Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The importance of near-natural stand structures for the biocoenosis of lowland beech forests

A ‘Research and Development Project’ in Brandenburg (Germany) running from 1999 to 2003 aimed to define nature conservation standards for the management of lowland beech forests. The avifauna, saproxylic beetle fauna, ground beetles, saproxylic fungi, and the stand structures were investigated in twelve managed near-natural beech forests, and in six that had been unmanaged for 12 to more than 100 years near-natural beech forests to identify bioindicators for near-natural forest stands, which maintain the typical biocoenosis of beech forests. Some selected spotlight-like results are presented in this paper. The results show, for example, striking differences in stand structures between near-natural beech stands and managed forests, close dependence of bird species on silviculture influences and effects of forest developmental phases on ground beetles of beech forests. For instance, near-natural stands are much more structured, richer in dead wood (10‐20 times of the volume of managed forests) and are characterised by a much higher abundance of breeding birds, especially woodinhabiting and beech forest indicator species, as well as some saproxylic fungi species. Saproxylic and ground beetles are characteristic of deciduous forests. Some examples for bioindicators of natural or near-natural beech forests are: 1 High number of special tree structures (e.g. trees with severe crown damage, large cavities, clefts in the stem, scratches and bark bags with/without mould), which are typical attributes of ancient forests and a suitable structural indicator. 2 The Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius was identified as a valid indicator for mature beech forests with old trees. The occurrence of D. medius depends on two typical stand structures: a) rough bark structures (typical for old beech trees >200 years), and b) dead wood in parts of the stems or branches of standing trees. 3 Carabus glabratus is suggested as a bioindicator among the ground beetles. 4 Fungi species of the genus Pluteus are significantly more frequent in unmanaged forests. 5 The number of individuals of saproxylic beetle species which are not captured in the managed forests is three times higher than in >50 year-old unmanaged beech forests.
Occurrence of Phytoplasmas Related to Stolbur and to ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma japonicum’ in Woody Host Plants in China

During a survey in a limited area of the Shanxi province in China, phytoplasma symptoms were observed on woody plants such as Chinese scholar tree, apple, grapevine and apricot. The polymerase chain reaction/ restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR/ RFLP) analyses on the phytoplasma 16S ribosomal gene confirmed that symptomatic samples from all these species were infected by phytoplasmas. The molecular characterization of the pathogen, performed also with sequencing of polymerase chain reaction amplified 16S rDNA, showed that the phytoplasmas detected in all plant species tested are closely related with stolbur, but two samples from a Chinese scholar tree were infected with phytoplasmas related to 'Candidatus Phytoplasma japonicum'. The presence of RFLP polymorphism was found in the 16S rDNA amplicons with three of the six enzymes employed in the majority of phytoplasma strains studied.
Response to Huso and Erickson's comments on novel scavenger removal trials

Trials involving volitionally placed carcasses are often used to estimate the portion of the collision-caused fatality population that is undetected by periodic fatality searches at wind turbines. Huso and Erickson criticized our paper reporting on a comparison of carcass persistence rates between what we termed conventional versus novel approaches to these trials. In our novel approach, we measured carcass persistence rates by placing only 1–2 fresh carcasses per week, instead of the typical 10 or more carcasses at a time, often using found carcasses of unknown time since death. Huso and Erickson directed most of their critique to this novel aspect of our approach, although the novelty of our approach also included the use of event-triggered camera traps, which we used to record exact times of removals and to identify vertebrate scavenger species responsible for the removals. In our replies to Huso and Erickson's major criticisms, we acknowledge flaws in our field methods for arriving at fatality rate estimates, but we also point out the larger flaws in the methods used by Huso and Erickson, especially in their use of mean days to removal as a measure of carcass persistence. We conclude by introducing a more appropriate detection trial, which combines searcher detection and scavenger removal trials, and integrates this detection trial into periodic fatality monitoring. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Canopy gas exchange and growth of upland pasture swards in elevated CO2

Vegetation monoliths (450 × 450 mm) from two contrasting upland grassland communities were grown in Solardomes in either ambient air or ambient air enriched with 250 ppm CO2 During the first two growing seasons measurements of canopy gas exchange showed that rates of photosynthesis of limestone swards were enhanced by growth in elevated CO2, by approx. 50% during spring and early summer. Although canopy respiration was also greater in elevated CO2 the overall effect was an average increase of 33% in net CO2 assimilation. Enhanced respiration rates persisted into the autumn, whereas the effect on photosynthesis diminished through the growing season, so that in September swards growing in high CO2 had net photosynthesis rates similar to, or even lower than those in ambient air. This response varied between swards of differing species composition. In acidic grassland no significant effects of CO2 on respiration or net CO2 uptake rates were detected at any time. The above ground productivity of limestone grassland was measured in several harvests throughout both seasons, and was not affected by CO2 concentration at any time. Similarly, the acidic grassland, harvested at the end of the second season, showed no significant effect of CO2 on above-ground biomass. The results suggest that increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration is unlikely to cause large changes in net primary productivity in these grasslands.
The Effect of Productive Energy Level of the Diet on the Methionine Requirement of the Chick

ABSTRACT THE nutrient requirements of animals are ordinarily expressed as percent of diet. Baldini and Rosenberg (1955) reported that the methionine requirement of the chick expressed in this manner was not a constant but varied with the energy content of the diet. They postulated that such a relationship probably existed with other animals and other nutrients. Such was found to be the case with the lysine requirement of the rat (Rosenberg and Culik, 1955). The experiments reported in this paper were conducted to determine whether or not a similar relation existed for the turkey poult. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE This report summarizes the results of nine battery experiments, each of which employed ten treatments applied to duplicate groups of twelve day-old tom poults. Jersey Buffs were used in four experiments and Broad Breasted Bronze were used in five experiments. The length of each experiment was six weeks during which time weekly measurements of .
Feeding Ecology of Juvenile Dog Snapper Lutjanus jocu (Bloch and Shneider, 1801) (Lutjanidae) in Intertidal Mangrove Creeks in Curuçá Estuary (Northern Brazil)

The diet and feeding ecology of juvenile dog snapper (Lutjanus jocu) were investigated in 92 specimens collected in four intertidal mangrove creeks of Curuca estuary, Northern Brazil, between September 2003 and July 2004. No significant differences in total length were found between the sampling months. Feeding intensity was high as indicated by high stomach fullness index and low vacuity index. The most important prey was Penaeidae, followed by Grapsidae and Porcellanidae. The diet of juvenile dog snapper showed clear seasonal differences. Specimens from dry season (September and November) and dry / wet season transition (January), were specialists feeding exclusively on Penaeidae. However, the specimens from wet season (March and May) and wet /dry season transition (July) that consumed mainly Grapsidae, Penaeidae and Porcellanidae were generalist. These seasonal changes in diet could be related to variations in food availability.
Influence of temperature and relative humidity on the foliar activity of mesotrione

Abstract Greenhouse studies were conducted to examine the influence of temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the foliar activity of mesotrione on five weed species. Regression analysis was performed allowing for comparison of estimated GR50 (herbicide dose to inhibit growth by 50%) values for each weed response at either temperature (18 or 32 C) or RH level (30 or 85%). Temperature and relative humidity did not influence the response of ivyleaf morningglory, common cocklebur, and velvetleaf to mesotrione markedly. An increase in temperature or relative humidity increased the efficacy of mesotrione on common cocklebur and velvetleaf up to threefold. Conversely, common waterhemp and large crabgrass were six- and sevenfold more susceptible at 18 C than at 32 C, respectively. Common waterhemp and large crabgrass were four- and twofold more susceptible to mesotrione at 85% compared with 30% RH, respectively. The influence of temperature and RH on the efficacy of mesotrione in foliar applications is species dependent and may be an important consideration for field applications. Nomenclature: Mesotrione, 2-[4-(methylsulfonyl)-2-nitrobenzoyl]-1,3-cyclohexanedione; common cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium L. XANST; common waterhemp, Amaranthus rudis Sauer AMATA; large crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis L. Scop. DIGSA; ivyleaf morningglory, Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq. IPOHE; velvetleaf, Abutilon theophrasti (L.) Medic. ABUTH.
Testing for a mass extinction without selecting taxa

Abstract Statistical inference about mass extinction events is commonly based on the pattern of fossil finds among a group of taxa. An important issue for existing methods is the selection of taxa for inclusion in the analysis. A common approach is to select taxa on the basis of the stratigraphic height of their uppermost finds. This approach creates a bias in favor of detecting a mass extinction event. This paper describes and illustrates an approach that avoids this problem.
Organic potted plants amended with biochar: its effect on growth and Pythium colonization

Gravel, V. , Dorais, M. and Menard, C. 2013. Organic potted plants amended with biochar: its effect on growth and Pythium colonization. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 1217–1227. Even though the benefits from the use of charcoal in agriculture have been known for a long time, little biochar is utilized in agriculture. Therefore, we hypothesized that biochar amendment to an organic potting soil improves plant growth without promoting plant root pathogens such as Pythium ultimum. Growth of sweet pepper, lettuce, basil, geranium and coriander grown in an organic potting soil containing a commercially available biochar (1:1 vol:vol) was compared with an unamended potting soil. Macronutrients (NPK) were supplied through application of an organic liquid fertilizer three times a week via injection irrigation. The effect of biochar amendment on P. ultimum colonization and infection was also evaluated in a sub-sample. No effect of the biochar amendment on growth was observed for sweet pepper and geranium. On a dry weight ba.
Observations on the Fine Structure of the Pyramimonas Stage of Halosphaera and Preliminary Observations on Three Species of Pyramimonas

The entire cell surface, including the flagellar surfaces, of three species of Pyramimonas and of two different strains of Pyramimonas-hke zooids of Halosphaera are shown to be covered with scales in at least two layers, namely, an underlayer of very small scales arranged directly on the flagella membrane or plasmalemma and one or more outer layers of much larger scales of different character. On one and the same cell the shapes of the scales of all layers are different on the flagella from those on the body. Among all the taxa studied the flagella scales are very similar but those of the bodies are specifically differentiated; details are illustrated in the plates. In two taxa {Halosphaera and Pyramimonas amylifera) the outer scales on the flagella have been shown to be consistently arranged in 9 longitudinal rows; numerical information is not available for the other taxa studied but they are not expected to be different. The presence of an unusual type of flagellar hair has also been noted though those have not yet been studied in detail.
A Comparison of TCO2 and 14C Estimates of Primary Production

Phytoplankton form the base of the global marine carbon cycle. Measurements of primary production are integral to understanding fluxes between the atmosphere and both organic and inorganic carbon pools in the ocean. Virtually all measurements today are made using the carbon-14 (14C) uptake method, yet numerous uncertainties and procedural problems remain unresolved (Karl et al. 1998, Marra 2002). One source of error in the 14C method results from the metabolic activity of grazers, and could potentially be 100% of the measured production rate (Welschmeyer 2010). The purpose of this project was to directly test 14C methodology against an independent carbon-based method of photosynthesis which is also free of grazer-induced biases in order to examine the relationship between grazer metabolism and the observed 14C error. 14C uptake measurements were compared to measurements of gross primary production using the light-dark bottle technique and measuring the change in total inorganic carbon, TCO2, with a coulometer. The 14C technique was found to underestimate primary production by 41%, and a positive relationship between microzooplankton metabolic parameters and a 14C recycling error was observed. The results of this study imply that total global ocean primary production is significantly higher than currently estimated.
Variation of linalool and geraniol content within two pairs of aromatic and non-aromatic grapevine clones

Backgrounds and Aims: In order to assess the suitability of some genotypes for functional genomics studies on terpenol synthesis in grapevine, two pairs of cultivars differing in their aromatic pattern were compared: Gewurztraminer and Savagnin Rose and two clones of Chardonnay (76 and 809). Methods and Results: The genetic analysis based on microsatellite markers showed that Gewurztraminer and Savagnin Rose were clones derived from a single mother plant. The same result was found for Chardonnay clones 76 and 809. Analyses of wines, musts and berries showed that linalool and geraniol were present only at very low concentrations in Savagnin Rose and Chardonnay 76, both considered as non-aromatic cultivars. On the contrary, Gewurztraminer was characterised by a high geraniol content and Chardonnay 809 by a profile where linalool was predominant. Results obtained in the vineyard were consistent with data on fruiting cuttings in the greenhouse. Analyses of the terpenol content of berries from self-progenies plants of Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay 809 showed that this trait was heritable. Conclusions: We provide evidence that clonal variation, through somatic mutations, can modify the aromatic profile of fruits. Significance of the Study: We have characterised grapevine clones consistently differing in the terpenol content of both grapes and wines. Such plant material is appropriate for functional genomics studies.
Movement and Habitat of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Sturgeon River/Portage Lake System, Michigan

ABSTRACT The Portage Lake/Sturgeon River system in Michigan contains one of the last self-sustaining stocks of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Great Lakes without barriers to impede natural movement of juveniles. We conducted visual surveys in the Sturgeon River and collected young-of-the-year and juvenile lake sturgeon from 1997 to 2000. Twenty-four fish, 9.8 to 28.8 cm total length (TL), were found predominately over pea gravel 16 to 26 km below the spawning site. With gillnets and trotline we collected an additional 24 fish (22–83 cm TL) and one sub-adult (103.5 cm TL) lake sturgeon in Portage Lake; four juveniles and the sub-adult were fitted with radio transmitters. Average daily linear movement of lake sturgeon varied from 0.3 to 1.6 km. Total linear distance traveled by sturgeon averaged 15.5 km over 83 days. Diel movements indicated that two juveniles moved into shallow (<5 m) inshore areas at night and into deeper (>7.5 m) offshore areas as light intensified.
Effect of Humidity on Fungal Deteriogens of Ancient Monuments

Fungi have always found to be correlated with the deterioration of historical buildings. The present study is aimed to evaluate the effect of relative humidity on growth of fungi associated with Biodeterioration. The experimental work has been carried out using saturated salt slurry method. Five fungal deteriogens were investigated for their growth response over a wide range of relative humidity under laboratory conditions. Out of which, Penicillium sp, Fusarium sp and Aspergillus sp. showed growth between 93-100% RH, whereas Alternaria sp. and Curvularia sp. exhibited adequate growth between RH of 95-100%. Knowledge about fungal deteriogens will help to control the parameters causing Biodeterioration.
Identification of Dendroctonus frontalis (Zimmermann) and D. mexicanus (Hopkins) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Through Structures of the Female Genitalia

Abstract The morphology of sternite VIII as well as that of the spermatheca of the females of Dendroctonus frontalis (Zimmermann) and D. mexicanus (Hopkins) is presented, and these structures are proposed, for the first time, as an alternative for the identification of these species. The main characteristic of sternite VIII is the shape and sclerotization of their central ridge, more sclerotized and with better defined borders in D. mexicanus. As for spermathecae, the most useful characteristic is their internal ornamentation which in D. frontalis covers the posterior half of the capsule and has twice as many traverse grooves as in D. mexicanus, where the grooves are more spaced and only cover the posterior third.
MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS OF THE SCALED QUAIL COMPLEX (GENUS CALLIPEPLA)

We obtained 1,040 bp of sequence from the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes cytochrome b (cyt b; 736 bp) and NADH-subunit 2 (ND2; 304 bp) to address phylo- genetic relationships among the four species in the Scaled Quail complex. California Quail (Callipepla californica) and Gambel's Quail (C. gambelii) were sister taxa, whereas the rela- tionships of the Elegant Quail (C. douglasii) and Scaled Quail (C. squamata) were unclear; they might be sister species, or Elegant Quail might be the sister to California plus Gambel's quails. A third, less-likely alternative predicts a contemporaneous origin of Elegant Quail, Scaled Quail, and the ancestor of California and Gambel's quail. The latter phylogenetic hy- pothesis, however, matches Hubbard's (1973) biogeographic model. Irrespective of which biogeographic hypothesis is correct, calibration of mtDNA genetic distances suggests that the speciation events are much older than the late Pleistocene dates given by Hubbard. Cal- ibration of the rate of mtDNA (cyt b, ND2) evolution based on dating of fossil remains of the extinct species Cyrtonyx cooki suggested a rate of 2% per million years. Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), Mountain Quail (Oreortyx pictus), and Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) were successively more distantly related to the Scaled Quail complex. Phylo- genetic trees derived from allozymes (Gutierrez et al. 1983) and mtDNA sequences were topologically identical, suggesting that both types of gene trees recover the species tree. Re-
Predominance of Unbalanced Gene Flow from Western to Central North Pacific Colonies of the Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes)

Abstract: The Black-Footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) breeds in two remote regions, approximately 4,000 km apart, in the North Pacific. The population in the central North Pacific region (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), which contains >95% of the total population, is currently stable, although concerns exist about future declines. In contrast, the population in the western North Pacific (Izu and Ogasawara Islands in Japan) is rapidly increasing, and the breeding areas are expanding. To estimate possible gene flow caused by dispersal between populations, we performed genetic analysis on six colonies of Black-Footed Albatross using 10 microsatellite markers. The central and western North Pacific populations were genetically differentiated. However, an estimation of migrants per generation indicated directional dispersal from the western to the central North Pacific. In particular, the population on Kure Atoll, the westernmost atoll in the Hawaiian Islands in the central North Pacific, exhibited weak genetic differentiation from the western North Pacific populations, suggesting frequent immigration from the western North Pacific. The recent expansion of the western North Pacific population may be due to an increase in returning individuals, which may be caused by increased breeding success rates and/or survival rates. Range-wide and long-term monitoring of the Black-Footed Albatross population using genetic markers may help to uncover dispersal dynamics of this highly mobile but philopatric albatross species and to make appropriate conservation decisions in light of environmental changes.
Digestible Lysine Requirements of Male Turkeys During the 12 to 18 Week Period

Two floor pen trials were conducted using turkey toms in order to determine the digestible lysine requirement for the 72 to 83 and 84 to 95 day feeding periods. Prior to the studies, birds were fed a typical corn, soybean meal (SBM) and porkmeal based diet. At the beginning of each trial, birds were weighed and sorted into 48 floor pens in a curtain-sided building. Dietary treatments for the first experiment included eight levels of digestible lysine ranging from 0.54 to 0.75% and from 0.44 to 0.65% in the second experiment. A positive control treatment was added at the expense of three replicates of the highest lysine level. The lysine deficient basal diet was corn, SBM, and porkmeal based with intact crude protein levels of 14.3% in the first experiment and 13.2% in the second experiment. The positive control diet was also corn, SBM and pork meal based and was formulated on a total AA basis to meet or exceed nutrient requirements set by the NRC (1994). Lysine-HCL (98.5%) was used for the titration and glutamic acid was titrated inversely to kee p nitrogen levels similar. The experiments were set up as randomized complete blocks and the trial periods lasted for eleven days. Segmented regression analysis determined the digestible lysine requirement for the 72 to 83 day period to be 0.68 and 0.67% for growth and feed conversion, respectively. For the 84 to 95 day period, the digestible lysine requirement was determined to be 0.53% for optimum bodyweight gain and 0.54% for feed conversion.