Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of the White-Winged Guan (Penelope albipennis) in Seed Dispersal and Predation in Tumbesian Dry Forest, Peru

The white-winged guan (Penelope albipennis, Cracidae), thought extinct until 1979, today numbers <300 individuals. We investigated the role of the guans in seed dispersal and predation dynamics by recording seed germination from fecal samples of wild birds during the dry-season (May–December 2010). This study was conducted at Chaparri Ecological Preserve, in the critically endangered Tumbesian ecosystem on the western slope of the Andes. Field observations show that this bird is a frugivore; Cordia lutea (Boraginaceae) was the primary fruit consumed of the eight species of seeds collected from droppings. Collected seeds were sown in pots under nursery conditions and monitored for germination. Germination rates of passed seeds for Cordia lutea were compared to those that had been collected from a control group of trees. Germination was significantly different between fecal and control seeds, suggesting the plant germinated better after passing through the guans alimentary tract. The identification of flower structures, and digested seeds in feces show that guans can be effective fruit and flower predators. This study provides further information regarding the diet for conservation of the white-winged guan and suggests the bird may aid seed germination in some instances and may act as a predator in others.
Harvest Timing Affects Switchgrass Production, Forage Nutritive Value, and Nutrient Removal

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has potential for both bioenergy and forage. The objectives of this experiment were to: i) determine whether switchgrass could be harvested for greater nutritive value during the vegetative stage relative to early reproductive growth (boot stage); ii) compare biomass yields of switchgrass harvested once versus twice per year for bioenergy; and iii) examine effects of N fertilizer rates on harvest systems. The experiment was a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement of harvest system treatments as main plot (harvest once per year after frost, harvest twice per year first at vegetative or boot stage and regrowth after frost) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate as subplots (0, 90, 180, and 270 kg N ha). Biomass yield was greatest and nutrient concentrations were least in the one-cut system. For the two-cut system, nutritive values and yields were similar. Total annual biomass increased linearly with N fertilization. Across N rates, CP concentration for the two-cut systems was 50% greater (71 g kg) and ADF and NDF concentrations were 20% lesser (465 and 856 g kg, respectively) than switchgrass in the one-cut system. Switchgrass harvested at vegetative through boot stage and its regrowth could provide forage of acceptable nutritive value to beef cows. However, greater nutrient removal requires appropriate soil fertility evaluation and fertilizer management for sustainable yields. Abbreviations: ADF, acid detergent fiber; CP, crude protein; DM, dry matter; IVDMD, in vitro dry matter disappearance; NDF, neutral detergent fiber; NIRS, near-infrared spectroscopy Crop Science: Posted 9 Apr. 2013; doi: 10.2135/cropsci2012.10. 0568
Testicular and some hormonal changes during the first four years of life in the mirror carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

Male carp bred in outside ponds in Poland were sampled monthly from 5 to 46 months old, to analyse changes in gonadosomatic index (GSI) and pituitary gonadotropin hormone (GTH) in blood serum and in pituitary, 17α20β8P and 11KT in blood and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in pituitary and hypothalamus. First signs of puberty with significant testis development (a high GSI of 12% and strong mitotic activity of the type-B spermatogonia) were seen at 13 months and 4548° days. By 16 months the GSI had declined to 6%. At 25 months the GSI remained at 6%, active spermatogenesis was observed, with some accumulation of spermatozoa but no spermiation. During the years 4 and 5 the GSI increased regularly from 6 to 12% and spermiation was observed nearly all the time. Some GTH was found in the blood before gonad development occurred. Thereafter there was no major change in GTH (10–20 ng ml−1 serum) except a peak of 200–130 ng ml−1 at 38. 39 months: this peak was not related to any major biological event, except that all fish reached spermiation at that time. A progressive increase of the amount of GTH in the pituitary was observed during the sampling period. Opposite fluctuations in the GnRH content were observed in brain and pituitary. Circulating 11-ketotesterone (11-KT) increased to 20 30 ng ml−1 serum in spring 22–25 months and at 36–37 months in parallel with the progressive rise of the water temperature, but independently of stage of testes development. These peaks of 11-KT were followed immediately (1984) or two months later (1983) by temporary major rises of 17αa-hydroxy-20β-dihydroprogesterone reaching 2–3 ng ml1 serum; this was not related to the temperature nor to the spermatogenetic stage.
Bird species distribution in a complex Amazonian landscape: species diversity, compositional variability and biotic–environmental relationships

The purpose of this study is to analyze the avifauna of a complex Amazonian landscape to understand the contribution of habitat heterogeneity to the regional bird diversity. Birds were sampled with mist nets and point counts in six vegetation types in the Jaú National Park, Brazilian Amazon. White sand campinas and white sand forests were less diverse than other vegetation types. Despite their lower diversity, the bird faunas of white sand campinas and open canopy flooded forests were very distinct at the landscape scale. Dominance of individuals in white sand campinas, open canopy flooded forests and a white sand forest was higher than in other vegetation types. Number of species was correlated with area and structural complexity of the vegetation. Species composition was distinct between vegetation types and ordinations of sites revealed ecological gradients related to the soil variability and flooding regimes. Habitat heterogeneity provided by the river’s seasonal flooding and the distribution of soil types is important for structuring bird communities in the study region. Additionally, allopatric speciation and dispersal events play important roles in the diversification of bird communities in the Jaú National Park. A proposta deste estudo é analisar a avifauna de uma complexa paisagem amazônica para entender a contribuição da heterogeneidade de hábitat para a diversidade de aves. As aves foram amostradas com redes de captura e contagens por pontos em seis tipos de vegetação no Parque Nacional do Jaú, Amazônia brasileira. Campinas e campinaranas apresentaram menor diversidade de aves. Apesar da baixa diversidade, as avifaunas das campinas e matas alagáveis de copa aberta foram muito distintas na escala da paisagem. A dominância de indivíduos nas campinas, matas alagáveis de copa aberta e campinaranas foi superior comparada aos outros tipos de vegetação. Número de espécies de aves foi correlacionado com área e complexidade estrutural da vegetação. A composição de espécies foi distinta entre os tipos de vegetação e ordenações dos sítios revelaram gradientes ecológicos relacionados à variabilidade de solos e regime de alagamento dos rios. Heterogeneidade de hábitats providenciada pelo alagamento sazonal dos rios e variabilidade de solos é importante na estruturação das comunidades de aves na região de estudo. Especiação alopátrica e eventos de dispersão também desempenham importante papel na diversificação da avifauna do Parque Nacional do Jaú.
An extension of presence/absence coefficients to abundance data: a new look at absence

Alternative community analyses, based on quantitative and presence/absence data, are comparable logically if the data type is the only factor responsible for differences among results. For presence/absence indices that consider mutual absences, no quantitative alternatives are known. To facilitate such comparisons, a new family of similarity coefficients is proposed for abundance data. Formally, this extension is achieved by generalizing the four cells of the usual 2 × 2 contingency table to the quantitative case. This implies an expanded meaning of absence: for a given species at a given site it is understood as the difference between the actual value and the maximum detected in the entire study. The correspondence between 10 presence/absence coefficients and their quantitative counterparts is evaluated by graphical comparisons based on artificial data. The behaviour of the new functions is also examined using field data representing post-fire regeneration processes in grasslands and a chronosequence pertaining to forest regeneration after clear-cut. The examples suggest that the new coefficients are most informative for data sets with low beta-diversity and temporal background changes.
Function and Regulation of the Plant COPT Family of High-Affinity Copper Transport Proteins

Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient for all eukaryotes because it participates as a redox active cofactor in multiple biological processes, including mitochondrial respiration, photosynthesis, oxidative stress protection, and iron (Fe) transport. In eukaryotic cells, Cu transport toward the cytoplasm is mediated by the conserved CTR/COPT family of high-affinity Cu transport proteins. This outlook paper reviews the contribution of our research group to the characterization of the function played by the Arabidopsis thaliana COPT1–6 family of proteins in plant Cu homeostasis. Our studies indicate that the different tissue specificity, Cu-regulated expression, and subcellular localization dictate COPT-specialized contribution to plant Cu transport and distribution. By characterizing lack-of-function Arabidopsis mutant lines, we conclude that COPT1 mediates root Cu acquisition, COPT6 facilitates shoot Cu distribution, and COPT5 mobilizes Cu from storage organelles. Furthermore, our work with copt2 mutant and COPT-overexpressing plants has also uncovered Cu connections with Fe homeostasis and the circadian clock, respectively. Future studies on the interaction between COPT transporters and other components of the Cu homeostasis network will improve our knowledge of plant Cu acquisition, distribution, regulation, and utilization by Cu-proteins.
Socio-economic constraints to adoption of yield improving tea farming technologies: A study of small holder tea farmers affiliated to estates in Nandi Hills, Kenya

Tea farming technical packages tailored to improve productivity have been developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya and availed to farmers for adoption where the estate subsector has demonstrated that these packages can double the current small holder tea production of 1,800 kg made tea per hectare. Despite this potential, there exists an alarmingly low uptake of these technologies by small holder tea farmers which points to significant gaps in the current tea sector policies and technology transfer worth exploring in the small holder tea sector. Lack of knowledge on socio-economic factors that constrain the adoption of these packages by smallholder tea farmers could be the cause of the wide gap that exist on the rate of adoption within the estate and small holder tea sub sectors. This is clearly demonstrated by low productivity in the latter over the years. Understanding these factors may provide explanations to the low adoption rates, which in turn could be used to formulate policies and offer research recommendations. This study is aimed at estimating how socio economic factors influence smallholder farmers’ decision to adopt the available tea farming technologies. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were employed with socio-economic factors as independent variables being regressed against the dependent variable of recommended yield improving tea farming technology in the Logistic Regression Model. The study was carried out among smallholder tea farmers affiliated to estates in the Nandi hills tea growing zone in Kenya. A questionnaire was randomly administered to 190 smallholder tea farmers who supplied green leaf to estate factories. The results generally showed that although, 99% of small holders grow potentially high yielding TN14/3 and C12 tea varieties, they do not apply the recommended practices needed to maximize the potential of these varieties. Only 45.8% of the small holder farmers were found to use the technologies. The logistic model analysis of the survey data showed that head gender, benefits awareness, costs awareness, and extension services significantly affected adoption. The implied significance on extension contact could be explained by lack of information on these packages among smallholder farmers who may be willing to adopt the technology. Policies that focus on transfer of information and reduction in cost of production based on these packages to smallholder farmers may help to boost the adoption. The evidence from the study also suggests that management skills seem to be lacking among the tea farmers in Nandi hills and calls for its inclusion in the training package. An organization to specifically represent the interests of estate smallholders would also be welcomed and useful.
Phylogenetic affinities of evolutionarily enigmatic African galliforms: the Stone Partridge Ptilopachus petrosus and Nahan's Francolin Francolinus nahani, and support for their sister relationship with New World quails

The monotypic Stone Partridge Ptilopachus petrosus (Galliformes: Phasianidae), restricted to arid rocky areas of the northern savanna belt including the Sahel on the southern border of the Sahara Desert, is a taxonomic enigma. Historically, it has been grouped with Asian forest partridges (Galloperdix and Bambusicola spp.). However, recent DNA-based phylogenetic research has suggested that its closest relative is Nahan’s Francolin Francolinus nahani, another taxonomically enigmatic African galliform, and a globally threatened, narrow endemic species associated with the interior of remnant primary forests of the eastern equatorial lowlands of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. This hypothesis is investigated in greater detail using additional DNA evidence and information on behaviour and vocalizations. Phylogenetic analyses of the combined sequences from three nuclear and four mitochondrial markers (5554 bases for 84 galliform taxa) overwhelmingly support the sister relationship between F. nahani and P. petrosus. They, in turn, are the distantly related sister taxon of the New World quails (Odontophoridae), and are not related to any other Old World galliform.
A STUDY OF ANTIGENS OF THE AEROBIC SPOREFORMING BACTERIA

SUMMARY Spore, vegetative O and vegetative H agglutinogens were demonstrated as separate entities in Bacillus species. Spore precipitinogens were distinct from those of the vegetative stage, the latter being associated with the H antigen. Injection of viable spores into rabbits resulted in the formation of antibodies for the vegetative phase as well as spore antibodies, while injection of autoclaved spores gave rise to spore antibodies only. Spore agglutinogens varied in their strain specificity, B. cereus and B. megaterium especially showing much subspecies specificity, but the spore precipitinogens showed a high degree of species specificity and could be of considerable taxonomic value. The multiplicity of spore precipitinogens in certain species was demonstrated and inter-species cross reactions were studied.
Free and Bound Phenolic Acids and Total Phenolics in Black, Blue, and Yellow Barley and Their Contribution to Free Radical Scavenging Capacity

ABSTRACT Barley is considered a healthy food because of its high content of β-glucan and phenolic antioxidants. In the current study, 28 black, blue, and yellow barleys were investigated in terms of their composition of free and bound phenolic acids and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity. Free phenolics were based on aqueous methanol extraction, whereas bound phenolics were extracted following alkaline hydrolysis. Phenolics were then separated and quantified by liquid chromatography and the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Significant differences were observed between the three barley color groups, and within each color group a wide range of phenolics concentrations existed. Ferulic acid was the predominant phenolic acid in free and bound extracts, followed by p-coumaric acid in all the barleys investigated. Total phenols content and individual phenolic acids strongly correlated with free radical scavenging capacity of barley. Black and blue barley were found to be related and distinct from .
A taxonomic reassessment of Lithophyllum (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) based on studies of R. A. Philippi's original collections

Critical studies of the original collections upon which Lithothamnium Philippi (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) is based have revealed that none of the five species included in the initial presentation conforms to any modern concept of the genus. Two species are referrable to Amphiroa and one each to Goniolithon, Lithophyllum and Pseudolithophyllum. Since 1897, the name Lithothamnium Philippi has been widely and persistently applied to a taxon not including its nomenclatural type and it therefore must be rejected under Article 69 of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. After considering various alternative solutions to the problem of a replacement for one of the more widely used algal names in the botanical and geological literature, it is proposed to conserve Lithothamnion Heydrich, based on the selected lectotype species L. muelleri Lenormand ex Rosanoff, against Lithothamnium Philippi. Detailed morphological-anatomical accounts of specimens in the type collections are presented along with relev.
How do nematodes get their sweets? Solute supply to sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes

Sedentary cyst and root-knot nematodes withdraw large amounts of solutes from feeding structures induced in host roots. The feeding structures are specialised cells with a high metabolic activity and a tremendous capacity in translocation of nutrients. The required nutrients are provided by the plant transport systems – water and inorganic solutes from the xylem, assimilates such as sugars and amino acids from the phloem. Here we discuss the available data on the mechanisms by which nutrients are translocated into the nematode feeding sites. The interaction between Heterodera schachtii and Arabidopsis thaliana serves as a model system for cyst nematodes. In this case sufficient data are available to propose a conclusive concept for the mechanisms of nutrient flow: basically, in the early stages of nematode development syncytia are symplasmically isolated, so that transport proteins are responsible for the nutrient supply. Later, connections to the phloem via plasmodesmata are established, so that developing females are well supplied with assimilates. The interactions of root-knot nematodes with their hosts share a number of similarities but the data currently available are not sufficient to draw similar conclusions. As nutrient supply and functionality of feeding structures are the basis of biotrophic parasitism of sedentary nematodes, it is tempting to unravel the mechanisms by which both plant and nematodes influence each other via nutrient fluxes.
Egglarval mortality of Pacific herring in Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill

Nous avons verifie l'hypothese selon laquelle, chez le hareng du Pacifique (Clupea pallasi), les taux quotidiens instantanes de mortalite des larves par rapport a la densite des masses d'oeufs sont superieurs dans deux stations polluees par le petrole a ce qu'ils sont dans deux stations non polluees. La mortalite des larves par rapport a la densite des masses d'oeufs est le rapport entre la densite des larves a l'eclosidn et la densite moyenne des oeufs, divise par le nombre de jours qui se sont ecoules entre les deux estimations. Il existait des differences significatives entre les stations quant a la densite des masses d'oeufs et de petites differences quant a la longueur moyenne des larves, et il n'existait aucune difference attribuable au petrole quant aux taux de perte et de croissance des larves. Toutefois, dans les deux secteurs pollues, la mortalite moyenne des larves par rapport a la densite des masses d'oeufs etait le double de ce qu'elle etait aux deux autres stations, et le taux de croissance des larves etait environ la moitie de ceux mesures dans d'autres secteurs du Pacifique nord. Ces resultats confirment l'hypothese selon laquelle le petrole a des effets nocifs sur les embryons et les larves de hareng.
Factors predisposing episodic drought‐induced tree mortality in Nothofagus– site, climatic sensitivity and growth trends

1 Although climatic variability is a strong driving force for forest dynamics, drought‐induced mortality has generally received much less attention than other types of disturbance. 2 In 1998–99 northern Patagonia was affected by one of the most severe droughts of the 20th century, coinciding with a strong La Nina event, and this caused high mortality of Nothofagus dombeyi (coihue), the dominant tree species in Nahuel Huapi National Park. 3 Factors involved in determining this mortality of N. dombeyi were examined at both patch and tree level. Radial growth characteristics of killed trees and survivors were compared by dendrochronological analyses. Relationships between growth and climate were investigated using response function analysis. 4 At the tree scale, individuals with variable growth were more prone to die from drought than trees with more regular growth. Juveniles whose growth patterns showed sensitivity to climate were particularly likely to die. However, among both killed trees and survivors, older trees were less sensitive to climate. 5 Mean growth rate was a good predictor of mortality in adult trees, showing that trees with slower growth rate were more susceptible to drought. Susceptible trees may have been negatively affected by the drought that affected northern Patagonia in 1956–57. 6 These results underscore the importance of considering drought‐induced tree mortality as a non‐random mechanism influenced by site, previous stress/disturbance history, ontogeny, vigour, climatic sensitivity and physiology. Spatial patterns of extensive full and partial crown dieback, which are evident in many temperate forests worldwide, may reflect the superposition of these predisposing factors on strong/repeated interannual fluctuations of climate.