scholarly journals Taxonomic resolution in parasite community studies: are things getting worse?

Parasitology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 137 (13) ◽  
pp. 1967-1973 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. POULIN ◽  
T. L. F. LEUNG
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Past Study ◽  
Community Studies ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
Genus Level ◽  
Family Level ◽  
The Face ◽  
Year 2000

SUMMARYSpecies identification is crucial for studies of parasite diversity, yet most surveys include taxa identified only to genus or family level. Using a large dataset comprising 950 surveys of helminth communities from 650 different species of fish, bird and mammal hosts, we investigated what determines the level of taxonomic resolution achieved. Identification of all helminths down to species level was achieved in only one-third of surveys, whereas all taxa were identified at least to genus level in two-thirds of surveys. The species richness of a parasite community and past study effort on the host species did not correlate with taxonomic resolution. However, the higher the proportion of parasite taxa occurring as larvae in a community, the lower the resolution achieved. Also, taxonomic resolution was better overall for communities in birds or mammals than for those in fish, and better for trematodes and acanthocephalans than for cestodes and nematodes. Perhaps the most intriguing result was a clear significant effect of year of publication on the taxonomic resolution achieved in parasite surveys: the proportion of helminth taxa identified at least to genus level has remained high until the year 2000, but has dropped in studies published since then. The loss of expertize in parasite taxonomy happening worldwide is one possible explanation. This downward trend needs to be reversed if we are to monitor new parasite occurrences in the face of environmental changes.

Ancient Israel's Neighbors

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian R. Doak
Keyword(s):  
Nearest Neighbors ◽  
Biblical Narrative ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Social ◽  
Family Level ◽  
The Face ◽  
Social Turmoil

The purpose of this book is to tell the story of Israel’s nearest neighbors—not only discovering what the Bible has to say about them but also what we can know from archaeology, ancient inscriptions, and other sources. The Bible itself presents these neighbors in nuanced and conflicting ways; sometimes they are friends or even related to Israel at a family level, and sometimes they are enemies, spoken of as though they must die in order for Israel to live. We are left wondering how the biblical portrayal might have affected our thinking about these people as historical groups, on their own terms. How would an Aramaean have described her own religion? How would an Edomite have described conflict with Israel? This book explores both the biblical portrayal of the smaller groups surrounding Israel and what people can know about these groups through their own literature, archaeology, and other sources. By uncovering the identity of the Philistines as settlers along the coast at the same time that early Israel carved out their place in the land, for example, one can better understand the social turmoil and political maneuvering that lies just beneath the surface of the biblical narrative, and can see more clearly just how the authors of the Bible saw themselves in the face of others.

scholarly journals Thioredoxin-dependent control balances the metabolic activities of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Wittmann ◽  
Neha Sinha ◽  
Bernhard Grimm
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Nuclear Gene ◽  
Tetrapyrrole Biosynthesis ◽  
Nuclear Gene Expression ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Organ Specific ◽  
Intracellular Compartments ◽  
The Face ◽  
Metabolic Activities ◽  
The Impact

AbstractPlastids are specialized organelles found in plants, which are endowed with their own genomes, and differ in many respects from the intracellular compartments of organisms belonging to other kingdoms of life. They differentiate into diverse, plant organ-specific variants, and are perhaps the most versatile organelles known. Chloroplasts are the green plastids in the leaves and stems of plants, whose primary function is photosynthesis. In response to environmental changes, chloroplasts use several mechanisms to coordinate their photosynthetic activities with nuclear gene expression and other metabolic pathways. Here, we focus on a redox-based regulatory network composed of thioredoxins (TRX) and TRX-like proteins. Among multiple redox-controlled metabolic activities in chloroplasts, tetrapyrrole biosynthesis is particularly rich in TRX-dependent enzymes. This review summarizes the effects of plastid-localized reductants on several enzymes of this pathway, which have been shown to undergo dithiol-disulfide transitions. We describe the impact of TRX-dependent control on the activity, stability and interactions of these enzymes, and assess its contribution to the provision of adequate supplies of metabolic intermediates in the face of diurnal and more rapid and transient changes in light levels and other environmental factors.

scholarly journals Comparing the performance of different stream classification systems using aquatic macroinvertebrates

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márlon de Castro Vasconcelos ◽  
Adriano Sanches Melo ◽  
Albano Schwarzbold
Keyword(s):  
Randomization Test ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Data Type ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Stream Classification ◽  
Environment Variables ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Community Data ◽  
Performance Results ◽  
Classification Strength

AIM: We evaluated five stream classification systems observing: 1) differences in richness, abundance and macroinvertebrates communities among stream classes within classification systems; and 2) whether classification systems present better performance using macroinvertebrates. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of taxonomic resolution and data type (abundance and presence) on results. METHODS: Five stream classification systems were used, two based on hydroregions, one based on ecoregions by FEOW, a fourth one based on stream orders and the last one based on clusters of environment variables sampled in 37 streams at Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. We used a randomization test to evaluate differences of richness and abundance, a db-MANOVA to evaluate the differences of species assemblages and Classification Strength (CS) to evaluate the classifications performance. RESULTS: There were differences of richness and abundance among stream classes within each stream classification. The same result was found for community data, except for stream order classifications in family level. We observed that stream classes obtained for each stream classification differed in terms of environment variables (db-MANOVA). The classification based on environment variables showed higher CS values than other classification systems. The taxonomic resolution was important to the observed results. Data on genera level presented CS values 12% higher than family level for cluster classification, and the data type was dependent on the classification system and taxonomic resolution employed. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that classifications based on cluster of environment variables was better than other stream classification systems, and similar results using genera level can be obtained for management programs using family resolution in a geographical context similar to this study.

Tools for managing feline problem behaviours: Psychoactive medications

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 1034-1045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sagi Denenberg ◽  
Maya Bräm Dubé
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Expert Opinions ◽  
Problem Behaviours ◽  
The Face ◽  
Psychoactive Medications

Practical relevance: When a cat is presented for evaluation of a problem behaviour, it is likely that the cat’s wellbeing is negatively affected by the condition. In addition, the owners and any other animals around the cat may also be experiencing negative consequences. When managing these cases, it is important to consider all options (including behaviour modification, environmental changes, medications) that can help to reach an optimal solution. Medication cannot teach the cat how to behave or change a particular behaviour; it can, however, reduce arousal, excitability, reactivity and anxiety. Rationale: The rationale for using psychoactive medications in behavioural medicine, or veterinary psychiatry, is to increase the wellbeing of the animal and to aid the owner and practitioner in managing problem behaviours. Medications should always be used as an adjunct to behavioural and environmental modification. Clinical challenges: Many psychoactive medications cannot be used in the face of certain physical illnesses or concurrently with other medications. Some medications may also have side effects, not be effective at the recommended dose or have a paradoxical effect. Furthermore, success is reliant on the owner being able to administer the medication. Aims: This article aims to guide practitioners by discussing questions such as how to choose the appropriate medication, how to dose it and how long to use it. The psychoactive medications most commonly used in feline medicine are reviewed, as well as some that are newer or less common. Evidence base: Data for the use of medications in cats is limited, with just a small number of clinical-, species- and problem-directed studies available, and a few more case series and case reports. Where feline-specific research is not available, the authors have drawn upon research published in other species, such as humans, dogs and rats, as well as anecdotal reports and expert opinions.

scholarly journals The development of small scale farming: two cases from the Commonwealth Caribbean.

1968 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 264-274
Author(s):  
D.T. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
The Other ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Rapid Rate ◽  
The Face ◽  
Market Gardening ◽  
Commonwealth Caribbean ◽  
The Government

Two very different cases of small-scale farm development in the Commonwealth Caribbean are reviewed. One is Jamaican small farming, which responded little to considerable efforts made for its improvement by the Government agencies. The other is market gardening at Aranjuez, Trinidad where production grew at an extremely rapid rate in the face of intense and antagonistic competition between the market gardeners and without significant direct assistance by official agencies. The conclusions include a number of possible strategies for farm development, comprising individual or collective persuasion, coercion, creation of new farms, and environmental changes. T. A. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)

scholarly journals Identification of skill in an online game: The case of Fantasy Premier League

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0246698
Author(s):  
Joseph D. O’Brien ◽  
James P. Gleeson ◽  
David J. P. O’Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Online Game ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
Good Decision ◽  
Premier League ◽  
Decision Points ◽  
Prime Factors ◽  
The Face ◽  
Over Time

In all competitions where results are based upon an individual’s performance the question of whether the outcome is a consequence of skill or luck arises. We explore this question through an analysis of a large dataset of approximately one million contestants playing Fantasy Premier League, an online fantasy sport where managers choose players from the English football (soccer) league. We show that managers’ ranks over multiple seasons are correlated and we analyse the actions taken by managers to increase their likelihood of success. The prime factors in determining a manager’s success are found to be long-term planning and consistently good decision-making in the face of the noisy contests upon which this game is based. Similarities between managers’ decisions over time that result in the emergence of ‘template’ teams, suggesting a form of herding dynamics taking place within the game, are also observed. Taken together, these findings indicate common strategic considerations and consensus among successful managers on crucial decision points over an extended temporal period.

Efficiency of sampling gears (Quadrate and Core) and Taxonomic Resolution on the Soft Bottom Intertidal Macrobenthic community of Port Blair coast

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 93-103
Author(s):  
Nosad Sahu ◽  
Ganesh Thiruchitrambalam ◽  
Raj Kiran Lakra
Keyword(s):  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Work Capacity ◽  
Information Loss ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Soft Bottom ◽  
Macrobenthic Communities ◽  
Taxonomic Level ◽  
Family Level

Ecological studies of a region cannot proceed forward without the evaluation of species diversity. With the ever-increasing demand for studies to understand the change in the macrobenthic communities, the focus has primarily been shifted towards faster results to track down the changes from the prior environments. Therefore, studying the complete benthos faunal diversity of an area leads to an unrealistic approach. Thus, researchers tend to depend on various sampling gears, which ease the work capacity. The present study compared two samplings gears (core and quadrate) in two different habitats to understand the diversity of the macrobenthic communities. In terms of abundance, the core gear showed higher significant differences as compared to quadrate. However, the gears did not significantly differ among the diversity indices (Margalef's index and Shannon- Winer index) and the cluster analysis (Bray-Curtis similarity index and nMDS). The present study found that the 'information loss' was minimal with the aggregated data at a higher taxonomic level. Spearman rank correlation coefficient revealed that the information loss was low up to family-level and the correlation coefficient decreases as the taxonomic level increases after family-level. Nonetheless, the choice of sampling gears did not influence the diversity of the soft-bottom intertidal macrobenthic communities.

scholarly journals Ecological studies of mayflies (Insecta, Ephemeroptera): Can sampling effort be reduced without losing essential taxonomic and ecological information?

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulie SHIMANO ◽  
Mylena CARDOSO ◽  
Leandro JUEN
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Ecological Information ◽  
Genus Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Group A ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
Laboratory Time

ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the potential for the reduction of sampling effort in studies of ephemeropteran nymphs in Brazilian Amazon streams, Pará State, Brazil, without the loss of ecological information (species composition, abundance, and richness), and the congruence of different levels of taxonomic resolution (morphospecies, genus, family and functional group). Test groups of 15, 10 and five subsamples were selected from the 20 subsamples collected per stream (40 streams sampled), and were compared in terms of their species richness and abundance (ANOVA), and composition (Procrustes). Taxonomic resolution was also analyzed in Procrustes. Species abundance (F(3, 156) = 25.426; p < 0.001) and richness (F(3, 156) = 13.866, p < 0.001) varied significantly among sample groups, while the results of the 15-S group were statistically similar, in both cases, to those of the 20-S group. A similar pattern was found for species composition. The genus-level taxonomic resolution produced results 99% similar to those found for the species-level data. The results indicate that the reduction in sampling effort from 20 to 15 subsamples per site and a genus-level taxonomic resolution would not affect the reliability of analyses significantly. A reduction of five samples per site would result in a decrease of effort in the field and the amount of material to be processed, reducing laboratory time. In addition to a reduction in the time and resources needed to identify specimens, the adoption of a genus-level taxonomic resolution could help minimize errors of under- or over-estimation in the processing of the results.

scholarly journals Taxonomy-based differences in feeding guilds of fish

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Javier Sánchez-Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Feeding Guilds ◽  
Generic Level ◽  
Taxonomic Relatedness ◽  
Genus Level ◽  
Marine Vs Freshwater ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract It has been taken for granted that feeding guilds and behavior in animals are linked to the taxonomic relatedness of species, but empirical evidence supporting such relationship is virtually missing. To examine the importance of taxonomy on trophic ecology, I here present the first well-resolved dietary taxonomy analysis based on feeding guilds (predation, herbivory, and filtering) among families and genera within the fish order Perciformes. Taxonomic relatedness in feeding did not vary with ecosystem dimension (marine vs. freshwater). Although predation dominates among Perciformes fishes, this study shows that in most cases taxonomic units (family or genus) are composed by species with several feeding guilds. Related species are more similar in feeding compared with species that are taxonomically more distant, demonstrating that there is a greater variation of feeding guilds within families than genera. Thus, there is no consistency in feeding guilds between family- and genus-level taxonomy. This study provides empirical support for the notion that genera are more informative than families, underlining that family-level taxonomy should be avoided to infer feeding habits of fish species at finer taxonomic resolution. Thus, the choice of taxonomic resolution (family or genus level) in ecological studies is key to avoid information loss and misleading results. I conclude that high-rank taxonomic units (i.e., above the generic level) are not appropriate to test research hypotheses about the feeding of fish.

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