Seed demography

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (12) ◽  
pp. 3578-3590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul B. Cavers
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Plant Ecology ◽  
Common Belief ◽  
Major Topic ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Seed Mortality ◽  
Integral Role ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Causes Of Mortality ◽  
Seed Demography

"Some seeds fell by the way side, … some fell upon stony places,... and some fell among thorns;.... but other fell into good ground" (The Bible, St. Matthew's gospel, Chapt. 13).Much of modern plant ecology is concerned with demography. One major topic is the study of mortality rates. A common belief, originating with Charles Darwin's Origin of Species is that the seedling stage of the plant's life cycle exhibits the highest mortality rates. Evidence is provided in this paper to show that the highest rates of mortality for many species occur at the seed stage. The major causes of mortality associated with five major functions served by seeds are discussed. These functions enable the population to (i) invade new areas, (ii) occupy all possible microsites within a habitat, (iii) survive unfavorable periods, (iv) avoid predators and pathogens, and (v) recruit new genotypes which will be more successful in growth, survival, and reproduction than their predecessors. Seed mortality, somewhat paradoxically, has an integral role in each of these functions. The discussion includes a consideration of mortality at all stages of the seed's life history from formation through to germination.

scholarly journals On the use of fungicides in ecological seed burial studies

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Mitschunas ◽  
Juliane Filser ◽  
Markus Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Potential Influence ◽  
Seed Burial ◽  
Fungicide Treatment ◽  
Anthriscus Sylvestris ◽  
Seed Mortality ◽  
Buried Seed ◽  
Seed Demography

AbstractEvidence for effects of saprophytic fungi on buried seed demography is usually obtained from studies involving the simultaneous burial of fungicide-treated seeds and of untreated seeds. However, any potential influence of fungicide treatment on seed dormancy levels is generally ignored in these studies. Also, some studies assume that a combination of several fungicidal compounds provides better protection against a broader range of fungi, ignoring chemical interactions that may potentially occur between different compounds. To investigate these issues, we carried out a 6-month burial experiment using seeds ofAnthriscus sylvestris(L.) Hoffm.,Centaurea nigraL. andDaucus carotaL., and three substrates differing in organic matter content. Three fungicidal compounds, captan, iprodione and mancozeb, were applied alone and in combination, including an untreated control. All fungicidal compounds and combinations thereof provided protection against fungal-induced seed mortality and, except for a low efficacy of iprodione in protecting seeds ofAnthriscus, there were no pronounced differences in seed mortality between different fungicide treatments. Captan temporarily inhibited germination inCentaurea, whereas a similar inhibition inDaucusseeds caused by mancozeb was more long lasting, suggesting an induction of secondary dormancy. Organic matter content had only a negligible influence on these results. Our results suggest that the basic conclusions from most seed burial studies are robust with respect to their choice of fungicide. We conclude by discussing further implications of our findings for the design and interpretation of seed burial studies.

Travel and Travelers

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Muldoon
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Medieval Literature ◽  
Canterbury Tales ◽  
Common Belief ◽  
China And India ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The World ◽  
English Society ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Village

There is a common belief that medieval men and women lived their lives within a narrow geographical and psychological space, the village and the neighboring fields for the most part. According to this opinion, it was not until the Renaissance and the voyages of Columbus and those who followed him that Europeans became aware of the wider world around them and shed the blinders that had constrained them for centuries. What makes this opinion so at odds with medieval reality is that one of the most famous and widely read pieces of medieval literature, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, deals with the travels of a group of medieval Christians who range from a crusading knight to farm laborers, individuals representing a cross section of the middling levels of 14th-century English society. Merchants, crusaders, missionaries, pilgrims, exiles, and others motivated by simple restless curiosity traveled around Europe, to the edges of the Christian world, and then all the way to China and India and, sailing westward, to North America. Travel and travel imagery also played an important role in Christian life. The Bible begins with the creation of the world, traces the course of God’s involvement with his people over time, and concludes with the end of the world, the ultimate goal of mankind as defined by the Creator. The life of the individual Christian is a pilgrimage within this context, the movement of the soul to union with God, a microcosm of this larger narrative. It is no coincidence that the most famous work of medieval literature, Dante’s Divine Comedy, was cast as a travel tale.

Factors affecting the relationship between seed removal and seed mortality

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 378-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Moore ◽  
R. K. Swihart
Keyword(s):  
Food Limitation ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Deciduous Tree ◽  
Seed Removal ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Seed Mortality ◽  
Tree Squirrels ◽  
Temperate Deciduous ◽  
Seed Fates

S.B. Vander Wall et al. (Ecology, 86: 801–806 (2005)) criticized seed dispersal studies that use seed removal as a proxy for seed predation, because secondary dispersal processes following removal are important to seed fates for many plants. We compared seed removal rates with direct estimates of seed mortality and another mortality index, based on a 3-year experiment that included five temperate deciduous tree species and four exclosure treatments designed to identify effects of different seed consumer groups. Patterns of seed removal rates generally did not match patterns of mortality. Removal and mortality rates were both highest in seed-poor years, indicative of response to food limitation, but annual food abundance interacted with seed type differently for removal rates than for mortality rates. The effect of exclosure type (access by different consumers) on removal rates was opposite its effect on mortality rates; seeds were removed fastest from exclosures that allowed access to tree squirrels (genus Sciurus L., 1758), but these seeds had the lowest mortality because Sciurus is an important seed disperser. We discuss types of studies in which seed removal may be a reasonable index of seed mortality, and we stress the importance of justifying assumptions concerning links between removal and predation.

scholarly journals The Bible and Akan Traditional Religious Values: A Search For Dialogue

2020 ◽  
pp. 78-86
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Foster Asamoah
Keyword(s):  
Family Systems ◽  
Religious Values ◽  
Common Belief ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Belief In God ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
Biblical Values ◽  
Common Platform

In their quest to bring Christianity to Africa in general, and Ghana in particular, the missionaries downplayed and discarded the African traditional religious values. This separated Ghanaians, including Akans from their traditional religious values for the biblical values of the Judeo-Christian scriptures; making them Christians who are cut off from their traditional religious values. After engaging in a dialogue with the biblical values and Akan traditional religious values on a common platform, it was identified that there are basic concepts of commonalities that exist between them, which include common belief in God, family systems, sacrifices, naming ceremonies, prayers, belief in ancestors, etc. and areas of differences which must be refined using the Bible which is seen as the hermeneutics of culture and tradition. This helps to curtail the hypocrisy of many Christians and churches who practise these traditional religious values and provide them with a searchlight to rediscover and modify the elements in their traditional and religious values. In addition, it helps to dispel illusion, remove suspicion and minimise conflict, and to enable the Akans, Ghanaians, or Africans while maintaining their traditional religious values adhere to the teachings of the Bible.

scholarly journals Effect of covid-19 pandemic on in-hospital mortality

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 389-393
Author(s):  
Ramazan Ünal ◽  
Ramazan Güven ◽  
Dilek Atik ◽  
Ahmet Erdur ◽  
Ertuğrul Ak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Patient Admission ◽  
Single Centre ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Causes Of Mortality ◽  
Respiratory Causes

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of the pandemic on hospital mortality and patient admission in four months since March 2020 when the Ministry of Health announced the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Turkey and the first wave occurred. Material-Method: This research is a single-centre, retrospective, cross-sectional descriptive study. It covers the periods between March 01 and Jun 30 of 2018, 2019, and 2020. Results: Between 2018-2020, 897522, 972799, and 395438 patients were admitted to our Hospital, respectively. It was observed that the number of admissions decreased by 55-60% in 2020 compared to the previous years (p=0.001). Moreover, 205318 (22.9%) of the admissions in 2018, 229278 (23.6%) of the admissions in 2019, and 1127293 (32%) of the admissions in 2020 were emergency room (ER) admissions. Especially in 2020, there was a significant increase in the overall in-hospital (p=0.001) and ER (p=0.001 mortality rates compared to previous years. In-hospital mortality was found to be higher, especially in patients with suspected COVID-19 (p=0.001). It was found that the number of deaths due to respiratory causes was significantly increased in 2020 compared to the previous years (p=0.001). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in mortality rates and causes of mortality compared to previous years. Although the pandemic has affected all healthcare systems, ER and intensive care units (ICU) are seriously affected.

Аnalysis of separate health status of the population of Ukraine in the XXI century.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (2b) ◽  
pp. 82-91
Author(s):  
O.A. Yevdokimenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Statistical Information ◽  
Entire Population ◽  
State Of Health ◽  
Medical Statistics ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Current State ◽  
The World ◽  
Causes Of Mortality

Some indicators of the health status of the population of Ukraine in the XXI century are characterized. The analysis of reporting statistical information of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine and the Center for Medical Statistics of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine was carried out. Some indicators of the current state of health of the world’s population in the world regions, indicators of the dynamics of morbidity and hospitalized morbidity of certain diseases of the population of Ukraine are characterized. The structure and causes of mortality in the world and the dynamics of mortality rates from certain diseases among the Ukrainian population are presented. The main causes of mortality from external and from all causes of the entire population of the country and mortality of children under 1 year are outlined.

scholarly journals A Geroscience Perspective on COVID-19 Mortality

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. e30-e33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E L Promislow
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Causes Of Mortality ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Age And Sex

Abstract A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in December 2019, leading within a few months to a global pandemic. COVID-19, the disease caused by this highly contagious virus, can have serious health consequences, though risks of complications are highly age-dependent. Rates of hospitalization and death are less than 0.1% in children, but increase to 10% or more in older people. Moreover, at all ages, men are more likely than women to suffer serious consequences from COVID-19. These patterns are familiar to the geroscience community. The effects of age and sex on mortality rates from COVID-19 mirror the effects of aging on almost all major causes of mortality. These similarities are explored here, and underscore the need to consider the role of basic biological mechanisms of aging on potential treatment and outcomes of COVID-19.

scholarly journals A Survey of New South Wales Sheep Producer Practices and Perceptions on Lamb Mortality and Ewe Supplementation

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1586
Author(s):  
Kayla Kopp ◽  
Marta Hernandez-Jover ◽  
Susan Robertson ◽  
Angel Abuelo ◽  
Michael Friend
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
New South ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Published Data ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Causes Of Mortality ◽  
Australian Sheep ◽  
Single Vaccination ◽  
On Farm

High lamb mortality rates reduce profitability and reduce the perceived animal welfare standards of the industry. This study aimed to understand producer knowledge of lamb mortality rates and causes of lamb mortality, and to investigate various practices and perceptions of producers that may contribute to lamb deaths. Postal and online surveys gathered data on Australian sheep producer’s knowledge and practices around lambing and management practices. Based on results, approximately 50% of producers estimated less than 10% mortality of lambs between birth and marking, compared to published data estimates of 20–25% mortality. Pre-lambing vaccination of ewes was not undertaken by 10–20% of producers. Ninety-six percent of producers vaccinated lambs; however, 17% of Merino and 23% of crossbred lamb producers only gave a single vaccination instead of the recommended initial vaccine and booster. The lower estimated mortality impacts producer’s perceived benefits of management strategies being undertaken. Research undertaken needs to be more effectively distributed to producers via extension services to ensure producers understand the causes of mortality. Important messages to convey to producers include the limited impact of predation in most cases and the total costs of lamb mortality on-farm.

scholarly journals Equality of opportunity is linked to lower mortality in Europe

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexi Gugushvili ◽  
Caspar Kaiser
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Equality Of Opportunity ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Intergenerational Correlation ◽  
Causes Of Mortality ◽  
External Causes ◽  
Large Survey

BackgroundThis study investigates if intergenerational equality of opportunity is linked to mortality in 30 European countries. Equality of opportunity may lead to greater returns on health investments and, consequently, improved health outcomes. In turn, a perceived lack of fairness in the distribution of life chances and limited possibilities for upward intergenerational mobility can cause anxiety among individuals and gradually compromise their health.MethodsWe used information on 163 467 individuals’ and their parents’ Socio-Economic Index of Occupational Status from a large survey data set—the European Social Survey—to generate three complementary measures of equality of opportunity. We then linked these to administrative data on total, gender-specific and cause-specific mortality rates assembled by Eurostat from the national statistical offices.ResultsWe found that lower equality of opportunity, measured by the attainment of individuals from the lowest and highest quartiles of socioeconomic status and by the overall intergenerational correlation in socioeconomic status, was related to higher mortality rates, particularly in relation to diseases of the nervous system and the sense organs, diseases of the respiratory system and external causes of mortality. Our measures of equality of opportunity were more consistently linked with mortality of men than women.ConclusionEquality of opportunity may be an important explanation of mortality that warrants further research. Measures that aim at facilitating intergenerational social mobility can be justified not only via normative considerations of equality of opportunity but also in terms of individuals’ chances to enjoy healthy lives.

Upgrading the indigenous poultry of Uganda II. Fertility, hatchability and chick mortality

1963 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-220
Author(s):  
J. C. M. Trail
Keyword(s):  
Rhode Island ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
White Leghorn ◽  
Causes Of Mortality

An investigation was carried out into the fertility, hatchability and chick mortality levels of the progeny of indigenous poultry of Uganda crossed with cockerels of four imported breeds, these being Light Sussex, Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn and Black Australorp.Altogether 11,888 eggs were incubated and 1584 day-old chicks reared in the production of these data.The percentage fertility of eggs from females of all four cross-breeds both when mated to cross-bred and pure-bred imported cockerels was significantly higher than that of eggs from the pure Rhode Island Red breed. Among the four cross-breeds, the Light Sussex × indigenous birds gave the highest fertility figures.The percentage hatchability of eggs from females of all four cross-breeds when mated with cross-bred males was significantly higher than that of eggs from the Rhode Island Red breed and when mated with cockerels of imported breeds was higher, but not significantly so, than that of the Rhode Island Red. Among the four cross-breeds, the Black Australorp × indigenous birds produced eggs with the highest hatchability figures.Chick mortality rates of the four cross-breeds from 0 to 20 weeks ranged from 15·7 to 20·0%, the causes of mortality being listed.

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