ALBERT

Description / Table of Contents: Chapter I. Air-Sea Exchange Processes and Flux --- Chemical composition of marine aerosols over the Central North Pacific—Results ftom the 1991 cruise of Hakurei Maru No. 2 / Uematsu, M., Kawamupa, K., Ibusuki, T. and Kimoto, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 3-14 --- Estimation of mineral aerosol fluxes to the Pacific by using environmental plutonium as a tracer / Nakanishi, T., Shiba, Y., Muramatsu, M. and Haque, M. A. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 15-30 --- Land-derived lipid class compounds in the deep-sea sediments and marine aerosols from the North Pacific / Kawamura, K. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 31-51 --- Iron and manganese in the atmosphere and oceanic waters / Nakayama, E., Obata, H., Okamura, K., Isshiki, K., Karatani, H. and Kimoto, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 53-68 --- Laboratory estimation of CO2 transfer velocity across the air-sea interface / Komom, S., Shimada, T. and Murakami, Y. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 69-81 --- Dissolution of calcareous tests in the ocean and atmospheric carbon dioxide / Nozaki, Y. and Oba, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 83-92 --- Calcium carbonate production and carbon dioxide flux on a coral reef, Okinawa / Ohde, S. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 93-98 --- Chapter II. Geochemical Processes in Seawater --- Generations of carbonyl sulfide and hydrogen peroxide in the Seto Inland Sea—Photochemical reactions progressing in the coastal seawater / Fujiwara, K., Takeda, K. and Kumamoto, Y. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 101-127 --- Speciation of organoarsenical compounds in the hydrosphere / Sohrin, Y., Hasegawa, H. and Matsui, M. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 129-138 --- Chemical speciation of selenium in natural waters / Nakaguchi, Y., Koike, Y. and Hiraki, K. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 139-158 --- The concentration distribution and chemical form of arsenic compounds in seawater / Tanaka, S. and Santosa, S. J. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 159-170 --- The rare earth elements and yttrium in the coastal/offshore mixing zone of Tokyo Bay waters and the Kuroshio / Nozaki, Y. and Zhang, J. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 171-184 --- The tetrad effect in seawater; a long dispute and an analytical approach to the confirmation of the effect / Akagi, T. and Masuda, A. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 185-199 --- Detection, characterization and dynamics of dissolved organic ligands in oceanic waters / Tanoue, E. and Midorikawa, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 201-224 --- Chapter III. Primary Production and Other Biological Processes --- Nitrate assimilation and new production in open ocean / Kanda, J. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 227-238 --- Primary production and community respiration in the subarctic water of the western North Pacific / Odate, T. and Furuya, K. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 239-253 --- Effects of a seamount on phytoplankton production in the western Pacific Ocean / Furuya, K., Odate, T. and Taguchi, K. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 255-273 --- Marine colloids: Their roles in food webs and biogeochemical fluxes / Nagata, T. and Koike, I. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 275-292 --- Regional and seasonal variations of biomass and bio-mediated materials in the North Pacific Ocean / Yanada, M. and Maita, Y. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 293-306 --- Nitrogen and carbon stable isotopic ecology in the ocean: The transportation of organic materials through the food web / Sugisakj, H. and Tsuda, A. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 307-317 --- The role of carnivorous zooplankton, particularly chaetognaths in ocean flux / Terazaki, M. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 319-330 --- Seasonal changes in deep-sea benthic foraminiferal populations: Results of long-term observations at Sagami Bay, Japan / Kitazato, H. and Ohga, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 331-342 --- Chapter IV. Particle Flux and Sediment Geochemistry --- Spatial variation of Al flux in the North Pacific observed with sediment trap / Noriki, S., Iwai, T., Shimamoto, A., Tsunogai, S. and Harada, K. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 345-354 --- Spatial and temporal variation of δ515N in sinking particles in deep waters: Its implication for the origin and transport of particulate organic matter / Nakatsuka, T., Handa, N. and Imaizumi, S. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 355-374 --- 230Th and 231Pa distributions in surface sediments off Enshunada, Japan / Taguchi, K. and Narita, H. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 375-382 --- Remobilization of transition elements in pore water of continental slope sediments / Kato, Y., Tanase, M., Minami, H. and Okabe, S. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 383-405 --- Geochemistry of pore waters from a bathyal Calyptogena community off Hatsushima Island, Sagami Bay, Japan / Masuzawa, T., Nakatsuka, T. and Handa, N. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 407-421 --- Chapter V. Submarine Hydrothermal Processes --- Wide variation of chemical characteristics of submarine hydrothermal fluids due to secondary modification processes after high temperature water-rock interaction: a review / Gamo, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 425-451 --- Geochemistry of phase-separated hydrothermal fluids of the North Fiji Basin, Southwest Pacific / Ishibashi, J. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 453-467 --- Chemical modeling of seawater-rock interaction: Effect of rock-type on the fluid chemistry and mineral assemblage / Chiba, H. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 469-486 --- Hydrothermal mineralization in the Mid-Okinawa Trough / Nakashima, K., Sakai, H., Yoshida, H., Chiba, H., Tanaka, Y., Gamo, T., Ishibashi, J. and Tsunogai, U. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 487-508 --- Iron-rich smectite formation in the hydrothermal sediment of Iheya Basin, Okinawa Trough / Masuda, H. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 509-521 --- Formation and alteration of organic compounds in simulated submarine hydrothermal vent environments / Kobayashi, K., Kohara, M., Gamo, T. and Yanagawa, H. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 523-535 --- Localized heat flow anomalies in the middle Okinawa Trough associated with hydrothermal circulation / Kinoshita, M. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 537-559 --- Chapter VI. Modeling and Physical Oceanography --- Material transport models from Tokyo Bay to the Pacific Ocean / Yanagi, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 563-574 --- Climate and weather effects on the chlorophyll concentration in the northwestern North Pacific / Sugimoto, T., Tadokoro, K. and Furushima, Y. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 575-592 --- Ecosystem models for the three regional problems in the Northern Pacific / Kishi, M. J. and Kawamiya, M. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 593-611 --- A review on the subtropical mode water of the North Pacific (NPSTMW) / Hanawa, K. and Suga, T. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 613-627 --- Flow distribution at 165°E in the Pacific Ocean / Kawabe, M. and Taira, K. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 629-649 --- Determination of monthly mean sea surface temperature from 1981 to 1990 by the NOAA-AVHRR in the equatorial Pacific / Kishino, M. / Biogeochemical Processes and Ocean Flux in the Western Pacific, / pp. 651-659

Description / Table of Contents: Chapter 1. High Resolution and Better Imaging --- MUSES-B Satellite System for VSOP / H. Hirosawa / pp. 3-9 --- Mechanical Design and Development of a Deployable Space Antenna for Japanese VLBI Space Observatory Program / M. C. Natori, T. Takano, K. Miyoshi, T. Inoue and T. Kitamura / pp. 10-20 --- Operation of the VSOP Satellite / Y. Murata / pp. 21-25 --- Ground Supporting Facilities for VSOP Observations / N. Kawaguchi, H. Kobayashi, T. Miyaji, H. Mikoshiba, A. Tojo, Z. Yamamoto and H. Hirosawa, / pp. 26-33 --- Space VLBI Simulations / D. W. Murphy, V. Yakimov, H. Kobayashi, A. R. Taylor and I. Fejes / pp. 34-38 --- Space VLBI Scheduling Studies: Techniques and Results / D. L. Meier / pp. 39-43 --- An Affordable Advanced Space VLBI Mission / J. S. Ulvestad, D. L. Meier, D. W. Murphy, R. A. Preston and J. G. Smith / pp. 44-48 --- Space VLBI Experiments Using ETS-VI / T. lwata, H. Kiuchi, M. Imae, M. Sekido and S. Hama / pp. 49-53 --- Space VLBI Polarization Observations / D. C. Gabuzda and A. R. Taylor / pp. 54-58 --- Space VLBI User Assistance Software / I. Fejes, D. W. Murphy, A. R. Taylor, V. Yakimov and G. Young / pp. 59-69 --- mm VLBI / L. B. Bååth / pp. 70-74 --- "High Sensitivity" VLBI at 86 GHz: First Fringes with the 100 m Radio Telescope at Effelsberg / K. J. Standke, D. A. Graham, T. P. Krichbaum, A. Witzel, C. J. Schalinski, A. E. E. Rogers, R. Booth, L. B. Bååth / pp. 75-85 --- Burst Mode System toward mJy Level mm-VLBI / M. Inoue, K. Matsumoto and N. Kawaguchi / pp. 86-88 --- 86 GHz Global VLBI Progress Report / S. Doeleman, A. E. E. Rogers, L. Bååth, C. Schalinski, T. Krichbaum, M. Inoue, A. Zensus, S. Padin, J. Carlstrom, D. Graham, C. Predmore, J. Moran, D. Backer, M. Wright, N. Whyborn, L. Nyman, K. Standke, M. Lerner and S. Kameno / pp. 89-92 --- Global 3- and 7-mm VLBI Observations of OJ287 / C. E. Tateyama and M. Inoue / pp. 93-100 --- VLBI Observations of the 22 GHz H2 0Maser in Late Type Stars / H. Takaba, T. lwata, M. Miyoshi, N. Ukita, S. Kameno and K. Matsumoto / pp. 101-104 --- The H2 0 Super Maser Outburst Region in the Orion Nebula / L. I. Matveyenko and P. J. Diamond / pp. 105-109 --- The Cosmological Application of the VLBI Technique at Ultimate Resolutions / L. I. Gurvits / pp. 110-114 --- First VLBI Images of Supernova 1993J in the Galaxy M81 / N. Bartel, M. F. Bietenholz, M. P. Rupen, J. E. Conway, A. J. Beasley, R. A. Sramek, J. D. Romney, M. A. Titus, D. A. Graham, V. I. Altunin, D. L. Jones, A. Rius, T. Venturi, G. Umana, R. L. Francis, M. L. McCall, M. G. Richer, C. C. Stevenson, K. W. Weiler, S. D. Van Dyk, N. Panagia, W. H. Cannon, J. Popelar and R. J. Davis / pp. 115-122 --- The Visibility-Spectrum Relation among Radio Loud AGNs / S. Kameno, M. Inoue, K. Matsumoto, H. Takaba, T. lwata, R. Nan and R. T. Schilizzi / pp. 123-129 --- Identification of the Superluminal Motion in Faint Parsec-Scale Jet of 3C390.3 / S. Wu, E. Preuss, W. Alef, K. I. Kellermann and Y. Qiu / pp. 130-136 --- A VLBI Search for Compact Nonthermal Emission from the Herbig Be Star MWC 297 / S. L. Skinner and R. B. Phillips / pp. 137-140 --- Snapshot VLBI Mapping of Variable Extragalactic Sources at 327 MHz / L. I. Gurvits, W. Alef, D. R. Altschuler, J. E. Carson, B. Dennison, D. Graham and A. S. Trotter / pp. 141-145 --- AO 0235+164151;A "Heretic" BL Lac / H. S. Chu, L. B. Bååth, F. T. Rantakyrö, R. S. Booth, R. E. Spencer and F. J. Zhang / pp. 146-155 --- Chapter 2. Antenna and Networks --- The New Receiver in the S, X, K Bands for the VLB1 Medicina Dish / A. Orfei, G. Maccaferri, S. Mariotti, M. Morsiani, G. P. Zacchiroli and G. Tomassetti / pp. 159-164 --- The Upgrade Proposal for the VLBI Medicina Antenna / A. Orfei, G. Maccaferri, S. Mariotti, M. Morsiani and G. P. Zacchiroli / pp. 165-170 --- VLBI at the Kyushu Tokai University / M. Fujishita, K. Miyasato, T. Yoshiyama and Y. Matsumae / pp. 171-175 --- VLBI Activities at the Matera Space Geodesy Center / R. Lanotte, G. Bianco, M. Fermi and L. Garramone / pp. 176-184 --- The Mizusawa 10-m Antenna and Its VLBI Observation System / K. M. Shibata, Y. Asaki, I. Asari, Y. Fukuzaki, T. Hara, K. Horiai, K. lwadate, 0. Kameya, N. Kawano, S. Kuji, S. Manabe, S. Sakai, T. Sasao, K. Sato, Y. Tamura and S. Tsuruta / pp. 185-190 --- The 6 m VLBI Telescope at Kagoshima, Japan / T. Omodaka, M. Morimoto, N. Kawaguchi, T. Miyaji, S. Yasuda, T. Suzuyama, T. Kitagawa, T. Miyazaki, L. Furuya, T. Jike, K. Miyazawa, H. Mikoshiba, S. Kuji, 0. Kameya and Kagoshima VLBI Group / pp. 191-195 --- Radio Telescopes and VLBI Facilities in Brazil / P. Kaufmann and C. E. Tateyama / pp. 196-199 --- Cryogenic Cooled Receivers for the QUASAR Network / A. V. lpatov, I. A. lpatova and V. V. Mardyshkin / pp. 200-204 --- The Australian Long Baseline Array—Status Report / A. Tzioumis, W. Wilson and R. Ferris / pp. 205-210 --- The Asia-Pacific Telescope—APT / A. Tzioumis / pp. 211-217 --- Present Status and Future Development on VLBI Facilities in China / Ye S. and Oian Z. / pp. 218-220 --- Chapter 3. The New Trends in Geodesy and Astrometry --- Plate Dynamics near Boundaries: What Governs the Transition between Episodic and Continuous Motions? / K. Heki / pp. 223-228 --- Improved Global Atmospheric Mapping Functions for VLBI and GPS / A. Niell / pp. 229-231 --- Method of Differential Fringe Phase Tracking / N. Kawano, T. Sasao, T. Hara, S. Kuji, 0. Kameya, K. Sato, K. lwadate and Y. Asaki / pp. 232-236 --- The Chinese National Space Geodetic Network / J. Cai / pp. 237-240 --- Satellite Position Determination by Difference of Range (DOR) Measurements / I. Kardos / pp. 241-250 --- Recent Geodetic VLBI Results from Shanghai Observatory / Ye S., Qian Z., Chen G. and Zhou, R. / pp. 251-253 --- An Antennacluster-Antennacluster VLBI Project VERA / T. Sasao, N. Kawano, T. Hara, S. Kuji, K. Shibata, K. lwadate, K. Sato, 0. Kameya, S. Tsuruta, K. Asari, Y. Tamura, K. Horiai, K. Sato, H. Hanada, T. Tsubokawa, K. Yokoyama, S. Manabe and S. Sakai / pp. 254-258 --- An Astronomical Observational Plan Using the VERA / O. Kameya, T. Sasao, N. Kawano and K. M. Shibata / pp. 259-263 --- Estimated Errors in the Antennacluster-Antennacluster VLBI / T. Hara, T. Sasao, K. Sato, N. Kawano and O. Kameya / pp. 264-271 --- Sub-Milliarcsecond Astrometry with Phase-Referenced VLBI / D. L. Jones, J.-F. Lestrade, R. A. Preston and R. B. Phillips / pp. 272-276 --- Selenodesy by Using Differential VLBI Observations of Artificial Radio Sources on the Moon / H. Hanada, M. Ooe, N. Kawano, K. lwadate, S. Kuji, K. Sato, S. Tsuruta, T. Sasao, 0. Kameya, T. Hara, N. Kawaguchi, M. Fujishita, M. Morimoto, S. Yasuda, H. Mizutani and A. Fujimura / pp. 277-281 --- Gravitational Lens Effect and Measurement of Stellar Mass / M. Hosokawa, K. Ohnishi, T. Fukushima and M. Takeuti / pp. 282-286 --- Evidence for Source Structure Effects Caused by the Quasar 3C273 in Geodetic VLBI Data / P. Charlot / pp. 287-294 --- Astronomical Periods in the Solar System / Y. Macyama / pp. 295-305 --- Pulsar VLBI Experiment Using Kashima-Usuda Baseline / M. Sekido, S. Hama, H. Kiuchi, Y. Hanado, Y. Takahashi, M. Imae, K. Fujisawa and H. Hirabayashi / pp. 306-312 --- The Celestial Reference System and Frame of the International Earth Rotation Service / E. F. Arias / pp. 313-315 --- Quasi Simultaneous Observations in the Arclength Method of Reduction of Astrometric VLBI Data / M. S. De Biasi, E. F. Arias and J.-F. Lestrade / pp. 316-318 --- Few-Hundred Microarcsecond VLBI Astrometry: Applications and Reduction of Limiting Error Sources / S. T. Lowe and R. N. Treuhaft / pp. 319-323 --- Chapter 4. Recorders and Correlators --- A New Advanced One-Unit VLBI Correlator (NAOCO) / K. Shibata, T. Sasao, N. Kawaguchi, Y. Tamura, S. Kameno, M. Miyoshi, K. Asari, S. Manabe, T. Hara, S. Kuji, K. Sato, T. Miyaji, K. Matsumoto, Y. Asaki, S. Yasuda and S. Nakamura / pp. 327-331 --- A Programmable VLBI Correlator Using Parallel Computing / G. Petit and T. Fayard / pp. 332-337 --- Status of the New K-4 System / H. Kiuchi, S. Hama, J. Amagai, Y. Hanado, A. Kaneko and M. Imae / pp. 338-344 --- The S2 Frequency Agile Data Acquisition Terminal / W. T. Petrachenko, P. Mathieu, J. Popelar, W. H. Cannon, H. Tan and R. D. Wietfeldt / pp. 345-350 --- A Chipset for a MKII Style Correlator / G. Tuccari / pp. 351-359 --- Keeping Compatibility in International VLBI Systems / T. Yoshino, S. Hama and N. Kawaguchi / pp. 360-364 --- Development of the Burst Mode VLBI / K. Matsumoto and N. Kawaguchi / pp. 365-370 --- The K4 Correlator / S. Hama, H. Kiuchi, M. Sekido and M. Imae / pp. 371-376 --- Notes on High Data Rate Recording / J. Takayama / pp. 377-380

Description / Table of Contents: 1. Introduction --- 2. Phylogeny of the genus Anguilla --- 2-1. Morphological studies --- 2-2. Molecular phylogenetic approaches --- 2-3. A new species in the genus Anguilla --- 3. Life histories of temperate anguillids --- 3-1. Spawning areas of temperate eels --- 3-2. Larval migration of temperate eels --- 3-3. Growth phase and spawning migration --- 4. Population structure of temperate eels --- 5. Life histories of tropical anguillids --- 5-1. Spawning areas of tropical eels --- 5-2. Larval migration of tropical eels --- 5-3. Growth phase and spawning migration --- 6. Population structure of tropical eels --- 7. Discussion --- 7-1. Evolution of migration in anguillid eels --- 7-2. Management and conservation of eel resources

Description / Table of Contents: Der vorliegende Band enthält Beiträge zur 74. Jahrestagung der Paläontologischen Gesellschaft, die 2004 das vierte Mal in Göttingen tagte. Das Tagungsthema »Geobiologie« weist zum einen auf die Schlüsselstellung paläontologischer Forschungen in der Geo- und Biosphäre hin wie auch auf die enge Verfl echtung zwischen den einzelnen Disziplinen der Geo- und Biowissenschaften. Die »Geobiologie« als richtungsweisende und moderne Disziplin erfordert die interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit vieler Fachrichtungen. Die Tagungsbeiträge vermitteln einen Eindruck vom breitgefächerten Wesen sowie den Aufgaben geobiologischer und paläontologischer Forschung und Wissensvermittlung.

Description / Table of Contents: Echinoderms are a vast group of spiny-skinned animals including starfish, brittle-stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, feather stars, sea lilies and sea cucumbers. These relatives of chordates and hemichordates have inhabited the world’s oceans for more than 500 million years. Modern members of the Echinodermata are, with over 7 000 species, an integral part of marine communities from the intertidal to the deep sea. Echinoderms play a major ecological role in marine habitats and are of economic importance in fisheries, aquaculture and biomedicine. The present volume contains the abstracts of lectures and posters presented during the 7th European Conference on Echinoderms (ECE) as well as excursion guides. This year’s conference was held at the northern campus of the Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany, from October 2-9, 2010. More than 100 biologists, palaeontologists and other scientists from 25 countries participated.

Description / Table of Contents: Introduction --- Gastrointestinal digestion models, general introduction --- Static digestion models general introduction --- InfoGest consensus method --- Approaches to static digestion models --- Dynamic digestion models general introduction --- The TNO gastro-Intestinal Model (TIM) --- Dynamic Gastric Model (DGM) --- Human Gastric Simulator (Riddet model) --- The DIDGI® System --- General introduction to cells, cell lines and cell culture --- Epithelial cell models; General introduction --- Caco-2 cell line --- HT29 cell line --- The IPEC-J2 cell line --- Co-cultivation of Caco-2 and HT-29MT --- Innate and adaptive immune cells; General introduction --- THP-1 and U937 cells --- Peripheral blood mononuclear cells --- PBMC-derived T cells --- Dendritic Cells --- Co-culture Caco-2/ immune cells --- Enteroendocrine Cell Models: General introduction --- STC-1 cells --- NCI-H716 cells --- Murine GLUTag cells --- In vitro intestinal tissue models: General introduction --- Intestinal crypt organoids as experimental models --- Porcine ex vivo intestinal segment model --- Ussing chamber --- In vitro fermentation models: General Introduction --- One compartment fermentation model --- The TNO in vitro model of the colon - TIM-2 --- The Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem – SHIME® --- The computer-controlled multicompartmental dynamic model of the gastrointestinal system SIMGI

Description / Table of Contents: Plant sciences research focuses predominantly on aboveground parameters. There is a scarcity of detailed information regarding the ecophysiology of root systems and the way root system functioning is affected by both internal and external factors. Furthermore, global climate change is expected to increase the intensity of climate extremes, such as severe drought, heat waves and periods of heavy rainfall; in addition other stresses such as salinization of soils are increasing world-wide. Recently an increasing awareness has developed that understanding plant traits will play a major role in breeding of future crop plants. For example, there is increasing evidence that the traits of root systems are defined by the properties of individual roots. However, further knowledge on the functional importance of root segments and the molecular/physiological mechanisms underlying root system functioning and persistence is needed, and would specifically allow modifying (crop) root system functionality and efficiency in the future. Another major gap in knowledge is localized at the root-soil interface and in regard to the potential adaptive plasticity of root-rhizosphere interactions under abiotic stress and/or competition. It is currently unknown whether adaptations in microbe communities occur, for example due to modified exudation rates, and what are the subsequent influences on nutrient mobilization and uptake. Furthermore, uncovering the mechanisms by which roots perceive neighboring roots may not only contribute to our understanding of plant developmental strategies, but also has important implications on the study of competitive interactions in natural communities, and in optimizing plant performance and resource use in agricultural and silvicultural systems. In this research topic, we aim to provide an on-line, open-access snapshot of the current state of the art of the field of root ecology and physiology, with special foci on the translation of root structure to function, and how root systems are influenced by interplay with internal and external factors such as abiotic stress, microbes and plant-plant interaction. We warmly welcome original research papers, but reviews of specific topics, articles formulating opinions or describing cutting-edge methods are also gladly accepted.

Description / Table of Contents: Viruses infect numerous microorganisms including, predominantly, Bacteria (bacteriophages or phages) but also Archaea, Protists, and Fungi. They are the most abundant and ubiquitous biological entities on Earth and are important drivers of ecosystem functioning. Little is known, however, about the vast majority of these viruses of microorganisms, or VoMs. Modern techniques such as metagenomics have enabled the discovery and description of more presumptive VoMs than ever before, but also have exposed gaps in our understanding of VoM ecology. Exploring the ecology of these viruses – which is how they interact with host organisms, the abiotic environment, larger organisms, and even other viruses across a variety of environments and conditions – is the next frontier. Integration of a growing molecular understanding of VoMs with ecological studies will expand our knowledge of ecosystem dynamics. Ecology can be studied at multiple levels including individual organisms, populations, communities, whole ecosystems, and the entire biosphere. Ecology additionally can consider normal, equilibrium conditions or instead perturbations. Perturbations are of particular interest because measuring the effect of disturbances on VoM-associated communities provides important windows into how VoMs contribute to ecosystem dynamics. These disturbances in turn can be studied through in vitro, in vivo, and in situ experimentation, measuring responses by VoM-associated communities to changes in nutrient availability, stress, physical disruption, seasonality, etc., and could apply to studies at all ecological levels. These are considered here across diverse systems and environments.

Description / Table of Contents: It is well known that several climatic, environmental and socio-demographic changes that have occurred in the last years are some of the most important causes for the emergence/resurgence of vector-borne diseases worldwide. Global change can be defined as the impact of human activity on the fundamental mechanisms of biosphere functioning. Therefore, global change includes not only climate change, but also habitat transformation, water cycle modification, biodiversity loss, synanthropic incursion of alien species into new territories, or introduction of new chemicals in nature. On this respect, some of the effects of global change on vector-borne diseases can be currently evaluated. Globalization has enabled the movement of parasites, viruses and vectors among different countries, or even at intercontinental level. On this regard, it is important to note that the increase of imported malaria cases in different Southern European countries has led to the re-appearance of autochthonous cases of disease transmission. Moreover, the used tire trade, together with global warming, have facilitated the introduction, spread and establishment of potential Dengue tropical vectors, such as Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus in temperate areas. Consequently, recently the first Dengue indigenous cases in the last decades have been reported in different Southern areas of North America and Europe. Furthermore, habitat modification, mainly deforestation and transformation of aquatic environments, together with the changes in thermal and rainfall patterns, are two of the key factors to explain the increasing incidence of Leishmaniasis and several tick-borne diseases. The aim of this Research Topic is to cover all related fields with the binomial vector-borne diseases / global change, including basic and applied research, approaches to control measures, explanations of new theories, opinion articles, reviews, etc. To discuss these issues, a holistic and integrative point of view is necessary, which only would be achieved by the close and active participation of specialists on entomology, parasitology, virology and epidemiology. Our objective is to use a systems approach to the problem of global change and vector-borne diseases. To achieve this ambitious goal and to comply with a demand of first-rate scientific and medical interest, we are very keen on asking for the participation of multiple contributors.