Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Population indices for wild carnivores: a critical study in sand-dune habitat, south-western Queensland

Populations of feral cats, foxes and dingoes were assessed at four sites in the northern Simpson Desert from May 1995 to October 1996 using track counts. Counts were based on presence/absence of footprints on sandplots placed randomly throughout each of the four sites, with all habitats being sampled in accordance with their availability. Sandplots were repositioned between sampling periods so that data were temporally independent. This unbiased method was used to assess the reliability of more conventional indices of carnivore abundance based on spotlighting and counts of footprints on roads, which were run concurrently with the random sandplot counts. The sandplot data were also used to assess habitat use of the three study species. Counts on regularly spaced sampling plots along roads were correlated with random sandplot counts for foxes, but not for cats. Conversely, an index of activity based on counting individual tracks along roads was correlated for cats, but not for foxes. Spotlighting counts appeared to have little relationship with random sandplot counts for either species, with random sandplot counts and spotlight counts of foxes being correlated for only one of the four sites and no correlations being apparent for cats. The sandplot data showed that cats used dune crests preferentially over other habitats, while foxes preferred both dune crests and roads. Dune crests are probably used as natural runways by both species. Dingoes used roads preferentially over other habitats. It was concluded that differences in the use of roads and other runways by the carnivores can potentially lead to biases in indices collected along roadways. In relation to the random sandplot counts, foxes were overestimated by road counts and spotlighting relative to cats, the latter bias being related possibly to temporal differences in the activity patterns of the two species.
Phylogeographical history of the widespread meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) inferred from chloroplast DNA sequences

Aim Here we explore the variation in chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) in a widespread Eurasian diploid forage grass, meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.), to address its phylogeographical history. In particular, we aim to answer whether the post‐glacial migration routes of meadow fescue are associated with the spread of agriculture or concurrent with well‐documented natural migration pathways from glacial refugia.
The buccal capsule of Caenorhabditis elegans (Nematoda: Rhabditoidea): an ultrastructural study

The buccal capsule of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been analysed by serial section electron microscopy. Whereas the regions classically identified in the rhabditid buccal capsule can be distinguished, the cuticle lining does not constitute separate cuticular plates, but rather, structural–functional differentiations within a cuticle continuous with that of the esophagus. Only the lip region (cheilostom) is lined by body wall cuticle. The prostom cuticle is underlain by two rings of syncytial arcade cytoplasm connected to nine cell bodies. The mesostom cuticle is underlain by the nonmuscular epithelial cells of the esophagus, whereas the cuticle of the metastom and telostom is underlain by esophageal muscle cells m1 and m2. During moulting, buccal cuticle is produced later than body cuticle and its formation is characterized by accumulation of dense granules in both arcade and esophageal cytoplasm. It is concluded that the buccal capsule should be considered as "astomatous" in the te.
Efficiency of farmers' selection in a participatory barley breeding programme in Jordan

With 1 figure and 4 tables Abstract The study assessed farmers’ and breeders’ selection efficiencies in one cycle of selection in a participatory barley breeding program. The selectors were compared with each other for objectively measured agronomic traits and for their selection scores. Farmers’ scores were positively correlated with grain yield in all locations while breeders’ scores not always. The selection criteria of farmers varied with location; those in low-moisture areas selected for tall plants while those in high rainfall area for short. Breeders’ gave high scores to tall entries regardless of the selection environment. The results showed that in all locations farmers were at least as efficient as or, in most cases, more efficient than breeders in identifying high yielding genotypes with desirable traits for their specific environment indicating their competence in selection. Breeders appeared to select for their wide geographic mandate area while farmers focused on their specific locality. The finding indicates that decentralized participatory plant breeding is important to increase and stabilize productivity and maintain genetic diversity as each pocket area is occupied by the best and different genotypes.
Head triangulation as anti-predatory mechanism in snakes

Anti-predator mechanisms in snakes are diverse and complex, including mimetic behavior. Some snakes triangulate their head, probably mimicking other more dangerous snakes. However, there is a lack of studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of this behavior with natural predators. The aim of this study was to verify, using artificial snakes, if snakes with triangular heads are less susceptible to attack by predators, and if predatory attack is targeted to the head of serpents. Artificial snakes were systematically arranged on a road border. The rate of attacked models was 48.71%. Number of attacks on models with rounded head was significantly higher than in models with triangular head. There was a significant difference between the places of attack on the snakes in relation to different head shapes. Therefore, snakes that have head triangulation may be a less frequent target of attacks by predators than those without such behavior.
Diversidad de maíces criollos de Nuevo León, México, mediante AFLP y caracteres morfológicos

Diversity of maize landraces of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, using AFLP and morphological characters. The objective of this work was to identify the molecular and phenotypicvariability among maize populations Pinto Amarillo and Liebre in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The phenotypiccharacterization experiment was established in spring 2009.The variables registered were plant height, days to maleand female fl owering, number of rows per ear, kernels perrow of ears, length and diameter of the corn ear. For the molecular characterization of the 30 populations, the seedswere planted in February 2010 in pots with peat-moss. At30 days after planting all the leaves were collected and usedin AFLP. A cluster analysis was conducted using UPGMA method. Three groups were identified; twelve populations of Pinto Amarillo and three of Liebre. The landraces within each group were associated more to races of maize morethan to location.
A Revision of the Pennsylvanian‐Aged Eremopteris‐Bearing Seed Plant

Historically collected specimens of the Pennsylvanian pteridosperm Eremopteris artemisiaefolia have been reinvestigated to provide detailed information on its morphology and cuticular anatomy and to enable some of the external features of the plant to be reconstructed. The stem bore a distal crown of helically arranged compound leaves that show evidence they were actively abscissed from the plant. The blade consists of a main rachis that is straight or curved and may be undivided or show a single overtopped or occasionally dichotomous division. Secondary foliar segments are once or twice divided, with ultimate segments consisting of an elongate lanceolate blade, sometimes with one or two pairs of suboppositely arranged basal lobes or subsegments. Dense parallel veins run along the ultimate segments and only rarely fork. Stomata occur on both surfaces of the blade but more densely on the abaxial surface; papillae surrounded the abaxial stomata but not the adaxial ones. Remains of platyspermic bicornute ovules with a commissural rib in the minor plane are repeatedly associated with the leaves; these conform to the fossil genus Cornucarpus. Ovule cuticles include an inner integumentary cuticle, a nucellar cuticle that is attached only to the base of the inner integumentary cuticle, and a seed megaspore membrane. The nucellar apex comprises a small pollen chamber and extended nucellar beak consistent with cardiocarpalean ovules. Ovate structures on the main rachis and proximal parts of the secondary rachises are consistent in size with the ovule chalaza and are interpreted as the place of ovule attachment. Inclusion of our reconstruction of E. artemisiaefolia in a cladistic analysis of lignophytes suggests that it represents a distinct clade within a paraphyletic complex of basal pteridosperms and that it diverges after hydrasperman and medullosalean taxa and before the Callistophytales. The family Cornucarpaceae is redefined for this clade.
Poxviruses: Capturing Cytokines and Chemokines

Abstract Cytokines play a critical role in the regulation of immune responses and constitute important targets for virus immune evasion mechanisms. One strategy used by large DNA viruses is to encode proteins that mimic cytokines or cytokine receptors, which modulate the activity of cytokines during infection. Poxviruses encode a unique set of proteins that are secreted from the infected cell and function as soluble cytokine receptors or binding proteins and sequester tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1β, or chemokines. Characterization of these poxvirus proteins is providing information on virus pathogenesis, the function of cytokines, and new strategies for immune modulation and therapeutic intervention.
Litter decomposition in a temperate and a tropical stream: the effects of species mixing, litter quality and shredders

SUMMARY 1. The current rapid decline in biodiversity has led to concerns about the consequences for stream ecosystem processes, one of which is the decomposition of leaf litter derived from riparian vegetation. 2. We conducted field experiments in a tropical and a temperate stream to test for the effects of mixing leaf species differing in resource quality on the decomposition of leaf litter and on the colonisation of the litter by leaf-shredding invertebrates. 3. The effects of litter mixing were minor compared with the effects of litter quality and the presence or absence of shredders. Low shredder abundance in the tropical stream and poor quality of the tropical leaf species, particularly in terms of phosphorus content and toughness, were associated with low decomposition rates in the tropical compared with the temperate stream. This is especially true when considering the 20 °C temperature differences between the two streams. 4. In the presence of shredders, the decomposition rate of a standard litter type, leaves of Alnus glutinosa, was 2.6-fold faster in the temperate stream, whereas rates were similar when shredders were absent. This indicates that differences in environmental conditions other than temperature had a strong effect. Differences in water chemistry, such as higher concentrations of dissolved nutrients in the temperate stream, might account for this effect. 5. In conclusion, despite a lack of clear effects of litter mixing on decomposition, our results highlight the importance of litter identity and environmental conditions for both microbial and shreddermediated litter decomposition, suggesting that changes in riparian vegetation and other stream characteristics will affect stream ecosystems in the face of widespread environmental change.
Seasonal and year to year variation in performance of Gordonia acuminata seedlings in different light environments

The effects of light environment on temporal growth and allocation patterns in the subtropical Chinese evergreen tree Gordonia acuminata, a gap-dependent species, were studied during its first 2 years of growth. Seedlings were grown in full sun (S100), 55% of full sun (S5S), 33% of full sun (S33), and 18% of full sun (S18). During the 1st year, plant size and leaf dynamics were monitored nondestructively. The best growth was at S33. Growth rates fluctuated more from season to season in treatments of higher relative light exposure, largely owing to sun-imposed inhibition of growth in summer. Leaf size was to a large extent ontogenetically determined. Additionally, a size reduction with increasing light exposure was shown for individual leaves that had expanded during a given ontogenetic phase. In the 2nd year relative growth was best at S55 (first 6 months) and in full sun (second 6 months), successively, which resulted in S55 plants outgrowing the initially bigger S33 plants. Self-shading and smaller rela.
Preliminary Comparisons of Day and Night Habits of Freshwater Fish in Ontario Lakes

Observations by SCUBA in Georgian Bay and Algonquin Park, Ont. , indicate fish have specific habits of diurnal, crepuscular, and nocturnal activity in freshwater lakes. Of 21 species investigated, 17 either schooled or aggregated in the daytime, but only one (Osmerus mordax) schooled at night. The number of fish apparent at night in shallow water was greater than in the daytime primarily because of the influx of offshore species and lack of cover for resting diurnal species. Color changes parallel those reported in tropical oceans; at night a barred or mottled pattern was assumed by some fish resting on the bottom and bold daytime horizontal patterns faded. The parallel evolution of these color patterns in fresh and salt water suggests a strong evolutionary pressure for prey animals to disguise body shape when at rest at night, and that bold color patterns are disadvantageous when swimming at night.
Single pass cDNA sequencing - a powerful tool to analyse gene expression in preparasitic juveniles of the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita

Expressed sequence tags (EST) have been widely used to assist in gene discovery in various organisms (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Caenorhabditis elegans, Mus musculus, and Homo sapiens). In this paper we describe an EST project, which aims to investigate gene expression in Meloidogyne incognita at the onset of parasitism. Approximately 1000 5′-end sequence tags were produced from a cDNA library made of freshly hatched preparasitic second stage juveniles (J2). The EST were identified in the primary transformants of the cDNA library, and assigned to nine different functional groups, including (candidate) parasitism genes. A large fraction of the EST (45%) did not have a putative homologue in public databases. Sixty five percent of the EST that could be clustered into a functional group had putative homologues in other nematode species. EST were found for virtually all parasitism related genes that have been cloned from M. incognita to date. In addition, several novel genes were tagged, including a xylanase and a chitinase gene. The efficiency of EST projects, which produce sequence data for thousands of genes in months time without any difficult pre-selections of mRNA pools, makes random sequencing cDNA libraries a superior method to identify candidates for parasitism related genes in plant-parasitic nematodes. The sequences in this paper are retrievable from Genbank with the accession numbers BE191640 to BE191741, BE217592 to BE217720, BE225324 to BE225598, BE238852 to BE239221, and BE240829 to BE240865.
Wasps (Insecta: Vespida=Hymenoptera) from the Purbeck and Wealden (Lower Cretaceous) of southern England and their biostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental significance

Abstract This is the first comprehensive study of the insectan order Vespida (Hymenoptera) in the English non-marine Lower Cretaceous (Purbeck and Wealden strata). The fauna includes diverse sawflies, parasitoid and aculeate wasps but with the exception of social groups. The stratigraphical occurence and fossiliferous localities are reviewed by AJR. The wasps are revised, described, and keyed out by APR and EAJ who erect 10 new genera and 35 new species: Undatoma stigmatica sp. nov., U. rudgwickensis sp. nov., U. bicolor sp. nov. (Xyelotomidae); Trematothorax clementsi sp. nov., T. valdensis sp. nov. (Sepulcidae); Eosyntexis tuffinae sp. nov. (Anaxyelidae); Turgonalus cooperi sp. nov. (Trigonalidae); Arossia joyceae gen. et sp. nov. (Stephanoidea); Manlaya oculatissima sp. nov., M. anglica sp. nov., M. ockleyensis sp. nov., M. capelensis sp. nov. (Gasteruptiidae); Tillywhimia spectra gen. et sp. nov., T. colorata sp. nov. (? Gasteruptiidae); Cretevania concordia sp. nov. (Cretavaniidae); Dintonia despectata gen. et sp. nov., Pallenites calcarius gen. et sp. nov., Peverella puncata sp. nov. (Proctotrupidae); Coramia minuta gen. et sp. nov. (Diapriidae); Amitchellia procera gen. et sp. nov., A. brevis sp. nov. (Proctotrupoidea); Purichneumon bitannicus gen. et sp. nov. (Eoichneumonidae); Bethylonymellus feltoni sp. nov. (Bethylonymidae); Archisphex proximus sp. nov., A. curvus sp. nov., Angarosphex consensus sp. nov., A. bleachi sp. nov., Pompilopterus corpus sp. nov., P. wimbledoni sp. nov., P. keymerensis sp. nov., ? P. worssami sp. nov., ? P. leei sp. nov., ? P. difficilis sp. nov., Iwestia provecta gen. et sp. nov. (Sphecidae); Apocritites distinctus gen. et sp. nov. (Apocrita). Taxonomic changes include Prosyntexis gobiensis (Rasnitsyn 1993) comb. nov. and Prosyntexis okhotensis (Rasnitsyn 1993) comb. nov. (Sepulcidae); Angarophex Rasnitsyn 1975= Shandongodes Zhang 1985 syn. nov. (Sphecidae); Archinsphex Evans 1969= Cretosphex Rasnitsyn 1975= Mateosphex Zhang 1985= Palaeopis Hong 1984 syn. nov. (Sphecidae). The Purbeck fauna is more diverse generically and contains a greater number of endemics than the Wealden fauna. The absence of xyelids from the Purbeck and Wealden is consistent with a warm climate. Late Mesozoic vespidan faunas are compared globally (especially with eastern Asia), and four Jurassic-Cretaceous assemblages are recognised: an ephialtitid-praeaulacine or aculeate-free Jurassic type; a Lower Cretaceous baissine type with earlier proctotrupid and later angarosphecine subtypes; an Upper Cretaceous armaniid type. The Purbeck-Wealden fauna is baissine with two Jurassic ‘survivors’ but lacks social groups; both assemblage subtypes are represented but the influx of aculeate wasps is accompanied by reduced endemicity and generic diversity, possibly indicative of ecological change in the hinterland.
Gene pool classification of common bean landraces from Chile based on RAPD and morphological data

Landraces of commonb ean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from Chile are a phenotypically diverse group whose relationship to the two major gene pools (Andeana nd Mesoamericani)s unclear. The genetic composition of 69 Chileanl andraces, 15 commerciaclu itivars growni n Chile, and 11 previously characterized check accessions was examined using RAPDs (random amplified polymorphic DNA). The 25 primers used generated 106 polymorphic bands. A genetic distance (GD) matrix based on simple matching of RAPD phenotypes was converted to a two dimensional plot using multidimensional scaling (MDS). Two major clusters, encompassing most of the accessions, were apparent on the resulting plot and were identified with the Andean and the Mesoamericagne ne pools. No obvious signs of introgression or hybridization between gene pools were observed. Clustering analysis using bootstrap samples of the RAPD bands showed that as few as 20 randomlyc hosen bands could classify the accessions into the correct gene pools nearly as well as all 106 bands. In general, the Andean landraces were collected at more northerly latitudes and higher altitudes than the Mesoamerican landraces. Morphological data were collected for 63 landraces for seven numerical traits and 13 categorical traits. The morphological data used were to create a distance matrix and analyzed as with the RAPDd ata, but no clear separation of the groups was seen. Accessions from the two groups identified by RAPDs differed significantly for 11 of the 20 traits examined. It was concluded that by RAPDst, he Chilean landraces could be readily classified into the Andeana nd Mesoamericang ene pools. Morphological traits were less effective at classification.
In vitro digestibility of processed and fermented soya bean, cowpea and maize

Tropical legumes, ie soya bean and cowpea, were pre-treated and subsequently fermented using pure cultures of Rhizopus spp. Impact of soaking, cooking and fermentation of the legumes on their digestibility was determined using an in vitro digestion method. Processing of white maize included, amongst others, natural lactic acid fermentation, cooking and saccharification using barley malt. An in vitro method was standardised to carry out comparative determinations of the dry matter digestibility of cereal and legume food samples as a function of processing conditions, without attempting to exactly mimic gastrointestinal digestion. Using this method based on upper digestive tract digestion, it was observed that digestibility of the legumes increased during cooking and fermentation. Cooking improved the total digestibility of both soya bean and cowpea from 36.5 to 44.8% and from 15.4 to 40.9% respectively. Subsequent fungal fermentation increased total digestibility only by about 3% for both soya bean and cowpea. Digestibility was also influenced by fungal strain and fermentation time. Cooking and subsequent saccharification using malt almost tripled total digestibility of white maize from 25.5 to 63.6%, whereas lactic fermentation of maize had no effect on in vitro dry matter digestibility. Although total digestibility of cooked legumes was only slightly improved by mould fermentation (3% for both soya bean and cowpea), the level of water-soluble dry matter of food samples increased during fermentation with Rhizopus oryzae from 7.0 up to 27.3% for soya bean and from 4.3 up to 24.1% for cowpea. These fermented products could therefore play a role as sources of easily available nutrients for individuals suffering from digestive disorders.
Effects of Light Gaps and Litter Removal on the Seedling Performance of Six African Timber Species 1

Valuable timber tree species frequently show poor regeneration after selective logging in tropical forests. Small size of logging gaps, lack of soil disturbance, and limited seed availability have each been blamed for observed regeneration failures. We investigated seed germination and seedling performance using a split‐plot factorial design involving light availability and litter removal for six Central African timber tree species, hypothesizing that canopy gaps and litter removal would improve seedling establishment, and that less shade‐tolerant species would show stronger responses to both factors. Contrary to our expectations, significantly more germinants established on intact litter than on exposed mineral soil 3 mo after seeding. After 18 mo, seedling survival, height and diameter growth, leaf area, and rooting depth were all much higher in gap plots than in the understory for all species, with the exception of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei, a highly shade‐tolerant species whose survival was higher in the understory. Leaf production was negatively influenced by litter removal in the least shade‐tolerant species, Nauclea diderrichii, with weak or positive effects in other species. G. dewevrei, while displaying a low‐light threshold for growth, exhibited a surprisingly high growth response to increasing light comparable to more shade‐intolerant species, a response that may help explain its local competitive dominance in the region. Due to the rapid closure of small gaps, we suggest that shade‐intolerant species such as N. diderrichii, Khaya anthotheca, and Entandrophragma utile might benefit from more intensive silvicultural practices that create larger canopy gaps.