Manipulation of photosensory and circadian signaling restricts phenotypic plasticity in response to changing environmental conditions in Arabidopsis

Plants exploit phenotypic plasticity to adapt their growth and development to prevailing environmental conditions.Interpretation of light and temperature signals is aided by the circadian system,which provides a temporal context.Phenotypic plasticity provides a selective and competitive advantage in nature but is obstructive during large-scale,intensive agricultural practices since economically important traits(including vegetative growth and flowering time)can vary widely depending on local environmental condi-tions.This prevents accurate prediction of harvesting times and produces a variable crop.In this study,we sought to restrict phenotypic plasticity and circadian regulation by manipulating signaling systems that govern plants'responses to environmental signals.Mathematical modeling of plant growth and develop-ment predicted reduced plant responses to changing environments when circadian and light signaling pathways were manipulated.We tested this prediction by utilizing a constitutively active allele of the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B,along with disruption of the circadian systemvia mutation of EARLYFLOW-ERING3.We found that these manipulations produced plants that are less responsive to light and temper-ature cues and thus fail to anticipate dawn.These engineered plants have uniform vegetative growth and flowering time,demonstrating how phenotypic plasticity can be limited while maintaining plant productiv-ity.This has significant implications for future agriculture in both open fields and controlled environments.

Mapping of cropland,cropping patterns and crop types by combining optical remote sensing images with decision tree classifier and random forest

Mapping and monitoring the distribution of croplands and crop types support policymakers and international organizations by reducing the risks to food security,notably from climate change and,for that purpose,remote sensing is routinely used.However,identifying specific crop types,cropland,and cropping patterns using space-based observations is challenging because different crop types and cropping patterns have similarity spectral signatures.This study applied a methodology to identify cropland and specific crop types,including tobacco,wheat,barley,and gram,as well as the following cropping patterns:wheat-tobacco,wheat-gram,wheat-barley,and wheat-maize,which are common in Gujranwala District,Pakistan,the study region.The methodology consists of combining optical remote sensing images from Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 with Machine Learning(ML)methods,namely a Decision Tree Classifier(DTC)and a Random Forest(RF)algorithm.The best time-periods for differentiating cropland from other land cover types were identified,and then Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 NDVI-based time-series were linked to phenological parameters to determine the different crop types and cropping patterns over the study region using their temporal indices and ML algorithms.The methodology was subsequently evaluated using Landsat images,crop statistical data for 2020 and 2021,and field data on cropping patterns.The results highlight the high level of accuracy of the methodological approach presented using Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 images,together with ML techniques,for mapping not only the distribution of cropland,but also crop types and cropping patterns when validated at the county level.These results reveal that this methodology has benefits for monitoring and evaluating food security in Pakistan,adding to the evidence base of other studies on the use of remote sensing to identify crop types and cropping patterns in other countries.

Mutations of voltage-gated sodium channel contribute to pyrethroid resistance in Panonychus citri

Insecticide resistance in Panonychus citri is a major obstacle to mite control in citrus orchards.Pyrethroid insecticides are continually used to control mites in China,although resistance to pyrethroids has evolved in some populations.Here,the resistance to the pyrethroid fenpropathrin was investigated and 7 out of 8 field-collected populations of P citri exhibited a high level of resistance,ranging from 171-fold to 15391-fold higher than the susceptible(SS)comparison strain.Three voltage-gated sodium channel(VGSC)mutations were identified in the tested populations:L1031V,F1747L,and F17511.Amplicon sequencing was used to evaluate the frequency of these mutations in the 19 field populations.L1031V and F1751I were present in all populations at frequencies of 11.6%-82.1%and 0.5%-31.8%,respectively,whereas the F1747L mutation was only present in 12 populations from Chongqing,Sichuan,Guangxi,and Yunnan provinces.Introduction of these mutations singly or in combination into transgenic flies significantly increased their resistance to fenpropathrin and these flies also exhibited reduced mortality after exposure to the pyrethroids permethrin andβ-cypermethrin.Panonychus citri VGSC homology modeling and ligand docking indicate that F1747 and F1751 form direct binding contacts with pyrethroids,which are lost with mutation,whereas L1031 mutation may diminish pyrethroid effects through an allosteric mechanism.Overall,the results provide molecular markers for monitoring pest resistance to pyrethroids and offer new insights into the basis of pyrethroid actions on sodium channels.

Functional correlates of skull shape in Chiroptera:feeding and echolocation adaptations

Morphological,functional,and behavioral adaptations of bats are among the most diverse within mammals.A strong association between bat skull morphology and feeding behavior has been suggested previously.However,morphological variation related to other drivers of adaptation,in particular echolocation,remains understudied.We assessed variation in skull morphology with respect to ecology(diet and emission type)and function(bite force,masticatory muscles and echolocation characteristics)using geometric morphometrics and comparative methods.Our study suggests that variation in skull shape of 10 bat families is the result of adaptations to broad dietary categories and sound emission types(oral or nasal).Skull shape correlates with echolocation parameters only in a subsample of insectivorous species,possibly because they(almost)entirely rely on this sensory system for locating and capturing prey.Insectivores emitting low frequencies are characterized by a ventrally tilted rostrum,a trait not associated with feeding parameters.This result questions the validity of a trade-off between feeding and echolocation function.Our study advances understanding of the relationship between skull morphology and specific features of echolocation and suggests that evolutionary constraints due to echolocation may differ between different groups within the Chiroptera.

A practical approach with drones,smartphones,and tracking tags for potential real-time animal tracking

Drones are increasingly used for fauna monitoring and wildlife tracking;however,their application for wildlife tracking is restricted by developing such systems.Here we explore the potential of drones for wildlife tracking using an off-the-shelf system that is easy to use by non-specialists consisting of a multirotor drone,smartphones,and commercial tracking devices via Bluetooth and Ultra-Wide Band(UWB).We present the system configuration,explore the operational parameters that can affect detection capabilities,and test the effectiveness of the system for locating targets by simulating target animals in savanna and forest environments.The self-contained tracking system was built without hardware or software customization.In 40 tracking flights carried out in the Brazilian Cerrado,we obtained a detection rate of 90%in savanna and 40%in forest areas.Tests for targets in movement(N=20),the detection rates were 90%in the savanna and 30%in the forest areas.The spatial accuracy obtained by the system was 14.61 m,being significantly more accurate in savanna(x=10.53)than in forest areas(x=13.06).This approach to wildlife tracking facilitates the use of drones by non-specialists at an affordable cost for conservation projects with limited resources.The reduced size of the tags,the long battery life,and the iower cost compared to GPS-tags open up a range of opportunities for animal tracking.

Viability of thermal imaging in detecting nests of the invasive hornet Vespa velutina

Vespa velutina is an invasive hornet species that is colonising Europe,generating considerable impacts on honeybees,beekeeping and biodiversity.Control and early warning strategies for this species are mainly based on monitoring plans and procedures of nest detection and destruction.Technological tools(harmonic radar,radio-telemetry)have been developed to increase the probabilities of nest detection in new outbreaks.Since hornets are able to regulate nest temperature,thermography may represent an additional technique that may be used,both alone or in support to other techniques.In this study,the viability of thermal imaging in detecting nests of V.velutina was evaluated in controlled conditions.The influence of different environmental and operative variables(time of the day,presence/absence of leaves covering the nest,distance between the nest and the operator)were tested on three nests detected during August 2018 in Italy.All the nests were detectable by thermal imaging,but environmental and operative variables affect their detectability.The temperature difference between the nests and the surrounding reaches its maximum before sunrise and without a tree canopy covering the nests.Although nests were visible in some cases from 30 m,the detectability was higher at shorter distances,even if this variable may also depend on infrared camera resolution.An increase in the environmental temperature also generates a decrease of nest detectability.Although some limitations could occur,these results show the applicability of thermography in detecting V velutina nests before the beginning of the reproductive phase,and consequently its potentiality in control strategies.

Measuring disturbance at swift breeding colonies due to the visual aspects of a drone:a quasi-experiment study

There is a growing body of research indicating that drones can disturb animals.However,it is usu-ally unclear whether the disturbance is due to visual or auditory cues.Here,we examined the effect of drone flights on the behavior of great dusky swifts Cypseloides senex and white collared swifts Streptoprocne zonaris in 2 breeding sites where drone noise was obscured by environmental noise from waterfalls and any disturbance must be largely visual.We performed 12 experimental flights with a multirotor drone at different vertical,horizontal,and diagonal distances from the colonies.From all flights,17%caused<1%of birds to temporarily a bandon the breeding site,50%caused half to abandon,and 33%caused more than half to abandon.We found that the diagonal distance explained 98.9%of the variability of the disturbance percentage and while at distances>50 m the disturbance percentage does not exceed 20%,at<40 m the disturbance percentage increase to>60%.We recommend that flights with a multirotor drone during the breeding period should be con-ducted at a distance of>50 m and that recreational flights should be discouraged or conducted at larger distances(e.g.100 m)in nesting birds areas such as waterfalls,canyons,and caves.

Disaster victim identification operations with fragmented,burnt,or commingled remains:experience-based recommendations

Human-made and natural disasters can result in severely fragmented,compromised,and commingled human remains.The related disaster victim identification(DVI)operations are invariably challenging,with the state of the remains potentially precluding some identifications.Practitioners involved in these DVI operations will routinely face logistical,practical,and ethical challenges.This review provides information and guidance derived from firsthand experiences to individuals tasked with managing DVI operations with fragmented human remains.We outline several key issues that should be addressed during disaster preparedness planning and at the outset of an operation,when incident-specific strategies are developed.Specific challenges during recovery and examination of fragmented remains are addressed,highlighting the importance of experienced specialists at the scene and in the mortuary.DNA sample selection and sampling techniques are reviewed,as well as downstream effects of commingling and contamination,which can complicate reconciliation and emphasise the need for rigorous quality control.We also touch on issues that may arise during communication with families.While recommendations are provided,they are not intended as proscriptive policy but rather as an addition to the general recommendations given in the International Criminal Police Organization(INTERPOL)DVI Guide,to inform preparative discussions between government officials,judiciary,police,and forensic specialists.