Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The rich krill aggregation of the Saguenay - St. Lawrence Marine Park: hydroacoustic and geostatistical biomass estimates, structure, variability, and significance for whales

The euphausiid aggregation at the head of the main channel of the estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence was surveyed using 120- and 38-kHz hydroacoustics in the summers of 1994 and 1995. A systematic sampling grid covering an area of 1319 km 2 was visited eight times. Fish echoes were separated from krill echoes using the difference in backscattering strength at the two frequencies. Global estimates were obtained from geostatistical methods for both total biomass and the fraction exceedin g5gw et·m -3 . The euphausiids were always exclusively composed of individuals of the oldest cohorts (2+) of the two species Thysanoessa raschi and Meganyctiphanes norvegica . Total biomass varied fro m8±2t o 96 ±8k t and cutoff biomass from 0t o 56 ±6k t. The twotypes of estimates were linearly related. Biomass was autocorrelated up to distances of 10-15 km. An anisotropic structure with radii of ∼ 2◊ 5 km, stretched along the channel axis, was discernible at a small scale. The particular size distribution of euphausiids and the large variations in the global estimates appear to be controlled by horizontal transport. The study area appears to be the richest krill aggregation site yet documented in the northwest Atlantic, with densities similar to the rich krill aggregation areas of the Antarctic. The krill aggregation is at the heart of this traditional whale feeding ground. Resume : L'agregation d'euphausides a la tete du chenal principal de l'estuaire et du golfe du St-Laurent a ete echantillonnee par hydroacoustique a 120 et 38 kHz aux etes 1994 et 1995. Un reseau d'echantillonnage systematique
Fatty acid content of unripe and ripe ‘Pedro Ximénez’ Vitis vinifera grapes

Abstract We studied the fatty acid composition of musts obtained from Pedro XimenezVitis vinifera grapes at two ripening stages (unripe and ripe). The overall fatty acid content was found to increase with ripening while the proportion of unsaturated acids decreased. Linoleic acid underwent the most marked decrease in this respect, which reveals that grapes lose some of their potential herbaceous aroma on ripening. Unsaturated fatty acids C16:l, C18:l and C18:2 prevailed in the neutral lipid fraction and their proportions increased with ripening. On the other hand, palmitic acid (C16:0) was preferentially encountered in the polar lipid fraction and its proportion increased with ripening.
Cryptic sexual size dimorphism in Malagasy plovers Charadrius spp.

Many small plovers Charadrius spp. have sexually monomorphic plumage and cryptic sexual size dimorphism. The objective of our study was to assess the variation in body sizes between male and female plovers breeding in Madagascar. We collected blood samples and data on adult body sizes of four small plovers (Madagascar Plover Charadrius thoracicus, Kittlitz's Plover C. pecuarius, White-fronted Plover C. marginatus and Three-banded Plover C. tricollaris), and used molecular genetic markers to sex the adults. We found significant differences in body size among the four species, and between sexes. Furthermore, individuals from the southern ecoregion tended to be larger than in the western ecoregion. The Madagascar Plover's body size was significantly more dimorphic than the Kittlitz's and White-fronted Plovers. Breeding Malagasy plovers' show significant sexual size dimorphism (SSD): Madagascar Plover females were heavier and had longer wings than males, whereas the males had longer tarsi; in White-fronted Plover only wing length was different between the sexes. Taken together, our work reports SSD in small African plovers that exhibit monomorphic plumage, and we propose that SSD may be more common than currently acknowledged; we term this 'cryptic sexual size dimorphism'. Our results also suggest sexual selection and/or natural selection exert different pressures on body size in different Malagasy plover species.
Are Strategies Anchored?

Anchoring is one of the most studied and robust behavioral biases, but there is little knowledge about its persistence and magnitude in economic settings. This article studies the role of anchoring bias in strategic interactions. We test experimentally two different anchor types using auctions. The announcement of a random group identification number but also of an upper bid limit, despite being irrelevant for a rational player, result in higher bids in first-price sealed-bid auctions. In Dutch auctions, the effect of the bid limit is negative. Based on these results we demonstrate that the long-established ranking that the Dutch auction generates lower revenue than the first-price sealed-bid auction crucially depends on the size of the anchor. The observed adjustment behavior can be explained as a rational response to anchored biased beliefs.
Behaviour modifying effects of low systemic concentrations of imidacloprid on Myzus persicae with special reference to an antifeeding response.

With a combination of biological, analytical, electrophysiological, and video-optical methods, it was possible to show that low concentrations of the new chloronicotinyl insecticide, imidacloprid, strongly affect the behaviour of Myzus persicae (Sulz.), leading eventually to the death of the aphids. Tests to elucidate the biological properties were performed under laboratory conditions with cabbage leaf petioles placed in insecticidal solutions over different periods of time. LC15(24h) values were considered as low concentrations and calculated for imidacloprid and pirimicarb, respectively. Imidacloprid at low concentrations depressed the honeydew excretion of apterous adults of M. persicae by almost 95% within 24 h without affecting the vitality of the majority of aphids, whereas, at equitoxic concentrations, pirimicarb showed much weaker effects on honeydew excretion, which strongly coincided with mortality. In choice experiments with alate morphs of M. persicae over 48 h, their larvae almost always occurred on the untreated control leaf, and were not found on the leaf which was treated systemically with low concentrations of imidacloprid. Apterous aphids placed on cabbage leaves systemically treated with low concentrations of imidacloprid showed nearly the same decrease in weight as untreated starving aphids, suggesting that their death was caused by starvation. Aphids that were moved from imidacloprid-treated to untreated leaves after 24 h began feeding on the latter and showed a steady increase in weight and honeydew production. This suggests that the behavioural response is reversible. Aphids on pirimicarb-treated (equitoxic dose) leaves showed no decrease in weight. Electrical penetration graphs revealed that M. persicae on artificial membranes containing imidacloprid probed more often before feeding than aphids on control sachets. Time-lapse videofilming of apterous adults placed on cabbage leaves revealed a migration from the leaf treated with low concentrations of imidacloprid to an untreated leaf. From the results of these experiments and the observed symptomatology it is possible to postulate two different and dose-dependent modes of action of imidacloprid on M. persicae: (1) the well-known mode of action with visually obvious irreversible symptoms (paralysis, tremor, uncoordinated leg-movement) at field rates, and (2) the reversible starvation response as an antifeedant effect, which is not coupled with typical symptoms of neuronal disorder, at lower concentrations.
Marginal Grapevine Germplasm from Apulia (Southern Italy) Represents an Unexplored Source of Genetic Diversity

The investigation on the genetic diversity of grapevine germplasm is crucial for a more efficient use of grapevine genetic resources in light of changing environmental conditions. Here, we used simple sequence repeats (SSRs) coupled with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to disclose grapevine genetic diversity of a collection of Apulian minor/neglected genotypes. Their relationships with national or international cultivars were also examined. Genetic diversity was investigated using 10 SSR markers and 1,178 SNPs generated by genotyping by sequencing (GBS). Based on the SSR data, the 128 genotypes were classified into six main genetic clusters. Twenty-four putative cases of synonymy and 2 of misnamings were detected. Ten “unknown” autochthonous genotypes did not show high similarity to Apulian, national, or international varieties. We took advantage of available GBS-derived SNP data points for only forty genotypes to better investigate the genetic distance among them, identify private SNP alleles, and divergent loci putatively under selection. Based on SNP alleles, two interesting gene pools of minor/neglected Apulian samples were identified. Genetic divergence was investigated by FST and allowed the detection of loci capable of differentiating the gene pools. Overall, this work emphasizes the need for recovering the untapped genetic variability that characterizes minor/neglected grapevine Apulian genotypes and the requirement to preserve and use more efficiently grapevine genetic resources in breeding programs.
Assessment of Genetic Variation in Avena sterilis using Morphologicall Traits, Isozymes, and RFLPs

Genetic patterns revealed by proximity coefficients may be affected by choice of traits, method of scoring, any subsequent transformations of scores, and choice of proximity coefficient. Our objective was to compare restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), isozyme polymorphism, and variation in qualitative and quantitative morphological traits in a geographically stratified set of 177 accessions of a hexaploid wild oat, Avena sterilis L. Jaccard similarity coefficients (SJ) and Russell and Rao similarity coefficients (SRR) were calculated for all pairs of genotypes from restriction fragments and, separately, from isozymes
Calorific content of New Zealand marine macrophytes

Abstract Calorific content was measured in 28 species of New Zealand macroalgae. Values ranged from 1.04 to 3.34 kcal g‐1 dry weight (wt), 3.03–5.18 kcal g‐1 ash‐free dry wt, and 0.13–1.75 kcal g‐1 wet wt. Seasonal variation in calorific content was measured in two of these species, Macrocystis pyrifera and Ulva lactuca, both of which showed clear changes in energy content over a 1‐year period. Factors affecting variation in calorific content between species and during the year are discussed, and the application of the current findings to ecological and aquacultural research on New Zealand seaweeds are considered.
Ocean primary production calculated by spectral and broad-band models

Water-column primary production was determined by the I4C in situ method during the spring bloom in the North Atlantic Ocean. For the same samples, the parameters of the photosynthesislight (P-I) curve were determined in broad-band light, and in narrow spectral bands for construction of the action spectrum. Using these parameters, with information on the vertical distribution of chlorophyll, measurements of light absorption by particulate materials, and data on surface irradiance, watercolumn production was calculated using 4 different production models. When compared to in situ primary production measurements, the results show that the spectral model, Model 1, is the best estimator of water-column primary production. Model 2 which used broad-band crB (the initial slope of P-I curve, normalized to biomass B) with light integrated over wavelength, and Model 4 (broad-band a* and broad-band light), consistently underestimated production by about 25 % and 60 % respectively. However, Model 3 (in which light is computed using a depth-averaged attenuation coefficient, R and in which a* is assumed to be wavelength-independent) gave water-column primary production estimates not significantly different from in situ values. It is recommended that the spectral model should be applied, whenever possible, in the computations of water-column primary production. I f , however, broad-band crB has to be used in the calculations, it is suggested that light at depth be computed if possible using K The use of the fully broad-band model, Model 4 , is not recommended. This is because the model gave strongly biased estimates of water-column primary production relative to the observed values.
Estimation of Direct and Indirect Economic Losses Caused by a Flood With Long‐Lasting Inundation: Application to the 2011 Thailand Flood

River floods are common natural disasters that cause serious economic damage worldwide. In addition to direct economic damage, such as the destruction of physical assets, floods with long‐lasting inundation cause direct and indirect economic losses within and outside the affected area. Direct economic losses include loss of opportunity, due to interruption of business activities, and the costs associated with emergency measures such as cleaning, while indirect economic losses affect sectors within the trade and supply network. Few studies have explicitly estimated direct and indirect economic losses in several sectors, due to the difficulty of modeling inundation depth and period at finer scales. Here we developed a global modeling framework to estimate the direct and indirect economic losses associated with floods using a computable general equilibrium model and a global river and inundation model, which can simulate the flood extent, depth, and period. Application of the method to the 2011 Thailand flood demonstrated that the estimated economic losses due to business interruption in the industry and service sectors totaled $14.7 billion, which was about two thirds of the estimated direct economic damage caused by the flood ($22.0 billion). The estimated indirect economic losses reduced the gross domestic product of Thailand by 4.81% in 2011, without considering transboundary effects, and will cause more than 0.5% reduction in gross domestic product even in 2030, resulting in $55.3 billion of total losses from 2011 to 2030. Comprehensive estimation of direct and indirect economic losses facilitates understanding of various types of flood‐related economic risks during and after a flood.
Effects of dietary protein on egg production of laying hens housed in furnished or conventional cages

Abstract In the present experiment the effects of dietary protein content on egg production of hens kept either in conventional cages (CCs) or furnished cages (FCs) were studied. A total of 1088 LSL (Lohmann LSL-Classic Layer) hens were housed in either FCs or CCs and offered high or low protein diets with a protein/energy ratio of 17 or 13, respectively, during three consecutive feeding phases of 20, 16 and 16 weeks, respectively. There was no interaction between the effects of cage design and of dietary treatment on laying performance. Hens kept in FCs consumed less feed than hens in CCs (p<0.05). After the first feeding phase, hens housed in FCs produced fewer eggs (p<0.01) than hens in CCs. No differences in the feed conversion ratio were found between the housing systems. Hens on the low protein diet laid smaller eggs than hens on the high protein diet (p<0.001). No effect of dietary protein on laying rate was found. It can be concluded that dietary protein affects egg production irrespective of the cage type.
Recruitment and mortality of early post-settlement stages of benthic algae

Four transitional life history stages are generally recognized for benthic marine algae. On the basis of differences in size, we propose two more: young germlings and young juveniles. Three of these (spores or zygotes, young germlings, and germlings) are considered early post-settlement (EPS) stages. Many of the available data on recruitment and mortality were not collected with EPS stages specifically in mind, and considerable extrapolation and inference are required to interpret effects on early phases. Data on EPS stages, and grazing in particular, are based on the disappearance of early stages (laboratory or field experiments, including outplantings), on indirect information on mortality from manipulations of grazers or juvenile stages, and combinations of observation and manipulation. We also provide original data on the effects of water motion and canopy sweeping on zygote mortality. The most notable finding is the variability in, and multiplicity of, factors preventing successful recruitment of ear.
Petrogenesis and tectonic implications of cambrian Nb-enriched I- and aluminous A-type granites in the North Qilian suture zone

ABSTRACT Granitoids in active continental margins are probes of sub-arc magmatic processes and are crucial for the understanding of crust–mantle interaction during subduction. Here we report data for the middle to late Cambrian Tuole (TL) and Dabaishitou (DBST) granitic plutons in the western segment of the North Qilian suture zone (NQSZ). The TL-DBST plutons comprise monzonite, alkali-feldspar granite, gabbroic diorite, monzonitic porphyry and biotite monzogranite. Zircon U‒Pb ages reveal that these granitoids crystallized at ca. 509‒492 Ma, consistent with the early subduction of the North Qilian Ocean. Mineralogical, petrological, and geochemical features indicate that the TL monzonite and gabbroic diorite are both high-K calc-alkaline I-type granitoids but the latter is Nb-enriched; the TL alkali-feldspar granites and DBST granitoids belong to aluminous A-type and transitional I- and A-type granites, respectively. The I- and aluminous A-type granites show similar and comparable isotopic compositions, e.g., εHf(t) values of ‒5.6 to +2.7 versus ‒2.4 to +3.5, but different melting conditions, e.g., high temperature and low oxygen fugacity for aluminous A-type granites as indicated by zircon trace elements. Geochemical and isotope data suggest that all these granitoids were mainly derived from the sub-arc mantle metasomatized by slab-derived fluids/asthenospheric mantle-derived melts/both prior to melting with minor input of LCC-derived melts (ca. 10–20%). The HFSE enrichment feature was inherited by granites and further enhanced by protracted crystal fractionation at low oxygen fugacity conditions to produce the TL aluminous A1-type granites but weakened by fractionation at relatively high oxygen fugacity conditions to produce the DBST I-A-transitional-type granite. Partial melting of the sub-arc lithospheric mantle was induced by upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle and their interactions in response to slab rollback during subduction initiation (ca. 509–506 Ma), and by addition of slab-derived fluids again as subduction proceeded (ca. 493–492 Ma).
Studies on the mycoflora and its control on the seeds of some forest trees. I. Cedrus deodara

By tests using standard moist blotters, potato–dextrose–agar plates, and moist sterilized sand, 26 fungal species belonging to 13 genera were isolated from seeds of Cedrus deodara Loud. Most of these fungi were present on seed surfaces and only nine caused deep-seated internal infections. Some of the more common species in different tests were Aspergillus flavus, A. luchuensis, Epicoccum purpurascens, Fusarium moniliforme, Penicillium canadense, and Rhizopus oryzae. Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium canadense, and Rhizopus oryzae showed differences in pathogenicity to seed germination and seedling development in sterilized and unsterilized soils. Of the nine fungicides tested for the control of the seed-borne fungi, RH-2161, a liquid fungicide, was found to be the most effective. Dithane M-45 was also effective, whereas the remaining seven fungicides were less effective.
Biological flora of New Zealand 9. Beilschmiedia tawa(A. Cunn.) Benth. et Hook. F. ex Kirk (Lauraceae) Tawa

Abstract Morphological and anatomical descriptions of Beilschmiedia tawa are given together with information relevant to its ecology, a distribution map based on its presence or absence in grid squares, and bibliographic references to other informaion. B. tawa is one of the main canopy-forming trees in the lowland and low hill forests of the North Island and is also one of the main merchantable hardwoods. It has a good capacity to regenerate in shade or small canopy gaps, but is sensitive to exposure, tending to deteriorate in intensively logged forests.
Predicting Students’ Behavioral Intention to Use Open Source Software: A Combined View of the Technology Acceptance Model and Self-Determination Theory

This study focuses on students’ behavioral intention to use Open Source Software (OSS). The article examines how students, who were trained in OSS, are motivated to continue using it. A conceptual model based on Self-Determination Theory and the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) was defined in order to test the behavioral intention to use OSS, comprising six constructs: (1) autonomy, (2) competence, (3) relatedness, (4) perceived ease of use, (5) perceived usefulness and (6) behavioral intention to use. A survey was designed for data collection. The participants were recent secondary school graduates, and all of them had received mandatory OSS training. A total of 352 valid responses were used to test the proposed structural model, which was performed using the Lisrel software. The results clearly confirmed the positive influence of the intrinsic motivations; autonomy and relatedness, to improve perceptions regarding the usefulness and ease of use of OSS, and; therefore, on behavioral intention to use OSS. In addition, the implications and limitations of this study are considered.
Characterization of one-sided thermal damage of carbon fiber reinforced polymers by means of depth profiles

This study investigates one-sided thermal damage of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) by means of depth resolved infrared spectroscopy, tomography and mechanical testing. All CFRP samples are thermally irradiated at one side with a heat flux of 50 kW/m2 over various time intervals. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy along a ground incline plane through the sample allows a chemical characterization of the thermal degradation of the polymer matrix into depth. Developing delaminations are observed with a depth-resolved gray-value-analysis of microfocused computed X-ray tomographic (µCT) data. Mechanical behavior is determined by tensile, compressive, and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) testing of specimens taken from different depths of the irradiated samples. The depth profiles show how pronounced damage phenomena like matrix degradation and the development of delaminations are after one-sided thermal loading and how they influence strength in different ways. Compressive strength and ILSS is found to be more sensitive towards thermal damage than tensile strength, as they are most influenced by formed delaminations at higher thermal loads.