Cahilldillard3008

Changes in the gut microbiome appear to provoke androgen deficiency-induced metabolic diseases, leading to early mortality.Microbial colonization and degradation of particulate organic matter (POM) are important processes that influence the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. Although POM is readily used by aquatic fungi and bacteria, there is a limited understanding of POM-associated interactions between these taxa, particularly for early-diverging fungal lineages. Using a model ecological system with the chitin-degrading freshwater chytrid fungus Rhizoclosmatium globosum and chitin microbeads, we assessed the impacts of chytrid fungi on POM-associated bacteria. We show that the presence of chytrids on POM alters concomitant bacterial community diversity and structure, including differing responses between chytrid life stages. We propose that chytrids can act as ecosystem facilitators through saprotrophic feeding by producing 'public goods' from POM degradation that modify bacterial POM communities. This study suggests that chytrid fungi have complex ecological roles in aquatic POM degradation not previously considered, including the regulation of bacterial colonization, community succession and subsequent biogeochemical potential.Evidence suggests that natural populations can evolve to better tolerate the novel environmental conditions associated with urban areas. Studies of adaptive divergence in urban areas often examine one or a few traits at a time from populations residing only at the most extreme urban and nonurban habitats. Ridaforolimus Thus, whether urbanization drives divergence in many traits simultaneously in a manner that varies with the degree of urbanization remains unclear. To address this gap, we generated seed families of white clover (Trifolium repens) collected from 27 populations along an urbanization gradient in Toronto, Canada, grew them in a common garden, and measured 14 phenotypic traits. Families from urban sites had evolved later phenology and germination, larger flowers, thinner stolons, reduced cyanogenesis, greater biomass and greater seed set. Pollinator observations revealed near-complete turnover of pollinator morphological groups along the urbanization gradient, which may explain some of the observed divergences in floral traits and phenology. Our results suggest that adaptation to urban environments involves multiple traits.An annual life history is often associated with the ability to self-fertilize. However, it is unknown whether the evolution of selfing commonly precedes the evolution of annuality, or vice versa. Using a 2-year common garden experiment, we asked if the evolution of selfing in the normally perennial Arabidopsis lyrata was accompanied by a shift towards the annual habit. Despite their very recent divergence from obligately outcrossing populations, selfing plants exhibited a 39% decrease in over-winter survival after the first year compared with outcrossing plants. Our data ruled out the most obvious underlying mechanism differences in reproductive investment in the first year did not explain differences in survival. We conclude that transitions to selfing in perennial A. lyrata may be accompanied by a shift towards annuality, but drivers of the process require further investigation.Ejaculate traits vary extensively among individuals and species, but little is known about their variation among populations of the same species. Here, we investigated patterns of intraspecific variation in male reproductive investment in the terrestrial-breeding frog Pseudophryne guentheri. Like most anurans, breeding activity in P. guentheri is cued by precipitation, and therefore the timing and duration of breeding seasons differ among geographically separated populations, potentially leading to differences in the level of sperm competition. We, therefore, anticipated local adaptation in sperm traits that reflect these phenological differences among populations. Our analysis of six natural populations across a rainfall gradient revealed significant divergence in testes and ejaculate traits that correspond with annual rainfall and rainfall seasonality; males from the northern and drier edge of the species range had significantly smaller testes containing fewer, smaller and less motile sperm compared with those from mesic central populations. These findings may reflect spatial variation in the strength of postcopulatory sexual selection, likely driven by local patterns of precipitation.Mediterranean islands provide shelter and sustenance for millions of migrating birds each year. Humans have historically exploited bird migration through hunting. In Cyprus, trapping birds during their migratory peak is considered a tradition, but has long been against the law. Illegal bird trapping is lucrative, however, with trappers using tape lures that broadcast birdsong to increase capture rates. It results in the slaughter of millions of birds each year. Yet, scientific studies quantifying capture rates of target and nontarget species using methods employed by trappers are lacking. Here, we show using playback experiments that tape lures lead to an order of magnitude greater capture rates of target species, but also significantly increase bycatch, which may include species of conservation concern. Conservation efforts focusing on minimizing illegal bird killing should also consider tape lures and their contribution to the overall impact of trapping on avian populations.While numerous guidelines for the prescription of physical activity are released each year, the quality and practicability of these guidelines is unknown. We assessed the quality of 95 guidance documents published since 2000 that included recommendations about physical activity for the promotion of general health and prevention of cardiometabolic disease. We used 3 tools Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II), the National Academy of Medicine's (NAM) Standards for Trustworthy Clinical Practice Guidelines, and the Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type (FITT) score. Average AGREE II domain scores ranged from 38%-84%, and the portion of criteria fulfilled per NAM domain ranged from 7%-39%. The average FITT score for all recommendations was 2.48 out of 4. While guidelines improved according to both AGREE II and the NAM standards over time, their practicability as assessed by FITT score did not improve. Guidelines produced by governmental agencies or other nonprofit organizations, using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, or fulfilling a higher number of NAM criteria tended to be of higher quality.