| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Ekström, Andreas, 1979, et al.
(author)
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Cardiorespiratory adjustments to chronic environmental warming improve hypoxia tolerance in European perch (Perca fluviatilis).
- 2021
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In: The Journal of experimental biology. - : The Company of Biologists. - 1477-9145 .- 0022-0949. ; 224:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aquatic hypoxia will become increasingly prevalent in the future as a result of eutrophication combined with climate warming. While short-term warming typically constrains fish hypoxia tolerance, many fishes cope with warming by adjusting physiological traits through thermal acclimation. Yet, little is known about how such adjustments affect tolerance to hypoxia. We examined European perch (Perca fluviatilis) from the Biotest enclosure (23°C, Biotest population), a unique ∼1km2 ecosystem artificially warmed by cooling water from a nuclear power plant, and an adjacent reference site (16-18°C, reference population). Specifically, we evaluated how acute and chronic warming affect routine oxygen consumption rate (ṀO2,routine) and cardiovascular performance in acute hypoxia, alongside assessment of the thermal acclimation of the aerobic contribution to hypoxia tolerance (critical O2 tension for ṀO2,routine: Pcrit) and absolute hypoxia tolerance (O2 tension at loss of equilibrium; PLOE). Chronic adjustments (possibly across lifetime or generations) alleviated energetic costs of warming in Biotest perch by depressing ṀO2,routine and cardiac output, and by increasing blood O2 carrying capacity relative to reference perch acutely warmed to 23°C. These adjustments were associated with improved maintenance of cardiovascular function and ṀO2,routine in hypoxia (i.e. reduced Pcrit). However, while Pcrit was only partially thermally compensated in Biotest perch, they had superior absolute hypoxia tolerance (i.e. lowest PLOE) relative to reference perch irrespective of temperature. We show that European perch can thermally adjust physiological traits to safeguard and even improve hypoxia tolerance during chronic environmental warming. This points to cautious optimism that eurythermal fish species may be resilient to the imposition of impaired hypoxia tolerance with climate warming.
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| 3. |
- Faithfull, Carolyn, 1982-, et al.
(author)
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Transfer of bacterial production based on labile carbon to higher trophic levels in an oligotrophic pelagic system
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- It is debatable whether bacterial production (BP) based on labile carbon (C) is an important energy subsidy for higher trophic levels in the pelagic zone of lakes. Increased BP may reduce phytoplankton and basal production through competition for phosphorus. However, enhanced BP can also be regarded as an additional basal food resource used directly by unselective filter feeding (cladocerans) or indirectly through grazing on the microbial food web (cladocerans and copepods). In a mesocosm experiment we traced the contribution of BP to crustacean zooplankton and planktivorous fish using stable isotopes and labile glucose-C as a biomarker. BP increased with glucose-C addition and all zooplankton and fish incorporated some glucose-C. Although cladocerans incorporated the most glucose-C, increased BP did not affect cladoceran biomass. Instead, calanoid copepod biomass increased with glucose addition. This suggests that the ability to select high quality food such as bacterial grazing protists capable of trophic upgrading (i.e. de novo synthesis of fatty acids), had a stronger positive effect on calanoids, than unselective grazing on bacteria and protists had on cladoceran biomass. Higher BP was associated with increased survival and population growth of young-of-the-year perch when stocked at high densities, which suggested that BP had a density dependant effect on fish growth. Although the total amount of energy mobilized did not affect fish growth, energy mobilized through the microbial food chain increased calanoid copepod biomass; the favored prey species of planktivorous fish in this system.
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| 4. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Effects of ontogenetic scaling on resource exploitation and cohort size distributions
- 2010
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In: Oikos. - : John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. - 0030-1299 .- 1600-0706. ; 119:2, s. 384-392
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Variation in growth rates among individuals leading to the formation of broad size distributions is commonly observed in animal cohorts. Here we use laboratory derived size-scaling relationships to identify mechanisms driving changes in size distribution patterns within cohorts during early ontogeny. We introduced young-of-the-year perch (Perca fluviatilis) cohorts with different variation in body size distributions in pond enclosures. We kept the exploitative competitive environment constant by adjusting the number of introduced fish such that metabolic requirements were constant between different treatments. Based on modelling results we theoretically derived relative growth rates of differently sized fish when only taken exploitative competitive interactions into account. In agreement with predictions we found that initial variation in body size was negatively correlated with subsequent changes in body size variation in the pond experiment. Corresponding results were obtained in a field study covering 13 studied young-of-the-year perch cohorts in a small lake. Besides having a lower maximum growth capacity, initially large fish also suffered more from resource limitation in our experiment. The results suggest that exploitation competition is a major factor behind growth patterns in young fish cohorts, generally leading to size convergence. To explain the commonly observed pattern of size divergence in animal cohorts, including fish, we suggest that differential timing of diet shifts or mechanisms not related to exploitative interactions must be taken into account. For diet shifts to lead to size divergence we suggest that individuals with an initial size advantage need access to an exclusive prey which has a high growth potential. This, in turn, allows initially larger individuals to surf on a wave of growing prey while individuals only capable to feed on a depressed initial resource experience low growth rates.
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| 5. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Experimental evidence for emergent facilitation : promoting the existence of an invertebrate predator by killing its prey
- 2011
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In: Journal of Animal Ecology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0021-8790 .- 1365-2656. ; 80:3, s. 615-621
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1. Recent theoretical insights have shown that predator species may help each other to persist by size-selective foraging on a shared prey. By feeding on a certain prey stage, a predator may induce a compensatory response in another stage of the same prey species, thereby favouring other predators; a phenomenon referred to as emergent facilitation. 2. To test whether emergent facilitation may occur in a natural system, we performed an enclosure experiment where we mimicked fish predation by selectively removing large zooplankton and subsequently following the response of the invertebrate predator Bythotrephes longimanus. 3. Positive responses to harvest were observed in the biomass of juvenile individuals of the dominant zooplankton Holopedium gibberum and in Bythotrephes densities. Hence, by removing large prey, we increased the biomass of small prey, i.e. stage-specific biomass overcompensation was present in the juvenile stage of Holopedium. This favoured Bythotrephes, which preferentially feed on small Holopedium. 4. We argue that the stage-specific overcompensation occurred as a result of increased per capita fecundity of adult Holopedium and as a result of competitive release following harvest. If shown to be common, emergent facilitation may be a major mechanism behind observed predator extinctions and patterns of predator invasions.
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| 6. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Growing through predation windows: : effects on body size development in young fish
- 2010
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In: Oikos. - : Wiley. - 0030-1299 .- 1600-0706. ; 119, s. 1796-1804
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Th e degree to which growth in early life stages of animals is regulated via density-dependent feedbacks through preyresources is much debated. Here we have studied the infl uence of size- and density-dependent mechanisms as well as sizeselectivepredation pressure by cannibalistic perch Perca fl uviatilis on growth patterns of young-of-the-year (YOY) perchcovering several lakes and years. We found no infl uence of initial size or temperature on early body size development ofperch. In contrast, there was a negative relationship between reproductive output and the length of YOY perch at fi ve weeksof age. However, rather than an eff ect of density-dependent growth mediated via depressed resources the relationship wasdriven by positive size-selective cannibalism removing large individuals. Hence, given a positive correlation between thedensity of victims and predation pressure by cannibals, size-dependent interactions between cannibals and their victimsmay wrongly be interpreted as patterns of density-dependent growth in the victim cohort. Overall, our results support theview that density-dependent resource-limitation in early life stages is rare. Still, patterns of density-dependent growth mayemerge, but from variation in size-selective predation pressure rather than density as such. Th is illustrates the importanceof taking overall population demography and predatory interactions into account when studying growth patterns amongrecruiting individuals.
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| 7. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Influence of growth history on the accumulation of energy reserves and winter mortality on young fish
- 2008
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In: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. - : EBSCO Host. - 0706-652X .- 1205-7533. ; 65:10, s. 2149-2156
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In seasonal environments accumulated energy reserves are important to avoid starvation mortality during periods of low resource levels. Here we investigated patterns of energy accumulation and the importance of growth history for winter survival in young-of-the-year Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis). Under simulated winter conditions in aquaria’s we showed that high winter mortality most likely relate to the depletion of energy reserves in small perch. Correspondingly in a field study, using 4 lakes covering 3-6 lake years each, overwinter survival within cohorts was positively related to individual size. However, average size in autumn did not explain the variation in overwinter survival between cohorts. Instead we showed that seasonal growth history is an important factor. High growth rates late in season may increase cohort survival over winter irrespective of average size, related to a positive growth dependent increase in allocation to energy reserves when approaching winter. Mechanisms regulating within-season temporal dynamics of growth rates are therefore suggested to be important for overall cohort performance.
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| 8. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Intra-cohort cannibalism and size bimodality : a balance between hatching synchrony and resource feedbacks
- 2010
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In: Oikos. - : Wiley. - 0030-1299 .- 1600-0706. ; 119:12, s. 2000-2011
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cannibalistic interactions generally depend on the size relationship between cannibals and victims. In many populations, alarge enough size variation to allow for cannibalism may not only develop among age-cohorts but also within cohorts. Westudied the implications of variation in hatching period length and initial cohort size for the emergence of cannibalism andbimodal size distributions within animal cohorts using a physiologically structured population model. We found that thedevelopment of size bimodality was critically dependent on hatching period length, victim density and the presence of afeedback via shared resources. Cannibals only gained enough energy from cannibalism to accelerate in growth when victimdensity was high relative to cannibal density at the onset of cannibalism. Furthermore, we found that the opportunity forearly hatchers to initially feed on an unexploited resource increases the likelihood both for cannibalism to occur and sizebimodality to develop. Once cannibals accelerated in growth relative to victims size bimodality, reduced victim numbersand relaxed resource competition resulted. Th us, in addition to that cannibals profi ted from cannibalism through energyextraction, their potential victims also benefi ted as the resource recovered due to cannibal thinning. To ensure recruitmentsuccess, it can be critical that a few individuals can accelerate in growth and reach a size large enough to escape sizedependentpredation and winter starvation. Hence, within-cohort cannibalism may be a potentially important mechanismto explain recruitment variation especially for cannibalistic species in temperate climates with strong seasonality. However,the scope for size bimodality to develop as a result of cannibalism may be limited by low victim densities and size andfood-dependent growth rates.
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| 9. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-
(author)
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Ontogenetic scaling and the development of within-cohort size structure
- 2009
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- It is increasingly recognized that individuals of the same species differ from each other and influence and respond to their environment in unique ways. This thesis deals with size variation among individuals that not only are of the same species but also of similar age. Such variation may develop even when individuals are born in the same environment, i.e. within a cohort. I have studied the sources and consequences of variation within and among cohorts from egg through early ontogeny using young-of-the-year (YOY) perch (Perca fluviatilis) as study organism. In agreement with predictions based on model results only taking exploitative interactions among individuals into account, I found that the broader the initial size distributions were, the more did the degree of size variation among individuals decrease over time. Still, with initially small size variation among individuals, in several experiments also size divergence was observed. Furthermore, size variation among individuals increased more under high compared to at low densities. Increased size variation over time may be explained by size-dependent diet shifts allowing for initially larger individuals to make an early diet shift when the first resource becomes limiting. However, as size divergence also was observed in situations with only shared resources available, it can be concluded that diet shifts are not a prerequisite for size divergence in young animal cohorts. Hence, I also suggest that mechanisms not related to competition for limiting resources, such as genetic variation, stochasticity and behavioural traits must be taken into account, especially when initial size differences are small. The importance of considering size variation among individuals within cohorts was demonstrated in a study of winter mortality in YOY perch cohorts. A large individual size in autumn was shown to increase overwinter survival within cohorts. However, late summer growth rather than average body size reached in autumn explained variation in overwinter survival between cohorts. Higher accumulation to lipid reserves and accordingly lower mortality over winter was observed in years with high growth rates late in the season. In another study I showed that apparent patterns of density-dependent growth can emerge among larval fish, but rather than a result of density-dependent resource limitation this was due to variation in size-selective predation pressure. Individuals in the right end of the size distributions grew in to a high predation pressure from cannibalistic perch when cannibal density was high, coinciding with high larval perch densities. Finally, as substantial size variation among individuals can develop within cohorts, also intra-cohort cannibalism can occur. Using a physiologically structured population model it was shown that the development of size bimodality within cohorts as a result of intra-cohort cannibalism is critically dependent on long hatching periods, high victim densities and density-dependent feedbacks on shared resources.
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| 10. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Resource heterogeneity, diet shifts and intra-cohort competition : effects on size divergence in YOY fish
- 2008
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In: Oecologia. - Berlin / Heidelberg : Springer. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 158:2, s. 249-257
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Most organisms exhibit a substantial size variation among individuals due to individual differences in experienced biotic and abiotic environmental conditions and because individuals undergo growth and development during most of their life time. One important issue in this context is how size variation within cohorts may develop over time. Here we tested the hypothesis, in gape-limited animals such as fish, that size divergence among individuals within a cohort depends on the opportunity to undergo size-dependent diet shifts, by allowing initially larger individuals to make an early diet shift when the first resource becomes limiting. We used young-of-the-year perch (Perca fluviatilis) as our study organism. Competitive intensity and the opportunity to undergo a diet shift from zooplankton to macroinvertebrates affected both mean growth rates and the extent to which inter-individual variation in growth was manifested. As predicted, increased competition combined with the presence of both zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates increased the degree of size variation. However, size divergence was also observed among individuals when only the initial resource, zooplankton, was available. We argue that only non-exploitative interactions, such as dominance structures and social interactions could have caused this latter pattern, as exploitative competition is expected to lead to size convergence due to the superior competitive ability of smaller individuals. Our results suggest that diet shifts are not a prerequisite for size divergence in animal cohorts and that dominance and social interactions may have similar effects on size variation within cohorts. Finally, development of size variation is suggested to have strong implications for overall cohort performance.
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| 11. |
- Huss, Magnus, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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The origin and development of individual size variation in early pelagic stages of fish
- 2007
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In: Oecologia. - Berlin / Heidelberg : Springer. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 153:1, s. 57-67
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Size variation among individuals born at the same time in a common environment (within cohorts) is a common phenomenon in natural populations. Still, the mechanisms behind the development of such variation and its consequences for population processes are far from clear. We experimentally investigated the development of early within-cohort size variation in larval perch (Perca fluviatilis). Specifically we tested the influence of initial variation, resulting from variation in egg strand size, and intraspecific density for the development of size variation. Variation in egg strand size translated into variation in initial larval size and time of hatching, which, in turn, had effects on growth and development. Perch from the smallest egg strands performed on average equally well independent of density, whereas larvae originating from larger egg strands performed less well under high densities. We related this difference in density dependence to size asymmetries in competitive abilities leading to higher growth rates of groups consisting of initially small individuals under high resource limitation. In contrast, within a single group of larvae, smaller individuals grew substantially slower under high densities whereas large individuals performed equally well independent of density. As a result, size variation among individuals within groups (i.e. originating from the same clutch) increased under high densities. This result may be explained by social interactions or differential timing of diet shifts and a depressed resource base for the initially smaller individuals. It is concluded that to fully appreciate the effects of density-dependent processes on individual size variation and size-dependent growth, consumer feedbacks on resources need to be considered.
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| 12. |
- Kabir, Mohammad, 1974, et al.
(author)
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A Test Vehicle for RF/DC Evaluation and Destructive Testing Of Vertically Grown Nanostructures (VGCNS)
- 2011
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In: Proceedings of the NT11 International Conference on the Science and Application of Nanotubes, Cambridge, UK, July 10-16, 2011.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- We have developed an RF test vehicle suitable for measuring DC and microwave performance of vertically grown carbon nanostructures (VGCNS) as via-interconnects. A first version of the interconnect test vehicles devices were designed, fabricated and characterized. The RF small signal (S-parameter) and large signal measurements show that carbon nanofibres can be used as interconnects in microwave circuit, even for power devices. The design of test vehicle employs a three metal layer concept, forming sequentially the ground, signal and device under test structures for characterization in a microstrip configuration. The structures as such consisted of interconnects of dimensions ranging from 50 nm to 100 µm diameter made of VGCNS. In the first version of the interconnect test vehicles, the interconnects were made of carbon nanofibers grown at 450 C. From SEM measurement we found that the resulting height was around 1.5-2 µm. Epoxy polymer SU-8 was employed by spinning on the device and a subsequent etch back process was carried out to open up the tip of the fibres to connect to consecutive interconnects with the third metallisation layer. After growing the nanofibres, it was observed, using SEM, that interconnect sizes smaller than 10 µm diameter suffered from parasitic growth and therefore the effective device dimension deviated from the initial design. We carried out small signal measurements using a vector network analyser for frequency ranging from 1 to 25 GHz, in order to characterise the transmission and reflection/absorption of the devices as function of their diameter size. The large signal evaluation was performed by measuring the gain compression of the devices. In addition destructive tests, aiming at testing the current carrying capability of the interconnect, have also been performed.The resistivity of interconnects was measured to vary varies from 0.2 µΩ·mm-1.3 mΩ·mm. Apparently, the device performance is considerably influenced by the fill factor of the interconnect with VGCNS. Small variations in fill factor (in %) provided a large variations in device resistivity. Furthermore, it was also observed that the resistance drops at higher power levels. RF conductivity of interconnects ranges from 5x10^3 S/m to 7x10^5 S/m. The average input power before interconnect destruction is larger than 25W with effective device diameter ranging from 3 µm to 100 µm interconnects. In addition, the average gain compression before interconnect destruction was found to be 0.6 dB. It was not possible to extract the conductivity value of an individual nanofiber using comparison to simulation data, since the devices might have suffered from parasitic growth as well as pinhole metal diffusion during top metal contact formation. This certainly affects the actual device dimension and properties. Nevertheless, the proof of concept of design and manufacturing a test vehicle for RF measurements of vertically grown nanostructures was achieved. We will report the findings and anomalies in the measured devices. Further improvement is expected in the coming test vehicle version.
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