Find research datasets worth reusing
Search datasets from major research repositories and use ShareScore to quickly assess how well each record supports discovery, access, and reuse.
2,395
datasets available to search
ShareScore release 0.9.0
Dataset results
2,395 results for “Contrast”
Data from: Contrasting the effects of natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow on urban evolution in white clover (Trifolium repens)
Urbanization is a global phenomenon with profound effects on the ecology and evolution of organisms. We examined the relative roles of natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow in influencing the evolution of white clover (Trifolium repens), which thrives in urban and rural areas. Trifolium repens exhibits a Mendelian polymorphism for the production of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), a potent antiherbivore defence. We quantified the relative frequency of HCN in 490 populations sampled along urban-rural transects in 20 cities. We also characterized genetic variation within 120 populations in eight cities using 16 microsatellite loci. HCN frequency increased by 0.6% for every km from an urban centre, and the strength of this relationship did not significantly vary between cities. Populations did not exhibit changes in genetic diversity with increasing urbanization, indicating that genetic drift is unlikely to explain urban-rural clines in HCN frequency. Populations frequently exhibited isolation-by-distance and extensive gene flow along most urban-rural transects, with the exception of a single city that exhibited genetic differentiation between urban and rural populations. Our results show that urbanization repeatedly drives parallel evolution of an ecologically important trait across many cities that vary in size, and this evolution is best explained by urban-rural gradients in natural selection.
Data from: Contrasting forms of competition set elevational range limits of species
How abiotic and biotic factors constrain distribution limits at the harsh and benign edges of species ranges is hotly debated, partly because macroecological experiments testing the proximate causes of distribution limits are scarce. It has long been recognized—at least since Darwin's On the Origin of Species—that a harsh climate strengthens competition and thus sets species range limits. Using thorough field manipulations along a large elevation gradient, we show the mechanisms by which temperature determines competition type, resulting in a transition from interference to exploitative competition from the lower to the upper elevation limits in burying beetles (Nicrophorus nepalensis). This transition is an example of Darwin's classic hypothesis that benign climates favor direct competition for highly accessible resources while harsh climates result in competition through resources of high rivalry. We propose that identifying the properties of these key resources will provide a more predictive framework to understand the interplay between biotic and abiotic factors in determining geographic range limits.
Data from: Contrasting patterns of clonality and fine-scale genetic structure in two rare sedges with differing geographic distributions
For plants with mixed reproductive capabilities, asexual reproduction is more frequent in rare species and is considered a strategy for persistence when sexual recruitment is limited. We investigate whether asexual reproduction contributes to the persistence of two co-occurring, rare sedges that both experience irregular seed set and if their differing geographic distributions have a role in the relative contribution of clonality. Genotypic richness was high (R=0.889±0.02) across the clustered populations of Lepidosperma sp. Mt Caudan and, where detected, clonal patches were small, both in ramet numbers (less than or equal to3 ramets/genet) and physical size (1.3±0.1 m). In contrast, genotypic richness was lower in the isolated L. sp. Parker Range populations, albeit more variable (R=0.437±0.13), with genets as large as 17 ramets and up to 5.8 m in size. Aggregated clonal growth generated significant fine-scale genetic structure in both species but to a greater spatial extent and with additional genet-level structure in L. sp. Parker Range that is likely due to restricted seed dispersal. Despite both species being rare, asexual reproduction clearly has a more important role in the persistence of L. sp. Parker Range than L. sp. Mt Caudan. This is consistent with our prediction that limitations to sexual reproduction, via geographic isolation to effective gene exchange, can lead to greater contributions of asexual reproduction. These results demonstrate the role of population isolation in affecting the balance of alternate reproductive modes and the contextual nature of asexual reproduction in rare species.
Data from: Contrasting evolution of virulence and replication rate in an emerging bacterial pathogen
Host resistance through immune clearance is predicted to favour pathogens that are able to transmit faster and are hence more virulent. Increasing pathogen virulence is, in turn, typically assumed to be mediated by increasing replication rates. However, experiments designed to test how pathogen virulence and replication rates evolve in response to increasing host resistance, as well as the relationship between the two, are rare and lacking for naturally-evolving host-pathogen interactions. We inoculated 55 isolates of Mycoplasma gallisepticum collected over 20 years from outbreak, into house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) from disease-unexposed populations, which have not evolved protective immunity to M. gallisepticum. We show using three different metrics of virulence (body mass loss, symptom severity and putative mortality rate) that virulence has increased linearly over >150,000 bacterial generations since outbreak (1994-2015). By contrast, while replication rates increased from outbreak through to the initial spread of resistance (1994-2004), no further increases have occurred subsequently (2007-2015). Finally, as a consequence, we found that any potential mediating effect of replication rate on virulence evolution was restricted to the period when host resistance was initially increasing in the population. Taken together, our results show that pathogen virulence and replication rates can evolve independently, particularly after the initial spread of host resistance. We hypothesize that the evolution of pathogen virulence can be driven primarily by processes such as immune manipulation after resistance spreads in host populations.
Data from: Fear of the dark? contrasting impacts of humans vs lynx on diel activity of roe deer across Europe
<ol> <li><span><span><span><span>Humans, as super predators, can have strong effects on wildlife behaviour, including profound modifications of diel activity patterns. Subsequent to the return of large carnivores to human-modified ecosystems, many prey species have adjusted their <i>spatial</i> behaviour to the contrasting landscapes of fear generated by both their natural predators and anthropogenic pressures. </span><span>The effects of predation risk on <i>temporal</i> shifts in diel activity of prey, however, remain largely unexplored in human-dominated landscapes</span><span>. </span></span></span></span></li> <li> <span><span><span><span>W</span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span>e investigated the influence of the density of lynx (<i>Lynx lynx</i>), a nocturnal predator, on the diel activity patterns of their main prey, the roe deer (<i>Capreolus capreolus</i>), across a gradient of human disturbance and hunting at the European scale. </span></span></span></span> </li> <li><span><span><span><span>Based on 11 million activity records from 431 individually GPS-monitored roe deer in 12 populations within the EURODEER network (http://eurodeer.org), we investigated how lynx predation risk in combination with both lethal and non-lethal human activities affected deer diurnality. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span>We demonstrated marked plasticity in roe deer diel activity patterns in response to spatio-temporal variations in risk, mostly due to human activities. In particular, roe deer decreased their level of diurnality by a factor of 1.37 when the background level of general human disturbance was high. Hunting exacerbated this effect, as during the hunting season deer switched most of their activity to nighttime and, to a lesser extent, to dawn, although this pattern varied noticeably in relation to lynx density. Indeed, in the presence of lynx, their main natural predator, roe deer were relatively more diurnal. Overall, our results revealed a strong influence of human activities and the presence of lynx on diel shifts in roe deer activity. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span>In the context of the recovery of large carnivores across Europe, we provide important insights about the effects of predators on the behavioural responses of their prey in human-dominated ecosystems. Modifications in the temporal partitioning of ungulate activity as a response to human activities may facilitate human-wildlife coexistence, but likely also have knock-on effects for predator-prey interactions, with cascading effects on ecosystem functioning. </span></span></span></span></li> </ol>
Data from: Contrasting patterns of local richness of seedlings, saplings and trees may have implications for regeneration in rainforest remnants
Remnants of lowland rainforest remain following deforestation, but the longer-term effects of fragmentation remain poorly understood, partly due to the long generation times of trees. We study rainforest trees in three size classes: seedlings (<1 cm dbh), saplings (1-5 cm dbh) and trees (>5 cm), that broadly reflect pre- and post-fragmentation communities, and we examine the impacts of fragmentation on forest regeneration in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We found that seedling richness (measured as the number of genera per plot) in fragments was about 30 percent lower than in plots in undisturbed forest, and about 20 percent lower than in an extensive tract of selectively logged forest, providing evidence of recruitment declines in fragments. Seedling richness was lowest in small, isolated, and disturbed fragments, potentially signalling an extinction debt given that these fragmentation impacts were not observed in trees. Unlike seedlings, saplings showed no declines in richness in fragments, suggesting that density dependent mortality (where rare individuals have a higher survival rate) and/or year-to-year variation in which species are recruiting could potentially compensate for the reductions in seedling richness we observed. Longer-term studies are required to determine whether sporadic or failed recruitment in small fragments will eventually translate into reduced richness of mature trees, or whether the processes that currently retain high sapling richness will continue in fragments.
Data from: Individual variation in cone photoreceptor density in house sparrows: implications for between-individual differences in visual resolution and chromatic contrast
Between-individual variation has been documented in a wide variety of taxa, especially for behavioral characteristics; however, intra-population variation in sensory systems has not received similar attention in wild animals. We measured a key trait of the visual system, the density of retinal cone photoreceptors, in a wild population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We tested whether individuals differed from each other in cone densities given within-individual variation across the retina and across eyes. We further tested whether the existing variation could lead to individual differences in two aspects of perception: visual resolution and chromatic contrast. We found consistent between-individual variation in the densities of all five types of avian cones, involved in chromatic and achromatic vision. Using perceptual modeling, we found that this degree of variation translated into significant between-individual differences in visual resolution and the chromatic contrast of a plumage signal that has been associated with mate choice and agonistic interactions. However, there was no evidence for a relationship between individual visual resolution and chromatic contrast. The implication is that some birds may have the sensory potential to perform "better" in certain visual tasks, but not necessarily in both resolution and contrast simultaneously. Overall, our findings (a) highlight the need to consider multiple individuals when characterizing sensory traits of a species, and (b) provide some mechanistic basis for between-individual variation in different behaviors (i.e., animal personalities) and for testing the predictions of several widely accepted hypotheses (e.g., honest signaling).
Data from: Long-term genetic monitoring reveals contrasting changes in the genetic composition of newly established populations of the intertidal snail Bembicium vittatum
Newly established populations are susceptible to founder events that reduce genetic variation. This may be counterbalanced by gene flow after populations become established or founders coming from genetically different populations. However, initial gains in genetic diversity may be short-lived if there is limited mixing between lineages and subsequent inbreeding or if one lineage sweeps to fixation through selection or genetic drift. Here, we report on the genetic changes taking place within two newly established populations of intertidal snail over a 15-year period (~ 10 generations). Each translocation was set up using multiple, genetically distinct source populations. Our data show that higher levels of variation in the translocated populations compared to the source populations were maintained over time for both nuclear (microsatellite) and mitochondrial genes. Small changes in allele and haplotype frequencies were observed in the source populations and in one of the translocated populations, but marked changes were evident in the other, where there was a dramatic shift towards the genetic make-up of one of the source populations. These genetic changes occurred despite relatively large numbers of founders (200- 374 adults) and no evidence of the population experiencing a severe reduction in effective population size. Our study shows that the genetic composition of newly established populations can vary greatly over time and that genetic outcomes can be highly variable, and significantly different to expectations, even when they are established using high numbers of individuals and involve source populations from the same geographic regions.
Data from: Going to extremes: contrasting rates of diversification in a recent radiation of New World passerine birds
Recent analyses suggest that a few major shifts in diversification rate may be enough to explain most of the disparity in diversity among vertebrate lineages. At least one significant increase in diversification rate appears to have occurred within the birds; however, several nested lineages within birds have been identified as hyperdiverse by different studies. A clade containing the finches and relatives (within the avian order Passeriformes), including a large radiation endemic to the New World that comprises ~8% of all bird species, may be the true driver of this rate increase. Understanding the patterns and processes of diversification of this diverse lineage may go a long way toward explaining the apparently rapid diversification rates of both passerines and of birds as a whole. We present the first multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of this endemic New World radiation of finch relatives that includes sampling of all recognized genera, a relaxed molecular clock analysis of its divergence history, and an analysis of its broad-scale diversification patterns. These analyses recover five major lineages traditionally recognized as avian families, but identify an additional ten relatively ancient lineages worthy of recognition at the family level. Time-calibrated diversification analyses suggest that at least six of the fifteen family-level lineages are significantly species-poor given the entire group's background diversification rate, whereas one—the tanagers of family Thraupidae—is significantly more diverse. These differences are consistent with the low speciation and extinction rates of island and ecologically-specialized lineages previously documented across passerines as a whole. Finally, lack of an age-diversity relationship within this clade suggests that, due to rapid initial speciation, it may have experienced density-dependent ecological limits on its overall diversity.
Data from: Managing hydropower dam releases for water users and imperiled fishes with contrasting thermal habitat requirements
1) The construction of dams on large rivers has negative impacts on native species. Environmental flows have been proposed as a tool to mitigate these impacts, but in order for these strategies to be effective they must account for disparate temperature and flow needs of different species. 2) We applied a multi-objective approach to identify tradeoffs in dam release discharge and temperature for imperiled warm- and cold-water fishes while simultaneously meeting the needs of human water users. 3) Using the Sacramento River (California, USA) as a case study, our model suggests that current management aimed at conserving an endangered cold-water species (winter-run Chinook salmon; Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and providing high discharge for downstream water users has detrimental impacts on a threatened warm-water species (green sturgeon; Acipenser medirostris). 4) We developed an optimal dam release scenario that can be used to meet the needs of salmon, sturgeon, and human water users. Our results show that dam releases can be managed to successfully achieve these multiple objectives in all but the most severe drought years. Synthesis and applications This study shows that managing dam releases to meet the needs of a single species can have detrimental effects on other native species with different flow and temperature requirements. We applied a multi-objective approach to balance environmental requirements of multiple species with the needs of human water users. Our findings can be used to guide management of Shasta Dam and our approach can be applied to achieve multi-object management goals in other impounded rivers beyond California's Sacramento River.
Data from: Contrasting genetic diversity and population structure among three sympatric Madagascan shorebirds: parallels with rarity, endemism, and dispersal
Understanding the relative contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic factors to population structure and genetic diversity is a central goal of conservation and evolutionary genetics. One way to achieve this is through comparative population genetic analysis of sympatric sister taxa, which allows evaluation of intrinsic factors such as population demography and life history while controlling for phylogenetic relatedness and geography. We used ten conserved microsatellites to explore the population structure and genetic diversity of three sympatric and closely related plover species in southwestern Madagascar: Kittlitz's plover (Charadrius pecuarius), white-fronted plover (C. marginatus), and Madagascar plover (C. thoracicus). Bayesian clustering revealed strong population structure in the rare and endemic Madagascar plover, intermediate population structure in the white-fronted plover, and no detectable population structure in the geographically widespread Kittlitz's plover. In contrast, allelic richness and heterozygosity were highest for the Kittlitz's plover, intermediate for the white-fronted plover and lowest for the Madagascar plover. No evidence was found in support of the "watershed mechanism" proposed to facilitate vicariant divergence of Madagascan lemurs and reptiles, which we attribute to the vagility of birds. However, we found a significant pattern of genetic isolation by distance among populations of the Madagascar plover, but not for the other two species. These findings suggest that interspecific variation in rarity, endemism, and dispersal propensity may influence genetic structure and diversity, even in highly vagile species.
Data from: Contrasting genetic metrics and patterns among naturalized rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in two Patagonian lakes differentially impacted by trout aquaculture
Different pathways of propagation and dispersal of non-native species into new environments may have contrasting demographic and genetic impacts on established populations. Repeated introductions of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to Chile in South America, initially through stocking and later through aquaculture escapes, provide a unique setting to contrast these two pathways. Using a panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms, we found contrasting genetic metrics and patterns among naturalized trout in Lake Llanquihue, Chile's largest producer of salmonid smolts for nearly 50 years, and Lake Todos Los Santos (TLS), a reference lake where aquaculture has been prohibited by law. Trout from Lake Llanquihue showed higher genetic diversity, weaker genetic structure and larger estimates for the effective number of breeders (Nb) than trout from Lake TLS. Trout from Lake TLS were divergent from Lake Llanquihue, and showed marked genetic structure and a significant isolation-by-distance pattern consistent with secondary contact between documented and undocumented stocking events in opposite shores of the lake. Multiple factors, including differences in propagule pressure, origin of donor populations, lake geomorphology, and habitat quality or quantity, may concomitantly explain contrasting genetic metrics and patterns for trout between lakes. We also discussed violations of assumptions that may lead to overestimating Nb . We contend that high propagule pressure from aquaculture may not only increase genetic diversity and Nb via demographic effects and admixture, but also may impact the evolution of genetic structure and increase gene flow, consistent with findings from artificially propagated salmonid populations in their native and naturalized ranges.
Data from: Bayesian phylogeographic inferences reveal contrasting colonization dynamics among European groundwater isopods
The potentially important role of northern microrefugia during postglacial dispersal is challenging the view of southern Europe as a refuge and source area of European biota. In groundwaters, large geographic ranges of presumably good dispersers are increasingly suspected to consist of assemblages of cryptic species with narrow ranges. Moreover, a large species range, even when confirmed by molecular evidence, tells us little about the spatiotemporal dynamics of dispersal. Here, we used phylogenetic inferences, species delineation methods and Bayesian phylogeographic diffusion models to test for the likelihood of postglacial colonization from distant refugia among five morphospecies of Proasellus (Isopoda, Asellidae). All morphospecies except one were monophyletic, but they comprised a total of 15–17 cryptic species. Three cryptic species retained ranges that spanned a distance >650 km, similar to that of the nominal morphospecies. Bayesian diffusion models based on mitochondrial markers revealed considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity in dispersal rates, suggesting that short-time dispersal windows were instrumental in shaping species ranges. Only one species was found to experience a recent, presumably postglacial, range expansion. The Jura and Alpine foothills probably played a major role in maintaining diversity within Proasellus in northern regions by acting both as diversification hotspots and Pleistocene refugia. Gaining insight into the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of dispersal rates revealed contrasting colonization dynamics among species that were not consistent with a global postglacial colonization of Europe from distant refugia.
Data from: Spatio-temporal variation in fitness responses to contrasting environments in Arabidopsis thaliana
The evolutionary response of organisms to global climate change is expected to be strongly conditioned by pre-existing standing genetic variation. In addition, natural selection imposed by global climate change on fitness-related traits can be heterogeneous over time. We estimated selection of life-history traits of an entire genetic lineage of the plant A. thaliana occurring in north-western Iberian Peninsula that were transplanted over multiple years into two environmentally contrasting field sites in southern Spain, as southern environments are expected to move progressively northwards with climate change in the Iberian Peninsula. The results indicated that natural selection on flowering time prevailed over that on recruitment. Selection favored early flowering in six of eight experiments and late flowering in the other two. Such heterogeneity of selection for flowering time might be a powerful mechanism for maintaining genetic diversity in the long run. We also found that north-western A. thaliana accessions from warmer environments exhibited higher fitness and higher phenotypic plasticity for flowering time in southern experimental facilities. Overall, our transplant experiments suggested that north-western Iberian A. thaliana has the means to cope with increasingly warmer environments in the region as predicted by trends in global climate change models.
Data from: Climate-woodland effects on population genetics for two congeneric lichens with contrasting reproductive strategies
Genetic variation is expected to be influenced by the interaction between reproductive mode and dispersal traits on the one hand, and environmental and habitat setting affecting establishment success on the other. We evaluated how environmental/habitat setting affect population genetic variation (i.e. variation in genetic diversity and structure) when regulated by contrasting dispersal traits. We used fungus-specific microsatellite markers to examine genetic diversity and structure of two closely related epiphytic lichen fungi that differ in their primary reproductive mode: Nephroma laevigatum (sexually reproducing, N = 191, ten microsatellites) and N. parile (asexually, N = 182, twelve microsatellites), along a steep climatic gradient in Scotland. Despite their reproductive differences, we found a high proportion of clones in both species and a background pattern of genetic structure related to climatic gradients. We also demonstrated that woodland connectivity, rather than geographic distance, explained genetic diversity in both species. Environmental/habitat setting, modulated by the reproductive mode of the species, affects genetic diversity and structure, but the putative dissimilarity in their reproductive mode is less important than has been previously assumed. We reinforce the importance of protecting highly connected populations, positioned along a gradient capturing the segregation of gene pool differences in response to climatic variation.
Contrasting impacts of a novel specialist vector on multi-host viral pathogen epidemiology in wild and managed bees
<p>Typically pathogens infect multiple host species. Such multi-host pathogens can show considerable variation in their degree of infection and transmission specificity, which has important implications for potential disease emergence. Transmission of multi-host pathogens can be driven by key host species and changes in such transmission networks can lead to disease emergence. We study two viruses that show contrasting patterns of prevalence and specificity in managed honeybees and wild bumblebees, black queen cell virus (BQCV) and slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV), in the context of the novel transmission route provided by the virus-vectoring <i>Varroa destructor</i>. Our key result is that viral communities and RNA virus genetic variation are structured by location, not host species or <i>V. destructor</i> presence. Interspecific transmission is pervasive with the same viral variants circulating between pollinator hosts in each location; yet, we find virus-specific host differences in prevalence and viral load. Importantly, <i>V. destructor </i>presence increases the prevalence in honeybees and, indirectly, in wild bumblebees, but in contrast to its impact on deformed wing virus (DWV), BQCV and SBPV viral loads are not increased by <i>Varroa </i>presence, and do not show genetic evidence of recent emergence. Effective control of <i>Varroa</i> in managed honeybee colonies is necessary to mitigate further disease emergence, and alleviate disease pressure on our vital wild bee populations. More generally, our results highlight the over-riding importance of geographical location to the epidemiological outcome despite the complexity of multi-host-parasite interactions.</p>
Data from: Strong nuclear differentiation contrasts with widespread sharing of plastid DNA haplotypes across taxa in European purple saxifrages (Saxifraga sect. Porphyrion subsect. Oppositifoliae)
The purple saxifrages, Saxifraga sect. Porphyrion subsect. Oppositifoliae, comprise the closest relatives of the arctic-alpine model plant S. oppositifolia and have a centre of diversity in the central and southern European mountain ranges. A multitude of taxa has been described and taxonomic concepts vary among different treatments. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting we show that some taxa indeed form strongly supported genetic entities best recognized on the species level (S. biflora, S. blepharophylla, S. retusa, S. rudolphiana, S. speciosa), while others (S. murithiana, S. paradoxa) are not genetically divergent at all. Saxifraga oppositifolia s. s. is phylogenetically incoherent. Plastid DNA sequence data show very limited congruence with the predominantly nuclear-derived AFLPs. Several co-distributed taxa (S. biflora, S. blepharophylla, S. oppositifolia s. s., S. retusa) share the same set of haplotypes. In the widespread species S. oppositifolia and S. retusa, highly divergent haplotype lineages were discovered, which exhibit a geographic rather than taxonomic structure. Recent and ancient hybridization and/or lineage sorting are likely responsible for the strong incongruence between data derived from nuclear and plastid genomes. Hybridization, which is known to occur among almost all taxa of this group when growing in sympatry, seems, however, insufficient to break down species barriers.
Data from: Contrasting effects of phylogenetic relatedness on plant invader success in experimental grassland communities
1. Identifying the factors determining the success of invasive species is critical for management of biological invasions. Darwin's naturalization conundrum states that exotic species closely related to natives should be successful because of a shared affinity for local environmental conditions, but at the same time close relatives often compete more intensively, limiting 'niche' opportunities for the invaders. Previous studies have generally considered these two 'opposing' hypotheses as mutually exclusive, yet evidence for both of them abounds, indicating a practical dilemma for management of biological invasions. 2. In this study, we sowed the seeds of the invasive exotic Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. into 369 experimental plant communities to mimic an introduction of the exotics into a series of new habitats. We further linked the establishment and growth performance of the invader in these experimental communities to the phylogenetic relatedness between the invader and the community residents where it was introduced. 3. We found that the probability of invader establishment declined with increasing phylogenetic distance between the invader and residents, whereas the average size of surviving invader individuals increased with the phylogenetic distance. 4. These results can be at least partly explained by the observations that close relatives tend to create similar soil microhabitat through harboring similar soil enzymes (e.g. alkaline and acid phosphatases) benefiting invader establishment, and that intense competitive interactions between the invader and its close relatives suppressed exotic growth. 5. Synthesis and applications. This study presents the first experimental evidence that phylogenetic relatedness has contrasting effects on different aspects of invader success, thus shedding light on the long-standing Darwin's naturalization conundrum. Moreover, our findings also have important implications for management of plant invasions: for controlling invasive species characterized by high establishment probability, native species distantly related to the invasive species can be planted in sites surrounding the invasion foci; whereas, the opposite seems to be true for controlling those characterized by large individual size.
Data from: Contrasts in the marine ecosystem of two Macaronesian islands: a comparison between the remote Selvagens Reserve and Madeira Island
The islands of Madeira and Selvagens are less than 300 km apart but offer a clear contrast between a densely populated and highly developed island (Madeira), and a largely uninhabited and remote archipelago (Selvagens) within Macaronesia in the eastern Atlantic. The Madeira Archipelago has ~260,000 inhabitants and receives over six million visitor days annually. The Selvagens Islands Reserve is one of the oldest nature reserves in Portugal and comprises two islands and several islets, including the surrounding shelf to a depth of 200 m. Only reserve rangers and a small unit of the maritime police inhabit these islands. The benthic community around Selvagens was dominated by erect and turf algae, while the community at Madeira was comprised of crustose coralline and turf algae, sessile invertebrates, and sea urchin barrens. The sea urchin Diadema africanum was 65% more abundant at Madeira than at Selvagens. Total fish biomass was 3.2 times larger at Selvagens than at Madeira, and biomass of top predators was more than 10 times larger at Selvagens. Several commercially important species (e.g., groupers, jacks), which have been overfished throughout the region, were more common and of larger size at Selvagens than at Madeira. Important sea urchin predators (e.g., hogfishes, triggerfishes) were also in higher abundance at Selvagens compared to Madeira. The effects of fishing and other anthropogenic influences are evident around Madeira. This is in stark contrast to Selvagens, which harbors healthy benthic communities with diverse algal assemblages and high fish biomass, including an abundance of large commercially important species. The clear differences between these two island groups highlights the importance of expanding and strengthening the protection around Selvagens, which harbors one of the last intact marine ecosystems in the North Atlantic, and the need to increase management and protection around Madeira.
Data from: Contrasted invasion processes imprint the genetic structure of an invasive scale insect across southern Europe
Deciphering the colonization processes by which introduced pests invade new areas is essential to limit the risk of further expansion and/or multiple introductions. We here studied the invasion history of the maritime pine bast scale Matsucoccus feytaudi. This host-specific insect does not cause any damage in its native area, but it devastated maritime pine forests of South-Eastern France where it was detected in the 1960s, and since then reached Italy and Corsica. We used population genetic approaches to infer the populations' recent evolutionary history from microsatellite markers and Approximate Bayesian Computation. Consistent with previous mitochondrial data, we showed that the native range is geographically strongly structured, which is probably due to the patchy distribution of the obligate host and the limited dispersal capacity of the scale. Our results show that the invasion history can be described in three successive steps involving different colonization and dispersal processes. During the mid-XXth century, massive introductions occurred from the Landes planted forest to South-Eastern France, probably due to transportation of infested wood material after World War II. Stepping-stone expansion, consistent with natural dispersal, then allowed M. feytaudi to reach the maritime pine forests of Liguria and Tuscany in Italy. The island of Corsica was accidentally colonized in the 1990s, and the most plausible scenario involves the introduction of a limited number of migrants from the forests of South-Eastern France and Liguria, which is consistent with an aerial dispersal due to the dominant winds that blow in spring in this region.
ScienceDex guides
Understand access before you commit
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.