Genetic structure of Orbicella faveolata population reveals high connectivity among a marine protected area and Varadero Reef in the Colombian Caribbean

1. The protection of ecosystems with high diversity, such as coral reefs, is not an approach that guarantees their conservation. Thus, maintaining connectivity among coral populations over the long term is a strategy that should be adopted in order to protect diversity and ecological processes. Although coral reefs in Colombia are highly diverse, the population genetics baseline data of keystone species such as Orbicella faveolata are limited.
2. To provide current information about the connectivity between populations of O. faveolata in the Colombian Caribbean, the genetic diversity and distribution of O. faveolata was evaluated with analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), principal components, and migration estimations using 113 genets distributed in six populations. Also, a genetic structure analysis that included the available data for the Caribbean population was conducted, seeking to understand how the Colombian populations relate to the broader region.
3. According to the global fixation index (F_ST) for the Colombian Caribbean, there was no genetic structure (F_ST = 0.002). Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) showed that Corales del Rosario Archipelago (CR), Este de Isla Fuerte (EIF), San Bernardo Archipelago (SB), and Varadero Reef (VR) were grouped with Oeste de Isla Fuerte (OIF), with Bushnell (BS) representing the most divergent cluster. Migration analysis showed relatively high migration from VR to CR and SB, highlighting the importance of VR as a genetic reservoir for the region. Structure analysis showed that the Colombian population presented a specific genetic identity (F_ST = 0.254), suggesting that the Colombian Caribbean population could be a peripheral population that contributes significantly to genetic variation and is connected through a complex connectivity process.
4. In conclusion, the estimated genetic connectivity reflects the influence of sea surface dynamics over the interpopulation exchange dynamics and the role of protected and nonprotected coral reef in the Colombian Caribbean. Thus, the Colombian Caribbean population of O. faveolata could be relevant to the conservation of genetic diversity on a larger scale.

     

Evaluating Binary Sorption of Phenol/Aniline fromAqueous Solutions onto Granular Activated Carbon and Hypercrosslinked Polymeric Resin (MN200)

Sorption equilibrium of phenol and aniline onto the granular activated carbon and hyperreticulated un-functionalized polymeric resin (MN200) was investigated in single and binary component aqueous systems. Higher loading was obtained for aniline than phenol onto both sorbents, which is probably due to hydrophobic difference between both solutes and the greater electronic density of the aromatic ring of the aniline. Granular activated carbon reported larger uptake than resin MN200 for both solutes, which may be attributed to the better physical properties of the granular activated carbon, for instance, larger surface area. The experimental sorption could be properly described by the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Five models for predicting the binary equilibrium sorption isotherm were compared in order to determine the best fit model to correlate binary experimental data: the extended Langmuir isotherm with and without a constant interaction factor, a simplified model based on the single equilibrium factors, the empirical extended Freundlich isotherm and the modified extended Langmuir equation, which considers the synergistic interactions between sorbate–sorbate and not only the competition between them defined by the extended Langmuir model. The modified extended Langmuir model provides the best agreement between predicted and experimental data indicating that the synergistic interactions between solutes play an important role in the binary phenol/aniline sorption system.     

Weaning of the wedge sole <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dicologoglossa cuneata</Emphasis> (Moreau): influence of initial size on survival and growth

The weaning phase can be decisive in fish-culture viability. In this work, the relationship between the initial size and weaning success has been studied in wedge sole (Dicologoglossa cuneata). For each age (30, 50, and 70 days after hatching, DAH), two to three sizes were selected, and all were put on the same feeding schedule for 20 days. Each batch (three replicates) was sampled at 1, 10, and 20 days. Specific growth rate (SGR) and survival were compared at the end of the co-feeding period, after 10 days on dry feed only. The best results for survival and growth were found with the smallest larvae, and vice versa. The SGRs and survival rates recorded during the co-feeding period were higher (0.8–15.6 day⁻¹ and 68.3–97.8%) than those from the dry-food phase (0.9–4.7 day⁻¹ and 56.3–66.7%). Successful weaning (survival = 65% and SGR = 9.3 day⁻¹) is possible with 30 DAH larvae (7.6–8.1 mm and 3.9–4.6 mg). In conclusion, the most effective weaning would be possible at 30 DAH, implying significant Artemia savings (25–50%).     

基于SIRMOD模型的畦灌入渗参数估算及灌溉模拟

土壤入渗参数是地面灌溉中制定灌溉制度、评价灌水质量的重要指标。针对现有估算方法存在计算工作量较大、精度不高的现状,根据田间实测资料,利用SIRMOD模型,对小麦畦灌条件下田间土壤入渗参数进行了估算。与用Maheshwari法计算结果较为接近,差异均在2.0%以内。根据估算的土壤入渗参数,应用SIRMOD模型进行了多组合灌溉模拟,在保证灌水质量较高的条件下,得出了在不同亏缺水量时的适宜灌水量和灌水流量,通过田间实例验证表明模拟效果较好。     

Field attraction of Cerambyx welensii to fermentation odors and host monoterpenes

Cerambyx welensii Küster is one of the greatest threats to Quercus suber L. and Quercus ilex L. in Spain. Efficient control methods for this species are currently being tested, and the use of traps baited with food-related products for their monitoring and control has been proposed. Cerambyx welensii adults prefer to colonize old or decayed trees, in which cortical exudates frequently release fermentation odors. Fermentation-related compounds, such as ethanol, have been cited as attractants to various hardwood woodborers (as Cerambyx cerdo L.), used either alone or sometimes in combination with other host odors. In this work, we conducted field experiments to ascertain whether chemical blends mimicking fermentation odors were attractive for C. welensii. To this end, we used three types of traps (multiple funnel, cross-vane and single-funnel) baited with six synthetic blends including one or more fermentation-related chemicals (ethanol, ethyl acetate, 3-methyl-1-butanol, acetaldehyde, 2-methyl-1-propanol and 2-methyl-1-butanol), various food-related products (beer, melon and red wine mixed with peach juice) and host monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, α-phellandrene and camphene). At high release rates (5–11 g/day), various synthetic blends proved attractive irrespective of trap type. Our results contribute to understand the impact of volatile organic compounds in host selection by woodborers infesting deciduous trees. The results hold promise for optimizing trapping strategies to control C. welensii within an integrated pest management framework.     

Effects of type of added salt and ionic strength on physicochemical and functional properties of casein isolates produced by electroacidification

A procedure developed for soybean protein precipitation which was based on electrodialysis was tested for the production of acid casein from reconstituted skim milk. In a previous paper, the performance of bipolar membrane electroacidification (BMEA) was evaluated under different conditions of ionic strength (micro(added) = 0, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 M) and added salt (CaCl(2), NaCl, or KCl) (1). The aim of this study, which is the complement of the work on evaluation of BMEA performance, was to evaluate the functionality of the protein isolates produced by BMEA and to compare the BMEA isolates to commercial isolates and an isolate produced by chemical acidification. It was not possible to show differences between the functional properties of isolates produced by BMEA, except at 1 M CaCl(2) micro(added), due to the variability of the isolates. However, the results showed that it is possible to obtain isolates similar to commercial isolates and that the addition of salt during the process does not induce variations in functional properties. From results on mineral concentrations, it appeared that the addition of monovalent cations did not influence the retention of monovalent or divalent cations in the BMEA isolates, while addition of divalent cations (CaCl(2)) influenced the retention of magnesium. According to previous results on evaluation of BMEA performances under different conditions of ionic strength and added salt, the difference observed for the BMEA isolate produced at 1.0 M CaCl(2) was confirmed.     

Do mature pine plantations resemble deciduous natural forests regarding understory plant diversity and canopy structure in historically modified landscapes?

We compared the structure of the arboreal layer and the diversity and species composition of the understory vegetation of three types of mature forest communities: oak (Quercus pyrenaica) and beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) plantations. Our main aim was to determine whether differences in these variables existed and were due to the identity of the dominant tree species. We selected four stands or replicates per forest type located geographically close and with relatively similar conditions. We found no differences in the arboreal structure of oak and beech forests, which were characterised by great variability in tree size, while in case of plantations, this variability was lower at both the intra-stand (estimated by the coefficient of variation) and inter-stand (i.e. the four replicates harboured trees of similar sizes) scales. However, the highest variability in the canopy layer of natural forests was not consistently linked to greater understory species richness. Indeed, the lowest plant species richness was found in beech forests, while oak forests harboured the highest value at either the sampling unit (per m²) or stand scales. The greatest negative correlation between plant diversity and the environmental variables measured was found for litter depth, which was the highest in beech forests. The results obtained by the CCA indicated that the four replicates of each forest type clustered together, due to the presence of characteristic species. We concluded that pine plantations did not approach the environmental conditions of native forests, as plantations were characterised by singular understory species composition and low arboreal layer variability, compared to natural woodlands.     

Sclerotinia resistance in sunflower: I. Genotypic variations of hybrids in three environments of Argentina

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infections on sunflower capitula produce white rot, one of the most dangerous diseases sunflower bears in all humid areas. Therefore, disease quantification on developed genetic materials is a very important action in sunflower breeding. Given the horizontal type of resistance these evaluations should be made in different environments. Several hybrids obtained after crossing seven female × seven male sunflower inbred lines in a factorial mating design were evaluated for resistance to white rot in two locations in the southeast of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Disease incidence and the symptom appearance index indicated significant genotypic effects and genotype × environment (G × E) interactions. Genotypic effects were a greater source of variance than the G × E interaction effects. The G × E interactions only represented changes in magnitude. These results were used to identify the best genotypes for both resistance factors. Four hybrids showed low disease incidence values under both artificial and natural infections, of which only two had high values of the symptom appearance index at both locations. These hybrids are considered to have adequate resistance attributes for the ascosporic penetration and the mycelium extension in the capitulum tissue and could therefore be sown in the province of Buenos Aires without increasing risks of S. sclerotiorum attacks.     

Impact of reduced dietary crude protein levels and phytase enzyme supplementation on growth response,slurry characteristics,and gas emissions of growing pigs

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of reduced dietary crude protein (CP) levels supplemented with or without exogenous phytase on growing pigs. Six dietary treatments arranged in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangements of 3 CP levels (containing 14%, 16%, and 18% CP) supplemented each with or without 5,000 FTU/g phytase enzyme. Thirty growing pigs (average weight of 17.80 ± 0.10 kg) were allotted to the six dietary treatments in a complete randomized design. The final weight, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased significantly with increasing CP levels. While, phytase supplementation improved (p = .044) FCR in pigs. Total solid and volatile solid content of the slurry were higher (p = .001) in pigs fed 14% and 16% CP diets supplemented with phytase when compared with other treatment groups. Concentration of methane gas emitted was lowest (p = .001) in the slurry of pigs fed 14% CP diet with or without phytase and those fed 16% CP diet with phytase supplementation. In conclusion, reduction in dietary CP levels resulted in reduced weight gain and poor FCR. While, reduced CP with phytase supplementation reduced concentration of methane gas emitted.