1. Nephila spider male aggregation : preference for optimal female size and web clusteringMatjaž Kuntner, Maj Kuntner, Eva Kuntner, Alexandra Bogožalec Košir, Irena Kuntner, Viktorija Tomič, Jana Faganeli Pucer, Erik Štrumbelj, Daiqin Li, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Sexual size dimorphism theory predicts biased operational sex ratios (OSRs) and an uneven distribution of males among certain females. We studied this phenomenon through a field census of the giant wood spider Nephila pilipes (family Nephilidae) in Singapore, a species where females are, on average, 6.9 times larger than males. Specifically, we tested two hypotheses concerning male distribution, given their tendency to aggregate in certain female webs. The optimal female size hypothesis predicts that males would predominantly occupy webs of intermediate-sized females. The web clustering hypothesis posits that more males would be found in webs closer together compared to those farther apart. Our snapshot census revealed a female-biased OSR (females: males = 1.85) with an uneven distribution of males in female webs. Most males were found in webs of intermediate-sized females aligning with the optimal female size hypothesis. Proximity among female webs was indicative of male presence, lending support to the web clustering hypothesis. While our study's limited sample size warrants caution, we conclude that in N. pilipes, male occupation of female webs is facilitated by the clustering of webs, and males prefer to cohabit with optimally sized, receptive females.
Ključne besede: sexual size dimorphism, operational sex ratios (OSRs), male distribution, optimal female size hypothesis, web clustering hypothesis, female-biased OSR, intermediate-sized females, proximity of webs, male aggregation, arachnology, behavioral ecology, environmental zoology
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 03.09.2024; Ogledov: 85; Prenosov: 54
 Celotno besedilo (673,28 KB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
2. Chemical composition and egg production capacity throughout bloom development of ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in the northern Adriatic SeaKevin Rečnik, Katja Klun, Lovrenc Lipej, Alenka Malej, Tinkara Tinta, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: High abundances of gelatinous zooplankton (GZ) can significantly impact marine
ecosystem by acting as both sink and source of organic matter (OM) and nutrients.
The decay of GZ bloom can introduce significant amount of OM to the ocean interior,
with its variability influenced by GZ life traits and environmental factors, impacting
microbial communities vital to marine biogeochemical cycles. The invasive ctenophores
Mnemiopsis leidyi has formed massive blooms in the northern Adriatic Sea since
2016. However, the variability in the chemical composition and egg production of
blooming populations, as well as the role of environmental factors in governing this
variability, remains largely unknown. Our analysis of biometry, chemical composition,
and fecundity of M. leidyi sampled in the Gulf of Trieste in 2021 revealed stable carbon
and nitrogen content throughout bloom development, with no significant correlation
with seawater temperature, salinity, oxygen, and chlorophyll a concentration. Although
the studied population exhibited homogeneity in terms of biometry and chemical
composition, the number of produced eggs varied substantially, showing no clear
correlation with environmental variables and being somewhat lower than previously
reported for the study area and other Mediterranean areas. We observed a positive
correlation between the wet weight of individuals and the percentage of hatched eggs,
as well as a significant positive correlation between the percentage of hatched eggs
and ambient seawater temperature. Additionally, we noted that the speed of hatching
decreased with decreasing seawater temperature in autumn, corresponding to the end
of M. leidyi bloom.
Ključne besede: ctenophore, biogeochemistry, egg production capacity, invasive species, chemical composition, marine ecology
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 29.08.2024; Ogledov: 125; Prenosov: 556
Celotno besedilo (2,78 MB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
3. Using multi-tracer inference to move beyond single-catchment ecohydrology : invited reviewBenjamin W. Abbott, Viktor Baranov, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Mukundh Narayanan Balasubramanian, José Gonçalves, Stefan Krause, 2016, pregledni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Protecting or restoring aquatic ecosystems in the face of growing anthropogenic pressures requires an understanding of hydrological and biogeochemical functioning across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Recent technological and methodological advances have vastly increased the number and diversity of hydrological, biogeochemical, and ecological tracers available, providing potentially powerful tools to improve understanding of fundamental problems in ecohydrology, notably: 1. Identifying spatially explicit flowpaths, 2. Quantifying water residence time, and 3. Quantifying and localizing biogeochemical transformation. In this review, we synthesize the history of hydrological and biogeochemical theory, summarize modern tracer methods, and discuss how improved understanding of flowpath, residence time, and biogeochemical transformation can help ecohydrology move beyond description of site-specific heterogeneity. We focus on using multiple tracers with contrasting characteristics (crossing proxies) to infer ecosystem functioning across multiple scales. Specifically, we present how crossed proxies could test recent ecohydrological theory, combining the concepts of hotspots and hot moments with the Damköhler number in what we call the HotDam framework.
Ključne besede: hydrological tracer, environmental hydrology, ecohydrology, aquatic ecology
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 06.08.2024; Ogledov: 229; Prenosov: 245
Celotno besedilo (1,96 MB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
4. Reproductive biology, mating behavior, and vibratory communication of the brown-winged stink bug, Edessa meditabunda (Fabr.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)Cleonor Cavalcante A. Silva, Raúl Alberto Laumann, Jonatas Barbosa Cavalcante Ferreira, Maria Carolina Blassioli Moraes, Miguel Borges, Andrej Čokl, 2012, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: We describe different aspects of the reproductive biology, mating behavior, and vibratory communication of the pentatomid Edessa meditabunda (Fabr.). This species shows lower copulation frequency and reproductive potential with longer sexual maturation period compared to other species of pentatomids. Females with multiple mating show increased fecundity when compared with single-mated females and both increased fecundity and reduced longevity when compared with virgin females. Courtship and mating behavior and vibratory signals are typical and similar to what was observed in other species of pentatomids, except that males started the courtship. These results constitute the first paper on biology, behavior, and vibratory communication among species of the subfamily Edessinae.
Ključne besede: animal ecology, animal communication
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 05.08.2024; Ogledov: 305; Prenosov: 242
Celotno besedilo (511,11 KB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
5. A European multi lake survey dataset of environmental variables, phytoplankton pigments and cyanotoxinsEvanthia Mantzouki, Špela Remec-Rekar, Tina Eleršek, 2018, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Under ongoing climate change and increasing anthropogenic activity, which continuously challenge ecosystem resilience, an in-depth understanding of ecological processes is urgently needed. Lakes, as providers of numerous ecosystem services, face multiple stressors that threaten their functioning. Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a persistent problem resulting from nutrient pollution and climate-change induced stressors, like poor transparency, increased water temperature and enhanced stratification. Consistency in data collection and analysis methods is necessary to achieve fully comparable datasets and for statistical validity, avoiding issues linked to disparate data sources. The European Multi Lake Survey (EMLS) in summer 2015 was an initiative among scientists from 27 countries to collect and analyse lake physical, chemical and biological variables in a fully standardized manner. This database includes in-situ lake variables along with nutrient, pigment and cyanotoxin data of 369 lakes in Europe, which were centrally analysed in dedicated laboratories. Publishing the EMLS methods and dataset might inspire similar initiatives to study across large geographic areas that will contribute to better understanding lake responses in a changing environment.
Ključne besede: biological pigments, cyanotoxins, ecology, hydrobiology, data, datasets
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Ogledov: 186; Prenosov: 250
Celotno besedilo (1,32 MB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
6. NanoSIMS and tissue autoradiography reveal symbiont carbon fixation and organic carbon transfer to giant ciliate hostJean-Marie Volland, Arno Schintlmeister, Helena Zambalos, Siegfried Reipert, Patricija Mozetič, Salvador Espada-Hinojosa, Valentina Turk, Michael Wagner, Monika Bright, 2018, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: The giant colonial ciliate Zoothamnium niveum harbors a monolayer of the gammaproteobacteria Cand. Thiobios zoothamnicoli on its outer surface. Cultivation experiments revealed maximal growth and survival under steady flow of high oxygen and low sulfide concentrations. We aimed at directly demonstrating the sulfur-oxidizing, chemoautotrophic nature of the symbionts and at investigating putative carbon transfer from the symbiont to the ciliate host. We performed pulse-chase incubations with 14C- and 13C-labeled bicarbonate under varying environmental conditions. A combination of tissue autoradiography and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry coupled with transmission electron microscopy was used to follow the fate of the radioactive and stable isotopes of carbon, respectively. We show that symbiont cells fix substantial amounts of inorganic carbon in the presence of sulfide, but also (to a lesser degree) in the absence of sulfide by utilizing internally stored sulfur. Isotope labeling patterns point to translocation of organic carbon to the host through both release of these compounds and digestion of symbiont cells. The latter mechanism is also supported by ultracytochemical detection of acid phosphatase in lysosomes and in food vacuoles of ciliate cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization of freshly collected ciliates revealed that the vast majority of ingested microbial cells were ectosymbionts.
Ključne besede: microbial ecology, symbiosis
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Ogledov: 195; Prenosov: 184
Celotno besedilo (6,49 MB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
7. Bridging biotremology and chemical ecology : a new terminologyValerio Mazzoni, Gianfranco Anfora, Reginald Bifield Cocroft, Fatouros Nina E., Meta Virant-Doberlet, 2024, pregledni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Living organisms use both chemical and mechanical stimuli to survive in their environment. Substrate-borne vibrations play a significant role in mediating behaviors in animals and inducing physiological responses in plants, leading to the emergence of the discipline of biotremology. Biotremology is experiencing rapid growth both in fundamental research and in applications like pest control, drawing attention from diverse audiences. As parallels with concepts and approaches in chemical ecology emerge, there is a pressing need for a shared standardized vocabulary in the area of overlap for mutual understanding. In this article, we propose an updated set of terms in biotremology rooted in chemical ecology, using the suffix ‘-done’ derived from the classic Greek word ‘δονέω’ (pronounced ‘doneo’), meaning ‘to shake’.
Ključne besede: vibrational communication, chemical ecology, biotremology, semiophysicals, pherodones, allelodones, zoology
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 23.07.2024; Ogledov: 213; Prenosov: 140
Celotno besedilo (679,97 KB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
8. Ecological patterns of polychaete assemblages associated with the Mediterranean stony coral Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) : a comparison of sites in two biogeographic zones (Adriatic and Aegean Sea)Valentina Pitacco, Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou, Barbara Mikac, Lovrenc Lipej, 2021, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: The Mediterranean stony coral Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) is a well-known habitat builder, and as such hosts a diversified faunal assemblage. Although polychaetes are one of the most abundant and diverse macrobenthic groups associated with C. caespitosa colonies, our knowledge of their ecological features in this association is still limited. The aim of this paper was to gather and compare the most comprehensive data available on polychaetes associated with C. caespitosa in the Adriatic and the Aegean Seas, and to test for differences between these geographic areas. To this end, differences were tested in terms of: (i) richness and structure of polychaete assemblages; (ii) feeding and functional traits of assemblages; (iii) the main factors influencing those aspects, (iv) the relationship between polychaete assemblages richness and Cladocora colony size, and estimate richness. Differences were observed between the Adriatic and the Aegean Seas, in terms of richness, species composition and relative proportion of the dominant feeding guild (filter feeders most abundant in the Aegean and carnivores in the Adriatic) and motility mode (sessile most abundant in the Aegean and motile in the Adriatic). Conversely, cosmopolitan and Atlanto-Mediterranean species dominated the assemblages in both geographic areas, and the same Species-Area Relation model proved to be effective for richness estimation in both geographic areas.
Ključne besede: benthic ecology, habitat builder species, polychaeta, Mediterranean Sea
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 19.07.2024; Ogledov: 180; Prenosov: 71
 Povezava na datoteko |
9. Single-use plastic bans pollution : exploring stakeholder perspectives on best practices for reducing plasticEmily Cowan, Andy M. Booth, Andreas Misund, Katja Klun, Ana Rotter, Rachel Tiller, 2021, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Abstract
In this study, we conducted and documented workshops and interviews in Norway and Slovenia to identify stakeholder and future generation opinions and mitigation strategies for solving one of the most prominent environmental issues: plastic pollution. As part of the EU H2020 project GoJelly, stakeholders were brought together to explore their perceptions on considering jellyfish mucus as a new resource to contribute to reducing plastic pollution from entering the marine environment. The study was conducted in the spring of 2019, in a context directly after the European Union (EU) announced its Directive to ban the most commonly used single-use plastic (SUP) items. The study applied the snowball method as a methodological choice to identify relevant stakeholders. Systems thinking was utilized as a participatory modelling approach, which allowed for the creation of conceptual mind maps from the various workshops and interviews, to understand consumers’ consciousness, and to map out ideas on plastic pollution reduction. Plastic pollution takes place on a global scale and stakeholders discussed their individual perceptions of national and international solutions that could be put in place to solve it, including the opportunities around utilizing jellyfish mucus to filter and capture micro- and nanoplastic. We found that industry stakeholders in both case areas were generally more accepting of policy and increased innovation moving forward, but placed weight on the scientific community to conduct more research on the pollution issue and propose solutions. Future generation stakeholders (youth aged 14–18), however, put emphasis on consumer behavior and buying patterns of single-use products fueling the plastic crisis.
Ključne besede: ecology, plastics, single-use plastic, stakeholder integration, plastic pollution, systems thinking
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 19.07.2024; Ogledov: 239; Prenosov: 146
Celotno besedilo (1,91 MB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
10. Annual recurrence of prokaryotic climax communities in shallow waters of the North MediterraneanMauro Celussi, Vincenzo Manna, Elisa Banchi, Viviana Fonti, Matteo Bazzaro, Vesna Flander-Putrle, Katja Klun, Martina Kralj, Neža Orel, Tinkara Tinta, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: In temperate coastal environments, wide fluctuations of biotic and abiotic factors drive microbiome dynamics. To link recurrent ecological patterns with planktonic microbial communities, we analysed a monthly-sampled 3-year time series of 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data, alongside environmental variables, collected at two stations in the northern Adriatic Sea. Time series multivariate analyses allowed us to identify three stable, mature communities (climaxes), whose recurrence was mainly driven by changes in photoperiod and temperature. Mixotrophs (e.g., Ca. Nitrosopumilus, SUP05 clade, and Marine Group II) thrived under oligotrophic, low-light conditions, whereas copiotrophs (e.g., NS4 and NS5 clades) bloomed at higher temperatures and substrate availability. The early spring climax was characterised by a more diverse set of amplicon sequence variants, including copiotrophs associated with phytoplankton-derived organic matter degradation, and photo-auto/heterotrophic organisms (e.g., Synechococcus sp., Roseobacter clade), whose rhythmicity was linked to photoperiod lengthening. Through the identification of recurrent climax assemblages, we begin to delineate a typology of ecosystem based on microbiome composition and functionality, allowing for the intercomparison of microbial assemblages among different biomes, a still underachieved goal in the omics era.
Ključne besede: marine microbial ecology, coastal seas, microbial community analyses, marine biology, marine ecology
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 17.05.2024; Ogledov: 486; Prenosov: 347
Celotno besedilo (10,22 MB)
Gradivo ima več datotek! Več... |
