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Breeding Colony (breeding + colony)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	80%

Selected Abstracts

The separation of Pterodroma madeira (Zino's Petrel) from Pterodroma feae (Fea's Petrel) (Aves: Procellariidae)

IBIS, Issue 2 2008
FRANCIS ZINO
The taxonomic status of petrels from the North East Atlantic has long been a matter of debate. Breeding colonies of petrels occurring on the islands of Madeira, Bugio and Cape Verde were originally thought to be outlying populations of the polytypic species Pterodroma mollis. Subsequent taxonomic treatments have varied considerably in their classification of birds from these islands. The petrel populations on Madeira and Bugio represent some of Europe's rarest breeding birds and their exact species designation, and hence relation to conservation mandates, is a question of considerable importance. In this study we use molecular techniques alongside more traditional taxonomic characters to confirm the existence of two species of the genus Pterodroma in the Archipelago of Madeira. We also discuss identification of these species in the field and the implications for their conservation management. [source]

Topographic spatial characterisation of grey seal Halichoerus grypus breeding habitat at a sub-seal size spatial grain

ECOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2001
S. D. Twiss
Expansion within breeding colonies may critically depend upon the availability of suitable breeding habitat. Here we use topographic modelling in a GIS to characterise suitable pupping habitat and accurately predict the pattern of colonisation in an expanding grey seal breeding colony-the Isle of May (Scotland), We use high resolution images from large format aerial photographs of the colony to generate sub-metre accurate Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), GIS modelling with these DTMs provides topographic measures of elevation, slope and ease of access to sea and freshwater pools at a 2 m grid cell size. Seal locations during the 1994 breeding season, with sex-age class, were also digitised from the same images. We examine how the physical attributes of cells (locations) with and without pups differ and identify areas suitable for pupping but remaining unoccupied during 1994. We predict patterns of future colonisation by characterising areas differentiated by the densities of pups within 5 m grid cells and identifying areas, both occupied or unoccupied, with a potential for increased future pupping densities. Our predictions were tested by examining pup distributions observed in the 1998 breeding season. Occupied sites were significantly closer to freshwater pools and access to the sea (p < 0.001) than unoccupied sites suggesting that proximity to water may restrict colony expansion before all areas of suitably flat terrain are occupied. All pup density classes occurred in sites with similar slope values and distance to pools. However, higher pupping densities occurred closer to access points (p = 0.014). Pup densities observed in 1998 revealed that our 1994 predictions were accurate (p < 0.0001). Only 12% of 466 grid cells had higher densities in 1998 than predicted, of which 88% differed by only 1 pup. These incorrectly classified cells occurred at the expanding edge of the colony (in a more topographically homogenous area) and at the main access points from the sea (major traffic zones). These results demonstrate the value of the accurate quantification of topographic parameters at the appropriate spatial grain (in this case below the size of the individual) for use in habitat classification and predictions of habitat utilization. [source]

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, toxaphenes, and other halogenated organic pollutants in great blue heron eggs

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2010
Louise Champoux
Abstract The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) has been used as a bioindicator of the state of the St. Lawrence River (Québec, Canada) since 1996. At 5-year intervals, selected breeding colonies along the River and its estuary are visited to estimate reproductive success and determine levels of contamination. Brominated flame retardants are found in many ecosystems and are increasing in concentration in the Great Lakes, which is the source of much of the water for the St. Lawrence River. In 2001 and 2002, in addition to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides, the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated bornanes (toxaphene) congeners and non- ortho -substituted PCBs were measured for the first time in pools of great blue heron eggs. The PBDE levels in great blue heron eggs (70,1,377,ng/g wet wt) were comparable to those measured in herring gull (Larus argentatus) eggs from the Great Lakes. Toxaphene was detected in great blue heron eggs at levels comparable to those of other major chlorinated pesticides. Major toxaphene congeners were octachlorobornane P44 and the nonachlorobornane P50. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:243,249. © 2009 SETAC [source]

Trace metals, stable isotope ratios, and trophic relations in seabirds from the North Pacific Ocean

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2005
John E. Elliott
Abstract Trace elements including mercury, cadmium, selenium, and stable nitrogen isotope ratios (,15N) were measured in tissues of Pacific seabirds. Two species of albatross (Diomedea immutabilis, Diomedea nigripes), four species of shearwaters (Puffinus bulleri, Puffinus carneipes, Puffinus griseus, Puffinus tenuirostris), northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), and horned puffin (Fratercula corniculata) were collected opportunistically by an experimental fishery in the North Pacific Ocean. Two species each of petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa, Oceanodroma furcata) and auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus, Cerorhinca monocerata) were collected at breeding colonies on the north coast of British Columbia, Canada. Concentrations of toxic trace metals varied considerably among the pelagic nonbreeders; highest concentrations consistently were in D. nigripes (e.g., Hg), 70-fold greater than F. corniculata (e.g., Cd), eightfold greater than P. tenuirostris (e.g., Se), and fourfold greater than F. corniculata. Most essential trace elements varied little among species, consistent with physiological regulation. Values for ,15N correlated positively with hepatic Se (r = 0.771, p = 0.025) and negatively with Co (r = 0.817, p = 0.013). Among the four breeding species, there were significant positive associations for ,15N in muscle and hepatic Se (r = 0.822, p = 0.002), Hg (r = 0.744, p = 0.0001), and Cd (r = 0.589, p = 0.003). Differences in time scales integrated by ,15N versus trace metals in tissues probably reduced the apparent associations between trace-metal exposure and diet. [source]

New organochlorine contaminants and metabolites in plasma and eggs of glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) from the Norwegian Arctic

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 10 2005
Jonathan Verreault
Abstract The present study investigated new or lesser-studied and legacy organochlorine (OC) contaminants and metabolites in plasma and eggs of glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) collected from major breeding colonies on Bear Island in the Norwegian Arctic. Hexachlorobutadiene was below the method limit of detection (<0.07 ng/g lipid wt) in all samples. The sum (sum) of 20 chlorobornane congener concentrations ranged between 294 and 986 ng/g lipid weight and 104 and 1,121 ng/g lipid weight in plasma and eggs, respectively, whereas those of ,20polychlorinated naphthalene ranged between 1.34 and 126 ng/g lipid weight in plasma and 1.82 and 162 ng/g lipid weight in eggs. Bis(4-chlorophenyl) sulfone concentrations ranged between 5.24 and 143 ng/g lipid weight plasma, which is the first report of this contaminant in arctic biota north of Sweden. Based on 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs), partial dioxin-like toxicity varied between 3.04 and 20.8 ng TEQ/g lipid weight in plasma and 0.94 and 46.5 ng TEQ/g lipid weight in eggs, and largely was due to concentrations of non- ortho polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with a very minor contribution from mono- ortho PCBs and polychlorinated naphthalenes. The major aryl sulfone metabolite in plasma was an unidentified hexachlorinated MeSO2 -PCB congener (range: 13.5,551 ng/g lipid wt), whereas the pentachlorinated congeners 3,- and 4,-MeSO2 -CB101 (range: 4.49,38.1 ng/g lipid wt) dominated in eggs. The predominant halogenated phenolic compound (HPC) in plasma was consistently the PCB metabolite 4-OH-CB187 (range: 0.29,17.5 ng/g wet wt), whereas in eggs, detectable HPCs were at very low and transient concentrations. As part of a complex profile of contaminant exposure, these chemical classes and metabolites may be contributing factors to enhance physiological stress in breeding glaucous gulls. [source]

Vocal Discrimination in Mate Guarding Male Australian Sea Lions: Familiarity Breeds Contempt

ETHOLOGY, Issue 8 2010
Marie R. G. Attard
The vocal characteristics of a species can be immensely diverse, and can significantly impact animal social interactions. The social structure of a species may vary with geographical variation in call characteristics. The ability of pinnipeds (true seals, fur seals, sea lions and walrus) to distinguish between conspecifics may assist male reproductive strategies, particularly mate acquisition. We assessed the ability of mate guarding Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) males to discriminate local from foreign males' barks recorded from a geographically distant breeding colony. Bark characteristics were significantly different between colonies, with barks produced by males from the Lewis Island breeding colony higher pitched and longer in both duration and interval duration than barks produced by males on Kangaroo Island. Mate guarding males displayed inter-colony discrimination of barks, with a significantly stronger response to barks from local males than to those of males from a colony approx. 180 km away. Local males' barks were apparently considered a greater threat than barks from unfamiliar males. We propose that discrimination of acoustic characteristics may facilitate reproductive isolation in this species that may lead to an ethological,acoustic barrier between breeding colonies, and subsequent genetic isolation. [source]

Reducing sea turtle by-catch in pelagic longline fisheries

FISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 1 2006
Eric Gilman
Abstract Reducing by-catch of sea turtles in pelagic longline fisheries, in concert with activities to reduce other anthropogenic sources of mortality, may contribute to the recovery of marine turtle populations. Here, we review research on strategies to reduce sea turtle by-catch. Due to the state of management regimes in most longline fisheries, strategies to reduce turtle interactions must not only be effective but also must be commercially viable. Because most research has been initiated only recently, many results are not yet peer-reviewed, published or readily accessible. Moreover, most experiments have small sample sizes and have been conducted over only a few seasons in a small number of fisheries; many study designs preclude drawing conclusions about the independent effect of single factors on turtle by-catch and target catch rates; and few studies consider effects on other by-catch species. In the US North Atlantic longline swordfish fishery, 4.9-cm wide circle hooks with fish bait significantly reduced sea turtle by-catch rates and the proportion of hard-shell turtles that swallowed hooks vs. being hooked in the mouth compared to 4.0-cm wide J hooks with squid bait without compromising commercial viability for some target species. But these large circle hooks might not be effective or economically viable in other longline fisheries. The effectiveness and commercial viability of a turtle avoidance strategy may be fishery-specific, depending on the size and species of turtles and target fish and other differences between fleets. Testing of turtle avoidance methods in individual fleets may therefore be necessary. It is a priority to conduct trials in longline fleets that set gear shallow, those overlapping the most threatened turtle populations and fleets overlapping high densities of turtles such as those fishing near breeding colonies. In addition to trials using large 4.9-cm wide circle hooks in place of smaller J and Japan tuna hooks, other fishing strategies are under assessment. These include: (i) using small circle hooks (, 4.6-cm narrowest width) in place of smaller J and Japan tuna hooks; (ii) setting gear below turtle-abundant depths; (iii) single hooking fish bait vs. multiple hook threading; (iv) reducing gear soak time and retrieval during daytime; and (v) avoiding by-catch hotspots through fleet communication programmes and area and seasonal closures. [source]

Incorporating movement into models of grey seal population dynamics

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2006
PHILIP J. HARRISON
Summary 1One of the most difficult problems in developing spatially explicit models of population dynamics is the validation and parameterization of the movement process. We show how movement models derived from capture,recapture analysis can be improved by incorporating them into a spatially explicit metapopulation model that is fitted to a time series of abundance data. 2We applied multisite capture,recapture analysis techniques to photo-identification data collected from female grey seals at the four main breeding colonies in the North Sea between 1999 and 2001. The best-fitting movement models were then incorporated into state-space metapopulation models that explicitly accounted for demographic and observational stochasticity. 3These metapopulation models were fitted to a 20-year time series of pup production data for each colony using a Bayesian approach. The best-fitting model, based on the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), had only a single movement parameter, whose confidence interval was 82% less than that obtained from the capture,recapture study, but there was some support for a model that included an effect of distance between colonies. 4The state-space modelling provided improved estimates of other demographic parameters. 5The incorporation of movement, and the way in which it was modelled, affected both local and regional dynamics. These differences were most evident as colonies approached their carrying capacities, suggesting that our ability to discriminate between models should improve as the length of the grey seal time series increases. [source]

Assessment of hypotheses about dispersal in a long-lived seabird using multistate capture,recapture models

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2004
Emmanuelle Cam
Summary 1Dispersal contributes to spatio-temporal variation in population size and is a key process in studies of life history evolution and studies with conservation implications. However, dispersal is still one of the major gaps in our knowledge of ecological dynamics. The very large literature on metapopulation dynamics lacks empirical bases on dispersal and relevant behavioural parameters. We used multistate capture,recapture models (data from 1988 to 2001) to address hypotheses about movement probability and habitat selection within a system of two breeding colonies in Audouin's gulls (Larus audouinii), an endemic species breeding in the Mediterranean and considered as threatened. 2Movement probability varied over time, and differed greatly between the colonies. 3We did not find evidence of an influence of colony size or density of predators on movement probability. 4In dispersers, our results did not support the hypotheses that movement probability between year t and t+ 1 was influenced by mean breeding success in the colony of origin (i.e. an indicator of habitat quality) or the destination colony in year t or t+ 1, or by the ratio of breeding success in these colonies in year t or t + 1 (i.e. quality gradient). 5Overall, movement probability was higher from the smaller colony to the larger, and from the colony with lower breeding success in year t to the more productive one. This provides slight support for two nonexclusive hypotheses about habitat selection (conspecific attraction and conspecific success attraction). 6Movement probability from the smaller, less productive colony was very high in some years, suggesting that the dynamics of both colonies were strongly influenced by adult dispersal. However, in absolute numbers, more individuals moved from the larger, more productive colony to the smaller one. This suggests that the system may function as a source,sink system. 7Use of multistate models to re-assess local survival showed that survival was lower in the less productive colony with higher emigration probability. This may reflect genuine differences in mortality between colonies, or more probably differences in permanent emigration from the study area. [source]

Similarity in the begging calls of nestling Red-winged Blackbirds

JOURNAL OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGY, Issue 3 2008
Ken Yasukawa
ABSTRACT Although individually distinct begging calls may permit parents to recognize their offspring, birds nesting in dense breeding colonies where fledglings intermingle might benefit from additional adaptations. For example, if the calls of all nestlings in a brood were similar, parents would need to recognize only one brood call instead of the identity calls of each nestling. We recorded nestling Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) to determine whether their calls function to identify individuals (identity call hypothesis) or broods (brood call hypothesis). We used spectrogram cross-correlation and dynamic time warping as well as call duration, peak frequency, and frequency range to estimate the similarity of begging calls of nestling Red-winged Blackbirds. We recorded individual nestlings on day 5 and on day 9 of the nestling period to determine whether calls of individuals were more similar than calls of different nestlings, and whether calls of broodmates were more similar than calls of nestlings from different broods. We found that calls of 8-d-old individuals were more similar than calls of different nestlings, but the calls of broodmates were not more similar than those of nestlings from different broods. These results were consistent with the identity call hypothesis. We then compared begging calls of pairs of nestlings recorded separately and together on day 9. We found that the calls of 8-d-old nestlings recorded together were more similar than when they were recorded separately. In addition, using playback of begging calls from normal broods and artificial "broods" constructed from the calls of single nestlings, we found that females returned with food sooner in response to the calls of single nestlings (with enhanced call similarity) than to those of normal broods. Our results suggest that similar begging calls may be beneficial for both nestlings and parents, with broodmates fed at higher rates when their calls are more similar and, after fledging, parents needing to recognize only one brood call instead of the identity calls of each fledgling. SINOPSIS Aunque las diferencias individuales en los llamados de reclamo les pueden permitir a los padres reconocer a su progenie, aves que nidifican en grandes colonias de anidación donde los polluelos pueden mezclarse pueden obtener beneficios mediante adaptaciones adicionales. Por ejemplo, si los llamados de todos los polluelos en el nido son similares los padres necesitarian reconocer solo un tipo de reclamo de los polluelos en vez de identificar llamados individuales de los polluelos. Grabamos polluelos de Agelaius phoeniceus para determinar si sus llamados son usados para identificar individuos (Hipotesis de la identidad del polluelo) o para identificar a la progenie (Hipotesis de la identidad de la progenie). Usamos espectrogramas de correlación cruzada y dinamica del tiempo de combeo al igual que la duración del reclamo, el pico de frecuencia y frecuencia del rango para estimar la similaridad de los llamados de los polluelos de Agelaius phoeniceus. Grabamos polluelos individuales de 5 y 9 días de nacidos para determinar si los llamados de los individuos eran más similares a llamados de otros polluelos y si los llamados dentro de una progenie eran ma similares a llamados de otra progenie. Encontramos que los llamados de polluelos de 8 días de nacidos eran más similares que los llamados de diferentes polluelos, pero los polluelos de una misma progenie no fueron más similares que polluelos de diferentes progenies. Esto resultados concuerdan con la hipotesis de la identidad del polluelo. Después comparamos los llamados de parejas de polluelos grabados por separado y los que fueron grabados juntos el día 9. Encontramos que los llamados de polluelos de 8 días de nacidos grabados juntos fueron mas similares que cuando los polluelos fueron grabados por separado. Adicionalmente, usando playback de llamado de polluelos de progenies normales y progenies "artificales" construidos basado en llamado de un solo polluelo, encontramos que las hembras regresaron más rapidamente con alimento en respuesta al llamado de un solo polluelo (con realzamiento en la similaridad del llamado) que para las progenies normales. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la similaridad en los llamados de los reclamos pueden ser beneficiosos tanto para los polluelos como los padres, en donde las tasa de alimentación es mayor cuando sus llamados son mas similares, y después de abandonar el nido cuando los padres necesitan reconocer un solo llamado de la progenie en vez de tener que identificar llamados individuales de cada volanton. [source]

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection in breeding monkeys: detection and analysis of strain diversity by PCR

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2002
T. Kageyama
In the last three decades, several monkeys reared in outdoor/indoor,outdoor breeding colonies and cages of the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, died of yersiniosis caused by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, necessitating introduction of a method to detect the bacteria rapidly and thus allow preventive measures to be undertaken. A rapid nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for identification of Y. pseudotuberculosis in fecal samples and a random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR approach for distinguishing between bacterial strains were therefore developed. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolates from monkey specimens were found to be classifiable into several types. To determine the source of infection, hundreds of fecal samples of wild rats, pigeons, and sparrows were collected from around the breeding colonies and cages, and subjected to PCR analyses. Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was detected in 1.7% of the fecal samples of wild rats. The DNA fingerprints of the bacteria revealed by RAPD-PCR were the same as that of one strain isolated from macaques, suggesting the wild rat to be a possible source of infection. [source]

Sex-biased gene flow and colonization in the Formosan lesser horseshoe bat: inference from nuclear and mitochondrial markers

JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 3 2008
S.- F. Chen
Abstract Sex-biased behaviours are expected to play an important role in partitioning genetic variance in animal populations. Comparing genetic structure at markers with different modes of inheritance provides a means of detecting these behaviours and their consequences for population genetic structure. In colonially breeding mammals, the common combination of female philopatry and male vagility can promote contrasting patterns of genetic differentiation between the sexes, both via their effects on recurrent gene flow and on colonization. We examined sex differences in gene flow and structure by comparing maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and biparentally inherited autosomal loci in the Formosan lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus monoceros. We found that genetic partitioning was higher at mtDNA than autosomal markers in both sexes, indicative of female-biased philopatry and male-biased dispersal. Across Taiwan, isolation-by-distance was detected for all sex/marker combinations but was steeper for mtDNA than for nuclear markers. We suggest that isolation-by-distance shown from mtDNA at large scales is likely to reflect the stepwise founding of new breeding colonies by females during colonization. In contrast, no isolation-by-distance was found at smaller distances of up to 100 km, indicating that gene flow and/or recent shared ancestry homogenises genetic structure among nearby sites. Our results highlight the value of an indirect genetic approach to understanding sex-biased behaviours and their consequences in a little-studied species. [source]

Mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite variation in the eider duck (Somateria mollissima) indicate stepwise postglacial colonization of Europe and limited current long-distance dispersal

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2004
R. Tiedemann
Abstract To unravel the postglacial colonization history and the current intercolony dispersal in the common eider, Somateria mollissima, we analysed genetic variation at a part of the mitochondrial control region and five unlinked autosomal microsatellite loci in 175 eiders from 11 breeding colonies, covering the entire European distribution range of this species. As a result of extreme female philopatry, mitochondrial DNA differentiation is substantial both among local colonies and among distant geographical regions. Our study further corroborates the previous hypothesis of a single Pleistocene refugium for European eiders. A nested clade analysis on mitochondrial haplotypes suggests that (i) the Baltic Sea eider population is genetically closest to a presumably ancestral population and that (ii) the postglacial recolonization progressed in a stepwise fashion via the North Sea region and the Faroe Islands to Iceland. Current long-distance dispersal is limited. Differentiation among colonies is much less pronounced at microsatellite loci. The geographical pattern of this nuclear genetic variation is to a large extent explained by isolation by distance. As female dispersal is very limited, the geographical pattern of nuclear variation is probably explained by male-mediated gene flow among breeding colonies. Our study provides genetic evidence for the assumed prominent postglacial colonization route shaping the present terrestrial fauna of the North Atlantic islands Iceland and the Faroes. It suggests that this colonization had been a stepwise process originating in continental Europe. It is the first molecular study on eider duck populations covering their entire European distribution range. [source]

Lack of Genetic Structuring among Tropical Brazilian Wood Stork Populations and Low Genetic Differentiation from North American Populations

BIOTROPICA, Issue 2 2004
Cristiano Dosualdo Rocha
ABSTRACT The Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) is a wading bird inhabiting subtropical and tropical regions of the American continent. This species is considered endangered in the United States. We compared variability and genetic structuring of nine Brazilian Pantanal subpopulations with an North American population using eight allozyme loci data (MPI, ICD, NSP, EST-D, LDH, PGM, 6PGD, and PEP-A) and four microsatellite loci data (WS1, WS2, WS4, and WS6). Average expected heterozygosity of Pantanal population was similar (0.198 ± 0.065) to that expected for the North American population (0.231 ± 0.066). No significant genetic differentiation was found among Pantanal subpopulations (Fst= 0.012) and low differentiation was detected between Pantanal and North American populations (Fst= 0.023). Lack of differentiation among Pantanal subpopulations may have been due to high gene flow level among birds of neighbor breeding colonies and low natal philopatry. We propose that low differentiation between North and South American populations has arisen either because these populations occupied neighboring regions during late glaciation or because there is a continuous gene flow between them, via Central American or northern South American populations. RESUMO O Cabeça-seca (Mycteria americana) é uma ave aquática habitante das regiões tropicais e subtropicais do continente americano. Essa espécie está ameaçada de extinção nos Estados Unidos. Nós comparamos a variabilidade e a estruturação genética de nove subpopulações brasileiras do Pantanal com as da população norte americana, baseando-se em dados de oito locos alozímicos (MPI, ICD, NSP, EST-D, LDH, PGM, 6PGD, e PEP-A) e em dados de quatro locos de microssatélites (WS1, WS2, WS4, e WS6). A heterozigosidade média esperada para a população do Pantanal (0.198 ± 0.065) foi semelhante á esperada para a população norte americana (0.231 ± 0.066). Não foi encontrada diferenciação genética significativa entre as subpopulaçóes do Pantanal (Fst= 0.012) e baixa diferenciação genética foi detectada entre as populações do Pantanal e a norte americana (.Fst= 0.023). A não diferenciação entre subpopulações do Pantanal pode ser resultante de um alto nível do fluxo génico entre aves de colónias reprodutivas vizinhas e da baixa filopatria natal. Nós propomos que a baixa diferenciação entre as populações norte e sul americanas seja decorrente da ocupaçaTo de regiões vizinhas por essas populações durante a última glaciação ou devido á existéncia de fluxo contínue entre elas, via populações da América Central ou do norte da América do Sul. [source]

Physiological and Behavioral Differences in Magellanic Penguin Chicks in Undisturbed and Tourist-Visited Locations of a Colony

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2005
BRIAN G. WALKER
corticoesterona; ecoturismo; perturbación humana; Spheniscus magellanicus Abstract:,Studies examining anthropogenic effects on wildlife typically focus on adults and on behavioral responses rather than the physiological consequences of human disturbances. Here we examined how Magellanic Penguin ( Spheniscus magellanicus) chicks living in either tourist-visited or undisturbed areas of a breeding colony were affected by human visitation by comparing the baseline and stress-induced levels of corticosterone during three periods of the breeding season. Newly hatched chicks in visited areas had higher corticosterone stress responses than newly hatched chicks in undisturbed areas (p =0.007), but baseline levels were similar (p =0.61). By 40,50 days of age and around fledging time, both visited and undisturbed chicks showed a robust corticosterone stress response to capture. Tourist-visited chicks did not flee when approached by humans, however, whereas undisturbed chicks fled significantly sooner (i.e., when approached no closer than 9 m; p < 0.0001). Although it is unknown whether Magellanic Penguin chicks raised in visited areas suffer negative consequences from the elevation of the corticosterone stress response at hatching, they do exhibit behavioral habituation to human contact by the time they are ready to fledge. Unlike adults living in tourist areas, however, fledging chicks in visited areas do not have a decreased stress response to capture and restraint. Our results show that the coupling of behavioral and physiological habituation in Magellanic Penguins is complex and life-history context may greatly affect the ability of wildlife to adapt to anthropogenic disturbances. Resumen:,Los estudios de los efectos antropogénicos sobre la vida silvestre se centran típicamente en adultos y en las respuestas conductuales en lugar de las consecuencias fisiológicas de las perturbaciones humanas. Aquí examinamos el efecto de la visita de humanos sobre pollos de pingüino (Spheniscus magellanicus) en áreas visitadas por turistas o no perturbadas mediante la comparación de los niveles, base e inducidos por estrés, de corticoesterona durante tres períodos de la temporada reproductiva. Los pollos recién eclosionados en áreas visitadas tuvieron mayor respuesta de la corticoesterona al estrés que los pollos recién eclosionados en áreas no perturbadas (p =0.007), pero los niveles básicos fueron similares (p =0.61). A los 40,50 días y en la etapa de volantón, los pollos visitados y no perturbados mostraron una marcada respuesta de la corticoesterona al estrés al ser capturados. Sin embargo, los pollos visitados por turistas no huyeron cuando se les acercaron humanos, mientras que los pollos no perturbados huyeron significativamente antes (i.e., acercamiento a más de 9 m; p < 0.0001). Aunque se desconoce si los pollos de pingüino criados en áreas visitadas sufren consecuencias negativas por la elevación de la corticosterona en respuesta al estrés al eclosionar, si presentan acostumbramiento conductual al contacto con humanos al momento que están listos para dejar el nido. Sin embargo, a diferencia de adultos que viven en áreas turísticas, los pollos volantones en las áreas visitadas no tienen una disminución en la respuesta al estrés cuando son capturados y sujetados. Nuestros resultados muestran la complejidad de la combinación del acostumbramiento conductual y fisiológico en Spheniscus magellanicus y que el contexto de la historia de vida puede afectar a la habilidad de la vida silvestre para adaptarse a las perturbaciones antropogénicas. [source]

Vocal Discrimination in Mate Guarding Male Australian Sea Lions: Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Foraging behaviour and habitat partitioning of two sympatric cormorants in Patagonia, Argentina

IBIS, Issue 3 2008
ESTEBAN FRERE
Radiotelemetry was used to assess the distribution and diving behaviour of Rock Shags Phalacrocorax magellanicus and Red-legged Cormorants Phalacrocorax gaimardi breeding in sympatry, and Rock Shags breeding in isolation. When breeding in sympatry there was little overlap in the foraging locations of the two species, with the highest densities of each species separated by 10 km. Red-legged Cormorants fed significantly closer to the breeding colony than did Rock Shags and undertook shorter foraging trips, making almost twice as many foraging trips per day as Rock Shags. Rock Shags breeding in isolation had a shorter foraging range than the birds breeding in sympatry with Red-legged Cormorants and foraging trip duration was significantly shorter. However, the number of feeding trips per day was similar between areas of sympatry and allopatry. Differences in the foraging ecology of Rock Shags in areas of sympatry and allopatry may be due to interspecific competition, which forces niche differentiation. The distance between foraging sites, the speed of movement of the prey, a species tendency to move into prey-depleted areas and the length of the breeding season (during which the birds are constrained to be in the same area) may play critical roles in determining the extent to which differential area use by competitors is a strategy that benefits both parties. [source]

Reducing the density of breeding gulls influences the pattern of recruitment of immature Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica to a breeding colony

JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2003
S. K. Finney
Summary 1By acting as both competitors and predators, gulls (Larus spp.) are generally considered to reduce significantly the attractiveness of potential breeding sites for other birds. This perceived threat posed by gulls to other breeding birds has led to the implementation of gull control procedures at many seabird colonies. However, the extent to which reducing gull numbers benefits other species has received little rigorous scientific investigation. 2During a gull control programme (1972,89), gull nest density on the Isle of May, south-east Scotland, was reduced by between 30% and 100% in different sections of the island. Following termination of the original programme in 1989, several sections were maintained as gull-free by repeated removal of nests. 3We used data collected over a 23-year period to determine the extent to which the spatial variation in puffin Fratercula arctica recruitment was influenced by changes in the density and spatial distribution of breeding gulls resulting from the control programme. 4The presence of breeding gulls significantly affected the pattern of recruitment of puffins to the colony. Puffin recruitment rate was highest in the sections of the island where gull nest density was low. Gull density explained 21% of the variation in puffin recruitment rate. 5These results suggest that the reduction in the number of breeding gulls substantially increased the attractiveness of areas of the colony as breeding sites for puffins, and is thus likely to have played an important role in the pattern of expansion of the puffin population on the island. 6Synthesis and applications. Following a recent increase in the conservation status of both herring L. argentatus and lesser black-backed gulls L. fuscus, there has been a move to make management decisions more objective. This has highlighted the need for studies such as this, aimed at assessing the impact of gulls and their removal on other breeding birds, to ensure that any future control programmes are both necessary and effective. [source]

MHC haplotype frequencies in a UK breeding colony of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques mirror those found in a distinct population from the same geographic origin

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Edward T. Mee
Abstract Background, Mauritian cynomolgus macaques have greatly restricted genetic diversity in the MHC region compared to other non-human primates; however, the frequency of common MHC haplotypes among captive-bred populations has not been reported. Methods, Microsatellite PCR was used to determine MHC haplotype frequencies among captive macaques at a UK breeding facility. Allele-specific PCR and reference strand conformational analysis were used to determine the allele expression profile of a subset of animals. Results, Haplotypes H3 (21%) and H1 (19%) were most common in the captive population of Mauritian cynomolgus macaques. Predicted alleles were detected by allele-specific PCR-SSP in 98% of animals. Allele expression profiles were similar in animals with identical haplotypes. Conclusions, Mauritian cynomolgus macaques in the UK breeding facility have restricted MHC diversity comparable to a previously described population. Microsatellite-derived haplotypes are highly predictive of allele expression. A selective breeding program has been established to produce MHC-identical animals for biomedical research. [source]

Hematology and blood biochemistry in infant baboons (Papio hamadryas)

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2003
L.M. Havill
Abstract: Although published normative reference standards for hematologic and clinical chemistry measures are available for adult baboons, their applicability to infants has not been addressed. We analyzed these measures in 110 infant baboons (55 females and 55 males) from a large breeding colony at the Southwest Regional Primate Research Center in San Antonio, Texas. The sample consists of olive baboons and olive/yellow baboon hybrids, 1 week to 12 months of age. We produced cross-sectional reference values and examined the effects of age, sex, and subspecies on these variables. Hematology reference ranges for infant baboons are similar to, but wider than, those for adults. Reference ranges for blood biochemistry measures are generally more dissimilar to adults, indicating that for many variables, reference ranges for adult baboons are not adequate for infants. Although sex and subspecies differences are rare, age accounts for more than 10% of the variance in many of the variables. [source]

Recombinant human gonadotropins for macaque superovulation: Repeated stimulations and post-treatment pregnancies

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2001
C.A. VandeVoort
This report summarizes data from the superovulation and ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration of 40 female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) with recombinant human gonadotropins. Of the animals treated, 12 were stimulated for only one cycle, either because of a poor response to the hormones or due to ectopic ovarian position precluding ease of access via ultrasound. The majority of animals were stimulated for a minimum of 3 cycles and 3 females continued to respond for a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10 cycles. For those animals with repeated stimulation cycles, the number of follicles developed during each of the stimulation protocols remained relatively comparable. Of the animals mated since cessation of treatment, 70% conceived. There was no difference between the conception rate in this subset of animals and the rest of the macaque breeding colony. These data indicate that participation in these studies does not impact on the reproductive potential of female rhesus monkeys. [source]

Interspecific differences in foraging preferences, breeding performance and demography in herring (Larus argentatus) and lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) at a mixed colony

JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 4 2006
S.-Y. Kim
Abstract Herring gulls Larus argentatus and lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus breeding at Walney Island, Cumbria, the largest breeding colony of the two species in the UK, have recently shown very different population trends. The former has declined sharply, whereas numbers of the latter have been maintained for several years. Here we compare aspects of the feeding and breeding ecology of the two species in order to examine whether or not this suggests explanations for their different population trends. Comparison of the ratio of the two species in flight lines leading to different feeding sites and their diet composition showed that the lesser black-backed gulls fed more at sea and the herring gulls fed more in the intertidal zone. Urban resources were used by both these species. These differences have been consistent over the last three decades. Susceptibility to death from botulism at the breeding colony was the same for the two species. The availability of the intertidal zone for foraging appears to have declined in recent years, and this may have had a more negative impact on the herring gull. However, the breeding success of the two species remains relatively high. This study suggests that differences in foraging behaviour and food availability during the breeding season are unlikely to be responsible for the marked differences in demographic trends in the two species. Changes in local food availability during the winter would be expected to have more effect on the resident herring gull. This work highlights the need for more detailed studies of the ecology of both species during the breeding season and in winter in regions showing differing patterns of population change. [source]

Mix and match , hybridization reveals hidden complexity in seal breeding behaviour

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 15 2007
WILLIAM AMOS
Not so long ago, mammalian breeding systems were seen as dominated by males fighting each other for the right to mate with passive females. Genetic parentage analysis has been instrumental in changing this view and exposing the key role of female choice. Some of the most interesting discoveries have emerged from work on seals, where extreme polygyny is common but females often seem to have a bigger say than was previously thought. A remarkable case in question involves Macquarie Island, where three species of fur seal recently formed a mixed breeding colony (Goldsworthy et al. 1999). Here, the true colours of both sexes lie unusually exposed, because classical models predict that males of the biggest species will dominate the beach and force females of smaller species to conceive mainly hybrid pups. In a fascinating paper in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Lancaster and colleagues (Lancaster et al. 2007) show that females are not this naïve. Although happy to gain protection for most of the season by sitting in the territory of one of the largest males, regardless of whether he is the same species, females almost always conceive to one of their own kind. The females do this, not because any hybrid male offspring they conceive will be sickly and fail to hold good territories, but because females who pup in their hybrid son's territories will be disproportionately likely to mate elsewhere. Hybrid males seem physically fit but sexually unattractive! [source]

Extra-pair paternity in waved albatrosses

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 9 2000
Kathryn P. Huyvaert
Abstract We estimated the rate of extra-pair fertilizations (EPFs) in waved albatrosses (Phoebastria irrorata) on Isla Española, Galápagos, Ecuador, using multilocus minisatellite DNA fingerprinting. Waved albatrosses are socially monogamous, long-lived seabirds whose main population is on Española. Aggressive extra-pair copulation (EPC) attempts have been observed in the breeding colony during the days preceding egg-laying. Our genetic analyses of 16 families (single chicks and their attending parents) revealed evidence of EPFs in four families. In all cases males were the excluded parent. These data suggest that waved albatrosses have an unusually high rate of EPF relative to taxa with similar life histories. Future behavioural observations will determine the extent to which forced vs. unforced EPCs contribute to this high EPF rate. [source]

Genetic integration of molar cusp size variation in baboons

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Christina Koh
Abstract Many studies of primate diversity and evolution rely on dental morphology for insight into diet, behavior, and phylogenetic relationships. Consequently, variation in molar cusp size has increasingly become a phenotype of interest. In 2007 we published a quantitative genetic analysis of mandibular molar cusp size variation in baboons. Those results provided more questions than answers, as the pattern of genetic integration did not fit predictions from odontogenesis. To follow up, we expanded our study to include data from the maxillary molar cusps. Here we report on these later analyses, as well as inter-arch comparisons with the mandibular data. We analyzed variation in two-dimensional maxillary molar cusp size using data collected from a captive pedigreed breeding colony of baboons, Papio hamadryas, housed at the Southwest National Primate Research Center. These analyses show that variation in maxillary molar cusp size is heritable and sexually dimorphic. We also estimated additive genetic correlations between cusps on the same crown, homologous cusps along the tooth row, and maxillary and mandibular cusps. The pattern for maxillary molars yields genetic correlations of one between the paracone,metacone and protocone,hypocone. Bivariate analyses of cuspal homologues on adjacent teeth yield correlations that are high or not significantly different from one. Between dental arcades, the nonoccluding cusps consistently yield high genetic correlations, especially the metaconid,paracone and metaconid,metacone. This pattern of genetic correlation does not immediately accord with the pattern of development and/or calcification, however these results do follow predictions that can be made from the evolutionary history of the tribosphenic molar. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

High-fiber diet promotes weight loss and affects maternal behavior in vervet monkeys

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
Lynn A. Fairbanks
Abstract The dramatic increase in obesity in western societies has shifted the emphasis in nutrition research from the problems of undernutrition to the adverse consequences of being overweight. As with humans, Old World monkeys are at increased risk for type II diabetes and other chronic diseases when they gain excessive weight. To prevent overweight and obesity, promote animal health, and provide a more natural level of fiber in the diet, the standard commercial monkey chow diet at a vervet monkey breeding colony was changed to a higher fiber formulation in 2004. The new diet was also higher in protein and lower in carbohydrate and energy density than the standard diet. Because maternal behavior is known to be sensitive to differences in resource availability, data on weight and mother,infant interactions for 147 mothers with 279 infants born from 2000 through 2006 were assessed for effects of the diet change. The results showed that, even though food was provided ad libitum, the mean body weight of breeding females was 10% lower after the transition to the high-fiber diet. Behaviorally, mothers on the high-fiber diet were significantly more rejecting to their infants, and their infants had to play a greater role in maintaining ventral contact in the first few months of their lives. The effects of the diet change on maternal rejection were significantly related to the mother's body weight, with lower-weight mothers scoring higher in maternal rejection. These results demonstrate that maternal behavior is responsive to changes in maternal condition, and that beneficial changes in the diet may have unintended consequences on behavior. Am. J. Primatol. 72:234,241, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Effects of soy vs. casein protein on body weight and glycemic control in female monkeys and their offspring

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 9 2009
Janice D. Wagner
Abstract Nutritional interventions are important for reducing obesity and related conditions. Soy is a good source of protein and also contains isoflavones that may affect plasma lipids, body weight, and insulin action. Described here are data from a monkey breeding colony in which monkeys were initially fed a standard chow diet that is low fat with protein derived from soy. Monkeys were then randomized to a defined diet with a fat content similar to the typical American diet (TAD) containing either protein derived from soy (TAD soy) or casein,lactalbumin (TAD casein). The colony was followed for over two years to assess body weight, and carbohydrate and lipid measures in adult females (n=19) and their offspring (n=25). Serum isoflavone concentrations were higher with TAD soy than TAD casein, but not as high as when monkey chow was fed. Offspring consuming TAD soy had higher serum isoflavone concentrations than adults consuming TAD soy. Female monkeys consuming TAD soy had better glycemic control, as determined by fructosamine concentrations, but no differences in lipids or body weight compared with those consuming diets with TAD casein. Offspring born to dams consuming TAD soy had similar body weights at birth but over a two-year period weighed significantly less, had significantly lower triglyceride concentrations, and like adult females, had significantly lower fructosamine concentrations compared to TAD casein. Glucose tolerance tests in adult females were not significantly different with diet, but offspring eating TAD soy had increased glucose disappearance with overall lower glucose and insulin responses to the glucose challenge compared with TAD casein. Potential reasons for the additional benefits of TAD soy observed in offspring but not in adults may be related to higher serum isoflavone concentrations in offspring, presence of the diet differences throughout more of their lifespan (including gestation), or different tissue susceptibilities in younger animals. Am. J. Primatol. 71:802,811, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Four-year study of controlled timed breeding of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
Kathrine Phillippi-Falkenstein
Abstract As part of the timed breeding colony at Tulane National Primate Research Center, exogenous progesterone administration (5 mg/day for 10 days) has been used to select conception dates by inducing artificial luteal phases in female rhesus monkeys. A retrospective analysis of data obtained during four breeding seasons (1998,2001) revealed that conceptions occurred an average of 18 days after the last administration of progesterone. The age of the female to be bred, previous pregnancy history, and timing of breeding during the breeding season were determined to be critical factors in the success of the procedure. The benefit of this method of timed breeding is that it does not require tracking of menstrual cycles, which can be labor-intensive and requires that animals be monitored several months in advance of breeding to determine each female's individual cycle length. It also provided an efficient use of breeding-age males. Am. J. Primatol. 60:23,28, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]