The importance of biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning across trophic levels, especially via predatory-prey interactions, is receiving increased recognition. However, this topic has rarely been explored for marine microbes, even though microbial biodiversity contributes significantly to marine ecosystem function and energy flows. Here we examined diversity and biomass of bacteria (prey) and nanoflagellates (predators), as well as their effects on trophic transfer efficiency in the East China Sea. Specifically, we investigated: (i) predator diversity effects on prey biomass and trophic transfer efficiency (using the biomass ratio of predator/prey as a proxy), (ii) prey diversity effects on predator biomass and trophic transfer efficiency, and (iii) the relationship between predator and prey diversity. We found higher prey diversity enhanced both diversity and biomass of predators, as well as trophic transfer efficiency, which may arise from more balanced diet and/or enhanced niche complementarity owing to higher prey diversity. By contrast, no clear effect was detected for predator diversity on prey biomass and transfer efficiency. Notably, we found prey diversity effects on predator-prey interactions; whereas, we found no significant diversity effect on biomass within the same trophic level. Our findings highlight the importance of considering multi-trophic biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning in natural ecosystems.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41396-018-0111-3 | DOI Listing |
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
February 2025
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada.
The ionizable lipid component of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations is essential for mRNA delivery by facilitating endosomal escape. Conventionally, these lipids are synthesized through complex, multistep chemical processes that are both time-consuming and require significant engineering. Furthermore, the development of new ionizable lipids is hindered by a limited understanding of the structure-activity relationships essential for effective mRNA delivery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
January 2025
National Engineering Research Center for Advanced Polymer Processing Technology, Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Mold of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
Planar 1D photonic crystals (1DPhCs), owing to their photonic bandgaps (PBGs) formed by unique structural interference, are widely utilized in light protection applications. Multifunctional coatings that integrate various light management functions are highly desired. In this study, we present the fabrication of dual-PBG 1DPhCs with high reflectance in both the blue and near-infrared (NIR) regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Shanghai Xinhao Information Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China.
Machine learning techniques and computer-aided methods are now widely used in the pre-discovery tasks of drug discovery, effectively improving the efficiency of drug development and reducing the workload and cost. In this study, we used multi-source heterogeneous network information to build a network model, learn the network topology through multiple network diffusion algorithms, and obtain compressed low-dimensional feature vectors for predicting drug-target interactions (DTIs). We applied the metropolis-hasting random walk (MHRW) algorithm to improve the performance of the random walk with restart (RWR) algorithm, forming the basis by which the self-loop probability of the current node is removed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Biotechnol (Singap)
October 2024
Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, and Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
Microalgae offer a promising alternative for sustainable nutritional supplements and functional food ingredients and hold potential to meet the growing demand for nutritious and eco-friendly food alternatives. With the escalating impacts of global climate change and increasing human activities, microalgal production must be enhanced by reducing freshwater and land use and minimizing carbon emissions. The advent of 3D printing offers novel opportunities for optimizing microalgae production, though it faces challenges such as high production costs and scalability concerns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrop Anim Health Prod
January 2025
Livestock Production and Management Section, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, 243 122, India.
Dry matter intake (DMI) determination is essential for effective management of meat goats, especially in optimizing feed utilization and production efficiency. Unfortunately, farmers often face challenges in accurately predicting DMI which leads to wastage of feed and an increase in the cost of production. This investigation aimed to predict DMI in Black Bengal goats by using body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), average daily gain (ADG), and metabolic body weight (MBW) by applying an artificial neural network (ANN) model.
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