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11,506 results for “Dynamics”
Data from: The dynamics of men's cooperation and social status in a small-scale society
We propose that networks of cooperation and allocation of social status co-emerge in human groups. We substantiate this hypothesis with one of the first longitudinal studies of cooperation in a preindustrial society, spanning eight years. Using longitudinal social network analysis of cooperation among men, we find large effects of kinship, reciprocity, and transitivity in nomination of cooperation partners over time. Independent of these effects, we show that (i) higher status individuals gain more cooperation partners, and (ii) individuals gain status by cooperating with individuals of higher status than themselves. We posit that human hierarchies are more egalitarian relative to other primates species, due in part to greater interdependence between cooperation and status hierarchy.
Data from: Climate interacts with anthropogenic drivers to determine extirpation dynamics
Theoretical studies suggest that the dynamics of a species' range during a period of climate change depends upon the existence and interplay of various ecological and evolutionary processes. Here we tested how anthropogenic pressures contribute to climate-mediated extirpation patterns of 32 freshwater fish species over the last 20 yr. We contrasted two extreme cases to determine whether extirpations were governed by patterns of climate exposure, assuming full adaptation of species to local climate, or instead by the interplay between climate exposure and the distance from the centroid of species' climatic niches, assuming a fixed niche, and asked whether anthropogenic disturbances interact with these climatic drivers. We found strong support for the fixed niche hypothesis, but showed that species-specific local adaptation to climate may also be important in determining extirpation dynamics. We also demonstrated that anthropogenic disturbance acted in concert with climate, ultimately determining population changes. Our results add novel evidence that unravelling the direct links between range dynamics and climate requires a multifaceted treatment, and that accounting for the cumulative effects of anthropogenic pressures deserves special attention in the context of climate change.
Data from: Climatic conditions cause spatially dynamic polygyny thresholds in a large mammal
The polygyny threshold (PT) is a critical transition point in the sexual selection process for many organisms in natural populations, characterizing when females choose to mate with an already mated male over an unmated one to improve fitness. Understanding its causes and consequences is therefore of high interest. While both theoretical and empirical work suggest that the degree of polygyny within a species is plastic and a function of male inequality, the functional relationship between underlying availability of resources occupied by breeding males under variable climatic conditions and the dynamics of PTs across space and time has received less attention. Here, we use a standardized measure of male mating inequality as the culmination of female mate choices to analyse how spatially dynamic PTs in a naturally regulated feral horse (Equus ferus caballus) population emerge along a geographic gradient in a known, limiting resource (freshwater) each year from variable climatic conditions. Polygyny threshold distance from permanent freshwater increased with increasing precipitation during the breeding season of each year, suggesting a relationship between annual resource availability and female mate choice. The mechanism by which climatic conditions underpin the spatial dynamics of PTs was likely through precipitation providing ephemeral freshwater sources across the study area that effectively weakened the gradient in availability of permanent freshwater, thereby providing mating males that occupied home ranges far from permanent water with access to this limiting resource and enabling them to attract and retain females. Increased precipitation also coincided with a decreased proportion of males in the population that experienced sexual selection pressure attributed to female mate choice in relation to the acquisition and/or defence of freshwater sources. Climatic conditions caused spatial shifts in PTs annually along the geographic gradient in resource availability. Our findings reveal that such environmental gradients may either buffer or amplify impacts of climatic variation on selection pressure operating in natural populations, and emphasize the importance of integrating spatially explicit PTs with atmospheric fluctuations when predicting the effect of climatic change on selection processes within populations that occupy environmental gradients.
Data from: Evolving from static to dynamic signals: evolutionary compensation between two communicative signals
Signals that convey related information may impose selection on each other, creating evolutionary links between different components of the communicative repertoire. Here, we ask about the consequences of the evolutionary loss of one signal (a colour patch) on another (a motion display) in Sceloporus lizards. We present data on male lizards of four species: two pairs of sister taxa representing two independent evolutionary losses of the static colour patch (S. cozumelae and S. parvus; S. siniferus and S. merriami). Males of the two species that have undergone an evolutionary loss of blue-belly patches (S. cozumelae, S. siniferus) were less active than their blue-bellied sister taxa (S. parvus, S. merriami), consistent with the suggestion that the belly patches were lost to reduce conspicuousness of species with high predation pressure. In contrast, the headbob display appears to have become more, rather than less, conspicuous over evolutionary time. The colour patch is exhibited primarily during aggressive encounters, whereas headbob displays are multifunction signals used in several different contexts, including aggressive encounters. Males of species that have lost the colour patch produced more motion displays, and the structure of those motion displays were more similar to those produced during combat. In both evolutionary episodes, a static colour signal appears to have been replaced by dynamic motion displays that can be turned off in the presence of predators and other unwanted receivers. The predominant pattern is one of evolutionary compensation and interactions between multiple signals that convey related information.
Data from: Demography-dispersal trait correlations modify the eco-evolutionary dynamics of range expansion
Spreading populations are subject to evolutionary processes acting on dispersal and reproduction that can increase invasion speed and variability. It is typically assumed that dispersal and demography traits evolve independently, but abundant evidence points to correlations between them that may be positive or negative, genetic or environmental. We sought to understand how demography-dispersal correlations modify the eco-evolutionary dynamics of range expansion. We first explored this question with the beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, a laboratory model in which evolutionary acceleration of invasion has been demonstrated. We then built a simulation model to explore the role of trait correlations in this system and more generally. We found that positive correlations amplify the positive influence of evolution on speed and variability, while negative correlations (such as we found empirically) constrain that influence. Strong negative genetic correlations can even cause evolution to decelerate invasion. Heritable and environmental correlations had similar effects on some measures of invasion but different effects on others. Model results enabled us to retrospectively explain invasion dynamics and trait evolution in C. maculatus, and may similarly aid the interpretation of other field and laboratory studies. Non-independence of demography and dispersal is an important consideration for understanding and predicting outcomes of range expansion.
Data from: Scaling of processes shaping the clonal dynamics and genetic mosaic of seagrasses through temporal genetic monitoring
Theoretically, the dynamics of clonal and genetic diversities of clonal plant populations are strongly influenced by the competition among clones and rate of seedling recruitment, but little empirical assessment has been made of such dynamics through temporal genetic surveys. We aimed to quantify 3 years of evolution in the clonal and genetic composition of Zostera marina meadows, comparing parameters describing clonal architecture and genetic diversity at nine microsatellite markers. Variations in clonal structure revealed a decrease in the evenness of ramet distribution among genets. This illustrates the increasing dominance of some clonal lineages (multilocus lineages, MLLs) in populations. Despite the persistence of these MLLs over time, genetic differentiation was much stronger in time than in space, at the local scale. Contrastingly with the short-term evolution of clonal architecture, the patterns of genetic structure and genetic diversity sensu stricto (that is, heterozygosity and allelic richness) were stable in time. These results suggest the coexistence of (i) a fine grained (at the scale of a 20 × 30 m quadrat) stable core of persistent genets originating from an initial seedling recruitment and developing spatial dominance through clonal elongation; and (ii) a local (at the scale of the meadow) pool of transient genets subjected to annual turnover. This simultaneous occurrence of initial and repeated recruitment strategies highlights the different spatial scales at which distinct evolutionary drivers and mating systems (clonal competition, clonal growth, propagule dispersal and so on) operate to shape the dynamics of populations and the evolution of polymorphism in space and time.
Data from: Colonisation dynamics during range expansion is poorly predicted by dispersal in the core range
The potential ranges of many species are shifting due to changing ecological conditions. Where populations become patchy towards the range edge, the realised distribution emerges from colonisation-persistence dynamics. Therefore, a greater understanding of the drivers of these processes, and the spatial scales over which they operate, presents an opportunity to improve predictions of species range expansion under environmental change. Species reintroductions offer an ideal opportunity to investigate the drivers and spatial scale of colonisation dynamics at the range edge. To this effect, we performed and monitored experimental translocations of water voles to quantify how colonisation and local persistence were influenced by habitat quality and occupancy. We used a novel statistical method to simultaneously consider effects across a range of spatial scales. Densely occupied neighbourhoods were highly persistent and frequently colonised. Persistence was more likely in high quality habitat, whereas influence of habitat quality on colonisation was less clear. Colonisation of suitable habitat in distant, sparsely occupied areas was much less frequent than expected from the well documented high dispersal ability of the species. Persistence of these distant populations was also low, which we attribute to the absence of a rescue effect in sparsely populated neighbourhoods. Our results illustrate a mismatch between the spatial scales of colonisation dynamics in the core and edge of a species range, suggesting that recolonisation dynamics in established populations may be a poor predictor of colonisation dynamics at the range edge. Such a mismatch leads to predictions of long lags between the emergence and colonisation of new habitat, with detrimental consequences for a species realised distribution, conservation status and contribution to ecosystem function. Conservation translocations that also reinforce existing populations at the range edge might stimulate the rescue effect and mitigate lags in expansion.
Data from: Genetic structure in a dynamic baboon hybrid zone corroborates behavioral observations in a hybrid population
Behavior and genetic structure are intimately related: mating patterns and patterns of movement between groups or populations influence the movement of genetic variation across the landscape and from one generation to the next. In hybrid zones, the behavior of the hybridizing taxa can also have an important impact on the incidence and outcome of hybridization events. Hybridization between yellow baboons and anubis baboons has been well-documented in the Amboseli basin of Kenya, where more anubis-like individuals tend to experience maturational and reproductive advantages. However, it is unknown whether these advantages are reflected in the genetic structure of populations surrounding this area. Here, we used nuclear microsatellite genotype data to evaluate the geographic structure and composition of baboon populations in southern Kenya, up to the border of Tanzania. Our results indicate that, unlike for mitochondrial DNA, microsatellite-based measures of genetic structure are in concordance with phenotypically based taxonomic distinctions, and that the currently active hybrid zone is relatively narrow. Interestingly, isolation with migration analysis revealed asymmetric gene flow in this region from anubis populations into yellow populations, in support of the anubis-biased phenotypic advantages observed in Amboseli. Populations that are primarily yellow but that are the recipients of anubis gene flow exhibit higher levels of genetic diversity than yellow populations far from the introgression front. Our results support previous work that indicates a long history of hybridization and male-mediated genetic introgression among East African baboons. In particular, it suggests that anubis baboons are in the process of gradual range expansion into the historic range of yellow baboon populations, a pattern that could be mechanistically explained by behavioral and life history advantages that correlate with anubis ancestry.
Data from: The contribution of host cell-directed vs. parasite-directed immunity to the disease and dynamics of malaria infections
<p>Hosts defend themselves against pathogens by mounting an immune response. Fully understanding the immune response as a driver of host disease and pathogen evolution requires a quantitative account of its impact on parasite population dynamics. Here, we use a data-driven modeling approach to quantify the birth and death processes underlying the dynamics of infections of the rodent malaria parasite, <span>Plasmodium chabaudi</span>, and the red blood cells (RBCs) it targets. We decompose the immune response into 3 components, each with a distinct effect on parasite and RBC vital rates, and quantify the relative contribution of each component to host disease and parasite density. Our analysis suggest that these components are deployed in a coordinated fashion to realize distinct resource-directed defense strategies that complement the killing of parasitized cells. Early in the infection, the host deploys a strategy reminiscent of siege and scorched-earth tactics, in which it both destroys RBCs and restricts their supply. Late in the infection, a "juvenilization" strategy, in which turnover of RBCs is accelerated, allows the host to recover from anemia while holding parasite proliferation at bay. By quantifying the impact of immunity on both parasite fitness and host disease. we reveal that phenomena often interpreted as immunopathology may in fact be beneficial to the host. Finally, we show that, across mice, the components of the host response are consistently related to each other, even when infections take qualitatively different trajectories. This suggests the existence of simple rules that govern the immune system's deployment.</p>
Data from: A dynamic state model of migratory behavior and physiology to assess the consequences of environmental variation and anthropogenic disturbance on marine vertebrates
Integrating behavior and physiology is critical to formulating new hypotheses on the evolution of animal life-history strategies. Migratory capital breeders acquire most of the energy they need to sustain migration, gestation and lactation before parturition. Therefore, when predicting the impact of environmental variation on such species, a mechanistic understanding of the physiology of their migratory behavior is required. Using baleen whales as a model system, we developed a dynamic state variable model that captures the interplay among behavioral decisions, energy, reproductive needs and the environment. We applied the framework to blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) in the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, and explored the effects of environmental and anthropogenic perturbations on female reproductive success. We demonstrate the emergence of migration to track prey resources, enabling us to quantify the trade-offs among capital breeding, body condition, and metabolic expenses. We predict that periodic climatic oscillations affect reproductive success less than unprecedented environmental changes do. The effect of localized, acute anthropogenic impacts depended on whales' behavioral response to the disturbance; chronic, but weaker, disturbances had little effect on reproductive success. Because we link behavior and vital rates by modeling individuals' energetic budgets, we provide a general framework to investigate the ecology of migration and assess the population consequences of disturbance, while identifying critical knowledge gaps.
Data from: Microhabitat heterogeneity and a non-native avian frugivore drive the population dynamics of an island endemic shrub, Cyrtandra dentata
Understanding of the role of environmental change in the decline of endangered species is critical to designing scale-appropriate restoration plans. For locally endemic rare plants on the brink of extinction, frugivory can drastically reduce local recruitment by dispersing seeds away from geographically isolated populations. Dispersal of seeds away from isolated populations can ultimately lead to population decline. For localized endemic plants, fine-scale changes in microhabitat can further limit population persistence. Evaluating the individual and combined impact of frugivores and microhabitat heterogeneity on the short-term (i.e. transient) and long-term (i.e. asymptotic) dynamics of plants will provide insight into the drivers of species rarity. In this study, we used four years of demographic data to develop matrix projection models for a long-lived shrub, Cyrtandra dentata (H. St. John & Storey) (Gesneriaceae), which is endemic to the island of O'ahu in Hawai'i. Furthermore, we evaluated the individual and combined influence of a non-native frugivorous bird, Leiothrix lutea, and microhabitat heterogeneity on the short-term and long-term C. dentata population dynamics. Frugivory by L. lutea decreased the short-term and long-term population growth rates. However, under the current level of frugivory at the field site the C. dentata population was projected to persist over time. Conversely, the removal of optimum microhabitat for seedling establishment (i.e. rocky gulch walls and boulders in the gulch bottom) reduced the short-term and long-term population growth rates from growing to declining. Survival of mature C. dentata plants had the greatest influence on long-term population dynamics, followed by the growth of seedlings and immature plants. The importance of mature plant survival was even greater when we simulated the combined effect of frugivory and the loss of optimal microhabitat, relative to population dynamics based on field conditions. In the short-term (10 years), however, earlier life stages had the greatest influence on population growth rate. Synthesis and applications. This study emphasizes how important it is to decouple rare plant management strategies in the short versus long-term in order to prioritize restoration actions, particularly when faced with multiple stressors not all of which can be feasibly managed. From an applied conservation perspective, our findings also illustrate that the life stage that, if improved by management, would have the greatest influence on population dynamics is dependent on the timeframe of interest and initial conditions of the population.
Data from: Dynamic species co-occurrence networks require dynamic biodiversity surrogates
In conservation it is inevitable that surrogates be selected to represent the occurrence of hard–to–find species and find priority locations for management. However, species co–occurrence can vary over time. Here we demonstrate how temporal dynamics in species co–occurrence influence the ability of managers to choose the best surrogate species. We develop an efficient optimisation formulation that selects the optimal set of complementary surrogate species from any co–occurrence network. We apply it to two Australian datasets on successional bird responses to disturbances of revegetation and fire. We discover that a surprisingly small number of species are required to represent the majority of species co–occurrences at any one time. Because co–occurrence patterns are temporally dynamic, the optimal set of surrogates, and the number of surrogates required to achieve a desired surrogacy power, depend on sampling effort and the successional state of a system. Overlap in optimal sets of surrogates for representing 70% of co–occurring species ranges from zero to 57% depending on when the surrogacy decision is made. Surrogate sets representing early successional communities over–estimate the power of surrogacy decisions at later times. Our results show that in dynamic systems, optimal surrogates might be selected in different ways: (1) use short–term monitoring to choose a larger number of static less–informative surrogates; (2) use long–term monitoring to choose a smaller number of static high–power surrogates that may poorly represent early successional co–occurrence; (3) develop adaptive surrogate selection frameworks with high short–term and long–term surrogacy power that update surrogate sets and capture temporal dynamics in species co–occurrence. Our results suggest vigilance is needed when selecting surrogates for other co–occurring species in dynamic landscapes, as selected surrogates from one time may have reduced effectiveness at a different time. Ultimately, decisions that fail to acknowledge dynamic species co–occurrence will lead to uninformative or redundant surrogates.
Data from: New insights into the dynamics between reef corals and their associated dinoflagellate endosymbionts from population genetic studies.
The mutualistic symbioses between reef-building corals and micro-algae form the basis of coral reef ecosystems, yet recent environmental changes threaten their survival. Diversity in host-symbiont pairings on the sub-species level could be an unrecognized source of functional variation in response to stress. The Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, associates predominantly with one symbiont species (Symbiodinium 'fitti'), facilitating investigations of individual-level (genotype) interactions. Individual genotypes of both host and symbiont were resolved across the entire range of the species. Most colonies of a particular animal genotype were dominated by one symbiont genotype (or strain) that may persist in the host for decades or more. While Symbiodinium are primarily clonal, the occurrence of recombinant genotypes indicates sexual recombination is the source of this genetic variation, and some evidence suggests this happens within the host. When these data are examined at spatial scales spanning the entire distribution of A. palmata, gene flow among animal populations was an order of magnitude greater than among populations of the symbiont. This suggests that independent micro-evolutionary processes created dissimilar population genetic structures between host and symbiont. The lower effective dispersal exhibited by the dinoflagellate raises questions regarding the extent to which populations of host and symbiont can co-evolve during times of rapid and substantial climate change. However, these findings also support a growing body of evidence suggesting that genotype by genotype interactions may provide significant physiological variation; influencing the adaptive potential of symbiotic reef corals to severe selection.
Data from: Pinus ponderosa alters nitrogen dynamics and diminishes the climate footprint in natural ecosystems of Patagonia
1. Evaluating climate effects on plant-soil interactions in terrestrial ecosystems remains challenging due to the fact that floristic composition co-varies with climate, particularly along rainfall gradients. It is difficult to separate effects of precipitation per se from those mediated indirectly through changes in species composition. As such, afforestation (the intentional planting of woody species) in terrestrial ecosystems provides an ecological opportunity to assess the relative importance of climate and vegetation controls on ecosystem processes. 2. We investigated the impacts of 35 years of afforestation on ecosystem N dynamics, in ecosystems ranging from arid shrub-steppe to closed-canopy forest in Patagonia, Argentina. Site of natural vegetation and adjacent sites planted with a single exotic species, Pinus ponderosa, were identified in five precipitation regimes along a continuous gradient of 250 to 2200 mm mean annual precipitation (MAP). We evaluated C and N parameters of vegetation and soil, as well as natural abundance of 13C and 15N, in leaves, roots, ectomycorrhizae (EcM), and soils. 3. In natural vegetation, most leaf traits (%N, C:N ratios, leaf mass per area, δ15N values) demonstrated strong significant relationships with MAP, while these relationships were nearly absent in afforested sites. In addition, the EcM of native southern beech and pine trees were significantly enriched in 15N relative to leaves at all sites where they were present. While soil C and N pools in both vegetation types increased with MAP, overall pool sizes were significantly reduced in afforested sites. 4. Synthesis Observed relationships between leaf traits and precipitation in natural vegetation may be driven largely by shifts in species composition and plant-soil interactions, rather than direct effects of precipitation. Our results suggest that a change in species composition of the dominant vegetation is sufficient to alter C and N cycling independently of climate constraints: pine afforestation homogenized N dynamics across sites spanning an order of magnitude of MAP. These results highlight the important control of ectomycorrhizal associations in affecting C and N dynamics. Additionally, it serves to demonstrate that altering natural species composition alone is sufficient to cause large, detectable impacts on N turnover independently of direct climate effects.
Data from: Cross-scale dynamics in community and disease ecology: relative timescales shape the community ecology of pathogens
Communities of free-living organisms are shaped by processes operating within and among patches of habitat, while pathogen communities are shaped by analogous processes operating within and among hosts. Resource competition (R) theory can describe dynamics within patches or hosts, while metacommunity dynamics describe competition-colonization tradeoffs, extinction debts, and superinfection. However, models at this broader scale often assume instantaneous competitive exclusion in co-inhabited patches or coinfected hosts. Impacts of more gradual competitive exclusion on the abundance, distribution, and diversity of species are less clear. Here, we nest a general resource competition model within a metacommunity framework and manipulate the relative timescales for processes operating within and among patches/hosts. We focus on superinfection in pathogen communities. We compare cases where transmission depends on infection prevalence versus the abundance of pathogens within hosts. Surprisingly, slowing the relative pace of competitive exclusion within hosts can decrease infection prevalence of the inferior competitor and increase prevalence of the superior competitor, depending on transmission and virulence. Slower dynamics reduce the abundance of both pathogens within hosts and promote diversity at multiple scales: coinfections within individual hosts and co-occurrence in the host population. These results highlight surprising feedbacks that can emerge across scales and reinforce the rich cross-scale connections between community and disease ecology.
Data from: Inferring longitudinal hierarchies: framework and methods for studying the dynamics of dominance
1. Social inequality is a consistent feature of animal societies, often manifesting as dominance hierarchies, in which each individual is characterized by a dominance rank denoting its place in the network of competitive relationships among group‐members. Most studies treat dominance hierarchies as static entities despite their true longitudinal, and sometimes highly dynamic, nature. 2. To guide study of the dynamics of dominance, we propose the concept of a longitudinal hierarchy: the characterization of a single, latent hierarchy and it's dynamics over time. Longitudinal hierarchies describe the hierarchy position (r) and dynamics (∆) associated with each individual as a property of its interaction data, the periods into which these data are divided based on a period delineation rule (p), and the method chosen to infer the hierarchy. Hierarchy dynamics result from both active (∆a) and passive (∆p) processes. Methods that infer longitudinal hierarchies should optimize accuracy of rank dynamics as well as of the rank orders themselves, but no studies have yet evaluated the accuracy with which different methods infer hierarchy dynamics. 3. We modify three popular ranking approaches to make them better suited for inferring longitudinal hierarchies. Our three 'informed' methods assign ranks that are informed by data from the prior period rather than calculating ranks de novo in each observation period, and use prior knowledge of dominance correlates to inform placement of new individuals in the hierarchy. These methods are provided in an R package. 4. Using both a simulated dataset and a long‐term empirical dataset from a species with two distinct sex‐based dominance structures, we compare the performance of these methods and their unmodified counterparts. We show that choice of method has dramatic impacts on inference of hierarchy dynamics via differences in estimates of ∆a. Methods that calculate ranks de novo in each period overestimate hierarchy dynamics, but incorporation of prior information leads to more accurately inferred ∆a. Of the modified methods, Informed MatReorder infers the most conservative estimates of hierarchy dynamics and Informed Elo infers the most dynamic hierarchies. 5. This work provides crucially needed conceptual framing and methodological validation for studying social dominance and its dynamics.
Data from: Spatiotemporal dynamics of Puumala hantavirus associated with its rodent host, Myodes glareolus
Many viruses significantly impact human and animal health. Understanding the population dynamics of these viruses and their hosts can provide important insights for epidemiology and virus evolution. Puumala virus (PUUV) is a European hantavirus that may cause regional outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans. Here, we analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics of PUUV circulating in local populations of its rodent reservoir host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) during eight years. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of all three genome segments of PUUV showed strong geographical structuring at a very local scale. There was a high temporal turnover of virus strains in the local bank vole populations, but several virus strains persisted through multiple years. Phylodynamic analyses showed no significant changes in the local effective population sizes of PUUV, although vole numbers and virus prevalence fluctuated widely. Microsatellite data demonstrated also a temporally persisting subdivision between local vole populations, but these groups did not correspond to the subdivision in the virus strains. We conclude that restricted transmission between vole populations and genetic drift play important roles in shaping the genetic structure and temporal dynamics of PUUV in its natural host which has several implications for zoonotic risks of the human population.
Data from: Not all surveillance data are created equal – a multi‐method dynamic occupancy approach to determine rabies elimination from wildlife
1. A necessary component of elimination programs for wildlife disease is effective surveillance. The ability to distinguish between disease freedom and non‐detection can mean the difference between a successful elimination campaign and new epizootics. Understanding the contribution of different surveillance methods helps to optimize and better allocate effort and develop more effective surveillance programs. 2.We evaluated the probability of rabies virus elimination (disease freedom) in an enzootic area with active management using dynamic occupancy modeling of 10 years of raccoon rabies virus (RABV) surveillance data (2006‐2015) collected from three states in the eastern USA. We estimated detection probability of RABV cases for each surveillance method (e.g., strange acting reports, road‐kill, surveillance‐trapped animals, nuisance animals, and public health samples) used by the USDA National Rabies Management Program. 3.Strange acting, found dead, and public health animals were the most likely to detect RABV when it was present, and generally detectability was higher in the fall‐winter compared to the spring‐summer. Found dead animals in the fall‐winter had the highest detection at 0.33 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.48). Nuisance animals had the lowest detection probabilities (~0.02). 4.Areas with oral rabies vaccination (ORV) management had reduced occurrence probability compared to enzootic areas without ORV management. RABV occurrence was positively associated with deciduous and mixed forests and medium to high developed areas, which are also areas with higher raccoon (Procyon lotor) densities. By combining occupancy and detection estimates we can create a probability of elimination surface that can be updated seasonally to provide guidance on areas managed for wildlife disease. 5.Synthesis and applications. Wildlife disease surveillance is often comprised of a combination of targeted and convenience‐based methods. Using a multi‐method analytical approach allows us to compare the relative strengths of these methods, providing guidance on resource allocation for surveillance actions. Applying this multi‐method approach in conjunction with dynamic occupancy analyses better informs management decisions by understanding ecological drivers of disease occurrence.
Data from: Long-term effective population size dynamics of an intensively monitored vertebrate population
Long-term genetic data from intensively monitored natural populations are important for understanding how effective population sizes (Ne) can vary over time. We therefore genotyped 1622 common buzzard (Buteo buteo) chicks sampled over 12 consecutive years (2002–2013 inclusive) at 15 microsatellite loci. This data set allowed us to both compare single-sample with temporal approaches and explore temporal patterns in the effective number of parents that produced each cohort in relation to the observed population dynamics. We found reasonable consistency between linkage disequilibrium-based single-sample and temporal estimators, particularly during the latter half of the study, but no clear relationship between annual Ne estimates (hdy201667e1gif(239)1917) and census sizes. We also documented a 14-fold increase in hdy201667e2gif(239)1917 between 2008 and 2011, a period during which the census size doubled, probably reflecting a combination of higher adult survival and immigration from further afield. Our study thus reveals appreciable temporal heterogeneity in the effective population size of a natural vertebrate population, confirms the need for long-term studies and cautions against drawing conclusions from a single sample.
Data from: Complex biotic interactions drive long-term vegetation dynamics in a subarctic ecosystem
Predicting impacts of global warming requires understanding of the extent to which plant biomass and production are controlled by bottom-up and top-down drivers. By annually monitoring community composition in grazed control plots and herbivore-free exclosures at an Arctic location for 15 years, we detected multiple biotic interactions. Regular rodent cycles acted as pulses driving synchronous fluctuations in the biomass of field-layer vegetation; reindeer influenced the biomass of taller shrubs, and the abundance of plant pathogenic fungi increased when densities of their host plants increased in exclosures. Two outbreaks of geometrid moths occurred during the study period, with contrasting effects on the field layer: one in 2004 had marginal effects, while one in 2012 severely reduced biomass in the control plots and eliminated biomass that had accumulated over 15 years in the exclosures. The latter was followed by a dramatic decline of the dominant understory dwarf-shrub Empetrum hermaphroditum, driven by an interaction between moth herbivory on top buds and leaves, and increased disease severity of a pathogenic fungus. We show that the climate has important direct and indirect effects on all these biotic interactions. We conclude that long time series are essential to identify key biotic interactions in ecosystems, since their importance will be influenced by climatic conditions, and that manipulative treatments are needed in order to obtain the mechanistic understanding needed for robust predictions of future ecosystem changes and their feedback effects.
ScienceDex guides
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These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.