Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing The Effects Of Antibiotic Selectivity And Temperature On The Antimicrobial Activity Of Isolates Derived From The Deep-Sea Sponge Pheronema Capenteri, Lex L. Hilario

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The rapid increase of antibiotic resistance necessitates the discovery of novel antibiotic compounds capable to tackle these resistant bacteria. Deep-sea sponges accommodate a diverse and dense microbiome filled with an array of bacterial communities that have the potential to produce novel antimicrobials. Some discovered novel strains have already shown their capability in producing secondary metabolites that are effective against clinically relevant strains. This study aims to evaluate the impacts of different culture conditions; antibiotic selectivity and temperature, on the antimicrobial activity of isolates recovered from three different Pheronema carpenteri deep-sea sponges. Using culture-dependant methods, a total of 59 bacterial isolates …

Comparing P62 And Lc3 As Autophagy Biomarkers: Insights Into Cellular Homeostasis, Riya Roychan

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Autophagy is a fundamental cellular process that maintains homeostasis by the degradation of damaged organelles and proteins. It plays crucial roles in cellular remodelling, development, and disease progression. These roles apply to the study of neurodegenerative diseases which is heavily linked to the toxicity produced by unwarranted accumulation of cellular material. A key player in autophagy is LC3, which translocate to autophagosomal membranes during the process. Detecting fluorescently labelled LC3-II through immunofluorescence provides a valuable method for assessing autophagy levels in samples. In a similar premise p62, also known as sequestosome-1 (SQSTM-1), is an adaptor between LC3 and ubiquitinated substrates, …

Loss And Early Recovery Of Biomass And Soil Organic Carbon In Restored Mangroves After Paspalum Vaginatum Invasion In West Africa, Julio César Chávez Barrera, Juan Fernando Gallardo Lancho, Robert Puschendorf, Claudia Maricusa Agraz Hernández

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Invasive plant species pose an increasing threat to mangroves globally. This study assessed the impact of Paspalum vaginatum invasion on carbon loss and early recovery following four years of restoration in a mangrove forest with Rhizophora racemosa in Benin. Organic carbon was quantified in the total biomass, including both aboveground and belowground components, as well as in the soil to a depth of −50 cm. In addition, soil gas fluxes of CO ₂, CH ₄, and N ₂O were measured. Three sites were evaluated: a conserved mangrove, a site degraded by P. vaginatum, and the same site …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Potential Benefits Of Nature-Based Approaches For Staff And Children And Young People In Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services, Beth Chapman, Siobhan B. Mitchell, Rebecca Hardwick, Hélène Bonnici, Hazel Banks, Silvana Mareva, Rachel Hayes

Peninsula Medical School

Across the UK there are concerns about young people’s mental health, with rates of ill health increasing and referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS) doubling. This study explores the potential benefits of incorporating Nature-Based Approaches (NBAs) within CAMHS. Providers are understaffed, under-resourced and under pressure. NBAs offer a way of working which could address some of these challenges, yet little is known about the potential benefits of NBAs in the context of CAMHS. The project aimed to explore staff understanding of NBAs, and to identify potential benefits of integrating NBAs into practice. Staff within a South of …

Flow Dynamics And Local Scour Around Seabed-Mounted Artificial Reefs: A Case Study From Torbay, Uk, Yeaw Chu Lee, Amir Bordbar, Jakub Knir, Vasilios Kelefouras, Stephen Hickling, Harrison Short

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This study investigates the flow dynamics and local scour around a Reef Cube® artificial reef deployed in Torbay, UK, using computational fluid dynamics. The flow is modelled using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with a k-ω SST turbulence model. A novel hydro-morphodynamic model employing the generalized internal boundary method in HELYX (OpenFOAM-based) is used to simulate scour development. Model performance was validated against experimental data for flow fields, bed shear stress, and local scour. Flow simulations across various scenarios demonstrated that parameters such as the orientation angle and arrangement of Reef Cubes significantly influence flow patterns, bed shear stress, and habitat …

Infants' Visual Preference For Expansive And Contractive Body Postures: An Eye-Tracking Study, Maryam Rostami-Aghoui, Caroline Floccia, Farid Pazhoohi

School of Psychology

Nonverbal communication is pivotal in early social and emotional development, with body postures serving as crucial cues. While extensive research has explored infants' recognition of emotions from facial expressions, a significant gap remains in understanding their visual inclinations towards body postures. Despite some studies on adults, there has been a lack of investigation into how infants respond to deliberate displays, particularly using eye-tracking methods. This research addresses this gap by examining whether infants exhibit a preference for expansive postures over contractive ones. A sample of 18 infants aged 12–24 months participated in the study, with their gaze patterns measured across …

Designing Well-Being Intervention Trials For People With Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: The Importance Of Understanding Usual Care Comparators, Marcia Finlayson, Silvia Poli, Federico Bozzoli, Giampaolo Brichetto, Lars Bø, Isolde Martina Busch, Ulrik Dalgas, Nikos Evangelou, Amanda Farrin, Jennifer Freeman, Helena Jidborg, Daphne Kos, Claudia H. Marck, Daniel Ontaneda, Jessica Podda, Michela Rimondini, Polly Swain, Emma Tallantyre, Lauren A. Taylor, Roshan Das Nair

School of Health Professions

Well-being captures an individual’s capacity to lead a mean ingful and engaged life. Interventions to address well-being go beyond managing symptoms or supporting daily activity performance. Designing trials to evaluate the effectiveness of such well-being interventions can be challenging. One such challenge is determining what the comparator or control arm should be. Several trials of complex interventions use usual care as a comparator, but this can be particularly challenging when planning trials across multiple countries and health care systems. Therefore, trial design decisions must be informed by a good understanding of what constitutes usual or routine well-being interventions across locations. …

Unpacking Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Elements: Insights Into Drivers Of Entrepreneurial Activity, Mohamed Yacine Haddoud, Samah Souleh, Omaima Munawar Albadry, Saeyeon Roh, Adah Kole Emmanuel Onjewu

Plymouth Business School

Thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) are instrumental in new enterprise creation and growth, as they provide vital support for entrepreneurial activity. However, as this support may be context-specific, the existing literature has yet to capture the contextual factors that shape the contributions of EEs. To address this inertia, a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) is employed, which examines the influence of ecosystem factors on new venture development in two key MENA countries, namely Algeria and Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that physical, commercial, and legal infrastructure are important factors for EEs in both countries. Nevertheless, there are intriguing differences in the …

Insights Into Marine Biological Responses To Icelandic Glacial Outburst Floods From Remote Sensing Data, Cornelius Kaspar

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Cryospheric change has altered discharge patterns of the subglacial Skaftá cauldrons and Grímsvötn volcano beneath the Vatnajökull ice cap, SE Iceland (64.4220° N, 16.7902° W) at least since 1940. Jökulhlaup (glacial outburst floods) frequency has increased but their magnitude has decreased. This study examines jökulhlaup effects on the marine environment at the Gígjukvísl, Skaftá, and Kúðafljót estuaries. Remote sensing data integrated in situ, observational, and modelled data to analyse sea surface salinity (1/8° resolution), temperature (0.05° resolution), and observational chlorophyll-a data (1 km² resolution). Covering 11 jökulhlaups in Gígjukvísl/Skaftá and seven in Kúðafljót, a systematic response emerged in residual data. …

The Impact Of Inorganic Nitrate On Endothelial Function: A Systematic Review Of Randomized Controlled Trials And Meta-Analysis, Esther Muriuki

School of Health Professions

Context: Inorganic nitrate is an exogenous source of nitric oxide, an established regulator of vascular homeostasis via the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. Here, we evaluate the impact of inorganic nitrate on endothelial function, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Objective: A systematic review of the existing literature and meta-analysis was performed. Trials testing inorganic nitrate compared with a control were selected and the change in forearm endothelial function (as assessed by flow-mediated dilatation [FMD]) were included. Data Sources: The following databases were searched: Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus. Data Extraction: and Analysis Standardized mean differences in %FMD were pooled using …

Electrochemical Immunosensor Using Cooh-Functionalized 3d Graphene Electrodes For Sensitive Detection Of Tau-441 Protein, S. Nazir, M. Dogan, Y. Wei, G. Pan

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is essential for effective treatment; however current diagnostic methods are often complex, costly, and unsuitable for point-of-care testing. Graphene-based biosensors offer an alternative due to their affordability, versatility, and high conductivity. However, graphene’s conductivity can be compromised when its carbon lattice is oxidized to introduce functional groups for biomolecule immobilization. This study addresses this challenge by developing an electrochemical immunosensor using carboxyl-modified commercial graphene foam (COOH-GF) electrodes. The conductivity of graphene is preserved by enabling efficient COOH modification through π–π non-covalent interactions, while antibody immobilization is optimized via EDC-NHS carbodiimide chemistry. The immunosensor detects …

Distribution Of Alkylamines In Surface Waters Around The Antarctic Peninsula And Weddell Sea, Arianna Rocchi, Mark F. Fitzsimons, Preston Chebai Akenga, Ana Sotomayor, Elisabet L. Sà, Queralt Güell-Bujons, Magda Vila, Yaiza M. Castillo, Manuel Dall'osto, Dolors Vaqué, Charel Wohl, Rafel Simó, Elisa Berdalet

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Alkylamines, volatile organic nitrogen compounds with low molecular weight, are present in the surface ocean and participate in the marine biogeochemical nitrogen cycle, atmospheric chemistry and cloud formation. Alkylamines have been detected in polar regions, suggesting that these areas constitute emission hotspots of these compounds. However, knowledge of the sea surface distribution patterns and factors modulating alkylamines remain limited due to their high reactivity and low concentrations, which hamper accurate measurements. We investigated the presence and distribution of alkylamines in seawaters around the Antarctic Peninsula and the northern Weddell Sea during the late austral summer and explored their potential links …

Differential Roles Of Cyclin–Cdk1 Complexes In Cell Migration And Invasion, Joseph H.R. Hetmanski, Michael J. Jones, Matthew Hartshorn, Patrick T. Caswell, Matthew C. Jones

Peninsula Medical School

We have previously described a central role for CDK1 at the nexus of adhesion signalling and cell cycle progression, demonstrating that CDK1 has a non-canonical role in regulating integrin adhesion complexes and in the migration of cancer cells in 3D interstitial matrix. Here, we show that the CDK1-binding partners cyclinB1 and cyclinA2 also have roles in cell migration and invasion in both cancer and non-transformed cells. CyclinB1 plays a key role in RhoA activation to promote rear retraction in a membrane tension-dependent manner, whereas cyclinA2 has a general role in promoting motility. Knockdown of either cyclin significantly perturbs migration with …

Antibiotic Use In Rural Kenyan Livestock: Navigating Misuse, Experience Gaps And Amr Risks, Lucy Obolensky, Esbon Wambugu, Edna Kubai, Iain Doig, Miriam Beattie, Michael Dillon

Peninsula Medical School

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an escalating global health threat, with the greatest risk observed in low- to middle-income countries, particularly in the global south. The World Health Organization advocates for a One Health approach to address AMR, promoting collaboration across sectors, including in agriculture. This study aims to enhance understanding of antimicrobial use and stewardship in livestock within pastoralist communities in northern Kenya, where there is limited information. The study employed a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews to gather data on farming practices and antibiotic use. Interviews were conducted by trained volunteers proficient in Swahili and Ma (a Maasai language), …

The Impacts Of Ocean Warming On Phytoplankton Dynamics And Links To Fisheries Management Around St Helena Island, South Atlantic Ocean, Shelby Bargo

The Plymouth Student Scientist

In the context of a rapidly changing climate, understanding how ocean warming is reshaping the foundation of marine ecosystems has never been more important. This research investigates factors contributing to ocean warming, and where anthropogenically influenced climate change plays a critical role in the functionality of the physical marine environment, phytoplankton, and trophodynamics throughout the pelagic zone. Phytoplankton, whilst microscopic, are vital; they are regulated by physical oceanographic factors that control their access to growth-limiting factors, such as nutrients. With the formidable climate-driven physical and biological changes occurring in the marine environment, alongside the decline in fish stocks, it is …

Ruptured Atlas: A Trauma-Informed Approach To Spatial Storytelling For Survivors Of Genocide (The Case For Yazidis In Iraq), Sana Murrani, Kimbal Bumstead, Zoe Paris, Ghazi Murad Ismael, Jameela Rasho, Omeed Khider Joqey

School of Art, Design and Architecture

The Ruptured Atlas project (December 2023 – December 2024) employs innovative, participatory mapping techniques to document the complex spatial and lived experiences of the Yazidi community in the aftermath of the genocide perpetrated by ISIS, which commenced in August 2014. This collaborative effort involves 15 Yazidi researchers and key partners, culminating in an online atlas and a trauma-informed policy toolkit. Designed to influence housing and migration policies in both Iraq and the UK, the project prioritises trauma-informed practices and community empowerment. The online atlas was not only a conceptual device, but a vital visual tool, enabling participants to represent trauma …

Migration Delays At Head-Of-Tide Weirs Are A Function Of Tidal Cycles And River Flows In Anadromous Twaite Shad Alosa Fallax, Mark I.A. Yeldham, J. Robert Britton, Charles Crundwell, Peter Davies, Jamie R. Dodd, Chris Grzesiok, Andrew D. Nunn, Randolph Velterop, Jonathan D. Bolland

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Riverine barriers can have significant negative impacts on the spawning migrations of anadromous fishes, with barriers of low passage efficiency limiting access to upstream spawning areas. Even fish that pass a barrier can be negatively affected via migration delays and energetic costs. The spawning migrations of 74 twaite shad Alosa fallax were tracked at two head-of-tide weirs on a bifurcated channel in the River Severn’s upper estuary, western England, to test how barriers in tidal areas can affect river entry and incur migration delays. Although the weirs had a combined passage efficiency of 98.9%, median passage time was 19.8 h, …

Inflammation And Il-4 Regulate Parkinson’S And Crohn’S Disease Associated Kinase Lrrk2, Dina Dikovskaya, Rebecca Pemberton, Matthew Taylor, Anna Tasegian, Purbasha Bhattacharya, Karolina Zeneviciute, Esther M. Sammler, Andrew J.M. Howden, Dario R. Alessi, Mahima Swamy

Peninsula Medical School

Mutations in Leucine-Rich Repeat protein Kinase 2 (LRRK2) are associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Crohn’s disease (CD), but the regulation of LRRK2 during inflammation remains relatively unexplored. Here we describe the development of a flow cytometry-based assay to assess LRRK2 activity in individual cells and the generation of an EGFP-Lrrk2 knock-in reporter mouse to analyse cell-specific LRRK2 expression. Using these tools, we measured LRRK2 levels and activity in murine splenic and intestinal immune cells and in human blood. Anti-CD3 induced inflammation increases LRRK2 expression and activity in B cells and monocytes, while in mature neutrophils, inflammation stimulates activity but …

Haploblocks Contribute To Parallel Climate Adaptation Following Global Invasion Of A Cosmopolitan Plant, Paul Battlay, Brandon T. Hendrickson, Jonas I. Mendez-Reneau, James S. Santangelo, Lucas J. Albano, Jonathan Wilson, Aude E. Caizergues, Nevada King, Adriana Puentes, Amelia Tudoran, Cyrille Violle, Francois Vasseur, Courtney M. Patterson, Michael Foster, Caitlyn Stamps, Simon G. Innes, Rémi Allio, Fabio Angeoletto, Daniel N. Anstett, Julia Anstett, Anna Bucharova, Mattheau S. Comerford, Santiago David, Mohsen Falahati-Anbaran, William Godsoe, César González-Lagos, Pedro E. Gundel, Glen Ray Hood, Christian Lampei, Christian Lampei

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The role of rapid adaptation during species invasions has historically been minimized with the assumption that introductions consist of few colonists and limited genetic diversity. While overwhelming evidence suggests that rapid adaptation is more prevalent than originally assumed, the demographic and adaptive processes underlying successful invasions remain unresolved. Here we leverage a large whole-genome sequence dataset to investigate the relative roles of colonization history and adaptation during the worldwide invasion of the forage crop, Trifolium repens (Fabaceae). We show that introduced populations encompass high levels of genetic variation with little evidence of bottlenecks. Independent colonization histories on different continents are …

Seasonal Sea Ice Characterized The Glacial Arctic-Atlantic Gateway Over The Past 750 000 Years, Monica Winsborrow, Pengyang Song, Simon Belt, Jochen Knies, Henning A. Bauch, Lukas Smik, Gerrit Lohmann

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The past occurrence of an extreme ~1-kilometer–thick Arctic Ocean–Nordic Seas ice shelf has been inferred from submarine landscape features and geochemical records, although fundamental aspects of its characteristics, impacts, and timing remain highly debated. Here, we challenge this pan-Arctic glaciation hypothesis by investigating two sites from the Arctic-Atlantic gateway (AAG) and the Nordic Seas. Suborbital to millennial-scale surface water bioproductivity changes provide no evidence for a continuous ice shelf in the AAG and the Nordic Seas over the past ~750,000 years. Instead, proxy data and model simulations reveal the persistent presence of seasonal sea ice cover and open water phytoplankton …

The Theoretical Role Of The Wind In Aerosolising Microplastics And Nanoplastics From Coastal Combined Sewer Overflows, Lauren Biermann, David Moffat, Clive E Sabel, Thomas E Stovin

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Inhaled microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) have shown bio-persistence in the body, with concerning implications for human health. Airborne MNPs primarily originate from terrestrial sources, but sea air may contribute when onshore 'aerosolising' winds coincide with high concentrations of MNPs in surface waters. From the thousands of cities worldwide with Combined Sewer Overflows, millions to billions of MNPs can be discharged daily into rivers, estuaries, and the sea. To assess the possible links between water pollution and air quality, we analysed two years of Combined Sewer Overflows (spills) off Plymouth, UK, alongside same-day and long-term meteorological and satellite data. Winds exceeding …

Is My Stress Out Of Place? Bread Wheat Response To Saline Stress Varies In Pattern And Extent Across Experimental Settings, Anne Plessis

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Adopting crops and agricultural practices that help sustain yield under abiotic stress will be a major element of future food security under climate change. However, little of the intensive research into the mechanisms of plant abiotic stress response has translated into improved yield stability. A suspected obstacle to translatability of research findings in this area is artificial experimental conditions, but we lack evidence to support this explanation. Here, we combined a meta-analysis and an experimental approach to compare the effect of salt stress on wheat yield, growth, and physiology across four distinct experimental settings: field/field-like conditions, potted plants in a …

A Sensory Investment Syndrome Hypothesis: Personality And Predictability Are Linked To Sensory Capacity In The Hermit Crab Pagurus Bernhardus, Ari Drummond, Summer Nash, Tianna Holloway, Alexander Wilson, Lucy Turner, Mark Briffa

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Correlated phenotypic traits (i.e., syndromes) may manifest as associations between different behavioural types or between behavioural and non-behavioural phenotypes. While syndromes research is extensive, correlations involving behavioural type and sensory morphology have yet to be investigated. Sensation is essential in decision-making and should be correlated with behavioural phenotypes involved in risk response, including boldness. We investigated correlations between boldness and sensory capacity in Pagurus bernhardus hermit crabs, taking repeat measures of startle response durations to assess hermit crab personality and predictability. The correlation between startle response and the sensillar density (i.e., number of sensilla per unit surface area) of both …

Outcomes Of Specialist Physiotherapy For Functional Motor Disorder: The Physio4fmd Rct, Physio4fmd Study Group, Glenn Nielsen, Louise Marston, Rachael Maree Hunter, Alan Carson, Laura H. Goldstein, Kate Holt, Teresa C. Lee, Marie Le Novere, Jonathan Marsden, Irwin Nazareth, Hayley Noble, Markus Reuber, Jon Stone, Ann Marie Strudwick, Beatriz Santana Suarez, Mark J. Edwards

School of Health Professions

Background: Functional motor disorder often causes persistent disabling symptoms that are associated with high healthcare costs. In recent years, specialist physiotherapy, informed by an understanding of functional motor disorder, has emerged as a promising treatment, but there is an absence of evidence of its effectiveness from large randomised controlled trials. Methods: We conducted a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial, comparing specialist physiotherapy for functional motor disorder to treatment as usual, which was defined as community neurological physiotherapy. The primary outcome was the Short Form questionnaire-36 items Physical Functioning domain at 12 months (scale range 0–100, with 100 indicating optimum health). …

Monitoring Morphological Variability Of Gravel Barriers Using 2d Lidar, Robert Jones, Nieves Valiente, Chris Blenkinsopp, Mark Davidson

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

No One Acts Alone-Unravelling The Compositional Influences Of Organic Compounds In Offshore Produced Water On Zebrafish Embryotoxicity, Lisbet Sørensen, Paul Mccormack, Paul Sutton, Julia Farkas, Sonnich Meier, Steven J. Rowland, Trond Nordtug, Bjørn Henrik Hansen

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Offshore produced water (PW) is one of the largest and most chemically complex effluents of waste directly and intentionally discharged into the marine environment. Although it is well known that PW can be severely toxic to marine organisms, the mechanisms of toxicity remain poorly understood, contributed by the lack of comprehensive chemical characterization of the PW. In this study, we applied elements of effects-directed analysis with the aim to identify organic chemical drivers of toxicity in PW towards fish early life stages. A solvent extract of a PW was fractioned based on compound functionality and chemically characterized by a concert …

The Challenges Of Using Ultrasound To Measure The Trachea: A Brief Report, Helen Newman, Jodi Allen, Madan Narayanan, Nchafatso Obonyo, Nur Syahrunnizar, Karen Hammet, David Parry, Sarah Wallace, Anna-Liisa Sutt, Joseph Osterwalder, Daniel Martin

Peninsula Medical School

BACKGROUND: Tracheostomy is a common procedure in intensive care medicine, involving the insertion of an artificial airway through the front of the neck into the trachea. The size of tracheostomy tube in relation to the trachea is important, influencing clinical outcomes and patient experience. Ultrasound is readily available at the bedside and airway applications have been reported, including airway measurement. However, the presence of air within airway lumina presents challenges to ultrasound and causes artefact. Guidance is lacking on tracheal sonography and measurement.

AIM: to characterize the sonoanatomy of the inner tracheal wall and determine reference points for measuring tracheal …

The Role Of Insularity: Plants Have Few Ornithophilous Traits But Are Visited By Morphologically More Distinct Hummingbirds In The Caribbean Islands, Maximillian G.R. Vollstädt, Rasmus D. Jensen, Pietro K. Maruyama, Matthias Schleuning, Francielle P. Araújo-Hoffmann, Marlies Sazima, Jesper Sonne, Taia S.O. Schrøder, Fredrik Møller-Stranges, Stefan Abrahamczyk, Mónica B. Ramírez-Burbano, Marcelo Ferreira De Vasconcelos, Boris A. Tinoco, María A. Maglianesi, Ruth Partida-Lara, José Raúl Vázquez-Pérez, Paula L. Enríquez, André Rodrigo Rech, Aline G. Coelho, Fernando Gonçalves, Edvaldo Nunes Da Silva Neto, Manoel Martins Dias Filho, Matheus Reis, Oscar H. Marín-Gómez, Juan Francisco Ornelas, Peter A. Cotton, Paulo Eugenio Oliveira, Adriana Oliveira Machado, Jeferson Vizentin-Bugoni, Pedro Joaquim Bergamo

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Functional traits determine interactions between plants and pollinators, and to increase pollination efficiency, many plants have evolved traits to attract specific pollinator groups. However, biogeographical setting may influence trait evolution and biotic interactions. For instance, plants pollinated by hummingbirds often have ornithophilous traits, that is, flowers with elongated corollas, dilute nectar and red colours, but—due to colonization history, depauperate biotas and unstable environmental conditions—it might be disadvantageous for species to rely on mutualistic partners with specific functional traits on oceanic islands. Hummingbird-visited plants on islands are thus expected to have fewer ornithophilous traits and be functionally less diverse in their …

Effect Of Genotype On Herbivory And Growth Rate In Heliconia Stricta In A Common Garden Experiment In The Amazon, Xaali O’Reilly-Berkeley, Abhiraj Chakraborty, Javier L. Patiño Uyaguari, Hannah L. Mossman, Richard F. Preziosi, Jennifer K. Rowntree

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Plant genotype is known to affect plant-invertebrate interactions. However, in megadiverse tropical habitats there has been relatively little exploration of the influence of the plant genotype on plant growth and biotic interactions in an experimental setting. We set-up three adjacent plots in rainforest at the foothills of the Andes (Orellana, Ecuador), where we planted clones of 37 individual Heliconia stricta rhizomes collected from up to 4 km away. Each rhizome was split into at least three individual pieces, resulting in three genetically identical replicates. At least one representative of each genotype was planted in each plot. Shoot height was measured …

Facial Sexual Dimorphism And Attractiveness Perception In High Autistic Trait Individuals, Farid Pazhoohi, Leilani Forby, Alan Kingstone

School of Psychology

Perceiving and recognizing faces are vital components for social interactions among humans. Extensive prior research has shown that facial sexual dimorphism, a nonverbal social signal, contributes to perceived facial attractiveness for neurotypical individuals. However, there has been no research investigating if that might also be true for high autistic trait individuals. The current study investigates the facial qualities that high autistic trait individuals find attractive in others. In Study 1, faces with altered levels of sexual dimorphism were presented for five seconds, and the gaze behaviour of high and low autistic trait participants was recorded while they rated the attractiveness …