Search results for "Biochemistry"
showing 10 items of 20172 documents
Differential performance of a specialist and two generalist herbivores and their parasitoids on Plantago lanceolata
2011
The ability to cope with plant defense chemicals differs between specialist and generalist species. In this study, we examined the effects of the concentration of the two main iridoid glycosides (IGs) in Plantago lanceolata, aucubin and catalpol, on the performance of a specialist and two generalist herbivores and their respective endoparasitoids. Development of the specialist herbivore Melitaea cinxia was unaffected by the total leaf IG concentration in its host plant. By contrast, the generalist herbivores Spodoptera exigua and Chrysodeixis chalcites showed delayed larval and pupal development on plant genotypes with high leaf IG concentrations, respectively. This result is in line with t…
Gibberellic acid in Citrus spp. flowering and fruiting: A systematic review
2019
[EN] Background In Citrus spp., gibberellic acid (GA) has been proposed to improve different processes related to crop cycle and yield. Accordingly, many studies have been published about how GA affects flowering and fruiting. Nevertheless, some such evidence is contradictory and the use of GA applications by farmers are still confusing and lack the expected results. Purpose This review aims to collate, present, analyze and synthesize the most relevant empirical evidence to answer the following questions: (i) how does gibberellic acid act on flowering and fruiting of citrus trees?; (ii) why is all this knowledge sometimes not correctly used by farmers to solve yield problems relating to flo…
Predator–vole interactions in northern Europe: the role of small mustelids revised
2014
The cyclic population dynamics of vole and predator communities is a key phenomenon in northern ecosystems, and it appears to be influenced by climate change. Reports of collapsing rodent cycles have attributed the changes to warmer winters, which weaken the interaction between voles and their specialist subnivean predators. Using population data collected throughout Finland during 1986–2011, we analyse the spatio-temporal variation in the interactions between populations of voles and specialist, generalist and avian predators, and investigate by simulations the roles of the different predators in the vole cycle. We test the hypothesis that vole population cyclicity is dependent on predator…
From arctic lemmings to adaptive dynamics: Charles Elton's legacy in population ecology.
2001
We shall examine the impact of Charles S. Elton's 1924 article on periodic fluctuations in animal populations on the development of modern population ecology. We argue that his impact has been substantial and that during the past 75 years of research on multi-annual periodic fluctuations in numbers of voles, lemmings, hares, lynx and game animals he has contributed much to the contemporary understanding of the causes and consequences of population regulation. Elton was convinced that the cause of the regular fluctuations was climatic variation. To support this conclusion, he examined long-term population data then available. Despite his firm belief in a climatic cause of the self-repeating …
Arginase induction represses gall development during clubroot infection in Arabidopsis.
2012
Arginase induction can play a defensive role through the reduction of arginine availability for phytophageous insects. Arginase activity is also induced during gall growth caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae infection in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana; however, its possible role in this context has been unclear. We report here that the mutation of the arginase-encoding gene ARGAH2 abrogates clubroot-induced arginase activity and results in enhanced gall size in infected roots, suggesting that arginase plays a defensive role. Induction of arginase activity in infected roots was impaired in the jar1 mutant, highlighting a link between the arginase response to clubroot and jasmonate signaling. C…
Synchronous attack is advantageous: mixed genotype infections lead to higher infection success in trematode parasites
2011
Co-infecting parasite genotypes typically compete for host resources limiting their fitness. The intensity of such competition depends on whether parasites are reproducing in a host, or using it primarily as a transmission vehicle while not multiplying in host tissues (referred to as ‘competition hypothesis’). Alternatively, simultaneous attack and co-infection by several parasite genotypes might facilitate parasite infection because such a diverse attack could present an additional challenge to host immune defence (referred to as ‘facilitation hypothesis’). We tested the competition hypothesis by comparing the production of transmission stages (cercariae) from snails infected with one or …
Surgical implantation of electronic tags does not induce medium-term effect: insights from growth and stress physiological profile in two marine fish…
2020
Abstract Background Telemetry applied to aquatic organisms has recently developed greatly. Physiological sensors have been increasingly used as tools for fish welfare monitoring. However, for the technology to be used as a reliable welfare indicator, it is important that the tagging procedure does not disrupt fish physiology, behaviour and performance. In this communication, we share our medium-term data on stress physiological profile and growth performance after surgical tag implantation in two important marine fish species for European aquaculture, the sea bream (Sparus aurata) and the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Results Blood samples after surgical tag implantation (46 day…
A Robust and All-Inclusive Pipeline for Shuffling of Adeno-Associated Viruses.
2018
Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are attractive templates for engineering of synthetic gene delivery vectors. A particularly powerful technology for breeding of novel vectors with improved properties is DNA family shuffling, i.e., generation of chimeric capsids by homology-driven DNA recombination. Here, to make AAV DNA shuffling available to a wider community, we present a robust experimental and bioinformatical pipeline comprising: (i) standardized and partially codon-optimized plasmids carrying 12 different AAV capsid genes; (ii) a scalable protocol including troubleshooting guide for viral library production; and (iii) the freely available software SALANTO for comprehensive analysis of ch…
Incidental catch of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) along the Sicilian coasts by longline fishery
2018
It has been estimated that 44,000 Caretta caretta turtles die every year due to anthropomorphic activity in the Mediterranean Sea, and that longline fishing is one of the most significant causes of mortality. A total of 482 specimens of C. caretta were rescued from different parts of the Sicilian coast (Mediterranean Sea) from 2014 to 2016. The most numerous stranding was recorded during the spring and summer seasons, mainly along the north and eastern coasts of Sicily. The curved carapace length for all the specimens ranged from between 19 and 95 cm and most of these were young or sub adults. The highest number of strandings was recorded in 2014 and 2015, with 206 and 169 individuals, resp…
Covariation in population trends and demography reveals targets for conservation action
2021
Wildlife conservation policies directed at common and widespread, but declining, species are difficult to design and implement effectively, as multiple environmental changes are likely to contribute to population declines. Conservation actions ultimately aim to influence demographic rates, but targeting actions towards feasible improvements in these is challenging in widespread species with ranges that encompass a wide range of environmental conditions. Across Europe, sharp declines in the abundance of migratory landbirds have driven international calls for action, but actions that could feasibly contribute to population recovery have yet to be identified. Targeted actions to improve condit…