Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New sources of resistance in Trifolium subterraneum to rust (Uromyces trifolii-repentis)

Fifty-seven genotypes, including 10 cultivars, of Trifolium subterraneum var. subterraneum and var. yanninicum were screened in the field for resistance to rust (Uromyces trifolii-repentis) using artificial inoculation. There was outstanding resistance among the var. yanninicum, types with all but 1 genotype showing no rust symptoms. Several var. subterraneum genotypes also showed only a low rust incidence (≤3.5 on a 0–10 scale) with little or no leaf collapse from rust infection, including 83S19–07, CPI 103906F, EP132Sub-E, 84S20–02, and 84S20–01. Several other lines had a significant incidence of rust, while little leaf collapse from the disease was evident. Several highly susceptible lines were identified, including cultivars Green Range, Seaton Park and York, all with 100% of leaves affected by rust and extensive leaf collapse. There was excellent positive correlation between rust incidence and leaf collapse across the genotypes tested (R2 = 0.91). The excellent rust resistance observed in the majority of var. yanninicum lines and the good resistance in some var. subterraneum lines, indicates that these are useful sources of resistance that can be exploited, either directly as new cultivars to minimise leaf collapse from this disease or as parents in breeding programmes to develop more rust-resistant cultivars.
A meta‐analysis of bird and mammal response to short‐rotation woody crops

Short‐rotation woody cropping (SRWC) refers to silvicultural systems designed to produce woody biomass using short harvest cycles (1–15 years), intensive silvicultural techniques, high‐yielding varieties, and often coppice regeneration. Recent emphasis on alternatives to fossil fuels has spurred interest in producing SRWC on privately owned and intensively managed forests of North America. We examined potential bird and small mammal response at the stand level to conversion of existing, intensively managed forests to SRWCs using meta‐analysis of existing studies. We found 257 effect sizes for birds (243 effect sizes) and mammals (14 effect sizes) from 8 studies involving Populus spp. plantations. Diversity and abundance of bird guilds were lower on short‐rotation plantations compared with reference woodlands, while abundance of individual bird species was more variable and not consistently higher or lower on SRWC plantations. Shrub‐associated birds were more abundant on SRWC plantations, but forest‐associated and cavity‐nesting birds were less abundant. Effects on birds appeared to decrease with age of the SRWC plantation, but plantation age was also confounded with variation in the type of reference forest used for comparison. Both guilds and species of mammals were less abundant on SRWC plantations. These conclusions are tentative because none of these studies directly compared SRWC plantations to intensively managed forests. Plantations of SRWCs could contribute to overall landscape diversity in forest‐dominated landscapes by providing shrubby habitat structure for nonforest species. However, extensive conversion of mature or intensively managed forests to SRWC would likely decrease overall diversity, especially if they replace habitat types of high conservation value.
The cooperative interaction between two motifis of an enhancer element of the chicken αA-crystallin gene, αCE1 and αCE2, confers lens-specific expression

An 84 bp element located between nucleotides -162 and -79 of the chicken alpha A-crystallin gene exhibits lens-specific enhancer activity. Transient transfection experiments using 5' deletion and linker scanner mutants has indicated that the 84 bp enhancer element is composed of three motifs, alpha CE1 (-162 to -134), alpha CE3 (-135 to -121) and alpha CE2 (-119 to -99). Neither alpha CE1 or alpha CE3 motif alone can exhibit enhancer activity even when trimerized, whereas together they can direct some degree of lens-specific expression. alpha CE2 alone shows low transcriptional activity when trimerized. A combination of alpha CE1 with alpha CE2 exerts full lens-specific enhancer activity comparable with that of the 84 bp enhancer element, indicating that alpha CE1 and alpha CE2 motifs are sufficient to confer lens-specific expression. Transcriptional activation by these two motifs from a distance required the additional presence of either or both motifs adjacent to the beta-actin basal promoter. Gel shift experiments indicated that the alpha CE1, alpha CE2 and alpha CE3 motifs specifically bind nuclear proteins. alpha CE1 binds a protein predominantly present in lens cells, whereas alpha CE2- and alpha CE3-binding proteins differ between lens and lung cells. Mutations within the alpha CE1 and alpha CE2 motifs that failed to bind nuclear factors in vitro resulted in loss of transcriptional activation, indicating that these nuclear factors play a key role in controlling lens-specific expression.
Comparative studies of allozyme loci in Drosophila simulans and D. melanogaster. II. Gene arrangement on the third chromosome.:II. GENE ARRANGEMENT ON THE THIRD CHROMOSOME

Five enzyme systems, NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (Idh), phosphoglucomutase (Pgm), aldehyde oxidase (Aldox), malic enzyme (Men) and aldolase (Ald), were mapped on the third chromosome of Drosophila simulans. Idh and Pgm were mapped at 6.4 and 38.1 on the left arm, respectively. Aldox, Men and Ald were localized at 75.4, 87.7 and 124.6 on the right arm, respectively. On the basis of these findings, together with new mapping data of Idh and Est-C in D. melanogaster, the comparative genetics of the third chromosome of these two species were discussed.
Truncated foodweb effects of omnivorous minnows in a recovering acidified lake

Cyprinids (Margariscus margarita, Phoxinus spp., Pimephales promelas) have resumed reproduction in a boreal headwater lake (Lake 302S, Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario) that is recovering from experimental acidification. Concomitant changes to the littoral food web suggested that these omnivorous minnows suppressed the development of green algal mats, termed metaphyton. We tested this hypothesis by conducting an experiment using minnow enclosures, minnow exclosures, and open control plots in the shallow littoral zone of Lake 302S. Minnows significantly suppressed zooplankton biomass, and altered community composition by disproportionally reducing large daphnids and chydorids. Epiphytic chironomids were also significantly less abundant in the presence of minnows. Minnows had a significant time-dependent, negative effect on benthic invertebrate biomass and community composition because chironomids and anisopterans were suppressed during the second half of the 6-wk experiment. However, minnows did not reduce the abundance of the dominant primary producer, namely metaphyton. Stable isotope analyses revealed that minnows did not suppress metaphyton because these algae were not the primary C source for the food web. Instead, our findings suggest that the littoral food web depended mainly on sedimentary C, which resulted in the foodweb effect of minnows being truncated at the level of invertebrates. Therefore, metaphyton appears to be regulated primarily by abiotic factors (e.g., availability of dissolved inorganic C) and not herbivory in recovering acidified lakes.
Species diversity and distribution of lepidopteran stem borers in South Africa and Mozambique

Country‐wide surveys of lepidopteran stem borers in wild host plants were undertaken between 2006 and 2009 in South Africa and 2005 and 2010 in Mozambique. A total of 4438 larvae were collected from 65 wild host plants in South Africa and 1920 larvae from 30 wild host plants in Mozambique. In South Africa and Mozambique, 50 and 39 stem borer species were recovered, respectively, with four new species and two new genera among noctuids. Less than 5% of the total number of species collected are considered to be economically important in Africa. These species were Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Noctuidae), Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Crambidae) and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Noctuidae). Data from this study and others in East Africa on the very low abundance of stem borers in wild host plants question the putative role of wild host plants as reservoir for stem borer pests. One new host plant family (Prioniaceae), as well as 24 and 13 wild hosts from South Africa and Mozambique respectively, was added to the list of known hosts in Africa.
Effects of Gamma Rays and Sodium Azide on Yeild Parameters of Phaseolus Vulgaris L

The studies of induced mutation in Bokkos red variety of Phaseolus vulgaris L was conducted at botanical garden, Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The healthy and dry seeds of P. vulgaris were exposed to gamma rays at different doses of (10krad, 15krad, 20krad, 25krad and 30krad) and the sodium azide at different concentrations (0.10mM, 0.15mM, 0.20mM, 0.25mM and 0.30mM) and combined treatments. The observation were made for number of flower bud, days to flowering, plant height at maturity, pod length, number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod. The result revealed that 10krad and 25krad had the highest number of flower bud, 0.30mM+30krad had the early days to first flowering, 0.10mM had the highest pod length, 0.30mM+25krad had the highest plant height at maturity, 25krad had the highest number of pods per plant, 0.20mM had the highest number of seeds per pod and the flower with yellow, white and purple was obtained in this studies. Data obtained in this study were statistically significant at 5% level. The results concluded that different treatments of mutagens had different effects on yield parameters of P. vulgaris.
Carcass composition of the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

(1) Six buffalo bulls 14-48 months old were slaughtered and subjected to detailed anatomical dissection. (2) The dressing percentage of 55.2 was greater than that in cattle of similar carcass fatness (10.6). (3) Muscle constituted 37.1% of empty liveweight. (4) The carcasses had a high proportion by weight of muscle (68.6%), a low proportion of bone (17.3%), and a low proportion of fat (10.6%) relative to the proportions found in steer carcasses of similar muscle plus bone weights or total dissected fat percentages. (5) A study of muscle weight distribution showed that the spinal muscle group formed a lesser proportion of total muscle than in bovine steers, while the muscles of the proximal forelimb, those of the thorax passing onto the forelimb, and the intrinsic muscles of neck and thorax formed a greater proportion. The possibility of a sex effect on muscle weight distribution was discussed. (6) Fat distribution featured a high proportion of intermuscular fat relative to subcutaneous fat, and the proportions of kidney and channel fats were greater than those encountered in comparable bovine steer carcasses.
Does urbanization decrease diversity in ground beetle (Carabidae) assemblages

Aim We wanted to test whether urbanization has similar effects on biodiversity in different locations, comparing the responses of ground beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) assemblages with an urbanization gradient. We also wanted to see if urbanization had a homogenizing effect on ground beetle assemblages. Locations Nine forested temperate locations in Europe, Canada and Japan. Methods Published results of the Globenet Project were used. At all locations, three stages were identified: (1) a forested (rural) area, (2) a suburban area where the original forest was fragmented and isolated, and (3) remnants of the original forest in urban parks. These habitats formed an urbanization series. Study arrangements (number and operation of traps) and methods (pitfall trapping) were identical, conforming to the Globenet protocol. Assemblage composition and diversity patterns were evaluated. Diversity relationships were analysed by the Renyi diversity ordering method considering all ground beetles and – separately – the forest specialist species. Taxonomic homogenization was examined by multivariate methods using assemblage similarities. Results Overall biodiversity (compared by species richness and diversity ordering) showed inconsistent trends by either urbanization intensity or by geographic position. However, when only forest species were compared, diversity was higher in the original rural (forested) areas than in urban forest fragments. Within-country similarities of carabid assemblages were always higher than within-urbanization stage similarities. Main conclusions Urbanization does not appear to cause a decrease in ground beetle diversity per se. Forest species decline as urbanization intensifies but this trend is masked by an influx of non-forest species. The rural faunas were more similar to the urban ones within the same location than similar urbanization stages were to each other, indicating that urbanization did not homogenize the taxonomic composition of ground beetle faunas across the studied locations.
Relationship between Sperm Response to Glycosaminoglycans in vitro and Non-return Rates of Swedish Dairy AI Bulls

Contents In this study, the relations between fertility (56-day non-return rates, 56-day NRR) after artificial insemination (AI) and bull sperm characteristics post-thaw, after swim-up and after co-incubation with heparin (Hep) and hyaluronan (HA), respectively, were determined, attempting to determine if such a procedure could be of value to evaluate the potential fertilizing ability of frozen-thawed AI bull spermatozoa. Spermatozoa from 20 semen batches derived from 20 Swedish Red and White AI bulls ranging widely in their field fertility after AI (55–79% 56-day NRRs) were evaluated with regards to post-thaw motility, membrane integrity, and migration through a simple swim-up procedure. Sperm viability and capacitation status were evaluated by two different vital staining procedures and chlortetracycline hydrochloride staining. Sperm motility and membrane integrity post-thaw (e.g. indicators of sperm viability) were significantly correlated (r = 0.53, p < 0.05 and r = 0.59, p < 0.01, respectively) with fertility. Heparin (5 µg/ml) significantly (p lt; 0.001) increased the frequencies of capacitation and acrosome-reaction (AR) among swim-up separated spermatozoa, whereas HA at a concentration of 50 ng/ml did not have any significant capacitating effect. The incidences of capacitated or AR-spermatozoa following Hep-treatment were not correlated with fertility. On the other hand, the percentage of viable spermatozoa was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in Hep-treated samples than in control and HA-treated samples and was significantly (r = 0.49, p < 0.05) correlated with fertility after AI (56-day NRR). The results indicate that the percentage of viable spermatozoa after swim-up separation and heparin-exposure from a selected population of AI bulls were significantly and positively related to the AI fertility of the donors and thus could be used as a parameter to determine the fertilizing ability of frozen—thawed AI bull spermatozoa.
Altitudinal Distributions of Birds, Mammals, People, Forests, and Parks in Nepal

Probably the most efficient way to maintain biological diversity is to protect a representative array of ecosystems from significant human manipulation (Hunter 1990). Unfortunately, designing reserve systems can be difficult, especially in areas where conservationists lack detailed knowledge about the distribution patterns of species and ecosystems and do not have the time or money to study these patterns. Such constraints may compel conservationists to plan reserve systems using easily-measured parameters, such as altitude, latitude, and longitude, that are coarse predictors of biologically relevant parameters, such as climate and soil. We have used this approach to examine some conservation issues in Nepal, a country where a dearth of information, a shortage of funds, and urgency constrain conservation efforts. Specifically, we have examined ( 1 ) the altitudinal distribution of Nepal's biota as indicated by birds and mammals; (2) the distribution of human pressure as indicated by population density and the existence of residual forests; and (3) the current distribution of national parks and protected areas and their likely effectiveness.
Phylogenetic relationships of Geranium species indigenous to New Zealand

Abstract New Zealand species of Geranium are shown to be closely related, forming a monophyletic group. Relationships inferred from Bayesian and NeighborNet analyses of internal and external transcribed spacer sequences generally agreed and were congruent with those inferred from study of morphological characters. Two groups of species (G. brevicaule and G. retrorsum groups) are well supported based on morphology and DNA sequence data. A third group, referred to as the G. microphyllum group, is recognised based on morphology but is only partially supported by the DNA sequence data. The DNA sequence and morphological variability in each of the G. brevicaule, G. microphyllum, and G. retrorsum groups support the recognition of additional taxonomic entities from New Zealand, but further study is required to address these issues. Furthermore, additional sampling of Australian and South American species of Geranium must be carried out before a taxonomic re‐evaluation can be made of sections Andina and Chilensia.
Long bone cortices in a growth series of Apatosaurus sp. (Dinosauria: Diplodocidae): geometry, body mass, and crystallite orientation of giant animals

Comparative studies of body mass, cortical bone geometry, and preferred crystallographic orientation (texture) of bone mineral in an ontogenetic series of the sauropod, Apatosaurus sp. , and recent animals are reported. The cortical bone geometry shows that sauropods have an expansion of the cortical thickness as a result of their heavier mass. It is shown that a universal power-law relationship connects body mass to bone length, suggesting the validity of Wolff's law for sauropods. Moreover, sauropod and mammalian bones seem to be exposed to the same compressive bone stress. X-ray texture measurements of long bones were used to study the orientation of carbonated hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals. All bones investigated showed a 001-fibre texture, in which the c-axis of the HA crystals is oriented along the bone axis. Texture strength (defined by the alignment of HA crystals) appears to be of only minor importance regarding the mechanical strength and seems to be influenced by the loading mode of the bone. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 112, 782–798.
The diversity and distribution of lianas in the Afromontane rain forests of Ethiopia

The diversity and distribution of lianas were studied in five Afromontane rain forests of Ethiopia. Quadrats of 20 × 20 m were laid down along transects in the Bonga, Berhane‐Kontir, Harenna, Yayu and Maji forests. In all forests, 30,917 liana individuals belonging to 123 species in 87 genera and 40 plant families were recorded. The most species‐rich families were Asclepiadaceae (14), Fabaceae (9), Annonaceae (7) and Cucurbitaceae (7). The top 10 dominant families represented 56% of the total number of species. Over 400 other plant species representing different life forms were recorded growing together with lianas. The lianas accounted for over 30% of the total woody plant diversity and over 20% of the total floral diversity in the study areas. The analysis of floristic composition of the forests indicates that the Berhane‐Kontir Forest had the highest Fisher's diversity index α, and Yayu the lowest. Generally, there were low similarities between the forests in terms of species composition. Although lianas were abundant in almost all forests, there was a considerable variation among the forests in terms of density and spatial distribution. The major dispersal modes of lianas were anemochory (30%), mammaliochory (30%), ornithochory and autochory, and the four mechanisms of climbing of lianas were twining (54%), hooking (24%), rooting and use of tendrils. Altitude and human disturbance were found to be important factors affecting liana distribution. The need for sustainable management and use of lianas in the Afromontane rain forests is emphasized.
Determinants of establishment success for introduced exotic mammals

We conducted comparisons for exotic mammal species introduced to New Zealand (28 successful, 4 failed), Australia (24, 17) and Britain (15, 16). Modelling of variables associated with establishment success was constrained by small sample sizes and phylogenetic dependence, so our results should be interpreted with caution. Successful species were subject to more release events, had higher climate matches between their overseas geographic range and their country of introduction, had larger overseas geographic range sizes and were more likely to have established an exotic population elsewhere than was the case for failed species. Of the mammals introduced to New Zealand, successful species also had larger areas of suitable habitat than did failed species. Our findings may guide risk assessments for the import of live mammals to reduce the rate new species establish in the wild.
Assessment of Genetic Diversity for American Shad in the Santee-Cooper River Basin of South Carolina Prior to Hatchery Augmentation

Abstract American shad Alosa sapidissima once supported large commercial fisheries along the Atlantic coast, but by the early 1980s many of these fisheries had declined precipitously. In contrast to most Atlantic coastal rivers, the abundance of American shad in the Santee-Cooper River basin of South Carolina has grown substantially; still, much of their upstream spawning habitat in this watershed has been restricted or adversely affected by impoundments. In an effort to rebuild populations in upstream river reaches of the Santee-Cooper basin, state and federal agencies developed an approach relying on hatchery augmentation, the relocation of prespawning adults, and the construction of permanent fish passage structures. Genetic monitoring was adopted to ensure that the genetic integrity of the population remains intact during the rebuilding process. Our study provided an initial assessment of genetic diversity for the genetic monitoring program. There were three components to the study: an assessment of within-basin genetic stock structure, a comparison of genetic diversity (the number of alleles and observed heterozygosity) between hatchery and wild stocks, and an evaluation of molecular tags for monitoring hatchery returns. The estimation of genetic diversity and the assessment of molecular tags were based on 10 microsatellite loci. We found no apparent stock structure in the Santee-Cooper basin and no difference in genetic diversity between broodstock and their wild counterparts. Eight microsatellite markers provided enough resolution to successfully (>95% assignment success) match returning American shad with their respective hatchery parents. Our results highlight the utility and importance of integrating genetic information in supportive breeding programs in an effort to evaluate the programs' effectiveness (both in terms of increasing the census size and in terms of maintaining the long-term viability of a population).