Biology subjects

Flury, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Flury, R..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

AWET -- Arthropod Weight Estimation Tool

Arthropods drive essential ecosystem processes such as pollination, decomposition, and nutrient cycling and are widely used as indicators of ecosystem condition and function. Among various arthropod-derived metrics, body weight is a key variable in functional ecology and frequently assessed as dry body weight. However, drying arthropod specimens limits the samples future potential for research, as it prevents further processing such as trait measurements or species identification. Here, we present AWET (Arthropod Weight Estimation Tool), an open-source application for automated estimation of individual fresh body weight and extraction of morphometric measurements from standardized images of pre-sorted arthropod samples. AWET combines automated image analysis with taxon-specific allometric regression models to estimate fresh body weight while simultaneously quantifying body length, width, area, and specimen abundance. The software operates with standard imaging equipment, requires no machine-learning-based classification or segmentation, and allows users to define taxonomic groupings according to their objectives. By preserving specimens for downstream analyses while processing large numbers of individuals within milliseconds, AWET provides an efficient, non-destructive, and cost-effective workflow for high-throughput arthropod phenotyping. The software is a practical and expandable tool for biodiversity monitoring projects investigating changes in arthropod biomass, abundance and individual morphometric measures.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Positive effects of landscape diversity on vegetation productivity at the kilometer scale

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWBroad evidence suggests a positive relationship between local species richness and ecosystem functioning 1,2. However, Earths terrestrial surface is formed by a mosaic of different habitats, which constitutes a higher level of diversity known as landscape diversity. Recent studies indicate that landscape diversity can also promote ecosystem functions, including primary productivity, but the underlying mechanisms and relevant spatial scales remain poorly understood 3,4. Here, we combine satellite remote sensing of vegetation productivity with high-resolution land cover data to investigate the effects of landscape diversity on ecosystem functioning across different spatial scales. Using a plot network covering North America, we find that the observed landscape-wide effects cannot be explained by local-scale interactions along ecosystem interfaces. In a subsequent, global-scale analysis, we instead demonstrate that landscape diversity effects are most strongly associated to landscape diversity at a spatial scale of a few kilometers. This association holds across continents and climatic zones, indicating that this pattern is universal. Our investigation therefore suggests that effective land management and biodiversity conservation strategies must integrate both local species richness and higher-level organizational diversity, such as landscape diversity, to ensure robust ecosystem functioning.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

Early beta-amyloid accumulation in the brain is associated with peripheral T cell alterations

Fast and minimally invasive approaches for early, preclinical diagnosis of neurodegenerative Alzheimers disease (AD) are highly anticipated. Evidence of adaptive immune cells responding to cerebral {beta}-amyloidosis, one of the pathological hallmarks of AD, has raised the question of whether immune markers could be used as proxies for {beta}-amyloid accumulation in the brain. Here, we deploy multidimensional mass cytometry combined with unbiased machine learning techniques to immunophenotype peripheral blood mononuclear cells from study participants in cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts. We show that increases in antigen-experienced adaptive immune cells in the blood, particularly CD45RA-reactivated T effector memory (TEMRA) cells, are associated with early accumulation of brain {beta}-amyloid and with changes in plasma AD biomarkers in still cognitively healthy subjects. Our results suggest that preclinical AD pathology is linked to systemic alterations of the adaptive immune system. These immunophenotype changes may help in the future to identify and develop novel diagnostic tools for early AD assessment and to better understand clinical outcomes.

immunology↗