Influence of soil type on South Texas rodent community compositions

Factors affecting the densities and diversities of semi-arid rodent communities have been topics of research for decades. This study, on the Santa Teresita Ranch in central Jim Hogg County, Texas, was conducted to determine if soils have a significant effect on the composition of South Texas rodent communities on the relatively fine scale of contiguous soil types. Soil sampling was conducted at sites across three soil types. Significant differences were observed in the mean percent mud (silt and clay) contents of samples across these soils. Live trapping was conducted from October 2011 to October 2012 with a trap success rate of 23% during the 1901 trap/nights. Proportions of species were significantly different across soil types, due in part to significant differences in proportions of the Gulf Coast kangaroo rat (Dipodomys compactus) across soils

Introduction of a novel natural history collection: a model for global scientific collaboration and enhancement of biodiversity infrastructure with a focus on developing countries

Novel paradigms and advancement of collections-based research for solving societal and global issues has prompted scientists in recent decades to advocate for collections that improve associated data holistically. We review current knowledge, philosophies, and advocacy of this approach to natural history collections and present information about a new natural history collection that has been founded on many of these principles as a result of this call to action. This collection has resulted in the unification of three Bolivian and two American institutions, and provides a vehicle for improved educational and research opportunities in an underprivileged and underrepresented area. These novel paradigms are conceptualized in our models of specimen data and natural history collections use and summarize holistic approaches to data collection, scientific collaboration, education, and public outreach. These approaches address biodiversity conservation from a global perspective but focus on the importance of natural history collections and biodiversity infrastructure in developing countries. We suggest that natural history collections follow this framework to address global biodiversity challenges

Overview of physics results from MAST upgrade towards core-pedestal-exhaust integration

Abstract Recent results from MAST Upgrade are presented, emphasising understanding the capabilities of this new device and deepening understanding of key physics issues for the operation of ITER and the design of future fusion power plants. The impact of MHD instabilities on fast ion confinement have been studied, including the first observation of fast ion losses correlated with Compressional and Global Alfvén Eigenmodes. High-performance plasma scenarios have been developed by tailoring the early plasma current ramp phase to avoid internal reconnection events, resulting in a more monotonic q profile with low central shear. The impact of m/n = 3/2, 2/1 and 1/1 modes on thermal plasma confinement and rotation profiles has been quantified, and scenarios optimised to avoid them have transiently reached values of normalised beta approaching 4.2. In pedestal and ELM physics, a maximum pedestal top temperature of ∼350 eV has been achieved, exceeding the value achieved on MAST at similar heating power. Mitigation of type-I ELMs with n = 1 RMPs has been observed. Studies of plasma exhaust have concentrated on comparing conventional and Super-X divertor configurations, while X-point target, X-divertor and snowflake configurations have been developed and studied in parallel. In L-mode discharges, the separatrix density required to detach the outer divertors is approximately a factor 2 lower in the Super-X than the conventional configuration, in agreement with simulations. Detailed analysis of spectroscopy data from studies of the Super-X configuration reveal the importance of including plasma-molecule interactions and D2 Fulcher band emission to properly quantify the rates of ionisation, plasma-molecule interactions and volumetric recombination processes governing divertor detachment. In H-mode with conventional and Super-X configurations, the outer divertors are attached in the former and detached in the latter with no impact on core or pedestal confinement.</jats:p