| 1. |
- Cardoso Pereira, Cássio, et al.
(författare)
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Subtle structures with not-so-subtle functions : A data set of arthropod constructs and their host plants
- 2022
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Ingår i: Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0012-9658 .- 1939-9170. ; 103:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The construction of shelters on plants by arthropods might influence other organisms via changes in colonization, community richness, species composition, and functionality. Arthropods, including beetles, caterpillars, sawflies, spiders, and wasps often interact with host plants via the construction of shelters, building a variety of structures such as leaf ties, tents, rolls, and bags; leaf and stem galls, and hollowed out stems. Such constructs might have both an adaptive value in terms of protection (i.e., serve as shelters) but may also exert a strong influence on terrestrial community diversity in the engineered and neighboring hosts via colonization by secondary occupants. Although different traits of the host plant (e.g., physical, chemical, and architectural features) may affect the potential for ecosystem engineering by insects, such effects have been, to a certain degree, overlooked. Further analyses of how plant traits affect the occurrence of shelters may therefore enrich our understanding of the organizing principles of plant-based communities. This data set includes more than 1000 unique records of ecosystem engineering by arthropods, in the form of structures built on plants. All records have been published in the literature, and span both natural structures (91% of the records) and structures artificially created by researchers (9% of the records). The data were gathered between 1932 and 2021, across more than 50 countries and several ecosystems, ranging from polar to tropical zones. In addition to data on host plants and engineers, we aggregated data on the type of constructs and the identity of inquilines using these structures. This data set highlights the importance of these subtle structures for the organization of terrestrial arthropod communities, enabling hypotheses testing in ecological studies addressing ecosystem engineering and facilitation mediated by constructs. There are no copyright restrictions and please cite this paper when using the data in publications.
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| 2. |
- Cauwenberghs, Nicholas, et al.
(författare)
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Cardiorespiratory fitness components in relation to clinical characteristics, disease state and medication intake: A patient registry study
- 2023
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Ingår i: Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging. - : WILEY. - 1475-0961 .- 1475-097X. ; 43:6, s. 441-452
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundInterpretation of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) results requires thorough understanding of test confounders such as anthropometrics, comorbidities and medication. Here, we comprehensively assessed the clinical determinants of cardiorespiratory fitness and its components in a heterogeneous patient sample. MethodsWe retrospectively collected medical and CPET data from 2320 patients (48.2% females) referred for cycle ergometry at the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium. We assessed clinical determinants of peak CPET indexes of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and its hemodynamic and ventilatory components using stepwise regression and quantified multivariable-adjusted differences in indexes between cases and references. ResultsLower peak load and peak O-2 uptake were related to: higher age, female sex, lower body height and weight, and higher heart rate; to the intake of beta blockers, analgesics, thyroid hormone replacement and benzodiazepines; and to diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation (p < 0.05 for all). Lower peak load also correlated with obstructive pulmonary diseases. Stepwise regression revealed associations of hemodynamic and ventilatory indexes (including heart rate, O-2 pulse, systolic blood pressure and ventilation at peak exercise and ventilatory efficiency) with age, sex, body composition and aforementioned diseases and medications. Multivariable-adjusted differences in CPET metrics between cases and controls confirmed the associations observed. ConclusionWe described known and novel associations of CRF components with demographics, anthropometrics, cardiometabolic and pulmonary diseases and medication intake in a large patient sample. The clinical implications of long-term noncardiovascular drug intake for CPET results require further investigation.
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| 3. |
- Cauwenberghs, Nicholas, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of age, sex and heart rate variability on the acute cardiovascular response to isometric handgrip exercise
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Human Hypertension. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0950-9240 .- 1476-5527. ; 5:1, s. 55-64
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Isometric handgrip exercise (IHG) triggers acute increases in cardiac output to meet the metabolic demands of the active skeletal muscle. An abnormal cardiovascular response to IHG might reflect early stages of cardiovascular disease. In a large community-based cohort, we comprehensively assessed the clinical correlates of acute cardiovascular changes during IHG. In total, 333 randomly recruited subjects (mean age, 53 +/- 13 years, 45% women) underwent simultaneous echocardiography and finger applanation tonometry at rest and during 3 min of IHG at 40% maximal handgrip force. We calculated time-domain measures of short-term heart rate variability (HRV) from finger pulse intervals. We assessed the adjusted associations of changes in blood pressure (BP) and echocardiographic indexes with clinical characteristics and HRV measures. During IHG, men presented a stronger absolute increase in heart rate, diastolic BP, left ventricular (LV) volumes and cardiac output than women, even after adjustment for covariables. In adjusted continuous and categorical analyses, age correlated positively with the increase in systolic BP and pulse pressure, but negatively with the increase in LV stroke volume and cardiac output during exercise. After full adjustment, a greater increase in systolic and diastolic BP during exercise was associated with lower absolute real variability (P amp;lt;= 0.026) and root mean square of successive differences (P amp;lt;= 0.032) in pulse intervals at rest. In a general population sample, women presented a weaker cardiovascular response to IHG than men. Older age was associated with greater rise in BP pulsatility and diminished cardiac reserve. Low HRV at rest predicted a higher BP increase during isometric exercise.
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| 4. |
- Elmendorf, Sarah C., et al.
(författare)
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Plot-scale evidence of tundra vegetation change and links to recent summer warming
- 2012
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Ingår i: Nature Climate Change. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1758-678X .- 1758-6798. ; 2:6, s. 453-457
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Temperature is increasing at unprecedented rates across most of the tundra biome. Remote-sensing data indicate that contemporary climate warming has already resulted in increased productivity over much of the Arctic, but plot-based evidence for vegetation transformation is not widespread. We analysed change in tundra vegetation surveyed between 1980 and 2010 in 158 plant communities spread across 46 locations.We found biome-wide trends of increased height of the plant canopy and maximum observed plant height for most vascular growth forms; increased abundance of litter; increased abundance of evergreen, low-growing and tall shrubs; and decreased abundance of bare ground. Intersite comparisons indicated an association between the degree of summer warming and change in vascular plant abundance, with shrubs, forbs and rushes increasing with warming. However, the association was dependent on the climate zone, the moisture regime and the presence of permafrost. Our data provide plot-scale evidence linking changes in vascular plant abundance to local summer warming in widely dispersed tundra locations across the globe.
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| 5. |
- Elumeeva, Tatiana G., et al.
(författare)
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Is intensity of plant root mycorrhizal colonization a good proxy for plant growth rate, dominance and decomposition in nutrient poor conditions?
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Vegetation Science. - : Wiley. - 1100-9233 .- 1654-1103. ; 29:4, s. 715-725
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- QuestionsMycorrhizae may be a key element of plant nutritional strategies and of carbon and nutrient cycling. Recent research suggests that in natural conditions, intensity of mycorrhizal colonization should be considered an important plant feature. How are inter-specific variations in mycorrhizal colonization rate, plant relative growth rate (RGR) and leaf litter decomposability related? Is (arbuscular) mycorrhizal colonization linked to the dominance of plant species in nutrient-stressed ecosystems? LocationTeberda State Biosphere Reserve, northwest Caucasus, Russia. MethodsWe measured plant RGR under mycorrhizal limitation and under natural nutrition conditions, together with leaf litter decomposability and field intensity of mycorrhizal colonization across a wide range of plant species, typical for alpine communities of European mountains. We applied regression analysis to test whether the intensity of mycorrhizal colonization is a good predictor of RGR and decomposition rate, and tested how these traits predict plant dominance in communities. ResultsForb species with a high level of field mycorrhizal colonization had lower RGR under nutritional and mycorrhizal limitation, while grasses were unaffected. Litter decomposition rate was not related to the intensity of mycorrhizal colonization. Dominant species mostly had a higher level of mycorrhizal colonization and lower RGR without mycorrhizal colonization than subordinate species, implying that they were more dependent on mycorrhizal symbionts. There were no differences in litter decomposability. ConclusionsIn alpine herbaceous plant communities dominated by arbuscular mycorrhizae, nutrient dynamics are to a large extent controlled by mycorrhizal symbiosis. Intensity of mycorrhizal colonization is a negative predictor for whole plant RGR. Our study highlights the importance of mycorrhizal colonization as a key trait underpinning the role of plant species in carbon and nutrient dynamics in nutrient-limited herbaceous plant communities.
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| 6. |
- Lett, Signe, et al.
(författare)
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Can bryophyte groups increase functional resolution in tundra ecosystems?
- 2022
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Ingår i: Arctic Science. - Ottawa : Canadian Science Publishing. - 2368-7460. ; 8:3, s. 609-637
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The relative contribution of bryophytes to plant diversity, primary productivity, and ecosystem functioning increases towards colder climates. Bryophytes respond to environmental changes at the species level, but because bryophyte species are relatively difficult to identify, they are often lumped into one functional group. Consequently, bryophyte function remains poorly resolved. Here, we explore how higher resolution of bryophyte functional diversity can be encouraged and implemented in tundra ecological studies. We briefly review previous bryophyte functional classifications and the roles of bryophytes in tundra ecosystems and their susceptibility to environmental change. Based on shoot morphology and colony organization, we then propose twelve easily distinguishable bryophyte functional groups. To illustrate how bryophyte functional groups can help elucidate variation in bryophyte effects and responses, we compiled existing data on water holding capacity, a key bryophyte trait. Although plant functional groups can mask potentially high interspecific and intraspecific variability, we found better separation of bryophyte functional group means compared with previous grouping systems regarding water holding capacity. This suggests that our bryophyte functional groups truly represent variation in the functional roles of bryophytes in tundra ecosystems. Lastly, we provide recommendations to improve the monitoring of bryophyte community changes in tundra study sites.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Romero, Gustavo Q., et al.
(författare)
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Climate variability and aridity modulate the role of leaf shelters for arthropods : A global experiment
- 2022
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 28:11, s. 3694-3710
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Current climate change is disrupting biotic interactions and eroding biodiversity worldwide. However, species sensitive to aridity, high temperatures, and climate variability might find shelter in microclimatic refuges, such as leaf rolls built by arthropods. To explore how the importance of leaf shelters for terrestrial arthropods changes with latitude, elevation, and climate, we conducted a distributed experiment comparing arthropods in leaf rolls versus control leaves across 52 sites along an 11,790 km latitudinal gradient. We then probed the impact of short- versus long-term climatic impacts on roll use, by comparing the relative impact of conditions during the experiment versus average, baseline conditions at the site. Leaf shelters supported larger organisms and higher arthropod biomass and species diversity than non-rolled control leaves. However, the magnitude of the leaf rolls' effect differed between long- and short-term climate conditions, metrics (species richness, biomass, and body size), and trophic groups (predators vs. herbivores). The effect of leaf rolls on predator richness was influenced only by baseline climate, increasing in magnitude in regions experiencing increased long-term aridity, regardless of latitude, elevation, and weather during the experiment. This suggests that shelter use by predators may be innate, and thus, driven by natural selection. In contrast, the effect of leaf rolls on predator biomass and predator body size decreased with increasing temperature, and increased with increasing precipitation, respectively, during the experiment. The magnitude of shelter usage by herbivores increased with the abundance of predators and decreased with increasing temperature during the experiment. Taken together, these results highlight that leaf roll use may have both proximal and ultimate causes. Projected increases in climate variability and aridity are, therefore, likely to increase the importance of biotic refugia in mitigating the effects of climate change on species persistence.
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| 9. |
- Zvereva, Elena L., et al.
(författare)
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Opposite latitudinal patterns for bird and arthropod predation revealed in experiments with differently colored artificial prey
- 2019
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 9:24, s. 14273-14285
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The strength of biotic interactions is generally thought to increase toward the equator, but support for this hypothesis is contradictory. We explored whether predator attacks on artificial prey of eight different colors vary among climates and whether this variation affects the detection of latitudinal patterns in predation. Bird attack rates negatively correlated with model luminance in cold and temperate environments, but not in tropical environments. Bird predation on black and on white (extremes in luminance) models demonstrated different latitudinal patterns, presumably due to differences in prey conspicuousness between habitats with different light regimes. When attacks on models of all colors were combined, arthropod predation decreased, whereas bird predation increased with increasing latitude. We conclude that selection for prey coloration may vary geographically and according to predator identity, and that the importance of different predators may show contrasting patterns, thus weakening the overall latitudinal trend in top-down control of herbivorous insects.
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