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Rosalba Banchetti

Publications and source records attributed to Rosalba Banchetti.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Cell cycle and behaviour in Euplotes crassus: an attempt at describing the biological relationship between its cellular and organismic natures.

The two-faced nature of protozoa allowed us to study the relationship between cell cycle and behaviour in Euplotes crassus; the former represents one of the most typical cellular traits, the latter is one of the most significant characteristics of an organism. Dividing cells of E. crassus were isolated on a slide and recorded for 11 h: the classic ethographic parameters were calculated every 60 min. The percentage of mobile cells went from 0-100% in the first 2.5 h. This value was maintained for 6.5 h, but from 9 h the value began to drop, reaching 0% at 11 h. The relative frequency of leftward arcs was very high in the first hour, the radius and length of the arcs increased from 1-7 h; velocity showed a similar trend, peaking at 7 h. All our results showed that the behaviour of this ciliate is heavily affected by its cell-division cycle.

Animals↗

Not-adaptive behavior of isotropically heated, inert populations of Oxytricha bifaria (Ciliophora, Stichotrichia).

The physiological effects on isotropically heated populations of Oxytricha bifaria cultured at 24 degrees C were investigated. At 34.6 degrees C ciliates became inert, and did not adaptively react to either cold or warm microgradients; they neither moved towards the favorable cold thermal source nor escaped from the unfavorable warm one. The inert oxytrichas were only able to perform the Side-Stepping Reaction (SSR) on the same spot. However, mobile ciliates at 31.6 degrees C reacted to the cold microgradient by immediately orienting themselves towards its source, without accelerating but reducing their SSR frequency. Moreover, in a warm microgradient such ciliates immediately increased their SSR frequency, then moved away from the thermal source. At 34.6 degrees C the behavior of ciliates was not-adaptive--not acting to guide the organisms to more favorable conditions--whereas at 31.6 degrees C it was still clearly adaptive. Therefore, the locomotory inertness of the oxytrichas at 34.6 degrees C was the result of thermal stress rather than their behavioral response to the environmental isotropy, in contrast to populations of the same species made inert at 9 degrees C.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

The behaviour of unicellular eukaryotes.

The field of ciliated protozoa behaviour is reconsidered. The simple-complexity of their behaviour is seen in its basic nature and adaptive meaning. The Laboratory Conditions (LABCON) are discussed in comparison with those occurring in nature (NATCON). The nature of the arc, the behavioural element commonly performed by a ciliate, is discussed in detail. Several indexes and rates can perfectly describe the tracks of the ciliates. The behaviour can be considered as a kind of adaptive interface between the environment and the organism.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

The locomotion of living organisms. Some hints for an evolutionistic reconsideration of biology's "foregone" topics.

From the analysis of the behaviour it is evidenced that the biological peculiarities of the Hypotrichs depend on the close linking between the adaptive strategies they have found to environmental problems. The loss of the envelope surface of the other ciliates was followed, in the Ciliates evolution, by the acquisition of the "cirrus and membranelle" propulsive logic. Furthermore they acquire a strong-and-easy-to-release adhesion system to creep on the substrate. The eco-ethological approach showed that they are capable of adapting to an environment characterised by new dimensional scales, new micro-environments and also new stimuli.

Animals↗

Ecological modelling: from the biosphere to the everyday data gathering; filling the gap.

Biosphere, according to many authors, can be considered as a system characterised by control mechanisms, which allow the maintenance of its stability. If the Biosphere is a complex object, the coming out of the equilibrium will have as a result a rapid change which cannot be controlled and whose results cannot be foresighted. Modelling is, for this reason, desperately needed. A general mathematical modelling suggested that the Biosphere evolution be characterised by periods of stability and instability, which are related to the connections between its components. These components, both living and not living, are connected by feedback relationships maintaining stability. From this model a general ecosystem modelling was developed which was first applied to a very peculiar situation i.e. that of the hydro-thermal marine vents. The hydrothermal ecosystem is, anyway, a very peculiar one and it can be considered also a micro-biosphere with its own sources of energy not related to sun radiation. For this reason it was possible to make a correlation between these very peculiar ecosystems and the Biosphere. More difficult it is to relate the modelling of the light depending ecosystems, which are, on the contrary, of great interest because they are directly linked to the Biosphere and objects of quite everyday data gathering. Usually the description of ecosystems, which is proposed by the everyday operative task of collecting data, and which represents the widest source of data for modelling, is related to the quality of waters or air. In this way we have to find tools correlating the data routinely investigated and the general model proposed. Here we present the other side of the approach, a local investigation of the qualities of water, with the hope to make a proposal for the ecologists to carry on their job also taking into consideration the problem of ecosystems modelling. An evaluation study of the environmental condition of Fine River, based on the E.B.I. method (Extended Biotic Index) applied to macroinvertebrates was carried out in 2002. Seven sampling locations were selected along the main flow and two were selected on the two most important tributaries that flow into the Fine, the Savalano and the Pesciera-Marmolaio. On the upper part of the river two locations were selected, up-river the artificial reservoir of S. Luce, and five locations were selected in the intermediate and potamal part. 43 taxa of macroinvertebrates have been detected, among them 4 Plecoptera and many Ephemeroptera assembled by environmental variables. Chironomids have been detected in all the locations. The multivariate analysis with Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) applied to the samples of the potamal part location shows variability in the macroinvertebrates assemblage. The E.B.I. method resulted in a good quality of the water on the upper part of Fine River. The E.B.I. results, corresponding to the second Quality Class (Q. C.), were determined by the presence of the Plecoptera Chloroperla and several Ephemeroptera. These taxa are considered among the most sensitive to pollution. Downriver of Santa Luce reservoir, the water condition gets worse (3rd Q. C.), and this remains consistent along the intermediate and potamal part of the river, though it is never to be considered really bad. Water quality of the Savalano results between the second and third Q. C., while the situation of the Pesciera that flows waters of really bad quality into Fine River is to be considered serious. The F7 station (Polveroni), situated at the closing section of the basin, proves to be suitable to summarise the general conditions of the river. Finally a proposal to use the model developed for the hydrothermal vents for a provisional modelling to recover the water quality in the investigated ecosystem is presented and discussed.

Animals↗

From the ethology of unicellular eukaryotes to the locomotion of the living beings: meaning and evolution of the phenomenon.

A comparative reappraisal of the general problem of evolutionary trends and constraints of the locomotion phenomenon from prokaryotes to protozoa to metazoa was carried on. They elaborated different propulsive systems, different control systems of motion and different analysis systems of the stimuli. A general understanding of the locomotion phenomenon was reached and ciliate behaviour was positioned within the wider context of the evolution of biological displacement.

Animals↗