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In this work we establish several monotonicity and decomposition results in the framework of random regular graphs. Among other results, we show that, for a wide range of parameters d_1 ≤ d_2, there exists a coupling of G(n,d_1) and G(n,d_2) satisfying that G(n,d_1) ⊆ G(n,d_2) with high probability, confirming a conjecture of Gao, Isaev and McKay in a new regime. Our contributions include new tools for analysing contiguity and total variation distance between random regular graph models, a novel procedure for generating unions of random edge-disjoint perfect matchings, and refined estimates of Gao's bounds on the number of perfect matchings in random regular graphs. In addition, we make progress towards another conjecture of Isaev, McKay, Southwell and Zhukovskii.
The timing of breeding is an important aspect of any species' realised niche, reflecting adaptations to synchronise with food supplies, dilute predation, avoid competition and exploit seasonal fluctuations in resources. Breeding phenology is typically studied either through long-term monitoring of focal populations (limiting the strength of inferences about species-wide traits and trends) or, when conducted at a landscape level, using remotely visible traits (restricting most studies to plants). For the first time, this study demonstrates landscape-scale measurement of vertebrate breeding phenology using a network of 77 time-lapse cameras to monitor three sympatric penguin species across 37 colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula and Sub-Antarctic islands. Camera temperature loggers showed penguin colony locations are warming up four times faster (0.3°C/year) than the continental average (0.07°C/year), already the second fastest-warming area in the world. We analysed the start of the breeding season of Adélie, Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins at a sub-continental scale between 2012 and 2022. The phenology of all three species advanced at record rates (10.2 ± 2, 10.4 ± 1.5 and 13 ± 4 days/decade, respectively). Different demographic trends as well as intra- and inter-species differences in response to environmental change suggest niche-based response differences between species. Phenological advances are causing niche separation to reduce. In this context, the Gentoo penguins' generalist and resident nature seems better suited to compete for space and resources than krill-specialist Chinstraps and ice-specialist Adélies. Synthesis: A decade of observation of the three pygoscelid penguins shows they are advancing their settlement phenology at record speeds in relation to climate change across the Antarctic Peninsula. These changes are species-dependent, reflecting different vulnerabilities and opportunities depending on their niche and life-history traits. In the long term, the trend towards earlier settlement risks increasing inter-species competition, causing trophic and temporal mismatch, and reshaping community assemblages.
We give a polynomial improvement to the cycle-complete Ramsey numbers r(C_ℓ,K_k) ⩾ k^1+1/ℓ -2 + ε _ℓ + o(1), for all fixed odd ℓ > 7 with k →∞ , for some ε _ℓ > 0 .
A new integrated age model of the uppermost Albian to Coniacian Ajlun Group in West-Central Jordan is presented based on four complete outcrop sections along a similar to 124 km N-S transect. Carbon isotope curves from this work are integrated with published carbon isotope data and constrained by new and existing nannofossil and ammonite biostratigraphy. Key identified carbon isotope events include the Mid-Cenomanian Event 1 (MCE 1), the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE 2) at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary and the Pewsey Event in the middle Turonian. The findings of this study corroborate and revise previous chemostratigraphic definitions in the study area, while also demonstrating a coeval origin of different lithostratigraphic units within the Ajlun Group. On the Arabian Plate scale, a detailed (3rd order) sequence stratigraphic correlation is made between Jordan and time-equivalent strata from the well-studied Natih Formation in Oman. These correlations help to evaluate the relative contributions of eustasy and tectonics on different plate tectonic settings, since the northeastern and eastern margins were heavily influenced by tectonic processes associated with the closure of the Neo-Tethys Ocean. In Oman, the creation of increased accommodation space (ca. 40 m) is observed relative to Jordan commencing in the interval between the MCE 1 and OAE 2. This suggests the onset of tectonic precursor events in Oman during the middle to late Cenomanian interval before the main tectonic phase in the Turonian, resulting in the termination of shallow water carbonate deposition. In contrast, Jordan remained in a largely passive margin setting. (c) 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Diversification of the hexaploid (bread) wheat genetic pool using wild genetic resources relies on effective meiotic recombination (crossover) between wheat chromosomes and their counterparts from related species (homoeologues). However, crossover between homoeologues is normally suppressed by two major genes, ZIP4-5B (Ph1) and MSH7-3D (Ph2). We investigated the effect of introducing zip4-5B and/or msh7-3D mutations into interspecific hybrids derived from crosses between wheat and Aegilops variabilis. Single and double mutants were exploited in Chinese Spring (CS) and Cadenza (Cad) genetic backgrounds, as well as in a CS/Cad recombinant background. Meiotic cells at metaphase I were scored for univalents, bivalents, and multivalents, from which chiasma numbers were deduced. We demonstrated a non-cumulative effect of simultaneous zip4-5B and msh7-3D mutations on homoeologous recombination, as homoeologous crossovers reached a maximum when ZIP4-5B alone was mutated. We also showed that hybrids carrying both the zip4-5B and msh7-3D mutations in the same genetic background exhibited a higher recombination rate compared to a double mutant in the CS/Cad recombinant background. The progression of meiosis was also monitored in the various interspecific hybrids mutants, revealing clear disruptions. Thus, our study provides key insights for optimizing the introgression of beneficial alleles from wild relatives into elite wheat germplasm; first by demonstrating the efficiency of ZIP4-5B and MSH7-3D mutations independently and in combination and second by elucidating the influence of the genetic background in which these mutations are present in an interspecific hybrid context.
