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10,735 results for “dependability”
Data from: The effect of range overlap on ecological niche divergence depends on spatial scale in monkeyflowers
Patterns of niche divergence and geographical range overlap of closely related species provide insights into the evolutionary dynamics of ecological niches. When ranges overlap, shared selective pressures may preserve niche similarity along coarse‐scale macrohabitat axes (e.g., bioclimates). Alternatively, competitive interactions may drive greater divergence along local‐scale microhabitat axes (e.g., micro‐topographical features). We tested these hypotheses in 16 species pairs of western North American monkeyflowers (Erythranthe and Diplacus, formerly Mimulus) with species' niches, geographic ranges and a robust phylogeny. We found that macrohabitat niche divergence decreased with increasing range overlap, consistent with convergent selection operating at a coarse scale. No significant relationship was detected for microhabitat niches. Additionally, niche divergence was greater for young pairs along all macrohabitat niche axes, but greater for old pairs along one microhabitat axis related to vegetation cover. For a subset of species pairs with partially overlapping ranges, greater microhabitat divergence was detected in sympatry than in allopatry for at least one niche axis for three pairs, consistent with character displacement in sympatry. Thus, coarse‐ and local‐scale niche divergence show dissimilar patterns in relation to range overlap and evolutionary time, perhaps because the relative importance of convergent versus divergent selection depends on spatial scale.
Data from: Maternal effects obscure condition-dependent sex allocation in changing environments
Climate change increases environmental fluctuations which thereby impact population demography. Species with temperature-dependent sex determination may experience more extreme sex ratio skews, but this has not been considered in species with chromosomally-determined sex. However, anticipatory maternal effects cause lifelong physiological changes impacting sex ratios. Here we show, in mice, that more sons were born to mothers in good condition when their breeding environment matched their gestational environment, consistent with theoretical predictions, but mothers in mismatched environments have no condition sex-ratio relationship. Thus, the predicted effect of condition on sex ratio was obscured by maternal effects when the environment changed. This may explain extreme or unexpected sex ratio skews in reintroduced or translocated populations, and sex ratio skews may become more common and less predictable with accelerating environmental change.
Data from: Scale-dependent foraging ecology of a marine top predator modelled using passive acoustic data
1. Understanding which environmental factors drive foraging preferences is critical for the development of effective management measures, but resource use patterns may emerge from processes that occur at different spatial and temporal scales. Direct observations of foraging are also especially challenging in marine predators, but passive acoustic techniques provide opportunities to study the behavior of echolocating species over a range of scales. 2. We used an extensive passive acoustic dataset to investigate the distribution and temporal dynamics of foraging in bottlenose dolphins using the Moray Firth (Scotland, UK). Echolocation buzzes were identified with a mixture model of detected echolocation inter-click intervals, and used as a proxy of foraging activity. A robust modelling approach accounting for autocorrelation in the data was then used to evaluate which environmental factors were associated with the observed dynamics at two different spatial and temporal scales. 3. At a broad scale, foraging varied seasonally, and was also affected by sea-bed slope and shelf-sea fronts. At a finer scale, we identified variation in seasonal use and local interactions with tidal processes. Foraging was best predicted at a daily scale, accounting for site-specificity in the shape of the estimated relationships. 4. This study demonstrates how passive acoustic data can be used to understand foraging ecology in echolocating species, and provides a robust analytical procedure for describing spatio-temporal patterns. Associations between foraging and environmental characteristics varied according to spatial and temporal scale, highlighting the need for a multi-scale approach. Our results indicate that dolphins respond to coarser-scale temporal dynamics, but have a detailed understanding of finer-scale spatial distribution of resources.
Data from: Density-dependent diel activity in stream-dwelling Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus
Intraspecific competition plays a significant role in shaping how animals use and share habitats in space and time. However, the way individuals may modify their diel activity in response to increased competition has received limited attention. We used juvenile (age 1+) Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus to test the prediction that individuals at high population density are more active and distribute their foraging activity over a greater portion of the 24-h cycle than individuals at low population density. Individually tagged fish were stocked in seminatural stream enclosures at low (2 fish/m2) and high (6 fish/m2) density. During each of two 2-week experimental rounds, activity of all fish within each enclosure was recorded every 3 h over seven 24-h cycles. At high density, fish were more active and distributed their activity over a greater portion of the 24-h cycle, with increased activity particularly at crepuscular times. Fluctuations in ecological conditions (e.g., water temperature and light intensity) also affected activity. Fish at high density grew as fast as fish at low density. This study demonstrates that individuals exhibit a degree of behavioral flexibility in their response to changes in ecological conditions and suggests that intraspecific competition can cause animals to modify temporal aspects of their activity to gain access to resources and maintain growth.
Data from: Density dependence in demography and dispersal generates fluctuating invasion speeds
Density dependence plays an important role in population regulation and is known to generate temporal fluctuations in population density. However, the ways in which density dependence affects spatial population processes, such as species invasions, are less understood. Although classical ecological theory suggests that invasions should advance at a constant speed, empirical work is illuminating the highly variable nature of biological invasions, which often exhibit nonconstant spreading speeds, even in simple, controlled settings. Here, we explore endogenous density dependence as a mechanism for inducing variability in biological invasions with a set of population models that incorporate density dependence in demographic and dispersal parameters. We show that density dependence in demography at low population densities—i.e., an Allee effect—combined with spatiotemporal variability in population density behind the invasion front can produce fluctuations in spreading speed. The density fluctuations behind the front can arise from either overcompensatory population growth or density-dependent dispersal, both of which are common in nature. Our results show that simple rules can generate complex spread dynamics and highlight a source of variability in biological invasions that may aid in ecological forecasting.
Data from: Foliar damage beyond species distributions is partly explained by distance dependent interactions with natural enemies
Plant distributions are expected to shift in response to climate change, and range expansion dynamics will be shaped by the performance of individuals at the colonizing front. These plants will encounter new biotic communities beyond their range edges, and the net outcome of these encounters could profoundly affect colonization success. However, little is known about how biotic interactions vary across range edges and this has hindered efforts to predict changes in species distributions in response to climate change. In contrast, a rich literature documents how biotic interactions within species ranges vary according to distance to and density of conspecific individuals. Here, we test whether this framework can be extended to explain how biotic interactions differ beyond range edges, where conspecific adults are basically absent. To do so, we planted seven species of trees along a 450 km latitudinal gradient that crossed the current distributional range of five of these species and monitored foliar disease and invertebrate herbivory over five years. Foliar disease and herbivory were analyzed as a function of distance to and density of conspecific and congeneric trees at several spatial scales. We found that within species ranges foliar disease was lower for seedlings that were farther from conspecific adults for Acer rubrum, Carya glabra, Quercus alba, and Robinia pseudoacacia. Beyond range edges there was even less foliar disease for C. glabra, Q. alba and R. pseudoacacia (A. rubrum was not planted outside its range). Liriodendron tulipifera did not experience reduced disease within or beyond its range. In contrast, Quercus velutina displayed significant but idiosyncratic patterns in disease at varying distances from conspecifics. Patterns of distance dependent herbivory across spatial scales was generally weak and in some cases negative (i.e., seedlings further from conspecific adults had more herbivory). Overall, we conclude that differences in biotic interactions across range edges can be thought of as a spatial extension to the concept of distance dependent biotic interactions. This framework also provides the basis for general predictions of how distance dependent biotic interactions will change across range edges in other systems.
Data from: Group-size dependent punishment of idle subordinates in a cooperative breeder where helpers pay to stay
In cooperative breeding systems, dominant breeders sometimes tolerate unrelated individuals even if they inflict costs on the dominants. According to the 'pay-to-stay' hypothesis, (i) subordinates can outweigh these costs by providing help and (ii) dominants should be able to enforce help by punishing subordinates that provide insufficient help. This requires that dominants can monitor helping and can recognize group members individually. In a field experiment, we tested whether cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher subordinates increase their help after a forced 'idle' period, how other group members respond to a previously idle helper, and how helper behaviour and group responses depend on group size. Previously, idle helpers increased their submissiveness and received more aggression than control helpers, suggesting that punishment occurred to enforce help. Subordinates in small groups increased their help more than those in large groups, despite receiving less aggression. When subordinates were temporarily removed, dominants in small groups were more likely to evict returning subordinates. Our results suggest that only in small groups do helpers face a latent threat of punishment by breeders as predicted by the pay-to-stay hypothesis. In large groups, cognitive constraints may prevent breeders from tracking the behaviour of a large number of helpers.
Modelling the impact of antibody-dependent enhancement on disease severity of ZIKV and DENV sequential and co-infection
<p>Human infections with viruses of the genus <em>Flavivirus</em>, including dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus (ZIKV), are of increasing global importance. Due to antibody dependent enhancement, secondary infection with one <em>Flavivirus</em> following primary infection with another {\it Flavivirus} can result in a significantly larger peak viral load with a much higher risk of severe disease. Although several mathematical models have been developed to quantify the virus dynamics in the primary and secondary infections of DENV, little progress has been made regarding secondary infection of DENV after a primary infection of ZIKV, or DENV-ZIKV co-infection. Here, we address this critical gap by developing compartmental models of virus dynamics. We first fitted the models to published data on dengue viral loads of the primary and secondary infections with the observation that the primary infection reaches its peak much more gradually than the secondary infection. We then quantitatively show that antibody dependent enhancement (ADE) is the key factor determining a sharp increase/decrease of viral load near the peak time in the secondary infection. In comparison, our simulations of DENV and ZIKV co-infection (simultaneous rather than sequential) show that ADE has very limited influence on the peak DENV viral load. This indicates pre-existing immunity to ZIKV is the determinant of a high level of ADE effect. Our numerical simulations show that 1) in the absence of ADE effect, a subsequent co-infection is beneficial to the second virus; 2) if ADE is feasible, then a subsequent co-infection can induce greater damage to the host with a higher peak viral load and a much earlier peak time for the second virus, and for the second peak for the first virus.</p>
Data from: Environment-dependent variation in selection on life history across small spatial scales
Variation in life-history traits is ubiquitous, even though genetic variation is thought to be depleted by selection. One potential mechanism for the maintenance of trait variation is spatially-variable selection. We explored spatial variation in selection in the field for a colonial marine invertebrate that shows phenotypic differences across a depth gradient of only three meters. Our analysis included life-history traits relating to module size, colony growth and phenology. Directional selection on colony growth varied in strength across depths, while module size was under directional selection at one depth but not the other. Differences in selection may explain some of the observed phenotypic differentiation among depths for one trait but not another: instead, selection should actually erode the differences observed for this trait. Our results suggest selection is not acting alone to maintain trait variation within and across environments in this system.
Data from: Epizoochorous dispersal by ungulates depends on fur, grooming and social interactions
The transport phase of the animal-mediated plant dispersal process is critical to dispersal effectiveness as it determines the spatial distribution of the diaspores released and their chance for further recruitment. Assessing this specific phase of the dispersal process generally requires combining diaspore retention times with the associated distances covered. Here, we specifically tested the effect of grooming behavior, interindividual contacts and ungulate fur on diaspore retention times and associated dispersal distances for the hooked diaspores of Xanthium strumarium L. experimentally attached to tamed individuals of three ungulate species. We used a comparative approach based on differing fur quality on different body zones of these three ungulates. During 6-hr sessions, we monitored for grooming and social interactions that may induce intended or inadvertent diaspore detachment. Additionally, we proposed innovative approaches to directly assessing diaspore dispersal distances by red deer in situ. Fat-tailed functions fitted diaspore retention time, highlighting the potential for long-distance dispersal events. The longer the hair, the higher the retention capacity of diaspores in the animal's fur. As predicted, donkey retained diaspores longer than red deer and dwarf goat; and we also confirmed that diaspores attached to the short hair of the head fell off more quickly than did those on the other body zones. Dwarf goat groomed more often than both red deer and donkey, but also when it carried diaspores. Up to 14% of the diaspores detached from animal fur after specific grooming behavior. We observed, in controlled conditions, for the first time and for each ungulate species, interindividual transfers of diaspores, representing 5% of the diaspores attached to animals' fur. Our results militate for incorporating animal behavior into plant dispersal modeling approaches.
Data from: Accurate predictions of coexistence in natural systems require the inclusion of facilitative interactions and environmental dependency
1. Coexistence between plant species is well known to depend on the outcomes of species interactions within an environmental context. The incorporation of environmental variation into empirical studies of coexistence are rare, however, due to the complex experiments needed to do so and the lack of feasible modelling approaches for determining how environmental factors alter specific coexistence mechanisms. 2. In this paper, we present a simple modelling framework for assessing how variation in species interactions across environmental gradients impact on niche overlap and fitness differences, two core determinants of coexistence. We use a novel formulation of an annual plant population dynamics model that allows for competitive and facilitative species interactions, and for variation in the strength and direction of these interactions across environmental gradients. Using this framework, we examine outcomes of plant-plant interactions between four commonly co-occurring annual plant species from Western Australian woodlands. We then determine how niche overlap and fitness differences between these species vary across three environmental gradients previously identified as important for structuring diversity patterns in this system: soil phosphorus, shade and water. 3. We found facilitation to be a wide-spread phenomenon and that interactions between most species pairs shift between competitive and facilitative across multiple environmental gradients. Environmental conditions also altered the strength, direction and relative variation of both niche overlap and fitness differences in non-linear and unpredictable ways. Synthesis We provide a simple framework for incorporating environmental heterogeneity into explorations of coexistence mechanisms. Our findings highlight the importance of the environment in determining the outcome of species interactions and the potential for pairwise coexistence between species. The prevalence of facilitation in our system indicates a need to improve current theoretical frameworks of coexistence to include non-competitive interactions, and ways of translating these effects into explicit predictions of coexistence. Our study also suggests a need for further research into determining which factors result in consistent responses of niche overlap and fitness differences to environmental variation. Such information will improve our ability to predict outcomes of coexistence, invasion events and responses of whole communities to future environmental change.
Data from: When should I be aggressive? A state-dependent foraging game between competitors
More often than not, animals forage with other foragers present. A foraging game may take place when the outcome of a forager's actions depends on both its own and other foragers' strategies. Previous studies on predator–prey systems have verified that complex state-dependent foraging games exist between predators and prey. In this study, we looked for evidence of such a state-dependent foraging game between intra-guild competitors. We studied a desert rodent system featuring 2 coexisting species known to compete with each other: midday gerbils (Meriones meridianus, the dominant competitor) and 3-toed jerboas (Dipus sagitta, the subordinate competitor). We simultaneously manipulated the energetic states of both species and allowed them to forage and interact in arenas with artificial food patches. We found that both species responded to their own energetic states, whereas hungry jerboas also significantly responded to gerbils' energetic state in terms of food harvest. Gerbils preferred to carry food items away when foraging alone but switched to on-tray consumption when jerboas were present. Jerboas harvested more food when gerbils were hungry and the most intensive interference occurred when hungry jerboas encountered well-fed gerbils. A plausible explanation for these results is that the future rather than current value of cacheable food is more important to well-fed gerbils. In contrast, hungry gerbils prefer immediate consumption to completely excluding jerboas from resource patches.
Data from: Reduced internalization of TNF-ɑ/TNFR1 down-regulates caspase dependent phagocytosis induced cell death (PICD) in neonatal monocytes
Phagocytosis-induced cell death (PICD) is diminished in cord blood monocytes (CBMO) as compared to cells from adults (PBMO) due to differences in the CD95-pathway. This may support a prolonged pro-inflammatory response with sequels of sustained inflammation as seen in neonatal sepsis. Here we hypothesized that TNF-α mediated induction of apoptosis is impaired in CBMO due to differences in the TNFR1-dependent internalization. Monocytes were infected with Escherichia coli-GFP (E. coli-GFP). Monocyte phenotype, phagocytic activity, induction of apoptosis, and TNF-α/TNF-receptor (TNFR) -expression were analysed. In the course of infection TNF-α-secretion of CBMO was reduced to 40% as compared to PBMO (p<0.05). Neutralization of TNF-α by an αTNF-α antibody reduced apoptotic PICD in PBMO four-fold (p < 0.05 vs. infection with E. coli). PICD in CBMO was reduced 5-fold compared to PBMO and showed less responsiveness to αTNF-α antibody. CBMO expressed less pro-apoptotic TNFR1, which, after administration of TNF-α or infection with E. coli was internalized to a lesser extent. With similar phagocytic capacity, reduced TNFR1 internalization in CBMO was accompanied by lower activation of caspase-8 (p < 0.05 vs. PBMO). Stronger caspase-8 activation in PBMO caused more activation of effector caspase-3 and apoptosis (all p < 0.05 vs. PBMO). Our results demonstrate that TNFR1 internalization is critical in mediating PICD in monocytes after infection with E.coli and is reduced in CBMO.
Data from: The importance of species identity and interactions on multifunctionality depends on how ecosystem functions are valued
Studies investigating how biodiversity affects ecosystem functioning increasingly focus on multiple functions measured simultaneously ('multifunctionality'). However, few such studies assess the role of species interactions, particularly under alternative environmental scenarios, despite interactions being key to ecosystem functioning. Here we address five questions of central importance to ecosystem multifunctionality using a terrestrial animal system: 1) Does the contribution of individual species differ for different ecosystem functions?; 2) Do inter-species interactions affect the delivery of single functions and multiple functions?; 3) Does the community composition which maximises individual functions also maximise multifunctionality?; 4) Is the functional role of individual species, and the effect of interspecific interactions, modified by changing environmental conditions?; and 5) How do these roles and interactions change under varying scenarios where ecosystem services are weighted to reflect different societal preferences? We manipulated species' relative abundance in dung beetle communities and measured 16 functions contributing to dung decomposition, plant productivity, nutrient recycling, reduction of greenhouse gases, and microbial activity. Using the Multivariate Diversity-Interactions framework, we assessed how changes in species identity, composition, and interspecific interactions affected these functions in combination with an environmental driver (increased precipitation). This allowed us to identify key species and interactions across multiple functions. We then developed a Desirability Function Approach to examine how individual species and species mixtures contribute to a desired state of overall ecosystem functioning. Species contributed unequally to individual functions, and to multifunctionality, and individual functions were maximised by different community compositions. Moreover, the species and interactions important for maintaining overall multifunctionality depended on the weight given to individual functions. This combination of methodological approaches allows us to resolve the interactions and indirect effects among species that drive ecosystem functioning, revealing how multiple aspects of biodiversity can simultaneously drive ecosystem functioning. Optimal multifunctionality is therefore context-dependent, and is sensitive to the valuation of services. Our results highlight the importance of a multifunctionality perspective for complete assessment of species' functional contributions.
Data from: Belowground-mediated and phase-dependent processes drive nitrogen-evoked community changes in grasslands
<ol> <li>Enhanced deposition of atmospheric nitrogen (N) leads to loss of plant diversity in grassland ecosystems. Numerous theories have provided potential explanations for the negative effects of N enrichment on plant diversity. However, the relative importance of each mechanism and the time scales of responses for the different functional groups remain unclear.</li> <li>We investigated the temporal responses of plant community in a temperate steppe to N enrichment by linking aboveground to belowground processes using a series of field N-addition and greenhouse experiments.</li> <li>The N enrichment-induced declines in plant diversity of grasslands were phase-based, functional group-dependent, and driven by three belowground processes. The rapid accumulation of NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N by N addition inhibited photosynthetic rates of broad-leaf-non-rhizomatous forbs, contributing to loss of these N-sensitive species during early phase of N enrichment (≤3 years). The N-induced changes in this phase were independent of soil pH as evidenced by results from application lime to mitigate N-evoked soil acidification. With progression of N addition, manganese (Mn) toxicity to narrow-leaf-non-rhizomatous forbs due to soil acidification-induced Mn<sup>2+</sup> mobilization in soil accounted for their loss in the second phase of N enrichment (~ 4-9 years). When N addition proceeded longer than ~10 years, N enrichment stimulated belowground meristem differentiation and rhizome growth of the rhizomatous species, leading to the dominance by rhizomatous sedges/grasses in the community at later phase of N enrichment.</li> </ol> <p>Synthesis: The hierarchical mechanisms not only provide a comprehensive explanation for the N enrichment-induced diversity decline in grasslands, but can also facilitate us to understand the differential sensitivities of ecosystems to chronic N enrichment, and predict future ecosystem dynamics.</p>
Data from: Scale-dependent responses of pollination and seed dispersal mutualisms in a habitat transformation scenario
Transformed habitats are the result of deliberate replacement of native species by an exotic monoculture, involving changes in biotic and abiotic conditions. Despite this, transformed habitats are becoming more common and constitute a major biodiversity change driver, little is known about the scale-dependent responses of plant-animal mutualisms. Aiming to test the multi-scale responses of pollination and seed dispersal in a habitat transformation scenario, we examined a gradient of native and transformed habitats at three spatial scales (0-50, 50-100, and 100-250 m), focused on a highly-specialized mutualistic system composed of a hemiparasitic mistletoe (Tristerix corymbosus) that is almost exclusively pollinated by a hummingbird (Sephanoides sephaniodes) and dispersed by an arboreal marsupial (Dromiciops gliroides). Even though mistletoes were found along the gradient, they were more abundant and more densely aggregated when the transformed habitat was dominant. Disperser and pollinator activity also increased as the transformed habitat become dominant, at the scale of 0-50 m and 50-100 m, respectively. Furthermore, crop size and disperser activity co-varied at broad and intermediate scales, whereas recruitment co-varied at intermediate and fine scales. Moreover, disperser activity and the number of seedlings were spatially associated, stressing D. gliroides' role in the recruitment of the mistletoe. Synthesis: This highly specialized mutualistic system seems to be responding positively to the habitat structure modifications associated with Eucalyptus plantations. However, the actual costs (e.g., reduced gene flow, increased herbivory) in these transformed habitats are yet to be assessed.
Data from: Seasonally dependent relationship between insect herbivores and host plant density in Jatropha nana, a tropical perennial herb
The fact that plant spatial aggregation patterns shape insect herbivore communities in a variety of ways has resulted in a large body of literature on the subject. The landmark resource concentration hypothesis predicts that density of insect-herbivores per plant will increase as host plant density increases. I examined this prediction across temporal samplings using Jatropha nana and the associated specialist insect-herbivores as a system. Through 12 field samplings, I modelled the effect of host plant density on insect-herbivore loads. The initial samplings (2-3) provided evidence for the resource concentration hypothesis with insect loads increasing with increasing host plant density, whereas the later samplings (4-5, 7-11) showed the opposite- a resource dilution pattern with decline of insect loads with increasing host plant density. These patterns also depend on the biology of the herbivores and have important implications on J. nana population dynamics.
Negative frequency-dependent selection maintains coexisting genotypes during fluctuating selection
Natural environments are rarely static; rather selection can fluctuate on time scales ranging from hours to centuries. However, it is unclear how adaptation to fluctuating environments differs from adaptation to constant environments at the genetic level. For bacteria, one key axis of environmental variation is selection for planktonic or biofilm modes of growth. We conducted an evolution experiment with <i>Burkholderia cenocepacia</i>, comparing the evolutionary dynamics of populations evolving under constant selection for either biofilm formation or planktonic growth with populations in which selection fluctuated between the two environments on a weekly basis. Populations evolved in the fluctuating environment shared many of the same genetic targets of selection as those evolved in constant biofilm selection, but were genetically distinct from the constant planktonic populations. In the fluctuating environment, mutations in the biofilm-regulating genes wspA and rpfR rose to high frequency in all replicate populations. A mutation in wspA first rose rapidly and nearly fixed during the initial biofilm phase but was subsequently displaced by a collection of rpfR mutants upon the shift to the planktonic phase. The wspA and rpfR genotypes coexisted via negative frequency-dependent selection around an equilibrium frequency that shifted between the environments. The maintenance of coexisting genotypes in the fluctuating environment was unexpected. Under temporally fluctuating environments coexistence of two genotypes is only predicted under a narrow range of conditions, but the frequency-dependent interactions we observed provide a mechanism that can increase the likelihood of coexistence in fluctuating environments.
Data from: Contemporary evolution of sea urchin gamete-recognition proteins: experimental evidence of density-dependent gamete performance predicts shifts in allele frequencies over time
Species whose reproductive strategies evolved at one density regime might be poorly adapted to other regimes. Field and laboratory experiments on the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus examined the influences of the two most common sperm bindin alleles, which differ at two amino acid sites, on fertilization success. In the field experiment, the Arginine/Glycine (RG) genotype performed best at low densities and the Glycine/Arginine (GR) genotype at high densities. In the lab experiment, the RG genotype had a higher affinity with available eggs, whereas the GR genotype was less likely to induce polyspermy. These sea urchins can reach 200 years of age. The RG allele dominates in old sea urchins, whereas younger sea urchins have near equal RG and GR allele frequencies. A latitudinal cline in RG and GR genotypes is consistent with longer survival of sea urchins in the north and with predominance of RG genotypes in older individuals. The oldest sea urchins were likely conceived at low densities, before sea-urchin predators, like sea otters, were overharvested and sea urchin densities exploded off the west coast. Contemporary evolution of gamete-recognition proteins might allow species to adapt to shifts in abundances and reduces the risk of reproductive failure in altered populations.
Data from: Resource-Area-Dependence Analysis: inferring animal resource needs from home-range and mapping data
An animal's home-range can be expected to encompass the resources it requires for surviving or reproducing. Thus, animals inhabiting a heterogeneous landscape, where resource patches vary in size, shape and distribution, will naturally have home-ranges of varied sizes, so that each home-range encompasses a minimum required amount of a resource. Home-range size can be estimated from telemetry data, and often key resources, or proxies for them such as the areas of important habitat types, can be mapped. We propose a new method, Resource-Area-Dependence Analysis (RADA), which uses a sample of tracked animals and a categorical map to i) infer in which map categories important resources are accessible, ii) within which home range cores they are found, and iii) estimate the mean minimum areas of these map categories required for such resource provision. We provide three examples of applying RADA to datasets of radio-tracked animals from southern England: 15 red squirrels Sciurus vulgaris, 17 gray squirrels S. carolinensis and 114 common buzzards Buteo buteo. The analyses showed that each red squirrel required a mean (95% CL) of 0.48 ha (0.24-0.97) of pine wood within the outermost home-range, each gray squirrel needed 0.34 ha (0.11-1.12) ha of mature deciduous woodland and 0.035-0.046 ha of wheat, also within the outermost home-range, while each buzzard required 0.54 ha (0.35-0.82) of rough ground close to the home-range center and 14 ha (11-17) of meadow within an intermediate core, with 52% of them also relying on 0.41 ha (0.29-0.59) of suburban land near the home-range center. RADA thus provides a useful tool to infer key animal resource requirements during studies of animal movement and habitat use.
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These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.