Drift versus selection as drivers of phenotypic divergence at small spatial scales: The case of Belgjarskógur threespine stickleback

Divergence in phenotypic traits is facilitated by a combination of natural selection, phenotypic plasticity, gene flow, and genetic drift, whereby the role of drift is expected to be particularly important in small and isolated populations. Separating the components of phenotypic divergence is notoriously difficult, particularly for multivariate phenotypes. Here, we assessed phenotypic divergence of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) across 19 semi‐interconnected ponds within a small geographic region (~7.5 km2) using comparisons of multivariate phenotypic divergence (PST), neutral genetic (FST), and environmental (EST) variation. We found phenotypic divergence across the ponds in a suite of functionally relevant phenotypic traits, including feeding, defense, and swimming traits, and body shape (geometric morphometric). Comparisons of PSTs with FSTs suggest that phenotypic divergence is predominantly driven by neutral processes or stabilizing selection, whereas phenotypic divergence in defensive traits is in accordance with divergent selection. Comparisons of population pairwise PSTs with ESTs suggest that phenotypic divergence in swimming traits is correlated with prey availability, whereas there were no clear associations between phenotypic divergence and environmental difference in the other phenotypic groups. Overall, our results suggest that phenotypic divergence of these small populations at small geographic scales is largely driven by neutral processes (gene flow, drift), although environmental determinants (natural selection or phenotypic plasticity) may play a role.ISSN:2045-775

Analysis of the temperature influence on Langmuir probe measurements on the basis of gyrofluid simulations

The influence of the temperature and its fluctuations on the ion saturation current and the floating potential, which are typical quantities measured by Langmuir probes in the turbulent edge region of fusion plasmas, is analysed by global nonlinear gyrofluid simulations for two exemplary parameter regimes. The numerical simulation facilitates a direct access to densities, temperatures and the plasma potential at different radial positions around the separatrix. This allows a comparison between raw data and the calculated ion saturation current and floating potential within the simulation. Calculations of the fluctuation-induced radial particle flux and its statistical properties reveal significant differences to the actual values at all radial positions of the simulation domain, if the floating potential and the temperature averaged density inferred from the ion saturation current is used.Comment: Submitted to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusio

A Fluorescent Chromatophore Changes the Level of Fluorescence in a Reef Fish

Body coloration plays a major role in fish ecology and is predominantly generated using two principles: a) absorbance combined with reflection of the incoming light in pigment colors and b) scatter, refraction, diffraction and interference in structural colors. Poikilotherms, and especially fishes possess several cell types, so-called chromatophores, which employ either of these principles. Together, they generate the dynamic, multi-color patterns used in communication and camouflage. Several chromatophore types possess motile organelles, which enable rapid changes in coloration. Recently, we described red fluorescence in a number of marine fish and argued that it may be used for private communication in an environment devoid of red. Here, we describe the discovery of a chromatophore in fishes that regulates the distribution of fluorescent pigments in parts of the skin. These cells have a dendritic shape and contain motile fluorescent particles. We show experimentally that the fluorescent particles can be aggregated or dispersed through hormonal and nervous control. This is the first description of a stable and natural cytoskeleton-related fluorescence control mechanism in vertebrate cells. Its nervous control supports suggestions that fluorescence could act as a context-dependent signal in some marine fish species and encourages further research in this field. The fluorescent substance is stable under different chemical conditions and shows no discernible bleaching under strong, constant illumination

Observation of narrow baryon resonance decaying into pKs0pK^0_s in pA-interactions at 70GeV/c70 GeV/c with SVD-2 setup

SVD-2 experiment data have been analyzed to search for an exotic baryon state, the $\Theta^+$-baryon, in a $pK^0_s$ decay mode at $70 GeV/c$ on IHEP accelerator. The reaction $pA \to pK^0_s+X$ with a limited multiplicity was used in the analysis. The $pK^0_s$ invariant mass spectrum shows a resonant structure with $M=1526\pm3(stat.)\pm 3(syst.) MeV/c^2$ and $\Gamma < 24 MeV/c^2$. The statistical significance of this peak was estimated to be of $5.6 \sigma$. The mass and width of the resonance is compatible with the recently reported $\Theta^+$- baryon with positive strangeness which was predicted as an exotic pentaquark ($uudd\bar{s}$) baryon state. The total cross section for $\Theta^+$ production in pN-interactions for $X_F\ge 0$ was estimated to be $(30\div120) \mu b$ and no essential deviation from A-dependence for inelastic events $(\sim A^{0.7})$ was found.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, To be submitted to Yadernaya Fizika. v3-v5 - Some references added, minor typos correcte

First Observation of the Doubly Charmed Baryon Xi_cc^+

We observe a signal for the doubly charmed baryon Xi_cc^+ in the charged decay mode Xi_cc^+ --> Lambda_c^+ K- pi+ in data from SELEX, the charm hadro-production experiment at Fermilab. We observe an excess of 15.9 events over an expected background of 6.1 +/- 0.5 events, a statistical significance of 6.3sigma. The observed mass of this state is (3519 +/- 1) MeV/c^2. The Gaussian mass width of this state is 3MeV/c^2, consistent with resolution; its lifetime is less than 33fsec at 90% confidence.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Charge Fluctuations in \pi^{+}\rp and \rK^{+}\rp Collisions at 250 GeV/cc

We report on measurements of event-by-event charge fluctuations in \pi^{+}\rp and \rK^{+}\rp collisions at 250 GeV/$c$. The dependence of these fluctuations on the size of the rapidity windows are presented for the first time in the full phase space domain. The corrections for the influence of global charge conservation and leading-particle stopping are tested by the data. The discrepancy due to incomplete correction given by STAR and PHENIX are estimated. The dependence of the fluctuations on the position of the rapidity bin and on the multiplicity at different rapidity windows are also presented.Comment: 4pages, 3figure

Observation of the Cabibbo-suppressed decay Xi_c+ -> p K- pi+

We report the first observation of the Cabibbo-suppressed charm baryon decay Xi_c+ -> p K- pi+. We observe 150 +- 22 events for the signal. The data were accumulated using the SELEX spectrometer during the 1996-1997 fixed target run at Fermilab, chiefly from a 600 GeV/c Sigma- beam. The branching fractions of the decay relative to the Cabibbo-favored Xi_c+ -> Sigma+ K- pi+ and Xi_c+ -> X- pi+ pi+ are measured to be B(Xi_c+ -> p K- pi+)/B(Xi_c+ -> Sigma+ K- pi+) = 0.22 +- 0.06 +- 0.03 and B(Xi_c+ -> p K- pi+)/B(Xi_c+ -> X- pi+ pi+) = 0.20 +- 0.04 +- 0.02, respectively.Comment: 5 pages, RevTeX, 3 figures (postscript), Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let