12903 research outputs found
Sort by
Advancing spatial analysis of invasive species movement data to improve monitoring, control programs and decision making: feral cat home range as a case study
Get PDFContext.
Many invasive animals are typically active across large areas, making monitoring and control programs expensive. To be efficacious, monitoring devices and control tools need to be strategically located to maximise the probability of encounter. This requires an understanding of how the target species uses the landscape, through identifying key habitat or landscape features that are preferred and used disproportionately more frequently by the species. Spatial analysis of animal movements can help identify high use areas.
Aims.
The variability introduced by different range calculation methods can lead to uncertainty in subsequent habitat analyses. We aimed to determine which method is superior for accurate delineation of core areas for feral cats.
Methods.
We analysed spatial data from 35 collared feral cats across four Australian study sites between 2016 and 2019, and compared the core areas generated using seven commonly used home range estimation methods.
Key results.
We found that the α-hull method provided a higher precision of polygon placement, resulting in lower Type I and II errors and higher conformity to landscape features than other methods. The α-hull used a single default parameter and required no subjective input, making it a more objective, superior method.
Conclusions.
We recommend that the α-hull method be used to define core activity areas for feral cats, enabling more robust habitat analysis, and identification of key habitat and landscape features to strategically target for monitoring and control programs.
Implications.
This strategic approach could significantly improve cost efficiencies, particularly where existing management is widely dispersed, and core activity areas are clumped
Expected Effects of Transforming Agricultural Pest Management across Global Scales
No full textAmbitious policy goals to reduce pesticide use and risk and transform agricultural pest management have been set on global and regional levels. However, global estimates on the effects of such a transformation, and their heterogeneity across important regions and production systems, are currently missing. We here provide the first global assessment of the expected effects of a transformation of agricultural pest management - based on survey evidence from 517 experts from key disciplines and regions worldwide. We compare heterogeneity and assess drivers of expected effects across five different domains (economic, human health, food security, social, environmental) and the main agricultural production regions worldwide. Our study thus allows us to discern global differences and to identify leverage points for (i) advancing pesticide policies and (ii) focusing future research efforts - an important step in a field that is often limited by data scarcity. Results show that a global transformation to sustainable pest management could be an important nexus for simultaneously tackling multiple sustainability challenges. We find lower benefits and more trade-offs of a transformation for the economic and food security domains, especially in intensive production systems in Europe and North America. We generally find higher expected benefits for the environmental and human health domains, and for low-income regions. Controlling for important production system- and participant characteristics, our results suggest a different pathway for the intensification of pest management systems, especially in regions where pesticide use is currently still low. Finally, results indicate that advancing on sustainable pest management will require combinations of actions: delivering alternative pest management solutions, supporting the implementation of alternatives on the ground, and providing adequate political boundary conditions to make these solutions economically viable
Seasonal flight activity and associated frequency of rph2 phosphine resistance allele in Rhyzopertha dominica at bulk storage facilities in southern Queensland, Australia
No full textTraps baited with aggregation pheromone lures for the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) were deployed at two bulk grain storage facilities in southern Queensland, Australia from January 2018 to March 2019. This trapping provided data on flight activity in this species as well as sample specimens for screening for the strong phosphine resistance allele (K142E) of the rph2 gene. This species is a major pest in Australia where phosphine is the commonly used means of disinfesting stored cereal grains. Therefore, information on infestation pressure from flying beetles and the frequency of resistance genes in these beetles may provide a basis for improved pest and resistance management. Rhyzopertha dominica beetles were trapped at both depots throughout the study, with totals of 3699 and 6683 trapped at the two depots, respectively. Trap catch tended to fluctuate in synchrony at the two depots, with the lowest number caught during winter. There was a total of 15 trapping events during the study and the rph2 allele (K142E) was detected in 14 of them. The overall resistance allele frequency was estimated to be 7.4%, and this variant was present in 12.6% of screened beetles from each site, with most of them being heterozygotes (rph2rs). This study shows that there was a great deal of similarity between the two sites, in relation to flight activity and frequency of rph2 alleles (K142E). It also shows the potential for using pheromone trapping as a passive means of collecting R. dominica beetles for monitoring the frequency of phosphine resistance alleles in a typical grain storage environment
Glycine tabacina, native to Australia, is an alternate host of Erysiphe diffusa causing powdery mildew on soybean
Get PDFPowdery mildew, caused by Erysiphe diffusa, is an emerging pathogen in Australian soybean crops. Since its initial detection in 2012, the disease has been observed every season in soybean paddocks throughout Australia. It is not known how E. diffusa survives between soybean cropping seasons in the Australian environment. This study identified the native Glycine species, G. tabacina, as an alternate host for E. diffusa in Australia. G. tabacina specimens naturally infected with powdery mildew were collected and the pathogen was identified based on morphological characters and nrDNA ITS and MCM7 sequences. Cross-inoculation experiments demonstrated that the E. diffusa isolates infecting G. tabacina in the field were pathogenic to soybean. This study is the first to report E. diffusa on G. tabacina in Australia. As a perennial native often found in the vicinity of the annual soybean crops, G. tabacina can easily serve as an alternate host for E. diffusa and could be an example of a host range expansion in this powdery mildew species. Weed control in soybean crops, with special attention to the removal of the native Glycine species, may be an option for powdery mildew management for Australian soybean growers
The tidyomics ecosystem: enhancing omic data analyses
No full textThe growth of omic data presents evolving challenges in data manipulation, analysis and integration. Addressing these challenges, Bioconductor provides an extensive community-driven biological data analysis platform. Meanwhile, tidy R programming offers a revolutionary data organization and manipulation standard. Here we present the tidyomics software ecosystem, bridging Bioconductor to the tidy R paradigm. This ecosystem aims to streamline omic analysis, ease learning and encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations. We demonstrate the effectiveness of tidyomics by analyzing 7.5 million peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the Human Cell Atlas, spanning six data frameworks and ten analysis tools
Temporal Changes in Faecal Microbiota Composition and Diversity in Dairy Cows Supplemented with a Lactobacillus-Based Direct-Fed Microbial
No full textThe rumen microbiota of dairy cows plays a crucial role in fermenting fibrous material, essential for nutrient extraction and overall productivity, detoxification of anti-nutritional toxic compounds, synthesis of vital nutrients, and is essential for optimal animal health. This study investigated the impact of Lentilactobacillus-, Lactocaseibacillus-, and Lacticaseibacillus-based direct-fed microbial (DFM) supplementation on dairy cows’ faecal microbial composition and diversity. The study was carried out on a commercial dairy farm using 50 Holstein-Friesian cows randomly assigned into control (CON) and treatment (TRT) groups. Faecal samples were collected directly from the rectum every two months from September 2021 to January 2023. The bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS-1 regions were amplified, sequenced, and analysed. Microbial diversity was assessed through alpha- and beta-diversity metrics. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was performed to identify which taxa were driving the changes seen in the microbiota over time and treatment. Bacteroidaceae were the most prevalent bacterial family, followed by Lachnospiraceae and Muribaculaceae in both CON and TRT cows. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota were the dominant three fungal phyla in the faeces of both CON and TRT cows. Bacterial genera Fructilactobacillus was abundant in the CON and Absicoccus in the TRT groups. Fungal taxa Chaetothryriales_incertae_sedis and Pseudomentella were absent in the faeces of TRT cows. Significant temporal and specific taxonomic differences were observed between the CON and TRT groups. The study’s findings underscore the dynamic nature of microbial communities and the importance of targeted dietary interventions. Further research is necessary to elucidate these microbial shifts, long-term impacts, and functional implications, aiming to optimise ruminant nutrition and enhance dairy cow performance
Genomic population structure of great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran) across the Indo-Pacific
No full textContext Currently, little information exists describing the population structure of great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran) in Australian waters. Aims This study used single nucleotide polymorphisms to investigate fine-scale population structure in S. mokarran across the Indo-Pacific. Methods DNA was extracted from 235 individuals across six Australian locations and a Red Sea outgroup. Population parameters were calculated and visualised to test structuring across locations. Key results No fine-scale population structuring was observed for S. mokarran across the Indo-Pacific. However, population structuring occurred for all Australian locations when compared to the Red Sea outgroup. Conclusions Findings suggest a single stock is most likely for S. mokarran found in Australian waters. Results provide key information for understanding the broad range movements of S. mokarran and help to define the scale of management required to preserve genetic diversity in this species. The structuring between Australia and the Red Sea indicates limited gene flow and movement. Implications Results indicate that large-scale movements of S. mokarran could be occurring to facilitate genetic mixing. Future research focusing on individual tagging to corroborate movements would be highly beneficial to determine how far (and often) individuals are dispersing, and to note where cross-jurisdictional management, including from neighbouring regions in the Indo-West Pacific–Oceania region, are most critical
Hyperspectral images captured from wheat grain samples with different levels of DON contamination
No full textDataset includes images captured using a visible to near infrared (VNIR) and a shortwave infrared (SWIR) hyperpsectral imaging camera. The images are all dark and white corrected and the spectral values are "reflectance"
Comparative genetic mapping and a consensus interspecific genetic map reveal strong synteny and collinearity within the Citrus genus
No full textIntroduction: Useful germplasm for citrus breeding includes all sexually compatible species of the former genera Citrus, Clymenia, Eremocitrus, Fortunella, Microcitrus, Oxanthera, and Poncirus, now merged in the single Citrus genus. An improved knowledge on the synteny/collinearity between the genome of these different species, and on their recombination landscapes, is essential to optimize interspecific breeding schemes.
Method: We have performed a large comparative genetic mapping study including several main clades of the Citrus genus. It concerns five species (C. maxima, C. medica, C. reticulata, C. trifoliata and C. glauca), two horticultural groups resulting from interspecific admixture (clementine and lemon) and two recent interspecific hybrids (C. australis x C. australasica and C. maxima x C. reticulata). The nine individual genetic maps were established from GBS data of 1,216 hybrids.
Results and discussion: The number of SNPs mapped for each parent varies from 760 for C. medica to 4,436 for the C. maxima x C. reticulata hybrid, with an average of 2,162.3 markers by map. Their comparison with C. clementina v1.0 assembly and inter-map comparisons revealed a high synteny and collinearity between the nine genetic maps. Non-Mendelian segregation was frequent and specific for each parental combination. The recombination landscape was similar for the nine mapped parents, and large genomic regions with very low recombination were identified. A consensus genetic map was successfully established. It encompasses 10,756 loci, including 7,915 gene-based markers and 2,841 non-genic SNPs. The anchoring of the consensus map on 15 published citrus chromosome-scale genome assemblies revealed a high synteny and collinearity for the most recent assemblies, whereas discrepancies were observed for some older ones. Large structural variations do not seem to have played a major role in the differentiation of the main species of the Citrus genus. The consensus genetic map is a useful tool to check the accuracy of genome assemblies, identify large structural variation and focus on analyzing potential relationships with phenotypic variations. It should also be a reference framework to integrate the positions of QTLs and useful genes identified in different analyses
Maranoa beef production systems : Analysing management strategies to build resilience
No full textThis report details the economic implications of alternative management strategies for a beef cattle enterprise in the Maranoa Local Government Area of Queensland. Other reports present results for other regions across Queensland's grazing lands (FutureBeef 2024). It is intended that the results of these analyses will support the implementation of resilient grazing, herd, and business practices necessary in managing seasonal variability. The property-level, regionally specific herd, and business models which we have developed can be used by consultants, advisors, and producers to assess both strategic and tactical management decisions for their own properties