The Science of Nature最新文献_第2页

Neither nectar nor deception: the role of floral rewards in the pollination system of Laelia (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae) 既非花蜜也非欺骗：花奖励在莱里亚（兰科：莱里亚属）授粉系统中的作用

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-10-14 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01941-5

Emerson R. Pansarin, Silvia R. M. Pedro, Ludmila M. Pansarin, Kevin L. Davies, Małgorzata Stpiczyńska

{"title":"Neither nectar nor deception: the role of floral rewards in the pollination system of Laelia (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae)","authors":"Emerson R. Pansarin, Silvia R. M. Pedro, Ludmila M. Pansarin, Kevin L. Davies, Małgorzata Stpiczyńska","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01941-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01941-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Orchids offer a variety of floral rewards to pollinators. In many orchid groups, however, the transfer of pollen is based on food-deception, as in the case of <i>Laelia</i> (including <i>Schomburgkia s.s</i>.), a genus assigned to the Neotropical subtribe Laeliinae. Here, we report on the reproductive biology of a Brazilian member of this subtribe, namely, <i>Laelia gloriosa</i>, occurring in the forested areas of southeastern Brazil. The study includes analyses of floral morphology, histochemistry, and the chemical analysis of floral rewards and scents. Pollinators and pollination mechanism data were collected in the field by means of focal observations. Analyses of breeding systems and the percentage of potentially viable seed were also recorded. The floral morphology of <i>Laelia gloriosa</i> indicates that this species is melittophilous. The flowers release a citrus-like fragrance that attracts many species of bee. The flowers offer waxy material as a reward, and this is collected exclusively by Meliponini bees. Several bee species visit the flowers. However, those of <i>L. gloriosa</i> are pollinated exclusively by <i>Trigona spinipes</i>. Pollinaria are deposited on the bee’s scutellum. Plants of the studied population were entirely self-compatible, but pollinator-dependent. The frequency of visits to these flowers was greater than in rewardless Laeliinae. Our study provides the first evidence of lipoidal substances as a resource in Laeliinae. The discovery that an orchid species (<i>Laelia gloriosa</i>) of this subtribe, hitherto considered to be entirely pollinated by nectar-seeking pollinators, offers a floral waxy material and provides new insights into the evolution of this important subtribe.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142431042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A new carcharodontosaurid specimen sheds light on the anatomy of South American giant predatory dinosaurs 一个新的腕龙标本揭示了南美洲巨型食肉恐龙的解剖结构。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-10-09 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01942-4

Alexis M. Aranciaga Rolando, Matías J. Motta, Federico L. Agnolín, Takanobu Tsuihiji, Santiago Miner, Federico Brissón-Egli, Fernando E. Novas

{"title":"A new carcharodontosaurid specimen sheds light on the anatomy of South American giant predatory dinosaurs","authors":"Alexis M. Aranciaga Rolando, Matías J. Motta, Federico L. Agnolín, Takanobu Tsuihiji, Santiago Miner, Federico Brissón-Egli, Fernando E. Novas","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01942-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01942-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Carcharodontosaurids were gigantic terrestrial dinosaurs and top predators of dinosaur faunas in Gondwanan landmasses during the “Mid”-Cretaceous Period. Despite their wide geographical and stratigraphical distribution, essential parts of their anatomy are still poorly known. The present contribution aims to describe a new partial skeleton of the carcharodontosaurid <i>Taurovenator violantei</i>, which was previously known only by an isolated postorbital bone coming from Cenomanian–Turonian beds of northern Patagonia, Argentina. The neck of <i>Taurovenator</i> is composed of notably high anterior cervicals, bearing neural spines with expanded, flange-like dorsal tips which are successively imbricated. This condition has been reported previously in the carcharodontosaurid <i>Acrocanthosaurus</i>, but its occurrence in <i>Taurovenator</i> and other members of the clade suggests it may represent a synapomorphy of this theropod family. This unique neck morphology was probably related to strong modifications in musculature and restriction in the range of movements within the neck, but not with the head. The new specimen also affords valuable anatomical information on the forelimb of Patagonian carcharodontosaurids. As in other giganotosaurines, <i>Taurovenator</i> shows strongly reduced forelimbs, particularly the forearm, showing hand elements with elongated non-ungual phalanges, and well-marked articular surfaces and muscular insertions, suggesting highly movable digits. This new specimen of <i>Taurovenator</i> allows us to expand anatomical and morpho-functional discussions about the carcharodontosaurid clade.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142387201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Investigating the distribution of a unique crustacean microendemic to tree hollows 调查树洞中特有的一种小型甲壳类动物的分布情况。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-10-07 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01943-3

Bruna Raiary, Carolina Ribeiro, Débora Lima, Arthur Afeitos, Thais Mendonça, Valéria Cárdenas, André Magalhães, Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo, Raquel Cassino, Yasmine Antonini, João C. F. Cardoso

{"title":"Investigating the distribution of a unique crustacean microendemic to tree hollows","authors":"Bruna Raiary, Carolina Ribeiro, Débora Lima, Arthur Afeitos, Thais Mendonça, Valéria Cárdenas, André Magalhães, Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo, Raquel Cassino, Yasmine Antonini, João C. F. Cardoso","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01943-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01943-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Water-filled tree hollows constitute phytotelmata that harbor specialized organisms. One striking example of extreme adaptation to these microhabitats is the case of the microcrustacean <i>Micromoina arboricola</i>, which has been found inhabiting the hollow of a single tree individual in the Atlantic Forest. We investigated the spatial distribution and influence of microhabitat characteristics such as hollow volume and height from the ground in the occurrence of <i>M. arboricola</i>. We surveyed all the trunks present in <i>ca.</i> 5000 m<sup>2</sup> of an Atlantic old-growth forest area. We found <i>M. arboricola</i> individuals in 75% of the hollows, thus expanding the known distribution of the species. Spatial analysis suggested a clustered pattern of population densities across hollows, indicating that the dispersal capacity to new microhabitat patches may vary in space. Although we did not find an effect of hollow volume, population density was negatively related to hollow height. This suggests that more restrictive abiotic conditions at greater heights limit the occurrence of the species, emphasizing its vulnerability to environmental changes. Hollow-mediated ecosystem engineering depends on the occasional formation of cavities that require time and ancient trees. Preserving old forests with hollows under varying conditions tends to maintain ecosystem functionality and the conservation of this unique microendemic species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142379843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Human life expectancy and season of birth in Taiwan: A retrospective cohort study 台湾人的预期寿命与出生季节：回顾性队列研究

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-10-07 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01933-5

Tsutomu Nishimura, Eiji Nakatani, Mei-Chen Lin, Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Masanori Fukushima, Chung Y. Hsu

{"title":"Human life expectancy and season of birth in Taiwan: A retrospective cohort study","authors":"Tsutomu Nishimura, Eiji Nakatani, Mei-Chen Lin, Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Masanori Fukushima, Chung Y. Hsu","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01933-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01933-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Prior research has indicated a correlation between the birth season and life expectancy; however, many of these studies did not sufficiently account for comorbidities. In this comprehensive investigation, we aimed to meticulously explore the association between the birth month and life expectancy, giving due consideration to comorbidities. We used a robust dataset derived from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (2000–2013), which allowed us to conduct a thorough examination. We divided our participants into four groups based on their season of birth: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Propensity score matching was used to ensure an equitable distribution of demographic and clinical characteristics across the groups. Propensity scores were computed using logistic regression. Our model incorporated a broad range of demographic factors and comorbidities, providing rigorous adjustment for potential confounders. Our findings revealed a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality among individuals born in spring, even after stringent adjustment for demographic factors and comorbidities. People born in spring demonstrated a 1.05-fold increase in the risk of all-cause mortality, with a hazard ratio of 1.05 and a 95% confidence interval of 1.01–1.09. Our study provides compelling evidence that helps understand the potential long-term impacts of a person’s birth season, which acts as a proxy for pregnancy / early-life environmental exposure, on life expectancy. These findings underscore the crucial need for additional research to illuminate the underlying biological and environmental mechanisms linking the birth season and lifespan of a person. The elucidation of these links could guide the development of innovative health promotion and disease prevention strategies that are tailored to an individual’s birth season.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11458742/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142379842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Passive dispersal potential of medaka eggs by attaching to waterbirds 青鳉鱼卵附着在水鸟身上的被动传播潜力。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-10-01 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01935-3

Akifumi Yao, Miyuki Mashiko, Yukihiko Toquenaga

引用次数: 0

Correction: Competition through ritualized aggressive interactions between sympatric colonies in solitary foraging neotropical ants 更正：在独居觅食的新热带蚂蚁中，同域蚁群之间通过仪式化的攻击性互动进行竞争。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-09-28 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01939-z

Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira, Serafino Teseo, Dina Lillia Oliveira Azevedo, Nicolas Châline, Arrilton Araújo

引用次数: 0

Electrogenic performance and carbon sequestration potential of biophotovoltaics 生物光电的发电性能和碳封存潜力。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-09-27 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01936-2

Haitang Sun, Xuan Xie, Jing Ding

{"title":"Electrogenic performance and carbon sequestration potential of biophotovoltaics","authors":"Haitang Sun, Xuan Xie, Jing Ding","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01936-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01936-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Biophotovoltaics (BPV) is a clean and sustainable solar energy generation technology that operates by utilizing photosynthetic autotrophic microorganisms to capture light energy and generate electricity. However, a major challenge faced by BPV systems is the relatively low electron transfer efficiency from the photosystem to the extracellular electrode, which limits its electrical output. Additionally, the transfer mechanisms of photosynthetic microorganism metabolites in the entire system are still not fully clear. In response to this, this article briefly introduces the basic BPV principles, reviews its development history, and summarizes measures to optimize its electrogenic efficiency. Furthermore, recent studies have found that constructing photosynthetic-electrogenic microbial consortia can achieve high power density and stability in BPV systems. Therefore, the article discusses the potential application of constructing photosynthetic-electrogenic microbial aggregates in BPV systems. Since photosynthetic-electrogenic microbial communities can also exist in natural ecosystems, their potential contribution to the carbon cycle is worth further attention.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142338915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The 2024 Arnold Berliner award on solitary bee behavior and a farewell 2024 年阿诺德-柏林格独居蜂行为奖和告别。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-09-27 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01940-6

Matthias Waltert

引用次数: 0

Hot males: thermal biology of males and females during coercive mating in water striders Gerris lacustris 火热的雄性：水黾（Gerris lacustris）胁迫交配期间雄性和雌性的热生物学。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-09-26 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01937-1

Vinicius Marques Lopez, Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira, Lucia Seip, Stanislav Gorb

{"title":"Hot males: thermal biology of males and females during coercive mating in water striders Gerris lacustris","authors":"Vinicius Marques Lopez, Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira, Lucia Seip, Stanislav Gorb","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01937-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01937-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sexual conflict theory predicts that males that adopt coercive mating strategies impose costs to females during copulation. Nevertheless, conflicting mating strategies may also affect males, although such effects on males are often neglected in the literature. Here, we seek to understand whether male water striders (<i>Gerris lacustris</i>) experience higher body temperatures than females during coercive mating behavior. We we explored whether the water temperature affected male and female body temperature differently, considering that water contact by females might serve as a thermal regulator. We built generalized linear mixed models considering the male and female temperature as the dependent variables. Air temperature (as a proxy for solar radiation), water temperature, and sex were used as predictor variables. Our results suggest that males are warmer than females, and despite females coming into contact with water during skimming, this contact does not significantly contribute to lowering their body temperature or improving thermoregulation under the observed conditions. These findings provide novel insights into the thermal biology of water striders. Future studies should focus on addressing whether warmer temperatures confer some advantages to males, such as increased mobility and better ability to hold onto females or impose physiological constraints and fitness costs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11427490/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142338916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Discovery of a novel ejaculation mechanism in danceflies (Diptera: Empididae), with implications for genital elongation 发现舞蝇（双翅目：鸸鹋科）的新型射精机制，以及对生殖器伸长的影响。

IF 2.1 3区生物学

The Science of Nature Pub Date : 2024-09-23 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-024-01938-0

Tomoki Hirose, Kazunori Yoshizawa

{"title":"Discovery of a novel ejaculation mechanism in danceflies (Diptera: Empididae), with implications for genital elongation","authors":"Tomoki Hirose, Kazunori Yoshizawa","doi":"10.1007/s00114-024-01938-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-024-01938-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Genitalia are known to evolve rapidly and are among the most variable structures in insect morphology, making them a target of active research. However, function and evolutionary significance of internal genital structures remain less well understood. Here, we report the morphology and mechanism of a novel ejaculatory system that has evolved in the dancefly genus <i>Rhamphomyia</i> (Insecta: Diptera: Empididae). Using synchrotron µCT technology, we examined the male genitalia of five dancefly species and identified an ejaculatory system resembling a leverage hydraulic jack, which is thought to have derived from a plunger-like pumping system. This jacking system amplifies the applied muscle power by up to 4.2 times, allowing the system to produce the same pumping power with much smaller muscles. However, the volume of the pumping muscle in the jacking system is comparable to that of the plunger system, indicating a significant increase in ejaculation power in this genus. We hypothesize that the greater pumping power evolved through sexual selection favoring strong ejaculation to rapidly pass semen through a thin and elongated phallus and spermathecal duct.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"111 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142278594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0