Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plane decline in European and Mediterranean countries: associated pests and their interactions

Surveys on the spread of the main pests of plane (Platanus spp.) and on their influence on the decline of this genus in recent years have been carried out in various European countries. Of the primary pests which have been detected, Ceratocystis fimbriata f.sp. platani, agent of canker stain, has spread through several of the northern Mediterranean countries, causing death of trees; Gnomonia platani, agent of anthracnose, has spread mainly in the north-central Mediterranean areas; Microsphaera platani, agent of powdery mildew, has spread throughout almost all Mediterranean countries; so also has the insect Corythucha ciliata, which causes yellowing of the foliage. On trees declining under the interaction of these pests, secondary pests, agents of bark necrosis and, above all, of wood decay, are often detected. Ganoderma spp. are the main wood-decaying pathogen and can cause lethal root rots, especially if favoured by various kinds of stress. The trends and interaction of these pests in northern Italy are considered and control measures are discussed.
Growth and stem form changes in Picea abies as affected by stand nutrition

The changes in basal area, volume and tree shape in an ‘optimum fertility trial’ in Norway Spruce were studied after the treatments had been applied for 15 years. There was a marked response to N and a lesser response to P. Increased average tree taper was associated with the N application. Form factors tended to show less change, but, even allowing for tree height responses, there was up to a 10% reduction. Phosphate fertilizer in the presence of N increased form factor slightly; applying a ‘complete’ fertilizer reduced form factor and increased taper while the trees were under about 6 m tall. The use of individual treatment regressions of volume on basal area resulted in increased precision in estimating the volume of individual treatment means.
Selection of a Representative Core Collection from the Chilean Common Bean Germplasm

La raza Chile es un componente importante de la estructura genetica del germoplasma del poroto comun (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). El Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias , INIA, posee alrededor de 1200 accesiones almacenadas en los Bancos activos de Germoplasma en INIA La Platina (Santiago) e INIA Quilamapu (Chillan) y Banco Base en INIA Intihuasi (La Serena). Esta coleccion esta formada por accesiones colectadas a traves de todo el pais. La formacion de una coleccion nucleo se ha planteado como una forma de hacer un uso mas eficiente del germoplasma almacenado en los Bancos de Germoplasma. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron formar una coleccion nucleo de germoplasma de porotos, y evaluar su representatividad. La estrategia utilizada para formar la coleccion nucleo fue la estratificacion de las accesiones de la coleccion base de acuerdo al acervo genetico y raza, permitiendo que la mayor diversidad genetica estuviera representada en esta nueva coleccion. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que la coleccion base estaba formada por genotipos pertenecientes a los acervos geneticos Andino y Mesoamericano y a las razas cultivadas Chile, Peru, Nueva Granada, Mesoamerica y Durango. La coleccion nucleo estuvo formada por 246 accesiones, donde se dio mayor representatividad a las accesiones de la raza Chile. La comparacion morfologica, fenologica y agronomica permitio determinar que la diversidad genetica presente en la coleccion base estaba representada adecuadamente en la coleccion nucleo. Esta coleccion nucleo sera de gran utilidad para futuros estudios de caracterizacion de este germoplasma y para seleccionar progenitores para el programa de mejoramiento genetico de frejol.
How to Test for Proportionality in the Reproductive Effort of Plants

Many authors have tested for a size dependance of reproductive effort (RE) by correlating some measure of RE with total plant weight or vegetative plant weight. This can cause statistical problems, however, because the measures of plant weight are included in both the dependent and independent variables of the regression. We studied the power of various tests for detecting proportionality by means of numerical simulations.
Exploring Fitness Surfaces

We present a nonparametric method to estimate the form of multivariate selection on a suite of quantitative traits. Its advantages are threefold. First, the procedure is flexible and does not force estimates of the surface to conform to a specific mathematical shape. The need for a flexible method is illustrated by an example using quadratic regression. Second, estimates of multidimensional surfaces can be visualized in two or three dimensions. This simplification is accomplished by making cross sections of the surface in the few most interesting directions. Finally, the method is designed to handle survival and other nonnormal fitness components. We apply the procedure to two data sets. In song sparrows, the survival surface is approximated by a ridge favoring an allometric relation between body mass and wing length. Survival in human infants rises steeply with increasing birth mass and maternal gestation period to a broad flat dome. Our results emphasize the ubiquity of "correlational" selection and illustrate how traits jointly determine fitness.
Muller's Ratchet and the evolution of supernumerary chromosomes

Supernumerary chromosomes arise from portions of the normal chromosome complement through nondisjunction, fragmentation, or other mechanisms. Once present in the genome, they are subject to virtually the same genetic conditions that affect the evolutionary degeneration of heteromorphic sex chromosomes. Y or W chromosomes occur only in the presence of X or Z chromosomes, respectively, just as supernumeraries never occur except in the presence of the complete regular karyotype containing their progenitor sequences. Thus, mechanisms that can account for the evolution of sex-chromosome heteromorphism can also be invoked to explain the degeneration process of supernumerary chromosomes after their origination. Incipient supernumeraries initially have genes identical with those on progenitor chromosomes. This frees them from the evolutionary constraint of carrying nonduplicated genetic information, just as in Y and W chromosomes during early stages of sex-chromosome differentiation. The degeneration of supernume.
Properties of sea urchin coelomocyte agglutinins

Abstract We examined some biological activities of a 200‐kDa glyco‐protein, referred to as Paracentrotus lividus vitellogenin, contained both in the coelomic fluid and in a subpopulation of coelomocytes called ≪colourless spherula cells≫. Cell‐free coelomic fluid, coelomocyte lysate and supernatant obtained after coelomocyte washings were assayed for hemagglutinating activity. All samples agglutinated rabbit erythrocytes in a calcium‐dependent way. The comparison between the electrophoretic patterns of erythrocyte lysates, before and after incubation with the coelomic fluid, revealed that a 200‐kDa band was obtained from membranes of agglutinated erythrocytes. In addition, polyclonal antibodies against 200‐kDa gly‐coprotein from sea urchin embryos used in Western blot analysis recognized the 200‐kDa glycoprotein only when erythrocyte lysates previously incubated with coelomic fluids were assayed. These results suggest that the 200‐kDa glycoprotein could be an agglutinin, present in the coelomic fluid and .
Foraging time allocation in a territorial fish: influence of reproductive activities

: Individual territorial male cunners Tautogolabrus adspersus were observed in the morn- ing and afternoon during pre-spawning, spawning, and post-spawning seasons in Conception Bay, Newfoundland. Male cunners appear to feed at a constant rate throughout all seasons, but they shift their foraging to the morning during the spawning season such that feeding does not conflict with spawning which occurs only in the afternoon. This is viewed as a true optimal foraging strategy, fitness rather than energy intake being the currency maximized (Sih 1982).
The role of passive migration in the dispersal of resistance genes in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus within French Polynesia

We have investigated the distribution of resistance genes in relation to genetic structure and gene flow between various islands of French Polynesia in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus . We show that (1) resistance to organophosphorous insecticides, mediated by A2–B2 esterases, is present in all islands, (2) A2–B2 frequency decreases as distance from Tahiti increases, and (3) genetic differentiation (measured as estimates of the F st , parameter from allozyme polymorphism) between islands is significantly correlated to geographic distances which is also correlated to air or sea commercial traffic. These data are discussed in relation to A2–B2 invasion of French Polynesian islands.
IMPORTANCE OF STREAM MICROFUNGI IN CONTROLLING BREAKDOWN RATES OF LEAF LITTER

Breakdown of seven leaf species covering a broad range of litter qualities (lignin: 7-31% of leaf dry mass; tannin: 0.0-6.7%; nitrogen: 0.5-2.6%; phosphorus: 0.0 17- 0.094%) and dynamics of fungal biomass and reproductive activity were studied in a softwater mountain stream. Litter breakdown proceeded at exponential rates k ranging from 0.0042 d-l (evergreen oak) to 0.0515 d-l (ash). Fungal colonization of litter was generally rapid, with the fungus-specific indicator molecule ergosterol increasing from initially negligible concentrations to 375-859 pug/g of detrital mass. Using species-specific factors relating ergosterol concentrations to mycelial dry mass, maximum fungal biomass associated with litter was estimated as 61-155 mg/g of total system mass. Minimum estimates of net mycelial production during active growth varied between 0.3 and 3.8 mg g-I d-l, and maximum sporulation rates of aquatic hyphomycetes ranged from 760 to 7500 conidia mg- I d-l. Initially, reproductive activity was largely synchronized with increases in ergosterol concentrations, but it declined dramatically after peak sporulation rates were reached, whereas ergosterol concentrations levelled off or decreased at consid- erably slower rates. Periods of highest fungal productivity were thus limited to an initial breakdown stage of 2-8 wk. Strong correlations were found between the exponential breakdown coefficient and each of three parameters reflecting fungal activity in leaf litter, that is, maximum ergosterol concentration (P = 0.002, r = 0.96), net mycelial production (P = 0.02, r = 0.92), and sporulation rate (P < 0.001, r = 0.99). The initial lignin content of leaves was also significantly correlated with the rate constant k (P = 0.02, r = -0.83), suggesting that lignin was the primary factor determining litter quality and thus breakdown rate. The correlation was even stronger when data were logarithmically transformed (P < 0.01, r = -0.95). Tannin concentration was significantly correlated with k only when two high-lignin species were excluded from the analysis (P = 0.19, r = -0.56 compared with P = 0.05, r = -0.88), while initial concentrations of phosphorus (P = 0.17, r = 0.58) and particularly nitrogen (P = 0.82, r = 0.06) were poor predictors of litter decomposability. These results suggest that the initial lignin content of leaves controlled litter breakdown rate through a kinetic limitation of carbon sources for saprotrophic microfungi. The de- composer activity of these organisms, in turn, would then have governed breakdown rates. In doing this, fungi produced substantial amounts of both mycelial and conidial biomass that was potentially available to higher trophic levels of the food web.
Factors determining the development of algal and bacterial blooms in the Dead Sea: a study of simulation experiments in outdoor ponds

To simulate the occurrence of bacterial and algal blooms in the Dead Sea, we filled 5.6 m3 outdoor ponds with mixtures of Dead Sea water and Mediterranean water, at different seasons, and studied the effect of salinity and of addition of glycerol, glucose and different concentrations of phosphate on the rate and extent of bacterial and algal growth. Addition of phosphate appeared to be essential for the development of mass blooms of both the green alga Dunaliella and of the red halobacteria. In the presence of phosphate the growth rates were high only when the Dead Sea water was diluted by at least 25–35% with Mediterranean water. Also, at low temperatures (14–17°C) mass blooms of bacteria and algae occurred, but growth rates were reduced, and the maximal salinity at which growth was observed shifted to a lower value. Glucose, glycerol and a Dunaliella bloom all proved to be suitable carbon sources for mass development of halobacteria.
An individual-based phenology model for western spruce budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Abstract An individual-based phenology model for western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), was developed using stage-specific rates of development, oviposition, and egg hatch observed under controlled conditions at several temperatures. Model output was compared with age distributions estimated by sampling field populations of budworm at several locations in British Columbia, Canada, over many years. The fit of the model was very good for the entire life cycle of the insect. We further validate the model by comparing output with independent observations of moth flight phenology of C. occidentalis and Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) in populations of Cypress Hills, Canada and illustrate spatial variation in the seasonal occurrence of early-stage feeding western spruce budworm over most of its range in western Canada. In addition to serving as the underlying structure for the modelling of population dynamics at the seasonal level, the model can be used to predict the time of occurrence of different life stages for precise timing of pest management operations. Résumé Un modèle de phénologie basé sur les individus a été développé pour la tordeuse occidentale, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), en utilisant les taux de développement spécifiques à chaque stade, ainsi que les taux d'oviposition et d’éclosion des œufs observés en conditions contrôlées à plusieurs températures. Les extrants du modèle ont été comparés à la distribution d’âges estimée par échantillonnage de populations naturelles à plusieurs endroits en Colombie-Britannique, Canada, pendant plusieurs années. L'ajustement du modèle est très bon pour tout le cycle vital de l'insecte. Nous validons le modèle plus à fond en comparant ses extrants à des observations indépendantes de la phénologie du vol des papillons de C. occidentalis et C. fumiferana dans des populations de Cypress Hills, Canada. Nous illustrons également la variation spatiale dans les dates d'apparition des jeunes stades larvaires de la tordeuse occidentale sur une grande portion de son aire de distribution dans l'ouest du Canada. En plus de constituer une excellente structure de base pour la modélisation de la dynamique saisonnière des populations de l'insecte, ce modèle peut être utilisé pour mieux synchroniser les opérations de lutte intégrée avec l'apparition des stades appropriés.
A New Native Plant for Pennsylvania, Equisetum scirpoides Michx. (Equisetaceae)

Acting on a tip from biology professor Mike Campbell (Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA), we surveyed an interesting wetland complex located east of Girard Borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, on August 14, 2009. This wetland was identified as an Alder-leaved Buckthorn2Golden Ragwort2Sedge Shrub Fen, an imperiled (S2) natural community type in Pennsylvania (Podniesinski 2011). Six plant species of conservation concern were present at the site, most notably a population of Equisetum scirpoides Michx. , documented for the first time in Pennsylvania. Vouchers for the population were deposited in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History [14 August 2009, P. Woods F09WOO58-01 (CM)] and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History [14 August 2009, P. Woods F09WOO58-02 (CLM)]. Equisetum scirpoides has a circumboreal distribution, where it is widely distributed in Canada and occurs in Greenland and northern Eurasia. In the United States, it ranges south to Connecticut, west to eastern Iowa, and sporadically westward to northwestern Washington (Hauke 1997). Habitats include moist thickets, mossy knolls, and spring banks, especially in coniferous woods (NatureServe 2010). Jones and Patterson (2011) have shown that it is typically associated with an open tree canopy, bare mineral soil, and limited herbaceous competition in order to persist at the southern extent of its range, where it tends to be rare. Based on data from state Natural Heritage programs, this species is considered to be extant in 19 states (NatureServe 2010). Although it has a global conservation status rank of G5 (secure), it is considered to be of conservation concern at the southern edges of its range with state conservation status rank of either S1 (critically imperiled), S2 (imperiled), or S3 (vulnerable) in eight states (CT, IL, IA, MA, MT, RHODORA, Vol. 114, No. 960, pp. 406–408, 2012 E Copyright 2012 by the New England Botanical Club DOI: 10.3119/12-16; first published on-line November 5, 2012.
Evaluation of amounts, methods and sources of zinc application to wheat in flood plain soils

SUMMARY Field experiments were conducted in a zinc-deficient flood plain alluvial soil to study the effect of amounts, methods and sources of zinc application on the yield and uptake of zinc by wheat. Zinc was applied at 0, 5 and 10 kg Zn/ha as zinc sulphate and zinc oxide either broadcast and mixed in the soil or drilled below the seed. Spray application of zinc was also tested. Irrespective of the source, grain yield and zinc uptake significantly increased up to 10 kg Zn/ha. Soil-applied zinc was highly correlated with yield and zinc uptake in the two field experiments. Grain yield was also found to be significantly correlated with zinc content of grain (r = 0·78), straw (r = 0·72) and flag leaf (r = 0·66). When applied at the rate of 10 kg Zn/ha, broadcasting of zinc sulphate and drilling of ZnO below the seed were equally effective in increasing grain yield of wheat. Foliar spray of zinc sulphate was an effective emergency method, but in highly zinc-deficient soils it did not compare well with soil application of zinc.
Influence of field application of an atoxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus on the populations of A. flavus infectiing cotton bolls and on the aflatoxin content of cottonseed

An atoxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus was applied to soils planted with cotton in Yuma, Arizona, to assess the ability of the atoxigenic strain to competitively exclude aflatoxin-producing strains during cotton boll infection and thereby prevent aflatoxin contamination of cottonseed. In both 1989 and 1990, the atoxigenic strain displaced other infecting strains during cotton boll development. Displacement was associated with significant reductions in the quantity of aflatoxins contaminating the crop at maturity. Although frequency of infected locules differed between years (1% versus 25%), in both years displacement occurred without increases in the amount of infection as measured by the quantity of locules with bright-green-yellow-fluorescence (BGYF)
Integrated Control of Fall Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Using Resistant Plants and Entomopathogenic Nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae)

Laboratory experiments were conducted at Tifton, GA to determine the compatibility of plant resistance with antibiosis and entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) All strain and S. riobravis (Cabanillas, Raulston & Poinar) for controlling prepupae of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Treatments consisted of 2 nematode species as factor A, 5 diets (the regular pinto bean diet (RPBD) and RPBD diluted at the rate of 3 ml diet/2 ml water (DPBD) with added Celufil (controls), DPBD + 2.5 g of Zapalote Chico silks (ZC), DPBD + 5.0 g of ZC and DPBD + 7.5 g of ZC, as factor B, and 4 nematode concentrations (0, 2, 6 and 18 nematodes/ml) as factor C. There was a significant interaction between diets and nematode concentration. There was no significant difference in mortality of prepupae on different diets when treated with 0 or with 18 nematodes. However, when treated with 2 nematodes the mortality was significantly higher for prepupae produced on the diets containing resistant silks than for prepupae produced on RPBD or DPBD. When treated with 6 nematodes the mortality was significantly higher for prepupae produced on any of the diets containing resistant silks and the DPBD than for those produced on RPBD. Thus the effects of the resistant silks was masked by the highest concentration of nematodes, whereas, the lower levels of nematodes interacted with the resistant silks to enhance FAW mortality. This study showed that the combination of entomopathogenic nematodes and resistant corn silks could enhance the mortality of FAW prepupae and, therefore, could be useful for integrated management of this insect pest.
Relationships between energy balances and blood levels of hormones and metabolites in dairy cows during late pregnancy and early lactation1

Zusammenfassung Beziehungen zwischen Energiebilanzen und Blutkonzentrationen von Hormonen und Metaboliten bei Milchkuhen am Ende der Trachtigkeit und wahrend fruher Stadien der Laktation Es wurde ein Experiment durchgefuhrt, um die Beziehungen zwischen verschiedenen Metaboliten und Hormonen zu den Energiebilanzen (Nettoenergie fur Laktation) wahrend der letzten 70 Tage vor und den ersten 60 Tagen nach dem Abkalben zu untersuchen. Vor dem Abkalben wurden 8 Kuhe entsprechend dem Erhaltungsbedarf und 17 Kuhe ad libitum gefuttert. Nach dem Abkalben wurde bei 17 Kuhen eine bedarfsdeckende Futterung angestrebt, wahrend 8 Kuhe nur zu 75% entsprechend dem Bedarf gefuttert wurden, was zu einem entsprechend starken Energiedefizit fuhrte. Bei energetischer Unterversorgung wurden relativ tiefe Glucose-konzentrationen gemessen, allerdings nicht regelmasig. Gleichzeitig wurden erhohte Aceto-acetat- und β-Hydroxybutyratkonzentrationen festgestellt, allerdings auch nicht regelmasig. Die Beziehungen zwischen den Energiebilanzen und den Glucose-, Acetoacetat- und β-Hydro-xybutyratkonzentrationen waren schwach, dies besonders bei positiven Energiebilanzen. Die nichtveresterten Fettsauren stiegen umso starker an, je starker das Energiedefizit war und es bestanden gesamthaft enge Beziehungen zu den Energiebilanzen. Positive und gesamthaft relativ enge Beziehungen wurden festgestellt zwischen Insulin und Thyroxin und den Energiebilanzen. Die Beziehungen zwischen Trijodthyronin und Energiebilanzen waren positiv, sie waren jedoch vor und nach dem Abkalben unterschiedlich. Es bestand eine klare Verschie-bung der Beziehung, da fur eine gegebene Energiebilanz vor dem Abkalben tiefere Trijodthy-roninkonzentrationen gemessen wurden als nach dem Abkalben. Die Untersuchungen zeigen, das ein individuell stark unterschiedliches Verhalten der verschiedenen Hormone und Metaboliten berucksichtigt werden mus, wenn solche Parameter als Indikatoren fur die Bewertung der Energiebilanz herangezogen werden sollen.