Industrial Hemp as a Resource for Birds in Agroecosystems: Human–Wildlife Conflict or Conservation Opportunity?

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; hemp) is an emerging crop in the United States with little known about bird use or the potential for birds to become an agricultural pest. We identified birds associated with hemp fields, using repeated visits to oilseed plots in North Dakota, USA (n = 6) and cannabinoid (CBD) plots in Florida, USA (n = 4) from August to November 2020. We did not control for plot area or density; our observations were descriptive only. We observed 10 species in hemp, 12 species flying over hemp, and 11 species both foraging in and flying over hemp fields in North Dakota. In Florida, we observed 4 species in hemp, 5 species flying over hemp, and 4 species exhibiting both behaviors. When we observed birds in hemp, we found them perched in the canopy or foraging on the ground. Counts were highest in oilseed and lowest in CBD varieties. The Florida sites were mainly CBD varieties, which explains lower species diversity and raw counts of birds given the lack of seeds produced. Maximum raw counts of the most common birds (mourning doves [Zenaida macroura] = 116; house finches [Haemorhous mexicanus] = 53; and American goldfinches [Spinus tristis] = 40) using very small fields (116–324 m2) in North Dakota suggest oilseed hemp could suffer yield losses but potentially benefit farmland bird conservation and act as a decoy crop to protect other commodities (e.g., sunflower [Helianthus annuus L.])

Genomics-based diversity analysis of Vanilla species using a Vanilla planifolia draft genome and Genotyping-By-Sequencing

Demand for all-natural vanilla flavor is increasing, but its botanical source, Vanilla planifolia, faces critical challenges arising from a narrow germplasm base and supply limitations. Genomics tools are the key to overcoming these limitations by enabling advanced genetics and plant breeding for new cultivars with improved yield and quality. The objective of this work was to establish the genomic resources needed to facilitate analysis of diversity among Vanilla accessions and to provide a resource to analyze other Vanilla collections. A V. planifolia draft genome was assembled and used to identify 521,732 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS). The draft genome had a size of \u20092.20 Gb representing 97% of the estimated genome size. A filtered set of 5,082 SNPs was used to genotype a living collection of 112 Vanilla accessions from 23 species including native Florida species. Principal component analysis of the genetic distances, population structure, and the maternally inherited rbcL gene identified putative hybrids, misidentified accessions, significant diversity within V. planifolia, and evidence for 12 clusters that separate accessions by species. These results validate the efficiency of genomics-based tools to characterize and identify genetic diversity in Vanilla and provide a significant tool for genomics-assisted plant breeding

Identification of stable reference genes for quantitative PCR in koalas

To better understand host and immune response to diseases, gene expression studies require identification of reference genes with stable expression for accurate normalisation. This study describes the identification and testing of reference genes with stable expression profiles in koala lymph node tissues across two genetically distinct koala populations. From the 25 most stable genes identified in transcriptome analysis, 11 genes were selected for verification using reverse transcription quantitative PCR, in addition to the commonly used ACTB and GAPDH genes. The expression data were analysed using stable genes statistical software - geNorm, BestKeeper, NormFinder, the comparative ΔCt method and RefFinder. All 13 genes showed relative stability in expression in koala lymph node tissues, however Tmem97 and Hmg20a were identified as the most stable genes across the two koala populations

Who wants to talk to terrorists?

Interviewing terrorists or former terrorists has become an increasingly popular research method in terrorism studies. What terrorists say can shed light on motivations, decision-making processes and operational details that without first-hand testimony could only be inferred. In this chapter, a selection of these studies is reviewed alongside a consideration of global trends in terrorism and developments in terrorism research

The Ideological Orientations of Canadian University Professors

This paper analyzes the ideological orientations of Canadian university professors based on a unique 2000 study of a representative sample of Canadian academics (n=3,318). After summarizing methodological problems with extant research on this subject, and tentatively comparing the political views of Canadian and American academics, the paper demonstrates that Canadian academics fall to the left of the political spectrum but are not hugely different in this respect from the Canadian university-educated population. Multivariate analyses reveal considerable heterogeneity in the ideological views of Canadian professors, suggesting that contemporary characterizations of the North American professoriate as left- or right-leaning tend to be overdrawn. Multivariate analyses demonstrate the importance of disadvantaged status and disciplinary socialization in shaping professors’ ideological views, although self-selection processes are not discounted.  Cet article analyse les orientations idéologiques des professeurs des universités canadiennes selon une étude unique datant de l’an 2000 et portant sur un échantillon représentatif composé de 3 318 professeurs d’université du Canada. Après avoir résumé les problèmes méthodologiques avec une recherche approfondie sur le sujet, puis tenté de comparer les vues politiques de professeurs d’universités canadiennes et américaines, l’article démontre que les professeurs d’université du Canada se situent à la gauche de l’éventail politique, sans être très différents de l’ensemble des diplômés universitaires du Canada. Les analyses multidimensionnelles révèlent une hétérogénéité considérable des vues idéologiques des professeurs canadiens, suggérant ainsi que les caractérisations contemporaines selon lesquelles le professorat nord-américain se situe soit vers la droite, soit vers la gauche, ont tendance à être à exagérées. Les analyses multidimensionnelles démontrent l’importance de la socialisation disciplinaire et du statut de défavorisé pour former les vues idéologiques des professeurs, même si les processus d’autosélection ne sont pas pris en compte