Survival Of Different Species Research Articles

Dietary fiber monosaccharide content alters gut microbiome composition and fermentation.

The survival of a microbial species in the gut depends on the availability of the nutrients necessary for that species to survive. Carbohydrates in the form of non-host digestible fiber are of particular importance, and the set of genes possessed by each species for carbohydrate consumption can vary considerably. Here, differences in the monosaccharides that are the building blocks of fiber are considered for their impact on both the survival of different species of microbes and on the levels of microbial fermentation products produced. This work demonstrates that foods with similar monosaccharide content will have consistent effects on the survival of microbial species and on the production of microbial fermentation products.

Development and survival of Triatoma barberi and Triatoma longipennis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is affected by Trypanosoma cruzi colonization

Triatomines are insect vectors of the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. This occurs when the triatomine defecates on the skin of the vertebrate host when it bites its host for feeding. This lesion causes the penetration of T. cruzi, whose infective phase is the tripomastigote, and the non-infective replicative phase epimastigote. Although the effects of T. cruzi on the development and survival of different species of triatomine bugs are known, it has not been fully described how the parasite affects many of the species that inhabit Mexico. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of the presence of T. cruzi on triatomine development and survival. For this, five triatomines of each instar of each species, Triatoma barberi and Triatoma longipennis, were inoculated, from their second instar to their adult stage, female or male. Each triatomine was infected with 3-5 x105 parasites and they were incubated for 100 days and the kinetic of parasites in the feces and T. cruzi phases were recorded. The results showed that T. barberi and T. longipennis development was affected in all stages because of T. cruzi infection. It was greater for T. longipennis, both in its mortality, as well as time to molt in each phase.

Prospecting toxicity of octocrylene in Allium cepa L. and Eisenia fetida Sav.

Octocrylene sunscreen is found in different environmental compartments. Unlike aquatic organisms, there are few studies evaluating the adverse effects caused by this pollutant on terrestrial plants, and no studies on soil fauna. In this study, octocrylene was evaluated at concentrations of 10, 100, and 1000µg/L for phytotoxicity, cytogenotoxicity, and oxidative stress in Allium cepa L., and acute toxicity and oxidative stress in Eisenia fetida Sav. In A. cepa, at concentrations of 100 and 1000µg/L, octocrylene reduced the germination potential in seeds, inhibited root elongation, and caused disturbance in cell division in roots. In E. fetida, the concentration of 1000µg/L promoted an avoidance rate of 80%, while 10µg/L caused a hormesis effect. The concentrations 100 and 1000µg/L caused lipid peroxidation in A. cepa and E. fetida. Based on the results, the recurrent use of biosolids in soil fertilization, as well as the irrigation of plants with wastewater, with the presence of octocrylene can negatively impact the survival of different species that depend directly or indirectly on the soil.

Waterlogging and soil but not seedling competition structure tree communities in a catchment containing a tropical freshwater swamp forest

AbstractQuestionsWhat are the relative influences of soil and hydrology on tree community structure, seedling survival and seedling growth? Do soil and hydrology moderate seedling responses to competition?LocationNee Soon catchment, Singapore.MethodsWe measured and identified trees ≥5 cm diameter in 40 plots measuring 20 m × 20 m each, set up in the wet and dry areas of the catchment, and collected topsoil for analysis of soil texture, pH, and nutrients. We also conducted randomised experiments on seedlings of two dry specialists, two wet specialists, and two generalists and compared survival and growth traits in different soil and waterlogging treatments. We repeated the experiments with one dry specialist and one wet specialist with additional paired seedling intraspecific and interspecific competition treatments.ResultsTree communities were structured along both soil and hydrological gradients, and a distinct freshwater swamp subcommunity was identified. The six species selected for the experiments had differing survival responses to the different soil and waterlogging treatments: dry specialists survived best in the dry soil type and/or well‐drained conditions and wet specialists survived best in the wet soil type or waterlogged conditions, with generalist responses in‐between. However, both the dry specialist Aporosa frutescens and the wet specialist Baccaurea bracteata grew slower in waterlogged conditions. These results did not differ when seedlings of the two species were grown together, suggesting that dry‐specialist seedlings do not particularly outcompete wet‐specialist seedlings in the absence of waterlogging stress.ConclusionsSoil characteristics, hydrological conditions, and tree community structure are all intertwined in the field. Manipulative experiments show that soil type and waterlogging have separate effects on seedling survival of different species that are consistent with performance trade‐offs corresponding to their respective specialisations, but waterlogging reduces seedling growth in both wet and dry specialists. Competition between seedlings is comparatively unimportant.

Prospecting for Phytotoxicity and Enzymatic Modulation of Waters from Springs in the Surroundings of Campo Mourão, State of Paraná, Brazil, in Lactuca sativa L.

The Rio do Campo and Rio Km 119 rivers are under constant human pressure. Thus, it is necessary to assess the adverse effects caused by waters of these rivers to living organisms. Phytotoxicity and enzymatic modulation of waters from eight sites was evaluated against Lactuca sativa L.—five located in Rio do Campo (P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5) and three located in Rio Km 119 (P6, P7, and P8)—strategically making up the surroundings of Campo Mourao. For every site, two samplings were made in 2019, one during the dry season (first sampling) and another during the rainy season (second sampling). Waters from P2 and P8, collected in the dry season reduced the seed germination rate. With the exception of P7 in sampling 1, waters from the other sites, in both seasons considered, significantly inhibited radicle elongation. In the dry season, there was an increase in CAT activity, mainly in roots exposed to waters from P3 and P7. In the rainy season, there was a reduction in the activity of this enzyme in roots, caused by waters from P1, P2, P4, P6, and P7. Except for P3 in the first sampling, roots exposed to waters from the eight sites, in samplings 1 and 2, had inhibition in SOD activity. Therefore, waters from the eight sites caused significant phytotoxicity and oxidative stress to L. sativa. These results complement and corroborate studies to assess the toxicity of waters of the Rio do Campo and Rio Km 119 rivers present in the literature. The imminent intervention of the public management of Campo Mourao and of the State government is necessary in the urban and agricultural human activities carried out in these springs, given the significant degradation and putting the survival of different species at risk.

Avaliação de ecossistemas florestais – estudo de caso da mata ciliar do Pajeú

Faltam informações básicas sobre as florestas de galeria da Caatinga. Os objetivos do estudo foram obter informações básicas da floresta de galeria do Pajeú (Pernambuco, Brasil) e oferecer diferentes maneiras de restaurá-las e conservá-las. Foi realizada a caracterização do estado de conservação e seu banco de sementes. A caracterização foi feita usando um índice de qualidade (índice QBR) e uma avaliação do uso do solo por meio de imagens de satélite. Em seguida, foi realizado um inventário sobre as plantas nativas das matas ciliares da caatinga, a fim de testar métodos ativos de restauração no campo. Para isso, foi construída uma análise multicritério que incluiu todas as espécies de árvores e arbustos, com base em pesquisas prévias locais e citadas na literatura. Após essa análise, algumas espécies foram cultivadas em um viveiro de plantas para testar sua germinação, sobrevivência e taxas ALde crescimento para diferentes solos e frequências de irrigação. Finalmente, o transplante na floresta de galeria foi avaliado mediante a observação das taxas de sobrevivência e crescimento de diferentes espécies nativas que foram plantadas diretamente na floresta. Nossos resultados mostram que o QBR global foi de 43,73 e que 73% das terras tinham qualidade insuficiente (64%) ou ruim (9%), no entanto algumas áreas mantiveram alta biodiversidade. Foram observadas 23.651 sementes germinadas no banco de sementes, em que a maioria das germinações (53%) veiodo local preservado. Os solos recolhidos durante a estação seca também ofereceram mais plântulas (60%) do que os seus homólogos da estação chuvosa (40%). Quanto à restauração ativa, observou-se que algumas plantas são mais adequadas para viveiros e transplantes de árvores como Sapindus saponaria, Vitex gardneriana e Celtis iguanaea e que, selecionando as plantas e técnicas corretas, o ecossistema pode ser restaurado. Há ainda um longo caminho para a restauração da floresta de galeria do Pajeú. Estudos como este são essenciais para aumentar o conhecimento desse ecossistema. Esta pesquisa servirá como referência para orientar estratégias de manejo/restauração, priorizando ações e o desenvolvimento de políticas públicas de conservação a longo termo que garantam a integridade do ecossistema e suas funções.

Adaptability, resilience and environmental buffering in European Refugia during the Late Pleistocene: Insights from La Riera Cave (Asturias, Cantabria, Spain)

The Upper Palaeolithic in Europe was a time of extensive climatic changes that impacted on the survival and distribution of human populations. During the Late Glacial Maximum (LGM), southern European peninsulas were refugia for flora, fauna, and human groups. One of these refugia, the Cantabrian region (northern Atlantic Spain), was intensively occupied throughout the Upper Palaeolithic. Characterising how climatic events were expressed in local environments is crucial to understand human and animal survival. La Riera Cave (Asturias) has a rich geo-cultural sequence dating between 20.5kyr BP to 6.5kyr BP and represents an ideal location in which to explore this. Stable isotope analysis of red deer and ibex is used alongside other environmental and climatic proxies to reconstruct Late Upper Palaeolithic conditions. Results show that during the LGM, ibex adapted their niche to survive, and became a major prey species for humans. The diverse environmental opportunities offered in the high-relief and coastal environs of La Riera may help to explain the high human population levels in the Cantabrian Region throughout the Late Upper Palaeolithic. Despite fluctuating conditions, herbivores and humans had the flexibility and resilience to adapt, demonstrating the importance of southern European refugia for the survival of different species.

The Utility of Dietary Phosphorus Enrichment During Transition to Formulated Feeds of Juvenile Abalone Haliotis tuberculata

Sustaining the growth of abalone aquaculture globally requires farm operators to satisfy the specific diet requirements of the particular abalone species grown. Components of commercial aquaculture feeds usually contain animal protein in the form of fishmeal. Rather than adding generic animal protein foodstuffs, formulated diets may be more effective when supplemented with particular substances of metabolic use to the abalone. The inclusion of animal proteins may have physiological demands on the growth and survival of different species of abalone as formulated feeds change the colour of the shell bands and the components of the feed may not exist in the natural diet of abalone. Inclusion and enrichment of phosphorus in mixed macroalgal-meal diets for juvenile abalone Haliotis tuberculata was investigated. Macroalgae is the natural diet for juvenile and adult abalone and can be limiting in bioavailable phosphorus. Increasing the available dietary phosphorus content in the diet of juvenile H. tuberculata to 0.9% and 1.5% increased growth rates in shell length compared to Palmaria palmata diet (P

Combined effect of heavy metals and shungite on the indicator plankton species

The combined effect of salts of heavy metals and shungite on the test organisms of phyto- and zooplankton has been studied. The toxic effect of both cadmium sulfate and potassium dichromate on the culture of Scenedesmus guadricauda was inactivated in the presence of shungite (100 g/L). The efficiency of photosynthesis, the number of cells, the proportion of living cells, and the lifetime of the microalgae cell population increased after adding shungite to the medium (without toxicants). In addition, in acute experiments that lasted up to 96 h, the toxicity of potassium dichromate, copper sulfate, and cadmium sulfate on crustaceans (Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia affinis) was studied in the presence of shungite (0.01 g/L) and without it. This study of the effect of shungite’s presence on crustaceans showed that it protected both Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia affinis from the action of toxicants at the minimum concentration (0.01 g/L) of the five tested. Daphnia magna died at higher concentrations of shungite. It was shown that the acute toxicity of heavy metals for the two crustacean species decreased in the series Cu–Cd–Cr. The analysis of the obtained data showed that the shungite concentrations necessary for the inactivation of heavy metals were thousands of times higher for algae than for crustaceans. Therefore, when using the shungite as a protector against the toxic effects of various substances, a preliminary laboratory analysis of the survival of different species of hydrobionts in a specific aquatic environment is necessary.

Correlation between some environmental variables and abundance of <i>Almophrya mediovacuolata</i> (Ciliophora: Anoplophryidae) endocommensal ciliate of an anecic earthworms (Oligochaeta: Annelida) in Bambui (North-West Cameroon)

This study was devoted to accessing the influence of some soil physico-chemical parameters on the abundance of Almophrya mediovacuolata Ngassam, 1983, astome ciliate of the digestive tract of earthworms (EW) of the species Alma nilotica collected along “Fa’a ntsa” stream in Bambui. The survey primarily involved soil samples collection from the same spots of EW collection and preparation for physico-chemical analysis; evaluation in situ of the volumic density (VD) of worms (number /dm3 soil), their dissection, isolation and counting of ciliates with respect to different portion of EW’s gut (fore, mid and hindgut). Furthermore, correlation analysis between soil physico-chemical parameters and biological responses (EW volumic density and ciliate abundance) were performed. The results reveal that EW abundance was positively and significantly correlated with the following physico-chemical parameters: Cation Exchange Capacity CEC (p <0.01) and Mg2+ (p <0.05). A positive and significant correlation was found between Almophrya mediovacuolata and the pH of KCl in the foregut and midgut (p <0.01) while a negative and significant correlation was found between the abundance of Almophrya mediovacuolata and Ca2+ in the foregut (p <0.05). Almophrya mediovacuolata were found mostly in the foregut. This result shows that each portion of the digestive tract of Alma nilotica can be considered as a set of natural microhabitat in which a number of physico-chemical factors generate ecological niches suitable for the survival of different species of microorganisms among which ciliated protozoa. The fore and midgut was noticed to be the preferential zones of Almophrya mediovacuolata.Keywords: Biotic parameters, ciliated protozoa, microhabitat, soil physico-chemical parameters.

Functional traits predict drought performance and distribution of Mediterranean woody species

Water availability is one of the key environmental factors that affect plant establishment and distribution. In many regions water availability will decline with climate change, exposing small seedlings to a greater likelihood of drought. In this study, 17 leaves, stem, root, and whole-plant traits of ten woody Mediterranean species were measured under favourable growing conditions and seedling drought survival was evaluated during a simulated dry-down episode. The aims of this study were: i) to assess drought survival of different species, ii) to analyse which functional traits predict drought survival time, and iii) to explain species distribution in the field, based on species drought survival and drought strategies. Drought survival time varied ten-fold across species, from 19 to 192 days. Across species, drought survival was positively related to the rooting depth per leaf area, i.e., the ability to acquire water from deeper soil layers while reducing transpiring leaf area. Drought survival time was negatively related to species ability to grow quickly, as indicated by high relative growth and net assimilation rates. Drought survival also explained species distribution in the field. It was found that species were sorted along a continuum, ranging between two contrasting species functional extremes based on functional traits and drought performance. One extreme consisted of acquisitive fast-growing deciduous species, with thin, soft metabolically active leaves, with high resource use and vulnerability to drought. The opposite extreme consisted of conservative slow-growing evergreen species with sclerophyllous leaves, deep roots, a low transpiring area, and low water use, resulting in high drought survival and drought tolerance. The results show that these drought strategies shape species distribution in this Mediterranean area.

Survival of cheese bacteria in a gastrointestinal tract simulator

The microbial population of 90-day-old semi-hard cheeses from two dairies was studied before and after transit through a gastrointestinal tract simulator (GITS). In total, 8 species of lactic acid bacteria (22 different genotypes) were identified from one cheese (average survival 4.9 ± 3.6%), and 9 species (13 genotypes) from the second cheese (2.9 ± 2.3%). Survival of different species in the GITS varied significantly. The most abundant non-starter species, Lactobacillus casei/paracasei, showed the highest survival (up to 24%), while survival of the most resistant starter species, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, remained below 3% in all experiments. Addition of the digestive enzymes pepsin and pancreatin into the GITS decreased bacterial diversity and survival significantly. The study showed that the GITS is an efficient tool for the isolation of acid-, bile- and digestive-enzyme-tolerant, potentially probiotic, strains from complex food ecosystems like cheese.

Response of a new zealand mayfly (Deleatidium spp.) to acid mine drainage: Implications for mine remediation

Investigating the toxicity of acid mine drainage (AMD) on benthic communities in receiving waters can be highly challenging because of the difficulty in unraveling the effects of acidity, dissolved metals, and precipitates. Furthermore, the survival of different species may vary depending on any natural adaptation they may have acquired to low pH, metals, or sedimentation. We investigated the effect of different pHs and AMD on the survival of a common New Zealand leptophlebiid mayfly (Deleatidium spp.) in 96-h laboratory trials. Our results indicate that the primary driver of toxicity in AMD was pH, although some mortality could be attributable to the presence of dissolved heavy metals at low pH (<or=3.6). Mayflies sourced from three naturally acidic streams (pH approximately 5.7-6.5) had a distinctly higher tolerance to AMD and low pH (3.5-4.0) compared to mayflies sourced from three circumneutral streams (pH approximately 7.0-7.4). This indicates that the chemistry of the natal stream strongly influences the sensitivity of mayflies to AMD, which, in turn, could have consequences for the successful remediation of a given AMD-impacted stream. Furthermore, the water chemistry of unimpacted streams that could be sources of potential recolonists might provide ecologically relevant water-quality targets for remediation of AMD-damaged streams. Understanding the variable tolerances of common lotic benthic taxa can provide ecologically relevant water-quality criteria for mine remediation.

Comparison of Survival of Different Species of Bacteria in Freshwater Microcosms

ABSTRACT Survival of five species of bacteria was determined in freshwater microcosms containing stream water, leaves, and sediments. Native stream species (Burkholderia cepacia and Aeromonas caviae) became established in sediment biofilms, but coliforms (Citrobacter freundii and Escherichia coli) and an insecticide-producing bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, did not. A. caviae and B. thuringiensis were common on leaf surfaces, but population sizes were much lower than those of B. cepacia. Population sizes of all species decreased substantially in the water column over the course of the seven day experiments. To examine the basis of this high mortality in the water column, the effects of predation, competition, and resource limitation were examined. Competition and predation attributable to smaller microorganisms (< 1μm) had the greatest impact on bacterial mortality. These results suggest that the overall significance of benthic habitats as sources of stream bacteria was enhanced by high rates of mortality in the water column. Bacteria that enter streams through human-mediated means (sewage in the case of coliforms, and insecticide application in the case of B. thuringiensis) differed in their survival; biofilms enhanced the success of B. thuringiensis but not the coliforms.

Seedling survival of Mediterranean shrubland species in relation to root:shoot ratio, seed size and water and nitrogen use

1. We hypothesized that in Mediterranean plant communities seedling survival of different species during the drought period would be related to their ability to use below‐ground resources, particularly water and nitrogen. 2. For 5 years we studied under field conditions the summer seedling survival of 11 dominant species of a Spanish Mediterranean shrubland. We related seedling survival of the different species to their seed size and root allocation estimated as the slope of the function root biomass vs log shoot biomass. We used δ13C for the estimation of water‐use efficiency and δ15N and nitrogen concentration to determine the sources of nitrogen utilized. We correlated these variables with root allocation. 3. Seedling survival of the different species was positively correlated with root allocation and seed size. Root allocation was also positively correlated with seed size. δ15N and nitrogen concentration were also positively correlated with root allocation, but δ13C was not. 4. Under the relatively moist conditions occurring during summer 1996, higher root allocation was associated with the use of nitrogen from more nitrogen saturated microsites.

Comparative studies on ecotoxicology of synthetic detergents

To predict the comparative toxicological response of synthetic detergents on aquatic ecosytems, the effects of various concentrations of neutralized alkyl benzene sulfonate were studied. The median tolerance limit at 48 hr, 95% confidence limit, slope function, presumable harmless concentration, and rate of survival of different species of aquatic fauna such as water fleas ( Daphnia magna), mosquito larvae ( Culex pipiens), slug worms ( Tubifex rivulorum), snails ( Lymnaea vulgaris), tadpoles ( Rana cyanophlyctis), and fish fingerlings ( Cirrhina mrigala) were followed at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr. Any effect on quality of the water was also tested after the addition of various concentrations of detergents. The results showed that water fleas are more susceptible to detergent toxicity than fish fingerlings, tadpoles, slug worms, snails, and mosquito larvae. Behavioral changes were also observed as an index for detergent toxicity. The relative toxicity of the detergents to various species is discussed in relation to selective ecotoxicological response.

Experimental Background to the Study of the Distribution and Abundance of Insects: III. The Relation between Innate Capacity for Increase and Survival of Different Species of Beetles Living Together on the Same Food

Experimental Background to the Study of the Distribution and Abundance of Insects: III. The Relation between Innate Capacity for Increase and Survival of Different Species of Beetles Living Together on the Same Food

EXPERIMENTAL BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF INSECTS: III. The relation between innate capacity for increase and survival of different species of beetles living together on the same food

When any one of the three beetles Rhizopertha dominica Fab., the small strain and the large of Calandra ory2ae L., was allowed to increase in numbers in a limited space in which the amount of food was kept constant, the maximum numbers which the populations attained were correlated with the innate capacity for increase (or the intrinsic rate of increase r) (Birch, 1953b). In this paper we shall examine whether there is a relationship between the numbers of these beetles and their innate capacity for increase when two species occur together in the one population. The experimental models which were set up are similar to those described in an earlier paper (Birch, 1953b) in which single species multiplied in amounts of grain which w7ere kept constant, except that in the present experiments each tube of grain contained two species; an adult male and female of each species were placed in each tube at the beginning. Combinations of temperature, moisture and food were chosen so that in some experiments one species had a higher innate capacity for increase than the other whilst in other experiments this same species had a lower innate capacity for increase than the other. The appropriate information for planning the experiments in this way was obtained from a previous paper (Birch, 195,3a). This latter aspect constitutes the novel feature of these experiments. Other workers have done experiments in which