8,521 research outputs found
Structural evolution drives diversification of the large LRR-RLK gene family
Cells are continuously exposed to chemical signals that they must discriminate between and respond to appropriately. In embryophytes, the leucineârich repeat receptorâlike kinases (LRRâRLKs) are signal receptors critical in development and defense. LRRâRLKs have diversified to hundreds of genes in many plant genomes. Although intensively studied, a wellâresolved LRRâRLK gene tree has remained elusive. To resolve the LRRâRLK gene tree, we developed an improved gene discovery method based on iterative hidden Markov model searching and phylogenetic inference. We used this method to infer complete gene trees for each of the LRRâRLK subclades and reconstructed the deepest nodes of the full gene family. We discovered that the LRRâRLK gene family is even larger than previously thought, and that protein domain gains and losses are prevalent. These structural modifications, some of which likely predate embryophyte diversification, led to misclassification of some LRRâRLK variants as members of other gene families. Our work corrects this misclassification. Our results reveal ongoing structural evolution generating novel LRRâRLK genes. These new genes are raw material for the diversification of signaling in development and defense. Our methods also enable phylogenetic reconstruction in any large gene family
Ceased grazing management changes the ecosystem services of semi-natural grasslands
Understanding how drivers of change affect ecosystem services (ES) is of great importance. Indicators of ES can be developed based on biophysical measures and be used to investigate the service flow from ecosystems to socio-ecological systems. However, the ES concept is multivariate and the use of normalized composite indicators reduces complexity and facilitates communication between science and policy. The aim of this study is to analyze how land use change affects ES and species richness and how the effects are modified by environmental factors by using composite indicators based on biophysical indicators. Using multivariate and regression analyses, we analyze the effect of grazing management abandonment in semi-natural grasslands in Norway on six ES: nutrient cycling, pollination, forage quality, aesthetics and global and regional climate regulation in addition to species richness along soil and climate gradients. Nutrient cycling, forage quality, regional climate regulation, aesthetics and species richness are larger in managed compared to abandoned grasslands. There are trade-offs among ES as different management strategies provide various ES and these trade-offs vary along environmental gradients. Management policies that aim to conserve ES need to have conservation goals that are context dependent, should recognize ES trade-offs and be adapted to local conditions
Experimental Predictions of The Functional Response of A Freshwater Fish
The functional response is the relationship between the feeding rate of an animal and its food density. It is reliant on two basic parameters; the volume searched for prey per unit time (searching rate) and the time taken to consume each prey item (handling time). As fish functional responses can be difficult to determine directly, it may be more feasible to measure their underlying behavioural parameters in controlled conditions and use these to predict the functional response. Here, we tested how accurately a Type II functional response model predicted the observed functional response of roach Rutilus rutilus, a visually foraging fish, and compared it with Type I functional response. Foraging experiments were performed by exposing fish in tank aquaria to a range of food densities, with their response captured using a two-camera videography system. This system was validated and was able to accurately measure fish behaviour in the aquaria, and enabled estimates of fish reaction distance, swimming speed (from which searching rate was calculated) and handling time to be measured. The parameterised Type II functional response model accurately predicted the observed functional response and was superior to the Type I model. These outputs suggest it will be possible to accurately measure behavioural parameters in other animal species and use these to predict the functional response in situations where it cannot be observed directly
Charting self-esteem during marital dissolution.
ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to chart changes in self-esteem before and after marital dissolution to identify the factors that shape individuals' self-esteem during this life transition.MethodWe analyzed 10 annual waves of self-esteem data from 291 divorcees from a nationally representative panel study of the Netherlands (N ~ 13,000). We charted the course of self-esteem before and after marital dissolution and tested a broad set of moderator variables that may shape individuals' self-esteem trajectories.ResultsThe average divorcee experienced significant decrease in self-esteem preceding marital dissolution and remained stable afterward. There were substantial individual differences in self-esteem trajectories, both before and after marital separation. Divorcees who experienced financial hardship, were affiliated with a church or religion, or scored low in Conscientiousness showed the most pronounced decrease in self-esteem during the years approaching marital dissolution.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of assessing people multiple times before and after marital dissolution to dissect how people approach and respond to this life event. Results are consistent with perspectives that view divorce as an opportunity to abate the strains of an unhappy marriage
The Role of Mesotocin on Social Bonding in Pinyon Jays
The neuropeptide oxytocin influences mammalian social bonding by facilitating the building and maintenance of parental, sexual, and sameâsex social relationships. However, we do not know whether the function of the avian homologue mesotocin is evolutionarily conserved across birds. While it does influence avian prosocial behavior, mesotocin\u27s role in avian social bonding remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether mesotocin regulates the formation and maintenance of sameâsex social bonding in pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), a member of the crow family. We formed squads of four individually housed birds. In the first, âpairâformationâ phase of the experiment, we repeatedly placed pairs of birds from within the squad together in a cage for short periods of time. Prior to entering the cage, we intranasally administered one of three hormone solutions to both members of the pair: mesotocin, oxytocin antagonist, or saline. Pairs received repeated sessions with administration of the same hormone. In the second, âpairâmaintenanceâ phase of the experiment, all four members of the squad were placed together in a large cage, and no hormones were administered. For both phases, we measured the physical proximity between pairs as our proxy for social bonding. We found that, compared with saline, administering mesotocin or oxytocin antagonist did not result in different proximities in either the pairâformation or pairâmaintenance phase of the experiment. Therefore, at the dosages and time frames used here, exogenously introduced mesotocin did not influence sameâsex social bond formation or maintenance. Like oxytocin in mammals, mesotocin regulates avian prosocial behavior; however, unlike oxytocin, we do not have evidence that mesotocin regulates social bonds in birds
Breeding latitude predicts timing but not rate of spring migration in a widespread migratory bird in South America
Identifying the processes that determine avian migratory strategies in different environmental contexts is imperative to understanding the constraints to survival and reproduction faced by migratory birds across the planet. We compared the spring migration strategies of Forkâtailed Flycatchers (Tyrannus s. savana) that breed at southâtemperate latitudes (i.e., austral migrants) vs. tropical latitudes (i.e., intratropical migrants) in South America. We hypothesized that austral migrant flycatchers are more timeâselected than intratropical migrants during spring migration. As such, we predicted that austral migrants, which migrate further than intratropical migrants, will migrate at a faster rate and that the rate of migration for austral migrants will be positively correlated with the onset of spring migration. We attached lightâlevel geolocators to Forkâtailed Flycatchers at two tropical breeding sites in Brazil and at two southâtemperate breeding sites in Argentina and tracked their movements until the following breeding season. Of 286 geolocators that were deployed, 37 were recovered ~1 year later, of which 28 provided useable data. Rate of spring migration did not differ significantly between the two groups, and only at one site was there a significantly positive relationship between date of initiation of spring migration and arrival date. This represents the first comparison of individual migratory strategies among conspecific passerines breeding at tropical vs. temperate latitudes and suggests that austral migrant Forkâtailed Flycatchers in South America are not more timeâselected on spring migration than intratropical migrant conspecifics. Low sample sizes could have diminished our power to detect differences (e.g., between sexes), such that further research into the mechanisms underpinning migratory strategies in this poorly understood system is necessary.Fil: Jahn, Alex. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Cereghetti, JoaquĂn. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Cueto, VĂctor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de InvestigaciĂłn Esquel de Montaña y Estepa PatagĂłica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Centro de InvestigaciĂłn Esquel de Montaña y Estepa PatagĂłnica; ArgentinaFil: Hallworth, Michael T.. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Levey, Douglas J.. National Science Foundation; Estados UnidosFil: Marini, Miguel Ă.. Universidade do BrasĂlia; BrasilFil: Masson, Diego. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Pizo, Marco A.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Sarasola, JosĂ© HernĂĄn. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa; ArgentinaFil: Tuero, Diego Tomas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Oficina de CoordinaciĂłn Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de EcologĂa, GenĂ©tica y EvoluciĂłn de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de EcologĂa, GenĂ©tica y EvoluciĂłn de Buenos Aires; Argentin
Prospek Jawawut (Pennisetum Spp. ) sebagai Tanaman Pangan Serealia Alternatif
Untuk meningkatkan ketahanan pangan dan diversifikasi pangan, Indonesia dapatmemanfaatkan lahan kering yang cukup luas jumlahnya. Jawawut (Pennisetumspp.) memiliki potensi yang sangat baik sebagai tanaman pangan alternatifditinjau dari aspek kandungan gizi, dan kemampuan tumbuhnya di daerahberiklim kering. Dilihat dari segi kandungan gizinya, jawawut berpotensi sebagaisumber energi, protein, kalsium, vitamin B1, riboflavin (vitamin B2), sedangkannutrisi lainnya setara dengan beras. Potensi hasil yang dapat dicapai di Indonesiaadalah 4 ton per ha pada kondisi agroekologi yang marginal, dimanapertumbuhan serealia lainnya kurang berhasil. Jawawut dipanen sebagai tanamanpangan semusim
A multiscale analysis of gene flow for the New England cottontail, an imperiled habitat specialist in a fragmented landscape
Landscape features of anthropogenic or natural origin can influence organisms\u27 dispersal patterns and the connectivity of populations. Understanding these relationships is of broad interest in ecology and evolutionary biology and provides key insights for habitat conservation planning at the landscape scale. This knowledge is germane to restoration efforts for the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis), an early successional habitat specialist of conservation concern. We evaluated local population structure and measures of genetic diversity of a geographically isolated population of cottontails in the northeastern United States. We also conducted a multiscale landscape genetic analysis, in which we assessed genetic discontinuities relative to the landscape and developed several resistance models to test hypotheses about landscape features that promote or inhibit cottontail dispersal within and across the local populations. Bayesian clustering identified four genetically distinct populations, with very little migration among them, and additional substructure within one of those populations. These populations had private alleles, low genetic diversity, critically low effective population sizes (3.2-36.7), and evidence of recent genetic bottlenecks. Major highways and a river were found to limit cottontail dispersal and to separate populations. The habitat along roadsides, railroad beds, and utility corridors, on the other hand, was found to facilitate cottontail movement among patches. The relative importance of dispersal barriers and facilitators on gene flow varied among populations in relation to landscape composition, demonstrating the complexity and context dependency of factors influencing gene flow and highlighting the importance of replication and scale in landscape genetic studies. Our findings provide information for the design of restoration landscapes for the New England cottontail and also highlight the dual influence of roads, as both barriers and facilitators of dispersal for an early successional habitat specialist in a fragmented landscape
A dark scenario for Cerrado plant species: effects of future climate, land-use, and protected areas ineffectiveness
Aim: The anthropogenic climate change and land-use change are considered two of the main factors that are altering biodiversity at the global scale. An evaluation that combined both factors can be relevant to detect which species could be the most vulnerable and reveal the regions of highest stability or susceptibility to biodiversity.We aimed to (i) assess the effect of the climate change and land-use on the distribution of the Cerrado plant species for different countries where it occurs, (ii) evaluate the efficiency of the current protected areas (PAs) network to safeguards species under different greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land-use and (iii) estimate the vulnerability of species caused by protection efficiency and habitat loss.Location: Bolivia, Brazil, and ParaguayMethods: We modeled the distribution of 1,553 plant species of Cerrado and evaluated species range loss caused by present and future land-use and two GHG for 2050 and 2080. We assessed the species vulnerability combining the representativeness of a speciesÂŽ distribution within conservation units and the loss of species range outside PAs.Results: We found that climate change and land-use will cause great damage to Cerrado flora by 2050 and 2080, even under optimistic conditions. Unfortunately, the greatest intensity and extent of land-use will have to overcome on the regions where the greatest richness will be harbored. The conservation of the species will be seriously affected since the PAs network is not as efficient in safeguarding them under current or future conditions. Main conclusions: The low level of protection together with the losses caused by the advance of the agricultural frontier will lead to most species being highly vulnerable. Due to the climate and land-use, effects showed different interactions in each country, conservation strategies should be implemented at transboundary and national levels.Fil: Velazco, Santiago JosĂ© ElĂas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de BiologĂa Subtropical. Instituto de BiologĂa Subtropical - Nodo Puerto IguazĂș | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de BiologĂa Subtropical. Instituto de BiologĂa Subtropical - Nodo Puerto IguazĂș; Argentina. Universidade Federal do ParanĂĄ; BrasilFil: Villalobos, Fabricio. Instituto de EcologĂa; MĂ©xico. Universidade Federal de GoiĂĄs; BrasilFil: Galvao, Franklin. Universidade Federal do ParanĂĄ; BrasilFil: de Marco Junior, Paulo. Universidade Federal de GoiĂĄs; Brasi
- âŠ