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Interactive effects of climate variability and fishing: A modelling analysis for the eastern tropical Pacific pelagic ecosystem

Predation by groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska: A thermodynamically challenged system?

Interaction web database

Changes in interaction biodiversity induced by an introduced ungulate

Synchronous coadaptation in an ancient case of herbivory

Coevolution has long been considered a major force leading to the adaptive radiation and diversification of insects and plants. A fundamental aspect of coevolution is that adaptations and counteradaptations interlace in time. A discordant origin of traits long before or after the origin of the putative coevolutionary selective pressure must be attributed to other evolutionary processes. Despite the importance of this distinction to our understanding of coevolution, the macroevolutionary tempo of innovation in plant defenses and insect counterdefenses has not been documented.

Molecular systematics of Blepharida beetles (Chrysomelidae: Alticinae) and relatives

I investigated the phylogenetic relationships within the New World Blepharida and among related genera, using sequences of the Internal Transcriber Spacer 2 (ITS2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and sequences of the COI and COII genes of the mitochondrial genome. Cladistic analyses were performed using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods. These methods generated almost identical topologies using the combined data sets.

Evolution of Mexican Bursera (Burseraceae) inferred from ITS, ETS, and 5S nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences

I reconstructed a phylogeny of 66 species and varieties of Bursera and 9 outgroup species using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), the 5S non-transcribed region (5S-NTS), and the external transcribed region (ETS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA. This study extends a previously proposed parsimony-based phylogenetic study that used the ITS sequences of 57 Bursera species and five outgroups. Parsimony and maximum likelihood methods were used to infer the phylogeny in this new study.

Assessing the response of terrestrial ecosystems to potential changes in precipitation

Changes in Earth's surface temperatures caused by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are expected to affect global and regional precipitation regimes. Interactions between changing precipitation regimes and other aspects of global change are likely to affect natural and managed terrestrial ecosystems as well as human society. Although much recent research has focused on assessing the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to rising carbon dioxide or temperature, relatively little research has focused on understanding how ecosystems respond to changes in precipitation regimes.

Rapid evolutionary dynamics and disease threats to biodiversity

Existing and emerging pathogens pose unusual challenges for conservation because of their potential to drive rapid changes in the numerical abundance and genetic composition of wild host populations. An increasing number of studies indicate that host genetic diversity plays an important role in buffering populations against widespread epidemics, and that parasites represent powerful selective agents in natural populations.

Pollen pool heterogeneity in shortleaf pine, Pinus echinata Mill