Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The energy cost of migration of the bivalve Donax on tropical sandy beaches

1. The energy cost involved in tidal migration on tropical sandy beaches by the bivalves Donax incarnatus Gmelin and D. denticulatus L. is estimated from observations and recordings of the burrowing movements involved. >2. The maintenance of position between migratory movements requires expenditure of more energy than does emergence and re‐burial during migration. Together these two components of activity require in an animal of 2 cm shell length, 6 cal/day for D. denticulatus and 6.6 cal/day for D. incarnatus. 3. In D. incarnatus the daily oxygen consumption of an animal of this size is 0.25 mg O2/animal which is equivalent to a maintenance requirement of 20.4 cal/day, so that migration may add about one‐third to the daily maintenance requirement. 4. For the mole crab, Emerita holthuisi Sankolli from the same beach as D. incarnatus, comparable figures for the energy requirements of migration and maintenance are 1.14 cal/day and 27.2 cal/day.
GURAME BATANG HARI: BENARKAH STRAIN BERBEDA ? (Suatu kajian genetik dengan menggunakan marker DNA)

Beberapa strain ikan gurame yang dikenal di masyarakat yaitu Blusafir, Soang, dan Bastar banyak dipelihara oleh para pembudidaya khususnya di Jawa Barat. Sementara strain Batang Hari diklaim hanya ada di daerah Jambi. Ikan gurame strain ini dikenal dengan dagingnya yang tebal dan lebar, sehingga banyak disenangi oleh masyarakat setempat. Strain Batang Hari ini perlu diverifikasi informasi latar belakang genetiknya sehingga dapat digunakan sebagai salah satu sumber plasma nutfah gurame dalam program pemuliaan. Hasil analisis DNA menunjukkan bahwa secara genetik tidak terdapat perbedaan yang nyata antara gurame Batang Hari dengan tiga strain lainnya yang tersebut di atas. Ada penciri DNA yang kemungkinan dapat dikembangkan lebih lanjut sebagai salah satu kriteria dalam identifikasi strain gurame Batang Hari yaitu pada primer OPA-07.
Warmer seed environments increase germination fractions in Australian winter annual plant species

Climate can influence plant demographic processes and life stages in different ways, but such details are often ignored in analyses that focus on adult life stages and annual climate averages. In particular, the effects of climate on seeds may be hugely important under climate change. Climate is known to influence seed survival and germination, which in turn can strongly affect population persistence and community dynamics. We investigated climate and other environmental effects on seed viability and germination probabilities of six winter annual plant species persisting in small, isolated habitat fragments in the Mediterranean-climate region of southwestern Australia. Seeds were collected from southern (cool) and northern (warm) bushland remnants and factorially placed into each location to assess the effects of natural dormancy alleviation via after-ripening. Seeds were then exposed to cool and warm germination treatments (representing average germination conditions in the two remnants). For five of the six species, seeds from warm maternal populations had higher germination probabilities (or germinated more seeds sooner). Regardless of maternal population, germination probabilities were higher (or germination was more rapid) for seeds that were after-ripened in the warm remnant for almost all species. For all species, germination was higher (or more rapid) under the warmer germination temperatures. We also found strong microsite effects on seed viability for some species. In the absence of adaptation in dormancy regulation and germination physiology, our results indicate that most of the winter annual species studied will germinate higher fractions of seeds under future climate conditions due to the cumulative effects of warmer maternal, after-ripening, and germination environments. The fate of isolated populations under climate change may therefore depend strongly on postgermination survival and reproduction to prevent seed bank depletion.
Genetic differentiation between humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Atlantic and Pacific breeding grounds of South America

Humpback whales wintering in tropical waters along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the South American continent are thought to represent distinct populations or “stocks. ” Here we present the first analysis of genetic differentiation and estimates of gene flow between these breeding stocks, based on both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences (465 bp) and 16 microsatellite loci from samples collected off Brazil (n = 277) and Colombia (n = 148), as well as feeding areas near the western Antarctic Peninsula (n = 86). We found significant differentiation between Brazilian and Colombian breeding grounds at both mtDNA (FST = 0.058) and microsatellite (FST = 0.011) markers and corroborated previous studies showing genetic similarity between humpbacks from Colombia and those from Antarctic Peninsula feeding areas. Estimates of long-term gene flow between Brazil and Colombia were low to moderate, asymmetrical, and mostly mediated by males. Assignment procedures detected some cases of interchange and individuals of admixed ancestry between breeding grounds, indicating limited mixing of individuals between these stocks. Overall, results highlight the differentiation of humpback whale breeding populations with adjacent feeding grounds. This appears to be a remarkable example of fidelity to seasonal habitat in the absence of any contemporary barriers.
A Comparison Between Morphometric and Artificial Neural-Net Approaches to the Automated Species-Recognition Problem in Systematics

One approach to addressing long-standing concerns associated with the taxonomic impediment and the low reproducibility of taxonomic data is through development of automated species identification systems. Such systems can, in principal, be combined with either image-based, or image and text-based, taxonomic databases to add elements of expert-system functionality. Two generalized approaches are considered relevant in this context, morphometric systems based on some form of linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and artificial neural networks (ANN). In this investigation, digital images of 202 specimens representing seven modern planktonic foraminiferal species were used to compare and contrast these approaches in terms of system accuracy, generality, speed, and scalability. Results demonstrate that both approaches could yield systems whose models of morphological variation are over ninety per cent accurate for small datasets. Performance of distance and landmark-based LDA systems was enhanced substantially through application of least-squares superposition methods that normalize such data for variations in size and (in the case of landmark data) 2D orientation. Nevertheless, this approach is practically limited to the detailed analysis of small numbers of species by a variety of factors, including the complexity of basis morphologies, speed, and sample dependencies. An ANN variant based on the concept of a plastic self-organizing map combined with an n-tuple classifier was found to be marginally less accurate, but far more flexible, much faster, and robust to sample dependencies. Both approaches are considered valid within their own analytic domains, and both can benefit from various sorts of technology transfers. Based on these results (as well as others reviewed herein), it is concluded that fast and efficient, automated species-recognition systems can be constructed using available hardware and software technology and would be sufficiently accurate to be of great practical value notwithstanding the fact that the already impressive performance of current systems can be improved further with additional development.
Respuesta de Phaseolus vulgaris a microorganismos promotores de crecimiento vegetal

The aim of this study was to analyze the response of P. vulgaris to single inoculation or to PGPM of dose reduced to 50% of NF. In that sense seeds of P. vulgaris were inoculated individually with B. cereus, R. etli or T. harzianum and as a PGPM consortium in a hydroponic system Leonard jars, fed with NH4NO3 (ammonium nitrate) 50%, reduced dose. Under an experimental randomized block design; response variables measured were: percentage and days to germination, plant height and root length, weight fresh/ dry air and root weight (AFW/ADW/RFW/RDW) to seedling and flowering, experimental data were validated by Tukey, p ≤ 0.05. Results showed that P. vulgaris inoculated with R. etli and T. harzianum had 100% and 95.8% germination in 4.8 and 4.5 days respectively and statistically different compared to 91.7% in 7.17 days of P. vulgaris not inoculated at 100% NF had as a Fertilizer Control (FC). At seedling stage of P. vulgaris with T. harzianum and R. etli had 1.12 g and 0.72 g of ADW and of 0.31 and 0.21 g RDW; while P. vulgaris response used as FC with 0.52 g and ADW and 0.19 g of RDW. This supports the positive potential of R. etli and T. harzianum for producing P. vulgaris reduced dose of NF, as well the positive effect of B cereus and microbial consortium in the legume.
Ethanol‐injection induces attacks by ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) on a variety of tree species

Exotic ambrosia beetles have become serious pests in ornamental tree nurseries. However, research on their biology, ecology and behaviour to develop management tactics is hampered by the lack of reliable attacks on experimental trees. Injecting Magnolia virginiana L. with ethanol consistently induced attacks by exotic ambrosia beetles to facilitate research on their biology and management. The ability to attract ambrosia beetles to trap trees may be useful for developing nonchemical strategies and techniques for managing them in nurseries. However, to be useful in management techniques, ethanol‐injection has to reliably induce attacks on a vlariety of tree species. Experiments were conducted in Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia, where ethanol‐injection was tested on 16 species of deciduous trees from 11 families. Ethanol‐injection reliably induced attacks by exotic ambrosia beetles on all tree species tested. There were differences in the numbers of attacks by ambrosia beetles among species of trees in most experiments, although no species was identified consistently as the most or least attacked in repeated experiments. The positive association of attacks with ethanol concentrations in bark tissue indicate that the attack rates were most likely related to the uptake and emission of ethanol. The results of the present study indicate that ethanol‐injection reliably induces ambrosia beetle attacks on a wide range of deciduous tree species, which should further facilitate research on ambrosia beetles in nurseries and the development of behaviour‐based management tactics that divert ambrosia beetles away from ornamental trees.
APPLICATION OF RICE BRAN WAX ORGANOGEL TO SUBSTITUTE SOLID FAT AND ENHANCE UNSATURATED FAT CONTENT IN ICE CREAM

APPLICATION OF RICE BRAN WAX ORGANOGEL TO SUBSTITUTE SOLID FAT AND ENHANCE UNSATURATED FAT CONTENT IN ICE CREAM Daniele C. Zulim Botega Advisor: Professor H. D. Goff, Dr. University of Guelph, 2012 Co-Advisor: Professor A. Marangoni, Dr. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential application of rice bran wax (RBW) organogel to replace solid fat content and create the fat network in ice cream. Ice creams with 10% fat or 15% fat were formulated with RBW organogel as the fat source, and two different emulsifiers were used: polmo, a commercial blend of emulsifiers which contains 80% monoand diglycerides and 20% polysorbate 80, and Glycerol monooleate (GMO). Candelilla wax (CDW) organogel and carnauba wax (CBW) organogel were also tested for comparison. RBW organogel had the ability to form and sustain structure in 15% fat ice creams when GMO was used as the emulsifier. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the RBW crystal morphology within the fat droplet, when GMO was used as the emulsifier, was characterized by the growth of crystals at the outer edge of the droplet which increased fat destabilization and network formation.
Feeding diets with reduced net energy levels to growing–finishing barrows and gilts

Abstract: We evaluated feeding reduced net energy (NE) levels to growing–finishing pigs. In a 2 × 4 factorial, 1008 pigs (29 kg) housed in 48 pens of 21 barrows or gilts were fed 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, or 2.1 Mcal NE kg-1 diets over five growth phases resulting in six pens per NE level × gender. For the entire trial, reducing NE by 0.1 Mcal kg-1 linearly increased (P < 0.001) average daily feed intake by 43 g and linearly decreased (P < 0.001) caloric intake by 0.12 Mcal d-1 and feed efficiency (G:F) by 0.007 Mcal kg-1; average daily weight gain was not affected. The proportion of pigs remaining in pens after the start of shipping for slaughter (day 78) was greatest (P < 0.05) for pigs fed 2.1 Mcal NE kg-1, but days to target slaughter weight (124 kg) did not differ. Carcass backfat, loin depth, lean yield, index, and carcass lean gain were not affected by NE. Reduced NE diets (≤2.3 Mcal NE kg-1) can therefore be fed to growing–finishing pigs instead of traditional energy levels (≥2.4 Mcal NE kg-1) as long as pigs can increase feed intake to compensate for reduced NE density.
DEVELOPMENT OF HALF-EGGS OF CHAETOPTERUS PERGAMENTACEUS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PARTHENOGENETIC MEROGONY

1. The unfertilized Chaetopterus egg (94 µ) may be stratified and broken into unequal halves of a uniform size by centrifugal force. The nucleate white halves (83 µ) contain oil, clear layer, mitochondria and a little yolk. The non-nucleate yellow halves (64 µ) contain only yolk.2. The centrifuged whole egg may develop, both fertilized and parthenogenetic, similarly to the normal uncentrifuged egg. Certain peculiarities have been noted.3. The white halves, both fertilized and parthenogenetic, may cleave according to the typical annelid pattern. But there is a tendency toward equal first cleavage and amoeboid form and later, development with irregular cells and large nuclei; the blastulae tend to fuse together; these peculiarities are much more pronounced in the parthenogenetic than in the fertilized white halves.4. The yellow halves, both fertilized (= fertilized merogone) and parthenogenetic (= parthenogenetic merogone) usually lift off a characteristic fluted fertilization membrane and pass through only.
The Olive Cultivar 'Picual' is an Optimal Pollen Donor for the Cultivar 'Barnea'

Most olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars are almost completely selfincompatible. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal pollen donor/s for the olive cultivar ‘Barnea’. The study was based on artificial cross pollination as well as molecular paternity analysis of ‘Barnea’ fruits sampled from commercial olive orchards. We assessed the dates and duration of the flowering of 11 commercial olive cultivars, in order to determine their optimal period of effective cross pollination. Artificial cross pollination of ‘Barnea’ flowers with the donors ‘Picual’, ‘Coratina’ and ‘Askal’ showed fruit set rates similar to those obtained in open pollination. ‘Arbequina’ showed a much lower fruit set rate and attempts at self-pollination of ‘Barnea’ showed it to be totally self-incompatible. Based on molecular paternity analysis, the ‘Picual’ cultivar was identified as the most frequent pollinator of ‘Barnea’ trees in commercial olive orchards, even when located further away from the ‘Barnea’ trees than various other cultivars. In conclusion, ‘Picual’ has been tentatively identified as a superior pollinator of the ‘Barnea’ based on several parameters. We believe that the yield of ‘Barnea’ trees will improve if their pollination by ‘Picual’ trees is encouraged by planting these upwind in olive plantations.
Effects of liming on dry biomass, lead concentration and accumulated amounts in roots and shoots of three tropical pasture grasses from lead contaminated acidic soils

Liming the contaminated soil is the most widely used remediation treatment to reduce the bioavailability of heavy metals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of liming on the change of dry matter and lead uptake by three tropical pasture grasses from lead contaminated acidic soil. Lime at five rates of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 g kg−1 soil was amended to the Neubauer's pots filled with 500 g Kunigami-maji soils and then the limed soil was contaminated with 150 mg kg−1 lead after it was maintained for 1 week. Addition of lime increased soil pH significantly from 4.43 to 5.40. The root and shoot dry matter of all three tropical pasture grasses increased with the increasing doses of lime. An elevation of soil pH induced by liming resulted in a significant reduction of lead concentrations in both roots and shoots of all experimental grasses. The effectiveness of liming on lead concentration and accumulation varied with the pH values of limed soil and grass species. The results of this study imply that napiergrass was the most effective tropical pasture grass in reducing lead concentration and accumulation of roots and shoots as a consequence of liming, and could be used for lead stabilization in moderately lead contaminated acidic soil. The shoot lead concentration of napiergrass in limed soils was within the critical level of lead tolerable to feeding domestic animals, and may act as low level lead toxicity in fodder for grazing livestock. However, lime application or soil pH had a little influence on the lead accumulated amount in roots and shoots of atratum and signalgrass. The high amounts of lead accumulated in shoots of atratum and signalgrass were found to be useful for lead phytoextraction.
Fecundity of the pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) at the southern edge of its distribution range

Abstract Analysis of annual and plot variations of egg batches number of Thaumetopoea pityocampa at the southern limit of its distribution area and in Pinus halepensis afforestations situated in the Algerian sub-Saharan region showed that its fecundity depends on the density of its population, plots, years and interaction of plots-years. It appears that the high average abundance of egg batches/trees during the outbreak period of this pest insect exceeds 24. The real fecundity is the lowest in the Mediterranean Basin and suggests that local adaptation can occur. The low fecundity is not an obstacle to caterpillar survival under different selection pressures. It is compensated by merging of colonies during the larval cycle. Moreover, in this study we noted a significant correlation between the number of eggs and the size of egg batches deposited on needles or around small pine branches. Size of egg batches is also intimately linked to the length of adult female forewings, fresh weight of females and weight of their pupae. Females with a biennial cycle have a low potential fecundity compared to those with an annual one.
The genera Colletotrichum : an incitant of numerous new plant diseases in India

Colletotrichum is one of the most common and unusual plant pathogenic fungal genera causing variety of diseases. The genus is primerily responsible for an significant disease; anthracnose inhabiting a wide range of host’s worldwide. The objective of this paper is to review various diseases caused by Colletotrichum in India with special reference to plant diseases reported in present century (i.e. 2000-2012). About 25 plant diseases caused by different species of Colletotrichum namely, C. gloeosporioides , C. capsici , C. falcatum , C. truncatum , C. sansevieriae , C. acutatum and C. coccodes were reported in present century, in which C. gloeosporioides found more prevalent antracnose pathogen. The study showed that even a single species of Colletotrichum can affect multiple hosts. Therefore, the present compilation in my openion will not only provide useful information about new plant diseases caused by Colletotrichum , but also be helful for mycologists and plant pathologists in phytopathological research and will initiate new questions for future study.
Leishmania infantum infection in dogs from maroon communities in the Eastern Amazon

This study was designed to detect L. infantum infection in dogs and to evaluate the factors associated with canine visceral leishmaniasis in the maroon communities of Menino Jesus de Petimandeua and Itaboca in the municipality of Inhangapi, Para, Brazil. Whole blood and intact skin samples were collected from 143 dogs, and a questionnaire was applied. L. infantum DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers RV1 and RV2. Collection sites were georeferenced to obtain a spatial distribution of the residences visited and infected dogs. L. infantum DNA was detected in 8.4% (12/143) of the skin samples and in 1.4% (2/143) of the blood samples. On the risk map, three clusters were observed in Itaboca and one was observed in Menino Jesus de Petimandeua. We observed that most of the inhabitants in these maroon communities live close to forested areas and do not use protection against insect vectors. The presence of canine reservoirs of L. infantum associated to environment characteristics (preserved forests and deforested areas) and habits of dog owners (living near forested areas and not using any protection against insects) may favor the transmission of L. infantum in the studied areas.
BASE LINE TOXICITY OF FUNGICIDES AND INSECTICIDES TO SPODOPTERA LITURA (FAB.)

Base-line toxicity of fungicides viz. mancozeb, propaconazole, carbendazim, azoxystrobin and ridomil MZ and insecticides viz. spinosad 45SC, lufenuron 5EC, flubendiamide 48 EC and acetamiprid 20 SP were evaluated against Spodoptera litura. The LC50 values showed that flubendamide was most toxic against S. litura than all the chemicals. The order of toxicity was flubendiamide (8.37) > acetamipirid (9.58) > spinosad (23.22) > lufenuron (23.46) > propaconazole (90.98) > carbendazim (413.51) > azoxystrobion (597.77) > mancozeb (681.39) > ridomil (1193.00). The LT50 values showed that flubendamide was most toxic while azoxystrobion was found to be least toxic against S. litura. The order of toxicity was flubendiamide (39.00) > acetamipirid (44.00) > spinosad (68.00) > propaconazole (108.00) > carbendazim (112.00) > lufenuron (120.00) = Ridomil (120.00) > mancozeb (148.00) > azoxystrobion (192.00). Responsiveness of S. litura larvae provides important information with dose- and time-mortality for selection of insecticides in field for better pest management. Information based on these results would help in avoiding economic loses because of insecticide dosage concentration and also helps in better integration of insecticides and fungicides into IPM and IRM program for the control of major pests and pathogens.
Feeding habits of the annular seabream, Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pisces: Sparidae), in the Gulf of Gabes (Central Mediterranean)

Regime alimentaire de Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pisces: Sparidae) dans le Golfe de Gabes (Mer Mediterranee centrale). Le regime alimentaire de Diplodus annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) dans le golfe de Gabes (Tunisie), a ete etudie par l'analyse des contenus stomacaux de 1405 specimens, de longueurs totales comprises entre 7,7 et 18,5 cm. Cette etude est basee sur la methode de frequence d'occurrence, pourcentage en nombre, pourcentage en masse, et l'indice d'importance relative (IRI) en fonction de la taille, des saisons et du sexe. Parmi les estomacs examines, 1150 etaient vides (VI% = 81,85). Ce coefficient varie significativement selon la taille et les saisons. Ce sparide se nourrit principalement de mollusques (IRI%= 37,2) et de teleosteens (IRI% = 29,77) ; les vegetaux (IRI% = 15,96) et les crustaces (IRI% = 14,47) constituent aussi des proies preferentiellement consommes. Le regime alimentaire de cette espece varie avec les saisons mais la taille de poisson et le sexe n'ont aucune influence.