An evaluation was conducted on the availability of bluegill Lepomis macrochirus vitellogenin gene transcription as a useful biomarker for detection of xenoestrogens. A cDNA partial sequence of the vitellogenin gene that was highly homologous to the vitellogenin Ab gene from other fish was isolated from L. macrochirus. In the 17β-estradiol exposure test, transcription of the vitellogenin gene in liver was confirmed in the fish exposed to over 0.5 ng/g body mass. On the other hand, as for the concentration of plasma 17β-estradiol, significant difference was observed in the dose group of over 500 ng/g body mass in comparison with the control fish. These results suggested that vitellogenin transcription in L. macrochirus is useful for monitoring of xenoestrogens.

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The Japanese flying squirrel, Pteromys momonga, is known to prefer the bark of Japanese cedar, Crytomeria japonica, as a nest material in their natural habitats. The present study was conducted to examine the heattrapping capacity of wood fibers from the squirrels’ nests made of the Japanese cedar bark and the bark of Japanese cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa, and any morphological differences between the cedar nest and cypress nest fibers. The results suggest that cedar fibers have a greater heat trapping capacity than cypress fibers and that cedar nest fibers are longer and finer than cypress nest fibers.

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Our observation and sensor camera photographs confi rmed that Japanese serows live in Tsuru, Yamanashi Prefecture. Six cases were observed in the Tokaichiba region and four cases at Mt.Ozaki. There is no previous record on the serows observed in these low-mountain areas according to archives of Tsuru city. This indicates that the serows have expanded their habitat to these low-mountain areas as the national tendency shows. The possibility of a rapid increse in the population of Japanese serows is low since they tend to maintain a steady habitat density for their ecological feature. Recently, the interspecifi c relationship between the Japanese serow and sika deer is indicated. It is necessary continue the reseach for analyzing the distribution and abaundanse of Japanese serows in Tsuru.

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The long term trend in chemical composition of precipitation was examined in three different areas of metropolitan Tokyo from 1992 to 2005. As a result, it was discovered that the NO₃^- quantity was 26.3 meq/m² in the coastal area, 32.6 meq/m² in the hilly area, and 31.0 meq/m² in the mountainous area. The equivalent ratio of non sea-salt sulfate to nitrate in the precipitation was higher in the mountainous area than in the coastal area due to NO₃^- that was transported from the coastal area.

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A total of 156 species of liverwort are listed based on approximately 860 specimens collected from Mt. Fuji, central Japan. Also detailed drawings are given for Calypogeia fujisana, Cololejeunea macounii, and Cololejeunea verdoornii, as taxa of phytogeographic interest.

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