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Increasing Distance (increasing + distance)
Selected AbstractsRestoring prairie pothole wetlands: does the species pool concept offer decision-making guidance for re-vegetation?APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 2 2006Susan M. Galatowitsch Anon. (2004) Abstract Question: Do regional species pools, landscape isolation or on-site constraints cause plants from different guilds to vary in their ability to colonize restored wetlands? Location: Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota, USA. Methods: Floristic surveys of 41 restored wetlands were made three and 12 years after reflooding to determine changes in local species pools for eight plant guilds. The effect of landscape isolation on colonization efficiency was evaluated for each guild by plotting local species pools against distance to nearby natural wetlands, and the relative importance of dispersal vs. on-site constraints in limiting colonization was explored by comparing the local species pools of restored and natural wetlands within the region. Results: Of the 517 wetland plant taxa occurring in the region, 50% have established within 12 years. The proportion of the regional species pool represented in local species pools differed among guilds, with sedge-meadow perennials, emergent perennials and floating/submersed aquatics least represented (33-36%) and annual guilds most represented (74-94%). Colonization-to-extinction ratios suggest that floating/submersed aquatics have already reached a species equilibrium while sedge-meadow and emergent perennials are still accumulating species. Increasing distance to nearest wetlands decreased the proportion of the regional species pool present in local pools for all guilds except native annuals and woody plants. The maximum proportion predicted, assuming no distance constraint, was comparable to the lowest-diversity natural wetlands for most perennial guilds, and also lower than what was achieved in a planted, weeded restoration. Conclusions: A biotic constraints seem to limit the colonization of floating/submersed aquatics into natural or restored wetlands, whereas all other guilds are potentially constrained by dispersal or biotic factors (i.e. competition from invasive species). Using species pools to evaluate restoration progress revealed that immigration potential varies considerably among guilds, that local species richness does not necessarily correspond to immigration limitations, and that some guilds (e.g. sedge-meadow perennials) will likely benefit more than others from being planted at restoration sites. [source] Local Gradients of Cowbird Abundance and Parasitism Relative to Livestock Grazing in a Western LandscapeCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2000Christopher B. Goguen We predicted that both cowbird abundance and parasitism rates of vireo nests would decrease with increasing distance from active livestock grazing, and that the nesting success of vireos would increase. We measured cowbird abundance and host density and located and monitored vireo nests in pinyon-juniper and mixed-conifer habitats that ranged from actively grazed to isolated from livestock grazing by up to 12 km. Cowbird abundance declined with distance from active livestock grazing and was not related to host density or habitat type. Brood parasitism levels of vireo nests (n = 182) decreased from> 80% in actively grazed habitats to 33% in habitats that were 8,12 km from active grazing but did not vary by habitat type or distance to forest edge. Vireo nesting success was higher in mixed-conifer habitat than in pinyon-juniper but was unrelated to distance from active livestock grazing. Nest losses due to parasitism declined with distance from active livestock grazing. Our results suggest that cowbird abundance and parasitism rates of hosts may be distributed as a declining gradient based on distance from cowbird feeding sites and that isolation from feeding sites can reduce the effects of parasitism on host populations. These findings provide support for management techniques that propose to reduce local cowbird numbers and parasitism levels by manipulating the distribution of cowbird feeding sites. The presence of parasitized nests> 8 km from active livestock grazing suggests that, in some regions, management efforts may need to occur at larger scales than previously realized. Resumen: Estudiamos patrones locales de abundancia del tordo cabeza café (Molothrus ater), las tasas de parasitismo y el éxito de nidada de un hospedero común, el vireo (Vireo plumbeus), en relación con la distribución del pastoreo en una región poco desarrollada del noreste de Nuevo México, entre 1992 y 1997. Pronosticamos que tanto la abundancia del tordo, como las tasas de parasitismo de nidos de vireo disminuirían con un incremento en la distancia a las zonas de pastoreo activo de ganado y el éxito de nidada de vireos incrementaría. Medimos la abundancia de tordos y la densidad de hospederos y localizamos y monitoreamos los nidos de vireos en hábitats de pino-cedro y de coníferas mixtas que variaron desde activamente pastoreadas hasta sitios distanciados del pastoreo hasta por 12 km. La abundancia de los tordos disminuyó con la distancia de las zonas de pastoreo activo de ganado y no estuvo relacionada con la densidad de hospederos o el tipo de hábitat. Los niveles de parasitismo de las nidadas del vireo (n = 182) disminuyeron de> 80% en hábitats activamente pastoreados a 33% en hábitats que estuvieron de 8 a 12 km de distancia de los sitios de pastoreo activo, pero no variaron con el tipo de hábitat ni la distancia al borde del bosque. El éxito de nidada de vireos fue mayor en el hábitat mixto de coníferas que en el hábitat de pino-cedro, pero no estuvo relacionado con la distancia al sitio de pastoreo. Las pérdidas debidas al parasitismo disminuyeron con la distancia al sitio activo de pastoreo. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la abundancia de tordos y las tasas de parasitismo de hospederos podría estar distribuida en forma de un gradiente en descenso basado en la distancia a los sitios de alimentación de los tordos y a que el aislamiento de los sitios de alimentación puede reducir los efectos del parasitismo de las poblaciones de hospederos. Estos resultados apoyan las técnicas de manejo que proponen la reducción local de números de tordos y los niveles de parasitismo al manipular la distribución de sitios de alimentación de tordos. La presencia de nidos parasitados> 8 km de sitios con pastoreo activo sugiere que, en algunas regiones, los esfuerzos de manejo deben ocurrir a escalas mayores a lo que anteriormente se pensaba. [source] Patterns of isozyme variation as indicators of biogeographic history in Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. Don) FlorínDIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 2 2002A. C. Premoli Abstract. The effects of Pleistocene glaciations on the genetic characteristics of the most austral conifer in the world, Pilgerodendron uviferum, were analysed with specific reference to the hypothesis that the species persisted locally in ice-free areas in temperate South America. It was expected that genetic variation would decrease with latitude, given that ice fields were larger in southern Patagonia and thus refugia were probably located towards the northern distributional limit of the species as suggested by the fossil record. In addition, an increase in among-population genetic divergence was expected with increasing distance to putative glacial refugia. We examined the relationship between location and within-population variability indices of 20 Pilgerodendron populations derived from isozyme analyses. We analysed possible refugia hypotheses by the distribution of allele frequencies using multivariate discriminant analysis. The degree of genetic differentiation with geographical distance between all population pairs was investigated by Mantel tests. Results indicated that Pilgerodendron populations are highly monomorphic, probably reflecting past population bottlenecks and reduced gene flow. Southernmost populations tend to be the least genetically variable and were therefore probably more affected by glacial activity than northern ones. Populations located outside ice limits seem to have been isolated during the glacial period. The presence of centres of genetic diversity, together with the lack of a significant correlation between genetic and geographical distances and the absence of geographical patterns of allelic frequencies at most analysed alleles, may indicate that Pilgerodendron did not advance southward after the last glaciation from a unique northern refugium, but spread from several surviving populations in ice-free areas in Patagonia instead. [source] Overbank deposition along the concave side of the Red River meanders, Manitoba, and its geomorphic significanceEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2005Gregory R. Brooks Abstract Slow earth sliding is pervasive along the concave side of Red River meanders that impinge on Lake Agassiz glaciolacustrine deposits. These failures form elongated, low-angled (c. 6 to 10°) landslide zones along the valleysides. Silty overbank deposits that accumulated during the 1999 spring freshet extend continuously along the landslide zones over hundreds of metres and aggraded the lower slopes over a distance 50 to 80 m from the channel margin. The aggradation is not obviously related to meander curvature or location within a meander. Along seven slope profiles surveyed in 1999 near Letellier, Manitoba, the deposits locally are up to 21 cm thick and generally thin with increasing distance from, and height above, the river. Local deposit thickness relates to distance from the channel, duration of inundation of the landslide surface, mesotopography, and variations in vegetation cover. Immediately adjacent to the river, accumulated overbank deposits are up to 4 m thick. The 1999 overbank deposits also were present along the moderately sloped (c. 23 to 27°) concave banks eroding into the floodplain, but the deposits are thinner (locally up to c. 7 cm thick) and cover a narrower area (10 to 30 m wide) than the deposits within the landslide zones. Concave overbank deposition is part of a sediment reworking process that consists of overbank aggradation on the landslide zones, subsequent gradual downslope displacement from earth sliding, and eventually reworking by the river at the toe of the landslide. The presence of the deposits dampens the outward migration of the meanders and contributes to a low rate of contemporary lateral channel migration. Concave overbank sedimentation occurs along most Red River meanders between at least Emerson and St. Adolphe, Manitoba. © Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada. [source] ADV measurements of velocity distributions in a gravel-bed flumeEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 7 2003Vito Ferro Abstract Velocity measurements carried out by an acoustic doppler velocimeter (ADV) in a rectangular laboratory ,ume having a gravel bed are presented. The velocity pro,les are measured in six verticals of the channel cross-section having an increasing distance (from 4 to 38·5 cm) from the ,ume wall. The experimental runs are carried out for ,ve different bed arrangements, characterized by different concentrations of coarser elements, and for the two conditions of small- and large-scale roughness. For both hydraulic conditions, the velocity measurements are ,rst used to test the applicability of the Dean pro,le and of the logarithmic pro,le corrected by a divergence function proposed in this paper. Then, for each value of the depth sediment ratio h/d84, the non-dimensional friction factor parameter is calculated by integration of the measured velocity distributions in the different verticals of the cross-section. Finally a semi-logarithmic ,ow resistance equation is empirically deduced. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Phytogeographical evidence for post-glacial dispersal limitation of European beech forest speciesECOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2009Wolfgang Willner The post-glacial migration of European beech Fagus sylvatica has been addressed by many studies using either genetic or fossil data or a combination of both. In contrast to this, only little is known about the migration history of beech forest understorey species. In a review of phytosociological literature, we identified 110 plant species which are closely associated with beech forest. We divided the distribution range of European beech forests into 40 geographical regions, and the presence or absence of each species was recorded for each region. We compared overall species numbers per region and numbers of narrow-range species (species present in <10 regions). A multiple regression model was used to test for the explanatory value of three potential diversity controls: range in elevation, soil type diversity, and distance to the nearest potential refuge area. A hierarchical cluster analysis of the narrow-range species was performed. The frequency of range sizes shows a U-shaped distribution, with 42 species occurring in <10 regions. The highest number of beech forest species is found in the southern Alps and adjacent regions, and species numbers decrease with increasing distance from these regions. With only narrow-range species taken into consideration, secondary maxima are found in Spain, the southern Apennines, the Carpathians, and Greece. Distance to the nearest potential refuge area is the strongest predictor of beech forest species richness, while altitudinal range and soil type diversity had little or no predictive value. The clusters of narrow-range species are in good concordance with the glacial refuge areas of beech and other temperate tree species as estimated in recent studies. These findings support the hypothesis that the distribution of many beech forest species is limited by post-glacial dispersal rather than by their environmental requirements. [source] Spatial variation in population density across the geographical range in helminth parasites of yellow perch Perca flavescensECOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2007Robert Poulin The abundance of a species is not constant across its geographical range; it has often been assumed to decrease from the centre of a species' range toward its margins. The central assumption of this "favourable centre" model is tested for the first time with parasites, using different species of helminth parasites exploiting fish as definitive hosts. Data on prevalence (percentage of hosts that are infected) and abundance (mean no. parasites per host) were compiled for 8 helminth species occurring in 23 populations of yellow perch Perca flavescens, from continental North America. For each parasite species, correlations were computed between latitude and both local prevalence and abundance values. In addition, the relationships between the relative prevalence or abundance in one locality and the distance between that locality and the one where the maximum value was reported, were assessed separately for each species to determine whether abundance tends to decrease away from the presumed centre of the range, where it peaks. For both the cestode Proteocephalus pearsei and the acanthocephalan Leptorhynchoides thecatus, there was a positive relationship between prevalence or abundance and the latitude of the sampled population. There was also a significant negative relationship between relative prevalence and the distance from the locality showing the maximum value in P. pearsei, but no such pattern was observed for the other 7 parasite species. Since this single significant decrease in prevalence with increasing distance from the peak value may be confounded by a latitudinal gradient, it appears that the distribution of abundance in parasites of perch does not follow the favourable centre model. This means that the environmental variables affecting the density of parasites (host availability, abiotic conditions) do not show pronounced spatial autocorrelation, with nearby sites not necessarily providing more similar conditions for the growth of parasite populations than distant sites. [source] Effects of landscape composition and substrate availability on saproxylic beetles in boreal forests: a study using experimental logs for monitoring assemblagesECOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2006Heloise Gibb Intensive forestry practises in the Swedish landscape have led to the loss and fragmentation of stable old-growth habitats. We investigated relationships between landscape composition at multiple scales and the composition of saproxylic beetle assemblages in nine clear-cut, mature managed and old-growth spruce-dominated forest stands in the central boreal zone of Sweden. We set out fresh spruce and birch logs and created spruce snags in 2001,2002 to experimentally test the effects of coarse woody debris (CWD) type and forest management on the composition of early and late successional, and red-listed saproxylic beetle assemblages. We examined effects of CWD availability at 100 m, and landscape composition at 1 and 10 km on saproxylic beetle abundances. Additionally, we tested whether assemblage similarity decreased with increasing distance between sites. We collected beetles from the experimental logs using eclector and window traps in four periods during 2003. CWD was measured and landscape composition data was obtained from maps of remotely sensed data. The composition of saproxylic beetles differed among different CWD substrates and between clear-cuts and the older stand types, however differences between mature managed and old-growth forests were significant only for red-listed species. Assemblage similarities for red-listed species on clear-cuts were more different at greater distances apart, indicating that they have more localised distributions. CWD availability within 100 m of the study sites was rarely important in determining the abundance of species, suggesting that early successional saproxylic beetles can disperse further than this distance. At a larger scale, a large area of suitable stand types within both 1 and 10 km resulted in greater abundances in the study sites for several common and habitat-specific species. The availability of suitable habitat at scales of 1,10 km is thus likely to be important in the survival of many saproxylic species in forestry-fragmented areas. [source] Modelling and analysing evolution of dispersal in populations at expanding range boundariesECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 5 2007CLARE L. HUGHES Abstract 1.,Species would be expected to shift northwards in response to current climate warming, but many are failing to do so because of fragmentation of breeding habitats. Dispersal is important for colonisation and an individual-based spatially explicit model was developed to investigate impacts of habitat availability on the evolution of dispersal in expanding populations. Model output was compared with field data from the speckled wood butterfly Pararge aegeria, which currently is expanding its range in Britain. 2.,During range expansion, models simulated positive linear relationships between dispersal and distance from the seed location. This pattern was observed regardless of quantity (100% to 10% habitat availability) or distribution (random vs. gradient distribution) of habitat, although higher dispersal evolved at expanding range margins in landscapes with greater quantity of habitat and in gradient landscapes. Increased dispersal was no longer evident in any landscape once populations had reached equilibrium; dispersal values returned to those of seed populations. However, in landscapes with the least quantity of habitat, reduced dispersal (below that of seed populations) was observed at equilibrium. 3.,Evolutionary changes in adult flight morphology were examined in six populations of P. aegeria along a transect from the distribution core to an expanding range margin in England (spanning a latitudinal distance of >200 km). Empirical data were in agreement with model output and showed increased dispersal ability (larger and broader thoraxes, smaller abdomens, higher wing aspect ratios) with increasing distance from the distribution core. Increased dispersal ability was evident in populations from areas colonised >30 years previously, although dispersal changes were generally evident only in females. 4.,Evolutionary increases in dispersal ability in expanding populations may help species track future climate changes and counteract impacts of habitat fragmentation by promoting colonisation. However, at the highest levels of habitat loss, increased dispersal was less evident during expansion and reduced dispersal was observed at equilibrium indicating that, for many species, continued habitat fragmentation is likely to outweigh any benefits from dispersal. [source] Consequences for a host,parasitoid interaction of host-plant aggregation, isolation, and phenologyECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2007ADAM J. VANBERGEN Abstract 1.,Spatial habitat structure can influence the likelihood of patch colonisation by dispersing individuals, and this likelihood may differ according to trophic position, potentially leading to a refuge from parasitism for hosts. 2.,Whether habitat patch size, isolation, and host-plant heterogeneity differentially affected host and parasitoid abundance, and parasitism rates was tested using a tri-trophic thistle,herbivore,parasitoid system. 3.,Cirsium palustre thistles (n= 240) were transplanted in 24 blocks replicated in two sites, creating a range of habitat patch sizes at increasing distance from a pre-existing source population. Plant architecture and phenological stage were measured for each plant and the numbers of the herbivore Tephritis conura and parasitoid Pteromalus elevatus recorded. 4.,Mean herbivore numbers per plant increased with host-plant density per patch, but parasitoid numbers and parasitism rates were unaffected. Patch distance from the source population did not influence insect abundance or parasitism rates. Parasitoid abundance was positively correlated with host insect number, and parasitism rates were negatively density dependent. Host-plant phenological stage was positively correlated with herbivore and parasitoid abundance, and parasitism rates at both patch and host-plant scales. 5.,The differential response between herbivore and parasitoid to host-plant density did not lead to a spatial refuge but may have contributed to the observed parasitism rates being negatively density dependent. Heterogeneity in patch quality, mediated by variation in host-plant phenology, was more important than spatial habitat structure for both the herbivore and parasitoid populations, and for parasitism rates. [source] Associations between host migration and the prevalence of a protozoan parasite in natural populations of adult monarch butterfliesECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2000Sonia M. Altizer Summary 1. Monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) are susceptible to infection by the obligate protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (McLaughlin and Myers) (Apicomplexa: Neogregarinida). Because monarchs form resident and migratory populations in different parts of the world, this host,parasite system provides the opportunity to examine how variation in parasite prevalence relates to host movement patterns. 2. Parasite prevalence was evaluated using 14 790 adult monarchs captured between 1968 and 1997. Comparison of three populations in North America indicated that parasite prevalence is associated negatively with host dispersal distances. A continuously breeding, nonmigratory population in southern Florida showed high prevalence (over 70% heavily infected). The western population migrates moderate distances to overwintering sites on the Pacific Coast and has intermediate prevalence (30% heavily infected). The eastern migratory population, which travels the longest distance to Mexican overwintering sites, has exhibited less than 8% infection throughout the past 30 years. 3. Variation in parasite loads within North American migratory populations was investigated to determine whether the prevalence of heavy infection and average parasite loads declined during migration or overwintering. Average parasite loads of summer-breeding adults in western North America decreased with increasing distance from overwintering sites. This suggests that heavily infected monarchs are less likely to remigrate long distances in spring. No differences in the frequency of heavily infected adults were found among eastern or western North American monarchs throughout the overwintering period, however, suggesting that this parasite does not affect overwintering mortality. 4. Changes in the prevalence of monarchs with low parasite loads demonstrate that spore transfer occurs during migration and overwintering, possibly when adult butterflies contact each other as a result of their clustering behaviour. 5. This study of geographical and temporal variation in O. elektroscirrha among populations of D. plexippus demonstrates the potential role of seasonal migration in mediating interactions between hosts and parasites, and suggests several mechanisms through which migratory behaviour may influence parasite prevalence. [source] Genotoxicity in wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) along a pollution gradient: Exposure-, age-, and gender-related effectsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2006Jan Scheirs Abstract We investigated the effects of environmental pollution on genetic damage in wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) by means of the comet assay, with special attention to the role of age and gender as potential confounding variables. The present study was carried out at four sites along a pollution gradient in the vicinity of Antwerp (Belgium), with a nonferrous smelter as the main pollution source. We measured the concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in mouse liver and kidney and the concentration of organochlorine compounds (polychlorinated biphenyls and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p -chlorophenyl)ethylene) in mouse muscle tissue to assess individual exposure. Cadmium exposure was very high at the sites closest to the smelter, and exposure to this metal decreased with increasing distance from the smelter. Exposure to the other pollutants was low to moderate at the different sites. Genetic damage was higher in mice from populations in the vicinity of the nonferrous smelter compared with that in the control populations. A significant increase in genetic damage with age was observed at the most polluted sites, but not at the control sites. Genetic damage was higher in male mice than in female mice at the most polluted site, but not at the other areas. Yet, no obvious relationship was found between individual pollutant levels and individual genetic damage levels. We conclude that the comet assay can be used to compare genotoxicity at the population level if the confounding variables of gender and age are taken into account. However, its use for individual health risk assessment remains questionable. [source] Effects of environmental pollution on microsatellite DNA diversity in wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populationsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 11 2005Veerle Berckmoes Abstract Ten microsatellite DNA loci were surveyed to investigate the effects of heavy metal pollution on the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of seven wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populations along a heavy metal pollution gradient away from a nonferrous smelter in the south of Antwerp (Flanders, Belgium). Analysis of soil heavy metal concentrations showed that soil Ag, As, Cd, Cu, and Pb decreased with increasing distance from the smelter. Genetic analyses revealed high levels of genetic variation in all populations, but populations from the most polluted sites in the gradient did not differ from those of less-polluted sites in terms of mean observed and expected heterozygosity level and mean allelic richness. No correlation was found between measures of genetic diversity and the degree of heavy metal pollution. However, an analysis of molecular variance and a neighbor-joining tree suggested a contamination-related pattern of genetic structuring between the most polluted and less polluted sites. Pairwise FST values indicated that populations were significantly genetically differentiated, and assignment tests and direct estimates of recent migration rates suggested restricted gene flow among populations. Additionally, genetic differentiation increased significantly with geographical distance, which is consistent with an isolation-by-distance model. We conclude that, at least for our microsatellite DNA markers, genetic diversity in the studied wood mouse populations is not affected greatly by the heavy metal pollution. [source] Antero-posterior activity changes in the superficial masseter muscle after exposure to experimental painEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2002Jens C. Türp The aim of this randomized, controlled, double-blind study was to examine how the activation pattern of the masseter muscle changes during natural function when experimental pain is induced in a discrete anterior area of the muscle. In 20 subjects, three bipolar surface electrodes and three intramuscular fine-wire electrodes (antero-posterior mapping) were simultaneously attached above and in the right masseter muscle to record the electromyographic (EMG) activity during unilateral chewing before and after infusion of a 0.9% isotonic and 5% hypertonic saline bolus in the anterior area of the muscle. The activity of the contralateral masseter muscle was registered by surface electrodes. In addition, the development of pain intensity was quantitatively measured with a numerical rating scale (NRS). While both saline concentrations caused pain, the hypertonic solution evoked stronger pain. The experiments also provided evidence of a significant although differential activity reduction of the ipsilateral masseter muscle in the antero-posterior direction. The activity reduction decreased with increasing distance from the location of the infusion. The results support the idea that the strategy of differential activation protects the injured muscle while simultaneously maintaining optimal function. [source] Humus forms and metal pollution in soilEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2002S. Gillet Summary Smelters in northern France are a serious source of soil pollution by heavy metals. We have studied a poplar plantation downwind of an active zinc smelter. Three humus profiles were sampled at increasing distance from the smelter, and the thickness of topsoil horizons was measured along a transect. We analysed the vertical distribution of humus components and plant debris to assess the impact of heavy metal pollution on the humus forms and on soil faunal activity. We compared horizons within a profile, humus profiles between them, and traced the recent history of the site. Near the smelter, poplar trees are stunted or dead and the humus form is a mor, with a well-developed holorganic OM horizon. Here faunal activity is inhibited, so there is little faecal deposition and humification of plant litter. At the distant site poplar grows well and faunal activity is intense, so there are skeletonized leaves and many organo,mineral earthworm and millipede faecal pellets. The humus form is a mull, with a well-developed hemorganic A horizon. The passage from mor to mull along the transect was abrupt, mor turning to mull at 250 m from the smelter, though there was a progressive decrease in heavy metal deposition. This indicates that there was a threshold (estimated to be 20 000 mg Zn kg,1) in the resilience of the soil foodweb. [source] THE POPULATION GENETICS OF SPOROPHYTIC SELF-INCOMPABILITY IN SENECIO SQUALIDUS L. (ASTERACEAE): THE NUMBER, FREQUENCY, AND DOMINANCE INTERACTIONS OF S ALLELES ACROSS ITS BRITISH RANGEEVOLUTION, Issue 2 2006Adrian C. Brennan Abstract Sporophytic self-incompatibility (SSI) was studied in 11 British Senecio squalidus populations to quantify mating system variation and determine how its recent colonization of the United Kingdom has influenced its mating behavior. S allele number, frequency, and dominance interactions in populations were assessed using full diallels of controlled pollinations. A mean of 5.1 S alleles per population was observed, and no population contained more than six S alleles. Numbers of S alleles within populations of S. squalidus declined with increasing distance from the center of its introduction (Oxford). Cross-classification of S alleles allowed an estimate of approximately seven and no more than 11 S alleles for the entire British S. squalidus population. The low number of S alleles observed in British S. squalidus compared to other SI species is consistent with the population bottleneck associated with S. squalidus introduction to the Oxford Botanic Garden and subsequent colonization of Britain. Extensive S allele dominance interactions were observed to be a feature of the S. squalidus SSI system and may represent an adaptive response to improve limited mate availability imposed by the presence of so few S alleles. Multilocus allozyme genotypes were also identified for individuals in all populations and geographic patterns of S locus and allozyme loci variation investigated. Less interpopulation structure was observed for the S locus than for allozyme diversity-a finding indicative of the effects of negative frequency-dependent selection at the S locus maintaining equal S phenotypes within populations and enhancing effective migration between populations [source] Br/Cl signature of hydrothermal fluids: liquid,vapour fractionation of bromine revisitedGEOFLUIDS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2006A. LIEBSCHER Abstract Br/Cl ratios of hydrothermal fluids are widely used as geochemical tracers in marine hydrothermal systems to prove fluid phase separation processes. However, previous results of the liquid,vapour fractionation of bromine are ambiguous. Here we report new experimental results of the liquid,vapour fractionation of bromine in the system H2O,NaCl,NaBr at 380,450°C and 22.9,41.7 MPa. Our data indicate that bromine is generally more enriched than chlorine in the liquid phase. Calculated exchange coefficients KD(Br-Cl)liquid-vapour for the reaction Brvapour + Clliquid = Brliquid + Clvapour are between 0.94 ± 0.08 and 1.66 ± 0.14 within the investigated P,T range. They correlate positively with DClliquid-vapour and suggest increasing bromine,chlorine fractionation with increasing opening of the liquid,vapour solvus, i.e. increasing distance to the critical curve in the H2O,NaCl system. An empirical fit of the form KD(Br-Cl)liquid-vapour = a*ln[b*(DClliquid-vapour,1) + e1/a] yields a = 0.349 and b = 1.697. Based on this empirical fit and the well-constrained phase relations in the H2O,NaCl system we calculated the effect of fluid phase separation on the Br/Cl signature of a hydrothermal fluid with initial seawater composition for closed and open adiabatic ascents along the 4.5 and 4.8 J g,1 K,1 isentropes. The calculations indicate that fluid phase separation can significantly alter the Br/Cl ratio in hydrothermal fluids. The predicted Br/Cl evolutions are in accord with the Br/Cl signatures in low-salinity vent fluids from the 9 to 10°N East Pacific Rise. [source] Stereological measurement of porto-central gradients in gene expression in mouse liverHEPATOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Jan M. Ruijter The liver is thought to consist of lobules, numerous repeating, randomly oriented units. Within these lobules, genes are expressed in gradients along the porto-central axis, which spans the distance between portal and central veins. We have developed a robust stereological method to map all points in an image to their position on this porto-central axis. This approach is based on the distribution of well-characterized periportal and pericentral enzymes, which are visualized on sections preceding and following the section of interest. Because expression of the model genes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and ornithine aminotransferase declines gradually with increasing distance from the portal vein and central vein, respectively, these genes can be used to prepare images with topographical information without any assumption about the shape of the hepatic unit, or about the direction or shape of the gradient to be determined. The "relative distance" image is a 2-dimensional image that accurately maps the relative position of hepatocytes on the porto-central axis in 3-dimensional space. It is superimposed on the serial section under investigation to relate local staining density to position on the porto-central axis and obtain the gene expression gradient. The method was used to determine the expression gradient of 2 periportal and 2 pericentral enzymes and their response to fasting. The "total distance" image was used to measure the length of the porto-central axis, which was approximately 210 ,m in mice and found to decrease 13% after 1 day of starvation. The method can be applied to any tissue component that can be stained quantitatively. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;39:343,352.) [source] The effects of edge, fragment size and degree of isolation on avian species richness in highly fragmented forest in West AfricaIBIS, Issue 2 2007S. MANU Almost nothing is known of the effects of forest fragmentation on bird diversity within the heavily degraded and fragmented forest remnants in West Africa. We examined the effects of edge, fragment size and isolation on bird species richness in southwestern Nigeria where forest fragmentation is pronounced. In total, 122 km of line transects were used to survey birds and vegetation within 45 forest patches between January 2000 and March 2002: 197 species were recorded. Avian species number and total counts in forest patches were unrelated to fragment area (within the observed range of 14,445 ha), but were negatively influenced by degree of isolation and increasing distance from the edge. As the total area of forested land within 15 km of a patch fell from 4 to 0%, so 21% of species were lost. In total, six and zero species (of 154 recorded more than once) were consistently recorded in the larger and smaller forest fragments, respectively, and four and two bird species were consistently recorded in unisolated and isolated forest fragments, respectively, suggesting that the addition of ,edge' species did not compensate for loss of species sensitive to fragmentation. Diversity index was not affected by either fragment area or degree of isolation, but decreased with distance from the edge. When individual species counts were considered, 68% of species (n = 62) showed no significant effect of distance to edge. Of those 20 species which showed an effect, 12 were less common close to the edge. Most species (65%) did not respond significantly to increasing isolation but of those 22 species that did, 20 were less common in more isolated fragments. Ninety-seven per cent of species showed no significant response to area. As avian diversity and species composition, but not species number, were apparently insensitive to forest fragmentation, our findings suggest that fragmentation reduces the probability of occurrence of a wide range of West African bird species, rather than a subset of fragmentation-sensitive species. The greater apparent sensitivity of present-day West African forest bird communities to fragmentation rather than patch size might reflect previous extinctions of area-sensitive species. Minimizing further forest fragmentation might be the most effective means of conserving avian diversity in current West African landscapes where most remaining forest patches are small (i.e. < 500 ha). [source] Survival rates, causes of failure and productivity of Skylark Alauda arvensis nests on lowland farmlandIBIS, Issue 4 2002P. F. Donald This paper analyses data from 995 Skylark Alauda arvensis nests found on lowland farms in southern England from 1996 to 1998. The majority of recorded nest failures were caused by predation except in agricultural grass, where trampling and agricultural operations were equally important. Nest survival rates varied between crop types, nests in cereals being around twice as likely to succeed as nests in grass or set-aside. In cereals, nest survival rates increased with increasing distance from the nearest tramline and declined over the course of the breeding season. Predator control also had a significant independent effect on nest survival rates. On one farm where many other factors were held constant, a highly significant increase in nest survival rates from 12.3% to 40.7% coincided with the introduction of intensive predator control, which also appeared to bring forward mean laying dates. Most environmental factors explaining significant variation in nest survival rates did so only at the chick stage. The mean number of chicks produced per nesting attempt was 1.26 in cereals, 0.78 in set-aside and 0.63 in grass, the differences being due primarily to variation in nest survival rates. Low densities of Skylark territories in cereal crops are not therefore the consequence of low breeding success at the scale of the individual nest and probably reflect limitations on the number of attempts made in a season. Measures taken to improve the attractiveness of cereal crops as a nesting habitat for Skylarks, and beneficial changes in grassland management, are likely to increase overall productivity. [source] The French Riots: Questioning Spaces of Surveillance and SovereigntyINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 2 2006Susan Ossman ABSTRACT This paper examines the riots in France in late 2005 in terms of how they lead to a reconceptualization of the spaces of danger, culture, territory, and sovereignty. It traces a brief history of danger zones and immigration, noting how these two terms have increasingly overlapped. We analyse key discursive formations - legal, political, social scientific, and media - whose explanation for the emergence of the "immigrant" delinquent is linked to what is identified as a culture of poverty. They provide a sustained examination of recent legal reforms of juvenile law as well as judicial practices within the juvenile justice system to show the systematic exclusionary practices of what is claimed to be a colour blind republican system. They reveal a consensus across the political spectrum and among police, prosecutors, investigating magistrates, and new security experts on the need to privilege accountability, restitution, and retribution in the treatment of juvenile offenders. We present evidence from interviews and ethnographic observation among youths of all backgrounds. Ironically, while the children of immigrants seek to claim a voice in the national community, their peers from more privileged social milieu express increasing distance from national concerns, seeking to lead lives as Europeans or global citizens. We end by arguing that this needs to be taken into account in any analysis of frustrated and disenfranchised suburban youths. A transnational or supra-national sociology that accounts for the itineraries of immigrants of all kinds must be developed. LES ÉMEUTES EN FRANCE: QU'EN EST-IL DES ESPACES DE SURVEILLANCE ET DE LA SOUVERAINETÉ? Les émeutes qui ont éclaté en France fin 2005 conduisent à une reconceptualisation des notions de danger, de culture, de territoire et de souveraineté. Cet article, qui présente un bref historique des zones de danger et de l'immigration, montre combien ces deux concepts ont tendance à se rejoindre. Nous analysons les principales formations discursives - juridique, politique, sociale, scientifique et médiatique - qui expliquent l'émergence du délinquant « immigré » en l'associant à ce qui est décrit comme une culture de la pauvreté. Elles nous offrent un examen soutenu des réformes récentes du droit des mineurs et des pratiques judiciaires au sein du système de justice des mineurs, et montrent les pratiques d'exclusion systématiques d'un système républicain prétendant ignorer les préjugés raciaux. Elles montrent que, d'un bout à l'autre de l'échiquier politique, dans la police, chez les procureurs, les juges d'instruction et les nouveaux spécialistes de la sécurité, il existe un consensus sur la nécessité de privilégier l'obligation de rendre des comptes, la réparation et le châtiment dans le traitement des mineurs délinquants. Nous étayons cet argument à partir d'entretiens et d'observations ethnographiques de jeunes de tous les milieux. De façon assez ironique, alors que les enfants d'immigrés veulent avoir leur mot à dire au sein de la communauté nationale, les enfants de milieux plus privilégiés se disent de moins en moins concernés par les préoccupations nationales et cherchent à mener une vie d'Européen ou de citoyen du monde. En conclusion, nous avançons que cette situation doit être prise en compte dans toute analyse des jeunes des banlieues frustrés et privés de droits. Une sociologie transnationale ou supranationale qui rendrait compte des itinéraires des immigrés, tous milieux sociaux confondus, serait une bonne chose. LAS REVUELTAS FRANCESAS: CUESTIONAMIENTO DE LOS ESPACIOS DE VIGILANCIA Y SOBERANÍA En este artículo se examinan las revueltas de Francia a finales de 2005 en la medida en que conducen a una reconceptualización de los espacios de peligro, cultura, territorio y soberanía. Se traza una breve historia de las zonas de peligro y de la inmigración, señalando a la atención cómo estos dos conceptos han ido solapándose crecientemente. Se analizan formaciones discursivas clave -jurídicas, políticas, propias de las ciencias sociales y mediáticas - cuyas explicaciones de la aparición del delincuente "inmigrante" se vinculan con lo que se ha descrito como una cultura de la pobreza. Se ofrece un examen sostenido de las recientes reformas jurídicas de las leyes sobre los menores, así como de las prácticas judiciales dentro del sistema de justicia de menores para mostrar las prácticas de exclusión sistemática de lo que se considera que es un sistema republicano daltónico. Se revela un consenso entre los políticos y entre la policía, los fiscales, los jueces de instrucción y los nuevos expertos en seguridad sobre la necesidad de dar prelación a la asunción de responsabilidades, la restitución y la retribución en el tratamiento de los menores delincuentes. Se presentan pruebas extraídas de entrevistas y de la observación etnográfica de los jóvenes de todos los ambientes. Irónicamente, mientras los hijos de inmigrantes tienden a reclamar una voz en la comunidad nacional, sus iguales de medios sociales más privilegiados expresan un creciente distanciamiento de las preocupaciones nacionales y prefieren vivir como europeos o ciudadanos del mundo. Se termina arguyendo que es preciso tener en cuenta este factor en cualquier análisis de los jóvenes frustrados y privados de voto que viven en los barrios periféricos. Será preciso desarrollar una sociología transnacional o supranacional que explique los itinerarios de todo tipo de inmigrantes. [source] The geographical range structure of the holly leaf-miner.JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Summary 1The local population density structure of a phytophagous insect, the holly leaf-miner Phytomyza ilicis Curtis, was examined across its natural geographical range in Europe. 2The frequency distribution of the number of sample sites at which the leaf-miner attained different densities per tree was strongly right-skewed, with the species being absent from a large number of sites at which its host occurred, particularly in southern regions. 3There was a decline in the spatial autocorrelation of leaf-miner densities with increasing distance between sample sites, with negative autocorrelation at long lags resulting in part from high densities being attained at the north-eastern range limits and low densities at the southern range limits. 4Partial regression analysis was used to model leaf-miner densities in terms of spatial position within the geographical range and the broad climate experienced at the sample localities. This accounted for between 40 and 65% of the variation in densities, dependent upon how the leaf-miner's geographical range was defined. 5While overall these results are at odds with common and intuitively appealing assertions about the abundance structure of geographical ranges, they can readily be interpreted in terms of a simple modification of a general model of such structures. [source] Association of Molecular Variants, Haplotypes, and Linkage Disequilibrium Within the Human Vitamin D-Binding Protein (DBP) Gene With Postmenopausal Bone Mineral Density,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 9 2003Yoichi Ezura Abstract Possible contribution of vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) gene for determination of BMD was tested by characterizing 13 SNPs in 384 adult Japanese women. When the effect of a specific single SNP was tested, five SNPs (,39C>T, IVS1+827C>T, IVS1+1916C>T, IVS1-1154A>G, and IVS11+1097G>C) correlated with BMD significantly at various levels. The chromosomal dosage of one haplotype (T-C-C-G-T-C in ,39C>T, IVS1+827C>T, IVS1+1916C>T, IVS1-1154A>G, D432E, and IVS11+1097G>C) displayed significant correlation with adjusted radial BMD (r = 0.15, p = 0.008; n = 331). Multiple regression analyses revealed a most significant correlation with the combination of IVS1+827C>T and D432E (r2 = 0.029, p = 0.005). These results indicate a complex combined effect of several SNPs within the DBP gene that might underlie susceptibility to low radial BMD and osteoporosis. Introduction: Osteoporosis results from the interplay of multiple environmental and genetic determinants. The gene encoding vitamin D-binding protein (DBP), a key factor for regulating calcium homeostasis through the vitamin D endocrine system, is a probable candidate for conferring susceptibility to osteoporosis. Methods: To test a possible contribution of the DBP gene for determination of bone mineral density (BMD) of adult women, we have characterized 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the DBP gene in DNA from 384 adult Japanese women and attempted to correlate specific SNPs with BMD. Results and Conclusions: Sixteen major haplotypes accounted for 80% of the variations, indicating allelic complexity in this genomic region. Pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD), measured by the D, and r2 statistics, demonstrated a general pattern of decline with increasing distance, but individual LD values within small genomic segments were diverse. Regression analysis for adjusted BMD revealed significant correlation with respect to five of them (,39C>T, IVS1+827C>T, IVS1+1916C>T, IVS1-1154A>G, and IVS11+1097G>C) at various levels. An intronic SNP (IVS11+1097G>C) with the highest significance of association (p = 0.006) showed significant LD with four SNPs located around the first exon (r2 values >0.18, D, > 0.5). A non-synonymous coding SNP, D432E, showed a comparable level of correlation, but it was in a moderate LD only with IVS11+1097G>C. The chromosomal dosage of one haplotype (T-C-C-G-T-C in ,39C>T, IVS1+827C>T, IVS1+1916C>T, IVS1-1154A>G, D432E and IVS11+1097G>C) estimated in each subject displayed significant correlation with adjusted radial BMD (r = 0.15, p = 0.008; n = 331). Furthermore, multiple regression analyses revealed that the most significant correlation was achieved for the combination of IVS1+827C>T and D432E (r2 = 0.029, p = 0.005). These results indicate a complex combined effect of several SNPs within the DBP gene that might underlie susceptibility to low radial BMD and osteoporosis. [source] Seedling survival in Manilkara butugi Chiov. along a dispersal gradient in Kakamega forest, KenyaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Geoffery M. Wahungu Abstract The spatial patterns of seedling distribution in Manilkara butugi were studied between December 2004 and April 2005 at Kakamega forest, Kenya. Our objectives were to determine the spatial variation in seedling density in relation to distance from the parent tree and the survivorship patterns of M. butugi seedlings. We hypothesized that seedling density and mortality would be highest beneath the parent tree and would reduce with increasing distance from the parent tree. Line transects, radiating along the four compass directions from mature female M. butugi trees were established, and quadrats marked out at intervals of 5 m in which seedlings were counted. To determine establishment and survivorship, belt transects 5 m × 40 m running along the northerly compass direction were laid and data collected on seedling variables. Seedling density reduced with increasing distance from the parent plant (F = 25.72, df = 3; P < 0.001). Whereas seedling height (F = 14.806, df = 1; P < 0.05) and the number of leaves (F = 12.45, df = 1; P < 0.05) increased with increasing distance from the parent tree, damage to seedlings reduced with increasing distance (F = 27.59, P < 0.05). Our results were consistent with the Janzen,Cornell escape hypothesis and have implications for natural regeneration of M. butugi and to maintenance of species diversity. Résumé Entre décembre 2004 et avril 2005, on a étudié le schéma spatial de la distribution de jeunes plants de Manilkara butugi dans la forêt de Kakamega, au Kenya. Notre objectif était de déterminer la variation spatiale de la distribution de la densité des jeunes plants en fonction de la distance par rapport à l'arbre parent et le schéma de la survie des jeunes plants de M. butugi. Nous avions émis l'hypothèse que la densité et la mortalité des jeunes plants seraient maximales sous l'arbre parent et qu'elles iraient en diminuant quand la distance augmenterait par rapport à lui. Nous avons défini des transects en ligne, rayonnant dans les quatre directions de la boussole à partir de M. butugi femelles adultes, et délimité tous les cinq mètres des quadrats où les jeunes plants furent comptés. Pour déterminer l'établissement et la survie, des transects en bandes de 5m x 40m ont été définis le long de la direction nord et nous avons récolté des données sur des variables concernant les jeunes plants. La densité des jeunes plants diminuait avec l'éloignement par rapport à l'arbre parent (F = 25.72; ddl = 3; P < 0.001). Alors que la hauteur des jeunes plants (F = 14.806; ddl = 1; P < 0.05) et le nombre de feuilles (F = 12.45, ddl = 1; P < 0.05) augmentaient avec la distance les séparant de l'arbre parent, les dommages causés aux jeunes plants diminuaient (F = 27.59; P < 0.05). Nos résultats concordent avec l'hypothèse d'évitement de Janzen-Connell et ils ont des implications pour la régénération naturelle de M. butugi et pour la préservation de la diversité des espèces. [source] Effects of water dependence on the utilization pattern of woody vegetation by elephants in the Tembe Elephant Park, Maputaland, South AfricaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Jerome Y. Gaugris Abstract The utilization of vegetation and particularly trees in enclosed small reserves where elephant populations are confined is a contentious conservation issue. In Tembe Elephant Park in Maputaland, the diverse Sand Forest is considered the most valuable feature to conserve; yet it is considered at risk from increasing elephant utilization of the park's vegetation in general. The mean canopy removal by elephants across the park was studied over two periods: a recent period including the twelve months before the study and an older period >12 months earlier. Age of utilization was determined from the degree of decay observed on woody fibres. The relationships between intensity of utilization, vegetation unit selection and distance to water were evaluated. Results show that utilization patterns have shifted in the recent drier period, during which elephants used vegetation communities closer to permanent water. Concurringly, a significant decrease in utilization intensity was correlated to an increasing distance from water points in the park during that period, while this effect was not observed during the wetter old period. We debate that active water availability management may be a way to limit elephant utilization in small fenced reserves. Résumé L'utilisation de la végétation, et particulièrement des arbres, dans de petites réserves clôturées où sont confinées des populations d'éléphants est un problème de conservation controversé. Dans le Tembe Elephant Park, au Maputaland, la Sand Forest, très variée, est considérée comme la caractéristique la plus intéressante à préserver; pourtant, on estime qu'elle est en danger en raison de l'utilisation croissante que font les éléphants de la végétation du parc en général. Pendant deux périodes de temps, on a étudié l'enlèvement moyen de la canopée par les éléphants dans tout le parc : une période récente qui incluait les 12 mois qui ont précédé cette étude et une période plus ancienne, plus de 12 mois auparavant. La date de l'utilisation fut déterminée à partir du degré de décomposition observé sur les fibres ligneuses. Les relations entre l'intensité de l'utilisation, la sélection du type de végétation et la distance par rapport à l'eau ont étéévaluées. Les résultats montrent que les schémas d'utilisation se sont modifiés lors de la période sèche récente, au cours de laquelle les éléphants ont fréquenté des communautés végétales plus proches des points d'eau permanents. Dans le même temps, une réduction significative de l'intensité d'utilisation était corrélée à l'éloignement croissant par rapport aux points d'eau dans le parc, alors que cet effet ne fut pas constaté au cours de la première période, plus humide. Nous discutons du fait que la gestion de la disponibilité en eau pourrait être un moyen de limiter la fréquentation des petites réserves clôturées par les éléphants. [source] Multigenerational analysis of spatial structure in the terrestrial, food-deceptive orchid Orchis masculaJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Hans Jacquemyn Summary 1In long-lived, terrestrial orchids, strong aggregation of adults and recruits within populations and pronounced spatial association between recruits and adults can be expected when seed dispersal is limited, probabilities of seed germination decrease with increasing distance from mother plants and/or not all mother plants contribute to future generations. When individuals are distributed evenly across life-history stages, these processes can also be expected to result in a significant fine-scale spatial genetic structure in recruits that will persist into the adult-stage class. 2We combined detailed spatial genetic and point pattern analyses across different generations with parentage analyses to elucidate the role of the diverse processes that might determine spatial structure in Orchis mascula. 3Analyses of spatial point patterns showed a significant association between adults and recruits and similar clustering patterns for both. Weak, but highly significant spatial genetic structure was observed in adults and recruits, but no significant differences were observed across life stages, indicating that the spatial genetic structure present in recruits persists into the adult stage. 4Parentage analyses highlighted relatively short seed dispersal distances (median offspring-recruitment distance: 1.55 and 1.70 m) and differential contribution of mother plants to future generations. 5Persistence of fine-scale spatial genetic structure from seedlings into the adult stage class is consistent with the life history of O. mascula, whereas relatively large dispersal distances of both pollen and seeds compared to the fine-scale clustering of adults and seedlings suggest overlapping seed shadows and mixing of genotypes within populations as the major factors explaining the observed weak spatial genetic structure. 6Nonetheless, comparison of the spatial association between recruits and adults with the genetic analysis of offspring-parent distances suggests that the tight clustering of recruits around adults was probably caused by decreasing probabilities of seed germination with increasing distance from mother plants. 7Synthesis. This study shows that the approach presented here, which combines spatial genetic and spatial pattern analyses with parentage analyses, may be broadly applied to other plant species to elucidate the processes that determine spatial structure within their populations. [source] The effects of neighbouring tree islands on pollinator density and diversity, and on pollination of a wet prairie species, Asclepias lanceolata (Apocynaceae)JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2006DEREK R. ARTZ Summary 1The Everglades (Florida, USA) is a mosaic of different habitats. Tropical and temperate trees grow on patches of high ground (tree islands) surrounded by lower elevation wetland communities (marl prairie). 2Tree islands of various sizes provide nesting substrate, larval host plants and floral resources for insect pollinators. Herbaceous plants in the open surrounding wetlands may also depend on these pollinators. 3We investigated pollinator diversity and abundances in both tree island and marl prairie habitats using transect sampling methods and estimated pollination success of the milkweed Asclepias lanceolata, an insect-pollinated marl prairie species, in relation to distance from and size of the closest tree island. 4On a total of 11 bayhead tree islands, we found that insect diversity and abundance were greater on the edge of larger tree islands (20,30 m2) than on smaller tree islands (5,10 m2). Pollinator diversity and abundance in the marl prairie decreased with increasing distance from tree islands. 5Pairs of potted A. lanceolata plants were placed in the marl prairie at distances up to 1000 m from small and large tree islands. Fruit and seed production were highest for plants placed less than 25 m from tree islands and decreased with increasing distance. 6Our results suggest that tree islands are an important source of pollinators for the plants in the tree island and surrounding wetland habitats. 7This landscape-based study illustrates how overall landscape structure affects important biotic interactions, particularly plant,pollinator relationships. Our findings have far-reaching ecological implications for the reproductive success of plants in small, isolated populations that may depend on insect vectors for pollination. [source] Forest herb colonization of postagricultural forests in central New York State, USAJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Rhine Singleton Summary 1,The recovery of forest vegetation following abandonment of agriculture was followed by surveying forest herbs in central New York State at 25 sites where postagricultural forest occurred directly adjacent to old-woods (forest that has never been ploughed). 2,The abundance, richness and diversity of 50 forest herbs were on average lower in postagricultural forests than in old-woods. 3,Thirty of 39 forest herbs that were found in at least four stands were less frequent (number of plots present out of 60) in postagricultural forests than in old-woods. Three species (Aster divaricatus, Dryopteris intermedia and Polystichum acrostichoides) had significantly higher frequency in old-woods, while none was significantly more common in postagricultural forests. 4,Although differences among species in their frequency in the two forest types were not strongly related to dispersal mode, species with rapid clonal expansion were significantly more frequent in postagricultural stands. 5,Several species that were less frequent in postagricultural forests than in old-woods showed decreases in density in postagricultural forests with increasing distance from the adjacent old-woods. [source] Non-direct homing behaviours by adult Chinook salmon in a large, multi-stock river systemJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008M. L. Keefer Two non-direct homing behaviours, overshoot of natal tributaries and temporary non-natal tributary use, were evaluated for 5150 radio-tagged spring,summer Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from 40 populations in the large Columbia River system. Over 7 years, 2,44% (mean = 15%) of individuals within each group temporarily entered presumed non-natal tributaries. In addition, many Chinook salmon from lower river tributaries initially travelled 3 to >250 km upstream in the main-stem river beyond confluences with presumed natal tributaries before returning to the natal sites (,overshoot'). Both overshoot and temporary tributary use behaviours declined exponentially with increasing distance from the natal tributary. Non-direct homing also increased later in the season as water temperatures rose and was associated with hatchery origin in some cases. The behaviours may reflect a mix of active searching for olfactory cues from natal sites, behavioural thermoregulation and orientation challenges in a large-river migration corridor transformed by dams and reservoirs. While anadromous salmonid homing is generally accurate and precise, these results indicate that route finding can be non-direct, potentially increasing energetic costs and harvest risks during migration. [source] Is fish condition correlated with water conductivity?JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003G. H. Copp There were no correlations between fish condition (K) and water conductivity in 14 species of 0+ year fishes in the River Great Ouse, U.K., catchment. Values of K increased with increasing distance from river source in dace Leuciscus leuciscus and roach Rutilus rutilus. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||