Use of Cross-Species Amplification Markers for Pollen-Medicated Gene Flow Determination in \u3cem\u3eTrifolium Polymorphum\u3c/em\u3e Poiret

The species Trifolium polymorphum Poiret is endemic to Uruguay and is widespread in native grasslands throughout the country. Preliminary observations suggested that the aerial flowers are chasmogamous (open at maturity for potential cross-pollination) while the basal flowers are cleistogamous. Several approaches have been practised to determine the reproductive system of forage legumes by the aid of co-dominant markers (Real et al., 2004; Dalla Rizza et al., 2004). The aim of this study is to explore cross-species amplification as a quick approach to obtain co-dominant markers to study the breeding system of T. polymorphum

Automatic calibration of the SHETRAN hydrological modelling system using MSCE

Automatic calibration is preferred because it provides an objective and extensive searching in the feasible parameter space. In this study, the Modified Shuffled Complex Evolution (MSCE) optimization algorithm is applied to automatically calibrate the physically-based spatially-distributed hydrological model SHETRAN in the 705-km2 semi-arid Cobres basin in southern Portugal, with a spatial resolution of 2 km and a temporal resolution of 1 h. Twenty-two parameters are calibrated for the main types of land-use and soil. Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) is 0.86 for calibration and 0.74 for validation for basin outlet; NSE is respectively 0.65 and 0.82 for calibration, 0.69 and 0.63 for validation of internal gauging stations Albernoa and Entradas. As for storm events, NSE is 0.87 and 0.64 respectively for Storms No.1 (during the calibration period) and No.4 (during the validation period) at basin outlet; it is 0.69 and 0.65 for Storm No.4 respectively at Albernoa andEntradas. The results are satisfactory not only for basin outlet but also for internal gauging stations

Commercialisation and Impacts of Pasture Legumes in Southern Australia–Lessons Learnt

Forage legumes are a key feature of temperate grasslands in southern Australia, valued for their ability to increase animal production, improve soil fertility and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Of the 36 temperate annual legume and 11 temperate perennial legume species with registered cultivars introduced or domesticated in Australia over the last 100 years, a third have made a major contribution to agriculture, a third have modest use and a third have failed to make any commercial impact. Highly successful species include subterranean clover, barrel medic, white clover, lucerne, French serradella and balansa clover. Species were assessed on the scale of their application, ease of seed production and specific requirements for agronomic management to determine critical factors for maximising commercial success. Of fundamental importance is the need to understand the farming systems context for legume technologies, particularly as it relates to potential scale of application and impact on farm profitability. Other factors included a requirement for parallel investment in rhizobiology, implementing an adequate ‘duty of care’ problem-solving framework for each new plant product and the need to construct a commercialisation model that optimises the trade-off between rapid adoption by farmers and profitability of the seed industry. Our experience to date indicates that seed industry engagement is highest when they have exclusive rights to a cultivar, can exercise some control over seed production and can market seed for a premium price without having to carry over significant seed quantities from one season to the next. A capability for non-specialist seed production on-farm (with lower associated seed costs) is a disincentive for the seed industry, but may be an appropriate commercialisation model for some public cultivars

Updating known distribution models for forecasting climate change impact on endangered species

To plan endangered species conservation and to design adequate management programmes, it is necessary to predict their distributional response to climate change, especially under the current situation of rapid change. However, these predictions are customarily done by relating de novo the distribution of the species with climatic conditions with no regard of previously available knowledge about the factors affecting the species distribution. We propose to take advantage of known species distribution models, but proceeding to update them with the variables yielded by climatic models before projecting them to the future. To exemplify our proposal, the availability of suitable habitat across Spain for the endangered Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) was modelled by updating a pre-existing model based on current climate and topography to a combination of different general circulation models and Special Report on Emissions Scenarios. Our results suggested that the main threat for this endangered species would not be climate change, since all forecasting models show that its distribution will be maintained and increased in mainland Spain for all the XXI century. We remark on the importance of linking conservation biology with distribution modelling by updating existing models, frequently available for endangered species, considering all the known factors conditioning the species’ distribution, instead of building new models that are based on climate change variables only.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and FEDER (project CGL2009-11316/BOS

Spatiotemporal dynamics in a spatial plankton system

In this paper, we investigate the complex dynamics of a spatial plankton-fish system with Holling type III functional responses. We have carried out the analytical study for both one and two dimensional system in details and found out a condition for diffusive instability of a locally stable equilibrium. Furthermore, we present a theoretical analysis of processes of pattern formation that involves organism distribution and their interaction of spatially distributed population with local diffusion. The results of numerical simulations reveal that, on increasing the value of the fish predation rates, the sequences spots $\rightarrow$ spot-stripe mixtures$\rightarrow$ stripes$\rightarrow$ hole-stripe mixtures holes$\rightarrow$ wave pattern is observed. Our study shows that the spatially extended model system has not only more complex dynamic patterns in the space, but also has spiral waves.Comment: Published Pape

Dynamical Ising-like model for the two-step spin-crossover systems

In order to reproduce the two-step relaxation observed experimentally in spin-crossover systems, we investigate analytically the static and the dynamic properties of a two-sublattice Ising-like Hamiltonian. The formalism is based on a stochastic master equation approach. It is solved in the mean-field approximation, and yields two coupled differential equations that correspond to the HS fractions of the sublattices A and [email protected] ; [email protected]

Nutritional intake and food sources in an adult urban Kenyan population

Urbanisation is hastening the transition from traditional food habits to less healthy diets, which are becoming more common among Kenyans. No up-to-date studies on usual dietary intake and the main food sources of adult Kenyans are available. The aim of the present study was to identify the main food sources of nutrients in the diet of urban adult Kenyans and explore potential associations with demographic variables including age, sex, level of education, occupation and body mass index. The study adopted a cross-sectional design. The dietary intake of 486 adult Kenyans from Nairobi was assessed using a validated, culture-sensitive, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between food sources and demographic variables. Macronutrient intakes as a proportion of total energy intake (TEI) were within international dietary guidelines. Cereals and grain products (34.0%), sugar, syrups, sweets and snacks (9.8%), fruits (9.7%) and meat and eggs (8.8%) were the major contributors to TEI. Cereals and grain products contributed 42.5% to carbohydrates, followed by fruits (12.4%) and sugar, syrups, sweets and snacks (10.6%). The most important sources of protein and total fat were cereals and grain products (23.3% and 19.7%, respectively) and meat and eggs (22.0% and 18.7%, respectively). Sex, age and level of education were associated with the choice of food groups. Although macronutrient intakes were within guidelines, the Kenyan diet was revealed to be high in sugars, salt and fibre, with differences in food sources according to demographic variables. These results can act as an incentive to national authorities to implement nutritional strategies aiming to raise awareness of healthier dietary patterns among Kenyans. © 2022 The Authors. Nutrition Bulletin published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Nutrition Foundation.This work was supported by National Funds from FCT – ‘Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia’ through project ‘Optimization of fermentation processes for the development of fibre‐rich cereals‐based products: promotion of fibre intake in Africa and Europe’ (ERA‐AFR/0002/2013 BI_I), the doctoral grant ‘Dietary fibre intake and tailored fermentation toward the development of functional cereal fibre‐rich food products: bridge between Africa and Europe’ (SFRH/BD/133084/2017), and also through project UIDB/50016/2020