Search results for "I+D+i"

Genomic stability through time despite decades of exploitation in cod on both sides of the Atlantic

2021

Significance Both theory and experiments suggest that fishing can drive the evolution of an earlier maturation age. However, determining whether changes in the wild are the result of fisheries-induced evolution has been difficult. Temporal, genome-wide datasets can directly reveal responses to selection. Here, we investigate the genomes of two wild Atlantic cod populations from samples that pre- and postdate periods of intensive fishing. Although phenotypic changes suggest fisheries-induced evolution, we do not find evidence for any strong genomic change or loss of genetic diversity. While evolution could have occurred through undetectable frequency changes at many loci, the irreversible lo…

Experimental evidence suggests that specular reflectance and glossy appearance help amplify warning signals

2017

AbstractSpecular reflection appears as a bright spot or highlight on any smooth glossy convex surface and is caused by a near mirror-like reflectance off the surface. Convex shapes always provide the ideal geometry for highlights, areas of very strong reflectance, regardless of the orientation of the surface or position of the receiver. Despite highlights and glossy appearance being common in chemically defended insects, their potential signalling function is unknown. We tested the role of highlights in warning colouration of a chemically defended, alpine leaf beetle, Oreina cacaliae. We reduced the beetles’ glossiness, hence their highlights, by applying a clear matt finish varnish on thei…

Erwinia carotovora subsp. odorifera subsp.nov., associated with odorous soft rot of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)

1992

Eleven strains of Erwinia carotovora that were isolated mainly, but not exclusively, from slimy rot of witloof chicory and were previously designated “atypical” E. carotovora subsp. atroseptica strains were characterized and compared with strains of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora, E. carotovora subsp. atroseptica, and Erwinia chrysanthemi (including the type strains). The 11 atypical E. carotovora subsp. atroseptica strains produced a typical bananalike odor when they were inoculated onto witloof chicory leaves. DNA-DNA homology experiments, biochemical tests, tests to determine carbon utilization patterns, and tests to identify the volatile metabolites produced from rotting witloofs were …

The combined effect on initial glucose concentration and pH control strategies for acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by Clostridium acetobut…

2021

Abstract The use and depletion of fossil fuels raised the interest in biofuels like biobutanol. Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 792 is capable of producing biobutanol through ABE fermentation. Butanol production can be influenced by low sugar concentrations, like those obtained after hydrolysis of pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the initial glucose concentrations (33, 66 and 100 g L−1) and pH control strategies on biobutanol production and glucose consumption. Uncontrolled pH fermentation exhibited low butanol production due to either glucose exhaustion (33 g L−1) or the phenomenon of acid crash (66 and 100 g L−1), which was alleviated by th…

How do organisms adapt to climate change? : chromosomal inversions in 'Drosophila subobscura': The case of Serbian populations

2015

It is well known that chromosomal inversions in natural populations of the species Drosophila subobscura are adaptations to changes in the environment. It has been observed that inversions change in frequency over time and that they are so far following the pattern expected given the global warming of our planet. These results have been brought to light by our research on Serbian populations of D. subobscura. We found that inversion-related changes in chromosomal polymorphisms depended on the season of the year and in the long term (10-15 year periods) they followed what we would expect given global warming. Therefore, chromosomal inversions in this species are good indicators of climate ch…

2019

Honeybees use the waggle dance to share information about food-site locations with nestmates. However, the importance of this behavior in colony foraging success remains unclear. We tested whether spatial dance information affects colony foraging success in a human-modified temperate environment by comparing colonies with oriented and disoriented dances. Notably, colonies with disoriented dances had greater foraging success. Over time, bees exposed to disoriented dances showed reduced interest in dancing nestmates. This may explain why disoriented colonies had a higher foraging rate than oriented colonies, as bees did not waste time waiting for information. This change in information-use st…

2020

Thorny-headed worms (Acanthocephala) are endoparasites exploiting Mandibulata (Arthropoda) and Gnathostomata (Vertebrata). Despite their world-wide occurrence and economic relevance as a pest, genome and transcriptome assemblies have not been published before. However, such data might hold clues for a sustainable control of acanthocephalans in animal production. For this reason, we present the first draft of an acanthocephalan nuclear genome, besides the mitochondrial one, using the fish parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis (Palaeacanthocephala) as a model. Additionally, we have assembled and annotated the transcriptome of this species and the proteins encoded. A hybrid assembly of long and short…

2013

Parasitized individuals are often expected to be poor competitors because they are weakened by infections. Many trematode species, however, although extensively exploiting their mollusc hosts, also induce gigantism (increased host size) by diverting host resources towards growth instead of reproduction. In such systems, alternatively to reduced competitive ability due to negative effects of parasitism on host performance, larger size could allow more efficient resource acquisition and thus increase the relative competitive ability of host individuals. We addressed this hypothesis by testing the effect of a trematode parasite Diplostomum pseudospathaceum on the competitive ability of its sna…

Debating Sexual Selection and Mating Strategies

2006

Published at full length with the title 'Reproductive behaviour: sexual selection remains the best explanation' in Science E-letters, 6 April 2006

2019

Aposematic organisms couple conspicuous warning signals with a secondary defense to deter predators from attacking. Novel signals of aposematic prey are expected to be selected against due to positive frequency-dependent selection. How, then, can novel phenotypes persist after they arise, and why do so many aposematic species exhibit intrapopulation signal variability? Using a polytypic poison frog ( Dendrobates tinctorius ), we explored the forces of selection on variable aposematic signals using 2 phenotypically distinct (white, yellow) populations. Contrary to expectations, local phenotype was not always better protected compared to novel phenotypes in either population; in the white po…