Biological Sciences
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Vitellogenin expression corresponds with reproductive status and caste in a primitively eusocial bee, Lasioglossum laevissimum
(2020)Vitellogenin (vg) expression is consistently associated with variation in insect phenotypes, particularly egg-laying. Primitively eusocial species, such as eusocial sweat bees, have behaviourally totipotent castes, in which ... -
Variation among 532 genomes unveils the origin and evolutionary history of a global insect herbivore
(Nature, 2020-05-08)The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella is a cosmopolitan pest that has evolved resistance to all classes of insecticide, and costs the world economy an estimated US $4-5 billion annually. We analyse patterns of variation ... -
Strengthening our connection to nature and building citizens of the Earth
(UNESCO, 2020-01-28)The authors elaborate on the dangers of rampant consumerism and attempt to explain why most humans are disconnected from the realities of our depleting planet and are not taking action to instigate change to ensure a ... -
Activity analysis of thermal imaging videos using a difference imaging approach
(Elsevier, 2020-05-18)Infrared thermal imaging is a passive imaging technique that captures the emitted radiation from an object to estimate surface temperature, often for inference of heat transfer. Infrared thermal imaging offers the potential ... -
Thermal Imaging and Physiological Analysis of Cold-Climate Caribou-Skin Clothing
(Arctic Institute of North America, 2019-11-05)Protective clothing is essential for human existence in the Arctic, and caribou-skin clothing has played a pivotal role for millennia. Although people with northern experience often extol caribou-skin clothing, few scientific ... -
Development of homeothermic endothermy is delayed in high-altitude native deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus)
(The Royal Society Publishing, 2019-06-28)Altricial mammals begin to independently thermoregulate during the firstfew weeks of postnatal development. In wild rodent populations, this isalso a time of high mortality (50–95%), making the physiological systemsthat ... -
A Long-Term Study on Massasaugas (Sistrurus catenatus) Inhabiting a Partially Mined Peatland: A Standardized Method to Characterize Snake Overwintering Habitat
(Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, 2020-05-15)Temperate snakes occupy overwintering sites for most of their annual life cycle. Microhabitat characteristics of the hibernaculum are largely undescribed, yet are paramount in ensuring snake overwintering survival. We ... -
An oversimplification of physiological principles leads to flawed macroecological analyses
(Wiley, 2019-09-15)EDITORIAL -
Molecular Characterization and the Function of Argonaute3 in RNAi Pathway of Plutella xylostella
(MDPI, 2018-04-01)Argonaute (Ago) protein family plays a key role in the RNA interference (RNAi) process in different insects including Lepidopteran. However, the role of Ago proteins in the RNAi pathway of Plutella xylostella is still ... -
Use of biological control against arthropod pests in Canadian greenhouse crop production
(2018-10-02)Greenhouse horticultural production currently represents an important and growing sector of Canada's food and plant production systems. Since 2006, the value of greenhouse vegetable crops in Canada exceeds that of field ... -
CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Vitellogenin Receptor Knockout Leads to Functional Deficiency in the Reproductive Development of Plutella xylostella
(Frontiers Media, 2020)The vitellogenin receptor (VgR) belongs to the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene superfamily and plays an indispensable role in Vg transport, yolk deposition, and oocyte development. For this reason, it has ... -
Gut Microbiota Mediate Insecticide Resistance in the Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (L.)
(Frontiers Research Foundation, 2018-01-23)The development of insecticide resistance in insect pests is a worldwide concern and elucidating the underlying mechanisms is critical for effective crop protection. Recent studies have indicated potential links between ... -
Identification of Halloween Genes and RNA Interference-Mediated Functional Characterization of a Halloween Gene shadow in Plutella xylostella
(Frontiers Media, 2019)Ecdysteroids play an essential role in controlling insect development and reproduction. Their pathway is regulated by a group of enzymes called Halloween gene proteins. The relationship between the Halloween genes and ... -
Impacts of Smooth Pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus) on Cover Crops in Southern Ontario
(MDPI, 2020-04-08)Amaranthushybridus is anoxious weed in Ontario, with demonstrated allelopathic properties that can lead to decreased agricultural production. We tested the germination and growth of five cover crop species exposed to A. ... -
Investigating queen influence on worker behaviour using comparisons of queenless and queenright workers (Supplimentary Material)
(Springer, 2018-04-16)Female eusocial sweat bees are capable of behaving as queens or workers. Relatively few females become queens, and those that do can directly manipulate the reproductive behaviour of other females in the nest. We collected ... -
Evaporative cooling and vasodilation mediate thermoregulation in naked mole-rats during normoxia but not hypoxia
(2019)Naked mole-rats are among the most hypoxia-tolerant mammals but have a poor thermoregulatory capacity due to their lack of insulating fur and fat, and small body size. In acute hypoxia, naked mole-rat body temperature (Tb) ... -
Identification of a lipid-rich depot in the orbital cavity of the 13-lined ground squirrel
(Company of Biologists, 2019-01-24)We discovered a previously undescribed orbital lipid depot in the 13-lined ground squirrel during the first ever magnetic resonance image (MRI) of this common experimental model of mammalian hibernation. In animals housed ... -
Cassowary casques act as thermal windows
(Nature Publishing Group, 2019-02-13)Many ideas have been put forward for the adaptive value of the cassowary casque; and yet, its purpose remains speculative. Homeothermic animals elevate body temperature through metabolic heat production. Heat gain must be ... -
Tortoises develop and overcome position biases in a reversal learning task
(Springer-Nature, 2019-02-01)The capability of animals to alter their behaviour in response to novel or familiar stimuli, or behavioural flexibility, is strongly associated with their ability to learn in novel environments. Reptiles are capable of ... -
Dataset to accompany manuscript "Tortoises develop and overcome position biases in a reversal learning task
(Springer, 2019)The capability of animals to alter their behaviour in response to novel or familiar stimuli, or behavioural flexibility, is strongly associated with their ability to learn in novel environments. Reptiles are capable of ...