Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of biology majors’ written arguments across the curriculum

Argumentation in science is the process of coordinating theory and evidence to justify conclusions. This practice is at the heart of scientific journal writing and communication, but little is known regarding the argument quality of college science majors, the future scientists. Studies on written arguments at the college level have focused primarily on non-majors and upper-level students. To investigate and describe these skills throughout the biology curriculum, majors (n = 243) in four levels of undergraduate biology courses at a public university were assessed using a short, written argument instrument based on a hypothetical data set and scenario. Using Toulmin’s argumentation pattern to assess the instruments for argument aspects and quality, very few differences were found in the scores across course levels. Students were able to generate simple arguments consisting of claim, evidence and reasoning. The ability to provide scientific principles as reasoning to connect evidence and claims was positively correlated with course level. However, advanced argumentation skills, such as creating alternative explanations and rebuttals, were lacking across all course levels. These findings imply the need for explicit attention to argument construction throughout the undergraduate biology curriculum.
IMPACT OF INFECTIONS WITH Trichoderma pleurotum AND Trichoderma pleuroticola ISOLATES ON YIELDING OF WILD STRAINS OF Pleurotus ostreatus (Fr.) Kumm. OBTAINED FROM NATURAL SITES

Green moulds of Trichoderma genus cause high losses in oyster mushroom cul- tivations in many countries. Recently two new species i.e. T. pleurotum and T. pleuroti- cola have been identified. In the experiment yielding levels of Pleurotus ostreatus grow- ing on substrates infected with Trichoderma isolates were investigated. The following Trichoderma isolates were used: T. pleurotum designated as KWK/17 and T. pleuroticola designated as KMS/21 as well as three wild strains and one cultivated strain of P. ostrea- tus. It was found that the substrate infections with T. pleurotum and T. pleuroticola iso- lates caused significant yield reductions of the examined strains of oyster mushrooms. The infection with the T. pleuroticola KMS/21 isolate caused a significantly higher yield drops than the infection with the T. pleurotum KWK/17 isolate in comparison with yields recorded from uninfected substrates.
THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF SNAKES IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

Abstract We assessed the conservation status of 61 species from a central Brazilian snake assemblage by ranking species according to their vulnerability to ten threat factors that are thought to influence the survival of snake populations. The anomalepidid snake Liotyphlops ternetzii whereas the species with the lowest risk and the colubrid Drymoluber brazili was the most threatened. Less than 15% of the Distrito Federal snake fauna was considered free from any threat. The natural-history of the species, its geographic distribution, and human attitudes were important factors in determining the levels of threat for central Brazilian snakes. Principal Component and Cluster analyses were used to classify species into vulnerability groups that were based on sharing similar threat factors. Thirteen groups were identified which classified species in categories ranging from no risk to threatened. Within Brazil, status assessments of additional snake assemblages in other biomes would be useful in generating a comprehensive conservation plan for the country.
Antimicrobial components in leaves of Lycium chinense Mill.

Biologically active compounds in leaves of Lycium chinense (Lycii Folium) were examined to develop the effective use of this plant as a health food. The methanol extract of Lycii Folium exhibited antimicrobial activities, and one of the active compounds was identified as lyciumoside I (1) which is a characteristic component of Lycium chinense. Furthermore, the methanol extract of Lycii Folium inhibited the growth of Helicobacter pylori. The active component against H. pylori was also identified as 1. Quantitative analyses revealed that 1 was extracted into Kuko tea in high concentration. The hydrolysis products of 1 were also assayed for antimicrobial activity to study their structure-activity relationship.
Coevolution of Freshwater Gastropods and Their Predators

We have tried to show that freshwater gastropods (especially those in temporary waters) are generally less well adapted to avoid predation by crushing or other shell destruction than are most benthic marine snails. The sturdiest freshwater snail shells occur in ancient lakes and rivers, but even here such common marine antipredatory characteristics as narrow and dentate apertures are wholly absent. Limitations on calcification may be in part responsible for this greater conservatism of freshwater as compared to marine gastropods, but many architectural types incommensurate with the demands of carbonate conservation are common among freshwater snails. Low temperatures in many freshwater systems may also place severe metabolic limitations on specialized trophic linkages among both molluskan prey and their predators.
Effect of dietary protein on the allometric relationships between some carcass portions and body protein in three broiler strains

This paper reports the allometric relationships between some of the physical parts and body protein weight of three commercial broiler strains reared, sexes separate, on four dietary protein levels to six weeks of age. Birds were sampled at day old and then weekly from each of the treatments to determine the weights of the physical parts and the chemical composition of each of 582 birds. Allometric regressions were compared between strains, sexes and dietary protein levels using linear regression with groups. Whereas these regressions were similar over strains and sexes, some interactions were evident between factors, and differences occurred when broilers were fed differing dietary protein levels. These differences may be explained on the basis that lipid is deposited to different extents in each of the parts in response to dietary protein, although this was not tested. The allometric regressions presented are an attempt to provide information that would enable the prediction of the weights of breast meat, thigh, drum and wing at different stages of growth of broilers whose genotype and feed composition are adequately described.
Performance of lettuce cultivars with and without intercropping with carrot in Mossoró

An experiment was carried out between December 1997 and March 1998, in the Escola Superior de Agricultura de Mossoro, Brazil, to evaluate the performance of five lettuce cultivars in two cropping systems (with and without intercropping with the carrot cv. Brasilia) as well as the performance of carrot treatments in these cropping systems, under high temperature and ample sunlight of Mossoro. This experiment was carried out in an Eutrophic Yellow Red Argissolo. The experimental design was of randomized complete blocks in a 2 x 5 factorial scheme with five replications. The planting systems were the first factor and the lettuce cv. (Baba de Verao, Elisa, Great Lakes, Regina and Taina) were the second factor. There was, in each block, a plot with carrot without intercropping to assess the combined indices of the intercropping systems. Two types of univariate analyses of variance were performed, one to evaluate the lettuce traits and another for the carrot characteristics. Crop production was considered suitable for the marketing. Independently of the cropping system used, higher lettuce yield was observed in the cultivar Baba de Verao. The intercropping system which gave the best economic performance and greater land equivalent ratio (1.16) was carrot plus cultivar Regina. Carrot root yield was not affected by the competition of lettuce cultivars.
Sources of organic carbon supporting the food web of an arid zone floodplain river

SUMMARY 1. Many Australian inland rivers are characterised by vast floodplains with a network of anastomosing channels that interconnect only during unpredictable flooding. For much of the time, however, rivers are reduced to a string of disconnected and highly turbid waterholes. Given these features, we predicted that aquatic primary production would be light-limited and the riverine food web would be dependent on terrestrial carbon from floodplain exchanges and direct riparian inputs. 2. To test these predictions, we measured rates of benthic primary production and respiration and sampled primary sources of organic carbon and consumers for stable isotope analysis in several river waterholes at four locations in the Cooper Creek system in central Australia. 3. A conspicuous band of filamentous algae was observed along the shallow littoral zone of the larger waterholes. Despite the high turbidity, benthic gross primary production in this narrow zone was very high (1.7–3.6 g C m )2 day )1 ); about two orders of magnitude greater than that measured in the main channel. 4. Stable carbon isotope analysis confirmed that the band of algae was the major source of energy for aquatic consumers, ultimately supporting large populations of crustaceans and fish. Variation in the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures of consumers suggested that zooplankton was the other likely major source. 5. Existing ecosystem models of large rivers often emphasise the importance of longitudinal or lateral inputs of terrestrial organic matter as a source of organic carbon for aquatic consumers. Our data suggest that, despite the presence of large amounts of terrestrial carbon, there was no evidence of it being a significant contributor to the aquatic food web in this floodplain river system.
Ant species diversity in ciliary forest and gallery forest areas in central Brazil

Ants make up an important group of insects of the Cerrado in terms of biomass, number of individuals, and ecological impact. The main goals of this study were to quantify the species richness and species diversity of the family Formicidae in two riparian Cerrado physiognomies: Ciliary Forest and Gallery Forest, and to evaluate the effectiveness of two collection techniques for these organisms. The study was conducted during the dry season, comprising the months of May to October 2012, in the municipality of Quirinopolis, Goias State, Brazil. Samples were made using two capture techniques: sardine baits and pitfall traps. Manual collection was employed to extend the range of faunistic composition of the ants. We collected 24 species of ants in the Gallery Forest and 23 in the Ciliary Forest. The genus Megalomyrmex was the most representative, being present in 49.46% of the samples, and secondly the genus Pheidole, with 15.36% of the total individuals captured. From a total of 10,917 individuals, 9140 were captured using the bait technique, 1738 with traps, and 39 individuals through manual collection. Similar results were found in the Cerrado of Paineiras, with 45 ant species distributed in 16 genera belonging to 5 subfamilies.
A Revisitation of Species Circumscriptions and Evolutionary Relationships in Scouleria (Scouleriaceae)

Abstract The genus Scouleria has three to five traditionally recognized species from Northeast Asia, western North America, and southern South America. While the genus is well defined by several morphological synapomorphies, species circumscriptions have varied, especially with respect to narrow versus broad concepts of S. aquatica. We used Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of ITS and the chloroplast loci ndhA, trnS-trnG, and rpL32-trnL to test species circumscriptions and to re-evaluate an earlier hypothesis of evolutionary relationships within the genus. Our results strongly support the recognition of S. marginata and S. patagonica as currently recognized based on geography and morphology. Phylogenetic patterns within S. aquatica sensu lato support the resurrection of two northeast Asian species, S. rschewinii and S. pulcherrima as distinct from North American S. aquatica sensu stricto. In addition, the recognition of the North American S. “species A” sensu Norris and Shevock (2004) as distinct from S. aquatica sensu stricto is supported. In all analyses, Drummondia prorepens (Drummondiaceae), rather than Tridontium tasmanicum (Scouleriaceae), was resolved as sister to Scouleria, thus providing support for the placement of Tridontium outside of Scouleriaceae.
Widespread functional androdioecy inMercurialis annuaL. (Euphorbiaceae)

Abstract The widespread coexistence of male and monoecious (cosexual) plants in Spanish, Portuguese and Moroccan populations of Mercurialis annua , an annual wind-pollinated ruderal, represents an important case of functional androdioecy, a rare breeding system in plants and animals. In M. annua , both males and cosexes disperse fully competent pollen. Quantitative gender varies discontinuously between males and cosexes, with males producing a mean of 6.09 times as much pollen as cosexes. It appears that gender is determined by a simple developmental switch, with male and cosexual inflorescences differing markedly in morphology: staminate flowers are borne on erect peduncles in males and in tight spiral clusters around a subsessile pistillate flower in cosexes. Males do not differ from cosexes in their biomass, but they are significantly taller, principally as a result of their greater internode lengths. The cosexual inflorescence is strongly protogynous so that outcrossing is favoured in dense stands, but seed-set is assured in cosexes isolated from prospective mates because of their ability to self-fertilize. Males typically occur at frequencies of less than about 30% in androdioecious populations, in accordance with theoretical predictions for functional androdioecy. In the genus Mercurialis , dioecy is the ancestral condition and monoecy and androdioecy, which occur in polyploid populations of M. annua , are derived. I argue here that androdioecy is most likely to evolve in plants (1) from dioecy, (2) in wind-pollinated species, and (3) in species with a colonizing habit. These predictions are also consistent with the limited published data available for other species.
Changes in sex steroid hormones and ovarian development during artificial maturation of female eel, Anguilla japonica

Abstract The present study demonstrates the changes in body weight (BW) and plasma sex steroid hormone profiles during artificial maturation induced by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) or salmon pituitary extract (SPE) injections in cultured eel, Anguilla japonica, kept in seawater for 3 months. In the weekly SPE‐injected female group, BW was relatively stable during vitellogenesis. Following induction of vitellogenesis, females exhibited a rapid increase of BW, and the oocytes were observed to be in the migratory nucleus stage at the end of the experiment. Plasma testosterone (T) and estradiol‐17β (E2) levels increased slightly during vitellogenesis and peaked at an average of 5.82 ng/mL and 4.76 ng/mL, respectively, at the end of the experiment. In the weekly control and HCG‐injected female groups, BW slowly decreased during the experimental period, and the oocytes of the two groups were observed to be at the primary yolk globule stage. In the weekly HCG‐injected female group, plasma T and E2 levels increased slightly during vitellogenesis and decreased afterward. In the control female group, however, plasma T and E2 levels were not altered during the experimental period. Furthermore, plasma 17α,20β‐dihydroxy‐4‐pregnen‐3‐one (DHP) was not detected in all experimental groups. Fertility and hatching rates of SPE‐injected females were significantly higher in those that ovulated 15 h after DHP injection than 18 h. These results indicate that long rearing in seawater increases responsiveness to SPE in ovarian maturation of the Japanese eel, resulting in shortened period from completion of vitellogenesis by sex steroid hormone production.
Decline of the Orkney Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus population: do changes to demographic parameters and mating system fit a declining food hypothesis?

Capsule A decline in polygyny and lower secondary female breeding success have reduced male productivity and most likely led to the population decline. Aims To examine whether changes in demographic parameters during a population decline fit with a hypothesis that there has been a reduction in food supplies. Methods We examined changes in the number of young, numbers of successful broods and the size of these broods, produced on west Mainland, Orkney between 1953 and 2000 from ringing returns and original nest records. We also examined the changes in polygyny levels between 1967–74, 1976–81 and 1998–2000. Using more intensive data from 1980–81 and 1998–2000, we examined whether there were any changes in various breeding parameters of primary (monogamous or alpha) females or secondary (beta) females. Results Numbers of young and broods produced have declined dramatically in the west Mainland of Orkney since the end of the 1970s. In the 1970s, an average of 60 chicks fledged each year, whereas an average of only 16 chicks fledged in the 1990s. However, over this same period, the average brood size of successful nests did not change. The percentage of males breeding polygynously decreased from around 75% during 1967–81 to only 17% during 1998–2000, and the breeding success of secondary females also decreased. As a result, productivity of males on Orkney was significantly lower in 1998–2000 than in 1980–81. Conclusions The Hen Harrier population has declined dramatically on Orkney since the end of the 1970s. This was due to a decrease in polygynous breeding and a reduction in the breeding success of secondary females. Changes to demographic parameters were consistent with a hypothesis that the decline was an effect of reduced food availability during the early part of the breeding season during recent years.
Effect of diets containing cocoa bean shell and coconut oil cake on the growth of Oreochromis niloticus (LINNE, 1758) in pond

A 180-day feeding trial was conducted at fish farm ‘’Blondey‘’ (Cote d’Ivoire) with Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (LINNE, 1758) to evaluate the effect of cocoa bean shell and coconut oil cake on its growth. Juvenile tilapia (mean weight of 33.16 ± 2.2 g) was fed with a commercial diet (Ivograin) and two formulated diets twice daily (09.00 h and 15.00 h). The used stocking density was 2 fish/m2. Formulated diets were designated as D1 (cocoa bean shell, corn bran, soybean oil cake and cottonseeds oil cake) and D2 (coconut oil cake, corn bran, soybean oil cake and cottonseeds oil cake). All the tested diets contain around 28% protein and each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate ponds to evaluate growth, feed utilization, body composition and cost benefit. Fish fed diet with D1 gave the highest daily weight gain (1.94 ± 0.30 g/day) and the best feed conversion ratio (2.01). The lowest daily weight gain (1.53 ± 0.32 g/day) and the highest feed conversion ratio (2.47) were recorded for diet D2. Tilapia fed with diet D2 and commercial one (Ivograin) displayed similar growth and feed efficiencies patterns. Lipid accumulation was higher in fish reared with diets D1 and D2 compared to reference diet (Ivograin). Diets D1 and D2 reduce feed costs per unit of weight gain by 34.44 and 19.47%, respectively, compared to commercial diet. Keywords : Oreochromis niloticus, feeding, cocoa bean shell, coconut oil cake, growth, Cote d’Ivoire.
Nutritive value of diets with different carbohydrates for adult Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Adult Tephritidae, especially of the genus Anastrepha (Schiner, 1868), have been observed to feed on a wide variety of natural diets. The fruit on which they feed, in general, are rich in sugar content, chiefly glucose, frutose and sucrose, which are also the sugars that those insects utilise better. Neither the behavioural mechanisms, nor the physiological ones, that control food selection by insects, are well known. Because some of those aspects are not known for the species Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart, 1835) either, and in order to understand their biology better, three experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, it was checked whether there was a difference in metabolic profit by those insects, when fed the carbohydrates more frequently found in nature, as resulting in a bigger egg production and higher survival rate at the end of the experiment. In the second, it was checked whether A. obliqua can regulate diet ingestion according to carbohydrate content in dry as well as wet diets. In the third experiment, measurements were made to establish the lowest carbohydrate concentration flies are able to recognise in the diet. Analysis of the data showed that ingestion of carbohydrates which are commonly found in nature, in association with a protein source, is very well utilised by females of A. obliqua. It was also shown that . those insects are not probably able to compensate for the difference in carbohydrate content in dry diets, whereas they do so for wet diets. In relation to discrimination threshold, it seems that it is related to the higher occurrence of the carbohydrate in their normal diet, that is, they can recognise carbohydrates that are common in their natural diet better than the less frequent ones.
Temporal and Spatial Scales in Phytoplankton Ecology. Mechanisms, Methods, Models, and Management

This article is essentially a review of the temporal and spatial scales of variability in both marine and freshwater planktonic environments and the algal responses to those scales. I assert that there are problems with our present understanding of these scales and the use of inappropriate assumptions concerning the occurrence of steady-state conditions. In a nonsteady-state environment the concepts of limiting nutrients must be changed, and the extrapolation from culture to field conditions is fraught with problems. In this paper I review the evidence for the existence and importance of small-scale, high frequency and large-scale, low frequency variation in the planktonic environment and show that such variation fundamentally affects our understanding of existing processes. Methodology and models must also reflect the true scales of variability which exist. I show that there are, at present, problems with our understanding of planktonic processes which greatly affect our ability to manage water quality.