The dimensionality of ecological networks

How many dimensions (trait-axes) are required to predict whether two species interact? This unanswered question originated with the idea of ecological niches, and yet bears relevance today for understanding what determines network structure. Here, we analyse a set of 200 ecological networks, including food webs, antagonistic and mutualistic networks, and find that the number of dimensions needed to completely explain all interactions is small (< 10), with model selection favouring less than five. Using 18 high-quality webs including several species traits, we identify which traits contribute the most to explaining network structure. We show that accounting for a few traits dramatically improves our understanding of the structure of ecological networks. Matching traits for resources and consumers, for example, fruit size and bill gape, are the most successful combinations. These results link ecologically important species attributes to large-scale community structure. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

O linchamento de Edson Neris da Silva: reelaborações identitárias dos skinheads carecas do Brasil na sociedade paulista contemporânea

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nacionalismo, cosmopolitismo e afrancesamento em Mon coeur balance e Leur âme, de Oswald de Andrade e Guilherme de Almeida

Pós-graduação em História - FCLAS

Efeitos da tilapicultura em tanques-rede sobre as assembléias zooplanctônicas do Reservatório de Chavantes, rio Paranapanema (SP/PR)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Dinâmica populacional e comportamento predatório individual da aranha social Parawixia bistriata (Rengger) (Araneae: Araneidae)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeitos da contaminação fecal sobre a dinâmica e a estrutura da alça microbiana em areias de praias do litoral norte do estado de São Paulo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Recursos através dos ecossistemas: insetos aquáticos emergentes subsidiam comunidade de aranhas ripárias

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Structure and post-translational modifications of the web silk protein spidroin-1 from Nephila spiders

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ecosystem fragmentation drives increased diet variation in an endemic livebearing fish of the Bahamas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Adesão de Paracoccidioides brasiliensis e outros fungos anemófilos a teias de aranhas: implicações para a identificação de nichos microbianos no ambiente

The dimorphic pathogenic fungus, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb), is the etiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), the most important systemic mycosis in Latin America. While the yeast phase can be isolated from patients affected by paracoccidioidomycosis, dogs and naturally infected armadillos; several elements related to the ecology of the saprophytic phase of the pathogen, which is responsible for the production of infective propagules, are poorly understood, hampering the adoption of preventive measures. The demonstration of the high incidence of Pb infection in the 9- banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, has opened new perspectives for the identification of the pathogen’s habitat. At the opening of the armadillos’ burrows, spider webs are commonly found. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of Pb in spider webs samples related to the habitat of armadillos. Spider web samples were collected at Lageado Farm, Botucatu/SP and prepared for microscopic, molecular and mycological analyses. Microscopic analysis showed that different fungi were closely attached to spider web samples. Nested-PCR reaction showed positive amplification for Pb in 4 samples, with identity confirmed by amplicon sequencing. Fungal colonies also included members of Aspergillus, Blastobotrys, Penicillium, Candida, and Sporothrix genera, which are related to opportunistic disease and primary infections of great medical importance. In vitro adhesion tests of mycelia and yeast form of Pb to the spider webs were also performed, in order to analyze the possible physical attraction between fungal cells and the spider web protein network. The results showed a clear adherence of fungal particles to spider webs. In the current literature, there are no studies reporting adhesive properties of microorganisms to spider webs... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

El caso de enseñanza en la formación del Pedagogo 1989-0257

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Autoavaliação e avaliação entre pares no desenvolvimento de projetos orientados pela aprendizagem baseada em problemas: a percepção de estudantes universitários

The study takes as its object the evaluation process of a graduation discipline at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo (USP), developed through the methodology of Problem Based Learning (PBL). We consider three distinct and complementary aspects: procedural review (partial and final) student peer assessment and self-assessment. The sample consisted of 17 students from the undergraduate courses. Data collection occurred in two stages through questionnaires with open and closed questions. The qualitativeinterpretative analysis allowed two comparisons: cross (intra-step) and longitudinal (inter-steps). The results point to a trend of students evaluating objective aspects of the work as well as to overcome some difficulties in the development of the project.

Life history and DNA barcode of Oxyurella longicaudis (Birgei, 1910) (Cladocera, Anomopoda, Chydoridae)

Background: Cladocera is an important group of freshwater zooplankton, and the species plays an important role in energy transfer and in aquatic food webs. Oxyurella longicaudis is a Chydoridae species that has been recorded in North and South America. The aim of this study is to investigate the life cycle aspects of parthenogenetic females of O. longicaudis cultured in laboratory under controlled conditions: temperature (23 degrees C +/- 05 degrees C), photoperiod (12 h light/12 h dark), food supply, and reconstituted water.Results: Embryonic development duration (2.3 +/- 0.5 days), post-embryonic development (5.2 +/- 0.69 days), mean fecundity (two eggs female(-1) brood(-1)), total egg production (22.55 +/- 3.98 eggs), average longevity (58 days), and body growth of the species were recorded. We also report the first DNA barcode for O. longicaudis isolated in Brazil, which will allow for easy identification in future zooplankton community studies. The analysis shows a genetic divergence of around 7% between our Brazilian isolate and O. longicaudis isolates from Mexico.Conclusions: The time of embryonic and post-embryonic development of O. longicaudis was higher than that of the other species of the same family, which contributed to lower total egg production throughout its life cycle. The genetic divergence appears to be sufficient to classify the two isolates as different species.

Diversidade de vespas sociais (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) em diferentes fitofisionomias do Centro-Leste do Estado de São Paulo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Traições, pequenas mentiras e internet: conjugalidades contemporâneas e usos de mídias digitais

In the present paper, the authors carry out an exploratory analysis of the market of confidential online betrayals by examining the perceptions of the issue of those Ashely Madison Site users participating in the research. The ethnographic method and a multidisciplinary approach were employed in order to understand how love and market, technology and intimacy come together, and how traditional values related to family, conjugality and masculinity articulate in the world of online betrayals. Interactions between men aged between 38 and 70 were favored in the analyses.