Czechia

‘Now we’re going to work in groups’ is often a phrase which causes a feeling of dread and anxiety in students, but it doesn’t need to. There is a plethora of advantages to structured group work, including the skills that students can develop, but also for authenticity in learning and assessment for learning. Teaching in groups can facilitate peer-peer feedback and subsequently independence from lecturers, leading ultimately to more independent and collegial graduates. Students supporting one another as the first port of call enhances efficiency for lecturers. Group work can also help to reduce the costs of the hidden curriculum: students who haven’t developed those skills can learn them from peers.
The advantages are also numerous for lecturers. In large modules, marking can be a significant workload and due to large volumes of marking, it can be impossible to provide truly meaningful feedback, without losing consistency by splitting the marking between staff. Incorporating group submissions means that there are fewer items to mark and therefore, feedback can be much more in depth and useful. The reduced number of submissions has enabled the design of an assessment which is significantly more authentic, efficiently addresses learning outcomes, and provides a learning experience for the students.
This talk will illustrate how I have introduced groupwork to be a significant part of my large first year module in a way that the students have enjoyed and benefitted from and the vital considerations to ensure success when designing similar schemes of work.

SEB Conference Prague 2024

Working together: The use of groupwork to enhance authenticity in assessment and feedback.

authentic assessment

groupwork

skills

technical paper

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SEB’s Annual Conference is celebrated for creating the perfect composition of research, new discoveries and collaborative connections. Be creative and innovative by exchanging ideas and knowledge with masters of biology from all over the world.


The branchiopod crustacean Artemia franciscana can produce diapause embryos (cysts) with a high trehalose and glycerol content capable of surviving complete dehydration (anhydrobiosis) and freezing. To investigate the molecular regulation of trehalose metabolism during diapause in A. franciscana we identified the genomic repertoire of trehalose metabolic enzymes and transporters in this species. Phylogenomic analyses of the transcripts and deduced proteins in relation to the sugar transporters of humans, Drosophila and other crustaceans revealed 20-28 potential trehalose transporters (Trets) in Artemia genomes, which could be phylogenetically subclassified into two clades (Tret1 and Tret2). These analyses revealed a major expansion of Tret2-type transporters in the Banchiopoda. We further identified two trehalose-6-phospate synthase (Tps1 and -2) and one trehalase (Treh) enzymes. However, normalization of the abundance of the Tret transcripts in the transcriptomes of adults, nauplii and cysts indicated that only Tret1B and -1A, as well as Tret2B3a and -2B3b, were accumulated >2-fold in desiccated cysts. Ectopic expression of different Trets (Tret1B, -1A, -2B3b, -2C2a and -2C2b) in Xenopus laevis oocytes showed that the identified channels can facilitate trehalose transport. Gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR confirmed the transcriptome data, but showed that the mRNAs encoding Tret1A, -1B and -2B3b, as well as Tps2 and Treh, were accumulated in hydrated and desiccated cysts following the same pattern than that of trehalose. These data uncover an unexpectedly high diversity of trehalose transporters in Branchiopoda and suggest that different Tret paralogs might play redundant roles for the accumulation of trehalose in Artemia diapause cysts.



Trehalose transporter gene diversity in the anhydrobiotic brine shrimp Artemia franciscana

While legally protected in Portugal since 1988, the Iberian wolf still faces conservation problems, mainly due to habitat fragmentation, caused by human activity, and poaching.
This study is part of a wolf monitoring project that aims to establish the reference situation of the wolf population to assess the impact of a mining exploration in northern Portugal. We measured faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in wolf scats as a non-invasive method to determine stress levels, using an enzyme immunoassay kit.
Wolf scats were collected in the area of two wolf packs, Barroso and Leiranco. Molecular methods were used to confirm the species, assign sex, wolf pack, and, whenever possible, individuals. During two years, we identified 15 individuals (11 males and 4 females) from Barroso’s pack area and 10 individuals (7 males and 3 females) from Leiranco’s pack area, of which we analysed 133 and 60 samples, respectively.
Results show that the Leiranco pack, inhabiting the area with higher human density, has higher levels of faecal cortisol. We also found, for both wolf packs, a significant seasonal effect; higher levels were found during the autumn, which corresponds to the main hunting season.
The present work is the first developed in Portugal aiming the characterization of cortisol levels in free-ranging wolves. Since this work is included in a long-term project, increasing the number of collected samples, and the analysis of other relevant variables influencing cortisol levels, will improve our understanding of the factors affecting wolf populations.

Non-invasive assessment of stress hormone cortisol in two wild packs of Iberian Wolf (Canis lupus signatus) in northern Portugal

Chemical cues play a crucial role in aquatic environments, with most research focusing on cues related to injury and stress. However, there have been limited studies on identifying specific chemical components within these cues, unveiling a knowledge gap in chemosensory biology. Our previous studies have demonstrated that heat stress can likewise prompt the release of olfactory cues, that propagate within a group and induce stress in naïve developing zebrafish (Danio rerio). Using metabolomics, we identified glucose, phosphocholine, and 3-mercaptolactate as potential components of heat-induced stress metabolites. Hatching was impaired by stress metabolites. In this study, we verified whether 3-mercaptolactate and phosphocholine are indeed potential stress metabolites by assessing their impacts on hatching rate and gene expression in control metabolite (CM) and thermal stress metabolite (SM) groups. Indeed, both compounds significantly impaired hatching and as a result were found to cause bent tails in zebrafish larvae. Genes associated with the metabolism of these compounds (prg4a -phosphocholine; ldha and mpst – 3-mercaptolactate) were differentially expressed, with the expression of mpst, associated with the metabolism of 3-mercaptolactate, trending downwards in metabolite receivers. While further research into the mechanism of action is ongoing, these results indicate how lipid and sulfur-containing compounds can be used for heat-induced stress communication in developing embryos.

Phosphocholine and 3-mercaptolactate as potential stress metabolites in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Fjords are physically isolated areas characterised by distinct oceanic conditions,
making them perfect case-
studies to investigate the consequences of local adaptation and in situ long-term
acclimatisation in marine
organisms. In these environments, global change drivers such as ocean acidification
(OA) pose a significant
threat to marine ecosystems, including keystone zooplankton species such as the
copepod Calanus glacialis.
Both local adaptation and long-term acclimatisation may lead to differential responses
of C. glacialis to OA
along its range of geographical distribution. Consequently, our study aimed to explore
how these phenomena
can influence the ability of various populations of C. glacialis to cope with future OA
conditions. To do so,
copepods were collected from four fjords spanning from southern Norway to Svalbard,
and exposed in the
laboratory under controlled conditions to seven different increasing concentrations of
pCO 2 (300 to 30,000
ppm) over time to explore the threshold at which each population shows signs of
sensitivity to OA. Targeted
metabolomes for each treatment were profiled using high-performance LC-MS/MS, to
quantify 49 metabolites
involved in metabolism. Our analyses will help identifying signs of local
acclimatisation, which would be visible
if copepods show population-specific metabolome profiles in response to altered ocean
chemistry. Moreover,
breakpoint analyses will be used to characterise potential abrupt changes in the
relationships between the
pCO 2 stress gradient and copepods’ metabolomics response. Our work will provide
crucial insights to help
predicting the long-term impacts of OA on C. glacialis populations.

Consequences of local adaptation/in situ acclimatisation of an Arctic copepod on its metabolomics response to an ocean acidification gradient

General biotic and abiotic contamination of water bodies is widely recognised. Zebra mussel (ZM) is commonly used in biomonitoring of water quality for its capacity to filter a great volume of water, and accumulate contaminants present in aquatic environments. The ZM’s digestive gland is a key organ in assessing the health status of the organism and concentrates high amounts of naturally occurring mixtures and pollutants. ZMs’ organs can adequately present the aquatic environment's health status and “early warning” for biomonitoring. The gut microbiota may significantly influence health and responses to environmental stressors of the organisms. The interaction between sentinel species and their microbiota has prompted questions, especially regarding their potential as indicators in environmental monitoring. Nevertheless, environmental factors can impact the composition and metabolism of gut microbiota responsible for breaking down and detoxifying xenobiotics.
To advance our understanding of microbiota's role, we conducted both field and controlled studies. The first aim assesses the gut microbiota composition (16s rDNA sequencing) and physiological state in ZMs in-situ. The organisms were caged for 21 days in oligotrophic to eutrophic sites varying in food sources, bacterial load and water chemistry. In parallel, controlled experiments aimed to determine the optimal conditions (food quantity) for maximizing the filtration rate and effective removal of microorganisms. It occurred with the initial algae concentration of 10^5cells/mL and microbial populations at 10^5UFC/mL. Higher filtration rates cause higher contact with contaminants and feeding. This first step will enable us to investigate the impact of stressors under laboratory conditions on gut microbiota.


How Does the Gut Microbiota of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) Serve as a Key Indicator of Organism and Aquatic Health?

During winter, certain fish species remain active while others become dormant, which is characterized by low metabolic rate, fasting, and negligible or negative growth. We hypothesized that winter dormancy is a survival strategy that arises in poleward species that tolerate severe, uncompensated constraints of cold on physiological performance. To date, we have measured the metabolic, exercise, and digestive performance of cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), a model winter-dormant fish, acclimated or acutely exposed to a wide range of temperatures (2-26°C). Contrary to our hypothesis, we found partial cold compensation of nearly all metabolic and exercise performance metrics studied, similar to winter-active species. Further, after bypassing the behavioural fasting response during dormancy using repeated force-feeding during cold acclimation, cunner were able to digest food and subsequently exhibit positive growth compared to negative growth of the voluntarily fasting fish. Only responsiveness to stimuli during the C-start escape response was greatly constrained in the cold even after acclimation, suggesting a thermal sensory limitation that may help explain the need to become dormant. To further explore this idea, we measured the C-start escape performance of six phylogenetically-diverse species along the spectrum of overwintering strategies from winter-dormant to winter-lethargic to winter-active. As we predicted, responsiveness was greater and more plastic in the winter-lethargic and -active species compared to -dormant species. While most physiological performance traits in cold dormant fish remain robust, impaired responsiveness to C-start stimuli may be a weak thermal link driving dormancy as an overwintering strategy among fishes.

Do thermal constraints on physiological performance explain the use of winter dormancy among fishes?

Pollinator behaviour is vital to plant-pollinator interactions, affecting the acquisition of floral rewards, patterns of pollen transfer, and plant reproductive success. During buzz pollination, bees produce vibrations with their indirect flight muscles to extract pollen from tube-like flowers. Vibrations can be transmitted to the flower via the mandibles, abdomen, legs, or thorax directly. Vibration amplitude at the flower determines the rate of pollen release and should vary with the coupling of bee and flower. This coupling often occurs through anther biting, but no studies have quantified how biting affects flower vibration. Here, we used high-speed filmography to investigate how flower vibration amplitude changes during biting in Bombus terrestris visiting two species of buzz-pollinated flowering plants: Solanum dulcamara and S. rostratum (Solanaceae). We found that floral buzzing drives head vibrations up to three times greater than those of the thorax, which doubles the vibration amplitude of the anther during biting compared to indirect vibration transmission when not biting. However, the efficiency of this vibration transmission depends on the angle the bee bites the anther. Variation in transmission mechanism, combined with the diversity of vibrations across bee species, yields a rich assortment of potential strategies that bees could employ to access rewards from buzz pollinated flowers.

Buzz-pollinating bees deliver thoracic vibrations to flowers through periodic biting

The Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus (ABFT) is an extremely valuable marine fish, a pelagic predator with physiological adaptations to a lifestyle of ceaseless swimming, notably partial endothermy and obligatory ram ventilation. Very little is known about ABFT energetics but, by comparison to ‘normal’ teleosts, they are expected to have elevated standard and routine metabolic rates (SMR and RMR) and aerobic metabolic scope (AS), and high aerobic swimming performance. We used swim tunnel respirometry to investigate this in age 0+ juveniles (mass 550g, forklength 30cm) held at 19 °C. The tuna did not enjoy the tunnel, they lost equilibrium and became agitated below 1.4 bodylengths per second (BL s-1), refused to swim faster than 2.2 BL s-1, and had their highest metabolic rates when agitated. Their SMR was about 1.5 times those of other Mediterranean fishes at similar sizes and temperatures, whereas their AS was two to threefold higher. Video analysis of the juveniles in their rearing tank revealed they were actually cruising spontaneously at speeds between 2.5 and 3.5 BL s-1. Extrapolation of respirometry data to 3 BL s-1 indicated an RMR about fourfold higher than direct measures, by tank respirometry, in other Mediterranean species. These preliminary observations would confirm longstanding predictions about the comparative energetics of ABFT but more work is clearly needed and some is ongoing.

Insights into the in-vivo physiological energetics of juvenile Atlantic bluefin tuna

Aquatic animals including fish species are being exposed to climate-related stressors such as temperature and hypoxia with increasing severity and frequency. Group living is an adaptive behaviour found in many species, including the majority of fish species, and associated with improved foraging success and protection from predators. As conditions change, however, individual motivations for group living may also change. Individual behaviours such as sociability, exploratory behaviour (boldness), and activity level, may be affected by climate-related stressors. This may lead to changes in group dynamics and shoal disruption. This study used rummy-nose tetra Hemigrammus rhodostomus as a model species, and tested boldness, sociability, and activity level in individuals under three conditions of temperature, and three conditions of oxygen level. Fish were then placed in groups of six under the same set of treatments, and group behaviour monitored for each individual. In this way, we hope to elucidate how individual changes in behaviour will impact group dynamics. We predict that individual sociability will be reduced, and boldness and activity increased, under increased temperature and low oxygen levels and that this will translate to reduced group cohesion under climate stressor conditions. We also predict significant interindividual variation in sociability, boldness, and activity level, and that this will impact the tendency of different individuals to associate together. Our study is the first, to our knowledge, to incorporate climate-related stressors into the study of effects of individual behaviour on group dynamics, and will provide much-needed information on a key adaptive behaviour in a changing world.

Effects of temperature and hypoxia on the role of individual behaviour in shaping group dynamics in a freshwater fish

Steadily more extreme heatwaves threaten crop production worldwide, primarily through reduced viability of gametes. The formation of male gametophytes is particularly susceptible to temperatures above ~36°C. We report here on molecular events that characterise male gametophytes as they develop under specific heat regimes and identify potential approaches for crop improvement. Cotton was used as a relatively heat-tolerant species to demonstrate compromised pollen function. Gametophytes were exposed to moderate (36/25°C, day/night) and extreme heat (38/28°C and 40/30°C) for five days, coinciding with meiosis (tetrads) and mitosis (uninucleate and binucleate microspores) and pollen maturation. Morphological and physiological changes were analysed alongside molecular responses in each developmental stage.
Severe cell damage was observed when tetrads were exposed to 40/30°C, resulting in failed dehiscence, smaller pollen grains, and yield loss. Molecular analysis demonstrated that each stage of pollen development has qualitatively distinct transcriptome and proteome profiles. Notably, extreme heat induced unique expression patterns in tetrads, in contrast with the relatively heat-tolerant mature pollen and leaves. We demonstrated that although molecular chaperones were abundant during meiosis, where they putatively refold aggregated proteins, they were not highly up-regulated in the late stages of pollen development. We speculate that accelerated metabolism contributes to the susceptibility of meiotic cells to heat. Identifying the precise molecular events underlying the susceptibility of gamete formation to heat is a challenging but vital goal for plant (and animal) research.

Working together: The use of groupwork to enhance authenticity in assessment and feedback.

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Trehalose transporter gene diversity in the anhydrobiotic brine shrimp Artemia franciscana

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Working together: The use of groupwork to enhance authenticity in assessment and feedback.

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Trehalose transporter gene diversity in the anhydrobiotic brine shrimp Artemia franciscana

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RESOURCES

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