Article
Zoology
Daniela M. Rossoni, Terrence C. Demos, Steven M. Goodman, Richard K. Yego, Jessica L. Mohlman, Paul W. Webala, Bruce D. Patterson
Summary: The study evaluated species relationships of Rhinonycteridae using mitochondrial and nuclear sequences, confirming monophyly of two genera. Morphometric analysis revealed distinct differences between trident bats from the Rift Valley in Kenya and typical populations found in coastal or interior regions, suggesting the existence of two species in East Africa.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lu Jin, Jia-Jia Liu, Tian-Wen Xiao, Qiao-Ming Li, Li-Xiang Lin, Xiao-Na Shao, Chen-Xin Ma, Bu-Hang Li, Xiang-Cheng Mi, Hai-Bao Ren, Xiu-Juan Qiao, Ju-Yu Lian, Gang Hao, Xue-Jun Ge
Summary: Plastome-trees exhibit higher resolution and support for species relationships compared to barcode-trees and synthetic-trees. For local phylogenetic structure, all three trees showed consistent results with Faith's PD and MPD, but only the synthetic-tree showed significant clustering patterns using MNTD in some plots. In terms of functional traits, both barcode-tree and plastome-tree detected phylogenetic signal in maximum height, while only the plastome-tree detected signal in leaf width.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jesse M. Alston, Douglas A. Keinath, Craig K. R. Willis, Cori L. Lausen, Joy M. O'Keefe, Janet D. Tyburec, Hugh G. Broders, Paul R. Moosman, Timothy C. Carter, Carol L. Chambers, Erin H. Gillam, Keith Geluso, Theodore J. Weller, Douglas W. Burles, Quinn E. Fletcher, Kaleigh J. O. Norquay, Jacob R. Goheen
Summary: Bergmann's rule, which suggests that larger animals prefer colder areas, affects the variation in body size within species across space and time. This study used Bayesian hierarchical models to test four hypotheses for the variation in body size of 20 bat species in North America. The results showed that spatial variation in body mass was most consistently correlated with mean annual temperature, supporting the heat conservation hypothesis. On the other hand, variation in body mass across time was most consistently correlated with net primary productivity, supporting the resource availability hypothesis. Climate change can influence body size through changes in temperature and resource availability.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Tania Vite-Garin, Daniel A. Estrada-Barcenas, David S. Gernandt, Maria del Rocio Reyes-Montes, Jorge H. Sahaza, Cristina E. Canteros, Jose A. Ramirez, Gabriela Rodriguez-Arellanes, Lisandra Serra-Damasceno, Rosely M. Zancope-Oliveira, John W. Taylor, Maria Lucia Taylor
Summary: The study reveals at least 11 phylogenetic species of Histoplasma capsulatum, with a clade (BAC1) containing isolates from infected bats in Mexico. Additionally, isolates from migratory bats and specific bat species support the NAm 3 clade, replacing the previously reported BAC1 clade. Concatenated sequence analyses validate these findings, suggesting a relationship between NAm 3 and the North American class 2 clade.
Article
Forestry
Heather M. Thompson, Mark R. Lesser, Luke Myers, Timothy B. Mihuc
Summary: Ecosystem recovery following wildfire is influenced by fire severity and frequency, as well as regional factors. Insects, often overlooked, play crucial roles in ecosystem services and their response to fire can impact the recovery process. A study in a jack pine barrens in New York found that insect groups had varying responses to a wildfire, with some increasing in abundance immediately after the disturbance and others showing a delayed positive response. Diversity, especially among Diptera, increased over time at the post-fire site. However, several taxa declined in response to fire disturbance. Further studies are needed to understand the recovery of this community and inform land management practices.
Article
Virology
Kurtis H. Feng, Justin D. Brown, Gregory G. Turner, Edward C. Holmes, Andrew B. Allison
Summary: This study presents the first evolutionary and biological characterization of bat-borne mammalian orthoreoviruses (MRVs) in North America, revealing that North American bats may serve as a potential source for cross-species transmission of MRVs. However, the ecology and epidemiology of MRVs in wildlife remain enigmatic.
Article
Ecology
Ruth A. Gomez-Rodriguez, Victor Sanchez-Cordero, Denis Boyer, Jorge E. Schondube, Angel Rodriguez-Moreno, Gabriel Gutierrez-Granados
Summary: Emerging diseases in wildlife, such as white-nose syndrome caused by the fungus Pseudo-gymnoascus destructans, are posing challenges for conservation. This study modeled ecological niches and potential distributions of the fungus strains and vespertilionid bats in North America, revealing potential expansion of the fungi strains and new areas suitable for their establishment. It also identified 10 bat species at high risk of infection and dispersal of the fungus.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yan-Ting Yang, Xu-Chen Yang, Ming-Cheng Wang, Lin-Ling Zhong, Rui Ma, Tao Ma, Jian-Quan Liu, Charles C. Davis, Zhen-Xiang Xi
Summary: The development of next-generation sequencing technologies has enabled researchers to address complex problems in species delimitation, especially for non-model organisms. By conducting whole-genome sequencing and genetic analyses, this study identified four well-supported genetic clusters within the North American Nyssa species, supporting the taxonomic designation of N. biflora and N. ursina as a single species. Furthermore, the study demonstrated the potential of whole-genome sequences for delimiting species boundaries and emphasized the importance of an integrative approach in species delimitation assessments.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Miguel de Celis, Javier Duque, Domingo Marquina, Humbert Salvado, Susana Serrano, Lucia Arregui, Antonio Santos, Ignacio Belda
Summary: Network models and community phylogenetic analyses were used to examine the temporal dynamics of network properties in microbial communities in activated sludge systems. The results showed that during the initial assembly stages, the microbial communities adapted to the activated sludge environment, leading to an increase in network modularity and co-exclusion proportion, and a decrease in network clustering. This suggests niche specialization as a result of the selective pressure of deterministic factors in wastewater treatment plants.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dan Fu, Ping Chang, Christina M. Patricola, R. Saravanan, Xue Liu, Hylke E. Beck
Summary: The Central American mountains play a role in reducing tropical cyclone activity in the eastern North Pacific by interrupting moisture transport from the Caribbean Sea on a seasonal timescale, reducing TC activity by up to 35%.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jo-Ann McClure, Sahreena Lakhundi, Amani Niazy, George Dong, Osahon Obasuyi, Paul Gordon, Sidong Chen, John M. Conly, Kunyan Zhang
Summary: Detailed genetic analysis was conducted on the Staphylococcus aureus (SA) sequence type ST59, revealing the concurrent but separate evolution of North American and East Asian lineages, with extensive diversification observed in the East Asian lineage and the presence of mobile element structure (MES) as a major difference between the two continental lineages.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sami Schar, Gerard Talavera, Jignasha D. Rana, Xavier Espadaler, Stefan P. Cover, Steven O. Shattuck, Roger Vila
Summary: The study re-evaluates the distribution of the black garden ant in the Holarctic region and finds it to be more closely related to Palearctic species. DNA-barcoding identified established populations of L. niger in Canada. Integrative taxonomy plays a critical role in detecting potential biological invasions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Eric J. South, Rachel K. Skinner, R. Edward DeWalt, Boris C. Kondratieff, Kevin P. Johnson, Mark A. Davis, Jonathan J. Lee, Richard S. Durfee
Summary: Through transcriptome data analysis, a robust foundation for the North American Plecoptera species has been established, revealing previously unresolved or contested classification relationships.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Haiying Gao, Cong Li
Summary: A high-resolution shear velocity model of eastern North America was constructed using full-wave ambient noise simulation and inversion integrating onshore and offshore seismic datasets, revealing large lateral variations of lithosphere thickness, strong low-velocity anomalies underneath the thinner lithosphere, and multiple low-velocity layers within the continental lithosphere. The results suggest that multiple tectonic processes and metasomatism have played significant roles in the formation and modification of the present mantle lithosphere beneath eastern North America.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Daniel R. Uden, Angela M. Mech, Nathan P. Havill, Ashley N. Schulz, Matthew P. Ayres, Daniel A. Herms, Angela M. Hoover, Kamal J. K. Gandhi, Ruth A. Hufbauer, Andrew M. Liebhold, Travis D. Marsico, Kenneth F. Raffa, Kathryn A. Thomas, Patrick C. Tobin, Craig R. Allen
Summary: Some introduced species can cause severe damage, and understanding their evolutionary history can predict their impact. This study tested the robustness of impact prediction by using different phylogenies and found that the predictions were not affected. The results can assist in focusing biosecurity programs for pests and surveillance for damaging invaders.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)