Search results for " adaptation"

Development of Counting Skills: Role of Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity and Subitizing-Based Enumeration

2007

Children differ in how much they spontaneously pay attention to quantitative aspects of their natural environment. We studied how this spontaneous tendency to focus on numerosity (SFON) is related to subitizing-based enumeration and verbal and object counting skills. In this exploratory study, children were tested individually at the age of 4–5 years on these skills. Results showed 2 primary relationships in children's number skills development. Performance in a number sequence production task, which is closely related to ordinal number sequence without reference to cardinality, is directly associated with SFON. Second, the association of SFON and object counting skills, which require relat…

Urban Smartness: Tools and Experiences

2014

The necessary steps to build a different city that combines both sustainable development and urban quality include understanding of the events that emerge in different territories, identifying the appropriate actions, policies and finding innovative tools and procedures.

Molecular markers reflect differentiation of Fusarium oxysporum forma speciales on tomato and forma on eggplant

2013

Selective pressure induces pathogens to change their method of infection and, sometimes, causes species to become infectious. Pathogenic fungi must differentiate different morphological and physiological properties during the process of host specialization in their life cycle. In the present study, we conducted a genetic investigation and compared similarities within a generation of Fusarium oxysporum forma speciales (f. sp.) infecting tomato and forma (f.) infecting eggplants using selected ISSR and RAPD markers, two horticultural commodities belonging to the same taxon of the Solanaceae. Interestingly, genetic data showed that fungi belonging to F. oxysporum f. sp. infecting tomato have a…

Genetic evidence for divergent selection onOenanthe conioidesandOe. aquatica(Apiaceae), a candidate case for sympatric speciation

2014

The opportunity for habitat shift in sympatry is thought to be an important factor in sympatric speciation by facilitating assortative mating and offering opportunities for divergent selection. Oenanthe conioides (Apiaceae) is a narrow endemic from the lower Elbe river area (Germany) where it is restricted to areas experiencing fresh water tides inundating the plants twice a day. The species was shown to have originated from Oe. aquatica which is widely distributed in Europe and grows in still or slowly flowing fresh water. Reciprocal transplant experiments have previously shown that in both habitats the non-native species is less fit than the native, and several phenotypic traits have been…

Impact of a social parasite on ant host populations depends on host species, habitat and year

2011

Parasites often affect the abundance and life-history traits of their hosts. We studied the impact of a social parasite - a slavemaking ant - on host ant communities using two complementary field manipulations. In the first experiment, we analysed the effect of social parasite presence on host populations in one habitat. In a second experiment, conducted in two habitats, we used a cross-fostering design, analysing the effect of sympatric and allopatric social parasites. In the first experiment, host colonies benefited to some extent from residing in parasite-free areas, showing increased total production. Yet, in the second experiment, host colonies in plots containing social parasites were…

Species-specific song convergence in a moving hybrid zone between two passerines

2003

Moving hybrid zones are receiving increasing attention. However, so far little is known about the proximate mechanisms underlying these movements. Signalling behaviour, by individuals engaged in interspecific sexual and aggressive interactions, may play a crucial role. In this study, we investigated song variation within a moving hybrid zone between two warblers, Hippolais polyglotta and H. icterina. In these species, song is involved in interspecific territoriality and, probably, in mixed pairings. We showed that allopatric populations of the two species are clearly acoustically differentiated. However, interspecific differences faded out in sympatry as a result of an overall pattern of co…

Local adaptation, coadaptation, and population boundaries

1986

Coadaptation can occur either because of local adaptation in a geographically widespread population and/or because of intrinsic adaptation to the state of other genes or chomosomes. In either event, hybridization between animals with differently coadapted gene or chromosomal complexes can result in a decrease in fertility, viability, etc. in the initial hybrids and especially in later generations. This is known as an outbreeding depression. Moreover, releasing animals not adapted to the local environment can seriously hamper the effectiveness of a reintroduction program, and hybridization can also destroy the local adaptation. Coadapted gene complexes are best detected through studies on na…

Prismatic Adaptation as a new tool for non-invasive brain modulation: evidence from different neurophysiological techniques.

Report summarizing the Work Package 4 of the postdoctoral research

2020

The aim of the postdoctoral research programme ‘ARETE school’ was the modernization of general education in Latvian schools, with a focus on character education, by providing research-grounded basis for modelling the ‘Arete school’ programme and scientifically monitoring its piloting and implementation. This report includes information about the organization of the scientific monitoring of the ‘Arete school’ programme, which, following the conclusions of the preliminary research and the recommendations of the mid-term report, was implemented in two steps: 1) scientific monitoring of ‘Arete catalyst’ pilot programme (a teacher training programme for character education); and 2) scientific mo…

Exploiting programmable architectures for WiFi/ZigBee inter-technology cooperation

2014

The increasing complexity of wireless standards has shown that protocols cannot be designed once for all possible deployments, especially when unpredictable and mutating interference situations are present due to the coexistence of heterogeneous technologies. As such, flexibility and (re)programmability of wireless devices is crucial in the emerging scenarios of technology proliferation and unpredictable interference conditions. In this paper, we focus on the possibility to improve coexistence performance of WiFi and ZigBee networks by exploiting novel programmable architectures of wireless devices able to support run-time modifications of medium access operations. Differently from software…