Niches

Two exotic fishes, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), were introduced more than 20 years ago into Xochimilco for aquaculture, and now dominate the system in terms of biomass and numbers. Over this same period, wild populations of the microendemic axolotl salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum) have been dramatically reduced, and it currently persists in isolated areas of this aquatic system, which is situated at the edge of Mexico City. In this study, we examine potential trophic interactions and niche overlap among two exotic fishes: carp and tilapia, and the native axolotl. Axolotl had more diverse diets and a higher trophic position compared to the exotics. Stable isotope analysis revealed substantial trophic niche overlap among axolotl and the exotics. The two exotics occupied a larger niche area than the axolotl, suggesting higher levels of omnivory and diet specialization. Current exotic fish removal efforts will further our understanding of interactions between the axolotl and exotic species, and are expected to benefit axolotl recovery efforts.

Space is a product of semiosis. It is a condition pertinent to an organism’s semiotic freedom, which is articulated by the organism as a consequence of its capacity to manipulate the world in the course of its unfolding interaction with its environment. Spatial configuration is thus the result of agency inherent in the organism-in-its-environment.
Space, a consequence of social cohesion, is effected through constraints and processes of enaction which are semiotic. These processes are productive and offer architects a novel means by which to configure space, which they should embrace to articulate the nature of inhabitation. The model presented identifies activity as the essential building block to the generation of form. Modelled as a form of artificial life, swarm-like components, referred to as ‘actants’, represent discrete activities and self-configure according to differences in the environment they detect, to form a body-of-swarms. Thus, depicting the spatiality of being.

Biologically, we resemble other animals, but mentally, we leave them in the dust. The scope of human thought is vast. Why are we so different? This think-piece explores the scope of human thought, its possible origins, and the mental operations that make it possible.

Abstract: Biologically, we resemble other animals, but mentally, we leave them in the dust. The scope of human thought is vast. Why are we so different? This think-piece explores the scope of human thought, its possible origins, and the mental operations that make it possible.

This paper takes into consideration some theories linked with the idea of cultural evolution (Richerson & Boyd, Mesoudi, Laland et al.) and cognitive study of ritual. Then, the cultural epidemiological model (Sperber) and the ritual competence theory (Lawson & McCauely) are criticized with refference to the recent development in the cognitive sciences (Chemero, Rowlands, Shapiro) and some recent theories of ritual from the field of the cognitive science of religion (Boyer & Liénard, Nielbo & Sørensen, Schjoedt et al.) are presented. Finally, it is argued for the inovolving of the concept over-imitation (Lyons et al.) in the modeling of cultural transmission of ritual, reflecting the actual trends in the cognitive study of ritual.

W artykule starano się przedstawić uwikłanie niszowej muzyki w cyfrową dystrybucję dźwięku. XXI wiek miał być wiekiem nisz – w koncepcji „długiego ogona”. Jak funkcjonuje muzyka niszowa w sytuacji powszechnego dostępu, wszystkożerności oraz kultury nadmiaru? Czy słuchacz docenia możliwość korzystania z ogromnej bazy muzycznej, czy też zagubiony próbuje korzystać ze wskazań algorytmu; jakie są jego preferencje; czy słucha wyselekcjonowanej muzyki (gatunku, wykonawcy)? A może muzyka jest dla niego nieprzerwanym potokiem dźwięku, traktowanym niezwykle funkcjonalnie.

Although we are surrounded by dystopian stories about the age of the Anthropocene, the future does not have to be bleak. Seeds of alternative good futures occur in many places around the world and we can use these to help us think more creatively about pathways to more desirable futures in the Anthropocene. This paper describes the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes (SOGA) project that aims to identify where elements of Good Anthropocenes (‘seeds’) currently exist on the planet and how they can be used to help us envision pathways towards new, positive futures for the Earth and humanity. Each of the seeds is a potential solution that could help to shift us onto a more sustainable trajectory that will ensure both planetary and human wellbeing. The project has developed and combined novel visioning tools that engage a broad set of stakeholders in identifying potentially game-changing seed initiatives, and exploring how these could develop and combine to create radically alternative futures. ...

Although we are surrounded by dystopian stories about the age of the Anthropocene, the future does not have to be bleak. Seeds of alternative good futures occur in many places around the world and we can use these to help us think more creatively about pathways to more desirable futures in the Anthropocene. This paper describes the Seeds of Good Anthropocenes (SOGA) project that aims to identify where elements of Good Anthropocenes (‘seeds’) currently exist on the planet and how they can be used to help us envision pathways towards new, positive futures for the Earth and humanity. Each of the seeds is a potential solution that could help to shift us onto a more sustainable trajectory that will ensure both planetary and human wellbeing. The project has developed and combined novel visioning tools that engage a broad set of stakeholders in identifying potentially game-changing seed initiatives, and exploring how these could develop and combine to create radically alternative futures. ...

Purpose. Within this article we provide a comprehensive study of niches in rock-cut tombs and
shafts in order to elaborate criteria for their classification, dating and typology.
Results. The niches found in many cult chapels of Ancient Egyptian rock-cut tombs in Giza Necropolis,
and also in the upper parts of burial shafts of the second half of Third millennium B.C. in
Giza and Saqqara had different functions. Similar niches were found in the majority of rock-cut
tombs on the site of the Russian Archaeological Mission (Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian
Academy of Sciences) on the Eastern Plateau of Giza: in total, in 35 rock-cut tombs 21 niches
were discovered from which 10 are defined as unfinished niches. It is not always possible to define
precisely their function and the time of creation because in most cases the niches discovered did not
have any material remains. They could be used as a serdab (a place for a statue), an offering niche
or a burial niche, but many of them were robbed or were reused later, which complicates the process
of identifying their initial appointment and the time of creation. Various researchers paid more attention
to the niches located only in the burial shafts, but not in cult chapels. We meet some descriptions
of niches located in a cult chapel only when their content didn’t cause any questions, for example,
in case of finding statues or burials in them. Unfinished niches were found together with
complete niches. Having analyzed half-finished niches, we can conclude that they were prepared for
future burials. In this article we don’t consider niches in the lower part of burial shafts and in the
burial chamber because of their absence at the site of the Russian Archaeological Mission at Giza,
which doesn’t allow studying them comprehensively. Neither did we consider niches in cult chapels
built as «false doors» or niches with rock-cut statues as their purpose is obvious. At the moment the
most developed method for dating Ancient Egyptian rock-cut tombs is by epigraphic and iconographic
material. However, many rock-cut tombs have no traces of inscriptions and reliefs. In this
case, several groups of artifacts, such as ceramic material, are used for tomb dating. Most tombs,
however, including rock-cut tombs, were robbed during the ancient times. Thus, in many cases only
architecture allows us to date the tombs. Therefore, such element as a niche, along with other architectural
elements of rock-cut tombs (e.g., the shape of the entrance, «false doors» or burial shafts),
can serve as the only element for dating anonymous rock-cut tombs, and also the tombs whose dating
by inscriptions is complicated.
Tendencies of locating niches and placing different objects into them during the Old Kingdom
are described in the present article based on the analysis of the data obtained by the Russian Archaeological
Mission at Giza. We classified niches according to a number of signs revealed and
their importance. We also provided various arguments for dating and the reasons for creating certain
architectural elements in Ancient Egyptian rock-cut tombs.
Conclusion. By the end of the Old Kingdom we observe a large-scale growth in number of modest
burials, shafts with two of several burial chambers, burials in niches in rock-cut chapels together
with the practice of planning future burials.

The Sierra Madre Oriental region in the mexican state of San Luis Potosi is a relevant place for bird conservation at a country level. Therefore the main goal of this study was to analyze the geographic patterns of distribution and the conservation current state of the birds, to support the needs to expand the conservation areas in the future. Data was collected from various databases of zoological museums and collections, and field sampling methods conducted from January 2009 to May 2011. Potential distributions were modeled for 284 species using GARP software and then a map was developed to determine areas with favorable environmental characteristics for the distribution of species richness. Finally, the importance of conservation areas for the potential distribution of birds in the region was evaluated. A total of 359 species were recorded of which 71.4% are permanent residents, 19% are winter migrants and 4% are summer residents. From this total, 41 species were endemic, 47 were...

Muscle electrical activity, or “electromyogenic” (EMG) artifact, poses a serious threat to the validity of electroencephalography (EEG) investigations in the frequency domain. EMG is sensitive to a variety of psychological processes and can mask genuine effects or masquerade as legitimate neurogenic effects across the scalp in frequencies at least as low as the alpha band (8–13 Hz). Although several techniques for correcting myogenic activity have been described, most are subjected to only limited validation attempts. Attempts to gauge the impact of EMG correction on intracerebral source models (source “localization” analyses) are rarer still. Accordingly, we assessed the sensitivity and specificity of one prominent correction tool, independent component analysis (ICA), on the scalp and in the source-space using high-resolution EEG. Data were collected from 17 participants while neurogenic and myogenic activity was independently varied. Several protocols for classifying and discarding components classified as myogenic and non-myogenic artifact (e.g., ocular) were systematically assessed, leading to the exclusion of one-third to as much as threequarters of the variance in the EEG. Some, but not all, of these protocols showed adequate performance on the scalp. Indeed, performance was superior to previously validated regression-based techniques. Nevertheless, ICA-based EMG correction exhibited low validity in the intracerebral source-space, likely owing to incomplete separation of neurogenic from myogenic sources. Taken with prior work, this indicates that EMG artifact can substantially distort estimates of intracerebral spectral activity. Neither regression- nor ICAbased EMG correction techniques provide complete safeguards against such distortions. In light of these results, several practical suggestions and recommendations are made for intelligently using ICA to minimize EMG and other common artifacts.