scholarly journals A quantitative ring recovery analysis of migration in European Water Rails Rallus aquaticus

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Lugg ◽  
Vidar Bakken ◽  
Terje Lislevand

The Water Rail Rallus aquaticus is generally regarded as a facultative migrant in which migration patterns vary geographically. However, quantitative analyses of migration directions and how migration distances vary across Europe are hitherto lacking. We analysed recoveries of Water Rails ringed in Europe and tested for a general migration direction in this material. From previous literature descriptions we predicted birds to migrate farther the longer north and east they breed. More than half of the birds included in the data set were ringed in Germany (48%) and Hungary (12%) and most winter recoveries came from SW coastal Europe. We found that the migratory direction in autumn was strongly oriented towards SW with no effect of latitude or longitude of the breeding site. There were no differences in migration direction between old (2Y+) and young (1Y) birds, or between males and females, although sample sizes were admittedly small in the latter comparison. As predicted, migration distances were positively correlated with both latitude and longitude of breeding sites. We encourage more trapping and ringing of Water Rails breeding and wintering across Europe in order to improve the ring recovery data. The use of modern tracking devices like light-level geolocators also has a high potential of improving our understanding of migratory ecology in this secretive species.

1983 ◽  
Vol 115 (12) ◽  
pp. 1627-1636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Phillips ◽  
Gerald N. Lanier

AbstractPissodes strobi (Peck) and P. approximatus Hopkins are sibling species that can produce fertile hybrids in the laboratory, but in nature they are isolated by differences in their breeding habits. In a laboratory assay for feeding preference, these species exhibited similar patterns of acceptance of most conifer hosts in the fall, but differed distinctly in their preferences for certain conifers in the spring. Both species had high levels of feeding on white spruce in the fall and spring tests, hut these data apparently do not reflect host preference in nature. In field tests, P. strobi males and females confined on 1-year-old terminal leaders of eastern white pine (their usual breeding sites) produced abundant progeny, whereas P. approximatus pairs confined on leaders produced few progeny. Mixed species pairs were successful in killing and breeding in white pine leaders when the females were P. strobi, but not when the females were P. approximatus. Laboratory-reared hybrids were unsuccessful when forced to breed in leaders. When confined on red pine bolts (the usual breeding sites of P. approximatus), P. strobi and hybrids produced substantially fewer progeny than did P. approximatus. Breeding site separation provides compelling evidence of reproductive isolation between these sympatric species.


2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Madsen ◽  
Jon Loman

AbstractAnuran sex ratio at breeding sites is typically male biased. Such sex ratios may be due to poor female survival, to females not breeding as frequently as males and/or to males becoming sexually mature earlier than females. In the present study, the first two factors are analyzed in a common toad (Bufo bufo) population in southern Sweden. Toads were captured, marked and recaptured at the breeding site during 5 years. Within season capture patterns were analyzed using the Jolly-Seber model and among-year captures using the Closed robust design model. Population estimates of males and females yielded an among year variation in breeding population sex ratio, ranging from 16% to 34% females. On average, 41% (proportion adult alive but not breeding) of the females skipped breeding seasons, whereas the corresponding estimate for males was less than 5%. Yearly survival averaged 42% for adult female and 63% for adult male toads. First year adult males and females had a lower survival rate than older toads. Our results demonstrate that both a female biased mortality rate and a higher proportion of skipped breeding in females contribute to the observed male biased sex ratio. However, a deterministic model suggests other factors may also be involved to obtain this degree of male biased sex ratio, the most likely being that females mature at a later age than male toads.


The Auk ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-81
Author(s):  
Michael P. Harris ◽  
Sarah Wanless

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 100-107
Author(s):  
Marina Camargo de Sousa ◽  
◽  
Julia Ronzani Vial ◽  
Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello Teixeira ◽  
Andrea Cristina Higa Nakaghi ◽  
...  

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Chung ◽  
Laura Teigen ◽  
Silvia Libro ◽  
Robin E. Bromley ◽  
Nikhil Kumar ◽  
...  

Here, we present a comprehensive transcriptomics data set of Brugia malayi, its Wolbachia endosymbiont wBm, and its vector host. This study samples from 16 stages across the entire B. malayi life cycle, including stage 1 through 4 larvae, adult males and females, embryos, immature microfilariae, and mature microfilariae.


1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 480-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G Topping ◽  
John S Millar ◽  
James A Goddard

The nocturnal activity of bushy-tailed wood rats (Neotoma cinerea) was monitored for two breeding seasons (1993 and 1994) in the Canadian Rockies. Radiotelemetry was used under three levels of moonlight to assess two measures of nocturnal activity: (i) the proportion of animals crossing rocky outcrops and entering the surrounding forest to forage, search for mates, or both, and (ii) the distance moved from the den site while in the forest. Males and females exhibited significant differences among moonlight levels, with greater activity on nights of intermediate-level moonlight and less activity on nights with bright or dark moonlight. There was no difference in the proportions of males and females active at any moonlight level. The distances moved from the den did not differ among moonlight levels for either males or females. Having traversed the rocks and entered the forest, individuals moved similar distances regardless of light level. These results suggest that wood rats respond to moonlight only when making the decision to cross rocks and enter the forest. This behaviour presumably serves to counteract the increased risk of predation on bright nights.


Author(s):  
Silvina Botta ◽  
Eduardo R. Secchi ◽  
Mônica M.C. Muelbert ◽  
Daniel Danilewicz ◽  
Maria Fernanda Negri ◽  
...  

Age and length data of 291 franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) incidentally captured on the coast of Rio Grande do Sul State (RS), southern Brazil, were used to fit growth curves using Gompertz and Von Bertalanffy growth models. A small sample of franciscanas (N = 35) from Buenos Aires Province (BA), Argentina, were used to see if there are apparent growth differences between the populations. Male and female franciscana samples from both areas were primarily (78–85%) <4 years of age. The Von Bertalanffy growth model with a data set that excluded animals <1 year of age provided the best fit to data. Based on this model, dolphins from the RS population reached asymptotic length at 136.0 cm and 158.4 cm, for males and females, respectively. No remarkable differences were observed in the growth trajectories of males and females between the RS and BA populations.


2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onicio Batista Leal Neto ◽  
Elainne Christine de Souza Gomes ◽  
Fernando José Moreira de Oliveira Junior ◽  
Rafael Andrade ◽  
Diego Leandro Reis ◽  
...  

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 100-107
Author(s):  
Marina Camargo de Sousa ◽  
◽  
Julia Ronzani Vial ◽  
Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello Teixeira ◽  
Andrea Cristina Higa Nakaghi ◽  
...  

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.


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 1498-1507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Clark ◽  
Jason B. Dunham ◽  
Jeffrey R. McEnroe ◽  
Scott W. Lightcap

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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