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The seeds of most medicinal plants have a variety of dormancy. Therefore, it is necessary to know the effective methods of breaking the seed dormancy for their production and cultivation. In this study, to determine the best method of breaking dormancy and increasing the germination percentage of tattoo seeds, various factors have been investigated. Different treatments, scratching with sandpaper, embryo culture, GA treatment (100, 150 and 200 PPM) and sulfuric acid treatment (50, 75 and 100%) with filter paper or on MS medium containing BAP (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/l) was applied with untreated samples (control). Embryo culture was performed only on MS medium containing BAP hormone. The analysis of variance showed that all interactions with the studied treatments were significantly different in terms of germination percentage, fresh and dry weight of roots and stems (P <0.01). It was observed that the use of benzyl aminopurine (1.5 mg/l) with gibberellic acid (200 ppm) increased the seed germination percentage compared to the control. The use of benzylaminopurine (1.5 mg/l) and sulfuric acid (50%) significantly increased seed germination compared to the control. It was concluded that the effect of GA with BAP on seed germination was greater than sulfuric acid with BAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to Life: The Excitement of Biology, a peer-reviewed, international, scientific quarterly journal with broad subject coverage, emphasizing biology.

Copyright of Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae is the property of Uniwerystet Kardynala Stefana Wyznskiege w Warzawie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The central question in this paper is whether anthropogenic mass extinction is ethically problematic above and beyond the sum of extinctions involved. The point of asking this question is not to determine the ethical status of anthropogenic massive extinction, which is clearly ethical horrendous. It is to see if - as is the case with interrogating the wrongness and badness of extinction - answering it illuminates something about the value of what is being lost and sharpens the considerations that substantiate the view; and, if so, whether that might be useful in the context of evaluating mooted approaches to mitigating or adapting to it. The view defended is that massive extinction driven by undermining the conditions that make life forms possible for diverse and higher taxonomic groups constitutes a planetary shift, a phase change, different in kind from merely accelerated anthropogenic change. Justified partiality to the current assemblages of species and biomes is grounded in human relationships, dependencies, histories, and connections with this particular planetary state. This partiality warrants recognizing the loss of this state of the planet - these biospheric conditions, species assemblages, and biomes - as bad, above and beyond the individual harms and species losses involved. This account explains and substantiates why a mass extinction is worse than an equal number of extinctions spread over multiple systems or planets, all other things being equal. This account also provides reason not to embrace the anthropocene or embark on a synthetic age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an annual summary of the developments in "Life: The Excitement of Biology" for the year 2022. The author discusses the challenges faced, the goals of fostering innovation and constructive feedback, and highlights major contributions in the latest volume, expressing gratitude to contributors, reviewers, and supporters of the journal.

The editor presents an annual summary of the major developments of periodical in the year 2019 dedicated to biological researches. Topics discussed include the periodical belief of innovation happens through collaborative sharing of thoughts and ideas; the periodical's commitment as scientific quarterly journal with broad subject coverage, emphasizing biology; and the periodical's helpful, optimistic, and collaborative spirit with authors.

Copyright of Revista Trilogía is the property of Revista Trilogia, Ciencia, Tecnologia y Sociedad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the present paper the idea about the cycles discovered by Dr. Hans Krebs is given. The career of Dr Krebs in Germany and England is outlined and his cycles are described in details. It is given also the evaluation of his discovery both about life and development of the biology as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we articulate how time and temporalities are involved in the making of living things. For these purposes, we draw on an instructive episode concerning Norfolk Horn sheep. We attend to historical debates over the nature of the breed, whether it is extinct or not, and whether presently living exemplars are faithful copies of those that came before. We argue that there are features to these debates that are important to understanding contemporary configurations of life, time, and the organism, especially as these are articulated within the field of synthetic biology. In particular, we highlight how organisms are configured within different material and semiotic assemblages that are always structured temporally. While we identify three distinct structures, namely the historical, phyletic, and molecular registers, we do not regard the list as exhaustive. We also highlight how these structures are related to the care and value invested in the organisms at issue. Finally, because we are interested ultimately in ways of producing time, our subject matter requires us to think about historiographical practice reflexively. This draws us into dialogue with other scholars interested in time, not just historians, but also philosophers and sociologists, and into conversations with them about time as always multiple and never an inert background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization and quantification of ecological interactions and the construction of species' distributions and their associated ecological niches are of fundamental theoretical and practical importance. In this paper, we discuss a Bayesian inference framework, which, using spatial data, offers a general formalism within which ecological interactions may be characterized and quantified. Interactions are identified through deviations of the spatial distribution of co-occurrences of spatial variables relative to a benchmark for the non-interacting system and based on a statistical ensemble of spatial cells. The formalism allows for the integration of both biotic and abiotic factors of arbitrary resolution. We concentrate on the conceptual and mathematical underpinnings of the formalism, showing how, using the naive Bayes approximation, it can be used to not only compare and contrast the relative contribution from each variable, but also to construct species' distributions and ecological niches based on an arbitrary variable type. We also show how non-linear interactions between distinct niche variables can be identified and the degree of confounding between variables accounted for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative prediction of resource allocation for living systems has been an intensive area of research in the field of biology. Resource allocation was initially investigated in higher organisms by using empirical mathematical models based on mass distribution. A challenge is now to go a step further by reconciling the cellular scale to the individual scale. In the present paper, we review the foundations of modelling of resource allocation, particularly at the cellular scale: from small macro-molecular models to genome-scale cellular models. We enlighten how the combination of omic measurements and computational advances together with systems biology has contributed to dramatic progresses in the current understanding and prediction of cellular resource allocation. Accurate genome-wide predictive methods of resource allocation based on the resource balance analysis (RBA) framework have been developed and ensure a good trade-off between the complexity/tractability and the prediction capability of the model. The RBA framework shows promise for a wide range of applications in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, and for pursuing investigations of the design principles of cellular and multi-cellular organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panpsychism has often been motivated on the grounds that any attempt to account for experience and consciousness in organisms in purely physical, nonexperiential terms faces severe difficulties. The 'combination problem' charges that attributing phenomenal properties to the basic constituents of organisms ('microphenomenal' properties), as panpsychism proposes, likewise fails to provide a satisfactory basis for experience in humans and other organisms. This paper evaluates a recent attempt to understand, and solve, the combination problem. This approach, due to Sam Coleman, is premised on a distinction between mere aggregates and genuine unities, and the purported inability of subjects to constitute a unity. In response, I first argue that it may not be incumbent upon the panpsychist to explain how microphenomenal properties could constitute a unity in the way that Coleman supposes. I then argue that even if such a burden does fall on the panpsychist, it is far from clear that a plurality subjects cannot constitute such a unity. Finally, I argue that if one adopts a functionalist account of macrosubjects, as Coleman does, there is little reason to think that a plurality of subjects could not constitute a macrosubject. In these ways, I argue that the force of the combination problem does not turn on whether microphenomenal properties require minds or subjects that have them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The path from life's origin to the emergence of the eukaryotic cell was long and complex, and as such it is rarely treated in one publication. Here, we offer a sketch of this path, recognizing that there are points of disagreement and that many transitions are still shrouded in mystery. We assume life developed within microchambers of an alkaline hydrothermal vent system. Initial simple reactions were built into more sophisticated reflexively autocatalytic food-generated networks (RAFs), laying the foundation for life's anastomosing metabolism, and eventually for the origin of RNA, which functioned as a genetic repository and as a catalyst (ribozymes). Eventually, protein synthesis developed, leading to life's biology becoming dominated by enzymes and not ribozymes. Subsequent enzymatic innovation included ATP synthase, which generates ATP, fueled by the proton gradient between the alkaline vent flux and the acidic sea. This gradient was later internalized via the evolution of the electron transport chain, a preadaptation for the subsequent emergence of the vent creatures from their microchamber cradles. Differences between bacteria and archaea suggests cellularization evolved at least twice. Later, the bacterial development of oxidative phosphorylation and the archaeal development of proteins to stabilize its DNA laid the foundation for the merger that led to the formation of eukaryotic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of organisms is traditionally based on the use of "classic" identification keys, normally printed on paper. These keys have several drawbacks: they are mainly based on the systematics, requiring identification of orders, families and genera at first; they are written by experts for other experts, in a specific scientific jargon; they have a "frozen" structure (sequence of theses/antitheses); once published, they cannot be changed or updated without printing a new edition. Due to the use of computers, it is now possible to build new digital identification tools, which: 1) can be produced automatically, if the characters are stored in a database; 2) can be freed from the traditional systematics, giving priority to easy-to-observe characters, incl. those usually uncommon to the classical keys, such as ecology and distribution; 3) can be updated in real time once published on-line; 4) can be available on different media, and on mobile devices. An important feature of these new digital tools is their "collaborative" nature. They can be enriched by the contribution of several researchers, which can cooperate while maintaining rights and property of the resources and data they contribute to the system. JellyWeb, the information system on Scyphozoa, Cubozoa and Staurozoa has been developed in Trieste since 2010. The system was created with the aim of -- potentially -- becoming a starting point for a wide collaborative effort in developing a user-friendly worldwide digital identification system for jellyfishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses about the index of articles and information regarding authors, published in Life: The Excitement of Biology volume 10 of the periodical.

Comments and reports on synthetic biology often focus on the idea that this field may lead to synthetic life or life forms. Such claims attract general attention because 'life' is a basic concept that is understood, interpreted and explained in multiple ways. While these different understandings of life may influence the ethical assessment of synthetic biology by experts and the public, this field might, in turn, influence how academics or the public view life. We suggest in this paper that synthetic biology provides an opportunity to discuss and compare different views and explanations of the world, starting from the concept of life. We argue that a narrow focus on just one interpretation of this concept may be harmful and that people will benefit from being aware of a diversity of understandings of life because they provide answers to different questions. Moreover, the confrontation among views is important for the development of reasoning abilities, and a nuanced view on our world will be useful for integrating scientific findings and their implications into a wider context. At the same time, we should not only consider other understandings of life for our own benefit but also because a moral attitude of respect for and toleration toward others implies permission to express and maintain their views. For these reasons, we suggest that a diversity of views on life should be included in public education and in public engagement events on synthetic biology. Moreover, they should be on the research agenda of technology assessment studies within the ELSA or RRI frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the problem of visualizing phylogenetic networks, which are extensions of the Tree of Life in biology. We use a space filling visualization method, called DAGmaps, in order to obtain clear visualizations using limited space. In this paper, we first show that the general problem of drawing galled networks as DAGmaps is NP-complete. Next, we restrict our attention to galled trees and planar galled networks and present linear time algorithms for visualizing them as DAGmaps. Finally, we explore whether these graphs can be visualized using One-Dimensional DAGmaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay presents various reflections on living systems, what they are and how they evolve, prompted by editing Teleonomy in Living Systems (a special issue of the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society). Conclusions include the suggestion that the linked notions of teleonomy and agency represent fundamental properties of matter that become apparent only when organized in the way that we consider to be that of a living system. As such, they are factors that form part of the intrinsic 'a priori' of living systems, as they evolve in form through space and time. Biology, the science of life and living systems, needs to be 'biological' if it is to be anything at all. Understanding the role of teleonomy (internal, inherent goal-seeking) will always play a necessary part in this endeavour: teleonomy represents one of the fundamental properties of living systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review examines the potential of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) to enhance students' life skills in the field of biology, and analyzes the challenges that may hinder its implementation. Using a Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA), which combines Bibliometrics Analysis (BA) and Systematic Literature Review (SLR), this study analyzed articles from SCOPUS that met specific criteria. The findings reveal that PjBL is associated with e-learning and blended learning, and that the majority of articles on PjBL were published in 2020, particularly in the Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. Additionally, this SLNA highlights the contributions of these articles to the developing of various life skills in biology learning. By identifying key trends and insights from existing literature, this study sheds light on the potential of PjBL to enhance students' biology education and their ability to apply it in their daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetranychus neocaledonicus colonizes both cultivated and spontaneous plants. Species such as Phaseolus lunatus, Vigna unguiculata, Abelmoschus esculentus, and Glycine max are listed as hosts to T. neocaledonicus. However, very little is known about the bioecological aspects of this host-T. neocaledonicus interaction. The present study aims to determine the biological aspects (development and survival of immature individuals, reproduction, and fertility life table parameters) of T. neocaledonicus in P. lunatus, V. unguiculata, A. esculentus, and G. max. Individuals of T. neocaledonicus multiplied in laboratory were used on plants of P. lunatus to establish the experiments. To evaluate biological and reproductive parameters, three daily assessments were performed during the immature stages and one assessment during the adult stage. The mean developmental time from egg to adult was recorded. The highest mean was observed in V. unguiculata (13.57 days). Tetranychus neocaledonicus showed the highest fecundity in V. unguiculata, G. max and P. lunatus: 93.75, 93.38, and 79.10 eggs/female and longevity of 43.78, 33.42, and 47.26 days, respectively. Survival rate was above 50% until the 50th day in P. lunatus, 65th day in G. max and V. unguiculata, and 40th day in A. esculentus. The hosts G. max and V. unguiculata provided the highest net reproduction rates (R0) for T. neocaledonicus. The intrinsic rate of increase rm was lower when mites parasitized V. unguiculata and A. esculentus. This also happened for the finite rate of increase (λ). Host plants affect the performance and the biological, population, and reproductive parameters of T. neocaledonicus. Glycine max is the most favorable host for the development and reproduction of T. neocaledonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of life's most striking characteristics is its mental dimension, one whose very existence within a material system has long been a deep scientific mystery. Given the current scientific view that life emerged from non-life, how was it possible for 'dead' matter to have taken on mental capabilities? In this Perspective we describe the existence of a recently discovered non-equilibrium state of matter, an energized dynamic kinetic state, and demonstrate how particular chemical systems once activated into that kinetic state could manifest rudimentary cognitive behavior. Thus, contrary to a common view that biology is not reducible to physics and chemistry, recent findings in both chemistry and biology suggest that life's mental state is an outcome of its physical state, and therefore may be explicable in physical/chemical terms. Such understanding offers added insight into the physico-chemical process by which life was able to emerge from non-life and the perennial 'what is life?' question. Most remarkably, it appears that Darwin, through his deep understanding of the evolutionary process, already sensed the existence of a connection between life's physical and mental states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eotetranychus lewisi (McGregor) is an important pest mite found in peach crops. This pest has recently been reported in the province of Tungurahua, Ecuador, little information is available. The biology and life table of E. lewisi using three peach cultivars (Zapallo, Blanco Abridor, and Tejón) was evaluated under laboratory conditions (19°C, 45% R.H., and 12:12 L.D). Mites were collected from Euphorbia pulcherrima growing at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Technical University of Ambato. The mites were able to grow through the immature phase of the Blanco Abridor and Tejón cultivars. The mean duration of the immature phase (egg to adult) did not show significant differences between the Blanco Abridor and Tejón cultivars, ranging from 16.24 to 16.56 days. The mean female fecundity reared on Tejón was 18% higher than on Blanco Abridor, though their longevity was similar on both. The mean net reproductive rate (R0) was higher on Tejón (61.25), suggesting that more females will be born when the mites are raised on this cultivar. Based on our results, Tejón and Blanco Abridor were susceptible to E. lewisi; while, the mites could not reach adulthood on Zapallo, suggesting at least some resistance mechanisms, however more detailed studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This history of a statement attributed to the developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert exemplifies the making and uses of quotations in recent science. Wolpert's dictum, 'It is not birth, marriage or death, but gastrulation which is truly the most important time in your life', was produced in a series of international shifts of medium and scale. It originated in his vivid declaration in conversation with a non-specialist at a workshop dinner, gained its canonical form in a colleague's monograph, and was amplified as a quotation on a poster derived from an undergraduate project. Although it drew on Wolpert's authority and he accepted his authorship, it thus represents a collective sifting of earlier claims for the significance of prenatal existence through the values of 1980s developmental biology. Juxtaposing a technical term with major life events has let teachers engage students, and researchers entice journalists, while sharing an in-joke that came to mark community identity. Serious applications include arguing for an extension of the fourteen-day limit on human-embryo research. On this evidence, quotations have been kept busy addressing every audience of specialized knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grapevine phylloxera Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Fitch) is the pest insect of greatest importance in grapevine. The objective of study was to evaluate the occurrence of overwintering eggs in seedlings of 'Paulsen 1103' (Vitis berlandieri × Vitis rupestris) and evaluate the biology and fertility life table of D. vitifoliae on five grape cultivars: 'Bordô' (Vitis labrusca), 'Cabernet Sauvignon' (Vitis vinifera), 'BRS Lorena' (Vitis vinifera × Seyval [Seibell 5656-Rayon d'Or]), 'Magnolia' (Vitis rotundifolia), and 'Paulsen 1103'. In the field, overwintering eggs were found to be present in 78% of 'Paulsen 1103' seedlings, on the trunk of the seedlings. In the laboratory, phylloxera was found to complete the biological cycle (egg to adult) in roots of 'BRS Lorena', 'Bordô', and 'Cabernet Sauvignon'. Nymphs did not complete development on roots of 'Paulsen 1103' and 'Magnolia', with 100% first instar mortality. Adult females feeding on 'Bordô' roots showed the lowest total fecundity (20.9 eggs per female), differing from insects feeding on 'Cabernet Sauvignon' roots (207.8 eggs per female). Based on the fertility life table, roots of 'Cabernet Sauvignon' provided the best reproduction rate (Ro = 219), intrinsic rate of increase (rm = 0.197 d) and time between generations (T = 21.5 d). The presence of overwintering eggs on the trunk of the rootstock 'Paulsen 1103' may promote the survival and dispersal of the insect. Lignified roots of the rootstock 'Paulsen 1103' and the cultivar 'Magnolia' do not allow the development of D. vitifoliae , with 'Cabernet Sauvignon' being the most suitable for the development of the insect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the achievements gained by the editorial board of the journal "Life." He mentions the launch of several special issues as well as publication of high quality papers related to life sciences. He highlights the implementation of a new system of open peer review in an effort to demonstrate the fair and efficient standard of the team's editorial work.

Clarina syriaca (Lederer, 1855) was known from Cyprus by a single adult specimen collected in 1950. Recently, an adult and larva have been found, proving the existence of a breeding population. Clarina syriaca is thus confirmed as resident in Cyprus, as a relict population inhabiting riparian gallery forests, which act as isolated refugia surrounded by drier pine woodland or cultivated land. Information is provided on the early life history stages of C. syriaca, with further notes on its taxonomic status, biology, ecology, and host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notes on the biology and life history of Taenaris artemis jamesi Butler from Dauan Island, Torres Strait, Queensland are presented, including colour illustrations of the full life history. Wing pattern variability in the progeny of two females is discussed and it is suggested that Taenaris artemis staudingeri Honrath is perhaps a junior synonym of T. a. jamesi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biology of early life adversity explores how social experiences early in life affect physical and psychological health and well-being throughout the life course. In our previous work, we argued that narratives emerging from and about this research field tend to focus on harm and lasting damage with little discussion of reversibility and resilience. However, as the Science and Technology Studies literature has demonstrated, scientific research can be actively taken up and transformed as it moves through social worlds. Drawing on fieldwork with actors in education and juvenile corrections in the US Pacific Northwest, we found that they employed the biology of early life adversity not only to promote prevention but also to argue for changes within their own institutions that would allow them to better serve children and youth who have experienced adversity and trauma. Our study shows that biosocial narratives are neither inherently liberatory nor inherently oppressive but that the situated narrative choreographies in which they are enrolled are essential for their political effects. In our case, we show how these biosocial narratives have been articulated with knowledge and practices from restorative justice and trauma-informed care to reimagine the social meaning of the biology of early life adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ontogenetic studies of the eggs and larvae of fish can provide information on the initial life history and biology of a species, are important for taxonomic and evolutionary studies, and for cultivation in captivity. The aim of this study was to analyze and describe the main morphological differences in the larval ontogeny of Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum, Leiarius marmoratus, and its hybrid (♀ P. reticulatum × ♂ L. marmoratus), as well as to identify characteristics that can identify the species and their hybrid at the larvae and juvenile stages. 205 L. marmoratus, 210 P. reticulatum, and 205 hybrid specimens were analyzed, all of which were obtained through induced reproduction. Analyses were performed from hatching to 30 days post‐hatching. 19 morphometric and 5 meristic characteristics were evaluated, in addition to chromatophore shape and distribution. The specimens were classified into two life periods: Larval (stages: yolk sac, pre‐flexion, flexion, and post‐flexion) and Juvenile. Newly hatched larvae were transparent, poorly developed, and had a scarcity of chromatophores. During the early stages of larval development, the three groups showed similarities in appearance and proportional dimensions. However, at both the end of the post‐flexion stage and at the juvenile period when individuals were approximately 2 cm long, it was possible to differentiate between hybrids and their parental species by their morphometric, meristic, and pigment characteristics. The hybrid, despite occupying an intermediate position in relationship to its parents, exhibited a shape and size more similar to P. reticulatum, its maternal parent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is one of the most important thysanopteran pests belonging to the family Thripidae. This species is a cosmopolitan and serious insect pest of greenhouse and field crops worldwide. Orius laevigatus (Fiber) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) is an important zoophytophagous insect that attacks a wide variety of insect pests and is commercially available as a biological control agent of F. occidentalis. However, the biological control success by this predator strongly depends on the morphological characteristics and nutritional quality of the host plant. In the present study, the suitability of green bean, marigold, and strawberry as banker plants for O. laevigatus were evaluated in the laboratory condition (25 ± 1 °C, a relative humidity of 70 ± 5% with a 16-h day). The shortest and longest developmental time of whole nymphal periods of O. laevigatus was on the green bean (10.6 days) and marigold (13.2 days) plants, respectively. The highest fecundity of O. lavigatus was on the green bean (113.0 eggs) and the lowest on the marigold (38.4 eggs). The highest net reproductive rate (R0: 47.3 female/female), intrinsic rate of increase (rm: 0.10 female/female/day), finite rate of increase (λ: 1.16 female/female/day), and generation time (T: 24.1 days) were obtained on the green bean. Based on our results, the green bean can be a good candidate as a banker plant for O. laevigatus in integrated pest management programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the central aims of synthetic biology (SB) is to better understand the mechanisms of life by trying to develop and synthesize new forms and perhaps modes of life. While the question of what is life has occupied mankind for centuries, there is a lack of empirical research examining the basic concepts of life scientists within SB themselves refer to and build on. In order to gain insights into these fundamental concepts, we conducted a qualitative interview study with scientists working in the field of SB. The aim was to gain a better understanding of the underlying understandings, principles, and characteristics of (synthetic) life on the one hand, and the entangled consequences for the conducted experiments and studies as well as the pursued scientific approaches. We identified four primarily underlying basic concepts of life which serve as a fundamental framework for current and further scientific research within SB and have implications for research questions, approaches and aims as well as for the evaluation of scientific results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the biology and life table parameters of the predatory mite Agistemus floridanus Gonzalez (Stigmaeidae) feeding on Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Tetranychidae). The experiment was initiated with 34 eggs of A. floridanus isolated in experimental units and maintained in a controlled environment at 25 ± 1 °C, 12 L:12D, and 80 ± 5% relative humidity. The development time of females was 11.7 ± 1.0 days and the immature phase of males 11.2 ± 1.0 days. Adult longevity of females was 17.1 ± 5.3 days, with mean production of 29.2 ± 17.4 eggs/female. Life table parameters obtained were: net reproduction rate (Ro) 19.8; mean generation time (T) 19.1 days; intrinsic rate of increase (rm) 0.2 female per female per day; finite rate of increase (λ) 1.2 female/female, and population doubling time (DT) 4.4 days. Agistemus floridanus demonstrated survival and reproduction capacity when feeding exclusively on P. ulmi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and reproductive capacities of the ladybird, Exochomus nigripennis (Erichson) (Col.: Coccinellidae), were conducted in the laboratory conditions on three preys. The differences in immature developmental periods on various preys tested were significant, being longest on A. pistaciae and shortest on Ephestia kuehniella eggs. Male and female adults fed on Agonoscena pistaciae lived longer than the predators fed other preys. Also, the oviposition period was at the longest level for females reared on E. kuehniella eggs and at the shortest level for A. pistaciae. Significantly, more eggs were oviposited on A. pistaciae than on E. kuehniella eggs and Gossyparia spuria. The highest and lowest net reproductive rate (R0) values were for the predators fed on A. pistaciae and E. kuehniella eggs, respectively. The E. nigripennis fed on E. kuehniella eggs had the highest value of the intrinsic rate of increase (rm). In contrast, the lowest rm value was obtained when predators fed on A. pistaciae. Similarly, the finite rate of increase (λ) was highest on E. kuehniella eggs and lowest on A. pistaciae. The mean population generation time ranged from 42.5 days on E. kuehniella eggs to 59.6 days on A. pistaciae. Our findings suggest that E. nigripennis can be highly efficient for controlling A. pistaciae. Also, E. kuehniella eggs could be more useful for mass rearing of E. nigripennis to use in integrated pest management program of sucking pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though Glycymeris longior is a clam widely distributed in the SW Atlantic Ocean, little is known about its biology and life history. The present study assessed the periodicity of the internal growth increments of G. longior using thin shell sections. Each internal growth increment was composed of two alternating bands: a translucent band (light-coloured when viewed with transmitted light) and an opaque band (dark-coloured). Annual formation for each pair of bands was demonstrated. The formation of the annual growth increments was synchronous among individuals. Growth was determined from live clams collected at El Sótano, Argentine Sea (age range = 29 to 69 years). According to the growth model, G. longior grows fast during the first 5 years of life and then growth becomes slower in later years; individuals reached 50% and 90% of maximum size at 5 and 13 years of age, respectively. High variability was found in shell height for the first 10 years: differences up to 5–7 mm among individuals were registered for the first 2 years of age, and up to 11 mm between the ages of 3 and 9 years. The growth performance index phi-prime (φ′) and the index of growth performance (P) of G. longior were compared with those of other Glycymeris species. Our results indicate that G. longior is a slow-growing species with a long lifespan (maximum longevity = 69 years). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The guava cottony scale, Capulinia linarosae (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) is an important pest of guava, Psidium guajava, in Venezuela and northern Colombia. Metaphycus marensis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a new primary parasitoid species recently described associated with this pest. Studies were conducted on oogenesis, life cycle, survival, daily fecundity and life table parameters of Metaphycus marensis Chirinos & Kondo (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm), generation time (T) and net reproductive rate (Ro). Females of M. marensis are synovigenic and this parasitoid goes through four larval instars and completes its life cycle in about 12.7 days. Survival was of type I, where mortality was initially detected by encapsulation of eggs and larvae. Metaphycus marensis was able to multiply its population 28.7 times (Ro) with rm of 0.242 in 13.9 days (T). The short generation time of the parasitoid in relation to its eriococcid host could represent a desirable attribute as a natural enemy. However, the low fecundity and the encapsulation by the host must be analyzed through field experiments in order to evaluate its effectiveness as a biological control agent for C. linarosae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mite Oligonychus punicae has potential for development in Eucalyptus spp. in clonal minigardens. However, there is no information on its biological and reproductive parameters on eucalyptus species. The objective of this study is to evaluate the biological and reproductive performance of O. punicae on different species of eucalyptus cultivated in a clonal minigarden. Development time, survival, longevity, fecundity and life table parameters of O. punicae were determined on six species of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla, Eucalyptus brassiana, Eucalyptus grandis, Eucalyptus tereticorinis, Eucalyptus pellita and Corymbia citriodora). All eggs of O. punicae originated females and completed the cycle in all hosts. Differences were observed in development, longevity, pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition, and fecundity of females of O. punicae when different eucalyptus species were used as hosts for O. punicae. The best performance of O. punicae was observed on E. tereticornis, while the worst performance was observed on C. citriodora, on which the net reproductive rates (R0) ranged from 5.09 to 44.85, the intrinsic rate of population increase (rm) ranged from 0.09 to 0.19, the finite rate of population increase (λ) ranged from 1.10 to 1.21, and the mean generation time (T) ranged from 0.09 to 0.19. These results suggest that E. tereticornis is an excellent host for O. punicae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immature stages of the Philippine endemic butterfly Athyma gutama canlaonensis Okano & Okano, 1986 are described and illustrated from specimens collected on Mount Talinis, Negros island, Philippines. This is the first detailed documentation of the biology and life history of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-uniform rates of morphological evolution and evolutionary increases in organismal complexity, captured in metaphors like “adaptive zones”, “punctuated equilibrium” and “blunderbuss patterns”, require more elaborate explanations than a simple gradual accumulation of mutations. Here we argue that non-uniform evolutionary increases in phenotypic complexity can be caused by a threshold-like response to growing ecological pressures resulting from evolutionary diversification at a given level of complexity. Acquisition of a new phenotypic feature allows an evolving species to escape this pressure but can typically be expected to carry significant physiological costs. Therefore, the ecological pressure should exceed a certain level to make such an acquisition evolutionarily successful. We present a detailed quantitative description of this process using a microevolutionary competition model as an example. The model exhibits sequential increases in phenotypic complexity driven by diversification at existing levels of complexity and a resulting increase in competitive pressure, which can push an evolving species over the barrier of physiological costs of new phenotypic features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the absence of constraints, preference for larger mates is expected to evolve, as larger individuals are typical of higher potential fitness. Large females are often more fecund and carry larger eggs (which result in higher number and better quality of offspring), whereas large males usually have more conspicuous ornaments and are better at defending resources. However, intrasexual competition can constrain the access to larger partners, especially when opportunities for mate takeover abound. Here we investigate the relationship between individual’s size and mate choice in relation to one’s own size and their respective mate’s size using the sailfin tetra, a sexually dimorphic Amazonian fish species. We show that ornaments of larger males are exponentially more conspicuous, and larger females are more fecund and carry larger eggs. Contrary to expectation, neither males nor females associated for longer with the larger of two offered potential mates. Instead, individuals of both genders chose opposite-sex individuals of similar sizes to themselves. Additionally, similar-sized pairs were more likely to spawn than couples with higher size asymmetries. Grounded on field observations, we propose that prudent choice should be particularly important in this system, since courtship is long (often taking several days), which offers opportunities for mate takeover. Intrasexual competition, however, cannot readily explain female choice for similar-sized males. We thus suggest that such preference might be best explained by avoidance of filial cannibalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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As a result of a high-throughput in situ hybridization screening for adult mouse testes, we found that the mRNA for Tmco5 is expressed in round and elongating spermatids. Tmco5 belongs to the Tmco (Transmembrane and coiled-coil domains) gene family and has a coiled-coil domain in the N-terminal and a transmembrane domain in the C-terminal region. A monoclonal antibody raised against recombinant TMCO5 revealed that the protein is expressed exclusively in the elongating spermatids of step 9 to 12 and is localized to the manchette, a transiently emerging construction, which predominantly consists of cytoskeleton microtubules and actin filaments. This structure serves in the transport of Golgi-derived non-acrosomal vesicles. Moreover, induced expression of TMCO5 in CHO cells resulted in the co-localization of TMCO5 with β-tubulin besides the reorganization of the Golgi apparatus. Judging from the results and considering the domain structure of TMCO5, we assume that Tmco5 may have a role in vesicle transport along the manchette. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syntrophy allows a microbial community as a whole to survive in an environment, even though individual microbes cannot. The metabolic interdependence typical of syntrophy is thought to arise from the accumulation of degenerative mutations during the sustained co-evolution of initially self-sufficient organisms. An alternative and underexplored possibility is that syntrophy can emerge spontaneously in communities of organisms that did not co-evolve. Here, we study this de novo origin of syntrophy using experimentally validated computational techniques to predict an organism’s viability from its metabolic reactions. We show that pairs of metabolisms that are randomly sampled from a large space of possible metabolism and viable on specific primary carbon sources often become viable on new carbon sources by exchanging metabolites. The same biochemical reactions that are required for viability on primary carbon sources also confer viability on novel carbon sources. Our observations highlight a new and important avenue for the emergence of metabolic adaptations and novel ecological interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]