TITLE: CRITICAL REVIEW

FOR ARTICLES

Name: Mohd Fareez B Abu Hassan

Metric no: 20131000478

Subject: SBF 6024 Animal Metabolism and Adaptation

Lecturer: Dr. Wong Chee Fah

Submission date: 31st Jan 2014

LIST OF CONTAINING AUTHOR:

Denielle D Brown

Roland Kays

Martin Wikelski

Rory Wilson

Peter Klimley

ARTICLE TITLE:

Observing the unwatchable through acceleration logging of animal behavior

SOURCES:

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186%2F2050-3385-1-20#page-1 accessed on 19

January 2014

DATE PUBLISHED:

2013

ABSTRACT

Behavior was an important key mechanism of evolution. The experts can rarely observe

animals for more than a fraction of their daily life activities and attempts to quantify

behavior for modeling ecological processes. An explosion of research on remote

monitoring of animal behavior using acceleration sensors occurs. Animal attached to

accelerometers measure the change in velocity of the body over time and can quantify

fine scale movements and body postures.It had been apply to more than 120 species of

animals to date. It is used in two forms, the first is patterns of accelerometer waveforms

can be used to deduce specific behaviors through animal movement and body posture.

Then, the variation in accelerometer waveform measurements have been shown to

correlate with energy expenditure, opening a suite of scientific questions in species

which difficult to observe in the wild. There are challenges to getting the most from the

accelerometers, including validation, calibration and the management analysis. This tool

offers a level of detail n behavioral studies of free-ranging wild animals that has

previously been impossible to achieve. It improves the understanding of the role of

behavioral mechanisms in ecological and evolutionary processes.

1) The Problem:

Is the problem clearly stated?

Yes, the problems were clearly stated which is animals behavior which are in

remote area were very hard to study as it have different habitat than us human. In other

words, these issues underscore the need for remote measurement of animal behavior

to reduce or eliminate the potential effects of observer presence while maintaining a

high level of detail in data recording comparable to direct observation.

Is the problem practically important?

Yes, I think the problem is really important in the context of nature. The problem

really urges researcher around the world to develop a new method to study animal’s

behavior as it is one of god’s creation which we need to be responsible to take care.

The problem needs to be study as the aim to create a balance world. As we all know

that animals play an important role in the ecosystem and basically the world.

What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of the study is field biologists had developed the accelerometers to

study the animal’s behavior using the animals attached with accelerometer to measure

the change in the velocity of the body over the time and quantify fine scales movements

and body postures unlimited by visibility, observer bias, or the scale of space used.

What is the hypothesis?

The animal’s behavior could be study using the accelerometer. The

accelerometer could give wavelength measurement to study the animal’s behavior.

Are the key terms defined?

Yes, the key term defined in first page of the journal which are accelerometer,

activity, animal behavior, bio-logging, dead reckoning, energy expenditure, ethogram,

remote observation and telemetry.

2) Review of Literature

Are the cited resources pertinent to the study?

The cited resources are pertinent to the study because major of the resources

were related to this study. These resources are said related when you review the title of

all the references. Basically it is related to the journal.

Is the review too broad or too narrow?

I think the review is enough as the review is not too narrow or too broad as it

given a lot of evidence about the research on usage of accelerometer. It also explains in

brief the method or how the readings from the accelerometer were shown which is in a

wavelength form. The ways to use the accelerometer and some sample of graph and

diagram were shown in figure 1 and figure 2 to show how the data were presented.

Are the references recent?

No, the references were legible from a very long time ago and also from recent

time and after reviewing the references by the years. All the books and webpage

published ranging from 1934 to 2012. So, the references are coming from various

period of time. This had showcased the different situation from the past and recent time.

Is there any evidence bias?

No, I think the evidences were correctly stated and it had portrayed the

importance and effectiveness of using the accelerometer in order to study the animal

behavior. The evidence stated resemble that this study as relevant to studied and no

biases were stated to support this study.

3) Design and procedure

What research methodology was used?

The research methodology used was quantitative research because it involves

the findings of statistics and data from survey conducted served by accelerometer: body

posture and body movement. In this case, is the animal behavior in the remote areas.

Was it a replica study or an original study?

I think it is a replica study which serves as a continuation of what had been

studied by other researcher before this. Whereas the researcher modeled the usage of

the accelerometer from other studies which has been conducted before this. This study

did state that the way this research conducted referred from other study in the journal

itself.

What measurement tools were used?

The measurement tools that were used in this study are the wavelength

waveform and survey questions currently served by accelerometry; body posture and

body movement. Both of the measuring tools are used simultaneously to measure and

monitor the animal’s behavior in the remote area.

How were the procedures structured?

The procedure were structured as it is done accordingly which shown in the

journal, whereas the first thing done is the introduction or abstract written. Then, the

literature review did provide support towards the procedures. Then, the data collection

happens and the data were analyzed. Lastly, conclusion was made from the overall

data collected.

Was a pilot study conducted?

No, there is no pilot study done when I read the journal. But it does refer to other

study related to this topic which is the use of accelerometer in monitoring the animal

behavior.

What are the variables?

The variables are the animals and the accelerometer wavelength which are read

in waveform as a data in this study.

How was sampling performed?

The sampling performed was quantitative and random sampling as 125 animals

that pass through the remote area were chosen as the samples. 176 accelerometry

studies will detect and provide reading in form of waveform to study the behavior of that

particular animal. The habitat of the study also was separated in two. First, habitat of

animals were the aquatic animals and terrestrial animals.

4) Data Analysis and presentation:

How was data analyzed?

Data was analysed quantitatively in the form of graph and numbers. The animals

that were studied is analysed in the form of percentage. The study of their movement,

body posture and position and location were presented in experimental graphs. The

table of data perform the mean readings of data’s of the waveform.

Was data qualitative or quantitative?

The data presented were quantitative in the form of mean readings from the

accelerometer using wavelength in waveform.

Did findings support the hypothesis and purpose?

Yes, it does support and cater the hypothesis and purpose of the study. It embarks that

accelerometer is the tools for fine scale observation of behavior, unlimited by animal

visibility, terrain, climate, observer bias or the scale space used.

Were weakness and problems discussed?

No, the journal just stressed on the strength of accelerometer as the best tool to

study animal’s behavior.

5) Conclusion and implications

Are the conclusions of the study related to the original purpose?

Yes, it does simplify and explain about the study in a simple manner and sum up

the findings of the study which related to the original purpose of the study.

Were the implications discussed?

Yes, it is discussed in the subtopic of future directions. The implications of this

study will help other researcher to study this topic in more depth situation so this will

help to improve the life behavior of animals in the remote area. This will bring positive

feedbacks towards the research in biodiversity field.

Whom the results and conclusion will affect?

The result will give important affect to the animals. Thus, the animals will be

helped in so many ways to face their daily activities. Researcher will develop plans to

help animal with problems in the remote area. This is to improve the life of the animals

in order to survive in the future. As to ensure and maintain the number of life of the

species

What recommendations were made at the conclusion?

The recommendations were made at the conclusion are the usage of this device is

a good method in order to study the animal behavior in remote area.

6) Overall Assessment

What is your overall assessment of the study and the articles?

I think this article is an informative article that will benefit the nature especially in

the aspect of studying the animal behavior in terms of their reaction towards the nature.

It is best suited to explore the animal’s behavior in remote areas and would help more

scientists to discover other undiscovered animal behavior of logging. This article also

could be related to school curriculum by using more sensible explanation and the

language should be more understandable.

List of the new vocabulary with meanings:

1. Cryptic- serving to camouflage an animal in its natural environment.

2. Waveform-a curve showing the shape of a wave at a given time.

3. Biotelemetry-the detection or measurement of human or animal physiological

functions from a distance using a telemeter.

4. Orthogonally- extraneous: not pertinent to the matter under consideration; "an

issue extraneous to the debate"; "the price was immaterial"; "mentioned several

impertinent facts before finally coming to the point"

5. Piezoelectric-the generation of electricity or of electric polarity in dielectric

crystals subjected to mechanical stress, or the generation of stress in such

crystals subjected to an applied voltage.

LIST OF CONTAINING AUTHOR:

Junhuan Xu

James P Strange

Dennis L Welker

Rosalind R James

ARTICLE TITLE:

Detoxification and stress response genes expressed in western North American Bumble

Bee, Bombus Huntii (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

SOURCES:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/14/874 accessed on 13 Jan 2014

DATE PUBLISHED:

2013

ABSTRACT

The hunt bumble bee is a holometabolous, social insect which is important as a

pollinator in natural and agricultural ecosystems in western America. They spent an

amount of time to foraging on a wide variety of flowering plants, posing threat in their

colony. From the finding, B. Huntii atleast expressed 584 genes associated with

detoxification and stress response. The expression level of some genes, cytochrome

P450’s, glutathione 5-transferase (GST’s) and glycosidase, vary among different life

stages to a greater extent than do other genes. The number of P450s, GSTs and

esterase genes expressed by B. huntii is similar to the number of these genes found in

the genomes of other bees. As the conclusion, Bombus huntii has transcripts for a large

number of detoxification and stress related proteins, including oxidation and reduction

enzymes, conjugation enzymes, hydrolytic enzymes, ABC transporters, cadherins, and

heat shock proteins. The diversity of genes expressed within some detoxification

pathways varies among the life stages and castes, and we typically identified more

genes in the adult females than in larvae, pupae, or adult males, for most pathways.

Meanwhile, we found the numbers of detoxification and stress genes expressed by B.

huntii to be more similar to other bees than to the fruit fly. Many flowering plants benefit

from pollinators, and thus offer these insects rewards like nectar rather than defensive

plant toxins.

7) The Problem:

Is the problem clearly stated?

Yes, I think the problem is clearly stated which basically about the detoxification

and stress response of the insect. They are important to adapt allow and insects to

overcome the chemical defense of the plants. During pollination activities, bees are

exposed to toxic substances in the environment, such as pesticides, phytochemicals,

microbial toxins, pollutant and other xenobiotics. Generally, stress response and the

detoxification of xenobiotics includes three major and interrelated pathways: Oxidation-

reduction enzymes include alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase,

cytochrome P450s hydroxylases and peroxidases.

Is the problem practically important?

In my opinion, this problem is important as it involves the cycles of food web. The

problem will actually affect the ecosystem of our nature. If this problem not being

resolves, in times our ecosystem will be affected in certain areas and parts of the nature

which involve the bumble bee, Bombus Huntii. This bumble actually plays an important

part as a primary consumer and would help to balance the ecosystem.

What is the purpose of the study?

The purpose of the study is to study the detoxification process and stress

response genes expressed in bumble bee, Bombus huntii. The process is studied with

several chemical process explained in the graphs. The processes are explained in the

graph as the detoxification pathways known for insects.

What is the hypothesis?

The hypothesis is Bumble bee , B. huntii will express different type of genes on

different life stages. These genes were determine by the hydrolysis process. The

readings were presented in the form of reads per kilobase per million reads.

Are the key terms defined?

The key term is defined clearly such as the word bees, bombus huntii, bumble

bee, detoxification genes with transcriptome. These key terms were defined in certain

chapter in paragraphs in the journal. These key terms explained in various ways to

relate them with the study. This key term are really important to ensure the reader

understand the basic content of the study and give an idea on the important object or

nouns that symbolize the study itself.

8) Review of Literature

Are the cited resources pertinent to the study?

Yes, the study cited resources are pertinent to the study such as all the cited

resources were stated in the form of pages number were that particular statement

related to this study were taken. The cited resources are important in order to prove that

the study is relevant enough to be carried out.

Is the review too broad or too narrow?

In my opinion, the review is too broad and normal people couldn’t understand this

journal because it contains too many scientific terms and formulae. The review also

stressed on the chemical reactions and it were explained more in table forms which is

hard and difficult to be understood.

Are the references recent?

The references are recent because the date stated in the reference section is

ranging from 2005-2013. The references should be recent to ensure that the study is

reliable and valid due to the change in current nature. Nature will actually change

through times and evolved form one particular type and situation to another situation.

Is there any evidence bias?

In my opinion, there are no evidence biases in this study related because the

example and evidence stated were natural and not bias to support this study. All the

evidence stated in this study are relevant they developed a cDNA database of 102, 778

contigs and singletons using pyrosequencing of mRNA extracted from the eggs, larvae,

pupae, adult workers, adult males, an egglaying queen, and a diapausing queen of B.

huntii. The gene experession data were examined in two ways: the number of gene

detected within a class of detoxification genes (gene diversity), and the number of

transcripts of a particular gene or class of genes(the expression level).

9) Design and procedure

What research methodology was used?

The research methodology used for this study was quantitative method as it

involved the collecting data on numbers. The numbers of putative functions for the

detoxification genes expressed in different life stages of Bombus huntii. In the forms of

tables the genes were stated clearly. Then, it also stated the number of detoxification

genes expressed in different life stages of the bombus huntii. The reads per kilobase

per million reads (RPKM) is also stated as the normalized expression levels of possible

detoxification genes in B. huntii immature, for genes in the (A) oxidation:reduction, (B)

conjugation, and (C) hydrolysis groups.

The procedure that were carried out was eight different stages of B. huntii were

used in this analysis, eggs, early (2nd and 3rd) instar larvae, late (4th) instar larvae,

pupae, adult workers, adult males, a diapausing queen and an egglaying queen. All

stages were collected from a nest cultured in the lab at USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect

Research Unit in Logan, UT, except for the diapausing queen, which was a sister of the

egglaying queen had been held in cold storage at 4̊ C for three month prior to collection

sequencing. The bees were reared to strange and were started from queens that were

raised and mated in the laboratory.

Was it a replica study or an original study?

No, it was not a replica study because it involves real process of observing and

collecting data from different stages of the bee life. It also involves the process in the

laboratory which include the mating and laying eggs process for the bees. It is said to

be an original study because it was developed on the basis of conducting and collecting

real data from the problem. The data were reported clearly with different stages and

time. This involves long period of time.

What measurement tools were used?

The measurement tools that were used was the hydrolysis process conducted,

which transfer a hydrogen atom from water to the substrate compound, and these

reactions are facilitated by hydrolytic enzymes. This hydrolysis process will show the

typical detoxification pathways known for insects. The data were presented in the form

of tables and the readings were read as a transcriptome.

How were the procedures structured?

In my opinion the procedures is not structured the methods of this study which is

the process of collecting data by letting the egg in their own stages were discussed in

the conclusion section. Then, the other process of the mating and breeding in the

laboratory was also discussed in the conclusion section. Which, it needs careful

observation by the researcher in the lab. However, the data should be collected before

the conclusion was made.

Was a pilot study conducted?

No, based on the journal there are no pilot studies conducted by the researcher.

What are the variables?

The variables that could be state were Bombus huntii species, the life stages of

the bombus huntii, colony survival and genes expressed from the posing threat.

How was sampling performed?

Sampling that were performed in this study is specific sampling because the type of

species chosen were specified and breed into different life stages and they were mated

and the egg laying process were observed in the laboratory.

10) Data Analysis and presentation:

How was data analyzed?

Data was analyzed using table forms. The tables had stated the putative

functions of genes expressed in the form of detoxification genes expressed in different

life stages of the Bombus huntii, based on function assigned when the gene was first

isolated. Other data’s that had been collected were the number of detoxification genes

identified, as expressed in different life stages, as expressed in different life stages of

Bombus huntii, Reads Per Kilobase million reads (RPKM) the normalized expression

levels of possible detoxification genes in B. huntii

Was data qualitative or quantitative?

The data collected was in the form of quantitative because the data was

analyzed based on the reads per kilobase per million reads (RPKM). The readings were

the data perform as the normalized expression levels of possible detoxification genes in

B. Huntii adults for genes in the (A) oxidation:reduction, (B) conjugation, and (C)

hydrolysis groups.

Did findings support the hypothesis and purpose?

Yes, the findings support the hypothesis and purpose of this study where as the

sequence assembly, annotation and detoxification gene identification. The gene

diversity and expression levels for detoxification and stress related genes.

Were weakness and problems discussed?

No, the weakness and problems were not discussed in the journal as it focused on the

data collection more as its strength.

11) Conclusion and implications

Are the conclusions of the study related to the original purpose?

Yes, the conclusion of the study is said to be related to the original purpose

because it explain the findings from the study and determined the genes expressed with

stress response in the form of table as it stated about the use of transcriptome analysis

of all life stages and the methods of the study were discussed in conclusion. It did state

about the availability of supporting data to support the data in another website with its

link.

Were the implications discussed?

No, the implications were not discussed.

Whom the results and conclusion will affect?

The result and conclusion will affect the bee species itself as the study were

made on that species where the genes expressed were recognize and the level were

determined. The researcher could determine the genes expressed by the B. huntii to

study the stress response with increasing in foraging and feeding activity directly

increase the risk of exposure to the environmental pollutant. Futhermore, increased

energy demands have been shown to increase consumption rates and the formation of

metabolic by-product in certain species of flowers.

What recommendations were made at the conclusion?

There are no recommendations were made at the conclusion as it discussed the

method of the study and explain about the findings of the study.

12) Overall Assessment

What is your overall assessment of the study and the articles?

In my opinion, the journal is so difficult to be understood by normal people. The

language that were used in this journal is so hard to be understood. The scientific terms

also were advanced as it is an article written in recent time which maybe used the most

advanced technology in order to study the animal adaptation of bee, B.huntii. The genes

presented were also hardly heard by normal people or normal science student. This

journal suited the scientist more than normal people as it will benefit them more than the

normal people. I think it is a great lose of someone who can write journal that are so

informative but could not be understood by the masses.

List of the new vocabulary with meanings:

Kilobase- (in expressing the lengths of nucleic acid molecules) 1,000 bases.

Xenobiotics-substances those are foreign to the body or to an ecological system.

Diapausing-(of an insect or other animal) undergo a period of suspended development.

Detoxification- The process of removing toxic substances or qualities.

Transcriptome-The transcriptome is the set of all RNA molecules, including mRNA,

rRNA, tRNA, and other non-coding RNA produced in one or a

population of cells.

Appendices