Consequences of a flattened morphology: effects of flow on feeding rates of the scleractinian coral Meandrina meandrites

Per polyp feeding rate was independent of the horizontal planform area of colonies. At the lowest velocities, most particles were captured on the upstream edge or in the middle of colonies, but all positional bias in capture rate disappeared at higher velocities. Particle capture and increasing flow speed were negatively associated. There were small, but measurable, differences in mean tentacle length between corals feeding at different velocities. Velocity-dependent feeding rate at most velocities was thus related to changes in flow rather than to changes in feeding behavior. Experiments in which corals were turned upside down revealed that the increased capture rate for rightside-up corals feeding at low velocity could be almost entirely accounted for by gravitational deposition of particles on the corals\u27 tentacles. The tentacles form a canopy within which water movement was slowed, possibly facilitating gravitational deposition of non-buoyant or sinking food particles. -from Author

Vertical distribution and diel patterns of zooplankton abundance and biomass at Conch Reef, Florida Keys (USA)

Zooplankton play an important role in the trophic dynamics of coral reef ecosystems. Detailed vertical and temporal distribution and biomass of zooplankton were evaluated at four heights off the bottom and at six times throughout the diel cycle over a coral reef in the Florida Keys (USA). Zooplankton abundance averaged 4396 ± 1949 SD individuals m−3, but temporal and spatial distributions varied for individual zooplankton taxa by time of day and by height off the bottom. Copepods comprised 93–96% of the abundance in the samples. Taxon-based zooplankton CHN values paired with abundance data were used to estimate biomass. Average daily biomass ranged from 3.1 to 21.4 mg C m−3 and differed by both height off the bottom and by time of day. While copepods were the numerically dominant organisms, their contribution to biomass was only 35% of the total zooplankton biomass. Our findings provide important support for the new emerging paradigm of how zooplankton are distributed over reefs

Investigation and assimilation of nitrogen from benthic sediments by threee species of coral

We quantified the nitrogen and enzyme hydrolyzable amino acid (EHAA) concentrations of sediments prior to and after corals sloughed, ingested, and egested sediments layered onto their surfaces, for the three coral species Siderastrea siderea, Agaricia agaricites, and Porites astreoides in Jamaica. The percent nitrogen of the sediments egested by all three species was lower than in the sediments available to the corals. Additionally, the sediments sloughed (not ingested) by A. agaricites and P. astreoides were lower in percent nitrogen, while the sediments sloughed by S. siderea had the same percent nitrogen as that of the available sediments. The percent nitrogen of the sediments sloughed and egested by P. astreoides showed significant negative and positive relationships, respectively, to increasing sediment loads, while the percent nitrogen of the sediments sloughed and egested by both S. siderea and A. agaricites showed no relationship to sediment load. EHAA concentrations were not significantly different between the sloughed and available sediments but were significantly lower in the sediments egested by S. siderea and A. agaricites (EHAA concentrations were not measured for P. astreodies sediment fractions). Comparisons of the nitrogen and EHAA concentrations in the sloughed and egested sediments to what was available prior to coral processing show that maximum ingestion was between 0.1 and 0.2 µg N µg−1 coral N cm−2 and between 0.5 and 0.6 µg EHAA·cm−2. Maximum assimilation efficiencies were estimated to be 30–60% of the available nitrogen. The data show that corals ingest and alter the nitrogen concentration of particles that land on their surfaces. The corals’ abilities to process these sediments, and the sediments’ possible contributions to coral nutrition, are discussed based on these results

Pitfalls in the characterization of circulating and tissue-resident human γδ T cells

Dissection of the role and function of human γδ T cells and their heterogeneous subsets in cancer, inflammation, and auto-immune diseases is a growing and dynamic research field of increasing interest to the scientific community. Therefore, harmonization and standardization of techniques for the characterization of peripheral and tissue-resident γδ T cells is crucial to facilitate comparability between published and emerging research. The application of commercially available reagents to classify γδ T cells, in particular the combination of multiple Abs, is not always trouble-free, posing major demands on researchers entering this field. Occasionally, even entire γδ T cell subsets may remain undetected when certain Abs are combined in flow cytometric analysis with multicolor Ab panels, or might be lost during cell isolation procedures. Here, based on the recent literature and our own experience, we provide an overview of methods commonly employed for the phenotypic and functional characterization of human γδ T cells including advanced polychromatic flow cytometry, mass cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and magnetic cell isolation. We highlight potential pitfalls and discuss how to circumvent these obstacles

Realism about the Wave Function

A century after the discovery of quantum mechanics, the meaning of quantum mechanics still remains elusive. This is largely due to the puzzling nature of the wave function, the central object in quantum mechanics. If we are realists about quantum mechanics, how should we understand the wave function? What does it represent? What is its physical meaning? Answering these questions would improve our understanding of what it means to be a realist about quantum mechanics. In this survey article, I review and compare several realist interpretations of the wave function. They fall into three categories: ontological interpretations, nomological interpretations, and the \emph{sui generis} interpretation. For simplicity, I will focus on non-relativistic quantum mechanics.Comment: Penultimate version for Philosophy Compas

How large should whales be?

The evolution and distribution of species body sizes for terrestrial mammals is well-explained by a macroevolutionary tradeoff between short-term selective advantages and long-term extinction risks from increased species body size, unfolding above the 2g minimum size induced by thermoregulation in air. Here, we consider whether this same tradeoff, formalized as a constrained convection-reaction-diffusion system, can also explain the sizes of fully aquatic mammals, which have not previously been considered. By replacing the terrestrial minimum with a pelagic one, at roughly 7000g, the terrestrial mammal tradeoff model accurately predicts, with no tunable parameters, the observed body masses of all extant cetacean species, including the 175,000,000g Blue Whale. This strong agreement between theory and data suggests that a universal macroevolutionary tradeoff governs body size evolution for all mammals, regardless of their habitat. The dramatic sizes of cetaceans can thus be attributed mainly to the increased convective heat loss is water, which shifts the species size distribution upward and pushes its right tail into ranges inaccessible to terrestrial mammals. Under this macroevolutionary tradeoff, the largest expected species occurs where the rate at which smaller-bodied species move up into large-bodied niches approximately equals the rate at which extinction removes them.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 2 data table

Effective modeling for integrated water resource management: a guide to contextual practices by phases and steps and future opportunities

The effectiveness of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) modeling hinges on the quality of practices employed through the process, starting from early problem definition all the way through to using the model in a way that serves its intended purpose. The adoption and implementation of effective modeling practices need to be guided by a practical understanding of the variety of decisions that modelers make, and the information considered in making these choices. There is still limited documented knowledge on the modeling workflow, and the role of contextual factors in determining this workflow and which practices to employ. This paper attempts to contribute to this knowledge gap by providing systematic guidance of the modeling practices through the phases (Planning, Development, Application, and Perpetuation) and steps that comprise the modeling process, positing questions that should be addressed. Practice-focused guidance helps explain the detailed process of conducting IWRM modeling, including the role of contextual factors in shaping practices. We draw on findings from literature and the authors’ collective experience to articulate what and how contextual factors play out in employing those practices. In order to accelerate our learning about how to improve IWRM modeling, the paper concludes with five key areas for future practice-related research: knowledge sharing, overcoming data limitations, informed stakeholder involvement, social equity and uncertainty management. © 2019 Elsevier Lt

A Modified View on Octocorals: Heteroxenia fuscescens Nematocysts Are Diverse, Featuring Both an Ancestral and a Novel Type

Cnidarians are characterized by the presence of stinging cells containing nematocysts, a sophisticated injection system targeted mainly at prey-capture and defense. In the anthozoan subclass Octocorallia nematocytes have been considered to exist only in low numbers, to be small, and all of the ancestral atrichous-isorhiza type. This study, in contrast, revealed numerous nematocytes in the octocoral Heteroxenia fuscescens. The study demonstrates the applicability of cresyl-violet dye for differential staining and stimulating discharge of the nematocysts. In addition to the atrichous isorhiza-type of nematocysts, a novel type of macrobasic-mastigophore nematocysts was found, featuring a shaft, uniquely comprised of three loops and densely packed arrow-like spines. In contrast to the view that octocorals possess a single type of nematocyst, Heteroxenia fuscescens features two distinct types, indicating for the first time the diversification and complexity of nematocysts for Octocorallia

The Biology and Economics of Coral Growth

To protect natural coral reefs, it is of utmost importance to understand how the growth of the main reef-building organisms—the zooxanthellate scleractinian corals—is controlled. Understanding coral growth is also relevant for coral aquaculture, which is a rapidly developing business. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of factors that can influence the growth of zooxanthellate scleractinian corals, with particular emphasis on interactions between these factors. Furthermore, the kinetic principles underlying coral growth are discussed. The reviewed information is put into an economic perspective by making an estimation of the costs of coral aquaculture