Ecology

This study details occurrences of Teredolites ichnocoenoses from modern bay-margin settings in Willapa Bay, Washington. In particular, the paper scrutinizes in situ loggrounds from two intertidal zones situated immediately seaward of low-lying, supratidal, forested marshlands that are fed by small streams. Vestiges of remnant marshes and streams are preserved on intertidal flats as in-situ roots, broken stumps, strewn logs, abundant organic detritus, and organic sandy mud. Xylic material and organic sediment were deposited in the supratidal marshes: tide and wave processes truncated the swamps, exposing in situ treeroot networks and the lowermost supratidal sediments. Stream and swamp deposits overlie and incise older Pleistocene strata. Both units are overlain by discontinuous, modern intertidal deposits. The intertidally exposed stumps and logs support a diverse community of animal and plant life. Boring organisms, encrusters, and refugium seekers are found on and within the xylic substrates. Some encrusting animals and all of the boring fauna produce traces that are comparable to ichnofossils reported by palichnologists. Wood-boring traces reported in this study are similar morphologically to the ichnogenera Caulostrepsis, Entobia, Meandropolydora, Psilonichnus, Rogerella, Teredolites, Thalassinoides, and Trypanites. Most of these ichnogenera have not been reported from rock-record examples of the Teredolites ichnofacies. The stratigraphic and environmental significance of the reported (modern) locales is consistent with previous studies that associate Teredolites ichnofacies with base-level rise in marginal-marine environments. At Willapa Bay, bored xylic media form a coeval surface with adjacent, burrowed firmgrounds as well as softgrounds.

A neoichnological resin cast of modern burrows from a mudflat at Willapa Bay, Washington, reveals much of the architecture of the infaunal community present locally within sediments of this mudflat. The cast structures comprise Psilonichnus-, Skolithos-, Trichichnus-, Chondrites(?)-, Planolites-, Palaeophycus-, and Arenicoliteslike burrows. The range of behaviors represented by these structures cannot be classified into an archetypal (Seilacherian) ichnofacies. The resin cast contains many coeval, composite burrows that may reflect certain commensal relationships. Notable composite associations include: (1) siphon shafts of Mya arenaria that are connected to and descend from crab domiciles; (2) an example of a pair of infaunal Mya arenaria that share a single siphonate shaft; (3) abundant Heteromastus burrows that connect to crab and bivalve burrows; and, (4) Nereis burrows that are connected to crab domiciles. It is suggested that such contemporaneous relationships, if passed into the fossil record, might be misinterpreted as representing tiering or faunal succession. The reported observations provide a new perspective on the potential significance of interpenetrating trace fossils and complex ichnofabrics.

A diverse ichnofossil assemblage characterizes the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate marginal marine succession of the upper Liard Formation (Middle Triassic), Williston Lake, northeastern British Columbia. Sedimentary facies within this succession consist of five recurring facies associations: FA1 (upper shoreface/foreshore); FA2 (washover fan/lagoon); FA3 (intertidal flat); FA4 (supratidal sabkha) and FA5 (aeolian dune). Shoreface/foreshore sediments (FA1) accumulated on a storm-dominated, prograding barrier island coast and are characterized by a low-diversity Skolithos assemblage (Diplocraterion, Ophiomorpha, Palaeophycus, Planolites, Skolithos and Thalassinoides). Washover fan/lagoonal sediments (FA2) are dominated by trophic generalists. (Cylindrichnus, Gyrochorte, Palaeophycus, Planolites, Skolithos, Trichichnus and an unusual type of bivalve resting trace), consistent with deposition in a setting subject to periodic salinity and oxygenation stresses. Intertidal flat deposits (FA3) are characterized by a diverse mixture of dwelling, feeding, and crawling forms (Arenicolites,

This study considers the construction and functionality of biogenic structures made by marine, vermiform nemerteans, polychaetes and hemichordates; marine crustaceans; motile bivalves; motile echinoderms; and sponges and sea anemones. We report on a range of modern biogenic structures similar to several known ichnogenera. Vermiform animals dominantly occupy vertical burrows that range from simple through helical shafts to Y-and U-shapes. Horizontal traces made by worms range in form, but are dominated by branching and variably sinuous to meandering burrows. Crustaceans primarily excavate open burrow systems that possess a range of architectures that are similar to either Thalassinoides or Psilonichnus. Smaller crustaceans, such as amphipods, mix the sediment. Bivalve traces vary in form, but generally preserve evidence of vertically oriented filter or interface-deposit feeding from a stationary location, rapid vertical escape, or horizontal grazing. Echinoderms dominantly preserve body impressions and motility traces, such as Asteriacites. An important class of biogenic structure, Scolicia and Bichordites, are made by urchins. Finally, sea anemones can generate large, penetrative, conical biogenic structures. Large, open horizontal networks serve as domiciles and deposit-feeding structures for crustaceans, but with worms similar burrow types are used more for passive carnivory and establishing an interface-feeding network. We report that the trace fossil Gyrolithes potentially represents mechanical ramps for shrimp, but is used as a sediment holdfast when made by worms. Finally, Y-shaped burrows are used for filter feeding in shrimp, and interface-deposit feeding in worms. These examples emphasize that inferences of behavior in the rock record are interpretive.

Luminescent carbon dots (Cdots) synthesized using inexpensive precursors have inspired tremendous research interest due to their superior properties and applicability in various fields. In this work, we report a simple, economical, green route for the synthesis of multifunctional fluorescent Cdots prepared from a natural, low-cost source: collagen extracted from animal skin wastes. The as-synthesized metal-free Cdots were found to be in the size range of ~1.2-9 nm, emitting bright blue photoluminescence with a calculated Cdot yield of ~63%. Importantly, the soft-lithographic method used was inexpensive and yielded a variety of Cdot patterns with different geometrical structures and significant cellular biocompatibility. This novel approach to Cdot production highlights innovative ways of transforming industrial biowastes into advanced multifunctional materials which offers exciting potential for applications in nanophotonics and nanobiotechnology using a simple and scalable technique.

Metal tellurides are highly sought after for energy and spintronic applications much of which is owed to its catalytic and magnetic properties. Confining it into two-dimensions and improving the surface area enriches its catalytic activity and magnetic properties. Herein, we demonstrate the isolation of ultrathin two-dimensional sheets of Manganese(II)Telluride having an average thickness of ~2 nm and flake size of ~100 nm by means of liquid phase exfoliation presumably for the first time. Vanishing of exchange interactions in two-dimensions results in paramagnetic ordering in Manganese(II)Tellurides sheets while its pristine form prefers antiferromagnetic order. The exfoliated two-dimensional sheets were used to sensitize titania nanotubes to broaden the absorption spectrum and utilize visible light for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Recently, aluminum has been established as an earth-abundant alternative to gold and silver for plasmonic applications. Particularly, aluminum nanocrystals have shown to be promising plasmonic photocatalysts, especially when coupled with catalytic metals or oxides into 'antenna-reactor' heterostructures. Here, a simple polyol synthesis is presented as a flexible route to produce aluminum nanocrystals decorated with eight varieties of size-tunable transition metals nanoparticle islands, many of which have precedence as heterogeneous catalysts. High resolution and 3D structural analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography shows that abundant nanoparticle island decoration in the catalytically relevant fewnanometer size range can be achieved, with many islands spaced closely to their neighbors. When coupled with the Al nanocrystal plasmonic antenna, these small decorating islands will experience increased light absorption and strong hot-spot generation. This combination makes transition metal decorated aluminum nanocrystals a promising material platform to develop plasmonic photocatalysis, surface-enhanced spectroscopies, and quantum plasmonics.

The internal structure of hollow AgAu nanorods created by partial galvanic replacement was manipulated reversibly and its effect on optical properties was mapped with nanometer resolution. Using the electron beam in a scanning transmission electron microscope to create solvated electrons in an encapsulated solution-filled cavity in the nanorods, Ag ions were reduced, reshaping the core of the nanoparticles without affecting the external shape. The resulting changes in plasmon-induced near-field properties were then mapped with electron energy-loss spectroscopy without disturbing the internal structure, and the results are supported by finite-difference time-domain calculations. This reversible shape and near-field control in a hollow nanoparticle actuated by an external stimulus introduces possibilities for applications in reprogrammable sensors, responsive materials, and optical memory units. Moreover, the liquidfilled nanorod cavity offers new opportunities for in situ microscopy of chemical reactions.

The impacts of climate change on ecosystems are manifested in how organisms respond to episodic and continuous stressors. The conversion of coastal forests to salt marshes represents a prominent example of ecosystem state change, driven by the continuous stress of sea‐level rise (press), and episodic storms (pulse). Here, we measured the rooting dimension and fall direction of 143 windthrown eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) trees in a rapidly retreating coastal forest in Chesapeake Bay (USA). We found that tree roots were distributed asymmetrically away from the leading edge of soil salinization and towards freshwater sources. The length, number, and circumference of roots were consistently higher in the upslope direction than downslope direction, suggesting an active morphological adaptation to sea‐level rise and salinity stress. Windthrown trees consistently fell in the upslope direction regardless of aspect and prevailing wind direction, suggesting that asymmetric rooting...

Summary Phenotypic variation is strongly impacted by environmental conditions experienced during development. Substantial laboratory research has shown that reptiles with flexible‐shelled eggs are particularly sensitive to hydric conditions, yet research on nests in the wild is sparse. In this 2‐year field experiment, we explore the influence of hydric conditions during incubation on phenotypic traits of hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta). Using a split‐clutch design, we created two artificial nests adjacent to each maternally selected nest site. Half the eggs incubated in a nest that received regular supplemental watering, while the control nest was exposed to natural precipitation only. Our results suggest that the influence of the hydric environment on developing reptilian embryos is context dependent. Supplemental water applied to nests in a drier than normal season elicited the expected biotic responses, based on laboratory experiments. However, when the soil surroundi...

SUMMARYMany physiologists believe that hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) provide a remarkable, and possibly unique, example of `natural freeze-tolerance' in an amniotic vertebrate. However, the concept of natural freeze-tolerance in neonatal painted turtles is based on results from laboratory studies that were not placed in an appropriate ecological context,so the concept is suspect. Indeed, the weight of current evidence indicates that hatchlings overwintering in the field typically withstand exposure to ice and cold by avoiding freezing altogether and that they do so without benefit of an antifreeze to depress the equilibrium freezing point for bodily fluids. As autumn turns to winter, turtles remove active nucleating agents from bodily fluids (including bladder and gut), and their integument becomes a highly efficient barrier to the penetration of ice into body compartments from frozen soil. In the absence of a nucleating agent or a crystal of ice to `catalyze't...

Eggs from three snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) were divided between two natural nests in a factorial experiment assessing the role of the nest environment as a cause for variation in body size and energy reserves of hatchlings at our study site .in northcentral Nebraska. Nest//1 was located in an unshaded area on the south side of a high sandhill, whereas nest #2 was located in an unshaded area on level ground. Eggs in nest #1 increased in mass over the course of incubation, with eggs at the bottom of the nest gaining more mass than eggs nearer to the surface. In contrast, eggs in nest //2 lost mass during incubation, with eggs at the bottom declining less in mass than eggs at the top of the cavity. Hatchlings from nest//1 were much larger (but contained smaller masses of unused yolk) than hatchlings from nest//2. Additionally, eggs from the lower layers in both nests tended to produce larger hatchlings (but with smaller masses of unused yolk) than eggs from the upper layers. Thus, ecologically important variation in body size and nutrient reserves of hatchling snapping turtles results from variation in the environment among and within nests.

We performed an experiment at a field site in north-central Nebraska, U.S.A., to assess the importance of the nest environment as a determinant of body size and condition in hatchling snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina). The contents of newly constructed nests were manipulated by reciprocal transplant so that each of several nests received a complement of eggs from each of several females. The eggs were recovered from nests after 8 weeks and allowed to complete incubation under standard conditions in the laboratory. Live mass, dry mass and water content of carcasses, and dry mass of unused yolk varied significantly among hatchlings that incubated in different nests. This variation apparently resulted from variation in water exchange by eggs, because embryos in eggs that absorbed water during 8 weeks in the field consumed more of their yolk, grew to a larger size, and were better hydrated at hatching than embryos in eggs that lost water to the nest environment. Phenotypic variatio...

Eggs of the white-throated savanna monitor Varanus albigularis were incubated on vermiculite substrates at each of three temperatures (27, 29, 31°C) and moisture regimes (-150,-550,-1100 kPa) in a factorial experiment to assess the effects of these variables on embryonic development. Hatching success was high in all treatments, so the chosen conditions did not drastically affect viability of embryos. Net absorption of water, duration of incubation by embryos, and size of hatchlings were positively correlated with moisture content of the substrate and negatively correlated with ambient temperature. Duration of incubation and size of hatchlings were similar for artificially and naturally incubated eggs, but hatching success of eggs in natural nests was only about half that of artificially-incubated eggs. Results from this study indicate that variations in moisture and temperature probably cause ecologically significant variation of physical characteristics in hatchling monitor lizards.

Książka jest dostępna na licencji Creative Commons-Uznanie autorstwa-Użycie niekomercyjne-Bez utworów zależnych 4.0 Międzynarodowe (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) Opracowanie redakcyjne Paulina Kaczmarek Opracowanie graficzne i komputerowe Stanisław Tuchołka | panbook.pl Projekt okładki Jacek Grześkowiak ISBN 978-83-67112-65-9 (oprawa miękka) ISBN 978-83-67112-62-8 (on-line pdf)

In order to identify population trends in Barbastella barbastellus in Poland we summarised results of long-term winter bat counts conducted between 1985 and 2004 in seven of the most important hibernacula of the species. The results show an upward trend in four of the sites while in the remaining four no trend was found. The numbers of barbastelles in Poland seem stable or even increasing. In Central Europe the species is not threatened as seriously as it is in Western Europe.

Książka jest dostępna na licencji Creative Commons-Uznanie autorstwa-Użycie niekomercyjne-Bez utworów zależnych 4.0 Międzynarodowe (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) Opracowanie redakcyjne Paulina Kaczmarek Opracowanie graficzne i komputerowe Stanisław Tuchołka | panbook.pl Projekt okładki Jacek Grześkowiak ISBN 978-83-67112-65-9 (oprawa miękka) ISBN 978-83-67112-62-8 (on-line pdf)

For years, Barcelona has been a city torn between economic success in tourism through increasing numbers of tourists and protest against the rising pressure on the city due to tourism. Resistance to the increasing social and ecological pressure exerted by intensive tourism in the city grew especially in the last ten years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and voices emerged that actively demanded a degrowth transition of the tourism sector. This paper studies the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quest for a sustainable degrowth transformation of Barcelona's tourism model. In this regard, the central developments in Barcelona's tourism sector since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic are analyzed and the implications of these developments for the degrowth movement in the city are outlined. Within the context of the qualitative content analysis, the different social and economic perspectives of the degrowth debate in tourism in Barcelona are contrasted and classified. The central research results outline that the measures taken so far for a more sustainable tourism since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic are mainly of a technical nature and do not have systemic-transformative components. Accordingly, there are reasons to believe that a return to the growth-oriented tourism model is prioritized, and so far, no indications point to the initiation of a degrowth transition.

Homogenization of Large-Scale Movement Models in Ecology with Application to the Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Mule Deer Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that affects deer, elk, and moose. TSEs are prion diseases which include mad cow disease and scrapie in sheep and goats. The disease agent is a misshapen protein called a prion, which causes lesions in the brain, and to date, there is no cure. CWD is a slow-developing, fatal disease, which is rare in the free-ranging mule deer population of Utah. Infected deer shed prions into the environment through saliva, feces, and decaying carcasses. These prions remain infective in soils for many years and healthy deer may contract CWD by ingesting them while grazing, as well as through direct contact with infected deer. CWD positive deer shed prions into the environment for as long as two years before they appear visibly sick. This complicates detection and control of this potentially devastating disease. Mathematical modeling is one of the tools used in analyzing how wildlife diseases spread across the landscape. Historically, diffusion models with constant coefficients have been used to predict spread. They are limited, however, in their ability to connect disease spread to how animals move across differing habitats. Individuals make movement decisions based on local information, i.e. they move quickly through areas that do not provide needed resources and linger in areas that do. Ecological diffusion is a form of spatially varying diffusion that accommodates this through a motility coefficient. In this work we develop two disease models with ecological diffusion: a simple, general disease model and a sexspecific CWD model. We use GPS location data gathered from collared mule deer in the La Sal mountains of Utah (2005-2006) to estimate the motility (a measure of how animals move) for each land cover type in Southeast Utah to use in our models. Real environments are often spatially complex, limiting application of a direct approach to modeling with ecological diffusion. Here we derive a homogenization procedure for ecological diffusion, which allows us to determine the impact of small-scale (10-100 m) habitat variability on large-scale movement (10-100 km). Our homogenized models take 1/10000 the computational time to solve than small scale ecological diffusion models. Also the average coefficients in the homogenized equations can be used in analysis of speed of disease spread and critical population size necessary for the speed of spread to be zero. This work is important from a disease management point of view. Possible applications are identification of barriers or corridors for disease spread and estimation of population size needed to control spread from disease hotspots. These methods may also be applied to other dispersal problems, such as invasive species, insect invasions, and escaped genetically modified organisms. Martha J. Garlick vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my co-advisors, James Powell and Mevin Hooten, for their guidance, patience, and insight. I also thank Leslie McFarlane for sharing her knowledge of chronic wasting disease and mule deer, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for providing telemetry data, and Ben Crabb and John Lowry for providing landcover data. This research was partially funded by USGS, grant number 1434-06HQRU15555.

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The relationships among rate of ultrasound acoustic emission (AE), xylem water potential and transpiration rate were investigated in Syear-old potted saplings of Picea abies Karst. after cycles of water stress. Water-stressed plants displayed minimum xylem water potentials of-3.9 MPa, near-zero transpiration rates and up to 45 AE counts per minute. After rewatering, water-stressed plants no longer produced AEs. Well-watered control plants produced only a small number of ultrasonic AEs. After three cycles of water stress (lasting 24 days in total) it was estimated that about two-thirds of the functional tracheids were embolized. The concomitant reduction in hydraulic conductance was about 70%.

A gas vents area was recently localized in Central Italy. The gas emitted from the vents is composed by 92 ~o of carbon dioxide and this produces an anomaly in the composition of the atmosphere over an area of about 2 ha. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was measured by means of an infrared gas analyzer and diffusion tubes in several points and for some days within the area. Measurements revealed that the site can be at least divided into three sub-areas having increasing CO2 concentration in the air. A preliminary analysis of natural vegetation in the area was conducted by counting stomatal and epidermal cells number and measuring guard cell size on leaves of several oak trees growing both near and far away from the vents. This analysis suggested that elevated CO2 may have reduced the size of guard cells leaving stomatal density and stomatal index unaltered.

Seasonal changes in hydraulic properties and vulnerability to xylem embolism of Erica arborea L., Myrtus communis L. and Juniperus communis L. were analysed by comparing plants at two locations in a Mediterranean environment. A distinct atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) gradient exists between the two sites with higher [CO2] in the proximity of a natural CO2 spring (700 mol mol–1). Changes in native embolism in E. arborea and M. communis indicated rather clear seasonal segregation by species and by the growth [CO2]. J. communis had constantly lower percentage embolism than the other two species (the effect of site being not consistent). Differences in summer embolism among species and between sites were in accordance with vulnerability curves. Volumetric fractions also showed seasonal and site-dependent changes. Mean specific hydraulic conductivity was strongly affected by site in E. arborea and M. communis (in opposite directions). Hydraulic properties varied as a function of s...

Although mites are one of the most abundant and diverse groups of arthropods, they are rarely targeted for detailed biodiversity surveys due to taxonomic constraints. We address this gap through DNA barcoding, evaluating acarine diversity at Churchill, Manitoba, a site on the tundra-taiga transition. Barcode analysis of 6279 specimens revealed nearly 900 presumptive species of mites with high species turnover between substrates and between forested and non-forested sites. Accumulation curves have not reached an asymptote for any of the three mite orders investigated, and estimates suggest that more than 1200 species of Acari occur at this locality. The coupling of DNA barcode results with taxonomic assignments revealed that Trombidiformes compose 49% of the fauna, a larger fraction than expected based on prior studies. This investigation demonstrates the efficacy of DNA barcoding in facilitating biodiversity assessments of hyperdiverse taxa.

Agriculture as a primary industry relies on energy use to a great extent. With the depletion of fossil resources, increased energy prices will have a dramatic effect on the competitiveness of agricultural production systems and energy efficiency will have a great impact on the comparative cost advantages of agricultural production systems. Within a Coordination and Support Action funded by the 7th research framework of the EU (www.agree.aua.gr) a consortium from seven European countries identified opportunities, constraints and research needs concerning energy efficiency in agriculture.

Rhodococcus erythropolis MI2 has the extraordinary ability to utilize the xenobiotic 4,4´-dithiodibutyric acid (DTDB). Cleavage of DTDB by the disulfide-reductase Nox, which is the only verified enzyme involved in DTDB-degradation, raised 4-mercaptobutyric acid (4MB). 4MB could act as building block of a novel polythioester with unknown properties. To completely unravel the catabolism of DTDB, the genome of R. erythropolis MI2 was sequenced, and subsequently the proteome was analyzed. The draft genome sequence consists of approximately 7.2 Mbp with an overall G+C content of 62.25% and 6,859 predicted protein-encoding genes. The genome of strain MI2 is composed of three replicons: one chromosome and two megaplasmids with sizes of 6.45, 0.4 and 0.35 Mbp, respectively. When cells of strain MI2 were cultivated with DTDB as sole carbon source and compared to cells grown with succinate, several interesting proteins with significantly higher expression levels were identified using 2D-PAGE ...

The giant water bug (Abedus herberti) is a large flightless insect that is a keystone predator in aridland aquatic habitats. Extended droughts, possibly due to climate change and groundwater pumping, are causing onceperennial aquatic habitats to dry, resulting in serious conservation concern for some populations. A. herberti also exhibits exclusive male parental care, which has made it a model organism for studying mating systems evolution. Here we describe 17 novel polymorphic microsatellite loci developed for A. herberti. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 15, and average observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.579 and 0.697, respectively. These loci can successfully resolve both population genetic structure among sites separated by 3-100 km (F ST = 0.08-0.21, P \ 0.0001), and divergent mating strategies within local populations, making them highly useful for conservation genetics studies of this vulnerable species.

From predicting mosquito habitat to malaria seasons using remotely sensed data: practice, problems and perspectives. Parasitol. Today 14, 306-313 45 Hay, S.I. et al. (2000) Earth observation, geographic information systems and plasmodium falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Adv. Parasitol. 47, 173-215 46 United Nations Population Division (2000) Analysis of urban and rural population at the regional level. In World Population Prospects. The 1999 Revision, pp. 36-52, United Nations 47 Lines, J. et al. (1994) Trends, priorities and policy directions in the control of vector-borne diseases in urban environments.

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Intumescence injury is a physiological disorder characterized by abnormal outgrowth of epidermal and parenchymal cells on the adaxial and/or abaxial surfaces of leaves. The purpose of this study was to examine cultivar differences in the incidence of intumescence injury, the relation between different calcium (Ca) conditions and intumescence injury, and to investigate countermeasures against intumescence injury in tomatoes. We grew tomato plants under different Ca nutrient conditions and treated them under high relative humidity and low ultraviolet light conditions to investigate intumescence injury incidence. The degree of intumescence injury varied among different tomato cultivars under a normal Ca condition with 4.5 me•L −1 of Ca. Intumescence occurred in cultivars that showed no injury incidence under the normal Ca condition when they were grown with a low Ca nutrient solution containing 0.5 or 2.5 me•L −1 of Ca. Intumescence injury incidence decreased in cultivars that showed high incidence under the normal Ca condition when they were grown with a high Ca nutrient solution containing 9.5 or 24.5 me•L −1 of Ca. The differences in the incidence of intumescence among cultivars was marked with different Ca nutrient solution concentrations. There was a negative correlation between the degree of intumescence injury and the Ca content in tomato shoots. Foliar spraying with Ca was found to reduce the incidence of intumescence injury. It was suggested that intumescence injury in tomatoes can be mitigated by using cultivars in which intumescence is less likely to occur, increasing the Ca concentration of shoots by providing more Ca nutrients to the plant, and spraying Ca solution directly on the leaves.

Laterality has been found in a variety of reptiles. In turtles, one important behaviour is the righting response. Here, we studied laterality of righting response of two species of freshwater turtles, the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) and the Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus). We found evidence of individual-level laterality in righting response inC. picta, but notS. odoratus. Neither species showed evidence of population-level laterality in righting response. Our results suggest that there is variation in the extent of laterality of righting response in turtles. Possible explanations for variation in laterality of righting response in turtles include shell shape and use of terrestrial habitats. However, more species of turtles need to be examined to demonstrate any general patterns in laterality of righting response in turtles.

Audio recordings are a significant component of the world's modern cultural history and are retained for future generations in libraries, archives, and museums. The vast majority of tapes contain polyester-urethane as the magnetic particle binder, the degradation of which threatens the playability and integrity of these often unique recordings. Magnetic tapes with stored historical data are degrading and need to be identified prior to digitization and/or preservation. We demonstrate the successful differentiation of playable and non-playable quarter-inch audio tapes, allowing the minimally invasive triage of tape collections. Without such a method, recordings are put at risk during playback, which is the current method for identifying degraded tapes. A total of 133 quarter-inch audio tapes were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR). Classification of IR spectra in regards to tape playability was accomplished using principal component analysis (PCA) followed by quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) and K-means cluster analysis. The first principal component suggests intensities at the following wavenumbers to be representative of non-playable tapes: 1730 cm-1 , 1700 cm-1 , 1255 cm-1 , and 1140 cm-1. QDA and cluster analysis both sucessfully identified 93.78% of non-playable tapes in the calibration set and 92.31% of non-playable tapes in the test set. This application of IR spectra assessed with multivariate statistical analysis offers a path to greatly improve efficiency of audio tape preservation. This rapid, minimally invasive technique shows potential to replace the manual playback test, a potentially destructive technique, ultimately allowing the safe preservation of culturally valuable content.

Tropical wetlands play an important role in biodiversity conservation. According to Raburu et al. (2012), tropical wetlands provide biodiversity and ecosystem services that are vital for the survival of a wide range of both flora and fauna. Additionally, they serve as important habitats for both aquatic and other wetland-dependent species (Quarto and Thiam 2018). Wetlands also support the health and productivity of seascapes and landscapes, especially mangroves. Furthermore, wetlands play an important, life-supporting role for countless coastal communities and local people, who depend on wetlands for life and livelihoods (Raburu et al. 2012). They are also recognised for their important role in mitigating climate change, sequestering up to five times more carbon than other terrestrial forest ecosystems, and also serving as living buffers against the forces of storms and waves that can otherwise devastate a coastline (Raburu et al. 2012). The Songor Wetland is one of the coastal wetlands in Ghana that has been designated as a Ramsar site under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and is also listed as a biosphere under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. It covers an area of 11,500 ha, extending 20 km along the coast and 8 km inland behind a narrow strip of sand dunes on which small communities are situated. The wetland acts as a habitat and breeding ground for several species of both economic and ecological importance. Thus it has multi-functional benefits relating to the ecosystem, the economy, and ecotourism (Ghana National MAB Committee 2009). However, studies have also identified threats to the wetland, including over-fishing, pollution, mangrove exploitation, invasive species, infrastructure development,

The Rosenzweig-MacArthur model is a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) that provides an aggregate description of the dynamics of a predator-prey system. When including an Allee effect on the prey, this model exhibits bistability and contains a pitchfork bifurcation, a Hopf bifurcation and a heteroclinic bifurcation. We develop an agent-based model (ABM) on a two-dimensional, square lattice that encompasses the key assumptions of the aggregate model. Although the two modelling approaches-ODE and ABM-differ, both models exhibit similar bifurcation patterns. The ABM model's behaviour is richer and it is analysed using advanced statistical methods. In particular, singular spectrum analysis is used to robustly locate the transition between apparently random, smallamplitude fluctuations around a fixed point and stable, large-amplitude oscillations. Critical slowing down of model trajectories anticipates the heteroclinic bifurcation. Systematic comparison between the ABM and the ODE models' behaviour helps one understand the predator-prey system better; it provides guidance in model exploration and allows one to draw more robust conclusions on the nature of predator-prey interactions.

This paper is the fourth in a series documenting the Entolomataceae taxa (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) from Guyana. Six new species in three genera are described-Calliderma caeruleosplendens, Paraeccilia unicolorata, Trichopilus tibiiformis, T. fasciculatus, T. vividus, and T. luteolamellatusoccurring primarily in mixed tropical rainforests of the Potaro River Basin in the Pakaraima Mountains. Macromorphological, micromorphological and habitat data are provided for each. None of these genera had been reported from Guyana.

Carbon storage in geological formations relies on knowledge of the effect of carbonate ligand formation for both dissolution and mineralisation to permit realistic reservoir modelling and to enhance confidence in storage security both spatially and temporally. Reaction rates are intrinsically slow and thus are not amenable to in-situ study, often determined from high pressure batch reactions providing largely bulk structural information through product analysis. Here we present a methodology to prepare silicate mineral analogues by placing reactive cations (Na and Ca) on the surface of amorphous silica, greatly enhancing the rate of carbonate formation. Traditional characterisation techniques provide thorough structural and morphological information related to the effects of doping. In-situ Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is used to follow carbonate formation upon exposure to CO2. Carbonate speciation is found to be cation dependent and sensitive to the presence of water. Speciation shows further dependence on whether water is present during CO2 exposure or subsequently. Low pressure CO2 adsorption isotherms (T = 35 °C) were measured to quantify carbonate formation, were fitted to an empirical adsorption isotherm model and related to cation coverage as determined by Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). CO2 uptake at low pressure was related to carbonate formation on the surface and at higher pressures was shown to depend on surface area as modified by cation adsorption. Although envisaged as mineralisation analogues, this system provides information on the impact of water on the formations of carbonates relevant to wider carbon capture and storage processes at the fundamental molecular level. Na-SiO2: A 0.5 M solution of Na2CO3 was made up using 10.599 g Na2CO3 (Sigma-Aldrich ACS Reagent ≥99.5 %) in 200 mL UP Grade 1 water (18.2 mΩ cm). This solution was transferred to a 250 ml beaker containing 10 g of SiO2 and stirred continuously for 2 h with the pH recorded every 30 s using an automatic pH-meter until equilibrium was achieved. The resulting solution was vacuum filtered, washed twice with filtrate and dried at 70 °C for 24 h. Ca-SiO2: A saturated solution of Ca(OH)2 (Sigma-Aldrich, Puriss P.A. Reag. Ph. Eur) in Grade 1 UP water (18.2 mΩ cm) was prepared, stirred at r.t. for 15 minutes and filtered to remove the solid. A 0.5 M solution of CaCl2 was made up using 22.193 g CaCl2 (BDH,

Context Global change, including land-use change and habitat degradation, has led to a decline in biodiversity, more so in freshwater than in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the research on freshwaters lags behind terrestrial and marine studies, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to comprehend freshwater biodiversity. Objectives We investigated patterns in the relationships between biotic uniqueness and abiotic environmental uniqueness in drainage basins worldwide.

As presented in this paper, the callitrichine subfamily consists of seven distinct genera, including Saguinus (tamarins), Leontopithecus (lion tamarins), Mico (Amazonian marmosets), Callithrix (Atlantic marmosets), Cebuella (pygmy marmosets), Callibella (dwarf marmoset), and Callimico (Goeldi's monkey). On morphological grounds, Callimico stands apart in the family for its retention of third molars, its