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Publications in Natural Sciences by NOMIS researchers

Thermodynamics of diamond formation from hydrocarbon mixtures in planets

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

February 27, 2023

Hydrocarbon mixtures are extremely abundant in the Universe, and diamond formation from them can play a crucial role in shaping the interior structure and evolution of planets. With first-principles accuracy, we first estimate the melting line of diamond, and then reveal the nature of chemical bonding in hydrocarbons at extreme conditions. We finally establish the pressure-temperature phase boundary where it is thermodynamically possible for diamond to form from hydrocarbon mixtures with different atomic fractions of carbon. Notably, here we show a depletion zone at pressures above 200 GPa and temperatures below 3000 K-3500 K where diamond formation is thermodynamically favorable regardless of the carbon atomic fraction, due to a phase separation mechanism. The cooler condition of the interior of Neptune compared to Uranus means that the former is much more likely to contain the depletion zone. Our findings can help explain the dichotomy of the two ice giants manifested by the low luminosity of Uranus, and lead to a better understanding of (exo-)planetary formation and evolution. © 2023, The Author(s).

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Fluids & Plasmas

DOI
10.1038/s41467-023-36841-1

River ecosystem metabolism and carbon biogeochemistry in a changing world

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

January 18, 2023

River networks represent the largest biogeochemical nexus between the continents, ocean and atmosphere. Our current understanding of the role of rivers in the global carbon cycle remains limited, which makes it difficult to predict how global change may alter the timing and spatial distribution of riverine carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions. Here we review the state of river ecosystem metabolism research and synthesize the current best available estimates of river ecosystem metabolism. We quantify the organic and inorganic carbon flux from land to global rivers and show that their net ecosystem production and carbon dioxide emissions shift the organic to inorganic carbon balance en route from land to the coastal ocean. Furthermore, we discuss how global change may affect river ecosystem metabolism and related carbon fluxes and identify research directions that can help to develop better predictions of the effects of global change on riverine ecosystem processes. We argue that a global river observing system will play a key role in understanding river networks and their future evolution in the context of the global carbon budget. © 2023, Springer Nature Limited.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

DOI
10.1038/s41586-022-05500-8

Tropical forests post-logging are a persistent net carbon source to the atmosphere

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

January 9, 2023

Logged and structurally degraded tropical forests are fast becoming one of the most prevalent land-use types throughout the tropics and are routinely assumed to be a net carbon sink because they experience rapid rates of tree regrowth. Yet this assumption is based on forest biomass inventories that record carbon stock recovery but fail to account for the simultaneous losses of carbon from soil and necromass. Here, we used forest plots and an eddy covariance tower to quantify and partition net ecosystem CO2 exchange in Malaysian Borneo, a region that is a hot spot for deforestation and forest degradation. Our data represent the complete carbon budget for tropical forests measured throughout a logging event and subsequent recovery and found that they constitute a substantial and persistent net carbon source. Consistent with existing literature, our study showed a significantly greater woody biomass gain across moderately and heavily logged forests compared with unlogged forests, but this was counteracted by much larger carbon losses from soil organic matter and deadwood in logged forests. We estimate an average carbon source of 1.75 ± 0.94 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 within moderately logged plots and 5.23 ± 1.23 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 in unsustainably logged and severely degraded plots, with emissions continuing at these rates for at least one-decade post-logging. Our data directly contradict the default assumption that recovering logged and degraded tropical forests are net carbon sinks, implying the amount of carbon being sequestered across the world’s tropical forests may be considerably lower than currently estimated. Copyright © 2023 the Author(s).

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Biology, Ecology

DOI
10.1073/pnas.2214462120

Logged tropical forests have amplified and diverse ecosystem energetics

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

December 22, 2022

Old-growth tropical forests are widely recognized as being immensely important for their biodiversity and high biomass1. Conversely, logged tropical forests are usually characterized as degraded ecosystems2. However, whether logging results in a degradation in ecosystem functions is less clear: shifts in the strength and resilience of key ecosystem processes in large suites of species have rarely been assessed in an ecologically integrated and quantitative framework. Here we adopt an ecosystem energetics lens to gain new insight into the impacts of tropical forest disturbance on a key integrative aspect of ecological function: food pathways and community structure of birds and mammals. We focus on a gradient spanning old-growth and logged forests and oil palm plantations in Borneo. In logged forest there is a 2.5-fold increase in total resource consumption by both birds and mammals compared to that in old-growth forests, probably driven by greater resource accessibility and vegetation palatability. Most principal energetic pathways maintain high species diversity and redundancy, implying maintained resilience. Conversion of logged forest into oil palm plantation results in the collapse of most energetic pathways. Far from being degraded ecosystems, even heavily logged forests can be vibrant and diverse ecosystems with enhanced levels of ecological function.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Biology, Ecology

DOI
10.1038/s41586-022-05523-1

Majorana-like Coulomb spectroscopy in the absence of zero-bias peaks

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

December 15, 2022

Hybrid semiconductor–superconductor devices hold great promise for realizing topological quantum computing with Majorana zero modes1–5. However, multiple claims of Majorana detection, based on either tunnelling6–10 or Coulomb blockade (CB) spectroscopy11,12, remain disputed. Here we devise an experimental protocol that allows us to perform both types of measurement on the same hybrid island by adjusting its charging energy via tunable junctions to the normal leads. This method reduces ambiguities of Majorana detections by checking the consistency between CB spectroscopy and zero-bias peaks in non-blockaded transport. Specifically, we observe junction-dependent, even–odd modulated, single-electron CB peaks in InAs/Al hybrid nanowires without concomitant low-bias peaks in tunnelling spectroscopy. We provide a theoretical interpretation of the experimental observations in terms of low-energy, longitudinally confined island states rather than overlapping Majorana modes. Our results highlight the importance of combined measurements on the same device for the identification of topological Majorana zero modes.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Applied Physics

DOI
10.1038/s41586-022-05382-w

A novel synthesis of two decades of microsatellite studies on European beech reveals decreasing genetic diversity from glacial refugia

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

December 12, 2022

Genetic diversity influences the evolutionary potential of forest trees under changing environmental conditions, thus indirectly the ecosystem services that forests provide. European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is a dominant European forest tree species that increasingly suffers from climate change-related die-back. Here, we conducted a systematic literature review of neutral genetic diversity in European beech and created a meta-data set of expected heterozygosity (He) from all past studies providing nuclear microsatellite data. We propose a novel approach, based on population genetic theory and a min–max scaling to make past studies comparable. Using a new microsatellite data set with unprecedented geographic coverage and various re-sampling schemes to mimic common sampling biases, we show the potential and limitations of the scaling approach. The scaled meta-dataset reveals the expected trend of decreasing genetic diversity from glacial refugia across the species range and also supports the hypothesis that different lineages met and admixed north of the European mountain ranges. As a result, we present a map of genetic diversity across the range of European beech which could help to identify seed source populations harboring greater diversity and guide sampling strategies for future genome-wide and functional investigations of genetic variation. Our approach illustrates how to combine information from several nuclear microsatellite data sets to describe patterns of genetic diversity extending beyond the geographic scale or mean number of loci used in each individual study, and thus is a proof-of-concept for synthesizing knowledge from existing studies also in other species. © 2022, The Author(s).

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences

DOI
10.1007/s11295-022-01577-4

The ABCs of relational values: Environmental values that include aspects of both intrinsic and instrumental valuing

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

December 1, 2022

In this paper we suggest an interpretation of the concept of ‘relational value’ that could be useful in both environmental ethics and empirical analyses. We argue that relational valuing includes aspects of intrinsic and instrumental valuing. If relational values are attributed, objects are appreciated because the relationship with them contributes to the human flourishing component of well-being (instrumental aspect). At the same time, attributing relational value involves genuine esteem for the valued item (intrinsic aspect). We also introduce the notions of mediating and indirect relational environmental values, attributed in relationships involving people as well as environmental objects. We close by proposing how our analysis can be used in empirical research.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Environmental Sciences

DOI
10.3197/096327120X15973379803726

Respecting the Nonhuman Other: Individual Natural Otherness and the Case for Incommensurability of Moral Standing

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

December 1, 2022

The concept of natural otherness can be found throughout the environmental ethics literature. Drawing on this concept, this article pursues two aims. For one, it argues for an account of individual natural otherness as stable difference as opposed to accounts of natural otherness that put more emphasis on inde-pendence for the purpose of differentiating individual natural otherness from the concept of wildness. Secondly, this account of natural otherness is engaged to argue for a particular way of theorising the moral standing of individual nonhuman entities. While individual natural otherness in itself does not pro-vide an account of whether an entity matters morally in itself (that is, whether it is morally considerable); it points to an account of incommensurable moral significance for all entities which are attributed moral considerability. That is an often-overlooked alternative to egalitarian or hierarchical accounts of moral significance. Individual natural otherness understood in this way in turn pro-vides another explanatory story for why relational accounts of environmental ethics that strongly emphasise the importance of concepts such as wildness are particularly salient.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Environmental Sciences

DOI
10.3197/096327121X16328186623913

Downstream Effects of Mutations in SOD1 and TARDBP Converge on Gene Expression Impairment in Patient-Derived Motor Neurons

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

September 1, 2022

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease marked by death of motor neurons (MNs) present in the spinal cord, brain stem and motor cortex. Despite extensive research, the reason for neurodegeneration is still not understood. To generate novel hypotheses of putative underlying molecular mechanisms, we used human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSCs)-derived motor neurons (MNs) from SOD1- and TARDBP (TDP-43 protein)-mutant-ALS patients and healthy controls to perform high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). An integrated bioinformatics approach was employed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key pathways underlying these familial forms of the disease (fALS). In TDP43-ALS, we found dysregulation of transcripts encoding components of the transcriptional machinery and transcripts involved in splicing regulation were particularly affected. In contrast, less is known about the role of SOD1 in RNA metabolism in motor neurons. Here, we found that many transcripts relevant for mitochondrial function were specifically altered in SOD1-ALS, indicating that transcriptional signatures and expression patterns can vary significantly depending on the causal gene that is mutated. Surprisingly, however, we identified a clear downregulation of genes involved in protein translation in SOD1-ALS suggesting that ALS-causing SOD1 mutations shift cellular RNA abundance profiles to cause neural dysfunction. Altogether, we provided here an extensive profiling of mRNA expression in two ALS models at the cellular level, corroborating the major role of RNA metabolism and gene expression as a common pathomechanism in ALS.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Chemical Physics

DOI
10.3390/ijms23179652

Effects of boundary layer thickness on the estimation of equivalent sandgrain roughness in zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

August 1, 2022

Experiments were conducted in zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers over a rough surface. Profiles of mean velocity and turbulence quantities were acquired using laser Doppler velocimetry at twelve streamwise locations for each of three different freestream velocities. Momentum thickness Reynolds numbers ranged from 1550 to 13,650. The roughness was stochastic with positive skewness, and the ratio of the boundary layer thickness, δ, to the root-mean-square roughness height varied from 55 to 141. The equivalent sandgrain roughness height, ks, was approximately 4 times the rms roughness height. In the outer region of the boundary layer, the mean velocity and turbulence results were found to be invariant with Reynolds number and δ, when scaled using δ and the friction velocity. The outer region quantities exhibited similarity with equivalent smooth-wall boundary layer quantities, in agreement with results from the literature. The equivalent sandgrain roughness was computed from the mean velocity results using a standard correlation, and was found to vary noticeably and inversely with δ when δ/ks was less than about 40. The possible existence of a modified correlation to account for the δ/ks dependence was discussed. Such a correlation might prove useful for extracting ks values from low δ/ks data and for predicting the effect of roughness with a known ks on boundary layers with varying δ/ks. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Fluids & Plasmas

DOI
10.1007/s00348-022-03479-6

Phase-separating RNA-binding proteins form heterogeneous distributions of clusters in subsaturated solutions

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

July 12, 2022

Macromolecular phase separation is thought to be one of the processes that drives the formation of membraneless biomolecular condensates in cells. The dynamics of phase separation are thought to follow the tenets of classical nucleation theory, and, therefore, subsaturated solutions should be devoid of clusters with more than a few molecules. We tested this prediction using in vitro biophysical studies to characterize subsaturated solutions of phase-separating RNA-binding proteins with intrinsically disordered prion-like domains and RNA-binding domains. Surprisingly, and in direct contradiction to expectations from classical nucleation theory, we find that subsaturated solutions are characterized by the presence of heterogeneous distributions of clusters. The distributions of cluster sizes, which are dominated by small species, shift continuously toward larger sizes as protein concentrations increase and approach the saturation concentration. As a result, many of the clusters encompass tens to hundreds of molecules, while less than 1% of the solutions are mesoscale species that are several hundred nanometers in diameter. We find that cluster formation in subsaturated solutions and phase separation in supersaturated solutions are strongly coupled via sequence-encoded interactions. We also find that cluster formation and phase separation can be decoupled using solutes as well as specific sets of mutations. Our findings, which are concordant with predictions for associative polymers, implicate an interplay between networks of sequence-specific and solubility-determining interactions that, respectively, govern cluster formation in subsaturated solutions and the saturation concentrations above which phase separation occurs.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Chemical Physics

DOI
10.1073/pnas.2202222119

Geometry Adaptation of Protrusion and Polarity Dynamics in Confined Cell Migration

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

July 1, 2022

Cell migration in confining physiological environments relies on the concerted dynamics of several cellular components, including protrusions, adhesions with the environment, and the cell nucleus. However, it remains poorly understood how the dynamic interplay of these components and the cell polarity determine the emergent migration behavior at the cellular scale. Here, we combine data-driven inference with a mechanistic bottom-up approach to develop a model for protrusion and polarity dynamics in confined cell migration, revealing how the cellular dynamics adapt to confining geometries. Specifically, we use experimental data of joint protrusion-nucleus migration trajectories of cells on confining micropatterns to systematically determine a mechanistic model linking the stochastic dynamics of cell polarity, protrusions, and nucleus. This model indicates that the cellular dynamics adapt to confining constrictions through a switch in the polarity dynamics from a negative to a positive self-reinforcing feedback loop. Our model further reveals how this feedback loop leads to stereotypical cycles of protrusion-nucleus dynamics that drive the migration of the cell through constrictions. These cycles are disrupted upon perturbation of cytoskeletal components, indicating that the positive feedback is controlled by cellular migration mechanisms. Our data-driven theoretical approach therefore identifies polarity feedback adaptation as a key mechanism in confined cell migration.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, General Physics

DOI
10.1103/PhysRevX.12.031041

Glacier shrinkage will accelerate downstream decomposition of organic matter and alters microbiome structure and function

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

June 1, 2022

The shrinking of glaciers is among the most iconic consequences of climate change. Despite this, the downstream consequences for ecosystem processes and related microbiome structure and function remain poorly understood. Here, using a space-for-time substitution approach across 101 glacier-fed streams (GFSs) from six major regions worldwide, we investigated how glacier shrinkage is likely to impact the organic matter (OM) decomposition rates of benthic biofilms. To do this, we measured the activities of five common extracellular enzymes and estimated decomposition rates by using enzyme allocation equations based on stoichiometry. We found decomposition rates to average 0.0129 (% d−1), and that decreases in glacier influence (estimated by percent glacier catchment coverage, turbidity, and a glacier index) accelerates decomposition rates. To explore mechanisms behind these relationships, we further compared decomposition rates with biofilm and stream water characteristics. We found that chlorophyll-a, temperature, and stream water N:P together explained 61% of the variability in decomposition. Algal biomass, which is also increasing with glacier shrinkage, showed a particularly strong relationship with decomposition, likely indicating their importance in contributing labile organic compounds to these carbon-poor habitats. We also found high relative abundances of chytrid fungi in GFS sediments, which putatively parasitize these algae, promoting decomposition through a fungal shunt. Exploring the biofilm microbiome, we then sought to identify bacterial phylogenetic clades significantly associated with decomposition, and found numerous positively (e.g., Saprospiraceae) and negatively (e.g., Nitrospira) related clades. Lastly, using metagenomics, we found evidence of different bacterial classes possessing different proportions of EEA-encoding genes, potentially informing some of the microbial associations with decomposition rates. Our results, therefore, present new mechanistic insights into OM decomposition in GFSs by demonstrating that an algal-based “green food web” is likely to increase in importance in the future and will promote important biogeochemical shifts in these streams as glaciers vanish.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Biology, Ecology

DOI
10.1111/gcb.16169

Microfluidic Antibody Affinity Profiling Reveals the Role of Memory Reactivation and Cross-Reactivity in the Defense Against SARS-CoV-2

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

April 8, 2022

Recent efforts in understanding the course and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections have highlighted both potentially beneficial and detrimental effects of cross-reactive antibodies derived from memory immunity. Specifically, due to a significant degree of sequence similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and other members of the coronavirus family, memory B-cells that emerged from previous infections with endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) could be reactivated upon encountering the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2, thus prompting the production of cross-reactive antibodies. Determining the affinity and concentration of these potentially cross-reactive antibodies to the new SARS-CoV-2 antigens is therefore particularly important when assessing both existing immunity against common HCoVs and adverse effects like antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) in COVID-19. However, these two fundamental parameters cannot easily be disentangled by surface-based assays like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), which are routinely used to assess cross-reactivity. Here, we have used microfluidic antibody affinity profiling (MAAP) to quantitatively evaluate the humoral immune response in COVID-19 convalescent patients by determining both antibody affinity and concentration against spike antigens of SARS-CoV-2 directly in nine convalescent COVID-19 patient and three pre-pandemic sera that were seropositive for common HCoVs. All 12 sera contained low concentrations of high-affinity antibodies against spike antigens of HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU1, indicative of past exposure to these pathogens, while the affinity against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was lower. These results suggest that cross-reactivity as a consequence of memory reactivation upon an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection may not be a significant factor in generating immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Chemistry, Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry

DOI
10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00486

Sequence-dependent surface condensation of a pioneer transcription factor on DNA

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

March 1, 2022

Biomolecular condensates are dense assemblies of proteins that form distinct biochemical compartments without being surrounded by a membrane. Some, such as P granules and stress granules, behave as droplets and contain many millions of molecules. Others, such as transcriptional condensates that form on the surface of DNA, are small and contain thousands of molecules. The physics behind the formation of small condensates on DNA surfaces is still under discussion. Here we investigate the nature of transcription factor condensates using the pioneer transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4). We show that Klf4 can phase separate on its own at high concentrations, but at low concentrations, Klf4 only forms condensates on DNA. Using optical tweezers, we demonstrate that these Klf4 condensates form on DNA as a type of surface condensation. This surface condensation involves a switch-like transition from a thin adsorbed layer to a thick condensed layer, which shows hallmarks of a prewetting transition. The localization of condensates on DNA correlates with sequence, suggesting that the condensate formation of Klf4 on DNA is a sequence-dependent form of surface condensation. Prewetting together with sequence specificity can explain the size and position control of surface condensates. We speculate that a prewetting transition of pioneer transcription factors on DNA underlies the formation and positioning of transcriptional condensates and provides robustness to transcriptional regulation.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Fluids & Plasmas

DOI
10.1038/s41567-021-01462-2

Nanomaterials as Ultrasound Theragnostic Tools for Heart Disease Treatment/Diagnosis

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

February 1, 2022

A variety of different nanomaterials (NMs) such as microbubbles (MBs), nanobubbles (NBs), nanodroplets (NDs), and silica hollow meso-structures have been tested as ultrasound contrast agents for the detection of heart diseases. The inner part of these NMs is made gaseous to yield an ultrasound contrast, which arises from the difference in acoustic impedance between the interior and exterior of such a structure. Furthermore, to specifically achieve a contrast in the diseased heart region (DHR), NMs can be designed to target this region in essentially three different ways (i.e., passively when NMs are small enough to diffuse through the holes of the vessels supplying the DHR, actively by being associated with a ligand that recognizes a receptor of the DHR, or magnetically by applying a magnetic field orientated in the direction of the DHR on a NM responding to such stimulus). The localization and resolution of ultrasound imaging can be further improved by applying ultrasounds in the DHR, by increasing the ultrasound frequency, or by using harmonic, sub-harmonic, or super-resolution imaging. Local imaging can be achieved with other non-gaseous NMs of metallic composition (i.e., essentially made of Au) by using photoacoustic imaging, thus widening the range of NMs usable for cardiac applications. These contrast agents may also have a therapeutic efficacy by carrying/activating/releasing a heart disease drug, by triggering ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction or enhanced cavitation in the DHR, for example, resulting in thrombolysis or helping to prevent heart transplant rejection.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Physics & Astronomy, Chemical Physics

DOI
10.3390/ijms23031683

Neanderthals on the Lower Danube: Middle Palaeolithic evidence in the Danube Gorges of the Balkans

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

February 1, 2022

The article presents evidence about the Middle Palaeolithic and Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition interval in the karst area of the Danube Gorges in the Lower Danube Basin. We review the extant data and present new evidence from two recently investigated sites found on the Serbian side of the Danube River – Tabula Traiana and Dubočka-Kozja caves. The two sites have yielded layers dating to both the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic and have been investigated by the application of modern standards of excavation and recovery along with a suite of state-of-the-art analytical procedures. The presentation focuses on micromorphological analyses of the caves’ sediments, characterisation of cryptotephra, a suite of new radiometric dates (accelerator mass spectrometry and optically stimulated luminescence) as well as proteomics (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) and stable isotope data in discerning patterns of human occupation of these locales over the long term.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Paleontology

DOI
10.1002/jqs.3354

Climatic and soil factors explain the two-dimensional spectrum of global plant trait variation

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

January 1, 2022

Plant functional traits can predict community assembly and ecosystem functioning and are thus widely used in global models of vegetation dynamics and land–climate feedbacks. Still, we lack a global understanding of how land and climate affect plant traits. A previous global analysis of six traits observed two main axes of variation: (1) size variation at the organ and plant level and (2) leaf economics balancing leaf persistence against plant growth potential. The orthogonality of these two axes suggests they are differently influenced by environmental drivers. We find that these axes persist in a global dataset of 17 traits across more than 20,000 species. We find a dominant joint effect of climate and soil on trait variation. Additional independent climate effects are also observed across most traits, whereas independent soil effects are almost exclusively observed for economics traits. Variation in size traits correlates well with a latitudinal gradient related to water or energy limitation. In contrast, variation in economics traits is better explained by interactions of climate with soil fertility. These findings have the potential to improve our understanding of biodiversity patterns and our predictions of climate change impacts on biogeochemical cycles.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Biology, Evolutionary Biology

DOI
10.1038/s41559-021-01616-8

‘I owe it to the animals’: The bidirectionality of Swiss alpine farmers’ relational values

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

January 1, 2022

Relational values have recently been proposed as a concept to expand our understanding of environmental values from the categories previously dominating the discourse: instrumental (nature for people’s sake) and intrinsic values (nature for its own sake). Empirical and conceptual research on relational values has so far focused on the content of relational values or their relationship to other kinds of values. In this paper, we fill a key gap in understanding exactly what relational values are and how they work; we call this the ‘syntax’ of relational values. We do so by applying the Syntax of Environmental Values Framework, which describes relational values as bidirectional, expressed by genuine respect and care on the one hand and an eudaimonic contribution to wellbeing on the other. We developed a novel interview protocol which we applied in semistructured interviews with Swiss alpine farmers. We examine how both of these directions are manifested in farmers’ relational values. Our results showed how the bidirectionality manifests in relational values of alpine farmers. Specifically, we identified three components of each directionality. The intrinsic element of relational values was constituted by: an attitude of respect, attention to the relationship and practices of care. The instrumental element of relational values was constituted by: emotional and experiential contributions for the valuer, satisfaction and joy in the relationship, and practical contributions to the activities associated with the relationship (e.g. farm management). We further elaborate on the conditions required to sustain relational values, including physical, emotional and sociopolitical conditions. These results informed an elaborated conceptual framework of relational values, and environmental valuing more generally. While specifically derived from our dataset, we believe our conclusions could directly or in a modified form, apply to diverse cases of relational valuing. In sum, this paper offers a concrete step towards better characterizing, distinguishing and applying the relational values concept. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Biology, Ecology

DOI
10.1002/pan3.10415

Establishing the Foundation for the Global Observing System for Marine Life

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

October 25, 2021

Maintaining healthy, productive ecosystems in the face of pervasive and accelerating human impacts including climate change requires globally coordinated and sustained observations of marine biodiversity. Global coordination is predicated on an understanding of the scope and capacity of existing monitoring programs, and the extent to which they use standardized, interoperable practices for data management. Global coordination also requires identification of gaps in spatial and ecosystem coverage, and how these gaps correspond to management priorities and information needs. We undertook such an assessment by conducting an audit and gap analysis from global databases and structured surveys of experts. Of 371 survey respondents, 203 active, long-term (>5 years) observing programs systematically sampled marine life. These programs spanned about 7% of the ocean surface area, mostly concentrated in coastal regions of the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Seagrasses, mangroves, hard corals, and macroalgae were sampled in 6% of the entire global coastal zone. Two-thirds of all observing programs offered accessible data, but methods and conditions for access were highly variable. Our assessment indicates that the global observing system is largely uncoordinated which results in a failure to deliver critical information required for informed decision-making such as, status and trends, for the conservation and sustainability of marine ecosystems and provision of ecosystem services. Based on our study, we suggest four key steps that can increase the sustainability, connectivity and spatial coverage of biological Essential Ocean Variables in the global ocean: (1) sustaining existing observing programs and encouraging coordination among these; (2) continuing to strive for data strategies that follow FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable); (3) utilizing existing ocean observing platforms and enhancing support to expand observing along coasts of developing countries, in deep ocean basins, and near the poles; and (4) targeting capacity building efforts. Following these suggestions could help create a coordinated marine biodiversity observing system enabling ecological forecasting and better planning for a sustainable use of ocean resources.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Biology, Marine Biology & Hydrobiology

DOI
10.3389/fmars.2021.737416

Re-conceptualizing the role(s) of science in biodiversity conservation

NOMIS Researcher(s)

Published in

September 1, 2021

Science, as both a body of knowledge and a process of acquiring new knowledge, is widely regarded as playing a central role in biodiversity conservation. Science undoubtedly enhances our understanding of the drivers of biodiversity loss and assists in the formulation of practical and policy responses, but it has not yet proved sufficiently influential to reverse global trends of biodiversity decline. This review seeks to critically examine the science of biodiversity conservation and to identify any hidden assumptions that, once interrogated and explored, may assist in improving conservation science, policy and practice. By drawing on existing reviews of the literature, this review describes the major themes of the literature and examines the historical shifts in the framing of conservation. It highlights the dominance of research philosophies that view conservation through a primarily ecological lens, changes in the goal(s) of conservation and a lack of clarity over the role(s) of science in biodiversity conservation. Finally, this review offers a simple framework to more clearly and consistently conceptualize the role(s) of science in biodiversity conservation in the future. Greater critical reflection on how conservation science might better accommodate multiple knowledges, goals and values could assist in ‘opening up’ new, legitimate pathways for biodiversity conservation.

Research field(s)
Natural Sciences, Biology, Ecology

DOI
10.1017/S0376892921000114

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