The effect of passage ofNajas marina L. seeds through the digestive system of the common mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) on their germinability was investigated. Most of the seeds (∼70%), which were consumed by the birds were digested. However, germination of the remaining seeds was remarkably improved. Germination of seeds whose seed coats were mechanically cracked was also higher than that of the controls and equalled the germination percentage of the mallard-treated seeds. Seeds ofNajas are retained in the diegestive tracts of mallards for over 10 hours. Thus, as mallards are strong flyers, the seeds ofNajas may be distributed over long distances.
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Sci Total Environ
January 2025
Wildlife Health Lab, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, 240 Farrier Rd, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Electronic address:
Waterfowl serve as indicators of ecosystem health and represent a pathway of contaminant exposure for hunters who consume them. In the northeast Atlantic Flyway, data on baseline contaminant loads in waterfowl are lacking. We assessed five species of commonly harvested (and consumed) waterfowl for mercury, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiology (Basel)
November 2024
Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa 13133, Jordan.
The role of the yolk sac membrane (YSM) and digestive tract in the processing of egg yolk proteins during embryogenesis is unexplored in the duck . Here, we investigated in the duck embryo the function of the YSM, proventriculus, and small intestine in protein digestion and uptake. We tested the expression of aminopeptidase N () and the oligopeptide transporter as well as the expression of cathepsin B () and cathepsin D () lysosomal genes in the YSM during incubation days 12, 14, 16-18, 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28 (the day of hatch).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnimal
November 2024
Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Bioprocess Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China. Electronic address:
The domestication of ducks represents a pivotal evolutionary shift from the unguided propagation of wild species to deliberate human-mediated selection, culminating in distinct behavioural, morphological, and physiological traits that differentiate domesticated ducks from their wild counterparts. This transition has yielded breeds with traits fine-tuned to specific economic roles, such as egg production, meat yield, or dual-purpose functionality. Duck domestication plays a significant role in poultry production globally, meeting the growing demand for eggs and meat in various regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntrogressive hybridization, the interbreeding and gene flow between different species, has become increasingly common in the Anthropocene, where human-induced ecological changes and the introduction of captively reared individuals are increasing secondary contact among closely related species, leading to gene flow between wild and domesticated lineages. As a result, domesticated-wild hybridization may potentially affect individual fitness, leading to maladaptive effects such as shifts in behavior or life-history decisions (e.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii
November 2024
Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia.
Galliformes and Anseriformes are two branches of the Galloanserae group, basal to other Neognathae. In contrast to Galliformes, Anseriformes have not been thoroughly researched by cytogenetic methods. This report is focused on representatives of Anseriformes and the evolution of their chromosome sets.
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