Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptation to Rock Boring in Botula and Lithophaga (Lamellibranchia, Mytilidae) with a Discussion on the Evolution of this Habit

All species of Botula and of Lithophaga live within borings they excavate in rock, In Botula boring is mechanical, into soft non-calcareous rocks. Firm attachment is made by byssal threads arranged in a large anterior and a small posterior group. The rock is abraded by the dorsal surfaces of the valves, which are deeply eroded; the forces responsible are contraction of the byssal and pedal retractors and the powerful opening thrust of the long ligament. There is no rotation within the boring. In Lithophaga boring is confined to calcareous rocks, byssal attachment being weak and the valves little eroded. The fused inner lobes of the mantle edges may protrude from between the valves anteriorly. They are applied to the head of the boring and it is postulated that they secrete an acid mucus. Some species of Lithophaga bore straight into rock, others rotate in the boring. Aggregations of foreign particles on the valves of Botula and Lithophaga are due to the effect of accumulations of mucous glands both anterior and posterior to the ligament. The origin and function of these glandular masses is discussed by reference to conditions in the allied Modiolus. They help in disposing of sediment. In Lithophaga the anterior glands, at least, probably secrete an acid mucus. Crystalline calcareous secretions which adventitiously lengthen the shells of certain species of Lithophaga are produced by the walls of the siphons, which may also lay down a calcareous lining to the boring. Evolution of the boring habit in the Mytilidae is discussed in relation to shell-form. The elongate shell of the dimyarian types Botula and Lithophaga is compared with those of Ensis or Tagelus and shown to be derived from that of a heteromyarian ancestor not unlike Modiolus. The effect of the tangential component in the growth of the mantle/shell counteracts that of reduction of the anterior end of the body and of the mantle/shell associated with heteromyarianism and is also concerned with lengthening of the ligament. Change in form in the Mytilidae made possible change in habit.
Contamination des sols par les métaux lourds à partir de mines abandonnées : le cas des mines Aouli-Mibladen-Zeïda au Maroc

This study assesses the metal contamination of soils in the vicinities of Aouli, Mibladen and Zeida mines abandoned in the High Moulouya in eastern Morocco focusing in particular on its spatial variability as well as on the extent of the contaminated area. The results show that the studied soils close to mining sites and even very remote are highly contaminated with heavy metals: Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd. The results also highlight great variability in concentrations between soils of the three mining sites as well as at the same mining site. The index of soil pollution is generally high even for soils sampled downstream located at more than 130 km from the mining sites, while surface levels on tailings are extremely high, indicating that they are perennial sources of contamination by heavy metals. The insalubrious area affected by metallic pollution derived from the abandoned mining sites in the high Moulouya is very large due to dispersal by wind and water transport of metallic pollutants of mine tailings. Remedial measures must be taken to immobilize pollutants and limit their transport to the environment.
Characterization of dsRNA in Chalara elegans and effects on growth and virulence

Forty-three isolates of Chalara elegans (synanamorph Thielaviopsis basicola) from 10 geographic locations within the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands were examined for the presence of double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA). Thirty-six of the isolates contained dsRNA elements and were assigned to nine groups based on the similarity of banding patterns after agarose gel electrophoresis. Hybridization experiments revealed some homology between one dsRNA segment (2.8 kb) in eight isolates. Isometric virus particles approximately 47 nm in diameter were observed in one isolate. Representative isolates from five main dsRNA groups were compared for differences in growth rate, sporulation, mycelial dry weight production, and virulence [. ]
Complementary Imaging Techniques for Charcoal Examination and Identification

Identification of ancient charcoal fragments is a valuable tool in reconstructing past environments and determining natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and for understanding past cultures and societies. Although in Europe such studies are fairly straightforward, utilising charcoal records from the tropics is more complicated due to the species-richness of the natural vegetation. Comprehensive databases have greatly aided identification but often identification of charcoalified woods from the tropics relies on minute anatomical features that can be difficult to observe due to preservation or lack of abundance.This article illustrates the relative potential of four imaging techniques and discusses how they can provide optimal visualisation of charcoal anatomy, such that specific difficulties encountered during charcoal examination can be evaluated and fine anatomical characters can be observed enabling high-level identification of charcoal (and wood) taxa. Specifically reflected Light Microscopy is often used to quickly group large numbers of charcoal fragments into charcoal types. Scanning Electron Microscopy and High-Throughput X-ray Computed Tomography are employed to observe fine anatomical detail. More recently X-ray Computed Tomography at very high resolution has proved successful for imaging hidden or ‘veiled’ anatomical features that cannot be detected on exposed surfaces but need three-dimensional volumetric imaging.
Termites in eucalyptus forest plantations and forest remnants: an ecological approach

3A B S T R A C T Changes in the composition and structure of plant communities may result from human actions, such as the intensive use of the soil for agriculture and deforestation for the plantation of eucalyptus forests. This article aims to reveal how such disturbances cause conspicuous, spatial changes in biodiversity and, consequently, in many features of the earth’s ecosystems, aff ecting termite diversity, mainly those of the geophagous group. The reduction in the abundance of these insect species, the so-called “soil engineers”, causes a decrease in carbon content and an imbalance in the functional groups, thus infl uencing the rate of soil degradation and causing further changes in biodiversity.
A phylogenetic analysis of molecular and morphological characters of Herminium (Orchidaceae, Orchideae): evolutionary relationships, taxonomy, and patterns of character evolution

The first comprehensive phylogenetic study of the orchid genus Herminium and its allies is presented, based on seven molecular markers (nuclear internal transcribed spacer, Xdh, chloroplast matK, psaB, psbA‐trnH, rbcL and trnL‐F) and 37 morphological characters. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Herminium as currently delimited is paraphyletic and that several genera are deeply nested within it. Based on parsimony analysis of total evidence, the generic circumscription of Herminium is expanded to include Androcorys, Bhutanthera, Frigidorchis and Porolabium. Apomorphic and plesiomorphic character states are identified for various clades recovered in this study. A few species currently wrongly assigned to Peristylus and Platanthera are here included in Herminium. All necessary new combinations are made.
Isozyme polymorphism to detect genetic diversity of Jatropha curcas (L.) in India.

The Indian Government identified Jatropha curcas L. as the most suitable treeborne oilseed for the production of bio-diesel. The species has spread to many parts of India due to its ability to withstand adverse conditions. Breeding of inter and intra specific Jatrophas for the exploitation of hybrid vigour is one of the most economical means of tree improvement. To study the genetic base of the species distributed in India, 55 accessions of J. curcas from Jammu to Kanyakumari and Jodhpur to Kolkata were assessed using isozyme markers. Fifteen enzyme systems were evaluated for their efficacy in distinguishing the accessions. While three (formate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and peroxidase) were found useful, twelve did not exhibit any variation and had fixed monomorphic alleles. Each polymorphic enzyme system produced one well resolved polymorphic region except peroxidase which had three. On an average 4 loci (26.67%) were found to be polymorphic (P) and mean observed number of alleles per locus (A) was 1.533. Average observed heterozygosity (Ho) was 0.1082 and expected value (He) was 0.0993 with and gene flow Nm = 0.2177 showing low level of genetic variation among different accessions suggesting poor segregation of genes over generations. The isozyme variation was measured by standard gene diversity measures using POPGENE v. 1.32. Dendrograms revealed very low heterozygosity leaving little scope for exploitation of hybrid vigour and suggesting that initiating breeding programmes with Indian land races may not lead to substantial genetic gain, vigorous seed set and higher volumes of oil yield.
Evapotranspiration in tidal marshes

Field experiments were completed to determine patterns of evapotranspirative water loss from salt and tidal freshwater marshes in Virginia. Water losses from “Mariotte systems” attached to open-water lysimeters and lysimeters vegetated by dominant marsh macrophytes were used to calculate hourly rates of open-water evaporation (Eo) and evapotranspiration (ET), respectively, during low tide. In the tidal freshwater marsh, ET was significantly greater than Eo (p=0.002, n=6); in the salt marsh, there were no differences between mean rates of ET and Eo (p=0.200, n=3). The ratio ET:Eo was highly correlated with leaf area index (LAI) (r2=0.82). In the tidal freshwater marsh, the amount of water loss due to plant transpiration was partitioned from total evapotranspiration by covering the water surface of the lysimeters with styrofoam beads. Measured transpiration rates in the tidal freshwater marsh were strongly correlated with leaf area index according to the following linear regression equation: T=0.355(LAI)−0.084 (r2=0.797, n=10). Because LAI was shown to be a good predictor of the relative increase in ET over Eo, it is likely that in vegetated tidal freshwater marshes with high leaf densities most atmospheric water loss comes from plants, not from the surface of the marsh. In salt marshes, low plant densities do not contribute substantially to atmospheric water loss, suggesting that paths of water transport and patterns of solute concentration in the subsurface environment are different compard to the tidal freshwater marsh.
Some Aspects of the Mechanics of Mammalian Locomotion

1. An apparatus is described for measuring the forces exerted on the ground by mammals in three axes at right angles. 2. Analysis of these force records and synchronous photographs of the limb positions shows a constant pattern of activity in the protractor and retractor muscles of both limbs. 3. This pattern of activity is basically the same as that previously demonstrated in the toad and newt and shown to be mechanically in most respects the most efficient possible.
Impacts of haze in 2002 on social activity and human health in Palangka Raya

Dense haze emitted from peatland and forest fires in 1997/98 and 2002 damaged not only the peatland and forests themselves, but also the social activity and human health in many South East Asian countries. Several components of air quality, namely carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter, were monitored since 2001 by the Environmental Impact Agency of Palangka Raya at three sites in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan. This study focused on daily concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter (PM10) from 2001 to 2004. Clearly, concentrations of CO and PM10 increased during the dry season of every year. The 8 hour average levels of CO concentration were higher than 15 ppm for 42 days during the dry season of 2002, an El Nino year. The MP10 values were also very high during the 2002 dry season. The PM10 values were higher than 250 μg m-3 for 84 days in 2002. The high levels in air pollutant materials suggest that people living in Palangka Raya were subject to unhealthy conditions for a long time during the dry season in 2002. The rates of solar radiation on the ground (Sr) against extra-terrestrial solar radiation (S0) showed a good correlation to the PM10 values with a high coefficient of determination (0.92) during the dry season in 2002. The regression curve was applied to solar radiation on the ground in 1997. The result shows that the level of PM10 in Palangka Raya was the same in September and October in both years, but high levels of PM10 continued until November of 1997. The 2002 forest fires were responsible for financial losses at the national level. Merpati Nusantara Airline, Mandala Airline and Dirgantara Air Service lost 10.6 billion Rupiah, 2.8 billion Rupiah and 235 million Rupiah, respectively, while Garuda Indonesia Airline and Bouraq Airline lost 76.8 billion and 954 million Rupiah, respectively. Many schools (kindergartens, basic schools and elementary schools) were closed for one to four weeks. Many very old and very young people became ill and died. The estimated numbers of health cases in Central Kalimantan caused by forest fire are as follows: Death, 29 people; Asthma, 17,270 people; Bronchitis, 3,366 people; and ISPA, 83,772 people. The fires and haze restricted the ability of people to work and 275,660 people were forced to work only occasionally, while 141,714 people stopped working completely for the duration of the forest fires and produce thick smoke.
The effects of deer browsing on woodland structure and songbirds in lowland Britain: Deer browsing, woodland structure and songbirds

The effects of deer in woodlands are known to result in habitat changes which can be detrimental to songbirds. In the first part of the paper we review the effects that deer may have on critical resources for woodland birds. The principal mechanism by which deer may affect habitat quality is through the reduction of low woody vegetation, which forms a key element of the preferred habitat of several species – this may be associated with loss of nest-sites, increased exposure to predators and reduction of food. The second part of the paper presents new evidence for the impacts of deer on vegetation structure, and how they may be contributing to the declines of some woodland songbirds in Britain. Results from extensive studies of deer at 13 woodland sites in England and Wales reveal that understorey foliage density decreases significantly with increasing deer density. Reduction of foliage was greatest at below 1.5 m above ground. We also report preliminary results of an experimental comparison of songbird densities between deer-fenced and unfenced areas of young coppice woodland in eastern England. In this study, deer browsing caused extensive impacts on vegetation structure in young coppice, though there was considerable variation between plots. Deer browsing resulted in reduction of canopy cover, reduction in density and cover of understorey vegetation, and an increase in grass cover. Abundance of bird species using the understorey, including all migrants, was significantly higher in coppice where deer were excluded. These results lend support to the hypothesis that deer are at least partly responsible for causing declines in some British bird populations, but they do not eliminate the possibility that increased shading is also responsible for changes in woodland structure. At present there is much spatial variation in deer densities in Britain so that impacts on low vegetation and habitat quality for birds are not expected to be the same in all regions. However, with continuing increases in deer numbers it is to be expected that such impacts will become more widespread.
Wetting and the physiological responses of grain-fed cattle in a heated environment

A controlled crossover experimental design was used to determine the effect of altered water sprinkling duration on heifers subjected to heat stress conditions. Heifers were subjected to 3 days of thermoneutral conditions followed by 3 days of hot conditions accompanied by water sprinkling between 1300 and 1500 h (HOT1-3). Then on the following 2 days (HOT4-5), environmental conditions remained similar, but 3 heifers were sprinkled between 1200 and 1600 h ( WET) and 3 were not sprinkled (NONWET). This was followed by a 1-day period (HOT6) in which environmental conditions and sprinkling regimen were similar to HOT1-3. Rectal temperature (RT) was collected hourly, and respiration rate (RR) was monitored every 2 h on HOT Days 2, 4, 5, and 6. Dry matter intake and rate of eating were also determined. Sprinkling reduced RR and RT (P < 0.01) of all heifers during HOT1-3. During HOT4-5, WET heifers had lower (P < 0.05) RT than NONWET from 1300 to 700 h and lower RR from 1400 to 2000 h. Dry matter intake of NONWET heifers was reduced by 30.6% (P < 0.05) during HOT4-5 and by 51.2% on HOT6. On HOT4-5 the dry matter intakes of WET heifers were similar to intakes under thermoneutral conditions. During HOT6, RT was again reduced following sprinkling in all heifers. Comparison of RT and RR of NONWET and WET heifers on HOT1-3 v. HOT6 revealed that under similar environmental conditions, NONWET heifers had increased RT, partially due to carry-over from HOT4-5. However, NONWET heifers had 40% lower feed intake but tended to have lower RR on HOT6 v. HOT1-3. Only RR of WET heifers was greater on HOT6, possibly a result of switching from a 4-h back to a 2-h sprinkling period, while maintaining a 62% greater intake (5.80 v. 3.58 kg/day) than NONWET heifers during this time. Results suggest that inconsistent cooling regimens may increase the susceptibility of cattle to heat stress and elicit different physiological and metabolic responses.
Infecção via oral por Trypanosoma evansi em animais de laboratório

In this research, Trypanosoma evansi infection was tested in rats and mice by oral ingestion of contaminated blood. Groups of ten rats and ten mice were disposed in four experimental groups: A and B (rats), C and D (mice). The groups A and C were contaminated by rat-contaminated blood; B and C groups by mouse-contaminated blood. The blood was given using a probe filled with 0.2ml of contaminated blood with 107 trypanosomes ml-1. These animals were maintained at constant temperature and humidity (25°C and 80% UR). Dairy blood smear were done to identify the prepatent period and evolution of parasite in the circulation. In the A and B groups, the pre latency period varied from 19 to 25 days and the period of parasite detection and animals death was an average of 12.7 days. The C and D groups did not present infection by the parasite even when evaluated for 60 days. In conclusion, the rats had oral infection by T. evansi but this protozoan couldnt contaminate the mice by digestive path.
The East Gippsland Silvicultural Systems Project II: Germination and early survival of eucalypt regeneration

Summary A major silvicultural experiment has been established in lowland forest in East Gippsland to evaluate alternative silvicultural systems. A range of harvesting and site preparation treatments was applied in a replicated design over two seasons. Harvesting treatments consist of a series of gap sizes (0,0.03,0.25 and 1-ha gaps, 4- and 10-ha clearfells) and retained overwood (clearfell and 7, 22, 35 and 100% retained basal area). Results of site preparation by slash burning and mechanical disturbance were compared. A primary criterion for evaluation of these treatments was the successful establishment of eucalypt regeneration. Eucalypt germination and seedling establishment was monitored biannually for 3 y. Germination, survival, seedling stocking and height growth were significantly influenced by gap size or the amount of overwood retained. Total germination was largely a function of seed supply, increasing with increasing overwood retention and decreasing gap size. Its response to site preparation method was confounded by seasonal effects. Total stocking at age 3 y generally reflected these germination results, although percent survival increased with increasing gap size and decreasing retained overwood. Mean height of seedlings at age 3 y also increased with increasing gap size and decreasing retained overwood. All treatments had successfully regenerated at 3 y, although survival and growth were significantly lower in the less intensively harvested treatments.
Importance of Condition Factor and the Influence of Water Temperature and Photoperiod on Metamorphosis of Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus

The incidence of metamorphosis of larval sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, was strongly affected by water temperature but not photoperiod. In a 1991 experiment, the development of metamorphosing animals in 13 °C water was retarded about 1 mo relative to animals metamorphosing at 21 °C and to a population from the Chippewa River, Michigan; the minimum length, weight, and condition factor (CF) of metamorphosing experimental animals were 117 mm, 2.8 g, and 1.50, respectively, and only 4% metamorphosed at 13 °C and 18.9% at 21 °C. In 1992, with a population from the Great Chazy River, New York, 66% of the animals at 13 °C and 84% at 21 °C metamorphosed. The higher incidence of metamorphosis in 1992 is partly related to the use of larvae that were larger than the minima established in 1991. We predicted, using criteria defined below, that 74 and 72% of the animals at 13 and 21 °C, respectively, would metamorphose. Our predictions were consistent with observations at 13 °C and for five of seven replicate tanks a.
Phylogenetic relationships of the Gulf of Guinea Alcedo kingfishers

Phylogenetic relationships of the Gulf of Guinea Alcedo kingfishers MARTIM MELO 1 * & JEROME FUCHS 2 † 1 Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3 JT, UK 2 UMR 5202 ‘Origine Structure et Evolution de la Biodiversite’, Departement Systematique et Evolution, and Service Commun de Systematique Moleculaire, IFR CNRS 101, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Case postale 51, 55 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
Analysis of relationships between maximum depth limits of aquatic plants and underwater light in 63 New Zealand lakes

Abstract Data from 63 New Zealand lakes were analysed to determine latitudinal and other patterns in the relationship between water clarity and the maximum recorded depths for submerged aquatic macrophytes (Zc). Vascular plants were encountered at Zc in 25% of the 63 lakes investigated. Characean algae extended to greater depths and occurred at Zc in 71% of the lakes, with a maximum depth of 34.4 m. There was a difference between North and South Island lakes, in values of Zc predicted from water clarity, that was not consistent with their latitudinal displacement. In clear North Island lakes, Zc was predicted to be less than in lakes of similar water clarity in the South Island and to reach an asymptotic maximum depth of 21 m. In contrast, the relationship between water clarity and Zc in South Island lakes was linear, with Zc of more than 30 m in some lakes at c. 2% of subsurface irradiance. Although the availability of light explained depth limits in most South Island lakes, other factors (e.g., grazing impact from freshwater crayfish) appear to be contributing to the shallower Zc in clear North Island lakes.