Available data on karyotypes of the mammals from Turkey and neighbouring regions (the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Middle East) were summarized and reviewed in respect of their implications to taxonomy and systematics. In this review, previously unpublished data are presented in 20 species. Terrestrial mammals were taken into consideration, both the native and introduced. Altogether, 156 species occurring in the region concerned were included. The karyotype was studied in 109 of these species in Turkey,
in most other species data are available from other geographic regions, and only three species remain unstudied cytogenetically. Intraspecific chromosomal variation (polymorphism or polytypy) was reported in 22 species. A karyotype different from the findings made in other regions was reported in Turkish populations of 17 species. Possible future directions of the cytogenetic investigations of mammals in the region are proposed.
A field experiment involving two planting densities (83,333 and 166,666 plants per ha), two cropping systems (monoculture and mixed culture) and five cowpea [Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp.)] genotypes was conducted at Nietvoorbij (33°54S, 18°14E), Stellenbosch, South Africa, to select cowpea material with superior growth and water-use efficiency (WUE). The results showed significantly higher photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance and transpiration in leaves of plants at low density and in monoculture due to greater chlorophyll (Chl) levels relative to those at high density and in mixed culture. As a result, C concentration in leaves and the amount of C, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and B accumulated in shoots at low density and under monoculture were also much higher. Even though no marked differences in photosynthetic rates were found between and among the five cowpea genotypes, leaf C concentration and shoot C, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and B contents differed considerably, with Sanzie exhibiting the highest C concentration and C, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and B contents in shoots, followed by Bensogla and Omondaw, while ITH98-46 and TVu1509 had the lowest shoot concentration and contents of C, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, and B. WUE (calculated as photosynthate produced per unit water molecule transpired) was significantly greater in plants at low density and monoculture relative to those at high density and in mixed culture. Isotopic analysis revealed significant differences in δ13C values of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench.)] and cowpea, with higher δ13C values being obtained for plants at low density and in monoculture relative to those at high density or in mixed culture. The five cowpea genotypes also showed significant differences in δ13C values, with Sanzie exhibiting the most negative value (i.e. low WUE) and ITH98-46, the least negative δ13C value (i.e. high WUE). Whether measured isotopically or from gas-exchange studies, sorghum (a C4 species) exhibited much higher WUE relative to cowpea (a C3 species). Both correlation and regression analyses revealed a positive relationship between WUE from gas-exchange studies and δ13C values from isotopic analysis of cowpea and sorghum shoots. and J. H. J. R. Makoi, S. B. M. Chimphango, F. D. Dakora
This study investigates the origin of the Aristotelian doctrine of the identity of the knower and the known in the context of the system of Thomas Aquinas. The author takes the view that this doctrine is central to Aquinas’ theory of knowledge and specific to his theory of intentional forms species. The aim is to present and motivate an interpretation of the identity of knower and known as numerical identity, while calling into question the traditional understanding of this identity as formal.
One of the effective ways to address the effects of abnormal climate change on plant is to find germplasms that have better resistance to adverse environments. In this paper, we studied the responses of 5 pepper species Capsicum annuum L. (CA), C. baccatum L. (CB), C. chinense Jacquin. (CC), C. frutescens L. (CF) and C. pubescens Ruiz & Pavon (CP) as well as a wild pepper C. baccatum var. baccatum (CBY) to waterlogging stress. The results showed that warterlogging treatment greatly decreases photosynthetic pigment content, net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs), and dramatically increases proline content and water-use efficiency (WUE) in all tested pepper, suggesting that pepper has weak resistance to waterlogging stress. The results also showed that changes of the above parameters vary in different species. CP had the smallest decreases in photosynthetic pigment content, PN, and gs and greatest increases in proline content and WUE. By contrast, CC had the greatest decreases in photosynthetic pigment content, P N, and gs and smallest increases in proline content and WUE, indicating that different species had different resistance to adverse environment and species CP and CC had the strongest and the weakest resistances, respectively. In addition, the study also demonstrated that wild pepper CBY had better resistance to adverse environment than all the tested species, indicating loss of the stress resistance genes during the process of domestication. Taking together, our study strongly suggests that pepper species should crossbreed with other species and wild pepper to expand genetic diversity, enlarge genetic distance, promote production, and improve the resistance to adverse environments. and L. J. Ou ... [et al.].
The article addresses the problem of nature of species which could be reduced to the question: Are species classes (universals) or individuals (particular things)? Reflecting on the discussion between traditionalist (e.g. Kitts and Kitts, Ruse) and proponents of a radical solution (Ghiselin, Hull) - by way of the S-A-I thesis (Species As Individuals) - we concentrate on the third possibility under which species are viewed as a hybrid category such as a ''complex particular,'' ''individualized class'' or ''event-entities'' (Supe, Ruse). My argument centers on an interchangeability of parts, and it concludes that we must distinguish three types of relation between parts and wholes: constructivist, emergent and reproductive. Thanks to this differentiation, I tend to view species as individuals, but not in the usual constructivist or emergent sense. In order to do justice to the individual character of species, a special logico-ontological structure or type-which I propose to call ''reproductive type''-needs to be devised. and Vladimír Havlík
Ačkoliv patří život a otázky spojené s jeho definicí k tradičním filozofickým tématům, na počátku jednadvacátého století a po zhruba dvou a půl tisíci letech filozofické tradice není k dispozici uspokojivá definice života. Obtíže spojené s definováním života neprovází pouze filozofii, ale všechny obory, kterých se téma života týká. Příčiny tohoto stavu lze vnímat jako kombinaci několika komplementárně spojených skutečností. V textu jsou uvedeny jako důvody pro nemožnost vytvoření univerzální definice života. Postupně se věnují problematice původu života a postulované hranici mezi živým a neživým, vývoji života a jeho různorodosti, mnohostem přístupů k definování života a neustávajícím objevům nových organismů, filozofické tradici a nejasnosti používaných pojmů, vývoji života jako historickému procesu, kritice definic života z pohledu "jednoho vzorku" a reflexi pojmu život konceptuální analýzou. Zdůrazněny tak jsou filozofická tradice, otázky spojené s životem a jeho vybranými definicemi, aktuální poznatky a výzkumy věnující se životu, stejně tak možný přínos filozofie ke snahám nalézt definici života jako takovou. Východiskem předkládaného textu je naturalismus, fyzikalismus a redukcionismus. and Although life and questions connected with its definition among traditional philosophical topics, at the beginning of the twenty-first century and after roughly two and a half thousand years of philosophical tradition no satisfactory definition of life is at one's disposal. Though difficulties bond up with life definition don't accompany philosophy alone, but also almost all fields touched by this topic. Causes of this state of affairs can be viewed as a combination of several complementary connected facts. Those facts are in the text stated as reasons against the possibility of creating universal definition of life and apply here one by one to the origin of life a postulated boarder line between life and nonlife, evolution of life and its variedness, multiplicity of definitions of life and still going discoveries of new organisms, philosophical tradition and lack of clarity of concepts, evolution of life as a historical process, critique of definitions of life from the point of view of "sample one" and reflection of the concept life by conceptual analysis. Particular sources are about to be analyzed from the point of philosophy of biology with care for philosophical tradition, to questions linked with life and its selected definitions, to actual findings and explorations focused on life and possible contribution of philosophy to the endeavor of finding definition of life as such. Ground of proposed text is naturalism, physicalism and reductionism.
This paper presents a revision of the genus Dyscia Hübner, [1825] (Lepidoptera, Geometridae: Ennominae). Examination of types and additional material for most described taxa has resulted in several new synonyms: Dyscia ilivolans Wehrli, 1953 syn. n. and Dyscia duanjiao Yang, 1978 syn. n. are new synonyms of Dyscia fagaria (Thunberg, 1784); Dyscia karsholti Wiltshire, 1991 syn. n. is a new synonym of Dyscia galactaria Turati, 1934; Dyscia dagestana Wehrli, 1934 syn. n. is a new synonym of Dyscia malatyana Wehrli, 1934, and Dyscia rjabovi Wardikjan, 1957 syn. n. is a new synonym of Dyscia negrama Wehrli, 1953. One taxon, formerly treated as a species is reassigned to subspecific level, Dyscia conspersaria ssp. sultanica Wehrli, 1936 stat. rev. Dyscia innocentaria sicanaria (Oberthür, 1923) stat. n. and Dyscia malatyana senecai Wiltshire, 1990 stat. n. are downgraded to subspecies-level. On subspecies-level, Dyscia distinctaria perdistincta Herbulot, 1957 syn. n. is a new synonym of Dyscia distinctaria (Bang-Haas, 1910), Dyscia fagaria alvarensis Wahlgren, 1913 syn. n., Dyscia fagaria albescens Lempke, 1952 syn. n., Dyscia fagaria fusca Lempke, 1952 syn. n., and Dyscia fagaria postdelineata Lempke, 1952 syn. n. are new synonyms of Dyscia fagaria. Dyscia fagaria psoricaria (Eversmann, 1848) syn. n. is a new synonym of Dyscia fagaria favillacearia (Hübner, [1799]), Dyscia holli duponti Thierry-Mieg, 1910 syn. n. is a new synonym of Dyscia holli (Oberthür, 1910), Dyscia malatyana nachadira Brandt, 1941 syn. n. and Dyscia malatyana theodoraria Warnecke, 1941 syn. n. are new synonyms of Dyscia malatyana albersaria Warnecke, 1940 stat. n., and Dyscia penulataria naevata Wehrli, 1953 syn. n. is a new synonym of Dyscia penulataria (Hübner, [1819]). Lectotypes for 22 taxa and neotypes for three taxa - Geometra conspersaria [Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775, Geometra favillacearia Hübner, [1799], and Geometra emucidaria Hübner, [1813] - are designated. One species is excluded from Dyscia, Thysanopyga serena (Dognin, 1906) comb. n. From a total of 72 previously described taxa, 19 are recognized as species.