Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Taxonomic Repeatability: An Experimental Approach

Moss, W. W. (Div. Entomol., U. Calif., Berkeley 94720). 1971. Taxonomic repeatability: an experimental approach. Syst. Zool. , 20:309-330. -Two groups of workers from two universities assigned phenetic similarities, intuitively and numerically, to two sets of test objects (Caminalcules). The results of these studies were analyzed for correspondence and relative variability, and contrasted in various ways. [Numerical phenetics; Experimental taxonomy. ]
Effect of co-applied cowdung and inorganic nitrogen on microbial respiration in soil under laboratory conditions

ABSTRACT A laboratory incubation study was carried out for 8 weeks at 30°C to assess microbial respiration and nitrogen (N) transformation in a sandy loam, Iwo series (Oxic Tropudalf) amended with both inorganic N and cowdung. The treatments consisted of 3\times 3 factorial combinations of manure and inorganic N. Cowdung rates were 0, 12, 24 t ha−1 and rates of (NH4)2SO4 were 0, 25, and 50 mg N kg−1 (0, 60, and 120 kg N ha−1) in soil. Manure, N and their interactions had significant (P=0.05) effects on soil microbial respiration and N transformation. While inorganic N alone increased acidity, cowdung increased soil pH and thus ameliorated the acidity produced as a result of nitrification. Microbial respiration increased with the rate of cowdung with and without N addition. While N immobilization was evident at the end of the 2nd week, there was net mineralization at the end of the 8th week of incubation. The increases in inorganic N concentrations between the 2nd and 8th week of incubation were 514 and 551% for the cowdung, and between 107 and 329% for the inorganic N amended treatments. In soil that received inorganic N, N immobilization increased with increase in the rate of cowdung addition. Addition of (NH4)2SO4 caused priming of indigenous organic nitrogen. Microbial respiration was stimulated by factors of 2.6, 2.8, and 1.7 by cowdung, co-applied cowdung and N, and inorganic N, respectively. Terminal pH and inorganic N concentrations were positively correlated (r = 0.69*; 0.89* *) with cumulative CO2 evolved from the treatments. When cowdung was added, the adverse effects of inorganic N application on soil biological and physico-chemical properties could be attenuated. Increasing the stability of manure C through composting and applying it and inorganic N to opposite sides of the seedling should minimize N immobilization and enhance N uptake.
PHOTOSYNTHETIC INDUCTION PHENOMENA AND THE LIGHT ACTIVATION OF RIBULOSE DIPHOSPHATE CARBOXYLASE

SUMMARY Photosynthesis often reaches its maximal rate only after an initial induction period of some minutes. Simple induction phenomena in whole plants and intact chloroplasts have common features which imply that they are brought about by the same mechanism. The Osterhout–Haas Hypothesis explains induction in terms of light activation of a catalyst and building up of intermediates. This proposal is examined in the light of contemporary work and it is concluded that the major factor is the accumulation of metabolites brought about by the autocatalytic action of the Benson-Calvin cycle. Light activation of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase is seen as an important factor in autocatalysis but normally too rapid a process, in itself, to account for delays of several minutes.
Mangrove litter production and organic carbon pools in the Mngazana Estuary, South Africa

Wood harvesting is reducing the density of adult mangrove trees in the Mngazana Estuary. This is expected to decrease the amount of litter produced as well as the availability of organic carbon to the estuary and the nearshore environment. Pools of organic carbon were identified and measured in non-harvested areas of the forest so that the effect of future (mangrove) harvesting on organic carbon production could be determined. Litter production was higher in summer (2.4 ±0.2gm−2 d−1) than in winter (0.3 ± 0.1gm−2 d−1). Leaf litter on the forest floor was minimal, as a result of tidal flushing and consumption by crabs. Using previous studies it was hypothesised that the fate of litter produced was as follows: 43% is consumed by crabs, 10% decomposes on the forest floor and is taken into the sediment by bacteria, forming a sink of dissolved organic carbon, and the remaining 47% is exported out of the creeks and the estuary to the sea. Particulate organic carbon (POC) that is available for export was derived from crab faeces and the mechanical breakdown of leaves by crabs and tidal action. Significantly higher concentrations of POC were found during summer than winter and significantly more during a spring tide (5.3 ± 0.9mg l−1) than a neap tide (3 ± 0.4mg l−1). Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were mostly below detectable limits (<0.2mg l−1). The estuary is probably a sink for DOC, as very little to no DOC was exported out of the estuary. Organic matter comprised 12% (0.3g C) and 9% (0.46g C) of the sediment in the mangrove forests in Creeks 1 and 2, respectively, these concentrations being higher at Mngazana than at other estuaries in South Africa. If mangrove harvesting continues at the current rate of 1ha per year, and if there is no re-growth, no mangrove vegetation will be left after 118 years, and as a result no POC would be exported. But if harvesting increases to 3ha per year, the mangrove forest would disappear after just 40 years. Mngazana Estuary is an important source of mangrove litter and POC for the adjacent marine environment, possibly sustaining nearshore food webs.
Diversity and habitat use by snakes and lizards in coastal environments of southernmost Brazil

O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a composicao de especies de serpentes e lagartos em ambientes costeiros no extremo sul brasileiro. Foram feitas amostragens sistematizadas em habitats de dunas e restingas entre abril de 2009 e marco de 2010 por meio de armadilhas de interceptacao e queda, abrigos artificiais e procuras visuais. O ambiente de restinga revelou uma maior riqueza de especies do que as dunas. As taxocenoses revelaram uma menor riqueza do que a observada em outros biomas brasileiros, o que parece estar associado as condicoes microclimaticas menos estaveis e a baixa complexidade estrutural desses habitats (distribuicao vertical e horizontal da vegetacao). Essa hipotese parece ser reforcada pelo fato de tanto para serpentes quanto para lagartos as especies mais abundantes apresentam habitos fossoriais. Aparentemente a taxocenose de serpentes e determinada predominantemente pelas caracteristicas abioticas (microclima) do habitat enquanto que a de lagartos pelo padrao de cobertura vegetal.
Effects of recruitment, growth, and exploitation on walleye population size structure in northern Wisconsin lakes

Abstract We evaluated the dynamics of walleye Sander vitreus population size structure, as indexed by the proportional size distribution (PSD) of quality-length fish, in Escanaba Lake during 1967–2003 and in 204 other lakes in northern Wisconsin during 1990–2011. We estimated PSD from angler-caught walleyes in Escanaba Lake and from spring electrofishing in 204 other lakes, and then related PSD to annual estimates of recruitment to age-3, length at age 3, and annual angling exploitation rate. In Escanaba Lake during 1967–2003, annual estimates of PSD were highly dynamic, growth (positively) explained 35% of PSD variation, recruitment explained only 3% of PSD variation, and exploitation explained only 7% of PSD variation. In 204 other northern Wisconsin lakes during 1990–2011, PSD varied widely among lakes, recruitment (negatively) explained 29% of PSD variation, growth (positively) explained 21% of PSD variation, and exploitation explained only 4% of PSD variation. We conclude that population size structu.
INFLUENCE OF IRON LIMITATION AND NITROGEN SOURCE ON GROWTH AND SIDEROPHORE PRODUCTION BY CYANOBACTERIA 1

To characterize the mobilization and uptake of iron by cyanobacteria, 14 species were screened for ability to scavenge iron in a competitive system. The cyanobacteria exhibited a range of growth responses to iron limitation which could be separated into three groups, and a representative species from each group was chosen for further study.
Fractal and Multifractal Analysis of Cassava Root System Grown by the Root-Box Method

Abstract The root system development and its localized distribution were examined using cassava plants grown in narrow root boxes of appropriate sizes which were adjusted to the root growth. Analyses based on fractal geometry were applied in addition to measurements of the weight and length of the root systems to evaluate the root distribution quantitatively. The root system distribution was converted to a digitized image, and the fractal dimension was calculated by the box-counting method (Dbox) for the whole root system and different positions in the soil. Furthermore, 1000 random measurements for local fractal dimension by the mass-radius method (Dlocal) were conducted per root system, and the multifractal spectrum was analyzed. The total root weight increased until 90 days after planting (DAP), whereas the total length ceased to increase at 60 DAP. Neither apparent bulking of storage root nor decrease in root length was observed during the experimental period. The potential rooting habit of cassava was two-dimensionally exhibited under a uniform soil environment in the boxes. The complexity in root distribution as a whole root system shown by the global D (Dbox) was almost constant. However, both the trends in positional Dbox difference and multifractal analysis showed that the root distribution was localized and heterogeneity in the localization changed with root system development. The root system of cassava grown in the boxes can be characterized as an abundant but uneven root distribution with a highly advanced branching pattern by large global D and kurtosis of the multifractal spectra.
Cytogenetic characterization of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Anacardiaceae) accessions from Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Schinus terebinthifolius (Anacardiaceae), popularly known as red aroeira, occurs naturally in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil. It has medicinal properties and is one of the species most sought by avifauna, so it is useful in heterogeneous reforestation intended for the recomposition of degraded areas of permanent preservation. Information about chromosomes, from simple chromosome counting to detailed molecular cytogenetics, is relevant in systematic and evolutionary studies. This study aimed to perform chromosomal characterization of 22 accessions of S. terebinthifolius native to Rio Grande do Sul, aiming to verify the intraspecific variability in this species, besides the conservation and sustainable use of this species. For the determination of chromosome number, tissues of root tips were subjected to a cold pretreatment (± 4°C) for 18 h. Afterwards, the roots were fixed in Carnoy 3:1 (ethanol/acetic acid) for 24 h at room temperature and stored under alcohol (70%) under cooling. The slides were prepared by the squashing technique and stained with 2% acetic orcein. The chromosome number of S. terebinthifolius found in 22 accessions was 2n = 28, and these studied accessions do not exhibit intraspecific variability.
Disease dynamics, host specificity and pathogen persistence in isolated host populations

In situations where populations of related host species grow sympatrically but isolated from other populations of either host, cross-species disease transmission can have large influences on disease dynamic and patterns of pathogen persistence. This study examined host–pathogen dynamics and the degree of host-specificity in the anther-smut fungus Microbotryum violaceum at a site where two of its host species, Lychnis alpina and Silene rupestris, grew in adjacent patches which were located at large distances from the nearest intra-specific host and pathogen populations. In a field-study carried out over a four-year period in the sympatric populations, the two host species exhibited broadly parallel patterns of mortality and recruitment across years, although higher rates of mortality and infection, and larger fluctuations in numbers of plants, were seen in the S. rupestris population. However, when the frequency of disease in the populations was taken into account, disease transmission rates were relatively similar in the two hosts. In a reciprocal cross-inoculation experiment, there were no differences in infectivity between the two fungal populations on progeny of the two hosts from the sympatric populations indicating that cross-species disease transmission is possible. Patterns of infectivity on plants from the sympatric populations and allopatric populations of each host indicated the occurrence of a host shift in M. violaceum from L. alpina onto S. rupestris at the sympatric site. Results from a population model, parameterised with the demographic data from the two hosts, demonstrated that some cross-species disease transmission could increase the frequency of disease and lower the threshold level of pathogen persistence in populations. The population model also suggests that high levels of juvenile infection, as observed in both hosts, may increase the probability of pathogen persistence in local populations, especially in the more short-lived S. rupestris.
Population cycles of yellowjackets (Hymenoptera: Vespinae) in the Pacific Northwest.

A common phenomenon of yellowjacket ( Vespula ) population dynamics is the occurence of “wasp years” or years of extreme abundance contrasted with other years of extremely low populations. The number of flying workers per square meter aids in defining wasp outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to this estimate, public reaction and colony collections provide qualitative evidence for establishing 1973, 1977, and 1979 as outbreak years of V. vulgaris or V. pensylvanica or both throughout most of this region. Spring (April to June) weather conditions during the critical stage of colony founding appear to be the major factor determining outbreak populations. Wasp years have not occurred in the Pacific Northwest since 1971 unless this spring period was warm and dry. Several meteorological factors during this April-through-June period from 1973 through 1979 substantiate this hypothesis. Although these weather factors are possibly the most important ones determining wasp years, they are not necessarily the factors regulating wasp cycles; however, they may prove to be valuable tools in predicting yellowjacket outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest.
Geographic Variation of Movement and Display Behavior of Side-blotched Lizards (Uta stansburiana) Related to Predation Environment

Abstract Animals in high predation environments tend to react to predators more quickly and effectively compared to animals in low predation environments. Because antipredator behavior can be increased by predator introductions and decreased by predator losses, we examined whether populations occurring outside of a predator's range are associated with behavioral changes. Genetic evidence indicates that Side-blotched Lizards (Uta stansburiana) radiated into the northern portions of their range relatively recently and rapidly. As such, Uta populations exist in the presence or absence of various predators. We studied four populations of Uta in Oregon and Nevada to test for behavioral differences among populations that co-occur with different predators. We measured several behavioral traits thought to be associated with predator exposure and used predation-pressure estimates for each population to show that movement and display behavior vary among sites but tend to be negatively affected by predation environment. However, an important determinant of these relationships is the estimate of predation pressure itself. These results suggest that conspicuous behavior in lizards is reduced in the face of increased predation pressure but that variation among populations may obscure this pattern.
Understanding Contrastive Representation Learning through Alignment and Uniformity on the Hypersphere

Contrastive representation learning has been outstandingly successful in practice. In this work, we identify two key properties related to the contrastive loss: (1) alignment (closeness) of features from positive pairs, and (2) uniformity of the induced distribution of the (normalized) features on the hypersphere. We prove that, asymptotically, the contrastive loss optimizes these properties, and analyze their positive effects on downstream tasks. Empirically, we introduce an optimizable metric to quantify each property. Extensive experiments on standard vision and language datasets confirm the strong agreement between both metrics and downstream task performance. Remarkably, directly optimizing for these two metrics leads to representations with comparable or better performance at downstream tasks than contrastive learning. Project Page: this https URL Code: this https URL , this https URL
Perceptual Hashing applied to Tor domains recognition

The Tor darknet hosts different types of illegal content, which are monitored by cybersecurity agencies. However, manually classifying Tor content can be slow and error-prone. To support this task, we introduce Frequency-Dominant Neighborhood Structure (F-DNS), a new perceptual hashing method for automatically classifying domains by their screenshots. First, we evaluated F-DNS using images subject to various content preserving operations. We compared them with their original images, achieving better correlation coefficients than other state-of-the-art methods, especially in the case of rotation. Then, we applied F-DNS to categorize Tor domains using the Darknet Usage Service Images-2K (DUSI-2K), a dataset with screenshots of active Tor service domains. Finally, we measured the performance of F-DNS against an image classification approach and a state-of-the-art hashing method. Our proposal obtained 98.75% accuracy in Tor images, surpassing all other methods compared.
Preparation of tofu using chitosan as a coagulant for improved shelf‐life

Summary The potential of chitosan as a coagulant in commercial tofu preparation was investigated with six chitosans of different molecular weights using various treatments. The following optimum processing conditions for tofu preparation were proposed: chitosan with a molecular weight of 28 kDa; chitosan solution type, 1% chitosan/1% acetic acid; chitosan solution to soymilk ratio, 1 : 8; coagulation temperature, 80 °C; coagulation time, 15 min. However, the sensory quality of tofu was notably improved using a 1 : 1 mixture of 1% acetic acid and 1% lactic acid instead of 1% acetic acid alone as a chitosan solvent. Tofu prepared with chitosan had lower ash and higher protein content than those of commercial products tested. In storage tests, the chitosan-tofu had a longer shelf-life, about 3 days, than tofu made with CaCl2. This added shelf-life is significant in view of the magnitude (366 000 tonnes year−1) of tofu produced from commercial tofu plants (1407 plants as of 1998) in Korea.
Karyological Studies in Some African Species of the Genus Sesbania (Fabaceae).

Karyological criteria of 15 African species of Sesbania, including five new records, are presented. A diploid number of 2n =12 (x=6) has been found in 12 species, 2n =14 (x=7) in onespecies and a tetraploid number of 2n =4x=24 was recorded in S. formosa and S. grandiflora. The karyotype in the examined species is symmetric. However, considerable variation exists in chromo-some size among the species studied.The result of the present study confirm that x=6 may be considered the basic number in the genus. Our observations further indicate that Sesbania is a primitive genus in its tribe Robinieae from which other genera may have evolved through aneuploid and polyploid changes.
Factors controlling the population dynamics of the clonal helophyte Ranunculus lingua

Two marginal and two central populations of the pseudo-annual aquatic plant Ranunculus lingua were studied over four years. The main purpose was to quantify potentially influential abiotic and biotic factors and to derive predictions about life-history differences between the populations. Varia- tion in abundance and height of R. lingua ramets at different depths were related to water-level fluctuations, to abundance of other helophyes (emergent macrophytes), and to the occur- rence of invertebrate grazing and fungal pathogens. Clear differences between marginal and central populations were shown in the depth distribution of ramet numbers and ramet heights, as well as in the dynamic patterns, where marginal populations had a higher flux of ramets. These patterns and regression analyses indicated that abiotic factors have a greater influence in marginal populations, whereas biotic factors are more important in central populations. It is suggested that marginal habitats for R. lingua would favour life-histories with a high reproductive capacity, whereas a large size of ramet would be the most important life-history feature in central habitats. This was supported by the fact that ramets in marginal populations, in spite of their smaller size, produced higher number of rhizomes than ramets in central populations. Variation in regional abundance was finally related to differ- ences in demographic processes and dispersal potential be- tween the populations.
The morphology and growth of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (bearberry): an architectural analysis

A study was made of the morphology and architecture of the prostrate ericaceous shrub, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. (bearberry) from a sand-dune area and to a lesser extent a boreal forest area. In the open where more compact patches were recognized, a largely subterranean woody frame was found to support an aerial photosynthetic mat. The mat was made up of shoot complexes defined as consisting of not more than the four youngest annual growth increments or shoots. Two kinds of shoot complexes were recognized: (i) colonizing complexes consisting of a succession of long, low dominant shoots common in the periphal or colonizing zone of a patch and (ii) maintaining complexes consisting of short, essentially upright nondominant shoots and (or) intermediate shoots designated as subdominant, chiefly in the maintaining zone of a patch. Downward reorientation of older shoot increments which were not originally horizontal was recorded. The architecture of colonizing complexes was analysed quantitatively, in.