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The Transparent Research Object Vocabulary (TROV) is a key element of the Transparency Certified (TRACE) approach to ensuring research trustworthiness. In contrast with methods that entail repeating computations in part or in full to verify that the descriptions of methods included in a publication are sufficient to reproduce reported results, the TRACE approach depends on a controlled computing environment termed a Transparent Research System (TRS) to guarantee that accurate, sufficiently complete, and otherwise trustworthy records are captured when results are obtained in the first place. Records identifying (1) the digital artifacts and computations that yielded a research result, (2) the TRS that witnessed the artifacts and supervised the computations, and (3) the specific conditions enforced by the TRS that warrant trust in these records, together constitute a Transparent Research Object (TRO). Digital signatures provided by the TRS and by a trusted third-party timestamp authority (TSA) guarantee the integrity and authenticity of the TRO. The controlled vocabulary TROV provides means to declare and query the properties of a TRO, to enumerate the dimensions of trustworthiness the TRS asserts for a TRO, and to verify that each such assertion is warranted by the documented capabilities of the TRS. Our approach for describing, publishing, and working with TROs imposes no restrictions on how computational artifacts are packaged or otherwise shared, and aims to be interoperable with, rather than to replace, current and future Research Object standards, archival formats, and repository layouts. 

Temperature is a critically important factor in many infectious disease systems, because it can regulate responses in both the host and the pathogen. White-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats is a severe infectious disease caused by the temperature-sensitive fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans ( Pd ). One feature of WNS is an increase in the frequency of arousal bouts (i.e. when bat body temperatures are elevated) in Pd -infected bats during hibernation. While several studies have proposed that increased frequency of arousals may play a role in the pathophysiology of WNS, it is unknown if the temperature fluctuations might mediate Pd growth. We hypothesized that exposure to a high frequency of elevated temperatures would reduce Pd growth due to thermal constraints on the pathogen. We simulated the thermal conditions for arousal bouts of uninfected and infected bats during hibernation (fluctuating from 8 to 25°C at two different rates) and quantified Pd growth in vitro . We found that increased exposure to high temperatures significantly reduced Pd growth. Because temperature is one of the most critical abiotic factors mediating host–pathogen interactions, resolving how Pd responds to fluctuating temperatures will provide insights for understanding WNS in bats and other fungal diseases. 

Abstract Hibernation is widespread among mammals in a variety of environmental contexts. However, few experimental studies consider interspecific comparisons, which may provide insight into general patterns of hibernation strategies. We studied 13 species of free-living bats, including populations spread over thousands of kilometers and diverse habitats. We measured torpid metabolic rate (TMR) and evaporative water loss (two key parameters for understanding hibernation energetics) across a range of temperatures. There was no difference in minimum TMR among species (i.e., all species achieved similarly low torpid metabolic rate) but the temperature associated with minimum TMR varied among species. The minimum defended temperature (temperature below which TMR increased) varied from 8 °C to < 2 °C among species. Conversely, evaporative water loss varied among species, with species clustered in two groups representing high and low evaporative water loss. Notably, species that have suffered population declines due to white-nose syndrome fall in the high evaporative water loss group and less affected species in the low evaporative water loss group. Documenting general patterns of physiological diversity, and associated ecological implications, contributes to broader understanding of biodiversity, and may help predict which species are at greater risk of environmental and anthropogenic stressors. 

Abstract In 1992, the Union of Concerned Scientists shared their ‘World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity’ with governmental leaders worldwide, calling for immediate action to halt the environmental degradation that threatens the systems that support life on Earth. A follow-up ‘Second Warning’ was released in 2017, with over 15 000 scientists as signatories, describing the lack of progress in adopting the sustainable practices necessary to safeguard the biosphere. In their ‘Second Warning’, Ripple and colleagues provided 13 ‘diverse and effective steps humanity can take to transition to sustainability.’ Here, we discuss how the field of conservation physiology can contribute to six of these goals: (i) prioritizing connected, well-managed reserves; (ii) halting the conversion of native habitats to maintain ecosystem services; (iii) restoring native plant communities; (iv) rewilding regions with native species; (v) developing policy instruments; and (vi) increasing outdoor education, societal engagement and reverence for nature. Throughout, we focus our recommendations on specific aspects of physiological function while acknowledging that the exact traits that will be useful in each context are often still being determined and refined. However, for each goal, we include a short case study to illustrate a specific physiological trait or group of traits that is already being utilized in that context. We conclude with suggestions for how conservation physiologists can broaden the impact of their science aimed at accomplishing the goals of the ‘Second Warning’. Overall, we provide an overview of how conservation physiology can contribute to addressing the grand socio-environmental challenges of our time.