The composition and density of seeds in soils of secondary forests derived on abandoned fields after 4, 9 and 14 years of aban- donment were quantified to examine whether the soil seed bank assembles during secondary ...The composition and density of seeds in soils of secondary forests derived on abandoned fields after 4, 9 and 14 years of aban- donment were quantified to examine whether the soil seed bank assembles during secondary succession as the plant communities assemble. A total of 18, 37 and 48 soil samples from 4-, 9- and 14-year old sites, respectively were collected in 15 cm × 15 cm plots up to 9 cm depth. A total of 3, 5 and 9 species were found on sites abandoned 4, 9 and 14 years ago, respectively, Among different life forms, trees were highly represented in the soil seed bank of 9-year （60%） and 14-year （33%） old sites compared to 4-year old site entirely dominated by non- woody flora. The total number of seeds ranged from 327 in the 4-year old site to 146 in the 14-year old site, and the corresponding density of viable seeds ranged from 141 seeds m^-2 in the 4- year old site to 26 seeds m^-2 in the 14-year old site with a consistent decreasing pattern in the chronosequence. The similarity between the soil seed flora and the standing woody vegetation was low for both 9- and 14-year old sites while complete dissimilarity was found for 4-year old site. We concluded that the species composition of soil seed banks assemble gradually during secondary succession, but the overall seed density is still low for natural regeneration of trees to rely on. To expedite the recovery of secondary forests on such abandoned fields, the seed bank needs to be supplemented by direct seeding, enrichment planting of desired species and installing artificial perches for facilitating seed dispersal.展开更多
Olfactory cues that indicate predation risk elicit a number of defensive behaviors in fishes, but whether they are sufficient to also induce morphological defenses has received little attention. Cichlids are character...Olfactory cues that indicate predation risk elicit a number of defensive behaviors in fishes, but whether they are sufficient to also induce morphological defenses has received little attention. Cichlids are characterized by a high level of morphological plasticity during development, and the few species that have been tested do exhibit defensive behaviors when exposed to alarm cues released from the damaged skin of conspecifics. We utilized young juvenile Nicaragua cichlids Hypsophrys nicaraguensis to test if the perception of predation risk from alarm cue （conspecific skin extract） alone induces an increased relative body depth which is a defense against gape-limited predators. After two weeks of exposure, siblings that were exposed to conspecific alarm cue increased their relative body depth nearly double the amount of those exposed to distilled water （control） and zebrafish Danio rerio alarm cue. We repeated our measurements over the last two weeks （12 and 14） of cue exposure when the fish were late-stage juveniles to test if the rate of increase was sustained; there were no differences in final dimensions between the three treatments. Our results show that 1） the Nicaragua cichlid has an innate response to conspecific alarm cue which is not a generalized response to an injured fish, and 2） this innate recognition ultimately results in developing a deeper body at a stage of the life history where predation risk is high [Current Zoology 56 （1）： 36-42, 2010].展开更多
This study was conducted to provide a five-year database on the breeding seasonality and breeding biology of a Central American cichlid fish Neetroplus nematopus, a biparental substratum-spawning cichlid that cares fo...This study was conducted to provide a five-year database on the breeding seasonality and breeding biology of a Central American cichlid fish Neetroplus nematopus, a biparental substratum-spawning cichlid that cares for its eggs, wrigglers, and fry for up to six weeks. A total of 503 breeding pairs were monitored for breeding success. Breeding pairs of N. nematopus are sexually dimorphic in size, with females averaging 39% of male body mass. Fry emerged from 85% of nesting cavities. After three weeks, only 30% of the broods were present in the nesting cavity; these broods had a 30% survival rate, giving a 9% overall survival rate. Nineteen percent of the successful parents with three-week-old broods adopted foreign fry. A consistent unimodal breeding peak in December was observed for five years. This breeding peak differed dramatically from the bimodal breeding season 20 years found in the 1970s. The effects of extensive grenade fishing practices during the 1980s might have played a substantial role in the observed change. Grenade fishing stopped in 1991, and the number ofN. nematopus pairs increased by 136% from 1990 to 1995. With increased density of breeding fish, the breeding season for this species also expanded. The balance between divergent selection due to competition for breeding sites and stabilizing selection due to predation pressure on offspring is likely to mold the breeding season for N. nematopus and other cichlids of Lake Xilofi. We suggest that brood adoption and synchrony of breeding is a strategy to reduce predation on the parent＇s own young [Current Zoology 56 （1）： 43-51 2010].展开更多
A study was conducted to examine the natural regeneration of three dry forest species, Lysiloma divaricatum （Jacq.）, Tabebuia ochracea （Cham.） and Lonchocarpus minimiflorus （Donn. Sin.） over a three-year period ...A study was conducted to examine the natural regeneration of three dry forest species, Lysiloma divaricatum （Jacq.）, Tabebuia ochracea （Cham.） and Lonchocarpus minimiflorus （Donn. Sin.） over a three-year period and to analyze heterogeneity of regeneration in relationship to topographic slope and incidence of light in Chacocente Wildlife Reserve in Nicaragua. Permanent sample plots were established in 2001, and all individuals with height as low as 10 cm and diameter as large as 10 cm were recorded for three consecutive years from 2001 to 2003. The results show that the density of naturally regenerated individuals varied significantly among species, as well as over time. L. minimiflorus and T. ochracea had higher densities compared with L. divaricatum, and the net change in population density was slightly positive for T. ochracea only. Regeneration was more abundant in the gentle and steep slopes under partial exposure of the crown to sunlight, thus resulting in aggregated pattern of distribution, especially for L. minimiflorus and T. ochracea. We concluded that natural regeneration alone is not sufficient to maintain the desired number of stocks of these species, and an immediate restoration measure should be taken to assist the natural regeneration process.展开更多
The challenge to increase the efficiency in food production level in Nigeria appears to be more urgent now than it has ever been in the history of the country. This is in view of the rapidly increasing population, the...The challenge to increase the efficiency in food production level in Nigeria appears to be more urgent now than it has ever been in the history of the country. This is in view of the rapidly increasing population, the imminent decline in international economic and food aid and the need to conserve foreign exchange earnings through the production of raw materials to feed the growing industrial sector calls for urgent attention. The study was carded out in Ogun State. The descriptive statistics was used to determine the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. The stochastic frontiers production analysis was applied to estimate the technical, allocative efficiency and economic efficiency among the fish farmers in the state. The results of economic efficiency revealed that fish farming is economically efficient with a range of between 55% and 84% efficiency level suggesting a favourable hope for the agro-allied industry such as poultry and cottage industries etc in the state. The result of hypothesis of inefficiency sources models showed that years of experience of fish farmers is significant at 1% probability level indicating the factor contributing to the fish farming experience in the state. Thus, the efficiency is due to the fact that farmers are experienced and fairly educated. On the basis of findings, policy is suggested to be directed towards the encouragement of entrepreneurs in fish farming in the state by providing enabling environment like credit facilities, public enlightenment programme and provision of social amenities like feeder roads, pipe-born water etc and given the fact that an increase in the level of formal education variable leads to less inefficiency, government policy should be focused on adopting the best technology （e.g. fast growing species and equipment ） so as to improve the level of efficiency and investment which shall eventually lead to growth in output of fish fanning and a lead to the establishment of agro-allied industries in the state.展开更多
The research aimed to determine the effect of feed supplements of cassava （Manihot esculenta Crantz） leaves, gliricidia （Gliricidia sepeum） leaves and katuk （Sauropus androgynus （L.） Merr.） leaves on the hemat...The research aimed to determine the effect of feed supplements of cassava （Manihot esculenta Crantz） leaves, gliricidia （Gliricidia sepeum） leaves and katuk （Sauropus androgynus （L.） Merr.） leaves on the hematology of lactating buffalo. Four lactating buffaloes in Kanagarian Pamatang Panjang, Sijunjung district, West Sumatera, Indonesia were studied. The experiment used a Latin square design with four treatments and four replications/block. The treatments were control （without supplementary foliage, A）, with cassava leaves （B）, with gliricidia leaves （C） and with katuk leaves （D） each at 5 kg/haead/day. The hematology variables measured were erythrocytes and leucocytes counts, as well as levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit. The results showed that supplementary foliage of 5 kg/head/day of cassava, gliricidia or katuk as leaves significantly increased the erythrocytes count and hemoglobin level, but did not affect the number of leucocytes in lactating buffalo.展开更多
This application note discusses the preliminary results of paleomagnetics studies of several incisions of the Paleozoic period the territory of Armenia and neighboring regions （Minor Caucasus）. It is supposed that b...This application note discusses the preliminary results of paleomagnetics studies of several incisions of the Paleozoic period the territory of Armenia and neighboring regions （Minor Caucasus）. It is supposed that before the Permian period the Armenian-lranian Mezocontinent was uniform with Afro-Arabia and only at the end of the late Paleozoic the formed Mesozoic ocean separated these areas from each other. A result of application of the complex laboratory investigations were identified from samples of primary magnetization the direction of which corresponds to the time of formation of the studied rocks. On the basis of paleomagnetic researches of Triassic, Permian, Devonian, Carbonian rocks a preliminary conclusion has been made about the dipole configuration of the geomagnetic field throughout Paleozoic. The comparison of the obtained data to paleomagnetic definitions of African, Arabian plates, Europe and the Siberian platform leads to the conclusion that the Minor Caucasus existed separately from the present general lithosphere blocks of Greater Caucasus and Europe.展开更多
The Niagara Escarpment,a 440-million-year-old landform,cuts through a property owned by the University of Toronto in Caledon,Ontario in Canada.The property juxtaposes impacts from historical quarrying activity which b...The Niagara Escarpment,a 440-million-year-old landform,cuts through a property owned by the University of Toronto in Caledon,Ontario in Canada.The property juxtaposes impacts from historical quarrying activity which burrowed directly into the Escarpment’s slope,the greater context of the region’s urban development demands,and the Escarpment’s identity as an ancient geological formation,ecological refugium,and old-growth forest housing ancient species such as Thuja occidentalis.This project explores the university’s responsibility in advocating for the protection of the Escarpment’s unique ecologic conditions,including the distinct cliff ecosystems and the novel successional plant communities evolving on sites of former quarry activities.Interventions on the trail system,cave bridges and lookouts,and the boardwalk and path system,along with guidance of signage and trail markers,will bring visitors to areas where former quarry activities sculptured the Escarpment’s limestone faces and are now reclaimed by a system of lush novel wetlands and habitats in evolutionary stages.Connecting to a system of existing public trails,this project leverages the university’s educational and recreational objectives to form new strategic partnerships with local conservancy groups,aiming at monitoring and managing access and habitat protection.展开更多
基金supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
文摘The composition and density of seeds in soils of secondary forests derived on abandoned fields after 4, 9 and 14 years of aban- donment were quantified to examine whether the soil seed bank assembles during secondary succession as the plant communities assemble. A total of 18, 37 and 48 soil samples from 4-, 9- and 14-year old sites, respectively were collected in 15 cm × 15 cm plots up to 9 cm depth. A total of 3, 5 and 9 species were found on sites abandoned 4, 9 and 14 years ago, respectively, Among different life forms, trees were highly represented in the soil seed bank of 9-year （60%） and 14-year （33%） old sites compared to 4-year old site entirely dominated by non- woody flora. The total number of seeds ranged from 327 in the 4-year old site to 146 in the 14-year old site, and the corresponding density of viable seeds ranged from 141 seeds m^-2 in the 4- year old site to 26 seeds m^-2 in the 14-year old site with a consistent decreasing pattern in the chronosequence. The similarity between the soil seed flora and the standing woody vegetation was low for both 9- and 14-year old sites while complete dissimilarity was found for 4-year old site. We concluded that the species composition of soil seed banks assemble gradually during secondary succession, but the overall seed density is still low for natural regeneration of trees to rely on. To expedite the recovery of secondary forests on such abandoned fields, the seed bank needs to be supplemented by direct seeding, enrichment planting of desired species and installing artificial perches for facilitating seed dispersal.
基金provided by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program of Boston University
文摘Olfactory cues that indicate predation risk elicit a number of defensive behaviors in fishes, but whether they are sufficient to also induce morphological defenses has received little attention. Cichlids are characterized by a high level of morphological plasticity during development, and the few species that have been tested do exhibit defensive behaviors when exposed to alarm cues released from the damaged skin of conspecifics. We utilized young juvenile Nicaragua cichlids Hypsophrys nicaraguensis to test if the perception of predation risk from alarm cue （conspecific skin extract） alone induces an increased relative body depth which is a defense against gape-limited predators. After two weeks of exposure, siblings that were exposed to conspecific alarm cue increased their relative body depth nearly double the amount of those exposed to distilled water （control） and zebrafish Danio rerio alarm cue. We repeated our measurements over the last two weeks （12 and 14） of cue exposure when the fish were late-stage juveniles to test if the rate of increase was sustained; there were no differences in final dimensions between the three treatments. Our results show that 1） the Nicaragua cichlid has an innate response to conspecific alarm cue which is not a generalized response to an injured fish, and 2） this innate recognition ultimately results in developing a deeper body at a stage of the life history where predation risk is high [Current Zoology 56 （1）： 36-42, 2010].
基金funded in part by the National Science Foundationthe United States Agency for International Developmentthe Fulbright program to KRM and EvdB
文摘This study was conducted to provide a five-year database on the breeding seasonality and breeding biology of a Central American cichlid fish Neetroplus nematopus, a biparental substratum-spawning cichlid that cares for its eggs, wrigglers, and fry for up to six weeks. A total of 503 breeding pairs were monitored for breeding success. Breeding pairs of N. nematopus are sexually dimorphic in size, with females averaging 39% of male body mass. Fry emerged from 85% of nesting cavities. After three weeks, only 30% of the broods were present in the nesting cavity; these broods had a 30% survival rate, giving a 9% overall survival rate. Nineteen percent of the successful parents with three-week-old broods adopted foreign fry. A consistent unimodal breeding peak in December was observed for five years. This breeding peak differed dramatically from the bimodal breeding season 20 years found in the 1970s. The effects of extensive grenade fishing practices during the 1980s might have played a substantial role in the observed change. Grenade fishing stopped in 1991, and the number ofN. nematopus pairs increased by 136% from 1990 to 1995. With increased density of breeding fish, the breeding season for this species also expanded. The balance between divergent selection due to competition for breeding sites and stabilizing selection due to predation pressure on offspring is likely to mold the breeding season for N. nematopus and other cichlids of Lake Xilofi. We suggest that brood adoption and synchrony of breeding is a strategy to reduce predation on the parent＇s own young [Current Zoology 56 （1）： 43-51 2010].
基金supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
文摘A study was conducted to examine the natural regeneration of three dry forest species, Lysiloma divaricatum （Jacq.）, Tabebuia ochracea （Cham.） and Lonchocarpus minimiflorus （Donn. Sin.） over a three-year period and to analyze heterogeneity of regeneration in relationship to topographic slope and incidence of light in Chacocente Wildlife Reserve in Nicaragua. Permanent sample plots were established in 2001, and all individuals with height as low as 10 cm and diameter as large as 10 cm were recorded for three consecutive years from 2001 to 2003. The results show that the density of naturally regenerated individuals varied significantly among species, as well as over time. L. minimiflorus and T. ochracea had higher densities compared with L. divaricatum, and the net change in population density was slightly positive for T. ochracea only. Regeneration was more abundant in the gentle and steep slopes under partial exposure of the crown to sunlight, thus resulting in aggregated pattern of distribution, especially for L. minimiflorus and T. ochracea. We concluded that natural regeneration alone is not sufficient to maintain the desired number of stocks of these species, and an immediate restoration measure should be taken to assist the natural regeneration process.
文摘The challenge to increase the efficiency in food production level in Nigeria appears to be more urgent now than it has ever been in the history of the country. This is in view of the rapidly increasing population, the imminent decline in international economic and food aid and the need to conserve foreign exchange earnings through the production of raw materials to feed the growing industrial sector calls for urgent attention. The study was carded out in Ogun State. The descriptive statistics was used to determine the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. The stochastic frontiers production analysis was applied to estimate the technical, allocative efficiency and economic efficiency among the fish farmers in the state. The results of economic efficiency revealed that fish farming is economically efficient with a range of between 55% and 84% efficiency level suggesting a favourable hope for the agro-allied industry such as poultry and cottage industries etc in the state. The result of hypothesis of inefficiency sources models showed that years of experience of fish farmers is significant at 1% probability level indicating the factor contributing to the fish farming experience in the state. Thus, the efficiency is due to the fact that farmers are experienced and fairly educated. On the basis of findings, policy is suggested to be directed towards the encouragement of entrepreneurs in fish farming in the state by providing enabling environment like credit facilities, public enlightenment programme and provision of social amenities like feeder roads, pipe-born water etc and given the fact that an increase in the level of formal education variable leads to less inefficiency, government policy should be focused on adopting the best technology （e.g. fast growing species and equipment ） so as to improve the level of efficiency and investment which shall eventually lead to growth in output of fish fanning and a lead to the establishment of agro-allied industries in the state.
文摘The research aimed to determine the effect of feed supplements of cassava （Manihot esculenta Crantz） leaves, gliricidia （Gliricidia sepeum） leaves and katuk （Sauropus androgynus （L.） Merr.） leaves on the hematology of lactating buffalo. Four lactating buffaloes in Kanagarian Pamatang Panjang, Sijunjung district, West Sumatera, Indonesia were studied. The experiment used a Latin square design with four treatments and four replications/block. The treatments were control （without supplementary foliage, A）, with cassava leaves （B）, with gliricidia leaves （C） and with katuk leaves （D） each at 5 kg/haead/day. The hematology variables measured were erythrocytes and leucocytes counts, as well as levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit. The results showed that supplementary foliage of 5 kg/head/day of cassava, gliricidia or katuk as leaves significantly increased the erythrocytes count and hemoglobin level, but did not affect the number of leucocytes in lactating buffalo.
文摘This application note discusses the preliminary results of paleomagnetics studies of several incisions of the Paleozoic period the territory of Armenia and neighboring regions （Minor Caucasus）. It is supposed that before the Permian period the Armenian-lranian Mezocontinent was uniform with Afro-Arabia and only at the end of the late Paleozoic the formed Mesozoic ocean separated these areas from each other. A result of application of the complex laboratory investigations were identified from samples of primary magnetization the direction of which corresponds to the time of formation of the studied rocks. On the basis of paleomagnetic researches of Triassic, Permian, Devonian, Carbonian rocks a preliminary conclusion has been made about the dipole configuration of the geomagnetic field throughout Paleozoic. The comparison of the obtained data to paleomagnetic definitions of African, Arabian plates, Europe and the Siberian platform leads to the conclusion that the Minor Caucasus existed separately from the present general lithosphere blocks of Greater Caucasus and Europe.
文摘The Niagara Escarpment,a 440-million-year-old landform,cuts through a property owned by the University of Toronto in Caledon,Ontario in Canada.The property juxtaposes impacts from historical quarrying activity which burrowed directly into the Escarpment’s slope,the greater context of the region’s urban development demands,and the Escarpment’s identity as an ancient geological formation,ecological refugium,and old-growth forest housing ancient species such as Thuja occidentalis.This project explores the university’s responsibility in advocating for the protection of the Escarpment’s unique ecologic conditions,including the distinct cliff ecosystems and the novel successional plant communities evolving on sites of former quarry activities.Interventions on the trail system,cave bridges and lookouts,and the boardwalk and path system,along with guidance of signage and trail markers,will bring visitors to areas where former quarry activities sculptured the Escarpment’s limestone faces and are now reclaimed by a system of lush novel wetlands and habitats in evolutionary stages.Connecting to a system of existing public trails,this project leverages the university’s educational and recreational objectives to form new strategic partnerships with local conservancy groups,aiming at monitoring and managing access and habitat protection.
