Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phylogeography and conservation genetics of Californian coastal terrestrial communities: a comparative study using three beetles

Abstract. 1 The coastal beach and dune environments of California host a diverse fauna of specialist arthropods, but are heavily and increasingly impacted by human activities. Little phylogeographical work has examined arthropods in these habitats, despite the importance of arthropods to community health. 2 We analysed the COI mitochondrial gene for approximately 80 individuals from nine dune systems in central and southern California for each of three coastal beetle species, Coelus ciliatus (Tenebrionidae), Hypocaccus lucidulus (Histeridae), and Cercyon fimbriatus (Hydrophilidae), examining overall phylogeographical patterns, inter‐population connectedness, and concordance in these among species. 3 All species exhibited significant intra‐specific diversity, with Co. ciliatus exhibiting both the lowest overall diversity and the strongest geographical structure. Cercyon fimbriatus was at the other extreme, exhibiting high diversity and essentially no geographical structure. None showed strong concordance with phylogeographical breaks common in either terrestrial or marine organisms, suggesting that coastal specialists may occupy their own unique realm. 4 Few populations of any species are monophyletic, but FST values for Co. ciliatus and H. lucidulus indicated moderately restricted gene flow; populations of Ce. fimbriatus appear panmictic. 5 Our results suggest that coastal beetles may be relatively good colonists, and likely to repopulate appropriate areas where management permits habitat to return to natural conditions.
Does chick development relate to breeding latitude in waders and gulls

Growth rate and energetics of avian chicks are expected to be adapted to mode of development, breeding habitat and geographic location of breeding. Waders and gulls are excellent organisms on which to test these hypotheses since they have wide breeding distributions from the Arctic to Antarctica, and exhibit considerable variation in breeding ecology. I use growth rate coefficients to analyse the growth of wader (Charadrii) and gull (Lari) chicks from my own fieldwork and published data (142 species). I also analysed published and new energy expenditure data for wader and gull chicks. These datasets are larger than those of previous studies and include novel data for precocial and semi-precocial wader species from the southern hemisphere. I found (1) that growth rate coefficients are greater in smaller species; (2) that growth rate coefficients of waders and gulls increase with breeding latitude, and those of gulls are greater than those of waders of similar size; (3) that peak daily metabolisable energy (DME) and total metabolisable energy (TME) of 23 wader and gull species are influenced by fledging mass, and peak DME increased with both increases in the length of the pre-fledging period and latitude; (4) that hatchling resting metabolic rate (RMR), peak RMR and RMR over the whole pre-fledging period of waders and gulls increases with increasing body mass; and (5) that chicks with shorter pre-fledging periods had a greater peak RMR and semi-precocial chicks expended less energy on RMR over the whole prefledging period than precocial chicks. These results gave me the opportunity to discuss evolutionary adaptations that might explain differences in growth and energetics among wader and gull species. Further analyses are necessary to control for phylogenetic non-independence of species and to consider other potentially confounding life-history variables such as parental care.
Acute salt marsh dieback in the Mississippi River deltaic plain: a drought‐induced phenomenon?

Aims Extensive dieback of salt marsh dominated by the perennial grass Spartina alterniflora occurred throughout the Mississippi River deltaic plain during 2000. More than 100,000 ha were affected, with 43,000 ha severely damaged. The aim of this work was to determine if sudden dieback could have been caused by a coincident drought and to assess the significance of this event with respect to long-term changes in coastal vegetation. Location Multiple dieback sites and reference sites were established along 150 km of shoreline in coastal Louisiana, USA. Methods Aerial and ground surveys were conducted from June 2000 to September 2001 to assess soil conditions and plant mortality and recovery. Results Dieback areas ranged in size from ∼300 m2−5 km2 in area with 50–100% mortality of plant shoots and rhizomes in affected zones. Co-occurring species such as Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) and Juncus roemerianus (needlegrass rush) were unaffected. Historical records indicate that precipitation, river discharge, and mean sea level were unusually low during the previous year. Although the cause of dieback is currently unknown, plant and soil characteristics were consistent with temporary soil desiccation that may have reduced water availability, increased soil salinity, and/or caused soil acidification (via pyrite oxidation) and increased uptake of toxic metals such as Fe or Al. Plant recovery 15 months after dieback was variable (0–58% live cover), but recovering plants were vigorous and indicated no long-lasting effects of the dieback agent. Main conclusions These findings have relevance for global change models of coastal ecosystems that predict vegetation responses based primarily on long-term increases in sea level and submergence of marshes. Our results suggest that large-scale changes in coastal vegetation may occur over a relatively short time span through climatic extremes acting in concert with sea-level fluctuations and pre-existing soil conditions.
Consideration of dispersal processes and northern refugia can improve our understanding of past plant migration rates in North America

According to the palynological record, rapid plant migrations following the retreat of the last glacier were common in North America and Europe. However, providing an explanation for these rapid migration rates has been challenging considering modern‐day seed dispersal distances. We used the newly developed seed dispersal functionality in a hybrid dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) to simulate two theories that have been proposed to explain rapid plant migrations: long‐distance seed dispersal and northern refugial populations.
Indirect effects of grazing intensity on pollinators and floral visitation

1. The introduction of livestock in natural areas is a common disturbance that affects both plant and pollinator diversity and might affect their interaction. Understanding whether livestock affect a food resource for pollinators (i.e. flower abundance) and/or a pollinator assemblage (i.e. abundance and richness) has important implications for plant–pollinator interactions and still needs deeper investigation.
The impact of ants on mineral soil properties and processes at different spatial scales

Soil dwelling ants are important soil engineers that have a large impact on the soil ecosystem. This is reflected in the alteration of soil properties by ants due to burrowing activities, the accumulation of organic matter and other nutrients in the soil, which, in turn, alters soil physical, chemical and (micro) biological processes. A review of recent literature on these fine scale soil changes resulting from ant activity is presented in this paper. However, ants do not only affect soil properties at the fine scale but also have effects at the hillslope and catchment scales with respect to surface hydrological processes and ecosystem functioning.
Muttonbirder selectivity of sooty shearwater (titi) chicks harvested in New Zealand

Abstract Sooty shearwater chicks (Puffinus griseus) harvested by Rakiura Maori on Putauhinu Island in the 1997–1999 muttonbirding seasons were larger and more developed than randomly available chicks. Early in the season, when muttonbirders extracted chicks from burrows during the day, this difference may have resulted directly from harvesters selecting areas with higher quality chicks, or indirectly from their selecting higher occupancy or more accessible areas. Later in the season, chicks were harvested after they emerged from burrows at night. Initially, relatively few, light chicks with more developed feathers emerged, and selection between them was relatively weak. As chicks became more abundant, muttonbirders selected heavier, less downy chicks with longer wings. Muttonbirders often rejected small chicks, but there was evidence for selection of larger, more developed chicks even above the estimated reject weight. When undisturbed, higher quality chicks would probably have higher survival and probability of recruitment. Harvesting larger chicks will therefore have a greater impact on the population than randomly harvesting chicks. Models investigating harvest impacts should incorporate chick quality to avoid under‐estimating harvest when assessing the long‐term sustainability of a culturally important traditional harvest for Rakiura Maori.
Evolution of different life-cycle strategies in oceanic calcareous dinoflagellates

The formation of non-motile resting cysts within the dinoflagellate life-cycle has long been considered to be unsuitable for open oceanic environments, because a considerable part of a population might be lost due to sinking. An alternative life-cycle with the production of vegetative calcareous cells as the dominant life-cycle stage was reported for the oceanic calcareous dinoflagellate Thoracosphaera heimii, and earlier observations suggested that other oceanic calcareous dinoflagellates might have similar life-cycles. In order to test this hypothesis, we investigated the life-cycle of three oceanic calcareous dinoflagellates, Thoracosphaera heimii, Leonella granifera and Calciodinellum levantinum in culture and determined relative ploidy levels with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Whereas C. levantinum forms calcareous resting cysts within the diploid sexual life-cycle phase, T. heimii and L. granifera form vegetative calcareous cells within the haploid asexual phase. By comparison with recently published molecular phylogenies, we conclude that C. levantinum is part of a group of mainly neritic species, from which oceanic species evolved repeatedly. The life-cycle of C. levantinum is basically identical to that of its neritic relatives. A reduced dormancy period is interpreted as an adaptation to the oceanic environment. By contrast, T. heimii and L. granifera are part of a clade of dinoflagellates in which the haploid vegetative life-cycle phase has diversified and enabled their members to access new habitats. While the primary calcification during the diploid phase was lost in this group, calcification was regained secondarily in the haploid vegetative life-cycle phase in T. heimii and L. granifera. Therefore the vegetative calcareous cells are not homologous with the calcareous resting cysts formed in other calcareous dinoflagellates, which may also be expressed in different biomineralization modes.
Researches concerning behaviour of some new rose varieties in conditions of Timisoara District.

On the end of the third decade of this century, flower growers produced annual almost half million roses belonging to 2000 varieties. In 1928 year was fit out The Roses Park, the organization park of the rosarium was leaded by the best roses grower Arpad Muhle together with the horticultural director of that moment in Timisoara Mihai Demetrovici. The most efficient period of completing with species took place after 1960 and mainly after 1967 when there was made up landscaping project for a main place the architect S. Grumeza and now there is proposal for a refitting out of the park by reconditioning the utilities and introducing new roses varieties belonging different groups.
New fossil scombrid (Pelagia: Scombridae) fishes preserved as predator and prey from the Eocene of Senegal

ABSTRACT. Lower Eocene fossil fish material from the Thies Formation in the region of Bargny near the Cap-Vert peninsula, Senegal, reveals predator-prey interaction between two scombrid fishes, the first ever described in the fossil record for the clade. The material is a part and counterpart concretion preserving nearly complete skulls of both predator and prey in 3-dimensions. The larger, predator-fish is here proposed as the second specimen of †Auxides huberti, the only non-Tethyan representative of †Auxides. The smaller, prey-fish is a new genus and species, †Eoscomber senegalicus, closely resembling Scomber. Evidence that †E. senegalicus gen. et sp. nov. was swallowed includes the presence of several of its caudal vertebrae obscured near the area of the opercle of †A. huberti and continuing into its pharynx. Additionally, the skull of †E. senegalicus. is partially enclosed within the abdominal ribs of †A. huberti. †Auxides huberti is the only species of †Auxides recovered with serrated pelvic fin spines, which are normally smooth. †Auxides huberti has 28–30 vertebral centra (16–17 caudal) including the urostyle. The new specimen of †A. huberti has small, pointed teeth and a thickened, sickle-shaped first haemal spine. The first dorsal fin has 6–7 interneurals and associated dorsal fin spines. The bony dorsal and anal finlets begin immediately behind the second dorsal and anal fins respectively. Ventral corselet-like scales are present, a condition similar to that of the genera Auxis, and Thunnus, but unlike the type species of †Auxides. The caudal fin has gracile hemitrichia that proximally surround the entire hypural plate and the two posteriormost epineurals. †Eoscomber senegalicus. differs from Scomber in possessing frontal bones that approach the midline anteriorly and long sigmoid shaped nasal bones that project further anteriorly past the frontal bone than the length of the nasalarticulating surface. The exceptional preservation of †E. senegalicus and the second ever recorded occurrence of †A. huberti, is the first direct evidence of scombrid feeding behavior and demonstrates that smaller ‘mackerel-like’ scombrids have been prey for larger tuna-like scombrids since at least the middle Eocene as they are today.
Distribution and onshore migration behaviour of burbot larvae in Lake Constance, Germany

Larval abundance of burbot Lota lota in the pelagic zone of Lake Constance, Germany, peaked during April and remained at a constant but lower level until mid-June. From the end of May onwards a significant diel vertical migration pattern was observed: while burbot larvae were distributed above as well as below the thermocline in the daytime with the highest percentages of abundance at water depths of 30 and 50 m (below the thermocline) on 5 and 25 June, they were concentrated from 2 to 15 m (above the thermocline) during the night. This migration pattern coincided with a significant decline in the food items preferred by burbot at this life stage, cyclopoid copepods. This phase of diel vertical migration lasted for c. 4 weeks until the burbot larvae suddenly disappeared from the pelagic zone. This indicated a short phase, lasting only a few days, of larval settlement into profundal benthic habitats. This was supported by a significant, abrupt decrease in the absolute growth rates of the larvae at day 56 after hatching. The day–night pattern of vertical migration observed could be assumed to be a transition phase from a pelagic to a benthic lifestyle, as reported for juveniles of several other, marine gadoid species.
Cryptic population structure in the severely depleted cowcod, Sebastes levis

Cowcod (Sebastes levis) is a member of a northeastern Pacific Ocean species flock that experienced extensive fishery exploitation. Factors that could produce structure in cowcod include a major biogeographic boundary within cowcod’s geographical distribution; severe declines in abundance, potentially, resulting in reductions in effective population size and divergence owing to genetic drift; and dependence on patchily distributed habitat. We examine the following two questions: (i) is there subdivision present and, if so, is it concordant with the two marine biogeographic regions separated by Point Conception, and (ii) have cowcod experienced loss of genetic variation owing to population size reduction? Coarse-scale genetic and otolith analyses indicated regional structure across Point Conception. However, analysis of 24 microsatellite DNA loci revealed as many as three cryptic, divergent lineages (FCT = 0.194) that meet south of Point Conception. The two southern lineages had higher growth rate than the .
Efficacy of a Feed Probiotic Bacteria (Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415), Spore (Bacillus subtilis ATCC PTA-6737) and Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in Japanese quails

Efficacy of a bacteria ( enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415), spore ( bacillus subtilisÂ ATCC PTA-6737 ) and yeast ( saccharomyces cerevisiae ) probiotic was tested in quails from day 2 to day 35. A control diet (CON) was supplemented at the recommended dosages to obtain three diets containing a bacteria (D-bacteria), a spore (D-spore) and a yeast (D-yeast). The results indicated that the birds fed on D-yeast significantly (P<0.05) consumed more feed at the age of 16, 30 and 37 days than the birds fed on CON, D-bacteria and D-spore, whose food intake (FI) were almost similar throughout the fattening period. Body weights (BW) and weight gains (WG) of birds fed on probiotic diets were higher than the birds fed on CON diet, especially BW and GW of the birds fed on D-yeast were significantly (P<0.05) greater than birds on CON at the age of 9, 16 and 30 days, and than birds on D-spore at the age of 30 days. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was (P<0.05) improved in the birds of all probiotic diets, compared to the control bird group at the age of 9 and 16 days. As the birds get older the differences in FCR between control group and probiotic groups were not significant; all FCR were almost similar. Carcass yield was significantly (P<0.05) high in the birds of D-bacteria. A significant increase in the weight and length of digestive tract was seen with the birds of D-spore group. The results indicated that the use of selected probiotics enhanced bird performance, and the effect of D-yeast probiotic was better.
Feeding level influences genetic parameters for performance traits in pigs.

INTRODUCTION Selection for performance traits is assumed to influence underlying physiological mechanisms, although these changes are not always fully understood. Knowledge about physiological changes may be used to optimise selection strategies for different production and market systems. One way in achieving this is by incorporating information on growth models into breeding programs. The concept of the linear-plateau model has been used in a number of growth models for some time (eg. De Greef, 1992). This concept provides an explanation why pigs differ in growth performance at a given feed intake level depending on their potential for lean meat growth (eg Whittemore, 1986).
Twentieth century demographic changes in cirio and cardón in Baja California, México

Aim Our purpose was to discern long‐term large‐scale patterns of survivorship and recruitment of two dominant, charismatic and useful desert plants, cirio [Fouquieriaceae; Fouquieria columnaris (Kell.) Kell. ex Curran] and cardón [Cactaceae; Pachycereus pringlei (S.Watson) Britton & Rose], and to evaluate the effects of physical and human factors.
Genetic variability and diversity of mutant rice revealed by quantitative traits and molecular markers

La variabilidad genetica con agentes mutagenicos se ha usada en el cultivo de plantas debido a su contribucion significativa a la mejora de los genotipos existentes de arroz a traves de padres geneticamente diversos. En este estudio se evaluo la variabilidad y diversidad de mutantes de arroz mediante rasgos cuantitativos y marcadores moleculares de inter-secuencias simples repetidas (ISSR). El estudio se realizo en campo, en la generacion M5 de 31 lineas mutantes desarrolladas y su padre (testigo). Caracteristicas morfologicas y 25 marcadores ISSR se utilizaron como herramientas para determinar las identidades y diversidad genetica de los cultivares. Los iniciadores seleccionados generaron claras 443 bandas polimorficas claras con un numero promedio de 18 bandas por iniciador. Las bandas fueron 85.10 % polimorficas. El metodo no ponderado de pares de grupo de medias aritmeticas (UPGMA) con coeficientes de similitud se uso para el analisis de los grupos. Mediante esto, todos los genotipos se agruparon en seis grupos. Las cruzas entre MR219-ML8 y MR219-ML22 podrian generarse para desarrollar variedades de alto rendimiento. Ademas, estos mutantes se pueden usar como padres donadores en programas de mejoramiento de arroz y algunos pueden recomendarse como variedades nuevas de arroz adecuadas para su cultivo en Malasia
How many species of seed plants are there

The recent paper by Rafael Govaerts (2001) in Taxon 's Points of View and his omission of my counts in my recent Botanical Review paper (Thorne, 2000a) inspired me to recount (several times) the figures in my latest update of my classification of the angiosperms. I am amazed at the complicated ways Govaerts has used to estimate the number of species of seed plants. It seems to me much simpler just to add up all the figures from recent monographs and revisions, supplemented by figures from Mabberley's The Plant Book (1997) when recent revisions are not available. Govaerts estimates about 400,000 published accepted species of seed plants. My latest count of accepted species of angiosperms is about 258,650 in 13,553 accepted genera (see website http://www.inform.umd. edu/PBIO/fam/thomeangiosp99.html). One would have to add to that the other seed plants for an estimate of 260,000 accepted species. Probably if all the undescribed species of seed plants of the world were added, the total number of species of seed plants might approximate Govaerts' estimate of published accepted species. For the statistically inclined, my latest count (as of March 21, 2002; Table 1) of angiosperm taxa now accepted by me is 258,650 species in 13,553 genera, 490 families and 388 subfamilies (for a total of 768 subfamilies and undivided families), 82 orders (and 53 suborders), 30 superorders and 10 subclasses. Monocot totals