Ecology Laboratory Research Articles

Effect of dose and time of saline-tolerant Rhizobium sp. inoculation to productivity of black soybean (Glycine soja (l) merrit) on saline media

Black soybeans are a food plant commodity that is used as raw material for making soy sauce because it can give a natural black color. This study aims to examine the effect of various doses and times of inoculation of saline-tolerant Rhizobium sp. Inoculum against the production of black soybean (Glycine soja (L) Merrit) on saline media. The research was conducted on 25 September 2019 - 20 February 2020 at the Green House and the Laboratory of Ecology and Plant Production, Faculty of Animal and Agriculture, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java. The study used a completely randomized design with a 4x3 factorial pattern with 3 replications. The first factor is the inoculum dose, namely 0, 5, 10, and 15 mg/plant. The second factor is the time of inoculation, that are at planting, 7 and 14 Days After Sowing (DAS). The results showed that the inoculum dose of 15 mg/plant gave the highest yield on the variables of plant height, number of leaves, weight of seeds and weight of 100 seeds. Inoculum application at planting gave the best results on the variable number of leaves and seed weight. The interaction between dose and time of administration of Rhizobium sp. effect on pod and seeds weight.

The response of soybean plants due to inoculation of rhizobium bacteria and different fertilizer application

The research aimed to obtain information on the benefits of Rhizobium bacteria inoculation with various types of fertilizers in increasing soybean growth and production. The study was conducted in the greenhouse of the Ecology and Crop Production Laboratory, Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences, Diponegoro University, Semarang. The soybean seeds used were Anjasmoro. The experimental design was a completely randomized design with 3 x 4 factorial patterns with 4 replications. The first factor was Rhizobium bacterial inoculation including: R1 = without inoculation (control), R2 = Inoculation when planting, R3 = Inoculation 14 days after planting. The second factor was the type of fertilizer treatment includes: P1 = urea 75 kg/ha, P2 = cow manure 7.5 tons/ha, P3 = urea 75 kg/ha + zeolite 7.5 tons/ha, P4 = cow manure 7.5 tons/ha + zeolite 7.5 tons/ha. The parameters observed included plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, number of effective nodules, and number of pods. The data obtained were analyzed of variance analysis and continued with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The results showed Rhizobium bacterial inoculation significantly increases the growth and production of Anjasmoro soybeans both given when planting and 14 days after planting. Fertilization with 7.5 tons of manure/ha shows Anjasmoro soybean growth and production which was equivalent to 75 kg/ha of urea fertilizer.

Pengaruh Cekaman Salinitas terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Semusim

The purpose of the implementation of this practicum is to find out the effect of salinity checks on the growth of several plants a season. This experiment was conducted at the Plant Ecology Laboratory Agroecotechnology Study Program of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of North Sumatra, Medan on 21 April 2016 until May 19, 2016 at an altitude of 25 meters above sea level. This experiment was conducted using the factorial RandomIzed Design Method (RAK) with 2 factors, namely: Factor 1: Commodity (K) Level: K1 = Kale, K2 = Mustard; K3 = Green Beans; K4 = Corn, Factor 2: Salinity Level (S) Level: S0 = Control; S1 = Low; S2 = Medium; S3 = Height. The parameters observed are plant height (cm); number of leaves (strands); root volume (m3); root length (cm; wet weight of roots and headers; harvesting. From the results of the experiment it was obtained that the salinity level affected all parameters.

Hubungan Panjang Berat dan Faktor Kondisi Ikan Gulamah (Johnius trachycephalus) di Perairan Sungai Barumun Kabupaten Labuhanbatu

Gulamah fish (Johnius trachycephalus) is one type of fish that is widely consumed by the community. Prolonged use of Gulamah fish can have an impact on population decline caused by fishing activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between length and weight and condition factors of Gulamah fish in the waters of the Barumun River, Labuhanbatu Regency, North Sumatra Province. Sampling points were determined based on information from local fishermen. The Gulamah fish were taken using a net, with a net length of 20 m and a width of 8 m. Sampling was carried out four times for three months. The Gulamah fish that have been caught are then taken to the Ecology Laboratory, Labuhanbatu University, for measuring length, weighing, and separating fish by sex and so on. The number of samples during this study caught 36 fish, with a total length of Gulamah fish of 15.7 cm to 19.7 cm respectively, where the total length of the dominant fish caught averaged 18.16 cm. Meanwhile, the weight of Gulamah fish ranges from 70 grams to 113 grams, with an average fish weight of 95.08 grams. To analyze the relationship between length and weight, the Linear Allometric Model (MAL) was used, by calculating the constants a and b through length and weight measurements. While the condition factor is calculated using a metric system based on the relationship between the length and weight of the sample fish. The results showed that the relationship between the length and weight of Gulamah fish was negative allometric, which means that the length growth of the fish was faster than the weight growth. Then the condition factor states that the Barumun River supports the growth of Gulamah fish.

Floristic and Eco-Morphological Study of Antibacterial Plants in Phytotherapeutic Practice of Kasai Oriental in DR Congo

Aims: To make an ethnobotanical survey in the province of Kasai Oriental to identify the plant species used in the treatment of bacterial diseases; carry out a floristic analysis and determine their eco-morphological characteristics.
 Study Design: The surveys were conducted in the villages of all the territories of the Kasai Oriental province in RD CONGO for five years and nine months, from March 2013 to December 2018. The confirmation of the identified species was made at the Laboratory of the ISP Mbujimayi and Herbarium of the ecology laboratory of the Department of Biology of the University of Kinshasa.
 Place and Duration of Study: The surveys were conducted in the villages of all the territories of the Kasai Oriental province in RD CONGO for five years and nine months, from March 2013 to December 2018. The confirmation of the identified species was made at the Laboratory of the ISP Mbujimayi and Herbarium of the ecology laboratory of the Department of Biology of the University of Kinshasa.
 Methodology: Pre-established questionnaires were submitted to healers and potential patients living in the region. Data were collected on local phytotherapeutic practices in order to identify indigenous plants used in the treatment of bacterial diseases. The plants listed have been identified and their eco-morphological characteristics were determined.
 Results: From examination of the responses of 391 traditional healers and 1,485 residents and potential patients questioned, one hundred and sixteen plant species reputed to be effective against bacteriosis were identified. They belong to 19 orders, 39 families and 87 genera. Among these plants, only 6 families (Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Rubiaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Lamiaceae and Moraceae) provide 51.57% of the species used against bacterial pathologies i.e more than half. Woody plants (62.94%) predominate among the species used (27.59% of trees, 27.59% of shrubs). Wild savannah species (44.83%) and pantropical ones (32.76%) are the most numerous among the plants of Kasai Oriental which provide drugs against bacteriosis.
 Conclusion: The results confirm that several local plant species are commonly used to treat bacterial diseases in Kasai Oriental. Local herbalists use more phanerophyte plants from savannah and especially trees and shrubs.

Bracon wasps for ecological pest control-a laboratory experiment.

Biological control of pest insects by natural enemies may be an effective, cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides. The cosmopolitan parasitoid wasp species Bracon brevicornis Wesmael and B. hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) use lepidopteran species as hosts, including insect pests like Ephestia kuehniella or Ostrinia nubilalis. Here, we compare the reproductive success of both Bracon species on E. kuehniella in a laboratory experiment. We asked (1) how the reproductive success on a single host larva changes with temperature, (2) how it changes with temperature when more host larvae are present and (3) how temperature and availability of host larvae influence the efficacy of Bracon species as biological control agents. In general, differences between B. brevicornis and B. hebetor have been small. For rearing both Bracon species in the laboratory on one host larva, a temperature between 20–27 °C seems appropriate to obtain the highest number of offspring with a female-biased sex ratio. Rearing the braconid wasps on more than one host larva revealed a higher number of total offspring but less offspring per host larva on average. Again, highest numbers of offspring hatched at 27 °C and the sex ratio was independent from temperature. Although no parasitoids hatched at 12 °C and only few at 36 °C, host larvae were still paralyzed. The efficacy of B. brevicornis was higher than 80% at all numbers of host larvae presented at all temperatures while the efficacy of B. hebetor was less than 80% at 12 °C and 27 °C at low numbers of host larvae presented. In conclusion, practitioners can use either B. brevicornis or B. hebetor at low and high temperatures and at varying host densities to achieve high pest control efficacy.

Quality of organic fertilizer made from water hyacinth with the addition of corncobs waste and soybean dregs

The purposed of this research was 1) described the nutrient quality of organic fertilizer made from water hyacinth with the addition of corncobs waste and soybean dregs, 2) described the difference in quality of the organic fertilizer made from water hyacinth with the addition of corncobs waste and soybean dregs, 3) described the best quality from organic fertilizer made from water hyacinth with the addition of corncobs waste and soybean dregs. The method of this research was experimental with completely randomized design. The experiment consisted of one treatment factor namely the type of raw material water hyacinth which included three types, namely P1: with the addition of corncobs waste; P2: with the addition of soybean dregs; P3: with the addition of corncobs waste and soybean dregs (50%:50% ratio). Each type of treatment was carried out three times so that the sample amounted 9. The measured parameters were nutrient content included C, N, C/N, P, K, and pH. The research was conducted at the Ecology Laboratory, FMIPA, Unesa. Data was analysed by descriptively quantitative and statistically used 1-way Anava. The results showed that 1) Based on the criteria of soil chemical properties, organic fertilizer content has the same quality in elements C, N, K, C/N (very high), pH neutral, and P was very low, 2) There was a difference in the effect of the type of material on the amount of nutrient content of organic fertilizer, 3) Water hyacinth that addition with corncobs waste had a higher amount nutrient in several elements namely C, N, K, C/N. Whereas organic fertilizer with addition soybean dregs had a higher amount of content in the element P.

Sensory Ecology & Evolution

From a young age, children are fascinated by hide-and-seek games. These visual acuity games strengthen observational skills while increasing a competitive spirit to find a fellow playmate or a hidden object in an image. Unknowingly, children are using ecological and evolutionary principles of camouflage, mimicry, and adaptation when playing these classic games.The website Sensory Ecology & Evolution (https://www.sensoryecology.com/games), curated by the Centre for Ecology & Conservation at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, utilizes citizen science games to develop new tools to study visual observations in reference to organism coloration in a variety of realistic habitats. Human “predators” participate in computer experiments to contribute to an understanding of camouflage, disruptive coloration, and distractive markings. The center’s research also focuses on laboratory and field data with the aim of understanding animal vision, with applications to ecology, evolution, and animal behavior. Organisms, ranging from beetles to moths to crabs to frogs to hares to birds’ eggs to plants, are highlighted in the various citizen science games that will be sure to test your students’ visual acuity and be a perfect springboard for discussion around natural selection, adaptation, camouflage, and animal behavior, to name a few.When selecting a game for classroom or individual use, teachers should play the game first to test their own visual acuity. The habitats and various backgrounds are real images recorded and curated directly from the natural environments of the organisms. By clicking “start,” the participant agrees to have their data included in the larger research study. General instructions are included in the beginning of each game, with an example of the organism with size reference to be located. Silhouettes with various designs, ranging from solid colors to stripes to polka dots to more realistic-looking organisms such as frogs or herbs, are also featured in the games.Most of the games have a timer and bar count across the bottom of the screen where the observer is tasked with finding a particular number of organisms within a set time limit. Each game also asks whether the observer has played the game before. When one’s score and visual spotting percentage is revealed at the end of the game, it becomes a springboard for friendly competition with students. Most high school students would immediately jump at the chance to compete with me and with one another. The game provides a leaderboard at the end for quick identification, but an individual class leaderboard could also be easily generated as a class. Once the students recognize the organism’s shape and possible coloration and patterns, they will become invested in finding the organisms in the real images of habitats.The games can be utilized to introduce and reinforce observational skills or prior to evolution or ecology laboratories. For example, “Find the Camouflaged Moth” uses a simple triangular moth shape to see whether coloration or a particular pattern can evade predators more successfully. “Evolving Bugs” employs a beetle image to study whether a particular pattern optimizes camouflage. When introducing variation in a population, natural selection, and differential survival and reproduction, these games are perfect and contribute to a larger research endeavor.One of the highlights of these citizen science games is the ability to differentiate them for all grade levels. For example, “Spot the Hares” or “Frog Finder” can be utilized by lower elementary school students as they spot the hares or frogs among the field sites. Younger students can test their identification speed with a race against the clock and a chance to obtain a high score on the leaderboard, whereas an older student may connect the ability to spot the hare to climate change that could alter the snowy landscape over time. Furthermore, students can access the official publications and connect the games to the field studies, which enables the games to evolve into another educational opportunity for reading and evaluating scientific literature.When one thinks of camouflage, plants are not usually considered. However, one of the games, “Spot the Plant,” focuses on plant evolution of fritillaries used as medicinal plants in southwest China. This game is unique, in that one can play the game as a human or a yak. It is interesting to see how the selective pressure varies when the predators’ vision differs.As children explore the natural world, the classic hide-and-seek games can demonstrate the universal biological importance of observation, camouflage, and visual acuity. Biological principles and NGSS standards of natural selection, adaptation, environmental conditions, and biodiversity are evident in these citizen science games through Sensory Ecology & Evolution. A fun, competitive childhood game evolves into a research study worthy of further exploration.

Trophic Partitioning of Cambarus carinirostris, Cambarus robustus, and Faxonius obscurus in Kings Creek, WV by Stable Isotope Analysis

The competitive exclusion principle states that no two species can share the same niche in nature. Partitioning among coexisting species occurs through utilization of various food sources or differences in microhabitat preference. The purpose of this study is to assess potential trophic partitioning between Cambarus carinirostris, Cambarus robustus, and Faxonius obscurus, three species of crayfish present in Kings Creek, Weirton, WV. Analysis and comparison of individual carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 isotope signatures were used to establish organic matter transfer pathways and trophic structures in the ecosystem. Representative trophic groups were sampled, spanning from macro-predators (e.g., smallmouth bass) to primary producers (e.g., macrophytes and algae). All samples were analyzed for carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 by the Stable Isotope Ecology Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Interspecific partitioning within the community was identified. Smallmouth bass were top predators and crayfish were the second highest group. Between the three species of crayfish, interspecific partitioning was suggested. The lowest and highest trophic levels were occupied by C. carinirostris and F. obscurus, respectively. In addition, intraspecific partitioning within each crayfish species suggested that juveniles occupy a lower trophic level than adults, potentially signifying ontogenetic dietary shifts. All analyzed data represent the summer season. Winter results are pending and once available, the two seasons will be compared for any differences in trophic structure.

Novel Covid–19: Outbreaks Status in Two Main Regions of Nigeria and the Public Health Implication of Bats Population Dynamics in Urban Settlements

Ombugadu A*1, Abbas AA2, Namo J E3, Echor BO4, Ahmed HO1, Atabo EJ5, Tanko NS6, Pam VA1, Njila HL4, Deme GG7, Attah SA1, Samuel MD1, Angbalaga GA8, Aimankhu OP1, Nkup CD9, Micah EM1, Akpason EA8, Adejoh VA1, Lapang PM10 Author Affiliations 1Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Federal University of Lafia, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. 2Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Plot 252 Herbert Macaulay Way, Maina Court, Central Business District, Garki-Abuja. 3Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. 4Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. 5Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. 6Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Federal University of Lafia, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. 7State Key Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, PR China. 8Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Federal of University Lafia, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. 9Department of Biology, College of Arts, Science and Technology, Kurgwi, Qua’an Pan LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria. 10Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Received: February 01, 2021| Published: February 12, 2021 Corresponding author: Ombugadu A, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria akwash24@gmail.com DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2021.33.005465

Gastrointestinal Nematodes among Residents in Melong, Moungo Division, Littoral Region, Cameroon.

Background Intestinal parasitic infections are among the most common infections worldwide. The present study was undertaken to provide baseline information on the status of gastrointestinal nematodes in Melong Subdivision, Moungo Division, Littoral Region, Cameroon. Material and Methods. Seven hundred and eighty-eight stool samples were collected in randomly selected quarters in the community of Melong. These stool samples were brought to the Laboratory of Applied Biology and Ecology in the University of Dschang for analysis using the qualitative (simple flotation) and quantitative (Mc Master count) technique. Results The nematodes identified were Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, and Capillaria hepatica with respective prevalences and intensities of infection of 2.2% and 3691.12 ± 3898.47, 1.4% and 940.91 ± 1825.90, 1.0% and 193.75 ± 227.47, and 0.4%and 50 ± 00. The data on the prevalence of nematodes with respect to sex and age showed that females (6.0%) were more infected than males (2.76%) with no significant difference (P > 0.05). Furthermore, with respect to age, adults were more infected than children. The percentage of educational level showed a reduction in the number of parasites in the higher educational level. The prevalence of A. lumbricoides between localities showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) with “Quarter 1” harboring most of the nematodes. Cases of double (Ascaris lumbricoides + Trichuris trichiura) and triple (Ascaris lumbricoides + Trichuris trichiura + hookworm) parasitism were encountered with both having a prevalence of 0.3%. According to the fecal concentration of eggs, 63.89% of the infections were light, 5.56% moderate, and 30.56% heavy. Conclusion A relatively low overall prevalence was obtained in our study, showing that the national deworming campaign is proving effective, but more effort is needed to completely eradicate these parasites for a single infected individual can cause havoc.

Creating and Assessing an Academic Learning Community between Biology and Statistics Courses

Biology students need analytical and critical thinking skills to analyze data and apply their knowledge to real-life situations. To meet this growing need while helping students to discover the relevance of learning through applications, we created an academic learning community (LC) between Ecology and Biostatistics courses. Selected case-studies and their corresponding data from the Ecology lab were incorporated into Biostatistics. Our data demonstrated that the LC group might have improved their statistical knowledge and their understanding of ecological problems more than the non-LC group and that LC promoted interactions among students and between instructors and students. We discuss key criteria that permitted the LC development, the evidence of its effectiveness, limitations of this study, and ways to improve the LC.

Bracon wasps for ecological pest control-a laboratory experiment.

Biological control of pest insects by natural enemies may be an effective, cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides. The cosmopolitan parasitoid wasp species Bracon brevicornis Wesmael and B. hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) use lepidopteran species as hosts, including insect pests like Ephestia kuehniella or Ostrinia nubilalis. Here, we compare the reproductive success of both Bracon species on E. kuehniella in a laboratory experiment. We asked (1) how the reproductive success on a single host larva changes with temperature, (2) how it changes with temperature when more host larvae are present and (3) how temperature and availability of host larvae influence the efficacy of Bracon species as biological control agents. In general, differences between B. brevicornis and B. hebetor have been small. For rearing both Bracon species in the laboratory on one host larva, a temperature between 20–27 °C seems appropriate to obtain the highest number of offspring with a female-biased sex ratio. Rearing the braconid wasps on more than one host larva revealed a higher number of total offspring but less offspring per host larva on average. Again, highest numbers of offspring hatched at 27 °C and the sex ratio was independent from temperature. Although no parasitoids hatched at 12 °C and only few at 36 °C, host larvae were still paralyzed. The efficacy of B. brevicornis was higher than 80% at all numbers of host larvae presented at all temperatures while the efficacy of B. hebetor was less than 80% at 12 °C and 27 °C at low numbers of host larvae presented. In conclusion, practitioners can use either B. brevicornis or B. hebetor at low and high temperatures and at varying host densities to achieve high pest control efficacy.

Cultivation and Nutritional Quality of Moringa Oleifera Lam. Produced Under Different Substrates in Semi-Arid Region in Northeast Brazil

The Moringa oleifera Lam. it is a perennial, arboreal species, rapidly growing, resistant to drought and with leaves, flowers and edible fruits. With this research the objective to evaluate the effect of different substrates in the emergence and development of seedlings of Moringa. The experiment was carried out at the Plant Ecology Laboratory of the Department of Phytotechnics and Environmental Sciences, at the Center for Agricultural Sciences, at the Federal University of Paraíba. The experimental desing was completely randomized, with eight treatments T1= sand washed (control), T2= sand + coconut fiber, T3= sand + rice bark, T4= sand + bovine manure, T5= sand + pine powder, T6= sand + chicken manure, T7= sand + vegetable ash and T8= quail, with four repetitions of 25 seeds totaling 100 seeds for each treatment. The substrates were used in proportion 3:1, and these proportions were determined in terms of weight and all the sieved substrates, arranged in 6 cm x 29.5 cm x 45.5 cm trays, with an approximate capacity of 7 liters of substrate. The following parameters were evaluated: the emergence percentage, first count, emergence speed index, seedling height, plant height, root length, number of leaves, dry leaf biomass, stalk, root and total. The germination and initial development of M. oleífera seedlings were satisfactory in sand and favored when fibrous materials of vegetable origin (coconut fiber, rice bark or pine powder) or bovine manure were added to the substrate. The addition of manure sand from birds (chicken and quails) and vegetable ash did not favor the substrate for germination of Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds.

The Effect of Magnesium, Boron, and NPK Fertilizer on the Growth of Pre-Nursery Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq)

Oil palm is one of Indonesia's main commodity plantation crops that can produce vegetable oil and this plant is consumptive of nutrients. This research aims to examine the effect of magnesium, boron, and NPK compound fertilizers and the interaction between magnesium, boron, and NPK compound fertilizers on the growth of oil palm seedlings. The research was conducted in February - May 2020 in a greenhouse with an altitude of 250 meters above sea level and the Laboratory of Ecology and Plant Production, Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Science, Diponegoro University. The research was conducted using a completely randomized design with a 4 × 4 factorial with 3 replications. The first factor is the provision of no fertilizer, magnesium fertilizer, boron fertilizer, and magnesium + boron fertilizers. The second factor is the NPK compound at a dose of 1.8, 2.8, 3.8, and 4.8 g/seedling. The results showed that magnesium + boron had a significant effect on the stem diameter and root length and the NPK compound at a dose of 3.8 g/seedling could increase the stem diameter, fresh and dry weight of the root. The interaction between magnesium + boron fertilizer and NPK compound fertilizer had no significant effect on the height of the seedlings, the number of leaves, stem diameter, length of the root, and fresh and dry weight of the root. &#x0D; Keywords: Oil palm seedling, growth, nutrients, fertilizer dose

Abundance and Diversity of Snails in Various Agroecosystems in District Multan, Pakistan

Snails are the second largest group of invertebrates after insects and make a major part of the world's fauna. There are 35,000 described species of land snails (subclass: Pulmonata) from class gastropods in the world. With the present scenario of climate change, their occurrence has been observed many-fold. Despite their economic importance, population diversity and distribution of these creatures on different host crops in Punjab Pakistan is not much more studies. For this purpose, the present study was conducted to identify the snail species and their diversity on different hosts in the agroecosystems of Multan. The snails were collected from different crops like wheat, vegetable (spinach), fodder, citrus orchard, and plant nurseries. A total of 8264 specimens were collected and preserved in the form of a dry shell and 70% alcohol in Ecology Lab, MNS - the University of Agriculture, Multan for identification purpose. The preserved specimens were identified under microscope using available taxonomic keys. Ariophanta bistrialis ceylanica, Ariophanta bistrialis cylix, Ariophanta solata, Oxychilus draparnaudi, Monacha catiana, Cernuella virgata, Pupoides abilabris and Oxyloma elegans were identified during the study. The highest and lowest population of Ariophanta bistrialis cylix (1592) and Ariophanta solata (446), respectively was recorded. The population diversity was found maximum in plant nurseries followed by fodder crop (Berseem) and citrus orchard while least in vegetable (Spinach) and wheat crop. The maximum population was found in July and August, while least in March and May. In the rainy season, the population of snails was recorded maximum as compared to the dry season.

Online but not remote: Adapting field-based ecology laboratories for online learning.

Teaching ecology effectively and experientially has become more challenging for at least two reasons today. Most experiences of our students are urban, and we now face the near immediate and continuing need to deliver courses (either partially or wholly) online because of COVID‐19. Therefore, providing a learning experience that connects students to their environment within an ecological framework remains crucial and perhaps therapeutic to mental health. Here, we describe how prior to the pandemic we adapted our field‐based laboratories to include data collection, analysis, and interpretation, along with the development of a citizen‐science approach for online delivery. This design is simple to implement, does not require extensive work, and maintains the veracity of original learning outcomes. Collaboration online following field data collection in ecology courses within the context of cities offers further options to adapt to student experience levels, resource availability, and accessibility, as well as bringing instructors and students together to build an open well‐curated data set that can be used in ecology courses where no laboratories are available. Finally, it promotes an open collaboration among ecology instructors that can drive lasting conversations about ecology curriculum.

Stressed about Drought Stress

Climate change is causing widespread forest mortality due to intensified drought conditions. In light of a dynamically changing planet, understanding when forest die-off will occur is vital in predicting forest response to future climate trends. The Environmental Ecology Lab studies plant physiological response to drought stress to determine the lethal level of drought for pinyon pine. This drought research inspired this high school biology lesson, which addresses the NGSS Performance Expectation HS-LS4-6. Students engage in a climate change discussion regarding the devastation of California wildfires. Ongoing research in the lab is then introduced, leading students to design their own drought experiment using radish plants. Students determine an effective drought detector as a solution to mitigate human-induced climate change. Experimental data are statistically tested using R, to determine the effectiveness of drought detectors. To place their observations in a global context, students research the NASA Global Climate Change website to provide evidence to support their claim of human-induced climate change and relate this to a reduction in biodiversity. In a final presentation, groups share their most effective physiological measurement and propose potential applications of drought detection in mitigating adverse impacts of climate change.

Incubation Time of Liquid Organic Fertilizers and Doses of Nitrogen on Growth and Yield of Cherry Tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum)

ABSTRACT&#x0D; The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of incubation time of liquid organic fertilizer and nitrogen doses on the growth and production of cherry tomatoes. The experiment was conducted at the sreen house of Department of Agriculture of Semarang City and at the Ecology and Crop Production Laboratory of the Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences, Diponegoro University from May-September 2017. A completely randomized design of 3x3 factorial patterns was used throughout the experiment. The first factor consisted of the incubation time of liquid organic fertilizer 6, 12 and 18 days, respectively for I1, I2 and 13 treatments. The second factor was the doses of nitrogen that consisted of three levels 36, 72 and 180 kgN/ha as D1, D2 and D3 treatments, respectively. Observed data included plant height, fresh and dry weight of stover, harvest index, fruit production and fruit sets. Obtained data were analyzed statistically by using ANOVA and continued with the smallest significant difference test at 5%. On the basis of the experiment it may be concluded that all of LOF with different of incubation time at dose of 72 kg N/ha may be recommended for cherry tomatoes cultivation.&#x0D;

Ecotoxicological test to assess effects of herbicides on spore germination of Rhizophagus clarus and Gigaspora albida

Given the essential role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in soil systems and agriculture, their use as biological indicators has risen in all fields of microbiology research. However, AMF sensitivity to chemical pesticides is poorly understood in field conditions, and not explored in ecotoxicology protocols. Hence, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of glyphosate (Roundup®) and diuron+paraquat (Gramocil®) on the germination of spores of Gigaspora albida and Rhizophagus clarus in a tropical artificial soil. This study was conducted in 2019 at the Soil Ecology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina. The nominal concentrations of glyphosate were 0, 10, 50, 100, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg a.i. kg−1. For diuron+paraquat, the concentrations tested were 0, 10 + 20, 50 + 100, 100 + 200, 250 + 500, 500 + 1000, 750 + 1500 and 1000 + 2000 mg a.i. kg−1. Glyphosate did not alter germination of G. albida, but germination inhibition of R. clarus spores was of 30.8% at 1000 mg kg−1. Diuron+paraquat inhibited by 8.0% germination of G. albida, but only at the highest concentration tested. On the other hand, effects on R. clarus were detected at 50 + 100 mg kg−1 concentration and above, and inhibition was as high as 57.7% at the highest concentration evaluated. These results suggest distinct response mechanisms of Rhizophagus and Gigaspora when exposed to herbicides, with the former being more sensitive than the later.