An understanding of how and why animal populations vary in space and time informs effective conservation and management. We used spatial and temporal flow metrics to explore flow-ecology relationships for two fish species, Mountain Sucker Pantosteus platyrhynchus (Cope, 1874) and Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii Girard, 1850, across 64 sites and 8 years in Wyoming, U.S.A. We found variation in Mottled Sculpin and Mountain Sucker abundance was driven to a greater extent by spatial flow metrics (e.g., drainage area, median summer flow) with differing direction of response between species. The opposing responses to spatial variation in median summer flow could reflect the ability of Mountain Sucker to persist in non-perennial habitats, likely due to their relatively high mobility and recolonization capacity. Responses to temporal flow metrics (e.g., previous year spring flow, previous year autumn flow) were weaker but consistent across species likely due to similar reproductive strategies and timing. The lack of stronger flow effects on population variability in both species likely corresponds to high variability in local habitat characteristics that are mediating population response. These findings underscore how considering spatial context informs conservation planning and suggest that flow-ecology relationships may be mediated by species-specific traits and local habitat conditions.
Water vapor sorption in porous activated carbons (PACs) is governed by a complex interplay of pore architecture and surface functionality and often exhibits pronounced adsorption-desorption hysteresis. In this work, chestnut-shell-derived carbons were synthesized via a two-step thermal route-pyrolysis at 550 degrees C for 120 min followed by KOH activation at either 600 degrees C or 800 degrees C for 240 min-and evaluated using a dynamic vapor sorption analyzer to quantify water uptake, hysteresis, and temperature-dependent energetics. Both materials exhibit sigmoidal Type V isotherms, characteristic of cooperative water clustering on hydrophobic carbon surfaces with localized polar sites. At 25 degrees C, The PAC sample prepared at 800 degrees C shows a sharper uptake transition and higher total capacity (similar to 0.45 g/g at 90% RH), compared to the broader, more gradual isotherm of the 600 degrees C sample (similar to 0.17 g/g). Temperature-dependent isotherms collected between 25 degrees C and 45 degrees C were fit using the Dubinin-Serpinsky (DS-4) model, yielding good agreement (R-2 approximate to 0.997) and enabling mechanistic interpretation of primary site adsorption and cooperative cluster growth. Clausius-Clapeyron analysis of ln P versus 1/T at fixed loadings yielded isosteric heats of adsorption (Delta H) decreasing from approximately 45.4 kJ mol(-1) at low uptake (0.02 g g(-1)) to similar to 43.8 kJ mol(-1) at intermediate loading, followed by a slight increase to similar to 44.2 kJ mol(-1) at higher coverage (0.35 g g(-1)). This trend reflects the transition from strong adsorption at high-energy surface sites to cooperative water clustering and confinement effects within the pore network. These findings highlight the role of activation temperature in modulating sorption mechanisms and energetics, offering practical guidance for tuning biomass-derived carbons for atmospheric water harvesting applications.
The use of mobile dataloggers to gather proximity data has generated novel insights into the social network structure of animals. The performance of mobile dataloggers may be impacted by different environmental and social conditions. Thus, validation studies that account for species-specific habitat use and behavior are essential. We conducted a series of validation studies of two brands of mobile dataloggers (Gipsy6, Technosmart, Italy; ProxLog, IoSA, Belgium) on the semi-fossorial rodent, Octodon degus. First, we determined the sensitivity of both types of dataloggers to track position and closeness in different habitats (Experiments 1 and 2). To determine if the structure of the network is influenced by the kind of data collected, we compared social networks generated by the two datalogger types and a passive monitoring RFID (radio frequency identification) system previously used in our study system (Experiment 3). The Gipsy6 units were more sensitive in open areas, within shrubs, and when into a burrow opening than ProxLog units. Mantel tests revealed that networks based on Gipsy6 and ProxLog units were weakly correlated with those from the RFID system. Both the group-level (weight, density, and eigenvector) and node-level (eigenvector) network metrics generated by the Gipsy6 and ProxLog dataloggers were not correlated with RFID. Degus carrying both types of dataloggers lost 7
The authors consider the problem of the existence of multiple weak solutions to p (x)-biharmonic equations with Navier boundary conditions. Using Ricceri's variational principle and a local mountain pass theorem, and without requiring the Palais-Smale condition, the authors establish sufficient conditions for the existence of at least three solutions to the problem.
