Results of the 2016 Indianapolis Biodiversity Survey, Marion County, Indiana

Surprising biodiversity can be found in cities, but urban habitats are understudied. We report on a bioblitz conducted primarily within a 24-hr period on September 16 and 17, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The event focused on stretches of three waterways and their associated riparian habitat: Fall Creek (20.6 ha; 51 acres), Pleasant Run (23.5 ha; 58 acres), and Pogue’s Run (27.1 ha; 67 acres). Over 75 scientists, naturalists, students, and citizen volunteers comprised 14 different taxonomic teams. Five hundred ninety taxa were documented despite the rainy conditions. A brief summary of the methods and findings are presented here. Detailed maps of survey locations and inventory results are available on the Indiana Academy of Science website (https://www.indianaacademyofscience.org/)

Poplar GTL1 Is a Ca2+/Calmodulin-Binding Transcription Factor that Functions in Plant Water Use Efficiency and Drought Tolerance

Diminishing global fresh water availability has focused research to elucidate mechanisms of water use in poplar, an economically important species. A GT-2 family trihelix transcription factor that is a determinant of water use efficiency (WUE), PtaGTL1 (GT-2 like 1), was identified in Populus tremula × P. alba (clone 717-IB4). Like other GT-2 family members, PtaGTL1 contains both N- and C-terminal trihelix DNA binding domains. PtaGTL1 expression, driven by the Arabidopsis thaliana AtGTL1 promoter, suppressed the higher WUE and drought tolerance phenotypes of an Arabidopsis GTL1 loss-of-function mutation (gtl1-4). Genetic suppression of gtl1-4 was associated with increased stomatal density due to repression of Arabidopsis STOMATAL DENSITY AND DISTRIBUTION1 (AtSDD1), a negative regulator of stomatal development. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) indicated that a PtaGTL1 C-terminal DNA trihelix binding fragment (PtaGTL1-C) interacted with an AtSDD1 promoter fragment containing the GT3 box (GGTAAA), and this GT3 box was necessary for binding. PtaGTL1-C also interacted with a PtaSDD1 promoter fragment via the GT2 box (GGTAAT). PtaSDD1 encodes a protein with 60% primary sequence identity with AtSDD1. In vitro molecular interaction assays were used to determine that Ca2+-loaded calmodulin (CaM) binds to PtaGTL1-C, which was predicted to have a CaM-interaction domain in the first helix of the C-terminal trihelix DNA binding domain. These results indicate that, in Arabidopsis and poplar, GTL1 and SDD1 are fundamental components of stomatal lineage. In addition, PtaGTL1 is a Ca2+-CaM binding protein, which infers a mechanism by which environmental stimuli can induce Ca2+ signatures that would modulate stomatal development and regulate plant water use

Infotainment May Increase Engagement with Science but It Can Decrease Perceptions of Seriousness

We presented 867 participants with one of two videos about climate change that differed only in terms of whether they had an infotainment or expository narration. They were available in either English or Spanish. The participants consisted of two distinct clusters: one in which all were over 30 with a university degree, and another dominated by younger participants without a university degree. The infotainment version produced a significantly reduced perception of the seriousness of climate change for the planet in the latter cluster. Furthermore, viewers of the English versions, who were predominantly residents in countries with low-context cultures, perceived the risk of climate change for the planet to be significantly higher after watching the video with the expository narration. Using infotainment for science communication is a two-edged sword: while it may help engagement, making light of a topic can reduce perceptions about its seriousness. We suggest that the use of infotainment should be determined by the aims of the communicators and the nature of the target audience. If the purpose is simply to convey information, then infotainment is likely to be the most effective and it has the additional benefit of engaging recipients that lack a university education. However, if the purpose is to affect attitudes and persuade an audience, then an expository narration is likely to be most effective

Identifying the Relationships between Budget Deficit and Selected Macroeconomic Variables: A Study of Sri Lanka During the Postliberalization Era

AbstractA sustained sizeable deficit budget is problematic for Sri Lanka. Since 1980 to 2014, the Sri Lankan government budget deficit averaged 8.75% of GDP, and recorded the highest ratio of 19.2% of GDP in 1980 (Central Bank Annual reports, 1980-2014). This study examines the association with budget deficit and selected macroeconomic variables in Sri Lanka, using annual time series data for post-liberalization period; 1980-2014. The selected explanatory macroeconomic variables are inflation, interest rate, exchange rate, debt, and real GDP growth rate. Specifically, the study seeks to ascertain the relation-ship between selected macroeconomic variables and the budget deficit with a view to making appropriate recommendations to curb its negative effect to economy.The study carried 210 samples, and for examination of long-run relationship ARDL bounds test technique is applied, and short-run dynamic was examined using the ARDL Granger-Causality test. Further, Granger Causality test was carried out to determine the causality between selected variables and budget deficit, whether the impact were uni or bi- directional.The results revealed that there is a long-run relationship between budget deficit, inflation, interest rate, exchange rate, debts and real GDP growth rate in Sri Lanka. Further, in this study uni-directional relationship was confirmed between budget deficit and debts. The budget deficit cause debt. Additionally, a uni-directional relationship was also identified between budget deficit and inflation. The budget deficit cause inflation. Moreover, this study confirmed there were no uni or bi direction causality between other selected variables; Interest rate, Exchange, Real GDP growth rate and Budget deficit.Furthermore, the findings show that budget deficit has a meaningful effect on inflation, and debts. The paper recommended that the Sri Lankan government should take actions to control inflation to maintain price stability and to minimize the debts because the government is maintaining a sizable deficit budget since 1957. This research contributes to the idea that there are dimensional and dynamic factors involved between budget deficit and macroeconomic variables that require comprehensive knowledge to increase productivity, improve living standards, and ensure stability of the economic system.Keyword: Budget Deficit, Macroeconomic Variables, Granger Causality Tes