Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Henri Benisty
Summary: This study extends the method of iterating the operation of an inflating random matrix onto a state vector to describe complex growing systems, rather than real matrices as in a prior study. The process is shown to describe punctuated growth with quakes and stasis in this complex case. The study assesses that the vector will shift to a different one only if the inflated matrix has dominant new eigenvectors, otherwise preferring stasis. The bimodal distribution of the changes of the dominant eigenvalue remains the core concept despite variations in the update schemes of the system's representative vector.
Review
Plant Sciences
Philippe Rieu, Moira Arnoux-Courseaux, Gabrielle Tichtinsky, Francois Parcy
Summary: The LEAFY transcription factor and the UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) F-box protein are important regulators of flower development in angiosperms. Recent research has shown that UFO acts as a transcriptional cofactor, redirecting the LEAFY floral regulator to novel cis-elements. This review summarizes the roles of UFO in different species, analyzes past results in light of new discoveries, and highlights the remaining key questions.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Susanna Manrubia
Summary: Contrary to the traditional view of molecular evolution, new functions can emerge de novo. Random polymers could have been sufficient for the appearance of initial chemical activity in the early stages of molecular evolution, while the cellular environment contains numerous proto-functional molecules. The emergence of function is facilitated by intrinsic mechanisms in molecular organization such as redundant mapping of sequences into structures, phenotypic plasticity, modularity, and cooperative associations between genomic sequences. The availability of niches in the molecular ecology filters new potentially functional proposals. New phenotypes and higher levels of molecular complexity can be achieved through combinatorial explorations of currently available molecular variants, with natural selection playing its role.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jorge R. Flores, Alexander C. Bippus, Carmen Fernandez de Ullivarri, Guillermo M. Suarez, Jaakko Hyvonen, Alexandru M. F. Tomescu
Summary: Divergence times based on molecular clock analyses and total-evidence dating approaches differ for bryophytes. In this study, the first total-evidence dating analyses of thalloid liverworts were conducted, incorporating fossils. The results revealed that the radiation of thalloid liverworts occurred much earlier than previously inferred, and morphological change rate decreased significantly after the Late Cretaceous.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhongpeng Qi, Liu He, Fang Wang, Jin Wang, Junliang Cheng, Guiqiu Xie, Xiangguo Zeng
Summary: The study investigates the influence of temperature and strain rate on tensile stress reversal in dynamic damage of single-crystal nickel titanium (NiTi) alloy. It is observed that at temperatures between 2350 and 2700 K, a double-peak structure in the stress reversal curve occurs, with the second reversal dependent on void nucleation. The number of peaks changes from two to one as the strain rate increases.
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dmitry D. Sokoloff, Elena S. El, Margarita Remizowa
Summary: Ceratophyllum is an ancient and phylogenetically isolated angiosperm lineage. The shoot morphology and branching patterns in Ceratophyllum have been clarified using scanning electron microscopy. Each leaf axil of Ceratophyllum possesses a complex of two serial buds, with the lower one producing a vegetative branch and the upper one developing a reproductive unit. The reproductive unit is congenitally displaced to the subsequent node, and this phenomenon is known as concaulescence. The closest extant relatives of Ceratophyllum are believed to be Chloranthaceae, particularly Hedyosmum, which also exhibit serial buds and concaulescence.
Article
Mathematics
Brian Mintz, Feng Fu
Summary: This study explores the evolution of mutation rates in different models and finds that it can be more complicated than previously expected. By using adaptive dynamics and the replicator-mutator equation, the study demonstrates the possibility of reverse evolution of mutation rates even in relatively simple models.
Article
Biology
Ryan N. Felice, Diego Pol, Anjali Goswami
Summary: Modern crocodyliforms have conservative skull morphology but exhibit complex macroevolutionary dynamics. The pace of crocodyliform cranial evolution is initially high, slows near the base of Neosuchia, and has a late burst of rapid evolution in crown-group crocodiles. Despite low phenotypic variation, modern crocodyliforms, especially in certain regions, have high rates of evolution, leading to significant convergence.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jorge Enrique Avendano, Carlos Daniel Cadena
Summary: The study reveals that males of two allopatric species of Neotropical passerine birds in the genus Arremon, regardless of whether they possess the geographically variable plumage trait of a black pectoral band, show similar aggressive responses towards intruders. This suggests that social selection through male-male interactions is unlikely to be a driver of phenotypic divergence in Arremon populations.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gang Wang, Yongyan Wang, Jiacheng Ni, Rongrong Li, Fengling Zhu, Ruyin Wang, Qiuzhen Tian, Qingwen Shen, Qinghua Yang, Jihua Tang, Monika W. Murcha, Guifeng Wang
Summary: The CRK1 gene in maize encodes a crucial assembly factor for mitochondrial complex I, which is essential for both the assembly of complex I and seed development in plants. The study also reveals the interaction between CRK1 and two other proteins, leading to their involvement in complex I assembly.
Article
Anthropology
Jeremiah E. Scott
Summary: Activity pattern plays a significant role in the evolutionary history of primates. This study examines why cathemerality, being active both diurnally and nocturnally, is less common than diurnality and nocturnality in mammals. The findings suggest that the lower persistence of cathemerality and higher transition rates out of cathemerality contribute to its lower frequency. The distribution of activity patterns across mammals appears to be primarily influenced by differential state persistence rather than differential diversification.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Johanna Astrand, Christopher Knight, Jordan Robson, Behzad Talle, Zoe A. Wilson
Summary: Anther development and dehiscence are critical for fertilisation of angiosperm flowers and are highly conserved across different plant families. Understanding the evolution and divergence of anther development between monocots and dicots can lead to greater insights into the male reproductive process and increased crop yields. There is a need to study the complexities of anther development and challenge established models to achieve future sustainable crop yields.
PLANT REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Emily L. Richardson, Craig R. White, Dustin J. Marshall
Summary: The study examines the growth rate and mass changes during larval stages and metamorphosis across various taxa. It finds support for Werner's assumption regarding growth rates but contradicts the assumption that body size remains constant during transitions. The research suggests that mass changes profoundly affect the timing of transitions, emphasizing the need to consider the impact of mass loss or gain on fitness.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gerald Langer, Alison R. Taylor, Charlotte E. Walker, Erin M. Meyer, Oz Ben Joseph, Assaf Gal, Glenn M. Harper, Ian Probert, Colin Brownlee, Glen L. Wheeler
Summary: The development of coccolithophores' calcification had a significant impact on ocean carbon cycling. Holococcoliths and heterococcoliths are formed in different life cycle stages but share similar characteristics. Holococcoliths represent an ancestral form of calcification in coccolithophores.
Article
Plant Sciences
Andrea D. Appleton, John J. Schenk
Summary: The research explores the evolution and development of staminodes in Paronychia species, revealing that staminodes originated from fertile stamens and showed variation in shape and development across different species. Some staminodes were highly reduced or remained vestigial, while others were co-opted and interpreted as functional structures, indicating a dynamic history of staminodial evolution within the Paronychia genus.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PLANT SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Samuel T. Turvey, Clare Duncan, Nathan S. Upham, Xavier Harrison, Liliana M. Davalos
Summary: The study revealed a complex relationship between survival or extinction of mammals in the Caribbean region and factors such as body mass, island elevation, age of first human arrival, and hurricane frequency. Intermediate-sized species were found to be more resilient, while larger mammals tended to go extinct on islands colonized earliest. Lower elevation islands showed higher survival probability, while islands with more frequent hurricanes faced greater extinction risk.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Norman F. Weeden, Clarice J. Coyne, Matthew Lavin, Kevin McPhee
Summary: The study revealed high genetic diversity in the STAYGREEN gene of the Pisum genus, which is crucial for distinguishing between different varieties, understanding the relationship between wild and commercial species. Additionally, the gene showed a fast evolutionary rate, with the formation of indels contributing to the observed high level of variation.
GENETIC RESOURCES AND CROP EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joshua H. T. Potter, Rosie Drinkwater, Kalina T. J. Davies, Nicolas Nesi, Marisa C. W. Lim, Laurel R. Yohe, Hai Chi, Xiaoqing Zhang, Ilya Levantis, Burton K. Lim, Christopher C. Witt, Georgia Tsagkogeorga, Mario dos Reis, Yang Liu, William Furey, Matthew J. Whitley, Dunja Aksentijevic, Liliana M. Davalos, Stephen J. Rossiter
Summary: This study analyzed gene sequences from 22 nectar-feeding bat and bird genera, revealing pervasive molecular adaptation in sugar catabolism pathways and parallel selection in key enzymes. Convergent amino acid substitutions were also found in evolutionarily conserved proteins, associated with increased respiratory flux.
Article
Forestry
Andrew J. Hansen, Alyson East, Robert E. Keane, Matt Lavin, Kristin Legg, Zachary Holden, Chris Toney, Franklin Alongi
Summary: The study found that smaller diameter whitebark pine trees were not proportionally more abundant at lower elevations, suggesting that competitive exclusion may not be the primary mechanism limiting this species' distribution at lower elevations. However, smaller diameter whitebark pine trees were slightly less warm-dry tolerant than larger individuals, indicating a shift in the regeneration zone towards higher elevations possibly due to warming in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The predicted zone of suitable habitat for smaller diameter whitebark pine trees was 122 meters lower in elevation compared to reproductive-sized trees in previous studies, implying that the species may be slightly less sensitive to climate warming but could still face range contractions in the future.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jordan Meyer-Morey, Matthew Lavin, Jane Mangold, Catherine Zabinski, Lisa J. Rew
Summary: The use of indaziflam to control nonnative annual mustards was effective, but had negative impacts on the diversity and richness of the diverse mountain sagebrush steppe plant communities within Yellowstone National Park, particularly affecting the native annual forbs. Further evaluation of the herbicide's effects on the nontarget community is recommended.
INVASIVE PLANT SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ryan S. Mohammed, Grace Turner, Kelly Fowler, Michael Pateman, Maria A. Nieves-Colon, Lanya Fanovich, Siobhan B. Cooke, Liliana M. Davalos, Scott M. Fitzpatrick, Christina M. Giovas, Myles Stokowski, Ashley A. Wrean, Melissa Kemp, Michelle J. LeFebvre, Alexis M. Mychajliw
Summary: The Caribbean archipelago is recognized by scientists as a biodiversity hotspot, but its ecosystems are shaped by multiple human cultures over millennia. Understanding the natural history of endemic species is crucial for conservation efforts, but there are systematic issues that have biased our biological knowledge of the region. Integrated and accessible inventorying of the Caribbean's collections is urgently needed.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Liliya Doronina, Graham M. Hughes, Diana Moreno-Santillan, Colleen Lawless, Tadhg Lonergan, Louise Ryan, David Jebb, Bogdan M. Kirilenko, Jennifer M. Korstian, Liliana M. Davalos, Sonja C. Vernes, Eugene W. Myers, Emma C. Teeling, Michael Hiller, Lars S. Jermiin, Juergen Schmitz, Mark S. Springer, David A. Ray
Summary: The relationships among laurasiatherian clades are highly disputed in mammalian phylogeny. This study attempted to unravel these relationships using two independent genome-level approaches, but the results showed contradictory phylogenetic signals. The positions of some clades received consistent support, while the relationships of others were contradictory. Further research incorporating unsampled laurasiatherian lineages and synergistic analyses of different methods could help resolve these conflicting patterns.
Article
Ecology
Laurel R. Yohe, Matteo Fabbri, Daniela Lee, Kalina T. J. Davies, Thomas P. Yohe, Miluska K. R. Sanchez, Edgardo M. Rengifo, Ronald P. Hall, Gregory Mutumi, Brandon P. Hedrick, Alexa Sadier, Nancy B. Simmons, Karen E. Sears, Elizabeth Dumont, Stephen J. Rossiter, Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, Liliana M. Davalos
Summary: Although evolvability of genes and traits may promote specialization during species diversification, how ecology subsequently restricts such variation remains unclear. The study on bats suggests that exceptional variation in olfactory genes and phenotypes may have preceded dietary diversification, and increased reliance on smell has led to stabilizing selection as an ecological constraint.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nathan M. Michielsen, Steven M. Goodman, Voahangy Soarimalala, Alexandra A. E. van der Geer, Liliana M. Davalos, Grace Saville, Nathan Upham, Luis Valente
Summary: Many unique species in Madagascar are at risk of extinction, and the long-term impact of these extinctions in terms of evolutionary history is unknown. By analyzing the phylogenetic dataset of Madagascar's non-marine mammals, researchers estimated the natural rates of extinction, colonization, and speciation. The results showed that the extinction of currently threatened species would have a much greater impact on evolution than previous extinctions since human arrival. Immediate conservation actions are needed to prevent an imminent extinction wave with significant evolutionary consequences.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Elisa Barreto, Marisa C. W. Lim, Danny Rojas, Liliana M. Davalos, Rafael O. Wuest, Antonin Machac, Catherine H. Graham
Summary: We investigated the impact of traits on speciation in hummingbirds, a clade with diverse speciation rates, morphology, and niches. Two hypotheses were tested, suggesting that speciation rates are influenced by either trait conservatism or trait divergence. The findings showed that smaller hummingbirds with shorter bills, living at higher elevations and experiencing greater temperature ranges, exhibit faster speciation. Additionally, speciation was found to increase with rates of divergence in niche traits, but not in morphological traits.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Peter Lesica, Matt Lavin
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Francisco X. Castellanos, Diana Moreno-Santillan, Graham M. Hughes, Nicole S. Paulat, Nicolette Sipperly, Alexis M. Brown, Katherine R. Martin, Gregory M. Poterewicz, Marisa C. W. Lim, Amy L. Russell, Marianne S. Moore, Matthew G. Johnson, Angelique P. Corthals, David A. Ray, Liliana M. Davalos
Summary: Bats have high viral tolerance and immune response regulation, making them a great model for studying host-pathogen evolution. This study focuses on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), an important gene family that has been understudied in bats. By analyzing AMP diversity and evolution across six bat families, the researchers identified 29 AMP families, with alpha- and beta-defensins, and cathelicidins representing around 10% of AMP diversity. The results suggest that the evolution of alpha- and beta-defensins may be influenced by diet and diet-related microbiome, highlighting the importance of species-specific genome annotation in non-model organisms.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Brenda Delamonica, Liliana Davalos, Mani Larijani, Simon J. Anthony, Jia Liu, Thomas MacCarthy
Summary: APOBEC3 is an enzyme subfamily that restricts viruses by generating mutations, and its host-specific hotspot mutations contribute to pathogen variation. The evolution of monkeypox virus (MPXV) strains due to APOBEC3-mediated mutations is still unknown. By analyzing human poxvirus genomes, the researchers found varying hotspot under-representation patterns, indicating different effects of APOBEC3-driven evolution. The results suggest that MPXV has a heightened potential for future human APOBEC3-mediated evolution. Understanding MPXV mutational potential is important for vaccine development, drug targeting, and controlling Mpox disease transmission.
Review
Biology
Natalie Weber, Martina Nagy, Wanda Markotter, Juliane Schaer, Sebastien J. Puechmaille, Jack Sutton, Liliana M. Davalos, Marie-Claire Dusabe, Imran Ejotre, M. Brock Fenton, Mirjam Knoernschild, Adria Lopez-Baucells, Rodrigo A. Medellin, Markus Metz, Samira Mubareka, Olivier Nsengimana, M. Teague O'Mara, Paul A. Racey, Merlin Tuttle, Innocent Twizeyimana, Amanda Vicente-Santos, Marco Tschapka, Christian C. Voigt, Martin Wikelski, Dina K. N. Dechmann, DeeAnn M. Reeder
Summary: This study reviewed the research on African bats and their role as hosts for viruses causing human diseases. The impact of scientific research communication on public perception was discussed, and recommendations were made to improve study metadata.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Ana L. Porzecanski, Adriana Bravo, Martha J. Groom, Liliana M. Davalos, Nora Bynum, Barbara J. Abraham, John A. Cigliano, Carole Griffiths, David L. Stokes, Michelle Cawthorn, Denny S. Fernandez, Laurie Freeman, Timothy Leslie, Theresa Theodose, Donna Vogler, Eleanor J. Sterling
Summary: This study successfully cultivated and evaluated critical thinking skills in undergraduate conservation biology courses using case studies and exercises. Interventions at both light and intensive levels led to improved CT performance among over 200 students over a single term, with variations based on initial student performance and rubric dimensions.
CASE STUDIES IN THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)