Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Indirect evidence of predation and intraspecific agression in three sympatric lizard species from a semi-arid area in northeastern Brazil

We analyzed the frequency of tail autotomy, toe amputation and integument scars in three sympatric lizard species, Ameivula ocellifera, Tropidurus hispidus and T. semitaeniatus, from a Neotropical area of semi-arid Caatinga, in northeastern Brazil. We evaluated intraspecific differences in the frequency of injuries between the sexes within each species. Only in A. ocellifera there were differences in frequency of toe amputation and integument scars between males and females, with more injured females than males. This highest frequency of body injuries in females of A. ocellifera might be attributed to the mating behavior of the species, in which males bite and scratch the females. None of the species analyzed presented intersexual differences in frequency of tail autotomy. These findings might be due to similar predation pressure upon males and females as suggested for other lizards species.
Population control in farmed tilapias

Under the majority of culture practices, the reduction or elimination of reproduction in culture ponds results in significantly improved yields of marketable fish. An examination is made of existing methods for the control of reproduction in tilapias (Oreochromis spp.). The generation of all-male tilapia by hormonal sex reversal and genetic manipulation is discussed in detail, indicating the various advantages and disadvantages of both techniques.
Predicting the distribution of the invasive alien Heracleum mantegazzianum at two different spatial scales

Modelling the distribution of invasive alien species is widely used for predicting future dispersal, response to climate change, and effects of management, but little information is available on the scale dependence of spatial models. This study is focused on Heracleum mantegazzianum, a problematic invasive plant in central and north‐western Europe. The main objective was to model the current distribution of this species at national (43,000 km2) and regional scale (4900 km2) using autologistic regression with a Danish data set. Presence–absence data were used in a grid system with 5 × 5 km2 or 2 × 2 km2 as basic units. To avoid misleading presence–absence models and unreliable probability values due to unbalanced data, the prevalence was used as cut‐off value, and a favourability function was applied to the model predictions. The national model showed a widespread distribution of H. mantegazzianum with highest habitat suitability in the eastern and northern parts of the country where human population density is high, winters more severe and/or loamy soils more common. At a regional scale the distribution of H. mantegazzianum is associated with alluvial sand cover, high human population density, spring precipitation, and presence of the species in neighbour grid units. The observed widespread national distribution is likely the result of anthropogenic spread of this ornamental plant, while the locally clumped distribution suggests that H. mantegazzianum naturally spreads mainly over short distances. The current distribution in Denmark resembles an intermediate invasion stage where long‐distance dispersal is less important, while spread from suitable neighbour habitats is significant. The study demonstrates that the favourability function leads to improved mapping standards for invasive species.
Microbiological quality of organic strawberry fruit

The effect of different irrigation methods, mulches and alternative preparations for grey mould control in organic strawberry production was investigated in Jokioinen, Mikkeli and Ruukki, Finland. In the irrigation trial, grey mould infection of fruit was studied from petals and receptacles from early to late flowering. Rainy periods during the flowering season could be seen in the Botrytis cinerea infection of flowers, but on fruit, dry harvest periods kept visible infection low. As a whole, microbial contamination of fruit was more affected by weather conditions than irrigation practice. Organic mulches of green mass, buckwheat husks, straw, birch woodchips, pine woodchips and flax fibre mat were compared with black plastic. Only green mass increased fungal infections on fruit and shortened shelf-life. Biological sprays Trichoderma (Binab ® TF-WP) and Gliocladium (Prestop), compost and garlic extracts as well as seaweed and silicon solution used for grey mould control did not affect fruit quality. In marketable fruit, fungi such as Cladosporium, Acremonium, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Fusarium, Mucor and Alternaria species were abundant while Hainesia lythri and Zythia fragariae (Gnomonia comari ) were uncommon. Infection of Escherichia coli in fruit was investigated on VRB plates, but E. coli was not detected in the fruit.
Size as the master trait in modeled copepod fecal pellet carbon flux

Zooplankton fecal pellet flux is a highly variable component of the biological carbon pump. While fecal pellets can comprise 0 to nearly 100% of particulate organic carbon collected in sediment traps, mechanisms for this variability remain poorly understood. Fecal pellet carbon flux is a complex function of several variables. We present a model that incorporates individual‐scale metabolic processes to determine fecal pellet production rate, the relationship between body size and fecal pellet size, the relationship between fecal pellet size and sinking rate, and a function representing the breakdown of particles in the water column. When applied to copepod communities sampled by the continuous plankton recorder in the Gulf of Maine over 25 years, a seasonal pattern of fecal pellet carbon flux emerges. The interannual flux time series produced by the model reflects known oceanographic perturbations and shows how organism‐scale processes can be scaled up to explain ecosystem level variability. We conclude that fecal pellet carbon flux in the Gulf of Maine is driven by copepod community size structure and copepod abundance, and that the fraction of fecal pellet carbon that reaches depth is a function of copepod size, rather than abundance. Changes in the physical environment which alter the size composition of the copepod community lead to variability in fecal pellet carbon flux. Our results indicate that incorporating size composition into biogeochemical models can more accurately constrain zooplankton‐mediated carbon flux.
Substituição da adubação nitrogenada mineral pela cama de frango na sucessão aveia/milho = Mineral nitrogen substitution by chicken litter in succession oat/corn

A busca constante pela sustentabilidade dos sistemas de producao tem direcionado as pesquisas a buscar alternativas aos problemas oriundos da intensificacao dos sistemas produtivos. Nesse contexto o presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar os efeitos da substituicao da adubacao nitrogenada mineral pela cama de frango sucessao aveia-milho e nas caracteristicas quimicas do solo. O trabalho foi desenvolvido durante o periodo de maio de 2009 a marco de 2010 em area de Latossolo Vermelho eutroferrico. O delineamento foi de blocos ao acaso com quatro repeticoes. Os seis tratamentos foram obtidos com a combinacao de diferentes quantidades de cama de frango (0, 1500, 3000, 4500, 6000 e 7500 kg ha-1) aplicadas 30 dias antes da semeadura da aveia combinadas com a adubacao nitrogenada mineral de cobertura aplicada na cultura do milho (311,1; 257,8; 202,2; 148,9; 95,6; 42,2 kg ha-1 de ureia), visando o fornecimento total de 140 kg ha-1 de nitrogenio (N). A aplicacao de cama de frango na cultura da aveia favorece o aumento da producao de massa seca, teor e acumulo de N. A substituicao da adubacao nitrogenada mineral pela cama de frango eleva os indices de produtividade da cultura do milho. A utilizacao de cama de frango altera as propriedades quimicas do solo, elevando os teores de materia orgânica, aluminio trocavel e a acidez potencial. Entretanto reduz o pH, K, Ca, Mg, soma de bases e saturacao por bases.
Evidence for Lack of Homing by Sea Lampreys

Abstract Recently metamorphosed sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus were captured in the Devil River, a tributary to Lake Huron, during summer and autumn 1990. They were tagged with a coded wire tag and returned to the river to continue their migration to Lake Huron to begin the parasitic (juvenile) phase of their life. During the spawning run in spring 1992 when the tagged animals were expected to mature and return to spawn, sea lampreys were trapped in nine tributaries to Lake Huron, including the Devil River; 47,946 animals were examined for coded wire tags, and 41 tagged animals were recovered. None of the 45 mature sea lampreys captured in the Devil River in 1992 were tagged, a proportion (0%) significantly lower than the proportion of the recently metamorphosed sea lampreys tagged in 1990. The distribution of tag recoveries among streams lakewide, however, was proportional to catch. Tagged sea lampreys did not appear to home, but instead seemed to select spawning streams through innate attraction to oth.
The impact of herd composition and foraging area on livestock predation by big cats in the Pantanal of Brazil

The conflict caused by large carnivore attacks on livestock constitutes a major threat to the conservation of carnivore species worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine what factors influence jaguar Panthera onca and puma Puma concolor attacks on cattle at a ranch in the Brazilian Pantanal. Cattle herds were monitored for 57 months, and data were collected for each recorded mortality event. The economic impact of predation was calculated. We parameterize a generalized linear model with negative binomial error distribution to model the influence of water levels of the Paraguay River, size of cattle herd and the age structure of the herd on the monthly number of cattle killed by big cats. Over half of all recorded herd mortality events were caused by large cat predation, resulting in a maximum 2.83% of the average annual herd size and representing an annual financial loss of US$22 400.00. A positive relationship was found between the frequency of monthly attacks and the water level of the Paraguay River, whereas a negative relationship was found between monthly attacks and proportion of adult cattle in the herd. Juveniles were taken more frequently than adults. Increased water levels caused the herd to concentrate on higher ground usually near forested areas, suggesting an increase in cattle vulnerability to predation. A greater proportion of adults in the herd may also increase the possibility for defensive behavior, likely resulting in greater protection of younger cattle. Understanding the factors that predispose cattle to predation by big cats contributes to the establishment of management strategies that may reduce losses and, ultimately, conflict.
Predicted pollen dispersal by honey-bees and three species of bumble-bees foraging on oil-seed rape : a comparison of three models

Comparisons among animal pollinators of the spatial distributions of pollen that they produce have typically been made among morphologically disparate pairs of species. In contrast, we investigated the potential extent of pollen dispersal by honey-bees ( Apis mellifera ) and bumble-bees ( Bombus lapidarius, B. pascuorum and B. terrestris ) foraging in rows of oil-seed rape ( Brassica napus cv Westar). We estimated the pollen carryover attributable to individual bees by using particulate fluorescent dye as a pollen analogue. Most of the dye was deposited at the first few flowers probed and smaller proportions were deposited up to the 20th successively probed flower. We found no significant interspecific differences in dye carryover mediated by individuals of A. mellifera, B. lapidarius and B. terrestris with respect to either the amount deposited or the rate of decline in deposition across successively probed flowers. We present evidence that the dye produced a reasonably good analogue of pollen transfer. Bees typically flew from one plant to another nearby in the same row and were strongly directional in their movements. Bee species differed significantly in their movement patterns, with B. terrestris having the greatest mean move length and directionality. We used three kinds of model (a numerical simulation and two different sets of diffusion-advection equations) to attempt to emulate bee movements. The predictions from all models were reasonably consistent with the observed bee movements, although the numerical simulation invariably made the most accurate predictions, particularly over the first few moves. Predicted bee movements were combined with least-squares models of dye deposition to estimate the spatial dispersal of pollen by each bee species. All models ranked the bees in the same order of decreasing effectiveness in dye dispersal: B. terrestris, A. mellifera, B. lapidarius, B. pascuorum , although, except for long-distance dispersal, there was only minor variation among the bee species in the predicted extents of dye dispersal (e.g. the models predicted that the median dispersal distance would be approximately two intervening plants irrespective of the species of bee). Overall, the consensus of the models' predictions is that most of the pollen from a source plant is deposited on immediate neighbours, but that long-distance pollen dispersal in this system extends over approximately 20-40 intervening plants from the originating plant, depending on the identity of the pollinator.
FRACTIONATION OF DRY MATTER LOSSES OF SUGARCANE SILAGE TREATED WITH ALKALIS OR UREA

La evaluacion de distintos aditivos puede contribuir a mejorar la calidad y el rendimiento de la produccion de ensilado. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los efectos al anadir alcalinizantes o urea en las perdidas de fraccionamiento por fermentacion y en la estabilidad aerobica del ensilado de cana de azucar. El diseno experimental fue completamente aleatorio con 13 tratamientos (6x2) +1: 6 aditivos (1 o 2 %) y un grupo testigo, con cuatro repeticiones por tratamiento. Los datos se analizaron con un analisis de regresion no lineal utilizando el procedimiento GLM. Los aditivos a prueba fueron hidroxido de sodio (NaOH), caliza (CaCO3), urea (CO(NH2)2), bicarbonato de sodio (NaHCO3), cal viva (oxido de calcio, CaO) y cal hidratada (Ca(OH)2). El material se ensilo en 52 silos de laboratorio (cubetas de plastico; capacidad de 12 L) y los silos se abrieron 60 d despues del ensilado. Las perdidas de fracciones se calcularon como la diferencia en el peso al llenado y al abrir los silos, multiplicada por su contenido de materia seca (MS). La perdida de fracciones se obtuvo al multiplicar las cantidades inicial y final de MS por los contenidos de componentes. La adicion de todos los aditivos en ambas concentraciones disminuyo la perdida de MS entre 27 a 40 %, en comparacion con el grupo testigo. La perdida de carbohidratos solubles fue reducida entre 7 a 62 % al agregar NaOH, NaHCO3 y CaCO3 respecto al grupo testigo. La incorporacion de NaHCO3, CaCO y Ca(OH)2 redujo la perdida de fibra detergente neutra (FND) entre 20.5 a 51 % y disminuyo la perdida de fibra detergente acido (FDA) entre 39 a 58 % en comparacion con el grupo testigo
Flight characteristics of Triassic and Jurassic Pterosauria: an appraisal based on wing shape

The mass, wingspan, and wing area of pterosaurs were reconstructed. Mass was estimated by determining volume and multiplying by avian density. This method was considered appropriate only for smaller pterosaur species because there is evidence for lower density in larger species. These reconstructions were used to compare the wing shapes of Triassic and Jurassic pterosaurs with those of birds. Pterosaurs had wings of below-average loading and above-average aspect compared to the avian mean. This wing design was compatible with relatively slow and highly efficient flight, with high maneuverability. Wing area depends on the reconstruction model adopted; wings attached to the hindlimb principally reduced aspect, and secondarily reduced loading, which would improve take-off performance at the expense of efficiency. The wing shape and cranial feeding adaptations of pterosaurs were most compatible with a marine or aerial predatory adaptive zone. The reconstructed pterosaurs show a limited range of wing shape compared to birds. This may partly reflect preservational bias favoring species living in marine or lagoonal environments, but this is not a complete explanation because there is a lack of pterosaurs with wings of high loading like the marine ducks and auks. Structural, physiological, or adaptive factors may have limited pterosaur wing shape.
Nephroprotective potential of Rosa damascena Mill flowers, Cichorium intybus Linn roots and their mixtures on gentamicin-induced toxicity in albino rabbits.

Received: Revised: Accepted: December 20, 2013 June 04, 2014 August 24, 2014 Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic comprised of a mixture of related gentamicin components and fractions and is used to treat many types of bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative organisms. Herbal plants can be used for the prevention and treatment of kidney damage. Therefore, the nephroprotective activity of aqueous extract of Rosa damascena (250 and 500 mg/kg), Cichorium intybus (250 and 500mg/kg) and their mixture (250 and 500 mg/kg) was evaluated on gentamicin (80 mg/kg) induced toxicity in albino rabbits by using the standard drug silymarin (200 mg/kg). The study period was from 0-21 days and blood samples were collected at 0, 7, 14 and 21 day. The biochemical analysis was done by using the standard protocols and kit methods. Serum urea and creatinine are the reliable markers to access the renal function. The results were subjected to two way analysis of variance and Duncan Multiple Range test as applicable. The gentamicin caused a significant (P≤0.01) increase in levels of serum urea, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen and decrease in levels of serum albumin. Statistically significant decrease in levels of serum urea, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen and statistically significant increase in the levels of albumin was observed for both plants and their mixture in dose dependent manner as compared to untreated, gentamicin treated and silymarin treated control groups. All results were supported by significantly improved renal cortical histopathology and kidney weight observations. The findings suggested that aqueous extract of both plants and their mixture have marked nephroprotective activity in dose dependent manner which could be due to the inherent antioxidant and free radical scavenging capacity contained in both plants. ©2014 PVJ. All rights reserved
Nontuberous Sedge and Kyllinga Species' Response to Herbicides1

Annual, cylindric, and globe sedges were controlled > 90% with a single application of MSMA at 2.2 kg ai/ha in field studies. But this same treatment controlled fragrant and green kyllingas only 69 and 52%, respectively. Control was increased to 82 and 81%, respectively, with a repeat application. Other postemergence-applied (POST) herbicides evaluated included bentazon, halosulfuron, imazapic, imazaquin, and CGA-362622. Postemergence-applied herbicides were applied either once or twice, as well as alone and in combination with MSMA. In general, a sequential application of MSMA, either alone or in combination with any of the aforementioned herbicides, except bentazon, provided maximum control of the sedge and kyllinga species evaluated. Preemergence-applied (PRE) oxadiazon and S-metolachlor, controlled annual sedge ≥ 94% at 7 wk after treatment (WAT) in field studies and 96 and 70% at 9 WAT, respectively. Dithiopyr and prodiamine provided 86 to 80% control of annual sedge over the 9-wk rating period. In a hydroponic-type laboratory study, oxadiazon and S-metolachlor were more effective than atrazine, bensulide, imazaquin, oryzalin, or simazine, in reducing seedling development of annual, cylindric, and globe sedges, and green kyllinga. Nomenclature: Atrazine; bensulide; bentazon; CGA-362622 (proposed common name trifloxysulfuron), N-([(4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinyl)amino]carbonyl)-3-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-pyridin-2-sulfonamide sodium salt; dithiopyr; halosulfuron; imazapic; imazaquin; S-metolachlor; MSMA; oryzalin; oxadiazon; prodiamine; simazine; annual sedge, Cyperus compressus L. #3 CYPCP; cylindric sedge, Cyperus retrorsus Chapm. # CYPRT; fragrant kyllinga, Kyllinga odorata Vahl. [Cyperus sesquiflorus (Torr.) Mattf. and Kuekenth. ](no code); globe sedge, Cyperus globulosus Aubl. # CYPGL; green kyllinga, Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb. # KYLBR. Additional index words: CYPCP, CYPGL, CYPRT, KYLBR, turfgrass weed control. Abbreviations: POST, postemergence; PRE, preemergence; WAIT, weeks after initial treatment; WAT, weeks after treatment.
Biochemical studies on malathion resistance, inheritance and association of carboxylesterase activity in brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens complex in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract Two sympatric populations of brown planthopper (BPH), one from rice and the other from Leersia hexandra were collected from each of five locations in Malaysia. All the tested malathion‐resistant individuals of the rice BPH population and F1 generation (cross between malathion‐resistant [usually caught on rice] and malathion‐susceptible [usually caught on Leersia]) showed high esterase activity, while all malathion‐susceptible individuals on L. hexandra showed low esterase activity. In the F2 generation, all the individuals tested against malathion were approximately 75% resistant and 25% susceptible and the inheritance pattern of esterase activity (high and low esterase activity) segregated in the same manner to a 3: 1 ratio. This confirms that resistance to malathion is mono‐factorial and inheritance pattern of esterase activity is also linked to malathion resistance. Carboxylesterase or total esterase activity in BPH is inherited in a simple Mendelian fashion that is encoded by a single dominant gene. For the total esterase assay, average esterase activity levels in the rice‐infesting population ranged from 17.64 to 19.37 nmoles 1‐napthol/mg protein while that in the Leersia‐infesting population ranged from 5.29 to 6.11 nmoles 1‐napthol/mg protein. In terms of esterase activity, the two sympatric Nilaparvata lugens populations separated into two distinct groups. Results based on the tube color intensity test showed 96% and 98% resistant and susceptible individuals were present in the rice‐ and Leersia‐infesting populations, respectively. In a filter paper test, the rice‐infesting population had 94% with high esterase activity while the Leersia‐infesting population had 96% with low esterase activity.
Highly variable mitochondrial inheritance in intra- and inter-lineage crosses of Cryptococcus gattii

iii ACKNOWLEDEGMENTS iv THESIS FORMAT v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIGURES vii CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1 Mitochondrial inheritance in eukaryotes 1 1.1.1 Uniparental mitochondrial inheritance 1 1.1.1.1 Mechanisms during gametogenesis 2 1.1.1.2 Fertilization mechanisms 4 1.1.1.3 Post-fertilization mechanisms 5 1.1.2 Other modes of mitochondrial inheritance 9 1.2 Mitochondrial inheritance and hybrid mating 11 1.2. 1 Animals 13 1.2. 2 Plants 21 1.2. 3 Fungi and other single celled organisms 22 1.3 References 25 CHAPTER 2. HIGHLY VARIABLE MITOCHONDRIAL INHERITANCE IN INTRAAND INTER-LINEAGE CROSSES OF CRYPTOCOCCUS GATTII Preface 31 Abstract 33 Introduction 34 Materials and Methods 38 Results and Discussion 44 Acknowledgements 54 Appendix Supplementary Tables 55 CHAPTER 3. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES 97