Using experimental manipulation to assess the roles of leaf litter in the functioning of forest ecosystems

Article Abstract:

Litter plays two major roles in forest ecosystems, firstly, litterfall is an inherent part of nutrient and carbon cycling, and secondly, litter forms a protective layer on the soil surface that also regulates microclimatic conditions. 152 years of litter manipulation experiments are reviewed to show that the effects of manipulating litter stem from changes in one, or both, of these functions, and interactions between the variables influenced by the accumulation of litter can result in feedback mechanisms that may intensify treatment effects of mask responses, making the interpretation of results difficult.

Environmental aspects, Litter (Trash), Terrestrial ecosystems

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A complete phylogeny of whales, dolphins and even-toed hoofed mammals (Cetartiodactyla)

Article Abstract:

The first phylogeny which includes all 290 extant species of the Cetacea (whales and dolphins) and Artiodactyla (even-toed hoofed mammals) is presented using the super tree approach of matrix representation with parsimony. The present species level tree of the Cetartiodactyla provides the first opportunity to examine comparative hypotheses across entirely aquatic and terrestrial species within a single mammalian order.

Germany, Hunting, trapping, game propagation, Whales, Hunting and Trapping, Analysis, Genetic aspects, Protection and preservation, Nucleotide sequence, Base sequence, Phylogeny, Zoology, Animal taxonomy, Cetacea, Structure

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Sex-specific sibling interactions and offspring fitness in vertebrates: Patterns and implications for maternal sex ratios

Article Abstract:

Study is conducted to show that sex-specific siblings interactions in vertebrates result from sex asymmetries in competitive ability, sex-cooperation and sex asymmetries in non-competitive interactions. Incorporating sex-specific sibling interactions into a sex ratio model shows that they will affect maternal sex ratio strategies and under some conditions, can repress other selection pressures for sex ratio adjustment.

Sexual behavior, Physiological aspects, Vertebrates, Sexual selection in animals, Sexual selection (Natural selection), Sex ratio, Dimorphism (Biology)

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