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The order of species arrival can influence how species interact with one another and, consequently, which species may coexist in local communities. This phenomenon, called priority effects, has been observed in various types of communities, but it remains unclear whether priority effects persist over the long term spanning multiple generations of local communities in metacommunities. Focusing on bacteria and yeasts that colonize floral nectar of the sticky monkey flower, Mimulus aurantiacus, via hummingbirds and other flower-visiting animals, we experimentally manipulated initial microbial dominance on plants (regarded as metacommunities) to examine whether its effects persisted across multiple generations of flowers (regarded as local microbial habitats). The experimental introduction of Neokomagataea (= Gluconobacter) bacteria and Metschnikowia yeasts into wild flowers showed that the effects of initial dominance were observable across multiple floral generations. Three weeks after introduction, corresponding approximately to three floral generations, Neokomagataea introduction led to exclusion of yeasts, whereas Metschnikowia introduction did not result in the exclusion of Neokomagataea. Our results suggest that, even when local habitats are ephemeral, priority effects may influence multiple generations of local communities within metacommunities.

A growing body of evidence shows that aboveground and belowground communities and processes are intrinsically linked, and that feedbacks between these subsystems have important implications for community structure and ecosystem functioning. Almost all studies on this topic have been carried out from an empirical perspective and in specific ecological settings or contexts. Belowground interactions operate at different spatial and temporal scales. Due to the relatively low mobility and high survival of organisms in the soil, plants have longer lasting legacy effects belowground than aboveground. Our current challenge is to understand how aboveground–belowground biotic interactions operate across spatial and temporal scales, and how they depend on, as well as influence, the abiotic environment. Because empirical capacities are too limited to explore all possible combinations of interactions and environmental settings, we explore where and how they can be supported by theoretical approaches to develop testable predictions and to generalise empirical results. We review four key areas where a combined aboveground–belowground approach offers perspectives for enhancing ecological understanding, namely succession, agro-ecosystems, biological invasions and global change impacts on ecosystems. In plant succession, differences in scales between aboveground and belowground biota, as well as between species interactions and ecosystem processes, have important implications for the rate and direction of community change. Aboveground as well as belowground interactions either enhance or reduce rates of plant species replacement. Moreover, the outcomes of the interactions depend on abiotic conditions and plant life history characteristics, which may vary with successional position. We exemplify where translation of the current conceptual succession models into more predictive models can help targeting empirical studies and generalising their results. Then, we discuss how understanding succession may help to enhance managing arable crops, grasslands and invasive plants, as well as provide insights into the effects of global change on community re-organisation and ecosystem processes.

A high pressure required to drive the liquid can be generated by the compact electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pumps with multiple pairs of the rod-to-rod and meshy parallel plates electrode assemblies arranged in series. In this work, the performance of EHD pumps with electrodes up to nine pairs has been examined as a function of the applied voltage using a semi-insulating liquid. The pressure generated by energized electrodes gives rise to the vigorous liquid flow and the liquid ejects from the pump outlet. The flow direction always is from the cathode toward the anode. The pressure increases with nearly the square of the applied voltage and in proportion to the number of electrode pairs. The maximum pressure head achieved with a series of nine electrode pairs is 25.3 kPa at 18 kV with maximum power consumption of 7.2 W. The generated pressure is maintained stably at constant level of the corresponding value. EHD pumping is attributed to conduction pumping based on an unbalance of heterocharges with single ionic polarity in the vicinity of the anode and cathode. Index Terms--EHD pump, conduction pumping, semi-insulating liquid, pressure head, dc voltage, potential distribution, flow rate.

Male Zucker fatty and lean rats were studied to examine the influence of the potent neuropeptide Y (NPY) antagonist, 1229U91, on the suppression of the spontaneous food intake. The results provided evidence that NPY contributes to feeding to a greater extent in Zucker fatty compared to the lean rats. The hyperphagia in Zucker fatty rats was attributed to the abnormal activation of the NPYergic system.

To achieve a higher storage density on the overwritable exchange-coupled quadrilayer MO disk, the overwrite recording characteristics using the optical head with 680nm laser diode were investigated. High recording sensitivity was obtained and the write power was estimated to be about 10mW at 22m/sec linear velocity. CNR of more than 46 dB was obtained at 0.66 micrometer mark length, and 0.5 micrometer/bit recording with a bit error rate less than 1 X 10 to the -5 was succeeded at 1.2 micrometer track pitch. We have concluded that 130mm double-sided direct overwrite MO disk could have 2.5GByte storage capacity. If 1.0 micrometer track pitch disk can be used, a storage capacity of 3.5GByte might be expected.