Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of season and nutrition on the sulphur content of wool from Merino and Cheviot sheep

SUMMARY Sulphur content, expressed as a percentage of clean dry wool weight, was measured at monthly intervals in two breeds of sheep, Cheviot and Merino x Cheviot backcross (¾ Merino, ¼ Cheviot), offered an equivalent annual amount of feed in three ways—constant level, natural grazing cycle and reversed grazing cycle. The relationships between S content and wool growth rate or nutrient intake differed with both breed and nutrient cycle, but all the results could be explained satisfactorily on the basis of a constant optimum composition for each individual with sulphur impoverishment related to lack of balance between follicle activity rate and high-S substrate availability. The difference in mean maximum S content between breeds (3·87% and 3·81% for Cheviot and ‘Merino’ respectively) was much smaller than the difference between individuals within the breeds (4·05·3·72% and 3·92·3·66%). The seasonal depression within individuals varied with nutrition and wool growth rate, Cheviot sheep showing the greatest depression and lowest values (2·89 and 3·28% for Cheviot and 'Merino, respectively in the reversed cycle group). There was no consistent seasonal trend in the relationship between clean and unscoured wool weight.
Giants in a Minute Catfish Genus: First Description of Fossil Mochokus (Siluriformes, Mochokidae) in the Late Miocene of Chad, Including M. Gigas, sp. nov.

ABSTRACT The first Mochokus (Siluriformes, Mochokidae) remains of the fossil record are described, including a new species based on a sub-complete neurocranium discovered in the Late Miocene deposits of Toros-Menalla, Chad, Central Africa, dated to 7.0 Ma. Mochokus gigas, sp. nov., is the first fossil species described for the family Mochokidae, which is the largest family of African catfishes. The description is based on the comparison with the two living species of the genus, M. niloticus and M. brevis. Mochokus gigas, sp. nov., is a very large species presenting original features, notably on the pectoral spines and on the anterior part of the neurocranium. One of the apomorphies characterizing the modern genus Mochokus is found on the fossil: the root of the mesocoracoid arch is located on the posterior side of the vertical lamina of the coracoid and lacks any dorsally directed prominence. Several other Mochokus fossil remains, including nuchal plates, cleithra, and dorsal spines, are described and attributed to Mochokus, sp. indet. , or Mochokus sp. Finally, and on the basis of preliminary observations of the fossil fish assemblages from different sites of Toros-Menalla, the lack of Mochokus fossil remains is discussed.
Minimum viable population size for lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) using an individual-based model of demographics and genetics

Population viability analysis is a useful tool to explore the relationship between extinction risk and population size, but often does not include genetic factors. Our objectives were to determine minimum viable population size (MVP) for lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) and examine how inbreeding depression may affect MVP. Our individual-based model incorporated inbreeding depression in two ways: individuals with inbreeding coefficients above a threshold experi- enced inbreeding depression (threshold), and individuals experienced inbreeding depression at a rate related to their in- breeding coefficient (gradual). Three mechanisms relating inbreeding to fitness were explored (young-of-the-year (YOY) viability, post-YOY viability, number of progeny). The criterion we used to determine MVP was a 5% chance of extinc- tion over 250 years. The estimated MVP without inbreeding effects was 80 individuals. For some scenarios incorporating inbreeding, MVP did not change, but for others, MVP was substantially higher, reaching values up to 1800. Results dem- onstrate that extinction risk and MVP can be influenced by both demographic stochasticity and inbreeding depression. This research should inform management by determining MVP and how inbreeding, which is expected to accrue in rem- nant populations because of generations of low abundance, may affect MVP.
Planting date and density effects on six pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) cultivars at three Nigerian Savanna locations

Summary An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of planting pigeonpea in May, June or July at Mokwa and June or July at Shika and Kano, Nigeria at population densities of 18·5×103, 27·8×103, 55·5×103, 111×103, 222×103 and 444×103 plants/ha on dry matter (DM) and seed yields of cultivars Local, UQ50, 3D8103, 3D8104, 3D8111 and 3D8112 in the 1974/75 season. Planting in May had no above-ground DM yield advantage over planting in June at Mokwa. Planting in June gave higher yields than planting in July irrespective of site, except for the short, early maturing, soya-type cultivar 3D8103 at Shika. Cultivar responses to density were inconsistent between sites and also between dates at Shika and Kano. Cultivars Local, UQ50 and 3D8104 showed the highest DM yield at all sites. Leaf DM yield tended to decline as planting was delayed but was highest at densities of 111×103 or 222×103 plants/ha for May and June-planted cultivars Local, UQ50, 3D8104 and 3D8112, which showed potential as feed supplements for poultry. Reasons were advanced for the variability in pod yield responses to planting date and density between the different pigeonpea cultivars. Root DM yields were proportional to above-ground DM yield but, over all cultivars, root yield was unaffected by planting date at Shika. Seed yield was highest from the June sowing, cv. 3D8104 was the most productive and the optimum densities were 27·8×103 plants/ha for the larger-sized cultivars Local and UQ50, 55·5×103 plants/ha for the medium-sized cultivars 3D8104, 3D8111 and 3D8112, and 444×10 3 for cv. 3D8103. A complementary study over 13 years showed that the seed yield of intermediate and late maturing pigeonpeas was strongly and linearly related to total annual rainfall.
A difference in production and associated events in two races of spruce grouse

Analyses are given for several parameters in the production of juvenile spruce grouse in a local population in southwest Alberta (Canachites canadensis franklinii), 1970–1975, and in northeast New Brunswick (C. c. canace), 1975–1980. Canachites c. canace exhibited greater clutch size, nest success, proportion of females with broods and production of juveniles. Hatchability of eggs, average brood sizes, and mortality rates of juveniles were similar. Differential nest success appeared to be a primary influence on the difference in production of juveniles. In autumn, canace exhibited a substantial net reduction in juveniles as a consequence of dispersal, but not franklinii. Densities of juveniles in winter were similar. Speculation is provided about the differences in production and their association with other aspects of life history, notably the quality of juvenile stock.
Survival and strobili production in topgrafted scions from young Pinus sylvestris seedlings

Abstract Reducing the generation turnover increases the genetic gain in a breeding programme. Topgrafting, new genetic material being grafted into the crown of ramets of reproductive mature trees, can deliver this aim since it is able to induce strobili production in young material of conifers. To this end, I studied the effect of scion age (seedlings of 4–6 years from seed) on topgraft vitality/survival, and female and male strobili production in Pinus sylvestris (L.) over 5 years. The seedlings' growing environment prior to topgrafting had a significant impact on topgraft vitality, with more vital topgrafts obtained from potted seedlings than from seedlings grown in raised nursery beds. However, the growth environment had no clear effect on female or male strobili production. In the second year, after grafting up to 76% of the topgrafted seedlings had female strobili. Vitality increased with age of the seedling from which the scions were collected, but differences in both female and male strobili production were only marginal. The position of the topgraft within the interstock crown influenced both vitality and strobili production, with higher vitality and greater male strobili production in low positions and greater female strobili production in high positions. Based on these results, breeders should perform topgrafting as soon as the seedlings have enough scions for planned crossing activities.
Increment and Yield in Mixed and Monoculture Stands of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies Based on an Experiment in Southern Sweden

Experimental growth data collected over 20 yrs were used to assess volume increment and yield in mixed and monoculture stands with Scots pine and Norway spruce. Differences in volume increment were generally small between the different types of stand, indicating that there is little to be gained in total volume increment from using mixed stands with Norway spruce and Scots pine instead of monocultures on sites with medium fertility. However, since the volume increment of pine per unit area was higher in the mixture than in the monoculture, the results indicate that retaining some Norway spruce in Scots pine stands would result in an increase in the total volume increment. The diameter of the Scots pine was 1.2 cm greater in the mixture than in the monoculture at the end of the observation period. There was no layering on the plots, but the Scots pine trees were slightly taller and thicker than the spruce. The Scots pine stems tapered more in the mixture than in the monoculture. Stem defects were not consistently different between the stand types. The diameter distribution of the total tree population in the mixture was less tightly clustered round the mean than in the monocultures. Research designed to identify ways to increase total volume increments using mixed stands should probably focus on mixtures of species that differ more in growth patterns than Scots pine and Norway spruce apparently do.
Hypothesis‐driven species distribution models for tree species in the Bavarian Alps

Question: What are the main drivers for tree species distribution in the Bavarian Alps? What are the species-specific habitat requirements? Are predictions in accordance with expert knowledge? Location: Bavarian Alps (Southern Germany). Methods: To describe tree species–environment relationships, we established species distribution models for the 14 most common tree species of the region. We combined tree species occurrence data from forest inventories and a vegetation database with environmental data from a digital elevation model, climate maps and soil maps. For modelling, we used generalized additive models (GAM) combined with techniques to account for spatial autocorrelation and uneven coverage of environmental gradients. We developed parsimonious models to judge whether statistical models correspond to models based on expert knowledge. Results: Conceptual models were generally in accordance with expectations. Variables based on average temperatures were the most important predictors in most models. Proxies for soil properties such as water and nutrient availability were statistically significant and generally plausible, but appeared largely redundant for model performance. Altitudinal limits of tree species were generally well represented by models. Most species responded differently to summer and January temperatures, indicating that temperature variables are proxies not only for energy balance, but also for frost damage and drought. Although model building benefits considerably from collation with expert knowledge, there are limitations. Conclusions: Meaningful species distribution models can be obtained from noisy data sets covering only a small fraction of species ranges. Models calibrated with such data sets benefit from hypothesis-driven model building rather than strict data-driven model building. Hence, misleading explanations and predictions can be avoided and uncertainties identified. Nevertheless, projections based on climate scenarios can be substantially improved only with models calibrated on a wider data set. Ideally, environmental gradients should cover the whole niche space of a species, or at least include regions with analogous climate.
Multiple alien Phytophthora taxa discovered on diseased ornamental plants in Spain

The plant trade is unwittingly accelerating the worldwide spread of well-known and new or undescribed Phytophthora species and creating novel niches for emerging pathogens. The results of a survey carried out from 2001 to 2006 in garden centres and nurseries of the Balearic Islands and eastern Spain combined with the analysis of samples received from ornamental nurseries from northern Spain reflected the extent of this global issue at the local scale. A total of 125 Phytophthora isolates were obtained from 37 different host species and 17 putative species identified on morphological features and direct sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer and four mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Five species, P. ramorum , P. hedraiandra , P . ‘niederhauserii’, P . ‘kelmania’ and P . ‘taxon Pgchlamydo’ were formally unknown to science prior to 2001. In addition, 37 new host/pathogen combinations were first records for Spain, highlighting the risk of non-coevolved organisms from different biogeographic origins coming into contact under managed environments. The problem generated by new or rare taxa of Phytophthora found in nurseries for which no prior information on natural habitat and ecology is available for pest risk analysis is discussed.
Life table vs secondary production analyses—relationships and usage in ecology

Abstract. The life table is a well known approach for understanding populations and has appeared in general ecology textbooks for >60 y. Secondary production is associated with energy flow, but methods rarely appear in texts. Our objectives were to: 1) demonstrate conceptual/analytical relationships between secondary production and life tables, 2) use a real example of pond-breeding salamanders to illustrate how the 2 approaches can be integrated, and 3) use publication frequency analysis to determine trends and biases for each approach within ecological (particularly aquatic) subdisciplines. The example illustrated that both approaches incorporate age- or stage-specific survivorship. The main difference is that life tables are used to calculate production of offspring with age-specific fecundity, and production analyses are used to calculate production of biomass with mass-specific increments. Publication frequency analysis over 12 y demonstrated that 78% more papers used life tables (698) than production (393) overall, but 50% more papers used production (353) than life tables (236) in basic research. Furthermore, production was studied primarily in aquatic (98%), mostly benthic (77%), environments. Life tables were used primarily in terrestrial environments (65%). Recognizing the relatedness of these concepts and usage biases may explain philosophical differences and help bridge gaps between terrestrial–aquatic and population–ecosystem ecologists.
Heterologous expression and activity of Ptr ToxB from virulent and avirulent isolates of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis

The fungal pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis causes tan spot, an important foliar disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum). The fungus produces at least three host-specific toxins, including the chlorosis-inducing Ptr ToxB, a small protein encoded by the ToxB gene. A ToxB homolog is also found in race 4 isolates of P. tritici-repentis, which lack detectable toxin activity. It is not clear whether the absence of toxin activity in these isolates stems from differences in the ToxB gene sequence and (or) level of expression. To directly compare the chlorosis-inducing activity of different forms of Ptr ToxB, ToxB from a virulent race 5 isolate (Alg3-24) and a ToxB homolog from an avirulent race 4 isolate (90-2) were heterologously expressed as glutathione-S-transferase (GST)- and hexahistidine (His)-tagged fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. Infiltration of toxin solutions into the leaves of Ptr ToxB sensitive and insensitive wheat seedlings revealed that the overexpressed GST- and His-tagged toxin from Alg3-24 induced strong chlorosis symptoms in a genotype-specific manner, whereas the form of the toxin from isolate 90-2 induced only trace amounts of symptoms. This suggests that the absence of chlorosis-inducing activity in race 4 of P. tritici-repentis may be largely due to sequence differences in ToxB at the gene and protein level, regardless of the extent of gene expression.
Between- and within-species trait variability and the assembly of sapling communities in forest patches

Questions What is the magnitude of between-species trait variability (BSV) and within-species trait variability (WSV) of specific leaf area (SLA) in a sapling meta-community? To what extent do species turnover and WSV influence community-level mean trait responses to an environmental gradient and trait spread patterns across this gradient? What is the role of WSV for mean plant responses to environmental variation and niche partitioning in structuring sapling communities? Location Forest patches within a native grassland matrix in southern Brazil. Methods We recorded saplings in community plots across a canopy openness gradient in forest patches and described each of the 1129 individuals using SLA. First, we partitioned trait variation into BSV and WSV irrespective of co-occurrence in plots. Then, using the community data, we partitioned the total variation of community-weighted trait means (CWM) and Rao's functional diversity (FD) into components explained by canopy openness, species turnover and WSV. We also partitioned the effects of WSV between and within plots on FD. Finally, we explored the responses of CWM and FD to the gradient using the whole trait variability, only BSV or only WSV. Results Specific leaf area presented a substantial proportion of variation within species (37%), although it varied more between species (63%). Species turnover and WSV explained 48% and 19% of the variation in CWM across the gradient, respectively. Species turnover and WSV explained 51% and 45% of the variation in FD across the gradient, respectively. SLA varied within species more along the gradient than within communities. Within-species variability enhanced shifts in CWM and FD across the gradient. Canopy openness significantly predicted CWM at all levels, and FD at all but the within-species level. Conclusions Plastic responses of species mirrored the average response of communities to the environmental gradient. Within-species trait variability enhanced the mean plant responses to environmental variation as well as niche partitioning, and was especially important in enabling species to establish in a wider portion of the environmental gradient. Our study provides new evidence that population-level phenomena matter for community assembly.
Growth pattern in the slender river prawn Macrobrachium idella (Hilgendorf)

The growth of a few important taxonomic characters such as length of carapace, telson and rostrum and width of carapace of river prawn Macrobrachium idella, were studied. Significant difference in the pattern of growth was observed in males and females with regard to all the characters. The growth was faster in males as regard to the lengths of carapace and telson and carapace width in females. Average size was however greater in females with respect to all the characters studied. The species clearly exhibited sexual dimorphism
Cocooning Behaviour of Overwintering Codling Moth Larvae

Codling moth larvae seeking overwintering sites usually spin up during hours of darkness on the trunks and larger branches of apple trees rather than in the soil or in debris under the trees. The number on the ground depends on the suitability for cocooning sites of the bark on the tree and on the amount and type of debris on the ground. Gould and Geissler (1941) found that larvae did not spin up in bare and compact soil and Steiner (1929) observed that most larvae returned to the tree to spin cocoons when there was little or no litter beneath the trees. Baker (1944) reported eight to nine per cent spun up on the ground beneath unscraped trees, and 18 per cent where the loose bark scales were removed. Others (Headlee (1929). Worthley (1932), Gnadinger et al. (1940), Woodside (1941), and Stultz (1946), found that under natural conditions from 0 to 14 per cent spun up in the soil, in the cover crop, or in the debris on the ground.
Monitoring oriental fruit moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with the Ajar bait trap in orchards under mating disruption

Studies in Oregon, California, Pennsylvania and Italy evaluated the relative performance of the Ajar trap compared with several other traps for the capture of Grapholita molesta (Busck), in pome and stone fruit orchards treated with sex pheromone dispensers for mating disruption. The Ajar is a delta‐shaped trap with a screened jar filled with an aqueous terpinyl acetate plus brown sugar bait solution (TAS) that opens inside the trap and is surrounded by a sticky liner. The TAS‐baited Ajar trap was evaluated with and without the addition of a sex pheromone lure and compared with a delta trap baited with a sex pheromone lure and a bucket trap filled with the TAS bait. Although the Ajar trap had a 90% lower evaporation of the TAS bait than the bucket trap, both of them caught similar numbers in the majority of the field tests of both sexes of G. molesta. The addition of the sex pheromone lure did not increase moth catches by the TAS‐baited Ajar trap. The TAS‐baited Ajar trap caught significantly greater numbers of moths than the sex pheromone‐baited delta trap in 18 of the 20 orchards. Few hymenopterans were caught in orange TAS‐baited Ajar traps, but the catch of flies and other moths relative to the target pest remained high. Flight tunnel and field tests evaluated the effect of several screen designs on the catches of G. molesta and non‐target species. All exclusion devices significantly reduced the catch of larger moths. However, designs that did not reduce the catch of male G. molesta did not reduce the catch of muscid flies. Exclusion devices with openings <7.0 mm significantly reduced the catch of female G. molesta. The addition of (E)‐β‐farnesene, (E)‐β‐ocimene or butyl hexanoate septa lures to TAS‐baited Ajar traps significantly increased total moth catch. The addition of (E)‐β‐ocimene also significantly increased female moth catch.
Ferrioxamines B and E as iron sources for the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

The utihzalon of iron from the trihydroxamate-type siderophores fernoxamine B (FOB) and fernoxamine E (FOE) by the manne diatom Phaeodactylum trlcornutum was studied Cells grown under iron-hmiting conditions took up iron faster from FOE and FOB than from Fe-EDTA and FeCI, Minimal iron uptake from the siderophores was observed for cells grown in media with sufficient iron The uptake of iron from FOB was inhibited by the ferrous ion chelator BPDS evidence that a reductive pathway is involved in the uptake mechanism On the other hand iron uptake from FOE was not affected by BPDS, indicating that FOE may be taken up as an intact complex by the cell Uptake kinetics show that FOE is transported faster into the cell than the iron from FOB Growth expenments, however indicated that FOB is more efficient in supplying utilizable iron to the cell The uptake mechanisms exhibited typical saturation kinetics, corresponding to the saturation of the transport ligand for FOE and of the reductive system for FOB FOE transport yielded a lower K, (half-saturation concentratlon) compared to FOB indicating a more efficient true-siderophore transport system The results of our expenments suggest the existence of mult~ple pathway transport mechanisms for iron uptake from exogenous siderophores in P trlcornutum The utilization of microbial siderophores by phytoplankton presents new aspects in bacteria-phytoplankton interaction