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Sample records for incipient sympatric speciation

  1. Genomics of Rapid Incipient Speciation in Sympatric Threespine Stickleback.

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    David A Marques

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Ecological speciation is the process by which reproductively isolated populations emerge as a consequence of divergent natural or ecologically-mediated sexual selection. Most genomic studies of ecological speciation have investigated allopatric populations, making it difficult to infer reproductive isolation. The few studies on sympatric ecotypes have focused on advanced stages of the speciation process after thousands of generations of divergence. As a consequence, we still do not know what genomic signatures of the early onset of ecological speciation look like. Here, we examined genomic differentiation among migratory lake and resident stream ecotypes of threespine stickleback reproducing in sympatry in one stream, and in parapatry in another stream. Importantly, these ecotypes started diverging less than 150 years ago. We obtained 34,756 SNPs with restriction-site associated DNA sequencing and identified genomic islands of differentiation using a Hidden Markov Model approach. Consistent with incipient ecological speciation, we found significant genomic differentiation between ecotypes both in sympatry and parapatry. Of 19 islands of differentiation resisting gene flow in sympatry, all were also differentiated in parapatry and were thus likely driven by divergent selection among habitats. These islands clustered in quantitative trait loci controlling divergent traits among the ecotypes, many of them concentrated in one region with low to intermediate recombination. Our findings suggest that adaptive genomic differentiation at many genetic loci can arise and persist in sympatry at the very early stage of ecotype divergence, and that the genomic architecture of adaptation may facilitate this.

  2. Sympatric Speciation in Threespine Stickleback: Why Not?

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    Daniel I. Bolnick

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Numerous theoretical models suggest that sympatric speciation is possible when frequency-dependent interactions such as intraspecific competition drive disruptive selection on a trait that is also subject to assortative mating. Here, I review recent evidence that both conditions are met in lake populations of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus. Nonetheless, sympatric speciation appears to be rare or absent in stickleback. If stickleback qualitatively fit the theoretical requirements for sympatric speciation, why do they not undergo sympatric speciation? I present simulations showing that disruptive selection and assortative mating in stickleback, though present, are too weak to drive speciation. Furthermore, I summarize empirical evidence that disruptive selection in stickleback drives other forms of evolutionary diversification (plasticity, increased trait variance, and sexual dimorphism instead of speciation. In conclusion, core assumptions of sympatric speciation theory seem to be qualitatively reasonable for stickleback, but speciation may nevertheless fail because of (i quantitative mismatches with theory and (ii alternative evolutionary outcomes.

  3. Evolution: sympatric speciation the eusocial way

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boomsma, Jacobus Jan; Nash, David Richard

    2014-01-01

    Sympatric speciation normally requires particular conditions of ecological niche differentiation. However, ant social parasites have been suspected to arise sympatrically, because (dis)loyalty to eusocial kin-structures induces disruptive selection for dispersal and inbreeding. A new study docume...

  4. Incipient speciation driven by hypertrophied lips in Midas cichlid fishes?

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    Machado-Schiaffino, Gonzalo; Kautt, Andreas F; Torres-Dowdall, Julian; Baumgarten, Lukas; Henning, Frederico; Meyer, Axel

    2017-04-01

    Sympatric speciation has been debated in evolutionary biology for decades. Although it has gained in acceptance recently, still only a handful of empirical examples are seen as valid (e.g. crater lake cichlids). In this study, we disentangle the role of hypertrophied lips in the repeated adaptive radiations of Nicaraguan crater lake cichlid fish. We assessed the role of disruptive selection and assortative mating during the early stages of divergence and found a functional trade-off in feeding behaviour between thick- and thin-lipped ecotypes, suggesting that this trait is a target of disruptive selection. Thick-lipped fish perform better on nonevasive prey at the cost of a poorer performance on evasive prey. Using enclosures in the wild, we found that thick-lipped fish perform significantly better in rocky than in sandy habitats. We found almost no mixed pairs during two breeding seasons and hence significant assortative mating. Genetic differentiation between ecotypes seems to be related to the time since colonization, being subtle in L. Masaya (1600 generations ago) and absent in the younger L. Apoyeque (<600 generations ago). Genome-wide differentiation between ecotypes was higher in the old source lakes than in the young crater lakes. Our results suggest that hypertrophied lips might be promoting incipient sympatric speciation through divergent selection (ecological divergence in feeding performance) and nonrandom mating (assortative mating) in the young Nicaraguan crater lakes. Nonetheless, further manipulative experiments are needed in order to confirm the role of hypertrophied lips as the main cue for assortative mating. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Extensive range overlap between heliconiine sister species: evidence for sympatric speciation in butterflies?

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    Rosser, Neil; Kozak, Krzysztof M; Phillimore, Albert B; Mallet, James

    2015-06-30

    Sympatric speciation is today generally viewed as plausible, and some well-supported examples exist, but its relative contribution to biodiversity remains to be established. We here quantify geographic overlap of sister species of heliconiine butterflies, and use age-range correlations and spatial simulations of the geography of speciation to infer the frequency of sympatric speciation. We also test whether shifts in mimetic wing colour pattern, host plant use and climate niche play a role in speciation, and whether such shifts are associated with sympatry. Approximately a third of all heliconiine sister species pairs exhibit near complete range overlap, and analyses of the observed patterns of range overlap suggest that sympatric speciation contributes 32%-95% of speciation events. Müllerian mimicry colour patterns and host plant choice are highly labile traits that seem to be associated with speciation, but we find no association between shifts in these traits and range overlap. In contrast, climatic niches of sister species are more conserved. Unlike birds and mammals, sister species of heliconiines are often sympatric and our inferences using the most recent comparative methods suggest that sympatric speciation is common. However, if sister species spread rapidly into sympatry (e.g. due to their similar climatic niches), then assumptions underlying our methods would be violated. Furthermore, although we find some evidence for the role of ecology in speciation, ecological shifts did not show the associations with range overlap expected under sympatric speciation. We delimit species of heliconiines in three different ways, based on "strict and " "relaxed" biological species concepts (BSC), as well as on a surrogate for the widely-used "diagnostic" version of the phylogenetic species concept (PSC). We show that one reason why more sympatric speciation is inferred in heliconiines than in birds may be due to a different culture of species delimitation in the two

  6. The rate test of speciation: estimating the likelihood of non-allopatric speciation from reproductive isolation rates in Drosophila.

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    Yukilevich, Roman

    2014-04-01

    Among the most debated subjects in speciation is the question of its mode. Although allopatric (geographical) speciation is assumed the null model, the importance of parapatric and sympatric speciation is extremely difficult to assess and remains controversial. Here I develop a novel approach to distinguish these modes of speciation by studying the evolution of reproductive isolation (RI) among taxa. I focus on the Drosophila genus, for which measures of RI are known. First, I incorporate RI into age-range correlations. Plots show that almost all cases of weak RI are between allopatric taxa whereas sympatric taxa have strong RI. This either implies that most reproductive isolation (RI) was initiated in allopatry or that RI evolves too rapidly in sympatry to be captured at incipient stages. To distinguish between these explanations, I develop a new "rate test of speciation" that estimates the likelihood of non-allopatric speciation given the distribution of RI rates in allopatry versus sympatry. Most sympatric taxa were found to have likely initiated RI in allopatry. However, two putative candidate species pairs for non-allopatric speciation were identified (5% of known Drosophila). In total, this study shows how using RI measures can greatly inform us about the geographical mode of speciation in nature. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  7. Evidence for nonallopatric speciation among closely related sympatric Heliotropium species in the Atacama Desert.

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    Luebert, Federico; Jacobs, Pit; Hilger, Hartmut H; Muller, Ludo A H

    2014-02-01

    The genetic structure of populations of closely related, sympatric species may hold the signature of the geographical mode of the speciation process. In fully allopatric speciation, it is expected that genetic differentiation between species is homogeneously distributed across the genome. In nonallopatric speciation, the genomes may remain undifferentiated to a large extent. In this article, we analyzed the genetic structure of five sympatric species from the plant genus Heliotropium in the Atacama Desert. We used amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) to characterize the genetic structure of these species and evaluate their genetic differentiation as well as the number of loci subject to positive selection using divergence outlier analysis (DOA). The five species form distinguishable groups in the genetic space, with zones of overlap, indicating that they are possibly not completely isolated. Among-species differentiation accounts for 35% of the total genetic differentiation (F ST = 0.35), and F ST between species pairs is positively correlated with phylogenetic distance. DOA suggests that few loci are subject to positive selection, which is in line with a scenario of nonallopatric speciation. These results support the idea that sympatric species of Heliotropium sect. Cochranea are under an ongoing speciation process, characterized by a fluctuation of population ranges in response to pulses of arid and humid periods during Quaternary times.

  8. Adaptive divergence with gene flow in incipient speciation of Miscanthus floridulus / sinensis complex (Poaceae)

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Chao-Li; Ho, Chuan-Wen; Chiang, Yu-Chung; Shigemoto, Yasumasa; Hsu, Tsai-Wen; Hwang, Chi-Chuan; Ge, Xue-Jun; Chen, Charles; Wu, Tai-Han; Chou, Chang-Hung; Huang, Hao-Jen; Gojobori, Takashi; Osada, Naoki; Chiang, Tzen-Yuh

    2014-01-01

    Young incipient species provide ideal materials for untangling the process of ecological speciation in the presence of gene flow. The Miscanthus floridulus/sinensis complex exhibits diverse phenotypic and ecological differences despite recent divergence (approximately 1.59million years ago). To elucidate the process of genetic differentiation during early stages of ecological speciation, we analyzed genomic divergence in the Miscanthus complex using 72 randomly selected genes from a newly assembled transcriptome. In this study, rampant gene flow was detected between species, estimated as M=3.36x10(-9) to 1.20x10(-6), resulting in contradicting phylogenies across loci. Nevertheless, beast analyses revealed the species identity and the effects of extrinsic cohesive forces that counteracted the non-stop introgression. As expected, early in speciation with gene flow, only 3-13 loci were highly diverged; two to five outliers (approximately 2.78-6.94% of the genome) were characterized by strong linkage disequilibrium, and asymmetrically distributed among ecotypes, indicating footprints of diversifying selection. In conclusion, ecological speciation of incipient species of Miscanthus probably followed the parapatric model, whereas allopatric speciation cannot be completely ruled out, especially between the geographically isolated northern and southern M.sinensis, for which no significant gene flow across oceanic barriers was detected. Divergence between local ecotypes in early-stage speciation began at a few genomic regions under the influence of natural selection and divergence hitchhiking that overcame gene flow.

  9. Adaptive divergence with gene flow in incipient speciation of Miscanthus floridulus / sinensis complex (Poaceae)

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Chao-Li

    2014-11-11

    Young incipient species provide ideal materials for untangling the process of ecological speciation in the presence of gene flow. The Miscanthus floridulus/sinensis complex exhibits diverse phenotypic and ecological differences despite recent divergence (approximately 1.59million years ago). To elucidate the process of genetic differentiation during early stages of ecological speciation, we analyzed genomic divergence in the Miscanthus complex using 72 randomly selected genes from a newly assembled transcriptome. In this study, rampant gene flow was detected between species, estimated as M=3.36x10(-9) to 1.20x10(-6), resulting in contradicting phylogenies across loci. Nevertheless, beast analyses revealed the species identity and the effects of extrinsic cohesive forces that counteracted the non-stop introgression. As expected, early in speciation with gene flow, only 3-13 loci were highly diverged; two to five outliers (approximately 2.78-6.94% of the genome) were characterized by strong linkage disequilibrium, and asymmetrically distributed among ecotypes, indicating footprints of diversifying selection. In conclusion, ecological speciation of incipient species of Miscanthus probably followed the parapatric model, whereas allopatric speciation cannot be completely ruled out, especially between the geographically isolated northern and southern M.sinensis, for which no significant gene flow across oceanic barriers was detected. Divergence between local ecotypes in early-stage speciation began at a few genomic regions under the influence of natural selection and divergence hitchhiking that overcame gene flow.

  10. Divergence in sex steroid hormone signaling between sympatric species of Japanese threespine stickleback.

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    Jun Kitano

    Full Text Available Sex steroids mediate the expression of sexually dimorphic or sex-specific traits that are important both for mate choice within species and for behavioral isolation between species. We investigated divergence in sex steroid signaling between two sympatric species of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus: the Japan Sea form and the Pacific Ocean form. These sympatric forms diverge in both male display traits and female mate choice behaviors, which together contribute to asymmetric behavioral isolation in sympatry. Here, we found that plasma levels of testosterone and 17β-estradiol differed between spawning females of the two sympatric forms. Transcript levels of follicle-stimulating hormone-β (FSHβ gene were also higher in the pituitary gland of spawning Japan Sea females than in the pituitary gland of spawning Pacific Ocean females. By contrast, none of the sex steroids examined were significantly different between nesting males of the two forms. However, combining the plasma sex steroid data with testis transcriptome data suggested that the efficiency of the conversion of testosterone into 11-ketotestosterone has likely diverged between forms. Within forms, plasma testosterone levels in males were significantly correlated with male body size, a trait important for female mate choice in the two sympatric species. These results demonstrate that substantial divergence in sex steroid signaling can occur between incipient sympatric species. We suggest that investigation of the genetic and ecological mechanisms underlying divergence in hormonal signaling between incipient sympatric species will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms of speciation in animals.

  11. Incipient sympatric speciation in Midas cichlid fish from the youngest and one of the smallest crater lakes in Nicaragua due to differential use of the benthic and limnetic habitats?

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    Kautt, Andreas F; Machado-Schiaffino, Gonzalo; Torres-Dowdall, Julian; Meyer, Axel

    2016-08-01

    Understanding how speciation can occur without geographic isolation remains a central objective in evolutionary biology. Generally, some form of disruptive selection and assortative mating are necessary for sympatric speciation to occur. Disruptive selection can arise from intraspecific competition for resources. If this competition leads to the differential use of habitats and variation in relevant traits is genetically determined, then assortative mating can be an automatic consequence (i.e., habitat isolation). In this study, we caught Midas cichlid fish from the limnetic (middle of the lake) and benthic (shore) habitats of Crater Lake Asososca Managua to test whether some of the necessary conditions for sympatric speciation due to intraspecific competition and habitat isolation are given. Lake As. Managua is very small (Midas cichlids, Amphilophus tolteca. We found that fish from the limnetic habitat were more elongated than fish collected from the benthic habitat, as would be predicted from ecomorphological considerations. Stable isotope analyses confirmed that the former also exhibit a more limnetic lifestyle than the latter. Furthermore, split-brood design experiments in the laboratory suggest that phenotypic plasticity is unlikely to explain much of the observed differences in body elongation that we observed in the field. Yet, neutral markers (microsatellites) did not reveal any genetic clustering in the population. Interestingly, demographic inferences based on RAD-seq data suggest that the apparent lack of genetic differentiation at neutral markers could simply be due to a lack of time, as intraspecific competition may only have begun a few hundred generations ago.

  12. Are sympatrically speciating Midas cichlid fish special? Patterns of morphological and genetic variation in the closely related species Archocentrus centrarchus.

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    Fruciano, Carmelo; Franchini, Paolo; Raffini, Francesca; Fan, Shaohua; Meyer, Axel

    2016-06-01

    Established empirical cases of sympatric speciation are scarce, although there is an increasing consensus that sympatric speciation might be more common than previously thought. Midas cichlid fish are one of the few substantiated cases of sympatric speciation, and they formed repeated radiations in crater lakes. In contrast, in the same environment, such radiation patterns have not been observed in other species of cichlids and other families of fish. We analyze morphological and genetic variation in a cichlid species (Archocentrus centrarchus) that co-inhabits several crater lakes with the Midas species complex. In particular, we analyze variation in body and pharyngeal jaw shape (two ecologically important traits in sympatrically divergent Midas cichlids) and relate that to genetic variation in mitochondrial control region and microsatellites. Using these four datasets, we analyze variation between and within two Nicaraguan lakes: a crater lake where multiple Midas cichlids have been described and a lake where the source population lives. We do not observe any within-lake clustering consistent across morphological traits and genetic markers, suggesting the absence of sympatric divergence in A. centrarchus. Genetic differentiation between lakes was low and morphological divergence absent. Such morphological similarity between lakes is found not only in average morphology, but also when analyzing covariation between traits and degree of morphospace occupation. A combined analysis of the mitochondrial control region in A. centrarchus and Midas cichlids suggests that a difference between lineages in the timing of crater lake colonization cannot be invoked as an explanation for the difference in their levels of diversification. In light of our results, A. centrarchus represents the ideal candidate to study the genomic differences between these two lineages that might explain why some lineages are more likely to speciate and diverge in sympatry than others.

  13. The contribution of post-copulatory mechanisms to incipient ecological speciation in sticklebacks.

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    Kaufmann, Joshka; Eizaguirre, Christophe; Milinski, Manfred; Lenz, Tobias L

    2015-01-01

    Ecology can play a major role in species diversification. As individuals are adapting to contrasting habitats, reproductive barriers may evolve at multiple levels. While pre-mating barriers have been extensively studied, the evolution of post-mating reproductive isolation during early stages of ecological speciation remains poorly understood. In diverging three-spined stickleback ecotypes from two lakes and two rivers, we observed differences in sperm traits between lake and river males. Interestingly, these differences did not translate into ecotype-specific gamete precedence for sympatric males in competitive in vitro fertilization experiments, potentially owing to antagonistic compensatory effects. However, we observed indirect evidence for impeded development of inter-ecotype zygotes, possibly suggesting an early stage of genetic incompatibility between ecotypes. Our results show that pre-zygotic post-copulatory mechanisms play a minor role during this first stage of ecotype divergence, but suggest that genetic incompatibilities may arise at early stages of ecological speciation. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  14. Sampling genetic diversity in the sympatrically and allopatrically speciating Midas cichlid species complex over a 16 year time series

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    Bunje Paul ME

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Speciation often occurs in complex or uncertain temporal and spatial contexts. Processes such as reinforcement, allopatric divergence, and assortative mating can proceed at different rates and with different strengths as populations diverge. The Central American Midas cichlid fish species complex is an important case study for understanding the processes of speciation. Previous analyses have demonstrated that allopatric processes led to species formation among the lakes of Nicaragua as well as sympatric speciation that is occurring within at least one crater lake. However, since speciation is an ongoing process and sampling genetic diversity of such lineages can be biased by collection scheme or random factors, it is important to evaluate the robustness of conclusions drawn on individual time samples. Results In order to assess the validity and reliability of inferences based on different genetic samples, we have analyzed fish from several lakes in Nicaragua sampled at three different times over 16 years. In addition, this time series allows us to analyze the population genetic changes that have occurred between lakes, where allopatric speciation has operated, as well as between different species within lakes, some of which have originated by sympatric speciation. Focusing on commonly used genetic markers, we have analyzed both DNA sequences from the complete mitochondrial control region as well as nuclear DNA variation at ten microsatellite loci from these populations, sampled thrice in a 16 year time period, to develop a robust estimate of the population genetic history of these diversifying lineages. Conclusion The conclusions from previous work are well supported by our comprehensive analysis. In particular, we find that the genetic diversity of derived crater lake populations is lower than that of the source population regardless of when and how each population was sampled. Furthermore, changes in various estimates of

  15. Chasing sympatric speciation: The relative importance and genetic basis of prezygotic isolation barriers in diverging populations of Spodoptera frugiperda

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    Hänniger, S.

    2015-01-01

    This thesis investigates the mechanisms underlying three prezygotic isolation barriers between the corn- and the rice-strain of the noctuid moth Spodoptera frugiperda to determine possible interactions between these isolation barriers and their relative importance for sympatric speciation. First, we

  16. Rapid neo-sex chromosome evolution and incipient speciation in a major forest pest.

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    Bracewell, Ryan R; Bentz, Barbara J; Sullivan, Brian T; Good, Jeffrey M

    2017-11-17

    Genome evolution is predicted to be rapid following the establishment of new (neo) sex chromosomes, but it is not known if neo-sex chromosome evolution plays an important role in speciation. Here we combine extensive crossing experiments with population and functional genomic data to examine neo-XY chromosome evolution and incipient speciation in the mountain pine beetle. We find a broad continuum of intrinsic incompatibilities in hybrid males that increase in strength with geographic distance between reproductively isolated populations. This striking progression of reproductive isolation is coupled with extensive gene specialization, natural selection, and elevated genetic differentiation on both sex chromosomes. Closely related populations isolated by hybrid male sterility also show fixation of alternative neo-Y haplotypes that differ in structure and male-specific gene content. Our results suggest that neo-sex chromosome evolution can drive rapid functional divergence between closely related populations irrespective of ecological drivers of divergence.

  17. Rapid sympatric ecological differentiation of crater lake cichlid fishes within historic times

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    Harrod Chris

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background After a volcano erupts, a lake may form in the cooled crater and become an isolated aquatic ecosystem. This makes fishes in crater lakes informative for understanding sympatric evolution and ecological diversification in barren environments. From a geological and limnological perspective, such research offers insight about the process of crater lake ecosystem establishment and speciation. In the present study we use genetic and coalescence approaches to infer the colonization history of Midas cichlid fishes (Amphilophus cf. citrinellus that inhabit a very young crater lake in Nicaragua-the ca. 1800 year-old Lake Apoyeque. This lake holds two sympatric, endemic morphs of Midas cichlid: one with large, hypertrophied lips (~20% of the total population and another with thin lips. Here we test the associated ecological, morphological and genetic diversification of these two morphs and their potential to represent incipient speciation. Results Gene coalescence analyses [11 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA sequences] suggest that crater lake Apoyeque was colonized in a single event from the large neighbouring great lake Managua only about 100 years ago. This founding in historic times is also reflected in the extremely low nuclear and mitochondrial genetic diversity in Apoyeque. We found that sympatric adult thin- and thick-lipped fishes occupy distinct ecological trophic niches. Diet, body shape, head width, pharyngeal jaw size and shape and stable isotope values all differ significantly between the two lip-morphs. The eco-morphological features pharyngeal jaw shape, body shape, stomach contents and stable isotopes (δ15N all show a bimodal distribution of traits, which is compatible with the expectations of an initial stage of ecological speciation under disruptive selection. Genetic differentiation between the thin- and thick-lipped population is weak at mtDNA sequence (FST = 0.018 and absent at nuclear

  18. Tracking niche variation over millennial timescales in sympatric killer whale lineages.

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    Foote, Andrew D; Newton, Jason; Ávila-Arcos, María C; Kampmann, Marie-Louise; Samaniego, Jose A; Post, Klaas; Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu; Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S; Gilbert, M Thomas P

    2013-10-07

    Niche variation owing to individual differences in ecology has been hypothesized to be an early stage of sympatric speciation. Yet to date, no study has tracked niche width over more than a few generations. In this study, we show the presence of isotopic niche variation over millennial timescales and investigate the evolutionary outcomes. Isotopic ratios were measured from tissue samples of sympatric killer whale Orcinus orca lineages from the North Sea, spanning over 10 000 years. Isotopic ratios spanned a range similar to the difference in isotopic values of two known prey items, herring Clupea harengus and harbour seal Phoca vitulina. Two proxies of the stage of speciation, lineage sorting of mitogenomes and genotypic clustering, were both weak to intermediate indicating that speciation has made little progress. Thus, our study confirms that even with the necessary ecological conditions, i.e. among-individual variation in ecology, it is difficult for sympatric speciation to progress in the face of gene flow. In contrast to some theoretical models, our empirical results suggest that sympatric speciation driven by among-individual differences in ecological niche is a slow process and may not reach completion. We argue that sympatric speciation is constrained in this system owing to the plastic nature of the behavioural traits under selection when hunting either mammals or fish.

  19. Mechanisms of rapid sympatric speciation by sex reversal and sexual selection in cichlid fish.

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    Lande, R; Seehausen, O; van Alphen, J J

    2001-01-01

    Mechanisms of speciation in cichlid fish were investigated by analyzing population genetic models of sexual selection on sex-determining genes associated with color polymorphisms. The models are based on a combination of laboratory experiments and field observations on the ecology, male and female mating behavior, and inheritance of sex-determination and color polymorphisms. The models explain why sex-reversal genes that change males into females tend to be X-linked and associated with novel colors, using the hypothesis of restricted recombination on the sex chromosomes, as suggested by previous theory on the evolution of recombination. The models reveal multiple pathways for rapid sympatric speciation through the origin of novel color morphs with strong assortative mating that incorporate both sex-reversal and suppressor genes. Despite the lack of geographic isolation or ecological differentiation, the new species coexists with the ancestral species either temporarily or indefinitely. These results may help to explain different patterns and rates of speciation among groups of cichlids, in particular the explosive diversification of rock-dwelling haplochromine cichlids.

  20. Divergence with gene flow across a speciation continuum of Heliconius butterflies.

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    Supple, Megan A; Papa, Riccardo; Hines, Heather M; McMillan, W Owen; Counterman, Brian A

    2015-09-24

    A key to understanding the origins of species is determining the evolutionary processes that drive the patterns of genomic divergence during speciation. New genomic technologies enable the study of high-resolution genomic patterns of divergence across natural speciation continua, where taxa pairs with different levels of reproductive isolation can be used as proxies for different stages of speciation. Empirical studies of these speciation continua can provide valuable insights into how genomes diverge during speciation. We examine variation across a handful of genomic regions in parapatric and allopatric populations of Heliconius butterflies with varying levels of reproductive isolation. Genome sequences were mapped to 2.2-Mb of the H. erato genome, including 1-Mb across the red color pattern locus and multiple regions unlinked to color pattern variation. Phylogenetic analyses reveal a speciation continuum of pairs of hybridizing races and incipient species in the Heliconius erato clade. Comparisons of hybridizing pairs of divergently colored races and incipient species reveal that genomic divergence increases with ecological and reproductive isolation, not only across the locus responsible for adaptive variation in red wing coloration, but also at genomic regions unlinked to color pattern. We observe high levels of divergence between the incipient species H. erato and H. himera, suggesting that divergence may accumulate early in the speciation process. Comparisons of genomic divergence between the incipient species and allopatric races suggest that limited gene flow cannot account for the observed high levels of divergence between the incipient species. Our results provide a reconstruction of the speciation continuum across the H. erato clade and provide insights into the processes that drive genomic divergence during speciation, establishing the H. erato clade as a powerful framework for the study of speciation.

  1. Evolution of blind beetles in isolated aquifers: a test of alternative modes of speciation

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    Leys, R.; Nes, van E.H.; Watts, C.H.; Cooper, S.J.B.; Humphreys, W.F.; Hogendoorn, K.

    2012-01-01

    Evidence is growing that not only allopatric but also sympatric speciation can be important in the evolution of species. Sympatric speciation has most convincingly been demonstrated in laboratory experiments with bacteria, but field-based evidence is limited to a few cases. The recently discovered

  2. Rapid allopatric speciation in logperch darters (Percidae: Percina).

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    Near, Thomas J; Benard, Michael F

    2004-12-01

    Theory predicts that clades diversifying via sympatric speciation will exhibit high diversification rates. However, the expected rate of diversification in clades characterized by allopatric speciation is less clear. Previous studies have documented significantly higher speciation rates in freshwater fish clades diversifying via sympatric versus allopatric modes, leading to suggestions that the geographic pattern of speciation can be inferred solely from knowledge of the diversification rate. We tested this prediction using an example from darters, a clade of approximately 200 species of freshwater fishes endemic to eastern North America. A resolved phylogeny was generated using mitochondrial DNA gene sequences for logperches, a monophyletic group of darters composed of 10 recognized species. Divergence times among logperch species were estimated using a fossil calibrated molecular clock in centrarchid fishes, and diversification rates in logperches were estimated using several methods. Speciation events in logperches are recent, extending from 4.20 +/- 1.06 million years ago (mya) to 0.42 +/- 0.22 mya, with most speciation events occurring in the Pleistocene. Diversification rates are high in logperches, at some nodes exceeding rates reported for well-studied adaptive radiations such as Hawaiian silverswords. The geographic pattern of speciation in logperches was investigated by examining the relationship between degree of sympatry and the absolute age of the contrast, with the result that diversification in logperches appears allopatric. The very high diversification rate observed in the logperch phylogeny is more similar to freshwater fish clades thought to represent examples of sympatric speciation than to clades representing allopatric speciation. These results demonstrate that the geographic mode of speciation for a clade cannot be inferred from the diversification rate. The empirical observation of high diversification rates in logperches demonstrates that

  3. How Facilitation May Interfere with Ecological Speciation

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    P. Liancourt

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Compared to the vast literature linking competitive interactions and speciation, attempts to understand the role of facilitation for evolutionary diversification remain scarce. Yet, community ecologists now recognize the importance of positive interactions within plant communities. Here, we examine how facilitation may interfere with the mechanisms of ecological speciation. We argue that facilitation is likely to (1 maintain gene flow among incipient species by enabling cooccurrence of adapted and maladapted forms in marginal habitats and (2 increase fitness of introgressed forms and limit reinforcement in secondary contact zones. Alternatively, we present how facilitation may favour colonization of marginal habitats and thus enhance local adaptation and ecological speciation. Therefore, facilitation may impede or pave the way for ecological speciation. Using a simple spatially and genetically explicit modelling framework, we illustrate and propose some first testable ideas about how, when, and where facilitation may act as a cohesive force for ecological speciation. These hypotheses and the modelling framework proposed should stimulate further empirical and theoretical research examining the role of both competitive and positive interactions in the formation of incipient species.

  4. Genetic population structure of sympatric and allopatric populations of Baltic ciscoes (Coregonus albula complex, Teleostei, Coregonidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehner, Thomas; Pohlmann, Kirsten; Elkin, Che; Monaghan, Michael T; Nitz, Barbara; Freyhof, Jörg

    2010-03-29

    Teleost fishes of the Coregonidae are good model systems for studying postglacial evolution, adaptive radiation and ecological speciation. Of particular interest is whether the repeated occurrence of sympatric species pairs results from in-situ divergence from a single lineage or from multiple invasions of one or more different lineages. Here, we analysed the genetic structure of Baltic ciscoes (Coregonus albula complex), examining 271 individuals from 8 lakes in northern Germany using 1244 polymorphic AFLP loci. Six lakes had only one population of C. albula while the remaining two lakes had C. albula as well as a sympatric species (C. lucinensis or C. fontanae). AFLP demonstrated a significant population structure (Bayesian thetaB = 0.22). Lower differentiation between allopatric (thetaB = 0.028) than sympatric (0.063-0.083) populations contradicts the hypothesis of a sympatric origin of taxa, and there was little evidence for stocking or ongoing hybridization. Genome scans found only three loci that appeared to be under selection in both sympatric population pairs, suggesting a low probability of similar mechanisms of ecological segregation. However, removal of all non-neutral loci decreased the genetic distance between sympatric pairs, suggesting recent adaptive divergence at a few loci. Sympatric pairs in the two lakes were genetically distinct from the six other C. albula populations, suggesting introgression from another lineage may have influenced these two lakes. This was supported by an analysis of isolation-by-distance, where the drift-gene flow equilibrium observed among allopatric populations was disrupted when the sympatric pairs were included. While the population genetic data alone can not unambiguously uncover the mode of speciation, our data indicate that multiple lineages may be responsible for the complex patterns typically observed in Coregonus. Relative differences within and among lakes raises the possibility that multiple lineages may be

  5. Hybridization masks speciation in the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLeod, Amy; Rodríguez, Ariel; Vences, Miguel; Orozco-terWengel, Pablo; García, Carolina; Trillmich, Fritz; Gentile, Gabriele; Caccone, Adalgisa; Quezada, Galo; Steinfartz, Sebastian

    2015-06-22

    The effects of the direct interaction between hybridization and speciation-two major contrasting evolutionary processes--are poorly understood. We present here the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and reveal a case of incipient within--island speciation, which is paralleled by between-island hybridization. In-depth genome-wide analyses suggest that Amblyrhynchus diverged from its sister group, the Galápagos land iguanas, around 4.5 million years ago (Ma), but divergence among extant populations is exceedingly young (less than 50,000 years). Despite Amblyrhynchus appearing as a single long-branch species phylogenetically, we find strong population structure between islands, and one case of incipient speciation of sister lineages within the same island--ostensibly initiated by volcanic events. Hybridization between both lineages is exceedingly rare, yet frequent hybridization with migrants from nearby islands is evident. The contemporary snapshot provided by highly variable markers indicates that speciation events may have occurred throughout the evolutionary history of marine iguanas, though these events are not visible in the deeper phylogenetic trees. We hypothesize that the observed interplay of speciation and hybridization might be a mechanism by which local adaptations, generated by incipient speciation, can be absorbed into a common gene pool, thereby enhancing the evolutionary potential of the species as a whole. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  6. Climatic niche evolution is faster in sympatric than allopatric lineages of the butterfly genus Pyrgus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitteloud, Camille; Arrigo, Nils; Suchan, Tomasz; Mastretta-Yanes, Alicia; Vila, Roger; Dincă, Vlad; Hernández-Roldán, Juan; Brockmann, Ernst; Chittaro, Yannick; Kleckova, Irena; Fumagalli, Luca; Buerki, Sven; Pellissier, Loïc; Alvarez, Nadir

    2017-04-12

    Understanding how speciation relates to ecological divergence has long fascinated biologists. It is assumed that ecological divergence is essential to sympatric speciation, as a mechanism to avoid competition and eventually lead to reproductive isolation, while divergence in allopatry is not necessarily associated with niche differentiation. The impact of the spatial context of divergence on the evolutionary rates of abiotic dimensions of the ecological niche has rarely been explored for an entire clade. Here, we compare the magnitude of climatic niche shifts between sympatric versus allopatric divergence of lineages in butterflies. By combining next-generation sequencing, parametric biogeography and ecological niche analyses applied to a genus-wide phylogeny of Palaearctic Pyrgus butterflies, we compare evolutionary rates along eight climatic dimensions across sister lineages that diverged in large-scale sympatry versus allopatry. In order to examine the possible effects of the spatial scale at which sympatry is defined, we considered three sets of biogeographic assignments, ranging from narrow to broad definition. Our findings suggest higher rates of niche evolution along all climatic dimensions for sister lineages that diverge in sympatry, when using a narrow delineation of biogeographic areas. This result contrasts with significantly lower rates of climatic niche evolution found in cases of allopatric speciation, despite the biogeographic regions defined here being characterized by significantly different climates. Higher rates in allopatry are retrieved when biogeographic areas are too widely defined-in such a case allopatric events may be recorded as sympatric. Our results reveal the macro-evolutionary significance of abiotic niche differentiation involved in speciation processes within biogeographic regions, and illustrate the importance of the spatial scale chosen to define areas when applying parametric biogeographic analyses. © 2017 The Author(s).

  7. Reproductive isolation of sympatric forms of the understorey palm Geonoma macrostachys in western Amazonia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borchsenius, Finn; Lozada, Tannya; Knudsen, Jette T.

    2016-01-01

    The evolution of a mechanism for attaining reproductive isolation between two diverging populations is a key step in the speciation process. We studied phenotypic variation, genetic differentiation, spatial distribution and reproductive ecology in two sympatric forms of the understorey palm Geonoma...

  8. Hybridization masks speciation in the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLeod, Amy; Rodríguez, Ariel; Vences, Miguel; Orozco-terWengel, Pablo; García, Carolina; Trillmich, Fritz; Gentile, Gabriele; Caccone, Adalgisa; Quezada, Galo; Steinfartz, Sebastian

    2015-01-01

    The effects of the direct interaction between hybridization and speciation—two major contrasting evolutionary processes—are poorly understood. We present here the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and reveal a case of incipient within-island speciation, which is paralleled by between-island hybridization. In-depth genome-wide analyses suggest that Amblyrhynchus diverged from its sister group, the Galápagos land iguanas, around 4.5 million years ago (Ma), but divergence among extant populations is exceedingly young (less than 50 000 years). Despite Amblyrhynchus appearing as a single long-branch species phylogenetically, we find strong population structure between islands, and one case of incipient speciation of sister lineages within the same island—ostensibly initiated by volcanic events. Hybridization between both lineages is exceedingly rare, yet frequent hybridization with migrants from nearby islands is evident. The contemporary snapshot provided by highly variable markers indicates that speciation events may have occurred throughout the evolutionary history of marine iguanas, though these events are not visible in the deeper phylogenetic trees. We hypothesize that the observed interplay of speciation and hybridization might be a mechanism by which local adaptations, generated by incipient speciation, can be absorbed into a common gene pool, thereby enhancing the evolutionary potential of the species as a whole. PMID:26041359

  9. Is cascade reinforcement likely when sympatric and allopatric populations exchange migrants?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yukilevich, Roman; Aoki, Fumio

    2016-04-01

    When partially reproductively isolated species come back into secondary contact, these taxa may diverge in mating preferences and sexual cues to avoid maladaptive hybridization, a process known as reinforcement. This phenomenon often leads to reproductive character displacement (RCD) between sympatric and allopatric populations of reinforcing species that differ in their exposure to hybridization. Recent discussions have reinvigorated the idea that RCD may give rise to additional speciation between conspecific sympatric and allopatric populations, dubbing the concept "cascade reinforcement." Despite some empirical studies supporting cascade reinforcement, we still know very little about the conditions for its evolution. In the present article, we address this question by developing an individual-based population genetic model that explicitly simulates cascade reinforcement when one of the hybridizing species is split into sympatric and allopatric populations. Our results show that when sympatric and allopatric populations reside in the same environment and only differ in their exposure to maladaptive hybridization, migration between them generally inhibits the evolution of cascade by spreading the reinforcement alleles from sympatry into allopatry and erasing RCD. Under these conditions, cascade reinforcement only evolved when migration rate between sympatric and allopatric populations was very low. This indicates that stabilizing sexual selection in allopatry is generally ineffective in preventing the spread of reinforcement alleles. Only when sympatric and allopatric populations experienced divergent ecological selection did cascade reinforcement evolve in the presence of substantial migration. These predictions clarify the conditions for cascade reinforcement and facilitate our understanding of existing cases in nature.

  10. Male-male competition and speciation : aggression bias towards differently coloured rivals varies between stages of speciation in a Lake Victoria cichlid species complex

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijkstra, P. D.; Seehausen, O.; Pierotti, M. E. R.; Groothuis, T. G. G.

    Sympatric speciation driven by sexual selection by female mate choice on a male trait is a much debated topic. The process is problematic because of the lack of negative frequency-dependent selection that can facilitate the invasion of a novel colour phenotype and stabilize trait polymorphism. It

  11. Reproductive isolation between sympatric and allopatric Brazilian populations of Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. (Diptera: Psychodidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Nataly A; Andrade-Coelho, Claudia A; Vigoder, Felipe M; Ward, Richard D; Peixoto, Alexandre A

    2008-03-01

    Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l., the main vector of Leishmania chagasi in Latin America, is a species complex although the exact number of siblings is yet unknown. In Brazil, the siblings differ in male copulatory courtship songs and pheromones that most certainly act as pre-zygotic reproductive barriers. Here we analysed the reproductive isolation between three allopatric and two sympatric populations of Lu. longipalpis s.l. from Brazil. The results indicate a strong copulatory and pre-mating isolation between the three allopatric populations. In addition, the results also indicate a stronger pre-mating isolation between the two sympatric siblings than between the three allopatric ones, suggesting a role for reinforcement in the speciation of the Lu. longipalpis s.l. complex.

  12. Genetic and morphological support for possible sympatric origin of fish from subterranean habitats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashemzadeh Segherloo, Iraj; Normandeau, Eric; Benestan, Laura; Rougeux, Clément; Coté, Guillaume; Moore, Jean-Sébastien; Ghaedrahmati, NabiAllah; Abdoli, Asghar; Bernatchez, Louis

    2018-02-13

    Two blind Iran cave barbs, Garra typhlops and Garra lorestanensis, exist in sympatry in a single subterranean habitat, raising the hypothesis that they may represent a case of sympatric speciation following a colonization event. Their different mental disc forms have prompted some authors to propose the alternative hypothesis of two separate colonization events. In this study, we analysed a genome-wide panel of 11,257 SNPs genotyped by means of genotyping-by-sequencing combined with mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase sub-unit I sequence data, field observations and morphological traits to test these two hypotheses. Field data suggest some degree of ecological divergence despite some possible niche overlap such that hybridization is possible. According to both nuclear and mtDNA data, the cave barb species are monophyletic with close phylogenetic relationships with Garra gymnothorax from the Karun-Dez and Karkheh river basins. The historical demography analysis revealed that a model of Isolation-with-Migration (IM) best fitted the data, therefore better supporting a scenario of sympatric origin than that of allopatric isolation followed by secondary contact. Overall, our results offer stronger support to the hypothesis that speciation in the subterranean habitat could have occurred in sympatry following a colonization event from the Karun-Dez-Karkheh basins in the Zagros Mountains of Iran.

  13. Sympatric and allopatric divergence of MHC genes in threespine stickleback.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blake Matthews

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Parasites can strongly affect the evolution of their hosts, but their effects on host diversification are less clear. In theory, contrasting parasite communities in different foraging habitats could generate divergent selection on hosts and promote ecological speciation. Immune systems are costly to maintain, adaptable, and an important component of individual fitness. As a result, immune system genes, such as those of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC, can change rapidly in response to parasite-mediated selection. In threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus, as well as in other vertebrates, MHC genes have been linked with female mating preference, suggesting that divergent selection acting on MHC genes might influence speciation. Here, we examined genetic variation at MHC Class II loci of sticklebacks from two lakes with a limnetic and benthic species pair, and two lakes with a single species. In both lakes with species pairs, limnetics and benthics differed in their composition of MHC alleles, and limnetics had fewer MHC alleles per individual than benthics. Similar to the limnetics, the allopatric population with a pelagic phenotype had few MHC alleles per individual, suggesting a correlation between MHC genotype and foraging habitat. Using a simulation model we show that the diversity and composition of MHC alleles in a sympatric species pair depends on the amount of assortative mating and on the strength of parasite-mediated selection in adjacent foraging habitats. Our results indicate parallel divergence in the number of MHC alleles between sympatric stickleback species, possibly resulting from the contrasting parasite communities in littoral and pelagic habitats of lakes.

  14. Radiating on oceanic islands: patterns and processes of speciation in the land snail genus Theba (Risso 1826.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carola Greve

    Full Text Available Island radiations have played a major role in shaping our current understanding of allopatric, sympatric and parapatric speciation. However, the fact that species divergence correlates with island size emphasizes the importance of geographic isolation (allopatry in speciation. Based on molecular and morphological data, we investigated the diversification of the land snail genus Theba on the two Canary Islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Due to the geological history of both islands, this study system provides ideal conditions to investigate the interplay of biogeography, dispersal ability and differentiation in generating species diversity. Our analyses demonstrated extensive cryptic diversification of Theba on these islands, probably driven mainly by non-adaptive allopatric differentiation and secondary gene flow. In a few cases, we observed a complete absence of gene flow among sympatrically distributed forms suggesting an advanced stage of speciation. On the Jandía peninsula genome scans suggested genotype-environment associations and potentially adaptive diversification of two closely related Theba species to different ecological environments. We found support for the idea that genetic differentiation was enhanced by divergent selection in different environments. The diversification of Theba on both islands is therefore best explained by a mixture of non-adaptive and adaptive speciation, promoted by ecological and geomorphological factors.

  15. Radiating on oceanic islands: patterns and processes of speciation in the land snail genus Theba (Risso 1826).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greve, Carola; Gimnich, France; Hutterer, Rainer; Misof, Bernhard; Haase, Martin

    2012-01-01

    Island radiations have played a major role in shaping our current understanding of allopatric, sympatric and parapatric speciation. However, the fact that species divergence correlates with island size emphasizes the importance of geographic isolation (allopatry) in speciation. Based on molecular and morphological data, we investigated the diversification of the land snail genus Theba on the two Canary Islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Due to the geological history of both islands, this study system provides ideal conditions to investigate the interplay of biogeography, dispersal ability and differentiation in generating species diversity. Our analyses demonstrated extensive cryptic diversification of Theba on these islands, probably driven mainly by non-adaptive allopatric differentiation and secondary gene flow. In a few cases, we observed a complete absence of gene flow among sympatrically distributed forms suggesting an advanced stage of speciation. On the Jandía peninsula genome scans suggested genotype-environment associations and potentially adaptive diversification of two closely related Theba species to different ecological environments. We found support for the idea that genetic differentiation was enhanced by divergent selection in different environments. The diversification of Theba on both islands is therefore best explained by a mixture of non-adaptive and adaptive speciation, promoted by ecological and geomorphological factors.

  16. Revision of Drusinae subfamily (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae: divergence by paraproct and paramere: speciation in isolation by integration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oláh, János

    2017-08-01

    . In the Ecclisopteryx genus with 14 species we have established two independent lineages both with a single species, as well as two species complexes with five new species applying the speciation trait of the genus, that is the shape divergence of the stimulatory organ on the dorsoapical surface of the gonopods. Based on the Darwinian natural selection, we do not understand how the discovered 70+49 new European incipient phylogenetic species of limnephilid caddisflies have been evolved in the isolated sky island habitats of high mountain ranges. This isolation induced speciation represents a challenge to the mechanistic reductionist concept of the natural selection. Our first trial to extract information from various disciplines to answer this question is presented in a brief theoretical discourse: (1 rethinking the status of natural selection towards postdarwinism; (2 teleology or teleonomy; (3 limits and potentials in understanding reality; (4 organisation of universe by integration; (5 what are and how the organising forces are powered to work in the emerging energy mechanisms; (6 divergence by integration; (7 divergence in isolation; (8 reproductive isolation by sexual selection; (9 shape divergence; (10 speciation traits; (11 generic ranking characters. Assessing the limits and potentials, the humility and hybris attitudes towards understanding reality, we hypothesise an integrative power of organisation, instead of simplistic natural selection, that works both in isolated and sympatric populations to maintain the integer state of the integrated autonomic entities against mutations, permutations, transmutations and perturbations. The permanent flux of these adverse, neutral or advantegous external and internal effects generates and gives rise to a responsive and balancing integrative mechanisms with comparative magnitude and multitude. This permanently balancing organisation process develops and drives a large number of interactions along various patterns of

  17. Speciation driven by hybridization and chromosomal plasticity in a wild yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leducq, Jean-Baptiste; Nielly-Thibault, Lou; Charron, Guillaume; Eberlein, Chris; Verta, Jukka-Pekka; Samani, Pedram; Sylvester, Kayla; Hittinger, Chris Todd; Bell, Graham; Landry, Christian R

    2016-01-11

    Hybridization is recognized as a powerful mechanism of speciation and a driving force in generating biodiversity. However, only few multicellular species, limited to a handful of plants and animals, have been shown to fulfil all the criteria of homoploid hybrid speciation. This lack of evidence could lead to the interpretation that speciation by hybridization has a limited role in eukaryotes, particularly in single-celled organisms. Laboratory experiments have revealed that fungi such as budding yeasts can rapidly develop reproductive isolation and novel phenotypes through hybridization, showing that in principle homoploid speciation could occur in nature. Here, we report a case of homoploid hybrid speciation in natural populations of the budding yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus inhabiting the North American forests. We show that the rapid evolution of chromosome architecture and an ecological context that led to secondary contact between nascent species drove the formation of an incipient hybrid species with a potentially unique ecological niche.

  18. Phylogeography, colonization and population history of the Midas cichlid species complex (Amphilophus spp. in the Nicaraguan crater lakes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meyer Axel

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Elucidation of the mechanisms driving speciation requires detailed knowledge about the phylogenetic relationships and phylogeography of the incipient species within their entire ranges as well as their colonization history. The Midas cichlid species complex Amphilophus spp. has been proven to be a powerful model system for the study of ecological specialization, sexual selection and the mechanisms of sympatric speciation. Here we present a comprehensive and integrative phylogeographic analysis of the complete Midas Cichlid species complex in Nicaragua (> 2000 individuals covering the entire distributional range, using two types of molecular markers (the mitochondrial DNA control region and 15 microsatellites. We investigated the majority of known lake populations of this species complex and reconstructed their colonization history in order to distinguish between alternative speciation scenarios. Results We found that the large lakes contain older and more diverse Midas Cichlid populations, while all crater lakes hold younger and genetically less variable species assemblages. The large lakes appear to have repeatedly acted as source populations for all crater lakes, and our data indicate that faunal exchange among crater lakes is extremely unlikely. Despite their very recent (often only a few thousand years old and common origin from the two large Nicaraguan lakes, all crater lake Midas Cichlid radiations underwent independent, but parallel, evolution, and comprise distinct genetic units. Indeed several of these crater lakes contain multiple genetically distinct incipient species that most likely arose through sympatric speciation. Several crater lake radiations can be traced back to a single ancestral line, but some appear to have more than one founding lineage. The timing of the colonization(s of each crater lake differs, although most of them occurred more (probably much more recently than 20,000 years ago. Conclusion The

  19. Phylogeography, colonization and population history of the Midas cichlid species complex (Amphilophus spp.) in the Nicaraguan crater lakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barluenga, Marta; Meyer, Axel

    2010-10-26

    Elucidation of the mechanisms driving speciation requires detailed knowledge about the phylogenetic relationships and phylogeography of the incipient species within their entire ranges as well as their colonization history. The Midas cichlid species complex Amphilophus spp. has been proven to be a powerful model system for the study of ecological specialization, sexual selection and the mechanisms of sympatric speciation. Here we present a comprehensive and integrative phylogeographic analysis of the complete Midas Cichlid species complex in Nicaragua (> 2000 individuals) covering the entire distributional range, using two types of molecular markers (the mitochondrial DNA control region and 15 microsatellites). We investigated the majority of known lake populations of this species complex and reconstructed their colonization history in order to distinguish between alternative speciation scenarios. We found that the large lakes contain older and more diverse Midas Cichlid populations, while all crater lakes hold younger and genetically less variable species assemblages. The large lakes appear to have repeatedly acted as source populations for all crater lakes, and our data indicate that faunal exchange among crater lakes is extremely unlikely. Despite their very recent (often only a few thousand years old) and common origin from the two large Nicaraguan lakes, all crater lake Midas Cichlid radiations underwent independent, but parallel, evolution, and comprise distinct genetic units. Indeed several of these crater lakes contain multiple genetically distinct incipient species that most likely arose through sympatric speciation. Several crater lake radiations can be traced back to a single ancestral line, but some appear to have more than one founding lineage. The timing of the colonization(s) of each crater lake differs, although most of them occurred more (probably much more) recently than 20,000 years ago. The genetic differentiation of the crater lake populations

  20. Historical contingency and ecological determinism interact to prime speciation in sticklebacks, Gasterosteus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, E B; McPhail, J D

    2000-01-01

    Historical contingency and determinism are often cast as opposing paradigms under which evolutionary diversification operates. It may be, however, that both factors act together to promote evolutionary divergence, although there are few examples of such interaction in nature. We tested phylogenetic predictions of an explicit historical model of divergence (double invasions of freshwater by marine ancestors) in sympatric species of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) where determinism has been implicated as an important factor driving evolutionary novelty. Microsatellite DNA variation at six loci revealed relatively low genetic variation in freshwater populations, supporting the hypothesis that they were derived by colonization of freshwater by more diverse marine ancestors. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses suggested that pairs of sympatric species have evolved multiple times, further implicating determinism as a factor in speciation. Our data also supported predictions based on the hypothesis that the evolution of sympatric species was contingent upon 'double invasions' of postglacial lakes by ancestral marine sticklebacks. Sympatric sticklebacks, therefore, provide an example of adaptive radiation by determinism contingent upon historical conditions promoting unique ecological interactions, and illustrate how contingency and determinism may interact to generate geographical variation in species diversity PMID:11133026

  1. Hybridization and genome evolution I: The role of contingency during hybrid speciation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabrice EROUKHMANOFF, Richard I. BAILEY, Glenn-Peter SæTRE

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Homoploid hybrid speciation (HHS involves the recombination of two differentiated genomes into a novel, functional one without a change in chromosome number. Theoretically, there are numerous ways for two parental genomes to recombine. Hence, chance may play a large role in the formation of a hybrid species. If these genome combinations can evolve rapidly following hybridization and sympatric situations are numerous, recurrent homoploid hybrid speciation is a possibility. We argue that three different, but not mutually exclusive, types of contingencies could influence this process. First, many of these “hopeful monsters” of recombinant parent genotypes would likely have low fitness. Only specific combinations of parental genomic contributions may produce viable, intra-fertile hybrid species able to accommodate potential constraints arising from intragenomic conflict. Second, ecological conditions (competition, geography of the contact zones or the initial frequency of both parent species might favor different outcomes ranging from sympatric coexistence to the formation of hybrid swarms and ultimately hybrid speciation. Finally, history may also play an important role in promoting or constraining recurrent HHS if multiple hybridization events occur sequentially and parental divergence or isolation differs along this continuum. We discuss under which conditions HHS may occur multiple times in parallel and to what extent recombination and selection may fuse the parent genomes in the same or different ways. We conclude by examining different approaches that might help to solve this intriguing evolutionary puzzle [Current Zoology 59 (5: 667-674, 2013]. 

  2. The genetic basis for fruit odor discrimination in Rhagoletis flies and its significance for sympatric host shifts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dambroski, Hattie R; Linn, Charles; Berlocher, Stewart H; Forbes, Andrew A; Roelofs, Wendell; Feder, Jeffrey L

    2005-09-01

    Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae) use volatile compounds emitted from the surface of ripening fruit as important chemosensory cues for recognizing and distinguishing among alternative host plants. Host choice is of evolutionary significance in Rhagoletis because these flies mate on or near the fruit of their respective host plants. Differences in host choice based on fruit odor discrimination therefore result in differential mate choice and prezygotic reproductive isolation, facilitating sympatric speciation in the absence of geographic isolation. We test for a genetic basis for host fruit odor discrimination through an analysis of F2 and backcross hybrids constructed between apple-, hawthorn-, and flowering dogwood-infesting Rhagoletis flies. We recovered a significant proportion (30-65%) of parental apple, hawthorn, and dogwood fly response phenotypes in F2 hybrids, despite the general failure of F1 hybrids to reach odor source spheres. Segregation patterns in F2 and backcross hybrids suggest that only a modest number of allelic differences at a few loci may underlie host fruit odor discrimination. In addition, a strong bias was observed for F2 and backcross flies to orient to the natal fruit blend of their maternal grandmother, implying the existence of cytonuclear gene interactions. We explore the implications of our findings for the evolutionary dynamics of sympatric host race formation and speciation.

  3. Female preference for sympatric vs. allopatric male throat color morphs in the mesquite lizard (Sceloporus grammicus species complex.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Bastiaans

    Full Text Available Color polymorphic sexual signals are often associated with alternative reproductive behaviors within populations, and the number, frequency, or type of morphs present often vary among populations. When these differences lead to assortative mating by population, the study of such polymorphic taxa may shed light on speciation mechanisms. We studied two populations of a lizard with polymorphic throat color, an important sexual signal. Males in one population exhibit orange, yellow, or blue throats; whereas males in the other exhibit orange, yellow, or white throats. We assessed female behavior when choosing between allopatric and sympatric males. We asked whether females discriminated more when the allopatric male was of an unfamiliar morph than when the allopatric male was similar in coloration to the sympatric male. We found that female rejection of allopatric males relative to sympatric males was more pronounced when males in a pair were more different in throat color. Our findings may help illuminate how behavioral responses to color morph differences between populations with polymorphic sexual signals contribute to reproductive isolation.

  4. Female preference for sympatric vs. allopatric male throat color morphs in the mesquite lizard (Sceloporus grammicus) species complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastiaans, Elizabeth; Bastiaans, Mary Jane; Morinaga, Gen; Castañeda Gaytán, José Gamaliel; Marshall, Jonathon C; Bane, Brendan; de la Cruz, Fausto Méndez; Sinervo, Barry

    2014-01-01

    Color polymorphic sexual signals are often associated with alternative reproductive behaviors within populations, and the number, frequency, or type of morphs present often vary among populations. When these differences lead to assortative mating by population, the study of such polymorphic taxa may shed light on speciation mechanisms. We studied two populations of a lizard with polymorphic throat color, an important sexual signal. Males in one population exhibit orange, yellow, or blue throats; whereas males in the other exhibit orange, yellow, or white throats. We assessed female behavior when choosing between allopatric and sympatric males. We asked whether females discriminated more when the allopatric male was of an unfamiliar morph than when the allopatric male was similar in coloration to the sympatric male. We found that female rejection of allopatric males relative to sympatric males was more pronounced when males in a pair were more different in throat color. Our findings may help illuminate how behavioral responses to color morph differences between populations with polymorphic sexual signals contribute to reproductive isolation.

  5. Genomic islands of divergence are not affected by geography of speciation in sunflowers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renaut, S; Grassa, C J; Yeaman, S; Moyers, B T; Lai, Z; Kane, N C; Bowers, J E; Burke, J M; Rieseberg, L H

    2013-01-01

    Genomic studies of speciation often report the presence of highly differentiated genomic regions interspersed within a milieu of weakly diverged loci. The formation of these speciation islands is generally attributed to reduced inter-population gene flow near loci under divergent selection, but few studies have critically evaluated this hypothesis. Here, we report on transcriptome scans among four recently diverged pairs of sunflower (Helianthus) species that vary in the geographical context of speciation. We find that genetic divergence is lower in sympatric and parapatric comparisons, consistent with a role for gene flow in eroding neutral differences. However, genomic islands of divergence are numerous and small in all comparisons, and contrary to expectations, island number and size are not significantly affected by levels of interspecific gene flow. Rather, island formation is strongly associated with reduced recombination rates. Overall, our results indicate that the functional architecture of genomes plays a larger role in shaping genomic divergence than does the geography of speciation.

  6. Pattern of genetic differentiation of an incipient speciation process: The case of the high Andean killifish Orestias

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerrero-Jiménez, Claudia Jimena; Peña, Fabiola; Morales, Pamela; Méndez, Marco; Sallaberry, Michel; Vila, Irma; Poulin, Elie

    2017-01-01

    During the Pleistocene and Holocene, the southwest Andean Altiplano (17°-22°S) was affected by repeated fluctuations in water levels, high volcanic activity and major tectonic movements. In the early Holocene the humid Tauca phase shifted to the arid conditions that have lasted until the present, producing endorheic rivers, lakes, lagoons and wetlands. The endemic fish Orestias (Cyprinodontidae) represents a good model to observe the genetic differentiation that characterizes an incipient speciation process in allopatry since the morphospecies described inhabit a restricted geographic area, with present habitat fragmentation. The genetic diversity and population structure of four endemic morphospecies of Orestias (Cyprinodontidae) found in the Lauca National Park (LNP) analyzed with mitochondrial markers (Control Region) and eight microsatellites, revealed the existence of genetic groups that matches the fragmentation of these systems. High values of genetic and phylogeographic differentiation indices were observed between Chungará Lake and Piacota lagoon. The group composed of the Lauca River, Copapujo and Chuviri wetlands sampling sites showed a clear signal of expansion, with a star-like haplotype network. Levels of genetic differentiation were lower than in Chungará and Piacota, suggesting that these localities would have differentiated after the bottlenecks linked to the collapse of Parinacota volcano. The Parinacota sample showed a population signal that differed from the other localities revealing greater genetic diversity and a disperse network, presenting haplotypes shared with other LNP localities. A mixing pattern of the different genetic groups was evident using the microsatellite markers. The chronology of the vicariance events in LNP may indicate that the partition process of the Orestias populations was gradual. Considering this, and in view of the genetic results, we may conclude that the morphospecies from LNP are populations in ongoing

  7. Sex chromosome turnover contributes to genomic divergence between incipient stickleback species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kohta Yoshida

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Sex chromosomes turn over rapidly in some taxonomic groups, where closely related species have different sex chromosomes. Although there are many examples of sex chromosome turnover, we know little about the functional roles of sex chromosome turnover in phenotypic diversification and genomic evolution. The sympatric pair of Japanese threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus provides an excellent system to address these questions: the Japan Sea species has a neo-sex chromosome system resulting from a fusion between an ancestral Y chromosome and an autosome, while the sympatric Pacific Ocean species has a simple XY sex chromosome system. Furthermore, previous quantitative trait locus (QTL mapping demonstrated that the Japan Sea neo-X chromosome contributes to phenotypic divergence and reproductive isolation between these sympatric species. To investigate the genomic basis for the accumulation of genes important for speciation on the neo-X chromosome, we conducted whole genome sequencing of males and females of both the Japan Sea and the Pacific Ocean species. No substantial degeneration has yet occurred on the neo-Y chromosome, but the nucleotide sequence of the neo-X and the neo-Y has started to diverge, particularly at regions near the fusion. The neo-sex chromosomes also harbor an excess of genes with sex-biased expression. Furthermore, genes on the neo-X chromosome showed higher non-synonymous substitution rates than autosomal genes in the Japan Sea lineage. Genomic regions of higher sequence divergence between species, genes with divergent expression between species, and QTL for inter-species phenotypic differences were found not only at the regions near the fusion site, but also at other regions along the neo-X chromosome. Neo-sex chromosomes can therefore accumulate substitutions causing species differences even in the absence of substantial neo-Y degeneration.

  8. Speciation in the Derrida-Higgs model with finite genomes and spatial populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Aguiar, Marcus A. M.

    2017-02-01

    The speciation model proposed by Derrida and Higgs demonstrated that a sexually reproducing population can split into different species in the absence of natural selection or any type of geographic isolation, provided that mating is assortative and the number of genes involved in the process is infinite. Here we revisit this model and simulate it for finite genomes, focusing on the question of how many genes it actually takes to trigger neutral sympatric speciation. We find that, for typical parameters used in the original model, it takes the order of 105 genes. We compare the results with a similar spatially explicit model where about 100 genes suffice for speciation. We show that when the number of genes is small the species that emerge are strongly segregated in space. For a larger number of genes, on the other hand, the spatial structure of the population is less important and the species distribution overlap considerably.

  9. Genomic Signatures of Speciation in Sympatric and Allopatric Hawaiian Picture-Winged Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Lin; Settlage, Robert; McMahon, Wyatt; Michalak, Katarzyna; Tae, Hongseok; Garner, Harold R; Stacy, Elizabeth A; Price, Donald K; Michalak, Pawel

    2016-05-30

    The Hawaiian archipelago provides a natural arena for understanding adaptive radiation and speciation. The Hawaiian Drosophila are one of the most diverse endemic groups in Hawaiì with up to 1,000 species. We sequenced and analyzed entire genomes of recently diverged species of Hawaiian picture-winged Drosophila, Drosophila silvestris and Drosophila heteroneura from Hawaiì Island, in comparison with Drosophila planitibia, their sister species from Maui, a neighboring island where a common ancestor of all three had likely occurred. Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism patterns suggest the more recent origin of D. silvestris and D. heteroneura, as well as a pervasive influence of positive selection on divergence of the three species, with the signatures of positive selection more prominent in sympatry than allopatry. Positively selected genes were significantly enriched for functional terms related to sensory detection and mating, suggesting that sexual selection played an important role in speciation of these species. In particular, sequence variation in Olfactory receptor and Gustatory receptor genes seems to play a major role in adaptive radiation in Hawaiian pictured-winged Drosophila. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  10. Genetic linkage of distinct adaptive traits in sympatrically speciating crater lake cichlid fish

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Fruciano, C.; Franchini, C.; Kováčová, Viera; Elmer, K.R.; Henning, F.; Meyer, A.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 7, SEP2016 (2016), č. článku 12736. ISSN 2041-1723 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-06264S Institutional support: RVO:68081707 Keywords : rna-seq * ecological speciation * geometric morphometrics * morphological variation Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 12.124, year: 2016

  11. A role for a neo-sex chromosome in stickleback speciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitano, Jun; Ross, Joseph A.; Mori, Seiichi; Kume, Manabu; Jones, Felicity C.; Chan, Yingguang F.; Absher, Devin M.; Grimwood, Jane; Schmutz, Jeremy; Myers, Richard M.; Kingsley, David M.; Peichel, Catherine L.

    2009-01-01

    Sexual antagonism, or conflict between the sexes, has been proposed as a driving force in both sex chromosome turnover and speciation. Although closely related species often have different sex chromosome systems, it is unknown whether sex chromosome turnover contributes to the evolution of reproductive isolation between species. In this study, we show that a newly evolved sex chromosome harbours genes that contribute to speciation in threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We first identified a neo-sex chromosome system found only in one member of a sympatric species pair in Japan. We then performed genetic linkage mapping of male-specific traits important for reproductive isolation between the Japanese species pair. The neo-X chromosome harbours loci for male courtship display traits that contribute to behavioural isolation, while the ancestral X chromosome contains loci for both behavioural isolation and hybrid male sterility. Our work not only provides strong evidence for a large-X effect on reproductive isolation in a vertebrate system, but also provides direct evidence that a young neo-X chromosome contributes to reproductive isolation between closely related species. Our data suggest that sex chromosome turnover might play a greater role in speciation than previously appreciated. PMID:19783981

  12. Edaphic and light conditions of sympatric plant morphotypes in western Amazonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julissa Roncal

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Here I present a dataset of edaphic and light conditions associated with the occurrence of sympatric morphotypes of Geonoma macrostachys (Arecaceae/Palmae, a candidate case study from Amazonia hypothesized to have evolved under ecological speciation. Transects were established in three lowland rainforests in Peru, and the abundance of each local morphotype of this species was recorded in a total area of 4.95 hectares. Composite soil samples and hemispherical photographs were taken along the transects were the species occurred to obtain information on soil nutrients, soil texture, and indirect measurements of light availability. The raw and summary tables disclose the characteristics of each study site and habitats within them, which could be useful to soil scientists, ecologists, and conservationists engaged in similar research activities or meta-analyses in Amazonia.

  13. Reproductive isolating mechanisms between two sympatric sibling species of sea snakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shine, Richard; Reed, Robert N; Shetty, Sohan; Lemaster, Michael; Mason, Robert T

    2002-08-01

    Mechanisms that maintain species isolation within sympatric congeners have attracted analysis in many kinds of organisms, but not in snakes. We studied two sibling species of amphibious sea snakes (Laticauda colubrina and L. frontalis) on the island of Efate, in the Pacific Ocean republic of Vanuatu. The two taxa are almost identical morphologically, except that L. colubrina grows much larger than L. frontalis. No natural hybrids have been reported, and geographic distributions of the two taxa suggest the possibility of sympatric speciation. Our fieldwork shows that the two taxa are often syntopic and overlap in breeding seasons. Behavioral studies in outdoor arenas show that the separation between these two taxa is maintained by species-specific cues that control male courtship. Males of both species courted conspecific females but not heterospecific females. The proximate mechanism driving this separation involves chemical cues. Adult females of both taxa possess distinctive lipids in the skin. Males directed courtship behavior (chin-pressing) to hexane-extracted samples of lipids from conspecific but not heterospecific females. Males of the dwarf species (L frontalis) were more selective courters than were those of the larger taxon (L. colubrina), perhaps because a preference for courting larger females means that L. colubrina males would be unlikely to court L. frontalis-sized (i.e., small) females even in the absence of pheromonal barriers.

  14. Mitochondrial Recombination and Introgression during Speciation by Hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leducq, Jean-Baptiste; Henault, Mathieu; Charron, Guillaume; Nielly-Thibault, Lou; Terrat, Yves; Fiumera, Heather L; Shapiro, B Jesse; Landry, Christian R

    2017-08-01

    Genome recombination is a major source of genotypic diversity and contributes to adaptation and speciation following interspecies hybridization. The contribution of recombination in these processes has been thought to be largely limited to the nuclear genome because organelles are mostly uniparentally inherited in animals and plants, which prevents recombination. Unicellular eukaryotes such as budding yeasts do, however, transmit mitochondria biparentally, suggesting that during hybridization, both parents could provide alleles that contribute to mitochondrial functions such as respiration and metabolism in hybrid populations or hybrid species. We examined the dynamics of mitochondrial genome transmission and evolution during speciation by hybridization in the natural budding yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus. Using population-scale mitochondrial genome sequencing in two endemic North American incipient species SpB and SpC and their hybrid species SpC*, we found that both parental species contributed to the hybrid mitochondrial genome through recombination. We support our findings by showing that mitochondrial recombination between parental types is frequent in experimental crosses that recreate the early step of this speciation event. In these artificial hybrids, we observed that mitochondrial genome recombination enhances phenotypic variation among diploid hybrids, suggesting that it could play a role in the phenotypic differentiation of hybrid species. Like the nuclear genome, the mitochondrial genome can, therefore, also play a role in hybrid speciation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Incipient nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayreh, Sohan Singh; Zimmerman, M Bridget

    2007-09-01

    To describe the clinical entity of incipient nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Cohort study. Fifty-four patients (60 eyes) seen in our clinic from 1973 through 2000. At their first visit to our clinic, all patients gave a detailed ophthalmic and medical history and underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation, color fundus photography, and fluorescein fundus angiography. At each follow-up visit (of 49 patients [55 eyes]), the same ophthalmic evaluation was performed, except for fluorescein fundus angiography. Clinical features of incipient NAION. Mean age (+/- standard deviation) of the patients was 58.7+/-15.9 years. Median follow-up time was 6.3 years (interquartile range [IQR], 2.1-8.5). At initial visit, all had optic disc edema (ODE) without any visual loss attributable to NAION. In 55%, the fellow eye had classic NAION; in 25%, incipient progressed to classic NAION (after a median time of 5.8 weeks [IQR, 3.2-10.1]); and in 20%, classic NAION developed after resolution of the first episode of incipient NAION. Patients with incipient, compared with classic, NAION had a greater prevalence of diabetes mellitus (Pheart disease (P = 0.046). Patients who progressed to classic NAION versus those who did not were significantly younger (P = 0.025), and their visual acuity worsened in 31% and 0%, respectively, and remained stable in 62% and 98%, respectively; in the eyes with progression, central (in 31%) and peripheral (in 77%) visual fields worsened compared with only 1 eye and 2 eyes, respectively, that did not (P = 0.01 and Pversus 9.6 weeks (IQR, 6.0-17.7) in those who did not progress. The results show that incipient NAION is a distinct clinical entity, with asymptomatic ODE and no visual loss attributable to NAION. When a patient seeks treatment with asymptomatic ODE, incipient NAION must be borne in mind as a strong possibility in those who have had classic NAION in the fellow eye, in diabetics of all ages, and in those with high risk

  16. Biogeography of speciation in Cenozoic marine ostracoda: the role of climatic change

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cronin, T.M.

    1985-01-01

    Evolutionary theory holds that geographic isolation of populations with its resultant reproductive isolation is an important factor in the origin of new species. Climatic change alters species' biogeography by creating and eliminating barriers that affect gene flow between populations. For benthic organisms such as shallow marine ostracodes, thermal gradients at biogeographic province boundaries and the area of continental shelf are factors affected by climatic and associated sea level changes. Studies of Cenozoic marine ostracodes show that allopatric speciation does not account for paleobiogeographic patterns of species subjected to climatic change. Studies of 127 endemic species from middle latitudes of the western Atlantic show that most speciation events in temperature and subtropical taxa are, in the zoogeographic sense, sympatric or parapatric-clinal and are induced by oceanographic changes related to climatic events rather than geographic isolation of populations. Most ostracode species in middle latitudes are adapted to frequent, cyclical climatic changes typical of these regions and originated during rare periods of major climatic transition. High-latitude arctic-subarctic genera such as Finmarchinella have circumpolar distributions. A parapatric-clinal model accounts for speciation patterns observed in some high-latitude and tropical taxa. However the dynamic nature of thermal gradients and species' biogeography during climatic change renders questionable the controversial distinction between parapatric and allopatric-peripatric speciation models.

  17. The role of ecological divergence in speciation between intertidal and subtidal Scoloplos armiger (Polychaeta, Orbiniidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruse, Inken; Strasser, Matthias; Thiermann, Frank

    2004-02-01

    The concept of ecological speciation implies that habitat differences may split a species by strong selection and rapid adaptation even under sympatric conditions. Studies on the polychaete Scoloplos armiger in the Wadden Sea (North Sea) indicate sibling species existing in sympatry: the intertidal 'Type I' with holobenthic development out of egg cocoons and the subtidal 'Type S' producing pelagic larvae. In the current study, Types I and S are compared in habitat-related traits of reproductive timing and physiological response to hypoxia and sulphide. Spawnings of Type I and Type S recorded over six years overlap in spring and both appear to be triggered by a rise in seawater temperature above 5 °C. Type S exhibits an additional autumn spawning (at seawater temperatures around 10 °C) which was previously unknown and is absent in Type I. The overall abundance of pelagic larvae in the Wadden Sea is higher in spring than in autumn. Tolerance of both sulphide and hypoxia was lower in Type S than in Type I. This correlates with a 5 to 10-fold lower sulphide concentration in the subtidal compared to the intertidal habitat. Physiological tolerance and divergence in developmental mode appear as traits which may have led to reproductive isolation between Type I and Type S. Their role in allopatric and sympatric speciation scenarios in S. armiger is discussed. Since the pelagic dispersal mode has been neglected so far, a reassessment of population dynamics models for S. armiger is suggested.

  18. Ecological character displacement in the face of gene flow: Evidence from two species of nightingales

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Ecological character displacement is a process of phenotypic differentiation of sympatric populations caused by interspecific competition. Such differentiation could facilitate speciation by enhancing reproductive isolation between incipient species, although empirical evidence for it at early stages of divergence when gene flow still occurs between the species is relatively scarce. Here we studied patterns of morphological variation in sympatric and allopatric populations of two hybridizing species of birds, the Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the Thrush Nightingale (L. luscinia). Results We conducted principal component (PC) analysis of morphological traits and found that nightingale species converged in overall body size (PC1) and diverged in relative bill size (PC3) in sympatry. Closer analysis of morphological variation along geographical gradients revealed that the convergence in body size can be attributed largely to increasing body size with increasing latitude, a phenomenon known as Bergmann's rule. In contrast, interspecific interactions contributed significantly to the observed divergence in relative bill size, even after controlling for the effects of geographical gradients. We suggest that the divergence in bill size most likely reflects segregation of feeding niches between the species in sympatry. Conclusions Our results suggest that interspecific competition for food resources can drive species divergence even in the face of ongoing hybridization. Such divergence may enhance reproductive isolation between the species and thus contribute to speciation. PMID:21609448

  19. Ecological character displacement in the face of gene flow: Evidence from two species of nightingales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reif Jiří

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Ecological character displacement is a process of phenotypic differentiation of sympatric populations caused by interspecific competition. Such differentiation could facilitate speciation by enhancing reproductive isolation between incipient species, although empirical evidence for it at early stages of divergence when gene flow still occurs between the species is relatively scarce. Here we studied patterns of morphological variation in sympatric and allopatric populations of two hybridizing species of birds, the Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos and the Thrush Nightingale (L. luscinia. Results We conducted principal component (PC analysis of morphological traits and found that nightingale species converged in overall body size (PC1 and diverged in relative bill size (PC3 in sympatry. Closer analysis of morphological variation along geographical gradients revealed that the convergence in body size can be attributed largely to increasing body size with increasing latitude, a phenomenon known as Bergmann's rule. In contrast, interspecific interactions contributed significantly to the observed divergence in relative bill size, even after controlling for the effects of geographical gradients. We suggest that the divergence in bill size most likely reflects segregation of feeding niches between the species in sympatry. Conclusions Our results suggest that interspecific competition for food resources can drive species divergence even in the face of ongoing hybridization. Such divergence may enhance reproductive isolation between the species and thus contribute to speciation.

  20. Determinants of the Sympatric Host-Pathogen Relationship in Tuberculosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Susana; Mateus, A. R. A.; Duarte, Elsa L.; Albuquerque, José; Portugal, Clara; Sancho, Luísa; Lavinha, João; Gonçalves, Guilherme

    2015-01-01

    Major contributions from pathogen genome analysis and host genetics have equated the possibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis co-evolution with its human host leading to more stable sympatric host–pathogen relationships. However, the attribution to either sympatric or allopatric categories depends on the resolution or grain of genotypic characterization. We explored the influence on the sympatric host-pathogen relationship of clinical (HIV infection and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis [MDRTB]) and demographic (gender and age) factors in regards to the genotypic grain by using spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) for classification of M. tuberculosis strains within the Euro-American lineage. We analyzed a total of 547 tuberculosis (TB) cases, from six year consecutive sampling in a setting with high TB-HIV coinfection (32.0%). Of these, 62.0% were caused by major circulating pathogen genotypes. The sympatric relationship was defined according to spoligotype in comparison to the international spoligotype database SpolDB4. While no significant association with Euro-American lineage was observed with any of the factors analyzed, increasing the resolution with spoligotyping evidenced a significant association of MDRTB with sympatric strains, regardless of the HIV status. Furthermore, distribution curves of the prevalence of sympatric and allopatric TB in relation to patients’ age showed an accentuation of the relevance of the age of onset in the allopatric relationship, as reflected in the trimodal distribution. On the contrary, sympatric TB was characterized by the tendency towards a typical (standard) distribution curve. Our results suggest that within the Euro-American lineage a greater degree of genotyping fine-tuning is necessary in modeling the biological processes behind the host-pathogen interplay. Furthermore, prevalence distribution of sympatric TB to age was suggestive of host genetic determinisms driven by more common variants. PMID:26529092

  1. Widespread hybridization and bidirectional introgression in sympatric species of coral reef fish

    KAUST Repository

    Harrison, Hugo B.

    2017-10-28

    Coral reefs are highly diverse ecosystems, where numerous closely related species often coexist. How new species arise and are maintained in these high geneflow environments have been long-standing conundrums. Hybridization and patterns of introgression between sympatric species provide a unique insight into the mechanisms of speciation and the maintenance of species boundaries. In this study, we investigate the extent of hybridization between two closely related species of coral reef fish: the common coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) and the bar-cheek coral trout (Plectropomus maculatus). Using a complementary set of 25 microsatellite loci, we distinguish pure genotype classes from first- and later-generation hybrids, identifying 124 interspecific hybrids from a collection of 2,991 coral trout sampled in inshore and mid-shelf reefs of the southern Great Barrier Reef. Hybrids were ubiquitous among reefs, fertile and spanned multiple generations suggesting both ecological and evolutionary processes are acting to maintain species barriers. We elaborate on these finding to investigate the extent of genomic introgression and admixture from 2,271 SNP loci recovered from a ddRAD library of pure and hybrid individuals. An analysis of genomic clines on recovered loci indicates that 261 SNP loci deviate from a model of neutral introgression, of which 132 indicate a pattern of introgression consistent with selection favouring both hybrid and parental genotypes. Our findings indicate genome-wide, bidirectional introgression between two sympatric species of coral reef fishes and provide further support to a growing body of evidence for the role of hybridization in the evolution of coral reef fishes.

  2. Evolution of body shape in differently coloured sympatric congeners and allopatric populations of Lake Malawi's rock-dwelling cichlids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Husemann, M; Tobler, M; McCauley, C; Ding, B; Danley, P D

    2014-05-01

    The cichlid fishes of Lake Malawi represent one of the most diverse adaptive radiations of vertebrates known. Among the rock-dwelling cichlids (mbuna), closely related sympatric congeners possess similar trophic morphologies (i.e. cranial and jaw structures), defend overlapping or adjacent territories, but can be easily distinguished based on male nuptial coloration. The apparent morphological similarity of congeners, however, leads to an ecological conundrum: theory predicts that ecological competition should lead to competitive exclusion. Hence, we hypothesized that slight, yet significant, ecological differences accompanied the divergence in sexual signals and that the divergence of ecological and sexual traits is correlated. To evaluate this hypothesis, we quantified body shape, a trait of known ecological importance, in populations of Maylandia zebra, a barred, widespread mbuna, and several sympatric nonbarred congeners. We found that the barred populations differ in body shape from their nonbarred sympatric congeners and that the direction of shape differences was consistent across all barred vs. nonbarred comparisons. Barred populations are generally deeper bodied which may be an adaptation to the structurally complex habitat they prefer, whereas the nonbarred species have a more fusiform body shape, which may be adaptive in their more open microhabitat. Furthermore, M. zebra populations sympatric with nonbarred congeners differ from populations where the nonbarred phenotype is absent and occupy less morphospace, indicating potential ecological character displacement. Mitochondrial DNA as well as published AFLP data indicated that the nonbarred populations are not monophyletic and therefore may have evolved multiple times independently. Overall our data suggest that the evolution of coloration and body shape may be coupled as a result of correlational selection. We hypothesize that correlated evolution of sexually selected and ecological traits may have

  3. How common is ecological speciation in plant-feeding insects? A 'Higher' Nematinae perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nyman Tommi

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Ecological speciation is a process in which a transiently resource-polymorphic species divides into two specialized sister lineages as a result of divergent selection pressures caused by the use of multiple niches or environments. Ecology-based speciation has been studied intensively in plant-feeding insects, in which both sympatric and allopatric shifts onto novel host plants could speed up diversification. However, while numerous examples of species pairs likely to have originated by resource shifts have been found, the overall importance of ecological speciation in relation to other, non-ecological speciation modes remains unknown. Here, we apply phylogenetic information on sawflies belonging to the 'Higher' Nematinae (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae to infer the frequency of niche shifts in relation to speciation events. Results Phylogenetic trees reconstructed on the basis of DNA sequence data show that the diversification of higher nematines has involved frequent shifts in larval feeding habits and in the use of plant taxa. However, the inferred number of resource shifts is considerably lower than the number of past speciation events, indicating that the majority of divergences have occurred by non-ecological allopatric speciation; based on a time-corrected analysis of sister species, we estimate that a maximum of c. 20% of lineage splits have been triggered by a change in resource use. In addition, we find that postspeciational changes in geographic distributions have led to broad sympatry in many species having identical host-plant ranges. Conclusion Our analysis indicates that the importance of niche shifts for the diversification of herbivorous insects is at present implicitly and explicitly overestimated. In the case of the Higher Nematinae, employing a time correction for sister-species comparisons lowered the proportion of apparent ecology-based speciation events from c. 50-60% to around 20%, but such corrections are

  4. A Test for Gene Flow among Sympatric and Allopatric Hawaiian Picture-Winged Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Lin; Garner, Harold R; Price, Donald K; Michalak, Pawel

    2017-06-01

    The Hawaiian Drosophila are one of the most species-rich endemic groups in Hawaii and a spectacular example of adaptive radiation. Drosophila silvestris and D. heteroneura are two closely related picture-winged Drosophila species that occur sympatrically on Hawaii Island and are known to hybridize in nature, yet exhibit highly divergent behavioral and morphological traits driven largely through sexual selection. Their closest-related allopatric species, D. planitibia from Maui, exhibits hybrid male sterility and reduced behavioral reproductive isolation when crossed experimentally with D. silvestris or D. heteroneura. A modified four-taxon test for gene flow was applied to recently obtained genomes of the three Hawaiian Drosophila species. The analysis indicates recent gene flow in sympatry, but also, although less extensive, between allopatric species. This study underscores the prevalence of gene flow, even in taxonomic groups considered classic examples of allopatric speciation on islands. The potential confounding effects of gene flow in phylogenetic and population genetics inference are discussed, as well as the implications for conservation.

  5. Genetics of sexual isolation based on courtship song between two sympatric species: Drosophila ananassae and D. pallidosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Hirokazu; Matsuda, Muneo; Oguma, Yuzuru

    2002-11-01

    Sexual isolation has been considered one of the primary causes of speciation and its genetic study has the potential to reveal the genetics of speciation. In Drosophila, the importance of courtship songs in sexual isolation between closely related species has been well investigated, but studies analysing the genetic basis of the difference in the courtship songs associated with sexual isolation are less well documented. Drosophila ananassae and Drosophila pallidosa are useful for studies of sexual isolation, because of their sympatric distribution and absence of postmating isolation. Courtship songs are known to play a crucial role in sexual isolation between these two species, and the female discrimination behaviour against the courting male has been revealed to be controlled by a very narrow region on the second chromosome. In this study we investigated the genetic basis controlling the song differences associated with their sexual isolation, using intact and wingless males with chromosomes substituted between species. The results obtained from F1 hybrid males between these species indicate the dominance of the song characters favoured by D. pallidosa females. In addition, the results obtained from backcross F2 males indicate that chromosome 2 had a major effect on the control of the song characters associated with sexual isolation.

  6. Evidence for gene flow between two sympatric mealybug species (Insecta; Coccoidea; Pseudococcidae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hofit Kol-Maimon

    Full Text Available Occurrence of inter-species hybrids in natural populations might be evidence of gene flow between species. In the present study we found evidence of gene flow between two sympatric, genetically related scale insect species--the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri (Risso and the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret. These species can be distinguished by morphological, behavioral, and molecular traits. We employed the sex pheromones of the two respective species to study their different patterns of male attraction. We also used nuclear ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer 2 and mitochondrial COI (Cytochrome c oxidase sub unit 1 DNA sequences to characterize populations of the two species, in order to demonstrate the outcome of a possible gene flow between feral populations of the two species. Our results showed attraction to P. ficus pheromones of all tested populations of P. citri males but not vice versa. Furthermore, ITS2 sequences revealed the presence of 'hybrid females' among P. citri populations but not among those of P. ficus. 'hybrid females' from P. citri populations identified as P. citri females according to COI sequences. We offer two hypotheses for these results. 1 The occurrence of phenotypic and genotypic traits of P. ficus in P. citri populations may be attributed to both ancient and contemporary gene flow between their populations; and 2 we cannot rule out that an ancient sympatric speciation by which P. ficus emerged from P. citri might have led to the present situation of shared traits between these species. In light of these findings we also discuss the origin of the studied species and the importance of the pherotype phenomenon as a tool with which to study genetic relationships between congener scale insects.

  7. Genetic Coupling of Female Mate Choice with Polygenic Ecological Divergence Facilitates Stickleback Speciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bay, Rachael A; Arnegard, Matthew E; Conte, Gina L; Best, Jacob; Bedford, Nicole L; McCann, Shaugnessy R; Dubin, Matthew E; Chan, Yingguang Frank; Jones, Felicity C; Kingsley, David M; Schluter, Dolph; Peichel, Catherine L

    2017-11-06

    Ecological speciation with gene flow is widespread in nature [1], but it presents a conundrum: how are associations between traits under divergent natural selection and traits that contribute to assortative mating maintained? Theoretical models suggest that genetic mechanisms inhibiting free recombination between loci underlying these two types of traits (hereafter, "genetic coupling") can facilitate speciation [2-4]. Here, we perform a direct test for genetic coupling by mapping both divergent traits and female mate choice in a classic model of ecological speciation: sympatric benthic and limnetic threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). By measuring mate choice in F2 hybrid females, we allowed for recombination between loci underlying assortative mating and those under divergent ecological selection. In semi-natural mating arenas in which females had access to both benthic and limnetic males, we found that F2 females mated with males similar to themselves in body size and shape. In addition, we found two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with female mate choice that also predicted female morphology along the benthic-limnetic trait axis. Furthermore, a polygenic genetic model that explains adaptation to contrasting benthic and limnetic feeding niches [5] also predicted F2 female mate choice. Together, these results provide empirical evidence that genetic coupling of assortative mating with traits under divergent ecological selection helps maintain species in the face of gene flow, despite a polygenic basis for adaptation to divergent environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. The link between Movability Number and Incipient Motion in river ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This allowed for a firmer definition of Incipient Motion as well as a new bedload transportation equation. Additional laboratory experimentation for Particle Reynolds number over the range 0.12-486 facilitated the improved prediction of Incipient Motion from a plot of the critical Movability Number vs. Particle Reynolds number ...

  9. Secondary sympatry caused by range expansion informs on the dynamics of microendemism in a biodiversity hotspot.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romain Nattier

    Full Text Available Islands are bounded areas where high endemism is explained either by allopatric speciation through the fragmentation of the limited amount of space available, or by sympatric speciation and accumulation of daughter species. Most empirical evidence point out the dominant action of allopatric speciation. We evaluate this general view by looking at a case study where sympatric speciation is suspected. We analyse the mode, tempo and geography of speciation in Agnotecous, a cricket genus endemic to New Caledonia showing a generalized pattern of sympatry between species making sympatric speciation plausible. We obtained five mitochondrial and five nuclear markers (6.8 kb from 37 taxa corresponding to 17 of the 21 known extant species of Agnotecous, and including several localities per species, and we conducted phylogenetic and dating analyses. Our results suggest that the diversification of Agnotecous occurred mostly through allopatric speciation in the last 10 Myr. Highly microendemic species are the most recent ones (<2 Myr and current sympatry is due to secondary range expansion after allopatric speciation. Species distribution should then be viewed as a highly dynamic process and extreme microendemism only as a temporary situation. We discuss these results considering the influence of climatic changes combined with intricate soil diversity and mountain topography. A complex interplay between these factors could have permitted repeated speciation events and range expansion.

  10. Ecology and distribution of two sympatric, closely related sponge species, Halichondria panicea (Pallas, 1766) and H. bowerbanki Burton, 1930 (Porifera, Demospongiae), with remarks on their speciation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vethaak, A.D.; Cronie, R.J.A.; Soest, van R.W.M.

    1982-01-01

    North Atlantic coastal waters harbour two closely related sympatric sponges belonging to the genus Halichondria, viz. H. panicea and H. bowerbanki. From the study of their littoral and sublittoral microdistribution and ecology in the Oosterschelde area (= Eastern Scheldt, S.W. part of The

  11. Allochronic speciation, secondary contact, and reproductive character displacement in periodical cicadas (Hemiptera: Magicicada spp.): genetic, morphological, and behavioural evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooley, J R; Simon, C; Marshall, D C; Slon, K; Ehrhardt, C

    2001-03-01

    Periodical cicadas have proven useful in testing a variety of ecological and evolutionary hypotheses because of their unusual life history, extraordinary abundance, and wide geographical range. Periodical cicadas provide the best examples of synchronous periodicity and predator satiation in the animal kingdom, and are excellent illustrations of habitat partitioning (by the three morphologically distinct species groups), incipient species (the year classes or broods), and cryptic species (a newly discovered 13-year species, Magicicada neotredecim). They are particularly useful for exploring questions regarding speciation via temporal isolation, or allochronic speciation. Recently, data were presented that provided strong support for an instance of allochronic speciation by life-cycle switching. This speciation event resulted in the formation of a new 13-year species from a 17-year species and led to secondary contact between two formerly separated lineages, one represented by the new 13-year cicadas (and their 17-year ancestors), and the other represented by the pre-existing 13-year cicadas. Allozyme frequency data, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and abdominal colour were shown to be correlated genetic markers supporting the life-cycle switching/allochronic speciation hypothesis. In addition, a striking pattern of reproductive character displacement in male call pitch and female pitch preference between the two 13-year species was discovered. In this paper we report a strong association between calling song pitch and mtDNA haplotype for 101 individuals from a single locality within the M. tredecim/M. neotredecim contact zone and a strong association between abdomen colour and mtDNA haplotype. We conclude by reviewing proposed mechanisms for allochronic speciation and reproductive character displacement.

  12. The Frequency of Incipient Fires at the Savannah River Site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanchard, A.

    1999-01-01

    Fire is a significant hazard in most industrial and nuclear facilities. As such it is important that adequate safeguards be provided to ensure a responsible level of safety. In determining this level of safety it is necessary to know three key parameters. These are the frequency of the incipient fire, the probability that a fire will grow from the incipient stage to cause the potential consequence, and the potential consequences (i.e., losses) from an unwanted fire. Consequence predictions have been modeled and evaluated extensively and can be readily confirmed by comparison with historic loss records. These loss records can also provide significant insight into the probability that given a fire it grows to create a defined consequence. The other key parameter, frequency, is the focus of this report. this report determines an alternative method for estimating Savannah River Site (SRS) building fire frequencies as a function of floor area to the linear method previously used. The frequency of an incipient fire is not easily derived from existing fire loss records. This occurs because the fire loss records do not make reference to the sample population. To derive an initiating frequency both the number of events (incipient fires) and the population (number of buildings and years in service) must be known. this report documents an evaluation that estimates the frequency of incipient fires in industrial and nuclear facilities. these estimates were developed from the unique historical record that has been maintained at the Savannah River Site

  13. Incipient Fault Detection for Rolling Element Bearings under Varying Speed Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Lang; Li, Naipeng; Lei, Yaguo; Li, Ningbo

    2017-06-20

    Varying speed conditions bring a huge challenge to incipient fault detection of rolling element bearings because both the change of speed and faults could lead to the amplitude fluctuation of vibration signals. Effective detection methods need to be developed to eliminate the influence of speed variation. This paper proposes an incipient fault detection method for bearings under varying speed conditions. Firstly, relative residual (RR) features are extracted, which are insensitive to the varying speed conditions and are able to reflect the degradation trend of bearings. Then, a health indicator named selected negative log-likelihood probability (SNLLP) is constructed to fuse a feature set including RR features and non-dimensional features. Finally, based on the constructed SNLLP health indicator, a novel alarm trigger mechanism is designed to detect the incipient fault. The proposed method is demonstrated using vibration signals from bearing tests and industrial wind turbines. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method for incipient fault detection of rolling element bearings under varying speed conditions.

  14. Reinforcement shapes clines in female mate discrimination in Drosophila subquinaria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bewick, Emily R.; Dyer, Kelly A.

    2014-01-01

    Reinforcement of species boundaries may alter mate recognition in a way that also affects patterns of mate preference among conspecific populations. In the fly Drosophila subquinaria, females sympatric with the closely related species D. recens reject mating with heterospecific males as well as with conspecific males from allopatric populations. Here, we assess geographic variation in behavioral isolation within and among populations of D. subquinaria and use cline theory to understand patterns of selection on reinforced discrimination and its consequences for sexual isolation within species. We find that selection has fixed rejection of D. recens males in sympatry, while significant genetic variation in this behavior occurs within allopatric populations. In conspecific matings sexual isolation is also asymmetric and stronger in populations that are sympatric with D. recens. The clines in behavioral discrimination within and between species are similar in shape and are maintained by strong selection in the face of gene flow, and we show that some of their genetic basis may be either shared or linked. Thus, while reinforcement can drive extremely strong phenotypic divergence, the long-term consequences for incipient speciation depend on gene flow, genetic linkage of discrimination traits, and the cost of these behaviors in allopatry. PMID:25163510

  15. Contrasting activity patterns of sympatric and allopatric black and grizzly bears

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, C.C.; Cain, S.L.; Podruzny, S.; Cherry, S.; Frattaroli, L.

    2010-01-01

    The distribution of grizzly (Ursus arctos) and American black bears (U. americanus) overlaps in western North America. Few studies have detailed activity patterns where the species are sympatric and no studies contrasted patterns where populations are both sympatric and allopatric. We contrasted activity patterns for sympatric black and grizzly bears and for black bears allopatric to grizzly bears, how human influences altered patterns, and rates of grizzlyblack bear predation. Activity patterns differed between black bear populations, with those sympatric to grizzly bears more day-active. Activity patterns of black bears allopatric with grizzly bears were similar to those of female grizzly bears; both were crepuscular and day-active. Male grizzly bears were crepuscular and night-active. Both species were more night-active and less day-active when ???1 km from roads or developments. In our sympatric study area, 2 of 4 black bear mortalities were due to grizzly bear predation. Our results suggested patterns of activity that allowed for intra- and inter-species avoidance. National park management often results in convergence of locally high human densities in quality bear habitat. Our data provide additional understanding into how bears alter their activity patterns in response to other bears and humans and should help park managers minimize undesirable bearhuman encounters when considering needs for temporal and spatial management of humans and human developments in bear habitats. ?? 2010 The Wildlife Society.

  16. Incipient Fault Detection for Rolling Element Bearings under Varying Speed Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lang Xue

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Varying speed conditions bring a huge challenge to incipient fault detection of rolling element bearings because both the change of speed and faults could lead to the amplitude fluctuation of vibration signals. Effective detection methods need to be developed to eliminate the influence of speed variation. This paper proposes an incipient fault detection method for bearings under varying speed conditions. Firstly, relative residual (RR features are extracted, which are insensitive to the varying speed conditions and are able to reflect the degradation trend of bearings. Then, a health indicator named selected negative log-likelihood probability (SNLLP is constructed to fuse a feature set including RR features and non-dimensional features. Finally, based on the constructed SNLLP health indicator, a novel alarm trigger mechanism is designed to detect the incipient fault. The proposed method is demonstrated using vibration signals from bearing tests and industrial wind turbines. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method for incipient fault detection of rolling element bearings under varying speed conditions.

  17. Genetic divergence between two sympatric species of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex in the paralytic gene, a locus associated with insecticide resistance and lovesong production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RMMA Lins

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available The sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. is the main vector of American Visceral Leishmaniasis. L. longipalpis s.l. is a species complex but until recently the existence of cryptic sibling species among Brazilian populations was a controversial issue. A fragment of paralytic (para, a voltage dependent sodium channel gene associated with insecticide resistance and courtship song production in Drosophila, was isolated and used as a molecular marker to study the divergence between two sympatric siblings of the L. longipalpis complex from Sobral, Brazil. The results revealed para as the first single locus DNA marker presenting fixed differences between the two species in this locality. In addition, two low frequency amino-acid changes in an otherwise very conserved region of the channel were observed, raising the possibility that it might be associated with incipient resistance in this vector. To the best of our knowledge, the present study represents the first population genetics analysis of insecticide resistance genes in this important leishmaniasis vector.

  18. Study of formation mechanism of incipient melting in thixo-cast Al–Si–Cu–Mg alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Kang, E-mail: du126kang@126.com; Zhu, Qiang, E-mail: zhu.qiang@grinm.com; Li, Daquan, E-mail: lidaquan@grinm.com; Zhang, Fan, E-mail: sk_zf@163.com

    2015-08-15

    Mechanical properties of thixo-cast Al–Si–Cu–Mg alloys can be enhanced by T61 heat treatment. Copper and magnesium atoms in aluminum matrix can form homogeneously distributed precipitations after solution and aging treatment which harden the alloys. However, microsegregation of these alloying elements could form numerous tiny multi-compound phases during solidification. These phases could cause incipient melting defects in subsequent heat treatment process and degrade the macro-mechanical properties of productions. This study is to present heterogeneous distribution of Cu, Si, and Mg elements and formation of incipient melting defects (pores). In this study, incipient melting pores that occurred during solution treatment at various temperatures, even lower than common melting points of various intermetallic phases, were identified, in terms of a method of investigating the same surface area in the samples before and after solution treatment in a vacuum environment. The results also show that the incipient melting mostly originates at the clusters with fine intermetallic particles while also some at the edge of block-like Al{sub 2}Cu. The fine particles were determined being Al{sub 2}Cu, Al{sub 5}Cu{sub 2}Mg{sub 8}Si{sub 6} and Al{sub 8}Mg{sub 3}FeSi{sub 2}. Tendency of the incipient melting decreases with decreases of the width of the clusters. The formation mechanism of incipient melting pores in solution treatment process was discussed using both the Fick law and the LSW theory. Finally, a criterion of solution treatment to avoid incipient melting pores for the thixo-cast alloys is proposed. - Highlights: • In-situ comparison technique was used to analysis the change of eutectic phases. • The ralationship between eutectic phase size and incipient melting was studied. • Teat treatment criterion for higher incipient melting resistance was proposed.

  19. Study of formation mechanism of incipient melting in thixo-cast Al–Si–Cu–Mg alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du, Kang; Zhu, Qiang; Li, Daquan; Zhang, Fan

    2015-01-01

    Mechanical properties of thixo-cast Al–Si–Cu–Mg alloys can be enhanced by T61 heat treatment. Copper and magnesium atoms in aluminum matrix can form homogeneously distributed precipitations after solution and aging treatment which harden the alloys. However, microsegregation of these alloying elements could form numerous tiny multi-compound phases during solidification. These phases could cause incipient melting defects in subsequent heat treatment process and degrade the macro-mechanical properties of productions. This study is to present heterogeneous distribution of Cu, Si, and Mg elements and formation of incipient melting defects (pores). In this study, incipient melting pores that occurred during solution treatment at various temperatures, even lower than common melting points of various intermetallic phases, were identified, in terms of a method of investigating the same surface area in the samples before and after solution treatment in a vacuum environment. The results also show that the incipient melting mostly originates at the clusters with fine intermetallic particles while also some at the edge of block-like Al 2 Cu. The fine particles were determined being Al 2 Cu, Al 5 Cu 2 Mg 8 Si 6 and Al 8 Mg 3 FeSi 2 . Tendency of the incipient melting decreases with decreases of the width of the clusters. The formation mechanism of incipient melting pores in solution treatment process was discussed using both the Fick law and the LSW theory. Finally, a criterion of solution treatment to avoid incipient melting pores for the thixo-cast alloys is proposed. - Highlights: • In-situ comparison technique was used to analysis the change of eutectic phases. • The ralationship between eutectic phase size and incipient melting was studied. • Teat treatment criterion for higher incipient melting resistance was proposed

  20. Evidence for Divergent Evolution of Growth Temperature Preference in Sympatric Saccharomyces Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Paula; Valério, Elisabete; Correia, Cláudia; de Almeida, João M. G. C. F.; Sampaio, José Paulo

    2011-01-01

    The genus Saccharomyces currently includes eight species in addition to the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, most of which can be consistently isolated from tree bark and soil. We recently found sympatric pairs of Saccharomyces species, composed of one cryotolerant and one thermotolerant species in oak bark samples of various geographic origins. In order to contribute to explain the occurrence in sympatry of Saccharomyces species, we screened Saccharomyces genomic data for protein divergence that might be correlated to distinct growth temperature preferences of the species, using the dN/dS ratio as a measure of protein evolution rates and pair-wise species comparisons. In addition to proteins previously implicated in growth at suboptimal temperatures, we found that glycolytic enzymes were among the proteins exhibiting higher than expected divergence when one cryotolerant and one thermotolerant species are compared. By measuring glycolytic fluxes and glycolytic enzymatic activities in different species and at different temperatures, we subsequently show that the unusual divergence of glycolytic genes may be related to divergent evolution of the glycolytic pathway aligning its performance to the growth temperature profiles of the different species. In general, our results support the view that growth temperature preference is a trait that may have undergone divergent selection in the course of ecological speciation in Saccharomyces. PMID:21674061

  1. Low reproductive isolation and highly variable levels of gene flow reveal limited progress towards speciation between European river and brook lampreys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rougemont, Q; Gaigher, A; Lasne, E; Côte, J; Coke, M; Besnard, A-L; Launey, S; Evanno, G

    2015-12-01

    Ecologically based divergent selection is a factor that could drive reproductive isolation even in the presence of gene flow. Population pairs arrayed along a continuum of divergence provide a good opportunity to address this issue. Here, we used a combination of mating trials, experimental crosses and population genetic analyses to investigate the evolution of reproductive isolation between two closely related species of lampreys with distinct life histories. We used microsatellite markers to genotype over 1000 individuals of the migratory parasitic river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) and freshwater-resident nonparasitic brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) distributed in 10 sympatric and parapatric population pairs in France. Mating trials, parentage analyses and artificial fertilizations demonstrated a low level of reproductive isolation between species even though size-assortative mating may contribute to isolation. Most parapatric population pairs were strongly differentiated due to the joint effects of geographic distance and barriers to migration. In contrast, we found variable levels of gene flow between sympatric populations ranging from panmixia to moderate differentiation, which indicates a gradient of divergence with some population pairs that may correspond to alternative morphs or ecotypes of a single species and others that remain partially isolated. Ecologically based divergent selection may explain these variable levels of divergence among sympatric population pairs, but incomplete genome swamping following secondary contact could have also played a role. Overall, this study illustrates how highly differentiated phenotypes can be maintained despite high levels of gene flow that limit the progress towards speciation. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  2. Transgenic Drosophila simulans strains prove the identity of the speciation gene Lethal hybrid rescue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prigent, Stéphane R; Matsubayashi, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Masa-Toshi

    2009-10-01

    Speciation genes are responsible for genetic incompatibilities in hybrids of incipient species and therefore participate in reproductive isolation leading to complete speciation. Hybrid males between Drosophila melanogaster females and D. simulans males die at late larval or prepupal stages due to a failure in chromosome condensation during mitosis. However a mutant male of D. simulans, named Lethal hybrid rescue (Lhr), produces viable hybrid males when crossed to females of D. melanogaster. Recently the Lhr gene has been proposed as corresponding to the CG18468 gene in D. melanogaster. However this identification relied on sequence characteristics more than on a precise mapping and the use of the GAL4/UAS system to drive the transgene in D. melanogaster might have increased the complexity of interaction. Thus here we propose an independent identification of the Lhr gene based on a more precise mapping and transgenic experiments in D. simulans. We have mapped the Lhr gene by using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and identified within the candidate region the gene homologous to CG18468 as the Lhr gene as it was previously reported. Transgenic experiments in D. simulans with the native promoter of CG18468 prove that it is the Lhr gene of D. simulans by inducing the lethality of the hybrid males.

  3. Robust Fault Diagnosis Design for Linear Multiagent Systems with Incipient Faults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jingping Xia

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The design of a robust fault estimation observer is studied for linear multiagent systems subject to incipient faults. By considering the fact that incipient faults are in low-frequency domain, the fault estimation of such faults is proposed for discrete-time multiagent systems based on finite-frequency technique. Moreover, using the decomposition design, an equivalent conclusion is given. Simulation results of a numerical example are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.

  4. Speciation analysis of radionuclides in the environment - NSK-B SPECIATION project report 2009

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, X.; Aldahan, A.; Possnert, G.; Lujaniene, G.; Lehto, J.; Skipperud, L.; Lind, O.C.; Salbu, B.

    2009-10-01

    The second stage of the NKS-B project SPECIATION was complemented in 2008-2009, which mainly focus on three aspects: (1) Further improvement and development of methods for speciation analysis of radionuclides; (2) Investigation of speciation of some radionuclides in the environment (water, sediments, particles); and (3) Intercomparison excise for speciation analysis of radionuclides in soil and sediment. This report summarizes the work completed in the project partners' laboratories. Method developments include: Development of an rapid and in-suit separation method for the speciation analysis of 129I in seawater samples; Development of a simple method for the speciation analysis of 129I in fresh water and seawater samples; Development of an on-line HPLC-ICP-MS method for the direct speciation analysis of 127I in water and leachate samples; Speciation of radionuclides in water includes: Speciation of 129I and 127I in time-series precipitation samples collected in Denmark 2001-2006 and its application for the investigation of geochemistry and atmospheric chemistry of iodine, Speciation of radionuclides in Ob and Yenisey Rivers, and Speciation of 129I and 127I in Lake Heimdalen water. Speciation of radionuclides in soils and sediments includes: Sequential extraction of radionuclides in sediments and of trace elements in soil samples. Sequential extraction of radionuclides in aerosols and particles has also been performed. Furthermore, sorption experiments have been performed to investigate the association of Pu, Am and Cs with different geological materials. The intercomparison exercises included sequential extraction of Pu, 137Cs, U, Th, and 129I in one soil and one sediment standard reference materials (NIST-4354, IAEA-375) and Pu in sediment collected from the Lake Heimdalen, Norway. (author)

  5. Speciation analysis of radionuclides in the environment - NSK-B SPECIATION project report 2009

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hou, X. (Technical Univ. of Denmark, Risoe National Lab. for Sustainable Energy, Roskilde (Denmark)); Aldahan, A. (Uppsala Univ., Dept. of Earth Science (Sweden)); Possnert, G. (Uppsala Univ., Tandem Lab. (Sweden)); Lujaniene, G. (Univ. of Helsinki, Lab. of Radiochemistry (Finland)); Lehto, J. (Institute of Physics (Lithuania)); Skipperud, L.; Lind, O.C.; Salbu, B. (Norwegian Univ. of Life Sciences, Isotope Lab., AAs (Norway))

    2009-10-15

    The second stage of the NKS-B project SPECIATION was complemented in 2008-2009, which mainly focus on three aspects: (1) Further improvement and development of methods for speciation analysis of radionuclides; (2) Investigation of speciation of some radionuclides in the environment (water, sediments, particles); and (3) Intercomparison excise for speciation analysis of radionuclides in soil and sediment. This report summarizes the work completed in the project partners' laboratories. Method developments include: Development of an rapid and in-suit separation method for the speciation analysis of 129I in seawater samples; Development of a simple method for the speciation analysis of 129I in fresh water and seawater samples; Development of an on-line HPLC-ICP-MS method for the direct speciation analysis of 127I in water and leachate samples; Speciation of radionuclides in water includes: Speciation of 129I and 127I in time-series precipitation samples collected in Denmark 2001-2006 and its application for the investigation of geochemistry and atmospheric chemistry of iodine, Speciation of radionuclides in Ob and Yenisey Rivers, and Speciation of 129I and 127I in Lake Heimdalen water. Speciation of radionuclides in soils and sediments includes: Sequential extraction of radionuclides in sediments and of trace elements in soil samples. Sequential extraction of radionuclides in aerosols and particles has also been performed. Furthermore, sorption experiments have been performed to investigate the association of Pu, Am and Cs with different geological materials. The intercomparison exercises included sequential extraction of Pu, 137Cs, U, Th, and 129I in one soil and one sediment standard reference materials (NIST-4354, IAEA-375) and Pu in sediment collected from the Lake Heimdalen, Norway. (author)

  6. Speciation analysis of radionuclides in the environment. NKS-B speciation project report 2007

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, Xiaolin; Aldahan, A.; Possnert, G.; Lujaniene, G.; Lehto, J.; Salbu, B.

    2008-07-01

    This report describes the work carried out under the NUK-B project SPECIATION 2007. In 2007, the project partners had two meeting in April and November, organized a NUK seminar on speciation and hot particles. SPECIATION 2007 t mainly focused on two issues on speciation (1) further development of speciation methods for radionuclides, and (2) investigation of speciation of radionuclides in environment. The report summarized the work done in partners labs, which includes: (1) Further development on the speciation of 129I and 127I in water samples; (2) Speciation method for 129I and 127I in air; (3) Dynamic system for fractionation of Pu and Am in soil and sediment; (4) Investigation on Re-absorption of Pu during the fractionation of Pu in soil and sediment; (5) Speciation of 129I in North Sea surface water; (6) Partition of 137Cs and 129I in the Nordic lake sediment, pore-water and lake water; (7) Sequential extraction of Pu in soil, sediment and concrete samples, (8) Pu sorption to Mn and Fe oxides in the geological materials, (10) Investigation of the adsorbed species of lanthanides and actinides on clays surfaces. In addition, two review articles on the speciation of plutonium and iodine in environmental are planned to be submitted to an international journal for publication. (au)

  7. Speciation analysis of radionuclides in the environment. NKS-B speciation project report 2007

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiaolin Hou (Technical Univ. of Denmark, Risoe National Lab. for Sustainable Energy, Roskilde (Denmark)); Aldahan, A. (Uppsala Univ., Dept. of Earth Science, Uppsala (Sweden)); Possnert, G. (Uppsala Univ., Tandem Lab., Uppsala (Sweden)); Lujaniene, G. (Institute of Physics, Vilnius (Lithuania)); Lehto, J. (Univ. of Helsinki, Dept. of Chemistry, Helsinki (Finland)); Salbu, B. (Norwegian Univ. of Life Sciences (UMB), AAs (Norway))

    2008-07-15

    This report describes the work carried out under the NUK-B project SPECIATION 2007. In 2007, the project partners had two meeting in April and November, organized a NUK seminar on speciation and hot particles. SPECIATION 2007 t mainly focused on two issues on speciation (1) further development of speciation methods for radionuclides, and (2) investigation of speciation of radionuclides in environment. The report summarized the work done in partners labs, which includes: (1) Further development on the speciation of 129I and 127I in water samples; (2) Speciation method for 129I and 127I in air; (3) Dynamic system for fractionation of Pu and Am in soil and sediment; (4) Investigation on Re-absorption of Pu during the fractionation of Pu in soil and sediment; (5) Speciation of 129I in North Sea surface water; (6) Partition of 137Cs and 129I in the Nordic lake sediment, pore-water and lake water; (7) Sequential extraction of Pu in soil, sediment and concrete samples, (8) Pu sorption to Mn and Fe oxides in the geological materials, (10) Investigation of the adsorbed species of lanthanides and actinides on clays surfaces. In addition, two review articles on the speciation of plutonium and iodine in environmental are planned to be submitted to an international journal for publication. (au)

  8. Incipient motion of gravel and coal beds

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

    2. 1Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, ... the particle size distribution curve following the relationship by Christensen .... where f = friction factor, ρ = mass density of fluid, and V = mean velocity of flow. .... for the incipient motion of gravel and coal beds have been represented by simple empirical.

  9. Incipient toxicity of lithium to freshwater organisms representing a salmonid habitat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emery, R.; Klopfer, D.C.; Skalski, J.R.

    1981-07-01

    Because the eventual development of fusion power reactors could increase the mining, use and disposal of lithium five-fold by the year 2000, potential effects from unusual amounts of lithium in aquatic environments were investigated. Freshwater oganisms representing a Pacific Northwest salmonid habitat were exposed to elevated conentrations of lithium. Nine parameters were used to determine the incipient toxicity of lithium to rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), insect larvae (Chironomus sp.), and Columbia River periphyton. All three groups of biota were incipiently sensitive to lithium at concentrations ranging between 0.1 and 1 mg/L. These results correspond with the incipient toxicity of beryllium, a chemically similar component of fusion reactor cores. A maximum lithium concentration of 0.01 mg/L occurs naturally in most freshwater environments (beryllium is rarer). Therefore, a concentration range of 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L may be regarded as approaching toxic concentrations when assessing the hazards of lithium in freshwaters

  10. On the effect of cross sectional shape on incipient motion and deposition of sediments in fixed bed channels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Safari Mir-Jafar-Sadegh

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The condition of incipient motion and deposition are of the essential issues for the study of sediment transport. This phenomenon is of great importance to hydraulic engineers for designing sewers, drainage, as well as other rigid boundary channels. This is a study carried out with the objectives of describing the effect of cross-sectional shape on incipient motion and deposition of particles in rigid boundary channels. In this research work, the experimental data given by Loveless (1992 and Mohammadi (2005 are used. On the basis of the critical velocity approach, a new incipient motion equation for a V-shaped bottom channel and incipient deposition of sediment particles equations for rigid boundary channels having circular, rectangular, and U-shaped cross sections are obtained. New equations were compared to the other incipient motion equations. The result shows that the cross-sectional shape is an important factor for defining the minimum velocity for no-deposit particles. This study also distinguishes incipient motion of particles from incipient deposition for particles. The results may be useful for designing fixed bed channels with a limited deposition condition.

  11. Incipient and overt diabetic nephropathy in African Americans with NIDDM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dasmahapatra, A; Bale, A; Raghuwanshi, M P; Reddi, A; Byrne, W; Suarez, S; Nash, F; Varagiannis, E; Skurnick, J H

    1994-04-01

    OBJECTIVE--To determine the prevalence of incipient and overt nephropathy in African-American subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) attending a hospital clinic. Contributory factors, such as blood pressure (BP), duration and age at onset of diabetes, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and body mass index (BMI) also were evaluated. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--We recruited 116 African-American subjects with NIDDM for this cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study. BP, BMI, 24-h urine albumin excretion, creatinine clearance, serum creatinine, lipids, and GHb levels were measured. Albumin excretion rate (AER) was calculated, and subjects were divided into three groups: no nephropathy (AER 200 micrograms/min). Frequency of hypertension and nephropathy was analyzed by chi 2 testing, group means were compared using analysis of variance, and linear correlations were performed between AER and other variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the association of these variables while controlling for the effects of other variables. RESULTS--Increased AER was present in 50% of our subjects; 31% had incipient and 19% had overt nephropathy. Hypertension was present in 72.4%; nephropathy, particularly overt nephropathy, was significantly more prevalent in the hypertensive group. Mean BP and diastolic blood pressure (dBP) were higher in the groups with incipient and overt nephropathy, and systolic blood pressure (sBP) was increased in overt nephropathy. Men with either form of nephropathy had higher sBP, dBP, and mean BP, whereas only women with overt nephropathy had increased sBP and mean BP. Subjects with incipient or overt nephropathy had a longer duration of diabetes, and those with overt nephropathy had a younger age at onset of diabetes. By multiple regression analysis, AER correlated with younger age at diabetes onset, but not with diabetes duration. No correlation with age, lipid levels, or GHb was noted. BMI correlated with AER

  12. Speciation Analysis of Radionuclides in the Environment - NSK-B SPECIATION project report 2009

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hou, Xiaolin; Aldahan, Ala; Possnert, Göran

    . Speciation of radionuclides in soils and sediments includes: Sequential extraction of radionuclides in sediments and of trace elements in soil samples. Sequential extraction of radionuclides in aerosols and particles has also been performed. Further-more, sorption experiments have been performed......, sediments, particles); and (3) Intercomparison excise for speciation analysis of radionu-clides in soil and sediment. This report summarizes the work completed in the project partners’ laboratories, Method developments include: Development of an rapid and in-suit separation method for the speciation...... analysis of 129I in seawater samples; Development of a simple method for the speciation analysis of 129I in fresh water and seawater samples; Development of an on-line HPLC-ICP-MS method for the direct speciation analysis of 127I in water and leachate samples; Speciation of radionuclides in water includes...

  13. Sympatric and allopatric combinations of Lymnaea columella and Fasciola hepatica from southern and south-eastern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, L H L; Lima, W S; Guimaraes, M P

    2009-09-01

    Experimental infections of Lymnaea columella with Fasciola hepatica were carried out to test the effect of sympatric and allopatric combinations between parasite and host, by using snails and flukes from southern and south-eastern Brazil. Four groups of 50 snails were infected with four miracidia per snail: two groups in sympatric and two groups in allopatric combinations. Sympatric combinations between parasite and host were more efficient than allopatric ones when snails from Itajubá were used, but the opposite was observed in infections involving snails from Pelotas. The sympatric association between L. columella and F. hepatica from Itajubá was significantly higher than in the other combinations. We concluded that the host-parasite relationship between L. columnella and F. hepatica may vary according to the geographical origin of the snails and flukes involved.

  14. Uranium speciation in plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guenther, A.; Bernhard, G.; Geipel, G.; Reich, T.; Rossberg, A.; Nitsche, H.

    2003-01-01

    Detailed knowledge of the nature of uranium complexes formed after the uptake by plants is an essential prerequisite to describe the migration behavior of uranium in the environment. This study focuses on the determination of uranium speciation after uptake of uranium by lupine plants. For the first time, time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy were used to determine the chemical speciation of uranium in plants. Differences were detected between the uranium speciation in the initial solution (hydroponic solution and pore water of soil) and inside the lupine plants. The oxidation state of uranium did not change and remained hexavalent after it was taken up by the lupine plants. The chemical speciation of uranium was identical in the roots, shoot axis, and leaves and was independent of the uranium speciation in the uptake solution. The results indicate that the uranium is predominantly bound as uranyl(VI) phosphate to the phosphoryl groups. Dandelions and lamb's lettuce showed uranium speciation identical to lupine plants. (orig.)

  15. Prediction of incipient flow boiling from a uniformly heated surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, S.T.; Abdelmessih, A.H.

    1977-01-01

    This study was undertaken to investigate the phenomenon of liquid superheat during incipient boiling in a uniformly heated forced convection channel. Experimental data were obtained using Freon 11 as the test medium. Based on existing theories, an analytical method was developed for predicting the point of termination of nucleate boiling, observed during a decreasing heat flux process with a nucleation activated surface. The method may also be used to predict the point of boiling incipience, observed during an increasing heat flux process with a non-activated surface; this point does not appear to have been treated analytically in previous work. It can be shown that some of the existing models are special cases of the present formulation

  16. Allopatric speciation despite historical gene flow: Divergence and hybridization in Carex furva and C. lucennoiberica (Cyperaceae) inferred from plastid and nuclear RAD-seq data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maguilla, Enrique; Escudero, Marcial; Hipp, Andrew L; Luceño, Modesto

    2017-10-01

    Gene flow among incipient species can act as a creative or destructive force in the speciation process, generating variation on which natural selection can act while, potentially, undermining population divergence. The flowering plant genus Carex exhibits a rapid and relatively recent radiation with many species limits still unclear. This is the case with the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal)-endemic C. lucennoiberica, which lay unrecognized within Carex furva until its recent description as a new species. In this study, we test how these species were impacted by interspecific gene flow during speciation. We sampled the full range of distribution of C. furva (15 individuals sampled) and C. lucennoiberica (88 individuals), sequenced two cpDNA regions (atpI-atpH, psbA-trnH) and performed genomic sequencing of 45,100 SNPs using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). We utilized a set of partitioned D-statistic tests and demographic analyses to study the degree and direction of introgression. Additionally, we modelled species distributions to reconstruct changes in range distribution during glacial and interglacial periods. Plastid, nuclear and morphological data strongly support divergence between species with subsequent gene flow. Combined with species distribution modelling, these data support a scenario of allopatry leading to species divergence, followed by secondary contact and gene flow due to long-distance dispersal and/or range expansions and contractions in response to Quaternary glacial cycles. We conclude that this is a case of allopatric speciation despite historical secondary contacts, which could have temporally influenced the speciation process, contributing to the knowledge of forces that are driving or counteracting speciation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Nondestructive evaluation of incipient decay in hardwood logs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiping Wang; Jan Wiedenbeck; Robert J. Ross; John W. Forsman; John R. Erickson; Crystal Pilon; Brian K. Brashaw

    2005-01-01

    Decay can cause significant damage to high-value hardwood timber. New nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies are urgently needed to effectively detect incipient decay in hardwood timber at the earliest possible stage. Currently, the primary means of inspecting timber relies on visual assessment criteria. When visual inspections are used exclusively, they provide...

  18. Ecological speciation by temporal isolation in a population of the stonefly Leuctra hippopus (Plecoptera, Leuctridae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boumans, Louis; Hogner, Silje; Brittain, John; Johnsen, Arild

    2017-03-01

    Stream dwelling invertebrates are ideal candidates for the study of ecological speciation as they are often adapted to particular environmental conditions within a stream and inhabit only certain reaches of a drainage basin, separated by unsuitable habitat. We studied an atypical population of the stonefly Leuctra hippopus at a site in central Norway, the Isterfoss rapids, in relation to three nearby and two remote conspecific populations. Adults of this population emerge about a month earlier than those of nearby populations, live on large boulders emerging from the rapids, and are short-lived. This population also has distinct morphological features and was studied earlier during the period 1975-1990. We reassessed morphological distinctness with new measurements and added several analyses of genetic distinctness based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequence markers, as well as AFLP fingerprinting and SNPs mined from RAD sequences. The Isterfoss population is shown to be most closely related to its geographical neighbors, yet clearly morphologically and genetically distinct and homogeneous. We conclude that this population is in the process of sympatric speciation, with temporal isolation being the most important direct barrier to gene flow. The shift in reproductive season results from the particular temperature and water level regime in the Isterfoss rapids. The distinct adult body shape and loss of flight are hypothesized to be an adaptation to the unusual habitat. Ecological diversification on small spatial and temporal scales is one of the likely causes of the high diversity of aquatic insects.

  19. Felsenstein's“one-allele model”of speciation: The role of philopatry in the initial stages of host plant mediated reproductive isolation in Enchenopa binotata

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank W. STEARNS, Kelley J. TILMON, Thomas K. WOOD

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The study of speciation genetics is primarily concerned with identifying the genetic traits that allow divergent selection to overcome the homogenizing effects of gene flow. Felsenstein reviewed this race between gene flow and selection, concluding that speciation with gene flow was unlikely under a “two-allele model” (where two traits were necessary for reproductive isolation but that divergence could occur quite easily under a “one-allele model.” Despite this finding, much of the sympatric speciation research involving phytophagous insects has relied on a two-trait model, where insects evolve both preferences for and increased performance on novel host plants. Philopatry (a tendency to remain where one was born is known to occur in phytophagous insects and is a single trait isolation mechanism. However, it is traditionally invoked as simply augmenting reproductive isolation. Species in the Enchenopa binotata complex are believed to have speciated in sympatry. They exhibit host plant prefe­rences, host specific performance advantages and strong philopatry. We experimentally shifted E. binotata to evolutionarily novel host plants. Previous research has demonstrated that the experimental population of insects possesses genetic variation in prefe­rence and performance to the novel host. The degree of philopatry at mating and egg-laying was assayed for the first four years under full choice conditions. Host plant preference and performance was assayed after eight years. Philopatry was an immediate and strong isolating mechanism, while preference for and performance on the novel host lagged. We therefore suggest that philopatry may be a more important mechanism in the early stages of a host shift than previously believed [Current Zoology 59 (5: 658-666, 2013].

  20. HIV Infection Disrupts the Sympatric Host–Pathogen Relationship in Human Tuberculosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenner, Lukas; Egger, Matthias; Bodmer, Thomas; Furrer, Hansjakob; Ballif, Marie; Battegay, Manuel; Helbling, Peter; Fehr, Jan; Gsponer, Thomas; Rieder, Hans L.; Zwahlen, Marcel; Hoffmann, Matthias; Bernasconi, Enos; Cavassini, Matthias; Calmy, Alexandra; Dolina, Marisa; Frei, Reno; Janssens, Jean-Paul; Borrell, Sonia; Stucki, David; Schrenzel, Jacques; Böttger, Erik C.; Gagneux, Sebastien

    2013-01-01

    The phylogeographic population structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis suggests local adaptation to sympatric human populations. We hypothesized that HIV infection, which induces immunodeficiency, will alter the sympatric relationship between M. tuberculosis and its human host. To test this hypothesis, we performed a nine-year nation-wide molecular-epidemiological study of HIV–infected and HIV–negative patients with tuberculosis (TB) between 2000 and 2008 in Switzerland. We analyzed 518 TB patients of whom 112 (21.6%) were HIV–infected and 233 (45.0%) were born in Europe. We found that among European-born TB patients, recent transmission was more likely to occur in sympatric compared to allopatric host–pathogen combinations (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 7.5, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.21–infinity, p = 0.03). HIV infection was significantly associated with TB caused by an allopatric (as opposed to sympatric) M. tuberculosis lineage (OR 7.0, 95% CI 2.5–19.1, p<0.0001). This association remained when adjusting for frequent travelling, contact with foreigners, age, sex, and country of birth (adjusted OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.5–20.8, p = 0.01). Moreover, it became stronger with greater immunosuppression as defined by CD4 T-cell depletion and was not the result of increased social mixing in HIV–infected patients. Our observation was replicated in a second independent panel of 440 M. tuberculosis strains collected during a population-based study in the Canton of Bern between 1991 and 2011. In summary, these findings support a model for TB in which the stable relationship between the human host and its locally adapted M. tuberculosis is disrupted by HIV infection. PMID:23505379

  1. Birefringence and incipient plastic deformation in elastically overdriven [100] CaF2 under shock compression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Y.; Zhou, X. M.; Cai, Y.; Liu, C. L.; Luo, S. N.

    2018-04-01

    [100] CaF2 single crystals are shock-compressed via symmetric planar impact, and the flyer plate-target interface velocity histories are measured with a laser displacement interferometry. The shock loading is slightly above the Hugoniot elastic limit to investigate incipient plasticity and its kinetics, and its effects on optical properties and deformation inhomogeneity. Fringe patterns demonstrate different features in modulation of fringe amplitude, including birefringence and complicated modulations. The birefringence is attributed to local lattice rotation accompanying incipient plasticity. Spatially resolved measurements show inhomogeneity in deformation, birefringence, and fringe pattern evolutions, most likely caused by the inhomogeneity associated with lattice rotation and dislocation slip. Transiently overdriven elastic states are observed, and the incubation time for incipient plasticity decreases inversely with increasing overdrive by the elastic shock.

  2. Detection of the incipient oxidation of coal by petrographic techniques

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Kruszewska, KJ

    1996-05-01

    Full Text Available Two petrographic methods, namely long-wave fluorescence intensity measurements and a vitrinite elasticity index were developed and used to detect incipient oxidation in coals subjected to simulated weathering conditions. The two methods are based...

  3. Developing countries and incipient industrialization: a case study of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Botswana's small and large towns offer good examples of incipient industrialization and enterprise clustering in a developing economy. Using data from Lobatse, a small industrial centre in Botswana, this brief paper shows that clustering in developing countries does not necessarily induce high inter-firm relationships as is ...

  4. Does invasive Chondrostoma nasus shift the parasite community structure of endemic Parachondrostoma toxostoma in sympatric zones?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background The composition of parasite communities in two cyprinid species in southern France – native and threatened Parachondrostoma toxostoma and introduced Chondrostoma nasus – was investigated. In sympatry, these two species form two hybrid zones in the Durance and Ardeche Rivers. Due to their different feeding preference and habitat positions in allopatry, we supposed a difference in parasite communities between fish species. We expected more similar parasite communities in sympatric zones associated with habitat overlap (facilitating the transmission of ectoparasites) and similar feeding (more generalist behaviour when compared to allopatry, facilitating the transmission of endoparasites) in both fish species. Finally, we investigated whether P. toxostoma x C. nasus hybrids are less parasitized then parental species. Methods One allopatric population of each fish species plus two sympatric zones were sampled. Fish were identified using cytochrome b gene and 41 microsatellites loci and examined for all metazoan parasites. Results A high Monogenea abundance was found in both allopatric and sympatric populations of C. nasus. Trematoda was the dominant group in parasite communities of P. toxostoma from the allopatric population. In contrast, the populations of P. toxostoma in sympatric zones were parasitized by Dactylogyrus species found in C. nasus populations, but their abundance in endemic species was low. Consequently, the similarity based on parasite presence/absence between the sympatric populations of P. toxostoma and C. nasus was high. Sympatric populations of P. toxostoma were more similar than allopatric and sympatric populations of this species. No difference in ectoparasite infection was found between P. toxostoma and hybrids, whilst C. nasus was more parasitized by Monogenea. Conclusions The differences in endoparasites between P. toxostoma and C. nasus in allopatry are probably linked to different feeding or habitat conditions, but host

  5. Software System for Finding the Incipient Faults in Power Transformers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolina Petkova

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper a new software system for finding of incipient faultsis presented.An experiment is made with real measurement of partial discharge(PD that appeared in power transformer. The software system usesacquisition data to define the real state of this transformer. One of the most important criteria for the power transformer’s state is the presence of partial discharges. The wave propagation caused by partial discharge depends on scheme of the winding and construction of the power equipment. In all cases, the PD source had a specific position so the wave measured from the PD –coupling device had a specific waveform. The waveform is different when PDcoupling device is put on a specific place. The waveform and the time of propagation are criteria for the localization of the source of incipient faults in the volume of power transformer.

  6. Acute and long-term effect of antihypertensive treatment on exercise-induced albuminuria in incipient diabetic nephropathy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Cramer; Mogensen, C E

    1986-01-01

    . In the acute study, using placebo/metoprolol 10 mg i.v. in patients with normal UAE, the maximal SBP at 600 kpm/min was reduced by 17 mmHg +/- 10 (SD) (2p less than 1.0%) and the maximal SBP at 600 kpm/min in the patients with incipient nephropathy was reduced by 15 mmHg +/- 11 (SD) (2p less than 1.......0%). However, no difference was observed in UAE, in patients with normal UAE or those with incipient nephropathy. Five of the patients with incipient nephropathy were followed with repeated exercise tests before and during 2.6 years of antihypertensive treatment, using metoprolol 200 mg/24 h and subsequently...

  7. Fault prediction for nonlinear stochastic system with incipient faults based on particle filter and nonlinear regression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Bo; Fang, Huajing

    2017-05-01

    This paper is concerned with the fault prediction for the nonlinear stochastic system with incipient faults. Based on the particle filter and the reasonable assumption about the incipient faults, the modified fault estimation algorithm is proposed, and the system state is estimated simultaneously. According to the modified fault estimation, an intuitive fault detection strategy is introduced. Once each of the incipient fault is detected, the parameters of which are identified by a nonlinear regression method. Then, based on the estimated parameters, the future fault signal can be predicted. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the simulations of the Three-tank system. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. MODELING MONOMETHYLMERCURY AND TRIBUTYLTIN SPECIATION WITH EPA'S GEOCHEMICAL SPECIATION MODEL MINTEQA2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Given the complexity of the various, simultaneous (and competing) equilibrium reactions governing the speciation of ionic species in aquatic systems, EPA has developed and distributed the geochemical speciation model MINTEQA2 (Brown and Allison, 1987, Allison et al., 1991; Hydrog...

  9. Multiple incipient sensor faults diagnosis with application to high-speed railway traction devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yunkai; Jiang, Bin; Lu, Ningyun; Yang, Hao; Zhou, Yang

    2017-03-01

    This paper deals with the problem of incipient fault diagnosis for a class of Lipschitz nonlinear systems with sensor biases and explores further results of total measurable fault information residual (ToMFIR). Firstly, state and output transformations are introduced to transform the original system into two subsystems. The first subsystem is subject to system disturbances and free from sensor faults, while the second subsystem contains sensor faults but without any system disturbances. Sensor faults in the second subsystem are then formed as actuator faults by using a pseudo-actuator based approach. Since the effects of system disturbances on the residual are completely decoupled, multiple incipient sensor faults can be detected by constructing ToMFIR, and the fault detectability condition is then derived for discriminating the detectable incipient sensor faults. Further, a sliding-mode observers (SMOs) based fault isolation scheme is designed to guarantee accurate isolation of multiple sensor faults. Finally, simulation results conducted on a CRH2 high-speed railway traction device are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Functional biology of sympatric krill species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Agersted, Mette Dalgaard; Nielsen, Torkel Gissel

    2016-01-01

    Here we compare the functional biology of the sympatric krill species, Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Thysanoessa inermis. For M. norvegica, we investigated functional responses on diatoms and copepods, together with prey size spectra on plankton ,400 mm and copepods in the size range 500–3220 mm....... For T. inermis, only prey size spectrum on plankton ,400 mm were investigated. The prey size ranges of both species include organisms ,400 mm, and they consequently graze on several trophic levels. However, T. inermis feed on cells ,10 mm equivalent spherical diameter (ESD), whereas M. norvegica only...

  11. Incipient cognition solves the spatial reciprocity conundrum of cooperation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeromos Vukov

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: From the simplest living organisms to human societies, cooperation among individuals emerges as a paradox difficult to explain and describe mathematically, although very often observed in reality. Evolutionary game theory offers an excellent toolbar to investigate this issue. Spatial structure has been one of the first mechanisms promoting cooperation; however, alone it only opens a narrow window of viability. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we equip individuals with incipient cognitive abilities, and investigate the evolution of cooperation in a spatial world where retaliation, forgiveness, treason and mutualism may coexist, as individuals engage in Prisoner's Dilemma games. In the model, individuals are able to distinguish their partners and act towards them based on previous interactions. We show how the simplest level of cognition, alone, can lead to the emergence of cooperation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Despite the incipient nature of the individuals' cognitive abilities, cooperation emerges for unprecedented values of the temptation to cheat, being also robust to invasion by cheaters, errors in decision making and inaccuracy of imitation, features akin to many species, including humans.

  12. Genetic differentiation between the ant Myrmica rubra and its microgynous social parasite

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vepsäläinen, K.; Ebsen, J. R.; Savolainen, R.

    2009-01-01

    Hymenopteran inquiline species have been proposed to originate by sympatric speciation through intraspecific social parasitism. One such parasite, Myrmica microrubra, was recently synonymized with its Myrmica rubra host, because comparisons across Europe indicated insufficient genetic differentia......Hymenopteran inquiline species have been proposed to originate by sympatric speciation through intraspecific social parasitism. One such parasite, Myrmica microrubra, was recently synonymized with its Myrmica rubra host, because comparisons across Europe indicated insufficient genetic...... differentiation. Here, we use microsatellite markers to study genetic differentiation more precisely in a sample of Finnish M. rubra and its inquilines collected at two localities, supplemented with mitochondrial DNA sequences. The parasite had much lower genetic variation than the host at three of the four loci...

  13. Effect of antihypertensive treatment on progression of incipient diabetic nephropathy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Cramer; Mogensen, C E

    1985-01-01

    of urinary albumin excretion before and during 2.6 years +/- 1.0 (SD) of treatment. The blood pressure was depressed by the treatment (systolic blood pressure from 135 mm Hg +/- 8.6 to 124 mm Hg +/- 6.2, NS; mean blood pressure from 107 mm Hg +/- 7.6 to 97 mm Hg +/- 3.4, 2p less than 0.05; diastolic blood......The aim of the study was to clarify whether antihypertensive treatment with a selective beta blocker would have an effect on the progression rate of kidney disease in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy. Six male patients with juvenile-onset diabetes with incipient nephropathy (urinary...... albumin excretion above 15 micrograms/min and total protein excretion below 0.5 g/24 hr) were treated with metoprolol (200 mg daily). At the start of the antihypertensive treatment the mean age was 32 years +/- 4.2 (SD). The patients were followed a mean 5.4 years +/- 3.1 (SD) with repeated measurements...

  14. Early diagnosis of incipient caries based on non-invasive lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velescu, A.; Todea, C.; Vitez, B.

    2016-03-01

    AIM: The aim of this study is to detect incipient caries and enamel demineralization using laser fluorescence.This serves only as an auxilary aid to identify and to monitor the development of these lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 6 patients were involved in this study, three females and three male. Each patient underwent a professional cleaning, visual examination of the oral cavity, and then direct inspection using DiagnoCam and DIAGNOdent. After data recording each patient was submitted to retro-alveolar X-ray on teeth that were detected with enamel lesions. All data was collected and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Of 36 areas considered in clinically healthy, 24 carious surfaces were found using laser fluorescence, a totally non-invasive method for detecting incipient carious lesions compared with the radiographic examination. CONCLUSIONS: This method has good applicability for patients because it improves treatment plan by early detection of caries and involves less fear for anxious patients and children.

  15. Determination and microscopic study of incipient defects in irradiated power reactor fuel rods. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pasupathi, V.; Perrin, J.S.; Roberts, E.

    1978-05-01

    This report presents the results of nondestructive and destructive examinations carried out on the Point Beach-1 (PWR) and Dresden-3 (BWR) candidate fuel rods selected for the study of pellet-clad interaction (PCI) induced incipient defects. In addition, the report includes results of examination of sections from Oskarshamn-1 (BWR) fuel rods. Eddy current examination of Point Beach-1 rods showed indications of possible incipient defects in the fuel rods. The profilometry and the gamma scan data also indicated that the source of the eddy current indications may be incipient defects. No failed rods or rods with incipient failure were found in the sample from Point Beach-1. Despite the lack of success in finding incipient defects and filed rods, the mechanism for fuel rod failures in Point Beach-1 is postulated to be PCI-related, with high startup rates and fuel handling being the key elements. Nine out of the 10 candidate fuel rods from Dresden-3 (BWR) were failed, and all the failed rods had leaked water so that the initial mechanism was observed. Examination of clad inner surfaces of the specimens from failed and unfailed rods showed fuel deposits of widely varying appearance. The deposits were found to contain uranium, cesium, and tellurium. Transmission electron microscopy of clad specimens showed evidence of microscopic strain. Metallographic examination of fuel pellets from the peak transient power location showed extensive grain boundary separation and axial movement of the fuel indicative of rapid release of fission products. Examination of Oskarshamn clad specimens did not show any stress corrosion crack (SCC) type defects. The defects found in the examinations appear to be related to secondary hydriding. The clad inner surface of the Oskarshamn specimens also showed uranium-rich deposits of varying features

  16. Incipient multiple fault diagnosis in real time with applications to large-scale systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, H.Y.; Bien, Z.; Park, J.H.; Seon, P.H.

    1994-01-01

    By using a modified signed directed graph (SDG) together with the distributed artificial neutral networks and a knowledge-based system, a method of incipient multi-fault diagnosis is presented for large-scale physical systems with complex pipes and instrumentations such as valves, actuators, sensors, and controllers. The proposed method is designed so as to (1) make a real-time incipient fault diagnosis possible for large-scale systems, (2) perform the fault diagnosis not only in the steady-state case but also in the transient case as well by using a concept of fault propagation time, which is newly adopted in the SDG model, (3) provide with highly reliable diagnosis results and explanation capability of faults diagnosed as in an expert system, and (4) diagnose the pipe damage such as leaking, break, or throttling. This method is applied for diagnosis of a pressurizer in the Kori Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) unit 2 in Korea under a transient condition, and its result is reported to show satisfactory performance of the method for the incipient multi-fault diagnosis of such a large-scale system in a real-time manner

  17. Genetic diversity of Ixodes ricinus (Ixodida: Ixodidae) ticks in sympatric and allopatric zones in Baltic countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulauskas, A; Galdikaitė-Brazienė, E; Radzijevskaja, J; Aleksandravičienė, A; Galdikas, M

    2016-12-01

    Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus 1758) and Ixodes persulcatus (Schulze 1930) ticks are involved in the transmission of a wide variety of pathogens with considerable impact on human and animal health. The co-distribution zone of these two tick species is situated in the Baltic countries, which provides a special setting for the population studies. In the present study, genetic variability of I. ricinus ticks collected in allopatric and sympatric locations in the Baltic countries has been investigated using a sequence analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region, 16S rRNA and cytb genes. There were 32 haplotypes (Hd: 0.8551) and 27 haplotypes (Hd:0.8213) of control region sequences from ticks in allopatric and sympatric zones detected, respectively. Out of 47 16S rRNA gene haplotypes, 32 haplotypes (Hd: 0.7213) were found in the allopatric zone and 27 (Hd:0.9572) in the sympatric zone. The Cytb gene was very conserved and monomorphic in ticks from the allopatric zone, whereas three unique haplotypes were observed in the sympatric zone. The higher number of unique haplotypes of the control region was detected in the allopatric zone. Median joining network and Fst analysis did not reveal a clear separation between ticks from the two zones. © 2016 The Society for Vector Ecology.

  18. Priority effects are weakened by a short, but not long, history of sympatric evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zee, Peter C; Fukami, Tadashi

    2018-01-31

    Priority effects, or the effects of species arrival history on local species abundances, have been documented in a range of taxa. However, factors determining the extent to which priority effects affect community assembly remain unclear. Using laboratory populations of the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens , we examined whether shared evolutionary history affected the strength of priority effects. We hypothesized that sympatric evolution of populations belonging to the same guild would lead to niche differentiation, resulting in phenotypic complementarity that weakens priority effects. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that priority effects tended to be weaker in sympatrically evolved pairs of immigrating populations than in allopatrically evolved pairs. Furthermore, priority effects were weaker under higher phenotypic complementarity. However, these patterns were observed only in populations with a relatively short history of sympatric evolution, and disappeared when populations had evolved together for a long time. Together, our results suggest that the evolutionary history of organismal traits may dictate the strength of priority effects and, consequently, the extent of historical contingency in the assembly of ecological communities. © 2018 The Author(s).

  19. A Novel Event-Based Incipient Slip Detection Using Dynamic Active-Pixel Vision Sensor (DAVIS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rigi, Amin; Baghaei Naeini, Fariborz; Makris, Dimitrios; Zweiri, Yahya

    2018-01-24

    In this paper, a novel approach to detect incipient slip based on the contact area between a transparent silicone medium and different objects using a neuromorphic event-based vision sensor (DAVIS) is proposed. Event-based algorithms are developed to detect incipient slip, slip, stress distribution and object vibration. Thirty-seven experiments were performed on five objects with different sizes, shapes, materials and weights to compare precision and response time of the proposed approach. The proposed approach is validated by using a high speed constitutional camera (1000 FPS). The results indicate that the sensor can detect incipient slippage with an average of 44.1 ms latency in unstructured environment for various objects. It is worth mentioning that the experiments were conducted in an uncontrolled experimental environment, therefore adding high noise levels that affected results significantly. However, eleven of the experiments had a detection latency below 10 ms which shows the capability of this method. The results are very promising and show a high potential of the sensor being used for manipulation applications especially in dynamic environments.

  20. Evolutionary relationships among sympatric life history forms of Dolly Varden inhabiting the landlocked Kronotsky Lake, Kamchatka, and a neighboring anadromous population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostberg, C.O.; Pavlov, S.D.; Hauser, L.

    2009-01-01

    We investigated the evolutionary relationships among five sympatric morphs of Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma (white, Schmidti, longhead, river, and dwarf) inhabiting landlocked Kronotsky Lake on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, and an anadromous population below the barrier waterfall on the outflowing Kronotsky River. Morphological analyses indicated phenotypic differentiation corresponding to preferred habitat, the longhead (a limnetic piscivorous morph) having a fusiform body, long jaw, and short fins and the Schmidti (a benthic morph) having a robust body, small jaw, and long fins. Analysis of molecular variance among the Kronotsky Lake morphs indicated that contemporary gene flow is restricted both among morphs within locations and among locations within morphs. Gene flow from Kronotsky Lake into the anadromous population also appears to be restricted. Our findings indicate that there are two divergent evolutionary lineages, one consisting of the white, Schmidti, river, and dwarf morphs and the other of the longhead morph and the anadromous population, which suggests that Kronotsky Lake was subject to separate waves of immigration. The Kronotsky Lake Dolly Varden morphs may represent an example of ecological speciation in progress, and we present a working hypothesis for the diversification of morphs within Kronotsky Lake.

  1. The link between Movability Number and Incipient Motion in river ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2009-06-05

    Jun 5, 2009 ... d. Median sediment diameter (mm or m). D. Hydraulic mean depth (m) d/Y. Relative ... Motion as well as a new bedload transportation equation. Additional ... Incipient Motion, in the context of sediment transport in rivers, ...... Eng. Part 2 59 827-835. ... Report of the Environmental Research Center, University.

  2. Stress intensity factor at the tip of cladding incipient crack in RIA-simulating experiments for high-burnup PWR fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Udagawa, Yutaka; Suzuki, Motoe; Sugiyama, Tomoyuki; Fuketa, Toyoshi

    2009-01-01

    RIA-simulating experiments for high-burnup PWR fuels have been performed in the NSRR, and the stress intensity factor K 1 at the tip of cladding incipient crack has been evaluated in order to investigate its validity as a PCMI failure threshold under RIA conditions. An incipient crack depth was determined by observation of metallographs. The maximum hydride-rim thickness in the cladding of the test fuel rod was regarded as the incipient crack depth in each test case. Hoop stress in the cladding periphery during the pulse power transient was calculated by the RANNS code. K 1 was calculated based on crack depth and hoop stress. According to the RANNS calculation, PCMI failure cases can be divided into two groups: failure in the elastic phase and failure in the plastic phase. In the former case, elastic deformation was predominant around the incipient crack at failure time. K 1 is available only in this case. In the latter, plastic deformation was predominant around the incipient crack at failure time. Failure in the elastic phase never occurred when K 1 was less than 17 MPa m 1/2 . For failure in the plastic phase, the plastic hoop strain of the cladding periphery at failure time clearly showed a tendency to decrease with incipient crack depth. The combination of K 1 , for failure in the elastic phase, and plastic hoop strain at failure, for failure in the plastic phase, can be an effective index of PCMI failure under RIA conditions. (author)

  3. Arsenic Speciation in Groundwater: Role of Thioanions

    Science.gov (United States)

    The behavior of arsenic in groundwater environments is fundamentally linked to its speciation. Understanding arsenic speciation is important because chemical speciation impacts reactivity, bioavailability, toxicity, and transport and fate processes. In aerobic environments arsen...

  4. Incipient ferroelectric properties of NaTaO.sub.3./sub

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kamba, Stanislav; Goian, Veronica; Bovtun, Viktor; Nuzhnyy, Dmitry; Kempa, Martin; Spreitzer, M.; König, J.; Suvorov, D.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 426, SI (2012), s. 206-214 ISSN 0015-0193 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA202/09/0682 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : incipient ferroelectricity * infrared and THz spectroscopy * phonons * microwave ceramics Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.415, year: 2012

  5. Improved detection of incipient anomalies via multivariate memory monitoring charts: Application to an air flow heating system

    KAUST Repository

    Harrou, Fouzi

    2016-08-11

    Detecting anomalies is important for reliable operation of several engineering systems. Multivariate statistical monitoring charts are an efficient tool for checking the quality of a process by identifying abnormalities. Principal component analysis (PCA) was shown effective in monitoring processes with highly correlated data. Traditional PCA-based methods, nevertheless, often are relatively inefficient at detecting incipient anomalies. Here, we propose a statistical approach that exploits the advantages of PCA and those of multivariate memory monitoring schemes, like the multivariate cumulative sum (MCUSUM) and multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) monitoring schemes to better detect incipient anomalies. Memory monitoring charts are sensitive to incipient anomalies in process mean, which significantly improve the performance of PCA method and enlarge its profitability, and to utilize these improvements in various applications. The performance of PCA-based MEWMA and MCUSUM control techniques are demonstrated and compared with traditional PCA-based monitoring methods. Using practical data gathered from a heating air-flow system, we demonstrate the greater sensitivity and efficiency of the developed method over the traditional PCA-based methods. Results indicate that the proposed techniques have potential for detecting incipient anomalies in multivariate data. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

  6. Integrative analyses unveil speciation linked to host plant shift in Spialia butterflies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernández-Roldán, Juan L; Dapporto, Leonardo; Dincă, Vlad; Vicente, Juan C; Hornett, Emily A; Šíchová, Jindra; Lukhtanov, Vladimir A; Talavera, Gerard; Vila, Roger

    2016-09-01

    Discovering cryptic species in well-studied areas and taxonomic groups can have profound implications in understanding eco-evolutionary processes and in nature conservation because such groups often involve research models and act as flagship taxa for nature management. In this study, we use an array of techniques to study the butterflies in the Spialia sertorius species group (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae). The integration of genetic, chemical, cytogenetic, morphological, ecological and microbiological data indicates that the sertorius species complex includes at least five species that differentiated during the last three million years. As a result, we propose the restitution of the species status for two taxa often treated as subspecies, Spialia ali (Oberthür, 1881) stat. rest. and Spialia therapne (Rambur, 1832) stat. rest., and describe a new cryptic species Spialia rosae Hernández-Roldán, Dapporto, Dincă, Vicente & Vila sp. nov. Spialia sertorius (Hoffmannsegg, 1804) and S. rosae are sympatric and synmorphic, but show constant differences in mitochondrial DNA, chemical profiles and ecology, suggesting that S. rosae represents a case of ecological speciation involving larval host plant and altitudinal shift, and apparently associated with Wolbachia infection. This study exemplifies how a multidisciplinary approach can reveal elusive cases of hidden diversity. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Introgression and selection shaped the evolutionary history of sympatric sister-species of coral reef fishes (genus: Haemulon)

    KAUST Repository

    Bernal, Moisés A.

    2016-11-22

    Closely related marine species with large overlapping ranges provide opportunities to study mechanisms of speciation, particularly when there is evidence of gene flow between such lineages. Here, we focus on a case of hybridization between the sympatric sister-species Haemulon maculicauda and H. flaviguttatum, using Sanger sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear loci, as well as 2422 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained via restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADSeq). Mitochondrial markers revealed a shared haplotype for COI and low divergence for CytB and CR between the sister-species. On the other hand, complete lineage sorting was observed at the nuclear loci and most of the SNPs. Under neutral expectations, the smaller effective population size of mtDNA should lead to fixation of mutations faster than nDNA. Thus, these results suggest that hybridization in the recent past (0.174-0.263Ma) led to introgression of the mtDNA, with little effect on the nuclear genome. Analyses of the SNP data revealed 28 loci potentially under divergent selection between the two species. The combination of mtDNA introgression and limited nuclear DNA introgression provides a mechanism for the evolution of independent lineages despite recurrent hybridization events. This study adds to the growing body of research that exemplifies how genetic divergence can be maintained in the presence of gene flow between closely related species.

  8. Introgression and selection shaped the evolutionary history of sympatric sister-species of coral reef fishes (genus: Haemulon)

    KAUST Repository

    Bernal, Moisé s A.; Gaither, Michelle R.; Simison, W. Brian; Rocha, Luiz A.

    2016-01-01

    Closely related marine species with large overlapping ranges provide opportunities to study mechanisms of speciation, particularly when there is evidence of gene flow between such lineages. Here, we focus on a case of hybridization between the sympatric sister-species Haemulon maculicauda and H. flaviguttatum, using Sanger sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear loci, as well as 2422 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained via restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADSeq). Mitochondrial markers revealed a shared haplotype for COI and low divergence for CytB and CR between the sister-species. On the other hand, complete lineage sorting was observed at the nuclear loci and most of the SNPs. Under neutral expectations, the smaller effective population size of mtDNA should lead to fixation of mutations faster than nDNA. Thus, these results suggest that hybridization in the recent past (0.174-0.263Ma) led to introgression of the mtDNA, with little effect on the nuclear genome. Analyses of the SNP data revealed 28 loci potentially under divergent selection between the two species. The combination of mtDNA introgression and limited nuclear DNA introgression provides a mechanism for the evolution of independent lineages despite recurrent hybridization events. This study adds to the growing body of research that exemplifies how genetic divergence can be maintained in the presence of gene flow between closely related species.

  9. Transformer Incipient Fault Prediction Using Combined Artificial Neural Network and Various Particle Swarm Optimisation Techniques.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hazlee Azil Illias

    Full Text Available It is important to predict the incipient fault in transformer oil accurately so that the maintenance of transformer oil can be performed correctly, reducing the cost of maintenance and minimise the error. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA has been widely used to predict the incipient fault in power transformers. However, sometimes the existing DGA methods yield inaccurate prediction of the incipient fault in transformer oil because each method is only suitable for certain conditions. Many previous works have reported on the use of intelligence methods to predict the transformer faults. However, it is believed that the accuracy of the previously proposed methods can still be improved. Since artificial neural network (ANN and particle swarm optimisation (PSO techniques have never been used in the previously reported work, this work proposes a combination of ANN and various PSO techniques to predict the transformer incipient fault. The advantages of PSO are simplicity and easy implementation. The effectiveness of various PSO techniques in combination with ANN is validated by comparison with the results from the actual fault diagnosis, an existing diagnosis method and ANN alone. Comparison of the results from the proposed methods with the previously reported work was also performed to show the improvement of the proposed methods. It was found that the proposed ANN-Evolutionary PSO method yields the highest percentage of correct identification for transformer fault type than the existing diagnosis method and previously reported works.

  10. Transformer Incipient Fault Prediction Using Combined Artificial Neural Network and Various Particle Swarm Optimisation Techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Illias, Hazlee Azil; Chai, Xin Rui; Abu Bakar, Ab Halim; Mokhlis, Hazlie

    2015-01-01

    It is important to predict the incipient fault in transformer oil accurately so that the maintenance of transformer oil can be performed correctly, reducing the cost of maintenance and minimise the error. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) has been widely used to predict the incipient fault in power transformers. However, sometimes the existing DGA methods yield inaccurate prediction of the incipient fault in transformer oil because each method is only suitable for certain conditions. Many previous works have reported on the use of intelligence methods to predict the transformer faults. However, it is believed that the accuracy of the previously proposed methods can still be improved. Since artificial neural network (ANN) and particle swarm optimisation (PSO) techniques have never been used in the previously reported work, this work proposes a combination of ANN and various PSO techniques to predict the transformer incipient fault. The advantages of PSO are simplicity and easy implementation. The effectiveness of various PSO techniques in combination with ANN is validated by comparison with the results from the actual fault diagnosis, an existing diagnosis method and ANN alone. Comparison of the results from the proposed methods with the previously reported work was also performed to show the improvement of the proposed methods. It was found that the proposed ANN-Evolutionary PSO method yields the highest percentage of correct identification for transformer fault type than the existing diagnosis method and previously reported works.

  11. Transformer Incipient Fault Prediction Using Combined Artificial Neural Network and Various Particle Swarm Optimisation Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    It is important to predict the incipient fault in transformer oil accurately so that the maintenance of transformer oil can be performed correctly, reducing the cost of maintenance and minimise the error. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) has been widely used to predict the incipient fault in power transformers. However, sometimes the existing DGA methods yield inaccurate prediction of the incipient fault in transformer oil because each method is only suitable for certain conditions. Many previous works have reported on the use of intelligence methods to predict the transformer faults. However, it is believed that the accuracy of the previously proposed methods can still be improved. Since artificial neural network (ANN) and particle swarm optimisation (PSO) techniques have never been used in the previously reported work, this work proposes a combination of ANN and various PSO techniques to predict the transformer incipient fault. The advantages of PSO are simplicity and easy implementation. The effectiveness of various PSO techniques in combination with ANN is validated by comparison with the results from the actual fault diagnosis, an existing diagnosis method and ANN alone. Comparison of the results from the proposed methods with the previously reported work was also performed to show the improvement of the proposed methods. It was found that the proposed ANN-Evolutionary PSO method yields the highest percentage of correct identification for transformer fault type than the existing diagnosis method and previously reported works. PMID:26103634

  12. Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging of water evaporation dynamics for early detection of incipient caries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Usenik, Peter; Bürmen, Miran; Fidler, Aleš; Pernuš, Franjo; Likar, Boštjan

    2014-10-01

    Incipient caries is characterized as demineralization of the tooth enamel reflecting in increased porosity of enamel structure. As a result, the demineralized enamel may contain increased amount of water, and exhibit different water evaporation dynamics than the sound enamel. The objective of this paper is to assess the applicability of water evaporation dynamics of sound and demineralized enamel for detection and quantification of incipient caries using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. The time lapse of water evaporation from enamel samples with artificial and natural caries lesions of different stages was imaged by a near-infrared hyperspectral imaging system. Partial least squares regression was used to predict the water content from the acquired spectra. The water evaporation dynamics was characterized by a first order logarithmic drying model. The calculated time constants of the logarithmic drying model were used as the discriminative feature. The conducted measurements showed that demineralized enamel contains more water and exhibits significantly faster water evaporation than the sound enamel. By appropriate modelling of the water evaporation process from the enamel surface, the contrast between the sound and demineralized enamel observed in the individual near infrared spectral images can be substantially enhanced. The presented results indicate that near-infrared based prediction of water content combined with an appropriate drying model presents a strong foundation for development of novel diagnostic tools for incipient caries detection. The results of the study enhance the understanding of the water evaporation process from the sound and demineralized enamel and have significant implications for the detection of incipient caries by near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Recent speciation in three closely related sympatric specialists: inferences using multi-locus sequence, post-mating isolation and endosymbiont data.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huai-Jun Xue

    Full Text Available Shifting between unrelated host plants is relatively rare for phytophagous insects, and distinct host specificity may play crucial roles in reproductive isolation. However, the isolation status and the relationship between parental divergence and post-mating isolation among closely related sympatric specialists are still poorly understood. Here, multi-locus sequence were used to estimate the relationship among three host plant-specific closely related flea beetles, Altica cirsicola, A. fragariae and A. viridicyanea (abbreviated as AC, AF and AV respectively. The tree topologies were inconsistent using different gene or different combinations of gene fragments. The relationship of AF+(AC+AV was supported, however, by both gene tree and species tree based on concatenated data. Post-mating reproductive data on the results of crossing these three species are best interpreted in the light of a well established phylogeny. Nuclear-induced but not Wolbachia-induced unidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility, which was detected in AC-AF and AF-AV but not in AC-AV, may also suggest more close genetic affinity between AC and AV. Prevalence of Wolbachia in these three beetles, and the endosymbiont in most individuals of AV and AC sharing a same wsp haplotype may give another evidence of AF+(AC+AV. Our study also suggested that these three flea beetles diverged in a relative short time (0.94 My, which may be the result of shifting between unrelated host plants and distinct host specificity. Incomplete post-mating isolation while almost complete lineage sorting indicated that effective pre-mating isolation among these three species should have evolved.

  14. Method and system for early detection of incipient faults in electric motors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parlos, Alexander G; Kim, Kyusung

    2003-07-08

    A method and system for early detection of incipient faults in an electric motor are disclosed. First, current and voltage values for one or more phases of the electric motor are measured during motor operations. A set of current predictions is then determined via a neural network-based current predictor based on the measured voltage values and an estimate of motor speed values of the electric motor. Next, a set of residuals is generated by combining the set of current predictions with the measured current values. A set of fault indicators is subsequently computed from the set of residuals and the measured current values. Finally, a determination is made as to whether or not there is an incipient electrical, mechanical, and/or electromechanical fault occurring based on the comparison result of the set of fault indicators and a set of predetermined baseline values.

  15. Incipient-signature identification of mechanical anomalies in a ship-borne satellite antenna system using an ensemble multiwavelet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Shuilong; Zi, Yanyang; Chen, Jinglong; Chen, Binqiang; He, Zhengjia; Zhao, Chenlu; Yuan, Jing

    2014-01-01

    The instrumented tracking and telemetry ship with a ship-borne satellite antenna (SSA) is the critical device to ensure high quality of space exploration work. To effectively detect mechanical anomalies that can lead to unexpected downtime of the SSA, an ensemble multiwavelet (EM) is presented for identifying the anomaly related incipient-signatures within the measured dynamic signals. Rather than using a predetermined basis as in a conventional multiwavelet, an EM optimizes the matching basis which satisfactorily adapts to the anomaly related incipient-signatures. The construction technique of an EM is based on the conjunction of a two-scale similarity transform (TST) and lifting scheme (LS). For the technique above, the TST improves the regularity by increasing the approximation order of multiscaling functions, while subsequently the LS enhances the smoothness and localizability via utilizing the vanishing moment of multiwavelet functions. Moreover, combining the Hilbert transform with EM decomposition, we identify the incipient-signatures induced by the mechanical anomalies from the measured dynamic signals. A numerical simulation and two successful applications of diagnosis cases (a planetary gearbox and a roller bearing) demonstrate that the proposed technique is capable of dealing with the challenging incipient-signature identification task even though spectral complexity, as well as the strong amplitude/frequency modulation effect, is present in the dynamic signals. (paper)

  16. Acoustic Emission Monitoring of Incipient in Journal Bearings - Part I : Detectability and measurement for bearing damages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Dong Jin; Kwon, Oh Yang; Chung, Min Hwa; Kim, Kyung Woong

    1994-01-01

    In contrast to the machinery using rolling element bearings, systems with journal bearings generally operate in large scale and under severe loading condition such as steam generator turbines and internal combustion engines. Failure of the bearings in these machinery can result in the system breakdown. To avoid the time consuming repair and considerable economic loss, the detection of incipient failure in journal bearings becomes very important. In this experimental approach, acoustic emission monitoring is applied to the detection of incipient failure caused by several types of abnormal operating condition most probable in the journal bearing systems. It has been known that the intervention of foreign materials, insufficient lubrication and misassembly etc. are principal factors to cause bearing failure and distress. The experiment was conducted under such designed conditions as hard particles in the lubrication layer, insufficient lubrication, and metallic contact in the simulated journal bearing system. The results showed that acoustic emission could be an effective tool to detect the incipient failure in journal bearings

  17. Exceptional Chromosomal Evolution and Cryptic Speciation of Blind Mole Rats Nannospalax leucodon (Spalacinae, Rodentia from South-Eastern Europe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivo Savić

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Mole rats are exclusively subterranean and highly specialized rodents. Their long lifespans, remarkable anti-cancer mechanisms, and various distinctive adaptive features make them a useful research model. Moreover, opposing convergence of morphological traits, they have developed extremely high karyotype variability. Thus, 74 chromosomal forms have been described so far and new ones are being revealed continuously. These evolved during the process of rapid radiation and occur in different biogeographical regions. During research into their reproductive biology we have already provided substantial evidence for species-level separation of these taxa. Here, we review diverse chromosomal forms of the lesser blind mole rat, Mediterranean Nannospalax leucodon, distributed in South-eastern Europe, their karyotype records, biogeography, origin, and phylogeny from our extensive research. In the light of new data from molecular genetic studies, we question some former valuations and propose a cryptospecies rank for seven reproductively isolated chromosomal forms with sympatric and parapatric distribution and clear ecogeographical discrepances in their habitats, as well as new experimental and theoretical methods for understanding the courses of speciation of these unique fossorial mammals.

  18. Tracking niche variation over millennial timescales in sympatric killer whale lineages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foote, Andrew David; Newton, Jason; Avila Arcos, Maria del Carmen

    2013-01-01

    and investigate the evolutionary outcomes. Isotopic ratios were measured from tissue samples of sympatric killer whale Orcinus orca lineages from the North Sea, spanning over 10 000 years. Isotopic ratios spanned a range similar to the difference in isotopic values of two known prey items, herring Clupea harengus...

  19. Multilocus analysis of divergence and introgression in sympatric and allopatric sibling species of the Lutzomyia longipalpis complex in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Araki, Alejandra S; Ferreira, Gabriel E M; Mazzoni, Camila J; Souza, Nataly A; Machado, Ricardo C; Bruno, Rafaela V; Peixoto, Alexandre A

    2013-01-01

    Lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Latin America, is a complex of sibling species. In Brazil, a number of very closely related sibling species have been revealed by the analyses of copulation songs, sex pheromones and molecular markers. However, the level of divergence and gene flow between the sibling species remains unclear. Brazilian populations of this vector can be divided in two main groups: one producing Burst-type songs and the Cembrene-1 pheromone and a second more diverse group producing various Pulse song subtypes and different pheromones. We analyzed 21 nuclear loci in two pairs of Brazilian populations: two sympatric populations from the Sobral locality (1S and 2S) in northeastern Brazil and two allopatric populations from the Lapinha and Pancas localities in southeastern Brazil. Pancas and Sobral 2S are populations of the Burst/Cembrene-1 species while Lapinha and Sobral 1S are two putative incipient species producing the same pheromone and similar Pulse song subtypes. The multilocus analysis strongly suggests the occurrence of gene flow during the divergence between the sibling species, with different levels of introgression between loci. Moreover, this differential introgression is asymmetrical, with estimated gene flow being higher in the direction of the Burst/Cembrene-1 species. The results indicate that introgressive hybridization has been a crucial phenomenon in shaping the genome of the L. longipalpis complex. This has possible epidemiological implications and is particularly interesting considering the potential for increased introgression caused by man-made environmental changes and the current trend of leishmaniasis urbanization in Brazil.

  20. Early detection of incipient faults in power plants using accelerated neural network learning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parlos, A.G.; Jayakumar, M.; Atiya, A.

    1992-01-01

    An important aspect of power plant automation is the development of computer systems able to detect and isolate incipient (slowly developing) faults at the earliest possible stages of their occurrence. In this paper, the development and testing of such a fault detection scheme is presented based on recognition of sensor signatures during various failure modes. An accelerated learning algorithm, namely adaptive backpropagation (ABP), has been developed that allows the training of a multilayer perceptron (MLP) network to a high degree of accuracy, with an order of magnitude improvement in convergence speed. An artificial neural network (ANN) has been successfully trained using the ABP algorithm, and it has been extensively tested with simulated data to detect and classify incipient faults of various types and severity and in the presence of varying sensor noise levels

  1. US EPA's SPECIATE 4.4 Database: Development and Uses

    Science.gov (United States)

    SPECIATE is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) repository of volatile organic gas and particulate matter (PM) speciation profiles of air pollution sources. EPA released SPECIATE 4.4 in early 2014 and, in total, the SPECIATE 4.4 database includes 5,728 PM, volatile o...

  2. EPA’s SPECIATE 4.4 Database:Development and Uses

    Science.gov (United States)

    SPECIATE is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)repository of volatile organic gas and particulate matter (PM) speciation profiles for air pollution sources. EPA released SPECIATE 4.4 in early 2014 and, in total, the SPECIATE 4.4 database includes 5,728 PM, VOC, total...

  3. Loss of speciation rate will impoverish future diversity

    OpenAIRE

    Rosenzweig, Michael L.

    2001-01-01

    Human activities have greatly reduced the amount of the earth's area available to wild species. As the area they have left declines, so will their rates of speciation. This loss of speciation will occur for two reasons: species with larger geographical ranges speciate faster; and loss of area drives up extinction rates, thus reducing the number of species available for speciation. Theory predicts steady states in species diversity, and fossils suggest that these have t...

  4. EPAs SPECIATE 4.4 Database: Development and Uses

    Science.gov (United States)

    SPECIATE is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) repository of source category-specific particulate matter (PM), volatile organic gas, and other gas speciation profiles of air pollutant emissions. Abt Associates, Inc. developed SPECIATE 4.4 through a collaborat...

  5. Speciation of Bactrocera dorsalis complex based on aedeagus length

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osamu Iwahashi

    2000-01-01

    A species complex of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) in Southeast Asia is composed of 52 species (Drew and Hancock, 1994) and while some of these species are economically very important, distinguishing them based on morphological characters has been difficult (White and Elson-Harris 1992). Specifically, there is considerable difficulty in differentiating between males of two pairs of sympatric species, B. philippinensis Drew and Hancock/B. occipitalis (Bezzi) in the Philippines and B. carambolae Drew and Hancock/B. papayae Drew and Hancock in Indonesia. This may be, in part, because the evolutionary processes within this species complex are still very dynamic, and that natural hybridisation between sympatric species pairs might be occurring on a regular basis (He and Haymer 1997). Iwaizumi et al. (1997) developed a simple method to differentiate the two sets of sympatric species based on aedeagus lengths. However, these flies had been reared artificially under laboratory conditions and only a small number of specimens (n=5) was used. Consequently, they were not able to obtain a frequency distribution of the aedeagus length for each species. Iwahashi (1998) measured a larger number of wild flies collected on Guimaras Is, Philippines, and found that flies with the aedeagus length of 2.89 mm are B. philippinensis. Iwahashi (1999) also showed that the measurement of the aedeagal length of fruit flies is a reliable characteristic for distinguishing between the 2 sympatric species pairs in the B. dorsalis complex. This being so, it may also be interesting to interpret phylogenetic relationships among B. dorsalis complex species based on the aedeagus length. Thus, aedeagus lengths of different populations of five B. dorsalis complex species are measured and their relationships discussed

  6. Incipient ovarian failure and premature ovarian failure show the same immunological profile

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Kasteren, YM; von Blomberg, M; Hoek, A; de Koning, C; Lambalk, N; van Montfrans, J; Kuik, J

    PROBLEM: Incipient ovarian failure (IOF) is characterized by regular menstrual cycles, infertility and a raised early-follicular FSH in women under 40. IOF might be a precursor or a mitigated form of premature ovarian failure (POF). Disturbances in the immune system may play a role in ovarian

  7. Speciation of radionuclides in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunten, H.R. von; Benes, P.

    1994-02-01

    Methods for the determination of the speciation of radionuclides in aerosols, in aquatic solutions, in sediments, soils and rocks are reviewed. At present, most of the results about speciation are deduced from model calculations, model experiments, and separation of species (forms) of radionuclides, e.g., by sequential extraction procedures. Methods of direct determination of speciation of radionuclides (e.g. by laser induced spectroscopy) are in general not yet sensitive enough for a measurement of the very low concentrations of radionuclides in the environment. The methodological part of this paper is followed by a review of the very abundant literature about speciation of important radionuclides in the environment, i.e. in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. The review does not include the biosphere. Literature up to spring 1993 is included (with a few more recent additions). (author)

  8. Niche differences between two sympatric whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus abaetensis and C. ocellifer, Teiidae) in the restinga habitat of northeastern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, E J R; Rocha, C F D

    2007-02-01

    Differences among sympatric lizard species usually result from differences in the use of three resources: space, time and food or some combination of these three. However, differences in resource utilization among sympatric species may simply reflect their specific ecological needs rather than competitive pressures. In this study, we analyzed the temporal, spatial and food niche of two congeneric teiids (Cnemidophorus abaetensis and C. ocellifer) living sympatrically in the "restinga" habitat of Abaeté in the Salvador Municipality, Bahia State, Brazil to assess the degree of niche differentiation among them. The whiptail species overlapped considerably in an hourly activity (Ojk = 0.93), in microhabitat use (Ojk = 0.97) and in the prey items consumed (Ojk = 0.89). Differences in amount of vegetation in the microhabitats used by both lizard species may have contributed to differences in the activity period and in the distribution of the main prey eaten by these lizards which may, in turn, facilitate their coexistence in Abaeté. Although sympatric C. ocellifer and C. abaetensis in Abaeté differed only slightly in their use of microhabitats, period of activity and diet, the most important niche dimension segregating the two species seemed to be the food niche.

  9. The Bacterial Flora of Incipient Occlusal Lesions in Naval Recruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-07-01

    fissures while providing an improved method of studying the microbiota of this aspect of the tooth, creates an artificial environment for bacterial...independent examiner. An oral examination and a radiographic review were performed on all subjects prior to fissure removal to verify the suitability...classification of a lesion as incipient. Teeth requiring cavity preparations deeper than 0.5 mm beyond the DEJ or not requiring penetration of the dentin

  10. X exceptionalism in Caenorhabditis speciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cutter, Asher D

    2017-11-13

    Speciation genetics research in diverse organisms shows the X-chromosome to be exceptional in how it contributes to "rules" of speciation. Until recently, however, the nematode phylum has been nearly silent on this issue, despite the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans having touched most other topics in biology. Studies of speciation with Caenorhabditis accelerated with the recent discovery of species pairs showing partial interfertility. The resulting genetic analyses of reproductive isolation in nematodes demonstrate key roles for the X-chromosome in hybrid male sterility and inviability, opening up new understanding of the genetic causes of Haldane's rule, Darwin's corollary to Haldane's rule, and enabling tests of the large-X effect hypothesis. Studies to date implicate improper chromatin regulation of the X-chromosome by small RNA pathways as integral to hybrid male dysfunction. Sexual transitions in reproductive mode to self-fertilizing hermaphroditism inject distinctive molecular evolutionary features into the speciation process for some species. Caenorhabditis also provides unique opportunities for analysis in a system with XO sex determination that lacks a Y-chromosome, sex chromosome-dependent sperm competition differences and mechanisms of gametic isolation, exceptional accessibility to the development process and rapid experimental evolution. As genetic analysis of reproductive isolation matures with investigation of multiple pairs of Caenorhabditis species and new species discovery, nematodes will provide a powerful complement to more established study organisms for deciphering the genetic basis of and rules to speciation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Three new sympatric species of Remipedia (Crustacea) from Great Exuma Island, Bahamas Islands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koenemann, Stefan; Iliffe, Thomas M.; Ham, van der Joris

    2003-01-01

    Three new sympatric species of remipede crustaceans, Speleonectes tanumekes, Speleonectes parabenjamini and Speleonectes minnsi, are described from an anchihaline cave on Great Exuma Island in the central Bahamas. Speleonectes tanumekes is a comparatively long and slender species distinguished by

  12. Advances in Ecological Speciation: an integrative approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faria, Rui; Renaut, Sebastien; Galindo, Juan; Pinho, Catarina; Melo-Ferreira, José; Melo, Martim; Jones, Felicity; Salzburger, Walter; Schluter, Dolph; Butlin, Roger

    2014-02-01

    The role of natural selection in promoting reproductive isolation has received substantial renewed interest within the last two decades. As a consequence, the study of ecological speciation has become an extremely productive research area in modern evolutionary biology. Recent innovations in sequencing technologies offer an unprecedented opportunity to study the mechanisms involved in ecological speciation. Genome scans provide significant insights but have some important limitations; efforts are needed to integrate them with other approaches to make full use of the sequencing data deluge. An international conference 'Advances in Ecological Speciation' organized by the University of Porto (Portugal) aimed to review current progress in ecological speciation. Using some of the examples presented at the conference, we highlight the benefits of integrating ecological and genomic data and discuss different mechanisms of parallel evolution. Finally, future avenues of research are suggested to advance our knowledge concerning the role of natural selection in the establishment of reproductive isolation during ecological speciation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Thermodynamics proposes, kinetics decides, speciation dares: speciation of actinides in biological media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ansoborlo, E.

    2005-06-01

    After having recalled the content and purpose of his research thesis, the author proposes a detailed overview of the research works he performed thereafter in the field of the speciation of actinides at the level of the organism entry gates and in target tissues. These works therefore concern four important areas of research in radioprotection: bio-kinetic, toxicology, decorporation, and dosimetry studies. The author outlines how speciation studies can be useful for these different areas, and to better understand and describe, and therefore foresee, the biokinetics and toxicity of radionuclides

  14. Potential Sympatric Vectors and Mammalian Hosts of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus in Southern Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sotomayor-Bonilla, Jesús; Abella-Medrano, Carlos Antonio; Chaves, Andrea; Álvarez-Mendizábal, Paulina; Rico-Chávez, Óscar; Ibáñez-Bernal, Sergio; Rostal, Melinda K; Ojeda-Flores, Rafael; Barbachano-Guerrero, Arturo; Gutiérrez-Espeleta, Gustavo; Aguirre, A Alonso; Daszak, Peter; Suzán, Gerardo

    2017-07-01

    Arboviruses are important zoonotic agents with complex transmission cycles and are not well understood because they may involve many vectors and hosts. We studied sympatric wild mammals and hematophagous mosquitoes having the potential to act as hosts and vectors in two areas of southern Mexico. Mosquitoes, bats, and rodents were captured in Calakmul (Campeche) and Montes Azules (Chiapas), between November 2010 and August 2011. Spleen samples from 146 bats and 14 rodents were tested for molecular evidence of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV), and West Nile virus (WNV) using PCR protocols. Bat ( Artibeus lituratus , Carollia sowelli , Glossophaga soricina , and Sturnira parvidens) and rodent ( Sigmodon hispidus and Oryzomys alfaroi ) species were positive for VEEV. No individuals were positive for WNV, EEEV, or WEEV. A total of 1,298 mosquitoes were collected at the same sites, and five of the mosquito species collected were known VEEV vectors (Aedes fulvus, Mansonia indubitans, Psorophora ferox, Psorophora cilipes, and Psorophora confinnis). This survey simultaneously presents the first molecular evidence, to our knowledge, of VEEV in bats and rodents from southern Mexico and the identification of potential sympatric vectors. Studies investigating sympatric nonhuman hosts, vectors, and arboviruses must be expanded to determine arboviral dynamics in complex systems in which outbreaks of emerging and reemerging zoonoses are continuously occurring.

  15. Speciation imperatives for waste management and environmental pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wymer, R.G.

    2001-01-01

    This paper addresses speciation requirements in the context of problems produced by nuclear energy and nuclear weapons production. These problems are primarily in the areas of waste management, material contamination, and environmental pollution. They pose difficult and important measurement and speciation challenges. Examples of speciation requirements in the context of national and international regulations are presented to exemplify and make quantitative the types of problems posed by waste management, material contamination, and environmental pollution. The importance of identifying species present in the natural environment as well as in wastes from chemical and physical processing and from waste management activities and accidental releases is addressed. Differing speciation requirements for macro and micro concentrations of species are discussed. The role of speciation in modelling studies is discussed. (author)

  16. Song sparrows Melospiza melodia have a home-field advantage in defending against sympatric malarial parasites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarquis-Adamson, Yanina

    2016-01-01

    Hosts and parasites interact on both evolutionary and ecological timescales. The outcome of these interactions, specifically whether hosts are more resistant to their local parasites (sympatric) than to parasites from another location (allopatric), is likely to affect the spread of infectious disease and the fitness consequences of host dispersal. We conducted a cross-infection experiment to determine whether song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) have an advantage in dealing with sympatric parasites. We captured birds from two breeding sites 437 km apart, and inoculated them with avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) cultured either from their capture site or from the other site. Infection risk was lower for birds exposed to sympatric than to allopatric Plasmodium lineages, suggesting that song sparrows may have a home-field advantage in defending against local parasite strains. This pattern was more pronounced at one capture site than at the other, consistent with mosaic models of host–parasite interactions. Home-field advantage may arise from evolutionary processes, whereby host populations become adapted to their local parasites, and/or from ecological interactions, whereby host individuals develop resistance to the local parasites through previous immune exposure. Our findings suggest that greater susceptibility to novel parasites may represent a fitness consequence of natal dispersal. PMID:27853596

  17. Phenotypic plasticity of the introduced New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, compared to sympatric native snails.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward P Levri

    Full Text Available Phenotypic plasticity is likely to be important in determining the invasive potential of a species, especially if invasive species show greater plasticity or tolerance compared to sympatric native species. Here in two separate experiments we compare reaction norms in response to two environmental variables of two clones of the New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, isolated from the United States, (one invasive and one not yet invasive with those of two species of native snails that are sympatric with the invader, Fossaria bulimoides group and Physella gyrina group. We placed juvenile snails in environments with high and low conductivity (300 and 800 mS in one experiment, and raised them at two different temperatures (16 °C and 22 °C in a second experiment. Growth rate and mortality were measured over the course of 8 weeks. Mortality rates were higher in the native snails compared to P. antipodarum across all treatments, and variation in conductivity influenced mortality. In both experiments, reaction norms did not vary significantly between species. There was little evidence that the success of the introduced species is a result of greater phenotypic plasticity to these variables compared to the sympatric native species.

  18. Electrospray mass spectrometry for actinides and lanthanide speciation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moulin, C.; Amekraz, B.; Colette, S.; Doizi, D.; Jacopin, C.; Lamouroux, C.; Plancque, G.

    2006-01-01

    Electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) is a new speciation technique that has the great interest to be able to probe the element, the ligand and the complex in order to reach the speciation. This paper will focus on the use of ES-MS for the speciation of actinides/lanthanides on several systems of interest in various fields such as the interaction between DTPA (decorporant) and europium, HEBP and uranium, BTP (new extracting agent) and lanthanides with comparison with known chemistry as well as whenever possible with other speciation techniques

  19. Effect angiotensin II receptor blockers on glomerular filtration rate in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dragovic, T.; Ajdinovic, B.; Endocrinology Clinic

    2004-01-01

    Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was calculated in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy with an aim to evaluate the effect of angiotensin receptor blockator valsartan on GFR stabilisation to physiological levels. Investigation was done as a prospective, randomised, placebo controlled study, on 20 patients with diabetes mellitus, type I (age 25 years, disease lasting 14 years). In all patients was detected incipient diabetic nephropathy with daily urinary albumin excretion in range from 30 mg to 300 mg. Patients were randomised in two groups: 10 patients were treated with 80 mg /day valsartan, during 6 months, second group (10 patients) were on placebo at the same period. GFR, as a clearance of 51Cr-EDTA, was calculated at the start and at the end of the study. In the first patients group during investigation period, GFR was decreased from 150, 1 ml/min/1.73m 2 to physiological level of 127 ml/min/1,73m 2 (p 2 at the start, 139,9 ml/min/l.73m 2 at the end of the study).On the basis of these results it was concluded that 80 mg/day in 6 month valsartan therapy decreased GFR to physiological levels in patients with incipient diabetic nephropathy. (authors)

  20. Speciation of zinc in contaminated soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stephan, Chadi H.; Courchesne, Francois; Hendershot, William H.; McGrath, Steve P.; Chaudri, Amar M.; Sappin-Didier, Valerie; Sauve, Sebastien

    2008-01-01

    The chemical speciation of zinc in soil solutions is critical to the understanding of its bioavailability and potential toxic effects. We studied the speciation of Zn in soil solution extracts from 66 contaminated soils representative of a wide range of field conditions in both North America and Europe. Within this dataset, we evaluated the links among the dissolved concentrations of zinc and the speciation of Zn 2+ , soil solution pH, total soil Zn, dissolved organic matter (DOM), soil organic matter (SOM) and the concentrations of different inorganic anions. The solid-liquid partitioning coefficient (K d ) for Zn ranged from 17 to 13,100 L kg -1 soil. The fraction of dissolved Zn bound to DOM varied from 60% to 98% and the soil solution free Zn 2+ varied from 40% to 60% of the labile Zn. Multiple regression equations to predict free Zn 2+ , dissolved Zn and the solid-liquid partitioning of Zn are given for potential use in environmental fate modeling and risk assessment. The multiple regressions also highlight some of the most important soil properties controlling the solubility and chemical speciation of zinc in contaminated soils. - We studied the relationships among the chemical speciation of Zn in soil solution extracts from 66 contaminated soils and various physicochemical properties of the soils

  1. Niche overlap and resource partitioning among five sympatric bufonids (Anura, Bufonidae from northeastern Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta I. Duré

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available The niche overlap and resource partitioning were analyzed for five sympatric bufonids from Northeastern Argentina: Rhinella schneideri, R. bergi, R. fernandezae, R. granulosa, and Melanophryniscus cupreuscapularis. The primary objectives were to analyze the diet and pattern of coexistence relative to the microhabitats among species. The bufonids, which are primarily terrestrial, exhibited a preference for small, hard prey such as formicids or coleopterans. The smallest species preferably consumed ants, while R. schneideri preferred beetles. Significant differences were detected for the diets of these five species. In addition, significant overlap in the trophic niche was noted for all species except between R. granulosa and R. schneideri. Studying the diet behaviors and trophic parameters of sympatric species provides important data for understandingthe community and for the development of conservation guidelines.

  2. Speciation in little: the role of range and body size in the diversification of Malagasy mantellid frogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vences Miguel

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rate and mode of lineage diversification might be shaped by clade-specific traits. In Madagascar, many groups of organisms are characterized by tiny distribution ranges and small body sizes, and this high degree of microendemism and miniaturization parallels a high species diversity in some of these groups. We here investigate the geographic patterns characterizing the radiation of the frog family Mantellidae that is virtually endemic to Madagascar. We integrate a newly reconstructed near-complete species-level timetree of the Mantellidae with georeferenced distribution records and maximum male body size data to infer the influence of these life-history traits on each other and on mantellid diversification. Results We reconstructed a molecular phylogeny based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA for 257 species and candidate species of the mantellid frog radiation. Based on this phylogeny we identified 53 well-supported pairs of sister species that we used for phylogenetic comparative analyses, along with whole tree-based phylogenetic comparative methods. Sister species within the Mantellidae diverged at 0.2-14.4 million years ago and more recently diverged sister species had geographical range centroids more proximate to each other, independently of their current sympatric or allopatric occurrence. The largest number of sister species pairs had non-overlapping ranges, but several examples of young microendemic sister species occurring in full sympatry suggest the possibility of non-allopatric speciation. Range sizes of species included in the sister species comparisons increased with evolutionary age, as did range size differences between sister species, which rejects peripatric speciation. For the majority of mantellid sister species and the whole mantellid radiation, range and body sizes were associated with each other and small body sizes were linked to higher mitochondrial nucleotide substitution rates and higher clade

  3. Radionuclide speciation in the environment: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moulin, V.; Moulin, C.

    2001-01-01

    Speciation determination is of prime importance to explain and evaluate the mobility, the toxicity and the risk resulting from the presence of trace elements in natural systems, in particular in the case of radionuclides, in the framework of environment and waste management purposes. The present paper will then focus more specifically on the physico-chemical speciation of radionuclides, and more particularly of actinides, in the environment, with emphasis on the behavior in solution: from a chemical point of view (with important ligands including colloidal phases) using experimental data and speciation calculations, as well as from a more technical point of view (with analytical methods for in situ speciation determination and thermodynamic data determination). A review of recent papers (mainly from CEA) is presented. (orig.)

  4. Parasites Promote and When Might They Constrain Ecological Speciation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anssi Karvonen

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Research on speciation and adaptive radiation has flourished during the past decades, yet factors underlying initiation of reproductive isolation often remain unknown. Parasites represent important selective agents and have received renewed attention in speciation research. We review the literature on parasite-mediated divergent selection in context of ecological speciation and present empirical evidence for three nonexclusive mechanisms by which parasites might facilitate speciation: reduced viability or fecundity of immigrants and hybrids, assortative mating as a pleiotropic by-product of host adaptation, and ecologically-based sexual selection. We emphasise the lack of research on speciation continuums, which is why no study has yet made a convincing case for parasite driven divergent evolution to initiate the emergence of reproductive isolation. We also point interest towards selection imposed by single versus multiple parasite species, conceptually linking this to strength and multifariousness of selection. Moreover, we discuss how parasites, by manipulating behaviour or impairing sensory abilities of hosts, may change the form of selection that underlies speciation. We conclude that future studies should consider host populations at variable stages of the speciation process, and explore recurrent patterns of parasitism and resistance that could pinpoint the role of parasites in imposing the divergent selection that initiates ecological speciation.

  5. Speciation by Symbiosis: the Microbiome and Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shropshire, J Dylan; Bordenstein, Seth R

    2016-03-31

    Species are fundamental units of comparison in biology. The newly discovered importance and ubiquity of host-associated microorganisms are now stimulating work on the roles that microbes can play in animal speciation. We previously synthesized the literature and advanced concepts of speciation by symbiosis with notable attention to hybrid sterility and lethality. Here, we review recent studies and relevant data on microbes as players in host behavior and behavioral isolation, emphasizing the patterns seen in these analyses and highlighting areas worthy of additional exploration. We conclude that the role of microbial symbionts in behavior and speciation is gaining exciting traction and that the holobiont and hologenome concepts afford an evolving intellectual framework to promote research and intellectual exchange between disciplines such as behavior, microbiology, genetics, symbiosis, and speciation. Given the increasing centrality of microbiology in macroscopic life, microbial symbiosis is arguably the most neglected aspect of animal and plant speciation, and studying it should yield a better understanding of the origin of species. Copyright © 2016 Shropshire and Bordenstein.

  6. Niche differences between two sympatric whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus abaetensis and C. ocellifer, Teiidae in the restinga habitat of northeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    EJR. Dias

    Full Text Available Differences among sympatric lizard species usually result from differences in the use of three resources: space, time and food or some combination of these three. However, differences in resource utilization among sympatric species may simply reflect their specific ecological needs rather than competitive pressures. In this study, we analyzed the temporal, spatial and food niche of two congeneric teiids (Cnemidophorus abaetensis and C. ocellifer living sympatrically in the "restinga" habitat of Abaeté in the Salvador Municipality, Bahia State, Brazil to assess the degree of niche differentiation among them. The whiptail species overlapped considerably in an hourly activity (Ojk = 0.93, in microhabitat use (Ojk = 0.97 and in the prey items consumed (Ojk = 0.89. Differences in amount of vegetation in the microhabitats used by both lizard species may have contributed to differences in the activity period and in the distribution of the main prey eaten by these lizards which may, in turn, facilitate their coexistence in Abaeté. Although sympatric C. ocellifer and C. abaetensis in Abaeté differed only slightly in their use of microhabitats, period of activity and diet, the most important niche dimension segregating the two species seemed to be the food niche.

  7. Research on the chemical speciation of actinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Euo Chang; Park, K. K.; Cho, H. R.

    2012-04-01

    A demand for the safe and effective management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plant draws increasing attention with the growth of nuclear power industry. The objective of this project is to establish the basis of research on the actinide chemistry by using highly sensitive and advanced laser-based spectroscopic systems. Researches on the chemical speciation of actinides are prerequisite for the development of technologies related to nuclear fuel cycles, especially, such as the safe management of high level radioactive wastes and the chemical examination of irradiated nuclear fuels. For supporting these technologies, laser-based spectroscopies have been applied for the chemical speciation of actinide in aqueous solutions and the quantitative analysis of actinide isotopes in spent nuclear fuels. In this report, results on the following subjects have been summarized. Development of TRLFS technology for the chemical speciation of actinides, Development of laser-induced photo-acoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) system, Application of LIBD technology to investigate dynamic behaviors of actinides dissolution reactions, Development of nanoparticle analysis technology in groundwater using LIBD, Chemical speciation of plutonium complexes by using a LWCC system, Development of LIBS technology for the quantitative analysis of actinides, Evaluation on the chemical reactions between actinides and humic substances, Spectroscopic speciation of uranium-ligand complexes in aqueous solution, Chemical speciation of actinides adsorbed on metal oxides surfaces

  8. Research on the chemical speciation of actinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Euo Chang; Park, K. K.; Cho, H. R.

    2010-04-01

    A demand for the safe and effective management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plant draws increasing attention with the growth of nuclear power industry. The objective of this project is to establish the basis of research on the actinide chemistry by using advanced laser-based highly sensitive spectroscopic systems. Researches on the chemical speciation of actinides are prerequisite for the development of technologies related to nuclear fuel cycles, especially, such as the safe management of high level radioactive wastes and the chemical examination of irradiated nuclear fuels. For supporting these technologies, laser-based spectroscopies have been performed for the chemical speciation of actinide in an aqueous solutions and the quantitative analysis of actinide isotopes in spent nuclear fuels. In this report, results on the following subjects have been summarized. (1) Development of TRLFS technology for chemical speciation of actinides, (2) Development of LIBD technology for measuring solubility of actinides, (3) Chemical speciation of plutonium complexes by using a LWCC system, (4) Development of LIBS technology for the quantitative analysis of actinides, (5) Development of technology for the chemical speciation of actinides by CE, (6) Evaluation on the chemical reactions between actinides and humic substances, (7) Chemical speciation of actinides adsorbed on metal oxides surfaces, (8) Determination of actinide source terms of spent nuclear fuel

  9. Relative roughness controls on incipient sediment motion in steep channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prancevic, J.; Lamb, M. P.; Fuller, B. M.

    2012-12-01

    For over eight decades, researchers have noted an appreciable increase in the nondimensional shear stress (Shields number) at initiation of fluvial bedload transport with increasing bed slope. The precise cause of the trend, however, is obscured by the covariance of several factors with increased slope: a greater downstream component of the gravity acting on the grains and fluid, changes in bed morphology, increased grainsize relative to the channel width that may lead to grain bridging, and increased grainsize relative to flow depth (relative roughness) that may change flow hydraulics and particle buoyancy. Here, we report on ongoing laboratory experiments spanning a wide range of bed slopes (2% to 67%) designed to isolate these variables and determine the true cause of heightened critical Shields numbers on steep slopes. First, we eliminated bed morphology as a factor by using only planar beds. To investigate the effect of grain bridging, we used two different channel widths, representing width-to-grainsize ratios of 23:1 and 9:1. Finally, to separate the effects of slope from relative roughness, we compared incipient motion conditions for acrylic particles (submerged specific gravity of 0.15) to natural siliciclastic gravel (submerged specific gravity of 1.65). Different particle densities allowed us to explore incipient motion as a function of relative roughness, independent of channel slope, because lighter particles move at shallower flow depths than heavier ones of the same size. Results show that both materials exhibit a positive trend between bed slope and critical Shields number despite the existence of planar beds for all slopes. Furthermore, changing the grainsize-to-width ratio had a negligible effect on this trend. For all slopes, the critical Shields number for bedload transport was higher for the acrylic particles than for gravel, indicating that relative roughness has a strong control on incipient sediment motion independent of channel slope. These

  10. Incidence and Speciation of Candida Species among Non-gravid ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the incidence and speciation of Candida species among non-gravid young females, using commercially available chromogenic Candida speciation media (CHROM agar) for the identification/speciation of medically important yeast and yeastlike organisms in a routine clinical mycology laboratory.

  11. Multilocus Analysis of Divergence and Introgression in Sympatric and Allopatric Sibling Species of the Lutzomyia longipalpis Complex in Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazzoni, Camila J.; Souza, Nataly A.; Machado, Ricardo C.; Bruno, Rafaela V.

    2013-01-01

    Background Lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Latin America, is a complex of sibling species. In Brazil, a number of very closely related sibling species have been revealed by the analyses of copulation songs, sex pheromones and molecular markers. However, the level of divergence and gene flow between the sibling species remains unclear. Brazilian populations of this vector can be divided in two main groups: one producing Burst-type songs and the Cembrene-1 pheromone and a second more diverse group producing various Pulse song subtypes and different pheromones. Methodology/Principal Findings We analyzed 21 nuclear loci in two pairs of Brazilian populations: two sympatric populations from the Sobral locality (1S and 2S) in northeastern Brazil and two allopatric populations from the Lapinha and Pancas localities in southeastern Brazil. Pancas and Sobral 2S are populations of the Burst/Cembrene-1 species while Lapinha and Sobral 1S are two putative incipient species producing the same pheromone and similar Pulse song subtypes. The multilocus analysis strongly suggests the occurrence of gene flow during the divergence between the sibling species, with different levels of introgression between loci. Moreover, this differential introgression is asymmetrical, with estimated gene flow being higher in the direction of the Burst/Cembrene-1 species. Conclusions/Significance The results indicate that introgressive hybridization has been a crucial phenomenon in shaping the genome of the L. longipalpis complex. This has possible epidemiological implications and is particularly interesting considering the potential for increased introgression caused by man-made environmental changes and the current trend of leishmaniasis urbanization in Brazil. PMID:24147172

  12. Velocity-based analysis of sediment incipient deposition in rigid boundary open channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aksoy, Hafzullah; Safari, Mir Jafar Sadegh; Unal, Necati Erdem; Mohammadi, Mirali

    2017-11-01

    Drainage systems must be designed in a way to minimize undesired problems such as decrease in hydraulic capacity of the channel, blockage and transport of pollutants due to deposition of sediment. Channel design considering self-cleansing criteria are used to solve the sedimentation problem. Incipient deposition is one of the non-deposition self-cleansing design criteria that can be used as a conservative method for channel design. Experimental studies have been carried out in five different cross-section channels, namely trapezoidal, rectangular, circular, U-shape and V-bottom. Experiments were performed in a tilting flume using four different sizes of sands as sediment in nine different channel bed slopes. Two well-known methods, namely the Novak & Nalluri and Yang methods are considered for the analysis of sediment motion. Equations developed using experimental data are found to be in agreement with the literature. It is concluded that the design velocity depends on the shape of the channel cross-section. Rectangular and V-bottom channels need lower and higher incipient deposition velocities, respectively, in comparison with other channels.

  13. Arsenic speciation results

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Linear combination fitting results of synchrotron data to determine arsenic speciation in soil samples. This dataset is associated with the following publication:...

  14. Widespread horizontal genomic exchange does not erode species barriers among sympatric ducks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kraus, R.H.S.; Kerstens, H.H.D.; Hooft, van W.F.; Megens, H.J.W.C.; Elmberg, J.; Tsvey, A.; Sartakov, D.; Soloviev, S.A.; Crooijmans, R.P.M.A.; Groenen, M.A.M.; Ydenberg, R.C.; Prins, H.H.T.

    2012-01-01

    The study of speciation and maintenance of species barriers is at the core of evolutionary biology. During speciation the genome of one population becomes separated from other populations of the same species, which may lead to genomic incompatibility with time. This separation is complete when no

  15. The determination of superheated layer thickness for boiling incipience in a vertical thermosiphon reboiler

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shamsuzzoha, M.; Kamil, M.; Alam, S.S.

    2003-01-01

    The characteristics of the incipient boiling for vertical thermosiphon reboiler were examined in detail. At the onset of boiling, liquid film adjacent to the heating surface, the super-heated layers thickness δ * , must attain a threshold value so that the critical bubble nuclei with radius r c can further grow to the point of detachment. Thus, the value of δ * /r c is of primary importance for the superheat calculation. In the present study a semi-empirical equation was proposed for the incipient point of boiling including the effect of submergence. The results predicted from theoretical analysis are consistent with the experimental data available in the literature. All the data for fluids namely, distilled water, toluene and ethylene glycol having different thermophysical properties were correlated with a unified correlation having mean absolute deviation 12.73%. (author)

  16. The relationship between sympatric defended species depends upon predators' discriminatory behaviour.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina G Halpin

    Full Text Available Toxic prey species living in the same environment have long been thought to mutually benefit from having the same warning signal by sharing the education of naïve predators. In contrast, 'saturation theory' predicts that predators are physiologically limited by the amount of toxin that they can eat in a given time period. Therefore, sympatric species that contain the same toxin should mutually benefit from reduced predation even when they are visually distinct, reducing the benefits to visual mimicry. For the first time, we found that mutualism can occur between unequally defended prey that are visually distinct, although the benefits to each prey type depends on the predators' abilities and/or motivation to visually discriminate between them. Furthermore, we found that this variability in predatory behaviour had a significant impact on the benefits of mimicry for unequally defended prey. Our results demonstrate that variability in the foraging decisions of predators can have a significant effect on the benefits of shared toxicity and visual mimicry between sympatric species, and highlights the need to consider how predators exert selection pressures on models and mimics over their entire lifetimes.

  17. Incipient merger of Cls 11 and 5 in Xhosa? | Gowlett | South African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In Xhosa, there appears to be an incipient merger between Noun Classes 5 and 11, as revealed by frequent mismatches between Cl. 11 nouns and various concordial elements, and even the replacement of the Cl. 11 noun prefix by that of Cl. 5. In this article we explore possible reasons for this putative merger, and present ...

  18. Asymmetric reproductive isolation between two sympatric annual killifish with extremely short lifespans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matej Polačik

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Interspecific reproductive isolation is typically achieved by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers. Behavioural isolating barriers between sympatric, closely related species are often of primary importance and frequently aided by extrinsic factors causing spatial and temporal interspecific separation. Study systems with a severely limited role of extrinsic factors on reproductive isolation may provide valuable insights into how reproductive isolation between sympatric species is maintained. We used no-choice experimental set-up to study reproductive barriers between two closely related sympatric African killifish species, Nothobranchius furzeri and Nothobranchius orthonotus. These fish live in small temporary savannah pools and have complete spatial and temporal overlap in reproductive activities and share a similar ecology. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We found that the two species display largely incomplete and asymmetric reproductive isolation. Mating between N. furzeri males and N. orthonotus females was absent under standard experimental conditions and eggs were not viable when fish were forced to mate in a modified experimental setup. In contrast, male N. orthonotus indiscriminately mated with N. furzeri females, the eggs were viable, and offspring successfully hatched. Most spawnings, however, were achieved by male coercion and egg production and embryo survival were low. Behavioural asymmetry was likely facilitated by mating coercion from larger males of N. orthonotus and at relatively low cost to females. Interestingly, the direction of asymmetry was positively associated with asymmetry in post-mating reproductive barriers. SIGNIFICANCE: We showed that, in fish species with a promiscuous mating system and multiple matings each day, selection for strong mate preferences was relaxed. This effect was likely due to the small proportion of resources allocated to each single mating and the high potential cost to females from

  19. Roost use by two sympatric species of Scotophilus in a natural environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ara Monadjem; Tara Raabe; Brian Dickerson; Nova Silvy; Robert McCleery

    2010-01-01

    Roost use by African bats is poorly known, particularly for those using cavities in trees. Two sympatric species of Scotophilus were fitted with transmitters and tracked to their respective roosts in a natural savanna site in Swaziland. Both species roosted exclusively in trees, apparently preferring Combretum imberbe trees with large girths. The conservation of such...

  20. Comparison of food hoarding of two sympatric rodent species under interspecific competition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yi-Feng; Tong, Lei; Ji, Wei-Hong; Lu, Ji-Qi

    2013-01-01

    Competition can greatly affect the food hoarding strategies of rodents and the fate of seeds hoarded. In order to understand the influence of interspecific competition on food caching behavior of sympatric rodents, we investigated food hoarding patterns of two sympatric rodent species, buff-breasted rat (Rattus flavipectus) and Chinese white-bellied rat (Niviventor confucianus), and compared their responses and adjustment in hoarding behavior under interspecific competition. The results showed that: (1) the buff-breasted rat larder hoarded seeds only, while Chinese white-bellied rat hoarded seeds in both larder and scatter forms; (2) two species of rodents both larder hoarded more seeds when competitors were present; and (3) the Chinese white-bellied rats adjusted their seed hoarding from scatter to larder when competitors were introduced, which reduced the seed availability. Therefore, we concluded that rodents would adjust their food hoarding strategy when interspecific competitors were present, and this may produce a different effect on the fate of seeds and the recruitment of plants. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: insert SI title. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. No evidence for extrinsic post-zygotic isolation in a wild Saccharomyces yeast system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charron, Guillaume; Landry, Christian R

    2017-06-01

    Although microorganisms account for the largest fraction of Earth's biodiversity, we know little about how their reproductive barriers evolve. Sexual microorganisms such as Saccharomyces yeasts rapidly develop strong intrinsic post-zygotic isolation, but the role of extrinsic isolation in the early speciation process remains to be investigated. We measured the growth of F 1 hybrids between two incipient species of Saccharomyces paradoxus to assess the presence of extrinsic post-zygotic isolation across 32 environments. More than 80% of hybrids showed either partial dominance of the best parent or over-dominance for growth, revealing no fitness defects in F 1 hybrids. Extrinsic reproductive isolation therefore likely plays little role in limiting gene flow between incipient yeast species and is not a requirement for speciation. © 2017 The Author(s).

  2. Abnormal albuminuria and blood pressure rise in incipient diabetic nephropathy induced by exercise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Cramer

    1984-01-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of light to moderate dynamic work (450 kpm/min followed by 600 kpm/min during 20 min each) on the blood pressure and renal protein handling in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with incipient nephropathy (D3) (elevated baseline albumin excretion...

  3. Incipient failure detection of space shuttle main engine turbopump bearings using vibration envelope detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopson, Charles B.

    1987-01-01

    The results of an analysis performed on seven successive Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) static test firings, utilizing envelope detection of external accelerometer data are discussed. The results clearly show the great potential for using envelope detection techniques in SSME incipient failure detection.

  4. Jodï horticultural belief, knowledge and practice: incipient or integral cultivation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanford Zent

    Full Text Available This paper describes the Jodï horticultural system, including belief, knowledge and practice aspects. The horticultural practices of the Jodï were previously characterized as 'incipient cultivation' but such practices were poorly described and documented. The antiquity of cultivation among this group is suggested by the prominence and significance of horticultural products and techniques in myth and ritual. Our field observations uncovered a fairly sophisticated system of plant management in swiddens, house gardens, trail gardens and natural forest gaps. An inventory of 67 cultivated plant species was documented, of which 36 are utilized for food, 20 for magical or medicinal purposes, and 11 for technology. The Jodï prolong the productive phase of their gardens for five years or more through successive planting-harvesting-replanting operations. Jodï swiddens display an elaborate polycultivated appearance and they possess at least five principal crops: plantain/banana, maize, yams, sweet potato, and sweet manioc. Another distinctive feature is the extensive use of natural gaps in the forest canopy as cultivation zones. The results of this study suggest that while Jodï horticultural practice is well integrated with a nomadic, foraging-dependent lifestyle, nevertheless this system does not deserve to be labeled as 'incipient' and instead is more integral than was recognized previously.

  5. Speciation of Pb in industrially polluted soils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Pernille Erland; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Pedersen, Anne Juul

    2006-01-01

    This study was aimed at elucidating the importance of original Pb-speciation versus soil-characteristics to mobility and distribution of Pb in industrially polluted soils. Ten industrially polluted Danish surface soils were characterized and Pb speciation was evaluated through SEM-EDX studies...

  6. Breeding habitat use by sympatric and allopatric populations of Wilson's Warblers and Yellow Warblers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruth, J.M.; Stanley, T.R.

    2002-01-01

    We studied Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) and Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) habitat use in allopatric and sympatric populations in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming in order to better understand the different habitat needs and interactions of these two species. Foraging Wilson's Warblers and Yellow Warblers used very similar habitat, both selecting larger, more open shrubs. In spite of similar foraging habitat, comparisons of habitat use by the two species at the sympatric sites yielded no evidence of foraging habitat partitioning or exclusion. There was evidence of nesting habitat partitioning. Wilson's Warblers nested on the ground, with some evidence that they used smaller, more densely stemmed shrubs under which to nest. Yellow Warblers are shrub nesters and selected larger, more open shrubs in which to nest. Results provide no evidence that Yellow Warblers can be blamed for population declines in Wilson's Warblers.

  7. Self-consistent approach for neutral community models with speciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

    2010-03-01

    Hubbell’s neutral model provides a rich theoretical framework to study ecological communities. By incorporating both ecological and evolutionary time scales, it allows us to investigate how communities are shaped by speciation processes. The speciation model in the basic neutral model is particularly simple, describing speciation as a point-mutation event in a birth of a single individual. The stationary species abundance distribution of the basic model, which can be solved exactly, fits empirical data of distributions of species’ abundances surprisingly well. More realistic speciation models have been proposed such as the random-fission model in which new species appear by splitting up existing species. However, no analytical solution is available for these models, impeding quantitative comparison with data. Here, we present a self-consistent approximation method for neutral community models with various speciation modes, including random fission. We derive explicit formulas for the stationary species abundance distribution, which agree very well with simulations. We expect that our approximation method will be useful to study other speciation processes in neutral community models as well.

  8. Pollinator-Driven Speciation in Sexually Deceptive Orchids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuqing Xu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Pollinator-mediated selection has been suggested to play a major role for the origin and maintenance of the species diversity in orchids. Sexually deceptive orchids are one of the prime examples for rapid, pollinator-mediated plant radiations, with many species showing little genetic differentiation, lack of postzygotic barriers, but strong prezygotic reproductive isolation. These orchids mimic mating signals of female insects and employ male insects as pollinators. This kind of sexual mimicry leads to highly specialised pollination and provides a good system for investigating the process of pollinator-driven speciation. Here, we summarise the knowledge of key processes of speciation in this group of orchids and conduct a meta-analysis on traits that contribute to species differentiation, and thus potentially to speciation. Our study suggests that pollinator shift through changes in floral scent is predominant among closely related species in sexually deceptive orchids. Such shifts can provide a mechanism for pollinator-driven speciation in plants, if the resulting floral isolation is strong. Furthermore, changes in floral scent in these orchids are likely controlled by few genes. Together these factors suggest speciation in sexually deceptive orchids may happen rapidly and even in sympatry, which may explain the remarkable species diversity observed in this plant group.

  9. Review of candidate methods for detecting incipient defects due to aging of installed cables in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martzloff, F.D.

    1988-01-01

    Several types of test methods have been proposed for detecting incipient defects due to aging in cable insulation systems, none offering certainty of detecting all possible types of defects. Some methods apply direct detection of a defect in the cable; other methods detect changes in electrical or non-electrical parameters from which inference can be drawn on the integrity of the cable. The paper summarizes the first year of a program conducted at the National Bureau of Standards to assess the potential of success for in situ detection of incipient defects by the most promising of these methods

  10. The reality and importance of founder speciation in evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Templeton, Alan R

    2008-05-01

    A founder event occurs when a new population is established from a small number of individuals drawn from a large ancestral population. Mayr proposed that genetic drift in an isolated founder population could alter the selective forces in an epistatic system, an observation supported by recent studies. Carson argued that a period of relaxed selection could occur when a founder population is in an open ecological niche, allowing rapid population growth after the founder event. Selectable genetic variation can actually increase during this founder-flush phase due to recombination, enhanced survival of advantageous mutations, and the conversion of non-additive genetic variance into additive variance in an epistatic system, another empirically confirmed prediction. Templeton combined the theories of Mayr and Carson with population genetic models to predict the conditions under which founder events can contribute to speciation, and these predictions are strongly confirmed by the empirical literature. Much of the criticism of founder speciation is based upon equating founder speciation to an adaptive peak shift opposed by selection. However, Mayr, Carson and Templeton all modeled a positive interaction of selection and drift, and Templeton showed that founder speciation is incompatible with peak-shift conditions. Although rare, founder speciation can have a disproportionate importance in adaptive innovation and radiation, and examples are given to show that "rare" does not mean "unimportant" in evolution. Founder speciation also interacts with other speciation mechanisms such that a speciation event is not a one-dimensional process due to either selection alone or drift alone. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Using intron sequence comparisons in the triose-phosphate isomerase gene to study the divergence of the fall armyworm host strains

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Noctuid moth, Spodoptera frugiperda (the fall armyworm), is endemic to the Western Hemisphere and appears to be undergoing sympatric speciation to produce two subpopulations that differ in their choice of host plants. The diverging “rice strain” and “corn strain” are morphologically indistinguis...

  12. Pheromonal divergence between two strains of Spodoptera frugiperda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Unbehend, M.; Hänniger, S.; Meagher, R.L.; Heckel, D.G.; Groot, A.T.

    2013-01-01

    Spodoptera frugiperda consists of two genetically and behaviorally different strains, the corn- and the rice-strain, which seem to be in the process of sympatric speciation. We investigated the role of strain-specific sexual communication as a prezygotic mating barrier between both strains by

  13. Application of the Billet Casting Method to Determine the Onset of Incipient Melting of 319 Al Alloy Engine Blocks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombardi, A.; Ravindran, C.; MacKay, R.

    2015-06-01

    The increased use of Al for automotive applications has resulted from the need to improve vehicle fuel efficiency. Aluminum alloy engine blocks fulfil the need of lightweighting. However, there are many challenges associated with thermo-mechanical mismatch between Al and the gray cast iron cylinder liners, which result in large tensile residual stress along the cylinder bores. This requires improced mechanical properties in this region to prevent premature engine failure. In this study, replicating billet castings were used to simulate the engine block solution heat treatment process and determine the onset of incipient melting. Microstructural changes during heat treatment were assessed with SEM and EDX, while thermal analysis was carried out using differential scanning calorimetry. The results suggest that solution heat treatment at 500 °C was effective in dissolving secondary phase particles, while solutionizing at 515 or 530 °C caused incipient melting of Al2Cu and Al5Mg8Cu2Si6. Incipient melting caused the formation ultra-fine eutectic clusters consisting of Al, Al2Cu, and Al5Mg8Cu2Si6 on quenching. In addition, DSC analysis found that incipient melting initiated at 507 °C for all billets, although the quantity of local melting reduced with microstructural refinement as evidenced by smaller endothermic peaks and energy absorption. The results from this study will assist in improving engine block casting integrity and process efficiency.

  14. Sympatric diversification vs. immigration: deciphering host-plant specialization in a polyphagous insect, the stolbur phytoplasma vector Hyalesthes obsoletus (Cixiidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imo, Miriam; Maixner, Michael; Johannesen, Jes

    2013-04-01

    The epidemiology of vector transmitted plant diseases is highly influenced by dispersal and the host-plant range of the vector. Widening the vector's host range may increase transmission potential, whereas specialization may induce specific disease cycles. The process leading to a vector's host shift and its epidemiological outcome is therefore embedded in the frameworks of sympatric evolution vs. immigration of preadapted populations. In this study, we analyse whether a host shift of the stolbur phytoplasma vector, Hyalesthes obsoletus from field bindweed to stinging nettle in its northern distribution range evolved sympatrically or by immigration. The exploitation of stinging nettle has led to outbreaks of the grapevine disease bois noir caused by a stinging nettle-specific phytoplasma strain. Microsatellite data from populations from northern and ancestral ranges provide strong evidence for sympatric host-race evolution in the northern range: Host-plant associated populations were significantly differentiated among syntopic sites (0.054 nettle-specific phytoplasma strain by plant-unspecific vectors. The evolution of host races in the northern range has led to specific vector-based bois noir disease cycles. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Reproductive strategies and colonizing ability of two sympatric epiphytic bromeliads in a tropical premontane area

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cascante Marin, A.M.; de Jong, M.; Borg, E.D.; Oostermeijer, J.G.B.; Wolf, J.H.D.; den Nijs, J.C.M.

    2006-01-01

    Predispersal characteristics that affect the reproductive success in plants may influence their colonizing ability. We evaluated this hypothesis in two sympatric epiphytic bromeliads in Costa Rica, Guzmania monostacbia and Tillandsia fasciculata, that show contrasting levels of local seedling

  16. Molecular heterogeneity in major urinary proteins of Mus musculus subspecies: potential candidates involved in speciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurst, Jane L.; Beynon, Robert J.; Armstrong, Stuart D.; Davidson, Amanda J.; Roberts, Sarah A.; Gómez-Baena, Guadalupe; Smadja, Carole M.; Ganem, Guila

    2017-01-01

    When hybridisation carries a cost, natural selection is predicted to favour evolution of traits that allow assortative mating (reinforcement). Incipient speciation between the two European house mouse subspecies, Mus musculus domesticus and M.m.musculus, sharing a hybrid zone, provides an opportunity to understand evolution of assortative mating at a molecular level. Mouse urine odours allow subspecific mate discrimination, with assortative preferences evident in the hybrid zone but not in allopatry. Here we assess the potential of MUPs (major urinary proteins) as candidates for signal divergence by comparing MUP expression in urine samples from the Danish hybrid zone border (contact) and from allopatric populations. Mass spectrometric characterisation identified novel MUPs in both subspecies involving mostly new combinations of amino acid changes previously observed in M.m.domesticus. The subspecies expressed distinct MUP signatures, with most MUPs expressed by only one subspecies. Expression of at least eight MUPs showed significant subspecies divergence both in allopatry and contact zone. Another seven MUPs showed divergence in expression between the subspecies only in the contact zone, consistent with divergence by reinforcement. These proteins are candidates for the semiochemical barrier to hybridisation, providing an opportunity to characterise the nature and evolution of a putative species recognition signal. PMID:28337988

  17. Polarographic validation of chemical speciation models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duffield, J.R.; Jarratt, J.A.

    2001-01-01

    It is well established that the chemical speciation of an element in a given matrix, or system of matrices, is of fundamental importance in controlling the transport behaviour of the element. Therefore, to accurately understand and predict the transport of elements and compounds in the environment it is a requirement that both the identities and concentrations of trace element physico-chemical forms can be ascertained. These twin requirements present the analytical scientist with considerable challenges given the labile equilibria, the range of time scales (from nanoseconds to years) and the range of concentrations (ultra-trace to macro) that may be involved. As a result of this analytical variability, chemical equilibrium modelling has become recognised as an important predictive tool in chemical speciation analysis. However, this technique requires firm underpinning by the use of complementary experimental techniques for the validation of the predictions made. The work reported here has been undertaken with the primary aim of investigating possible methodologies that can be used for the validation of chemical speciation models. However, in approaching this aim, direct chemical speciation analyses have been made in their own right. Results will be reported and analysed for the iron(II)/iron(III)-citrate proton system (pH 2 to 10; total [Fe] = 3 mmol dm -3 ; total [citrate 3- ] 10 mmol dm -3 ) in which equilibrium constants have been determined using glass electrode potentiometry, speciation is predicted using the PHREEQE computer code, and validation of predictions is achieved by determination of iron complexation and redox state with associated concentrations. (authors)

  18. Host-parasite interactions in sympatric and allopatric populations of European bitterling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Francová, Kateřina; Ondračková, Markéta

    2011-09-01

    Susceptibility to parasite infection was examined in a field experiment for four populations of 0+ juvenile European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus): one sympatric to local parasite fauna, one allopatric, and two hybrid populations. Significantly higher parasite abundance was recorded in the allopatric bitterling population, suggesting a maladaptation of parasites to their sympatric host. Type of parasite life cycle played an important role in host-parasite interactions. While the abundance of allogenic species between populations was comparable, a significant difference was found in abundance of autogenic parasite species between fish populations, with the allopatric population more infected. These results correspond with a prediction of higher dispersion probability and higher gene flow among geographically distant populations of allogenic species as compared to autogenic species. Increased susceptibility to parasites that do not occur within the natural host's geographical distribution was found in the allopatric host, but only for autogenic species. A difference in infection susceptibility was detected among populations of early-hatched bitterling exposed to infection during a period of high parasite abundance and richness in the environment. Differences in parasite abundance and species diversity among populations diminished, however, with increasing time of exposure. No difference was found within late-hatched populations, probably due to a lower probability of infection in late-hatched cohorts.

  19. Speciation from photon to ion detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moulin, C.

    2001-01-01

    New analytical techniques allowing to perform speciation in the framework of the nuclear fuel cycle are more and more needed. Among them, several laser-based analytical techniques present several advantages (non intrusive). Hence, Thermal Lensing (TL)/Photoacoustic (LIPAS), Time Resolved selective, sensitive Laser-Induced Fluorescence (TRLIF) have been used for actinides/lanthanides interaction and speciation studies in inorganic and organic matrices, Laser Ablation-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (LA-OES or LIBS) for direct studies on solids, liquids,... where in situ measurements (elemental or isotopic) are mandatory. In complementary to these photon-based methods, new ion detection methods such as ElectroSpray-Mass Spectrometry (ES-MS) seems promising for speciation studies. Principle, advantages and limitations as well as results obtained and trends for these different methods will be presented. (author)

  20. Incipient fault detection and power system protection for spaceborne systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, B. Don; Hackler, Irene M.

    1987-01-01

    A program was initiated to study the feasibility of using advanced terrestrial power system protection techniques for spacecraft power systems. It was designed to enhance and automate spacecraft power distribution systems in the areas of safety, reliability and maintenance. The proposed power management/distribution system is described as well as security assessment and control, incipient and low current fault detection, and the proposed spaceborne protection system. It is noted that the intelligent remote power controller permits the implementation of digital relaying algorithms with both adaptive and programmable characteristics.

  1. Uranium Speciation and Bioavailability in Aquatic Systems: An Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott J. Markich

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available The speciation of uranium (U in relation to its bioavailability is reviewed for surface waters (fresh- and seawater and their sediments. A summary of available analytical and modeling techniques for determining U speciation is also presented. U(VI is the major form of U in oxic surface waters, while U(IV is the major form in anoxic waters. The bioavailability of U (i.e., its ability to bind to or traverse the cell surface of an organism is dependent on its speciation, or physicochemical form. U occurs in surface waters in a variety of physicochemical forms, including the free metal ion (U4+ or UO22+ and complexes with inorganic ligands (e.g., uranyl carbonate or uranyl phosphate, and humic substances (HS (e.g., uranyl fulvate in dissolved, colloidal, and/or particulate forms. Although the relationship between U speciation and bioavailability is complex, there is reasonable evidence to indicate that UO22+ and UO2OH+ are the major forms of U(VI available to organisms, rather than U in strong complexes (e.g., uranyl fulvate or adsorbed to colloidal and/or particulate matter. U(VI complexes with inorganic ligands (e.g., carbonate or phosphate and HS apparently reduce the bioavailability of U by reducing the activity of UO22+ and UO2OH+. The majority of studies have used the results from thermodynamic speciation modeling to support these conclusions. Time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy is the only analytical technique able to directly determine specific U species, but is limited in use to freshwaters of low pH and ionic strength. Nearly all of the available information relating the speciation of U to its bioavailability has been derived using simple, chemically defined experimental freshwaters, rather than natural waters. No data are available for estuarine or seawater. Furthermore, there are no available data on the relationship between U speciation and bioavailability in sediments. An understanding of this relationship has been

  2. Development of a custom-made "smart-sphere" to assess incipient entrainment by rolling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valyrakis, Manousos; Kitsikoudis, Vasileios; Alexakis, Athanasios; Trinder, Jon

    2017-04-01

    The most widely applied criterion for sediment incipient motion in engineering applications is the time- and space-averaged approach of critical Shields shear stress. Nonetheless, in the recent years published research has highlighted the importance of turbulence fluctuations in sediment incipient motion and its stochastic character. The present experimental study investigates statistically the link of the response of a "smart-pebble" to hydrodynamics in near-critical flow conditions and discusses how such a device can be utilized in engineering design. A set of specifically designed fluvial experiments monitoring the entrainment conditions for a "smart-pebble", were carried out in a tilting, recirculating flume in turbulent flow conditions while three-dimensional flow measurements were obtained with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter. The "smart-pebble" employed herein is a custom-made instrumented sphere with 7 cm diameter, which has a number of sensors embedded within its waterproof 3D-printed plastic shell. Specifically, the "smart-pebble" is equipped with miniaturized, off the shelf, low-cost, three-dimensional acceleration, orientation and angular displacement sensors. A 3D-printed local micro topography of known geometry was installed in the flume's test section and the "smart-pebble" was placed there in order to facilitate the analysis. Every time the "smart-sphere" is displaced by the flow a downstream located pin blocks its full entrainment. This allows for continuous recording of the entrainment events due to the passage of energetic events, after which the "smart-pebble" returns to its resting pocket. The "smart-pebble" device under such a configuration allows the recording of normally indiscernible (with the naked eye) vibrations, twitching motions, and full entrainments for the studied particle, allowing its analysis from a Langrangian framework. During the incipient motion experiments the retrieved data are stored in an internal memory unit or

  3. The contribution of chemical speciation to internal dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paquet, F.; Frelon, S.; Cote, G.; Madic, C.

    2003-01-01

    Speciation studies refer to the distribution of species in a particular sample or matrix. These studies are necessary to improve the description, understanding and prediction of trace element kinetics and toxicity. In the case of internal contamination with radionuclides, speciation studies could help to improve both the biokinetic and dosimetric models for radionuclides. There are different methods to approach the speciation of radionuclides in a biological system, depending on the degree of accuracy needed and the level of uncertainties accepted. Among them, computer modelling and experimental determination are complementary approaches. This paper describes what is known about speciation of actinides in blood, GI tract, liver and skeleton and of their consequences in terms of internal dosimetry. The conclusion is that such studies provide very valuable data and should be targeted in the future on some specific tissues and biomolecules. (author)

  4. Relationship between ecomorphology and trophic segregation in four closely related sympatric fish species (Teleostei, Sciaenidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blasina, Gabriela; Molina, Juan; Lopez Cazorla, Andrea; Díaz de Astarloa, Juan

    This study explores the relationship between ecomorphology and trophic segregation in four closely related sympatric fish species (Teleostei, Sciaenidae) that are known to differ in their trophic habits. Only adult specimens were analyzed: 103 Cynoscion guatucupa, 77 Pogonias cromis, 61 Micropogonias furnieri, and 48 Menticirrhus americanus. The four species presented divergent ecomorphological traits related to swimming agility, prey spotting and capture, and the potential size of prey they were able to swallow. Results suggest that these sciaenid species can partition the food resources, even though they completely overlap in space. Differences in their ecomorphological traits appear to correlate closely with the diet and consequently could explain the trophic differentiation observed. Arguably, these ecomorphological differences play a significant role in the coexistence of the adults of these sympatric fish species. Copyright © 2016 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  5. Sexual selection and magic traits in speciation with gene flow

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria R. SERVEDIO, Michael KOPP

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The extent to which sexual selection is involved in speciation with gene flow remains an open question and the subject of much research. Here, we propose that some insight can be gained from considering the concept of magic traits (i.e., traits involved in both reproductive isolation and ecological divergence. Both magic traits and other, “non-magic”, traits can contribute to speciation via a number of specific mechanisms. We argue that many of these mechanisms are likely to differ widely in the extent to which they involve sexual selection. Furthermore, in some cases where sexual selection is present, it may be prone to inhibit rather than drive speciation. Finally, there are a priori reasons to believe that certain categories of traits are much more effective than others in driving speciation. The combination of these points suggests a classification of traits that may shed light on the broader role of sexual selection in speciation with gene flow. In particular, we suggest that sexual selection can act as a driver of speciation in some scenarios, but may play a negligible role in potentially common categories of magic traits, and may be likely to inhibit speciation in common categories of non-magic traits [Current Zoology 58 (3: 507–513, 2012].

  6. Habitat associations of sympatric red-tailed hawks and northern goshawks on the Kaibab Plateau

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank A. La Sorte; R. William Mannan; Richard T. Reynolds; Teryl G. Grubb

    2004-01-01

    We investigated habitat association of sympatric red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) at 2 spatial scales centered on nest sites: (1) fine-scale patterns of forest structure and topography within 16-m radius circles (0.08 ha), and (2) midscale patterns of forested and nonforested areas,...

  7. Spatial heterogeneity and scale-dependent habitat selection for two sympatric raptors in mixed-grass prairie.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atuo, Fidelis Akunke; O'Connell, Timothy John

    2017-08-01

    Sympatric predators are predicted to partition resources, especially under conditions of food limitation. Spatial heterogeneity that influences prey availability might play an important role in the scales at which potential competitors select habitat. We assessed potential mechanisms for coexistence by examining the role of heterogeneity in resource partitioning between sympatric raptors overwintering in the southern Great Plains. We conducted surveys for wintering Red-tailed hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis ) and Northern Harrier ( Circus cyanea ) at two state wildlife management areas in Oklahoma, USA. We used information from repeated distance sampling to project use locations in a GIS. We applied resource selection functions to model habitat selection at three scales and analyzed for niche partitioning using the outlying mean index. Habitat selection of the two predators was mediated by spatial heterogeneity. The two predators demonstrated significant fine-scale discrimination in habitat selection in homogeneous landscapes, but were more sympatric in heterogeneous landscapes. Red-tailed hawk used a variety of cover types in heterogeneous landscapes but specialized on riparian forest in homogeneous landscapes. Northern Harrier specialized on upland grasslands in homogeneous landscapes but selected more cover types in heterogeneous landscapes. Our study supports the growing body of evidence that landscapes can affect animal behaviors. In the system we studied, larger patches of primary land cover types were associated with greater allopatry in habitat selection between two potentially competing predators. Heterogeneity within the scale of raptor home ranges was associated with greater sympatry in use and less specialization in land cover types selected.

  8. What do we need to know about speciation?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Butlin, Roger; Debelle, Allan; Kerth, Claudius; Snook, Rhonda R.; Beukeboom, Leo W.; Castillo Cajas, Ruth; Diao, Wenwen; Maan, Martine E.; Paolucci, Silvia; Weissing, Franz J.; van de Zande, Louis; Hoikkala, Anneli; Geuverink, Elzemiek; Jennings, Jackson; Kankare, Maaria; Knott, K. Emily; Tyukmaeva, Venera I.; Zoumadakis, Christos; Ritchie, Michael G.; Barker, Daniel; Immonen, Elina; Kirkpatrick, Mark; Noor, Mohamed; Macias Garcia, Constantino; Schmitt, Thomas; Schilthuizen, Menno

    Speciation has been a major focus of evolutionary biology research in recent years, with many important advances. However, some of the traditional organising principles of the subject area no longer provide a satisfactory framework, such as the classification of speciation mechanisms by geographical

  9. Sympatric speciation: perfume preferences of orchid bee lineages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Duncan E

    2008-12-09

    Female attraction to an environmentally derived mating signal released by male orchid bees may be tightly linked to shared olfactory preferences of both sexes. A change in perfume preference may have led to divergence of two morphologically distinct lineages.

  10. Trophic ecology of largemouth bass and northern pike in allopatric and sympatric assemblages in northern boreal lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soupir, Craig A.; Brown, Michael L.; Kallemeyn, Larry W.

    2000-01-01

    Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and northern pike (Esox lucius) are top predators in the food chain in most aquatic environments that they occupy; however, limited information exists on species interactions in the northern reaches of largemouth bass distribution. We investigated the seasonal food habits of allopatric and sympatric assemblages of largemouth bass and northern pike in six interior lakes within Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. Percentages of empty stomachs were variable for largemouth bass (38-54%) and northern pike (34.7-66.7%). Fishes (mainly yellow perch, Perca flavescens) comprised greater than 60% (mean percent mass, MPM) of the northern pike diet during all seasons in both allopatric and sympatric assemblages. Aquatic insects (primarily Odonata and Hemiptera) were important in the diets of largemouth bass in all communities (0.0-79.7 MPM). Although largemouth bass were observed in the diet of northern pike, largemouth bass apparently did not prey on northern pike. Seasonal differences were observed in the proportion of aquatic insects (P = 0.010) and fishes (P = 0.023) in the diets of northern pike and largemouth bass. Based on three food categories, jackknifed classifications correctly classified 77 and 92% of northern pike and largemouth bass values, respectively. Percent resource overlap values were biologically significant (greater than 60%) during at least one season in each sympatric assemblage, suggesting some diet overlap.

  11. Numbers and meanings. Ideality in the incipient Husserl’s phenomenology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Manuel Chillón

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The reflection on numbers and meanings are a good example of how the incipient phenomenology is in the realm of pure logic. The paper states that, due to ambiguities in these early works and in order to draw a reflection that does not tear the philosophical personality of Husserl, the thesis of the ideality be read from the perspective of later works. This paper reconstructs, from initial analysis of the numbers and meanings, the thesis of the ideality Husserl which, in our view, detect the fundamental aspects of phenomenology despite the subsequent abandonment of the eidetic realism.

  12. Speciation issues in food control - are we ready?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sloth, J.J.; Hedegaard, R.V.; Julshamn, K.; Trier, X.T.; Larsen, E.H.

    2009-01-01

    Full text: Our understanding of the mechanisms of biological activities and biotransformation of trace elements has improved during recent years with the help of chemical speciation studies. However, the most important practical application of elemental speciation is in the area of toxicology. Toxicological knowledge on the individual chemical elemental species should lead to more specific legislation of hazardous substances. Presently, European legislation concerning food safety is based on total element concentrations expressed as maximum limits. The lecture focuses on the present situation for speciation in food control and discusses the latest and expected future developments within this area. (author)

  13. Genetic divergence of a sympatric lake-resident-anadromous three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus species pair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drevecky, C J; Falco, R; Aguirre, W E

    2013-07-01

    The genetic relationship between sympatric, morphologically divergent populations of anadromous and lake-resident three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus in the Jim Creek drainage of Cook Inlet, Alaska, was examined using microsatellite loci and mitochondrial d-loop sequence data. Resident samples differed substantially from sympatric anadromous samples in the Jim Creek drainage with the magnitude of the genetic divergence being similar to that between allopatric resident and anadromous populations in other areas. Resident samples were genetically similar within the Jim Creek drainage, as were the anadromous samples surveyed. Neighbour-joining and Structure cluster analysis grouped the samples into four genetic clusters by ecomorph (anadromous v. all resident) and geographic location of the resident samples (Jim Creek, Mat-Su and Kenai). There was no evidence of hybridization between resident and anadromous G. aculeatus in the Jim Creek drainage, which thus appear to be reproductively isolated. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  14. Speciation of long-lived radionuclides in the environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiaolin Hou

    2008-11-15

    This project started in November 2005 and ended in November 2008, the work and research approaches are summarized in this report. This project studied the speciation of radionuclides in environment. A number of speciation analytical methods are developed for determination of species of 129I, 99Tc, isotopes of Pu, and 237Np in seawater, fresh water, soil, sediment, vegetations, and concrete. The developed methods are used for the investigation of the chemical speciation of these radionuclides as well as their environmental behaviours, especially in Danish environment. In addition the speciation of Pu isotopes in waste samples from the decommissioning of Danish nuclear facilities is also investigated. The report summarizes these works completed in this project. Through this research project, a number of research papers have been published in the scientific journals, the research results has also been presented in the Nordic and international conference/meeting and communicated to international colleagues. Some publications are also enclosed to this report. (au)

  15. Speciation needs in relation with environmental and biological purposes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moulin, V.; Ansoborlo, E.; Bion, L.; Doizi, D.; Moulin, C.; Cote, G.; Madic, C.; Van Der Lee, J.

    2004-01-01

    Radionuclides can occur in the environment either through chronic releases of nuclear facilities, or due to incidents or accidents. In order to study their behaviour in the environment (migration, retention, transfer, and in human organisms (metabolism, retention, excretion), it is of prime importance to know their solution chemistry, and more particularly thermodynamic constants, which will allow to determine their speciation. In fact, speciation governs the migration, the bioavailability and the toxicity of elements. Moreover, this knowledge is also of great interest for decorporation or decontamination purposes. In this framework, a CEA working group on speciation has been created in order to share data both on thermodynamic constants and on speciation analytical methods, interesting chemists, environmentalists and biologists. It has been focused, in a first time, on actinides, namely Th, U, Pu, Am, Np, taking into account their most important oxidation states occurring in environmental or biological environments: Th(IV), U(IV, VI), Pu(III, IV, VI), Am(III), Np(IV, V). A particular attention was devoted to the choice of ligands (inorganic and organic) for being the most representative of environmental and biological media. The thermodynamic database used is BASSIST for Base Applied to Speciation in Solution and at Interfaces and Solubility (developed by CEA), in interaction with the code JCHESS. Different examples will be then presented on the selection of data (thermodynamic constants, ligands of interest) through benchmark exercises (case of U(VI), Am(III), Pu(IV)) which will show the lacks or weakness of knowledge. Speciation diagrams will support these discussions. Moreover, analytical methods to determine thermodynamic constants or direct speciation will also be presented and discussed. (author)

  16. Simultaneous speciation of trace elements using chemical separation and neutron activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chatt, A.

    2003-01-01

    Speciation neutron activation analysis (SNAA) is a sophisticated analytical technique which can be developed for studying the simultaneous speciation of a number of elements in a variety of matrices. The advantages of SNAA are demonstrated with typical examples such as (i) arsenic speciation in sea foods and water, and simultaneous speciation of (ii) arsenic, antimony and selenium in water, (iii) chlorine, bromine and iodine in fish, (iv) lanthanides in simulated vitrified waste, and (v) trace elements bound to proteins. (author)

  17. United theory of biological evolution: Disaster-forced evolution through Supernova, radioactive ash fall-outs, genome instability, and mass extinctions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshikazu Ebisuzaki

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We present the disaster-forced biological evolution model as a general framework that includes Darwinian “phylogenic gradualism”, Eldredge-Gould's “punctuated equilibrium”, mass extinctions, and allopatric, parapatric, and sympatric speciation. It describes how reproductive isolation of organisms is established through global disasters due to supernova encounters and local disasters due to radioactive volcanic ash fall-outs by continental alkaline volcanism. Our new evolution model uniquely highlights three major factors of disaster-forced speciation: enhanced mutation rate by higher natural radiation level, smaller population size, and shrunken habitat size (i.e., isolation among the individual populations. We developed a mathematical model describing speciation of a half-isolated group from a parental group, taking into account the population size (Ne, immigration rate (m, and mutation rate (μ. The model gives a quantitative estimate of the speciation, which is consistent with the observations of speciation speed. For example, the speciation takes at least 105 generations, if mutation rate is less than 10−3 per generation per individual. This result is consistent with the previous studies, in which μ is assumed to be 10−3–10−5. On the other hand, the speciation is much faster (less than 105 generations for the case that μ is as large as 0.1 in parapatric conditions (m < μ. Even a sympatric (m ~ 1 speciation can occur within 103 generations, if mutation rate is very high (μ ~ 1 mutation per individual per generation, and if Ne < 20–30. Such a high mutation rate is possible during global disasters due to supernova encounters and local disasters due to radioactive ash fall-outs. They raise natural radiation level by a factor of 100–1000. Such rapid speciation events can also contribute to macro-evolution during mass extinction events, such as observed during the Cambrian explosion of biodiversity. A

  18. Chemical Speciation - General Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    This page includes general information about the Chemical Speciation Network that is not covered on the main page. Commonly visited documents, including calendars, site lists, and historical files for the program are listed here

  19. Scale-dependent seasonal pool habitat use by sympatric Wild Brook Trout and Brown Trout populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Lori A.; Wagner, Tyler

    2016-01-01

    Sympatric populations of native Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis and naturalized Brown Trout Salmo truttaexist throughout the eastern USA. An understanding of habitat use by sympatric populations is of importance for fisheries management agencies because of the close association between habitat and population dynamics. Moreover, habitat use by stream-dwelling salmonids may be further complicated by several factors, including the potential for fish to display scale-dependent habitat use. Discrete-choice models were used to (1) evaluate fall and early winter daytime habitat use by sympatric Brook Trout and Brown Trout populations based on available residual pool habitat within a stream network and (2) assess the sensitivity of inferred habitat use to changes in the spatial scale of the assumed available habitat. Trout exhibited an overall preference for pool habitats over nonpool habitats; however, the use of pools was nonlinear over time. Brook Trout displayed a greater preference for deep residual pool habitats than for shallow pool and nonpool habitats, whereas Brown Trout selected for all pool habitat categories similarly. Habitat use by both species was found to be scale dependent. At the smallest spatial scale (50 m), habitat use was primarily related to the time of year and fish weight. However, at larger spatial scales (250 and 450 m), habitat use varied over time according to the study stream in which a fish was located. Scale-dependent relationships in seasonal habitat use by Brook Trout and Brown Trout highlight the importance of considering scale when attempting to make inferences about habitat use; fisheries managers may want to consider identifying the appropriate spatial scale when devising actions to restore and protect Brook Trout populations and their habitats.

  20. Investigating ecological speciation in non-model organisms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foote, Andrew David

    2012-01-01

    Background: Studies of ecological speciation tend to focus on a few model biological systems. In contrast, few studies on non-model organisms have been able to infer ecological speciation as the underlying mechanism of evolutionary divergence. Questions: What are the pitfalls in studying ecological...... speciation in non-model organisms that lead to this bias? What alternative approaches might redress the balance? Organism: Genetically differentiated types of the killer whale (Orcinus orca) exhibiting differences in prey preference, habitat use, morphology, and behaviour. Methods: Review of the literature...... on killer whale evolutionary ecology in search of any difficulty in demonstrating causal links between variation in phenotype, ecology, and reproductive isolation in this non-model organism. Results: At present, we do not have enough evidence to conclude that adaptive phenotype traits linked to ecological...

  1. A measurement-based technique for incipient anomaly detection

    KAUST Repository

    Harrou, Fouzi; Sun, Ying

    2016-01-01

    Fault detection is essential for safe operation of various engineering systems. Principal component analysis (PCA) has been widely used in monitoring highly correlated process variables. Conventional PCA-based methods, nevertheless, often fail to detect small or incipient faults. In this paper, we develop new PCA-based monitoring charts, combining PCA with multivariate memory control charts, such as the multivariate cumulative sum (MCUSUM) and multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) monitoring schemes. The multivariate control charts with memory are sensitive to small and moderate faults in the process mean, which significantly improves the performance of PCA methods and widen their applicability in practice. Using simulated data, we demonstrate that the proposed PCA-based MEWMA and MCUSUM control charts are more effective in detecting small shifts in the mean of the multivariate process variables, and outperform the conventional PCA-based monitoring charts. © 2015 IEEE.

  2. A measurement-based technique for incipient anomaly detection

    KAUST Repository

    Harrou, Fouzi

    2016-06-13

    Fault detection is essential for safe operation of various engineering systems. Principal component analysis (PCA) has been widely used in monitoring highly correlated process variables. Conventional PCA-based methods, nevertheless, often fail to detect small or incipient faults. In this paper, we develop new PCA-based monitoring charts, combining PCA with multivariate memory control charts, such as the multivariate cumulative sum (MCUSUM) and multivariate exponentially weighted moving average (MEWMA) monitoring schemes. The multivariate control charts with memory are sensitive to small and moderate faults in the process mean, which significantly improves the performance of PCA methods and widen their applicability in practice. Using simulated data, we demonstrate that the proposed PCA-based MEWMA and MCUSUM control charts are more effective in detecting small shifts in the mean of the multivariate process variables, and outperform the conventional PCA-based monitoring charts. © 2015 IEEE.

  3. Phylogeographical patterns among Mediterranean sepiolid squids and their Vibrio symbionts: environment drives specificity among sympatric species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamborsky, D J; Nishiguchi, M K

    2011-01-01

    Bobtail squid from the genera Sepiola and Rondeletiola (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae) form mutualistic associations with luminous Gram-negative bacteria (Gammaproteobacteria: Vibrionaceae) from the genera Vibrio and Photobacterium. Symbiotic bacteria proliferate inside a bilobed light organ until they are actively expelled by the host into the surrounding environment on a diel basis. This event results in a dynamic symbiont population with the potential to establish the symbiosis with newly hatched sterile (axenic) juvenile sepiolids. In this study, we examined the genetic diversity found in populations of sympatric sepiolid squid species and their symbionts by the use of nested clade analysis with multiple gene analyses. Variation found in the distribution of different species of symbiotic bacteria suggests a strong influence of abiotic factors in the local environment, affecting bacterial distribution among sympatric populations of hosts. These abiotic factors include temperature differences incurred by a shallow thermocline, as well as a lack of strong coastal water movement accompanied by seasonal temperature changes in overlapping niches. Host populations are stable and do not appear to have a significant role in the formation of symbiont populations relative to their distribution across the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, all squid species examined (Sepiola affinis, S. robusta, S. ligulata, S. intermedia, and Rondeletiola minor) are genetically distinct from one another regardless of location and demonstrate very little intraspecific variation within species. These findings suggest that physical boundaries and distance in relation to population size, and not host specificity, are important factors in limiting or defining gene flow within sympatric marine squids and their associated bacterial symbionts in the Mediterranean Sea.

  4. Phylogeographic support for horizontal gene transfer involving sympatric bruchid species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grill Andrea

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We report on the probable horizontal transfer of a mitochondrial gene, cytb, between species of Neotropical bruchid beetles, in a zone where these species are sympatric. The bruchid beetles Acanthoscelides obtectus, A. obvelatus, A. argillaceus and Zabrotes subfasciatus develop on various bean species in Mexico. Whereas A. obtectus and A. obvelatus develop on Phaseolus vulgaris in the Mexican Altiplano, A. argillaceus feeds on P. lunatus in the Pacific coast. The generalist Z. subfasciatus feeds on both bean species, and is sympatric with A. obtectus and A. obvelatus in the Mexican Altiplano, and with A. argillaceus in the Pacific coast. In order to assess the phylogenetic position of these four species, we amplified and sequenced one nuclear (28S rRNA and two mitochondrial (cytb, COI genes. Results Whereas species were well segregated in topologies obtained for COI and 28S rRNA, an unexpected pattern was obtained in the cytb phylogenetic tree. In this tree, individuals from A. obtectus and A. obvelatus, as well as Z. subfasciatus individuals from the Mexican Altiplano, clustered together in a unique little variable monophyletic unit. In contrast, A. argillaceus and Z. subfasciatus individuals from the Pacific coast clustered in two separated clades, identically to the pattern obtained for COI and 28S rRNA. An additional analysis showed that Z. subfasciatus individuals from the Mexican Altiplano also possessed the cytb gene present in individuals of this species from the Pacific coast. Zabrotes subfasciatus individuals from the Mexican Altiplano thus demonstrated two cytb genes, an "original" one and an "infectious" one, showing 25% of nucleotide divergence. The "infectious" cytb gene seems to be under purifying selection and to be expressed in mitochondria. Conclusion The high degree of incongruence of the cytb tree with patterns for other genes is discussed in the light of three hypotheses: experimental contamination

  5. Phylogeographic support for horizontal gene transfer involving sympatric bruchid species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez, Nadir; Benrey, Betty; Hossaert-McKey, Martine; Grill, Andrea; McKey, Doyle; Galtier, Nicolas

    2006-07-27

    We report on the probable horizontal transfer of a mitochondrial gene, cytb, between species of Neotropical bruchid beetles, in a zone where these species are sympatric. The bruchid beetles Acanthoscelides obtectus, A. obvelatus, A. argillaceus and Zabrotes subfasciatus develop on various bean species in Mexico. Whereas A. obtectus and A. obvelatus develop on Phaseolus vulgaris in the Mexican Altiplano, A. argillaceus feeds on P. lunatus in the Pacific coast. The generalist Z. subfasciatus feeds on both bean species, and is sympatric with A. obtectus and A. obvelatus in the Mexican Altiplano, and with A. argillaceus in the Pacific coast. In order to assess the phylogenetic position of these four species, we amplified and sequenced one nuclear (28S rRNA) and two mitochondrial (cytb, COI) genes. Whereas species were well segregated in topologies obtained for COI and 28S rRNA, an unexpected pattern was obtained in the cytb phylogenetic tree. In this tree, individuals from A. obtectus and A. obvelatus, as well as Z. subfasciatus individuals from the Mexican Altiplano, clustered together in a unique little variable monophyletic unit. In contrast, A. argillaceus and Z. subfasciatus individuals from the Pacific coast clustered in two separated clades, identically to the pattern obtained for COI and 28S rRNA. An additional analysis showed that Z. subfasciatus individuals from the Mexican Altiplano also possessed the cytb gene present in individuals of this species from the Pacific coast. Zabrotes subfasciatus individuals from the Mexican Altiplano thus demonstrated two cytb genes, an "original" one and an "infectious" one, showing 25% of nucleotide divergence. The "infectious" cytb gene seems to be under purifying selection and to be expressed in mitochondria. The high degree of incongruence of the cytb tree with patterns for other genes is discussed in the light of three hypotheses: experimental contamination, hybridization, and pseudogenisation. However, none of these

  6. Review: Speciation in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae: rapid and slow models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PUDJI WIDODO

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Speciation or formation of new species is a process which may take very long time. When a new species is really formed from a previous species is still unknown exactly. However, sometimes when populations no longer interbreed, they are thought to be separate species. As natural selection, if populations adapt the occupying different environments, they will diverge into races, subspecies, and finally separate species. There are some models of speciation such as geographical, polyploidy, chromosomal, and ecological speciation. However, in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae they can be grouped into two big models of speciation namely the rapid and slow speciation. This review points out that hybridization is a major factor affecting Myrtaceae, although evolution activities were also approved by the fact that some fossil pollens have been found in Antartica

  7. The development of chemical speciation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, R.; Santana, J.L.; Lima, L.; De La Rosa, D.; Melchor, K.

    2003-01-01

    The knowledge of many metals species on the environmental, its bioaccumulation, quantification and its effect in human body has been studied by a wide researchers groups in the last two decades. The development of speciation analysis has an vertiginous advance close to the developing of novel analytical techniques. Separation and quantification at low level is a problem that's has been afford by a coupling of high resolution chromatographic techniques like HPLC and HRGC with a specific method of detection (ICP-MS or CV-AAS). This methodological approach make possible the success in chemical speciation nowadays

  8. Self-consistent approach for neutral community models with speciation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

    Hubbell's neutral model provides a rich theoretical framework to study ecological communities. By incorporating both ecological and evolutionary time scales, it allows us to investigate how communities are shaped by speciation processes. The speciation model in the basic neutral model is

  9. Anaerobic Digestion Alters Copper and Zinc Speciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legros, Samuel; Levard, Clément; Marcato-Romain, Claire-Emmanuelle; Guiresse, Maritxu; Doelsch, Emmanuel

    2017-09-19

    Anaerobic digestion is a widely used organic waste treatment process. However, little is known on how it could alter the speciation of contaminants in organic waste. This study was focused on determining the influence of anaerobic digestion on the speciation of copper and zinc, two metals that generally occur at high concentration in organic waste. Copper and zinc speciation was investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy in four different raw organic wastes (predigestion) and their digested counterparts (postdigestion, i.e., digestates). The results highlighted an increase in the digestates of the proportion of amorphous or nanostructured copper sulfides as well as amorphous or nanostructured zinc sulfides and zinc phosphate as compared to raw waste. We therefore suggest that the environmental fate of these elements would be different when spreading either digestates or raw waste on cropland.

  10. The neutral theory of biodiversity with random fission speciation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Etienne, Rampal S.; Haegeman, Bart

    The neutral theory of biodiversity and biogeography emphasizes the importance of dispersal and speciation to macro-ecological diversity patterns. While the influence of dispersal has been studied quite extensively, the effect of speciation has not received much attention, even though it was already

  11. EPA’s SPECIATE 4.4 Database - Development and Uses

    Science.gov (United States)

    SPECIATE is the EPA's repository of TOG, PM, and Other Gases speciation profiles of air pollution sources. It includes weight fractions of both organic species and PM and provides data in consistent units. Species include metals, ions, elements, and organic and inorganic compound...

  12. Searching for speciation genes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holt, Benjamin George; Côté, Isabelle M; Emerson, Brent C

    2011-01-01

    Closely related species that show clear phenotypic divergence, but without obvious geographic barriers, can provide opportunities to study how diversification can occur when opportunities for allopatric speciation are limited. We examined genetic divergence in the coral reef fish genus Hypoplectrus...

  13. Testing local host adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in a herbivore when alternative related host plants occur sympatrically.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorena Ruiz-Montoya

    Full Text Available Host race formation in phytophagous insects can be an early stage of adaptive speciation. However, the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in host use is another possible outcome. Using a reciprocal transplant experiment we tested the hypothesis of local adaptation in the aphid Brevicoryne brassicae. Aphid genotypes derived from two sympatric host plants, Brassica oleracea and B. campestris, were assessed in order to measure the extent of phenotypic plasticity in morphological and life history traits in relation to the host plants. We obtained an index of phenotypic plasticity for each genotype. Morphological variation of aphids was summarized by principal components analysis. Significant effects of recipient host on morphological variation and life history traits (establishment, age at first reproduction, number of nymphs, and intrinsic growth rate were detected. We did not detected genotype × host plant interaction; in general the genotypes developed better on B. campestris, independent of the host plant species from which they were collected. Therefore, there was no evidence to suggest local adaptation. Regarding plasticity, significant differences among genotypes in the index of plasticity were detected. Furthermore, significant selection on PC1 (general aphid body size on B. campestris, and on PC1 and PC2 (body length relative to body size on B. oleracea was detected. The elevation of the reaction norm of PC1 and the slope of the reaction norm for PC2 (i.e., plasticity were under directional selection. Thus, host plant species constitute distinct selective environments for B. brassicae. Aphid genotypes expressed different phenotypes in response to the host plant with low or nil fitness costs. Phenotypic plasticity and gene flow limits natural selection for host specialization promoting the maintenance of genetic variation in host exploitation.

  14. Speciation environments and centres of diversity in southern Africa. I. Conceptual framework

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. R. Robinson

    1982-10-01

    Full Text Available A knowledge of the nature and distribution of the environments where speciation (micro-evolution is or has been rapid would help explain plant distributions and give insight into the mechanisms of plant evolution. Before southern African speciation environments can be identified and described, a number of basic theoretical concepts have to be clarified. In this paper the major taxonomic, systematic, floristic, ecological and evolutionary ideas pertinent to speciation environments are reviewed and discussed. Despite many publications about species concepts, species diversity, modes of speciation and the relationship between environments and genetic variability within taxa, it is still not possible to make predictions about the kinds of environments that favour speciation.

  15. Patterns and processes in the evolutionary history of parrotfishes (Family Labridae)

    KAUST Repository

    Choat, John. H.; klanten, Oya. S.; Van Herwerden, Lynne; Robertson, D. Ross; Clements, Kendall D.

    2012-01-01

    Phylogenetic reconstruction of the evolutionary relationships among 61 of the 70 species of the parrotfish genera Chlorurus and Scarus (Family Labridae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences retrieved 15 well-supported clades with mid Pliocene/Pleistocene diversification. Twenty-two reciprocally monophyletic sister-species pairs were identified: 64% were allopatric, and the remainder were sympatric. Age of divergence was similar for allopatric and sympatric species pairs. Sympatric sister pairs displayed greater divergence in morphology, ecology, and sexually dimorphic colour patterns than did allopatric pairs, suggesting that both genetic drift in allopatric species pairs and ecologically adaptive divergence between members of sympatric pairs have played a role in diversification. Basal species typically have small geographical ranges and are restricted to geographically and ecologically peripheral reef habitats. We found little evidence that a single dominant process has driven diversification, nor did we detect a pattern of discrete, sequential stages of diversification in relation to habitat, ecology, and reproductive biology. The evolution of Chlorurus and Scarus has been complex, involving a number of speciation processes. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London.

  16. Patterns and processes in the evolutionary history of parrotfishes (Family Labridae)

    KAUST Repository

    Choat, John. H.

    2012-09-05

    Phylogenetic reconstruction of the evolutionary relationships among 61 of the 70 species of the parrotfish genera Chlorurus and Scarus (Family Labridae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences retrieved 15 well-supported clades with mid Pliocene/Pleistocene diversification. Twenty-two reciprocally monophyletic sister-species pairs were identified: 64% were allopatric, and the remainder were sympatric. Age of divergence was similar for allopatric and sympatric species pairs. Sympatric sister pairs displayed greater divergence in morphology, ecology, and sexually dimorphic colour patterns than did allopatric pairs, suggesting that both genetic drift in allopatric species pairs and ecologically adaptive divergence between members of sympatric pairs have played a role in diversification. Basal species typically have small geographical ranges and are restricted to geographically and ecologically peripheral reef habitats. We found little evidence that a single dominant process has driven diversification, nor did we detect a pattern of discrete, sequential stages of diversification in relation to habitat, ecology, and reproductive biology. The evolution of Chlorurus and Scarus has been complex, involving a number of speciation processes. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London.

  17. Differential adaptation to a harsh granite outcrop habitat between sympatric Mimulus species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferris, Kathleen G; Willis, John H

    2018-03-31

    Understanding which environmental variables and traits underlie adaptation to harsh environments is difficult because many traits evolve simultaneously as populations or species diverge. Here, we investigate the ecological variables and traits that underlie Mimulus laciniatus' adaptation to granite outcrops compared to its sympatric, mesic-adapted progenitor, Mimulus guttatus. We use fine-scale measurements of soil moisture and herbivory to examine differences in selective forces between the species' habitats, and measure selection on flowering time, flower size, plant height, and leaf shape in a reciprocal transplant using M. laciniatus × M. guttatus F 4 hybrids. We find that differences in drought and herbivory drive survival differences between habitats, that M. laciniatus and M. guttatus are each better adapted to their native habitat, and differential habitat selection on flowering time, plant stature, and leaf shape. Although early flowering time, small stature, and lobed leaf shape underlie plant fitness in M. laciniatus' seasonally dry environment, increased plant size is advantageous in a competitive mesic environment replete with herbivores like M. guttatus'. Given that we observed divergent selection between habitats in the direction of species differences, we conclude that adaptation to different microhabitats is an important component of reproductive isolation in this sympatric species pair. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  18. Comparison of analytical charge-form and equilibrium thermodynamic speciation of certain radionuclides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jenne, E.A.; Cowan, C.E.; Robertson, D.E.

    1984-01-01

    Calculating trace element speciation with a thermodynamic model is often challenged on the basis that the existing thermodynamic data are not sufficiently reliable. Water quality data and corresponding analytical charge-form speciation analysis were available for radionuclides occurring in a low-level radioactive groundwater. This offered an opportunity for comparing the results of an equilibrium thermodynamic model with the results of analytical charge-form speciation. The charge-form speciation was determined using the Battelle Large Volume Water Sampler, which contains consecutive layers of cation resin, anion resin and activated aluminum oxide for retention of cationic, anionic and non-ionic dissolved chemical species, respectively. The thermodynamic speciation of Cs, Cr, Fe, I, Mn, Mo, Na, and Zn was calculated using the MINTEQ geochemical model. Ce, Co, Tc, Np, Pm, and Sb were speciated by hand calculation. Excellent agreement between the analytically determined charge-form and the thermodynamic speciation was observed for 54 Mn, 144 Ce, 131 I, 24 Na, 137 Cs, 99 Mo, 99 Tc, 151 Pm, 239 Np. Organic complexation by natural and/or synthetic organics in the waters may be important in the speciation of 65 An, 60 Co, 131 I, 59 Fe and possibly 51 Cr. Both 124 Sb and 125 Sb appeared to be in redox disequilibria with the groundwater. 29 references, 2 tables

  19. Genomic markers reveal introgressive hybridization in the Indo-West Pacific mangroves: a case study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mei Sun

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Biodiversity of mangrove ecosystems is difficult to assess, at least partly due to lack of genetic verification of morphology-based documentation of species. Natural hybridization, on the one hand, plays an important role in evolution as a source of novel gene combinations and a mechanism of speciation. However, on the other hand, recurrent introgression allows gene flow between species and could reverse the process of genetic differentiation among populations required for speciation. To understand the dynamic evolutionary consequences of hybridization, this study examines genomic structure of hybrids and parental species at the population level. In the Indo-West Pacific, Bruguiera is one of the dominant mangrove genera and species ranges overlap extensively with one another. Morphological intermediates between sympatric Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Bruguiera sexangula have been reported as a variety of B. sexangula or a new hybrid species, B. × rhynchopetala. However, the direction of hybridization and extent of introgression are unclear. A large number of species-specific inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR markers were found in B. gymnorrhiza and B. sexangula, and the additive ISSR profiling of B. × rhynchopetala ascertained its hybrid status and identified its parental origin. The varying degree of scatterness among hybrid individuals in Principal Coordinate Analysis and results from NewHybrids analysis indicate that B. × rhynchopetala comprises different generations of introgressants in addition to F(1s. High genetic relatedness between B. × rhynchopetala and B. gymnorrhiza based on nuclear and chloroplast sequences suggests preferential hybrid backcrosses to B. gymnorrhiza. We conclude that B. × rhynchopetala has not evolved into an incipient hybrid species, and its persistence can be explained by recurrent hybridization and introgression. Genomic data provide insights into the hybridization dynamics of mangrove plants. Such information

  20. Prevalencia de lesiones incipientes de caries dental en niños escolares Prevalence of incipient lesions of dental caries in school children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nayda Nasco Hidalgo

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: determinar la prevalencia de lesiones incipientes de caries dental en los niños de 6-11 años de la escuela primaria "José A Echeverría," municipio Plaza de la Revolución en el período de enero a diciembre del 2006, identificar en el grupo estudiado, la frecuencia de niños según número de lesiones incipientes y la frecuencia de lesiones incipientes por ubicación del diente en la arcada y por superficie dentaria. MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo de corte transversal, el universo estuvo integrado por todos los niños que estuvieran en esas edades y que cumplieran con los criterios de inclusión, para un total de 236, los cuales fueron examinados al aire libre y con luz natural, utilizando el método visual- táctil suave. Los dientes se limpiaron con algodón y se secaron con peras de aire para detectar la presencia de lesiones incipientes de caries, las cuales fueron señalizadas en un modelo de dentigrama, en el lugar correspondiente a la superficie afectada. RESULTADOS: se halló que el 22,5 % de los escolares examinados presentaba estas lesiones, de ellos el 60,1 % correspondió al sexo femenino; el 19,5 % del total de niños presentó una lesión y sólo el 3% tenia dos lesiones incipientes de caries dental; el 79,2 % de las mismas se encontraron en los dientes posteriores, fueron las superficies lisas las más afectadas con un 45,3 %. CONCLUSIONES: Alrededor de la cuarta parte de los niños estudiados presentaron lesiones incipientes de caries, siendo el sexo femenino el más afectado. Del total de niños que poseían lesiones incipientes, la mayor cifra correspondió a los que presentaban una lesión. Los dientes posteriores fueron los más afectados por lesiones incipientes. Las superficies lisas mostraron más lesiones incipientes que las oclusales y proximalesOBJECTIVES: to determine the prevalence of incipient lesions of dental caries in children aged 6-11 of "José A Echeverría" Primary

  1. Genetic signs of multiple colonization events in Baltic ciscoes with radiation into sympatric spring- and autumn-spawners confined to early postglacial arrival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delling, Bo; Palm, Stefan; Palkopoulou, Eleftheria; Prestegaard, Tore

    2014-11-01

    Presence of sympatric populations may reflect local diversification or secondary contact of already distinct forms. The Baltic cisco (Coregonus albula) normally spawns in late autumn, but in a few lakes in Northern Europe sympatric autumn and spring- or winter-spawners have been described. So far, the evolutionary relationships and taxonomic status of these main life history forms have remained largely unclear. With microsatellites and mtDNA sequences, we analyzed extant and extinct spring- and autumn-spawners from a total of 23 Swedish localities, including sympatric populations. Published sequences from Baltic ciscoes in Germany and Finland, and Coregonus sardinella from North America were also included together with novel mtDNA sequences from Siberian C. sardinella. A clear genetic structure within Sweden was found that included two population assemblages markedly differentiated at microsatellites and apparently fixed for mtDNA haplotypes from two distinct clades. All sympatric Swedish populations belonged to the same assemblage, suggesting parallel evolution of spring-spawning rather than secondary contact. The pattern observed further suggests that postglacial immigration to Northern Europe occurred from at least two different refugia. Previous results showing that mtDNA in Baltic cisco is paraphyletic with respect to North American C. sardinella were confirmed. However, the inclusion of Siberian C. sardinella revealed a more complicated pattern, as these novel haplotypes were found within one of the two main C. albula clades and were clearly distinct from those in North American C. sardinella. The evolutionary history of Northern Hemisphere ciscoes thus seems to be more complex than previously recognized.

  2. Multidimensional differentiation in foraging resource use during breeding of two sympatric top predators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedemann, Guilad; Leshem, Yossi; Kerem, Lior; Shacham, Boaz; Bar-Massada, Avi; McClain, Krystaal M.; Bohrer, Gil; Izhaki, Ido

    2016-10-01

    Ecologically-similar species were found to develop specific strategies to partition their resources, leading to niche differentiation and divergence, in order to avoid interspecific competition. Our study determines multi-dimensional differentiation of two sympatric top-predators, long-legged buzzards (LLB) and short-toed eagles (STE), which recently became sympatric during their breeding season in the Judean Foothills, Israel. By combining information from comprehensive diet and movement analyses we found four dimensions of differentiation: (1) Geographic foraging area: LLB tended to forage relatively close to their nests (2.35 ± 0.62 km), while STE forage far from their nest (13.03 ± 2.20 km) (2) Foraging-habitat type: LLBs forage at low natural vegetation, avoiding cultivated fields, whereas STEs forage in cultivated fields, avoiding low natural vegetation; (3) Diurnal dynamics of foraging: LLBs are uniformly active during daytime, whereas STEs activity peaks in the early afternoon; and (4) Food-niche: while both species largely rely on reptiles (47.8% and 76.3% for LLB and STE, respectively), LLB had a more diverse diet and consumed significantly higher percentages of lizards, while STE consumed significantly higher percentages of snakes. Our results suggest that this multidimensional differentiation allows the spatial coexistence of these two dense populations in the study area.

  3. Chemical speciation of long-lived radionuclides in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiaolin Hou

    2008-11-01

    This project started in November 2005 and ended in November 2008, the work and research approaches are summarized in this report. This project studied the speciation of radionuclides in environment. A number of speciation analytical methods are developed for determination of species of 129 I, 99 Tc, isotopes of Pu, and 237 Np in seawater, fresh water, soil, sediment, vegetations, and concrete. The developed methods are used for the investigation of the chemical speciation of these radionuclides as well as their environmental behaviours, especially in Danish environment. In addition the speciation of Pu isotopes in waste samples from the decommissioning of Danish nuclear facilities is also investigated. The report summarizes these works completed in this project. Through this research project, a number of research papers have been published in the scientific journals, the research results has also been presented in the Nordic and international conference/meeting and communicated to international colleagues. Some publications are also enclosed to this report. (au)

  4. Patterns of plant speciation in the Cape floristic region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Niet, Timotheüs; Johnson, Steven D

    2009-04-01

    Plant species have accumulated in the Cape region of southern Africa to a much greater degree than in areas of equivalent size in the rest of the subcontinent. Although this could be a consequence simply of lower extinction rates in the Cape, most researchers have invoked high rates of ecological speciation, driven by unique aspects of the Cape environment, as the primary explanation for this richness. To assess these ideas, we analyzed the frequencies of ecological shifts among 188 sister species pairs obtained from molecular phylogenies of eight Cape clades. Ecological shifts were evident in 80% of sister species pairs, with general habitat, pollinator, and fire-survival strategy shifts being especially frequent. Contrary to an established idea that shifts in soil type are frequently associated with speciation of Cape taxa, these shifts were relatively rare, occurring in just 17% of species pairs. More cases of sister species divergence are accompanied solely by floral than by vegetative diversification, suggesting an important role for pollinator-driven speciation. In an analysis of two large orchid genera that have radiated in both the Cape and the rest of southern Africa, the frequency of ecological shifts (general habitat, soil type, altitude and flowering time), did not differ between sister species pairs in the Cape region and those outside it. Despite suggestions that Cape plants tend to have small range sizes and show fine-scale patterns of speciation, range size did not differ significantly between species in the Cape and those outside it. We conclude that ecological speciation is likely to have been important for radiation of the Cape flora, but there is no evidence as yet for special "Cape" patterns of ecological speciation.

  5. Speciation of trace elements in the environmental studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, A.V.R.

    2012-01-01

    Elements present at trace levels, often referred as trace elements, play an important role in the environment and in the functioning of life on our planet. Trace elements in environment present as free metal ions or incorporated into colloids or attached to particulate matter or exist in different physical and chemical forms. It is well established that some elements are highly toxic and some are essential, but can become toxic at higher doses. It is also now known that the forms of elements (speciation) and their amounts are more important than the chemical dose of the elements as their interaction depends on different species. For example, Cr(VI) ions are considered far more toxic than Cr(III), whereas As(III) is more toxic than As(V). Similarly, in the case of mercury, both methylmercury and inorganic mercury are toxic but they show different levels of toxicity. Thus the adverse effects depend on the nature of species of the elements and therefore speciation studies are of paramount importance in many areas like toxicology, environmental chemistry and geochemisty. In view of this, speciation studies is a challenge to analytical chemists as the measurement methodologies have to be carefully developed, validated and applied. The grand challenge is to obtain quality data ensuring traceability, as the data obtained will be used in modeling for predicting the environmental impacts. In this talk importance of speciation and challenges to environmental analytical chemists will be discussed along with the following three speciation studies on Cr, U and Hg which were carried out in our laboratories

  6. Arsenic speciation and sorption in natural environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Kate M.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk

    2014-01-01

    Aqueous arsenic speciation, or the chemical forms in which arsenic exists in water, is a challenging, interesting, and complicated aspect of environmental arsenic geochemistry. Arsenic has the ability to form a wide range of chemical bonds with carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur, resulting in a large variety of compounds that exhibit a host of chemical and biochemical properties. Besides the intriguing chemical diversity, arsenic also has the rare capacity to capture our imaginations in a way that few elements can duplicate: it invokes images of foul play that range from sinister to comedic (e.g., “inheritance powder” and arsenic-spiked elderberry wine). However, the emergence of serious large-scale human health problems from chronic arsenic exposure in drinking water has placed a high priority on understanding environmental arsenic mobility, toxicity, and bioavailability, and chemical speciation is key to these important questions. Ultimately, the purpose of arsenic speciation research is to predict future occurrences, mitigate contamination, and provide successful management of water resources.

  7. Speciation and internal dosimetry: from chemical species to dosimetric models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paquet, F.; Frelon, S.; Cote, G.; Madic, C.

    2004-01-01

    Speciation studies refer to the distribution of species in a particular sample or matrix. These studies are necessary to improve the description, understanding and prediction of trace element kinetics and toxicity. In case of internal contamination with radionuclides, speciation studies could help to improve both the biokinetic and dosimetric models for radionuclides. There are different methods to approach the speciation of radionuclide in a biological system, depending on the degree of accuracy needed and the level of uncertainties accepted. Among them, computer modelling and experimental determination are complementary approaches. This paper describes what is known about speciation of actinides in blood, GI-tract, liver and skeleton and of their consequences in terms of internal dosimetry. The conclusion is that such studies provide very valuable data and should be targeted in the future on some specific tissues and biomolecules. (authors)

  8. The genetics of speciation by reinforcement.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Reinforcement occurs when natural selection strengthens behavioral discrimination to prevent costly interspecies matings, such as when matings produce sterile hybrids. This evolutionary process can complete speciation, thereby providing a direct link between Darwin's theory of natural selection and the origin of new species. Here, by examining a case of speciation by reinforcement in Drosophila,we present the first high-resolution genetic study of variation within species for female mating discrimination that is enhanced by natural selection. We show that reinforced mating discrimination is inherited as a dominant trait, exhibits variability within species, and may be influenced by a known set of candidate genes involved in olfaction. Our results show that the genetics of reinforced mating discrimination is different from the genetics of mating discrimination between species, suggesting that overall mating discrimination might be a composite phenomenon, which in Drosophila could involve both auditory and olfactory cues. Examining the genetics of reinforcement provides a unique opportunity for both understanding the origin of new species in the face of gene flow and identifying the genetic basis of adaptive female species preferences, two major gaps in our understanding of speciation.

  9. First passage time to allopatric speciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Ryo; Iwasa, Yoh

    2013-12-06

    Allopatric speciation is a mechanism to evolve reproductive isolation; it is caused by the accumulation of genetic differences between populations while they are geographically isolated. Here, we studied a simple stochastic model for the time until speciation caused by geographical isolation in fragmented populations that experience recurrent but infrequent migration between subpopulations. We assumed that mating incompatibility is controlled by a number of loci that behave as neutral characters in the accumulation of novel mutations within each population. Genetic distance between populations was defined as the number of incompatibility-controlling loci that differ between them. Genetic distance increases through the separate accumulation of mutations in different populations, but decreases after a successful migration event followed by genetic mixing between migrants and residents. We calculated the time to allopatric speciation, which occurs when the genetic distance exceeds a specified threshold. If the number of invasive individuals relative to the resident population is not very large, diffusion approximation provides an accurate prediction. There is an intermediate optimal rate of migration that maximizes the rate of species creation by recurrent invasion and diversification. We also examined cases that involved more than two populations.

  10. Evolution of premating reproductive isolation among conspecific populations of the sea rock-pool beetle Ochthebius urbanelliae driven by reinforcing natural selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porretta, Daniele; Urbanelli, Sandra

    2012-04-01

    How natural selection might be involved in speciation remains a fundamental question in evolutionary biology. When two or more species co-occur in the same areas, natural selection may favor divergence in mating traits. By acting in sympatric but not allopatric populations, natural selection can also affect mate choice within species and ultimately initiate speciation among conspecific populations. Here, we address this potential effect in the sea rock-pool beetles Ochthebius quadricollis and O. urbanelliae. The two species, which inhabit the Mediterranean coasts, co-occurr syntopically in an area along the Italian Tyrrhenian coast and completed reproductive isolation by reinforcement. In this article, through mating trials under laboratory conditions between conspecific populations, we found in O. quadricollis no deviations from random mating. Conversely, in O. urbanelliae, we found a clear pattern of premating isolation between the reinforced populations sympatric with O. quadricollis and those nonreinforced allopatric. This pattern is consistent with the view that natural selection, which completed the reproductive isolation between the two species in sympatry, led incidentally also to partial premating reproductive isolation (I(PSI) estimator from 0.683 to 0.792) between conspecific populations of O. urbanelliae. This case study supports an until recently underappreciated role of natural selection resulting from species interactions in initiating speciation. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  11. Geographic variation in floral traits and the capacity of autonomous selfing across allopatric and sympatric populations of two closely related Centaurium species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schouppe, Dorien; Brys, Rein; Vallejo-Marin, Mario; Jacquemyn, Hans

    2017-04-21

    Floral traits and the relative contribution of autonomous selfing to total seed set varies geographically and is often driven by the availability and abundance of suitable pollinators and/or the presence of co-flowering relatives. In the latter case, competition for pollinator services and costs of hybridization can select for floral traits that reduce interspecific gene flow and contribute to prezygotic isolation, potentially leading to geographic variation in floral divergence between allopatric and sympatric populations. In this study, we investigated variation in floral traits and its implications on the capacity of autonomous selfing in both allopatric and sympatric populations of two closely related Centaurium species(Gentianaceae) across two distinct geographic regions(UK and mainland Europe). Although the magnitude and direction of floral differentiation varied between regions, sympatric populations were always significantly more divergent in floral traits and the capacity to self autonomously than allopatric populations. These results indicate that mating systems can vary substantially within a species and that the joint occurrence of plant species can have a major impact on floral morphology and capacity of autonomous selfing, most likely as a way to reduce the probability of interspecific interference.

  12. Sympatric ecological divergence associated with a color polymorphism

    OpenAIRE

    Kusche, Henrik; Elmer, Kathryn R.; Meyer, Axel

    2015-01-01

    Background Color polymorphisms are a conspicuous feature of many species and a way to address broad ecological and evolutionary questions. Three potential major evolutionary fates of color polymorphisms are conceivable over time: maintenance, loss, or speciation. However, the understanding of color polymorphisms and their evolutionary implications is frequently impaired by sex-linkage of coloration, unknown inheritance patterns, difficulties in phenotypic characterization, and a lack of evolu...

  13. Survey of the current state of knowledge of incipient boiling superheat in sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greer, B.

    1979-01-01

    Superheat data obtained by various investigators indicate that many parameters affect this phenomenon. Controlling parameters appear to be inert gas concentration, oxide concentration, system pressure, pressure-temperature history, rate of temperature rise, heat flux, flow rate, operating time on the system, surface conditions, and radiation. Of these, the two believed most influential in controlling incipient boiling superheat are the inert gas concentration and oxide concentration. Experimental results for the heat flux and rate of temperature rise appear to be the most inconsistent

  14. Simultaneous speciation neutron activation analysis for trace elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chatt, A.; Kiceniuk, J.W.; Menendez Sanchez, W.; Bottaro, C.

    2006-01-01

    Among the various forms of neutron activation technique being developed in our laboratory, much emphasis has been placed over the last ten years or so on the development of simultaneous speciation neutron activation analysis (SSNAA). This technique can now be used for the simultaneous determination of various species of a number of elements. Almost all speciation techniques consist of two steps. The first step involves the separation of species from the sample followed by the second step of element-specific detection. A number of characteristic features of NAA, which other techniques normally do not possess, can be advantageously exploited in SSNAA. For example, SSNAA can be used for: (i) multielement speciation with high specificity, (ii) speciation of chemically dissimilar elements such as Cd, Mn and Se, (iii) speciation of elements such as Cl, Br and I which are rather difficult to determine by most other techniques, etc. We have developed SSNAA methods for assaying various arsenic species, namely As(III), As(V), dimethyl arsonic acid (DMA), monomethylarsinic acid (MMA), arsenobetaine (AsB), organically bound arsenic (OBAs), and lipid-soluble arsenic (LSAs) in marine fish samples. We have extended these methods to include simultaneous determination of various species of As, Sb and Se in water. We have also developed SSNAA methods employing biochemical techniques for the simultaneous separation, preconcentration and characterization of metalloproteins and protein-bound trace element species of As, Br, Cd, Cu, Mn, Se, and Zn. We have developed methods for the simultaneous separation and characterization of organohalogen compounds in fish. An overview of the SSNAA methods being developed in our laboratory will be presented. (author)

  15. Dynamic speciation analysis and bioavailability of metals in aquatic systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leeuwen, van H.P.; Town, R.M.; Buffle, J.; Cleven, R.F.M.J.; Davison, W.; Puy, J.; Riemsdijk, van W.H.; Sigg, L.

    2005-01-01

    Dynamic metal speciation analysis in aquatic ecosystems is emerging as a powerful basis for development of predictions of bioavailability and reliable risk assessment strategies. A given speciation sensor is characterized by an effective time scale or kinetic window that defines the measurable metal

  16. Pollinator-driven ecological speciation in plants: new evidence and future perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van der Niet, Timotheüs; Peakall, Rod; Johnson, Steven D

    2014-01-01

    The hypothesis that pollinators have been important drivers of angiosperm diversity dates back to Darwin, and remains an important research topic today. Mounting evidence indicates that pollinators have the potential to drive diversification at several different stages of the evolutionary process. Microevolutionary studies have provided evidence for pollinator-mediated floral adaptation, while macroevolutionary evidence supports a general pattern of pollinator-driven diversification of angiosperms. However, the overarching issue of whether, and how, shifts in pollination system drive plant speciation represents a critical gap in knowledge. Bridging this gap is crucial to fully understand whether pollinator-driven microevolution accounts for the observed macroevolutionary patterns. Testable predictions about pollinator-driven speciation can be derived from the theory of ecological speciation, according to which adaptation (microevolution) and speciation (macroevolution) are directly linked. This theory is a particularly suitable framework for evaluating evidence for the processes underlying shifts in pollination systems and their potential consequences for the evolution of reproductive isolation and speciation. This Viewpoint paper focuses on evidence for the four components of ecological speciation in the context of plant-pollinator interactions, namely (1) the role of pollinators as selective agents, (2) floral trait divergence, including the evolution of 'pollination ecotypes', (3) the geographical context of selection on floral traits, and (4) the role of pollinators in the evolution of reproductive isolation. This Viewpoint also serves as the introduction to a Special Issue on Pollinator-Driven Speciation in Plants. The 13 papers in this Special Issue range from microevolutionary studies of ecotypes to macroevolutionary studies of historical ecological shifts, and span a wide range of geographical areas and plant families. These studies further illustrate

  17. Pollinator-driven ecological speciation in plants: new evidence and future perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van der Niet, Timotheüs; Peakall, Rod; Johnson, Steven D.

    2014-01-01

    Background The hypothesis that pollinators have been important drivers of angiosperm diversity dates back to Darwin, and remains an important research topic today. Mounting evidence indicates that pollinators have the potential to drive diversification at several different stages of the evolutionary process. Microevolutionary studies have provided evidence for pollinator-mediated floral adaptation, while macroevolutionary evidence supports a general pattern of pollinator-driven diversification of angiosperms. However, the overarching issue of whether, and how, shifts in pollination system drive plant speciation represents a critical gap in knowledge. Bridging this gap is crucial to fully understand whether pollinator-driven microevolution accounts for the observed macroevolutionary patterns. Testable predictions about pollinator-driven speciation can be derived from the theory of ecological speciation, according to which adaptation (microevolution) and speciation (macroevolution) are directly linked. This theory is a particularly suitable framework for evaluating evidence for the processes underlying shifts in pollination systems and their potential consequences for the evolution of reproductive isolation and speciation. Scope This Viewpoint paper focuses on evidence for the four components of ecological speciation in the context of plant-pollinator interactions, namely (1) the role of pollinators as selective agents, (2) floral trait divergence, including the evolution of ‘pollination ecotypes‘, (3) the geographical context of selection on floral traits, and (4) the role of pollinators in the evolution of reproductive isolation. This Viewpoint also serves as the introduction to a Special Issue on Pollinator-Driven Speciation in Plants. The 13 papers in this Special Issue range from microevolutionary studies of ecotypes to macroevolutionary studies of historical ecological shifts, and span a wide range of geographical areas and plant families. These studies

  18. Wide prevalence of hybridization in two sympatric grasshopper species may be shaped by their relative abundances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohde, Katja; Hau, Yvonne; Weyer, Jessica; Hochkirch, Axel

    2015-09-16

    Hybridization between species is of conservation concern as it might threaten the genetic integrity of species. Anthropogenic factors can alter hybridization dynamics by introducing new potentially hybridizing species or by diminishing barriers to hybridization. This may even affect sympatric species pairs through environmental change, which so far has received little attention. We studied hybridization prevalence and the underlying behavioral mechanisms in two sympatric grasshopper species, a rare specialist (Chorthippus montanus) and a common generalist (Chorthippus parallelus). We conducted a mate choice experiment with constant intraspecific density and varying heterospecific density, i.e. varying relative frequency of both species. Mate choice was frequency-dependent in both species with a higher risk of cross-mating with increasing heterospecific frequency, while conspecific mating increased linearly with increasing conspecific density. This illustrates that reproductive barriers could be altered by environmental change, if the relative frequency of species pairs is affected. Moreover, we performed a microsatellite analysis to detect hybridization in twelve syntopic populations (and four allotopic populations). Hybrids were detected in nearly all syntopic populations with hybridization rates reaching up to 8.9 %. Genetic diversity increased for both species when hybrids were included in the data set, but only in the common species a positive correlation between hybridization rate and genetic diversity was detected. Our study illustrates that the relative frequency of the two species strongly determines the effectiveness of reproductive barriers and that even the more choosy species (Ch. montanus) may face a higher risk of hybridization if population size decreases and its relative frequency becomes low compared to its sister species. The asymmetric mate preferences of both species may lead to quasi-unidirectional gene flow caused by unidirectional

  19. Role of hydrogen on the incipient crack tip deformation behavior in α-Fe: An atomistic perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adlakha, I.; Solanki, K. N.

    2018-01-01

    A crack tip in α-Fe presents a preferential trap site for hydrogen, and sufficient concentration of hydrogen can change the incipient crack tip deformation response, causing a transition from a ductile to a brittle failure mechanism for inherently ductile alloys. In this work, the effect of hydrogen segregation around the crack tip on deformation in α-Fe was examined using atomistic simulations and the continuum based Rice-Thompson criterion for various modes of fracture (I, II, and III). The presence of a hydrogen rich region ahead of the crack tip was found to cause a decrease in the critical stress intensity factor required for incipient deformation for various crack orientations and modes of fracture examined here. Furthermore, the triaxial stress state ahead of the crack tip was found to play a crucial role in determining the effect of hydrogen on the deformation behavior. Overall, the segregation of hydrogen atoms around the crack tip enhanced both dislocation emission and cleavage behavior suggesting that hydrogen has a dual role during the deformation in α-Fe.

  20. Reproductive isolation among allopatric Drosophila montana populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennings, Jackson H; Snook, Rhonda R; Hoikkala, Anneli

    2014-11-01

    An outstanding goal in speciation research is to trace the mode and tempo of the evolution of barriers to gene flow. Such research benefits from studying incipient speciation, in which speciation between populations has not yet occurred, but where multiple potential mechanisms of reproductive isolation (RI: i.e., premating, postmating-prezygotic (PMPZ), and postzygotic barriers) may act. We used such a system to investigate these barriers among allopatric populations of Drosophila montana. In all heteropopulation crosses we found premating (sexual) isolation, which was either symmetric or asymmetric depending on the population pair compared. Postmating isolation was particularly strong in crosses involving males from one of the study populations, and while sperm were successfully transferred, stored, and motile, we experimentally demonstrated that the majority of eggs produced were unfertilized. Thus, we identified the nature of a PMPZ incompatibility. There was no evidence of intrinsic postzygotic effects. Measures of absolute and relative strengths of pre- and postmating barriers showed that populations differed in the mode and magnitude of RI barriers. Our results indicate that incipient RI among populations can be driven by different contributions of both premating and PMPZ barriers occurring between different population pairs and without the evolution of postzygotic barriers. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  1. Petrogenesis of incipient charnockite in the Ikalamavony sub-domain, south-central Madagascar: New insights from phase equilibrium modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endo, Takahiro; Tsunogae, Toshiaki; Santosh, M.; Shaji, E.; Rambeloson, Roger A.

    2017-06-01

    Incipient charnockites representing granulite formation on a mesoscopic scale occur in the Ambodin Ifandana area of Ikalamavony sub-domain in south-central Madagascar. Here we report new petrological data from these rocks, and discuss the process of granulite formation on the basis of petrography, mineral equilibrium modeling, and fluid inclusion studies. The incipient charnockites occur as brownish patches, lenses, and layers characterized by an assemblage of biotite + orthopyroxene + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + magnetite + ilmenite within host orthopyroxene-free biotite gneiss with an assemblage of biotite + K-feldspar + plagioclase + quartz + magnetite + ilmenite. Lenses and layers of calc-silicate rock (clinopyroxene + garnet + plagioclase + quartz + titanite + calcite) are typically associated with the charnockite. Coarse-grained charnockite occurs along the contact between the layered charnockite and calc-silicate rock. The application of mineral equilibrium modeling on the mineral assemblages in charnockite and biotite gneiss employing the NCKFMASHTO system as well as fluid inclusion study on coarse-grained charnockite defines a P-T range of 8.5-10.5 kbar and 880-900 °C, which is nearly consistent with the inferred P-T condition of the Ikalamavony sub-domain (8.0-10.5 kbar and 820-880 °C). The result of T versus H2O activity (a(H2O)) modeling demonstrates that orthopyroxene-bearing assemblage in charnockite is stable under relatively low a(H2O) condition of 0.42-0.43, which is consistent with the popular models of incipient-charnockite formation related to the lowering of water activity and stabilization of orthopyroxene through dehydration of biotite. The occurrence of calc-silicate rocks adjacent to the charnockite suggests that the CO2-bearing fluid that caused dehydration and incipient-charnockite formation might have been derived through decarbonation of calc-silicate rocks during the initial stage of decompression slightly after the peak

  2. Infection dynamics of the monogenean parasite Gyrodactylus gasterostei on sympatric and allopatric populations of the three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raeymaekers, Joost A M; Wegner, K Mathias; Huyset, Tine; Volckaert, Filip A M

    2011-03-01

    Parasites with high host specificity maximally depend on their hosts, which should increase the likelihood of coevolution. However, coevolution requires reciprocal selection exerted by the host and the parasite, and thus a considerable level of parasite virulence. In species of the monogenean ectoparasite genus Gyrodactylus consecutive generations are confronted with a single host, which may constrain the evolution of virulence. Transmission, which is often important in the ecology of Gyrodactylus species, may have the opposite effect, but may also lead to the avoidance of coevolutionary arms races. We investigated the potential outcome of coevolution between Gyrodactylus gasterostei Gläser, 1974 and its host, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) by determining the strength of genotype by genotype (GxG) interactions on two levels: within and between sympatric and allopatric host populations. To do so, we compared the parasite's infection dynamics on laboratory-reared sympatric (Belgian) and allopatric (German) hosts. We found that a parasite line successfully infected a range of sympatric host genotypes (represented by families), while it failed to establish on allopatric hosts. Phylogeographic studies suggest that neutral genetic divergence between the host populations cannot explain this dramatic difference. Provided that this result can be generalised towards other parasite lines, we conclude that coevolution in this host-parasite system is more likely to lead to local adaptation on the population level than to GxG interactions within populations.

  3. Aspects of speciation in foodstuffs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crews, Helen M.

    2001-01-01

    Food is the primary source of trace elements for humans and it is now generally accepted that the bioavailability of a given element and its behaviour in the body depends upon its chemical form. This point was illustrated with the example of arsenic speciation in fish in which bioaccumulation takes place in the marine food chain, however, the species of arsenic ingested by man when the fish is consumed are not toxic. It was pointed out that species information will be vital in deciding upon realistic average dietary requirements for trace elements, particularly because both deficiency or excess of an element can have detrimental consequences on an individual's health. Two examples of speciation studies with food (Cd and Se) were presented and the importance of the use of label technology which will allow studies of target analytes at physiological levels, was stressed

  4. Speciation of arsenic and mercury in feed: why and how?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hedegaard, Rikke Susanne Vingborg; Sloth, Jens Jørgen

    2011-01-01

    The understanding of the mechanisms of biological activities and biotransformation of trace elements such as arsenic and mercury has improved during recent years with the help of chemical speciation studies. However, the most important practical application of elemental speciation is in the area ...... in feed as well as initiatives for the establishment of standardized methods for determination of inorganic arsenic and methylmercury are presented.......The understanding of the mechanisms of biological activities and biotransformation of trace elements such as arsenic and mercury has improved during recent years with the help of chemical speciation studies. However, the most important practical application of elemental speciation is in the area...... of toxicology. Toxicological knowledge on the individual trace element species can lead to more specific legislation of hazardous substances found in feed. Examples here are arsenic, where the inorganic forms are the most toxic, and mercury, where the organic form methylmercury is more toxic than inorganic...

  5. The importance of element speciation in water analysis - a plea for further investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frimmel, F.H.; Gremm, T.

    1994-01-01

    Water analysis is dominated by parameters given in laws and recommendations concerning water quality. Speciation has been broadly neglected. This might be due to the difficulties in defining speciation and in determining species at low concentrations. This paper addresses the physical, chemical and biological approaches to speciation and gives examples for methods which are suited for species determination in aquatic systems. Metals and non-metallic elements are covered as well. It is obvious that speciation is a key for understanding the function of aquatic ecosystems and their technical utilization. (orig.)

  6. How humans drive speciation as well as extinction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bull, Joseph William; Maron, M.

    2016-01-01

    influence upon divergence in microorganisms. Even if human activities resulted in no net loss of species diversity by balancing speciation and extinction rates, this would probably be deemed unacceptable. We discuss why, based upon ‘no net loss’ conservation literature— considering phylogenetic diversity...... and other metrics, risk aversion, taboo trade-offs and spatial heterogeneity. We conclude that evaluating speciation alongside extinction could result in more nuanced understanding of biosphere trends, clarifying what it is we actually value about biodiversity....

  7. The mate recognition protein gene mediates reproductive isolation and speciation in the Brachionus plicatilis cryptic species complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gribble, Kristin E; Mark Welch, David B

    2012-08-01

    frequency via asexual reproduction. Our analyses indicate that mate recognition, controlled by MMR-B, may drive reproductive isolation and allow saltational sympatric speciation within the B. plicatilis cryptic species complex, and that this process may be largely neutral.

  8. The mate recognition protein gene mediates reproductive isolation and speciation in the Brachionus plicatilis cryptic species complex

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gribble Kristin E

    2012-08-01

    rapidly, and novel alleles may be maintained and increase in frequency via asexual reproduction. Our analyses indicate that mate recognition, controlled by MMR-B, may drive reproductive isolation and allow saltational sympatric speciation within the B. plicatilis cryptic species complex, and that this process may be largely neutral.

  9. The shape and temporal dynamics of phylogenetic trees arising from geographic speciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pigot, Alex L; Phillimore, Albert B; Owens, Ian P F; Orme, C David L

    2010-12-01

    Phylogenetic trees often depart from the expectations of stochastic models, exhibiting imbalance in diversification among lineages and slowdowns in the rate of lineage accumulation through time. Such departures have led to a widespread perception that ecological differences among species or adaptation and subsequent niche filling are required to explain patterns of diversification. However, a key element missing from models of diversification is the geographical context of speciation and extinction. In this study, we develop a spatially explicit model of geographic range evolution and cladogenesis, where speciation arises via vicariance or peripatry, and explore the effects of these processes on patterns of diversification. We compare the results with those observed in 41 reconstructed avian trees. Our model shows that nonconstant rates of speciation and extinction are emergent properties of the apportioning of geographic ranges that accompanies speciation. The dynamics of diversification exhibit wide variation, depending on the mode of speciation, tendency for range expansion, and rate of range evolution. By varying these parameters, the model is able to capture many, but not all, of the features exhibited by birth-death trees and extant bird clades. Under scenarios with relatively stable geographic ranges, strong slowdowns in diversification rates are produced, with faster rates of range dynamics leading to constant or accelerating rates of apparent diversification. A peripatric model of speciation with stable ranges also generates highly unbalanced trees typical of bird phylogenies but fails to produce realistic range size distributions among the extant species. Results most similar to those of a birth-death process are reached under a peripatric speciation scenario with highly volatile range dynamics. Taken together, our results demonstrate that considering the geographical context of speciation and extinction provides a more conservative null model of

  10. Biogeochemical weathering of serpentinites: An examination of incipient dissolution affecting serpentine soil formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baumeister, Julie L.; Hausrath, Elisabeth M.; Olsen, Amanda A.; Tschauner, Oliver; Adcock, Christopher T.; Metcalf, Rodney V.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Dissolution of primary minerals is important to porosity generation in serpentinites. • Mineral weathering extent in serpentinites follows the order Fe > Mg > Al rich minerals. • Fe-oxidizing bacteria may mediate Fe-rich primary and serpentine mineral alteration. • Serpentinite weathering is strongly impacted by degree of serpentinization. - Abstract: Serpentinite rocks, high in Mg and trace elements including Ni, Cr, Cd, Co, Cu, and Mn and low in nutrients such as Ca, K, and P, form serpentine soils with similar chemical properties resulting in chemically extreme environments for the biota that grow upon them. The impact of parent material on soil characteristics is most important in young soils, and therefore the incipient weathering of serpentinite rock likely has a strong effect on the development of serpentine soils and ecosystems. Additionally, porosity generation is a crucial process in converting rock into a soil that can support vegetation. Here, the important factors affecting the incipient weathering of serpentinite rock are examined at two sites in the Klamath Mountains, California. Serpentinite-derived soils and serpentinite rock cores were collected in depth profiles from each sampling location. Mineral dissolution in weathered serpentinite samples, determined by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, electron microprobe analyses, and synchrotron microXRD, is consistent with the order, from most weathered to least weathered: Fe-rich pyroxene > antigorite > Mg-rich lizardite > Al-rich lizardite. These results suggest that the initial porosity formation within serpentinite rock, impacting the formation of serpentine soil on which vegetation can exist, is strongly affected both by the presence of non-serpentine primary minerals as well as the composition of the serpentine minerals. In particular, the presence of ferrous Fe appears to contribute to greater dissolution, whereas the presence of Al within the

  11. Incipient fault detection and identification in process systems using accelerating neural network learning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parlos, A.G.; Muthusami, J.; Atiya, A.F.

    1994-01-01

    The objective of this paper is to present the development and numerical testing of a robust fault detection and identification (FDI) system using artificial neural networks (ANNs), for incipient (slowly developing) faults occurring in process systems. The challenge in using ANNs in FDI systems arises because of one's desire to detect faults of varying severity, faults from noisy sensors, and multiple simultaneous faults. To address these issues, it becomes essential to have a learning algorithm that ensures quick convergence to a high level of accuracy. A recently developed accelerated learning algorithm, namely a form of an adaptive back propagation (ABP) algorithm, is used for this purpose. The ABP algorithm is used for the development of an FDI system for a process composed of a direct current motor, a centrifugal pump, and the associated piping system. Simulation studies indicate that the FDI system has significantly high sensitivity to incipient fault severity, while exhibiting insensitivity to sensor noise. For multiple simultaneous faults, the FDI system detects the fault with the predominant signature. The major limitation of the developed FDI system is encountered when it is subjected to simultaneous faults with similar signatures. During such faults, the inherent limitation of pattern-recognition-based FDI methods becomes apparent. Thus, alternate, more sophisticated FDI methods become necessary to address such problems. Even though the effectiveness of pattern-recognition-based FDI methods using ANNs has been demonstrated, further testing using real-world data is necessary

  12. COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF FORAGING AND HABITAT USE BY THE SYMPATRIC CARIBBEAN PARROTFISH SCARUS-VETULA AND SPARISOMA-VIRIDE (SCARIDAE)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    BRUGGEMANN, JH; KUYPER, MWM; BREEMAN, AM

    On the fringing reef of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, a comparative study was made of habitat use, diet selection, foraging behaviour and food acquisition of the parrotfish species Scarus vetula and Sparisoma viride. The species are sympatric and live in the same reef habitats (depth zones). Both

  13. Dearborn GC-MS organic speciation data

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Ambient particulate matter organic speciation data from July - August, 2011. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Lynam, M., T. Dvonch, J....

  14. Is floral divergence sufficient to maintain species boundaries upon secondary contact in Mediterranean food-deceptive orchids?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zitari, A; Scopece, G; Helal, A N; Widmer, A; Cozzolino, S

    2012-01-01

    Analyzing the processes that determine whether species boundaries are maintained on secondary contact may shed light on the early phase of speciation. In Anacamptis morio and Anacamptis longicornu, two Mediterranean orchid sister-species, we used molecular and morphological analyses, together with estimates of pollination success and experimental crosses, to assess whether floral isolation can shelter the species' genomes from genetic admixture on secondary contact. We found substantial genetic and morphological homogenization in sympatric populations in combination with an apparent lack of postmating isolation. We further detected asymmetric introgression in the sympatric populations and an imbalance in cytotype representation, which may be due either to a difference in flowering phenology or else be a consequence of cytonuclear incompatibilities. Estimates of genetic clines for markers across sympatric zones revealed markers that significantly deviated from neutral expectations. We observed a significant correlation between spur length and reproductive success in sympatric populations, which may suggest that directional selection is the main cause of morphological differentiation in this species pair. Our results suggest that allopatric divergence has not led to the evolution of sufficient reproductive isolation to prevent genomic admixture on secondary contact in this orchid species pair. PMID:21792224

  15. Influence of natural organic matter on the speciation of radionuclides in a geochemistry context; Influence de la matiere organique naturelle sur la speciation des radionucleides en contexte geochimique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marang, L

    2007-09-15

    The principal aim of this work is the study of the influence of natural organic matter, in particularly humic substances (HS), on the speciation of radionuclides (RN). The studied radionuclides are cobalt (II), europium (III) and uranium (VI). It has been shown that mobility and bioavailability of a metal are related to its speciation. The NICA-Donnan model describes metal ion binding to NOM: it accounts for NOM chemical heterogeneity, competition during binding and ionic strength effects. However the model has been calibrated with a limited number of experimental data for the RN. Indeed there is only a few speciation technique available for the study of the interactions RN-HS. Within the framework of this study, we have developed and optimised speciation technique (Flux Donnan Membrane Technique and the use of an un-solubilized humic acid) in order to acquire new experimental data, we have also studied the effect of the competition on RN speciation and finally we have tested the model capacity to predict the RN behavior in laboratory or in situ. (author)

  16. Speciation and solubility of neptunium in underground environments by paper electrophoresis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagasaki, S.; Tanaka, Satoru; Takahashi, Yoichi

    1988-01-01

    Speciation and solubility of neptunium were studied using paper electrophoresis, ion exchange and ultrafiltration. Among these methods, the paper electrophoresis was found to be suitable for measuring speciation and solubility of neptunium of low concentration, if chemical species had opposite charge to each other or dissolved species had a charge. Using paper electrophoresis, hydrolysis constants of NpO 2 OH 0 and NpO 2 - (OH) 2 - and solubility product of NpO 2 were obtained and ionic-strength dependence of speciation was observed. (author) 9 refs.; 3 figs.; 2 tabs

  17. Pb speciation results in amended soils

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The dataset shows the distribution of Pb phases resulting from various amendments to change Pb speciation. This dataset is associated with the following publication:...

  18. Neutral Models with Generalised Speciation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

    Hubbell's neutral theory claims that ecological patterns such as species abundance distributions can be explained by a stochastic model based on simple assumptions. One of these assumptions, the point mutation assumption, states that every individual has the same probability to speciate. Etienne et

  19. ISSEBETS 2009. 7. International Symposium on Speciation of Elements in Biological, Environmental and Toxicological Sciences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-01-01

    The 7th ISSEBETS was held in August 2009 in city of Eger, Hungary. The main topics were: speciation of essential and toxic elements in food, in traditional drugs, designing functional foods through applied speciation, metallomics and metalloproteomics, metal species in health and disease, cycling of elemental species in the environment, speciation related regulations and legislation, metal environmental, bioremediation, quality assurance of speciation analysis. (S.I.)

  20. Electrochemical metal speciation in natural and model polyelectrolyte systems

    OpenAIRE

    Hoop, van den, M.A.G.T.

    1994-01-01

    The purpose of the research described in this thesis was to examine the applicability of electro-analytical techniques in obtaining information on the speciation of metals, i.e. their distribution over different physico-chemical forms, in aquatic systems containing charged macromolecules. In chapter 1 a general introduction is given to (i) metal speciation in aquatic systems, (ii) (bio)polyelectrolytes and their counterion distributions and (iii) electrochemical ...

  1. Microbial community assembly patterns under incipient conditions in a basaltic soil system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengupta, A.; Stegen, J.; Alves Meira Neto, A.; Wang, Y.; Chorover, J.; Troch, P. A. A.; Maier, R. M.

    2017-12-01

    In sub-surface environments, the biotic components are critically linked to the abiotic processes. However, there is limited understanding of community establishment, functional associations, and community assembly processes of such microbes in sub-surface environments. This study presents the first analysis of microbial signatures in an incipient terrestrial basalt soil system conducted under controlled conditions. A sub-meter scale sampling of a soil mesocosm revealed the contrasting distribution patterns of simple soil parameters such as bulk density and electrical conductivity. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene indicated the presence of a total 40 bacterial and archaeal phyla, with high relative abundance of Actinobacteria on the surface and highest abundance of Proteobacteria throughout the system. Community diversity patterns were inferred to be dependent on depth profile and average water content in the system. Predicted functional gene analysis suggested mixotrophy lifestyles with both autotrophic and heterotrophic metabolisms, likelihood of a unique salt tolerant methanogenic pathway with links to novel Euryarchea, signatures of an incomplete nitrogen cycle, and predicted enzymes of extracellular iron (II) to iron (III) conversion followed by intracellular uptake, transport and regulation. Null modeling revealed microbial community assembly was predominantly governed by variable selection, but the influence of the variable selection did not show systematic spatial structure. The presence of significant heterogeneity in predicted functions and ecologically deterministic shifts in community composition in a homogeneous incipient basalt highlights the complexity exhibited by microorganisms even in the simplest of environmental systems. This presents an opportunity to further develop our understanding of how microbial communities establish, evolve, impact, and respond in sub-surface environments.

  2. Interaction between Digestive Strategy and Niche Specialization Predicts Speciation Rates across Herbivorous Mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Lucy A P

    2016-04-01

    Biotic and abiotic factors often are treated as mutually exclusive drivers of diversification processes. In this framework, ecological specialists are expected to have higher speciation rates than generalists if abiotic factors are the primary controls on species diversity but lower rates if biotic interactions are more important. Speciation rate is therefore predicted to positively correlate with ecological specialization in the purely abiotic model but negatively correlate in the biotic model. In this study, I show that the positive relationship between ecological specialization and speciation expected from the purely abiotic model is recovered only when a species-specific trait, digestive strategy, is modeled in the terrestrial, herbivorous mammals (Mammalia). This result suggests a more nuanced model in which the response of specialized lineages to abiotic factors is dependent on a biological trait. I also demonstrate that the effect of digestive strategy on the ecological specialization-speciation rate relationship is not due to a difference in either the degree of ecological specialization or the speciation rate between foregut- and hindgut-fermenting mammals. Together, these findings suggest that a biological trait, alongside historical abiotic events, played an important role in shaping mammal speciation at long temporal and large geographic scales.

  3. Dinosaurs reveal the geographical signature of an evolutionary radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donovan, Ciara; Meade, Andrew; Venditti, Chris

    2018-03-01

    Dinosaurs dominated terrestrial ecosystems across the globe for over 100 million years and provide a classic example of an evolutionary radiation. However, little is known about how these animals radiated geographically to become globally distributed. Here, we use a biogeographical model to reconstruct the dinosaurs' ancestral locations, revealing the spatial mechanisms that underpinned this 170-million-year-long radiation. We find that dinosaurs spread rapidly initially, followed by a significant continuous and gradual reduction in their speed of movement towards the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary (66 million years ago). This suggests that the predominant mode of dinosaur speciation changed through time with speciation originally largely driven by geographical isolation-when dinosaurs speciated more, they moved further. This was gradually replaced by increasing levels of sympatric speciation (species taking advantage of ecological opportunities within their existing environment) as terrestrial space became a limiting factor. Our results uncover the geographical signature of an evolutionary radiation.

  4. Mercury speciation with fluorescent gold nanocluster as a probe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jian-Yu; Yang, Ting; Wang, Xiao-Yan; Chen, Ming-Li; Yu, Yong-Liang; Wang, Jian-Hua

    2018-05-11

    Fluorescent nanoparticles are widely used for sensing biologically significant species. However, it is rarely reported for the discrimination or speciation of metal species. In this work, we report for the first time the speciation of mercury (Hg 2+ ) and methylmercury (CH 3 Hg + ) by taking advantage of the fluorescence feature of folic acid-capped gold nanoclusters (FA-AuNCs). FA-Au NCs exhibit an average size of 2.08±0.15 nm and a maximum emission at λ ex /λ em = 280/440 nm with a quantum yield of 27.3%. It is interesting that Hg 2+ causes a significant quench on the fluorescence of FA-Au NCs, whereas CH 3 Hg + leads to a remarkable fluorescence enhancement. Based on this discriminative fluorescent response between Hg 2+ and CH 3 Hg + , a novel nanosensor for the speciation of CH 3 Hg + and Hg 2+ was developed, providing limits of detection (LOD) of 28 nM for Hg 2+ and 25 nM for CH 3 Hg + within 100-1000 nM. This sensing system is highly selective to mercury. Its practical applications were further demonstrated by the analysis of CH 3 Hg + and the speciation of mercury (CH 3 Hg + and Hg 2+ ) in environmental water and fish samples.

  5. The speciation of dissolved elements in aquatic solution. Radium and actinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haesaenen, E.

    1994-01-01

    In the publication, the chemistry and speciation of radium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, lutonium, americium and curium in ground-water environment is reviewed. Special attention is given to the transuranium elements, which have a central role in the repository of nuclear wastes. The most important methods used in the speciation of these elements is presented. The laser-induced methods, developed in the 1980's, are especially discussed. These have made it possible, e.g., to speciate the transuranium elements in their very low, actual repository ground-water concentrations (10-100 ng/l). (54 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.)

  6. Crater Lake Apoyo Revisited - Population Genetics of an Emerging Species Flock

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geiger, Matthias F.; McCrary, Jeffrey K.; Schliewen, Ulrich K.

    2013-01-01

    The polytypic Nicaraguan Midas cichlids ( Amphilophus cf. citrinellus) have been established as a model system for studying the mechanisms of speciation and patterns of diversification in allopatry and sympatry. The species assemblage in Crater Lake Apoyo has been accepted as a textbook example for sympatric speciation. Here, we present a first comprehensive data set of population genetic (mtDNA & AFLPs) proxies of species level differentiation for a representative set of individuals of all six endemic Amphilophus species occurring in Crater Lake Apoyo. AFLP genetic differentiation was partitioned into a neutral and non-neutral component based on outlier-loci detection approaches, and patterns of species divergence were explored with Bayesian clustering methods. Substantial levels of admixture between species were detected, indicating different levels of reproductive isolation between the six species. Analysis of neutral genetic variation revealed several A . zaliosus as being introgressed by an unknown contributor, hereby rendering the sympatrically evolving L. Apoyo flock polyphyletic. This is contrasted by the mtDNA analysis delivering a clear monophyly signal with Crater Lake Apoyo private haplotypes characterising all six described species, but also demonstrating different demographic histories as inferred from pairwise mismatch distributions. PMID:24086393

  7. Progress report on SYVAC chemical speciation modelling studies during 1983/4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cross, J.; Smith, G.L.; Williams, D.R.

    1984-01-01

    This report summarises progress made on the SYVAC (System Variability Analysis program) chemical speciation project during 1983-4. Chemical speciation is defined and its importance in the SYVAC approach to Radioactive Waste Management is discussed. Computer modelling of chemical equilibria is described and the two programs presently operational at UWIST - SOLMNQ and MINEQL - are compared and discussed in detail. In view of the shortcomings of the databases supplied with these programs, a new database of equilibrium constants has been compiled containing 483 aqueous species and 329 solid phases, including data for the radionuclides uranium, plutonium, americium, neptunium and thorium. The collaborative work with AERE, Harwell, is reported. A leaching experiment carried out at Harwell has been modelled using the chemical speciation programs. The results for uranium, plutonium, americium and neptunium, are presented. However, the experimental data provided by AERE is insufficient for accurate simulations. Chemical speciation studies relating to specific sites require accurate characterisation of the groundwater, i.e. chemical composition, Eh and pH. In the absence of such information, preliminary studies have been made using an average granite groundwater. The results of these studies are presented and include solubility and speciation plots for uranium, plutonium, thorium and neptunium. The future aims of the project are discussed. (author)

  8. Complementary arsenic speciation methods: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nearing, Michelle M., E-mail: michelle.nearing@rmc.ca; Koch, Iris, E-mail: koch-i@rmc.ca; Reimer, Kenneth J., E-mail: reimer-k@rmc.ca

    2014-09-01

    The toxicity of arsenic greatly depends on its chemical form and oxidation state (speciation) and therefore accurate determination of arsenic speciation is a crucial step in understanding its chemistry and potential risk. High performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled mass spectrometry (HPLC–ICP-MS) is the most common analysis used for arsenic speciation but it has two major limitations: it relies on an extraction step (usually from a solid sample) that can be incomplete or alter the arsenic compounds; and it provides no structural information, relying on matching sample peaks to standard peaks. The use of additional analytical methods in a complementary manner introduces the ability to address these disadvantages. The use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) with HPLC–ICP-MS can be used to identify compounds not extracted for HPLC–ICP-MS and provide minimal processing steps for solid state analysis that may help preserve labile compounds such as those containing arsenic-sulfur bonds, which can degrade under chromatographic conditions. On the other hand, HPLC–ICP-MS is essential in confirming organoarsenic compounds with similar white line energies seen by using XAS, and identifying trace arsenic compounds that are too low to be detected by XAS. The complementary use of electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI–MS) with HPLC–ICP-MS provides confirmation of arsenic compounds identified during the HPLC–ICP-MS analysis, identification of unknown compounds observed during the HPLC–ICP-MS analysis and further resolves HPLC–ICP-MS by identifying co-eluting compounds. In the complementary use of HPLC–ICP-MS and ESI–MS, HPLC–ICP-MS helps to focus the ESI–MS selection of ions. Numerous studies have shown that the information obtained from HPLC–ICP-MS analysis can be greatly enhanced by complementary approaches. - Highlights: • HPLC–ICP-MS is the most common method used for arsenic speciation. • HPLC limitations include

  9. Complementary arsenic speciation methods: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nearing, Michelle M.; Koch, Iris; Reimer, Kenneth J.

    2014-01-01

    The toxicity of arsenic greatly depends on its chemical form and oxidation state (speciation) and therefore accurate determination of arsenic speciation is a crucial step in understanding its chemistry and potential risk. High performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled mass spectrometry (HPLC–ICP-MS) is the most common analysis used for arsenic speciation but it has two major limitations: it relies on an extraction step (usually from a solid sample) that can be incomplete or alter the arsenic compounds; and it provides no structural information, relying on matching sample peaks to standard peaks. The use of additional analytical methods in a complementary manner introduces the ability to address these disadvantages. The use of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) with HPLC–ICP-MS can be used to identify compounds not extracted for HPLC–ICP-MS and provide minimal processing steps for solid state analysis that may help preserve labile compounds such as those containing arsenic-sulfur bonds, which can degrade under chromatographic conditions. On the other hand, HPLC–ICP-MS is essential in confirming organoarsenic compounds with similar white line energies seen by using XAS, and identifying trace arsenic compounds that are too low to be detected by XAS. The complementary use of electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI–MS) with HPLC–ICP-MS provides confirmation of arsenic compounds identified during the HPLC–ICP-MS analysis, identification of unknown compounds observed during the HPLC–ICP-MS analysis and further resolves HPLC–ICP-MS by identifying co-eluting compounds. In the complementary use of HPLC–ICP-MS and ESI–MS, HPLC–ICP-MS helps to focus the ESI–MS selection of ions. Numerous studies have shown that the information obtained from HPLC–ICP-MS analysis can be greatly enhanced by complementary approaches. - Highlights: • HPLC–ICP-MS is the most common method used for arsenic speciation. • HPLC limitations include

  10. Speciation of arsenic in biological samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandal, Badal Kumar; Ogra, Yasumitsu; Anzai, Kazunori; Suzuki, Kazuo T

    2004-08-01

    Speciation of arsenicals in biological samples is an essential tool to gain insight into its distribution in tissues and its species-specific toxicity to target organs. Biological samples (urine, hair, fingernail) examined in the present study were collected from 41 people of West Bengal, India, who were drinking arsenic (As)-contaminated water, whereas 25 blood and urine samples were collected from a population who stopped drinking As contaminated water 2 years before the blood collection. Speciation of arsenicals in urine, water-methanol extract of freeze-dried red blood cells (RBCs), trichloroacetic acid treated plasma, and water extract of hair and fingernail was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS). Urine contained arsenobetaine (AsB, 1.0%), arsenite (iAs(III), 11.3), arsenate (iAs(V), 10.1), monomethylarsonous acid (MMA(III), 6.6), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA(V), 10.5), dimethylarsinous acid (DMA(III), 13.0), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V), 47.5); fingernail contained iAs(III) (62.4%), iAs(V) (20.2), MMA(V) (5.7), DMA(III) (8.9), and DMA(V) (2.8); hair contained iAs(III) (58.9%), iAs(V) (34.8), MMA(V) (2.9), and DMA(V) (3.4); RBCs contained AsB (22.5%) and DMA(V) (77.5); and blood plasma contained AsB (16.7%), iAs(III) (21.1), MMA(V) (27.1), and DMA(V) (35.1). MMA(III), DMA(III), and iAs(V) were not found in any plasma and RBCs samples, but urine contained all of them. Arsenic in urine, fingernails, and hair are positively correlated with water As, suggesting that any of these measurements could be considered as a biomarker to As exposure. Status of urine and exogenous contamination of hair urgently need speciation of As in these samples, but speciation of As in nail is related to its total As (tAs) concentration. Therefore, total As concentrations of nails could be considered as biomarker to As exposure in the endemic areas.

  11. Speciation of arsenic in biological samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandal, Badal Kumar; Ogra, Yasumitsu; Anzai, Kazunori; Suzuki, Kazuo T.

    2004-01-01

    Speciation of arsenicals in biological samples is an essential tool to gain insight into its distribution in tissues and its species-specific toxicity to target organs. Biological samples (urine, hair, fingernail) examined in the present study were collected from 41 people of West Bengal, India, who were drinking arsenic (As)-contaminated water, whereas 25 blood and urine samples were collected from a population who stopped drinking As contaminated water 2 years before the blood collection. Speciation of arsenicals in urine, water-methanol extract of freeze-dried red blood cells (RBCs), trichloroacetic acid treated plasma, and water extract of hair and fingernail was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS). Urine contained arsenobetaine (AsB, 1.0%), arsenite (iAs III , 11.3), arsenate (iAs V , 10.1), monomethylarsonous acid (MMA III , 6.6), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA V , 10.5), dimethylarsinous acid (DMA III , 13.0), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA V , 47.5); fingernail contained iAs III (62.4%), iAs V (20.2), MMA V (5.7), DMA III (8.9), and DMA V (2.8); hair contained iAs III (58.9%), iAs V (34.8), MMA V (2.9), and DMA V (3.4); RBCs contained AsB (22.5%) and DMA V (77.5); and blood plasma contained AsB (16.7%), iAs III (21.1), MMA V (27.1), and DMA V (35.1). MMA III , DMA III , and iAs V were not found in any plasma and RBCs samples, but urine contained all of them. Arsenic in urine, fingernails, and hair are positively correlated with water As, suggesting that any of these measurements could be considered as a biomarker to As exposure. Status of urine and exogenous contamination of hair urgently need speciation of As in these samples, but speciation of As in nail is related to its total As (tAs) concentration. Therefore, total As concentrations of nails could be considered as biomarker to As exposure in the endemic areas

  12. Uranium(VI) speciation by spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meinrath, G.

    1997-01-01

    The application of UV-Vis and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (TRLF) spectroscopies to direct of uranium(VI) in environmental samples offers various prospects that have, however, serious limitations. While UV-Vis spectroscopy is probably not sensitive enough to detect uranium(VI) species in the majority of environmental samples, TRLFS is principially able to speciate uranium(VI) at very low concentration levels in the nanomol range. Speciation by TRLFS can be based on three parameters: excitation spectrum, emission spectrum and lifetime of the fluorescence emission process. Due to quenching effects, the lifetime may not be expected to be as characteristics as, e.g., the emission spectrum. Quenching of U(VI) fluorescence by reaction with organic substances, inorganic ions and formation of carbonate radicals is one important limiting factor in the application of U(VI) fluorescence spectroscopy. Fundamental photophysical criteria are illustrated using UV-Vis and fluorescence spectra of U(VI) hydrolysis and carbonato species as examples. (author)

  13. Speciation of Long-Lived Radionuclides in the Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hou, Xiaolin

    , isotopes of Pu, and 237Np in seawater, fresh water, soil, sediment, vegetations, and concrete. The developed methods are used for the investigation of the chemical speciation of these radionuclides as well as their environmental behaviours, especially in Danish environment. In addition the speciation of Pu...... isotopes in waste samples from the decommissioning of Danish nuclear facilities is also investigated. The report summarizes these works completed in this project. Through this research project, a number of research papers have been published in the scientific journals, the research results has also been...

  14. Trace element speciation in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heumann, Klaus G.

    2001-01-01

    The production of methylated heavy metal species in the ocean was reviewed and shown to be correlated with biological parameters demonstrating them to be of biogenic origin. Methods for the determination of the species were discussed. The potential for the use of isotopic spiking either in 'species specific' or 'non-species specific' formats was identified as a valuable tool in the struggle for accuracy, specificity and precision in speciation analysis. The value of using a size exclusion chromatographic method in conjunction with non-species specific spiking IDMS was highlighted with an example illustrating the molecular mass fractions associated with halogenated species from a humic sample. Additional recommendations that the Agency might wish to consider when evaluating its potential role as a service to Member States engaged in speciation activities are also given

  15. Limnephilid taxa revised by speciation traits: Rhadicoleptus, Isogamus, Melampophylax genera, Chaetopteryx rugulosa, Psilopteryx psorosa species groups, Drusus bolivari, Annitella kosciuszkii species complexes (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oláh, J.

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Speciation traits of paramere, paraproct and aedeagus were applied to find initial split criteria with fine structure analysis in order to prepare diverged trait matrices for delimiting phylogenetic incipient species of unsettled limnephilid taxa in the early stages of reproductive isolation. A brief history is presented how this phenotypic taxonomic tool of the speciation traits was discovered and applied in caddisfly taxonomy. The theoretical basis was elaborated for the phenotypic speciation trait by reviewing several relevant topics in the sciences of taxonomy, molecular genetics and phylogenetics. Perspectives of integrative taxonomy is discussed in context of phenotype versus genotype, immensely complex phenotype versus phenomic challenge, taxonomic impediment versus genetic expedient, taxonomic adaptation of genetic vocabulary versus genetic sophistication and virtualization, New Systematics of Huxley and Mayr versus New Taxonomy of Wheeler. Debates on magic trait, speciation phenotype, speciation trait and super traits are discussed concluding that evolution works with phenotype and why the cryptic species concept is irrelevant. Briefly summarized how speciation traits evolve in sexual selection, through accelerated reproductive isolation with genital evolution through sex-limited speciation traits, including minor sex chromosomes. Why neutral molecular markers are blind compared to the adaptive speciation traits sensitized by fine structure analysis and backed by the potential of high-tech and high-throughput phenotyping and cyber-infrastructure broadly accessible and fed by computable phenotype descriptions. What sort of genetics could really help taxonomy to describe biodiversity of the over 100 million unknown taxa? Collecting new and re-examining old type materials deposited in various collections, the following taxonomic actions were elaborated by speciation traits. Drusus bolivari new species complex has been erected with

  16. Failure of pheromone traps in detecting incipient populations of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Investigation of two potential contributing factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Progress towards complete eradication of the boll weevil has been delayed in some areas of Texas due to the inconsistent performance of pheromone traps in detecting incipient weevil populations. In 2008 substantial infestations of boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were detected in several c...

  17. Species identification refined by molecular scatology in a community of sympatric carnivores in Xinjiang, China

    OpenAIRE

    LAGUARDIA, Alice; WANG, Jun; SHI, Fang-Lei; SHI, Kun; RIORDAN, Philip

    2015-01-01

    Many ecological studies and conservation management plans employ noninvasive scat sampling based on the assumption that species’ scats can be correctly identified in the field. However, in habitats with sympatric similarly sized carnivores, misidentification of scats is frequent and can lead to bias in research results. To address the scat identification dilemma, molecular scatology techniques have been developed to extract DNA from the donor cells present on the outer lining of the scat samp...

  18. Bed diameter effects and incipient slugging in gas fluidized beds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agarwal, P.K.

    1986-01-01

    The coalescence and growth of bubble swarms formed at the distributor of a fluidized bed gives rise to lateral as well as vertical distributions of bubble properties. However, existing models employ average bubble properties obtained largely from semi-empirical considerations. In a recent Paper, the author developed a bubble growth model based on a population balance approach. Analytical expressions were derived for the bubble characteristic distributions and averages. However, the model, developed for unconstrained growth, did not take into account the effect of the bed diameter and the possibility of slugging. In this Paper, the model is extended to take these aspects into account. A slugging criterion is also developed which is expected to be valid for the regime where incipient slugging depends on the bed height as well as the region where bed height does not significantly affect minimum slugging conditions

  19. Phylogeography of speciation: allopatric divergence and secondary contact between outcrossing and selfing Clarkia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pettengill, James B; Moeller, David A

    2012-09-01

    The origins of hybrid zones between parapatric taxa have been of particular interest for understanding the evolution of reproductive isolation and the geographic context of species divergence. One challenge has been to distinguish between allopatric divergence (followed by secondary contact) versus primary intergradation (parapatric speciation) as alternative divergence histories. Here, we use complementary phylogeographic and population genetic analyses to investigate the recent divergence of two subspecies of Clarkia xantiana and the formation of a hybrid zone within the narrow region of sympatry. We tested alternative phylogeographic models of divergence using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) and found strong support for a secondary contact model and little support for a model allowing for gene flow throughout the divergence process (i.e. primary intergradation). Two independent methods for inferring the ancestral geography of each subspecies, one based on probabilistic character state reconstructions and the other on palaeo-distribution modelling, also support a model of divergence in allopatry and range expansion leading to secondary contact. The membership of individuals to genetic clusters suggests geographic substructure within each taxon where allopatric and sympatric samples are primarily found in separate clusters. We also observed coincidence and concordance of genetic clines across three types of molecular markers, which suggests that there is a strong barrier to gene flow. Taken together, our results provide evidence for allopatric divergence followed by range expansion leading to secondary contact. The location of refugial populations and the directionality of range expansion are consistent with expectations based on climate change since the last glacial maximum. Our approach also illustrates the utility of combining phylogeographic hypothesis testing with species distribution modelling and fine-scale population genetic analyses for inferring

  20. Speciation analysis of radionuclides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salbu, B.

    2010-01-01

    Full text: Naturally occurring and artificially produced radionuclides in the environment can be present in different physico-chemical forms (i. e. radionuclide species) varying in size (nominal molecular mass), charge properties and valence, oxidation state, structure and morphology, density, complexing ability etc. Low molecular mass (LMM) species are believed to be mobile and potentially bioavailable, while high molecular mass (HMM) species such as colloids, polymers, pseudocolloids and particles are considered inert. Due to time dependent transformation processes such as mobilization of radionuclide species from solid phases or interactions of mobile and reactive radionuclide species with components in soils and sediments, however, the original distribution of radionuclides deposited in ecosystems will change over time and influence the ecosystem behaviour. To assess the environmental impact from radionuclide contamination, information on radionuclide species deposited, interactions within affected ecosystems and the time-dependent distribution of radionuclide species influencing mobility and biological uptake is essential. The development of speciation techniques to characterize radionuclide species in waters, soils and sediments should therefore be essential for improving the prediction power of impact and risk assessment models. The present paper reviews fractionation techniques which should be utilised for radionuclide speciation purposes. (author)

  1. "Evolution Canyon," a potential microscale monitor of global warming across life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nevo, Eviatar

    2012-02-21

    Climatic change and stress is a major driving force of evolution. The effects of climate change on living organisms have been shown primarily on regional and global scales. Here I propose the "Evolution Canyon" (EC) microscale model as a potential life monitor of global warming in Israel and the rest of the world. The EC model reveals evolution in action at a microscale involving biodiversity divergence, adaptation, and incipient sympatric speciation across life from viruses and bacteria through fungi, plants, and animals. The EC consists of two abutting slopes separated, on average, by 200 m. The tropical, xeric, savannoid, "African" south-facing slope (AS = SFS) abuts the forested "European" north-facing slope (ES = NFS). The AS receives 200-800% higher solar radiation than the ES. The ES represents the south European forested maquis. The AS and ES exhibit drought and shade stress, respectively. Major adaptations on the AS are because of solar radiation, heat, and drought, whereas those on the ES relate to light stress and photosynthesis. Preliminary evidence suggests the extinction of some European species on the ES and AS. In Drosophila, a 10-fold higher migration was recorded in 2003 from the AS to ES. I advance some predictions that could be followed in diverse species in EC. The EC microclimatic model is optimal to track global warming at a microscale across life from viruses and bacteria to mammals in Israel, and in additional ECs across the planet.

  2. “Evolution Canyon,” a potential microscale monitor of global warming across life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nevo, Eviatar

    2012-01-01

    Climatic change and stress is a major driving force of evolution. The effects of climate change on living organisms have been shown primarily on regional and global scales. Here I propose the “Evolution Canyon” (EC) microscale model as a potential life monitor of global warming in Israel and the rest of the world. The EC model reveals evolution in action at a microscale involving biodiversity divergence, adaptation, and incipient sympatric speciation across life from viruses and bacteria through fungi, plants, and animals. The EC consists of two abutting slopes separated, on average, by 200 m. The tropical, xeric, savannoid, “African” south-facing slope (AS = SFS) abuts the forested “European” north-facing slope (ES = NFS). The AS receives 200–800% higher solar radiation than the ES. The ES represents the south European forested maquis. The AS and ES exhibit drought and shade stress, respectively. Major adaptations on the AS are because of solar radiation, heat, and drought, whereas those on the ES relate to light stress and photosynthesis. Preliminary evidence suggests the extinction of some European species on the ES and AS. In Drosophila, a 10-fold higher migration was recorded in 2003 from the AS to ES. I advance some predictions that could be followed in diverse species in EC. The EC microclimatic model is optimal to track global warming at a microscale across life from viruses and bacteria to mammals in Israel, and in additional ECs across the planet. PMID:22308456

  3. Uranium speciation in Fernald soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morris, D.E.; Conradson, S.D.; Tait, C.D.; Chisholm-Brause, C.J.; Berg, J.; Musgrave, J.

    1992-01-01

    This report details progress made from January 1 to May 31, 1992 in this analytical support task to determine the speciation of uranium in contaminated soil samples from the Fernald Environmental Management Project site under the auspices of the Uranium in Soils Integrated Demonstration funded through the US DOE's Office of Technology Development. The authors' efforts have focused on characterization of soil samples collected by S.Y. Lee (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) from five locales at the Fernald site. These were chosen to sample a broad range of uranium source terms. On the basis of x-ray absorption spectroscopy data, they have determined that the majority of uranium (> 80--90%) exists in the hexavalent oxidation state for all samples examined. This is a beneficial finding from the perspective of remediation, because U(VI) species are more soluble in general than uranium species in other oxidation states. Optical luminescence data from many of the samples show the characteristic structured yellow-green emission from the uranyl (UO 2 2+ ) moiety. The luminescence data also suggest that much of the uranium in these soils is present as well-crystallized UO 2 2+ species. Some clear spectroscopic distinctions have been noted for several samples that illustrate significant differences in the speciation (1) from site to site, (2) within different horizons at the same site, and (3) within different size fractions of the soils in the same horizon at the same site. This marked heterogeneity in uranyl speciation suggests that several soil washing strategies may be necessary to reduce the total uranium concentrations within these soils to regulatory limits

  4. 'Different strokes for different folks': geographically isolated strains of Lymnaea stagnalis only respond to sympatric predators and have different memory forming capabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orr, Michael V; Hittel, Karla; Lukowiak, Ken

    2009-07-01

    Gaining insight into how natural trait variation is manifest in populations shaped by differential environmental factors is crucial to understanding the evolution, ecology and sensory biology of natural populations. We have demonstrated that lab-reared Lymnaea detect and respond to the scent of a crayfish predator with specific, appropriate anti-predator behavioral responses, including enhanced long-term memory (LTM) formation, and that such predator detection significantly alters the electrophysiological activity of RPeD1, a neuron that is a necessary site for LTM formation. Here we ask: (1) do distinct populations of wild Lymnaea stagnalis respond only to sympatric predators and if so, can these traits be quantified at both the behavioral and neurophysiological levels, and (2) does the presence of a non-sympatric predator elicit anti-predator behaviors including augmentation of LTM? We tested three different populations of wild (i.e. not lab-reared) snails freshly collected from their natural habitat: (1) polders near Utrecht in The Netherlands, (2) six seasonally isolated ponds in the Belly River drainage in southern Alberta, Canada and (3) a 20-year-old human-made dugout pond in southern Alberta. We found strain-specific variations in the ability to form LTM and that only a sympatric predator evoked anti-predatory behaviors, including enhanced LTM formation and changes in RPeD1 activity.

  5. Purex process modelling - do we really need speciation data?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, R.J.; May, I.

    2001-01-01

    The design of reprocessing flowsheets has become a complex process requiring sophisticated simulation models, containing both chemical and engineering features. Probably the most basic chemical data needed is the distribution of process species between solvent and aqueous phases at equilibrium, which is described by mathematical algorithms. These algorithms have been constructed from experimentally determined distribution coefficients over a wide range of conditions. Distribution algorithms can either be empirical fits of the data or semi-empirical equations, which describe extraction as functions of process variables such as temperature, activity coefficients, uranium loading, etc. Speciation data is not strictly needed in the accumulation of distribution coefficients, which are simple ratios of analyte concentration in the solvent phase to that in the aqueous phase. However, as we construct process models of increasing complexity, speciation data becomes much more important both to raise confidence in the model and to understand the process chemistry at a more fundamental level. UV/vis/NIR spectrophotometry has been our most commonly used speciation method since it is a well-established method for the analysis of actinide ion oxidation states in solution at typical process concentrations. However, with the increasing availability to actinide science of more sophisticated techniques (e.g. NMR; EXAFS) complementary structural information can often be obtained. This paper will, through examples, show how we have used spectrophotometry as a primary tool in distribution and kinetic experiments to obtain data for process models, which are then validated through counter-current flowsheet trials. It will also discuss how spectrophotometry and other speciation methods are allowing us to study the link between molecular structure and extraction behaviour, showing how speciation data really is important in PUREX process modelling. (authors)

  6. Modeling Non-Steady Isotopologue and Isotopomer Speciation and Fractionation during Denitrification in Soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maggi, F.; Riley, W. J.

    2009-12-01

    The composition and location of 15N atoms on N2O isotopomers and isotopologues during isotope speciation has been used to characterize soil biological N cycling and N2O surface emissions. Although there exist few experimental observations, no attempt has been made to model N2O isotopomer speciation. The mathematical treatment of biological kinetic reactions in isotopic applications normally makes use of first-order and quasi steady-state complexation assumptions without taking into account changes in enzyme concentration, reaction stoichiometry, and isotopologue and isotopomer speciation. When multiatomic isotopically-labeled reactants are used in a multi-molecurar reaction, these assumptions may fail since they always lead to a constant fractionation factor and cannot describe speciation of isotopologues and isotopomers. We have developed a mathematical framework that is capable of describing isotopologue and isotopmer speciation and fractionation under the assumption of non-steady complexation during biological kinetic reactions that overcome the limitations mentioned above. This framework was applied to a case study of non-steady (variable and inverse) isotopic effects observed during N2O production and consumption in soils. Our mathematical treatment has led to generalized kinetic equations which replicate experimental observations with high accuracy and help interpret non-steady isotopic effects and isotopologue and isotopomer speciation. The kinetic equations introduced and applied here have general validity in describing isotopic effects in any biochemical reactions by considering: changing enzyme concentrations, mass and isotope conservation, and reaction stoichiometry. The equations also describe speciation of any isotopologue and isotopomer product from any isotopologue and isotopmer reactant.

  7. The cost of reinforcement: selection on flower color in allopatric populations of Phlox drummondii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, Robin; Rausher, Mark D

    2014-05-01

    Reinforcement is the process by which increased reproductive isolation between incipient species evolves due to selection against maladaptive hybrids or costly hybrid mating. Reinforcement is predicted to create a pattern of greater prezygotic reproductive isolation in regions where the two species co-occur, sympatry, than in allopatry. Although most research on reinforcement focuses on understanding the evolutionary forces acting in sympatry, here we consider what prevents the alleles conferring greater reproductive isolation from spreading into allopatry. We investigate flower color divergence in the wildflower Phlox drummondii, which is caused by reinforcement in the regions sympatric with its congener Phlox cuspidata. Specifically, we performed common garden field experiments and pollinator observations to estimate selection acting on flower color variation in allopatry. We combine our estimates of maternal and paternal fitness using simulations and predict how flower color alleles migrating from sympatry will evolve in allopatry. Our results suggest that strong pollinator preference for the ancestral flower color in allopatry can maintain divergence between allopatric and sympatric populations.

  8. Sex chromosomes and speciation in birds and other ZW systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irwin, Darren E

    2018-02-14

    Theory and empirical patterns suggest a disproportionate role for sex chromosomes in evolution and speciation. Focusing on ZW sex determination (females ZW, males ZZ; the system in birds, many snakes, and lepidopterans), I review how evolutionary dynamics are expected to differ between the Z, W and the autosomes, discuss how these differences may lead to a greater role of the sex chromosomes in speciation and use data from birds to compare relative evolutionary rates of sex chromosomes and autosomes. Neutral mutations, partially or completely recessive beneficial mutations, and deleterious mutations under many conditions are expected to accumulate faster on the Z than on autosomes. Sexually antagonistic polymorphisms are expected to arise on the Z, raising the possibility of the spread of preference alleles. The faster accumulation of many types of mutations and the potential for complex evolutionary dynamics of sexually antagonistic traits and preferences contribute to a role for the Z chromosome in speciation. A quantitative comparison among a wide variety of bird species shows that the Z tends to have less within-population diversity and greater between-species differentiation than the autosomes, likely due to both adaptive evolution and a greater rate of fixation of deleterious alleles. The W chromosome also shows strong potential to be involved in speciation, in part because of its co-inheritance with the mitochondrial genome. While theory and empirical evidence suggest a disproportionate role for sex chromosomes in speciation, the importance of sex chromosomes is moderated by their small size compared to the whole genome. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Towards accounting for dissolved iron speciation in global ocean models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Tagliabue

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available The trace metal iron (Fe is now routinely included in state-of-the-art ocean general circulation and biogeochemistry models (OGCBMs because of its key role as a limiting nutrient in regions of the world ocean important for carbon cycling and air-sea CO2 exchange. However, the complexities of the seawater Fe cycle, which impact its speciation and bioavailability, are simplified in such OGCBMs due to gaps in understanding and to avoid high computational costs. In a similar fashion to inorganic carbon speciation, we outline a means by which the complex speciation of Fe can be included in global OGCBMs in a reasonably cost-effective manner. We construct an Fe speciation model based on hypothesised relationships between rate constants and environmental variables (temperature, light, oxygen, pH, salinity and assumptions regarding the binding strengths of Fe complexing organic ligands and test hypotheses regarding their distributions. As a result, we find that the global distribution of different Fe species is tightly controlled by spatio-temporal environmental variability and the distribution of Fe binding ligands. Impacts on bioavailable Fe are highly sensitive to assumptions regarding which Fe species are bioavailable and how those species vary in space and time. When forced by representations of future ocean circulation and climate we find large changes to the speciation of Fe governed by pH mediated changes to redox kinetics. We speculate that these changes may exert selective pressure on phytoplankton Fe uptake strategies in the future ocean. In future work, more information on the sources and sinks of ocean Fe ligands, their bioavailability, the cycling of colloidal Fe species and kinetics of Fe-surface coordination reactions would be invaluable. We hope our modeling approach can provide a means by which new observations of Fe speciation can be tested against hypotheses of the processes present in governing the ocean Fe cycle in an

  10. Reproductive isolation between sympatric and allopatric Brazilian populations of Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. (Diptera: Psychodidae)

    OpenAIRE

    Souza, Nataly A; Andrade-Coelho, Claudia A; Vigoder, Felipe M; Ward, Richard D; Peixoto, Alexandre A

    2008-01-01

    Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l., the main vector of Leishmania chagasi in Latin America, is a species complex although the exact number of siblings is yet unknown. In Brazil, the siblings differ in male copulatory courtship songs and pheromones that most certainly act as pre-zygotic reproductive barriers. Here we analysed the reproductive isolation between three allopatric and two sympatric populations of Lu. longipalpis s.l. from Brazil. The results indicate a strong copulatory and pre-mating iso...

  11. Evaluation of diagnostic ability of CCD digital radiography in the detection of incipient dental caries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Wan; Lee, Byung Do

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the diagnostic ability of a CCD-based digital system (CDX-2000HQ) in the detection of incipient dental caries. 93 extracted human teeth with sound proximal surfaces and interproximal artificial cavities were radiographed using 4 imaging methods. Automatically processed No.2 Insight film (Eastman Kodak Co., U.S.A.) was used for conventional radiography, scanned images of conventional radiograms for indirect digital radiography were used. For the direct digital radiography, the CDX-2000HQ CCD system (Biomedisys Co. Korea) was used. The subtraction images were made from two direct digital images by Sunny program in the CDX-2000HQ system. Two radiologists and three endodontists examined the presence of lesions using a five-point confidence scale and compared the diagnostic ability by ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis and one way ANOVA test. The mean ROC areas of conventional radiography, indirect digital radiography, direct digital radiography, and digital subtraction radiography were 0.9093, 0.9102, 0.9184, and 0.9056, respectively. The diagnostic ability of direct digital radiography was better than the other imaging modalities, but there were no statistical differences among these imaging modalities (p>0.05). These results indicate that new CCD-based digital systems (CDX-2000HQ) have the potential to serve as an alternative to conventional radiography in the detection of incipient dental caries.

  12. Sample preparation and storage can change arsenic speciation in human urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldmann, J; Lai, V W; Cullen, W R; Ma, M; Lu, X; Le, X C

    1999-11-01

    Stability of chemical speciation during sample handling and storage is a prerequisite to obtaining reliable results of trace element speciation analysis. There is no comprehensive information on the stability of common arsenic species, such as inorganic arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, and arsenobetaine, in human urine. We compared the effects of the following storage conditions on the stability of these arsenic species: temperature (25, 4, and -20 degrees C), storage time (1, 2, 4, and 8 months), and the use of additives (HCl, sodium azide, benzoic acid, benzyltrimethylammonium chloride, and cetylpyridinium chloride). HPLC with both inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and hydride generation atomic fluorescence detection techniques were used for the speciation of arsenic. We found that all five of the arsenic species were stable for up to 2 months when urine samples were stored at 4 and -20 degrees C without any additives. For longer period of storage (4 and 8 months), the stability of arsenic species was dependent on urine matrices. Whereas the arsenic speciation in some urine samples was stable for the entire 8 months at both 4 and -20 degrees C, other urine samples stored under identical conditions showed substantial changes in the concentration of As(III), As(V), monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid. The use of additives did not improve the stability of arsenic speciation in urine. The addition of 0.1 mol/L HCl (final concentration) to urine samples produced relative changes in inorganic As(III) and As(V) concentrations. Low temperature (4 and -20 degrees C) conditions are suitable for the storage of urine samples for up to 2 months. Untreated samples maintain their concentration of arsenic species, and additives have no particular benefit. Strong acidification is not appropriate for speciation analysis.

  13. ARSENIC SPECIATION ANALYSIS IN HUMAN SALIVA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background: Determination of arsenic species in human saliva is potentially useful for biomonitoring of human exposure to arsenic and for studying arsenic metabolism. However, there is no report on the speciation analysis of arsenic in saliva. Methods: Arsenic species in saliva ...

  14. Hitchhiking to speciation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daven C Presgraves

    Full Text Available The modern evolutionary synthesis codified the idea that species exist as distinct entities because intrinsic reproductive barriers prevent them from merging together. Understanding the origin of species therefore requires understanding the evolution and genetics of reproductive barriers between species. In most cases, speciation is an accident that happens as different populations adapt to different environments and, incidentally, come to differ in ways that render them reproductively incompatible. As with other reproductive barriers, the evolution and genetics of interspecific hybrid sterility and lethality were once also thought to evolve as pleiotripic side effects of adaptation. Recent work on the molecular genetics of speciation has raised an altogether different possibility-the genes that cause hybrid sterility and lethality often come to differ between species not because of adaptation to the external ecological environment but because of internal evolutionary arms races between selfish genetic elements and the genes of the host genome. Arguably one of the best examples supporting a role of ecological adaptation comes from a population of yellow monkey flowers, Mimulus guttatus, in Copperopolis, California, which recently evolved tolerance to soil contaminants from copper mines and simultaneously, as an incidental by-product, hybrid lethality in crosses with some off-mine populations. However, in new work, Wright and colleagues show that hybrid lethality is not a pleiotropic consequence of copper tolerance. Rather, the genetic factor causing hybrid lethality is tightly linked to copper tolerance and spread to fixation in Copperopolis by genetic hitchhiking.

  15. Complete genomes of Hairstreak butterflies, their speciation, and nucleo-mitochondrial incongruence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cong, Qian; Shen, Jinhui; Borek, Dominika; Robbins, Robert K; Otwinowski, Zbyszek; Grishin, Nick V

    2016-04-28

    Comparison of complete genomes of closely related species enables research on speciation and how phenotype is determined by genotype. Lepidoptera, an insect order of 150,000 species with diverse phenotypes, is well-suited for such comparative genomics studies if new genomes, which cover additional Lepidoptera families are acquired. We report a 729 Mbp genome assembly of the Calycopis cecrops, the first genome from the family Lycaenidae and the largest available Lepidoptera genome. As detritivore, Calycopis shows expansion in detoxification and digestion enzymes. We further obtained complete genomes of 8 Calycopis specimens: 3 C. cecrops and 5 C. isobeon, including a dry specimen stored in the museum for 30 years. The two species differ subtly in phenotype and cannot be differentiated by mitochondrial DNA. However, nuclear genomes revealed a deep split between them. Genes that can clearly separate the two species (speciation hotspots) mostly pertain to circadian clock, mating behavior, transcription regulation, development and cytoskeleton. The speciation hotspots and their function significantly overlap with those we previously found in Pterourus, suggesting common speciation mechanisms in these butterflies.

  16. Food niche overlap between two sympatric leaf-litter frog species from Central Amazonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leandro Talione Sabagh

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available We studied the feeding habits and similarities in the diet of two sympatric and syntopic Amazonian frog species, Anomaloglossus stepheni (Aromobatidae and Leptodactylus andreae (Leptodactylidae in a forested area in Central Amazonia. The breadth of the trophic niche of these species was 5.89 and 3.75, respectively, and approximately 85% of their diets were similar. Ants were main food item in the diets of both frog species. The coexistence between these frog species may be facilitated by the significant differences in the size of their mouths. This difference allows them to consume preys items of different sizes.

  17. Overview of receptor-based source apportionment studies for speciated atmospheric mercury

    OpenAIRE

    Cheng, I.; Xu, X.; Zhang, L.

    2015-01-01

    Receptor-based source apportionment studies of speciated atmospheric mercury are not only concerned with source contributions but also with the influence of transport, transformation, and deposition processes on speciated atmospheric mercury concentrations at receptor locations. Previous studies applied multivariate receptor models including principal components analysis and positive matrix factorization, and back trajectory receptor models including potential source contri...

  18. Speciation and zoogeography of amphibian in Sundaland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nia Kurniawan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Sundaland is an interesting area to be explored based on its geological history, topography, and climate. Sundaland consists of Penisular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java which experienced some emergence and submergence process in the past. During 1981-2015, most of research in Sundaland found that amphibian family in Sundaland was dominated by Bufonidae, Ranidae, Microhylidae, Megophrydae, Rachophoridae, and Dicroglossidae which experienced lot of speciation in its history. Among of 4 major islands in Sundaland, Borneo has the highest number of species diversity, then Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java. During those years, Sumatra and Java got least concern by researcher. Therefore, it is suggested for further study to explore more in Sumatra and Java. Keywords: Sundaland, amphibian, speciation, zoogeography.

  19. Isolating mechanisms among five sympatric species of Aneilema,/i> R. Br. (Commelinaceae in Kenya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. B. Faden

    1983-11-01

    Full Text Available The reproductive biology and ecology of five non-hybridizing, sympatric species of Aneilema in Kenya is investigated. The high number of species at the study site is believed to be due to the ecological diversity at this locality. Differences in ecology and seasonal flowering periods appear to be inadequate to reproductively isolate these species. However, differences in daily flowering times, pollinators, floral morphology and opening behaviour, and in chromosome number, alone or in combination (perhaps also coacting with other factors not fully evaluated, are effective isolating mechanisms.

  20. Electrochemical metal speciation in colloidal dispersions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wonders, J.H.A.M.

    1995-01-01

    The term "heavy metals" is connected with toxicity. They form strong complexes with enzymes, other proteins and DNA in living organisms, which causes dysfunctioning and hence poisoning. In combination with the uptake mechanism of the organism, speciation of heavy metal determines the

  1. Effects of pH on the speciation of radionuclides in groundwater of beishan area, gansu province, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhanshi, Zhang; Wenbin, Zhou; Xianhua, Fan

    2002-01-01

    Speciation of radioactive nuclides is one of the most important factors in the study of migration and precipitation of the nuclides related to deep geological disposal of high level radwastes (HLW). Theoretical speciation analysis with thermodynamic equilibrium codes is an effective method. The authors have employed the EQ3NR, a computer program for geochemical aqueous speciation-solubility calculation, to evaluate the speciation of the key nuclides in the groundwater of Beishan Area, a potential area for hosting the HLW Repository of China. The calculated results showed that pH value as well as chemical composition of the water had a great impact on the speciation of key nuclides, such as Np, Pu, Am, U and Th, which would be released from HLW to the groundwater of Beishan Area. In addition, it was found that the speciation of nuclides varied from one to another. However, under alkaline conditions, the speciations were relatively simpler and hydroxyl complexes and carbonate complexes were dominant. (author)

  2. Geography, assortative mating, and the effects of sexual selection on speciation with gene flow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Servedio, Maria R

    2016-01-01

    Theoretical and empirical research on the evolution of reproductive isolation have both indicated that the effects of sexual selection on speciation with gene flow are quite complex. As part of this special issue on the contributions of women to basic and applied evolutionary biology, I discuss my work on this question in the context of a broader assessment of the patterns of sexual selection that lead to, versus inhibit, the speciation process, as derived from theoretical research. In particular, I focus on how two factors, the geographic context of speciation and the mechanism leading to assortative mating, interact to alter the effect that sexual selection through mate choice has on speciation. I concentrate on two geographic contexts: sympatry and secondary contact between two geographically separated populations that are exchanging migrants and two mechanisms of assortative mating: phenotype matching and separate preferences and traits. I show that both of these factors must be considered for the effects of sexual selection on speciation to be inferred.

  3. Pu speciation in actual and simulated aged wastes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lezama-pacheco, Juan S [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Conradson, Steven D [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2008-01-01

    X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy (XAFS) at the Pu L{sub II/III} edge was used to determine the speciation of this element in (1) Hanford Z-9 Pu crib samples, (2) deteriorated waste resins from a chloride process ion-exchange purification line, and (3) the sediments from two Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Liter Scale simulant brine systems. The Pu speciation in all of these samples except one is within the range previously displayed by PuO{sub 2+x-2y}(OH){sub y}{center_dot}zH{sub 2}O compounds, which is expected based on the putative thermodynamic stability of this system for Pu equilibrated with excess H{sub 2}O and O{sub 2} under environmental conditions. The primary exception was a near neutral brine experiment that displayed evidence for partial substitution of the normal O-based ligands with Cl{sup -} and a concomitant expansion of the Pu-Pu distance relative to the much more highly ordered Pu near neighbor shell in PuO{sub 2}. However, although the Pu speciation was not necessarily unusual, the Pu chemistry identified via the history of these samples did exhibit unexpected patterns, the most significant of which may be that the presence of the Pu(V)-oxo species may decrease rather than increase the overall solubility of these compounds. Several additional aspects of the Pu speciation have also not been previously observed in laboratory-based samples. The molecular environmental chemistry of Pu is therefore likely to be more complicated than would be predicted based solely on the behavior of PuO{sub 2} under laboratory conditions.

  4. Chemical speciation of L-glutamine complexes with Co(II), Ni(II) and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The trend in the variation of stability constants of the complexes with mole fraction of the surfactant is attributed to the compartmentalization of complexation equilibria. Distribution of species and effect of influential parameters on chemical speciation have also been presented. KEY WORDS: Chemical speciation, complex ...

  5. Multielemental speciation analysis by advanced hyphenated technique - HPLC/ICP-MS: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcinkowska, Monika; Barałkiewicz, Danuta

    2016-12-01

    Speciation analysis has become an invaluable tool in human health risk assessment, environmental monitoring or food quality control. Another step is to develop reliable multielemental speciation methodologies, to reduce costs, waste and time needed for the analysis. Separation and detection of species of several elements in a single analytical run can be accomplished by high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICP-MS). Our review assembles articles concerning multielemental speciation determination of: As, Se, Cr, Sb, I, Br, Pb, Hg, V, Mo, Te, Tl, Cd and W in environmental, biological, food and clinical samples analyzed with HPLC/ICP-MS. It addresses the procedures in terms of following issues: sample collection and pretreatment, selection of optimal conditions for elements species separation by HPLC and determination using ICP-MS as well as metrological approach. The presented work is the first review article concerning multielemental speciation analysis by advanced hyphenated technique HPLC/ICP-MS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Status of determining transuranic nuclides speciation in aqueous solution with laser spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Bo; Liu Dejun; Yao Jun; Chen Xi; Long Haoqi; Zeng Jishu; Su Xiguang; Fan Xianhua

    2007-01-01

    The knowledge about speciation of transuranic nuclides in aqueous solution is a basis for understanding the chemical and migration behavior of transuranic nuclides in aqueous solution. The speciation of transuranic nuclides with trace concentration is complicated in near neutral aqueous solutions, including change of oxidation state, complexation and colloid generation, etc. The concentrations of transuranium in near neutral aqueous solution usually below the sensitivity range of method such as conventional absorption spectroscopy. The radioactive analysis method has a very low detection limits for radionuclides, however, it wouldn' t allow the direct measurement of the transuranic species. In contrast with these methods, laser spectroscopy is an ideal method with high sensitivity, and non-contact and non-destructive for determining the speciation of transuranic nuclides. This paper summarizes the status and application of LIPAS (Laser-induced Photoacoustic Spectrometry), LIBD (Laser-induced Breakdown Detection) and TRLFS (Time-resolved Laser Fluorescence Spectrometry) to determine the speciation of transuranic nuclides with trace concentration in aqueous solutions. (authors)

  7. U(IV) fluorescence spectroscopy. A new speciation tool

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lehmann, Susanne; Brendler, Vinzenz [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Surface Processes; Steudtner, Robin [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Inst. of Resource Ecology

    2017-06-01

    We combined absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy to study the speciation of U(IV) in solution in concentrations down to 10{sup -6} M uranium. With our time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence setup we could determine the fluorescence decay time of U(IV) in perchloric as well as in chloric acid with 2.6 ± 0.3 ns at room temperature and 148.4 ± 6.5 ns at liquid nitrogen temperature. For the U(IV) sulfate system, we observed a bathochromic shift and a peak shape modification in the fluorescence spectra with increasing sulfate concentration in solution. Thus, the potential of U(IV) fluorescence for speciation analysis could be proven.

  8. REINFORCEMENT OF STICKLEBACK MATE PREFERENCES: SYMPATRY BREEDS CONTEMPT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rundle, Howard D; Schluter, Dolph

    1998-02-01

    Detailed studies of reproductive isolation and how it varies among populations can provide valuable insight into the mechanisms of speciation. Here we investigate how the strength of premating isolation varies between sympatric and allopatric populations of threespine sticklebacks to test a prediction of the hypothesis of reinforcement: that interspecific mate discrimination should be stronger in sympatry than in allopatry. In conducting such tests, it is important to control for ecological character displacement between sympatric species because ecological character divergence may strengthen prezygotic isolation as a by-product. We control for ecological character displacement by comparing mate preferences of females from a sympatric population (benthics) with mate preferences of females from two allopatric populations that most closely resemble the sympatric benthic females in ecology and morphology. No-choice mating trials indicate that sympatric benthic females mate less readily with heterospecific (limnetic) than conspecific (benthic) males, whereas two different populations of allopatric females resembling benthics show no such discrimination. These differences demonstrate reproductive character displacement of benthic female mate choice. Previous studies have established that hybridization between sympatric species occurred in the past in the wild and that hybrid offspring have lower fitness than either parental species, thus providing conditions under which natural selection would favor individuals that do not hybridize. Results are therefore consistent with the hypothesis that female mate preferences have evolved as a response to reduced hybrid fitness (reinforcement), although direct effects of sympatry or a biased extinction process could also produce the pattern. Males of the other sympatric species (limnetics) showed a preference for smaller females, in contrast to the inferred ancestral preference for larger females, suggesting reproductive character

  9. Chromosomal Speciation in the Genomics Era: Disentangling Phylogenetic Evolution of Rock-wallabies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potter, Sally; Bragg, Jason G; Blom, Mozes P K; Deakin, Janine E; Kirkpatrick, Mark; Eldridge, Mark D B; Moritz, Craig

    2017-01-01

    The association of chromosome rearrangements (CRs) with speciation is well established, and there is a long history of theory and evidence relating to "chromosomal speciation." Genomic sequencing has the potential to provide new insights into how reorganization of genome structure promotes divergence, and in model systems has demonstrated reduced gene flow in rearranged segments. However, there are limits to what we can understand from a small number of model systems, which each only tell us about one episode of chromosomal speciation. Progressing from patterns of association between chromosome (and genic) change, to understanding processes of speciation requires both comparative studies across diverse systems and integration of genome-scale sequence comparisons with other lines of evidence. Here, we showcase a promising example of chromosomal speciation in a non-model organism, the endemic Australian marsupial genus Petrogale . We present initial phylogenetic results from exon-capture that resolve a history of divergence associated with extensive and repeated CRs. Yet it remains challenging to disentangle gene tree heterogeneity caused by recent divergence and gene flow in this and other such recent radiations. We outline a way forward for better integration of comparative genomic sequence data with evidence from molecular cytogenetics, and analyses of shifts in the recombination landscape and potential disruption of meiotic segregation and epigenetic programming. In all likelihood, CRs impact multiple cellular processes and these effects need to be considered together, along with effects of genic divergence. Understanding the effects of CRs together with genic divergence will require development of more integrative theory and inference methods. Together, new data and analysis tools will combine to shed light on long standing questions of how chromosome and genic divergence promote speciation.

  10. Current mass spectrometry strategies for selenium speciation in dietary sources of high-selenium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Infante, Heidi Goenaga; Hearn, Ruth; Catterick, Tim [LGC Limited, Teddington, Middlesex (United Kingdom)

    2005-06-01

    This document reviews the most relevant mass spectrometry approaches to selenium (Se) speciation in high-Se food supplements in terms of qualitative and quantitative Se speciation and Se-containing species identification, with special reference to high-Se yeast, garlic, onions and Brazil nuts. Important topics such as complexity of Se speciation in these materials and the importance of combining Se-specific detection and molecule-specific determination of the particular species of this element in parallel with chromatography, to understand their nutritional role and cancer preventive properties are critically discussed throughout. The versatility and potential of mass spectrometric detection in this field are clearly demonstrated. Although great advances have been achieved, further developments are required, especially if ''speciated''certified reference materials (CRMs) are to be produced for validation of measurements of target Se-containing species in Se-food supplements. (orig.)

  11. Feeding ecology of two endangered sympatric megaherbivores: Asian elephant Elephas maximus and greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis in lowland Nepal

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pradhan, N.M.B.; Wegge, P.; Moe, S.R.; Shrestha, A.K.

    2008-01-01

    We studied the diets of low-density but increasing populations of sympatric Asian elephants Elephas maximus and greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis in the Bardia National Park in lowland Nepal. A microhistological technique based on faecal material was used to estimate the seasonal

  12. Metal accumulation by stream bryophytes, related to chemical speciation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tipping, E. [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP (United Kingdom)], E-mail: et@ceh.ac.uk; Vincent, C.D.; Lawlor, A.J.; Lofts, S. [Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP (United Kingdom)

    2008-12-15

    Metal accumulation by aquatic bryophytes was investigated using data for headwater streams of differing chemistry. The Windermere Humic Aqueous Model (WHAM) was applied to calculate chemical speciation, including competitive proton and metal interactions with external binding sites on the plants. The speciation modelling approach gives smaller deviations between observed and predicted bryophyte contents of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb than regressions based on total filtered metal concentrations. If all four metals, and Ni, are considered together, the WHAM predictions are superior at the 1% level. Optimised constants for bryophyte binding by the trace metals are similar to those for humic substances and simple carboxylate ligands. Bryophyte contents of Na, Mg and Ca are approximately explained by binding at external sites, while most of the K is intracellular. Oxide phases account for some of the Al, and most of the Mn, Fe and Co. - Speciation modelling can be used to interpret the accumulation of Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb by bryophytes, supporting its use to quantify trace metal bioavailability in the field.

  13. Influence of natural organic matter on the speciation of radionuclides in a geochemistry context

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marang, L.

    2007-09-01

    The principal aim of this work is the study of the influence of natural organic matter, in particularly humic substances (HS), on the speciation of radionuclides (RN). The studied radionuclides are cobalt (II), europium (III) and uranium (VI). It has been shown that mobility and bioavailability of a metal are related to its speciation. The NICA-Donnan model describes metal ion binding to NOM: it accounts for NOM chemical heterogeneity, competition during binding and ionic strength effects. However the model has been calibrated with a limited number of experimental data for the RN. Indeed there is only a few speciation technique available for the study of the interactions RN-HS. Within the framework of this study, we have developed and optimised speciation technique (Flux Donnan Membrane Technique and the use of an un-solubilized humic acid) in order to acquire new experimental data, we have also studied the effect of the competition on RN speciation and finally we have tested the model capacity to predict the RN behavior in laboratory or in situ. (author)

  14. Influence of natural organic matter on the speciation of radionuclides in a geochemistry context

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marang, L.

    2007-09-01

    The principal aim of this work is the study of the influence of natural organic matter, in particularly humic substances (HS), on the speciation of radionuclides (RN). The studied radionuclides are cobalt (II), europium (III) and uranium (VI). It has been shown that mobility and bioavailability of a metal are related to its speciation. The NICA-Donnan model describes metal ion binding to NOM: it accounts for NOM chemical heterogeneity, competition during binding and ionic strength effects. However the model has been calibrated with a limited number of experimental data for the RN. Indeed there is only a few speciation techniques available for the study of the interactions RN-HS. Within the framework of this study, we have developed and optimised speciation technique (Flux Donnan Membrane Technique and the use of an insolubilized humic acid) in order to acquire new experimental data, we have also studied the effect of the competition on RN speciation and finally we have tested the model capacity to predict the RN behavior in laboratory or in situ. (author)

  15. Mimetic Divergence and the Speciation Continuum in the Mimic Poison Frog Ranitomeya imitator

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Twomey, Evan; Vestergaard, Jacob Schack; Venegas, Pablo J.

    2016-01-01

    While divergent ecological adaptation can drive speciation, understanding the factors that facilitate or constrain this process remains a major goal in speciation research. Here, we study two mimetic transition zones in the poison frog Ranitomeya imitator, a species that has undergone a Mullerian...

  16. Foresight and awareness of incipient changes in a patient' clinical conditions--Perspectives of intensive care nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kvande, Monica; Delmar, Charlotte; Lykkeslet, Else; Storli, Sissel Lisa

    2015-10-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the phenomenon of becoming aware of incipient changes in patient condition from the perspectives and experiences of intensive care nurses. This study involved close observations of and in-depth interviews with 11 experienced intensive care nurses. The text was analysed using a hermeneutic phenomenological method that was inspired by van Manen. This study was undertaken at two different high-technology intensive care units (ICUs) in Norwegian university hospitals. Nurses formed images of individual patients composed of signs (of changes in a patient's condition) that were sensory, measurable, and manifested as the mood of the nurse. The signs may be viewed as separate from and opposed to one another, but they are tightly interwoven and interact with one another. Care situations are powerful stimuli for the patient, and it is of great importance for nurses to become aware of signs in these situations. Nurses also ascribe that following the patient over time is important for becoming aware of signs. An awareness of incipient changes in patient clinical condition requires understanding the ever-changing dynamics of patient condition and dialogic images composed of signs. Care situations and the following of patients through shifts are essential in enabling nurses to detect these signs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Relationship between spatial working memory performance and diet specialization in two sympatric nectar bats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mickaël Henry

    Full Text Available Behavioural ecologists increasingly recognise spatial memory as one the most influential cognitive traits involved in evolutionary processes. In particular, spatial working memory (SWM, i.e. the ability of animals to store temporarily useful information for current foraging tasks, determines the foraging efficiency of individuals. As a consequence, SWM also has the potential to influence competitive abilities and to affect patterns of sympatric occurrence among closely related species. The present study aims at comparing the efficiency of SWM between generalist (Glossophaga soricina and specialist (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae nectarivorous bats at flowering patches. The two species differ in diet--the generalist diet including seasonally fruits and insects with nectar and pollen while the specialist diet is dominated by nectar and pollen yearlong--and in some morphological traits--the specialist being heavier and with proportionally longer rostrum than the generalist. These bats are found sympatrically within part of their range in the Neotropics. We habituated captive individuals to feed on artificial flower patches and we used infrared video recordings to monitor their ability to remember and avoid the spatial location of flowers they emptied in previous visits in the course of 15-min foraging sequences. Experiments revealed that both species rely on SWM as their foraging success attained significantly greater values than random expectations. However, the nectar specialist L. yerbabuenae was significantly more efficient at extracting nectar (+28% in foraging success, and sustained longer foraging bouts (+27% in length of efficient foraging sequences than the generalist G. soricina. These contrasting SWM performances are discussed in relation to diet specialization and other life history traits.

  18. Home Bodies and Wanderers: Sympatric Lineages of the Deep-Sea Black Coral Leiopathes glaberrima.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dannise V Ruiz-Ramos

    Full Text Available Colonial corals occur in a wide range of marine benthic habitats from the shallows to the deep ocean, often defining the structure of their local community. The black coral Leiopathes glaberrima is a long-lived foundation species occurring on carbonate outcrops in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM. Multiple color morphs of L. glaberrima grow sympatrically in the region. Morphological, mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal markers supported the hypothesis that color morphs constituted a single biological species and that colonies, regardless of color, were somewhat genetically differentiated east and west of the Mississippi Canyon. Ten microsatellite loci were used to determine finer-scale population genetic structure and reproductive characteristics. Gene flow was disrupted between and within two nearby (distance = 36.4 km hardground sites and two sympatric microsatellite lineages, which might constitute cryptic species, were recovered. Lineage one was outbred and found in all sampled locations (N = 5 across 765.6 km in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Lineage two was inbred, reproducing predominantly by fragmentation, and restricted to sites around Viosca Knoll. In these sites the lineages and the color phenotypes occurred in different microhabitats, and models of maximum entropy suggested that depth and slope influence the distribution of the color phenotypes within the Vioska Knolls. We conclude that L. glaberrima is phenotypically plastic with a mixed reproductive strategy in the Northern GoM. Such strategy might enable this long-lived species to balance local recruitment with occasional long-distance dispersal to colonize new sites in an environment where habitat is limited.

  19. Speciation of Fe in ambient aerosol and cloudwater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siefert, Ronald Lyn [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)

    1996-08-15

    Atmospheric iron (Fe) is thought to play an important role in cloudwater chemistry (e.g., S(IV) oxidation, oxidant production, etc.), and is also an important source of Fe to certain regions of the worlds oceans where Fe is believed to be a rate-limiting nutrient for primary productivity. This thesis focuses on understanding the chemistry, speciation and abundance of Fe in cloudwater and aerosol in the troposphere, through observations of Fe speciation in the cloudwater and aerosol samples collected over the continental United States and the Arabian Sea. Different chemical species of atmospheric Fe were measured in aerosol and cloudwater samples to help assess the role of Fe in cloudwater chemistry.

  20. A multi-technique investigation of copper and zinc distribution, speciation and potential bioavailability in biosolids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donner, E.; Ryan, C.G.; Howard, D.L.; Zarcinas, B.; Scheckel, K.G.; McGrath, S.P.; Jonge, M.D. de; Paterson, D.; Naidu, R.; Lombi, E.

    2012-01-01

    The use of biosolids in agriculture continues to be debated, largely in relation to their metal contents. Our knowledge regarding the speciation and bioavailability of biosolids metals is still far from complete. In this study, a multi-technique approach was used to investigate copper and zinc speciation and partitioning in one contemporary and two historical biosolids used extensively in previous research and field trials. Using wet chemistry and synchrotron spectroscopy techniques it was shown that copper/zinc speciation in the biosolids was largely equivalent despite the biosolids being derived from different countries over a 50 year period. Furthermore, copper speciation was consistently dominated by sorption to organic matter whereas Zn partitioned mainly to iron oxides. These data suggest that the results of historical field trials are still relevant for modern biosolids and that further risk assessment studies should concentrate particularly on Cu as this metal is associated with the mineralisable biosolids fraction. - Highlights: ► Complementary techniques were used to investigate Cu and Zn speciation in biosolids. ► Historic and contemporary biosolids with differing metal contents were examined. ► Similarities in Cu/Zn speciation were observed irrespective of biosolids provenance. ► Key binding environments identified were organic matter for Cu and Fe oxides for Zn. ► Similarities show historic field trial results are still relevant for biosolids management. - Historic and contemporary biosolids show similarities in Cu/Zn speciation despite having very different total Zn/Cu contents.

  1. Detecting Hidden Diversification Shifts in Models of Trait-Dependent Speciation and Extinction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaulieu, Jeremy M; O'Meara, Brian C

    2016-07-01

    The distribution of diversity can vary considerably from clade to clade. Attempts to understand these patterns often employ state-dependent speciation and extinction models to determine whether the evolution of a particular novel trait has increased speciation rates and/or decreased extinction rates. It is still unclear, however, whether these models are uncovering important drivers of diversification, or whether they are simply pointing to more complex patterns involving many unmeasured and co-distributed factors. Here we describe an extension to the popular state-dependent speciation and extinction models that specifically accounts for the presence of unmeasured factors that could impact diversification rates estimated for the states of any observed trait, addressing at least one major criticism of BiSSE (Binary State Speciation and Extinction) methods. Specifically, our model, which we refer to as HiSSE (Hidden State Speciation and Extinction), assumes that related to each observed state in the model are "hidden" states that exhibit potentially distinct diversification dynamics and transition rates than the observed states in isolation. We also demonstrate how our model can be used as character-independent diversification models that allow for a complex diversification process that is independent of the evolution of a character. Under rigorous simulation tests and when applied to empirical data, we find that HiSSE performs reasonably well, and can at least detect net diversification rate differences between observed and hidden states and detect when diversification rate differences do not correlate with the observed states. We discuss the remaining issues with state-dependent speciation and extinction models in general, and the important ways in which HiSSE provides a more nuanced understanding of trait-dependent diversification. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved

  2. Liquid phase microextraction for the analysis of trace elements and their speciation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, Bin; He, Man; Chen, Beibei; Xia, Linbo

    2013-01-01

    Trace/ultra-trace elements and their speciation analysis in complex matrices usually require sample preparation procedures to achieve sample clean-up and analyte preconcentration. Sample preparation is often the bottleneck in trace elements and their speciation analysis which has a direct impact on accuracy, precision and limits of detection and is often the rate-determining step of the analytical process. Recent trends in sample preparation include miniaturization, automation, high-throughput performance and reduction in solvent/sample consumption and operation time. Liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) technique as a novel and promising alternative in sample preparation can meet these requirements and has become a very efficient sample preparation technique. This review updates the state of art of LPME for trace elements and their speciation analysis and discusses its promising prospects. The major thrust of the article highlights the applications of LPME including single-drop microextraction (SDME), hollow fiber-liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME), dispersive liquid liquid microextraction (DLLME) and solidified floating organic drop microextraction (SFODME) to the fields of elemental and their speciation analysis by atomic spectrometry-based methods, especially inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. General and specific concepts, different extraction formats and characteristics of LPME are described and compared, along with examples of recent innovations and applications presented to demonstrate its potential for trace elements and their speciation analysis in biological and environmental fields. Moreover, the application potential and an outlook on the combination of LPME and atomic spectrometry-based techniques for inorganic analysis are commentated. - Highlights: • The state of art of LPME for trace elements and their speciation analysis is updated. • Different extraction formats of LPME are described. • The application potential and future

  3. The EU network on trace element speciation in full swing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cornelis, R.; Camara, C.; Ebdon, L.

    2000-01-01

    health and hygiene. The network covers a number of important issues including organotin compounds, chromium and nickel species, chemical characterisation of environmental and industrial particulate samples, risk assessment, selenium and a series of other essential and toxic elements in food, as well......The EC-funded thematic network 'Speciation 21' links scientists in analytical chemistry working in method development for the chemical speciation of trace elements, and potential users from industry and representatives of legislative agencies, in the field of environment, food and occupational...

  4. Sympatric parallel diversification of major oak clades in the Americas and the origins of Mexican species diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hipp, Andrew L; Manos, Paul S; González-Rodríguez, Antonio; Hahn, Marlene; Kaproth, Matthew; McVay, John D; Avalos, Susana Valencia; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine

    2018-01-01

    Oaks (Quercus, Fagaceae) are the dominant tree genus of North America in species number and biomass, and Mexico is a global center of oak diversity. Understanding the origins of oak diversity is key to understanding biodiversity of northern temperate forests. A phylogenetic study of biogeography, niche evolution and diversification patterns in Quercus was performed using 300 samples, 146 species. Next-generation sequencing data were generated using the restriction-site associated DNA (RAD-seq) method. A time-calibrated maximum likelihood phylogeny was inferred and analyzed with bioclimatic, soils, and leaf habit data to reconstruct the biogeographic and evolutionary history of the American oaks. Our highly resolved phylogeny demonstrates sympatric parallel diversification in climatic niche, leaf habit, and diversification rates. The two major American oak clades arose in what is now the boreal zone and radiated, in parallel, from eastern North America into Mexico and Central America. Oaks adapted rapidly to niche transitions. The Mexican oaks are particularly numerous, not because Mexico is a center of origin, but because of high rates of lineage diversification associated with high rates of evolution along moisture gradients and between the evergreen and deciduous leaf habits. Sympatric parallel diversification in the oaks has shaped the diversity of North American forests. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  5. Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) Instrument Handbook

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watson, Thomas B. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

    2017-08-15

    The Aerodyne Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) measures particle mass loading and chemical composition in real time for non-refractory sub-micron aerosol particles. The ACSM is designed for long-term unattended deployment and routine monitoring applications.

  6. Frugivory by the black-eared opossum Didelphis aurita in the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil: Roles of sex, season and sympatric species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilton C. Cáceres

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2009v22n3p203 Our objective in this study was to examine the frugivory performed by the black-eared opossum, Didelphis aurita Wied-Neuwied, 1826, in an area of the coastal Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil, including differences between sexes, seasonal variation, and relationships to other sympatric marsupials. We collected 63 fecal samples from a trap grid over a six-month period and analyzed seed presence, seed number and richness,  and diversity of fruit species in feces. Diversity of fruit items was estimated by the Shannon index. Results showed a high variability in fruit consumption along the seasons, but no sexual difference in consumption. Sympatric marsupial species, including D. aurita, showed substantial differences in frugivory which may be related to body size, space use and differences in the foraging behavior of such species.

  7. Comparative strategies and success of sympatric and allopatric Fasciola hepatica infecting Galba truncatula of different susceptibilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanabria, R; Mouzet, R; Courtioux, B; Vignoles, P; Rondelaud, D; Dreyfuss, G; Cabaret, J; Romero, J

    2013-06-01

    Allopatric infections of French Galba truncatula with an Argentinean isolate of Fasciola hepatica were carried out to determine the infectivity of foreign miracidia in three snail populations differing by their susceptibility to French miracidia (two highly and one poorly susceptible populations). Sympatric infections of G. truncatula with French miracidia were used as controls. Compared to sympatric infections of G. truncatula, snail survival at day 30 post-infection in allopatric groups was significantly lower in a highly susceptible population and significantly greater in the other two. Prevalence in snails infected with the allopatric isolate was significantly lower (16.4-34.5 % instead of 58.6-72.1 %), whereas their patent period was significantly longer (a mean of 69.9-85.9 days instead of 6.4-20.7 days). The mean number of metacercariae was also higher in allopatric groups (236.5-897.3 per cercariae-shedding snail instead of 70.7-222.1). Owing to longer patent periods, the Argentinean isolate of F. hepatica was less pathogenic for these snails. The lower prevalence of infection, the longer patent period and the higher number of metacercariae noted in allopatric groups might be the consequence of an adaptive mechanism used by this digenean introduced to the New World to infect new populations of unusual intermediate hosts.

  8. Review of speciation and solubility of radionuclides in the near and far field. Pt. 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith-Briggs, J.L.

    1992-01-01

    This report represents Part 2 in a series of three reports which review the speciation and solubility of radionuclides in the near and far field. Part 2 is a general bibliography from 1978 to 1991. This report contains the bibliography for the review of speciation and solubility radionuclides in the near and far field from 1978 to 1991. The importance of the solubility and speciation of radionuclides in relation to the safety assessment of the repository is discussed. Solubility is defined, both theoretically and pragmatically, and the factors which influence solubility and speciation are discussed. The literature search was performed using the INIS database. The UKAEA RECAP database, the NIREX report bibliography and a list of DOE reports provided by the DOE were also used. The bibliography is divided into five sections, solubility and speciation experimental data, basic thermodynamic data, solubility limiting solid phases, experimental design and review and overview articles. Some references appear in more than one section. (Author)

  9. New record of the sympatric distribution of two Asian species of the horseshoe crab

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Chatterji, A.

    distribution of two Asian species of the horses... http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/sep25/articles14.htm 1 of 3 2/11/05 9:47 AM New record of the sympatric distribution of two Asian species of the horseshoe crab The geographical distribution of four extant species...... http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/sep25/articles14.htm 2 of 3 2/11/05 9:47 AM This species was found breeding actively on relatively clean and sandy beaches. The other species (C. rotundicauda) was not reported in these areas.However, during the survey...

  10. Early events in speciation: Cryptic species of Drosophila aldrichi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro Vargas, Cynthia; Richmond, Maxi Polihronakis; Ramirez Loustalot Laclette, Mariana; Markow, Therese Ann

    2017-06-01

    Understanding the earliest events in speciation remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Thus identifying species whose populations are beginning to diverge can provide useful systems to study the process of speciation. Drosophila aldrichi , a cactophilic fruit fly species with a broad distribution in North America, has long been assumed to be a single species owing to its morphological uniformity. While previous reports either of genetic divergence or reproductive isolation among different D. aldrichi strains have hinted at the existence of cryptic species, the evolutionary relationships of this species across its range have not been thoroughly investigated. Here we show that D. aldrichi actually is paraphyletic with respect to its closest relative, Drosophila wheeleri , and that divergent D. aldrichi lineages show complete hybrid male sterility when crossed. Our data support the interpretation that there are at least two species of D. aldrichi, making these flies particularly attractive for studies of speciation in an ecological and geographical context.

  11. Iron solubility driven by speciation in dust sources to the ocean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroth, A.W.; Crusius, John; Sholkovitz, E.R.; Bostick, B.C.

    2009-01-01

    Although abundant in the Earths crust, iron is present at trace concentrations in sea water and is a limiting nutrient for phytoplankton in approximately 40% of the ocean. Current literature suggests that aerosols are the primary external source of iron to offshore waters, yet controls on iron aerosol solubility remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that iron speciation (oxidation state and bonding environment) drives iron solubility in arid region soils, glacial weathering products (flour) and oil combustion products (oil fly ash). Iron speciation varies by aerosol source, with soils in arid regions dominated by ferric (oxy)hydroxides, glacial flour by primary and secondary ferrous silicates and oil fly ash by ferric sulphate salts. Variation in iron speciation produces systematic differences in iron solubility: less than 1% of the iron in arid soils was soluble, compared with 2-3% in glacial products and 77-81% in oil combustion products, which is directly linked to fractions of more soluble phases. We conclude that spatial and temporal variations in aerosol iron speciation, driven by the distribution of deserts, glaciers and fossil-fuel combustion, could have a pronounced effect on aerosol iron solubility and therefore on biological productivity and the carbon cycle in the ocean. ?? 2009 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

  12. Heterogeneous flow in multi-layer joint networks and its influence on incipient karst generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, X.; Jourde, H.

    2017-12-01

    Various dissolution types (e.g. pipe, stripe and sheet karstic features) have been observed in fractured layered limestones. Yet, due to a large range of structural and hydraulic parameters play a role in the karstification process, the dissolution mechanism, occurring either along fractures or bedding planes, is difficult to quantify. In this study, we use numerical models to investigate the influence of these parameters on the generation of different types of incipient karst. Specifically, we focus on two parameters: the fracture intensity contrast between adjacent layers and the aperture ratio between bedding planes and joints (abed/ajoint). The DFN models were generated using a pseudo-genetic code that considers the stress shadow zone. Flow simulations were performed using a combined finite-volume finite-element simulator under practical boundary conditions. The flow channeling within the fracture networks was characterized by applying a multi-fractal technique. The rock block equivalent permeability (keff) was also calculated to quantify the change in bulk hydraulic properties when changing the selected structural and hydraulic parameters. The flow simulation results show that the abed/ajoint ratio has a first-order control on the heterogeneous distribution of flow in the multi-layer system and on the magnitude of equivalent permeability. When abed/ajoint 0.1, the bedding plane has more control and flow becomes more pervasive and uniform, and the keff is accordingly high. A simple model, accounting for the calculation of the heterogeneous distributions of Damköhler number associated with different aperture ratios, is proposed to predict what type of incipient karst tends to develop under the studied flow conditions.

  13. Magic cues versus magic preferences in speciation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maan, Martine E.; Seehausen, Ole

    Question: How does divergent natural selection lead to divergence in mating traits and the evolution of reproductive isolation? Background: Ecological speciation of non-allopatric taxa usually requires the evolution of an association between selective mating and the traits underlying ecological

  14. Biosensor for metal analysis and speciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiken, Abigail M.; Peyton, Brent M.; Apel, William A.; Petersen, James N.

    2007-01-30

    A biosensor for metal analysis and speciation is disclosed. The biosensor comprises an electron carrier immobilized to a surface of an electrode and a layer of an immobilized enzyme adjacent to the electrode. The immobilized enzyme comprises an enzyme having biological activity inhibited by a metal to be detected by the biosensor.

  15. Geological and climatic forces driving speciation in the continentally distributed trilling chorus frogs (Pseudacris).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemmon, Emily Moriarty; Lemmon, Alan R; Cannatella, David C

    2007-09-01

    Tertiary geological events and Quaternary climatic fluctuations have been proposed as important factors of speciation in the North American flora and fauna. Few studies, however, have rigorously tested hypotheses regarding the specific factors driving divergence of taxa. Here, we test explicit speciation hypotheses by correlating geologic events with divergence times among species in the continentally distributed trilling chorus frogs (Pseudacris). In particular, we ask whether marine inundation of the Mississippi Embayment, uplift of the Appalachian Mountains, or modification of the ancient Teays-Mahomet River system contributed to speciation. To examine the plausibility of ancient rivers causing divergence, we tested whether modern river systems inhibit gene flow. Additionally, we compared the effects of Quaternary climatic factors (glaciation and aridification) on levels of genetic variation. Divergence time estimates using penalized likelihood and coalescent approaches indicate that the major lineages of chorus frogs diversified during the Tertiary, and also exclude Quaternary climate change as a factor in speciation of chorus frogs. We show the first evidence that inundation of the Mississippi Embayment contributed to speciation. We reject the hypotheses that Cenozoic uplift of the Appalachians and that diversion of the Teays-Mahomet River contributed to speciation in this clade. We find that by reducing gene flow, rivers have the potential to cause divergence of lineages. Finally, we demonstrate that populations in areas affected by Quaternary glaciation and aridification have reduced levels of genetic variation compared to those from more equable regions, suggesting recent colonization.

  16. The component helminth community in six sympatric species of Ardeidae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navarro, Pilar; Lluch, Javier; Font, Enrique

    2005-08-01

    We studied the helminth communities in 6 sympatric species of Ardeidae (Ixobrychus minutus (Linnaeus, 1766), Nycticorax nycticorax (Linnaeus, 1758), Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758), Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus, 1766), Ardea cinerea (Linnaeus, 1758), and Ardea purpurea (Linnaeus, 1766)) from "La Albufera de Valencia," Spain. The survey revealed 13 species of helminth parasites: 5 digeneans, 2 cestodes, and 6 nematodes. The component helminth communities of the Ardeidae examined are depauperate and conform to the pattern typically found in isolationist communities, probably because of their high trophic dependence on a few prey species. Evenness was positively correlated with richness and abundance, but host body weight was not correlated with the number of helminth species or with the total number of helminths. Ardea cinerea is more heavily infected than E. garzetta by Apharyngostrigea cornu, and B. ibis is more heavily infected than both Ardea cinerea and E. garzetta by Desportesius spinulatus. Apharyngostrigea cornu was positively associated with Desmidocercella numidica and D. spinulatus in A. cinerea.

  17. Predictors of treatment failure, incipient hypothyroidism, and weight gain following radioiodine therapy for Graves' thyrotoxicosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibb, F W; Zammitt, N N; Beckett, G J; Strachan, M W J

    2013-10-01

    Following radioiodine ((131)I) therapy, both late recognition of hypothyroidism and treatment failure may result in adverse outcomes. We sought to assess indicators of both incipient hypothyroidism and treatment failure following (131)I and determine factors predictive of weight gain. Retrospective study of 288 patients receiving (131)I for treatment of Graves' thyrotoxicosis. Primary outcome measures were thyroid status and weight change at 1 yr following (131)I. The treatment failure rate at 1 yr was 13.5%. Hypothyroidism developed in 80.9%, with 58.5% of patients having levels of free T4 (fT4) treatment failure (23.3%) than those with no thionamide exposure (6.3%, p=0.003), but also had more active Graves' disease. Following (131)I, development of a detectable TSH or low-normal fT4 levels was not associated with recurrent thyrotoxicosis. Median weight gain was 5.3 kg, although patients with nadir fT4 levels 6 pmol/l (p=0.05). The main predictor of weight gain was fT4 level immediately prior to treatment; those in the lowest tertile gained a median 3.1 kg whilst those in the highest tertile gained 7.4 kg (median difference 4.3 kg; 95% confidence interval: 2.5-6.2). Marked hypothyroidism following (131)I is common and often occurs early. Simple biochemical parameters may help identify incipient hypothyroidism and potentially limit excess weight gain. Treatment failure is common in patients with severe thyrotoxicosis and in such cases larger doses of (131)I may be warranted.

  18. The speciation of iodine in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bulman, R.A.

    1986-01-01

    The speciation of iodine in the environment is discussed under the following topics: (i) sea surface to atmosphere, (ii) chemistry in bulk seawater, (iii) iodine in rocks, (iv) iodine in soils, (v) iodine in plants and (vi) iodine in solidified wastes. (author)

  19. Atmospheric speciation of mercury in two contrasting Southeastern US airsheds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabriel, Mark C.; Williamson, Derek G.; Brooks, Steve; Lindberg, Steve

    Simultaneous measurement of gaseous elemental, reactive gaseous, and fine particulate mercury took place in Tuscaloosa AL, (urban airshed) and Cove Mountain, TN (non-urban airshed) during the summers of 2002 and 2003. The objective of this research was to (1) summarize the temporal distribution of each mercury specie at each site and compare to other speciation data sets developed by other researchers and (2) provide insight into urban and non-urban mercury speciation effects using various statistical methods. Average specie concentrations were as follows: 4.05 ng m -3 (GEM), 13.6 pg m -3 (RGM), 16.4 pg m -3 (Hg-p) for Tuscaloosa; 3.20 ng m -3 (GEM), 13.6 pg m -3 (RGM), 9.73 pg m -3 (Hg-p) for Cove Mountain. As a result of urban airshed impacts, short periods of high concentration for all mercury species was common in Tuscaloosa. At Cove Mountain a consistent mid-day rise and evening drop for mercury species was found. This pattern was primarily the result of un-impacted physical boundary layer movement, although, other potential impacts were ambient photochemistry and air-surface exchange of mercury. Meteorological parameters that are known to heavily impact mercury speciation were similar for the study period for Tuscaloosa and Cove Mountain except for wind speed (m s -1), which was higher at Cove Mountain. For both sites statistically significant ( p<0.0001), inverse relationships existed between wind speed and Hg 0 concentration. A weaker windspeed-Hg 0 correlation existed for Tuscaloosa. By analyzing Hg concentration—wind speed magnitude change at both sites it was found that wind speed at Cove Mountain had a greater influence on Hg 0 concentration variability than Tuscaloosa by a factor of 3. Using various statistical tests, we concluded that the nature of Tuscaloosa's atmospheric mercury speciation was the result of typical urban airshed impacts. Cove Mountain showed atmospheric mercury speciation characteristics indicative of a non-urban area along with

  20. Speciation, diversification, and coexistence of sessile species that compete for space

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mitarai, Namiko; Heinsalu, Els; Sneppen, Kim

    2014-01-01

    Speciation, diversification, and competition between species challenge the stability of complex ecosystems. Laboratory experiments often focus on one or two species competing under conditions where they may grow exponentially. Field studies, in contrast, emphasize multi-species communities...... appear due to immigration from outside of the considered ecosystem. The species self-organize their spatial distribution through competitive interactions to create many patches, implicitly protecting each other from competitively superior species, and speciation in each patch leads the system to high...

  1. Arsenic speciation by liquid chromatography coupled with ionspray tandem mass spectrometry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Corr, J. J.; Larsen, Erik Huusfeldt

    1996-01-01

    Ionspray mass spectrometry, a well established organic analysis technique, has been coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography for speciation of organic arsenic compounds, The ionspray source and differentially pumped interface of the mass spectrometer were operated in dual modes...... fragmentation patterns showing molecular dissociation through an expected common product ion were obtained for the four arsenosugars, Molecular mode detection was utilized for qualitative verification of speciation analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass...

  2. HPLC inorganic arsenic speciation analysis of samples containing high sulfuric acid and iron levels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gonzalez-Contreras, P.A.; Gerrits, I.P.A.M.; Weijma, J.; Buisman, C.J.N.

    2011-01-01

    To monitor the oxidation of arsenite to arsenate in oxidizing and bioleaching reactors, speciation analysis of the inorganic arsenic compounds is required. Existing arsenic speciation analysis techniques are based on the use of liquid chromatography columns coupled to detector equipment such as

  3. Clustering and phase transitions on a neutral landscape

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Adam D.; King, Dawn M.; Marić, Nevena; Bahar, Sonya

    2013-06-01

    Recent computational studies have shown that speciation can occur under neutral conditions, i.e., when the simulated organisms all have identical fitness. These works bear comparison with mathematical studies of clustering on neutral landscapes in the context of branching and coalescing random walks. Here, we show that sympatric clustering/speciation can occur on a neutral landscape whose dimensions specify only the simulated organisms’ phenotypes. We demonstrate that clustering occurs not only in the case of assortative mating, but also in the case of asexual fission; it is not observed in the control case of random mating. We find that the population size and the number of clusters undergo a second-order non-equilibrium phase transition as the maximum mutation size is varied.

  4. Role of natural nanoparticles on the speciation of Ni in andosols of la Reunion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levard, Clément; Doelsch, Emmanuel; Rose, Jérôme; Masion, Armand; Basile-Doelsch, Isabelle; Proux, Olivier; Hazemann, Jean-Louis; Borschneck, Daniel; Bottero, Jean-Yves

    2009-08-01

    Andosols on the island of Réunion have high nickel (Ni) concentrations due to the natural pedo-geochemical background. Enhanced knowledge of Ni speciation is necessary to predict the bioavailability and potential toxicity of this element. Ni speciation in these andosols, marked by the presence of high amounts of natural aluminosilicate nanoparticles, was investigated in two complementary systems: (i) In a soil sample—densimetric fractionation was first performed in order to separate the potential bearing phases, prior to Ni speciation characterization. (ii) In a synthetic sample—Ni reactivity with synthetic aluminosilicate nanoparticle analogs were studied. In both cases, Ni speciation was determined using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The results revealed that Ni had the same local environment in both systems (natural and synthetic systems), and Ni was chemically linked to natural short-range ordered aluminosilicates or analogs. This complex represented about 75% of the total Ni in the studied soil.

  5. Evolution and ecophysiology of the industrial producer Hypocrea jecorina (Anamorph Trichoderma reesei and a new sympatric agamospecies related to it.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irina S Druzhinina

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Trichoderma reesei, a mitosporic green mould, was recognized during the WW II based on a single isolate from the Solomon Islands and since then used in industry for production of cellulases. It is believed to be an anamorph (asexual stage of the common pantropical ascomycete Hypocrea jecorina. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We combined molecular evolutionary analysis and multiple methods of phenotype profiling in order to reveal the genetic relationship of T. reesei to H. jecorina. The resulting data show that the isolates which were previously identified as H. jecorina by means of morphophysiology and ITS1 and 2 (rRNA gene cluster barcode in fact comprise several species: i H. jecorina/T. reesei sensu stricto which contains most of the teleomorphs (sexual stages found on dead wood and the wild-type strain of T. reesei QM 6a; ii T. parareesei nom. prov., which contains all strains isolated as anamorphs from soil; iii and two other hypothetical new species for which only one or two isolates are available. In silico tests for recombination and in vitro mating experiments revealed a history of sexual reproduction for H. jecorina and confirmed clonality for T. parareesei nom. prov. Isolates of both species were consistently found worldwide in pantropical climatic zone. Ecophysiological comparison of H. jecorina and T. parareesei nom. prov. revealed striking differences in carbon source utilization, conidiation intensity, photosensitivity and mycoparasitism, thus suggesting adaptation to different ecological niches with the high opportunistic potential for T. parareesei nom. prov. CONCLUSIONS: Our data prove that T. reesei belongs to a holomorph H. jecorina and displays a history of worldwide gene flow. We also show that its nearest genetic neighbour--T. parareesei nom. prov., is a cryptic phylogenetic agamospecies which inhabits the same biogeographic zone. These two species thus provide a so far rare example of sympatric speciation

  6. Efficacy of 1.23% APF gel applications on incipient carious lesions: a double-blind randomized clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Laura Menezes Bonow

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this double-blind randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy of 1.23% APF gel application on the arrest of active incipient carious lesions in children. Sixty 7- to 12-year-old children, with active incipient lesions were included in the study. Children were divided randomly into 2 groups: 1.23% APF gel and placebo gel applications. Each group received 8 weekly applications of treatment. The lesions were re-evaluated at the 4th and 8th appointments. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate relative risks of the presence of active white spot lesions. Groups showed similar results (PR = 1.67; CI 95% 0.69–3.98. The persistence of at least 1 active lesion was associated with a higher number of lesions in the baseline (PR = 2.67; CI 95% 1.19–6.03, but not with sugar intake (PR = 1.06; CI 95% 0.56–2.86 and previous exposure to fluoride dentifrice (PR = 1.26; CI 95% 0.49–2.29. The trial demonstrates the equivalence of the treatments. The use of the APF gel showed no additional benefits in this sample of children exposed to fluoridated water and dentifrice. The professional dental plaque removal in both groups may also account for the resulting equivalence of the treatments.

  7. Interference competition as a mechanism of coexistence between two sympatric species of the grass shrimp Palaemonetes (Decapoda: Palaemonidae)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thorp, J.H.

    1976-01-01

    Various theories have been developed to explain the puzzling coexistence of species which have broad niche overlap in critical resource utilization. The coexistence of two sympatric species of grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio Holthuis and p. vulgaris (Say), whose niches overlap with respect to space, food, and time, was examined in an experimental field and laboratory study. A seasonal fluctuation between sympatric and contiguous allopatric distribution of the two species of grass shrimp on natural shell, mud, and eelgrass substrata suggests that competition may be an important factor determining distribution of Palaemonetes. Field and laboratory experiments confirm that P. vulgaris can competitively displace P. pugio from the preferred shell substratum by interference competition but the tendency of grass shrimp to separate spatially in winter by bottom-depths (as in field enclosure cages) could have allowed both species to coexist on shell. Spatial separation by bottom-depth was not so evident in spring, since P. vulgaris apparently displaced P. pugio from shell to mud substratum. Occupancy of shell substratum is shown to be adaptive in that shell provides greater protection from predators than does mud. It is suggested that the spatial partitioning resulting from this interference competition promotes coexistence by reducing agonism while permitting efficient utilization of other common resources.

  8. Biogeochemical speciation of Fe in ocean water

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hiemstra, T.; Riemsdijk, van W.H.

    2006-01-01

    The biogeochemical speciation of Fe in seawater has been evaluated using the consistent Non-Ideal Competitive Adsorption model (NICA¿Donnan model). Two types of data sets were used, i.e. Fe-hydroxide solubility data and competitive ligand equilibration/cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE/CSV) Fe

  9. Recent trends in nanomaterial-based microanalytical systems for the speciation of trace elements: A critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Wei-Chang; Hsu, Keng-Chang; Shiea, Christopher Stephen; Huang, Yeou-Lih

    2015-07-16

    Trace element speciation in biomedical and environmental science has gained increasing attention over the past decade as researchers have begun to realize its importance in toxicological studies. Several nanomaterials, including titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), have been used as sorbents to separate and preconcentrate trace element species prior to detection through mass spectrometry or optical spectroscopy. Recently, these nanomaterial-based speciation techniques have been integrated with microfluidics to minimize sample and reagent consumption and simplify analyses. This review provides a critical look into the present state and recent applications of nanomaterial-based microanalytical systems in the speciation of trace elements. The adsorption and preconcentration efficiencies, sample volume requirements, and detection limits of these nanomaterial-based speciation techniques are detailed, and their applications in environmental and biological analyses are discussed. Current perspectives and future trends into the increasing use of nanomaterial-based microfluidic techniques for trace element speciation are highlighted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Genetic tests for ecological and allopatric speciation in anoles on an island archipelago.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorpe, Roger S; Surget-Groba, Yann; Johansson, Helena

    2010-04-29

    From Darwin's study of the Galapagos and Wallace's study of Indonesia, islands have played an important role in evolutionary investigations, and radiations within archipelagos are readily interpreted as supporting the conventional view of allopatric speciation. Even during the ongoing paradigm shift towards other modes of speciation, island radiations, such as the Lesser Antillean anoles, are thought to exemplify this process. Geological and molecular phylogenetic evidence show that, in this archipelago, Martinique anoles provide several examples of secondary contact of island species. Four precursor island species, with up to 8 mybp divergence, met when their islands coalesced to form the current island of Martinique. Moreover, adjacent anole populations also show marked adaptation to distinct habitat zonation, allowing both allopatric and ecological speciation to be tested in this system. We take advantage of this opportunity of replicated island coalescence and independent ecological adaptation to carry out an extensive population genetic study of hypervariable neutral nuclear markers to show that even after these very substantial periods of spatial isolation these putative allospecies show less reproductive isolation than conspecific populations in adjacent habitats in all three cases of subsequent island coalescence. The degree of genetic interchange shows that while there is always a significant genetic signature of past allopatry, and this may be quite strong if the selection regime allows, there is no case of complete allopatric speciation, in spite of the strong primae facie case for it. Importantly there is greater genetic isolation across the xeric/rainforest ecotone than is associated with any secondary contact. This rejects the development of reproductive isolation in allopatric divergence, but supports the potential for ecological speciation, even though full speciation has not been achieved in this case. It also explains the paucity of anole species

  11. Analytical methodologies for aluminium speciation in environmental and biological samples--a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, S P; Yang, X D; Zhang, F P; Wang, X L; Zou, G W

    2001-08-01

    It is recognized that aluminium (Al) is a potential environmental hazard. Acidic deposition has been linked to increased Al concentrations in natural waters. Elevated levels of Al might have serious consequences for biological communities. Of particular interest is the speciation of Al in aquatic environments, because Al toxicity depends on its forms and concentrations. In this paper, advances in analytical methodologies for Al speciation in environmental and biological samples during the past five years are reviewed. Concerns about the specific problems of Al speciation and highlights of some important methods are elucidated in sections devoted to hybrid techniques (HPLC or FPLC coupled with ET-AAS, ICP-AES, or ICP-MS), flow-injection analysis (FIA), nuclear magnetic resonance (27Al NMR), electrochemical analysis, and computer simulation. More than 130 references are cited.

  12. Mechanisms by Which Phenotypic Plasticity Affects Adaptive Divergence and Ecological Speciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nonaka, Etsuko; Svanbäck, Richard; Thibert-Plante, Xavier; Englund, Göran; Brännström, Åke

    2015-11-01

    Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of one genotype to produce different phenotypes depending on environmental conditions. Several conceptual models emphasize the role of plasticity in promoting reproductive isolation and, ultimately, speciation in populations that forage on two or more resources. These models predict that plasticity plays a critical role in the early stages of speciation, prior to genetic divergence, by facilitating fast phenotypic divergence. The ability to plastically express alternative phenotypes may, however, interfere with the early phase of the formation of reproductive barriers, especially in the absence of geographic barriers. Here, we quantitatively investigate mechanisms under which plasticity can influence progress toward adaptive genetic diversification and ecological speciation. We use a stochastic, individual-based model of a predator-prey system incorporating sexual reproduction and mate choice in the predator. Our results show that evolving plasticity promotes the evolution of reproductive isolation under diversifying environments when individuals are able to correctly select a more profitable habitat with respect to their phenotypes (i.e., adaptive habitat choice) and to assortatively mate with relatively similar phenotypes. On the other hand, plasticity facilitates the evolution of plastic generalists when individuals have a limited capacity for adaptive habitat choice. We conclude that plasticity can accelerate the evolution of a reproductive barrier toward adaptive diversification and ecological speciation through enhanced phenotypic differentiation between diverging phenotypes.

  13. Incipient fault diagnosis of power transformers using optical spectro-photometric technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, K.; Karmakar, Subrata

    2015-06-01

    Power transformers are the vital equipment in the network of power generation, transmission and distribution. Mineral oil in oil-filled transformers plays very important role as far as electrical insulation for the winding and cooling of the transformer is concerned. As transformers are always under the influence of electrical and thermal stresses, incipient faults like partial discharge, sparking and arcing take place. As a result, mineral oil deteriorates there by premature failure of the transformer occurs causing huge losses in terms of revenue and assets. Therefore, the transformer health condition has to be monitored continuously. The Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) is being extensively used for this purpose, but it has some drawbacks like it needs carrier gas, regular instrument calibration, etc. To overcome these drawbacks, Ultraviolet (UV) -Visible and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectro-photometric techniques are used as diagnostic tools for investigating the degraded transformer oil affected by electrical, mechanical and thermal stresses. The technique has several advantages over the conventional DGA technique.

  14. Partial incompatibility between ants and symbiotic fungi in two sympatric species of Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bot, A N; Rehner, S A; Boomsma, J J

    2001-10-01

    We investigate the nature and duration of incompatibility between certain combinations of Acromyrmex leaf-cutting ants and symbiotic fungi, taken from sympatric colonies of the same or a related species. Ant-fungus incompatibility appeared to be largely independent of the ant species involved, but could be explained partly by genetic differences among the fungus cultivars. Following current theoretical considerations, we develop a hypothesis, originally proposed by S. A. Frank, that the observed incompatibilities are ultimately due to competitive interactions between genetically different fungal lineages, and we predict that the ants should have evolved mechanisms to prevent such competition between cultivars within a single garden. This requires that the ants are able to recognize unfamiliar fungi, and we show that this is indeed the case. Amplified fragment length polymorphism genotyping further shows that the two sympatric Acromyrmex species share each other's major lineages of cultivar, confirming that horizontal transfer does occasionally take place. We argue and provide some evidence that chemical substances produced by the fungus garden may mediate recognition of alien fungi by the ants. We show that incompatibility between ants and transplanted, genetically different cultivars is indeed due to active killing of the novel cultivar by the ants. This incompatibility disappears when ants are force-fed the novel cultivar for about a week, a result that is consistent with our hypothesis of recognition induced by the resident fungus and eventual replacement of incompatibility compounds during force-feeding.

  15. Speciation and gene flow between snails of opposite chirality.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angus Davison

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Left-right asymmetry in snails is intriguing because individuals of opposite chirality are either unable to mate or can only mate with difficulty, so could be reproductively isolated from each other. We have therefore investigated chiral evolution in the Japanese land snail genus Euhadra to understand whether changes in chirality have promoted speciation. In particular, we aimed to understand the effect of the maternal inheritance of chirality on reproductive isolation and gene flow. We found that the mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of Euhadra is consistent with a single, relatively ancient evolution of sinistral species and suggests either recent "single-gene speciation" or gene flow between chiral morphs that are unable to mate. To clarify the conditions under which new chiral morphs might evolve and whether single-gene speciation can occur, we developed a mathematical model that is relevant to any maternal-effect gene. The model shows that reproductive character displacement can promote the evolution of new chiral morphs, tending to counteract the positive frequency-dependent selection that would otherwise drive the more common chiral morph to fixation. This therefore suggests a general mechanism as to how chiral variation arises in snails. In populations that contain both chiral morphs, two different situations are then possible. In the first, gene flow is substantial between morphs even without interchiral mating, because of the maternal inheritance of chirality. In the second, reproductive isolation is possible but unstable, and will also lead to gene flow if intrachiral matings occasionally produce offspring with the opposite chirality. Together, the results imply that speciation by chiral reversal is only meaningful in the context of a complex biogeographical process, and so must usually involve other factors. In order to understand the roles of reproductive character displacement and gene flow in the chiral evolution of Euhadra, it will be

  16. Niche segregation amongst sympatric species at exposed sandy shores with contrasting wrack availabilities illustrated by stable isotopic analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Bessa, Filipa; Baeta, Alexandra; Marques, João Carlos

    2014-01-01

    Wrack supplies (macroalgae, seagrasses and carrion) are a common feature of sandy beaches worldwide. These allochthonous inputs are a potential high-quality food subsidy for beach fauna, but little is known about the feeding ecology and niche segregation strategies of these species in beaches with limited wrack availabilities. We used stable isotopic ratios of nitrogen and carbon to examine the diets and niche segregation among three sympatric crustaceans, the amphipods Talitrus s...

  17. Characterization of iron speciation in urban and rural single particles using XANES spectroscopy and micro X-ray fluorescence measurements: investigating the relationship between speciation and fractional iron solubility

    OpenAIRE

    Oakes, M.; Weber, R. J.; Lai, B.; Russell, A.; Ingall, E. D.

    2012-01-01

    Soluble iron in fine atmospheric particles has been identified as a public health concern by participating in reactions that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). The mineralogy and oxidation state (speciation) of iron have been shown to influence fractional iron solubility (soluble iron/total iron). In this study, iron speciation was determined in single particles at urban and rural sites in Georgia USA using synchrotron-based techniques, such as X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES...

  18. Recent Developments in the Speciation and Determination of Mercury Using Various Analytical Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lakshmi Narayana Suvarapu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper reviews the speciation and determination of mercury by various analytical techniques such as atomic absorption spectrometry, voltammetry, inductively coupled plasma techniques, spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry, high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography. Approximately 126 research papers on the speciation and determination of mercury by various analytical techniques published in international journals since 2013 are reviewed.

  19. Ecological and morphological patterns in communities of land snails of the genus Mandarina from the Bonin Islands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiba, Satoshi

    2004-01-01

    The land snail genus Mandarina has undergone extensive radiation within the Bonin Islands in the west Pacific. The preferred above-ground vegetation heights of sympatric species were clearly different. They separated into arboreal, semi-arboreal, exposed ground and sheltered ground ecotypes. Shells of species with different ecotypes differ markedly, but shells of species with the same ecotype are very similar to each other. Shell morphologies of some phylogenetically distantly related species with the same ecotype were indistinguishable. Character evolution estimated parsimoniously using a phylogenetic tree suggests that the speciation among sympatric species is accompanied by ecological and morphological diversification. In addition, species coexistence of Mandarina is related to niche differentiation. The above findings suggest that ecological interactions among species contribute to the ecological and morphological diversification and radiation of these land snails in this depauperate environment.

  20. Influence of EDDS on metal speciation in soil extracts: Measurement and mechanistic multicomponent modeling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koopmans, G.F.; Schenkeveld, W.D.C.; Song, J.; Luo, Y.; Japenga, J.; Temminghoff, E.J.M.

    2008-01-01

    The use of the [S,S]-isomer of EDDS to enhance phytoextraction has been proposed for the remediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. Speciation of metals in soil solution in the presence of EDDS and dissolved organic matter (DOM) received, however, almost no attention, whereas metal speciation

  1. Chromium fractionation and speciation in natural waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Catarinie Diniz; Techy, João Gabriel; Ganzarolli, Edgard Moreira; Quináia, Sueli Pércio

    2012-05-01

    It is common for leather industries to dump chromium-contaminated effluent into rivers and other bodies of water. Thus, it is crucial to know the impacts caused by this practice to the environment. A study on chromium partitioning and speciation, with determination at trace levels, was carried out in a potentially contaminated creek. Chromium fractionation and speciation was performed using a flow-injection preconcentration system and detection by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. High levels of this element were found in the particulate material (449-9320 mg kg(-1)), which indicates its compatibility with this fraction. The concentration of Cr(iii) in the water samples collected ranged from 5.2-105.2 μg L(-1). Cr(vi) was always below of the DL (0.3 μg L(-1)). Chromium accumulation observed in the sediment (873-1691 mg kg(-1)) may confirm contamination due to the long term release of contaminated effluents in the creek.

  2. Speciation of Mercury in Selected Areas of the Petroleum Value Chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avellan, Astrid; Stegemeier, John P; Gai, Ke; Dale, James; Hsu-Kim, Heileen; Levard, Clément; O'Rear, Dennis; Hoelen, Thomas P; Lowry, Gregory V

    2018-02-06

    Petroleum, natural gas, and natural gas condensate can contain low levels of mercury (Hg). The speciation of Hg can affect its behavior during processing, transport, and storage so efficient and safe management of Hg requires an understanding of its chemical form in oil, gas and byproducts. Here, X-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to determine the Hg speciation in samples of solid residues collected throughout the petroleum value chain including stabilized crude oil residues, sediments from separation tanks and condensate glycol dehydrators, distillation column pipe scale, and biosludge from wastewater treatment. In all samples except glycol dehydrators, metacinnabar (β-HgS) was the primary form of Hg. Electron microscopy on particles from a crude sediment showed nanosized (crude oil being processed, i.e. sweet (low sulfur crudes) vs sour (higher sulfur crudes). This information on Hg speciation in the petroleum value chain will inform development of better engineering controls and management practices for Hg.

  3. Speciation, in the nuclear fuel cycle by spectroscopic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colette, S.; Plancque, G.; Allain, F.; Lamouroux, C.; Steiner, V.; Amekraz, B.; Moulin, C.

    2000-01-01

    New analytical techniques allowing to perform speciation in the framework of the nuclear fuel cycle are more and more needed. They have to be selective (since matrix encountered are very complex), sensitive (in order to work at representative concentration and below solubility limit), as well as non intrusive (in order to keep the image of the real solution). Among them, laser-based analytical techniques present these advantages together with the possibility to perform remote measurements via fiber optics. Hence, Time-Resolved Laser-Induced Fluorescence (TRLIF) has been used for actinides/lanthanides interaction and speciation studies in inorganic and organic matrices from the reprocessing to waste storage. Moreover, new ion detection methods such as Electro-Spray - Mass Spectrometry (ES-MS) seems promising for speciation studies. Hence, it is the first time that it is possible to directly couple a liquid at atmospheric pressure to a mass detection working at reduced pressure with a soft mode of ionisation that should allow to give informations on chemical species present. Principle, advantages and limitations as well as results obtained with the use of TRLIF and ES-MS on different systems of interest including actinides, lanthanides, fission products in interaction with simple organic molecules to very complex structure will be presented and discussed. (authors)

  4. Speciation, in the nuclear fuel cycle by spectroscopic techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colette, S.; Plancque, G.; Allain, F.; Lamouroux, C.; Steiner, V.; Amekraz, B.; Moulin, C. [CEA/Saclay, Dept, des Procedes d' Enrichissement (DPE), 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

    2000-07-01

    New analytical techniques allowing to perform speciation in the framework of the nuclear fuel cycle are more and more needed. They have to be selective (since matrix encountered are very complex), sensitive (in order to work at representative concentration and below solubility limit), as well as non intrusive (in order to keep the image of the real solution). Among them, laser-based analytical techniques present these advantages together with the possibility to perform remote measurements via fiber optics. Hence, Time-Resolved Laser-Induced Fluorescence (TRLIF) has been used for actinides/lanthanides interaction and speciation studies in inorganic and organic matrices from the reprocessing to waste storage. Moreover, new ion detection methods such as Electro-Spray - Mass Spectrometry (ES-MS) seems promising for speciation studies. Hence, it is the first time that it is possible to directly couple a liquid at atmospheric pressure to a mass detection working at reduced pressure with a soft mode of ionisation that should allow to give informations on chemical species present. Principle, advantages and limitations as well as results obtained with the use of TRLIF and ES-MS on different systems of interest including actinides, lanthanides, fission products in interaction with simple organic molecules to very complex structure will be presented and discussed. (authors)

  5. Contribution of neutron activation analysis and radioanalytical techniques to trace element speciation in environmental analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gallorini, M.; Orvini, E.; Sabbioni, E.; Pietra, R.

    1984-01-01

    The feasibility of the NAA in contributing to trace element speciation in environmental and biological samples is shown by a few selected applications. They are: (i) the determination of different species of vanadium, arsenic and selenium in freshwater. The pre-irradiation treatments in which the different chemical species are selectively isolated are critically evaluated. Problems arising from possible contaminations or losses and from blanks are discussed; (ii) the use of NAA in metallobiochemical speciation once biochemical methods of cellular fractionation for the isolation of metallobiocomplexes are developed. Examples concern the biochemical speciation of vanadium in human blood and the development of a method for speciation of inorganic and organic arsenic compounds in biological samples. The use of radioanalytical techniques in developing the separation procedures of different trace metal chemical and biochemical species is also briefly discussed. 24 references, 5 figures, 4 tables

  6. Genomic support for speciation and specificity of baculoviruses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jakubowska, A.K.

    2010-01-01

    Keywords: baculovirus, insects, speciation, genomics, phylogeny, host specificity

    The Baculoviridae comprise a large family of double-stranded DNA viruses infecting
    arthropods. In this thesis two baculoviruses, Leucoma salicis nucleopolyhedrovirus
    (LesaNPV) and Agrotis

  7. Effects of pH and Competing Anions on the Solution Speciation of Arsenic by Ion Exchange Resins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Impellitteri, Christopher A.; Ryan, JAmes A.; Al-Abed, Souhail R.; Scheckel, Kirk G.; Randall, Paul M.; Richardson, Collin A.

    2003-03-26

    Anion-exchange resins (AER) are used to differentiate As(V) and As(III) by retaining As(V) and allowing As(III) to pass through. AERs allow rapid speciation of As in the field which precludes the effects of sample preservation on As speciation. Aqueous environmental samples contain anions that may interfere with the speciation of As. This study compares the speciation of As by two commercially available AERs. A silica-based AER was selected for further study. As(V) and As(III) were passed through the AER in the presence of NO3 -, SO4 2-, HPO4 2-, Cl- and HCO3 - at pH 4, 6 and 8. Recoveries of As species in mixed systems range between 90 to 100%. Breakthrough curves for As(V) are presented which allow calculation of loading rates. HPO4 2- has the greatest effect on the speciation of As by AER.

  8. Lineage-specific responses of tooth shape in murine rodents (murinae, rodentia) to late Miocene dietary change in the Siwaliks of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimura, Yuri; Jacobs, Louis L; Flynn, Lawrence J

    2013-01-01

    Past ecological responses of mammals to climate change are recognized in the fossil record by adaptive significance of morphological variations. To understand the role of dietary behavior on functional adaptations of dental morphology in rodent evolution, we examine evolutionary change of tooth shape in late Miocene Siwalik murine rodents, which experienced a dietary shift toward C4 diets during late Miocene ecological change indicated by carbon isotopic evidence. Geometric morphometric analysis in the outline of upper first molars captures dichotomous lineages of Siwalik murines, in agreement with phylogenetic hypotheses of previous studies (two distinct clades: the Karnimata and Progonomys clades), and indicates lineage-specific functional responses to mechanical properties of their diets. Tooth shapes of the two clades are similar at their sympatric origin but deviate from each other with decreasing overlap through time. Shape change in the Karnimata clade is associated with greater efficiency of propalinal chewing for tough diets than in the Progonomys clade. Larger body mass in Karnimata may be related to exploitation of lower-quality food items, such as grasses, than in smaller-bodied Progonomys. The functional and ecophysiological aspects of Karnimata exploiting C4 grasses are concordant with their isotopic dietary preference relative to Progonomys. Lineage-specific selection was differentially greater in Karnimata, and a faster rate of shape change toward derived Karnimata facilitated inclusion of C4 grasses in the diet. Sympatric speciation in these clades is most plausibly explained by interspecific competition on resource utilization between the two, based on comparisons of our results with the carbon isotope data. Interspecific competition with Karnimata may have suppressed morphological innovation of the Progonomys clade. Pairwise analyses of morphological and carbon isotope data can uncover ecological causes of sympatric speciation and define

  9. Lineage-specific responses of tooth shape in murine rodents (murinae, rodentia to late Miocene dietary change in the Siwaliks of Pakistan.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuri Kimura

    Full Text Available Past ecological responses of mammals to climate change are recognized in the fossil record by adaptive significance of morphological variations. To understand the role of dietary behavior on functional adaptations of dental morphology in rodent evolution, we examine evolutionary change of tooth shape in late Miocene Siwalik murine rodents, which experienced a dietary shift toward C4 diets during late Miocene ecological change indicated by carbon isotopic evidence. Geometric morphometric analysis in the outline of upper first molars captures dichotomous lineages of Siwalik murines, in agreement with phylogenetic hypotheses of previous studies (two distinct clades: the Karnimata and Progonomys clades, and indicates lineage-specific functional responses to mechanical properties of their diets. Tooth shapes of the two clades are similar at their sympatric origin but deviate from each other with decreasing overlap through time. Shape change in the Karnimata clade is associated with greater efficiency of propalinal chewing for tough diets than in the Progonomys clade. Larger body mass in Karnimata may be related to exploitation of lower-quality food items, such as grasses, than in smaller-bodied Progonomys. The functional and ecophysiological aspects of Karnimata exploiting C4 grasses are concordant with their isotopic dietary preference relative to Progonomys. Lineage-specific selection was differentially greater in Karnimata, and a faster rate of shape change toward derived Karnimata facilitated inclusion of C4 grasses in the diet. Sympatric speciation in these clades is most plausibly explained by interspecific competition on resource utilization between the two, based on comparisons of our results with the carbon isotope data. Interspecific competition with Karnimata may have suppressed morphological innovation of the Progonomys clade. Pairwise analyses of morphological and carbon isotope data can uncover ecological causes of sympatric speciation

  10. Moran model as a dynamical process on networks and its implications for neutral speciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Aguiar, Marcus A. M.; Bar-Yam, Yaneer

    2011-03-01

    In population genetics, the Moran model describes the neutral evolution of a biallelic gene in a population of haploid individuals subjected to mutations. We show in this paper that this model can be mapped into an influence dynamical process on networks subjected to external influences. The panmictic case considered by Moran corresponds to fully connected networks and can be completely solved in terms of hypergeometric functions. Other types of networks correspond to structured populations, for which approximate solutions are also available. This approach to the classic Moran model leads to a relation between regular networks based on spatial grids and the mechanism of isolation by distance. We discuss the consequences of this connection for topopatric speciation and the theory of neutral speciation and biodiversity. We show that the effect of mutations in structured populations, where individuals can mate only with neighbors, is greatly enhanced with respect to the panmictic case. If mating is further constrained by genetic proximity between individuals, a balance of opposing tendencies takes place: increasing diversity promoted by enhanced effective mutations versus decreasing diversity promoted by similarity between mates. Resolution of large enough opposing tendencies occurs through speciation via pattern formation. We derive an explicit expression that indicates when speciation is possible involving the parameters characterizing the population. We also show that the time to speciation is greatly reduced in comparison with the panmictic case.

  11. Abnormal albuminuria and blood pressure rise in incipient diabetic nephropathy induced by exercise

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Cramer

    1984-01-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of light to moderate dynamic work (450 kpm/min followed by 600 kpm/min during 20 min each) on the blood pressure and renal protein handling in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with incipient nephropathy (D3) (elevated baseline albumin excretion...... diastolic blood pressure was elevated [92.1 mm Hg +/- 6.0 (mean +/- SD)] compared to D2 (80.9 mm Hg +/- 4.8, 2P = 0.003%) and C (79.5 mm Hg +/- 12.4, 2P = 1.2%). Baseline systolic blood pressure was not significantly different in the three groups, but systolic blood pressure was more elevated at 600 kpm...... blood pressure and maximal exercise induced albumin excretion was demonstrable in D3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)...

  12. Assessment of uranium and selenium speciation in human and bacterial biological models to probe changes in their structural environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avoscan, L.; Milgram, S.; Untereiner, G.; Collins, R.; Khodja, H.; Carriere, M.; Gouget, B.; Coves, J.; Hazemann, J.L.

    2009-01-01

    This study illustrates the potential of physicochemical techniques to speciate uranium (U) and selenium (Se) in biological samples. Speciation, defined he0re as the study of structural environment, of both toxic elements, was characterized at several levels in biological media and directly in human cells or bacteria once the metal(loid)s were internalized. External speciation that is extracellular speciation in culture media was predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium computer modelling using the JChess software and validated by spectroscopic measurements (XANES and EXAFS). Internal speciation that is intracellular speciation in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells was studied in vitro with a soil bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 and ROS 17/2.8 osteoblasts, human cells responsible for bone formation. XANES, EXAFS, HPLC-ICP-MS and SDS-PAGE coupled to particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) permitted the identification and quantification of complexes formed with organic or inorganic molecules and/or larger proteins. (orig.)

  13. Assessment of uranium and selenium speciation in human and bacterial biological models to probe changes in their structural environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Avoscan, L.; Milgram, S.; Untereiner, G.; Collins, R.; Khodja, H.; Carriere, M.; Gouget, B. [Lab. Pierre Sue, CEA-CNRS UMR 9956, CEA/Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Coves, J. [Inst. de Biologie Structurale - J.-P. Ebel, Lab. des Proteines Membranaires, Grenoble (France); Hazemann, J.L. [Lab. de Geophysique Interne et Tectonopbysique, UMR CNRS/Univ. Joseph Fourier, Saint-Martin-D' Heres (France)

    2009-07-01

    This study illustrates the potential of physicochemical techniques to speciate uranium (U) and selenium (Se) in biological samples. Speciation, defined he0re as the study of structural environment, of both toxic elements, was characterized at several levels in biological media and directly in human cells or bacteria once the metal(loid)s were internalized. External speciation that is extracellular speciation in culture media was predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium computer modelling using the JChess software and validated by spectroscopic measurements (XANES and EXAFS). Internal speciation that is intracellular speciation in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells was studied in vitro with a soil bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 and ROS 17/2.8 osteoblasts, human cells responsible for bone formation. XANES, EXAFS, HPLC-ICP-MS and SDS-PAGE coupled to particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) permitted the identification and quantification of complexes formed with organic or inorganic molecules and/or larger proteins. (orig.)

  14. Speciation, phenotypic variation and plasticity: what can endocrine disruptors tell us?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayala-García, Braulio; López-Santibáñez Guevara, Marta; Marcos-Camacho, Lluvia I; Fuentes-Farías, Alma L; Meléndez-Herrera, Esperanza; Gutiérrez-Ospina, Gabriel

    2013-01-01

    Phenotype variability, phenotypic plasticity, and the inheritance of phenotypic traits constitute the fundamental ground of processes such as individuation, individual and species adaptation and ultimately speciation. Even though traditional evolutionary thinking relies on genetic mutations as the main source of intra- and interspecies phenotypic variability, recent studies suggest that the epigenetic modulation of gene transcription and translation, epigenetic memory, and epigenetic inheritance are by far the most frequent reliable sources of transgenerational variability among viable individuals within and across organismal species. Therefore, individuation and speciation should be considered as nonmutational epigenetic phenomena.

  15. Speciation, Phenotypic Variation and Plasticity: What Can Endocrine Disruptors Tell Us?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Braulio Ayala-García

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Phenotype variability, phenotypic plasticity, and the inheritance of phenotypic traits constitute the fundamental ground of processes such as individuation, individual and species adaptation and ultimately speciation. Even though traditional evolutionary thinking relies on genetic mutations as the main source of intra- and interspecies phenotypic variability, recent studies suggest that the epigenetic modulation of gene transcription and translation, epigenetic memory, and epigenetic inheritance are by far the most frequent reliable sources of transgenerational variability among viable individuals within and across organismal species. Therefore, individuation and speciation should be considered as nonmutational epigenetic phenomena.

  16. Haemosporida prevalence and diversity are similar in endangered wild whooping cranes (Grus americana) and sympatric sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertram, Miranda R; Hamer, Gabriel L; Hartup, Barry K; Snowden, Karen F; Medeiros, Matthew C; Hamer, Sarah A

    2017-04-01

    The population growth of endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana) is not consistent with species recovery goals, and the impact of parasite infection on whooping crane populations is largely unknown. Disease ecology and epidemiology research of endangered species is often hindered by limited ability to conduct invasive sampling on the target taxa. Accordingly, we hypothesized that sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) would be a useful surrogate species to investigate the health impacts of Haemosporida infection in whooping cranes. Our goal was to compare the prevalence and diversity of Haemosporida infection between whooping cranes and sandhill cranes. We detected an overall infection prevalence of 83·6% (n = 61) in whooping cranes and 59·6% (n = 47) and 63·6 (n = 22) in two sympatric sandhill crane populations captured in Texas. Prevalence was significantly lower in allopatric sandhill cranes captured in New Mexico (12·1%, n = 33). Haemoproteus antigonis was the most abundant haemoparasite in cranes, present in 57·4% of whooping cranes and 39·2% of sandhill cranes; Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon were present at significantly lower levels. The high prevalence of Haemosporida in whooping cranes and sympatric sandhill cranes, with shared parasite lineages between the two species, supports sandhill cranes as a surrogate species for understanding health threats to endangered whooping cranes.

  17. Pb Speciation Data to Estimate Lead Bioavailability to Quail

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Linear combination fitting data for lead speciation of soil samples evaluated through an in-vivo/in-vitro correlation for quail exposure. This dataset is associated...

  18. Transuranium element behavior in the environment: What speciation studies can tell us

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cleveland, J.M.

    1989-01-01

    Some of the transuranium elements - especially plutonium - can exist in the environment in several different oxidation states which differ chemically from one another as much as if they were different elements. Hence an understanding of the environmental chemistry of these elements requires knowledge of their oxidation-state distribution, or speciation, under a variety of realistic conditions. Such studies are in their infancy, but already several chemical speciation methods have yielded results indicating the uniqueness of transuranic environment chemistry; for example, dioxoplutonium(V), which is unstable in the acid solutions employed in laboratory and processing plant, is often the most prevalent plutonium oxidation state in natural waters. More sensitive and less invasive physical speciation methods under development will hopefully permit the extension of these studies to a wider variety of environmental conditions and to determinations of sorbed species necessary for an understanding of sorption processes

  19. Guidelines for terms related to chemical speciations and fractionation of elements : definitions, structural aspects, and methodological approaches (IUPAC Recommendations 2000)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Templeton, D.M.; Ariese, F.; Cornelis, R.; Danielsson, L.G.; Muntau, H.; Leeuwen, van H.P.; Lobínski, R.

    2000-01-01

    This paper presents definitions of concepts related to speciation of elements, more particularly speciation analysis and chemical species. Fractionation is distinguished from speciation analysis, and a general outline of fractionation procedures is given. We propose a categorization of species

  20. Characterizing Zinc Speciation in Soils from a Smelter-Affected Boreal Forest Ecosystem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamilton, Jordan G; Farrell, Richard E; Chen, Ning; Feng, Renfei; Reid, Joel; Peak, Derek

    2016-03-01

    HudBay Minerals, Inc., has mined and/or processed Zn and Cu ore in Flin Flon, MB, Canada, since the 1930s. The boreal forest ecosystem and soil surrounding these facilities have been severely impacted by mixed metal contamination and HSO deposition. Zinc is one of the most prevalent smelter-derived contaminants and has been identified as a key factor that may be limiting revegetation. Metal toxicity is related to both total concentrations and speciation; therefore, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence mapping were used to characterize Zn speciation in soils throughout the most heavily contaminated areas of the landscape. Zinc speciation was linked to two distinct soil types. Group I soils consist of exposed soils in weathered positions of bedrock outcrops with Zn present primarily as franklinite, a (ZnFeO) spinel mineral. Group II soils are stabilized by an invasive metal-tolerant grass species, with Zn found as a mixture of octahedral (Fe oxides) and tetrahedral Mn oxides) adsorption complexes with a franklinite component. Soil erosion influences Zn speciation through the redistribution of Zn and soil particulates from Group I landscape positions to Group II soils. Despite Group II soils having the highest concentrations of CaCl-extractable Zn, they support metal-tolerant plant growth. The metal-tolerant plants are probably preferentially colonizing these areas due to better soil and nutrient conditions as a result of soil deposition from upslope Group I areas. Zinc concentration and speciation appears to not influence the colonization by metal-tolerant grasses, but the overall soil properties and erosion effects prevent the revegetation by native boreal forest species. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  1. Genetic analysis on three South Indian sympatric hipposiderid bats (Chiroptera, Hipposideridae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanagaraj, C

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available In mitochondrial DNA, variations in the sequence of 16S rRNA region were analyzed to infer the genetic relationship and population history of three sympatric hipposiderid bats, Hipposideros speoris, H. fulvus and H. ater. Based on the DNA sequence data, we observed relatively lower haplotype and higher nucleotide diversity in H. speoris than in the other two species. The pairwise comparisons of the genetic divergence inferred a genetic relationship between the three hipposiderid bats. We used haplotype sequences to construct a phylogenetic tree. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analysis generated a tree with similar topology. H. fulvus and H. ater formed one cluster and H. speoris formed another cluster. Analysis of the demographic history of populations using Jajima’s D test revealed past changes in populations. Comparison of the observed distribution of pairwise differences in the nucleotides with expected sudden expansion model accepts for H. fulvus and H. ater but not for H. speoris populations.

  2. Arsenic Speciation and Cadmium Determination in Tobacco Leaves, Ash and Smoke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwai, Takahiro; Chiba, Koichi; Narukawa, Tomohiro

    2016-01-01

    The concentrations of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in the tobacco leaves, ash and smoke of 10 kinds of cigarettes collected from different countries worldwide were determined by ICP-MS after microwave-assisted digestion. Total As and Cd concentrations in the tobacco leaves ranged from 0.20 to 0.63 and 1.8 to 9.9 mg kg(-1), respectively. By the speciation analysis of As in tobacco leaves and ash by HPLC-ICP-MS following acid extraction, arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] were determined and trace amounts of monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO), tetramethylarsonium (TeMA) and some unidentified As species were also found. Arsenic speciation for smoke absorbed in an aqueous solution was carried out. The sum of the As species in tobacco leaves, ash and smoke was in good agreement with the result of total As determination in each sample, and the recoveries of speciation were 100 ± 10%. The distributions and the behaviors of As species were clarified.

  3. Genetic structure and breeding system of a rare understory herb, Dysosma versipellis (Berberidaceae), from temperate deciduous forests in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Bi-Cai; Fu, Cheng-Xing; Qiu, Ying-Xiong; Zhou, Shi-Liang; Comes, Hans Peter

    2010-01-01

    To evaluate the role of Quaternary refugial isolation in allopatric (incipient) speciation of East Asian temperate forest biotas, we analyzed amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and the breeding system in Dysosma versipellis. The study revealed that D. versipellis is mostly self-incompatible, genetically highly subdivided and depauperate at the population level (e.g., Φ(ST) = 0.572/H(E) = 0.083), and characterized by a low pollen-to-seed migration ratio (r ≈ 4.0). The latter outcome likely reflects limited pollen flow in a low-seed disperser whose hypothesized "sapromyophilous" flowers undergo scarce, inefficient, and likely specialized cross-pollination by small Anoplodera beetles, rather than carrion flies as assumed previously. In consequence, fruit set in D. versipellis was strongly pollen-limited. Our AFLP data support the hypothesis of a long-standing cessation of gene flow between western and central eastern populations, consistent with previous chloroplast DNA data. This phylogeographic pattern supports the role of the Sichuan Basin as a floristic boundary separating the Sino-Himalayan vs. Sino-Japanese Forest subkingdoms. Our genetic data of D. versipellis also imply that temperate deciduous forest elements to the west and the east of this basin responded differently to Quaternary climate change, which may have triggered or is leading to allopatric (incipient) speciation.

  4. Evolution and molecular control of hybrid incompatibility in plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Chen

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Postzygotic reproductive isolation (RI plays an important role in speciation. According to the stage at which it functions and the symptoms it displays, postzygotic RI can be called hybrid inviability, hybrid weakness or necrosis, hybrid sterility, or hybrid breakdown. In this review, we summarized new findings about hybrid incompatibilities in plants, most of which are from studies on Arabidopsis and rice. Recent progress suggests that hybrid incompatibility is a by-product of co-evolution either with parasitic selfish elements in the genome or with invasive microbes in the natural environment. We discuss the environmental influences on the expression of hybrid incompatibility and the possible effects of environment-dependent hybrid incompatibility on sympatric speciation. We also discuss the role of domestication on the evolution of hybrid incompatibilities.

  5. Sex ratios, mating frequencies and relative abundance of sympatric millipedes in the genus Chersastus (Diplopoda: Pachybolidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Ian Cooper

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Three hypotheses exist for explaining climbing behavior in millipedes: 1 waterlogging, 2 detritus limiting, and 3 mate avoidance. Data of sex ratios, mating frequency and relative abundance are provided to suggest an alternative explanation for the pattern in sympatric forest millipedes. Sex ratio differences - from equality - were tested using a G-test comparing millipedes on and above ground. Mating frequencies were calculated based on the percentage of paired individuals. Relative abundance may correlate with male-biases in the sex ratios. All three factors suggest Chersastus inscriptus has a higher reproductive potential than C. anulatus. This is evidence for mating hotspots.

  6. Tungsten Speciation in Firing Range Soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    satisfactorily, such as: which tungsten mineral phase is present in soil and to what extent is adsorption important in regu- lating soil solution concentrations... soil solution rather than discrete mineral phases. Information provided in this report will assist the following organizations in future decision...the soil solution ERDC TR-11-1 43 must affect tungsten speciation in other ways. The precipitation of soil minerals also would limit tungsten

  7. Out of Asia: An Allopatric Model for the Evolution of the Domestic Dog

    OpenAIRE

    Braude, Stan; Gladman, Justin

    2013-01-01

    The domestication of the dog has been a ripe area of evolutionary speculation for more than 150 years. A wolf ancestry and probable East Asian origin of domestication are now widely accepted. We offer a new allopatric hypothesis for the domestication of dogs that recognizes the importance of isolation in the speciation of the dog from the wolf. Although sympatric isolation during domestication of many other species would not have been problematic, it has always been difficult to keep dogs fro...

  8. Speciation and Persistence of Dimethoate in the Aquatic Environment

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Speciation and Persistence of Dimethoate in the Aquatic Environment: Characterization in Terms of a Rate Model that Takes Into Account Hydrolysis, Photolysis, Microbial Degradation and Adsorption of the Pesticide by Colloidal and Sediment Particles.

  9. Prevention of incipient diabetic nephropathy by high-dose thiamine and benfotiamine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babaei-Jadidi, Roya; Karachalias, Nikolaos; Ahmed, Naila; Battah, Sinan; Thornalley, Paul J

    2003-08-01

    Accumulation of triosephosphates arising from high cytosolic glucose concentrations in hyperglycemia is the trigger for biochemical dysfunction leading to the development of diabetic nephropathy-a common complication of diabetes associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Here we report that stimulation of the reductive pentosephosphate pathway by high-dose therapy with thiamine and the thiamine monophosphate derivative benfotiamine countered the accumulation of triosephosphates in experimental diabetes and inhibited the development of incipient nephropathy. High-dose thiamine and benfotiamine therapy increased transketolase expression in renal glomeruli, increased the conversion of triosephosphates to ribose-5-phosphate, and strongly inhibited the development of microalbuminuria. This was associated with decreased activation of protein kinase C and decreased protein glycation and oxidative stress-three major pathways of biochemical dysfunction in hyperglycemia. Benfotiamine also inhibited diabetes-induced hyperfiltration. This was achieved without change in elevated plasma glucose concentration and glycated hemoglobin in the diabetic state. High-dose thiamine and benfotiamine therapy is a potential novel strategy for the prevention of clinical diabetic nephropathy.

  10. Genome-wide mapping in a house mouse hybrid zone reveals hybrid sterility loci and Dobzhansky-Muller interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Leslie M; Harr, Bettina

    2014-12-09

    Mapping hybrid defects in contact zones between incipient species can identify genomic regions contributing to reproductive isolation and reveal genetic mechanisms of speciation. The house mouse features a rare combination of sophisticated genetic tools and natural hybrid zones between subspecies. Male hybrids often show reduced fertility, a common reproductive barrier between incipient species. Laboratory crosses have identified sterility loci, but each encompasses hundreds of genes. We map genetic determinants of testis weight and testis gene expression using offspring of mice captured in a hybrid zone between M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. Many generations of admixture enables high-resolution mapping of loci contributing to these sterility-related phenotypes. We identify complex interactions among sterility loci, suggesting multiple, non-independent genetic incompatibilities contribute to barriers to gene flow in the hybrid zone.

  11. Void fraction and incipient point of boiling during the subcooled nucleate flow boiling of water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Unal, H.C.

    1977-01-01

    Void fraction has been determined with high-speed photography for subcooled nucleate flow boiling of water. The data obtained and the data of various investigators for adiabatic flow of stream-water mixtures and saturated bulk boiling of water have yielded a correlation which covers the following conditions: geometry: vertically orientated circular tubes, rectangular channels and annuli; pressure: 2 to 15.9 MN/m 2 ; mass velocity: 388 to 3500 kg/m 2 s; void fraction: 0 to 99%; hydraulic diameter: 0.0047 to 0.0343 m; heat flux: adiabatic and 0.01 to 2.0 MW/m 2 . The accuracy of the correlation is estimated to be 12.5%. The value of the so-called distribution (or flow) parameter has been experimentally determined and found to be equal to 1 for a vertical small-diameter circular tube. The incipient point of boiling for subcooled nucleate flow boiling of water has been determined with high-speed photography. The data obtained and the data available in the literature have yielded a correlation which covers the following conditions: geometry: plate, circular tube and inner tube-heated, outer tube-heated and inner - and outer tube heated annulus; pressure: 0.15 to 15.9 MN/m 2 ; mass velocity: 470 to 17355 kg/m 2 s; hydraulic diameter: 0.00239 to 0.032 m; heat flux: 0.13 to 9.8 MW/m 2 ; subcooling: 2.6 to 108 K; material of heating surface: stainless steel and nickel. The accuracy of the correlation is estimated to be 27.5%. Maximum bubble diameters have been measured at the incipient point of boiling. These data and the data from literature have been correlated for the pressure range of 0.1 to 15.9 MN/m 2 . (author)

  12. A Z-linked sterility locus causes sexual abstinence in hybrid females and facilitates speciation in Spodoptera frugiperda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kost, S.; Heckel, D.G.; Yoshido, A.; Marec, F.; Groot, A.T.

    In the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), two sympatric strains have been recognized that have been termed corn strain (C) and rice strain (R), referring to their most common host plants. Both strains are reproductively isolated via a distinct prezygotic barrier as well

  13. Host-related genetic differentiation in the anther smut fungus Microbotryum violaceum in sympatric, parapatric and allopatric populations of two host species Silene latifolia and S. dioica

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Putten, W.F.; Biere, A.; Van Damme, J.M.M.

    2005-01-01

    We investigated genetic diversity in West European populations of the fungal pathogen Microbotryum violaceum in sympatric, parapatric and allopatric populations of the host species Silene latifolia and S. dioica, using four polymorphic microsatellite loci. In allopatric host populations, the fungus

  14. Host-related genetic differentiation in the anther smut fungus Microbotryum violaceum in sympatric, parapatric and allopatric populations of two host species Silene latifolia and S-dioica

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Putten, WF; Biere, A; Van Damme, JMM

    We investigated genetic diversity in West European populations of the fungal pathogen Microbotryum violaceum in sympatric, parapatric and allopatric populations of the host species Silene latifolia and S. dioica, using four polymorphic microsatellite loci. In allopatric host populations, the fungus

  15. Trace metal characterization and speciation in geothermal effluent by multiple scanning anodic stripping voltammetry and atomic absorption analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kowalski, B.R.

    1979-05-25

    Recent studies have shown geothermal power plants to have a significant environmental impact on the ground water of the area. The heavy metals arsenic and mercury are special problems, as both are concentrated by flora and fauna exposed to the effluent waters. Because the toxicity of these and other metallic pollutants present in geothermal effluent depends on the chemical form, or speciation, of the particular metal, any serious study of the environmental impact of a geothermal development should include studies of trace metal speciation, in addition to trace metal concentration. This proposal details a method for determining metal speciation in dilute waters. The method is based on ion-exchange and backed by atomic absorption spectrometry and multiple scanning anodic stripping voltammetry. Special laboratory studies will be performed on mercury, arsenic and selenium speciation in synthetic geothermal water. The method will be applied to three known geothermal areas in Washington and Oregon, with emphasis on the speciation of mercury, arsenic and selenium in these waters. The computer controlled electrochemical instrumentation was built and tested. Using this instrumentation, a new experimental procedure was developed to determine the chemical form (speciation) of metal ions in very dilute solutions (ng/ml). This method was tested on model systems including Pb, Cd, and As with C1/sup -/, CO/sub 3//sup 2 -/ and glycine ligands. Finally, the speciation of lead in a geothermal water was examined and the PbC1/sup +/ complex was observed and quantified.

  16. The Lund University Checklist for Incipient Exhaustion: a prospective validation of the onset of sustained stress and exhaustion warnings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Österberg

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The need for instruments that can assist in detecting the prodromal stages of stress-related exhaustion has been acknowledged. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the Lund University Checklist for Incipient Exhaustion (LUCIE could accurately and prospectively detect the onset of incipient exhaustion and to what extent work stressor exposure and private burdens were associated with increasing LUCIE scores. Methods Using surveys, 1355 employees were followed for 11 quarters. Participants with prospectively elevated LUCIE scores were targeted by three algorithms entailing 4 quarters: (1 abrupt onset to a sustained Stress Warning (n = 18, (2 gradual onset to a sustained Stress Warning (n = 42, and (3 sustained Exhaustion Warning (n = 36. The targeted participants’ survey reports on changes in work situation and private life during the fulfillment of any algorithm criteria were analyzed, together with the interview data. Participants untargeted by the algorithms constituted a control group (n = 745. Results Eighty-seven percent of participants fulfilling any LUCIE algorithm criteria (LUCIE indication cases rated a negative change in their work situation during the 4 quarters, compared to 48 % of controls. Ratings of negative changes in private life were also more common in the LUCIE indication groups than among controls (58 % vs. 29 %, but free-text commentaries revealed that almost half of the ratings in the LUCIE indication groups were due to work-to-family conflicts and health problems caused by excessive workload, assigned more properly to work-related negative changes. When excluding the themes related to work-stress-related private life compromises, negative private life changes in the LUCIE indication groups dropped from 58 to 32 %, while only a negligible drop from 29 to 26 % was observed among controls. In retrospective interviews, 79 % of the LUCIE indication participants

  17. Genetic diversity of Haemonchus contortus isolated from sympatric wild blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) and sheep in Helan Mountains, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Dong-Dong; Wang, Ji-Fei; Zhang, Dan-Yu; Peng, Zhi-Wei; Yang, Tian-Yun; Wang, Zhao-Ding; Bowman, Dwight D; Hou, Zhi-Jun; Liu, Zhen-Sheng

    2017-09-19

    Haemonchus contortus is known among parasitic nematodes as one of the major veterinary pathogens of small ruminants and results in great economic losses worldwide. Human activities, such as the sympatric grazing of wild with domestic animals, may place susceptible wildlife hosts at risk of increased prevalence and infection intensity with this common small ruminant parasite. Studies on phylogenetic factors of H. contortus should assist in defining the amount of the impact of anthropogenic factors on the extent of sharing of agents such as this nematode between domestic animals and wildlife. H. contortus specimens (n = 57) were isolated from wild blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) inhabiting Helan Mountains (HM), China and additional H. contortus specimens (n = 20) were isolated from domestic sheep that were grazed near the natural habitat of the blue sheep. Complete ITS2 (second internal transcribed spacer) sequences and partial sequences of the nad4 (nicotinamide dehydrogenase subunit 4 gene) gene were amplified to determine the sequence variations and population genetic diversities between these two populations. Also, 142 nad4 haplotype sequences of H. contortus from seven other geographical regions of China were retrieved from database to further examine the H. contortus population structure. Sequence analysis revealed 10 genotypes (ITS2) and 73 haplotypes (nad4) among the 77 specimens, with nucleotide diversities of 0.007 and 0.021, respectively, similar to previous studies in other countries, such as Pakistan, Malaysia and Yemen. Phylogenetic analyses (BI, MP, NJ) of nad4 sequences showed that there were no noticeable boundaries among H. contortus populations from different geographical origin and population genetic analyses revealed that most of the variation (94.21%) occurred within H. contortus populations. All phylogenetic analyses indicated that there was little genetic differentiation but a high degree of gene flow among the H. contortus populations among

  18. saosakwe@yahoo.com Chemical Speciation and Mobility of Some

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Michael Horsfall

    ABSTRACT: The mobility of some heavy metals (Fe, Co, Ni and Mn) in soils around ... Sampling and Analysis: Soil samples were collected ..... Speciation Studies of trace elements levels in .... Characterization of Radioactive Particles in the.

  19. Acoustic divergence in the communication of cryptic species of nocturnal primates (Microcebus ssp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zimmermann Elke

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A central question in evolutionary biology is how cryptic species maintain species cohesiveness in an area of sympatry. The coexistence of sympatrically living cryptic species requires the evolution of species-specific signalling and recognition systems. In nocturnal, dispersed living species, specific vocalisations have been suggested to act as an ideal premating isolation mechanism. We studied the structure and perception of male advertisement calls of three nocturnal, dispersed living mouse lemur species, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus, the golden brown mouse lemur (M. ravelobensis and the Goodman's mouse lemur (M. lehilahytsara. The first two species occur sympatrically, the latter lives allopatrically to them. Results A multi-parameter sound analysis revealed prominent differences in the frequency contour and in the duration of advertisement calls. To test whether mouse lemurs respond specifically to calls of the different species, we conducted a playback experiment with M. murinus from the field using advertisement calls and alarm whistle calls of all three species. Individuals responded significantly stronger to conspecific than to heterospecific advertisement calls but there were no differences in response behaviour towards statistically similar whistle calls of the three species. Furthermore, sympatric calls evoked weaker interest than allopatric advertisement calls. Conclusion Our results provide the first evidence for a specific relevance of social calls for speciation in cryptic primates. They furthermore support that specific differences in signalling and recognition systems represent an efficient premating isolation mechanism contributing to species cohesiveness in sympatrically living species.

  20. Differential survival between visual environments supports a role of divergent sensory drive in cichlid fish speciation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maan, Martine E.; Seehausen, Ole; Groothuis, Ton G. G.

    Identifying the selective forces that initiate ecological speciation is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Sensory drive has been implicated in speciation in various taxa, largely based on phenotype-environment correlations and signatures of selection in sensory genes. Here, we present a

  1. Fractionation, characterization and speciation of heavy metals in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Speciation of heavy metals in soils determines the availability for metals for plant uptake and potential for contamination of groundwater following application of composts to agricultural lands. Methods used to characterize heavy metals in solid phase of composts and compost amended soils include physical fractionation ...

  2. Speciation of Fe in Fe-modified zeolite catalysts

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Smoláková, L.; Grygar, Tomáš; Čapek, L.; Schneeweiss, Oldřich; Zbořil, R.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 647, č. 1 (2010), s. 8-19 ISSN 1572-6657 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40320502; CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : solid state speciation * Fe2O3 * heterogeneous catalysts Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 2.732, year: 2010

  3. Speciation of Candida isolates obtained from diarrheal stool

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beena Uppal

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion Candida diarrhea was mostly seen in individuals younger than 12 years, most commonly caused by C. krusei. Resistance to fluconazole was high. A rising resistance to amphotericin B is alarming. Speciation of Candida is important to see the difference in antifungal susceptibility in different species.

  4. Differential Survival between Visual Environments Supports a Role of Divergent Sensory Drive in Cichlid Fish Speciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maan, Martine E; Seehausen, Ole; Groothuis, Ton G G

    2017-01-01

    Identifying the selective forces that initiate ecological speciation is a major challenge in evolutionary biology. Sensory drive has been implicated in speciation in various taxa, largely based on phenotype-environment correlations and signatures of selection in sensory genes. Here, we present a reciprocal transplant experiment revealing species differences in performance in alternative visual environments, consistent with speciation by divergent sensory drive. The closely related cichlids Pundamilia pundamilia and Pundamilia nyererei inhabit different visual environments in Lake Victoria and show associated differences in visual system properties. Mimicking the two light environments in the laboratory, we find a substantial reduction in survival of both species when reared in the other species' visual environment. This implies that the observed differences in Pundamilia color vision are indeed adaptive and substantiates the implicit assumption in sensory drive speciation models that divergent environmental selection is strong enough to drive divergence in sensory properties.

  5. Laser-induced photoacoustic spectroscopy for the speciation of transuranic elements in natural aquatic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, J.I.; Stumpe, R.; Klenze, R.

    1990-08-01

    Laser-induced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (LPAS) is a new elegant instrumentation for the chemical speciation of acoustic transuranium (TRU) ions in very dilute concentrations (> 10 -8 mol L -1 ). The paper describes the principle of LPAS and its application to the study of the chemical behaviour of TRU ions in natural aquatic systems, the knowledge of which has become increasingly in demand in connection with the safety analysis of nuclear waste disposal in the geosphere. The first part of the paper describes the principle, instrumentation and characteristics of LPAS in aqueous solution, taking particular examples from our own experience. The theoretical estimation of the speciation sensitivity is demonstrated and the result is compared with experiment. The second part deals with the spectral work in aqueous solution and then with the aplication of LPAS for the speciation of TRU ions in groundwater. Some examples demonstrated are hydrolysis reaction, complexation and colloid generation of the Am 3+ ion. Speciation sensitivities of U, Np, Pu and Am of different oxidation states in a variety of aqueous solutions are summarized. The application is of course open to a broad field of microchemistry in which the conventional spectrophotometric method has difficulty with sensitivity. (orig.)

  6. Laser-induced photoacoustic spectroscopy for the speciation of transuranic elements in natural aquatic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, J.I.; Stumpe, R.; Klenze, R.

    1991-01-01

    Laser-induced photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) is a new elegant instrumentation for the chemical speciation of aquatic transuranium (TRU) ions in very dilute concentrations (>10 -8 mol L -1 ). The paper describes the principle of LPAS and its application to the study of the chemical behaviour of TRU ions in natural aquatic systems, the knowledge of which has become increasingly in demand in connection with the safety analysis of nuclear waste disposal in the geosphere. The first part of the paper describes the principle, instrumentation and characteristics of LPAS in aqueous solution, taking particular examples from our own experience. The theoretical estimation of the speciation sensitivity is demonstrated and the result is compared with experiment. The second part deals with the spectral work in aqueous solution and then with the application of LPAS for the speciation of TRU ions in groundwater. Some examples demonstrated are hydrolysis reaction, complexation and colloid generation of the Am 3+ ion. Speciation sensitivities of U, Np, Pu and Am of different oxidation states in a variety of aqueous solutions are summarized. The application is of course open to a broad field of microchemistry in which the conventional spectrophotometric method has difficulty with sensitivity

  7. LJUNGSKILE 1.0 A Computer Program for Investigation of Uncertainties in Chemical Speciation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ekberg, Christian; Oedegaard-Jensen, Arvid

    2002-11-01

    In analysing the long-term safety of nuclear waste disposal, there is a need to investigate uncertainties in chemical speciation calculations. Chemical speciation is of importance in evaluating the solubility of radionuclides, the chemical degradation of engineering materials, and chemical processes controlling groundwater composition. The uncertainties in chemical speciation may for instance be related to uncertainties in thermodynamic data, the groundwater composition, or the extrapolation to the actual temperature and ionic strength. The magnitude of such uncertainties and its implications are seldom explicitly evaluated in any detail. Commonly available chemical speciation programmes normally do not have a build-in option to include uncertainty ranges. The program developed within this project has the capability of incorporating uncertainty ranges in speciation calculations and can be used for graphical presentation of uncertainty ranges for dominant species. The program should be regarded as a starting point for assessing uncertainties in chemical speciation, since it is not yet comprehensive in its capabilities. There may be limitations in its usefulness to address various geochemical problems. The LJUNGSKILE code allows the user to select two approaches: the Monte Carlo (MC) approach and the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS). LHS allows to produce a satisfactory statistics with a minimum of CPU time. It is, in general, possible to do a simple theoretical speciation calculation within seconds. There are, admittedly, alternatives to LHS and there is criticism towards the uncritical use of LHS output because commonly correlation between some of the input variables exists. LHS, like MC, is not capable to take these correlations into account. Such a correlation can, i.e. exist between the pH of a solution and the partial pressure of CO 2 : higher pH solutions may absorb larger amounts of CO 2 and can reduce the CO 2 partial pressure. It is therefore of advantage to

  8. Long-term species balance in sympatric populations: implications for Atlantic salmon and brown trout

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Luis Horreo

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The factors determining regional adaptation in salmonids are still unclear, but it is known that changes in their habitat imply changes in their population structure. In this preliminary study we integrate habitat data, molecular analyses (from both nuclear microsatellite and mitochondrial loci and life-history traits (measured on archaeological vertebrae and modern scales of two sympatric salmonid species: Atlantic salmon and brown trout. We propose that water temperature and geological characteristics changed the biogeographic patterns of these species through asymmetric migration and different (but complementary population growth rates. As a consequence, differences in a life-history trait (mean number of years at sea and population sizes were detected between regions, suggesting a process of substitution of Atlantic salmon by brown trout.

  9. Comparison of Radiography, Laser Fluorescence, and Visual Examination in Diagnosing Incipient OcclusalCaries of Permanent First Molars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Bahrololoomi

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Early diagnosis of incipient and non cavitated carious lesions is crucial for performing preventive treatments. The aim of this study was to compare the effi- ciency of three diagnostic methods of bite-wing radiography, DIAGNOdent, and visu- al examination in diagnosing the incipient occlusal caries of permanent first molars.Materials and Methods:  In this diagnostic cross-sectional study, 109 premanent first molar teeth of 31 patients aged 7-13 years were examined visually by bite-wing radi- ograghy, and DIAGNOdent. Scoring of visual and radiography examinations were based on the Ekstrand classification. Visual examination after pit and fissure opening was used as the gold standard. ROC curve (Receiver Operating Characteristics was used to define the best cut-off point for DIAGNodent compareing with gold standard and inter-examiner reproductibility of visual, radiography were assessed using Kappa test and ICC (Intraclass Correlation wase used for DIAGNOdent values.Results: The sensitivity of detecting caries that had extended into the enamel was 81.4%, 86.3%, and 81.4% for visual examination, DIAGNOdent, and radiography, respectively. Moreover, the specificity was 100%, 71.4%, and 100% for visual obser- vation, DIAGNOdent, and radiography, respectively in the enamel. The Kappa index for inter-examiner correlation was 0.7 and 0.8 for visual examination and radiog- raphy, respectively. The ICC (Intraclass Correlation was 0.98 for the values read by DIAGNOdent.Conclusion: Visual examination is rendered as the first choice in the diagnosis of in- cipient caries. In suspicious cases, radiography and laser DIAGNOdent can be used as adjunct procedures.

  10. Speciation on a local geographic scale: the evolution of a rare rock outcrop specialist in Mimulus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferris, Kathleen G; Sexton, Jason P; Willis, John H

    2014-08-05

    Speciation can occur on both large and small geographical scales. In plants, local speciation, where small populations split off from a large-ranged progenitor species, is thought to be the dominant mode, yet there are still few examples to verify speciation has occurred in this manner. A recently described morphological species in the yellow monkey flowers, Mimulus filicifolius, is an excellent candidate for local speciation because of its highly restricted geographical range. Mimulus filicifolius was formerly identified as a population of M. laciniatus due to similar lobed leaf morphology and rocky outcrop habitat. To investigate whether M. filicifolius is genetically divergent and reproductively isolated from M. laciniatus, we examined patterns of genetic diversity in ten nuclear and eight microsatellite loci, and hybrid fertility in M. filicifolius and its purported close relatives: M. laciniatus, M. guttatus and M. nasutus. We found that M. filicifolius is genetically divergent from the other species and strongly reproductively isolated from M. laciniatus. We conclude that M. filicifolius is an independent rock outcrop specialist despite being morphologically and ecologically similar to M. laciniatus, and that its small geographical range nested within other wide-ranging members of the M. guttatus species complex is consistent with local speciation. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  11. Contribution of analytical techniques coupled to the knowledge of the uranium speciation in natural conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petit, J.

    2009-06-01

    To understand the transport mechanisms and the radionuclides behaviour in the bio-geosphere is necessary to evaluate healthy and environmental risks of nuclear industry. These mechanisms are monitored by radioelements speciation, namely the distribution between their different physico-chemical forms in the environment. From this perspective, this PhD thesis deals with uranium speciation in a natural background. A detailed summary of uranium biogeochemistry has been written, which enables to restrict the PhD issue to uranium complexation with oxalic acid, a hydrophilic organic acid with good binding properties, ubiquitous in soil waters. Analytical conditions have been established by means of speciation diagrams. The speciation diagrams building by means of literature stability constants has allowed to define the analytical conditions of complex formation. The chosen analytical technique is the hyphenation of a separative technique (liquid chromatography LC or capillary electrophoresis CE) with mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The studied complexes presence in the synthetic samples has been confirmed with UV/visible spectrophotometry. LC-ICPMS analyses have proved the lability of the uranyl-organic acid complexes, namely their tendency to dissociate during analysis, which prevents from studying uranium speciation. CE-ICPMS study of labile complexes from a metal-ligand system has been made possible by employing affinity capillary electrophoresis, which enables to determine stability constants and electrophoretic mobilities. This PhD thesis has allowed to compare the different mathematical treatments of binding isotherm and to take into account ionic strength and real ligand concentration. Affinity CE has been applied successfully to lanthanum-oxalate (model system) and uranium-oxalate systems. The obtained results have been applied to a real system (situated in Le Bouchet). This shows the contribution of the developed method to the modelling of uranium speciation. (author)

  12. Speciation and bioavailability of copper in Lake Tjeukemeer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verweij, W.

    1991-01-01

    Chapter 1: introduction

    In this thesis an account is given of a research project dealing with the chemical speciation and bioavailability of copper in Lake Tjeukemeer, a lake in the north of the Netherlands. The reason for the initiation of this project was a lack of

  13. Seasonal and Diel Activity Patterns of Eight Sympatric Mammals in Northern Japan Revealed by an Intensive Camera-Trap Survey.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takashi Ikeda

    Full Text Available The activity patterns of mammals are generally categorized as nocturnal, diurnal, crepuscular (active at twilight, and cathemeral (active throughout the day. These patterns are highly variable across regions and seasons even within the same species. However, quantitative data is still lacking, particularly for sympatric species. We monitored the seasonal and diel activity patterns of terrestrial mammals in Hokkaido, Japan. Through an intensive camera-trap survey a total of 13,279 capture events were recorded from eight mammals over 20,344 camera-trap days, i.e., two years. Diel activity patterns were clearly divided into four categories: diurnal (Eurasian red squirrels, nocturnal (raccoon dogs and raccoons, crepuscular (sika deer and mountain hares, and cathemeral (Japanese martens, red foxes, and brown bears. Some crepuscular and cathemeral mammals shifted activity peaks across seasons. Particularly, sika deer changed peaks from twilight during spring-autumn to day-time in winter, possibly because of thermal constraints. Japanese martens were cathemeral during winter-summer, but nocturnal in autumn. We found no clear indication of predator-prey and competitive interactions, suggesting that animal densities are not very high or temporal niche partitioning is absent among the target species. This long-term camera-trap survey was highly cost-effective and provided one of the most detailed seasonal and diel activity patterns in multiple sympatric mammals under natural conditions.

  14. Comparative Studies of the Speciation Patterns of Nickel and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results of speciation stdies of nickel and chromium in wastewater, surface and groundwater systems using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and differential pulse adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (DPAdCSV) are presented. Dimethylglyoxime ...

  15. Biodegradation and speciation of residual SS-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) in soil solution left after soil washing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tandy, Susan; Ammann, Adrian; Schulin, Rainer; Nowack, Bernd

    2006-07-01

    This paper aims to investigate the degradation and speciation of EDDS-complexes (SS-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid) in soil following soil washing. The changes in soil solution metal and EDDS concentrations were investigated for three polluted soils. EDDS was degraded after a lag phase of 7-11 days with a half-life of 4.18-5.60 days. No influence of EDDS-speciation on the reaction was observed. The decrease in EDDS resulted in a corresponding decrease in solubilized metals. Changes in EDDS speciation can be related to (1) initial composition of the soil, (2) temporarily anoxic conditions in the soil slurry after soil washing, (3) exchange of EDDS complexes with Cu even in soils without elevated Cu and (4) formation of NiEDDS. Dissolved organic matter is important for metal speciation at low EDDS concentrations. Our results show that even in polluted soils EDDS is degraded from a level of several hundred micromoles to below 1 microM within 50 days.

  16. Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of mercury and methylmercury in four sympatric coastal sharks in a protected subtropical lagoon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matulik, Adam G.; Kerstetter, David W.; Hammerschlag, Neil; Divoll, Timothy; Hammerschmidt, Chad R.; Evers, David C.

    2017-01-01

    Mercury bioaccumulation is frequently observed in marine ecosystems, often with stronger effects at higher trophic levels. We compared total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) from muscle with length, comparative isotopic niche, and diet (via δ 13 C and δ 15 N) among four sympatric coastal sharks in Florida Bay (USA): blacknose, blacktip, bull, and lemon. Mercury in blacknose and blacktip sharks increased significantly with size, whereas bull and lemon sharks had a high variance in mercury relative to size. Both δ 13 C and δ 15 N were consistent with general resource use and trophic position relationships across all species. A significant relationship was observed between δ 13 C and mercury in blacktip sharks, suggesting an ontogenetic shift isotopic niche, possibly a dietary change. Multiple regression showed that δ 13 C and δ 15 N were the strongest factors regarding mercury bioaccumulation in individuals across all species. Additional research is recommended to resolve the mechanisms that determine mercury biomagnification in individual shark species. - Highlights: • Total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) examined in sympatric coastal sharks: lemon, bull, blacknose, blacktip • THg concentrations increased with size of blacknose and blacktip sharks • THg concentrations in bull and lemon sharks were unrelated to length • THg and δ 13 C were related in blacktip sharks; no other direct relationships between Hg and δ 13 C or δ 15 N and were observed • Multiple regression found δ 13 C and δ 15 N have stronger relationships to Hg than length for the species and lengths assessed

  17. Trace-element speciation and partitioning in environmental geochemistry and health

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farmer, J.G.; Gibson, M.J.; Lovell, M.A.

    1983-09-01

    Establishment of the chemical form and associations of trace elements is important in the scientifc and medical fields related to environmental geochemistry and health. Fundamental understanding of trace-element behavior, the realistic formulation of historical perspectives of trace-element contamination, an assessment of environmental transformation processes and a thorough appraisal of environment-related ill health and disease all depend on knowledge of the chemical speciation and partitioning of trace elements. These topics and the development of analytical speciation techniques and procedures are discussed with reference to trace-element studies in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Science, University of Glasgow, on lacustrine sediments and water, the atmosphere, soil and street dirt of an urban environment, and human biological fluids. 206 references, 4 figures.

  18. Patterns of infestation by the trombiculid mite Eutrombicula alfreddugesi in four sympatric lizard species (genus Tropidurus) in northeastern Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Rocha C.F.D.; Cunha-Barros M.; Menezes V.A.; Fontes A.F.; Vrcibradic D.; Van Sluys M.

    2008-01-01

    We studied the parasitism by the chigger mite Eutrombicula alfreddugesi on four sympatric lizard species of the genus Tropidurus in Morro do Chapéu, Bahia state, Brazil: T. hispidus, T. cocorobensis, T. semitaeniatus and T. erythrocephalus. For each species, we investigated the patterns of infestation and analyzed to which extent they varied among the hosts. We calculated the spatial niche breadth of the chigger mite on the body of each host species and the distribution of mites along the hos...

  19. Riverscape genetics identifies replicated ecological divergence across an Amazonian ecotone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooke, Georgina M; Landguth, Erin L; Beheregaray, Luciano B

    2014-07-01

    Ecological speciation involves the evolution of reproductive isolation and niche divergence in the absence of a physical barrier to gene flow. The process is one of the most controversial topics of the speciation debate, particularly in tropical regions. Here, we investigate ecologically based divergence across an Amazonian ecotone in the electric fish, Steatogenys elegans. We combine phylogenetics, genome scans, and population genetics with a recently developed individual-based evolutionary landscape genetics approach that incorporates selection. This framework is used to assess the relative contributions of geography and divergent natural selection between environments as biodiversity drivers. We report on two closely related and sympatric lineages that exemplify how divergent selection across a major Amazonian aquatic ecotone (i.e., between rivers with markedly different hydrochemical properties) may result in replicated ecologically mediated speciation. The results link selection across an ecological gradient with reproductive isolation and we propose that assortative mating based on water color may be driving the divergence. Divergence resulting from ecologically driven selection highlights the importance of considering environmental heterogeneity in studies of speciation in tropical regions. Furthermore, we show that framing ecological speciation in a spatially explicit evolutionary landscape genetics framework provides an important first step in exploring a wide range of the potential effects of spatial dependence in natural selection. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  20. First evidence for postzygotic reproductive isolation between two populations of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L. within Lake Constance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerlach Gabriele

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The evolution of reproductive traits, such as hybrid incompatibility (postzygotic isolation and species recognition (prezygotic isolation, have shown their key role in speciation. Theoretical modeling has recently predicted that close linkage between genes controlling pre- and postzygotic reproductive isolation could accelerate the conditions for speciation. Postzygotic isolation could develop during the sympatric speciation process contributing to the divergence of populations. Using hybrid fitness as a measure of postzygotic reproductive isolation, we empirically studied population divergence in perch (Perca fluviatilis L. from two genetically divergent populations within a lake. Results During spawning time of perch we artificially created parental offspring and F1 hybrids of the two populations and studied fertilization rate and hatching success under laboratory conditions. The combined fitness measure (product of fertilization rate and hatching success of F1 hybrids was significantly reduced compared to offspring from within population crosses. Conclusion Our results suggest intrinsic genetic incompatibility between the two populations and indicate that population divergence between two populations of perch inhabiting the same lake may indeed be promoted by postzygotic isolation.

  1. Speciation distribution and mass balance of copper and zinc in urban rain, sediments, and road runoff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Xiaojun; Fu, Dafang; Li, He

    2012-11-01

    Heavy metal pollution in road runoff had caused widespread concern since the last century. However, there are little references on metal speciation in multiple environmental media (e.g., rain, road sediments, and road runoff). Our research targeted the investigation of metal speciation in rain, road sediments, and runoff; the analysis of speciation variation and mass balance of metals among rain, road sediments, and runoff; the selection of main factors by principal component analysis (PCA); and the establishment of equation to evaluate the impact of rain and road sediments to metals in road runoff. Sequential extraction procedure contains five steps for the chemical fractionation of metals. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry (Shimadzu, AA-6800) was used to determine metal speciation concentration, as well as the total and dissolved fractions. The dissolved fractions for both Cu and Zn were dominant in rain. The speciation distribution of Zn was different from that of Cu in road sediments, while speciation distribution of Zn is similar to that of Cu in runoff. The bound to carbonates for both Cu and Zn in road sediments were prone to be dissolved by rain. The levels of Cu and Zn in runoff were not obviously influenced by rain, but significantly influenced by road sediments. The masses for both Cu and Zn among rain, road sediments, and road runoff approximately meet the mass balance equation for all rainfall patterns. Five principal factors were selected for metal regression equation based on PCA, including rainfall, average rainfall intensity, antecedent dry periods, total suspended particles, and temperature. The established regression equations could be used to predict the effect of road runoff on receiving environments.

  2. Validity of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination to Discriminate between Incipient Dementia and Depression in Elderly Patients of a Private Clinic in Lima, Peru.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera-Pérez, Eder; Custodio, Nilton; Lira, David; Montesinos, Rosa; Bendezu, Liliana

    2013-01-01

    Dementia and depression are different clinical conditions, but share common features, and can be indistinguishable in the initial disease stages. We aimed to establish whether the Peruvian version of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-Peru) can distinguish between the cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression. This was a cross-sectional study to assess the performance on the ACE-Peru of 193 elderly subjects (102 with dementia, 21 with depression, and 70 healthy controls). Depending on the diagnosis, there were two groups of cognitive impairment (CI) - the primary neurodegenerative (PN-CI) subtype and the secondary to depression (SD-CI) subtype - as well as a non-CI group. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic curve was determined to compare the diagnostic performance, using the diagnosis of CI as the gold standard. In our sample of elderly subjects aged 59-82 years with at least 7 years of education, the ACE-Peru showed a significantly better performance than the MMSE (AUC = 0.997 vs. AUC = 0.887; p cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression.

  3. Burying behaviour of two sympatric crab species: Cancer magister and Cancer productus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iain J. McGaw

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available The mechanics and emergence patterns associated with burying behaviour were investigated in the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, and the red rock crab, Cancer productus. Cancer magister used both the legs and chelae to excavate the sand, whereas Cancer productus used the legs to pull and push itself down into the sediment only using the chelae in a final push beneath the sediment. Several individuals of each species remained buried for over 50 h, which was accomplished by alterations in ventilatory physiology. More commonly, both species exhibited an endogenous rhythm of circadian periodicity, with peak periods of emergence from the sand occurring during nocturnal high tides. Although burial may act as a means of predator evasion and to ambush prey, it appears the primary reason may be to conserve energy. These two species of crabs often occur sympatrically; the difference in behaviours is closely related to previously reported differences in physiological mechanisms between the two species when buried.

  4. Adaptive radiation along a thermal gradient: preliminary results of habitat use and respiration rate divergence among whitefish morphs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimmo Kalevi Kahilainen

    Full Text Available Adaptive radiation is considered an important mechanism for the development of new species, but very little is known about the role of thermal adaptation during this process. Such adaptation should be especially important in poikilothermic animals that are often subjected to pronounced seasonal temperature variation that directly affects metabolic function. We conducted a preliminary study of individual lifetime thermal habitat use and respiration rates of four whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus (L. morphs (two pelagic, one littoral and one profundal using stable carbon and oxygen isotope values of otolith carbonate. These morphs, two of which utilized pelagic habitats, one littoral and one profundal recently diverged via adaptive radiation to exploit different major niches in a deep and thermally stratified subarctic lake. We found evidence that the morphs used different thermal niches. The profundal morph had the most distinct thermal niche and consistently occupied the coldest thermal habitat of the lake, whereas differences were less pronounced among the shallow water pelagic and littoral morphs. Our results indicated ontogenetic shifts in thermal niches: juveniles of all whitefish morphs inhabited warmer ambient temperatures than adults. According to sampling of the otolith nucleus, hatching temperatures were higher for benthic compared to pelagic morphs. Estimated respiration rate was the lowest for benthivorous profundal morph, contrasting with the higher values estimated for the other morphs that inhabited shallower and warmer water. These preliminary results suggest that physiological adaptation to different thermal habitats shown by the sympatric morphs may play a significant role in maintaining or strengthening niche segregation and divergence in life-history traits, potentially contributing to reproductive isolation and incipient speciation.

  5. Speciation of uranium in minerals by Sem, Tem, μ-PIXE, XPS and XAFS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toshihiko Ohnuki; Hiroshi Isobe; Tomihiro Kamiya; Takuro Sakai; Takashi Murakami

    2001-01-01

    Many kinds of electromagnetic waves and particle beams are used as analytical probes for the investigation of uranium-mineralogy and speciation. The representatives of the probes are SEM, TEM, μ-PIRE, XPS and XAFS. Each of these analytical probes has its own advantages and disadvantages. We have performed studies to compare the advantages and disadvantages on the basis of the analysis of the distribution and speciation of U containing rock samples collected at the Koongarra uranium deposit, Australia. The spatial resolutions of the probes are in the order of TEM>SEM, μ-PIXE>XFAS, XPS. The lower detection limits of the probes are in the order of μ-PIXE< TEM, SEM< XFAS, XPS. Oxidation state of U was determined by XFAS and XPS. These results indicate that combination of the above probes can give us sufficient data on U speciation not only in natural rock samples but in solid samples obtained in the laboratory. (authors)

  6. Lead Speciation and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Compost-Amended Urban Garden Soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Attanayake, Chammi P.; Hettiarachchi, Ganga M.; Ma, Qing; Pierzynski, Gary M.; Ransom, Michel D. (NWU); (KSU)

    2017-01-01

    In situ soil amendments can modify the Pb bioavailability by changing soil Pb speciation. Urban soils from three vegetable gardens containing different total Pb concentrations were used. The study evaluated how compost amendment and aging of soil-compost mixture in situ affected the following: (i) soil Pb speciation in the field and (ii) change of soil Pb speciation during an in vitro bioaccessibility extraction mimicking gastric phase dissolution at pH 2.5. X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy was used to determine Pb speciation in amended and nonamended soils and residues left after in vitro bioaccessibility extraction of those soils. Compost amendment and aging of compost in the field had a negligible effect on Pb bioaccessibility in the soils. Major Pb species in the soils were Pb sorbed to Fe oxy(hydr)oxide (Pb-Fh) and to soil organic C (Pb-Org). The fraction of Pb-Org was increased as soil-compost mixture aged in the field. During the in vitro extraction, the fraction of Pb-Fh was decreased, the fraction of Pb-Org was increased, and hydroxypyromorphite was formed in both amended and nonamended soils. Freshly incorporated compost enhanced the dissolution of Pb-Fh during the extraction. As soil-compost mixture aged in the field, the dissolution of Pb-Fh was low, demonstrating more stability of the Pb-Fh during the extraction. Compost amendment showed potential to contribute to reduced bioaccessibility of Pb as compost aged in the soil by increasing Pb-Org fraction in the field and stability of Pb-Fh during the in vitro bioaccessibility extraction.

  7. Discrimination of habitat use between two sympatric species of mullets, Mugil curema and Mugil liza (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae in the rio Tramandaí Estuary, determined by otolith chemistry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana C. G. Mai

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Two sympatric species of marine mullets, Mugil curema and M. liza, use the rio Tramandaí Estuary as nursing grounds. When two closely related species are sympatric, various mechanisms may permit their coexistence, including spatial or temporal segregation that results in the divergent use of the resources for which they compete. To investigate the spatial segregation, we used otolith chemistry inferred through laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Our results indicate that in the rio Tramandaí Estuary, M. curema is associated with high salinity waters and can be classified as a Marine Migrant in the Marine Estuarine-opportunist subcategory. Mugil liza is associated with lower salinity and can be classified as a Marine Migrant in the Estuarine Dependent subcategory. The intra-specific variation in estuarine habitat use indicates that the migratory behaviors in mullets are far more complex than previously known.

  8. Mathematical modeling of the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide speciation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banaszak, J.E.; VanBriesen, J.; Rittmann, B.E.; Reed, D.T.

    1998-01-01

    Biodegradation of natural and anthropogenic chelating agents directly and indirectly affects the speciation, and, hence, the mobility of actinides in subsurface environments. We combined mathematical modeling with laboratory experimentation to investigate the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide [Np(IV/V), Pu(IV)] speciation. Under aerobic conditions, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) biodegradation rates were strongly influenced by the actinide concentration. Actinide-chelate complexation reduced the relative abundance of available growth substrate in solution and actinide species present or released during chelate degradation were toxic to the organisms. Aerobic bio-utilization of the chelates as electron-donor substrates directly affected actinide speciation by releasing the radionuclides from complexed form into solution, where their fate was controlled by inorganic ligands in the system. Actinide speciation was also indirectly affected by pH changes caused by organic biodegradation. The two concurrent processes of organic biodegradation and actinide aqueous chemistry were accurately linked and described using CCBATCH, a computer model developed at Northwestern University to investigate the dynamics of coupled biological and chemical reactions in mixed waste subsurface environments. CCBATCH was then used to simulate the fate of Np during anaerobic citrate biodegradation. The modeling studies suggested that, under some conditions, chelate degradation can increase Np(IV) solubility due to carbonate complexation in closed aqueous systems

  9. Chromosomal Speciation Revisited: Modes of Diversification in Australian Morabine Grasshoppers (Vandiemenella, viatica Species Group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven J. B. Cooper

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Chromosomal rearrangements can alter the rate and patterns of gene flow within or between species through a reduction in the fitness of chromosomal hybrids or by reducing recombination rates in rearranged areas of the genome. This concept, together with the observation that many species have structural variation in chromosomes, has led to the theory that the rearrangements may play a direct role in promoting speciation. Australian morabine grasshoppers (genus Vandiemenella, viatica species group are an excellent model for studying the role of chromosomal rearrangement in speciation because they show extensive chromosomal variation, parapatric distribution patterns, and narrow hybrid zones at their boundaries. This species group stimulated development of one of the classic chromosomal speciation models, the stasipatric speciation model proposed by White in 1968. Our population genetic and phylogeographic analyses revealed extensive non-monophyly of chromosomal races along with historical and on-going gene introgression between them. These findings suggest that geographical isolation leading to the fixation of chromosomal variants in different geographic regions, followed by secondary contact, resulted in the present day parapatric distributions of chromosomal races. The significance of chromosomal rearrangements in the diversification of the viatica species group can be explored by comparing patterns of genetic differentiation between rearranged and co-linear parts of the genome.

  10. Mathematical modelling of the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide speciation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banaszak, J.E.; VanBriesen, J.M.; Rittmann, B.E.; Reed, D.T.

    1998-01-01

    Biodegradation of natural and anthropogenic chelating agents directly and indirectly affects the speciation, and hence, the mobility of actinides in subsurface environments. We combined mathematical modelling with laboratory experimentation to investigate the effects of aerobic and anaerobic chelate biodegradation on actinide [Np(IV/V), Pu(IV)] speciation. Under aerobic conditions, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) biodegradation rates were strongly influenced by the actinide concentration. Actinide-chelate complexation reduced the relative abundance of available growth substrate in solution and actinide species present or released during chelate degradation were toxic to the organisms. Aerobic bioutilization of the chelates as electron-donor substrates directly affected actinide speciation by releasing the radionuclides from complexed form into solution, where their fate was controlled by inorganic ligands in the system. Actinide speciation was also indirectly affected by pH changes caused by organic biodegradation. The two concurrent processes of organic biodegradation and actinide aqueous chemistry were accurately linked and described using CCBATCH, a computer model developed at Northwestern University to investigate the dynamics of coupled biological and chemical reactions in mixed waste subsurface environments. CCBATCH was then used to simulate the fate of Np during anaerobic citrate biodegradation. The modelling studies suggested that, under some conditions, chelate degradation can increase Np(IV) solubility due to carbonate complexation in closed aqueous systems. (orig.)

  11. Electrochemical metal speciation in natural and model polyelectrolyte systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoop, van den M.A.G.T.

    1994-01-01

    The purpose of the research described in this thesis was to examine the applicability of electro-analytical techniques in obtaining information on the speciation of metals, i.e. their distribution over different physico-chemical forms, in aquatic systems containing charged macromolecules.

  12. Resolving uncertainty in chemical speciation determinations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, D. Scott; Adams, Nicholas W. H.; Kramer, James R.

    1999-10-01

    Speciation determinations involve uncertainty in system definition and experimentation. Identification of appropriate metals and ligands from basic chemical principles, analytical window considerations, types of species and checking for consistency in equilibrium calculations are considered in system definition uncertainty. A systematic approach to system definition limits uncertainty in speciation investigations. Experimental uncertainty is discussed with an example of proton interactions with Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA). A Monte Carlo approach was used to estimate uncertainty in experimental data, resulting from the propagation of uncertainties in electrode calibration parameters and experimental data points. Monte Carlo simulations revealed large uncertainties present at high (>9-10) and low (monoprotic ligands. Least-squares fit the data with 21 sites, whereas linear programming fit the data equally well with 9 sites. Multiresponse fitting, involving simultaneous fluorescence and pH measurements, improved model discrimination. Deconvolution of the excitation versus emission fluorescence surface for SRFA establishes a minimum of five sites. Diprotic sites are also required for the five fluorescent sites, and one non-fluorescent monoprotic site was added to accommodate the pH data. Consistent with greater complexity, the multiresponse method had broader confidence limits than the uniresponse methods, but corresponded better with the accepted total carboxylic content for SRFA. Overall there was a 40% standard deviation in total carboxylic content for the multiresponse fitting, versus 10% and 1% for least-squares and linear programming, respectively.

  13. Analytical developments in ICP-MS for arsenic and selenium speciation. Application to granitic waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garraud, Herve

    1999-01-01

    Nuclear waste storage in geological areas needs the understanding of the physico-chemistry of groundwaters interactions with surrounding rocks. Redox potential measurements and speciation, calculated from geochemical modelling are not significant for the determination of water reactivity. We have thus chosen to carry out experimental speciation by developing sensitive analytical tools with respect of specie chemical identity. We have studied two redox indicators from reference sites (thermal waters from Pyrenees, France): arsenic and selenium. At first, we have determined the concentrations in major ions (sulphide, sulphate, chloride, fluoride, carbonate, Na, K, Ca). Speciation was conducted by HPLC hyphenated to quadrupole ICP-MS and high resolution ICP-MS. These analyses have shown the presence of two new arsenic species in solution, in addition of a great reactivity of these waters during stability studies. A sampling, storage and analysis method is described. (author) [fr

  14. Cryptic, Sympatric Diversity in Tegu Lizards of the Tupinambis teguixin Group (Squamata, Sauria, Teiidae and the Description of Three New Species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John C Murphy

    Full Text Available Tegus of the genera Tupinambis and Salvator are the largest Neotropical lizards and the most exploited clade of Neotropical reptiles. For three decades more than 34 million tegu skins were in trade, about 1.02 million per year. The genus Tupinambis is distributed in South America east of the Andes, and currently contains four recognized species, three of which are found only in Brazil. However, the type species of the genus, T. teguixin, is known from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela (including the Isla de Margarita. Here we present molecular and morphological evidence that this species is genetically divergent across its range and identify four distinct clades some of which are sympatric. The occurrence of cryptic sympatric species undoubtedly exacerbated the nomenclatural problems of the past. We discuss the species supported by molecular and morphological evidence and increase the number of species in the genus Tupinambis to seven. The four members of the T. teguixin group continue to be confused with Salvator merianae, despite having a distinctly different morphology and reproductive mode. All members of the genus Tupinambis are CITES Appendix II. Yet, they continue to be heavily exploited, under studied, and confused in the minds of the public, conservationists, and scientists.

  15. Cryptic, Sympatric Diversity in Tegu Lizards of the Tupinambis teguixin Group (Squamata, Sauria, Teiidae) and the Description of Three New Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, John C; Jowers, Michael J; Lehtinen, Richard M; Charles, Stevland P; Colli, Guarino R; Peres, Ayrton K; Hendry, Catriona R; Pyron, R Alexander

    2016-01-01

    Tegus of the genera Tupinambis and Salvator are the largest Neotropical lizards and the most exploited clade of Neotropical reptiles. For three decades more than 34 million tegu skins were in trade, about 1.02 million per year. The genus Tupinambis is distributed in South America east of the Andes, and currently contains four recognized species, three of which are found only in Brazil. However, the type species of the genus, T. teguixin, is known from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela (including the Isla de Margarita). Here we present molecular and morphological evidence that this species is genetically divergent across its range and identify four distinct clades some of which are sympatric. The occurrence of cryptic sympatric species undoubtedly exacerbated the nomenclatural problems of the past. We discuss the species supported by molecular and morphological evidence and increase the number of species in the genus Tupinambis to seven. The four members of the T. teguixin group continue to be confused with Salvator merianae, despite having a distinctly different morphology and reproductive mode. All members of the genus Tupinambis are CITES Appendix II. Yet, they continue to be heavily exploited, under studied, and confused in the minds of the public, conservationists, and scientists.

  16. Kullback-Leibler distance-based enhanced detection of incipient anomalies

    KAUST Repository

    Harrou, Fouzi

    2016-09-09

    Accurate and effective anomaly detection and diagnosis of modern engineering systems by monitoring processes ensure reliability and safety of a product while maintaining desired quality. In this paper, an innovative method based on Kullback-Leibler divergence for detecting incipient anomalies in highly correlated multivariate data is presented. We use a partial least square (PLS) method as a modeling framework and a symmetrized Kullback-Leibler distance (KLD) as an anomaly indicator, where it is used to quantify the dissimilarity between current PLS-based residual and reference probability distributions obtained using fault-free data. Furthermore, this paper reports the development of two monitoring charts based on the KLD. The first approach is a KLD-Shewhart chart, where the Shewhart monitoring chart with a three sigma rule is used to monitor the KLD of the response variables residuals from the PLS model. The second approach integrates the KLD statistic into the exponentially weighted moving average monitoring chart. The performance of the PLS-based KLD anomaly-detection methods is illustrated and compared to that of conventional PLS-based anomaly detection methods. Using synthetic data and simulated distillation column data, we demonstrate the greater sensitivity and effectiveness of the developed method over the conventional PLS-based methods, especially when data are highly correlated and small anomalies are of interest. Results indicate that the proposed chart is a very promising KLD-based method because KLD-based charts are, in practice, designed to detect small shifts in process parameters. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

  17. Speciation evolution of zinc and copper during pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization treatments of sewage sludges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Rixiang; Zhang, Bei; Saad, Emily M; Ingall, Ellery D; Tang, Yuanzhi

    2018-04-01

    Thermal and hydrothermal treatments are promising techniques for sewage sludge management that can potentially facilitate safe waste disposal, energy recovery, and nutrient recovery/recycling. Content and speciation of heavy metals in the treatment products affect the potential environmental risks upon sludge disposal and/or application of the treatment products. Therefore, it is important to study the speciation transformation of heavy metals and the effects of treatment conditions. By combining synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy/microscopy analysis and sequential chemical extraction, this study systematically characterized the speciation of Zn and Cu in municipal sewage sludges and their chars derived from pyrolysis (a representative thermal treatment technique) and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC; a representative hydrothermal treatment technique). Spectroscopy analysis revealed enhanced sulfidation of Zn and Cu by anaerobic digestion and HTC treatments, as compared to desulfidation by pyrolysis. Overall, changes in the chemical speciation and matrix properties led to reduced mobility of Zn and Cu in the treatment products. These results provide insights into the reaction mechanisms during pyrolysis and HTC treatments of sludges and can help evaluate the environmental/health risks associated with the metals in the treatment products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Speciation evolution of zinc and copper during pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization treatments of sewage sludges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Rixiang; Zhang, Bei; Saad, Emily M.; Ingall, Ellery D.; Tang, Yuanzhi

    2018-04-01

    Thermal and hydrothermal treatments are promising techniques for sewage sludge management that can potentially facilitate safe waste disposal, energy recovery, and nutrient recovery/recycling. Content and speciation of heavy metals in the treatment products affect the potential environmental risks upon sludge disposal and/or application of the treatment products. Therefore, it is important to study the speciation transformation of heavy metals and the effects of treatment conditions. By combining synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy/microscopy analysis and sequential chemical extraction, this study systematically characterized the speciation of Zn and Cu in municipal sewage sludges and their chars derived from pyrolysis (a representative thermal treatment technique) and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC; a representative hydrothermal treatment technique). Spectroscopy analysis revealed enhanced sulfidation of Zn and Cu by anaerobic digestion and HTC treatments, as compared to desulfidation by pyrolysis. Overall, changes in the chemical speciation and matrix properties led to reduced mobility of Zn and Cu in the treatment products. These results provide insights into the reaction mechanisms during pyrolysis and HTC treatments of sludges and can help evaluate the environmental/health risks associated with the metals in the treatment products.

  19. Equilibrium Speciation of Select Lanthanides in the Presence of Acidic Ligands in Homo- and Heterogeneous Solutions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robinson, Troy A [Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

    2011-08-01

    This dissertation explores lanthanide speciation in liquid solution systems related to separation schemes involving the acidic ligands: bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP), lactate, and 8-hydroxyquinoline. Equilibrium speciation of neodymium (Nd3+), sodium (Na+), HDEHP, water, and lactate in the TALSPEAK liquid-liquid extraction system was explored under varied Nd3+ loading of HDEHP in the organic phase and through extraction from aqueous HCl and lactate media. System speciation was probed through vapor pressure osmometry, visible and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 22Na and 13C labeled lactate radiotracer distribution measurements, Karl Fischer titrations, and equilibrium pH measurements. Distribution of Nd3+, Na+, lactate, and equilibrium pH were modeled using the SXLSQI software to obtain logKNd and logKNa extraction constants under selected conditions. Results showed that high Nd3+ loading of the HDEHP led to Nd3+ speciation that departs from the ion exchange mechanism and includes formation of highly aggregated, polynuclear [NdLactate(DEHP)2]x; (with x > 1). By substituting lanthanum (La3+) for Nd3+ in this system, NMR scoping experiments using 23Na, 31P nuclei and 13C labeled lactate were performed. Results indicated that this technique is sensitive to changes in system speciation, and that further experiments are warranted. In a homogeneous system representing the TALSPEAK aqueous phase, Lactate protonation behavior at various temperatures was characterized using a combination of potentiometric titration and modeling with the Hyperquad computer program. The temperature dependent deprotonation behavior of lactate showed little change with temperature at 2.0 M NaCl ionic strength. Cloud point extraction is a non-traditional separation technique that starts with a homogeneous

  20. Anagenetic speciation in Ullung Island, Korea: genetic diversity and structure in the island endemic species, Acer takesimense (Sapindaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takayama, Koji; Sun, Byung-Yun; Stuessy, Tod F

    2013-05-01

    Anagenetic speciation is an important mode of speciation in oceanic islands; one-fourth of the endemic plants are estimated to have been derived via this process. Few studies, however, have critically examined the genetic consequences of anagenesis in comparison with cladogenesis (involved with adaptive radiation). We hypothesize that endemic species originating via anagenetic speciation in a relatively uniform environment should accumulate genetic variation with limited populational differentiation. We undertook a population genetic analysis using nine nuclear microsatellite loci of Acer takesimense, an anagenetically derived species endemic to Ullung Island, Korea, and its continental progenitor A. pseudosieboldianum on the Korean Peninsula. Microsatellite data reveal a clear genetic distinction between the two species. A high F value in the cluster of A. takesimense was found by Bayesian clustering analysis, suggesting a strong episode of genetic drift during colonization and speciation. In comparison with A. pseudosieboldianum, A. takesimense has slightly lower genetic diversity and possesses less than half the number of private and rare alleles. Consistent with predictions, weak geographical genetic structure within the island was found in A. takesimense. These results imply that anagenetic speciation leads to a different pattern of specific and genetic diversity than often seen with cladogenesis.

  1. Arsenic, Antimony, Chromium, and Thallium Speciation in Water and Sediment Samples with the LC-ICP-MS Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Jabłońska-Czapla

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Chemical speciation is a very important subject in the environmental protection, toxicology, and chemical analytics due to the fact that toxicity, availability, and reactivity of trace elements depend on the chemical forms in which these elements occur. Research on low analyte levels, particularly in complex matrix samples, requires more and more advanced and sophisticated analytical methods and techniques. The latest trends in this field concern the so-called hyphenated techniques. Arsenic, antimony, chromium, and (underestimated thallium attract the closest attention of toxicologists and analysts. The properties of those elements depend on the oxidation state in which they occur. The aim of the following paper is to answer the question why the speciation analytics is so important. The paper also provides numerous examples of the hyphenated technique usage (e.g., the LC-ICP-MS application in the speciation analysis of chromium, antimony, arsenic, or thallium in water and bottom sediment samples. An important issue addressed is the preparation of environmental samples for speciation analysis.

  2. Phosphorus Speciation of Forest-soil Organic Surface Layers using P K-edge XANES Spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    J Prietzel; J Thieme; D Paterson

    2011-12-31

    The phosphorus (P) speciation of organic surface layers from two adjacent German forest soils with different degree of water-logging (Stagnosol, Rheic Histosol) was analyzed by P K-edge XANES and subsequent Linear Combination Fitting. In both soils, {approx}70% of the P was inorganic phosphate and {approx}30% organic phosphate; reduced P forms such as phosphonate were absent. The increased degree of water-logging in the Histosol compared to the Stagnosol did not affect P speciation.

  3. Speciation analysis of 129I in seawater using coprecipitation and accelerator mass spectrometry and its applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xing, Shan; Hou, Xiaolin; Aldahan, Ala

    2017-01-01

    Speciation analysis of long-lived 129I in seawater can provide useful information on the source of water masses. This paper presents an improved method for speciation analysis of 129I based on coprecipitation of iodide as AgI with Ag2SO3 and AgCl. By adding a small amount of 127I carrier...

  4. Nest-niche differentiation in two sympatric columbid species from a Mediterranean Tetraclinis woodland: Considerations for forest management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanane, Saâd; Yassin, Mohamed

    2017-01-01

    Studies of niche partitioning among Columbid species have mainly addressed food habits and foraging activities, while partitioning in relation to nest-niche differentiation has been little studied. Here we investigate whether two sympatric columbid species-Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) and Turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur)-occupy similar niches. A total of 74 nests were monitored: 37 nests for each species. The study, conducted in June 2016, attempted to determine the factors that may play a role in nest-niche differentiation among the two sympatric columbid species in a Moroccan Thuya (Tetraclinis articulata) forest. We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to test the relevance of nest placement, proximity of food resources, forest edge and human presence variables in the nest distribution of the two species. The results show substantial niche segregation in the T. articulata nest-trees selected by Woodpigeons and Turtle doves, with selection depending primarily on the tree size and nest height. Observed nest-niche partitioning may diminish the potential for competition between these species and enhance opportunities for their coexistence. Management policies and practices aimed at ensuring the presence of mixed-sized class of Thuya trees must be prioritized. We recommend additional studies designed to: (1) reproduce the same experimental approach on other Mediterranean Thuya forests to improve our understanding of the effects of different levels of anthropogenic disturbance on the breeding behaviour of these two game species; (2) better understand the spatio-temporal dynamics of Woodpigeon and Turtle dove coexistence in the region; and (3) better identify the spatio-temporal extent of the effect of forest management on Woodpigeon and Turtle dove site occupancy.

  5. Comparative reproductive biology of sympatric species: Nest and chick survival of American avocets and black-necked stilts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ackerman, Joshua T.; Herzog, Mark P.; Takekawa, John Y.; Hartman, Christopher A.

    2014-01-01

    Identifying differences in reproductive success rates of closely related and sympatrically breeding species can be useful for understanding limitations to population growth. We simultaneously examined the reproductive ecology of American avocets Recurvirostra americana and black-necked stilts Himantopus mexicanus using 1274 monitored nests and 240 radio-marked chicks in San Francisco Bay, California. Although there were 1.8 times more avocet nests than stilt nests, stilts nonetheless fledged 3.3 times more chicks. Greater production by stilts than avocets was the result of greater chick survival from hatching to fledging (avocet: 6%; stilt: 40%), and not because of differences in clutch size (avocet: 3.84; stilt: 3.77), nest survival (avocet: 44%; stilt: 35%), or egg hatching success (avocet: 90%; stilt: 92%). We reviewed the literature and confirmed that nest survival and hatching success are generally similar when avocets and stilts breed sympatrically. In addition to species, chick survival was strongly influenced by age, site, and year. In particular, daily survival rates increased rapidly with chick age, with 70% of mortalities occurring ≤ 1 week after hatch. California gulls Larus californicus caused 55% of avocet, but only 15% of stilt, chick deaths. Differential use of micro-habitats likely reduced stilt chick’s vulnerability to gull predation, particularly during the first week after hatch, because stilts nested in vegetation 2.7 times more often than avocets and vegetation height was 65% taller at stilt nests compared with avocet nests. Our results demonstrate that two co-occurring and closely related species with similar life history strategies can differ markedly in reproductive success, and simultaneous studies of such species can identify differences that limit productivity.

  6. Characteristics of PM2.5 speciation in representative megacities and across China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, F.; Tan, J.; Zhao, Q.; Du, Z.; He, K.; Ma, Y.; Duan, F.; Chen, G.; Zhao, Q.

    2011-06-01

    Based on PM2.5 chemical data sets from literature and from our surface observations, chemical species and reconstructed speciation of PM2.5 in representative Chinese megacities and across China were compared to draw insights into the characteristics of PM2.5 speciation. PM2.5 mass concentrations and speciation compositions varied substantially over geographical regions in China. Near six-fold variations in average PM2.5 concentrations (34.0-193.4 μg m-3) across China were found with high PM2.5 levels (>100 μg m-3) appearing in the cities in the northern and western regions and low levels (transport of the secondary aerosols, thus more intensive characteristic of "complex atmospheric pollution" compared to the western region. Organic matter had significant contribution to PM2.5 over all the sites. Organic matter plus sulfate, nitrate, and ammonia accounted for 53-90 % of PM2.5 mass across China. PM2.5 speciation across China was also characterized by high content of crustal material, which was usually at more than ~10 μg m-3 level or shared ~10 % of PM2.5 mass in urban areas, due to transported desert dust and locally induced dust. In four representative megacities (i.e. Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou), PM2.5 mass and major components (except sulfate) were at higher levels than those in US continental east by one order of magnitude. Distinct differences in nitrate and sulfate levels and their mass ratio [NO3-]/[SO42-] imply that mobile sources are likely more important in Guangzhou, whereas in Chongqing it is stationary (coal combustion) sources. The observed intra-city variations in PM2.5 mass and speciation indicate that both local emissions and regional transportation contributed significantly to high fine particle loadings in Beijing, while local contribution likely played a predominant role in Chongqing. During the ten-year period from 1999 through 2008 in urban Beijing, both the sum of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonia and [NO3-]/[SO42-] ratio

  7. Sympatric song variant in mountain chickadees Poecile gambeli does not reduce aggression from black-capped chickadees Poecile atricapillus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Snell Cara L.

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available When habitats overlap and species compete for resources, negative interactions frequently occur. Character displacement in the form of behavioural, social or morphological divergences between closely related species can act to reduce negative interactions and often arise in regions of geographic overlap. Mountain chickadees Poecile gambeli have an altered song structure in regions of geographic overlap with the behaviourally dominant black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapillus. Similar to European and Asian tits, altered song in mountain chickadees may decrease aggression from black-capped chickadees. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a playback study in Prince George, BC, Canada, to examine how black-capped chickadees responded to the songs of mountain chickadees recorded in regions where the two species were either sympatric or allopatric. We used principal component analysis (PCA to collapse behavioural response variables into a single ‘approach’ variable and a single ‘vocalisation’ variable. We then used mixed-model analysis to determine whether there was a difference in approach or vocalisation response to the two types of mountain chickadee songs (allopatric songs and variant sympatric songs. Black-capped chickadees responded with equal intensity to both types of mountain chickadee songs, suggesting that the variant mountain chickadee songs from regions of sympatry with black-capped chickadees do not reduce heterospecific aggression. To our knowledge, this is the only instance of a character shift unassociated with reduced aggression in the family Paridae and raises interesting questions about the selective pressures leading to the evolution of this song divergence.

  8. The genetic signature of recent speciation in manta rays (Manta alfredi and M. birostris).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kashiwagi, Tom; Marshall, Andrea D; Bennett, Michael B; Ovenden, Jennifer R

    2012-07-01

    Manta rays have been taxonomically revised as two species, Manta alfredi and M. birostris, on the basis of morphological and meristic data, yet the two species occur in extensive mosaic sympatry. We analysed the genetic signatures of the species boundary using a portion of the nuclear RAG1 (681 base pairs), mitochondrial CO1 (574 bp) and ND5 genes (1188 bp). The assay with CO1 sequences, widely used in DNA barcoding, failed to distinguish the two species. The two species were clearly distinguishable, however, with no shared RAG1 or ND5 haplotypes. The species were reciprocally monophyletic for RAG1, but paraphyletic for ND5 sequences. Qualitative evidence and statistical inferences using the 'Isolation-with-Migration models' indicated that these results were better explained with post-divergence gene flow in the recent past rather than incomplete lineage sorting with zero gene flow since speciation. An estimate of divergence time was less than 0.5 Ma with an upper confidence limit of within 1 Ma. Recent speciation of highly mobile species in the marine environment is of great interest, as it suggests that speciation may have occurred in the absence of long-term physical barriers to gene flow. We propose that the ecologically driven forces such as habitat choice played a significant role in speciation in manta rays. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Measurement of elemental speciation by liquid chromatography -- inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS) with the direct injection nebulizer (DIN)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shum, Sam [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    1993-05-01

    This thesis is divided into 4 parts: elemental speciation, speciation of mercury and lead compounds by microbore column LC-ICP-MS with direct injection nebulization, spatially resolved measurements of size and velocity distributions of aerosol droplets from a direct injection nebulizer, and elemental speciation by anion exchange and size exclusion chromatography with detection by ICP-MS with direct injection nebulization.

  10. The role of male contest competition over mates in speciation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna QVARNSTRÖM, Niclas VALLIN, Andreas RUDH

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Research on the role of sexual selection in the speciation process largely focuses on the diversifying role of mate choice. In particular, much attention has been drawn to the fact that population divergence in mate choice and in the male traits subject to choice directly can lead to assortative mating. However, male contest competition over mates also constitutes an important mechanism of sexual selection. We review recent empirical studies and argue that sexual selection through male contest competition can affect speciation in ways other than mate choice. For example, biases in aggression towards similar competitors can lead to disruptive and negative frequency-dependent selection on the traits used in contest competition in a similar way as competition for other types of limited resources. Moreover, male contest abilities often trade-off against other abilities such as parasite resistance, protection against predators and general stress tolerance. Populations experiencing different ecological conditions should therefore quickly diverge non-randomly in a number of traits including male contest abilities. In resource based breeding systems, a feedback loop between competitive ability and habitat use may lead to further population divergence. We discuss how population divergence in traits used in male contest competition can lead to the build up of reproductive isolation through a number of different pathways. Our main conclusion is that the role of male contest competition in speciation remains largely scientifically unexplored [Current Zoology 58 (3: 490–506, 2012].

  11. Relative Bioavailability and Bioaccessability and Speciation of ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background: Assessment of soil arsenic (As) bioavailability may profoundly affect the extent of remediation required at contaminated sites by improving human exposure estimates. Because small adjustments in soil As bioavailability estimates can significantly alter risk assessments and remediation goals, convenient, rapid, reliable, and inexpensive tools are needed to determine soil As bioavailability. Objectives: We evaluated inexpensive methods for assessing As bioavailability in soil as a means to improve human exposure estimates and potentially reduce remediation costs. Methods: Nine soils from residential sites affected by mining or smelting activity and two National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference materials were evaluated for As bioavailability, bioaccessibility, and speciation. Arsenic bioavailability was determined using an in vivo mouse model, and As bioaccessibility was determined using the Solubility/Bioavailability Research Consortium in vitro assay. Arsenic speciation in soil and selected soil physicochemical properties were also evaluated to determine whether these parameters could be used as predictors of As bio¬availability and bioaccessibility. Results: In the mouse assay, we compared bioavailabilities of As in soils with that for sodium arsenate. Relative bioavailabilities (RBAs) of soil As ranged from 11% to 53% (mean, 33%). In vitro soil As bioaccessibility values were strongly correlated with soil As RBAs (R

  12. Speciation of animal fat: Needs and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsieh, Yun-Hwa Peggy; Ofori, Jack Appiah

    2017-05-24

    The use of pork fat is a concern for Muslims and Jews, who for religious reasons avoid consuming anything that is pig-derived. The use of bovine materials, including beef fat, is prohibited in Hinduism and may also pose a risk of carrying the infectious agent for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Vegetable oils are sometimes adulterated with animal fat or pork fat with beef fat for economic gain. The development of methods to determine the species origin of fat has therefore become a priority due to the complex and global nature of the food trade, which creates opportunities for the fraudulent use of these animal fats as food ingredients. However, determining the species origin of fats in processed foods or composite blends is an arduous task as the adulterant has a composition that is very similar to that of the original fat or oil. This review examines some of the methods that have been developed for fat speciation, including both fat-based and DNA-based methods, their shortcomings, and the need for additional alternatives. Protein-based methods, specifically immunoassays targeting residual proteins in adipose tissue, that are being explored by researchers as a new tool for fat speciation will also be discussed.

  13. Social selection parapatry in Afrotropical sunbirds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McEntee, Jay P.; Peñalba, Joshua V.; Werema, Chacha

    2016-01-01

    The extent of range overlap of incipient and recent species depends on the type and magnitude of phenotypic divergence that separates them, and the consequences of phenotypic divergence on their interactions. Signal divergence by social selection likely initiates many speciation events, but may...... yield niche-conserved lineages predisposed to limit each others’ ranges via ecological competition. Here, we examine this neglected aspect of social selection speciation theory in relation to the discovery of a nonecotonal species border between sunbirds. We find that Nectarinia moreaui and Nectarinia...... fuelleborni meet in a ∼6 km wide contact zone, as estimated by molecular cline analysis. These species exploit similar bioclimatic niches, but sing highly divergent learned songs, consistent with divergence by social selection. Cline analyses suggest that within-species stabilizing social selection on song...

  14. Factors Controlling Redox Speciation of Plutonium and Neptunium in Extraction Separation Processes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paulenova, Alena [Principal Investigator; Vandegrift, III, George F. [Collaborator

    2013-09-24

    The objective of the project was to examine the factors controlling redox speciation of plutonium and neptunium in UREX+ extraction in terms of redox potentials, redox mechanism, kinetics and thermodynamics. Researchers employed redox-speciation extractions schemes in parallel to the spectroscopic experiments. The resulting distribution of redox species w studied uring spectroscopic, electrochemical, and spectro-electrochemical methods. This work reulted in collection of data on redox stability and distribution of redox couples in the nitric acid/nitrate electrolyte and the development of redox buffers to stabilize the desired oxidation state of separated radionuclides. The effects of temperature and concentrations on the redox behavior of neptunium were evaluated.

  15. Sequence structure and intragenomic variability of ribosomal ITS2 in monozoic tapeworms of the genus Khawia (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), parasites of cyprinid fish

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kraľová-Hromadová, I.; Bazsalovicsová, E.; Oros, M.; Scholz, Tomáš

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 111, č. 4 (2012), s. 1621-1627 ISSN 0932-0113 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA524/08/0885; GA ČR GD206/09/H026; GA ČR GBP505/12/G112 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60220518 Keywords : INTERNAL TRANSCRIBED SPACER-1 * ATRACTOLYTOCESTUS-HURONENSIS * SYMPATRIC SPECIATION * SINENSIS HSU * RDNA * DNA * PLATYHELMINTHES * PARALOGUES * EVOLUTION * carp Subject RIV: GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine Impact factor: 2.852, year: 2012 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00436-012-3001-z

  16. Distribution and Speciation of Mercury in Mine Waste Dumps

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hojdová, Maria; Navrátil, Tomáš; Rohovec, Jan

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 80, č. 3 (2008), s. 237-241 ISSN 0007-4861 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) KJB300130615 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : mercury * mine waste * mercury speciation * thermo-desorption analysis Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 0.609, year: 2008

  17. Speciation and migration of 129I in soil profiles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Luo, Maoyi; Hou, Xiaolin; Zhou, Weijian

    2013-01-01

    A method has been developed for speciation analysis of ultra low level 129I in soil using sequential extraction combined with coprecipitation for separation of carrier free iodine and AMS measurement of 129I. Two loess profiles collected from northwest China were analyzed for species of 129I...

  18. Genetic structure of a natural oak community in central Italy: Evidence of gene flow between three sympatric white oak species (Quercus, Fagaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gaby Antonecchia

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Incomplete reproductive barriers between species, especially in sympatric areas where several species coexist, may result in hybridization and an increase in genetic diversity. Here we assessed the amount of genetic diversity in a community of three interfertile and sympatric European oaks (Quercus frainetto Ten., Q. petraea Liebl. Matt. and Q. pubescens Willd. situated in central Italy. We used 11 microsatellite markers derived from Expressed Sequence Tag (EST-SSRs and we implemented a Bayesian clustering analysis to assign individuals to species or hybrids. All genotyped loci were polymorphic for all the species and three genetic clusters corresponding to each species were detected. Significant differences and a higher level of gene flow were observed between the three oak species. Occurrence of hybrids varied markedly within the studied area: hybrids between Q. petraea and Q, pubescens were the most frequent, while hybrids between Q. petraea and Q. frainetto were particularly rare. Q. pubescens and Q. petraea showed the highest number of alleles compared to Q. frainetto,which was characterized by a low number of private, but highly frequent, alleles. However, Q. frainetto showed a lower genetic diversity and a stronger reproductive isolation from the other two oak species.

  19. Solving mercury (Hg) speciation in soil samples by synchrotron X-ray microspectroscopic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terzano, Roberto; Santoro, Anna; Spagnuolo, Matteo; Vekemans, Bart; Medici, Luca; Janssens, Koen; Goettlicher, Joerg; Denecke, Melissa A.; Mangold, Stefan; Ruggiero, Pacifico

    2010-01-01

    Direct mercury (Hg) speciation was assessed for soil samples with a Hg concentration ranging from 7 up to 240 mg kg -1 . Hg chemical forms were identified and quantified by sequential extractions and bulk- and micro-analytical techniques exploiting synchrotron generated X-rays. In particular, microspectroscopic techniques such as μ-XRF, μ-XRD and μ-XANES were necessary to solve bulk Hg speciation, in both soil fractions 3 S 2 Cl 2 ), and an amorphous phase containing Hg bound to chlorine and sulfur. The amount of metacinnabar and amorphous phases increased in the fraction <2 μm. No interaction among Hg-species and soil components was observed. All the observed Hg-species originated from the slow weathering of an inert Hg-containing waste material (K106, U.S. EPA) dumped in the area several years ago, which is changing into a relatively more dangerous source of pollution. - Direct mercury (Hg) speciation in chlor-alkali plant contaminated soils enabled the identification of potentially dangerous Hg-S/Cl amorphous species.

  20. The molecular basis of speciation: from patterns to processes, rules ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    male; large X-effect; meiotic drive; genomic conflict. Abstract. The empirical study of speciation has brought us closer to unlocking the origins of life's vast diversity. By examining recently formed species, a number of general patterns, or rules, ...

  1. Speciation of actinides in marine waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roberts, R.A.

    1984-01-01

    The oxidation state distribution of plutonium in seawater, pore water from marine sediments, and a series of model solutions similar to seawater was measured using a TTA solvent extraction technique and α liquid scintillation counting methods. Electromigration was used to compare migration behavior of americium in 0.7M NaCl solutions (pH 6.5 to 8.0) with the behavior calculated from predicted speciation. In all pH 8 solutions studied, Pu(VI) was rapidly reduced to Pu(V). In 0.7M NaCl, pH 8.0, and artifical seawater (no organics), the Pu(V) formed was stable. In real seawater (with organic components), a rapid reduction of Pu(VI) to Pu(IV) was also observed. The Pu(V) formed in seawater was metastable; a very slow reduction to Pu(IV) occurred. This reduction was catalyzed by light. Humic acid (obtained from marine sediments from the Bahama Islands), was added to 0.7M NaCl, pH 8.0 solutions to determine its effect on Pu redox reactions. The effect was similar to the reductions in seawater. Increasing the humic acid concentration decreased the amount of Pu(V) which was formed and favored the IV state. The americium electromigration experiments showed a +0.12 net charge for the Am complexes formed in 0.7M NaCl solutions from pH 7.0 to 8.0. This value was smaller than the charge of +0.94 calculated from predicted speciation

  2. Nickel speciation in cement-stabilized/solidified metal treatment filtercakes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roy, Amitava, E-mail: reroy@lsu.edu [J. Bennett Johnston, Sr., Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, USA (United States); Stegemann, Julia A., E-mail: j.stegemann@ucl.ac.uk [Centre for Resource Efficiency & the Environment, Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering, University College London, Chadwick Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK (United Kingdom)

    2017-01-05

    Highlights: • XAS shows the same Ni speciation in untreated and stabilized/solidified filtercake. • Ni solubility is the same for untreated and stabilized/solidified filtercake. • Leaching is controlled by pH and physical encapsulation for all binders. - Abstract: Cement-based stabilization/solidification (S/S) is used to decrease environmental leaching of contaminants from industrial wastes. In this study, two industrial metal treatment filtercakes were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR); speciation of nickel was examined by X-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopy. Although the degree of carbonation and crystallinity of the two untreated filtercakes differed, α-nickel hydroxide was identified as the primary nickel-containing phase by XRD and nickel K edge XAS. XAS showed that the speciation of nickel in the filtercake was unaltered by treatment with any of five different S/S binder systems. Nickel leaching from the untreated filtercakes and all their stabilized/solidified products, as a function of pH in the acid neutralization capacity test, was essentially complete below pH ∼5, but was 3–4 orders of magnitude lower at pH 8–12. S/S does not respeciate nickel from metal treatment filtercakes and any reduction of nickel leaching by S/S is attributable to pH control and physical mechanisms only. pH-dependent leaching of Cr, Cu and Ni is similar for the wastes and s/s products, except that availability of Cr, Cu and Zn at decreased pH is reduced in matrices containing ground granulated blast furnace slag.

  3. Detecting cryptic speciation in the widespread and morphologically conservative carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) of Madagascar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florio, A M; Ingram, C M; Rakotondravony, H A; Louis, E E; Raxworthy, C J

    2012-07-01

    Species delimitation within recently evolved groups can be challenging because species may be difficult to distinguish morphologically. Following the General Lineage Concept, we apply a multiple evidence approach to assess species limits within the carpet chameleon Furcifer lateralis, which is endemic to Madagascar and exported in large numbers for the pet trade. Cryptic speciation within F. lateralis was considered likely because this species (1) has a vast distribution, (2) occupies exceptionally diverse habitats and (3) exhibits subtle regional differences in morphology. Phylogenetic trees reconstructed using nuclear and mitochondrial genes recovered three well-supported clades corresponding with geography. Morphological results based on canonical variates analysis show that these clades exhibit subtle differences in head casque morphology. Ecological niche modelling results found that these phylogenetic groups also occupy unique environmental space and exhibit patterns of regional endemism typical of other endemic reptiles. Combined, our findings provide diverse yet consistent evidence for the existence of three species. Consequently, we elevate the subspecies F. lateralis major to species rank and name a new species distributed in northern and western Madagascar. Initial ecological divergence, associated with speciation of F. lateralis in humid eastern habitat, fits the Ecographic Constraint model for species diversification in Madagascar. By contrast, the second speciation event provides some support for the Riverine Barrier model, with the Mangoky River possibly causing initial isolation between species. These findings thus support two contrasting models of speciation within closely related species and demonstrate the utility of applying a combined-evidence approach for detecting cryptic speciation. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2012 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  4. Speciation of the plutonium at trace levels by capillary electrophoresis-ICP-MS coupling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ambard, Ch.

    2007-01-01

    The CE-ICP-MS coupling allowed the development of new analytical methods for the study of plutonium speciation at trace levels including complexation studies of this element by organic and inorganic ligands. First, a method, called dual detection, based on the simultaneous use of the UV-Visible spectrophotometer integrated in the capillary electrophoresis and the ICPMS was developed and validated. It allows the unambiguous determination of electrophoretic mobilities for separated chemical species and gives a powerful tool for speciation studies. Then, the influence on plutonium redox speciation of the buffer from the background electrolyte was evaluated. This study showed the implications of the electrolyte constituents' choice on plutonium redox equilibrium in the sample. Furthermore, the CE-ICP-MS coupling was used for studying the plutonium complexation at trace levels by some organic (NTA and DTPA) and inorganic ligands (carbonates). The behaviour of plutonium valence +III, +IV and +VI was studied in the presence of buffer at near neutral pH. Different species of plutonium were observed depending on the initial oxidation state of the plutonium. This study showed the potential of poly-amino-carboxylic acids, such as NTA and DTPA, for dissolving plutonium precipitates, regardless its initial speciation. Finally, the carbonation of pentavalent neptunium, as an analogue of Pu(V), was achieved at very low concentration of Np (10 -8 mol.L -1 ). The formation constant of NpO 2 (CO 3 )- at 25 deg. C and 2,5 x 10 -2 mol.L -1 ionic strength was measured by CE-ICP-MS and found to be consistent with literature data. (author)

  5. Speciation of the plutonium at trace levels by capillary electrophoresis-ICP-MS coupling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ambard, Ch.

    2007-01-01

    The CE-ICP-MS coupling allowed the development of new analytical methods for the study of plutonium (Pu) speciation at trace levels including complexation studies of this element by organic and inorganic ligands. First, a method, called dual detection, based on the simultaneous use of the UV-Visible spectrophotometer integrated in the capillary electrophoresis and the ICP-MS was developed and validated. It allows the unambiguous determination of electrophoretic mobilities for separated chemical species and gives a powerful tool for speciation studies. Then, the influence on Pu redox speciation of the buffer from the background electrolyte was evaluated. This study showed the implications of the electrolyte constituents' choice on Pu redox equilibrium in the sample. Furthermore, the CE-ICP-MS coupling was used for studying the Pu complexation at trace levels by some organic (NTA and DTPA) and inorganic ligands (carbonates). The behaviour of Pu valence +III, +IV and +VI was studied in the presence of buffer at near neutral pH. Different species of Pu were observed depending on the initial oxidation state of the plutonium. The study showed the potential of poly-amino-carboxylic acids, such as NTA and DTPA, for dissolving Pu precipitates, regardless its initial speciation. Finally, the carbonation of pentavalent neptunium, as an analogue of Pu(V), was achieved at very low concentration of Np (10 -8 mol.L -1 ). The formation of NpO 2 (CO 3 ) - at 25 C and 2,5*10 -2 mol.L -1 ionic strength was measured by CE-ICP-MS and found to consistent with literature data. (author)

  6. Validity of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination to Discriminate between Incipient Dementia and Depression in Elderly Patients of a Private Clinic in Lima, Peru

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eder Herrera-Pérez

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Dementia and depression are different clinical conditions, but share common features, and can be indistinguishable in the initial disease stages. We aimed to establish whether the Peruvian version of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE-Peru can distinguish between the cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study to assess the performance on the ACE-Peru of 193 elderly subjects (102 with dementia, 21 with depression, and 70 healthy controls. Depending on the diagnosis, there were two groups of cognitive impairment (CI - the primary neurodegenerative (PN-CI subtype and the secondary to depression (SD-CI subtype - as well as a non-CI group. The area under the curve (AUC of the receiver-operating characteristic curve was determined to compare the diagnostic performance, using the diagnosis of CI as the gold standard. Results: In our sample of elderly subjects aged 59-82 years with at least 7 years of education, the ACE-Peru showed a significantly better performance than the MMSE (AUC = 0.997 vs. AUC = 0.887; p Conclusions: The ACE-Peru is able to distinguish between the cognitive profile in patients with incipient dementia and that in patients with depression.

  7. Selenium Speciation and Management in Wet FGD Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Searcy, K; Richardson, M; Blythe, G; Wallschlaeger, D; Chu, P; Dene, C

    2012-02-29

    This report discusses results from bench- and pilot-scale simulation tests conducted to determine the factors that impact selenium speciation and phase partitioning in wet FGD systems. The selenium chemistry in wet FGD systems is highly complex and not completely understood, thus extrapolation and scale-up of these results may be uncertain. Control of operating parameters and application of scrubber additives have successfully demonstrated the avoidance or decrease of selenite oxidation at the bench and pilot scale. Ongoing efforts to improve sample handling methods for selenium speciation measurements are also discussed. Bench-scale scrubber tests explored the impacts of oxidation air rate, trace metals, scrubber additives, and natural limestone on selenium speciation in synthetic and field-generated full-scale FGD liquors. The presence and concentration of redox-active chemical species as well as the oxidation air rate contribute to the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) conditions in FGD scrubbers. Selenite oxidation to the undesirable selenate form increases with increasing ORP conditions, and decreases with decreasing ORP conditions. Solid-phase manganese [Mn(IV)] appeared to be the significant metal impacting the oxidation of selenite to selenate. Scrubber additives were tested for their ability to inhibit selenite oxidation. Although dibasic acid and other scrubber additives showed promise in early clear liquor (sodium based and without calcium solids) bench-scale tests, these additives did not show strong inhibition of selenite oxidation in tests with higher manganese concentrations and with slurries from full-scale wet FGD systems. In bench-tests with field liquors, addition of ferric chloride at a 250:1 iron-to-selenium mass ratio sorbed all incoming selenite to the solid phase, although addition of ferric salts had no impact on native selenate that already existed in the field slurry liquor sample. As ORP increases, selenite may oxidize to selenate more

  8. Speciation analysis of arsenic, chromium and selenium in aquatic media. Proceedings of a final research coordination meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-03-01

    The initiation of the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Development and Validation of Speciation Analysis using Nuclear Techniques resulted from the recognition that knowledge of total element concentration does not provide adequate information to understand the effects of trace and heavy metals observed in the environment and in living systems. Their toxicity, bioavailability, physiological and metabolic processes, mobility and distribution are greatly dependent on the specific chemical form of the element. Speciation analysis has yet to be developed to its full potential for biochemical, clinical and environmental investigations and still more work is needed in the near future. Seven participants from seven countries participated in this CRP covering a range of analytical techniques including GC, HPLC, AAS, and ICP-MS. The first Research Coordination Meeting (RCM) of the Coordinated Research Project on the Development and Validation of Speciation Analysis using Nuclear Techniques was held at the Reactor Centre of the Jozef Stefan Institute, Podgorica (near Ljubljana), Slovenia, 20-23 June 2001. The second RCM was held at the Technical University of Vienna, 18-22 November 2002, where, in addition to the participants, two external researchers could present their views and experience in the field. The last RCM was held in Vienna, 26-29 April 2004, and this publication is a summary of the results achieved and presented at this last RCM. The participants have developed several new procedures for the reliable analysis of As, Cr, and Se species, mainly in aquatic media. A new instrument was designed and several recommendations for speciation analysis were issued. It is hoped that this publication will make a contribution to enhancing the awareness of the importance of speciation analysis and add to the reliability of speciation results in Member State laboratories

  9. On the use of time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (TRLIF) and electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) for speciation studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moulin, C.

    2003-01-01

    Time-resolved laser induced fluorescence (TRLIF) and electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) are used for speciation studies. While the former has been used for long time, the latter is rather new in the field of speciation. These two techniques have different advantages such as sensitivity (especially for TRLIF), selectivity and multielement capabilities (in case of ES-MS). Examples obtained from studies carried out within the CEA are presented. Concerning TRLIF, emphasis is put on uranyl ion speciation in nitric acid to phosphoric acid going through hydroxo complexes. Concerning ES-MS, humic substances identification as well as speciation of cesium, zirconium, thorium and uranyl ions in various complexing media are presented. Comparisons of TRLIF and ES-MS results are made in the case of uranyl hydroxo complexes and favourably compared with OECD data. Trends for these two techniques are also discussed. (orig.)

  10. A review of recent developments in the speciation and location of arsenic and selenium in rice grain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carey, Anne-Marie; Price, Adam H.; Meharg, Andrew A. [University of Aberdeen, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Aberdeen (United Kingdom); Lombi, Enzo; Donner, Erica [University of South Australia, Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, Mawson Lakes, South Australia (Australia); Jonge, Martin D. de [Australian Synchrotron, X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy, Clayton, Victoria (Australia); Punshon, Tracy; Jackson, Brian P.; Guerinot, Mary Lou [Dartmouth College, Department of Biological Sciences, Hanover, NH (United States)

    2012-04-15

    Rice is a staple food yet is a significant dietary source of inorganic arsenic, a class 1, nonthreshold carcinogen. Establishing the location and speciation of arsenic within the edible rice grain is essential for understanding the risk and for developing effective strategies to reduce grain arsenic concentrations. Conversely, selenium is an essential micronutrient and up to 1 billion people worldwide are selenium-deficient. Several studies have suggested that selenium supplementation can reduce the risk of some cancers, generating substantial interest in biofortifying rice. Knowledge of selenium location and speciation is important, because the anti-cancer effects of selenium depend on its speciation. Germanic acid is an arsenite/silicic acid analogue, and location of germanium may help elucidate the mechanisms of arsenite transport into grain. This review summarises recent discoveries in the location and speciation of arsenic, germanium, and selenium in rice grain using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry and synchrotron techniques, and illustrates both the importance of high-sensitivity and high-resolution techniques and the advantages of combining techniques in an integrated quantitative and spatial approach. (orig.)

  11. A review of recent developments in the speciation and location of arsenic and selenium in rice grain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Anne-Marie; Lombi, Enzo; Donner, Erica; de Jonge, Martin D.; Punshon, Tracy; Jackson, Brian P.; Guerinot, Mary Lou; Price, Adam H.; Meharg, Andrew A.

    2014-01-01

    Rice is a staple food yet is a significant dietary source of inorganic arsenic, a class 1, nonthreshold carcinogen. Establishing the location and speciation of arsenic within the edible rice grain is essential for understanding the risk and for developing effective strategies to reduce grain arsenic concentrations. Conversely, selenium is an essential micronutrient and up to 1 billion people worldwide are selenium-deficient. Several studies have suggested that selenium supplementation can reduce the risk of some cancers, generating substantial interest in biofortifying rice. Knowledge of selenium location and speciation is important, because the anti-cancer effects of selenium depend on its speciation. Germanic acid is an arsenite/silicic acid analogue, and location of germanium may help elucidate the mechanisms of arsenite transport into grain. This review summarises recent discoveries in the location and speciation of arsenic, germanium, and selenium in rice grain using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry and synchrotron techniques, and illustrates both the importance of high-sensitivity and high-resolution techniques and the advantages of combining techniques in an integrated quantitative and spatial approach. PMID:22159463

  12. Research on chromium and arsenic speciation in atmospheric particulate matter: short review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nocoń, Katarzyna; Rogula-Kozłowska, Wioletta; Widziewicz, Kamila

    2018-01-01

    Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) plays an important role in the distribution of elements in the environment. The PM-bound elements penetrates into the other elements of the environment, in two basic forms - those dissolved in the atmospheric precipitation and those permanently bound to PM particles. Those forms differs greatly in their mobility, thus posing a potential threat to living organisms. They can also be an immediate threat, while being inhaled. Chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As) belong to the group of elements whose certain chemical states exhibit toxic properties, that is Cr(VI) and As(III). Thus, recognition of the actual threat posed by Cr and As in the environment, including those present in PM, is possible only through the in depth speciation analysis. Research on the Cr and As speciation in PM, more than the analogous studies of their presence in other compartments of the environment, have been undertaken quite rarely. Hence the knowledge on the speciation of PM-bound As and Cr is still limited. The state of knowledge in the field of PM-bound Cr and As is presented in the paper. The issues related to the characterization and occurrence of Cr and As species in PM, the share of Cr and As species mass in different PM size fractions, and in PM of different origin is also summarized. The analytical techniques used in the speciation analysis of PM-bound Cr and As are also discussed. In the existing literature there is no data on the physical characteristics of Cr and As (bound to a different PM size fractions), and thus it still lack of data needed for a comprehensive assessment of the actual environmental and health threat posed by airborne Cr and As.

  13. Nestling diets and provisioning rates of sympatric Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroeder, Evonne L.; Boal, Clint W.; Glasscock, Selma N.

    2013-01-01

    We examined comparative food use and provisioning of Golden-fronted (Melanerpes aurifrons) and Ladder-backed (Picoides scalaris) woodpeckers at the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation Refuge, in San Patricio County, Texas. We combined video surveillance and direct observations to monitor provisioning rates and identify items delivered by adult woodpeckers to nestlings. We collected 328 hours of data at Ladder-backed Woodpecker nest cavities and 230 hours of data at Golden-fronted Woodpecker nest cavities. Ladder-backed Woodpecker nestling diets consisted of 100% animal matter, comprised of invertebrate larvae (99%) and invertebrate adults (nestlings were also high in animal matter (77%) with more invertebrate adults (55%) and fewer invertebrate larvae (27%), but also included vegetable matter (16%). Morisita's measure of overlap suggested a relatively low dietary overlap of 31% between nestlings of these two sympatric woodpecker species. Foraging methods used by these species may explain their low dietary overlap and facilitate their coexistence.

  14. Genetic differentiation between sympatric and allopatric wintering populations of Snow Geese

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphries, E.M.; Peters, J.L.; Jonsson, J.E.; Stone, R.; Afton, A.D.; Omland, K.E.

    2009-01-01

    Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on the Delmarva Peninsula, Maryland, USA has been the wintering area of a small population of Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens; LSGO) since the 1930s. Snow Geese primarily pair in wintering areas and gene flow could be restricted between this and other LSGO wintering populations. Winter pair formation also could facilitate interbreeding with sympatric but morphologically differentiated Greater Snow Geese (C. c. atlantica; GSGO).We sequenced 658 bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region for 68 Snow Geese from East Coast and Louisiana wintering populations to examine the level of genetic differentiation among populations and subspecies. We found no evidence for genetic differentiation between LSGO populations but, consistent with morphological differences, LSGO and GSGO were significantly differentiated. We also found a lack of genetic differentiation between different LSGO morphotypes from Louisiana. We examined available banding data and found the breeding range of Delmarva LSGO overlaps extensively with LSGO that winter in Louisiana, and documented movements between wintering populations. Our results suggest the Delmarva population of LSGO is not a unique population unit apart from Mid-Continent Snow Geese. ?? 2009 by the Wilson Ornithological Society.

  15. Jodï horticultural belief, knowledge and practice: incipient or integral cultivation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanford Zent

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the Jodï horticultural system, including belief, knowledge and practice aspects. The horticulturalpractices of the Jodï were previously characterized as ‘incipient cultivation’ but such practices were poorly described anddocumented. The antiquity of cultivation among this group is suggested by the prominence and significance of horticulturalproducts and techniques in myth and ritual. Our field observations uncovered a fairly sophisticated system of plantmanagement in swiddens, house gardens, trail gardens and natural forest gaps. An inventory of 67 cultivated plant specieswas documented, of which 36 are utilized for food, 20 for magical or medicinal purposes, and 11 for technology. The Jodïprolong the productive phase of their gardens for five years or more through successive planting-harvesting-replantingoperations. Jodï swiddens display an elaborate polycultivated appearance and they possess at least five principal crops:plantain/banana, maize, yams, sweet potato, and sweet manioc. Another distinctive feature is the extensive use of naturalgaps in the forest canopy as cultivation zones. The results of this study suggest that while Jodï horticultural practice iswell integrated with a nomadic, foraging-dependent lifestyle, nevertheless this system does not deserve to be labeled as‘incipient’ and instead is more integral than was recognized previously.

  16. Speciation of organic carbon in Hanford waste storage tanks: Part 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, C.D.

    1997-02-01

    This report is the first in a series to report on speciation of organic carbon in Hanford waste storage tanks. The comparison of the existing total organic carbon with oxalate and limited analyses of other organic species (acetate, formate, and normal paraffin hydrocarbons [NPH]) are reported. All of the data have been previously reported by the Grout and Characterization programs; the information includes all of the publicly available data through October 1996. Oxalate data were reported for 33 tanks, TOC data were reported for 82 tanks, and both oxalate and TOC data were available for 27 tanks. Of these 27 tanks, seven were found to have greater than 80% of the TOC identified as oxalate: 241-BY-104, 241-BY-105, 241-BY-106, 241-BY-110, 241-S-109, and 241-SX-108. Eighty percent accountability has been tentatively established as a minimum goal of the Organic Safety Program for speciation of TOC. Accountability of TOC through speciation will allow more accurate estimate of the potential energy content of the wastes as currently stored. Of the remaining 19 tanks, seven had between 40 and 80% of the TOC identified as oxalate, and eleven had less than 35% of the TOC identified. Of these, only five tanks had segment results that were greater than 1% TOC, and none was above 2%. Since the cur-rent safety criterion outlined in the Safety Analysis is 4.5% TOC, it may be determined that the further analyses of these tank wastes are not necessary. If additional analyses are deemed necessary, minimal work may be required, possibly limited to ion chromatography (IC), ion pair chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Additional speciation work is planned for this fiscal year in both the Organic Tanks Safety and Characterization programs. The Characterization program reports acetate and formate data in addition to the oxalate data for all the tank cores it processes

  17. Use of imidazole 4,5-dicarboxylic acid in vanadium speciation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banerjee, D.; Mondal, B.C.; Das, D.; Das, A.K.

    2003-01-01

    A new resin has been synthesized by fictionalization of polystyrene-divinylbenzene (8 %) with imidazole 4,5-dicarboxylic acid through -N=N- bonding. The resulting resin has been characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, hydrogen ion capacity and metal ion capacity. The speciation study of vanadium has been studied by using this resin and the maximum exchange capacity was found to be 0.45 mmol g -1 for V 4+ and that for V 5+ was 1.57 mmol g -1 at pH 3 for both. The eluents malonic acid and sodium hydroxide have been used for the selective separation of vanadium(IV) and vanadium(V) species respectively. The effects of diverse ions on the sorption and recovery of each species have been studied. Finally, the developed method has been applied for the speciation and determination of these two species in natural water samples. (author)

  18. Determining uranium speciation in Fernald soils by molecular spectroscopic methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allen, P.G.; Berg, J.M.; Crisholm-Brause, C.J.; Conradson, S.D.; Donohoe, R.J.; Morris, D.E.; Musgrave, J.A.; Tait, C.D.

    1994-07-01

    This progress report describes new experimental results and interpretations for data collected from October 1, 1992, through September 30, 1993, as part of the Characterization Task of the Uranium in Soils Integrated Demonstration of the Office of Technology Development, Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management of the US Department of Energy. X-ray absorption, optical luminescence, and Raman vibrational spectroscopies were used to determine uranium speciation in contaminated soils from the US DOE's former uranium production facility at Fernald, Ohio. These analyses were carried out both before and after application of one of the various decontamination technologies being developed within the Integrated Demonstration. This year the program focused on characterization of the uranium speciation remaining in the soils after decontamination treatment. X-ray absorption and optical luminescence spectroscopic data were collected for approximately 40 Fernald soil samples, which were treated by one or more of the decontamination technologies

  19. Speciation studies of cobalt in sea water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Toteja, R.S.D.; Sudersanan, M.; Iyer, R.K.

    1995-01-01

    Recent results on the speciation of cobalt in simulated and actual sea water is reported using ion exchangers. The influence of magnesium ions in affecting the composition of ion exchangers and subsequent interpretation of the results is discussed. The results indicated that Co +2 may predominate in both the simulated and actual sea water and the presence of other constituents in sea water does not affect the nature of complex species present. (author). 2 refs., 3 tabs., 1 fig

  20. [Speciation and Risk Characteristics of Heavy Metals in the Sediments of the Yangtze Estuary].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Su; Feng, Cheng-hong; Li, Yang-yang; Yin, Li-feng; Shen, Zhen-yao

    2016-03-15

    Based on the investigation on the distribution of total contents and speciation of 8 heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in the surface sediments at 14 typical sites of the Yangtze Estuary during three hydrological seasons ( wet, normal, and dry seasons) , this study applied equilibrium partitioning approach to build the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of the Yangtze Estuary, and assessed ecological risks of the heavy metals. The relationship between ecological risk and speciation of heavy metals was also revealed. The results showed that, except for Cd, the residual fraction was the main speciation of heavy metals, especially for As, Cr and Hg, their residual fraction proportions were all over 90%. The sediment quality guidelines of the Yangtze Estuary for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn were 43.29, 0.672, 79.65, 19.08, 0.569, 339.09, 30.87, 411.36 µg · g⁻¹, respectively. Cu had the highest ecological risk to aquatic organisms. The upstream of Yangtze Estuary was mainly affected by Yangtze River runoff, where the risks were relatively high in wet season and relatively low in normal and dry seasons. However, the downstream of the estuary was mainly affected by municipal sewage of cities like Shanghai, where the risks were relatively high, especially in normal and dry seasons. There were three different relationships between the ecological risks and speciation of the eight heavy metals.