The Buffalo Genome and the Application of Genomics in Animal Management and Improvement

The publication of the human genome sequence in 2001 was a major step forward in knowledge necessary to understand the variations between individuals. For farmed species, genomic sequence information will facilitate the selection of animals optimised to live, and be productive, in particular environments. The availability of cattle genome sequence has allowed the breeding industry to take the first steps towards predicting phenotypes from genotypes by estimating a genomic breeding value (gEBV) for bulls using genome-wide DNA markers. The sequencing of the buffalo genome and creation of a panel of DNA markers has created the opportunity to apply molecular selection approaches for this species.The genomes of several buffalo of different breeds were sequenced and aligned with the bovine genome, which facilitated the identification of millions of sequence variants in the buffalo genomes. Based on frequencies of variants within and among buffalo breeds, and their distribution across the genome compared with the bovine genome, 90,000 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were selected to create an Axiom (R) Buffalo Genotyping Array 90K. This SNP Chip was tested in buffalo populations from Italy and Brazil and found to have at least 75% high quality and polymorphic markers in these populations. The 90K SNP chip was then used to investigate the structure of buffalo populations, and to localise the variations having a major effect on milk production.

Ecological relevance of sentinels' biomarker responses: A multi-level approach

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Latitudinal gradients in intraspecific ecological diversity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Support area as an indicator of environmental load: Comparison between Embodied Energy, Ecological Footprint, and Emergy Accounting methods

Environmental aspects have been acknowledged as an important issue in decision making at any field during the last two decades. There are several available methodologies able to assess the environmental burden, among which the Ecological Footprint has been widely used due to its easy-to-understand final indicator. However, its theoretical base has been target of some criticisms about the inadequate representation of the sustainability concept by its final indicator. In a parallel way, efforts have been made to use the theoretical strength of the Emergy Accounting to obtain an index similar to that supplied by the Ecological Footprint. Focusing on these aspects, this work assesses the support area (SA) index for Brazilian sugarcane and American corn crop through four different approaches: Embodied Energy Analysis (SA(EE)), Ecological Footprint (SA(EF)), Renewable Empower Density (SA(R)), and Emergy Net Primary Productivity (SA(NPP)). Results indicate that the load on environment varies accordingly to the methodology considered for its calculation, in which emergy approach showed the higher values. Focusing on crops comparison, the load by producing both crops are similar with an average of 0.04 ha obtained by SA(EE), 1.86 ha by SA(EF), 4.24 ha by SA(R), and 4.32 ha by SA(NPP). Discussion indicates that support area calculated using Emergy Accounting is more eligible to represent the load on the environment due to its global scale view. Nevertheless, each methodology has its contribution depending of the study objectives, but it is important to consider the real meaning and the scope of each one. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis between a PEM fuel cell and an internal combustion engine driving an electricity generator: Technical, economical and ecological aspects

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Frugivory and seed dispersal by tapirs: an insight on their ecological role

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Disentangling the Phylogenetic and Ecological Components of Spider Phenotypic Variation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ecological efficiency in glycerol combustion

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Distribution of Brazilian dermatologists according to geographic location, population and HDI of municipalities: an ecological study

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ecological competition and the incidence of Acinetobacter baumannii bloodstream infections in a teaching hospital in Southeastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reconstructing past ecological networks: the reconfiguration of seed-dispersal interactions after megafaunal extinction

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Oocyte maturation in the sloth's giant tick Amblyomma varium (Acari: Ixodidae) in an ecological context

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The development of genomics applied to dairy breeding

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Using ecological thresholds to evaluate the costs and benefits of set-asides in a biodiversity hotspot

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

ECOLOGICAL MODELING OF TALITROIDES TOPITOTUM (CRUSTACEA: AMPHIPODA)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)