This work reports the effects of metallic glass precursors on the catalytic performance of nanoporous metals. Pd-based multicomponent nanoporous metals with similar nanoporous structure were successfully fabricated by electrochemically dealloying the Pd20Ni60P17B3 and Pd20Ni20Cu40P17B3 metallic glass precursors at the critical dealloying potentials. It was found that the glassy precursors with different chemical compositions result in different doping elements in the as-obtained nanoporous metals and thus lead to different catalytic activities.

Two of the most fundamental questions in tadpole biology, also applicable to most small, under-studied organisms are: (1) ‘Why are they built the way they are?’ and (2) ‘Why do they live where they do?’ Regrettably, despite significant progress in most aspects of tadpole biology, the answers to these questions are not much better now than they were in the last century. We propose that an autecological approach, that is the careful observation of individuals and how they interact with the environment, is a potential path towards a fuller understanding of tadpole ecomorphology and evolution. We also discuss why more attention should be given to studying atypical tadpoles from atypical environments, such as torrential streams, water-filled cavities of terrestrial plants and wet rock surfaces neighbouring streams. Granted, tadpoles are rare in these settings, but in those unusual habitats the physical environments can be well described and characterized. In contrast, the more common ponds where tadpoles are found are typically too structurally complex to be easily delineated. This makes it difficult to know exactly what individual tadpoles are doing and what environmental parameters they are responding to. Our overall thesis is that to understand tadpoles we must see exactly what they are doing, where they are doing it, and how they are doing it. This takes work, but we suggest it is feasible and could greatly advance our understanding of how anuran larvae have evolved. The same strategies for studying tadpoles that we encourage here can be applied to the study of many other small and fast-moving animals.

Aim: Long-standing theory predicts that the intensity of biotic interactions increases from high to low latitudes. Studies addressing geographic variation in predation on insect prey have often relied on prey models, which lack many characteristics of live prey. Our goals were to explore global latitudinal patterns of predator attack rates on standardised live insect prey and to compare the patterns in predation on live insects with those on plasticine prey models. Location: Global forested areas. Time Period: 2021–2023. Major Taxa: Arthropods, birds. Methods: We measured predation rates in 43 forested locations distributed across five continents from 34.1° S to 69.5° N latitude. At each location, we exposed 20 sets of three bait types, one set per tree. Each set included three live fly larvae (maggots), three live fly puparia and three plasticine models of the puparia. We used glue rings to isolate half of the sets from non-flying predators. Results: Arthropod attack rates on plasticine prey decreased linearly from low to high latitudes, whereas attack rates on maggots had a U shaped distribution, with the lowest predation rates at temperate latitudes and the highest rates at tropical and boreal latitudes. This difference emerged from intensive predator attacks on live maggots, but not on plasticine models, in boreal sites. Site-specific attack rates of arthropod predators on live and plasticine prey were not correlated. In contrast, bird attack rates on live maggots and plasticine models were positively correlated, but did not show significant latitudinal changes. Main Conclusions: Latitudinal patterns in predation differ between major groups of predators and between types of prey. Poleward decreases in both arthropod and combined arthropod and bird predation on plasticine models do not mirror patterns of predation on our live prey, the latter likely reflecting real patterns of predation risk better than do patterns of attack on artificial prey.