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Abstract Pigmentation and colouration are important to animal fitness. Colourations convey important information and impact predation risk, thermoregulation and mate selection. There are many cases of hypopigmentation across the animal kingdom, and leucism is a common form. We observed a Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) pup with cream-coloured fur, light skin and white nails multiple times in 2022 in Erebus Bay, Antarctica. The pup was observed 1 year later as a generally healthy yearling. This is the first documentation of a leucistic seal within this well-studied population and the second documentation of such colouration in this species. This seal offers a potential opportunity to observe the effects of hypopigmentation in Antarctic true seals. 

Summary Microbial nitrogen (N) fixation accounts forc. 97% of natural N inputs to terrestrial ecosystems. These microbes can be free‐living in the soil and leaf litter (asymbiotic) or in symbiosis with plants. Warming is expected to increase N‐fixation rates because warmer temperatures favor the growth and activity of N‐fixing microbes.We investigated the effects of warming on asymbiotic components of N fixation at a field warming experiment in Puerto Rico. We analyzed the function and composition of bacterial communities from surface soil and leaf litter samples.Warming significantly increased asymbiotic N‐fixation rates in soil by 55% (to 0.002 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and by 525% in leaf litter (to 14.518 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). This increase in N fixation was associated with changes in the N‐fixing bacterial community composition and soil nutrients.Our findings suggest that warming increases the natural N inputs from the atmosphere into this tropical forest due to changes in microbial function and composition, especially in the leaf litter. Given the importance of leaf litter in nutrient cycling, future research should investigate other aspects of N cycles in the leaf litter under warming conditions. 

Abstract A wide variety of nipple locations and configurations exist among pinnipeds. Like all marine mammals, pinnipeds can have supernumerary nipples that form in utero. Supernumerary nipples have been documented in several species of pinnipeds, the only taxonomic group of marine mammals with variation in nipple number. We document multiple observations (n = 4) of female Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) with supernumerary nipples in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, including a female Weddell seal with four nipples that was observed nursing two pups. Intraspecific variation in the number of supernumerary nipples observed included both one and two supernumerary nipples. The majority of the observed supernumerary nipples were nursed on by pups, but lactation was unable to be confirmed. These are the first documented observations of supernumerary nipples in Weddell seals. 

Developmental math preparation is integral in a pre-engineering pathway. This paper analyzes the efforts to improve remedial math passing rates at two tribal colleges in North Dakota participating in a pre-engineering collaborative. Previous work in progress addressed portions of these approaches, but here a more complete set of quantitative data is presented along with further analysis using the theoretical framework of Tribal Critical Race Theory. 

Abstract Pre-engineering Collaboration as a Tool to Facilitate Decolonization of Native American Students The intent of this paper is to describe how a collaborative engineering education program operating on a number of tribally controlled colleges and universities, TCU’s, across a particular geographic region of the United States may, through thoughtful application of best educational practices including a community-based approach, be seen as a tool that moves decolonization within Native American communities and education systems forward. Put in terms of a research question: “How effective can the funded program be when considered as a method to move decolonization forward in Native American engineering education and could it increase enrollment?” This collaborative education effort which is been going on for the past 10 years and is soon to graduate its 10th student with a Baccalaureate of Science in either Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Agricultural Engineering, is using this milestone as an opportunity to do some introspection on the program, its achievements, the processes that were used and some long-term outcomes. In recent history great consideration has been given by indigenous peoples to the recognition of colonial influences on their current lives. Much discussion has taken place among Native Americans regarding efforts to mitigate or reverse these influences on their reservations and lives. This paper will offer a working definition of decolonization as it might be applied to educational activities and specifically engineering education involving Native Americans. The paper will present information about the effectiveness and costs of considering and supporting the “total student” and how it may be augmented to accomplish decolonization. The steps and procedures utilized to affect this transformation will be presented and discussed, along with basic numerics to indicate effectiveness. Relevancy of this activity to other situations in other underrepresented or under-resourced communities will be discussed. 

Abstract The receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) is a versatile regulator of plant growth and development, biotic and abiotic stress responses, and reproduction. To gain new insights into the molecular interplay of these processes and to identify new FER functions, we carried out quantitative transcriptome, proteome, and phosphoproteome profiling of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) wild-type and fer-4 loss-of-function mutant plants. Gene ontology terms for phytohormone signaling, abiotic stress, and biotic stress were significantly enriched among differentially expressed transcripts, differentially abundant proteins, and/or misphosphorylated proteins, in agreement with the known roles for FER in these processes. Analysis of multiomics data and subsequent experimental evidence revealed previously unknown functions for FER in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) body formation and glucosinolate biosynthesis. FER functions through the transcription factor NAI1 to mediate ER body formation. FER also negatively regulates indole glucosinolate biosynthesis, partially through NAI1. Furthermore, we found that a group of abscisic acid (ABA)-induced transcription factors is hypophosphorylated in the fer-4 mutant and demonstrated that FER acts through the transcription factor ABA INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5) to negatively regulate the ABA response during cotyledon greening. Our integrated omics study, therefore, reveals novel functions for FER and provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms of FER function.