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Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry 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.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing 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.)

Copyright of Knowledge & Management of Aquatic Ecosystems is the property of EDP Sciences 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.)

Regional calcium (Ca) decline, a legacy of acid deposition and logging, is a potential threat to aquatic organisms. Lake surveys and laboratory studies indicate that Ca-rich daphniids are likely most susceptible, allowing for competitive release of other taxa with low Ca demand. Indeed, dramatic shifts in zooplankton community structure have been documented in lakes where Ca has declined, amid multiple other stressors. Given the perceived threat of this large-scale stressor, manipulative studies are needed to evaluate causal relationships between Ca decline and zooplankton community structure. We analysed per capita growth rates of zooplankton from three independent mesocosm experiments where we manipulated aqueous Ca concentrations to reflect current and future Ca concentrations. In two experiments where Ca concentration was reduced to 0.6 or 0.9 mg/L, we observed reduced growth rates for several taxa, including daphniids, bosminids, and copepods. No effect of Ca was detected in the experiment where Ca concentrations ranged from 1.2 to 2.5 mg/L, a gradient representing 68% of lakes in south-central Ontario. These results suggest that future Ca decline in soft-water Canadian Shield lakes may be accompanied by shifts in community structure and overall declines in zooplankton production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predation by nonnative fishes has reduced abundance and increased extinction risk for amphibian populations worldwide. Although rare, fish and palatable amphibians have been observed to coexist where aquatic vegetation and structural complexity provide suitable refugia. We examined whether larval Long-toed Salamanders ( Ambystoma macrodactylum Baird, 1850) increased use of vegetation cover in lakes with trout and whether adding vegetation structure could reduce predation risk and nonconsumptive effects (NCEs), such as reductions in body size and delayed metamorphosis. We compared use of vegetation cover by larval salamanders in lakes with and without trout and conducted a field experiment to investigate the influence of added vegetation structure on salamander body morphology and life history. The probability of catching salamanders in traps in lakes with trout was positively correlated with the proportion of submerged vegetation and surface cover. Growth rates of salamanders in enclosures with trout cues decreased as much as 85% and the probability of metamorphosis decreased by 56%. We did not find evidence that adding vegetation reduced NCEs in experimental enclosures, but salamanders in lakes with trout used more highly vegetated areas, which suggests that adding vegetation structure at the scale of the whole lake may facilitate coexistence between salamanders and introduced trout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose the hypothesis that in the long bones of large, rapidly growing animals, secondary osteons may form to a greater degree in smaller bones than in larger ones for reasons that may have more to do with the interplay between element-specific growth rates and whole-body metabolic rates than with mechanical or environmental factors. We predict that in many large animals with rapid growth trajectories and some disparity in size in the long bones and other skeletal elements, the largest bones will show less secondary remodeling than smaller ones. The reason is that, whereas the largest bones are increasing their dimensions too rapidly to accommodate much secondary reworking (until they approach full size), the smaller bones that are not increasing in size as rapidly must still process the flow of metabolites through their elements, and this is manifested in secondary remodeling. This hypothesis does not contradict or undermine other explanations, but rather adds an additional one that focuses more on growth and metabolic rates with respect to bones of different size in the same skeleton. Because the timing of onset of remodeling and the pace of its progression both vary by element, caution must be taken when using secondary remodeling to infer the overall ontogenetic stage of the animal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bone histology of non-archosauriform archosauromorphs is understudied but is important for tracing the evolution of growth in archosaurs and their closest relatives. Here, we describe the femoral and tibial histology of a single individual of Stenaulorhynchus stockleyi , a Middle Triassic rhynchosaur from Tanzania. Both elements are composed largely of moderately vascularized parallel-fibered bone tissue, which becomes avascular and more lamellar approaching the periosteum. The spacing between growth marks in S. stockleyi strongly attenuates with age, suggesting determinate growth for this taxon. Whereas the bone tissue suggests slower growth compared to South American rhynchosaurs, which have fibrolamellar bone tissue and exhibit more anastomoses between canals, the determinate growth pattern seems to be shared among hyperodapedontid rhynchosaurs. Although non-archosauriform archosauromorphs vary in the rate of bone deposition and growth in their first year, all taxa examined to date grew relatively slowly compared to most archosauriforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simosaurus gaillardoti was a large eosauropterygian (Sauropterygia), a group of diverse diapsid marine reptiles. Its occurrence correlates to transgression phases in the Germanic Basin and a former morphological study hypothesized that Simosaurus was capable of sustained swimming. Microanatomical analysis of five long bones revealed functional differences between the humerus and femur but did not confirm sustained swimming in Simosaurus . It had certain active swimming abilities but – based on microanatomy – it was a less efficient swimmer when compared to contemporaneously living nothosaurs. Simosaurus grew with well-vascularized coarse parallel-fibred bone tissue. Growth marks appear as broad zones and thin annuli. Two specimens show an external fundamental system in their outer cortex. For three samples the logistic growth model best describes growth in Simosaurus . The estimated ages at death range between 7 and 13 years, asymptotic masses range between 113 and 129 kg and were reached after 10 up to 20 years. Maximum growth rates were between 44 and 69 g per day, and higher than of an extant similar-sized reptile such as Varanus komodoensis , Alligator mississippiensis , and Caretta caretta , but are still consistent with the variability seen in extant reptiles. Growth of one femur followed the von Bertalanffy model but the model's biological reliability is questionable due to an unrealistic high hatchling mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of ice dams in steep channels dictates water level variations and influences flow rates and habitat conditions. Despite the dominance of ice dam development in cold region gravel bed channels, practicing engineers and scientists have access to very little quantitative information describing this complex freezeup process. This paper aims to fill this gap by presenting a large data set on the process. The substantial variations observed in formation and melting rates from one site to the next and from one year to the next at the same site are explained with a physically-based numerical model that includes a complete heat budget applied to single step-pool sequence. The model successfully simulates the entire development of an ice dam and shows that the process depends on multiple parameters, or degrees of freedom. It also reveals that morphological characteristics greatly influence ice dam dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing 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 effects of aging on the specific growth rate of Kluyveromyces lactis cultures, as a function of (NH4)2SO4 concentration, were evaluated. The growth kinetic parameters maximum specific growth rate and saturation constant for (NH4)2SO4 were calculated to be 0.44 h−1 and 0.15 mmol·L−1, respectively. Batch cultures were allowed to age for 16 days without influence of cell density or starvation. The specific growth rates of these cultures were determined each day and decreased as the population aged at different nitrogen concentrations. Aging signals ( N-acetylglucosamine content of the cell wall, cell dimensions, and apoptosis markers) were measured. Apoptosis markers were detected after 5 days at limiting (NH4)2SO4 concentrations (0.57, 3.80, and 7.60 mmol·L−1) but only after 8 days at a nonlimiting (NH4)2SO4 concentration (38.0 mmol·L−1). Similarly, continuous cultures of K. lactis performed under nitrogen limitation and, at lower dilution rates, accumulated cells exhibiting aging signals. The results demonstrate that aging affects growth rate and raise the question of whether nitrogen limitation accelerates aging. Because aging is correlated with growth rate, and each dilution rate of the continuous cultures tends to select and accumulate cells with a respective age, cultures growing at lower growth rates can be useful to investigate yeast physiological responses, including aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecoscience (Ecoscience) is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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.)

As is widely known, a primary sector consistently able to generate a production surplus is indispensable for sustained economic growth. The stagnation that began in Mexico in the 1980s has been characterized by the poor performance of the primary sector, among other elements. It is therefore interesting to explore the role this sector has played in stagnation. This work examines this topic using data for the time period 1970-2012 and some econometric techniques. The results suggest that the primary sector has made a negative contribution to economic growth, while primary sector performance has aggravated limitations on growth imposed by the current growth model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Many fruit trees with a hard seed coat exhibit seed dormancy, posing problems for their regeneration. Vitex doniana, an indigenous multipurpose but threatened fruit and vegetable tree that supports the livelihoods of many households in West Africa, is a typical example. Materials and methods. In our research, we evaluated five dormancy-breaking treatments. We tested the effects of sulphuric acid at 95% concentration (T1); 3 d sun-drying + 48 h soaking in tap water (T2); 3 d alternation of 8 h sun-drying + 1 h soaking in tap water (T3); 2 weeks sun-drying with regular watering in the daytime (T4); and physical shock (T5). These treatments were compared with two controls (T0 and Tc), with seeds from two different sources. The germination percentage, mean germination time, time to first germination and time to threshold germination (20%) were compared; the seedling height, diameter and biomass produced were monitored for 15 weeks. We used generalised linear models and correlation tests to compare the effects of the various treatments on germination and seedling growth. Results and discussion. T3 significantly enhanced seed germination in V. doniana (72% after 12 months). T4 best promoted homogeneity in germination (p < 0.01), followed by T3. The best seedling growth was obtained with T4 and T3. Alternation of sun-drying followed by soaking of seeds, a technique with almost no cost, improved seed germination in V. doniana and, in 33 d, just over 1 month, 20% germination can be achieved. Vitex doniana is a fast-growing species (at the nursery stage), in contrast to the common opinion. Conclusion. Our method should be further investigated to assess the adequate soaking and drying length so as to speed up germination and reach homogenous cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting of body size distributions of animals has been a long-time focus in population ecology, but the underlying mechanism of density-dependent changes in body size and its implications for population dynamics of animals are largely unknown. In this 26-year study, we investigated intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting body mass of the Chinese striped hamster ( Cricetulus barabensis Pallas, 1773) and the greater long-tailed hamster ( Tscherskia triton de Winton, 1899) in the Northern China Plain. We proposed three hypotheses to explain body mass shifts in the two hamster species: growth, survival, and reproduction hypotheses. Our results showed that mean and maximum body masses of both hamster species were positively correlated with population density, and that this density-dependent change in body mass is more likely to be caused by a change in mortality rates, not by a change in growth rates or reproduction rates. The sustained decline of body mass during the study period was probably caused by increased mortality owing to an increase in the area of agricultural irrigation. Our results suggest that, under the condition of lacking survival and growth data, the maximum body mass (which represents survival rate), minimum body mass (which represents growth rate), and mean body mass are very useful criteria in revealing intrinsic and extrinsic effects on population dynamics and the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Societe et Environnement is the property of Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 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 article discusses a study which examines the effects of nutritional management regimen and breed on growth performance, carcass attributes, and meat quality in beef cattle. It observes the presence of nutritional regimen by breed interactions for average daily gain, dry matter intake (DMI), gain to feed, and shear force. It reveals that limit feeding of a high-energy diet may be suitable for cattle of British background to decrease feed input costs.

The article reports that the beef quality can be modified through slaughter age, growth implants and breed cross effect on temperature, shear forces and water losses of semitendinosus (ST) and gluteus medius (GM). The purge loss of both muscles can be increased by ractopamine hydrochloride supplementation. To reduce beef toughness, it is important to use the British crossbreds, slaughter process must be steered and hormonal implants must be excluded.

The article discusses a study on the modification of a beef cattle's muscle inherent attributes through age at slaughter, breed crosses and growth hormone use. It mentions that the interactions of the said processes were tested on the composition, fiber types and connective tissue attributes of m. semitendinosus (ST) and m. gluteus medius (GM) crossbred steers. It also notes an increase of muscle weight with slaughter age, implantation and Charolais-Red Angus (CRA) genetics.

Copyright of Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Societe et Environnement is the property of Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 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.)

Shrubs have generally been overlooked in dendrochronology, and little information exists on allometric relationships in dwarf shrubs. Dryas integrifolia M. Vahl. has been recognized as an important species in revegetation of disturbed gravel pits in northern areas. In this study, the dimensions (mat, stem, and root) of D. integrifolia shrubs were measured in four populations having recolonized disturbed areas, and anatomical slides containing growth rings were prepared for each individual. The first objective was to compare allometric relationships among descriptors of shrub dimension and between these descriptors and shrub age. Secondary objectives included documenting maximum age and evaluation of the potential for cross-dating among shrubs. Strong, consistent allometric relationships between aboveground dimensions were observed among individuals from all sites, although growth rates varied within and between sites. This indicated that even though aboveground shrub dimensions grow proportionally to one another, these measurements cannot be used to infer age, because of differences in growth rates among D. integrifolia shrubs. However, numerous cross-sections from D. integrifolia shrubs could be successfully cross-dated, and a short chronology was developed. The radial growth – climate association was found to be similar to that of dominant tree species of the region regarding the impact of October conditions. Increased snowfall in October prior to and warm May temperature during the year of ring formation appear to restrict growth of these shrubs by altering the onset of the growing season. This study has demonstrated that it is possible to accurately date D. integrifolia shrubs, and this ability may be applied to future studies involving population dynamics and remediation of open gravel sites. Growth rings also have the potential to be used in other Arctic shrubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mechanical stresses play a key role in regulating cell growth and cell differentiation. Using mechanical and physiological data available in the literature, we are able to construct a growth curve of a child, which we compare to the standard curve. It appears likely that the impact of hormones on pubertal growth rate sprout followed by growth arrest can be solely explained by increased mechanical stresses. The uptake of hormones by the muscles results in increased mechanical stress on the chondrocyte before and at the puberty, resulting in a peak in growth followed by growth cessation. To cite this article: X. Wertz et al., C. R. Biologies 329 (2006). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

More than 50 years ago, Monod (1949) proposed the application of the Michaelis–Menten relation describing enzyme kinetics to a culture of microorganisms. For the purpose of simplification, the mathematical relation proposed by Monod (1949) reduced the entire cell to a single enzyme genetically expressed in a single intensity. However, cell metabolism is based on a large number of biochemical reactions. This paper reviews the literature to identify the controlling factors of cell metabolism and the regulation of specific activity of the cell. The literature review was designed to highlight which regulation mechanisms induce a growth-rate variation so that they can be expressed mathematically. The study of these processes will focus on modeling the specific activity variation. The review is limited to heterotrophic procaryote organisms under aerobic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization of the nitrification processes in biofilms is important for effective nitrogen removal because nitrification in an aerobic biofilm is considered to be a less than reliable process. Thus, one of the main factors to improve biological nitrogen removal processes is a better understanding of the microbiology and population dynamics of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in wastewater treatment biofilms. Although the AOB in wastewater treatment have been qualitatively and quantitatively studied, information on their actual populations and activities is still limited. Therefore, the areal cell density of AOB in domestic wastewater biofilms on a partially submerged rotating biological contactor (RBC) was determined by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with a set of 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. The growth kinetics of the in situ AOB was also studied. Although low numbers of AOB were found at the deeper layers where oxygen was depleted, they were primarily detected in the upper and middle layers of the biofilm. The maximum specific growth rate (µb,max) and half saturation constant (Ks) of AOB in the biofilm were 0.32 d–1 and 1.7 mM/L of NH4+, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydomonas acidophila Negoro had a higher maximum growth rate upon aeration with 5% CO2 (v/v) than in nonaerated conditions at an external pH above 2. In medium with a pH of 1.0 or 2.0, a decrease in the maximum growth rate was observed upon CO2 aeration in comparison with nonaerated conditions. At both very low and very high external pH conditions, an induction of external carbonic anhydrase was detected; this being more pronounced in CO2-aerated cells than in nonaerated cells. It is therefore suggested that the induction of carbonic anhydrase is part of a stress response in Chlamydomonas acidophila. Comparison of some physiological characteristics of Chlamydomonas acidophila acclimated at pH 2.65 and at pH 6.0, revealed that CO2 aeration increased gross maximum photosynthesis at both pHs, whereas respiration, light acclimation, and photoinhibition were not effected. At pH 2.65, Chlamydomonas acidophila was found to have a carbon-concentrating mechanism under nonaerated conditions, whereas it did not under CO2-aerated conditions at pH 6. The affinity for CO2 use in O2 production was not dependent on CO2 aeration, but it was much lower at pH 6 than it was at pH 2.65. CO2 kinetic characteristics indicate that the photosynthesis of Chlamydomonas acidophila in its natural environment is not limited by inorganic carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]