Laboratory studies indicate global warming may cause changes in locomotor performance directly relevant for fitness and dispersal. Yet, this remains to be tested under seminatural settings, and the connection with warming-induced alterations in the underlying traits has been rarely studied. In an outdoor mesocosm experiment with the damselfly , 4°C warming in the larval stage decreased the flight muscle mass, which correlated with a lower flight endurance. Warming did not affect body mass, size or wing morphology. This illustrates how carry-over effects of warming under seminatural conditions during early development bridge metamorphosis and negatively impact locomotor performance through changes in a key flight-related trait.
Natural products endowed of biological activity represent a primary source of commodities ranging from nutrition to therapeutic agents, as well as cosmetic tools and recreational principles. These natural means have been used by mankind for centuries, if not millennia. They are commonly used all over the world in socio-economical contexts, but are particularly attractive in disadvantaged areas or economically emerging situations all over the world. This is very likely due to the relatively easy recovery of these bioactive principles from the environment, at a low if any cost, as well as ease of administration and the general popular compliance concerning their consumption/ingestion. In this concise review, we focus on some popular bioactive principles of botanical origin which find a wide use in the Madagascan populations. However, due to space limitations, only some of the most common and largely diffused principles in this country are considered. Finally, a possible nanotechnological administration is discussed in the case where a potential therapeutic usage is envisaged.
The aim of this research is to know the degree of reliability of the classification method based on molecular studies versus those based on the morphological characters. The hypothesis is as follows: the results from these two methods would be different. Eleven species belonging to the three genera of endemic Cichlids emerge from the genetic study using a mitochondrial DNA fragment COI, and four of which are new species for Science: Paratilapia sp. Nosy Be, Paratilapia sp. smallspots Est, Ptychochromis sp. Nosy be and Paretroplus sp. Lokoho. Morphological studies of 45 characters from 42 specimens did not correctly classify the three genera. Molecular systematics is thus a more reliable and informative method for studying the evolution of a given taxon and the link between its members.
This study contributes to relevant information on the value of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems in the rainforest of Madagascar. Freshwater biodiversity provides multiple invaluable benefits to human life through their ecosystem services. This paper is a synthesis of two research studies. The first study took place at Andasibe rain forest in the eastern cost of Madagascar and the second research was in the Antenina forest which is a tropical rainforest located in the Highlands, in the Vakinankaratra region. Forests streams were characterized by the high diversity (Shannon Index: from 12 to 15). 66 taxa were identified in the eastern cost of Madagascar, and 46 taxa in the highlands area. So, freshwater fauna Predators are dominant like Odonata who contribute to the control of the density and dynamics of prey such as malaria mosquitoes. The filter feeders purify the water in the freshwater ecosystem while the collectors eat the organic particles in suspension. Therefore, they recover organic matter from erosion. Shredders and grazers feed on detritus and coarse particles. These feeding groups play important roles in the flow of matter and nutrients cycling and are part of the regulating and support ecosystem services. Aquatic organisms are mostly edible including freshwater fishes, crustaceans, crabs, shrimps and some families of insects such as the Oligoneuriidae of Ephemeroptera. In this sense, they provide procurement services. Both rain forest protected park in the eastern cost and the highlands provide a socio-cultural service as it serves as a recreation area and cultural identity for the local population.
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