Different Patterns of Parental Effort During Chick-Rearing by Female and Male Thick-Billed Murres (Uria Lomvia) at a Low-Arctic Colony

Abstract Using temperature loggers and radio telemetry, foraging and brooding behaviors of female and male Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) were measured during chick rearing at the Gannet Islands, Labrador, to quantify parental roles during this crucial stage of reproduction. We recorded 2,725 foraging dives by 10 females and 7 males during 1,416 bird-hours of monitoring. Our study birds made between 21 and 107 dives per day between 0327 and 2220 hours, with 54% of females' dives and <1% of males' dives occurring in conditions of low illumination between sunset and sunrise. Males foraged mostly at midday and, overall, made longer and presumably deeper dives (mean duration 116.2 ± 37.6 s) than females (mean duration 84.1 ± 46.0 s). The maximum dive duration recorded was 240 s. Final dives of foraging trips were inferred to include dives during which chick meals (∼95% by number daubed shanny [Lumpenus maculatus]) were obtained. Those dives (mean duration 134.0 ± 36.1 s) and dives in final diving bouts prior to return to the breeding site (mean duration 139.1 ± 40.2 s) averaged longer than other dives, and longer in males than in females, but there was no difference between the sexes in their daily frequency. The modal travel time from the last dive in a feeding trip to arrival at the breeding site was 8 min (no difference between sexes), which represents a maximum travel distance at 65 km h−1 of 8.7 km, suggesting that foraging occurred close to the colony. Females spent 9 h day−1 (38% of day, mostly diurnal brooding) at breeding sites whereas males spent 16 h (67% of day, mostly nocturnal brooding). Taken together, these data indicated drastic differences in patterns of foraging and brooding behavior between male and female Thick-billed Murres, but suggest that individual and intercolony variation were also significant.

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Sex-specific differences in diving behaviour of two sympatric Alcini species: thick-billed murres and razorbills

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z08-036 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 86 (7) ◽

pp. 610-622 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Rosana Paredes ◽

Ian L. Jones ◽

Daryl J. Boness ◽

Yann Tremblay ◽

Martin Renner

Keyword(s):

Sex Differences ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Feeding Time ◽

Sexually Dimorphic ◽

Uria Lomvia ◽

Alca Torda ◽

Parental Roles ◽

Capelin Mallotus Villosus ◽

Males And Females ◽

Main Meal

At the Gannet Islands, Labrador, sympatric thick-billed murres ( Uria lomvia (L., 1758)) and razorbills ( Alca torda L., 1758) are slightly sexually dimorphic and have similar intersexual differences in parental roles; females are the main meal providers and males are mostly involved in brooding and chick defence at the breeding site and at sea. The question is whether differences in parental roles influence the foraging behaviour patterns of males and females. Murre females foraged during twilight periods and dived shallower than males. In razorbills, although sex differences were not as clear, females also tended to dive shallower (<10 m) and more often at twilight. Males of both species foraged during daylight hours and tended to dive deeper than females. Females of both species had shorter dive bouts (i.e., duration of a series of dives) even though the number of bouts and dives per day were equal between sexes. In both species, female dives were mostly shallower W-shaped dives, likely for capturing crustaceans at twilight. In contrast, males performed mostly deeper U-shaped dives for capturing mid-water species (e.g., capelin, Mallotus villosus (Müller, 1776)). Altogether, our results show that the two sympatric auks had relatively similar intersexual segregation in feeding time, depth, and prey. Sex differences in nest attendance, driven by differences in parental roles, seem to explain these findings.

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Postfledging Occupancy of Breeding Sites by Female Common Murres (Uria Aalge)

The Auk ◽

10.1093/auk/120.1.75 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 120 (1) ◽

pp. 75-81

Author(s):

Michael P. Harris ◽

Sarah Wanless

Keyword(s):

Breeding Site ◽

Uria Aalge ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Daily Frequency ◽

Common Murres ◽

Males And Females

Abstract Virtually all female Common Murres (Uria aalge) continued to visit the colony after their mate had taken the chick to sea. There were significant differences among years, but the average time between a chick fledging and a female last being seen at the colony was 13 days (range 0–36). In over 99% of instances, the female was at her breeding site. On ∼5% of days she was joined by another male, and in a few cases (8% of those days) copulation was observed. None of those transient matings persisted into the next season, even when the original male did not return; thus, we found no support for the hypothesis that females might be looking for replacement mates in case they were widowed. The most successful females (in terms of breeding output over several years) tended to have the longest periods of postfledging visiting, apparently because such birds fledged their chicks early in the season, but there was no difference in daily frequency of attendance. We conclude that successful males and females were maximizing time spent occupying the best breeding sites, even to the extent that only one adult took the chick to sea to complete its development.

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Ecological relationships between Common Murres, Uria aalge, and Thick-billed Murres, Uria lomvia, at the Gannet Islands, Labrador. II. Breeding success and site characteristics

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z87-252 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 65 (7) ◽

pp. 1630-1637 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

T. R. Birkhead ◽

D. N. Nettleship

Keyword(s):

Breeding Success ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Uria Aalge ◽

Uria Lomvia ◽

Short Supply ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Ecological Relationships ◽

Site Characteristics ◽

Common Murres ◽

Flat Ground

At the Gannet Islands, Labrador, the proportion of Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) that successfully reared a chick that left the colony was significantly lower (mean = 63%) than that of Common Murres (Uria aalge; 82%) in each of 3 years of study. The physical and social features of the breeding site were the only factors known to influence breeding success. For both murre species, breeding success increased with ledge width, and whereas most Common Murres bred on the widest ledges, relatively few Thick-billed Murres did so. The success of each species did not differ significantly on ledges of the same width. We suggest that Common and Thick-billed murres competed for breeding sites and that Common Murres obtained a disproportionate share of the "best" sites. This occurred because Common Murres outnumbered Thick-billed Murres by about 40:1 and because cliff habitat was in short supply. Whereas Thick-billed Murres bred only on cliffs, Common Murres were able to breed on cliffs and flat ground nearer sea level. Additional circumstantial evidence supports the idea that Common and Thick-billed murres at the Gannet Islands compete for breeding sites.

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Comparação de testes coproparasitológicos em criadouro comercial de psitacídeos exóticos

Revista Agraria Academica ◽

10.32406/v3n52020/100-107/agrariacad ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

pp. 100-107

Author(s):

Marina Camargo de Sousa ◽

◽

Julia Ronzani Vial ◽

Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello Teixeira ◽

Andrea Cristina Higa Nakaghi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Statistical Tests ◽

Companion Animals ◽

Clinical Importance ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Chi Square ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Specificity And Sensitivity ◽

Nematode Eggs ◽

Commercial Breeding

Birds of the psittaciform order, composed by the Psittacidae and Loridae family have several characteristics making them more frequently kept as companion animals, promoting the increase of breeding sites in Brazil. The present study aimed to analyze the specificity and sensitivity of three different coproparasitological tests, Willis, Hoffman and Direto de feces, through statistical tests: Chi-Square and Kappa. 70 fecal samples of exotic parrots were collected from a commercial breeding site and these were submitted to the three tests, totaling 210 coproparasitological exams. Among the tests performed, 29,5% were positive for nematode eggs, cestodes and oocysts. Coproparasitological exams are inexpensive, have clinical importance, indicating the population of endoparasites and therapeutic treatments.

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Biological and environmental factors associated with risk of schistosomiasis mansoni transmission in Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco State, Brazil

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0102-311x2013000200022 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 357-367 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Onicio Batista Leal Neto ◽

Elainne Christine de Souza Gomes ◽

Fernando José Moreira de Oliveira Junior ◽

Rafael Andrade ◽

Diego Leandro Reis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Factors ◽

Infection Rate ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Transmission Risk ◽

Host Snail ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Snail Density ◽

One Year ◽

Transmission Foci

Schistosomiasis has expanded to the coast of Pernambuco State, Brazil, where there are frequent reports of Biomphalaria glabrata snails and human cases of the disease. This study analyzes factors related to schistosomiasis transmission risk in Porto de Galinhas. A one-year malacological survey was conducted to identify biological, abiotic, and environmental factors related to the host snail breeding sites. Data analysis used Excel 2010, GTM Pro, and ArcGis 10. A total of 11,012 B. glabrata snails were captured in 36 breeding sites, and 11 schistosomiasis transmission foci were identified. A negative correlation was found between breeding site temperature and snail density and infection rate, and a positive correlation with pH and salinity. The rainy season showed a positive correlation with snail density and infection rate. The study emphasizes the factors involved in the maintenance of schistosomiasis breeding sites, in light of persistence of this disease in Porto de Galinhas for more than 10 years.

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Comparação de testes coproparasitológicos em criadouro comercial de psitacídeos exóticos

Revista Agraria Academica ◽

10.32406/v3n5/2020/100-107/agrariacad ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

pp. 100-107

Author(s):

Marina Camargo de Sousa ◽

◽

Julia Ronzani Vial ◽

Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello Teixeira ◽

Andrea Cristina Higa Nakaghi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Statistical Tests ◽

Companion Animals ◽

Clinical Importance ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Chi Square ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Specificity And Sensitivity ◽

Nematode Eggs ◽

Commercial Breeding

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Breeding site selection by coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in relation to large wood additions and factors that influence reproductive success

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2014-0020 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 71 (10) ◽

pp. 1498-1507 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Steven M. Clark ◽

Jason B. Dunham ◽

Jeffrey R. McEnroe ◽

Scott W. Lightcap

Keyword(s):

Site Selection ◽

Coho Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Kisutch ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Large Wood ◽

Fitness Components ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Habitat Features ◽

Egg Incubation ◽

Wide Range

The fitness of female Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) with respect to breeding behavior can be partitioned into at least four fitness components: survival to reproduction, competition for breeding sites, success of egg incubation, and suitability of the local environment near breeding sites for early rearing of juveniles. We evaluated the relative influences of habitat features linked to these fitness components with respect to selection of breeding sites by coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). We also evaluated associations between breeding site selection and additions of large wood, as the latter were introduced into the study system as a means of restoring habitat conditions to benefit coho salmon. We used a model selection approach to organize specific habitat features into groupings reflecting fitness components and influences of large wood. Results of this work suggest that female coho salmon likely select breeding sites based on a wide range of habitat features linked to all four hypothesized fitness components. More specifically, model parameter estimates indicated that breeding site selection was most strongly influenced by proximity to pool-tail crests and deeper water (mean and maximum depths). Linkages between large wood and breeding site selection were less clear. Overall, our findings suggest that breeding site selection by coho salmon is influenced by a suite of fitness components in addition to the egg incubation environment, which has been the emphasis of much work in the past.

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Insecticidal Activity of Bacteria from Larvae Breeding Site with Natural Larvae Mortality: Screening of Separated Supernatant and Pellet Fractions

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens9060486 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 486 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Handi Dahmana ◽

Didier Raoult ◽

Florence Fenollar ◽

Oleg Mediannikov

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Insecticidal Activity ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Bacterial Strains ◽

Activity Prediction ◽

Pcr Screening ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Insecticide Activity ◽

New Compounds

Mosquitoes can transmit to humans devastating and deadly pathogens. As many chemical insecticides are banned due to environmental side effects or are of reduced efficacy due to resistance, biological control, including the use of bacterial strains with insecticidal activity, is of increasing interest and importance. The urgent actual need relies on the discovery of new compounds, preferably of a biological nature. Here, we explored the phenomenon of natural larvae mortality in larval breeding sites to identify potential novel compounds that may be used in biological control. From there, we isolated 14 bacterial strains of the phylum Firmicutes, most of the order Bacillales. Cultures were carried out under controlled conditions and were separated on supernatant and pellet fractions. The two fractions and a 1:1 mixture of the two fractions were tested on L3 and early L4 Aedes albopictus. Two concentrations were tested (2 and 6 mg/L). Larvae mortality was recorded at 24, 48 and 72 h and compared to that induced by the commercialized B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Of the 14 strains isolated, 11 were active against the A. albopictus larvae: 10 of the supernatant fractions and one pellet fraction, and mortality increased with the concentration. For the insecticide activity prediction in three strains of the Bacillus cereus complex, PCR screening of the crystal (Cry) and cytolytic (Cyt) protein families characteristic to B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis was performed. Most of the genes coding for these proteins’ synthesis were not detected. We identified bacterial strains that exhibit higher insecticidal activity compared with a commercial product. Further studies are needed for the characterization of active compounds.

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Female Choice and Male Courtship Behaviour in the Beaugregory Damselfish

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853904323066702 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 141 (4) ◽

pp. 391-405 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

◽

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Female Choice ◽

Individual Variation ◽

Early Stage ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Male Courtship ◽

Egg Survival ◽

Mean Values ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Experimental Group

AbstractDuring courtship in the beaugregory (Stegastes leucostictus), a coral reef fish, males turn the dorsal half of their bodies from dull brown to bright yellow, and perform a series of rapid dipping movements in front of females. To look for evidence that females select males on the basis of these characteristics, we provided males with artificial breeding sites in the field, measured their reproductive success, and videotaped courtship. Reproductive success was measured by monitoring both the number and size of egg clutches present in the breeding site that was defended by the male. Both unmanipulated and experimentally induced courtship events were videotaped in separate groups of 88 (of which 32 were videotaped courting females) and 30 males, respectively. Experimental induction of courtship was done by placing a female in a clear plastic cylinder 0.5 m away from the breeding site of a territorial male; each of the 30 males received 8 different female presentations, but never more than one a day, and with a different female every time. We compared (i) the cumulative amount of eggs and number of clutches with the amount of yellow colouration and dipping rate for individual males in both the observational and experimental groups, (ii) individual variation in percentage yellow and dipping rate (for the experimental group only) with reproductive success on the same day when courtship was videotaped, and (iii) egg survivorship (ratio of final to early stage eggs) with yellow colouration and dipping rate, to see if these characteristics indicate male parental ability. Individual variation in courtship characteristics was not correlated with reproductive success on that day. In contrast, however, mean values of percentage yellow and dip rate were correlated with both the number of clutches and amount of eggs, for both the observational and experimental group of males, indicating that females preferentially spawn with males that have the brightest yellow colouration and the highest dip rate. Percentage yellow colouration was correlated with egg survival in the unmanipulated males, but not in the experimental group, while dipping rate was not correlated with egg survival in either group. We argue here that female assessment of male courtship is part of a complex process of female choice, in which females either simultaneously or sequentially examine territorial, breeding site, and male characteristics, and thereby attempt to enhance the survivorship of their offspring.

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Evidence for continuous iteroparity in a temperate-zone frog, the red-crowned toadlet, Pseudophryne australis (Anura : Myobatrachidae)

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo01038 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 151 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

K. Thumm ◽

M. J. Mahony

Keyword(s):

Adaptive Response ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

Reproductive Loss ◽

Nesting Sites ◽

In Captivity ◽

Large Clutch ◽

Variance In Reproductive Success ◽

High Recruitment

The breeding behaviour of the red-crowned toadlet, Pseudophryne australis, was observed both in the field and in captivity. Female and male red-crowned toadlets were active in the field throughout the year. New egg masses were observed all year except mid-winter. Females returned in a gravid condition repeatedly to the breeding site over years and presumably deposited eggs, and a captive female has laid 34 clutches over 7.25 years. P. australis has evolved continuous iteroparity in a region where most frogs breed once a year, seasonally, in reliable long-lasting ponds or permanent creeks. We suggest that the comparatively extreme iteroparity observed is a result of the limitations imposed on the species in the choice of oviposition time, due to unpredictable rainfall, and of the limited availability and suitability of nesting sites. Further, iteroparity may have evolved because there is high variance in reproductive success, or particularly high recruitment losses incurred as a result of the desiccation of embryos or larvae in the ephemeral breeding sites. The adaptive response is to lay small clutches often and to gamble that follow up rains will occur on some occasions to enable recruitment. The alternative, to lay a large clutch of eggs at one time and have the ephemeral pond dry because there was no follow-up rain, would lead to total reproductive loss.

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