Plant Species Diversity along a Precipitation Gradient in Temperate Grasslands of China and Mongolia

Variations in species diversity can be linked to several ecological gradients (Huston 1994). Plant functional type is characterized by an adaption of plants to certain ecological conditions (Galan de Mera et al. 1999). In addition, patterns of species richness along an environmental gradient might be more interpretable by considering both species richness of different functional types and total species richness (Pausas and Austin 2001). Water availability generally signifies total precipitation available to support plant growth (Adler and Levine 2007), and its temporal distribution is the main driver of species composition and species diversity in arid and semi-arid environments (Shmida and Wilson 1985; Kutiel et al. 2000). Therefore, understanding how precipitation influences species diversity at a spatial scale will be critical for predicting the impacts of altered precipitation on vegetation patterns. This study aimed to examine the vegetation response to a spatial precipitation gradient in temperature grassland in China and Mongolia

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article

The status of DECIGO

DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) is the planned Japanese space gravitational wave antenna, aiming to detect gravitational waves from astrophysically and cosmologically significant sources mainly between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz and thus to open a new window for gravitational wave astronomy and for the universe. DECIGO will consists of three drag-free spacecraft arranged in an equilateral triangle with 1000 km arm lengths whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry-Perot interferometer, and four units of triangular Fabry-Perot interferometers are arranged on heliocentric orbit around the sun. DECIGO is vary ambitious mission, we plan to launch DECIGO in era of 2030s after precursor satellite mission, B-DECIGO. B-DECIGO is essentially smaller version of DECIGO: B-DECIGO consists of three spacecraft arranged in an triangle with 100 km arm lengths orbiting 2000 km above the surface of the earth. It is hoped that the launch date will be late 2020s for the present

Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates : a cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis

The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) states that energy intake for ungulates is maximised when forage biomass is at intermediate levels. Nevertheless, metabolic allometry and different digestive systems suggest that resource selection should vary across ungulate species. By combining GPS relocations with remotely sensed data on forage characteristics and surface water, we quantified the effect of body size and digestive system in determining movements of 30 populations of hindgut fermenters (equids) and ruminants across biomes. Selection for intermediate forage biomass was negatively related to body size, regardless of digestive system. Selection for proximity to surface water was stronger for equids relative to ruminants, regardless of body size. To be more generalisable, we suggest that the FMH explicitly incorporate contingencies in body size and digestive system, with small-bodied ruminants selecting more strongly for potential energy intake, and hindgut fermenters selecting more strongly for surface water.DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The dataset used in our analyses is available via Dryad repository (https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jsxksn09f) following a year-long embargo from publication of the manuscript. The coordinates associated with mountain zebra data are not provided in an effort to protect critically endangered black rhino (Diceros bicornis) locations. Interested researchers can contact the data owner (Minnesota Zoo) directly for inquiries.https://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/elehj2022Mammal Research InstituteZoology and Entomolog

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Spatial patterns in the diet of the Japanese macaque M acaca fuscata and their environmental determinants

Article first published online: 24 AUG 20151. ≪1≫We aimed to ascertain the environmental determinants of the diets of Japanese macaques Macaca fuscata in relation to geographical variables (latitude and elevation) and environmental variables [annual rainfall, mean temperature, snow characteristics and normalized difference vegetation index (We NDVI), a proxy for primary productivity] ≪2≫We collected dietary data from the entire range of Japanese macaques (29 study sites) and extracted each dietary component to determine spatial patterns over the species' range and between forest types. We then conducted model selection to identify the environmental determinants of staple diets and dietary diversity. ≪3≫Japanese macaques' diets were mainly composed of 1) foliage, 2) fruits and seeds, and 3) bark and leaf buds, throughout the entire range. Percentages of bark and buds were greater in deciduous forests than in evergreen forests; significant differences in the proportions of the other two major components and in dietary diversity were not observed in different forest types. ≪4≫Macaques inhabiting forests with higher NDVI and with less snow fed more on fruits and seeds, and a high dietary diversity was observed. In snowy forests, macaques inhabiting higher elevation fed more on foliage, while those inhabiting lower elevations fed mainly on bark and buds. ≪5≫When studying spatial patterns in the feeding behaviour of mammals, both environmental and geographical variables should be treated equally since the effect of environmental variables may be independent of the effect of geographical variables. In addition, more emphasis should be placed on snow characteristics, because snow cover leads to decreased availability of terrestrial food items and to increased energy costs (for locomotion and body temperature regulation), which can affect feeding behaviour and dietary diversity

Genetic Structure of Mongolian Gazelle ( Procapra gutturosa ): The Effect of Railroad and Demographic Change

The Mongolian gazelle ( Procapra gutturosa ) is a representative ungulate species of Mongolia that inhabits steppes. Their number and range decreased during the last century, and the population has been suffered from occasional demographic changes caused by human and environmental factors. During the summer of 2005, we obtained genetic samples from gazelle carcasses encountered along the international railroad between Russia and China, to examine genetic diversity and its changes in relation to historical demographic shifts. Gazelle genetic structure and diversity were investigated using mitochondrial control region sequence. In the phylogenetic analysis, we confi rmed that there are two genetic groups unrelated to geographical location. We also showed the genetic structure of gazelles was unrelated to existence of the railroad. Based on the genetic diversity indices and demographic parameters, the population was suggested to have experienced demographic expansion historically, and effect of known demographic decline was not detected