Article
Biology
E. R. Moffett, D. C. Fryxell, F. Lee, E. P. Palkovacs, K. S. Simon
Summary: This study found that with increasing temperatures, populations of mosquitofish in different regions adjust their dietary habits, mainly through changes in food sources and some variations in morphology and nutrient utilization.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor Martinez, Christian Schaerer, Pablo Hernandez, Dora B. Krimer, Jorge B. Schvartzman, Maria-Jose Fernandez-Nestosa
Summary: DNA topology changes continuously during replication, with the need to remove torsional stress for fork progression and the resulting heavily catenated molecules after replication. A dynamic gradient of torsional stress is proposed to drive fork swiveling and allow the interchange of supercoiling and pre-catenation.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Nicholas M. A. Crouch, Joseph A. Tobias
Summary: Episodic pulses of morphological diversification are a prominent feature of evolutionary history. By analyzing global phylogenetic and morphological data for birds, we found that these pulses tend to occur independently and are associated with habitat niche stability. Our results highlight the potential of functional trait data sets in refining macroevolutionary models.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Spencer Dakin Kuiper, Nicholas C. Coops, Piotr Tompalski, Scott G. Hinch, Alyssa Nonis, Joanne C. White, Jeffery Hamilton, Donald J. Davis
Summary: Understanding changes in salmonid populations and their habitat is crucial due to climate change and their importance as a keystone species. Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data can be used to assess the quality and quantity of salmonid habitat, as well as characterize detailed stream attributes. ALS data provides detailed Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and can be utilized for sustainable forest management decision making and advanced salmonid habitat modeling.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Michael J. Donoghue, Deren A. R. Eaton, Carlos A. Maya-Lastra, Michael J. Landis, Patrick W. Sweeney, Mark E. Olson, N. Ivalu Cacho, Morgan K. Moeglein, Jordan R. Gardner, Nora M. Heaphy, Matiss Castorena, Ali Segovia Rivas, Wendy L. Clement, Erika J. Edwards
Summary: Ascaris suum is a type of parasitic roundworm that infects the intestine of pigs and causes swine intestinal tuberculosis. The disease has been reported worldwide, particularly in Asia and Africa. Pigs are the primary hosts of this roundworm, and humans can become the definitive hosts by consuming infected pork. The roundworm lives and lays eggs in the pig's intestine, which are then excreted in the feces, infecting other pigs. Humans can become infected with Ascaris suum by consuming undercooked infected pork or by coming into contact with pig feces.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Maddie E. James, Tim Brodribb, Ian J. Wright, Loren H. Rieseberg, Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos
Summary: This study explores patterns of replicated evolution in the plant kingdom and discusses the processes responsible for such patterns. It defines replicated evolution and examines empirical cases of replicated evolution at the phenotypic and genotypic levels. The study finds that replication at the ecotype level is common, but evidence for repeated ecological speciation is surprisingly sparse, while the replicated evolution of ecological strategies and physiological mechanisms across similar biomes appears to be pervasive. The study concludes by highlighting the need for future efforts to bridge the understanding of replicated evolution across different levels of biological organization.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Iain Duff, Philippe Leleux, Daniel Ruiz, Sukru Torun
Summary: This paper studies a new technique that reduces the number of iterations in the block Cimmino method by replicating rows in the partitioned system. This replication improves the convergence behavior of the block Cimmino method, but comes with a slight increase in computational workload. By using graph-based techniques, good candidates for row replication can be identified and a trade-off between iteration number and cost per iteration can be achieved.
SIAM JOURNAL ON SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maddie E. James, Henry Arenas-Castro, Jeffrey S. Groh, Scott L. Allen, Jan Engelstadter, Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos
Summary: This study reveals multiple origins within ecotypes of an Australian wildflower, Senecio lautos, implying that selection can repeatedly create similar phenotypes despite the low level of gene flow between different environments.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Paleontology
Giuseppe Marrama, Eduardo Villalobos-Segura, Roberto Zorzin, Jurgen Kriwet, Giorgio Carnevale
Summary: Studies of the origin of evolutionary novelties have found that some species experimented with new body plans to occupy new habitats and exploit new resources. Stingrays are a diverse group of fishes that transitioned from benthic to pelagic habitats and from non-durophagous to extreme durophagy. However, there is no comprehensive study on how and when these habitat shifts and feeding specializations occurred in their evolutionary history. A new fossil stingray from Italy provides insight into the evolutionary origin of durophagy and pelagic lifestyle in stingrays and proposes an early evolution scenario.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Pietro Longo Hollanda de Mello, Paul M. Hime, Richard E. Glor
Summary: This study identified candidate color and color-pattern genes in squamate reptiles through comparative transcriptomic analyses and found that squamates may produce similar colors using distinct color-reflecting molecules. The results suggest that both color and color-pattern genes are likely conserved across vertebrates.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Riccardo Arosio, Brandon Hobley, Andrew J. Wheeler, Fabio Sacchetti, Luis A. Conti, Thomas Furey, Aaron Lim
Summary: In this study, FCNNs were applied to a marine bathymetric dataset to derive morphological classes. High-resolution bathymetric data and various derivatives were used to train U-Net architectures, resulting in excellent classification performance. The study demonstrates the potential of FCNNs for seabed morphological exploration and baseline habitat mapping, but refinement is needed for more detailed geomorphological classifications.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Mathematics
Yu-Hsien Liao
Summary: In this paper, a new allocation method is proposed to address the different levels of participation and representation of participants in interactive processes.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Rui Li, Shenyao Feng, Shuang Yan, Xiao Liu, Ping-An Yang, Xingyi Yang, Mengjie Shou, Zhangguo Yu
Summary: This study proposes an anole lizard-like climbing robot inspired by the superior wind resistance of an anole lizard. The stability mechanism of the anole lizard body in adhesion and desorption is investigated, and the hypothesis that the lizard improves its adhesion and stability through abdominal adjustment and trunk swing is tested. The structures of the climbing robot are designed, and its aerodynamic behavior under high-speed airflow is analyzed. Experimental tests confirm the adhesion force and wind resistance performance of the robot.
Article
Zoology
Thanawan Panich-Pat, Taeng On Prommi
Summary: The study describes the final-instar larva of Eubasilissa maclachlani for the first time based on Thai specimens, focusing on its morphological characteristics and case construction. The larva exhibits typical features of Phryganeidae and constructs cylindrical cases made from plant fragments. Additionally, the study briefly discusses the larval habitat and phenology.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Wayne M. Edwards, Michael J. Bungard, Richard A. Griffiths
Summary: Research on the critically endangered golden mantella frog in zoos has provided valuable insights into its behavioral patterns and habitat preferences, which can inform conservation efforts in the wild. The study found a bimodal activity pattern in the frogs, with increased activity in warmer temperatures and higher humidity levels. These findings can help optimize field surveys and conservation actions for this threatened species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kyle A. O'Connell, Kevin P. Mulder, Addison Wynn, Kevin de Queiroz, Rayna C. Bell
Summary: This study compared the performance of different sources of genomic DNA for target-capture approach and found that in phylogenetic analyses, all enrichment types for a given specimen clustered together, with capture-based samples clustering together in principal component space, but RADseq samples did not cluster with corresponding capture-based samples.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ivan Prates, Sonal Singhal, M. Raquel Marchan-Rivadeneira, Maggie R. Grundler, Craig Moritz, Stephen C. Donnellan, Daniel L. Rabosky
Summary: Species with large ranges and broad climatic tolerances may possess intrinsic attributes that facilitate genetic cohesion across large distances and varied climates, potentially impacting patterns of diversification and species richness at a large scale.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Eleanor C. Woodruff, Jonathan M. Huie, Adam P. Summers, Karly E. Cohen
Summary: The Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker is a rotund fish covered with enamel odontodes, which serves as a lightweight solution to collisions with abiotic obstacles. The mineralization of the armor increases over ontogeny, but damaged odontodes are not replaced or repaired.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Danielle Rivera, Ivan Prates, Thomas J. Firneno, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues, Janalee P. Caldwell, Matthew K. Fujita
Summary: Genetic introgression has varied effects on species boundaries and integrity over evolutionary time. By analyzing genomic data of true toads, it was found that there are multiple evolutionary lineages with distinct genetic clusters and evidence of cryptic diversity within taxa. The results also suggest extensive historical gene flow and allele sharing across species boundaries in the evolutionary history of Rhinella.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Edward A. Myers, Daniel G. Mulcahy, Bryan Falk, Kiyomi Johnson, Marina Carbi, Kevin de Queiroz
Summary: Gene flow and reticulation play important roles in the diversification of taxonomic groups. In this study on Anolis lizards, we discovered a reticulated species and inferred the phylogeny of the group. Our findings suggest that the genomic data violate assumptions of the coalescent model, and the reticulation event may have facilitated adaptive evolution.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ole Bjorn Brodnicke, Camilla Elisabeth Hansen, Jonathan Michael Huie, Simon Johannes Brandl, Katrine Worsaae
Summary: Oligotrophic tropical coral reefs depend on efficient internal energy and nutrient cycling, and some small fish species have evolved a winnowing behavior to feed on prey in apparently barren sand patches. This study investigated the impact of winnowing behavior by two sand-dwelling goby species on meiobenthos abundance and diversity. The results showed that the gobies significantly reduced meiobenthic prey abundance while having little impact on diversity. The study also identified morphological structures involved in winnowing and confirmed the efficient separation of prey items from sand. The findings highlight the importance of winnowing gobies in the energy transfer from sand to higher trophic levels.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jonathan M. Huie, Adam P. Summers
Summary: The northern clingfish has a suction-based adhesive disc that can stick to rough surfaces, similar to bioinspired suction cups. The study found that surface roughness had little effect on adhesion on compliant substrates, and the biomimetic suction cups performed the best on these surfaces.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel G. Mulcahy, Roberto Ibanez, Cesar A. Jaramillo, Andrew J. Crawford, Julie M. Ray, Steve W. Gotte, Jeremy F. Jacobs, Addison H. Wynn, Gracia P. Gonzalez-Porter, Roy W. McDiarmid, Ronald Crombie, George R. Zug, Kevin de Queiroz
Summary: Natural history collections are crucial for biology research, but they currently lack funding and staff face heavy workloads. Scientists are creating large DNA barcode libraries to document and conserve biodiversity, but mistakes are common. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness of these issues and provide advice to maintain accurate records of Earth's biodiversity.
Article
Zoology
Ivan Prates, Paul Doughty, Daniel L. Rabosky
Summary: This study examines the correspondence between currently recognized subspecies and evolutionary lineages in the Australian lizard Ctenotus pantherinus. The findings reveal weak and inconsistent correspondence between morphological patterns and subspecies ranges, as well as mitonuclear discordance. These results question the coherence and distinctiveness of the subspecies.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Danielle Rivera, Ivan Prates, Janalee P. Caldwell, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues, Matthew K. Fujita
Summary: Using genomic data, this study reveals the discordance between mitochondrial and nuclear genes in the toads of the Rhinella granulosa species group. It suggests that the observed patterns are more likely due to incomplete lineage sorting rather than widespread cryptic diversity and gene flow.
Article
Zoology
R. C. Hoover, Olivia H. Hawkins, Jack Rosen, Conrad D. Wilson, Callie H. Crawford, Meghan M. Holst, Jonathan M. Huie, Adam P. Summers, Cassandra M. Donatelli, Karly E. Cohen
Summary: Armor has evolved independently in fishes at least 30 times, providing protection and other advantages such as flow manipulation and camouflage. Pacific spiny lumpsuckers have odontic, cone-shaped armor whorls that protect against wave impacts and predation. The size and complexity of the armor may affect hydrodynamic forces, and lumpsuckers have also developed a ventral adhesive disc. We found that drag and drag coefficients decrease with greater armor coverage, and adhesive disc area is isometric but safety factor increases with size, allowing larger fish to remain attached in higher flows.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Kevin De Queiroz, Jonathan M. Huie, Esther M. Langan
Summary: A second specimen of Anolis incredulus was found in the National Museum of Natural History collection, and it closely matches the description of the holotype, confirming its validity as a species. It is likely a member of a clade of Cuban twig-anole species and belongs to the twig ecomorph category.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ivan Prates, Mark N. N. Hutchinson, Sonal Singhal, Craig Moritz, Daniel L. L. Rabosky
Summary: This study investigates the taxonomic intractability in an Australian lizard clade, the Ctenotus inornatus species group, and reveals the challenges in resolving species boundaries due to decoupled genetic and phenotypic breaks, uncertain geographic ranges, and idiosyncratic patterns of introgression. The study highlights the importance of spatial variation in species boundaries and its impact on genetic and phenotypic variation.
Article
Biology
Zach Heiple, Jonathan M. Huie, Aline P. M. Medeiros, Pamela B. Hart, Christopher H. R. Goatley, Dahiana Arcila, Elizabeth Christina Miller
Summary: There is a great diversity in trophic morphologies of ceratioid anglerfishes in the deep sea, ranging from species with numerous stout teeth, a slow but forceful bite, and high jaw protrusibility to species with long fang-like teeth, a fast but weak bite, and low jaw protrusibility. This high morphological diversity may be at odds with ecological generality, or it may arise through neutral evolutionary processes where different morphologies lead to similar trophic success.
Article
Biology
Jonathan M. Huie, Adam P. Summers, Sandy M. Kawano
Summary: Second moment of area is a crucial measure in studying the mechanical adaptations of biological structures. With the advancement of micro-CT scans and open-source software like SegmentGeometry, analyzing and calculating second moment of area and other cross-sectional properties has become more accessible.
INTEGRATIVE ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)