Individual variation in dispersal, and its sources, shape the fate of pushed vs. pulled range expansions

Ecological and evolutionary dynamics of range expansions are shaped by both dispersal and population growth. Accordingly, density-dependence in either dispersal or growth can determine whether expansions are pulled or pushed, i.e. whether expansion velocities and genetic diversity are mainly driven by recent, low-density edge populations, or by older populations closer to the core. Despite this and despite abundant evidence of dispersal evolution during expansions, the impact of density-dependent dispersal and its evolution on expansion dynamics remains understudied. Here, we used simulation models to examine the influence of individual trait variation in both dispersal capacity and dispersal density-dependence on expansions, and how it impacts the position of expansions on the pulled-pushed continuum. First, we found that knowing about the evolution of density-dependent dispersal at the range edge can greatly improve our ability to predict whether an expansion is (more) pushed or (more) pulled. Second, we found that both dispersal costs and the sources of variation in dispersal (genetic or non-genetic, in dispersal capacity versus in density-dependence) greatly influence how expansion dynamics evolve. Among other scenarios, pushed expansions tended to become more pulled with time only when density-dependence was highly heritable, dispersal costs were low and dispersal capacity could not evolve. When, on the other hand, variation in density-dependence had no genetic basis, but dispersal capacity could evolve, then pushed expansions tended to become more pushed with time, and pulled expansions more pulled. More generally, our results show that trying to predict expansion velocities and dynamics using trait information from non-expanding regions only may be problematic, that both dispersal variation and its sources play a key role in determining whether an expansion is and stays pushed, and that environmental context (here dispersal costs) cannot be neglected. Those simulations suggest new avenues of research to explore, both in terms of theoretical studies and regarding ways to empirically study pushed vs. pulled range expansions.

Variation in the Nutritive Characteristics of Modern Perennial Ryegrass Cultivars in South-Eastern Australian Dairy Environments and Prospects for Inclusion in the Australian Forage Value Index (FVI)

Perennial ryegrass (PRG) is an important forage grown on dairy farms in temperate regions globally, including south-eastern Australia. A forage value index (FVI) providing information on the seasonal production of commercially available PRG cultivars is currently available. Despite the importance of the nutritive value of pasture in dairy farm systems, the nutritive characteristics of PRG cultivars are not currently included in the FVI as they are not routinely measured in cultivar evaluation trials. This study investigated differences between cultivar functional groups (diploid and tetraploid). It also examined differences between individual cultivars within seasons at four locations in south-eastern Australia and examined how trial location affects cultivar ranking. Samples were collected from existing cultivar evaluation trials over a 3-year period and analysed for nutritive characteristics. There were differences (p < 0.05) between diploids and tetraploids for metabolisable energy (ME) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in each season at each location with a few exceptions in summer and autumn. Crude protein (CP) differed between functional groups in some seasons at some sites. Spearman rank correlations within season were strong for ME between trial locations (r = 0.78–0.96), moderate to high for NDF (0.51–0.86) and variable for CP (−0.69–0.56). These findings provide guidance on methods for implementing nutritive value testing in cultivar evaluation trials and support the imminent inclusion of ME in the Australian FVI. The ranking of cultivars for ME was more consistent across trial sites compared to NDF and CP, suggesting the latter two traits, in particular CP, are more sensitive to environmental influences. Based on these results, we do not recommend the inclusion of CP as an individual trait in the Australian FVI. A significantly larger dataset and further research on the genotype by environment interactions would be needed to reconsider this. The addition of ME in the Australian FVI will lead to better cultivar choices by farmers and could lead to more targeted perennial ryegrass breeding programs.

Genome-Wide Association Analysis To Delineate High-Quality Snps For Seed Micronutrient Density In Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.)

Chickpea is the most important nutrient rich grain legume crop in the world. A diverse core set of 147 chickpea genotypes was genotyped with 50K Cicer SNP array and trait phenotyped in two different environments for four seed micro-nutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn). The trait data and high-throughput 50K SNP genotypic data was used for genome-wide association study (GWAS) that led the discovery of gene/QTLs for seed Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations in chickpea. The analysis of seed micronutrient data revealed significant differences for all the four micronutrient concentrations (P ≤ 0.05). The mean concentration of seed Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn pooled over two-year data was 146.1 ppm, 45.9 ppm, 63.8 ppm and 27.0 ppm respectively. The analysis of results led to the identification of 35 SNPs significantly associated with seed Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations. Among these 35 MTAs, 5 were stable (consistently identified in different environments), 6 were major (explain more than 15% phenotypic variation for an individual trait) and 3 were both major and stable MTAs. The stable and major MTAs identified during the present study shall prove useful in molecular breeding programs aimed at enhancing seed nutrient density of chickpea.

Trener sportowy dorosłych osób z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną jako ich przywódca w społeczeństwie1

The article in a person representing the trait of an individual trait and a person of a sports trainer with intellectual disability and a personality traits leader with an intellectual personality and a personality traits leader with an intellectual personality.

The Role of Relationship Quality for Solitude Experiences during the Pandemic

As time spent at home has significantly increased during the pandemic, reports of household conflict has also risen among people living with others (Usher et al., 2020). One solution to alleviate the potential stress of increased time with others could be carving out time to oneself. The present study investigated how living conditions (e.g., with others vs. alone) are associated with everyday desire for solitude and whether daily solitude experience comes with improved daily emotional well-being in people living with others. Furthermore, it also explored whether relationship quality is associated with solitude experience in a similar manner as living conditions. To do so, we used repeated daily life assessments from a lifespan sample (N = 215; M age = 38.3 years, SD age = 17.5; 78 % female) collected during the early pandemic (April to August 2020). Findings indicate that neither living conditions nor relationship quality were directly associated with daily desire for solitude, but higher relationship well-being was related to low preference for solitude when measured as an individual trait. In addition, relationship quality significantly moderated everyday solitude–affect links: higher relationship quality was related to reduced negative affect during solitude, and conflict was related to increased positive and decreased negative affect on solitude as compared to non-solitude days. The results imply that it is the subjective experience of relationships rather than objective living conditions that shape daily affective quality during solitude.

The Impact of Experiencing Outcomes on Delay and Probability Discounting

<p>Temporal and probability discounting refer to the decrease in subjective value of rewards that are either delayed or uncertain. Comparatively high degrees of discounting have been linked to other indices of impulsivity in both animals and humans, but the study of human discounting has primarily relied on participant reports of preferences between hypothetical outcomes. A number studies to date have illustrated not only how sensitive these preferences are to manipulations within such hypothetical procedures, but also that tasks where each consequence is actually experienced are able to capture changes in behaviour that hypothetical tasks may not. The current thesis examined temporal and probability discounting using a novel experiential discounting task in the form of a computer game-based discounting task in which the delays or probabilities of the preferred outcomes were experienced following each choice. The game had participants collect points by skiing over jumps, and discounting choices between either immediate and delayed or certain and uncertain point outcomes provided additional opportunities for point gain. Discounting was examined across four samples primarily composed of university students. Experiment 1, a test of the newly created task in two parts, assessed the most appropriate descriptive model of both temporal and probability discounting, as well as examined the relation between the two, hypothetical discounting and self-report measures of impulsivity and risk taking. Experiment 2 examined the effect of magnitude manipulations on both temporal and probability discounting. Experiment 3 examined the effect on degree of temporal discounting of manipulations to post-reward delays and access to alternative reinforcement during this period. Lastly, Experiment 4 attempted to manipulate the association between delay and risk and examined the impact of this on discounting of delayed outcomes. Participants across all studies showed systematic decreases in subjective value of both delayed and uncertain point outcomes. However, the shape of this decrease in value differed across the two types of outcomes, as did the effect of the magnitude manipulations. Furthermore, neither post-reinforcement duration, access to alternative reinforcement, nor experience with risk influenced degree of temporal discounting. The results are discussed in terms of single process accounts of discounting, the implications for individual trait interpretations of discounting and the relevance of experiential and hypothetical discounting to the construct of impulsivity.</p>

The Impact of Experiencing Outcomes on Delay and Probability Discounting

<p>Temporal and probability discounting refer to the decrease in subjective value of rewards that are either delayed or uncertain. Comparatively high degrees of discounting have been linked to other indices of impulsivity in both animals and humans, but the study of human discounting has primarily relied on participant reports of preferences between hypothetical outcomes. A number studies to date have illustrated not only how sensitive these preferences are to manipulations within such hypothetical procedures, but also that tasks where each consequence is actually experienced are able to capture changes in behaviour that hypothetical tasks may not. The current thesis examined temporal and probability discounting using a novel experiential discounting task in the form of a computer game-based discounting task in which the delays or probabilities of the preferred outcomes were experienced following each choice. The game had participants collect points by skiing over jumps, and discounting choices between either immediate and delayed or certain and uncertain point outcomes provided additional opportunities for point gain. Discounting was examined across four samples primarily composed of university students. Experiment 1, a test of the newly created task in two parts, assessed the most appropriate descriptive model of both temporal and probability discounting, as well as examined the relation between the two, hypothetical discounting and self-report measures of impulsivity and risk taking. Experiment 2 examined the effect of magnitude manipulations on both temporal and probability discounting. Experiment 3 examined the effect on degree of temporal discounting of manipulations to post-reward delays and access to alternative reinforcement during this period. Lastly, Experiment 4 attempted to manipulate the association between delay and risk and examined the impact of this on discounting of delayed outcomes. Participants across all studies showed systematic decreases in subjective value of both delayed and uncertain point outcomes. However, the shape of this decrease in value differed across the two types of outcomes, as did the effect of the magnitude manipulations. Furthermore, neither post-reinforcement duration, access to alternative reinforcement, nor experience with risk influenced degree of temporal discounting. The results are discussed in terms of single process accounts of discounting, the implications for individual trait interpretations of discounting and the relevance of experiential and hypothetical discounting to the construct of impulsivity.</p>

Making Leaders’ and Followers’ Relationship Sustainable: The Impact of Leaders’ Behavioral Integrity on Employees’ Voice in the Banking Sector of Pakistan

The behavioural integrity of leaders is not only an individual trait that can earn them respect in their personal capacity, but it also may positively affect their followers and ultimately improve the organization’s effectiveness in a variety of ways. The relationship between behavioural integrity and employees using their voice has been studied by researchers through multiple aspects. This study brings a new perspective in this discussion by investigating the effect of leaders’ behavioural integrity on employees’ voice both directly and through the mediating roles of psychological safety and trust in the leader. The cross-sectional data of 384 employees collected from the banking sector in Pakistan is used to shed light on this new perspective in the relationship between the behavioural integrity of a leader and employees’ comportment in using their voice. The results of the empirical analyses support the direct effect of the behavioural integrity of leaders on employees’ voice. A significant mediating role of psychological safety and trust is also supported in the empirical analyses. The findings of the study bear important implications for leaders and business managers working in companies by providing insight on the importance of behavioural integrity of leaders in encouraging employees to have a voice in organizations.

Default mode and frontal executive network interactions enable interoceptive attention & mindfulness

Interoceptive attention to internal sensory signals is fundamental to mindfulness. In an attention-to-breathing task in 161 adults, we found that consistency of interoceptive attention significantly correlated with performance efficiency across several exteroceptive cognitive domain tasks. EEG source mapping within subjects showed that on low-consistency or distracted trials there was greater recruitment of frontal executive control activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and suppression of the posterior default mode network (Precuneus), with increased functional connectivity between these regions. In contrast, high-consistency or attentive trials were associated with greater connectivity between Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) and Insula, key nodes of the cognitive control network for attention monitoring. Notably, individual trait mindfulness was correlated with greater functional connectivity between DLPFC-Precuneus on distracted trials and greater ACC-Insula connectivity on attentive trials. These results showcase dynamic network interactions underlying objective markers of interoceptive attention and subjective rating mindfulness.

Poverty in South Asia: An Intellectual History

The Oxford English Dictionary defines poverty as “destitution” with respect to lack of wealth and material possessions. It denotes a condition where an individual has inadequate resources and earnings to afford those necessities they require in order to stay alive and well. This condition can stem from extraneous shocks, such as the death of the head of the household or a poor harvest, or can result from systematic factors like power relations or institutions that have, since ancient times, kept some groups in society in precarious conditions. Descriptions of poverty are plentiful in ancient and medieval texts, which tend to characterize poverty with regard to natural, cultural, and personal features. In sharp contrast, the emergence of poverty as a public policy concern did not become evident until the latter part of the 19th century. It is also noteworthy that the means of measuring poverty that began to emerge in 19th and early 20th centuries identified poverty as a cultural or individual trait, rather than as a consequence of legal or administrative policy making. These latter day quantitative methods of measurement also provide the earliest evidence base for the design of public policies for poverty alleviation and advancing human development.