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Biodiversity

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Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Biology Faculty Publications

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

A Rapid And Accurate Minion-Based Workflow For Tracking Species Biodiversity In The Field, Hendrik Freitag, Simone Maestri, Emanuela Cosentino, Marta Paterno, Jhoana M. Garces, Luca Marcolungo, Massimiliano Alfano, Iva Njunjić, Menno Schilthuizen, Ferry Slik, Michele Menegon, Marzia Rossato, Massimo Delledonne Jan 2019

A Rapid And Accurate Minion-Based Workflow For Tracking Species Biodiversity In The Field, Hendrik Freitag, Simone Maestri, Emanuela Cosentino, Marta Paterno, Jhoana M. Garces, Luca Marcolungo, Massimiliano Alfano, Iva Njunjić, Menno Schilthuizen, Ferry Slik, Michele Menegon, Marzia Rossato, Massimo Delledonne

Biology Faculty Publications

Genetic markers (DNA barcodes) are often used to support and confirm species identification. Barcode sequences can be generated in the field using portable systems based on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION sequencer. However, to achieve a broader application, current proof-of-principle workflows for on-site barcoding analysis must be standardized to ensure a reliable and robust performance under suboptimal field conditions without increasing costs. Here, we demonstrate the implementation of a new on-site workflow for DNA extraction, PCR-based barcoding, and the generation of consensus sequences. The portable laboratory features inexpensive instruments that can be carried as hand luggage and uses standard …


Multiple Facets Of Biodiversity Drive The Diversity-Stability Relationship, Dylan Craven, Nico Eisenhauer, William D. Pearse, Yann Hautier, Christiane Roscher, Forest Isbell, Michael Bahn, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Gerhard Bönisch, Nina Buchmann, Chaeho Byun, Jane A. Catford, Bruno E.L. Cerabolini, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Joseph M. Craine, Enrica De Luca, Anne Ebeling, John N. Griffin, Andy Hector, Jes Hines, Anke Jentsch, Jens Kattge, Jürgen Kreyling, Vojtech Lanta, Nathan Lemoine, Sebastian T. Meyer, Vanessa Minden, Vladimir Onipchenko, H. Wayne Polley, Peter B. Reich, Jasper Van Ruijven, Brandon Schamp, Melinda D. Smith, Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia, David Tilman, Alexandra Weigelt, Brian Wilsey, Peter Manning Aug 2018

Multiple Facets Of Biodiversity Drive The Diversity-Stability Relationship, Dylan Craven, Nico Eisenhauer, William D. Pearse, Yann Hautier, Christiane Roscher, Forest Isbell, Michael Bahn, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Gerhard Bönisch, Nina Buchmann, Chaeho Byun, Jane A. Catford, Bruno E.L. Cerabolini, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Joseph M. Craine, Enrica De Luca, Anne Ebeling, John N. Griffin, Andy Hector, Jes Hines, Anke Jentsch, Jens Kattge, Jürgen Kreyling, Vojtech Lanta, Nathan Lemoine, Sebastian T. Meyer, Vanessa Minden, Vladimir Onipchenko, H. Wayne Polley, Peter B. Reich, Jasper Van Ruijven, Brandon Schamp, Melinda D. Smith, Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia, David Tilman, Alexandra Weigelt, Brian Wilsey, Peter Manning

Biology Faculty Publications

A significant body of evidence has demonstrated that biodiversity stabilizes ecosystem functioning over time in grassland ecosystems. However, the relative importance of different facets of biodiversity underlying the diversity–stability relationship remains unclear. Here we used data from 39 biodiversity experiments and structural equation modeling to investigate the roles of species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and both the diversity and community-weighted mean of functional traits representing the ‘fast–slow’ leaf economics spectrum in driving the diversity–stability relationship. We found that high species richness and phylogenetic diversity stabilize biomass production via enhanced asynchrony. Contrary to our hypothesis, low phylogenetic diversity also enhances ecosystem stability …


Effects Of Range Size On Species–Area Relationships, Andrew P. Allen, Ethan P. White Jan 2003

Effects Of Range Size On Species–Area Relationships, Andrew P. Allen, Ethan P. White

Biology Faculty Publications

It has been known for some time that the slope of the species–area relationship increases asymptotically at broad spatial scales when richness is plotted against area on logarithmic axes. At continental to global scales, species–area relationships are determined to a large extent by the abundance and size distribution of species ranges. Here we present an analytical model that explicitly quantifies the effects of range size on species–area relationships. The model shows how range size and plot area interact to control the form of species–area relationships at broad spatial scales. It also demonstrates how changes in spatial scale affect biodiversity patterns …


Review Of The Nature Of Nebraska: Ecology And Biodiversity Paul A. Johnsgard, L. Lareesa Wolfenbarger Jan 2003

Review Of The Nature Of Nebraska: Ecology And Biodiversity Paul A. Johnsgard, L. Lareesa Wolfenbarger

Biology Faculty Publications

As a newcomer to Nebraska and someone learning the natural history of this place, I thoroughly enjoyed The Nature of Nebraska. More consequentially, the book will serve as a valuable resource for longtime naturalists, teachers, and others who want to learn about Nebraska's natural history.

Opening with a discussion of geology and ecology, Johnsgard offers a broad overview of Nebraska's ecological diversity, intertwining material on the natural forces that have historically dominated the Plains with a discussion of the anthropogenic forces currently altering the region's unique ecological nature. Approximately half of the book is devoted to more specific descriptions …