bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Caregivers’ Attention Toward, and Response to, Their Child's Interoceptive Hunger and Thirst Cues
Authors: Stevenson Richard J. , Serebro Jonathan , Mruk Alexandra , Martin‐Rivera Daiana , Wyver Shirley , Francis Heather M. 
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACTPeople can use their internal state to determine if they are hungry or thirsty. Although the meaning of some interoceptive cues may be innate (e.g., pain), it is possible that others—including those for hunger and thirst—are acquired. There has been little exploration of this idea in humans. Consequently, we conducted a survey among child caregivers to determine if the basic conditions necessary for interoceptive learning were present. Two‐hundred and thirty‐five caregivers of children aged 1–12 years were asked if they had recently noticed stomach rumbling, hunger‐related irritability, and a dry mouth in their child. They were also asked how they would respond. The impact of several moderating variables, especially caregiver beliefs about the causes of hunger, fullness, and thirst, was also explored. Fifteen percent of caregivers had recently noticed stomach rumbling in their child, 28% hunger‐related irritability, and 14% a dry mouth. Forty‐four percent of caregivers had noticed at least one of these three cues. Noticing hunger cues was significantly moderated by caregiver beliefs about their cause, by child age, and in one case by temporal context (around vs. outside mealtimes). Key caregiver responses were providing the need (e.g., offer food) and/or asking the child if they had a need (e.g., hungry?). Each type of response could potentially support a different form of interoceptive learning. In conclusion, we suggest the necessary conditions for children to learn interoceptive hunger and thirst cues, are present in many caregiver–offspring dyads.
Changes in soil bacterial community characteristics in patches of different vegetation types under different stages of restoration in the desert of northern China
Authors: Li Haonian , Liang Yumei , Meng Zhongju , Ren Xiaomen , Meng Ruibing , Zhao Feiyan 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn desert areas, the process of mobile sandy land changing to semi‐fixed sandy land and eventually to fixed sandy land after undergoing vegetation restoration is inevitable. The presence of shrub patches and herb patches is common in this restoration process. No relevant studies have reported the soil bacterial community characteristics of different vegetation‐type patches (shrub patches and herb patches) under different stages of restoration. Therefore, we utilized long‐established experimental plots to collect soil from 0–20 cm soil layer under shrub patches (dominated by Salix psammophila) and herb patches under different stages of restoration (i.e., mobile sand land, semi‐fixed sand land, and fixed sand land), by determining soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and soil bacterial communities. Our results found that soil bacterial α‐diversity under different restoration stages showed higher shrub patches than herb patches. The dominant bacterial communities (phyla) in shrub patches and herb patches at different recovery stages were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidota. When the mobile sandy land returned to fixed sandy land, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Bacteroidota gradually decreased under shrub patches and herb patches, while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria increased significantly. In addition, herb patches significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria (genus) relative to shrub patches at different stages of recovery. Soil nutrients, soil fine particles, and soil enzyme activities were significantly higher under shrub patches than under herb patches when fixed sandy land due to differences in life form and architecture between shrub patches and herb patches. Based on this, soil bacterial community composition and diversity under shrub patches were driven by more soil properties during the restoration of sandy land. This study complements the dynamic recovery processes and driving mechanisms of soil bacterial community structure under different vegetation patches in sandy areas, especially in the context of global climate change.
A new method for ecologists to estimate heterozygote excess and deficit for multi‐locus gene families
Authors: O'Reilly Gabe D. , Manlik Oliver , Vardeh Sandra , Sinclair Jennifer , Cannell Belinda , Lawler Zachary P. , Sherwin William B. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe fixation index, FIS, has been a staple measure to detect selection, or departures from random mating in populations. However, current Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) cannot easily estimate FIS, in multi‐locus gene families that contain multiple loci having similar or identical arrays of variant sequences of ≥1 kilobase (kb), which differ at multiple positions. In these families, high‐quality short‐read NGS data typically identify variants, but not the genomic location, which is required to calculate FIS (based on locus‐specific observed and expected heterozygosity). Thus, to assess assortative mating, or selection on heterozygotes, from NGS of multi‐locus gene families, we need a method that does not require knowledge of which variants are alleles at which locus in the genome. We developed such a method. Like FIS, our novel measure, 1HIS, is based on the principle that positive assortative mating, or selection against heterozygotes, and some other processes reduce within‐individual variability relative to the population. We demonstrate high accuracy of 1HIS on a wide range of simulated scenarios and two datasets from natural populations of penguins and dolphins. 1HIS is important because multi‐locus gene families are often involved in assortative mating or selection on heterozygotes. 1HIS is particularly useful for multi‐locus gene families, such as toll‐like receptors, the major histocompatibility complex in animals, homeobox genes in fungi and self‐incompatibility genes in plants.
Discriminating woody species assemblages from National Forest Inventory data based on phylogeny in Georgia
Authors: Wellenbeck Alexander , Fehrmann Lutz , Feilhauer Hannes , Schmidtlein Sebastian , Misof Bernhard , Hein Nils 
Published: July 2024

AbstractClassifications of forest vegetation types and characterization of related species assemblages are important analytical tools for mapping and diversity monitoring of forest communities. The discrimination of forest communities is often based on β‐diversity, which can be quantified via numerous indices to derive compositional dissimilarity between samples. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of unsupervised classification for National Forest Inventory data from Georgia by comparing two cluster hierarchies. We calculated the mean basal area per hectare for each woody species across 1059 plot observations and quantified interspecies distances for all 87 species. Following an unspuervised cluster analysis, we compared the results derived from the species‐neutral dissimilarity (Bray‐Curtis) with those based on the Discriminating Avalanche dissimilarity, which incorporates interspecies phylogenetic variation. Incorporating genetic variation in the dissimilarity quantification resulted in a more nuanced discrimination of woody species assemblages and increased cluster coherence. Favorable statistics include the total number of clusters (23 vs. 20), mean distance within clusters (0.773 vs. 0.343), and within sum of squares (344.13 vs. 112.92). Clusters derived from dissimilarities that account for genetic variation showed a more robust alignment with biogeographical units, such as elevation and known habitats. We demonstrate that the applicability of unsupervised classification of species assemblages to large‐scale forest inventory data strongly depends on the underlying quantification of dissimilarity. Our results indicate that by incorporating phylogenetic variation, a more precise classification aligned with biogeographic units is attained. This supports the concept that the genetic signal of species assemblages reflects biogeographical patterns and facilitates more precise analyses for mapping, monitoring, and management of forest diversity.
A rapid inventory of amphibians, squamates, and bats of Mata de Plátano Field Station and Nature Reserve, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Authors: Bernstein Justin Matthew , Calderón‐Acevedo Camilo Andrés , Mônico Pedro Ivo , Viñola‐Lopez Lázaro Willian , Soto‐Centeno J. Angel 
Published: July 2024

AbstractPuerto Rico harbors a diverse vertebrate fauna with high levels of endemism. However, while several books for vertebrate diversity and local checklists for birds have been published, checklists of amphibians, reptiles, and bats are lacking or nonexistent at both local and regional scales. In this study, we documented the amphibian, reptile, and bat faunas at Mata de Plátano Field Station and Nature Reserve, in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. We document four species of amphibians, seven lizards, three snakes, and nine bats. Despite prior works using samples from this nature reserve, this represents the first vertebrate checklist for the Mata de Plátano Field Station and Nature Reserve. We provide additional natural history observations based on our survey results and highlight the importance of including local and regional checklists of species for downstream research and conservation.
“ClusterApp”: A Shiny R application to guide cluster studies based on GPS data
Authors: Märtz Johanna , Tallian Aimee , Wikenros Camilla , Heeres Rick W. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe rapid evolution of GPS devices, and therefore, collection of GPS data can be used to investigate a wide variety of topics in wildlife research. The combination of remotely collected GPS data with on‐the‐ground field investigations is a powerful tool for exploring behavioral ecology. “GPS cluster studies” are aimed at pinpointing and investigating identified clusters in the field. Activity clusters can be based on various parameters (e.g., distance between GPS locations and the number of locations needed to establish a cluster), which are closely related to the set research questions. Variation in methods across years within the same study may result in data collection biases. Therefore, a streamlined method to parametrize, generate interactive maps, and extract activity cluster data using a predefined approach will limit biases, and make field work and data management straightforward for field technicians. We developed the “ClusterApp” Shiny application in the R software to facilitate a step‐by‐step guide to execute cluster analyses and data management of cluster studies on any species using GPS data. We illustrate the use of the “ClusterApp” with two location datasets constructed by data collected on brown bears (Ursus arctos) and gray wolves (Canis lupus).
Voronoi diagrams and Delaunay triangulation for modelling animal territorial behaviour
Authors: Guillermo‐Ferreira Rhainer , Filippov Alexander E. , Kovalev Alexander , Gorb Stanislav N. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractWe explore the use of movable automata in numerical modelling of male competition for territory. We used territorial dragonflies as our biological inspiration for the model, assuming two types of competing males: (a) faster and larger males that adopt a face‐off strategy and repulse other males; (b) slower and smaller males that adopt a non‐aggressive strategy. The faster and larger males have higher noise intensity, leading to faster motion and longer conservation of motion direction. The velocity distributions resemble the Maxwell distributions of velocity, expected in Brownian dynamics, with two probable velocities and distribution widths for the two animal subpopulations. The fast animals' trajectories move between visually fixed density folds of the slower animal subpopulation. A correlation is found between individual velocity and individual area distribution, with smaller animals concentrated in a region of small velocities and areas. Attraction between animals results in a modification of the system behaviour, with larger animals spending more time being surrounded by smaller animals and being slowed down by their interaction with the surroundings. Overall, the study provides insights into the dynamics of animal competition for territory and the impact of attraction between animals.
Wolbachia impacts microbiome diversity and fitness‐associated traits for Drosophila melanogaster in a seasonally fluctuating environment
Authors: Henry Lucas P. , Fernandez Michael , Wolf Scott , Abhyankar Varada , Ayroles Julien F. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe microbiome contributes to many different host traits, but its role in host adaptation remains enigmatic. The fitness benefits of the microbiome often depend on ecological conditions, but theory suggests that fluctuations in both the microbiome and environment modulate these fitness benefits. Moreover, vertically transmitted bacteria might constrain the ability of both the microbiome and host to respond to changing environments. Drosophila melanogaster provides an excellent system to investigate the impacts of interactions between the microbiome and the environment. To address this question, we created field mesocosms of D. melanogaster undergoing seasonal environmental change with and without the vertically transmitted bacteria, Wolbachia pipientis. Sampling temporal patterns in the microbiome revealed that Wolbachia constrained microbial diversity. Furthermore, Wolbachia and a dominant member of the microbiome, Commensalibacter, were associated with differences in two higher‐order fitness traits, starvation resistance and lifespan. Our work here suggests that the interplay between the abiotic context and microbe–microbe interactions may shape key host phenotypes that underlie adaptation to changing environments. We conclude by exploring the consequences of complex interactions between Wolbachia and the microbiome for our understanding of eco‐evolutionary processes that shape host‐microbiome interactions.
Urban sports fields support higher levels of soil butyrate and butyrate‐producing bacteria than urban nature parks
Authors: Brame Joel E. , Liddicoat Craig , Abbott Catherine A. , Cando‐Dumancela Christian , Fickling Nicole W. , Robinson Jake M. , Breed Martin F. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractButyrate‐producing bacteria colonise the gut of humans and non‐human animals, where they produce butyrate, a short‐chain fatty acid with known health benefits. Butyrate‐producing bacteria also reside in soils and soil bacteria can drive the assembly of airborne bacterial communities (the aerobiome). Aerobiomes in urban greenspaces are important reservoirs of butyrate‐producing bacteria as they supplement the human microbiome, but soil butyrate producer communities have rarely been examined in detail. Here, we studied soil metagenome taxonomic and functional profiles and soil physicochemical data from two urban greenspace types: sports fields (n = 11) and nature parks (n = 22). We also developed a novel method to quantify soil butyrate and characterised the in situ activity of butyrate‐producing bacteria. We show that soil butyrate was higher in sports fields than nature parks and that sports fields also had significantly higher relative abundances of the terminal butyrate production genes buk and butCoAT than nature parks. Soil butyrate positively correlated with buk gene abundance (but not butCoAT). Soil moisture (r = .50), calcium (r = −.62), iron (ρ = .54), ammonium nitrogen (ρ = .58) and organic carbon (r = .45) had the strongest soil abiotic effects on soil butyrate concentrations and iron (ρ = .56) and calcium (ρ = −.57) had the strongest soil abiotic effects on buk read abundances. Overall, our findings contribute important new insights into the role of sports fields as key exposure reservoirs of butyrate producing bacteria, with important implications for the provision of microbiome‐mediated human health benefits via butyrate.
Vegetative growth drives the negative effects of an invasive species on resident community diversity and is not limited by plant–soil feedbacks: A temporal assessment
Authors: Holden Emily M. , Salimbayeva Karina , Brown Charlotte , Stotz Gisela C. , Cahill James F. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractMany pathways of invasion have been posited, but ecologists lack an experimental framework to identify which mechanisms are dominant in a given invasion scenario. Plant–soil feedbacks (PSFs) are one such mechanism that tend to initially facilitate, but over time attenuate, invasive species' impacts on plant diversity and ecosystem function. PSFs are typically measured under greenhouse conditions and are often assumed to have significant effects under field conditions that change over time. However, direct tests of PSFs effects in natural settings and their change over time are rare. Here we compare the role of PSFs with the effects of biomass in limiting the dominance of an invasive species and impacts on resident species diversity. We characterized the effects of the invader Bromus inermis (Leyss.) on native plant communities over time and measured changes in its conspecific PSFs and vegetative growth to understand their integrated effects on community diversity. To do so, we combined data from a 6‐year field study documenting the rate and impacts of invasion with a short‐term greenhouse experiment quantifying PSF as a function of time since invasion in the field. We found that the nature and strength of B. inermis PSFs did not change over time and were not mediated by soil microbial communities. Though PSFs impacted B. inermis reproduction, they did not sufficiently limit vegetative growth to diminish the negative impacts of B. inermis biomass on native species. B. inermis experienced the full strength of its negative PSFs immediately upon invasion, but they were ineffective at reducing B. inermis vigor to facilitate the recovery of the native plant community. We recommend that conservation efforts focus on limiting B. inermis vegetative growth to facilitate community recovery.
Testing spatial transferability of species distribution models reveals differing habitat preferences for an endangered delphinid (Cephalorhynchus hectori) in Aotearoa, New Zealand
Authors: Bennington Steph , Dillingham Peter W. , Bourke Scott D. , Dawson Stephen M. , Slooten Elisabeth , Rayment William J. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractSpecies distribution models (SDMs) can be used to predict distributions in novel times or space (termed transferability) and fill knowledge gaps for areas that are data poor. In conservation, this can be used to determine the extent of spatial protection required. To understand how well a model transfers spatially, it needs to be independently tested, using data from novel habitats. Here, we test the transferability of SDMs for Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori), a culturally important (taonga) and endangered, coastal delphinid, endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand. We collected summer distribution data from three populations from 2021 to 2023. Using Generalised Additive Models, we built presence/absence SDMs for each population and validated the predictive ability of the top models (with TSS and AUC). Then, we tested the transferability of each top model by predicting the distribution of the remaining two populations. SDMs for two populations showed useful performance within their respective areas (Banks Peninsula and Otago), but when used to predict the two areas outside the models' source data, performance declined markedly. SDMs from the third area (Timaru) performed poorly, both for prediction within the source area and when transferred spatially. When data for model building were combined from two areas, results were mixed. Model interpolation was better when presence/absence data from Otago, an area of low density, were combined with data from areas of higher density, but was otherwise poor. The overall poor transferability of SDMs suggests that habitat preferences of Hector's dolphins vary between areas. For these dolphins, population‐specific distribution data should be used for conservation planning. More generally, we demonstrate that a one model fits all approach is not always suitable. When SDMs are used to predict distribution in data‐poor areas an assessment of performance in the new habitat is required, and results should be interpreted with caution.
Enhancing metabarcoding of freshwater biotic communities: A new online tool for primer selection and exploring data from 14 primer pairs
Authors: Tournayre Orianne , Tian Haolun , Lougheed David R. , Windle Matthew J. S. , Lambert Sheldon , Carter Jennipher , Sun Zhengxin , Ridal Jeff , Wang Yuxiang , Cumming Brian F. , Arnott Shelley E. , Lougheed Stephen C. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractFreshwater ecosystems are complex, diverse, and face multiple imminent threats that have led to changes in both structure and function. It is urgent that we develop and standardize monitoring tools that allow for rapid and comprehensive assessment of freshwater communities to understand their changing dynamics and inform conservation. Environmental DNA surveys offer a means to inventory and monitor aquatic diversity, yet most studies focus on one or a few taxonomic groups because of technical challenges. In this study, we (1) create an eDNA metabarcoding dataset (natural water bodies) with 14 validated primer pairs; (2) create a free online, user‐friendly tool for primer selection that can be used for any metabarcoding data (SNIPe); and (3) using SNIPe, explore our dataset to derive subsets of informative, cost‐effective primer pairs that maximize detection of freshwater diversity. We first evaluated the completeness of public reference sequence databases and the efficiency of 14 primer pairs in silico, in vitro on five mock communities (mix of DNA from tissues of select taxa), in vivo on water samples from aquarium samples with known taxonomic composition, and finally in vivo on water samples from freshwater systems in Eastern Canada. Results from analyses using SNIPe revealed that 13 or 14 primer pairs are necessary to recover 100% of the species in water samples (natural systems), but that four primer pairs are sufficient to recover almost 75% of taxa with little overlap. Our work highlights the power of eDNA metabarcoding for reconstructing freshwater communities, including prey, parasite, pathogen, invasive, and declining species. It also emphasizes the importance of marker choice on species resolution, and primer characteristics and filtering parameters on detection success and accuracy of biodiversity estimates. Together, these results highlight the usefulness of eDNA for freshwater monitoring and should prompt more studies of tools to survey all communities.