61 research outputs found
Photo-elastic properties of the wing imaginal disc of Drosophila
In the study of developmental biology, the physical properties and constraints of the developing tissues are of great importance. In spite of this, not much is known about the elastic properties of biologically relevant tissues that are studied in biology labs. Here, we characterize properties of the wing imaginal disc of Drosophila, which is a precursor organ intensely studied in the framework of growth control and cell polarity. In order to determine the possibility of measuring mechanical stresses inside the tissue during development, we quantify the photo-elastic properties of the tissue by direct mechanical manipulation. We obtain a photo-elastic constant of [Formula: see text]
Scale-dependent effects of marine subsidies on the island biogeographic patterns of plants
Although species richness can be determined by different mechanisms at different spatial scales, the role of scale in the effects of marine inputs on island biogeography has not been studied explicitly. Here, we evaluated the potential influence of island characteristics and marine inputs (seaweed wrack biomass and marine-derived nitrogen in the soil) on plant species richness at both a local (plot) and regional (island) scale on 92 islands in British Columbia, Canada. We found that the effects of subsidies on species richness depend strongly on spatial scale. Despite detecting no effects of marine subsidies at the island scale, we found that as plot level subsidies increased, species richness decreased; plots with more marine-derived nitrogen in the soil hosted fewer plant species. We found no effect of seaweed wrack at either scale. To identify potential mechanisms underlying the decrease in diversity, we fit a spatially explicit joint species distribution model to evaluate species level responses to marine subsidies and effects of biotic interactions among species. We found mixed evidence for competition for both light and nutrients, and cannot rule out an alternative mechanism; the observed decrease in species richness may be due to disturbances associated with animal-mediated nutrient deposits, particularly those from North American river otters (Lontra canadensis). By evaluating the scale-dependent effects of marine subsidies on island biogeographic patterns of plants and revealing likely mechanisms that act on community composition, we provide novel insights on the scale dependence of a fundamental ecological theory, and on the rarely examined links between marine and terrestrial ecosystems often bridged by animal vectors
Biogeographic features mediate marine subsidies to island food webs
Although marine subsidies often enrich terrestrial ecosystems, their influence is known to be context-dependent. Additionally, the multitrophic impact of marine subsidies has not been traced through food webs across physically diverse islands. Here, we test predictions about how island characteristics can affect marine enrichment of food web constituents and how nutrients flow through island food webs. To evaluate enrichment and trace marine nutrients across food webs, we used stable isotopes of soil, flora, and fauna (n = 4752 samples) collected from 97 islands in British Columbia, Canada. Island area was the strongest predictor of enrichment across taxa; we found that samples were more 15N-rich on smaller islands. Enrichment declined with distance from shore but less so on small islands, implying a higher per-unit-area subsidy effect. These area and distance-to-shore effects were taxon-specific, and nearly twice as strong in basal food web groups. We also found that increases in δ15N correlated with increases in %N in basal trophic groups, as well as in songbirds, implying biologically relevant uptake of a potentially limiting nutrient. Path analysis demonstrated that subsidies in soil flow through plants and detritivores, and into upper-level consumers. Our results reveal an interplay between island biogeography and marine subsidies in shaping island food webs through bottom-up processes
2022 Upgrade and Improved Low Frequency Camera Sensitivity for CMB Observation at the South Pole
Constraining the Galactic foregrounds with multi-frequency Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB) observations is an essential step towards ultimately reaching
the sensitivity to measure primordial gravitational waves (PGWs), the sign of
inflation after the Big-Bang that would be imprinted on the CMB. The BICEP
Array telescope is a set of multi-frequency cameras designed to constrain the
energy scale of inflation through CMB B-mode searches while also controlling
the polarized galactic foregrounds. The lowest frequency BICEP Array receiver
(BA1) has been observing from the South Pole since 2020 and provides 30 GHz and
40 GHz data to characterize the Galactic synchrotron in our CMB maps. In this
paper, we present the design of the BA1 detectors and the full optical
characterization of the camera including the on-sky performance at the South
Pole. The paper also introduces the design challenges during the first
observing season including the effect of out-of-band photons on detectors
performance. It also describes the tests done to diagnose that effect and the
new upgrade to minimize these photons, as well as installing more dichroic
detectors during the 2022 deployment season to improve the BA1 sensitivity. We
finally report background noise measurements of the detectors with the goal of
having photon noise dominated detectors in both optical channels. BA1 achieves
an improvement in mapping speed compared to the previous deployment season.Comment: Proceedings of SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2022
(AS22
Controlled Human Malaria Infection Trials:How Tandems of Trust and Control Construct Scientific Knowledge
Contains fulltext :
172213.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access
Scale-dependent effects of marine subsidies on the island biogeographic patterns of plants
Although species richness can be determined by different mechanisms at different spatial scales, the role of scale in the effects of marine inputs on island biogeography has not been studied explicitly. Here, we evaluated the potential influence of island characteristics and marine inputs (seaweed wrack biomass and marine-derived nitrogen in the soil) on plant species richness at both a local (plot) and regional (island) scale on 92 islands in British Columbia, Canada. We found that the effects of subsidies on species richness depend strongly on spatial scale. Despite detecting no effects of marine subsidies at the island scale, we found that as plot level subsidies increased, species richness decreased; plots with more marine-derived nitrogen in the soil hosted fewer plant species. We found no effect of seaweed wrack at either scale. To identify potential mechanisms underlying the decrease in diversity, we fit a spatially explicit joint species distribution model to evaluate species level responses to marine subsidies and effects of biotic interactions among species. We found mixed evidence for competition for both light and nutrients, and cannot rule out an alternative mechanism; the observed decrease in species richness may be due to disturbances associated with animal-mediated nutrient deposits, particularly those from North American river otters (Lontra canadensis). By evaluating the scale-dependent effects of marine subsidies on island biogeographic patterns of plants and revealing likely mechanisms that act on community composition, we provide novel insights on the scale dependence of a fundamental ecological theory, and on the rarely examined links between marine and terrestrial ecosystems often bridged by animal vectors
2017 International League Against Epilepsy classifications of seizures and epilepsy are steps in the right direction.
Abstract non disponibil
Biogeographic features mediate marine subsidies to island food webs
Abstract Although marine subsidies often enrich terrestrial ecosystems, their influence is known to be context‐dependent. Additionally, the multitrophic impact of marine subsidies has not been traced through food webs across physically diverse islands. Here, we test predictions about how island characteristics can affect marine enrichment of food web constituents and how nutrients flow through island food webs. To evaluate enrichment and trace marine nutrients across food webs, we used stable isotopes of soil, flora, and fauna (n = 4752 samples) collected from 97 islands in British Columbia, Canada. Island area was the strongest predictor of enrichment across taxa; we found that samples were more 15N‐rich on smaller islands. Enrichment declined with distance from shore but less so on small islands, implying a higher per‐unit‐area subsidy effect. These area and distance‐to‐shore effects were taxon‐specific, and nearly twice as strong in basal food web groups. We also found that increases in δ15N correlated with increases in %N in basal trophic groups, as well as in songbirds, implying biologically relevant uptake of a potentially limiting nutrient. Path analysis demonstrated that subsidies in soil flow through plants and detritivores, and into upper‐level consumers. Our results reveal an interplay between island biogeography and marine subsidies in shaping island food webs through bottom‐up processes
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