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In the Arctic, rabies is endemic in the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), posing a significant and ongoing health risk for people and domestic animals. The mechanisms by which rabies is maintained within the low-density fox populations in the Arctic remain unclear. In this study, we developed a spatially explicit individual-based stochastic epidemiological model and performed an uncertainty analysis to better understand Arctic fox rabies dynamics. Rabies persisted in 25.68% of model simulations, with several variables having significant impact on rabies persistence: probability of rabies transmission, spatial and temporal distribution food resources, mean litter size and variability of rabies incubation periods. Where rabies is endemic, we identified 5 key parameters for rabies dynamics: spatiotemporal resource distribution, probability of birth for adult females, mean and standard deviation of litter size, and incubation period of rabies. Our study demonstrates that Arctic rabies can persist in its primary host under conditions consistent with existing empirical data in the literature and showed the important role played by the spatial and temporal distribution of resources. Finally, our results suggest that the ecological impacts of rapid climate warming could decrease the overall persistence of rabies in the Arctic and the associated health risk in Arctic communities.

Motivation: This paper presents the high contact resistance (HCR) and rotor bar faults by an extraction method for an induction motor using Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The root mean square (RMS) and mean features are obtained using DWT, and ANN is used for classification using activation functions. Activation provides output by assigning the specific input with respect to the transfer function according to the nature and type of the activation function. Method: The faulty conditions are induced using MATLAB by adopting the motor current signature analysis (MCSA) method to achieve current signature signals of the healthy and faulty motors. Results: The DWT technique has been applied to obtain fault-specific features of the average continuously varying signal (RMS) and an average of the data points (mean) at levels 5, 7, 8, and 9, followed by ANN to classify the faults for condition monitoring. Utility: The utility of the results is to reduce unscheduled downtime in the industry, thus saving revenue and reducing production losses. This work will help provide support to ensure early indication of faults in induction motors under operating conditions, enabling in-service engineers to take timely preventive measures as part of the availability of resources in IoT-enabled systems. Application: Resource availability and cybersecurity are becoming vital in an environment that supports the Internet of Things (IoT) as the essential components of Industry 4.0 scenarios. The novelty of this research lies in the implementation of high contact resistance and rotor bar faults using DWT and ANN with different activation functions to achieve accuracy up to 98%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of a native community is not the sole driving factor determining the success of an invader; abiotic factors can also play a role, making it important to understand their contributions in modifying the expected outcome of biotic and abiotic resistance to invasion. In order to test the contributions of native diversity, relatedness between native and alien plants, and abiotic factors in resisting alien invasion, we used a trait–environment data set of 33 alien‐ and 130 native plants in 166 invaded plots, covering a gradient of soil resources in Saint‐Katherine‐Protectorate, an arid‐protected area in Egypt. We measured the native diversity components as predictors of native biotic resistance. We quantified the success of alien plants based on their abundance and their performance traits. Additionally, we calculated the mean functional and phylogenetic distance between aliens and natives in each plot. We tested all plausible influences of native diversity components, relatedness, and soil resources on alien abundance and performance first using mixed‐effects models and second with a structural equation model (SEM). Mixed‐effect models revealed that, in the resource‐rich environments, alien abundance increased even though native plants were more productive, but alien performance decreased. SEM direct pathways revealed that native communities with high functional dispersion and richness and high mean‐weighted performance traits repelled alien plants by lowering their success. Simultaneously, in line with mixed‐effect models results, the effect of soil resources on alien success was found to be indirect, being mediated by the mean functional and phylogenetic distance between aliens and natives: The success of alien plants increased in resource‐rich environments when they were dissimilar to the natives, while it decreased for aliens similar to natives in resource‐limited environments. Our findings provide new insights on native community resistance to invasion, with resistance being higher in resource‐limited environments and when aliens are functionally and phylogenetically similar to resident natives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is set within the important framework of the imperative need to safeguard traditional knowledge at historical, nutritional levels, and as an element of sustainable management of natural resources. Thus, it aimed to identify, through four ethnobotanical surveys (2007, 2009, 2015 and 2019), the wild edible plants used by the Ehotilé around the Aby Lagoon, on the Ivorian eastern littoral, to evaluate the use, preference and availability related to these plants and to discuss the evolution of food practices since the observations of missionaries three centuries earlier. The level of knowledge was analysed using Smith's Index and the availability of edible fruits was assessed with a new cognitive index. Compared to the era of the first settlement, the diet of the Ehotilé has undergone many modifications. Current observations showed that wild plants were rarely used in the diet which was essentially cassava-based. Thirty-nine edible ethnospecies corresponding to 40 scientific plants species were recorded for 46 uses, of which, wild fruits with 54.17 % were the most important. Edible fruits were available all year round, but irregularly and the availability index suggested that 10 species of the fruits sought were rare in the region. The study has shown that gathering plants are well known by the Ehotilé. However, they are not very present in their diet. I n addition, they have a good knowledge of the availability of their edible plants and could therefore be key resource persons in any assessment of the dynamics of plants in their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approach to population data disaggregation in tasks of risk assessment is presented in this paper. The approach is based on analysis of land cover distribution separately in rural and urban areas. Model to analyze a population distribution on regular grid in a study area is proposed. Formal algorithms to estimate disaster losses distributions depending on population distribution, agroecological, socio-economic, and socio-ecological parameters are proposed. Concluding on population vulnerability and losses distribution in depending of land-use factors are proposed.

Because growth of new hairs entails energetic costs, individual condition and access to food should determine the timing of molt. Previous studies on the timing of molt in ungulates have mostly focused on the influence of age class and reproductive status, but the effects of body condition and environmental phenology have not been evaluated. Our goal was to assess how intrinsic traits and environmental conditions determine the timing of winter coat shedding in a mountain goat population monitored for 27 years. The date of molt completion followed a U shape with age, suggesting that senescence occurs in terms of the molting process in mountain goats. Juveniles of both sexes delayed molting in a similar fashion, but molt timing differed between sexes during adulthood. Males molted progressively earlier until reaching age when reproduction peaked, after which they started delaying molting again. Females reached earliest molt dates at age of first reproduction and then progressively delayed molt date. Lactating females molted 10 days later than barren females on average, but this only occurred in females in good condition. Thus, although it has been shown that reproduction delays molt in ungulates, our results indicate that body condition can override this effect. Overall, our results revealed that access to both extrinsic and intrinsic resources is one of the key mechanisms driving molting processes in a mammalian herbivore. We found that molt in a mountain goat population monitored for 27 years was linked with temperature and resources availability through the peak in vegetation quality (late peak and cold temperature delayed molt). Furthermore, intrinsic factors such as age (U‐shaped relation), sex (adult males molt earlier), reproductive status, and body condition (lactating females molted later than barren females, but only if they were in good condition) also modulated molt. Our results show that access to both extrinsic and intrinsic resources is one of the fundamental mechanisms behind molt in a mammalian herbivore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Node importance metric is designed to embed virtual nodes to closer physical nodes. • Physical node importance is measured to avoid the failure of virtual node embedding. • Resources availability is introduced to reduce the spectrum fragmentation. • Path selection strategy is proposed to improve the spectrum utilization. • Coordinate embedding approach is adopted to shorten the embedding lightpaths. Abstract Recent innovations in network virtualization and elastic optical networks enable the flexible deployment of optical networks. However, the spectrum fragmentation and virtual optical links being embedded to the longer lightpaths decrease the spectrum efficiency of elastic optical networks. To address this issue, a coordinated virtual optical network embedding algorithm based on resources availability-aware (RA-CVONE) is proposed. Firstly, we design the node importance metric to embed the neighboring virtual nodes to the closer physical nodes, and then a coordinated embedding approach is adopted, which can further shorten the length of the lightpaths to which virtual optical links are embedded. Moreover, we jointly evaluate the resources availability of a physical lightpath and its node, then select the candidate lightpaths with less spectrum fragmentations and abundant resources for a virtual optical link. Based on the resources availability, a path selection strategy is proposed to determine a physical lightpath of which the vacant spectrum resources can be effectively used. Simulation results show that the RA-CVONE algorithm can significantly shorten the length of the physical lightpaths which are selected to embed virtual optical links, reduce the bandwidth blocking probability of virtual optical network requests, and improve the spectrum utilization of elastic optical networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While positive interactions have been well documented in plant and sessile benthic marine communities, their role in structuring mobile animal communities and underlying mechanisms has been less explored. Using field removal experiments, we demonstrated that a large vertebrate herbivore (cattle; Bos tarurs) and a much smaller invertebrate (ants; Lasius spp.), the two dominant animal taxa in a semi-arid grassland in Northeast China, facilitate each other. Cattle grazing led to higher ant mound abundance compared with ungrazed sites, while the presence of ant mounds increased the foraging of cattle during the peak of the growing season. Mechanistically, these reciprocal positive effects were driven by habitat amelioration and resource (food) enhancement by cattle and ants (respectively). Cattle facilitated ants, probably by decreasing plant litter accumulation by herbivory and trampling, allowing more light to reach the soil surface leading to microclimatic conditions that favour ants. Ants facilitated cattle probably by increasing soil nutrients via bioturbation, increasing food (plant) biomass and quality (nitrogen content) for cattle. Our study demonstrates reciprocal facilitative interactions between two animal species from phylogenetically very distant taxa. Such reciprocal positive interactions may be more common in animal communities than so far assumed, and they should receive more attention to improve our understanding of species coexistence and animal community assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To learn the seasonal home range pattern and its role in the ecological adaptation of rewild Père David’s deer, we took the investigation from spring to winter in three-collared females that released into the coastal wetlands of the Yellow Sea, China. Using GPS collars, minimum convex polygons and fixed kernel estimation, we recorded the movement and estimated the home ranges of the deer. The results showed that the collared deer inhabited only 42.85% of the coastal wetland habitat that had been designated for them. The home ranges were larger during winter and spring than in autumn and summer. In summer and autumn, the collared deer remained in the reserve, which was dominated by spartina grass. In the spring and winter, they were lured by the green leaves of wheat in the farmlands outside the reserve but were then driven back by people. Home range patterns reflected the seasonality of the availability of food resources and human activity. In addition to the frequently utilized habitats, much larger wetland areas are required for such deer. As the population density increases gradually, more available space will be needed to meet the fundamental needs of the seasonal dispersal of rewild Père David’s deer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Species diversity of insect herbivores associated to canopy may vary local and geographically responding to distinct factors at different spatial scales. The aim of this study was to investigate how forest canopy structure affects insect herbivore species richness and abundance depending on feeding guilds´ specificities. We tested the hypothesis that habitat structure affects insect herbivore species richness and abundance differently to sap-sucking and chewing herbivore guilds. Two spatial scales were evaluated: inside tree crowns (fine spatial scale) and canopy regions (coarse spatial scale). In three sampling sites we measured 120 tree crowns, grouped in five points with four contiguous tree crowns. Insects were sampled by beating method from each crown and data were summed up for analyzing each canopy region. In crowns (fine spatial scale) we measured habitat structure: trunk circumference, tree height, canopy depth, number of ramifications and maximum ramification level. In each point, defined as a canopy region (coarse spatial scale), we measured habitat structure using a vertical cylindrical transect: tree species richness, leaf area, sum of strata heights and maximum canopy height. A principal component analysis based on the measured variables for each spatial scale was run to estimate habitat structure parameters. To test the effects of habitat structure upon herbivores, different general linear models were adjusted using the first two principal components as explanatory variables. Sap-sucking insect species richness and all herbivore abundances increased with size of crown at fine spatial scale. On the other hand, chewer species richness and abundance increased with resource quantity at coarse scale. Feeding specialization, resources availability, and agility are discussed as ecological causes of the found pattern.La diversidad de especies de insectos herbívoros asociados con el dosel puede variar geográficamente y responder a distintos factores a diferentes escalas espaciales. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar cómo la estructura del dosel afecta la riqueza de especies de insectos herbívoros y la abundancia en función la especialización alimenticia. Se evaluó la hipótesis que propone que la estructura del hábitat afecta en forma diferente la riqueza y abundancia de especies de insectos que se alimentan de savia y la de especies herbívoras masticadoras. Dos escalas espaciales fueron evaluadas: el interior de las copas de árboles (escala fina) y regiones del dosel (escala gruesa). En tres sitios de muestreo medimos 120 copas de árboles, agrupadas en cinco puntos con cuatro copas de árboles contiguas. Los insectos fueron muestreados golpeando las copas y los datos fueron sumados para analizar cada región del dosel. En las copas (escala espacial fina) medimos la estructura del hábitat: circunferencia del tronco, altura del árbol, profundidad del dosel, número de ramificaciones y máximo nivel de ramificación. En cada punto, definiendo una región del dosel (escala gruesa), medimos la estructura del hábitat usando un transecto cilíndrico vertical: riqueza de especies árboles, área foliar, sumatoria de altura de los estratos y máxima altura del dosel. Fue realizado un an��lisis de componentes principales basado en las variables medidas para cada escala espacial para estimar los parámetros de la estructura del hábitat. Para probar los efectos de la estructura del hábitat sobre los herbívoros, se ajustaron diferentes modelos lineares generales usando estos componentes principales como variables causales. La riqueza de especies chupadoras de savia y la abundancia de todas las especies herbívoras se incrementaron con el tamaño de la copa en la escala espacial final. Por otro lado, la riqueza y abundancia de especies masticadoras incrementaron con la complejidad de la estructura del hábitat en la escala más gruesa. La especialización alimenticia, la disponibilidad de recursos y la movilidad son propuestas como los factores ecológicos que explican los patrones observados.

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A computational grid ensures the on-demand delivery of computing resources, in a security-aware, shared, scalable, and standards-based computing environment. A major concern is how to evolve a general and an encompassing framework that guarantees users’ satisfaction measured as Quality of Services (QoS). To obtain a higher QoS, effective QoS perceived by subscribers (users) must conform to specified QoS agreements in the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) document—a legal contract between the Grid Services Provider (GSP) and users. Sometimes the effective user QoS does not conform to the specifications in the SLA because of the vagueness in linguistic definitions in the SLA. Existing approaches overcommitted resources to meet QoS. In this paper, we propose a fuzzy logic framework for calibrating a grid resources user-QoS that addresses the vagueness in linguistic definitions of the SLA document without overcommitting grid resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. In some ecosystems there is a positive feedback between forage quality and grazing intensity. This involves three components of plant tolerance to grazing: functional traits, herbivore selectivity and response to grazing. We analysed the relationships between these components at species and community levels in Patagonian steppe grasslands.2. We measured plant functional traits[height, specific leaf area (SLA) and foliar toughness] and estimated sheep selectivity and grazing response indices for 35 plant species. Sheep selectivity indices were obtained from microhistological and species’ availability data, and grazing response indices from species’ abundances in sites with contrasting grazing intensities. We performed correlations and multiple regressions among the three types of variables across the pool of 35 species.3. To analyse data at the community level, we computed weighted averages of traits and sheep selectivity indices for 34 floristic samples taken from each side of 17 fence lines with contrasting grazing intensities. Correlations between mean trait values and sheep selectivity across the 34 samples, and paired comparisons of those variables between sides of the fences, were performed.4. Taller plants had leaves with lower SLA and/or higher toughness. Short species of intermediate toughness were selected more often by sheep, while SLA was not related to sheep selectivity. Short species with high SLA increased with grazing, while toughness and sheep selectivity were unrelated to grazing response.5. At the community level, short swards with high average SLA had high selectivity indices and were more abundant on the most intensively grazed sides of fence lines. Leaf toughness was unrelated to other traits or to sheep selectivity, and showed no significant response to grazing.6. Synthesis and applications. Intensive grazing can increase the forage value of grasslands by the creation of lawns dominated by tolerant species. However, results from this study showed that some plant species that were avoided by grazers also increased, indicating a potential risk of a shift in composition of grazing lawns towards states of low forage value. This suggests that periodic resting of lawns could be a good management strategy to favour palatable species, thereby minimizing the risk of undesirable shifts in the overall species composition.Journal of Applied Ecology(2005) doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2004.00978.x [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of dams brings about changes in the course of a river, which directly or indirectly affect the fish fauna. Alterations in the food resources available to the fish favor some species and deter others. In addition to the implications originating from damming, Jordão Reservoir has a characteristically large number of endemic species that, because of the impacts they have undergone, run the risk of extinction. In this study, we investigate the feeding flexibility of the fishes faced with alterations in the food supply through the assessment of the diet and trophic organization of the fish fauna (before and after the damming). Diet was determined analyzing 1,861 stomach contents from 27 fish species. Eight of this species were not caught after the damming. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) discriminated seven trophic groups. Omnivorous, insectivorous and invertivorous species had more temporal alterations in their diets. These changes altered the composition (in abundance and biomass) of the trophic groups, mainly after the damming. The detritivorous and piscivorous species maintained their diets during all study period. Analyses showed that about 75% of the species quickly changed their diets according to alterations in food supply. This implies that food is not a limiting factor (at first) for the maintenance of fish fauna of this reservoir, at least for the species that persisted after the filling.