scholarly journals Morphogenesis of termite mounds

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (9) ◽  
pp. 3379-3384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel A. Ocko ◽  
Alexander Heyde ◽  
L. Mahadevan
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Insect Behavior ◽  
Termite Mounds ◽  
Minimal Set ◽  
External Temperature ◽  
Temperature Oscillations ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Mound Morphology ◽  
Physical Laws

Several species of millimetric-sized termites across Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America collectively construct large, meter-sized, porous mound structures that serve to regulate mound temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations. These mounds display varied yet distinctive morphologies that range widely in size and shape. To explain this morphological diversity, we introduce a mathematical model that couples environmental physics to insect behavior: The advection and diffusion of heat and pheromones through a porous medium are modified by the mound geometry and, in turn, modify that geometry through a minimal characterization of termite behavior. Our model captures the range of naturally observed mound shapes in terms of a minimal set of dimensionless parameters and makes testable hypotheses for the response of mound morphology to external temperature oscillations and internal odors. Our approach also suggests mechanisms by which evolutionary changes in odor production rate and construction behavior coupled to simple physical laws can alter the characteristic mound morphology of termites.

scholarly journals Diversity of Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] Landraces in Mozambique: New Opportunities for Crop Improvement and Future Breeding Programs

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 991
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Figueira Gomes ◽  
David Draper ◽  
Nascimento Nhantumbo ◽  
Rafael Massinga ◽  
José C. Ramalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vigna Unguiculata ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Nutrition Security ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
High Level ◽  
Nutrition Sensitive

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a neglected crop native to Africa, with an outstanding potential to contribute to the major challenges in food and nutrition security, as well as in agricultural sustainability. Two major issues regarding cowpea research have been highlighted in recent years—the establishment of core collections and the characterization of landraces—as crucial to the implementation of environmentally resilient and nutrition-sensitive production systems. In this work, we have collected, mapped, and characterized the morphological attributes of 61 cowpea genotypes, from 10 landraces spanning across six agro-ecological zones and three provinces in Mozambique. Our results reveal that local landraces retain a high level of morphological diversity without a specific geographical pattern, suggesting the existence of gene flow. Nevertheless, accessions from one landrace, i.e., Maringué, seem to be the most promising in terms of yield and nutrition-related parameters, and could therefore be integrated into the ongoing conservation and breeding efforts in the region towards the production of elite varieties of cowpea.

scholarly journals Characterization of Cocycle Attractors for Nonautonomous Reaction–Diffusion Equations

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (08) ◽  
pp. 1650135 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Cardoso ◽  
J. A. Langa ◽  
R. Obaya
Keyword(s):  
Chaotic Dynamics ◽  
Linear Part ◽  
Reaction Diffusion ◽  
Positive Cone ◽  
Reaction Diffusion Equations ◽  
Diffusion Equations ◽  
Minimal Set ◽  
Full Characterization ◽  
The Stability

In this paper, we describe in detail the global and cocycle attractors related to nonautonomous scalar differential equations with diffusion. In particular, we investigate reaction–diffusion equations with almost-periodic coefficients. The associated semiflows are strongly monotone which allow us to give a full characterization of the cocycle attractor. We prove that, when the upper Lyapunov exponent associated to the linear part of the equations is positive, the flow is persistent in the positive cone, and we study the stability and the set of continuity points of the section of each minimal set in the global attractor for the skew product semiflow. We illustrate our result with some nontrivial examples showing the richness of the dynamics on this attractor, which in some situations shows internal chaotic dynamics in the Li–Yorke sense. We also include the sublinear and concave cases in order to go further in the characterization of the attractors, including, for instance, a nonautonomous version of the Chafee–Infante equation. In this last case we can show exponentially forward attraction to the cocycle (pullback) attractors in the positive cone of solutions.

Character selection and the quantification of morphological disparity

Paleobiology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Deline ◽  
William I. Ausich
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Early Paleozoic ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Rarefaction Analysis ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Body Regions ◽  
Scientific Hypotheses

AbstractA priori choices in the detail and breadth of a study are important in addressing scientific hypotheses. In particular, choices in the number and type of characters can greatly influence the results in studies of morphological diversity. A new character suite was constructed to examine trends in the disparity of early Paleozoic crinoids. Character-based rarefaction analysis indicated that a small subset of these characters (~20% of the complete data set) could be used to capture most of the properties of the entire data set in analyses of crinoids as a whole, noncamerate crinoids, and to a lesser extent camerate crinoids. This pattern may be the result of the covariance between characters and the characterization of rare morphologies that are not represented in the primary axes in morphospace. Shifting emphasis on different body regions (oral system, calyx, periproct system, and pelma) also influenced estimates of relative disparity between subclasses of crinoids. Given these results, morphological studies should include a pilot analysis to better examine the amount and type of data needed to address specific scientific hypotheses.

Minimal Sets on Graphs and Dendrites

2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (07) ◽  
pp. 1721-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Balibrea ◽  
Roman Hric ◽  
L'ubomír Snoha
Keyword(s):  
Topological Structure ◽  
Partial Characterization ◽  
Minimal Set ◽  
Full Characterization ◽  
Minimal Sets ◽  
Continuous Maps

The topological structure of minimal sets of continuous maps on graphs, dendrites and dendroids is studied. A full characterization of minimal sets on graphs and a partial characterization of minimal sets on dendrites are given. An example of a minimal set containing an interval on a dendroid is given.

scholarly journals A characterization of the Morse minimal set

1964 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Gottschalk ◽  
G. A. Hedlund
Keyword(s):  
Minimal Set

Characterization of paramylon morphological diversity in photosynthetic euglenoids (Euglenales, Euglenophyta)

Phycologia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna K. Monfils ◽  
Richard E. Triemer ◽  
Emily F. Bellairs
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Diversity

scholarly journals Variability among selective guava (Psidium guajava L.) varieties revealed by morphology and RAPD marker

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzana Alam ◽  
Kazi Didarul Islam ◽  
SM Mahbubur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Random Amplified Polymorphic Dna ◽  
Rapd Marker ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Psidium Guajava ◽  
Morphological Characterization ◽  
Evolutionary Changes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Range Of Variation

The research was conducted for the assessment of genetic diversity using both morphological and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of twelve guava (Psidium guajava L.) varieties growing in Bangladesh. Morphological characterization of guava varieties showed a wide range of variation. The highest variability was observed between Poly and Jelly varieties.Polymerase chain reaction with 5 arbitrary 10-mer and 3 arbitrary 12- mer RAPD primers produced a total of 50 bands of which 75.23 percent were polymorphic. The highest percentage of polymorphic loci (100%) was observed for primer A and the lowest (50%) for A03 primer. The UPGMA dendrogram revealed the segregation pattern and the difference of evolutionary changes. Guava varieties were separated into two main groups, one of them was made up of Chineese, Jelly, Kazi, Apple, L-49, Local-2 and Local-3. The other one was made up of Local-1, Poly, Kashi, Thai and Bombay. The highest genetic distance between Apple and Kazi peyara indicate that these varieties might be interesting in breeding programme for improving trait of interest. This scientific information could be used for further improvement of guava. Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 7(2): 89-98, 2018 (December)

scholarly journals Novel active method for the estimation of a building wall thermal resistance

2020 ◽  
Vol 172 ◽  
pp. 14008
Author(s):  
Adrien François ◽  
Laurent Ibos ◽  
Vincent Feuillet ◽  
Johann Meulemans
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Thermal Resistance ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Thermal Inertia ◽  
Thermal Response ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
External Temperature ◽  
Building Wall ◽  
High Thermal Inertia

The thermal resistance of a wall can be readily measured in steady-state. However, such a state is seldomly achieved in a building because of the variation of outdoor conditions as well as the high thermal inertia of building materials. This paper introduces a novel active (dynamic) method to measure the thermal resistance of a building wall. Not only are active approaches less sensitive to external temperature variations, they also enable to perform measurements within only a few hours. In the proposed methodology, an artificial thermal load is applied to a wall (heating of the indoor air) and its thermal response is monitored. Inverse techniques are used with a reduced model to estimate the value of the thermal resistance of a wall from the measured temperatures and heat fluxes. The methodology was validated on a known load-bearing wall built inside a climate chamber. The results were in good agreement with reference values derived from a steady-state characterization of the wall. The method also demonstrated a good reproducibility.

Comparison and characterization of the field Atomic Quantum Gravimeter (AQG#B01)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cédric Champollion ◽  
Anne-Karin Cooke ◽  
Nicolas Le Moigne
Keyword(s):  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Superconducting Gravimeter ◽  
Slow Slip Events ◽  
External Temperature ◽  
Temperature Changes ◽  
Field Sensor ◽  
Field Experimentation ◽  
C 30

<p>The recent advancements in gravity quantum sensors promise maintenance-free, easy to use, continuous and accurate monitoring devices. This technological breakthrough in gravity instrumentation offers new possibilities for both laboratory and field experiments in different geosciences applications. These new gravity quantum sensors allow e.g. for the monitoring of transient processes in volcanology, plate tectonics (slow slip events) or hydro-geology (pumping tests).</p><p>The first commercial field quantum gravimeters are nowadays available (AQGB, Muquans TM). The AQG#B01 is actually under validation. It is tested and compared with a superconducting gravimeter (GWR iGrav#002 and an absolute ballistic gravimeter (MG-L FG5#228) in the French Larzac Observatory () during more than 1 month. A first small (50 nm/s²) transient gravity variation caused by hydro-geological charge has been recorded by both the quantum and superconducting gravimeter.</p><p>Additionally its sensitivity to environmental noise is characterized by its Allan variance. Absolute ballistic comparison during one month allows to estimate a maximum potential drift. Sensitivity tests on instrument tilts and orientation have been done. In order to evaluate the AQG-B as a field sensor, sensitivity to external temperature changes have been tested in the range 10°C-30°C. All the tests allow a clear characterization of the AQG-B for future field experimentation.</p><p>AQG#B01 development has been funded is the frame of the grant “investissement d’avenir” EquipEx RESIF-CORE.</p>

scholarly journals A CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SET Ω (f)\ ω (f) FOR CONTINUOUS MAPS OF THE INTERVAL WITH ZERO TOPOLOGICAL ENTROPY

1995 ◽  
Vol 05 (05) ◽  
pp. 1433-1435
Author(s):  
F. BALIBREA ◽  
J. SMÍTAL
Keyword(s):  
Topological Entropy ◽  
Minimal Set ◽  
Continuous Map ◽  
Continuous Maps ◽  
Limit Points ◽  
Infinite Set ◽  
Nonwandering Points

We give a characterization of the set of nonwandering points of a continuous map f of the interval with zero topological entropy, attracted to a single (infinite) minimal set Q. We show that such a map f can have a unique infinite minimal set Q and an infinite set B ⊂ Ω (f)\ ω (f) (of nonwandering points that are not ω-limit points) attracted to Q and such that B has infinite intersections with infinitely many disjoint orbits of f.

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