Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai Biologia
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Comparative assessment of indoor and outdoor air environment of poultry farms in Edo State, Nigeria
No full textIntensive poultry farming creates the ideal environment for pathogen concentration and transmission. The presence of thousands of birds in an enclosed, warm, and dusty atmosphere is ideal for the transmission of infectious diseases from birds to humans. This study was conducted to assess the indoor and outdoor air quality of different poultry types in Edo State, Nigeria. The physicochemical conditions of the air around the poultry environments differed with location and poultry types. The concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrogen sulphide (H2S) as well as particulate matter (PM10) were all within recommended limits established by the World Health Organization. However, significant elevations in Ammonia (NH3) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels were observed in substandard poultry farms across the locations. Total bacterial counts ranged from 1.38CFU/m5 – 90.35 x 105CFU/m3 irrespective of location and poultry type. Within the poultry types, bacteria count inside the poultry environment (3.11 x105CFU/m3) significantly differed from concentrations outside the poultry environment (22.58 x105CFU/m3, p<0.05). The Lowest microbial counts were obtained in the standard poultry farms. Molecular identifications revealed the presence of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis as the bacterial isolates whereas Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Trichoderma polysporum, Aspergillus fumigatus were the fungal isolates. Staphylococcusaureus was the most predominant bacterial species (25%) while Aspergillus niger was the most predominant fungal species (30%).
Adams et al (PDF)
Article history: Received: 15 December 2021; Revised: 24 April 2022; Accepted: 27 May 2022; Available online: 30 June 2022
Comparative analysis of the digestive system’s anatomical parts in two zoophagous bird species: White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) and Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
No full textAristotle in his anatomical observations is marking the beginning of functional anatomy followed by Georges Cuvier that formulate the low of the correlation of parts. According with this we can expect that the digestive system structures tend to be similar between species that consume approximately the same type of food. In this study we chose to evaluate macroscopic the digestive system of two different zoophytophagous species, with similar body size but different life behavior and feeding strategies: White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) and Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). Data were collected after the dissection of 10 carcass (5 White Stork and 5 Common Buzzard). The digestive tract and its structures were measured and weighed. In common buzzard the beak is strong and short adapted for the laceration of the prey. In white stork the beak is long, strong, straight adapted to capture prey like a harpoon. In both species, the esophagus is located on the right side of the neck, the length is different, proportional to the neck. In common buzzard the crop is present and absent in white storks. The cuticle or koilin layer is highlighted in white stork compared to common buzzard. In common buzzard, the small intestine is reduced in size, without marked transition between the duodenum and the ileum. The white storks have a long small intestine with many loops, with no transition between the segments. In both species, the cecum is reduced in size and has a vestigial appearance; the colon is reduced in size, and extends from the level of the ileo-colic junction to the cloaca. The digestive system is adapted to a strictly carnivorous diet and the differences identified between the anatomical structures of the digestive tract of the two species are correlated with the differences of their feeding behavior.
Preja et al (PDF)
Article history: Received 20 September 2021; Revised 23 October 2021; Accepted 6 November 2021; Available online 30 December 2021.
 
Preliminary data regarding the influence of the COL1a1 rs2249492 polymorphism on the risk of malocclusion in the Romanian population
No full textMalocclusion is a condition characterized by diverse phenotypic expression patterns, with a complex underlying genetic background. COL1a1 is one of the genes that has been previously associated with malocclusion, with one particular SNP, rs2249492 (C>G, C>T), having been linked with an increased risk of skeletal class II malocclusion.
In this paper, making use of DNA sequencing and cephalometric measurements, we present preliminary data regarding the association between the rs2249492 SNP and the risk of malocclusion in the Romanian population, illustrated as continuous, rather than categorical phenotypes. The results show a tendency towards a Class II pattern determined by mandibular retrognathism, rather than maxillary prognathism among the individuals possessing the mutant allele. Subsequent studies on larger sample sizes should include statistical analysis focused on associations between the rs2249492 allele and continuous phenotypic variation inside, but not restricted to Class II malocclusion, in order to acquire a more detailed picture of the interaction between the polymorphism and this complex condition.
Toparcean et al (PDF)
Article history: Received 1 October 2021; Revised 19 November 2021; Accepted 26 November 2021; Available online 30 December 2021.
 
The morphometric analysis of Eurasian coot eggs (Fulica atra) under the local conditions from Câmpenești, North-Western Romania
No full textThe aim of the present paper was to analyze the measurements of the Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) eggs in order to evaluate if the local conditions, presented here, differ in some way from older data found in references dating to 1955 in Romania. The data were collected from the Eurasian Coot nests identified (N=8) at Câmpenești fishponds, located in North-Western Romania, in May 2018. The clutch size was 7.5 ±1.6, ranging from 5 to 10 eggs. The mean egg length was 50.81 mm, and the mean egg breadth was 34.5 mm with higher variability in case of the first measurement. The mean egg volume was 31.3 cm3 which is much smaller than reported in the Romanian references (36.13 cm3). Regarding intra-clutch variance, we found that some clutches manifest a higher length, breadth and volume variance than others which can be a result of the intraspecific nest parasitism or environmental variances. The results brought some extensions of egg length and egg breadth limits and also may reflect a decrease in egg size over time.
Kiss sc (PDF)
Article history: Received 17 April 2020; Revised 27 November 2020; Accepted 29 April 2021; Available online 30 June 2021
Aspects from the evolution of past vegetation in Southern Transylvania (Sibiu region)
No full textThe article reviews the results obtained through the palynological study of sequences obtained from the Sibiu region and adjacent areas. The oldest Upper Pleistocene sequences we refer to seem to reflect snapshots from the Last Glacial Maximum. The history of the Late Glacial and Holocene vegetation here is broadly part of the succession known for the territory of Romania, in the Carpathians and the surrounding areas of medium and low altitudes. The dynamics of the main forest and grasses taxa were highlighted, influenced both by natural factors and, more recently, by human activity. The reference area is characterized by the domination of the forests during the interstadials and by open landscape of forested steppe during the cold, stadial periods.
Farcas et al (PDF)
Article history: Received 1 October 2021; Revised 24 November 2021; Accepted 27 November 2021; Available online 30 December 2021.
 
ABSTRACTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN BIO-SCIENCES (6TH EDITION)
No full text22 ABSTRACTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN BIO-SCIENCES (6TH EDITION) INCLUDING:
BIOMEDICINE AND BIOCHEMISTRY ABSTRACTS,BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY ABSTRACTS,ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY ABSTRACTSANDMOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS ABSTRACTS
Fatty acid composition and biological activity of four olive oils from Kabylia (Algeria) against Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) infesting wheat seeds
No full textThe use of conventional insecticides is one of the most widely used methods of controlling pests of stored grains. But the presence of toxic residues in treated commodities and the emergence of insect resistant strains are becoming a growing concern. Olive oil is well known throughout the world for its benefits to human health, but little known for its biological activity against insect pests.
The aim of this work is to study the fatty acid composition and the insecticidal activity of oils according to origin of plantation, against one of the main insect pests of stored grain Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae). The olive oils were obtained using an oleodoser from olives of the 'Chemlal' variety harvested in 4 olive groves in Kabylia (Algeria) and the analysis of the fatty acid composition was carried out by gas chromatography. The main fatty acids found are oleic, palmitic and linoleic acids. Biological tests conducted under laboratory conditions, at a temperature of 30±1°C and a relative humidity of 70 ± 5 %, revealed that the 4 olive oils, applied on soft wheat grains, showed a contact toxicity against R. dominica. The toxicity of the oils varied as a function of the dose and the duration of treatments. After 24 h of exposure, all oils tested at the highest dose (0.4 mL/25 g) were found to be highly toxic to adults of R. dominica, with mortality rates ranging from 72.5 to 95 %. The toxicity of the 4 oils based on the LD50 (mL/25 g) values for 24 h mortality is established as follows: Maatkas (213), Bachloul (232), Tadmait (234) and M'Chedellah (263).
The number of the F1 offspring decreases as the dose of oil is increased to reach zero with the highest dose, for all treatments. All oils tested completely preserve soft wheat seeds from R. dominica attacks using the same highest dose. On the other hand, results also revealed that treatments with olive oil do not affect the germination capacity of soft wheat seeds.
Kerbel et al (PDF)
Article history: Received 6 February 2021; Revised 7 May 2021; Accepted 18 May 2021; Available online 30 June 2021.
 
Mycorestoration of crude oil polluted soil using Pleurotus tuberregium
No full textCrude oil contamination is known to cause unwholesome damage to man, his environment comprising of soil, air and water bodies as well as other forms of life. This study determined the effect of crude oil polluted soils on the composition of different microorganisms and plants and the growth of Pleurotus tuberregium. Oil polluted soils in bowls were amended with sawdust from Brachystegia nigerica as substrate. Fruiting bodies and the diameter of the mushroom cap were found to increase with increasing weeks of exposure to oil as against the control which had no fruiting bodies throughout the experiment. Pepperomia pellucida was found to be the predominant weed (n = 20), followed by Asystasia gangetica (n = 11). The bacterial and fungal counts were higher at the oil polluted soil attached to sclerotia than the control. The growth of Pleurotus tuberregium in the polluted soil samples showed its ability to degrade and utilize hydrocarbon as the source of carbon and energy, thereby remediating the contaminated soil environment. This work has shown that the fungus has bioremediation and pollution control capacity.
Ikhajiagbe et al (PDF)
Article history: Received: 9 March 2021; Revised 22 May 2021; Accepted 29 May 2021; Available online 30 June 2021.
 
What is for dinner? Qualitative and quantitative data regarding small mammal species identified in pellets of long-eared owl (Asio otus) from Cluj-Napoca
No full textAnalysis of pellets provides information on the prey distribution, abundance, behavior and trophic relationships between Strigiformes and small mammals. By analyzing the skulls from long-eared owl (Asio otus) pellets, collected from a colony located in the Mercur Park, in Cluj- Napoca, Romania, we aimed to identify the small mammal species and to compare the results with available ones from another study conducted 2 years ago in the same area. During 7 collecting campaigns (November 2018 to March 2019) in 538 pellets a total of 1290 skulls were identified. Over the study period, the colony increased from 10 to 40 birds. Six species of small mammals were identified: the field striped mouse (Apodemus agrarius), the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), the European water vole (Arvicola terrestris), the field vole (Microtus agrestis) and the common vole (Microtus arvalis). Compared with the previously study, a new species was identified: the yellow-necked mouse and another one was missing: the bank vole (Myodes glareolus).
Neaca et al (PDF)
Article history: Received 19 October 2020; Revised 23 November 2020; Accepted 5 November 2021; Available online 30 December 2021
Preliminary data on terrestrial isopods from some railways in Dobruja, eastern Romania
No full textIn July 2020 we analyzed the terrestrial isopod assemblages from different (mostly abandoned) railway constructions in Dobruja, eastern Romania. We identified 10 terrestrial isopod species, of which the most abundant and frequent were Porcellionides pruinosus (Brandt, 1833) and Armadillidium vulgare Latreille, 1804. We identified species that, in Romania, are present only in Dobruja: Leptotrichus pilosus Dollfus, 1905 and Trachelipus squamuliger (Verhoeff, 1907). Most of the species are common, generalist or synanthropic, connected to dry and open habitats. In abandoned railway-stations the number of species/samples was low (at most two), but at the base of a stone railway bridge in Babadag forest six species were found.
Pop et al sc (PDF)
Article history: Received 6 December 2020; Revised 19 April 2021; Accepted 1 June 2021; Available online 30 June 2021