Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
River flows and estuarine ecosystems: Implications for coastal fisheries from a review and a case study of the Logan River, southeast Queensland

River discharge has long been recognized as one of the factors that contributes to the high productivity of estuaries. Although there is little evidence that river inputs of terrestrial carbon make a direct contribution to coastal food webs, such exported nutrients may stimulate in situ production in estuaries and thus enhance the survivorship and growth of fish and crustaceans in these systems. Furthermore, fluctuations in salinity and turbidity may influence the extent of available habitat for fish and crustaceans and therefore their distribution and/or catchability. Despite these potential links between flow and the secondary production of estuaries and coastal waters, there is still a common perception that ‘water going to sea is wasted’ and a continuing trend to regulate the flow of rivers. We review the evidence for links between river flow and the productivity of estuarine/coastal fisheries, drawing on a case study of the Logan River in southeast Queensland, and explore the potential mechanisms for these linkages. Our research, and that of others, confirms that high river discharge can have a strong positive effect on the production of commercial and recreational coastal fisheries. It also shows that the seasonal pattern of flow is equally, if not more important, than the magnitude of flow. River regulation is likely to have a dramatic effect on the production of coastal fisheries and, given the current pressures for water resource development, this is an important avenue for future research and evaluation.
Individual quality and food availability determine yolk and egg mass and egg composition in tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor

Variation in egg size and composition can have important consequences for the quality of offspring. We investigated the factors influencing the yolk mass and egg mass of tree swallows breeding in Ithaca, NY. Using a nondestructive technique to estimate yolk mass via standardized digital-candler photographs, we compared yolk size and egg size of tree swallows Tachycineta bicolor in response to variation in food availability and individual quality. Insect availability one to three days prior to laying, but not four to six days, predicted yolk mass, while insect availability two to three days prior to laying predicted total egg mass. This suggests that, while eggs are formed over longer periods, food availability closer to time of laying has the greatest influence on egg size. These results were supported by collected eggs, as yolk rings revealed that tree swallow eggs are formed over 5–6 days. There was an influence of female quality as well, with early laying birds, independent of food availability, laying larger eggs. Eggs laid later in the laying sequence had larger yolks and greater egg mass. Overall, variation in egg quality appears to be due to a combination of environmental conditions, reflected in food resources, individual quality, and allocation tradeoffs during the laying period.
Excretion of dissolved organic carbon by eelgrass (Zostera marina) and its epiphytes

The release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by eelgrass (Zostera marina) and its epiphytic community was examined in a shallow estuarine system near Beaufort, North Carolina. Excretion by eelgrass alone, by epiphytes alone, and by heavily epiphytized eelgrass was determined by radiocarbon techniques using carbon 14. The percent of total photosynthate excreted was small in all cases: 0.9 percent for heavily colonized plants, 1.5 percent for Zostera alone, and 2.0 percent for the epiphytic community. The amount released by the eelgrass and epiphytes was proportional to the total amount of carbon fixed. Excretion rates in the dark were much lower than in the light. The rate of excretion increased after the plant underwent desiccation. The annual primary production and DOC excretion by phytoplankton, cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora), and the eelgrass community was estimated: 47 percent of the total annual primary production and 14 percent of the total excreted material was contributed by eelgrass and its epiphytes. Thus the eelgrass and epiphytes can play an important role in carbon cycling in estuarine systems.
New Records of the Oppioid Mites (Acari: Oribatida) for the Turkish Fauna from Artvin Province

Four oppioid (Oribatida:Oppioidea) mite species, namely Berniniella (Berniniella) parasigma Iturrondobeitia, 1987, Autogneta (Rhaphigneta) numidiana (Grandjean, 1960), Conchogneta dalecarlica (Forsslund, 1947), and Lauroppia tenuipectinata Subias and Rodriguez, 1987, recorded from Artvin province are given with their original figures. Some of their morphological features and distributions in the world are also presented. All of them are new records for the Turkish fauna.
Climate-related changes of phytoplankton seasonality in large shallow Lake Võrtsjärv, Estonia

Water level changes (7-year moving averages) in Lake Võrtsjärv (Estonia) during 1885–2000 were correlated with winter patterns in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. In this shallow lake (270 km2, mean depth 2.8 m), where the annual water level amplitude is 1.4 m and the absolute range is 3.2 m, hydrology is the main driving force for the ecosystem. Control of phytoplankton growth was mediated by ice conditions in spring, and by water level in summer and autumn. Winter air temperature similarly influenced the biomass of cyanobacteria and diatoms in spring; while the effect of the ice-cover duration was more pronounced on cyanobacteria. Mean depth of the lake did not affect the phytoplankton biomass in spring, but clearly controlled it in summer and autumn. The direct impact of winter conditions on biological processes was restricted to a short post-winter period, but extended indirectly as the water level for the entire growing season depended strongly on the height of the spring flood peak.
Population Structure of Spotted Seatrout Inhabiting the Texas Gulf Coast: An Allozymic Perspective

Abstract Spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus (N = 674) from 12 geographic populations along the Texas and northern Mexico Gulf coasts were surveyed to determine population structure as indicated by the distribution of electrophoretically detectable allelic variants. The percentage of polymorphic loci among 44 putative gene loci averaged 15.5% and ranged from 13.6 to 15.9%. The percentage of heterozygous loci per individual (H) for all loci averaged 1.6% and ranged from 1.2% in East Matagorda Bay to 2.3% in Rio Soto La Marina. A cline existed in the frequency of the sAAT-2*80 allele (for aspartate aminotransferase) (0.9–17.1%) and in average individual heterozygosity with respect to degrees north latitude and west longitude, Heterogeneity tests indicated allele counts at the sAAT-2 * locus were distributed heterogeneously among the 12 localities. Subpopulation differentiation was low (F ST = 0.012), and quantitative (Nem) and qualitative estimators suggested high gene flow throughout this study area. The .
Maternal Effects of Herbivory in Impatiens capensis

Maternal effects of herbivory for fitness‐related traits of offspring, especially those traits that are expressed later in a plant's life, have rarely been studied. To better understand how herbivory to the maternal plant influences traits of its progeny and whether this depends on the mating system that produced the seed or the growth environment of the seedling, we examined maternal effects of herbivory in Impatiens capensis. Impatiens capensis is well suited to this study because it exhibits a mixed mating system by producing obligately selfing cleistogamous flowers and facultatively outcrossing chasmogamous flowers on a single plant. In a natural I. capensis population, we manipulated maternal herbivory and collected seeds from cleistogamous and chasmogamous flowers and assessed their fitness in the presence or absence of intraspecific competitors in the greenhouse. We found that maternal herbivory had positive effects for many offspring traits but the magnitude of the maternal effect depended on the offspring competitive context. In addition, for offspring biomass and total flower production, the expression of maternal effects varied with seed source (i.e., chasmogamous or cleistogamous flower). Our results demonstrate that maternal herbivory has consequences for the next generation that persist throughout the offspring life cycle, indicating that there may be important demographic consequences of maternal effects.
Use of benzoic acid for piglets

Um experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da inclusao de acido benzoico (Vevovitall®) na dieta sobre o desempenho e a morfologia intestinal do duodeno de leitoes de 28 a 70 dias de idade. Foram utilizados 160 leitoes Dalland × Penarlan desmamados aos 21 dias de idade, separados por sexo. O experimento foi dividido em fases pre-inicial 1 (28 a 35 dias de idade), pre-inicial 2 (36 a 46 dias de idade) e fase inicial (47 a 70 dias idade). Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental tipo blocos ao acaso com 5 tratamentos, cada um com 8 repeticoes de 4 animais, totalizando 40 unidades experimentais. Foram utilizados quatro niveis de acido benzoico (0; 0,25; 0,50 e 0,75%) e um tratamento testemunha com acido fumarico. Abateram-se, aos 70 dias de idade, dois animais por repeticao para coleta de amostras do duodeno e estudo da morfologia intestinal e um animal por repeticao para estudo de lesoes gastricas. Foram avaliadas as caracteristicas de desempenho (ganho de peso, consumo de racao e conversao alimentar) para cada fase e para o periodo total. Como caracteristicas morfologicas, foram avaliadas a altura das vilosidades, a profundidade de criptas e a relacao altura de vilosidades/profundidade de criptas. Avaliou-se ainda a incidencia de diarreia. No periodo de 28 a 70 dias, o uso de acido benzoico influencia o desempenho de suinos, que neste estudo foi melhor os niveis de 0,50 e 0,75%, e reduz a incidencia de diarreia. Animais alimentados com dietas contendo acido benzoico apresentam maior altura de vilosidade e profundidade de criptas.
Ecological and Genetic Effects of Salmonid Introductions in North America

Stocking of non-native Salmoninae into North American waters began around 1870. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) from Europe established populations across North America and is the only successful inter-continental introduction. Introductions of native salmonids within North America but outside their native ranges have been common. Ecological effects of salmonid introductions. include competition, predation on native salmonids and other fishes, environmental modification through digging of redds in stream bottom substrates during spawning, and introduction of parasites and disease to native fish. Direct genetic effects from stocked salmonids are caused by interbreeding with native species. Indirect genetic effects may result through selective forces and/or a reduction of effective population size, genetic drift, and inbreeding. Management actions used to remove non-native salmonid populations include chemical reclamation and construction of barriers to movement. Salmonid stocking as a management practice is app.
Amino acids in kiwifruit 2. Distribution of 14C-leaf photosynthate among free amino acids during fruit maturation

Abstract The incorporation of 14C-leaf photosynthate into the free amino acids of the maturing fruit and fruit stalk of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) was investigated. In February 14C in the fruit core was found mainly in glutamine, and in the inner and outer cortex in glutamine and aspartic acid. Higher amounts of radioactivity were found in aspartic acid of the outer cortex than in other tissues. Increasing amounts of radioactivity were apportioned to arginine in the core at the stem end of the fruit during a 48-h period. As the fruit matured, increasing amounts of radioactivity in the core were found in glutamic acid. In the fruit stalk, 14C was found predominantly in glutamic acid, glutamine, and aspartic acid. The results indicated that: (1) arginine is synthesised in situ in the fruit and fruit stalk; (2) asparagine is likely to be synthesised early in fruit development; and (3) glutamic acid, serine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and alanine are likely to be transported from the leaf to the fruit.
Mechanical transmissibility and pathogenic effect of a mosaic disease of Commelina benghalensis L. in Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp

Experiments were conducted using potted plants on the mechanical transmissibility or otherwise and the eventual pathogenic effect, of a viral isolate from naturally infected Commelina benghalensis L. (a broad-leaved weed) on three widely grown cowpea, Vigna unguiculata L. Walp cultivars- Vita 5 (white), IT84S2246-D (Brown) and Ife Brown. The results showed that the virus was mechanically transmitted to cowpea through the sap extract from infected weed leaves. All the cultivars exhibited symptoms of infection, which started as leaf mottle and gradually developed into well pronounced dark green to pale green mosaic pattern that had been observed on the natural weed host. The degree of susceptibility was observed to vary with the cultivars in terms of time of appearance of symptoms and the subsequent growth and yield response. Inter cultivar comparison showed that cv Vita 5 (white) was the most susceptible; having manifested symptoms at least 5 days earlier than others and subsequently having in absolute as well as in percentage terms the lowest number and size of leaf, least plant height, delayed flowering and lesser number and weight of pods as well as grains. IT84S2246D was the most tolerant of the 3 cultivars. It had highest absolute growth and yield parameters compared to other cultivars and intracultivar comparison showed that the infected plants performed just a little lower than the healthy ones Keywords : Mechanical transmission, viral isolate, cowpea cv Vita 5, cv IT84S2246D, and cv Ife Brown, Commelina sp. JARD Vol. 4 (2) 2005: pp. 148-158
Integrative taxonomy of the freshwater worm Rhyacodrilus falciformis s.l. (Clitellata: Naididae), with the description of a new species

The genetic and morphological variation within Rhyacodrilus falciformis Bretscher, 1901 (Clitellata: Naididae) in Europe was explored using an integrative approach, with three unlinked genetic markers [the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), the nuclear histone 3 (H3) and internal transcribed spacer region (ITS)] combined with morphology, to investigate whether this taxon constitutes a single or several species. Using Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery on the COI data set, the specimens were divided into seven clusters, used as hypothetical species that were further tested with the other data sources. Single‐gene trees were estimated for all three markers, using coalescence analysis and they were in many parts incongruent with each other. Only one of the clusters was supported by all trees; it was also morphologically differentiated from the other clusters by the shape of its modified penial chaetae. This group consists of two specimens from the Crotot Cave in south‐eastern France, and morphologically they fit a previously described but invalid variety, ‘pigueti’, which is here described as a new species, Rhyacodrilus pigueti Achurra & Martinsson sp. n. The study highlights the fact that a single data source (e.g. COI barcodes) seldom provides a sufficient basis for taxonomic decisions such as species delimitation.
Management Implications of the Distribution and Diet of Sympatric Populations of Juvenile Coho Salmon and Coastal Cutthroat Trout in Small Streams in British Columbia, Canada

Abstract During the late summer period of low streamflow, the habitat use and diet of sympatric populations of juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch and coastal cutthroat trout Salmo clarki clarki were investigated in two small coastal streams, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. In both streams the populations of salmonids consisted primarily of age 0 + fish, with coho salmon being larger in size than cutthroat trout. Partial spatial segregation occurred in both streams, with coho salmon constituting 53-91% of the salmonid biomass in pools and glides and cutthroat trout 50-88% of the biomass in riffles. Coho salmon biomass was higher in the lower reaches, while cutthroat trout biomass was higher in the upper reaches. In both streams trophic segregation was evident, with adult insects, mainly Diptera and Hemiptera, being more common in the diet of coho salmon, whereas chironomid larvae and pupae were more common in the diet of cutthroat trout.
Composição da fauna edáfica em duas áreas de floresta em Santa Maria de Jetibá-ES, Brasil

O tamanho, estrutura e diversidade vegetal dos fragmentos tem influencia direta na taxa de decomposicao da serrapilheira, por induzir uma comunidade especifica da biota do solo. Este trabalho teve por objetivo a caracterizacao da fauna edafica em areas de floresta atlântica em diferentes estadios sucessionais em duas estacoes distintas do ano (verao e inverno) no municipio de Santa Maria de Jetiba, ES. Utilizaram-se duas areas com formacoes vegetais distintas em relacao ao estadio sucessional, definidas como: floresta secundaria ‘antiga’ (FSA) e floresta secundaria (FS). Para a coleta da fauna edafica foram utilizadas armadilhas do tipo ‘pitfall’, onde em cada uma das areas foi delimitado um talhao de aproximadamente 1 ha, e nestes foram distribuidas aleatoriamente 10 armadilhas. No total foram coletados 5009 individuos, separados em 29 grupos taxonomicos. O grupo taxonomico Diptera e o grupo funcional Holometabolos foram os mais representativos para a FSA no inverno e verao, e FS no inverno, diferindo deste comportamento, na FS no verao houve predominio do grupo Formicidae e Sociais: Formicidae. Na area de FS, verifi cou-se maior numero de individuos coletados, riqueza total e riqueza media em comparacao com a FSA. Os melhores indices de diversidade e uniformidade foram verificados na estacao inverno em ambas as areas.
SNPs in minimal promoter of myostatin (GDF-8) gene and its association with body weight in broiler chicken

Myostatin (MSTN), a transforming growth factors β (TGF-β) family member, is an important regulator of muscle mass. While polymorphism in the coding region of MSTN is extensively studied, the genetic causes of transcriptional regulation are poorly understood. This study is targeted to identify variations in the promoter region of MSTN. This study revealed that the promoter region of the growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8) is highly polymorphic and the identified nucleotide variations were attributed to transition mutations in sequence. Out of three genotypes observed, the frequency of AA was significantly higher (0.63) followed by the frequencies of AB (0.28) and BB (0.09). Genotype BB had a significant effect on body weight at hatching implicating the role of the identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the chicks muscle development.
SSR and pedigree analyses of genetic diversity among CIMMYT wheat lines targeted to different megaenvironments

Improved bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars for diverse agroecological environments are important for success in the effort to increase food production. In the 1980s, CIMMYT introduced the megaenvironment (ME) concept to breed wheats specifically adapted to different areas. Our objective was to analyze the genetic diversity among 68 advanced CIMMYT wheat lines targeted to different MEs by using 99 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and the coefficient of parentage (COP). The average number of alleles detected was higher for the 47 genomic SSRs (5.4) than for the 52 SSRs derived from expressed sequence tags (EST) (3.3), but gene diversity between MEs was similar for both types of markers. No significant differences among the five MEs were observed for the means of SSR-based genetic similarities (GS), calculated as 1 − Rogers' distance, and COP values. Both measures showed a low correlation (r = 0.43). High levels of genetic diversity were found within the germplasm targeted to each ME. However, principle coordinate analysis based on modified Rogers' distances did not separate the genotypes according to their targeted MEs. We conclude that presence of a single core germplasm can reflect large phenotypic differences. A sufficient number of diverse breeding lines for each ME is required because MEs generally combine various production areas. SSRs represent a powerful tool to quantify genetic diversity in wheat, but genotypic differentiation for adaptation to specific MEs in the CIMMYT program could not be proven.
Cloning and allelic variation of two novel catalase genes (SoCAT-1 and SsCAT-1) in Saccharum officinarum L. and Saccharum spontaneum L.

Catalases (CAT) play important roles in plant defence mechanisms, stress response, cellular redox balance and aging delay. In order to clone CAT genes in cultivated (Saccharum officinarum L.) and wild (S. spontaneum L.) sugarcane, we designed two pairs of specific primers using a full length cDNA sequence of sorghum CAT gene (XM 002437586.1) as the probe. Two novel full-length sequences of CAT genes (SoCAT-1 in S. officinarum and SsCAT-1 in S. spontaneum) were cloned by nested polymerase chain reaction. Two allelic variants were found at SoCAT-1 (SoCAT-1a and SoCAT-1b, GenBank accession nos. KF864224-25) and SsCAT-1 (SsCAT-1a and SsCAT-1b, GenBank accession nos. KF864226-27) loci. The full lengths of SoCAT-1a, SoCAT-1b, SsCAT-1a and SsCAT-1b were 3816 bp, 3814 bp, 3777 bp and 3812 bp, respectively, and all contained eight exons and seven introns, with a similar gene structure. The length of cDNA for all four genes was 1532 bp, containing 10 bp 5'-untranslated region (UTR) and 43 bp 3'-UTR, and an open reading frame of 1479 bp encoding a polypeptide of 492 amino acids. High homology of DNA (99.0% for SoCAT-1, 98.2% for SsCAT-1) and cDNA (99.3% for SoCAT-1, 99.4% for SsCAT-1) were found. Eleven single nucleotide polymorphisms were found in cDNA SoCAT-1 and nine ones in SsCAT-1, and nine and five amino-acid mutation sites in the predicted proteins, respectively. The predicted proteins encoded by SoCAT-1 and SsCAT-1 showed high homology with CAT in sorghum, rice, corn and other species.
Spatial spread and infestation risk assessment in the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis

The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), is recognised as potentially one of the most damaging invasive insects in Europe and North America. International trade has increased the risk of accidental introduction of ALB. An eradication programme was initiated in Northeast Italy in June 2009, when an ALB infestation was discovered. The infestation was monitored by annual surveys of all host‐tree species growing in the eradication area. Infested trees were cut down and chipped. This study analyses the spatiotemporal distribution of infested trees for a 5‐year period from 2008 to 2012 using a generalised linear model approach. The results show that spread and infestation risk were significantly affected by (1) distance of suitable hosts from the nearest infested trees, (2) number of infested trees in the surroundings, and (3) annual variation. The significant differences in beetle dispersal between years reflect to some extent the onset of the eradication programme. The model allowed the estimation of arbitrary probability‐based management boundaries surrounding ALB‐infested trees. For example, the model estimated a 0.1% probability of attack on a suitable host tree 1 910 m from an existing attack.
Palm‐wine yeasts from parts of Nigeria

Seventeen yeasts were isolated from samples of palm wine fermented from the sap of Elaeis sp. (9) and from the sap of Raphia sp. (8) in widely different localities in Nigeria. Twelve of the yeasts belonged to the genus Saccharomyces, four were Candida sp. and one was an Endomycopsis sp. The distribution of the yeasts did not appear to depend on the sap which was fermented or on locality. The implication of the findings with respect to palm‐wine fermentation studies is emphasised.