AVONET: Morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds

Functional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology and ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional traits to drive theoretical advances and refine models of global change can only be fully realised when species-level information is complete. Here we present the AVONET dataset containing comprehensive functional trait data for all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, and information on range size and location. Raw morphological measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals of 11,009 extant bird species sampled from 181 countries. These data are also summarised as species averages in three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with a global phylogeny, geographical range maps, IUCN Red List data and the eBird citizen science database. The AVONET dataset provides the most detailed picture of continuous trait variation for any major radiation of organisms, offering a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the evolutionary origins, structure and functioning of biodiversity.Fil: Tobias, Joseph A.. Imperial College London; Reino Unido. University of Oxford; Reino UnidoFil: Sheard, Catherine. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. University of Bristol; Reino UnidoFil: Pigot, Alex L.. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. University College London; Estados UnidosFil: Devenish, Adam J. M.. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Yang, Jingyi. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Sayol, Ferran. University College London; Estados UnidosFil: Neate Clegg, Montague H. C.. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. University of Utah; Estados UnidosFil: Alioravainen, Nico. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. Natural Resources Institute Finland; FinlandiaFil: Weeks, Thomas L.. Imperial College London; Reino Unido. Natural History Museum; Reino UnidoFil: Barber, Robert A.. Imperial College London; Reino UnidoFil: Walkden, Patrick A.. Imperial College London; Reino Unido. Natural History Museum; Reino UnidoFil: MacGregor, Hannah E. A.. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. University of Bristol; Reino UnidoFil: Jones, Samuel E. I.. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. University of London; Reino UnidoFil: Vincent, Claire. Organización de Las Naciones Unidas; ArgentinaFil: Phillips, Anna G.. Senckenberg Biodiversity And Climate Research Centre; AlemaniaFil: Marples, Nicola M.. Trinity College; Estados UnidosFil: Montaño Centellas, Flavia A.. Universidad Mayor de San Andrés; Bolivia. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Leandro Silva, Victor. Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; BrasilFil: Claramunt, Santiago. University of Toronto; Canadá. Royal Ontario Museum; CanadáFil: Darski, Bianca. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Freeman, Benjamin G.. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Bregman, Tom P.. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. Future-Fit Foundation; Reino UnidoFil: Cooney, Christopher R.. University Of Sheffield; Reino UnidoFil: Hughes, Emma C.. University Of Sheffield; Reino UnidoFil: Capp, Elliot J. R.. University Of Sheffield; Reino UnidoFil: Varley, Zoë K.. University Of Sheffield; Reino Unido. Natural History Museum; Reino UnidoFil: Friedman, Nicholas R.. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University; JapónFil: Korntheuer, Heiko. Johannes Gutenberg Universitat Mainz; AlemaniaFil: Corrales Vargas, Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: García, Natalia Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Precision measurement of the index of refraction of deep glacial ice at radio frequencies at Summit Station, Greenland

Glacial ice is used as a target material for the detection of ultra-high energy neutrinos, by measuring the radio signals that are emitted when those neutrinos interact in the ice. Thanks to the large attenuation length at radio frequencies, these signals can be detected over distances of several kilometers. One experiment taking advantage of this is the Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G), currently under construction at Summit Station, near the apex of the Greenland ice sheet. These experiments require a thorough understanding of the dielectric properties of ice at radio frequencies. Towards this goal, calibration campaigns have been undertaken at Summit, during which we recorded radio reflections off internal layers in the ice sheet. Using data from the nearby GISP2 and GRIP ice cores, we show that these reflectors can be associated with features in the ice conductivity profiles; we use this connection to determine the index of refraction of the bulk ice as n=1.778 +/- 0.006

AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds

Functional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology and ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional traits to drive theoretical advances and refine models of global change can only be fully realised when species‐level information is complete. Here we present the AVONET dataset containing comprehensive functional trait data for all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, and information on range size and location. Raw morphological measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals of 11,009 extant bird species sampled from 181 countries. These data are also summarised as species averages in three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with a global phylogeny, geographical range maps, IUCN Red List data and the eBird citizen science database. The AVONET dataset provides the most detailed picture of continuous trait variation for any major radiation of organisms, offering a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the evolutionary origins, structure and functioning of biodiversity

Mixotrophy in the deep sea: a dual endosymbiotic hydrothermal mytilid assimilates dissolved and particulate organic matter

Bathymodiolus azoricus mussels thrive 840 to 2300 m deep at hydrothermal vents of the Azores Triple Junction on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Although previous studies have suggested a mixotrophic regime for this species, no analysis has yet yielded direct evidence for the assimilation of particulate material. In the present study, tracer experiments in aquaria with13C- and 15N-labelled amino acids and marine cyanobacteria demonstrate for the first time the incorporation of dissolved and particulate organic matter in soft tissues of vent mussel. The observation of phytoplanktonic tests in wild mussel stomachs highlights the occurrence of in situ ingestion of sea-surface-derived material. Particulate organic carbon fluxes in sediment traps moored away from direct vent influence are in agreement with carbon export estimates from the surface ocean above the vents attenuated by microbial degradation. Stable isotope composition of trapped organic matter is similar to values published in the literature, but is enriched by +7‰ in 13C and +13‰ in 15N, relative to mussel gill tissue from the Menez Gwen vent. Although this observation suggests a negligible contribution of photosynthetically produced organic matter to the diet of B. azoricus, the tracer experiments demonstrate that active suspension-feeding on particles and dissolved organic matter could contribute to the C and N budget of the mussel and should not be neglected. © Inter-Research 2010.status: publishe

The interplay of ice-firn model and station calibration in RNO-G

In-ice radio neutrino detectors, such as the newly constructed and operational Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland (RNO-G), rely on ice models to understand the in-ice signal propagation. Most often the ice is approximated in first order by a single exponential profile because it allows for computationally fast signal propagation. However, such models do not encompass the whole complexity of the ice, which may lead to systematic uncertainties. This is especially true for the upper part of the ice (the firn) where most of the RNO-G antennas are situated. Therefore, we developed a new refractive index model of the ice at Summit Station which can be used in both simulation and analysis. This contribution shows how both density data and signals from various known radio sources, such as the on board radio pulser and weather balloons, can lead to a more accurate description of the ice. This revised ice model results in a better understanding of signal arrival times, thus resulting in an improved station calibration in RNO-G. In the future we expect to bridge the gap even further by performing dedicated and more rigorous ice measurement in the field

Radiofrequency Ice Dielectric Measurements at Summit Station, Greenland

We recently reported on the radio-frequency attenuation length of cold polar ice at Summit Station, Greenland, based on bistatic radar measurements of radio-frequency bedrock echo strengths taken during the summer of 2021. Those data also include echoes attributed to stratified impurities or dielectric discontinuities within the ice sheet (layers), which allow studies of a) estimation of the relative contribution of coherent (discrete layers, e.g.) vs. incoherent (bulk volumetric, e.g.) scattering, b) the magnitude of internal layer reflection coefficients, c) limits on the azimuthal asymmetry of reflections (birefringence), and d) limits on signal dispersion in-ice over a bandwidth of ~100 MHz. We find that i) after averaging 10000 echo triggers, reflected signal observable over the thermal floor (to depths of approximately 1500 m) are consistent with being entirely coherent, ii) internal layer reflection coefficients are measured at approximately -60 to -70 dB, iii) birefringent effects for vertically propagating signals are smaller by an order of magnitude relative to comparable studies performed at South Pole, and iv) within our experimental limits, glacial ice is non-dispersive over the frequency band relevant for neutrino detection experiments

Development of the data acquisition system for the Triple-GEM detectors for the upgrade of the CMS forward muon spectrometer

In this contribution we will report on the progress of the design of the readout and data acquisition system being developed for triple-GEM detectors which will be installed in the forward region (1.5 < |η| < 2.2) of the CMS muon spectrometer during the 2nd long shutdown of the LHC, expected in the period 2017-2018. The system will be designed to take full advantage of current generic developments introduced for the LHC upgrades. The current design is based on the use of CERN GLIB boards hosted in micro-TCA crates for the off-detector electronics and the Versatile Link with the GBT chipset to link the front-end electronics to the GLIB boards. In this contribution we will describe the physics goals, the hardware architectures and report on the expected performance of the CMS GEM readout system, including preliminary timing resolution simulations. © CERN 2014