Adaptive pastoralists – Insights into local and regional patterns in livelihood adaptation choices among pastoralists in Kenya.

Pastoralist adaptation strategies have to address multiple, overlapping, and often inter-related processes of socioecological change. The present study addresses the need for inter-regional comparative studies that account for diferent geographic, climate, and socio-economic contexts in order to understand how pastoralists adapt to changes in livelihood conditions. The paper uses data from a unique survey study of pastoralist households in four neighbouring counties in dryland Kenya. Taking our point of departure from an empirically based classifcation of the livelihood strategies available to pastoralists in the Horn of Africa, the survey ofers novel insights into adaptation and fodder management strategies of pastoralist individuals and households. The results show that the use of migration as a strategy is more dependent on the ability to migrate than climate conditions. This is the case in localities where a substantial part of the land is subdivided, the population density is high, and where opportunities for migration are subsequently restricted. Diversifcation of livelihoods as a strategy is largely defned by opportunity. Intensifcation through active fodder management is mainly common in areas where there has been a proliferation of managed enclosures. Climate change will test the adaptive capacity of pastoralists in the studied region, and diversifcation and intensifcation strategies of both herd composition and livelihoods can be seen as strategies for increased climate resilience

First encounters in the north : cultural diversity and gene flow in Early Mesolithic Scandinavia

Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past material culture. Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies conclude that this group resulted from two singleevent dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC. Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA, and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia before 9000 BC. The findings underline the importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with the study of ancient population genomics.Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past material culture. Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies conclude that this group resulted from two single-event dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC. Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA, and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia before 9000 BC. The findings underline the importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with the study of ancient population genomics.Peer reviewe

MiDAS 4: A global catalogue of full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences and taxonomy for studies of bacterial communities in wastewater treatment plants

Microbial communities are responsible for biological wastewater treatment, but our knowledge of their diversity and function is still poor. Here, we sequence more than 5 million high-quality, full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences from 740 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across the world and use the sequences to construct the ‘MiDAS 4’ database. MiDAS 4 is an amplicon sequence variant resolved, full-length 16S rRNA gene reference database with a comprehensive taxonomy from domain to species level for all sequences. We use an independent dataset (269 WWTPs) to show that MiDAS 4, compared to commonly used universal reference databases, provides a better coverage for WWTP bacteria and an improved rate of genus and species level classification. Taking advantage of MiDAS 4, we carry out an amplicon-based, global-scale microbial community profiling of activated sludge plants using two common sets of primers targeting regions of the 16S rRNA gene, revealing how environmental conditions and biogeography shape the activated sludge microbiota. We also identify core and conditionally rare or abundant taxa, encompassing 966 genera and 1530 species that represent approximately 80% and 50% of the accumulated read abundance, respectively. Finally, we show that for well-studied functional guilds, such as nitrifiers or polyphosphate-accumulating organisms, the same genera are prevalent worldwide, with only a few abundant species in each genus.Fil: Dueholm, Morten Kam Dahl. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Nierychlo, Marta. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Andersen, Kasper Skytte. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Rudkjøbing, Vibeke. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Knutsson, Simon. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Arriaga, Sonia. Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica; MéxicoFil: Bakke, Rune. University College of Southeast Norway; NoruegaFil: Boon, Nico. University of Ghent; BélgicaFil: Bux, Faizal. Durban University of Technology; SudáfricaFil: Christensson, Magnus. Veolia Water Technologies Ab; SueciaFil: Chua, Adeline Seak May. University Malaya; MalasiaFil: Curtis, Thomas P.. University of Newcastle; Reino UnidoFil: Cytryn, Eddie. Agricultural Research Organization Of Israel; IsraelFil: Erijman, Leonardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Etchebehere, Claudia. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas "Clemente Estable"; UruguayFil: Fatta Kassinos, Despo. University of Cyprus; ChipreFil: Frigon, Dominic. McGill University; CanadáFil: Garcia Chaves, Maria Carolina. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Gu, April Z.. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: Horn, Harald. Karlsruher Institut Für Technologie; AlemaniaFil: Jenkins, David. David Jenkins & Associates Inc; Estados UnidosFil: Kreuzinger, Norbert. Tu Wien; AustriaFil: Kumari, Sheena. Durban University of Technology; SudáfricaFil: Lanham, Ana. University of Bath; Reino UnidoFil: Law, Yingyu. Singapore Centre For Environmental Life Sciences Engineering; SingapurFil: Leiknes, TorOve. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Morgenroth, Eberhard. Eth Zürich; SuizaFil: Muszyński, Adam. Politechnika Warszawska; PoloniaFil: Petrovski, Steve. La Trobe University; AustraliaFil: Pijuan, Maite. Catalan Institute For Water Research; EspañaFil: Pillai, Suraj Babu. Va Tech Wabag Ltd; IndiaFil: Reis, Maria A. M.. Universidade Nova de Lisboa; PortugalFil: Rong, Qi. Chinese Academy of Sciences; ChinaFil: Rossetti, Simona. Istituto Di Ricerca Sulle Acque (irsa) ; Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche;Fil: Seviour, Robert. La Trobe University; AustraliaFil: Tooker, Nick. University of Massachussets; Estados UnidosFil: Vainio, Pirjo. Espoo R&D Center; FinlandiaFil: van Loosdrecht, Mark. Delft University of Technology; Países BajosFil: Vikraman, R.. VA Tech Wabag, Philippines Inc; FilipinasFil: Wanner, Jiří. University of Chemistry And Technology; República ChecaFil: Weissbrodt, David. Delft University of Technology; Países BajosFil: Wen, Xianghua. Tsinghua University; ChinaFil: Zhang, Tong. The University of Hong Kong; Hong KongFil: Nielsen, Per H.. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Albertsen, Mads. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Nielsen, Per Halkjær. Aalborg University; Dinamarc

Anthrax outbreak in a Swedish beef cattle herd - 1st case in 27 years: Case report

After 27 years with no detected cases, an outbreak of anthrax occurred in a beef cattle herd in the south of Sweden. The outbreak was unusual as it occurred in winter, in animals not exposed to meat-and-bone meal, in a non-endemic country

Experimental Adaptive Optics. A test facility for adaptive optics on a small telescope

This thesis presents the work on the design of, construction of, and finally observations with, an experimental setup comprising a small telescope equipped with adaptive optics. The facility has been assembled at Lund Observatory, where also observations on the sky have been made. The aim of this project was to gain hands-on knowledge in the development of a real adaptive optics system and eventually also to use the setup for evaluation of novel adaptive optics techniques, i.e. multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) and ground-layer adaptive optics (GLAO), within the field of astronomical adaptive optics. In order to enable the facility to test these novel techniques, multiple reference sources are needed for the adaptive optics system. Due to the poor observing site, a multiple guide star configuration is not expected to exist. Instead, surface features on the Moon were foreseen to act as reference sources. Hence the radiometric properties of the Moon have been studied, to evaluate the expected signal. Use of extended reference sources demands correlation analysis in connection with the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing, and this procedure has also been studied during the work. The method relies on the phase of the cross correlation spectrum, and this method has been used in the succeeding implementation of the control system. The optical design of the facility has taken into account allowance of multi-conjugate adaptive optics and ground-layer adaptive optics. Two deformable mirrors are used, one in a conjugate plane to an altitude in the atmosphere and one in a pupil-conjugate plane. Furthermore there is a tip-tilt mirror in a pupil-conjugate plane. A single Shack-Hartmann sensor, with separated subregions in the lenslet focal plane to allow multiple reference regions, is used for the wavefront sensing. The system is operating at an effective wavelength of 750 nm. A standard desktop PC, running Linux, has been used as a control computer in the control system. The maximum sampling rate is 500 Hz, correcting turbulence induced aberrations up to approximately 30 Hz. The setup was assembled in the lab before it was moved up into a dome for observations on the sky. Much effort has been put into reducing static aberrations, which have limited the performance. Evaluation of the setup has been achieved both in the lab and during observations on the sky. Using a simplified model atmosphere, more benign than the real atmosphere, the gain in using MCAO and GLAO compared to conventional single-conjugate adaptive optics (SCAO) could be demonstrated in the lab. During on sky observations, it has so far been possible to close the SCAO loop on bright stars and on the lunar surface as well with significant increase in image quality