Climatic and geometric constraints as driving factors of butterfly species richness along a Neotropical elevational gradient

We tested the effects of temperature, humidity and geographical constraints upon butterfly species richness along an elevational gradient covering an altitude ranging from 117 to 3,104 m above sea level (m. a.s.l.), in Southern Mexico. Ten transect sites were sampled 219 times from May 2010 to May 2011, along the elevational gradient to estimate range and population abundance of butterfly species. The effects of temperature, humidity and geometric constraints (mid-domain effects) on species richness along the study gradient were assessed using ordinary least squares regression. A total of 7,005 specimens representing 193 species were recorded. Species richness was relatively higher at elevations between 117 and 1,000 m. a.s.l. with an observed decline in richness values as elevation increased. Butterfly species richness along the study environmental gradient was predominantly determined by climatic constraints, rather than geometric constraints—a mid-domain model fit well only for large-ranged Pieridae species. Temperature and humidity explained the variation species richness for the entire butterfly community and for the three families evaluated; however the effect of predictor variables varied according to the measure of species richness and taxonomic family. This discrepancy in the response of butterfly richness to temperature, humidity and geometric constraints emphasizes the need to evaluate the response of different taxa to elevational gradients, to establish general patterns that help us to prioritize conservation measures that reduce population declines and local extinctions predicted by climate change in highly diverse tropical mountain ecosystems.     

Cu2‐xS Surface Phases and Their Impact on the Electronic Structure of CuInS2 Thin Films – A Hidden Parameter in Solar Cell Optimization

The surface properties of CuInS₂ (CIS) thin‐film solar cell absorbers are investigated by a combination of electron and soft X‐ray spectroscopies. Spatially separated regions of varying colors are observed and identified to be dominated by either CuS or Cu₂S surface phases. After their removal by KCN etching, the samples cannot be distinguished by eye and the CIS surface is found to be Cu‐deficient in both regions. However, a significantly more pronounced off‐stoichiometry in the region initially covered by Cu₂S can be identified. In this region, the resulting surface band gap is also significantly larger than the E_g^Surf of the initially CuS‐terminated region. Such variations may represent a hidden parameter which, if overlooked, induces irreproducibility and thus prevents systematic optimization efforts.     

Lifespan Extension Via Dietary Restriction: Time to Reconsider the Evolutionary Mechanisms?

Dietary restriction (DR) is the most consistent environmental manipulation to extend lifespan. Originally thought to be caused by a reduction in caloric intake, recent evidence suggests that macronutrient intake underpins the effect of DR. The prevailing evolutionary explanations for the DR response are conceptualized under the caloric restriction paradigm, necessitating reconsideration of how or whether these evolutionary explanations fit this macronutrient perspective. In the authors’ opinion, none of the current evolutionary explanations of DR adequately explain the intricacies of observed results; instead a context-dependent combination of these theories is suggested which is likely to reflect reality. In reviewing the field, it is proposed that the ability to track the destination of different macronutrients within the body will be key to establishing the relative roles of the competing theories. Understanding the evolution of the DR response and its ecological relevance is critical to understanding variation in DR responses and their relevance outside laboratory environments.     

Multi‐generational long‐distance migration of insects: studying the painted lady butterfly in the Western Palaearctic

Long‐range, seasonal migration is a widespread phenomenon among insects, allowing them to track and exploit abundant but ephemeral resources over vast geographical areas. However, the basic patterns of how species shift across multiple locations and seasons are unknown in most cases, even though migrant species comprise an important component of the temperate‐zone biota. The painted lady butterfly Vanessa cardui is such an example; a cosmopolitan continuously‐brooded species which migrates each year between Africa and Europe, sometimes in enormous numbers. The migration of 2009 was one of the most impressive recorded, and thousands of observations were collected through citizen science programmes and systematic entomological surveys, such as high altitude insect‐monitoring radar and ground‐based butterfly monitoring schemes. Here we use V. cardui as a model species to better understand insect migration in the Western Palaearctic, and we capitalise on the complementary data sources available for this iconic butterfly. The migratory cycle in this species involves six generations, encompassing a latitudinal shift of thousands of kilometres (up to 60 degrees of latitude). The cycle comprises an annual poleward advance of the populations in spring followed by an equatorward return movement in autumn, with returning individuals potentially flying thousands of kilometres. We show that many long‐distance migrants take advantage of favourable winds, moving downwind at high elevation (from some tens of metres from the ground to altitudes over 1000 m), pointing at strong similarities in the flight strategies used by V. cardui and other migrant Lepidoptera. Our results reveal the highly successful strategy that has evolved in these insects, and provide a useful framework for a better understanding of long‐distance seasonal migration in the temperate regions worldwide.     

Tbx18 regulates development of the epicardium and coronary vessels

The epicardium and coronary vessels originate from progenitor cells in the proepicardium. Here we show that Tbx18, a T-box family member highly expressed in the proepicardium, controls critical early steps in coronary development. In Tbx18^−/− mouse embryos, both the epicardium and coronary vessels exhibit structural and functional defects. At E12.5, the Tbx18-deficient epicardium contains protrusions and cyst-like structures overlying a disorganized coronary vascular plexus that contains ectopic structures resembling blood islands. At E13.5, the left and right coronary stems form correctly in mutant hearts. However, analysis of PECAM-1 whole mount immunostaining, distribution of SM22α^lacZ/+ activity, and analysis of coronary vascular casts suggest that defective vascular plexus remodeling produces a compromised arterial network at birth consisting of fewer distributing conduit arteries with smaller lumens and a reduced capacity to conduct blood flow. Gene expression profiles of Tbx18^−/− hearts at E12.5 reveal altered expression of 79 genes that are associated with development of the vascular system including sonic hedgehog signaling components patched and smoothened, VEGF-A, angiopoietin-1, endoglin, and Wnt factors compared to wild type hearts. Thus, formation of coronary vasculature is responsive to Tbx18-dependent gene targets in the epicardium, and a poorly structured network of coronary conduit vessels is formed in Tbx18 null hearts due to defects in epicardial cell signaling and fate during heart development. Lastly, we demonstrate that Tbx18 possesses a SRF/CArG box dependent repressor activity capable of inhibiting progenitor cell differentiation into smooth muscle cells, suggesting a potential function of Tbx18 in maintaining the progenitor status of epicardial-derived cells.     

New Insights into the Interdependence between Amino Acid Stereochemistry and Protein Structure

To successfully design new proteins and understand the effects of mutations in natural proteins, we must understand the geometric and physicochemical principles underlying protein structure. The side chains of amino acids in peptides and proteins adopt specific dihedral angle combinations; however, we still do not have a fundamental quantitative understanding of why some side-chain dihedral angle combinations are highly populated and others are not. Here we employ a hard-sphere plus stereochemical constraint model of dipeptide mimetics to enumerate the side-chain dihedral angles of leucine (Leu) and isoleucine (Ile), and identify those conformations that are sterically allowed versus those that are not as a function of the backbone dihedral angles ? and ψ. We compare our results with the observed distributions of side-chain dihedral angles in proteins of known structure. With the hard-sphere plus stereochemical constraint model, we obtain agreement between the model predictions and the observed side-chain dihedral angle distributions for Leu and Ile. These results quantify the extent to which local, geometrical constraints determine protein side-chain conformations.     

Occupancy modelling as a new approach to assess supranational trends using opportunistic data: a pilot study for the damselfly Calopteryx splendens

There is limited information available on changes in biodiversity at the European scale, because there is a lack of data from standardised monitoring for most species groups. However, a great number of observations made without a standardised field protocol is available in many countries for many species. Such opportunistic data offer an alternative source of information, but unfortunately such data suffer from non-standardised observation effort and geographical bias. Here we describe a new approach to compiling supranational trends using opportunistic data which adjusts for these two major imperfections. The non-standardised observation effort is dealt with by occupancy modelling, and the unequal geographical distribution of sites by a weighting procedure. The damselfly Calopteryx splendens was chosen as our test species. The data were collected from five countries (Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium and France), covering the period 1990–2008. We used occupancy models to estimate the annual number of occupied 1 × 1 km sites per country. Occupancy models use presence-absence data, account for imperfect detection of species, and thereby correct for between-year variability in observation effort. The occupancy models were run per country in a Bayesian mode of inference using JAGS. The occupancy estimates per country were then aggregated to assess the supranational trend in the number of occupied 1 × 1 km². To adjust for the unequal geographical distribution of surveyed sites, we weighted the countries according to the number of sites surveyed and the range of the species per country. The distribution of C. splendens has increased significantly in the combined five countries. Our trial demonstrated that a supranational trend in distribution can be derived from opportunistic data, while adjusting for observation effort and geographical bias. This opens new perspectives for international monitoring of biodiversity.     

Feasibility and Acceptability of Global Positioning System (GPS) Methods to Study the Spatial Contexts of Substance Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men in New York City: A P18 Cohort Sub-Study

Background

No global positioning system (GPS) technology study has been conducted among a sample of young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YMSM). As such, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using GPS methods to understand the spatial context of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among a sample of YMSM in New York City, a high-risk population.

Methods

Data came from a subsample of the ongoing P18 Cohort Study (n = 75). GPS feasibility and acceptability among participants was measured with: 1) a pre- and post-survey and 2) adherence to the GPS protocol which included returning the GPS device, self-report of charging and carrying the GPS device as well as objective data analyzed from the GPS devices. Analyses of the feasibility surveys were treated as repeated measures as each participant had a pre- and post-feasibility survey. When comparing the similar GPS survey items asked at baseline and at follow-up, we present percentages and associated p-values based on chi-square statistics.

Results

Participants reported high ratings of pre-GPS acceptability, ease of use, and low levels of wear-related concerns in addition to few concerns related to safety, loss, or appearance, which were maintained after baseline GPS feasibility data collection. The GPS return rate was 100%. Most participants charged and carried the GPS device on most days. Of the total of 75 participants with GPS data, 75 (100%) have at least one hour of GPS data for one day and 63 (84%) had at least one hour on all 7 days.

Conclusions

Results from this pilot study demonstrate that utilizing GPS methods among YMSM is feasible and acceptable. GPS devices may be used in spatial epidemiology research in YMSM populations to understand place-based determinants of health such as substance use and sexual risk behaviors.     

Sex differences in relationships between habitat use and reproductive performance in Soay sheep (Ovis aries)

The role of habitat use in generating individual variation in fitness has rarely been examined empirically in natural populations of long‐lived mammals, particularly for both sexes simultaneously. This is the case despite the increase in studies attempting to understand evolutionary change in such populations. Using data from the St. Kilda Soay sheep population, we quantified the association between lifetime reproductive performance (lifetime breeding and reproductive success) and the proportion of the home range covered by a key grass species, H. lanatus, for 490 females and 304 males. Increased H. lanatus cover was associated only with increased female lifetime reproductive success, but increased lifetime breeding success for both sexes, arising through increased male longevity and increased female fecundity. This work suggests that improved understanding of the causes and consequences of fitness differences will likely require us to better account for habitat‐derived individual variation, and to do so for the sexes appropriately.