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546 results for “coexistence”
Positive and negative interspecific interactions between coexisting rice planthoppers neutralize the effects of elevated temperatures
Global warming is often predicted to increase damage to plants through direct effects on insect herbivores. However, the indirect impacts of rising temperatures on herbivores, mediated through interactions with their biotic environment, could dampen these effects. Using a series of reciprocal density experiments with gravid females and developing nymphs, we examined interspecific competition between two coexisting phloem feeders, Nilaparvata lugens (BPH) and Sogatella furcifera (WBPH), on rice at 25°C and 30°C. WBPH performed better (i.e., adults survived longer, nymphs developed faster and grew larger) at 25°C and BPH (i.e., nymphs developed faster) at 30°C. However, contrary to predictions, WBPH had a greater effect in reducing oviposition and nymph performance in BPH at 30°C. A decoupling of resource use by WBPH and its antagonistic effects on BPH at the higher temperature suggests that WBPH feeding induces host defenses that reduce BPH fitness (i.e., interference competition). Meanwhile, BPH facilitated WBPH oviposition at 30°C and facilitated WBPH nymph performance at 25 and 30°C. Greater facilitation of feeding in WBPH nymphs by BPH at high densities suggests that mechanical damage and host responses to damage increased the fitness of the heterospecific nymphs. Although BPH also facilitated egg-laying by WBPH, intra- and interspecific crowding countered this facilitation at both temperatures. Simulated life tables for planthoppers at 25 and 30°C depicted significantly lower offspring numbers on rice infested by WBPH alone and from mixed BPH-WBPH infestations than from infestations by BPH alone. Our results indicate how interference competition – mediated through host plant defenses - can increase ecosystem resilience to the warmer temperatures predicted under global climate change.
Interspecific social dominance networks reveal mechanisms promoting coexistence in sympatric charrs in Hokkaido, Japan
<p>1. Coexistence of species requires equalizing mechanisms that minimize fitness differences, which are balanced by stabilizing mechanisms that enhance negative intraspecific interactions versus interspecific ones. Here, we develop a simple theoretical framework that allows measuring the relative strength of intraspecific versus interspecific competition in dominance hierarchies. We use it to evaluate mechanisms promoting coexistence between congeneric charrs that compete for foraging positions, which strongly influence density-dependent growth and survival.</p> <p>2. Agonistic interactions (n = 761) among 71 Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma and whitespotted charr S. leucomaenis were measured by snorkeling in two pools in the sympatric zone of a Hokkaido stream during two summers. Interspecific dominance hierarchies, analyzed using three methods, were closely correlated with fish length but the species treated each other equally. Ranks for the most dominant fish in each pool, determined directly by knockout experiments, were also virtually identical to ranks by length.</p> <p>3. Similarly, exponential random graph modeling of the social networks provided no evidence that either species was dominant over the other. Instead, larger fish were more likely to win contests, especially over fish of the next lower ranks.</p> <p>4. These results demonstrated that the two species were nearly ecological equivalents in accessing key resources in this sympatric zone. Nearly identical growth and stable densities over 4 years further supported this inference, although Dolly Varden were a minority (29% of the assemblage), a sign of some fitness difference.</p> <p>5. Detailed foraging observations coupled with two concurrent studies revealed an effective stabilizing mechanism. Dolly Varden shifted to feeding directly from the benthos when drifting invertebrates declined, a behavior enhanced by morphological character displacement, thereby partitioning food resources and enhancing intraspecific competition while avoiding agonistic encounters with whitespotted charr.</p> <p>6. The plurality of evidence indicates that fitness differences between these ecologically equivalent species are small in this local assemblage, and balanced by resource partitioning, a modest stabilizing mechanism that promotes coexistence. The theoretical framework presented here is a useful tool to evaluate the strength of interspecific versus intraspecific competition, which combined with information on tradeoffs in ecological performance can contribute to a mechanistic understanding of species coexistence. 26-Oct-2020</p>
Data from: A landscape of coexistence for a large predator in a human dominated landscape
<p>Human related mortality is a major threat for large carnivores all over the world and there is increasing evidence that large predators respond to human related risks in a similar way as prey respond to predation risk. This insight recently led to the conceptual development of a landscape of coexistence that can be used to identify areas which can sustain large predator populations in human dominated landscapes. In this study we applied the landscape of coexistence concept to a large predator in Europe. We investigated to what extent Eurasian lynx (<em>Lynx lynx</em>) habitat selection is affected by human disturbance in a human dominated landscape. More specifically, we were interested in the existence of a tradeoff between the availability of roe deer, one of their main prey and avoidance of human disturbance and how this affects the spatio-temporal space use patterns of lynx. We found that lynx face a tradeoff between high prey availability and avoidance of human disturbance and that they respond to this by using areas of high prey availability (but also high human disturbance) during the night when human activity is low. Furthermore our analysis showed that lynx increase their travelling speed and remain more in cover when they are close to areas of high human disturbance. Despite clear behavioral adjustments in response to human presence, prey availability still proved to be the most important predictor of lynx occurrence at small spatial scale, whereas human disturbance was considerably less important. The results of our study demonstrate how spatio-temporal adaptations in habitat selection enable large carnivores to persist in human dominated landscapes and demonstrate the usefulness of the concept of a landscape of coexistence to develop adaptive management plans for endangered populations of large carnivores.</p>
How competitive intransitivity and niche overlap affect spatial coexistence
<p>Competitive intransitivity is mostly considered outside the main body of coexistence theories that rely primarily on the role of niche overlap and differentiation. How the interplay of competitive intransitivity and niche overlap jointly affects species coexistence has received little attention. Here, we consider a rock-paper-scissors competition system where interactions between species can represent the full spectra of transitive-intransitive continuum and niche overlap/differentiation under different levels of competition asymmetry. By comparing results from pair approximation that only considers interference competition between neighbouring cells in spatial lattices, with those under the mean-field assumption, we show that (1) species coexistence under transitive competition is only possible at high niche differentiation; (2) in communities with partial or pure intransitive interactions, high levels of niche overlap are not necessary to beget species extinction; and (3) strong spatial clustering can widen the condition for intransitive loops to facilitate species coexistence. The two mechanisms, competitive intransitivity and niche differentiation, can support species persistence and coexistence, either separately or in combination. Finally, the contribution of intransitive loops to species coexistence can be enhanced by strong local spatial correlations, modulated and maximised by moderate competition asymmetry. Our study, therefore, provides a bridge to link intransitive competition to other generic ecological theories of species coexistence.</p>
Data from: Seedling recruitment correlates with seed input across seed sizes: implications for coexistence
Understanding controls on recruitment is critical to predicting community assembly, diversity and coexistence. Theory posits that at mean fecundity, recruitment of highly fecund small-seeded plants should be primarily microsite limited, which is indicated by a saturating recruitment function. In contrast, species that produce fewer large seeds are more likely to be seed-limited, which is characterized by a linear recruitment function. If these patterns hold in nature, seed predation that disproportionately affects larger-seeded species can limit their establishment. We tested these predictions by comparing recruitment functions among 16 co-occurring perennial forb species that vary by over two orders of magnitude in seed size. We also assessed how post-dispersal seed predation by mice influenced recruitment. We added seeds at densities from zero to three times natural fecundity of each species to undisturbed plots and examined spatial variation in recruitment by conducting experiments across ten grassland sites that varied in productivity and resource availability. Consistent across two replicated years, most species had linear recruitment functions across the range of added seed densities, indicative of seed-limited recruitment. Depending on year, the recruitment functions of only 19-37% of target species saturated near their average fecundity, and this was not associated with seed size. Recruitment was strongly inhibited by rodent seed predation for large-seeded species but not for smaller-seeded species. Proportional recruitment was more sensitive to spatial variation in recruitment conditions across sites for some small-seeded species than for large-seeded species. These results contradict the common belief that highly fecund small-seeded species suffer from microsite-limited recruitment. Rather, they imply that, at least episodically, recruitment can be strongly correlated to plant fecundity. However, proportional recruitment of small-seeded species was inhibited at productive sites to a greater extent than large-seeded species. Results also show that in a system where the dominant granivore prefers larger seeds, low-fecundity large-seeded species can suffer from even greater seed-limited recruitment than would occur in the absence of predators.
Fine-scale habitat heterogeneity favours the coexistence of supergene-controlled social forms in Formica selysi
<p><b>Background:</b> Social insects vary widely in social organization, yet the genetical and ecological factors influencing this variation remain poorly known. In particular, whether spatially varying selection influences the maintenance of social polymorphisms in ants has been rarely investigated. To fill this gap, we examined whether fine-scale habitat heterogeneity contributes to the co-existence of alternative forms of social organization within populations. Single-queen colonies (monogyne social form) are generally associated with better colonization abilities, whereas multiple-queen colonies (polygyne social form) are predicted to be better competitors and monopolize saturated habitats. We hypothesize that each social form colonizes and thrives in distinct local habitats, as a result of their alternative dispersal and colony founding strategies. Here, we test this hypothesis in the Alpine silver ant, in which a supergene controls polymorphic social organization.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Monogyne and polygyne colonies predominate in distinct habitats of the same population. The analysis of 59 sampling plots distributed across six habitats revealed that single-queen colonies mostly occupy unconnected habitats that were most likely reached by flight. This includes young habitats isolated by water and old habitats isolated by vegetation. In contrast, multiple-queen colonies were abundant in young, continuous and saturated habitats. Hence, alternative social forms colonize and monopolize distinct niches at a very local scale.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> Alternative social forms colonized and monopolized different local habitats, in accordance with differences in colonization and competition abilities. The monogyne social form displays a colonizer phenotype, by efficiently occupying empty habitats, while the polygyne social form exhibits a competitor phenotype, thriving in saturated habitats. The combination of the two phenotypes, coupled with fine-scale habitat heterogeneity, may allow the coexistence of alternative social forms within populations. Overall, these results suggest that spatially varying selection may be one of the mechanisms contributing to the maintenance of genetic polymorphisms in social organization.</p>
Data from: Ecological differentiation facilitates fine-scale coexistence of sexual and asexual Boechera
Premise of the study: Ecological differentiation (ED) between sexual and asexual organisms may permit the maintenance of reproductive polymorphism. Several studies of sexual/asexual ED in plants have shown that the geographic ranges of asexuals extend beyond those of sexuals, often in areas of higher latitude or elevation. But very little is known about ED at fine scales, wherein coexistence of sexuals and asexuals may be permitted by differential niche occupation. Methods: We used 149 populations of sexual and apomictic lineages in the genus Boechera (rock cress) collected across a portion of this mustard's vast range. We characterized reproductive mode, ploidy, and species identity or hybrid parentage of each individual, and then used a multi-pronged statistical approach to 1) identify ED between sexuals and asexuals; 2) investigate the impacts of two confounding factors, polyploidy and hybridization, on ED; and 3) determine the environmental variables underlying ED. Key results: We found that sexuals and asexuals are significantly ecologically differentiated across the landscape, despite fine-scale interdigitation of these two reproductive forms. Asexual reproduction was strongly associated with greater disturbance, reduced slope, and greater environmental variability. Although ploidy had little effect on the patterns observed, hybridization has a unique impact on the relationships between asexual reproduction and specific environmental variables. Conclusions: Ecological differentiation along the axes of disturbance, slope, and climatic variability, as well as the effects of heterozygosity, may contribute to the maintenance of sexuality and asexuality across the landscape, ultimately impacting the establishment and spread of asexual lineages.
Data from: Applying modern coexistence theory to priority effects
Modern coexistence theory is increasingly used to explain how differences between competing species lead to coexistence versus competitive exclusion. Although research testing this theory has focused on deterministic cases of competitive exclusion, in which the same species always wins, mounting evidence suggests that competitive exclusion is often historically contingent, such that whichever species happens to arrive first excludes the other. Coexistence theory predicts that historically contingent exclusion, known as priority effects, will occur when large destabilizing differences (positive frequency-dependent growth rates of competitors), combined with small fitness differences (differences in competitors' intrinsic growth rates and sensitivity to competition), create conditions under which neither species can invade an established population of its competitor. Here we extend the empirical application of modern coexistence theory to determine the conditions that promote priority effects. We conducted pairwise invasion tests with four strains of nectar-colonizing yeasts to determine how the destabilizing and fitness differences that drive priority effects are altered by two abiotic factors characterizing the nectar environment: sugar concentration and pH. We found that higher sugar concentrations increased the likelihood of priority effects by reducing fitness differences between competing species. In contrast, higher pH did not change the likelihood of priority effects, but instead made competition more neutral by bringing both fitness differences and destabilizing differences closer to zero. This study demonstrates how the empirical partitioning of priority effects into fitness and destabilizing components can elucidate the pathways through which environmental conditions shape competitive interactions.
Data from: Species-specific variation in germination rates contributes to spatial coexistence more than adult plant water use in four closely-related annual flowering plants
1. Spatial partitioning is a classic hypothesis to explain plant species coexistence, but evidence linking local environmental variation to spatial sorting, demography, and species' traits is sparse. If co-occurring species' performance is optimized differently along environmental gradients because of trait variation, then spatial variation might facilitate coexistence. 2. We used a system of four naturally co-occurring species of Clarkia (Onagraceae) to ask if distribution patchiness corresponds to variation in two environmental variables that contribute to hydrological variation. We then reciprocally sowed Clarkia into each patch type and measured demographic rates in the absence of congeneric competition. Species sorted in patches along one or both gradients, and in three of the four species, germination rate in the "home" patch was higher than all other patches. 3. Spatially variable germination resulted in the same three species exhibiting the highest population growth rates in their home patches. 4. Species' trait values related to plant water use, as well as indicators of water stress in home patches, differed among species and corresponded to home patch attributes. However, post-germination survival did not vary among species or between patch types, and fecundity did not vary spatially. 5. Synthesis Our research demonstrates the likelihood that within-community spatial heterogeneity affects plant species coexistence, and presents novel evidence that differential performance in space is explained by what happens in the germination stage. Despite the seemingly obvious link between adult plant water-use and variation in the environment, our results distinguish the germination stage as important for spatially variable population performance.
Data from: A framework for linking competitor ecological differences to coexistence
1. Not all ecological differences among competing species affect their ability to locally coexist. Rather, the differences that promote stable coexistence can be those which cause each species to experience stronger intraspecific than interspecific competition. Recent approaches have established how to detect the demographic signature of these competitive effects, but alone they cannot elucidate the ecological differences among species that yield these patterns. 2. Here, we present a unifying experimental and observational framework that identifies potential ecological differences among species shaping their responses to intra- and interspecific competition. We first describe a conceptual model establishing why the strength of intra- and interspecific competitive interactions should vary along environmental gradients related to species ecological differences. We then show how to apply the framework using Enallagma damselflies, a diverse group of predatory aquatic insects. 3. To determine how species responded to intra- and interspecific competition along environmental gradients, we experimentally manipulated the relative abundances of three species and replicated this across five lakes which varied in environmental conditions affecting larval damselfly per capita growth and mortality rates – key vital rates regulating their populations. 4. Results suggest Enallagma are ecologically differentiated in ways that in some communities can result in intraspecific competition exceeding interspecific competition. However, in many cases the opposite was true, or the effects of intra- and interspecific competition were equivalent via growth and mortality responses. Moreover, these effects tended to be weak and asymmetrical among competitors, which suggests that differential responses of larval growth and mortality to intra- and interspecific competition may not contribute strongly to the maintenance of Enallagma diversity. Different environmental factors appear to shape these demographic responses to competition, providing insight into the ecological mechanisms regulating damselfly assemblages. 5. This framework can be broadly applied to identify the ecological differences among species that may promote coexistence, advancing knowledge of the mechanisms underlying coexistence, and overcoming some limitations of purely phenomenological approaches.
Data from: Architectural differences associated to functional traits among 45 coexisting tree species in central Africa
1. Architectural traits that determine the light captured in a given environment are an important aspect of the life-history strategies of tropical tree species. In this study, we examined how interspecific variation in architectural traits is related to the functional traits of 45 coexisting tree species in central Africa. 2. At the tree level, we measured tree diameter, total height and crown dimensions for an average of 30 trees per species (range 14–72, total 968 trees) distributed over a large range of diameters (up to 162 cm). Using log-log models, we fitted species-specific allometric relationships between tree diameter, height and crown dimensions. At the species level, we derived architectural traits (height and crown dimensions) at 15 cm and maximum diameters from species-specific allometries. The architectural traits were then related to functional traits, including light requirements, wood density, leaf habit, and dispersal mode. 3. Among the 45 coexisting tree species, we identified strong variations in height and crown allometries, along with architectural traits derived from these species-specific allometries. There was a positive correlation among architectural traits, suggesting that large-statured canopy species were taller and had larger and deeper crowns than small-statured understory species at all ontogenic stages. The relationships between architectural and functional traits highlighted a continuum of species between the large-statured canopy species and the small-statured understory species. In this moist and seasonal forest, large-statured canopy species tended to be light-demanding, wind-dispersed, deciduous and large contributors to forest biomass (high basal area), while small-statured understory species tended to be shade-tolerant, animal-dispersed, evergreen and most abundant in terms of stem density. 4. Our results highlighted strong architectural differences among coexisting tropical tree species in central Africa. The relationships between architectural and functional traits provided insights into the life-history strategy of tropical tree species.
Data from: Competition and coexistence in plant communities: intraspecific competition is stronger than interspecific competition
Theory predicts that intraspecific competition should be stronger than interspecific competition for any pair of stably coexisting species, yet previous literature reviews found little support for this pattern. We screened over 5400 publications and identified 39 studies that quantified phenomenological intraspecific and interspecific interactions in terrestrial plant communities. Of the 67% of species pairs in which both intra- and interspecific effects were negative (competition), intraspecific competition was, on average, four to five-fold stronger than interspecific competition. Of the remaining pairs, 93% featured intraspecific competition and interspecific facilitation, a situation that stabilizes coexistence. The difference between intra- and interspecific effects tended to be larger in observational than experimental data sets, in field than greenhouse studies, and in studies that quantified population growth over the full life cycle rather than single fitness components. Our results imply that processes promoting stable coexistence at local scales are common and consequential across terrestrial plant communities.
Data from: Mutualists stabilize coexistence of congeneric legumes
Coexistence requires that stabilizing niche differences, which cause species to limit themselves more than others, outweigh relative fitness differences that cause competitive exclusion. Interactions with shared mutualists, which can differentially affect host fitness and change in magnitude with host frequency, can satisfy these conditions for coexistence, yet empirical tests of mutualist effects on relative fitness and stabilizing niche differences are largely lacking within the framework of coexistence theory. Here, we show that N-fixing rhizobial mutualists mediate coexistence in four naturally co-occurring, congeneric legume (Trifolium) species. Using experimental greenhouse communities, we quantified relative fitness and stabilizing niche differences for each species in the presence of rhizobia originating from conspecific or congeneric hosts. Rhizobia stabilized coexistence by increasing self-limitation of Trifolium species grown with conspecific rhizobia, thus allowing congeners to increase when rare. Greenhouse-measured invasion growth rates predicted natural, unmanipulated coexistence dynamics of Trifolium species over two years in our field sites. Our results demonstrate that interactions with shared mutualists can stabilize coexistence of closely related species.
Data from: Interspecific variation in conspecific negative density dependence can make species less likely to coexist
Conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) is thought to promote plant species diversity. Theoretical studies showing the importance of CNDD often assumed that all species are equally susceptible to CNDD; however, recent empirical studies have shown species can differ greatly in their susceptibility to CNDD. Using a theoretical model, we show that interspecific variation in CNDD can dramatically alter its impact on diversity. First, if the most common species are the least regulated by CNDD, then the stabilising benefit of CNDD is reduced. Second, when seed dispersal is limited, seedlings that are susceptible to CNDD are at a competitive disadvantage. When parameterised with estimates of CNDD from a tropical tree community in Panama, our model suggests that the competitive inequalities caused by interspecific variation in CNDD may undermine many species' ability to persist. Thus, our model suggests that variable CNDD may make communities less stable, rather than more stable.
Sexual size dimorphism is associated with reproductive life history trait differentiation in coexisting sepsid flies
Organismal life histories evolve as syndromes, resulting in correlated evolutionary differentiation of key traits that ultimately aid in discerning species. Reproductive success depends both on the absolute body size of an individual and its size relative to the opposite sex: sexual size dimorphism. In an attempt to further elucidate their coexistence and ecological diversification, we compared standard life history (first reproduction, clutch size, egg size) and associated reproductive trait differentiation of 15 widespread European sepsid fly species (Diptera: Sepsidae) under laboratory common garden conditions. Despite relatively uniform body sizes, sexual dimorphism ranged from female- to male-biased, and development time varied twofold across species. We expected, and found, the abundant and relatively large species (Sepsis cynipsea, punctum, thoracica) with often male-biased SSD to lay larger but fewer eggs and show fast-developing, fast-reproducing life histories with aggressive (coercive) mating behavior characterized by short mating latencies and male conflict. In contrast, the smaller and more dispersed species with female-biased SSD (S. flavimana, orthocnemis, violacea) laid smaller but more eggs, showing a generally slower life history with long and delayed copulation and oviposition, high mating reluctance fostering extensive inter-sexual conflict, and more elaborate male (pre-)copulatory courtship. Two Saltella species were exceptional, being large, developing slowly, nevertheless copulating soon after adult emergence, profusely and briefly. The documented life history differentiation seems partly driven by sexual selection leading to male-biased dimorphism, rather than undetermined ecological selection, which regardless appears insufficient to explain the coexistence and diversification of these sepsid species in European pastoral landscapes.
Data from: Specialists and generalists coexist within a population of spider-hunting mud dauber wasps
Individual foraging specialization describes the phenomenon where conspecifics within a population of generalists exhibit differences in foraging behavior, each specializing on different prey types. Individual specialization is widespread in animals, yet is understudied in invertebrates, despite potential impacts to food web and population dynamics. Sceliphron caementarium (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) is an excellent system to examine individual specialization. Females of these mud-dauber wasps capture and paralyze spiders which they store in mud nests to provision their offspring. Individuals may make hundreds of prey choices in their short lifespan and fully intact prey items can be easily excavated from their mud nests, where each distinct nest cell represents a discrete foraging bout. Using data collected from a single population of S. caementarium (where all individuals had access to the same resources), we found evidence of strong individual specialization; individuals utilized different resources (with respect to prey taxa, prey ecological guild, and prey size) to provision their nests. The extent of individual specialization differed widely within the population with some females displaying extreme specialization (taking only prey from a single species) while others were generalists (taking prey from up to six spider families). We also found evidence of temporal consistency in individual specialization over multiple foraging events. We discuss these findings broadly in the context of search images, responses to changing prey availability, and intraspecific competition pressure.
Diversity, species coexistence, and functional composition patterns in subtropical Atlantic Forests invaded by non-native trees
<ol> <li>Biological invasions are a major environmental challenge today. Interactions between invasive and native species can significantly shape community structures, influencing co-existence, diversity, and functional composition of species. The subtropical Atlantic forest in southern Brazil, a recognized biodiversity hotspot, provides a unique setting to study these interactions, given its vulnerability to alien tree invasions. </li> <li>Our study sought to elucidate the impacts of such invasions on this fragile ecosystem by addressing key questions: 1) How are tree community diversity patterns affected by the abundance of invading alien tree species? 2) What are the patterns of coexistence between native and alien invasive trees? 3) Is the functional composition of the forests altered by the abundance of invasive trees?</li> <li>To address these questions, we compiled data on the abundance and functional traits of native and invasive trees. We determined the diversity patterns and functional composition of plots with different degrees of invasion. These data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models, Principal Component Analysis, and a coexistence index.</li> <li>In plots with a higher abundance of invasive trees, there was a significant decrease in the taxonomic and functional richness of native species. Furthermore, we observed that invasive alien trees coexisted with native species, and as the abundance of invasive trees increased, the native community weighted mean (CWM) of the leaf area and specific leaf area decreased.</li> <li>In conclusion, within the subtropical Atlantic forest areas of southern Brazil, our findings highlight that the abundance of invasive trees adversely affects the taxonomic and functional richness of native species. Furthermore, while invasive alien trees were found to coexist with native species, increased invasive abundance corresponded to a reduction in the leaf area and the specific leaf area of the native community.</li> </ol>
Decoupling of uptake and transport-related traits in absorptive roots across coexisting herbaceous species in alpine meadows
<div>The anatomical structure of roots determines their function. Coexisting species complementarily forage nutrients by roots themselves (e.g., root strategy) and their fungal partners (e.g., mycorrhizal strategy), leading to a tradeoff between root strategy and mycorrhizal strategy. However, few studies have specifically evaluated whether and how the root anatomical structures are involved in this tradeoff, especially for species in alpine ecosystems limited by extreme climate.Here, absorptive root anatomical and chemical traits and three key root traits commonly associated with nutrient foraging strategies, i.e., root strategy indicated by first-order root length and root branching intensity and mycorrhizal strategy indicated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization, were examined across 68 herbaceous species in alpine meadows of the Tibetan Plateau.We observed that absorptive roots with higher branching intensity had more protoxylem poles, thinner cortices and smaller cortical cells, whereas absorptive roots with higher mycorrhizal colonization and longer first-order roots consistently had thicker cortices and larger cortical cells. Unexpectedly, root cortical traits responsible for nutrient uptake were decoupled from stelar traits specialized in water and nutrient transportation. The decoupling may be related to the non-coordinated changes in soil water and nutrient availability in the meadows of the Tibetan Plateau. In addition, we found that root cortical thickness and stelar radius increased at a similar rate rather than well-reported different rates with increasing root diameter. Our results demonstrate that root internal makeup plays an integral role in forming the diverse nutrient foraging strategies in belowground. These findings provide new insights into our understanding of plant coexistence and responses of alpine meadows to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau.</div>
Raw data: The novel gammaproteobacterial methanotroph "Ca. Methylocalor cossyra" CH1 actively coexists with verrucomicrobial methanotrophs in acidic and hot geothermal soil
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Coexistence from a lion's perspective: Movements and habitat selection by African lions (Panthera leo) across a multi-use landscape
<p>Diminishing wild space and population fragmentation are key drivers of large carnivore declines worldwide. Persistence of large carnivores in fragmented landscapes often depends on the ability of individuals to move between separated subpopulations for genetic exchange and recovery from stochastic events. Where separated by anthropogenic landscapes, subpopulations' connectivity hinges on the area's socio-ecological conditions for coexistence and dispersing individuals' behavioral choices. Using GPS-collars and resource- and step-selection functions, we explored African lion (<em>Panthera leo</em>) habitat selection and movement patterns to better understand lions' behavioral adaptations in a landscape shared with pastoralists. We conducted our study in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania, a multiuse rangeland, that connects the small, high density lion subpopulation of the Ngorongoro Crater with the extensive Serengeti lion population. Landscape use by pastoralists and their livestock varies seasonally, driven by the availability of pasture, water, and disease avoidance. The most important factor for lion habitat selection was the amount of vegetation cover, followed by the distance to human settlements and the interaction between those two variables, with selectivity strengths varying with season and time of day. All lions were more willing to approach human settlements at night and during the dry season, selecting strongly for cover when moving closer to humans during the day. Resident females most consistently used areas close to humans, but also relied more consistently on cover than males. Connectivity of lion subpopulations, facilitated by nomadic males, does not appear to be blocked by sparse pastoralist settlements and nomadic males avoided humans on the landscape more strongly than did resident lions. These results are consistent with lions balancing risk from humans with exploitation of livestock by altering their behaviors to reduce potential conflict. Our study lends some optimism for the adaptive capacity of lions to promote coexistence with humans in shared landscapes.</p>
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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.