Search results for "anima"
showing 10 items of 22401 documents
On personality, energy metabolism and mtDNA introgression in bank voles
2014
Consistent interindividual differences in behaviour, or animal personality, are emerging as an important determinant of a wide range of life history traits and fitness. Individual behaviour, however, may be constrained by between-individual variability in energy metabolism and may become unstable owing to intrinsic and extrinsic stressors. Here we tested the relationship between personality and physiology using wild-caught bank voles, Myodes glareolus, that varied according to mtDNA type (original or introgressed from Myodes rutilus). Personality traits and their within-individual consistency were assessed using an open field test and basal metabolic rate (BMR) was measured in an open-flow …
Demosponge EST sequencing reveals a complex genetic toolkit of the simplest metazoans.
2010
Sponges (Porifera) are among the simplest living and the earliest branching metazoans. They hold a pivotal role for studying genome evolution of the entire metazoan branch, both as an outgroup to Eumetazoa and as the closest branching phylum to the common ancestor of all multicellular animals (Urmetazoa). In order to assess the transcription inventory of sponges, we sequenced expressed sequence tag libraries of two demosponge species, Suberites domuncula and Lubomirskia baicalensis, and systematically analyzed the assembled sponge transcripts against their homologs from complete proteomes of six well-characterized metazoans--Nematostella vectensis, Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanog…
Reciprocal Interaction Matrix Reveals Complex Genetic and Dose-Dependent Specificity among Coinfecting Parasites
2012
Understanding genetic specificity in factors determining the outcome of host-parasite interactions is especially important as it contributes to parasite epidemiology, virulence, and maintenance of genetic variation. Such specificity, however, is still generally poorly understood. We examined genetic specificity in interactions among coinfecting parasites. In natural populations, individual hosts are often simultaneously infected by multiple parasite species and genotypes that interact. Such interactions could maintain genetic variation in parasite populations if they are genetically specific so that the relative fitness of parasite genotypes varies across host individuals depending on (1) t…
Evidence for a recent horizontal transmission and spatial spread of Wolbachia from endemic Rhagoletis cerasi (Diptera: Tephritidae) to invasive Rhago…
2013
The widespread occurrence of Wolbachia in arthropods and nematodes suggests that this intracellular, maternally inherited endosymbiont has the ability to cross species boundaries. However, direct evidence for such a horizontal transmission of Wolbachia in nature is scarce. Here, we compare the well-characterized Wolbachia infection of the European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi, with that of the North American eastern cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cingulata, recently introduced to Europe. Molecular genetic analysis of Wolbachia based on multilocus sequence typing and the Wolbachia surface protein wsp showed that all R. cingulata individuals are infected with wCin2 identical to wCer2 in …
Frequency and density-dependent selection on life-history strategies--a field experiment.
2008
Negative frequency-dependence, which favors rare genotypes, promotes the maintenance of genetic variability and is of interest as a potential explanation for genetic differentiation. Density-dependent selection may also promote cyclic changes in frequencies of genotypes. Here we show evidence for both density-dependent and negative frequency-dependent selection on opposite life-history tactics (low or high reproductive effort, RE) in the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). Density-dependent selection was evident among the females with low RE, which were especially favored in low densities. Instead, both negative frequency-dependent and density-dependent selection were shown in females with high R…
Prevalence of infection as a predictor of multiple genotype infection frequency in parasites with multiple-host life cycle.
2012
In nature, parasites commonly share hosts with other conspecific parasite genotypes. While adult parasites typically show aggregated distribution in their final hosts, aggregation of clonal parasite genotypes in intermediate hosts, such as those of trematodes in molluscs, is not generally known. However, infection of a host by multiple parasite genotypes has significant implications for evolution of virulence and host-parasite coevolution. Aggregated distribution of the clonal stages can increase host mortality and reduce larval output of each infecting genotype through interclonal competition, and therefore have significant implications for parasite epidemiology. The aim of this study was …
Grazing and abandonment determine different tree dynamics in wood-pastures
2016
Wood-pastures are threatened biotopes in which trees and livestock grazing maintain high conservation values. However, browsing may threaten tree regeneration, whereas abandonment leads to tree encroachment. We studied the regeneration of trees in a grazed and abandoned boreal wood-pastures. In grazed sites, the density of young spruces (Picea abies) was high, while the density of young birches (Betula spp.) was very low. Sprucification can be prevented only by removing spruces. The number of young birches and pines (Pinus sylvestris) was correlated with the number of junipers (Juniperus communis), probably because thorny junipers protect palatable seedlings from browsing. In abandoned site…
HIDROZOOS DE LA FAMILIA AGLAOPHENIIDAE DE LA PLATAFORMA CONTINENTAL Y TALUD SUPERIOR DEL CARIBE COLOMBIANO
2016
A taxonomic study of hydroids of the Aglaopheniidae family collected on soft bottoms of Colombian Caribbean Sea between 20 and 500 m depth in March 2001 was made. Two genera and six species were found, highlighting Aglaophenia elongata, A. lophocarpa and A. tridentata as new records for Colombian waters. Additionally, the bathymetric distribution for Aglaophenia latecarinata and A. tridentata was expanded. In general, morphological characters of the species studied did not show significant differences regarding the taxonomic descriptions made by other authors. This report contains taxonomic files and images of the species described and annotations about general composition, distribution and…
The Effect of Echinorhynchus borealis (Acanthocephala) Infection on the Anti-Predator Behavior of a Benthic Amphipod
2008
In benthic habitats, predators can generally not be detected visually, so olfaction may be particularly important for inducing anti-predation behaviors in prey organisms. Manipulative parasites infecting benthic hosts could suppress these responses so as to increase the probability of predation and thus trophic transmission. We studied how infection with the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus borealis affects the response of the benthic amphipod Pallasea quadrispinosa to water conditioned by burbot (Lota lota), the parasite's definitive host. In normal lake water, refuge use by infected and uninfected amphipods was similar, but when exposed to burbot-conditioned water, uninfected amphipods spen…
Element-specific behaviour and sediment properties modulate transfer and bioaccumulation of trace elements in a highly-contaminated area (Augusta Bay…
2017
Abstract High sediment contamination in the coastal area of Priolo Bay, adjacent to the highly-polluted Augusta Harbour, poses serious risks for the benthic communities inhabiting the area. Nevertheless, the transfer of trace elements and consequent bioaccumulation in the biota is an overlooked issue. This study aimed to assess the transfer and bioaccumulation patterns of As, Cd, Ni and Hg to the dominant macroalgae and benthic invertebrates of Priolo Bay. Results revealed different patterns among trace elements (TEs), not driven by sediment contamination but rather by element-specific behaviour coupled with sediment physicochemical properties. Specifically, As accumulated in macroalgae but…