Addicted to the moon: vocal output and diel pattern of vocal activity in two Neotropical nightjars is related to moon phase

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Cristian Pérez-Granados ◽  
Karl-L. Schuchmann ◽  
Marinez I. Marques
2000 ◽  
Vol 151 (11) ◽  
pp. 417-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernst Zürcher

Ancient forest utilization regulations regarding felling dates and wood use are compared to the moon cycles. Furthermore, moon-phase related investigations with regard to germination behaviour, insect infestation and durability of the wood are presented.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Vignoli ◽  
Manuela D’Amen ◽  
Francesca Della Rocca ◽  
Marco A. Bologna ◽  
Luca Luiselli

Many studies have provided evidence that prey adjust their behaviour to adaptively balance the fitness effects of reproduction and predation risk. Nocturnal terrestrial animals should deal with a range of environmental conditions during the reproductive season at the breeding sites, including a variable amount of natural ambient light. High degrees of illumination are expected to minimize those behaviours that might increase the animal detection by predators. Therefore, under habitat variable brightness conditions and in different ecosystems, the above mentioned behaviours are expected to depend on the variation in predation risk. Although moon effects on amphibian biology have been recognized, the direction of this influence is rather controversial with evidences of both increased and depressed activity under full moon. We tested in four nocturnal amphibian species (Hyla intermedia, Rana dalmatina, Rana italica, Salamandrina perspicillata) the effects of different (i) light conditions and (ii) habitats (open land vs. dense forest) on the reproductive phenology. Our results showed that the effects of the lunar cycle on the study species are associated with the change in luminosity, and there is no evidence of an endogenous rhythm controlled by biological clocks. The habitat type conditioned the amphibian reproductive strategy in relation to moon phases. Open habitat breeders (e.g., ponds with no canopy cover) strongly avoided conditions with high brightness, whereas forest habitat breeders were apparently unaffected by the different moon phases. Indeed, for all the studied species no effects of the moon phase itself on the considered metrics were found. Rather, the considered amphibian species seem to be conditioned mainly by moonlight irrespective of the moon phase. The two anurans spawning in open habitat apparently adjust their oviposition timing by balancing the fitness effects of the risk to be detected by predators and the reproduction.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-210
Author(s):  
Errizal Machmud Putra ◽  
Rini Pramesti ◽  
Gunawan Widi Santosa

Rajungan (Portunus pelagicus) merupakan komoditas unggulan Indonesia. Perairan Betahwalang, Kabupaten Demak memiliki sumberdaya rajungan yang  potensial dengan tingkat eksploitasi yang tinggi. Rajungan ini ditangkap setiap hari tanpa memperhatikan faktor alam berupa fase bulan yang menyebabkan menurunnya populasi. Informasi penangkapan berdasarkan fase bulan diperlukan agar populasi rajungan dapat terjaga. Tujuan Penelitian ini adalah mengkaji jumlah dan sebaran morfometri rajungan yang tertangkap pada fase bulan purnama dan bulan baru di perairan Betahwalang. Penelitian ini dilakukan dari November 2017 sampai Februari 2018 di perairan Betahwalang. Metode penelitian yang digunakan yaitu metode deskriptif. Penentuan lokasi penelitian berdasarkan area penangkapan rajungan di perairan Betahwalang. Pengambilan data dilakukan 8 kali dari tanggal 5 November 2017 sampai 18 Februari 2018. Pengambilan data berupa jumlah, lebar karapas, berat, jenis kelamin rajungan, dan parameter lingkungan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan total rajungan tertangkap yaitu 448 ekor, 296 ekor pada Bulan Purnama dan 152 ekor pada Bulan Baru. Morfometri rajungan ukuran ≤ 10 cm pada Bulan Purnama 190 ekor lebih banyak dari Bulan Baru 90 ekor. Rajungan ukuran > 10 cm pada Bulan Baru 106 ekor lebih banyak dari Bulan Baru 62 ekor. Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus) is Indonesia's flagship commodity. The waters of Betahwalang, Demak Regancy have potential Blue Swimming Crab resources with high levels of exploitation.  The crabs are catched every day regardless of natural factors, such as the moon phase that causes the population to decline. Blue Swimming Crab catch’s information based on the moon phase is required for the population to sustaine. The purpose of this research is to study the amount and distribution of Blue Swimming Crab morphometry catched on the full and new moon phase in Betahwalang waters. The study was conducted from November  2017 till February 2018 in the waters of Betahwalang. The research method used was descriptive method. Determination of research location based on Blue Swimming Crab catching area in Betahwalang waters. The data were collected 8 times from November 5, 2017 till February 18, 2018. Data were collected in number, width of carapace, weight, sex, and environmental parameters. The results showed total of catched crabs, were 296 crabs on Full Moon, and 152 crabs on New Moon. Blue Swimming Crab morphometry size ≤ 10 cm on Full Moon was 190 crabs more than New Moon was 90 crabs. Then, in Size> 10 cm on New Moon was 106 crabs more than New Moon was 62 crabs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 200 ◽  
pp. 02008
Author(s):  
Norihito Kawamura ◽  
Yuusei Naganuma

The authors conducted two classes for undergraduate students. The aim of these experimental classes is to find better way to reduce the number of students with misconceptions related to the Moon’s phase change and increase the number of students with correct understanding of a lunar eclipse. To make deep knowledge of a lunar eclipse, in one class, we carried out practical work utilizing the scale size model kits. In another class, the students performed the work utilizing conceptual model kits. Finally, we found that the scale size model kit could reduce the number of students who believe the Moon phase change occurs due to a lunar eclipse.


1969 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1183-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Doucet ◽  
J. R. Bider

Activity of Microtus pennsylvanicus was recorded as the number of crossings per day over a sand transect during four consecutive summers. Appropriate samples were selected to test the effects of both moon phases and moonlight on activity. Initially the results of tests comparing new moon to full moon phases showed that the voles were more active during new moon in only 3 of 10 discreet paired samples tested. However, when the effects of sampling sequence, phenology of population growth, date at which moon phases occurred, and, finally, the effect of climate were all considered as factors which could have affected the above results, it seemed reasonable to conclude that the new moon phase tended to be associated with higher activity. To establish if moonlight by itself, independent of phases, was a factor affecting the activity, tests were made during brightest and darkest nights of the lunar month and results indicated that moonlight did not affect the differences in activity found in the moon phase tests.


1973 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bowden

AbstractAn account is presented of the distribution and amounts of moonlight in latitudes near the equator. This includes a Table on the amount of moonlight for each hour of the night throughout a standard lunar cycle, applicable to any locality between 10°N and 10°S, and a Table of standard groups of moon phase which can be used at any locality irrespective of latitude. The construction of these Tables is described in detail and their use briefly discussed. A method is described which enables light-trap catch records to be arranged for analysis directly against moon phase.


1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (8) ◽  
pp. 1474-1478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brock R. McMillan ◽  
Donald W. Kaufman

Characteristics of the travel paths of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) were examined by tracking animals marked with fluorescent pigment in a wooded site in northeastern Kansas. Based on 84 trails made by 49 individuals, it was concluded that tops of structural features (rocks, branches, logs, or rock fence) were selectively used for nighttime travel. Trails averaged 41.7% structural features (SE = 6.0%), whereas sample points 20 cm away from trails averaged 18.0% structural features (SE = 1.8%). This pattern of use of structural features did not differ between male and female mice. Nighttime illumination (according to the moon phase) and season did not affect the proportion of structural features used along travel paths; this suggests that risk from visual predators was not driving the pattern of use of structural features for travel paths by white-footed mice. Rather, white-footed mice may have used surface structure for travel because structural features provide paths that are more easily traveled and remembered. Trees were climbed infrequently (0.6 trees per 100 m of trail), but more in autumn (1.9 trees per 100 m of trail) than in other seasons (0.2 trees per 100 m of trail), which likely resulted from greater availability of seeds, nuts, and fruits during autumn than during other seasons.


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