135 research outputs found
Unravelling the relative roles of top-down and bottom-up forces driving population change in an oceanic predator
In the open ocean ecosystem, climate and anthropogenic changes have driven biological change at both ends of the food chain. Understanding how the population dynamics of pelagic predators are simultaneously influenced by nutrient-driven processes acting from the “bottom-up” and predator-driven processes acting from the “top-down” is therefore considered an urgent task. Using a state-space demographic model, we evaluated the population trajectory of an oceanic predator, the macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus), and numerically assessed the relative importance of bottom-up and top-down drivers acting through different demographic rates. The population trajectory was considerably more sensitive to changes in top-down control of survival compared to bottom-up control of survival or productivity. This study integrates a unique set of demographic and covariate data and highlights the benefits of using a single estimation framework to examine the links between covariates, demographic rates and population dynamic
Drivers of intrapopulation variation in resource use in a generalist predator, the macaroni penguin
Intrapopulation variation in resource use occurs in many populations of generalist predators with important community and evolutionary implications. One of the hypothesised mechanisms for such widespread variation is ecological opportunity, i.e. resource availability determined by intrinsic constraints and extrinsic conditions. In this study, we combined tracking data and stable isotope analysis to examine how breeding constraints and prey conditions influenced intrapopulation variation in resource use in a generalist predator, the macaroni penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus. Isotopic variation was also examined as a function of breeding success, individual traits and individual specialisation. Variation in isotope ratios was greatest across multiple tissue types when birds were able to undertake mid-range foraging trips (i.e. during incubation and pre-moult). This variation was highly consistent between years that spanned a 3-fold difference in local prey Euphausia superba density, and was also highly consistent at the individual level between 2 years that had similar prey densities. Furthermore, by comparing our results with previous work on the same population, it appeared that a decrease in local prey availability can also increase intrapopulation variation in resource use during periods with more restricted foraging ranges (i.e. during brood-guard and crèche). This study highlights the importance of considering ecological interactions that operate on multiple spatio-temporal scales when examining the drivers of resource use in populations of generalist predator
Three loop anomalous dimension of the second moment of the transversity operator in the MSbar and RI' schemes
We compute the anomalous dimension of the second moment of the transversity
operator, \bar{\psi} \sigma^{\mu\nu} D^\rho \psi, at three loops in both the
MSbar and RI' schemes. As a check on the result we also determine the O(1/N_f)
critical exponent of the n-th moment of the transversity operator in
d-dimensions in the large N_f expansion and determine leading order information
on the n dependence of the anomalous dimension at three and four loops in
MSbar. In addition the RI' anomalous dimension of the non-singlet twist-2
operator, \bar{\psi} \gamma^\mu D^\nu \psi, is also determined.Comment: 18 latex pages; additional reference include
Baryon polarization in low-energy unpolarized meson-baryon scattering
We compute the polarization of the final-state baryon, in its rest frame, in
low-energy meson--baryon scattering with unpolarized initial state, in
Unitarized BChPT. Free parameters are determined by fitting total and
differential cross-section data (and spin-asymmetry or polarization data if
available) for , and scattering. We also compare our
results with those of leading-order BChPT
Chiral dynamics in the presence of bound states: kaon-nucleon interactions revisited
We study the S-wave kaon-nucleon interactions for strangeness S=-1 in a novel
relativistic chiral unitary approach based on coupled channels. Dispersion
relations are used to perform the necessary resummation of the lowest order
relativistic chiral Lagrangian. A good description of the data in the K^- p,
\pi \Sigma and \pi \Lambda channels is obtained. We show how this method can be
systematically extended to higher orders, emphasizing its applicability to any
scenario of strong self-interactions where the perturbative series diverges
even at low energies. Discussions about the differences to existing approaches
employing pseudo-potentials in a regulated Lippmann-Schwinger equation are
included. Finally, we describe the resonance content of our meson-baryon
amplitudes and discuss its nature.Comment: 12 pp, LaTeX2e, FZJ-IKP(TH)-2000-2
Separable potential model for interactions at low energies
The effective separable meson-baryon potentials are constructed to match the
equivalent chiral amplitudes up to the second order in external meson momenta.
We fit the model parameters (low energy constants) to the threshold and low
energy data. In the process, the -proton bound state problem is
solved exactly in the momentum space and the 1s level characteristics of the
kaonic hydrogen are computed simultaneously with the available low energy
cross sections. The model is also used to describe the
mass spectrum and the energy dependence of the amplitude.Comment: 31 pages, v2 - added corrections to make it compatible with the
published versio
Synthesis of polyacid nanogels: pH-responsive sub-100 nm particles for functionalisation and fluorescent hydrogel assembly
Nanogels are crosslinked polymer particles with a swollen size between 1 and 100 nm. They are of major interest for advanced surface coatings, drug delivery, diagnostics and biomaterials. Synthesising polyacid nanogels that show triggered swelling using a scalable approach is a key objective of polymer colloid chemistry. Inspired by the ability of polar surfaces to enhance nanoparticle stabilisation, we report the first examples of pH-responsive polyacid nanogels containing high -COOH contents prepared by a simple, scalable, aqueous method. To demonstrate their functionalisation potential, glycidyl methacrylate was reacted with the -COOH chemical handles and the nanogels were converted to macro-crosslinkers. The concentrated (functionalised) nanogel dispersions retained their pH-responsiveness, were shear-thinning and formed physical gels at pH 7.4. The nanogels were covalently interlinked via free-radical coupling at 37 °C to form transparent, ductile, hydrogels. Mixing of the functionalised nanogels with polymer dots enabled covalent assembly of fluorescent hydrogels
Superpotentials for M-theory on a G_2 holonomy manifold and Triality symmetry
For -theory on the holonomy manifold given by the cone on {\bf
S^3}\x {\bf S^3} we consider the superpotential generated by membrane
instantons and study its transformations properties, especially under monodromy
transformations and triality symmetry. We find that the latter symmetry is,
essentially, even a symmetry of the superpotential. As in Seiberg/Witten
theory, where a flat bundle given by the periods of an universal elliptic curve
over the -plane occurs, here a flat bundle related to the Heisenberg group
appears and the relevant universal object over the moduli space is related to
hyperbolic geometry.Comment: 58 pages, latex; references adde
- …