Orfeo BELSPO Instutional Open Access Repository for Federal Organisation
Not a member yet
14207 research outputs found
Sort by
Deterministic and stochastic effects drive the larval gut microbial diversity in cucurbit feeding fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae)
No full textChallenges in experimental investigations of Paracoccus denitrificans activities in salt-bearing porous media
Get PDFSalt weathering, driven by the crystallization of saline solutions within sedimentary rocks, leads to significant material degradation. Key factors influencing this process include salt type, concentration, moisture levels, temperature fluctuations, and pore structure. Environmental conditions and microbial activity further impact weathering, either mitigating or exacerbating its effects. Microorganisms contribute to biological weathering but may also enhance rock properties through biofilm formation or biocementation. Laboratory techniques such as rock testing and micromodel experiments face challenges in replicating complex interactions between microorganisms and salt-bearing porous materials. In this study, we investigated the activity of Paracoccus denitrificans in saline solutions through experiments conducted on Petri dishes, glass slides and micromodels. Key challenges included replicating controlled conditions, managing contamination, and maintaining strict environmental controls. The results highlighted significant challenges in interpreting bacterial activity within salt-bearing systems, particularly due to contamination risks and difficulties in maintaining precise experimental conditions. Additionally, experimental setups, such as fluid actuation using laser light beams, were found to introduce further complexities. This research provided recommendations and emphasized the critical need for refined methodologies to enhance accuracy and reliability in future studies
The drinking bowl of Saint Francis of Assisi: A medieval artefact still in use
No full textPresentation about the historical, art historical and technical study of the Drinking Bowl of Saint Francis in Belgium.Rethinking Holy Materiality: Bones and Other ‘Stuff’, With and Without Reliquaries (The Middle Ages and Beyond), University of Turku & Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland, 10-11/09/202
ENFORCE: Expertiserapport ref. exp_656 (A0923.125 accoudoirs) & exp_657 (A0923.125 pieds), 6/3/2025
No full textPhylogenomics unveils Afrotropical origin, trans-oceanic global diversification and climatic niche conservatism in the sedentary Zodariidae ant spiders
No full textAncient origin and continental drift are commonly invoked to explain the worldwide distribution of poor dispersers, but this has not been thoroughly tested, including among most highly diversified groups. Here, we reconstructed the deep phylogeny of the globally distributed ant spiders (Zodariidae, >1300 species) through 1000 Ultraconserved Elements (UCE-) loci from 76 of the 90 nominal genera plus multiple outgroups. We then estimated zodariids diversification timeline using alternative methods and inferred its key biogeographic processes at the continental scale through ancestral range estimation and biogeographical stochastic mapping. Our robust phylogeny supports Zodariidae s monophyly, sister relationship with Penestomidae, and the subfamily classification with Procydrela transferred to a new subfamily. Surprisingly, zodariids originated and diversified from the end of the Early Cretaceous onwards, after Earth s major landmasses separated. Multiple range changes between realms were inferred, all via jump dispersal, and most originating in the Afrotropics. Most routes were taken only once, except for increased connectivity between the Afrotropics, Madagascar and the Indomalayan regions. Of 14 jump dispersal events with reliably inferred routes, 10 were trans-oceanic whereas 3 were trans-climatic. We conclude that trans-oceanic dispersal was pivotal in zodariids global distribution and diversification, giving origin to +-60% of its biota, and that climatic niche conservatism has limited trans-climatic colonization between landconnected regions. Our study provides a solid framework for interpreting additional aspects of zodariids unique evolution. It also exemplifies how poor dispersers may overcome geographic barriers over sufficiently long timeframes, leading to remarkable diversification
