoo animals.

Researchers are just beginning to discover the importance of seagrasses, such as Halodule wrightii, to coastal ecosystems, but unfortunately seagrasses are being eliminated because of human manipulations. In the current study three locations of seagrass beds in Tampa Bay were studied: seagrass beds next to Tampa Bayside Marina, outside the marina, and a control group from Ft. DeSoto. The marina sites are disturbed by boating activities, which do not occur at Ft. DeSoto. It is hypothesized that the seagrasses next to the marina will have lower chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid pigment concentrations as well as lower seagrass densities than at Ft. DeSoto because of boating disturbance and possible gasoline in the water. Although water analysis did not detect the presence of gasoline compounds in the water, seagrass density was significantly greater at Ft. DeSoto than the other two sites. Seagrass samples from each site were dissolved in Dimethylformamide to determine their photosynthetic qualities. From spectrophotometer readings at 480, 510, 646, and 664 nm the total chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid concentrations were determined. All tests supported the hypothesis that the seagrass beds had greater amounts of chlorophyll a, b, and seagrass density, but carotenoids did not have significant difference among the three sites. This research is the first step to a project monitoring the health of H. wrightii at Tampa Bayside Marina that is being transplanted.

Foraging success is critical to the survival of any predator. When encountering introduced prey species, predatory generalists often adapt more readily to the prey than do predatory specialists. The foraging and prey handling behaviors of Thamnophis hammondii offered three different prey types (Lepomis spp., larval Rana catesbeiana, and juvenile X. laevis) were examined. Durations of foraging and prey handling behaviors were analyzed to determine if these behaviors varied by snake gender, collection locality, or prey type. Differences in behavior type and duration as a function of gender or location were not detected. Snake behaviors varied between prey types, with differences in the duration of the following behaviors: time overland, cruising, margin wandering, midwater diving, prey-orienting underwater, and ingesting. Snakes successfully captured all prey types, with the highest attack and success rates when foraging for R. catesbeiana. The results indicate that T. hammondii exhibits a variable repertoire of foraging behaviors when presented various prey types. The generalist nature of this species may allow it to forage effectively for prey types that may be unavailable to other natricine snakes.

The aim of this study was to characterize the Arabidopsis mutant seedling plastid development 2 (spd2) mutant and compare it to spd1 and wild type. It was found that the mature spd2 plant produced less chlorophyll than both wild type and spd1. The few cells in the cotyledons that have chloroplasts are mostly found around the vascular tissue or are placed sporadically around the cotyledon. However, the spd2 seedling produced more anthocyanins than spd1 and wild type. Both spd1 and spd2 are agravitropic when compared to wild type. Polymerase chain reaction was used to map the SPD2 gene, which is located near the classical map position 85 cM chromosome1.