5 research outputs found
Basic principles of temporal dynamics
All ecological disciplines consider temporal dynamics, although relevant concepts have been developed almost independently. We here introduce basic principles of temporal dynamics in ecology. We figured out essential features that describe temporal dynamics by finding similarities among about 60 ecological concepts and theories. We found that considering the hierarchically nested structure of complexity in temporal patterns (i.e. hierarchical complexity) can well describe the fundamental nature of temporal dynamics by expressing which patterns are observed at each scale. Across all ecological levels, driver–response relationships can be temporally variant and dependent on both short- and long-term past conditions. The framework can help with designing experiments, improving predictive power of statistics, and enhancing communications among ecological disciplines
Large and variable genome size unrelated to serpentine adaptation but supportive of cryptic sexuality in Cenococcum geophilum
Estimations of genome size and its variation can
provide valuable information regarding the genetic diversity
of organisms and their adaptation potential to heterogeneous
environments. We used flow cytometry to characterize the
variation in genome size among 40 isolates of Cenococcum
geophilum, an ectomycorrhizal fungus with a wide ecological
and geographical distribution, obtained from two serpentine
and two non-serpentine sites in Portugal. Besides
determining the genome size and its intraspecies variation,
we wanted to assess whether a relationship exists between
genome size and the edaphic background of the C.
geophilum isolates. Our results reveal C. geophilum to have
one of the largest genome sizes so far measured in the
Ascomycota, with a mean haploid genome size estimate of
0.208 pg (203 Mbp). However, no relationship was found
between genome size and the edaphic background of the
sampled isolates, indicating genetic and demographic processes
to be more important for shaping the genome size
variation in this species than environmental selection. The
detection of variation in ploidy level among our isolates,
including a single individual with both presumed haploid
and diploid nuclei, provides supportive evidence for a possible
cryptic sexual or parasexual cycle in C. geophilum
(although other mechanisms may have caused this variation).
The existence of such a cycle would have wide significance,
explaining the high levels of genetic diversity and
likelihood of recombination previously reported in this species,
and adds to the increasing number of studies suggesting
sexual cycles in previously assumed asexual fungi.This
work was supported by research grant PTDC/BIA-BEC/100733/2008,
funded by the European Union and the Fundação para a Ciência e a
Tecnologia, awarded to Ludo Muller
Genomic Resources Notes accepted 1 April 2015 - 31 May 2015
This article documents the public availability of transcriptomic resources for (i) the stellate sturgeon Acipenser stellatus, (ii) the flowering plant Campanula gentilis and (iii) two endemic Iberian fish, Squalius carolitertii and Squalius torgalensis. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd