Polyploidy but Not Range Size Is Associated With Seed and Seedling Traits That Affect Performance of Pomaderris Species

Ploidy and species range size or threat status have been linked to variation in phenotypic and phenological seed and seedling traits, including seed size, germination rate (speed) and seedling stature. There is surprisingly little known about the ecological outcomes of relationships between ploidy, key plant traits and the drivers of range size. Here we determined whether ploidy and range size in Pomaderris, a genus of shrubs that includes many threatened species, are associated with variation in seed and seedling traits that might limit the regeneration performance of obligate seeders in fire-prone systems. We experimentally quantified seed dormancy and germination processes using fire-related heat treatments and evaluated seedling performance under drought stress. We also examined the association of seed size with other seed and seedling traits. Polyploids had bigger seeds, a faster germination rate and larger and taller seedlings than diploids. There was a lack of any clear relationship between range size and seed or seedling traits. The ploidy effects observed for many traits are likely to be indirect and associated with the underlying seed size differences. These findings indicate that there is a higher potential competitive advantage in polyploid than diploid Pomaderris during regeneration, a critical stage in the post-fire environment. This insight to the regeneration phase may need to be considered when planning and prioritising management of threatened species.

Use of Space by Black-and-Gold Howler Monkeys (Alouatta caraya) in an Urban Environment in Paraguay.

As urbanisation continues to reduce the available habitat for wildlife some species, such as the black-and-gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) in Pilar, southwest Paraguay, are making their homes in anthropogenic environments. Understanding an animal's home range is an important first step to understanding its ecological needs, an essential requirement for robust conservation plans. In this study we determined the home ranges and core areas of five groups of urban dwelling A. caraya using Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) Analysis. We used a Spearman’s Correlation to explore the relationship between home range size and group size. All five groups had home ranges of less than 10 ha and used core areas of less than 1ha. Group size had no significant relationship to home range size. We provide the first estimates of home range for A. caraya in an urban environment in Paraguay. Though the home ranges of the urban A. caraya in Pilar, Paraguay fall at the smaller end of the spectrum of range sizes in Alouatta they are not abnormal for a species in this genus.

Sex and Age Effects on Monk Parakeet Home-Range Variation in the Urban Habitat

Home-range size is a key aspect of space-use, and variation in home-range size and structure may have profound consequences for the potential impact of damage and control strategies for invasive species. However, knowledge on home-range structure of naturalized parrot species is very limited. The aim of this study was to quantify patterns of home-range variation according to sex and age of the monk parakeet Myiopsitta monachus, an invasive parakeet in Europe. Mean kernel home-range size was 12.4 ± 1.22 ha (range 1.7–74.1 ha; N = 73 birds). Juveniles had a larger home-range size than adults, but sexes did not differ in kernel home-range size. The mean maximum distance moved by monk parakeets was 727 ± 37.0 m (range: 150–1581 m), and it was not dependent on either the sex or age of the birds. Having a small home range is one of the conditions for the feasible eradication of an invasive species; hence, the small home range of urban monk parakeets that we report here is good news for pest managers. However, this small home-range size can limit the effectiveness of culling operations with traps or feeders with contraceptives or poison, and other alternatives, such as funnel nets or traps, should be used.

Seasonal and age-specific dynamics of the Griffon Vulture’s home range and movements in the Eastern Rhodopes

The spatial ecology of the Eurasian Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) has been a subject of scientific interest for long due to its conservation status, critical ecosystem role, gregarious lifestyle and complex foraging behavior. The trans-border Eastern Rhodope Mountain in Bulgaria and Greece holds an increasing population of the species and one of the largest on the Balkan Peninsula. We used high-frequency GPS data from 13 Griffon Vultures from this population to study their movements, home range size and its seasonal or age specific dynamics. The overall foraging home range (95% kernel) was 3,204 km2 and the core area of activity (50% kernel) was 256.5 km2. We found high seasonal variation of the home range size. Vultures were foraging over larger areas in the summer and spring but their activity was limited to four times smaller areas in winter. We found no age specific variation in the home range sizes but the non-adult vultures showed tendency to conduct exploratory movements far from the breeding colony. Our results can be used for planning conservation efforts in the areas of high importance for the species.

Abnormal tooth and home range size of a male tayra (Eira barbara) in Atlantic Rain Forest, South Brazil

El estudio de anormalidades dentales en mustélidos ha permitido identificar y describir patologías de especímenes distribuidos en diferentes hábitats y continentes. Estos análisis han sido implementados en cráneos de animales muertos. A través de un monitoreo no invasivo, se detectó a un mustélido neotropical in situ con una anormalidad dental, esa característica fue aprovechada para obtener información ecológica de la especie. Se analizaron registros de cámara trampa de un cabeza de viejo (Eira barbara) en vida libre en el sur de Brasil, el cual presentaba un canino superior izquierdo sobre-desarrollado, esta característica permitió identificarlo individualmente y recapturarlo. Mediante la estimación de densidad de Kernel se calculó el tamaño de su ámbito hogareño. Se revisaron cráneos de la especie en busca de anormalidades dentales. El espécimen fue recapturado en 5 estaciones de foto-muestreo dentro del Floresta Nacional de São Francisco de Paula (FLONA-SFP) en 11 ocasiones diferentes, durante un periodo de 7 meses (Marzo a Septiembre de 2012), el tamaño de su ámbito hogareño fue de 4.79 km2. Se encontraron diferencias en la cantidad de molares en dos mandíbulas de los cinco cráneos revisados. Aparentemente el canino anormal no ha interferido en la alimentación del espécimen, ya que ha alcanzado la adultez. El cabeza de viejo podría ocupar un área fuera de nuestro polígono de estudio dentro de la FLONA-SFP, por lo cual el tamaño de su ámbito hogareño podría ser más grande de lo que se reporta.

Landscape Characteristics Influence Ranging Behavior of Asian Elephants at The Human-Wildlands Interface in Myanmar

ContextAsian elephant numbers are declining across much of their range driven largely by serious threats from land use change resulting in habitat loss and fragmentation. Myanmar, holding critical range for the species, is undergoing major developments due to recent sociopolitical changes. To effectively manage and conserve the remaining populations of endangered elephants in the country, it is crucial to understand their ranging behavior.ObjectivesOur objectives were to (1) estimate the sizes of dry, wet and annual ranges of free ranging elephants in Myanmar; and quantify the relationship between dry season (the period when human-elephant interactions are the most likely to occur) range size and configurations of agriculture and natural vegetation within the range, and 2) evaluate how percentage of agriculture within dry core range (50% AKDE range) of elephants relates to their daily distance traveled.MethodsWe used autocorrelated kernel density estimator (AKDE) based on a continuous-time movement modeling (ctmm) framework to estimate dry season (26 ranges from 22 different individuals), wet season (12 ranges from 10 different individuals), and annual range sizes (8 individuals), and reported the 95%, 50% AKDE, and 95% Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) range sizes. We assessed how landscape characteristics influenced range size based on a broad array of 48 landscape metrics characterizing aspects of vegetation, water, and human features and their juxtaposition in the study areas. To identify the most relevant landscape metrics and simplify our candidate set of informative metrics, we relied on exploratory factor analysis and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Based on this analysis we adopted a final set of metrics into our regression analysis. In a multiple regression framework, we developed candidate models to explain the variation in AKDE dry season range sizes based on the previously identified, salient metrics of landscape composition. ResultsElephant dry season ranges were highly variable averaging 792.0 km2 and 184.2 km2 for the 95% and 50% AKDE home ranges, respectively. We found both the shape and spatial configuration of agriculture and natural vegetation patches within an individual elephant’s range play a significant role in determining the size of its range. We also found that elephants are moving more (larger energy expenditure) in ranges with higher percentages of agricultural area.ConclusionOur results provide baseline information on elephant spatial requirements and the factors affecting them in Myanmar. This information is important for advancing future land use planning that takes into account space-use requirements for elephants. Failing to do so may further endanger already declining elephant populations in Myanmar and across the species’ range.