Article
Ecology
Ana Filipa Palmeirim, Fabio Z. Farneda, Marcus Vinicius Vieira, Carlos A. Peres
Summary: Despite being a primary driver of habitat loss and insular fragmentation, the impacts of hydropower development on species identity and their functional and phylogenetic roles have often been overlooked. Through an integrative approach, it was found that the functional and phylogenetic diversities of small mammals and lizards mirrored taxonomic diversity and increased with forest area. To maintain ecosystem integrity, creating myriad small islands over large expanses of floodwaters in future hydropower development should be avoided.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Lucien Nana Yobo, Alan D. Brandon, Chris Holmden, Kimberly Lau, James Eldrett
Summary: This study investigates the sources of nutrients during ocean anoxic events, proposing that massive eruptions of Large Igneous Provinces triggered the events. Results suggest that global warming associated with volcanic CO2 loading into the atmosphere increased continental weathering rates during ocean anoxic events, enhancing nutrient supplies to the oceans.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Qi Zhou, Jiao Li, Xianguang Guo, Jinlong Liu, Qi Song, Xiong Gong, Han Chen, Jianhui Zhang, Jinlei He, Zhiwan Zheng, Dali Chen, Jianping Chen
Summary: This study conducted the first molecular survey of ticks from lizards in the arid regions of Xinjiang, China. It identified new tick species and host relationships, providing insights into genetic diversity and population structure among ticks. The findings are closely linked to the geographical environments in Xinjiang and will contribute valuable information for tick and tick-borne pathogen control in Northwest China.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Nina F. D. White, Andrew A. Cunningham, Michael A. Hudson, Pablo Orozco-terWengel
Summary: The mountain chicken frog, native to the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat, is critically endangered with over 85% decline in its populations over the past 25 years, largely due to a chytridiomycosis outbreak. Researchers assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of the frog, contributing the first complete mitogenome of the genus Leptodactylus. Phylogenetic analysis shows a close relationship between L. fallax and Leptodactylus melanonotus, highlighting the evolutionary connections within Leptodactylus spp. and other species in the superfamily Hyloidea.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
S. Kobayashi
Summary: This study summarizes the pollination in Asian Mucuna, specifically focusing on the relationship between Mucuna species in Asia and their pollinators. It is found that all species in subgenus Macrocarpa of Mucuna in Asia are exclusively pollinated by non-flying mammals. The study also reveals that non-flying mammal-pollinated plants in Asia have evolved differently from bat-pollinated and non-flying mammal-pollinated plants in other regions, indicating a unique evolutionary transition.
Article
Geography, Physical
Giulia Faucher, Stefano Visentin, Gabriele Gambacorta, Elisabetta Erba
Summary: This study quantifies the abundance and size variations of nannofossil Schizosphaerella punctulata in the Lombardy Basin, Northern Italy. It identifies the large fluctuations in nannofossil abundance and morphometric changes during the Jenkyns Event, and suggests that hyperthermal conditions and ocean acidification caused the reduction in abundance and size of S. punctulata. Strong positive correlations between the abundance/size of S. punctulata (> 7 μm) and CaCO3 content are observed in the pelagic succession of the Sogno Core.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexander A. Tokmakov, Yudai Morichika, Ryuga Teranishi, Ken-Ichi Sato
Summary: This study demonstrates that oxidative stress can induce overactivation of frog eggs, which is a calcium-dependent phenomenon and can be attenuated by the selective calcium chelator BAPTA. Several intracellular events, such as degradation of cyclin B2 and decline in mitochondrial membrane potential, occur in overactivated eggs. Furthermore, plasma membrane integrity is compromised in overactivated eggs.
Article
Ecology
Karen H. Beard, Susan L. Durham, Michael R. Willig, Jess K. Zimmerman
Summary: Insectivorous vertebrates, especially on islands, play a key role in controlling herbivorous prey, but intraguild predation can diminish trophic cascades. An experiment in Puerto Rico showed that anole lizards and coqui frogs have different impacts on spider and arthropod abundances, as well as herbivory rates. The results highlight the complexity of the food web and the dynamic relationships among vertebrate insectivores, predatory arthropods, and herbivorous arthropods.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Natalia Pin Viso, Enzo Redondo, Juan Maria Diaz Carrasco, Leandro Redondo, Julia Sabio Y. Garcia, Mariano Fernandez Miyakawa, Marisa Diana Farber
Summary: The study demonstrates that geographical location is the primary factor shaping the diversity of chicken gut microbiota, with significant differences in microbiota composition between countries. Therefore, local microbiota should be considered as a key indicator for evaluating production performance and gut microbiota modulation.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Gerrut Norval, Robert D. Sharrad, Michael G. Gardner
Summary: This study examined the parasitism of Ornithodoros gurneyi on Tiliqua rugosa and found that T. rugosa is a competent host for O. gurneyi, suggesting that kangaroos are not their only hosts. This finding raises questions about the role of T. rugosa and other lizards in the dispersal of these ticks.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Q. Li, J. M. McArthur, M. F. Thirlwall, A. Turchyn, K. Page, H. J. Bradbury, R. Weis, D. Lowry
Summary: This study shows that during the Early Toarcian, volcanic gases released by the Karoo-Ferrar large igneous province did not cause ocean acidification. Isotope data of calcium, strontium, and boron indicate a lack of significant acidification signals, while calcium isotope values are weakly influenced by temperature.
Article
Ecology
Amelie Fargevieille, Aaron M. Reedy, Ariel F. Kahrl, Timothy S. Mitchell, Andrew M. Durso, David M. Delaney, Phillip R. Pearson, Robert M. Cox, Daniel A. Warner
Summary: The composition of founding populations, including propagule size and sex ratio, can influence offspring production and population growth during early stages of biological invasion. Larger propagule size leads to higher offspring production, while female-biased propagules result in positive population growth in the first year.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gregory F. Funston, Paige E. dePolo, Jakub T. Sliwinski, Matthew Dumont, Sarah L. Shelley, Laetitia E. Pichevin, Nicola J. Cayzer, John R. Wible, Thomas E. Williamson, James W. B. Rae, Stephen L. Brusatte
Summary: After the end-Cretaceous extinction, placental mammals quickly diversified, occupied key ecological niches and increased in size. The reproduction style in early placental mammals remains unknown. A study on a 62 million-year-old pantodont, the clade including the first mammals to achieve large body sizes, reveals that it reproduced like a placental with a long gestation period, rapid dental development, and short suckling interval. These findings suggest the ability to produce well-developed, precocial young was established early in placental evolution and larger neonate sizes were a possible mechanism for rapid size increase in early placentals.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Congo Tak Shing Ching, Chien-Kai Wang, Pin-Chi Tang, Minh-Khue Ha, Chin Li, Hsuan-Ni Chiu, Fiona Yan-Dong Yao, Nguyen Chi Nhan, Nguyen Van Hieu, Thien-Luan Phan
Summary: Day-old male chick culling is a cruel practice in the poultry industry where seven billion male chicks are slaughtered annually. This study introduces a novel non-invasive method using four electrodes and impedance data to determine the gender of chicken eggs. By applying a PCR-based protocol on the eggs at the end of the incubation period, a reliable connection was established between the collected data and the egg's gender, offering a groundbreaking solution to relieve the ethical burden of the poultry industry.
Article
Immunology
Yun Tian, Collins N. Khwatenge, Jiuyi Li, Francisco De Jesus Andino, Jacques Robert, Yongming Sang
Summary: Using a whole transcriptomic analysis, this study identified virus-specific reads in non-coding intergenic regions and multiple cis-regulatory elements (CREs) neighboring highly transcribed coding genes. Additionally, putative microRNA (miRNA) sequences targeting IFN-related genes were found in the FV3 genome, suggesting a complex interplay between viral and host gene expressions in response to host interferon (IFN) response.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)