Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coexistence of fish species with strongly similar life histories - population dynamical feedback forces species to pick sides

Fish generally grow several orders of magnitude between the larval and adult stage. Many ecological properties of organisms are related to body size, and hence small fish often have very different ecological roles than large conspecifics. This also implies that omnivory, the feeding on more than one trophic level by individuals of the same species, is a common phenomenon in fish. Intraguild predation is omnivory in its simplest form, where two species compete for the same resource, but one of the species can also eat its competitor. In models, persistence of both species in such a configuration is difficult to obtain. In marine fish communities however, it is observed routinely. One way in which persistence of omnivorous species can be established is by incorporating it as an ontogenetic diet shift, where small individuals of both species compete, and large individuals of one can feed on the small individuals of the others species. We show in this study that this mechanism can not only lead to persistence of a single omnivorous species, but also to persistence of multiple omnivorous species. This is possible given that the adults have sufficiently different diets. It is shown that, while adults of both species can feed both on small competitors or on the basic resource, due to the population dynamical feedback, one species will in practice act as a predator, while the other acts as prey. This way, a system with two omnivores in practice persists as a tritrophic system. Which of the species assumes which role depends on the specific community characteristics. We show here that by incorporating complex size-dependent feeding relationships in food webs, many more species may be able to coexist than is possible based on either species-level considerations or size spectrum models which do incorporate within-population size differences, but relate diet only to individual body size irrespective of species identity. The mechanism underlying our result may be part of the explanation why fish species with seemingly similar life histories do coexist in marine ecosystems.
Songbird response to partial-cut logging in the boreal mixedwood forest of Alberta

Nous avons decrit les reponses de communautes d'oiseaux chanteurs a deux niveaux de coupe partielle (30,1% et 40,3% de retention du couvert forestier), par rapport a des coupes a blanc structurees (8,5% de retention du couvert) et des temoins non recoltes dans des peuplements de tremble (Populus tremuloides Michx.) d'une foret boreale melangee du nord de l'Alberta. Nous avons decrit les communautes a l'aide de denombrements a rayon limite de 100 m, avant et apres la coupe sur les memes sites afin d'obtenir des estimations de la richesse en especes et de l'abondance des oiseaux. La coupe a reduit la richesse en especes et l'abondance des oiseaux, mais la reduction de ces deux parametres etait moindre dans la coupe partielle que dans la coupe a blanc. L'abondance des oiseaux de sol etait similaire avant et apres la coupe, mais l'abondance des oiseaux d'arbres et d'arbustes diminuait significativement avec la quantite de couvert vegetal restant. Quatorze des 36 especes ont diminue significativement en nombre suite a la coupe. Sept des huit especes absentes des coupes a blanc sont demeurees en tres faible abondance dans les coupes partielles. En attendant la collecte de donnees a plus long terme sur le succes reproducteur, nous suggerons qu'un niveau de retention de la vegetation residuelle allant jusqu'a 40% dans les parterres de coupe peut etre benefique pour les communautes d'oiseaux, dans une strategie d'amenagement forestier a grande echelle.
Physical mapping of repetitive sequences and genome analysis in six Elymus species by in situ hybridization

Abstract Genome constitution and genetic relationships between six Elymus species were assessed by physical mapping of different repetitive sequences using a technique of sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization and genomic in situ hybridization. The six Elymus species are all naturally growing species in northwest China, namely, E. sibiricus, E. nutans, E. barystachyus, E. xiningensis, E. excelsus, and E. dahuricus. An StStHH genome constitution was revealed for E. sibiricus and StStHHYY for the remainder species. Each chromosome could be clearly characterized by physical mapping with 18S‐26S rDNA, 5S rDNA, Afa‐family, and AAG repeats, and be allocated to a certain genome by genomic in situ hybridization. Two 5S rDNA sites, each in the H and St genomes, and three 18S‐26S rDNA sites, two in the St genome and one in the Y genome, were uncovered in most of the species. The strong Afa‐family hybridization signals discriminated the H genome from the St and Y genomes. The H and Y genome carried more AAG repeats than St. A common non‐Robertsonian reciprocal translocation between the H and Y genomes was revealed in E. barystachyus, E. xiningensis, E. excelsus and E. dahuricus. Comparison of molecular karyotypes strongly suggests that they can be classified into three groups, namely, E. sibiricus, E. nutans, and others.
An Econometric Approach toward Identifying the Relationship between Vehicular Traffic and Air Quality in Beijing

Earlier studies that evaluated the impact of vehicular emissions on urban air quality often reached mixed conclusions, providing little guidance to city planners seeking solutions to the ever-growing problem of air pollution. In this paper, we combine the strengths of earlier studies with hourly-level data to reexamine the causal relationship between traffic congestion and ambient air quality in Beijing. We find that around 33% to 57% of ambient air pollution in Beijing can be attributed to vehicular emissions. However, this average figure is masked by nonlinearity, suggesting that policy makers should focus their efforts on alleviating areas with heaviest congestion to improve air quality. (JEL Q53, Q58)
THE FIRST REPORT OF PHORONIS SP. (PHORONIDA) IN RED ABALONE (HALIOTIS RUFESCENS) IN CHILE

Abstract Various red abalone shells (Haliotis rufescens) taken from Chiloé, X Region, Chile, were examined revealing an enormous amount of vermiform organisms identified as phoronides (Phylum Phoronida) belonging to the genus Phoronis. These individuals have an extended vermiform body not divided into segments, but its upper extreme shows a crown of tentacles shaped in a circular ring (that is the reason why they could be confused with Sabellidae polychaetes, although they do not have segmented body and lack bristles). These are found in the interior of very fragile quitinous tubes. Only Phoronis ovalis has been recorded in Chile found perforating the shell of Chilean abalone, Concholepas concholepas, in samples from the coastal rocks of Mehuin, Valdivia (Arenas 1972).
A PLEA FOR DNA BARCODING OF FORAMINIFERA

DNA barcoding is the molecular identification of species using short, standardized gene sequences. Numerous applications of DNA barcoding in taxonomy, ecology, bioconservation, and biosafety contributed to a spectacular development of this initiative administered by the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL). Reference databases that assign DNA barcodes to particular morphospecies have been developed for almost all groups of animals, plants, and fungi, as well as some groups of protists (i.e., diatoms, ciliates, amoebae). However, such a database does not exist for foraminifera, despite large numbers of DNA sequences being available. To fill this gap, we initiated the Foram Barcoding (FB) project, whose objective is to create a curated molecular database for modern foraminifera. Each species included in our database is represented by one or several specimens, from which DNA was extracted and sequenced. Species entries include photos of processed specimens, taxonomic references, and DNA barcode sequences. A fragment of the 18S rRNA gene, commonly used in foraminiferal molecular studies, was chosen as the DNA barcode. We believe that the FB project will help resolve at least some misidentification problems that plague foraminiferal taxonomy. We also foresee its further applications in such domains of foraminiferal research as diversity assessment, ecology, biogeography, and biomonitoring. However, we are aware that the impact of the FB database depends mainly on its completeness and accuracy, and thus we appeal to the community of foraminiferologists to support this project by providing material for genetic studies and by contributing their taxonomic expertise in species identification and documentation.
The bivalve mollusc Mactra corallina: genetic evidence of existing sibling species

The rayed trough-shell Mactra corallina Linnaeus 1758 is a surf clam that inhabits the Atlantic Ocean, Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea and represents a commercially important bivalve. This species is present with two different and well-defined sympatric morphotypes, which differ mainly for the colour of the shell (white in the corallina morph, and brown-banded in the lignaria morph). The aim of this work is to resolve the confused and contradictory systematics of the bivalves belonging to M. corallina putative species by analysing molecular and morphological features. Fifteen specimens of M. corallina corallina (white variant) and 19 specimens of M. corallina lignaria (brown variant) were collected in the North Adriatic Sea and analysed by four molecular markers (12S, 16S, 18S and COI genes, partial sequences). Genetic analyses clearly support the presence of two different species, which were previously ascribed to M. corallina. In addition, 35 specimens identified on a morphological basis as M. c. corallina and 28 specimens identified as M. c. lignaria collected in the same area were used for a morphometric analysis. A positive correlation was found between the maximum width of shell (W), antero-posterior length and between W and the height of specimens from umbo to ventral margin, thus adding to molecular data.
Reorganization of Membrane Cholesterol at anEarly Stage of Exocytosis (Degranulation) in Rat Mast Cells: Inferred from the Ditribution of Filipin-Cholesterol Comlexes

Using filipin, a sterol-specific polyene antibiotic, we examined the redistribution of cholesterol molecules present at an early stage of degranu-lation (release of heparin-protein complexes) in rat peritoneal mast cells with freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Isolated mast cells first were stimulated to undergo degranulation with compound 48/80 (1 μg/ml) for 3 sec, then were treated with a glutaraldehyde solution containing filipin (50 μg/ml) for 30 min. Freeze-fractures of the plasma membrane of these cells showed small depressions which lacked filipin-cholesterol complexes. These are the first recognizable membrane alterations and are suggested to correspond to the initial sites of fusion between the plasma and granule membranes. Subsequent-ly, these depressions became bulges. Filipin-cholesterol complexes are absent from the portion of the bulges in close contact with the plasma membrane, probably because the bulges have not yet fused with the underlying granule membrane. These complexes also were absent from the periphery of the two apposed membranes at exocytotic sites during fusion. Even after fusion was complete, no complexes appeared in the circumferential zone where the plasma membrane and the secretory granule membrane had fused. Our results suggest that membrane cholesterol is reorganized at the fusion sites between the plasma and granule membranes during mast cell secretion, and that this alteration in the organization of cholesterol in the plasma membrane represents an initial event during mast cell secretion. A hypothetical model for the sequential changes in the plasma membrane during degranulation is proposed.
PRODUCTION OF FUNGAL CELLULASE FROM AGRICULTURE SOIL ISOLATES USING CMC AS SUBSTRATE UNDER SUBMERGE FERMENTATION TECHNOLOGY

Cellulase is an enzyme has great industrial importance. It is used as cellulose hydrolyzing enzyme and produces small sugar components i.e. glucose, cellobiose and other oligomers. In the present study we tried to isolate the fungal organism, Rhizopus and Aspergillus, from agriculture soil since the fungi have been always the best effective microorganism source for cellulose production. The enzyme production was increased with incubation time during submerge fermentation process by both fungal isolates using caboxy methyl cellulose as substrate whereas more enzyme activity was shows by Aspergillus spp than Rhizopus spp.
Forest Resources and Rural Livelihoods: The Conflict Between Timber and Non-timber Forest Products in the Congo Basin

The forests of the Congo Basin are exploited by rural communities and timber companies at different scales to meet various conflicting interests. The forest contributes in several ways to rural livelihoods, but the growing importance of timber exploitation poses a threat to this livelihood's fabric and to the conservation of biodiversity. For example, 61% of the top 23 timber species exported from Cameroon have important non-timber values to local communities. The paper argues that in the process of forest exploitation, a balanced approach is needed to take into account the interests of both rural communities and timber companies. This will require, among other things, the development and implementation of sustainable forest management plans by timber companies, exclusion from harvesting of timber species that are important to local communities, compensation of timber companies for compliance with management plans, and the involvement of rural communities in monitoring the activities of timber companies.
A Survey of British Sheep Blowflies

i. A four-year survey, involving the investigation of over 1,000 cases of strike, has been made of the species concerned in sheep myiasis throughout the British Isles. In all regions, L. sericata is the principal maggot-fly. In Scotland, Northern England and North Wales, L. caesar is an important species. Phormia terraenovae has much the same distribution, as a striking species, as L. caesar , except that it apparently does not strike sheep in North Wales ; in the areas where it occurs it follows L. caesar in importance. These two species are apparently capable of acting as primary flies. Calliphora erythrocephala , and, more rarely, Calliphora vomitoria occur fairly generally over the country, but only in very low incidence. Larvae of Muscina spp. have been recovered from only three cases, one each in Scotland, England and Ireland. The two closely related species, L. caesar and L. illustris have only been separated in a few instances, and there is not sufficient evidence for the latter species, but it would seem to be more common in lowland areas than in the north and west. ii. The incidence of “ alternative ” species, i.e. species other than L. sericata , decreases from north-west to south-east of Britain ; they occurred in 47 per cent. of strikes north and west of a line from Inverness to Glasgow, and in over 20 per cent. of the cases between this and a line from East Lothian to Morecambe Bay, south of the Lake District. In the fringe of hill country east and south of this, e.g. , the Cheviots, Pennines and Wales, about 10 per cent. of cases contained “ alternative ” species. Farther to the south-east and south “ alternatives ” were rare. iii. Within the above belts of territory, the “ alternative ” species appear to have certain common regions which are favourable for the striking habit, although the limits of strike-distribution for each species are apparently not quite coincident. These “ favourable regions ” are discussed in the text. With Phormia terraenovae the habit appears to be restricted to favourable regions, where it occurs in moderately high incidence ; with L. caesar strike occurs in relatively high incidence in favourable regions, but is also present, in low proportion, throughout the country, while the Calliphora species strike in low proportion in favourable regions, and sporadically elsewhere. iv. Phormia and L. caesar have a higher relative incidence in the first half of the fly season than in the later half ; C. vomitoria may be restricted to the extremes of the season-May, June and September.
Effects of harvests date and conditions of storage of 'Hayward' kiwifruits on contents of L-ascorbic acid

There is a great interest in the nutritional value of food in order to understand the contribution of an individual food product to the daily nutritional needs and harvest time and how preservation technologies affect nutritive composition. Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) can be considered a highly nutritional product because of its high vitamin C concentration and strong antioxidant capacity. In order to evaluate the effect of harvest maturity stage of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit and storage in normal atmosphere (NA) and controlled atmosphere (CA) on L-ascorbic acid (AA) content of kiwifruit was studied. A procedure for the quantitative analyses of AA in Hayward kiwifruit using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was described. For the storage experiment ‘Hayward’ kiwifruits were harvested at different maturities according to their soluble solids content (SSC) at 4.5-5.5%, 5.6-6.5%, 6.6-7.5% and 8.5-9.5%. Harvested fruit were stored under static CA (5% CO 2 + 2% O 2 ) and NA condition at 0°C and 85-90% relative humidity (RH) for 5 months. AA content of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit varied depending on harvest time SSC. Storage conditions and harvest maturity stage according to SSC of kiwifruits affected the AA content changes at 0°C during 5 month storage. In general NA stored fruit had a higher content of AA compared fruits under CA storage. NA storage suppressed degradation of AA content during five months in NA. In contrast, CA storage reduced AA, especially in early harvested fruits, more than in late harvested fruits. All results showed that harvest maturity according to SSC of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruits and storage conditions had an important effect on the AA content during storage. These results suggest that the best harvest maturity of ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit for long-term storage is the third or fourth period (6.6-7.5% and 8.5-9.5%, SSC content) and NA storage is better to conserve AA content during long storage.
Effect of energy concentration on growth performance and carcass quality of Iberian pigs reared under intensive conditions.

In total, 192 Iberian pigs were used to investigate the effects of net energy (NE) concentration of the diet on growth performance and carcass quality of castrated females (CF) and castrated males (CM). From 30 to 112 kg body weight (BW), three diets were formulated with similar digestible amino acid content per kcal of NE but differing in energy concentration (2,045, 2,175 and 2,305 kcal NE kg�1 from 30 to 81 kg BW and 2,175, 2,305 and 2,445 kcal NE kg�1 from 81 to 112 kg BW). From 112 kg to slaughter (148 kg BW), all pigs received a common finisher diet. Each treatment was replicated eight times and the experimental unit was a pen with four pigs. A decrease in NE concentration of the diet increased feed intake (p<0.05) and tended to impaired feed conversion ratio (p<0.10), whereas carcass and meat quality traits were not affected. Castrated males ate more feed and grew faster but had less fat thickness at the gluteus medius muscle than CF (p<0.05). However, no differences in carcass and meat quality traits between genders were detected. We conclude that a reduction in NE content of the grower diets did not affect growth rate and therefore, it not a valuable alternative to avoid excess of BW at slaughter in Iberian pigs reared under intensive management conditions. Also, both genders can be used for the production of high quality carcasses destined to the dry-cured industry.
The Occurrence of Copper Oxalate in Lichens Growing on Copper Sulphide-Bearing Rocks In Scandinavia

Abstract Investigation of two sites in the Caledonian allochthon of the central part of the Scandinavian peninsula has shown that several copper tolerant lichens occur on cupriferous substrates. Analysis of the thalli of two of these species, Acarospora rugulosa and Lecidea theiodes, using atomic absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and electron probe microanalysis has revealed that copper occurs at high concentrations (5% Cu dry weight) principally as crystals of copper oxalate (1–5 μm diam) encrusting the fungal hyphae within the medulla.
Exploring and mapping genetic variation in wild barley

Wild barley represents an important genetic resource for cultivated barley, which has a narrowed gene pool due to intensive breeding. Therefore, it is imperative to study the genetics of different traits in wild barley, if it is to be used for cultivar improvement. This thesis describes studies of different aspects of diversity, as well as linkage, QTL and association mapping in wild barley. The natural populations that were studied were collected in environmentally diverse Israel . Using a cross between genotypes from contrasting habitats, a linkage map was produced. Due to unexpectedly high heterozygosity of one of the parents the map covered approximately 45% of the barley genome. This map was subsequently utilised in all other studies in this thesis. Genetic diversity was estimated within and between 21 populations. This was correlated with phenotypic and environmental diversities of the same populations. Genetic diversity was loosely connected with environmental diversity. In general, phenotypic diversity did not correlate with either one. Some markers were ecotype-specific; some of these were mapped and correlated significantly not only with environmental but also with phenotypic traits. Using the same populations, correlations between mapped markers and phenotypic traits were calculated. The significant associations were then compared with QTL found in an earlier study. Many of these associations mapped to the same regions as the QTL and therefore these two approaches of mapping traits complemented each other. Lastly, the map was used to locate QTL for dormancy in wild barley. Five QTL were found of which three map to regions where dormancy QTL has been found earlier in cultivated barley. For further research, another cross should be made to produce a map with larger coverage of the genome. The results of this thesis add to the characterisation of the diverse wild barley populations from Israel , which is important to the future improvement of cultivated barley.