Advancing an Ecosystem Approach in the Gulf of Maine

2012 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Sensor Arrays ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Dynamical Structure ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Future ◽  
And Function

<i>Abstract</i> .—Here we summarize presentations given at the theme session “Structure and Function of the Gulf of Maine System” of the 2009 Gulf of Maine Symposium— Advancing Ecosystem Research for the Future of the Gulf, covering a broad spectrum of multidisciplinary research underway in one of the world’s most intensively studied marine systems. Our objective was to attempt a synthesis of the current ecological and oceanographic understanding of the Gulf of Maine and, in particular, to document progress in these areas since the 1996 Gulf of Maine Ecosystem Dynamics Symposium more than a decade earlier. Presentations at the session covered issues ranging from habitat structure and function, biodiversity, population structure, trophic ecology, the intersection of the biological, chemical and physical oceanography of the region, and the dynamics of economically important species. Important strides in characterizing the broader dimensions of biodiversity in the region, the establishment of new sampling programs and the availability of new sensor arrays, and the renewed emphasis synthesis and integration to meet the emerging needs for ecosystem-based management in the gulf have all contributed to a deepened appreciation of its dynamical structure. The critical importance of the ecosystem goods and services provided by the gulf, and the factors affecting the sustainable delivery of these services, was clearly demonstrated in the course of the session. The papers presented at the session made it clear how far we have come and how far we need to go to ensure the sustainable delivery of these services into the future.

Dynamical structure and function of purple membrane as seen by neutrons

1995 ◽  
Vol 213-214 ◽  
pp. 775-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Fitter ◽  
M. Adams ◽  
G. Coddens ◽  
G. Büldt ◽  
N.A. Dencher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structure And Function ◽  
Purple Membrane ◽  
Dynamical Structure ◽  
And Function

Impact of artificial reefs on sediment bacterial structure and function in Bohai Bay

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Wang ◽  
Jinsheng Sun ◽  
Enjun Fang ◽  
Biao Guo ◽  
Yuanyuan Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Reef ◽  
Control Area ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Artificial Reefs ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Bohai Bay ◽  
Reef Area ◽  
The Future ◽  
And Function ◽  
And Control

Artificial reefs have significantly altered ecological and environmental conditions compared with natural reefs, but how these changes affect sediment bacteria structure and function is unknown. Here, we compared the structure and function of the sediment bacterial community in the artificial reef area, the future artificial reef area, and the control area in Bohai Bay by 16S rRNA genes sequencing. Our results indicated that bacteria communities in the sediment were both taxonomically and functionally different between the reef area and control area. In the artificial reef area, the α-diversity was significantly lower, whereas the β-diversity was significantly higher. Functional genes related to chemo-heterotrophy, nitrate reduction, hydrocarbon degradation, and the human pathogens and human gut were more abundant, whereas genes related to the metabolism of sulfur compounds were less abundant in the artificial reef than in the control area. The differences in bacterial communities were primarily determined by depth in the artificial reef area, and by total organic carbon in the future reef area and control area. This study provides the first overview of molecular ecology to assess the impacts of artificial reefs on the bacteria community.

scholarly journals Secondary production as a tool for better understanding of aquatic ecosystems

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1230-1253 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Dolbeth ◽  
M. Cusson ◽  
R. Sousa ◽  
M.A. Pardal
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Production ◽  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Aquatic Ecology ◽  
Empirical Models ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Ecological Change ◽  
Production Studies ◽  
Dynamics And Function ◽  
And Function

A major challenge for ecologists is understanding ecosystem dynamics and function under environmental and anthropogenic stresses. An approach for addressing this challenge is the analysis of the different components contributing to secondary production (i.e., consumer incorporation of organic matter or energy per time unit) and how this production is influenced by external factors. Production studies have been recognized as a powerful tool in aquatic ecology, with applications in energy–biomass flow studies, trophic ecology, management of biological resources, as well as assessment of environmental stress. In this paper, we summarize ideas and techniques related to the estimation of secondary production and discuss how this approach may be used to evaluate ecological change in aquatic ecosystems. We include a critical review of classical methods and empirical models to estimate secondary production and provide several applications of production studies to current stresses affecting aquatic ecosystems, such as climate change, pollution, and the introduction of non-indigenous invasive species. Our goal is to illustrate the advantages of using secondary production as a more integrative tool for the assessment of the ecosystem function, in particular when subjected to strong anthropogenic and climatic stress.

scholarly journals Biogeochemical decoupling: how, where and when?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Alvarez-Cobelas ◽  
Salvador Sánchez-Carrillo ◽  
Carmen Rojo
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Food Webs ◽  
Chemical Element ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
The Other ◽  
And Function

Research has dealt with coupling of chemical element cycles and feedback in recent years. Sometimes, this biogeochemical coupling is reversed through abiotic or biotic (including man-made) processes. It is then called biogeochemical decoupling and is a disconnection between two chemical elements whereby transformations of one affect cycling of the other, and results in asynchronical behavior of chemical elements. It appears to be more important and widespread than earlier reports suggest, and gives rise to important changes in element stoichiometry of resources. These changes in turn modify organismal stoichiometry that, if great enough, can affect biodiversity and food webs, thus altering community structure and function. Biogeochemical decoupling then impinges on ecosystem dynamics and may impair ecosystem services.

scholarly journals Biogeochemical decoupling: how, where and when?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Alvarez-Cobelas ◽  
Salvador Sánchez-Carrillo ◽  
Carmen Rojo
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Food Webs ◽  
Chemical Element ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
The Other ◽  
And Function

Research has dealt with coupling of chemical element cycles and feedback in recent years. Sometimes, this biogeochemical coupling is reversed through abiotic or biotic (including man-made) processes. It is then called biogeochemical decoupling and is a disconnection between two chemical elements whereby transformations of one affect cycling of the other, and results in asynchronical behavior of chemical elements. It appears to be more important and widespread than earlier reports suggest, and gives rise to important changes in element stoichiometry of resources. These changes in turn modify organismal stoichiometry that, if great enough, can affect biodiversity and food webs, thus altering community structure and function. Biogeochemical decoupling then impinges on ecosystem dynamics and may impair ecosystem services.

scholarly journals Bioinspired Modifications of PEEK Implants for Bone Tissue Engineering

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinming Gu ◽  
Xiaolin Sun ◽  
Yue Sun ◽  
Jia Wang ◽  
Yiping Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Elastic Modulus ◽  
Bone Tissue Engineering ◽  
Bone Tissue ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Natural Bone ◽  
The Future ◽  
And Function ◽  
Surrounding Bone

In recent years, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has been increasingly employed as an implant material in clinical applications. Although PEEK is biocompatible, chemically stable, and radiolucent and has an elastic modulus similar to that of natural bone, it suffers from poor integration with surrounding bone tissue after implantation. To improve the bioactivity of PEEK, numerous strategies for functionalizing the PEEK surface and changing the PEEK structure have been proposed. Inspired by the components, structure, and function of bone tissue, this review discusses strategies to enhance the biocompatibility of PEEK implants and provides direction for fabricating multifunctional implants in the future.

scholarly journals Common carp disrupt ecosystem structure and function through middle-out effects

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Kaemingk ◽  
Jeffrey C. Jolley ◽  
Craig P. Paukert ◽  
David W. Willis ◽  
Kjetil Henderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Common Carp ◽  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
And Function ◽  
Ecosystem Structure And Function

Middle-out effects or a combination of top-down and bottom-up processes create many theoretical and empirical challenges in the realm of trophic ecology. We propose using specific autecology or species trait (i.e. behavioural) information to help explain and understand trophic dynamics that may involve complicated and non-unidirectional trophic interactions. The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) served as our model species for whole-lake observational and experimental studies; four trophic levels were measured to assess common carp-mediated middle-out effects across multiple lakes. We hypothesised that common carp could influence aquatic ecosystems through multiple pathways (i.e. abiotic and biotic foraging, early life feeding, nutrient). Both studies revealed most trophic levels were affected by common carp, highlighting strong middle-out effects likely caused by common carp foraging activities and abiotic influence (i.e. sediment resuspension). The loss of water transparency, submersed vegetation and a shift in zooplankton dynamics were the strongest effects. Trophic levels furthest from direct pathway effects were also affected (fish life history traits). The present study demonstrates that common carp can exert substantial effects on ecosystem structure and function. Species capable of middle-out effects can greatly modify communities through a variety of available pathways and are not confined to traditional top-down or bottom-up processes.

Saving Faculty Psychology

2021 ◽  
pp. 136-151
Author(s):  
John Zerilli
Keyword(s):  
Good Deal ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Multiple Realization ◽  
Faculty Psychology ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
And Function ◽  
Two Sides

The future of faculty psychology depends in no small part on the productive collaboration between neuroscience and psychology. The argument from multiple realization has posed a significant philosophical stumbling block to this quest in the past. Multiple realization should not be taken as an empirical given—establishing that a kind is multiply realizable takes a good deal of work, as Shapiro has been at pains to show; and even when the existence of an MR kind can be verified, the details of its implementation do not suddenly become irrelevant. Structure and function are two sides of the same coin. Thus the multiple realization argument provides no basis for neglecting the discoveries of neuroscience. Faculty psychology’s strength lies precisely in its willingness to work with neuroscience.

scholarly journals Peroxisome protein import: a complex journey

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 783-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Baker ◽  
Thomas Lanyon Hogg ◽  
Stuart L. Warriner
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Protein Import ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Structural Studies ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Cargo Proteins ◽  
Targeting Signals ◽  
Folded Proteins ◽  
And Function

The import of proteins into peroxisomes possesses many unusual features such as the ability to import folded proteins, and a surprising diversity of targeting signals with differing affinities that can be recognized by the same receptor. As understanding of the structure and function of many components of the protein import machinery has grown, an increasingly complex network of factors affecting each step of the import pathway has emerged. Structural studies have revealed the presence of additional interactions between cargo proteins and the PEX5 receptor that affect import potential, with a subtle network of cargo-induced conformational changes in PEX5 being involved in the import process. Biochemical studies have also indicated an interdependence of receptor–cargo import with release of unloaded receptor from the peroxisome. Here, we provide an update on recent literature concerning mechanisms of protein import into peroxisomes.

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