Six Principles for Embracing Gender and Sexual Diversity in Postsecondary Biology Classrooms.

Sexual and gender minorities face considerable inequities in society, including in science. In biology, course content provides opportunities to challenge harmful preconceptions about what is "natural" while avoiding the notion that anything found in nature is inherently good (the appeal-to-nature fallacy). We provide six principles for instructors to teach sex- and gender-related topics in postsecondary biology in a more inclusive and accurate manner: highlighting biological diversity early, presenting the social and historical context of science, using inclusive language, teaching the iterative process of science, presenting students with a diversity of role models, and developing a classroom culture of respect and inclusion. To illustrate these six principles, we review the many definitions of sex and demonstrate applying the principles to three example topics: sexual reproduction, sex determination or differentiation, and sexual selection. These principles provide a tangible starting place to create more scientifically accurate, engaging, and inclusive classrooms.

Species interactions and distinct microbial communities in high Arctic permafrost affected cryosols are associated with the CH4 and CO2 gas fluxes.

Microbial metabolism of the thawing organic carbon stores in permafrost results in a positive feedback loop of greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 and CH4 fluxes and the associated microbial communities in Arctic cryosols are important in predicting future warming potential of the Arctic. We demonstrate that topography had an impact on CH4 and CO2 flux at a high Arctic ice-wedge polygon terrain site, with higher CO2 emissions and lower CH4 uptake at troughs compared to polygon interior soils. The pmoA sequencing suggested that USCα cluster of uncultured methanotrophs is likely responsible for observed methane sink. Community profiling revealed distinct assemblages across the terrain at different depths. Deeper soils contained higher abundances of Verrucomicrobia and Gemmatimonadetes, whereas the polygon interior had higher Acidobacteria and lower Betaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria abundances. Genome sequencing of isolates from the terrain revealed presence of carbon cycling genes including ones involved in serine and ribulose monophosphate pathways. A novel hybrid network analysis identified key members that had positive and negative impacts on other species. Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) with numerous positive interactions corresponded to Proteobacteria, Candidatus Rokubacteria and Actinobacteria phyla, while Verrucomicrobia and Acidobacteria members had negative impacts on other species. Results indicate that topography and microbial interactions impact community composition.

Body size mediates the relationship between spider (Arachnida: Araneae) assemblage composition and prey consumption rate: results of a mesocosm experiment in the Yukon, Canada.

Many ecological assemblages are undergoing rapid changes in composition and diversity, and changes at one trophic level can have direct and cascading effects on other trophic levels. Prey consumption typically increases with predator diversity due to niche complementarity and sampling effects. However, the effect of functional traits and interactions between predator species mean that the relationship is far from simple. In July 2016, we performed a series of experiments in the Yukon, Canada, to investigate the relationship between spider assemblage composition and prey consumption, with a focus on the wolf spider Pardosa lapponica (Thorell 1872). We carried out feeding trials, in which P. lapponica and other spider species were offered potential prey, as well as mesocosm experiments, in which we varied spider assemblage composition within small enclosures. We confirmed that P. lapponica is a generalist consumer, individual consumption rate increased with spider body size, and that intraguild predation is present. We found that prey consumption was greatest in the least diverse assemblage but consumption did increase with predator functional trait variation and biomass. The best model of prey consumption included predator assemblage composition, variation in body mass, biomass, and all interactions. The body size of a spider affects its trophic niche, energy requirements, and its interactions with other spiders. As a result, body size mediates the relationship between spider assemblage composition and prey consumption. A deeper understanding of the relationships between traits and functions will allow us to better predict the effect of species loss or gain on ecosystem functions.

Non-repeatable science: assessing the frequency of voucher specimen deposition reveals that most arthropod research cannot be verified.

Scientific findings need to be verifiable and grounded in repeatability. With specimen-level research this is in part achieved with the deposition of voucher specimens. These are labeled, curated, data-based specimens that have been deposited in a collection or museum, available for verification of the work and to ensure researchers are calling the same taxa by the same names. Voucher specimens themselves are the subject of research, from the discovery of new species by taxonomists to ecologists documenting historical records of invasive species. Our objective was to quantify the frequency of voucher specimen deposition in biodiversity and community ecology research through a survey of the peer-reviewed literature about arthropods, from 1989 until 2014. Overall rates of voucher deposition were alarmingly low, at under 25%. This rate increased significantly over time, with 35% of papers reporting on vouchers in 2014. Relative to the global mean, entomological research had a significantly higher rate of voucher deposition (46%), whereas researchers studying crustaceans deposited vouchers less than 6% of the time, significantly less than the mean. Researchers working in museums had a significantly higher frequency of voucher deposition. Our results suggest a significant culture shift about the process of vouchering specimens is required. There must be more education and mentoring about voucher specimens within laboratories and across different fields of study. Principal investigators and granting agencies need a proactive approach to ensuring specimen-level data are properly, long-term curated. Editorial boards and journals can also adopt policies to ensure papers are published only if explicit statements about the deposition of voucher specimens is provided. Although the gap is significant, achieving a higher rate of voucher specimen deposition is a worthy goal to ensure all research efforts are preserved for future generations.