scholarly journals Influence of the Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) on the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) population in Germany

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lindner

Abstract In Germany, the Eagle Owl is the only animal species that has a massive impact on the distribution and breeding success of the Peregrine Falcon. Both species compete for the same breeding sites on rocks. In addition, the Peregrine Falcon belongs to the prey spectrum of the Eagle Owl. The Eagle Owl always dominates at places where the two species meet. Since the 1980s, the Eagle Owl has taken over many of the rock face breeding sites of the Peregrine Falcon in Germany. This trend towards the taking-over of Peregrine Falcon nesting sites is ongoing in areas with rocks, as not all regions of Germany have yet been completely colonized by Eagle Owls. Since 1975, the Eagle Owl initially nested on buildings in rural areas, but it is now also colonizing urban areas. Eagle Owls are more and more frequently taking over Peregrine Falcon nest boxes on buildings. The currently growing Peregrine Falcon breeding population on buildings is expected to decline in coming years due to predation by the Eagle Owl, even though these owls do not breed very successfully on buildings and many old and young owls are killed. These statements apply to large parts of Germany. In other areas of Europe, the future usage of buildings as Eagle Owl breeding sites can be expected to have an impact on the Peregrine Falcon populations there. At least eight other Peregrine Falcon breeding sites on buildings and rocks have been taken over by Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca).

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prathiba M. De Silva ◽  
John M. Marshall

Sub-Saharan Africa suffers by far the greatest malaria burden worldwide and is currently undergoing a profound demographic change, with a growing proportion of its population moving to urban areas. Urbanisation is generally expected to reduce malaria transmission; however the disease still persists in African cities, in some cases at higher levels than in nearby rural areas.Objective. This paper aims to collate and analyse risk factors for urban malaria transmission throughout sub-Saharan Africa and to discuss their implications for control.Methods. A systematic search on malaria and urbanisation was carried out focusing on sub-Saharan Africa. Particular interest was taken in vector breeding sites in urban and periurban areas.Results. A variety of urban vector breeding sites were catalogued, the majority of which were artificial, including urban agriculture, tyre tracks, and ditches. Natural breeding sites varied according to location. Low socioeconomic status was a significant risk factor for malaria, often present in peri-urban areas. A worrying trend was seen in the adaptation of malaria vector species to the urban environment. Urban malaria is highly focused and control programs should reflect this.Conclusion. As urbanisation continues and vector species adapt, continued monitoring and control of urban malaria in sub-Saharan Africa is essential.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-237
Author(s):  
GRAEME M. BUCHANAN ◽  
ALEXANDER L. BOND ◽  
NICOLA J. CROCKFORD ◽  
JOHANNES KAMP ◽  
JAMES W. PEARCE-HIGGINS ◽  
...  

SummaryThe breeding areas of the Critically Endangered Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris are all but unknown, with the only well-substantiated breeding records being from the Omsk province, western Siberia. The identification of any remaining breeding population is of the highest priority for the conservation of any remnant population. If it is extinct, the reliable identification of former breeding sites may help determine the causes of the species’ decline, in order to learn wider conservation lessons. We used stable isotope values in feather samples from juvenile Slender-billed Curlews to identify potential breeding areas. Modelled precipitation δ2H data were compared to feather samples of surrogate species from within the potential breeding range, to produce a calibration equation. Application of this calibration to samples from 35 Slender-billed Curlew museum skins suggested they could have originated from the steppes of northern Kazakhstan and part of southern Russia between 48°N and 56°N. The core of this area was around 50°N, some way to the south of the confirmed nesting sites in the forest steppes. Surveys for the species might be better targeted at the Kazakh steppes, rather than around the historically recognised nest sites of southern Russia which might have been atypical for the species. We consider whether agricultural expansion in this area may have contributed to declines of the Slender-billed Curlew population.


The Auk ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 136 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanja B Brandl ◽  
Simon C Griffith ◽  
Toni Laaksonen ◽  
Wiebke Schuett

Abstract Social information can spread fast and help animals adapt in fluctuating environments. Prospecting on the breeding sites of others, a widespread behavior, can help to maximize reproduction by, for instance, settling in the same area as other successful breeders. Previous studies have shown that successful broods have the highest number of prospectors and that they are visited most when offspring in nesting sites are already old, making the information more reliable. In this field study, we experimentally tested how prospectors are attracted to successful nest sites. We presented wild Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) with different visual or acoustic cues in nest boxes, simulating the presence of small or large clutches or broods. More Zebra Finches visited experimental nests that were associated with playback recordings of begging calls of large broods (7 chicks) as opposed to begging calls of small broods (3 chicks) and controls (white noise and silence). On the other hand, visual cues (nests with different numbers of eggs or rocks), representing nests at early stages, did not influence either the probability of visits, nor number or duration of visits. We present the first evidence that begging calls of chicks in the nest, a signal intended for kin communication, can also provide social information to unrelated prospecting conspecifics. This information could potentially be used for a fast initial assessment of the quality of a breeding site.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0241688
Author(s):  
Nor Atikah Farhah Muhammad ◽  
Nur Faeza Abu Kassim ◽  
Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid ◽  
Azimah Abd Rahman ◽  
Hamady Dieng ◽  
...  

Urbanization could potentially modify Aedes albopictus’ ecology by changing the dynamics of the species, and affecting their breeding sites due to environmental changes, and thus contribute to dengue outbreaks. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the biting rhythm, fecundity and longevity of adult female Ae. albopictus in relation to urbanization strata; urban, suburban and rural areas in Penang Island, Malaysia. The experiments were done in comparison to a laboratory strain. Twenty-four hours biting activity of all the mosquito strains showed a clear bimodal biting activity, with morning and evening twilight peaks. The interaction effect between biting time and mosquito strains was not significant. Meanwhile, differences in fecundity among mosquito strains were statistically significant (F(3,442) = 10.559, P < 0.05) with urban areas having higher mean number of eggs (mean = 107.69, standard error = 3.98) than suburban (mean = 94.48, standard error = 5.18), and rural areas (mean = 72.52, standard error = 3.87). Longevity of adult females were significantly higher (F(3,441) = 31.259, P < 0.05) for mosquito strains from urban areas compared to the other strains. These findings would provide crucial information for the planning of control programs in Malaysia, particularly Penang.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
TONIO SCHAUB ◽  
PETER J. MEFFERT ◽  
GERALD KERTH

SummaryCurrently, renovation and thermal insulation of buildings is happening at a high rate in many European countries, driven in part by the political aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, building renovations often lead to a loss of structures, such as accessible cavities, on which synanthropic species, for example house-nesting birds, depend. In Germany, due to legislative regulations, it is a common practice to install nest-boxes as compensation for destroyed nest sites of birds. However, studies on the efficacy of such measures remain sparse. We monitored the occupancy of 477 compensatory nest-boxes for Common Swifts Apus apus, predominantly placed on renovated prefabricated buildings in a city in Germany. We found 24.3% of the boxes occupied by Swifts. On most buildings, the number of occupied boxes was as high as or even higher than the assumed number of breeding sites prior to renovation. Furthermore, in a district where nearly all buildings had been renovated in the past 10 years, we recorded a remarkably high density of Swifts breeding in nest-boxes. Using boosted regression trees, we analysed whether eight different nest-box properties influenced box occupation probability. The number of neighbouring boxes was the most important. Additionally, box age, facade orientation, city district, relative and absolute height, and manner of installation (external/internal) also played a role. Between different nest-box types, we found only negligible differences in occupation probability. Our findings suggest that installing nest-boxes is likely to be an appropriate measure to compensate for nesting sites of Swifts lost during building renovations. Based on our results, we recommend mounting the boxes a few metres apart from each other and close to the roof edge to maximise success. Further studies should be carried out to assess whether our results and conclusions can be confirmed in other situations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Zahouli ◽  
B Koudou ◽  
P Müller ◽  
J Utzinger

Abstract Background Aedes mosquito-borne arboviruses have (re-)emerged and caused considerable public health concerns in major sub-Saharan African cities subjected to rapid urbanisation. We assessed the effects of urbanisation on Aedes aegypti dynamics and biting pattern, and the risk of transmission of yellow fever (YF) and dengue (DEN) viruses along urban-rural gradient in Côte d'Ivoire. Methods We collected Aedes mosquitoes as eggs, larvae/pupae, and adults seasonally in urban, suburban and rural areas using ovitrap, larval survey and human-baited double net trap methods from January 2015 to December 2016. We sampled household data and characterised Aedes larval breeding sites. Ae. aegypti indices and biting rates were compared by area. Results Ae. aegypti was the most abundant species in all areas. It showed higher abundance in urban areas (n = 26,072; 99.4%). Larval indices were associated with human activities, including waste and water management. Tires and discarded containers were the most productive breeding sites in all areas. Household water receptacles displayed high Aedes-positive rate (23.6%) in urban areas. Positive ovitrap index was higher in urban (53.5%) compared to suburban (43.1%) and rural (29.7%). Stegomyia indices were highest in urban followed by suburban and rural areas, with respective house index of 67.2, 51.4 and 27.8, container index of 57.1, 43.5 and 19.7, and Breteau index of 95.2, 78.9 and 8.8. Biting rate was 4.3 and 2.7-fold higher in urban (83.5 bite/person/day) and suburban (52.1 bite/person/day) compared to rural (19.4 bite/person/day), respectively. Ae. aegypti indices were higher during rainy seasons. Conclusions In Côte d'Ivoire, urbanisation raised Ae. aegypti abundance and biting rate. As a result, YF and DEN risk indices were above WHO-established epidemic thresholds in urban area thus exposing local communities to high risk of getting diseases. Integrated community-based vector control programs should be applied to reduce arboviral risk. Key messages Urbanisation raises Aedes aegypti abundance and arboviral disease risk in Côte d’Ivoire. Integrated community clean-up actions are required to control Aedes vectors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-158
Author(s):  
Christophe Pasquier ◽  
Mathieu Fehlmann ◽  
Charlotte Bresson ◽  
Sylvain Fremaux ◽  
Alain Jean ◽  
...  

Abstract Since the 1980s, the volunteers of the ornithological group of the Nature Midi-Pyrénées association have been monitoring the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) population in the Ariège Pyrenees and in the Toulouse agglomeration. The data collected over the last 30 years show stability of the Ariège population: little variation has been observed in brood size, occupation rate of the sites or reproductive success. Only the increasing number of known nesting sites is significant, due to better knowledge of the territory by observers over time. In 2017, the breeding population was estimated to be 24 pairs. Urban monitoring proved the presence of individuals in passage, wintering or resident in Toulouse. Since 2002, downtown Toulouse has been visited by several individuals of both sexes and interactions between males and females have been observed since 2005. Despite the multiplicity of possible eyries or nesting sites in Toulouse, and the massive presence of Peregrine Falcons and dedicated bird watchers, no case of breeding has been reported. In addition to monitoring, measures to protect and support the presence of the species have been put in place. In the Pyrenees, in the light of the growth of human activities near nesting sites, some sites are now subject to official protective measures, coupled with constant vigilance and awareness. In Toulouse, to encourage the breeding of the individuals present, two nesting boxes were installed in 2016, on two buildings frequented by a female and a male. In 2017, a first attempt to reproduce in one of these installations confirmed the value of such developments in urban areas.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (01) ◽  
pp. 39-45
Author(s):  
Suad Shallal Shahatha

This study was carried out to investigate the epidemiology of Giardia lamblia parasites in patients who visited some of the hospitals in Anbar province, which included (Fallujah Teaching Hospital, Ramadi Teaching Hospital, Ramadi Teaching Hospital for Women and Children and Hit Hospital) during by examining 864 stool samples in a direct examination method, The results revealed the infection rate was 41.7 % and the percentage of infection among males 47.8% is higher than that of females 35.4% with significant differences (p≤0.05). The age groups (1-9) years recorded the highest rates 55.4% and the lowest rate 13.6% in the age group (40-49) years. The highest rate of infection was 62.5% during the month of June, while the month of October was the lowest rate 5% and significant differences. The incidence rate in rural areas was 50.6% higher than in the urban areas 32.5%. The study also included the effect of Teucrium polium L. on the parasite in the culture media HSP-1, the concentrations of 0.5-3 mg / mL significantly affected Giardia, it was noted whenever the greater the concentration, the greater the effect during different treatment periods (1-4) days, as the highest concentration 3 mg/ml killed all Giardia parasites on the fourth day of treatment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (8) ◽  
pp. 142-151
Author(s):  
Dr. Udayagiri Raghunath ◽  
Dr. V.Venkateswara Rao

The corporate companies dealing with FMCG products have started focusing on rural markets as the urban markets have become saturated and highly competitive. Capturing the rural markets brings forth a whole new set of challenges as it is laborious to break in. This market presents the companies with gamut challenges on a new dimension which demand entirely different strategies as compared to the ones used in urban areas. Studying the rural markets for rural markets has become crucial more than ever. It is an objective learning, psychiatry of dispersion, impact of the FMCG in rural areas. This research uses diverse utensils, procedure toward analyze composed records. Several of the features used in analyzing the data are the consumer characteristics like educational qualifications, professions they are in, and the income levels. The role of TV media advertising is also analyzed. Many deals and promotions advertised on TV are investigated. The scope of authority wield by publicity happening customer choice production has looked into. The different levels of media exposure and preferable TV watching times and their favorite programs considered while analyzing the data. The spending prototype of rural clients on FMCG is examined and further categorized based on their income levels, educational qualifications, and legal awareness of consumer act. All the analyzed data, results, and suggestions presented in the visual formats.


Author(s):  
Remus Runcan

According to Romania’s National Rural Development Programme, the socio-economic situation of the rural environment has a large number of weaknesses – among which low access to financial resources for small entrepreneurs and new business initiatives in rural areas and poorly developed entrepreneurial culture, characterized by a lack of basic managerial knowledge – but also a large number of opportunities – among which access of the rural population to lifelong learning and entrepreneurial skills development programmes and entrepreneurs’ access to financial instruments. The population in rural areas depends mainly on agricultural activities which give them subsistence living conditions. The gap between rural and urban areas is due to low income levels and employment rates, hence the need to obtain additional income for the population employed in subsistence and semi-subsistence farming, especially in the context of the depopulation trend. At the same time, the need to stimulate entrepreneurship in rural areas is high and is at a resonance with the need to increase the potential of rural communities from the perspective of landscape, culture, traditional activities and local resources. A solution could be to turn vegetal and / or animal farms into social farms – farms on which people with disabilities (but also adolescents and young people with anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide, and alexithymia issues) might find a “foster” family, bed and meals in a natural, healthy environment, and share the farm’s activities with the farmer and the farmer’s family: “committing to a regular day / days and times for a mutually agreed period involves complying with any required health and safety practices (including use of protective clothing and equipment), engaging socially with the farm family members and other people working on and around the farm, and taking on tasks which would include working on the land, taking care of animals, or helping out with maintenance and other physical work”


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