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opencc-zeroNov 2022View details →

Fluctuations in resource availability shape the competitive balance among non-native plant species

Fluctuating resource availability plays a critical role in determining non-native plant invasions by mediating the competitive balance between non-native and native species. However, the impact of fluctuating resource availability on interactions among non-native species remains largely unknown. This represents a barrier to understanding invasion mechanisms, particularly in habitats that harbor multiple non-native species with different responses to fluctuating resource availability. To examine the responses of non-native plant species to nutrient fluctuations, we compared the growth of each of 12 non-native species found to be common in local natural areas to nutrients supplied at a constant rate or supplied as a single large pulse in a pot experiment. We found that seven species produced more biomass with pulsed nutrients compared to constant nutrients (hereafter 'benefitting species'), while the other five species did not differ between nutrient enrichment treatments (hereafter 'non-benefitting species'). To investigate how nutrient fluctuations influence the interactions among non-native plant species, we established experimental non-native communities in the field with two benefitting and two non-benefitting non-native species. Compared with constant nutrient supply, the single large pulse of nutrients did not influence community biomass, but strongly increased the biomass and cover of the benefitting species and decreased those of the non-benefitting species. Furthermore, the benefitting species had higher leaf N content and greater plant height when nutrients were supplied as a single large pulse than at a constant rate, whereas the non-benefitting species showed no differences in leaf N content and were shorter when nutrients were supplied as a single large pulse than at a constant rate. Our results add to the growing evidence that the individual responses of non-native species to nutrient fluctuation are species-specific. More importantly, benefitting species were favored by nutrients coming in a pulse, while non-benefitting ones were favored by nutrients coming constantly when they grew together. This suggests that nutrient fluctuations can mediate the competitive balance among non-native plants and may thus determine their invasion success in a community harbouring multiple non-native plant species.

opencc-zeroNov 2022View details →

Productivity, niche availability, species richness and extinction risk: Untangling relationships using individual-based simulations

It has been widely hypothesised that the productivity of an ecosystem affects the number of species that it can support. Despite decades of study, the nature, extent, and underlying mechanisms of this relationship are unclear. One suggested mechanism is the "more individuals" hypothesis (MIH). This proposes that productivity controls the number of individuals in the ecosystem, and that more individuals can be divided into a greater number of species before their population size is sufficiently small for each to be at substantial risk of extinction. Here, we test this hypothesis using REvoSim: an individual-based eco-evolutionary system that simulates the evolution and speciation of populations over geological time, allowing phenomena occurring over timescales that cannot be easily observed in the real world to be evaluated. The individual-based nature of this system allows us to remove assumptions about the nature of speciation and extinction that previous models have had to make. Many of the predictions of the MIH are supported in our simulations: rare species are more likely to undergo extinction than common species, and species richness scales with productivity. However, we also find support for relationships that contradict the predictions of the strict MIH: species population size scales with productivity, and species extinction risk is better predicted by relative than absolute species size. Furthermore, we show that the scaling of species richness with productivity depends upon the ability of species to partition niche space. Consequently, we suggest that the MIH is applicable only to ecosystems where niches are not already saturated with species, and where partitioning is therefore still possible. Some hypotheses regarding patterns of biodiversity implicitly or explicitly overlook niche theory in favour of neutral explanations, as has historically been the case with the MIH. Our simulations demonstrate that niche theory exerts a control on the applicability of the MIH. --

Data from: Temporal change in floral availability leads to periods of resource limitation and affects diet specificity in a generalist pollinator

Generalist species are core components of ecological networks and crucial for the maintenance of biodiversity. Generalised species and networks are expected to be more resilient, therefore understanding the dynamics of specialisation and generalisation in ecological networks is a key focus in a time of rapid global climate change. Whilst diet generalisation is frequently studied, our understanding of how it changes over time is limited. We explore temporal variation in diet specificity in the honeybee (Apis mellifera), using pollen DNA metabarcoding of honey samples, through the foraging season, over two years. We find that overall, honeybees are generalists that visit a wide range of plants, but there is temporal variation in the degree of specialisation. Temporal specialisation of honeybee colonies corresponds to periods of resource limitation, identified as a lack of honey stores. Honeybees experience a lack of preferred resources in June when switching from flowering trees in spring to shrubs and herbs in summer. Investigating temporal patterns in specialisation can identify periods of resource limitation that may lead to species and network vulnerability. Diet specificity must therefore be explored at different temporal scales in order to fully understand species and network stability in the face of ecological change.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2022View details →

Competition and co-association, but not phosphorous availability, shape the benefits of phosphate solubilising root bacteria for maize (Zea mays).

Predicting the conditions under which rhizobacteria benefit plant growth remains challenging. Here we tested the hypothesis that benefits from inoculation with phosphate-solubilising rhizobacteria will depend upon two environmental conditions: phosphate availability and competition between bacteria. Maize-associated rhizobacteria with varying phosphate solubilisation ability were used in experiments in soil, sterilised soil and gnotobiotic microcosms under conditions of varying orthophosphate availability, while  we manipulated intensity of competition by varying the number of isolates in plant inocula. Growth promotion by microbes did not depend on phosphate availability but was affected by interactions between inoculants: beneficial effects of one Serratia isolate were detectable only when plants were inoculated with a single strain and beneficial effects of a competition sensitive Rhizobium was only detectable in sterilised soil or in microcosms inoculated with single strains. Moreover, microcosm experiments suggested that facilitation of a parasitic isolate, not competitive interactions between bacteria, prevented plants from gaining benefits from a potential mutualist. Competition and facilitation affected colonization of plants in microcosms but growth promotion by Serratia was more affected by inoculation treatment than culturable densities on roots. Experimental manipulation of seed inocula can reveal whether plant growth stimulation is robust with respect to competition, as well as the ecological strategies of different rhizobacteria. From an applied perspective, phosphate solubilisation may not provide the mechanism for bacterial growth promotion but may indicate mutualistic potential due to phylogenetic associations. Importantly, benefits to plants are vulnerable to interactions between rhizobacteria and may not persist in mixed inoculations.

Effects of nutrient pulses on exotic species shift from positive to neutral with decreasing water availability

Temporal fluctuation in nutrient availability generally promotes the growth of exotic plant species and has been recognized as an important driver of exotic plant invasions. However, little is known about how the impact of fluctuating nutrients on exotic species depends on the availability of other resources, although most ecosystems are experiencing dramatic variations in a wide variety of resources due to global change and human disturbance. Here, we explored how water availability mediates the effect of nutrient pulses on the growth of six exotic and six native plant species. We subjected individual plants of exotic and native species to well-watered or water-stressed conditions. For each level of water availability, we added equivalent amounts of nutrients at a constant rate, as a single large pulse or in multiple small pulses. Under well-watered conditions, nutrient pulses promoted exotic plant growth relative to nutrients supplied constantly, while they had no significant effect on natives. In contrast, under water-stressed conditions, water deficiency inhibited the growth of all exotic and native species. More importantly, nutrient pulses did not increase plant growth relative to nutrients supplied constantly and these phenomena were observed for both exotic and native species under water-stressed conditions. Taken together, our study shows that the impact of fluctuating nutrient availability on the growth of exotic plant species strongly depends on the variation of other resources and that the positive effect of nutrient pulses under well-watered conditions disappears under water-stressed conditions. Our findings suggest that variation of multiple resources may have complex feedback to exotic plant invasions, and therefore it is critical to encompass multiple resources for the evaluation of fluctuating resource availability effects on exotic plant species. This will allow us to project the invasive trajectory of exotic plant species more accurately under future global change and human disturbance.

Data for: Limited host availability disrupts the genetic correlation between virulence and transmission

Virulence is expected to be linked to parasite fitness via transmission. However, it is not clear whether this relationship is genetically determined, nor if it differs when transmission occurs continuously during, or only at the end of, the infection period. Here, we used inbred lines of the macro-parasitic spider mite Tetranychus urticae to disentangle genetic vs non-genetic correlations among traits, while varying parasite density and opportunities for transmission. A positive genetic correlation between virulence and the number of transmitting stages produced was found under continuous transmission. However, if transmission occurred only at the end of the infection period, this genetic correlation disappeared. Instead, we observed a negative relationship between virulence and the number of transmitting stages, driven by density dependence. Thus, within-host density dependence caused by reduced opportunities for transmission may hamper selection for higher virulence, providing a novel explanation as to why limited host availability leads to lower virulence.

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

Web decoration is important in mediating foraging site fidelity as well as prey availability and predation risk in an orb-web spider

Animals may consider both biotic and abiotic factors in foraging site choice. Among the biotic factors, food availability and predation risk are two widely reported important factors in determining foraging site fidelity. Their earlier investments, such as those retreat-building species' efforts in retreats construction, however, have been largely ignored. The orb-web spider Cyclosa monticola constructs a long column of masquerading detritus decoration in its web for predator avoidance purpose. This detritus decoration also functions as a retreat. However, the role of the detritus decoration for its foraging site fidelity is unknown. By manipulating three factors, presence of detritus decoration, prey availability, and predation risk to the spider webs in the field, we show that the self-constructed detritus decoration is as important as prey availability and predation risk in mediating web site fidelity. In addition, the web area also has a significant impact to the foraging site fidelity of the spider, those with larger webs were more likely to leave after being manipulated. However, other factors such as spider body size, decoration length, and rain all have no significant impact. Our study may strengthen the current understanding of the movement and foraging of animals, especially those building retreats.

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

An omnivore vigor hypothesis? Nutrient availability strengthens herbivore suppression by omnivores across 48 field sites

<ol> <li>Nutrients regulate herbivore growth from the 'bottom-up' via improved plant vigor and food quality. Nitrogen also affects 'top-down' control of herbivores by moderating attraction of predators and the rates at which they consume herbivorous prey.</li> <li>Tri-trophic consequences of nitrogen availability are more challenging to predict among omnivorous natural enemies who feed on both plants and herbivores, limiting our ability to predict net outcomes of nutrient availability in food webs.</li> <li>In a two-year field survey of insects on zucchini host plants at 48 sites, I predicted that both herbivores and foliar-feeding omnivores would increase with nutrient availability, while predators would not.</li> <li>My results revealed positive relationships between omnivores and foliar nitrogen concentrations, while predators had neutral responses to foliar N. Surprisingly, herbivores declined with increasing foliar N across the field sites.</li> <li>Greenhouse experiments reinforced these patterns, as herbivore growth inversely correlated with soil N concentrations in communities that included foliar-feeding omnivores. Conversely, herbivore growth was uncorrelated with soil N on plants with generalist predators, nor on predator-free plants.</li> <li>These results suggest that omnivores mount strong and consistent responses to nitrogen in plant tissues in a variety of ecological contexts. In environments where omnivorous arthropods can thrive, their recruitment to nitrogen-rich plants may increase predation and thereby counterbalance and stabilize 'bottom-up' increases in herbivore performance supported by enhanced foliar nutrition.</li> </ol>

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

Black spruce seed availability and viability after fire, Northwest Territories, Canada

Context : Black spruce ( Picea mariana ) is an important conifer in boreal North American that develops a semi-serotinous, aerial seedbank and releases a pulse of seeds after fire. Variation in post-fire seed rain has important consequences for black spruce regeneration and stand composition. Aims : We explore the possible effects of changes in fire regime on the abundance and viability of black spruce seeds following a very large wildfire season in the Northwest Territories, Canada (NWT). Methods: We measured post-fire seed rain over two years at 25 black sprucedominated sites and evaluated drivers of stand characteristics and environmental conditions on total black spruce seed rain and viability. Results : We found a positive relationship between black spruce basal area and total seed rain. However, at high basal areas this increasing rate of seed rain was not maintained. Viable seed rain was greater in stands that were older, closer to unburned edges, and where canopy combustion was less severe. Finally, we demonstrated positive relationships between seed rain and seedling establishment, confirming our measures of seed rain were key drivers of post-fire forest regeneration. Conclusion: These results suggest that black spruce recruitment after fire may be reduced with projected increases in fire activity.

opencc-zeroFeb 2023View details →

Shift of seed mass and fruit type spectra along longitudinal gradient: High water availability and growth allometry

CE1 Propagule traits vary among biomes along geographical gradients such as longitude, but the mechanisms that underlie these variations remain unclear. This study aims to explore seed mass variation patterns of different biome types along a longitudinal gradient and their underlying variation mechanisms by involving an in-depth analysis on the variation of seed mass, fruit type spectra, growth forms and dispersal mode spectra in Inner Mongolia and northeastern China. Plant community characterization and seed collection were conducted in 26 sites spreading over five vegetation types and covering 622 species belonging to 66 families and 298 genera. We found there are significantly declining trends for mean seed mass, vertebrate-dispersed species richness and fleshy-fruited species richness along a longitudinal gradient from forests to desert grasslands. However, we also found the lowest average seed mass and the smallest proportion of species dispersed by vertebrates occurring at typical grasslands in the five biomes. The variations of average seed mass display high congruence CE2 with transition of growth form spectra. The selection for these propagule attributes is driven mainly by climatic factors such as precipitation, temperature, soil moisture and evaporation, as well as by internal biotic factors such as growth forms, canopy coverage and leaf area. A hypothesis was provided that environmental factors and botanical traits that favor greater water availability lead to emergence (or speciation) of species with large seeds or fleshy fruits with high water content. Due to greater water availability and increasing leaf area, much more photosynthate (photosynthesis production) and allometric growth then ultimately increase the biome average seed mass from west to east. Phylogenetic signal or diversity are not found to be significantly involved in the effect on the patterns. A novel mechanistic framework and mathematical model are provided to expound seed variation among species or biomes.

opencc-by-4.0Feb 2023View details →

Data Availability for "The RNA-binding protein landscapes differ between mammalian organs and cultured cells"

Data Availability for "The RNA-binding protein landscapes differ between mammalian organs and cultured cells"  Joel I. Perez-Perri, Dunja Ferring-Appel, Ina Huppertz, Thomas Schwarzl, Sudeep Sahadevan, Frank Stein, Mandy Rettel, Bruno Galy, and Matthias W. Hentze

opencc-zeroMar 2023View details →

Data from: Thermoregulatory costs of the innate immune response are modulated by winter food availability in a small passerine

1. In winter, a challenge to the immune system could pose a major energetic trade-off for small endotherms, whereby increasing body temperature (Tb; i.e. eliciting fever) may be beneficial to fight off invading pathogens yet incur a cost for vital energy-saving mechanisms. 2. Having previously shown that the availability and acquisition of energy, through manipulation of food predictability, influence the depth of rest-phase hypothermia in a wild bird in winter, we expected that the nocturnal thermoregulatory component of the acute-phase immune response would also be modulated by food availability. 3. By manipulating winter food availability in the wild for great tits, Parus major, we created an area offering a "predictable" and constant supply of food at feeding stations, while an unmanipulated area was subject to naturally "unpredictable" food. Birds were subject to an immune challenge shortly after dusk, and the thermoregulatory response was quantified via continuous recording of nocturnal Tb, using subcutaneous thermo-sensitive transponders. 4. In response to immune challenge, all birds increased Tb above the level maintained prior to immune challenge (i.e. baseline). However, birds experiencing a naturally unpredictable food supply elevated Tb more than birds with access to predictable food resources, during the period of expected peak response and for the duration of the night. Furthermore, "unpredictable-food" females took longer to return to baseline Tb. Assuming baseline nocturnal Tb reflects an individual's optimum, based on their available energy budget, the metabolic cost of eliciting an acute-phase response for "unpredictable-food" birds was more than double that of "predictable-food" birds. The absence of differences in absolute Tb during the peak response could support the idea of an optimal Tb for immune system activation. Alternatively, "predictable-food" birds could have acquired tolerance to endotoxin as a result of using feeding stations, thus affording them reduced costs associated with a smaller Tb increase. 5. These findings shed new light on the trade-offs associated with food acquisition, thermoregulation and immune function in small-bodied endotherms. This knowledge is of increasing importance, given the predicted elevated pathogen risks associated with changes in climate and anthropogenic activities.

openMar 2023View details →

Microhabitat humidity rather than food availability drives thermo-hydroregulation responses to drought in a terrestrial lizard

The content of this archive includes raw data and metadata for the paper "Microhabitat humidity rather than food availability drives thermo-hydroregulation responses to drought in a terrestrial lizard" by Bodineau et al. In this experimental study, we investigated how microclimate conditions and food availability influence thermo-hydroregulation strategies and body condition of lizards (Zootoca vivipara) during a simulated drought. We found that water restriction and food deprivation caused physiological alterations such as muscle catabolism and mobilization of caudal energy reserves. Lizards developed behavioural strategy to counteract water and food deprivation like decreased thermoregulation effort, higher shelter use and increased eye closure behaviours. Hydric quality of the shelter rather than food availability was the main modulator of trade-offs between thermoregulatory and hydroregulatory activities and an important buffer against the deleterious effects of water restriction. These original findings challenge the assumptions of mechanistic models of ectotherms, which are currently calibrated on the thermal biology of ectotherms. They demonstrate the urgent need to take into account the dual effect of warming and drought events, behavioural interactions between thermoregulation and hydroregulation and the buffering role of microclimatic conditions.

opencc-zeroMar 2023View details →

Ungulate occurrence in forest harvest blocks is influenced by forage availability, surrounding habitat, and silviculture practices

Forest harvesting causes habitat loss and alteration and can change predator-prey dynamics. In Canada, forest harvesting has shifted the distribution and abundance of ungulates (deer, elk, and moose) that prefer early seral forest, resulting in unsustainable caribou predation by shared predators (bears, cougars, and wolves). Long-term solutions for caribou recovery require management to reduce ungulate prey species within caribou ranges. Silviculture practices applied after forest harvesting directly affect the amount of forage available in harvested areas, and therefore influence ungulate distribution, but few studies have completed detailed assessments on how specific treatments of site preparation, planting, and stand tending influence ungulate use of harvest blocks. We used camera traps, silviculture data, GIS-derived habitat and disturbance data, and detailed vegetation data collected at field sites to investigate ungulate occurrence in harvest blocks in west-central Alberta, Canada. We compared seasonal ungulate occurrence and investigated how site-specific characteristics, the surrounding habitat and disturbance density, and fine-scale silviculture treatments influenced ungulate occurrence in blocks. Deer, elk, and moose occurrence was higher in summer compared to winter. Elk, moose, and white-tailed deer occurrence were higher in blocks with greater availability of specific forage species. Moose occurrence was higher in blocks with a lower road density in the surrounding area, and white-tailed deer occurrence was higher in blocks further from seismic lines and with a lower proportion of harvest blocks in the surrounding area. Deer, elk, and moose occurrence were higher in younger harvest blocks. Mule deer and white-tailed deer occurrence were lower in blocks with higher planting densities of lodgepole pine, and mule deer occurrence was also lower in blocks that had been stand-tended. Our study provides detailed information on ungulate response to fine-scale silviculture methods used in Alberta, directly linking wildlife occurrence to forestry practices, and providing practical scientific information to inform sustainable forestry. Translating this research into practical landscape management decisions could benefit boreal biodiversity, including threatened species like caribou, and culturally and economically important species like deer, elk, and moose.

opencc-by-4.0May 2023View details →

Effects of increasing phosphorus rate on microbial dynamics and soil available P under a Lixisol soil in Zimbabwe

Soil phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major challenge to the attainment of food security in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, including Zimbabwe, where farmers largely depend on local organic nutrient resources in cropping. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the  influence of  increasing inorganic P fertilizer rates (16, 26 and 36 kg P ha-1) on microbial dynamics, soil P pools and maize P uptake. using soils collected  from a long-term (16 seasons) maize-monocropped field experiment where organic nutrient resources of different qualty namely Crotalaria juncea (high quality), Calliandra Calothyrus (medium quality), cattle manure ( variable quality), maize stover and Pinus patula sawdust ( both low quality) were applied at 4 t C ha-1 with 16 kg P ha-1 at the start of every season, a 3 x 6 factorial experiment was established by adding single super phosphate (8.5% P) as a basal fertilizer. Maize was used as the test crop and the experiment was conducted at Soil Productivity Research Laboratory in Zimbabwe. Using Pokovskays agar medium and serial dilution methods, phsophate-solubilizing microbes were monitored forthnightly from day 1 to 57 after maize planting. Ninetten (19) fungal and forty-two (42) bacterial colonies were identified  over the study period, Fungi dominated bacteria on dayone, wth Aspergillus niger showing 20-98% abundance that depended on organic resources quality. Overall, a microbial explosion bulge characterized sucession on day 29 which coincided with a  significant (P< 0.05) increase in diversity (H') and soil available P. Increasing P rate to 26 kg ha-1 amplified the explosion bulge under medium-high quality resources while under the control the bulge emerged earlier on day 15. Mucor and Bacillus had peak abundance on day 43 and 57, respectively, across treatments regardless of P rates. Treatment and P rate had a significant (P< 0.01) effect on microbial P. Bacteria were more rsponsive to added P than fungi. Increasing P to 36 kg P ha-1 also stimulated an earlier bulge under maize stover on day 15. Addition of P alone, without supplying complementary nutrients such as nitrogen,did not have a positive effect on maize P uptake. Farmers need to co-apply medium-high quality organic resources with high fertilzier P rates to increase microbial diversity, soil available P and maize growth on sandy soils (Lixisols). Our results suggest the need to recondiser existing P fertilizer recommendations, currently pegged at between 26 and 30 kg P ha-1, for maize production on sandy soils as well develop new fertilizer formulations to intensify crop production in Zimbabwe.

opencc-by-4.0Mar 2023View details →

Supplementary data to: Grassland greening and water resource availability may coexist in a warming climate

This data archive includes the boundary of the North China and Tibetan Plateau (NCTP), three sub-regions, and respective province, the CLCD landcover in 2020, annual PM ET in 1982, and trends in projected water yield and leaf area index by the end of the 21st century (up to 2100). The boundary of the NCTP, three sub-regions, and respective province is in the shapefile (.shp) format, and other processed data are in the geotiff (.tif) or in the mat format. For calculation details please see the publication.

opencc-zeroMar 2023View details →

Carryover effects in a sea star: Juvenile resource availability does not compensate for a poor larval environment

Carryover effects are widespread in nature and can link early-life experiences to the regulation of populations. However, for organisms with complex life cycles, it is unclear whether offspring can overcome negative early-life experiences when provided with abundant post-metamorphic resources. We tested this by rearing larvae of the keystone sea star Asterias forbesi, under high or low food conditions, and then reared the juveniles for 2–3 weeks under one of four food treatments. Larvae reared under low food conditions took longer to reach metamorphosis and settled as smaller juveniles with fewer spines. For early settlers (mean age at settlement = 24.0 d), carryover effects of low larval food significantly reduced post-metamorphic size, mussel consumption and growth. However for late settlers (mean age at settlement = 29.3 d), there were no carryover effects of larval food availability detected post-metamorphosis. The differences between early and late settlers may indicate a trade-off between larval duration and the presence of carryover effects. Our data suggest that carryover effects mediated by body size at settlement could determine post-metamorphic survival, growth, and performance, ultimately impacting the recruitment of this keystone predator.

Data from: Climatic water availability mainly drives context-dependency of tree functional diversity effects on soil organic carbon storage in European forests

The interplay of forest stand and environmental factors shape soil organic C (SOC) storage in forest ecosystems but little is known about their relative impacts in different soil layers. Moreover, how environmental factors modulate the impact of stand factors, particularly species mixing, on SOC storage, is largely unexplored. In this study conducted in 21 forest triplets (two-species mixed stand and respective monocultures nearby) distributed in Europe, we tested the hypothesis that stand factors (functional identity and diversity) have stronger effects on topsoil (FF+0-10 cm) C storage than environmental factors (climatic water availability, clay+silt content, oxalate-extractable Al - Alox) but that the opposite occurs in the subsoil (10-40 cm). We also tested the hypothesis that functional diversity improves SOC storage under high climatic water availability, clay+silt contents, Alox. We characterized functional identity as the proportion of broadleaved species (beech and/or oak), and functional diversity as the product of broadleaved and conifer (pine) proportions. The results show that functional identity was the main driver of topsoil C storage while climatic water availability had the largest control on subsoil C storage. Contrary to expectations, functional diversity decreased topsoil C storage under increasing climatic water availability but the opposite was observed in the subsoil. Functional diversity effects on topsoil C increased with increasing clay+silt content, while its effects on subsoil C was negative at increasing Alox content. This suggests that functional diversity effect on SOC storage along environmental gradients depends on the specific environmental factor and the soil depth under consideration.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2022View details →

Data Availibility for "Susceptibility of microseismic triggering to small sinusoidal stress perturbations at the laboratory scale"

List of data contained within this repository. Total weight = ~ 40GB --- Raw data :   -For all experiments (control and oscillation experiments): Mechanical data files (460 MB); Acoustic emission waveforms (40 GB). --- Derived data:   -For the control experiment: RSFit3000 Rate and State parameters (30 MB);   -For oscillation experiments: RMS magnitudes of acoustic emissions ; (1 MB) Phase of arrival of acoustic emissions (500 KB); Response amplitudes of fused and unfused steps (1 KB); Susceptibility to Pc oscillation amplitude (1 KB); b-values as a function of stress oscillation phase (100 KB).