Evaluating the Feasibility of Eradicating an Invasion

The detectability of invasive organisms influences the costs and benefits of alternative control strategies, and the feasibility of eradicating an infestation. Search theory offers a mathematically rigorous framework for defining and measuring detectability taking account of searcher ability, biological factors and the search environment. In this paper, invasive species detectability is incorporated into a population simulation model. The model is applied to a base set of parameter values that represent reasonable values for a hypothetical weed. The analysis shows the effects of detectability and search effort on the duration of an eradication program. For a given level of detectability and search time, the analysis shows that the variables with the greatest influence on the duration of the eradication effort are search speed, kill efficiency, germination rate and seed longevity. Monte Carlo simulations are performed on a set of four weed scenarios, involving different combinations of plant longevity, seed longevity and plant fecundity. Results of these simulations are presented as probability distributions and allow us to calculate how the probability of eradication will be affected by search strategy.     

Female and male Texas cichlids (Herichthys cyanoguttatum) do not fight by the same rules

Selection usually acts differently on males and females duringintrasexual competition for resources and/or mates. Nevertheless,agonistic behavior has been examined both theoretically andempirically mostly in males. Our research questions whethermales and females follow the same rules of engagement in intrasexualcontests as predicted by the sequential assessment model (SAM).The SAM predicts negative correlations between contest intensityand duration and the magnitude of asymmetry in resource holdingpower (RHP) between the contestants, such that the most escalatedcontests are those between similarly endowed individuals. Westaged male and female intrasexual contests with varying degreesof body size asymmetry under a round robin design using themonogamous Texas cichlid fish (Herichthys cyanoguttatum) asa study case. We used Mantel's matrix analysis to compare howthe behavioral content, duration, structure, and outcome ofmale and female contests were affected by the relative bodysize of the contestants. In the case of males, relative sizein each contest predicted outcome, duration, and frequency ofconventional and escalated behaviors according to prevailingtheory. Female contest structure and outcome, however, werenot predicted by the relative size of contestants. We discussour results in terms of other asymmetries that might be importantin structuring female contests, and we propose potential approachesto study female–female aggression.     

Reproductive success and the energetic cost of parental care in male smallmouth bass

Direct field measurements of the energetic expenditure on parental care and within-nest reproductive success of individual male smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieui were determined by measuring the change in total body mass as well as by total body electroconductivity analysis (TOBEC™). With TOBEC, the change in total body lean mass of the same live individual was measured non-destructively at the beginning and end of the parental care period. Lean mass was the primary source of energy utilized during parental care indicating starvation and potential loss of future reproduction. Individual loss in lean mass was related positively to reproductive success suggesting that the energy expended during parental care does affect individual fitness.     

Computational Investigations of the Chalcogen-Substituted Carboxylic Acids RC(=O)XH and RC(=X)OH and their Dimers [RC(=O)XH]2 and [RC(=X)OH]2 (X=S, Se, Te)

Semiempirical and ab initio theoretical methods have been used to investigate molecular structures of the chalcogen-substituted carboxylic acid isomers RC(=O)XH (chalcogenol acid) and RC(=X)OH (chalcogenon acid). A recent experimental report suggests that the chalcogenon isomers, although less stable at room temperature, predominate at low temperature in polar solvents and that there is only a small barrier to isomerization between the isomers. Theoretical calculations have been used to locate minimum energy structures of chalcogen-substituted carboxylic acid isomers and to calculate energy differences between pairs of isomers. Carboxylic acids are well known to dimerize, especially in the gas phase and in non-polar solvents. We have, therefore, also calculated energies of dimerization of the chalcogen-substituted acids by optimizing the geometries of the symmetric dimers. We note that the PM3 level of theory is only qualitatively correct for sulfur- and selenium-containing species but fails even qualitatively for the tellurium-containing compounds. Ab initio results confirm the experimental observations and provide good estimates of both isomerization and dimerization energies. We conclude that for many functional groups with tautomers RC(=X)YH and RC(=Y)XH, the more acidic tautomer is the one with the acid proton on the smaller, more electronegative atom, although in many cases this may not be the more stable tautomer.Electronic Supplementary Material available.     

Structural model studies for the high-valent intermediate Q of methane monooxygenase from broken-symmetry density functional calculations

Mössbauer isomer shift parameters have been obtained for both density functional theory (DFT) OPBE and OLYP functionals by linear regressions between the measured isomer shifts and calculated electron densities at Fe nuclei for a number of Fe^2+,2.5+ and Fe^{2.5+,3+,3.5+,4+} complexes grouped separately. The calculated isomer shifts and quadrupole splittings on the sample Fe complexes from OPBE and OLYP functionals are similar to those of PW91 calculations [J. Comput. Chem. 27 (2006) 1292], however the fit parameters from the linear regressions differ between PW91 and OPBE, OLYP. Four models for the active site structure of intermediate Q of the hydroxylase component of soluble methane monooxygenase (MMOH) have been studied, using three DFT functionals OPBE, OLYP, and PW91, incorporated with broken-symmetry methodology and the conductor-like screening (COSMO) solvation model. The calculated properties, including optimized geometries, electronic energies, pK_a’s, Fe net spin populations, and Mössbauer isomer shifts and quadrupole splittings, have been reported and compared with available experimental values. The high-spin antiferromagnetically (AF) coupled Fe⁴⁺ sites are correctly predicted by OPBE and OLYP methods for all active site models. PW91 potential overestimates the Fe-ligand covalencies for some of the models because of spin crossover. Our calculations and data analysis support the structure (our current model II shown in Fig. 8) proposed by Friesner and Lippard’s group [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123 (2001) 3836-3837], which contains an Fe⁴⁺(μ-O)₂Fe⁴⁺ center, one axial water which also H-bonds to both side chains of Glu243 and Glu114, and one bidentate carboxylate group from the side chain of Glu144, which is likely to represent the active site of MMOH-Q. A new model structure (model IV shown in Fig. 9), which has a terminal hydroxo and a protonated His147 which is dissociated from a nearby Fe, is more asymmetric in its Fe(μ-O)₂Fe diamond core, and is another very good candidate for intermediate Q.     

Linking dispersal, immigration and scale in the neutral theory of biodiversity

In the classic spatially implicit formulation of Hubbell's neutral theory of biodiversity a local community receives immigrants from a metacommunity operating on a relatively slow timescale, and dispersal into the local community is governed by an immigration parameter m . A current problem with neutral theory is that m lacks a clear biological interpretation. Here, we derive analytical expressions that relate the immigration parameter m to the geometry of the plot defining the local community and the parameters of a dispersal kernel. Our results facilitate more rigorous and extensive tests of the neutral theory: we conduct a test of neutral theory by comparing estimates of m derived from fits to empirical species abundance distributions to those derived from dispersal kernels and find acceptable correspondence; and we generate a new prediction of neutral theory by investigating how the shapes of species abundance distributions change theoretically as the spatial scale of observation changes. We also discuss how our main analytical results can be used to assess the error in the mean-field approximations associated with spatially implicit formulations of neutral theory.     

Feeding ecology of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in a rice–fish culture system of the Apatani plateau (Arunachal Pradesh, India)

For two years (2002, 2003) selective feeding ecology of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) has been studied in carp-integrated rice fields in Apatani Plateau of Arunachal Pradesh (India). Sampling strategy was based on the water depths in the fields and on the flood phases: early flood phase (June–July), mid flood phase (July–August), and late flood phase (September–October). In 2003 the water level was higher and therefore periphyton availability was better. This resulted in larger gut contents and better growth of the carp compared with 2002 when the water levels were lower. Gut contents analyses revealed a total of 60 food items of which 22 belonged to the Chlorophycea, 12 to the Cyanobacteria, 10 to the Bacillariophycea and 16 to several zooplankton taxa. With the progress of flood phases, the fish increased its feeding on periphyton food items; simultaneously, feeding on plankton items gradually declined. This was caused by the increasing periphyton availability on the rice-stems. Selective feeding on plankton and periphyton taxa was studied, selectivity changed with the flood phases. Periphytic Chlorophycea and Cyanobacteria, especially, were strongly positively selected. Generally, periphyton was the most important resource for the common carp in the rice fields.     

Evolution as a cognition process: Towards an evolutionary epistemology

Recently, biologist and philosophers have been much attracted by an evolutionary view of knowledge, so-called evolutionary epistemology. Developing this insight, the present paper argues that our cognitive abilities are the outcome of organic evolution, and that, conversely, evolution itself may be described as a cognition process. Furthermore, it is argued that the key to an adequate evolutionary epistemology lies in a system-theoretical approach to evolution which grows from, but goes beyond, Darwin's theory of natural selection.     

Application of the Percolation Theory to Random Networks of Biochemical Reactions

Percolation Theory is used to get statements about random networks. It can be seen that the probability distribution that vertices belong to a finite cluster in dependence on the mean catalytic activity C = K/N has an analogy to phase transition of second kind.