scholarly journals Ecological and morphological features of Rhodiola rosea L. in natural populations in the Altai Mountains 

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 529-544
Author(s):  
Alexey S. Prokopyev ◽  
Mikhail S. Yamburov ◽  
Olga D. Chernova ◽  
Tatyana N. Kataeva ◽  
Elena S. Prokopyeva ◽  
...  

AbstractThe paper presents the results of the comprehensive study of Rhodiola rosea L. in natural populations in the Altai Mountains. The phytocoenotic confinement, demographic structure, and morphological characters of coenopopulations of Rh. rosea were studied in different ecological and coenotic conditions in the Chemal and Kosh-Agach regions of the Republic of Altai. Correlation between the morphometric parameters and their calculated values for the shoot and sex of the studied individuals, as well as environmental factors, was revealed. Rhodiola rosea L. is a valuable medicinal plant used for functional diseases of the central nervous system. At present, the natural reserves and areas of natural growth of the golden root have decreased significantly. The species is included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2008) and many regional Red Data Books of Siberia. In the Altai Mountains, Rh. rosea is widespread throughout the highlands, where it has occupied a wide range of habitats. The study showed that the highest values of ecological and effective density are characteristic of coenopopulations which are part of various hygrophytic variants of alpine and subalpine miscellaneous herbs with a high total projective cover of the herbaceous layer (CP 1, 2, 3, 4). The lowest values were found for coenopopulations growing in communities with a scarce herbaceous layer or dense shrub layer, and on steep gravelly slopes with crumbling soil and nonuniform moisture distribution (CP 5, 6, 8, 9). The studied coenopopulations are normal, full-membered, or incomplete-membered (some of them lack postgenerative individuals). In terms of the ontogenetic spectra, they are mainly left-sided, with a predominance of young generative individuals (CP 4, 5, 7) or bimodal, with an additional peak for old generative individuals (CP 2, 3, 6, 8). Male and female individuals Rh. rosea differ in many morphometric characters of the generative shoots. In some coenopopulations (CP 2, 3, 6, 9), male and female individuals show multidirectional deviation of characters compared to the totality, which indicates that in different environmental conditions these characters are not only genetically determined but can also be related to the sex of individuals.

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3504 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALESSANDRE PEREIRA-COLAVITE ◽  
CLAUDIO J. B. DE CARVALHO

Neomuscina Townsend includes 41 species distributed throughout the Nearctic and Neotropical Regions. Although the genus has a large number of species, it has been ignored and its taxonomy is confusing and has many flaws. In this work we analyzed the following species recorded for Brazil: Neomuscina atincta Snyder, N. atincticosta Snyder, N. capalta Snyder, N. currani Snyder, N. douradensis Lopes & Khouri, N. goianensis Lopes & Khouri, N. inflexa (Stein), N. instabilis Snyder, N. mediana Snyder, N. mimosa Lopes & Khouri, N. neosimilis Snyder, N. nigricosta Snyder, N. paramediana Lopes & Khouri, N. pictipennis pictipennis (Bigot), N. ponti Lopes & Khouri, N. sanespra Snyder, N. schadei Snyder, N. similata Snyder, N. stabilis (Stein), N. transporta Snyder, N. vitoriae Lopes & Khouri and N. zosteris (Shannon & Del Ponte). Neomuscina nigricosta and N. transporta are new distribution records for Brazil. Three new species are described: Neomuscina anajeensis sp. nov. from Anagé (Bahia), Neomuscina maculata sp. nov. from Botelhos (Minas Gerais) and Neomuscina snyderi sp. nov. from Mata de São João (Bahia). An identification key based on the morphological characters of both male and female is provided. Species distributions are discussed and updated, and the number of species now recorded for Brazil is 29.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1696
Author(s):  
Ridha Ibidhi ◽  
Rajaraman Bharanidharan ◽  
Jong-Geun Kim ◽  
Woo-Hyeong Hong ◽  
In-Sik Nam ◽  
...  

This study was performed to update and generate prediction equations for converting digestible energy (DE) to metabolizable energy (ME) for Korean Hanwoo beef cattle, taking into consideration the gender (male and female) and body weights (BW above and below 350 kg) of the animals. The data consisted of 141 measurements from respiratory chambers with a wide range of diets and energy intake levels. A simple linear regression of the overall unadjusted data suggested a strong relationship between the DE and ME (Mcal/kg DM): ME = 0.8722 × DE + 0.0016 (coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.946, root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.107, p < 0.001 for intercept and slope). Mixed-model regression analyses to adjust for the effects of the experiment from which the data were obtained similarly showed a strong linear relationship between the DE and ME (Mcal/kg of DM): ME = 0.9215 × DE − 0.1434 (R2 = 0.999, RMSE = 0.004, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope). The DE was strongly related to the ME for both genders: ME = 0.8621 × DE + 0.0808 (R2 = 0.9600, RMSE = 0.083, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope) and ME = 0.7785 × DE + 0.1546 (R2 = 0.971, RMSE = 0.070, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope) for male and female Hanwoo cattle, respectively. By BW, the simple linear regression similarly showed a strong relationship between the DE and ME for Hanwoo above and below 350 kg BW: ME = 0.9833 × DE − 0.2760 (R2 = 0.991, RMSE = 0.055, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope) and ME = 0.72975 × DE + 0.38744 (R2 = 0.913, RMSE = 0.100, p < 0.001 for the intercept and slope), respectively. A multiple regression using the DE and dietary factors as independent variables did not improve the accuracy of the ME prediction (ME = 1.149 × DE − 0.045 × crude protein + 0.011 × neutral detergent fibre − 0.027 × acid detergent fibre + 0.683).


Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 156 (1) ◽  
pp. 457-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z W Luo ◽  
S H Tao ◽  
Z-B Zeng

Abstract Three approaches are proposed in this study for detecting or estimating linkage disequilibrium between a polymorphic marker locus and a locus affecting quantitative genetic variation using the sample from random mating populations. It is shown that the disequilibrium over a wide range of circumstances may be detected with a power of 80% by using phenotypic records and marker genotypes of a few hundred individuals. Comparison of ANOVA and regression methods in this article to the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) shows that, given the genetic variance explained by the trait locus, the power of TDT depends on the trait allele frequency, whereas the power of ANOVA and regression analyses is relatively independent from the allelic frequency. The TDT method is more powerful when the trait allele frequency is low, but much less powerful when it is high. The likelihood analysis provides reliable estimation of the model parameters when the QTL variance is at least 10% of the phenotypic variance and the sample size of a few hundred is used. Potential use of these estimates in mapping the trait locus is also discussed.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 518
Author(s):  
Bronwyn Egan ◽  
Zwannda Nethavhani ◽  
Barbara van Asch

Macrotermes termites play important ecological roles and are consumed by many communities as a delicacy and dietary complement throughout Africa. However, lack of reliable morphological characters has hampered studies of Macrotermes diversity in a wide range of scientific fields including ecology, phylogenetics and food science. In order to place our preliminary assessment of the diversity of Macrotermes in South Africa in context, we analysed a comprehensive dataset of COI sequences for African species including new and publicly available data. Phylogenetic reconstruction and estimates of genetic divergence showed a high level of incongruity between species names and genetic groups, as well as several instances of cryptic diversity. We identified three main clades and 17 genetic groups in the dataset. We propose that this structure be used as a background for future surveys of Macrotermes diversity in Africa, thus mitigating the negative impact of the present taxonomic uncertainties in the genus. The new specimens collected in Limpopo fell into four distinct genetic groups, suggesting that the region harbours remarkable Macrotermes diversity relative to other African regions surveyed in previous studies. This work shows that African Macrotermes have been understudied across the continent, and that the genus contains cryptic diversity undetectable by classic taxonomy. Furthermore, these results may inform future taxonomic revisions in Macrotermes, thus contributing to advances in termitology.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Lyu ◽  
Shreya Ghoshdastidar ◽  
Karamkolly R. Rekha ◽  
Dhananjay Suresh ◽  
Jiude Mao ◽  
...  

AbstractDue to their antimicrobial properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used in a wide range of consumer products that includes topical wound dressings, coatings for biomedical devices, and food-packaging to extend the shelf-life. Despite their beneficial antimicrobial effects, developmental exposure to such AgNPs may lead to gut dysbiosis and long-term health consequences in exposed offspring. AgNPs can cross the placenta and blood–brain-barrier to translocate in the brain of offspring. The underlying hypothesis tested in the current study was that developmental exposure of male and female mice to AgNPs disrupts the microbiome–gut–brain axis. To examine for such effects, C57BL6 female mice were exposed orally to AgNPs at a dose of 3 mg/kg BW or vehicle control 2 weeks prior to breeding and throughout gestation. Male and female offspring were tested in various mazes that measure different behavioral domains, and the gut microbial profiles were surveyed from 30 through 120 days of age. Our study results suggest that developmental exposure results in increased likelihood of engaging in repetitive behaviors and reductions in resident microglial cells. Echo-MRI results indicate increased body fat in offspring exposed to AgNPs exhibit. Coprobacillus spp., Mucispirillum spp., and Bifidobacterium spp. were reduced, while Prevotella spp., Bacillus spp., Planococcaceae, Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., and Ruminococcus spp. were increased in those developmentally exposed to NPs. These bacterial changes were linked to behavioral and metabolic alterations. In conclusion, developmental exposure of AgNPs results in long term gut dysbiosis, body fat increase and neurobehavioral alterations in offspring.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Pereira ◽  
Satoko Narita ◽  
Daisuke Kageyama ◽  
Finn Kjellberg

AbstractArthropods are sexually dimorphic. An arthropod individual usually differentiates into a male or a female. With very low frequencies, however, individuals with both male and female morphological characters have repeatedly been found in natural and laboratory populations of arthropods. Gynandromorphs (i.e., sexual mosaics) are genetically chimeric individuals consisting of male and female tissues. On the other hand, intersexes are genetically uniform (i.e., complete male, complete female or intermediate in every tissue) but all or some parts of their tissues have either a sexual phenotype opposite to their genetic sex or an intermediate sexual phenotype. Possible developmental processes (e.g., double fertilization of a binucleate egg, loss of a sex chromosome or upregulation/downregulation of sex-determining genes) and causal factors (e.g., mutations, genetic incompatibilities, temperatures or endosymbionts) for the generation of gynandromorphs and intersexes are reviewed and discussed.


1987 ◽  
Vol 119 (5) ◽  
pp. 465-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Phillips ◽  
Stephen A. Teale ◽  
Gerald N. Lanier

AbstractPissodes approximatus Hopkins (1911) is a junior subjective synonym of P. nemorensis Germar (1824). The conspecificity of these entities, traditionally considered distinct based only on distribution and slight morphological differences, is corroborated here with comparative studies of ecology, behavior, and morphology. When pheromone-baited traps were deployed during the spring (May–June) and fall (November–December) in several localities to examine seasonal activity, southern populations (P. nemorensis sensu Hopkins) responded only in the fall and northern populations only in the spring, but a population in Virginia responded during both seasons. Laboratory studies found that individuals from five southern populations became reproductively mature under 16:8, 12:12, and 8:16 (L:D) photoperiods but weevils in a New York population did not mature under the 8:16 photoperiod. A two-species model based on strict seasonal isolation between northern and southern populations is rejected. Morphometrics revealed significant differences in six body dimensions and three morphometric ratios among 13 populations, but there was no geographic pattern of differences to suggest the existence of two species. Sexual dimorphism in rostrum length was most pronounced in southern populations but occurred in all five populations in which it was investigated. Examination of male and female genitalia revealed similar variation in northern and southern populations and conflicted with previously reported diagnostic differences. Our study and the results of earlier work lead us to conclude that the populations previously represented by the names P. nemorensis and P. approximatus comprise one widely distributed species and display intraspecific variation in life history and morphological characters.


Crustaceana ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (12) ◽  
pp. 1495-1504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajan Kumar ◽  
Shikha Rahangdale ◽  
Subal Kumar Roul

Abstract Albuneid crabs are specialized and active sand-burrowing organisms. Despite their substantial diversity, their ability to avoid fishing gear leads to “under collection” and a discontinuous record of distribution. The present study documents the first distributional record of Albunea occulta Boyko, 2002 from the Bay of Bengal, eastern Indian Ocean. Albunea thurstoni Henderson, 1893 is also recorded for the first time from the area, i.e., from the Gulf of Mannar, southwestern Bay of Bengal. This study further reports variation in morphological characters, especially in the carapace grooves (CG) from previous records and across specimens from different regions. Morphometric characters were found useful in species discrimination, which is explained as well.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-41
Author(s):  
Valentina Nikolaevna Ilina

This paper examines features of the demographic structure of natural populations of a rare representative of the steppe flora Astragalus cornutus Pall. (Fabaceae). The rarity of the species makes it necessary to include it in the Red Books of the Russian Federation and some steppe regions. In the Samara Region, species populations require additional protection in connection with the peculiarities of biology and ecology, a significant anthropogenic load on communities, and a reduction in the number of habitats. We studied the features of the structure of populations in the Samara Trans-Volga Region. A total of 84 cenopopulations were surveyed, tendencies of population change, features of demographic and spatial structure were revealed. The structure of populations is affected by the ecological and phytocenotic conditions of the environment and anthropogenic factors. The replacement and recovery of individuals in A. cornutus populations is slow. The ontogenetic structure of populations has a fluctuation dynamics. Assessment of the studied geographical populations by L.A. Zhivotovsky efficiency criterion (2001) showed that they are all mature. Specific cenopopulations of A. cornutus are aging (5%) and old (8%). The average density of individuals is about 3 individuals/m. The average effective density is 2,4 individuals/m, the largest - 4,1, the smallest - 1,3. The condition of all studied populations (even in a satisfactory state) on the territory of the Samara Region causes alarm. Populations of the species in the region need additional protection measures.


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