scholarly journals Synchronous seasonality in the gut microbiota of wild wood mouse populations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsty J Marsh ◽  
Aura M Raulo ◽  
Marc Brouard ◽  
Tanya Troitsky ◽  
Holly M English ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Wood Mouse ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Compositional Variation ◽  
Sequence Variant ◽  
Wild Populations ◽  
Functional Implications ◽  
Future Work

1. The gut microbiome performs many important functions in mammalian hosts, with community composition shaping its functional role. However, what factors drive individual microbiota variation in wild animals and to what extent these are predictable or idiosyncratic across populations remains poorly understood. 2. Here, we use a multi-population dataset from a common rodent species (the wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus), to test whether a consistent set of 'core' gut microbes is identifiable in this species, and to what extent the predictors of microbiota variation are consistent across populations. 3. Between 2014 and 2018 we used capture-mark-recapture and 16S rRNA profiling to intensively monitor two wild UK mouse populations and their gut microbiota, as well as characterising the microbiota from a laboratory-housed colony of the same species. 4. Although broadly similar at high taxonomic levels and despite being only 50km apart, the two wild populations did not share a single bacterial amplicon sequence variant (ASV). Meanwhile, the laboratory-housed colony shared many ASVs with one of the wild populations from which it is thought to have been founded decades ago. Despite strong taxonomic divergence in the microbiota, the factors predicting compositional variation in each wild population were remarkably similar. We identified a strong and consistent pattern of seasonal microbiota restructuring that occurred at both sites, in all years, and within individual mice. While the microbiota was highly individualised, seasonal convergence in the gut microbiota among individuals occurred in late winter/early spring. 5. These findings reveal highly repeatable seasonal gut microbiota dynamics across distinct populations of this species, despite divergent taxa being involved. Providing a platform for future work to understand the drivers and functional implications of such predictable seasonal microbiome restructuring, including whether it might provide the host with adaptive seasonal phenotypic plasticity.

scholarly journals Gut microbiome diversity is an independent predictor of survival in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis T. Sims ◽  
Molly B. El Alam ◽  
Tatiana V. Karpinets ◽  
Stephanie Dorta-Estremera ◽  
Venkatesh L. Hegde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Compositional Variation ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Microbiome Diversity ◽  
Term Survivor

AbstractDiversity of the gut microbiome is associated with higher response rates for cancer patients receiving immunotherapy but has not been investigated in patients receiving radiation therapy. Additionally, current studies investigating the gut microbiome and outcomes in cancer patients may not have adjusted for established risk factors. Here, we sought to determine if diversity and composition of the gut microbiome was independently associated with survival in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation. Our study demonstrates that the diversity of gut microbiota is associated with a favorable response to chemoradiation. Additionally, compositional variation among patients correlated with short term and long-term survival. Short term survivor fecal samples were significantly enriched in Porphyromonas, Porphyromonadaceae, and Dialister, whereas long term survivor samples were significantly enriched in Escherichia Shigella, Enterobacteriaceae, and Enterobacteriales. Moreover, analysis of immune cells from cervical tumor brush samples by flow cytometry revealed that patients with a high microbiome diversity had increased tumor infiltration of CD4+ lymphocytes as well as activated subsets of CD4 cells expressing ki67+ and CD69+ over the course of radiation therapy. Modulation of the gut microbiota before chemoradiation might provide an alternative way to enhance treatment efficacy and improve treatment outcomes in cervical cancer patients.

Seasonal activity and estivation of lumbricid earthworms in the midlands of Tasmania

Soil Research ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
RB Garnsey
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Adult Development ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Lumbricus Rubellus ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Cocoon Production ◽  
Density And Biomass ◽  
Earthworm Activity

Earthworms have the ability to alleviate many soil degradational problems in Australia. An attempt to optimize this resource requires fundamental understanding of earthworm ecology. This study reports the seasonal changes in earthworm populations in the Midlands of Tasmania (<600 mm rainfall p.a.), and examines, for the first time in Australia, the behaviour and survival rates of aestivating earthworms. Earthworms were sampled from 14 permanent pastures in the Midlands from May 1992 to February 1994. Earthworm activity was significantly correlated with soil moisture; maximum earthworm activity in the surface soil was evident during the wetter months of winter and early spring, followed by aestivation in the surface and subsoils during the drier summer months. The two most abundant earthworm species found in the Midlands were Aporrectodea caliginosa (maximum of 174.8 m-2 or 55.06 g m-2) and A. trapezoides (86 m-2 or 52.03 g m-2), with low numbers of Octolasion cyaneum, Lumbricus rubellus and A. rosea. The phenology of A. caliginosa relating to rainfall contrasted with that of A. trapezoides in this study. A caliginosa was particularly dependent upon rainfall in the Midlands: population density, cocoon production and adult development of A. caliginosa were reduced as rainfall reduced from 600 to 425 mm p.a. In contrast, the density and biomass of A. trapezoides were unaffected by rainfall over the same range: cocoon production and adult development continued regardless of rainfall. The depth of earthworm aestivation during the summers of 1992-94 was similar in each year. Most individuals were in aestivation at a depth of 150-200 mm, regardless of species, soil moisture or texture. Smaller aestivating individuals were located nearer the soil surface, as was shown by an increase in mean mass of aestivating individuals with depth. There was a high mortality associated with summer aestivation of up to 60% for juvenile, and 63% for adult earthworms in 1993 in the Midlands. Cocoons did not survive during the summers of 1992 or 1994, but were recovered in 1993, possibly due to the influence of rainfall during late winter and early spring.

TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE OF GOLDFISH MAINTAINED UNDER CONTROLLED PHOTOPERIODS

1959 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
William S. Hoar ◽  
G. Beth Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Change ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Endocrine System ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Thyroid Activity ◽  
Temperature Resistance ◽  
Sudden Temperature Change

Goldfish maintained under controlled photoperiods for 6 weeks or longer were relatively more resistant to a sudden elevation in temperature when the daily photoperiods had been long (16 hours) and relatively more resistant to sudden chilling when they had been short (8 hours). The magnitude of the effect varied with the season. Thyroid activity was slightly greater in fish maintained under the shorter photoperiods. The longer photoperiods stimulated more rapid growth of ovaries during late winter and early spring. The endocrine system is considered a link in the chain of events regulating seasonal variations in resistance to sudden temperature change.

Leaf spot and dry rot of lettuce caused by Xanthomonas vitians (Brown) Dowson

1963 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 778 ◽  
Author(s):  
DE Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Spot ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Dry Rot ◽  
Complete Destruction ◽  
Western Victoria ◽  
Valley Area ◽  
North Western

During the late winter and early spring of 1960, and again to a lesser extent in 1961 and 1962, many lettuce crops in the Murray Valley area of north-western Victoria were seriously affected by a disease characterized by blackening, dry rotting, and collapse of the affected leaves. The incidence of disease varied from about 10% up to practically complete destruction of some plantings. A yellow bacterium was consistently isolated from affected plants and proved to be pathogenic to lettuce. Laboratory studies have shown that the organism agrees closely with the recorded description of Xanthomonas vitians (Brown) Dowson, which has not, apparently, been previously studied in Australia.

Insecticide sprays, natural enemy assemblages and predation on Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 576-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Monzo ◽  
J.A. Qureshi ◽  
P.A. Stansly
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemy ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Citrus Greening ◽  
Asian Citrus Psyllid ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Diaphorina Citri ◽  
Citrus Groves ◽  
Arthropod Fauna ◽  
Predator Exclusion ◽  
Insecticide Sprays

AbstractThe Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama is considered a key citrus pest due to its role as vector of ‘huanglongbing’ (HLB) or citrus greening, probably the most economically damaging disease of citrus. Insecticidal control of the vector is still considered a cornerstone of HLB management to prevent infection and to reduce reinoculation of infected trees. The severity of HLB has driven implementation of intensive insecticide programs against ACP with unknown side effects on beneficial arthropod fauna in citrus agroecosystems. We evaluated effects of calendar sprays directed against this pest on natural enemy assemblages and used exclusion to estimate mortality they imposed on ACP populations in citrus groves. Predator exclusion techniques were used on nascent colonies of D. citri in replicated large untreated and sprayed plots of citrus during the four major flushing periods over 2 years. Population of spiders, arboreal ants and ladybeetles were independently assessed. Monthly sprays of recommended insecticides for control of ACP, adversely affected natural enemy populations resulting in reduced predation on ACP immature stages, especially during the critical late winter/early spring flush. Consequently, projected growth rates of the ACP population were greatest where natural enemies had been adversely affected by insecticides. Whereas, this result does not obviate the need for insecticidal control of ACP, it does indicate that even a selective regimen of sprays can impose as yet undetermined costs in terms of reduced biological control of this and probably other citrus pests.

scholarly journals The Impact of Sampling Season and Catching Site (Wild and Aquaculture) on Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 180
Author(s):  
Negash Kabtimer Bereded ◽  
Getachew Beneberu Abebe ◽  
Solomon Workneh Fanta ◽  
Manuel Curto ◽  
Herwig Waidbacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Nile Tilapia ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Illumina Miseq ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Lake Tana ◽  
Future Work ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sampling Season

The gut microbiota of fishes is known to play an essential role in diverse aspects of host biology. The gut microbiota of fish is affected by various environmental parameters, including temperature changes, salinity and diet. Studies of effect of environment on gut microbiota enables to have a further understanding of what comprises a healthy microbiota under different environmental conditions. However, there is insufficient understanding regarding the effects of sampling season and catching site (wild and aquaculture) on the gut microbiota of Nile tilapia. This study characterised gut microbial composition and diversity from samples collected from Lake Tana and the Bahir Dar aquaculture facility centre using 16S rDNA Illumina MiSeq platform sequencing. Firmicutes and Fusobacteria were the most dominant phyla in the Lake Tana samples, while Proteobacteria was the most dominant in the aquaculture samples. The results of differential abundance testing clearly indicated significant differences for Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria across sampling months. However, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Fusobacteria and Cyanobacteria were significantly enriched in the comparison of samples from the Lake Tana and aquaculture centre. Significant differences were observed in microbial diversity across sampling months and between wild and captive Nile tilapia. The alpha diversity clearly showed that samples from the aquaculture centre (captive) had a higher diversity than the wild Nile tilapia samples from Lake Tana. The core gut microbiota of all samples of Nile tilapia used in our study comprised Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria. This study clearly showed the impact of sampling season and catching site (wild and aquaculture) on the diversity and composition of bacterial communities associated with the gut of Nile tilapia. Overall, this is the first study on the effects of sampling season and catching site on the gut microbiota of Nile tilapia in Ethiopia. Future work is recommended to precisely explain the causes of these changes using large representative samples of Nile tilapia from different lakes and aquaculture farms.

Phenological phases of pollination related to climate change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Monnier ◽  
Michel Thibaudon ◽  
Jean-Pierre Besancenot ◽  
Charlotte Sindt ◽  
Gilles Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Pollen Season ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
New Production ◽  
Start Date ◽  
Generic Term

&lt;p&gt;Knowledge:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rising CO2 levels and climate change may be resulting in some shift in the geographical range of certain plant species, as well as in increased rate of photosynthesis. Many plants respond accordingly with increased growth and reproduction and possibly greater pollen yields, that could affect allergic diseases among other things.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The aim of this study is the evolution of aerobiological measurements in France for 25-30 years. This allows to follow the main phenological parameters in connection with the pollination and the ensuing allergy risk.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Material and method:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The RNSA (French Aerobiology Network) has pollen background-traps located in more than 60 towns throughout France. These traps are volumetric Hirst models making it possible to obtain impacted strips for microscopic analysis by trained operators. The main taxa studied here are birch, grasses and ragweed for a long period of more than 25 years over some cities of France.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Results:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Concerning birch but also other catkins or buds&amp;#8217; trees pollinating in late winter or spring, it can be seen an overall advance of the pollen season start date until 2004 and then a progressive delay, the current date being nearly the same as it was 20 years ago, and an increasing trend in the quantities of pollen emitted.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For grasses and ragweed, we only found a few minor changes in the start date but a longer duration of the pollen season.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Discussion:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As regards the trees, the start date of the new production of catkins or buds is never the 1&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; of January but depends on the species. For example, it is early July for birch. For breaking dormancy, flowering, and pollinating, the trees and other perennial species need a period of accumulation of cold degrees (Chilling) and later an accumulation of warm degrees (Forcing). With climate change these periods may be shorter or longer depending of the autumn and winter temperature. Therefore, a change in the annual temperature may have a direct effect on the vegetal physiology and hence on pollen release. It may also explain why the quantities of pollen produced are increasing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Poaceae reserve, from one place to another and without any spatial structuring, very contrasted patterns which make it impossible to identify a general tendency. This is probably due to the great diversity of taxa grouped under the generic term Poaceae, which are clearly not equally sensitive to climate change.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Trees with allergenic pollen blowing late winter or early spring pollinate since 2004 later and produce amounts of pollen constantly increasing. Grasses and ragweed have longer periods of pollination with either slightly higher or most often lower pollen production.&lt;/p&gt;

Cytokinins and abscisic acid in hardening winter wheat

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 1597-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Taylor ◽  
Munjeet K. Bhalla ◽  
J. Mason Robertson ◽  
Lu J. Piening
Keyword(s):  
Triticum Aestivum ◽  
Abscisic Acid ◽  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Leaf Tissue ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Growth Chamber ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Freeze Dried

During overwintering in a northern climate, winter wheat goes through a hardening process, followed by dehardening in late winter – early spring. This sequence of events may be partially controlled by changes in endogenous hormone levels. Crowns and leaf tissue from field grown winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Norstar) seeded at the beginning of September were collected and freeze-dried at monthly intervals during the winters of 1985–1986 and 1986–1987. Material was also sampled and freeze-dried from seedlings grown in a growth chamber under hardening conditions (21 °C for 2 weeks plus 3 °C for 6 weeks) or nonhardening conditions (3 weeks at 21 °C). The tissues were analysed for cytokinins and abscisic acid. Cytokinin levels, measured with the soybean hypocotyl section assay, declined from October onwards and then rose to a peak in late winter (January and February, winter 1986–1987; February and March, winter 1985–1986), subsequently declining again. Abscisic acid, quantitated as the methyl ester by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector, increased in level from October to December, then decreased to a relatively low level between January and March. Hardened seedlings from the growth chamber contained significantly higher abscisic acid levels and significantly lower cytokinin levels than did the nonhardened seedlings. Key words: abscisic acid, cytokinins, hardening, Triticum aestivum, winter wheat.

scholarly journals Changes of Variability in Response to Increasing Greenhouse Gases. Part II: Hydrology

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (22) ◽  
pp. 6089-6103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard T. Wetherald
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Precipitation Rate ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Annual Data ◽  
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory ◽  
The Mean

Abstract This paper examines hydrological variability and its changes in two different versions of a coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model developed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and forced with estimates of future increases of greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations. This paper is the second part, documenting potential changes in variability as greenhouse gases increase. The variance changes are examined using an ensemble of 8 transient integrations for an older model version and 10 transient integrations for a newer model. Monthly and annual data are used to compute the mean and variance changes. Emphasis is placed on computing and analyzing the variance changes for the middle of the twenty-first century and compared with those found in the respective control integrations. The hydrologic cycle intensifies because of the increase of greenhouse gases. In general, precipitation variance increases in most places. This is the case virtually everywhere the mean precipitation rate increases and many places where the precipitation decreases. The precipitation rate variance decreases in the subtropics, where the mean precipitation rate also decreases. The increased precipitation rate and variance, in middle to higher latitudes during late fall, winter, and early spring leads to increased runoff and its variance during that period. On the other hand, the variance changes of soil moisture are more complicated, because soil moisture has both a lower and upper bound that tends to reduce its fluctuations. This is particularly true in middle to higher latitudes during winter and spring, when the soil moisture is close to its saturation value at many locations. Therefore, changes in its variance are limited. Soil moisture variance change is positive during the summer, when the mean soil moisture decreases and is close to the middle of its allowable range. In middle to high northern latitudes, an increase in runoff and its variance during late winter and spring plus the decrease in soil moisture and its variance during summer lend support to the hypothesis stated in other publications that a warmer climate can cause an increasing frequency of both excessive discharge and drier events, depending on season and latitude.

Early spring and late autumn response to applied nitrogen in four grasses

1980 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 443-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Wilman ◽  
A. A. Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Leaf Blade ◽  
Unit Area ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Number Of Leaves ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
Leaf Extension ◽  
Applied Nitrogen

SummaryThe regrowth of Aberystwyth S. 23 perennial ryegrass, S. 24 perennial ryegrass, S. 59 red fescue and S. 170 tall fescue was studied in field swards, comparing four levels of applied nitrogen, for 8 weeks following a clearing cut. The clearing cuts were in mid-October, mid-February and mid-March in each of 3 years, different plots being used on each occasion.The application of N increased the number of leaf primordia, the number of un-emerged leaves, the rate of leaf emergence and death, leaf blade length, width and weight, sheath length, number of leaves per unit area of ground and proportion of green tissue in total yield. The application of N had little effect on the number of leaves per tiller and tended to reduce weight per unit area of leaf blade. The increase in size, weight and number of leaf blades appeared to be major reasons for the positive effect of applied N on yield, previously reported; and the increase in sheath length contributed to the increase in proportion of yield above 4 cm. Rate of leaf extension was not closely related to yield and was more sensitive to temperature than was yield. Changes during regrowth in blade and sheath length helped to explain changes in weight per tiller, previously reported. The effects of improving weather conditions in late winter/early spring were similar to the effects of applied N: larger, heavier leaf blades, longer sheaths, a taller canopy, a lower proportion of dead material, younger leaves. The length of shoot apex per leaf primordium was relatively constant. Leaves continued to emerge, at a slow rate, in the period December–February. S. 170 had the biggest leaves, particularly in May, and the slowest rate of leaf turnover. Rate of leaf extension was increased by applied N more, on average, in the ryegrasses than in the fescues.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document