Patterns of genetic divergence among populations of the common dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius in the UK - Darlina Md. Naim; Sandra Telfer; Sue Tatman; Sarah Bird; Stephen J. Kemp; Rhian Hughes; Phillip C. Watts (Molecular Biology Reports, 2012)

Aspergillus oryzae NRRL 35191 from coffee, a non-toxigenic endophyte with the ability to synthesize kojic acid - Fabio C. Chaves; Thomas J. Gianfagna; Madhu Aneja; Francisco Posada; Stephen W. Peterson; Fernando E. Vega (Mycological Progress, 2012)

Functional haplotypes of Fc gamma (Fcγ) receptor (FcγRIIA and FcγRIIIB) predict risk to repeated episodes of severe malarial anemia and mortality in Kenyan children - Collins Ouma; Gregory C. Davenport; Steven Garcia; Prakasha Kempaiah; Ateefa Chaudhary; Tom Were; Samuel B. Anyona; Evans Raballah; Stephen N. Konah; James B. Hittner; John M. Vulule; John M. Ong’echa; et al. (Human Genetics, 2012)

Analysis of family- and population-based samples in cohort genome-wide association studies - Ani Manichaikul; Wei-Min Chen; Kayleen Williams; Quenna Wong; Michèle M. Sale; James S. Pankow; Michael Y. Tsai; Jerome I. Rotter; Stephen S. Rich; Josyf C. Mychaleckyj (Human Genetics, 2012)

Meta-analysis of new genome-wide association studies of colorectal cancer risk - Ulrike Peters; Carolyn M. Hutter; Li Hsu; Fredrick R. Schumacher; David V. Conti; Christopher S. Carlson; Christopher K. Edlund; Robert W. Haile; Steven Gallinger; Brent W. Zanke; Mathieu Lemire; Jagadish Rangrej; et al. (Human Genetics, 2012)

Does insulin-like growth factor 1 genotype influence muscle power response to strength training in older men and women? - Suchi Sood; Erik D. Hanson; Matthew J. Delmonico; Matthew C. Kostek; Brian D. Hand; Stephen M. Roth; Ben F. Hurley (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2012)

Evaluating release alternatives for a long-lived bird species under uncertainty about long-term demographic rates - Clinton T. Moore; Sarah J. Converse; Martin J. Folk; Michael C. Runge; Stephen A. Nesbitt (Journal of Ornithology, 2012)

Potential Biodiversity Benefits from International Programs to Reduce Carbon Emissions from Deforestation - Juha Siikamäki; Stephen C. Newbold (Ambio, 2012)

Bolder Thinking for Conservation - REED F. NOSS; ANDREW P. DOBSON; ROBERT BALDWIN; PAUL BEIER; CORY R. DAVIS; DOMINICK A. DELLASALA; JOHN FRANCIS; HARVEY LOCKE; KATARZYNA NOWAK; ROEL LOPEZ; CONRAD REINING; STEPHEN C. TROMBULAK; et al. (Conservation Biology, 2012)

Platinum group element and nickel sulphide ore tenors of the Mount Keith nickel deposit, Yilgarn Craton, Australia - Stephen J. Barnes; Marco L. Fiorentini; Michael C. Fardon (Mineralium Deposita, 2012)

Subtle ‘boom and bust’ response of Macquaria ambigua to flooding in an Australian dryland river - David Sternberg; Stephen R. Balcombe; Jonathan C. Marshall; Jaye S. Lobegeiger; Angela H. Arthington (Environmental Biology of Fishes, 2012)

Head Impact Biomechanics in Youth Hockey: Comparisons Across Playing Position, Event Types, and Impact Locations - Jason P. Mihalik; Kevin M. Guskiewicz; Stephen W. Marshall; J. Troy Blackburn; Robert C. Cantu; Richard M. Greenwald (Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2012)

The Effect of Play Type and Collision Closing Distance on Head Impact Biomechanics - Karen E. Ocwieja; Jason P. Mihalik; Stephen W. Marshall; Julianne D. Schmidt; Scott C. Trulock; Kevin M. Guskiewicz (Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2012)

Gradient forests: calculating importance gradients on physical predictors - Nick Ellis; Stephen J. Smith; C. Roland Pitcher (Ecology, 2012)
In ecological analyses of species and community distributions there is interest in the nature of their responses to environmental gradients and in identifying the most important environmental variables, which may be used for predicting patterns of biodiversity. Methods such as random forests already exist to assess predictor importance for individual species and to indicate where along gradients abundance changes. However, there is a need to extend these methods to whole assemblages, to establish where along the range of these gradients the important compositional changes occur, and to identify any important thresholds or change points. We develop such a method, called “gradient forest,” which is an extension of the random forest approach. By synthesizing the cross‐validated R 2 and accuracy importance measures from univariate random forest analyses across multiple species, sampling devices, and surveys, gradient forest obtains a monotonic function of each predictor that represents the compositional turnover along the gradient of the predictor. When applied to a synthetic data set, the method correctly identified the important predictors and delineated where the compositional change points occurred along these gradients. Application of gradient forest to a real data set from part of the Great Barrier Reef identified mud fraction of the sediment as the most important predictor, with highest compositional turnover occurring at mud fraction values around 25%, and provided similar information for other predictors. Such refined information allows for more accurate capturing of biodiversity patterns for the purposes of bioregionalization, delineation of protected areas, or designing of biodiversity surveys.

A test of the senses: Fish select novel habitats by responding to multiple cues - Chantal M. Huijbers; Ivan Nagelkerken; Pauline A. C. Lössbroek; Ines E. Schulten; Andjin Siegenthaler; Marc W. Holderied; Stephen D. Simpson (Ecology, 2012)
Habitat‐specific cues play an important role in orientation for animals that move through a mosaic of habitats. Environmental cues can be imprinted upon during early life stages to guide later return to adult habitats, yet many species must orient toward suitable habitats without previous experience of the habitat. It is hypothesized that multiple sensory cues may enable animals to differentiate between habitats in a sequential order relevant to the spatial scales over which the different types of information are conveyed, but previous research, especially for marine organisms, has mainly focused on the use of single cues in isolation. In this study, we investigated novel habitat selection through the use of three different sensory modalities (hearing, vision, and olfaction). Our model species, the French grunt, Haemulon flavolineatum , is a mangrove/seagrass‐associated reef fish species that makes several habitat transitions during early life. Using several in situ and ex situ experiments, we tested the response of fish toward auditory, olfactory, and visual cues from four different habitats (seagrass beds, mangroves, rubble, and coral reef). We identified receptivity to multiple sensory cues during the same life phase, and found that different cues induced different reactions toward the same habitat. For example, early‐juvenile fish only responded to sound from coral reefs and to chemical cues from mangroves/seagrass beds, while visual cues of conspecifics overruled olfactory cues from mangrove/seagrass water. Mapping these preferences to the ecology of ontogenetic movements, our results suggest sequential cue use would indeed aid successful orientation to novel key habitats in early life.

A Critical Re-Examination of the Intraluminal Filament MCAO Model: Impact of External Carotid Artery Transection - Rebecca C. Trueman; David J. Harrison; Dominic M. Dwyer; Stephen B. Dunnett; Mathias Hoehn; Tracy D. Farr (Translational Stroke Research, 2011)

RIP1-mediated regulation of lymphocyte survival and death responses - Jianke Zhang; Haibing Zhang; Jinghe Li; Stephen Rosenberg; Emily C. Zhang; Xiaohui Zhou; Fengsong Qin; Mathew Farabaugh (Immunologic Research, 2011)

Prednisolone treatment reduces endometrial spiral artery development in women with recurrent miscarriage - Gendie E. Lash; Judith N. Bulmer; Barbara A. Innes; Josephine A. Drury; Stephen C. Robson; Siobhan Quenby (Angiogenesis, 2011)

The Changing Face of Arctic Snow Cover: A Synthesis of Observed and Projected Changes - Terry V. Callaghan; Margareta Johansson; Ross D. Brown; Pavel Ya. Groisman; Niklas Labba; Vladimir Radionov; Roger G. Barry; Olga N. Bulygina; Richard L. H. Essery; D. M. Frolov; Vladimir N. Golubev; Thomas C. Grenfell; et al. (Ambio, 2011)

Gene conversion rapidly generates major histocompatibility complex diversity in recently founded bird populations - LEWIS G. SPURGIN; COCK Van OOSTERHOUT; JUAN CARLOS ILLERA; STEPHEN BRIDGETT; KARIM GHARBI; BRENT C. EMERSON; DAVID S. RICHARDSON (Molecular Ecology, 2011)
Population bottlenecks can restrict variation at functional genes, reducing the ability of populations to adapt to new and changing environments. Understanding how populations generate adaptive genetic variation following bottlenecks is therefore central to evolutionary biology. Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are ideal models for studying adaptive genetic variation due to their central role in pathogen recognition. While de novo MHC sequence variation is generated by point mutation, gene conversion can generate new haplotypes by transferring sections of DNA within and across duplicated MHC loci. However, the extent to which gene conversion generates new MHC haplotypes in wild populations is poorly understood. We developed a 454 sequencing protocol to screen MHC class I exon 3 variation across all 13 island populations of Berthelot’s pipit ( Anthus berthelotii ). We reveal that just 11–15 MHC haplotypes were retained when the Berthelot’s pipit dispersed across its island range in the North Atlantic ca. 75 000 years ago. Since then, at least 26 new haplotypes have been generated in situ across populations. We show that most of these haplotypes were generated by gene conversion across divergent lineages, and that the rate of gene conversion exceeded that of point mutation by an order of magnitude. Gene conversion resulted in significantly more changes at nucleotide sites directly involved with pathogen recognition, indicating selection for functional variants. We suggest that the creation of new variants by gene conversion is the predominant mechanism generating MHC variation in genetically depauperate populations, thus allowing them to respond to pathogenic challenges.

Genetic variation in productivity of foundation riparian species at the edge of their distribution: implications for restoration and assisted migration in a warming climate - Kevin C. Grady; Sharon M. Ferrier; Thomas E. Kolb; Stephen C. Hart; Gerard J. Allan; Thomas G. Whitham (Global Change Biology, 2011)
We examined the hypothesis that genotypic variation among populations of commonly co‐occurring phreatophytic trees ( P opulus fremontii , S alix gooddingii ) and the shrub ( S alix exigua ) regulates aboveground net primary productivity ( ANPP ) at a hot site at the edge of the species’ distribution. We used a provenance trial in which replicated genotypes from populations varying in mean annual temperature were transplanted to a common garden adjacent to the L ower C olorado R iver in southeastern C alifornia. The garden environment represented an extreme maximum temperature for the study species. Four major findings emerged: (1) Genotypic variation in ANPP was significant for all species with broad‐sense heritability ( H 2 ) across populations of 0.11, 0.13, and 0.10 for P . fremontii , S . gooddingii , and S . exigua , respectively, and within‐population H 2 ranging from 0.00 to 0.25, 0.00 to 0.44, and 0.02 to 0.21, respectively. (2) Population ANPP decreased linearly as mean annual maximum temperature ( MAMT ) transfer distance increased for both P . fremontii ( r 2 = 0.64) and S . gooddingii ( r 2 = 0.37), whereas it did not change for S . exigua ; (3) Populations with similar MAMT to that of the common garden were 1.5 and 1.2 times more productive than populations with 5.0 °C MAMT transfer distances for P . fremontii and S . gooddingii , respectively; and (4) Variation in regression slopes among species for the relationship between ANPP and MAMT indicate species‐specific responses to temperature. As these plant species characterize a threatened habitat type and support a diverse community that includes endangered species, ecosystem restoration programs should consider using both local genotypes and productive genotypes from warmer environments to maximize productivity of riparian ecosystems in the face of global climate change.

Hypolithic microbial communities of quartz rocks from Miers Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica - Nuraan Khan; Marla Tuffin; William Stafford; Craig Cary; Donnabella C. Lacap; Stephen B. Pointing; Don Cowan (Polar Biology, 2011)

Plant mineral nutrition in ancient landscapes: high plant species diversity on infertile soils is linked to functional diversity for nutritional strategies - Hans Lambers; Mark C. Brundrett; John A. Raven; Stephen D. Hopper (Plant and Soil, 2011)

Heterogeneity of primary glioblastoma cells in the expression of caspase-8 and the response to TRAIL-induced apoptosis - Ling Qi; Anita C. Bellail; Michael R. Rossi; Zhaobin Zhang; Hui Pang; Stephen Hunter; Cynthia Cohen; Carlos S. Moreno; Jeffrey J. Olson; Shibo Li; Chunhai Hao (Apoptosis, 2011)

Development and Decline of Memory Functions in Normal, Pathological and Healthy Successful Aging - C. J. Aine; L. Sanfratello; J. C. Adair; J. E. Knoefel; A. Caprihan; J. M. Stephen (Brain Topography, 2011)

Characterisation and predicted genome locations of Leach’s storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) microsatellite loci (Procellariidae, Aves) - Anthony W. J. Bicknell; Deborah A. Dawson; Gavin J. Horsburgh; Mairi E. Knight; David T. Bilton; Stephen C. Votier (Conservation Genetics Resources, 2011)

Mate guarding behavior in clam shrimp: the influence of mating system on intersexual conflict - Chiara Benvenuto; Stephen C. Weeks (Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2011)

Indigenous and introduced potyviruses of legumes and Passiflora spp. from Australia: biological properties and comparison of coat protein nucleotide sequences - Brenda A. Coutts; Monica A. Kehoe; Craig G. Webster; Stephen J. Wylie; Roger A. C. Jones (Archives of Virology, 2011)

Human cytomegalovirus latency-associated protein LUNA is expressed during HCMV infections in vivo - Mariana G. Bego; Lisa R. Keyes; Jarek Maciejewski; Stephen C. St Jeor (Archives of Virology, 2011)

Telomere length and age in pinnipeds: The endangered Australian sea lion as a case study - Christopher Izzo; Derek J. Hamer; Terry Bertozzi; Stephen C. Donnellan; Bronwyn M. Gillanders (Marine Mammal Science, 2011)
Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of all eukaryotic chromosomes. Because DNA replication of chromosome ends is incomplete, telomeres undergo sequence loss with each cell division resulting in the progressive shortening of their lengths. Telomere shortening with age is known from terrestrial mammals. We test whether this pattern is shared by marine mammals, by comparing telomere lengths between age classes in a pinniped species, the Australian sea lion ( Neophoca cinerea ). Telomere lengths were measured using a real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in specimens from three age classes: pup ( 5 yr). Mean telomere lengths of the adults were significantly shorter than the juvenile and pup classes. However, we were unable to differentiate between pups and juveniles. These findings confirm that the Australian sea lion shares the general pattern of shortening telomere lengths with age as documented in terrestrial mammals. The application of telomere lengths as an age determinant requires considerable development to refine the scale of the age estimates derived, which will require the use of known‐aged individuals. Nonetheless, measures of telomere lengths have the potential to become valuable tools in molecular ecology and forensics for assessing compliance in harvesting situations.

Algal and aquatic plant carbon concentrating mechanisms in relation to environmental change - John A. Raven; Mario Giordano; John Beardall; Stephen C. Maberly (Photosynthesis Research, 2011)

Crassulacean acid metabolism in the context of other carbon-concentrating mechanisms in freshwater plants: a review - Signe Koch Klavsen; Tom V. Madsen; Stephen C. Maberly (Photosynthesis Research, 2011)

Erratum to: Meat, poultry and fish and risk of colorectal cancer: pooled analysis of data from the UK dietary cohort consortium - Elizabeth A. Spencer; Timothy J. Key; Paul N. Appleby; Christina C. Dahm; Ruth H. Keogh; Ian S. Fentiman; Tasnime Akbaraly; Eric J. Brunner; Victoria Burley; Janet E. Cade; Darren C. Greenwood; Alison M. Stephen; et al. (Cancer Causes & Control, 2011)

Macrobenthos of the nearshore Aleutian Archipelago, with emphasis on invertebrates associated with Clathromorphum nereostratum (Rhodophyta, Corallinaceae) - Heloise Chenelot; Stephen C. Jewett; Max K. Hoberg (Marine Biodiversity, 2011)

Environmentally-induced shifts in behavior intensify indirect competition by an invasive gecko in Mauritius - Nik C. Cole; Stephen Harris (Biological Invasions, 2011)

Relationships among net primary productivity, nutrients and climate in tropical rain forest: a pan‐tropical analysis - Cory C. Cleveland; Alan R. Townsend; Philip Taylor; Silvia Alvarez‐Clare; Mercedes M. C. Bustamante; George Chuyong; Solomon Z. Dobrowski; Pauline Grierson; Kyle E. Harms; Benjamin Z. Houlton; Alison Marklein; William Parton; et al. (Ecology Letters, 2011)
Ecology Letters (2011) 14 : 939–947 Abstract Tropical rain forests play a dominant role in global biosphere‐atmosphere CO 2 exchange. Although climate and nutrient availability regulate net primary production (NPP) and decomposition in all terrestrial ecosystems, the nature and extent of such controls in tropical forests remain poorly resolved. We conducted a meta‐analysis of carbon‐nutrient‐climate relationships in 113 sites across the tropical forest biome. Our analyses showed that mean annual temperature was the strongest predictor of aboveground NPP (ANPP) across all tropical forests, but this relationship was driven by distinct temperature differences between upland and lowland forests. Within lowland forests ( k ), soil N and soil respiration were all directly related with total surface (0–10 cm) soil P concentrations. Our analysis provides some evidence that P availability regulates NPP and other ecosystem processes in lowland tropical forests, but more importantly, underscores the need for a series of large‐scale nutrient manipulations – especially in lowland forests – to elucidate the most important nutrient interactions and controls.

Prevalence of multiple mating by female common dormice, Muscardinus avellanarius - Darlina Md. Naim; Sandra Telfer; Stephanie Sanderson; Stephen J. Kemp; Phillip C. Watts (Conservation Genetics, 2011)

Screening and confirmatory testing of MHC class I alleles in pig-tailed macaques - Caroline S. Fernandez; Jeanette C. Reece; Uus Saepuloh; Robert De Rose; Diah Ishkandriati; David H. O’Connor; Roger W. Wiseman; Stephen J. Kent (Immunogenetics, 2011)

Current status of genome-wide association studies in cancer - Charles C. Chung; Stephen J. Chanock (Human Genetics, 2011)

Trace element variations in olivine phenocrysts from Ugandan potassic rocks as clues to the chemical characteristics of parental magmas - Stephen F. Foley; Dorrit E. Jacob; Hugh St. C. O’Neill (Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 2011)

Host inhibits replication of European porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in macrophages by altering differential regulation of type-I interferon transcriptional response - Tahar Ait-Ali; Alison D. Wilson; Wilfrid Carré; David G. Westcott; Jean-Pierre Frossard; Marnie A. Mellencamp; Daphne Mouzaki; Oswald Matika; David Waddington; Trevor W. Drew; Stephen C. Bishop; Alan L. Archibald (Immunogenetics, 2011)

Assessing the Impacts of Establishing MPAs on Fishermen and Fish Merchants: The Case of Lyme Bay, UK - Stephen C. Mangi; Lynda D. Rodwell; Caroline Hattam (Ambio, 2011)

Inferring causal factors for a declining population of bottlenose dolphins via temporal symmetry capture–recapture modeling - Rohan J. C. Currey; Stephen M. Dawson; Karsten Schneider; David Lusseau; Oliver J. Boisseau; Patti A. Haase; Elisabeth Slooten (Marine Mammal Science, 2011)
We applied temporal symmetry capture–recapture (TSCR) models to assess the strength of evidence for factors potentially responsible for population decline in bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand from 1995 to 2008. Model selection was conducted to estimate recruitment and population growth rates. There were similar levels of support for three different models, each reflecting distinct trends in recruitment. Modeling yielded low overall estimates of recruitment (0.0249, 95% CI: 0.0174–0.0324) and population growth rate (0.9642, 95% CI: 0.9546–0.9737). The TSCR rate of population decline was consistent with an estimate derived from trends in abundance (lambda = 0.9632, 95% CI: 0.9599–0.9665). The TSCR model selection confirmed the influence of a decline in the survival of calves (

Seabed foraging by Antarctic krill: Implications for stock assessment, bentho‐pelagic coupling, and the vertical transfer of iron - Katrin Schmidt; Angus Atkinson; Sebastian Steigenberger; Sophie Fielding; Margaret C. M. Lindsay; David W. Pond; Geraint A. Tarling; Thor A. Klevjer; Claire S. Allen; Stephen Nicol; Eric P. Achterberg (Limnology and Oceanography, 2011)
A compilation of more than 30 studies shows that adult Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ) may frequent benthic habitats year‐round, in shelf as well as oceanic waters and throughout their circumpolar range. Net and acoustic data from the Scotia Sea show that in summer 2‐20% of the population reside at depths between 200 and 2000 m, and that large aggregations can form above the seabed. Local differences in the vertical distribution of krill indicate that reduced feeding success in surface waters, either due to predator encounter or food shortage, might initiate such deep migrations and results in benthic feeding. Fatty acid and microscopic analyses of stomach content confirm two different foraging habitats for Antarctic krill: the upper ocean, where fresh phytoplankton is the main food source, and deeper water or the seabed, where detritus and copepods are consumed. Krill caught in upper waters retain signals of benthic feeding, suggesting frequent and dynamic exchange between surface and seabed. Krill contained up to 260 nmol iron per stomach when returning from seabed feeding. About 5% of this iron is labile, i.e., potentially available to phytoplankton. Due to their large biomass, frequent benthic feeding, and acidic digestion of particulate iron, krill might facilitate an input of new iron to Southern Ocean surface waters. Deep migrations and foraging at the seabed are significant parts of krill ecology, and the vertical fluxes involved in this behavior are important for the coupling of benthic and pelagic food webs and their elemental repositories.

Phylogeography and genetic structure of the red‐legged partridge ( Alectoris rufa ): more evidence for refugia within the Iberian glacial refugium - M. ESTER FERRERO; JOSE A. BLANCO‐AGUIAR; STEPHEN C. LOUGHEED; INÉS SÁNCHEZ‐BARBUDO; PEDRO J. G. De NOVA; RAFAEL VILLAFUERTE; JOSÉ A. DÁVILA (Molecular Ecology, 2011)
The Pleistocene climatic oscillations promoted the diversification in avian species during the last glacial period. The red‐legged partridge ( Alectoris rufa, Family Phasianidae ) has a large natural distribution extending from the Mediterranean to humid temperate zones. However, the genetic structure for this species is unknown. The present study investigates the phylogeography, genetic structure and demographic history of A . rufa across its distribution, employing both mitochondrial DNA control region sequences and nuclear microsatellite loci. Our results propose that this species was greatly affected by Pleistocene glaciations. The mismatch analyses suggest that the current populations resulted from post‐glacial expansion and subsequent differentiation resulting in five diagnosable genetic clusters: Southwestern, Central‐eastern, Northwestern, Balearic and French and Italian. Further, we found evidence of three glacial refugia within the currently recognized Iberian glacial refugium. The intraspecific structure revealed by both maternal and biparental phylogeographic analyses was not resolved in the phylogenetic analyses. Based on all considerations, we recommended that five management units be recognized.

Remote sensing classification of grass seed cropping practices in western Oregon - George W. Mueller-Warrant; Gerald W. Whittaker; Stephen M. Griffith; Gary M. Banowetz; Bruce D. Dugger; Tiffany S. Garcia; Guillermo Giannico; Kathryn L. Boyer; Brenda C. McComb (International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2011)

Changes in gravity rapidly alter the magnitude and direction of a cellular calcium current - Mari L. Salmi; Aeraj ul Haque; Thomas J. Bushart; Stephen C. Stout; Stanley J. Roux; D. Marshall Porterfield (Planta, 2011)

Benthic food web structure in the southeastern Chukchi Sea: an assessment using δ13C and δ15N analyses - Howard M. Feder; Katrin Iken; Arny L. Blanchard; Stephen C. Jewett; Susan Schonberg (Polar Biology, 2011)

Male reproductive tactics to increase paternity in the polygynandrous Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus) - Shirley Raveh; Dik Heg; Vincent A. Viblanc; David W. Coltman; Jamieson C. Gorrell; F. Stephen Dobson; Adele Balmer; Peter Neuhaus (Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2011)

Toward a Management Framework for Networks of Protected Areas in the Face of Climate Change - DAVID G. HOLE; BRIAN HUNTLEY; JULIUS ARINAITWE; STUART H. M. BUTCHART; YVONNE C. COLLINGHAM; LINCOLN D. C. FISHPOOL; DEBORAH J. PAIN; STEPHEN G. WILLIS (Conservation Biology, 2011)
Networks of sites of high importance for conservation of biological diversity are a cornerstone of current conservation strategies but are fixed in space and time. As climate change progresses, substantial shifts in species’ ranges may transform the ecological community that can be supported at a given site. Thus, some species in an existing network may not be protected in the future or may be protected only if they can move to sites that in future provide suitable conditions. We developed an approach to determine appropriate climate‐change adaptation strategies for individual sites within a network that was based on projections of future changes in the relative proportions of emigrants (species for which a site becomes climatically unsuitable), colonists (species for which a site becomes climatically suitable), and persistent species (species able to remain within a site despite the climatic change). Our approach also identifies key regions where additions to a network could enhance its future effectiveness. Using the sub‐Saharan African Important Bird Area (IBA) network as a case study, we found that appropriate conservation strategies for individual sites varied widely across sub‐Saharan Africa, and key regions where new sites could help increase network robustness varied in space and time. Although these results highlight the potential difficulties within any planning framework that seeks to address climate‐change adaptation needs, they demonstrate that such planning frameworks are necessary, if current conservation strategies are to be adapted effectively, and feasible, if applied judiciously.

The Role of Botanic Gardens in the Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration - KATE A. HARDWICK; PEGGY FIEDLER; LYNDON C. LEE; BRUCE PAVLIK; RICHARD J. HOBBS; JAMES ARONSON; MARTIN BIDARTONDO; ERIC BLACK; DAVID COATES; MATTHEW I. DAWS; KINGSLEY DIXON; STEPHEN ELLIOTT; et al. (Conservation Biology, 2011)
Many of the skills and resources associated with botanic gardens and arboreta, including plant taxonomy, horticulture, and seed bank management, are fundamental to ecological restoration efforts, yet few of the world's botanic gardens are involved in the science or practice of restoration. Thus, we examined the potential role of botanic gardens in these emerging fields. We believe a reorientation of certain existing institutional strengths, such as plant‐based research and knowledge transfer, would enable many more botanic gardens worldwide to provide effective science‐based support to restoration efforts. We recommend botanic gardens widen research to include ecosystems as well as species, increase involvement in practical restoration projects and training practitioners, and serve as information hubs for data archiving and exchange.

Germline PKHD1 mutations are protective against colorectal cancer - Christopher J. Ward; Yanhong Wu; Ruth A. Johnson; John R. Woollard; Eric J. Bergstralh; Mine S. Cicek; Jason Bakeberg; Sandro Rossetti; Christina M. Heyer; Gloria M. Petersen; Noralene M. Lindor; Stephen N. Thibodeau; et al. (Human Genetics, 2011)

Towards a pan-Arctic inventory of the species diversity of the macro- and megabenthic fauna of the Arctic shelf seas - Dieter Piepenburg; Philippe Archambault; William G. Ambrose; Arny L. Blanchard; Bodil A. Bluhm; Michael L. Carroll; Kathleen E. Conlan; Mathieu Cusson; Howard M. Feder; Jacqueline M. Grebmeier; Stephen C. Jewett; Mélanie Lévesque; et al. (Marine Biodiversity, 2011)

A complete dynamical ozone budget measured in the tropical marine boundary layer during PASE - Stephen A. Conley; Ian C. Faloona; Donald H. Lenschow; Teresa Campos; Clifford Heizer; Andrew Weinheimer; Christopher A. Cantrell; Roy L. Mauldin; Rebecca S. Hornbrook; Ilana Pollack; Alan Bandy (Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 2011)

NIR Spectroscopy Applications in the Development of a Compacted Multiparticulate System for Modified Release - Stuart L. Cantor; Stephen W. Hoag; Christopher D. Ellison; Mansoor A. Khan; Robbe C. Lyon (AAPS PharmSciTech, 2011)

Measures of immune function of wild mice, Mus musculus - STEPHEN R. ABOLINS; MICHAEL J. O. POCOCK; JULIUS C. R. HAFALLA; ELEANOR M. RILEY; MARK E. VINEY (Molecular Ecology, 2011)
The immune function of wild animals has been rather little studied. Wild animals’ immune function may differ from that of laboratory bred animals because of their different environments. This idea follows from the concept of resource partitioning in which animals distribute scarce resources to all aspects of life, including to costly immune responses. A logical extension of this idea is that there may be substantial interindividual variation in the immune function of wild animals. To begin to investigate this, we compared the immune function of a laboratory bred mouse strain (C57BL/6, a widely used mouse strain that makes potent immune responses) and wild caught Mus musculus. We found that by most measures of immune function, the wild caught mice had greater immune function. Specifically, wild mice had greater concentrations and more avid antigen‐specific IgG responses, as well as higher concentrations of total IgG and IgE, compared with those laboratory bred mice. Moreover, flow cytometric analysis showed a comparatively greater overall level of activation of the cells of the immune system in wild mice. Lastly, we observed that immune function was substantially more variable among wild caught mice than among the laboratory bred mice. The next research challenge is to understand which aspects of an individual animal’s life determine its immune function.

Inter-colony movements, at-sea behaviour and foraging in an immature seabird: results from GPS-PPT tracking, radio-tracking and stable isotope analysis - Stephen C. Votier; W. James Grecian; Samantha Patrick; Jason Newton (Marine Biology, 2011)

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) association to roads: implications for distance sampling - Devin R. Erxleben; Matthew J. Butler; Warren B. Ballard; Mark C. Wallace; Markus J. Peterson; Nova J. Silvy; William P. Kuvlesky; David G. Hewitt; Stephen J. DeMaso; Jason B. Hardin; Megan K. Dominguez-Brazil (European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2011)

Phenological changes in intertidal con‐specific gastropods in response to climate warming - PIPPA J. MOORE; RICHARD C. THOMPSON; STEPHEN J. HAWKINS (Global Change Biology, 2011)
There is substantial evidence from terrestrial and freshwater systems of species responding to climate change through changes in their phenology. In the marine environment, however, there is less evidence. Using historic (1946–1949) and contemporary (2003–2007) data, collected from rocky shores of south‐west Britain, we investigated the affect of recent climate warming on the reproductive phenology of two con‐specific intertidal limpet grazers, with cool/boreal and warm/lusitanian centres of distribution. Reproductive development in the southern limpet, Patella depressa , has advanced, on average, 10.2 days per decade since the 1940s, with a longer reproductive season and more of the population reproductively active. The peak in the proportion of the population in advanced stages of gonad development was positively correlated with sea surface temperature (SST) in late spring/early summer, which has increased between the 1940s and 2000s. The advance in peak reproductive development of this species is double the average observed for terrestrial and freshwater systems and indicates, along with other studies, that marine species may be responding faster to climate warming. In contrast, the northern limpet, Patella vulgata , has experienced a delay in the timing of its reproductive development (on average 3.3 days per decade), as well as an increase in reproductive failure years and a reduction in the proportion of the population reaching advanced gonad stages. These results are the first to demonstrate a delay in the reproductive development of a cool‐temperate, winter spawner, towards cooler more favourable environmental conditions in response to climate warming. Such a delay in spawning will potentially lead to trophic miss‐matches, resulting in a rapid nonlinear decline of this species.

Integrating aquatic and terrestrial components to construct a complete carbon budget for a north temperate lake district - ISHI BUFFAM; MONICA G. TURNER; ANKUR R. DESAI; PAUL C. HANSON; JAMES A. RUSAK; NOAH R. LOTTIG; EMILY H. STANLEY; STEPHEN R. CARPENTER (Global Change Biology, 2011)
The development of complete regional carbon (C) budgets for different biomes is an integral step in the effort to predict global response and potential feedbacks to a changing climate regime. Wetland and lake contributions to regional C cycling remain relatively uncertain despite recent research highlighting their importance. Using a combination of field surveys and tower‐based carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) flux measurements, modeling, and published literature, we constructed a complete C budget for the Northern Highlands Lake District in northern Wisconsin/Michigan, a ∼6400 km 2 region rich in lakes and wetlands. This is one of the first regional C budgets to incorporate aquatic and terrestrial C cycling under the same framework. We divided the landscape into three major compartments (forests, wetlands, and surface waters) and quantified all major C fluxes into and out of those compartments, with a particular focus on atmospheric exchange but also including sedimentation in lakes and hydrologic fluxes. Landscape C storage was dominated by peat‐containing wetlands and lake sediments, which make up only 20% and 13% of the landscape area, respectively, but contain >80% of the total fixed C pool (ca. 400 Tg). We estimated a current regional C accumulation of 1.1±0.1 Tg yr −1 , and the largest regional flux was forest net ecosystem exchange (NEE) into aggrading forests for a total of 1.0±0.1 Tg yr −1 . Mean wetland NEE (0.12±0.06 Tg yr −1 into wetlands), lake CO 2 emissions and riverine efflux (each ca. 0.03±0.01 Tg yr −1 ) were smaller but of consequence to the overall budget. Hydrologic transport from uplands/wetlands to surface waters within the region was an important vector of terrestrial C. Regional C fluxes and pools would be misrepresented without inclusion of surface waters and wetlands, and C budgets in heterogeneous landscapes open opportunities to examine the sensitivities of important fluxes to changes in climate and land use/land cover.

Arginine in Membranes: The Connection Between Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Translocon-Mediated Insertion Experiments - Eric V. Schow; J. Alfredo Freites; Philip C. Myint; Andreas Bernsel; Gunnar von Heijne; Stephen H. White; Douglas J. Tobias (The Journal of Membrane Biology, 2011)

Effects of acute pramipexole on preference for gambling-like schedules of reinforcement in rats - Patrick S. Johnson; Gregory J. Madden; Adam T. Brewer; Jonathan W. Pinkston; Stephen C. Fowler (Psychopharmacology, 2011)

Transdermal Delivery of Macromolecules Using Solid-State Biodegradable Microstructures - Janet R. Wendorf; Esi B. Ghartey-Tagoe; Stephen C. Williams; Elena Enioutina; Parminder Singh; Gary W. Cleary (Pharmaceutical Research, 2011)

Altered expression of the natriuretic peptide system in genetically modified heme oxygenase-1 mice treated with high dietary salt - David W. J. Armstrong; M. Yat Tse; Luis G. Melo; Stephen C. Pang (Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 2011)

Expression Analysis of PAC1-R and PACAP Genes in Zebrafish Embryos - David Alexandre; Jessy Alonzeau; Brent R. Bill; Stephen C. Ekker; James A. Waschek (Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, 2011)

White blood cell DNA adducts in a cohort of asthmatic children exposed to environmental tobacco smoke - Stephen E. Wilson; Glenn Talaska; Robert S. Kahn; Brenda Schumann; Jane Khoury; Anthony C. Leonard; Bruce P. Lanphear (International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 2011)

Genome-wide analysis of copy number variants in age-related macular degeneration - Kacie J. Meyer; Lea K. Davis; Emily I. Schindler; John S. Beck; Danielle S. Rudd; A. Jason Grundstad; Todd E. Scheetz; Terry A. Braun; John H. Fingert; Wallace L. Alward; Young H. Kwon; James C. Folk; et al. (Human Genetics, 2011)

Cyanobacteria and chloroflexi-dominated hypolithic colonization of quartz at the hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert, Chile - Donnabella C. Lacap; Kimberley A. Warren-Rhodes; Christopher P. McKay; Stephen B. Pointing (Extremophiles, 2011)

Effectiveness of the PPARγ agonist, GW570, in liver fibrosis - Liu Yang; Stephen A. Stimpson; Lihong Chen; W. Wallace Harrington; Don C. Rockey (Inflammation Research, 2010)

Mobilization of metals and phosphorus from intact forest soil cores by dissolved inorganic carbon - Aria Amirbahman; Brett C. Holmes; Ivan J. Fernandez; Stephen A. Norton (Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 2010)

The impact of Greenland melt on local sea levels: a partially coupled analysis of dynamic and static equilibrium effects in idealized water-hosing experiments - Robert E. Kopp; Jerry X. Mitrovica; Stephen M. Griffies; Jianjun Yin; Carling C. Hay; Ronald J. Stouffer (Climatic Change, 2010)

The temporal stem in traumatic brain injury: preliminary findings - Erin D. Bigler; Stephen R. McCauley; Trevor C. Wu; Ragini Yallampalli; Sanjeev Shah; Marianne MacLeod; Zili Chu; Jill V. Hunter; Guy L. Clifton; Harvey S. Levin; Elisabeth A. Wilde (Brain Imaging and Behavior, 2010)

Habitat distribution influences dispersal and fine‐scale genetic population structure of eastern foxsnakes ( Mintonius gloydi ) across a fragmented landscape - JEFFREY R. ROW; GABRIEL BLOUIN‐DEMERS; STEPHEN C. LOUGHEED (Molecular Ecology, 2010)
Dispersal is a fundamental attribute of species in nature and shapes population dynamics, evolutionary trajectories and genetic variation across spatial and temporal scales. It is increasingly clear that landscape features have large impacts on dispersal patterns. Thus, understanding how individuals and species move through landscapes is essential for predicting impacts of landscape alterations. Information on dispersal patterns, however, is lacking for many taxa, particularly reptiles. Eastern foxsnakes ( Mintoinus gloydi ) are marsh and prairie specialists that avoid agricultural fields, but they have persisted across a fragmented region in southwestern Ontario and northern Ohio. Here, we combined habitat suitability modelling with population genetic analyses to infer how foxsnakes disperse through a habitat mosaic of natural and altered landscape features. Boundary regions between the eight genetic clusters, identified through assignment tests, were comprised of low suitability habitat (e.g. agricultural fields). Island populations were grouped into a single genetic cluster, and comparatively low F ST values between island and mainland populations suggest open water presents less of a barrier than nonsuitable terrestrial habitat. Isolation by resistance and least‐cost path analysis produced similar results with matrices of pairwise individual genetic distance significantly more correlated to matrices of resistance values derived from habitat suitability than models with an undifferentiated landscape. Spatial autocorrelation results matched better with assignment results when incorporating resistance values rather than straight‐line distances. All analyses used in our study produced similar results suggesting that habitat degradation limits dispersal for foxsnakes, which has had a strong effect on the genetic population structure across this region.

Sub‐fossil Chironomidae as indicators of palaeoflow regimes: integration into the PalaeoLIFE flow index - Lynda C. Howard; Paul J. Wood; Malcolm T. Greenwood; Helen M. Rendell; Stephen J. Brooks; Patrick D. Armitage; Chris A. Extence (Journal of Quaternary Science, 2010)
The sub‐fossil head capsules of larval Chironomidae have been widely exploited as palaeoecological indicators of lentic ecosystems but their value in the interpretation of the evolution of lotic systems has been underutilised by comparison. Recent research has demonstrated that the remains of Chironomidae are abundant within fluvial sequences and that they offer a valuable record of channel change and floodplain evolution that may complement that derived from existing biological and sedimentological techniques. This paper demonstrates the use of Chironomidae in characterising the palaeoflow regime of a large mid–late Holocene floodplain palaeochannel (5470–4960 to 1530–1350 cal. a BP) of the River Trent (Derbyshire, UK). Using expert knowledge and published information regarding flow preferences, larval Chironomidae were incorporated into the PalaeoLIFE (Lotic‐invertebrate Index for Flow Evaluation) methodology. The results clearly demonstrate that the sub‐fossil record provided by Chironomidae can be used to characterise changes in the flow regime within palaeochannel sections. At the scale of the channel section, species‐ and generic‐level ecological associations can provide useful information regarding habitat characteristics, including the presence of instream vegetation, mineral substrates and woody debris. The ability to undertake environmental reconstruction and channel evolution history was significantly enhanced through the application of a multi‐proxy approach, by incorporating other aquatic insect groups (Trichoptera and Coleoptera) into the PalaeoLIFE metric, together with sedimentological data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exploitation of walleye in a Great Plains reservoir: harvest patterns and management scenarios - M. C. QUIST; J. L. STEPHEN; S. T. LYNOTT; J. M. GOECKLER; R. D. SCHULTZ (Fisheries Management and Ecology, 2010)
This study assessed exploitation and evaluated management options for walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), in Glen Elder Reservoir, Kansas. A total of 2429 walleye varying from 240 to 687 mm was tagged with Carlin dangler tags during 2000–2003. After correcting for tag loss and non‐reporting, exploitation of walleye was estimated as 68.3%. More than 85% of the tagged walleye were harvested during April to June and 75% were harvested within 6 months after tagging. A Beverton‐Holt yield‐per‐recruit model was used to evaluate six minimum length limits varying from 250 to 610 mm. Given current exploitation rates, population demographics and harvest regulations (381‐mm minimum length limit), the walleye population is probably experiencing recruitment overfishing. Model results suggested that a 610‐mm minimum length limit would be required to prevent growth overfishing and a 533‐mm or longer minimum length limit would prevent recruitment overfishing.

Functional traits and the growth–mortality trade‐off in tropical trees - S. Joseph Wright; Kaoru Kitajima; Nathan J. B. Kraft; Peter B. Reich; Ian J. Wright; Daniel E. Bunker; Richard Condit; James W. Dalling; Stuart J. Davies; Sandra Díaz; Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht; Kyle E. Harms; et al. (Ecology, 2010)
A trade‐off between growth and mortality rates characterizes tree species in closed canopy forests. This trade‐off is maintained by inherent differences among species and spatial variation in light availability caused by canopy‐opening disturbances. We evaluated conditions under which the trade‐off is expressed and relationships with four key functional traits for 103 tree species from Barro Colorado Island, Panama. The trade‐off is strongest for saplings for growth rates of the fastest growing individuals and mortality rates of the slowest growing individuals ( r 2 = 0.69), intermediate for saplings for average growth rates and overall mortality rates ( r 2 = 0.46), and much weaker for large trees ( r 2 ≤ 0.10). This parallels likely levels of spatial variation in light availability, which is greatest for fast‐ vs. slow‐growing saplings and least for large trees with foliage in the forest canopy. Inherent attributes of species contributing to the trade‐off include abilities to disperse, acquire resources, grow rapidly, and tolerate shade and other stresses. There is growing interest in the possibility that functional traits might provide insight into such ecological differences and a growing consensus that seed mass (SM), leaf mass per area (LMA), wood density (WD), and maximum height ( H max ) are key traits among forest trees. Seed mass, LMA, WD, and H max are predicted to be small for light‐demanding species with rapid growth and mortality and large for shade‐tolerant species with slow growth and mortality. Six of these trait–demographic rate predictions were realized for saplings; however, with the exception of WD, the relationships were weak ( r 2 r 2 80% of the explained variation and, after WD was included, LMA and H max made insignificant contributions. Virtually the full range of values of SM, LMA, and H max occurred at all positions on the growth–mortality trade‐off. Although WD provides a promising start, a successful trait‐based ecology of tropical forest trees will require consideration of additional traits.

Ptychodactis aleutiensis , a new species of ptychodactiarian sea anemone (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria) from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska - Wendy E. Eash-Loucks; Stephen C. Jewett; Daphne G. Fautin; Max K. Hoberg; Héloïse Chenelot (Marine Biology Research, 2010)

Evaluating the Illinois Stream Valley Segment Model as an Effective Management Tool - Stephen S. Warrner; Robert U. Fischer; Ann M. Holtrop; Leon C. Hinz; James M. Novak (Environmental Management, 2010)

Stock structure of Grey Mackerel, Scomberomorus semifasciatus (Pisces: Scombridae) across northern Australia, based on otolith stable isotope chemistry - Stephen J. Newman; Ian W. Wright; Ben M. Rome; Michael C. Mackie; Paul D. Lewis; Rik C. Buckworth; Aaron C. Ballagh; Rod N. Garrett; Jason Stapley; Damien Broderick; Jennifer R. Ovenden; David J. Welch (Environmental Biology of Fishes, 2010)

Photodegradation of the brevetoxin PbTx‐2 in coastal seawater - Robert J. Kieber; Jaclyn Pitt; Stephen A. Skrabal; Jeffrey L. C. Wright (Limnology and Oceanography, 2010)
The photodegradation rate of the brevetoxin analog PbTx‐2 was investigated in a variety of natural water matrices. The observed first‐order photodegradation rate coefficient of the logarithmic‐transformed dissolved PbTx‐2 concentrations vs. irradiation time was 0.20 ± 0.04 h −1 in coastal seawater, corresponding to a half‐life of approximately 3 h based on 10 separate photolysis experiments. No loss of PbTx‐2 occurred in dark controls, indicating that this was primarily a photo‐mediated process. Photodegradation rate coefficients in samples in which dissolved organic matter was removed by ultraviolet oxidation prior to photolysis resulted in significantly slower rates of PbTx‐2 photodegradation (0.08 ± 0.03 h −1 ). When trace metals were also removed prior to photolysis, no loss of PbTx‐2 occurred, indicating that direct photolytic loss of PbTx‐2 is insignificant in coastal seawater. The proposed mechanism of PbTx‐2 decay is a photosensitized pathway involving organic matter and trace metals that is significantly accelerated by decreasing oxygen concentrations. The influence of molecular oxygen on the rate of toxin loss has important ramifications for the fate of PbTx‐2 during Karenia brevis blooms, as in situ dissolved O 2 concentrations fluctuate widely during bloom development and decay. Sunlight‐mediated reactions are therefore a significant, yet previously unrecognized, sink of dissolved PbTx‐2 in seawater under environmentally relevant conditions.

Quantifying uptake rate of potassium from soil in a long-term grass rotation experiment - Ingrid Öborn; Anthony C. Edwards; Stephen Hillier (Plant and Soil, 2010)

Oriented Markov Random Field Based Dendritic Spine Segmentation for Fluorescence Microscopy Images - Jie Cheng; Xiaobo Zhou; Eric L. Miller; Veronica A. Alvarez; Bernardo L. Sabatini; Stephen T. C. Wong (Neuroinformatics, 2010)

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 Expression is Increased Following Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats - Naomi L. Cook; Robert Vink; Stephen C. Helps; Jim Manavis; Corinna van den Heuvel (Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, 2010)

Rondon’s Marmoset, Mico rondoni sp. n., from Southwestern Brazilian Amazonia - Stephen F. Ferrari; Leonardo Sena; Maria Paula C. Schneider; José S. Silva Júnior (International Journal of Primatology, 2010)

Growth of bultfonteinite and hydrogarnet in metasomatized basalt xenoliths in the B/K9 kimberlite, Damtshaa, Botswana: insights into hydrothermal metamorphism in kimberlite pipes - Ben Buse; John C. Schumacher; R. Stephen J. Sparks; Matthew Field (Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 2010)

An assessment of the current and future thermal regimes of three streams located in the Wenatchee River basin, Washington State: some implications for regional river basin systems - Nicoleta C. Cristea; Stephen J. Burges (Climatic Change, 2010)

Genetic diversity and differentiation of three Brazilian populations of Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) - Evonnildo C. Gonçalves; Stephen F. Ferrari; Tibério César T. Burlamaqui; Leonardo Miranda; Marcelo S. Santos; Artur Silva; Maria Paula C. Schneider (Journal of Ornithology, 2010)

Soil organic carbon stock change due to land use activity along the agricultural frontier of the southwestern Amazon, Brazil, between 1970 and 2002 - STOÉCIO M. F. MAIA; STEPHEN M. OGLE; CARLOS E. P. CERRI; CARLOS C. CERRI (Global Change Biology, 2010)
The southwestern portion of the Brazilian Amazon arguably represents the largest agricultural frontier in the world, and within this region the states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso have about 24% and 32% of their respective areas under agricultural management, which is almost half of the total area deforested in the Brazilian Amazon biome. Consequently, it is assumed that deforestation in this region has caused substantial loss of soil organic carbon (SOC). In this study, the changes in SOC stocks due to the land use change and management in the southwestern Amazon were estimated for two time periods from 1970–1985 and 1985–2002. An uncertainty analysis was also conducted using a Monte Carlo approach. The results showed that mineral soils converted to agricultural management lost a total of 5.37 and 3.74 Tg C yr −1 between 1970–1985 and 1985–2002, respectively, along the Brazilian Agricultural Frontier in the states of Mato Grosso and Rondônia. Uncertainties in these estimates were ±37.3% and ±38.6% during the first and second time periods, respectively. The largest sources of uncertainty were associated with reference carbon (C) stocks, expert knowledge surveys about grassland condition, and the management factors for nominal and degraded grasslands. These results showed that land use change and management created a net loss of C from soils, however, the change in SOC stocks decreased substantially from the first to the second time period due to the increase in land under no‐tillage.

Plant mineral nutrition in ancient landscapes: high plant species diversity on infertile soils is linked to functional diversity for nutritional strategies - Hans Lambers; Mark C. Brundrett; John A. Raven; Stephen D. Hopper (Plant and Soil, 2010)

Spectroscopic insights into axial ligation and active-site H-bonding in substrate-bound human heme oxygenase-2 - Jessica D. Gardner; Li Yi; Stephen W. Ragsdale; Thomas C. Brunold (JBIC Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, 2010)

Soils as agents of selection: feedbacks between plants and soils alter seedling survival and performance - Clara C. Pregitzer; Joseph K. Bailey; Stephen C. Hart; Jennifer A. Schweitzer (Evolutionary Ecology, 2010)

Meat, poultry and fish and risk of colorectal cancer: pooled analysis of data from the UK dietary cohort consortium - Elizabeth A. Spencer; Timothy J. Key; Paul N. Appleby; Christina C. Dahm; Ruth H. Keogh; Ian S. Fentiman; Tasnime Akbaraly; Eric J. Brunner; Victoria Burley; Janet E. Cade; Darren C. Greenwood; Alison M. Stephen; et al. (Cancer Causes & Control, 2010)

DOM characteristics along the continuum from river to receiving basin: a comparison of freshwater and saline transects - Brandon M. Stephens; Elizabeth C. Minor (Aquatic Sciences, 2010)

A GIS-based Approach to Identify and Map Playa Wetlands on the High Plains, Kansas, USA - Mark W. Bowen; William C. Johnson; Stephen L. Egbert; Scott T. Klopfenstein (Wetlands, 2010)

The consequences of predator control for brown hares (Lepus europaeus) on UK farmland - Jonathan C. Reynolds; Chris Stoate; Malcolm H. Brockless; Nicholas J. Aebischer; Stephen C. Tapper (European Journal of Wildlife Research, 2010)

Feathers as bioindicators of PCB exposure in clapper rails - J. W. Summers; K. F. Gaines; N. Garvin; W. L. Stephens; J. C. Cumbee; G. L. Mills (Ecotoxicology, 2010)

Reduced net atmospheric CH4 consumption is a sustained response to elevated CO2 in a temperate forest - Lindsay L. Dubbs; Stephen C. Whalen (Biology and Fertility of Soils, 2010)

Walking Response of the Mediterranean Pine Engraver, Orthotomicus erosus, to Novel Plant Odors in a Laboratory Olfactometer - Abigail J. Walter; Robert C. Venette; Stephen A. Kells; Steven J. Seybold (Journal of Insect Behavior, 2010)

Soil nitrogen availability varies with plant genetics across diverse river drainages - Dylan G. Fischer; Stephen C. Hart; Jennifer A. Schweitzer; Paul C. Selmants; Thomas G. Whitham (Plant and Soil, 2010)

Combining plant resistance and a natural enemy to control Amphorophora idaei - Carolyn Mitchell; Scott N. Johnson; Stuart C. Gordon; A. Nicholas E. Birch; Stephen F. Hubbard (BioControl, 2010)

Comparative Genetic Diversity of Wild and Captive Populations of the Bare-Faced Curassow (Crax fasciolata) Based on Cross-Species Microsatellite Markers: Implications for Conservation and Management - Evonnildo C. Gonçalves; Stephen F. Ferrari; Heitor B. Bastos; Anita Wajntal; Alexandre Aleixo; Maria Paula C. Schneider (Biochemical Genetics, 2010)

Evidence for indirect effects of plant diversity and composition on net nitrification - Daniel C. Laughlin; Stephen C. Hart; Jason P. Kaye; Margaret M. Moore (Plant and Soil, 2010)

Release of Plasmid DNA-Encoding IL-10 from PLGA Microparticles Facilitates Long-Term Reversal of Neuropathic Pain Following a Single Intrathecal Administration - Ryan Gene Soderquist; Evan M. Sloane; Lisa C. Loram; Jacqueline A. Harrison; Ellen C. Dengler; Scott M. Johnson; Luke D. Amer; Courtney S. Young; Makenzie T. Lewis; Stephen Poole; Matthew G. Frank; Linda R. Watkins; et al. (Pharmaceutical Research, 2010)

Modular Evolution of PGC-1α in Vertebrates - Christophe M. R. LeMoine; Stephen C. Lougheed; Christopher D. Moyes (Journal of Molecular Evolution, 2010)

Human papillomavirus is not associated with colorectal cancer in a large international study - Michele C. Gornick; Xavier Castellsague; Gloria Sanchez; Thomas J. Giordano; Michelle Vinco; Joel K. Greenson; Gabriel Capella; Leon Raskin; Gad Rennert; Stephen B. Gruber; Victor Moreno (Cancer Causes & Control, 2010)

Limitation of Finite Element Analysis of Poroelastic Behavior of Biological Tissues Undergoing Rapid Loading - Ian A. Stokes; Salman Chegini; Stephen J. Ferguson; Mack G. Gardner-Morse; James C. Iatridis; Jeffrey P. Laible (Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2010)

Patterns of persistence and isolation indicate resilience to climate change in montane rainforest lizards - RAYNA C. BELL; JUAN L. PARRA; MARIA TONIONE; CONRAD J. HOSKIN; JASON B. MACKENZIE; STEPHEN E. WILLIAMS; CRAIG MORITZ (Molecular Ecology, 2010)

β-amyloid oligomers and cellular prion protein in Alzheimer’s disease - Erik C. Gunther; Stephen M. Strittmatter (Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2010)

Effects of Nutrient Pre-Exposure on Atrazine Toxicity to Vallisneria americana Michx. (Wild Celery) - Darrin D. Dantin; Ronald G. Boustany; Michael A. Lewis; Stephen J. Jordan; Rebecca F. Moss; Thomas C. Michot (Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2010)

Analysis of the use of credit facilities by small-scale fish farmers in Kenya - Kwamena K. Quagrainie; Charles C. Ngugi; Stephen Amisah (Aquaculture International, 2010)

The Effect of Intermittent Static Biaxial Tensile Strains on Tissue Engineered Cartilage - Jackie C. Y. Fan; Stephen D. Waldman (Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2010)

Hybridization and polyploidy as drivers of continuing evolution and speciation in Sorbus - ASHLEY ROBERTSON; TIMOTHY C. G. RICH; ALEXANDRA M. ALLEN; LIBBY HOUSTON; CAT ROBERTS; JON R. BRIDLE; STEPHEN A. HARRIS; SIMON J. HISCOCK (Molecular Ecology, 2010)

Comparative sequence analysis of CP12, a small protein involved in the formation of a Calvin cycle complex in photosynthetic organisms - René Groben; Dimitrios Kaloudas; Christine A. Raines; Bernard Offmann; Stephen C. Maberly; Brigitte Gontero (Photosynthesis Research, 2010)

Population synchrony of a native fish across three Laurentian Great Lakes: evaluating the effects of dispersal and climate - David B. Bunnell; Jean V. Adams; Owen T. Gorman; Charles P. Madenjian; Stephen C. Riley; Edward F. Roseman; Jeffrey S. Schaeffer (Oecologia, 2010)

Design of a Miniature Tissue Culture System to Culture Mouse Heart Valves - Samuel C. Lieber; Boudewijn P. T. Kruithof; Nadine Aubry; Stephen F. Vatner; Vinciane Gaussin (Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2010)

The metabolic demands of swimming behavior influence the evolution of skeletal muscle fiber design in the brachyuran crab family Portunidae - Kristin M. Hardy; Sean C. Lema; Stephen T. Kinsey (Marine Biology, 2010)

Introduced ungulate herbivore alters soil processes after fire - Michelle L. Stritar; Jennifer A. Schweitzer; Stephen C. Hart; Joseph K. Bailey (Biological Invasions, 2010)

Body size‐dependent responses of a marine fish assemblage to climate change and fishing over a century‐long scale - MARTIN J. GENNER; DAVID W. SIMS; ALAN J. SOUTHWARD; GEORGINA C. BUDD; PATRICIA MASTERSON; MATTHEW MCHUGH; PETER RENDLE; EMILY J. SOUTHALL; VICTORIA J. WEARMOUTH; STEPHEN J. HAWKINS (Global Change Biology, 2010)
Commercial fishing and climate change have influenced the composition of marine fish assemblages worldwide, but we require a better understanding of their relative influence on long‐term changes in species abundance and body‐size distributions. In this study, we investigated long‐term (1911–2007) variability within a demersal fish assemblage in the western English Channel. The region has been subject to commercial fisheries throughout most of the past century, and has undergone interannual changes in sea temperature of over 2.0 °C. We focussed on a core 30 species that comprised 99% of total individuals sampled in the assemblage. Analyses showed that temporal trends in the abundance of smaller multispecies size classes followed thermal regime changes, but that there were persistent declines in abundance of larger size classes. Consistent with these results, larger‐growing individual species had the greatest declines in body size, and the most constant declines in abundance, while abundance changes of smaller‐growing species were more closely linked to preceding sea temperatures. Together these analyses are suggestive of dichotomous size‐dependent responses of species to long‐term climate change and commercial fishing over a century scale. Small species had rapid responses to the prevailing thermal environment, suggesting their life history traits predisposed populations to respond quickly to changing climates. Larger species declined in abundance and size, reflecting expectations from sustained size‐selective overharvesting. These results demonstrate the importance of considering species traits when developing indicators of human and climatic impacts on marine fauna.

Phosphorus and soil development: Does the Walker and Syers model apply to semiarid ecosystems? - Paul C. Selmants; Stephen C. Hart (Ecology, 2010)
The Walker and Syers model of phosphorus (P) transformations during pedogenesis is widely accepted for the development of humid ecosystems, but long‐term P dynamics of more arid ecosystems remain poorly understood. We tested the Walker and Syers model in semiarid piñon–juniper woodlands by measuring soil P fractions under tree canopies and in intercanopy spaces along a well‐constrained, ∼3000 ka (1 ka = 1000 years) volcanic substrate age gradient in northern Arizona, USA. The various pools of soil P behaved largely as predicted; total soil P and primary mineral P declined consistently with substrate age, labile inorganic P increased early in soil development and then declined at later stages, and organic phosphorus increased consistently across the chronosequence. Within each site, soils under tree canopies tended to have higher concentrations of labile and intermediately available P fractions compared to intercanopy soils. However, the degree of spatial heterogeneity conferred by tree islands was moderated by the stage of soil development. In contrast, tree islands had no influence on within‐site distribution of more recalcitrant soil P pools, which appear to be controlled solely by the stage of pedogenesis. Coincident with declines in total P, primary mineral P, and labile inorganic P, we found that phosphatase enzyme activity increased with substrate age; a result consistent with greater ecosystem‐level P demand on older, more highly weathered substrates. Our results suggest that, compared to humid climates, reduced inputs of water, energy, and acidity to semiarid ecosystems slow the rate of change in P fractions during pedogenesis, but the overall pattern remains consistent with the Walker and Syers model. Furthermore, our data imply that pedogenic change may be an important factor controlling the spatial distribution of labile P pools in semiarid ecosystems. Taken together, these data should both broaden and unify terrestrial ecosystem development theory.

Genes Acquired by Horizontal Transfer Are Potentially Involved in the Evolution of Phytopathogenicity in Moniliophthora perniciosa and Moniliophthora roreri, Two of the Major Pathogens of Cacao - Ricardo Augusto Tiburcio; Gustavo Gilson Lacerda Costa; Marcelo Falsarella Carazzolle; Jorge Maurício Costa Mondego; Stephen C. Schuster; John E. Carlson; Mark J. Guiltinan; Bryan A. Bailey; Piotr Mieczkowski; Lyndel W. Meinhardt; Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira (Journal of Molecular Evolution, 2010)

Acute whole-body vibration elicits post-activation potentiation - Darryl J. Cochrane; Stephen R. Stannard; Elwyn C. Firth; Jörn Rittweger (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2010)

Valuing Recreational Benefits of Coral Reefs: The Case of Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve, Kenya - Kevin P. Ransom; Stephen C. Mangi (Environmental Management, 2010)

Comparative Biogeochemical Cycles of Bioenergy Crops Reveal Nitrogen-Fixation and Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions in a Miscanthus × giganteus Agro-Ecosystem - Sarah C. Davis; William J. Parton; Frank G. Dohleman; Candice M. Smith; Stephen Del Grosso; Angela D. Kent; Evan H. DeLucia (Ecosystems, 2010)

Identification and characterization of new LuxR/LuxI‐type quorum sensing systems from metagenomic libraries - Youai Hao; Stephen C. Winans; Bernard R. Glick; Trevor C. Charles (Environmental Microbiology, 2010)
Summary Quorum sensing (QS) cell–cell communication systems are utilized by bacteria to coordinate their behaviour according to cell density. Several different types of QS signal molecules have been identified, among which acyl‐homoserine lactones (AHLs) produced by Proteobacteria have been studied to the greatest extent. Although QS has been studied extensively in cultured microorganisms, little is known about the QS systems of uncultured microorganisms and the roles of these systems in microbial communities. To extend our knowledge of QS systems and to better understand the signalling that takes place in the natural environment, metagenomic libraries constructed using DNA from activated sludge and soil were screened, using an Agrobacterium biosensor strain, for novel QS synthase genes. Three cosmids (QS6‐1, QS10‐1 and QS10‐2) that encode the production of QS signals were identified and DNA sequence analysis revealed that all three clones encode a novel luxI family AHL synthase and a luxR family transcriptional regulator. Thin layer chromatography revealed that these LuxI homologue proteins are able to synthesize multiple AHL signals. Tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed that LuxI QS6‐1 directs the synthesis of at least three AHLs, 3‐O‐C14:1 HSL, 3‐O‐C16:1 HSL and 3‐O‐C14 HSL; LuxI QS10‐1 directs the synthesis of at least 3‐O‐C12 HSL and 3‐O‐C14 HSL; while LuxI QS10‐2 directs the synthesis of at least C8 HSL and C10 HSL. Two possible new AHLs, C14:3 HSL and (?)‐hydroxymethyl‐3‐O‐C14 HSL, were also found to be synthesized by LuxI QS6‐1 .

A retrospective evaluation of shortened-duration oral N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of acetaminophen poisoning - David P. Betten; Elizabeth E. Burner; Stephen C. Thomas; Christian Tomaszewski; Richard F. Clark (Journal of Medical Toxicology, 2009)

Patterns of within and between-colony microsatellite variation in the endangered Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis): implications for conservation - Luise Kruckenhauser; Andrew A. Bryant; Suzanne C. Griffin; Stephen J. Amish; Wilhelm Pinsker (Conservation Genetics, 2009)

An HPLC-MALDI MS method for N-glycan analyses using smaller size samples: Application to monitor glycan modulation by medium conditions - Michael P. Gillmeister; Noboru Tomiya; Scott J. Jacobia; Yuan C. Lee; Stephen F. Gorfien; Michael J. Betenbaugh (Glycoconjugate Journal, 2009)

Nearshore macrobenthos of northern Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, with reference to local sewage disposal - Stephen C. Jewett; Lisa M. Clough; Arny L. Blanchard; William G. Ambrose; Howard M. Feder; Max K. Hoberg; Alex V. Whiting (Polar Biology, 2009)

Anisakis nascettii n. sp. (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from beaked whales of the southern hemisphere: morphological description, genetic relationships between congeners and ecological data - Simonetta Mattiucci; Michela Paoletti; Stephen C. Webb (Systematic Parasitology, 2009)

The orf virus inhibitor of apoptosis functions in a Bcl-2-like manner, binding and neutralizing a set of BH3-only proteins and active Bax - Dana Westphal; Elizabeth C. Ledgerwood; Joel D. A. Tyndall; Merilyn H. Hibma; Norihito Ueda; Stephen B. Fleming; Andrew A. Mercer (Apoptosis, 2009)

Spatial subdivision among assemblages of Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus commerson (Pisces: Scombridae) across northern Australia: implications for fisheries management - Stephen J. Newman; Rik C. Buckworth; Michael C. Mackie; Paul D. Lewis; Ian W. Wright; Peta C. Williamson; Trevor P. Bastow; Jennifer R. Ovenden (Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2009)
Aim This study investigated the use of stable δ 13 C and δ 18 O isotopes in the sagittal otolith carbonate of narrow‐barred Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus commerson , as indicators of population structure across Australia. Location Samples were collected from 25 locations extending from the lower west coast of Western Australia (30°), across northern Australian waters, and to the east coast of Australia (18°) covering a coastline length of approximately 9500 km, including samples from Indonesia. Methods The stable δ 13 C and δ 18 O isotopes in the sagittal otolith carbonate of S. commerson were analysed using standard mass spectrometric techniques. The isotope ratios across northern Australian subregions were subjected to an agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis to define subregions. Isotope ratios within each of the subregions were compared to assess population structure across Australia. Results Cluster analysis separated samples into four subregions: central Western Australia, north Western Australia, northern Australia and the Gulf of Carpentaria and eastern Australia. Isotope signatures for fish from a number of sampling sites from across Australia and Indonesia were significantly different, indicating population separation. No significant differences were found in otolith isotope ratios between sampling times (no temporal variation). Main conclusions Significant differences in the isotopic signatures of S. commerson demonstrate that there is unlikely to be any substantial movement of fish among these spatially discrete adult assemblages. The lack of temporal variation among otolith isotope ratios indicates that S. commerson populations do not undergo longshore spatial shifts in distribution during their life history. The temporal persistence of spatially explicit stable isotopic signatures indicates that, at these spatial scales, the population units sampled comprise functionally distinct management units or separate ‘stocks’ for many of the purposes of fisheries management. The spatial subdivision evident among populations of S. commerson across northern and western Australia indicates that it may be advantageous to consider S. commerson population dynamics and fisheries management from a metapopulation perspective (at least at the regional level).

Direct and indirect effects of giant kelp determine benthic community structure and dynamics - Katie K. Arkema; Daniel C. Reed; Stephen C. Schroeter (Ecology, 2009)
Indirect facilitation can occur when a species positively affects another via the suppression of a shared competitor. In giant kelp forests, shade from the canopy of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, negatively affects understory algae, which compete with sessile invertebrates for space. This raises the possibility that giant kelp indirectly facilitates sessile invertebrates, via suppression of understory algae. We evaluated the effect of giant kelp on the relative abundance of algae and invertebrates by experimentally manipulating kelp abundance on large artificial reefs located off San Clemente, California, USA. The experiments revealed a negative effect of giant kelp on both light availability and understory algal abundance and a positive effect on the abundance of sessile invertebrates, which was consistent with an indirect effect mediated by shade from the kelp canopy. The importance of these processes to temporal variability in benthic community structure was evaluated at 16 locations on natural reefs off Santa Barbara, California, over an eight‐year period. Interannual variability in the abundance of understory algae and in the abundance of sessile invertebrates was significantly and positively related to interannual variability in the abundance of giant kelp. Analysis of these observational data using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) indicated that the magnitude of the indirect effect of giant kelp on invertebrates was six times larger than the direct effect on invertebrates. Results suggest that the dynamics of this system are driven by variability in the abundance of a single structure‐forming species that has indirect positive, as well as direct negative, effects on associated species.

Successional trends and apparent Acer saccharum regeneration failure in an oak-hickory forest in central Missouri, USA - Angela C. Belden; Stephen G. Pallardy (Plant Ecology, 2009)

Access to mammography screening in a large urban population: a multi-level analysis - Stephen C. Meersman; Nancy Breen; Linda W. Pickle; Helen I. Meissner; Paul Simon (Cancer Causes & Control, 2009)

Response of the hammerhead shark olfactory epithelium to amino acid stimuli - Timothy C. Tricas; Stephen M. Kajiura; Adam P. Summers (Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 2009)

Phylogenetic endemism: a new approach for identifying geographical concentrations of evolutionary history - DAN ROSAUER; SHAWN W. LAFFAN; MICHAEL D. CRISP; STEPHEN C. DONNELLAN; LYN G. COOK (Molecular Ecology, 2009)
We present a new, broadly applicable measure of the spatial restriction of phylogenetic diversity, termed phylogenetic endemism (PE). PE combines the widely used phylogenetic diversity and weighted endemism measures to identify areas where substantial components of phylogenetic diversity are restricted. Such areas are likely to be of considerable importance for conservation. PE has a number of desirable properties not combined in previous approaches. It assesses endemism consistently, independent of taxonomic status or level, and independent of previously defined political or biological regions. The results can be directly compared between areas because they are based on equivalent spatial units. PE builds on previous phylogenetic analyses of endemism, but provides a more general solution for mapping endemism of lineages. We illustrate the broad applicability of PE using examples of Australian organisms having contrasting life histories: pea‐flowered shrubs of the genus Daviesia (Fabaceae) and the Australian species of the Australo‐Papuan tree frog radiation within the family Hylidae.

Associations between endogenous sex hormone levels and mammographic and bone densities in premenopausal women - Mellissa Yong; Charlotte Atkinson; Katherine M. Newton; Erin J. Aiello Bowles; Frank Z. Stanczyk; Kim C. Westerlind; Victoria L. Holt; Stephen M. Schwartz; Wendy M. Leisenring; Johanna W. Lampe (Cancer Causes & Control, 2009)

Revision of the amphiamerican Neotetraonchus Bravo-Hollis, 1968 (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae), with a description of N. vegrandis n. sp. from the gill lamellae of the blue sea catfish Ariopsis guatemalensis (Siluriformes: Ariidae) off the Pacific Coast of Mexico - Delane C. Kritsky; Edgar F. Mendoza-Franco; Stephen A. Bullard; Victor M. Vidal-Martínez (Systematic Parasitology, 2009)

On the mechanism of apoplastic H2O2 production during lignin formation and elicitation in cultured spruce cells—peroxidases after elicitation - Anna Kärkönen; Tino Warinowski; Teemu H. Teeri; Liisa Kaarina Simola; Stephen C. Fry (Planta, 2009)

Characterization of microsatellite loci from the Malagasy endemic, Tina striata Radlk. (Sapindaceae) - Laura B. Vary; Stacey L. Lance; Cris Hagen; Olga Tsyusko; Travis C. Glenn; Ann K. Sakai; Stephen G. Weller (Conservation Genetics, 2009)

Highly efficient in vitro adventitious shoot regeneration of peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) using internodal explants - Xiaohuan Wang; Zhenhua Gao; Yunzhen Wang; Ray A. Bressan; Stephen C. Weller; Xia Li (In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant, 2009)

Leadership: a New Frontier in Conservation Science - JIM C. MANOLIS; KAI M. CHAN; MYRA E. FINKELSTEIN; SCOTT STEPHENS; CARA R. NELSON; JACQUALINE B. GRANT; MICHAEL P. DOMBECK (Conservation Biology, 2009)
Leadership is a critical tool for expanding the influence of conservation science, but recent advances in leadership concepts and practice remain underutilized by conservation scientists. Furthermore, an explicit conceptual foundation and definition of leadership in conservation science are not available in the literature. Here we drew on our diverse leadership experiences, our reading of leadership literature, and discussions with selected conservation science leaders to define conservation‐science leadership, summarize an exploratory set of leadership principles that are applicable to conservation science, and recommend actions to expand leadership capacity among conservation scientists and practitioners. We define 2 types of conservation‐science leadership: shaping conservation science through path‐breaking research, and advancing the integration of conservation science into policy, management, and society at large. We focused on the second, integrative type of leadership because we believe it presents the greatest opportunity for improving conservation effectiveness. We identified 8 leadership principles derived mainly from the “adaptive leadership” literature: recognize the social dimension of the problem; cycle frequently through action and reflection; get and maintain attention; combine strengths of multiple leaders; extend your reach through networks of relationships; strategically time your effort; nurture productive conflict; and cultivate diversity. Conservation scientists and practitioners should strive to develop themselves as leaders, and the Society for Conservation Biology, conservation organizations, and academia should support this effort through professional development, mentoring, teaching, and research.

Boron and Marine Life: A New Look at an Enigmatic Bioelement - Carl J. Carrano; Stephen Schellenberg; Shady A. Amin; David H. Green; Frithjof C. Küpper (Marine Biotechnology, 2009)

Historical biogeography of the endemic Campanulaceae of Crete - Nicoletta Cellinese; Stephen A. Smith; Erika J. Edwards; Sang‐Tae Kim; Rosemarie C. Haberle; Manolis Avramakis; Michael J. Donoghue (Journal of Biogeography, 2009)
Aim The clade Campanulaceae in the Cretan area is rich in endemics, with c. 50% of its species having restricted distributions. These species are analysed in the context of a larger phylogeny of the Campanulaceae. Divergence times are calculated and hypotheses of vicariance and dispersal are tested with the aim of understanding whether Cretan lineages represent remnants of an older continental flora. Location The Cretan area: Crete and the Karpathos Islands (Greece). Methods We obtained chloroplast DNA sequence data from rbc L, atp B and mat K genes for 102 ingroup taxa, of which 18 are from the Cretan area, 11 are endemics, and two have disjunct, bi‐regional distributions. We analysed the data using beast , a Bayesian approach that simultaneously infers the phylogeny and divergence times. We calibrated the tree by placing a seed fossil in the phylogeny, and used published age estimates as a prior for the root. Results The phylogenetic reconstruction shows that all Campanula species fall within a well‐supported campanuloid clade; however, Campanula is highly polyphyletic. The Cretan endemics do not form a monophyletic group, and species are scattered throughout the campanuloid clade. Therefore, the Cretan taxa did not evolve following a single vicariance or dispersal event. Most Cretan lineages represent remnants of an older continental flora, with the exception of one clade that radiated in situ after island isolation, and one lineage that appears to have arrived by dispersal. Main conclusions Most Cretan species were present in the islands at the time of their isolation, and very little long‐distance dispersal to Crete and diversification within Crete has occurred since then. Endemism is probably driven by loss of species on the mainland after island isolation. Species on the islands may have been more widespread in the past, but they are now restricted to often inaccessible areas, probably as a result of human pressure.

Timing and space usage are disrupted by amphetamine in rats maintained on DRL 24-s and DRL 72-s schedules of reinforcement - Stephen C. Fowler; Jonathan Pinkston; Elena Vorontsova (Psychopharmacology, 2009)

An Automated Pipeline for Dendrite Spine Detection and Tracking of 3D Optical Microscopy Neuron Images of In Vivo Mouse Models - Jing Fan; Xiaobo Zhou; Jennifer G. Dy; Yong Zhang; Stephen T. C. Wong (Neuroinformatics, 2009)

Discovery and characterization of chemical signals for citrus root weevil, Diaprepes abbreviatus - Fernando Otálora-Luna; Jennifer A. Hammock; Rocco T. Alessandro; Stephen L. Lapointe; Joseph C. Dickens (Arthropod-Plant Interactions, 2009)

Phosphorus sources and demand during summer in a eutrophic lake - Amy M. Kamarainen; Rachel M. Penczykowski; Matthew C. Van de Bogert; Paul C. Hanson; Stephen R. Carpenter (Aquatic Sciences, 2009)

Penetration of ultraviolet radiation in streams of eastern Pennsylvania: Topographic controls and the role of suspended particulates - Patrick Belmont; Donald P. Morris; Frank J. Pazzaglia; Stephen C. Peters (Aquatic Sciences, 2009)

Generation of large droplet aerosols within microbiological containment using a novel flow-focussing technique - Richard J. Thomas; Daniel Webber; William Sellors; Aaron Collinge; Andrew Frost; Anthony J. Stagg; Stephen C. Bailey; Pramukh N. Jayasekera; Rosa R. Taylor; Steve Eley; Richard W. Titball (Aerobiologia, 2009)

Potential impacts of climatic change on the breeding and non‐breeding ranges and migration distance of European Sylvia warblers - Nathalie Doswald; Stephen G. Willis; Yvonne C. Collingham; Deborah J. Pain; Rhys E. Green; Brian Huntley (Journal of Biogeography, 2009)
Aim To explore the potential impacts of climatic change on species with different migratory strategies using Sylvia warblers breeding in Europe as a ‘model’ species group. Location Europe and Africa. Methods Climate response surfaces and generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to model relationships between species recorded breeding and non‐breeding ranges and recent climate. Species potential future breeding and non‐breeding ranges were simulated for three scenarios of late 21st‐century climate. The simulated potential future and present ranges were compared in terms of their relative extent and overlap, as well as their location. The impact of any shifts in potential range location on migration distance were quantified. Results Potential breeding ranges consistently showed a shift northwards, whereas potential non‐breeding ranges showed no consistent directional shift, even when trans‐Saharan migrants were considered separately from resident/short‐distance or partial migrants. Future potential range extent relative to simulated recent range extent varied considerably among species, although on average range extent increased. Overlap between future and recent simulated range was generally low, averaging Main conclusions Migratory species can be expected to suffer greater negative impacts from climatic change than species that are resident or undertake only short‐distance or partial migrations. Trans‐Saharan migrants face the greatest potential increases in migration distances, whereas range‐restricted species are expected to experience major population reductions because of the limited, or in some cases lack of, overlap between their present and potential future ranges.

Predicting impacts of climate‐induced range expansion: an experimental framework and a test involving key grazers on temperate rocky shores - LOUISE B. FIRTH; TASMAN P. CROWE; PIPPA MOORE; RICHARD C. THOMPSON; STEPHEN J. HAWKINS (Global Change Biology, 2009)
Climate change has strong potential to modify the structure and functioning of ecosystems, but experimental field studies into its effects are rare. On rocky shores, grazing limpets strongly affect ecosystem structure and their distribution in NW Europe is changing in response to climate change. Three limpet species co‐occur in SW Britain ( Patella vulgata, Patella ulyssiponensis and Patella depressa ) on open rock and in pools. Shores in Ireland are similar, but currently lack P. depressa . It is anticipated that P. depressa will expand its range into Ireland as the climate warms, but we currently lack an empirical basis to predict the consequences of this change. Recent studies show that increasing abundance of P. depressa on British shores has been accompanied by a decline of P. vulgata suggesting interspecific competition. In this study, a new experimental framework was used to examine the potential for P. depressa to affect P. vulgata on Irish shores. P. vulgata was experimentally transplanted into enclosures on open rock and in pools in both Ireland and Britain. In pools, treatments also included transplanted P. ulyssiponensis to mimic natural assemblages. Growth and mortality of P. vulgata were measured over 6 months with no differences between Ireland and Britain. In Britain, P. vulgata caged in pools with transplanted P. depressa and P. ulyssiponensis showed reduced growth, compared with when caged in pools with P. ulyssiponensis alone. There was no effect of P. depressa on the growth rate of P. vulgata on open rock. Results indicate that if the range of P. depressa extends into Ireland, it would reduce the growth of P. vulgata where it co‐occurs with P. ulyssiponensis in pools. The framework used here provides a field‐based approach that could be used to examine the impacts of climate‐induced range expansions on the structure and functioning of other ecosystems.

Assessing the Impacts of Future Climate Change on Protected Area Networks: A Method to Simulate Individual Species' Responses - Stephen G. Willis; Dave G. Hole; Yvonne C. Collingham; Geoff Hilton; Carsten Rahbek; Brian Huntley (Environmental Management, 2009)

Impact of socioeconomic status on cancer incidence and stage at diagnosis: selected findings from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results: National Longitudinal Mortality Study - Limin X. Clegg; Marsha E. Reichman; Barry A. Miller; Benjamin F. Hankey; Gopal K. Singh; Yi Dan Lin; Marc T. Goodman; Charles F. Lynch; Stephen M. Schwartz; Vivien W. Chen; Leslie Bernstein; Scarlett L. Gomez; et al. (Cancer Causes & Control, 2009)

Vertical partitioning and expression of primary metabolic genes in a thermophilic microbial mat - Maggie C. Y. Lau; Stephen B. Pointing (Extremophiles, 2009)

The complete nucleotide sequence and genome organization of red clover vein mosaic virus (genus Carlavirus) - Richard C. Larsen; Stephen D. Wyatt; Keri L. Druffel (Archives of Virology, 2009)

Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by 15N addition experiments: Total uptake - Robert O. Hall; Jennifer L. Tank; Daniel J. Sobota; Patrick J. Mulholland; Jonathan M. O'Brien; Walter K. Dodds; Jackson R. Webster; H. Maurice Valett; Geoffrey C. Poole; Bruce J. Peterson; Judy L. Meyer; William H. McDowell; et al. (Limnology and Oceanography, 2009)
We measured uptake length of 15 NO 3 − in 72 streams in eight regions across the United States and Puerto Rico to develop quantitative predictive models on controls of NO 3 − uptake length. As part of the Lotic Intersite Nitrogen eXperiment II project, we chose nine streams in each region corresponding to natural (reference), suburban‐urban, and agricultural land uses. Study streams spanned a range of human land use to maximize variation in NO 3 − concentration, geomorphology, and metabolism. We tested a causal model predicting controls on NO 3 − uptake length using structural equation modeling. The model included concomitant measurements of ecosystem metabolism, hydraulic parameters, and nitrogen concentration. We compared this structural equation model to multiple regression models which included additional biotic, catchment, and riparian variables. The structural equation model explained 79% of the variation in log uptake length ( S Wtot ). Uptake length increased with specific discharge ( Q/w ) and increasing NO 3 − concentrations, showing a loss in removal efficiency in streams with high NO 3 − concentration. Uptake lengths shortened with increasing gross primary production, suggesting autotrophic assimilation dominated NO 3 − removal. The fraction of catchment area as agriculture and suburban‐urban land use weakly predicted NO 3 − uptake in bivariate regression, and did improve prediction in a set of multiple regression models. Adding land use to the structural equation model showed that land use indirectly affected NO 3 − uptake lengths via directly increasing both gross primary production and NO 3 − concentration. Gross primary production shortened S Wtot , while increasing NO 3 − lengthened S Wtot resulting in no net effect of land use on NO 3 − removal.

Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by 15N addition experiments: Denitrification - Patrick J. Mulholland; Robert O. Hall; Daniel J. Sobota; Walter K. Dodds; Stuart E. G. Findlay; Nancy B. Grimm; Stephen K. Hamilton; William H. McDowell; Jonathan M. O'Brien; Jennifer L. Tank; Linda R. Ashkenas; Lee W. Cooper; et al. (Limnology and Oceanography, 2009)
We measured denitrification rates using a field 15 NO 3 − tracer‐addition approach in a large, cross‐site study of nitrate uptake in reference, agricultural, and suburban‐urban streams. We measured denitrification rates in 49 of 72 streams studied. Uptake length due to denitrification ( S Wden n) ranged from 89 m to 184 km (median of 9050 m) and there were no significant differences among regions or land‐use categories, likely because of the wide range of conditions within each region and land use. N 2 production rates far exceeded N 2 O production rates in all streams. The fraction of total NO 3 − removal from water due to denitrification ranged from 0.5% to 100% among streams (median of 16%), and was related to NH 4 + concentration and ecosystem respiration rate (ER). Multivariate approaches showed that the most important factors controlling S Wden were specific discharge (discharge / width) and NO 3 − concentration (positive effects), and ER and transient storage zones (negative effects). The relationship between areal denitrification rate ( U den ) and NO 3 − concentration indicated a partial saturation effect. A power function with an exponent of 0.5 described this relationship better than a Michaelis‐Menten equation. Although U den increased with increasing NO 3 − concentration, the efficiency of NO 3 − removal from water via denitrification declined, resulting in a smaller proportion of streamwater NO 3 − load removed over a given length of stream. Regional differences in stream denitrification rates were small relative to the proximate factors of NO 3 − concentration and ecosystem respiration rate, and land use was an important but indirect control on denitrification in streams, primarily via its effect on NO 3 − concentration.

Long‐term patterns of mass loss during the decomposition of leaf and fine root litter: an intersite comparison - MARK E. HARMON; WHENDEE L. SILVER; BECKY FASTH; HUA CHEN; INGRID C. BURKE; WILLIAM J. PARTON; STEPHEN C. HART; WILLIAM S. CURRIE (Global Change Biology, 2009)
Decomposition is a critical process in global carbon cycling. During decomposition, leaf and fine root litter may undergo a later, relatively slow phase; past long‐term experiments indicate this phase occurs, but whether it is a general phenomenon has not been examined. Data from Long‐term Intersite Decomposition Experiment Team, representing 27 sites and nine litter types (for a total of 234 cases) was used to test the frequency of this later, slow phase of decomposition. Litter mass remaining after up to 10 years of decomposition was fit to models that included (dual exponential and asymptotic) or excluded (single exponential) a slow phase. The resultant regression equations were evaluated for goodness of fit as well as biological realism. Regression analysis indicated that while the dual exponential and asymptotic models statistically and biologically fit more of the litter type–site combinations than the single exponential model, the latter was biologically reasonable for 27–65% of the cases depending on the test used. This implies that a slow phase is common, but not universal. Moreover, estimates of the decomposition rate of the slowly decomposing component averaged 0.139–0.221 year −1 (depending on method), higher than generally observed for mineral soil organic matter, but one‐third of the faster phase of litter decomposition. Thus, this material may be slower than the earlier phases of litter decomposition, but not as slow as mineral soil organic matter. Comparison of the long‐term integrated decomposition rate (which included all phases of decomposition) to that for the first year of decomposition indicated the former was on average 75% that of the latter, consistent with the presence of a slow phase of decomposition. These results indicate that the global store of litter estimated using short‐term decomposition rates would be underestimated by at least one‐third.

Projected impacts of climate change on a continent‐wide protected area network - David G. Hole; Stephen G. Willis; Deborah J. Pain; Lincoln D. Fishpool; Stuart H. M. Butchart; Yvonne C. Collingham; Carsten Rahbek; Brian Huntley (Ecology Letters, 2009)
Despite widespread concern, the continuing effectiveness of networks of protected areas under projected 21st century climate change is uncertain. Shifts in species’ distributions could mean these resources will cease to afford protection to those species for which they were originally established. Using modelled projected shifts in the distributions of sub‐Saharan Africa’s entire breeding avifauna, we show that species turnover across the continent’s Important Bird Area (IBA) network is likely to vary regionally and will be substantial at many sites (> 50% at 42% of IBAs by 2085 for priority species). Persistence of suitable climate space across the network as a whole, however, is notably high, with 88–92% of priority species retaining suitable climate space in ≥ 1 IBA(s) in which they are currently found. Only 7–8 priority species lose climatic representation from the network. Hence, despite the likelihood of significant community disruption, we demonstrate that rigorously defined networks of protected areas can play a key role in mitigating the worst impacts of climate change on biodiversity.

The impact of early environmental rearing condition on the discriminative stimulus effects and Fos expression induced by cocaine in adult male and female rats - Stephen J. Kohut; Peter G. Roma; Catherine M. Davis; Gerald Zernig; Alois Saria; Juan M. Dominguez; Kenner C. Rice; Anthony L. Riley (Psychopharmacology, 2009)

Slow inactivation of the NaV1.4 sodium channel in mammalian cells is impeded by co-expression of the β1 subunit - Jadon Webb; Fen-fen Wu; Stephen C. Cannon (Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology, 2009)

International Learning Pathways for Coastal Professionals: A Japan–UK Example - Stephen Fletcher; Midori Kawabe; Sonja Rewhorn; Chun Knee Tan; Andrew Emery; Kazumi Wakita; Mark Sturgess; Keita Furukawa; Zoë Castle; Felicity E. C. Flanagan Dufton (Coastal Management, 2009)

Automated Axon Tracking of 3D Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Images Using Guided Probabilistic Region Merging - Ranga Srinivasan; Xiaobo Zhou; Eric Miller; Ju Lu; Jeff W. Lichtman; Stephen T. C. Wong (Neuroinformatics, 2009)

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Remediation by Three Floating Aquatic Macrophytes in Greenhouse-Based Laboratory-Scale Subsurface Constructed Wetlands - Robert F. Polomski; Milton D. Taylor; Douglas G. Bielenberg; William C. Bridges; Stephen J. Klaine; Ted Whitwell (Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 2009)

Effects of nutrients and dissolved organic matter on the response of phytoplankton to ultraviolet radiation: experimental comparison in spring versus summer - Caren E. Scott; Jasmine E. Saros; Craig E. Williamson; Courtney R. Salm; Stephen C. Peters; David L. Mitchell (Hydrobiologia, 2009)

Potential health impacts of heavy-metal exposure at the Tar Creek Superfund site, Ottawa County, Oklahoma - John S. Neuberger; Stephen C. Hu; K. David Drake; Rebecca Jim (Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 2009)

Is (−)-Catechin a Novel Weapon of Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)? - Stephen O. Duke; Amy C. Blair; Franck E. Dayan; Robert D. Johnson; Kumudini M. Meepagala; Daniel Cook; Joanna Bajsa (Journal of Chemical Ecology, 2009)

Variable responses of skinks to a common history of rainforest fluctuation: concordance between phylogeography and palaeo‐distribution models - ADNAN MOUSSALLI; CRAIG MORITZ; STEPHEN E. WILLIAMS; ANA C. CARNAVAL (Molecular Ecology, 2009)
There is a growing appreciation of impacts of late‐Quaternary climate fluctuations on spatial patterns of species and genetic diversity. A major challenge is to understand how and why species respond individualistically to a common history of climate‐induced habitat fluctuation. Here, we combine modelling of palaeo‐distributions and mitochondrial‐DNA phylogeographies to compare spatial patterns of population persistence and isolation across three species of rainforest skinks ( Saproscincus spp.) with varying climatic preferences. Using Akaike Information Criterion model‐averaged projections, all three species are predicted to have maintained one or more small populations in the northern Wet Tropics, multiple or larger populations in the central region, and few if any in the south. For the high‐elevation species, Saproscincus czechurai , the warm–wet climate of the mid Holocene was most restrictive, whereas for the generalist S. basiliscus and lower‐elevation S. tetradactyla, the cool–dry last glacial maximum was most restrictive. As expected, S. czechurai was the most genetically structured species, although relative to modelled distributions, S. basiliscus had surprisingly deep phylogeographical structure among southern rainforest isolates, implying long‐term isolation and persistence. For both S. basiliscus and S. tetradactyla, there was high genetic diversity and complex phylogeographical patterns in the central Wet Tropics, reflecting persistence of large, structured populations. A previously identified vicariant barrier separating northern and central regions is supported, and results from these species also emphasize a historical persistence of populations south of another biogeographical break, the Tully Gorge. Overall, the results support the contention that in a topographically heterogeneous landscape, species with broader climatic niches may maintain higher and more structured genetic diversity due to persistence through varying climates.

Effects of landscape and history on diversification of a montane, stream‐breeding amphibian - Daria Koscinski; Adam G. Yates; Paul Handford; Stephen C. Lougheed (Journal of Biogeography, 2009)
Aim The aim of this study was to understand the roles of landscape features in shaping patterns of contemporary and historical genetic diversification among populations of the Andean tree frog ( Hypsiboas andinus ) across spatial scales. Location Andes mountains, north‐western Argentina, South America. Methods Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences were utilized to assess genetic differentiation among populations and calculate population pair‐wise genetic distances. Three models of movement, namely traditional straight‐line distance and two effective distances based on habitat classification, were examined to determine which of these explained the most variation in pair‐wise population genetic differentiation. The two habitat classifications were based on digital vegetation and hydrology layers that were generated from a 90‐m resolution digital elevation model (DEM) and known relationships between elevation and habitat. Mantel tests were conducted to test for correlations between geographic and genetic distance matrices and to estimate the percentage variation explained by each type of geographic distance. To investigate the location of possible barriers to gene flow, we used Monmonier’s maximum difference algorithm as implemented in barrier 2.2. Results At both geographic scales, effective distances explained more variation in genetic differentiation than did straight‐line distance. The least‐cost distances based on the simple classification performed better than the more detailed habitat classification. We controlled for the effects of historical range fragmentation determined from previous nested clade analyses, and therefore evaluated the effect of different distances on the genetic variation attributable to more recent factors. Effective distances identified populations that were highly divergent as a result of isolation in unsuitable habitats. The proposed locations of barriers to gene flow identified using Monmonier’s maximum difference algorithm corresponded well with earlier analyses and supported findings from our partial Mantel tests. Main conclusions Our results indicate that landscape features have been important in both historical and contemporary genetic structuring of populations of H. andinus at both large and small spatial scales. A landscape genetic perspective offers novel insights not provided by traditional phylogeographic studies: (1) effective distances can better explain patterns of differentiation in populations, especially in heterogeneous landscapes where barriers to dispersal may be common; and (2) least‐cost path analysis can help to identify corridors of movement between populations that are biologically more realistic.

Solving SCB's Membership Crisis by Reinvigorating the Sections: Response to Schwartz et al. - Carlos Carroll; Reed F. Noss; Jodi Hilty; Stephen C. Trombulak (Conservation Biology, 2009)

Facilitation of extinction of operant behaviour in mice by d-cycloserine - David Shaw; Kelly Norwood; Kim Sharp; Lauren Quigley; Stephen F. J. McGovern; Julian C. Leslie (Psychopharmacology, 2009)

Bacterial community composition in thermophilic microbial mats from five hot springs in central Tibet - Maggie C. Y. Lau; Jonathan C. Aitchison; Stephen B. Pointing (Extremophiles, 2009)

Molecular genetic data provide support for a model of transmission dynamics in an Australian reptile tick, Bothriocroton hydrosauri - JARO GUZINSKI; C. MICHAEL BULL; STEPHEN C. DONNELLAN; MICHAEL G. GARDNER (Molecular Ecology, 2009)
Bothriocroton hydrosauri is a three‐host ixodid tick that infests large reptiles in southeastern Australia, where its most common host is a large scincid lizard Tiliqua rugosa . Based on previous ecological and behavioural studies of this system, we propose a ‘ripple’ model of tick population dynamics, where only a few female ticks succeed in producing surviving offspring. These females then are the centres of ripples of their progeny spreading into the broader landscape. The model predicts higher relatedness among larvae than among nymphs or adults on a host, and significant spatial autocorrelation in larvae extending further than for the later life stages. The model also predicts that adult ticks are likely to encounter related partners and that this will generate inbreeding within the population. We tested those predictions using nine polymorphic microsatellite loci on a sample of 848 ticks (464 larvae, 140 nymphs and 244 adults) collected from 98 lizard hosts from near Bundey Bore Station in South Australia. Our data support the predictions and indicate that the dynamics of transmission among hosts play an important role in parasite population structure.

Long‐term disease dynamics in lakes: causes and consequences of chytrid infections in Daphnia populations - Pieter T. J. Johnson; Anthony R. Ives; Richard C. Lathrop; Stephen R. Carpenter (Ecology, 2009)
Understanding the drivers and consequences of disease epidemics is an important frontier in ecology. However, long‐term data on hosts, their parasites, and the corresponding environmental conditions necessary to explore these interactions are often unavailable. We examined the dynamics of Daphnia pulicaria , a keystone zooplankter in lake ecosystems, to explore the long‐term causes and consequences of infection by a chytridiomycete parasitoid ( Polycaryum laeve ). After quantifying host–pathogen dynamics from vouchered samples collected over 15 years, we used autoregressive models to evaluate (1) hypothesized drivers of infection, including host density, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, host‐food availability, and lake mixing; and (2) the effects of epidemics on host populations. Infection was present in most years but varied widely in prevalence, from P. laeve transmission, such that epidemics occurred primarily during periods of water mixing. Development of the thermocline likely reduced transmission by spatially separating susceptible hosts from infectious zoospores. Among years, ice duration and cumulative snowfall correlated negatively with infection prevalence, likely because of reductions in spring phytoplankton and D. pulicaria density in years with extended winters. Epidemics also influenced dynamics of the host population. Infected D. pulicaria rarely ( P. laeve prevalence was positively correlated with sexual reproduction in D. pulicaria . Analyses of D. pulicaria density‐dependent population dynamics predicted that, in the absence of P. laeve infection, host abundance would be 11–50% higher than what was observed. By underscoring the importance of complex physical processes in controlling host–parasite interactions and of epidemic disease in influencing host populations, our results highlight the value of long‐term data for understanding wildlife disease dynamics.

Characterization of Insertion Sites in Rainbow Papaya, the First Commercialized Transgenic Fruit Crop - Jon Y. Suzuki; Savarni Tripathi; Gustavo A. Fermín; Fuh-Jyh Jan; Shaobin Hou; Jimmy H. Saw; Christine M. Ackerman; Qingyi Yu; Michael C. Schatz; Karen Y. Pitz; Marcela Yépes; Maureen M. M. Fitch; et al. (Tropical Plant Biology, 2008)

Abundance and demography of bottlenose dolphins in Dusky Sound, New Zealand, inferred from dorsal fin photographs - Rohan J. C. Currey; Lucy E. Rowe; Stephen M. Dawson; Elisabeth Slooten (New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2008)
The bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) of Dusky Sound, Fiordland, New Zealand are a little‐studied group at the southern limit of the species range. Conducting a photo‐identification census and capture‐recapture analyses, we estimated there were 102 (CV = 0.9%) bottlenose dolphins in Dusky Sound during summer 2007/08, the first abundance estimate for this population. We did not encounter individuals from Doubtful Sound in Dusky Sound, suggesting little or no interchange between these neighbouring populations. Using a sex‐prediction model derived from laser‐metric photographs of dolphins in Doubtful Sound, we predicted the sexes of 79 individuals (98–99% of adults and sub‐adults) in Dusky Sound. Our predictions provided a sex ratio of 35 males to 44 females, not significantly different to a 1:1 ratio (G = 1.02, P > 0.05). High resighting rates of individual dolphins suggest the population may be resident, with dolphins observed throughout the entire fiord system.

Methods for the bioinformatic identification of bacterial lipoproteins encoded in the genomes of Gram-positive bacteria - Obaidur Rahman; Stephen P. Cummings; Dean J. Harrington; Iain C. Sutcliffe (World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2008)

Epac activation, altered calcium homeostasis and ventricular arrhythmogenesis in the murine heart - Sandeep S. Hothi; Iman S. Gurung; Jennifer C. Heathcote; Yanmin Zhang; Stephen W. Booth; Jeremy N. Skepper; Andrew A. Grace; Christopher L.-H. Huang (Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology, 2008)

Epipelic and pelagic primary production in Alaskan Arctic lakes of varying depth - Stephen C. Whalen; Brian A. Chalfant; Eric N. Fischer (Hydrobiologia, 2008)

Genetic variation in hormone metabolizing genes and risk of testicular germ cell tumors - Jonine D. Figueroa; Lori C. Sakoda; Barry I. Graubard; Stephen Chanock; Mark V. Rubertone; R. Loren Erickson; Katherine A. McGlynn (Cancer Causes & Control, 2008)

Simple three‐pool model accurately describes patterns of long‐term litter decomposition in diverse climates - E. CAROL ADAIR; WILLIAM J. PARTON; STEVEN J. DEL GROSSO; WHENDEE L. SILVER; MARK E. HARMON; SONIA A. HALL; INGRID C. BURKE; STEPHEN C. HART (Global Change Biology, 2008)
As atmospheric CO 2 increases, ecosystem carbon sequestration will largely depend on how global changes in climate will alter the balance between net primary production and decomposition. The response of primary production to climatic change has been examined using well‐validated mechanistic models, but the same is not true for decomposition, a primary source of atmospheric CO 2 . We used the Long‐term Intersite Decomposition Experiment Team (LIDET) dataset and model‐selection techniques to choose and parameterize a model that describes global patterns of litter decomposition. Mass loss was best represented by a three‐pool negative exponential model, with a rapidly decomposing labile pool, an intermediate pool representing cellulose, and a recalcitrant pool. The initial litter lignin/nitrogen ratio defined the size of labile and intermediate pools. Lignin content determined the size of the recalcitrant pool. The decomposition rate of all pools was modified by climate, but the intermediate pool's decomposition rate was also controlled by relative amounts of litter cellulose and lignin (indicative of lignin‐encrusted cellulose). The effect of climate on decomposition was best represented by a composite variable that multiplied a water‐stress function by the Lloyd and Taylor variable Q 10 temperature function. Although our model explained nearly 70% of the variation in LIDET data, we observed systematic deviations from model predictions. Below‐ and aboveground material decomposed at notably different rates, depending on the decomposition stage. Decomposition in certain ecosystem‐specific environmental conditions was not well represented by our model; this included roots in very wet and cold soils, and aboveground litter in N‐rich and arid sites. Despite these limitations, our model may still be extremely useful for global modeling efforts, because it accurately ( R 2 =0.6804) described general patterns of long‐term global decomposition for a wide array of litter types, using relatively minimal climatic and litter quality data.

Assessing geochemical carbon management - Jennie C. Stephens; David W. Keith (Climatic Change, 2008)

Considerations for Assessments of Wadable Drainage Systems in the Agriculturally Dominated Deltas of Arkansas and Mississippi - W. W. Stephens; M. T. Moore; J. L. Farris; J. L. Bouldin; C. M. Cooper (Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2008)

Review Of The Sugar End Disorder In Potato (Solanum tuberosum, L.) - Asunta L. Thompson; Stephen L. Love; Joseph R. Sowokinos; Michael K. Thornton; Clinton C. Shock (American Journal of Potato Research, 2008)

The complete genome sequence of Moorella thermoacetica (f. Clostridium thermoaceticum ) - Elizabeth Pierce; Gary Xie; Ravi D. Barabote; Elizabeth Saunders; Cliff S. Han; John C. Detter; Paul Richardson; Thomas S. Brettin; Amaresh Das; Lars G. Ljungdahl; Stephen W. Ragsdale (Environmental Microbiology, 2008)
Summary This paper describes the genome sequence of Moorella thermoacetica (f. Clostridium thermoaceticum ), which is the model acetogenic bacterium that has been widely used for elucidating the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway of CO and CO 2 fixation. This pathway, which is also known as the reductive acetyl‐CoA pathway, allows acetogenic (often called homoacetogenic) bacteria to convert glucose stoichiometrically into 3 mol of acetate and to grow autotrophically using H 2 and CO as electron donors and CO 2 as an electron acceptor. Methanogenic archaea use this pathway in reverse to grow by converting acetate into methane and CO 2 . Acetogenic bacteria also couple the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway to a variety of other pathways to allow the metabolism of a wide variety of carbon sources and electron donors (sugars, carboxylic acids, alcohols and aromatic compounds) and electron acceptors (CO 2 , nitrate, nitrite, thiosulfate, dimethylsulfoxide and aromatic carboxyl groups). The genome consists of a single circular 2 628 784 bp chromosome encoding 2615 open reading frames (ORFs), which includes 2523 predicted protein‐encoding genes. Of these, 1834 genes (70.13%) have been assigned tentative functions, 665 (25.43%) matched genes of unknown function, and the remaining 24 (0.92%) had no database match. A total of 2384 (91.17%) of the ORFs in the M. thermoacetica genome can be grouped in orthologue clusters. This first genome sequence of an acetogenic bacterium provides important information related to how acetogens engage their extreme metabolic diversity by switching among different carbon substrates and electron donors/acceptors and how they conserve energy by anaerobic respiration. Our genome analysis indicates that the key genetic trait for homoacetogenesis is the core acs gene cluster of the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway.

Does the preferential microbial colonisation of ferromagnesian minerals affect mineral weathering in soil? - Michael J. Wilson; Giacomo Certini; Colin D. Campbell; Ian C. Anderson; Stephen Hillier (The Science of Nature, 2008)

Travel costs, oviposition behaviour and the dynamics of insect–plant systems - Stephen B. Heard; Lynne C. Remer (Theoretical Ecology, 2008)

Reproductive status of Octopus pallidus, and its relationship to age and size - Stephen C. Leporati; Gretta T. Pecl; Jayson M. Semmens (Marine Biology, 2008)

From Genes to Ecosystems: The Genetic Basis of Condensed Tannins and Their Role in Nutrient Regulation in a Populus Model System - Jennifer A. Schweitzer; Michael D. Madritch; Joseph K. Bailey; Carri J. LeRoy; Dylan G. Fischer; Brian J. Rehill; Richard L. Lindroth; Ann E. Hagerman; Stuart C. Wooley; Stephen C. Hart; Thomas G. Whitham (Ecosystems, 2008)

Ocean metabolism observed with oxygen sensors on profiling floats in the South Pacific - Todd R. Martz; Kenneth S. Johnson; Stephen C. Riser (Limnology and Oceanography, 2008)
We estimated rates of production and export in the South Pacific (80°W to 180°W in a zonal band between 35°S and 50°S) using 1.5 yr of oxygen measurements from profiling floats. Export production, calculated from oxygen utilization rates below the compensation depth from December to April, was 10.7 ± 2 mmol C m −2 d −1 ( n = 36, 95% CI). The corresponding satellite net primary production was 46 ± 4 mmol C m −2 d −1 , yielding a regional e‐ratio of 0.23 ± 0.05. Averaging oxygen utilization rates resulted in a net cancellation of most water mass changes related to advection and float migration. The composite vertical profile of remineralization rates, obtained by binning 36 rate profiles, agreed with published measurements based on oxygen utilization rates in hydrographic surveys and fits the classic form of a particulate organic carbon (POC) attenuation function. However, the disagreement between oxygen‐based remineralization rates and those obtained by sediment traps suggests fundamental differences between these two methods. Using float data to constrain a one‐dimensional mixed‐layer model, the annual net community production at 45°S, 144°W was ~2.5 mol C m −2 d −1 . Spatial trends in export production coinciding with the New Zealand shelf and Subtropical Front are identified.

Global patterns in fruiting seasons - Steven Ting; Stephen Hartley; K. C. Burns (Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2008)
Aim To identify geographical and climatic correlates of the timing of fruit production in fleshy fruited plant communities. Location Global. Methods We searched the literature for studies documenting monthly variation in the number of fleshy fruited species bearing ripe fruits in plant communities (i.e. fruit phenologies). From these data, we used circular vector algebra to characterize seasonal peaks in fruit production (mean date, as an angle) and the length of fruiting seasons (as a circular standard deviation). Generalized linear models and circular correlations were used to assess whether latitudinal patterns in fruit phenologies could be explained by variation in temperature, precipitation and actual evapotranspiration (AET). Results Dates of peak fruit production and the length of fruiting seasons showed consistent differences with latitude. Annual peaks in fruit production occurred 1 to 3 months after the summer solstice at high‐latitude sites in both hemispheres. Fruiting seasonality increased with latitude, indicating that fruiting seasons were longer in the tropics and shorter toward the poles. AET was the best climatic predictor of fruit phenologies. Annual peaks in fruit production were positively associated with annual peaks in AET and temperature, while fruiting seasons were shorter in areas with pronounced annual variation in AET. Main conclusions Global patterns in fruiting seasons are associated with global variation in climate. Across the globe, fleshy fruits are produced after annual periods of elevated water–energy availability. Fruiting seasonality is also more pronounced in areas with strongly seasonal water–energy inputs. Therefore, the timing of reproduction in fleshy fruited plant communities appears to be determined, at least in part, by spatial and temporal variation in energy supplies needed to subsidise plant reproduction.

The Mordor Alkaline Igneous Complex, Central Australia: PGE-enriched disseminated sulfide layers in cumulates from a lamprophyric magma - Stephen J. Barnes; J. A. C. Anderson; T. R. Smith; L. Bagas (Mineralium Deposita, 2008)

Tradeoffs in Overstory and Understory Aboveground Net Primary Productivity in Southwestern Ponderosa Pine Stands - Kyla E. Sabo; Stephen C. Hart; Carolyn Hull Sieg; John Duff Bailey (Forest Science, 2008)
Previous studies in ponderosa pine forests have quantified the relationship between overstory stand characteristics and understory production using tree measurements such as basal area. We built on these past studies by evaluating the tradeoff between overstory and understory aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) in southwestern ponderosa pine forests at the landscape level and over a gradient of stand structural types and burn histories. We measured overstory and understory attributes in 2004 and 2005 in four stand structural types (unmanaged, thinned, thinned and burned, and low basal area thinned and burned) relative to a stand-replacing wildfire site. Thinning alone and with prescribed burning reduced stand-level wood and total tree production relative to unmanaged stands. Understory (herbaceous) ANPP was highest in wildfire stands and low basal area thinned and burned plots but did not differ among the other stand structural types, apparently because of high residual basal area and relatively uniform tree spacing. Contemporary ponderosa pine forests are low productivity ecosystems that exhibit a threshold response between reductions in tree density and increases in understory production at 5.9 m2 ha. We calculated the slope of the relationship between tree and herbaceous ANPP to be −0.14, which was lower than the values we estimated from other, more productive savanna ecosystems. Our results suggest that to maintain more fire-resistant and hence sustainable southwestern ponderosa pine ecosystems, tree densities need to be substantially reduced from contemporary levels. Large, landscape-level reductions in tree density will decrease total ecosystem production of this forest type, but this reduction will probably be small relative to ecosystem production losses after widespread, stand-replacing wildfires.

Clapper rails as indicators of mercury and PCB bioavailability in a Georgia saltmarsh system - J. C. Cumbee; K. F. Gaines; G. L. Mills; N. Garvin; W. L. Stephens; J. M. Novak; I. L. Brisbin (Ecotoxicology, 2008)

Interactions of lipids with aquaporin-0 and other membrane proteins - Richard K. Hite; Tamir Gonen; Stephen C. Harrison; Thomas Walz (Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology, 2008)

Hydrostatic constraints on morphological exploitation of light in tall Sequoia sempervirens trees - Hiroaki T. Ishii; Gregory M. Jennings; Stephen C. Sillett; George W. Koch (Oecologia, 2008)

Circulation of bubbly magma and gas segregation within tunnels of the potential Yucca Mountain repository - Thierry Menand; Jeremy C. Phillips; R. Stephen J. Sparks (Bulletin of Volcanology, 2008)

Genetic diversity across the range of a temperate lizard - Briar J. Howes; Stephen C. Lougheed (Journal of Biogeography, 2008)
Aim To examine range‐wide patterns of genetic diversity in association with range limits in a broadly distributed temperate lizard, and to identify the contributions of a series of environmental, geographical and historical variables to the observed patterns. Reduced genetic diversity may limit local adaptation in peripheral populations, thereby limiting their ability to adapt to marginal environmental conditions, possibly explaining the existence of temporally stable range limits. Location Various sampling locales throughout eastern and central USA and southern Ontario, Canada. Methods Genetic diversity of nuclear DNA microsatellites was estimated for each of 38 populations from across the range of eastern North America’s most broadly distributed lizard, the five‐lined skink, Plestiodon fasciatus (Linnaeus, 1758). Results Local climatic conditions and an interaction between distance from range border and glaciation history best predicted a population’s present‐day genetic diversity. Overall, peripheral populations had reduced genetic diversity relative to that of central populations, but this difference was attributable to the reduced genetic diversity in peripheral populations to the north and west that are not bordered by any obvious physical boundaries. Main conclusions Some, but not all, peripheral populations had reduced genetic diversity relative to that of more central populations, which probably arose through an interaction of ecological and historical factors. Peripheral populations that were bordered by an obvious boundary (e.g. an ocean) had higher diversity than peripheral populations that were not bordered by an obvious physical barrier to range expansion, suggesting that reduced intrapopulation genetic diversity is associated with range limits in the five‐lined skink.

Senescence rates are determined by ranking on the fast–slow life‐history continuum - Owen R. Jones; Jean‐Michel Gaillard; Shripad Tuljapurkar; Jussi S. Alho; Kenneth B. Armitage; Peter H. Becker; Pierre Bize; Jon Brommer; Anne Charmantier; Marie Charpentier; Tim Clutton‐Brock; F. Stephen Dobson; et al. (Ecology Letters, 2008)
Comparative analyses of survival senescence by using life tables have identified generalizations including the observation that mammals senesce faster than similar‐sized birds. These generalizations have been challenged because of limitations of life‐table approaches and the growing appreciation that senescence is more than an increasing probability of death. Without using life tables, we examine senescence rates in annual individual fitness using 20 individual‐based data sets of terrestrial vertebrates with contrasting life histories and body size. We find that senescence is widespread in the wild and equally likely to occur in survival and reproduction. Additionally, mammals senesce faster than birds because they have a faster life history for a given body size. By allowing us to disentangle the effects of two major fitness components our methods allow an assessment of the robustness of the prevalent life‐table approach. Focusing on one aspect of life history – survival or recruitment – can provide reliable information on overall senescence.