Female extrapair mate choice in a cooperative breeder: trading sex for help and increasing offspring heterozygosity

Sexual conflict between males and females over mating is common. Females that copulate with extrapair mates outside the pair-bond may gain (i) direct benefits such as resources or increased paternal care, (ii) indirect genetic benefits for their offspring, or (iii) insurance against infertility in their own social mate. Few studies have been able to demonstrate the different contexts in which females receive varying types of benefits from extrapair mates. Here, I examined sexual conflict, female extrapair mate choice, and patterns of extrapair paternity in the cooperatively breeding superb starling Lamprotornis superbus using microsatellite markers. Although extrapair paternity was lower than many other avian cooperative breeders (14% of offspring and 25% of nests), females exhibited two distinct mating patterns: half of the extrapair fertilizations were with males from inside the group, whereas half were with males from outside the group. Females with few potential helpers copulated with extrapair mates from within their group and thereby gained direct benefits in the form of additional helpers at the nest, whereas females paired to mates that were relatively less heterozygous than themselves copulated with extrapair mates from outside the group and thereby gained indirect genetic benefits in the form of increased offspring heterozygosity. Females did not appear to gain fertility insurance from copulating with extrapair mates. This is the first study to show that individuals from the same population mate with extrapair males and gain both direct and indirect benefits, but that they do so in different contexts.     

Genetic relationship of discrete-time survival with fertility and production in dairy cattle using bivariate models

Bivariate analyses of functional longevity in dairy cattle measured as survival to next lactation (SURV) with milk yield and fertility traits were carried out. A sequential threshold-linear censored model was implemented for the analyses of SURV. Records on 96 642 lactations from 41 170 cows were used to estimate genetic parameters, using animal models, for longevity, 305 d-standardized milk production (MY305), days open (DO) and number of inseminations to conception (INS) in the Spanish Holstein population; 31% and 30% of lactations were censored for DO and INS, respectively. Heritability estimates for SURV and MY305 were 0.11 and 0.27 respectively; while heritability estimates for fertility traits were lower (0.07 for DO and 0.03 for INS). Antagonist genetic correlations were estimated between SURV and fertility (-0.78 and -0.54 for DO and INS, respectively) or production (-0.53 for MY305), suggesting reduced functional longevity with impaired fertility and increased milk production. Longer days open seems to affect survival more than increased INS. Also, high productive cows were more problematic, less functional and more liable to being culled. The results suggest that the sequential threshold model is a method that might be considered at evaluating genetic relationship between discrete-time survival and other traits, due to its flexibility.     

Nassella pulchra Survival and Water Relations Depend More on Site Productivity Than on Small-Scale Disturbance

We found no significant effect (p > 0.38) of clipping surrounding non‐native annuals on the performance or survival of plantings of the native Nassella pulchra. However, the preplanting productivity of the three sites had a significant effect (p < 0.001) on the demography and water relations of Nassella. Survival was 85% on the lowest productivity site and it decreased by 6% for each additional 100 kg in average aboveground productivity between 2,400 and 3,600 kg/ha. Plants experienced greater water stress in higher productivity sites. Together, these results suggest that the original habitat of N. pulchra may have been in more marginal ecological sites rather than the more fertile soils of the Central Valley.     

秸秆还田方式对东北水稻土理化性质及微生物群落的影响

【目的】研究秸秆还田方式对东北黑土理化性质及微生物群落的影响。【方法】试验周期为2019年12月至2021年10月,秸秆还田采用2种方式： 秸秆直接还田+微生物菌剂WJ(strawdirect return+microbial agent WJ;MD),秸秆堆肥还田+微生物菌剂WJ(straw compost return +microbial agent WJ;MC)。分析土壤肥力、酶活和微生物群落。【结果】分析两种方式土壤有机质(SOM)、腐殖酸(HS)和富里酸有机碳(FA-C)含量,发现秸秆直接还田+微生物菌剂WJ比秸秆堆肥还田+微生物菌剂WJ分别增加2.28g/kg、7.82g/kg和5.26g/kg。土壤铵态氮(NH4⁺-N)、速效磷(AP)略高于秸秆堆肥还田+微生物菌剂WJ,均在6月份达到峰值。胡敏酸有机碳(HA-C)含量下降。此外,土壤脲酶、转化酶、纤维素酶活性和碱性磷酸酶活性对比发现,秸秆直接还田+微生物菌剂WJ比秸秆堆肥还田+微生物菌剂WJ分别高8.55%、15.46%、4.35%和6.19%。高通量测序结果显示,秸秆直接还田+微生物菌剂WJ中细菌和真菌的多样性均比秸秆堆肥还田+微生物菌剂WJ丰富。其中Anaerolinea、Bacteroidetes、Pseudomonas为优势细菌,Tausonia、Mrakia、Mrakiella为优势真菌。【结论】秸秆直接还田+微生物菌剂WJ比秸秆堆肥还田+微生物菌剂WJ更有利于土壤有机质、腐殖酸、土壤酶活性和微生物多样性的增加,这说明秸秆添加WJ菌剂直接还田可以减少有机养分的流失,保持田间土壤肥力。     

Determinants of infant mortality and representation in bioarchaeological samples: A review

In bioarchaeological contexts, a complex relationship exists between infant representation in the age-at-death distribution, gestational and young child mortality rates, and the total fertility rate. The representation of infants in a skeletal sample may be influenced by a range of social, biological, and archaeological factors. To better understand the interactions between representation, fertility, and mortality, this study evaluates the relationship between infant-juvenile age-at-death proportions, fertility rates, and a range of gestational and early childhood mortality measures. The statistical component of this study found the correlation between fertility rates and infant-juvenile proportions was stronger than with any mortality rate variable of interest. This suggests that the proportion of infants in a mortuary sample is a stronger indicator of fertility than it is of infant-juvenile mortality. Social, biological, and archaeological variables potentially influencing infant representation in skeletal samples are discussed and a strongly contextualized and holistic approach to infant and juvenile mortality is recommended.     

Positive Effects of Biochar on the Degraded Forest Soil and Tree Growth in China: A Systematic Review

Soil degradation threatens the forest sustainable productivity, particularly in afforestation system. Biochar derived from agroforestry waste or biomass can potentially improve the degraded forest soil and promote the tree growth. To expand the application of biochar for forestry productivity improvement, we here reviewed the effects and the underlying mechanisms of biochar on the degraded forest soil and tree growth. Totally 96 studies that conducted from pot to field investigations in China were summarized. The result suggested that biochar generally exerted positive effects on restoration of degraded forest soil such as that with compaction, acidification or soil erosion, which are mainly manifested by improving soil porosity, increasing pH, enhancing erosion resistance and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, biochar incorporation promoted the growth of tested trees in most cases, which effect was mainly attributing to directly supplying nutrients, improving soil physio-chemical properties, enhancing the root’s nutrient absorption capacity, and enlarging the living space. In summary, current studies demonstrate that biochar has a unique potential for improving degraded forest soils and promoting tree growth. However, investigations on the underlying mechanisms and the long-term effects should be strengthened.     

Effect of Leishmania spp infection on the survival,life expectancy,fecundity and fertility of Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. and Lutzomyia pseudolongipalpis

We evaluated the effects of Leishmania spp infection on several population parameters of Lutzomyia longipalpis sensu lato andLutzomyia pseudolongipalpis, vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in Venezuela, under experimental conditions during the first post-feeding period. Females of both species were allowed to feed and engorge on a suspension of fresh washed human red blood cells in foetal calf serum. These blood cells were either non-infected or infected with one of the fourLeishmania spp strains and were offered through a chicken skin membrane. The longevity, life expectancy and the fecundity of uninfected flies were similar in both species, but the fertility was significantly lower in uninfected Lu. longipalpis females. In all cases, the infection of Lu. longipalpis and Lu. pseudolongipalpis by the Leishmania strains resulted in significant detrimental effects, which exerted a fitness cost expressed by reduced survival and life expectancy, as well as decreased fertility and fecundity compared with the control groups. Nevertheless, differences in these parameters were observed between these vector species depending on whether they were infected with the autochthonous Venezuelan Leishmania infantum strain (NESA) or the Brazilian reference strain (PP75). The experimental data obtained agree with field data on the natural infection of these vector species and the significance of this scenario is discussed.