Linking authorship and reviewing activity in science publishing

Everybody wants to publish, but peers for review are increasingly hard to find. Online systems that help journal editors handle submissions indicate how many invitations for review a person accepted or declined. Linking this information automatically to the names of the first and last author of any submission to a specific journal, and displaying it during the online submission process, would make submitters aware of their own reviewing history with this journal, and make them aware that the journal editor will also be automatically informed about this. Editors might justifiably be less inclined to allow a manuscript into review if the authors have a history of declining review invitations. Additionally, offering both authors and editors a ranking opportunity in the online system as commonplace with any online business ('how do you rate this review?' - corrected for the type of decision that is rated) would make submitters aware of their reviewing performance, as well as editors - at the time when submitters might want to make the best of impressions with editors, i.e. during submission of their own manuscript. Rather than rewarding reviewing activity by quantifying it in metrics, such practice might enhance effort put into peer review

Investigations on the stratification of forestomach contents in ruminants: an ultrasonographic approach

The degree of stratification in the reticulorumen contents is considered a major explanatory factor for other morphological and physiological differences between ruminant feeding types. However, information on reticulorumen (RR) contents is usually gathered from dead animals or indirect such as passage kinetics. We hypothesized that, although the contents of the gastrointestinal tract can usually not be evaluated by ultrasonography, the three typical layers of stratified RR contents (gas dome, fibre mat, fluid) can be demonstrated by this technique. In three domestic cows, the gas dome in the cows' rumens could be demonstrated sonographically by reverberation lines running in parallel to the line demarcating the rumen mucosa, as is typical for the sonographic image of large, gas-filled spaces. More ventrally, the area behind the rumen mucosa showed typical pattern indicating gaseous inclusions, corresponding to the fibre mat inside the rumen. Further ventrally, in two of the animals, the area behind the demarcation line appeared dark without reverberation lines, as is typical for large fluid-filled spaces. When the technique was applied to a captive, habituated, browse-fed moose, no gas dome could be demonstrated, supporting the hypothesis that the reticulorumen contents of browsers are less stratified. The results of this study indicate that sonography represents a useful tool for the demonstration of RR contents stratification in live animal

Surface enlargement in the rumen of free-ranging muskoxen ( Ovibos moschatus )

The intraruminal papillation pattern indicates the degree of rumen contents stratification and is related to the feeding niche of a ruminant. Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) display a variety of morphophysiological adaptations typical for grazers. We investigated the intraruminal papillation of 22 free-ranging muskoxen from five different months by comparing the surface enlargement factor both between seasons and between individual rumen regions. The seasonal pattern of rumen papillation indicated a distinct seasonality in food quality. The intraruminal papillation indicated a moderate degree of rumen contents stratification typical for intermediate feeders. The nutritional ecology of muskoxen is characterised by specific morphophysiological adaptations to a grass-dominated diet that nevertheless allow extensive seasonal use of browse forag

Geometric factors influencing the diet of vertebrate predators in marine and terrestrial environments

Predator–prey relationships are vital to ecosystem function and there is a need for greater predictive understanding of these interactions. We develop a geometric foraging model predicting minimum prey size scaling in marine and terrestrial vertebrate predators taking into account habitat dimensionality and biological traits. Our model predicts positive predator–prey size relationships on land but negative relationships in the sea. To test the model, we compiled data on diets of 794 predators (mammals, snakes, sharks and rays). Consistent with predictions, both terrestrial endotherm and ectotherm predators have significantly positive predator–prey size relationships. Marine predators, however, exhibit greater variation. Some of the largest predators specialise on small invertebrates while others are large vertebrate specialists. Prey–predator mass ratios were generally higher for ectothermic than endothermic predators, although dietary patterns were similar. Model-based simulations of predator–prey relationships were consistent with observed relationships, suggestin

Equid nutritional physiology and behavior: an evolutionary perspective

Like other members of the odd-toed ungulates (the perissodactyls), equids once had a higher species diversity in the fossil record than they have today. This is generally explained in comparison to the enormous diversity of bovid ruminants. Theories on putative competitive disadvantages of equids include the use of a single toe as opposed to two toes per leg, the lack of a specific brain cooling (and hence water- saving) mechanism, longer gestation periods that delay reproductive output, and in particular digestive physiology. To date, there is no empirical support for the theory that equids fare better on low-quality forage than ruminants. In contrast to the traditional juxtaposition of hindgut and foregut fermenters, we suggest that it is more insightful to sketch the evolution of equid and ruminant digestive physiology as a case of convergence: both evolved a particularly high chewing efficacy in their respective groups, which facilitates comparatively high feed and hence energy intakes. But because the ruminant system, less based on tooth anatomy but more on a forestomach sorting mechanism, is more effective, equids depend more on high feed intakes than ruminants and may well be more susceptible to feed shortages. Arguably, the most underemphasized characteristic of equids may be that in contrast to many other herbivores includ- ing ruminants and coprophageous hindgut fermenters, equids do not use the microbial biomass growing in their gastrointestinal tract. Equids display behavioral and morphophysiological adaptations to high feed intakes, and their cranial anatomy that facilitates the cropping of forage while performing grind- ing chewing at the same time might be unique. Rather than looking for explanations how equids are better adapted to their present niches than other organisms, considering them remnants of a different morphophysiological solution may be more appropriate

The dissociation of the fluid and particle phase in the forestomach as a physiological characteristic of large grazing ruminants: an evaluation of available, comparable ruminant passage data

Whether differences in digestive physiology exist between different ruminant feeding types has been an ongoing debate. In this regard, potential differences in ingesta retention have been understood to be of particular importance. We analyzed a data pool in which only mean retention time (MRT) data for the ruminoreticulum (RR) were collated that were obtained using comparable techniques with either chromium or cobalt EDTA as a fluid marker and/or with chromium-mordanted fiber of less than 2mm in size as a particle marker. Data were compared using one averaged value per species. In general, the paucity of species in such a collection is striking and does not allow—in contrast to earlier statements—any final conclusions regarding the influence of body weight (BW) or feeding type on ruminant MRTs. In particular, there was no significant correlation between MRTparticlesRR or MRTfluidRR and BW, neither in the interspecific nor in the intraspecific comparisons, and no difference between the feeding types. The trend that indicates longer MRTparticlesRR in grazers is based on too few species to be conclusive. Small browsers seemed to have shorter MRTfluidRR than similar-sized grazers. In contrast, there was a trend for large grazers to have shorter MRTfluidRR than large browsers. In direct pair-wise comparisons between cattle and the browsers giraffe, moose, and okapi, the latter difference was significant. Cattle also had the highest relative RR fluid outflow rates among the species investigated. This is in accord with the observation that grazers have larger omasa, a major function of which is water-reabsorption distal to the RR. Grazers seem to have longer MRTparticlesRR per unit MRTfluidRR, and cattle are particular outliers in this respect. It is hypothesized that potentially shorter MRTfluidRR in large grazers and higher relative outflow rates are linked to a higher saliva production and a lesser viscosity of both saliva and RR fluids. A constant supply of a fluid phase of low viscosity is proposed to be the prerogative for the physical mechanisms of flotation and sedimentation that result in the stratification of RR contents and its selective particle retention typical for large grazing specie

A comparison of commercially available feeds for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus with evidence of their diet and feeding behaviour in natural habitats

A large variety of pet feeds is commercially available for pet herbivores; these feeds may differ in nutrient composition from the natural diet, and may trigger different feeding behaviours than observed in natural habitats. Here, we surveyed literature on the natural diet and activity budget of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) and degus (Octodon degus), as well as 260 compound feeds commercially available for these species between 1982 and 2020. The species are classified as herbivores, with available data on natural diets suggesting a crude fibre (CF) level of approximately 250 g/kg dry matter (DM), natural feeding activity at a magnitude of 4–7 h per day, with distinctively shorter feeding when fed on compound pet feeds. Only for a minority of feeds did the first 5 listed ingredients not include a starchy ingredient, or only ingredients not considered suitable for human consumption. The percentage of feeds whose CF level was less than 150 g/kg DM was 22 % for production rabbits, 18 % for pet rabbits, 26 % for guinea pigs, 18 % for chinchillas and 14 % for degus; in other words, a majority of currently marketed products have CF levels in accord with published recommendations, even if that means a discrepancy to natural diets. Screening the producers’ feeding instructions suggests they should generally not be followed uncritically. No temporal trends in the CF levels of these diets was evident. There is no consensus whether only products resembling natural diet items should be included in pet feeds, or whether vegetable byproducts not edible by humans should also be included. The observed practice of pet feed composition largely did not follow either concept, questioning the general rationale of pet feed composition. Whole forage like hay is recommended as the main diet component for these species, and 76 % of pet feed products noted that hay should be fed in the feeding instructions