Factors affecting carcass use by a guild of scavengers in European temperate woodland

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (12) ◽  
pp. 1590-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Selva ◽  
B Jędrzejewska ◽  
W Jędrzejewski ◽  
A Wajrak

Although facultative scavenging is very common, little is known about the factors governing carrion acquisition by vertebrates. We examined the influence of carcass characteristics, carcass state, and weather conditions on carrion use by main scavengers. Carcasses (N = 214, mainly ungulates) of various origins (predation, natural deaths, harvest) were monitored by systematic inspections (N = 1784) in Białowieża Forest (Poland). Common raven (Corvus corax L., 1758), red fox (Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758)), and European pine marten (Martes martes (L., 1758)) mainly used the prey remains of gray wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758). The kills of predators were the preferred carrion, rather than dead ungulates. Common ravens, common buzzards (Buteo buteo (L., 1758)), white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla (L., 1758)), and domestic dogs scavenged more frequently on carcasses in open habitats. Carcasses located in the forest were the most available to European pine martens, jays (Garrulus glandarius (L., 1758)), and wild boar (Sus scrofa L., 1758). The common tendency was to increase scavenging when temperature decreased, except for raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray 1834)). As snow depth increased, jays and great tits (Parus major L., 1758) increased scavenging. We suggest that carrion use by scavengers is not random, but a complex process mediated by extrinsic factors and by behavioural adaptations of scavengers.

Author(s):  
Derek Craighead ◽  
Roger Smith

We documented abundance and diversity of raptors in a relatively undisturbed landscape in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, from February through August 2001. We located a total of 38 nesting pairs / 31.1 km, and a total of 8 raptor species. The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) and the Common raven (Corvus corax) were the two most abundant species on the study area. In this study, we considered Common ravens as an ecological and trophic level equivalent of raptors. Five of the eight species migrate, and two of the eight species are known neotropical migrants. The mean number of young fledged for all species was 1.9 (range=0.2 to 3.1, SD=1.3). We located the territory but not a nest for three Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) pairs. Low precipitation and warm temperatures characterized weather during the last two years. Effects of weather conditions and human disturbance on raptor abundance within the study area were examined.


Author(s):  
И.А. Уткина ◽  
В.В. Рубцов

Ранняя (Quercus robur var. praecox Czern.) и поздняя (Q. robur var. tardiflora Czern.) фенологические формы дуба черешчатого, выделенные в самостоятельные таксоны в середине XIX в., неоднократно становились объектами исследований для специалистов разного профиля. Собрано немало данных о различиях в их росте, требованиях к условиям местообитания, устойчивости к неблагоприятным внешним факторам. Иногда кроме ранней и поздней феноформ выделяют еще и промежуточные между ними. Наиболее отчетливо различия между феноформами, обусловленные разными сроками листораспускания, проявляются в реакции на поздние весенние заморозки и повреждение листвы насекомыми-филлофагами. Так как на деревьях поздней формы листовые и цветочные почки раскрываются намного позже, чем на ранней, поздняя форма избегает повреждения весенними заморозками. Кроме того, обладая меньшей способностью к формированию летних побегов, она меньше повреждается и ранними осенними заморозками, а также зимними морозами, что способствует образованию у нее более прямых и полнодревесных стволов, по сравнению с ранней формой. Ранняя форма чаще и сильнее повреждается филлофагами ранневесеннего комплекса, у которых отрождение гусениц из яиц синхронизировано с раскрытием почек и распусканием листьев. Есть данные, что видовой состав вредителей листвы на деревьях ранней и поздней форм дуба при их совместном произрастании примерно одинаков, зато численность отдельных видов филлофагов и их соотношение различны. На деревьях ранней формы их больше в несколько раз, что объясняется совпадением фаз развития большинства ранневесенних видов филлофагов и листвы этой формы дуба. Согласно результатам проведенных исследований, поздняя форма предпочтительнее для создания лесных культур дуба как более устойчивая к неблагоприятным погодным условиям и насекомым-вредителям. Early (Quercus robur var. praecox Czern.) and late (Q. robur var. tardiflora Czern.) phenological forms of the common oak, recognized as independent taxa in the mid-nineteenth century, have been subjects of multiple studies by specialists of different fields. Abundant data on the differences in their growth requirements, habitat conditions, and resistance to unfavorable external factors have been collected. Some specialists in addition to early and late phenoforms distinguish intermediate forms. Most clearly the differences between these forms appear in response to late spring frosts and damage of leaves by phyllophagous insects due to different timing of the forms' leafing. As leaf and flower buds in late oaks are revealed much later than in early oaks, late form avoids damage by spring frosts. In addition, due to lower ability to form summer shoots, late oaks are less damaged by early autumn frosts and winter freeze, which contributes to the formation of more straight and full trunks comparing to early oaks. Early oaks are damaged more severely by phyllophagous insects of spring complex, in which hatching of caterpillars from eggs is synchronized with opening buds and unfolding of leaves. There is evidence that species composition of foliage pests on co-occurant early and late forms of oak is nearly the same, but the number of individual species of phyllophagous insects and their ratio are different. In the early form the number of phyllophagous insects is greater by several fold due to concurrence of developmental phases in most early spring phyllophagous species and foliage of this oak form. The obtained results show that the late form of common oak is preferable for forest plantations as more resistant to unfavorable weather conditions and insect pests.


Author(s):  
Giacomo Dalla Chiara ◽  
Klaas Fiete Krutein ◽  
Andisheh Ranjbari ◽  
Anne Goodchild

As e-commerce and urban deliveries spike, cities grapple with managing urban freight more actively. To manage urban deliveries effectively, city planners and policy makers need to better understand driver behaviors and the challenges they experience in making deliveries. In this study, we collected data on commercial vehicle (CV) driver behaviors by performing ridealongs with various logistics carriers. Ridealongs were performed in Seattle, Washington, covering a range of vehicles (cars, vans, and trucks), goods (parcels, mail, beverages, and printed materials), and customer types (residential, office, large and small retail). Observers collected qualitative observations and quantitative data on trip and dwell times, while also tracking vehicles with global positioning system devices. The results showed that, on average, urban CVs spent 80% of their daily operating time parked. The study also found that, unlike the common belief, drivers (especially those operating heavier vehicles) parked in authorized parking locations, with only less than 5% of stops occurring in the travel lane. Dwell times associated with authorized parking locations were significantly longer than those of other parking locations, and mail and heavy goods deliveries generally had longer dwell times. We also identified three main criteria CV drivers used for choosing a parking location: avoiding unsafe maneuvers, minimizing conflicts with other users of the road, and competition with other commercial drivers. The results provide estimates for trip times, dwell times, and parking choice types, as well as insights into why those decisions are made and the factors affecting driver choices.


Author(s):  
María Jesús Comellas i Carbó

Socialization occurs not consciously through a complex process of interactions where emotions, values, attitudes, feelings and own context cultural patterns are integrated. This process generates a relational climate that should be conducive to learning and well-being for all people in the group. The school, educational institution, favors the relationships within the group framework and reconstructs previous learning with a variety of models and the educational action led by the faculty. The amplitude of the classroom group creates situations of great complexity and offers many opportunities to prevent the violence from the knowledge of situations that may involve risks and relational vulnerability and relational difficulties especially for some people. The factors that can hinder relations and create an improper relational climate include the social and learning difficulties and cultural differences. The climate cannot be changed individually but it is modified from the dynamics led by the adult person who has the responsibility to help the group learn to relate and that each individual has their space of belonging. We present data from a population of 10891 students in primary and secondary education and the analysis of some factors affecting the climate of the group.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-69
Author(s):  
Milan Dedík ◽  
Jozef Gašparík ◽  
Nikolina Brnjac

Abstract Planning the extent of transport services within a selected territory is a topical issue especially in the context of developing integrated transport systems. The objective of this research study is to design a sustainable system of public passenger transport that would be an alternative to expanding individual transport. The implementation of a quality and efficient transport service is a relatively complex process, since, currently, there are no generally applicable principles for its design. This manuscript presents general results of research aimed at solving the problem of transport service within a selected territory issue with a focus on rail transport as an efficient transport system representing a backbone of a transport system. The subject of the investigation is to compile a set of factors affecting the design of the transport concept. The output of the manuscript consists in a proposal of a generally applicable procedure including a calculation of transport potential and characteristics of the inputs. Subsequently, based on the resulting values, it will be possible to determine the extent of the transport services provided by rail transport in any territory, which will contribute to a more efficient and high quality theoretical graph of train running.


Author(s):  
Johanna Havia

As a part of this research, a survey and four student interviews were done on the motivation of chemistry students of University of Oulu. The aim was to find out the formation of motivation, and seek factors that affect the students’ motivation to study chemistry. The survey measured the inner motivation, outer motivation and lack of motivation based on self-determination theory. The most common aspect of motivation among the students was the inner motivation to learn more about chemistry. Among the common aspects were also the aspects of outer motivation: outside regulation and benefit. By interviewing four of the students, a deeper understanding of the factors behind motivation was sought. Among the positive factors were the parallel lectures and laboratory practices, and including recent research results into teaching. The significance of laboratory practice was the most evident factor. Among the factors reducing motivation were problems with group formation, unclear issues and lectures where everything was readily given. By paying attention to group formation, motivation to study could be increased relatively easily.


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