scholarly journals Coastal regions of the northern Antarctic Peninsula are key for gentoo populations

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 20200708
Author(s):  
Malgorzata Korczak-Abshire ◽  
Jefferson T. Hinke ◽  
Gennadi Milinevsky ◽  
Mariana A. Juáres ◽  
George M. Watters
Keyword(s):  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Euphausia Superba ◽  
Gentoo Penguin ◽  
Latitudinal Gradients ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Coastal Habitats ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Latitudinal Range

Southern Ocean ecosystems are rapidly changing due to climate variability. An apparent beneficiary of such change in the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is the gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua , which has increased its population size and expanded its range southward in the last 20 years. To better understand how this species has responded to large-scale changes, we tracked individuals during the non-breeding winter period from five colonies across the latitudinal range of breeding sites in the WAP, including from a recently established colony. Results highlight latitudinal gradients in movement; strong associations with shallow, coastal habitats along the entire Antarctic Peninsula; and movements that are independent of, yet constrained by, sea ice. It is clear that coastal habitats essential to gentoo penguins during the breeding season are similarly critical during winter. Larger movements of birds from northern colonies in the WAP further suggest that leap-frog migration may influence colonization events by facilitating nest-area prospecting and use of new haul-out sites. Our results support efforts to develop a marine protected area around the WAP. Winter habitats used by gentoo penguins outline high priority areas for improving the management of the spatio-temporally concentrated krill ( Euphausia superba ) fishery that operates in this region during winter.

scholarly journals Winter fidelity, movements, and energy expenditure of Midcontinent Greater White-fronted Geese

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay A. VonBank ◽  
Mitch D. Weegman ◽  
Paul T. Link ◽  
Stephanie A. Cunningham ◽  
Kevin J. Kraai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Animal Movement ◽  
Transition Probabilities ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Daily Movement ◽  
Regional Energy ◽  
Wintering Areas ◽  
Wintering Distribution

Abstract Background Animal movement patterns are the result of both environmental and physiological effects, and the rates of movement and energy expenditure of given movement strategies are influenced by the physical environment an animal inhabits. Greater white-fronted geese in North America winter in ecologically distinct regions and have undergone a large-scale shift in wintering distribution over the past 20 years. White-fronts continue to winter in historical wintering areas in addition to contemporary areas, but the rates of movement among regions, and energetic consequences of those decisions, are unknown. Additionally, linkages between wintering and breeding regions are generally unknown, and may influence within-winter movement rates. Methods We used Global Positioning System and acceleration data from 97 white-fronts during two winters to elucidate movement characteristics, model regional transition probabilities using a multistate model in a Bayesian framework, estimate regional energy expenditure, and determine behavior time-allocation influences on energy expenditure using overall dynamic body acceleration and linear mixed-effects models. We assess the linkages between wintering and breeding regions by evaluating the winter distributions for each breeding region. Results White-fronts exhibited greater daily movement early in the winter period, and decreased movements as winter progressed. Transition probabilities were greatest towards contemporary winter regions and away from historical wintering regions. Energy expenditure was up to 55% greater, and white-fronts spent more time feeding and flying, in contemporary wintering regions compared to historical regions. White-fronts subsequently summered across their entire previously known breeding distribution, indicating substantial mixing of individuals of varying breeding provenance during winter. Conclusions White-fronts revealed extreme plasticity in their wintering strategy, including high immigration probability to contemporary wintering regions, high emigration from historical wintering regions, and high regional fidelity to western regions, but frequent movements among eastern regions. Given that movements of white-fronts trended toward contemporary wintering regions, we anticipate that a wintering distribution shift eastward will continue. Unexpectedly, greater energy expenditure in contemporary wintering regions revealed variable energetic consequences of choice in wintering region and shifting distribution. Because geese spent more time feeding in contemporary regions than historical regions, increased energy expenditure is likely balanced by increased energy acquisition in contemporary wintering areas.

scholarly journals Ecological plasticity to ions concentration determines genetic response and dominance of Anopheles coluzzii larvae in urban coastal habitats of Central Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil M. Longo-Pendy ◽  
Billy Tene-Fossog ◽  
Robert E. Tawedi ◽  
Ousman Akone-Ella ◽  
Celine Toty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Physicochemical Characteristics ◽  
Anopheles Coluzzii ◽  
Plastic Response ◽  
Coastal Habitats ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Ecological Plasticity ◽  
Rural Sites

AbstractIn Central Africa, the malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii is predominant in urban and coastal habitats. However, little is known about the environmental factors that may be involved in this process. Here, we performed an analysis of 28 physicochemical characteristics of 59 breeding sites across 5 urban and rural sites in coastal areas of Central Africa. We then modelled the relative frequency of An. coluzzii larvae to these physicochemical parameters in order to investigate environmental patterns. Then, we assessed the expression variation of 10 candidate genes in An. coluzzii, previously incriminated with insecticide resistance and osmoregulation in urban settings. Our results confirmed the ecological plasticity of An. coluzzii larvae to breed in a large range of aquatic conditions and its predominance in breeding sites rich in ions. Gene expression patterns were comparable between urban and rural habitats, suggesting a broad response to ions concentrations of whatever origin. Altogether, An. coluzzii exhibits a plastic response to occupy both coastal and urban habitats. This entails important consequences for malaria control in the context of the rapid urban expansion in Africa in the coming years.

scholarly journals Using autonomous video to estimate the bottom-contact area of longline trap gear and presence–absence of sensitive benthic habitat

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 797-812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beau Doherty ◽  
Samuel D.N. Johnson ◽  
Sean P. Cox
Keyword(s):  
Contact Area ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Depth Sensor ◽  
Quality Of Data ◽  
Bottom Contact

Bottom longline hook and trap fishing gear can potentially damage sensitive benthic areas (SBAs) in the ocean; however, the large-scale risks to these habitats are poorly understood because of the difficulties in mapping SBAs and in measuring the bottom-contact area of longline gear. In this paper, we describe a collaborative academic–industry–government approach to obtaining direct presence–absence data for SBAs and to measuring gear interactions with seafloor habitats via a novel deepwater trap camera and motion-sensing systems on commercial longline traps for sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) within SGaan Kinghlas – Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area. We obtained direct presence–absence observations of cold-water corals (Alcyonacea, Antipatharia, Pennatulacea, Stylasteridae) and sponges (Hexactinellida, Demospongiae) at 92 locations over three commercial fishing trips. Video, accelerometer, and depth sensor data were used to estimate a mean bottom footprint of 53 m2 for a standard sablefish trap, which translates to 3200 m2 (95% CI = 2400–3900 m2) for a 60-trap commercial sablefish longline set. Our successful collaboration demonstrates how research partnerships with commercial fisheries have potential for massive improvements in the quantity and quality of data needed for conducting SBA risk assessments over large spatial and temporal scales.

scholarly journals Influence of Porcine Housing Density on Species Diversity and Number of Airborne Microorganisms at Fattening Facilities

2006 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ž. Pavičić ◽  
T. Balenović ◽  
H. Valpotić ◽  
A. Tofant ◽  
M. Popović ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Coliform Bacteria ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Airborne Microorganisms ◽  
Housing Density ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Microclimatic Conditions ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi

Microbiological composition of air, as a factor of ambient conditions in animal facilities can significantly influence performance, health and animal welfare in the swine production. The aim of this investigation was to determine, by monitoring primary microclimatic conditions, the possible association of the number of fattening pigs per unit of housing space with species diversity and number of airborne microorganisms. The research was conducted at a fattening and finishing facility of 450 m2 (equipped with 44 pens designed for 10 animals each) with low-pressure ventilation in three different trials. The first trial was conducted during the autumn-winter period with the capacity of 440 animals (0.7 m2 of pen area per fattening pig), the second trial was conducted during the winter-spring period with 356 animals (0.8 m2 of pen area per fattening pig), and the third trial was conducted during the spring-summer period with 312 animals (1.0 m2 of pen area per fattening pig). The air samples for isolation of fungi and mesophilic, haemolytic, and coliform bacteria were taken and microclimatic conditions were monitored during each trial at the same consecutive weekly periods. According to the data obtained from all trials, the total number of bacteria and fungi did not exceed 104 and 103 CFU per m3, respectively. The most numerous were gram-positive bacteria, followed by gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The total number of airborne microorganisms correlates significantly (at p < 0.05) with porcine housing density. These data may be useful for the assessment of housing density at fattening facilities that will not compromise swine health and welfare regarding the microbiological air quality, and thus may contribute to the implementation of optimal rearing conditions in large-scale animal producing units.

scholarly journals Adaptation to a latitudinal thermal gradient within a widespread copepod species: the contributions of genetic divergence and phenotypic plasticity

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1853) ◽  
pp. 20170236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo J. Pereira ◽  
Matthew C. Sasaki ◽  
Ronald S. Burton
Keyword(s):  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Thermal Tolerance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermal Adaptation ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Latitudinal Gradients ◽  
Physiological Limits ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Common Garden Experiments

Understanding how populations adapt to heterogeneous thermal regimes is essential for comprehending how latitudinal gradients in species diversification are formed, and how taxa will respond to ongoing climate change. Adaptation can occur by innate genetic factors, by phenotypic plasticity, or by a combination of both mechanisms. Yet, the relative contribution of such mechanisms to large-scale latitudinal gradients of thermal tolerance across conspecific populations remains unclear. We examine thermal performance in 11 populations of the intertidal copepod Tigriopus californicus , ranging from Baja California Sur (Mexico) to British Columbia (Canada). Common garden experiments show that survivorship to acute heat-stress differs between populations (by up to 3.8°C in LD 50 values), reflecting a strong genetic thermal adaptation. Using a split-brood experiment with two rearing temperatures, we also show that developmental phenotypic plasticity is beneficial to thermal tolerance (by up to 1.3°C), and that this effect differs across populations. Although genetic divergence in heat tolerance strongly correlates with latitude and temperature, differences in the plastic response do not. In the context of climate warming, our results confirm the general prediction that low-latitude populations are most susceptible to local extinction because genetic adaptation has placed physiological limits closer to current environmental maxima, but our results also contradict the prediction that phenotypic plasticity is constrained at lower latitudes.

Residency and reproductive status of yellowfin tuna in a proposed large-scale pelagic marine protected area

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1308-1316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Richardson ◽  
Katie J. Downes ◽  
Emma T. Nolan ◽  
Paul Brickle ◽  
Judith Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Area ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Yellowfin Tuna ◽  
Reproductive Status

scholarly journals Drought dynamics in the East European Plain for the period 1980-2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
pp. 02004
Author(s):  
Maxim Kharlamov ◽  
Maria Kireeva
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Precipitation ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
East European Plain ◽  
Winter Period ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
East European ◽  
Huge Impact ◽  
Favorable Conditions

Drought is one of the most dangerous natural hazards that has a huge impact on the economy and population in the world and in Russia as well. A large number of studies speak of an increase in the number of droughts and low flow conditions, including Russia. In this work, an analysis was made of the conditions for droughts in the East European Plain over the past 38 years based on the data from the ERA-5 reanalysis. The atmospheric precipitation, air temperature over the seasons and the Palmer index (as a general indicator) for the study area were analyzed. Much attention was paid to the characteristics of the winter period, since the supposedly mild winters create favorable conditions for the formation of droughts in the summer period. It was found that the main factors affecting the drought formation of 2007-2018 was the lack of summer rainfall, and the remaining factors played a “preparatory” role in the process of the formation of large-scale drought.

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