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Isolated Islands (isolated + island)
Selected AbstractsSpecies pool size and invasibility of island communities: a null model of sampling effectsECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 9 2005Herben Abstract The success of alien species on oceanic islands is considered to be one of the classic observed patterns in ecology. Explanations for this pattern are based on lower species richness on islands and the lower resistance of species-poor communities to invaders, but this argument needs re-examination. The important difference between islands and mainland is in the size of species pools, not in local species richness; invasibility of islands should therefore be addressed in terms of differences in species pools. Here I examine whether differences in species pools can affect invasibility in a lottery model with pools of identical native and exotic species. While in a neutral model with all species identical, invasibility does not depend on the species pool, a model with non-zero variation in population growth rates predicts higher invasibility of communities of smaller pools. This is because of species sampling; drawing species from larger pools increases the probability that an assemblage will include fast growing species. Such assemblages are more likely to exclude random invaders. This constitutes a mechanism through which smaller species pools (such as those of isolated islands) can directly underlie differences in invasibility. [source] Very high resolution interpolated climate surfaces for global land areasINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 15 2005Robert J. Hijmans Abstract We developed interpolated climate surfaces for global land areas (excluding Antarctica) at a spatial resolution of 30 arc s (often referred to as 1-km spatial resolution). The climate elements considered were monthly precipitation and mean, minimum, and maximum temperature. Input data were gathered from a variety of sources and, where possible, were restricted to records from the 1950,2000 period. We used the thin-plate smoothing spline algorithm implemented in the ANUSPLIN package for interpolation, using latitude, longitude, and elevation as independent variables. We quantified uncertainty arising from the input data and the interpolation by mapping weather station density, elevation bias in the weather stations, and elevation variation within grid cells and through data partitioning and cross validation. Elevation bias tended to be negative (stations lower than expected) at high latitudes but positive in the tropics. Uncertainty is highest in mountainous and in poorly sampled areas. Data partitioning showed high uncertainty of the surfaces on isolated islands, e.g. in the Pacific. Aggregating the elevation and climate data to 10 arc min resolution showed an enormous variation within grid cells, illustrating the value of high-resolution surfaces. A comparison with an existing data set at 10 arc min resolution showed overall agreement, but with significant variation in some regions. A comparison with two high-resolution data sets for the United States also identified areas with large local differences, particularly in mountainous areas. Compared to previous global climatologies, ours has the following advantages: the data are at a higher spatial resolution (400 times greater or more); more weather station records were used; improved elevation data were used; and more information about spatial patterns of uncertainty in the data is available. Owing to the overall low density of available climate stations, our surfaces do not capture of all variation that may occur at a resolution of 1 km, particularly of precipitation in mountainous areas. In future work, such variation might be captured through knowledge-based methods and inclusion of additional co-variates, particularly layers obtained through remote sensing. Copyright © 2005 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Breeding birds on small islands: island biogeography or optimal foraging?JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006GARETH J. RUSSELL Summary 1We test MacArthur and Wilson's theory about the biogeography of communities on isolated habitat patches using bird breeding records from 16 small islands off the coasts of Britain and Ireland. 2A traditional examination of patterns of species richness on these islands suggests that area and habitat diversity are important predictors, but that isolation and latitude have a negligible impact in this system. 3Unlike traditional studies, we directly examine the fundamental processes of colonization and local extinction (cessation of breeding), rather than higher-order phenomena such as species richness. 4We find that many of MacArthur and Wilson's predictions hold: colonization probability is lower on more isolated islands, and extinction probability is lower on larger islands and those with a greater diversity of habitats. 5We also find an unexpected pattern: extinction probability is much lower on more isolated islands. This is the strongest relationship in these data, and isolation is the best single predictor of colonization and extinction. 6Our results show that examination of species richness alone is misleading. Isolation has a strong effect on both of the dynamic processes that underlie richness, and in this system, the reductions in both colonization and extinction probability seen on more distant islands have opposing influences on species richness, and largely cancel each other out. 7We suggest that an appropriate model for this system might be optimal foraging theory, which predicts that organisms will stay longer in a resource patch if the distance to a neighbouring patch is large. If nest sites and food are the resources in this system, then optimal foraging theory predicts the pattern we observe. 8We advance the hypothesis that there is a class of spatial systems, defined by their scale and by the taxon under consideration, at which decision-making processes are a key driver of the spatiotemporal dynamics. The appropriate theory for such systems will be a hybrid of concepts from biogeography/metapopulation theory and behavioural ecology. [source] Are local patterns of anthropoid primate diversity related to patterns of diversity at a larger scale?JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2000M. J. Lawes Abstract Aims, (1) To determine the relationship between local and regional anthropoid primate species richness. (2) To establish the spatial and temporal scale at which the ultimate processes influencing patterns of primate species coexistence operate. Location Continental landmasses of Africa, South America and Asia (India to China, and all islands as far south as New Guinea). Methods, The local,regional species richness relationship for anthropoid primates is estimated by regressing local richness against regional richness (independent variable). Local richness is estimated in small, replicate local assemblages sampled in regions that vary in total species richness. A strong linear relationship is taken as evidence that local assemblages are unsaturated and local richness results from proportional sampling of the regional pool. An asymptotic curvilinear relationship is interpreted to reflect saturated communities, where strong biotic interactions limit local richness and local processes structure the species assemblage. As a further test of the assumption of local assemblage saturation, we looked for density compensation in high-density local primate assemblages. Results, The local,regional species richness relationship was linear for Africa and South America, and the slope of the relationship did not differ between the two continents. For Asia, curvilinearity best described the relationship between local and regional richness. Asian primate assemblages appear to be saturated and this is confirmed by density compensation among Asian primates. However, density compensation was also observed among African primates. The apparent assemblage saturation in Asia is not a species,area phenomenon related to the small size of the isolated islands and their forest blocks, since similar low local species richness occurs in large forests on mainland and/or peninsular Asia. Main conclusions In Africa and South America local primate assemblage composition appears to reflect the influence of biogeographic processes operating on regional spatial scales and historical time scales. In Asia the composition of primate assemblages are by-and-large subject to ecological constraint operating over a relatively small spatial and temporal scale. The possible local influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillations on the evolution and selection of life-history characteristics among Asian primates, and in determining local patterns of primate species coexistence, warrants closer inspection. [source] Subgingival debridement of root surfaces with a micro-brush: macroscopic and ultrastructural assessmentJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 9 2001Helen M. Carey Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the use of a micro-brush to remove plaque deposits from subgingival, periodontally involved root surfaces in vivo. Methods: 30 periodontally involved teeth requiring extraction for periodontal or prosthetic reasons in 26 adult patients were utilised. For inclusion, teeth had to display at least 30% bone loss radiographically. Following the establishment of local anaesthesia, grooves were cut on the proximal root surface adjacent to the gingival margin at the line angles. For each tooth, 1 proximal root surface was rubbed with the micro-brush for 2 min to the depth of the pocket whilst the other root surface acted as an undebrided control. The teeth were then extracted, rinsed in 0.85% NaCl, stained with 2% erythrosine solution and photographed. The amount of erythrosine staining on each subgingival, periodontally involved root surface was assessed by tracing the areas of stain on a colour photograph and scanning the tracings into a computerised image tracing program. Results: Results were expressed as the % of the periodontally involved root-surface area that exhibited staining. Stained areas were further examined with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The undebrided root surfaces each displayed 100% staining. The debrided surfaces (with probing pocket depths of 4,10 mm) displayed mean staining of 16.1% (SD ±7.1%) of the proximal surface area. SEM assessment showed that undebrided root surfaces were covered with thick deposits of bacteria. On debrided surfaces, stain-free areas were free of plaque whilst areas of faint staining exhibited either no plaque, calculus deposits or scanty, isolated islands of bacteria. Bacteria had been partially removed from the surface of calculus in some areas. Conclusions: The findings indicate that subgingival debridement with a micro-brush is effective in removing plaque deposits from periodontally involved root surfaces. Zusammenfassung Das Ziel dieser Studie war es, den Gebrauch eines Mikrobürstchens zur subgingivalen Entfernung von Plaqueablagerungen an parodontal befallenen Wurzeloberflächen in vivo zu bewerten. An 26 erwachsenen Patienten wurden 30 parodontal befallene Zähne verwendet, die aus parodontalen oder prothetischen Gründen extrahiert werden sollten. Um in die Studie eingeschlossen zu werden mussten die Zähne mindestens 30% röntgenologischen Knochenabbau aufweisen. Nach Durchführung der Lokalanästhesie wurden an den Kanten der Approximalfläche neben dem Gingivarand Rillen angebracht. An jedem Zahn wurde eine Approximalfläche für 2 Minuten bis in die Tiefe der Tasche mit dem Mikrobürstchen abgerieben, während die andre Wurzeloberfläche als unbearbeitete Kontrolle fungierte. Die Zähne wurden anschließend extrahiert, mit 0.85% NaCl gespült, mit 2% Erythrosinlösung gefärbt und photographiert. Die Fläche jeder subgingivalen Erythrosinfärbung der parodontal befallenen Wurzeloberfläche wurde bewertet, indem die Flächen mit Färbung auf einer Farbphotographie mit einem computerisierten Bildauswertungsprogramm gescannt wurden. Die Ergebnisse wurden als Prozentsatz der parodontal befallenen Wurzeloberfläche, die eine Färbung aufwies, dargestellt. Des weiteren wurden die gefärbten Bereiche mit einem Rasterelektronenmikroskop (SEM) untersucht. Die unbearbeiteten Wurzeloberflächen zeigten jeweils eine 100%ige Färbung. Die bearbeiteten Wurzeloberflächen (mit klinischer Sondierungstiefe von 4,10 mm) zeigten einen durchschnittlichen Anteil der Färbung von 16.1% (SD±7.1%) der Approximalfläche. Die SEM-Untersuchung zeigte, dass die unbearbeiteten Wurzeloberflächen mit dicken bakteriellen Ablagerungen bedeckt waren. Auf den bearbeiteten Oberflächen waren die Flächen ohne Färbung auch frei von Plaque, während die Flächen mit schwacher Färbung entweder keine Plaque, Zahnsteinablagerung oder vereinzelte, isolierte Inseln mit Bakterien zeigten. In einigen Bereichen wurden die Bakterien teilweise von den Zahnsteinoberflächen entfernt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass das subgingivale Debridement mit einem Mikrobürstchen, bei der Entfernung der Plaqueablagerungen auf parodontal befallenen Wurzeloberflächen, effektiv ist. Résumé Le but de cette étude a été d'évaluer in vivo l'utilisation d'une micro-brosse lors d'enlèvement de dépôts de plaque dentaire sous-gingivaux au niveau de surfaces radiculaires avec parodontite. 30 dents avec problèmes parodontaux requérant l'avulsion pour des raisons parodontales ou prothétiques chez 26 adultes ont été utilisées. Les critères d'inclusion étaient que les dents devaient avoir au moins 30% de perte osseuse jugée radiographiquement. A la suite de l'anesthésie, des marques ont été placées sur la surface radiculaire interproximale adjacente à la gencive marginale dans l'angle de la dent. Pour chaque dent, une surface radiculaire proximale a été nettoyée avec cette micro-brosse pendant deux minutes à la profondeur de la poche tandis que l'autre surface radiculaire servait de contrôle non-nettoyé. Ces dents ont ensuite été avulsées, rincées avec du NaCl 0.85%, colorées avec une solution d'érythrosine 2% et photographiées. La quantité de coloration sur chaque surface radiculaire sous-gingivale avec parodontite a été analysée en traçant les zones de coloration sur une photographie couleur et en effectuant un balayage des tracés par ordinateur. Les résultats ont été exprimés en pourcentage de surface radiculaire avec parodontite ayant une coloration. Les zones colorées ont ensuite été examinées à l'aide du MEB. Les surfaces radiculaires non-traitées avaient 100% de coloration. Les surfaces nettoyées qui avaint une profondeur de poche de 4 à 10 mm avaient une coloration moyenne de 16±7% de l'aire de surface interproximale. L'analyse au MEB a montré que les surfaces radiculaires non-nettoyées étaient recouvertes de dépôts épais de bactéries. Sur les surfaces nettoyées des zones libres de coloration se retrouvaient sans plaque dentaire tandis que les zones avec une faible coloration montraient de la plaque dentaire, des dépôts de tartre ou des petits îlots de bactéries. Celles-ci avaient été enlevées partiellement de la surface du tartre à certains endroits. Un nettoyage sous-gingival avec cette micro-brosse s'avère donc efficace à enlever les dépôts de plaque dentaire des surfaces radiculaires avec parodontite. [source] Insularity and adaptation in coupled victim,enemy associationsJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001M. E. Hochberg Employing a mathematical model we show how insularity, genotypic interactions and victim life-history/demography can influence adaptation in a simple enemy,victim interaction where genotypes migrate between a large source and a smaller, initially unoccupied, isolated habitat. We find that when there are explicit costs to heightened enemy virulence and victim resistance, large/close islands resemble their immigration sources, whereas small and/or distant islands tend to be occupied only by the least defended victims and least virulent enemies. In a model with no explicit cost to genotypic identity, frequencies do not differ on average between source and island. Despite these trends in genotype frequencies, for a range of realistic conditions, both cost and cost-free genotypic interactions yield an increase in the frequency of resistant encounters as a function of isolation. Moreover, in models with explicit costs, maximal island to island variation in genotypic frequencies is found on islands of intermediate distance from the source. In contrast, the model without explicit costs produces more variable communities, attaining maximum variability in genotypic frequencies at the most isolated islands. We hypothesize that adaptive patterns in mainland,island comparisons may differ substantially from those generated by centre-periphery comparisons in continental systems. [source] Shrub vegetation on tropical granitic inselbergs in French GuianaJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 5 2003Corinne Sarthou Boggan et al. (1997) Abstract. In French Guiana, inselbergs in the form of granite outcrops rise abruptly from the surrounding rain forest. They constitute isolated islands of a special type of vegetation restricted to this peculiar substrate. Shrub granitic vegetation, organized in thickets on open exposed rocks of inselbergs, are described using the Braun-Blanquet method combined with Correspondence Analysis. This phytosociological study revealed only one particular shrub community on each inselberg, including predominantly evergreen and sclerophyllous shrubs, especially microphanerophytes, belonging to the Clusiaceae, Myrtaceae and Bombacaceae. These outcrop communities exhibit species endemic to the Guianas region and also species rare in French Guiana. Affinities with flora of other inselbergs and vegetation types in South America are examined and discussed. Reasons for observed floristic and structural changes in each community are also discussed. [source] Ag buffer layer effect on magnetization reversal of epitaxial Co filmsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 15 2004D. H. Wei Abstract Nano-sized Ag(111) islands were first prepared by using molecular beam epitaxy technique on diluted-hydrofluoric acid etched Si(111) substrate. Epitaxial Co films were then grown onto the Ag films at 100 °C to decrease interdiffusion. The Ag buffer layer designed to form isolated islands with {111} sidewalls on the Si(111) substrate, and provided Co films (111) texture growth to study the correlation between magnetic properties of Co films and Ag buffer layer effect. It reveals that the Ag rough surface acts as a pinning source and Ag {111} sidewalls also plays an important role on the magnetoresistance transition of Co films. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Tracking island colonization history and phenotypic shifts in Indian Ocean bulbuls (Hypsipetes: Pycnonotidae)BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 3 2005BEN H. WARREN Molecular phylogenies of island organisms provide useful systems for testing hypotheses of convergent or parallel evolution, since selectively neutral molecular characters are likely to be independent of phenotype, and the existence of similar environments on multiple isolated islands provides numerous opportunities for populations to evolve independently under the same constraints. Here we construct a phylogenetic hypothesis for Hypsipetes bulbuls of the western Indian Ocean, and use this to test hypotheses of colonization pattern and phenotypic change among islands of the region. Mitochondrial sequence data were collected from all extant taxa of the region, combined with sequence data from relevant lineages in Asia. Data are consistent with a single Hypsipetes colonization of the western Indian Ocean from Asia within the last 2.6 Myr. The expansion of Hypsipetes appears to have occurred rapidly, with descendants found across the breadth of its western Indian Ocean range. The data suggest that a more recent expansion of Hypsipetes madagascariensis from Madagascar led to the colonization of Aldabra and a secondary colonization of the Comoros. Groupings of western Indian Ocean Hypsipetes according to phenotypic similarities do not correspond to mtDNA lineages, suggesting that these similarities have evolved by convergence or parallelism. The direction of phenotypic change cannot be inferred with confidence, since the primary expansion occurred rapidly relative to the rate of mtDNA substitution, and the colonization sequence remains uncertain. However, evidence from biogeography and comparison of independent colonization events are consistent with the persistence of a small grey continental bulbul in India and Madagascar, and multiple independent origins of large size and green plumage in insular island populations of the Comoros, Mascarenes and Seychelles. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 85, 271,287. 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