Search results for "RAPA"
showing 10 items of 471 documents
Effects of root hemiparasitic infection on host performance: Reduced flower size and increased flower asymmetry
2001
We conducted two pot experiments to examine the relationship between hemiparasitic plant (Rhinanthus serotinus, Scrophulariaceae) infection and host (Linum usitatissimum, Linaceae and Brassica rapa ssp. oleifera, Brassicaceae) performance. We were especially interested in the effects of hemiparasitism on the size and shape asymmetry of host flowers, since neither subject has been studied before. We also conducted a field experiment to examine the effects of shape asymmetry of B. rapa ssp. oleifera flowers on pollination success. The shape of flowers produced by both L. usitatissimum and B. rapa ssp. oleifera plants grown without parasites was less asymmetric, and for both host species, the …
Volatile-mediated foraging behaviour of three parasitoid species under conditions of dual insect herbivore attack
2016
Infochemicals play an important role in structuring intra-and interspecific interactions. Many parasitoid wasp species rely on herbivory or oviposition-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs/OIPVs) to locate their herbivorous hosts, and must cope with variation in the volatile blends due to factors such as plant/host species, herbivore density or attack by several herbivores. However, little is known about how dual herbivory or changes in herbivore density affect multiple parasitoid species, each attacking a different herbivore, in the same system. In a natural system, we investigated the effect of dual attack on the ability of three parasitoid species to differentiate between volatiles induced by …
Improvement of osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells on composite poly l-lactic acid/nano-hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone defe…
2020
Tissue engineering offers new approaches to repair bone defects, which cannot be repaired physiologically, developing scaffolds that mimic bone tissue architecture. Furthermore, biomechanical stimulation induced by bioreactor, provides biomechanical cues that regulate a wide range of cellular events especially required for cellular differentiation and function. The improvement of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) colonization in poly-L-lactic-acid (PLLA)/nano- hydroxyapatite (nHA) composite scaffold was evaluated in terms of cell proliferation (dsDNA content), bone differen- tiation (gene expression and protein synthesis) and ultrastructural analysis by comparing static (s3D) and dynamic…
Origin and distribution of desert ants across the Gibraltar Straits
2017
The creation of geographic barriers has long been suspected to contribute to the formation of new species. We investigated the phylogeography of desert ants in the western Mediterranean basin in order to elucidate their mode of diversification. These insects which have a low dispersal capacity are recently becoming important model systems in evolutionary studies. We conducted an extensive sampling of species belonging to the Cataglyphis albicans group in the Iberian Peninsula (IP) and the northern Morocco (North Africa; NA). We then combined genetic, chemical and morphological analyses. The results suggest the existence of at least three and five clades in the IP and NA, respectively, whose…
Hybridization, ecogeographical displacement and the emergence of new lineages – A genotyping‐by‐sequencing and ecological niche and species distribut…
2021
Ecogeographical displacement of homoploid hybrid lineages from their parents is well documented and considered an important mechanism to achieve reproductive isolation. In this study, we investigated the origin of the flowering plant species Sempervivum tectorum in the Massif Central (France) through homoploid hybridization between lineages of the species from the Rhine Gorge area (Germany) and the Pyrenees (France). We used genotyping-by-sequencing genetic data as evidence for the hybrid origin of the Massif Central lineage, and WorldClim climatic data and soil pH and soil temperature data collected by us for ecological niche and species distribution modelling. We could show that the Massi…
The Leiobunum rupestre species group: resolving the taxonomy of four widespread European taxa (Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae)
2016
Within the central European opilionid fauna the widely used species names Leiobunum rupestre Herbst, 1799 and Leiobunum tisciae Avram, 1968 pose taxonomic and distributional problems. In addition, Nelima apenninica Martens, 1969 is close to L. tisciae in terms of external and genital morphology, but is specifically distinct. While coxal denticulation is largely lacking in N. apenninica, the validity of the genus Nelima Roewer, 1910 is questioned again. In addition, Leiobunum subalpinum Komposch, 1998, a recently described novelty from the eastern Alps, is closely related to L. rupestre. The four species are combined as the morphologically defined Leiobunum rupestre species group. Except for…
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…
Epizoic Algae Distribution on the Carapace and Plastron of the European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis, Linnaeus, 1758): A Study from the Camargue, Fr…
2016
12 pages; International audience; We investigated epizoic algal assemblages on the shell of European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) during two years (2013–2014). A total of 60 Emys orbicularis were captured in the three shallow Mediterranean wetlands located in Camargue. Epizoic algae on the plastron (below the shell) and carapace (above the shell) were sampled, identified and counted. Seventy-seven epizoic algal species were identified on the carapace and plastron and comprised in 51 Bacillariophyta, 11 Chlorophyta, 7 Cyanophyta, 6 Euglenophyta, 1 Dinophyta and1Xanthophyta taxa. Our findings indicated a distinct distribution of epizoic algae according to taxonomical group density; Chlorop…
Pre and post-settlement movements of juvenile green turtles in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean
2018
Abstract Detailed knowledge on migratory routes connecting distant breeding, developmental and foraging areas is a key prerequisite for the successful management of marine vertebrates. The present study combines stable isotopes analysis of carapace scutes and satellite tracking of juvenile green turtles as an experimental approach to understand the pre and post settlement (recruit to neritic habitats) movements in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. To this end, carapace scute biopsies were collected from 20 turtles foraging on coastal rocky outcrops in East Uruguay and sliced in successive 30-μm layers using a cryostat. The δ15N and δ13C values of the newest layer increased significantly with…
Parasitic outbreak of the copepod Balaenophilus manatorum in neonate loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from a head-starting program
2017
Abstract Background Diseases associated to external parasitosis are scarcely reported in sea turtles. During the last decades several organism have been documented as a part of normal epibiont community connected to sea turtles. The copepod Balaenophilus manatorum has been cited as a part of epibiont fauna with some concern about its parasitic capacity. This study serves three purposes, i.e. (i) it sheds light on the type of life style that B. manatorum has developed with its hosts, particularly turtles; (ii) it makes a cautionary note of the potential health risks associated with B. manatorum in sea turtles under captivity conditions and in the wild, and (iii) it provides data on effective…