scholarly journals Ascospore size declines with elevation in two tropical parmelioid lichens

2020 ◽  
pp. 227-237
Author(s):  
Didier Masson ◽  
Nicolas Magain

Spore size and shape are biometric parameters frequently used in lichen taxonomy, especially in species characterization. However, the influence of environmental factors on the intraspecific variability of these characters remains very little investigated in lichenology. The elevational variation in spore length, width, volume and shape (length/ width ratio) of two species of the genus Hypotrachyna (H. aff. damaziana et H. altorum) occurring on Réunion Island (Indian Ocean) were studied. Spore length, width and volume significantly decrease with elevation in H. aff. damaziana, and spore width and volume also significantly decrease with elevation in H. altorum. There is no relation between spore shape and elevation in either of the two species. A significant correlation was further observed between the intra-individual variability in spore size of H. aff. damaziana and elevation. For this species, inter-individual variability in spore volume is also correlated with mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation of the sampling locations, and spore width and length are correlated with mean annual temperature.

1994 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37
Author(s):  
Stefan Ekman

AbstractBiatora meiocarpa (Nyl.) Arnold (Lecanorales, lichenized Ascomycotina) is described and compared with some of its relatives, particularly B. helvola Körber ex Hellbom (syn. Lecideahelvola), a species with which it has often been confused. Biatora meiocarpa and B. helvola differ in (1) width of the paraphysis tops, (2) hymenium height, (3) apothecium width, (4) gelatinization of the paraphyses, (5) composition of the excipulum (hyphae with ellipsoid or shortly rectangular lumina in B. meiocarpa, narrowly linear lumina in B. helvola), (6) chemistry (1-2 triterpenoids or no substances in B. meiocarpa, gyrophoric acid plus 1-2 triterpenoids in B. helvola), and (7) length and shape of conidia. The variation in the first three characters overlaps but one–way analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that B. meiocarpa and B. helvola differ significantly in each of these characters. Three further characters were subjected to ANOVA: spore length, spore width and length/width ratio of the spores. No statistically significant differences were observed in these characters.Biatora meiocarpa generally occurs on smooth bark of broad–leaved trees and shrubs. It is known from northern Sweden, Finland, and northwestern Russia


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxi Zhong ◽  
Chuanwu Chen ◽  
Yanping Wang

Abstract China is a country with one of the most species rich reptile faunas in the world. However, nearly a quarter of Chinese lizard species assessed by the China Biodiversity Red List are threatened. Nevertheless, to date, no study has explicitly examined the pattern and processes of extinction and threat in Chinese lizards. In this study, we conducted the first comparative phylogenetic analysis of extinction risk in Chinese lizards. We addressed the following three questions: 1) What is the pattern of extinction and threat in Chinese lizards? 2) Which species traits and extrinsic factors are related to their extinction risk? 3) How can we protect Chinese lizards based on our results? We collected data on ten species traits (body size, clutch size, geographic range size, activity time, reproductive mode, habitat specialization, habitat use, leg development, maximum elevation, and elevation range) and seven extrinsic factors (mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, mean annual solar insolation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), human footprint, human population density, and human exploitation). After phylogenetic correction, these variables were used separately and in combination to assess their associations with extinction risk. We found that Chinese lizards with small geographic range, large body size, high habitat specialization, and living in high precipitation areas were vulnerable to extinction. Conservation priority should thus be given to species with the above extinction-prone traits so as to effectively protect Chinese lizards. Preventing future habitat destruction should also be a primary focus of management efforts because species with small range size and high habitat specialization are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss.


Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Thomas Henry Noel Ellis ◽  
Julie M. I. Hofer ◽  
Eleni Vikeli ◽  
Michael J. Ambrose ◽  
Paola Higuera-Poveda ◽  
...  

The seed-containing pod is the defining structure of plants in the legume family, yet pods exhibit a wide range of morphological variation. Within a species pod characters are likely to be correlated with reproductive strategy, and within cultivated forms will correspond to aspects of yield determination and/or end use. Here variation in pod size, described as pod length: pod width ratio, has been analyzed in pea germplasm represented by 597 accessions. This pod size variation is discussed with respect to population structure and to known classical pod morphology mutants. Variability of the pod length: width ratio can be explained by allelic variation at two genetic loci that may correspond to organ-specific negative regulators of growth.


2012 ◽  
Vol 195-196 ◽  
pp. 701-704
Author(s):  
Yan Hua Xue ◽  
Zhi Guang Wang ◽  
Xiao Hong Li ◽  
Xin Jiang

Shing is playing an important role in the large complex structural FEM simulations; it has a direct effect on calculating precision of structural simulations. For increasing the calculation accuracy and analysis accuracy of complex structure, the finite element meshing problems is proposed on the finite element analysis of large complicated structures. The effects caused by element type, mesh density and intergradations on calculating precision are studied and discussed. A research argues that with length-width ratio of 1~2 and length-thickness ration of 1.5~4.5 of two-dimensional rectangular element, the quality of meshing method of two-dimensional element is above normal. As the height of one-dimensional element is equal to the sum of reinforcing rib height of outer panel and half the thickness of panel, more accurate results can be obtained.


Development ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-18
Author(s):  
J. M. Legay

Ovarian follicle development, which accompanies morphogenesis of the silkworm egg has three distinct phases: spheric, ellipsoidal and flattened-ellipsoid. Transitions between phases are rapid and form-stability (characterized by length/width ratio) is preserved from the beginning of the ellipsoidal phase. The geometric stability of the follicle-oocyte-ovariole system, the polarity of the egg and the determinism in form changes reveal strikingly coordinated spatial and temporal organization.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengjiao Sun ◽  
Enqing Hou ◽  
Jiasen Wu ◽  
Jianqin Huang ◽  
Xingzhao Huang

Abstract Background: Soil nutrients play critical roles in regulating and improving the sustainable development of economic forests. Consequently, an elucidation of the spatial patterns and drivers of soil nutrients in these forests is fundamental to their management. For this study, we collected 314 composite soils at a 0-30 cm depth from a typical hickory plantation in Lin 'an, Zhejiang Province, China. We determined the concentrations of macronutrients (i.e., soil organic carbon, hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium) and micronutrients (i.e., iron, manganese, zinc, and copper.) of the soils. We employed random forest analysis to quantify the relative importance of soil-forming factors to predict the soil nutrient concentrations, which could then be extrapolated to the entire hickory region. Results: Random forest models explained 61%–88% of the variations in soil nutrient concentrations. The mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation were the most important predictor of soil macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations. Moreover, parent material was another key predictor of soil available phosphorus and micronutrient concentrations. Mapping results demonstrated the importance of climate in controlling the spatial distribution of soil nutrient concentrations at finer scales, as well as the effect of parent material, topography, stand structure, and management measures of hickory plantations. Conclusions: Our study highlights the biotic factors, abiotic factors, and management factors control over soil macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations, which have significant implications for the sustainability of soil nutrients in forest plantations.


Author(s):  
Gibson Moreira Praça ◽  
Hugo Folgado ◽  
André Gustavo Pereira de Andrade ◽  
Pablo Juan Greco

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2016v18n1p62 The aim of this study was to compare the collective tactical behavior between numerically balanced and unbalanced small-sided soccer games. Eighteen male soccer players (mean age 16.4 years) participated in the study. Polar coordinate analysis was performed using positional data obtained with a 15-Hz GPS device. Collective variables including length, width, centroid distance (average point between teammates), and length per width ratio (LPWratio) were collected. Data were analyzed using Friedman’s test. The results showed greater length and width values in 4vs.3 games, while a higher LPWratiowas observed in 3vs.3+2 games compared to the other configurations. In games with an additional player (4vs.3), ball circulation and the increase in effective game space were alternatives to overcome the more concentrated defensive systems near the goal. On the other hand, 3vs.3+2 games allowed more actions in the length axis and a fast reach of the opponent’s goal.


Geofluids ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Zhang ◽  
Liyuan Yu ◽  
Hongwen Jing ◽  
Richeng Liu

The effect of fractal dimension (Df) on the determination of representative elementary volume (REV) was investigated through numerical experimentations, in which a new method was adopted to extract submodels that have different length-width ratios from original discrete facture networks (DFNs). Fluid flow in 1610 DFNs with different geometric characteristics of fractures and length-width ratios was simulated, and the equivalent permeability was calculated. The results show that the average equivalent permeability (KREV) at the REV size for DFNs increases with the increase in Df. The KREV shows a downward trend with increasing length-width ratio of the submodel. A strong exponent functional relationship is found between the REV size and Df. The REV size decreases with increasing Df. With the increment of the length-width ratio of submodels, the REV size shows a decreasing trend. The effects of length-width ratio and Df on the REV size can be negligible when Df≥1.5, but are significant when Df<1.5.


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