Link In Food Chain Research Articles

Аналіз спектру живлення жаби трав’яної (Rana temporaria) та ропухи сірої (Bufo bufo) в антропогенно-трансформованих оселищах Українського Розточчя

As a result of the research, 109 individuals of two amphibian species: the common frog (Rana temporaria) and the common toad (Bufo bufo) were selected. These two species are the most numerous among other species of amphibians within the studied territory, therefore, they can be considered typical species in the anthropogenically transformed habitats of the Ukrainian Roztochchia. During the analysis of the collected material, Ivlev’s selectivity index was used to determine the selective attitude of the studied amphibian species to the number of consumed objects. Comparing data obtained from Barber’s traps and material extracted from the stomachs of amphibians, it was concluded that depending on the habitat type, both the common frog (Rana temporaria) and the common toad (Bufo bufo) show a certain feeding selectivity. The common toad consumes mostly the representatives of Annelida (15%), Arachnida (15%) and Coleoptera (18%), what makes up 48% of all consumed objects in total. The common frog, under the conditions of anthropogenically transformed environment, prefers Mollusca (15%), Myriapoda (20%) and Hemiptera (20%) mostly, what is 55% in total. In half of the stomachs we examined for, both amphibian species, plant residues were found, specifically parts of leaves and branches. Additionally, in individuals of the Bufo bufo species, stones were discovered in the stomach. Most likely, these items ended up there accidentally during the capture of primary food objects. Species of tailless amphibians are highly vulnerable to the negative impact of various anthropogenic factors. Deforestation, water bodies drainage, and global or local environmental pollution can significantly affect diverse ecosystems. This, in turn, may lead to the disappearance of segments of the dietary spectrum for amphibians. Monitoring the trophic interactions of this animal class is crucial, given the importance of amphibians as vital links in food chains. This factor underscores the need for periodic trophic monitoring, as amphibians play a pivotal role in sustaining ecological balance within their vulnerable populations.

Bacterial Pathogens in the Food Industry: Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Factors of Salmonella enterica Strains Isolated from Food Chain Links.

Salmonella is one of the most important foodborne pathogens. Fifty-three strains of Salmonella deposited in the Culture Collection of Industrial Microorganisms-Microbiological Resources Center (IAFB) were identified using molecular and proteomic analyses. Moreover, the genetic similarity of the tested strains was determined using the PFGE method. Main virulence genes were identified, and phenotypical antibiotic susceptibility profiles and prevalence of resistance genes were analyzed. Subsequently, the occurrence of the main mechanisms of β-lactam resistance was determined. Virulence genes, invA, fimA, and stn were identified in all tested strains. Phenotypic tests, including 28 antibiotics, showed that 50.9% of the strains were MDR. The tet genes associated with tetracyclines resistance were the most frequently identified genes. Concerning the genes associated with ESBL-producing Salmonella, no resistance to the TEM and CTX-M type was identified, and only two strains (KKP 1597 and KKP 1610) showed resistance to SHV. No strains exhibited AmpC-type resistance but for six Salmonella strains, the efflux-related resistance of PSE-1 was presented. The high number of resistant strains in combination with multiple ARGs in Salmonella indicates the possible overuse of antibiotics. Our results showed that it is necessary to monitor antimicrobial resistance profiles in all food chain links constantly and to implement a policy of proper antibiotic stewardship to contain or at least significantly limit the further acquisition of antibiotic resistance among Salmonella strains.

Impacts of Rodents Pests on Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L): A Mini Review

Aim: To assess the impacts of rodent pests on Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) production and productivity.
 Rodents belong to the mammalian order that is widely distributed globally. Their adaptive potential and capability to face changing environments even when instigated by anthropogenic activities is quite amazing. Also, their importance as vital links in food chain between species of plants and the predators thereby playing crucial roles within the ecosystem cannot be overemphasized. Rodents have been noted to cause ubiquitous damage to agricultural crops including cocoa. They can cause damage in crop fields from planting throughout harvest and storage. The damages caused by rodent pests mostly occur during the sensitive young seedling stage and just prior to harvesting. The pattern and the extent of damage by pest rodents depend upon the species, the intensity of infestation, the type and the growth stage of the crop, and the nature of the surrounding habitat. These damages caused by rodent pests could be direct through the consumption of cocoa beans or indirect through the biting, gnawing or scratching of pods which could range from slight to severe. The stern impacts caused as a result of rodent pest activities are not only felt in the quantity and quality of cocoa pods but also on the social maintenance as well as survival of those growing the crop. Despite the paucity of documented data as regards the kind, form as well as ferocity of rodent damage, it is highly expedient to re-evaluate the rodent pests’ impacts on the production of cocoa so as to update the very scarce available information whilst providing a basis for additional investigation.

The role of aphids in the transfer of chemical elements in disturbed Polish saline environments

The importance of aphids Aphidoidea in the bioaccumulation of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, Cd, and Pb was investigated for degraded environments with high salinity, acidification, and elevated Ca, Mg, and Fe concentrations due to management in a Polish saline region. We studied the transfer of Cd and Pb, and other elements listed above in the anthropogenic environments affected by sodium manufacturing, industrial waste utilization, and agroecosystems (dumping grounds of waste and agricultural cultivation) and in natural environments for the water-soil-plants-aphids continuum. Concentrations of chemical elements in ponds, lakes, rivers, headers of stagnant water, soils, plants, and aphids were established . Concentrations were found to differ in K, Ca, Zn, Co, and Cd concentrations between the soil (K: 10159 μg*g ‐ 1 dw, Ca: 83823, Zn: 117, Co: 8.6, Cd: 12.8), green parts of plants (K: 27101 μg*g ‐ 1 dw, Ca: 20117, Zn: 142, Co: 2.5, Cd: 2.8), and aphids (K: 165243 μg*g ‐ 1 dw, Ca: 154228, Zn: 227, Co: 16.3, Cd: 16.7), especially in the anthropogenic environments. Generally, accumulation of these elements increased from soil through plants to aphids. The bioaccumulation of chemical elements by aphids was correlated with higher concentrations of metals in anthropogenically impacted areas, where the contribution of aphids in element-element interactions was significant. Aphids absorb, accumulate, and selectively remove in most cases on average 50‐–600% of the amount of chemicals from plants, with the exception of Na and Mn. Bioaccumulation and bioavailability of chemical elements in aphids may be a step in the transfer of toxins in the food chain, which is worthy of further exploration. • Aphids and plants are involved in the transfer of chemicals between trophic levels • Aphids as a link in food chains can be a source of elements to other organisms • Bioaccumulation of chemicals by aphids is connected with higher [toxic metals] • Metal bioavailability water-soil-plant continuum allows for accumulation by aphids • Aphids remove metals from soil and plants (soil remediation)

Environment based Precision Agriculture

Agriculture, farming or animal husbandry is a vital occupation, since the history of mankind. The name agriculture represents all entities that came under the linear sequence of links of food chain for human beings. India is in an agricultural era, which is earning fame to it. In the fast moving world, agriculture should also run in the same pace along with the existing nature. This paper analyses the different methodologies for environment friendly precision agriculture. It also comparesthevariousmethodsavailablefortheusageofmoderntoolsandtechniquesinagriculture in the digital world. It discusses an insight to dwell into the different techniques for intelligent farming in the digital world. It acts as a decision support system for the farmers to perform environment friendly smartarming.

Multi-Level Gene Expression in Response to Environmental Stress in Aquatic Invertebrate Chironomids: Potential Applications in Water Quality Monitoring.

In freshwater ecosystems, aquatic invertebrates are influenced continuously by both physical stress and xenobiotics. Chironomids (Diptera; Chironomidae), or non-biting midges, are the most diverse and abundant invertebrates in freshwater habitats. They are a fundamental link in food chains of aquatic ecosystems. Chironomid larvae tolerate stress factors in their environments via various physiological processes. At the molecular level, environmental pollutants induce multi-level gene responses in Chironomus that regulate cellular protection through the activation of defense processes. This paper reviews literature on the transcriptional responses of biomarker genes to environmental stress in chironomids at the molecular level, in studies conducted from 1991 to 2020 (120 selected literatures of 374 results with the keywords "Chironomus and gene expression" by PubMed search tool). According to these studies, transcriptional responses in chironomids vary depending on the type of stress factor and defensive responses associated with antioxidant activity, the endocrine system, detoxification, homeostasis and stress response, energy metabolism, ribosomal machinery, apoptosis, DNA repair, and epigenetics. These data could provide a comprehensive overview of how Chironomus species respond to pollutants in aquatic environments. Furthermore, the transcriptomic data could facilitate the development of genetic tools for water quality and environmental monitoring based on resident chironomid species.

Sources assessment of heavy metals inflow in the Pestovo water storage reservoir

One of the most important water quality indicators is the heavy metals content. Heavy metals (HMs) are one of the top pollutants in the list because even very small concentrations of them are highly toxic. The peculiarity of HMs as pollutants is also that there is practically no bio-degradation for them – they only move from one natural reservoir to another, interacting with living organisms and leaving traces of this interaction. Moving from one link of the trophic chain of ecosystems to another, they gradually concentrate in the master links of food chains, as well as in bottom deposits (BD). In particular, HMs can take a long time to gain a foothold in the root stalks of perennial aquatic plants. Excess of their content over the background values in the conditions of the Moscow region is a purely anthropogenic factor. Sources of environmental input can be any activity types: industry, agriculture, motor transport. However, the analysis of the heavy metals input in territories differently located about heat power engineering and oil refining facilities, allows us to assert that the main source is emissions through high pipes of enterprises of ash residues, while there are multiple exceedances of MAC in soils and surface waters, close to the pollution source. As you move away from the pollution sources, the content of HMs in snow, water, soil, and bottom deposits decreases significantly and tends to change over the years, which is associated with changes in the air-mass transport within the region.

Review on the effects of heavy metal pollution on herbivorous insects

Heavy metal pollution is one of the thorniest issues in the world, which is a serious threat to ecosystems and food security. As an important link of food chain and food web in the ecosystem, herbivorous insects play important role in the transfer and accumulation of heavy metals. Consequently, more and more attentions have been paid on the potential effects of heavy metal pollution on herbivorous insects. Here, we reviewed the effects of heavy metal pollution on herbivorous insects with literature publshied during 2007 to 2018. Herbivorous insects were exposed to heavy metals pollution via four ways, including insect diets or food added with inorganic heavy metals, field exposure with heavy metals, "soil/substrate-plants-herbivorous insect" food chain and in vitro injection. Excessive accumulation of heavy metals in insect body results in decreased survival rate, reproductive capacity and population growth, the retarded growth and development. Physiological and biochemical toxicity of heavy metal pollution to herbivorous insects included cell ultra-structure destruction and DNA damage, decreased amount of energy materials, and changes in enzymes acti-vity and gene expression levels. However, herbivorous insects can resist heavy metal stress by producing metallothionein and enhancing activity of detoxification enzymes etc., which probably results in their adaptive evolution to heavy metal stress at low intensity or long-term and even improve their tolerance to other stresses (e.g., pesticides).

Ergene Nehri (Trakya, Türkiye) Alglerinden Bacillariophyta Üyelerinin Sistematik Kompozisyonu

Türkiye çok sayıdaki akarsu ve gölleri, jeolojik ve topografik özellikleri ve farklı coğrafik bölgelerin kesişme noktasında olması nedeniyle bitki çeşitliliği yönünden dünyanın en zengin ülkeleri arasında yer almaktadır. Doğada besin zincirinin ilk halkasını oluşturan fitoplanktonik organizmaların ülkemiz iç sularında yayılış gösteren türlerinin belirlenmesi ve mevsimsel değişimlerinin incelenmesi yönünde yapılmış çok sayıda çalışma mevcuttur. Bununla birlikte iç suların büyük bir alana sahip olduğu Türkiye‘de, suların içme ve kullanımına yönelik önemli belirteçlerinden olan fitoplankton kompozisyonu belirlenmemiş, biyoçeşitliliği ortaya çıkartılıp kayıt altına alınmamış çok sayıda su kaynağı bulunmaktadır.
 
 Ergene Nehri tatlısu yönünden zengin havzalarımızdan biridir ve bu alanda alg kompozisyonu ile ilgili yapılmış kapsamlı bir çalışma mevcut değildir. Bu amaçla Ergene Nehri‘ni besleyen yan ve ana kollarda (çay, dere, ırmak, nehir) dağılım gösteren Bacillariophyta üyesi mikroalglerin, mevsimsel olarak toplanıp teşhisleri ve sistematik pozisyonları saptanmış ve fotoğraflamaları yapılmıştır.
 
 Çalışmanın sonucunda, Ergene Nehri ve nehri besleyen havzadaki akarsularda yayılış gösteren Bacillariophyta bölümüne ait Coscinodiscophyceae (4) ve Bacillariophyceae (110) olarak farklı sınıflara ait toplam 114 takson tespit edilmiştir.
 
 Tespit edilen taksonların, mevsimsel ve örnekleme noktaları yönüyle nasıl dağılım gösterdiği ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Türkiye tatlısu alg florası açısından tespit edilen taksonların tamamı bölge için, 22 tanesi Türkiye için yeni kayıt olma özelliği taşımaktadır.

Geographic variation in fatty acid composition and food source of the commercial clam (<em>Venerupis decussata</em>, Linnaeus, 1758), from the Tunisian Coast: Trophic links

Lake and coastal Tunisian areas are rich biodiversity habitats, although little information is available about the distribution of food sources for the inhabitant species. In this study, a fatty acid analysis was used to study the trophic ecology of Venerupis decussatac ommunities from 10 sites located along the Tunisian Coast. The richest population in fatty acids was found in S4 followed by S5 and S8, while that of S1, S3 and S10 were the least rich. Results from multivariate analysis confirmed the ecological position of the studied population based on their fatty acid composition. Our results divided the ten studied populations into three similar groups according to their ecological and geographical positions in relation to environmental parameters and food and trophic links. A principal component analysis revealed that diatoms and dinoflagellates were the predominate diets in all the sampling stations. Bacteria and urban discharge dominated the dietary source of clams from S10 and S9. Zooplankton were the preferred diet of V. decussata harvested from the two S2 and S3 lakes; although green algae, phytoplankton and detritus were absent from the dietary source of the two previous populations. Despite spatial differences, clams from the north and the south could be easily distinguished from each other, which indicates the utility of this method in the dietary analysis of different food chain links. This study proves that geographic, ecologic and abiotic factors as well as their mutual interaction should be properly investigated in studies focusing on the trophic chains of aquatic ecosystems.

Internet of things in agriculture: A review

Agriculture, farming or Animal husbandry is a vital occupation since the history of mankind. The name agriculture represents all entities that came under the linear sequence of links of food chain for human beings. As humans are the smartest living species on this planet, so their smartness always provokes them to change and to innovate. This provoking has led to invention of wheel, advancements in living standards and styles, languages, life spending methodologies and countless more achievements. As we know in present era there is need of soil and temperature monitoring system which is based on the technology of Internet of things. Similarly some time due to extra water level those crops are under danger our condition so for those type of issues there is need of soil moisture and environmental temperature monitoring system so by using of that system farmer can take decision for their crops. Right now there is some technology are available which are based on GPRS but according to us GPRS is not a good solution because GPRS technology have some connectivity issue.

Modeling for Food Safety Risk Assessment and Control Based on FTA

In order to explore weak link in food chain, and control safety risk of food, a new risk safety analysis method based on Fault Tree Analysis were worked out. Firstly, a model was built for relationship between risk factors and risk events based on Fault tree. Then, the probability of food safety risk has been calculated through minimal cut sets and food safety risk level was assessed. Finally, importance analysis was used to find sensitive risk factors based on critical importance index, and to provide theoretical basis for optimization of food safety control sequence. Pork food safety from 2009 to 2014 in china was taken as an example, the results show that probability of food safety risk is 2.24%, poor regulation, unqualified raw materials, sales of unqualified products, and abuse of additives were key factors.

DIVERSITY OF PHYTOPLANKTON IN KSHIPRA RIVER- TRIVENI STATION, UJJAIN (M.P.)

Planktons are minute organisms and essential links in food chain in aquatic system. Plankton is most importance in the freshwater ecosystem as these are the main source of energy and having a very high nutritive value .The present study is going to centralize on kshipra river, Ujjain (M.P.) in year 2014. The plankton were collected, counted and identified by using the method suggested by APHA and Prescott. The study among all these phytoplankton Bacillariophyceae was recorded as a dominant class in Kshipra River.

Accumulation of manganese in selected links of food chains in aquatic ecosystems

Accumulation of manganese in selected links of food chains in aquatic ecosystems

Dynamic modeling predicts continued bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomiu) post phase-out due to invasive prey and shifts in predation

Unprecedented food chain links between benthic and pelagic organisms are often thought to disrupt traditional contaminant transport and uptake due to changes in predation and mobilization of otherwise sequestered pollutants. A bioaccumulation model for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is developed to simulate increases in biotic congener loads based upon trophic transfer through diet and gill uptake for a Lake Erie food chain including two invasive species as a benthic-pelagic link. The model utilizes species-specific bioenergetic parameters in a four-level food chain including the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), round goby (Appollonia melanostoma), and the smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomiu). The model was calibrated to current biotic concentrations and predicts an increase in contaminant load by almost 48% in the upper trophic level in two years. Validation to archival data resulted in <2% error from reported values following a two-year simulation.

Вероятностная оценка накопления радионуклидов в сельскохозяйственной продукции и допустимых уровней радиоактивного загрязнения почв

A number of models have been developed to assess the risks of radionuclide accumulation in agricultural products and to determine the permissible levels of soil radioactive contamination. The proposed approach takes into account uncertainties of some parameters that describe the radionuclide content in different links of food chains. The models are implemented in the form of software for on-line computations. The validity of applying the probabilistic methods for assessing the impacts of radioactive fallout as compared with the deterministic ones is demonstrated on some specific examples. A universal nature of the dependence between the risks of radionuclide content in products and the density of soil contamination is shown. Contamination limits of the agricultural land are found to vary significantly as a function of the risk size. Directions for further research are defined within the framework of this research.

Influence of anthropogenic pollution on content of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids in links of food chain of river ecosystem

In the course of monthly sampling in 2008–2010, two regions of the littoral of the Yenisei river were compared. One of these regions (conventionally pure) was situated upstream of Krasnoyarsk, while the other (conventionally polluted) was downstream of Krasnoyarsk. The concentrations of heavy metals, oil products, phenols, biogenic elements and essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in various components of the river ecosystem were determined. It was discovered that the anthropogenic pollution causes a decrease in the resources of essential PUFA in the biomass of the upper links of the food chain of the river ecosystem.

Influence of Genetic Variation in Oak Leaf Roller Pupae and Their Host Plants on Body Sizes of Their Parasitoids,Itoplectis maculator(Fabricius, 1775)

Variation in sizes of parasitoidsItoplectis maculatorF. (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) were studied in respect to their genetic variation as well as to the genetic variations in their host insect (Tortrix viridanaL.) pupae and their host plant (Quercus pubescensWilld). The data obtained have shown that the interactions between genotypes of parasitoids and their host insects contribute up to 49%, and interaction between genotypes of parasitoids and oaks contributes up to 28% to the total variation in the parasitoid body sizes. As the parasitoid body size is fitness related, we may conclude that fitness of a parasitoid depends on not only its genotype but also on genotypes of its host insects and even the tree on which the host insects have developed. As a result the genotypes of representatives of the studied food chain links were found to be stochastically associated.

Effect of roundup® (glyphosate formulation) in the energy metabolism and reproductive traits of Hyalella castroi (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Dogielinotidae)

Roundup(®) (glyphosate formulation) is a nonselective and posts emergent herbicide used for controlling aquatic weeds and different concentrations are used in cultures around the world. The objective of this investigation was to examine the effects of Roundup(®) (glyphosate formulation) on the biochemical composition, levels of lipoperoxidation, Na(+)/K(+)ATPase activity and reproductive traits in the Hyalella castroi. Amphipods were collected in summer 2009, in the southern Brazilian highlands. In the laboratory, the animals were kept in aquariums under controlled conditions for 7 days, and after this period they were exposed to 0.36, 0.52, 1.08 and 2.16 mg/l of glyphosate for 7 days. After the period of exposure, the animals were immediately frozen for determination of glycogen, proteins, lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol, levels of lipoperoxidation, and Na(+)/K(+)ATPase activity. During each day of the cultivation reproductive traits (number of reproductive pairs, ovigerous females and eggs in the marsupium) were observed. All concentrations of Roundup(®) induced significant decreases in all biochemical parameters and Na(+)/K(+)ATPase activity, and significant increase in lipoperoxidation levels. Showing this form a potentially toxic effect at very low concentrations, this pattern of results can lead to significant changes in trophic structure of limnic environments because these amphipods are important links in food chain in these habitats.

Combined effects of nutrients and grazers on bacterioplankton and phytoplankton abundance in an Antarctic lake with even food-chain links

The goal of this study was to address the top-down and bottom-up controls on different microbial web components (bacterioplankton, picophytoplankton, and >3 μm phytoplankton) in an Antarctic lake. Two experiments using a size fractionation approach and nutrient addition were conducted at microcosm scale (2.5 l). The variation in net growth rates (k′) of bacterioplankton and phytoplankton size fractions was analyzed after 5 days. The results determined significant differences; whereas bacterioplankton and large phytoplankton showed an increase in their k′ when their predators were removed, the picophytoplankton showed a decrease. All the studied plankton components presented the highest k′ when nutrients were added. It is suggested that, in this lake, both the top-down and bottom-up regulations account for the regulation of bacterioplankton and large phytoplankton. As for picophytoplankton, the bottom-up control was evident and grazing did not pose a negative impact and rather, had a positive effect probably due to liberation of nutrients.