Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preliminary estimates of fallen dead wood and standing dead trees in managed and unmanaged forests in Britain

1. The amount of dead wood, particularly as fallen dead wood and standing dead trees, in British forests is attracting attention from forest managers as part of their interest in increasing biodiversity within forests managed for timber. Existing levels of dead wood in managed and unmanaged forests were assessed to provide a basis for what might be considered high or low amounts of dead wood under present conditions. 2. Estimates of fallen dead wood, derived from line-intersect sampling, were collated for 63 sites (87 stands) in Britain. The values obtained ranged from virtually zero in recently cut coppice to 60–140 m3 ha−1 in stands largely undisturbed over at least the last 80 years. The highest values (from unmanaged stands) overlap with estimates for the volumes of fallen logs in old-growth broadleaved forests in North America and continental Europe. Forests currently managed for timber had less than 20 m3 ha−1 of fallen logs. 3. In unmanaged stands, localized accumulation of fallen material was often associated with exceptional events such as the 1976 drought or the 1987 great storm. Following the 1987 storm the amounts of fallen dead wood in unmanaged forests in eastern England appear to have doubled from about 10 m3 ha−1 to 23 m3 ha−1. 4. Large standing dead trees (snags), > 40 cm diameter, were rarely recorded in the forests surveyed because most forests in Britain have been cut over at least once this century and any large timber removed. 5. The following, based on the range of values found in this survey, are proposed as provisional benchmarks for amounts of dead wood in British broadleaved forests: low 40 m3 ha−1 fallen dead wood, more than 50 snags ha−1 (of which some are more than 40 cm diameter). 6. Further work on assessing the dead wood resource in British forests is needed.
GPS telemetry for parrots: A case study with the Kea (Nestor notabilis)

ABSTRACT Parrots are one of the most complex avian lineages worldwide, yet little is known about their patterns of movement and space use. Such information is vital for understanding the social development and structure of members of this long-lived order, as well as for the establishment of effective conservation and management actions for the many threatened or endangered species. While global positioning system (GPS) telemetry has been employed successfully on a broad range of birds, to date no studies have been published in which this technology has been used on any psittaciform species, most probably due to concerns held by researchers regarding the high cost of GPS units or the perceived ability of members of this order to remove or damage tracking gear. Here, we evaluate the feasibility and performance of animal-borne GPS telemetry as a means of tracking parrots. First, we encased inexpensive (<US$70) archival GPS dataloggers (~19 g) in bite-proof housing, and then we evaluated the effects of the devices on the study animals and their operational performance during field trials (n = 14) on wild-caught Kea (Nestor notabilis), a large (~1 kg) parrot endemic to the Southern Alps of New Zealand. We observed no apparent adverse effects of the loggers on the behavior and condition of the Kea and no damage to the devices that impaired their function, and found that the operational performance of the loggers was similar to that reported for devices deployed on other birds and animals. Our study demonstrates that GPS telemetry can be a highly effective method for characterizing the movement patterns of free-ranging parrots.
Energetic consequences of sexual size dimorphism in nestling red-winged blackbirds

The energy budget of nestling Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) was determined using doubly labeled water (/sup 3/HH/sup 18/O) to measure field metabolic rate (FMR) and body component data to measure growth energy. Sex-specific measurements permitted the evaluation of the effects of this species' substantial sexual size dimorphism on FMR and total energetics. FMR averaged CO/sub 2/ release of 5.12 mL.g/sup -1/. h/sup -1/, or 0.129 kJ.g/sup -1/. h/sup -1/, with no significant differences between the sexes. Daytime FMRs of CO/sub 2/ production (5.34 mL.g/sup -1/.h/sup -1/) were higher, but not significantly so, than nighttime FMRs (4.45 mL.g/sup -1/.h/sup -1/). Water influx averaged 0.95 mL.g/sup -1/. d/sup -1/, with daytime rates (1.22 mL.g/sup -1/.d/sup -1/) significantly higher than nighttime (0.40 mL.g/sup -1/d/sup -1/) rates. Total assimilated energy from hatching to fledging was 1014 and 797 kJ for male and female nestlings, respectively. The sexual differences in total energetics reflected differences in body size of the nestlings and suggest that there is a greater cost to the parents in raising males than in raising females.
Comparative whitefly transmission of Tomato chlorosis virus and Tomato infectious chlorosis virus from single or mixed infections

Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and Tomato infectious chlorosis virus (TICV) are two criniviruses that are emerging worldwide, and induce similar yellowing diseases in tomato crops. While TICV is transmitted only by Trialeurodes vaporariorum, ToCV is transmitted by three whitefly species in two genera Trialeurodes vaporariorum, T. abutilonea and Bemisia tabaci. The efficiency of transmission by T. vaporariorum from plants infected by one virus or by both was compared, and the probability of virus transmission by a single whitefly was derived from group testing experiments. The estimated transmission probabilities ranged from 0·01 to 0·13, and were not significantly different between ToCV and TICV, or between single and mixed infections. Experiments using B. tabaci as a vector and source plants infected by TICV and ToCV did not reveal any functional trans-complementation for transmission of TICV by ToCV, suggesting that if this phenomenon occurs in nature, it is at a very low frequency. Possible reasons why TICV did not establish in southern France while ToCV is now endemic are discussed.
Pterosiphonia tanakae (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales), a new red algal species from Japan

The red alga Pterosiphonia tanakae Uwai et Masuda (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales) is established as a new species on the basis of material collected in Hiroshima Bay, the Inland Sea, Japan. It can be distinguished from the majority of previously described species of the genus by two key features, seven to 10 periaxial cells and the presence of weakly developed cortical cells. This species is further distinguished from P. pau‐cicorticata Dawson by completely alternate‐distichously branching and from Pjavanica (Martens) De Toni and P. spinifera (Kützing) Norris et Aken by the production of first‐order laterals that bear branches of up to five orders, which results in the thallus having a widely spreading, fan‐shaped appearance. The abundant production of vegetative trichoblasts is a further characteristic feature of P. tanakae.
Potentially harmful Ostreopsis spp. in the coastal waters of Alexandria - Egypt

Ostreopsis spp. has been reported for the first time from the Egyptian Mediterranean waters. Macroalgal samples were collected monthly between June 2005 and December 2007, from the rocks at Abu Qir, from less than 1.5 m depth, and their associated microalgae examined. Populations of two Ostreopsis morphotypes were found to occur in this location, east of Alexandria, viz., O . cf ovata Fukuyo and Ostreopsis morph1. The Ostreopsis spp. was abundant and dominant during the summer. They were more abundant as epiphytes of the brown algae Padina sp. and Sargassum sp. , less abundant on the red algae Corallina sp. , Jania sp. , Laurencia sp. and even less so on the green algae Ulva spp. Ostreopsis cf. ovata was also identified during the summer months on the same macroalgal species, although in a much lower abundance. Ostreopsis spp. alternated in dominance with the benthic cyanobacteria Oscillatoria spp. and the diatom Licmophora sp. Other benthic dinoflagellates recorded at low abundance included Amphidinium carterae , Gymnodinium sp. and Prorocentrum lima .
Empirical Evidences on Structure-Conduct-Performance Relationship in the Banking Sector-A Systematic Review of Literature

A detailed and systematic review of existing literature on the Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) relationship indicates that the empirical divergence between SCP and competing hypothesis is still not conclusive which is attracting a lot of research works across the world and recently in Africa. studies on SCP by large are dominated by quantitative analysis with exclusion of non-quantifiable variables such as related to conduct and/or those lack data (regulation). The majority of studies employ a multiple linear regression model where a measure of bank performance (mostly profit) is regressed on market concentration variables (such as k-firm, HHI etc) along with some control variables. Studies that used the structure model have also limited focus on other key variables like regulation, macroeconomic and industry factors. They have also applied a quantitative approach and assumed conduct as being a derivative of the market structure. Hence, there was no attempt to explore the behavior of banks within the given structure, banking and macro environment. Few studies have explicitly considered Ethiopia’s banking performance using the structural approach (SCP or ESH). Nevertheless, the existing bank performance studies were not analyzed incorporating big banks in the industry with long period observation of banks using parametric and non parametric methods which are scarce in the
Asymmetrical Competition between Microtus montanus and Microtus longicaudus in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Abstract Stable coexistence of ecologically similar species is often a complicated phenomenon involving a synergy of biotic and abiotic factors. We investigated competitive interactions and small scale division of space in the closely related vole species Microtus montanus and Microtus longicaudus, which co- occur across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) in the Rocky Mountains. We directly manipulated in situ populations of these species in two habitat types over three consecutive years. We confirmed previously described habitat associations of the study species: M. montanus was most abundant in open grassy meadows; M. longicaudus was most abundant in ecotonal areas with greater woody vegetation cover. Additionally, removal experiments conducted in both habitat types revealed a habitat-dependent competitive interaction between species: M. montanus excluded M. longicaudus from resource-rich meadows; M. longicaudus was limited to patchy ecotonal habitats that M. montanus was not observed to colonize. We did not observe an effect of the experimental treatment on either species' body mass. The outcome of the asymmetric competition between these species is influenced by local environmental conditions and enables their coexistence in the GYE.
Defoliation effects on seed dispersal and seedling recruitment in a tropical rain forest understorey palm

Assessing the demographic effects of leaf area losses in perennial plants is important to determine population resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Yet, while impacts of defoliation on vital rates of adult plants have been well documented, consequences for seed dispersal and seedling recruitment have been barely explored. Here, we assessed the effects of defoliation on fruit production, fruit/seed size, seed dispersal and seedling recruitment in populations of Chamaedorea ernesti‐augustii, a tropical rain forest, understorey palm from Mesoamerica, whose leaves are exploited as a highly valuable non‐timber forest product (NTFP). Fruit size and seed production were quantified in mature palms that were subjected to 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% experimental removal of standing leaves, applied every 6 months over 2 years. Seed dispersal by birds and gravity, and seed predation by small vertebrates on the ground were also quantified. Rates of seedling recruitment were recorded in non‐defoliated and ‘sterile’ populations (75% sustained defoliation and periodical removal of all produced fruits). Finally, a stochastic model was used to quantify the overall effect of defoliation on seedlings recruited from locally (i.e. dispersed by gravity) and immigrant produced seeds (i.e. dispersed by birds). Increasing defoliation strongly reduced seed production. The probability of bird dispersal was positively correlated with fruit/seed size. Isolated (i.e. bird‐dispersed) seeds endured lower predation rates than grouped (i.e. gravity‐dispersed) ones. Modelling showed that seedling recruitment rate is severely reduced in highly defoliated populations due to a strong decline in the number of seedlings coming from local seed sources. Surrounding non‐defoliated populations could partly compensate for this effect via seedlings coming from immigrant seeds. Synthesis. Chronic and intense defoliation negatively affects seed production and dispersal, which reduces the probability of seedling recruitment. Such effects may have a profound impact on the dynamics and genetic variability of populations, which should be taken into account when considering the effects of natural defoliation and sustainability of leaf‐harvesting regimes.
Variation in Bromus sterilis on farmland: evidence for the origin of field infestations

1. Results from a common garden experiment and from a survey of isozymic variation, using population samples of Bromus sterilis, collected from five pairs of field-boundary and mid-field habitats, provided no evidence of habitat-correlated differentiation of the populations in response to the differences in selective pressure between cropped and boundary habitats. 2. Pairs of populations from the same field could not be differentiated either by quantitative characteristics or by allele frequencies, though populations from different fields could be distinguished. 3. Results from a more intensive survey of isozymic variation, in a population occurring along a hedge-field interface, provided further evidence of the close genetic relationship between hedge and field populations. A strong association in allele frequencies was detected between samples from adjacent sections of hedge and field but not between samples from more distant sections. 4. It is suggested that boundary populations act as a major seed source for continual re-infestation of the field, and that the unstable nature of ephemeral field infestations prevents ecotypic differentiation
On the Performance of Cryptocurrency Funds

We investigate the performance of funds that specialise in cryptocurrency markets. In doing so, we contribute to a growing literature that aims to understand the role of digital assets as an investment. Methodologically, we implement a novel bootstrap approach that samples jointly the cross-sectional distribution of alphas and controls for the nonnormality of fund returns and their within-strategy correlations. Empirically, we find that a sizable minority of managers are able to cover their costs and generate large alphas. However, there is weak statistical evidence of managers’ skills once withinstrategy common variation in returns is taken into account.
Gβ5 Is Required for Normal Light Responses and Morphology of Retinal ON-Bipolar Cells

Gβ5 exists as two splice variants, Gβ5-S and Gβ5-L, which interact with and stabilize the R7 members of the regulators of G-protein signaling (RGSs): RGS6, RGS7, RGS9, and RGS11. Although the role of Gβ5-L and RGS9-1 is established in photoreceptors, the physiological functions of Gβ5-S and other R7 RGS proteins remain unclear. We found that the electroretinogram of Gβ5−/− mice lacks the b-wave component and that Gβ5-S and RGS11 colocalize with Goα at the tips of the ON-bipolar cell dendrites. Unexpectedly, we found a significant reduction in the number of synaptic triads in the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the Gβ5−/− mice, which is evident at postnatal day 14. Transgenic expression of Gβ5-L in rods failed to rescue the b-wave or the OPL defects. These results indicate that Gβ5-S is indispensable for OPL integrity and normal light responses of the retina.
Interaction of Ascorbate and α‐Tocopherol

Vitamins C and E function as water-soluble and lipid-soluble chain-breaking antioxidants, respectively, and protect lipids, proteins, and membranes from oxidative damage. Vitamin C scavenges oxygen radicals in the aqueous phase, whereas vitamin E scavenges oxygen radicals within the membranes. Vitamin C regenerates vitamin E by reducing vitamin E radicals formed when vitamin E scavenges the oxygen radicals. This interaction between vitamin C and vitamin E radicals can take place not only in homogeneous solutions but also in liposomal membrane systems where vitamins C and E reside separately outside and within the membranes respectively, and vitamin C can act as a synergist.
Yield, chemical composition, and bioactivity of essential oils from 12 species of Eucalyptus on Aedes aegypti larvae

The insecticidal activity of essential oils from 12 species of Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) was evaluated on larvae of Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae), the most important vector of dengue and yellow fever in the Americas. Oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and their chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry; yields ranged from 0.2 to 2.5%. Essential oils were mainly composed of 1,8‐cineole, α‐pinene, α‐phellandrene, β‐phellandrene, γ‐terpinene, 4‐terpineol, α‐terpineol, p‐cymene, and spathulenol. Larvicidal effects were tested on susceptible third or fourth stage Ae. aegypti larvae, determining median lethal concentration (LC50) and median effective concentration (EC50). Essential oils from Eucalyptus dunnii (Maiden), Eucalyptus gunnii (Hook), Eucalyptus tereticornis (Smith), Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Dehn), and Eucalyptus saligna (Smith) showed the best larvicidal activities with LC50 values of 25.2, 21.1, 22.1, 26.8, and 22.2, respectively. No significant differences were observed between LC50 and EC50 values of the same oil. Regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between total essential oil yields and 1,8‐cineole concentration. Significant relationships were also revealed between larval mortality and the concentration of 1,8‐cineole and p‐cymene. This indicated that Eucalyptus species with high oil yields have higher 1,8‐cineole concentrations and lower p‐cymene concentrations and have less effect on Ae. aegypti. Our results suggest the potential of controlled crossing methods to obtain Eucalyptus trees with chemical profiles having enhanced activity against this mosquito.
Relationship between water temperature predictability and aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in two South African streams

Variable seasonal stream temperatures are a critical factor in maintaining aquatic invertebrate community patterns. We investigated whether the degree of predictability in a stream's water temperature profile provides insights into the structure and functional predictability of macroinvertebrate communities. Quarterly macroinvertebrate sampling over 11 months at five paired sites along the longitudinal axes of the Keurbooms River, Western Cape, and the Kowie/Bloukrans River, Eastern Cape, was undertaken in conjunction with collection of hourly water temperatures. Macroinvertebrate taxonomic turnover across seasons was higher for sites having lower water temperature predictability values than for sites with higher predictability, while temporal partitioning was greater at sites with greater temperature variability. Macroinvertebrate taxa responded in a predictable manner to changes in their environment. Specialist taxa preferred sites with greater temperature variability, and generalist taxa those with less temperature variability. Water temperature is an important abiotic driver of stream ecosystems, and should be expressed in terms of predictability metrics, as mean values do not adequately measure the components of water temperature that are important for biotic communities. Water temperature predictability provided an indication of the structure, functional predictability and seasonal turnover in macroinvertebrate communities. These findings have implications for streams experiencing temperature modifications due to the onset of climate change.
Biometrical characteristics of R2 generation of anther-derived pepper (Capsicum spp.) plants

Eight anther-derived DH lines of pepper hybrids: two red-fruited (AP14, AP15) and two yellow lines (AP25 and AP32) of C. annuum (ATZ1 × PO)F 2 , two lines of ( C. frutescens × C. annuum )F 1 (FA1, FA2), and two of ( C. frutescens × C. chinense )F 1 (FCH2, FCH3), were studied regarding important morphological plant and fruit characters. C. annuum breeding line 'ATZ1' was used as a standard. The following traits were evaluated: total fruit yield, fruit weight, weight of placenta with seeds, technological matter, pericarp thickness, extract content, dry matter content, weight and number of seeds per fruit. The level of homogeneity within the DH lines was analysed with a one-way analysis of variance, additionally the values of coefficient of variation (CV) were determined for the tested plant characters. The highest phenotypic uniformity was noted for the red-fruited lines obtained from anthers of (ATZ1 × PO)F 2 and for the DH lines of ( C. frutescens × C. annuum ) F 1 , while the least uniform were FCH2 and FCH3 lines of ( C. frutescens × C. chinense )F 1 . The DH lines AP14 and AP15, as well as FA1 and FA2 were phenotype homogeneous in respect of weight of fruit, technological matter, pericarp thickness and extract content. For these parameters, also the values of CV were the lowest. Statistically significant interline polymorphism between the androgenic lines of the same origin was detected among the lines of C. annuum (ATZ1 × PO)F 2 .
Fiber digestion in various segments of the hindgut of horses fed grass hay or silage

We studied in vivo fiber digestibility and fermentation parameters such as volatile fatty acid concentration and in vitro degradation in each segment of hindgut of horses fed timothy hay or silage made from the same sward. Six Thoroughbred horses were fed timothy hay or silage in equal amounts (1.6% of bodyweight per day, bodyweight mean 572 kg) every 3 h per day, then slaughtered. There were no differences between hay and silage in the concentration of the total volatile fatty acids, the apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and fiber, and in vitro neutral detergent fiber (NDF) disappearance rate in each segment. The total volatile fatty acid concentration and the apparent digestibility of dry and organic matter and fiber differed (P < 0.01) depending on the digestive segments. Both for hay and silage, the concentration of total volatile fatty acids in the digesta liquid phase largely increased (P < 0.01) from the cecum to the right ventral colon, and kept a constant value from the right ventral colon to the right dorsal colon, and then decreased from the right dorsal colon to the small colon. For dry and organic matter and fiber components, the apparent digestibility changed in the same manner from former to hinder segments of the hindgut. Regardless of diet, dry and organic matter and fiber components showed lower values in the cecum and the right ventral colon and increased (P < 0.01) largely from the right ventral colon to the left dorsal colon, then kept constant values in segments to the rear of left dorsal colon. There were no differences in in vitro NDF disappearance among cecum, ventral colon and dorsal colon.