Environmental Traits Research Articles

Performance of Convergent Breeding Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Lines in the Lowlands

The development of tropical wheat in Indonesia is currently confined to the availability of wheat’s optimal environments in the highlands. Wheat competes with major highland crops, such as vegetables, which also have high economic values. Despite this, the demand for wheat in Indonesia remains high, whether in the form of wheat flour, wheat meal, or oats. Wheat breeders are actively working to create various crossbreeds so that wheat can adapt and perform effectively in lowland areas. The convergent breeding method is one of the strategies employed to produce genotypes with superior performance. Convergent breeding enhances genetic diversity by incorporating superior traits from all parent plants. The breeding results expedite the emergence of genetic combinations between selected parents. This method involves combining several parent varieties with various traits, with the hope that their offspring will inherit all the characteristics of the crossed parents. Our study with wheat convergent breeding has reached the F6 generation, and in this current study we evaluated the performance of each observed trait in different environments, with the goal of determining the levels of homogeneity and homozygosity. The study utilized a randomized complete block design with three replications, and the crops were planted in various locations. The planting locations selected were those that are >1000 m above sea level (asl), and at a lowland of ± 250 m asl. Wheat performance based on stomatal characteristics showed a reduction in the lowland, which indicates a response to climatic conditions in a particular environment. The higher the environmental temperatures, the smaller the stomatal size, which reduces plant water loss. Noteworthy findings include the tallest plant in CBF-6. CAMN23(265), the highest number of tillers in CBF-6. CAMN233 and CBF-6.CAMN8(4), the largest flag leaf area in CBF-7.CAMN60, and the highest 100-seed weight, as well as overall yield in CBF-7.CAMN119. An analysis of the lowland sensitivity index identified ten moderate genotypes that could potentially adapt well and achieve optimal yields.

Identification of Selection Signatures and Candidate Genes Related to Environmental Adaptation and Economic Traits in Tibetan Pigs.

Tibetan pigs are indigenous to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and have been the subject of extensive genomic research primarily focused on their adaptation to high altitudes. However, genetic modifications associated with their response to low-altitude acclimation have not been thoroughly explored. To investigate the genetic basis underlying the low-altitude acclimation of Tibetan pigs, we generated and analyzed genotyping data of Tibetan pigs that inhabit high-altitude regions (average altitude 4000 m) and Tibetan pigs that have inhabited nearby low-altitude regions (average altitude 500 m) for approximately 20 generations. We found that the highland and lowland Tibetan pigs have distinguishable genotype and phenotype variations. We identified 46 and 126 potentially selected SNPs associated with 29 and 56 candidate genes in highland and lowland Tibetan pigs, respectively. Candidate genes in the highland Tibetan pigs were involved in immune response (NFYC and STAT1) and radiation (NABP1), whereas candidate genes in the lowland Tibetan pigs were related to reproduction (ESR2, DMRTA1, and ZNF366), growth and development (NTRK3, FGF18, and MAP1B), and blood pressure regulation (CARTPT). These findings will help to understand the mechanisms of environmental adaptation in Tibetan pigs and offer valuable information into the genetic improvement of Tibetan pigs pertaining to low-altitude acclimation and economic traits.

Spatiotemporal Variation and Prediction Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover and Ecosystem Service Changes in Gannan, China

For the preservation of ecosystems, including the enhancement of ecological strategies, examining the temporal and geographical variance in ecosystem services (ESs) and land use/land cover change (LUCC) is crucial. Gannan is situated on the upper Yellow River, which is a notable water conservation region with excellent ecological quality, but in the background of the local traditional production mode and rapid economic development, natural disasters, grassland degradation, and other ecological problems occur frequently. The integrated valuing of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST) model and the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model are combined in this work to assess the spatiotemporal variance in ESs in Gannan. We set up three scenarios in modeling future land use—ecological protection (EP), natural development (ND), and economic development (ED) in 2050—and analyzed and evaluated the drivers of the variation in ESs. In order to reveal the LUCC in Gannan between 1990 and 2020, we predicted the LUCC and ESs spatial distribution characteristics in 2050, explored the correlation between its driving factors, and comprehensively analyzed and propose optimization measures and protection strategies. Through several simulation experiments, the findings indicate the following: (1) the largest percentage of land expansion for construction in Gannan between 1990 and 2020 is 74.53%, and the most noticeable percentage of shrinkage in the sand area is 20.67%; (2) from 1990 to 2020, Gannan’s water yield, carbon storage, soil retention, and habitat quality all changed, by 60 × 108 m3, 0.04 × 108 t, −10.66 × 108 t, and −0.02, respectively; (3) ESs are influenced by a variety of natural and societal variables: the southern and southwestern regions of Gannan are home to the majority of ESs hot spot areas, while the northern region is home to the majority of cold spot areas. This study contributes to the analysis of the developmental traits of Gannan ecosystems and can serve as a model for the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems with comparable environmental traits.

Root traits vary as much as leaf traits and have consistent phenotypic plasticity among 14 populations of a globally widespread herb

Abstract Our understanding of plant functional trait variation among populations and how this relates to local adaptation to environmental conditions is largely shaped by above‐ground traits. However, we might expect below‐ground traits linked to resource acquisition and conservation to vary among populations that experience different environmental conditions. Alternatively, below‐ground traits might be highly plastic in response to growing conditions, such as availability of soil resources and association with symbiont arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). We assessed (i) the strength of among‐population variation in above‐ and below‐ground traits, (ii) the effects of growing conditions on among‐population variation and (iii) whether variation among populations is linked to source environment conditions, in a globally distributed perennial Plantago lanceolata. Using seeds from 14 populations across three continents, we grew plants in a common garden experiment and measured leaf and root traits linked to resource acquisition and water conservation. We included two sets of experimental treatments (high or low water availability; with and without AMF inoculation), which enabled us to assess trait responses to growing conditions. Across treatments, the percentage of root trait variation explained by populations and continents was 9%–26%, compared to 7%–20% for leaf trait variation. From principal component analysis (PCA), the first PC axis for both root and leaf traits largely reflected plant size, while the second PC broadly captured mass allocation. Root mass allocation (PC 2) was related to mean annual temperature and mean moisture index, indicating that populations from cooler, wetter environments had longer, thinner roots. However, we found little support for a relationship between source environment and leaf trait PCs, root system size (PC1) or individual traits. Water availability and AMF inoculation effects on size were consistent among populations, with larger plants under AMF inoculation, and less mass allocation to leaves under lower water availability. Plantago lanceolata shows substantial population‐level variation in a suite of root traits, but that variation is only partially linked to the source environmental variables studied. Despite considerable differences in source abiotic environments, geographically separated populations have retained a strong and similar capacity for phenotypic plasticity both above and below‐ground. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Effects of leaf litter traits on terrestrial isopod and millipede consumption, assimilation and growth

Abstract Nutrient cycling through leaf litter consumption is an essential ecological function performed by macrodetritivorous invertebrates such as isopods and millipedes. Leaf litter consumption rates can vary greatly depending on the environment, consumer identity and litter traits, but generalizations about the effects of plant traits on macrodetritivore leaf litter consumption, assimilation and growth are not well established and are mostly indirectly inferred. We conducted a systematic search of the global literature and obtained 456 standardized measures from laboratory experiments of relative consumption (RCR), assimilation (RAR) and growth (RGR) rates of terrestrial isopods and millipedes, extracted from 56 different articles. We investigated if commonly measured leaf traits, plant functional groups, prior microbial conditioning of leaves and climatic conditions affected these rates. We obtained data on commonly measured leaf traits from the TRY global plant trait database, inferred plant functional groups from taxonomic groupings and obtained climatic data from information reported within articles. RCR, RAR and RGR varied greatly among macrodetritivore and plant species, but overall, there were no differences between isopods and millipedes. Microbial conditioning of litter greatly increased RCR. Plant functional group was an important predictor of RCR, with eudicot trees and forbs being consumed in greater quantities than magnoliid trees and grasses. Fresh leaf N:P ratio had a positive effect on RAR, and leaf N and C:N ratio had positive and negative effects on RGR, respectively, while climatic variables had weak effects on the three rates. Our work shows that plant traits (both those associated with plant functional groups and commonly measured leaf traits) exert strong effects on resource processing rates by terrestrial macrodetritivores. Further, prior microbial conditioning of leaf litter has a large and globally consistent positive effect on macrodetritivore litter consumption, suggesting that they may consume little, if any, freshly senesced leaf material when microbially conditioned litter is available. Our results suggest that, where extremes of temperature or precipitation do not occur, variables reflective of food quality (leaf traits and microbe conditioning) are more important drivers of macrodetritivore leaf litter consumption than are extrinsic climatic variables. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Physiological response of Katahdin ewes to the absence of shadows in tropical region of Mexico

This study evaluated the effect of environmental conditions on the physiological and body infrared temperature traits of Katahdin sheep. Ten recently reproductive-managed ewes were randomly segregated into two groups. The control group (CG) was under outdoor conditions with shadow access, and the experimental group (EG) was under outdoor conditions without shadow access. Traits were measured for 16 days, and the environmental traits confirmed significant differences between groups, with an average temperature-humidity index (THI) of 68.64±1.46 for the CG and 72.98±3.17 for the EG, with a breach of five units between groups. The THI was subsequently used to evaluate the heat load. Respiratory frequency was the physiological variable that responded the most to heat stress. The rectal temperature of the sheep was greater in the experimental group than in the control group, indicating an increase in heat stress. The EG also presented higher heat emissions from body regions, which was associated with changes in core body temperature and blood flow at the body surface. Differences in hematological parameters, such as the erythrocyte count, mean corpuscular volume, and total plasma protein concentration, were found between the groups. Infrared thermography was found to be efficient for estimating heat stress in sheep species, and head temperature was found to be a reliable indicator of physiological thermal stress.

Metabolic shifts in glycogen-accumulating organisms: Exploring carbon and phosphorus dynamics under two distinct phosphorus limitation modes

Glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) are recognized as competitors of phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) systems. However, different types of GAOs exhibit unique metabolic traits in different environments. To characterize the metabolic activity of GAOs, two distinct modes were constructed. Long-term operation with the mode of anaerobic post-drainage demonstrated the successful establishment of a rapid and enduring GAOs system dominated by Candidatus Contendobacter community. Acetate was completely consumed within 60 min of the anaerobic phase. Concurrently, glycogen levels decreased by 0.062 g Glycogen/g SS, while intracellular carbon storage of poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and poly-hydroxyvalerate (PHV) increased by 0.027 g PHB/g SS and 0.007 g PHV/g SS, respectively. Various concentrations of phosphorus loads illustrated the resistance of the system to high phosphorus loads, while maintaining glycogen accumulating metabolism (GAM). Under complete phosphorus limitation, no correlation between glycogen and acetate was observed during the initial 140 d. The addition of 1 mg/L phosphate to the influent preserved the typical GAM characteristics. Moreover, the pathway involved in glycogen conversion to trehalose may be pivotal in enhancing anaerobic glycogen degradation. The complete tricarboxylic acid cycle ensured efficient energy production, thereby sustaining the foundational metabolism. Notably, sucC and mdh were critical regulators of energy flux. This study provides a distinctive metabolic profile of a robust and resilient GAOs model with Ca. Contendobacter.

Ecological significance of marcescence in Himalayan plants: Why is standing dead phytomass more important in demanding, resource‐limited environments?

Abstract Understanding mechanisms allowing plants to thrive in challenging conditions is critical for predicting their responses to global environmental change. An often overlooked ecological adaptation is marcescence, where leaves and stems are retained beyond their typical shedding time, with implications for nutrient recycling and carbon sequestration. Marcescence can be expected in plants with conservative resource‐use strategies, especially in environments with limited resources and marked seasonality, such as deserts and alpine regions. However, the extent to which marcescence occurs in different taxa across different habitats and its relationship to seasonality and plant functioning as reflected in ecophysiological traits remains understudied. We studied 600 individuals across 40 Himalayan herb species found in desert, steppe, alpine and subnival habitats, spanning 3000–5400 m elevation. Marcescence was observed in 37 of the 40 species evaluated, with 57% of the sampled individuals displaying dead phytomass, indicating the widespread nature of this phenomenon in Himalayan ecosystems. Environment and plant traits emerged as significant factors influencing the amount of dead‐standing biomass. These findings remained robust after accounting for intraspecific variation and phylogenetic inertia. Desert and steppe species exhibited greater marcescent biomass, characterized by 10‐fold more dead stem biomass than alpine and subnival plants. In contrast, the proportion of dead phytomass increased with elevation due to increased dead leaf fraction. Taller desert species with heavily lignified stems and limited nitrogen and phosphorus content had high levels of stem marcescence, which not only may aid litter photodegradation and nutrient recycling but also deter herbivory and promote seed dispersal (tumbleweed). Conversely, slow‐growing alpine and subnival plants with higher water‐use efficiency, foliar C:N ratios and parenchymatic storage tissue rich in mobile carbohydrates had a high proportion of marcescent leaves, which may aid survival in these resource‐limited environments by providing delayed nutrients through moisture‐conserving mulch that also provides insulation and protection from frost. This study provides new insights into the complex interplay of habitat, seasonality and plant traits in dead phytomass retention in Himalayan plants. Marcescence is prevalent in resource‐conservative species in highly seasonal, resource‐limited habitats and may significantly shape the functioning and biodiversity of Himalayan ecosystems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Putting space into trait ecology: Trait, environment and biodiversity relationships at multiple spatial scales

Abstract Ecological processes such as environmental filtering and biotic interactions that shape species' traits and community diversity often vary with geographic distance, potentially generating spatial structures in trait variation, covariation and biodiversity data. Understanding spatial structures of trait, environment and biodiversity, or the spatial link between those factors, is fundamental to identifying spatially explicit assembly processes or biodiversity distributions in spatially heterogeneous landscapes but remains unclear. To address the issue, we gathered individual‐level leaf and diameter traits data paired with environmental data from a 4.8 ha subtropical Chinese forest and divided the forest into 25, 100, 400 and 1936 m2 grids representing contrasting spatial grains. Using Moran's correlograms, we quantified the spatial structures of trait variation and covariation, environmental conditions and biodiversity. We assessed the links between those variables using path analyses. Most variables were spatially positively autocorrelated. However, trait mean was more autocorrelated than trait variation or covariation, and intraspecific trait variation was more autocorrelated than interspecific variation. Autocorrelations in those community properties were generally weak at the large grain. Path analyses indicated positive associations between interspecific trait variation and species diversity at a very small to medium scale and a positive association between intraspecific variation and small‐scale functional diversity. Trait covariation constrained biodiversity, and multi‐trait means were negatively linked to very small‐ to medium‐scale species diversity but positively to medium‐ and large‐scale functional diversity. Patterns regarding multi‐trait community structure–environment–biodiversity associations were generally held for individual traits. However, depending on the trait, spatial scale and plant ontogenic stage, the pattern's strength changed, or occasionally, their sign reversed. We attribute spatial patterns in multi‐trait mean and covariation to scale‐dependent variation in environmental heterogeneity and trait variation to scale‐dependent competition. Synthesis. Our study provides novel insights into spatial and scale‐dependent variability in functional community structure, environment and biodiversity, and their relationships. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of spatial trait analyses in identifying scale‐dependent assembly processes or finding the importance of processes to biodiversity distributions in spatially heterogeneous landscapes. A spatially explicit perspective is thus helpful for the progress of trait ecology.

Parasitic findings on threatened pudu deer from Central Chile accounts first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile and the first molecular report of Taenia hydatigena metacestodes in this species

Southern pudu (Pudu puda) is a threatened endemic deer of the temperate forests of Chile. In recent years pudu populations rates have decreased mainly due to anthropogenic causes including forest loss and landscape fragmentation. In this context, the parasitic fauna of Chilean pudu has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the parasitic status of rescued pudu n = 13 from its natural habitat in Central Chile (Maule region) during March 2022 and June 2023 by applying morphological, histopathological, and molecular analyses. As result, we report the presence of transmission of parasites from dogs to pudus as showed by the presence of metacestodes of the parasite Taenia hydatigena on omentum, liver, and pleura of pudus during postmortem examinations, being the first molecular report on the presence of this parasite on Chilean pudu. Meanwhile, ectoparasite examinations determined the presence of chewing and sucking lice on pudu exemplars here analysed. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of lice revealed new insights on Bovicola and Anoplura lice parasitizing P. puda in Chile, equally being the first genetic characterization of lice parasitizing pudu exemplars in Chile. In addition, parasite loads of lice and metacestodes were analysed. However, no statistically significance was observed when comparing environmental and individual traits influence on parasite load variation. Overall, the study area is the northern limit of habitat distribution of this specie in Chile and we here provide novel information on pudu deer parasites, thus making a useful and valuable contribution to the parasitological knowledge on this threatened species.

Genetic evaluations and genome-wide association studies for specific digital dermatitis diagnoses in dairy cows considering genotype × housing system interactions

The present study aimed to use detailed phenotyping for the claw disorder digital dermatitis (DD) considering specific DD stages in 2 housing systems (conventional cubicle barns [CON] and compost-bedded pack barns [CBPB]) to infer possible genotype × housing system interactions. The DD stages included 2,980 observations for the 3 traits DD-sick, DD-acute, and DD-chronic from 1,311 Holstein-Friesian and 399 Fleckvieh-Simmental cows. Selection of the 5 CBPB and 5 CON herds was based on a specific protocol to achieve a high level of herd similarity with regard to climate, feeding, milking system, and location, but with pronounced housing-system differences. Five other farms had a "mixed system" with 2 subherds, one representing CBPB and the other one CON. The CBPB system was represented by 899 cows (1,530 observations), and 811 cows (1,450 observations) represented the CON system. The average disease prevalence was 20.47% for DD-sick, 13.88% for DD-acute, and 5.34% for DD-chronic, with a higher prevalence in CON than in CBPB. After quality control of 50K genotypes, 38,495 SNPs from 926 cows remained for the ongoing genomic analyses. Genetic parameters for DD-sick, DD-acute, and DD-chronic were estimated by applying single-step approaches for single-trait repeatability animal models considering the whole dataset, and separately for the CON and CBPB subsets. Genetic correlations between same DD traits from different housing systems, and between DD-sick, DD-chronic, and DD-acute, were estimated via bivariate animal models. Heritabilities based on the whole dataset were 0.16 for DD-sick, 0.14 for DD-acute, and 0.11 for DD-chronic. A slight increase of heritabilities and genetic variances was observed in CON compared with the "well-being" CBPB system, indicating a stronger genetic differentiation of diseases in a more challenging environment. Genetic correlations between same DD traits recorded in CON or CBPB were close to 0.80, disproving obvious genotype × housing system interactions. Genetic correlations among DD-sick, DD-acute and DD-chronic ranged from 0.58 to 0.81. SNP main effects and SNP × housing system interaction effects were estimated simultaneously via GWAS, considering only the phenotypes from genotyped cows. Ongoing annotations of potential candidate genes focused on chromosomal segments 100 kb upstream and downstream from the significantly associated candidate SNP. GWAS for main effects indicated heterogeneous Manhattan plots especially for DD-acute and DD-chronic, indicating particularities in disease pathogenesis. Nevertheless, a few shared annotated potential candidate genes, that is, METTL25, AFF3, PRKG1, and TENM4 for DD-sick and DD-acute, were identified. These genes have direct or indirect effects on disease resistance or immunology. For the SNP × housing system interaction, the annotated genes ASXL1 and NOL4L on BTA 13 were relevant for DD-sick and DD-acute. Overall, the very similar genetic parameters for the same traits in different environments and negligible genotype × housing system interactions indicate only minor effects on genetic evaluations for DD due to housing-system particularities.

Climatic gradients and forest composition shape bat communities in Eastern Mediterranean pine plantations.

Biotic and abiotic factors can act as filters for determining the species composition of biological communities. We aimed to identify abiotic factors driving the assembly of bat communities in Eastern Mediterranean pine plantations along a north-south climatic gradient, as they are crucial forest habitats for the assessment and conservation of these communities. We expected that bat communities are predominantly shaped by environmental filtering. We conducted acoustic sampling in 35 pine plantations in Israel and analyzed recordings for species identification. We used the ESLTP analysis, an extension of the three-table ordination (RLQ analysis), to explore relationships between environmental characteristics, species occurrences, and functional traits of species while accounting for phylogenetic relationships between species and spatial distribution of the communities. Communities showed phylogenetic and trait clustering. Climatic conditions and forest vegetation composition shaped communities of bats, affecting the distribution of traits related to foraging behaviors, vegetation clutter, and the ability of bats to maneuver in it. Maneuverable species were associated with the northern Mediterranean climatic zone, with a scarce cover of drought-tolerant small shrubs and grassland. Fast flyers were associated with the center-south semi-arid area, with abundant drought-tolerant small shrubs and grassland. These forces might have a predominant role in the assembly of these communities, presumably due to the stressful climatic conditions of the study area. The ESLTP approach can be extended to other taxa and environments to predict species responses to disturbance and environmental changes and give insights into environmental management.

Exploring the presence of genotype-by-environment interactions between dairy cow herds milking once-a-day or twice-a-day for the entire lactation

The objective was to explore if the regression of phenotypic performance for six milk production traits on the respective estimate of genetic merit for that trait differed by herd milking frequency; variance components for each trait in the two milking frequency environments were also estimated as well as the genetic correlation between the same trait in both environments. The data used included 12,581 lactations from 5,456 cows in 32 spring-calving once-a-day (OAD) milking herds. Each OAD herd was matched with three contemporary twice-a-day (TAD)-milking herds; 35,823 lactations from 15,188 cows in 96 TAD herds were used. Mean yield was 20% (fat yield) to 31% (milk yield) lower in OAD herds. Milk protein concentration was 11% higher in OAD herds, while milk fat concentration was 16% higher in OAD herds. The mean back-transformed somatic cell score (SCS) was 100,390 cells/mL in OAD herds and 72,493 cells/mL in TAD herds. The association between each milk production trait and its respective estimate of genetic merit differed by herd milking frequency; the estimated regression coefficients were larger in TAD for just milk yield and SCS. The genetic correlation between the same trait in OAD versus TAD was all ≥0.73 with the exception of SCS (genetic correlation of 0.48) which suggests some re-ranking of sires between environments. In conclusion, differences in the scale of the genetic variance were evident for both milking frequencies and possible re-ranking was evident for SCS.

Selection of maize hybrids based on genotype × yield × trait (GYT) in different environments.

This study aimed to identify the best genotypes using the genotype × yield × trait (GYT) method. To investigate the relationships was performed between yield × traits in four regions of Karaj, Birjand, Shiraz and Arak in two cropping years in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The average grain yield in four regions and two years of the experiment was calculated as 5966 kg/ha, and GYT was obtained based on the multiplication of grain yield with different traits. Comparing the average effect of genotype × year in different environments showed that KSC703 and KSC707 hybrids are among the most productive hybrids among the studied genotypes in grain yield. By examining the correlation coefficients between yield × traits in the tested areas, Y × TWG with Y × GW, Y × NRE, Y × NGR and Y × EL, Y × ED with Y × NGR, Y × NRE with Y × GW and the combination of Y × GW with Y × GL had a positive and significant correlation in all regions. The correlation diagrams were drawn on the evaluated areas' data and showed the correlation of most compounds except Y × GT with each other. Based on the analysis of the main components, the first three components explained the greatest diversity in the population. They were named the component ear grain profile, grain thickness component and plant height profile component.

Exploring the Nexus between Family Socioeconomic Status and Deviant Behaviour: A Study of Secondary School Students in Murang’a East Sub-County

Background: There is a complex and multifaceted relationship between family socioeconomic status and deviant behaviour among secondary school students in Murang’a East Sub County. The purpose of the study was to investigate this relationship. The primary aim was to reveal contributing links and suggest best practices for interventions aimed at curbing deviant behaviour among secondary school students. Materials and Methods: A mixed method approach collected data using self-administered questionnaires and conducted interviews from 15 Principals, 15 Guidance and Counselling Coordinators, and 390 students randomly sampled from 15 secondary schools. The study area encompassed 33 Principals, 33 Guidance and Counselling Coordinators, and 9,484 students across 33 schools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS 25. Results were presented in tables, charts, and bar graphs. Results: The study revealed that there is a significant positive correlation between family socioeconomic status and deviant behavior, with students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds exhibiting greater tendencies toward deviant behaviours compared to those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, the influence of other factors like peer dynamics, school environment, and individual traits on deviant behaviour was identified. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study underscores the pivotal contribution of family socioeconomic status to deviant behaviour among secondary school students. Recommendation: The study recommends that interventions addressing deviant behaviour should consider addressing socioeconomic status. The study’s distinctiveness lies in its emphasis on Kenyan secondary school students and its quantitative investigation of the link between family socioeconomic status and deviant behaviour. These findings provide valuable insights for shaping interventions targeting deviant behaviour not just in Kenya, but also in other developing nations.

Preference, avoidance, motivation and their importance to fish welfare

AbstractSeveral studies have reported the neurophysiological and behavioural mechanisms that enable fish to experience several types of affective states, such as fear, pain and joy. This is crucial for the welfare feelings‐based approach, as conditions that bring positive or negative valence to fish influence their affective state. A method to understand to what extent fish ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ their surrounding features is by evaluating their consistent choices (preferences) and propensity to reach environmental resources or traits (motivation). In this review, we propose how to assess preference and motivation tests in fish and discuss the limitations and potential biases that may affect such tests. Furthermore, we emphasize that understanding the avoidance responses of fish under a welfare context is a complementary method to improve the quality of life of fish in any type of rearing environment. Although there are other reviews about animal preference and motivation, this is the first one exclusively dedicated to the application of fish welfare.

Genetic Stability of Different Genotypes of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grown Under Levels of Nitrogen Fertilizer

Obtaining highly productive and stable varieties through different environments is one of the most important goals sought by plant breeders. A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different nitrogen fertilizer levels on the stability of growth and grain yield in eight cultivars of bread wheat during two growing seasons (2020-2021 and 2021-2022), using split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that there was a significant response of some genotypes to the levels of nitrogen fertilizer for grain yield and its components during the two growing seasons. The Iba99 genotype was characterized by the highest mean of grain yield, number of grains. spike-1 and spike length, followed by the Baghdad2 genotype. The genotypes under study differed in the stability of traits in different environments. Baghdad2 showed the highest stability for important traits such as grain yield, weight of 1000 grains, number of grains spike-1 and spike length, while unstable and responded to different environments for plant height and a number of spikes.m-2. Whereas, Iba99 showed good stability for the spike length and the number of spikes.m-2, with its response to the environments for the other traits under study. Both stability phenotypic and genotypic resultant method and the stability triangle method showed very similar results with Eberhart and Russell method, therefore it is possible to rely on these two methods to estimate the stability of genotypes due to their lower complexity. Consequently, the stable genotypes traits in different environments can be selected and introduced directly into future breeding programs for the purpose of adopting new varieties. Although other genotypes showed superior characteristics of grain yield and its important components, they suffer by responding to different environments, thus they can be included in hybridization breeding programs with local varieties to transfer their desirable traits.

Effects of environmental translocation and host characteristics on skin microbiomes of sun-basking fish.

Variation in the composition of skin-associated microbiomes has been attributed to host species, geographical location and habitat, but the role of intraspecific phenotypic variation among host individuals remains elusive. We explored if and how host environment and different phenotypic traits were associated with microbiome composition. We conducted repeated sampling of dorsal and ventral skin microbiomes of carp individuals (Cyprinus carpio) before and after translocation from laboratory conditions to a semi-natural environment. Both alpha and beta diversity of skin-associated microbiomes increased substantially within and among individuals following translocation, particularly on dorsal body sites. The variation in microbiome composition among hosts was significantly associated with body site, sun-basking, habitat switch and growth, but not temperature gain while basking, sex, personality nor colour morph. We suggest that the overall increase in the alpha and beta diversity estimates among hosts were induced by individuals expressing greater variation in behaviours and thus exposure to potential colonizers in the pond environment compared with the laboratory. Our results exemplify how biological diversity at one level of organization (phenotypic variation among and within fish host individuals) together with the external environment impacts biological diversity at a higher hierarchical level of organization (richness and composition of fish-associated microbial communities).

Comprehensive study of the hormonal, enzymatic and osmoregulatory response to drought in Prunus species

Nowadays, climate change is creating new challenges all over the planet and altering the availability of water resources. Agriculture is one of the most affected sectors, as water is a fundamental requirement for the sustainability of agriculture and future demands. Recurrent drought periods have pushed breeding programs to develop and select genotypes tolerant to water stress. Understanding the mechanisms involved in drought response is essential in facilitating the selection of such genotypes. In this study, we have characterized the levels of enzymatic antioxidants, the soluble sugars content (osmotic response) and the hormone profile of four genotypes of the genus Prunus (P. webbi, P. elaeagnifolia, P. dulcis var. ‘Garrigues’, and P. persica var. ‘Montclar’) and one P. dulcis x P. persica hybrid (‘GF677’) subjected to three different water irrigation conditions (control, drought and recovery). Results show that P. webbi and P. elaeagnifolia, and, to a lesser extent, the cultivar ‘Garrigues’, seem to be the most tolerant to water stress. Drought and recovery treatments led to a differential response in terms of the levels of enzymatic antioxidants depending on the genotype. Elevated levels of the osmotic regulators glucose and fructose and a parallel decrease in sucrose were also observed. Finally, a fine-tuned regulation of abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and cytokinins (trans-zeatin, tZ, and isopentenyl adenine, iP) took place in P. webbi, P. elaeagnifolia and ‘Garrigues’. In summary, deciphering the tolerance response to water stress of these almond genotypes together with proper breeding efforts could contribute to the development of new drought-tolerant almond cultivars and rootstocks. In this sense, we strongly suggest the use of more unexplored wild almond species in breeding programs to increase diversity and improve environmental stress tolerance-related traits.

Genome-Wide Association Study to Identify Possible Candidate Genes of Snap Bean Leaf and Pod Color.

Color can be an indicator of plant health, quality, and productivity, and is useful to researchers to understand plant nutritional content in their studies. Color may be related to chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity and provides information for those studying diseases and mineral nutrition because every nutrient deficiency and many diseases produce symptoms that affect color. In order to identify significant loci related to both leaf and pod color in a snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) diversity panel, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out. Leaf color in one and pod traits in multiple environments were characterized using a colorimeter. L*a*b* color data were recorded and used to calculate chroma (C*) and hue angle (H°). Leaves were evaluated at three positions (lower, middle, and upper) in the canopy and both pod exterior and interior colors were obtained. GWAS was conducted using two reference genomes that represent the Andean (G19833) and Middle American (5-593) domestication centers. Narrow sense heritabilities were calculated using the mixed linear model (MLM) method in genome association and prediction integrated tool (GAPIT), and significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for each color parameter were obtained using the Bayesian-information and linkage-disequilibrium iteratively nested keyway (BLINK) GWAS model with two principal components (PCAs). In comparison to pod color traits, narrow sense heritabilities of leaf traits were low and similar for both reference genomes. Generally, narrow sense heritability for all traits was highest in the lower, followed by middle, and then upper leaf positions. Heritability for both pod interior and exterior color traits was higher using the G19833 reference genome compared to 5-593 when evaluated by year and means across years. Forty-five significant SNPs associated with leaf traits and 872 associated with pods, totaling 917 significant SNPs were identified. Only one SNP was found in common for both leaf and pod traits on Pv03 in the 5-593 reference genome. One-hundred thirteen significant SNPs, 30 in leaves and 83 in pods had phenotypic variation explained (PVE) of 10% or greater. Fourteen SNPs (four from G19833 and ten from 5-593) with ≥10 PVE%, large SNP effect, and largest p-value for L* and H° pod exterior was identified on Pv01, Pv02, Pv03, and Pv08. More SNPs were associated with pod traits than with leaf traits. The pod interior did not exhibit colors produced by anthocyanins or flavonols which allowed the differentiation of potential candidate genes associated with chloroplast and photosynthetic activity compared to the pod exterior where candidate genes related to both flavonoids and photosynthesis affected color. Several SNPs were associated with known qualitative genes including the wax pod locus (y), persistent color (pc), purple pods (V), and two genes expressed in seeds but not previously reported to affect other plant tissues (B and J). An evaluation of significant SNPs within annotated genes found a number, within a 200 kb window, involved in both flavonoid and photosynthetic biosynthetic pathways.