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Maturity Groups (maturity + groups)
Selected AbstractsThe relationship between tiller appearance in spring and contribution to dry-matter yield in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars differing in heading dateGRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 2 2005A. S. Laidlaw Abstract The relative contribution of tillers present in April and those appearing in consecutive periods in spring was assessed for perennial ryegrass cultivars in the three maturity groups (early, intermediate- and late-heading). Each group was represented by two diploid and one tetraploid cultivar each in plots in their third (2000) and fourth (2001) harvest years in three replicated blocks receiving an average of 325 kg N ha,1 and cut seven (in 2001) or eight (in 2000) times annually. ,Main' tillers and their daughters were marked with colour-coded PVC-covered wire loops in early April as were daughters which appeared in consecutive periods between harvests, the loop colour identifying the period of origin of the tiller. Tillers were harvested at cutting height (5 cm) before the plots were harvested and the herbage from tillers with the same colour code bulked per plot. Tillers were identified retrospectively as ,reproductive' if they had been decapitated at the previous harvest. Dry-matter yield was higher in the early than late-heading cultivars in April and early May but this was reversed in harvests in late May and June. The early heading group had a lower lamina content than the late-heading group during reproduction growth, both due to the reproductive tillers (mainly those which overwintered) having a lower leaf content and to their being fewer and smaller vegetative tillers during the reproductive phase than for the late-heading group. Turnover of tillers was high in spring due to decapitation of reproductive tillers and rapid post-flowering tillering. This was particularly pronounced in the early heading group which also had slightly more tillers marked in April which were subsequently decapitated than in the other maturity groups, i.e. 0·56 compared with 0·44 for the late-maturing group. Mean ratios of rate of death: rate of tillering for 3 years (1999,2001) for the early and late-heading groups were 0·8 and 0·4, respectively, for April,May and 1·1 and 2·4, respectively, for June indicating the different patterns in tiller turnover for the two extreme maturity groups. Information on tiller origin and contribution to yield can be used to refine tiller-based grass growth models. [source] Ecological niche specialization inferred from morphological variation and otolith strontium of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus L. found within open lake systems of southern Baffin Island, Nunavut, CanadaJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2009T. N. Loewen The presence of two morphotypes of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus was confirmed via morphological variation and otolith strontium (Sr) within three open-lake systems of southern Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada: Qinngu (LH001), Iqalugaarjuit Lake (PG082) and Qasigiat (PG015). Analysis of otolith Sr indicates that a component of each S. alpinus population within lakes LH001 and PG082 is migratory (large,maturing S. alpinus), whereas another component is lake-resident (small,maturing S. alpinus). Alternatively, small and large maturing S. alpinus may both inhabit tidal habitats during their lifetime in lake PG015. Three morphological characters were identified by principal factor analysis (PFA) as characters that were different between maturity groups for all lakes studied: eye diameter, pectoral fin length and pelvic fin length. As well, upper jaw length (LH001 and PG082) and fork depth (PG015) were identified in PFA as traits that differed between morphs. Univariate tests of morphological characters identified by PFA demonstrated maturity group differences with the exception of eye diameter in Lake PG015 and upper jaw length and pelvic fin length in lake LH001. No difference was found in the MANOVA test of upper and lower gill raker number between small,maturing and undeveloped fish within all lakes studied. Clear morphological variation observed between small,maturing and undeveloped fish in all three lakes of the study suggests ecological niche separation between morphotypes. This is the first documented case of lake-resident S. alpinus use of the tidal habitat in the presence of a migratory large,maturing morphotype. [source] Association between growth, body condition and anti-predator behaviour in maturing and immature brown trout parrJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001J. Dannewit In spring there were significant differences between maturing and immature brown trout Salmo trutta in anti-predator behaviour to pike and heron models when all behaviours were combined in multivariate analysis. However, the time until the trout visited the patch in the experimental tray where predators attacked was the only variable that alone significantly differed between maturity groups; following transfer between the rearing tank and the experimental tray, maturing fish visited this patch sooner. The difference in anti-predator behaviour coincided with differences developing between the groups in both growth rate and condition factor. Maturing fish showed higher growth rates and exceeded immature fish in condition factor from spring onwards. In a summer experiment, no differences in anti-predator behaviour were observed between maturing and immature fish. It is concluded that increased risk-taking to facilitate higher food intake is probably the behavioural mechanism responsible for the comparatively greater increases in growth and body condition observed among maturing fish in spring. [source] Maturity-related differences in physical activity among 10- to 12-year-old girlsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Clemens Drenowatz Besides environmental and psycho-social factors explaining the variation in physical activity levels during adolescence, some evidence suggests that biological processes are involved in regulating habitual daily physical activity and energy expenditure. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of biological maturity status on physical activity. Chronological age, standing height, sitting height, and body mass were measured cross-sectionally in 268 girls, aged 9.5 to 11.5 years. Biological maturity groups (Early, Average, Late) were created according to estimated age at peak-height-velocity (estAPHV). Habitual physical activity was determined with a pedometer (Yamax Digiwalker SW-200) over a 7-day period. Differences in steps/day across maturity groups were examined by ANCOVA, controlling separately for time the pedometer was worn, leg length, and body mass. Mean pedometer steps/day was 10,822 ± 2,639. As expected, body size varied by maturity status (e.g., early > average > late). Significant maturity group differences were found with early maturing girls showing lower activity levels compared to average or late maturers. These differences remained after controlling for time the pedometer was worn and leg length; however, the differences were no longer significant when controlling for body mass. The results suggest that biological maturity status influences physical activity levels in girls between 10 and 12 years of age but the relationship is not independent of body mass. Further research is needed to establish the complex inter-relationships among adiposity, biological maturation, and energy expenditure during puberty. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||