Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE IMITATIVE RANGE OF THE SONG OF THE MARSH WARBLER ACROCEPHALUS PALUSTRIS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO IMITATIONS OF AFRICAN BIRDS

SUMMARY This paper presents the first extensive evidence of vocal imitations of African birds by a Palaearctic migrant, the Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris. Nearly 30 individual tape recorded repertoires have been analysed, most of them from Belgium; imitations of each identified species were compared to models by spectrographic analysis. A list of 113 African species (33 non-passerines, 80 passerines) was thus established (Appendix), which, added to the list of 99 European species, gives a total imitative range of 212 species. The low-pitched voices of many non-passerines exclude them from imitation. Vocal imitations of some rather local species in East Africa provide information on the localization of the autumn and winter quarters of A. palustris. In particular, the frequency of imitations of such species as Vinaceous Dove Streptopelia vinacea, Boran Cisticola Cisticola bodessa and Red-pate Cisticola C. ruficeps lends support to the idea of the existence of autumn quarters in northeastern Africa. Individual repertoires contain an average of 76.2 different imitated species (extremes 63–84), the number of African species (average 45.0) exceeding that of European species (average 31.2). About a fifth of the complete song remains unidentified and probably corresponds to imitations of African birds whose voices have not yet been recorded. The most recurrent imitations are those of noticeably noisy species, widespread in Africa. A. palustris appears not to be selective in its repertoire. Imitations of different species can, to some extent, be combined and alternated into original motifs. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the young A. palustris are still learning song motifs when on their way to their winter quarters and probably stop learning soon after their arrival there, most of them in January, at the age of 6–7 months. There is a temporal separation between the sensitive phase and the motor phase of song learning. No conclusion as to the possible functions of the imitative element of the song can be drawn at present.
Plumage colour signals nutritional condition in the house finch

Many animal species have bright, carotenoid-based integumentary coloration that is an important criterion in female choice. It has generally been assumed that carotenoid-based colour displays act as signals of quality because they reflect the foraging ability of the bearer, but this hypothesis has not been tested. In birds, carotenoid pigmentation of feathers is deposited at the time of moult. During moult, feathers grow in regular daily cycles resulting in ‘growth bars’ that provide a record of the rate of feather growth. To test the idea that the brightness of carotenoid coloration reflects nutritional condition during moult, we compared the brightness of carotenoid-based plumage coloration with both feather growth rate and timing of moult in male house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus). Among four populations with substantial differences in mean male plumage brightness, there was no significant variation in mean feather growth rate. Thus, the reduced brightness of some populations is not the result of reduced access to food per se. Within populations, we found a significant positive relation between the growth rate of a male’s tail feathers and the brightness of his plumage, suggesting that males growing brighter feathers are in better nutritional condition. The growth rate of tail feathers of captive males provided with ad libitum food was also significantly greater than the growth rate of males in any wild populations. Within populations, we also found a significant negative relation between the onset of moult and plumage colour, with males growing brighter feathers starting moulting earlier. These observations provide support for the hypothesis that carotenoid-based plumage coloration is an indicator of nutritional condition during moult. Variation in nutritional condition may arise from differences among individuals in either their foraging ability or their health.
Towards modelling persistence of woodland birds: the role of genetics

Abstract Assessing how environmental change affects the probability of persistence of organisms requires an understanding of dispersal through, and occupation of, landscapes, and the associated demographic outcomes. Projections of differences in persistence probability can then be made under different scenarios of land-use and global environmental change. Rates and distances of dispersal, and demographic change and trajectories, are difficult to measure accurately, but genetic approaches can make major contributions. For two decades the field of molecular ecology has been providing useful life-history information relevant to population management, including key ecological attributes such as disease-resistance and thermal biology, mobility, dispersal and gene flow, habitat connectivity, the spatial and temporal scales of population processes, and demography. Genetic estimators of these factors could be employed to a much greater extent than they are currently. To facilitate this increased use, genetic estimates of functional connectivity (mobility and gene flow of organisms) and demography need to be integrated directly into decision-making processes. Population genetics is well suited to Bayesian approaches, with associated benefits including the ability to consider many factors, and estimation of error and parameter sensitivities. Genetic estimators based on the mobility and reproductive success of individual organisms and their key ecological traits can make unique contributions alongside other types of data into agent-based, spatially explicit modelling approaches of real landscape scenarios at the range of scales needed by managers. Virtually all the tools to do this exist. It is imperative that genetic samples be collected for contemporary and future analyses.
The Mosquitoes of Bwamba County, Uganda. II.—Biting Activity with special Reference to the Influence of Microclimate

1. The work was carried out in Bwamba County, Uganda, a district where human yellow fever has recently occurred. It consisted mainly of 24-hour catches in banana plantations and rain forest combined with climate observations. 2. It was found that forest was cooler and moister by day than a banana plantation while the plantation was cooler and moister than the open air. By night, however, the climate of all three environments was strikingly similar. 3. Methods used in making 24-hour catches and large scale routine catches are described. Trials with trap nets showed these to be less efficient than hand catching. 4. Experimental catches showed that Aedes simpsoni , the only species known to be a vector of yellow fever in Bwamba, bites mainly in coffee gardens, maize fields and the thinner parts and edges of banana plantations. It is scarce in fully exposed situations. It occurs within the edges of primeval rain forest. It prefers human blood to that of goats, fowls, and monkeys, and attacks the head and shoulders selectively.
Maturação fisiológica de sementes de Eugenia pyriformis Cambess e Eugenia involucrata DC.

O genero Eugenia apresenta muitas especies frutiferas com potencial para cultivo. Este estudo objetivou analisar a maturacao fisiologica de sementes de Eugenia pyriformis Cambess e de Eugenia involucrata DC. Os frutos foram coletados manualmente em oito arvores adultas no municipio de Santa Helena, PR. Eles foram caracterizados em quatro estadios de acordo com a coloracao para E. pyriformis e em cinco estadios para E. involucrata . As avaliacoes consistiram no teste de germinacao, calculo do tempo medio de germinacao, determinacao da massa seca e do grau de umidade das sementes. O delineamento adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repeticoes de 25 sementes. Os dados foram submetidos a analise de variância e as medias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. A coloracao dos frutos de E. pyriformis e de E. involucrata pode ser utilizada como parâmetro na avaliacao da maturidade fisiologica das sementes. Sugere-se a coleta das sementes de E. pyriformis entre os estadios de coloracao dos frutos verde/amarelo e amarelo/laranja e no estadio de coloracao dos frutos vermelho-claro em relacao a E. involucrata .
Functional and Metabolic Changes in Intestinal Mucosa of Rats After Enteral Administration of Ornithine α-Ketoglutarate Salt

BACKGROUND: Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate salt efficiently improves the nutritional status of protein-depleted patients. Our aim was to explore the effects of ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate supplementation on intestinal physiology in healthy animals. METHODS: Rats were given a nutritive mixture supplemented with ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (1 g.kg-1 per day) by enteral route for 7 days. Controls received the diet supplemented with casein acid hydrolysate under isoenergetic and isonitrogenous conditions. RESULTS: An adaptive hyperplasia of the villi and an increase in the brush-border hydrolase activities were observed in rats receiving ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate. Because of the high ornithine aminotransferase activity, ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate-derived ornithine was extensively transaminated with a concomitant enhancement of ornithine decarboxylation. Surprisingly, with glutamate and putrescine, the products of ornithine transamination and decarboxylation, gamma-aminobutyric acid accumulated (10-fold to 16-fold) dramatically in the intestinal mucosa of rats treated with ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate. Because gamma-aminobutyric acid formation was completely prevented by the diamine oxidase inhibitor aminoguanidine but was not modified after inactivation of ornithine aminotransferase by 5-fluoromethylornithine, it is evident that gamma-aminobutyric acid is formed in the mucosa from ornithine via putrescine as an intermediate. CONCLUSIONS: It is assumed that enhanced gamma-aminobutyric acid formation in the intestinal mucosa by ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate treatment might be of physiologic importance in the regulatory processes of cell growth and differentiation.
Mass distributions of coated vesicles isolated from liver and brain: analysis by scanning transmission electron microscopy

Populations of coated vesicles purified from bovine brain (BCV) and from rat liver (LCV) have been characterized with respect to the parameters of mass and diameter by analysis of scanning transmission electron micrographs of unstained specimens. Coated vesicles from both sources are heterogeneous, particularly in their masses. The respective distributions, compiled from mass measurements of many individual particles, are complex and markedly different. BCV range from 20 Mdaltons to approximately 100 Mdaltons with a weighted average of 35 Mdaltons: most BCV (80%) lie between 20 and 40 Mdaltons, including peaks at approximately 26 Mdaltons and at approximately 34 Mdaltons. In contrast, LCV masses tend to be substantially higher, ranging from 20 to 220 Mdaltons with a weighted average of 66 Mdaltons. There is a prominent subpopulation at approximately 35 Mdaltons, and 59% of all LCV belong to a broad peak between 50 and 120 Mdaltons. The Kolmogorov- Smirnov distribution-free test was used to affirm the statistical reproducibility of these isolates. BCV diameters vary from 50 to 90 nm, and those of LCV from 50 to 150 nm. Both protein compositions, determined by SDS PAGE, are dominated by clathrin and they are generally similar, except that corresponding secondary bands, notably the clathrin-associated light chains, appear to have lower molecular weights in the case of LCV. From consideration of the joint mass- diameter distribution, it is apparent that coated vesicles of a given diameter vary considerably in mass and that this variation is due primarily to widely differing amounts of material enclosed within the clathrin coat.
Selection of entomopathogenic fungi for the control of the western corn rootworm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

Abstract: The western corn rootworm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte (Col., Chrysomelidae), a serious pest of maize, has been recently introduced into Europe. Several approaches for its control are presently under investigation including microbial agents. During a field survey in Hungary in 2005, naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungi were found to attack this pest. These novel isolates together with standard isolates were tested for virulence against D. v. virgifera larvae and adults. Twenty strains of Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana and Beauveria brongniartii were used in bioassays in the laboratory. Larvae and adults were dipped into a spore suspension with a concentration of 1 × 107 conidia (con.)/ml. They were kept for 14 days at 22°C (±2°C) and 70% relative humidity. The number of infected larvae and adults were counted and infection rates were calculated. Adults were significantly more susceptible to entomopathogenic fungi than larvae. The most virulent isolate infected about 47% of larvae (M. anisopliae Ma2277), whereas the infection rate in adults was up to 97% (M. anisopliae Ma2275). Isolates of M. anisopliae caused significantly higher mortalities than isolates of B. brongniartii and B. bassiana. Most of the adult beetles were killed within 12 days. Isolates from D. v. virgifera were more virulent than those from other hosts.
Phloem amino acids and the host plant range of the polyphagous aphid, Aphis fabae

This study investigated the relationship between the essential amino acid requirement of the aphid Aphis fabae Scop. and the phloem sap amino acid composition of its host plants. The dietary amino acid requirement of A. fabae varied between clones. One or more of the eight clones of A. fabae tested displayed depressed larval survival, larval growth rate, or rm on diets lacking histidine, methionine, threonine, and valine, but none of the other five essential amino acids. The required amino acids corresponded closely to the essential amino acids that varied in relative concentrations among 16 plant species tested: histidine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. It is suggested that the interclonal variation in the dietary requirements of an aphid species may contribute to the intraspecific variation in plant utilisation patterns. The phloem sap amino acid composition and sucrose : amino acid ratio did not differ consistently between host plant species of A. fabae and non‐host species, indicating that phloem amino acid composition is not an important factor in determining the host plant range of this aphid species.
Fertilization of Two-Spotted Spider Mite Mothers Changes Sons

We examined the hypothesis that sons of fertilized and unfertilized mothers of Tetranychus urticae Koch differ in some life history traits. Sons of fertilized and unfertilized mothers did not differ in developmental period regardless of mother’s presence during the juvenile phase. Moreover, dispersal capacity also did not differ between the two groups of males. However, sons of unfertilized mothers guarded immature females earlier than did sons of fertilized mothers, which should reflect the different probabilities of encountering mates.
The effectiveness of some mechanisms of reproductive isolation in Arum maculatum and A. italicum (Araceae)

Mechanisms of reproductive isolation were studied in two species of Arum, A. italicum and A. maculatum, growing in England and the south of France. The study focused on three potential mechanisms for reproductive isolation: the effectiveness of dichogamy as a barrier to autogamy; the ability of self and outcrossed pollen to germinate on stigmas at different stages of anthesis and to effect pollination; and postzygotic barriers to selfing. Dichogamy was found to provide a very effective barrier to within-inflorescence selfing in these species, as no seeds were produced by spontaneous self-pollination (i.e. autogamy) in any population of either species. However, the study found that geitonogamy (cross-pollination between inflorescences of a same individual or clone) was possible, as genotypes frequently produced several inflorescences and stigmas were found to be receptive to pollen from before anthesis until their contraction at the end of the female phase of flowering. Hand pollination with self pollen from clone inflorescences produced as numerous and heavy seeds as outcross pollination. In addition, the germination and growth of geitonogamously produced seed was similar to that of outcrossed seed, suggesting that this potential postzygotic barrier is absent or weak. These findings suggest that geitonogamous seed production may be unrestricted by significant pre- or postzygotic barriers. The possible advantages of geitonogamy in Arum are discussed. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 150, 323–328.
An economic evaluation of control methods for diffuse and spotted knapweed in western Canada.

Diffuse and spotted knapweed are introduced weeds that threaten to spread throughout the uncultivated drylands of Western Canada. By 1972 approximately 30 000 ha, mostly in British Columbia, were infested, with forage reductions of up to 88%. Presently the infestation may be increasing by 10% a year and it is estimated that 8.4–10.7 million ha are susceptible to invasion by one or the other species in Western Canada. This would be disastrous to both ranching and wildlife in the region. The economics of various options for control are discussed. Biological control, which is likely to require the introduction of six agents and cost a total of $1.8 million, is the most cost-effective solution. However, until it can be fully implemented (10–20 yr) new infestations can be spot-treated with picloram. It is also economic to convert dense stands to tame pasture after killing the knapweed with picloram at 0.5 kg/ha although the knapweed is likely to begin reinvasion after 4 yr.
Modélisation de la croissance en hauteur dominante du chêne sessile (Quercus petraea Liebl) en France. Variabilité inter-régionale et effet de la période récente (1959-1993)

L'objectif est la modelisation de la croissance en hauteur dominante du chene sessile (Quercus petraea Liebl) en futaie reguliere, en detectant un eventuel effet regional et un eventuel effet de la periode recente sur la forme ou le niveau des courbes qui decrivent la croissance anterieure de peuplements âges. Les donnees utilisees sont les reconstitutions de la croissance de 50 peuplements âges de 153 ans en moyenne, pris dans cinq regions, a partir d'analyses de tiges. On a utilise un modele mathematique souple, a asymptote oblique dont la pente peut varier avec le niveau de la courbe dans le faisceau, et comportant six parametres communs a toutes les courbes pour rendre compte de leur forme et un parametre propre a chaque courbe pour rendre compte de son niveau (indice de fertilite). L'ajustement, comme les donnees elles-memes, fait apparaitre un accroissement soutenu jusqu'a un âge avance. L'analyse des residus en fonction de l'âge montre que la forme de la croissance de l'une des regions differe significativement de celle des autres. L'analyse des residus en fonction de la date montre un effet de la periode recente, qui pourrait etre en partie un artefact du aux mesures, mais qui n'a pas d'impact sur notre modelisation de la croissance passee.
BRACHYMONAS DENITRIFICANS GEN. NOV., SP. NOV., AN AEROBIC CHEMOORGANOTROPHIC BACTERIUM WHICH CONTAINS RHODOQUINONES, AND EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS OF RHODOQUINONE PRODUCERS TO BACTERIAL SPECIES WITH VARIOUS QUINONE CLASSES

The new strains of aerobic chemoorganotrophic rhodoquinone-containing bacteria previously isolated from activated sludge were studied from taxonomic and phylogenetic viewpoints. These strains were Gram- negative, nonmotile coccobacilli, had a strictly respiratory type of metabolism with oxygen or nitrate as the terminal acceptor, produced catalase and oxidase, and contained both ubiquinone-8 and rhodoquinone-8 as major quinones. DNA-DNA reassociation studies revealed that the new strains were highly related to each other at hybridization levels of more than 74%, suggesting the genetic coherency of the isolates as a single species. The 16S rRNA gene from one of the isolates, strain AS-P1, was amplified in vitro and sequenced directly. Sequence comparisons and a distance matrix tree analysis revealed that strain AS-P1 was most closely related to Comamonas testosteroni, a representative of the beta subclass of the Proteobacteria, but the level of sequence similarity between the two appeared to be low enough to warrant different generic allocations. The strains were differentiated from related organisms by a number of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic properties. Thus, we conclude that the isolates should be placed in a new genus and species of the beta subclass of the Proteobacteria, for which we propose the name Brachymonas denitrificans. Evolutionary relationships of rhodoquinone producers to bacterial species with various quinone classes were discussed on the basis of 16S rRNA sequence information.
Predation Risk Influences the Use of Foraging Sites by Tits

In coniferous forests of Central Finland, tits (Paridae) and the Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) exploit nonrenewable resources in their group territories during the winter. Results of many studies have indicated that interspecific competition restricts the use of foraging sites in mixed—species winter flocks. However predation is a significant mortality factor in these species, and predation risk might also restrict the selection of foraging sites. The Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) is the main diurnal predator of these small passerines during winter. Predation risk from the Pygmy Owl varies greatly with the availability of voles as alternative prey. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of predation risk on the use of foraging sites in coniferous forest tits during winter. I collected foraging data from Willow (Parus montanus) and Crested Tits (P. cristatus) during one winter when vole populations had crashed and another winter when vole density was high to see if predation risk affects the selection of foraging sites by these species. Both Willow and Crested Tits changed to foraging in the inner parts of coniferous trees after the vole populations had crashed and when the Pygmy Owls started to hunt the tits. Additionally, in both pine and birch Willow Tits moved towards the treetops under high predation risk. Since all the foraging shifts were towards sites that are regarded to be safest from predation risk, it seems that predation risk in addition to interspecific competition influences the use of foraging sites by tits in coniferous forest.
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT RESEARCH IN THE CGIAR: THE ROLE OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Judicious management of our natural resources is a major pillar of sustainable agriculture, broadly defined. It is, therefore, unfortunate that, until now, research in natural resources management (NRM) has not received sufficient support, or the recognition that other agricultural research topics have had. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) recognized, early on, the complementarities and synergies between NRM research and other themes, notably genetic improvement, and its research Centres have pursued some vigorous programmes for many years. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to the CGIAR was supportive of such programmes from the start and provided advice to the CGIAR System on NRM research strategies. Highlights of such advice over the last 20 years are discussed, including the ecoregional approach, the 1996 study of Priorities and Strategies for Soil and Water Research, and the CGIAR Vision and Strategy of 2000. Recent developments at the Centres leading to the promotion of integrated approaches to NRM (INRM) are described, and a set of priority areas in INRM research for future CGIAR activities is presented.