Numerous interactions between plants and animals vary in their outcome predation mutualism. Depending on the costs benefits, relationship is placed at one end of scale or other. A thin line separates both interactions. Acorn consumption by rodent species has been considered a relationship. Rodents consume acorns, which cost to oaks as they are prevented from colonizing new places. The aim this ...

We used 21 years of acorn data from visual surveys of oak (Quercus spp.) trees (n 1⁄4 20,113) conducted in western North Carolina, USA, to develop predictive equations for hard-mast indices (HMIs) based on the proportion of trees bearing acorns (PBA). We calculated PBA using visual estimates of the percentage of oak crown with acorns (PCA), assigning acorn presence if PCA 33.5%. The proportion ...

Regarding the nutritional value and availability of acorns in west and southwest of Iran, the effects of partial substitution of wheat flour with acorn flour was investigated. Wheat flour was replaced by treated acorn flour in the formulation of sponge cake and the quality characteristics were evaluated. Density of cakes was increased with increasing the acorn flour. As the substitution degree ...

Research into human-environment interaction in California prehistory often focuses on either the internal dynamics of adaptive decisions or the external impacts of environmental change. While both processes were surely driving prehistoric variability, integrating these approaches is not altogether straightforward. Here we outline an inclusive approach examining the exploitation of acorn habitat...

Animals eat different foods in proportions that yield a more favorable balance of nutrients. Despite known examples of these behaviors across different taxa, their ecological and physiological benefits remain unclear. We identified a surprising dietary shift that confers ecophysiological advantages in a dung beetle species. Thorectes lusitanicus, a Mediterranean ecosystem species adapted to eat...

Acorns, frequently left uncollected in the fields, have been a part of traditional medicine different cultures. Among properties associated with them, their antimicrobial potential is particular importance. However, this characterization has long superficial and not ventured into other topics such as biofilm inhibition. Thus, current work aimed to characterize antibiofilm an array phenolic rich...

This paper discusses recent results obtained with a computational model of language acquisition. In previous papers, this model, developed in the ACORNS project, has shown to be able to learn word-like units from stimuli in which utterances are paired with visual information. In this paper we extend the ACORNS experiments to the case where utterances are paired with a ambiguous visual represent...