Showing papers by "Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg published in 2020"
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TL;DR: The extent of the trait data compiled in TRY is evaluated and emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness are analyzed to conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements.
Abstract: Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
882Â citations
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Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic1, Stellenbosch University2, Charles University in Prague3, Canterbury of New Zealand4, University of Tennessee5, University of Fribourg6, University College London7, Zoological Society of London8, Williams College9, Durham University10, University of Vienna11, South African National Parks12, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources13, Leibniz Association14, Free University of Berlin15, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg16, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ17, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague18, United States Forest Service19, University of Toronto20, University of Rhode Island21, University of ConcepciĂłn22, University of Konstanz23, Taizhou University24, Spanish National Research Council25, University of Seville26, University of Pretoria27
TL;DR: Improved international cooperation is crucial to reduce the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods, as synergies with other global changes are exacerbating current invasions and facilitating new ones, thereby escalating the extent and impacts of invaders.
Abstract: Biological invasions are a global consequence of an increasingly connected world and the rise in human population size The numbers of invasive alien species â the subset of alien species that spread widely in areas where they are not native, affecting the environment or human livelihoods â are increasing Synergies with other global changes are exacerbating current invasions and facilitating new ones, thereby escalating the extent and impacts of invaders Invasions have complex and often immense longâterm direct and indirect impacts In many cases, such impacts become apparent or problematic only when invaders are well established and have large ranges Invasive alien species break down biogeographic realms, affect native species richness and abundance, increase the risk of native species extinction, affect the genetic composition of native populations, change native animal behaviour, alter phylogenetic diversity across communities, and modify trophic networks Many invasive alien species also change ecosystem functioning and the delivery of ecosystem services by altering nutrient and contaminant cycling, hydrology, habitat structure, and disturbance regimes These biodiversity and ecosystem impacts are accelerating and will increase further in the future Scientific evidence has identified policy strategies to reduce future invasions, but these strategies are often insufficiently implemented For some nations, notably Australia and New Zealand, biosecurity has become a national priority There have been longâterm successes, such as eradication of rats and cats on increasingly large islands and biological control of weeds across continental areas However, in many countries, invasions receive little attention Improved international cooperation is crucial to reduce the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods Countries can strengthen their biosecurity regulations to implement and enforce more effective management strategies that should also address other global changes that interact with invasions
677Â citations
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TL;DR: The results indicate that the long-term exposure to this pollutant may be one of the most important contributors to fatality caused by the COVID-19 virus in these regions and maybe across the whole world.
671Â citations
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TL;DR: It is found that freshwater insect populations have increased overall, perhaps owing to clean water efforts and climate change, and patterns of variation suggest that local-scale drivers are likely responsible for many changes in population trends, providing hope for directed conservation actions.
Abstract: Recent case studies showing substantial declines of insect abundances have raised alarm, but how widespread such patterns are remains unclear. We compiled data from 166 long-term surveys of insect assemblages across 1676 sites to investigate trends in insect abundances over time. Overall, we found considerable variation in trends even among adjacent sites but an average decline of terrestrial insect abundance by ~9% per decade and an increase of freshwater insect abundance by ~11% per decade. Both patterns were largely driven by strong trends in North America and some European regions. We found some associations with potential drivers (e.g., land-use drivers), and trends in protected areas tended to be weaker. Our findings provide a more nuanced view of spatiotemporal patterns of insect abundance trends than previously suggested.
583Â citations
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353Â citations
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Université catholique de Louvain1, Université du Québec à Trois-RiviÚres2, University of Paris3, Université Paris-Saclay4, University of LiÚge5, Université de Montréal6, Ghent University7, Rutgers University8, Wake Forest University9, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg10, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory11, University of California, Berkeley12, University of Cantabria13, West Virginia University14, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven15, Dalhousie University16
TL;DR: An analysis of the impact that Abinit has had, through for example the bibliometric indicators of the 2009 publication, and the new capabilities of abinit that have been implemented during the last three years are covered, complementing a recent update of the2009 article published in 2016.
347Â citations
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American Museum of Natural History1, UmeÄ University2, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg3, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ4, Free University of Berlin5, University of Helsinki6, University of Toulouse7, Rothamsted Research8, University of Hasselt9, Sewanee: The University of the South10, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic11, Centre national de la recherche scientifique12, National Research Council13, University of Camerino14, University of Porto15, Flanders Marine Institute16, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences17, Lancaster University18, Spanish National Research Council19, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences20, Forest Research Institute21, Utrecht University22, University of Oulu23, University of Warsaw24, University of Copenhagen25, University of Coimbra26, University of Latvia27, University of Sassari28, University of Nova Gorica29, Finnish Environment Institute30, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research31, Norwegian Institute for Water Research32, James Hutton Institute33, University of Duisburg-Essen34, Trier University of Applied Sciences35, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute36, Research Institute for Nature and Forest37
TL;DR: A quantitative synthesis of longterm biodiversity trends across Europe is reported, showing how, despite overall increase in biodiversity metric and stability in abundance, trends differ between regions, ecosystem types, and taxa.
Abstract: Local biodiversity trends over time are likely to be decoupled from global trends, as local processes may compensate or counteract global change. We analyze 161 long-term biological time series (15â91 years) collected across Europe, using a comprehensive dataset comprising ~6,200 marine, freshwater and terrestrial taxa. We test whether (i) local long-term biodiversity trends are consistent among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, and (ii) changes in biodiversity correlate with regional climate and local conditions. Our results reveal that local trends of abundance, richness and diversity differ among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, demonstrating that biodiversity changes at local scale are often complex and cannot be easily generalized. However, we find increases in richness and abundance with increasing temperature and naturalness as well as a clear spatial pattern in changes in community composition (i.e. temporal taxonomic turnover) in most biogeoregions of Northern and Eastern Europe.
327Â citations
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Ruhr University Bochum1, Bar-Ilan University2, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg3, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology4, University of Regensburg5, University of Freiburg6, University of DĂŒsseldorf7, Max DelbrĂŒck Center for Molecular Medicine8, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg9, University of California, Los Angeles10, Leipzig University11
TL;DR: It is suggested that PA can serve as a potent immunomodulatory supplement to MS drugs and as an add-on to MS immunotherapy.
301Â citations
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TL;DR: A comprehensive overview, with a focus on recent advances, on the multiple functions of transporters involved in Mn homeostasis, as well as their regulatory mechanisms in the plantâs response to different conditions of Mn availability.
Abstract: Manganese (Mn) is an important micronutrient for plant growth and development and sustains metabolic roles within different plant cell compartments. The metal is an essential cofactor for the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of the photosynthetic machinery, catalyzing the water-splitting reaction in photosystem II (PSII). Despite the importance of Mn for photosynthesis and other processes, the physiological relevance of Mn uptake and compartmentation in plants has been underrated. The subcellular Mn homeostasis to maintain compartmented Mn-dependent metabolic processes like glycosylation, ROS scavenging, and photosynthesis is mediated by a multitude of transport proteins from diverse gene families. However, Mn homeostasis may be disturbed under suboptimal or excessive Mn availability. Mn deficiency is a serious, widespread plant nutritional disorder in dry, well-aerated and calcareous soils, as well as in soils containing high amounts of organic matter, where bio-availability of Mn can decrease far below the level that is required for normal plant growth. By contrast, Mn toxicity occurs on poorly drained and acidic soils in which high amounts of Mn are rendered available. Consequently, plants have evolved mechanisms to tightly regulate Mn uptake, trafficking, and storage. This review provides a comprehensive overview, with a focus on recent advances, on the multiple functions of transporters involved in Mn homeostasis, as well as their regulatory mechanisms in the plant's response to different conditions of Mn availability.
284Â citations
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Free University of Berlin1, Leipzig University2, University of Wyoming3, Wageningen University and Research Centre4, University of Göttingen5, Florida International University6, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg7, University of Toulouse8, University of Montpellier9, Oak Ridge National Laboratory10, Max Planck Society11, Morton Arboretum12, University of Manchester13
TL;DR: A holistic view of the belowground economy is taken and it is shown that root-mycorrhizal collaboration can short circuit a one-dimensional economic spectrum, providing an entire space of economic possibilities.
Abstract: Plant economics run on carbon and nutrients instead of money. Leaf strategies aboveground span an economic spectrum from "live fast and die young" to "slow and steady," but the economy defined by root strategies belowground remains unclear. Here, we take a holistic view of the belowground economy and show that root-mycorrhizal collaboration can short circuit a one-dimensional economic spectrum, providing an entire space of economic possibilities. Root trait data from 1810 species across the globe confirm a classical fast-slow "conservation" gradient but show that most variation is explained by an orthogonal "collaboration" gradient, ranging from "do-it-yourself" resource uptake to "outsourcing" of resource uptake to mycorrhizal fungi. This broadened "root economics space" provides a solid foundation for predictive understanding of belowground responses to changing environmental conditions.
268Â citations
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TL;DR: Nine years after the original publication of TRAVIS, some of the recent new functions and features are highlighted, which contribute to make trajectory analysis more efficient.
Abstract: TRAVIS (âTrajectory Analyzer and Visualizerâ) is a program package for post-processing and analyzing trajectories from molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations, mostly focused on molecular condensed phase systems. It is an open source free software licensed under the GNU GPL, is platform independent, and does not require any external libraries. Nine years after the original publication of TRAVIS, we highlight some of the recent new functions and features in this article. At the same time, we shortly present some of the underlying algorithms in TRAVIS, which contribute to make trajectory analysis more efficient. Some modern visualization techniques such as Sankey diagrams are also demonstrated. Many analysis functions are implemented, covering structural analyses, dynamical analyses, and functions for predicting vibrational spectra from molecular dynamics simulations. While some of the analyses are known since several decades, others are very recent. For example, TRAVIS has been used to compute the first ab initio predictions in the literature of bulk phase vibrational circular dichroism spectra, bulk phase Raman optical activity spectra, and bulk phase resonance Raman spectra within the last few years.
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Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ1, Humboldt University of Berlin2, University of Zurich3, University of Jena4, Flinders University5, German Aerospace Center6, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg7, University of Freiburg8, Bavarian Forest National Park9, Forschungszentrum JĂŒlich10, Dresden University of Technology11, University of Nottingham12, Environment Agency13, Leipzig University14
TL;DR: The requirements for future geomorphology monitoring are focused on the implementation and linking of in-situ, close-range, air- and spaceborne RS technologies, geomorphic traits, and data science approaches as crucial components for a better understanding of the geomorphic impacts on complex ecosystems.
Abstract: The status, changes, and disturbances in geomorphological regimes can be regarded as controlling and regulating factors for biodiversity. Therefore, monitoring geomorphology at local, regional, and global scales is not only necessary to conserve geodiversity, but also to preserve biodiversity, as well as to improve biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. Numerous remote sensing (RS) approaches and platforms have been used in the past to enable a cost-effective, increasingly freely available, comprehensive, repetitive, standardized, and objective monitoring of geomorphological characteristics and their traits. This contribution provides a state-of-the-art review for the RS-based monitoring of these characteristics and traits, by presenting examples of aeolian, fluvial, and coastal landforms. Different examples for monitoring geomorphology as a crucial discipline of geodiversity using RS are provided, discussing the implementation of RS technologies such as LiDAR, RADAR, as well as multi-spectral and hyperspectral sensor technologies. Furthermore, data products and RS technologies that could be used in the future for monitoring geomorphology are introduced. The use of spectral traits (ST) and spectral trait variation (STV) approaches with RS enable the status, changes, and disturbances of geomorphic diversity to be monitored. We focus on the requirements for future geomorphology monitoring specifically aimed at overcoming some key limitations of ecological modeling, namely: the implementation and linking of in-situ, close-range, air- and spaceborne RS technologies, geomorphic traits, and data science approaches as crucial components for a better understanding of the geomorphic impacts on complex ecosystems. This paper aims to impart multidimensional geomorphic information obtained by RS for improved utilization in biodiversity monitoring.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the adaptive immunity in COVID-19 patients with active infection or after recovery and created a repository of currently >14 million B and T-cell receptor (BCR and TCR) sequences from the blood of these patients.
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TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 spike contains sequence and structure motifs highly similar to those of a bacterial superantigen and may directly bind T cell receptors, and the TCR repertoire in adult COVID-19 patients demonstrates that those with severe hyperinflammatory disease exhibit TCR skewing consistent withsuperantigen activation.
Abstract: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 is a newly recognized condition in children with recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. These children and adult patients with severe hyperinflammation present with a constellation of symptoms that strongly resemble toxic shock syndrome, an escalation of the cytotoxic adaptive immune response triggered upon the binding of pathogenic superantigens to T cell receptors (TCRs) and/or major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) molecules. Here, using structure-based computational models, we demonstrate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein exhibits a high-affinity motif for binding TCRs, and may form a ternary complex with MHCII. The binding epitope on S harbors a sequence motif unique to SARS-CoV-2 (not present in other SARS-related coronaviruses), which is highly similar in both sequence and structure to the bacterial superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B. This interaction between the virus and human T cells could be strengthened by a rare mutation (D839Y/N/E) from a European strain of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the interfacial region includes selected residues from an intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-like motif shared between the SARS viruses from the 2003 and 2019 pandemics. A neurotoxin-like sequence motif on the receptor-binding domain also exhibits a high tendency to bind TCRs. Analysis of the TCR repertoire in adult COVID-19 patients demonstrates that those with severe hyperinflammatory disease exhibit TCR skewing consistent with superantigen activation. These data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 S may act as a superantigen to trigger the development of MIS-C as well as cytokine storm in adult COVID-19 patients, with important implications for the development of therapeutic approaches.
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Leipzig University1, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ2, University of Jena3, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg4, Humboldt University of Berlin5, University of Helsinki6, University of Porto7, University of Lisbon8, University of Innsbruck9, University of Vienna10, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague11, University of Göttingen12
TL;DR: Concerned about current attempts to dilute the environmental ambition of the future CAP, and the lack of concrete proposals for improving the CAP in the draft of the European Green Deal, it is called on the European Parliament, Council and Commission to adopt 10 urgent action points for delivering sustainable food production, biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation.
Abstract: Making agriculture sustainable is a global challenge. In the European Union (EU), the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is failing with respect to biodiversity, climate, soil, land degradation as well as socio-economic challenges.The European Commission's proposal for a CAP post-2020 provides a scope for enhanced sustainability. However, it also allows Member States to choose low-ambition implementation pathways. It therefore remains essential to address citizens' demands for sustainable agriculture and rectify systemic weaknesses in the CAP, using the full breadth of available scientific evidence and knowledge.Concerned about current attempts to dilute the environmental ambition of the future CAP, and the lack of concrete proposals for improving the CAP in the draft of the European Green Deal, we call on the European Parliament, Council and Commission to adopt 10 urgent action points for delivering sustainable food production, biodiversity conservation and climate mitigation.Knowledge is available to help moving towards evidence-based, sustainable European agriculture that can benefit people, nature and their joint futures.The statements made in this article have the broad support of the scientific community, as expressed by above 3,600 signatories to the preprint version of this manuscript. The list can be found here (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3685632).
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Max Planck Society1, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory2, Georgia Institute of Technology3, Ăcole normale supĂ©rieure de Lyon4, University of Zaragoza5, University of Padua6, Harvard University7, University of LiĂšge8, University of the Basque Country9, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg10, Lille University of Science and Technology11, University of California, Merced12, University of Tsukuba13
TL;DR: The Octopus project as mentioned in this paper provides a unique framework that allows us to describe non-equilibrium phenomena in molecular complexes, low dimensional materials, and extended systems by accounting for electronic, ionic, and photon quantum mechanical effects within a generalized time-dependent density functional theory.
Abstract: Over the last few years, extraordinary advances in experimental and theoretical tools have allowed us to monitor and control matter at short time and atomic scales with a high degree of precision. An appealing and challenging route toward engineering materials with tailored properties is to find ways to design or selectively manipulate materials, especially at the quantum level. To this end, having a state-of-the-art ab initio computer simulation tool that enables a reliable and accurate simulation of light-induced changes in the physical and chemical properties of complex systems is of utmost importance. The first principles real-space-based Octopus project was born with that idea in mind, i.e., to provide a unique framework that allows us to describe non-equilibrium phenomena in molecular complexes, low dimensional materials, and extended systems by accounting for electronic, ionic, and photon quantum mechanical effects within a generalized time-dependent density functional theory. This article aims to present the new features that have been implemented over the last few years, including technical developments related to performance and massive parallelism. We also describe the major theoretical developments to address ultrafast light-driven processes, such as the new theoretical framework of quantum electrodynamics density-functional formalism for the description of novel light-matter hybrid states. Those advances, and others being released soon as part of the Octopus package, will allow the scientific community to simulate and characterize spatial and time-resolved spectroscopies, ultrafast phenomena in molecules and materials, and new emergent states of matter (quantum electrodynamical-materials).
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The Nature Conservancy1, Spanish National Research Council2, University of Porto3, Stockholm University4, McGill University5, Texas A&M University6, Humboldt University of Berlin7, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ8, University of Minnesota9, Yale University10, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg11, Concordia University12
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the scientific literature to assess direct and indirect impacts of urban growth on habitat and biodiversity, finding direct impacts more in high-income countries while indirect impacts affect more land but are lesser studied.
Abstract: By 2030, an additional 1.2 billion people are forecast in urban areas globally. We review the scientific literature (n = 922 studies) to assess direct and indirect impacts of urban growth on habitat and biodiversity. Direct impacts are cumulatively substantial, with 290,000 km2 of natural habitat forecast to be converted to urban land uses between 2000 and 2030. Studies of direct impact are disproportionately from high-income countries. Indirect urban impacts on biodiversity, such as food consumption, affect a greater area than direct impacts, but comparatively few studies (34%) have quantified urban indirect impacts on biodiversity. The world is urbanizing. This Review assesses impacts of urban growth on habitat and biodiversity, finding direct impacts more in high-income countries while indirect impacts affect more land but are lesser studied.
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TL;DR: The concept of associative dynamic Covalent Adaptive Networks (ADCAN) as mentioned in this paper was proposed to improve the durability and recyclability of thermoset-systems.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors used data from a global field survey and a nine-year field experiment to show that warmer temperatures increase the relative abundance of soil-borne potential fungal plant pathogens, and provided a global atlas of these organisms along with future distribution projections under different climate change and land-use scenarios.
Abstract: Understanding the present and future distribution of soil-borne plant pathogens is critical to supporting food and fibre production in a warmer world. Using data from a global field survey and a nine-year field experiment, we show that warmer temperatures increase the relative abundance of soil-borne potential fungal plant pathogens. Moreover, we provide a global atlas of these organisms along with future distribution projections under different climate change and land-use scenarios. These projections show an overall increase in the relative abundance of potential plant pathogens worldwide. This work advances our understanding of the global distribution of potential fungal plant pathogens and their sensitivity to ongoing climate and land-use changes, which is fundamental to reduce their incidence and impacts on terrestrial ecosystems globally. Plant pathogens threaten food security and ecosystem health. Projections of potential fungal plant pathogens under different warming and land-use scenarios indicate that warming temperatures under climate change will lead to increases in the relative abundance of such pathogens in most soils worldwide.
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TL;DR: A flexible approach to data integration using point process models, which provide a convenient way to translate across ecological currencies, are described.
Abstract: With the expansion in the quantity and types of biodiversity data being collected, there is a need to find ways to combine these different sources to provide cohesive summaries of species' potential and realized distributions in space and time. Recently, model-based data integration has emerged as a means to achieve this by combining datasets in ways that retain the strengths of each. We describe a flexible approach to data integration using point process models, which provide a convenient way to translate across ecological currencies. We highlight recent examples of large-scale ecological models based on data integration and outline the conceptual and technical challenges and opportunities that arise.
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TL;DR: It is concluded, that research of thermoresponsive polymers has made big progress in recent years, especially for PNIPAm since the 1990s, and manifold research possibilities, e.g. in surface fabrication and 3D-printing and further translational applications are conceivable in near future.
Abstract: Thermoresponsive polymers hold great potential in the biomedical field, since they enable the fabrication of cell sheets, in situ drug delivery and 3D-printing under physiological conditions. In this review we provide an overview of several thermoresponsive polymers and their application, with focus on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-surfaces for cell sheet engineering. Basic knowledge of important processes like protein adsorption on surfaces and cell adhesion is provided. For different thermoresponsive polymers, namely PNIPAm, Pluronics, elastin-like polypeptides (ELP) and poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL), synthesis and basic chemical and physical properties have been described and the mechanism of their thermoresponsive behavior highlighted. Fabrication methods of thermoresponsive surfaces have been discussed, focusing on PNIPAm, and describing several methods in detail. The latter part of this review is dedicated to the application of the thermoresponsive polymers and with regard to cell sheet engineering, the process of temperature-dependent cell sheet detachment is explained. We provide insight into several applications of PNIPAm surfaces in cell sheet engineering. For Pluronics, ELP and PNVCL we show their application in the field of drug delivery and tissue engineering. We conclude, that research of thermoresponsive polymers has made big progress in recent years, especially for PNIPAm since the 1990s. However, manifold research possibilities, e.g. in surface fabrication and 3D-printing and further translational applications are conceivable in near future.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors present recent trends in the field of topological spin textures that go beyond skyrmions, and classify the alternative magnetic quasiparticles -some of them observed experimentally, others theoretical predictions -and present the most relevant and auspicious advantages of this emerging field.
Abstract: Magnetic skyrmions have attracted enormous research interest since their discovery a decade ago. The non-trivial real-space topology of these nano-whirls leads to fundamentally interesting and technologically relevant consequences - the skyrmion Hall effect of the texture and the topological Hall effect of the electrons. Furthermore, it grants skyrmions in a ferromagnetic surrounding great stability even at small sizes, making skyrmions aspirants to become the carriers of information in the future. Still, the utilization of skyrmions in spintronic devices has not been achieved yet, among other reasons, due to shortcomings in their current-driven motion. In this review, we present recent trends in the field of topological spin textures that go beyond skyrmions. The majority of these objects can be considered a combination of multiple subparticles, such as the bimeron, or the skyrmion analogues in different magnetic surroundings, such as antiferromagnetic skyrmions, as well as three-dimensional generalizations, such as hopfions. We classify the alternative magnetic quasiparticles - some of them observed experimentally, others theoretical predictions - and present the most relevant and auspicious advantages of this emerging field.
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TL;DR: The synthesis revealed that inter- and transdisciplinary approaches and multilevel governance approaches can help stakeholders and institutions implement sustainable management strategies that promote human-wildlife coexistence.
Abstract: Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a key topic in conservation and agricultural research. Decision makers need evidence-based information to design sustainable management plans and policy instruments. However, providing objective decision support can be challenging because realities and perceptions of human-wildlife interactions vary widely between and within rural, urban, and peri-urban areas. Land users who incur costs through wildlife argue that wildlife-related losses should be compensated and that prevention should be subsidized. Supporters of human-wildlife coexistence policies, such as urban-dwelling people, may not face threats to their livelihoods from wildlife. Such spatial heterogeneity in the cost and benefits of living with wildlife is germane in most contemporary societies. This Special Section features contributions on wildlife-induced damages that range from human perspectives (land use, psychology, governance, local attitudes and perceptions, costs and benefits, and HWC and coexistence theory) to ecological perspectives (animal behavior). Building on current literature and articles in this section, we developed a conceptual model to help frame HWC and coexistence dimensions. The framework can be used to determine damage prevention implementation levels and approaches to HWC resolution. Our synthesis revealed that inter- and transdisciplinary approaches and multilevel governance approaches can help stakeholders and institutions implement sustainable management strategies that promote human-wildlife coexistence.
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Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg1, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ2, Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen3, Leipzig University4, Free University of Berlin5, King Juan Carlos University6, University of Alicante7, Braunschweig University of Technology8, University of Jena9, University of Manchester10, Saint Mary's University11, University of Pretoria12, Austral University of Chile13, University of Sydney14, Colorado State University15
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify and characterize existing environmental gaps in soil taxa and ecosystem functioning data across soil macroecological studies and 17,186 sampling sites across the globe.
Abstract: Soils harbor a substantial fraction of the world's biodiversity, contributing to many crucial ecosystem functions. It is thus essential to identify general macroecological patterns related to the distribution and functioning of soil organisms to support their conservation and consideration by governance. These macroecological analyses need to represent the diversity of environmental conditions that can be found worldwide. Here we identify and characterize existing environmental gaps in soil taxa and ecosystem functioning data across soil macroecological studies and 17,186 sampling sites across the globe. These data gaps include important spatial, environmental, taxonomic, and functional gaps, and an almost complete absence of temporally explicit data. We also identify the limitations of soil macroecological studies to explore general patterns in soil biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, with only 0.3% of all sampling sites having both information about biodiversity and function, although with different taxonomic groups and functions at each site. Based on this information, we provide clear priorities to support and expand soil macroecological research.
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TL;DR: Analysis of 123 studies of assemblage-level abundances of focal taxa taken from multiple habitat fragments of varying size finds that increasing fragmentation has a disproportionately large effect on biodiversity loss, supporting the ecosystem decay hypothesis.
Abstract: Although habitat loss is the predominant factor leading to biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene1,2, exactly how this loss manifestsâand at which scalesâremains a central debate3â6. The âpassive samplingâ hypothesis suggests that species are lost in proportion to their abundance and distribution in the natural habitat7,8, whereas the âecosystem decayâ hypothesis suggests that ecological processes change in smaller and more-isolated habitats such that more species are lost than would have been expected simply through loss of habitat alone9,10. Generalizable tests of these hypotheses have been limited by heterogeneous sampling designs and a narrow focus on estimates of species richness that are strongly dependent on scale. Here we analyse 123 studies of assemblage-level abundances of focal taxa taken from multiple habitat fragments of varying size to evaluate the influence of passive sampling and ecosystem decay on biodiversity loss. We found overall support for the ecosystem decay hypothesis. Across all studies, ecosystems and taxa, biodiversity estimates from smaller habitat fragmentsâwhen controlled for sampling effortâcontain fewer individuals, fewer species and less-even communities than expected from a sample of larger fragments. However, the diversity loss due to ecosystem decay in some studies (for example, those in which habitat loss took place more than 100 years ago) was less than expected from the overall pattern, as a result of compositional turnover by species that were not originally present in the intact habitats. We conclude that the incorporation of non-passive effects of habitat loss on biodiversity change will improve biodiversity scenarios under future land use, and planning for habitat protection and restoration. Analysis of 123 studies of assemblage-level abundances of focal taxa from fragmented habitats finds that increasing fragmentation has a disproportionately large effect on biodiversity loss, supporting the ecosystem decay hypothesis.
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TL;DR: This work has developed a simple, MS-based method to specifically detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins from gargle solution samples of COVID-19 patients, and identifies unique peptides originating from Sars-Cov-2 nucleoprotein.
Abstract: Mass spectrometry (MS) can deliver valuable diagnostic data that complement genomic information and allow us to increase our current knowledge of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus We developed a simple, MS-based method to specifically detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins from gargle solution samples of COVID-19 patients The protocol consists of an acetone precipitation and tryptic digestion of proteins contained within the gargle solution, followed by a targeted MS analysis Our methodology identifies unique peptides originating from SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein Building on these promising initial results, faster MS protocols can now be developed as routine diagnostic tools for COVID-19 patients Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD019423
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Free University of Berlin1, Leipzig University2, University of Wyoming3, Wageningen University and Research Centre4, University of Göttingen5, Florida International University6, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg7, University of Toulouse8, University of Montpellier9, Oak Ridge National Laboratory10, Max Planck Society11, Morton Arboretum12, University of Manchester13
TL;DR: It is shown that root-mycorrhizal collaboration can short circuit a one-dimensional economic spectrum, providing an entire space of economic possibilities forRoot economics, ranging from âdo-it-yourselfâ resource acquisition to âoutsourcingâ to mycorrhIZal partners.
Abstract: Plant economics run on carbon and nutrients instead of money. Leaf strategies aboveground span an economic spectrum from âlive fast and die youngâ to âslow and steadyâ, but the economy defined by root strategies belowground remains unclear. Here we take a holistic view of the belowground economy, and show that root-mycorrhizal collaboration can short circuit a one-dimensional economic spectrum, providing an entire space of economic possibilities. Root trait data from 1,781 species across the globe confirm a classical fast-slow âconservationâ gradient but show that most variation is explained by an orthogonal âcollaborationâ gradient, ranging from âdo-it-yourselfâ resource uptake to âoutsourcingâ of resource uptake to mycorrhizal fungi. This broadened âroot economics spaceâ provides a solid foundation for predictive understanding of belowground responses to changing environmental conditions. One Sentence Summary Collaboration broadens the âroot economics spaceâ ranging from âdo-it-yourselfâ resource acquisition to âoutsourcingâ to mycorrhizal partners.
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Masaryk University1, Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW2, University of Bayreuth3, Spanish National Research Council4, Murdoch University5, Stellenbosch University6, University of Belgrade7, Sapienza University of Rome8, University of Göttingen9, University of the Basque Country10, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano11, Russian Academy of Sciences12, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg13, University of Nova Gorica14, Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts15, University of Novi Sad16, Research Institute for Nature and Forest17, University of Western Brittany18, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine19, Slovak Academy of Sciences20, Complutense University of Madrid21, University of Lorraine22, University of Catania23, Transilvania University of BraÈov24, University of Bremen25, University of Rostock26, Radboud University Nijmegen27, Mendel University28, University of WrocĆaw29, KarabĂŒk University30, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics31, Kazan Federal University32, Forest Research Institute33, Centre national de la recherche scientifique34, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University35, Shirshov Institute of Oceanology36, University of Vic37, University of Barcelona38, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad39, University of Latvia40, University of Kiel41, University of Zagreb42, University of Molise43, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences44, University of Vienna45, European Environment Agency46
TL;DR: This article developed the classification expert system EUNIS-ESy, which assigns vegetation plots to European habitats based on their species composition and geographic location. But the system is not suitable for outdoor gardening.
Abstract: EUNIS Habitat Classification is a standard classification of European habitats. We developed the classification expert system EUNISâESy, which assigns vegetation plots to EUNIS habitats based on their species composition and geographic location. We classified 1,261,373 vegetation plots from the European Vegetation Archive and determined characteristic species combinations and prepared distribution maps for 199 habitats at Level 3 of EUNIS hierarchy.
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TL;DR: It is shown that urban areas have high diversity of bees but not other insects, and high pollination provisioning, relative to rural sites, and it is found that ecotones in insect-friendly green cover surrounding both urban and rural sites boost pollination.
Abstract: Urbanisation is an important global driver of biodiversity change, negatively impacting some species groups whilst providing opportunities for others. Yet its impact on ecosystem services is poorly investigated. Here, using a replicated experimental design, we test how Central European cities impact flying insects and the ecosystem service of pollination. City sites have lower insect species richness, particularly of Diptera and Lepidoptera, than neighbouring rural sites. In contrast, Hymenoptera, especially bees, show higher species richness and flower visitation rates in cities, where our experimentally derived measure of pollination is correspondingly higher. As well as revealing facets of biodiversity (e.g. phylogenetic diversity) that correlate well with pollination, we also find that ecotones in insect-friendly green cover surrounding both urban and rural sites boost pollination. Appropriately managed cities could enhance the conservation of Hymenoptera and thereby act as hotspots for pollination services that bees provide to wild flowers and crops grown in urban settings.
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TL;DR: P programmed B chromosome elimination in goatgrass starts at the onset of embryo differentiation by nondisjunction of chromatids, anaphase lagging, and ends with the degradation of micronucleated DNA.
Abstract: Not necessarily all cells of an organism contain the same genome. Some eukaryotes exhibit dramatic differences between cells of different organs, resulting from programmed elimination of chromosomes or their fragments. Here, we present a detailed analysis of programmed B chromosome elimination in plants. Using goatgrass Aegilops speltoides as a model, we demonstrate that the elimination of B chromosomes is a strictly controlled and highly efficient root-specific process. At the onset of embryo differentiation B chromosomes undergo elimination in proto-root cells. Independent of centromere activity, B chromosomes demonstrate nondisjunction of chromatids and lagging in anaphase, leading to micronucleation. Chromatin structure and DNA replication differ between micronuclei and primary nuclei and degradation of micronucleated DNA is the final step of B chromosome elimination. This process might allow root tissues to survive the detrimental expression, or overexpression of B chromosome-located root-specific genes with paralogs located on standard chromosomes. B chromosomes are supernumerary chromosomes exhibiting dramatic differences between different organs in same species. Here, the authors show programmed B chromosome elimination in goatgrass starts at the onset of embryo differentiation by nondisjunction of chromatids, anaphase lagging, and ends with the degradation of micronucleated DNA.