Engineering of Stable Recombinant Bacteria for Production of Chiral Medium-Chain-Length Poly-3-Hydroxyalkanoates

In order to scale up medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA) production in recombinant microorganisms, we generated and investigated different recombinant bacteria containing a stable regulated expression system for phaC1, which encodes one of the mcl-PHA polymerases of Pseudomonas oleovorans. We used the mini-Tn5 system as a tool to construct Escherichia coli 193MC1 and P. oleovorans POMC1, which had stable antibiotic resistance and PHA production phenotypes when they were cultured in a bioreactor in the absence of antibiotic selection. The molecular weight and the polydispersity index of the polymer varied, depending on the inducer level. E. coli 193MC1 produced considerably shorter polyesters than P. oleovorans produced; the weight average molecular weight ranged from 67,000 to 70,000, and the polydispersity index was 2.7. Lower amounts of inducer added to the media shifted the molecular weight to a higher value and resulted in a broader molecular mass distribution. In addition, we found that E. coli 193MC1 incorporated exclusively the R configuration of the 3-hydroxyoctanoate monomer into the polymer, which corroborated the enantioselectivity of the PhaC1 polymerase enzyme.     

In-Situ Optical and Acoustical Measurements of the Buoyant Cyanobacterium P. Rubescens: Spatial and Temporal Distribution Patterns

Optical (fluorescence) and acoustic in-situ techniques were tested in their ability to measure the spatial and temporal distribution of plankton in freshwater ecosystems with special emphasis on the harmful and buoyant cyanobacterium P. rubescens. Fluorescence was measured with the multi-spectral FluoroProbe (Moldaenke FluoroProbe, MFP) and a Seapoint Chlorophyll Fluorometer (SCF). In-situ measurements of the acoustic backscatter strength (ABS) were conducted with three different acoustic devices covering multiple acoustic frequencies (614 kHz ADCP, 2 MHz ADP, and 6 MHz ADV). The MFP provides a fast and reliable technique to measure fluorescence at different wavelengths in situ, which allows discriminating between P. rubescens and other phytoplankton species. All three acoustic devices are sensitive to P. rubescens even if other scatterers, e.g., zooplankton or suspended sediment, are present in the water column, because P. rubescens containing gas vesicles has a strong density difference and hence acoustic contrast to the ambient water and other scatterers. After calibration, the combination of optical and acoustical measurements not only allows qualitative and quantitative observation of P. rubescens, but also distinction between P. rubescens, other phytoplankton, and zooplankton. As the measuring devices can sample in situ at high rates they enable assessment of plankton distributions at high temporal (minutes) and spatial (decimeters) resolution or covering large temporal (seasonal) and spatial (basin scale) scales.     

Depolymerization of lignosulfonates by submerged cultures of the basidiomycete Irpex consors and cloning of a putative versatile peroxidase

Lignosulfonates are abundantly available byproducts of the paper and pulping industry, and they therefore represent a promising feedstock for new sustainable processes. For industrial applications of lignosulfonates, their molecular weight distribution is a critical factor. In order to decrease the average molecular weight of lignosulfonates, Seventeen basidiomycetes were screened for their capability to depolymerize lignosulfonates from spent sulfite liquor (SSL) in surface and liquid cultures. Five basidiomycetes polymerized the lignosulfonates under the selected conditions. Only Irpex consors was found to efficiently degrade calcium lignosulfonates when SSL (0.5%, w/w) was used as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. The average molecular weight of the lignosulfonates was reduced from ∼26 to ∼4 kDa as determined by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) within two weeks. Various extracellular enzyme activities of I. consors were determined over the culture period. High peroxidase activities were correlating with a high degradation rate and the culture was harvested at the day of highest peroxidase activity. A putative versatile peroxidase was isolated by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and its encoding cDNA was cloned.     

An Update on Insulin Injection Devices

Background: Over the past 15 years, it has become clear that better glycemic control can lead to a substantial reduction in diabetic complications and that such control often requires the use of insulin therapy. However, a number of barriers exist to starting such therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Many of these barriers to treatment are related to the use of a syringe to inject the medication. In the past ~20 years, various "pen" devices have become available that help to reduce the stigma associated with insulin injection, allowing more patients to achieve the glycemic control that they require.Objectives: This article provides an overview of the various pen devices available in the United States for subcutaneous insulin delivery and discusses the benefits these devices can provide to patients; their disadvantages are also discussed. Third-party reimbursement for these devices is highlighted.Methods: A MEDLINE search was performed (1980-2007) to identify relevant articles (English-language only) using appropriate key terms, including insulin pen and insulin delivery device. Technical specifications and availability information for the various pen devices were obtained directly from their manufacturers. Insurance coverage data were provided by major national insurance carriers.Results: There are a number of excellent pen devices available for administering each of the currently offered basal and bolus insulin analogues as well as neutral protamine Hagedorn and regular insulins. These devices range from disposable pens—which are supplied to the patient prefilled from the pharmacy, used until empty, and then discarded—to refillable digital pens, some of which have the ability to “remember” prior insulin doses. Data from various studies indicate that both patients and their physicians generally prefer insulin pens over the traditional vial and syringe delivery method. These devices are simple to use, allow patients to be more discreet in social situations, can easily be carried in a shirt pocket or purse, do not need to be refrigerated while in use, are associated with a lesser degree of injection anxiety, and may even be more accurate at lower doses. They may also be the preferred delivery system for the visually impaired, given their larger displays and the audible/tactile “click” produced each time the dose is increased by 1 U. Insulin pens lead to increased patient confidence and satisfaction and improved attitude toward insulin therapy. Most major insurance plans provide some coverage for the disposable pens as well as the cartridges for refillable pens, but this is often under tier 2 and some insurers may require prior authorization.Conclusions: Insulin pens provide DM patients with a number of advantages over a vial and syringe and can often help them overcome major barriers to the initiation of insulin therapy. The use of insulin pens leads to increased patient compliance and potential improvements in glycosylated hemoglobin, but data on glycemic control are not available. The pens should be offered to virtually all patients who require insulin therapy, except in instances in which these pens are financially prohibited.     

Potential pitfalls in rescaling digital terrain model-derived attributes for ecological studies

Terrain attributes (e.g., slope, rugosity) derived in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from digital terrain models (DTMs) are widely used in both terrestrial and marine ecological studies due to their potential to act as surrogates of species distribution. However, the spatial resolution of DTMs is often altered to match the scale at which species observations were collected. Here, we highlight the significance of adequately reporting the methods used to derive terrain attributes from DTMs and the consequences of their incorrect reporting in ecological studies. To ensure full repeatability of studies, they should report (i) the source and the resolution of the original DTM; (ii) the algorithm used to calculate terrain attributes; (iii) the method used for rescaling (e.g., aggregating or resampling, using the mean or maximum values); and (iv) the order in which these operations were performed. We contrast the effects of two common scale alteration approaches for the derivation of terrain attributes from DTMs. These two scale alteration methods differ in the step at which the change is performed: (i) the resolution alteration is performed after computing terrain attributes from the original DTM at the native resolution, or (ii) the resolution alteration is performed on the native DTM before computing terrain attributes. While these approaches conceptually do the same thing (i.e., change the resolution of the terrain attributes), we demonstrate that they produce two distinct sets of variables that are not interchangeable and describe different properties of the terrain. In a species distribution modelling (SDM) context, the first approach calculates terrain attribute values within the cell where a species is found, while the second approach calculates terrain attribute values with respect to neighbouring cells. A mutual substitution of the two approaches results in a decrease of models' discrimination ability and in misleading spatial predictions of species probability of occurrence. Regardless of the DTM-derived attribute, we argue that the choice of the approach should be carefully guided by both the ecological scale relevant to the question being asked and the performance of pre-analyses. We emphasize that selected methods be clearly described to encourage reproducibility and proper interpretation of results, thus enabling a better understanding of the role of scale in ecology.     

Learning biochemistry through manga — helping students learn and remember,and making lectures more exciting

Panels taken from manga, Japanese comics and cartoons, were used to supplement explanations of biochemical terms and topics in biochemistry classes. The results showed that the use of manga helped students remember what they had learned. Manga also had the effect of making biochemistry classes less serious and increased the number of students interested in biochemistry.     

A series of patients with purging type anorexia nervosa who do “tube vomiting”

Background

It is important for clinicians to assess their patients’ purging behavior. Various methods of purging, such as self-induced vomiting are well-known. Because patients do not always report their purging behavior, knowing the clinical signs that indicate the behavior is useful. However, we have experienced patients who did not have the reported physical signs of self-induced vomiting because they used hoses instead of their fingers to purge their stomach contents, which they call “tube vomiting”. No other previous studies have reported the use of hoses as a purging tool.

Case presentation

We present as our main case a 20-year-old Japanese woman with anorexia nervosa who engaged in “tube vomiting.” Although she recovered well under medical treatment in our hospital, she began to lose weight and blood potassium soon after discharge. We found that she used a garden hose instead of her fingers to perform self-induced vomiting,. She inserted the hose into her stomach and evacuated the stomach contents through it, without pain. She learned this technique through a blog about eating disorders. We also present two other similar cases. In fact, many patients discuss “tube vomiting” on the internet.

Conclusion

Our experience suggests that a sudden decrease in the weight and blood potassium level could indicate “tube vomiting”. In addition, because many information resources are available on the internet, medical practitioners should be aware of these sites.

     

The impact of feral domestic cats on native bird populations. Predictive modelling approach on a country scale

Ecological interactions between native species are often disturbed by invasive species. However, to understand their impact on wild native animal populations on a country scale it is necessary to develop a predictive model. Therefore, I followed the species density distribution modelling approach to explore how feral domestic cats (Felis catus) along with environmental predictors determined densities of two bird species, the Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) and the Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) on the whole area of Poland. As a modelling method, I used the Generalised Additive Model to develop two models for each of the two bird species: The first with the feral cat density as an additional predictor, and the second without it. As a result, I demonstrated the negative impact of cat density on native bird populations, illustrated by reduced density of the two studied species in their preferred habitats, in which cats reached a high density. Although it cannot be explicitly asserted that cats lead to a local extinction of the two bird species, these predators should not be underestimated. In many locations feral populations are fed with new individuals, and they do not follow the same internal mechanisms regulating their population as the native bird fauna. Thus, on a large spatial scale species density distribution models of birds should include cats’ population size as an additional predictor when this predator's environmental preferences overlap with preferences of the studied target groups.     

Heterogeneity versus homogeneity: A conceptual and mathematical theory in terms of scale-invariant and scale-covariant distributions

Ecologists often use the words heterogeneity and homogeneity when they are describing the distribution of a variable, yet there has been no formal exploration into the relation of these two states to one another. This work formalizes their relationship within statistical theory with a conceptual framework that includes five parameters: L, K, S, D, and R. These parameters provide an increasing degree of specificity about a distribution as they are enumerated and accord with measurements of system extent, richness, evenness, variance, and scale-covariance. Moreover, a mathematical and physical basis for understanding heterogeneity and homogeneity is outlined in terms of Brownian motion, where the Hurst exponent H and the notion of variance are utilized to delimit these two states. Spatial and temporal patterns are quantified and classified according to the mathematical and physical basis at multiple scales, as well as within the conceptual framework that can be applied to other metrics. Concepts of scale-invariance and scale-covariance are discussed in terms of hierarchy theory. It is argued that in hierarchical distributions, we should expect more than simple scale-covariance; we should expect division by a transitional state that divides heterogeneity from homogeneity at some scale. By revisiting the underlying statistical theory behind these concepts, a more efficient approach to quantifying ecological distributions can result.     

The phylogeny of the genus Ischioscia Verhoeff, 1928, with redescriptions of three species (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea)

The genus Ischioscia Verhoeff, 1928 is reviewed. 26 species are considered valid. A key for their identification is given, as well as a map showing the geographic distribution. The known range of the genus covers a large area from the central Amazon region to the mountains of Guatemala. The species of Ischioscia have a typical “philosciid” habitus (“runner” type); they can be distinguished from other Neotropical species with similar habitus by the following apomorphies: (1) male pereiopod 1 carpus enlarged to a plate-like extension, (2) scale field on male pereiopod 1 covering entire frontal side of the carpus, (3) male pereiopod 7 ischium with a ventral scale field, (4) dactylus in both sexes with a long inner claw. The groundpattern of Ischioscia is reconstructed, and an analysis of the phylogenetic relations within the genus is made on the basis of morphological data. The species are very similar to each other, most differences are found in the male structures of sexually dimorphic features. Ischioscia sturmi (Vandel, 1972), I. amazonica Lemos de Castro, 1955 and I. bolivari Vandel, 1968 are redescribed in detail.     

Joint Loads in Marsupial Ankles Reflect Habitual Bipedalism versus Quadrupedalism

Joint surfaces of limb bones are loaded in compression by reaction forces generated from body weight and musculotendon complexes bridging them. In general, joints of eutherian mammals have regions of high radiodensity subchondral bone that are better at resisting compressive forces than low radiodensity subchondral bone. Identifying similar form-function relationships between subchondral radiodensity distribution and joint load distribution within the marsupial postcranium, in addition to providing a richer understanding of marsupial functional morphology, can serve as a phylogenetic control in evaluating analogous relationships within eutherian mammals. Where commonalities are established across phylogenetic borders, unifying principles in mammalian physiology, morphology, and behavior can be identified. Here, we assess subchondral radiodensity patterns in distal tibiae of several marsupial taxa characterized by different habitual activities (e.g., locomotion). Computed tomography scanning, maximum intensity projection maps, and pixel counting were used to quantify radiodensity in 41 distal tibiae of bipedal (5 species), arboreal quadrupedal (4 species), and terrestrial quadrupedal (5 species) marsupials. Bipeds (Macropus and Wallabia) exhibit more expansive areas of high radiodensity in the distal tibia than arboreal (Dendrolagus, Phascolarctos, and Trichosurus) or terrestrial quadrupeds (Sarcophilus, Thylacinus, Lasiorhinus, and Vombatus), which may reflect the former carrying body weight only through the hind limbs. Arboreal quadrupeds exhibit smallest areas of high radiodensity, though they differ non-significantly from terrestrial quadrupeds. This could indicate slightly more compliant gaits by arboreal quadrupeds compared to terrestrial quadrupeds. The observed radiodensity patterns in marsupial tibiae, though their statistical differences disappear when controlling for phylogeny, corroborate previously documented patterns in primates and xenarthrans, potentially reflecting inferred limb use during habitual activities such as locomotion. Despite the complex nature of factors contributing to joint loads, broad observance of these patterns across joints and across a variety of taxa suggests that subchondral radiodensity can be used as a unifying form-function principle within Mammalia.     

灵空山油松-辽东栎林乔木树种群落学特征及空间分布格局

参照CTFS技术规范对灵空山自然保护区油松(Pinus tabuliformis)-辽东栎(Quercus wutaishanica)林的乔木进行每木调查的基础上分析了不同乔木树种的群落学特征及空间分布格局。结果表明,4hm2样地中共有乔木树种25种,总计8210株。隶属于12科18属,种的区系以东亚、温带亚洲及中国特有分布类型为主。油松、辽东栎是群落中的共优种,个体占总个体的86.81%,杜梨(Pyrus betulifolia)、白蜡树(Fraxinus chinensis)、漆树(Toxicodendron vernicifluum)为群落中主要的伴生种。优势种的径级结构与所有乔木个体的径级结构相似,近似于倒"J"形,以小径级个体居多,林下更新良好。主要树种的空间分布格局在小尺度上表现为聚集分布。油松小径级个体在20 m以内的尺度上呈聚集分布,当空间尺度超过60 m时表现为随机分布,大径级个体在所有尺度上均呈随机分布;辽东栎不同径级个体在小尺度范围内呈现聚集分布,随着尺度增大由随机分布趋于均匀分布。主要树种除漆树外在坡度较缓的生境下分布密度大。灵空山自然保护区油松-辽东栎林中油松种群优势地位更显著,各个乔木种群处于相对稳定状态。     

Large-scale distribution of hybridogenetic lineages in a Spanish desert ant

Recently, a unique case of hybridogenesis at a social level was reported in local populations of the desert ants Cataglyphis. Queens mate with males originating from a different genetic lineage than their own to produce hybrid workers, but they use parthenogenesis for the production of reproductive offspring (males and females). As a result, non-reproductive workers are all inter-lineage hybrids, whereas the sexual line is purely maternal. Here, we show that this unorthodox reproductive system occurs in all populations of the ant Cataglyphis hispanica. Remarkably, workers are hybrids of the same two genetic lineages along a 400 km transect crossing the whole distribution range of the species. These results indicate that social hybridogenesis in C. hispanica allows their maintenance over time and across a large geographical scale of two highly divergent genetic lineages, despite their constant hybridization. The widespread distribution of social hybridogenesis in C. hispanica supports that this reproductive strategy has been evolutionarily conserved over a long period.     

Determining sensitive stages for learning to detect predators in larval bronzed frogs: Importance of alarm cues in learning

Successful survival and reproduction of prey organisms depend on their ability to detect their potential predators accurately and respond effectively with suitable defences. Predator detection can be innate or can be acquired through learning. We studied prey–predator interactions in the larval bronzed frogs (Sylvirana temporalis), which have the innate ability to detect certain predators. We conducted a series of experiments to determine if the larval S. temporalis rely solely on innate predator detection mechanisms or can also learn to use more specific cues such as conspecific alarm cues for the purpose. The results of our study clearly indicate that larval S. temporalis use both innate and learned mechanisms for predator detection. Predator-naïve tadpoles could detect kairomones alone as a potential threat and responded by reducing activity, suggesting an innate predator detection mechanism. Surprisingly, predator-naïve tadpoles failed to detect conspecific alarm cues as a potential threat, but learned to do so through experience. After acquiring the ability to detect conspecific alarm cues, they could associate novel predator cues with conspecific alarm cues. Further, post feeding stages of larval S. temporalis are sensitive for learning to detect conspecific alarm cues to label novel predators.     

Conservation Priorities for Prunus africana Defined with the Aid of Spatial Analysis of Genetic Data and Climatic Variables

Conservation priorities for Prunus africana, a tree species found across Afromontane regions, which is of great commercial interest internationally and of local value for rural communities, were defined with the aid of spatial analyses applied to a set of georeferenced molecular marker data (chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites) from 32 populations in 9 African countries. Two approaches for the selection of priority populations for conservation were used, differing in the way they optimize representation of intra-specific diversity of P. africana across a minimum number of populations. The first method (S1) was aimed at maximizing genetic diversity of the conservation units and their distinctiveness with regard to climatic conditions, the second method (S2) at optimizing representativeness of the genetic diversity found throughout the species’ range. Populations in East African countries (especially Kenya and Tanzania) were found to be of great conservation value, as suggested by previous findings. These populations are complemented by those in Madagascar and Cameroon. The combination of the two methods for prioritization led to the identification of a set of 6 priority populations. The potential distribution of P. africana was then modeled based on a dataset of 1,500 georeferenced observations. This enabled an assessment of whether the priority populations identified are exposed to threats from agricultural expansion and climate change, and whether they are located within the boundaries of protected areas. The range of the species has been affected by past climate change and the modeled distribution of P. africana indicates that the species is likely to be negatively affected in future, with an expected decrease in distribution by 2050. Based on these insights, further research at the regional and national scale is recommended, in order to strengthen P. africana conservation efforts.     

Latent song type memories are accessible through auditory stimulation in a hand-reared songbird

The production of learned vocalizations such as in birdsong is often used to judge whether stimuli had been memorized upon their presentation. However, failures in the imitation of certain song patterns may also reflect impaired development of motor programmes or impaired memory retrieval rather than failures in stimulus memorization during auditory acquisition. To study this issue, we confronted adult hand-reared nightingales, Luscinia megarhynchos, with interactive playback experiments and used vocal matching as a behavioural tool to investigate their song type memories. Vocal matching is a common pattern-specific response that songbirds use in territorial countersinging. We distinguished two forms of pattern-specific matching: (1) song type matching (i.e. a bird replied with the same song type as the stimulus song), and (2) song group matching (i.e. the bird replied with a different song type which was, however, sequentially associated with the playback song presented earlier, i.e. during the tutoring). Some subjects used both song type and song group matching in response to song types they had not imitated from the tutor programme prior to the playback experiments. Our results indicate that nightingales store more song types in their sensory phase than they spontaneously recall from memory as adults. That is, memories of song types that were not performed in overt behaviour could be activated by vocal interactions, here induced by the interactive playback. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.     

The distribution of hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from micro- to macro-scale: Spatial patterns on habitat-forming algae

Scaling up from local, short-term experiments to larger-area and longer-term ones is crucial to address the role of scale in ecology. Few studies, however, examined large-scale spatial variability in the distribution and abundance of marine organisms, with rare attempts to directly compare spatial variation at local (centimetres-metres) vs. regional (1000's of kilometres) scale. Here, we used a hierarchical design to describe the spatial distribution of the hydroids epiphitic of the brown alga Cystoseira amentacea, a habitat-forming species that provides a continuous, extensive settling substrate at regional scale along the rocky coasts in the Mediterranean Sea. This continuity provides the potential to deal with scale-related variability, increasing area of investigation without adding differences deriving from habitat heterogeneity or changes in topographic complexity. Hydroids were selected for their abundance and for their life cycle features (rapid growth, small body size, early sexual or asexual reproduction and short life span), allowing rapid responses to changes in environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to analyse whether the structure of hydroid assemblages living on C. amentacea had a consistent pattern of variation among three portions of the algal thallus (i.e., basal, middle, and distal) across a spectrum of scales and whether having or not a pelagic stage could exert a significant influence on the distribution patterns of the species. A total of 32 species were identified. Multivariate analyses showed that hydroid colonization of Cystoseira occurs differently along each thallus, with patterns of variation in the structure of assemblages differing at an even smaller spatial scale than that of single plants. However, such differences varied from patch to patch. Among the 14 species identified as “important” to define the hydroid assemblage inhabiting Cystoseira, only one (Clytia hemisphaerica) has free medusae, the other species reproducing by fixed gonophores or by short-lived medusoids. Univariate analysis showed significant differences among portions of thalli in terms of spatial variability at the various scales investigated, thus suggesting that patterns of multivariate variation along the three portions of thalli might vary across scale. Overall, our results suggest that patterns of distribution of hydroids along C. amentacea thalli significantly vary across spatial scales but that the observed differences can be hardly interpreted on the basis of life-cycle patterns.     

Assessment of the Geographic Distribution of Ornithodoros turicata (Argasidae): Climate Variation and Host Diversity

BackgroundOrnithodoros turicata is a veterinary and medically important argasid tick that is recognized as a vector of the relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia turicatae and African swine fever virus. Historic collections of O. turicata have been recorded from Latin America to the southern United States. However, the geographic distribution of this vector is poorly understood in relation to environmental variables, their hosts, and consequently the pathogens they transmit.MethodologyLocalities of O. turicata were generated by performing literature searches, evaluating records from the United States National Tick Collection and the Symbiota Collections of Arthropods Network, and by conducting field studies. Maximum entropy species distribution modeling (Maxent) was used to predict the current distribution of O. turicata. Vertebrate host diversity and GIS analyses of their distributions were used to ascertain the area of shared occupancy of both the hosts and vector.

Conclusions and Significance

Our results predicted previously unrecognized regions of the United States with habitat that may maintain O. turicata and could guide future surveillance efforts for a tick capable of transmitting high–consequence pathogens to human and animal populations.     

STUDY OF MITOCHONDRIA IN RAT LIVER : Quantitative Electron Microscopy

The electron microscope has been used to determine the weight distribution of isolated subcellular particles from normal rat liver. The following results are reported: (1) There exist at least two well defined weight populations of subcellular particles; their respective median weights are 1.3 x 10^-14 and 11 x 10^-14 gm. The lighter fraction is considered to consist of lysosomes, the heavier of mitochondria. (2) The mitochondrial fraction shows a log-normal distribution of the particle weight. (3) By the introduction of morphologic criteria, the mitochondrial fraction is divided into two groups, one consisting of a spherical, the other of an oblong type of particle. The data found support the following concepts: (a) Mitochondria increase their weight from a certain size up by linear growth. (b) Mitochondria divide. The division is not necessarily symmetric; in all cases, however, one part of the division product is a spherical particle. It is felt that these results constitute a valuable demonstration of the general capabilities of quantitative electron microscopy and may stimulate many other useful applications of this technique in cytology, bacteriology, and virology.     

Language Structure Is Partly Determined by Social Structure

Background

Languages differ greatly both in their syntactic and morphological systems and in the social environments in which they exist. We challenge the view that language grammars are unrelated to social environments in which they are learned and used.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We conducted a statistical analysis of >2,000 languages using a combination of demographic sources and the World Atlas of Language Structures— a database of structural language properties. We found strong relationships between linguistic factors related to morphological complexity, and demographic/socio-historical factors such as the number of language users, geographic spread, and degree of language contact. The analyses suggest that languages spoken by large groups have simpler inflectional morphology than languages spoken by smaller groups as measured on a variety of factors such as case systems and complexity of conjugations. Additionally, languages spoken by large groups are much more likely to use lexical strategies in place of inflectional morphology to encode evidentiality, negation, aspect, and possession. Our findings indicate that just as biological organisms are shaped by ecological niches, language structures appear to adapt to the environment (niche) in which they are being learned and used. As adults learn a language, features that are difficult for them to acquire, are less likely to be passed on to subsequent learners. Languages used for communication in large groups that include adult learners appear to have been subjected to such selection. Conversely, the morphological complexity common to languages used in small groups increases redundancy which may facilitate language learning by infants.

Conclusions/Significance

We hypothesize that language structures are subjected to different evolutionary pressures in different social environments. Just as biological organisms are shaped by ecological niches, language structures appear to adapt to the environment (niche) in which they are being learned and used. The proposed Linguistic Niche Hypothesis has implications for answering the broad question of why languages differ in the way they do and makes empirical predictions regarding language acquisition capacities of children versus adults.