Inter- and intra-individual variation in the diet of Australasian gannets Morus serrator

2020 ◽  
Vol 636 ◽  
pp. 207-220
Author(s):  
MA Rodríguez-Malagón ◽  
LP Angel ◽  
CN Speakman ◽  
JPY Arnould

Animal diets often vary according to age, sex, experience and/or individual preferences, which, when maintained over time, can lead to behavioural consistency and individual specialisations within populations. In addition, behavioural and dietary similarity within breeding pairs confers reproductive benefits in some species. We investigated inter- and intra-individual variation in diet in Australasian gannets Morus serrator through analysis of voluntary regurgitations, blood plasma stable isotopes and reconstructed diets. Samples were collected from nesting adults (mostly partners) over 4 breeding seasons (2012-2015) at 2 colonies (Point Danger, PD; and Pope’s Eye, PE), 215 km apart and with divergent oceanographic conditions. Inter-individual variation in δ13C and δ15N values and reconstructed diets was associated with colony, year, breeding stage and sex. The diet of PD individuals was dominated by pelagic schooling prey species, whereas PE birds consumed a substantial amount of benthic/inshore species. Correspondingly, the proportional similarity in diet of individuals was greater at PD, where individuals foraged within a relatively uniform environment, than at PE, where birds had access to a greater diversity of foraging habitats. Intra-individual variation in isotopic values indicated that trophic consistency was higher over medium timescales (between breeding stages within breeding seasons) than longer timescales (between breeding seasons), in accordance with recently documented temporal patterns of behavioural consistency. Lastly, nest partners consumed prey of similar trophic level (δ15N values), although a high degree of similarity did not confer a reproductive advantage to nest partners, and the mechanisms for such similarity are unknown.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 181423
Author(s):  
Marlenne A. Rodríguez-Malagón ◽  
Elodie C. M. Camprasse ◽  
Lauren P. Angel ◽  
John P. Y. Arnould

Foraging is a behaviour that can be influenced by multiple factors and is highly plastic. Recent studies have shown consistency in individual foraging behaviour has serious ecological and evolutionary implications within species and populations. Such information is crucial to understand how species select habitats, and how such selection might allow them to adapt to the environmental changes they face. Five foraging metrics (maximum distance from the colony, bearing from the colony to the most distal point, tortuosity index, total number of dives and mean vectorial dynamic body acceleration were obtained using GPS tracking and accelerometry data in adult Australasian gannets ( Morus serrator ) from two colonies in southeastern Australia. Individuals were instrumented over two breeding seasons to obtain data to assess factors influencing foraging behaviour and behavioural consistency over multiple timescales (consecutive trips, breeding stages and years) and habitats (pelagic, mixed pelagic and inshore, and inshore). Colony, breeding stage and year were the factors which had the greatest influence on foraging behaviour, followed by sex. Behavioural consistency, measured as the contribution of the individual to the observed variance, was low to moderate for all foraging metrics (0.0–27.05%), with the higher values occurring over shorter timescales. In addition, behavioural consistency was driven by spatio-temporal factors rather than intrinsic characteristics. Behavioural consistency was higher in individuals foraging in inshore than pelagic habitats or mixed pelagic/inshore strategy, supporting suggestions that consistency is favoured in stable environments.


2020 ◽  
pp. 563-576

Business cycle analysis generated an essential impulse in stimulating and provoking interesting academic and professional debates within a growth perspective. In fact, measuring business cycles is critical in determining the stylized facts on the cyclical behavior of aggregate macroeconomic indicators over time. As green growth topics started to occupy much academic interest, the question of the co-existence of equitable and sustainable development as well as current dynamics and cyclical features of economic growth comes into foreplay. This paper aims to evaluate cyclical characteristics of green growth related variables by observing two countries that showed different green policy aspirations over time, namely China and France. Following the paper's main objective, we want to provide a detailed analysis of the extent to which Green GDP and relevant output measures are comparable in a wider 'deviation cycle' context that includes cycle correlation, cycle coherence, and cycle magnitude. Results suggest that business cycles of GDP/GNI and Green GDP are strongly connected and coherent to a high degree. However, we found that the strength of that nexus and the degree of similarity has changed considerably over time, yet in a positive way.


The Auk ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 541-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Puglisi ◽  
Claudia Adamo

Abstract Recorded vocalizations from 18 known Great Bitterns (Botaurus stellaris) were analyzed, both quantitatively and qualitatively, to determine the amount of intra- and inter-individual variation. All parameters examined showed significant variation among males, and vocalizations of the same male were not stable over time. Variability within males over time makes re-identification of individuals on the basis of vocalizations difficult. The high degree of uncertainty in recognizing individuals limits the usefulness of vocalizations for censusing of bitterns.


1986 ◽  
Vol 56 (03) ◽  
pp. 371-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peretz Weiss ◽  
Hillel Halkin ◽  
Shlomo Almog

SummaryWithin-individual variation over time in the clearance (Cl) and effect (PT%) of warfarin, was measured in 25 inpatients (group I) studied after standard single or individualized split loading doses and 1-3 times (n = 16) 8-16 weeks later during maintenance. Mean Cl (2.5 α 0.9 ml/min) was similar in both phases but significant changes occurred in 6/16 patients, exceeding those expected from within-individual variation alone (defined by its 95% tolerance limits -24% to +62%). Initial PT% (21 α 5) was unaffected by dosing schedule, total or free plasma warfarin, varying between patients by only 18-24%. Mean initial and maintenance dose-PT% ratios (8.2 mg/d: 21% and 4.1 mg/d: 40%) were similar but significant changes in sensitivity to warfarin occurred in 4/16 patients. In group I and 64 other outpatients on maintenance therapy, between-individual variability was 36-52% for Cl and 49-56% for effect. PT% correlated best (r = 0.56) with free and total plasma warfarin but poorly with dose (r = 0.29), with only 30% of PT% variance explained at best, due to high between patient variability.Warfarin dose prediction whether based on extrapolation from initial effects to the maintenance phase, or on iterative methods not allowing for between- or within-patient variation in warfarin clearance or effect which may occur independently over time, have not improved on empirical therapy. This, due to the elements of biological variability as well as the intricacy of the warfarin - prothrombin complex interaction not captured by any kinetic-dynamic model used for prediction to date.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aidan G.C. Wright ◽  
Leonard Simms

Very little is known about the daily stability and fluctuation of personality pathology. To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated the naturalistic manifestation of personality pathology over the course of 100 days. A group of individuals (N=101) diagnosed with any personality disorder (PD) completed a daily diary study over 100 consecutive days (Mdn = 94 days, Range = 33-101 days). Participants completed daily ratings of 30 manifestations of personality pathology. Patterns of stability and variability over the course of the study were then examined. Results indicated that individual PD manifestations and domains of PD manifestations were variable across days and differed widely in their frequency. Additionally, individual averages and level of variability in PD domains were highly stable across months, individual averages of PD domains were predicted by baseline dispositional ratings of PD traits with a high degree of specificity, and daily variability PD domains was associated with elevated levels of PD traits. This pattern of findings suggests that dynamic processes of symptom exacerbation and diminution that are stable in mean level and variability in expression over time characterizes personality pathology. Further, dispositional ratings are significant predictors of average daily expression of PD features.


1971 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 340-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
George S. Day ◽  
Roger M. Heeler

When the selection of a sample of stores or cities requires a high degree of similarity among the test units in order to ensure a sensitive experiment, the sample may no longer represent the market. These conflicting requirements can be satisfied by choosing the sample from clusters displayed in a reduced space representation of the market.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 467
Author(s):  
Mahran Zeity ◽  
Nagappa Srinivas ◽  
Chinnamade Channegowde Gowda

Study of morphological characters of Tetranychus macfarlanei Baker & Pritchard and Tetranychus malaysiensis Ehara revealed high similarity by comparing all the important characters in addition to the characters pointed out by Ehara to separate those two species. Molecular phylogeny of seven Indian populations of T. macfarlanei and one population of T. malaysiensis from Philippines along with few distantly related species of Tetranychus was attempted. High degree of similarity between these two species at mitochondrial COI gene (96%) as well as ITS2 (rDNA) (96–99%) region was evident. Based on both morphological features and molecular data, T. malaysiensis is proposed as a junior synonym of T. macfarlanei based on ICZN’s law of priority. Also more female characters are prompted in this study to distinctly discriminate T. macfarlanei from its most resembling species, Tetranychus ludeni Zacher. Tetranychus macfarlanei has emerged as a pest of several cultivated crop plants in India. 


mBio ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Madan ◽  
D. C. Koestler ◽  
B. A. Stanton ◽  
L. Davidson ◽  
L. A. Moulton ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Pulmonary damage caused by chronic colonization of the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung by microbial communities is the proximal cause of respiratory failure. While there has been an effort to document the microbiome of the CF lung in pediatric and adult patients, little is known regarding the developing microflora in infants. We examined the respiratory and intestinal microbiota development in infants with CF from birth to 21 months. Distinct genera dominated in the gut compared to those in the respiratory tract, yet some bacteria overlapped, demonstrating a core microbiota dominated by Veillonella and Streptococcus. Bacterial diversity increased significantly over time, with evidence of more rapidly acquired diversity in the respiratory tract. There was a high degree of concordance between the bacteria that were increasing or decreasing over time in both compartments; in particular, a significant proportion (14/16 genera) increasing in the gut were also increasing in the respiratory tract. For 7 genera, gut colonization presages their appearance in the respiratory tract. Clustering analysis of respiratory samples indicated profiles of bacteria associated with breast-feeding, and for gut samples, introduction of solid foods even after adjustment for the time at which the sample was collected. Furthermore, changes in diet also result in altered respiratory microflora, suggesting a link between nutrition and development of microbial communities in the respiratory tract. Our findings suggest that nutritional factors and gut colonization patterns are determinants of the microbial development of respiratory tract microbiota in infants with CF and present opportunities for early intervention in CF with altered dietary or probiotic strategies. IMPORTANCE While efforts have been focused on assessing the microbiome of pediatric and adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients to understand how chronic colonization by these microbes contributes to pulmonary damage, little is known regarding the earliest development of respiratory and gut microflora in infants with CF. Our findings suggest that colonization of the respiratory tract by microbes is presaged by colonization of the gut and demonstrated a role of nutrition in development of the respiratory microflora. Thus, targeted dietary or probiotic strategies may be an effective means to change the course of the colonization of the CF lung and thereby improve patient outcomes.


1998 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-334
Author(s):  
Gerhard Van Den Heever

AbstractIn a comparative study the issue is raised about the relationship between the construction of the saviour-image in Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Hinduism. The historical links between these traditions are highlighted and then the article proceeds to argue that when compared, the projections of the images of Jesus and Buddha, Jesus and Zoroaster and Jesus and Krishna exhibit a high degree of similarity. In the process questions are asked about the nature of religion and the value of comparative study.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Bo Xu ◽  
Yiling Qian ◽  
Chunxiao Hu ◽  
Yongsheng Wang ◽  
Hong Gao ◽  
...  

Numerous studies have indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the development and progression of cancer. However, how changes to the expression levels of miRNAs in response to dexmedetomidine affects the progression of lung cancer remains poorly understood. In this study, we treated the lung adenocarcinoma cell line-A549 with dexmedetomidine and then examined the changes to the expression levels of miRNAs. We found that one of the most significantly upregulated miRNAs was miR-493-5p, which has an important role in the growth and apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells. In addition, bioinformatics searches and luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR-493-5p targets RASL11B, which has a high degree of similarity to RAS. Finally, database searches revealed that RASL11B is associated with survival of LUAD cells. In conclusion, dexmedetomidine causes changes to the expression levels of miRNAs in LUAD, including significant upregulation of miR-493-5p. MiR-493-5p targets RASL11B, thereby inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis in LUAD.


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