• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.597-606
• /
• 1998

In the present study we consider a mathematical model of a non-interactive type autotroph-herbivore system in which the amount of autotroph biomass consumed by the herbivore is assumed to follow a Holling type II functional response. We have also incorpo-rated discrete time delays in the numerical response term to represent a delay due to gestation and in the recycling term which represent a delay due to gestation and in the recycling term which represents the time required for bacterial decomposition. We have derived con-dition for global asymptotic stability of the model in the absence of delays. Conditions for delay-induced asymptotic stability of the steady state are also derived. The length of the delay preserving stability has been estimated and interpreted ecologically.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.752-756
• /
• 2011

Polymorphism of the second exon of the caprine leukocyte antigen-DRB3 gene (CLA-$DRB3^*02$) was investigated in this study. The 285 bp PCR product of 258 individuals from 10 domestic goat breeds in Southwest China was digested with restriction endonucleases PstI and HaeIII and then genotyped. Three alleles and 4 restriction digestion profiles were distinguished by digestion of the PCR fragment by PstI, and 8 alleles and 13 genotypes by HaeIII. For HaeIII restriction enzyme sites, the Chi-square ($X^2$) test showed that all goat breeds in this study did not fit with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p<0.01 or p<0.05). The highly polymorphic nature of CLA-$DRB3^*02$ was demonstrated and the ranges of gene heterozygosity (He) and polymorphism information content (PIC) were 0.36-0.63 and 0.32-0.55, respectively. Clustering analysis showed that the 10 goat breeds clustered into two groups and Dazu Black goat had a close genetic relationship with Chengdu Grey, Jintang Black and Nanjiang Yellow goats.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.185-199
• /
• 2010

Correlation between community structure of herbivore and succession of macro-algal flora was examined in subtidal area of Dang-Sa Province, eastern coast of Korea from April 2008 to December 2009. For examination, the authors hypothesized that there are significant correlation between the foregoing two variables. Samplings were conducted every two months quantitatively with SCUBA diving at -3, -6 and -10 depth in the two line transects (barren and forest grounds). As results, rhodophyts was predominated in the algal flora based on the number of species and biomass; molluscs was predominated in the herbivores based on the number of species and echinoderms was predominated in that based on the biomass. There was no significant correlation between the foregoing two variables in the whole survey area and barren/forest grounds. Consequently, the hypothesis was rejected. The authors proposed that examination of correlation between the foregoing two variables should focus on the specific herbivore group(s) (e.g., amphipods) afterward.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.655-667
• /
• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of a hydroethanolic extract of walnut green husks (WGH) on rumen fermentation and the diversity of bacteria, methanogenic archaea, and fungi in sheep fed a high-concentrate diet. Methods: Five healthy small-tailed Han ewes with permanent rumen fistula were selected and housed in individual pens. This study adopted a self-controlled and crossover design with a control period and an experimental period. During the control period, the animals were fed a basal diet (with a ratio of concentrate to roughage of 65:35), while during the treatment period, the animals were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.5% hydroethanolic extract of WGH. Fermentation parameters, digestive enzyme activities, and microbial diversity in rumen fluid were analyzed. Results: Supplementation of hydroethanolic extract of WGH had no significant effect on feed intake, concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, isovalerate, ammonia nitrogen, and microbial protein (p>0.05). However, the ruminal pH, concentrations of acetate, butyrate and isobutyrate, the ratio of acetate to propionate, protozoa count, and the activities of filter paper cellulase and cellobiase were significantly increased (p<0.05), while concentrations of propionate and valerate were significantly decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the relative abundance of rumen bacteria Christensenellaceae R7 group, Saccharofermentans, and Ruminococcaceae NK4A214 group were significantly increased, while Ruminococcus gauvreauii group, Prevotella 7 were significantly decreased (p<0.05). The relative abundance of the fungus Pseudomonas significantly increased, while Basidiomycota, Fusarium, and Alternaria significantly decreased (p<0.05). However, there was no significant change in the community structure of methanogenic archaea. Conclusion: Supplementation of hydroethanolic extract of WGH to a high-concentrate diet improved the ruminal fermentation, altered the structure of ruminal bacterial and fungal communities, and exhibited beneficial effects in alleviating subacute rumen acidosis of sheep.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.24-31
• /
• 2014

This study was conducted to clarify the seasonal and elevational pattern of herbivore's feeding pattern in a temperate deciduous forest. We investigated the herbivore's feeding activity for three years (2011~2013) at three survey sites in Mt. Jirisan National Park (Piagol, Siamjae, Nogodan). We selected target tree species based on the dominance across the sites (Quercus, Acer, Rhododendron and Carpinus) and scored herbivore's feeding activity every one or two weeks from April to June using leaf damage index. We found that the herbivory started early at the low elevation site (Piagol, ${\approx}300m$), and the highest feeding activity occurred at the mid elevation site (Siamjae, ${\approx}900m$). At the highest elevation site (Nogodan, ${\approx}1300m$), the herbivory started late, but the total feeding activity accumulated quickly. Compared to the breeding time of Varied tit, an insectivore bird, it was overlapped with the feeding activity period of herbivores, suggesting close interaction among plants, insects and birds in this deciduous forest. We suggested a need of long-term monitoring of this tri-trophic interaction since duration of herbivore activity can be changed followed by climate change.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.809-822
• /
• 1999

We consider the mathematical model of a resource-based autotroph-herbivore system where diffusion of nutrient within the soil is taken into account. We have derived the conditions for the existence of steady-state to the system and studied the stability and instability of the patially homogeneous case. Then we have introduced the diffusion term to the system and studied the qualitative behabviour of the spatially inhomogeneous case. Finally we have discussed the salient features of the analytical results giving also the ecological interpretations.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
• /
• v.19 no.1_2
• /
• pp.327-344
• /
• 2005

The first part of the paper deals with a brief introduction of the plant-herbivore model system along with deterministic analysis of local stability and Hopf-bifurcations. The second part consists of stability analysis of the limit cycle arising from Hopf-bifurcation and uniqueness of limit cycle. The third part deals with the study of global stability of the model system under consideration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.523-528
• /
• 2013

This study investigates the effects of three branched-chain amino acids (BCAA; valine, leucine, and isoleucine) on the in vitro ruminal fermentation of wheat straw using batch cultures of mixed ruminal microorganisms. BCAA were added to the buffered ruminal fluid at a concentration of 0, 2, 4, 7, or 10 mmol/L. After 72 h of anaerobic incubation, pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and ammonia nitrogen ($NH_3$-N) in the ruminal fluid were determined. Dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability were calculated after determining the DM and NDF in the original material and in the residue after incubation. The addition of valine, leucine, or isoleucine increased the total VFA yields ($p{\leq}0.001$). However, the total VFA yields did not increase with the increase of BCAA supplement level. Total branched-chain VFA yields linearly increased as the supplemental amount of BCAA increased (p<0.001). The molar proportions of acetate and propionate decreased, whereas that of butyrate increased with the addition of valine and isoleucine (p<0.05). Moreover, the proportions of propionate and butyrate decreased (p<0.01) with the addition of leucine. Meanwhile, the molar proportions of isobutyrate were increased and linearly decreased (p<0.001) by valine and leucine, respectively. The addition of leucine or isoleucine resulted in a linear (p<0.001) increase in the molar proportions of isovalerate. The degradability of NDF achieved the maximum when valine or isoleucine was added at 2 mmol/L. The results suggest that low concentrations of BCAA (2 mmol/L) allow more efficient regulation of ruminal fermentation in vitro, as indicated by higher VFA yield and NDF degradability. Therefore, the optimum initial dose of BCAA for in vitro ruminal fermentation is 2 mmol/L.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.33-40
• /
• 2010

In this study, the production of transgenic goats using sperm to integrate exogenous DNA and artificial insemination (AI) was carried out and the technical protocols for sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) in the goat were optimized. The standard sperm parameters and the ability to bind foreign genes were assessed to select suitable sperm donor bucks. A total of 134 oestrous does were divided into 4 groups and inseminated using different methods and sperm numbers. The does of Groups I to III were inseminated with fresh semen ($1-2\times10^{7}$ and $10^{6}$ sperm) or frozen-thawed semen ($10^{6}$ sperm), respectively, through conventional intra-cervical AI, and the does of Group IV with frozen-thawed semen ($10^{6}$ sperm) through intrauterine AI. Total genomic DNAs were extracted from ear biopsies of the offspring. The presence of $pEGFP-N_{1}$ DNA was screened by PCR and then by Southern blotting analysis. A total of 76 live kids were produced and 8 kids were tested transgene positive on the basis of agarose gel electrophoresis of the PCR-amplified fragment. Southern blotting analysis of the samples showed 5 positive kids. A transgenic ratio of 10.53% was detected using PCR and 6.58% using Southern blotting. The positive kid rate assayed by PCR and Southern blotting of frozen-thawed goat semen was 3.61% and 9.27% higher than that of untreated semen. The results show that transgenic goats can be produced efficiently by the method of artificial insemination using sperm cells to integrate the exogenous DNA and intrauterine insemination allowed low numbers of DNA-transfected spermatozoa to be used, with satisfactory fertility.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.143-151
• /
• 2021

Background: Plants are able to optimize defense responses induced by various herbivores, which have different feeding strategies. Local and systemic responses within a plant after herbivory are essential to modulate herbivore-specific plant responses. For instance, leaf-chewing herbivores elicit jasmonic acid signaling, which result in the inductions of toxic chemicals in the attacked leaf (tissue-specific responses) and also in the other unattacked parts of the plant (systemic responses). Root herbivory induces toxic metabolites in the attacked root and alters the levels of transcripts and metabolites in the unattacked shoot. However, we have little knowledge of the local and systemic responses against stem-boring herbivores. In this study, we examined the systemic changes in metabolites in the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata, when the stem-boring herbivore Trichobaris mucorea attacks. Results: To investigate the systemic responses of T. mucorea attacks, we measured the levels of jasmonic acid (JA), JA-dependent secondary metabolites, soluble sugars, and free amino acids in 7 distinct tissues of N. attenuata: leaf lamina with epidermis (LLE), leaf midrib (LM), stem epidermis (SE), stem pith (SP), stem vascular bundle (SV), root cortex with epidermis (RCE), and root vascular bundle (RV). The levels of JA were increased in all root tissues and in LM by T. mucorea attacks. The levels of chlorogenic acids (CGAs) and nicotine were increased in all stem tissues by T. mucorea. However, CGA was systematically induced in LM, and nicotine was systematically induced in LM and RCE. We further tested the resource allocation by measuring soluble sugars and free amino acids in plant tissues. T. mucorea attacks increased the level of free amino acids in all tissues except in LLE. The levels of soluble sugars were significantly decreased in SE and SP, but increased in RV. Conclusions: The results reveal that plants have local- and systemic-specific responses in response to attack from a stem-boring herbivore. Interestingly, the level of induced secondary metabolites was not consistent with the systemic inductions of JA. Spatiotemporal resolution of plant defense responses against stem herbivory will be required to understand how a plant copes with attack from herbivores from different feeding guilds.