scholarly journals Chemical communication and ecology in Eupnoi harvestmen

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Escalante
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Communication ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Chemical Defenses ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alarm Signals ◽  
History Of

Communication via chemical signals and cues is a widespread modality in animals. Producing, transmitting, receiving and processing chemical compounds impose important challenges. Nonetheless, certain arthropods rely almost exclusively on this channel for intra- and inter-specific communication. Through a preliminary literature review, I summarize here the morphological, behavioral and evolutionary implications of chemical communication in harvestmen (the arachnid order Opiliones), with particular emphasis in one group: the Eupnoi or “Daddy Long-legs”. This group has a unique secretory gland that opens in an ozopore in their dorsum. While relying mostly on short-range olfaction and contact chemoreception using different setae, some harvestmen are known to use chemicals in defense, alarm, spatial marking, recruitment, or reproduction. I then propose future research direction on the mechanisms of production and the evolutionary history of these traits. Specific questions can include (1) are chemical signals used as alarm pheromones in Eupnoi aggregations? (2) Do harvestmen rely on chemicals to mark their traditional roosting sites? If so, what are the chemicals involved and how do those differ from the ones used as alarm signals? Also, (3) what are the specific functions of the chemical communication during in female-male communication and multi-specific roosting aggregations? And (4) to what extent the use of chemical defenses imposes a trade-off with other defense mechanisms such as ‘playing dead’ or voluntarily releasing legs. Overall, these harvestmen provide a unique opportunity to test comprehensive and interdisciplinary hypotheses to understand the evolution of chemical communication, as well as the importance of chemical ecology on species diversification in arthropods.

scholarly journals Chemical communication and ecology in Eupnoi harvestmen

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Escalante
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Communication ◽  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Chemical Defenses ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alarm Signals ◽  
History Of

Communication via chemical signals and cues is a widespread modality in animals. Producing, transmitting, receiving and processing chemical compounds impose important challenges. Nonetheless, certain arthropods rely almost exclusively on this channel for intra- and inter-specific communication. Through a preliminary literature review, I summarize here the morphological, behavioral and evolutionary implications of chemical communication in harvestmen (the arachnid order Opiliones), with particular emphasis in one group: the Eupnoi or “Daddy Long-legs”. This group has a unique secretory gland that opens in an ozopore in their dorsum. While relying mostly on short-range olfaction and contact chemoreception using different setae, some harvestmen are known to use chemicals in defense, alarm, spatial marking, recruitment, or reproduction. I then propose future research direction on the mechanisms of production and the evolutionary history of these traits. Specific questions can include (1) are chemical signals used as alarm pheromones in Eupnoi aggregations? (2) Do harvestmen rely on chemicals to mark their traditional roosting sites? If so, what are the chemicals involved and how do those differ from the ones used as alarm signals? Also, (3) what are the specific functions of the chemical communication during in female-male communication and multi-specific roosting aggregations? And (4) to what extent the use of chemical defenses imposes a trade-off with other defense mechanisms such as ‘playing dead’ or voluntarily releasing legs. Overall, these harvestmen provide a unique opportunity to test comprehensive and interdisciplinary hypotheses to understand the evolution of chemical communication, as well as the importance of chemical ecology on species diversification in arthropods.

Alcohol and Humans

2019 ◽  
pp. 196-206
Author(s):  
Kimberley J. Hockings ◽  
Robin I.M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of

Humans and alcohol have shared a very long history. In this final chapter, we highlight some of the key findings that emerge from the chapters in this book, in particular the evolutionary history of our adaptation to alcohol consumption and the social role that alcohol consumption plays, and has played, in human societies across the world. This raises a major contradiction in the literature, namely the fact that, despite this long history, the medical profession typically views alcohol as destructive. We draw attention to several avenues that would repay future research and how humans’ relationship with alcohol stands to change and evolve.

Gastropod Evolutionary History

1985 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 157-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip W. Signor
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecological Diversity ◽  
Prospective Students ◽  
Ecological Diversification ◽  
History Of ◽  
Evolutionary Success ◽  
Fossil Gastropods

If taxonomic richness or ecological diversity defines evolutionary success, then the gastropods must be placed among the most successful clades of all time. Today, the gastropods are the most speciose class of fossilizable marine invertebrates. They have a rich fossil record extending nearly to the base of the Phanerozoic, documenting an almost uninterrupted taxonomic and ecological diversification (Figure 1). Yet the snails have been often overlooked as a focus of evolutionary or paleoecological study. Classic evolutionary studies of gastropods, for example Fisher et al.'s (1964) study of Athleta or Gould's (1969) work on Poecilozonites, indicate no inherent deficiencies in the taxon and suggest a simple lack of attention. The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of the major features of the history of gastropod evolution, to review problems in the analysis of fossil gastropods, and to reiterate some long-standing questions about the evolution and relationships of ancient snails. The goal is not only to provide a useful guide for non-specialists facing the prospect of lecturing on the beasts, but also to direct prospective students to problems perhaps worthy of their future research effort.

Evolution of Plant NLRs: From Natural History to Precise Modifications

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 355-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janina Tamborski ◽  
Ksenia V. Krasileva
Keyword(s):  
Small Rnas ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Functional Specialization ◽  
Leucine Rich Repeat ◽  
Plant Immune System ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Common ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
Shed Light

Nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) monitor the plant intracellular environment for signs of pathogen infection. Several mechanisms of NLR-mediated immunity arose independently across multiple species. These include the functional specialization of NLRs into sensors and helpers, the independent emergence of direct and indirect recognition within NLR subfamilies, the regulation of NLRs by small RNAs, and the formation of NLR networks. Understanding the evolutionary history of NLRs can shed light on both the origin of pathogen recognition and the common constraints on the plant immune system. Attempts to engineer disease resistance have been sparse and rarely informed by evolutionary knowledge. In this review, we discuss the evolution of NLRs, give an overview of previous engineering attempts, and propose how to use evolutionary knowledge to advance future research in the generation of novel disease-recognition capabilities.

scholarly journals The essential genome of the crenarchaeal model Sulfolobus islandicus

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changyi Zhang ◽  
Alex P. R. Phillips ◽  
Rebecca L. Wipfler ◽  
Gary J. Olsen ◽  
Rachel J. Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Cell Biology ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Experimental System ◽  
Essential Genes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sulfolobus Islandicus ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome ◽  
History Of ◽  
Gene Knockouts

AbstractSulfolobus islandicus is a model experimental system in the TACK superphylum of the Archaea, a key lineage in the evolutionary history of cell biology. Here we report a genome-wide identification of the repertoire of genes essential to S. islandicus growth in culture. We confirm previous targeted gene knockouts, uncover the non-essentiality of functions assumed to be essential to the Sulfolobus cell, including the proteinaceous S-layer, and highlight key essential genes whose functions are yet to be determined. Phyletic distributions illustrate the potential transitions that have occurred during the evolution of this contemporary archaeal cell and highlight the sets of genes that may have been associated with each transition. We use this comparative context as a lens to focus future research on archaea-specific uncharacterized essential genes for which future functional data would provide valuable insights into the evolutionary history of the contemporary cell.

scholarly journals An outlook on the evolutionary history of Carabid beetles (Coleoptera, adephaga)

2021 ◽  
pp. 15-46
Author(s):  
Pietro Brandmayr
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Chemical Defenses ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Tree Bark ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Larval Body ◽  
Probable Presence ◽  
History Of

The paper is an attempt to take stock of recent research on the evolutionary history of the megadiverse beetle family Carabidae. First, the evolution of the carabid body is presented in its fundamental characteristics, in relation to the thoracic structure and locomotory and morphofunctional constraints, taking into account also what we know about fossil findings. Changes are described in the ten fundamental life forms that are recognizable in the larval body, from primitive surface runner to the arboreal tree/bark dweller and the parasitoid life style. The influence of biotic factors, first of all the food preferences, are examined for the best-known subfamilies/tribes, and a synthetic frame is presented of relationships between prey and age of the lineages in the three types of feeding modes: fluid, fragment and mixed feeders. On the whole, Harpalinae lineages seem more adapted to preys that appeared in recent times after the angiosperm flourishing, though exceptions have found. The availability of the biomasses of social insect nests, ants and termites, was of fundamental importance for several carabid stems. The influence of predators surely contributed to the refinement of chemical defenses, and some avoidance behaviours as gregariousness and müllerian mimcry. Ordering the relevant fossil findings by age and taxon the absence of modern carabid fossils in the first part of mesozoic appears clearly, only in the Cretaceous some extinct forms belonging to the actual suprageneric taxa have been found. Thus, Cenozoic era should be retained the age of modern forms, even if extinct taxa are recorded at least until the late miocene. Concerning the old question of ancestral habitat of adephaga, if terrestrial or aquatic, the intermediate hypothesis of Erwin seems still valid, that is a waterside life on shores rich of animal biomass, from which both directions into inland waters and subaerial ecosystems may have started. Finally, the taxonomic position of Rhysodidae has examined in the light of recent studies. morphology of adult and larval beetles is poorly in accordance with a place in Scaritinae (Clivinini), the preimaginal features remember that of archostemata also in the probable presence of a fused labrum, molecular evidence is mainly indicating a position within Carabidae but still not conclusive. a place as separate family within basal Geadephaga should be maintained.

A Summary of Cold Patch Material for Asphalt Pavements

2010 ◽  
Vol 168-170 ◽  
pp. 864-869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Dong Zhao ◽  
Yi Qiu Tan
Keyword(s):  
Asphalt Concrete ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Asphalt Mixture ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Asphalt Pavements ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Concrete Pavements ◽  
Humid Region ◽  
History Of ◽  
Construction Condition

The disadvantages of traditional hot asphalt mixture were very obvious in repairing damaged asphalt concrete pavements, which was affected by seasons easily and highly construction condition requirement. Therefore, the study on cold patch material for asphalt concrete pavements became so necessary for curing and repairing in time, and insuring traffic smoothly in winner. The developing history of cold patch material was reviewed, and the characters of typical cold patch material at home and abroad were analyzed also in this paper. The main problem and research direction of cold patch material were put forward based on damaged pavements resulted from icing in plateau and humid region, especially, the snowstorm in southern China early in 2008. References were offered for the future research of cold patch material so that improved serve life of highway.

scholarly journals Evolutionary history of mammalian UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)1 and UGT2 families: the emergence of UGT2B subfamily in eutherians after the diversification of flowering plants

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuke K. Kawai ◽  
Kasumi Sano ◽  
Yoshinori Ikenaka ◽  
Shouta M.M. Nakayama ◽  
Mitsuki Kondo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Family ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Xenobiotic Metabolism ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Number Of Genes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Udp Glucuronosyltransferase ◽  
Cretaceous Period

AbstractThe UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) gene family is responsible for the transfer of glucuronic acid to exogenous and endogenous chemicals. Based on the highly diversified number of genes, the mammalian UGT1A and UGT2B subfamily genes are believed to be involved in the conjugation reactions of xenobiotic metabolism. However, it is speculated that the UGT2 family genes are not involved in the xenobiotic metabolism of avian species due to the less diverse number of genes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the evolutionary history of mammalian UGT1 and UGT2 family genes and determine when the diversification of UGT2B genes occurred. We also attempted to identify the main factors responsible for the diversification of UGT genes. By examining the genomic information and feeding habits of 67 species representing each mammalian family, we discovered that the UGT2B genes emerged in the Eutheria on or after Cretaceous period and that their number were higher in plant-eating mammals (herbivore or omnivore) than in carnivorous mammals. We also found that the UGT2B genes in some herbivorous mammals underwent positive selection. In contrast, the diversity of the UGT1 family genes was inherited from the common ancestor of birds and mammals. Thus, our findings suggest that the emergence of angiosperms (flowering plants) and the occurrence of “animal–plant warfare” influenced the evolution of this gene family involved in the xenobiotic metabolism of eutherians. Furthermore, future research investigating the marsupials and birds that do not possess UGT2B genes is required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the metabolism of chemical substances in these species.

scholarly journals Is embryonic hypothermia tolerance common in birds?

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 20160967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Ming Zhao ◽  
Zhi-Ming Han ◽  
Yue-Hua Sun
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Coturnix Japonica ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
Avian Incubation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Incubation Temperatures

Avian incubation temperatures oscillate within narrow limits to ensure proper embryonic development. However, field observations and experimental studies have found that some species can tolerate very low incubation temperatures, either regularly or occasionally. We artificially incubated eggs from five domestic species, which represent a range of egg sizes, to examine whether a diversity of avian species could exhibit an unusual hypothermia tolerance, as observed in the field. We found that eggs of the chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus ), pigeon ( Columba livia domestica ), Japanese quail ( Coturnix japonica ) and budgerigar ( Melopsittacus undulatus ) survived the incubation period and hatched after experiencing 10°C hypothermia for 6 h each day. However, embryos of white-rumped munia ( Lonchura striata ) died after 10 days of hypothermia. Our results showed that unusual hypothermia tolerance occurs in several avian species. This phenomenon might have been selected through the evolutionary history of birds. Future research should identify the importance of phylogeny, egg size and embryonic stage in tolerance to hypothermia.

Elaborating the role of reflection and individual differences in the study of folk-economic beliefs

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Arceneaux
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
History Of ◽  
Economic Beliefs

AbstractIntuitions guide decision-making, and looking to the evolutionary history of humans illuminates why some behavioral responses are more intuitive than others. Yet a place remains for cognitive processes to second-guess intuitive responses – that is, to be reflective – and individual differences abound in automatic, intuitive processing as well.

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