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  Dysfunctional tetraspanin 7 (TSP-7) in Caenorhabditis elegans promotes; increases in average life- & health-span, stress-induced survival and motility

  Jones, Brogan; Seabra, Laurence; Michelangeli, Francesco; University of Chester; Liverpool John Moores University (WileyFederation of European Biochemical Societies, 2025-03-10)

  Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) tetraspanin-7 (TSP-7) protein is an orthologue of the Human tetraspanin CD63, which has recently been shown to be a negative regulator of autophagy. In this study a mutant strain of wild-type (WT) C. elegans (tm5761) with a 352 bp deletion in the tsp-7 gene, was studied. A polyclonal antibody was raised to a peptide sequence present only in the wild-type strain (N2). This antibody cross-reacted with the protein of the correct molecular weight (MW) in the WT lysate, but not in the tm5761, confirming the absence of a functional TSP-7 in this strain. From life-span studies, the tm5761 strain had a higher average survival age of 23.3 ± 0.6, compared to 20.1 ± 0.8 days for WT, although the absolute life-span was not statistically different. This indicates that the mutant tm5761 strain has an increased physiological health-span. Survival studies undertaken at 37 °C, showed a decrease in survival levels, with complete death of the WT occurring after 3 h of exposure, whereas the tm5761 strain was more robust (i.e. 25% survival after 3 h). Sub-lethal osmotic stress caused by increased sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations was investigated by observing stress-related motility, such as frequency of coiling and reversing. These results showed that the tm5761 strain was more motile at higher concentrations of NaCl than the WT. These findings suggest that, like CD63, TSP-7 could be acting as a negative regulator of autophagy; therefore, the tm5761 strain likely has increased basal autophagy. This would explain its; increased, mean life- and health-span, motility under stress, and improved thermotolerance.
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  Integrating human and wildlife dynamics in co‐occurrence modelling

  Rolle, Francesca; Boiani, Maria V.; Fardone, Luca; Gaydou, Francesca; Macario, M.; Parentela, Filippo; Ruco, Valentina; Sigaudo, D.; Marucco, Francesca; University of Torino; University of Chester; Ente di Gestione delle Aree Protette delle Alpi Marittime (Wiley, 2025-02-17)

  In shared environments, where different species interact depending on overlapping resources, complex interspecific interactions emerge, with human activities impacting these dynamics and influencing wildlife abundance and distribution. In the Alps, the presence of multiple species of ungulates, such as roe deer and red deer, and a predator, the wolf, creates a web of spatial and behavioral interactions in an area where farming, hunting and tourism have persisted over time, with tourism recently experiencing a substantial growth. Accounting for these multiple interactions, we modelled the co‐occurrence probabilities of roe deer, red deer and wolves in an area of the Maritime Alps using data derived from 60 camera traps. We applied multi‐species occupancy models to investigate (i) the role of species co‐occurrences in explaining the occupancy of model species across the landscape, (ii) the role of human presence and activities on species occupancy and (iii) the potential effect of the hunting season on the species detection probabilities. Among the identified species, roe deer reported the highest frequency of recorded events and were the most widespread species. We provided important evidence of interspecific dependence, revealing that pairwise interactions among species had a greater impact than only considering individual environmental effects. We documented that the setting of cameras on trails increased the likelihood of detecting wolves but decreased the likelihood of detecting ungulates. Most importantly, the hunting season significantly reduced the likelihood of capturing roe deer, while having no effect on either red deer or wolves. Our results confirmed the relevance of including prey, predators, and human dynamics as a whole. Since the sharing of habitat makes human activities significantly important in defining predator–prey mechanisms, our insights are particularly relevant for defining solutions to optimize human‐wildlife coexistence, especially in a highly anthropogenic system such as Europe.
• Elasmobranchs and the Inshore Reefs of Southern Mozambique

  Oliver, Simon; Murie, Calum James George (University of Chester, 2024-04)

  The coastal waters off southern Mozambique host a diverse community of elasmobranchs. The complexity of studying sharks and rays in remote locations means that limited research attention focusses on its marine environment. As the region is famed for its coastal reefs and the diversity of its elasmobranch species, a novel opportunity was presented to study elasmobranch species that have become rare in most other regions. This thesis aims to investigate the relationship between elasmobranch species and coastal reef habitat in southern Mozambique. This aim is addressed by investigating the frequency with which elasmobranch species visit reef systems and by comparing this with the environmental and biological conditions on the reefs. A reef camera trap was deployed 60 times on four reefs to record elasmobranch visits and to estimate the relative abundance of each reef’s fish and coral communities. SCUBA-based transects (n = 738) were conducted on 18 reefs in the same region to count elasmobranchs and measure environmental parameters that influence the presence of elasmobranchs on the reefs. Two large Carcharhinus sharks were observed in low numbers during video and SCUBA observations. To monitor their interactions with regional reefs, 18 acoustic tags were fitted to Carcharhinus limbatus and Carcharhinus leucas individuals. The sharks were tracked on 13 omnidirectional acoustic receivers positioned on reefs throughout the Inhambane province of southern Mozambique. The community composition of reef fishes appeared to influence the species of elasmobranch that frequented each survey area. Sharks visited reefs with the most abundant piscivorous fish life, which we determined to be linked to foraging opportunities. Small-bodied stingrays were only observed visiting shallow reefs near intertidal sand flats. Pelagic rays (e.g. Mobula spp.) were most often observed while cleaning on reefs that were proximate to their foraging grounds.Elasmobranch abundance on reefs was found to vary across several spatiotemporal and environmental parameters, resulting in patterns of reef use across various temporal scales. Most elasmobranch species became abundant on reefs during the summer, and tide, water temperature, and moon illumination were found to be strong predictors of their presence and abundance. Closely related species were similar in their responses to the measured environmental and spatiotemporal parameters and these species visited the same reefs with specific biological characteristics. Reducing pressures on the reefs that elasmobranch species rely on, and eliminating the extraction of elasmobranchs around these reefs, could benefit the populations of vulnerable elasmobranchs off the coast of southern Mozambique.
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  SP3 protocol optimised for foodcrust protein extraction from archaeological cooking vessels

  Harvey, Virginia L; Hendy, Jessica; University of Chester; University of York (Springer Nature, 2025-01-30)

  A SP3-based protocol developed for the extraction of proteins from charred organic residues (foodcrust) found on cooking vessels. This protocol is to prepare samples for MALDI-ToF MS and LC-MS/MS analysis. We recommend starting with a batch size of 2-10 samples, and including flanking negative controls (blanks) to test for any downstream contamination.
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  Validating the underpinnings of water corticosterone measurement for aquatic amphibians

  Smith, Tessa E.; Holmes, Andrew M; Emmans, Christopher J; Coleman, Robert; Hosie, Charlotte A; University of Chester (Taylor and Francis, 2025-01-09)

  BACKGROUND: Good animal welfare is important ethically but also to ensure animals provide valid scientific models. Despite thousands of amphibians in research laboratories there is minimal quantitative evidence pertaining to their management and welfare. This study validated methods to non-invasively measure corticosterone, the amphibian ‘stress’ hormone, from tank water to provide a robust and reliable welfare assessment tool. METHODS: We report experiments (A) that evaluate parameters linked to the performance of our biochemical extraction methods for waterborne corticosterone and, importantly, associated sampling procedures. We evaluate appropriate sampling water type, sampling vessel, filtration methods, potential degradation of waterborne corticosterone over time and the impact of sampling procedures on animal corticosterone levels. We wanted to determine sampling parameters that yielded the least background corticosterone and had minimum negative impact on the animals. The second series of experiments (B) evaluated parameters linked to the biology of Xenopus, including the influence of circadian rhythm, sex and snout-vent length on waterborne corticosterone levels, since fundamental knowledge of a species’ biology is essential for designing robust experiments and in the interpretation of the results. RESULTS: We propose collecting corticosterone samples in deionised water in either plastic or glass containers. The filtering process does not impact the amount of corticosterone measured in the water sample. Levels of corticosterone collected in the water change over a 48-hr period so we advocate standardising time from hormone collection to storage at - 20 °C. Repeated transfer of frogs to sampling containers does not increase corticosterone, suggesting our methods are not cumulatively stressful. Corticosterone levels were not impacted by circadian phase, sex or snout-vent length. CONCLUSION: We have developed and validated robust methods to quantify waterborne corticosterone. We hope they provide a template for researchers wishing to develop methods to measure waterborne corticosterone in aquatic amphibians.
• Pain in mammals: physiology, management and assessment

  McLennan, Krista; Chapman, Stella; University of Chester; Cambridge University (Elsevier, 2024-12-27)

  Pain is a sensory and emotional experience that has significant consequences on an animal’s welfare. To improve animal welfare, there is a need to prevent as well as manage pain, but we cannot manage what we cannot measure. In this chapter we highlight pains complexity, with the experience affected by multiple factors, including age, sex, personality and previous experience and remains a critical issue in veterinary care. We provide details on the physiological mechanism of pain and show how with this knowledge we can provide appropriate treatment to manage pain effectively. We acknowledge that many animals are however still experiencing pain. Even with the acceptance of animal sentience, recognizing, assessing and evaluating pain in animals is difficult. We briefly detail physiological indicators of pain such as heart rate and cortisol but acknowledge that there are difficulties in their use within veterinary clinics, for example. Behavioral indicators of pain can range from change in eating behavior to aggression. We discuss that there are many tools currently available to identify and assess pain, but that many require extensive training, are time consuming to carry out, and tend to measure the long-term impact on general biological functioning rather than pain per se. We highlight the more recent increase of the use of facial expression scales as an alternate tool that can accurately recognize and assess pain in a variety of species and can indicate what an animal is feeling at that moment in time. We also briefly touch on the use of technology such as Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision as a novel tool to assess pain, providing a much more objective assessment. There is an urgent need for tools that can effectively and directly detect and measure pain in animals and further research in the use of computer-based modelling will be key for the future.
• An examination of interspecific competition using observations in behaviour and physiology: A case study of Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in Chilean Patagonia

  Smith, Tessa; Geary, Matt; McLennan, Krista; Lancaster, Alex T. (University of Chester, 2024-02)

  The introduction of a new species to ecosystems can result in competition between native species and the introduced, with adaptations that may allow coexistence, through resource facilitation or partitioning, unable to evolve, given the short co-evolutionary time period. Consequently, in cases where livestock species have been introduced to a new system, competitive interactions between native and domestic species have been directly instigated, with interspecific competition between sympatric, free living ungulates and domestic livestock becoming an increasing concern for conservationists. Understanding the specific ways and mechanisms in which this competition manifests is critical for informing conservation management, both of wild species, and domestic livestock. Throughout this thesis, I examine the case study of wild guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and domestic sheep (Ovis aries), in the Patagonian Steppe ecosystem of Southern Chile, a system in which competition has been demonstrated as highly probable. Two key elements in guanaco-sheep competition were investigated, to determine whether competitive effects manifest in (1) foraging behaviour, by examining the effects of sheep presence on the behavioural changes in guanaco, and (2) physiology, by examining the effects of sheep presence on guanaco separately for cortisol and testosterone. (1) Guanaco bite rates generally increased with vegetation biomass availability. However, when sheep were present in high densities, the pattern reversed, with guanaco bite rates decreasing with vegetation abundance. Additionally, the probability of guanaco feeding occurring at any one time was shown to be higher in areas shared with domestic sheep than in national parks, where sheep are absent. Both results suggest guanaco prioritise feeding behaviours at the expense of other behaviours, where sheep are present. (2) Sheep presence did not predict either the cortisol or testosterone profiles of guanaco. Instead, cortisol concentrations were influenced by the group number and composition (number of adults and juveniles). Conversely, testosterone content was influenced mainly by the specific Age-Sex Class (social group) of the individual.
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  A new double observer‐based census framework to improve abundance estimations in mountain ungulates and other gregarious species with a reduced effort

  Panaccio, Matteo; Brambilla, Alice; Bassano, Bruno; Smith, Tessa; von Hardenberg, Achaz; University of Chester; Alpine Wildlife Research Centre, Gran Paradiso National Park; University of Zurich; University of Pavia (WileyBritish Ecological Society, 2024-12-17)

  Estimating animal abundance has a key role to play in ecology and conservation, but survey methods are always challenged by imperfect detection. Among the techniques applied to deal with this issue, Double Observer (DO) is increasing in popularity due to its cost‐effectiveness. However, the effort of using DO for surveying large territories can be significant. A DO‐based survey method that allows accurate abundance estimations with reduced effort would increase the applicability of the method. This would have positive effects on the conservation of species which are challenging to survey such as mountain ungulates. We used computer simulations based on real data and a field test to assess the reliability of the DO and of a new proposed survey procedure, the Double Observer Adjusted Survey (DOAS). DOAS is based on total block counts adjusted with some DO surveys conducted in a proportion of the total area only. Such DO surveys are then used to estimate detection probability with a mark‐recapture‐derived approach. We found that full DO is much more accurate than simple block counts for abundance estimations. DOAS is a less demanding alternative to full DO and can produce comparable abundance estimates, at the cost of a slightly lower precision. However, in the DOAS overall detectability has to be estimated within a sufficient number of sites (around a quarter of the total) to obtain a higher precision and avoid large overestimations. Practical implications. DO methods could increase the reliability of abundance estimations in mountain ungulates and other gregarious species. Full DO in particular could allow researchers to obtain unbiased estimations with high precision and its usage is therefore suggested instead of block counts in wildlife monitoring. Given the high costs of full DO, the DOAS procedure could be a viable and cost‐effective survey strategy to improve abundance estimates when resources are scarce.
• The thermal physiology of Lysathia sp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biocontrol agent of parrot’s feather in South Africa, supports its success

  Goddard, Matthew; Owen, Candice A.; Martin, Grant; Coetzee, Julie A.; Rhodes University; University of the Free State; University of Chester (Taylor & Francis, 2022-03-25)

  The establishment success of biocontrol agents originating from tropical regions is often limited by climate when introduced in temperate regions. However, the flea beetle, Lysathia sp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biocontrol agent of Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. (Haloragaceae) in South Africa, is an effective agent in regions where other biocontrol agents of tropical aquatic weeds have failed due to winter-induced mortality. The development (degree-day model) and thermal tolerance (critical thermal minimum/maximum [CTmin/max] and lower/upper lethal limits [LLT/ULT50]) of Lysathia sp. were investigated to explain this success. The model predicted that Lysathia sp. could complete 6 to 12 generations per year in the colder regions of the country. The lower threshold for development (t0) was 13.0 °C and thermal constant (K) was 222.4 days, which is considerably lower than the K values of other biocontrol agents of aquatic weeds in South Africa. This suggests that above the temperature threshold, Lysathia sp. can develop faster than those other species and complete multiple life cycles in the cooler winter months, allowing for rapid population growth and thus improving M. aquaticum control. Furthermore, the CTmin of Lysathia sp. was 2.3 ± 0.2 °C and the CTmax was 49.0 ± 0.5 °C. The LLT50 was calculated as ∼ −7.0 °C and the ULT50 as ∼ 43.0 °C. These wide tolerance ranges and survival below freezing show why Lysathia sp. has established at cool sites and suggest that it may be a suitable agent for other cold countries invaded by M. aquaticum.
• Cape vultures (Gyps coprotheres) on camera: Assessing the behaviour of a vulnerable, colonially nesting raptor with temperature and time of day at nest sites in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

  de Freitas, Danica; Gray, Jacqui; Geary, Matthew; Downs, Colleen, T.; University of KwaZulu-Natal; University of Chester; Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (Springer, 2025-01-10)

  The Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres) has the smallest range of any vulture species in Africa, Europe or Asia and is substantially impacted by anthropogenic factors because of their low productivity and long maturation times. Almost year-round presence at breeding colonies makes understanding Cape Vulture breeding behaviour essential for their conservation. Camera traps, a first for this species, were used to investigate the effect of time of day and temperature on the presence and behaviours performed at nest sites. The number of vultures at a nest site was likely to be higher during the early morning and late afternoon when temperatures were lower, with significantly fewer individuals present at higher temperatures in the days before and after laying. Attendance of at least one adult at the nest was recorded for 86.9% and 99.8% of time points in the days before and after laying, respectively. Almost constant attendance during incubation may also be necessitated by predation pressure, with this study providing observation of possible predation pressure by White-necked Ravens (Corvus albicollis) at the colony. Here, we demonstrate that camera trapping is an effective method of studying Cape Vulture breeding behaviour, which improves understanding and allows more informed conservation measures to be implemented. Cape Vulture nest attendance is affected by temperature, so this species may be vulnerable to climatic changes and subsequent changes in predation pressure.
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  Gone With the Wind: The Proximate and Ultimate Causes of the Decline and Extinction of the Bahama Nuthatch Sitta insularis

  Gardner, Matthew, A.; Pereira, David, J.; Geary, Matt; Collar, Nigel, J.; Bell, Diana, J.; University of East Anglia; University of Chester; BirdLife International, Cambridge (Cambridge University Press, 2024-10-17)

  Newly elevated to species rank, the Bahama Nuthatch Sitta insularis is or was a bark- and twig-gleaning insectivore only known in life from the pine forests of Grand Bahama in the Bahamas archipelago. It became increasingly difficult to find in the past 50 years, seemingly in part in response to multiple hurricanes in this century. In spring (June–April) 2018, when it was still known to be extant, we divided the island into seven sections and carried out point count transects with playback and measured habitat variables at 464 locations in pine forest across Grand Bahama. We made only six observations at six locations, all in the region of Lucayan North and each involving a single nuthatch (possibly all the same individual). Fourteen count points were within 500 m of the six locations, and tree size at these sites was greater in height and girth than at sites with no observations and indeed than at other sites within Lucayan North. Count points within 500 m of nuthatch records in 2004–2018 had larger trees and more snags than survey points over 500 m away from previous detections, while count points within 500 m of our 2018 nuthatch records tallied more snags than did those within 500 m of the 2004–2007 records. Declines in habitat quality, habitat extent, nesting substrate, and food availability (driven by logging, attritional island development, and the direct and indirect effects of hurricanes), plus speculated increases in populations of invasive predators/competitors and in major mortality events (hurricanes, increasing in force and frequency with climate change), are suspected to be the ultimate causes of the decline of the nuthatch, with Hurricanes Matthew and Dorian the proximate causes of its evident extinction in 2019.
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  The Role of Antibody Expression and Their Association With Bladder Cancer Recurrence: A Single-Centre Prospective Clinical-Pilot Study in 35 Patients

  Ella-Tongwiis, Peter; Lamb, Rebecca M.; Makanga, Alexander; Shergill, Iqbal; Hughes, Stephen F.; Wrexham Maelor Hospital; University of Chester; Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board; Wrexham Glyndwr University (BioMed Central, 2020-11-25)

  Bladder cancer (BC) is the 10th most common cancer in the UK, with about 10,000 new cases annually. About 75–85% of BC are non-muscle invasive (NMIBC), which is associated with high recurrence and progression rates (50–60% within 7–10 years). There are no routine biomarkers currently available for identifying BC patients at increased risk of developing recurrence. The focus of this research study was to evaluate antibody expression in BC patients and their association with cancer recurrence. Methods: 35 patients scheduled for TURBT were recruited after written informed consent. Ethical approval for the project was granted via IRAS (REC4: 14/WA/0033). Following surgical procedure, tissues were preserved in 10% buffered formalin and processed within 24 h in FFPE blocks. 7 sections (4 µm each) were cut from each block and stained for CD31, Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2), S100P, Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), VEGFR-3 thrombomodulin and CEACAM-1 using immunohistochemistry. Clinical outcome measures (obtained via cystoscopy) were monitored for up to 6 months following surgical procedure. Results: There was significantly increased expression of CD31 (p < 0.001), HER-2 (p = 0.032), S100P (p < 0.001), COX-2 (p < 0.001), VEGFR-3 (p < 0.001) and decreased expression of thrombomodulin (p = 0.010) and CEACAM-1 (p < 0.001) in bladder tumours compared to normal bladder tissues. HER-2 expression was also significantly associated with cancer grade (p = 0.003), especially between grade 1 and grade 2 (p = 0.002) and between grade 1 and grade 3 (p = 0.004). There was also a significant association between cancer stage and HER-2 expression (p < 0.001). Although recurrence was significantly associated with cancer grade, there was no association with antibody expression. Conclusion: Findings from the present study may indicate an alternative approach in the monitoring and management of patients with BC. It is proposed that by allowing urological surgeons access to laboratory markers such as HER-2, Thrombomodulin and CD31 (biomarker profile), potentially, in the future, these biomarkers may be used in addition to, or in combination with, currently used scoring systems to predict cancer recurrence. However, verification and validation of these biomarkers are needed using larger cohorts.
• Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Wolves in the Italian Alps

  Geary, Matt; Boiani, Maria V. (University of Chester, 2024-07)

  The recolonization of wolves (Canis lupus) in Europe has become a notable ecological and conservation success in recent decades, though it presents various legislative and management challenges. These challenges are heightened by the wolves' wide-ranging distribution, which often crosses administrative boundaries. Effective management of wolves depends on robust data from well-designed monitoring programs, which are difficult to implement in fragmented regions. Italy has taken significant steps to address these issues, conducting the first national scale monitoring of wolf abundance and distribution in 2020-2021 using non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) combined with Spatial Capture-Recapture (SCR) modelling. This thesis explores a variety of ways to implement and optimise the current monitoring strategies by focusing on the Italian Alpine region. This area, in particular, can rely on historical information on wolves since the first surveys in the 90’s and on a highly trained network of personnel dedicated to their monitoring that has been implemented over the years. The year of national monitoring has been a great success in coordination and results, but it opens the question of the feasibility of maintaining such high quality in the long term and with possible reductions in economic funds. In fact, with both European and national management of the species expected in the next future, constantly updated abundance estimates will be essential to ensure the conservation of the species. In this thesis I investigated how the combination of NGS and SCR to obtain population size estimates can be optimised by identifying reduction limits for the number of search transects and also for their repetitions within the sampling season. This will allow to reduce both effort and costs for the next years of population size monitoring while maintaining accuracy and precision. Additionally, I explored the feasibility of extending large-scale monitoring of wolf abundance in the Italian Alps using more cost-effective tools, such as camera traps. I demonstrated the unsuitability of a group of statistical models, Spatial Counts or unmarked SCR, which are often used when individuals in the population are not distinguishable from each other. After identifying the limitations of the current modelling framework, I proposed a solution to address some of these issues by incorporating the group-living nature of wolves into the existing model through an extension of the Spatial Counts approach. Finally, I tested whether the drivers of the latest phase of wolf expansion throughout the Italian Alpine region have changed over time. I used a Dynamic Occupancy model to analyse wolf presence-absence data from 2014 to 2021. This analysis revealed the increasing importance of prey richness in colonization and persistence dynamics together with the smoothed effect over time of human densities. Additionally, I identified key areas where new potential conflicts could arise in human-dominated landscapes. Addressing these challenges is crucial for the continued recovery and sustainable coexistence of wolves with human communities in Italy and all Europe. Finally, I discussed all the findings in light of future population management of wolves.
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  Sweet mama: Affiliative interactions are related to the reproductive success of dominant female Alpine Marmots (Marmota marmota)

  Panaccio, Matteo; von Hardenberg, Achaz; Ferrari, Caterina; University of Chester; University of Pavia; Gran Paradiso National Park (Springer, 2024-10-16)

  Sociality is a complex phenomenon, able to influence multiple traits of an individual life history. In group-living mammals, sociality is likely to play a major role in the reproductive success of individuals. Here we investigate how sociality traits are associated to reproductive success in female Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota), a highly social and cooperative breeding ground squirrel distributed in the European Alps. We used social network analysis to calculate sociality metrics and hurdle generalized linear mixed models (hurdle GLMMs) to model the relationship between sociality metrics and reproductive success of individually tagged female Alpine marmots. Our results showed that centrality of a reproductive female within her social group and the number of social partners are positively related to reproductive success, while agonistic behavior was not related with reproduction. Our results highlight the importance of affiliative interactions with other group members in cooperative breeders, suggesting that in such systems female fitness could be more related to social cohesion than to costs of agonistic behaviors to maintain dominance status.
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  The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0 author checklist

  Smith, Tessa (2024)

  The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0 - full author checklist
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  Environmental toxicology: how pervasive organic environmental pollutants cause toxicity at the molecular, cellular and organism level

  Michelangeli, Francesco; University of Chester (Wiley, 2024-09-06)

  This special issue in FEBS Open Bio was conceived to highlight some of the current research and future directions regarding research in the field of environmental toxicology of some organic pollutants, in relation to human health and disease. It has long been established that man has been exposed to many new (un‐natural) organic chemicals since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, many of which are found in a vast and diverse range of products, such as agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics and electronic components, which have been instrumental in driving man's exponential advances in technology over the last 150 years. However, an unforeseen consequence of these advances is that our ecosystem has been exposed to a vast number of these organic chemicals, many of which appear to be persistent within the environment, as well as bioaccumulating in living organisms, including man.
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  Validating the underpinnings of water corticosterone measurement for aquatic amphibians

  Smith, Tessa E.; Holmes, Andrew; Emmans, Chris; Coleman, Robert; Hosie, Charlotte

  Raw data for the project: Establishment of consensual husbandry protocols for laboratory Xenopus laevis using novel physiological and behavioural techniques.
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  The characteristics and variation of the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos home range

  editor: Dimitrov, Dimitar; Fielding, Alan H; Anderson, David; Barlow, Catherine; Benn, Stuart; Chandler, Charlotte; Reid, Robin; Tingay, Ruth; Weston, Ewan D; Whitfield, D. Philip; et al. (MDPI, 2024-08-31)

  Satellite tracking allows for novel investigations into golden eagle home range characteristics. Understanding home range characteristics is important for conservation and for assessing the potential impact of landscape changes from forest planting, wind farms, etc. Small sample sizes, inconsistent definitions and methods restricted several previous studies. Our study involved 69 resident tagged eagles with over one year of data across five Scottish regions. Home range size was estimated from 95% isopleth contours extracted from Utilisation Distributions. Above a small threshold, estimated range size was not affected by the number of records but at least one year of data is required, largely because of the breeding and non-breeding seasonal differences. There were no significant range size differences between birds tagged as range holders and those previously tagged as nestlings. Across four regions, with considerable intra-regional variation, planar 95% isopleths did not differ (medians, km2): Argyll 58.9, Northwest Highlands 61.7, Northeast Highlands 89.3, South of Scotland 91.9. Ranges in the isolated Outer Hebrides region were exceptionally small, at 24.0 km2. Estimated range area was usually reduced to 70–80% of the planar area when restricted to usable habitat, as estimated by the Golden Eagle Topography (GET) model. Applying measures of known unsuitable habitat (closed-canopy commercial forest and wind turbines) further reduced usable open land. Loss of otherwise suitable habitat was substantially due to commercial forest. Larger ranges had larger extents of suitable habitat (according to GET), with no apparent optimum of preferred GET habitat. Range size was not different across a year between the sexes. Breeding ranges were smaller, and females’ breeding ranges were much smaller than those of males, but larger than males’ ranges in the non-breeding season. Breeding attempt duration was probably also influential. Our study provides novel insights into golden eagle home range characteristics and can guide further research and practical applications.
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  Phytochemical Analysis and In Vivo Antimalarial Activities of Ethyl Acetate Fraction of Spilanthes filicaulis on Mice Subjected to Plasmodium berghei

  Ofeniforo, Bankole Emmanuel; Ogunro, Olalekan Bukunmi; Dike, Charles Ebere; Agada, Eleojo Samuel; Akinwunmi, Kemi Feyisayo; Oduduwa University Ipetumodu; KolaDaisi University; Intercountry Centre for Oral Health for Africa; University of Chester; Obafemi Awolowo University (Mary Ann Liebert, 2024-08-20)

  Malaria airs a life-threatening risk in Tropical African countries, stemming from infection by Plasmodium species. This region is richly endowed by nature with a wealth of diverse and largely unexplored plants that hold the potential for managing this protozoan parasite. The currently accessible over-the-counter drugs for disease management often present affordability challenges for the average person, exacerbated by the parasite’s increasing resistance to them. This study investigated the phytoconstituents present in the ethyl acetate fraction of Spilanthes filicaulis (EFSF) and explored the antimalarial effects of EFSF on mice infected with Plasmodium berghei.
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  When enough is enough: Optimising monitoring effort for large‐scale wolf population size estimation in the Italian Alps

  Boiani, Maria V.; Dupont, Pierre; Bischof, Richard; Milleret, Cyril; Friard, Olivier; Geary, Matthew; Avanzinelli, Elisa; von Hardenberg, Achaz; Marucco, Francesca; University of Chester; Norwegian University of Life Sciences; University of Turin; Ente di Gestione Aree Protette Alpi Marittime; University of Pavia (Wiley Open Access, 2024-08-21)

  The ongoing expansion of wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Europe has led to a growing demand for up‐to‐date abundance estimates. Non‐invasive genetic sampling (NGS) is now widely used to monitor wolves, as it allows individual identification and abundance estimation without physically capturing individuals. However, NGS is resource‐intensive, partly due to the elusive behaviour and wide distribution of wolves, as well as the cost of DNA analyses. Optimisation of sampling strategies is therefore a requirement for the long‐term sustainability of wolf monitoring programs. Using data from the 2020–2021 Italian Alpine wolf monitoring, we investigate how (i) reducing the number of samples genotyped, (ii) reducing the number of transects, and (iii) reducing the number of repetitions of each search transect impacted spatial capture‐recapture population size estimates. Our study revealed that a 25% reduction in the number of transects or, alternatively, a 50% reduction in the maximum number of repetitions yielded abundance estimates comparable to those obtained using the entire dataset. These modifications would result in a 2046 km reduction in total transect length and 19,628 km reduction in total distance searched. Further reducing the number of transects resulted in up to 15% lower and up to 17% less precise abundance estimates. Reducing only the number of genotyped samples led to higher (5%) and less precise (20%) abundance estimates. Randomly subsampling genotyped samples reduced the number of detections per individual, whereas subsampling search transects resulted in a less pronounced decrease in both the total number of detections and individuals detected. Our work shows how it is possible to optimise wolf monitoring by reducing search effort while maintaining the quality of abundance estimates, by adopting a modelling framework that uses a first survey dataset. We further provide general guidelines on how to optimise sampling effort when using spatial capture‐recapture in large‐scale monitoring programmes.

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