scholarly journals Trophic resources of the edaphic mesofauna: a worldwide review of the empirical evidence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Víctor Nicolás Velazco ◽  
Leonardo Ariel Saravia ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Coviella ◽  
Liliana Beatriz Falco
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Food Resource ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Soil Mesofauna ◽  
Trophic Relations ◽  
Accurate Knowledge ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Trophic Resources ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Available Information

AbstractEcosystem sustainable use requires reliable information about structure and functioning. Accurate knowledge of trophic relations is central for the understanding of ecosystem dynamics, essential to develop sustainable use practices. This review gathers the information available worldwide about the trophic resources within the soil mesofauna. From over 130000 hits of the initial search on soil mesofauna, only a total of 78 published works relate particular species, genera, and families to particular trophic resources, the majority of them dealing with soils of the Paleartic region. Thirteen trophic resource categories were identified for six of the main orders of soil Acari and Collembola, using a combination of eight different methodologies. Out of 2717 records relating specific taxonomic groups to their trophic resources, 515 mention saprophytic fungi as a food resource, 381 cite nematodes, 308 mention bacteria, 286 litter and 256 cite mychorrizae. The available information is also highly skewed, for 68.16% of all the available information comes from Acari, and within these, 44.5% correspond just to Sarcoptiformes. For Collembola, the information available in the literature is much scarce the majority of it from Arthropleona. This review shows the general lack of information relating species, genera, and families of the soil mesofauna to specific trophic resources, with Collembolans largely unexplored in this regard. It also highlights the studies mostly come from European soils, with the use of trophic resources by the mesofauna of majority of the soils in most of the world still largely unknown.

scholarly journals Cell Bioprinting: The 3D-Bioplotter™ Case

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 4005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelats Lobo ◽  
Ginestra
Keyword(s):  
3D Structure ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Petri Dish ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Synthetic Materials ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Available Information ◽  
User Friendly

The classic cell culture involves the use of support in two dimensions, such as a well plate or a Petri dish, that allows the culture of different types of cells. However, this technique does not mimic the natural microenvironment where the cells are exposed to. To solve that, three-dimensional bioprinting techniques were implemented, which involves the use of biopolymers and/or synthetic materials and cells. Because of a lack of information between data sources, the objective of this review paper is, to sum up, all the available information on the topic of bioprinting and to help researchers with the problematics with 3D bioprinters, such as the 3D-Bioplotter™. The 3D-Bioplotter™ has been used in the pre-clinical field since 2000 and could allow the printing of more than one material at the same time, and therefore to increase the complexity of the 3D structure manufactured. It is also very precise with maximum flexibility and a user-friendly and stable software that allows the optimization of the bioprinting process on the technological point of view. Different applications have resulted from the research on this field, mainly focused on regenerative medicine, but the lack of information and/or the possible misunderstandings between papers makes the reproducibility of the tests difficult. Nowadays, the 3D Bioprinting is evolving into another technology called 4D Bioprinting, which promises to be the next step in the bioprinting field and might promote great applications in the future.

scholarly journals Distribution of birds in Colombia

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danny Vélez ◽  
Edwin Tamayo ◽  
Fernando Ayerbe-Quiñones ◽  
Julián Torres ◽  
Juan Rey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Geographic Information ◽  
Huge Number ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

1. Colombia with 1941 known recorded bird species is one of the most species rich countries in the world. Efforts are necessary to conserve, study and promote sustainable use of this important taxonomic group throughout Colombia’s vast territory. 2. In an ideal world, informed decisions that are based on sound scientific information should be likelier to have successful outcomes. Nevertheless, there are barriers that make it difficult to access and use information in a timely fashion. Those same barriers impede the study, conservation and sustainable use of bird species in Colombia. On the other hand, given that there is good documentation about the ecology of a large number of species, information about the distribution of birds can be easily incorporated into decision-making processes, once this information becomes readily available in a consumable format using Geographic Information Sciences tools. 3. In this context, the main objective of this paper is to present the first compilation of the current distribution of 1889 (97%) species of birds in Colombia, using expert criteria. The shapefiles were used to show the distribution and diversity of bird species in Colombia under both geopolitical and conservation geographic units. 4. The information provided in this paper can be used as a baseline for a huge number of initiatives that aim to strengthen conservation efforts and improve knowledge about one the most unique taxonomic groups in the country. These range from land use planning strategies at the municipal or department scale to sustainable use of bird species - such as those initiatives related to bird watching - in Colombia. This study has considered three key aspects: 1) the importance of birds for Colombia’s ecosystems, 2) the privileged place of Colombia in bird species richness and 3) the importance of data mobilisation in formats easily consumable by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to facilitate the processes of informed decision-making. We present the first compilation - in shapefile format - for 1889 of the 1941 bird species recorded from Colombia. Using this novel collection, we showed the species richness of birds in Colombia’s 33 Departments plus its Captial District (DPs), 1122 Municipalities (MNs), 58 protected areas (PAs), 39 Regional Autonomous Corporations (the authorities responsible within their respective jurisdictions for regulating the environment and renewable natural resources in Colombia; CARs) and 916 Collectively Titled Territories (including both indigenous reservations and afro-descendant communities; CTTs). In addition, we provide a list of known bird species richness for the above geographic units found in the available literature. The information provided here can be used as a baseline for a huge number of initiatives concerning the study, conservation and sustainable use of bird species present in Colombia, providing access to key features of bird distribution that should facilitate decision-making.

Patterns in the distribution of Melanesian land Mollusca

1969 ◽  
Vol 255 (800) ◽  
pp. 285-306 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Region ◽  
Ecological Diversity ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Distributional Patterns ◽  
Changing Patterns ◽  
Biological Attributes ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Available Information

Melanesia is important in any discussion concerned with the distribution of terrestrial Mollusca in the Pacific region, as a zone exhibiting an intermingling of faunas derived from different geographical areas. Along the chain of islands constituting Melanesia these faunal elements exhibit changing patterns consistent with island hopping across water gaps. Yet the numbers of species of Mollusca on these islands show a positive correlation with the size of the individual islands (figure 19) and not, as might be expected, with the distance of particular taxonomic groups from centres of dispersal. Variations in this pattern can be attributed to differences in the isolation of islands, ecological diversity and the paucity of collecting in many areas. It should be realized that the distributional patterns recorded for any particular taxon must reflect the frequency and density of collecting and the inadequacies of the systematics of the group, besides biological attributes of the taxon and the island. The limitations should not distract, however, from attempts to analyse the available information, instead they must serve as a guide to the difficulties involved.

scholarly journals Microplastics in Freshwater: What Is the News from the World?

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Cera ◽  
Giulia Cesarini ◽  
Massimiliano Scalici
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Freshwater Organisms ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Bibliographic Search ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Lentic Waters

Plastic has become a “hot topic” for aquatic ecosystems’ conservation together with other issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Indeed, plastics may detrimentally affect habitats and biota. Small plastics, called microplastics, are more easily taken up by freshwater organisms, causing negative effects on growth, reproduction, predatory performance, etc. Since available information on microplastics in freshwater are fragmentary, the aim of this review is twofold: (i) to show, analyse, and discuss data on the microplastics concentration in freshwater and (ii) to provide the main polymers contaminating freshwater for management planning. A bibliographic search collected 158 studies since 2012, providing the scientific community with one of the largest data sets on microplastics in freshwater. Contamination is reported in all continents except Antarctica, but a lack of information is still present. Lentic waters are generally more contaminated than lotic waters, and waters are less contaminated than sediments, suggested to be sinks. The main contaminating polymers are polypropylene and polyethylene for sediment and water, while polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate are mainly found in biota. Future research is encouraged (1) to achieve a standardised protocol for monitoring, (2) to identify sources and transport routes (including primary or secondary origin), and (3) to investigate trophic transfer, especially from benthic invertebrates.

Isotopic discrimination of stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) in a host-specific holocephalan tapeworm

2013 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Navarro ◽  
M. Albo-Puigserver ◽  
M. Coll ◽  
R. Saez ◽  
M.G. Forero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Trophic Position ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Fish Host ◽  
Trophic Relationships ◽  
Isotopic Discrimination ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Host Body Size

AbstractDuring the past decade, parasites have been considered important components of their ecosystems since they can modify food-web structures and functioning. One constraint to the inclusion of parasites in food-web models is the scarcity of available information on their feeding habits and host–parasite relationships. The stable isotope approach is suggested as a useful methodology to determine the trophic position and feeding habits of parasites. However, the isotopic approach is limited by the lack of information on the isotopic discrimination (ID) values of parasites, which is pivotal to avoiding the biased interpretation of isotopic results. In the present study we aimed to provide the first ID values of δ15N and δ13C between the gyrocotylidean tapeworm Gyrocotyle urna and its definitive host, the holocephalan Chimaera monstrosa. We also test the effect of host body size (body length and body mass) and sex of the host on the ID values. Finally, we illustrate how the trophic relationships of the fish host C. monstrosa and the tapeworm G. urna could vary relative to ID values. Similar to other studies with parasites, the ID values of the parasite–host system were negative for both isotopic values of N (Δδ15N = − 3.33 ± 0.63‰) and C (Δδ13C = − 1.32 ± 0.65‰), independent of the sex and size of the host. By comparing the specific ID obtained here with ID from other studies, we illustrate the importance of using specific ID in parasite–host systems to avoid potential errors in the interpretation of the results when surrogate values from similar systems or organisms are used.

scholarly journals Flaws in taxation of transnational corporations using the transfer-pricing rules

2020 ◽  
pp. 58-63
Author(s):  
Anastasiia Andreevna Iugina
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Pricing ◽  
Transnational Corporations ◽  
Transnational Corporation ◽  
International Taxation ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Pricing Rules ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Available Information

The subject of this research is the transfer-pricing rules applied in various countries, their peculiarities and flaws from the standpoint of approach to taxation of transnational corporations overall; as well as practical issues of implementation of transfer-pricing rules for transnational corporations and fiscal authorities, namely the problems of avoidance of taxation by the representatives of transnational corporations and ambiguity of the applied approaches towards regulation. The author examines differences in the rules applied by various jurisdictions, as well as law enforcement problems emerging thereof. Relevance of the topic is substantiated by high significance of transfer-pricing rules for taxation of transnational corporations, as well as the need for ensuring universality in international taxation. The main conclusions lie in determination of substantial ambiguity in the transfer-pricing riles, associated with the lack of information on comparable transaction in the available information systems, as well as assessment of rules with regards to each individual situation. The mechanism employed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation, aimed ate elimination of flaws in transfer-pricing rules, such as consensual procedure, are expensive and often ineffective for transnational corporations. Therefore, elimination of dual taxation is achieved only in some situations. Differences of legislation on transfer pricing in various jurisdictions can also lead to dual taxation of transnational corporations. Moreover, the “arm’s length” principle do not allow reflecting synergetic effects that emerge in the context of activity of transnational corporation, and thus, definition of taxation base within the framework of acting transfer-pricing rules is incomplete.

scholarly journals Proximate, Mineral and Antinutrient Contents of Cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) from Ethiopia

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Eyasu Wada ◽  
Tileye Feyissa ◽  
Kassahun Tesfaye
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Antinutritional Factors ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Ash Content ◽  
Mineral Contents ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Xanthosoma Sagittifolium ◽  
Gross Energy

Cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) is an important food crop especially in the tropics and subtropics. Its cormels and leaves are eaten after cooking in the rural areas in Ethiopia. There is lack of information on the nutritional composition of cocoyam grown in the country. In this study, cormels of green- and purple- cocoyams were analyzed to determine proximate and mineral contents and antinutritional factors. The moisture contents (%) of green- and purple-cocoyams were 61.91 and 63.53, respectively. Crude protein (10.10%) and fiber (2.66%) contents of purple cocoyam were significantly higher than crude protein (8.48%) and fiber (2.14%) contents of green cocoyam. Fat contents (%) of the green- and purple cocoyam were 0.85 and 0.22, respectively. Ash content of green cocoyam (3.25%) was significantly higher than the ash content of purple cocoyam (2.27%). The carbohydrate contents (%) and gross energy values (kcal/100 g) of green- and purple-cocoyam, respectively, were 85.36 and 378.47 and 84.76 and 380.27, showing that cocoyam grown in Ethiopia can be a good source of energy. Mineral contents (mg/100 g) of green cocoyam were determined as Fe (8.20), Zn (3.07), Cu (1.04), Mg (78.77), Mn (2.48), P (120.93), Na (29.22), K (1085.70) and Ca (56.57) while purple cocoyam had Fe (9.88), Zn (3.12), Cu (1.14), Mg (82.00), Mn (3.74), P (129.87), Na (24.33), K (1223.30) and Ca (44.90). High antinutritional factors (phytate and tannin) (mg/100 g) were determined from both green- and purple-cocoyam genotypes with significantly higher quantities in purple cocoyam (187.57 phytate and 156.1 tannin) than the green cocoyam (167.76 phytate and 139.62 tannin). This study provided important information about the nutritional composition of cocoyam from Ethiopia, which can help to develop cocoyam food products and to promote production and utilization of cocoyam by encouraging its sustainable use. More detailed analyses including processing and sensory testing are suggested for further investigation in order to obtain healthful and comfortable cocoyam products.

scholarly journals Chilling and Heat Requirements of Temperate Stone Fruit Trees (Prunus sp.)

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Fadón ◽  
Sara Herrera ◽  
Brenda Guerrero ◽  
M. Guerra ◽  
Javier Rodrigo
Keyword(s):  
Woody Species ◽  
Fruit Trees ◽  
Stone Fruit ◽  
Future Performance ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Breaking Dormancy ◽  
Heat Requirements ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Sweet Cherry Cultivars ◽  
New Cultivars

Stone fruit trees of genus Prunus, like other temperate woody species, need to accumulate a cultivar-specific amount of chilling during endodormancy, and of heat during ecodormancy to flower properly in spring. Knowing the requirements of a cultivar can be critical in determining if it can be adapted to a particular area. Growers can use this information to anticipate the future performance of their orchards and the adaptation of new cultivars to their region. In this work, the available information on chilling- and heat-requirements of almond, apricot, plum, peach, and sweet cherry cultivars is reviewed. We pay special attention to the method used for the determination of breaking dormancy, the method used to quantify chilling and heat temperatures, and the place where experiments were conducted. The results reveal different gaps in the information available, both in the lack of information of cultivars with unknown requirements and in the methodologies used. The main emerging challenges are the standardization of the conditions of each methodology and the search for biological markers for dormancy. These will help to deal with the growing number of new cultivars and the reduction of winter cold in many areas due to global warming.

Trophic relationships within the genus Carollia (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) in a premontane forest of central Peru

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan J Pellón ◽  
Jorge Rivero ◽  
Marta Williams ◽  
Mercedes Flores
Keyword(s):  
Diet Composition ◽  
Interaction Network ◽  
Trophic Relationships ◽  
Large Species ◽  
Trophic Relations ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Ecological Relationships ◽  
Feeding Activities ◽  
Modularity Analysis ◽  
Available Information

Abstract Assemblages of Neotropical frugivorous bats are structured as a function of the fruit diets of species; however, ecological relationships among closely related species largely remain unknown. This study evaluated the trophic relations among three species of Carollia in a premontane forest of central Peru. To accomplish this, we first determined the diet composition of frugivorous bats to build a bat–fruit interaction network. We then assessed the trophic structure of the bat assemblage using a modularity analysis in the network. Carollia brevicauda and Carollia perspicillata were grouped apart from Carollia benkeithi. This partition occurred because the diet of C. benkeithi was more specialized, characterized by two Piper species, a Cyclanthaceae species, and Banara guianensis. Moreover, C. benkeithi, in contrast to its congeners, did not consume fruits of Ficus or Cecropia (canopy resources). This result and available information on the ecology of Carollia species suggest that small species of Carollia are more likely to carry out most of their feeding activities in the understory than are large species of the genus.

scholarly journals Human Colors—The Rainbow Garden of Pathology: What Gives Normal and Pathologic Tissues Their Color?

2017 ◽  
Vol 141 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Piña-Oviedo ◽  
Carlos Ortiz-Hidalgo ◽  
Alberto G. Ayala
Keyword(s):  
Literature Search ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Striated Muscle ◽  
Tissue Structure ◽  
Human Organs ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Yellow Orange ◽  
Neuroendocrine Organs ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Available Information

Context.— Colors are important to all living organisms because they are crucial for camouflage and protection, metabolism, sexual behavior, and communication. Human organs obviously have color, but the underlying biologic processes that dictate the specific colors of organs and tissues are not completely understood. A literature search on the determinants of color in human organs yielded scant information. Objectives.— To address 2 specific questions: (1) why do human organs have color, and (2) what gives normal and pathologic tissues their distinctive colors? Data Sources.— Endogenous colors are the result of complex biochemical reactions that produce biologic pigments: red-brown cytochromes and porphyrins (blood, liver, spleen, kidneys, striated muscle), brown-black melanins (skin, appendages, brain nuclei), dark-brown lipochromes (aging organs), and colors that result from tissue structure (tendons, aponeurosis, muscles). Yellow-orange carotenes that deposit in lipid-rich tissues are only produced by plants and are acquired from the diet. However, there is lack of information about the cause of color in other organs, such as the gray and white matter, neuroendocrine organs, and white tissues (epithelia, soft tissues). Neoplastic tissues usually retain the color of their nonneoplastic counterpart. Conclusions.— Most available information on the function of pigments comes from studies in plants, microorganisms, cephalopods, and vertebrates, not humans. Biologic pigments have antioxidant and cytoprotective properties and should be considered as potential future therapies for disease and cancer. We discuss the bioproducts that may be responsible for organ coloration and invite pathologists and pathology residents to look at a “routine grossing day” with a different perspective.

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