Dancing drives evolution of sexual size dimorphism in manakins.

Body size mediates life history, physiology and inter- and intra-specific interactions. Within species, sexes frequently differ in size, reflecting divergent selective pressures and/or constraints. Both sexual selection and differences in environmentally mediated reproductive constraints can drive sexual size dimorphism, but empirically testing causes of dimorphism is challenging.

Body surface temperature responses to food restriction in wild and captive great tits.

During winter at temperate and high latitudes, the low ambient temperatures, limited food supplies and short foraging periods mean small passerines show behavioural, morphological and physiological adaptations to reduce the risk of facing energy shortages. Peripheral tissues vasoconstrict in low ambient temperatures to reduce heat loss and cold injury. Peripheral vasoconstriction has been observed with food restriction in captivity but has yet to be explored in free-ranging animals.

Influence of morphology on the near-infrared spectra of mycelial biomass and its implications in bioprocess monitoring.

Bioprocesses that employ mycelial microorganisms are commercially important. The application of optical techniques for the measurement of biomass in such processes is limited by the morphological heterogeneity exhibited by the mycelial microorganism employed. We investigated the influence of morphology on the near-infrared (NIR) spectra of the biomass of Streptomyces fradiae, a filamentous microorganism, by studying the spectra of mycelial suspensions that were manipulated to generate a range of morphological forms.

The autolysis of industrial filamentous fungi.

Fungal autolysis is the natural process of self-digestion of aged hyphal cultures, occurring as a result of hydrolase activity, causing vacuolation and disruption of organelle and cell wall structure. Previously, authors have considered individual aspects of fungal lysis, in terms of either an enzyme, a process or an organism. This review considers both the physiology and morphology of fungal autolysis, with an emphasis on correlations between enzymological profiles and the morphological changes occurring during culture degeneration.