Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Repairing wetlands of the Lower Murray: Learning from restoration practice

Australia’s wetlands are in serious trouble. By the best available estimates, Australia has lost more than 120 000 square kilometers of wetlands in the last 200 years,or more than 50% of the original area of wetlands (Mitchell 1994). In some regions the rate of loss is as high as 98%, with losses generally over 70% in the settled agricultural areas near urban centres (Streever 1997). So far, the rate of repairing wetlands is almost too small to measure, with estimates of less than 0.01% of the remaining wetland areas undergoing active management to protect and restore their ecosystems (Jensen 1998; Streever 1998). A growing list of wetland repair projects is emerging around Australia, particularly in response to the priorities of the Natural Heritage Trust funding and increasing awareness of the critical values of wetland ecosystems. As these projects develop, science is racing to keep pace with the demand for knowledge and understanding of how wetland ecosystems work and how to put them back together when they have been damaged or altered. We need to go to the theory to determine the initial management design; but the ecological response to the management actions provides critical information to modify both management techniques and
Multitrait estimation of direct and maternal (co)variances for growth and efficiency traits in a multibreed beef cattle herd

CITATION: Schoeman, S. J. & Jordaan, G. F. 1999. Multitrait estimation of direct and maternal (co)variances for growth and efficiency traits in a multibreed beef cattle herd. South African Journal of Animal Science, 29(3):124-136.
Evaluation of QMRA performance for Listeria monocytogenes in cold smoked salmon

Food-borne listeriosis, caused by Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), is relatively rare but the relatively high rate of fatality (20–30%) compared to other food-borne microbial pathogens such as Salmonella makes it a serious disease. The foodstuff is recognised as the primary route of transmission for human exposure. A wide variety of food or raw material may become contaminated with Lm but the majority of listeriosis cases are related to ready-to-eat (RTE) food. The important factor related to food-borne listeriosis is that Lm can grow under low (refrigerated) temperatures when given sufficient time. Therefore, RTE products with long shelf life are under risk with respect to growth of Lm to critical concentrations. A stochastic model for the growth of Lm with the inhibiting effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in cold smoked salmon (CSS) was developed. An existing deterministic model for the growth of Lm was adapted by adding the Winner stochastic process in order to simulate the growth of Lm. The Poisson distribution is used to represent the initial count (occurrence) of Lm. A deterministic model for growth of LAB is used and the inhibiting effects of Lm and LAB on each other are taken into account. The Beta-Poisson model is used for estimating the dose response. The model has been tested during field trials with CSS performed in August 2010. The salmon was slaughtered in Norway and transported to France where it was processed. The model, implemented within the QMRA module, indicated that growth of Lm would occur in the CSS samples investigated. However, the
Diet of Physalaemus cf. cicada (Leptodactylidae) and Bufo granulosus (Bufonidae) in a semideciduous forest.

We determined the diet of the two most abundant anuran species which occur in the litter of a semideciduous forest (Lencois, Bahia, Brazil), Physalaemus cf. cicada and Bufo granulosus in the dry and rainy seasons. Pitfall traps were used to collect anuran and invertebrate fauna, which showed the availability of prey in the environment. Physalaemus cf. cicada was present in both seasons and Bufo granulosus only in the rainy season. Both species fed mainly on Isoptera and Formicidae. However, there is a difference between the rainy and dry seasons concerning the diet of P. cf. cicada. During the rainy season P. cf. cicada consumed less Isoptera and more Formicidae than in the dry season. In the volumetric sense, Orthoptera was the most important alimentary category for P. cf. cicada and B. granulosus. The Jacobs electivity index indicated that Physalaemus cf. cicada and Bufo granulosus were specialists in Isoptera.
Plant size and resprouting ability: trading tolerance and avoidance of damage?

1 Resprouting has been much studied in mature plants and seedlings, but with little attention to how resprouting ability may change with ontogeny in cross‐species datasets. Because damage exposure and avoidance through large size may differ between growth forms, size‐stage, growth form and disturbance type may interact. 2 A Bayesian mixed‐effects model was used to analyse a wide‐ranging literature dataset of resprouting responses following clipping or burning. There were distinct ontogenetic patterns of resprouting ability between growth forms. In ground‐dwelling plants, seedling resprouting ability was high and was maintained as plants grew. In trees, survivorship increased with size‐stage. However, for disturbances resulting in stem‐kill, resprouting ability of trees declined with increasing size. 3 The finding of distinct ontogenetic patterns of sprouting ability between growth forms demonstrates how species trade‐off damage avoidance with resprouting ability to achieve persistence, and provides an example of the life‐history trade‐off of avoidance and tolerance of damage. 4 Large random effects associated with between‐species variation indicated that although such ontogenetic patterns can be detected, each growth form contains species employing diverse strategies. Bayesian modelling enables flexible and powerful analyses of literature datasets, to reveal diverse strategies often obscured by classical analyses exploring only main effects.
Limited occurrence of resistant radish (Raphanus sativus) to AHAS-inhibiting herbicides in Argentina

Radish has developed feral and weedy biotypes, which is a concern for agriculture around the world. In Argentina, it is one of the most widespread and troublesome crop weeds. In Brazil, this species has developed herbicide-resistance to acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) inhibiting herbicides. The objective of this study was to record the presence of herbicide-resistant weedy radish plants in Argentina. In spring 2008, we found a small population of radish at the end of the flowering stage in an imidazolinone-tolerant canola field treated with imazethapyr. Screening and dose-response tests were conducted to two successive generations. They proved the biotype resistant status, and showed extensive survival (between 50 and 80% of control) to the application of a double dose of four AHAS‑inhibiting herbicides from two different chemical families (imidazolinones and sulfonylureas). Dose-response assays exhibited very high resistance for imazethapyr (LD50 = 2452.5 g a.i. ha-1, GR50 = 2926.9 g a.i. ha-1) and intermediate for metsulfuron (LD50 = 3.0 g a.i. ha-1, GR50 = 43.2 g a.i. ha-1). The acquisition of cross-resistance to different herbicide families would confer an adaptive and invasive advantage in agricultural environments to this biotype. Due to the herbicide rotation conducted in the field, the dispersion of this biotype was restricted. This is the first report of resistance in weedy radish in Argentina.
Use of biopsy samples of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) skin for stable isotope (δ13C) determination

Previous work has shown that stable isotope indicators taken from the muscle tissue of dead, stranded cetaceans can be used to assess diet. Recent advances in remote biopsy techniques have provided a means to collect skin and blubber tissues from live animals. This study examines the potential of biopsy samples taken from humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) for isotopic assessments of diet by 1) determining if isotopic differences exist between the two tissue types obtained in a biopsy (skin and blubber) and the traditional source for isotopic analysis, muscle tissue, 2) examining the effects of two different lipid extraction techniques on the removal of the preservative dimethyl sulfphoxide (DMSO) from tissues, and 3) assessing procedural reproducibility for automated isotopic analysis of skin derived from biopsy samples. Results demonstrate that carbon isotopic values ( δ 13C) of muscle were not significantly different from those of skin (Scheffe, p = 0.4985; δ 13C = -19.1‰ ± 0.7 and -19.5‰ ± 0.5 for muscle and skin respectively; mean ± SD). The values for blubber ( δ 13C = -23.7‰ ± 0.2) were significantly lower than those of muscle or skin (Scheffe, p = 0.0001). This result was consistent with previous studies indicating that the δ 13C of lipids is typically lighter than those tissues with which it is associated. The analysis also indicates that samples preserved in DMSO have significantly lower δ 13C than unpreserved samples (paired t-test, p = 0.010). Two methods of lipid extraction, sonication and Soxhlet ext rac t ion, were successful in removing DMSO from samples . The procedural reproducibility for δ 13C was 0.1‰. In summary, skin tissue yielded from biopsy samples may be used in isotopic assessments of diet. The use of biopsies as a source allows the technique to be used in longitudinal, non-lethal sampling.
UPTAKE OF NITROGEN FROM INDIGENOUS SOIL POOL BY COTTON PLANT INOCULATED WITH ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI

A pot experiment was carried out with the following treatments: non-mycorrhizal control and inoculation by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mosseae (Nicol. & Gerd.) Gerdemann & Trappe or Sclerocystis sinuosa Gerd. & Bakshi) at four P levels (0, 9.5, 19, and 38 mg P kg−1). Cotton (Gossypium arboreum L. cv. Xin-lu-zao No.1) was used as the host plant. The 15N-labeled urea (2.5% abundance) was mixed with soil thoroughly at a rate of 100 mg Nkg−1. Colonization by the two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi significantly improved the growth of cotton plants at all P levels compared with non-mycorrhizal plants. Nitrogen concentration in shoots was not significantly affected by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, while the nitrogen content was significantly higher in mycorrhizal plants than in non-mycorrhizal plants. The 15N atom % excess in mycorrhizal plant was significant lower than that in non-mycorrhizal plants. Considering the derivation of the nitrogen in the cotton plants, mycorrhizal fungi had no significant influence on uptake of nitrogen derived from fertilizer, but increased nitrogen derived from soil significantly. Colonization by mycorrhizal fungi increased the amount of soil available nitrogen (“AN” value). The results indicate that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may facilitated plant acquisition of nitrogen from sources which are not or less available to non-mycorrhizal plants.
A Test of Diversity–Productivity Models in Natural, Degraded, and Restored Wet Prairies

Conceptual restoration models depict strong correlations between structure and function, with both decreasing as an ecosystem is degraded and increasing during restoration. We evaluated the “linear” and “asymptotic” models by measuring diversity and annual net primary productivity (NPP) within four states of a southern Wisconsin floodplain: a remnant (unplowed) wet prairie, two degraded sites (soybean field and invaded prairie), and a restored prairie. Neither model fit our data for aboveground (ANPP), belowground (BNPP), or total (TNPP) productivity. ANPP declined as species richness increased (r = 0.998, df = 2), with highest values for soybeans (1,024 g/m2; two species in 30 0.25‐m2 plots) and invaded prairie (937 g/m2; nine species, 99% cover of Phalaris arundinacea), intermediate for restored prairie (712 g/m2; 28 species), and lowest for diverse remnant prairie (571 g/m2; 36 species). In contrast, BNPP was lowest for soybeans (225 g/m2) and highest for remnant prairie (571 g/m2). TNPP in restored prairie (990 g/m2) matched that of the remnant (1,147 g/m2) within 7 years, but root:shoot NPP ratios were quite different (0.39 and 0.99, respectively). Overall, results suggest that the relationship between species diversity and productivity can differ with the component measured (ANPP, BNPP, or TNPP) and that diversity does not ensure high productivity. Because measuring ANPP does not fully test ecosystem‐function theory, we recommend assessing BNPP and additional ecosystem processes in future attempts to determine whether adding species will restore more function to degraded ecosystems.
The Optimal Balance between Size and Number of Offspring

The relationship between the energy expended per offspring, fitness of offspring, and parental fitness is presented in a two-dimensional graphical model. The validity of the model in determining an optimal parental strategy is demonstrated analytically. The model applies under various conditions of parental care and sibling care for the offspring but is most useful for species that produce numerous small offspring which are given no parental care.
Inter‐ and intra‐specific differences in butterfly behaviour at boundaries

To plan effective conservation measures and to predict which species will be able to change distribution in response to climate change, there is an increasing need for understanding species dispersal abilities and how species move in complex landscapes. Responses to habitat boundaries affect emigration rates from habitat and are therefore important determinants of species dispersal. There are, however, few studies linking dispersal parameters to likelihood of crossing barriers across several species. In this study, dispersal and likelihood of crossing boundaries, which are presented here as tall and dense tree plantation, were investigated for seven butterfly species. Effects of adult age and sex on the dispersal and behaviour at boundaries were also analysed. Our results demonstrate differences in movements and response to habitat boundaries between species belonging to different butterfly families. Pieridae species were the most likely to cross boundaries and most mobile, whilst with the Lycaenidae species only a small fraction of individuals crossed the tall dense boundary. Individuals and species that moved with longer move bouts (i.e. steps) were more likely to cross boundaries. Therefore, we propose using step length, which is relatively easy to measure, as a proxy for butterfly dispersal at the landscape level. Female butterflies moved less than males within habitat but crossed boundaries more often than males, indicating that dispersal data needs to be collected for the two sexes separately to provide more accurate estimates of species ability to colonise new areas.
Coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente de alimentos energéticos para juvenis de surubim

Neste trabalho, determinou-se o valor nutritivo de quatro alimentos energeticos (fuba de milho, sorgo, farelo de arroz integral e quirera de arroz) para juvenis de surubim. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente da materia seca (MS), proteina bruta (PB) e energia bruta (EB) foram avaliados pela metodologia de substituicao do alimento numa racao-referencia usando-se 0,1% de oxido cromico como indicador externo. Utilizaram-se 240 alevinos com 30 g de peso medio distribuidos em tanques apropriados para coleta de fezes. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado com quatro dietas, cada uma com quatro repeticoes. O coeficiente de digestibilidade aparente da materia seca do fuba de milho foi de 62,3%; do farelo de arroz, 59,7%; da quirera de arroz, 40,4%; e do sorgo, 38%. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade da proteina bruta, nesta ordem, foram 87,4; 83,8; 85,3; e 81,1%; e os da energia bruta, 62,4; 66,4; 46,9 e 47,8%. Entre os alimentos avaliados, o que possui maior digestibilidade da materia seca, proteina bruta e energia bruta e o farelo de arroz e o de menor digestibilidade, o sorgo.
Use of Underground Hibernacula by the Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) Outside the Hibernation Season

Barbasteiles are commonly recorded in the vicinity of their wintering underground sites outside the hibernation season. It is uncertain why barbastelles visit hibernacula at this time of the year. Possible functions include feeding, resting, rearing of young, mating or stop-over sites during migration. To determine which of these functions are important I carried out observations at six large (max. 1,870 individuals) barbastelle hibernacula in SW Poland. To characterize daily and seasonal patterns of shelter use behaviour surveys were carried out at regular intervals throughout 2003 to 2005. Bats were mist-netted (73 nights) at hibernacula entrances and their age, sex and the development of caudae epidydimides in the males were determined. Their behaviour was sampled by recording (315 hours) their calls with a time-expansion bat detector in combination with direct observation and infrared filming. Hibernacula were not used as colony roosts, foraging places, day resting places or temporary night shelters. The hibernacula served primarily as mating sites. Both females and sexually active males (with fully developed caudae epidydimides) were seen in the highest numbers in August/September, when display flights, chases of individuals, low frequency social calling and copulations were observed. As the number of bats visiting hibernacula in the mating period was much higher than that observed in winter, the underground shelters appear to be at least as important for them in the mating period as in the winter. Barbastelle hibernation sites should therefore be protected from the beginning of mating period (August) till the end of hibernation.
Reappraisal of the use of parasites for fish stock identification

Analysis of the geographical distributions of parasites is an excellent source of information about the movement of host fish. Occasionally such analysis can also allow us to discriminate between fish populations, though unequivocal discrimination usually requires methods with a genetic basis. In assessing fish movement, parasites have two advantages over conventional tags: They can more readily detect mass migration and, because the fish only have to be caught once, the data are usually cheaper to obtain. The most important criterion in selecting a parasite to be used as a tag is its longevity in the fish; short-lived parasites give information on short-term movements of the fish, long-lived parasites on more extensive migrations.
Can atmospheric input of nitrogen affect seed bank dynamics in habitats of conservation interest? The case of dune slacks

ABSTRACT Questions: Does the increased atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, which can have major effects on the established vegetation of nutrient-poor habitats, also impact germination from the soil seed bank? Location: Coastal dune slacks at Newborough Warren, Wales, UK. Methods: The effects of nitrogen addition (15 kg.ha−1.a−1) on seed germination from the soil seed bank were investigated using the seedling emergence method between September 2004 and February 2005. Results: More seedlings emerged from fertilised samples than unfertilised controls. Most species showed enhanced germination after fertilisation with nitrogen, with seedling numbers statistically significantly greater in nitrogen addition samples in a quarter of species abundant enough for analysis. Species that responded positively to fertilisation were species with low Ellenberg indicator values indicative of infertile sites. Conclusions: Most species showed increased germination after fertilisation with nitrogen, including early successional species normally growing in nutrient-poor conditions. This suggests that the increased atmospheric deposition of nitrogen probably not only impacts on established vegetation, but also has the potential to alter seed bank dynamics. Nomenclature: Stace (1997).
Phylogeny of the nematocerous families of Diptera (Insecta)

The relationships of the nematocerous families of Diptera are cladistically analysed using the parsimony programs PAUP and Hennig86. An extensive review, as well as a data matrix, is presented for 98 almost exclusively morphological characters (larva, 56; pupa, 6; adult, 36). Four infraorders are recognized,viz. Ptychopteromorpha, Culicomorpha, Blephariceromorpha, Bibionomorpha, and a clade containing the `higher Nematocera' and Brachycera. Traditionally the family Nymphomyiidae or the infraorder Tipulomorpha (=Tipulidae, with or without Trichoceridae) are considered the most basal clade of the extant Diptera. On the basis of our cladistic analysis it is suggested that the Ptychopteromorpha–Culicomorpha clade is the sister-group of all other extant Diptera. We provide evidence that the Axymyiidae are part of a monophyletic Bibionomorpha. The latter infraorder is proposed as the sister-group of the higher Nematocera and Brachycera. We transfer the Tipulidae (Tipulomorpha) to the higher Nematocera, at a position next to Trichoceridae and near the Anisopodidae–Brachycera lineage. Previous hypotheses concerning nematocerous relationships are reviewed.
Effect of EM on Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Growth

Effect of Effective Microorganisms is seen on groundnut growth. EM is applied on two varieties (V1 =1 C G -2261 and V2 = 1CGV-86550) in three treatments. These three treatments are T1 = control, T2 = seed inoculation and T3 = seed inoculation with EM EM spray , Treatment 13 showed more growth than T2 and T1 because in T3, EM is applied in the form of seed inoculation as well as EM spray on ground. So, growth can be increased by the application of more EM concentration,
Antioxidants and Antioxidant Activity in Green Pungent Peppers

Mature pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit are used raw and processed and contain various levels of phytonutrients. It is necessary to screen peppers for levels of these important compounds. Mature green fruit from pepper germplasm were examined to determine levels of chain-breaking antioxidants, activity of preventive antioxidants, and antioxidant activity. Levels of chain-breaking antioxidants, activity of preventive antioxidants, and antioxidant activity were germplasm dependent. Total antioxidant capacity, 1,1-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and lipid peroxidation, indices of antioxidant activity, were significantly and positively correlated and related to phenol content and superoxide dismutase activity. Based on averages and principal component analysis, the cv. AC-573 appears to be a promising candidate followed by cvs. Bullet, AC-462, and BCC-49 for use in breeding programs.
Quantitative Trait Loci Affecting Rous Sarcoma Virus Induced Tumor Regression Trait in F2 Intercross Chickens

We performed a genome-wide linkage and quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis to confirm the existence of QTL affecting Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) induced tumor regression, and to estimate their effects on phenotypic variance in an F2 resource population. The F2 population comprised 158 chickens obtained by crossing tumor regressive White Leghorn (WL) and tumor progressive Rhode Island Red (RIR) lines was measured for tumor formation after RSV inoculation. Forty-three tumor progressive and 28 tumor regressive chickens were then used for genome-wide linkage and QTL analysis using a total of 186 microsatellite markers. Microsatellite markers were mapped on 20 autosomal chromosomes. A significant QTL was detected with marker LEI0258 located within the MHC B region on chromosome 16. This QTL had the highest F ratio (9.8) and accounted for 20.1% of the phenotypic variation. Suggestive QTL were also detected on chromosomes 4, 7 and 10. The QTL on chromosome 4 were detected at the 1% chromosome-wide level explaining 17.5% of the phenotypic variation, and the QTLs on chromosome 7 and 10 were detected at the 5% chromosome-wide level and explained 11.1% and 10.5% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. These results indicate that the QTLs in the non-MHC regions play a significant role in RSV-induced tumor regression. The present study constitutes one of the first preliminary reports in domestic chickens for QTLs affecting RSV-induced tumor regression outside the MHC region. I .