Different Types Of Organisms Research Articles

Mushroom alkaloids as nutraceuticals, bioactive and medicinal properties: a preliminary review

Mushroom alkaloids are quite interesting due to their distinct secondary metabolites. Alkaloids are a class of secondary metabolites that are found in different types of organisms. The primary focus of this study is the alkaloids that were taken out of the mushrooms. Mainly the mushrooms alkaloids are classified as 2 groups like indoles and isoxazoles. In the present paper 68 distinct alkaloids produced from mushrooms were attempted to be listed under 24 distinct groups; i.e. 24 alkaloids were kept under Indole group, 5 different alkaloids were kept under ? - carboline group and pyrroloquinoline group, 4 different alkaloids were kept under pyrrole group, and 3 different alkaloids were mentioned under quinoline groups. Mushrooms were used as food in many parts of the world. The alkaloids obtained from mushrooms showing different bioactivities like antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-obesity, anti - ageing, nematicidal, helmintic, against cardiovascular disease and as antiasthmatic agent. Mushrooms were widely used in the traditional medicine of many countries like china, India, Taiwan, Japan etc. these mushrooms became great resources for many groups of alkaloids with bioactivities which should be useful in present day modern clinical and pharmacological research. The present review aims at listing the applications of mushroom alkaloids in different fields like medicine, health science, pharmacy etc.

Metaheuristic Algorithm-Based Proportional–Integrative–Derivative Control of a Twin Rotor Multi Input Multi Output System

Metaheuristic algorithms are computational techniques based on the collective behavior of swarms and the study of organisms acting in communities. These algorithms involve different types of organisms. Finding controller values for nonlinear systems is a challenging task using classical approaches. Hence, using metaheuristics to find the controller values of a twin rotor multi-input multi-output system (TRMS), one of the nonlinear systems studied in the literature, seems to be more appropriate than using classical methods. In this study, different types of metaheuristic algorithms were used to find the PID controller values for a TRMS, including a genetic algorithm (GA), a dragonfly algorithm, a cuckoo algorithm, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, and a coronavirus optimization algorithm (COVIDOA). The obtained graphs were analyzed based on certain criteria for the main rotor and tail rotor angles to reach the reference value in the TRMS. The experimental results show that when the rise and settlement times of the TRMS are compared in terms of performance, the GA took 1.5040 s (seconds) and the COVIDOA took 9.59 s to increase the pitch angle to the reference value, with the GA taking 0.7845 s and the COVIDOA taking 2.4950 s to increase the yaw angle to the reference value. For the settling time, the GA took 11.67 s and the COVIDOA took 28.01 s for the pitch angle, while the GA took 14.97 s and the COVIDOA took 26.69 s for the yaw angle. With these values, the GA and COVIDOA emerge as the foremost algorithms in this context.

Advancements in Phylogenetic Techniques: Revolutionizing Microbiology and Evolutionary Framework. A Review

Phylogenetic trees describe the evolutionary relationships among different types of organisms. The selection of methods used in the construction of these trees is not easy because the data used is often incomplete, meaning it comes from studies of both modern organisms and fossils. Also, the morphological data can be misleading ; when closely related organisms may not look the same and distantly related organisms may share certain features, all these reasons make it difficult to determine the true relationships between these organisms. Therefore, the genetic data is more dependable, so it's usually a preferred method used to construct phylogenetic trees. Despite that, the genetic data can be affected by several factors, such as gene transfer, loss, and the choice of genes that are used. It's important to note that phylogenetic trees do not account for the length of time over which evolution happened ; they only reflect the order of divergence among lineages. Despite all these challenges, phylogenetic trees are still a crucial tool in understanding the evolution of life and in identifying new relationships among different organisms. Recently, the use of phylogenetic analysis in microbiological research has increased significantly. This review provides an overview of the concept of phylogeny, the different methods used in the construction of phylogenetic trees, the applications of phylogenetic analysis in microbiology, and the steps involved in building a suitable phylogenetic tree.

THE ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF VIRUSES IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS


 It is widely acknowledged that viruses are essential elements of the aquatic Environment, contributing significantly to various ecological processes and altering the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. The variety of viruses in aquatic habitats, including freshwater and marine ecosystems, is enormous. Numerous different types of organisms, such as bacteria, algae, protozoa, and even multicellular organisms, are susceptible to these viral interactions, and these organisms have a significant impact on the design and operation of aquatic ecosystems. In aquatic ecosystems, viral-mediated mortality facilitates the recycling of nutrients and energy by influencing the composition of microbial populations. Additionally, viruses participate in genetic transfer procedures and are essential for horizontal gene transfer. They also serve as genetic material carriers, allowing the transfer of genes between various organisms. This phenomenon affects the ecological balance in the aquatic Environment and the evolution and adaption of microbial communities. Viruses can be used as instruments to investigate microbial ecology, comprehend host-virus interactions, and create fresh antiviral tactics. Viruses are essential to the health and stability of aquatic environments. Aquatic viruses have attracted attention because of their potential utility in various sectors, including biotechnology and medical research; they are essential elements of the aquatic environment due to their capacity to control microbial populations, reduce toxic algal blooms, and offer insights into microbial ecology. Our comprehension of these complex interactions and their larger implications for environmental health and management will be improved by additional study and investigation of viral dynamics and interactions within aquatic ecosystems. This review attempts to present an overview of the significance of viruses in aquatic ecosystems by highlighting their variety of roles and interactions.

Stoichiometric model of a fully closed bioregenerative life support system for autonomous long-duration space missions

Bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) are vital for long-duration and remote space missions to increase mission sustainability. These systems break down human waste materials into nutrients and CO2 for plants and other edible organisms, which in turn provide food, fresh water, and oxygen for astronauts. The central idea is to create a materially closed loop, which can significantly reduce mission mass and volume by cutting down or even eliminating disposable waste. In most BLSS studies only a fraction of the resources, such as food, are provided by the system itself, with the rest taken on board at departure or provided through resupply missions. However, for autonomous long-duration space missions without any possibility of resupply, a BLSS that generates all resources with minimal or no material loss, is essential. The goal of this study is to develop a stoichiometric model of a conceptually fully closed BLSS that provides all the metabolic needs of the crew and organisms. The MELiSSA concept of the European Space Agency is used as reference system, consisting of five interconnected compartments, each inhabited by different types of organisms. A detailed review of publicly available MELiSSA literature from 1989 to 2022 revealed that no existing stoichiometric model met the study’s requirements. Therefore, a new stoichiometric model was developed to describe the cycling of the elements C, H, O, and N through all five MELiSSA compartments and one auxiliary compartment. A compact set of chemical equations with fixed coefficients was established for this purpose. A spreadsheet model simulates the flow of all relevant compounds for a crew of six. By balancing the dimensions of the different compartments, a high degree of closure is attained at steady state, with 12 out of 14 compounds exhibiting zero loss, and oxygen and CO2 displaying only minor losses between iterations. This is the first stoichiometric model of a MELiSSA-inspired BLSS that describes a continuous provision of 100% of the food and oxygen needs of the crew. The stoichiometry serves as the foundation of an agent-based model of the MELiSSA loop, as part of the Evolving Asteroid Starships (E|A|S) research project.

Gene Edited Seeds

The European Union is finally coming around to gene-edited seeds For a quarter century, activists such as Vandana Shiva have opposed GM crops that can help feed the world. Now, more than ever, it is time to reject their Luddite demands. In 2021, the European Union announced that it would be reviewing its 2001-era legislation governing genetically modified (GM) organisms, so as to properly account for the recent development of “gene-edited” crops, which are produced using what is known as New Genomic Techniques (NGT). To laypeople, the distinction between the various technology types may seem obscure. But from a scientific point of view, the difference is significant. Genetically modified organisms ‐ also known as transgenic organisms, or GMOs ‐ have been around since the 1990s. Many well-known GMOs have been developed by combining DNA from different types of organisms, a process that has aroused fears of “frankenfoods” (a pejorative term coined three decades ago by Boston College professor Paul Lewis, who wrote that if they want to sell us Frankenfood, perhaps it is time to gather the villagers, light some torches and head to the castle. By contrast, NGTs allow scientists to manipulate specific regions of a genome directly ‐ so as to reduce the need for pesticides, resist disease, boost yields, or enhance resilience in the face of climate change ‐ without importing genetic material from outside sources.

Temperature drives elevational diversity patterns of different types of organisms in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau wetlands

The spatial pattern and driving mechanism of biodiversity along elevational gradients are key topics in ecology. However, it is still unclear whether the multidimensional diversity of different types of organisms shows a similar response to elevation changes. Here, we measured the species and phylogenetic diversity of plants, bacteria, fungi, and microbial functional groups (nitrifiers, denitrifiers, methanogens, and methanotrophs) in 36 wetland sites on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that both species and phylogenetic diversity of plants, bacteria, and fungi exhibited a significant elevational gradient, in direct contrast to no significant diversity changes observed for denitrifiers, methanogens, and methanotrophs along the same altitude gradient. Our findings suggest that elevation and temperature were more likely to associate with the diversity of plants, bacteria, and fungi than the diversity of microbial functional groups, with important implications for assessing the effect of ongoing climate warming on biodiversity in Qinghai-Tibetan alpine wetlands.

Recent Advancements in Fisheries Systems and Applications for Animal Growth in Water-Borne Animals Fisheries Systems

Advances in fisheries system have been made in the few past years due to different technological progress in the food chain system by improving the mutual communication among different types of organisms. Overfishing, anthropogenic climate change, and pollution are already having measurable impacts on the marine environment throughout the majority of the globe, and their potential long-term repercussions are very concerning. Fishing activity contributes to marine debris; the proportional contribution of recreational fishing has not been quantified. New approaches that are being used in various ways include the precautionary approach, the ecological approach, adaptive management, and harvest control rules. Growth in coastal population has made water and land pollution worse and placed additional pressure on coastal development. Satellite remote sensing has been an essential tool in fishery research, management, and harvesting because it offers synoptic ocean measurements for evaluating environmental influences on the abundance and distribution of fish populations and allows ecological analyses at community and ecosystem scales. Synthetic super-active analogues with higher inducing potency at lower doses were developed using biotechnological techniques including protein engineering and recombinant DNA technology. There are many methods of preservation, including as drying, smoking, freezing, chilling, and brining. Fish that has been smoked or dried has more nutrients and is easier to digest. Fish is often prepared by smoking or drying; both processes eliminate moisture by heating, which reduces the development of germs and increases shelf life. Advances in genetic engineering also helpful for improving the new varieties in the fisheries system.

Rapid Detection of Uropathogens and Antibiotic-resistant Genes Using Open Array Multiplex PCR Technology

Abstract Introduction/Objective Introduction: Standard diagnostic practices for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) take 2–3 days for pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing leading to delayed diagnosis and an increase in healthcare expenditures. The rapid diagnostics tool is highly desirable to identify the pathogen and its antibiotic-resistant genes directly from the samples. Our objective is to validate and evaluate the performance of Open array multiplex PCR for pathogen identification and antibiotic resistance genes. Methods/Case Report Method: Open array multiplex PCR method for 20 UTI pathogens was validated using ATCC organisms and inter-laboratory correlation using 50 urine samples. Briefly, samples were homogenized using Omni bead ruptor 96, and DNA was extracted using Hamilton Vantage. Customized open array and UTI chips with 20 most common urinary tract pathogen target and 13 resistant genes target specifically for UTI treatment were filled with Taqman open array PCR master mix and extracted DNA in a 1:1 ratio. UTI chips were prepared on Accufill and real-time PCR was performed on Quantstudio 12K flex. A total of 116 de-identified patient samples were analyzed. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Result: The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of this method were more than 90% considering the reference method as the standard method. A total of 14 different types of organisms were detected. Escherichia coli (n=49) was the highest among all. Multiple pathogens were identified in 27 urine samples. Organisms such as Ureaplasma and Megasphaera 1 were detected in nine and four samples, respectively. All positive samples were resistant to at least one or two resistant genes. tetM and tetS were resistant among 72 samples, erm A, B, and C in 60 samples, ESBL in 30 and fosfo A in 21 samples. Conclusion Conclusion: The open array multiplex PCR technology may help in the early diagnosis and treatment that can improve patient care, shorten hospitalization, and reduces the economic burden.

Pyrethroid induced terato-genicity and genotoxicity

Pesticide has become an integral part of modern agriculture. Pyrethroids are biodegradable that is why uses of this pesticide being in large amounts, and due to their not being used properly, they affect harmful insects as well as many beneficial insects and many different types of organisms and humans. Produced effects such as neurotoxic, genotoxic and teratogenic effects. Cypermethrin (CYP), a class-II type of pyrethroid pesticide has been studied in many organisms for its various adverse effects, but its teratogenic and genotoxic effect has not been much studied in birds. So, in this review conclude the genotoxic and teratogenic potential of different type of pyrethroid in various animals.

Points to consider in seeking biosafety approval for research, testing, and environmental release of experimental genetically modified biocontrol products during research and development

Novel genetically modified biological control products (referred to as “GM biocontrol products”) are being considered to address a range of complex problems in public health, conservation, and agriculture, including preventing the transmission of vector-borne parasitic and viral diseases as well as the spread of invasive plant and animal species. These interventions involve release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment, sometimes with intentional dissemination of the modification within the local population of the targeted species, which presents new challenges and opportunities for regulatory review and decision-making. Practices developed for GMOs, primarily applied to date for GM crops may need to be adapted to accommodate different types of organisms, such as insects, and different technologies, such as gene drive. Developers of new GM biocontrol products would benefit from an early understanding of safety data and information that are likely to be required within the regulatory dossier for regulatory evaluation and decision making. Here a generalizable tool drawing from existing GM crop dossier requirements, forms, and relevant experience is proposed to assist researchers and developers organize and plan their research and trialing. This tool requires considering specifics of each investigational product, their intended use, and country specific requirements at various phases of potential product development, from laboratory research through contained field testing and experimental release into the environment. This may also be helpful to risk assessors and regulators in supporting their systematic and rigorous evaluation of new biocontrol products.

The Effect of Biological Control Agents on Paddy Soil Bacterial Community Structure

Biodiversity has been defined as the range of significantly different types of organisms and their relative abundance in an assemblage of community. The aim of this research was to understand about soil bacterial community after on biological control agents (BCA) treatments with various formulations. This research was conducted at Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta and Faculty Agriculture of Universitas Gadjah Mada. The research conducted with culture dependent and culture independent methods to assess soil bacterial diversity. The results showed that soil bacterial diversity before and after treatment of biological control agent were different. Results from this research suggested different molecular methods regarding soil bacterial diversity based on their benefits and challenges.

Occurrence and bioconcentration of organic UV filters in primary marine consumers

Organic ultraviolet (UV) filters are added in different products to absorb UV radiation, whose use has been voiced due to increasing concerning about skin damage. Given their extensive production, these compounds are continuously released to the aquatic environment, which makes them an important family of emerging pollutants. Their presence in the marine environment poses a hazard to the living organisms exposed to them.Primary marine consumers can be recognised as sentinels of pollution in marine environments. In this study, the occurrence of eight widely used organic UV filters was analysed in five different primary marine consumers from three beaches on the Gran Canaria Island (Spain) collected for 4 months. For that, a new method, based on microwave-assisted extraction and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in tandem, was optimized and validate. The developed method presented detection limits between 0.7 ng·g−1 dry weight (dw) and 7.1 ng·g−1 dw and intraday and interday precision with ranges from 0.2 % to 9.9 % and from 1.9 % to 12.4 %, respectively.The method was applied to 20 samples comprising five different types of organisms. All the analysed samples revealed the presence of organic UV filters, in all samples at least one analyte was determined. The highest detection frequency corresponded to butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDBM) (55 %), while octocrylene (OC) was found at the highest concentration (1,735 ng·g−1 dw) in the sea hare Aplysia dactylomela.At the same time, a preliminary bioconcentration and biomagnification assessment was made for the UV filters found in the studied marine organisms. Bioconcentration factors (Log values) over 3.7 were obtained in some cases, which suggests possible bioaccumulation. 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC) and drometrizole trisiloxane (DTS) obtained a biomagnification factor over 1, which implies potential biomagnification for these compounds.

Detection and prevention of biological invasions in marinas and ports: Epibionts and associated fauna of Mytilus galloprovincialis revisited

Ports and marinas are gateways for introduction of non-indigenous species through ‘shipping’ worldwide. These anthropogenic environments concentrate a variety of artificial structures and substrates that are colonized by different types of organisms, being prone to biological invasions. One the most outstanding taxa in European marinas and ports are the mussels of the genus Mytilus. Mussels live in patches forming a three-dimensional, multi-layered and permanent biosubstrate that favours the settlement of sessile and mobile fauna, creating a perfect environment for the establishment and development of different species. In this study we characterized the biodiversity associated to the mussel patches of M. galloprovincialis in the Marina of Gijón (northern Spain, Cantabrian Sea), according to their status (i.e., native, introduced or alien, invasive and cryptogenic). The samples were collected from different areas of the marina: the outer dock (with national and international traffic), the middle dock and the inner one (both with local and national transit). We identified a total of 102 species associated to M. galloprovincialis, from which 13 and 4 species were invasive and alien respectively. The exotic fanworm Branchiomma luctusoum is reported for the first time in the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Sea. The inner dock was the area with the highest number of non-indigenous taxa. Most of the alien and invasive species belonged to the groups Ascidiacea and Bryozoa, all of them filter feeders with great plasticity and ecological tolerance. Furthermore, the elemental composition microanalysis of the invasive bryozoan Watersipora subatra showed high levels of aluminium (a common element in marinas, being present in the fuel and in ship paintings), which may imply a risk of aluminium bioaccumulation in the environment. From these results we can conclude that mussel patches may facilitate the settlement and development of non-indigenous species in marinas, highlighting the importance of monitoring these mussel aggregations as a management tool for the early control and prevention of marine bioinvasions.

Distance decay 2.0 - A global synthesis of taxonomic and functional turnover in ecological communities.

AimUnderstanding the variation in community composition and species abundances (i.e., β‐diversity) is at the heart of community ecology. A common approach to examine β‐diversity is to evaluate directional variation in community composition by measuring the decay in the similarity among pairs of communities along spatial or environmental distance. We provide the first global synthesis of taxonomic and functional distance decay along spatial and environmental distance by analysing 148 datasets comprising different types of organisms and environments.LocationGlobal.Time period1990 to present.Major taxa studiedFrom diatoms to mammals.MethodWe measured the strength of the decay using ranked Mantel tests (Mantel r) and the rate of distance decay as the slope of an exponential fit using generalized linear models. We used null models to test whether functional similarity decays faster or slower than expected given the taxonomic decay along the spatial and environmental distance. We also unveiled the factors driving the rate of decay across the datasets, including latitude, spatial extent, realm and organismal features.ResultsTaxonomic distance decay was stronger than functional distance decay along both spatial and environmental distance. Functional distance decay was random given the taxonomic distance decay. The rate of taxonomic and functional spatial distance decay was fastest in the datasets from mid‐latitudes. Overall, datasets covering larger spatial extents showed a lower rate of decay along spatial distance but a higher rate of decay along environmental distance. Marine ecosystems had the slowest rate of decay along environmental distances.Main conclusionsIn general, taxonomic distance decay is a useful tool for biogeographical research because it reflects dispersal‐related factors in addition to species responses to climatic and environmental variables. Moreover, functional distance decay might be a cost‐effective option for investigating community changes in heterogeneous environments.

Antimicrobial activity of supernatants produced by bacteria isolated from Brazilian stingless bee’s larval food

BackgroundThe discovery of new molecules with antimicrobial properties has been a promising approach, mainly when related to substances produced by bacteria. The use of substances produced by bees has evidenced the antimicrobial action in different types of organisms. Thus, the use of bacteria isolated from larval food of stingless bees opens the way for the identification of the new molecules. The effect of supernatants produced by these bacteria was evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria of clinical interest. Furthermore, their effects were evaluated when used in synergy with antibiotics available in the pharmaceutical industry.ResultsA few supernatants showed an inhibitory effect against susceptible and multiresistant strains in the PIC assay and the modulation assay. Emphasizing the inhibitory effect on multidrug-resistant strains, 7 showed an effect on multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli (APEC), Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC), multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the PIC assay. Of the supernatants analyzed, some presented synergism for more than one species of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Nine had a synergistic effect with ampicillin on E. coli (APEC) or S. aureus (MRSA), 5 with penicillin G on E. coli (APEC) or KPC, and 3 with vancomycin on KPC.ConclusionIn summary, the results indicate that supernatants produced from microorganisms can synthesize different classes of molecules with potent antibiotic activity against multiresistant bacteria. Thus, suggesting the use of these microorganisms for use clinical tests to isolate the molecules produced and their potential for use.

RNP-world: The ultimate essence of life is a ribonucleoprotein process.

The fundamental essence of life is based on process of interaction between nucleic acids and proteins. In a prebiotic world, amino acids, peptides, ions, and other metabolites acted in protobiotic routes at the same time on which RNAs performed catalysis and self-replication. Nevertheless, it was only when nucleic acids and peptides started to interact together in an organized process that life emerged. First, the ignition was sparked with the formation of a Peptidyl Transferase Center (PTC), possibly by concatenation of proto-tRNAs. This molecule that would become the catalytic site of ribosomes started a process of self-organization that gave origin to a protoorganism named FUCA, a ribonucleic ribosomal-like apparatus capable to polymerize amino acids. In that sense, we review hypotheses about the origin and early evolution of the genetic code. Next, populations of open biological systems named progenotes were capable of accumulating and exchanging genetic material, producing the first genomes. Progenotes then evolved in two paths: some presented their own ribosomes and others used available ribosomes in the medium to translate their encoded information. At some point, two different types of organisms emerged from populations of progenotes: the ribosome-encoding organisms (cells) and the capsid-encoding organisms (viruses).

Stylistic transformation of biological terminology in modern mass media

This article examines how biological terminology functions in contemporary mass media language. Additionally, it identifies the major thematic groups in biological terminology and traces their semantic changes in the language of mass media. The primary function of mass media is to highlight current problems of society and to inform ordinary people, so it is natural that scientific language is actively incorporated into journalistic narratives. Usually, the most relevant terms for society enter mass media. Everyday attention of the mass media is largely focused on issues of health, food, conservation and genetic inheritance, which inevitably activates the involvement of the terminology of the biological sciences in the attributes of this style. In the language of mass media, biological terms can function in a direct sense, performing a directly informative function and indirectly an epistemological function, popularizing new knowledge for readers, and in a figurative sense, performing stylistic and expressive functions. Terminology, used in a figurative sense, not only helps to figuratively and eloquently characterize socio-political processes, specific public figures, reproduce complex political vicissitudes, but it also becomes a tool of linguistic influence on the recipient. Among the biological terms that have undergone semantic transformations in the language of mass media, it is possible to outline separate thematic groups: names of sciences; terms for different types of organisms or groups of organisms; terms for parts of organisms; terms for biological processes, states and phenomena; terms for genetic concepts. When taken outside of its natural domain, the biological vocabulary can give journalism novelty and freshness, accuracy and effectiveness. With frequent use, the terminology becomes clear to readers and becomes part of their active vocabulary.

Weather‐driven demography and population dynamics of an endemic perennial plant during a 34‐year period

Abstract Increased anthropogenic influence on the environment has accentuated the need to assess how climate and other environmental factors drive vital rates and population dynamics of different types of organisms. However, to allow distinction between the effects of multiple correlated variables, and to capture the effects of rare and extreme climatic conditions, studies extending over decades are often necessary. In this study, we used an individual‐based dataset collected in three populations of Pulsatilla vulgaris subsp. gotlandica during 34 years, to explore the effects of variation in precipitation and temperature on vital rates and population dynamics. Most of the observed conspicuous variation in flowering among years was associated with differences in precipitation and temperature in the previous summer and autumn with a higher incidence of flowering following summers with high precipitation and low temperatures. In contrast, climatic variables had no significant effects on individual growth or survival. Although the weather‐driven variation in flowering had only moderate absolute effects on the population growth rate, simulated persistent changes in average precipitation and temperature resulted in considerable reductions in population sizes compared with current conditions. Analyses carried out with subsets of data consisting of 5 and 10 years yielded results that strongly deviated from those based on the full dataset. Synthesis. The results of this study illustrate the importance of long‐term demographic monitoring to identify key climatic variables affecting vital rates and driving population dynamics in long‐lived organisms.

Woodpeckers can act as dispersal vectors for fungi, plants, and microorganisms.

Bird‐mediated dispersal is presumed to be important in the dissemination of many different types of organisms, but concrete evidence remains scarce. This is especially true for biota producing microscopic propagules. Tree‐dwelling birds, such as woodpeckers, would seem to represent ideal dispersal vectors for organisms growing on standing tree trunks such as epiphytic lichens and fungi. Here, we utilize bird natural history collections as a novel source of data for studying dispersal ecology of plants, fungi, and microorganisms. We screened freshly preserved specimens of three Finnish woodpecker species for microscopic propagules. Samples were taken from bird feet, and chest and tail feathers. Propagules were extracted using a sonication–centrifugation protocol, and the material obtained was studied using light microscopy. Diverse biological material was recovered from all specimens of all bird species, from all positions sampled. Most abundant categories of discovered biological material included bryophyte fragments, fungal spores, and vegetative propagules of lichens. Also, freshwater diatoms, bryophyte spores, algal cells, testate amebae, rotifers, nematodes, pollen, and insect scales were identified. The method developed here is applicable to living specimens as well, making it a versatile tool for further research. Our findings highlight the potential of bird‐mediated dispersal for diverse organisms and showcase the use of natural history collections in ecological research.