scholarly journals Of Necks, Trunks and Tails: Axial Skeletal Diversity among Vertebrates

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 289
Author(s):  
Moisés Mallo
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Vertebral Column ◽  
Axial Skeleton ◽  
Morphological Features ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Genetic Origin ◽  
Vertebral Number ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Skeletal Diversity

The axial skeleton of all vertebrates is composed of individual units known as vertebrae. Each vertebra has individual anatomical attributes, yet they can be classified in five different groups, namely cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and caudal, according to shared characteristics and their association with specific body areas. Variations in vertebral number, size, morphological features and their distribution amongst the different regions of the vertebral column are a major source of the anatomical diversity observed among vertebrates. In this review I will discuss the impact of those variations on the anatomy of different vertebrate species and provide insights into the genetic origin of some remarkable morphological traits that often serve to classify phylogenetic branches or individual species, like the long trunks of snakes or the long necks of giraffes.

Interactions between pupae of the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) and parasitoids in a Pinus forest

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (5) ◽  
pp. 621-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.P. Bonsignore ◽  
F. Manti ◽  
E. Castiglione
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Thaumetopoea Pityocampa ◽  
Parasitoid Species ◽  
Pine Processionary Moth ◽  
Processionary Moth ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Forest Lepidoptera

AbstractParasitoids are significant enemies of many economically important insects and there is some evidence to suggest that their actions have a role in terminating the outbreaks of forest Lepidoptera populations. In this study, we examined the impact of parasitoids on the pupae of the pine processionary moth, and highlighted the presence of several parasitoid species for this developmental stage. A higher rate of parasitism was found when the pupal density in the soil was reduced, but the rate of parasitism was not influenced by pupal morphological traits or by the presence or absence of a cocoon around a pupa. Of the external factors examined, a delay in the time of descent of larvae from the trees had a positive effect on the level of parasitism. Observational data indicated that dipteran and hymenopteran were the most abundant parasitoids to emerge from moth pupae. Our study highlights the complexity of the parasitoid–host dynamics, and stresses the importance of carefully determining environmental effects on host–parasitoid relations.

scholarly journals The Impact of Morphological Features on Summer Temperature Variations on the Example of Two Residential Neighborhoods in Ljubljana, Slovenia

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alenka Fikfak ◽  
Saja Kosanović ◽  
Miha Konjar ◽  
Janez Grom ◽  
Martina Zbašnik-Senegačnik
Keyword(s):  
Summer Temperature ◽  
Morphological Features ◽  
Temperature Variations ◽  
The Impact

Response of dry grassland vegetation to fluctuations in weather conditions: a 9-year case study in Prague (Czech Republic)

Biologia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiří Dostálek ◽  
Tomáš Frantík
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Weather Variability ◽  
Grassland Vegetation ◽  
Dry Grassland ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe extreme habitats of dry grasslands are suitable for investigations of the response of vegetation to local climate changes. The impact of weather variability on the dynamics of a plant community in a dry grassland was studied. Correlations were found between different functional groups of species and individual species and weather variability. During a 9-year study in five nature reserves in Prague (Czech Republic), the following responses of dry grassland vegetation to weather conditions were observed: (i) wetter conditions, especially in the winter, affected the dominance and species richness of perennial grass species and the decline of rosette plants; (ii) the year-to-year higher temperatures in the winter produced a decline in the dominance of short graminoids and creeping forbs; (iii) spring drought adversely impacted the overall abundance, especially the abundance of dicotyledonous species, and the species richness. However, these relationships may be manifested in different ways in different locations, and in some cases the vegetation of different locations may respond to weather conditions in opposite manners.

Comparison of mayfly (Ephemeroptera) taxocenes of permanent and intermittent Central European small streams via species traits

Biologia ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavla Řezníčková ◽  
Tomáš Soldán ◽  
Petr Pařil ◽  
Světlana Zahrádková
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
Extreme Temperature ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Hydrological Regime ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Small Streams ◽  
High Oxygen Demand ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe recurrent drying out of small streams in past decades has shown an urgent need to pay attention to the impact of global climate change. The objectives of this study were to describe the effect of drying out on the composition of the mayfly taxocene and evaluate the relevance of individual species traits for survival of mayflies to drying out. The mayfly taxocenes of two model localities, one at an intermittent and one at a permanent brook, were investigated in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Compared with the permanent stream, the taxocene of the intermittent stream was short of nine species, foremost rheobionts and high oxygen demand species. To explain further differences between both stream types in survival and recolonisation ability, 15 species traits were evaluated. These included so-called “ecological traits” (e.g., habitat and substrate range, density, distribution, current velocity adaptation) and “biological traits” connected with life cycle and larval/adult adaptations. Species showing the highest number of advantageous traits (with only exception of Electrogena sp. cf. ujhelyii — species of taxonomically unclear status) were able to successfully survive under the unfavourable conditions of the intermittent brook. Biological traits considered more important in many respects seem to be good predictors for assessing sensitivity to extreme temperature changes, hydrological regime fluctuations and the survival/recolonisation ability of species in exposed habitats.

The Development of the Vertebral Column of the Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii)

1940 ◽  
Vol 5a (1) ◽  
pp. 11-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnes M. Gwyn
Keyword(s):  
Vertebral Column ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Pacific Herring ◽  
Embryological Development ◽  
Vertebral Number ◽  
Clupea Pallasii ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
The Pacific

Embryological development is followed over a period of ten weeks after hatching. The mode of formation of the components of the vertebral column is compared with that in Clupea harengus, and is described in detail where differences are observed or additional information is available. Development appears essentially similar in the two species, although in general more rapid relative to length in C. pallasii. At hatching, myotome formation is complete and the ultimate vertebral number of an individual is presumably determined by that time. During ossification of the vertebral column, complex growth gradients from one or more centres are observed.

scholarly journals F.E.M. Stress-Investigation of Scolios Apex

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Daghighi ◽  
H. Tropp ◽  
N. Dahlström ◽  
A. Klarbring
Keyword(s):  
Vertebral Column ◽  
Parameter Extraction ◽  
Surrounding Tissue ◽  
P Value ◽  
Shear Stresses ◽  
Response Variable ◽  
Geometric Models ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Distortion Energy ◽  
The Impact

Background:In scoliosis, kypholordos and wedge properties of the vertebrae should be involved in determining how stress is distributed in the vertebral column. The impact is logically expected to be maximal at the apex.Aim:To introduce an algorithm for constructing artificial geometric models of the vertebral column from DICOM stacks, with the ultimate aim to obtain a formalized way to create simplistic models, which enhance and focus on wedge properties and relative tilting.Material/Methods:Our procedure requires parameter extraction from DICOM image-stacks (with PACS,IDS-7), mechanical FEM-modelling (with Matlab and Comsol). As a test implementation, models were constructed for five patients with thoracal idiopathic scoliosis with varying apex rotation. For a selection of load states, we calculated a response variable which is based upon distortion energy.Results:For the test implementation, pairwise t-tests show that our response variable is non-trivial and that it is chiefly sensitive to the transversal stresses (transversal stresses where of main interest to us, as opposed to the case of additional shear stresses, due to the lack of explicit surrounding tissue and ligaments in our model). Also, a pairwise t-test did not show a difference (n = 25, p-value≈0.084) between the cases of isotropic and orthotropic material modeling.Conclusion:A step-by-step description is given for a procedure of constructing artificial geometric models from chest CT DICOM-stacks, such that the models are appropriate for semi-global stress-analysis, where the focus is on the wedge properties and relative tilting. The method is inappropriate for analyses where the local roughness and irregularities of surfaces are wanted features. A test application hints that one particular load state possibly has a high correlation to a certain response variable (based upon distortion energy distribution on a surface of the apex), however, the number of patients is too small to draw any statistical conclusions.

scholarly journals Insectivorous bats are less active near freeways

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247400
Author(s):  
Manisha Bhardwaj ◽  
Kylie Soanes ◽  
José J. Lahoz-Monfort ◽  
Linda F. Lumsden ◽  
Rodney van der Ree
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Insectivorous Bats ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
The Road ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessments ◽  
Wildlife Populations ◽  
Roadside Verges ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Plant Pollinator

Traffic disturbances (i.e. pollution, light, noise, and vibrations) often extend into the area surrounding a road creating a ‘road-effect zone’. Habitat within the road-effect zone is degraded or, in severe cases, completely unsuitable for wildlife, resulting in indirect habitat loss. This can have a disproportionate impact on wildlife in highly modified landscapes, where remaining habitat is scarce or occurs predominantly along roadside reserves. In this study, we investigated the road-effect zone for insectivorous bats in highly cleared agricultural landscapes by quantifying the change in call activity with proximity to three major freeways. The activity of seven out of 10 species of bat significantly decreased with proximity to the freeway. We defined the road-effect zone to be the proximity at which call activity declined by at least 20% relative to the maximum detected activity. The overall road-effect zone for bats in this region was 307 m, varying between 123 and 890 m for individual species. Given that this road-effect zone exceeds the typical width of the roadside verges (<50 m), it is possible that much of the vegetation adjacent to freeways in this and similar landscapes provides low-quality habitat for bats. Without accounting for the road-effect zone, the amount of habitat lost or degraded due to roads is underestimated, potentially resulting in the loss of wildlife, ecosystem services and key ecosystem processes (e.g. predator-prey or plant-pollinator interactions) from the landscape. We suggest all future environmental impact assessments include quantifying the road-effect zone for sensitive wildlife, in order to best plan and mitigate the impact of roads on the environment. Mitigating the effects of new and existing roads on wildlife is essential to ensure enough high-quality habitat persists to maintain wildlife populations.

scholarly journals Transformed notochordal cells trigger chronic wounds destabilizing the vertebral column and bone homeostasis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paco Lopez-Cuevas ◽  
Luke Deane ◽  
Yushi Yang ◽  
Chrissy L Hammond ◽  
Erika Kague
Keyword(s):  
Vertebral Column ◽  
Wound Response ◽  
Transformed Cells ◽  
Bone Homeostasis ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
Notochordal Cells ◽  
Notochord Cells ◽  
Ivd Degeneration ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sheath Cells

Notochordal cells play a pivotal role in vertebral column patterning, contributing to the formation of the inner architecture of intervertebral discs (IVDs). Their disappearance during development has been associated with reduced repair capacity and IVD degeneration. Notochordal remnants are known to cause chordomas, a highly invasive bone cancer associated with late diagnosis. Understanding the impact of neoplastic cells during development and on the surrounding vertebral column could open avenues for earlier intervention and therapeutics. We investigated the impact of transformed notochord cells in the zebrafish skeleton using a RAS expressing line in the notochord under the control of the Kita promoter, with the advantage of adulthood endurance. Transformed cells caused damage in the notochord and destabilised the sheath layer triggering a wound repair mechanism, with enrolment of sheath cells (col9a2+) and expression of wt1b, similar to induced notochord wounds. Moreover, increased recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages, displaying abnormal behaviour in proximity to the notochord sheath and transformed cells, supported parallels between chordomas, wound and inflammation. Cancerous notochordal cells interfere with differentiation of sheath cells to form chordacentra domains leading to fusions and vertebral clefts during development. Adults displayed IVD irregularities reminiscent of degeneration; reduced bone mineral density, increased osteoclast activity; while disorganised osteoblasts and collagen indicate impaired bone homeostasis. By depleting inflammatory cells, we abrogated chordoma development and rescued the skeletal features of the vertebral column. Therefore, we showed that transformed notochord cells alter the skeleton during life, causing a wound-like phenotype and activating chronic wound response, suggesting parallels between chordoma, wound, IVD degeneration and inflammation, highlighting inflammation as a promising target for future therapeutics.

Disturbance impacts on large rain-forest vertebrates differ with edge type and regional context in Sulawesi, Indonesia

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 509-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graden Z.L. Froese ◽  
Adrienne L. Contasti ◽  
Abdul Haris Mustari ◽  
Jedediah F. Brodie
Keyword(s):  
Camera Trap ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Edge Type ◽  
Regional Context ◽  
Red Jungle Fowl ◽  
Local Abundance ◽  
Viverra Tangalunga ◽  
Landscape Level

Abstract:Anthropogenic edge effects, whereby disturbance strength increases in proximity to ecotone boundaries, are known to strongly affect individual species but we lack a general understanding of how they vary by species, disturbance type and regional context. We deployed 46 camera-trap stations for a total of 3545 trap-days at two sites in Sulawesi, Indonesia, obtaining 937 detections of five vertebrate species. Anoa (Bubalus spp.) were more abundant near edges, booted macaque (Macaca ochreata) and red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) were less abundant near edges, and edges did not impact Sulawesi warty pig (Sus celebensis) or Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga). But the relative importance of habitat disturbance from agriculture, roads and villages differed for each species, and edge-induced disturbances varied not only in magnitude but also in direction between the study areas. In the strongest instance, macaque local abundance was 3.5 times higher near villages than it was 3 km into the forest in one reserve, but 2.8 times higher 3 km into the forest than near villages in the other reserve. Our results suggest that responses to habitat edges among species and edge types are idiosyncratic, and that landscape-level context can strongly alter the influence of local disturbance on biodiversity.

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