Trophic niche, capture efficiency and venom profiles of six sympatric ant-eating spider species (Araneae: Zodariidae)

Abstract Habitat complexity is recognized to mediate predator–prey relationships by offering refuge or not. We investigated the availability of planktonic microcrustaceans and the diet of a planktivorous fish (Hyphessobrycon eques) at different levels (low, intermediate and high) of aquatic macrophyte biomass. Sampling was carried out in a river with low flow speed, located in a Neotropical floodplain. We collected fish and microcrustaceans in macrophyte stands with variations in biomass. There were no differences in microcrustacean density in the water among the levels of macrophyte biomass, but microcrustacean richness and diet composition of H. eques differed. Microcrustacean richness and trophic niche breadth of the planktivorous fish were higher in high biomass stands. There was high consumption of a small cladoceran species in low macrophyte biomass, which was replaced by larger species, such as copepods, in intermediate and high biomass. Thus, the selection of some species was different among the biomass levels. These results suggest that plant biomass plays an important role in the interaction between fish and microcrustaceans, and prey characteristics such as size, escape ability and energy value make them more or less subject to predation by fish according to habitat structuring.

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A Numerical Study of the Effect of Particle Size on Particle Deposition on Turbine Vanes and Blades

Advances in Mechanical Engineering ◽

10.1177/16878140211017812 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 168781402110178

Author(s):

Zhengang Liu ◽

Weinan Diao ◽

Zhenxia Liu ◽

Fei Zhang

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Particle Deposition ◽

Numerical Study ◽

Stokes Number ◽

Capture Efficiency ◽

Particle Capture ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Pressure Surface ◽

Deposition Area ◽

Turbine Vanes

Particle deposition could decrease the aerodynamic performance and cooling efficiency of turbine vanes and blades. The particle motion in the flow and its temperature are two important factors affecting its deposition. The size of the particle influences both its motion and temperature. In this study, the motion of particles with the sizes from 1 to 20 μm in the first stage of a turbine are firstly numerically simulated with the steady method, then the particle deposition on the vanes and blades are numerically simulated with the unsteady method based on the critical viscosity model. It is discovered that the particle deposition on vanes mainly formed near the leading and trailing edge on the pressure surface, and the deposition area expands slowly to the whole pressure surface with the particle size increasing. For the particle deposition on blades, the deposition area moves from the entire pressure surface toward the tip with the particle size increasing due to the effect of rotation. For vanes, the particle capture efficiency increases with the particle size increasing since Stokes number and temperature of the particle both increase with its size. For blades, the particle capture efficiency increases firstly and then decreases with the particle size increasing.

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Tannic acid-functionalized HEPA filter materials for influenza virus capture

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-78929-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Subin Kim ◽

Jinhyo Chung ◽

Sang Hyun Lee ◽

Jeong Hyeon Yoon ◽

Dae-Hyuk Kweon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Virus ◽

Tannic Acid ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Influenza Viruses ◽

Capture Efficiency ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Filter Materials ◽

Washing Process ◽

Pathogenic Viruses ◽

Cost Efficient

AbstractInfluenza, one of the most contagious and infectious diseases, is predominantly transmitted through aerosols, leading to the development of filter-based protective equipment. Though the currently available filters are effective at removing submicron-sized particulates, filter materials with enhanced virus-capture efficiency are still in demand. Coating or chemically modifying filters with molecules capable of binding influenza viruses has received attention as a promising approach for the production of virus-capturing filters. For this purpose, tannic acid (TA), a plant-derived polyphenol, is a promising molecule for filter functionalization because of its antiviral activities and ability to serve as a cost-efficient adhesive for various materials. This study demonstrates the facile preparation of TA-functionalized high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter materials and their efficiency in influenza virus capture. Polypropylene HEPA filter fabrics were coated with TA via a dipping/washing process. The TA-functionalized HEPA filter (TA-HF) exhibits a high in-solution virus capture efficiency of up to 2,723 pfu/mm2 within 10 min, which is almost two orders of magnitude higher than that of non-functionalized filters. This result suggests that the TA-HF is a potent anti-influenza filter that can be used in protective equipment to prevent the spread of pathogenic viruses.

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Multidimensional trophic niche revealed by complementary approaches: gut content, digestive enzymes, fatty acids and stable isotopes in Collembola

Journal of Animal Ecology ◽

10.1111/1365-2656.13511 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anton M. Potapov ◽

Melanie M. Pollierer ◽

Sandrine Salmon ◽

Vladimír Šustr ◽

Ting‐Wen Chen

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Stable Isotopes ◽

Digestive Enzymes ◽

Trophic Niche ◽

Gut Content

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