Saguaro (Excerpt) (Electric Literatures Recommended Reading Book 72)
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Recommended Reading Archives – Electric Literature
Amazon Inspire Digital Educational Resources. Magnetic monitoring in Saguaro National Park. Named for the nearby city of Tucson, Arizona, the observatory is 1 of 14 that the Geomagnetism Program of the U. Geological Survey observatory service is an integral part of a U. Transcriptional variation associated with cactus host plant adaptation in Drosophila mettleri populations.
Although the importance of host plant chemistry in plant-insect interactions is widely accepted, the genetic basis of adaptation to host plants is not well understood. Here, we investigate transcriptional changes associated with a host plant shift in Drosophila mettleri. Consistent with expectations based on the complexity and toxicity of cactus relative to laboratory food, within-population comparisons between larvae reared on these food sources revealed transcriptional differences in detoxification and other metabolic pathways.
The majority of transcriptional differences between populations on the cactus hosts were independent of the rearing environment and included a disproportionate number of genes involved in processes relevant to host plant adaptation e. Comparisons of transcriptional reaction norms between the two populations revealed extensive shared plasticity that likely allowed colonization of coastal prickly pear on Santa Catalina Island. We also found that while plasticity may have facilitated subsequent adaptive divergence in gene expression between populations, the majority of genes that differed in expression on the novel host were not transcriptionally plastic in the presumed ancestral state.
Fire impacts on saguaro Carnegiea gigantea associated vegetation were studied in unburned and burned areas over a 10 year post-fire period after the Vista View fire, Tonto National Forest, Arizona. Many associated species, crucial for saguaro survival, regenerate by vegetative growth after fire. Bushes were the most common nearest-neighbor, SAGUARO is a finite element computer program designed to calculate two-dimensional flow of mass and energy through porous media. The media may be saturated or partially saturated. SAGUARO solves the parabolic time-dependent mass transport equation which accounts for the presence of partially saturated zones through the use of highly non-linear material characteristic curves.
The energy equation accounts for the possibility of partially saturated regions by adjusting the thermal capacitances and thermal conductivities according to the volume fraction of water present in the local pores. Program capabilities, user instructions and a sample problem are presented in this manual. An anti-inflammatory principle from cactus. In previous studies, the ethanol extract of cactus Opuntia ficus-indica showed potent anti-inflammatory action. In the present study, following fractionation of the methanol extract of cactus stems guided by adjuvant-induced chronic inflammation model in mice, an active anti-inflammatory principle has been isolated and identified as beta-sitosterol.
Demographic monitoring of Wright fishhook cactus. Wright fishhook cactus Sclerocactus wrightiae Benson is a small barrel cactus endemic to the San Rafael Swell in south-central Utah. It was listed as an endangered species in due to its small population size, threats of over-collecting, and development associated with oil and gas. Demographic monitoring was initiated in with the following objectives: High-resolution climate monitoring on a mountain island: A pilot project to identify climate monitoring needs within Saguaro National Park began in fall Nine weather stations were deployed across the complex topography of the park to provide insight into the spatial and temporal patterns of climate within the park management unit.
This project will provide a valuable baseline for park management and may highlight Analysis of the seasonal activity rate of sympatric carnivores and their prey in Saguaro National Park. We investigated the monthly activity rates of bobcats Lynx rufus , gray foxes Urocyon cinereoargenteus and four of their potential prey species, antelope jackrabbits Lepus alleni , black-tailed jackrabbits Lepus californicus , desert cottontails Sylvilagus audubonii and eastern cottontails Sylvilagus floridanus , in Saguaro National Park using remote camera Geologic, geochemical, and geophysical studies together with a review of historic mining and prospecting activities indicate that the Cactus Spring Roadless Area in California has little promise for the occurrence of mineral or energy resources.
Marble bodies occur in the northern part of the roadless area and are possible resources for building stone, crushed and quarried aggregate, and lime and magnesium for Portland cement and industrial applications. It is recommended that the terrane of marble be mapped and sampled carefully in order to evaluate the quantity and quality of the carbonate resources. Regional demographic trends from long-term studies of saguaro Carnegiea gigantea across the northern Sonoran Desert.
Ten saguaro Carnegiea gigantea populations in the northern Sonoran Desert were monitored from to to discriminate how climate influences plant growth, abundance, reproductive potential, survivorship, age structure and regeneration trends. Thousands of saguaros were measured to determine site-specific growth rates and survivorship through time. Observed growth rates were used to predict the ages of saguaros and reconstruct local and regional regeneration patterns back to the late 18th century.
Both growth rates and degree of branching generally tracked temperature and moisture gradients. Averaged across the region, saguaro regeneration rates were highest from to , coincident with wet conditions and high Pinus ponderosa recruitment in the highlands. Milder and wetter winters and protection from livestock grazing likely promoted late 20th century regeneration surges at some sites.
Predictions of saguaro population dynamics in the 21st century likely will be confounded by the saguaro 's episodic and asynchronous regeneration, continued urbanization, ongoing grass invasions and associated wildfires, and changing climate. The transfer of data from one part of a computer to another has always been a complex task in which speed is traded against accuracy and the time required for error correction.
Much more complex therefore is the transfer of information from one machine to another of a different type. Difficulties arise when machines are updated, when file formats…. Final technical report, September July This specification defines the system and subsystem characteristics, design requirements, and system environmental requirements for the Saguaro Power Plant Solar Repowering Project.
This project involves the solar repowering of all The quad-cavity type receiver is mounted on a tower within a single surrounding collector field of 10, second generation heliostats. Federal Register , , , , After an incubation period following mating, the female South American cactus moth deposits an egg stick Within a short period of time, the South American cactus moth can destroy whole stands of cactus An investigation of the impact of inorganic air pollutants on soils in Saguaro National Monument, Tucson, Arizona.
Environmental data related to the evaluation of inorganic air pollution input to the Saguaro National Monument ecosystem were collected over four years. The data specific to soils are presented in this document. The enrichment factor approach is employed to provide a framework for simplified interpretation of this large collection of data. Preliminary design of a solar central receiver for a site-specific repowering application Saguaro Power Plant.
Final report, October September This volume on specifications for the Saguaro Power Plant includes the following: Biology and population dynamics of the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum. Since then, it was introduced to other countries including the Carribean islands. In , the cactus moth was reported in Florida and has continued to spread nort Adaptive Mesh Refinement for the Cactus Framework.
Carpet is an adaptive mesh refinement and multi-patch driver for the Cactus Framework ascl: Annual report, 1 January December Prototypes of components of the Saguaro distributed operating system were implemented and the design of the entire system refined based on the experience. The philosophy behind Saguaro is to support the illusion of a single virtual machine while taking advantage of the concurrency and robustness that are possible in a network architecture. Within the system, these advantages are realized by the use of pools of server processes and decentralized allocation protocols.
Another unique aspect of Saguaro is its extensive use of type system to describe user data such as files and to specify the types of arguments to commands and procedures. This enables the system to assist in type checking and leads to a user interface in which command-specific templates are available to facilitate command invocation. A mechanism, channels, is also provided to enable users to construct applications containing general graphs of communication processes.
Effects of a natural fire on a Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus Echinocereus fendleri var. During the summer of , a natural wildfire burned acres of juniper savanna on Rawhide Ridge in the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico. This fire burned through the center of a Kuenzler's hedgehog cactus population.
This threatened cactus is locally sympatric with the more abundant nylon hedgehog cactus , which has similar growth form and stature Cactus wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus nests from the southern Chihuahuan Desert contained viable seeds of grasses, forbs, and shrubs. The most common plants used as construction material in these nests were Muhlenbergia porteri, Boerhavia spicata, and the alien grass Era Annealing a magnetic cactus into phyllotaxis.
The appearance of mathematical regularities in the disposition of leaves on a stem, scales on a pine-cone, and spines on a cactus has puzzled scholars for millennia; similar so-called phyllotactic patterns are seen in self-organized growth, polypeptides, convection, magnetic flux lattices and ion beams. Levitov showed that a cylindrical lattice of repulsive particles can reproduce phyllotaxis under the unproved assumption that minimum of energy would be achieved by two-dimensional Bravais lattices. Here we provide experimental and numerical evidence that the Phyllotactic lattice is actually a ground state.
We employ a structural genetic algorithm to explore the more general axially unconstrained case, which reveals multijugate multiple spirals as well as monojugate single-spiral phyllotaxis. A biomimetic " cactus spine" with hierarchical groove structure is designed and fabricated using simple electrospinning.
This novel artificial cactus spine possesses excellent fog collection and water transportation ability. A model cactus equipped with artificial spines also shows a great water storage capacity. The results can be helpful in the development of water collectors and may make a contribution to the world water crisis.
Reproduction, longevity and survival of the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum Lepidoptera: Screened potted cactus plants Opuntia ficus-indica L. Pyralidae , were placed in a cactus field in St. Marks, Florida to measure oviposition patterns under field-realistic conditions. Dispersal of desert-adapted Drosophila: Dispersal of Drosophila nigrospiracula on naturally occurring necrotic saguaro cacti occurs at rates up to three times higher than those observed for any other Drosophila.
In eight separate experiments, a total of 3, marked flies were captured at 22 cacti. Overall immigration rates averaged 6. Immigration from a single cohort averaged 3. Effective-population sizes at a single cacti are estimated from to 3,, while the overall population of D. The genetics of large, mobile populations has been considered, using island, stepping-stone, and isolation-by-distance models. The population acts as if it were panmictic. This view is supported further by behavioral considerations. Immigrants are an effective part of mating populations.
Barriers to dispersal are nonexistent. Adverse habitat conditions increase dispersal rates. Three explanations are proposed for the high dispersal rates of D. First, immature adults may be more mobile than mature flies. Second, dispersal may be increased by food stress. If so, baited studies, which considerably enrich the environment, underestimate dispersal rates in adverse environments. Third, dispersal rates are an evolutionary response to habitat predictability. Those species such as D. Historical and current fire management practices in two wilderness areas in the southwestern United States: Fire suppression has been the dominant fire management strategy in the West over the last century.
This report summarizes the effects of these fire management practices on key resources, Corrective action investigation plan: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches. The potential courses of action for the site are clean closure, closure in place with or without remediation , or no further action. From to we surveyed for vascular plants and vertebrates amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals at the district to document the presence of species within its boundaries.
Park staff also carried out extensive infrared-triggered camera work for medium and large mammals from and results from that effort are reported here. Our spatial sampling design for all taxa employed a combination of random and nonrandom survey sites. Survey effort was greatest for medium and large mammals and herpetofauna. Because we used repeatable study designs and standardized field methods, these inventories can serve as the first step in a biological monitoring program for the district.
We also provide an overview of previous survey efforts in the district. We use data from our inventory and other surveys to compile species lists and to assess inventory completeness. The survey effort for herpetofauna, birds, and medium and large mammals was the most comprehensive ever undertaken in the district. We recorded a total of plant and vertebrate species, including 21 species not previously found in the district Table 1.
Based on a review of our inventory and past research at the district, there have been a total of species of plants and vertebrates found there. We believe inventories for most taxonomic groups are nearly complete. Based on our surveys, we believe the native plant and vertebrate community compositions of the district are relatively intact, though some species loss has occurred and threats are increasing, particularly to herpetofauna and larger mammals. Of particular note is the relatively small number of non-native species and their low abundance in the district, which is in contrast to many nearby natural areas.
Rapidly expanding development on the west, north, and east sides of. The CACTUS project was concerned with command and control training of large incidents where public order may be at risk, such as large demonstrations and marches. The training requirements and objectives of the project are first summarized justifying the use of knowledge-based computer methods to support and extend conventional training…. Park staff also surveyed for medium and large mammals using infrared-triggered cameras from to This report summarizes the methods and results of these two efforts.
Our spatial sampling design was ambitious and was one of the first of its kind in the region to colocate study sites for vegetation and vertebrates using a stratified random design. We also chose the location of some study sites non-randomly in areas that we thought would have the highest species richness. We also provide an important overview of most previous survey efforts in the district.
With the exception of plants, our survey effort was the most comprehensive ever undertaken in the district. We recorded a total of plant and vertebrate species, including 50 species not previously found in the district Table 1 of which five all plants are non-native species. Based on a review of our inventory and past research at the district, there have been a total of 1, species of plants and vertebrates found there. We believe inventories for all taxonomic groups are nearly complete. In particular, the plant, amphibian and reptile, and mammal species lists are the most complete of any comparably large natural area of the 'sky island' region of southern Arizona and adjacent Mexico.
For each taxon-specific chapter we discuss patterns of species. The appendixes for the Saguaro Power Plant includes the following: The nopal cactus Opuntia ficus-indica releases a substance through its mucilage, which comes from the degradation of pectic substances and chlorophyll. Combined in a polyvinyl alcohol matrix, this substance can be used as a recording medium.
The resulting extract material has excellent photosensitizer properties, is easy to handle, has a low cost, and low toxicity.
McSweeney's Issue 54: The End of Trust (Mcsweeney's Quarterly Concern)
This material has the property of self-developing, and it can be used in holographic applications. The polyvinyl alcohol and extract from the nopal cactus was deposited by a gravity technique on a glass substrate, which dried to form a photosensitive emulsion. We show experimental results on a holographic grating using this material, written by a He-Cd laser nm. We obtained diffraction gratings by transmission with a diffraction efficiency of approximately The purpose of this investigation is to generate sufficient data to establish the types of waste buried in the trenches, identify the presence and nature of contamination, determine the vertical extent of contaminant migration below the Cactus Spring Waste Trenches, and determine the appropriate course of action for the site.
The scope of this investigation will include drilling and collecting subsurface samples from within and below the trenches. Sampling locations will be biased toward the areas most likely to be contaminated. The Cactus Spring Waste Trenches Site is identified as one of three potential locations for buried, radioactively contaminated materials from the Double Tracks Test. This test was the first of four storage-transportation tests conducted in as part of Operation Roller Coaster. The experiment involved the use of live animals to assess the inhalation intake of a plutonium aerosol.
First report of Beet western yellows virus infecting Epiphyllum spp. The nearly complete genomic sequence of 5, nucleotides of the virus was determined. A tale of two cacti-the complex relationship between peyote Lophophora williamsii and endangered star cactus Astrophytum asterias. Astrophytum asterias, commonly called star cactus , is a federally listed endangered cactus endemic to the Tamaulipan thornscrub ecoregion of extreme southern Texas, USA, and Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
Only three metapopulations totaling less than plants are presently known in Texas. The semaphore cactus in the Florida Keys has until recently been considered a disjunct location of the Jamaican Opuntia spinosissima. Loss of all but one population in the Keys coupled with recent suggestions that the species should be taxonomically separated from the Jamaican cactus and is, therefore, a Florida Keys endemic, makes this population of conservation Endophytic bacteria in cacti seeds can improve the development of cactus seedlings.
A plant-bacterium association between the giant cardon cactus Pachycereus pringlei and endophytic bacteria help seedlings establish and grow on barren rock, This cactus , together with other desert plants, is responsible for weathering ancient lava flows in the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico. When cardon seeds are inoculated with endophytic The yellow pine populations in Saguaro National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were surveyed in to evaluate and quantify the extent and severity of ozone injury chlorotic mottle to foliage of ponderosa and Jeffrey pines.
A total of trees were observed. Severity of ozone injury was quantified, using an approximate square root transformation of the percentage of foliage exhibiting chlorotic mottle in branches pruned from each tree. Foliage of different ages was examined separately. Severity of injury averaged very slight for all three parks, with least injury at Saguaro and greatest at Sequoia and Kings Canyon. This study analyzed the geochemistry of sediments associated with the Old Yuma Mine and assessed hydrologic and geochemical conditions of groundwater to evaluate the area surrounding the Old Yuma Mine.
Carson Mell
The purpose of the study was to establish the geochemical signature of material associated with the Old Yuma Mine and to compare it with background material and groundwater in the area. Few groundwater samples exceeded the U. Concentrations of several elements were elevated in the waste rock and mine tailings compared with concentrations in sediments collected in background areas. A subset of 15 sediment samples was leached to simulate precipitation interacting with the solid material. Analysis of leachate samples compared to groundwater samples suggests that groundwater samples collected in this study are distinct from leachate samples associated with mining related material.
Results suggest that at this time groundwater samples collected during this investigation are not influenced by elements leached from Old Yuma Mine materials. Introduced and invasive cactus species: Understanding which species are introduced and become invasive, and why, are central questions in invasion science. Comparative studies on model taxa have provided important insights, but much more needs to be done to unravel the context dependencies of these findings.
The cactus family Cactaceae , one of the most popular horticultural plant groups, is an interesting case study. Hundreds of cactus species have been introduced outside their native ranges; a few of them are among the most damaging invasive plant species in the world. We reviewed the drivers of introductions and invasions in the family and seek insights that can be used to minimize future risks. We compiled a list of species in the family and determined which have been recorded as invasive.
We also mapped current global distributions and modelled the potential global distributions based on distribution data of known invasive taxa. Finally, we identified whether invasiveness is phylogenetically clustered for cacti and whether particular traits are correlated with invasiveness.
Only 57 of the cactus species recognized in this treatment have been recorded as invasive. There are three invasion hotspots: South Africa 35 invasive species recorded , Australia 26 species and Spain 24 species. However, there are large areas of the world with climates suitable for cacti that are at risk of future invasion—in particular, parts of China, eastern Asia and central Africa.
The invasive taxa represent an interesting subset of the total species pool. There is a significant phylogenetic signal: This phylogenetic signal is not driven by human preference, i. Finally, invasive species tend to have significantly larger native ranges than non-invasive species, and none of the invasive species are of conservation concern in their. However, there are large areas of the world with climates suitable for cacti that are at risk of future invasion-in particular, parts of China, eastern Asia and central Africa.
Commercialization of cactus pears based on their antioxidant properties can generate competitive advantages, and these can turn into business opportunities and the development of new products and a high-value ingredient for the food industry. Our results indicated that the antiradical activities from yellow and white cactus pear cultivars were not significantly different p cactus pear from the state of Zacatecas showed the highest antioxidant activity.
The free radical scavenging activity for red cactus pears was significantly correlated p cactus pears studied showed significant chelating activity of ferrous ions. Detection of Co-Infection of Notocactus leninghausii f. Co-infection with two virus species was previously reported in some cactus plants. Here, we showed that Notocactus leninghausii f. The coat protein sequences of these viruses were compared with those of previously reported viruses. This study is the first report of co-infection with six virus species in N.
The Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park occupies about square kilometers of mountains, canyons, and alluvial fans in southeastern Arizona just east of Tucson. The park contains some of the last remaining habitat in the Tucson Basin of the lowland leopard frog that lives in the bedrock pools called tinajas in canyons at elevations between and 1, meters. Those tinajas that contain water year-round are critical winter habitat for tadpoles, and the breeding success of the leopard frogs depends on these features.
In recent years, many tinajas that previously had provided habitat for the leopard frogs have been buried beneath large volumes of coarse sandy gravel that resulted from severe, stand-replacing wildfires in the watersheds above them. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service, conducted a study in to determine critical sediment-source areas, and the mechanisms of sediment delivery from hillslopes to stream channels to areas of leopard frog habitat and to estimate the increase in rates of sedimentation resulting from wildfires.
Spatial data of watershed characteristics, as well as historical data, including photographs, monitoring surveys, precipitation and stream discharge records, were used in conjunction with field observations conducted between spring and fall The Helens II fire in , the fifth largest wildfire to burn in the Rincon Mountains since , offered an opportunity to observe mechanisms of sediment erosion, transport, and deposition in the immediate post-fire environment. Reduction of the forest canopy, understory vegetation, and organic litter on the ground surface in severe burn areas caused increased surface runoff in the Joaquin Canyon watershed that led to intensified erosion of hillslopes.
An initial flush of fine material, mostly ash, was transported to lower channel reaches with the first significant precipitation event following the fire. Peniocereus striatus Brandegee Buxb. Cactaceae is an endemic Sonoran Desert cactus that reaches its northern range limit in southwestern Arizona.
An extensive survey conducted in , covering ha, resulted in the discovery of 88 new plants, in addition to the relocation of 57 plants found in previous surveys. Despite potential increases in population size and spatial distribution, mean plant height and number of basal stems has not significantly changed in recent years.
Bud scars revealed that a majority of the population was sexually mature. Peniocereus striatus occurrence increased with decreasing slope, spanned every slope aspect, and was highest on rocky soils, but was noticeably low on west and northwest slopes and areas where severe land degradation had previously occurred. Over half of P. However, long-term — climate records show that there has been an overall increase in the number of frost free days in the region, which, coupled with land use change, has implications for the future health of this population.
Physicochemical characterization of cactus pads from Opuntia dillenii and Opuntia ficus indica. Physicochemical characteristics weight, length, width, thickness, moisture, Brix degree, total fiber, protein, ash, pH, acidity, ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds, P, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Cr were determined in cactus pads from Opuntia dillenii and Opuntia ficus indica. The physicochemical characteristics of both species were clearly different. There were important differences between the orange and green fruit pulp of O.
Consumption of cactus pads contributes to the intake of dietary fiber, total phenolic compounds, K, Mg, Mn and Cr. Husimi- cactus approximation study on the diluted spin ice. In particular, we derive a formula of the thermodynamic quantities as functions of the temperature and a nonmagnetic ion concentration based on a Husimi- cactus approximation.
We find that the formula predicts a dilution-induced crossover from the cooperative to the conventional paramagnets in a ground state, and that it also reproduces the "generalized Pauling's entropy" given by Ke et al. To verify the formula from a numerical viewpoint, we compare these results with Monte Carlo simulation calculation data, and then find good agreement for all parameter values. Preliminary design of a solar central receiver for site-specific repowering application Saguaro Power Plant.
The solar central receiver technology, site, and specific unit for repowering were selected in prior analyses and studies. The objectives of this preliminary design study were to: This volume on the preliminary design includes the following sections: Effects of ultrasound treatment in purple cactus pear Opuntia ficus-indica juice. In Mexico, cactus pear is mainly consumed fresh, but also has the potential to be processed in other products such as juice. The ultrasound treatment for time period of 15 and 25 min significantly reduced the microbial count in 15 and 25 min, without affecting the juice quality and its antioxidant properties.
Our results demonstrated that sonication is a suitable technique for cactus pear processing. This technology allows the achievement of juice safety and quality standards without compromising the retention of antioxidant compounds. The cactus webworm, Loxomorpha flavidissimalis Grote, Pyraloidea, Crambidae: We report Loxomorpha flavidissimalis, the cactus webworm, for the first time from Tamaulipas, Mexico, as an herbivore of the cultivated cactus , Opuntia ficus-indica.
We observed larvae over a four year period during the months of March to November and found young cladode losses attributa Compaction vulnerability of different types of soils by hikers and vehicles is poorly known, particularly for soils of arid and semiarid regions. Engineering analyses have long shown that poorly sorted soils for example, sandy loams compact to high densities, whereas well-sorted soils for example, eolian sand do not compact, and high gravel content may reduce compaction.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument ORPI in southwestern Arizona, is affected greatly by illicit activities associated with the United States—Mexico border, and has many soils that resource managers consider to be highly vulnerable to compaction. Using geospatial soils data for ORPI, compaction vulnerability was estimated qualitatively based on the amount of gravel and the degree of sorting of sand and finer particles.
To test this qualitative assessment, soil samples were collected from 48 sites across all soil map units, and undisturbed bulk densities were measured. A scoring system was used to create a vulnerability index for soils on the basis of particle-size sorting, soil properties derived from Proctor compaction analyses, and the field undisturbed bulk densities. The results of the laboratory analyses indicated that the qualitative assessments of soil compaction vulnerability underestimated the area of high vulnerability soils by 73 percent.
The results showed that compaction vulnerability of desert soils, such as those at ORPI, can be quantified using laboratory tests and evaluated using geographic information system analyses, providing a management tool that managers potentially could use to inform decisions about activities that reduce this type of soil disruption in protected areas. Phytochemicals, nutritionals and antioxidant properties of two prickly pear cactus cultivars Opuntia ficus indica Mill. The antioxidant properties, some phytochemicals and nutritionals were characterized in two prickly pear cactus Opuntia ficus indica Mill.
The antioxidant properties of red cactus cultivar were higher than the yellow cactus cultivar. Linear correlation appeared between the antioxidant properties and total phenolics. All samples nearly have the same quantity of iron, copper, sodium and potassium. HPLC-RI analysis of all samples revealed the absence of sucrose and the presence of glucose and fructose. According to the above results, this study gave a good indication about the nutritional and pharmaceutical potential of the two cactus cultivars that must be widespread cultivated in arid and semiarid regions as KSA accompanying with establishment of industries beside the cactus farms that used all parts of plants.
A multi-structural and multi-functional integrated fog collection system in cactus. Multiple biological structures have demonstrated fog collection abilities, such as beetle backs with bumps and spider silks with periodic spindle-knots and joints. Many Cactaceae species live in arid environments and are extremely drought-tolerant.
Here we report that one of the survival systems of the cactus Opuntia microdasys lies in its efficient fog collection system. This unique system is composed of well-distributed clusters of conical spines and trichomes on the cactus stem; each spine contains three integrated parts that have different roles in the fog collection process according to their surface structural features. The gradient of the Laplace pressure, the gradient of the surface-free energy and multi-function integration endow the cactus with an efficient fog collection system.
Blackass excerpt by A. Igoni Barrett, Recommended by Chinelo Okparanta. The Wanderers by M. Rope by Joshua Harmon, Recommended by Dzanc. Boot of the Boot by Luke B. Goebel, Recommended by FC2. Osondu, Recommended by Guernica. Pearl by Mary Miller, Recommended by Hobart. The Unraveling by A. Devers, Recommended by David Gates.