Life Sciences Commons^™

Lane Snapper (Lutjanus Synagris) Neurocranium, Jordan Warren, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Blackfin Tuna (Thunnus Atlanticus) Neurocranium, Chase Adam Dejarnett, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Blackfin Tuna (Thunnus atlanticus)

Neurocranium prep for Biology of Fishes coursework at Nova Southeastern University

Milkfish (Chanos Chanos) Neurocranium, Golda Stewart, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from Milkfish (Chanos chanos), collected from Foodtown on 08/09/2020 by Golda Stewart.

The Kampala Statement-For-Action On Reactive Nitrogen In Africa And Globally, Mark A. Sutton, Peter Ebanyat, N. Raghuram, Mateete Bekunda, John S. Tenywa, Wilfried Winiwarter, Albert Bleeker, Eric A. Davidson, Jan Willem Erisman, Wim De Vries, James N. Galloway, Patrick Heffer, W. Kevin Hicks, Cargele Masso, Cheryl A. Palm, Clifford S. Snyder, Bernard Vanlauwe, Shamie Zingore, Delegates Of The 6th International

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Following discussions at the 6th International Nitrogen Conference, Kampala (24th-27th November 2013), the delegates agreed the Kampala Statement-for-Action on Reactive Nitrogen in Africa and Globally. The Statement-for-Action highlights the global challenge of aiming for just enough nitrogen: enough to meet human needs for food, fuel and fibre, while avoiding excess that contributes to air and water pollution, climate change and ecosystem degradation. The following priorities for Africa are highlighted: (i) Sub-Saharan African agriculture needs to be part of the solution to regional and world food security. This will require restoring and sustaining the fertility of Sub-Saharan African soils through better …

First Report Of A Gall Midge As A Parasitoid Of Weaver Ants, Bethelihem Mekonnen, Julien Haran, Robert S. Copeland, Christian W.W. Pirk, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Emilie Deletre

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Gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) comprise a diverse family of small nematoceran flies. While most species are phytophagous, the family also includes predatory species, and endoparasitoids. Endoparasitic species have been reared from aphids and psyllids. We discovered parasitoid-infected weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in nests on mango trees in coastal Kenya. Examination of 5 colonies revealed the presence of parasitoids in all of them, with parasitism rates ranging from 2 to 21%. Morphological examination of larval parasitoids indicated that they were gall midges, and molecular data were consistent with the identification. Attempts to rear adults were unsuccessful. This study …

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) Neurocranium, Connor Depriest, Nadia Abeido, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

9.0 cm in length. Neurocranium scan of an Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). Collected from Two Bills Seafood on 04/09/20 by Nadia Abeido and Connor Depriest.

Red Lionfish (Pterois Volitans) Neurocranium, Matthew B. Edwards, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from a Lionfish (Pterois volitans) collected from whole foods supermarket on 11/9/2020

Escolar (Lepidocybium Flavobrunneum) Neurocranium, Meredith M. Pratt, Katerina D. Sawickij, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium prep of escolar Lepidocybium flavobrunneum obtained from longlining vessel.

Soil Chemistry And Enzyme Data Examining Impacts Of Callery Pear Stem Cutting, Michaela J. Woods, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan

Five Rivers MetroParks Collaboration Data Archive

This dataset encompasses information following the collection of soil from underneath cut and treated Callery pear stems and untreated Callery pear trees. Soil was assessed for moisture, pH, and enzyme activities.

Population Abundance Of Varroa Destructor And Its Effects On Apis Mellifera Scutellata Colonies In Kenya, Sammy Kiprotich Cheruiyot, Ruth Kahuthia-Gathu, Jenard Patrick Mbugi, Elliud Muli, H. Michael G. Lattorff

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The devastating effects of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman on Western honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera L.) have been well documented. Not only do these mites cause physical damage to parasitized individuals when they feed on them, but they also transmit viruses and other pathogens, weaken colonies and ultimately may cause their death. Unlike the subspecies of European origin, the honeybees of African origin suffer less from mite infestations. Absconding is one of the factors contributing to low V. destructor population in honeybee colonies as it creates a brood-free period. For a long time, researchers hypothesized that absconding was the main …

The Response Of Climbing Bean To Fertilizer And Organic Manure In The Northern Province Of Rwanda, Edouard Rurangwa, Bernard Vanlauwe, Ken E. Giller

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Climbing beans play a central role in food security of rural households in the densely populated highlands of East and Central Africa. Soil fertility degradation and the lack of nutrient inputsare major limitations to yield of beans and other crops. We conducted field trials in Northern Rwanda in Kinoni and Muko villages to evaluate the effect of mineral N, P, and K fertilizers (both alone and in combination) and farmyard manure on nitrogen fixation and grain yields of climbing bean insmallholder farmers' fields. The trials were laid down in a randomized complete block design with seven replicate blocks in each …

Push-Pull Technology Improves Maize Grain Yield And Total Aboveground Biomass In Maize-Based Systems In Western Kenya, Pierre Celestin Ndayisaba, Shem Kuyah, Charles Aura Odhiambo Midega, Peter Njoroge Mwangi, Zeyaur Rahman Khan

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Push-pull is one of the sustainable intensification technologies for the control of stem-borers, striga weed and fall armyworm. Even though the effectiveness of push-pull in addressing these constraints has been evaluated under different agro-ecological conditions and on research stations, performance of the technology relative to other common maize-based cropping systems in farmers’ fields and the impact of the push-pull age is not yet understood. We hypothesized that, a) maize grain yield and aboveground biomass from push-pull system is higher than other common maize farming systems; b) duration of use of push-pull, and climatic conditions have an influence on its efficacy; …

Repellence And Fumigant Toxicity Of Essential Oils Of Ocimum Gratissimum And Ocimum Kilimandscharicum On Tuta Absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Flaure Rosette Ehawa Essoung, Alain Tcho Tadjong, Sumesh Chander Chhabra, Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed, Ahmed Hassanali

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Tuta absoluta Meyrick originates in South America and is now one of the most important insect pests of Solanaceae in different parts of the world, including Africa. Its control has relied primarily on chemical insecticides, which are associated with negative ecological effects. In the present study, essential oils of Ocimum gratissimum and O. kilimandscharicum were tested for repellence and fumigant toxicity on the adult stages under laboratory conditions. The oil of O. gratissimum was more repellent, but its toxicity was comparable with that of O. kilimandscharicum. The major constituents of O. gratissimum were methyl eugenol (39.5%) and eugenol (29.7%). Those …

Insecticide Susceptibility Of Anopheles Gambiae S.L And Identification Of Some Resistance Mechanisms In Kwilu Province In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Emery Metelo Matubi, Gillon Ilombe Kaounga, Josue Zanga, Guillaume Binene Mbuku, Jean Nguya Kalemba Maniania, Basimike Mulenda, Jonas Nagahuedi Mbongu Sodi, Jean Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, Paul Masiangi

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Introduction: the control of the mosquito malaria vectors by the National Malaria Control Programme of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) relies mainly on the use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs). However, the widespread emergence of resistance to pyrethroids is jeopardizing this control strategy. The objective of this study is to determine the status and resistance mechanisms involved in Anopheles gambiae s.l. population of DRC. Methods: pre-imaginal stages of An. gambiae s.l. were collected and standard WHO bioassays were performed on adult An.gambiae s.l. reared in the laboratory from larvae collected from different sites in the study area. The bioassays …

How To Turn Collectors Of Edible Insects Into Mini-Livestock Farmers: Multidimensional Sustainability Challenges To A Thriving Industry, Sarah Nischalke, Ingo Wagler, Chrysantus Tanga, David Allan, Chama Phankaew, Christian Ratompoarison, Andrianantenaina Razafindrakotomamonjy, Elizabeth Kusia

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Edible insects reared under suitable climatic conditions are an efficient and ecological food source. However, most of the insects come from wild collection and not from farms (FAO, 2013). To establish insects as part of a sustainable food environment, collectors, farmers or small entrepreneurs need to be transformed into mini-livestock farmers, but people who eat or collect insects do not necessarily want to rear them. This paper presents four case studies from Kenya, Madagascar, Myanmar and Thailand, which are in different stages of sector development to show pathways for establishing insect rearing, and the associated economic, resource/ecological and social challenges …

Managing Phosphate Rock To Improve Nutrient Uptake, Phosphorus Use Efficiency, And Carrot Yields, Edwin Mwangi, Catherine Ngamau, John Wesonga, Edward Karanja, Martha Musyoka, Felix Matheri, Komi Fiaboe, David Bautze, Noah Adamtey

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The objectives of this study were to assess (a) the efficiency of lemon and pineapple juices and the concentration and time needed to release more than 50% of available phosphorus from phosphate rock (PR), and (b) the effect of different types of PR management on carrot yields, nutrient uptake, and phosphorus use efficiency. Field trials were set up at two sites with humic andosols and orthic acrisols over two seasons in Kenya. In a randomized complete block design, replicated three times, the following treatments were compared: (i) composted dissolved PR in lemon juice; (ii) powdered PR composted; (iii) dissolved PR …

Shadowed Image Particle Profiling Evaluation Recorder (Sipper) Plankton And Marine Snow Abundance And Distribution Data Collected Aboard Multiple Research Cruises In The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico From 2010-05-12 To 2010-09-16, Kendra L. Daly, Andrew W. Remsen, Kurt Kramer

C-IMAGE data

This dataset contains the abundance and distribution of marine snow, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and larval fish, along with environmental parameters, collected aboard several research vessels (RV Weatherbird II, MV Specialty Diver, RV Gordon Gunter) in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from 2010-05-12 to 2010-09-16. A high speed Dalsa Piranha-2 line-scan camera and a pseudo-collimated LED generated light sheet was used to image the shadows and outlines of resolvable particles that passed through a 100 cm2 field of view. The operational optical resolution of the system was ~65 um. The camera was towed at speeds between 2-3 knots in an oblique profile …

Socio-Economic And Environmental Implications Of Replacing Conventional Poultry Feed With Insect-Based Feed In Kenya, Zewdu Abro, Menale Kassie, Chrysantus Tanga, Dennis Beesigamukama, Gracious Diiro

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The growing scarcity of resources for feed production and environmental concerns highlight the unsustainability of conventional feed sources. Insect farming is considered as an alternative feed due to its low land and water requirements, its low ecological footprint, and circular economy contribution by converting biowaste into high-quality feed ingredients. While there is growing research on the technical feasibility and nutritional performance of insect-based feed, its potential beneifts are not quanitified. Using experimental and secondary data, we assess the potential socio-economic benefits of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) to the Kenyan poultry sector. We find that replacing 5–50% of the …

Glucocorticoids, Energy Metabolites, And Immunity Vary Across Allostatic States For Plateau Side-Blotched Lizards (Uta Stansburiana Uniformis) Residing In A Heterogeneous Thermal Environment, Susannah S. French, Spencer B. Hudson

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Reptiles rely on thermal heat exchange to achieve body temperatures (Tbody) conducive to maintaining homeostasis. Diurnal changes in the thermal environment are therefore liable to influence allostatic mediation of survival processes (e.g., immunity) during environmental challenges or stressors. However, the extent to which Tbody prompts individual variation in physiology remains largely unexplored in reptiles. Our study tested how circulating energy-mobilizing hormone, energy metabolites, and immunity can vary across basal and stress-induced allostatic states for plateau side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana uniformis) residing in a heterogeneous thermal environment. We collected baseline and acute stress blood samples from male lizards to compare changes …

Towards Closing Cassava Yield Gap In West Africa: Agronomic Efficiency And Storage Root Yield Responses To Npk Fertilizers, J. G. Adiele, A. G.T. Schut, R. P.M. Van Den Beuken, K. S. Ezui, P. Pypers, A. O. Ano, C. N. Egesi, K. E. Giller

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Nutrient management of cassava has received little attention compared with cereal crops. We evaluated cassava yield potential and nutrient use efficiency when supplied with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at high rates and when supplied with increasing rates of K. On-farm experiments were conducted at six locations in Nigeria across the major cassava growing agro-ecologies of Western Africa (Tropical Rainforest – Cross River, Forest Transition Savanna – Edo, and Guinea Savanna – Benue) during two seasons (2016–2017 and 2017–2018). Nitrogen, P and K fertilizers were applied at various rates, including treatments with and without added secondary and micronutrients. Storage root dry …

Potential Of Resampled Multispectral Data For Detecting Desmodium-Brachiaria Intercropped With Maize In A 'Push-Pull' System, B. T. Mudereri, E. M. Abdel-Rahman, T. Dube, T. Landmann, S. Niassy, H. E.Z. Tonnang, Z. R. Khan

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Poor crop yields remain one of the main causes of chronic food insecurity in Africa. This is largely caused by insect pests, weeds, unfavourable climatic conditions and degraded soils. Weed and pest control, based on the climate-adapted g'push-pull' system, has become an important target for sustainable intensification of food production adopted by many small-holder farmers. However, essential baseline information using remotely sensed data is missing, specifically for the g'push-pull' companion crops. In this study, we investigated the spectral uniqueness of two of the most commonly used g'companion' crops (i.e. greenleaf Desmodium (i Desmodium intortum/i) and Brachiaria (i Brachiaria/i cv Mulato) …

Data For "Consistent Differences In A Virtual World Model Of Ape Societies", Bart J. Wilson, Sarah F. Brosnan, Elizabeth V. Lonsdorf, Crickette M. Sanz

Business and Economics Faculty Data Sets

The zip file contains the data for the paper entitled "Consistent Differences in a Virtual World Model of Ape Societies" which appears in Scientific Reports.

Diversity And Structure Of Prokaryotic Communities Within Organic And Conventional Farming Systems In Central Highlands Of Kenya, Edward Nderitu Karanja, Andreas Fliessbach, Noah Adamtey, Anne Kelly Kambura, Martha Musyoka, Komi Fiaboe, Romano Mwirichia

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Management practices such as tillage, crop rotation, irrigation, organic and inorganic inputs application are known to influence diversity and function of soil microbial populations. In this study, we investigated the effect of conventional versus organic farming systems at low and high input levels on structure and diversity of prokaryotic microbial communities. Soil samples were collected from the ongoing long-term farming system comparison trials established in 2007 at Chuka and Thika in Kenya. Physicochemical parameters for each sample were analyzed. Total DNA and RNA amplicons of variable region (V4-V7) of the 16S rRNA gene were generated on an Illumina platform using …

Tropical Forage Technologies Can Deliver Multiple Benefits In Sub-Saharan Africa. A Meta-Analysis, Birthe K. Paul, Jessica Koge, Brigitte L. Maass, An Notenbaert, Michael Peters, Jeroen C.J. Groot, Pablo Tittonell

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Scarcity of quantity and quality feed has been a key constraint to productivity of smallholder crop-livestock systems. Tropical forages include a variety of annual and perennial grasses, herbaceous and dual-purpose legumes, and multipurpose trees and shrubs. They have been promoted in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for increasing livestock productivity and household income through higher quantity and quality of herbage, while contributing to soil improvement and higher food crop yields. For the first time, we quantitatively reviewed 72 experimental studies from across SSA to take stock of geographical distribution and forage technology focus of past research; quantify magnitudes of multidimensional impacts of …

Sabie Water Use, Andrew Kulmatiski

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Plant root distributions are thought to determine plant growth and coexistence, but are notoriously difficult to measure. This dataset describes the concentration of deuterium oxide in plant tissues in plots where deuterium oxide was injected to target depths.

Dna Barcoding Of Fish Eggs Collected Aboard R/V Weatherbird Ii Cruise Wb1731 Across The Florida Straits And Off Of Northwestern Cuba From 2017-05-13 To 2017-05-25, Makenzie Kerr, Mya Breitbart, Steven Murawski, Ernst B. Peebles, Maickel Armenteros, Jeremy Browning, Eva-Maria Bønnelycke, Chuanmin Hu, Yingjun Zhang

C-IMAGE data

This dataset contains DNA barcoding results of fish eggs collected along the northwestern coast of Cuba and across the Florida Straits from 2017-05-13 to 2017-05-25 using bongo plankton nets. The dataset also includes cruise data from twenty-three different stations collected during R/V Weatherbird II cruise WB1731. Individual eggs were DNA barcoded to identify species of fish spawning in the area. This dataset supports the publication: Kerr, M., Browning, J., Bønnelycke, E.M., Zhang, Y., Hu, C., Armenteros, M., Murawski, S., Peebles, E. and Breitbart, M. (2020). DNA barcoding of fish eggs collected off northwestern Cuba and across the Florida Straits demonstrates …

Detecting Bracoviral Orthologs Distribution In Five Tsetse Fly Species And The Housefly Genomes, Kelvin M. Kimenyi, Muna F. Abry, Winnie Okeyo, Enock Matovu, Daniel Masiga, Benard W. Kulohoma

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Objective: Mutualism between endogenous viruses and eukaryotes is still poorly understood. Several endogenous double-stranded polydnaviruses, bracoviruses, homologous to those present in parasitic braconid wasp genomes were detected in the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans morsitans). This is peculiar since tsetse flies do not share a reproductive lifestyle similar to wasps, but deliver fully developed larvae that pupate within minutes of exiting their mothers. The objective of this study is to investigate genomic distribution of bracoviral sequences in five tsetse fly species and the housefly, and examine its value as a potential vector control strategy target point. We use comparative genomics to …

Light And Dark Rhythms Of Pupal Eclosion And Egg Hatching In Tropical Stem Borers’ Moths, Paul André Calatayud, François Rebaudo, Peter Ahuya, Bruno Le Ru

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Different traits in insects such as locomotor activity, egg-hatching, emergence from puparia and oviposition follow light and dark rhythms. In noctuid stemborer moths, activity cycles of the adults linked to their reproductive traits concentrate at the first half of the night and some of them are highly species specific. However, little information is available on the light and dark rhythm of egg hatching in noctuid stemborer moths as compared to adult’s activities (emergence, oviposition and mating). The purpose of this study was to compare the light and dark rhythms of pupal eclosion and egg hatching, respectively, for four main species …

Mediation Of Potato–Potato Cyst Nematode, G. Rostochiensis Interaction By Specific Root Exudate Compounds, Juliet Ochola, Laura Cortada, Margaret Ng’Ang’A, Ahmed Hassanali, Danny Coyne, Baldwyn Torto

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Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a widely consumed staple food crop worldwide whose production is threatened by potato cyst nematodes (PCN). To infect a host, PCN eggs first need to be stimulated to hatch by chemical components in the host root exudates, yet it remains unknown how most root exudate components influence PCN behavior. Here, we evaluated the influence of eight compounds identified by LC-QqQ-MS in the root exudate of potato on the hatching response of the PCN, Globodera rostochiensis at varying doses. The eight compounds included the amino acids tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine; phytohormones zeatin and methyl dihydrojasmonate; steroidal glycoalkaloids …

Cellular And Molecular Targets Of Waterbuck Repellent Blend Odors In Antennae Of Glossina Fuscipes Fuscipes Newstead, 1910, Souleymane Diallo, Mohd Shahbaaz, Baldwyn Torto, Alan Christoffels, Daniel Masiga, Merid N. Getahun

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Insects that transmit many of the world’s deadliest animal diseases, for instance trypanosomosis, find their suitable hosts and avoid non-preferred hosts mostly through olfactory cues. The waterbuck repellent blend (WRB) comprising geranylacetone, guaiacol, pentanoic acid, and δ-octalactone derived from waterbuck skin odor is a repellent to some savannah-adapted tsetse flies and reduces trap catches of riverine species. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with detection and coding of the repellent odors remain to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that WRB inhibited blood feeding in both Glossina pallidipes Austen, 1903 and Glossina fuscipes fuscipes Newstead, 1910. Using the DREAM (Deorphanization …