Teaching Post-Secondary Students in Ecology and Evolution: Strategies for Early-Career Researchers

Teaching can be a rewarding, yet challenging, experience for early career researchers (ECRs) in fields like ecology and evolution. Much of this challenge arises from the reality that ECRs in ecology and evolution typically receive little, if any, pedagogical training or advice on how to balance teaching, research (which can include extended field work), and other demands on their time. Here, we aim to provide accessible, pragmatic advice for ECRs in ecology and evolution who are given the opportunity to teach (as instructor of record). The advice is based on the authors’ collective experiences teaching in ecology and evolution as ECRs and is meant to help ECRs address two challenges: a) balancing the demands of teaching against one’s research, service, and personal life, and b) being effective in the classroom while doing so. The guidance we provide includes practical steps to take when teaching for the first time, including carefully refining the syllabus (course planning), adopting ‘non-traditional’ teaching methods, and taking advantage of free teaching resources. We also discuss a range of ‘soft skills’ to consider including guarding against imposter syndrome (i.e., self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud), managing expectations, being empathetic, compassionate, authentic, and fostering an inclusive classroom. Lastly, we emphasize the need to focus on developing students’ critical thinking skills, integrating research and teaching where possible, and setting limits on class preparation time to maintain balance with your research and personal life. Collectively, we hope the examples provided herein offer a useful guide to ECRs new to teaching.</jats:p

Flash Flood simulation and valve behavior of Mytilus galloprovincialis measured with Hall sensors

Mussels close their shell as a protective strategy and the quantification of this behavioral marker may represent an alarm signal when they are exposed to environmental stressors. In the present study, we investigated the ability of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis to recover and then the resilience or inertia of valve activity after a pulsing exposition to diverse levels of salinity (5, 10, 20 and 35 PSU as reference value). The trial simulated an event of drastic and sudden reduction of seawater salinity thus mimicking an event of Flash Flood from intense rain. Valve gaping and movements were measured in continuous cycle for ten days using a customized magneto-electric device which uses Hall sensors. Results showed that under normal conditions of salinity (35 PSU) the general pattern of valve movements was a continuously open state with sporadic spikes indicating a closing motion. At salinity of 5 PSU mussels reacted by closing their valves, leading to a 77% mortality on the fourth day. At salinity of 10 PSU animals were observed with closed valves for the entire duration of the exposure and no mortality occurred, they showed a significant reduction in the valve activity once the reference value of salinity was re-established. In contrast, salinity of 20 PSU did not trigger a significant behavioral response. Interestingly, there no define rhythms of valve movements were recorded during salinity challenges

Behavioural indicators of welfare in farmed fish

Behaviour represents a reaction to the environment as fish perceive it and is therefore a key element of fish welfare. This review summarises the main findings on how behavioural changes have been used to assess welfare in farmed fish, using both functional and feeling-based approaches. Changes in foraging behaviour, ventilatory activity, aggression, individual and group swimming behaviour, stereotypic and abnormal behaviour have been linked with acute and chronic stressors in aquaculture and can therefore be regarded as likely indicators of poor welfare. On the contrary, measurements of exploratory behaviour, feed anticipatory activity and reward-related operant behaviour are beginning to be considered as indicators of positive emotions and welfare in fish. Despite the lack of scientific agreement about the existence of sentience in fish, the possibility that they are capable of both positive and negative emotions may contribute to the development of new strategies (e. g. environmental enrichment) to promote good welfare. Numerous studies that use behavioural indicators of welfare show that behavioural changes can be interpreted as either good or poor welfare depending on the fish species. It is therefore essential to understand the species-specific biology before drawing any conclusions in relation to welfare. In addition, different individuals within the same species may exhibit divergent coping strategies towards stressors, and what is tolerated by some individuals may be detrimental to others. Therefore, the assessment of welfare in a few individuals may not represent the average welfare of a group and vice versa. This underlines the need to develop on-farm, operational behavioural welfare indicators that can be easily used to assess not only the individual welfare but also the welfare of the whole group (e. g. spatial distribution). With the ongoing development of video technology and image processing, the on-farm surveillance of behaviour may in the near future represent a low-cost, noninvasive tool to assess the welfare of farmed fish.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal [SFRH/BPD/42015/2007]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A global analysis of terrestrial plant litter dynamics in non-perennial waterways

Perennial rivers and streams make a disproportionate contribution to global carbon (C) cycling. However, the contribution of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), which sometimes cease to flow and can dry completely, is largely ignored although they represent over half the global river network. Substantial amounts of terrestrial plant litter (TPL) accumulate in dry riverbeds and, upon rewetting, this material can undergo rapid microbial processing. We present the results of a global research collaboration that collected and analysed TPL from 212 dry riverbeds across major environmental gradients and climate zones. We assessed litter decomposability by quantifying the litter carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and oxygen (O2) consumption in standardized assays and estimated the potential short-term CO2 emissions during rewetting events. Aridity, cover of riparian vegetation, channel width and dry-phase duration explained most variability in the quantity and decomposability of plant litter in IRES. Our estimates indicate that a single pulse of CO2 emission upon litter rewetting contributes up to 10% of the daily CO2 emission from perennial rivers and stream, particularly in temperate climates. This indicates that the contributions of IRES should be included in global C-cycling assessments

In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Evaluation Of Keratic Precipitates And Endothelial Morphology In Fuchs' Uveitis Syndrome

Purpose To evaluate the endothelial cell layer in patients with Fuchs' uveitis syndrome (FUS) with respect to the type and distribution of keratic precipitates (KP), endothelial cell morphology, and endothelial cell density (ECD), using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Methods Forty eyes of 40 patients (mean age of 32.2 +/- 12.5 years) with the clinical diagnosis of FUS were evaluated with IVCM (Confoscan 3.0, Vigonza, Italy). KP were classified as type I (small, round), type II (stippled), type III (dendritiform), and type IV (globular). When >1 KP type was present, differentiation between the predominant and less frequent KP was made as 'primary' and 'secondary'. ECD was measured and compared with age-matched 60 control subjects. Endothelial blebs were classified as small (3-10 mu m) or large (> 10 mu m). Results In 36 (90.0%) cases with FUS, more than one KP type was observed with IVCM. Type III (dendritiform) KP was the most frequently observed primary KP type (85.0%), followed by type II (stippled) KP (15.0%). Secondary KP included type 11 (58.3%), type IV (globular) (27.8%), and type III (13.9%). The mean endothelial cell density of eyes with FUS (2588 +/- 396 cells/mm(2)) was significantly lower than that of control subjects (2930 +/- 364 cells/mm(2)) (t-test; P < 0.001). Eyes with FUS had lower proportion of hexagonal cells and higher percentage of polymegethism compared with the uninvolved contralateral eyes. Endothelial blebs (21 small, 16 large blebs) were observed in 37 (92.5%) eyes. Conclusions FUS is characterized by dendritiform KP and is associated with decreased ECD and altered endothelial cell morphology. Eye (2012) 26, 119-125; doi:10.1038/eye.2011.268; published online 4 November 2011WoSScopu

Oxygen consumption during digestion in Anodonta anatina and Unio pictorum in response to algal concentration

Abstract The metabolic activity of unionid mussels influences the oxygen fluxes and other physical and chemical characteristics in aquatic systems. Unionid oxygen consumption rate during digestion and its dependency on food availability is understudied. In laboratory conditions, we quantified the oxygen consumption rate of Anodonta anatina and Unio pictorum in response to algal concentration—0.05, 6.0 and 12.0 mg of Ash Free Dry Mass of Chlorella vulgaris L-1 —and mussel dry soft-tissue mass at 19 ± 1C. Following a 5-h feeding-period, the oxygen consumption rate (mg O2 h-1 ) increased with algal concentration and mussel dry mass in both species during a 2-h digestion-period. The mean oxygen consumption per gram of dry mass (mg O2 gDM-1 h-1 ) increased with the algal concentration in both species. The oxygen consumption rate of A. anatina was significantly greater than that of U. pictorum at a given algal concentration. The A. anatina oxygen consumption per gram of dry mass decreased with increasing dry mass. Oxygen consumption rate during digestion shows inter-specific differences and is dependent on food availability. The findings inform the species specific quantification of oxygen consumption, and validation is required in in situ conditions.This work was funded by an ESRC PhD studentshi