Common Species Research Articles

A sense of seaweed: Consumer liking of bread and spreads with the addition of four different species of northern European seaweeds. A pilot study among Swedish consumers.

Current food systems pose one of the greatest health and environmental challenges of the 21st century. Expanded utilization of seaweed for food in Western societies seems like one promising measure in the transition toward sustainable food systems. However, introducing and expanding seaweed to new markets brings certain challenges, such as limited food acceptance and availability. In this pilot consumer study, four common northern European seaweed species (Saccharina latissima, Alaria esculenta, Palmaria palmata, and Ulva sp.) were introduced into two complementary plant-based products (bread and spread), which were presented to consumers (n=49 (bread), n=52 (spread)) in a Swedish setting. The consumers’ liking of the products was evaluated based on a 9-point hedonic scale, and the product characteristics were determined by texture, pH, and color analysis. Whereas the different spreads’ pH was similar, the texture and color overall varied more between the different samples. Overall, the consumers slightly liked the two seaweed-containing products, with taste/flavor and texture being main contributing factors to the consumers’ liking. For the bread, S. latissima was liked best as a supplement. S. latissima and A. esculenta were liked best for the spread, whereas P. palmata received the lowest scores. The preference for brown seaweeds may relate to their relatively more neutral taste/flavors and finer structure, whereas the lower scores for P. palmata may be explained by its marine-associate flavors and coarser structure. The studied consumer liking of seaweed-based products can become valuable for developing and improving future seaweed products and increasing their availability in Western food cultures.

A comprehensive review on pharmacognosy, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of 8 potent species of southeast Asia.

Genus Prunus comprising around 430 species is a vast important genus of family Rosaceae, subfamily amygdalaoidae. Among all 430 species, around 19 important species are commonly found in Indian sub-continent due to their broad nutritional and economic importance. Some most common species of genus Prunus are Prunus amygdalus, Prunus persica, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus avium, Prunus cerasus, Prunus cerasoides, Prunus domestica, Prunus mahaleb, etc. A newly introduced species of Prunus i.e Prunus sunhangii is recently discovered which is morphologically very similar to Prunus cerasoides. Plants of Prunus species are short to medium-sized deciduous trees mainly found in the northern hemisphere. In India and its subcontinent, it extends from the Himalayas to Sikkim, Meghalaya, Bhutan, Myanmar etc. Different Prunus species have been extensively studied for their morphological, microscopic, pharmacological and phytoconstituents characteristics. Total phenolic content of Prunus species explains the presence of phenols in high quantity and pharmacological activity due to phenols. Phytochemical screening of species of genus Prunus shows the presence of wide phytoconstituents which contributes in their pharmacological significance and reveals the therapeutic potential and traditional medicinal significance of this genus. Genus Prunus showed a potent antioxidant activity analyzed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical assay. Plant species belonging to the genus Prunus is widely used traditionally for the treatment of various disorders. Some specific Prunus species possess potent anticancer, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic etc. activity which makes the genus more interesting for further research and findings. This review is an attempt to summarize the comprehensive study of Prunus.

Evolution of rarity and phylogeny determine above- and belowground biomass in plant-plant interactions.

Rare species are often considered inferior competitors due to occupancy of small ranges, specific habitats, and small local populations. However, the phylogenetic relatedness and rarity level (level 1-7 and common) of interacting species in plant-plant interactions are not often considered when predicting the response of rare plants in a biotic context. We used a common garden of 25 species of Tasmanian Eucalyptus, to differentiate non-additive patterns in the biomass of rare versus common species when grown in mixtures varying in phylogenetic relatedness and rarity. We demonstrate that rare species maintain progressively positive non-additive responses in biomass when interacting with phylogenetically intermediate, less rare and common species. This trend is not reflected in common species that out-performed in monocultures compared to mixtures. These results offer predictability as to how rare species' productivity will respond within various plant-plant interactions. However, species-specific interactions, such as those involving E. globulus, yielded a 97% increase in biomass compared to other species-specific interaction outcomes. These results are important because they suggest that plant rarity may also be shaped by biotic interactions, in addition to the known environmental and population factors normally used to describe rarity. Rare species may utilize potentially facilitative interactions with phylogenetically intermediate and common species to escape the effects of limiting similarity. Biotically mediated increases in rare plant biomass may have subsequent effects on the competitive ability and geographic occurrence of rare species, allowing rare species to persist at low abundance across plant communities. Through the consideration of species rarity and evolutionary history, we can more accurately predict plant-plant interaction dynamics to preserve unique ecosystem functions and fundamentally challenge what it means to be "rare".

The Vegetation of Dangs District in Gujarat

The Dangs district is situated between 20°30' and 21°5' N and 73°15' and 74° E. The whole district is mountainous.The forests are generally dry deciduous, though, in protected and moister spots moist- and mixed-deciduous types also are found. Tectona-Terminalia is the dominant tree community. Their associated common tree species are Adina cordifolia Hook. f., Anogeissus latifolia Wall., Dalbergia latifolia Roxb., Garuga pinnata Roxb., Lagerstroemia species, Lannea coromandelica (Hout.) Merr. and Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb.) Hochr. Wrightia tinctoria Br. is abundant as an understorey tree. Bambusa arundinacea Retz. and Dendrocalamus strictus Nees are common.The vegetation has been studied by quadrats at different forest sites, namely Bandripada, Billaya, Chikarda, Chikarmatibari, Dhavlidhar, Dholeambar, Ghadvi, Ghogli, Kotbha, Laochali, Mahal, Mulchond, Pimpri, Piplemar, Pipliamal, Raiwad, Shivbara, Susarda and Waghai. Relationship of vegetation with habitat features has been discussed. Reference has been made to species useful for timber, minor forest produce and medicinal value.

A Contribution to the Flora of Bori Reserve Forests, Hoshangabad District, Madhya Pradesh

The study of the flora of Bori Reserve Forests, Hoshangabad District, Madhya Pradah has been undertaken during the years 1960 and 1961. The area stretches between 77°45' to 78°30' E. long. and 22°15' to 22°30' N. lat. on the southern slopes ef Satpura range. As a result of three seasonal visits 432 taxa belonging to 317 genera of 92 families could be collected and studied. The flora presents a typical dry deciduous type of vegetation without any change in the main components throughout. Some of the common species of plants in this forest are Anogeissus latifolia, Adina cordifolia, Aegle marmelos, Diospyros melanoxylon, Grewia tiliaefolia, Buchanania lanzan, Helicteres isora, Celastrus paniculata, Baliospermum montanum and Emblica officinalis. The area under study lacks in hydrophytic vegetation as there is hardly any perennial natural water source. Similarly orchids and ferns are also rare.

Occurrence patterns of sympatric forest wallabies: assessing the influence of structural habitat attributes on the coexistence of Thylogale thetis and T.stigmatica.

We studied the occurrence of two sympatric wallabies, the red-necked pademelon (Thylogale thetis) and the red-legged pademelon (T. stigmatica) in northeastern New South Wales, Australia in relation to structural habitat attributes. At our study site, both species inhabit closed forest environments and have overlapping distributions, but T. thetis leaves the forest at night to graze adjacent grassy forest edges whereas T. stigmatica remains within the forest and browses forest vegetation. The objectives of the study were to investigate how structural attributes of two forest types, wet sclerophyll forest and rainforest, relate to the fine-scale occurrence of these two wallaby species within the forested environment. We gathered occurrence data from 48 camera trap stations divided equally between rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest. At each camera point, we also measured a range of structural habitat attributes to determine habitat affiliations for the two Thylogale species. Principal component analyses were used to describe major trends in habitat, and generalised linear models were used to describe the efficacy of the variables in predicting habitat occurrence of each species. The number of occurrences of Thylogale thetis was significantly greater than occurrences of T. stigmatica, which was driven by significantly greater occurrences of T. thetis in wet sclerophyll forest. There was both spatial and temporal partitioning between the two species; there was a significant difference in the occurrences of the two species at individual cameras and T. stigmatica had a different activity schedule than T. thetis in wet sclerophyll forest, where the latter reached its greatest rate of occurrence. At a finer (camera station) scale, occurrences of T. thetis increased with proximity to roads and grassy edges and at sites that were less rocky and less steep. T. stigmatica occurrence increased in the presence of rainforest elements like vines, palms and ferns, more ground-level cover and tree-fall gaps and at sites with fewer emergent eucalypts. Our findings have implications for managing these pademelons and their habitats. T. thetis is a common species that was encountered more often than T. stigmatica, and it responded positively to human disturbance like roadsides and grassy edges, presumably because these areas provided good grazing opportunities. By comparison, T. stigmatica is a threatened species, and it responded to natural disturbance like tree-fall gaps where lateral cover was greater, and where rainforest food plants may be more abundant. Our results suggest, therefore, that conservation of the threatened T. stigmatica requires the preservation of intact rainforest.

Clinical Features and Genomic Epidemiology of Bloodstream Infections Due to Enterococcal Species Other Than Enterococcus faecalis or E. faecium In Patients With Cancer

Abstract Background Non-E. faecium non-E. faecalis (NFF) enterococci are a heterogeneous group of clinically pathogenic enterococci that include species with intrinsic low-level vancomycin resistance. Patients with cancer are at increased risk for bacteremia with NFF enterococci, but their clinical and molecular epidemiology have not been extensively described. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of all patients (n=70) with NFF bacteremia from 2016 to 2022 at a major cancer center. The main outcomes assessed were 30-day mortality, microbiological failure (positive blood cultures for ≥ 4 days), and recurrence of bacteremia (positive blood culture <14 days after clearance). Whole genome sequencing was performed on all available NFF (n=65). Results Patients with hematological malignancies made up 56% of the cohort (77% had leukemia). The majority of solid malignancies (87%) were gastrointestinal in origin. The majority of infections (83%) originated from an intra-abdominal source. The most common NFF species were E. gallinarum (50%) and E. casseliflavus (30%). Most (61%) patients received combination therapy. Bacteremia recurred in 4.3% of patients, there was a 30-day mortality of 23%, and 4.3% had microbiological failure. E. gallinarum and E. casseliflavus isolates were genetically diverse with no spatiotemporal clustering to suggest a single strain. Frequencies of ampicillin resistance (4.3%) and daptomycin resistance (1.9%) were low. Patients with hematologic malignancy had infections with NFF enterococci that harbored more resistance genes than patients with solid malignancy (p=0.005). Conclusions NFF bacteremia is caused by a heterogeneous population of isolates and is associated with significant mortality. Hematological malignancy is an important risk factor for infection with NFF resistant to multiple antibiotics.

AntiMicro.ai: An Artificial Intelligence powered web application for predicting antibacterial/antifungal susceptibility and constructing personalized machine learning models

Background To train and develop machine learning models on the Pfizer antibacterial and antifungal datasets with subsequent deployment to an interactive Web Application. Methods We utilized R version 4.3.1 to perform descriptive analysis to obtain features/predictors. Python 3.10 libraries NumPy, Pandas, Scikit learn, Pycaret were used to train machine learning models. All these models were scored using area under the curve, recall, precision, F1, Kappa and the Mathews correlation coefficient. The best performing model was then deployed into a web application built on Streamlit after which deployment was done using GitHub and Streamlit cloud. A prototype android app was also developed using GoNative. Results The exploratory data analysis, S Aureus (17.2%) was the most common species however in the sub group analysis of the isolates with genotypic values, K Pneumoniae(48.2%) and E Coli (36.9%) were dominant. Amongst the fungi, Candida albicans (38.3%) and Candida glabrata (15.5%) were dominant. Feature selection was done using Shapley additive explanation plots. Using Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), we were able to achieve 99% and 97.8% AUC in the prediction of antibacterial and antifungal susceptibility respectively with minimal overfitting. Conclusions Decision tree based methods are a viable options of predicting antibacterial and antifungal drug resistance. When presented in visually appealing modes like web applications and android apps, it can be a useful guide to clinicians on initial treatment while awaiting definitive phenotypic testing. It can also be a surveillance tool that can craft antimicrobial resistance strategies.

Exploring Venom Diversity in Mixcoatlus browni and Mixcoatlus barbouri: A Comparative Analysis of Two Rare Mexican Snake Species with Crotoxin-like Presence

The genus Mixcoatlus is composed of three species: Mixcoatlus barbouri, M. browni, and M. melanurus, of which the venom composition of M. melanurus, the most common species of the three, has only recently been described. However, very little is known about the natural history of M. barbouri and M. browni, and the venom composition of these two species has remained thus far unexplored. In this study we characterize the proteomic profiles and the main biochemical and toxic activities of these two venoms. Proteomic data obtained by shotgun analysis of whole venom identified 12 protein families for M. barbouri, and 13 for M. browni. The latter venom was further characterized by using a quantitative ‘venomics’ protocol, which revealed that it is mainly composed of 51.1% phospholipases A2 (PLA2), 25.5% snake venom serine proteases (SVSP), 4.6% L-amino oxidases (LAO), and 3.6% snake venom metalloproteases (SVMP), with lower percentages other six protein families. Both venoms contained homologs of the basic and acidic subunits of crotoxin. However, due to limitations in M. barbouri venom availability, we could only characterize the crotoxin-like protein of M. browni venom, which we have named Mixcoatlutoxin. It exhibited a lethal potency in mice like that described for classical rattlesnake crotoxins. These findings expand knowledge on the distribution of crotoxin-like heterodimeric proteins in viper snake species. Further investigation of the bioactivities of the venom of M. barbouri, on the other hand, remains necessary.

Common Tropical Illness Due to Uncommon Species

Common Tropical Illness Due to Uncommon Species

First karyotypic insights into Potamotrygon schroederi Fernández-Yépez, 1958: association of different classes of repetitive DNA.

Introdution Currently, there are 38 valid species of freshwater stingrays, and these belong to the subfamily Potamotrygoninae. However, cytogenetic information about this group is limited, with studies mainly using classical techniques, Giemsa and C-banding. Methods In this study, we used classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques (mapping of repetitive sequences 18S, 5S and SSRs) in order to investigate the karyotypic composition of P. schroederi and draw a parallel with the karyoevolutionary trends of this group. Results The species presented 2n=66 chromosomes with 18m+12sm+16st+20a, heterochromatic blocks distributed in the centromeric regions of all chromosomes, and terminal blocks in the q arm of pairs 2 and 3. Mapping of 18S rDNA regions revealed multiple markers on pairs 2 and 7 and a homolog of pair 24. The 5S region was found in the pericentromeric portion of the subtelocentric pair 16. Furthermore, dinucleotide SSRs sequences were found in the centromeric and terminal regions of different chromosomal pairs, with preferential accumulation in pair 17. In addition, we identified conspicuous blocks of (GATA)n and (GACA)n sequences colocalized with the 5S region (pair 16). Conclusion In general, this study corroborates the general trend of a reduction in 2n in the species of this subfamily. Also, we finding that the location of rDNA regions is very similar in Potamotrygon. Besides, the microsatellite acumulation in the second subtelocentric pair (17) seems to be a common trait amog Potamotrygon species.

Efficacy of expanded periurethral cleansing in reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infection in comatose patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundThe effect of the periurethral cleansing range on catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) occurrence remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of expanded periurethral cleansing for reducing CAUTI in comatose patients.MethodsIn this randomized controlled trial, eligible patients in our hospital were enrolled and allocated randomly to the experimental group (expanded periurethral cleansing protocol; n = 225) or the control group (usual periurethral cleansing protocol; n = 221). The incidence of CAUTI on days 3, 7, and 10 after catheter insertion were compared, and the pathogen results and influencing factors were analyzed.ResultsThe incidences of CAUTI in the experimental and control groups on days 3, 7, and 10 were (5/225, 2.22% vs. 7/221, 3.17%, P = 0.54), (12/225, 5.33% vs. 18/221, 8.14%, P = 0.24), and (23/225, 10.22% vs. 47/221, 21.27%, P = 0.001), respectively; Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were the most common species in the two groups. The incidences of bacterial CAUTI and fungal CAUTI in the two groups were 11/225, 4.89% vs. 24/221, 10.86%, P = 0.02) and (10/225, 4.44% vs. 14/221, 6.33%, P = 0.38), respectively. The incidences of polymicrobial CAUTI in the two groups were 2/225 (0.89%) and 9/221 (4.07%), respectively (P = 0.03). The percentages of CAUTI-positive females in the two groups were 9.85% (13/132) and 29.52% (31/105), respectively (P < 0.05). The proportion of CAUTI-positive patients with diabetes in the experimental and control groups was 17.72% (14/79), which was lower than the 40.85% (29/71) in the control group (P < 0.05).ConclusionExpanded periurethral cleansing could reduce the incidence of CAUTI, especially those caused by bacteria and multiple pathogens, in comatose patients with short-term catheterization (≤ 10 days). Female patients and patients with diabetes benefit more from the expanded periurethral cleansing protocol for reducing CAUTI.

Identification of Mites in Wild Rats in Simpang Limun Traditional Wet Market Area, Medan - Indonesia

Background: Among human diseases are infectious diseases transmitted by animals to humans, called zoonoses. Rats carry ectoparasites that act as biological vectors in the transmission of zoonoses. Mites are ectoparasites of rats that cause various zoonoses, namely murine typhus, rat mite dermatitis, and others. The study aims to identify species of wild rats in the study area based on their morphology and presentation of mite-infected rats and mite species in wild rats in Simpang Limun traditional wet market in Medan, Indonesia. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a purposive sampling technique. Primary data were collected in the Simpang Limun traditional wet market area of Medan, namely in the first area; M. Nawi Harahap Street, and the second area; Kemiri I Street. Every afternoon for four consecutive days, ten baited rat traps were deployed in each area. The captured rats were anesthetized, identified, and examined for mites by combing and then identified under a microscope. Results: From 65 total wild rat samples, the majority of species found was Rattus tanezumi 60 (92.3%), followed by Rattus norvegicus 5 (7.7%). The identified mite species were Laelaps echidninus (84.5%) and Laelaps nuttalli (15.5%). Conclusion: Nearly all of the wild rats found were of Rattus tanezumab species, and the most common mite species identified was Laelaps echinus in Medan's Simpang Limun traditional wet market area. This has a significant medical impact, resulting in increased potential for zoonosis transmission and indirectly to the surrounding residents in Medan's Simpang Limun traditional wet market area.

Distribution and ecological aspects of sand fly species from Kousseri, an endemic focus of visceral leishmaniasis in Northern Cameroon

IntroductionKousseri in the Far North Region of Cameroon has long been known as an endemic focus of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), although the study on sand flies in this focus is scarce. The present study investigates the spatial distribution, seasonality, and ecological aspects of sand flies from Kousseri. This study is based on the need to optimize the effectiveness of leishmaniasis control programs in the northern part of the country. MethodsSand flies were sampled monthly over 12 months in five selected sites using CDC light traps. Only captured females were morphologically identified at species level based on valid keys. Results and discussionOverall, 4,214 sand fly specimens were collected during 360 trapping nights. The male/female sex ratio slightly favored females (1:1.04). The eudominant Sergentomyia antennata followed by both dominant Sergentomyia schwetzi and Sergentomyia squamipleuris were the most common and abundant species, accounting for 76.1% of the collection. Phlebotomus duboscqi, the confirmed vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in West African foci, although rare in the collection, was found in four of the five surveyed sites. This sand fly species with Se. schwetzi abounded in peri-urban areas and, respectively, in animal shed and in uninhabited house biotopes, while Se. antennata and Se. squamipleuris prevailed in rural areas and, respectively, in animal shelter biotopes and outside dwellings. All caught sand fly species except Se. schwetzi, Sergentomyia clydei, Sergentomyia inermis, and Sergentomyia adleri prevailed during the dry season. The highest Shannon–Wiener index of sand flies due to the maximal richness and evenness was found in the urban area, in outdoor biotopes, and during the rainy season (H′ = 1.68, 1.80, and 1.74, respectively). These data provide evidence that less urbanized areas, animal shelters around the compounds, and the absence of precipitation (dry season) favored the dispersion of abundant sand fly species in Kousseri. Based on previous reports on Leishmania transmission, a surveillance plan is required to prevent an outbreak of VL or an establishment of CL or canine leishmaniasis (CnL) in this focus. Further research identifying the blood meal source and the Leishmania parasites in these insects is critical for providing insightful data to fight leishmaniasis in Northern Cameroon.

Molecular and phenotypic identification of bacterial species isolated from cows with mastitis from three regions of Poland

BackgroundBovine mastitis is a widespread disease affecting dairy cattle worldwide and it generates substantial losses for dairy farmers. Mastitis may be caused by bacteria, fungi or algae. The most common species isolated from infected milk are, among others, Streptococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci. The aim of this paper is to determine the frequency of occurrence of bacterial species in milk samples from cows with mastitis from three regions of Poland: the north-east, the south-west and the south. To this end 203 milk samples taken from cows with a clinical form (CM) of mastitis (n = 100) and healthy animals (n = 103) were examined, which included culture on an appropriate medium followed by molecular detection of E. coli, S. aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Streptococcus uberis, as one of the most common species isolated from mastitis milk.ResultsThe results obtained indicated that S. uberis was the most commonly cultivated CM species (38%, n = 38), followed by S. aureus (22%, n = 22), E. coli (21%, n = 21) and S. agalactiae (18%, n = 18). Similar frequencies in molecular methods were obtained for S. uberis (35.1%) and S. aureus (28.0%). The variation of sensitivity of both methods may be responsible for the differences in the E. coli (41.0%, p = 0.002) and S. agalactiae (5.0%, p = 0.004) detection rates. Significant differences in composition of species between three regions of Poland were noted for E. coli incidence (p < 0.001), in both the culture and molecular methods, but data obtained by the PCR method indicated that this species was the least common in north-eastern Poland, while the culture method showed that in north-eastern Poland E. coli was the most common species. Significant differences for the molecular method were also observed for S. uberis (p < 0.001) and S. aureus (p < 0.001). Both species were most common in southern and south-western Poland.ConclusionsThe results obtained confirm the need to introduce rapid molecular tests for veterinary diagnostics, as well as providing important epidemiological data, to the best of our knowledge data on Polish cows in selected areas of Poland is lacking.

Evaluation of Mechanical Wood Properties of Silver Birch (Betula pendula L. Roth.) of Half-Sib Genetic Families

Silver birch, a widely distributed deciduous tree native to Europe, is valued for its wood applications in construction, furniture making, and paper production. In Lithuania, silver birch ranks as the third most common forest-tree species, comprising 22% of the forested areas, and is an important species for tree breeding due to its potential and adaptability. This study was focused on assessing the mechanical properties of wood (sample and log hardness, wood density, dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOEdyn), static modulus of elasticity (MOE) and bending strength (MOR)) in silver birch (Betula pendula L. Roth.) trees from different half-sibling families. Two experimental plantations of the progenies of Lithuanian populations (half-sib families) of silver birch from different regions were analysed. From these plantations, four genetic families were selected for mechanical properties evaluation. The study findings revealed significant variability in various wood properties among different genetic families, although the static modulus of elasticity did not exhibit significant differences between the chosen genetic families. All measured wood properties decreased from the bottom to the top of the model trees. Wood hardness displayed a moderately negative correlation for wood density and weak correlations for MOE and MOR. Given the weak correlations between wood hardness and other wood mechanical properties, it is suggested that MOEdyn would be a more suitable trait for genetic studies.

Personalideer: A comprehensive review of personality studies in cervids

Understanding animal personality, that is, consistent behavioural variation among individuals, is essential for elucidating the evolutionary origins of human personality. Despite extensive research on personality in diverse taxa, its significance in deer (i.e. cervids, family Cervidae), a taxon with diverse socioecological strategies, remains largely unexplored. This review summarizes the deer personality literature and highlights the knowledge gap in the studied species, personality assessment methods and traits, the general goal of the study, and implications for human personality research. We identified 32 eligible studies on seven species of deer, representing only a small portion of existing deer taxonomic diversity. More than half of the articles focused on three common deer species, roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus), fallow der ( Dama dama), and elk ( Cervus canadensis). Most studies evaluated reactions to capture, handling, and approaching humans, interpreting these behaviours as ‘Boldness’ or a ‘Coping style’. Also, most articles investigated the personality links to ecological variables, followed by physiological measures, and management applications. We advise researchers to move beyond measuring single traits and adopt a multitrait–multimethod approach, as is common in human personality research. Finally, deer and other animal models might be viable alternatives for studying adaptive value and genetic and environmental underpinnings of personality when research on humans is complicated.

The effects of turbulence on the growth of three different diatom species

The effects of turbulence on phytoplankton growth have received considerable attentions. However, the complexity of turbulence poses a significant challenge to its systematic characterization in the laboratory, resulting in relatively limited data on the effects of turbulence on several algal species. Here, a laboratory turbulence simulation system was set up to systematically investigate the growth of three common diatom species (Thalassiosira pseudonana, Skeletonema costatum, and Phaeodactylum tricornutum) under stationary and turbulent conditions (at 60, 120, 180 rpm), and measurements were taken for the algal biomass, algal photosynthetic activity, and nutrients consumption. By comparing the growth of three algae species under different turbulence exposure intensities, this study found that different algae exhibit varying sensitivities to turbulence, and therefore have different shear thresholds. Meanwhile, cell morphology is the key factor influencing the different shear threshold values observed in the three diatom species. Additionally, turbulence could impact algal aggregation and light availability, and dramatically improve nutrient uptake by phytoplankton. Our study will provides theoretical support for future endeavors in using turbulence to cultivate phytoplankton or combat algal blooms.

Rat lungworm, Cryptosporidium and other zoonotic pathogens of Rattus rattus and native wildlife on Sydney's Northern beaches

ABSTRACT Urbanisation is disrupting natural habitats and potentially causing spillover of zoonotic diseases from animals common in highly populated areas to natural environments and native wildlife. The black rat (Rattus rattus) is a common commensal species abundant in urban areas and nearby bushland in Australia and globally. It can be a major reservoir of pathogens and vectors for diseases that affect humans, pets, and wildlife. We examined pathogen prevalence in black rats and native wildlife in peri-urban northern Sydney. We trapped rats and native wildlife at eight 1-ha bushland sites and sampled for a range of internal pathogens from necropsied individuals (n=85 rats) and animal/trap swabs (n=54 native individuals). We detected a high prevalence of rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus spp.) in black rats (67%) as well as native wildlife including long-nosed bandicoots (Perameles nasuta; 43%; previously undetected) and bush rats (R. fuscipes; 33%). Incidence of detection tended to be more frequent where rat activity was greatest. Non-zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. was also recorded in 17% of black rats and Salmonella spp. in 21% of bandicoots. Our findings suggest black rats may be facilitating spill-over of disease into native wildlife. The detected prevalence of Angiostrongylus spp. suggests an increasing occurrence in this natural system. These data provide valuable insight for disease management highlighting important reservoirs of disease which could be targeted to reduce disease burden in humans, pets, and wildlife.

Widespread establishment of adventive populations of Leptopilina japonica (Hymenoptera, Figitidae) in North America and development of a multiplex PCR assay to identify key parasitoids of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera, Drosophilidae)

In recent years, there has been an increase in the adventive establishment and spread of parasitoid wasps outside of their native range. However, lack of taxonomic tools can hinder the efficient screening of field-collected samples to document the establishment and range expansion of parasitoids on continent-wide geographic scales. Here we report that Leptopilina japonica (Hymenoptera, Figitidae), a parasitoid of the globally invasive fruit pest Drosophila suzukii (Diptera, Drosophilidae), is now widespread in much of North America despite not having been intentionally introduced. Surveys in 2022 using a variety of methods detected L. japonica in 10 of 11 surveyed USA States and one Canadian Province where it was not previously known to occur. In most surveys, L. japonica was the most common species of D. suzukii parasitoid found. The surveys also resulted in the detection of Ganaspis cf. brasiliensis (Hymenoptera, Figitidae), the recently-released biological control agent of D. suzukii, in six USA States where it had not previously been found. These new detections are likely a result of intentional biological control introductions rather than spread of adventive populations. A species-specific multiplex PCR assay was developed as a rapid, accurate and cost-effective method to distinguish L. japonica, G. cf. brasiliensis, the closely-related cosmopolitan parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma (Hymenoptera, Figitidae) and other native parasitoid species. This dataset and the associated molecular tools will facilitate future studies of the spread and ecological impacts of these introduced parasitoids on multiple continents.