Publications by authors named "Tamara Osborne-Naikatini"
In recent years, the insect microbiome has become the focus of many actinomycete researchers in their search for novel bioactive compounds with members of the order Hymenoptera at the forefront of the revolution. Hymenoptera encompasses all bees, wasps, ants, and sawflies and is the third largest insect order by species richness. Additionally, Hymenoptera is the most diverse insect order in terms of ecological roles, behaviors, and social systems, thus making it an ideal starting point in the search for symbiotic actinomycetes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIsolation, characterization and screening of actinomycetes associated with fijian ant-plant symbioses.
Microbiology (Reading)
November 2023
In the search for novel therapeutics to combat the ongoing antimicrobial resistance crisis, scientists are turning to underexplored environments. Defensive mutualisms between hymenopteran insects and actinomycetes represent important reservoirs for bioactive compounds. In this study, we examined the association between actinomycetes and ant-plants spanning three different ant and plant species combinations (, and ).
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- - Systematic assessments of species extinction risk are crucial for effective conservation, and the second Global Amphibian Assessment evaluated over 8,000 species for their threat levels.
- - Amphibians are the most at-risk vertebrates, with 40.7% of species globally threatened, and their status has worsened since previous assessments, especially in salamanders and the Neotropics.
- - The major threats contributing to declining amphibian populations include disease, habitat loss, and increasing impacts from climate change, highlighting the urgent need for more conservation funding and initiatives to reverse negative trends.
Nesobasis brachycerca Tillyard, 1924 specimens have been sampled during the course of an ongoing PhD study investigating the utility of Odonata individuals for assessing the conservation importance of the Fijian freshwater resources. Material was analysed and compared to all published records on this taxon. We here provide the first morphological description (by supposition) of the female of N.
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- Coastal ecosystems play a crucial yet underexplored role in supporting coral reef health, particularly for species like sea kraits that rely on both marine and terrestrial habitats.
- Research on a Fiji atoll indicates that specific microhabitats within coastal forests, influenced by factors like canopy cover and proximity to the high-water mark, are essential for the behavior and survival of Yellow Lipped Sea Kraits.
- The study emphasizes the need for integrated land-sea management and highlights the significance of coastal forests in biodiversity conservation, advocating for a holistic approach to conservation that considers the connections between different ecosystems.