More diverse data on animal ecology are now available.This“data deluge”presents challenges for both biologists and computer scientists;however,it also creates opportunities to improve analysis and answer more holist...More diverse data on animal ecology are now available.This“data deluge”presents challenges for both biologists and computer scientists;however,it also creates opportunities to improve analysis and answer more holistic research questions.We aim to increase awareness of the current opportunity for interdisciplinary research between animal ecology researchers and computer scientists.Immersive analytics(IA)is an emerging research field in which investigations are performed into how immersive technologies,such as large display walls and virtual reality and augmented reality devices,can be used to improve data analysis,outcomes,and communication.These investigations have the potential to reduce the analysis effort and widen the range of questions that can be addressed.We propose that biologists and computer scientists combine their efforts to lay the foundation for IA in animal ecology research.We discuss the potential and the challenges and outline a path toward a structured approach.We imagine that a joint effort would combine the strengths and expertise of both communities,leading to a well-defined research agenda and design space,practical guidelines,robust and reusable software frameworks,reduced analysis effort,and better comparability of results.展开更多
Ecological animal husbandry is an animal husbandry industry system integrating ecological benefit, economic benefit and social benefit. Breeding cycle is one of the main patterns of ecological animal husbandry develop...Ecological animal husbandry is an animal husbandry industry system integrating ecological benefit, economic benefit and social benefit. Breeding cycle is one of the main patterns of ecological animal husbandry development, but breeding cycle does not form a relatively closed cycle of endogenous resources. In recent years, forage value and ecological value of mulberry have made some progresses in different research areas and angles, but the thought and practice of both forage and ecological value of mulberry has not been systematically interpreted and researched. Based on the short board of animal husbandry development and the advan- tage of mulberry, animal husbandry and mulberry were complemented and fused, and relatively closed planting and raising ecological recycling pattern with mulberry as the axis was raised. Phased scientific research and production test data were obtained, and the problems and development suggestions were put forward in the following aspects ： selection of mulberry varieties with both forage and ecological value, cost control of mulberry with both forage and ecological value, quality and safety control system of forage mulberry, orientation of feeding value of forage mulberry.展开更多
You are what you eat (diet) and where you eat (trophic level) in the food web. The relative abundance of pairs of stable isotopes of the organic elements carbon (e.g., the isotope ratio of <sup>13</sup>C v...You are what you eat (diet) and where you eat (trophic level) in the food web. The relative abundance of pairs of stable isotopes of the organic elements carbon (e.g., the isotope ratio of <sup>13</sup>C vs<sup> 12</sup>C), nitrogen, and sulfur, among others, in the tissues of a consumer reflects a weighted-average of the isotope ratios in the sources it consumes, after some corrections for the processes of digestion and assimilation. We extended a Bayesian mixing model to infer trophic positions of consumer organisms in a food web in addition to the degree to which distinct resource pools (diet sources) support consumers. The novel features in this work include: 1) trophic level estimation (vertical position in foodweb) and 2) the Bayesian exposition of a biologically realistic model [1] including stable isotope ratios and concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, isotopic fractionations, elemental assimilation efficiencies, as well as extensive use of prior information. We discuss issues of parameter identifiability in the complex and most realistic model. We apply our model to simulated data and to bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) feeding on several numerically abundant fish species, which in turn feed on other fish and primary producing plants and algae present in St. George Sound, FL, USA. Finally, we discuss extensions from other work that apply to this model and three important general ecological applications. Online supplementary materials include data, OpenBUGS scripts, and simulation details.展开更多
Since the birth of the first cloned sheep,somatic cell nuclear transfer technology has been successfully used to clone a variety of mammals.Cloned livestock have no apparent health risks,and the quality and safety of ...Since the birth of the first cloned sheep,somatic cell nuclear transfer technology has been successfully used to clone a variety of mammals.Cloned livestock have no apparent health risks,and the quality and safety of the cloned animal products are similar to non-cloned animals.The social behavior and environmental adaptability of postnatal cloned animals,especially when used for grassland farm production purposes,is unknown.In the present study,the cloned Dorper sheep equipped with GPS location devices were free-grazed in a harsh natural environment similar to conditions commonly experienced by Mongolian sheep.The main findings of this research were as follows.(1)Under free-grazing conditions,the cloned sheep showed excellent climatic and ecological adaptability.In extreme temperature conditions ranging from–30 to 40°C,the cloned sheep maintained acceptable body condition and behaved as other sheep.(2)The cloned sheep quickly adapted from a herd feeding strategy to the harsh environment and quickly exhibited a grazing regimen as other free-grazing sheep.(3)The cloned sheep exhibited free-grazing patterns and social behavior as other sheep.(4)The cloned sheep in the harsh environment thrived and produced healthy lambs.Overall,the cloned Dorper sheep exhibited excellent ecological adaptation,which is an important consideration for breeding meat sheep by cloning.The Dorper sheep readily adapted to the free-grazing conditions on the Mongolian plateau grassland,which attests to their ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions.展开更多
文摘More diverse data on animal ecology are now available.This“data deluge”presents challenges for both biologists and computer scientists;however,it also creates opportunities to improve analysis and answer more holistic research questions.We aim to increase awareness of the current opportunity for interdisciplinary research between animal ecology researchers and computer scientists.Immersive analytics(IA)is an emerging research field in which investigations are performed into how immersive technologies,such as large display walls and virtual reality and augmented reality devices,can be used to improve data analysis,outcomes,and communication.These investigations have the potential to reduce the analysis effort and widen the range of questions that can be addressed.We propose that biologists and computer scientists combine their efforts to lay the foundation for IA in animal ecology research.We discuss the potential and the challenges and outline a path toward a structured approach.We imagine that a joint effort would combine the strengths and expertise of both communities,leading to a well-defined research agenda and design space,practical guidelines,robust and reusable software frameworks,reduced analysis effort,and better comparability of results.
基金Supported by Agricultural Finance Project of Chongqing Agriculture Committee(15403)
文摘Ecological animal husbandry is an animal husbandry industry system integrating ecological benefit, economic benefit and social benefit. Breeding cycle is one of the main patterns of ecological animal husbandry development, but breeding cycle does not form a relatively closed cycle of endogenous resources. In recent years, forage value and ecological value of mulberry have made some progresses in different research areas and angles, but the thought and practice of both forage and ecological value of mulberry has not been systematically interpreted and researched. Based on the short board of animal husbandry development and the advan- tage of mulberry, animal husbandry and mulberry were complemented and fused, and relatively closed planting and raising ecological recycling pattern with mulberry as the axis was raised. Phased scientific research and production test data were obtained, and the problems and development suggestions were put forward in the following aspects ： selection of mulberry varieties with both forage and ecological value, cost control of mulberry with both forage and ecological value, quality and safety control system of forage mulberry, orientation of feeding value of forage mulberry.
文摘You are what you eat (diet) and where you eat (trophic level) in the food web. The relative abundance of pairs of stable isotopes of the organic elements carbon (e.g., the isotope ratio of <sup>13</sup>C vs<sup> 12</sup>C), nitrogen, and sulfur, among others, in the tissues of a consumer reflects a weighted-average of the isotope ratios in the sources it consumes, after some corrections for the processes of digestion and assimilation. We extended a Bayesian mixing model to infer trophic positions of consumer organisms in a food web in addition to the degree to which distinct resource pools (diet sources) support consumers. The novel features in this work include: 1) trophic level estimation (vertical position in foodweb) and 2) the Bayesian exposition of a biologically realistic model [1] including stable isotope ratios and concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, isotopic fractionations, elemental assimilation efficiencies, as well as extensive use of prior information. We discuss issues of parameter identifiability in the complex and most realistic model. We apply our model to simulated data and to bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) feeding on several numerically abundant fish species, which in turn feed on other fish and primary producing plants and algae present in St. George Sound, FL, USA. Finally, we discuss extensions from other work that apply to this model and three important general ecological applications. Online supplementary materials include data, OpenBUGS scripts, and simulation details.
基金This study was supported by the Basic Research Program of China(2012CB22306)the Integration and Application of Grassland Ecological Animal Husbandry Program of Inner Mongolia.
文摘Since the birth of the first cloned sheep,somatic cell nuclear transfer technology has been successfully used to clone a variety of mammals.Cloned livestock have no apparent health risks,and the quality and safety of the cloned animal products are similar to non-cloned animals.The social behavior and environmental adaptability of postnatal cloned animals,especially when used for grassland farm production purposes,is unknown.In the present study,the cloned Dorper sheep equipped with GPS location devices were free-grazed in a harsh natural environment similar to conditions commonly experienced by Mongolian sheep.The main findings of this research were as follows.(1)Under free-grazing conditions,the cloned sheep showed excellent climatic and ecological adaptability.In extreme temperature conditions ranging from–30 to 40°C,the cloned sheep maintained acceptable body condition and behaved as other sheep.(2)The cloned sheep quickly adapted from a herd feeding strategy to the harsh environment and quickly exhibited a grazing regimen as other free-grazing sheep.(3)The cloned sheep exhibited free-grazing patterns and social behavior as other sheep.(4)The cloned sheep in the harsh environment thrived and produced healthy lambs.Overall,the cloned Dorper sheep exhibited excellent ecological adaptation,which is an important consideration for breeding meat sheep by cloning.The Dorper sheep readily adapted to the free-grazing conditions on the Mongolian plateau grassland,which attests to their ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions.
