Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jelena Bujan, Sebastien Ollier, Irene Villalta, Severine Devers, Xim Cerda, Fernando Amor, Abdallah Dahbi, Cleo Bertelsmeier, Raphael Boulay
Summary: This study tested the predictive ability of important factors determining the fundamental niche (physiology, morphology, and evolutionary history) on the realized niche, and found no linkage between them. This has important implications for predicting species responses to climate change using the realized niche.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Anais-Pasiphae Gorel, Olivier J. Hardy, Gilles Dauby, Kyle G. Dexter, Ricardo A. Segovia, Kathy Steppe, Adeline Fayolle
Summary: This study examines the climatic niche evolution of tropical African plants, finding that most species exhibit niche conservatism during evolution, but some are able to transcend ecological limits, particularly across different bioclimatic subgroups. The forest biome serves as the main source of diversity, providing lineages to the savanna, but reverse transitions also occur. The study also identifies species that diversified in the savanna after transitioning from the forest, and a correlation between growth form and habitat association.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gui-Qing Xu, Gaurav S. Kandlikar, Marcel C. Vaz
Summary: Leaf drought tolerance traits in plants are influenced by both evolutionary history and current environment. This study re-examined a drought tolerance dataset from 37 Australian shrub species and found weak phylogenetic signals in most leaf drought tolerance traits. There is also weak but consistent coordination between distinct leaf traits, which can be masked by species' phylogenetic histories. Leaf drought tolerance traits show strong correlations with the climate of species' origins, but not strongly impacted by phylogenetic signals.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Stewart M. Edie, Safia C. Khouja, Katie S. Collins, Nicholas M. A. Crouch, David Jablonski
Summary: The study suggests that modular evolution can promote high morphological disparity in a clade, while integrated evolution may limit disparity. However, integration can also promote high disparity by channelling morphological evolution along lines of least resistance. In the Veneridae family, the body is divided into simple modules corresponding to calcium carbonate shell features and internal soft anatomy, with integration contributing to an understanding of increasing disparity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Dina Navon, Paul Hatini, Lily Zogbaum, R. Craig Albertson
Summary: The research found that plasticity is generally integrated across a range of ecologically relevant traits, with traits that have overlapping functions responding in a coordinated manner. Genetic data suggest a compromise between global genetic regulators and integration across traits for plasticity.
Article
Plant Sciences
Carmen Benitez-Benitez, Ana Otero, Kerry A. Ford, Pablo Garcia-Moro, Sabina Donadio, Modesto Luceno, Santiago Martin-Bravo, Pedro Jimenez-Mejias
Summary: Carex subgenus Psyllophorae is a fascinating study group with early diversification and disjunct distribution, showing the role of historical geo-climatic events in evolutionary history, particularly in South America. Divergence away from primary Gondwanan vicariance hypotheses and long-distance dispersal-mediated allopatric diversification are key aspects of the group's evolution. The trans-Pacific colonization event and niche conservatism in section Junciformes are also noteworthy findings.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Alberto Martin-Serra, Alejandro Perez-Ramos, Francisco J. Pastor, David Velasco, Borja Figueirido
Summary: The study reveals highly integrated subunits of the presacral column in mammalian carnivorans, divided into three modules- the cervical module, the anterodorsal module, and the posterodorsal module, as well as a weakly integrated diaphragmatic vertebra. This modular organization may be associated with motion capabilities in different regions of the vertebral column.
Article
Ecology
Nelida Padilla-Garcia, Gabriela Sramkova, Eliska Zaveska, Marek Slenker, Josselin Clo, Vojtech Zeisek, Magdalena Lucanova, Ieva Rurane, Filip Kolar, Karol Marhold
Summary: This study investigates the impact of evolutionary processes on niche differentiation of autopolyploids in Arabidopsis arenosa. Through cytotyping and considering the evolutionary history, the study reveals that the niche shift of tetraploids is not driven by whole-genome duplication per se, but rather reflects dynamic post-WGD evolution, including migration and introgression with other diploid lineages. These findings highlight the importance of evolutionary processes following WGD in the adaptation of polyploids to challenging environments.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Silvia Matesanz, Mario Blanco-Sanchez, Marina Ramos-Munoz, Marcelino de la Cruz, Raquel Benavides, Adrian Escudero
Summary: The study investigates the relationship between phenotypic plasticity and integration, finding that while plasticity is positively associated with integration in both environments, this relationship is influenced by phenotypic variation. Differences in plastic responses may involve a major reorganization of trait relationships, challenging the idea that stress generally induces a tighter phenotype.
Article
Ecology
Maribel Vasquez-Valderrama, Carlos P. Carmona, Anibal Pauchard
Summary: The analysis of climatic space shifts in invasive woody legumes between native and introduced areas revealed that most invasive species show differences in climate conditions between the two ranges, with the introduced range having different climatic conditions compared to the native range. The invasive legumes were classified into four groups based on climate differences, with dissociation being the most common. Additionally, species in the expansion group had larger leaves compared to those in the dissociation group.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Alessandra Ribeiro Pinto, Marina Muniz Moreira, Isis Paglia, Miguel A. Rodriguez-Girones, Leandro Freitas
Summary: The study found high intra-individual floral variation in a distylous species, particularly with high intra-floral integration. The pollination-mechanics traits (PMT) showed higher integration compared to attraction traits (AT) and the whole flower, possibly indicating functional structuring through intra-floral modularity related to pollination accuracy.
PLANT SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
James D. Boyko, Eric R. Hagen, Jeremy M. Beaulieu, Thais Vasconcelos
Summary: The evolution of annual or perennial strategies in flowering plants depends on temperature and precipitation variables. Previous studies have been limited to specific groups and regions. In this study, we analyzed 32 groups of angiosperms across eight climatic variables to gain insights applicable to multiple lineages. We found that temperature, especially the highest temperature of the warmest month, consistently influences the evolution of annual strategy in flowering plants. Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in rates of climatic niche evolution between perennial and annual lineages. We propose that annuals are favored in areas prone to extreme heat due to their ability to escape heat stress as seeds, but are outcompeted by perennials in regions where extreme heat is uncommon or nonexistent.
Article
Forestry
Zhenghua Lian, Juan Wang, Chunyu Zhang, Xiuhai Zhao, Klaus von Gadow
Summary: The study examined the mismatch between species distribution and climatic niche optima, finding high variability in this mismatch along temperature and precipitation gradients, and that these mismatches were influenced by functional traits associated with competition and migration lags.
Article
Ecology
Andrew Orkney, Alex Bjarnason, Brigit C. Tronrud, Roger B. J. Benson
Summary: Analysis of high-resolution three-dimensional models of 149 extant bird species reveals that skeletal element sizes within body regions are strongly modular, while element shapes are less modular and have stronger relationships with ecology. This challenges the idea that modular evolution facilitated the ecological diversification of birds, as ecological adaptation involves coordinated evolution of elements across different body regions. These findings suggest potential hidden patterns of morphological evolution even in well-studied groups, advancing the understanding of the interaction between evolutionary integration and ecomorphology.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yukun Kang, Zhicheng Wang, Baohui Yao, Kang An, Qiangsheng Pu, Caijun Zhang, Zhiming Zhang, Qiqi Hou, Degang Zhang, Junhu Su
Summary: This study assesses the environmental and climatic drivers of morphological evolution and distribution of Myospalacinae species in China using geometric morphometric and distributional data. The findings reveal that interspecific morphology variations are mainly concentrated in specific skull features and that temperature and precipitation are important environmental variables influencing skull morphology. Elevation, temperature annual range, and precipitation of warmest quarter are identified as dominant factors affecting the distribution of Myospalacinae species in China. The study also highlights the impact of climate change on the shrinkage of their habitats in the short-term.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Maria Isabel Mujica, Mauricio Cisternas, Araceli Claro, Mikhaela Simunovic, Fernanda Perez
Summary: This study examined the impact of fungal identity and nutrient addition on the germination of Bipinnula fimbriata orchids, revealing that the effect of nutrients on symbiotic germination varied depending on fungal identity. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and the variability of nutrient addition on symbiotic germination in orchids and OMF species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Javiera Chinga, Maria Fernanda Perez, Regine Classen-Bockhoff
Summary: Changes in the timing of development within a lineage have a significant impact on floral diversification. This study compared petal development across species in the genus Schizanthus and found that transitions in pollinators were associated with lower lip diversification. Different heterochronic processes shape morphological variation and promote adaptive evolution in floral structures of this genus.
PERSPECTIVES IN PLANT ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pedro Jara-Seguel, Paola Jara-Arancio, Elias Andrade, Jonathan Urrutia-Estrada, Claudio Palma-Rojas, Cristian Araya-Jaime
Summary: This study explores the cytogenetic diversity of the Alstroemeriaceae family along its intercontinental distribution, with a focus on species in Oceania and South America. Results show clear genetic distinction among the four genera, particularly in chromosome numbers and karyotype morphology. The cytogenetic diversity is concentrated in South America, reflecting the higher species diversity observed on the continent.
PLANT SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Patricio I. Moreno, Javiera Videla, Maria Jose Kaffman, Carla A. Henriquez, Esteban A. Sagredo, Paola Jara-Arancio, Brent V. Alloway
Summary: Results from Lago Negro in northwestern Patagonia provide valuable insights into the vegetation dynamics and responses to climate change since approximately 12.7 ka. The study reveals distinct north-to-south gradients in temperature and precipitation, as well as east-to-west gradients in disturbance regimes in the region. These findings shed light on the complex interactions between rainforest vegetation and environmental gradients in the area since the late Pleistocene.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ale Vidal Elgueta, Nathalia Navarro, Mauricio Uribe, Kevin Robe, Frederic Gaymard, Christian Dubos, Maria Fernanda Perez, Hannetz Roschzttardtz
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sergio Soto-Acuna, Alexander O. Vargas, Jonatan Kaluza, Marcelo A. Leppe, Joao F. Botelho, Jose Palma-Liberona, Carolina Simon-Gutstein, Roy A. Fernandez, Hector Ortiz, Veronica Milla, Barbara Aravena, Leslie M. E. Manriquez, Jhonatan Alarcon-Munoz, Juan Pablo Pino, Cristine Trevisan, Hector Mansilla, Luis Felipe Hinojosa, Vicente Munoz-Walther, David Rubilar-Rogers
Summary: Armoured dinosaurs from southern Gondwana are rare, but important in understanding the evolution of Ankylosauria. The discovery of the unique tail weapon in Stegouros elengassen sheds light on the early branching of ankylosaurs in Gondwana. Phylogenetic analyses show that Stegouros is related to Kunbarrasaurus from Australia and Antarctopelta from Antarctica, forming a distinct clade of Gondwanan ankylosaurs.
Article
Plant Sciences
Nataly S. Glade-Vargas, Carla Rojas, Paola Jara-Arancio, Paula Vidal, Mary T. Kalin Arroyo, Luis Felipe Hinojosa
Summary: The study suggests that Andean uplift and the formation of the Diagonal Arid of South America have promoted species diversification in Argylia genus by expanding their range into new environments. The research found evidence for climatic niche conservatism for moisture variables in Argylia, indicating the genus's capacity to adapt to extreme temperature conditions associated with the Andean uplift. Reconstruction of ancestral range showed diversification of Argylia was initially in subtropical regions with later episodes coinciding with the Andean uplift.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Carmen Gloria Ossa, Daniela Aros-Mualin, Maria Isabel Mujica, Fernanda Perez
Summary: The parasitism of Tristerix aphyllus negatively affects the fitness of Echinopsis chiloensis, particularly impacting summer photosynthesis. While cacti with higher nitrogen concentrations to the south show improved overall fitness, there is no strong impact on cactus physiology overall. The response of E. chiloensis to T. aphyllus infection is sensitive to environmental changes and could be greatly impacted by desertification projected in the area due to climate change.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nicolas Lavandero, Ludovica Santilli, Fernanda Perez
Summary: A new species of Calceolaria sect. Cheiloncos endemic to central Chile is described in this study, with a comparison made with morphologically similar species. The new species is only known from a specific area in central Chile and is considered Critically Endangered.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ludovica Santilli, Fernanda Perez, Claire De Schrevel, Philippe Dandois, Hector Mondaca, Nicolas Lavandero
Summary: This paper presents a new species of Nicotiana found in Chile, endemic to the coast of the Coquimbo region. Through molecular analysis, it is classified within the N. sect. Paniculatae, as a sister species to N. cordifolia from the Juan Fernandez islands. The new species is considered critically endangered due to its restricted and fragmented distribution, small population size, and the threat of urbanization and mining activities to the conservation of the area's biodiversity.
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fernanda Perez
PERSPECTIVES IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Paola Jara-Arancio, Carolina da Silva Carvalho, Martin R. Carmona-Ortiz, Ramiro O. Bustamante, Priscilla M. Schmidt Villela, Sonia C. da Silva Andrade, Francisco T. Pena-Gomez, Luis A. Gonzalez, Marina Fleury
Summary: The study revealed low genetic diversity, a lack of heterozygotes, and high levels of inbreeding in the natural groups of Jubaea chilensis. Population structuring was found to be low to moderate, with no evidence of isolation by distance. Migration rates among populations were generally low, with some exceptions having moderate values.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patricia Luna, Maria Fernanda Perez, Jairo Castellar-Lopez, Aileen Chang, Yuliet Montoya, John Bustamante, Wendy Rosales-Rada, Evelyn Mendoza-Torres
Summary: The pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 involves the interaction between a spike protein and the angiotensin II-converting enzyme receptor, leading to inflammatory responses and severe disease in some cases. Recent studies have shown that angiotensin-(1-7) has the potential to control COVID-19 severity due to its anti-inflammatory and other beneficial effects. Therefore, the use of convalescent plasma conjugated therapy and Ang (1-7) agonists is recommended for COVID-19 treatment. However, more clinical evidence is needed to establish the therapeutic usage of this peptide.
CURRENT PROTEIN & PEPTIDE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Fernanda Perez, Margaret Nolde, Tracy E. Crane, Mehdi Kebria, Kevin Chan, Thanh Dellinger, Virginia Sun
Summary: Patients with cancer often face symptoms and declines in functional capacity after complex and invasive urologic and gynecologic cancer surgery. Remote patient monitoring using patient-generated health data is a potential approach for evaluating and promoting postoperative recovery. This integrative review provides an overview of current literature and research on remote patient monitoring in gynecologic and urologic surgical oncology.
JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)