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Sample records for sandpiper calidris mauri

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  5. 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.

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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 ...

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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

  20. 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.

  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. Maury Documentation

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Supporting documentation for the Maury Collection of marine observations. Includes explanations from Maury himself, as well as guides and descriptions by the U.S....

  3. 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

  4. 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

  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. 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. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 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 ...

  10. Maury Journals - German Vessels

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — German vessels observations, after the 1853 Brussels Conference that set International Maritime Standards, modeled after Maury Marine Standard Observations.

  11. Maury Journals - US Vessels

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — U.S. vessels observations, after the 1853 Brussels Conference that set International Maritime Standards, modeled after Maury Marine Standard Observations.

  12. 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

  13. 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.

  14. 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

    monthly censuses (October 2007-September 2008 on the entire internal perimeter of the lagoon, which we divided into four areas: two at the North and two at the South. We observed a seasonal pattern, with the lowest abundance in May (1 585 birds and the highest in October (47 410. The most abundant species were Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa; 55% of the total records, Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri; 23%, and Willet (Tringa semipalmata; 10%. All three species were more abundant in autumn; for both, the Marbled Godwit and Willet, we observed their highest numbers in winter and spring, while the Western Sandpiper showed noticeable oscillations, reaching a maximum in early winter (December. In summer, Marbled Godwit and Willet were the only birds present but in lower numbers. Here present the first records of the Pacific Red Knot (Calidris canutus roselaari in the area. Bird abundance and species richness were influenced seasonally by migration and spatially by sites in the lagoon. The greatest shorebird abundance was in the South area of the lagoon, probably because of better accessibility to food. Our results allowed the inclusion of San Ignacio Lagoon in the Western Hemisphere Shorebirds Reserve Network (WHSRN as a site of international importance

  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. 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.

  17. Historical-critical objects and gestures: Hebreia by Fabio Mauri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Augusta Vilalba Nunes

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available In 1971, Italian artist Fabio Mauri produces the performance / installation artwork Ebrea, which emerges a memory of the Shoah through the performatic gestures and sculpture-objects that make up the scene. In Ebrea the time unfolds and bring back to present the memory of a catastrophe. So, over twenty years after the end of the war, why would Mauri up this memory that was getting distant and was beginning to have an unrealistic form? The anachronism of Mauri’s gesture is intrinsically connected to the need of render account to the hidden memories that don’t leave him and whose tracks, in his opinion, should not be erased from history.

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. Feeding ecology of arctic-nesting sandpipers during spring migration through the prairie pothole region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldridge, J.L.; Krapu, G.L.; Johnson, D.H.

    2009-01-01

    We evaluated food habits of 4 species of spring-migrant calidrid sandpipers in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota. Sandpipers foraged in several wetland classes and fed primarily on aquatic dipterans, mostly larvae, and the midge family Chironomidae was the primary food eaten. Larger sandpiper species foraged in deeper water and took larger larvae than did smaller sandpipers. The diverse wetland habitats that migrant shorebirds use in the PPR suggest a landscape-level approach be applied to wetland conservation efforts. We recommend that managers use livestock grazing and other tools, where applicable, to keep shallow, freshwater wetlands from becoming choked with emergent vegetation limiting chironomid production and preventing shorebird use.

  1. 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

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  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. Age-related differences in common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Adults and juveniles in the tail-depressed posture were dominant in aggressive interactions than birds in the tail-level posture. In mixed flocks of foraging sandpipers, four possible types of aggressive interactions occurred. Adult over juvenile interactions occurred more frequently than expected, and juvenile over adult ...

  6. 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.

  7. Maury Nussbaum reappointed as Hal G. Prillaman Professor Fellow in Industrial and Systems Engineering

    OpenAIRE

    Owczarski, Mark

    2010-01-01

    Maury Nussbaum, professor of industrial and systems engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been reappointed as the Hal G. Prillaman Professor Fellow in Industrial and Systems Engineering by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

  8. Symposium on Highlights from 14 years of LEAR Physics : "AD Project" by S. Maury

    CERN Multimedia

    1998-01-01

    Symposium on Highlights from 14 years of LEAR Physics hold at CERN, commemorating the closure of LEAR and giving a topical review of the impact of experiments with low energy antiprotons in their respective fields: S. Maury "AD Project"

  9. [Duration of the pre-nesting period and its relation with social organization in sandpipers (Charadrii, Aves) nesting in north-east Yakutia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavrilov, V V

    2013-01-01

    Investigations were carried out at two stations of Ornithological Unit, IBPN FEB RAS, located in Nizhnekolymsk District, Yakutia, starting from May 18-20 in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990. Duration of the pre-nesting period in 11 sandpiper species with different social organization was studied and compared with each other by allometric equations. As a characteristic of bird size the body mass was selected. Sandpipers come flying to the tundra at almost critical temperatures, to begin breeding as early as possible. Tining of breeding depends on birds feeding manner and the proximity to sites of overwintering. Duration of the pre-nesting period is invariable for every bird species and sex. There are sexual distinctions in time spent for the pre-nesting period in jointly-nesting sandpipers. The exponents in allometric equations that relate duration of the pre-nesting period with body mass are constant within a particular sex and differ between males and females. In different sexes, time spent for the pre-nesting period depends on mating, parental, and territorial systems. In sandpipers' males and females, this time is determined by the type of social organization. Relatively large sandpiper species seek to shortening of the pre-nesting period calendar time, which constrains their social organization. Monogamy and pair parental care lead to a necessity for spatial population structure to be controlled more strictly and maintained for a longer time. This, in turn, causes the increasing of males' time expenditures for such a behavior.

  10. 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...

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. 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.

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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...

  19. 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

  20. 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

  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. 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

  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. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. Water physics and chemistry data from bottle casts from the MAURY and other platforms from 01 July 1949 to 13 August 1982 (NODC Accession 8500022)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Water physics and chemistry data were collected from bottle casts from the MAURY and other platforms from 01 July 1949 to 13 August 1982. Data were submitted by...

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. SANDPIPER I (A comprehensive analysis programme for liquid moderated UO2 lattices)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alpiar, R.A.

    1962-04-01

    Methods of calculation for light water moderated reactors have recently been reviewed in AEEW R64. Calculation schemes for lattice parameters were presented which depended on the use of a number of IBM 704 and Perranti MERCURY Computer Programmes. SANDPIPER I is a comprehensive MERCURY programme designed to cover all the operations with a degree of accuracy adequate for survey calculations. The present version is restricted to regular or near regular UO 2 pin type lattices moderated by H 2 O, D 2 O, or organic liquids; it is planned to allow for greater flexibility in later versions of the programme. The present version is written in Autocode and requires a 4 drum machine. (author)

  16. Mate fidelity and breeding site tenacity in a monogamous sandpiper, the black turnstone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handel, C.M.; Gill, R.E.

    2000-01-01

    We examined the relationship between mate fidelity and breeding site tenacity during a 5-year study of the black turnstone, Arenaria melanocephala, a socially monogamous sandpiper breeding in subarctic Alaska. We tested the predictions of several hypotheses regarding the incidence of divorce and the benefits of fidelity to mate and breeding site. Interannual return rates to the breeding grounds (88% for males, 79% for females) were among the highest yet recorded for any scolopacid sandpiper, and 88% of returning birds nested on their previous year's territory. The annual divorce rate was only 11%, and mate fidelity was significantly linked to fidelity to territory but independent of sex and year. Males arrived in spring significantly earlier than their mates and interannual fidelity was influenced by the relative timing of arrival of pair members. Reunited pairs had significantly higher fledging success than new pairs formed after death or divorce. The incidence of divorce was unrelated to reproductive success the previous year, although birds nested significantly further away after failure than after a successful nesting attempt. Sightings of marked individuals suggested that members of pairs do not winter together, and breeding site tenacity provides a mechanism through which pair members can reunite. We reject the 'incompatibility' hypothesis for divorce in turnstones, and our data contradict predictions of the 'better option' hypothesis. Alternatively, we propose the 'bet-hedging' hypothesis to explain the occurrence of divorce, which transpires when an individual pairs with a new mate to avoid the cost of waiting for a previous mate to return. Such costs can include remaining unmated, if the former mate has died, or experiencing lower reproductive success because of delayed breeding.

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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.

  20. 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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. General aspects of anxiety manifestations in persons with musculoskeletal disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitaliy Bezsheiko

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Background. Sed vulputate luctus tortor, facilisis rutrum quam accumsan sed. Aenean nec aliquet nisl, convallis finibus elit. Suspendisse posuere neque eu euismod tempor. Curabitur eleifend massa vitae ex placerat gravida. Nam consequat magna eget elit dignissim consequat. Duis lacinia, libero eu eleifend interdum, ex lacus mattis urna, in dapibus nibh nibh id risus. Suspendisse potenti. Methods. Mauris ut nulla ante. Fusce pharetra aliquet neque, id efficitur ex consequat sit amet. Proin sollicitudin eu est at faucibus. Vivamus eu risus lacus. Ut nec orci vitae leo fermentum facilisis non blandit risus. Nunc non arcu ac neque sagittis malesuada. Duis quis mauris vitae lorem rutrum dapibus blandit at ipsum. Sed tortor nibh, aliquet et mauris a, pellentesque gravida arcu. Cras tristique nisi ultricies, gravida tortor quis, pretium metus. Results. Vivamus arcu ante, iaculis feugiat feugiat vitae, aliquam ac purus. Donec ex turpis, hendrerit vel ultricies id, iaculis a odio. Fusce congue pretium ante, in feugiat nulla elementum in. Donec turpis felis, porta ac tempus eget, accumsan nec libero. Etiam rutrum, tortor et varius bibendum, nisi dolor molestie lectus, volutpat euismod dui justo a diam. Aliquam sapien mauris, molestie a lacus a, fermentum suscipit nunc. Sed eros lectus, hendrerit sit amet aliquet sit amet, mollis vitae purus. Morbi urna nulla, ultrices id facilisis sit amet, placerat eget tellus. Proin semper nisi eget bibendum euismod. Proin dignissim in mauris vel accumsan. Sed nec sodales metus. Mauris suscipit erat sed dui consectetur auctor. Quisque eget ex tortor. In molestie, urna id ullamcorper sagittis, libero risus gravida massa, in efficitur sapien urna lacinia sem. Donec interdum libero at tempor auctor. Conclusion. Ut a lorem non libero semper euismod in ut tellus. Aenean aliquam congue enim nec porttitor. Ut mauris libero, auctor sed finibus ac, gravida et mauris. Nullam vel mattis tortor, sit amet vestibulum ipsum. Nulla

  11. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitaliy Bezsheiko

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Background. Sed vulputate luctus tortor, facilisis rutrum quam accumsan sed. Aenean nec aliquet nisl, convallis finibus elit. Suspendisse posuere neque eu euismod tempor. Curabitur eleifend massa vitae ex placerat gravida. Nam consequat magna eget elit dignissim consequat. Duis lacinia, libero eu eleifend interdum, ex lacus mattis urna, in dapibus nibh nibh id risus. Suspendisse potenti. Methods. Mauris ut nulla ante. Fusce pharetra aliquet neque, id efficitur ex consequat sit amet. Proin sollicitudin eu est at faucibus. Vivamus eu risus lacus. Ut nec orci vitae leo fermentum facilisis non blandit risus. Nunc non arcu ac neque sagittis malesuada. Duis quis mauris vitae lorem rutrum dapibus blandit at ipsum. Sed tortor nibh, aliquet et mauris a, pellentesque gravida arcu. Cras tristique nisi ultricies, gravida tortor quis, pretium metus. Results. Vivamus arcu ante, iaculis feugiat feugiat vitae, aliquam ac purus. Donec ex turpis, hendrerit vel ultricies id, iaculis a odio. Fusce congue pretium ante, in feugiat nulla elementum in. Donec turpis felis, porta ac tempus eget, accumsan nec libero. Etiam rutrum, tortor et varius bibendum, nisi dolor molestie lectus, volutpat euismod dui justo a diam. Aliquam sapien mauris, molestie a lacus a, fermentum suscipit nunc. Sed eros lectus, hendrerit sit amet aliquet sit amet, mollis vitae purus. Morbi urna nulla, ultrices id facilisis sit amet, placerat eget tellus. Proin semper nisi eget bibendum euismod. Proin dignissim in mauris vel accumsan. Sed nec sodales metus. Mauris suscipit erat sed dui consectetur auctor. Quisque eget ex tortor. In molestie, urna id ullamcorper sagittis, libero risus gravida massa, in efficitur sapien urna lacinia sem. Donec interdum libero at tempor auctor. Conclusion. Ut a lorem non libero semper euismod in ut tellus. Aenean aliquam congue enim nec porttitor. Ut mauris libero, auctor sed finibus ac, gravida et mauris. Nullam vel mattis tortor, sit amet vestibulum ipsum. Nulla

  12. A new species of Tarracoblaniulus Mauriès & Vicente, 1977: description, postembryonic development, life cycle, and spatial distribution (Diplopoda, Julida, Blaniulidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martínez, H.

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Tarracoblaniulus phantasmanus n. sp. is described from Tarragona province, Spain and compared with the only known other species known in the genus, T. lagari Mauriès & Vicente, 1977, from which it differs mainly in having only 5, instead of 15 or more, straight spines on the posterior gonopod. The female vulva (unknown in T. lagari is very different from all known blaniulid vulvae. Based on a large number of specimens, the postembryonic development (euanamorphosis from stadium II onward is described. This is highly variable, with three to six apodous body rings in stadium IV, which is the most variable number so far recorded in Blaniulidae. Accordingly, specimens beyond stadium VIII could not be assigned to a specific stadium. At least some males are morphologically distinguishable in stadium IV, morphologically mature males appear in stadium VIII, possibly already in stadium VII. The life cycle of the new species is tentatively suggested to involve at least three years. The monthly mean density of the total population was 28.82 ind/m2 across the whole soil profile. Statistically significant differences in density values between months and Spearman’s rank correlation analyses between the monthly mean values of density and temperature show that T. phantasmanus presents a maximum density in the coldest months and a minimum one in the summer. Significant differences between monthly mean densities of different soil levels and the Usher index values show that during the spring and summer T. phantasmanus is concentrated in the mineral horizon A. In autumn, during winter and up to early spring, the population shows a clear tendency to move up towards horizon H and horizon L/F. Concerning horizontal distribution, Morisita index monthly values for each of the horizons indicate that the species is distributed in patches.Se describe Tarracoblaniulus phantasmanus n. sp., especie encontrada en la provincia de Tarragona (España, y se compara con la única

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. Obituary: Maurice M. Shapiro, 1915-2008

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yodh, Gaurang B.

    2009-01-01

    Maurice Shapiro was an outstanding scientist and educator whose contributions spanned a range of fields: He was the leader of the "Water Effects" group (study of underwater explosions) within the Los Alamos Ordnance Division in the Manhattan project during World War II; he witnessed the Trinity test and there "shared a blanket with Hans Bethe." Shapiro understood the nature of the new weapons and helped to form the Association of Los Alamos Scientists [ALAS] to lobby for a civilian atomic-energy commission. (He was chair of ALAS in 1946.) He also worked at Oak Ridge on design of a power reactor just after the war (similar to those used in naval vessels). In 1949 Shapiro joined the Naval Research Laboratory's nuclear physics division, where he started a new program in high-energy physics and cosmic rays, his primary interest throughout his life. In 1977, he founded the International School of Cosmic-Ray Astrophysics in Erice, Italy, where many outstanding scientists in the field were students at early stages of their career. He served as director of this school until his death. Shapiro was interested in understanding the origin, acceleration, and propagation of cosmic rays and the role of high energy neutrinos and their detection. He played a major role in starting the field of high-energy neutrino astronomy. Maury, so of J. Simon Werner and Miriam Rivka, was born in Jerusalem on 13 November 1915. His father never returned home from World War I, and his mother married Rabbi Osher Shapiro two years later. The family migrated to Chicago, Illinois, during the early 1920s. Maury's given name was Moishe Mendel Werner. The only father he knew was Rabbi Shapiro, hence the origin of the name we know him by. His parents had planned a theological career for him; however, Maury opted for the study of Physics at the University of Chicago. He did his Ph.D. with Arthur Compton (1942) using early emulsions exposed at Mount Evans--both emulsions on glass plates and stripped

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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.

  20. The Three Gorges Project: How sustainable?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kepa Brian Morgan, Te Kipa; Sardelic, Daniel N.; Waretini, Amaria F.

    2012-08-01

    SummaryIn 1984 the Government of China approved the decision to construct the Three Gorges Dam Project, the largest project since the Great Wall. The project had many barriers to overcome, and the decision was made at a time when sustainability was a relatively unknown concept. The decision to construct the Three Gorges Project remains contentious today, especially since Deputy Director of the Three Gorges Project Construction Committee, Wang Xiaofeng, stated that "We absolutely cannot relax our guard against ecological and environmental security problems sparked by the Three Gorges Project" (Bristow, 2007; McCabe, 2007). The question therefore was posed: how sustainable is the Three Gorges Project? Conventional approaches to sustainability assessment tend to use monetary based assessment aligned to triple bottom line thinking. That is, projects are evaluated as trade-offs between economic, environmental and social costs and benefits. The question of sustainability is considered using such a traditional Cost-Benefit Analysis approach, as undertaken in 1988 by a CIPM-Yangtze Joint Venture, and the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework (MMDMF). The Mauri Model differs from other approaches in that sustainability performance indicators are considered independently from any particular stakeholder bias. Bias is then introduced subsequently as a sensitivity analysis on the raw results obtained. The MMDMF is unique in that it is based on the Māori concept of Mauri, the binding force between the physical and the spiritual attributes of something, or the capacity to support life in the air, soil, and water. This concept of Mauri is analogous to the Chinese concept of Qi, and there are many analogous concepts in other cultures. It is the universal relevance of Mauri that allows its use to assess sustainability. This research identified that the MMDMF was a strong complement to Cost-Benefit Analysis, which is not designed as a sustainability assessment tool in itself. The

  1. Uurimist toimetavad Wolfe ja Goodwin / Katrin Mõttus

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Mõttus, Katrin

    2003-01-01

    Sari filme - Rex Stout'i detektiivromaanide ekraniseeringud, kus peategelaseks eradetektiiv Nero Wolfe (Maury Chaykin) koos oma noore abilise Archie Goodwiniga (Timothy Hutton) : Ameerika Ühendriigid 2001-2002

  2. Melodija tranzita / Ljubov Semjonova

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Semjonova, Ljubov

    2004-01-01

    Laeval Meloodia toimunud rahvusvahelise transiidi teemalisest konverentsist, millest teiste hulgas võtsid osa Eesti endine majandus- ja kommunikatsiooniminister Meelis Atonen ning Soome transpordi- ja tööstusminister Mauri Pekkarinen

  3. Ainulaadne mõõk võis sattuda kalmerüüstaja küüsi / Alo Lõhmus

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Lõhmus, Alo

    2008-01-01

    Internetifoorumisse militaar.net üles pandud fotodest, kust oli näha roostekihiga kaetud muinasaegne mõõk ja pronksehted. Teemat kommenteerib Tallinna Ülikooli ajaloo instituudi numismaatikakogu hoidja Mauri Kiudsoo

  4. Interaktiivne õpe eeldab kõva tahet / Sonja Merisalo ; intervjueerinud Pirgita-Maarja Hallas

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Merisalo, Sonja

    2009-01-01

    Intervjuu soomlanna Sonja Merisaloga, kes lõpetab kevadel Tallinna Ülikooli interaktiivse meedia magistriprogrammi. Tallinna Ülikooli IMKE (interaktiivne meedia ja teadmuskeskkonnad) rahvusvahelisest magistriõppekavast, mille juht on uusmeedia professor Mauri Kaipainen

  5. Mid-oceanic ridges - Guest editorial

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Banerjee, R.; Iyer, S.D.

    members (France, Japan , UK, USA), seven Associate mem bers (Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Korea, Norway, Portugal) and seventeen cor responding members (Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, Den - mark, Iceland, Mauri tius, Mexico, Morocco, New Ze a...

  6. Hyperglycemia and Diabetic Ketoacidosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... If the urine test is positive, contact your child's diabetes health care team. Tests done by a lab ... and to learn how to help bring your child's diabetes back under control. Reviewed by: Mauri Carakushansky, MD ...

  7. Estlink sea cable project to proceed / Aleksei Gunter

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Gunter, Aleksei, 1979-

    2003-01-01

    29. augustil kohtusid Tallinnas Soome kaubandus- ja tööstusminister Mauri Pekkarinen ja Eesti Vabariigi majandusminister Meelis Atonen, et välja töötada Soome-Eesti merealuse kaabli Estlink'i projekti üksikasjad

  8. How newness enters a country : reception of the "postcolonial" in Estonia / Ene-Reet Soovik

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Soovik, Ene-Reet, 1968-

    2006-01-01

    Postkolonialistliku tõlkekirjanduse retseptsiooni Eestis vaadeldakse kolme romaani põhjal: Arundhati Roy "Väikeste Asjade Jumal" (eesti k. 1997 ja 2004), Salman Rushdie "Mauri viimane ohe" (eesti k. 2001 ja 2008), Ben Okri "Näljutatud tee" (eesti k. 1998)

  9. Trans-nationalizing the African Public Sphere: What Role for Trans ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    seriane.camara

    2011-03-09

    Mar 9, 2011 ... At a time when the notion of 'trans-national public spheres' is gaining .... ple refer specifically to the language and its speakers in Senegal and Mauri- .... of the Pulaar language and the improvement of the social and economic.

  10. Interesting coin finds of 2005 / Mauri Kiudsoo

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Kiudsoo, Mauri, 1973-

    2006-01-01

    2005. aasta arheoloogilistel kaevamistel avastatud müntidest väärivad eraldi märkimist nn. traatkopikad. Kõige rohkem traatkopikaid leiti Vastseliina piiskopilinnuselt. Üks traatkopikatest koosnenud aare leiti Koruste külast

  11. Interesting coin finds of 2006 / Mauri Kiudsoo

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Kiudsoo, Mauri, 1973-

    2007-01-01

    2006. aasta huvitavamatest mündileidudest. Lisaks arheoloogilistelt kaevamistelt saadud vermingutele omandati 2006. aastal kolm mündiaaret : Alansi aare Harjumaalt, ligi poolsada araabia hõbemünti sisaldav aare Tartust ning tänu politsei kaasabile jõudsid Eestisse tagasi Ubina hõbeaadre kaevamistelt varastatud hõbemündid. Eestist leitud rooma müntidest

  12. 75 FR 9281 - General Provisions; Revised List of Migratory Birds

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-01

    ...); Actitis hypoleucos (Common Sandpiper) is listed as Tringa hypoleucos (J & R); Aethia psittacula (Parakeet Auklet) is listed as Cyclorrhynchus psittacula (R); Anas americana (American Wigeon) is listed as Mareca... Cuculus optatus (AOU 2006); Cyclorrhynchus psittacula (Parakeet Auklet) becomes Aethia psittacula (AOU...

  13. Do Uniparental Sanderlings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reneerkens, J.; Grond, K.; Schekkerman, H.; Tulp, I.; Piersma, T.

    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

  14. 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.

  15. Mitu ooperifantoomi Eesti muusikalilavadele veel mahub? / Andri Maimets

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Maimets, Andri, 1979-

    2008-01-01

    Gaston Leroux' romaani "Ooperifantoom" põhjal tehtud muusikalidest. Tuntuimast muusikalist mis loodud Lloyd Webberi muusikale. 2007. aastal Tallinna linnahallis etendunud Artur Koptiti ja Maury Yestoni muusikalist. 4.-7. detsembrini Rocca al Mare suurhallis etenduvast Ivan Jacobsi muusikalist "Ooperifantoom". Paavo Nõgene kavadest tuua Eestisse Lloyd Webberi "Ooperifantoom"

  16. Dreaming scientists and scientific dreamers: Freud as a reader of French dream literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroy, Jacqueline

    2006-03-01

    The argument of this paper is to situate The Interpretation of Dreams within an historical context. It is, therefore, impossible to believe Freud entirely when he staged himself in his letters to Fliess as a mere discoverer. In reality Freud also felt he belonged to a learned community of dream specialists, whom I call "dreaming scientists" and "scientific dreamers." Instead of speaking, as Ellenberger does, in terms of influence, I will be offering as an example a portrait of Freud as a reader of two French authors, Maury, and indirectly, Hervey de Saint-Denys. I will analyze how Freud staged himself as replacing Maury and dreaming sometimes like Hervey de Saint-Denys. My premise in this work is that we must forget Freud, in order to adventure into a learned dream culture peculiar to the nineteenth century. Only afterwards can we come back to Freud and place him in this context as a creative heir.

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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.

  20. 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

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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,

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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,

  11. 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

  12. 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

  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. New Roman Coin Find in Estonia / Mauri Kiudsoo

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Kiudsoo, Mauri, 1973-

    2013-01-01

    2012. aastal muuseumikogudesse laekunud aarete hulgast väärib esile tõstmist Kastna peitleid endisest Tõstamaa kihelkonnast. Leid sisaldas pronksist sestertse Marcus Aureliuse ja tema abikaasa Faustina noorema ajast. Tegemist on läbi aegade suurima Rooma rahadest koosneva Eesti leiuga

  15. Ramon Vinyes, profesor del colegio de Barranquilla para señoritas. Testimonios

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jordi Lladó i Vilaseca

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available El autor recoge una muestra del testimonio de aquellas alumnas del Colegio de Barranquilla para Señoritas que siguieron las clases de Ramón Vinyes entre 1940 y 1950 (Rebeca Álvarez Reales, Maria Ardila de Maury, Gloria Ortiz de Salcedo, Carmen Polo de Morales, Esperanza Salgado

  16. Science helps to calm water conflicts | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2010-12-08

    Dec 8, 2010 ... The researchers fed information on water use and environmental ... a new irrigation-water law, and in 2006, a Ministry of Water was created. ... Flowing through Bolivia's low-rainfall Altiplano region, the Mauri “is a source of life for more than 70 highland communities,” Alurralde says. ... IDRC Digital Library

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 76 FR 25704 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the Emergency Capital Repair Grant Program; Fiscal Year 2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-05

    .... Four Freedoms House of Seattle.. Four Freedoms House of Seattle WA 302 431,113 Replace the brick canopy...,114 Repair the elevators and replace the windows, cooling chassis units in the through-wall... Castle......... PA 128 294,265 Replace the roof and grinder pump. Sandpiper Run National Church Ft. Myers...

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Test Event | Center for Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam posuere egestas risus eget venenatis. Integer in metus a leo sodales pulvinar in sed dolor. Fusce tincidunt iaculis condimentum. Nam semper sapien nec est consequat, eu pretium arcu facilisis. Donec non viverra mauris. Pellentesque porttitor risus sit amet iaculis finibus. Ut quis justo consequat, fermentum sem in,

  6. MultiDay Test | Center for Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam posuere egestas risus eget venenatis. Integer in metus a leo sodales pulvinar in sed dolor. Fusce tincidunt iaculis condimentum. Nam semper sapien nec est consequat, eu pretium arcu facilisis. Donec non viverra mauris. Pellentesque porttitor risus sit amet iaculis finibus. Ut quis justo consequat, fermentum sem in,

  7. Normal Test | Center for Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam posuere egestas risus eget venenatis. Integer in metus a leo sodales pulvinar in sed dolor. Fusce tincidunt iaculis condimentum. Nam semper sapien nec est consequat, eu pretium arcu facilisis. Donec non viverra mauris. Pellentesque porttitor risus sit amet iaculis finibus. Ut quis justo consequat, fermentum sem in,

  8. Repeat Event | Center for Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam posuere egestas risus eget venenatis. Integer in metus a leo sodales pulvinar in sed dolor. Fusce tincidunt iaculis condimentum. Nam semper sapien nec est consequat, eu pretium arcu facilisis. Donec non viverra mauris. Pellentesque porttitor risus sit amet iaculis finibus. Ut quis justo consequat, fermentum sem in,

  9. Telemetry Standards, RCC Standard 106-17, Chapter 4, Pulse Code Modulation Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-07-01

    A-4 Appendix 4-B. Citations ...investigation can be found in a paper by J. L. Maury, Jr. and J. Styles , “Development of Optimum Frame Synchronization Codes for Goddard Space Flight Center...Standards, RCC Standard 106-17 Chapter 4, July 2017 B-1 APPENDIX 4-B Citations Aeronautical Radio, Inc. Mark 33 Digital Information Transfer

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. Does climate change explain the decline of a trans-Saharan Afro-Palaearctic migrant?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearce-Higgins, J W; Yalden, D W; Dougall, T W; Beale, C M

    2009-03-01

    There is an urgent need to understand how climate change will impact on demographic parameters of vulnerable species. Migrants are regarded as particularly vulnerable to climate change; phenological mismatch has resulted in the local decline of one passerine, whilst variations in the survival of others have been related to African weather conditions. However, there have been few demographic studies on trans-Saharan non-passerine migrants, despite these showing stronger declines across Europe than passerines. We therefore analyse the effects of climate on the survival and productivity of common sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos, a declining non-passerine long-distant migrant using 28 years' data from the Peak District, England. Adult survival rates were significantly negatively correlated with winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), being lower when winters were warm and wet in western Europe and cool and dry in northwest Africa. Annual variation in the productivity of the population was positively correlated with June temperature, but not with an index of phenological mismatch. The 59% population decline appears largely to have been driven by reductions in adult survival, with local productivity poorly correlated with subsequent population change, suggesting a low degree of natal philopatry. Winter NAO was not significantly correlated with adult survival rates in a second, Scottish Borders population, studied for 12 years. Variation in climatic conditions alone does not therefore appear to be responsible for common sandpiper declines. Unlike some passerine migrants, there was no evidence for climate-driven reductions in productivity, although the apparent importance of immigration in determining local recruitment complicates the assessment of productivity effects. We suggest that further studies to diagnose common sandpiper declines should focus on changes in the condition of migratory stop-over or wintering locations. Where possible, these analyses should be repeated

  14. [Distribution of aquatic birds in oxidation lagoons of La Paz city in South Baja California, Mexico].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zamora-Orozco, Elvia Margarita; Carmona, Roberto; Brabata, Georgina

    2007-06-01

    Taxonomic composition, spatial and temporal distribution of aquatic birds in oxidation lagoons (LO) of La Paz city in south Baja California, Mexico, were determined during 24 censuses realized in two-week intervals (April/98-March/99). There are five lagoons of5 Ha each and 17 ha of terrains constantly flooded that serve as feeding areas for cattle and birds. One hundred twenty three species were observed, 75 of which were aquatic birds. A total of 46 041 observations were made (average 1 918 birds/census). Richness and abundance of aquatic birds were influenced mainly by migration of anatids and sandpipers. The first group had the greatest abundance due to its affinity towards fresh water bodies. The terrains were the favorite sites of dabbling ducks (Anas) and sandpipers. In contrast, two of the most abundant species (Oxyura jamaicensis, 12.5% of all species, and Fulica americana, 8.8 %) restricted their presence to the oxidation lagoons. LO presented a bird structure of its own and atypical, according to the dryness of the region.

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. Rapid diagnosis of avian influenza virus in wild birds: Use of a portable rRT-PCR and freeze-dried reagents in the field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takekawa, John Y.; Hill, N.J.; Schultz, A.K.; Iverson, S.A.; Cardona, C.J.; Boyce, W.M.; Dudley, J.P.

    2011-01-01

    Wild birds have been implicated in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of the H5N1 subtype, prompting surveillance along migratory flyways. Sampling of wild birds for avian influenza virus (AIV) is often conducted in remote regions, but results are often delayed because of the need to transport samples to a laboratory equipped for molecular testing. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is a molecular technique that offers one of the most accurate and sensitive methods for diagnosis of AIV. The previously strict lab protocols needed for rRT-PCR are now being adapted for the field. Development of freeze-dried (lyophilized) reagents that do not require cold chain, with sensitivity at the level of wet reagents has brought on-site remote testing to a practical goal. Here we present a method for the rapid diagnosis of AIV in wild birds using an rRT-PCR unit (Ruggedized Advanced Pathogen Identification Device or RAPID, Idaho Technologies, Salt Lake City, UT) that employs lyophilized reagents (Influenza A Target 1 Taqman; ASAY-ASY-0109, Idaho Technologies). The reagents contain all of the necessary components for testing at appropriate concentrations in a single tube: primers, probes, enzymes, buffers and internal positive controls, eliminating errors associated with improper storage or handling of wet reagents. The portable unit performs a screen for Influenza A by targeting the matrix gene and yields results in 2-3 hours. Genetic subtyping is also possible with H5 and H7 primer sets that target the hemagglutinin gene. The system is suitable for use on cloacal and oropharyngeal samples collected from wild birds, as demonstrated here on the migratory shorebird species, the western sandpiper (Calidrus mauri) captured in Northern California. Animal handling followed protocols approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center and permits of the U.S. Geological Survey

  20. Promoting Ocean Literacy through American Meteorological Society Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passow, Michael; Abshire, Wendy; Weinbeck, Robert; Geer, Ira; Mills, Elizabeth

    2017-04-01

    American Meteorological Society Education Programs provide course materials, online and physical resources, educator instruction, and specialized training in ocean, weather, and climate sciences (https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/index.cfm/education-careers/education-program/k-12-teachers/). Ocean Science literacy efforts are supported through the Maury Project, DataStreme Ocean, and AMS Ocean Studies. The Maury Project is a summer professional development program held at the US Naval Academy designed to enhance effective teaching of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics of oceanography. DataStreme Ocean is a semester-long course offered twice a year to participants nationwide. Created and sustained with major support from NOAA, DS Ocean explores key concepts in marine geology, physical and chemical oceanography, marine biology, and climate change. It utilizes electronically-transmitted text readings, investigations and current environmental data. AMS Ocean Studies provides complete packages for undergraduate courses. These include online textbooks, investigations manuals, RealTime Ocean Portal (course website), and course management system-compatible files. It can be offered in traditional lecture/laboratory, completely online, and hybrid learning environments. Assistance from AMS staff and other course users is available.

  1. Cultural Resources Investigations of the Upper Minnesota River (639) Project, Deuel and Grant Counties, South Dakota, and Lac Qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties, Minnesota,

    Science.gov (United States)

    1984-09-01

    Riparia riparia Bank Swallow Megaceryle alcyon Belted Kingfisher Bartramia longicauda Upland Sandpiper -32- Name Common Name * Charadrius vociferus...Smooth sumac Toxicodendron radicans Poison ivy Acer negundo Box elder Parthenocissus vitacea Woodbine Vitis riparia Riverbank grape Tilia americana...within the Prairie-Lakes region are generally located in close proximity to a variety of environmental zones (e.g., upland prairie, slope forest

  2. Members of the WA9 team celebrate

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN PhotoLab

    1976-01-01

    WA9 was an experiment set up by the Clermont Ferrand-Leningrad-Lyon-Uppsala Collaboration to study with high precision elastic scattering in the Coulomb interference region. Here: A.A. Vorobyov, M. Querrou, A.P. Kashchuk, I.I. Tkach, J.P. Martin, T. Ekelöf, G.A. Korolev, (?), V.A. Schegelsky, A.S. Denisov, S. Kullander, M. Chemarin, P. Grafström, S. Maury, E. Hagberg

  3. Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE) 2013 Year End Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Humphrey Deputy Director, CDSE CDSE STATEMENT Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc bibendum dapibus dui, at porta nunc. In eget...accumsan odio. Donec rutrum varius purus, vitae venenatis urna porttitor eget. Mauris lorem dolor , facilisis eget purus quis, adipiscing tincidunt...ac quam at gravida. Cras a ligula suscipit, lobortis dolor vel, feugiat diam. Proin mattis lectus sit amet pellentesque interdum. Cras porttitor

  4. Open Praxis, volumen 0 issue 1

    OpenAIRE

    Open Praxis, Editor

    2006-01-01

    Table of Contents - Providing Effective Feedback Online Zane Berge & Mauri Collins (1-10) - Mobile Technologies and the Future of Global Education Rory McGreal (11-16) - Cross-Border Higher Education through E-Learning: Issues and Opportunities Kumiko Aoki (17-25) - Open and Distance Education in the Global Environment: Opportunities for Collaboration Ellie Chambers (26-33) - Global Trade in Educational Services: Implications for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) S. Savithri & K. Murug...

  5. Forensic Spoorology: Seeing and Understanding Human Behavior through Observation, Classification and Interpretation of Spoor Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-10

    for the selection to this renowned military college. Without the confidence of U.S. Marshal Mauri Sheer and Chief Deputy Tony Gasaway, I would not...spoor, the tracker will be blinded to the spoor. Roland Robbins , Mantracking: Introduction to the Step-By-Step Method, asserts: One of the most... Robbins , Mantracking: Introduction to the Step-By-Step Method (Montrose, CA: Search and Rescue Magazine, 1977), 38-39. 26 Cunningham, 80. 27 Kevin Reeve

  6. 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.

  7. COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF MONKEY GOBY (NEOGOBIUS FLUVIATILIS PALLAS OF FRESH AND SALINE WATER RESERVOIRS IN UKRAINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Onoprienko V.

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The representatives of Pisces family, namely Gobidae are an important component of aquatic ecosystems. With a wide range of adaptation, this group has mastered the different types of fish ponds from completely fresh to the ocean. However, some species are found both in one and in other waters, displaying different (and sometimes conflicting between a life strategy. Last relating to the four main components of the life of fish: water-salt metabolism, nutrition, respiration and reproduction. Mechanisms for implementing these different functions together. First, different concentrations of salts require different types of water- salt metabolism. Another equally important factor is the food base, which is also quite different, both in range and the nature of food. In the sea and reservoirs, over rivers, dissolved oxygen in the water is stratified, and very often in the summer and winter time is in short supply. For bulls, as the bottom of vertebrates, this fact is choking on a large scale. Moreover, in these bodies of water, there are a number of abiotic and biotic factors, which have different requirements in the process of reproduction. The totality of the above conditions vital for fish of Gobidae, makes the need for populations in the gene pool of potential adaptations to survive in those or other settings. Literature data of recent years, the enlargement of habitat bulls, indicating the presence of adaptations. In reservoirs in Ukraine in modern conditions the optimal conditions for Sandpiper observed in the Azov Sea. This contributes greatly to the optimal forage which has emerged over the last decade due to the desalination of sea and favorable conditions for reproduction. In the transition from marine to freshwater Sandpiper flagged fundamentally different and very diverse in every way possible. The difference in environmental conditions differently reflected in the life Bychkov fish, affecting their growth, development and other

  8. COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF MONKEY GOBY (NEOGOBIUS FLUVIATILIS PALLAS OF FRESH AND SALINE WATER RESERVOIRS IN UKRAINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. P. Onoprienko

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The representatives of Pisces family, namely Gobidae are an important component of aquatic ecosystems. With a wide range of adaptation, this group has mastered the different types of fish ponds from completely fresh to the ocean. However, some species are found both in one and in other waters, displaying different (and sometimes conflicting between a life strategy. Last relating to the four main components of the life of fish: water-salt metabolism, nutrition, respiration and reproduction. Mechanisms for implementing these different functions together. First, different concentrations of salts require different types of water- salt metabolism. Another equally important factor is the food base, which is also quite different, both in range and the nature of food. In the sea and reservoirs, over rivers, dissolved oxygen in the water is stratified, and very often in the summer and winter time is in short supply. For bulls, as the bottom of vertebrates, this fact is choking on a large scale. Moreover, in these bodies of water, there are a number of abiotic and biotic factors, which have different requirements in the process of reproduction. The totality of the above conditions vital for fish of Gobidae, makes the need for populations in the gene pool of potential adaptations to survive in those or other settings. Literature data of recent years, the enlargement of habitat bulls, indicating the presence of adaptations. In reservoirs in Ukraine in modern conditions the optimal conditions for Sandpiper observed in the Azov Sea. This contributes greatly to the optimal forage which has emerged over the last decade due to the desalination of sea and favorable conditions for reproduction. In the transition from marine to freshwater Sandpiper flagged fundamentally different and very diverse in every way possible. The difference in environmental conditions differently reflected in the life Bychkov fish, affecting their growth, development and other

  9. 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...

  10. Construction de définitions / construction de concept : vers une situation fondamentale pour la construction de définitions en mathématiques

    OpenAIRE

    Ouvrier-Buffet , Cécile

    2003-01-01

    Nicolas BALACHEFF – DR CNRS – Grenoble (président) Pierre DUCHET – DR CNRS – Paris 6 (rapporteur) Denise GRENIER – MCF – UJF, Grenoble (co-directrice) Sylvette MAURY – Professeur en Sciences de l'Education – Paris 5 Sorbonne (examinateur) Alain MERCIER – Professeur en Sciences de l'Education – INRP (rapporteur) Charles PAYAN – DR CNRS – Grenoble (co-directeur); Our research is interesting in situations of definitions-construction (called SDC); it plays a leading role in the usual mathematical...

  11. First-principles calculation of electric field gradients in metals, semiconductors, and insulators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zwanziger, J.W. [Dalhousie Univ, Dept Chem, Halifax, NS (Canada); Dalhousie Univ, Inst Res Mat, Halifax, NS (Canada); Torrent, M. [CEA Bruyeres-le-Chatel, Dept Phys Theor and Appl, Bruyeres 91 (France)

    2008-07-01

    A scheme for computing electric field gradients within the projector augmented wave (PAW) formalism of density functional theory is presented. On the basis of earlier work (M. Profeta, F. Mauri, C.J. Pickard, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 541, 2003) the present implementation handles metallic cases as well as insulators and semiconductors with equal efficiency. Details of the implementation, as well as applications and the discussion of the limitations of the PAW method for computing electric field gradients are presented. (authors)

  12. A supertree approach to shorebird phylogeny

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Gavin H

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Order Charadriiformes (shorebirds is an ideal model group in which to study a wide range of behavioural, ecological and macroevolutionary processes across species. However, comparative studies depend on phylogeny to control for the effects of shared evolutionary history. Although numerous hypotheses have been presented for subsets of the Charadriiformes none to date include all recognised species. Here we use the matrix representation with parsimony method to produce the first fully inclusive supertree of Charadriiformes. We also provide preliminary estimates of ages for all nodes in the tree. Results Three main lineages are revealed: i the plovers and allies; ii the gulls and allies; and iii the sandpipers and allies. The relative position of these clades is unresolved in the strict consensus tree but a 50% majority-rule consensus tree indicates that the sandpiper clade is sister group to the gulls and allies whilst the plover group is placed at the base of the tree. The overall topology is highly consistent with recent molecular hypotheses of shorebird phylogeny. Conclusion The supertree hypothesis presented herein is (to our knowledge the only complete phylogenetic hypothesis of all extant shorebirds. Despite concerns over the robustness of supertrees (see Discussion, we believe that it provides a valuable framework for testing numerous evolutionary hypotheses relating to the diversity of behaviour, ecology and life-history of the Charadriiformes.

  13. 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...

  14. Bird poisoning from misuse of the carbamate Furadan in a Texas rice field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flickinger, Edward L.; Mitchell, C.A.; White, D.H.; Kolbe, E.J.

    1986-01-01

    More than 100 birds consisting largely of dickcissels and savannah sparrows, as well as 9 other species of songbirds and sandpipers, died from feeding on planted rice seed treated illegally with Furadan 4F. Brain ChE activity was depressed between 32-85% in 44% of the birds. Carbofuran residues in GI tract contents of birds averaged 3.4 ppm (0.54-10 ppm). Two samples of planted rice seed contained 91 ppm and 22 ppm carbofuran. Known mortality of birds continued for about 2 weeks.

  15. 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...

  16. First report of HIV-related oral manifestations in Mali | Tamí-Maury ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    OM prevalence during the first month of HIV care was 31.4%, being oral candidiasis the commonest lesion. 73.2% and 82.5% of the patients with OM had CD4 count < 200 cells/mm3 and were classified as WHO clinical stage III or IV. WHO clinical stage III and VI patients had 5.4-fold increased odds of having any OM (both ...

  17. DIGITAL FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP DATABASE, MAURY COUNTY, TENNESSEE AND INCORPORATED AREAS

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — The Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) Database depicts flood risk information and supporting data used to develop the risk data. The primary risk...

  18. Aprende Ajedrez con Rey - Parte 2

    OpenAIRE

    ESTÉVEZ MONTERO, RAÚL; Lloret Mauri, Jaime

    2016-01-01

    Es una pieza audiovisual creada con el objeto de atraer la atención de los niños de muy corta edad con el ajedrez y familiarizarlos con todas sus piezas y movimientos. Es una animación dirigida a un público infantil presentada por dibujos animados en 2D, en la que se ha intentado respetar en todo momento el argot de la comunidad ajedredística. En este video se presenta la segunda parte. Estévez Montero, R.; Lloret Mauri, J. (2016). Aprende Ajedrez con Rey - Parte 2. http://hdl.handle.net/1...

  19. Aprende Ajedrez con Rey - Parte 1

    OpenAIRE

    ESTÉVEZ MONTERO, RAÚL; Lloret Mauri, Jaime

    2016-01-01

    Es una pieza audiovisual creada con el objeto de atraer la atención de los niños de muy corta edad con el ajedrez y familiarizarlos con todas sus piezas y movimientos. Es una animación dirigida a un público infantil presentada por dibujos animados en 2D, en la que se ha intentado respetar en todo momento el argot de la comunidad ajedredística. En este video se presenta la primera parte. Estévez Montero, R.; Lloret Mauri, J. (2016). Aprende Ajedrez con Rey - Parte 1. http://hdl.handle.net/1...

  20. Le charme slave

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonella Mauri

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Antonella Mauri analyse l’image des femmes slaves immigrées en Italie telle qu’elle apparaît à travers la publicité, la littérature romanesque (La ballata dei lavavetri de Peter Del monte, Luce Profuga de Valerio Aiolli, Pornokiller de Bruno Ventavoli, le cinéma, la bande dessinée (Danilo Maramotti, image qu’elle oppose aux résultats d’une enquête qu’elle a menée sur le terrain. Elle s’interroge en particulier sur la permanence des stéréotypes liés à la femme slave.

  1. Birds and wind turbines: can they co-exist?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Still, David.

    1996-01-01

    The wind farm is situated along an exposed pier at Blyth Harbour and has now been designated as part of a SSI and part of a proposed RAMSAR site. The bird activity within the harbour is high and is also the wintering home of the Purple Sandpiper. An offshore wind farm is proposed for the area, one kilometre from the pier. Two turbines will be erected with the support of the European Commission THERMIE Programme. The bird study at Blyth has been funded by Border Wind, Blyth Harbour Wind Farm Company and the DTI as part of an ETSU funded study. (UK)

  2. Indigenous Perspectives and Knowledge Informing Freshwater Management, Planning and Decision Making in Aotearoa-New Zealand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harmsworth, G.

    2017-12-01

    Indigenous Māori have distinct cultural values and perspectives that establish their identity, responsibilities, and rights to manage and use freshwater in New Zealand. Recognition of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi and its principles has culminated in an array of modern legislation, obligations, national policy statements, statutory requirements, holistic frameworks, and approaches that strengthens Māori participation and authority in resource management and environmental decision-making. We briefly explain indigenous Māori frameworks, knowledge, values, and perspectives used to grow indigenous research and capability, enrich western scientific research, and inform freshwater planning, policy, and management. We will discuss some important methods, indicators, and tools that Māori have developed, or are developing, to support environmental assessment and the monitoring and reporting of freshwater ecosystems, particularly to help sustain and enhance customary values and practice. These tools include, for example, the Cultural Health Index, the Wai Ora Wai Māori assessment tool, the mauri compass, the mauri model, Māori wetlands assessment, kaitiaki tools, taonga assessment, which are being used to build Māori capability and capacity in freshwater sciences and management and to provide innovative approaches based on integrative knowledge systems. Many of these indigenous-led initiatives are now being used next to science and technical approaches at local, regional, and national scale in New Zealand to guide policy and help understand complex and dynamic human-environmental interactions. Māori epistemologies provide a holistic worldview well aligned with current international thinking and approaches that stress the importance of systems thinking and understanding interconnections between sub-component parts; exploring the world and universe within holistic, integrative frameworks; taking into account different perspectives, values, and worldviews, measuring

  3. CERN 50th Anniversary Official Celebration : one of the high moments of the day the signing of the golden book by the national delegations

    CERN Multimedia

    Michel Blanc

    2004-01-01

    Russian Federation, Minister of Education and Science (0410050_01.jpg, 0410050_02.jpg) United States of America (0410050_03.jpg, 0410050_04.jpg, 0410050_05.jpg) Israel, Ambassador, Permanent representative to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva (0410050_06.jpg, 0410050_07.jpg) Japan, Advisor to the Minister of MEXT and Former Minister of MEXT (0410050_08.jpg, 0410050_09.jpg) Belgium, Ambassador in Geneva (0410050_11.jpg, 0410050_12.jpg)Greece, H.E. Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, Minister of Tourism (0410050_14.jpg, 0410050_15.jpg)Portugal, M. Pedro de Sampaio Nunes, Secretary of State for Science and Innovation (0410050_19.jpg)Finland, H. E. Mr Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Trade and Industry (0410050_20.jpg)

  4. REDSHANK I and GREENSHANK I (comprehensive point reactivity programmes for liquid moderated UO2 lattices)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alpiar, R.A.

    1963-08-01

    A recently issued programme (SANDPIPER I) enables few group diffusion parameters and reactivities to be derived for liquid moderated UO 2 lattices. The present programmes investigate the life history of such lattices. Burn up equations recalculate the fuel isotopic composition, in a series of steps. At each step, new few group constants and reactivity are recalculated for the new fuel composition. In addition, at each step, the control required to keep the reactivity of the reactor within a given deadband is recalculated. This control is effected by control rod withdrawal in Redshank, and by heavy water spectrum shift in Greenshank. The programme continues until the reactivity of the uncontrolled reactor falls below the deadband. (author)

  5. REDSHANK I and GREENSHANK I (comprehensive point reactivity programmes for liquid moderated UO{sub 2} lattices)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alpiar, R A [Technical Assessments and Services Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

    1963-08-15

    A recently issued programme (SANDPIPER I) enables few group diffusion parameters and reactivities to be derived for liquid moderated UO{sub 2} lattices. The present programmes investigate the life history of such lattices. Burn up equations recalculate the fuel isotopic composition, in a series of steps. At each step, new few group constants and reactivity are recalculated for the new fuel composition. In addition, at each step, the control required to keep the reactivity of the reactor within a given deadband is recalculated. This control is effected by control rod withdrawal in Redshank, and by heavy water spectrum shift in Greenshank. The programme continues until the reactivity of the uncontrolled reactor falls below the deadband. (author)

  6. Western sandpipers have altered migration tactics as peregrine falcon populations have recovered

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ydenberg, R.C.; Butler, R.W.; Lank, D.B.; Smith, B.D.; Ireland, J.

    2004-01-01

    The presence of top predators can affect prey behaviour, morphology and life history, and thereby can produce indirect population consequences greater and further reaching than direct depredation would have alone. Raptor species in the Americas are recovering since restrictions on the use of

  7. CERN 50th Anniversary Official Celebration : one of the high moments of the day the signing of the golden book by the national delegations

    CERN Multimedia

    Patrice Loiez

    2004-01-01

    Russian Federation, Minister of Education and Science (0410049_03.jpg, 0410049_04.jpg) United States of America (0410049_05.jpg, 0410049_07.jpg) Israel, Ambassador, Permanent representative to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva (0410049_09.jpg, 0410049_11.jpg) Japan, Advisor to the Minister of MEXT and Former Minister of MEXT (0410049_12.jpg, 0410049_15.jpg) Belgium, Ambassador in Geneva (0410049_16.jpg, 0410049_19.jpg)Greece, H.E. Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, Minister of Tourism (0410049_20.jpg, 0410049_22.jpg)Portugal, M. Pedro de Sampaio Nunes, Secretary of State for Science and Innovation (0410049_28.jpg, 0410049_30.jpg)Finland, H. E. Mr Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Trade and Industry (0410049_32.jpg, 0410049_33.jpg)

  8. First principles calculations using density matrix divide-and-conquer within the SIESTA methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cankurtaran, B O; Gale, J D; Ford, M J

    2008-01-01

    The density matrix divide-and-conquer technique for the solution of Kohn-Sham density functional theory has been implemented within the framework of the SIESTA methodology. Implementation details are provided where the focus is on the scaling of the computation time and memory use, in both serial and parallel versions. We demonstrate the linear-scaling capabilities of the technique by providing ground state calculations of moderately large insulating, semiconducting and (near-) metallic systems. This linear-scaling technique has made it feasible to calculate the ground state properties of quantum systems consisting of tens of thousands of atoms with relatively modest computing resources. A comparison with the existing order-N functional minimization (Kim-Mauri-Galli) method is made between the insulating and semiconducting systems

  9. ALÔ, MEU BEM: NOTÍCIAS EM CORRESPONDÊNCIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vera Lucia Albuquerque de Moraes

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available O livro Correspondências inclui 129 cartas, que cobrem quase quatro décadas da vida de Clarice Lispector, dos anos 1940 até pouco antes da morte da autora, ocorrida no Rio de Janeiro, em 1977. São cartas endereçadas às irmãs Elisa e Tânia, ao marido Maury Gurgel Valente e aos escritores Lúcio Cardoso, Fernando Sabino, Rubem Braga, Manuel Bandeira, Érico Veríssimo, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, entre tantos amigos queridos. Esse precioso registro de notícias refere-se, principalmente, aos 16 anos que Clarice morou na Europa e nos Estados Unidos, assumindo a personalidade de Clarice Gurgel Valente. Palavras-chave: cartas, amigos, escritores, notícias, afetos

  10. The birds of Blyth Harbour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Still, D.; Carver, H.; Little, B.; Lawrence, S.G.

    1995-01-01

    Blyth Harbour Wind Farm, constructed upon an exposed pier, is not a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is designated to become a RAMSAR location because of the presence of a significant population of the Purple Sandpiper. A study of the effect of the wind farm on the birds was started before the wind farm was constructed and is ongoing. Initial evidence of how the wind turbines have affected the 110 varieties of birds recorded within the harbour will be presented and compared to previous research carried out in Europe and the USA. Methodology has included intensive beach surveys, visits to wind farms in the UK and USA and consultations with wildlife advisory bodies. The study will continue until 1996. (Author)

  11. 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.

  12. Archaeological investigations on the site of the cistercian nunnery of st. Michael / Mauri Kiudsoo, Irita Kallis

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Kiudsoo, Mauri

    2005-01-01

    2004. aasta suvel Tallinnas Suur-Kloostri 2 kinnistul toimunud kaevamistest. Leidis kinnitust hüpotees, mille kohaselt hävitati kloostri rajamisel mingi varasem asustusvorm. Arheoloogilise stratigraafia analüüsil ja fikseerimisel kasutati Edward C. Harrise koostatud stratigraafia teooria ja metoodika põhimõtteid ja nn. Harrise maatriksit

  13. Archaeological studies in the church and churchyard of Kose / Martin Malve, Villu Kadakas, Mauri Kiudsoo, Elis Tiidu

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2014-01-01

    Artikkel käsitleb arheoloogiliste välitööde tulemusi 2011. aasta uuringutest nn Uues kirikus ja 19. sajandi keskpaigas ehitatud põhjatiivas ning 2013. aasta uuringuid kirikuaia lääne- ja põhjaosas

  14. Archaeological excavations on the iron-smelting site in Tõdva village / Mauri Kiudsoo, Jaak Mäll, Irita Kallis

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Kiudsoo, Mauri, 1973-

    2009-01-01

    Tõdva rauasulatuskompleksi puhul on tegemist esimese uuritud viikingiaegse rauasulatusakohaga Eestis. Uudseks võib pidada šlakianalüüsidel baseeruvat avastust, et tõenäoliselt tunti peale soomaagi ka meretekkelisi raua-mangaanikonkretsioone

  15. Mis teeb ühe brand'i teistest paremaks? : Võidu tähendusrikkuse poole / Mauri Sööt

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Sööt, Mauri

    2013-01-01

    Balti riikides läbi viidud brand'iuuringust Meaningful Brands, millega selgitati, kuidas brand'id mõjutavad inimese heaolu individuaalses ja kollektiivses tähenduses. Eestis uuritud 46 brand'i seas saavutas kõige kõrgema tähendusrikkuse indeksi magusatootja Kalev. Uuringutulemuste kasutusvõimalusi ettevõtte kommunikatsioonis ja üritusturunduses

  16. Accumulation of Pb and Mn on Road Side Leaves, Analysis from Mauri Por to Hawks bay Road

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salam, M.

    2010-01-01

    Accurate measurements of the heavy-metal contents in polluted areas are required to assess the potential ecological risks in these areas. Chemical and biological indicators are of interest when they provide information about the concentration and accumulation of heavy metals in the environment. These studies were conducted in order to investigate heavy-metal accumulation and the effect on Conocarpus (Conocarpus Erectus) on roadside trees. The total content of Pb and Mn was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, AAS. The present results showed variations that indicate both the concerned species have the highest concentration in all the sampling areas near the road. According to the results present study, the average concentration of Pb and Mn are 10.576+3.482 micro g/gm and 91.977+ 30.030 micro g/gm respectively. The results showed that the plant demonstrated a physiological response to the heavy-metal pollution, which suggests that roadside plants are indicators of heavy-metal accumulation and the effect on the environment. (author)

  17. Burlington Bottoms Wildlife Mitigation Project. Final Environmental Assessment/Management Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-12-01

    Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to fund wildlife management and enhancement activities for the Burlington bottoms wetlands mitigation site. Acquired by BPA in 1991, wildlife habitat at Burlington bottoms would contribute toward the goal of mitigation for wildlife losses and inundation of wildlife habitat due to the construction of Federal dams in the lower Columbia and Willamette River Basins. Target wildlife species identified for mitigation purposes are yellow warbler, great blue heron, black-capped chickadee, red-tailed hawk, valley quail, spotted sandpiper, wood duck, and beaver. The Draft Management Plan/Environmental Assessment (EA) describes alternatives for managing the Burlington Bottoms area, and evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives. Included in the Draft Management Plan/EA is an implementation schedule, and a monitoring and evaluation program, both of which are subject to further review pending determination of final ownership of the Burlington Bottoms property.

  18. Burlington Bottoms Wildlife Mitigation Project. Final environmental assessment/management plan and finding of no significant impact

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-12-01

    Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to fund wildlife management and enhancement activities for the Burlington bottoms wetlands mitigation site. Acquired by BPA in 1991, wildlife habitat at Burlington bottoms would contribute toward the goal of mitigation for wildlife losses and inundation of wildlife habitat due to the construction of Federal dams in the lower Columbia and Willamette River Basins. Target wildlife species identified for mitigation purposes are yellow warbler, great blue heron, black-capped chickadee, red-tailed hawk, valley quail, spotted sandpiper, wood duck, and beaver. The Draft Management Plan/Environmental Assessment (EA) describes alternatives for managing the Burlington Bottoms area, and evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the alternatives. Included in the Draft Management Plan/EA is an implementation schedule, and a monitoring and evaluation program, both of which are subject to further review pending determination of final ownership of the Burlington Bottoms property

  19. Simulations of nanocrystals under pressure: Combining electronic enthalpy and linear-scaling density-functional theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corsini, Niccolò R. C., E-mail: niccolo.corsini@imperial.ac.uk; Greco, Andrea; Haynes, Peter D. [Department of Physics and Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Hine, Nicholas D. M. [Department of Physics and Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Cavendish Laboratory, J. J. Thompson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Molteni, Carla [Department of Physics, King' s College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS (United Kingdom)

    2013-08-28

    We present an implementation in a linear-scaling density-functional theory code of an electronic enthalpy method, which has been found to be natural and efficient for the ab initio calculation of finite systems under hydrostatic pressure. Based on a definition of the system volume as that enclosed within an electronic density isosurface [M. Cococcioni, F. Mauri, G. Ceder, and N. Marzari, Phys. Rev. Lett.94, 145501 (2005)], it supports both geometry optimizations and molecular dynamics simulations. We introduce an approach for calibrating the parameters defining the volume in the context of geometry optimizations and discuss their significance. Results in good agreement with simulations using explicit solvents are obtained, validating our approach. Size-dependent pressure-induced structural transformations and variations in the energy gap of hydrogenated silicon nanocrystals are investigated, including one comparable in size to recent experiments. A detailed analysis of the polyamorphic transformations reveals three types of amorphous structures and their persistence on depressurization is assessed.

  20. Deceleration project bursts out of the starting-blocks

    CERN Multimedia

    Anaïs Schaeffer

    2011-01-01

    The starter's pistol was fired for the ELENA project on 28 September, with the kick-off meeting organised in collaboration with the Antiproton Decelerator Users Committee. With more than 90 scientists in attendance from 20 research centres throughout the world expressing their enthusiasm for the project…and some even more than that... the meeting was a great success.   "Our kick-off meeting was a really great success," says Stéphan Maury of the Beams (BE) Department, who is responsible for the ELENA (Extra Low ENergy Antiproton ring) project. PH Department's Walter Oelert, Chairman of the AD Users Committee and one of the instigators of the project, adds: "More than 90 participants showed up, over twice the number we were expecting! They were all very enthusiastic and eager to get ELENA off the ground." The meeting was attended by representatives of some twenty institutes from across the globe, all of whom had come to bl...

  1. Sustainable Consumption: Research Challenges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reisch, Lucia A.; Cohen, Maurie J.; Thøgersen, John

    The Board of the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research (Mistra) decided in October 2015 that a proposal for a funding application call in the research area of “sustainable consumption” should be drawn up. According to the statutes of Mistra, research funded by the foundation...... international senior researchers in the eld — Lucia A. Reisch, Maurie J. Cohen, John B. Thøgersen and Arnold Tukker (see Appendix 3) — to draft a background report to prepare the call. The group’s tasks were outlined as follows: ► to describe the challenges facing society in this area, and the political (and...... the orientation of a new research program to be used as draft text for the call for funding applications. The aim of this background report is hence to shed light on future research topics within sustainable consumption from a Swedish perspective. The research pro- moted should help to develop Sweden...

  2. Mortality-minimizing sandpipers vary stopover behavior dependent on age and geographic proximity to migrating predators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hope, D.D.; Lank, D.B.; Ydenberg, R.C.

    2014-01-01

    Ecological theory for long-distance avian migration considers time-, energy-, and mortality-minimizing tactics, but predictions about the latter have proven elusive. Migrants must make behavioral decisions that can favor either migratory speed or safety from predators, but often not both. We compare

  3. 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.

  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. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. A thyrotoxicosis outbreak due to dietary pills in Paris

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent Ioos

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Vincent Ioos1, Vincent Das1, Eric Maury1,2, Jean-Luc Baudel1, Jérôme Guéchot3, Bertrand Guidet1,2, Georges Offenstadt1,21Réanimation Médicale; 2Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, INSERM, UMR-S 707; 3Unité d’Hormonologie, APHP, Hôpital Saint Antoine, F-75012, Paris, FranceAbstract: Three women were consecutively admitted to our medical intensive care unit for thyrotoxicosis after the ingestion of dietary pills accidentally containing high levels of thyroxin. These cases were observed during an outbreak in the Paris area. Despite similar blood levels of thyroid hormones, their clinical presentation and outcome were very different. One patient developed febrile confusion and died from malignant hyperthermia. The second one had progressive confusion requiring mechanical plasma exchange therapy and had a favorable outcome. The third one had very moderate symptoms. These exceptional observations raise several issues concerning diagnosis, physiopathology and treatment of thyrotoxicosis factitia.Keywords: thyrotoxicosis, dietary pills, thyroxin

  9. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of ovarian cancer: focus on carboplatin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurie Markman

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Maurie MarkmanUniversity of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USAAbstract: Both pre-clinical studies and phase 1–2 clinical trials have provided strong support for the potential role of regional drug delivery in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer, a disease process whose major manifestations remain largely localized to the peritoneal cavity in the majority of individuals with this malignancy. The results of 3 phase 3 randomized trials have revealed the favorable impact of primary cisplatin-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy in women who initiate drug treatment with small-volume residual ovarian cancer following an attempt at optimal surgical cytoreduction. Concerns have been raised regarding the toxicity of regional treatment, particularly the side-effect profile associated with cisplatin. One rational approach to improving the tolerability of intraperitoneal chemotherapy is to substitute carboplatin for cisplatin. This review discusses the rationale for and data supporting regional treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer, and highlights the potential role for intraperitoneal carboplatin in this clinical setting.Keywords: ovarian cancer, intraperitoneal chemotherapy, cisplatin, carboplatin

  10. Father Secchi Goes to Washington

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, M. F.

    1994-12-01

    In 1848 a small group of Jesuit refugees arrived at Georgetown College near Washington, D.C. Among them was a young priest, Angelo Secchi, who had finished theology studies in Rome, but had not been able to complete his final examinations. This done successfully, Secchi turned to astronomy and the new facilities of the Georgetown College Observatory, directed by its founder, Fr. James Curley. During his two years in Washington, Secchi studied physics, wrote an article on Electrical Rheometry for the Smithsonian Institution, and formed a friendship with Matthew Fontaine Maury of the U.S. Navy, who headed the Chart Service and in 1844 was named superintendent of the National Observatory. This was later named the U.S. Naval Observatory. Secchi's friendships formed during the Washington visit proved most helpful for relations between European astronomers and U.S. colleagues. Secchi, after his return to Rome constructed the Observatory of the Collegio Romano atop the baroque Church of St. Ignatius in Rome and began his work in spectral classification of stars.

  11. EDIPO RE. EDIPO A COLONO. IL FATICOSO VIAGGIO DELL’UOMO ALLA RICERCA DELLA VERITÀ. DA SOFOCLE A GLAUCO MAURI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmela Citro

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Oedipus is the “why?” man. And what journey more than Oedipus’s is the paradigm of effort, sorrow and devastating courage for achieving the truth? “Let everything take its course as it is supposed to, and let it destroy me, but light must be shed, for I want to know who I am”. This is what Oedipus shouts from the deepest darkness of himself, but above all he shouts that to all of us. Even if man will be submitted to Gods, Destiny, Fate, Society (everyone can provide the interpretation that best suits him, let’s remind ourselves that knowledge is the first act of revolution and independence; to know is already to do! In Sophocles’s tragedies, Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus, the “fable” of Oedipus searching for the truth is recounted poetically and in its completeness. Those tragedies represent the sublime lamentation on the human condition in its quest for the truth. Oedipus, despite its tortuous path, remains always a man, not a god neither a saint, and that is what makes him similar to all of us. With his long journey, a secular via crucis, Oedipus not only tells us his story, but the story of Man.

  12. Work plan for the treatability study for PCB dehalogenation by Agent 313 in Waste Area Grouping 11 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-08-01

    This work Plan describes the treatability study for Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) debalogenation by Agent 313 (a registered trademark of the A.L. Sandpiper Corporation of Columbus, ohio) to be conducted at Waste Area Grouping (WAG) 11 on the Oak Ridge Reservation. The study will be conducted at WAG 11 as a result of the contamination of several small areas of soil by leaking capacitors. The primary purpose of this treatability study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of Agent 313 in remediating PCB-contaminated soil. However, the WAG 11 soils to be treated may also contain radionuclides and metals. In addition to providing the procedures to be followed during the treatability study, the work plan briefly describes the project background and technology, lists applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements for the project, and delineates project goals and objectives. This document also follows the general suggested outline for treatability study work plans shown in the 1992 report Guide for conducting Treatability Studies Under CERCLA: Final, EPA;540/R-92-071a, published by the US Environmental Protection Agency

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

  15. TRADITIONAL RURAL WETLANDS IN HARYANA STATE OF INDIA ARE CURRENTLY CONFRONTING MULTICORNERED THREATS LEADING TO EXTINCTION SOONER THAN LATER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohtash chand Gupta

    2012-05-01

    indicus, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, Gadwall Anas strepera, Northern Shoveller Anas clypeata, Northern Pintail Anas acuta, Garganey Anas querquedula, Common Teal Anas crecca, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Tufted Pochard Aythya fuligula, Common Coot Fulica atra, Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius, Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrines, Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus, Common Redshank Tringa tetanus, Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis, Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola and Pied Avocet Recurivirostra avosetta arrive in the extremely dilapidated rural ponds in Haryana from far off places including Russia, Siberia, China, and Caspian region, east Asia each winter season without any break. As such the extinction of ponds in Haryana directly threatens global avian biodiversity.

  16. [A short biography of Paul Bonét-Maury (1900-1972) or parallel lives of a pharmacist: researcher and judoka].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grognet, Jean-Marc

    2015-12-01

    Pharmacist by training, doctor in sciences and student of Marie Curie, he will be between 1925 and 1965 one of the pioneers of radiobiology, science of the study of the interaction between ionizing radiations and living matter. He will be the initiator of the teaching on the use of radioelements in medicine and pharmacy. At the same time as he develops a scientific work of international level, he makes a commitment prematurely in the judo of which he will be one of the first four French black belts. He founds in 1946 the French Federation of this sport of which he will be president until 1956, year from which he becomes a general secretary of the International Federation of Judo until 1971.

  17. Rescue excavations on the site of discovery of the Ubina silver hoard / Ülle Tamla, Mauri Kiudsoo, Mari-Liis Rohtla

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Tamla, Ülle

    2006-01-01

    Aarde leiukohal tegi kaevamisi Tallinna Ülikooli Ajaloo Instituudi, Eesti Ajaloomuuseumi ja Muinsuskaitseameti ühisekspeditsioon. Esimesele kaevamispäevale järgnenud ööl käisid aarde leiukohal "mustad arheoloogid". Ubina hõbeaarde kirjeldus. Avastatud ehituskonstruktsioonidest väärib eraldi esiletoomist savikummiga ahjuvare

  18. Highly disjunct and highly infected millipedes – a new cave-dwelling species of Chiraziulus (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida: Cambalidae from Iran and notes on Laboulbeniales ectoparasites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Chiraziulus is a highly disjunct, hitherto monotypic genus of cambalid millipedes, geographically isolated in Iran by more than 7000 km from its presumed closest relatives in East Asia and North America. Recent fieldwork in caves of Iran has provided several specimens of this genus, allowing the description of Chiraziulus troglopersicus sp. nov. The intraspecific variability of the type species, C. kaiseri Mauriès, 1983, is illustrated with scanning electron micrographs. Chiraziulus is characterized by exceedingly long microtrichose gonopod flagella which from their insertion points on the posterior face of the anterior gonopod coxites first point distad instead of basad or basad-posteriad as in most other flagelliferous Cambalidea (and Julida, then traverse a groove on the mesal surface of the anterior gonopod coxites, making a full (360° loop. The same feature is also illustrated for the first time in the genus Cambala. The patterns and prevalence of the infection with a species of ectoparasitic fungus of the genus Rickia (order Laboulbeniales in the type material of C. kaiseri is described. An updated review of the cave-adapted fauna of Iran is given.

  19. Open Praxis, volumen 0 issue 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Editor Open Praxis

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Table of Contents - Providing Effective Feedback Online Zane Berge & Mauri Collins (1-10 - Mobile Technologies and the Future of Global Education Rory McGreal (11-16 - Cross-Border Higher Education through E-Learning: Issues and Opportunities Kumiko Aoki (17-25 - Open and Distance Education in the Global Environment: Opportunities for Collaboration Ellie Chambers (26-33 - Global Trade in Educational Services: Implications for Open and Distance Learning (ODL S. Savithri & K. Murugan (34-44 - Interactive Computer Simulation to Support Teaching of Biology in Distance Learning Basuki Hardjojo, Diki, S. Nurmawati & Susi Sulistiana (45-54 - An Analysis of Learning Styles of Distance Learners at the Institute of Education Development, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Malaysia Syed Jamal Abdul Nasir bin Syed Mohamad, & Ahmad Saat Daud Mohamad (55-61 - Application of Cognitive Dissonance Theory to Reduce Dropouts in Distance Education System G. Radhakrishna & Anurag Saxena (62-66 - Effects of Globalisation on Education and Culture S. Chinnammai (67-72 - Learning Beyond Boundary: The Quest Of a Global Researcher Gomata Varanasi (73-78 - Computer Technology for Literacy and Empowerment of Masses in Developing Countries Piyush Swami & Sasi Benzigar (79-84

  20. The Self-Potential Anomaly Produced by a Subsurface Flow at the Contact of Two Horizontal Layers and Its Quantitative Interpretation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georgios Aim. Skianis

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper the problem of a polarized cylinder with a small cross-section, which is located at the contact of two horizontal layers with different resistivities, is studied. Such a polarization geometry simulates the self-potential (SP field produced by a horizontal flow at the contact between the two layers. First, the expression of the self potential at the space domain is derived, applying the image technique. Then, the expression for the Fourier transform of the SP anomaly is found and the behavior of the amplitude spectrum is studied. Based on this study, a direct interpretation method at the spatial frequency domain is proposed, in order to calculate the depth of the flow and the reflection coefficient of the stratified medium. Experimentation with a synthetic model shows that the method works well (small deviations between true and calculated values. When the SP curve contains noise, deviations between calculated and true depths are smaller than those between calculated and true reflection coefficients. The proposed method, which is also applied on SP data from a geothermal system (Mauri et al., 2010, may be useful in detecting underground water or heat flows.

  1. Reproductive life events and Alzheimer’s disease in Italian women: a retrospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bono G

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Chiara Zucchella,1 Elena Sinforiani,1 Antonietta Citterio,1 Valentina Giarracca,2 Giorgio Bono,2 Marco Mauri21IRCCS National Neurological Institute, C Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy; 2Department of Neurology, Ospedale di Circolo/Università dell’Insubria, Varese, ItalyAbstract: The aim of our study was to understand the complex relationship between the major reproductive life events in women with Alzheimer’s disease. In a retrospective, case-control study, 275 women with Alzheimer’s disease (AD and 276 control patients from a hospital population were enrolled from July 2007 to December 2010. The AD patients presented with later menopause (P < 0.01, lower occurrence of surgical menopause (P < 0.04, reduced hormone-replacement therapy intake (P < 0.0001, and a longer reproductive life span (P < 0.01, compared to controls. No significant differences were found with respect to age at puberty, number of pregnancies, previous abortions, or contraceptive therapy. A higher education level appeared to have a protective role against the risk of developing AD. In women, menopause and hormone-replacement therapy can differentially modulate the clinical manifestations of AD, but these factors do not play a predictive role in its development.Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, gender, menopause, hormone-replacement therapy, surgical menopause, education

  2. 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.

  3. Bird diversity and distribution in relation to urban landscape types in northern Rwanda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatesire, T; Nsabimana, D; Nyiramana, A; Seburanga, J L; Mirville, M O

    2014-01-01

    Using the point count method, linear mixed models, Shannon's diversity index, and Bray-Curtis cluster analysis, we conducted a study of the effect of urban fabric layout on bird diversity and distribution in northern Rwanda. The results showed a significant effect of city landscapes on bird richness and relative abundance; residential neighborhoods, institutional grounds, and informal settlements had the highest species diversity in comparison to other microlandscape types. Riversides were characterized by specialized bird species, commonly known to be restricted to wetland environments. Built-up areas and open field landscapes had comparable results. One Albertine Rift endemic bird species, the Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris stuhlmanni), was recorded. Three migratory birds were found in Musanze city for the first time: the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), the Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), and the Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus). Two bird species have not been previously reported in Rwanda: the Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) and the Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina). The implications of this study are particularly relevant to urban decision makers who should consider the existence of a great diversity of avian fauna when developing and implementing master plans, especially when villages and cities are in proximity of protected areas or natural reserves.

  4. Diversity and abundance of water birds in a subarctic lake during three decades

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anders Klemetsen

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The numbers of divers, ducks, gulls, terns and waders in the 15 km2 oligotrophic lake Takvatn, North Norway were estimated six times during 1983-2012. Systematic mapping surveys were done by boat within the first week after ice-break in June. Twenty-one species were observed over the years and 12 were regarded as breeding on the lake. Red-breasted merganser Mergus serrator was the dominant diving bird, with estimated minimum number of pairs varying from 15 to 39 among years. Black-throated diver Gavia arctica (1-3 pairs, tufted duck Aythya fuligula (2-15 pairs and common scoter Melanitta nigra (1-5 pairs bred regularly, while velvet scoter Melanitta fusca (1-2 and goldeneye Bucephala clangula (2-4 were found in some years and mallard Anas platyrhynchos (1 pair and wigeon Anas penelope (1 pair in one year. Common gull Larus canus (6-30 pairs and arctic tern Sterna paradisaea (2-35 pairs bred in all years. Common sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos (3-9 pairs and redshank Tringa totanus (1-4 pairs were regular waders. Density variations of mergansers, gulls and terns are possibly related to density variations of three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus, their dominant fish prey. The water birds are important links in the food web of the lake.

  5. Hellsgate Winter Range Mitigation Project; Long-term Management Plan, Project Report 1993, Final Draft.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berger, Matthew T.

    1994-01-01

    A study was conducted on the Hellsgate Winter Range Mitigation Project area, a 4,943 acre ranch purchased for mitigating some habitat losses associated with the original construction of Grand Coulee Dam and innundation of habitat by Lake Roosevelt. A Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) study was used to determine habitat quality and quantity baseline data and future projections. Target species used in the study were sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemoinus), mink (Mustela vison), spotted sandpiper (Actiius colchicus), bobcat (Felis reufs), blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus), and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura). From field data collected, limiting life values or HSI's (Habitat Suitability Index's) for each indicator species was determined for existing habitats on project lands. From this data a long term management plan was developed. This report is designed to provide guidance for the management of project lands in relation to the habitat cover types discussed and the indicator species used to evaluate these cover types. In addition, the plan discusses management actions, habitat enhancements, and tools that will be used to enhance, protect and restore habitats to desired conditions. Through planned management actions biodiversity and vegetative structure can be optimized over time to reduce or eliminate, limiting HSI values for selected wildlife on project lands.

  6. 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.

  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. 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

  9. SoTRE's Speak Up: Students Share the Benefits of Teacher Researcher Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eubanks, E.; Allen, S.; Farmer, S.; Jones, K.

    2016-12-01

    Being Students of Teacher Researcher Experiences (SoTRE) gives students special advantages that most students do not get. Teachers Elizabeth Eubanks and Steve Allen share their knowledge gained via partnerships with Teacher Researcher Experiences (TRE's) such as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Teacher at Sea program (NOAA- TAS), Polar TREC (Teachers and Researchers & Exploring & Collaboration), National Science Foundation (NSF) funded researchers, (EARTH) Education and Research: Testing Hypothesis, the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program, C-DEBI (Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations and (STARS) Sending Teachers Aboard Research Ships, The Maury Project and Mate. Students gain special privileges such as understanding unique research ideas, tracking tagged sharks, following daily journals written on location, taking part in cross-continental experiments, tracking real time data, exploring current research via posters or visiting universities. Furthermore, contacts made by a TRE give students an added set of resources. When doing experiments for class or advancing their education or career goals Eubanks and Allen help students connect with scientists. Many students have felt so strongly about the TRE relationship that they have presented at several local and international science conferences. Their message is to encourage scientists to partner with teachers. The benefits of participation in such conferences have included abstract writing and submission, travel, poster creation, oral presentation, networking and personal research presentation, all tools that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

  10. O gênero Eleocharis R. Br. (Cyperaceae no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilsi Iob Boldrin

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available O estudo taxonômico do gênero Eleocharis R. Br. para o Rio Grande do Sul foi desenvolvido através dos métodos tradicionais em taxonomia. Os dados foram obtidos através da bibliografia, revisão de herbários regionais e coleta de exemplares a campo. O gênero está representado no Rio Grande do Sul por 27 espécies: Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb. Schult., E. bonariensis Nees, E. contracta Maury, E. dunensis Kük., E. elegans (Kunth Roem. & Schult., E. filiculmis Kunth, E. flavescens (Poir. Urb., E. geniculata (L. Roem. & Schult., E. interstincta (Vahl Roem. & Schult., E. laeviglumis R. Trevis. & Boldrini, E. loefgreniana Boeck., E. maculosa (Vahl Roem. & Schult., E. minima Kunth var. minima, E. montana (Kunth Roem. & Schult., E. montevidensis Kunth, E. nudipes (Kunth Palla, E. obtusetrigona (Lindl. & Nees Steud., E. parodii Barros, E. quinquangularis Boeck., E. rabenii Boeck., E. radicans (Poir. Kunth, E. sellowiana Kunth, E. squamigera Svenson, E. subarticulata (Nees Boeck., E. viridans Kük. ex Osten, Eleocharis sp.1 e Eleocharis sp.2. O trabalho apresenta descrições, ilustrações, dados sobre distribuição geográfica, habitat e períodos de floração e frutificação das espécies, além de uma chave dicotômica para diferenciá-las.

  11. Revision of the genus Ommatoiulus Latzel, 1884 (Julida, Diplopoda in Portugal, with description of six new species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nesrine Akkari

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In this work we present a revision of the genus Ommatoiulus Latzel, 1884 in Portugal. Based on recently collected material and older museum samples, including type specimens, we describe six new species to science, viz. Ommatoiulus alacygni sp. nov., O. camurus sp. nov., O. denticulatus sp. nov., O. litoralis sp. nov., O. staglae sp. nov. and O. stellaris sp. nov. The species O. alacygni sp. nov., O. denticulatus sp. nov. and O. staglae sp. nov. described from the Algarve are outstanding by their extremely reduced mesomerital process. The species O. porathi (Verhoeff, 1893 and O. andalusius (Attems, 1927 are recorded and redescribed for the first time after their original description. The finding of O. andalusius – originally described from Andalusia in Spain – constitutes a new record for Portugal together with two species, viz. O. fuentei (Brolemann, 1920 and O. martensi Mauriès, 1969. The taxonomic status of several species is revised. Thus Archiulus (Schistocoxitus cingulatus Attems, 1927 is here considered as a junior synonym of Ommatoiulus lusitanus (Verhoeff, 1895 while Schizophyllum cervinum Verhoeff, 1910 is synonymized with Ommatoiulus moreleti (Lucas, 1860. An identification key to all hitherto known Portuguese species of Ommatoiulus is presented as well as a distribution map illustrating the various species occurrences in the country.

  12. Climate and lake-level history of the northern Altiplano, Bolivia, as recorded in Holocene sediments of the Rio Desaguadero

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baucom, P.C.; Rigsby, C.A. [East Carolina Univ., Greenville, NC (United States). Dept. of Geology

    1999-05-01

    Strata exposed in terraces and modern cutbanks along the Rio Desaguadero contain a variety of lithofacies that were deposited in four distinct facies associations. These facies associations document a history of aggradation and downcutting that is linked to Holocene climate change on the Altiplano. Braided-stream, meandering-stream, deltaic and shoreline, and lacustrine sediments preserved in multi-level terraces in the northern Rio Desaguadero valley record two high-water intervals: one between 4,500 and 3,900 yr BP and another between 2,000 and 2,200 yr BP. These wet periods were interrupted by three periods of fluvial downcutting, centered at approximately 4,000 yr BP, 3,600 yr BP, and after 2,000 yr BP. Braided-river sediments preserved in a single terrace level in the southern Rio Desaguadero valley record a history of nearly continuous fluvial sedimentation from at least 7,000 yr BP until approximately 3,200 yr BP that was followed by a single episode (post-3,210 yr BP) of down-cutting and lateral migration. The deposition and subsequent fluvial downcutting of the northern strata was controlled by changes in effective moisture that can be correlated to Holocene water-level fluctuations of Lake Titicaca. The deposition and dissection of braided-stream sediments to the south are more likely controlled by a combination of base-level change and sediment input from the Rio Mauri.

  13. The effect of wind turbines on the bird population at Blyth Harbour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Still, D.; Little, B.; Lawrence, S.

    1996-01-01

    Bird monitoring was carried out at Blyth Harbour Wind Farm which consists of a line of nine 300kW wind turbines distributed at 200m intervals along a 1.2km breakwater. The harbour breakwater is designated as part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest as it supports an internationally important winter population of Purple Sandpipers. The Blyth estuary is to be designated as part of a Special Protection Area under the EC Habitats Directive and as part of a proposed RAMSAR site due to its peak periods up to c.5000 bird movements/day occur adjacent to the windfarm. Mortality surveys (at one week intervals) were carried out on adjacent beaches to the wind farm in order to assess the background numbers of bird corpses and locate wind farm casualties. Supplementary mortality searches were carried out near power lines less than 2.5 km upstream from the wind farm. Tests of the efficiency of the mortality surveys have been carried out in order to assess the likely impact on the local bird populations. In spite of the large bird population supported by the harbour and its close proximity to the wind farm there have been relatively few collision victims (31) since the windfarm was commissioned. This is equivalent to less than 1.34 bird strike/wind turbine per annum. (author)

  14. HAVCR1 (CD365) and Its Mouse Ortholog Are Functional Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) Cellular Receptors That Mediate HAV Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costafreda, Maria Isabel; Kaplan, Gerardo

    2018-05-01

    mechanism by which the subsequent necroinflammatory process clears the infection remain a puzzle that most likely involves the HAV-HAVCR1 interaction. Based on negative data, a recent paper from the S. M. Lemon and W. Maury laboratories (A. Das, A. Hirai-Yuki, O. Gonzalez-Lopez, B. Rhein, S. Moller-Tank, R. Brouillette, L. Hensley, I. Misumi, W. Lovell, J. M. Cullen, J. K. Whitmire, W. Maury, and S. M. Lemon, mBio 8:e00969-17, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00969-17) suggested that HAVCR1 is not a functional HAV receptor, nor it is it required for HAV infection. However, our data, based on regain of the HAV receptor function in HAVCR1 knockout cells transfected with HAVCR1 cDNA, disagree with their findings. Our positive data show conclusively that HAVCR1 is indeed a functional HAV receptor and lays the ground for the identification of alternative HAV receptors and how they interact with HAVCR1 in cell entry and the pathogenesis of HAV. This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Foreign copyrights may apply.

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. Trigo duro: comportamento de genótipos no estado de São Paulo Durum wheat: evaluation of genotypes for the state of São Paulo, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira Camargo

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available Compararam-se 25 linhagens de trigo duro (Triticum durum L., um cultivar de triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack e quatro cultivares de trigo (T. aestivum L. em seis experimentos em condição de irrigação por aspersão, analisando-se a produção de grãos, características agronômicas e resistência às doenças. As linhagens de trigo duro 14 (61150/Leeds//Gallo "S"/3/Garza "S"/4/Mexicali "S"/5/S-15-Crane "S", 21 (Boyeros "S"/Cocorit-71/5/Crane "S"/Ganso "S"//Marte "S"/3/Tildillo "S"/4/Memo "S", 25 (Gallareta "S" e 8 (Gediz "S"/Yavaros "S", de porte baixo a médio, foram resistentes às ferrugens-do-colmo (com exceção da 21 e da-folha, moderadamente resistentes ao oídio, suscetíveis à mancha foliar, e destacaram-se quanto à produção de grãos em solos com baixa acidez, não diferindo nem do trigo comum IAC-60, o mais cultivado atualmente no Estado de São Paulo, nem do triticale Álamos. Em condições de campo, a linhagem de trigo duro 19 (Mindum/Kingfisher "S"//Sandpiper apresentou imunidade às ferrugens-do-colmo e da-folha e foi moderadamente resistente ao oídio. O triticale Álamos e o trigo comum IAC-29 foram imunes ao oídio. Todos os genótipos avaliados foram altamente suscetíveis à mancha foliar, com exceção da linhagem 6 (Dackiye/Gerardo Vezio 394, moderadamente resistente.Twenty-five durum wheat (Triticum durum L. lines, one triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack cultivar and four wheat (T aestivum L. cultivars were evaluated in six trials under sprinkler irrigation taking into account the grain yield, agronomic characteristics and disease resistance. The durum wheat lines 14 (61150/Leeds//Gallo "S"/3/Garza "S"/4/Mexicali "S"/5/S-15-Crane "S", 21 (Boyeros "S"/Cocorit-71/5/Crane "S"/Ganso "S"//Marte "S"/3/Tildillo "S"/4/Memo "S", 25 (Gallareta "S" and 8 (Gediz "S"/Yavaros "S", showed the following traites: resistant to stem and leaf rusts; moderately resistant to powdery mildew; susceptible to leaf spot, and short to

  18. Women in interventional cardiology: The French experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vautrin, E; Marlière, S; Bellemain-Appaix, A; Gilard, M; Manzo-Silberman, S

    2016-12-01

    Exploring the discrepancy in sex-ratio among interventional cardiologists by analysing the population of the female interventionalist. Despite an increase number of women who graduate from medical school in France during the last generation today, women represent only 24% of all cardiologists and 3% are interventional cardiologists. To face this international gender-based issue of interventional cardiology, committees were established in US (WIN) and recently within the EAPCI: the Women EAPCI chaired by Drs Mehilli and Mauri. In France, the Intervention'Elles committee emerged in order to participate in this concern. As a first initiative, the Intervention'Elles group launched an e-survey to obtain information on the population of French female interventional cardiologists, focused on demography, work patterns, maternity and radiation exposure. Mean age is 40 years old (±7,4), 68% are working in large volume center, 28% have also structural interventional activity. Only 40% have left arm coverage. Despite 80% of French female interventional cardiologists wear personal dosimeters only 45% of them have a dosimetry feedback. Interestingly, even if 54% of women have children (mean: 1.9±1) 28% of them report that childbearing had interfered with their career plan. This questionnaire identifies for the first time the women population in interventional cardiology in France and highlights some of the issues encountered in more detail. This first descriptive step would help to develop strategies for attaining gender equality in interventional cardiology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. New perspectives in the PAW/GIPAW approach: J(P-O-Si) coupling constants, antisymmetric parts of shift tensors and NQR predictions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonhomme, Christian; Gervais, Christel; Coelho, Cristina; Pourpoint, Frédérique; Azaïs, Thierry; Bonhomme-Coury, Laure; Babonneau, Florence; Jacob, Guy; Ferrari, Maude; Canet, Daniel; Yates, Jonathan R; Pickard, Chris J; Joyce, Siân A; Mauri, Francesco; Massiot, Dominique

    2010-12-01

    In 2001, Pickard and Mauri implemented the gauge including projected augmented wave (GIPAW) protocol for first-principles calculations of NMR parameters using periodic boundary conditions (chemical shift anisotropy and electric field gradient tensors). In this paper, three potentially interesting perspectives in connection with PAW/GIPAW in solid-state NMR and pure nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) are presented: (i) the calculation of J coupling tensors in inorganic solids; (ii) the calculation of the antisymmetric part of chemical shift tensors and (iii) the prediction of (14)N and (35)Cl pure NQR resonances including dynamics. We believe that these topics should open new insights in the combination of GIPAW, NMR/NQR crystallography, temperature effects and dynamics. Points (i), (ii) and (iii) will be illustrated by selected examples: (i) chemical shift tensors and heteronuclear (2)J(P-O-Si) coupling constants in the case of silicophosphates and calcium phosphates [Si(5)O(PO(4))(6), SiP(2)O(7) polymorphs and α-Ca(PO(3))(2)]; (ii) antisymmetric chemical shift tensors in cyclopropene derivatives, C(3)X(4) (X = H, Cl, F) and (iii) (14)N and (35)Cl NQR predictions in the case of RDX (C(3)H(6)N(6)O(6)), β-HMX (C(4)H(8)N(8)O(8)), α-NTO (C(2)H(2)N(4)O(3)) and AlOPCl(6). RDX, β-HMX and α-NTO are explosive compounds. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. 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

  1. A revision of dragon millipedes I: genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923, with the description of eight new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruttapon Srisonchai

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The dragon millipede genus Desmoxytes s.l. is split into five genera, based on morphological characters and preliminary molecular phylogenetic analyses. The present article includes a review of Desmoxytes s.s., while future articles will deal with Hylomus Cook and Loomis, 1924 and three new genera which preliminarily are referred to as the ‘acantherpestes’, ‘gigas’, and ‘spiny’ groups. Diagnostic morphological characters of each group are discussed. Hylomus is resurrected as a valid genus and the following 33 species are assigned to it: H. asper (Attems, 1937, comb. n., H. cattienensis (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005, comb. n., H. cervarius (Attems, 1953, comb. n., H. cornutus (Zhang & Li, 1982, comb. n., H. draco Cook & Loomis, 1924, stat. rev., H. enghoffi (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005, comb. n., H. eupterygotus (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012, comb. n., H. getuhensis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014, comb. n., H. grandis (Golovatch, VandenSpiegel & Semenyuk, 2016, comb. n., H. hostilis (Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994, comb. n., H. jeekeli (Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994, comb. n., H. lingulatus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014, comb. n., H. laticollis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016, comb. n., H. longispinus (Loksa, 1960, comb. n., H. lui (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012, comb. n., H. minutuberculus (Zhang, 1986, comb. n., H. nodulosus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014, comb. n., H. parvulus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014, comb. n., H. phasmoides (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016, comb. n., H. pilosus (Attems, 1937, comb. n., H. proximus (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005, comb. n., H. rhinoceros (Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2015, comb. n., H. rhinoparvus (Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2015, comb. n., H. scolopendroides (Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010, comb. n., H. scutigeroides (Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010, comb. n., H. similis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016, comb. n., H. simplex (Golovatch, VandenSpiegel & Semenyuk, 2016

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Individuals, institutions, and innovation in the debates of the French Revolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barron, Alexander T J; Huang, Jenny; Spang, Rebecca L; DeDeo, Simon

    2018-05-01

    The French Revolution brought principles of "liberty, equality, fraternity" to bear on the day-to-day challenges of governing what was then the largest country in Europe. Its experiments provided a model for future revolutions and democracies across the globe, but this first modern revolution had no model to follow. Using reconstructed transcripts of debates held in the Revolution's first parliament, we present a quantitative analysis of how this body managed innovation. We use information theory to track the creation, transmission, and destruction of word-use patterns across over 40,000 speeches and a thousand speakers. The parliament as a whole was biased toward the adoption of new patterns, but speakers' individual qualities could break these overall trends. Speakers on the left innovated at higher rates, while speakers on the right acted to preserve prior patterns. Key players such as Robespierre (on the left) and Abbé Maury (on the right) played information-processing roles emblematic of their politics. Newly created organizational functions-such as the Assembly president and committee chairs-had significant effects on debate outcomes, and a distinct transition appears midway through the parliament when committees, external to the debate process, gained new powers to "propose and dispose." Taken together, these quantitative results align with existing qualitative interpretations, but also reveal crucial information-processing dynamics that have hitherto been overlooked. Great orators had the public's attention, but deputies (mostly on the political left) who mastered the committee system gained new powers to shape revolutionary legislation. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  5. Early-maturing soybean cropping system. III. Protein and oil contents and oil composition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kane, M.V.; Steele, C.C.; Grabau, L.J.; MacKown, C.T.; Hildebrand, D.F.

    1997-01-01

    Expanding production of early-maturing soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] cultivars in the southeastern USA has exposed such cultivars to a wide range of environmental conditions during seed-fill. Temperatures during this growth stage influence levels of specific fatty acids, particularly of the unsaturated fatty acids. Our objective was to evaluate the grain quality responses of early-maturing cultivars to the wide range of planting dates in the southeastern USA. Protein and oil contents along with fatty acid profiles were assessed for cultivars from Maturity Group (MG) 00 through IV using late April mid-May early June, and late June planting dates on a well-drained Maury silt loam (fine, mixed, mesic Typic Paleudalf) in 1990 through 1993. Across years and cultivars. delayed planting increased protein content and linolenic acid levels and reduced oil content and oleic acid levels but had little or no influence on palmitic stearic or linoleic acid levels. The higher seed-fill temperatures associated with early planting were strongly correlated with increased oil content and oleic acid levels and reduced linolenic acid levels. Increasing seed-fill temperatures were closely associated with reduced linolenic acid levels for all six cultivars. However, the oleic acid response to seed-temperatures strongly depended on cultivar maturity. Oleic acid levels of early-maturing cultivars were much more sensitive to seed-fill temperatures than were those of later maturing cultivars. While other effects of environment on grain quality characteristics may be relatively small perhaps the quality of new low linolenic acid cultivars could be amplified through culture under the warmer conditions the southeastern USA

  6. Vulnerability of breeding waterbirds to climate change in the Prairie Pothole Region, U.S.A.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valerie Steen

    Full Text Available The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada contains millions of small prairie wetlands that provide critical habitat to many migrating and breeding waterbirds. Due to their small size and the relatively dry climate of the region, these wetlands are considered at high risk for negative climate change effects as temperatures increase. To estimate the potential impacts of climate change on breeding waterbirds, we predicted current and future distributions of species common in the PPR using species distribution models (SDMs. We created regional-scale SDMs for the U.S. PPR using Breeding Bird Survey occurrence records for 1971-2011 and wetland, upland, and climate variables. For each species, we predicted current distribution based on climate records for 1981-2000 and projected future distributions to climate scenarios for 2040-2049. Species were projected to, on average, lose almost half their current habitat (-46%. However, individual species projections varied widely, from +8% (Upland Sandpiper to -100% (Wilson's Snipe. Variable importance ranks indicated that land cover (wetland and upland variables were generally more important than climate variables in predicting species distributions. However, climate variables were relatively more important during a drought period. Projected distributions of species responses to climate change contracted within current areas of distribution rather than shifting. Given the large variation in species-level impacts, we suggest that climate change mitigation efforts focus on species projected to be the most vulnerable by enacting targeted wetland management, easement acquisition, and restoration efforts.

  7. Bird surveys at Stokes Point and Philips Bay, Yukon in 1983. No. 40

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dickson, D L; Dickson, H L; Aiudi, G M

    1988-01-01

    The distribution, abundance, and habitat preferences of birds were studied at Stokes Point, Phillips Bay and King Point in the northern Yukon in 1983. These data were gathered to assist in decisions about future development of a port to support marine drilling activities in the Beaufort Sea. Nesting bird densities at Stokes Point were similar to those found elsewhere on the Yukon Coastal Plain due to the similarity in habitat. The lagoon at Stokes Point was locally important to molting ducks. Several species occurred in higher densities at Phillips Bay than elsewhere on the Plain, mainly due to the deltas and spits created by rivers flowing into the Bay. These deltas were locally important to such species as molting non-breeding tundra swans, Canada geese, and ducks. During ground surveys in June, habitat was classified into 13 types and the nesting density for each bird species calculated for each habitat type. Overall bird densities were more than 3 times higher in lowland than in upland habitats. Passerine densities and species were highest in the tall shrub type of habitat found primarily in stream and river valleys. The Yukon Coastal Plain is an important nesting area for the stilt sandpiper, which has a limited breeding range. The Plain is also nationally important for nesting long-billed dowitchers and yellow wagtails, both fairly common in the study area but with very limited breeding distribution within Canada. The Plain is also internationally important to fall staging snow geese. 38 refs., 17 figs., 35 tabs.

  8. Shorebird Migration Patterns in Response to Climate Change: A Modeling Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, James A.

    2010-01-01

    The availability of satellite remote sensing observations at multiple spatial and temporal scales, coupled with advances in climate modeling and information technologies offer new opportunities for the application of mechanistic models to predict how continental scale bird migration patterns may change in response to environmental change. In earlier studies, we explored the phenotypic plasticity of a migratory population of Pectoral sandpipers by simulating the movement patterns of an ensemble of 10,000 individual birds in response to changes in stopover locations as an indicator of the impacts of wetland loss and inter-annual variability on the fitness of migratory shorebirds. We used an individual based, biophysical migration model, driven by remotely sensed land surface data, climate data, and biological field data. Mean stop-over durations and stop-over frequency with latitude predicted from our model for nominal cases were consistent with results reported in the literature and available field data. In this study, we take advantage of new computing capabilities enabled by recent GP-GPU computing paradigms and commodity hardware (general purchase computing on graphics processing units). Several aspects of our individual based (agent modeling) approach lend themselves well to GP-GPU computing. We have been able to allocate compute-intensive tasks to the graphics processing units, and now simulate ensembles of 400,000 birds at varying spatial resolutions along the central North American flyway. We are incorporating additional, species specific, mechanistic processes to better reflect the processes underlying bird phenotypic plasticity responses to different climate change scenarios in the central U.S.

  9. Exposure of nonbreeding migratory shorebirds to cholinesterase-inhibiting contaminants in the western hemisphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strum, K.M.; Hooper, M.J.; Johnson, K.A.; Lanctot, Richard B.; Zaccagnini, M.E.; Sandercock, B.K.

    2010-01-01

    Migratory shorebirds frequently forage and roost in agricultural habitats, where they may be exposed to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides. Exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate compounds, common anti-cholinesterases, can cause sublethal effects, even death. To evaluate exposure of migratory shorebirds to organophosphorus and carbamates, we sampled birds stopping over during migration in North America and wintering in South America. We compared plasma cholinesterase activities and body masses of individuals captured at sites with no known sources of organophosphorus or carbamates to those captured in agricultural areas where agrochemicals were recommended for control of crop pests. In South America, plasma acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity in Buff-breasted Sandpipers was lower at agricultural sites than at reference sites, indicating exposure to organophosphorus and carbamates. Results of plasma cholinesterase reactivation assays and foot-wash analyses were inconclusive. A meta-analysis of six species revealed no widespread effect of agricultural chemicals on cholinesterase activity. however, four of six species were negative for acetylcholinesterase and one of six for butyrylcholinesterase, indicating negative effects of pesticides on cholinesterase activity in a subset of shorebirds. Exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors can decrease body mass, but comparisons between treatments and hemispheres suggest that agrochemicals did not affect migratory shorebirds' body mass. Our study, one of the first to estimate of shorebirds' exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides, suggests that shorebirds are being exposed to cholinesterase- inhibiting pesticides at specific sites in the winter range but not at migratory stopover sites. future research should examine potential behavioral effects of exposure and identify other potential sitesand levels of exposure. ?? The Cooper Ornithological Society 2010.

  10. 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.

  11. Spontaneous Loss of Virulence in Natural Populations of Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maury, Mylène M; Chenal-Francisque, Viviane; Bracq-Dieye, Hélène; Han, Lei; Leclercq, Alexandre; Vales, Guillaume; Moura, Alexandra; Gouin, Edith; Scortti, Mariela; Disson, Olivier; Vázquez-Boland, José A; Lecuit, Marc

    2017-11-01

    The pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes depends on the ability of this bacterium to escape from the phagosome of the host cells via the action of the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO). Expression of the LLO-encoding gene ( hly ) requires the transcriptional activator PrfA, and both hly and prfA genes are essential for L. monocytogenes virulence. Here, we used the hemolytic activity of LLO as a phenotypic marker to screen for spontaneous virulence-attenuating mutations in L. monocytogenes Sixty nonhemolytic isolates were identified among a collection of 57,820 confirmed L. monocytogenes strains isolated from a variety of sources (0.1%). In most cases (56/60; 93.3%), the nonhemolytic phenotype resulted from nonsense, missense, or frameshift mutations in prfA Five strains carried hly mutations leading to a single amino acid substitution (G299V) or a premature stop codon causing strong virulence attenuation in mice. In one strain, both hly and gshF (encoding a glutathione synthase required for full PrfA activity) were missing due to genomic rearrangements likely caused by a transposable element. The PrfA/LLO loss-of-function (PrfA - /LLO - ) mutants belonged to phylogenetically diverse clades of L. monocytogenes , and most were identified among nonclinical strains (57/60). Consistent with the rare occurrence of loss-of-virulence mutations, we show that prfA and hly are under purifying selection. Although occurring at a low frequency, PrfA - /LLO - mutational events in L. monocytogenes lead to niche restriction and open an evolutionary path for obligate saprophytism in this facultative intracellular pathogen. Copyright © 2017 Maury et al.

  12. Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorzo, Jessica; Pidgeon, Anna M.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Allstadt, Andrew J.; Radeloff, Volker C.; Heglund, Patricia J.; Vavrus, Stephen J.

    2016-01-01

    Avian populations can respond dramatically to extreme weather such as droughts and heat waves, yet patterns of response to weather at broad scales remain largely unknown. Our goal was to evaluate annual variation in abundance of 14 grassland bird species breeding in the northern mixed-grass prairie in relation to annual variation in precipitation and temperature. We modeled avian abundance during the breeding season using North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data for the U.S. Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region (BCR 17) from 1980 to 2012. We used hierarchical Bayesian methods to fit models and estimate the candidate weather parameters standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized temperature index (STI) for the same year and the previous year. Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) responded positively to within-year STI (β = 0.101), and Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) responded negatively to within-year STI (β = −0.161) and positively to within-year SPI (β = 0.195). The parameter estimates were superficially similar (STI β = −0.075, SPI β = 0.11) for Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), but the best-selected model included an interaction between SPI and STI. The best model for both Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) and Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) included the additive effects of within-year SPI (β = −0.032 and β = −0.054, respectively) and the previous-year's SPI (β = −0.057 and −0.02, respectively), although for Vesper Sparrow the lag effect was insignificant. With projected warmer, drier weather during summer in the Badlands and Prairies BCR, Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows may be especially threatened by future climate change.

  13. 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.

  14. PREFACE: 31st UIT (Italian Union of Thermo-fluid-dynamics) Heat Transfer Conference 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vitali, Luigi; Niro, Alfonso; Colombo, Luigi; Sotgia, Giorgio

    2014-04-01

    The annual Conference of the ''Unione Italiana di Termofluidodinamica'' (UIT) aims at promoting cooperation in the field of heat transfer and thermal sciences, by bringing together scientists and engineers working in related areas. The 31st UIT Conference was held in Moltrasio (Como), Italy, 25-27 June, 2013 at the Grand Hotel Imperiale. The response has been enthusiastic, with more than 70 quality contributions from 224 authors on heat transfer related topics: natural, forced and mixed convection, conduction, radiation, multi-phase fluid dynamics and interface phenomena, computational fluid dynamics, micro- and nano-scales, efficiency in energy systems, environmental technologies and buildings. To encourage the debate, the Conference Program has scheduled ample poster sessions and invited lectures from the best experts in the field along with a few of the most talented researchers. Keynote Lectures were given by Professor Roberto Mauri (University of Pisa), Professor Lounés Tadrist (Polytech Marseille) and Professor Maurizio Quadrio (Politecnico di Milano). This special volume collects a selection of the scientific contributions discussed during this conference; these works give a good overview of the state-of-the art Italian research in the field of Heat Transfer related topics. I would like to thank sincerely the authors for presenting their works at the conference and in this special issue. I would also like to extend my thanks to the Scientific Committee and the authors for their accurate review process of each paper for this special issue. Special thanks go to the organizing committee and to our sponsors. As a professor of Politecnico di Milano, let me say I am very proud to have been the chair of this conference in the 150th anniversary of my university. Professor Alfonso Niro Details of organizers, sponsors and committees, as well as further information, are available in the PDF

  15. Directly measured currents and estimated transport pathways of Atlantic Water between 59.5°N and the Iceland–Faroes–Scotland Ridge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katelin H. Childers

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Using vessel-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler data from four different routes between Scotland, Iceland and Greenland, we map out the mean flow of water in the top 400 m of the northeastern North Atlantic. The poleward transport east of the Reykjanes Ridge (RR decreases from ~8.5 to 10 Sv (1 Sverdrup=106 m3 s−1 at 59.5°N to 61°N to 6 Sv crossing the Iceland–Faroes–Scotland Ridge. The two longest ~1200 km transport integrals have 1.4–0.94 Sv uncertainty, respectively. The overall decrease in transport can in large measure be accounted for by a ~1.5 Sv flow across the RR into the Irminger Sea north of 59.5°N and by a ~0.5 Sv overflow of dense water along the Iceland–Faroes Ridge. A remaining 0.5 Sv flux divergence is at the edge of detectability, but if real could be accounted for through wintertime convection to >400 m and densification of upper ocean water. The topography of the Iceland Basin and the banks west of Scotland play a fundamental role in controlling flow pathways towards and past Iceland, the Faroes and Scotland. Most water flows north unimpeded through the Iceland Basin, some in the centre of the basin along the Maury Channel, and some along Hatton Bank, turning east along the northern slopes of George Bligh Bank, Lousy Bank and Bill Bailey's Bank, whereupon the flow splits with ~3 Sv turning northwest towards the Iceland–Faroes Ridge and the remainder continuing east towards and north of the Wyville-Thomson Ridge (WTR to the Scotland slope thereby increasing the Slope Current transport from ~1.5 Sv south of the WTR to 3.5 Sv in the Faroes–Shetland Channel.

  16. Investigating avian influenza infection hotspots in old-world shorebirds.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Gaidet

    Full Text Available Heterogeneity in the transmission rates of pathogens across hosts or environments may produce disease hotspots, which are defined as specific sites, times or species associations in which the infection rate is consistently elevated. Hotspots for avian influenza virus (AIV in wild birds are largely unstudied and poorly understood. A striking feature is the existence of a unique but consistent AIV hotspot in shorebirds (Charadriiformes associated with a single species at a specific location and time (ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres at Delaware Bay, USA, in May. This unique case, though a valuable reference, limits our capacity to explore and understand the general properties of AIV hotspots in shorebirds. Unfortunately, relatively few shorebirds have been sampled outside Delaware Bay and they belong to only a few shorebird families; there also has been a lack of consistent oropharyngeal sampling as a complement to cloacal sampling. In this study we looked for AIV hotspots associated with other shorebird species and/or with some of the larger congregation sites of shorebirds in the old world. We assembled and analysed a regionally extensive dataset of AIV prevalence from 69 shorebird species sampled in 25 countries across Africa and Western Eurasia. Despite this diverse and extensive coverage we did not detect any new shorebird AIV hotspots. Neither large shorebird congregation sites nor the ruddy turnstone were consistently associated with AIV hotspots. We did, however, find a low but widespread circulation of AIV in shorebirds that contrast with the absence of AIV previously reported in shorebirds in Europe. A very high AIV antibody prevalence coupled to a low infection rate was found in both first-year and adult birds of two migratory sandpiper species, suggesting the potential existence of an AIV hotspot along their migratory flyway that is yet to be discovered.

  17. Dietary flexibility in three representative waterbirds across salinity and depth gradients in salt ponds of San Francisco Bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takekawa, John Y.; Miles, A.K.; Tsao-Melcer, D. C.; Schoellhamer, D.H.; Fregien, S.; Athearn, N.D.

    2009-01-01

    Salt evaporation ponds have existed in San Francisco Bay, California, for more than a century. In the past decade, most of the salt ponds have been retired from production and purchased for resource conservation with a focus on tidal marsh restoration. However, large numbers of waterbirds are found in salt ponds, especially during migration and wintering periods. The value of these hypersaline wetlands for waterbirds is not well understood, including how different avian foraging guilds use invertebrate prey resources at different salinities and depths. The aim of this study was to investigate the dietary flexibility of waterbirds by examining the population number and diet of three feeding guilds across a salinity and depth gradient in former salt ponds of the Napa-Sonoma Marshes. Although total invertebrate biomass and species richness were greater in low than high salinity salt ponds, waterbirds fed in ponds that ranged from low (20 g l-1) to very high salinities (250 g l -1). American avocets (surface sweeper) foraged in shallow areas at pond edges and consumed a wide range of prey types (8) including seeds at low salinity, but preferred brine flies at mid salinity (40-80 g l-1). Western sandpipers (prober) focused on exposed edges and shoal habitats and consumed only a few prey types (2-4) at both low and mid salinities. Suitable depths for foraging were greatest for ruddy ducks (diving benthivore) that consumed a wide variety of invertebrate taxa (5) at low salinity, but focused on fewer prey (3) at mid salinity. We found few brine shrimp, common in higher salinity waters, in the digestive tracts of any of these species. Dietary flexibility allows different guilds to use ponds across a range of salinities, but their foraging extent is limited by available water depths. ?? 2009 USGS, US Government.

  18. Alaska North Slope National Energy Strategy initiative: Analysis of five undeveloped fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomas, C.P.; Allaire, R.B.; Doughty, T.C.; Faulder, D.D.; Irving, J.S.; Jamison, H.C.; White, G.J.

    1993-05-01

    The US Department of Energy was directed in the National Energy Strategy to establish a federal interagency task force to identify specific technical and regulatory barriers to the development of five undeveloped North Slope Alaska fields and make recommendations for their resolution. The five fields are West Sak, Point Thomson, Gwydyr Bay, Seal Island/Northstar, and Sandpiper Island. Analysis of environmental, regulatory, technical, and economic information, and data relating to the development potential of the five fields leads to the following conclusions: Development of the five fields would result in an estimated total of 1,055 million barrels of oil and 4.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and total investment of $9.4 billion in 1992 dollars. It appears that all five of the fields will remain economically marginal developments unless there is significant improvement in world oil prices. Costs of regulatory compliance and mitigation, and costs to reduce or maintain environmental impacts at acceptable levels influence project investments and operating costs and must be considered in the development decision making process. The development of three of the fields (West Sak, Point Thomson, and Gwydyr Bay) that are marginally feasible would have an impact on North Slope production over the period from about 2000 to 2014 but cannot replace the decline in Prudhoe Bay Unit production or maintain the operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) beyond about 2014 with the assumption that the TAPS will shut down when production declines to the range of 400 to 200 thousand barrels of oil/day. Recoverable reserves left in the ground in the currently producing fields and soon to be developed fields, Niakuk and Point McIntyre, would range from 1 billion to 500 million barrels of oil corresponding to the time period of 2008 to 2014 based on the TAPS shutdown assumption

  19. Alaska North Slope National Energy Strategy initiative: Analysis of five undeveloped fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas, C.P.; Allaire, R.B.; Doughty, T.C.; Faulder, D.D.; Irving, J.S.; Jamison, H.C.; White, G.J.

    1993-05-01

    The US Department of Energy was directed in the National Energy Strategy to establish a federal interagency task force to identify specific technical and regulatory barriers to the development of five undeveloped North Slope Alaska fields and make recommendations for their resolution. The five fields are West Sak, Point Thomson, Gwydyr Bay, Seal Island/Northstar, and Sandpiper Island. Analysis of environmental, regulatory, technical, and economic information, and data relating to the development potential of the five fields leads to the following conclusions: Development of the five fields would result in an estimated total of 1,055 million barrels of oil and 4.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and total investment of $9.4 billion in 1992 dollars. It appears that all five of the fields will remain economically marginal developments unless there is significant improvement in world oil prices. Costs of regulatory compliance and mitigation, and costs to reduce or maintain environmental impacts at acceptable levels influence project investments and operating costs and must be considered in the development decision making process. The development of three of the fields (West Sak, Point Thomson, and Gwydyr Bay) that are marginally feasible would have an impact on North Slope production over the period from about 2000 to 2014 but cannot replace the decline in Prudhoe Bay Unit production or maintain the operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) beyond about 2014 with the assumption that the TAPS will shut down when production declines to the range of 400 to 200 thousand barrels of oil/day. Recoverable reserves left in the ground in the currently producing fields and soon to be developed fields, Niakuk and Point McIntyre, would range from 1 billion to 500 million barrels of oil corresponding to the time period of 2008 to 2014 based on the TAPS shutdown assumption.

  20. 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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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

  6. 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)

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. L’hallucination de la connaissance : La Tentation de saint Antoine de Flaubert

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dagmar Stöferle

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available En représentant les démons dans la Tentation de saint Antoine, Flaubert transforme un concept chrétien par un concept psychologique élaboré par Alfred Maury, à savoir celui de l’hallucination hypnagogique. Mais ce n’est qu’à travers les différentes variantes du texte qu’on peut observer ce processus de substitution. Dans la première version de 1849, les apparitions sont toujours appelées des « démons ». Quand on lit Die christliche Mystik de Joseph von Görres que Flaubert a connu par la traduction de Charles Sainte-Foi (La mystique divine, naturelle et diabolique, Paris, 1862 on peut faire une découverte intéressante : Görres opère une distinction entre une « vraie » mystique chrétienne et une « fausse » mystique démoniaque. Ce qui là s’appelle l’extase est ici la possession par les démons. Toute la démonologie est expliquée par une conception hérétique du Mal, laquelle repose sur une fausse substantialisation, et dont il voit la manifestation la plus pure dans la religion gnostique du manichéisme. Or, comme l’on sait, Antoine est fortement attiré par la Gnose qui est, au sens grec du terme, une religion de la connaissance. Avec les adhérents de la Gnose il partage le dualisme entre un monde matériel, terrestre et un principe premier d’essence divine dans l’au-delà. Ainsi faut-il se poser la question s’il réussit finalement à surmonter le dualisme en recevant la connaissance ou bien si les dualismes continuent à persister dans le texte. La lecture de la Tentation mène à un double résultat : D’un point de vue macro-structurel, l’élément gnostique reste le non-surmontement du dualisme, lequel s’exprime sur le plan rhétorique par la résistance de l’allégorique dans le texte. En revanche, à la fin du texte, le dualisme est surmonté une seule fois dans la mise en scène d’une inversion du monisme (être-dans-le-monde et du dualisme (acosmisme.Representing the demons

  11. World Checklist of Opiliones species (Arachnida. Part 1: Laniatores – Travunioidea and Triaenonychoidea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriano Kury

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Comprising more than 6500 species, Opiliones is the third most diverse order of Arachnida, after the megadiverse Acari and Araneae. The database referred here is part 1 of 12 of a project containing an intended worldwide checklist of species and subspecies of Opiliones as Darwin Core archives, and it includes the superfamilies Travunioidea and Triaenonychoidea. These two superfamilies are often treated together under the denomination of Insidiatores. In this Part 1, a total of 571 species and subspecies are listed. Briggsidae and Cladonychiidae are both downgraded to subfamilies of Travuniidae. Peltonychia Roewer, 1935 is an available name and senior synonym of Hadziana Roewer, 1935 and is herein revalidated. Seven genera of Triaenonychidae described by Lawrence between 1931 and 1933 originally failed to comply ICZN rules for availability (Art. 13.3. All of them only became available when Staręga (1992 designated a type species for each. Therefore, the correct authorships of Austromontia Lawrence, 1931, Biacumontia Lawrence, 1931, Graemontia Lawrence, 1931, Larifugella Lawrence, 1933, Mensamontia Lawrence, 1931, Monomontia Lawrence, 1931 and Rostromontia Lawrence, 1931 are all Staręga, 1992. Fumontana Shear, 1977, originally referred only to subfamily Triaenonychinae (as opposed to Soerensenellinae then and not corresponding to present Triaenonychinae, not to any tribe (which in turn correspond to modern subfamilies is herein included in the subfamily Triaenonychinae. Picunchenops Maury, 1988 originally not included in any tribe of Triaenonychidae, is herein included in the subfamily Triaenonychinae. Trojanella Karaman, 2005, originally ranked as Travunioidea incertae sedis, is herein included in the Travuniidae Travuniinae. Nuncia ovata Roewer, 1915 (synonymized with Triaenonyx cockayni Hogg, 1920 by Forster (1954, but with inverted precedence is here combined as Nuncia coriacea ovata Roewer, 1915 as correct senior synonym instead of

  12. El partisano Johnny (novela, fragmento

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beppe Fenoglio

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available GIUSEPPE "BEPPE" FENOGLIO (Alba, 1922 – Turín, 1963. Hijo primogénito de una familia de tres hijos, Beppe nació en Alba en las Langhe el 1 de marzo 1922. En 1940 se inscribe en la facultad de Letras de la Universidad de Turín, en la que estuvo hasta 1943, momento en el que fue reclutado por el ejército y mandado primero a Ceva (Cuneo y después a Pietralata (Roma, donde realizó la instrucción militar. Tras el abandono que siguió al 8 de septiembre de 1943, Fenoglio se une primero en enero de 1944 a las formaciones partisanas. En un primer momento se enrola con los "rojos" de las Brigadas Garibaldi, pero pronto se une a los badogliani en el 1º Gruppo Divisioni Alpine comandado por Enrico Martini "Mauri" y en la 2ª Divisione Langhe comandada por Piero Balbo que operaba en las Langhe, entre Mango, Murazzano y Mombarcaro. En 1949 inicia con su primer cuento, Il trucco, una breve pero fundamental carrera literaria que se afirmará al año siguiente, cuando entre en contacto con el grupo de autores reunidos en torno a la editorial Einaudi, dando a la luz títulos de la altura de Racconti della guerra civile, La paga del sabato, I ventitré giorni della città di Alba o Primavera di belleza. A finales de 1959 se le diagnostica una grave enfermedad respiratoria que se complicará a lo largo de los tres años siguientes y que le causará la muerte en febrero de 1963. De la obra culmen de su carrera, la póstuma Il partigiano Johnny, ofrecemos las páginas iniciales con la estupenda traducción de Pepa Linares, recientemente publicada en castellano por Sajalín Editores. Normal 0 21 false false false ES X-NONE X-NONE  

  13. CORNELL: Synchrotron 25

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1993-01-01

    A recent celebration marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Cornell Electron Synchrotron. The major milestone in the commissioning of the synchrotron was on October 11, 1967 when Helen Edwards, Boyce McDaniel, and Maury Tigner achieved a 7 GeV beam, a worldrecord energy for electron synchrotrons at that time. Like so many advances in experimental physics, this occurred early in the morning - 3 a.m.! The transition from accelerator commissioning to high energy physics operation was extremely rapid; 7 GeV operation for data collection was routine just five weeks later. Throughout its life as a source of photon and electron beams for fixed target experiments, the synchrotron maintained energy leadership for circular electron machines. Originally designed for operation at 10 GeV, eventually it consistently provided beams for experiments at energies up to 11.6 GeV. It now operates at 5 GeV, serving as the injector for the CESR electron-positron storage ring. Robert Wilson was director of the laboratory during the design and most of the construction of the machine. He left near the end of the construction to become the first director of Fermilab and was replaced by Boyce McDaniel, who guided the laboratory from the completion of the synchrotron to the construction and early operation of CESR. Wilson recalled how the laboratory had originally proposed a 3 GeV turnkey machine to be built entirely by industry and would fit in the space previously occupied by earlier Cornell accelerators. However, members of the laboratory realized that 3 GeV would not open new physics frontiers, that the construction of the accelerator was much of the fun of doing high energy physics experiments, and that a more challenging project was needed. This led to the proposal for the 10 GeV synchrotron which was built in the ''Cornell Style'' with many of the components fabricated and nearly all of the assembly done at Cornell

  14. CORNELL: Synchrotron 25

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    1993-03-15

    A recent celebration marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Cornell Electron Synchrotron. The major milestone in the commissioning of the synchrotron was on October 11, 1967 when Helen Edwards, Boyce McDaniel, and Maury Tigner achieved a 7 GeV beam, a worldrecord energy for electron synchrotrons at that time. Like so many advances in experimental physics, this occurred early in the morning - 3 a.m.! The transition from accelerator commissioning to high energy physics operation was extremely rapid; 7 GeV operation for data collection was routine just five weeks later. Throughout its life as a source of photon and electron beams for fixed target experiments, the synchrotron maintained energy leadership for circular electron machines. Originally designed for operation at 10 GeV, eventually it consistently provided beams for experiments at energies up to 11.6 GeV. It now operates at 5 GeV, serving as the injector for the CESR electron-positron storage ring. Robert Wilson was director of the laboratory during the design and most of the construction of the machine. He left near the end of the construction to become the first director of Fermilab and was replaced by Boyce McDaniel, who guided the laboratory from the completion of the synchrotron to the construction and early operation of CESR. Wilson recalled how the laboratory had originally proposed a 3 GeV turnkey machine to be built entirely by industry and would fit in the space previously occupied by earlier Cornell accelerators. However, members of the laboratory realized that 3 GeV would not open new physics frontiers, that the construction of the accelerator was much of the fun of doing high energy physics experiments, and that a more challenging project was needed. This led to the proposal for the 10 GeV synchrotron which was built in the ''Cornell Style'' with many of the components fabricated and nearly all of the assembly done at Cornell.

  15. Flavor or Forethought: Tuhoe Traditional Management Strategies for the Conservation of Kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae in New Zealand

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    Philip O'B. Lyver

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Traditional knowledge from indigenous cultures about wildlife populations can offer insights beneficial for management in the face of global climate change. Semistructured interviews and workshops conducted with Maori elders from the Tuhoe tribe in the Te Urewera region of New Zealand provided knowledge about traditional management strategies for New Zealand pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae, known locally as kereru, as well as signals of changes in local climate patterns and how these influence kereru. We used a population simulation exercise to demonstrate the feasibility of a harvest management strategy used by the Tuhoe to sustain kereru. Our models also indicated how potential changes in climate and subsequent decisions about harvest timing might affect a theoretical kereru population. Elders identified mana (authority, mauri (essence or life force, tikanga (traditional custom, and ture (societal guidelines, and the use of tohu (signals or markings, tapu (sacredness, muru (social deterrent, and rahui (temporary harvest bans as key elements and ideologies in the traditional management of kereru. They linked an increased climatic warming trend to delays of three to four months in the fruiting of some trees, such as toromiro (Podocarpus ferrugineus, deemed important for kereru nutrition and body condition. The Tuhoe have traditionally harvested both adult and newly fledged kereru when they are feeding on toromiro fruit, so a three- to four-month delay in fruiting could potentially defer the harvest until the prebreeding period. Our simulation models demonstrated that harvesting kereru adults and fledglings in the postbreeding stage had less impact on population abundance than only harvesting adults only during the prebreeding phase. The model indicated that the Tuhoe would need to re-evaluate their harvest strategy if climate-induced delays in toromiro fruiting were to become more frequent. This study emphasizes how using both

  16. How Indigenous values shaped a successful multi-year Soil Health program in Aotearoa-New Zealand (presented from both indigenous Māori and western science perspectives)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevenson, B.; Harmsworth, G.; Kalaugher, E.

    2017-12-01

    New Zealand is a multicultural society, founded on the Treaty of Waitangi which when enshrined into various legislation and national policy, provides incentive to incorporate indigenous Māori world views into nationally funded science and research programmes. Here we discuss how the integration of indigenous world views and western science were combined in a research proposal that resulted in successful funding for a 5 year collaborative science programme. The programme strives to develop an expanded national soil health framework for New Zealand that will be used by policy makers, local government, indigenous Māori, industry, and primary sector groups to maintain the natural capital and productivity of soils within environmental constraints. Soil health is fundamental to economic, social, and human wellbeing, and provides a myriad of ecosystem and environmental services, such as those sustaining food and fibre production. Typically soil health is defined by "dynamic" soil characteristics that are susceptible to changes in land use or land management over relatively short time frames (years to decades). Soil resilience, however, is a much longer-term concept that is not well captured in current soil health thinking. The Māori world view encapsulates such long term thinking through interconnected Māori values and inter-generational concepts (e.g., whakapapa, rangatiratanga, manawhenua, kaitiakitanga, mauri) that provide the basis for indigenous resource management in Aotearoa-New Zealand. These values and recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi provide authority and rights to manage resources according to tikanga (customs, principles). Māori environmental concepts and knowledge combined with science concepts for understanding soil health and resilience, served as a powerful central theme for the design and implementation of this science program. Māori involvement and capability development are integral to this research effort and we believe the synthesis of M

  17. Vulnerability of birds to climate change in California's Sierra Nevada

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    Rodney B. Siegel

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available In a rapidly changing climate, effective bird conservation requires not only reliable information about the current vulnerability of species of conservation concern, but also credible projections of their future vulnerability. Such projections may enable managers to preempt or reduce emerging climate-related threats through appropriate habitat management. We used NatureServe's Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI to predict vulnerability to climate change of 168 bird species that breed in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, USA. The CCVI assesses species-specific exposure and sensitivity to climate change within a defined geographic area, through the integration of (a species' range maps, (b information about species' natural history traits and ecological relationships, (c historic and current climate data, and (d spatially explicit climate change projections. We conducted the assessment under two different downscaled climate models with divergent projections about future precipitation through the middle of the 21st century. Assessments differed relatively little under the two climate models. Of five CCVI vulnerability ranking categories, only one species, White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura, received the most vulnerable rank, Extremely Vulnerable. No species received the second-highest vulnerability ranking, Highly Vulnerable. Sixteen species scored as Moderately Vulnerable using one or both climate models: Common Merganser (Mergus merganser, Osprey (Pandion haliaetus, Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis, Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus, Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus, Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius, Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa, Black Swift (Cypseloides niger, Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana, American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus, Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus, American Pipit (Anthus rubescens, Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte tephrocotis, Pine Grosbeak

  18. Dependence of waterbirds and shorebirds on shallow-water habitats in the Mid-Atlantic coastal region: An ecological profile and management recommendations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erwin, R.M.

    1996-01-01

    Waterbirds (waterfowl, colonially nesting wading and seabirds, ospreys [Pandion haliaetus], and bald eagles [Haliaeetus leucocephalus]) and shorebirds (sandpipers, plovers, and relatives) may constitute a large fraction of the top level carnivore trophic component in many shallow-water areas of the mid-Atlantic region. The large biomass of many species (>1 kg body mass for the two raptors and some waterfowl) and enormous populations (e.g., >1 million shorebirds in late May in parts of Delaware Bay) reveal the importance of waterbirds as consumers and as linkages in nutrient flux in many shallow-water habitats. Salt and brackish marsh shallow-water habitats, including marsh pannes and tidal pools and creeks as well as constructed impoundments, are used intensively during most months of the year; in fall and winter, mostly by dabbling ducks, in spring and summer by migrant shorebirds and breeding colonial wading birds and seabirds. In adjacent estuaries, the intertidal flats and littoral zones of shallow embayments are heavily used by shorebirds, raptors, and colonial waterbirds in the May to September periods, with use by duck and geese heaviest from October to March. With the regional degradation of estuarine habitats and population declines of many species of waterbirds in the past 20 yr, some management recommendations relevant to shallow waters include: better protection, enhancement, and creation of small bay islands (small and isolated to preclude most mammalian predators) for nesting and brooding birds, especially colonial species; establishment of sanctuaries from human disturbance (e.g., boating, hunting) both in open water (waterfowl) and on land, better allocation of sandy dredged materials to augment islands or stabilize eroding islands; improvement in water management of existing impoundments to ensure good feeding, resting, and nesting opportunities for all the waterbirds, support for policies to preclude point and nonpoint source runoff of chemicals

  19. ADAPTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF HERONS PLUMAGE FOR THEIR WAY OF LIFE

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    Koshelev V. A.

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Feather cover of each bird species reflects spectra of species, age, sex and environmental attributes defined the phylogeny of taxa, habitat and life patterns. In turn, many ecological phenomena in the birds’ life patterns are directly dependent on the state of plumage (e.g., time of breeding, seasonal migration, roost flights. For the first time the quantitative characterization of six heron species' plumage were done as well as the description of powder down feathers. The adaptive features of feathers and various types of heron’s plumages were discussed.The structure of contour feathers of herons is related to the peculiarities of species life pattern. All the species have a relatively small number of contour feathers, despite their large body size. According to this index the herons are more similar to typical wading birds (gulls, sandpipers than for waterfowl. The total number of heron feathers slightly increase in winter, because they are migratory species. Structure of contour feathers of herons corresponds to that of other waterbirds. The rod is not bent, the feathers are large, and the mounting angle to the surface of the body is little. The cores of abdominal feather fracts reduce heat transfer and can be regarded as an adaptation factor to aquatic environment.Buoyancy is provided by heron’s feathers insignificantly, in contrast to the typical waterfowl species. Significant subcutaneous fat stores are typical for herons in spring, autumn and winter, increased buoyancy and being the energy reserves provide thermoregulation in cold environment. Our data indicate weak adaptation of herons’ plumage to aquatic environments, but also confirm its insulating properties, which is prove the herons semi-aquatic rather than aquatic life patterns.Due to color of plumage some three groups of herons were considered: white, mottled and camouflaged. Coloration of second and third group performs a protective function. We didn’t found a clear

  20. H5N1 surveillance in migratory birds in Java, Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoops, Arthur C; Barbara, Katie A; Indrawan, Mochamad; Ibrahim, Ima N; Petrus, Wicaksana B; Wijaya, Susan; Farzeli, Arik; Antonjaya, Ungke; Sin, Lim W; Hidayatullah, N; Kristanto, Ige; Tampubolon, A M; Purnama, S; Supriatna, Adam; Burgess, Timothy H; Williams, Maya; Putnam, Shannon D; Tobias, Steve; Blair, Patrick J

    2009-12-01

    We sought to elucidate the role of migratory birds in transmission of H5N1 in an enzoonotic area. Resident, captive, and migratory birds were sampled at five sites in Java, Indonesia. Mist nets were used to trap birds. Birds were identified to species. RNA was extracted from swabs and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) conducted for the HA and M genes of H5N1. Antibodies were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and hemagglutination inhibition test. Between October 2006 and September 2007, a total of 4,067 captive, resident, and migratory birds comprising 98 species in 23 genera were sampled. The most commonly collected birds were the common sandpiper (6% of total), striated heron (3%), and the domestic chicken (14%). The overall prevalence of H5N1 antibodies was 5.3%. A significantly higher percentage of captive birds (16.1%) showed antibody evidence of H5N1 exposure when compared to migratory or resident birds. The greatest number of seropositive birds in each category were Muschovy duck (captive), striated heron (resident), and the Pacific golden plover (migratory). Seven apparently well captive birds yielded molecular evidence of H5N1 infection. Following amplification, the HA, NA, and M genes were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene showed that the isolates were 97% similar to EU124153.1 A/chicken/West Java/Garut May 2006, an isolate obtained in a similar region of West Java. While no known markers of neuraminidase inhibitor resistance were found within the NA gene, M segment analysis revealed the V27A mutation known to confer resistance to adamantanes. Our results demonstrate moderate serologic evidence of H5N1 infection in captive birds, sampled in five sites in Java, Indonesia, but only occasional infection in resident and migratory birds. These data imply that in an enzoonotic region of Indonesia the role of migratory birds in transmission of H5N1 is limited.

  1. Rezultati januarskega štetja vodnih ptic leta 2015 v Sloveniji/ Results of the January 2015 waterbird census in Slovenia

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    Božič Luka

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available In 2015, the International Waterbird Census (IWC was carried out in Slovenia on 17 and 18 Jan. Waterbirds were counted on all larger rivers, along the entire Slovenian Coastland and on most of the major standing waters in the country. During the census, in which 276 observers took part, 409 sections of the rivers and coastal sea with a total length of 1385.8 km and 224 other localities (172 standing waters and 52 streams were surveyed. Altogether, 46,425 waterbirds of 57 species were counted. This is one of the lowest numbers of waterbirds recorded during the 19 years of IWC in Slovenia. The highest numbers of waterbirds were counted in the Drava count area, i.e. 17,014 individuals (36.7% of all waterbirds in Slovenia. By far the most numerous species was Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (45.9% of all waterbirds, followed by Coot Fulica atra (8.4% of all waterbirds, Blackheaded Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus (7.5% of all waterbirds, Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (5.7% of all waterbirds and Mute Swan Cygnus olor (4.6% of all waterbirds. The number of 1000 counted individuals was also surpassed by Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis and Teal An. crecca. Among the rarer recorded species, the Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis (registered only for the third time during the IWC and Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus (registered only for the fourth time during the IWC deserve special mention. Also, Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea was recorded for the fourth time during the IWC, but the individual observed was classified to category E (introduced species without self-sustaining populations, escapees from captivity. Numbers of the following species were the highest so far recorded during the IWC: Greylag Goose Anser anser, Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata, Shoveler An. clypeata, Goosander Mergus merganser and Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos. The number of Redbreasted Mergansers M. serrator was the lowest so far recorded during the

  2. Rezultati januarskega štetja vodnih ptic leta 2014 v Sloveniji / Results of the January 2014 waterbird census in Slovenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Božič Luka

    2014-11-01

    : Cormorant, Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis and Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus

  3. 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

  4. MUNDOS VIRTUAIS E EDUCAÇÃO: DESAFIOS E POSSIBILIDADES. VIRTUAL WORLDS AND EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES

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    Aristóteles da Silva Oliveira

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Este artigo apresenta uma análise dos mundos virtuais com foco no estudo de novas metodologias para o ensino superior. Durante a pesquisa, numa abordagem webgráfica e analítica, foram analisados quatro mundos virtuais a partir de suas características, confrontando com a teoria do conectivismo e tendo como aporte teórico as indicações da necessidade de se buscar novas metodologias que atendam a realidade da sociedade em rede, a partir do estudo de teóricos como Moita (2012, Mattar e Valente (2007, Alves (2008 e Mauri e Onrubia (2010. Os resultados apontam as possibilidades de interação e de uso para fins educacionais específicos, como no caso de engenharia ou arquitetura. Faz-se necessária a realização de pesquisas empíricas que usem os mundos virtuais no cotidiano do ensino superior, com foco na aplicação dos estudos realizados nesta etapa formativa. O currículo dos cursos de formação de professores deve ser revisto, buscando-se uma adequação para que professores sejam formados a partir de competências que atendam a esta realidade da sociedade. This paper presents an analysis of virtual worlds focused on the study of new methods for higher education. During the research, based on a webgraphic and analytical approach, we analyzed the characteristics of four virtual worlds, comparing them with the theory of connectivism and having as theoretical guides indications of the need for new methodologies that address the reality of the network society, from the study of Moita (2012, Mattar and Valente (2007, Alves (2008 and Mouri and Onrubia (2010. Results show that some virtual worlds allow more interaction than others, but also the possibility of use for specific educational purposes, such as engineering or architecture. Thus, the more interaction provided, the more learning. However, it is necessary to carry out other empirical studies using virtual worlds in everyday higher education, focusing on application of studies in this

  5. Photothermal killing of Staphylococcus aureus using antibody-targeted gold nanoparticles

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    Millenbaugh NJ

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Nancy J Millenbaugh,1 Jonathan B Baskin,1 Mauris N DeSilva,1 W Rowe Elliott,1 Randolph D Glickman2 1Maxillofacial Injury and Disease Department, Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA; 2Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USAPurpose: The continued emergence of multidrug resistant bacterial infections and the decline in discovery of new antibiotics are major challenges for health care throughout the world. This situation has heightened the need for novel antimicrobial therapies as alternatives to traditional antibiotics. The combination of metallic nanoparticles and laser exposure has been proposed as a strategy to induce physical damage to bacteria, regardless of antibiotic sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to test the antibacterial effect of antibody-targeted gold nanoparticles combined with pulsed laser irradiation.Methods: Gold nanoparticles conjugated to antibodies specific to Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan were incubated with suspensions of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MRSA and MSSA. Bacterial suspensions were then exposed to 8 ns pulsed laser irradiation at a wavelength of 532 nm and fluences ranging from 1 to 5 J/cm2. Viability of the bacteria following laser exposure was determined using colony forming unit assays. Scanning electron microscopy was used to confirm the binding of nanoparticles to bacteria and the presence of cellular damage.Results: The laser-activated nanoparticle treatment reduced the surviving population to 31% of control in the MSSA population, while the survival in the MRSA population was reduced to 58% of control. Significant decreases in bacterial viability occurred when the laser fluence exceeded 1 J/cm2, and this effect was linear from 0 to 5 J/cm2 (r2=0.97. Significantly less bactericidal effect was observed for nonfunctionalized nanoparticles or

  6. Modeling Bird Migration under Climate Change: A Mechanistic Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, James A.

    2009-01-01

    How will migrating birds respond to changes in the environment under climate change? What are the implications for migratory success under the various accelerated climate change scenarios as forecast by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change? How will reductions or increased variability in the number or quality of wetland stop-over sites affect migratory bird species? The answers to these questions have important ramifications for conservation biology and wildlife management. Here, we describe the use of continental scale simulation modeling to explore how spatio-temporal changes along migratory flyways affect en-route migration success. We use an individually based, biophysical, mechanistic, bird migration model to simulate the movement of shorebirds in North America as a tool to study how such factors as drought and wetland loss may impact migratory success and modify migration patterns. Our model is driven by remote sensing and climate data and incorporates important landscape variables. The energy budget components of the model include resting, foraging, and flight, but presently predation is ignored. Results/Conclusions We illustrate our model by studying the spring migration of sandpipers through the Great Plains to their Arctic breeding grounds. Why many species of shorebirds have shown significant declines remains a puzzle. Shorebirds are sensitive to stop-over quality and spacing because of their need for frequent refueling stops and their opportunistic feeding patterns. We predict bird "hydrographs that is, stop-over frequency with latitude, that are in agreement with the literature. Mean stop-over durations predicted from our model for nominal cases also are consistent with the limited, but available data. For the shorebird species simulated, our model predicts that shorebirds exhibit significant plasticity and are able to shift their migration patterns in response to changing drought conditions. However, the question remains as to whether this

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. Characteristics of broadband slow earthquakes explained by a Brownian model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ide, S.; Takeo, A.

    2017-12-01

    Brownian slow earthquake (BSE) model (Ide, 2008; 2010) is a stochastic model for the temporal change of seismic moment release by slow earthquakes, which can be considered as a broadband phenomena including tectonic tremors, low frequency earthquakes, and very low frequency (VLF) earthquakes in the seismological frequency range, and slow slip events in geodetic range. Although the concept of broadband slow earthquake may not have been widely accepted, most of recent observations are consistent with this concept. Then, we review the characteristics of slow earthquakes and how they are explained by BSE model. In BSE model, the characteristic size of slow earthquake source is represented by a random variable, changed by a Gaussian fluctuation added at every time step. The model also includes a time constant, which divides the model behavior into short- and long-time regimes. In nature, the time constant corresponds to the spatial limit of tremor/SSE zone. In the long-time regime, the seismic moment rate is constant, which explains the moment-duration scaling law (Ide et al., 2007). For a shorter duration, the moment rate increases with size, as often observed for VLF earthquakes (Ide et al., 2008). The ratio between seismic energy and seismic moment is constant, as shown in Japan, Cascadia, and Mexico (Maury et al., 2017). The moment rate spectrum has a section of -1 slope, limited by two frequencies corresponding to the above time constant and the time increment of the stochastic process. Such broadband spectra have been observed for slow earthquakes near the trench axis (Kaneko et al., 2017). This spectrum also explains why we can obtain VLF signals by stacking broadband seismograms relative to tremor occurrence (e.g., Takeo et al., 2010; Ide and Yabe, 2014). The fluctuation in BSE model can be non-Gaussian, as far as the variance is finite, as supported by the central limit theorem. Recent observations suggest that tremors and LFEs are spatially characteristic

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. Biogeography of the Oceans: a Review of Development of Knowledge of Currents, Fronts and Regional Boundaries from Sailing Ships in the Sixteenth Century to Satellite Remote Sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Priede, Imants G.

    2014-06-01

    The development of knowledge of global biogeography of the oceans from sixteenthcentury European voyages of exploration to present-day use of satellite remote sensing is reviewed in three parts; the pre-satellite era (1513-1977), the satellite era leading to a first global synthesis (1978-1998), and more recent studies since 1998. The Gulf Stream was first identified as a strong open-ocean feature in 1513 and by the eighteenth century, regular transatlantic voyages by sailing ships had established the general patterns of winds and circulation, enabling optimisation of passage times. Differences in water temperature, water colour and species of animals were recognised as important cues for navigation. Systematic collection of information from ships' logs enabled Maury (The Physical Geography of the Sea Harper and Bros. New York 1855) to produce a chart of prevailing winds across the entire world's oceans, and by the early twentieth century the global surface ocean circulation that defines the major biogeographic regions was well-known. This information was further supplemented by data from large-scale plankton surveys. The launch of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner, specifically designed to study living marine resources on board the Nimbus 7 polar orbiting satellite in 1978, marked the advent of the satellite era. Over subsequent decades, correlation of satellite-derived sea surface temperature and chlorophyll data with in situ measurements enabled Longhurst (Ecological Geography of the Sea. Academic Press, New York 1998) to divide the global ocean into 51 ecological provinces with Polar, Westerly Wind, Trade Wind and Coastal Biomes clearly recognisable from earlier subdivisions of the oceans. Satellite imagery with semi-synoptic images of large areas of the oceans greatly aided definition of boundaries between provinces. However, ocean boundaries are dynamic, varying from season to season and year to year. More recent work has focused on the study of variability of

  13. Impact of depressive symptoms on subjective well-being: the importance of patient-reported outcomes in schizophrenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haro JM

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Jorge Mauriño1, Julio Sanjúan2, Josep Maria Haro3, Teresa Díez1, Javier Ballesteros41AstraZeneca Medical Department, Madrid, Spain; 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Valencia, CIBERSAM, Valencia, Spain; 3Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Deu, CIBERSAM, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain; 4Department of Neuroscience-Psychiatry, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, CIBERSAM, Leioa, SpainObjective: The subjective experience of psychotic patients toward treatment is a key factor in medication adherence, quality of life, and clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the subjective well-being in patients with schizophrenia and to examine its relationship with the presence and severity of depressive symptoms.Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted with clinically stable outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia. The Subjective Well-Being under Neuroleptic Scale – short version (SWN-K and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS were used to gather information on well-being and the presence and severity of depressive symptoms, respectively. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to assess the associations between the SWN-K total score, its five subscales, and the CDSS total score. Discriminative validity was evaluated against that criterion by analysing the area under the curve (AUC.Results: Ninety-seven patients were included in the study. Mean age was 35 years (standard deviation = 10 and 72% were male. Both the total SWN-K scale and its five subscales correlated inversely and significantly with the CDSS total score (P < 0.0001. The highest correlation was observed for the total SWN-K (Spearman’s rank order correlation [rho] = –0.59, being the other correlations: mental functioning (–0.47, social integration (–0.46, emotional regulation (–0.51, physical functioning (–0.48, and self-control (–0.41. A total of 33 patients (34% were classified as depressed. Total SWN-K showed the highest AUC

  14. Bird Migration Under Climate Change - A Mechanistic Approach Using Remote Sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, James A.; Blattner, Tim; Messmer, Peter

    2010-01-01

    migratory shorebirds in the central fly ways of North America. We demonstrated the phenotypic plasticity of a migratory population of Pectoral sandpipers consisting of an ensemble of 10,000 individual birds in response to changes in stopover locations using an individual based migration model driven by remotely sensed land surface data, climate data and biological field data. With the advent of new computing capabilities enabled hy recent GPU-GP computing paradigms and commodity hardware, it now is possible to simulate both larger ensemble populations and to incorporate more realistic mechanistic factors into migration models. Here, we take our first steps use these tools to study the impact of long-term drought variability on shorebird survival.

  15. 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

  16. Drug-eluting stents with biodegradable polymer for the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus: clinical outcome at 2 years in a large population of patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wiemer M

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Marcus Wiemer,1 Gian Battista Danzi,2 Nick West,3 Vassilios Voudris,4 René Koning,5 Stefan Hoffmann,6 Mario Lombardi,7 Josepa Mauri,8 Rade Babic,9 Fraser Witherow10On behalf of the NOBORI 2 Investigators 1Department of Cardiology, Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine–Westphalia, Ruhr University Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany; 2Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; 3Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK; 4Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece; 5Clinique Saint Hilaire, Rouen, France; 6Vivantes Netzwerk für Gesundheit GmbH, Berlin, Germany; 7Azienda Ospedaliera Villa Sofia, Palermo, Italy; 8Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain; 9Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases Dedinje, Belgrade, Serbia; 10Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester, UK Objective: This study investigates the safety and efficacy of a third-generation drug-eluting stent (DES with biodegradable polymer in the complex patient population of diabetes mellitus (DM. Clinical trial registration: ISRCTN81649913. Background: Percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with DM are associated with a higher incidence of death, restenosis, and stent thrombosis as compared to non-diabetic patients. The use of a DES has been shown to improve outcomes in diabetic patients. Methods: Out of 3,067 patients, enrolled in 126 centers worldwide in the NOBORI 2 registry, 888 patients suffered from DM, 213 of them (14% being insulin-dependent DM (IDDM. Two years’ follow-up has been completed in this study. Results: At 1- and 2-year follow-up, 97% and 95% of the patients, respectively, were available. The reported target lesion failure (TLF rates at 1- and 2-year follow-up were 6.0% and 7.2% in the DM group, respectively, and 3.0% and 4.2% in the non-DM group, respectively (P<0.001 for both years. Inside the DM group, the TLF rates of 9.9% and 11.7% at the 1- and 2-year follow-ups, respectively, in patients with IDDM were significantly higher than the TLF rates of 4

  17. Sedimentary input into the source of Martinique lavas: a Li perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, M.; Chauvel, C.; Rudnick, R. L.

    2013-12-01

    -Nd isotopic constraints on sedimentary input into the Lesser Antilles arc system. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 272(1), 199-211. Carpentier, M., Chauvel, C., Maury, R. C., & Mattielli, N., 2009. The 'zircon effect' as recorded by the chemical and Hf isotopic compositions of Lesser Antilles forearc sediments. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 287(1), 86-99. Labanieh, S., Chauvel, C., Germa, A., & Quidelleur, X., 2012. Martinique: a Clear Case for Sediment Melting and Slab Dehydration as a Function of Distance to the Trench. Journal of Petrology, 53(12), 2441-2464. Tomascak, P. B., Langmuir, C. H., le Roux, P. J., & Shirey, S. B. (2008). Lithium isotopes in global mid-ocean ridge basalts. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 72(6), 1626-1637.

  18. The Amazon-Laurentian connection as viewed from the Middle Proterozoic rocks in the central Andes, western Bolivia and northern Chile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tosdal, R.M.

    1996-01-01

    Middle Proterozoic rocks underlying the Andes in western Bolivia, western Argentina, and northern Chile and Early Proterozoic rocks of the Arequipa massif in southern Peru?? from the Arequipa-Antofalla craton. These rocks are discontinuously exposed beneath Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks, but abundant crystalline clasts in Tertiary sedimentary rocks in the western altiplano allow indirect samples of the craton. Near Berenguela, western Bolivia, the Oligocene and Miocene Mauri Formation contains boulders of granodiorite augen gneiss (1171??20 Ma and 1158??12 Ma; U-Pb zircon), quartzose gneiss and granofels that are inferred to have arkosic protoliths (1100 Ma source region; U-Pb zircon), quartzofeldspathic and mafic orthogneisses that have amphibolite- and granulite-facies metamorphic mineral assemblages (???1080 Ma metamorphism; U-Pb zircon), and undeformed granitic rocks of Phanerozoic(?) age. The Middle Proterozoic crystalline rocks from Berenguela and elsewhere in western Bolivia and from the Middle Proterozoic Bele??n Schist in northern Chile generally have present-day low 206Pb/204Pb ( 15.57), and elevated 208Pb/204Pb (37.2 to 50.7) indicative of high time-averaged Th/U values. The Middle Proterozoic rocks in general have higher presentday 206Pb/204Pb values than those of the Early Proterozoic rocks of the Arequipa massif (206Pb/204Pb between 16.1 and 17.1) but lower than rocks of the southern Arequipa-Antofalla craton (206Pb/204Pb> 18.5), a difference inferred to reflect Grenvillian granulite metamorphism. The Pb isotopic compositions for the various Proterozoic rocks lie on common Pb isotopic growth curves, implying that Pb incorporated in rocks composing the Arequipa-Antofalla craton was extracted from a similar evolving Pb isotopic reservoir. Evidently, the craton has been a coherent terrane since the Middle Proterozoic. Moreover, the Pb isotopic compositions for the Arequipa-Antofalla craton overlap those of the Amazon craton, thereby supporting a link

  19. L’ITALIANO DELLE GUIDE TURISTICHE: UNO STUDIO DELLA LINGUA ORALE DEL TURISMO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Mauri

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Oggetto di questo articolo è il linguaggio orale delle guide turistiche, una produzione linguistica «speciale», difficilmente reperibile e scarsamente analizzata, e si pone come obbiettivo quello di evidenziarne alcuni dei tratti più tipici in relazione ad una delle figure professionali tra le più rappresentative di una comunicazione orale turistica tra esperto e pubblico: la guida turistica. La prima parte dell’articolo è dedicata alla definizione del linguaggio del turismo e, in particolare, alle caratteristiche dal discorso orale delle guide turistiche, esito della mediazione tra linguaggio di specialità e lingua comune. Nella seconda parte viene introdotta e sviluppata l’analisi linguaggio orale delle guide turistiche a partire da un corpus costituito da diciotto file di trascrizione di registrazioni di visite guidate, in lingua italiana, svolte da guide turistiche straniere all’estero. Dallo studio effettuato è emerso come le scelte linguistiche dell’operatore professionale si declinino in funzione delle esigenze e delle caratteristiche del destinatario: ad un turista desideroso di «vedere», «conoscere» e «identificare» nello spazio ciò di cui si parla, la guida turistica risponde con un ampio impiego del verbo «chiamarsi» e di componenti grammaticali e lessicali (verbi, avverbi e preposizioni di luogo, aggettivi dimostrativi con un forte valore locativo.   Tourist guide italian: a study of the oral language of tourism   Elena Mauri    The object of this article is the oral language of tourist guides, a “special”, hard to find and poorly analyzed type of language production. The objective is to highlight some of the most typical features in relation to one of the most representative professionals in oral tourist communication, between expert and public: tourist guides. The first part of the article is devoted to the definition of the language of tourism and, in particular, to the characteristics of the

  20. Introduction of a Uranium tax in Finland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    In Finland, it is possible to create a tax model on uranium that will not compromise the profitability of future power plant investments or decisively reduce climate policy incentives for carbon-free energy production. The rise in energy costs caused by the tax could be compensated by lowering the electricity tax imposed on industry. The estimates above were made by Managing Director Pasi Holm and Professor Markku Ollikainen, who, on 4 February 2011, handed over their report concerning introduction of uranium tax to Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen. According to the administrators, one can deem nuclear power to include specific grounds for imposing a tax via the fact that storage of used nuclear fuel involves a (infinitesimally small) risk of accidents with irreversible effects, and that, through the EU climate policy, nuclear power companies gain extra profit 'for nothing', i.e. windfall profit. The EU Energy Tax Directive facilitates collection of uranium tax. Uranium tax, imposed as an excise tax, would target the nuclear power plants in operation as well as the Olkiluoto 3 plant, presently under construction. The amount of uranium fuel used would serve as the basis of taxation. Holm and Ollikainen introduce two tax models, adjustable in a manner that the uranium tax would yield revenues of approximately EUR 100 million a year. The companies would still keep more than half of the profit and the state, depending on the model used, would collect 43 to 45 per cent of it via the tax. In the minimum tax model, the uranium tax is 44.5 of the difference between the market price of emission allowance and the average price of 2010 (EUR 15/tonne of CO 2 ), used as the comparison price, the minimum being EUR 2/MWh. The tax would yield a minimum of EUR 67 million to the state a year. When the emission allowance price rises to EUR 30, the tax would be EUR 6.7/MWh and the state would earn revenues of EUR 223 million. In a flexible tax model, the fixed part of the

  1. Sediment Lofting From Melt-Water Generated Turbidity Currents During Heinrich Events as a Tool to Assess Main Sediment Delivery Phases to Small Subpolar Ocean Basins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesse, R.

    2009-05-01

    equal density in the stratified water column, presumably the pycnocline, where they spread out laterally, even up-current, and generate interflows that deposit graded layers. The process is slow enough to allow incorporation into the graded layers of debris melting out of drifting icebergs. The hyperpycnal portion of individual discharge events that generated these currents might have had an estimated volume on the order of 103 km3x(1012 m3) which would have flowed for 10-15 days or less, assuming estimated discharge ranges for subglacial outburst floods of up to 106 m3/s. Turbidites are deposited much too fast to incorporate any substantial fraction of IRD, whereas deposition from lofted interflows may take months. The most likely candidates for the parent currents from which lofting occurred were the sandy flows that formed the sand abyssal plain The observed lofted depositional facies is exclusively found in Heinrich layers at distances of up to 300 km from the presumed terminus of the Hudson Strait ice stream. Through this stratigraphic relationship the lofted facies ties the main pulses of Late Pleistocene sediment supply in the Labrador Basin to Heinrich events. Heinrich events are known as Late Pleistocene ice-rafting episodes of unparalleled intensity in the North Atlantic that were associated with major melt-water discharge pulses and, as it appears now, also were the times of the main sediment delivery. Other potential basin candidates where lofting may have occurred are the Bering Sea and Maury Channel in North Atlantic.

  2. Punctuated Sediment Input into Small Subpolar Ocean Basins During Heinrich Events and Preservation in the Stratigraphic Record

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesse, R.

    2006-12-01

    generated from fresh-water discharges into the sea that can produce reversed buoyancy, as is well known from experiments. When the flows have traveled long enough, their tops will have lost enough sediment by settling such that their density decreases below that of the ambient seawater causing the current tops to lift up. The turbid fresh-water clouds buoyantly rise out of the turbidity current to a level of equal density, presumably the pycnocline, where they spread out laterally, even up-current, and generate interflows that deposit graded layers. The process is slow enough to allow incorporation into the graded layers of debris melting out of drifting icebergs. The observed lofted depositional facies is exclusively found in Heinrich layers. The most likely candidates for the parent currents from which lofting occurred were the sandy flows that formed the sand abyssal plain. Through this stratigraphic relationship the lofted facies ties the main pulses of Late Pleistocene sediment supply in the Labrador Basin to Heinrich events. Dating of pelagic interlayers during future ocean drilling may provide the proof that packages of sand turbidites underlying the abyssal plain are correlated to individual Heinrich events. The correlation may thus be documented in the stratigraphic record. Similar situations may exist in the Bering Sea or along the Maury Channel System in North Atlantic.

  3. 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

  4. Dance of Two Monster Black Holes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2016-03-01

    than two dozen ground-based optical telescopes and the Swift/XRT satellite to observe OJ 287 in this time frame. The outburst occurred right on schedule, peaking on 5 December 2015, and the results of the observing campaign are now presented in a study led by Mauri Valtonen (University of Turku).Optical photometry of OJ 287 from October to December 2015, showing the outburst that resulted from the secondary black hole crossing the disk. [Valtonen et al. 2016]Because the secondary black holes orbit is affected by the spin of the primary black hole, Valtonen and collaborators were able to use the timing of the outburst to measure the spin of OJ 287s primary black hole to remarkably high precision. They find that its Kerr parameter is 0.313 0.01 which means its spinning at about a third of the maximum rate allowed by general relativity.The outburst timing also confirmed several general-relativistic properties of the system, including its loss of energy to gravitational waves. Remarkably, the energy lost as the secondary black hole punches through the accretion disk is still ten thousand times smaller than the amount of energy it loses through gravitational waves!The observations from this outburst have provided important black-hole measurements and tests of general relativity which are especially relevant in this new era of gravitational wave detections. And we may be able to perform still more tests on the secondarys next pass through the disk, which should occur in 2019.BonusCheck out this awesome animation of the orbits in a system similar to OJ 287! The secondarys orbit precesses around the primary due to general-relativistic effects. The sound you hearis an audio representation of the increasing frequency as the two black holes inspiral. You can find more information about this animation here. [Steve Drasco Curt Cutler]CitationM. J. Valtonen et al 2016 ApJ 819 L37. doi:10.3847/2041-8205/819/2/L37

  5. Adakitic magmas: modern analogues of Archaean granitoids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Hervé

    1999-03-01

    /Y). Contrarily, when a young (subducted, the geothermal gradient along the Benioff plane is high, so the temperature of hydrated tholeiite solidus is reached before dehydration occurs. Under these conditions, garnet and/or hornblende are the main residual phases giving rise to HREE-depleted magmas (high La/Yb). The lack of residual plagioclase accounts for the Sr enrichment (high Sr/Y) of the magma. Experimental petrologic data show that the liquids produced by melting of tholeiite in subduction-like P- T conditions are adakitic in composition. However, natural adakites systematically have higher Mg no., Ni and Cr contents, which are interpreted as reflecting interactions between the ascending adakitic magma generated in the subducted slab and the overlying mantle wedge. This interpretation has been recently corroborated by studies on ultramafic enclaves in Batan lavas where olivine crystals contain glass inclusions with adakitic compositions [Schiano, P., Clochiatti, R., Shimizu, N., Maury, R., Jochum, K.P., Hofmann, A.W., 1995. Hydrous, silica-rich melts in the sub-arc mantle and their relationships with erupted arc lavas. Nature 377 595-600.]. This is interpreted as demonstrating that adakitic magmas passed through the mantle wedge and interacted with it. Sajona [Sajona, F.G., 1995. Fusion de la croûte océanique en contexte de subduction collision: géochimie, géochronologie et pétrologie du magmatisme plioquaternaire de Mindanao (Philippines). Unpublished thesis, Brest University, France, 223 pp.] also considers that the high-Nb basalts, which are associated with adakites, reflect mantle-adakite interactions. Recent structural studies have demonstrated that plate tectonics operated during the first half of Earth history. The very strong similarities that exist between modern adakites and Archaean tonalite, trondhjemite and granodiorite (TTG) attest that both have the same source and petrogenesis. Consequently, when Archaean-like P- T conditions are exceptionally realised

  6. Clinopyroxene application in petrogenesis identification of volcanic rocks associated with salt domes from Shurab (Southeast Qom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Somayeh Falahaty

    2016-07-01

    Isfahan for its financial supports. Reference Adams, G.E. and Bishop, F.C., 1986. The olivine- clinopyroxene geobar- ometer: experimental results in the CaO- FeO- MgO- SiO2 system. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 94(2: 230-237. Droop, G.T.R., 1987. A general equation for estimating Fe3+ in ferromagnesian silicates and oxides from microprobe analysis, using stoichiometric criteria. Mineralogical Magazine, 51(361: 431-437. Helz, R.T., 1973. Phase relations of basalts in their melting range at PH2O= 5 kb as a function of oxygen fugacity. Journal of Petrolology, 17(2: 139-193. Kretz, R., 1994. Metamorphic Crystallization. Chichester and New York, New York, 530 pp. Kushiro, I., 1960. Si- AI relation in clinopyroxenes from igneous rocks. American Journal of Science, 258(5: 548-554. Lebas, N.J., 1962. The role of aluminous in igneous clinopyroxenes with relation to their parentage. American Journal of Science, 260(4: 267-88. Leterrier, J., Maury, R.C., Thonon, P., Girard, D. and Marchal, M., 1982. Clinopyroxene composition as a method of identification of the magmatic affinities of paleo- volcanic series. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 59(1: 139-154. Morimoto, N., 1988. Nomenclature of pyroxenes. Fortschr mineral, 66: 237-252. Nisbet, E.G. and Pearce, J.A., 1977. Clinopyroxene composition of mafic lavas from different tectonic settings. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 63(2: 161-173. Schweitzer, E.L., Papike, J.J. and bence, A. E., 1979. Statitical analysis of clinopyroxenes from deep sea basalts. American Mineralogist, 642: 501-513. Soesoo, A., 1997. A multivariate statistical analysis of clinopyroxene composition: empirical coordinates for the crystallisation PT-estimations. Geological Society of Sweden (Geologiska Föreningen, 119(1: 55-60. Verhooge, J., 1962. Distribution of titanium between silicates and oxydes in igneous rocks. American Journal of Science, 260(2: 211-220.

  7. Measuring the Size of a Small, Frost World

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-01-01

    . This is more than a factor one hundred smaller than Pluto's surface pressure, which is estimated to be in the range 10-15 microbars. "Comparing Pluto and Charon, we seem to cross a borderline between bodies which may have bound atmospheres - like Pluto - and airless bodies like Charon", said Olivier Hainaut, from ESO and member of the team. The observations also indicate that methane ice, if present, should be restricted to very cold regions of the surface. Similarly, nitrogen ice would be confined at best to high northern latitudes or permanently shadowed regions of Charon. As Pluto and its satellite sweep across the Milky Way, observations of more occultations will be tempted from the ground, while the NASA's Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission, to be launched in January 2006, will be travelling towards the planet, that it should reach in July 2015. A report of these results is to be published in the January 5, 2006 issue of Nature ("Charon's size and upper limit on its atmosphere from a stellar occultation", by B. Sicardy, A. Bellucci, E. Gendron, F. Lacombe, S. Lacour, J. Lecacheux, E. Lellouch, S. Renner, S. Pau, F. Roques, T. Widemann, F. Colas, F. Vachier, N. Ageorges, O. Hainaut, O. Marco, W. Beisker, E. Hummel, C. Feinstein, H. Levato, A. Maury, E. Frappa, B. Gaillard, M. Lavayssière, M. Di Sora, F. Mallia, G. Masi, R. Behrend, F. Carrier, O. Mousis, P. Rousselot, A. Alvarez-Candal, D. Lazzaro, C. Veiga, A.H. Andrei, M. Assafin, D.N. da Silva Neto, R. Vieira Martins, C. Jacques, E. Pimentel, D. Weaver, J.-F Lecampion, F. Doncel, T. Momiyama, and G. Tancredi). High resolution images and their captions are available on this page.

  8. Geochemistry and tectonomagatic setting of Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Kangan area, northeast of Sarbisheh, southern Khorasan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahshid Malekian Dastjerdi

    2017-02-01

    characteristics and melting models for the early-middle Miocene mafic volcanism in western Anatolia: implications for enrichment processes of mantle lithosphere and origin of K-rich volcanism in post-collisional settings. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 198(1-2: 112-128. Jung, D., Keller, J., Khorasani, R., Marcks, C., Baumann, A. and Horn, P., 1983. Petrology of the Tertiary magmatic activity the northern Lut area, East of Iran. Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Report 51, 519 pp. Karimpour, M.H., Stern, C.R., Farmer, L., Saadat, S. and Malekezadeh, A., 2011. Review of age, Rb-Sr geochemistry and petrogenesis of Jurassic to Quaternary igneous rocks in Lut block, eastern Iran. Geopersia, 1(1:19-36. Moharami, F., Azadi, I., Mirmohamadi, M., Mehdipour Ghazi, J. and Rahgoshay, M., 2014. Petrological and Geodynamical Constraints of Chaldoran Basaltic Rocks, NW Iran: Evidence from Geochemical Characteris. Iranian Journal of Earth Sciences, 6(1: 31-43. Richards, J.P., Spell, T., Rameh, E., Razique, A. and Fletcher, T., 2012. High Sr/Y magmas reflect arc maturity, high magmatic water content, and porphyry Cu ± Mo ± Au potential: examples from the Tethyan arcs of central and eastern Iran and western Pakistan. Economic Geology, 107(2: 295–332. Sajona, F.G., Maury, R.C., Bellon, H., Cotton, J. and Defant, M., 1996. High field strength element enrichment of Pliocene-Pelistocene island arc basalts, Zomboanga Peninsula, Western Mindanao Philippines. Journal of Petrology, 37(3: 693–726. Schandl, E.S. and Gorton, M.P., 2002. Application of high field strength elements to discriminate tectonic setting in VMS environment. Economic Geology, 97(3: 629-642. Verma, S.P., Guevara, M. and Agrawal, S., 2006. Discriminating four tectonic settings: Five new geochemical diagrams for basic and ultrabasic volcanic rocks based on log- ratio transformation of major-element data. Journal of Earth System Science, 115(5: 485-528. Wang, Q., Wyman, D.A., Xu, J., Wan, Y., Li, C., Zi, F., Jiang

  9. Obituary: E. Dorrit Hoffleit, 1907-2007

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trimble, Virginia

    2007-12-01

    next year as a research assistant (later research associate) at Harvard College Observatory, then directed by Harlow Shapley, about whom her opinion was much warmer than that expressed by Cecilia Payne Gaposchkin. Dorrit's immediate supervisor at Harvard was Henrietta Swope, daughter of the President of General Electric, and eventually best known for work at Mount Wilson Observatory with Walter Baade on variable stars in the Magellanic Clouds, published in papers that continued to appear long after Baade's death. Hoffleit's first ten papers were also on variable stars and appeared in Harvard Observatory publications. But the MA she completed in 1932 was on the light curves of meteors and was published in the Proceedings of the United States National Academy of Sciences. By this time, Dorrit had established a work pattern that was to persist right up to retirement - at least 40 hours per week on whatever the current boss thought she should be doing, and another 20 or so on other astronomical research that interested her. Hffleit had supposed that an MA would be her highest degree, but Shapley urged her to go on for a PhD, with, it would seem, a bit of urging on both sides from Bart Bok, who informed her that "if God recommends that you do something, it is your duty to do it." The thesis (PhD 1938) was on yet a third topic, spectroscopic parallaxes. This means determining the luminosities of stars, hence their distances, from line width and ratio diagnostics in their spectra. The pioneer was Antonia Maury, whose insights were not appreciated by Shapley's predecessor, E. C. Pickering. Another valuable Hoffleit mentor was Ernst Öpik, on a three-month visit to Harvard in 1934, from whom Dorrit learned stellar statistics and half a dozen other things. The thesis also provided her "break out" paper into the Astrophysical Journal (on CN as a giant/dwarf discriminator). Hoffleit began to branch out into astrometry, comets, and other parts of astronomy and, starting in 1941

  10. Early concepts and charts of ocean circulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, R. G.; Stramma, L.; Kortum, G.

    realized that water is a poor conductor of heat and, unlike that of freshwater, the density of seawater continues to increase as it is cooled to its freezing point; the far-reaching significance of the implied vertical convection and deep circulation of the ocean on the moderation of climate was immediately clear (Rumford), though observations were available almost exclusively from the ocean's surface. Largely because of the marine chronometer, a wealth of unprecedentedly-accurate information about zonal, as well as meridional, surface currents began to accumulate in various hydrographic offices. In the early nineteenth century data from the Atlantic were collected and reduced in a systematic fashion (Rennell), to produce the first detailed description of the major circulation patterns at the surface for the entire mid- and low-latitude Atlantic, along with evidence for cross-equatorial flow. This work provided a foundation for the assemblage of a global data set (Humboldt; Berghaus) that yielded a worldwide charting of the non-polar currents by the late 1830s. Subtleties such as the North Equatorial Countercurrent in the Pacific were revealed for the first time. During the next two decades, the western intensification of subtropical gyres was recognized (Wilkes) while numerous refinements were made to other global descriptions (Wilkes; Kerhallet; Findlay). Heuristic and often incorrect theories of what causes the circulations in the atmosphere and oceans were popularized in the 1850s and 1860s which led to a precipitous decline in the quality of charts intended for the public (Maury; Gareis and Becker). Such errors in popular theories provided motivation for the adoption of analytical methods, which in turn led directly to the discovery of the full effect of Earth's rotation on relatively large-scale motion and the realization of how that effect produces flow perpendicular to horizontal pressure gradients (Ferrel). The precedents for modern dedicated research cruises came

  11. List of Participants

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-11-01

    Physique Théorique, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau Diego Mansi Università Degli Studi di Milano Matteo Marescotti Università del Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria Alberto Mariotti Università di Milano-Bicocca Raffaele Marotta Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Napoli Alessio Marrani Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare and LNF, Firenze Luca Martucci Instituto de Física Teórica, Madrid and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven David Mateos University of California, Santa Barbara Andrea Mauri Università di Milano Liuba Mazzanti Università di Milano-Bicocca Patrick Meessen Instituto de Física Teórica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Lotta Mether Helsinki Institute of Physics Rene Meyer Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München Giuseppe Milanesi SISSA, Trieste Cesar Miquel-Espanya Universitat de Valencia and Instituto de Física Corpuscular, Valencia Alexander Monin Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP), Moscow and Moscow State University (MSU) Samuel Monnier Université de Genève Sergio Montero Instituto de Física Teórica, Madrid Nicola Mori Università di Firenze Alexander Marcel Morisse University of California, Santa Cruz Sebastian Moster Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München Adele Nasti Queen Mary, University of London Vasilis Niarchos École Polytechnique, Palaiseau Emil Nissimov Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Sofia Francesco Nitti École Polytechnique, Palaiseau Eoin O'Colgain Imperial College, London Niels Obers Niels Bohr Institute, København Rodrigo Olea Università Degli Studi di Milano Marta Orselli Niels Bohr Institute, København Enrico PajerLudwig-Maximilians-Universität, München Eran PaltiOxford University Georgios PapathanasiouBrown University, Providence, RI Angel ParedesCentre de Physique Théorique, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau Jeong-Hyuck ParkMax-Planck-Institut für Physik, München Sara PasquettiUniversità di Parma Silvia PenatiUniversità di Milano-Bicocca Igor PesandoUniversità di Torino

  12. List of Participants

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-11-01

    cole Polytechnique, Palaiseau and University of Crete Denis KleversPhysikalisches Institut, Universität Bonn Paul Koerber Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München Simon Koers Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München Karl KollerLudwig-Maximilians-Universität, München Peter Koroteev Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP), Moscow and Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (AEI), Potsdam Alexey KoshelevVrije Universiteit, Brussel Costas KounnasÉcole Normale Supérieure, Paris Daniel KreflCERN, Geneva Charlotte KristjansenNiels Bohr Institute, København Finn LarsenCERN, Geneva and University of Michigan Arnaud Le DiffonÉcole Normale Supérieure, Lyon Michael LennekCentre de Physique Théorique, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau Alberto Lerda Università del Piemonte Orientale, Alessandria Andreas LiberisUniversity of Patras Maria A Lledo Universidad de Valencia Oscar Loaiza-Brito CINVESTAV, Mexico Florian Loebbert Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (AEI), Potsdam Yolanda Lozano University of Oviedo Dieter Luest Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München Tomasz Łukowski Jagiellonian University, Krakow Diego Mansi University of Crete Alberto Mariotti Università di Milano-Bicocca Raffaele Marotta Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Napoli Alessio Marrani Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare and LNF, Firenze Andrea Mauri University of Crete Liuba Mazzanti École Polytechnique, Palaiseau Sean McReynoldsUniversità di Milano-Bicocca AKM Moinul Haque Meaze Chittagong University Patrick Meessen Instituto de Física Teórica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Carlo MeneghelliUniversità di Parma and Albert-Einstein-Institut, Golm Lotta Mether University of Helsinki and CERN, Geneva René Meyer Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, München Georgios MichalogiorgakisCenter de Physique Théorique, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau Giuseppe Milanesi Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zürich Samuel Monnier Université de Genève Wolfgang Mueck

  13. Selected Abstracts of the 13th International Workshop on Neonatology; Cagliari (Italy; October 25th-28th, 2017

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    --- Various Authors

    2017-10-01

    , F. Bolachi, N. Satta, A. PirasABS 67. SYSTEMIC PROPRANOLOL IN THE TREAT­MENT OF INFANTILE HEMANGIOMAS: EX­PERIENCE OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM IN CAGLIARI • C. Ferreli, M. Pau, M. Zanda, R. Tumbarello, C Porcu, M. Corbeddu, F. RongiolettiABS 68. WT1, A MARKER FOR RADIAL GLIAL CELLS IN THE DEVELOPING HUMAN CEREBELLUM AT DIFFERENT GESTATIONAL AGES • V. Pibiri, C. Gerosa, R. AmbuABS 69. PEDIATRIC PROCEDURAL SEDATION DURING AMBULATORY TREATMENTS: COMPARI­SON BETWEEN INHALATION SEDATION WITH NI­TROUS OXIDE AND INTRAVENOUS SEDA­TION WITH MIDAZOLAM • M. Oricchio, G. Rosati, L. Gallottini, N. Satta, M. SambiagioABS 70. A SI-DOHaD-CCM PROJECT: ENVIRONMENT, EPIGENETIC FETAL PROGRAMMING AND PRE­VEN­TION OF CHRONIC DISEASES • E. Burgio, L. Migliore, I. Cetin, G. Faa, O. Forleo, F. Cesare Marincola, R. Pintus, A. Dessì, A. Noto, V. FanosABS 71. CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA: EX­PERIENCE OF A TERTIARY NICU • E. Memmedova, C. Aygun, E. Ozyazıcı, K. Baysal, Ş. Küçüödük, G. OğurABS 72. AN INTERACTIVE TOOL SHOWS CO­MOR­BIDITIES OF CHILD AGGRESSION WITH OTHER CHILDHOOD PSYCHOPATHOLOGIES. UTI­LITIES AND STATISTICS OF THE WEBSITE WWW.ACTION-EUPROJECT.EU • M. Mauri, A. Hendriks, V. Fanos, D.I. Boomsma, M. BartelsABS 73. EVALUATION OF MOLECULAR BEACON FLUO­RESCENT PROBE FOR LABORA­TORY DIAGNOSIS OF CONGENITAL CYTO­MEGALOVIRUS (CMV INFECTION • G. Orrù, P. Melis, F. Puggioni, M. Puddu, G. Ottonello, V. Fanos, F. CogheABS 74. THE ETIOLOGY OF PROLONGED JAUNDICE • C. Aygun, G. HancıoğluABS 75. CHILD-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT – NEW APPROACH WITH THE USE OF AUGMENTED REALITY • A. Piras, F. Simionato, B. De Magistris, A. Piras DenottiABS 76. DUCTUS VENOSUS IN EXPECTANT MAN­AGEMENT OF EARLY IUGR FETUSES AND RISK OF ADVERSE NEONATAL OUTCOME; A SURVIVAL ANALYSIS • S. Visentin, M. Andolfatto, A. Zanella, E. CosmiABS 77. COMPARISON OF pRIFLE and AKIN CRITERIA FOR DIAGNOSING ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY IN NEWBORNS • V. Coşkun, C. Aygun, O. Ozkaya, G