Expresión incompleta de incompatibilidad trimórfica en Oxalis compacta Gill. ex Hook. et Arn. subsp. compacta en los Andes de Chile central

The expression of trimorphic incompatibility was investigated in a high altitude population of Oxalis compacta subsp.compacta distributed in the upper alpine belt (3100-3470 m) of the central Chile Andes. Stigma-anther reciprocity (2populations), morph representation (7 populations), unassisted selfing capacity and open-pollination fruit set (6 populations)were determined. O. compacta ssp. compacta es highly dependent on external pollinators. Although it has typical tristylousflowers, considerable seed set is possible following illegitimate intermorph and intramorph cross pollination. Openpollination fruit set varied from 9-83% and on average was lower in the higher-elevation populations. The possibilityof seed set following two kinds of illegitimate cross pollination is seen as a means of enhancing reproductive output byenabling more effective use of the limited pollinator resource in the high alpine environment, where fruit set shows highinter-annual variability and there is some evidence for pollination limitation in Oxalis compacta subsp. compacta.Se investigó la expresión de incompatibilidad trimórfica en una población de Oxalis compacta subsp. compacta distribuidaen la zona alpina superior de los Andes de Chile central. Se determinó la reciprocidad de los estigmas y anteras (dospoblaciones), representación de morfos florales (7 poblaciones), capacidad para autofecundación no asistida y polinizaciónabierta (6 poblaciones). O. compacta subsp. compacta es altamente dependiente de polinizadores externos. No obstantela presencia de flores tristilicas, las dos categorías ilegítimas de polinización dieron semillas. La producción de frutosmediante polinización abierta fluctuó entre 9-83% y en promedio fue menor en las poblaciones de mayor elevación. Seplantea que la capacidad de formar semillas mediante polinización ilegítima permitirá el uso más eficaz del recurso limitadode polinización en la zona andina superior, donde los niveles de fructificación varían entre años y existe evidencia preliminarde limitación de polen en Oxalis compacta subsp. compacta

Sistema reproductivo de Trichopetalum plumosum (Ruiz & Pav.) J.F. Macbr. (Asparagaceae), geófita endémica de Chile

The breeding system of the geophyte endemic to Chile Trichopetalum plumosum (Ruiz & Pav.) J.F. Macbr. (Asparagaceae) was evaluated with five controlled pollination treatments (agamospermy, autonomous autogamy, self-pollination, crosspollination and natural / control). Emasculated and unpollinated flowers did not produce fruits, therefore, this is a nonapomictic species and needs pollen for seed production. Fruit production via cross and natural pollination treatments were high with 70.0 and 90.9%, respectively. Despite the low production via self-pollination (43.3%), autonomous autogamy (90.0%) achieved high values as cross and natural pollination treatments. The results for the mean number of seeds per flower were similar to fruiting. However, analysis of the mean number of seeds per fruit did not show significant differences. These results indicate that the population of T. plumosum is self-compatible with a high capacity for autonomous autogamy. It could be possible that autonomous autogamy of this species occurs when the stamens of the flowers move toward the stigma while they close and wither at the end of the day, corresponding to a delayed selfing mode.En este estudio se evaluó el sistema reproductivo de Trichopetalum plumosum (Ruiz & Pav.) J.F. Macbr. (Asparagaceae), una geófita endémica de Chile. Se realizaron cinco tratamientos de polinización controlada (agamospermia, autogamia autónoma, autopolinización, polinización cruzada y natural / control). Ninguna de las flores emasculadas y sin polinizar produjo frutos, lo que indica que esta especie no es apomíctica y, por lo tanto, necesita polen para la producción de semillas. La fructificación en el tratamiento de polinización cruzada (70,0%) fue alta y similar al porcentaje alcanzado a través de la polinización natural (90,9%). A pesar del porcentaje menor en la prueba de autopolinización (43,3%), la autogamia autónoma (90,0%) se acercó a los altos valores alcanzados en los dos primeros tratamientos mencionados. Para el promedio de semillas por flor tratada, los resultados concuerdan con los de fructificación. Sin embargo, al evaluar el número promedio de semillas por fruto formado, los tratamientos no mostraron diferencias significativas. Los resultados indican que la población de T. plumosum es autocompatible con una alta capacidad para la autogamia autónoma. Se sugiere que esta última se produce por el movimiento de los estambres hacia el estigma al final del día a medida que las flores se marchitan y cierran, correspondiendo a un modo de autofecundación tardía

Novel mutations expand the clinical spectrum of DYNC1H1-associated spinal muscular atrophy

OBJECTIVE To expand the clinical phenotype of autosomal dominant congenital spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance (SMA-LED) due to mutations in the dynein, cytoplasmic 1, heavy chain 1 (DYNC1H1) gene. METHODS Patients with a phenotype suggestive of a motor, non-length-dependent neuronopathy predominantly affecting the lower limbs were identified at participating neuromuscular centers and referred for targeted sequencing of DYNC1H1. RESULTS We report a cohort of 30 cases of SMA-LED from 16 families, carrying mutations in the tail and motor domains of DYNC1H1, including 10 novel mutations. These patients are characterized by congenital or childhood-onset lower limb wasting and weakness frequently associated with cognitive impairment. The clinical severity is variable, ranging from generalized arthrogryposis and inability to ambulate to exclusive and mild lower limb weakness. In many individuals with cognitive impairment (9/30 had cognitive impairment) who underwent brain MRI, there was an underlying structural malformation resulting in polymicrogyric appearance. The lower limb muscle MRI shows a distinctive pattern suggestive of denervation characterized by sparing and relative hypertrophy of the adductor longus and semitendinosus muscles at the thigh level, and diffuse involvement with relative sparing of the anterior-medial muscles at the calf level. Proximal muscle histopathology did not always show classic neurogenic features. CONCLUSION Our report expands the clinical spectrum of DYNC1H1-related SMA-LED to include generalized arthrogryposis. In addition, we report that the neurogenic peripheral pathology and the CNS neuronal migration defects are often associated, reinforcing the importance of DYNC1H1 in both central and peripheral neuronal functions

Distribution of the anther-smut pathogen Microbotryum on species of the Caryophyllaceae

Artículo de publicación ISIUnderstanding disease distributions is of fundamental and applied importance, yet few studies benefit from integrating broad sampling with ecological and phylogenetic data. Here, anther-smut disease, caused by the fungus Microbotryum, was assessed using herbarium specimens of Silene and allied genera of the Caryophyllaceae. • A total of 42 000 herbarium specimens were examined, and plant geographical distributions and morphological and life history characteristics were tested as correlates of disease occurrence. Phylogenetic comparative methods were used to determine the association between disease and plant life-span. • Disease was found on 391 herbarium specimens from 114 species and all continents with native Silene. Anther smut occurred exclusively on perennial plants, consistent with the pathogen requiring living hosts to overwinter. The disease was estimated to occur in 80% of perennial species of Silene and allied genera. The correlation between plant life-span and disease was highly significant while controlling for the plant phylogeny, but the disease was not correlated with differences in floral morphology. • Using resources available in natural history collections, this study illustrates how disease distribution can be determined, not by restriction to a clade of susceptible hosts or to a limited geographical region, but by association with host life-span, a trait that has undergone frequent evolutionary transitions.We acknowledge grant support from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the National Science Foundation (DEB-0747222) to MEH, the National Science Foundation Minority Postdoctoral Fellowship (DBI-0706721) to JIMA, University of Chile awards PFB-23 and ICM P05-002 to MTKA, and The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS) support to BO, and Royal Society Incoming Fellowship and Center for Infection, Immunity, and Evolution Advanced Fellowship to ABP

Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities

AimComprehensive, global information on species' occurrences is an essential biodiversity variable and central to a range of applications in ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation. Expert range maps often represent a species' only available distributional information and play an increasing role in conservation assessments and macroecology. We provide global range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species harmonised to the taxonomy of the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) mobilised from two sources, the Handbook of the Mammals of the World (HMW) and the Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World (CMW).LocationGlobal.TaxonAll extant mammal species.MethodsRange maps were digitally interpreted, georeferenced, error-checked and subsequently taxonomically aligned between the HMW (6253 species), the CMW (6431 species) and the MDD taxonomies (6362 species).ResultsRange maps can be evaluated and visualised in an online map browser at Map of Life (mol.org) and accessed for individual or batch download for non-commercial use.Main conclusionExpert maps of species' global distributions are limited in their spatial detail and temporal specificity, but form a useful basis for broad-scale characterizations and model-based integration with other data. We provide georeferenced range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species as shapefiles, with species-level metadata and source information packaged together in geodatabase format. Across the three taxonomic sources our maps entail, there are 1784 taxonomic name differences compared to the maps currently available on the IUCN Red List website. The expert maps provided here are harmonised to the MDD taxonomic authority and linked to a community of online tools that will enable transparent future updates and version control

Mammal responses to global changes in human activity vary by trophic group and landscape

Wildlife must adapt to human presence to survive in the Anthropocene, so it is critical to understand species responses to humans in different contexts. We used camera trapping as a lens to view mammal responses to changes in human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across 163 species sampled in 102 projects around the world, changes in the amount and timing of animal activity varied widely. Under higher human activity, mammals were less active in undeveloped areas but unexpectedly more active in developed areas while exhibiting greater nocturnality. Carnivores were most sensitive, showing the strongest decreases in activity and greatest increases in nocturnality. Wildlife managers must consider how habituation and uneven sensitivity across species may cause fundamental differences in human–wildlife interactions along gradients of human influence.Peer reviewe

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Priorities for synthesis research in ecology and environmental science

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank the National Science Foundation grant #1940692 for financial support for this workshop, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and its staff for logistical support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD