Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consequences for Host Population Levels of Increasing Natural Enemy Species Richness in Classical Biological Control

Theoretical studies into the attributes of natural enemies leading to success in classical biological control have highlighted the roles of the enemies' host range and reproductive potential (Hassell 1978), probabilistic and absolute host refuges (see, e.g., Beddington et al. 1978; Hassell 1978; Murdoch et al. 1987; Hochberg and Hawkins 1994), and competitive interactions among natural enemies (May and Hassell 1981; Kakehashi et al. 1984; Hassell and May 1986; Hochberg et al. 1990; Briggs 1993). Less attention has been accorded to the characteristics of imported natural enemies resulting in the deterioration ofcontrol by resident enemies. In particular, only a few studies have addressed how increasing the number of coexisting natural enemies in a system may produce an (undesirable) increase in the host's equilibrium level. May and Hassell (1981) showed that the release of a primary parasitoid with an attack distribution i dependent of that of a resident competing parasitoid always results in a lowering of the equilibrated host population, whereas the opposite happens when an obligate hyperparasitoid is released. Kakehashi et al. (1984) reviewed the debate over releasing a single versus multiple species of natural enemy and demonstrated that when the assumption of independence in the distributions ofparasitism ade by May and Hassell (1981) is relaxed and the range of host individuals attacked by two monophagous parasitoid species sufficiently overlap, the addition of a second parasitoid species to a system already regulated by a resident species may reduce the degree of control. A study of two microparasite species (e.g., viruses, bacteria) in which one species was a primary parasite and the second was a facultative hyperparasite showed that equilibrial coexistence was always associated with the invasion by the hyperparasite inflating the equilibrium density of healthy hosts (Hochberg and Holt 1990). Most recently, Briggs (1993) considered how explicit host age structure could influence the coexistence of competing parasitoid species. She showed that coexistence required sufficient levels of attack by the superior direct competitor (a larval parasitoid) on hosts already parasitized by the inferior direct competitor (an egg parasitoid); invasion of the former species into a system regulated by the latter could result in the inflation of host equilibrium densities. Despite the different mathematical structures and competitive biologies encompassed in these four studies, all appear to share a common mechanism for the inflation of the host equilibrium level when an additional natural enemy (the invader) is added to the system: namely, direct interference, either hyperparasitism or competition, between natural enemy species.
Stress responses to transportation and fitness for marine survival in coho salmon oncorhynchus kisutch smolts

Smolting coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) were transported experimentally at low and high densities (12 and 120 g/L) for short and long periods (4 and 12 h). Because smolts can be transplanted directly to seawater, half of the fish in each treatment were transported to tanks containing seawater and half to tanks containing freshwater. Plasma corticosteroids and glucose were elevated at unloading in all groups, and corticosteroids were still above the resting level 24 h later. Potential smoltification indicators such as plasma thyroxin concentration and gill (Na+/K+)–ATPase activity were not affected by transportation. Increased corticosteroids were correlated to increased mortality in transported salmon compared to acclimated control fish when subjected to a bioassay of stress — severe confinement. The various transport regimens did not cause increased expression of latent bacterial kidney disease. In a further experiment, smolting coho salmon were released into a stream after transport for different du.
Edaphic Factors are a More Important Control on Surface Fine Roots than Stand Age in Secondary Tropical Dry Forests

Although there are generalized conceptual models that predict how above and belowground biomass increase during secondary succession after abandonment from agriculture, there are few data to test these models for fine roots (defined as ≤2 mm diameter) in tropical forests. We measured live and dead fine roots (0–10 cm depth) in 18 plots of regenerating tropical dry forest in Costa Rica that varied in age from 5 to 60 yrs, as well as in soil properties. We predicted that both stand age and soil fertility would affect fine roots, with greater values in older forests on low fertility soils. Across two sampling dates and locations, live fine roots varied from 0.35 to 3.53 Mg/ha and dead roots varied from 0.15 to 0.93 Mg/ha. Surprisingly, there was little evidence that surface fine roots varied between sampling dates or in relation to stand age. By contrast, total, live, and dead fine roots averaged across sampling dates within plots were negatively correlated with a multivariate index of soil fertility (Pearson correlations coefficients were −0.64, −0.58, and −0.68, respectively; P < 0.01) and other individual edaphic variables including pH, silt, calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These results suggest that soil fertility is a more important determinant of fine roots than forest age in tropical dry forests in Costa Rica, and that one‐way these plant communities respond to low soil fertility is by increasing fine roots. Thus, simple conceptual models of forest responses to abandonment from agriculture may not be appropriate for surface fine roots.
Purification and characterization of seed globulins from Brassica juncea, B. nigra, and B. hirta

Two globulins have been isolated from seeds of Brassica juncea, Brassica nigra, and Brassica hirta and the homogeneity of the preparations has been established by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and analytical ultracentrifugation. The respective proteins from the various species have similar physical properties but differ significantly in chemical composition. The relationship between the amino acid compositions of the proteins from seeds of the above species and also Brassica campestris is examined; the suggestion of hybridization of Brassica campestris and Brassica nigra to produce Brassica juncea is supported.
Chemotherapy against infection with multiple drug resistant strains of Edwardsiella tarda in cultured eels.

The therapeutic efficacy of a 1 : 3 combination of ormetoprim-sulfamonomethoxine (OMPSMM), oxolinic acid (OA), and miloxacin (MLX) was evaluated against drug resistant strains of Edwardsiella tarda. These resistant strains carried on R plasmid encoded with resistance to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and sulfonamide. Fish were injected intraperitoneally with the bacterium and orally dosed with various level of OMP-SMM, OA, and MLX for five days. Appropriate positive and negative controls were incoporated into the study. A dose of at least 25 mg/kg/day of a combination of OMP-SMM, 12.5 mg of OA, and 6.2 mg of MLX provided protection. Our results indicated that OMP-SMM, OA, and MLX were effective against the infection with drug resistant strain of E. tarda.
Combining ability for maize weevil preference of maize grain

Maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky) can cause severe grain damage in maize (Zea mays L.). Knowledge of inheritance of weevils' preference would be helpful in designing breeding strategies to develop more tolerant/resistant cultivars. This study was conducted to estimate general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for weevil preference/nonpreference. We used a 10-parent diallel cross in 1992 (Griffing's Method 3, Model 1). In 1993, due to insufficient seeds for some crosses, two eight-parent diallels (Griffing's Method 4, Model 1) were evaluated for GCA and SCA for maize weevil preference of maize grain. The two eight-parent diallels were subsets of the original 10-parent diallel. Second generation grain samples (100 g per plot) from F 1 crosses grown in the field were evaluated for maize weevil preference during 96-d (1992 experiment) and 108-d (1993 experiments) periods in the laboratory. The GCA, SCA, and reciprocal mean squares from the 10-parent diallel results from 1992 were significant. Both GCA and SCA were important in the analysis of the Subset 1 eight-parent diallel combined across years, whereas only GCA was significant in the Subset 2 eight-parent diallel combined across 1992 and 1993 data. Positive effects indicated non-preference and negative effects, preference of grain. Common parent means and GCA effects showed that L108 transmitted the most nonpreference and Mo17, the least nonpreference to its hybrids. In the 1992 data, significant positive GCA effects were detected in L108, L605, and L654 ; and significant negative GCA effects in B73, Mo17, L329, L729, and L266. Mo17 had a significant positive maternal effect (11.6), whereas B73 had a significant negative maternal effect (-11.93). The single cross Mo17 ? x B73 ? would possess more nonpreference than its reciprocal cross. Combined across years, analyses of two eight-parent diallel subsets of the original 10-parent diallel indicated GCA was more important than SCA in inheritance of preference/nonpreference.
Blood Sugar Lowering Activity of Swertia chirata (Buch-Ham) Extract

AbstractNinety five percent ethanol extract of Swertia chirata (Buch-Ham) was fed to healthy albino rats consisting of fed, fasted and glucose loaded models. Significant blood sugar lowering effect was observed in these models. Swertia chirata fed orally caused enhancement of the blood sugar lowering effect of tolbutamide in healthy albino rats.
DNA barcodes for species delimitation in Chironomidae (Diptera): a case study on the genus Labrundinia

Abstract In this study, we analysed the applicability of DNA barcodes for delimitation of 79 specimens of 13 species of nonbiting midges in the subfamily Tanypodinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) from São Paulo State, Brazil. Our results support DNA barcoding as an excellent tool for species identification and for solving taxonomic conflicts in genus Labrundinia. Molecular analysis of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences yielded taxon identification trees, supporting 13 cohesive species clusters, of which three similar groups were subsequently linked to morphological variation at the larval and pupal stage. Additionally, another cluster previously described by means of morphology was linked to molecular markers. We found a distinct barcode gap, and in some species substantial interspecific pairwise divergences (up to 19.3%) were observed, which permitted identification of all analysed species. The results also indicated that barcodes can be used to associate life stages of chironomids since COI was easily amplified and sequenced from different life stages with universal barcode primers. Résumé Notre étude évalue l'utilité des codes à barres d'ADN pour délimiter 79 spécimens de 13 espèces de moucherons de la sous-famille des Tanypodinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) provenant de l’état de São Paulo, Brésil. Notre étude confirme l'utilisation des codes à barres d'ADN comme un excellent outil pour l'identification des espèces et la solution de problèmes taxonomiques dans genre Labrundinia. Une analyse moléculaire des séquences des gènes COI fournit des arbres d'identification des taxons, délimitant 13 groupes cohérents d'espèces, dont trois groupes similaires ont été reliés subséquemment à une variation morphologique des stades larvaires et nymphal. De plus, un autre groupe décrit antérieurement à partir de caractères morphologiques a été relié à des marqueurs moléculaires. Il existe un écart net entre les codes à barres et, chez certaines espèces, d'importantes divergences entre les espèces considérées deux par deux (jusqu’à 19,3%), ce qui a permis l'identification de toutes les espèces examinées. Nos résultats montrent aussi que les codes à barres peuvent servir à associer les différents stades de vie des chironomides, car il est facile d'amplifier et de séquencer le gène COI provenant des différents stades avec les amorces universelles des codes à barres.
Pesticide Dissipation under Golf Course Fairway Conditions

The degradation and vertical movement of pendimethalin, chlorpyrifos, isazofos, and metalaxyl were monitored in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turf managed as a golf course fairway. Intact turf-soil cores from Mead, NE, on a Sharpsburg soil (fine montmorillonitic, mesic Typic Argiudoll) and Gilbert, IA, on a Nicollet loam (fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Aquic Hapludoll) planted to Kentucky bluegrass were periodically removed to 60-cm depth through 113 d after pesticide application. Cores were sectioned into verdure, thatch, and multiple soil depths. While verdure contained high pesticide concentrations after application, precipitation, and clipping, and degradation reduced the amount in plant tissue with time. Thatch was highly retentive of the pesticides, generally containing the most residue throughout the monitoring period. Pesticide residues tended to be lower in soil at the Iowa site where more thatch was present. Little chlorpyrifos or pendimethalin moved through the thatch to the underlying soil. Isazofos was more mobile and metalaxyl moved through the entire soil column. Soil contained an average of 58% less pesticide than thatch over all sampling times, and concentrations in soil were highest at the 0- to 5- and 5- to 10-cm depths. Average time for 50% dissipation in the turf-soil profile (DT 50 ) was 16, 12, 10, and 7 d for metalaxyl, pendimethalin, chlorpyrifos, and isazofos, respectively. The pesticides appeared to degrade more rapidly in the turfgrass environment than typically reported for other agronomic cropping systems. Variability in pesticide residue concentrations for each soil depth among the turf-soil cores indicated non-uniform dissipation in the field.
Exploitation of host plant preferences in pest management strategies for oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

New control strategies for insect pests of arable agriculture are needed to reduce current dependence on synthetic insecticides, the use of which is unsustainable. We investigated the potential of a simple control strategy to protect spring‐sown oilseed rape, Brassica napus L. (Brassicaceae), from two major inflorescence pests: the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), and the seed weevil, Ceutorhynchus assimilis (Paykull) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), through exploitation of their host plant preferences. The strategy comprised, for the main crop, Starlight [an oilseed rape cultivar with relatively low proportions of alkenyl glucosinolates in the leaves (thereby releasing lower levels of attractive isothiocyanates than conventional cultivars)] and turnip rape, Brassica rapa (L.) (Brassicaceae), as a trap crop. We tested the system in laboratory, polytunnel semifield arena, and field experiments. The odours of Starlight were less attractive in olfactometer tests to both pests than those from a conventional cultivar, Canyon, and the plants were less heavily colonized in both polytunnel and field experiments. Turnip rape showed good potential as a trap crop for oilseed rape pests, particularly the pollen beetle as its odour was more attractive to both pests than that of oilseed rape. Polytunnel and field experiments showed the importance of relative growth stage in the system. As turnip rape flowers earlier than oilseed rape, beetles would be maintained on turnip rape past the damage‐susceptible growth stage of oilseed rape. The development of a pest control regime based on this strategy is discussed.
Use of Size for Early Detection of Juvenile Hatchery Steelhead Destined to Be Precocious Males

Abstract At two Washington State hatcheries in August 1999–2002, juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss were size-graded and the largest fish (4.8–9.2% of the population) were coded-wire-tagged and mixed with small fish to determine whether the large fish were those that became precocious males. The results showed that the large fish in August at Merwin Hatchery tended to become precocious, although the mean lengths of the precocious and nonprecocious fish were similar at their time of release in April. At Abernathy Fish Technology Center (FTC), the large fish in August did not disproportionately become precocious, and the nonprecocious fish were significantly larger than the precocious fish at release. We suggest that precocious fish at Abernathy FTC may have committed to precocity before August whereas fish at Merwin Hatchery committed to precocity in August. Because only 0.82% of the large fish became precocious, removing the 5–10% largest fish in August at the Merwin Hatchery would be marginally succe.
Conidium Germination and Appressorium Penetration of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on Stylosanthes guianensis

Pre-penetration and early penetration phases of two pathogenic strains of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (HM 502, HM 514)from Zaire were investigated quantitatively on four Stylosanthes guianensis genotypes (cv. Schofield, cv. Graham, CIAT 184 and CIAT 10136) of various levels of susceptibility. The results demonstrated control of the rates and type of conidial germination by the fungus, influenced to a lesser extent by the host genotype. Cell reactions were visible as papillae and cytoplasmic aggregations closely associated with the penetration peg. No fungal growth was observed when deposits of papillae occurred under appressoria-forming infection pegs, whereas the effect of the cytoplasmic aggregations varied according to the host genotype. In the interactions with strain HM 502, the highest rates of plant reaction were recorded on the resistant CIAT 184 genotype, while the highest level of penetration without reaction was observed on the most susceptible cv. Schofield. Cytoplasmic aggregations were also observed under a few ungerminated appressoria on this genotype. Differences were thus detected in the rates and types of conidial germination, in the rates and types of cell reactions under appressoria and in the appressorial penetration rates without cell reactions. However, these differences did not completely explain the range of macroscopic symptoms observed on the various genotypes.
Down-facing flowers, hummingbirds and rain

Flower orientation, the angle between a flower's main axis and the horizontal, is an important but understudied flower trait. I explore the relationship between flower orientation, hummingbird pollination, and rain, and review evidence for the adaptive significance of a down-facing orientation as a mechanism to avoid flower flooding. A screening of a tropical and a temperate flora showed that hummingbird flowers more commonly face down than insect flowers. In the temperate forests of southern South America, genera pollinated by hummingbirds and genera with down-facing flowers-irrespective of pollination mode-increase along a strong E-W precipitation gradient across the Andes. These patterns suggest that flowers with a down-facing orientation are associated with pollinators that, like hummingbirds, remain active during rain and that this type of flower orientation may constitute an adaptation against the deleterious effects of nectar dilution and pollen rainwash. Still scarce experimental evidence confirms that a down-facing morphology may prevent flower flooding. However, other morphological traits, like corolla closure and a narrow tubular shape, could also be effective in hindering nectar dilution and pollen rainwash.
Escoamento superficial e desagregação do solo em entressulcos em solo franco-argilo-arenoso com resíduos vegetais

Soil surface cover with crop residue modifies surface flow characteristics, generated by excess rainfall, and soil detachment and sediment transport resulting from the erosion process. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hydraulic conditions, detachment and flow resistance on interrill erosion on soil covered with residue. The experiment was conducted in the laboratory, on a Hapludult soil at a slope of 0.10 m m -1 , under simulated rainfall and soil surface covered with soybean residue at the rates of 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 kg m -2 . The increase in soil surface cover (SC) with residue, caused an increase in water flow depth and hydraulic roughness, and a decrease in the mean flow velocity, due to an increase in the viscous forces from the physical interference of residue on runoff, thus contributing to a reduction in interrill soil detachment rate (Di). The Di was 5.35x10 -4 kg m -2 s -1 for bare soil and was reduced to 1.50x10 -5 kg m -2 s -1 for soil with 100% of surface cover. The Laflen's and the potential models were adequate to estimate the coefficient of soil coverage by residue in direct contact with soil as a function of the soil surface cover.
A Need for Extensive Forest Management

Canada with its large amount of forest land of low productivity should manage the majority of the forest extensively rather than intensively. Extensive management can keep our stumpage rates or subsidies low, and help us remain competitive with the expanding areas of more productive forest in the world. Factors that influence and indicate that extensive management is more feasible than intensive management include: the low average productivity of Canadian forests, stumpage rates or subsidies allocation of present funds, present net value calculations, interest rates, risk factors, non-timber values, technological developments, present natural regeneration, lack of management information, current timber supplies, and protection of the forest. The challenges to the forester are to obtain and practice the extensive management skills necessary to produce a profitable resource for world markets. To meet these challenges will require that foresters treat the growing of trees as a profit source rather than as a .
Low‐density silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) polyculture does not prevent cyanobacterial off‐flavours in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)

Silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Valenciennes) were co-cultured with channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque) in 0.4 ha earthen ponds to determine the impacts of carp grazing on pond phytoplankton communities and cyanobacterial off-flavours in catfish. Carp were stocked at densities of 0, 75, or 250 fish ha−1 in seven replicate ponds per treatment. The mean chlorophyll a concentrations (a measure of phytoplankton standing crop) steadily increased in all treatments from about 100 μg L−1 in April to more than 400 μg L−1 by mid-October. Silver carp had no affect (P>0.1) on chlorophyll a concentrations across all sampling dates (April though October) or for sampling dates late in the growing season (August–October) when the prevalence of cyanobacterial off-flavours among catfish populations is usually greatest. Silver carp did not eliminate odour-producing cyanobacteria from pond phytoplankton communities: on sampling dates in September and October, three to six ponds in all treatments contained populations of the odour-producing cyanobacteria Oscillatoria perornata, Anabaena spp. , or both. Failure of silver carp to eliminate odour-producing cyanobacteria resulted in a relatively high incidence in all treatments of ponds with off-flavoured catfish. On sampling dates in September and October, catfish in three to five ponds in each treatment were tainted with either musty (2-methylisoborneol) or earthy (geosmin) off-flavours. The presence of silver carp had no obvious effect on off-flavour intensity: on each sampling date, at least three ponds in each treatment contained catfish described as distinctly to extremely off-flavored. Apparently, hypertrophic conditions in catfish ponds overwhelm the effect of silver carp grazing at the low carp densities used in this study.