Genomics meets ethology: a new route to understanding domestication, behavior, and sustainability in animal breeding

Animal behavior is a central part of animal welfare, a keystone in sustainable animal breeding. During domestication, animals have adapted with respect to behavior and an array of other traits. We compared the behavior of junglefowl and White Leghorn layers, selected for egg production (and indirectly for growth). Jungle-fowl had a more active behavior in social, exploratory, anti-predatory, and feeding tests. A genome scan for Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) in a junglefowl x White Leghorn intercross revealed several significant or suggestive QTLs for different traits. Some production QTLs coincided with QTLs for behavior, suggesting that pleiotropic effects may be important for the development of domestication phenotypes. One gene has been located, which has a strong effect on the risk of being a victim of feather pecking, a detrimental behavior disorder. Modern genomics paired with analysis of behavior may help in designing more sustainable and robust breeding in the future.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a 46,XX/47,XX, +12 mosaic

A case of true mosaicism 46,XX/47,XX,+ 12 was diagnosed prenatally. The pregnancy was terminated in the 21st week of gestation and the aberrant cell line was rediscovered in cultured fetal tissue. However, a detailed examination of the fetus did not disclose any significant physical malformation.     

Increased lipid accumulation but not reduced metabolism explains improved starvation tolerance in cold-acclimated arthropod predators

Predatory arthropods are used for biological control in greenhouses, but there is increasing interest to extend their use to the outdoor environment where temperatures are typically lower. Acclimation at low temperature increases the ability of ectotherms to cope with subsequent more extreme cold, but may involve costs or benefits to other performance traits. A recent study in mesostigmatid mites (Gaeolaelaps aculeifer) showed that starvation tolerance was improved following a period of cold exposure. However, the physiological mechanisms that underlie improved starvation tolerance following cold exposure were not investigated. To examine whether cold acclimation would also improve starvation tolerance in an insect, we repeated the starvation study in another arthropod predator, the pirate bug Orius majusculus, as well as in G. aculeifer. Before tests, the two species were acclimated at 10, 15, or 20 °C for 7 (G. aculeifer) or 16 (O. majusculus) days. We then analyzed the effects of thermal exposure on body composition, consumption, and basal metabolic rate in both species. Our results confirmed that exposure to low temperature improves starvation tolerance in these arthropod predators. Body composition analyses revealed that both species had accumulated larger lipid stores during exposure to colder temperature, which at least in part can explain the larger starvation tolerance following cold exposure. In contrast, consumption and basal metabolic rate were not changed by thermal acclimation. Our study indicates that predatory arthropods exposed to cold increase their physiological robustness and ability to endure environmental challenges, including low temperature and low prey availability.     

Review of greenhouse gas emissions from crop production systems and fertilizer management effects

Fertilizer nitrogen (N) use is expanding globally to satisfy food, fiber, and fuel demands of a growing world population. Fertilizer consumers are being asked to improve N use efficiency through better management in their fields, to protect water resources and to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while sustaining soil resources and providing a healthy economy. A review of the available science on the effects of N source, rate, timing, and placement, in combination with other cropping and tillage practices, on GHG emissions was conducted. Implementation of intensive crop management practices, using principles of ecological intensification to enhance efficient and effective nutrient uptake while achieving high yields, was identified as a principal way to achieve reductions in GHG emissions while meeting production demands. Many studies identified through the review involved measurements of GHG emissions over several weeks to a few months, which greatly limit the ability to accurately determine system-level management effects on net global warming potential. The current science indicates: (1) appropriate fertilizer N use helps increase biomass production necessary to help restore and maintain soil organic carbon (SOC) levels; (2) best management practices (BMPs) for fertilizer N play a large role in minimizing residual soil nitrate, which helps lower the risk of increased nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions; (3) tillage practices that reduce soil disturbance and maintain crop residue on the soil surface can increase SOC levels, but usually only if crop productivity is maintained or increased; (4) differences among fertilizer N sources in N₂O emissions depend on site- and weather-specific conditions; and (5) intensive crop management systems do not necessarily increase GHG emissions per unit of crop or food production; they can help spare natural areas from conversion to cropland and allow conversion of selected lands to forests for GHG mitigation, while supplying the world's need for food, fiber, and biofuel. Transfer of the information to fertilizer dealers, crop advisers, farmers, and agricultural and environmental authorities should lead to increased implementation of fertilizer BMPs, and help to reduce confusion over the role of fertilizer N on cropping system emissions of GHGs. Gaps in scientific understanding were identified and will require the collaborative attention of agronomists, soil scientists, ecologists, and environmental authorities in serving the immediate and long-term interests of the human population.     

Methodological complexities of product carbon footprinting: a sensitivity analysis of key variables in a developing country context

Product carbon footprinting schemes adopt different analytical methodologies. The calculations can also be affected by limited data availability and uncertainty surrounding the value of key variables. The combination of these factors reduces the validity of comparing carbon footprints between products and countries.We used data from sugar production in Zambia and Mauritius to test how variations in methodology affected the product carbon footprint (PCF). We calculated a PCF according to PAS 2050 and explored the sensitivity of the results to the variation of key variables.Results showed that land use change emissions can dominate PCFs. The largest potential impact came from assuming global worst case data for land use change emissions where a product's origin is unknown (+1900%). The issue of land use change can lead to high carbon footprints for products from developing countries where more natural vegetation is still being converted and data are most lacking. When land use change is not important, variables such as electricity emission factors, capital inputs and loss of soil carbon had significant impacts on the PCF.This analysis highlights the large effect of methodology on PCFs. These results are of particular concern for developing countries where data are scarce and the use of global worst case data may be prescribed. We recommend the development of more precise emission factors for tropical countries and bio-regions, and encourage the transparent use of PCF methodologies, where data sources, uncertainties and variability are explicitly noted.     

The Incident Command System: a literature review

Given the foundational and the fundamental role that the Incident Command System (ICS) is intended to play in on‐scene response efforts across the United States, it is important to determine what is known about the system and how this is known. Accordingly, this study addresses the following research question: ‘How has research explored the ICS?’. To probe this question, a methodological review of the scant, but widening, pool of research literature directly related to the ICS was conducted. This paper reports on the findings of the analysis related to the focus, theoretical frameworks, population and sampling, methods, results, and conclusions of the existing research literature. While undertaken using different methodological approaches, the ICS research suggests that the system may be limited in its usefulness. In addition, the paper discusses the implications of the research for the state of knowledge of the system and for the direction of future research.     

Population genetic analysis of Ensis directus unveils high genetic variation in the introduced range and reveals a new species from the NW Atlantic

We report current genetic variation of populations of the razor shell Ensis directus (Conrad 1843) (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Pharidae) in native (North American) and introduced (European) ranges using nuclear and mitochondrial sequence-based markers. We expected less variation within the introduced range, especially considering the frequent mass mortality events observed in Europe since the species was recorded for the first time in 1978. However, we found higher variation in Europe. The possible significance of temporal fluctuations of genetic variation, limited effect of random genetic drift, and multiple introductions are discussed. Interestingly, the multiple-introduction hypothesis contrasts with the gradual colonisation of European coastal waters but is supported by trained clustering analysis and by the intensity of transatlantic shipping. Genetic and morphometric evidence strongly supports that examined individuals from a supposed E. directus population from Newfoundland (Canada) belong to a separate species. This new Ensis is formally described here and named E. terranovensis n.sp.     

Mutual information in the Tangled Nature model

We consider the concept of mutual information in ecological networks, and use this idea to analyse the Tangled Nature model of co-evolution. We show that this measure of correlation has two distinct behaviours depending on how we define the network in question: if we consider only the network of viable species this measure increases, whereas for the whole system it decreases. It is suggested that these are complimentary behaviours that show how ecosystems can become both more stable and better adapted.     

Air pollution modeling at road sides using the operational street pollution model--a case study in Hanoi, Vietnam

In many metropolitan areas, traffic is the main source of air pollution. The high concentrations of pollutants in streets have the potential to affect human health. Therefore, estimation of air pollution at the street level is required for health impact assessment. This task has been carried out in many developed countries by a combination of air quality measurements and modeling. This study focuses on how to apply a dispersion model to cities in the developing world, where model input data and data from air quality monitoring stations are limited or of varying quality. This research uses the operational street pollution model (OSPM) developed by the National Environmental Research Institute in Denmark for a case study in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. OSPM predictions from five streets were evaluated against air pollution measurements of nitrogen oxides (NO(x)), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and benzene (BNZ) that were available from previous studies. Hourly measurements and passive sample measurements collected over 3-week periods were compared with model outputs, applying emission factors from previous studies. In addition, so-called "backward calculations" were performed to adapt the emission factors for Hanoi conditions. The average fleet emission factors estimated can be used for emission calculations at other streets in Hanoi and in other locations in Southeast Asia with similar vehicle types. This study also emphasizes the need to further eliminate uncertainties in input data for the street-scale air pollution modeling in Vietnam, namely by providing reliable emission factors and hourly air pollution measurements of high quality.