WorldWideScience

Sample records for calidris canutus rufa

  1. Avian influenza virus antibodies in Pacific Coast Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, James A.; DeCicco, Lucas H.; Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Krauss, Scott; Hall, Jeffrey S.

    2014-01-01

    Prevalence of avian influenza virus (AIV) antibodies in the western Atlantic subspecies of Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) is among the highest for any shorebird. To assess whether the frequency of detection of AIV antibodies is high for the species in general or restricted only to C. c. rufa, we sampled the northeastern Pacific Coast subspecies of Red Knot (Calidris canutus roselaari) breeding in northwestern Alaska. Antibodies were detected in 90% of adults and none of the chicks sampled. Viral shedding was not detected in adults or chicks. These results suggest a predisposition of Red Knots to AIV infection. High antibody titers to subtypes H3 and H4 were detected, whereas low to intermediate antibody levels were found for subtypes H10 and H11. These four subtypes have previously been detected in shorebirds at Delaware Bay (at the border of New Jersey and Delaware) and in waterfowl along the Pacific Coast of North America.

  2. Southward migration and fuel deposition of Red Knots Calidris canutus

    OpenAIRE

    Helseth, Anders; Lindström, Åke; Stervander, Martin

    2005-01-01

    We compared the differences between spring and autumn in migration speed, fuelling rates and fuel loads of migrating Red Knots Calidris canutus. As a basis we used ringing data from Ottenby Bird Observatory, southeastern Sweden, collected 1948–2003, with morphometrical data from 1990–2003. Numbers ringed varied between 0 and 301 per year (average 56). Morphometrics, recoveries and recaptures of ringed birds indicated that most birds belonged to the Afro-Siberian subspecies C. c. canutus, poss...

  3. PRESENCE OF RED KNOT (CALIDRIS CANUTUS) IN ITE WETLANDS, TACNA, PERU

    OpenAIRE

    Jhonson K. Vizcarra

    2012-01-01

    The presence of Red Knot (Calidris canutus, Linnaeus 1758) in Ite Wetlands, Tacna, Peru is documented. Two individuals were observed in October 2011. This species had only one occurrence without details in this area.

  4. Migration ecology and stopover population size of Red Knots Calidris canutus rufa at Mingan Archipelago after exiting the breeding grounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyons, James E.; Baker, Allan J.; González, Patricia M.; Aubry, Yves; Buidin, Christophe; Rochepault, Yann

    2018-01-01

    Populations of migratory birds present unique conservation challenges given the often vast distances separating critical resources throughout the annual cycle. Migration areas close to the breeding grounds represent a link between two key stages of the annual cycle, and understanding migration ecology as birds exit the breeding grounds may be particularly informative for successful conservation. We studied migration phenology and stopover ecology of an endangered subspecies of the Red Knot Calidris canutus rufa at a migration area relatively close to its breeding range. Using mark-recapture/resight data and a Jolly-Seber model for open populations, we described the arrival and departure schedules, stopover duration, and passage population size at the Mingan Archipelago, Quebec, Canada. Red Knots arrived at the study area in two distinct waves of birds separated by approximately 22 days. Nearly 30% of the passage population arrived in the first wave of arrivals during 15–18 July, and approximately 22% arrived in a second wave during 8–11 August. The sex-ratio in the stopover population at the time of the first wave was slightly skewed toward females, whereas the second wave was heavily skewed toward males. Because males remain on the breeding grounds to care for young, this may reflect successfulbreeding in the year of our study. The estimated stopover duration (population mean) was 11 days (95% credible interval: 10.3–11.7 days), but stopover persistence was variable throughout the season. We estimated a passage population size of 9,450 birds (8,355–10,710), a minimum estimate for reasons related to the duration of our sampling. Mingan Archipelago is thus an important migration area for this endangered subspecies and could be a priority in conservation planning. Our results also emphasize the advantages of mark-recapture/resight approaches for estimating migration phenology and stopover persistence.

  5. Modelling phenotypic flexibility: an optimality analysis of gizzard size in Red Knots (Calidris canutus)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Gils, J.A.; Piersma, T.; Dekinga, A.; Battley, P.F.

    2006-01-01

    Reversible phenotypic changes, such as those observed in nutritional organs of long-distance migrants, increasingly receive the attention of ornithologists. In this paper we review the cost-benefit studies that have been performed on the flexible gizzard of Red Knots Calidris canutus. By varying the

  6. Small home ranges and high site fidelity in red knots (Calidris c. canutus) wintering on the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leyrer, J; Spaans, B; Camara, M; Piersma, T

    Using automated and manual radio-telemetry and resightings of individual colour-ringed birds, we assessed the daily use of space of red knots Calidris canutus canutus at a tropical wintering area along the Sahara coast, the Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania. Confirming earlier suggestions, we found that

  7. Small home ranges and high site fidelity in red knots (Calidris c. canutus) wintering on the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leyrer, Jutta; Spaans, Bernard; Camara, Mohamed; Piersma, Theunis; Bairlein, F.

    2006-01-01

    Using automated and manual radio-telemetry and resightings of individual colour-ringed birds, we assessed the daily use of space of red knots Calidris canutus canutus at a tropical wintering area along the Sahara coast, the Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania. Confirming earlier suggestions, we found that

  8. Habitat use by Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa): Experiments with oyster racks and reefs on the beach and intertidal of Delaware Bay, New Jersey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burger, Joanna; Niles, Lawrence J.

    2017-07-01

    Sea level rise and increasing human activities have decreased intertidal habitat in many places in the world. The expansion of aquaculture in intertidal areas may impact birds and other organisms using these habitats, leading to questions of sustainability of both aquaculture and functioning estuarine ecosystems. Understanding the effect of oyster culture on shorebird activity, particularly on Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa), a species on the U.S. Threatened List, is important for adaptive management and the expansion of oyster culture. In May 2013 we experimentally compared Red Knot and shorebird use of a beach section with racks and a control, and in 2016 we compared the use of sections with artificial reefs, oyster racks, and control on Delaware Bay, New Jersey (USA). The data included only times when no workers or other people were present. Censuses, conducted every 30 min throughout the day (279 censuses in 2013, 231 censuses in 2016), included the number of Red Knots and other shorebirds in each treatment section. In 2013, the total number of shorebirds was significantly higher in the rack section than in the control section, except for Red Knots and Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) that occurred in higher numbers in the control than in the rack section. In 2016 Red Knot numbers were also significantly lower in the rack section. In 2013, the mean number of Red Knots/census was 13 for racks vs 59 for the control (P racks and over 68 for other treatments (P racks while both foraging and roosting, suggesting that caution should be used before placing oyster racks in areas used for foraging by Red Knots.

  9. Molecular analysis of intact preen waxes of Calidris canutus (Aves : Scolopacidae) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, MHA; Piersma, T; Damste, JSS; Dekker, Marlèn H.A.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.

    The intact preen wax esters of the red knot Calidris canutus were studied with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and GC/MS/MS. In this latter technique, transitions from the molecular ion to fragment ions representing the fatty acid moiety of the wax esters were measured, providing

  10. Seasonality in basal metabolic rate and thermal conductance in a long-distance migrant shorebird, the knot (Calidris canutus)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piersma, T.; Cadée, N.; Daan, S.

    Knots Calidris canutus live highly seasonal lives, breeding solitarily on high arctic tundra and spending the non-breeding season in large social flocks in temperate to tropical estuaries. Their reproductive activities and physiological preparations for long flights are reflected in pronounced

  11. Molecular analysis of intact preen waxes of Calidris Canutus (Aves: Scolopacidae) by GC/MS and GC/MS/MS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Dekker, M.H.A.; Piersma, T.

    2000-01-01

    The intact preen wax esters of the red knot Calidris canutus were studied with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and GC/MS/MS. In this latter technique, transitions from the molecular ion to fragment ions representing the fatty acid moiety of the wax esters were measured, providing

  12. Cost reduction in the cold: heat generated by terrestrial locomotion partly substitutes for thermoregulation costs in Knot Calidris canutus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruinzeel, L.W.; Piersma, T.

    1998-01-01

    To test whether heat generated during locomotion substitutes for the thermoregulation cost, oxygen consumption of four post-absorptive temperate-wintering Knot Calidris canutus was measured at air temperatures of 25 degrees C (thermoneutral) and 10 degrees C (c. 10 degrees below the lower critical

  13. Red Knots (Calidris canutus piersmai and C. c. rogersi) depend on a small threatened staging area in Bohai Bay, China

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rogers, Danny I.; Yang, Hong-Yan; Hassell, Chris J.; Boyle, Adrian N.; Rogers, Ken G.; Chen, Bing; Zhang, Zheng-Wang; Piersma, Theunis

    2010-01-01

    We monitored numbers of Red Knots (Calidris canutus) staging in Bohai Bay, China (39 degrees 02'N, 118 degrees 15'E) on northward migration. Knots were identified to subspecies, and we systematically searched for colour-banded birds from the non-breeding grounds. We modelled migratory turnover, and

  14. ANNUAL AND SEASONAL-VARIATION IN THE FOOD-SUPPLY HARVESTABLE BY KNOT CALIDRIS-CANUTUS STAGING IN THE WADDEN SEA IN LATE SUMMER

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ZWARTS, L; BLOMERT, AM; WANINK, JH

    The biomass of the macrobenthic animals living in intertidal flats of the Wadden Sea varies annually and seasonally. However, the variation in prey biomass harvestable by wading birds such as knot Calidris canutus, which feed mainly on the middle range of their prey size classes, is even larger. The

  15. Role of the low-affinity glucocorticoid receptor in the regulation of behavior and energy metabolism in the migratory red knot Calidris canutus islandica

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Landys, MM; Piersma, T; Ramenofsky, M; Wingfield, JC; Wingfield, John C.

    2004-01-01

    Plasma corticosterone increases in association with migratory flight in the red knot Calidris canutus islandica, suggesting that corticosterone may promote migratory activity and/or energy mobilization in this species. This hypothesis is supported by general effects of glucocorticoids, which include

  16. Rapid population decline in red knots : fitness consequences of decreased refuelling rates and late arrival in Delaware Bay

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baker, AJ; Gonzalez, PM; Piersma, T; Niles, LJ; do Nascimento, IDS; Atkinson, PW; Clark, NA; Minton, CDT; Peck, MK; Aarts, G

    2004-01-01

    Most populations of migrant shorebirds around the world are in serious decline, suggesting that vital condition-dependent rates such as fecundity and annual survival are being affected globally. A striking example is the red knot (Calidris canutus rufa) population wintering in Tierra del Fuego,

  17. Foraging conditions 'at the end of the world' in the context of long-distance migration and population declines in red knots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Escudero, Graciela; Navedo, Juan G.; Piersma, Theunis; De Goeij, Petra; Edelaar, Pim

    The long-distance migrant red knot (Calidris canutus ssp. rufa Scolopacidae) alternates between the northern and southern ends of the New World, one of the longest yearly migrations of any bird and paradoxically overflying apparently suitable habitat at lower latitudes. This subspecies is sharply

  18. Foraging conditions 'at the end of the world' in the context of long-distance migration and population declines in red knots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Escudero, G.; Navedo, J.G.; Piersma, T.; de Goeij, P.; Edelaar, P.

    2012-01-01

    The long-distance migrant red knot (Calidris canutus ssp. rufa Scolopacidae) alternates between the northern and southern ends of the New World, one of the longest yearly migrations of any bird and paradoxically overflying apparently suitable habitat at lower latitudes. This subspecies is sharply

  19. Food, feeding, and refuelling of Red Knots during northward migration at San Antonio Oeste, Rio Negro, Argentina

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gonzalez, PM; Piersma, T; Verkuil, Y; González, Patricia M.

    1996-01-01

    We studied the food and feeding ecology of Red Knots Calidris canutus rufa on an area of rocky flat, or restinga, near San Antonio Oeste in the northwest of Golfo San Matias, Provincia de Rio Negro, Argentina in March 1992. These Red Knots are on their way north, from ''wintering'' areas in Tierra

  20. Day and night feeding habitat of Red Knots in Patagonia : Profitability versus safety?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sitters, HP; Gonzalez, PM; Piersma, T; Baker, AJ; Price, DJ; Sitters, Humphrey P.; González, Patricia M.; Baker, Allan J.; Price, David J.

    2001-01-01

    By radio-tracking and recording the movements of flocks. the distribution of feeding Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa) was studied day and night at a migration stopover site near San Antonio Oeste, Rio Negro, Argentina in March and April 1998. By day, the birds fed in dense flocks of 500-4000 on an

  1. Modelling phenotypic flexibility : an optimality analysis of gizzard size in Red Knots Calidris canutus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Gils, Jan A.; Piersma, Theunis; Dekinga, Anne; Battley, Phil F.

    2006-01-01

    Reversible phenotypic changes, such as those observed in nutritional organs of long-distance migrants, increasingly receive the attention of ornithologists. In this paper we review the cost-benefit studies that have been performed on the flexible gizzard of Red Knots Calidris cunutus. By varying the

  2. Long-term decreases of corticosterone in captive migrant shorebirds that maintain seasonal mass and moult cycles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piersma, T; Ramenofsky, M

    Two flocks of Red Knots Calidris canutus, belonging to the temperate-wintering subspecies islandica and to the tropical-wintering subspecies canutus, were kept in outdoor cages at north-temperate latitudes over two annual cycles during which their plasma concentrations of corticosterone were

  3. Being at the right time at the right place: interpreting the annual life cycle of Afro-Siberian red knots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leyrer, J.

    2011-01-01

    This thesis describes the possible selection pressures acting on survival and, indirectly, on reproduction of Afro-Siberian red knots Calidris canutus canutus while wintering and migrating. Afro-Siberian red knots are long-distance migrants. They travel between the West African wintering areas and

  4. Intestinal Microbiota and Species Diversity of Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp. in Migrating Shorebirds in Delaware Bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Using rDNA sequencing analysis, we examined the bacterial diversity and the presence of opportunistic bacterial pathogens (i.e., Campylobacter and Helicobacter) in Red Knot (Calidris canutus, n=40), Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres, n=35), and Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris ...

  5. Interference from adults forces young red knots to forage for longer and in dangerous places

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Hout, P.J.; van Gils, J.A.; Robin, F.; van der Geest, M.; Dekinga, A.; Piersma, T.

    2014-01-01

    In birds and mammals, juvenile and adult foragers are often found apart from each other. In this study, we found this is also true for red knots, Calidris canutus canutus, wintering on the intertidal flats of Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania. Not only did juveniles feed separately from adults, they also

  6. Vision and touch in relation to foraging and predator detection : insightful contrasts between a plover and a sandpiper

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martin, Graham R.; Piersma, Theunis

    2009-01-01

    Visual fields were determined in two species of shorebirds (Charadriiformes) whose foraging is guided primarily by different sources of information: red knots (Calidris canutus, tactile foragers) and European golden plovers (Pluvialis apricaria, visual foragers). The visual fields of both species

  7. Ambient temperature does not affect fuelling rate in absence of digestive constraints in long-distance migrant shorebird fuelling up in captivity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Petit, Magali; Vezina, Francois; Piersma, Theunis; Heldmaier, G.

    Pre-flight fuelling rates in free-living red knots Calidris canutus, a specialized long-distance migrating shorebird species, are positively correlated with latitude and negatively with temperature. The single published hypothesis to explain these relationships is the heat load hypothesis that

  8. Economic design in a long-distance migrating molluscivore: how fast-fuelling red knots in Bohai Bay, China, get away with small gizzards

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yang, H.-Y.; Ma, Z.-J.; Hua, N.; van Gils, J.A.; Zhang, Z.-W.; Piersma, T.

    2013-01-01

    We carried out an observational and experimental study to decipher how resource characteristics, in interaction with the predator's phenotype, constrain a fitness-determining performance measure, i.e. refuelling in a migrant bird. Two subspecies of red knot (Calidris canutus rogersi and C. c.

  9. Effects of Microhabitat, Flocking, Climate and Migratory Goal on Energy Expenditure in the Annual Cycle of Red Knots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wiersma, Popko; Piersma, Theunis

    We quantify seasonal changes in the maintenance energy requirements of Red Knots (Calidris canutus islandica). This subspecies breeds on the tundra of northeast Canada and north Greenland, migrates through Iceland and spends the winter in the coastal regions of western Europe. Maintenance Metabolism

  10. Mechanisms promoting higher growth rate in arctic than in temperate shorebirds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schekkerman, H.; Tulp, I.Y.M.; Piersma, T.; Visser, G.H.

    2003-01-01

    We compared prefledging growth, energy expenditure, and time budgets in the arctic-breeding red knot (Calidris canutus) to those in temperate shorebirds, to investigate how arctic chicks achieve a high growth rate despite energetic difficulties associated with precocial development in a cold

  11. Mechanisms promoting higher growth rate in arctic than in temperate shorebirds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schekkerman, H; Tulp, Ingrid; Piersma, T.; Visser, G.H.

    We compared prefledging growth, energy expenditure, and time budgets in the arctic-breeding red knot (Calidris canutus) to those in temperate shorebirds, to investigate how arctic chicks achieve a high growth rate despite energetic difficulties associated with precocial development in a cold

  12. Body-building without power training : Endogenously regulated pectoral muscle hypertrophy in confined shorebirds

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dietz, MW; Piersma, T; Dekinga, A

    1999-01-01

    Shorebirds such as red knots Calidris canutus routinely make migratory flights of 3000 km or more. Previous studies on this species, based on compositional analyses, suggest extensive pectoral muscle hypertrophy in addition to fat storage before take-off. Such hypertrophy could be due to power

  13. Long flights do not influence immune responses of a long-distance migrant bird : a wind-tunnel experiment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hasselquist, Dennis; Lindstrom, Ake; Jenni-Eiermann, Susi; Koolhaas, Anita; Piersma, Theunis; Lindström, Åke

    2007-01-01

    Heavy physical work can result in physiological stress and suppressed immune function. Accordingly, long-distance migrant birds that fly for thousands of km within days can be expected to show immunosuppression, and hence be more vulnerable to infections en route. The red knot Calidris canutus

  14. Cost-benefit analysis of mollusc eating in a shorebird I : Foraging and processing costs estimated by the doubly labelled water method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piersma, T; Dekinga, A; van Gils, JA; Achterkamp, B; Visser, GH

    2003-01-01

    Although the energy costs of foraging and food processing in vertebrates may be considerable, they have rarely been quantified separately. Here we present estimates for both cost factors based on a series of trials with a shorebird, the red knot Calidris canutus, fed natural and artificial prey

  15. Rapid changes in the size of different functional organ and muscle groups during refueling in a long-distance migrating shorebird

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piersma, T; Gudmundsson, GA; Lilliendahl, K; Gudmundsson, Gudmundur A.

    1999-01-01

    The adaptive value of size changes in different organ and muscle groups was studied in red knots (Calidris canutus islandica) in relation to their migration. Birds were sampled on five occasions: at arrival in Iceland in May 1994, two times during subsequent refueling, at departure toward, and on

  16. Baseline corticosterone peaks in shorebirds with maximal energy stores for migration : A general preparatory mechanism for rapid behavioral and metabolic transitions?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piersma, T; Reneerkens, J; Ramenofsky, M

    2000-01-01

    In captive red knots (Calidris canutus, Scolopacidae) showing a regulated body mass increase of 50% related to their migration from temperate staging sites to tundra:breeding grounds, plasma corticosterone concentrations increased from less than 10 ng.ml(-1) to levels as high-as 30 ng.ml(-1) when

  17. Seasonal mortality and sequential density dependence in a migratory bird

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rakhimberdiev, Eldar; van den Hout, Piet J.; Brugge, Maarten; Spaans, Bernard; Piersma, Theunis

    2015-01-01

    Migratory bird populations may be limited during one or more seasons, and thus at one or more places, but there is a dearth of empirical examples of this possibility. We analyse seasonal survival in a migratory shellfish-eating shorebird (red knot Calidris canutus islandica) during a series of years

  18. Fuelling and moult in Red Knots before northward departure: a visual evaluation of differences between ages, sexes and subspecies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhoeven, M.A.; Van Eerbeek, J.; Hassell, C.J.; Piersma, T.

    2016-01-01

    The departure of migratory birds from their non-breeding grounds is thought to be driven by the phenologyof their breeding destination. In north-west Australia, two plumage morphs of Red Knot (Calidris canutus) prepare for a5500-km journey to Yellow Sea staging areas. These morphs are recognised as

  19. Fuel use and metabolic response to endurance exercise : a wind tunnel study of a long-distance migrant shorebird

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jenni-Eiermann, Susanne; Jenni, Lukas; Kvist, Anders; Lindström, Åke; Piersma, Theunis; Visser, G. Henk

    This study examines fuel use and metabolism in a group of long-distance migrating birds, red knots Calidris canutus (Scolopacidae), flying under controlled conditions in a wind tunnel for up to 10 h. Data are compared with values for resting birds fasting for the same time. Plasma levels of free

  20. Ingested water equilibrates isotopically with the body water pool of a shorebird with unrivaled water fluxes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Visser, G.H.; Dekinga, A; Achterkamp, B.; Piersma, T.

    We investigated the applicability of H-2 to measure the amount of body water (TBW) and water fluxes in relation to diet type and level of food intake in a mollusk-eating shorebird, the Red Knot (Calidris canutus). Six birds were exposed to eight experimental indoor conditions. Average fractional H-2

  1. Domesticating nature? Surveillance and conservation of migratory shorebirds in the "Atlantic Flyway".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitney, Kristoffer

    2014-03-01

    Using a recent environmental controversy on the U.S. east coast over the conservation of red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) as a lens, I present a history of North American efforts to understand and conserve migratory shorebirds. Focusing on a few signal pieces of American legislation and their associated bureaucracies, I show the ways in which migratory wildlife have been thoroughly enrolled in efforts to quantify and protect their populations. Interactions between wildlife biologists and endangered species have been described by some scholars as "domestication"-a level of surveillance and intervention into nonhuman nature that constitutes a form of dependence. I pause to reflect on this historical trajectory, pointing out the breaks and continuities with older forms of natural history. Using the oft-mobilized Foucauldian metaphor of the panopticon as a foil, I question the utility and ethics of too-easily declaring "domesticated" wildlife an act of "biopower." Instead, I argue that Jacob von Uexküll's "umwelt" from early ecology and ethology, and more contemporary Science and Technology Studies (STS) analyses emphasizing multiple ontologies, offer more illuminating accounts of endangered species science. Neither science, conservation, nor history are well-served by the conflation of wildlife "surveillance" with the language of Foucauldian discipline. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Limited Access to Food and Physiological Trade-Offs in a Long-Distance Migrant Shorebird. I. Energy Metabolism, Behavior, and Body-Mass Regulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vezina, Francois; Petit, Magali; Buehler, Deborah M.; Dekinga, Anne; Piersma, Theunis

    2009-01-01

    Previous experiments showed reduction of basal metabolic rate (BMR) in birds facing energetic challenges. We alternately exposed two groups of red knots (Calidris canutus) to either 6 h or 22 h of food availability for periods of 22 d. Six h of access to food led to a 6%-10% loss of body mass over

  3. Where waders may parallel penguins : Spontaneous increase in locomotor activity triggered by fat depletion in a voluntarily fasting Knot

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piersma, T.; Poot, M.

    1993-01-01

    A Knot Calidris canutus, kept with four conspecifics on an enclosed artificial outdoor tidal flat in The Netherlands, refused to feed on the available bivalve prey for a period of 18 days and thereby decreased in mass from 209 g to 107 g, at which point the bird resumed feeding on the then freely

  4. DNA barcoding and phylogeny of Calidris and Tringa (Aves: Scolopacidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Zuhao; Tu, Feiyun

    2017-07-01

    The avian genera Calidris and Tringa are the largest of the widespread family of Scolopacidae. The phylogeny of members of the two genera is still a matter of controversial. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) can serve as a fast and accurate marker for the identification and phylogeny of animal species. In this study, we analyzed the COI barcodes of thirty-one species of the two genera. All the species had distinct COI sequences. Two hundred and twenty-one variable sites were identified. Kimura two-parameter distances were calculated between barcodes. Neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood methods were used to construct phylogenetic trees. All the species could be discriminated by their distinct clades in the phylogenetic trees. The phylogenetic trees grouped all the species of Calidris and Tringa into different monophyletic clade, respectively. COI data showed a well-supported phylogeny for Calidris and Tringa species.

  5. Population growth and development of the psocid Liposcelis rufa (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) at constant temperatures and relative humidities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gautam, S G; Opit, G P; Giles, K L

    2010-10-01

    We investigated the effects of eight temperatures (22.5, 25.0, 27.5, 30.0, 32.5, 35.0, 37.5, and 40.0 degrees C) and four relative humidities (43, 55, 63, and 75%) on population growth and development of the psocid Liposcelis rufa Broadhead (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae). L. rufa did not survive at 43% RH, at all temperatures tested; at 55% RH, at the highest four temperatures; and at 63% RH and 40.0 degrees C. The greatest population growth was recorded at 35.0 degrees C and 75% RH (73-fold growth). At 40.0 degrees C, L. rufa populations declined or barely grew. L. rufa males have two to four nymphal instars, and the percentages of males with two, three, and four instars were 31, 54, and 15%, respectively. Female L. rufa have two to five instars, and the percentages of females with two, three, four, and five instars were 2, 44, 42, and 12%, respectively. The life cycle was shorter for males than females. We developed temperature-dependent developmental equations for male and female eggs, individual nymphal, combined nymphal, and combined immature stages. The ability of L. rufa to reproduce at a relative humidity of 55% and temperatures of 22.5-30.0 degrees C and at relative humidities of 63-75% and temperatures of 22.5-37.5 degrees C, in addition to being able to survive at 40.0 degrees C, suggests that this species would be expected to have a broader distribution than other Liposcelis species. These data provide a better understanding of L. rufa population dynamics and can be used to help develop effective management strategies for this psocid.

  6. Fine structure of acrosome biogenesis and of mature sperm in the bivalve molluscs Glycymeris sp. (Pteriomorphia) and Eurhomalea rufa (Heterodonta)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerra, Rosa; Sousa, Mário; Torres, Artur; Oliveira, Elsa; Baldaia, Luis

    2003-03-01

    Proacrosomal vesicles form during the pachytene stage, being synthetized by the Golgi complex in Glycymeris sp., and by both the Golgi and the rough endoplasmic reticulum in Eurhomalea rufa. During early spermiogenesis, a single acrosomal vesicle forms and its apex becomes linked to the plasma membrane while it migrates. In Glycymeris sp., the acrosomal vesicle then turns cap-shaped (1.8 μm) and acquires a complex substructure. In E. rufa, proacrosomal vesicles differentiate their contents while still at the premeiotic stage; as the acrosomal vesicle matures and its contents further differentiate, it elongates and becomes longer than the nucleus (3.2 μm), while the subacrosomal space develops a perforatorium. Before condensation, chromatin turns fibrillar in Glycymeris sp., whereas it acquires a cordonal pattern in E. rufa. Accordingly, the sperm nucleus of Glycymeris sp. is conical and elongated (8.3 μm), and that of E. rufa is short and ovoid (1.1 μm). In the midpiece (Glycymeris sp.: 1.1 μm; E. rufa: 0.8 μm), both species have four mitochondria encircling two linked orthogonal (Glycymeris sp.) or orthogonal and tilted (30-40°; E. rufa) centrioles. In comparison with other Arcoida species, sperm of Glycymeris sp. appear distinct due to the presence of an elongated nucleus, a highly differentiated acrosome, and four instead of five mitochondria. The same occurs with E. rufa regarding other Veneracea species, with the acrosome of the mature sperm strongly resembling that of the recent Mytilinae.

  7. Long-term impact of agriculture on the survival of wood ants of the Formica rufa group (Formicidae)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mabelis, Bram; Korczyńska, Julita

    2016-01-01

    The impact of agriculture on wood ants of the Formica rufa group was investigated in a small-scale agricultural landscape with many woodland fragments in the east of the Netherlands. An inventory of nests was carried out in 1986, and repeated in 2014. The number of nests of F. rufa and F.

  8. Polygyny and strong genetic structuring within an isolated population of the wood ant Formica rufa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wouter Dekoninck

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Social structuring of populations within some Formica species exhibits considerable variation going from monodomous and monogynous populations to polydomous, polygynous populations. The wood ant species Formica rufa appears to be mainly monodomous and monogynous throughout most of its distribution area in central and northern Europe. Only occasionally it was mentioned that F. rufa can have both polygynous and monogynous colonies in the same geographical region. We studied an isolated polydomous F. rufa population in a deciduous mixed forest in the north-west of Belgium. The level of polydomy within the colonies varied from monodomous to 11 nests per colony. Our genetic analysis of eight variable microsatellites suggest an oligo- to polygynous structure for at least the major part of the sampled nests. Relatedness amongst nest mate workers varies considerable within the population and colonies but confirms in general a polygynous structure. Additionally high genetic diversity (e.g. up to 8 out of 11 alleles per nest for the most variable locus and high within nest genetic variance (93% indicate that multiple queens contribute to the gene pool of workers of the same nest. Moreover significant genetic structuring among colonies indicates that gene flow between colonies is restricted and that exchange of workers between colonies is very limited. Finally we explain how possible factors as budding and the absence of Serviformica can explain the differences in genetic structure within this polygynous F. rufa population.

  9. Estimation of the ideal dosage and feeding frequency for Garra rufa (Cyprinidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mafalda M. R. S. Catarino

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Garra rufa are widely used in skin treatments at beauty and wellness institutes. This freshwater species is native from Eurasia and has a large distribution area, including river basins in Turkey and Iran. It has a high commercial value and arouse interest among fish farmers. Even so, G. rufa methods of production are still unknown. In fact, aspects that sustain a rapid and healthy growth of these fish need to be investigated, like an adequate daily dose and feeding frequency. This work aimed to establish: 1 the optimal feed dose per day, correspondent to the amount necessary for obtaining satiation, with a commercial granulated food; and 2 the optimal frequency of feeding for intensive production of G. rufa in Aquaculture. A total of 60 fishes underwent a 3 weeks acclimation period in laboratory, distributed by 6 aquaria, containing 10 fishes with similar body weight and length. The animals were initially fed with a dose correspondent to 10% of their body weight. This dose was gradually increased until complete satiation of the fishes. An optimal dose of 0.04 g fish-1 day-1 was found. Afterwards, the same fishes went through a 1 month experimental trial to evaluate the ideal feeding frequency. Fish growth was compared between feeding 0.2 g twice per day and 0.1333 g three times per day. Variations in size (total and fork length, plus body weight were evaluated at the end of the trial. One-Way ANOVA procedures revealed that the variations in weight and in fork length were similar between treatments, but the variation in total length was significantly higher with 3 daily feeding moments (p<0.05. In conclusion, the present results showed that the optimal dose that ensures satiation for G. rufa is 0.04 g fish-1 day-1 and that 3 daily feeding moments promotes higher growth rates.

  10. Eggshell thickness variation in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) from Spain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Castilla, Aurora M.; de Aragón, Juan Martínez; Herrel, Anthony

    2009-01-01

    Eggshell thickness is commonly used as an indicator of habitat quality and effects of environmental pollution on avian reproduction. We present the first data available on eggshell thickness for Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) in Spain. We compared eggshell thickness between eggs collected...

  11. Fuel use and metabolic response to endurance exercise: a wind tunnel study of a long-distance migrant shorebird

    OpenAIRE

    Jenni-Eiermann, Susanne; Jenni, Lukas; Kvist, Anders; Lindström, Åke; Piersma, Theunis; Visser, G. Henk

    2002-01-01

    This study examines fuel use and metabolism in a group of long-distance migrating birds, red knots Calidris canutus (Scolopacidae), flying under controlled conditions in a wind tunnel for up to 10 h. Data are compared with values for resting birds fasting for the same time. Plasma levels of free fatty acids, glycerol and uric acid were elevated during flight, irrespective of flight duration (1–10 h). Triglyceride levels, the estimated concentration of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs) and...

  12. Development of a reliable method for determining sex for a primitive rodent, the Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristine L. Pilgrim; William J. Zielinski; Fredrick V. Schlexer; Michael K. Schwartz

    2012-01-01

    The mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is a primitive species of rodent, often considered a living fossil. The Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra) is an endangered subspecies that occurs in a very restricted range in northern California. Efforts to recover this taxon have been limited by the lack of knowledge on their demography, particularly sex and age...

  13. Stable isotope and pen feeding trial studies confirm the value of horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus eggs to spring migrant shorebirds in Delaware Bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haramis, G.M.; Link, W.A.; Osenton, P.C.; Carter, Daniel B.; Weber, R.G.; Clark, N.A.; Teece, M.A.; Mizrahi, D.S.

    2007-01-01

    We used stable isotope (SI) methods in combination with pen feeding trials to determine the importance of eggs of the Atlantic horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus to migratory fattening of red knots Calidris canutus rufa and ruddy turnstones Arenaria interpres morinella during spring stopover in Delaware Bay. By manifesting measurable fractionation (ca +3?) and rapid turnover, blood plasma *15 nitrogen proved a functional marker for SI diet tracking during the short 3-week stopover. Blood samples from free-ranging knots (3 data sets) and turnstones (1 data set) produced similar convergence of plasma *15 N signatures with increasing body mass that indicated highly similar diets. Asymptotes deviated slightly (0.3? to 0.7?) from that of captive shorebirds fed a diet of only crab eggs during stopover, thus confirming a strong crab egg-shorebird linkage. The plasma *15N crab-egg diet asymptote was enriched ca +4.5? and therefore readily discriminated from that of either blue mussels Mytilus edulis or coquina clams Donax variabilis, the most likely alternative prey of knots in Delaware Bay. Crab eggs were highly palatable to captive knots and turnstones which achieved rates of mass gain (3?11 g/d) comparable to that of free-ranging birds. Peak consumption rates during hyperphagic events were 23,940 and 19,360 eggs/bird/d, respectively. The empirical conversions of eggs consumed to body mass gained (5,017 eggs/g for knots and 4,320 eggs/g for turnstones) indicate the large quantities of crab eggs required for the maintenance of these shorebird populations during stopover.

  14. When the Seasons Don't Fit: Speedy Molt as a Routine Carry-Over Cost of Reproduction

    OpenAIRE

    Dietz, M.W.; Rogers, K.G.; Piersma, T.

    2013-01-01

    The failure of animals to fit all life-cycle stages into an annual cycle could reduce the chances of successful breeding. In some cases, non-optimal strategies will be adopted in order to maintain the life-cycle within the scope of one year. We studied trade-offs made by a High Arctic migrant shorebird, the red knot Calidris canutus islandica, between reproduction and wing feather molt carried out in the non-breeding period in the Dutch Wadden Sea. We compared primary molt duration between bi...

  15. Reproductive characteristics of the Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra)

    Science.gov (United States)

    William Zielinski; M. J. Mazurek

    2016-01-01

    Little is known about the ecology and life history of the federally endangered Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra). The distribution of this primitive burrowing rodent is disjunct from the balance of the species’ range and occurs in a unique maritime environment of coastal grasslands and forests. Fundamental to protecting this taxon...

  16. Feather mites of Calidris fuscicollis (Aves: Scolopacidae) in Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Gomes, S. N.; Pesenti, T. C.; Cirne, M. P.; Müller, G.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract During the period 2010-2012, eighty individuals of Calidris fuscicollis (Vieillot, 1819) were collected on the southern coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with the objective of determining the presence of feather mites. Of the 80 birds examined, 32.5% were infested by mites, identified as Avenzoaria calidridis (Oudemans, 1904) (Avenzoariidae) (31.25%), Montchadskiana securicata (Megnin & Trouessart 1884) (Pterolichidae) (22.5%) and Alloptes limosae (Dubinin, 1951) (Alloptidae) (6.25...

  17. Reproductive potential and nesting effects of Osmia rufa (syn. bicornis female (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giejdasz Karol

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The red mason bee Osmia rufa is a solitary bee belonging to the family Megachilidae, and is prone to nest in aggregations. Each female builds a nest separately in pre-existing cavities such as holes in wood and walls or empty plant stems. This is done by successively setting the cells in a linear series. In this study, we elucidate the nesting behavior and the reproductive potential of a single O. rufa female. The reproductive potential of nesting females was evaluated after the offspring finished development. We observed that an individual female may colonize up to five nest tubes and build 5-34 cells in them (16 on an average. During the nesting time the number of cells decreased with the sequence of nest tubes colonized by one female, which built a maximum of 11 cells in the first occupied nest and 5 cells in the last (fifth nest. Our observations indicated that 40% of nesting females colonized one nest tube as compared to 7% colonizing five nest tubes. Furthermore, in subsequent nest tubes the number of cells with freshly emerged females gradually decreased which was the reverse with males. Thus, the sex ratio (proportion of male and female offspring may change during the nesting period. The female offspring predominated in the first two nesting tubes, while in the subsequent three tubes male offspring dominated. We also cataloged different causes of reduction in abundance of offspring in O. rufa females such as parasitization or problem associated with moulting.

  18. Novel and cross-species microsatellite markers for parentage analysis in Sanderling Calidris alba

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luttikhuizen, Pieternella C.; Bol, Anneke; Witte, Harry; van Bleijswijk, Judith; Haddrath, Oliver; Baker, Allan J.; Piersma, Theunis; Reneerkens, Jeroen

    We isolated and tested six novel microsatellite loci in Sanderling (Calidris alba) from Greenland for paternity analyses. In addition, we tested 11 already published microsatellite markers which were originally developed for the congeneric species, the Pectoral Sandpiper (C. melanotos). All loci

  19. Growth of Little Stint Calidris minuta chicks on the Taimyr Peninsula, Siberia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schekkerman, H; Nehls, G; Hotker, H; Tomkovich, PS; Kania, W; Chylarecki, P; Soloviev, M; Van Roomen, M

    Growth of mass and linear body dimensions (bill, tarsus and wing length) was studied in the Little Stint Calidris minuta at several locations on the Taimyr Peninsula, Siberia (73 degrees-76 degrees N) in 1983-94. Little Stints fledged at near-adult body mass, at 15 days of age. Growth followed an

  20. Vochysia rufa Stem Bark Extract Protects Endothelial Cells against High Glucose Damage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neire Moura de Gouveia

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Increased oxidative stress by persistent hyperglycemia is a widely accepted factor in vascular damage responsible for type 2 diabetes complications. The plant Vochysia rufa (Vr has been used in folk medicine in Brazil for the treatment of diabetes. Thus; the protective effect of a Vr stem bark extract against a challenge by a high glucose concentration on EA.hy926 (EA endothelial cells is evaluated. Methods: Vegetal material is extracted with distilled water by maceration and evaporated until dryness under vacuum. Then; it is isolated by capillary electrophoresis–tandem mass spectrometry. Cell viability is evaluated on EA cells treated with 0.5–100 µg/mL of the Vr extract for 24 h. The extract is diluted at concentrations of 5, 10 and 25 µg/mL and maintained for 24 h along with 30 mM of glucose to evaluate its protective effect on reduced glutathione (GSH; glutathione peroxidase (GPx and reductase (GR and protein carbonyl groups. Results: V. rufa stem bark is composed mainly of sugars; such as inositol; galactose; glucose; mannose; sacarose; arabinose and ribose. Treatment with Vr up to 100 µg/mL for 24 h did not affect cell viability. Treatment of EA cells with 30 mM of glucose for 24 h significantly increased the cell damage. EA cells treated with 30 mM of glucose showed a decrease of GSH concentration and increased Radical Oxygen Species (ROS and activity of antioxidant enzymes and protein carbonyl levels; compared to control. Co-treatment of EA with 30 mM glucose plus 1–10 μg/mL Vr significantly reduced cell damage while 5–25 μg/mL Vr evoked a significant protection against the glucose insult; recovering ROS; GSH; antioxidant enzymes and carbonyls to baseline levels. Conclusion: V. rufa extract protects endothelial cells against oxidative damage by modulating ROS; GSH concentration; antioxidant enzyme activity and protein carbonyl levels.

  1. Habitat characteristics at den sites of the Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra)

    Science.gov (United States)

    William J. Zielinski; John E. Hunter; Robin Hamlin; Keith M. Slauson; M. J. Mazurek

    2010-01-01

    The Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra) is a federally listed endangered species, but has been the subject of few studies. Mountain beavers use burrows that include a single subterranean den. Foremost among the information needs for this subspecies is a description of the above-ground habitat features associated with dens. Using...

  2. Endogenous circannual rhythmicity in body mass, molt, and plumage of Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piersma, Theunis; Brugge, Maarten; Spaans, Bernard; Battley, Phil F.; Handel, C.M.

    Four Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris) were kept for six years in a constant-temperature indoor aviary. For two of those six years, they were kept under photoperiodic conditions that mimicked natural changes in daylength for wild birds, followed by four years under a constant photoperiod

  3. Risk evaluation for federally listed (roseate tern, piping plover) or candidate (red knot) bird species in offshore waters: A first step for managing the potential impacts of wind facility development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burger, Joanna [Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8082 (United States); Conserve Wildlife, 516 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown, NJ 08505 (United States); Gordon, Caleb; Newman, James; Forcey, Greg [Pandion Systems, Inc. 102 NE 10th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601 (United States); Lawrence, J. [Conserve Wildlife, 516 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown, NJ 08505 (United States); Vlietstra, Lucy [Department of Science, US Coast Guard Academy, 27 Mohegan Drive, New London, CT 06320 (United States)

    2011-01-15

    With a worldwide increase in attention toward developing a reliance on renewable energy, there is a need to evaluate the effects of these facilities (solar, wind, hydropower) on ecosystems. We conduct a hazard and risk evaluation for three species of birds that are listed, or candidates for listing, as federally threatened or endangered in the US, and that might occur offshore on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (AOCS) where wind power facilities could be developed. Our objectives were to: 1) provide conceptual models for exposure for each species, and 2) examine potential exposure and hazards of roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) and piping plover (Charadrius melodus, both federally endangered in the US) and red knot (Calidris canutus rufa, candidate species) in the AOCS. We used a weight-of-evidence approach to evaluate information from a review of technical literature. We developed conceptual models to examine the relative vulnerability of each species as a function of life stage and cycle (breeding, staging, migratory, wintering). These methods are useful for conducting environmental assessments when empirical data are insufficient for a full risk assessment. We determined that 1) Roseate terns are likely to be exposed to risk during the migratory and breeding season when they occur in the AOCS, as well as while staging. 2) Piping plovers are not likely to be at risk during the breeding season, but may be at risk during spring or fall migrations. Risk to this species is likely to be low from turbines located far from land as this species migrates mainly along the coast. 3) Red knots are potentially exposed to some risk during migration, especially long-distance migrants whose migratory routes take them over the AOCS. More information is required on exact spatio-temporal migration routes, flight altitudes (especially during ascent and descent), and behavioral avoidance of turbines by birds to ascertain their risk. (author)

  4. Active migration is associated with specific and consistent changes to gut microbiota in Calidris shorebirds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risely, Alice; Waite, David W; Ujvari, Beata; Hoye, Bethany J; Klaassen, Marcel

    2018-03-01

    Gut microbes are increasingly recognised for their role in regulating an animal's metabolism and immunity. However, identifying repeatable associations between host physiological processes and their gut microbiota has proved challenging, in part because microbial communities often respond stochastically to host physiological stress (e.g. fasting, forced exercise or infection). Migratory birds provide a valuable system in which to test host-microbe interactions under physiological extremes because these hosts are adapted to predictable metabolic and immunological challenges as they undergo seasonal migrations, including temporary gut atrophy during long-distance flights. These physiological challenges may either temporarily disrupt gut microbial ecosystems, or, alternatively, promote predictable host-microbe associations during migration. To determine the relationship between migration and gut microbiota, we compared gut microbiota composition between migrating and non-migrating ("resident") conspecific shorebirds sharing a flock. We performed this across two sandpiper species, Calidris ferruginea and Calidris ruficollis, in north-western Australia, and an additional C. ruficollis population 3,000 km away in southern Australia. We found that migrants consistently had higher abundances of the bacterial genus Corynebacterium (average 28% abundance) compared to conspecific residents (average gut community variation when excluding Corynebacterium. Our findings suggest a consistent relationship between Corynebacterium and Calidris shorebirds during migration, with further research required to identify causal mechanisms behind the association, and to elucidate functionality to the host. However, outside this specific association, migrating shorebirds broadly maintained gut community structure, which may allow them to quickly recover gut function after a migratory flight. This study provides a rare example of a repeatable and specific response of the gut microbiota to a

  5. Female choice in the red mason bee, Osmia rufa (L.) (Megachilidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conrad, Taina; Paxton, Robert J; Barth, Friedrich G; Francke, Wittko; Ayasse, Manfred

    2010-12-01

    Females are often thought to use several cues and more than one modality in selection of a mate, possibly because they offer complementary information on a mate's suitability. In the red mason bee, Osmia rufa, we investigated the criteria a female uses to choose a mating partner. We hypothesized that the female uses male thorax vibrations and size as signs of male viability and male odor for kin discrimination and assessment of genetic relatedness. We therefore compared males that had been accepted by a female for copulation with those rejected, in terms of their size, their immediate precopulatory vibrations (using laser vibrometry), the genetic relatedness of unmated and mated pairs (using microsatellite markers) and emitted volatiles (using chemical analyses). Females showed a preference for intermediate-sized males that were slightly larger than the modal male size. Furthermore, male precopulatory vibration burst duration was significantly longer in males accepted for copulation compared with rejected males. Vibrations may indicate vigor and assure that males selected by females are metabolically active and healthy. Females preferentially copulated with males that were genetically more closely related, possibly to avoid outbreeding depression. Volatiles of the cuticular surface differed significantly between accepted and rejected males in the relative amounts of certain hydrocarbons, although the relationship between male odor and female preference was complex. Females may therefore also use differences in odor bouquet to select among males. Our investigations show that O. rufa females appear to use multiple cues in selecting a male. Future investigations are needed to demonstrate whether odor plays a role in kin recognition and how the multiple cues are integrated in mate choice by females.

  6. Effects of two water disinfectants (chloramine T and peracetic acid) on the epidermis and gills of Garra rufa used in human ichthyotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirri, R; Zaccaroni, A; Di Biase, A; Mordenti, O; Stancampiano, L; Sarli, G; Mandrioli, L

    2013-01-01

    Doctor fish (Garra rufa) have recently been used for aesthetic purposes and as a medical treatment in patients with psoriasis (ichthyotherapy). For this particular kind of human therapy it is essential to guarantee adequate hygienic conditions for both people and fish. The aim of this study was to test two concentrations of water disinfectants, chloramine T and peracetic acid, on Garra rufa to ascertain possible exposure damage to the epidermis and gills. Fish were exposed to 2 mg/l and 10 mg/l of chloramine T and to 15 microl/l and 45 microl/l of peracetic acid in a 40-minute static bath up to six times a day for one week. The epidermis and gills were checked for histological changes and the number of epidermal mucous cells, club cells and taste buds were quantified; mucous cells were also characterized histochemically to detect alterations in mucin production. No mortality or severe histological changes were found in treated or control fish. Cell count showed a significant increase (p peracetic acid independently of the dose. Club cell number showed a significant (p peracetic acid (mean 78.17 +/- 10.5) compared to controls (mean 107.0 +/- 19.2). Histochemical evaluation of mucous cells did not reveal changes in mucin type in fish exposed to the two disinfectants. The results suggest a good tolerability of Garra rufa to the two disinfectants at the concentrations tested.

  7. Toxin constraint explains diet choice, survival and population dynamics in a molluscivore shorebird.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Gils, Jan A; van der Geest, Matthijs; Leyrer, Jutta; Oudman, Thomas; Lok, Tamar; Onrust, Jeroen; de Fouw, Jimmy; van der Heide, Tjisse; van den Hout, Piet J; Spaans, Bernard; Dekinga, Anne; Brugge, Maarten; Piersma, Theunis

    2013-07-22

    Recent insights suggest that predators should include (mildly) toxic prey when non-toxic food is scarce. However, the assumption that toxic prey is energetically as profitable as non-toxic prey misses the possibility that non-toxic prey have other ways to avoid being eaten, such as the formation of an indigestible armature. In that case, predators face a trade-off between avoiding toxins and minimizing indigestible ballast intake. Here, we report on the trophic interactions between a shorebird (red knot, Calidris canutus canutus) and its two main bivalve prey, one being mildly toxic but easily digestible, and the other being non-toxic but harder to digest. A novel toxin-based optimal diet model is developed and tested against an existing one that ignores toxin constraints on the basis of data on prey abundance, diet choice, local survival and numbers of red knots at Banc d'Arguin (Mauritania) over 8 years. Observed diet and annual survival rates closely fit the predictions of the toxin-based model, with survival and population size being highest in years when the non-toxic prey is abundant. In the 6 of 8 years when the non-toxic prey is not abundant enough to satisfy the energy requirements, red knots must rely on the toxic alternative.

  8. An assessment of Osmia rufa (syn. bicornis) as a pollinator of the sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) cv. Stevnsbaer in eastern Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansted, Lise; Grout, Brian William Wilson; Toldam-Andersen, Torben Bo

    2014-01-01

    . The remaining 8 pollen types were from entomophilous plants. Based on the results it is estimated that a mean of 220,000 O. rufa cocoons would be needed per hectare if the species were to be an effective, supplementary pollinator of P. cerasus cv. Stevnsbaer. Practical, economic and environmental considerations...... investigates the activity and food preferences of this species during flowering of sour cherry (P. cerasus cv. Stevnsbaer). Female O. rufa provisioned a mean of 2.96 ± 1.44 cells each with 6.24 ± 1.46 pollen types during the receptive period of flowering . In all 17 different pollen types were collected...... of which the most dominant were Salix (41.4% ± 9.34%) and Acer (33.24% ± 8.81%), followed by Betula (8.16% ± 5.08%), P. cerasus (8.16% ± 1.79%) and Fagus (3.56% ± 1.96%). P. cerasus was present in all samples. Nine pollen types were from anemophilous plants and represented 87.94% of the pollen collected...

  9. rufa Olan Bakır Kayıplarında Farklı Kroze Kullanımının Etkisi

    OpenAIRE

    RÜŞEN, Aydın

    2017-01-01

    Bakır işletmelerinde ergitme aşamasında cürufa olan bakır kayıpları sektördeki önemli problemlerdenbiridir. Bu çalışmada, Eti Bakır İşletmelerinden (EBİ) temin edilen flaş fırın cürufu ve flaş fırın matı eşitmiktarlarda alınarak farklı oranlarda kolemanit (2CaO·3B2O3·5H2O) ilavesi (%0, %2, %4 ve %6) ilekarıştırılıp alumina (Al2O3) krozelerde 1250oC’de ve azot atmosferi altında 2 saat boyunca ergitmedeneylerine tabi tutulmuştur. Böylece, alümina kroze (AK) kullanılan deneylerde cürufa olan bak...

  10. SEASONAL, SIZE-RELATED AND AGE-RELATED PATTERNS IN BODY-MASS AND COMPOSITION OF PURPLE SANDPIPERS CALIDRIS-MARITIMA IN BRITAIN

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    SUMMERS, RW; UNDERHILL, LG; NICOLL, M; RAE, R; PIERSMA, T

    1992-01-01

    The masses Of 3229 Purple Sandpipers Calidris maritima from Britain were analysed for differences related to age, season and size. First-year birds were lighter by 2 g. There was only a slight increase in mass in mid-winter, in contrast to other waders wintering in Britain, suggesting that Purple

  11. Evaluating a multispecies adaptive management framework: Must uncertainty impede effective decision-making?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, David R.; McGowan, Conor P.; Daily, Jonathan P.; Nichols, James D.; Sweka, John A.; Lyons, James E.

    2013-01-01

    Application of adaptive management to complex natural resource systems requires careful evaluation to ensure that the process leads to improved decision-making. As part of that evaluation, adaptive policies can be compared with alternative nonadaptive management scenarios. Also, the value of reducing structural (ecological) uncertainty to achieving management objectives can be quantified.A multispecies adaptive management framework was recently adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for sustainable harvest of Delaware Bay horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus, while maintaining adequate stopover habitat for migrating red knots Calidris canutus rufa, the focal shorebird species. The predictive model set encompassed the structural uncertainty in the relationships between horseshoe crab spawning, red knot weight gain and red knot vital rates. Stochastic dynamic programming was used to generate a state-dependent strategy for harvest decisions given that uncertainty. In this paper, we employed a management strategy evaluation approach to evaluate the performance of this adaptive management framework. Active adaptive management was used by including model weights as state variables in the optimization and reducing structural uncertainty by model weight updating.We found that the value of information for reducing structural uncertainty is expected to be low, because the uncertainty does not appear to impede effective management. Harvest policy responded to abundance levels of both species regardless of uncertainty in the specific relationship that generated those abundances. Thus, the expected horseshoe crab harvest and red knot abundance were similar when the population generating model was uncertain or known, and harvest policy was robust to structural uncertainty as specified.Synthesis and applications. The combination of management strategy evaluation with state-dependent strategies from stochastic dynamic programming was an informative approach to

  12. Plumage reflectance is not affected by preen wax composition in red knots Calidris canutus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reneerkens, J; Korsten, P

    It has recently been shown that sandpipers (Scolopacidae) abruptly switch the chemical composition of their preen gland secretions from mono- to diester waxes just before the period of courtship. The timing and context of the shift suggested that diesters could provide a visible quality signal

  13. Finestructure of the retina in Garra rufa (cypriniae, Teleostei)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Adhami, A. M.; Mir, S.

    1999-01-01

    The light - and dark-adapted retina of the freshwater, bottom-dweller tele ost, Ga rra rufa (Heck el, 1843) was studied under light and electron microscopes. The fish is a fist record in having both falcifrom process and vit real blood circulation and the hyaloid artery from which it developers. A number of acute vision areas represented by increased density of ganglion cell soma ta are evident. The dark-adapted retina is characterized by notably large photoreceptor terminals (rod spherules and cone placidas). A rod spherules has single synaptic ribbon, whereas a cone pedicle has three to four. The inner nuclear layer is composed of the so meta of horizontal, bipolar and amsacrine cells in addition to nuclei of Muller cells. The outer nuclear layer, on the other hand, is composed of two-three rows of rod nuclei and one row of cone nuclei. The photoreceptor cells include rods and single and double cones. The rod outer segments have deep and/or shallow incisor. Cone ellipsoid may have ellipsosomes. These are shown to develop from one of the apical mitochondria of the ellipsoid- Retinomotor movement involves both the photoreceptor cells and the pigment epithelium. (authors). 11 refs., 14 figs

  14. Roosting behavior of premigratory Dunlins (Calidris alpina)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handel, Colleen M.; Gill, Robert E.

    1992-01-01

    We studied roosting behavior of Dunlins (Calidris alpina) during late summer along the coast of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, in relation to tidal cycle, time of day, time of season, and occurrence of predators. Within Angyoyaravak Bay, peak populations of 70,000-100,000 Dunlins occur each year. The major diurnal roost sites were adjacent to intertidal feeding areas, provided an unobstructed view of predators, and were close to shallow waters used for bathing. At one site studied intensively, roosting flocks formed at high water consistently during the day but rarely at night. On about 75% of the days, Dunlins also came to the roost at dawn and dusk when the tide was low. The size of the roosting flock, the length of time birds spent at the roost site, and behavior at the roost site were highly variable throughout the season and significantly affected by both tide level and time of day. Roosting behavior changed significantly between early and late August, as Dunlins underwent heavy wing and body molt, and began premigratory fattening. The reaction of Dunlins to potential predators, the formation of roosting flocks in response to light cues, and seasonal changes in social behavior at the roost site suggested that communal roosting behavior may be related not only to the risk of predation but also to behavior during migration.

  15. Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Chromium and Selenium in Feathers of Shorebirds during Migrating through Delaware Bay, New Jersey: Comparing the 1990s and 2011/2012

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Burger

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Understanding temporal changes in contaminant levels in coastal environments requires comparing levels of contaminants from the same species from different time periods, particularly if species are declining. Several species of shorebirds migrating through Delaware Bay have declined from the 1980s to the present. To evaluate some contaminants as cause for the declines, we examine levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium and selenium in feathers of red knot (Calidris canutus, N = 46 individuals, semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla, N = 70 and sanderling (Calidris alba, N = 32 migrating through Delaware Bay, New Jersey, USA, from 1991 to 1992 (N = 40, 1995 (N = 28, and 2011–2012 (N = 80 to determine if levels have changed. We found: (1 arsenic, chromium, and lead increased in red knot and decreased in semipalmated sandpiper; (2 cadmium decreased in semipalmated sandpipers; (3 mercury decreased in red knot and sanderlings; (4 selenium decreased in red knot and increased in semipalmated sandpipers. In 2011/2012 there were significant interspecific differences for arsenic, mercury and selenium. Except for selenium, the element levels were well below levels reported for feathers of other species. The levels in feathers in red knots, sanderling, and semipalmated sandpipers from Delaware Bay in 2011/2012 were well below levels in feathers that are associated with effect levels, except for selenium. Selenium levels ranged from 3.0 µg·g−1 dry weight to 5.8 µg·g−1 (semipalmated sandpiper, within the range known to cause adverse effects, suggesting the need for further examination of selenium levels in birds. The levels of all elements were well below those reported for other marine species, except for selenium, which was near levels suggesting possible toxic effects.

  16. Distribución espacial y temporal de aves playeras (Orden: Charadriiformes en Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, México Temporal and spatial distribution of shorebirds (Charadriiformes at San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California Sur, Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Francisco Mendoza

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Con la pérdida o degradación de humedales han declinado las poblaciones de algunas especies tales como las aves playeras. En vista de que ha crecido el interés internacional por los estudios ecológicos sobre estas especies, se determinó la abundancia, distribución y riqueza espacio-temporal de las aves playeras en Laguna San Ignacio, Península de Baja California. Se realizaron 12 censos mensuales (octubre 2007-septiembre 2008 en el perímetro interno de la laguna; la cual se dividió en cuatro zonas, dos al norte y dos al sur. Temporalmente las abundancias menores se presentaron en mayo (1 585 aves y las mayores en octubre (47 410. Las especies más abundantes fueron: el picopando canelo (Limosa fedoa; 55% de los registros totales, el playero occidental (Calidris mauri; 23% y el playero pihuiuí (Tringa semipalmata; 10%. Estas especies fueron más abundantes en otoño. El picopando canelo y el playero pihuiuí estabilizaron sus números en invierno y primavera y estuvieron presentes en verano en bajos números, el playero occidental mostró oscilaciones notorias. Se presentan los primeros reportes del playero rojizo del Pacifico (Calidris canutus roselaari para la zona. La riqueza y abundancia estuvieron influenciadas temporal y espacialmente por las aves migratorias. Las mayores abundancias se presentaron al sur de la laguna, probablemente por la disponibilidad del alimento. Los resultados presentes permitieron incluir al área en la Red Hemisférica de Reservas para las Aves Playeras como sitio de importancia internacional.Baja California Peninsula has several wetlands that represent important ecosystems for shorebirds. San Ignacio Lagoon is one of these sites, and supports 10% of the total abundance of shorebirds reported in this Peninsula. Since there is few information about this group in this area, we studied spatial and temporal changes in abundance and distribution of shorebirds in San Ignacio Lagoon. For this, we conducted twelve

  17. Foraging in a tidally structured environment by red knots (Calidris canutus) : Ideal, but not free

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Gils, JA; Spaans, B; Dekinga, A; Piersma, T; Speirs, D.C.

    Besides the "normal" challenge of obtaining adequate intake rates in a patchy and dangerous world, shorebirds foraging in intertidal habitats face additional environmental hurdles. The tide forces them to commute between a roosting site and feeding grounds, twice a day. Moreover, because intertidal

  18. Foraging in a tidally structured environment by red knots (Calidris canutus): Ideal, but not free

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Gils, J.A.; Spaans, B.; Dekinga, A.; Piersma, T.

    2006-01-01

    Besides the “normal” challenge of obtaining adequate intake rates in a patchy and dangerous world, shorebirds foraging in intertidal habitats face additional environmental hurdles. The tide forces them to commute between a roosting site and feeding grounds, twice a day. Moreover, because intertidal

  19. Hypocrea rufa/Trichoderma viride: a reassessment, and description of five closely related species with and without warted conidia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaklitsch, Walter M; Samuels, Gary J; Dodd, Sarah L; Lu, Bing-Sheng; Druzhinina, Irina S

    2006-01-01

    The type species of the genus Hypocrea (Hypocreaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota, Fungi), H. rufa, is re-defined and epitypified using a combination of phenotype (morphology of teleomorphs and anamorphs, and characteristics in culture) and phylogenetic analyses of the translation-elongation factor 1alpha gene. Its anamorph, T. viride, the type species of Trichoderma, is re-described and epitypified. Eidamia viridescens is combined as Trichoderma viridescens and is recognised as one of the most morphologically and phylogenetically similar relatives of T. viride. Its teleomorph is newly described as Hypocrea viridescens. Contrary to frequent citations of H. rufa and T. viride in the literature, this species is relatively rare. Although both T. viride and T. viridescens have a wide geographic distribution, their greatest genetic diversity appears to be in Europe and North America. Hypocrea vinosa is characterised and its anamorph, T. vinosum sp. nov., is described. Conidia of T. vinosum are subglobose and warted. The new species T. gamsii is proposed. It shares eidamia-like morphology of conidiophores with T. viridescens, but it has smooth, ellipsoidal conidia that have the longest L/W ratio that we have seen in Trichoderma. Trichoderma scalesiae, an endophyte of trunks of Scalesia pedunculata in the Galapagos Islands, is described as new. It only produces conidia on a low-nutrient agar to which filter paper has been added. Additional phylogenetically distinct clades are recognised and provisionally delimited from the species here described. Trichoderma neokoningii, a T. koningii-like species, is described from a collection made in Peru on a fruit of Theobroma cacao infected with Moniliophthora roreri.

  20. Polyploidy Analysis and Attenuation of Oxidative Stress in Hepatic Tissue of STZ-Induced Diabetic Rats Treated with an Aqueous Extract of Vochysia rufa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Izabela Barbosa Moraes

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Diabetes mellitus (DM is characterized by hyperglycemia and alterations in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins. Due to its hypoglycemic effect Vochysia rufa is frequently used in Uberlandia, Brazil, to treat DM. Despite its popularity, there is little information about its effect on hepatic tissue. Therefore, we evaluated the histoarchitecture, oxidative stress parameters, and polyploidy of liver tissue from streptozotocin- (STZ- induced diabetic rats treated with aqueous extract of Vochysia rufa (AEV. Histology was determined by fixing the livers, processing, and staining with HE. Oxidative stress was determined by evaluating CAT, GPx, and SOD activity in liver homogenates and hepatic mitochondria fraction and by measuring GST, GSH levels and lipid peroxidation (MDA. Polyploidy was determined by subjecting isolated hepatocyte nuclei to flow cytometry. In the diabetic group, GST activity and GSH rates decreased whereas liver homogenate analysis showed that GPx, SOD activity and MDA increased. AEV treatment restored all parameters to normal levels. The oxidative stress analysis of hepatic mitochondria fraction showed similar results. Lower polyploid cell populations were found in the diabetic rat livers, even after glibenclamide treatment. Thus, AEV treatment efficiently reduced hepatic oxidative stress caused by STZ-induced diabetes and produced no morphological changes in the histological analysis.

  1. Studies on the effect of Osmia rufa L. (Apoidea, Megachilidae on the effectiveness of pod and seed development in the subgenus Glycine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Halina Skorupska

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Three abundantly blooming forms of Glycogen tabacina and one G. tomentella form were studied. The experiment was conducted under isolated conditions. The effect of Osmia rufa L. on the fertility of raceme flowers was studied. It was found that the G. tabacina and G. tomentella flowers were intensively penetrated by the insects. A very clear increase (3-4 fold in pod development was observed. The results ol the experiment indicate that geitonogamic pollination has a favorable influence on the effectiveness of the blooming of the chasmogamic flowers of the studied species.

  2. Pathogenesis and transmissibility of highly (H7N1) and low (H7N9) pathogenic avian influenza virus infection in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)

    OpenAIRE

    Bertran, Kateri; Pérez-Ramírez, Elisa; Busquets, Núria; Dolz, Roser; Ramis, Antoni; Abad, Francesc Xavier; Chaves, Aida; Vergara-Alert, Júlia; Barral, Marta; Höfle, Ursula; Majó, Natàlia

    2011-01-01

    Abstract An experimental infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) was carried out in red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) in order to study clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions, and viral distribution in tissues and viral shedding. Birds were infected with a HPAIV subtype H7N1 (A/Chicken/Italy/5093/1999) and a LPAIV subtype H7N9 (A/Anas crecca/Spain/1460/2008). Uninoculated birds were included as contacts in bot...

  3. RECONSTRUCTING DIET COMPOSITION ON THE BASIS OF FECES IN A MOLLUSK-EATING WADER, THE KNOT CALIDRIS-CANUTUS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DEKINGA, A; PIERSMA, T

    Methods are described to assess the molluscan diet of Knots feeding on intertidal flats in western Europe from their faecal output. The size distributions of two common bivalve prey, Macoma balthica and Cerastoderma edule, can be estimated from the heights of shell hinges retrieved from droppings.

  4. Reconstructing diet composition on the basis of faeces in a mollusc-eating wader, the Knot Calidris canutus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekinga, A.; Piersma, T.

    1993-01-01

    Methods are described to assess the molluscan diet of Knots feeding on intertidal flats in western Europe from their faecal output. The size distributions of two common bivalve prey, Macoma balthica and Cerastoderma edule, can be estimated from the heights of shell hinges retrieved from droppings.

  5. The Effect of Digestive Capacity on the Intake Rate of Toxic and Non-Toxic Prey in an Ecological Context.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Oudman

    Full Text Available Digestive capacity often limits food intake rate in animals. Many species can flexibly adjust digestive organ mass, enabling them to increase intake rate in times of increased energy requirement and/or scarcity of high-quality prey. However, some prey species are defended by secondary compounds, thereby forcing a toxin limitation on the forager's intake rate, a constraint that potentially cannot be alleviated by enlarging digestive capacity. Hence, physiological flexibility may have a differential effect on intake of different prey types, and consequently on dietary preferences. We tested this effect in red knots (Calidris canutus canutus, medium-sized migratory shorebirds that feed on hard-shelled, usually mollusc, prey. Because they ingest their prey whole and crush the shell in their gizzard, the intake rate of red knots is generally constrained by digestive capacity. However, one of their main prey, the bivalve Loripes lucinalis, imposes a toxin constraint due to its symbiosis with sulphide-oxidizing bacteria. We manipulated gizzard sizes of red knots through prolonged exposure to hard-shelled or soft foods. We then measured maximum intake rates of toxic Loripes versus a non-toxic bivalve, Dosinia isocardia. We found that intake of Dosinia exponentially increased with gizzard mass, confirming earlier results with non-toxic prey, whereas intake of Loripes was independent of gizzard mass. Using linear programming, we show that this leads to markedly different expected diet preferences in red knots that try to maximize energy intake rate with a small versus a large gizzard. Intra- and inter-individual variation in digestive capacity is found in many animal species. Hence, the here proposed functional link with individual differences in foraging decisions may be general. We emphasize the potential relevance of individual variation in physiology when studying trophic interactions.

  6. Improved arrival-date estimates of Arctic-breeding Dunlin (Calidris alpina arcticola)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doll, Andrew C.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Stricker, Craig A.; Yezerinac, Stephen M.; Wunder, Michael B.

    2015-01-01

    The use of stable isotopes in animal ecology depends on accurate descriptions of isotope dynamics within individuals. The prevailing assumption that laboratory-derived isotopic parameters apply to free-living animals is largely untested. We used stable carbon isotopes (δ13C) in whole blood from migratory Dunlin (Calidris alpina arcticola) to estimate an in situ turnover rate and individual diet-switch dates. Our in situ results indicated that turnover rates were higher in free-living birds, in comparison to the results of an experimental study on captive Dunlin and estimates derived from a theoretical allometric model. Diet-switch dates from all 3 methods were then used to estimate arrival dates to the Arctic; arrival dates calculated with the in situ turnover rate were later than those with the other turnover-rate estimates, substantially so in some cases. These later arrival dates matched dates when local snow conditions would have allowed Dunlin to settle, and agreed with anticipated arrival dates of Dunlin tracked with light-level geolocators. Our study presents a novel method for accurately estimating arrival dates for individuals of migratory species in which return dates are difficult to document. This may be particularly appropriate for species in which extrinsic tracking devices cannot easily be employed because of cost, body size, or behavioral constraints, and in habitats that do not allow individuals to be detected easily upon first arrival. Thus, this isotopic method offers an exciting alternative approach to better understand how species may be altering their arrival dates in response to changing climatic conditions.

  7. Hippocampal Astrocytes in Migrating and Wintering Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho-Paulo, Dario; de Morais Magalhães, Nara G; de Almeida Miranda, Diego; Diniz, Daniel G; Henrique, Ediely P; Moraes, Isis A M; Pereira, Patrick D C; de Melo, Mauro A D; de Lima, Camila M; de Oliveira, Marcus A; Guerreiro-Diniz, Cristovam; Sherry, David F; Diniz, Cristovam W P

    2017-01-01

    Seasonal migratory birds return to the same breeding and wintering grounds year after year, and migratory long-distance shorebirds are good examples of this. These tasks require learning and long-term spatial memory abilities that are integrated into a navigational system for repeatedly locating breeding, wintering, and stopover sites. Previous investigations focused on the neurobiological basis of hippocampal plasticity and numerical estimates of hippocampal neurogenesis in birds but only a few studies investigated potential contributions of glial cells to hippocampal-dependent tasks related to migration. Here we hypothesized that the astrocytes of migrating and wintering birds may exhibit significant morphological and numerical differences connected to the long-distance flight. We used as a model the semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla , that migrates from northern Canada and Alaska to South America. Before the transatlantic non-stop long-distance component of their flight, the birds make a stopover at the Bay of Fundy in Canada. To test our hypothesis, we estimated total numbers and compared the three-dimensional (3-D) morphological features of adult C. pusilla astrocytes captured in the Bay of Fundy ( n = 249 cells) with those from birds captured in the coastal region of Bragança, Brazil, during the wintering period ( n = 250 cells). Optical fractionator was used to estimate the number of astrocytes and for 3-D reconstructions we used hierarchical cluster analysis. Both morphological phenotypes showed reduced morphological complexity after the long-distance non-stop flight, but the reduction in complexity was much greater in Type I than in Type II astrocytes. Coherently, we also found a significant reduction in the total number of astrocytes after the transatlantic flight. Taken together these findings suggest that the long-distance non-stop flight altered significantly the astrocytes population and that morphologically distinct astrocytes may play

  8. Hippocampal Astrocytes in Migrating and Wintering Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dario Carvalho-Paulo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Seasonal migratory birds return to the same breeding and wintering grounds year after year, and migratory long-distance shorebirds are good examples of this. These tasks require learning and long-term spatial memory abilities that are integrated into a navigational system for repeatedly locating breeding, wintering, and stopover sites. Previous investigations focused on the neurobiological basis of hippocampal plasticity and numerical estimates of hippocampal neurogenesis in birds but only a few studies investigated potential contributions of glial cells to hippocampal-dependent tasks related to migration. Here we hypothesized that the astrocytes of migrating and wintering birds may exhibit significant morphological and numerical differences connected to the long-distance flight. We used as a model the semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla, that migrates from northern Canada and Alaska to South America. Before the transatlantic non-stop long-distance component of their flight, the birds make a stopover at the Bay of Fundy in Canada. To test our hypothesis, we estimated total numbers and compared the three-dimensional (3-D morphological features of adult C. pusilla astrocytes captured in the Bay of Fundy (n = 249 cells with those from birds captured in the coastal region of Bragança, Brazil, during the wintering period (n = 250 cells. Optical fractionator was used to estimate the number of astrocytes and for 3-D reconstructions we used hierarchical cluster analysis. Both morphological phenotypes showed reduced morphological complexity after the long-distance non-stop flight, but the reduction in complexity was much greater in Type I than in Type II astrocytes. Coherently, we also found a significant reduction in the total number of astrocytes after the transatlantic flight. Taken together these findings suggest that the long-distance non-stop flight altered significantly the astrocytes population and that morphologically distinct astrocytes

  9. Experimental challenge and pathology of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in dunlin (Calidris alpina), an intercontinental migrant shorebird species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Jeffrey S.; Franson, J. Christian; Gill, Robert E.; Meteyer, Carol U.; TeSlaa, Joshua L.; Nashold, Sean W.; Dusek, Robert J.; Ip, Hon S.

    2011-01-01

    Background Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) are considered one of the primary reservoirs of avian influenza. Because these species are highly migratory, there is concern that infected shorebirds may be a mechanism by which highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 could be introduced into North America from Asia. Large numbers of dunlin (Calidris alpina) migrate from wintering areas in central and eastern Asia, where HPAIV H5N1 is endemic, across the Bering Sea to breeding areas in Alaska. Low pathogenic avian influenza virus has been previously detected in dunlin, and thus, dunlin represent a potential risk to transport HPAIV to North America. To date no experimental challenge studies have been performed in shorebirds.

  10. Many routes leading to Rome: Potential causes for the multi-route migration system of Red Knots Calidris canutus islandica

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bauer, S.; Ens, B.J.; Klaassen, M.R.J.

    2010-01-01

    Migrants, such as birds or representatives of other taxa, usually make use of several stopover sites to cover the distance between their site of origin and destination. Potentially, multiple routes exist, but often little is known about the causes and consequences of alternative migration routes.

  11. Post-breeding migration and connectivity of red knots in the Western Atlantic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyons, James E.; Winn, Bradford; Keyes, Timothy; Kalasz, Kevin S.

    2018-01-01

    Red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) have 3 distinct nonbreeding regions: 1 in the southeastern United States and Caribbean, another on the northeast coast of Brazil in the Maranhão region, and a third along the Patagonian coasts of Chile and Argentina. Effective conservation and recovery of this threatened long-distance migrant will require knowledge of population structure, migration ecology, and abundance and distribution throughout the annual cycle. We conducted a stopover population and biogeographic assessment of knots at the Altamaha River Delta, Georgia, an important stopover area in the southeastern United States. We estimated stopover population size and stopover duration during post-breeding migration in 2011 at the Altamaha study area using mark-resight data, and we inferred nonbreeding regions for this stopover population using stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in feathers, and observations (sightings and captures) during boreal winter from across the hemisphere. With an integrated Bayesian analysis of all these data, we also estimated the number of birds in the southeastern United States and northern Brazil during boreal winter. For mark-resight analyses in Georgia, we made observations of marked individuals during 14 weeks from early August to early November 2011 and detected 814 individually marked birds. We used the Jolly-Seber mark-recapture model and estimated the southbound passage population at approximately 23,400 red knots. In ongoing studies elsewhere, isotope samples were collected from 175 (21%) of the 814 birds detected in our study, and ≥1 sighting or capture record during boreal winter was located in data repositories for 659 birds (81%). Isotopic signatures and boreal winter records indicate that the majority (82–96%) of the birds that stopped at the Altamaha Delta spend the boreal winter in the northern part of the nonbreeding range (southeast USA, Caribbean, and northern Brazil). Knots migrating to the southeastern

  12. Ecological factors regulating brood attendance patterns of the western sandpiper calidris mauri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruthrauff, D.R.; Keller, J.N.; Rizzolo, D.J.

    2009-01-01

    Parental brood attendance patterns vary greatly among shorebird species. For monogamous calidridine species, biparental care with female-first brood departure is most common. It is believed that adult sandpipers balance potential individual survival costs associated with extended parental care against the benefit gained by their brood of prolonged parental care. These costs and benefits are difficult to quantify and factors affecting the termination of parental brood attendance are unclear. We compared clutch size, nesting phenology, and parental attendance patterns of Western Sandpipers Calidris mauri at Nome and Kanaryarmiut, Alaska, sites separated by three degrees of latitude. The sites differed in breeding density and duration of breeding season, but the distribution of clutch sizes did not differ between sites or between nesting attempts. Parental attendance patterns were similar between sites, suggesting that parental attendance is a highly conserved life-history trait in Western Sandpipers. Male Western Sandpipers attended broods longer than females, and the duration of parental attendance decreased at a similar rate for both sexes as the season progressed. Male and female Western Sandpipers undertake differential migrations to their non-breeding grounds, with males typically settling at more northerly locations and females at more southerly sites, a migration pattern shared by certain other monogamous calidridine species. These same species exhibit similar parental brood attendance patterns, suggesting the strong role of overall migration distance in shaping the expression of parental attendance behaviours. A contrast of more geographically disjunct sites coupled with a better understanding of the migratory connectivity between Western Sandpiper breeding and non-breeding populations would elucidate the role of cross-seasonal effects on parental brood attendance decisions. ?? 2009 British Ornithologists' Union.

  13. Nests of red wood ants (Formica rufa-group) are positively associated with tectonic faults: a double-blind test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Toro, Israel; Berberich, Gabriele M; Ribbons, Relena R; Berberich, Martin B; Sanders, Nathan J; Ellison, Aaron M

    2017-01-01

    Ecological studies often are subjected to unintentional biases, suggesting that improved research designs for hypothesis testing should be used. Double-blind ecological studies are rare but necessary to minimize sampling biases and omission errors, and improve the reliability of research. We used a double-blind design to evaluate associations between nests of red wood ants ( Formica rufa , RWA) and the distribution of tectonic faults. We randomly sampled two regions in western Denmark to map the spatial distribution of RWA nests. We then calculated nest proximity to the nearest active tectonic faults. Red wood ant nests were eight times more likely to be found within 60 m of known tectonic faults than were random points in the same region but without nests. This pattern paralleled the directionality of the fault system, with NNE-SSW faults having the strongest associations with RWA nests. The nest locations were collected without knowledge of the spatial distribution of active faults thus we are confident that the results are neither biased nor artefactual. This example highlights the benefits of double-blind designs in reducing sampling biases, testing controversial hypotheses, and increasing the reliability of the conclusions of research.

  14. Formulação de uma dieta adequada à produção de Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) e avaliação da sua performance zootécnica.

    OpenAIRE

    Catarino, Mafalda Maximino Rojão Sobreiro

    2015-01-01

    Os peixes Garra rufa (ciprinídeos) são muito utilizados em tratamentos de pele em institutos de beleza e spas. Esta espécie de água doce é nativa da Eurásia e tem uma grande área de distribuição, incluindo as bacias hidrográficas na Turquia e Irão. Com a procura crescente pela prática de ictioterapia, o valor comercial desta espécie tem vindo a aumentar, despertando um grande interesse por parte dos aquacultores, apesar dos métodos de produção serem ainda desconhecidos. Deste modo, é de grand...

  15. High renesting rates in arctic-breeding Dunlin (Calidris alpina): A clutch-removal experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gates, H. River; Lanctot, Richard B.; Powell, Abby N.

    2013-01-01

    The propensity to replace a clutch is a complex component of avian reproduction and poorly understood. We experimentally removed clutches from an Arctic-breeding shorebird, the Dunlin (Calidris alpina arcticola), during early and late stages of incubation to investigate replacement clutch rates, renesting interval, and mate and site fidelity between nesting attempts. In contrast to other Arctic studies, we documented renesting by radiotracking individuals to find replacement clutches. We also examined clutch size and mean egg volume to document changes in individual females’ investment in initial and replacement clutches. Finally, we examined the influence of adult body mass, clutch volume, dates of clutch initiation and nest loss, and year on the propensity to renest. We found high (82–95%) and moderate (35–50%) rates of renesting for early and late incubation treatments. Renesting intervals averaged 4.7–6.8 days and were not different for clutches removed early or late in incubation. Most pairs remained together for renesting attempts. Larger females were more likely to replace a clutch; female body mass was the most important parameter predicting propensity to renest. Clutches lost later in the season were less likely to be replaced. We present evidence that renesting is more common in Arctic-breeding shorebirds than was previously thought, and suggest that renesting is constrained by energetic and temporal factors as well as mate availability. Obtaining rates of renesting in species breeding at different latitudes will help determine when this behavior is likely to occur; such information is necessary for demographic models that include individual and population-level fecundity estimates.

  16. Effects of lead shot ingestion on bone mineralization in a population of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Álvarez-Lloret, Pedro; Rodríguez-Navarro, Alejandro B.; Romanek, Christopher S.; Ferrandis, Pablo; Martínez-Haro, Mónica; Mateo, Rafael

    2014-01-01

    The effect of lead (Pb) toxicity on bone mineralization was investigated in a wild population of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) inhabiting a farmland area contaminated with Pb-shot from recreational hunting activities in Albacete, a southeastern province of Spain. Femora from 40 specimens of red-legged partridge were analyzed for Pb by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS), and for bone composition by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The FTIR and DRX data of bone were analyzed in detail to determine possible alterations in bone mineral chemistry and crystallinity due to Pb toxicity. Results showed a marked decrease in the degree of mineralization as Pb concentrations in bone tissue increased while XRD analyses showed that the crystallinity of apatite crystals increased with the Pb load in bone. These load-dependent effects are indicative that Pb contamination altered bone remodeling by reducing new bone mineral formation and demonstrate that bone quality is a sensitive indicator of adverse effects on wild bird populations exposed to Pb pollution. - Highlights: •The effect of Pb toxicity on bone mineralization was investigated in partridges. •Lead exposure decreased bone mineralization degree. •Demonstrated usefulness of FTIR and DRX to evaluate alterations in bone chemistry and crystallinity by Pb exposure

  17. Effects of lead shot ingestion on bone mineralization in a population of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Álvarez-Lloret, Pedro, E-mail: pedroalvarez@geol.uniovi.es [Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, Avd. Fuentenueva s/n, 18002 Granada (Spain); Departament of Geology, University of Oviedo, C/Jesús Arias de Velasco, s/n, 33005 Oviedo (Spain); Rodríguez-Navarro, Alejandro B. [Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, Avd. Fuentenueva s/n, 18002 Granada (Spain); Romanek, Christopher S. [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States); Ferrandis, Pablo [Department of Plant Production and Agricultural Technology, E.T.S. Ingenieros Agrónomos, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete (Spain); Martínez-Haro, Mónica [Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real (Spain); IMAR-Instituto do Mar, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra (Portugal); Mateo, Rafael [Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real (Spain)

    2014-01-01

    The effect of lead (Pb) toxicity on bone mineralization was investigated in a wild population of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) inhabiting a farmland area contaminated with Pb-shot from recreational hunting activities in Albacete, a southeastern province of Spain. Femora from 40 specimens of red-legged partridge were analyzed for Pb by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS), and for bone composition by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The FTIR and DRX data of bone were analyzed in detail to determine possible alterations in bone mineral chemistry and crystallinity due to Pb toxicity. Results showed a marked decrease in the degree of mineralization as Pb concentrations in bone tissue increased while XRD analyses showed that the crystallinity of apatite crystals increased with the Pb load in bone. These load-dependent effects are indicative that Pb contamination altered bone remodeling by reducing new bone mineral formation and demonstrate that bone quality is a sensitive indicator of adverse effects on wild bird populations exposed to Pb pollution. - Highlights: •The effect of Pb toxicity on bone mineralization was investigated in partridges. •Lead exposure decreased bone mineralization degree. •Demonstrated usefulness of FTIR and DRX to evaluate alterations in bone chemistry and crystallinity by Pb exposure.

  18. Basal metabolic rate and the mass of tissues differing in metabolic scope : Migration-related covariation between individual knots Calidris canutus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weber, TP; Piersma, T; Weber, Thomas P.

    To examine whether variability in the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of migrant shorebirds is a function of a variably sized metabolic machinery or of temporal changes in metabolic intensities at the tissue level, BMR, body composition and activity of cytochrome-c oxidase (CCO, a marker for maximum

  19. High rates of energy expenditure and water flux in free-ranging Point Reyes mountain beavers Aplodontia rufa phaea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crocker, D.E.; Kofahl, N.; Fellers, G.D.; Gates, N.B.; Houser, D.S.

    2007-01-01

    We measured water flux and energy expenditure in free-ranging Point Reyes mountain beavers Aplodontia rufa phaea by using the doubly labeled water method. Previous laboratory investigations have suggested weak urinary concentrating ability, high rates of water flux, and low basal metabolic rates in this species. However, free-ranging measurements from hygric mammals are rare, and it is not known how these features interact in the environment. Rates of water flux (210 ?? 32 mL d-1) and field metabolic rates (1,488 ?? 486 kJ d-1) were 159% and 265%, respectively, of values predicted by allometric equations for similar-sized herbivores. Mountain beavers can likely meet their water needs through metabolic water production and preformed water in food and thus remain in water balance without access to free water. Arginine-vasopressin levels were strongly correlated with rates of water flux and plasma urea : creatinine ratios, suggesting an important role for this hormone in regulating urinary water loss in mountain beavers. High field metabolic rates may result from cool burrow temperatures that are well below lower critical temperatures measured in previous laboratory studies and suggest that thermoregulation costs may strongly influence field energetics and water flux in semifossorial mammals. ?? 2007 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.

  20. Identical metabolic rate and thermal conductance in Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) subspecies with contrasting nonbreeding life histories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Dekinga, Anne; Gill, Robert E.; Piersma, Theunis

    2013-01-01

    Closely related species or subspecies can exhibit metabolic differences that reflect site-specific environmental conditions. Whether such differences represent fixed traits or flexible adjustments to local conditions, however, is difficult to predict across taxa. The nominate race of Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) exhibits the most northerly nonbreeding distribution of any shorebird in the North Pacific, being common during winter in cold, dark locations as far north as upper Cook Inlet, Alaska (61°N). By contrast, the tschuktschorum subspecies migrates to sites ranging from about 59°N to more benign locations as far south as ~37°N. These distributional extremes exert contrasting energetic demands, and we measured common metabolic parameters in the two subspecies held under identical laboratory conditions to determine whether differences in these parameters are reflected by their nonbreeding life histories. Basal metabolic rate and thermal conductance did not differ between subspecies, and the subspecies had a similar metabolic response to temperatures below their thermoneutral zone. Relatively low thermal conductance values may, however, reflect intrinsic metabolic adaptations to northerly latitudes. In the absence of differences in basic metabolic parameters, the two subspecies’ nonbreeding distributions will likely be more strongly influenced by adaptations to regional variation in ecological factors such as prey density, prey quality, and foraging habitat.

  1. Ensayo de fertilización del pasto puntero (Hyparrhenia rufa con un diseño de superficies de respuesta en la zona de Chaparral, Tolima

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Buritica Martínez Hernando

    1991-12-01

    Full Text Available Se realizó un esayo de fertilización con NPK empleando urea, superfosfato tripley cloruro de potasio como fuentes en pasto puntero (Hyparrhenia rufa en la vereda Espíritu Santo, municipio de Chaparral, Tolima en suelos francos arenosos de laderade baja a mediana fertilidad natural, altura de 1.000 m.s.n.m., temperatura diaria de 25 grados, precipitación promedia anual de 2.500 mms. y una estación seca bien definida entre los meses de junio a septiembre, utilizando el modelo de superficies de respuesta desarrollado por Box y Hunter, ex·puesto por Cochran y Cox y recomendado por Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario. Los modelos de regresión obtenidos, muestran incrementos crecientes en la producción de forraje verde y contenido proteínico para las aplicaciones crecientes de nitrógeno y fósforo, con máximos equivalentes a 41 toneladas/Ha y 3.5% con aplicaciones de 400 y 200 kgs/Ha de úrea y superfosfato triple. En las condiciones de ensayo, se demuestra la conveniencia de la aplicaciónde nitrógeno y fósforo en cantidades comprendidas entre 150 a 200 y 75 a too kilos de úrea y superfosfato triple por hectárea respectivamente.
    A field experiment were conducted in order to know the response of "Puntero" grass (Hyparrhenia rufa to the application of diferent amount of Urea, concentrated superphosphate and muriate of potash, in a sand 108m soil of farm located in Chaparral (Tolima at 1000 above sea level, 250C annual mean temperature, and 2.500mm annual mean precipitation. Box and Hunter's surface response model was usedas advised by the Instituto Agropecuario Colombiano.The regresion analysis shows that increasing applications levels of Nitrogen (urea and Phosphorus (superphosphate increase the amount of green forage and protein conten; highest level of forage 41 ton and protein 3.5% content were obtained using 400 and 200 kg.ha-1 of urea and superphosphate. From this information, the author recomend the use of amounts between 150

  2. Two new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the mountain beaver, Aplodontia rufa (Rodentia: Aplodontiidae), from Oregon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAllister, Chris T; Duszynski, Donald W; McKown, Richard D

    2013-06-01

    Two mountain beavers, Aplodontia rufa , were collected in Lincoln County, Oregon, and examined for coccidia. Both were infected with 2 new species of Eimeria. Oocysts of Eimeria chitkoae n. sp. were ellipsoidal with a bilayered wall and measured (L × W) 24.5 × 20.2 μm, with a shape index (SI) of 1.2. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a polar granule of several fragments was present. Sporocysts were ovoidal, 12.5 × 7.9 μm, SI was 1.6. Stieda and substieda bodies were present, but a parastieda body was absent; a sporocyst residuum was present, composed of a cluster of moderately coarse granules with many scattered fine granules. Stout sporozoites were 14.7 × 2.9 μm in situ, with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. Oocysts of Eimeria lewisi n. sp. were ovoidal, with a smooth single-layered wall, and measured 13.7 × 7.8 μm, SI was 1.7. A micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but 1-2 polar granule(s) were present. Sporocysts were 6.6 × 4.2 μm, with SI of 1.6. A Stieda body was present, but substieda and parastieda bodies were absent; a sporocyst residuum was present, composed of a small cluster of several granules. Sporozoites were granular, 8.2 × 1.8 μm in situ, with a posterior refractile body. These are the first coccidians reported from the mountain beaver.

  3. Intercontinental genetic structure and gene flow in Dunlin (Calidris alpina), a potential vector of avian influenza

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Mark P.; Haig, Susan M.; Mullins, Thomas D.; Ruan, Luzhang; Casler, Bruce; Dondua, Alexei; Gates, River H.; Johnson, J. Matthew; Kendall, Steven J.; Tomkovich, Pavel S.; Tracy, Diane; Valchuk, Olga P.; Lanctot, Richard B.

    2015-01-01

    Waterfowl (Anseriformes) and shorebirds (Charadriiformes) are the most common wild vectors of influenza A viruses. Due to their migratory behavior, some may transmit disease over long distances. Migratory connectivity studies can link breeding and nonbreeding grounds while illustrating potential interactions among populations that may spread diseases. We investigated Dunlin (Calidris alpina), a shorebird with a subspecies (C. a. arcticola) that migrates from nonbreeding areas endemic to avian influenza in eastern Asia to breeding grounds in northern Alaska. Using microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA, we illustrate genetic structure among six subspecies: C. a. arcticola, C. a. pacifica, C. a. hudsonia, C. a. sakhalina, C. a. kistchinski, and C. a. actites. We demonstrate that mitochondrial DNA can help distinguish C. a. arcticola on the Asian nonbreeding grounds with >70% accuracy depending on their relative abundance, indicating that genetics can help determine whether C. a. arcticola occurs where they may be exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during outbreaks. Our data reveal asymmetric intercontinental gene flow, with some C. a. arcticola short-stopping migration to breed with C. a. pacifica in western Alaska. Because C. a. pacifica migrates along the Pacific Coast of North America, interactions between these subspecies and other taxa provide route for transmission of HPAI into other parts of North America.

  4. Incomplete Homogenization of Chemical Recognition Labels Between Formica sanguinea and Formica rufa Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Living in a Mixed Colony

    Science.gov (United States)

    Włodarczyk, Tomasz; Szczepaniak, Lech

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Formica sanguinea Latreille (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is a slave-making species, i.e., it raids colonies of host species and pillages pupae, which are taken to develop into adult workers in a parasite colony. However, it has been unclear if the coexistence of F. sanguinea with slave workers requires uniformity of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), among which those other than n -alkanes are believed to be the principal nestmate recognition cues utilized by ants. In this study, a mixed colony (MC) of F. sanguinea and Formica rufa L. as a slave species was used to test the hypothesis that CHCs are exchanged between the species. Chemical analysis of hexane extracts from ants’ body surfaces provided evidence for interspecific exchange of alkenes and methyl-branched alkanes. This result was confirmed by behavioral tests during which ants exhibited hostility toward conspecific individuals from the MC but not toward ones from homospecific colonies of their own species. However, it seems that species-specific differences in chemical recognition labels were not eliminated completely because ants from the MC were treated differently depending on whether they were con- or allospecific to the individuals whose behavioral reactions were tested. These findings are discussed in the context of mechanisms of colony's odor formation and effective integration of slaves into parasite colony. PMID:25502026

  5. Shellfish dredging pushes a flexible avian top predator out of a marine protected area.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan A van Gils

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available There is a widespread concern about the direct and indirect effects of industrial fisheries; this concern is particularly pertinent for so-called "marine protected areas" (MPAs, which should be safeguarded by national and international law. The intertidal flats of the Dutch Wadden Sea are a State Nature Monument and are protected under the Ramsar convention and the European Union's Habitat and Birds Directives. Until 2004, the Dutch government granted permission for ~75% of the intertidal flats to be exploited by mechanical dredgers for edible cockles (Cerastoderma edule. Here we show that dredged areas belonged to the limited area of intertidal flats that were of sufficient quality for red knots (Calidris canutus islandica, a long-distance migrant molluscivore specialist, to feed. Dredging led to relatively lower settlement rates of cockles and also reduced their quality (ratio of flesh to shell. From 1998 to 2002, red knots increased gizzard mass to compensate for a gradual loss in shellfish quality, but this compensation was not sufficient and led to decreases in local survival. Therefore, the gradual destruction of the necessary intertidal resources explains both the loss of red knots from the Dutch Wadden Sea and the decline of the European wintering population. This study shows that MPAs that do not provide adequate protection from fishing may fail in their conservation objectives.

  6. Fire effects on the Point Reyes Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa phaea) at Point Reyes National Seashore, 10 years after the Vision Fire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fellers, Gary M.; Osbourn, Michael

    2009-01-01

    The 1995 Vision Fire burned 5000 ha and destroyed 40% of the habitat of the Point Reyes Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa phaea). Surveys immediately post-fire and in 2000 showed that only 0.4 to 1.7% of Mountain Beavers within the burn area survived. In 2000, dense, ground-hugging Blue-blossom Ceanothus (Ceanothus thrysiflorus) appeared to make coastal scrub thickets much less suitable for Mountain Beavers even though the number of burrows at our 11 study sites had returned to 88% of pre-fire numbers. In 2005 (10 y post-fire), the habitat appeared to be better for Mountain Beavers; Blue-blossom Ceanothus had diminished and vegetation more typical of northern coastal scrub, such as Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis) overstory with a lower layer of herbaceous vegetation, had greatly increased; but the number of Mountain Beaver burrows had declined to 52% of pre-fire numbers and there was little change in the number of sites occupied between our 2000 and 2005 surveys. With the expected successional changes in thicket structure, Mountain Beaver populations are likely to recover further, but there will probably be considerable variation in how each population stabilizes.

  7. Decomposition of Arachis pintoi and Hyparrhenia rufa litters in monoculture and intercropped systems under lowland soil Decomposição da serrapilheira de Arachis pintoi e Hyparrhenia rufa em sistemas de monocultura e consórcio sob solo de várzea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christiane Abreu de Oliveira

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available Tropical grasslands under lowland soils are generally underutilized and the litter of forage legumes may be used to recover these degraded pastures. The objective of this work was to study the dynamics of litter decomposition of Arachis pintoi (pinto peanut, Hyparrhenia rufa (thatching grass and a mixture of both species in a lowland soil. These treatments were analyzed in three areas: grass monoculture, legume monoculture and legume intercropped with the grass during the dry and wet seasons. Litter bags containing the legume, grass or a mixture of both species were incubated to estimate the decomposition rate and microorganism colonization. Decomposition constants (K and litter half-lives (T1/2 were estimated by an exponential model whereas number of microorganisms in specific media were determined by plate dilution. The decomposition rate, release of nutrients and microorganisms number, especially bacteria, increased when pinto peanut was added to thatching grass, influenced by favorable lignin/N and C/N ratios in legume litter. When pinto peanut litter was incubated in the grass plots, 50% N and P was released within about 135 days in the dry season and in the wet season, the equivalent release occurred within 20 days. These results indicate that A. pintoi has a great potential for nutrient recycling via litter and can be used to recover degraded areas.Pastagens tropicais sobre solos de várzea são geralmente subutilizadas. A serrapilheira de leguminosas forrageiras pode ser usada para a recuperação destas pastagens. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a dinâmica de decomposição de Arachis pintoi (arachis, Hyparrhenia rufa (capim jaraguá e da mistura destas espécies, em solo de várzea. Estes tratamentos foram analisados em três áreas: monocultivo da gramínea; monocultivo da leguminosa e no consórcio entre as espécies durante as estações seca e chuvosa. Sacos de decomposição contendo a serrapilheira da leguminosa ou da

  8. Flight performance of western sandpipers, Calidris mauri, remains uncompromised when mounting an acute phase immune response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nebel, Silke; Buehler, Deborah M; MacMillan, Alexander; Guglielmo, Christopher G

    2013-07-15

    Migratory birds have been implicated in the spread of some zoonotic diseases, but how well infected individuals can fly remains poorly understood. We used western sandpipers, Calidris mauri, to experimentally test whether flight is affected when long-distance migrants are mounting an immune response and whether migrants maintain immune defences during a flight in a wind tunnel. We measured five indicators of innate immunity in 'flown-healthy' birds (flying in a wind tunnel without mounting an immune response), 'flown-sick' birds (flying while mounting an acute phase response, which is part of induced innate immunity), and a non-flying control group ('not-flown'). Voluntary flight duration did not differ between flown-healthy and flown-sick birds, indicating that mounting an acute phase response to simulated infection did not hamper an individual's ability to fly for up to 3 h. However, in comparison to not-flown birds, bacterial killing ability of plasma was significantly reduced after flight in flown-sick birds. In flown-healthy birds, voluntary flight duration was positively correlated with bacterial killing ability and baseline haptoglobin concentration of the blood plasma measured 1-3 weeks before experimental flights, suggesting that high quality birds had strong immune systems and greater flight capacity. Our findings indicate that flight performance is not diminished by prior immune challenge, but that flight while mounting an acute phase response negatively affects other aspects of immune function. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the transmission of avian diseases, as they suggest that birds can still migrate while fighting an infection.

  9. Captive and free-living red knots Calidris canutus exhibit differences in non-induced immunity that suggest different immune strategies in different environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buehler, Deborah M.; Piersma, Theunis; Tieleman, B. Irene

    Experiments on captive animals, in which conditions can be controlled, are useful for examining complex biological phenomena such as immune function. Such experiments have increased our understanding of immune responses in the context of trade-offs and pathogen pressure. However, few studies have

  10. Insights into the biochemical defence and methylation of the solitary bee Osmia rufa L: A foundation for examining eusociality development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aneta Strachecka

    Full Text Available We examined age-related biochemical and histological changes in the fat bodies and hemolymph of Osmia rufa males and females. We analysed solitary bees during diapause, in October and in April; as well as the flying insects following diapause, in May and June. The trophocyte sizes, as well as the numbers of lipid droplets were the greatest at the beginning of diapause. Subsequently, they decreased along with age. Triglyceride and glucose concentrations systematically decreased in fat body cells but increased in the hemolymph from October to June. Concentrations/activities of (enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant and proteolytic systems, as well as phenoloxidase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels were constant during the diapause, usually lower in the males than the females. Prior to the diapause/overwintering, the concentrations/activities of all the compounds were higher in the fat bodies than in the hemolymph. Later in the spring and in the summer, they increased in the hemolymph and on the body surfaces, while decreasing in the fat bodies. The global DNA methylation levels increased with age. Higher levels were always observed in the males than in the females. The study will promote better understanding of bee evolution and will be useful for the protection and management of solitary bees, with benefits to the environment and agriculture.

  11. Incidence of single and mixed infections with Eimeria kofoidi, E. caucasica and E. legionensis on the health of experimentally infected red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naciri, M; Fort, G; Briant, J; Duperray, J; Benzoni, G

    2014-09-15

    Little is known about Eimeria-induced coccidiosis in partridges. After a coccidiosis outbreak in a farm rearing red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) in Brittany (France), three Eimeria species were identified as Eimeria kofoidi, Eimeria caucasica and Eimeria legionensis. This study aimed to reproduce the effects of the disease occurring in field conditions, in the absence of preventive treatments, to further build a coccidiosis model, helpful for coccidiostatic development. The pathogenic effects of a single infection with Eimeria kofoidi, E. caucasica and E. legionensis were evaluated, as well as the effects of multiple infections associating two or three of these species in red-legged partridges. Thirty-one-day-old birds were individually inoculated with Eimeria spp. and clinically followed up until 49 days of age. Mortality, lesion scores, daily oocyst production and growth were used as assessment criteria. Single infections with 250,000 E. kofoidi, 30,000 E. caucasica or 100,000 E. legionensis oocysts did not increase mortality rate compared to uninfected birds, whereas the combination of 3 species caused significant 28% mortality (PEimeria spp. or for selecting efficient molecules to struggle coccidiosis of red-legged partridges. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Metals in tissues of migrant semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) from Delaware Bay, New Jersey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael; Niles, Lawrence; Dey, Amanda; Jeitner, Christian; Pittfield, Taryn; Tsipoura, Nellie

    2014-01-01

    There is an abundance of field data on levels of metals for feathers in a variety of birds, but relatively few data for tissues, especially for migrant species from one location. In this paper we examine the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in muscle, liver, brain, fat and breast feathers from migrant semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) collected from Delaware Bay, New Jersey. Our primary objectives were to (1) examine variation as a function of tissue, (2) determine the relationship of metal levels among tissues, and (3) determine the selenium:mercury molar ratio in different tissues since selenium is thought to protect against mercury toxicity. We were also interested in whether the large physiological changes that occur while shorebirds are on Delaware Bay (e.g. large weight gains in 2–3 weeks) affected metal levels, especially in the brain. There were significant differences among tissues for all metals. The brain had the lowest levels of arsenic and cadmium, and was tied for the lowest levels of all other metals except lead and selenium. Correlations among metals in tissues were varied, with mercury levels being positively correlated for muscle and brain, and for liver and breast feathers. Weights vary among individuals at the Delaware Bay stopover, as they arrive light, and gain weight prior to migration north. Bird weight and levels of arsenic, cadmium, and selenium in the brain were negatively correlated, while they were positively correlated for lead. There was no positive correlation for mercury in the brain as a function of body weight. The selenium:mercury molar ratio varied significantly among tissues, with brain (ratio of 141) and fat having the highest ratios, and liver and breast feathers having the lowest. In all cases, the ratio was above 21, suggesting the potential for amelioration of mercury toxicity. - Highlights: • Metal levels were examined for migrant semipalmated sandpipers. • There

  13. Metals in tissues of migrant semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) from Delaware Bay, New Jersey

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burger, Joanna, E-mail: burger@biology.rutgers.edu [Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Piscataway, NJ (United States); Gochfeld, Michael [Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Piscataway, NJ (United States); Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Rutgers RWJ Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Niles, Lawrence [Conserve Wildlife, 109 Market Lane, Greenwich, NJ (United States); Dey, Amanda [NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Endangered and Nongame Species Program, Trenton, NJ (United States); Jeitner, Christian; Pittfield, Taryn [Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Piscataway, NJ (United States); Tsipoura, Nellie [New Jersey Audubon Society, 11 Hardscrabble Rd, Bernardsville, NJ (United States)

    2014-08-15

    There is an abundance of field data on levels of metals for feathers in a variety of birds, but relatively few data for tissues, especially for migrant species from one location. In this paper we examine the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury and selenium in muscle, liver, brain, fat and breast feathers from migrant semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) collected from Delaware Bay, New Jersey. Our primary objectives were to (1) examine variation as a function of tissue, (2) determine the relationship of metal levels among tissues, and (3) determine the selenium:mercury molar ratio in different tissues since selenium is thought to protect against mercury toxicity. We were also interested in whether the large physiological changes that occur while shorebirds are on Delaware Bay (e.g. large weight gains in 2–3 weeks) affected metal levels, especially in the brain. There were significant differences among tissues for all metals. The brain had the lowest levels of arsenic and cadmium, and was tied for the lowest levels of all other metals except lead and selenium. Correlations among metals in tissues were varied, with mercury levels being positively correlated for muscle and brain, and for liver and breast feathers. Weights vary among individuals at the Delaware Bay stopover, as they arrive light, and gain weight prior to migration north. Bird weight and levels of arsenic, cadmium, and selenium in the brain were negatively correlated, while they were positively correlated for lead. There was no positive correlation for mercury in the brain as a function of body weight. The selenium:mercury molar ratio varied significantly among tissues, with brain (ratio of 141) and fat having the highest ratios, and liver and breast feathers having the lowest. In all cases, the ratio was above 21, suggesting the potential for amelioration of mercury toxicity. - Highlights: • Metal levels were examined for migrant semipalmated sandpipers. • There

  14. Population-level body condition correlates with productivity in an arctic wader, the dunlin Calidris alpina, during post-breeding migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grzegorz Neubauer

    Full Text Available Weather and predation constitute the two main factors affecting the breeding success of those Arctic waders whose productivity is highly variable over the years. We tested whether reproductive success is associated with the post-breeding condition of adults, in which in 'good' years (with warm weather, plentiful food and low predation pressure the condition of breeders and their productivity is high. To verify this hypothesis, we used a 10-year dataset comprising 20,792 dunlins Calidris alpina, trapped during migration at a stopover site on the southern Baltic Sea shore. Males were consistently in a slightly worse condition than females, likely due to male-biased parental investment in brood rearing. Annual productivity indices were positively correlated with the respective condition indices of breeders from the Eurasian Arctic, indicating that in 'good' years, despite great effort spent on reproduction, breeders leave the breeding grounds in better condition. The pattern did not hold for 1992: productivity was low, but the average condition of adults during migration was the highest noted over the decade. We suggest that the delayed effect of the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines in 1991, could be responsible for the unexpected high condition of Arctic breeders in 1992. High population-level average condition, coupled with the low productivity could stem from severe weather caused by the volcano eruption a year before and strong predation pressure, which in turn lead to a reduced investment in reproduction. The importance of large-scale episodic phenomena, like this volcano eruption, may blur the statistical associations of wildlife with local environmental drivers.

  15. Population-level body condition correlates with productivity in an arctic wader, the dunlin Calidris alpina, during post-breeding migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neubauer, Grzegorz; Pilacka, Lucyna; Zieliński, Piotr; Gromadzka, Jadwiga

    2017-01-01

    Weather and predation constitute the two main factors affecting the breeding success of those Arctic waders whose productivity is highly variable over the years. We tested whether reproductive success is associated with the post-breeding condition of adults, in which in 'good' years (with warm weather, plentiful food and low predation pressure) the condition of breeders and their productivity is high. To verify this hypothesis, we used a 10-year dataset comprising 20,792 dunlins Calidris alpina, trapped during migration at a stopover site on the southern Baltic Sea shore. Males were consistently in a slightly worse condition than females, likely due to male-biased parental investment in brood rearing. Annual productivity indices were positively correlated with the respective condition indices of breeders from the Eurasian Arctic, indicating that in 'good' years, despite great effort spent on reproduction, breeders leave the breeding grounds in better condition. The pattern did not hold for 1992: productivity was low, but the average condition of adults during migration was the highest noted over the decade. We suggest that the delayed effect of the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines in 1991, could be responsible for the unexpected high condition of Arctic breeders in 1992. High population-level average condition, coupled with the low productivity could stem from severe weather caused by the volcano eruption a year before and strong predation pressure, which in turn lead to a reduced investment in reproduction. The importance of large-scale episodic phenomena, like this volcano eruption, may blur the statistical associations of wildlife with local environmental drivers.

  16. Louse (Insecta: Phthiraptera infestations of the Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis and the Red-footed Falcon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piross Imre Sándor

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Little is known about the louse species harboured by Red-footed and Amur Falcons despite the fact that various life-history traits of these hosts make them good model species to study host-parasite interactions. We collected lice samples from fully grown Amur (n=20 and Red-footed Falcons (n=59, and from nestlings of Red-footed Falcons (n=179 in four countries: Hungary, India, Italy and South Africa. We identified 3 louse species on both host species, namely Degeeriella rufa, Colpocephalum subzerafae and Laembothrion tinnunculi. The latter species has never been found on these hosts. Comparing population parameters of lice between hosts we found significantly higher prevalence levels of D. rufa and C. subzerafae on Amur Falcons. Adult Red-footed Falcons had higher D. rufa prevalence compared to C. subzerafae. For the first time we also show inter-annual shift in prevalence and intensity levels of these species on Red-footed Falcons; in 2012 on adult hosts C. subzerafae had higher intensity levels than D. rufa, however in 2014 D. rufa had significantly higher intensity compared to C. subzerafae. In case of nestlings both louse species had significantly higher preva lence levels than in 2014. The exact causes of such inter-annual shifts are yet to be understood.

  17. 1938-IJBCS-Article-Ismaïla Toko Imorou

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hp

    Deux espèces abondantes. Autres espèces caractéristiques. G1 : Loudetiopsis ambiens et Panicum phragmitoides. Dépressions marécageuses. Gleyosols. Argileuse. 50 et 70 cm Savanes herbeuses. Hyparrhenia rufa,. Loudetia arundinacea. Aspilia paludosa,. Hyparrhenia rufa. G2 : Anchomanes welwitschii et Berlinia.

  18. Site Safety and Food Affect Movements of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla Migrating Through the Upper Bay of Fundy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashley J. Sprague

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The upper Bay of Fundy is a critical stopover site for Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla during their fall migration. However, little is known about factors that influence selection of feeding and roosting sites by these birds, or the extent to which birds move between different sites during their time in the region. Using radio-telemetry, we studied movement patterns, examined habitat use, and tested hypotheses associated with factors influencing foraging and roost-site selection. Movements of radio-tagged sandpipers were tracked in the upper Bay of Fundy in August 2004 and 2005. In 2004, sandpipers from the Minas Basin, Nova Scotia and Chignecto Bay, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, were tracked, and in 2005, sandpipers were tracked only in Chignecto Bay. Sandpipers were highly mobile in both the Minas Basin 2004 and Chignecto Bay 2005, making daily movements of up to 20 km between foraging and roosting sites, although very little movement was detected in Chignecto Bay in 2004. Migrating sandpipers appeared to select foraging sites based on relative safety, as measured by distance to cover, provided that these sites offered an adequate food supply. Similarly, roosting sandpipers preferred sites that were far from nearby trees that might offer cover to predators. This preference for safe sites became more apparent later in their stay in the Bay of Fundy, when birds were heavier and, therefore, possibly more vulnerable to predation. Semipalmated Sandpipers appear to be flexible during their time in the upper Bay of Fundy, displaying year-to-year and site-to-site variability in movement and mudflat usage. Therefore, multiple, synchronized population counts should be conducted at known roost sites in order to more accurately estimate Semipalmated Sandpiper abundance in this region. Furthermore, in a highly dynamic system where food can be variable, landscape features such as distance to cover may be important factors to consider when

  19. Transcriptomic Characterization of Innate and Acquired Immune Responses in Red-Legged Partridges (Alectoris rufa: A Resource for Immunoecology and Robustness Selection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia Sevane

    Full Text Available Present and future challenges for wild partridge populations include the resistance against possible disease transmission after restocking with captive-reared individuals, and the need to cope with the stress prompted by new dynamic and challenging scenarios. Selection of individuals with the best immune ability may be a good strategy to improve general immunity, and hence adaptation to stress. In this study, non-infectious challenges with phytohemagglutinin (PHA and sheep red blood cells allowed the classification of red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa according to their overall immune responses (IR. Skin from the area of injection of PHA and spleen, both from animals showing extreme high and low IR, were selected to investigate the transcriptional profiles underlying the different ability to cope with pathogens and external aggressions. RNA-seq yielded 97 million raw reads from eight sequencing libraries and approximately 84% of the processed reads were mapped to the reference chicken genome. Differential expression analysis identified 1488 up- and 107 down-regulated loci in individuals with high IR versus low IR. Partridges displaying higher innate IR show an enhanced activation of host defence gene pathways complemented with a tightly controlled desensitization that facilitates the return to cellular homeostasis. These findings indicate that the immune system ability to respond to aggressions (either diseases or stress produced by environmental changes involves extensive transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations, and expand our understanding on the molecular mechanisms of the avian immune system, opening the possibility of improving disease resistance or robustness using genome assisted selection (GAS approaches for increased IR in partridges by using genes such as AVN or BF2 as markers. This study provides the first transcriptome sequencing data of the Alectoris genus, a resource for molecular ecology that enables integration

  20. A novel feruloyl esterase from rumen microbial metagenome: Gene cloning and enzyme characterization in the release of mono- and diferulic acids

    Science.gov (United States)

    A feruloyl esterase (FAE) gene was isolated from a rumen microbial metagenome, cloned into E. coli, and expressed in active form. The enzyme (RuFae4) was classified as a Type D feruloyl esterase based on its action on synthetic substrates and ability to release diferulates. The RuFae4 alone releas...

  1. Does growth rate determine the rate of metabolism in shorebird chicks living in the arctic?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Williams, Joseph B.; Tieleman, B. Irene; Visser, G. Henk; Ricklefs, Robert E.

    2007-01-01

    We measured resting and peak metabolic rates (RMR and PMR, respectively) during development of chicks of seven species of shorebirds: least sandpiper (Calidris minutilla; adult mass 20 22 g), dunlin (Calidris alpina; 56-62 g), lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes; 88-92 g), short-billed dowitcher

  2. Pathogenesis and transmissibility of highly (H7N1 and low (H7N9 pathogenic avian influenza virus infection in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bertran Kateri

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract An experimental infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV was carried out in red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa in order to study clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions, and viral distribution in tissues and viral shedding. Birds were infected with a HPAIV subtype H7N1 (A/Chicken/Italy/5093/1999 and a LPAIV subtype H7N9 (A/Anas crecca/Spain/1460/2008. Uninoculated birds were included as contacts in both groups. In HPAIV infected birds, the first clinical signs were observed at 3 dpi, and mortality started at 4 dpi, reaching 100% at 8 dpi. The presence of viral antigen in tissues and viral shedding were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real time RT-PCR (qRRT-PCR, respectively, in all birds infected with HPAIV. However, neither clinical signs nor histopathological findings were observed in LPAIV infected partridges. In addition, only short-term viral shedding together with seroconversion was detected in some LPAIV inoculated animals. The present study demonstrates that the red-legged partridge is highly susceptible to the H7N1 HPAIV strain, causing severe disease, mortality and abundant viral shedding and thus contributing to the spread of a potential local outbreak of this virus. In contrast, our results concerning H7N9 LPAIV suggest that the red-legged partridge is not a reservoir species for this virus.

  3. Pathogenesis and transmissibility of highly (H7N1) and low (H7N9) pathogenic avian influenza virus infection in red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertran, Kateri; Pérez-Ramírez, Elisa; Busquets, Núria; Dolz, Roser; Ramis, Antonio; Darji, Ayub; Abad, Francesc Xavier; Valle, Rosa; Chaves, Aida; Vergara-Alert, Júlia; Barral, Marta; Höfle, Ursula; Majó, Natàlia

    2011-02-07

    An experimental infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) was carried out in red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) in order to study clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions, and viral distribution in tissues and viral shedding. Birds were infected with a HPAIV subtype H7N1 (A/Chicken/Italy/5093/1999) and a LPAIV subtype H7N9 (A/Anas crecca/Spain/1460/2008). Uninoculated birds were included as contacts in both groups. In HPAIV infected birds, the first clinical signs were observed at 3 dpi, and mortality started at 4 dpi, reaching 100% at 8 dpi. The presence of viral antigen in tissues and viral shedding were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real time RT-PCR (qRRT-PCR), respectively, in all birds infected with HPAIV. However, neither clinical signs nor histopathological findings were observed in LPAIV infected partridges. In addition, only short-term viral shedding together with seroconversion was detected in some LPAIV inoculated animals. The present study demonstrates that the red-legged partridge is highly susceptible to the H7N1 HPAIV strain, causing severe disease, mortality and abundant viral shedding and thus contributing to the spread of a potential local outbreak of this virus. In contrast, our results concerning H7N9 LPAIV suggest that the red-legged partridge is not a reservoir species for this virus.

  4. An evaluation of intertidal feeding habitats from a shorebird perspective: Towards relevant comparisons between temperate and tropical mudflats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piersma, Theunis; de Goeij, Petra; Tulp, Ingrid

    Macrozoobenthic communities of intertidal soft sediments are reviewed worldwide from the perspective of a mollusc-eating shorebird species. Based on 19 sites, total biomass figures varied between 5 and 80 g AFDM per m 2 (average 24 g AFDM per m 2); no latitudinal trends are apparent. The contribution made by bivalves and gastropods varies between 1% and 99%, north-temperate intertidal flats having relatively more molluscs than tropical flats. Intertidal flats in the tropics contain a greater variety of taxa, with brachiopods in Indonesia and echinoderms in northwest Australia contributing significantly to biomass only there. Limits to the occurrence of avian predators of intertidal benthos are set by the harvestable fraction of the biomass on offer and the costs of living at a particular site. No systematic differences in the harvestable fraction of the total mollusc-biomass for a worldwide occurring shorebird species specializing on molluscs (knots Calidris canutus) were apparent between temperate and tropical intertidal areas, in spite of large differences in maintenance metabolism incurred by these birds. The harvestable fractions of bivalves in the two West African areas (Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau) tended to be high (23-84% of total biomass in six species), they were relatively low (2-52% in five species) in the temperate Wadden Sea and the tropical northwest Australian site. Harvestable biomass determines the intake rate of shorebirds, as illustrated by functional-response curves of knots feeding on two bivalves species. We argue that the collection of information on size-depth relationships along with faunal and biomass surveys at a range of sites is bound to greatly increase our understanding of both the biology of tidal-flat invertebrates and the resource base underpinning the spectacular seasonal migrations of shorebirds.

  5. When the seasons don't fit: speedy molt as a routine carry-over cost of reproduction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurine W Dietz

    Full Text Available The failure of animals to fit all life-cycle stages into an annual cycle could reduce the chances of successful breeding. In some cases, non-optimal strategies will be adopted in order to maintain the life-cycle within the scope of one year. We studied trade-offs made by a High Arctic migrant shorebird, the red knot Calidris canutus islandica, between reproduction and wing feather molt carried out in the non-breeding period in the Dutch Wadden Sea. We compared primary molt duration between birds undertaking the full migratory and breeding schedule with birds that forego breeding because they are young or are maintained in captivity. Molt duration was ca. 71 days in breeding adults, which was achieved by an accelerated feather replacement strategy. Second-year birds and captive adults took ca. 22% and 27% longer, respectively. Second-year birds start molt in late June, more than four weeks before captive adults, and almost seven weeks before adults that return from breeding in late July-August. Adults finish molt in October when steeply increasing thermostatic costs and reductions in food availability occur. Primary molt duration was longer in female than in male knots (all ages, which was accordance with the somewhat larger body size of females. Since fast growth leads to lower quality feathers, the speedy wing molt shown by Arctic-breeding birds may represent a time constraint that is an unavoidable and routine cost of reproduction. So far it was hypothesized that only birds over 1 kg would have difficulty fitting molt within a year. Here we show that in birds an order of magnitude smaller, temporal imperatives may impose the adoption of non-optimal life-cycle routines in the entire actively breeding population.

  6. When the seasons don't fit: speedy molt as a routine carry-over cost of reproduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dietz, Maurine W; Rogers, Ken G; Piersma, Theunis

    2013-01-01

    The failure of animals to fit all life-cycle stages into an annual cycle could reduce the chances of successful breeding. In some cases, non-optimal strategies will be adopted in order to maintain the life-cycle within the scope of one year. We studied trade-offs made by a High Arctic migrant shorebird, the red knot Calidris canutus islandica, between reproduction and wing feather molt carried out in the non-breeding period in the Dutch Wadden Sea. We compared primary molt duration between birds undertaking the full migratory and breeding schedule with birds that forego breeding because they are young or are maintained in captivity. Molt duration was ca. 71 days in breeding adults, which was achieved by an accelerated feather replacement strategy. Second-year birds and captive adults took ca. 22% and 27% longer, respectively. Second-year birds start molt in late June, more than four weeks before captive adults, and almost seven weeks before adults that return from breeding in late July-August. Adults finish molt in October when steeply increasing thermostatic costs and reductions in food availability occur. Primary molt duration was longer in female than in male knots (all ages), which was accordance with the somewhat larger body size of females. Since fast growth leads to lower quality feathers, the speedy wing molt shown by Arctic-breeding birds may represent a time constraint that is an unavoidable and routine cost of reproduction. So far it was hypothesized that only birds over 1 kg would have difficulty fitting molt within a year. Here we show that in birds an order of magnitude smaller, temporal imperatives may impose the adoption of non-optimal life-cycle routines in the entire actively breeding population.

  7. Experimental challenge and pathology of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in dunlin (Calidris alpina), an intercontinental migrant shorebird species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Jeffrey S; Franson, J Christian; Gill, Robert E; Meteyer, Carol U; TeSlaa, Joshua L; Nashold, Sean; Dusek, Robert J; Ip, Hon S

    2011-09-01

    Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) are considered one of the primary reservoirs of avian influenza. Because these species are highly migratory, there is concern that infected shorebirds may be a mechanism by which highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 could be introduced into North America from Asia. Large numbers of dunlin (Calidris alpina) migrate from wintering areas in central and eastern Asia, where HPAIV H5N1 is endemic, across the Bering Sea to breeding areas in Alaska. Low pathogenic avian influenza virus has been previously detected in dunlin, and thus, dunlin represent a potential risk to transport HPAIV to North America. To date no experimental challenge studies have been performed in shorebirds. Wild dunlin were inoculated intranasally and intrachoanally various doses of HPAIV H5N1. The birds were monitored daily for virus excretion, disease signs, morbidity, and mortality. The infectious dose of HPAIV H5N1 in dunlin was determined to be 10(1.7) EID(50)/100 μl and that the lethal dose was 10(1.83) EID(50)/100 μl. Clinical signs were consistent with neurotropic disease, and histochemical analyses revealed that infection was systemic with viral antigen and RNA most consistently found in brain tissues. Infected birds excreted relatively large amounts of virus orally (10(4) EID(50)) and smaller amounts cloacally. Dunlin are highly susceptible to infection with HPAIV H5N1. They become infected after exposure to relatively small doses of the virus and if they become infected, they are most likely to suffer mortality within 3-5 days. These results have important implications regarding the risks of transport and transmission of HPAIV H5N1 to North America by this species and raises questions for further investigation. Published 2011. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  8. Prey type and foraging ecology of Sanderlings Calidris alba in different climate zones: are tropical areas more favourable than temperate sites?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirsten Grond

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Sanderlings (Calidris alba are long-distance migratory shorebirds with a non-breeding range that spans temperate and tropical coastal habitats. Breeding in the High Arctic combined with non-breeding seasons in the tropics necessitate long migrations, which are energetically demanding. On an annual basis, the higher energy expenditures during migration might pay off if food availability in the tropics is higher than at temperate latitudes. We compared foraging behaviour of birds at a north temperate and a tropical non-breeding site in the Netherlands and Ghana, respectively. In both cases the birds used similar habitats (open beaches, and experienced similar periods of daylight, which enabled us to compare food abundance and availability, and behavioural time budgets and food intake. During the non-breeding season, Sanderlings in the Netherlands spent 79% of their day foraging; in Ghana birds spent only 38% of the daytime period foraging and the largest proportion of their time resting (58%. The main prey item in the Netherlands was the soft-bodied polychaete Scolelepis squamata, while Sanderlings in Ghana fed almost exclusively on the bivalve Donax pulchellus, which they swallowed whole and crushed internally. Average availability of polychaete worms in the Netherlands was 7.4 g ash free dry mass (AFDM m−2, which was one tenth of the 77.1 g AFDM m−2 estimated for the beach in Ghana. In the tropical environment of Ghana the Sanderlings combined relatively low energy requirements with high prey intake rates (1.64 mg opposed to 0.13 mg AFDM s−1 for Ghana and the Netherlands respectively. Although this may suggest that the Ghana beaches are the most favourable environment, processing the hard-shelled bivalve (D. pulchellus which is the staple food could be costly. The large amount of daytime spent resting in Ghana may be indicative of the time needed to process the shell fragments, rather than indicate rest.

  9. Testing of an oral dosing technique for double-crested cormorants, Phalacocorax auritus, laughing gulls, Leucophaeus atricilla, homing pigeons, Columba livia, and western sandpipers, Calidris mauri, with artificially weather MC252 oil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, K M; Cacela, D; Carney, M W; Cunningham, F L; Ellis, C; Gerson, A R; Guglielmo, C G; Hanson-Dorr, K C; Harr, K E; Healy, K A; Horak, K E; Isanhart, J P; Kennedy, L V; Link, J E; Lipton, I; McFadden, A K; Moye, J K; Perez, C R; Pritsos, C A; Pritsos, K L; Muthumalage, T; Shriner, S A; Bursian, S J

    2017-12-01

    Scoping studies were designed to determine if double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus), laughing gulls (Leucophaues atricilla), homing pigeons (Columba livia) and western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) that were gavaged with a mixture of artificially weathered MC252 oil and food for either a single day or 4-5 consecutive days showed signs of oil toxicity. Where volume allowed, samples were collected for hematology, plasma protein electrophoresis, clinical chemistry and electrolytes, oxidative stress and organ weigh changes. Double-crested cormorants, laughing gulls and western sandpipers all excreted oil within 30min of dose, while pigeons regurgitated within less than one hour of dosing. There were species differences in the effectiveness of the dosing technique, with double-crested cormorants having the greatest number of responsive endpoints at the completion of the trial. Statistically significant changes in packed cell volume, white cell counts, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase, gamma glutamyl transferase, uric acid, chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione, spleen and liver weights were measured in double-crested cormorants. Homing pigeons had statistically significant changes in creatine phosphokinase, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione and Trolox equivalents. Laughing gulls exhibited statistically significant decreases in spleen and kidney weight, and no changes were observed in any measurement endpoints tested in western sandpipers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Effects of phosphorus application on photosynthetic carbon and nitrogen metabolism, water use efficiency and growth of dwarf bamboo (Fargesia rufa) subjected to water deficit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chenggang; Wang, Yanjie; Pan, Kaiwen; Jin, Yanqiang; Li, Wei; Zhang, Lin

    2015-11-01

    Dwarf bamboo (Fargesia rufa Yi), one of the staple foods for the endangered giant pandas, is highly susceptible to water deficit due to its shallow roots. In the face of climate change, maintenance and improvement in its productivity is very necessary for the management of the giant pandas' habitats. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying plant responses to water deficit are poorly known. To investigate the effects of P application on photosynthetic C and N metabolism, water use efficiency (WUE) and growth of dwarf bamboo under water deficit, a completely randomized design with two factors of two watering (well-watered and water-stressed) and two P regimes (with and without P fertilization) was arranged. P application hardly changed growth, net CO2 assimilation rate (P(n)) and WUE in well-watered plants but significantly increased relative growth rate (RGR) and P(n) in water-stressed plants. The effect of P application on RGR under water stress was mostly associated with physiological adjustments rather than with differences in biomass allocation. P application maintained the balance of C metabolism in well-watered plants, but altered the proportion of nitrogenous compounds in N metabolism. By contrast, P application remarkably increased sucrose-metabolizing enzymes activities with an obvious decrease in sucrose content in water-stressed plants, suggesting an accelerated sucrose metabolism. Activation of nitrogen-metabolizing enzymes in water-stressed plants was attenuated after P application, thus slowing nitrate reduction and ammonium assimilation. P application hardly enlarged the phenotypic plasticity of dwarf bamboo in response to water in the short term. Generally, these examined traits of dwarf bamboo displayed weak or negligible responses to water-P interaction. In conclusion, P application could accelerate P(n) and sucrose metabolism and slow N metabolism in water-stressed dwarf bamboo, and as a result improved RGR and alleviated damage from soil

  11. Effectiveness of managed populations of wild and honey bees as supplemental pollinators of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) under different climatic conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansted, Lise; Grout, Brian William Wilson; Toldam-Andersen, Torben Bo

    2015-01-01

    Managed populations of Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Osmia have been investigated rufa as sour cherry pollinators in two flowering seasons with different weather patterns. Flight activity of the three bee species during the pollination-receptive period of the cultivar ‘Stevnsbaer’ was rec......Managed populations of Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Osmia have been investigated rufa as sour cherry pollinators in two flowering seasons with different weather patterns. Flight activity of the three bee species during the pollination-receptive period of the cultivar ‘Stevnsbaer...

  12. Stopover ecology of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) at coastal deltas of the Beaufort Sea, Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Churchwell, Roy T.

    Avian migration is one of the wonders of the natural world. Stored fats are the main source of nutrients and fuel for avian migration and it is assumed the fat deposition at stopover sites is a critical component of a successful migration. Stopover sites are crucial in the successful migration of many birds, but particularly for arctic-breeding shorebirds that migrate long distances from breeding to wintering grounds. Despite the importance of stopover sites, it is often difficult to determine the importance of these sites to migrating shorebirds. I investigated three aspects of stopover ecology of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) foraging at coastal deltas on the Beaufort Sea coast, Alaska. First, I quantified the spatial and temporal distribution and abundance of the benthic macroinvertebrate community living within the mudflats. I found that there were two ecological groups of macroinvertebrates using river deltas, one originated in terrestrial freshwater habitats and most importantly could withstand freezing in delta sediments over the winter, and the other originated from the marine environment, could not withstand freezing and had to migrate to intertidal habitats each summer from deeper water areas that did not freeze over the winter. Stable isotope analysis allowed me to describe the origin of carbon consumed by invertebrates in intertidal habitats. I predicted freshwater invertebrates would consume terrestrial carbon, and marine invertebrates would consume marine carbon, but I found that both groups utilized the same carbon, which was a mixture of terrestrial and marine sources. My second research question determined the importance of delta foraging habitat for fall migrating Semipalmated Sandpipers. I mapped the temporal distribution and abundance of birds and quantified this relationship to invertebrate distribution and abundance. I researched fattening rates of shorebirds by measuring triglycerides in the blood of shorebirds I captured. I

  13. Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Cobalt, Arsenic and Selenium in the Blood of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla from Suriname, South America: Age-related Differences in Wintering Site and Comparisons with a Stopover Site in New Jersey, USA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Burger

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available It is essential to understand contaminant exposure and to compare levels of contaminants in organisms at different ages to determine if there is bioaccumulation, and to compare levels encountered in different geographical areas. In this paper, we report levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, cobalt, arsenic and selenium in the blood of semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla wintering in Suriname as a function of age, and compare them to blood levels in northbound migrants at a stopover in Delaware Bay, New Jersey. We found (1 young birds had higher levels of cadmium, cobalt, and lead than adults (after second year birds; (2 there were no age-related differences for arsenic, mercury and selenium; (3 only four of the possible 16 inter-metal correlations were significant, at the 0.05 level; (4 the highest correlation was between cadmium and lead (Kendall tau = 0.37; and (5 the adult sandpipers had significantly higher levels of cadmium, mercury and selenium in Suriname than in New Jersey, while the New Jersey birds had significantly higher levels of arsenic. Suriname samples were obtained in April, after both age classes had spent the winter in Suriname, which suggests that sandpipers are accumulating higher levels of trace elements in Suriname than in Delaware Bay. The levels of selenium may be within a range of concern for adverse effects, but little is known about adverse effect levels of trace elements in the blood of wild birds.

  14. Comentarios sobre Cnemeplatiini Jacquelin du Val, 1861 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae de la península Ibérica e islas Canarias

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferrer, J.

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The taxonomy and geographic distribution of the Iberian and Canary Islands representatives of the tribe Cnemeplatiini, is established, after study of available types. Several errors in recent papers are corrected. Cnemeplatia laticeps (Wollaston, 1857 described from Madeira, is cited as new record for the isla of La Palma, Canary Islands. Cnemeplatia atropos Costa 1847 is a valid species. Cnemeplatia rufa Tournier, 1874 stat. rest. and C. mouchampsi Español 1948 stat. nov. are considered as valid species and not geographical subspecies of Cnemeplatia atropos Costa, 1847, based on morphology. The name Cnemeplatia rufa Tournier, 1874 has priority over C. atropos africana Kaszab, 1938 syn. nov. Figures of discriminatory characters to identify all European and Northwestern African described species are given.

    La composición taxonómica y distribución geográfica de los representantes de la tribu Cnemeplatiini en la Península Ibérica y Canarias, se establece tras el estudio de los tipos disponibles. Se corrigen varios errores de trabajos recientes. Cnemeplatia laticeps (Wollaston, 1857 descrita de Madeira, se cita como nuevo para la isla de La Palma, Islas Canarias. Cnemeplatia atropos Costa, 1847 es tratado como una especie válida. Cnemeplatia rufa Tournier, 1874 stat. rest. y C. mouchampsi Español 1948 stat. nov. son consideradas como especies válidas, no como subespecies geográficas de Cnemeplatia atropos Costa, 1847, en base a su morfología. El nombre Cnemeplatia rufa Tournier, 1874 tiene prioridad sobre C. atropos africana Kaszab, 1938 syn. nov. Se presentan figuras de los caracteres morfológicos discriminatorios para identificar las diferentes especies descritas de Europa y NO de África.

  15. Modification of wheat straw lignin by solid state fermentation with white-rot fungi

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dinis, M.J.; Bezerra, R.M.F.; Nunes, F.; Dias, A.A.; Guedes, C.; Ferreira, L.M.M.; Cone, J.W.; Marques, G.S.M.; Barros, A.R.N.; Rodrigues, M.A.M.

    2009-01-01

    The potential of crude enzyme extracts, obtained from solid state cultivation of four white-rot fungi (Trametes versicolor, Bjerkandera adusta, Ganoderma applanatum and Phlebia rufa), was exploited to modify wheat straw cell wall. At different fermentation times, manganese-dependent peroxidase

  16. Seasonal age differences in weight and biometrics of migratory ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Calidris alpina) caught in Eilat, Israel, before and after they accomplish the crossing of the combined ecological barrier of the Sinai, Sahara and Sahel deserts. Between 1999–2001, a total of 410 adults and 342 juveniles were banded.

  17. Do Formica species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) have a different attack mode?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mabelis, A.A.

    2003-01-01

    It is questioned whether a different degree of agressiveness of Formica species will lead to a different type of lesions of their victims and if so whether dissimilar lesions, caused by two related Formica species (Formica rufa and F polyctena), might give support to their morphological separation.

  18. Novel and cross-species microsatellite markers for parentage analysis in Sanderling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luttikhuizen, P.C.; Bol, A.; Witte, H.; van Bleijswijk, J.; Haddrath, O.; Baker, A.J.; Piersma, T.; Reneerkens, J.; Piersma, T.

    2011-01-01

    We isolated and tested six novel microsatellite loci in Sanderling (Calidris alba) from Greenland for paternity analyses. In addition, we tested 11 already published microsatellite markers which were originally developed for the congeneric species, the Pectoral Sandpiper (C. melanotos). All loci

  19. 155-IJBCS-Article-Dr Onana

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    RHUMSIKI

    Andropogon pinguipes, à Setaria pumila, et à Loudetia simplex des zones humides,. - de deux lignes pour les groupements à. Hyparrhenia rufa, à Loudetia simplex des stations mésophiles, à Brachiaria jubata, et à Loudetia togoensis,. - de trois lignes pour les groupements à. Aristida kerstingii, et à Echiochloa pyramidalis,.

  20. The potential of white-rot fungi to degrade phorbol esters of Jatropha curcas L. seed cake

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barros, de C.R.M.; Ferreira, L.M.M.; Nunes, F.M.; Bezerra, R.M.F.; Dias, A.A.; Guedes, C.; Cone, J.W.; Marques, G.S.M.; Rodrigues, M.A.M.

    2011-01-01

    The potential of solid-state cultivation, with three white-rot fungi (Bjerkandera adusta, Ganoderma resinaceum and Phlebia rufa), to decrease phorbol esters concentration of Jatropha curcas L. was evaluated in this study. Incubation was conducted in 250¿mL Erlenmeyer flasks without agitation at 28°C

  1. Prey type and foraging ecology of Sanderlings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Grond, K.; Ntiamoa-Baidu, Y.; Piersma, T.; Reneerkens, J.

    2015-01-01

    Sanderlings (Calidris alba) are long-distance migratory shorebirds with a non-breeding range that spans temperate and tropical coastal habitats. Breeding in the High Arctic combined with non-breeding seasons in the tropics necessitate long migrations, which are energetically demanding. On an annual

  2. Ecological correlates of variable organ sizes and fat loads in the most northerly-wintering shorebirds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Dekinga, Anne; Gill, R.E.; Summers, R.W.; Piersma, Theunis

    2013-01-01

    Shorebirds at northern latitudes during the nonbreeding season typically carry relatively large lipid stores and exhibit an up-regulation of lean tissues associated with digestion and thermogenesis. Intraspecific variation in these tissues across sites primarily reflects differences in environmental conditions. Rock (Calidris ptilocnemis (Coues, 1873)) and Purple (Calidris maritima (Brünnich, 1764)) sandpipers are closely related species having the most northerly nonbreeding distributions among shorebirds, living at latitudes up to 61°N in Cook Inlet, Alaska, and up to 71°N in northern Norway, respectively. Cook Inlet is the coldest known site used by nonbreeding shorebirds, and the region’s mudflats annually experience extensive coverage of foraging sites by sea and shore-fast ice. Accordingly, Rock Sandpipers increase their fat stores to nearly 20% of body mass during winter. In contrast, Purple Sandpipers exploit predictably ice-free rocky intertidal foraging sites and maintain low (food resources.

  3. Does predation danger on southward migration curtail parental investment by female western sandpipers?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jamieson, S.E.; Ydenberg, R.C.; Lank, D.B.

    2014-01-01

    Theory predicts that if extending parental care delays migratory departure, and if later migration is more dangerous, then parental care should be curtailed to make an earlier departure. Adult western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) depart Alaska in July, and the presence of peregrine falcons (Falco

  4. Do staging semipalmated sandpipers spend the high-tide period in flight over the Ocean to Avoid Falcon Attacks along Shore?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, D.; Dekker, I.; Christie, D.; Ydenberg, R.C.

    2011-01-01

    The interaction of aerial predators and migrant Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) was studied at Mary's Point in the upper Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada, during August of 2009 and 2010. Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) were locally reintroduced and increased from one active nest

  5. Raptor predation on wintering Dunlins in relation to the tidal cycle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, D.; Ydenberg, R.C.

    2004-01-01

    At Boundary Bay, British Columbia, Canada, Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) captured 94 Dunlins (Calidris alpina) in 652 hunts. The two main hunting methods were open attacks on flying Dunlins (62%) and stealth attacks on roosting or foraging Dunlins (35%). Peregrines hunted throughout the day,

  6. Mitochondrial DNA sequence evolution in shorebird populations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wenink, P.W.

    1994-01-01

    This thesis describes the global molecular population structure of two shorebird species, in particular of the dunlin, Calidris alpina, by means of comparative sequence analysis of the most variable part of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome. There are several reasons

  7. Molluscs of an intertidal soft-sediment area in China: Does overfishing explain a high density but low diversity community that benefits staging shorebirds?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hong-Yan; Chen, Bing; Piersma, Theunis; Zhang, Zhengwang; Ding, Changqing

    2016-03-01

    The Yellow Sea is a key staging ground for shorebirds that migrate from Australasia to the Arctic each spring. A lot of attention has been paid to the impact of habitat loss due to land reclamation on shorebird survival, but any effects of overfishing of coastal resources are unclear. In this study, the abundance of molluscs in the intertidal mudflats of northern Bohai Bay on the Chinese Yellow Sea was investigated in 2008-2014 from the perspective of their importance as food for northward migrating shorebirds, especially Red Knots Calidris canutus. Numerically contributing 96% to the numbers of 17 species found in spring 2008, the bivalve Potamocorbula laevis (the staple food of Red Knots and other shorebirds) dominated the intertidal mollusc community. In the spring of 2008-2014, the densities of P. laevis were surprisingly high, varying between 3900 and 41,000 individuals/m2 at distinctly small sizes (average shell lengths of 1.1 to 4.8 mm), and thus reaching some of the highest densities of marine bivalves recorded worldwide and providing good food for shorebirds. The distribution of P. laevis was associated with relatively soft sediments in close proximity to the recently built seawalls. A monthly sampling programme showed steep seasonal changes in abundance and size. P. laevis were nearly absent in winter, each year settling on the intertidal mudflats anew. Peak densities were reached in spring, when 0-age P. laevis were 1-3 mm long. The findings point to a highly unusual demographic structure of the species, suggesting that some interfering factors are at play. We hypothesise that the current dominance of young P. laevis in Bohai Bay reflects the combined pressures of a nearly complete active removal of adult populations from mid-summer to autumn for shrimp farming (this clearing of adults may offer space for recruitment during the next spring) and low numbers of epibenthic predators of bivalves, such as shrimps and crabs, due to persistent overfishing in

  8. Economic design in a long-distance migrating molluscivore: how fast-fuelling red knots in Bohai Bay, China, get away with small gizzards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hong-Yan; Chen, Bing; Ma, Zhi-Jun; Hua, Ning; van Gils, Jan A; Zhang, Zheng-Wang; Piersma, Theunis

    2013-10-01

    We carried out an observational and experimental study to decipher how resource characteristics, in interaction with the predator's phenotype, constrain a fitness-determining performance measure, i.e. refuelling in a migrant bird. Two subspecies of red knot (Calidris canutus rogersi and C. c. piersmai) use northern Bohai Bay, Yellow Sea, China, for the final prebreeding stopover, during their 10,000-15,000 km long migrations between wintering and breeding areas. Here, they feed on small bivalves, especially 2-7 mm long Potamocorbula laevis. With an average stay of 29 days, and the need to store 80 g of fat for the onward flights to high-Arctic breeding grounds, red knots need to refuel fast. Using existing knowledge, we expected them to achieve this on the basis of (1) prey with high flesh to shell mass ratios, (2) large gizzards to crush the ingested molluscs, or (3) a combination of the two. Rejecting all three predictions, we found that red knots staging in Bohai Bay had the smallest gizzards on record (4.9 ± 0.8 g, mean ± s.e.m., N = 27), and also found that prey quality of P. laevis is much lower than predicted for the measured gizzard size (i.e. 1.3 rather than the predicted 4.5 kJ g(-1) dry shell mass, DM(shell)). The estimated handling time of P. laevis (0.2 s) is much shorter than the observed time between two prey ingestions (0.7 s), indicating that prey handling time is no constraint. Based on field observations of dropping rates and on indoor digestion trails, the shell processing rate was estimated at 3.9 mg DM(shell) s(-1), i.e. three times higher the rate previously predicted for red knots eating as fast as they can with the measured gizzard size. This is explained by the small and easily crushed P. laevis enabling high processing rates. As P. laevis also occurred in high densities, the metabolizable energy intake rate of red knots with small gizzards at 5 J s(-1) was as high as at northward staging sites elsewhere in the world. Currently

  9. Dispersal for survival: some observations on the trunk ant (Formica truncorum Fabricius)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mabelis, A.A.; Korczynska, J.

    2001-01-01

    The survival chance of the trunk ant (Formica truncorum) is compared with the survival chance of two other species of red wood ants: F.rufa and F.polyctena. Nest populations of F.truncorum are much smaller than nest populations of the other red wood ant species, which makes the species a weaker

  10. Diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in wood ant (.i.Formica polyctena./i.) nest temperature in two geographically distant populations along a south-north gradient

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Frouz, Jan; Finer, L.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 54, - (2007), s. 251-259 ISSN 0020-1812 Grant - others:Academy of Finland(FI) 200870 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Source of funding: V - iné verejné zdroje Keywords : ant nests * thermoregulation * Formica rufa group Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.391, year: 2007

  11. Winter body mass and over-ocean flocking as components of danger management by Pacific dunlins

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ydenberg, R.C.; Dekker, D.; Kaiser, G.; Shepherd, P.C.F.; Ogden, L.E.; Rickards, K.; Lank, D.B.

    2010-01-01

    Background: We compared records of the body mass and roosting behavior of Pacific dunlins (Calidris alpina pacifica) wintering on the Fraser River estuary in southwest British Columbia between the 1970s and the 1990s. 'Over-ocean flocking' is a relatively safe but energetically-expensive alternative

  12. Behavioural evidence for heat-load problems in Great Knots in tropical Australia fuelling for long-distance flight

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Battley, PF; Rogers, DI; Piersma, T; Koolhaas, A; Battley, Phil F.; Rogers, Danny I.

    2003-01-01

    Migratory shorebirds that live in the tropics prior to embarking on long (> 5000 km) flights may face heat-load problems. The behaviour of a large sandpiper, the Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), was studied in Roebuck Bay, north-west Australia, from February to April 2000. We determined the

  13. Basal metabolic rate declines during long-distance migratory flight in great knots

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Battley, PF; Dekinga, A; Dietz, MW; Piersma, T; Tang, SX; Hulsman, K; Battley, Phil F.; Tang, Sixian

    2001-01-01

    Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris) make one of the longest migratory flights in the avian world, flying almost 5500 km from Australia to China during northward migration. We measured basal metabolic rate (BMR) and body composition in birds before and after this flight and found that BMR decreased

  14. Behavior and reproductive success of Rock Sandpipers breeding on the Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta, Alaska

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Johnson, Matthew; Conklin, J.R.; Johnson, Branden; McCaffery, Brian J.; Haig, Susan M.; Walters, Jeffrey R.

    2009-01-01

    We studied Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) breeding behavior and monitored reproductive success from 1998 to 2005 on the Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta, Alaska, USA. We banded 24 adults and monitored 45 nests. Annual return rate of adults ranged between 67 and 100%. Six pairs of Rock Sandpipers

  15. Small Population Size of the Pribilof Rock Sandpiper Confirmed through Distance-Sampling Surveys in Alaska

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ruthrauff, D.R.; Tibbitts, T.L.; Gill, R.E.; Dementyev, M.N.

    2012-01-01

    The Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) is endemic to the Bering Sea region and unique among shorebirds in the North Pacific for wintering at high latitudes. The nominate subspecies, the Pribilof Rock Sandpiper (C. p. ptilocnemis), breeds on four isolated islands in the Bering Sea and appears to

  16. The contribution of red wood ants to soil C and N pools and CO2 emissions in subalpine forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anita C. Risch; Martin F. Jurgensen; Martin Schutz; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese

    2005-01-01

    Little information is available regarding red wood ant (RWA; Formica rufa group) impacts on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in forest ecosystems. We found that RWA mound density (number per ha) was linked to forest tree species composition, slope aspect, and canopy closure. The size of RWA mounds was positively correlated with successional...

  17. Density, distribution and feeding strategies of roan antelope ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Fourteen plant species are used for food by H. equinus in the Park, including Andropogon gayanus, A. schirensis, A. tectorum, Hyparrhenia rufa, H. dissoluta, H. diplandra and H. cyanescens. Their percentage crude protein and fat ranged between 4.8 and 8.8, and between 4.7 and 18.9, respectively. Measures to sustain ...

  18. Occurrence of monogeneans on some cyprinid fishes from Murat ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    use

    2011-12-12

    Dec 12, 2011 ... Syrian. One of them is D. alatus. Another study is about. D. microcirrus recorded in C. trutta in the north of Iraq. (Abdullah, 2009). G. rufa is a rarely studied fish in. Euphrates system and Persian Gulf Basin. Only Gussev et al. (1993) studied this fish and recorded D. rectotrabus and D. acinacus from River Dez ...

  19. Predicting breeding shorebird distributions on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saalfeld, Sarah T.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Brown, Stephen C.; Saalfeld, David T.; Johnson, James A.; Andres, Brad A.; Bart, Jonathan R.

    2013-01-01

    The Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of Alaska is an important region for millions of migrating and nesting shorebirds. However, this region is threatened by climate change and increased human development (e.g., oil and gas production) that have the potential to greatly impact shorebird populations and breeding habitat in the near future. Because historic data on shorebird distributions in the ACP are very coarse and incomplete, we sought to develop detailed, contemporary distribution maps so that the potential impacts of climate-mediated changes and development could be ascertained. To do this, we developed and mapped habitat suitability indices for eight species of shorebirds (Black-bellied Plover [Pluvialis squatarola], American Golden-Plover [Pluvialis dominica], Semipalmated Sandpiper [Calidris pusilla], Pectoral Sandpiper [Calidris melanotos], Dunlin [Calidris alpina], Long-billed Dowitcher [Limnodromus scolopaceus], Red-necked Phalarope [Phalaropus lobatus], and Red Phalarope [Phalaropus fulicarius]) that commonly breed within the ACP of Alaska. These habitat suitability models were based on 767 plots surveyed during nine years between 1998 and 2008 (surveys were not conducted in 2003 and 2005), using single-visit rapid area searches during territory establishment and incubation (8 June, 1 July). Species specific habitat suitability indices were developed and mapped using presence-only modeling techniques (partitioned Mahalanobis distance) and landscape environmental variables. For most species, habitat suitability was greater at lower elevations (i.e., near the coast and river deltas) and lower within upland habitats. Accuracy of models was high for all species, ranging from 65 -98%. Our models predicted that the largest fraction of suitable habitat for the majority of species occurred within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, with highly suitable habitat also occurring within coastal areas of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge west to Prudhoe Bay.

  20. PRINCIPAIS PLANTAS DANINHAS QUE INFESTAM AS CULTURAS DE ALGODÃO, ARROZ, CAFÉ, MILHO, SOJA E PASTAGENS NO ESTADO DE GOIÁS MAIN WEEDS THAT INFEST COTTON, RICE, COFFEE, MAIZE, SOYBEAN, AND PASTURES IN THE GOIÁS STATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcia Regina Albertoni

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available

    No presente trabalho foi realizado o levantamento das plantas daninhas nas culturas de algodão, arroz, café, milho, soja e nas pastagens de Brachiaria decumbens, Hyparrhenia rufa, Panicum maximum e Brachiaria humidicola em 65 municípios de 12 microrregiões do Estado de Goiás, entre janeiro de 1980 e julho de 1981, num total de 275 observações para 59 espécies de plantas daninhas identificadas.

    A survey was made of weeds found in cotton, rice, corn and soybean fields and coffee plantations, and also in pastures composed of the following grasses: Brachiaria decumbens, Hyparrhenia rufa, Panicum maximum and Brachiaria humidicola. The study was carried out between January 1980 and July 1981, in a total of sixty-five counties within twelve micro-regions in the State of Goiás. Fifty-nine of known species of weeds were identified in a total of two-hundred and seventy-nine observations.

  1. Early Results of Three-Year Monitoring of Red Wood Ants’ Behavioral Changes and Their Possible Correlation with Earthquake Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berberich, Gabriele; Berberich, Martin; Grumpe, Arne; Wöhler, Christian; Schreiber, Ulrich

    2013-01-01

    Simple Summary For three years (2009–2012), two red wood ant mounds (Formica rufa-group), located at the seismically active Neuwied Basin (Eifel, Germany), have been monitored 24/7 by high-resolution cameras. Early results show that ants have a well-identifiable standard daily routine. Correlation with local seismic events suggests changes in the ants’ behavior hours before the earthquake: the nocturnal rest phase and daily activity are suppressed, and standard daily routine does not resume until the next day. At present, an automated image evaluation routine is being applied to the video streams. Based on this automated approach, a statistical analysis of the ant behavior will be carried out. Abstract Short-term earthquake predictions with an advance warning of several hours or days are currently not possible due to both incomplete understanding of the complex tectonic processes and inadequate observations. Abnormal animal behaviors before earthquakes have been reported previously, but create problems in monitoring and reliability. The situation is different with red wood ants (RWA; Formica rufa-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)). They have stationary mounds on tectonically active, gas-bearing fault systems. These faults may be potential earthquake areas. For three years (2009–2012), two red wood ant mounds (Formica rufa-group), located at the seismically active Neuwied Basin (Eifel, Germany), have been monitored 24/7 by high-resolution cameras with both a color and an infrared sensor. Early results show that ants have a well-identifiable standard daily routine. Correlation with local seismic events suggests changes in the ants’ behavior hours before the earthquake: the nocturnal rest phase and daily activity are suppressed, and standard daily routine does not resume until the next day. At present, an automated image evaluation routine is being applied to the more than 45,000 hours of video streams. Based on this automated approach, a statistical analysis of

  2. Mitochondrial DNA variation in social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitz, J; Moritz, R F

    1990-10-15

    Patterns of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) of European Vespinae were more similar within genera than between them. Distance trees were constructed that support the hypothesis of monophyly of the genera Vespula and Dolichovespula. Within the genus Vespula, V. germanica was more closely related to V. rufa than to V. vulgaris. The position of the genus Vespa remained uncertain due to the precision limits of the RFLP technique.

  3. Měkkýši navrhované PR Údolí Vrchlice u Kutné Hory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucie Juřičková

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper brings the first malacological research of the proposal nature reserve Vrchlice Valley (Central Bohemia, Czech Republic after hundred years. Altogether, 44 mollusc species have been recorded in a very diverse mosaic of floodplain forests, cliffs and meadows. Rare or locally important species Vertigo pusilla, Semilimax semilimax, Daudebardia rufa, Isognomostoma isognomostomos, Oxyloma elegans, Vitrea crystallina and Laciniaria plicata were recorded in the area of the reserve.

  4. INFLUÊNCIA DOS MATERIAIS DE COBERTURA NA TEMPERATURA INTERNA DAS CONSTRUÇÕES INFLUENCE OF COVER MATERIALS IN THE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF RURAL BUILDINGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anatoly Kravchenko

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available

    Foi testado o comportamento da temperatura interna de ambientes fechados, quando cobertos com telhas de fibrocimento, alumínio, francesas e o capim Jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa. As condições mais favoráveis foram observadas nos ambientes cobertos com o capim e, em segundo lugar, com as telhas francesas, vindo a seguir as de alumínio. As condições mais drásticas foram constatadas nos ambientes cobertos com as telhas de fibrocimento de cor vermelha (em maior grau e cinza (em menor grau, onde ocorreram as maiores amplitudes térmicas.

    Temperature changes were observed in enclosed shelters covered with different roofing materia1s. The best thermis conditions occurred in the shelters covered with thatch (Hyparrhenia rufa. The second and third best temperatures were found, respectively, in the shelters covered with clay tile roofing and aluminum roofing. The least favorable temperatures were found in shelters covered with corrugated, asbestos—cement sheet roofing, with the shelters covered with gray—tinted sheets registering lower temperatures than the shelters covered with the red—tinted sheets.

  5. New Brazilian species of Asphondyliini (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Virginia Urso-Guimarães

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Asphondylia canastrae sp. nov. (Minas Gerais, Delfinópolis, A. sanctipetri sp. nov. (São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, and Schizomyia tuiuiu sp. nov. (Mato Grosso, Cuiabá are described. A. canastrae sp. nov. is associated with Hyptis sp. (Lamiaceae, A. sanctipetri sp. nov. with Didymopanax morototoni (Araliaceae, and S. tuiuiu sp. nov. with Bauhinia rufa (Fabaceae. Illustrations of the new species and comments about their systematic position are presented.

  6. Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos: first record for Tanzania

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Brown-rumped Seedeater S. tristriatus, and suggested this was due to their stronger flight and thus ... Ibis 121: 1–7. Ash, J. and Atkins J. 2009. ... and hustling other birds, including Marsh Sandpipers Tringa stagnatilis and Ruffs. Philomachus ...

  7. Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris at Lutembe Bay, Uganda

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Unfortunately it became nervous and flew to another island and we were unable to pursue it before darkness fell. I was, however, able to take some record shots. I circulated the best of four poor photographs to a few birding colleagues for their opinion, and the general consensus favoured Red Knot rather than Great Knot.

  8. Salida de campo al Sotillo (Valladolid) el 5 de febrero de 1952

    OpenAIRE

    Valverde Gómez, José Antonio, 1926-2003

    2008-01-01

    Salida de campo al "Sotillo", en Valladolid capital, el 5 de febrero de 1952, de la que se anotaron observaciones sobre las siguientes aves: Accipiter nisus (Gavilán común, también llamado Astur palumbarius por el autor), Aegithalos caudatus (Mito), Alectoris rufa (Perdiz roja), Cettia cetti (Ruiseñor bastardo), Corvus frugilegus (Graja), Corvus monedula (Grajilla, llamada Coloeus por el autor), Cyanistes caeruleus (Herrerillo común, llamado Parus coeruleus por el autor), Emberiza cirlus (Es...

  9. Early Results of Three-Year Monitoring of Red Wood Ants’ Behavioral Changes and Their Possible Correlation with Earthquake Events

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriele Berberich

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Short-term earthquake predictions with an advance warning of several hours or days are currently not possible due to both incomplete understanding of the complex tectonic processes and inadequate observations. Abnormal animal behaviors before earthquakes have been reported previously, but create problems in monitoring and reliability. The situation is different with red wood ants (RWA; Formica rufa-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae. They have stationary mounds on tectonically active, gas-bearing fault systems. These faults may be potential earthquake areas. For three years (2009–2012, two red wood ant mounds (Formica rufa-group, located at the seismically active Neuwied Basin (Eifel, Germany, have been monitored 24/7 by high-resolution cameras with both a color and an infrared sensor. Early results show that ants have a well-identifiable standard daily routine. Correlation with local seismic events suggests changes in the ants’ behavior hours before the earthquake: the nocturnal rest phase and daily activity are suppressed, and standard daily routine does not resume until the next day. At present, an automated image evaluation routine is being applied to the more than 45,000 hours of video streams. Based on this automated approach, a statistical analysis of the ants’ behavior will be carried out. In addition, other parameters (climate, geotectonic and biological, which may influence behavior, will be included in the analysis.

  10. Action of plant proteinase inhibitors on enzymes of physiopathological importance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Luiza V. Oliva

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Obtained from leguminous seeds, various plant proteins inhibit animal proteinases, including human, and can be considered for the development of compounds with biological activity. Inhibitors from the Bowman-Birk and plant Kunitz-type family have been characterized by proteinase specificity, primary structure and reactive site. Our group mostly studies the genus Bauhinia, mainly the species bauhinioides, rufa, ungulata and variegata. In some species, more than one inhibitor was characterized, exhibiting different properties. Although proteins from this group share high structural similarity, they present differences in proteinase inhibition, explored in studies using diverse biological models.Obtidas de sementes leguminosas, várias proteínas inibem proteinases de origem animal, incluindo humanas, e podem ser consideradas para o desenvolvimento de compostos com atividade biológica. Inibidores da família Bowman-Birk e da família Kunitz vegetal tem sido caracterizados em relação a especificidade para proteinase, estrutura primária e sitio reativo. O nosso grupo majoritariamente vem estudando o gênero Bauhinia, principalmente as espécies bauhinioides, rufa, ungulatae variegata. Em algumas espécies, mais de um inibidor com propriedades diferentes foi caracterizado. Embora tais proteínas apresentem alta similaridade estrutural, diferem quanto à inibição de proteinases, e foram exploradas em estudos utilizando diversos modelos biológicos.

  11. Salida de campo a Suances (Cantabria) el 27 y 28 de agosto de 1950

    OpenAIRE

    Valverde Gómez, José Antonio, 1926-2003

    2008-01-01

    Salida de campo a Suances, Cantabria, el 27 y 28 de agosto de 1950, de la que se anotaron observaciones sobre las siguientes aves: Actitis hypoleucos (Andarríos chico, llamado Actynioides hypoleucus por el autor), Arenaria interpres (Vuelvepiedras común), Calidris sp. (Correlimos), Carduelis cannabina (Pardillo común, llamada Colorín y Acanthis cannabina por el autor), Carduelis carduelis (Jilguero), Charadrius hiaticula (Chorlitejo grande), Corvus corax (Cuervo), Falco tinnunculus (Cernícalo...

  12. Contribución al estudio del sistema de lipasas de Trichoderma harzianum

    OpenAIRE

    Jorge, Maria de Lurdes Antunes

    2015-01-01

    [ES]Entre los hongos del género Trichoderma se han descrito algunas especies importantes como agentes de biocontrol, tales como las parejas anamorfo/teleomorfo T. harzianum/Hypocrea lixii, T. viride/H. rufa, T. atroviride/H. atroviridis y T. virens/H. virens. Trichoderma tiene una amplia distribución geográfica, está presente en casi todos los suelos y en hábitats diversos (creciendo en madera, corteza, sobre y dentro otros hongos y sustratos innumerables). Por su adaptación a distintos en...

  13. EFFECTS OF FARMING SYSTEMS ON SPECIES COMPOSITION, NUTRIENT CONTENT AND DIGESTIBILTY OF FORAGES OF THE NATURAL PASTURE OF ASSOSA ZONE (WESTERN ETHIOPIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beyene Teklu

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Forage species of the natural pasture of Assosa Zone of Benshangule-Gumuz (Western Ethiopia were identified and their chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD determined. Data were collected from two farming systems (shifting cultivation: SC and permanent farming system: PFS and two grazing types (communal grazing land: CGL, riverside grazing land: RSGL. 18 grasses, 2 legumes, sedge, 2 forbs and 17 trees/shrubs were identified from the natural pasture of both farming systems. Hyparrhenia rufa had significantly lower (P

  14. Renovação de pastagem degradada de capim-gordura com a introdução de forrageiras tropicais adubadas com nitrogênio ou em consórcios Renewing the degraded Melinis minutiflora pasture by introduction of tropical forages fertilized with nitrogen or under mixture cropping system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciano de Melo Moreira

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Um experimento foi conduzido com objetivo de avaliar a produtividade e qualidade do capim-braquiária (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. cv. Basilisk e do capim-jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa (Ness Stapf. adubados com nitrogênio (N ou em consórcios com estilosantes (Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl. Swartz cv. Mineirão, introduzidos em uma pastagem degradada. Foram avaliadas duas gramíneas (capim-braquiária e capim-jaraguá, quatro doses de N (0, 50, 100 e 150 kg/ha e dois tratamentos referentes aos consórcios capim-braquiária + estilosantes e capim-jaraguá + estilosantes. Após estabelecimento das forrageiras, foram realizadas duas avaliações (colheitas. As produções de matéria seca (MS do capim-braquiária aumentaram de 1.824 para 4.604 kg/ha e de 1.019 para 2.149 kg/ha nas duas colheitas, respectivamente, quando as doses de N extremas foram comparadas, porém não houve resposta do capim-jaraguá. O teor de proteína bruta (PB do capim-braquiária elevou de 3,18 para 5,68 dag/kg apenas na primeira colheita, enquanto o capim-jaraguá apresentou incremento de 2,53 para 3,72 dag/kg e de 7,32 para 8,45 dag/kg, respectivamente, em ambas as colheitas, quando comparadas às doses extremas. Os teores de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN e fibra em detergente ácido das gramíneas não foram influenciados pela aplicação de N. Em ambas as colheitas, ao se elevarem as doses de N, houve diminuição dos teores de P nas duas gramíneas e de K no capim-braquiária. Os teores de Ca e Mg das gramíneas, em sua maioria, não foram influenciados pelo N, em ambas as colheitas. As produções médias de MS dos dois consórcios foram superiores às produções médias das duas gramíneas adubadas, com incrementos de 42,62 e 15,00% no rendimento forrageiro, na primeira e segunda colheitas, respectivamente. As forrageiras em consórcios, de forma geral, apresentaram teores de PB e Ca mais elevados e de FDN mais baixos que as gramíneas puras adubadas com N

  15. Vojnici, odlikovanja i vojno znakovlje na nadgrobnim spomenicima iz Viminacija

    OpenAIRE

    Milovanović, Bebina

    2014-01-01

    Vojnici, odlikovanja i vojna obilježja na nadgrobnim spomenicima iz Viminacija poznati su sa osam stela i jednog sarkofaga. Cijela figura vojnika prikazana na jednoj steli predstavlja osobu višeg ranga. Iz natpisa saznajemo da je spomenik napravljen u čast Gaja Kornelija Rufa, dekuriona (vijećnik) i augura (svećenik koji je imao zadatak protumačiti volju bogova promatrajući let i ponašanje ptica) iz Viminacija.Vojnik prikazan na sarkofagu je nižeg ranga. Vojna odlikovanja su prikazana u oblik...

  16. Produção enzimática de biodiesel a partir de resíduos agro-industriais usando a lipase imobilizada de origem microbiana

    OpenAIRE

    Almeida, Marta Neves Rebelo de

    2016-01-01

    Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química e Biológica O presente trabalho teve como objectivo a optimização do cultivo de várias estirpes mutantes bacterianas Pseudomonas aeruginosa da estirpe AI3(P. aeruginosa AI3), estirpe Ph3B (P. aeruginosa Ph3B) e estirpe L10 (P. aeruginosa L10) e fúngicas (Phlebia rufa (PM), Ganoderma lucidum violeta(GV), Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) e Ganoderma carnosum (G)), para a produ...

  17. Effect of sulfur levels on four tropical grasses in cerrado soils of mato grosso do sul, Brazil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carlos Casagrande, J.; Correa De Souza, O.

    1982-01-01

    A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate responses of four tropical grasses, Melinis minutiflora cv. Cabelo de Negro Hyparrhenia rufa, Brachiaria decumbens australian type and Setaria anceps cv. kazungula to five levels of sulfur (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg/ha) in two cerrado Oxisols and one Entisol. Cuttings were done at 50, 95 and 150 days after plant exposure. Besides dry matter production, visible symptoms of sulfur deficiency were observed. Greater responses were associated with sulfur rates up to 30 kg/ha. Molasses grass and brachiaria were the most responsive species.

  18. Activity and pharmacology of the venom of Proxylocopa rufa, a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The heart muscle appeared paralysed by the venom, but the lungs remained primarily unaffected. ... After the desired number of reservoirs are collected into the final droplet, all are gently torn with forceps, the venom ... peritoneal muscles in what appeared to be an attempt to move air in and out of the lungs. When these ...

  19. Heterospecific sociality of birds on beaches from southeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Cestari

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Studies on the sociality of heterospecific assemblages of birds have promoted a greater understanding of the types of interactions and survivorship between coexisting species. This study verified the group compositions in bird assemblages and analyzed the sociality of migratory and resident species on sandy beaches of southeastern Brazil. A transect was established on the median portion of beaches and all the groups of bird species (monospecific, heterospecific and solitary individuals were registered four days per month from November 2006 to April 2007. The sociality of each species was calculated by its frequency in heterospecific groups, its proportional number of contacts with other species in heterospecific groups, and the number of species that it associated with. Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla (Linnaeus, 1766 and Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, 1825 (both migratory had the highest degree of sociality and did not show a preference to associate with either residents or migratory species. Sanderling Calidris alba (Pallas, 1764 (migratory occupied the third position in the sociality rank and associated with migratory species frequently. Southern Caracara Carara plancus (Miller, 1777 and Black Vulture Coragyps atratus (Beschstein, 1793 (both resident were uniquely found among heterospecific groups with necrophagous and resident species. Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823 (resident associated more frequently with resident species. The sociality in assemblages of birds may promote advantages such as an increased collective awareness in dangerous situations and indication of sites with abundant food sources.

  20. Apristurus breviventralis, a new species of deep-water catshark (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from the Gulf of Aden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawauchi, Junro; Weigmann, Simon; Nakaya, Kazuhiro

    2014-11-03

    A new deep-water catshark of the genus Apristurus Garman, 1913 is described based on nine specimens from the Gulf of Aden in the northwestern Indian Ocean. Apristurus breviventralis sp. nov. belongs to the 'brunneus group' of the genus and is characterized by having pectoral-fin tips reaching beyond the midpoint between the paired fin bases, a much shorter pectoral-pelvic space than the anal-fin base, a low and long-based anal fin, and a first dorsal fin located behind pelvic-fin insertion. The new species most closely resembles the western Atlantic species Apristurus canutus, but is distinguishable in having greater nostril length than internarial width and longer claspers in adult males. Apristurus breviventralis sp. nov. represents the sixth species of Apristurus from the western Indian Ocean and the 38th species globally. 

  1. Insights on the Reproduction and Embryonic Development of Garra rufa (Cyprinidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica R S Gomes

    2015-11-01

    In a total of 28 postures, only 17 resulted in newly born fish. This was mostly due to fungal development around the eggs that caused the embryos to degenerate. There was a hatching success of 60%. The eggs showed no adhesive properties, being deposited on the bottom. The most prominent structures of the embryos were noticeable after: 3h - tail bud; 6h - optic primordium; 10h - heart beating; 15h - pectoral fins buds. They hatched between 24 to 48h and the larvae consumed the yolk sac in 48h.

  2. Predation in Ground-Nesting Birds: an Experimental Study Using Natural Egg-Color Variation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aurora M. Castilla

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available We tested the hypothesis that cryptically colored eggs would suffer less predation than conspicuous eggs in the ground-nesting red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa. We used A. rufa as a model species because it has a wide range of natural egg colors, the eggs are widely available from breeding farms, and nests are easily mimicked because they are scrapes containing no vegetation. The study was conducted in the spring of 2001 in forest and fallow fields of central Spain in Castilla La Mancha, Ciudad Real. We used 384 clutches of natural eggs that were white, white spotted, brown, or brown spotted. Within clutches, eggs were consistent in color and size; among clutches, color differences were distributed across habitats. Clutches were checked once after 2 wk of exposure. Cryptic coloration had a survival advantage that was dependent on the local suite of predators. Rodent predation was nonselective with respect to clutch color; however, avian predation was significantly higher for conspicuous clutches. In addition, there was an interaction of landscape and egg color for avian predation. In forest landscapes, the clutches with highest survival were brown spotted, whereas in fallow landscapes, brown and brown spotted clutches had higher survival than white and white potted clutches. Thus, both the predator suite and the landscape had significant effects on the value of cryptic egg coloration. Our study is relevant for conservationists and managers in charge of restocking programs in hunting areas. The release of other partridge species or their hybrids could result in hybridization with wild partridges, potentially leading to nonoptimal clutch pigmentation and reduced survival of the native species. We therefore recommend that local authorities, managers, and conservationists be cautious with the use of alien species and hybrids and release only autochthonous species of partridges within their natural ranges.

  3. Inorganic and organic contaminants in Alaskan shorebird eggs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saalfeld, David T; Matz, Angela C; McCaffery, Brian J; Johnson, Oscar W; Bruner, Phil; Lanctot, Richard B

    2016-05-01

    Many shorebird populations throughout North America are thought to be declining, with potential causes attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation, reduced prey availability, increased predation, human disturbance, and increased exposure to environmental pollutants. Shorebirds may be particularly vulnerable to contaminant exposure throughout their life cycle, as they forage primarily on invertebrates in wetlands, where many contaminants accumulate disproportionately in the sediments. Therefore, it is important to document and monitor shorebird populations thought to be at risk and assess the role that environmental contaminants may have on population declines. To investigate potential threats and provide baseline data on shorebird contaminant levels in Alaskan shorebirds, contaminant concentrations were evaluated in shorebird eggs from 16 species residing in seven geographic distinct regions of Alaska. Similar to previous studies, low levels of most inorganic and organic contaminants were found, although concentrations of several inorganic and organic contaminants were higher than those of previous studies. For example, elevated strontium levels were observed in several species, especially black oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) sampled in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Additionally, contaminant concentrations varied among species, with significantly higher concentrations of inorganic contaminants found in eggs of pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), black oystercatcher, and bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica). Similarly, significantly higher concentrations of some organic contaminants were found in the eggs of American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica), black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola), pacific golden plover (Pluvialis fulva), bar-tailed godwit, and semipalmated sandpiper. Despite these elevated levels, current concentrations of contaminants in shorebird eggs suggest that breeding environments are

  4. Wind effects on prey availability: How northward migrating waders use brackish and hypersaline lagoons in the sivash, Ukraine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verkuil, Yvonne; Koolhaas, Anita; Van Der Winden, Jan

    Large numbers of waders migrating northward in spring use the Sivash, a large system of shallow, brackish and hypersaline lagoons in the Black Sea and Azov Sea region (Ukraine). The bottoms of these lagoons are often uncovered by the wind. Hence, for waders the time and space available for feeding depend on wind conditions. In hypersaline lagoons the benthic and pelagic fauna was very poor, consisting mainly of chironomid larvae (0.19 g AFDM·m -2) and brine shrimps Artemia salina, respectively. Brine shrimp abundance was correlated with salinity, wind force, wind direction and water depth. Dunlin Calidris alpina and curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea were the only species feeding on brine shrimp. As brine shrimp densities are higher in deeper water, smaller waders such as broad-billed sandpipers Limicola falcinellus are too short-legged to reach exploitable densities of brine shrimp. In brackish lagoons the benthic and pelagic fauna was rich, consisting of polychaetes, bivalves, gastropods, chironomid larvae, isopods and amphipods (8.9 to 30.5 g AFDM·m -2), but there were no brine shrimps. Prey biomass increased with the distance from the coast, being highest on the site that was most frequently inundated. Dunlin, broad-billed sandpiper and grey plover Pluvialis squatarola were the most abundant birds in the brackish lagoon. Due to the effects of wind-tides only a small area was usually available as a feeding site. Gammarus insensibilis was the alternative prey resource in the water layer, and their density varied with wind direction in the same way as brine shrimp. Curlew sandpipers and dunlins in the hypersaline lagoons and broad-billed sandpipers in the brackish lagoons often changed feeding sites, probably following the variation in prey availability. Only because of the large size and variety of lagoons are waders in the Sivash always able to find good feeding sites.

  5. Changes in composition and structure of a tropical dry forest following intermittent Cattle grazing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margaret Stern

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available In northwestern Costa Rica, cattle are being used as a "management tool" to reduce the amount of combustible material, mainly dominated by Hyparrhenia rufa, an African grass. This project is being developed within Parque Nacional Palo Verde and Reserva Biológica Lomas Barbudal, both of which fonn part of the only remaining tropical dry forests in Mesoamerica. To determine the short-term effects of cattle grazing on the natural vegetation, we compared the floristic composition within Palo Verde in an area under intermittent cattle grazing with an area that has not been grazed. There were significantly fewer plant species in the area with intermittent cattle grazing compared to the area with no grazing. Floristic composition of these two habitats was different as reflected by both Fisher's alpha values and the Shannon index of diversity, both of which were significantly higher in the ungrazed site. The ungrazed area contained more plant species and was more similar to mature forest. The structure of the vegetation was significantly different between the intermittently grazed and ungrazed sites with more small stems (1-5 cm dbh and fewer large stems (>5 cm dbh in the intermittently grazed habitat. These results indicate that cattle grazing has an impact on the dry forest by reducing the relative abundance and density of larger tree species and by changing the species composition and structure of the community. The current management plan implemented in Palo Verde and Lomas Barbudal is not appropriate because of the impact that cattle have on the structure of the natural vegetation and should not be considered a viable alternative in other protected areas of dry forest in the Neotropics. We suggest that alternative fire prevention measures be evaluated including hand-cutting H. rufa, the creation of more frequent and larger fire breaks, and the development of green breaks.En el noroeste de Costa Rica se utiliza ganado como una "herramienta de

  6. Efeito inibidor dos extratos hidroalcóolicos de coberturas mortas sobre a germinação de sementes de cenoura e alface Inhibitory effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of five plant species used as mulches on germination of lettuce and carrot seeds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cláudio L. M. de Souza

    1999-08-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi obter a prospecção fitoquímica e avaliar o efeito inibitório dos extratos hidroalcóolicos de capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora, capim-jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa, capim-colonião (Panicum maximum, mucuna (Mucuna aterrima e serrapilheira de bambu (Bambuza spp., sobre a germinação de sementes de alface e cenoura. O teste de germinação foi conduzido sobre papel umedecido com extrato das espécies citadas diluídos em 25, 50, 75 e 100 % (v/v, e água destilada. Avaliou-se a porcentagem de final e o índice de velocidade de germinação. O índice de velocidade de germinação e a porcentagem de germinação de sementes de cenoura e alface, reduziram significativamente nas diluições de 50 a 100 % (v/v em relação as demais diluições e ao controle. O extrato de mucuna apresentou significativamente maior efeito inibidor em comparação com os demais extratos testados, principalmente sobre a germinação de sementes de alface. A prospecção fitoquímica indicou a presença de classes de substâncias com potencial alelopático.Studies were undertaken to evaluate the inhibitory activity of hydroalcoholic extracts from dry mass of plant species used as mulches: Melinis minutiflora, Hyparrhenia rufa, Panicum maximum, Mucuna aterrima and bamboo leaves (Bambuza spp.. The inhibitory activity was measured on germination tests of lettuce and carrot seeds. Five extract concentrations of each species were used: 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % (v/v. The rate of speed germination and percentage of germination of both species decreased significatly in function of the extract concentrations in the range from 50 to 100 % (v/v. Mucuna aterrima extract was significatly more inibitory than the other extracts, mainly for lettuce seeds. Bioassays with extracts showed the presence of several groups of alleopathic compounds.

  7. Avaliação de fontes de amônia para o tratamento de fenos de gramíneas tropicais. 2. Compostos nitrogenados Evaluation of ammonia sources to tropical grasses hays treatment. 2. Nitrogen compounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Andrade Reis

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available Este estudo foi desenvolvido para se avaliarem as alterações nos conteúdos de compostos nitrogenados dos fenos de braquiária decumbens (Brachiaria decumbnes Stapf e jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa Ness Stapf não-tratados, tratados com uréia (U - 5,4% da MS, uréia (UL - 5,4% da MS mais labe-labe (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet, cv. Highworth-3,0% da MS ou amônia anidra (NH3 -3,0% da MS. A aplicação de amônia anidra ou de uréia aumentou os teores de N total, N insolúvel em detergente neutro, N insolúvel em detergente ácido, N não-protéico e N amoniacal. A amonização diminuiu as relações N insolúvel em detergente neutro/N total e N insolúvel em detergente ácido/N total e aumentou as relações N não-protéico/N total, N amoniacal/N total e os teores de PB. O N aplicado foi retido, principalmente, nas formas de NNP e N amoniacal.The experiment was conducted to evaluate the changes on the nitrogen compounds of the Brachiaria decumbens Stapf, jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa Ness Stapf grasses hay, untreated, treated with urea (5.4% DM, urea plus lab-lab (UL-5.4% DM plus Lablab purpureus L. Sweet, cv. Highworth-3.0% DM and anhydrous ammonia (NH3 - 3.0% DM. The chemical treatment with urea or NH3 increased the total N, neutral detergent insoluble N 9NDIN, acid detergent insoluble N (ADIN, non nitrogen protein (NNP, and the ammonical nitrogen (AN contents. Ammoniation decreased the NDIN/TN and ADIN/TN ratios. The chemical treatment increased the NNP/TN and NA/TN ratios, and the crude protein contents. The N applied as urea or NH3 was retained as NNP and in the ammoniacal form.

  8. Outbreak of Eimeria kofoidi and E. legionensis coccidiosis in redlegged partridges (Alectoris rufa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pier Giorgio Bolognesi

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available An outbreak of coccidiosis occurred in red-legged partridges is reported. At the post-mortem examination the birds showed a mucous haemorrhagic enteritis, mostly in the duodenal intestinal tract. Direct microscopic examination of intestinal content revealed the presence of a high number of oocysts. After incubation, on the basis of the morphological features, two species of coccidia were identified: Eimeria kofoidi and E. legionensis.

  9. Pathology of avian pox in wild red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gortázar, C; Millán, J; Höfle, U; Buenestado, F J; Villafuerte, R; Kaleta, E F

    2002-10-01

    The diagnosis and pathology of an avian pox outbreak in free-living red-legged partridges in Cádiz, Southern Spain, is described. Diagnosis of the disease was based on histopathology, ultrastructural examination of, and virus isolation from lesions of necropsied animals. Lesions were present mainly in juvenile partridges (41%), and were observed primarily on the dorsal part of the digits or on the hock joint. The lesions ranged from small wartlike nodules to large tumor-like lesions. The presence of acute lesions of any grade as opposed to absence of lesions or healed lesions adversely affected body condition of the partridges (P <.01). Further investigations on the epidemiology of the disease and on the relation of the isolated strains to other avian poxviruses are under way.

  10. Reproductive potential and nesting effects of Osmia rufa (Syn. Bicornis) female (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Giejdasz, K.; Fliszkiewicz, M.; Bednářová, Andrea; Krishnan, N.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 60, č. 1 (2016), s. 75-85 ISSN 1643-4439 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : megachilidae * reproduction * nest Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 0.722, year: 2016 https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/jas.2016.60.issue-1/jas-2016-0003/jas-2016-0003.xml

  11. How the food supply harvestable by waders in the Wadden Sea depends on the variation in energy density, body weight, biomass, burying depth and behaviour of tidal-flat invertebrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwarts, Leo; Wanink, Jan H.

    For several reasons, waders in the Wadden Sea face a large seasonal and annual variation in their food supply. Observations on a tidal flat in the Dutch Wadden Sea have shown that: - (1) The average energy density of ten invertebrate prey species varies between 21 and 23 kJ·g -1 AFDW. In Scrobicularia plana and Mya arenaria, but not in Macoma balthica, the energy density is 10% lower in winter than in summer. - (2) Depending on the species, body weights of prey of similar size are 30 to 60% lower in winter than in summer. - (3) The year-to-year fluctuation in standing-crop biomass is larger in some species than in others, the difference depending mainly on the frequency of successful recruitment. The overall biomass of the macrobenthos in winter is half of that in summer, but the timing of the peak biomass differs per species. - (4) The burying depth varies per species: Cerastoderma edule live just beneath the surface, while M. balthica, S. plana, M. arenaria, Arenicola marina and Nereis diversicolor bury more deeply and the majority of these prey live out of reach of the bird's bill. In all six species, burying depth increases with size. There is no seasonal variation in depth of C. edule and M. arenaria, but the four other species live at most shallow depth in early summer and most deeply in midwinter. Burying depths in winter vary from year to year, but are unrelated to temperature. Neither has temperature any effect on depth within months. For knot Calidris canutus feeding on M. balthica, the fluctuation in the accessible fraction was the main source of variation in the biomass of prey that is actually harvestable, i.e. the biomass of prey of suitable size that is accessible. Accordingly, the paper reviews the available data on the temporal variations in accessibility, detectability, ingestibility, digestibility and profitability of prey for waders. Only a small part of the prey is harvestable since many accessible prey are ignored because of their low

  12. Influence of age and sex on winter site fidelity of sanderlings Calidris alba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro M. Lourenço

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Many migratory bird species show high levels of site fidelity to their wintering sites, which confers advantages due to prior knowledge, but may also limit the ability of the individual to move away from degrading sites or to detect alternative foraging opportunities. Winter site fidelity often varies among age groups, but sexual differences have seldom been recorded in birds. We studied a population of individually colour-marked sanderlings wintering in and around the Tejo estuary, a large estuarine wetland on the western coast of Portugal. For 160 individuals, sighted a total of 1,249 times between November 2009 and March 2013, we calculated the probability that they moved among five distinct wintering sites and how this probability is affected by distance between them. To compare site fidelity among age classes and sexes, as well as within the same winter and over multiple winters, we used a Site Fidelity Index (SFI. Birds were sexed using a discriminant function based on biometrics of a large set of molecularly sexed sanderlings (n = 990. The vast majority of birds were observed at one site only, and the probability of the few detected movements between sites was negatively correlated with the distance among each pair of sites. Hardly any movements were recorded over more than 15 km, suggesting small home ranges. SFI values indicated that juveniles were less site-faithful than adults which may reflect the accumulated knowledge and/or dominance of older animals. Among adults, females were significantly less site faithful than males. A sexual difference in winter site fidelity is unusual in shorebirds. SFI values show site-faithfulness is lower when multiple winters were considered, and most birds seem to chose a wintering site early in the season and use that site throughout the winter. Sanderlings show a very limited tendency to explore alternative wintering options, which might have implications for their survival when facing habitat change or loss (e.g., like severe beach erosion as can be the case at one of the study sites.

  13. Use of aquaculture ponds and other habitats by autumn migrating shorebirds along the lower Mississippi river.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehnen, Sarah E; Krementz, David G

    2013-08-01

    Populations of many shorebird species are declining; habitat loss and degradation are among the leading causes for these declines. Shorebirds use a variety of habitats along interior migratory routes including managed moist soil units, natural wetlands, sandbars, and agricultural lands such as harvested rice fields. Less well known is shorebird use of freshwater aquaculture facilities, such as commercial cat- and crayfish ponds. We compared shorebird habitat use at drained aquaculture ponds, moist soil units, agricultural areas, sandbars and other natural habitat, and a sewage treatment facility in the in the lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMAV) during autumn 2009. Six species: Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla), Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous), Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), Pectoral Sandpiper (C. melanotos), Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus himantopus), and Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), accounted for 92 % of the 31,165 individuals observed. Sewage settling lagoons (83.4, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 25.3-141.5 birds/ha), drained aquaculture ponds (33.5, 95 % CI 22.4-44.6 birds/ha), and managed moist soil units on public lands (15.7, CI 11.2-20.3 birds/ha) had the highest estimated densities of shorebirds. The estimated 1,100 ha of drained aquaculture ponds available during autumn 2009 provided over half of the estimated requirement of 2,000 ha by the LMAV Joint Venture working group. However, because of the decline in the aquaculture industry, autumn shorebird habitats in the LMAV may be limited in the near future. Recognition of the current aquaculture habitat trends will be important to the future management activities of federal and state agencies. Should these aquaculture habitat trends continue, there may be a need for wildlife biologists to investigate other habitats that can be managed to offset the current and expected loss of aquaculture acreages. This study illustrates the potential for freshwater aquaculture to

  14. HIPOFOSFOROSE EM BOVINOS NO MUNICÍPIO DE CONTAGEM – MINAS GERAIS HYPOPHOSPHOROSIS IN BOVINES IN THE CONTAGEM MUNICIPALITY - MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edalmo Souza Couto

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available

    Foram estudados casos de hipofosforose em bovino do município de Contagem, Estado de Minas Gerais, explorados na produção de leite. Realizou-se as dosagens de cálcio e fósforo séricos em seis animais doentes, antes e 21 dias após iniciado o tratamento com Phos-20 e farinha de osso à vontade no cocho. Foram feitas as determinações de cálcio e fósforo no solo e no capim jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa dos pastos nas duas fazendas. Fez-se no lote 1 o tratamento parenteral com Phos-20, na dose diária de 10 ml por 100 quilos de peso animal durante 10 dias e farinha de osso à vontade, no cocho com sal comum ao lado. Ao segundo lote, durante 10 dias, administrou-se 1 mg de sulfato de cobalto, "per os" em 20 ml de água, diariamente por animal e sal comum à vontade; posteriormente, em face do resultado negativo para o cobalto, continuou-se com o tratamento do primeiro lote, apresentando melhora muito acentuada no quadro clínico; o terceiro lote, sem tratamento por igual período. Posteriormente, o tratamento com farinha de osso, sal comum e Phos-20 restabelecendo parcialmente no espaço de algum tempo, persistindo, como seqüela, a esterilidade. Nos bovinos do primeiro lote, após a primeira semana de tratamento com Phos-20 e farinha de osso, verificou-se a remissão dos sintomas. Em todos animais tratados com fontes de fósforos, a fosfatemia se restabeleceu a níveis normais, quando se generalizou o uso da farinha de osso e sal comum à vontade na alimentação. Verificou-se estreita correlação entre os níveis séricos de fósforo animal com teor deste elemento no solo e no capim jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa, caracterizado por um limite crítico de deficiência. O diagnóstico de hipofosforose baseou-se na análise dos dados clínicos: anamnese, sintomas, níveis séricos de fósforo dos bovinos, exame histopatológico do tecido ósseo e teores de fósforo na forrageira e no

  15. Caracterização fitofisionômica e levantamento florístico preliminar no Pantanal dos Rios Mortes-Araguaia, Cocalinho, Mato Grosso, Brasil Vegetation types and preliminary floristic survey in the Mortes-Araguaia Pantanal, Cocalinho, Mato Grosso, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beatriz Schwantes Marimon

    2001-08-01

    Full Text Available O presente estudo realizou-se no Pantanal dos Rios Mortes-Araguaia, extensa planície inundável localizada no municípo de Cocalinho, nordeste de Mato Grosso, Brasil. Efetuou-se uma caracterização fitofisionômica e um levantamento florístico preliminar da região. Foram selecionados três Sítios, com fitofisionomias representativas: proximidades do Rio das Mortes (12° 37'S; 50° 55'W, foz do Rio das Mortes com o Araguaia (11° 54'S; 50° 48'W e porção mediana do Rio Cristalino (12° 52'S; 50° 49'W. O método de amostragem adotado foi o de levantamentos rápidos. Foram identificadas oito fitofisionomias: Mata Inundável, Caapão, Babaçual, Cerradão, Cerrado stricto sensu, Campo de Murunduns, Campo de Byrsonima orbignyana e Campo Cerrado de Vochysia rufa. Foram levantadas 248 espécies de árvores, arbustos, sub-arbustos e lianas, distribuídas em 158 gêneros e 62 famílias. As fitofisionomias apresentaram um padrão heterogêneo, sendo que nenhuma das espécies ocorreu em todas elas. Porém, Alibertia edulis (L. Rich. A. Rich., Andira cuyabensis Benth., Maprounea guianensis (Aubl. M. Arg., entre outras, ocorreram em seis das oito fitofisionomias. As famílias com maior riqueza foram: Caesalpiniaceae, Annonaceae e Myrtaceae. Ocorreram algumas semelhanças florísticas com o Pantanal do Rio Paraguai, porém, são necessários estudos mais aprofundados para confirmar. Os padrões de heterogeneidade fitofisionômica indicam que a área estudada necessita de medidas conservacionistas.This study was carried out in the Pantanal of the Mortes and Araguaia rivers, a flooded plain located in Cocalinho, northeastern Mato Grosso, Brazil. The objectives of this study were to conduct a preliminary survey of the flora and to characterize the vegetation types. Three representative sites were selected: one near Rio das Mortes (12° 37'S; 50° 55'W, one at the mouth of Araguaia and Mortes rivers (11° 54'S; 50° 48'W and one in the middle portion of

  16. How do Purple Sandpipers Calidris maritima survive the winter north of the Arctic circle?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Summers, R.W.; Piersma, T.; Strann, K.B.; Wiersma, P.

    1998-01-01

    Winter north of the Arctic circle in northern Norway is colder, windier and there is less solar radiation than in eastern Scotland, at a latitude 13 degrees further south. We predicted from equations derived from heated taxidermic mounts that the maintenance metabolism (Basal Metabolic Rate plus

  17. Composição química e digestibilidade de fenos tratados com amônia anidra ou uréia Chemical composition and digestibility of the ammoniated hays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Andrade Reis

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available O experimento foi conduzido para se avaliarem as alterações na composição química e na digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS dos fenos de Brachiaria decumbens Stapf, Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst ex. A. Rich Stapf e jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa Ness Stapf, colhidos no estádio de maturação das sementes e tratados com amônia anidra (3,0% MS ou uréia (5,4% MS. A análise dos dados demonstra que a amonização diminuiu os conteúdos de FDN e hemicelulose com a mesma eficiência. Os tratamentos químicos não alteraram os teores de FDA, celulose e lignina. Observou-se aumento nos teores de compostos nitrogenados, como N total e N insolúvel em detergente ácido (NIDA em resposta à amonização. A relação NIDA/NT diminuiu com a amonização, aumentando a quantidade de N disponível para a digestão. A DIVMS aumentou em resposta às alterações observadas na composição química da fração fibrosa e incremento no conteúdo de N prontamente digestível dos fenos tratados.The experiment was conducted to evaluate the changes on the chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD of the Brachiaria decumbens Stapf, Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst ex. A. Rich Stapf, jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa Ness Stapf hays, harvested following the seed ripening stage and treated with anhydrous ammonia (3.0% DM or urea (5.4% DM. The data showed that anhydrous ammonia and urea decreased NDF and hemicellulose contents with the same efficiency. The treatments did not change ADF, cellulose, and lignin contents. It was observed an increase in the nitrogen as compounds, TN and ADIN due to the ammoniation. The ADIN/TN ratio was reduced due to the ammoniation. The IVDMD increased due to the changes observed in the chemical composition of the fiber, and the increase of the readily digestible nitrogen of the hays.

  18. Hematologic and plasma biochemical reference values in Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samour, Jaime; Naldo, Jesus; Rahman, Habeeb; Sakkir, Mohammed

    2010-06-01

    Blood samples were collected from captive, adult, clinically normal Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) for hematologic and plasma biochemical analyses. Hematologic parameters investigated were total red blood cell count, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, fibrinogen, mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, total white blood cell count, differential white blood cell count, and thrombocyte count. Plasma biochemical parameters investigated were alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, aspartate aminotransferase, bile acids, total bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, calcium, cholesterol, creatinine, creatine kinase, gamma glutamyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, iron, phosphorus, and uric acid, as well as plasma protein electrophoresis. Results were compared with values from studies done in houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata), kori bustards (Ardeotis kori), stone curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus), and taxonomically related species, including ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus), red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa), Kashmir native fowl (Kashmirfavorella), and Bangladesh native, Fayoumi, and Assil fowl (Gallus domesticus).

  19. Survey of the mineral status of pastures and small ruminants in the West Region of Cameroon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Njwe, RM.

    1988-01-01

    Full Text Available Four dominant grass species (Hyparrhenia rufa, Melinis minutiflora, Pennisetum purpureum and Sporobolus africanus of natural pastures of the West Region of Cameroon were sampled at 60 sites between September and November of 1985. The grass samples were analysed for calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron, mangenese, copper and zinc. Serum was also collected from goats and sheep at the same locations where forages were sampled and analysed for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and copper. Results showed that P, Mg, A/a, Zn and Cu in forages were generally below the critical level stipulated to satisfy the requirements of grazing livestock in the tropics. Calcium was inadequate in the sera of goats and sheep where as P, Mg, Zn and Cu were adequate. Use of salt licks to supplement intake of mineral elements from grasses by goats and sheep is necessary in the region.

  20. New species of Bacuma Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae) from Kenya and West Darfur with a key to species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quicke, Donald L J; Guy, Travis J; Noort, Simon VAN; Broad, Gavin R; Butcher, Buntika A

    2017-05-08

    Three new species of the Afrotropical braconine wasp genus Bacuma are described, and biological observations (nectar feeding) by one of them are noted. The new species are: B. kayserae Quicke & Butcher sp. nov. from Kenya, B. madiensis Quicke & Butcher sp. nov. from Uganda and B. darfurensis Quicke & Butcher sp. nov. from Sudan. A group of four large nominal species with red metasomas and finely sculptured tergites (B. granulatus, B. maculipennis, B. rufa and B. whitei) may represent a single widespread species or a pair of species separated by mesoscutum colour, or four separate but morphologically very similar species. However, given the small number of specimens available for study and the poor condition of some of these, including the types, they are not formally synonymised here. A partial key to the species of Bacuma is presented, which recognizes those species that are clearly distinct, including three new species. Interactive Lucid dichotomous and matrix keys are available on www.waspweb.org.

  1. Fire effects on the Point Reyes Mountain Beaver at Point Reyes National Seashore, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fellers, Gary M.; Pratt, David; Griffin, Jennifer L.

    2004-01-01

    In October 1995, a wildlands fire burned 5,000 ha on the Point Reyes peninsula, California, USA. In most of the nonforested areas, the fire effectively cleared the ground of litter and vegetation and revealed thousands of Point Reyes mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa phaea) burrow openings. In the first 6 months after the fire, we surveyed burned coastal scrub and riparian habitat to (1) count the number of burrow openings that existed at the time of the fire, and (2) evaluate whether signs of post-fire mountain beaver activity were evident. We estimated that only 0.4–1.7% of mountain beavers within the burn area survived the fire and immediate post-fire period. We monitored mountain beaver activity for 5 years at 8 sites where mountain beavers survived, and found little or no recovery. We estimate that the mountain beaver population will take 15–20 years post-fire to recover.

  2. Arctic-nesting birds find physiological relief in the face of trophic constraints.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKinnon, Laura; Nol, Erica; Juillet, Cédric

    2013-01-01

    A climate-induced phenological mismatch between the timing of reproduction and the timing of food resource peaks is one of the key hypothesized effects of climate change on wildlife. Though supported as a mechanism of population decline in birds, few studies have investigated whether the same temperature increases that drive this mismatch have the potential to decrease energetic costs of growth and compensate for the potential negative effects of reduced food availability. We generated independent indices of climate and resource availability and quantified their effects on growth of Dunlin (Calidris alpina) chicks, in the sub-arctic tundra of Churchill, Manitoba during the summers of 2010-2011 and found that when resource availability was below average, above average growth could be maintained in the presence of increasing temperatures. These results provide evidence that chicks may find physiological relief from the trophic constraints hypothesized by climate change studies.

  3. Bayesian analysis of Jolly-Seber type models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matechou, Eleni; Nicholls, Geoff K.; Morgan, Byron J. T.; Collazo, Jaime A.; Lyons, James E.

    2016-01-01

    We propose the use of finite mixtures of continuous distributions in modelling the process by which new individuals, that arrive in groups, become part of a wildlife population. We demonstrate this approach using a data set of migrating semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pussila) for which we extend existing stopover models to allow for individuals to have different behaviour in terms of their stopover duration at the site. We demonstrate the use of reversible jump MCMC methods to derive posterior distributions for the model parameters and the models, simultaneously. The algorithm moves between models with different numbers of arrival groups as well as between models with different numbers of behavioural groups. The approach is shown to provide new ecological insights about the stopover behaviour of semipalmated sandpipers but is generally applicable to any population in which animals arrive in groups and potentially exhibit heterogeneity in terms of one or more other processes.

  4. Trends of some wintering waterbirds in Lazio (1993-2006

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Massimo Brunelli

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Since the 90s, censuses of wintering waterfowl have been carried out in the main wetlands of Lazio. We analysed the trends of 31 species in the 1993-2006 period (base year 1993 by means of TRIM (Trends and Indices Monitoring data software (Model 3. Among the species regularly recorded in the region, Ardea alba, Ardea cinerea, Bubulcus ibis and Anser anser showed a strong increase; Podiceps cristatus, Nycticorax nycticorax, Egretta garzetta, Phoenicopterus ruber, Anas penelope, Anas strepera, Anas crecca, Anas platyrhynchos, Anas clypeata, Netta rufina, Aythya ferina, Aythya nyroca, Circus aeruginosus, Fulica atra, Pluvialis apricaria and Vanellus vanellus showed a moderate increase; Gavia arctica, Tachybaptus ruficollis, Podiceps nigricollis, Phalacrocorax carbo, Aythya fuligula and Numenius arquata resulted “stable”; Botaurus stellaris, Tadorna tadorna, Anas acuta, Pluvialis squatarola and Calidris alpina showed an uncertain trend. The trends for most species are similar to those recorded at a national level.

  5. Do Uniparental Sanderlings Calidris alba Increase Egg Heat Input to Compensate for Low Nest Attentiveness?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reneerkens, J.; Grond, K.; Schekkerman, H.; Tulp, I.Y.M.; Piersma, Th.

    2011-01-01

    Birds breeding in cold environments regularly have to interrupt incubation to forage, causing a trade-off between two mutually exclusive behaviours. Earlier studies showed that uniparental Arctic sandpipers overall spend less time incubating their eggs than biparental species, but interspecific

  6. Characterization of tropical forage grass development pattern through the morphogenetic and structural characteristics Caracterização do padrão de desenvolvimento de gramíneas forrageiras tropicais por meio das características morfogênicas e estruturais

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlindo Santos Rodrigues

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available An experiment was carried out with the objective to evaluate growth pattern of tropical forage grass under free growth by using morphogenetic and structural characteristics with the expectation of using this study for forage grass evaluation protocol. The experimental area was established with two cultivars of Panicum maximum Jacq. (Mombaca and Aruana, a hybrid cultivar of P. maximum Jacq. and P. Infestum BRA-7102 (Massai, two cultivars of Brachiaria brizantha (A. Rich. Stapf (Marandu and Xaraes and Molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv. and jaragua grass (Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees Stapf.. The grasses were planted in 1.0-m² experimental units with 24 plants arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replications. Growth pattern of the grasses was evaluated through mass development, tiller mortality, development stage and leaf longevity. Development patterns differed significantly among groups of grasses, indicating that the same available resources can be used in different manners by grasses from the same genus and/or species.Um experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar o padrão de desenvolvimento de gramíneas forrageiras tropicais em crescimento livre por meio das características morfogênicas e estruturais, com expectativa de uso desse estudo no protocolo de avaliação de gramíneas forrageiras. A área experimental foi estabelecida com dois cultivares de Panicum maximum Jacq. (Mombaça e Aruana, um cultivar híbrido de P. maximum Jacq. e P. infestum BRA-7102 (Massai, dois cultivares de Brachiaria brizantha (A. Rich. Stapf (Marandu e Xaraés e com os capins gordura (Melinis minutiflora Beauv. e jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees Stapf.. As gramíneas foram plantadas em unidades experimentais de 1,0 m² com 24 plantas arranjadas em delineamento de blocos completos casualizados com três repetições. O padrão de desenvolvimento das gramíneas foi avaliado por meio do desenvolvimento de massa, da mortalidade de

  7. Avaliação de fontes de amônia para o tratamento de fenos de gramíneas tropicais. 1. Constituintes da parede celular, poder tampão e atividade ureática Evaluation of ammonia sources to tropical grasses hays treatment. 1. Cell wall contents, buffer capacity and urease activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Andrade Reis

    2001-06-01

    Full Text Available Avaliaram-se as alterações da fração fibrosa e as características químicas dos fenos de braquiária decumbens (Brachiaria decumbnes Stapf e jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa Ness Stapf não-tratados, tratados com uréia (U-5,4% da MS, uréia (UL-5,4% da MS mais labe-labe (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet, cv. Highworth-3,0% da MS ou amônia anidra (NH3 -3,0% da MS. O tratamento químico com uréia ou NH3 aumentou o pH e a digestibilidade in vitro verdadeira dos fenos. A amonização não alterou os teores de fibra em detergente ácido e celulose, mas diminuiu os de fibra em detergente neutro, hemicelulose e lignina. O uso do labe-labe como fonte adicional de urease não aumentou a eficiência da uréia no tratamento dos volumosos. As avaliações do conteúdo de umidade, do poder tampão e da atividade ureática são técnicas que podem auxiliar na previsão das respostas dos volumosos à amonização com o uso de uréia.The experiment was conducted to evaluate the changes on the chemical composition and the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD of the Brachiaria decumbens Stapf, jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa Ness Stapf hays, untreated, treated with urea (5.4% DM, urea (UL-5.4% DM and lab lab (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet, cv. Highworth-3.0% DM; and anhydrous ammonia (NH3 3.0% DM. The chemical treatment increased the pH and the in vitro digestibility of the hays Ammoniation did not affect ADF and cellulose contents. The NDF, hemicellulose and lignin contents decreased due to ammoniation with NH3. The urea utilization had the same efficiency that anhydrous ammonia on the hemicellulose content of the hays. The use of an external source of urease did not affect the urea treatment efficiency. The evaluation of the chemical characteristics of the forages, as the dry matter content, buffering capacity, and urease activity can be helpful on the prediction of their responses to the ammoniation.

  8. Trapped in the extinction vortex? Strong genetic effects in a declining vertebrate population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larsson Mikael

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity are expected to increase the extinction risk of small populations, but detailed tests in natural populations are scarce. We combine long-term population and fitness data with those from two types of molecular markers to examine the role of genetic effects in a declining metapopulation of southern dunlins Calidris alpina schinzii, an endangered shorebird. Results The decline is associated with increased pairings between related individuals, including close inbreeding (as revealed by both field observations of parentage and molecular markers. Furthermore, reduced genetic diversity seems to affect individual fitness at several life stages. Higher genetic similarity between mates correlates negatively with the pair's hatching success. Moreover, offspring produced by related parents are more homozygous and suffer from increased mortality during embryonic development and possibly also after hatching. Conclusions Our results demonstrate strong genetic effects in a rapidly declining population, emphasizing the importance of genetic factors for the persistence of small populations.

  9. An inconspicuous, conspicuous new species of Asian pipesnake, genus Cylindrophis (Reptilia: Squamata: Cylindrophiidae), from the south coast of Jawa Tengah, Java, Indonesia, and an overview of the tangled taxonomic history of C. ruffus (Laurenti, 1768).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kieckbusch, Max; Mecke, Sven; Hartmann, Lukas; Ehrmantraut, Lisa; O'shea, Mark; Kaiser, Hinrich

    2016-03-20

    We describe a new species of Cylindrophis currently known only from Grabag, Purworejo Regency, Jawa Tengah Pro-vince (Central Java), Java, Indonesia. Cylindrophis subocularis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by the presence of a single, eponymous subocular scale between the 3rd and 4th or 4th and 5th supralabial, preventing contact between the 4th or 5th supralabial and the orbit, and by having the prefrontal in narrow contact with or separated from the orbit. We preface our description with a detailed account of the tangled taxonomic history of the similar and putatively wide-ranging species C. ruffus, which leads us to (1) remove the name Scytale scheuchzeri from the synonymy of C. ruffus, (2) list the taxon C. rufa var. javanica as species inquirenda, and (3) synonymize C. mirzae with C. ruffus. We provide additional evidence to confirm that the type locality of C. ruffus is Java. Cylindrophis subocularis sp. nov. is the second species of Asian pipesnake from Java.

  10. Possible Threat for Middle East Inland Water: an Exotic and Invasive Species, Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (Weber, 1991 in Asi River, Turkey (Pisces: Loricariidae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Şükran Yalçın Özdilek

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Ortadoğu iç suları için muhtemel tehdit: Asi Nehri’nde egzotik ve işgalci bir tür Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (Weber, 1991 (Pisces: Loricariidae. Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus bireyleri Güney Amerika kökenli olup, bu egzotik ve işgalci türü bireyleri Kuzey Amerika ve Uzakdoğu ülkelerine dağılmışlardır. Orta Doğu’da yer alan Asi Nehri’nin Türkiye sınırları dahilinde daha önce kayıtlarda bulunmayan bir P. disjunctivus bireyi yakalanmıştır. P. disjunctivus Asi Nehri’nde potansiyel olarak işgalci bir tür olabilir. Eğer bu türün bireyleri Asi Nehri’ne yayılırsa, buradaki türlerden Garra rufa üyeleri muhtemelen ilk etkilenen doğal türlerden olacaktır. Çünkü P. disjunctivus ile aynı trofik düzeyde yer almaktadırlar

  11. 78 FR 60023 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Threatened Status for the Rufa Red Knot...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-30

    ... mortality levels from disease, harmful algal blooms, contaminants, oil spills, wind turbines), their... range; and increasing frequency and severity of asynchronies (``mismatches'') in the timing of the birds..., morphological, chemical, geolocator, telemetry, survey (e.g., resightings of marked birds), or other data that...

  12. Estabilidade da sílica biogênica extraída de capim Jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa em solução de NaOH Stability of biogenic silica extract of Jaraguá grass (Hyparrhenia rufa in NaOH solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liovando M. Costa

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Biogenic silica is used to describe compounds of hydrated silica (SiO2.nH2O, with specific shapes and sizes, deposited in plants. The chemical composition of biogenic silica and its stability in Jaraguá grass was studied in increasing concentration of NaOH. The analytical results demonstrated high concentration of Si, Al, Fe, Mg, P and low of Cu, Cd and Zn in the phytoliths composition. The silica bodies stability in NaOH solution with increasing concentration was different among the shapes and sizes. Silicified stomata and silicified plant tissues were dissolved along with the dumbbells because they are the less stable forms of biogenic silica.

  13. Desempenho de seis gramíneas solteiras ou consorciadas com o Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão e eucalipto em sistema silvipastoril Performance of six tropical grasses alone or associated with Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão and eucalypt in silvopastoral system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Mauricio Soares de Andrade

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Conduziu-se este estudo na região dos Cerrados de Minas Gerais, visando avaliar o desempenho de seis gramíneas forrageiras (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, B. brizantha cv. MG-4, B. decumbens cv. Basilisk, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça, Melinis minutiflora e Hyparrhenia rufa, consorciadas ou não com a leguminosa Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão e Eucalyptus sp., em um sistema silvipastoril. As forrageiras foram estabelecidas em parcelas medindo 12 x 10 m, nas entrelinhas do eucalipto, em um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições, e avaliadas quanto ao grau de cobertura do solo, % de leguminosa e disponibilidade de matéria seca total no sub-bosque, um ano após o estabelecimento, submetidas a pastejos de curta duração. Após dois ciclos de pastejo, houve redução da proporção da leguminosa no consórcio com todas as gramíneas, sendo mais evidente com as mais agressivas (B. brizantha cv. Marandu e B. decumbens, onde ela quase desapareceu. Entretanto, a presença do estilosantes Mineirão favoreceu a produtividade do sub-bosque, quando consorciado com as demais gramíneas. O melhor desempenho produtivo foi obtido pelas gramíneas B. brizantha cv. Marandu, B. decumbens e P. maximum cv. Mombaça; a última principalmente quando consorciada com o estilosantes Mineirão.A study was conducted in the Brazilian Cerrados to evaluate the performance of six tropical forage grasses (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, B. brizantha cv. MG-4, B. decumbens cv. Basilisk, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça, Melinis minutiflora and Hyparrhenia rufa, associated or not with the tropical forage legume Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão, in a silvopastoral system with a clone of Eucalyptus sp. The forages were established in plots of 12 x 10 m, in the interrows of eucalypts, in a randomized block design with three replications. Ground cover, proportion of the legume and total dry matter availability in the understorey were

  14. Additions to the flora of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verloove, F.

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Additions to the flora of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain.- Recent fieldwork in Tenerife, especially in September 2010, yielded several interesting new records of non-native vascular plants. Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica, “Asian” Cardamine flexuosa, Cestrum parqui, Digitaria violascens, Ficus lyrata, Ficus rubiginosa, Hoffmannseggia glauca, Hyparrhenia rufa subsp. altissima, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Merremia tuberosa, Passiflora morifolia, Phytolacca dioica, Schefflera actinophylla and Solanum abutiloides are reported for the first time from the Canary Islands, while Eragrostis barrelieri var. pygmaea, Ficus microcarpa, Ipomoea purpurea, Leucaena leucocephala subsp. glabrata, Sechium edule, Tradescantia zebrina and Turnera ulmifolia are new to the flora of the island of Tenerife. New records of Acacia cyclops, Atriplex suberecta, Heliotropium curassavicum, Paspalum dilatatum, P. notatum, Pluchea ovalis, Pulicaria paludosa, Sclerophylax spinescens and Solanum villosum subsp. miniatum confirm their recent expansion on the island of Tenerife. New records are provided for the recently described Sporobolus copei . Finally, Paspalum vaginatum (hitherto possibly confused with P. distichum and Potentilla indica are confirmed from the island of Tenerife.

    Adiciones para la flora de Tenerife (Islas Canarias, España.- Algunos recientes trabajos de campo en Tenerife, especialmente en Septiembre de 2010, trajeron consigo varias nuevas e interesantes adiciones de plantas vasculares no autóctonas. Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica, Cardamine flexuosa “Asiática”, Cestrum parqui, Digitaria violascens, Ficus lyrata, Ficus rubiginosa, Hoffmannseggia glauca, Hyparrhenia rufa subsp. altissima, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Merremia tuberosa, Passiflora morifolia, Phytolacca dioica, Schefflera actinophylla y

  15. Avaliação de gramíneas forrageiras na região sul de Minas Gerais Evaluation of forage grasses for the south region of Minas Gerais

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milton de Andrade Botrel

    1999-04-01

    Full Text Available Foram conduzidos dois experimentos na região do sul de Minas Gerais para avaliar o potencial de gramíneas forrageiras. No experimento 1 foram avaliadas as seguintes espécies, consideradas de baixa exigência nutricional: Andropogon gayanus, Kunt; Brachiaria brizantha, Stapf; Brachiaria decumbens, Stapf; Brachiaria ruziziensis, Germain Evrard; Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle Schweickt e Melinis minutiflora, Beauv. No experimento 2 foram avaliadas as gramíneas consideradas de média e alta exigência nutricional, a saber: Setaria sphacelata (Schum. Moss; Hemarthria altissima (Poir. Stapf; Chloris gayana, Kunt; Cynodon nlemfuensis, Vanderyst var. nlemfuensis; Hyparrhenia rufa, (Ness Stapf. e as cultivares de Panicum maximum, Jacq.: Tobiatã, Green Panic e Makueni. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Os níveis de calagem e de adubação para estabelecimento e manutenção foram diferenciados para os dois experimentos. Cada espécie foi avaliada nos seguintes aspectos: produção de forragem e teor de proteína bruta no período da seca e das chuvas e cobertura vegetal do solo. As gramíneas do experimento 1 que se destacaram na maioria dos aspectos avaliados foram: B. brizantha, B. decumbens, A. gayanus enquanto que no experimento 2 as espécies que apresentaram maior potencial forrageiro foram: S. sphacelata, P. maximum cv. Tobiatã.experiments were undertaken in the South region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, to evaluate the yield potential of forage grasses. In experiment 1, the following species, considered as having low nutritional requirements, were evaluated: Andropogon gayanus, Kunt; Brachiaria brizantha, Stapf; Brachiaria decumbens, Stapf; Brachiaria ruziziensis, Germain Evrard; Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle Schweickt and Melinis minutiflora, Beauv. In experiment 2, the species considered as having medium and high nutritional requirements, that is: Setaria sphacelata (Schum.; Hemarthria altissima

  16. Análise comparativa de fragmentos identificáveis de forrageiras, pela técnica micro-histológica Comparative analysis of identifiable fragments of forages, by the microhistological technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maristela de Oliveira Bauer

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, verificar, pela técnica micro-histológica, diferenças entre espécies forrageiras quanto ao percentual de fragmentos identificáveis, em função do processo digestivo e da época do ano. Lâminas foliares frescas recém-expandidas, correspondentes à última e à penúltima posição no perfilho, das espécies Melinis minutiflora Pal. de Beauv (capim-gordura, Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees Stapf. (capim-jaraguá, Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. (capim-braquiária, Imperata brasiliensis Trin. (capim-sapé, de Medicago sativa L. (alfafa e de Schinus terebenthifolius Raddi (aroeira, amostradas nos períodos chuvoso e seco, foram digeridas in vitro e preparadas de acordo com a técnica micro-histológica. Observou-se que as espécies apresentaram diferenças marcantes na porcentagem de fragmentos identificáveis e que a digestão alterou estas porcentagens em torno de 10 %; que o período de amos­tragem não influenciou a porcentagem de fragmentos identificáveis para a maioria das espécies; que a presença de pigmentos e a adesão da epiderme às células dos tecidos internos da folha prejudicaram a identificação dos fragmentos; e que a digestão melhorou a visualização dos fragmentos dos capins sapé e jaraguá e da aroeira, mas prejudicou a do capim-braquiária e, principalmente, a da alfafa.The objetive of this study was to verify differences among forages species in relation to the percentage of identifiable fragment as affected by the digestion process and season. Fresh last expanded leaf lamina samples of the species Melinis minutiflora Pal. de Beauv (Molassesgrass, Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees Stapf. (Jaraguagrass, Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. (Signalgrass, Imperata brasilienses Trin. (Sapegrass, and foliar laminas of Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa and Schinus terebenthifolius Raddi (Aroeira, sampled in the rainy and dry seasons, were digested in vitro and prepared according to the microhistological technique. The

  17. Identical metabolic rate and thermal conductance in Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) subspecies with contrasting nonbreeding life histories

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ruthrauff, Dan; Dekinga, Anne; Gill, Robert E.; Piersma, Theunis

    Closely related species or subspecies can exhibit metabolic differences that reflect site-specific environmental conditions. Whether such differences represent fixed traits or flexible adjustments to local conditions, however, is difficult to predict across taxa. The nominate race of Rock Sandpiper

  18. Response of predators to Western Sandpiper nest exclosures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niehaus, Amanda C.; Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; McCaffery, Brian J.

    2004-01-01

    In 2001, predator exclosures were used to protect nests of the Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) in western Alaska. During the exclosure experiment, nest contents in exclosures had significantly higher daily survival rates than control nests, however, late in the study predators began to cue in on exclosures and predate the nest contents. An Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) dug under one exclosure and took the newly hatched chicks, and Long-tailed Jaegers (Stercorarius longicaudus) learned to associate exclosures with active nests and repeatedly visited them. The jaegers attempted to gain access to exclosed nests and pursued adult sandpipers as they emerged from the exclosures. The exclosures were removed to reduce potential mortality to adult and young sandpipers, but subsequently, post-exclosure nests had lower daily survival rates than controls during the same time period. Predation of post-exclosure eggs and chicks highlighted the lasting influence of the exclosure treatment on offspring survival because predators probably remembered nest locations. Researchers are urged to use caution when considering use of predator exclosures in areas where jaegers occur.

  19. Uma nova espécie de Calyptranthes (Myrtaceae da flora do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil A new species of Calyptranthes (Myrtaceae from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graziela Maciel Barroso

    1996-07-01

    Full Text Available É descrita uma nova espécie para o gênero Calyptranthes (Myrtaceae, ocorrente na Reserva Biológica do Tinguá, município de Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de árvore ou arvoreta do estrato intermediário ou inferior da floresta atlântica que se destaca pela pilosidade densa e rufa de seus raminhos, pecíolos e dorso foliar. Pela sua forma de crescimento com copa pequena e arredondada e beleza de seus ramos esfoliantes, a nova espécie tem aptidão ornamental como arvoreta para áreas sombreadas.Occuring on the Tinguá Biological Reserve in the municipality of Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro state, is described. It is a small tree from the intermediate or inferior layer of the Atlantic forest and is conspicuous because of the dense, reddish indumentum on its branches, petioles and lower blade surface. Due to its architectural form with small rounded canopy and the beauty of its exfoliating branches, the new species may prove useful for ornamental plantings in shady areas.

  20. Within-population variation in mating system and parental care patterns in the sanderling (Calidris alba) in northeast Greenland

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reneerkens, Jeroen; van Veelen, Pieter; van der Velde, Marco; Luttikhuizen, Pieternella; Piersma, Theunis

    Sandpipers and allies (Scolopacidae) show an astounding diversity in mating and parental care strategies. Comparative studies have tried to interpret this variation in terms of phylogenetic constraints and ecological shaping factors. In such analyses, mating and parental care systems are necessarily

  1. Microglia and neurons in the hippocampus of migratory sandpipers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C.G. Diniz

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla and the spotted sandpiper Actitis macularia are long- and short-distance migrants, respectively. C. pusilla breeds in the sub-arctic and mid-arctic tundra of Canada and Alaska and winters on the north and east coasts of South America. A. macularia breeds in a broad distribution across most of North America from the treeline to the southern United States. It winters in the southern United States, and Central and South America. The autumn migration route of C. pusilla includes a non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean, whereas autumn route of A. macularia is largely over land. Because of this difference in their migratory paths and the visuo-spatial recognition tasks involved, we hypothesized that hippocampal volume and neuronal and glial numbers would differ between these two species. A. macularia did not differ from C. pusilla in the total number of hippocampal neurons, but the species had a larger hippocampal formation and more hippocampal microglia. It remains to be investigated whether these differences indicate interspecies differences or neural specializations associated with different strategies of orientation and navigation.

  2. The genus Macroteleia Westwood (Hymenoptera, Platygastridae s. l., Scelioninae from China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Huayan

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The genus Macroteleia Westwood (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae s. l., Scelioninae from China is revised. Seventeen species are recognized based on 502 specimens, all of which are new records for China. Seven new species are described: M. carinigena sp. n. (China, M. flava sp. n. (China, M. gracilis sp. n. (China, M. salebrosa sp. n. (China, M. semicircula sp. n. (China, M. spinitibia sp. n. (China and M. striatipleuron sp. n. (China. Ten species are redescribed: M. boriviliensis Saraswat (China, India, Thailand, M. crawfordi Kiefer, stat. n. (China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, M. dolichopa Sharma (China, India, Vietnam, M. emarginata Dodd (China, Malaysia, M. indica Saraswat & Sharma (China, India, Vietnam, M. lamba Saraswat & Sharma (China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, M. livingstoni Saraswat (China, India, M. peliades Kozlov & Lê (China, Vietnam, M. rufa Szelényi (China, Egypt, Georgia, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine and M. striativentris Crawford (China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam. The following five new synonyms are proposed: M. crates Kozlov & Lê syn. n. and M. demades Kozlov & Lê syn. n. of M. crawfordi Kieffer; M. cebes Kozlov & Lê syn. n. and M. dones Kozlov & Lê syn. n. of M. indica Saraswat & Sharma; M. dores Kozlov & Lê syn. n. of M. lamba Saraswat & Sharma. A key to the Chinese species of the genus is provided.

  3. GeoBioScience: Red Wood Ants as Bioindicators for Active Tectonic Fault Systems in the West Eifel (Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulrich Schreiber

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In a 1.140 km² study area of the volcanic West Eifel, a comprehensive investigation established the correlation between red wood ant mound (RWA; Formica rufa-group sites and active tectonic faults. The current stress field with a NW-SE-trending main stress direction opens pathways for geogenic gases and potential magmas following the same orientation. At the same time, Variscan and Mesozoic fault zones are reactivated. The results showed linear alignments and clusters of approx. 3,000 RWA mounds. While linear mound distribution correlate with strike-slip fault systems documented by quartz and ore veins and fault planes with slickensides, the clusters represent crosscut zones of dominant fault systems. Latter can be correlated with voids caused by crustal block rotation. Gas analyses from soil air, mineral springs and mofettes (CO2, Helium, Radon and H2S reveal limiting concentrations for the spatial distribution of mounds and colonization. Striking is further the almost complete absence of RWA mounds in the core area of the Quaternary volcanic field. A possible cause can be found in occasionally occurring H2S in the fault systems, which is toxic at miniscule concentrations to the ants. Viewed overall, there is a strong relationship between RWA mounds and active tectonics in the West Eifel.

  4. Arthropods Associate with their Red Wood ant Host without Matching Nestmate Recognition Cues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parmentier, Thomas; Dekoninck, Wouter; Wenseleers, Tom

    2017-07-01

    Social insect colonies provide a valuable resource that attracts and offers shelter to a large community of arthropods. Previous research has suggested that many specialist parasites of social insects chemically mimic their host in order to evade aggression. In the present study, we carry out a systematic study to test how common such chemical deception is across a group of 22 arthropods that are associated with red wood ants (Formica rufa group). In contrast to the examples of chemical mimicry documented in some highly specialized parasites in previous studies, we find that most of the rather unspecialized red wood ant associates surveyed did not use mimicry of the cuticular hydrocarbon recognition cues to evade host detection. Instead, we found that myrmecophiles with lower cuticular hydrocarbon concentrations provoked less host aggression. Therefore, some myrmecophiles with low hydrocarbon concentrations appear to evade host detection via a strategy known as chemical insignificance. Others showed no chemical disguise at all and, instead, relied on behavioral adaptations such as particular defense or evasion tactics, in order to evade host aggression. Overall, this study indicates that unspecialized myrmecophiles do not require the matching of host recognition cues and advanced strategies of chemical mimicry, but can integrate in a hostile ant nest via either chemical insignificance or specific behavioral adaptations.

  5. Concentração de cobre e molibdênio em algumas plantas forrageiras do Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávio Prada

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Foi realizado um levantamento sobre as quantidades de cobre e molibdênio contidas em quatro gramíneas - Capim colonião (Panicum maximum, Jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa (Ness Stapf, Pangola (Digitaria decumbens Stent e Angolinha (Eriochloa polystachya (H.B.K. Hitchc - colhidas mensalmente durante um ano, no município de Brasilândia, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Os valores médios encontrados foram, para o cobre: 4,46 e 3,63 para o capim Colonião, 4,13 e 3,50 para o Jaraguá, 5,21 e 3,65 para o Pangola e 5,10 e 4,09 para o Angolinha, respectivamente na época das "águas" e das "secas". Para o molibdênio, os valores médios encontrados foram de 14,43 e 12,65 para o Colonião, 13,03 e 13,83 para o Jaraguá, 12,33 e 13,20 para o Pangola e 12,45 e 12,88 para o Angolinha, respectivamente nas épocas das "águas" e das "secas". Não houve diferenças consideradas significativas entre capins tanto para o cobre como para o molibdênio, no período de 12 meses de colheita.

  6. Small population size of Pribilof Rock Sandpipers confirmed through distance-sampling surveys in Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Tibbitts, T. Lee; Gill, Robert E.; Dementyev, Maksim N.; Handel, Colleen M.

    2012-01-01

    The Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) is endemic to the Bering Sea region and unique among shorebirds in the North Pacific for wintering at high latitudes. The nominate subspecies, the Pribilof Rock Sandpiper (C. p. ptilocnemis), breeds on four isolated islands in the Bering Sea and appears to spend the winter primarily in Cook Inlet, Alaska. We used a stratified systematic sampling design and line-transect method to survey the entire breeding range of this population during springs 2001-2003. Densities were up to four times higher on the uninhabited and more northerly St. Matthew and Hall islands than on St. Paul and St. George islands, which both have small human settlements and introduced reindeer herds. Differences in density, however, appeared to be more related to differences in vegetation than to anthropogenic factors, raising some concern for prospective effects of climate change. We estimated the total population at 19 832 birds (95% CI 17 853–21 930), ranking it among the smallest of North American shorebird populations. To determine the vulnerability of C. p. ptilocnemis to anthropogenic and stochastic environmental threats, future studies should focus on determining the amount of gene flow among island subpopulations, the full extent of the subspecies' winter range, and the current trajectory of this small population.

  7. Local and global influences on population declines of coastal waders: Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima numbers in the Moray Firth, Scotland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Summers, Ron W.; Foster, Simon; Swann, Bob; Etheridge, Brian

    2012-05-01

    Declines in numbers by several wader species in Britain have been linked to climate change, but the mechanism for the declines has rarely been explored. Britain lies at the northern end of the East Atlantic Flyway, and supports 1.3 million out of the Flyway's 8.5 million coastal waders (Charadrii) in winter and the Purple Sandpiper is one of the species whose numbers have declined. Here, we examine the dynamics of the decline as observed in the Moray Firth, northeast Scotland, investigating whether the decline was due to poorer apparent survival (return rate) or poorer recruitment of young birds. The maximum number in the Moray Firth declined from 860 in 1987/88 to 236 in 2006/07, with some increase during winters 2007/08 and 2008/09. At the three main high-tide roosts (Balintore, Lossiemouth and Buckie) the maximum combined number declined from 574 to 90. Changes in survival and recruitment (percentage of first-year birds) were examined at these roosts from captured samples, which were ringed and recaptured. There were no significant changes between winters in survival rates, nor were there differences between the survival rates of age groups (first-year and adult) or bill size groups, which represented birds of different sex and breeding origin. Annual survival estimates for the three roosts ranged from 72 to 77%. The percentage of first-year birds varied among roosts and years; the lowest values were during the late 1980s/early 1990s and early 2000s. A free-running population model incorporating varying percentages of first-year birds and constant mortality for each roost provided a plausible explanation for the decline. Although modelled numbers followed the observed pattern, a discrepancy in one year was carried forward in subsequent years, so that the fit with the observed numbers was parallel rather than similar. However, it seems that the decline in numbers was largely due to poorer recruitment. We discuss whether breeding success had declined, whether the population had responded to changes in the local sewage treatment systems, which could affect invertebrate food for Purple Sandpipers, or whether fewer birds chose to winter in Scotland. The Moray Firth population is derived from Norway and possibly Canada, and there is evidence that the Norwegian population was disproportionately affected. The reason for poor recruitment requires further study, and other wader species require examination to test if poor recruitment is a common feature of decline in numbers.

  8. Astaxanthin and papilioerythrinone in the skin of birds: a chromatic convergence of two metabolic routes with different precursors?

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-de Blas, Esther; Mateo, Rafael; Guzmán Bernardo, Francisco Javier; Rodríguez Martín-Doimeadios, Rosa Carmen; Alonso-Alvarez, Carlos

    2014-05-01

    Carotenoids are organic pigments involved in several important physiological functions and may serve as indicators of individual quality in animals. These pigments are only obtained by animals from the diet, but they can be later transformed into other carotenoids by specific enzymatic reactions. The diet of farm-reared and probably wild red-legged partridges ( Alectoris rufa) is mainly based on cereals that contain high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin. These two carotenoids are also predominant in internal tissues and blood of red-legged partridges. However, in their integuments, astaxanthin and papilioerythrinone (the last one identified in this work) are mainly present in their free form and esterified with fatty acids. According to available literature about carotenoid metabolism in animals, we propose that astaxanthin ( λ max = 478 nm) and papilioerythrinone ( λ max = 452-478 nm) are the result of a chromatic convergence of the transformation of dietary zeaxanthin and lutein, respectively. Moreover, the results obtained in this work provide the first identification by liquid chromatography coupled to accurate mass quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer system of papilioerythrinone ( m/z 581.3989 [M + H]+) in the skin (i.e., not feathers) of a vertebrate. Astaxanthin and papilioerythrinone are very close in terms of chemical structure and coloration, and the combination of these two keto-carotenoids is responsible for the red color of the ornaments in red-legged partridges.

  9. Host specificity of turkey and chicken Eimeria: controlled cross-transmission studies and a phylogenetic view.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vrba, Vladimir; Pakandl, Michal

    2015-03-15

    Protozoan parasites of the Eimeria genus have undergone extensive speciation and are now represented by a myriad of species that are specialised to different hosts. These species are highly host-specific and usually parasitise single host species, with only few reported exceptions. Doubts regarding the strict host specificity were frequent in the original literature describing coccidia parasitising domestic turkeys. The availability of pure characterised lines of turkey and chicken Eimeria species along with the recently developed quantitative PCR identification of these species allowed to investigate the issue of host specificity using well-controlled cross-transmission experiments. Seven species of gallinaceous birds (Gallus gallus, Meleagris gallopavo, Alectoris rufa, Perdix perdix, Phasianus colchicus, Numida meleagris and Colinus virginianus) were inoculated with six species and strains of turkey Eimeria and six species of chicken coccidia and production of oocysts was monitored. Turkey Eimeria species E. dispersa, E. innocua and E. meleagridis could complete their development in the hosts from different genera or even different families. Comparison of phylogenetic positions of these Eimeria species according to 18S rDNA and COI showed that the phylogeny cannot explain the observed patterns of host specificity. These findings suggest that the adaptation of Eimeria parasites to foreign hosts is possible and might play a significant role in the evolution and diversification of this genus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Effects of mountain beaver management and thinning on 15-year-old Douglas fir growth and survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Dan L; Engeman, Richard M; Farley, James P

    2015-07-01

    We examined 4-year growth of 15-year-old damaged and undamaged Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menzesii) after integrating temporary population reductions of mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) with thinning in a pre-commercial hand-planted plantation in western Washington. Five treatment combinations were considered: (1) trapping mountain beavers in an unthinned area, (2) trapping before thinning to 65 trees/ha (160 trees/ac), (3) no trapping and thinning to 65 trees/ha, (4) no trapping and thinning to 146 trees/ha (360 trees/ac), and (5) no trapping and no thinning. Removal of ≥ 90 % of mountain beavers temporarily reduced mountain beaver activity whether the stand was unthinned or thinned. Diameter growth at breast height (dbh) was greater for undamaged trees than for damaged trees in thinned areas. Tree height growth was greatest in trapped areas whether thinned or not. No differences were detected in 4-year survival between trees damaged aboveground and those without aboveground damage, which may be related to undetected root damage to trees without aboveground damage. Basal diameter growth and dbh growth were greatest for areas thinned to 65 trees/ha. Seventy-eight percent of stomachs from mountain beaver trapped in winter contained Douglas fir root or stem materials. Overall, short-term removal of mountain beavers integrated with pre-commercial thinning promoted growth of crop trees.

  11. Parámetros indicadores de valor nutritivo en cinco pastos tropicales en la época lluviosa en el trópico seco de Cota Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Angel Arroyo

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This essay was carried out in Hojancha, Guanacaste to evaluate the nutritive values of the following grasses: jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees, african star grass (Cynodon nlenfuensis (L(Pers, transvala (Digitaria decumbens veranero (Andropogon gayanus(Kunth y congo (Brachiaria ruziziensis(Germain et Everard, under three cut intervals (28, 35 and 42 days. The evaluated variables were: Dry Matter Production (DMP, kg/ha/cut, In vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD, %, Digestible Dry Matter (DDM, kg/ha/cut, Crude Protein Content (CP, %, Crude protein production (CPP, kg/ha/cut, Digestible Crude Protein Production (DCPP, kg/ha/cut, Ruminal Dry Matter Disappeareance (RDMD, %/hour, Ruminal Dry Matter Disappeareance Mean Time (RDMDMT, hours. The largest DMP was found for the veranero grass at 28 and 35 day intervals (1527,5 and 2424,4 kg/ha/cut while at the 42 day interval the congo grass (2886,8 kg/ha/cut had the largest DMP, followed by veranero grass with 2705,0 kg/ha/cut. The veranero and transvala grasses showed the highest RDMD and RDMDMT as compared to the other grasses in the study, as a consequence of their better chemical composition. Between the jaragua and veranero grasses there were no differences with respect to their chemical composition and ruminal characteristics. The poorest DMP, chemical composition (excluding CP and RDMD was shown by the african star grass.

  12. Allozymic variation in the clam genus Eurhomalea (Bivalvia: Veneriidae along southern South American coast Variación alozímica en el género de almejas Eurhomalea (Bivalvia: Veneriidae a lo largo de la costa sur de Sudamérica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.H GALLARDO

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available The correspondence between allozymic variation and specific differentiation was studied in four populations corresponding to the three nominal, allopatric species of clam genus Eurhomalea (E. rufa, E. lenticularis, E. exalbida described for southern South America. Allozyme variation scored in 12 loci was high as indicated by heterozygosity levels (15.8-20.7 % and by the presence of only three monomorphic loci (Hk-2, Icd-2, and Xdh-1. These high estimates of allelic variability were influenced by the low levels of interspecific genetic similarity (I = 0.64 and for the high conspecific values of genetic identity observed. The high estimates of substructuring found at the species level (F ST = 0.39 contrasted with the low differentiation (F ST = 0.027 and high migration rate (Nm = 9 existing among conspecific samples. Diagnostic allele fixation coinciding with specific recognition was recorded at locus Hk-1 whereas nearly-fixed differences at loci (Adh, alpha-Gpd, Icd-1, Ldh, Odh, Pgm-3 differed sharply in frequency among species. The Wagner procedure and the neighbor-joining algorithm produced a similar tree topology highly related to the geographic distance and to their taxonomic recognition. The lack of coincidence between patterns of allozymic variation and the two distinctive shell morphs (flat and globoid occurring in E. exalbida from Ushuaia bay do not support their taxonomic recognition.Se estudió la correspondencia entre la variación bioquímica y la diferenciación específica en cuatro poblaciones correspondientes a las tres especies nominales y alopátricas en las almejas del género Eurhomalea (E. rufa, E. lenticularis, E. exalbida descritas para la zona sur de Sudamérica. La variación alozímica registrada en 12 loci fue alta como lo indican los altos niveles de heterocigosidad (15,8-20,7 % y por la presencia de solo tres loci monomórficos (Hk-2, Icd-2 y Xdh-1. Esta alta estimación de variabilidad alélica influyó en los bajos

  13. Novel avian paramyxovirus (APMV-15 isolated from a migratory bird in South America.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciano Matsumiya Thomazelli

    Full Text Available A novel avian paramyxovirus (APMV isolated from a migratory bird cloacal swab obtained during active surveillance in April 2012 in the Lagoa do Peixe National Park, Rio Grande do Sul state, South of Brazil was biologically and genetically characterized. The nucleotide sequence of the full viral genome was completed using a next-generation sequencing approach. The genome was 14,952 nucleotides (nt long, with six genes (3'-NP-P-M-F-HN-L-5' encoding 7 different proteins, typical of APMV. The fusion (F protein gene of isolate RS-1177 contained 1,707 nucleotides in a single open reading frame encoding a protein of 569 amino acids. The F protein cleavage site contained two basic amino acids (VPKER↓L, typical of avirulent strains. Phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome indicated that the virus is related to APMV-10, -2 and -8, with 60.1% nucleotide sequence identity to the closest APMV-10 virus, 58.7% and 58.5% identity to the closest APMV-8 and APMV-2 genome, respectively, and less than 52% identity to representatives of the other APMVs groups. Such distances are comparable to the distances observed among other previously identified APMVs serotypes. These results suggest that unclassified/calidris_fuscicollis/Brazil/RS-1177/2012 is the prototype strain of a new APMV serotype, APMV-15.

  14. Avaliação da folha e do colmo de topo e base de perfilhos de três gramíneas forrageiras: 2. Anatomia Evaluation of top and bottom leaf and stem fractions from tiller of three forage grasses: 2. Anatomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domingos Sávio Queiroz

    2000-02-01

    Full Text Available RESUMO - A proporção de tecidos, o grau de correlação linear desta característica com a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS e sua composição química foram determinadas em seções transversais das frações botânicas, lâmina e bainha foliares e colmo, amostrados no topo e na base de perfilhos de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum, cv. Mott, capim-setária (Setaria anceps, cv. kazungula e capim-jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa. O capim-jaraguá, com maior proporção de bainha parenquimática dos feixes (BPF na lâmina foliar e de tecido vascular lignificado (TVL e esclerênquima (ESC na lâmina e bainha foliares, apresentou proporção de tecidos menos compatível à de uma forrageira de alto valor nutritivo, em comparação ao capim-elefante e capim-setária. As lâminas foliares caracterizaram-se por apresentar alta proporção de epiderme e baixa proporção de ESC, TVL e células parenquimáticas (CPA em relação à bainha foliar e ao colmo. A proporção de ESC mostrou correlação negativa com a DIVMS da lâmina foliar de topo, do colmo e do total das frações do perfilho. A proporção de CPA correlacionou positivamente com a DIVMS da bainha foliar, r = 0,68, enquanto a proporção de TVL apresentou correlação positiva com a DIVMS, quando todas as frações do perfilho foram consideradas, r = 0,31. As proporções de BPF, TVL e ESC correlacionaram positivamente com os teores de fibra em detergente neutro e fibra em detergente ácido das forrageiras, enquanto as proporções de mesofilo e epiderme apresentaram correlação negativa.ABSTRACT - The tissue proportions, the degree of simple linear correlation of this characteristics with the in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD and their chemical composition were determined in transversal sections of the botanical fractions, leaf blades and sheath and stem sampled from the top and bottom tillers of dwarf elefantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schumach cv. Mott

  15. Características anatômicas e valor nutritivo de quatro gramíneas predominantes em pastagem natural de Viçosa, MG Anatomical evaluation and nutritive value of four prevailing forage grasses in natural pasture of Viçosa-MG

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maristela de Oliveira Bauer

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Avaliou-se a influência das características anatômicas e dos sítios de lignificação dos tecidos sobre o valor nutritivo de lâminas foliares de quatro gramíneas coletadas nas estações chuvosa e seca. Amostras frescas das duas últimas lâminas foliares recém-expandidas, correspondentes à última e à penúltima posição no perfilho de capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora Pal. De Beauv, capim-braquiária (Brachiaria decumbens Staph., capim-sapé (Imperata brasiliensis Trin. e capim-jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa (Nees Staph. foram avaliadas quanto às características anatômicas, segundo técnicas de microscopia de luz e varredura. Nessas amostras analisou-se a proporção de tecidos e de sítios de lignificação. Também foram determinadas as concentrações de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN, fibra em detergente ácido (FDA, lignina e celulose da parede celular, assim como a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS. Os dados foram analisados segundo delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com os tratamentos no esquema fatorial, com três repetições. Determinaram-se as correlações entre DIVMS, componentes químicos da parede celular e proporção de tecidos. Observou-se o mesmo padrão de proporção de tecidos e DIVMS no capim-gordura e no capim-braquiária, assim como nos capins sapé e jaraguá. A digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca e os componentes da parede celular sofreram influência da estação, enquanto as características anatômicas não foram significativamente influenciadas por esse fator. Os capins gordura e braquiária caracterizaram-se por maiores proporções de bainha parenquimática do feixe e os capins sapé e jaraguá por maiores proporções de xilema e esclerênquima. Altos coeficientes negativos de correlação foram estabelecidos entre os coeficientes de digestibilidade e as proporções de xilema e esclerênquima, assim como com os teores de FDN, FDA e lignina das lâminas foliares.It was

  16. A puzzling migratory detour : Are fueling conditions in Alaska driving the movement of juvenile sharp -tailed sandpipers ?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindstrom, A.; Gill, Robert E.; Jamieson, S.E.; McCaffery, B.; Wennerberg, Liv; Wikelski, M.; Klaassen, M.

    2011-01-01

    Making a detour can be advantageous to a migrating bird if fuel-deposition rates at stopover sites along the detour are considerably higher than at stopover sites along a more direct route. One example of an extensive migratory detour is that of the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata), of which large numbers of juveniles are found during fall migration in western Alaska. These birds take a detour of 1500-3400 km from the most direct route between their natal range in northeastern Siberia and nonbreeding areas in Australia. We studied the autumnal fueling rates and fuel loads of 357 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers captured in western Alaska. In early September the birds increased in mass at a rate of only 0.5% of lean body mass day?1. Later in September, the rate of mass increase was about 6% of lean body mass day?1, among the highest values found among similar-sized shorebirds around the world. Some individuals more than doubled their body mass because of fuel deposition, allowing nonstop flight of between 7100 and 9800 km, presumably including a trans-oceanic flight to the southern hemisphere. Our observations indicated that predator attacks were rare in our study area, adding another potential benefit of the detour. We conclude that the most likely reason for the Alaskan detour is that it allows juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpipers to put on large fuel stores at exceptionally high rates. Copyright ?? The Cooper Ornithological Society 2011.

  17. Informed renesting decisions: the effect of nest predation risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pakanen, Veli-Matti; Rönkä, Nelli; Thomson, Robert L; Koivula, Kari

    2014-04-01

    Animals should cue on information that predicts reproductive success. After failure of an initial reproductive attempt, decisions on whether or not to initiate a second reproductive attempt may be affected by individual experience and social information. If the prospects of breeding success are poor, long-lived animals in particular should not invest in current reproductive success (CRS) in case it generates costs to future reproductive success (FRS). In birds, predation risk experienced during breeding may provide a cue for renesting success. Species having a high FRS potential should be flexible and take predation risk into account in their renesting decisions. We tested this prediction using breeding data of a long-lived wader, the southern dunlin Calidris alpina schinzii. As predicted, dunlin cued on predation risk information acquired from direct experience of nest failure due to predation and ambient nest predation risk. While the overall renesting rate was low (34.5%), the early season renesting rate was high but declined with season, indicating probable temporal changes in the costs and benefits of renesting. We develop a conceptual cost-benefit model to describe the effects of the phase and the length of breeding season on predation risk responses in renesting. We suggest that species investing in FRS should not continue breeding in short breeding seasons in response to predation risk but without time constraints, their response should be similar to species investing in CRS, e.g. within-season dispersal and increased nest concealment.

  18. Seasonal variations in the diet and foraging behaviour of dunlins Calidris alpina in a south European estuary: improved feeding conditions for northward migrants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo C Martins

    Full Text Available During the annual cycle, migratory waders may face strikingly different feeding conditions as they move between breeding areas and wintering grounds. Thus, it is of crucial importance that they rapidly adjust their behaviour and diet to benefit from peaks of prey abundance, in particular during migration, when they need to accumulate energy at a fast pace. In this study, we compared foraging behaviour and diet of wintering and northward migrating dunlins in the Tagus estuary, Portugal, by video-recording foraging birds and analysing their droppings. We also estimated energy intake rates and analysed variations in prey availability, including those that were active at the sediment surface. Wintering and northward migrating dunlins showed clearly different foraging behaviour and diet. In winter, birds predominantly adopted a tactile foraging technique (probing, mainly used to search for small buried bivalves, with some visual surface pecking to collect gastropods and crop bivalve siphons. Contrastingly, in spring dunlins generally used a visual foraging strategy, mostly to consume worms, but also bivalve siphons and shrimps. From winter to spring, we found a marked increase both in the biomass of invertebrate prey in the sediment and in the surface activity of worms and siphons. The combination of these two factors, together with the availability of shrimps in spring, most likely explains the changes in the diet and foraging behaviour of dunlins. Northward migrating birds took advantage from the improved feeding conditions in spring, achieving 65% higher energy intake rates as compared with wintering birds. Building on these results and on known daily activity budgets for this species, our results suggest that Tagus estuary provides high-quality feeding conditions for birds during their stopovers, enabling high fattening rates. These findings show that this large wetland plays a key role as a stopover site for migratory waders within the East Atlantic Flyway.

  19. Modeling population dynamics of solitary bees in relation to habitat quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Ulbrich

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available To understand associations between habitat, individual behaviour, and population development of solitary bees we developed an individual-based model. This model is based on field observations of Osmia rufa (L (Apoideae: Megachilidae and describes population dynamics of solitary bees. Model rules are focused on maternal investment, in particular on the female’s individual decisions about sex and size of progeny. In the present paper, we address the effect of habitat quality on population size and sex ratio. We examine how food availability and the risk of parasitism influence long-term population development. It can be shown how population properties result from individual maternal investment which is described as a functional response to fluctuations of environmental conditions. We found that habitat quality can be expressed in terms of cell construction time. This interface factor influences the rate of open cell parasitism as the risk for a brood cell to be parasitized is positively correlated with the time of its construction. Under conditions of scarce food and under resulting long provision times even low parasitism rates lead to a high extinction risk of the population, whereas in rich habitats probabilities of extinction are low even for high rates of parasitism. For a given level of food and parasitism there is an optimum time for cell construction which minimizes the extinction risk of the population. Model results demonstrate that under fluctuating environmental conditions, decreasing habitat quality leads to a decrease in population size but also to rapid shifts in sex ratio.

  20. Bioaccessibility of Pb from ammunition in game meat is affected by cooking treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateo, Rafael; Baos, Ana R; Vidal, Dolors; Camarero, Pablo R; Martinez-Haro, Monica; Taggart, Mark A

    2011-01-14

    The presence of lead (Pb) ammunition residues in game meat has been widely documented, yet little information exists regarding the bioaccessibility of this Pb contamination. We study how cooking treatment (recipe) can affect Pb bioaccessibility in meat of animals hunted with Pb ammunition. We used an in vitro gastrointestinal simulation to study bioaccessibility. The simulation was applied to meat from red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) hunted with Pb shot pellets and cooked using various traditional Spanish game recipes involving wine or vinegar. Total Pb concentrations in the meat were higher in samples with visible Pb ammunition by X-ray (mean±SE: 3.29±1.12 µg/g w.w.) than in samples without this evidence (1.28±0.61 µg/g). The percentage of Pb that was bioaccessible within the simulated intestine phase was far higher in meat cooked with vinegar (6.75%) and wine (4.51%) than in uncooked meat (0.7%). Risk assessment simulations using our results transformed to bioavailability and the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic model (IEUBK; US EPA) show that the use of wine instead of vinegar in cooking recipes may reduce the percentage of children that would be expected to have >10 µg/dl of Pb in blood from 2.08% to 0.26% when game meat represents 50% of the meat in diet. Lead from ammunition in game meat is more bioaccessible after cooking, especially when using highly acidic recipes. These results are important because existing theoretical models regarding Pb uptake and subsequent risk in humans should take such factors into account.

  1. Pathogenicity of two recent Western Mediterranean West Nile virus isolates in a wild bird species indigenous to Southern Europe: the red-legged partridge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sotelo Elena

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract West Nile virus (WNV is an emerging zoonotic pathogen whose geographic spread and incidence in humans, horses and birds has increased significantly in recent years. WNV has long been considered a mild pathogen causing self-limiting outbreaks. This notion has changed as WNV is causing large epidemics with a high impact on human and animal health. This has been particularly noteworthy since its introduction into North America in 1999. There, native bird species have been shown to be highly susceptible to WNV infection and disease with high mortalities. For this reason, the effect of WNV infection in North American bird species has been thoroughly studied by means of experimental inoculations in controlled trials. To a lesser extent, European wild birds have been shown to be affected clinically by WNV infection. Yet experimental studies on European wild bird species are lacking. The red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa is a gallinaceous bird indigenous to the Iberian Peninsula, widely distributed in South Western Europe. It plays a key role in the Mediterranean ecosystem and constitutes an economically important game species. As such it is raised intensively in outdoor facilities. In this work, red-legged partridges were experimentally infected with two recent WNV isolates from the Western Mediterranean area: Morocco/2003 and Spain/2007. All inoculated birds became viremic and showed clinical disease, with mortality rates of 70% and 30%, respectively. These results show that Western Mediterranean WNV variants can be pathogenic for some European bird species, such as the red-legged partridge.

  2. Saber popular de especies forrajeras en la zona central de Nicaragua: un estudio en grupos focales

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabio Vásquez

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available En el presente estudio se hace una descripción de la tecnología local de manejo de pasturas y se analizan las percepciones locales sobre el consumo de plantas por el ganado. Se estudia la clasificación local y valoración que los lugareños otorgan a las especies herbáceas y leñosas forrajeras presentes en los potreros. El estudio se realizó en la zona piloto del proyecto Pasturas Degradadas en Centroamérica (PD en Muy Muy, Nicaragua. Los datos fueron obtenidos mediante diferentes técnicas de investigación cuantitativa y cualitativa. Se aplicaron técnicas cualitativas para recabar información en profundidad del acervo de conocimiento local respecto al uso de vegetación arbórea, arbustiva y herbácea en las fincas ganaderas. Se registró un total de 25 especies herbáceas forrajeras, siendo las variedades más reportadas la grama natural (Paspalum sp, pasto estrella (Cynodon plectostachyus K. Schum. Pilg. y jaragua (Hyparrhenia rufa. De la misma manera, fueron identificadas las especies leñosas más frecuentes en las fincas ganaderas el guácimo (Guazuma ulmifolia Lam, madero negro (Gliricidia sepium Jacq. y roble (Tabebuia rosea. Se concluye que el conocimiento de los productores es empírico y funcional. Esto significa que es derivado de la experiencia práctica y generalmente en función de las actividades realizadas por su propia voluntad o inducida por agentes externos.

  3. Avaliação da folha e do colmo de topo e base de perfilhos de três gramíneas forrageiras: 1. Digestibilidade in vitro e composição química

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domingos Sávio Queiroz

    2000-02-01

    Full Text Available RESUMO - Foi avaliado o grau de correlação linear simples entre a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS e a composição química de lâminas e bainhas foliares e, do colmo, amostrados no topo e na base de perfilhos de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum, cv. Mott, capim-setária (Setaria anceps, cv. Kazungula e capim-jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa, Nees Stapf . Os valores de DIVMS e os teores de proteína bruta (PB e parede celular (FDN exibiram gradiente ao longo do perfil do perfilho e diferença entre as frações do perfilho. As folhas situadas no topo do perfilho mostraram maior conteúdo de PB e digestibilidade, apesar dos mais altos teores de FDN, que as folhas situadas na base dos perfilhos. As lâminas foliares mostraram valores relativamente mais altos de DIVMS, PB e FDN que a bainha foliar. Nenhuma correlação foi observada entre os componentes químicos e a DIVMS da lâmina foliar do topo do perfilho. Apenas o teor de lignina apresentou correlação significativa (r = - 0,53 com a DIVMS, quando dados das lâminas foliares de topo e base do perfilho foram agrupados. Os teores de fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, proteína bruta e lignina propiciaram correlações com a DIVMS da lâmina foliar de base, da bainha foliar e do colmo.

  4. Avaliação da folha e do colmo de topo e base de perfilhos de três gramíneas forrageiras: 1. Digestibilidade in vitro e composição química

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Queiroz Domingos Sávio

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available RESUMO - Foi avaliado o grau de correlação linear simples entre a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS e a composição química de lâminas e bainhas foliares e, do colmo, amostrados no topo e na base de perfilhos de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum, cv. Mott, capim-setária (Setaria anceps, cv. Kazungula e capim-jaraguá (Hyparrhenia rufa, Nees Stapf . Os valores de DIVMS e os teores de proteína bruta (PB e parede celular (FDN exibiram gradiente ao longo do perfil do perfilho e diferença entre as frações do perfilho. As folhas situadas no topo do perfilho mostraram maior conteúdo de PB e digestibilidade, apesar dos mais altos teores de FDN, que as folhas situadas na base dos perfilhos. As lâminas foliares mostraram valores relativamente mais altos de DIVMS, PB e FDN que a bainha foliar. Nenhuma correlação foi observada entre os componentes químicos e a DIVMS da lâmina foliar do topo do perfilho. Apenas o teor de lignina apresentou correlação significativa (r = - 0,53 com a DIVMS, quando dados das lâminas foliares de topo e base do perfilho foram agrupados. Os teores de fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, proteína bruta e lignina propiciaram correlações com a DIVMS da lâmina foliar de base, da bainha foliar e do colmo.

  5. Feeding-Danger Trade-Offs Underlie Stopover Site Selection by Migrants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea C. Pomeroy

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available To migrate successfully, birds need to store adequate fat reserves to fuel each leg of the journey. Migrants acquire their fuel reserves at stopover sites; this often entails exposure to predators. Therefore, the safety attributes of sites may be as important as the feeding opportunities. Furthermore, site choice might depend on fuel load, with lean birds more willing to accept danger to obtain good feeding. Here, we evaluate the factors underlying stopover-site usage by migrant Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri on a landscape scale. We measured the food and danger attributes of 17 potential stopover sites in the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound region. We used logistic regression models to test whether food, safety, or both were best able to predict usage of these sites by Western Sandpipers. Eight of the 17 sites were used by sandpipers on migration. Generally, sites that were high in food and safety were used, whereas sites that were low in food and safety were not. However, dangerous sites were used if there was ample food abundance, and sites with low food abundance were used if they were safe. The model including both food and safety best-predicted site usage by sandpipers. Furthermore, lean sandpipers used the most dangerous sites, whereas heavier birds (which do not need to risk feeding in dangerous locations used safer sites. This study demonstrates that both food and danger attributes are considered by migrant birds when selecting stopover sites, thus both these attributes should be considered to prioritize and manage stopover sites for conservation.

  6. Collaborative approaches to the evolution of migration and the development of science-based conservation in shorebirds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, Brian A.; Brown, S.; Corven, James; Bart, Jonathan

    2002-01-01

    Shorebirds are among the most highly migratory creatures on earth. Both the study of their ecology and ongoing efforts to conserve their populations must reflect this central aspect of their biology. Many species of shorebirds use migration and staging sites scattered throughout the hemisphere to complete their annual migrations between breeding areas and nonbreeding habitats (Morrison 1984). The vast distances between habitats they use pose significant challenges for studying their migration ecology. At the same time, the large number of political boundaries shorebirds cross during their epic migrations create parallel challenges for organizations working on their management and conservation.Nebel et al. (2002) represent a collaborative effort to understand the conservation implications of Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) migration ecology on a scale worthy of this highly migratory species. The data sets involved in the analysis come from four U.S. states, two Canadian provinces, and a total of five nations. Only by collaborating on this historic scale were the authors able to assemble the information necessary to understand important aspects of the migration ecology of this species, and the implications for conservation of the patterns they discovered.Collaborative approaches to shorebird migration ecology developed slowly over several decades. The same period also saw the creation of large-scale efforts to monitor and conserve shorebirds. This overview first traces the history of the study of migration ecology of shorebirds during that fertile period, and then describes the monitoring and protection efforts that have been developed in an attempt to address the enormous issues of scale posed by shorebird migration ecology and conservation.

  7. Behavioral response of Corophium volutator to shorebird predation in the upper Bay of Fundy, Canada.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth C MacDonald

    Full Text Available Predator avoidance is an important component of predator-prey relationships and can affect prey availability for foraging animals. Each summer, the burrow-dwelling amphipod Corophium volutator is heavily preyed upon by Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla on mudflats in the upper Bay of Fundy, Canada. We conducted three complementary studies to determine if adult C. volutator exhibit predator avoidance behavior in the presence of sandpipers. In a field experiment, we monitored vertical distribution of C. volutator adults in bird exclosures and adjacent control plots before sandpipers arrived and during their stopover. We also made polymer resin casts of C. volutator burrows in the field throughout the summer. Finally, we simulated shorebird pecking in a lab experiment and observed C. volutator behavior in their burrows. C. volutator adults were generally distributed deeper in the sediment later in the summer (after sandpipers arrived. In August, this response was detectably stronger in areas exposed to bird predation than in bird exclosures. During peak predator abundance, many C. volutator adults were beyond the reach of feeding sandpipers (>1.5 cm deep. However, burrow depth did not change significantly throughout the summer. Detailed behavioral observations indicated that C. volutator spent more time at the bottom of their burrow when exposed to a simulated predator compared to controls. This observed redistribution suggests that C. volutator adults move deeper into their burrows as an anti-predator response to the presence of sandpipers. This work has implications for predators that feed on burrow-dwelling invertebrates in soft-sediment ecosystems, as density may not accurately estimate prey availability.

  8. Ways to be different: Foraging adaptations that facilitate higher intake rates in a northerly wintering shorebird compared with a low-latitude conspecific

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Dekinga, Anne; Gill, Robert E.; van Gils, Jan A.; Piersma, Theunis

    2015-01-01

    At what phenotypic level do closely related subspecies that live in different environments differ with respect to food detection, ingestion and processing? This question motivated an experimental study on rock sandpipers (Calidris ptilocnemis). The species' nonbreeding range spans 20 deg of latitude, the extremes of which are inhabited by two subspecies: C. p. ptilocnemis that winters primarily in upper Cook Inlet, Alaska (61°N) and C. p. tschuktschorum that overlaps slightly with C. p. ptilocnemis but whose range extends much farther south (∼40°N). In view of the strongly contrasting energetic demands of their distinct nonbreeding distributions, we conducted experiments to assess the behavioral, physiological and sensory aspects of foraging and we used the bivalve Macoma balthica for all trials. C. p. ptilocnemis consumed a wider range of prey sizes, had higher maximum rates of energy intake, processed shell waste at higher maximum rates and handled prey more quickly. Notably, however, the two subspecies did not differ in their abilities to find buried prey. The subspecies were similar in size and had equally sized gizzards, but the more northern ptilocnemis individuals were 10–14% heavier than their same-sex tschuktschorum counterparts. The higher body mass in ptilocnemis probably resulted from hypertrophy of digestive organs (e.g. intestine, liver) related to digestion and nutrient assimilation. Given the previously established equality of the metabolic capacities of the two subspecies, we propose that the high-latitude nonbreeding range of ptilocnemis rock sandpipers is primarily facilitated by digestive (i.e. physiological) aspects of their foraging ecology rather than behavioral or sensory aspects.

  9. THE NEEDS AND IMPORTANCE OF FATTY ACIDS IN THE NUTRITION OF FISH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Bogut

    1996-09-01

    Full Text Available According to the needs for the essential fatty acids, the fish can be classified in three groups: For the fish from Salrrwnidae family (Oncorhynhcus kisutch, O. keta, O. nerka and O. tshawytscha the essential is 18: 3 in the quantity of 1%. The same effect in regard to growth and nutrition coefficient can be achieved with the addition of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUF A ω 3 rows in the quantity of 9. 5%. The Californian trout (Oncorhynhcus mykiss is needier than the other fish for 20: 5 ω 3 and 22: 6 ω 3. Its needs is 1%. For the fish from Coregonidae family (Coregonus lavaretus, C. peled and C. nasus the essential is 18: 3 ω 3 in the quantity of 1% or the combination 20: 5 ω 3 (o. 25% and 22: 6 ω 3 (O. 25%. Fresh-water fish from the Anguillidae family (Anguilla anguilla and A. japonicai, Cyprinidae family (Cyprinus carpio, Ictaluridae family (lctalurus punctatus have needs for 18: 2 ω 3 in the quantity of 1-2% or RUFA O. 5-1%. The fatty acids ω 6 row (18: 2 ω 6 or 20: 4 ω 6 are important for the fish from Cichlidae family (Tilapia zillii and Orechromis nilaticus in the quantity of 1%. Te sea fish Rhombus maximus and Pagnus major achieve the best growth when they receive HUFA ω 3 row up to 2% together with the food. Rancid ointment, eruk-acid from the rape oil, gosipol and cyclophrophenoid acid from the cotton seeds oil if added to fish food cause the reduced growth and pathologic changes on fish liver, kidneys, heart and gills.

  10. Bioaccessibility of Pb from ammunition in game meat is affected by cooking treatment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Mateo

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The presence of lead (Pb ammunition residues in game meat has been widely documented, yet little information exists regarding the bioaccessibility of this Pb contamination. We study how cooking treatment (recipe can affect Pb bioaccessibility in meat of animals hunted with Pb ammunition. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used an in vitro gastrointestinal simulation to study bioaccessibility. The simulation was applied to meat from red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa hunted with Pb shot pellets and cooked using various traditional Spanish game recipes involving wine or vinegar. Total Pb concentrations in the meat were higher in samples with visible Pb ammunition by X-ray (mean±SE: 3.29±1.12 µg/g w.w. than in samples without this evidence (1.28±0.61 µg/g. The percentage of Pb that was bioaccessible within the simulated intestine phase was far higher in meat cooked with vinegar (6.75% and wine (4.51% than in uncooked meat (0.7%. Risk assessment simulations using our results transformed to bioavailability and the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic model (IEUBK; US EPA show that the use of wine instead of vinegar in cooking recipes may reduce the percentage of children that would be expected to have >10 µg/dl of Pb in blood from 2.08% to 0.26% when game meat represents 50% of the meat in diet. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Lead from ammunition in game meat is more bioaccessible after cooking, especially when using highly acidic recipes. These results are important because existing theoretical models regarding Pb uptake and subsequent risk in humans should take such factors into account.

  11. Laying the foundations for a human-predator conflict solution: assessing the impact of Bonelli's eagle on rabbits and partridges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moleón, Marcos; Sánchez-Zapata, José A; Gil-Sánchez, José M; Barea-Azcón, José M; Ballesteros-Duperón, Elena; Virgós, Emilio

    2011-01-01

    Predation may potentially lead to negative effects on both prey (directly via predators) and predators (indirectly via human persecution). Predation pressure studies are, therefore, of major interest in the fields of theoretical knowledge and conservation of prey or predator species, with wide ramifications and profound implications in human-wildlife conflicts. However, detailed works on this issue in highly valuable--in conservation terms--Mediterranean ecosystems are virtually absent. This paper explores the predator-hunting conflict by examining a paradigmatic, Mediterranean-wide (endangered) predator-two prey (small game) system. We estimated the predation impact ('kill rate' and 'predation rate', i.e., number of prey and proportion of the prey population eaten, respectively) of Bonelli's eagle Aquila fasciata on rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa populations in two seasons (the eagle's breeding and non-breeding periods, 100 days each) in SE Spain. The mean estimated kill rate by the seven eagle reproductive units in the study area was c. 304 rabbits and c. 262 partridges in the breeding season, and c. 237 rabbits and c. 121 partridges in the non-breeding period. This resulted in very low predation rates (range: 0.3-2.5%) for both prey and seasons. The potential role of Bonelli's eagles as a limiting factor for rabbits and partridges at the population scale was very poor. The conflict between game profitability and conservation interest of either prey or predators is apparently very localised, and eagles, quarry species and game interests seem compatible in most of the study area. Currently, both the persecution and negative perception of Bonelli's eagle (the 'partridge-eating eagle' in Spanish) have a null theoretical basis in most of this area.

  12. Natural islands and habitat islands as refuges of vegetation cover and wild bees. The case of the Lednica Landscape Park in western Poland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Banaszak Józef

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The study has contributed to the identification of the apifauna of central Wielkopolska. The study identified 161 bee species, accounting for 34.2% of the Polish bee fauna. The highest contribution (28.7% of the fauna comes from four species, namely Andrena haemorrhoa, A. helvola, Evylaeus calceatus and Osmia rufa, while Bombus terrestris and Evylaeus pauxillus are two subdominants. The assemblages of Apiformes in the study area are characterised by a significant contribution of spring-associated species, which is probably an effect of the presence of numerous willow thickets offering abundant host plants (mainly Salix sp. div.. Both the islands and the surroundings of the lake have a unique species composition, and there are differences in the proportions of the individual dominant species. The overall abundance of bees varies greatly, with mean seasonal density figures on Ostrów Lednicki Island being more than twice as high as that on the mainland grassland, with a distinct predominance of bumblebees. The exceptional richness of Apiformes, including bumblebees, on Ostrów Lednicki should be regarded as the basis for treating this island as a life refuge for bumblebees and including it and its environs in the list of sites of Community importance (SCI. A simultaneous study of the vegetation cover contributed significant data on the vascular plant flora and plant communities of the Lednica Landscape Park. For example, it was the first such investigation of Mewia Island. The study revealed the importance of marginal habitats (natural islands and habitat islands for the preservation of protected and endangered plant species and plant communities receding from an agricultural landscape.

  13. Population variation in isotopic composition of shorebird feathers: Implications for determining molting grounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres-Dowdall, J.; Farmer, A.H.; Bucher, E.H.; Rye, R.O.; Landis, G.

    2009-01-01

    Stable isotope analyses have revolutionized the study of migratory connectivity. However, as with all tools, their limitations must be understood in order to derive the maximum benefit of a particular application. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of stable isotopes of C, N, H, O and S for assigning known-origin feathers to the molting sites of migrant shorebird species wintering and breeding in Argentina. Specific objectives were to: 1) compare the efficacy of the technique for studying shorebird species with different migration patterns, life histories and habitat-use patterns; 2) evaluate the grouping of species with similar migration and habitat use patterns in a single analysis to potentially improve prediction accuracy; and 3) evaluate the potential gains in prediction accuracy that might be achieved from using multiple stable isotopes. The efficacy of stable isotope ratios to determine origin was found to vary with species. While one species (White-rumped Sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis) had high levels of accuracy assigning samples to known origin (91% of samples correctly assigned), another (Collared Plover, Charadrius collaris) showed low levels of accuracy (52% of samples correctly assigned). Intra-individual variability may account for this difference in efficacy. The prediction model for three species with similar migration and habitat-use patterns performed poorly compared with the model for just one of the species (71% versus 91% of samples correctly assigned). Thus, combining multiple sympatric species may not improve model prediction accuracy. Increasing the number of stable isotopes in the analyses increased the accuracy of assigning shorebirds to their molting origin, but the best combination - involving a subset of all the isotopes analyzed - varied among species.

  14. Winter body mass and over-ocean flocking as components of danger management by Pacific dunlins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ydenberg, Ronald C; Dekker, Dick; Kaiser, Gary; Shepherd, Philippa C F; Ogden, Lesley Evans; Rickards, Karen; Lank, David B

    2010-01-21

    We compared records of the body mass and roosting behavior of Pacific dunlins (Calidris alpina pacifica) wintering on the Fraser River estuary in southwest British Columbia between the 1970s and the 1990s. 'Over-ocean flocking' is a relatively safe but energetically-expensive alternative to roosting during the high tide period. Fat stores offer protection against starvation, but are a liability in escape performance, and increase flight costs. Peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) were scarce on the Fraser River estuary in the 1970s, but their numbers have since recovered, and they prey heavily on dunlins. The increase has altered the balance between predation and starvation risks for dunlins, and thus how dunlins regulate roosting behavior and body mass to manage the danger. We therefore predicted an increase in the frequency of over-ocean flocking as well as a decrease in the amount of fat carried by dunlins over these decades. Historical observations indicate that over-ocean flocking of dunlins was rare prior to the mid-1990s and became common thereafter. Residual body masses of dunlins were higher in the 1970s, with the greatest difference between the decades coinciding with peak peregrine abundance in October, and shrinking over the course of winter as falcon seasonal abundance declines. Whole-body fat content of dunlins was lower in the 1990s, and accounted for most of the change in body mass. Pacific dunlins appear to manage danger in a complex manner that involves adjustments both in fat reserves and roosting behavior. We discuss reasons why over-ocean flocking has apparently become more common on the Fraser estuary than at other dunlin wintering sites.

  15. Change in numbers of resident and migratory shorebirds at the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats, Puerto Rico, USA (1985–2014)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parks, Morgan A.; Collazo, Jaime A.; Colon, Jose A.; Ramos Alvarez, Katsi R.; Diaz, Oscar

    2016-01-01

    North American migratory shorebirds have declined markedly since the 1980s, underscoring the importance of population surveys to conduct status and trend assessments. Shorebird surveys were conducted during three multi-year periods between 1985 and 2014 and used to assess changes in numbers and species composition at the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats, Puerto Rico, USA, a site of regional importance in the eastern Caribbean. Eight fewer species (total = 21) were recorded in 2013–2014 as compared to the 29 from 1985–1992; all eight species were Nearctic migrants. Small calidrids had the highest population counts; however, this suite of species and all others experienced a ≥ 70% decline. Combined counts from the salt flats and neighboring wetlands in 2013–2014 were lower than counts only from the Cabo Rojo Salt Flats in two previous multi-year survey periods, which indicated a real change in numbers not just a shift in wetland use. Invertebrate prey density was lower in 2013–2014 than in 1994. Body fat condition of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla), an index of habitat quality, did not differ between 1985–1992 and 2013–2014. These findings do not exclude the possibility that other species might be affected by lower prey density, or that local declines in numbers reflect changes at hemispheric, not local, scales. The magnitude of change between local and hemispheric scales closely matched for some species. Continued monitoring at the salt flats is warranted to help gauge the status of shorebirds in Puerto Rico and discern the probable cause of declines. Monitoring other sites in the Caribbean is needed for stronger inferences about regional status and trends.

  16. Linking sex differences in corticosterone with individual reproductive behaviour and hatch success in two species of uniparental shorebirds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Darryl B; Chin, Eunice H; Burness, Gary; Gilchrist, H Grant; Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht I

    2013-09-01

    In birds, corticosterone (CORT) appears to facilitate reproductive activity because baseline and stress-induced CORT levels are elevated in breeding individuals compared with other times of the year. In particular, CORT is lower in the sex providing most of the parental care (i.e., incubation), which could be an important adaptation to tolerate stressors that result in abandoning reproduction. Therefore, one explanation for sex differences in CORT is that lower levels are favoured during the incubation/parental phase of reproduction. Using two species of uniparental shorebird - polyandrous red phalaropes (Phalaropus fulicarius) and polygynous white-rumped sandpipers (Calidris fuscicollis) - we predicted that the incubating sex would have lower baseline and stress-induced CORT, and incubating individuals with lower CORT would more effectively defend nests against a simulated intrusion, would return more quickly afterwards, and would ultimately have higher hatch success. We found that phalaropes followed the predicted pattern: incubating individuals (males) had lower baseline and stress-induced CORT than females but for baseline CORT these differences existed prior to males commencing incubation. Incubating male phalaropes with lower baseline and stress-induced CORT returned to incubate more quickly after a disturbance and there was non-significant tendency for baseline CORT to be lower in successful nests. In sandpipers, we observed no sex differences and no significant relationships between individual CORT levels and nest defence behaviours or hatch success. Our results demonstrate that in phalaropes at least, selection favours lower baseline and stress-induced CORT during the nesting period. These results can explain sex differences in stress-induced levels of CORT, however sex differences in baseline CORT were present prior to incubation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Laying the foundations for a human-predator conflict solution: assessing the impact of Bonelli's eagle on rabbits and partridges.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Moleón

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Predation may potentially lead to negative effects on both prey (directly via predators and predators (indirectly via human persecution. Predation pressure studies are, therefore, of major interest in the fields of theoretical knowledge and conservation of prey or predator species, with wide ramifications and profound implications in human-wildlife conflicts. However, detailed works on this issue in highly valuable--in conservation terms--Mediterranean ecosystems are virtually absent. This paper explores the predator-hunting conflict by examining a paradigmatic, Mediterranean-wide (endangered predator-two prey (small game system. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We estimated the predation impact ('kill rate' and 'predation rate', i.e., number of prey and proportion of the prey population eaten, respectively of Bonelli's eagle Aquila fasciata on rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa populations in two seasons (the eagle's breeding and non-breeding periods, 100 days each in SE Spain. The mean estimated kill rate by the seven eagle reproductive units in the study area was c. 304 rabbits and c. 262 partridges in the breeding season, and c. 237 rabbits and c. 121 partridges in the non-breeding period. This resulted in very low predation rates (range: 0.3-2.5% for both prey and seasons. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The potential role of Bonelli's eagles as a limiting factor for rabbits and partridges at the population scale was very poor. The conflict between game profitability and conservation interest of either prey or predators is apparently very localised, and eagles, quarry species and game interests seem compatible in most of the study area. Currently, both the persecution and negative perception of Bonelli's eagle (the 'partridge-eating eagle' in Spanish have a null theoretical basis in most of this area.

  18. Game meat consumption by hunters and their relatives: A probabilistic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sevillano Morales, Jesus; Moreno-Ortega, Alicia; Amaro Lopez, Manual Angel; Arenas Casas, Antonio; Cámara-Martos, Fernando; Moreno-Rojas, Rafael

    2018-06-18

    This study aimed to estimate the consumption of meat and products derived from hunting by the consumer population and, specifically, by hunters and their relatives. For this purpose, a survey was conducted on the frequency of consuming meat from the four most representative game species in Spain, two of big game, wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) and two of small game, rabbit (Oryctolagus cunulucus) and red partridge (Alectoris rufa), as well as of processed meat products (salami-type sausage) made from those big game species. The survey was carried out on 337 habitual consumers of these types of products (hunters and their relatives). The total mean game meat consumption, per capita in this population group, is 6.87 kg/person/year of meat and 8.57 kg/person/year if the processed meat products are also considered. Consumption of rabbit, red partridge, red deer and wild boar, individually, was 1.85, 0.82, 2.28 and 1.92 kg/person/year, respectively. It was observed that hunters generally registered a larger intake of game meat, this being statistically significant in the case of rabbit meat consumption. Using probabilistic methods, the meat consumption frequency distributions for each hunting species studied were estimated, as well as the products made from big game species and the total consumption both of meat by itself and that including the products made from it. The consumption frequency distributions were adjusted to exponential ones, verified by the test suitable for it according to Akaike Information Criterion, Bayesian Information Criterion, the Chi-Squared and Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics. In addition, the consumption percentiles of the different distributions were obtained. The latter could be a good tool when making nutrition or contaminant studies since they permit the assessment of exposure to the compound in question.

  19. Laying the Foundations for a Human-Predator Conflict Solution: Assessing the Impact of Bonelli's Eagle on Rabbits and Partridges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moleón, Marcos; Sánchez-Zapata, José A.; Gil-Sánchez, José M.; Barea-Azcón, José M.; Ballesteros-Duperón, Elena; Virgós, Emilio

    2011-01-01

    Background Predation may potentially lead to negative effects on both prey (directly via predators) and predators (indirectly via human persecution). Predation pressure studies are, therefore, of major interest in the fields of theoretical knowledge and conservation of prey or predator species, with wide ramifications and profound implications in human-wildlife conflicts. However, detailed works on this issue in highly valuable –in conservation terms– Mediterranean ecosystems are virtually absent. This paper explores the predator-hunting conflict by examining a paradigmatic, Mediterranean-wide (endangered) predator-two prey (small game) system. Methodology/Principal Findings We estimated the predation impact (‘kill rate’ and ‘predation rate’, i.e., number of prey and proportion of the prey population eaten, respectively) of Bonelli's eagle Aquila fasciata on rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa populations in two seasons (the eagle's breeding and non-breeding periods, 100 days each) in SE Spain. The mean estimated kill rate by the seven eagle reproductive units in the study area was c. 304 rabbits and c. 262 partridges in the breeding season, and c. 237 rabbits and c. 121 partridges in the non-breeding period. This resulted in very low predation rates (range: 0.3–2.5%) for both prey and seasons. Conclusions/Significance The potential role of Bonelli's eagles as a limiting factor for rabbits and partridges at the population scale was very poor. The conflict between game profitability and conservation interest of either prey or predators is apparently very localised, and eagles, quarry species and game interests seem compatible in most of the study area. Currently, both the persecution and negative perception of Bonelli's eagle (the ‘partridge-eating eagle’ in Spanish) have a null theoretical basis in most of this area. PMID:21818399

  20. Free Radical Exposure Creates Paler Carotenoid-Based Ornaments: A Possible Interaction in the Expression of Black and Red Traits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso-Alvarez, Carlos; Galván, Ismael

    2011-01-01

    Oxidative stress could be a key selective force shaping the expression of colored traits produced by the primary animal pigments in integuments: carotenoids and melanins. However, the impact of oxidative stress on melanic ornaments has only recently been explored, whereas its role in the expression of carotenoid-based traits is not fully understood. An interesting study case is that of those animal species simultaneously expressing both kinds of ornaments, such as the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa). In this bird, individuals exposed to an exogenous source of free radicals (diquat) during their development produced larger eumelanin-based (black) plumage traits than controls. Here, we show that the same red-legged partridges exposed to diquat simultaneously developed paler carotenoid-based ornaments (red beak and eye rings), and carried lower circulating carotenoid levels as well as lower levels of some lipids involved in carotenoid transport in the bloodstream (i.e., cholesterol). Moreover, partridges treated with a hormone that stimulates eumelanin production (i.e., alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone) also increased blood carotenoid levels, but this effect was not mirrored in the expression of carotenoid-based traits. The redness of carotenoid-based ornaments and the size of a conspicuous eumelanic trait (the black bib) were negatively correlated in control birds, suggesting a physiological trade-off during development. These findings contradict recent studies questioning the sensitivity of carotenoids to oxidative stress. Nonetheless, the impact of free radicals on plasma carotenoids seems to be partially mediated by changes in cholesterol metabolism, and not by direct carotenoid destruction/consumption. The results highlight the capacity of oxidative stress to create multiple phenotypes during development through differential effects on carotenoids and melanins, raising questions about evolutionary constraints involved in the production of multiple

  1. Free radical exposure creates paler carotenoid-based ornaments: a possible interaction in the expression of black and red traits.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Alonso-Alvarez

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Oxidative stress could be a key selective force shaping the expression of colored traits produced by the primary animal pigments in integuments: carotenoids and melanins. However, the impact of oxidative stress on melanic ornaments has only recently been explored, whereas its role in the expression of carotenoid-based traits is not fully understood. An interesting study case is that of those animal species simultaneously expressing both kinds of ornaments, such as the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa. In this bird, individuals exposed to an exogenous source of free radicals (diquat during their development produced larger eumelanin-based (black plumage traits than controls. Here, we show that the same red-legged partridges exposed to diquat simultaneously developed paler carotenoid-based ornaments (red beak and eye rings, and carried lower circulating carotenoid levels as well as lower levels of some lipids involved in carotenoid transport in the bloodstream (i.e., cholesterol. Moreover, partridges treated with a hormone that stimulates eumelanin production (i.e., alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone also increased blood carotenoid levels, but this effect was not mirrored in the expression of carotenoid-based traits. The redness of carotenoid-based ornaments and the size of a conspicuous eumelanic trait (the black bib were negatively correlated in control birds, suggesting a physiological trade-off during development. These findings contradict recent studies questioning the sensitivity of carotenoids to oxidative stress. Nonetheless, the impact of free radicals on plasma carotenoids seems to be partially mediated by changes in cholesterol metabolism, and not by direct carotenoid destruction/consumption. The results highlight the capacity of oxidative stress to create multiple phenotypes during development through differential effects on carotenoids and melanins, raising questions about evolutionary constraints involved in the production of

  2. Temperaturas cardinales de desarrollo en la etapa siembra- emergencia de 11 pastos forrajeros

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noé Durán Puga

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron determinar las temperaturas cardinales de desarrollo (temperatura umbral mínima Tb, temperatura óptima To y temperatura umbral máxima Tu, e identificar un método que estime con precisión los requerimientos térmicos para la etapa siembra-emergencia (E de 11 pastos forrajeros. Ciento veinte (120 semillas de cada uno se sembraron en recipientes en condiciones controladas con un diseño experimental completamente al azar y tres repeticiones a temperaturas constantes de 15 hasta 46 ºC, en cámaras de ambiente controlado del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP en Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Las temperaturas cardinales y requerimiento térmico se estimaron mediante el método bilineal (MB y el método curvilíneo (MC, se evaluó su ajuste mediante comparación directa con los valores de desarrollo observados en ambiente controlado y coeficiente de variación de la duración de E expresada en términos de unidades calor acumuladas (UCA. Los resultados mostraron que el MB fue mejor para estimar Tb y To, y el MC fue mejor para estimar Tu. Los valores de Tb, To, Tu y UCA, fueron, Lolium perenne 9, 31, 41, 80, Festuca arundinacea 10, 31, 41, 78, Hyparrhenia rufa 12, 32, 42, 62, Eragrostis curvula 13, 32, 47, 40, Chloris gayana 13, 31, 47, 40, Melinis minutiflora 13, 31, 43, 50, Pennisetum clandestinum 12, 32, 43, 65, Brachiaria mutica 14, 32, 43, 57, Andropogon gayanus 12, 37, 48, 66, Cynodon dactylon 14, 29, 44, 48, Pennicetum ciliare 13, 30, 42, 61.

  3. Some Uses of Radioisotopes and Radiations in Entomology; Quelques emplois des radioelements et des rayonnements en entomologie; Nekotorye vidy primeneniya radioehlementov i oblucheniya v ehntomologii; Algunas aplicaciones de los radioelementos y de las radiaciones en entomologia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Courtois, G. [Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay (France); Lecomte, J. [Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Station de Recherches sur l' Abeille et les Insectes Sociaux, Bures-Sur-Yvette (France)

    1963-09-15

    The paper reviews the applications of radioisotopes in entomology that have been developed at our two centres during the last few years. Early work (Au{sup 198}-labelling) related to the bee and more particularly to the radius of dispersion of worker bees from a colony. After investigations on the individual dose received in tagging of this kind, the radioresistance of the bee was determined, the lethal dose being estimated at about 90 kr. Au{sup 198} was also used to study exchange of food within a bee-hive. On the other hand, P{sup 32} was used for studies of exchange of food, in small hives, between individuals of different functions (males, workers and queens) or different colonies. Similar trophallaxic studies have recently been performed on wasps. Au198 was likewise the basic radioisotope used in work on ant's nests. The most interesting finding from one of the early studies was that exchange of food takes place between nests more than 50 m apart and belonging to different species (Formica rufa and Formica polyctena). A later study, in which an ant run and not the nest itself was labelled, revealed a division of responsibility within the nests the tagged ants were found invariably to explore the same run and to have little contact with other individuals of the same colony. In the same experiment abnormal radioactivity was noted in the ants before labelling, due in particular to (Sr+Nb){sup 95} . This discovery would seem to point to accumulation of radioactive fall-out in ant's nests. At a period of low fall-out, natural radioactivity attributed to K{sup 40} was observed and was used for purposes of potassium determination in ants and bees. An attempt was made to label acridians with Ir{sup 192} and the findings are described in the paper. Lastly, an autoradiographic study has been made of the distribution of certain radioisotopes (P{sup 32} and S{sup 35}) in the body of the bee. (author) [French] Le memoire passe en revue les applications des radioelements

  4. Concentrations of 17 elements, including mercury, in the tissues, food and abiotic environment of Arctic shorebirds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hargreaves, Anna L; Whiteside, Douglas P; Gilchrist, Grant

    2011-09-01

    Exposure to contaminants is one hypothesis proposed to explain the global decline in shorebirds, and is also an increasing concern in the Arctic. We assessed potential contaminants (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, V, and Zn) at a shorebird breeding site in Nunavut, Canada. We compared element levels in soil, invertebrates and shorebird blood to assess evidence for bioconcentration and biomagnification within the Arctic-based food chain. We tested whether elements in blood, feathers and eggs of six shorebird species (Pluvialis squatarola, Calidris alpina, C. fuscicollis, Phalaropus fulicarius, Charadrius semipalmatus, and Arenaria interpres) were related to fitness endpoints: adult body condition, blood-parasite load, egg size, eggshell thickness, nest duration, and hatching success. To facilitate comparison to other sites, we summarise the published data on toxic metals in shorebird blood and egg contents. Element concentrations and invertebrate composition differed strongly among habitats, and habitat use and element concentrations differed among shorebird species. Hg, Se, Cd, Cu, and Zn bioconcentrated from soil to invertebrates, and Hg, Se and Fe biomagnified from invertebrates to shorebird blood. As, Ni, Pb, Co and Mn showed significant biodilution from soil to invertebrates to shorebirds. Soil element levels were within Canadian guidelines, and invertebrate Hg levels were below dietary levels suggested for the protection of wildlife. However, maximum Hg in blood and eggs approached levels associated with toxicological effects and Hg-pollution in other bird species. Parental blood-Hg was negatively related to egg volume, although the relationship varied among species. No other elements approached established toxicological thresholds. In conclusion, whereas we found little evidence that exposure to elements at this site is leading to the declines of the species studied, Hg, as found elsewhere in the Canadian Arctic, is of potential

  5. Winter body mass and over-ocean flocking as components of danger management by Pacific dunlins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogden Lesley

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We compared records of the body mass and roosting behavior of Pacific dunlins (Calidris alpina pacifica wintering on the Fraser River estuary in southwest British Columbia between the 1970s and the 1990s. 'Over-ocean flocking' is a relatively safe but energetically-expensive alternative to roosting during the high tide period. Fat stores offer protection against starvation, but are a liability in escape performance, and increase flight costs. Peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus were scarce on the Fraser River estuary in the 1970s, but their numbers have since recovered, and they prey heavily on dunlins. The increase has altered the balance between predation and starvation risks for dunlins, and thus how dunlins regulate roosting behavior and body mass to manage the danger. We therefore predicted an increase in the frequency of over-ocean flocking as well as a decrease in the amount of fat carried by dunlins over these decades. Results Historical observations indicate that over-ocean flocking of dunlins was rare prior to the mid-1990s and became common thereafter. Residual body masses of dunlins were higher in the 1970s, with the greatest difference between the decades coinciding with peak peregrine abundance in October, and shrinking over the course of winter as falcon seasonal abundance declines. Whole-body fat content of dunlins was lower in the 1990s, and accounted for most of the change in body mass. Conclusions Pacific dunlins appear to manage danger in a complex manner that involves adjustments both in fat reserves and roosting behavior. We discuss reasons why over-ocean flocking has apparently become more common on the Fraser estuary than at other dunlin wintering sites.

  6. Coping with the cold: an ecological context for the abundance and distribution of rock sandpipers during winter in upper Cook Inlet, Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Gill, Robert E.; Tibbitts, T. Lee

    2013-01-01

    Shorebirds are conspicuous and abundant at high northern latitudes during spring and summer, but as seasonal conditions deteriorate, few remain during winter. To the best of our knowledge, Cook Inlet, Alaska (60.6˚ N, 151.6˚ W), is the world’s coldest site that regularly supports wintering populations of shorebirds, and it is also the most northerly nonbreeding location for shorebirds in the Pacific Basin. During the winters of 1997–2012, we conducted aerial surveys of upper Cook Inlet to document the spatial and temporal distribution and number of Rock Sandpipers (Calidris ptilocnemis) using the inlet. The average survey total was 8191 ± 6143 SD birds, and the average of each winter season’s highest single-day count was 13 603 ± 4948 SD birds. We detected only Rock Sandpipers during our surveys, essentially all of which were individuals of the nominate subspecies (C. p. ptilocnemis). Survey totals in some winters closely matched the population estimate for this subspecies, demonstrating the region’s importance as a nonbreeding resource to the subspecies. Birds were most often found at only a handful of sites in upper Cook Inlet, but shifted their distribution to more southerly locations in the inlet during periods of extreme cold. Two environmental factors allow Rock Sandpipers to inhabit Cook Inlet during winter: 1) an abundant bivalve (Macoma balthica) food source and 2) current and tidal dynamics that keep foraging substrates accessible during all but extreme periods of cold and ice accretion. C. p. ptilocnemis is a subspecies of high conservation concern for which annual winter surveys may serve as a relatively inexpensive population-monitoring tool that will also provide insight into adaptations that allow these birds to exploit high-latitude environments in winter.

  7. The first hop: Use of Beaufort Sea deltas by hatch-year semipalmated sandpipers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Churchwell, Roy T.; Kendall, Steve J.; Brown, Stephen C.; Blanchard, Arny L.; Hollmen, Tuula E.; Powell, Abby

    2018-01-01

    River deltas along Alaska’s Beaufort Sea coast are used by hatch-year semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) after leaving their terrestrial natal sites, but the drivers of their use of these stopover sites on the first “hop” of fall migration are unknown. We quantified sandpiper temporal distribution and abundance as related to food resources at three river deltas during the beginning of their fall migration (post-breeding period) to compare the habitat quality among these deltas. We conducted population counts, sampled invertebrates, and captured birds to collect blood samples from individuals for triglyceride and stable isotope analyses to determine fattening rates and diet. Patterns of sandpiper and invertebrate abundance were complex and varied among deltas and within seasons. River deltas were used by sandpipers from late July to late August, and peak sandpiper counts ranged from 1000 to 4000 individuals, of which 98% were hatch-year semipalmated sandpipers. Isotopic signatures from blood plasma samples indicated that birds switched from a diet of upland tundra to delta invertebrate taxa as the migration season progressed, suggesting a dependence on delta invertebrates. Despite differences in diet among deltas, we found no differences in fattening rates of juvenile sandpipers as indicated by triglyceride levels. The number of sandpipers was positively associated with abundance of Amphipoda and Oligochaeta at the Jago and Okpilak-Hulahula deltas; an isotopic mixing model indicated that sandpipers consumed Amphipoda and Oligochaeta at Jago, mostly Chironomidae at Okpilak-Hulahula and Spionidae at Canning. Regardless of the difference in sandpiper diets at the Beaufort Sea deltas, their similar fattening rates throughout the season indicate that all of these stopover sites provide a critical food resource for hatch-year sandpipers beginning their first migration.

  8. Stable Isotope Analysis Reveals That Agricultural Habitat Provides an Important Dietary Component for Nonbreeding Dunlin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lesley Joan Evans Ogden

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Although shorebirds spending the winter in temperate areas frequently use estuarine and supratidal (upland feeding habitats, the relative contribution of each habitat to individual diets has not been directly quantified. We quantified the proportional use that Calidris alpina pacifica (Dunlin made of estuarine vs. terrestrial farmland resources on the Fraser River Delta, British Columbia, using stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N of blood from 268 Dunlin over four winters, 1997 through 2000. We tested for individual, age, sex, morphological, seasonal, and weather-related differences in dietary sources. Based on single- (δ13C and dual-isotope mixing models, the agricultural habitat contributed approximately 38% of Dunlin diet averaged over four winters, with the balance from intertidal flats. However, there was a wide variation among individuals in the extent of agricultural feeding, ranging from about 1% to 95% of diet. Younger birds had a significantly higher terrestrial contribution to diet (43% than did adults (35%. We estimated that 6% of adults and 13% of juveniles were obtaining at least 75% of their diet from terrestrial sources. The isotope data provided no evidence for sex or overall body size effects on the proportion of diet that is terrestrial in origin. The use of agricultural habitat by Dunlin peaked in early January. Adult Dunlin obtained a greater proportion of their diet terrestrially during periods of lower temperatures and high precipitation, whereas no such relationship existed for juveniles. Seasonal variation in the use of agricultural habitat suggests that it is used more during energetically stressful periods. The terrestrial farmland zone appears to be consistently important as a habitat for juveniles, but for adults it may provide an alternative feeding site used as a buffer against starvation during periods of extreme weather. Loss or reduction of agricultural habitat adjacent to estuaries may negatively impact

  9. Avian BMR in marine and non-marine habitats: a test using shorebirds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez, Jorge S; Abad-Gómez, José M; Sánchez-Guzmán, Juan M; Navedo, Juan G; Masero, José A

    2012-01-01

    Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is closely linked to different habitats and way of life. In birds, some studies have noted that BMR is higher in marine species compared to those inhabiting terrestrial habitats. However, the extent of such metabolic dichotomy and its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Migratory shorebirds (Charadriiformes) offer a particularly interesting opportunity for testing this marine-non-marine difference as they are typically divided into two broad categories in terms of their habitat occupancy outside the breeding season: 'coastal' and 'inland' shorebirds. Here, we measured BMR for 12 species of migratory shorebirds wintering in temperate inland habitats and collected additional BMR values from the literature for coastal and inland shorebirds along their migratory route to make inter- and intraspecific comparisons. We also measured the BMR of inland and coastal dunlins Calidris alpina wintering at a similar latitude to facilitate a more direct intraspecific comparison. Our interspecific analyses showed that BMR was significantly lower in inland shorebirds than in coastal shorebirds after the effects of potentially confounding climatic (latitude, temperature, solar radiation, wind conditions) and organismal (body mass, migratory status, phylogeny) factors were accounted for. This indicates that part of the variation in basal metabolism might be attributed to genotypic divergence. Intraspecific comparisons showed that the mass-specific BMR of dunlins wintering in inland freshwater habitats was 15% lower than in coastal saline habitats, suggesting that phenotypic plasticity also plays an important role in generating these metabolic differences. We propose that the absence of tidally-induced food restrictions, low salinity, and less windy microclimates associated with inland freshwater habitats may reduce the levels of energy expenditure, and hence BMR. Further research including common-garden experiments that eliminate phenotypic plasticity

  10. Environmental and ecological conditions at Arctic breeding sites have limited effects on true survival rates of adult shorebirds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiser, Emily L.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Brown, Stephen C.; Gates, H. River; Bentzen, Rebecca L.; Bêty, Joël; Boldenow, Megan L.; English, Willow B.; Franks, Samantha E.; Koloski, Laura; Kwon, Eunbi; Lamarre, Jean-Francois; Lank, David B.; Liebezeit, Joseph R.; McKinnon, Laura; Nol, Erica; Rausch, Jennie; Saalfeld, Sarah T.; Senner, Nathan R.; Ward, David H.; Woodard, Paul F.; Sandercock, Brett K.

    2018-01-01

    Many Arctic shorebird populations are declining, and quantifying adult survival and the effects of anthropogenic factors is a crucial step toward a better understanding of population dynamics. We used a recently developed, spatially explicit Cormack–Jolly–Seber model in a Bayesian framework to obtain broad-scale estimates of true annual survival rates for 6 species of shorebirds at 9 breeding sites across the North American Arctic in 2010–2014. We tested for effects of environmental and ecological variables, study site, nest fate, and sex on annual survival rates of each species in the spatially explicit framework, which allowed us to distinguish between effects of variables on site fidelity versus true survival. Our spatially explicit analysis produced estimates of true survival rates that were substantially higher than previously published estimates of apparent survival for most species, ranging from S = 0.72 to 0.98 across 5 species. However, survival was lower for the arcticolasubspecies of Dunlin (Calidris alpina arcticola; S = 0.54), our only study taxon that migrates through the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Like other species that use that flyway, arcticola Dunlin could be experiencing unsustainably low survival rates as a result of loss of migratory stopover habitat. Survival rates of our study species were not affected by timing of snowmelt or summer temperature, and only 2 species showed minor variation among study sites. Furthermore, although previous reproductive success, predator abundance, and the availability of alternative prey each affected survival of one species, no factors broadly affected survival across species. Overall, our findings of few effects of environmental or ecological variables suggest that annual survival rates of adult shorebirds are generally robust to conditions at Arctic breeding sites. Instead, conditions at migratory stopovers or overwintering sites might be driving adult survival rates and should be the

  11. Thermoregulation strategies in ants in comparison to other social insects, with a focus on Formica rufa [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/2fv

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Štěpánka Kadochová

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Temperature influences every aspect of ant biology, especially metabolic rate, growth and development. Maintenance of high inner nest temperature increases the rate of sexual brood development and thereby increases the colony fitness. Insect societies can achieve better thermoregulation than solitary insects due to the former’s ability to build large and elaborated nests and display complex behaviour. In ants and termites the upper part of the nest, the mound, often works as a solar collector and can also have an efficient ventilation system. Two thermoregulatory strategies could be applied. Firstly the ants use an increased thermal gradient available in the mound for brood relocation. Nurse workers move the brood according to the thermal gradients to ensure the ideal conditions for development. A precise perception of temperature and evolution of temperature preferences are needed to make the correct choices. A second thermoregulatory strategy used by mound nesting ants is keeping a high temperature inside large nests. The unique thermal and insulation properties of the nest material help to maintain stable conditions, which is the case of the Wood ant genus Formica. Ants can regulate thermal loss by moving nest aggregation and alternating nest ventilation. Metabolic heat produced by ant workers or associated micro organisms is an important additional source of heat which helps to maintain thermal homeostasis in the nest.

  12. First Results of 3 Year Monitoring of Red Wood Ants' Behavioural Changes and Their Possible Correlation with Earthquake Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berberich, Gabriele; Berberich, Martin; Grumpe, Arne; Wöhler, Christian; Schreiber, Ulrich

    2013-04-01

    Short-term earthquake predictions with an advance warning of several hours or days can currently not be performed reliably and remain limited to only a few minutes before the event. Abnormal animal behaviours prior to earthquakes have been reported previously but their detection creates problems in monitoring and reliability. A different situation is encountered for red wood ants (RWA; Formica rufa-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). They have stationary nest sites on tectonically active, gas-bearing fault systems. These faults may be potential earthquake areas and are simultaneously information channels deeply reaching into the crust. A particular advantage of monitoring RWA is their high sensitivity to environmental changes. Besides an evolutionarily developed extremely strong temperature sensitivity of 0.25 K, they have chemoreceptors for the detection of CO2 concentrations and a sensitivity for electromagnetic fields. Changes of the electromagnetic field are discussed or short-lived "thermal anomalies" are reported as trigger mechanisms for bioanomalies of impending earthquakes. For 3 years, we have monitored two Red Wood Ant mounds (Formica rufa-group), located at the seismically active Neuwied Basin (Eifel, Germany), 24/7 by high-resolution cameras equipped with a colour and infrared sensor. In the Neuwied Basin, an average of about 100 earthquakes per year with magnitudes up to M 3.9 occur located on different tectonic fault regimes (strike-slip faults and/or normal or thrust faults). The RWA mounds are located on two different fault regimes approximately 30 km apart. First results show that the ants have a well-identifiable standard daily routine. Correlation with local seismic events suggests changes in the ants' behaviour hours before the earthquake event: The nocturnal rest phase and daily activity are suppressed, and standard daily routine is continued not before the next day. Additional parameters that might have an effect on the ants' daily routine

  13. Effects of elevated CO{sub 2} and temperature on photosynthesis and leaf traits of an understory dwarf bamboo in subalpine forest zone, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yongping Li; Yuanbin Zhang; Xiaolu Zhang; Chunyang Li [Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu (China); Korpelainenc, H. [Univ. of Helsinki. Dept. of Agricultural Sciences, Helsinki (Finland); Berningerd, F. [Univ. of Helsinki. Dept. of Forest Sciences, Helsinki (Finland)

    2013-06-01

    The dwarf bamboo (Fargesia rufa Yi), growing understory in subalpine dark coniferous forest, is one of the main foods for giant panda, and it influences the regeneration of subalpine coniferous forests in southwestern China. To investigate the effects of elevated CO{sub 2}, temperature and their combination, the dwarf bamboo plantlets were exposed to two CO{sub 2} regimes (ambient and double ambient CO{sub 2} concentration) and two temperatures (ambient and +2.2 deg. C) in growth chambers. Gas exchange, leaf traits and carbohydrates concentration were measured after the 150-day experiment. Elevated CO{sub 2} significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate (A{sub net}), intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE{sub i}) and carbon isotope composition ({delta}{sup 13}C) and decreased stomatal conductance (g{sub s}) and total chlorophyll concentration based on mass (Chl{sub m}) and area (Chl{sub a}). On the other hand, elevated CO{sub 2} decreased specific leaf area (SLA), which was increased by elevated temperature. Elevated CO{sub 2} also increased foliar carbon concentration based on mass (C{sub m}) and area (C{sub a}), nitrogen concentration based on area (N{sub a}), carbohydrates concentration (i.e. sucrose, sugar, starch and non-structural carbohydrates) and the slope of the A{sub net}-N{sub a} relationship. However, elevated temperature decreased C{sub m}, C{sub a} and N{sub a}. The combination of elevated CO{sub 2} and temperature hardly affected SLA, C{sub m}, C{sub a}, N{sub m}, N{sub a}, Chl{sub m} and Chl{sub a}. Variables A{sub net} and N{sub a} had positive linear relationships in all treatments. Our results showed that photosynthetic acclimation did not occur in dwarf bamboo at elevated CO{sub 2} and it could adjust physiology and morphology to enable the capture of more light, to increase WUE and improve nutritional conditions. (Author)

  14. Characterisation of wild rabbit commercial game farms in Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro González-Redondo

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research is to characterise the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus commercial game farms in Spain using variables related to structure, management and marketing. To this end, a structured survey was administered in 2009 to 21 privately-owned farms. This subsector was an average age of 13. The average size of the breeding stock of the farms was 431 does and 64 bucks. Eighty-five percent of the farms kept all or part of the breeding stock in cages and 38.1% used artificial insemination. All the farms carried out breeder self-replacement, 4.8% by buying wild rabbits from other farms, whereas 38.1% captured wild rabbits for this purpose. Nineteen percent of the wild rabbit game farms also produced other game species, mainly red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa, pheasant (Phasianus colchicus and quail (Coturnix coturnix. Fourteen percent of the farms supplied wild rabbits to be used as prey to be released in programmes for the conservation of endangered predators, and 38.1% supplied breeding rabbits to be used by other farms to replace culled animals. Eighty-six percent of the farms offered the service of transporting the animals from the farm to the hunting grounds to their clients, and 14.3% advised customers on how to successfully release and restock hunting grounds. Seventy-six percent of the farms marketed their products throughout Spain, and 38.1% exported wild rabbits to neighbouring countries, mainly Portugal and France. Forty-three percent of the farms advertised themselves in hunting magazines, 19.1% promoted themselves by attending livestock and game fairs, and 38.1% had their own websites. In conclusion, this alternative rabbit production system constitutes a well-established subsector in Spain, despite being only 2 decades old. It also seems that it has not yet reached its development maturity. It shows wide diversity in terms of farm size and structure, as well as marketing and promotional activities.

  15. Índice climático de crescimento para gramíneas forrageiras no Estado de São Paulo Climatic growth index for forage grasses in the State of São Paulo (Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mário José Pedro Júnior

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available Utilizou-se o índice climático de crescimento (ICC para gramíneas forrageiras, com base em temperatura, radiação solar e relação entre evapotranspiração real e potencial, a fim de estimar a produção de matéria seca (TAMS de capim-colonião, gordura, jaraguá e pangola através da seguinte equação exponencial: ICC = a EXP (b ICC, onde a e b são constantes que diferem para cada espécie. Determinou-se o índice climático médio mensal para 47 localidades paulistas e regiões limítrofes. A variação espacial do índice para o inverno e para o verão é apresentada em forma de mapas. Os valores de ICC no inverno, período crítico, variaram de 0,1 a 0,15 na região central do Estado; no Norte e no Oeste, foram superiores a 0,15 e, na Serra da Mantiqueira, inferiores a 0,1.The climatic growth index (ICC for forage grasses, based on temperature, solar radiation and the ratio of actual to potential evapotranspiration, was used to estimate dry matter production (TAMS for the following grasses: "colonião" (Panicum maximum Jacq, "gordura" (Melinis minutiflora Pal de Beauv, "jaraguá" (Hyparrhenia rufa (Ness Stapf and "pangola" (Digitaria pentzii Stent, using exponential equations: ICC = a EXP (b ICC, where a and b are constants which differ for each specie analised. The monthly mean climatic index was calculated for forty seven localities of the State of São Paulo and neighbours. Its spatial distribution considering summer and winter is shown as maps. ICC values during the critical season of the winter varied from 0.1 to 0.15 for the central part of the State; at the northern and western regions it is larger than 0.15 and at the "Mantiqueira" mountains it is less than 0.1.

  16. Levantamento etnobotânico de plantas utilizadas como anti-hiperlipidêmicas e anorexígenas pela população de Nova Xavantina-MT, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcondes Alves B. da Silva

    Full Text Available O presente trabalho verificou a utilização de plantas medicinais encontradas no Cerrado mato-grossense para o tratamento de hiperlipidemias e obesidade. Entrevistas com 180 pessoas acima de 50 anos foram realizadas em Nova Xavantina-MT. O questionário abordou nome popular, parte utilizada, forma de preparo e uso das espécies citadas, além de informações gerais sobre o uso de plantas. As dez plantas mais citadas foram coletadas, identificadas e estudadas por meio de uma revisão bibliográfica. A maioria dos entrevistados (95,6% declarou utilizar plantas medicinais regularmente, sendo que 71,5% deles herdaram o conhecimento sobre plantas dos pais e avós e 94,20% relataram aconselhar o uso aos mais jovens. Além disso, 93,6% atestaram que as plantas são mais eficazes que os medicamentos de farmácia e 57% consideraram forte o efeito das mesmas, ou seja, sempre resolvem o problema de saúde. Quanto aos efeitos adversos, 95,9% disseram nunca ter sentido após o uso de plantas. Dos entrevistados, 56,7% conheciam ou já haviam utilizado plantas medicinais no tratamento de hiperlipidemias e obesidade, sendo citadas 54 espécies medicinais diferentes pertencentes a 53 gêneros e 38 famílias, com destaque para Fabaceae (13%. As dez plantas mais citadas foram: guatambu (Aspidosperma tomentosum Mart., quina-do-cerrado (Strychnos pseudoquina St. Hil., ipê-roxo [Tabebuia impetiginosa (Mart. Ex DC. Standl], embaúba (Cecropia pachystachya Trec., calunga (Simaba sp., pata-de-vaca [Bauhinia rufa (Bong. Steud.], mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gomez, batata-de-tiú [Jatropha elliptica (Pohl. Muell. Arg.], folha-de-carne (Casearia sylvestris Sw. e manacá (Spiranthera odoratissima A. St.-Hil.. A folha foi a parte mais utilizada (46% e o preparo das plantas ocorre principalmente por meio de infusão citado por 36,5% dos entrevistados. Apesar do uso popular destas plantas no combate as hiperlipidemias e obesidade, há necessidade de estudos fitoquímicos e

  17. Thermoregulation strategies in ants in comparison to other social insects, with a focus on red wood ants (Formica rufa group [v2; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/35p

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Štěpánka Kadochová

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Temperature influences every aspect of ant biology, especially metabolic rate, growth and development. Maintenance of high inner nest temperature increases the rate of sexual brood development and thereby increases the colony fitness. Insect societies can achieve better thermoregulation than solitary insects due to the former’s ability to build large and elaborated nests and display complex behaviour. In ants and termites the upper part of the nest, the mound, often works as a solar collector and can also have an efficient ventilation system. Two thermoregulatory strategies could be applied. Firstly the ants use an increased thermal gradient available in the mound for brood relocation. Nurse workers move the brood according to the thermal gradients to ensure the ideal conditions for development. A precise perception of temperature and evolution of temperature preferences are needed to make the correct choices. A second thermoregulatory strategy used by mound nesting ants is keeping a high temperature inside large nests. The unique thermal and insulation properties of the nest material help to maintain stable conditions, which is the case of the Wood ant genus Formica. Ants can regulate thermal loss by moving nest aggregation and alternating nest ventilation. Metabolic heat produced by ant workers or associated micro organisms is an important additional source of heat which helps to maintain thermal homeostasis in the nest.

  18. Concentrations of 17 elements, including mercury, in the tissues, food and abiotic environment of Arctic shorebirds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hargreaves, Anna L., E-mail: alhargreaves@gmail.com [Calgary Zoo, Centre for Conservation Research, 1300 Zoo Rd NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 7V6 (Canada); Whiteside, Douglas P. [Calgary Zoo, Animal Health Centre, 1300 Zoo Rd NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 7V6 (Canada); University of Calgary, Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4 (Canada); Gilchrist, Grant [Carleton University, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, KIA OH3 (Canada)

    2011-09-01

    Exposure to contaminants is one hypothesis proposed to explain the global decline in shorebirds, and is also an increasing concern in the Arctic. We assessed potential contaminants (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, V, and Zn) at a shorebird breeding site in Nunavut, Canada. We compared element levels in soil, invertebrates and shorebird blood to assess evidence for bioconcentration and biomagnification within the Arctic-based food chain. We tested whether elements in blood, feathers and eggs of six shorebird species (Pluvialis squatarola, Calidris alpina, C. fuscicollis, Phalaropus fulicarius, Charadrius semipalmatus, and Arenaria interpres) were related to fitness endpoints: adult body condition, blood-parasite load, egg size, eggshell thickness, nest duration, and hatching success. To facilitate comparison to other sites, we summarise the published data on toxic metals in shorebird blood and egg contents. Element concentrations and invertebrate composition differed strongly among habitats, and habitat use and element concentrations differed among shorebird species. Hg, Se, Cd, Cu, and Zn bioconcentrated from soil to invertebrates, and Hg, Se and Fe biomagnified from invertebrates to shorebird blood. As, Ni, Pb, Co and Mn showed significant biodilution from soil to invertebrates to shorebirds. Soil element levels were within Canadian guidelines, and invertebrate Hg levels were below dietary levels suggested for the protection of wildlife. However, maximum Hg in blood and eggs approached levels associated with toxicological effects and Hg-pollution in other bird species. Parental blood-Hg was negatively related to egg volume, although the relationship varied among species. No other elements approached established toxicological thresholds. In conclusion, whereas we found little evidence that exposure to elements at this site is leading to the declines of the species studied, Hg, as found elsewhere in the Canadian Arctic, is of potential

  19. Estimates of soil ingestion by wildlife

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beyer, W.N.; Connor, E.E.; Gerould, S.

    1994-01-01

    Many wildlife species ingest soil while feeding, but ingestion rates are known for only a few species. Knowing ingestion rates may be important for studies of environmental contaminants. Wildlife may ingest soil deliberately, or incidentally, when they ingest soil-laden forage or animals that contain soil. We fed white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) diets containing 0-15% soil to relate the dietary soil content to the acid-insoluble ash content of scat collected from the mice. The relation was described by an equation that required estimates of the percent acid-insoluble ash content of the diet, digestibility of the diet, and mineral content of soil. We collected scat from 28 wildlife species by capturing animals, searching appropriate habitats for scat, or removing material from the intestines of animals collected for other purposes. We measured the acid-insoluble ash content of the scat and estimated the soil content of the diets by using the soil-ingestion equation. Soil ingestion estimates should be considered only approximate because they depend on estimated rather than measured digestibility values and because animals collected from local populations at one time of the year may not represent the species as a whole. Sandpipers (Calidris spp.), which probe or peck for invertebrates in mud or shallow water, consumed sediments at a rate of 7-30% of their diets. Nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus, soil = 17% of diet), American woodcock (Scolopax minor, 10%), and raccoon (Procyon lotor, 9%) had high rates of soil ingestion, presumably because they ate soil organisms. Bison (Bison bison, 7%), black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus, 8%), and Canada geese (Branta canadensis, 8%) consumed soil at the highest rates among the herbivores studied, and various browsers studied consumed little soil. Box turtle (Terrapene carolina, 4%), opossum (Didelphis virginiana, 5%), red fox (Vulpes vulpes, 3%), and wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo, 9%) consumed soil

  20. Influence of human development and predators on nest survival of tundra birds, Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liebezeit, J R; Kendall, S J; Brown, S; Johnson, C B; Martin, P; McDonald, T L; Payer, D C; Rea, C L; Streever, B; Wildman, A M; Zack, S

    2009-09-01

    Nest predation may influence population dynamics of birds on the Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of Alaska, USA. Anthropogenic development on the ACP is increasing, which may attract nest predators by providing artificial sources of food, perches, den sites, and nest sites. Enhanced populations or concentrations of human-subsidized predators may reduce nest survival for tundra-nesting birds. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that nest survival decreases in proximity to human infrastructure. We monitored 1257 nests of 13 shorebird species and 619 nests of four passerine species at seven sites on the ACP from 2002 to 2005. Study sites were chosen to represent a range of distances to infrastructure from 100 m to 80 km. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to evaluate the effects of background (i.e., natural) factors and infrastructure on nest survival. We documented high spatial and temporal variability in nest survival, and site and year were both included in the best background model. We did not detect an effect of human infrastructure on nest survival for shorebirds as a group. In contrast, we found evidence that risk of predation for passerine nests increased within 5 km of infrastructure. This finding provides quantitative evidence of a relationship between infrastructure and nest survival for breeding passerines on the ACP. A posteriori finer-scale analyses (within oil field sites and individual species) suggested that Red and Red-necked Phalaropes combined (Phalaropus fulicarius, P. lobatus) had lower productivity closer to infrastructure and in areas with higher abundance of subsidized predators. However, we did not detect such a relationship between infrastructure and nest survival for Semipalmated and Pectoral Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla, C. melanotos), the two most abundant shorebirds. High variability in environmental conditions, nest survival, and predator numbers between sites and years may have contributed to these inconsistent results

  1. Concentrations of 17 elements, including mercury, in the tissues, food and abiotic environment of Arctic shorebirds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hargreaves, Anna L.; Whiteside, Douglas P.; Gilchrist, Grant

    2011-01-01

    Exposure to contaminants is one hypothesis proposed to explain the global decline in shorebirds, and is also an increasing concern in the Arctic. We assessed potential contaminants (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, V, and Zn) at a shorebird breeding site in Nunavut, Canada. We compared element levels in soil, invertebrates and shorebird blood to assess evidence for bioconcentration and biomagnification within the Arctic-based food chain. We tested whether elements in blood, feathers and eggs of six shorebird species (Pluvialis squatarola, Calidris alpina, C. fuscicollis, Phalaropus fulicarius, Charadrius semipalmatus, and Arenaria interpres) were related to fitness endpoints: adult body condition, blood-parasite load, egg size, eggshell thickness, nest duration, and hatching success. To facilitate comparison to other sites, we summarise the published data on toxic metals in shorebird blood and egg contents. Element concentrations and invertebrate composition differed strongly among habitats, and habitat use and element concentrations differed among shorebird species. Hg, Se, Cd, Cu, and Zn bioconcentrated from soil to invertebrates, and Hg, Se and Fe biomagnified from invertebrates to shorebird blood. As, Ni, Pb, Co and Mn showed significant biodilution from soil to invertebrates to shorebirds. Soil element levels were within Canadian guidelines, and invertebrate Hg levels were below dietary levels suggested for the protection of wildlife. However, maximum Hg in blood and eggs approached levels associated with toxicological effects and Hg-pollution in other bird species. Parental blood-Hg was negatively related to egg volume, although the relationship varied among species. No other elements approached established toxicological thresholds. In conclusion, whereas we found little evidence that exposure to elements at this site is leading to the declines of the species studied, Hg, as found elsewhere in the Canadian Arctic, is of potential

  2. Energetic solutions of Rock Sandpipers to harsh winter conditions rely on prey quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Dekinga, Anne; Gill, Robert E.; Piersma, Theunis

    2018-01-01

    Rock Sandpipers Calidris ptilocnemis have the most northerly non-breeding distribution of any shorebird in the Pacific Basin (upper Cook Inlet, Alaska; 61°N, 151°W). In terms of freezing temperatures, persistent winds and pervasive ice, this site is the harshest used by shorebirds during winter. We integrated physiological, metabolic, behavioural and environmental aspects of the non-breeding ecology of Rock Sandpipers at the northern extent of their range to determine the relative importance of these factors in facilitating their unique non-breeding ecology. Not surprisingly, estimated daily energetic demands were greatest during January, the coldest period of winter. These estimates were greatest for foraging birds, and exceeded basal metabolic rates by a factor of 6.5, a scope of increase that approaches the maximum sustained rate of energetic output by shorebirds during periods of migration, but far exceeds these periods in duration. We assessed the quality of their primary prey, the bivalve Macoma balthica, to determine the daily foraging duration required by Rock Sandpipers to satisfy such energetic demands. Based on size-specific estimates of M. balthica quality, Rock Sandpipers require over 13 h/day of foraging time in upper Cook Inlet in January, even when feeding on the highest quality prey. This range approaches the average daily duration of mudflat availability in this region (c. 18 h), a maximum value that annually decreases due to the accumulation of shore-fast ice. Rock Sandpipers are likely to maximize access to foraging sites by following the exposure of ice-free mudflats across the upper Cook Inlet region and by selecting smaller, higher quality M. balthica to minimize foraging times. Ultimately, this unusual non-breeding ecology relies on the high quality of their prey resources. Compared with other sites across their range, M. balthica from upper Cook Inlet have relatively light shells, potentially the result of the region

  3. NUESTRA PORTADA. Jugar en la calle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramon Balius i Juli

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Esta vez Nuestra Portada tiene un carácter excepcional. La ocupan dos obras del que fue el “ninotaire” (dibujante de humor inteligente más importante de nuestro país: Francesc Vila i Rufas, conocido por todos como Cesc (1927–2006. Ambos dibujos destacan por sus inconfundibles características de sencillez y, a la vez, de grandeza argumental, que nos han movido a titular este comentario como “Jugar en la calle”. Comenzaré recordando mi precaria experiencia de infancia y primera juventud en esta actividad de índole “suburbana”. Son muchas las personas de mi edad que en algún momento de sus primeros años han jugado en la calle. Recuerdo que la primera vez que lo hice fue hacia 1938, en Sant Boi de Llobregat (denominado entonces Vilaboi, jugando al fútbol. Pasé unos meses en este pueblo huyendo de las bombas que caían sobre Barcelona. También por aquel tiempo, o quizá uno o dos años después, tuve el deseo, que no he podido satisfacer, de deslizarme sobre unos artefactos de madera con ruedas de cojinetes de bolas por la calle de Enric Granados, donde vivía (los construían los chicos del barrio, en formas rudimentarias, que hoy recordarían a los patinetes o los “skateboards”. Durante el bachillerato, al salir de la Escuela Pia de Balmes esquina con Travesera de Gracia, algunas veces había jugado también a fútbol en la calle Tuset, que por aquellos años no estaba bien urbanizada y tenía unas aceras amplísimas sin asfaltar. En los primeros cursos de la carrera de Medicina, participé en unos continuos e inacabables partidos de fútbol que, desde primera hora de la mañana y hasta el mediodía, se organizaban diariamente en el patio claustrado de la Facultad. Generalmente jugábamos entre clase y clase, aunque existía un núcleo de jugadores entusiastas que no entraban en las aulas en ningún momento. Esta competición se clausuró al cabo de bastantes años, cuando el Decano decidió adornar el patio con

  4. The masquerade game: marine mimicry adaptation between egg-cowries and octocorals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan A. Sánchez

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background. Background matching, as a camouflage strategy, is one of the most outstanding examples of adaptation, where little error or mismatch means high vulnerability to predation. It is assumed that the interplay of natural selection and adaptation are the main evolutionary forces shaping the great diversity of phenotypes observed in mimicry; however, there may be other significant processes that intervene in the development of mimicry such as phenotypic plasticity. Based on observations of background mismatching during reproduction events of egg-cowries, sea snails of the family Ovulidae that mimic the octocoral where they inhabit, we wondered if they match the host species diversity. Using observations in the field and molecular systematics, we set out to establish whether the different egg-cowrie color/shape polymorphisms correspond to distinct lineages restricted to specific octocoral species. Methods. Collection and observations of egg-cowries and their octocoral hosts were done using SCUBA diving between 2009 and 2012 at two localities in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP, Malpelo Island and Cabo Corrientes (Colombia. Detailed host preference observations were done bi-annually at Malpelo Island. We analyzed the DNA sequence of the mitochondrial genes COIand 16S rDNA, extensively used in phylogenetic and DNA barcoding studies, to assess the evolutionary relationship among different egg-cowrie colorations and morphologies. Results. No genetic divergence among egg-cowries associated to different species of the same octocoral genus was observed based on the two mitochondrial genes analyzed. For instance, all egg-cowrie individuals from the two sampled localities observed on 8 different Pacifigorgia-Eugorgia species showed negligible mitochondrial divergence yet large morphologic divergence, which suggests that morphologies belonging to at least two sea snail species, Simnia avena(=S. aequalis and Simnialena rufa, can cross

  5. Are population dynamics of shorebirds affected by El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) while on their non-breeding grounds in Ecuador?

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Hara, Patrick D.; Haase, Ben J. M.; Elner, Robert W.; Smith, Barry D.; Kenyon, Jamie K.

    2007-08-01

    Declines in avian populations are a global concern, particularly for species that migrate between Arctic-temperate and tropical locations. Long-term population studies offer opportunities to detect and document ecological effects attributable to long-term climatic cycles such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In this study, we report possible population-level effects of such climatic cycles on shorebird species that use two non-breeding season sites in Ecuador (Santa Elena peninsula area, near La Libertad). During our 9-year study period (1991/1992-1999/2000), there was a particularly strong ENSO warm phase event during 1997/1998. Population trend data for three species of shorebird, Western Sandpipers ( Calidris mauri), Semipalmated Sandpipers ( C. pusilla), and Least Sandpipers ( C. minutilla), indicated abundances generally declined during the 1990s, but there was an increase in the proportion of first-year birds and their abundance in the years following the 1997/1998 ENSO warm phase. There was some support for variation in apparent survivorship associated with the onset of the ENSO warm phase event in our population models, based on capture-mark-recapture data. Following the 1997/1998 ENSO event onset, individuals for all three species were significantly lighter during the non-breeding season ( F1,3789 = 6.6, p = 0.01). Least-squares mean mass (controlling for size, sex and day of capture) for first-year birds dropped significantly more than for adults following ENSO (first-year mass loss = 0.69 ± 0.12 g; adult mass loss = 0.34 ± 0.11 g, F1,3789 = 5.31, p = 0.021), and least-squares mean mass dropped most during the period when sandpipers prepare for northward migration by gaining mass and moulting into breeding plumage. Least Sandpipers may have declined the most in mean mass following ENSO (0.76 ± 0.19 g), whereas Semipalmated Sandpipers were 0.52 ± 0.12 g lighter, and Western Sandpipers 0.40 ± 0.13 g lighter, but overall variation among

  6. Efecto de la incorporación de plantas antagónicas sobre la actividad parasítica del nematodo del nudo de la raíz Meloidogyne hapla en un cultivo de zanahoria bajo condiciones de invernadero Effect of the incorporation of antagonistic plants on the parasitic activity of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne hapla in a greenhouse carrot crop

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alvarez César G.

    1998-12-01

    Full Text Available En el Centro de Investigaciones y Asesorías Agroindustriales (CIAA de la Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, localidad de Chía (Cundinamarca, se llevó a cabo un ensayo bajo condiciones de invernadero para evaluar el efecto de la incorporación de material vegetal fresco proveniente de siete especies de plantas (Tagetes zipaquirensis, T. erecta, Brassica cempestris, Bidens pilosa, Ruta graveolens, Taraxacum officinale y Ricinus communis sobre el rendimiento y calidad comercial de un cultivo de zanahoria (Daucus carota varo Mokum y sobre la densidad poblacional del nemátodo del nudo de la raíz Meloidogyne hapla y la intensidad de la nodulación asociada con su establecimiento sobre plantas de zanahoria. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en cuanto al rendimiento biológico de la zanahoria, pero los tratamientos con R. graveolens y T. officinale mostraron la mayor producción de zanahoria comercial (3070 g.m·2 y 2270 g.m·2 con diferencias significativas respecto al testigo (1090 g.m-2. Las densidades poblacionales finales de juveniles infectivos [J2] de M. hapla fueron significativamente más bajas en los tratamientos con R. communis, T. officinale, B. campestris y T. erecta (65-130 J2/100 g de suelo que en el testigo (435 J2/100g de suelo. En la nodulación se encontraron diferencias significativas entre el testigo (5.0 nudos/ápice de zanahoria y los demás tratamientos (1,9-2,6 nudos/ápice de zanahoria.A trial was conducted at the Centro de Investigaciones y Asesorías Agroindustriales (CIAA of the Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Chía (Cundinamarca under greenhouse conditions to assess the effect of incorporating fresh above-ground material of seven plant species (Tagetes zipaquirensis, T. erecta, Brassica cempestris. Bidens pilosa, Rufa graveolens, Taraxacum officinale and Ricínus communis on the yield and commercial quality of a carrot (Daucus carota crop var. Mokum, on the population density of Meloidogyne hapla and on the

  7. Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae with description of three new aviculariine genera01

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline Sayuri Fukushima

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The genus Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 is revised and all species are rediagnosed. The type species, described as Aranea avicularia Linnaeus, 1758, is the oldest mygalomorph species described and its taxonomic history is extensive and confusing. Cladistic analyses using both equal and implied weights were carried out with a matrix of 46 taxa from seven theraphosid subfamilies, and 71 morphological and ecological characters. The optimal cladogram found with Piwe and concavity = 6 suggests Avicularia and Aviculariinae are monophyletic. Subfamily Aviculariinae includes Avicularia Lamarck, 1818, Typhochlaena C. L. Koch, 1850, Tapinauchenius Ausserer, 1871, Stromatopelma Karsch, 1881, Ephebopus Simon, 1892, Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895, Heteroscodra Pocock, 1899, Iridopelma Pocock, 1901, Pachistopelma Pocock, 1901, Ybyrapora gen. n., Caribena gen. n., and Antillena gen. n. The clade is supported by well-developed scopulae on tarsi and metatarsi, greatly extended laterally. Avicularia synapomorphies are juveniles bearing black tarsi contrasting with other lighter articles; spermathecae with an accentuated outwards curvature medially, and male palpal bulb with embolus medial portion and tegulum’s margin form an acute angle in retrolateral view. Avicularia is composed of twelve species, including three new species: Avicularia avicularia (Linnaeus, 1818, Avicularia glauca Simon, 1891, Avicularia variegata (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896 stat. n., A. minatrix Pocock, 1903, Avicularia taunayi (Mello-Leitão, 1920, Avicularia juruensis Mello-Leitão, 1923, Avicularia rufa Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1945, Avicularia purpurea Kirk, 1990, A. hirschii Bullmer et al. 2006, Avicularia merianae sp. n., A. lynnae sp. n., and A. caei sp. n.. Avicularia species are distributed throughout Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. Three new genera are erected to accommodate former

  8. Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) with description of three new aviculariine genera.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukushima, Caroline Sayuri; Bertani, Rogério

    2017-01-01

    The genus Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 is revised and all species are rediagnosed. The type species, described as Aranea avicularia Linnaeus, 1758, is the oldest mygalomorph species described and its taxonomic history is extensive and confusing. Cladistic analyses using both equal and implied weights were carried out with a matrix of 46 taxa from seven theraphosid subfamilies, and 71 morphological and ecological characters. The optimal cladogram found with Piwe and concavity = 6 suggests Avicularia and Aviculariinae are monophyletic. Subfamily Aviculariinae includes Avicularia Lamarck, 1818, Typhochlaena C. L. Koch, 1850, Tapinauchenius Ausserer, 1871, Stromatopelma Karsch, 1881, Ephebopus Simon, 1892, Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895, Heteroscodra Pocock, 1899, Iridopelma Pocock, 1901, Pachistopelma Pocock, 1901, Ybyrapora gen. n. , Caribena gen. n. , and Antillena gen. n. The clade is supported by well-developed scopulae on tarsi and metatarsi, greatly extended laterally. Avicularia synapomorphies are juveniles bearing black tarsi contrasting with other lighter articles; spermathecae with an accentuated outwards curvature medially, and male palpal bulb with embolus medial portion and tegulum's margin form an acute angle in retrolateral view. Avicularia is composed of twelve species, including three new species: Avicularia avicularia (Linnaeus, 1818), Avicularia glauca Simon, 1891, Avicularia variegata (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896) stat. n., Avicularia minatrix Pocock, 1903, Avicularia taunayi (Mello-Leitão, 1920), Avicularia juruensis Mello-Leitão, 1923, Avicularia rufa Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1945, Avicularia purpurea Kirk, 1990, Avicularia hirschii Bullmer et al. 2006, Avicularia merianae sp. n. , Avicularia lynnae sp. n. , and Avicularia caei sp. n. . Avicularia species are distributed throughout Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. Three new genera are erected to

  9. Tracer Experiments on Food Exchange in Ants and Termites; Emploi des radioindicateurs dans l'etude de la trophallaxis chez les fourmis et les termites; Izuchenie s pomoshch'yu indikatorov obmena pishchej u murav'ev i termitov; Empleo de indicadores radiactivos para estudiar la trofalaxia en las hormigas y los termites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gosswald, K.; Kloft, W. [Institute of Applied Zoology, University of Wurzburg, Federal Republic of Germany (Germany)

    1963-09-15

    colonias diferentes y en anos distintos. La trofalaxia a grandes distancias es un factor muy importante para evaluar la accion destructiva que ejercen las especies utiles de Formica sobre los insectos nocivos, ya que impide la rapida saturacion de los nidos por una infestacion local masiva de insectos en la zona de merodeo. Los experimentos con indicadores muestran que los alimentos acumulados pasan a la mayoria de los nidos vecinos de las colonias de hormigas. Por tanto, las colonias de la Formica rufa actuan como un sistema complejo de gran eficacia ecologica. Con ayuda de alimentos marcados, los autores estudiaron en los termites (Kalotermes flavicollis Fabr,) que fases y castas intervienen en la trofalaxia bucal o anal. Los seudoobreros son los mas eficaces. Utilizando indicadores radiactivos, los autores trataron de descubrir por que razon los termites en grupo son mas agresivos y tienen mayor longevidad que los termites solitarios. Los seudoobreros fueron marcados con {sup 131}I. Despues de alimentarlos, algunos de estos termites marcados fueron,encerrados en cajas por separado, y al mismo tiempo se formaron otros grupos que comprendian termites no marcados. Midiendo el periodo eficaz y calculando el periodo biologico, que depende ante todo del indice de excrecion, los autores observaron que el indicador permanecia mas tiempo en los individuos en grupo - considerando el grupo como una unidad - que en los individuos aislados. Este resultado puede explicarse por la trofalaxia y una circulacion frecuente entre los individuos del grupo. Se obtuvieron resultados analogos con dos especies de hormigas de dos subfamilias distintas. La mayor economia en el empleo de alimentos y otras sustancias puede contribuir al ''efecto de grupo'' en los insectos sociales. En la memoria se examinan algunos problemas especiales de las tecnicas de medicion comparables para grupos de insectos e insectos aislados. (author) [Russian] Samym vagnym dlya takikh obshchestvennykh nasekomykh, kak