Groundbreaking research on the universality and diversity of microorganisms is now challenging the life sciences to upgrade fundamental theories that once seemed untouchable. To fully appreciate the change that the field is now undergoing, one has to place the epochs and foundational principles of Darwin, Mendel, and the modern synthesis in light of the current advances that are enabling a new vision for the central importance of microbiology. Animals and plants are no longer heralded as autonomous entities but rather as biomolecular networks composed of the host plus its associated microbes, i.e., "holobionts." As such, their collective genomes forge a "hologenome," and models of animal and plant biology that do not account for these intergenomic associations are incomplete. Here, we integrate these concepts into historical and contemporary visions of biology and summarize a predictive and refutable framework for their evaluation. Specifically, we present ten principles that clarify and append what these concepts are and are not, explain how they both support and extend existing theory in the life sciences, and discuss their potential ramifications for the multifaceted approaches of zoology and botany. We anticipate that the conceptual and evidence-based foundation provided in this essay will serve as a roadmap for hypothesis-driven, experimentally validated research on holobionts and their hologenomes, thereby catalyzing the continued fusion of biology's subdisciplines. At a time when symbiotic microbes are recognized as fundamental to all aspects of animal and plant biology, the holobiont and hologenome concepts afford a holistic view of biological complexity that is consistent with the generally reductionist approaches of biology.
This paper provides an overview and a tutorial of the BPP program, which is a Bayesian MCMC program for analyzing multi-locus genomic sequence data under the multispecies coalescent model. An example dataset of five nuclear loci from the East Asian brown frogs is used to illustrate four different analyses, including estimation of species divergence time and population size parameters under the multispecies coalescent model on a fixed species phylogeny (A00), species tree estimation when the assignment and species delimitation are fixed (A01), species delimitation using a fixed guide tree (A10), and joint species delimitation and species-tree estimation or unguided species delimitation (A11). For the joint analysis (A11), two new priors are introduced, which assign uniform probabilities for the different numbers of delimited species, which may be useful when assignment, species delimitation, and species phylogeny are all inferred in one joint analysis. The paper ends with a discussion of the assumptions, the strengths and weaknesses of the BPP analysis [Current Zoology 61 (5) : – , 2015 ].
Animal vocalisations and natural soundscapes are fascinating objects of study, and contain valuable evidence about animal behaviours, populations and ecosystems. They are studied in bioacoustics and ecoacoustics, with signal processing and analysis an important component. Computational bioacoustics has accelerated in recent decades due to the growth of affordable digital sound recording devices, and to huge progress in informatics such as big data, signal processing and machine learning. Methods are inherited from the wider field of deep learning, including speech and image processing. However, the tasks, demands and data characteristics are often different from those addressed in speech or music analysis. There remain unsolved problems, and tasks for which evidence is surely present in many acoustic signals, but not yet realised. In this paper I perform a review of the state of the art in deep learning for computational bioacoustics, aiming to clarify key concepts and identify and analyse knowledge gaps. Based on this, I offer a subjective but principled roadmap for computational bioacoustics with deep learning: topics that the community should aim to address, in order to make the most of future developments in AI and informatics, and to use audio data in answering zoological and ecological questions.
Rossella Tiritelli, Giovanni Cilia, Tamara Gómez-Moracho
Trypanosomatids, obligate parasites capable of impacting insects' hindgut, have recently obtained considerable attention, especially about their effects on bees. While Crithidia mellificae and C. bombi were initially discovered and studied in honey bees and bumblebees, respectively, molecular techniques revealed Lotmaria passim as the predominant trypanosomatid in honey bees globally. New species like C. expoeki and C. acanthocephali have also been identified. These parasites have complex life cycles involving various host developmental stages and are transmitted horizontally within and outside colonies through direct contact, oral interactions, and contaminating flowers with infected faeces. The impact of trypanosomatids on honey bee colony health remains uncertain. In bumblebees, studies highlighted the widespread presence of C. bombi, affecting colony and individual fitness, development, and foraging behaviour. Bee trypanosomatids have been detected in various species, including other insects, and mammals, suggesting diverse epidemiological pathways and potential effects that warrant further investigation. Biotic factors, including co-infections, gut microbiota, food contamination, and abiotic factors like environmental conditions, pesticides, and urbanization, play crucial roles in infection dynamics. This review aimed to summarise key research on trypanosomatid transmission and infection in both managed and wild bees, focusing on the influence of biotic and abiotic factors. The work highlights significant gaps in current knowledge and provides a valuable foundation for future studies. Understanding the pathogenicity and infection dynamics of trypanosomatids, along with the impact of environmental factors, is essential for developing effective conservation strategies that support pollinator health and overall ecosystem resilience.
North Pacific right whales Eubalaena japonica once numbered in the 10s of 1000s. Today, the eastern population is one of the most endangered large whale stocks in the world. A lack of dedicated surveys and a population in the 10s of animals have resulted in considerable knowledge gaps. Here, we collate all contemporary sightings of eastern North Pacific right whales (ENPRWs) from 2006 through 2023 to investigate possible migratory routes and elucidate important habitat. Sightings in the northern Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and along the west coast of North America have increased. Of the 99 sightings recorded between 2006 and 2023, 58 occurred during the few dedicated ENPRW surveys with simultaneous aerial and vessel platforms. All animals sighted were non-calves. Opportunistic sightings along the California coast were only reported in spring months (February-May). While this timing would coincide with a northward migration from lower latitudes, poor photo quality prevented matching of these animals, making it difficult to determine migratory patterns. Furthermore, there have been no sightings in Hawai’i or Mexico since 1996, and no sightings in the eastern North Pacific off the continental shelf since the 1970s. To date, only 2 animals have been photographically matched from Alaska to more southerly latitudes, and there have been no photographic matches between the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. Feeding has been observed throughout their range, suggesting right whales opportunistically feed whenever possible. While their primary migratory destinations remain unknown, these recent sightings provide insight into important ENPRW habitat in Alaska.
Daniel Mota-Rojas, Alexandra L. Whittaker, Adriana Domínguez-Oliva
et al.
Several types of enrichment can be used to improve animal welfare. This review summarizes the literature on the use of mechanical brushes, tactile udder stimulation, music, and visual stimuli as enrichment methods for dairy cows. Mechanical brushes and tactile stimulation of the udder have been shown to have a positive effect on milk yield and overall behavioral repertoire, enhancing natural behavior. Classical music reduces stress levels and has similarly been associated with increased milk yield. A slow or moderate tempo (70 to 100 bpm) at frequencies below 70 dB is recommended to have this positive effect. Evidence on the impacts of other types of enrichment, such as visual stimulation through mirrors, pictures, and color lights, or the use of olfactory stimuli, is equivocal and requires further study.
Resumen
Algunos coproductos vitivinícolas se han utilizado para obtener extractos enriquecidos en (poli)fenoles con efectos antihipertensivos. Sin embargo, aún se desconoce si las lías de vino (LV) contienen compuestos antihipertensivos. Este estudio se centró en estudiar si las LV podría ser fuente de estos compuestos. Se evaluó la actividad antihipertensiva de cinco LV (fracción líquida, 5 mL/kg) en ratas hipertensas (SHR). Una de las LV mostró un fuerte efecto antihipertensivo, que se asoció con su alto contenido en flavanoles y antocianinas. La reducción del estrés oxidativo y mejora del estado redox y disfunción endotelial fueron algunos mecanismos involucrados en su bioactividad. Además, las LV se sometieron a extracción asistida por enzimas (Flavourzyme®), lo cual solubilizó compuestos fenólicos (57.20%) inicialmente no solubles. Ácido gálico, catequina y malvidina-3-glucósido fueron los principales (poli)fenoles de este hidrolizado. Además, el hidrolizado mostró una mayor actividad inhibitoria de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina, antioxidante y antihipertensiva que las LV. Los péptidos FKTTDQQTRTTVA, NPKLVTIV, TVTNPARIA, LDSPSEGRAPG y LDSPSEGRAPGAD, identificados en el hidrolizado, exhibieron actividad antihipertensiva en SHR (10 mg/kg). LV son una buena fuente de compuestos antihipertensivos con potencial para usarse como nutracéuticos o ingredientes funcionales. Esto permitiría la valorización de las mismas y contribuiría a la economía circular de la industria vitivinícola.
Bhusari Sachin, Sah Parvindar M., Lakkakula Jaya
et al.
Throughout history, the utilization of plant products as medicinal remedies has been widespread, with numerous modern drugs finding their origins in the plant kingdom. Taxol, derived from Taxus species, stands out as an exceptional and highly potent anticancer medication. In this study, we present a rapid one-pot synthesis method for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the leaves of Taxus wallichiana Zucca in the presence of sunlight. The synthesized AgNPs were comprehensively characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and HPLC Q-TOF. The AgNPs were further investigated for their antioxidative, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antiurolithi properties. The anticancer activity was assessed through a sulforhodamine B assay conducted on the MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cell line and SiHa human cervical cancer cell line. The findings of this study reveal the impressive antioxidative, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antiurolithi characteristics exhibited by AgNPs synthesized from leaf extracts. This research highlights an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to producing AgNPs by utilizing plant extracts as reducing agents, underscoring the immense potential of natural resources in advancing nanotechnology and its applications.
With the aging of the population in China in recent years, the number of stroke patients is increasing day by day. The sequelae of stroke-induced foot drop are expected to regain some mobility after timely rehabilitation, but if patients do not receive early intervention, they may miss the best rehabilitation period and lose the ability to walk and stand completely. The traditional means of rehabilitation treatment is manual rehabilitation by rehabilitation physicians, but with the increase in the number of patients with movement disorders, the number of rehabilitation physicians has become significantly insufficient. The use of rehabilitation robots to provide adjunctive therapy to patients has become a common and effective means of rehabilitation worldwide. The early rehabilitation robots could only drive the patient to do passive rehabilitation and could not reflect the patient’s true motor intentions. Since EMG signals on the surface of the human body can advance the onset of human movement, they can be used to identify the intention of human movement. This paper validates and explores the experiment based on the underlying data.
André Almeida Alves, Leandro Lourenço Dumas, Jorge Luiz Nessimian
et al.
Eight new species of Itauara Müller, 1888 are described based on specimens collected in southeastern Brazil: I. bispinata sp. nov., I. caparao sp. nov., I. cipoensis sp. nov., I. cristata sp. nov., I. holzenthali sp. nov., I. mangaratiba sp. nov., I. robertsonae sp. nov., and I. rupicola sp. nov. In addition, we provided an updated distributional list of species of Itauara, with new records of I. jamesii Robertson & Holzenthal, 2011 and I. lucinda Robertson & Holzenthal, 2011 for Espírito Santo State (Brazil), I. plaumanni (Flint, 1974) for Paraná State (Brazil), and I. tusci Robertson & Holzenthal, 2011 for Minas Gerais State (Brazil). We performed an equal weighted parsimony analysis adding the new species to the dataset provided by Robertson & Holzenthal (2013), with modification of the interpretation of some morphological characters. The genus was recovered as monophyletic, but overall statistic support for clades was weak. Itauara is restricted to South America and has a disjunct distribution, with some species occurring in northern South America and others in southeastern South America. Probably, the diversification of Itauara in South America is related to the connections between the Amazon Forest and the Atlantic Forest through historical events at different times.
Helminth community of the Antarctic black rockcod, Notothenia coriiceps, was examined using the fish samples collected in 2014—2015 (106 specimens) and 2020—2021 (78 specimens) in the water area of the Argentine Islands, West Antarctica. In total, 30,951 helminth specimens were collected and identified. We analyse the helminth infra- and component communities and investigate possible changes in the main parameters of helminth communities of N. coriiceps during the six-year
period. Thirty species of helminths from five taxonomic groups were recorded: one species of Monogenea, 5 of Nematoda, 4 of Cestoda, 9 of Trematoda, and 11 of Acanthocephala. Notothenia coriiceps was found to be the definitive host of 18 helminth species; 12 species parasitize it in the larval stage using N. coriiceps as the second intermediate or paratenic host. The proportion of larval helminths in the samples was lower in 2014—2015 (73.4%) than in 2020—2021 (81.4%). The number of dominant helminth species (infection prevalence >50%) increased from seven in 2014—2015 to nine in 2020—2021. In helminth infracommunities, the species richness was similar in two samples. On the other hand, we found significantly higher helminth abundance in the
infracommunities from the sample collected in 2020—2021. In the helminth component community, the diversity indices (Shannon, Simpson, Pielou, Berger-Parker) evidenced higher evenness and lower domination in the sample collected in 2014—2015 compared to the sample collected in 2020—2021. Lower evenness in 2020—2021 was due to the larger relative abundance of larval Pseudoterranova sp. and Corynosoma spp. We suggest a deeper investigation of the role of separate helminth species in the component community changes, as well as further monitoring of component community parameters as prospective directions for future studies of helminth communities of N. coriiceps in West Antarctica.
Evaluation of body surface temperature change in response to exercise is important for monitoring physiological status. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of high-speed treadmill exercise on body surface temperature using infrared thermography (IRT) in selected body regions of healthy Beagle dogs, taking into account gait and recovery time. Thermographic images of the dogs were taken before exercise (BE), after walk (AW), after trot (AT), after canter (AC), just after second walk (JAE), 5 min after exercise (5 AE), 15 min after exercise (15 AE), 30 min after exercise (30 AE), 45 min after exercise (45 AE), and 120 min after exercise (120 AE). Body surface temperature was measured at the neck, shoulder, upper forearm, back, chest, croup, and thigh. Statistical analysis indicated the highest temperature at the upper forearm, shoulder, and thigh, and the lowest on the croup, back, and neck. The peak values of surface temperature in all ROIs were at AC and JAE and the lowest at 120 AE. The study demonstrated that body surface temperature was influenced by high-speed physical exercise on a treadmill and IRT was a viable imaging modality that provided temperature data from specific body regions. The proximal forelimb and hindlimb were the most influenced by exercise.
A new species of the water scavenger beetle, Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) motuoensis sp. nov., is described from Motuo County, Xizang, China and its diagnostic characters are illustrated. Examination of this new species and re-examination of previously described species revealed that the separation of the subgenus Glyptolaccobius Gentili, 1989 and Cyclolaccobius Gentili, 1991 is artificial: both subgenera are hence combined here. Cyclolaccobius syn. nov. is synonymized with Glyptolaccobius, and the latter is shown to be diagnosed by 7-segmented antennae as a unique synapomorphy. All species treated until now under Cyclolaccobius are here transferred to Glyptolaccobius, with the only exception of L. hingstoni Orchymont, 1926, L. jumlanus Gentili, 2015 and L. zugmayeri Knisch, 1910 which are tentatively transferred to the subgenus Hydroxenus Wollaston, 1867, as their antennae bear eight antennomeres. Three species are recorded for the first time from China: L. (Microlaccobius) orientalis Knisch, 1924 from Xizang, Laccobius (M.) exilis Gentili,1974 from Xinjiang, and Laccobius (M.) sublaevis J. Sahlberg, 1900 from Xinjiang. Additional faunistic data from China are provided for the following species: L. (Microlaccobius) hammondi Gentili, 1984, Laccobius (M.) formosus Gentili, 1979, Laccobius (Hydroxenus) hingstoni d’Orchymont, 1926, Laccobius (Glyptolaccobius) yunnanensis Gentili, 2003, Laccobius (Compsolaccobius) decorus (Gyllenhal, 1827), Laccobius (Dimorpholaccobius) bipunctatus (Fabricius, 1775), Laccobius (D.) striatulus (Fabricius, 1775), Laccobius (s. str.) bedeli Sharp, 1884, L. (s. str.) binotatus d’Orchymont, 1934, Laccobius (s. str.) cinereus Motschulsky, 1860, and Laccobius (s. str.) minutus (Linnaeus, 1758).
Odette González Macé, Anne Ebeling, Nico Eisenhauer
et al.
Arthropods are a dominant component of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems. They are considered pest control agents and drive important ecosystem processes like nutrient cycling. However, such ecosystem effects of arthropods may depend on the environmental context influencing nutrition and behaviour. In the framework of a grassland plant diversity experiment (Jena Experiment), we used stable isotope and fatty acid analysis to investigate intraspecific variations in the diet of two of the most abundant predatory arthropods in grasslands: the ground beetle Harpalus rufipes and the wolf spider Trochosa ruricola. The results show that the diet of H. rufipes varied significantly with plant species diversity, consuming more plant material, probably seeds, at high diversity plots, and in the presence of grasses and small herbs. By contrast, in presence of legumes H. rufipes consumed more animal prey, presumably aphids and/or collembolans. Compared to H. rufipes, the diet of T. ruricola consisted of animal prey only and varied mainly with body size, with larger individuals occupying higher trophic position in the food web. Moreover, the diet of T. ruricola changed in response to summer flooding two months before sampling. Presumably, the availability of secondary decomposer prey as well as intraguild prey was increased in severely flooded plots. As both species are considered pest control agents, the results underline the importance of plant diversity and the composition of plant communities for biological pest control.
During extensive field research of fruit-feeding Lepidoptera in various West African forests, we have collected a rich material of several rare or poorly known species. Among them we identified four species, where only one of the sexes was described. Here, we describe unknown females of Euriphene lomaensis Belcastro, 1986, E. taigola Sáfián & Warren-Gash, 2009 and E. bernaudi Hecq, 1994 with reference to the latter species’ taxonomic position (stat. rev.). We also describe the male of Bebearia inepta Hecq, 2001. We report observations on their habitats and behaviour and review their known distribution.
Saif Al Ghais, Vibha Bhardwaj, Pramod Kumbhar
et al.
Abstract Background Mozambique tilapia (Tilapia mossambica) are commonly used in the assessment of aquatic environment quality and also considered as useful bio-indicators during environmental pollution monitoring. Copper-oxide and dibutyltin are used as antifouling underwater hall paints. Copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) are serious water pollutants but their impact in fish’s performance remains poorly understood. Results In the present study, we have exposed tilapia, a freshwater edible fish to two different doses (15 mg/L) of Cu-NPs and (2 mg/L) dibutyltin for 6 days. The doses selected were eco-relevant considering the contamination levels of certain water resources. The results indicated that the activity oxidative stress enzymes reduced glutathione (GSH), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were significantly decreased in the liver, brain, and gills of the treated groups when compared to control. Conclusion Taken together, the results suggest that short-term exposure of tilapia fish to Cu-NPs and dibutyltin causes oxidative stress and impart serious deleterious effects in the tissues which may affect fish growth and development and causes death. In the case of the gills, liver, and brain when exposed to both concentrations of CuO and dibutyltin (NPs), although the activity of these enzymes showed an inhibition in the liver when exposed to both concentrations of NPs. The present study investigated that CuO-NPs are more toxic than dibutyltin.
The effect cow age and milk production level was analized on the relationship between dry period length and milk yield and composition in the subsequent lactation. The GLM and CORR PEARSON procedures of the SAS package were used in the statistical calculations. It is shown that in terms of milk yield in the subsequent lactation, a dry period of 40–60 days was the most favourable. In particular in primiparous cows it was found that in terms of milk yield, shortening the dry period is less favourable than extending it beyond the 41- to 60-day standard. A dry period of 21–40 days can be offered to multiparous cows without significant milk losses in the subsequent lactation. Eliminating or shortening the dry period should exclude cows after first calving. It seems that a dry period of 21–40 days can also be offered to high-producing cows (≥ 8 000 kg milk) because their milk yield, in relation to cows dried for 41–60 days, was lower by 3.5 %. Shortening the dry period has a positive effect on the concentration of basic milk components such as fat and protein, causing them to increase. Dry period length had no effect on milk lactose content.