The global spread of misinformation on spiders

Non peer reviewe

An expert-curated global database of online newspaper articles on spiders and spider bites

Mass media plays an important role in the construction and circulation of risk perception associated with animals. Widely feared groups such as spiders frequently end up in the spotlight of traditional and social media. We compiled an expert-curated global database on the online newspaper coverage of human-spider encounters over the past ten years (2010-2020). This database includes information about the location of each human-spider encounter reported in the news article and a quantitative characterisation of the content-location, presence of photographs of spiders and bites, number and type of errors, consultation of experts, and a subjective assessment of sensationalism. In total, we collected 5348 unique news articles from 81 countries in 40 languages. The database refers to 211 identified and unidentified spider species and 2644 unique human-spider encounters (1121 bites and 147 as deadly bites). To facilitate data reuse, we explain the main caveats that need to be made when analysing this database and discuss research ideas and questions that can be explored with it.Peer reviewe

An expert-curated global database of online newspaper articles on spiders and spider bites

Mass media plays an important role in the construction and circulation of risk perception associated with animals. Widely feared groups such as spiders frequently end up in the spotlight of traditional and social media. We compiled an expert-curated global database on the online newspaper coverage of human-spider encounters over the past ten years (2010–2020). This database includes information about the location of each human-spider encounter reported in the news article and a quantitative characterisation of the content—location, presence of photographs of spiders and bites, number and type of errors, consultation of experts, and a subjective assessment of sensationalism. In total, we collected 5348 unique news articles from 81 countries in 40 languages. The database refers to 211 identified and unidentified spider species and 2644 unique human-spider encounters (1121 bites and 147 as deadly bites). To facilitate data reuse, we explain the main caveats that need to be made when analysing this database and discuss research ideas and questions that can be explored with it. </p

The global spread of misinformation on spiders

In the internet era, the digital architecture that keeps us connected and informed may also amplify the spread of misinformation. This problem is gaining global attention, as evidence accumulates that misinformation may interfere with democratic processes and undermine collective responses to environmental and health crises. In an increasingly polluted information ecosystem, understanding the factors underlying the generation and spread of misinformation is becoming a pressing scientific and societal challenge. Here, we studied the global spread of (mis-)information on spiders using a high-resolution global database of online newspaper articles on spider–human interactions, covering stories of spider–human encounters and biting events published from 2010–2020. We found that 47% of articles contained errors and 43% were sensationalist. Moreover, we show that the flow of spider-related news occurs within a highly interconnected global network and provide evidence that sensationalism is a key factor underlying the spread of misinformation. </p

The Consensus Molecular Subtypes of Colorectal Cancer

Users may view, print, copy, and download text and data-mine the content in such documents, for the purposes of academic research, subject always to the full Conditions of use -- https://www.nature.com/authors/policies/license.html#termsColorectal cancer (CRC) is a frequently lethal disease with heterogeneous outcomes and drug responses. To resolve inconsistencies among the reported gene expression-based CRC classifications and facilitate clinical translation, we formed an international consortium dedicated to large-scale data sharing and analytics across expert groups. We show marked interconnectivity between six independent classification systems coalescing into four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) with distinguishing features: CMS1 (MSI Immune, 14%), hypermutated, microsatellite unstable, strong immune activation; CMS2 (Canonical, 37%), epithelial, chromosomally unstable, marked WNT and MYC signaling activation; CMS3 (Metabolic, 13%), epithelial, evident metabolic dysregulation; and CMS4 (Mesenchymal, 23%), prominent transforming growth factor β activation, stromal invasion, and angiogenesis. Samples with mixed features (13%) possibly represent a transition phenotype or intra-tumoral heterogeneity. We consider the CMS groups the most robust classification system currently available for CRC - with clear biological interpretability - and the basis for future clinical stratification and subtype-based targeted interventions

Loboda_2018_species_data

The zip file contains two tables; one for the species data and one with the site corrdinates and the environmental variables

Multi-scale patterns of ground-dwelling spider (Araneae) diversity in northern Canada

This thesis describes multi-scale patterns of ground-dwelling spiders (Araneae), a model arthropod taxon, in northern Canada. First, I examined how ground-dwelling spider diversity (i.e., composition, species richness, evenness and structure) varied at local, regional and continental scale, in three major ecoclimatic regions: the North-Boreal, Subarctic and Arctic. Second, I determined if diversity patterns varied at the family level. Third, I tested whether climate or vegetation explained spatial variation of diversity. Ground-dwelling spiders were collected in 12 sites across northern Canada using a hierarchical nested design. Spider diversity was structured at continental scale across ecoclimatic regions but not by latitude. At regional scale, western sites differed from eastern sites indicating the importance of longitudinal diversity gradients in northern Canada, perhaps due to patterns of post-glacial dispersal. Vegetation and climate explained Arctic diversity patterns of spiders, and thus predicted climate change may alter the distribution of spiders. Our results suggest that historical processes as well as vegetation and climate are important drivers of diversity patterns at continental scale in northern Canada while biotic factors may affect small scale variation in diversity. Due to the large extent and fine resolution, this research contributes to a better understanding of hierarchical patterns of diversity. It also provides baseline data on distribution and diversity of Arctic spiders that will be essential to monitor the effect of environmental changes on biodiversity in northern Canada.Le but de cette thèse est de décrire les patrons de diversité des arthropodes sur plusieurs échelles spatiales dans le Grand Nord canadien en utilisant les Araignées (Araneae) comme taxon modèle. Les questions de recherche sont les suivantes : 1) Comment la diversité des araignées (c.-à-d. composition, richesse spécifique, uniformité de l'abondance et structure) varie à l'échelle locale, régionale et continentale dans trois grandes régions écoclimatiques : la région Nord-Boréale, Subarctique et Arctique ? 2) Comment les patrons de diversité diffèrent au niveau des familles d'araignées ? et, finalement, 3) Est-ce que le climat et la végétation influencent les patrons de diversité observés? Les araignées vagabondes ont été capturées dans 12 emplacements dans le Grand Nord canadien selon un plan d'échantillonnage hiérarchique imbriqué. La diversité des araignées est structurée à l'échelle continentale selon les régions écoclimatiques, et non selon la latitude. À l'échelle régionale, un gradient de diversité entre l'ouest du Canada et l'est du Canada est dû, non pas à la longitude, mais probablement aux évènements historiques tels que la dernière glaciation du Wisconsin. La végétation et le climat influencent également la variation de diversité des araignées. Grâce à la haute résolution des données à petite échelle sur une grande étendue spatiale, cette étude contribue à la compréhension des patrons de diversité et de l'effet de l'échelle spatiale sur les patrons. Les résultats pourront aussi être utilisés afin de mieux définir des stratégies de protection de la biodiversité arctique

Data from: Small- to large-scale patterns of ground-dwelling spider (Araneae) diversity across northern Canada

We examined how Arctic spider (Araneae) biodiversity is distributed at multiple spatial scales in Northern Canada using a standardized hierarchical sampling design. We investigated which drivers, environmental or spatial, influence the patterns observed. Spatial patterns of species richness and composition of Arctic spiders were assessed in 12 sites located in Arctic, Subarctic, and North-Boreal regions, across 30 degrees of latitude and 80 degrees of longitude. Variation of diversity was partitioned in relation to multiple environmental and spatial drivers of diversity patterns. Over 23, 000 adult spiders, representing 306 species in 14 families, were collected in Northern Canada, with 107 species (35% of the total species collected) representing new Territorial or Provincial records. Spider diversity was structured at the regional scale across ecoclimatic regions but not with latitude. Longitudinal patterns of spider diversity across Canada may be explained by post-glacial dispersal. At local scales, diversity was non-randomly distributed, and possibly limited by biotic interactions. We recommend the use of ecoclimatic regions as a framework for conservation of biodiversity in Northern Canada and spiders as useful bioindicators which can help us understand the effects of climate change across ecoclimatic regions of northern Canada

Status and trends of terrestrial arthropod abundance and diversity in the North Atlantic region of the Arctic

The Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (CBMP) provides an opportunity to improve our knowledge of Arctic arthropod diversity, but initial baseline studies are required to summarise the status and trends of planned target groups of species known as Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs). We begin this process by collating available data for a relatively well-studied region in the Arctic, the North Atlantic region, summarising the diversity of key terrestrial arthropod FECs, and compiling trends for some representative species. We found the FEC classification system to be challenging to implement, but identified some key groups to target in the initial phases of the programme. Long-term data are scarce and exhibit high levels of spatial and temporal variability. Nevertheless, we found that a number of species and groups are in decline, mirroring patterns in other regions of the world. We emphasise that terrestrial arthropods require higher priority within future Arctic monitoring programmes