<p>Infectious  diseases  are  becoming  increasingly  common  and  problematic  for  wildlife populations in many parts of the world. Disease prevalence and severity fluctuate over time, often due to the ubiquitous pressure of seasonality, or  the cyclic changes in ecological systems. However, for  many  host-pathogen  systems,  our  understanding of important  seasonal  drivers of  disease remains fragmented. For example, when seasonality of a disease is studied in medium and high latitudes, winter is often neglected, despite this being a period of physiological and immunological challenges associated with extreme environmental conditions. Therefore, my aim is to examine  drivers  of winter Infection dynamics of the amphibian fungal pathogen <em>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</em>. First, <em>B. dendrobatidis </em>infection prevalence was measured from spring through fall to understand local infection levels and anthropogenic influences (Chapter 1). Next, laboratory  experiments examined the effects of <em>B. dendrobatidis </em>on critical thermal minimum of two anuran species to identify how this pathogen influences the ability of hosts to survive winter (Chapter 2). Another laboratory experiment tested how road de-icing salt (commonly used in winter) influences <em>B. dendrobatids </em>and a tadpole host condition and subsequent host-pathogen interactions (Chapter 3). Finally, a field-based exploration of <em>B. dendrobatidis </em>infection dynamics was conducted during winter to understand how infections vary during in this season and between two overwintering strategies (Chapter  4). Winter  infection  dynamics  in  many  host-pathogen  systems are largely understudied, but the knowledge gained by this work can demonstrate how harsh environmental conditions of winter that can exacerbate otherwise benign infections, and affect the ability of hosts to sustain infections during winter. This work can therefore inform predictions and investigations of  infection  dynamics in  subsequent  seasons to  better  understand  the  seasonality  of  wildlife diseases.</p>

Hypoxia is a significant low oxygen state that has complex and diverse impacts on organisms. In aerobes, various adaptive responses to hypoxia are observed that vary depending on the level of oxygen depletion and previous adaptation, hence the continued attention to hypoxia as an important abiotic stressor. Adaptive responses to hypoxia are primarily governed by the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which activate downstream genetic pathways responsible for oxygen transport and metabolic plasticity. In aquatic habitats, oxygen availability can vary greatly over time and space. Therefore, aquatic organisms’ adaptation to hypoxia is likely pervasive, especially in genotypes originating from waterbodies prone to hypoxia. Here we report the transcriptional response to severe hypoxia in the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna. We observe improved survival in media containing elevated calcium ion (Ca2+) concentrations. Additionally, we observe changes in lactate and pyruvate concentrations within tissues. To elucidate the transcriptome basis of these effects, we examine transcripts with known gene ontologies indicating roles in Ca2+ homeostasis and signaling, and in pyruvate metabolism, including gluconeogenesis (GNG). We observe the up-regulation of numerous transcripts encoding GNG pathway enzymes, including the rate-limiting enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C) and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP). In contrast, no transcripts involved in Ca2+ homeostasis or signaling showed any significant differential expression. Some GNG transcripts are more up-regulated in clones from permanent waterbodies not prone to hypoxia, inconsistent with the hypothesis about its protective effects. One exception is the FBP transcript, which has been identified to be up-regulated in some hypoxia-tolerant aquatic organisms.

Bereits seit Längerem wird das terrestrische Laser Scanning zur Vermessung von über- und unterirdischen Bauwerken eingesetzt. Die Forderung nach einer detaillierten digitalen 3D-Dokumentation erfordert geeignete Methoden, die eine möglichst hohe geometrische Auflösung bei entsprechend effizienten Aufnahmeverfahren ermöglichen. Gerade die Bedingungen unter Tage stellen große Herausforderungen an die Aufnahme: Obwohl viele Scanpositionen aufgenommen werden müssen, spielt der Zeitaufwand für die Abwicklung des gesamten Scanprojekts eine große Rolle. Obwohl keine GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)-Messungen möglich sind, sind die Anforderungen an die Robustheit des „Workflows“ und an die Genauigkeit des Gesamtprojekts hoch. Auf der einen Seite sollen große und komplexe 3D-Daten möglichst lückenfrei und komplett aufgenommen, auf der anderen Seite sollen die Ergebnisse dann aber auch möglichst vielen Anwendern flüssig und intuitiv bedienbar zur Verfügung stehen. In vielen Details wurde gerade in den letzten Jahren der gesamte Aufnahme- und Auswerteprozess beschleunigt und verbessert: Die Laserscanner messen mit „Millimeter-Genauigkeit“, es können dutzende hochauflösende Scans pro Stunde aufgenommen werden, die Scanpositionen werden auch ohne GNSS-Information automatisch zueinander registriert und eine Ausgleichsrechnung kann abschließend einen Fehlerreport des gesamten Vermessungsprojektes liefern. Diese Arbeit soll sowohl den gesamten „Vermessungs-Workflow“ beschreiben, als auch eine neue Methode aufzeigen, ein Scanprojekt mehreren Institutionen gleichzeitig zugänglich zu machen. Alle Scans eines Projektes können speicheroptimiert im Intranet oder im Internet als ein sogenanntes „RiPANO“-Projekt gespeichert werden. Die Navigation zwischen einzelnen Scanpositionen erfolgt intuitiv, rasch und übersichtlich. Mehrere Benutzer können dann gleichzeitig darauf zugreifen und die Daten so vorbereiten, dass daraus CAD-(Bestands-)Pläne erstellt werden können. / For some time now, terrestrial laser scanning has been used for surveying above and below ground structures. The demand for detailed digital 3D documentation requires suitable methods that allow the highest possible geometric resolution with correspondingly efficient recording methods. The underground conditions in particular pose great challenges for the recording: although many scan positions have to be recorded, the time required to complete an entire scan project plays an important role. Although no GNSS (global navigation satellite system) measurements are possible, the demands on the robustness of the registration and the accuracy of the overall project are high. On the one hand, large and complex 3D data should be recorded as gap-free and complete as possible, on the other hand, the results should be made available to as many users as possible in a fluent and easy to use way.

Försvarsmekanismer är vanligt förekommande svar på predation och aggression bland djur. Till exempel uppvisar många terrestra sniglar en högre aktivitet och förändrat rörelsemönster när de identifierar kemiska signaler från predatorer. I denna studie undersökte jag hur kemiska signaler från en attackerad artfrände påverkade försvarsbeteenden hos trädgårdssnigel (Arion distinctus), där pantersnigel (Limax maximus) representerade aggressor. Ett laboratorieexperiment utfördes med fyra behandlingar (totalt 48 replikat): med slemspår av en trädgårdssnigel, med spår av en pantersnigel, med spår av båda arter tillsammans, samt utan spår. Jag förutspådde att spår av en attackerad artfrände (det vill säga spår från båda arter tillsammans) skulle medföra högre aktivitet och undvikande beteende hos trädgårdssnigeln, samt att båda arter under förberedelsen för behandlingarna skulle uppvisa en högre aktivitet vid närvaro av den andra arten än ensamma. Resultaten visade ingen signifikant effekt av behandling på trädgårdssniglarnas aktivitet eller rörelsemönster, eller på någon av arternas aktivitet vid närvaro av varandra. Eftersom sniglars försvarsbeteenden är kostsamma, är det möjligt att pantersnigeln inte utgjorde ett tillräckligt stort hot för att det skulle vara fördelaktigt för trädgårdssnigeln att utföra dessa beteenden. / Defence mechanisms are a common response to predation and aggression in animals. For example, many terrestrial slugs exhibit a higher activity and change their movement patterns when identifying chemical signals from predators. In this study, I examined how chemical signals from an attacked conspecific affected the defence mechanisms of the common garden slug (Arion distinctus), where the leopard slug (Limax maximus) represented the aggressor. A laboratory experiment was conducted with four treatments (48 replicas in total): with mucus trails from a common garden slug, with trails from a leopard slug, with trails from both species together, and without trails. I predicted that trails from an attacked conspecific (i.e. trails from both species together) would result in increased activity and an avoiding behaviour in the common garden slug, and that both species during the preparation for the treatments would exhibit an increased activity in presence with the other species than alone. The results showed no significant effect of treatment on the common garden slug’s activity or movement pattern, or on both species’ presence of each other. Because slugs’ defence mechanisms are costly, it is possible that the leopard slug did not pose a threat big enough to be beneficial for the common garden slug to execute these behaviours.

Technological advancement and the quest for power have gradually contaminated our environment, as industrialization, agriculture, and nuclear activities progressed. In the year 1986, a terrible nuclear incident occurred in Ukraine, in which the nuclear reactor exploded. The explosion resulted in the release of radionuclides with a massive concentration of 137Cs and 131I. Among these,137Cs was the most persistent one having a half-life of 30.2 years. The137Cs spread to Sweden due to advection, dispersion,and diffusion by wind, fallout over by precipitation via adsorption, and absorption in northern parts of Sweden experiencing a heterogeneous distribution. This fallout affected both the terrestrial and aquatic environments. This research aims to investigate where the 137Cs went and how its concentration changed with time in Swedish mushrooms, lakes, and in the Gulf of Bothnia. Also, to search for the environment that holds137Cs for a longer period and why it is so. More than 30 years have passed since the incident, and it isexpected that 137Cs would have decayed to values of its half-life. Swedish food authority recommends that up to 10,000 Bq/kg of 137Cs in mushrooms is safe for human consumption. The advocated limitsfor fish and seawater are 1500 Bq/kg and 40 Bq/kg, respectively.The method embraced to answer the research questions is based on data from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, the Radiant Earth project between Uppsala University and SLU, and also the data published in the literature. Decay models were generated for 137Cs.These models help in explaining the processes of accumulation and extraction of 137Cs. A closer look is also given to processes that have animpact on factors such as weathering, erosion, wind, washout, and bioturbation, and the rate of intake in environments. The aquatic environment, because Gävleborg was most affected during the incident, the highest value in the fish measured in the year 1988 was 23,508 Bq/kg. However, after 31 years (2016), the value was 4.5 Bq/kg. The values for Jämtland, Västerbotten, and Västernorrland were also almost equivalent to those for Gävleborg, estimated in the year 2016 to be around 4.5 Bq/kg. Observations of water data in Gävleborg show a wide range between 2-996 Bq/kg. In the Gulf of Bothnia, the highest 137Cs value recorded for sediment data in the year 2003 was 310 Bq/kg, and the lowest value of 181 Bq/kg was observed in the year 2015. In terrestrial environments, the maximum value recorded for Craterellus tubaeformis mushrooms was 522,000 Bq/kg in the year 1987. On the other hand, the lowest value recorded for Chanterelle mushrooms was 101.5 Bq/kg in the year 2017. Observations from a sample collected in Uppsala in the year 2017 indicates a value of 15 Bq/kg. Several mushroom species (Chanterelle, Craterellus tubaeformis) had distinct concentrations within the same geographical area and time, i.e., the Västernorrland in the year 2017.Due to weathering and erosion, when 137Cs reaches a water body (sea, ocean, estuary, river, lake or wetland), it dissolves in the water increasing its concentration. As a result, it increases the overall concentration of 137Cs in the fish. The results show that most of the 137Cs is locked in the sediments, with time buried under new sediment. However, due to resuspension and bioturbation, the contaminants may end up in the aquatic environment again. Models for lakes show irregular behaviour since their sizes are not as large as seas and small intakes depict high concentrations. Based on the mushroom results, 137Cs concentrations have been greatly reduced compared with Chernobyl levels. Different mushroom species exhibit different levels of 137Cs in the same area. Most radionuclides are found in the top layer of organic soil, making this layer crucial for taking up 137Cscontamination. Over time, these radionuclides, including 137Cs, are buried beneath the soil layers and cease to contribute to the system.

<p>Establishing permanent and sustainable human settlements outside Earth presents numerous challenges. The Resilient Extra-Terrestrial Habitat Institute (RETHi) has been established to advance the fundamental knowledge needed to enable and design resilient habitats in deep space, that will adapt, absorb, and rapidly recover from expected and unexpected disruptions without fundamental changes in function or sacrifices in safety.</p> <p>Future extra-terrestrial habitats will rely on several subsystems working synergistically to ensure adequate power supply, life support to crew members, manage extreme environmental conditions, and monitor the health status of the equipment. To study extra-terrestrial habitats, a combination of modeling approaches and experimental validations is necessary, but deep-space conditions cannot be entirely reproduced in a laboratory setting (e.g., micro-gravity effects). To this end, real-time multi-physics cyber-physical testing is a novel approach of simulating and evaluating complex system-of-systems (SoS) that has been applied to investigate the behavior of extra-terrestrial habitats under different scenarios (e.g., meteorite strikes). One of the most critical components which determines the success of the cyber-physical testbed is the transfer system serving as an interface between the physical and cyber substructures.</p> <p>Through this work, a dedicated thermal transfer system has been designed and constructed to provide realistic thermal boundary conditions to the physical habitat according to the real-time simulation results from cyber substructure of the habitat. The extreme temperatures to be found at the interface between the external protective layer of the habitat (cyber) and the interior structural elements (physical) are emulated by means of a cryogenic chiller and an array of cooled panels that cover a dome-style structure. Moreover, the overall architecture of the cyber-physical testbed, the partitioning of the virtual and physical environments, and interface schemes were also established. The experimental results obtained from the thermal transfer system prototype setup were analyzed and interpreted to generate meaningful recommendations for future development and application of the full-sized testbed.</p>

Although many estimates of species numbers have been attempted using various techniques, many smaller phyla remain poorly known without such estimates. For most of these it is unclear if they are species-poor or just poorly studied. The phylum Tardigrada is one of these phyla. Specialists have created a regularly updated checklist for the known tardigrade species, which as of 15 July 2013 listed 1190 taxa (species and subspecies). Of these, 1008 are limnoterrestrial and 182 are marine. These were the most up-to-date data at the time of our analysis. As species accumulation curves show little sign of levelling out, they do not provide a useful tool for estimating global tardigrade diversity from existing species numbers. A new technique has recently been developed that uses the more complete knowledge of higher taxonomic levels to estimate the asymptotic number of species. We applied this technique to limnoterrestrial and marine tardigrades. We estimate that the global total for limnoterrestrial tardigrades is 1145 (upper 95% CI = 2101), and the global total for marine tardigrades is 936 (upper 95% CI = 1803). This yields 87% completeness for our knowledge of limnoterrestrial tardigrades, and only 19% completeness for our knowledge of marine tardigrades. Thus, although many more marine species remain to be discovered, it appears that tardigrades are both poorly studied and relatively species poor.

No description available.

Through a myriad of practices, anthropogenic land and water use has caused the localized extirpation or complete elimination of many native fishes throughout North America. Specifically, native salmonids have seen substantial declines in population sizes and geographic distributions due to a number of factors, including habitat loss or degradation, overharvest, or the introduction of non-native competitors and predators. Among those affected, the 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout found across western North America have been subject to two extinctions and five listings as Threatened as per the Endangered Species Act. Lahontan cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi have experienced marked reductions throughout their native range in the western Great Basin, U.S. In Pyramid Lake, Nevada, where they were once locally extirpated due to overfishing, water loss, and degraded spawning habitat, Lahontan cutthroat trout have been successfully stocked and managed, though they do not routinely reach their pre-extirpation sizes. With little research to determine the factors influencing Lahontan cutthroat trout in Pyramid Lake, I used a suite of modeling tools and empirical data to elucidate the influence of the current surrounding environment on Lahontan cutthroat trout in Pyramid Lake. To identify important food web interactions that may affect the availability of food to Lahontan cutthroat trout, I used diet composition and stable isotope analyses of carbon and nitrogen to understand dietary trends. Large Lahontan cutthroat trout (>400 mm TL), along with non-native Sacramento perch Ambloplites interruptus, relied most heavily on fish prey, yet neither species showed signs of cannibalism or preying on the other species. Diet composition and stable isotope analyses also indicated that Lahontan cutthroat trout rely mostly on tui chub Gila bicolor and other fish for food. I also used results from bioenergetic and hydroacoustic analyses to compare the number of tui chub consumed by trout to the number of tui chub in the lake, during the time of this study. Results from these analyses suggest that trout consume well below the number of tui chub available in the lake, indicating that trout are not limited by the availability of tui chub. Lastly, I used a number of biotic and abiotic predictors to determine which factors influence the distribution, and subsequently abundance, of trout in Pyramid Lake and found that biotic factors were very weak predictors of trout distribution, further indicating that trout are not limited by food resources in Pyramid Lake.

The Arctic is warming faster than any other region of the globe. To conserve and manage many thousands of lakes across arctic landscapes, scientists need to understand historic and present conditions within these lakes to predict how the lakes, and the organisms that inhabit them, may respond to a changing climate. The goal of my research was to improve our understanding of what physical, chemical, and biological factors contribute to: 1) how lake food webs are assembled; and, 2) how these food webs may change in the future. First, I used long-term observations and lab experiments to determine how fish food, including zooplankton and snails, may respond to a warming climate. I then used field measurements of arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) body characteristics, genetic samples, and fish diets to investigate if, and potentially why, populations of arctic char across a series of lakes achieve different maximum body sizes. Finally, as a method of monitoring population-level changes of fish abundance, I collected samples of arctic char DNA in lake water to test if estimated arctic char population abundances within a given lake correspond to the amount of DNA collected. Fish will require more food to eat as their metabolism increases with warming lake temperatures. Based on a thirty-year period of record, I determined zooplankton abundance increases in warmer years, indicating there is likely to be enough food for fishes in the future. Accordingly, zooplankton and snail abundance and development was also faster in warmer treatments of my lab experiments. My field observations indicated these are important prey items for arctic char. Small arctic char eat more zooplankton and large arctic char eat more snails, and these observations were consistent whether or not other predators are found in the particular lake. Similarly, my analyses did not indicate morphological or genetic differences between small and large arctic char within the same lake, suggesting arctic char size structure is determine by biological characteristics, including primary productivity and arctic char density. Indeed, estimates of arctic char population abundances across a series of lakes followed a gradient of arctic char densities, and my DNA sampling corresponded with this gradient. As there are thousands of lakes across the Arctic, my research demonstrates lake food webs, and the fishes within them, are likely to adapt to a warming climate. However, biological, chemical, and physical properties of these lakes can vary widely such that management and conservation plans may need to be developed at relatively small spatial scales across a large landscape.