Environmental differences between sites control the diet and nutrition of the carnivorous plant Drosera rotundifolia

Background and aims: Carnivorous plants are sensitive to small changes in resource availability, but few previous studies have examined how differences in nutrient and prey availability affect investment in and the benefit of carnivory. We studied the impact of site-level differences in resource availability on ecophysiological traits of carnivory for Drosera rotundifolia L. Methods: We measured prey availability, investment in carnivory (leaf stickiness), prey capture and diet of plants growing in two bogs with differences in N deposition and plant available N: Cors Fochno (0.62 g m−2 yr.−1, 353 μg l−1), Whixall Moss (1.37 g m−2 yr.−1, 1505 μg l−1). The total N amount per plant and the contributions of prey/root N to the plants’ N budget were calculated using a single isotope natural abundance method. Results: Plants at Whixall Moss invested less in carnivory, were less likely to capture prey, and were less reliant on prey-derived N (25.5% compared with 49.4%). Actual prey capture did not differ between sites. Diet composition differed – Cors Fochno plants captured 62% greater proportions of Diptera. Conclusions: Our results show site-level differences in plant diet and nutrition consistent with differences in resource availability. Similarity in actual prey capture may be explained by differences in leaf stickiness and prey abundance

Bioavailability of Macro and Micronutrients Across Global Topsoils: Main Drivers and Global Change Impacts

Understanding the chemical composition of our planet\u27s crust was one of the biggest questions of the 20th century. More than 100 years later, we are still far from understanding the global patterns in the bioavailability and spatial coupling of elements in topsoils worldwide, despite their importance for the productivity and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we measured the bioavailability and coupling of thirteen macro- and micronutrients and phytotoxic elements in topsoils (3–8 cm) from a range of terrestrial ecosystems across all continents (∼10,000 observations) and in response to global change manipulations (∼5,000 observations). For this, we incubated between 1 and 4 pairs of anionic and cationic exchange membranes per site for a mean period of 53 days. The most bioavailable elements (Ca, Mg, and K) were also amongst the most abundant in the crust. Patterns of bioavailability were biome-dependent and controlled by soil properties such as pH, organic matter content and texture, plant cover, and climate. However, global change simulations resulted in important alterations in the bioavailability of elements. Elements were highly coupled, and coupling was predictable by the atomic properties of elements, particularly mass, mass to charge ratio, and second ionization energy. Deviations from the predictable coupling-atomic mass relationship were attributed to global change and agriculture. Our work illustrates the tight links between the bioavailability and coupling of topsoil elements and environmental context, human activities, and atomic properties of elements, thus deeply enhancing our integrated understanding of the biogeochemical connections that underlie the productivity and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems in a changing world

Common, low-frequency, rare, and ultra-rare coding variants contribute to COVID-19 severity

The combined impact of common and rare exonic variants in COVID-19 host genetics is currently insufficiently understood. Here, common and rare variants from whole-exome sequencing data of about 4000 SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals were used to define an interpretable machine-learning model for predicting COVID-19 severity. First, variants were converted into separate sets of Boolean features, depending on the absence or the presence of variants in each gene. An ensemble of LASSO logistic regression models was used to identify the most informative Boolean features with respect to the genetic bases of severity. The Boolean features selected by these logistic models were combined into an Integrated PolyGenic Score that offers a synthetic and interpretable index for describing the contribution of host genetics in COVID-19 severity, as demonstrated through testing in several independent cohorts. Selected features belong to ultra-rare, rare, low-frequency, and common variants, including those in linkage disequilibrium with known GWAS loci. Noteworthily, around one quarter of the selected genes are sex-specific. Pathway analysis of the selected genes associated with COVID-19 severity reflected the multi-organ nature of the disease. The proposed model might provide useful information for developing diagnostics and therapeutics, while also being able to guide bedside disease management. © 2021, The Author(s)

The evolution of extra-pair paternity and paternal care in birds.

Data for the publication "The evolution of extra-pair paternity and paternal care in birds." by Søraker, J.S., Wright, J., Hanslin, F.Ø. and Pepke, M.L

Deposition of traffic-related air pollutants on leaves of six evergreen shrub species during a Mediterranean summer season

Six evergreen broad-leaved shrub species (Viburnum tinus subsp. lucidum L., Arbutus unedo L., Photinia 7. fraseri Dress., Laurus nobilis L., Elaeagnus 7. ebbingei L., Ligustrum japonicum Thunb.) were tested for their capacity to accumulate pollutants on the surface of their current season leaves in a Mediterranean environment. Plants were planted along a road in 2010 and exposed to traffic pollution. Leaf element deposition (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, V, Zn) was analyzed six times from early summer to early autumn 2012. Particulate matter on leaves, element concentration of particulate matter in the air and meteorological parameters were measured. Elements on leaves were related to meteorological conditions to study the inter-relations. E. 7. ebbingei, P. 7. fraseri and V. lucidum were found to accumulate more pollutants, while L. nobilis and A. unedo were the lowest accumulators. A common trend of element depositions was found. Generally, elements increased from the first to the second sampling (28 June to 19 July) and, thereafter, decreased until the early autumn. Element depositions depended on species and meteorological parameters. Rain decreased the element accumulation on leaves, whilst an increase in wind velocity and element concentrations (in the air) tended to increase the presence of elements on leaves. Meteorological conditions were confirmed to be important factors modifying the dynamics of pollution deposition and their removal from leaves during a season

Intensify production, transform biomass to energy and novel goods and protect soils in Europe (INTENSE): Progress in year 2

ACTIInternational audienceThe European INTENSE project is responding to three “Great Challenges”: global food security, use of renewable raw materials and production of energy from biomass. Its contributes to reconvert poor, abandoned and polluted lands, e.g. grassland, set aside land, brownfields, and other marginal lands, into high, sustainable crop production. INTENSE sites are located throughout Europe from Spain in the south up to Norway in the north. Regarding precision agriculture, modeling tools and soil amendments, field plots are assessed using unmanned aerial vehicles and data crossed with those from crop production and soil microbial communities. This provides information on field heterogeneity to adapt soil management, seeding, fertilizing, and fungicide and herbicide application, allowing site-specific farming. At the Martlhof farm, Germany, increase in photosynthetic activity of barley was observed after incorporation of digested pig manure (solid fraction alone and with biochar) and compost although N uptake was similar. At Buendia and Casasana, Spain, barley plots with mineral N combined with compost pellets and biochar showed increased GNDVI (i.e. (NIR – green)/(NIR + green). Field data and image spectroscopy evidenced differences across plots, cultivars, plant performance and health. At Polish sites, compost combined with mineral N increased barley and maize yields. Suitable production systems are developed and implemented for land amelioration in complex degradation situations. At Martlhof, chestnut wood chips are pyrolysed to produce and use biochar. Extensive livestock farming is transformed to ecological intensive farming including livestock with monogastric animals, intercropping (Fabaceae), agroforestry, terraforming, and increased biodiversity (landscape ecology). Soil nutrients and biological functionality (FDA hydrolysis, community-level physiological profiling, and microbial DNA extractions) are analyzed at the beginning and after each growing season, showing high nutrient turnover, and increase in soil N and P contents. Organic amendments more influence overall microbial activity than functional diversity. Overall, the more organic matter, the higher the microbial activity. At French sites, long-term phytomanagement of contaminated soils with high yielding crops and short rotation coppices, combined with soil amendments, improved soil fertility, C sequestration, can stimulate microbial activity, and limited pollutant linkages. Weed control, reduced invasive vegetation, pest control, effect of soil mycorrhizae on nutrient cycling, and shelter belts are investigated. At Spanish sites, farming systems can be adapted by limiting wind erosion and water runoff, shaping stony fields, tree planting, soil amendment, winter crops and intercropping. At the farm level, environmental education, direct marketing, and (bio)energy production can add value