Erent Species Research Articles

From a biomonitoring checklist to effective coastal ecosystem management: A study in the selected coastal jetties of west Peninsular Malaysia

The present study aimed to provide a current (2022) checklist of benthic organisms found at the coastal jetties at Sungai Rambai Jetty and Pasir Panjang Jetty, in Negeri Sembilan of Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 10 diff erent species of benthic organisms were collected near the Sungai Rambai fi shermen’s jetty, namely Periophthalmodon schlosseri, Parasesarma sp., Turritella sp., Chicoreus capucinus, Nerita balteata, Littoraria melanostoma, Littoraria scabra, Tubuca rosea, Tubuca sp., and Brachyuran crab. Six diff erent species of benthic organisms were found at the Pasir Panjang jetty. These included the Tachypleus gigas, Mactra violacea, Volegalea cochlidium, Diogenes sp., Murex trapa, and Tegillarca granosa. Although a traditional study, this study is a fundamental current baseline for future references and provided the most basic ground in choosing the potential biomonitors of chemical pollution in the coastal area of Negeri Sembilan. This would be an important information source for eff ective coastal ecosystem management in Malaysia.

Characteristics Environmental and Anopheles Larva Species In High And Low Clinical Malaria Cases In The Landak District of West Kalimantan Province

Malaria remains a health problem in Indonesia. West Kalimantan is a malaria endemic area with high and lowincidence. Landak District is one of the malaria endemic area. Malaria cases were found in the areas around illegalgold mining and oil palm plantations. The aims of this study were to describe the characteristics of the breeding sitesand species of Anopheles larvae found in high malaria cases area, namely Amboyo Utara Village and low clinicalmalaria cases, area namely Mandor Village. This research is a descriptive research with cross sectional design. Thesamples were Anopheles larvae collected with Accidental sampling technique in the breeding sites. Environmentalcharacterization of breeding sites were physical characteristic including water temperature and sun exposure,chemical characteristic including water pH and salinity, and biological characteristics including water biota. Theresults of this study ware environmental characteristics that have the potential to breed Anopheles mosquitoes inAmboyo Utara Village, including water temperature 26-30C, shandy, water pH 5.0-7.6, salinity 0.2-1.0 ppt, biotaswater hyacinth, grass and tadpole. The Mandor village, water temperature 29-30 ºC, shandy, pH of 6.9-8.0, salinity of0.5 ppt, water biota grass. Anopheles species found in Amboyo Utara village were larvae of An. vagus (94.30%), An.tessellatus (3.42%), An. subpictus (1.62%), An. indefinitus (0.81%) and An. maculatus (0.81%). Characteristics ofbreeding sites in Mandor village were larvae of An. maculatus (11.11%), An. subpictus (3.70%), and An. vagus(85.18%). The conclusion of this study was that di erent species found at breeding sites with di erent environmentalcharacteristics in both high and low malaria areas in Landak District, West Kalimantan Province.

Bactericidal activity of disinfectants

The modern market of drugs off ers a wide range of disinfectants. However, the constant use of the same drugs contributes to the development of resistance in the microfl ora and reduces the quality of activities. In this regard to develop eff ective measures to combat and prevent infectious diseases, it is necessary to periodically monitor the activity of disinfectants used in the enterprise. The purpose of the researches was to study the bactericidal eff ect of disinfectants on the microfl ora of poultry enterprises. The researches have been carried out at the Siberian Scientifi c and Research Institute of Poultry Farming – a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientifi c Institution “Omsk Agrarian Scientifi c Center”. The activity of 8 disinfectants to 37 test cultures isolated from poultry farms of diff erent productivity trends and species of poultry (chickens, turkeys, quails) has been tested. It has been found as a result of the conducted research that the most expressed bactericidal eff ect on gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms were complex disinfectants, which included glutaraldehyde in combination with quaternary ammonium compounds. Thus, 1 % solutions of Gludesive and Viroshield provided the death of all test cultures, Dinovis Ultra and TN-4+ – 92 and 84 % of cultures. The disinfecting activity of Mirosan drug and formalin was most expressed for gram-positive microfl ora, among gram-negative microfl ora resistance was registered in 25–75 % and 25–50 % of cultures, respectively. Drugs EcoSide Advansa and Ecocide C have showed the lowest activity to all investigated microorganisms. The largest number of resistant cultures to the tested disinfectants have been registered in the bacteria of the genus Citrobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while simultaneously noted resistance to 4–6 drugs.

The cytogenetic influence of physical water indicators on the number of micronuclears in cells of predatory fish species

During the monitoring of cytological parameters of embryos and fi sh larvae under changing environmental conditions, it was found that the body adapts to the environmental temperature conditions at the cellular level. Threshold temperature is the limit of the resistance of body cells to the action of extreme ambient temperatures. Since this ability is diff erent for diff erent species, their temperature threshold is not the same. It is proved that for each fi sh species there is a certain temperature amplitude, within which their embryonic development is possible. The rate of passage of embryogenesis depends on temperature. Deviation from the optimal temperature and its approach to the “threshold” causes disturbances in the embryogenesis of fi sh, leads to the death of embryos or to the appearance of anomalies in their development. Under the infl uence of a threshold temperature on fertilized eggs, polyploidy of cells is possible. Genetic changes in somatic cells is an integral indicator of homeostasis disturbance. They characterize the pr esence of environmental mutagens and the eff ectiveness of the body's immune response. Normally, most genetic disorders are eliminated. The presence of such disorders is an indicator of stress, which leads to the appearance of abnormal cells and a decrease in the body's immune status. Such abnormalities can be detected at the chromosomal level. It has been proved that critical periods in the embryonic development of fi sh are manifested at the stages of crushing of morula cells and gastrulation in embryos during organogenesis. However, the presence of sensitive periods is not always associated with diff erentiation processes, for example, the onset of cell crushing, the period of embryo exit from the membranes. Key words: predatory fi sh species, temperature regime, metabolism, micronuclear test, embryonic cell, nucleoli, stress factors, abiotic effect.

Molecular-genetic analysis of diff erent species of lace bugs (Hеteroptera: Tingidae) by RAPD-markers

Studying the genetics of harmful insects populations is of great importance in understanding the migratory processes of species, especially invasive ones, and the fl ow of genes between populations. In this regard, one of the priorities of the genetics of arthropod populations is to assess the genetic similarity of individuals, genetic diversity, and DNApolymorphism. Universal RAPD-primers (OPA07, OPA09 and OPA18) for lace bugs (Tingidae family) have been revealed. In order to study DNA-polymorphism and the genetic diversity of lace bugs using selected primers, a comparative PCR-analysis of four species of bugs of this family (Corythucha arcuata Say, Corythucha ciliata Say, Stephanitis pyri F., Monosteira unicostata Mulsant et Rey) was carried out. It was shown that the species Monosteara unicostata diff ered from the others in the lowest level of DNA polymorphism and genetic diversity. The high values of DNA polymorphism and genetic diversity of the other three species indicate a high migratory ability of these insect species and a signifi cant intraspecifi c gene drift. In the research process, clustering of lace bugs species based on the data obtained using RAPD-markers was carried out in order to determine their genetic relationship. Cluster analysis of the data was performed by the UPGMA-method using the Popgene program. We found out that the genetically closest species were the species of the genus Corythucha, and the most distant from others was the species Monosteira unicostata. It was shown that RAPD-PCR-method can be successfully used in the analysis of interspecifi c diff erences of insects, along with other molecular-genetic methods. The performed studies allowed us to assess the eff ectiveness of the RAPD-primers identifi ed in the work for diff erentiating the species of lace bugs and to obtain information on the genetic relationship of the Tingidae family species. The primers identifi ed in the work are also eff ective for assessing DNA-polymorphism and genetic diversity of insects of the Tingidae family. This method of molecular-genetic diagnosis allows carrying out a more eff ective monitoring of pests of this insect family.

Species Richness and Diversity in Bee Assemblages in a Fragment of Savanna (Cerrado) at Northeastern Brazil

The conservation of the fauna of bees inhabiting the Brazilian savanna is threatened due to changes in land use in the last decades. We investigated the composition, species richness and abundance of a bee assemblage in the vicinity of the Chapada Diamantina National Park. In addition, we compiled data on composition and diversity from another bee assemblage located in the same portion of the Cerrado, which was previously investigated by one of us almost 30 years ago, in order to produce a more complete panorama on beta diversity of bees in this region. We used a non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination analysis (NMDS) to compare composition of bee assemblages from diff erent types of open vegetation. We recorded 77 bee species (H’ = 2.95; J = 0.68), 42% of them were singletons. We collected slightly more than half of the species and 60% of the genera recorded in the bee assemblage studied three decades ago. H’ was signifi cantly lower in our area than in the previous study (t = 8.588, p <0.001), but equitability (J) was very similar. Several factors may contribute to these diff erences, including local diff erences in bee assemblage composition, diff erences in the probability of capturing the diff erent species (many rare species), factors affecting the sampling itself, and perhaps species loss over the three decades separating the two studies. The magnitude of species loss is difficult to assess because the two studies were not carried out exactly in the same area and there were differences in sampling time and sampling effort.

Compound-specific isotopes of fatty acids as indicators of trophic interactions in the East China Sea ecosystem

The composition and compound-specific isotopes of fatty acids were studied within food webs in the East China Sea. Lipid-normalized stable carbon isotopes of total organic carbon had a good correlation with trophic level. Variations in fatty acid compositions among diff erent species were observed but were unclear. Diff erent dietary structures could be traced from molecular isotopes of selected fatty acids in the Shiba shrimp (Matapenaeus joyneri), the coastal mud shrimp (Solenocera crassicornis) and the northern Maoxia shrimp (Acetes chinensis). Both M. joyneri and S. crassicornis are mainly benthos feeders, while A. chinensis is a pelagic species, although they have a similar fatty acid composition. There was a good correlation for isotopes of arachidonic acid (C20:4n6; ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n3; DHA) among pelagic species from higher trophic levels. The isotopic compositions of DHA in benthic species were more negative than those of pelagic species at the same trophic level. The fact that the diet of benthic species contains more degraded items, the carbon isotopes of which are derived from a large biochemical fraction, may be the reason for this variation. A comparative study of benthic and pelagic species demonstrated the diff erent carbon sources in potential food items and the presence of a more complex system at the water-sediment interface.

WHAT MAKES A RADIO-AGN TICK? TRIGGERING AND FEEDING OF ACTIVE GALAXIES WITH STRONG RADIO JETS

Although the link between activity in the nuclei of galaxy and galactic mergers has been under scrutinyfor several years, it is still unclear to what extent and for which populations of active galaxies merger-triggered activity is relevant. The environments of AGN allow an indirect probe of the past merger historyand future merger probability of these systems, su ering less from sensitivity issues when extended tohigher redshifts than traditional morphological studies of AGN host galaxies. Here we present results fromour investigation of the environment of radio selected sources out to a redshift z=2. We employ the rstdata release J-band catalog of the new near-IR Infrared Medium-Deep Survey (IMS), 1.4 GHz radio datafrom the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm (FIRST) survey and a deep dedicated VLA survey ofthe VIMOS eld, covering a combined total of 20 sq. degrees. At a ux limit of the combined radio catalogof 0.1 mJy, we probe over 8 orders of magnitude of radio luminosity. Using the second closest neighbordensity parameters, we test whether active galaxies inhabit denser environments. We nd evidence for asub-population of radio-selected AGN that reside in signi cantly overdense environments at small scales,although we do not nd signi cant overdensities for the bulk of our sample. We show that radio-AGN inthe most underdense environments have vigorous ongoing star formation. We interpret these results interms of the triggering and fuelling mechanism of radio-AGN.Key words: galaxies: active { galaxies: jets { galaxies: star formation { galaxies: evolution1. THE TRIGGERING OF RADIO-AGNThe recent decades have revolutionized our understand-ing of how galaxies and the supermassive black holes attheir centers evolve (e.g., Springel et al. 2005, Hopkinset al. 2006). However, an ongoing debate concerns theway that active galactic nuclei (AGN) in galaxies aretriggered and sustained. The temporal coincidence ofthe peak of cosmic nuclear and star-formation activity(e.g., Richards et al. 2006, Aird et al. 2010), as well asthe predominantly very luminous AGN discovered be-yond our local universe, have led to the merger-drivenparadigm of AGN triggering (e.g., Sanders et al. 1988).However, with the advent of deeper extragalactic sur-veys this paradigm has come in question. Moderateluminosity X-ray AGN at intermediate redshifts werenot found to be preferentially associated with merg-ers (e.g., Cisternas et al. 2011), nor to inhabit denserenvironments than their non-active counterparts (e.g.,Karouzos et al. 2014a). While undoubtedly a fractionof AGN are triggered by mergers, the question still re-mains: how are di erent species of AGN triggered?Here we use the population of radio-AGN as a case studyto address this question. We present results about thehttp://pkas.kas.orgenvironments and host galaxy properties of radio-AGNthat help elucidate the di erent AGN feeding mecha-nisms within the broader context of galaxy evolution.2. THE SA22 FIELD AND THE RADIO-AGN WITHIN ITWe use data from the Infrared Medium-Deep Survey(IMS; see this proceedings) at J band and the Deep eX-tragalactic Survey (DXS; Lawrence et al. 2007). In ad-dition, we utilize radio data at 1.4 GHz from the FIRSTsurvey (Becker et al. 1995) and a deep VLA survey ofpart of SA22 (Chapman et al. 2004a). The combined ra-dio ux density limit of our sample is 0.1 mJy. Finally,we also employ the full coverage of the WISE telescope(Wright et al. 2010). In total we select 913 radio-AGNover the ˘ 20 deg

A Comparative Study of the Methods of Speciation Using X-ray Absorption Fine Structure

Determination of the chemical forms along with the relative quantity of the di erent species in a given sample, termed as speciation, can be done by analyzing X-ray absorption ne structure spectra. The di erent methods that can be used for speciation are: principal component analysis, target transformation, methods based on derivative spectra, method based on the relative position of the absorption edge, residual phase analysis, normalized di erence absorption edge spectra analysis and linear combination tting. An attempt has been made to make a comparative study of these di erent methods of speciation by recording the X-ray absorption ne structure at the copper K-edge in a mixture having cuprous oxide and cupric oxide in a speci c ratio. The X-ray absorption ne structure spectra of the two oxides have also been recorded separately and the di erent characteristic X-ray absorption near edge structure features have been identi ed and their origins have been discussed. Speciation of the mixture has been done using these di erent methods and the results obtained have been compared and discussed.

DIAGNOSIS AND CONTROL OF AUJESZKY’S DISEASE IN PIGS

Aujeszky’s disease (Morbus Aujeszky, MA) is an infectious viral disease caused by swine alpha-herpes virus 1. The disease may be found in diff erent animal species, both domestic and wild, except in primates and humans. Pigs are a natural reservoir of the virus. Th ey are the only species that can survive the infection, but with a possibility of subclinical and latent infection. The main way of spreading the infection is through introduction of subclinically infected pigs into a herd. On the other hand, if the case of stress (transport, capture, dust) reactivation of latent infection and excretion of the virulent virus occurs. Th e aim of this study was to present the methods used in diagnosis and diff erential diagnosis. Th e material for examination originated from two pig farms with increased mortality of suckling piglets. The epizootic and clinical examination were used as well as pathomorpohological examination, standard laboratory methods for determining the presence of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, virus isolation in cell culture, serum neutralization test for determining the titer of specifi c antibodies against MA and microbiological testing of feed samples. Th e cases of MA on the pig farm where immunoprophylaxis against MA was not carried out, and the breeding animals were purchased from pig farms with unknown health status, causes great direct losses, like for example mortality of piglets, abortion, as well as indirect losses, like growth retardation and high cost of disease control.

Species diversity of grasses promotes genotypic diversity of clover populations in simulated communities

Recent studies in community genetics have demonstrated strong eff ects of intraspecifi c genetic variation on the diversity of interacting species but largely ignored the potential for eff ects of species diversity on genetic diversity, which could also create a positive correlation between these two levels of biodiversity. Here we investigated the role that species diversity of competitors could play in shaping the genotypic diversity of a focal species, using a modifi ed version of an existing model of grass – clover dynamics. We simulated communities in which clover genotypes varied in their relative competitive ability when growing adjacent to diff erent grass species. Under many parameter combinations, communities with greater species richness of grasses retained greater genotypic richness within the clover population. Increasing grass species richness eff ectively increased biotic environmental heterogeneity with respect to clover growth, thereby promoting the maintenance of genotypic diversity. Th is result depended on three conditions being met: (1) a suffi ciently strong tradeoff among genotypes in their fi tness when growing with diff erent grass species, (2) partial de-coupling of competition and facilitation, with grass and clover capable of sharing microsites rather than strictly excluding one another, and (3) suffi ciently high rates of clover growth and clonal spread, which allowed clover genotypes to ‘ track ’ the shifting mosaic of grass species. Our results demonstrate that species diversity can act as an important promoter of genotypic diversity, and they provide testable predictions concerning the conditions that promote this outcome in nature.

Medicinal Uses of Fungi by New Zealand Maori People

Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, arriving about a thousand years ago from Polynesia and developing a tribal society based on natural resources of the forest, the sea, and fresh water. In the absence of written language prior to European colonization, transfer of knowledge by the Māori was oral. Early European explorers and ethnographers documented many signifi cant features of Māori traditional knowledge. Much detail of their knowledge relating to fungi, however, appears to have been lost through disruption of oral transmission from elders to the young. Th is is indicated, for example, by the lack of known correlation between many of the 183 Māori names for diff erent species of fungi and Latin binomials and lack of knowledge of the use of most species. Fungi were not recognized as a natural grouping by Māori, and only recently has the word for Armillaria spp. (“harore”) been selected as the most appropriate generic term in Māori for all fungi. Consumption of mushrooms was the main use of fungi by Māori although mushrooms were not considered a prize food. Other uses included tinder and fi re carrying (Laetiporus portentosus), a source of charcoal as pigment for “ta moko”—tatoo (Cordyceps robertsii), and as an environmental indicator (Armillaria spp. and mushrooms in general). A recent attempt to collate Māori knowledge about fungi included a survey of published reports as well as interviews with Māori elders and younger Māori. Documented medicinal uses appear to be limited to six fungal species, and only one of these was known to interviewees. Detailed information is often lacking about preparation and application of the mushrooms and the defi nitive symptom(s) that were treated:

The Structure of the Polysaccharides Produced by Higher Basidiomyces Tremella mesenterica Ritz.: Fr. and Inonotus levis P. Karst.

Polysaccharides are the best known and most potent mushroom-derived substances, with various positive health eff ects including immunostimulation, lowering glucose level in blood, anticancer activity, and many others. Biologically active polysaccharides are widerspread among higher Basidiomycetes mushrooms, and most of them have unique structures in diff erent species. Th ere is still no clear correlation between biological activity and structural features of the polysaccharides. Th is situation results in part from poor knowledge of polysaccharide structures. Herein, we present the results from analyzing two polymers of Tremella mesenterica and Inonotus levis. Tremella mesenterica (Yellow Brain mushroom) possesses a wide spectrum of medicinal properties, including immunostimulating, protecting against radiation, antidiabetic, anti-infl ammatory, hypocholesterolemic, hepatoprotective, and antiallergic eff ects. Glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), an extracellular polysaccharide produced by single cell culture of T. mesenterica, has a number of benefi cial health eff ects. We developed a new strain of T. mesenterica, CBS 101939, which grows in submerged culture and off ers superior yields of one-cell biomass rich in exocellular heteropolysaccharide GXM. NMR and chemical analysis showed that it has a defi ned structure of repeating unit, which is O-acetylated at several points, stoichometrically at O-6 of two mannose residues, and partially at GlcA residue, which is present in non-acetylated or acetylated at positions 3 or 4 forms (see Fig. 1). Th ese results diff er from existing data on the structures of mushroom mannan-based poly sac charides, where mannan backbone was believed to be