Intrapopulation variation in life history traits of Boa constrictor occidentalis in Argentina

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariano Sironi ◽  
Margarita Chiaraviglio ◽  
Sergio Lucino ◽  
Miguel Bertona

AbstractWe provide data on intrapopulation variation of life history traits of Boa constrictor occidentalis in the District of Pocho, Córdoba, Argentina. A total of 153 individuals were captured. The distribution of individuals among four size classes differed significantly among the five years of study. The proportion of mature individuals did not differ between sexes but it showed variation among years. Females were longer and heavier than males. The mean litter size of the species was 24 and there was a linear relationship between litter size and maternal snout-vent length. Most boas were captured during the dry season. There were no significant sex differences in the time of capture and air temperature in either the wet or the dry seasons. However, we found significant differences in the time of capture and air temperature between the seasons. The long-term monitoring of wild populations should be a priority for the development of conservation and management plans for this boid.

Biologia ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zdravko Dolenec

AbstractIncreasing evidence suggests that climate change affects bird breeding phenology and other life-history traits of wildlife. This study is based on the mean spring temperatures (February, March, April) and laying dates of first eggs of the marsh tit Parus palustris. We collected data from 1984 to 2004 for the Mokrice area in NW Croatia. Correlation between laying date and mean spring temperatures was significant. The relationship between mean laying date (y) and air temperature (x) can be expressed as y = 44.69 − 2.08x. Results indicate that spring temperatures are a good predictor of timing of laying eggs. Such long-term data could than be used in order to assess the effects on biological systems if human activities influence climate.


Oecologia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 159 (2) ◽  
pp. 463-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teddy Albert Wilkin ◽  
Andrew G. Gosler ◽  
Dany Garant ◽  
S. James Reynolds ◽  
Ben C. Sheldon

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuandong Yi ◽  
Pumo Cai ◽  
Jia Lin ◽  
Xuxiang Liu ◽  
Guofu Ao ◽  
...  

This study aims to evaluate several life-history traits of a T. drosophilae population from southern China and its parasitic preference of three Drosophila species. For mated T. drosophilae females, the mean oviposition and parasitization period were 27.20 and 37.80 d, respectively. The daily mean parasitization rate was 59.24% per female and the lifetime number of emerged progeny was 134.30 per female. Trichopria drosophilae females survived 37.90 and 71.61 d under host-provided and host-deprived conditions, respectively. To assess the potential for unmated reproduction in T. drosophilae, the mean oviposition and parasitization period of unmated females was 22.90 and 47.70 d, respectively. They had a daily mean parasitization rate of 64.68%, produced a total of 114.80 offspring over their lifetime, and survived 52 d. Moreover, T. drosophilae showed a preference towards D. suzukii based on the total number of emerged offspring under a choice test. Our findings indicate that T. drosophilae from southern China appears to be suitable for the control of D. suzukii in invaded areas, due to its reproductive potential.


2007 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 333-336
Author(s):  
S.A. Härri ◽  
J. Krauss ◽  
C.B. Müller

Plant-endophyte associations can have major impacts on the dynamics of consumer interaction-webs but long-term effects of mycotoxins and the ability of herbivores to adapt to these toxins have not been studied. To understand the potential of aphids to cope with mycotoxins, we compared the life-history parameters for aphids conditioned for several generations on endophyte-infected plants with those of endophyte-naïve aphids on both endophyteinfected and endophyte-free grasses. Aphids conditioned on endophyte-infected plants produced more offspring during the first days of adulthood than endophyte-naïve aphids independent of the endophyte infection of the test environment. However, the endophyte-conditioned aphids tended to have a shorter lifespan, which resulted in similar numbers of total offspring produced for endophyte-conditioned and endophyte-naïve aphids. The difference in life-history parameters caused by the conditioning environment suggests that the effects of endophytes on herbivore life-history traits may represent an adaptive change that should be considered in future studies of endophyte-herbivore interactions. Keywords: Rhopalosiphum padi, Neotyphodium lolii, Lolium perenne, common strain, adaptation, long-term effects, microbes, endosymbionts, reproductive strategy, life-history traits


2016 ◽  
Vol 185 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-239
Author(s):  
Vladimir M. Pishchalnik ◽  
Valery A. Romanyuk ◽  
Igor G. Minervin ◽  
Alevtina S. Batuhtina

The time-series for the ice cover dynamics in the Okhotsk Sea in the period from 1882 to 2015 are reconstructed on the base of shipboard, airborne, and satellite observations and measurements of the air temperature at the coastal meteorological stations. Abnormality of the ice conditions is estimated relative to the “climate norm” determined as the mean seasonal variation for the 1961-1990. Long-term variability of the ice cover is analyzed. Its regime shift with change of trend is revealed in the late 1970s - early 1980s that corresponds to the regime shift of the air temperature variability in the northern hemisphere.


2020 ◽  
pp. 120-124
Author(s):  
Евгений Александрович Рыбалко ◽  
Наталья Валентиновна Баранова ◽  
Виктория Юрьевна Борисова ◽  
Валерий Семенович Петров

В статье приведен анализ метеорологической информации по средней температуре воздуха за вегетационный период на территории Крымского полуострова. Рассчитано среднее многолетнее значение в точках расположения метеостанций с длинным рядом метеонаблюдений на территории Крымского полуострова. При расчетах использовали многолетние данные за 30 лет по 17 метеостанциям Крымского полуострова. Для моделирования пространственного распределения величины средней температуры воздуха на первом этапе также была выбрана глобальная климатическая модель WorldClim 2.0. На её основе рассчитаны величины исследуемого показателя для опорных точек. Произведена корректировка данных модели WorldClim 2.0 путём прибавления к результатам расчёта поправки 0,99, что несколько повысило точность моделирования. Составлена также линейная многофакторная модель, учитывающая географическую широту местности и абсолютную высоту над уровнем моря. Установлено, что в зависимости от географического положения метеостанции значения средних многолетних температур воздуха составляют от 17,9 °С (Белогорск) до 20,0 °С (Феодосия, Ялта). Проанализированы при помощи технологий геоинформационного моделирования закономерности пространственного варьирования величины средней температуры. В результате проведенного анализа были получены модели, описывающие данные закономерности. С помощью полученных моделей, разработана цифровая крупномасштабная картографическая модель пространственного распределения величины средней температуры воздуха, на основе которой на территории Крымского полуострова выделено 4 зоны. Разработанная модель, в сочетании с современными геоинформационными технологиями дает возможность автоматизировать анализ степени пригодности территории для возделывания винограда. The article provides the analysis of meteorological information of the mean air temperature for the growing season on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula. The long-term mean value in the points of weather station locations with a long series of weather observations on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula was calculated. For calculations we used the long-term data for 30 years on 17 weather stations of the Crimean Peninsula. To simulate the spatial distribution of the mean air temperature value at the first stage, the WorldClim 2.0 global climate model was also selected. The values of the studied parameter for reference points were calculated on its basis. The data of the WorldClim 2.0 model was adjusted by adding an error correction of 0.99 to the results of calculation, which slightly increased the modeling accuracy. A linear multivariate model was also compiled, taking into account the geographical latitude of the terrain and the absolute height above sea level. It was established that, depending on the geographical location of the weather station, the values of long-term mean air temperatures range from 17.9 ° C (Belogorsk) to 20.0 ° C (Feodosia, Yalta). The patterns of spatial variation of the mean temperature were analyzed using the technologies of geoinformation modeling. Models describing these patterns were obtained as a result of the analysis. Using the models received, a digital large-scale cartographic model of the spatial distribution of the mean air temperature was developed. On its basis 4 zones on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula were allocated. The developed model, in combination with modern geoinformation technologies, makes it possible to automate the analysis of fitness degree of the territory for grapes cultivating.


2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1823) ◽  
pp. 20190745
Author(s):  
Svenja B. Kroeger ◽  
Daniel T. Blumstein ◽  
Julien G. A. Martin

Studies in natural populations are essential to understand the evolutionary ecology of senescence and terminal allocation. While there are an increasing number of studies investigating late-life variation in different life-history traits of wild populations, little is known about these patterns in social behaviour. We used long-term individual based data on yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) to quantify how affiliative social behaviours and different life-history traits vary with age and in the last year of life, and how patterns compare between the two. We found that some social behaviours and all life-history traits varied with age, whereas terminal last year of life effects were only observed in life-history traits. Our results imply that affiliative social behaviours do not act as a mechanism to adjust allocation among traits when close to death, and highlight the importance of adopting an integrative approach, studying late-life variation and senescence across multiple different traits, to allow the identification of potential trade-offs.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?’


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