Sewanee: The University of the South

About: Sewanee: The University of the South is a education organization based out in Sewanee, Tennessee, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Species richness. The organization has 8995 authors who have published 14790 publications receiving 320138 citations. The organization is also known as: Sewanee & The University of the South.

Handbook of protocols for standardized measurement of terrestrial invertebrate functional traits

Abstract: Summary 1. Trait-based approaches are increasingly being used to test mechanisms underlying species assemblages and biotic interactions across a wide range of organisms including terrestrial arthropods and to investigate consequences for ecosystem processes. Such an approach relies on the standardized measurement of functional traits that can be applied across taxa and regions. Currently, however, unified methods of trait measurements are lacking for terrestrial arthropods and related macroinvertebrates (terrestrial invertebrates hereafter). 2. Here, we present a comprehensive review and detailed protocol for a set of 29 traits known to be sensitive to global stressors and to affect ecosystem processes and services. We give rec- ommendations how to measure these traits under standardized conditions across various ter- restrial invertebrate taxonomic groups. 3. We provide considerations and approaches that apply to almost all traits described, such as the selection of species and individuals needed for the measurements, the importance of intraspecific trait variability, how many populations or communities to sample and over which spatial scales. 4. The approaches outlined here provide a means to improve the reliability and predictive power of functional traits to explain community assembly, species diversity patterns and ecosystem processes and services within and across taxa and trophic levels, allowing compar- ison of studies and running meta-analyses across regions and ecosystems. 5. This handbook is a crucial first step towards standardizing trait methodology across the most studied terrestrial invertebrate groups, and the protocols are aimed to balance general applicability and requirements for special cases or particular taxa. Therefore, we envision this handbook as a common platform to which researchers can further provide methodological input for additional special cases.

Adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction in regenerative medicine: a brief review on biology and translation

Abstract: Adipose/fat tissue provides an abundant source of stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells for immediate administration and can also give rise to a substantial number of cultured, multipotent adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs). Recently, both SVF and ADSCs have gained wide-ranging translational significance in regenerative medicine. Initially used for cosmetic breast enhancement, this mode of treatment has found use in many diseases involving immune disorders, tissue degeneration, and ischaemic conditions. In this review, we try to address several important aspects of this field, outlining the biology, technology, translation, and challenges related to SVF- and ADSC-based therapies. Starting from the basics of SVF and ADSC isolation, we touch upon recently developed technologies, addressing elements of novel methods and devices under development for point-of-care isolation of SVF. Characterisation of SVF cells and ADSCs is also an evolving area and we look into unusual expression of CD34 antigen as an interesting marker for such purposes. Based on reports involving different cells of the SVF, we draw a potential mode of action, focussing on angiogenesis since it involves multiple cells, unlike immunomodulation which is governed predominantly by ADSCs. We have looked into the latest research, experimental therapies, and clinical trials which are utilising SVF/ADSCs in conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, osteoarthritis, diabetic foot ulcer, and so forth. However, problems have arisen with regards to the lack of proper regulatory guidelines for such therapies and, since the introduction of US Food and Drug Administration draft guidelines and the Reliable and Effective Growth for Regenerative Health Options that Improve Wellness (REGROW) Act, the debate became more public with regards to safe and efficacious use of these cells.

Guild-specific patterns of species richness and host specialization in plant–herbivore food webs from a tropical forest

Abstract: 1.The extent to which plant-herbivore feeding interactions are specialized is key to understand the processes maintaining the diversity of both tropical forest plants and their insect herbivores. However, studies documenting the full complexity of tropical plant-herbivore food webs are lacking. 2. We describe a complex, species-rich plant-herbivore food web for lowland rain forest in Papua New Guinea, resolving 6818 feeding links between 224 plant species and 1490 herbivore species drawn from 11 distinct feeding guilds. By standardizing sampling intensity and the phylogenetic diversity of focal plants, we are able to make the first rigorous and unbiased comparisons of specificity patterns across feeding guilds. 3.Specificity was highly variable among guilds, spanning almost the full range of theoretically possible values from extreme trophic generalization to monophagy. 4.We identify guilds of herbivores that are most likely to influence the composition of tropical forest vegetation through density-dependent herbivory or apparent competition. 5.We calculate that 251 herbivore species (48 of them unique) are associated with each rain forest tree species in our study site so that the 200 tree species coexisting in the lowland rain forest community are involved in 50 000 trophic interactions with 9600 herbivore species of insects. This is the first estimate of total herbivore and interaction number in a rain forest plant?herbivore food web. 6. A comprehensive classification of insect herbivores into 24 guilds is proposed, providing a framework for comparative analyses across ecosystems and geographical regions.

Continental-wide distribution of crayfish species in Europe: update and maps

Abstract: Recently published astacological studies substantially improved available data on distribution of crayfish in various European regions. At the same time, spread of invasive species has been recorded, additional non-indigenous species became established in various countries, and losses of populations of native species due to crayfish plague and other negative factors were observed. We overview recent advances in this knowledge, and provide updated colour maps of the distribution of all crayfish species present in Europe. These maps are originally based on the data from the Atlas of Crayfish in Europe published in 2006 as a result of the CRAYNET project, and were further updated from more recently published reports, grey literature, and especially thanks to contributions and feedback of over 70 specialists from 32 countries. Separate maps are available for all indigenous crayfish species in Europe as well as for three most widespread non-indigenous crayfish species. Additionally, two maps give locations of known findings of crayfish species introduced to Europe after 1980. These newly established alien species have so far restricted distributions; however, the frequency of recent reports suggests that findings of such species resulting from releases of aquarium pets will further increase.

What is the so-called optimum pH for denitrification in soil?

Abstract: Respiratory denitrification is controlled by a number of environmental and soil factors including pH, but some of the interactions between pH and denitrification in soil are still uncertain. The objective of the present study was to assess the relationship between natural soil pH and denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA), to investigate the impact of two different techniques used for determining of potential denitrification, namely short-term DEA and the long-term denitrification potential (DP), on resulting pH optimum, especially with respect to the length of measurement, and to elucidate the effect of soil pH on the nature of denitrification products (N2O, N2). For this purpose, five mineral soils similar in a texture but differing in pH, were investigated. In addition to examining the soils in their natural pH values, pHs were adjusted by amendment of sulphuric acid or sodium hydroxide solutions prior to DEA or DP determination. The study showed that there was no simple relationship between DEA and soil pH, as very high DEA was found both in acid and alkaline soil. The study also indicated that the populations of soil denitrifiers were adapted to prevailing natural soil pH in the sense that they exhibited the highest DEA at or near natural soil pH (in experiments where the pH was adjusted to values from about 4 to 11 before DEA determination). Suppression of nitrate reductase activity by introducing nitrite instead of nitrate as an electron acceptor had no effect on this interaction between the DEA and soil pH. If the soil incubation was prolonged under optimum conditions for denitrification (surplus of nitrate or nitrite and available carbon, very low partial pressure of O2) and DP was estimated, the optimum pH for evolution of denitrification products was shifted towards neutrality. It is proposed that this is either due to the development of a community of denitrifiers which can grow better at the neutral pH or due to accommodation of the existing populations to new conditions. The shift in pH optimum occurred after about 12 h, but it took about 1–2 days to fully appear. In agreement with previous studies, it was confirmed that at pH above 7, N2 is much more important denitrification product than N2O. The study also suggests that the expressions like optimum pH for denitrification should be avoided, as different denitrification characteristics obtained using different methodology can be quite differently related to the soil reaction. Such general expression should be specified by introducing the particular denitrification parameters to which it is being applied.