scholarly journals Intraspecific variation in the cochleae of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and its implications for comparative studies across odontocetes

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8916
Author(s):  
Maria Clara Iruzun Martins ◽  
Travis Park ◽  
Rachel Racicot ◽  
Natalie Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Intraspecific Variation ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Linear Measurement ◽  
Single Individual ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
Cochlear Morphology

In morphological traits, variation within species is generally considered to be lower than variation among species, although this assumption is rarely tested. This is particularly important in fields like palaeontology, where it is common to use a single individual as representative of a species due to the rarity of fossils. Here, we investigated intraspecific variation in the cochleae of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Interspecific variation of cochlear morphology is well characterised among odontocetes (toothed whales) because of the importance of the structure in echolocation, but generally these studies use only a single cochlea to represent each species. In this study we compare variation within the cochleae of 18 specimens of P. phocoena with variations in cochlear morphology across 51 other odontocete species. Using both 3D landmark and linear measurement data, we performed Generalised Procrustes and principal component analyses to quantify shape variation. We then quantified intraspecific variation in our sample of P. phocoena by estimating disparity and the coefficient of variation for our 3D and linear data respectively. Finally, to determine whether intraspecific variation may confound the results of studies of interspecific variation, we used multivariate and univariate analyses of variance to test whether variation within the specimens of P. phocoena was significantly lower than that across odontocetes. We found low levels of intraspecific variation in the cochleae of P. phocoena, and that cochlear shape within P. phocoena was significantly less variable than across odontocetes. Although future studies should attempt to use multiple cochleae for every species, our results suggest that using just one cochlea for each species should not strongly influence the conclusions of comparative studies if our results are consistent across Cetacea.

scholarly journals Inter- and intraspecific variation in grass phytolith shape and size: a geometric morphometrics perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristýna Hošková ◽  
Adéla Pokorná ◽  
Jiří Neustupa ◽  
Petr Pokorný
Keyword(s):  
Intraspecific Variation ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Procrustes Analysis ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Species Discrimination ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Shape And Size

Abstract Background and Aims The relative contributions of inter- and intraspecific variation to phytolith shape and size have only been investigated in a limited number of studies. However, a detailed understanding of phytolith variation patterns among populations or even within a single plant specimen is of key importance for the correct taxonomic identification of grass taxa in fossil samples and for the reconstruction of vegetation and environmental conditions in the past. In this study, we used geometric morphometric analysis for the quantification of different sources of phytolith shape and size variation. Methods We used landmark-based geometric morphometric methods for the analysis of phytolith shapes in two extant grass species (Brachypodium pinnatum and B. sylvaticum). For each species, 1200 phytoliths were analysed from 12 leaves originating from six plants growing in three populations. Phytolith shape and size data were subjected to multivariate Procrustes analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate regression, principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis. Key Results Interspecific variation largely outweighed intraspecific variation with respect to phytolith shape. Individual phytolith shapes were classified with 83 % accuracy into their respective species. Conversely, variation in phytolith shapes within species but among populations, possibly related to environmental heterogeneity, was comparatively low. Conclusions Our results imply that phytolith shape relatively closely corresponds to the taxonomic identity of closely related grass species. Moreover, our methodological approach, applied here in phytolith analysis for the first time, enabled the quantification and separation of variation that is not related to species discrimination. Our findings strengthen the role of grass phytoliths in the reconstruction of past vegetation dynamics.

scholarly journals Variation of the Three-Dimensional Femoral J-Curve in the Native Knee

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 592
Author(s):  
Sonja A. G. A. Grothues ◽  
Klaus Radermacher
Keyword(s):  
Geometric Parameter ◽  
Knee Kinematics ◽  
Size Variation ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Parameter Analysis ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
3D Analysis ◽  
Relative Location ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
J Curve

The native femoral J-Curve is known to be a relevant determinant of knee biomechanics. Similarly, after total knee arthroplasty, the J-Curve of the femoral implant component is reported to have a high impact on knee kinematics. The shape of the native femoral J-Curve has previously been analyzed in 2D, however, the knee motion is not planar. In this study, we investigated the J-Curve in 3D by principal component analysis (PCA) and the resulting mean shapes and modes by geometric parameter analysis. Surface models of 90 cadaveric femora were available, 56 male, 32 female and two without respective information. After the translation to a bone-specific coordinate system, relevant contours of the femoral condyles were derived using virtual rotating cutting planes. For each derived contour, an extremum search was performed. The extremum points were used to define the 3D J-Curve of each condyle. Afterwards a PCA and a geometric parameter analysis were performed on the medial and lateral 3D J-Curves. The normalized measures of the mean shapes and the aspects of shape variation of the male and female 3D J-Curves were found to be similar. When considering both female and male J-Curves in a combined analysis, the first mode of the PCA primarily consisted of changes in size, highlighting size differences between female and male femora. Apart from changes in size, variation regarding aspect ratio, arc lengths, orientation, circularity, as well as regarding relative location of the 3D J-Curves was found. The results of this study are in agreement with those of previous 2D analyses on shape and shape variation of the femoral J-Curves. The presented 3D analysis highlights new aspects of shape variability, e.g., regarding curvature and relative location in the transversal plane. Finally, the analysis presented may support the design of (patient-specific) femoral implant components for TKA.

scholarly journals Inter- and intraspecific variation in the Artibeus species complex demonstrates size and shape partitioning among species

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11777
Author(s):  
Brandon P. Hedrick
Keyword(s):  
Species Complex ◽  
Niche Partitioning ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Cranial Morphology ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
Size And Shape ◽  
Ecological Resources ◽  
Artibeus Lituratus

Neotropical leaf-nosed bats (family Phyllostomidae) are one of the most diverse mammalian families and Artibeus spp. is one of the most speciose phyllostomid genera. In spite of their species diversity, previous work on Artibeus crania using linear morphometrics has uncovered limited interspecific variation. This dearth of shape variation suggests that differences in cranial morphology are not contributing to niche partitioning across species, many of which are often found in sympatry. Using two-dimensional geometric morphometric methods on crania from eleven species from the Artibeus species complex, the current study demonstrates substantial cranial interspecific variation, sexual size and shape dimorphism, and intraspecific geographic variation. The majority of species were shown to have a unique size and shape, which suggests that each species may be taking advantage of slightly different ecological resources. Further, both sexual size and shape dimorphism were significant in the Artibeus species complex. Male and female Artibeus are known to have sex specific foraging strategies, with males eating near their roosts and females feeding further from their roosts. The presence of cranial sexual dimorphism in the Artibeus species complex, combined with previous work showing that different fruit size and hardness is correlated with different cranial shapes in phyllostomids, indicates that the males and females may be utilizing different food resources, leading to divergent cranial morphotypes. Additional field studies will be required to confirm this emergent hypothesis. Finally, significant geographical shape variation was found in a large intraspecific sample of Artibeus lituratus crania. However, this variation was not correlated with latitude and instead may be linked to local environmental factors. Additional work on ecology and behavior in the Artibeus species complex underlying the morphological variation uncovered in this study will allow for a better understanding of how the group has reached its present diversity.

scholarly journals Individual variation of the masticatory system dominates 3D skull shape in the herbivory-adapted marsupial wombats

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Weisbecker ◽  
Thomas Guillerme ◽  
Cruise Speck ◽  
Emma Sherratt ◽  
Hyab Mehari Abraha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Variation ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
Mandibular Ramus ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Skull Shape ◽  
Marsupial Species ◽  
Masticatory System ◽  
The Individual

AbstractBackgroundWithin-species skull shape variation of marsupial mammals is widely considered low and strongly size-dependent (allometric), possibly due to developmental constraints arising from the altricial birth of marsupials. However, species whose skulls are impacted by strong muscular stresses – particularly those produced through mastication of tough food items – may not display such intrinsic patterns very clearly because of the known plastic response of bone to muscle activity of the individual. In such cases, shape variation should not be dominated by allometry; ordination of shape in a geometric morphometric context through principal component analysis (PCA) should reveal main variation in areas under masticatory stress (incisor region/zygomatic arches/mandibular ramus); but this main variation should emerge from high individual variability and thus have low eigenvalues.ResultsWe assessed the evidence for high individual variation through 3D geometric morphometric shape analysis of crania and mandibles of thre species of grazing-specialized wombats, whose diet of tough grasses puts considerable strain on their masticatory system. As expected, we found little allometry and low Principal Component 1 (PC1) eigenvalues within crania and mandibles of all three species. Also as expected, the main variation was in the muzzle, zygomatic arches, and masticatory muscle attachments of the mandibular ramus. We then implemented a new test to ask if the landmark variation reflected on PC1 was reflected in individuals with opposite PC1 scores and with opposite shapes in Procrustes space. This showed that correspondence between individual and ordinated shape variation was limited, indicating high levels of individual variability in the masticatory apparatus.DiscussionOur results are inconsistent with hypotheses that skull shape variation within marsupial species reflects a constraint pattern. Rather, they support suggestions that individual plasticity can be an important determinant of within-species shape variation in marsupials (and possibly other mammals) with high masticatory stresses, making it difficult to understand the degree to which intrinsic constraint act on shape variation at the within-species level. We conclude that studies that link micro- and macroevolutionary patterns of shape variation might benefit from a focus on species with low-impact mastication, such as carnivorous or frugivorous species.

Image Reconstruction Algorithm Based On PCA and WNN for ECT

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
Lifeng Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Image Reconstruction ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Transfer Functions ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Reconstruction Algorithm ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Iteration Algorithm ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Image Reconstruction Algorithm

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) technique is a new technique for two-phase flow measurement. ECT is a complex nonlinear problem. To solve the ill-posed image reconstruction problem, image reconstruction algorithm based on wavelet neural networks (WNN) was presented. The principal component analysis (PCA) method was used to reduce the dimension of the input vectors. The transfer functions of the neurons in the WNN were wavelet base functions which were determined by retract and translation factors. The input measurement data were obtained using the ECT simulation software developed by the author. BP algorithm was used to train the WNN, and self-adaptive learning rate and momentum coefficient were also used to accelerate the learning speed. Experimental results showed the image quality has been improved markedly, compared with the typical linear back projection (LBP) algorithm and Landweber iteration algorithm.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document