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Characterizing the Geomorphic Role of Large Wood in Non-Urban NE Ohio Streams
No full textNumerous studies have demonstrated the ecogeomorphic role of large wood (LW) in rivers. LW traps sediment, affects channel geometry, and provides habitat. The widespread acceptance of the importance of LW in riverscape processes is demonstrated by the extensive application of LW manipulation to river restoration projects in the Western U.S. and beyond. However, our understanding of LW dynamics has been largely developed in rivers in mountain landscapes, in unglaciated lowlands, and/or in highly forested catchments. The rivers in Northeast Ohio, by contrast, are postglacial, till-bed, low slope streams that once flowed through hardwood forest and woody wetlands, and now primarily drain cropland. This study aimed to investigate abundance and mobility of LW in non-urban streams in NE Ohio by conducting LW surveys at three streams in Lorain County and analyzing geomorphic characteristics. We follow Blauch & Jefferson (2019), who performed a similar study on urban streams in neighboring counties and found extent of riparian forest buffer and impervious surface cover to be important factors in overall highly mobile wood dynamics. We propose further research on wood in postglacial rivers in order to tailor the approaches of river restoration projects and to best understand channel processes inherent to a generalized river versus a particular place
The Politics of Social Movement and Natural Resource Extraction in Peru: An Analysis of Dialogue Tables
No full textPrivate ownership of mineral extraction in Peru dates back to 1990s era of economic liberalization. In 2001, three key actors within the natural resource extraction political arena (corporate representatives, governmental officials and community activists) signed a social investment agreement (Convenio Marco) delineating how revenue from the mine would be distributed within the community. In the subsequent decades, however, that agreement would face scrutiny from community activists in Espinar, many of whom were Indigenous Quechua. At least two distinctive waves of protest (2012 and 2022) roiled the town of Espinar. In light of these events—including a $1.5 billion expansion of the mine announced in 2023—this project uses computerized text analysis to analyze mesas de diálogo (dialogue tables) dating back to 2018 that feature discussions of the Convenio Marco in Espinar. Relying on several methodologies of textual analysis, including topic modeling and sentiment analysis, this project examines whether local institutions in Peru’s mining region serve as effective outlets for resolving stakeholder disagreements around social investment. As rising international demand for precious minerals brings heightened attention to the social implications of mineral extraction in Latin America, what do localized discourses reveal about the state of public participation in Peru’s fragile democracy
Exploring the Pathogenic Potential of Bacterial Strains Isolated from the Oberlin College Campus Using Galleria mellonella as an Infection Model
No full textWhen considering pathogens, specifically bacterial pathogens, new questions arise as to how we are affected by the pathogenic variability in our built environments. Research efforts in bacterial physiology are integral to preventing human infections and finding new methods of treatment. The investigation aims to identify hundreds of bacterial species cultured from the Oberlin College campus, including the on-campus clinic, to assess their pathogenicity. As part of our methods, we utilize the PCR protocol and 16S sequencing to identify the species’ collected. Through the animal infection model Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth), we present data on the pathogenic potential of these bacterial isolates and attempt to determine differences in the infection mechanisms of these species’. Galleria mellonella is chosen as our model given its similarities to the human innate immune system, making it possible to test immune reactions on a smaller scale. We took potentially pathogenic strains we found in our sampling, Priesta megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, Mammaliicoccus lentus, and, Mammaliicoccus scuri , strains of bacteria that have been assumed to be non-pathogenic to humans in published literature. Our results indicate that despite their“non-pathogen” status, we observe pathogenic qualities in the Galleria mellonella model
The origins and evolution of translation factors
No full textTranslation is an ancient molecular information processing system found in all living organisms. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in uncovering the origins of early translation. Yet, the evolution of translation factors – key regulators of protein synthesis – remains poorly understood. This review synthesizes recent findings on translation factors, highlighting their structural diversity, evolutionary history, and organism-specific adaptations across the tree of life. We examine conserved translation factors, their coevolution, and their roles in different steps in translation: initiation, elongation, and termination. The early evolution of translation factors serves as a natural link between modern genetics and the origins of life. Traditionally rooted in chemistry and geology, incorporating evolutionary molecular biology into the studies of life’s emergence provides a complementary perspective on this complex question
The Magic of Decolonization
No full textUsing a single line in Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth (1961) as a jumping-off point, this article meditates on the decolonial possibilities of Afro-Atlantic religions and their associated ritual objects. In it, I argue not that Afro-Atlantic works are inherently opposed to colonial epistemes but rather that moralizing colonial regimes’ exercises of power has forced their association with the concept “magic” and, in turn, the institutional critiques that “magic” creates. As such, I speculate on the forms of ontological uprooting necessitated by a full reckoning with Afro-Atlantic spiritualities—or what the institutional structures noted above might characterize as “Black magic”—may afford the disciplines of art history and material culture
Spatial and temporal variation of Antarctic microbial interactions: a study around the west Antarctic Peninsula
No full textBackground: The west Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is a region of rapid environmental changes, with regional differences in climate warming along the north-south axis of the peninsula. Along the WAP, Palmer corresponds to a warmer region with lesser sea ice extent in the north compared to Rothera similar to 400 km to the south. Comprehensive and comparative, year-round assessments of the WAP microbial community dynamics in coastal surface waters at these two locations are imperative to understand the effects of regional climate warming variations on microbial community dynamics, but this is still lacking.
Results: We report on the seasonal diversity, taxonomic overview, as well as predicted inter-and intra-domain causal effects (interactions) of the bacterial and microbial eukaryotic communities close to the Palmer station and at the Rothera time-series site between July 2013 and April 2014. Our 16S- and 18S-rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data showed that across all seasons, both bacteria and microbial eukaryotic communities were considerably different between the two sites which could be attributed to seawater temperature, and sea ice coverage in combination with sea ice type differences. Overall, in terms of biotic drivers, causal-effect modelling suggests that bacteria were stronger drivers of ecosystem dynamics at Palmer, while microbial eukaryotes played a stronger role at Rothera. The parasitic taxa Syndiniales persevered at both sites across the seasons, with Palmer and Rothera harbouring different key groups. Up to 62.3% of the negative causal effects were driven by Syndiniales at Rothera compared to only 13.5% at Palmer, suggesting that parasitism drives community dynamics at Rothera more strongly than at Palmer. Conversely, SAR11 Clade II, which was less abundant but persistent year-round at both sites, was the dominant driver at Palmer, evidenced by many (28.2% and 37.4% of positive and negative effects respectively) strong causal effects. Article note: Kindly check first page article notes are correct.
Conclusions: Our research has shed light on the dynamics of microbial community composition and correlative interactions at two sampling locations that represent different climate regimes along the WAP
