Japanese monkey group translocation: Effects on seasonal breeding

A 150-member troop of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata)was translocated from its temperate native habitat, near Kyoto, Japan, to a 42-ha enclosure near Laredo, Texas, in February 1972. The seasonal timing and distribution of 430 births recorded over the period 1954–1971 were compared to those of 186 births recorded in Texas from 1973 to 1979. Despite striking climatological and environmental differences between the pre- and the postranslocation sites, the timing of the birth season remaines unchanged, although the distribution of births was altered. These findings, considered in light of other published data on the seasonality of mating in macaques, suggest that a phenomenon akin to social drift may account for much of the intertroop variation that occurs.     

The infestation and dispersion patterns of Carcinonemertes spp. (Nemertea) on their crab hosts

Seasonal changes in the infestation and dispersion patterns of egg predatory nemerteans on their crab hosts were analyzed. Marked differences in the seasonal patterns of infestation were noted between worm species, yet, common patterns in the aggregation of the worms were found. Worm aggregation increased at the onset of the reproductive seasons of the hosts, and at the nadirs of the reproductive seasons for those hosts with year round breeding. The aggregation patterns of two worm species fluctuated with the physical environment of their estuarine hosts. Salinity changes as a result of seasonal rains may have caused changes in the underlying dispersion patterns of Carcinonemertes epialti on Hemiarapsus oregonensis, and C. mitsukurii on Portunus pelagicus. Lastly, the embryogenic cycle of the host species was significant in shaping the infestation and aggregation patterns of C. epialti on Cancer anthonyi and C. regicides on Paralithodes camtschaticus. Worm immigration and emigration were linked to crab embryogenesis and directly influenced the dispersion patterns of the worms.     

The nature and frequency of agonism in free-ranging and semi-free-ranging brown lemurs,Eulemur fulvus

Agonistic behaviour was studied in three groups each of free-ranging and semi-free-ranging brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) at Berenty, Madagascar and the Duke University Primate Center (DUPC) respectively. The purpose of the study was to answer questions arising from the work of other researchers regarding the frequency and intensity of agonism in this species. Authors of field studies generally concluded that agonism was rare and mild, whereas those who had studied semi-free-ranging or captive animals at the DUPC reported intense agonism during the peaks of the mating and birth seasons, with sometimes fatal wounding occurring among captive animals. I recorded 30 agonistic behaviours or “signals” which I grouped into seven general categories — cuffs, other physical contact, threats, chases, third party intervention, unprovoked submissive signals, and reciprocal aggression. The seven categories represent the types of signals which initiated or otherwise defined agonistic interactions, regardless of whether or not there was a submissive response to aggression. The relative percentages of all agonism constituted by the seven categories were not found to be significantly different between study sites. Agonistic signals were also classified as either subtle or obvious, a classification which crosscut the seven categories. At both study sites, the majority of agonistic signals initiating or defining interactions were subtle. Rates of agonism for the Berenty groups, studied during the birth season only, were significantly lower than those for the DUPC groups during the birth season, possibly due to (1) easier observation conditions at the DUPC, and (2) the impossibility of successful emigration at the DUPC, which might have resulted in social stresses translating into higher rates of agonism. In only one DUPC group was there significant variation in rates of agonism between seasons. I found agonistic behaviour to be mild, at both study sites, in the senses of subtlety of both aggressive and submissive signals, unlikelihood of response to aggression, and virtual absence of wounding; and I noted that serious wounding during other studies at the DUPC involved animals captive in caged runs. Comparing rates of the study groups with rates reported in other research for brown lemurs, other lemuriform species, and some New and Old World anthropoid species, I concluded thatE. fulvus agonism was in fact not rare except in comparison to baboons and macaques.     

Effect of Season and Age on the Gonadosomatic Index of Milne-Edwards' Sifakas (Propithecus diadema edwardsi) in Ranomafana National Park,Madagascar

Aiming to explain individual variation in gonadosomatic index (testicular volume per body weight), we examined the relationship between gonadosomatic index (GI), age, and season in a wild, seasonally breeding lemur—the Milne-Edwards' sifaka (Propithecus diadema edwardsi). Between 1987 and 2000, we captured and measured male lemurs from Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar 69 times. We used linear and polynomial regressions and residuals to examine the effect of season on GI and the effect of age on GI, after accounting for the effect caused by season among males of breeding age. As the breeding season approached, GI increased significantly, and all individuals measured in both the breeding and nonbreeding season had larger GI values in the breeding season. Among males of breeding age, we found no relationship between age and GI, after accounting for seasonal effects. Age, season and body weight fail to explain the variation remaining in GI. We discuss sperm competition, breeding-group composition, and the presence of parents as additional sources of variation in GI.     

间伐和改变凋落物输入对华北落叶松人工林土壤呼吸的影响

作为森林生态系统的第二大碳通量,土壤呼吸在全球碳循环和气候变化中发挥着重要作用。通过探究土壤呼吸对间伐和改变凋落物的响应规律以及响应之间的联系,能够为准确评价森林碳循环提供依据。针对不同强度(对照、轻度、中度、重度)间伐后的华北落叶松人工林,2016年5月至10月采用LI-8100土壤碳通量测量系统对其原状、凋落物去除、凋落物加倍的土壤呼吸进行观测。结果表明:土壤呼吸在生长季的8月份达到最高值,呈现出明显的季节动态。不同林分间伐处理下,中度间伐显著促进了土壤呼吸,使平均土壤呼吸速率升高了15.66%,轻度间伐和重度间伐对土壤呼吸的影响不显著;不同凋落物处理下,去除凋落物使平均土壤呼吸速率降低了40.16%,加倍凋落物使平均土壤呼吸速率升高了16.06%。中度间伐使土壤呼吸生长季通量增加了55.06 g C/m~2;去除凋落物使土壤呼吸生长季通量减少了153.48 g C/m~2,加倍凋落物使土壤呼吸生长季通量增加了79.87 g C/m~2。土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度呈显著指数相关,而与土壤湿度无显著相关。不同林分间伐处理下,土壤呼吸的温度敏感性指数(Q10)为2.36—3.46,轻度间伐下Q10值最高;凋落物去除和加倍均降低了土壤呼吸的温度敏感性。土壤温湿度对土壤呼吸存在着显著影响,能够解释土壤呼吸28.7%—62.3%的季节变化。研究结果表明间伐和凋落物处理对华北落叶松人工林土壤CO_2释放的影响表现出一定的交互作用,中度间伐和加倍凋落物的交互作用对土壤呼吸的促进作用显著大于单一因子。可见,间伐作业通过改变土壤微环境和凋落物量,对土壤呼吸以及森林生态系统碳循环产生着重要影响。     

Relatedness among females in a peak phase population of Japanese field voles

Spatial and genetic relationships among females in a peak population ofMicrotus montebelli were studied by live-trapping and DNA fingerprinting. In the early period of the spring breeding season, a close genetic relationship was not observed between neighboring overwintered females, while in the late period, a proximity among highly related females and a dispersed distribution among intermediately related females was observed. These associations among relatives did not last very long, however, as female pairs who remained in the neighborhood for more than 150 days, covering two breeding seasons were not relatives. The possibility of cooperation among relatives in this species may thus be low, except among philopatric females in the late period of a single breeding season.     

Seasonal and environmental effects on the blood hemoglobin concentrations of some Panamanian air-breathing fishes

Synopsis Interspecific differences in blood hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) occur among air breathing fishes. However, the effect on [Hb] of factors such as air-breathing organ structure and blood circulation pattern, air breathing behavior, as well as season and environmental conditions have not been fully examined. [Hb] in seven Panamanian species of air-breathing freshwater teleost fishes were compared and were monitored for most species during the wet and dry seasons and in hypoxic laboratory conditions. Fishes studied were Ancistrus, Hypostomus, and Loricaria (Family Loricariidae); Hoplosternum (Callichthyidae); Synbranchus (Synbranchidae); Piabucina (Lebiasinidae); and Dormitator (Eleotridae). [Hb] in these species ranged from 4.8 to 14.6 g 100 ml^–1 (g%). Ancistrus, Hypostomus, and Dormitator significantly increased [Hb] during the dry season and, with Piabucina, also increased [Hb] when acclimated to hypoxia in the laboratory. An increase in [Hb] during the dry season may precondition facultative air breathers for habitat hypoxia (and the need to respire aerially) in the event this occurs. Intraspecific differences in both [Hb] and in red cell Hb-phosphate ratio, an index of oxygen affinity, were found in populations of Hypostomus and relate directly to differences in habitat oxygen level. In all species tested alterations in blood hematocrit (Hmct) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) occurred only with correspondingly large net changes in blood [Hb]. The [Hb] of Loricaria, Synbranchus, and Hoplosternum was not affected by season or hypoxia and this may be due to behavioral and physiological adaptations that reduce the transbranchial loss of aerially-obtained oxygen or to a ventilatory mode that precludes this possibility.     

Reproductive seasonality and nest-site differentiation in three closely related armoured catfishes (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae)

Synopsis Three sympatric, closely related armoured catfishes showed a similar, bimodal breeding season in coastal plain swamps in Suriname (South America). The bimodal pattern of reproduction inCallichthys callichthys,Hoplosternum littorale andHoplosternum thoracatum was correlated to the annual distribution of rainfall. Floating bubble nests were constructed throughout the period of swamp inundation (rainy season). Close inspection of the timing of reproduction ofH. littorale in northern South America revealed the relationship between reproduction and rainfall, but also unexpected differences in the length of the breeding season. Strong interspecific competition among the three species was probably avoided through differentiation of nest sites with respect to water depth, distance to the nearest tree, distance to the edge of the swamp, and cover above the nest. Nests ofH. littorale were built in herbaceous swamps, whileC. callichthys andH. thoracatum build their nests in swamp-forest. Nests ofC. callichthys were observed in extremely shallow water or in holes. Few nests of the three species were observed in canals. Over large parts of their geographical rangeC. callichthys andH. thoracatum are found in small rainforest streams. Several aspects of the reproductive ecology and behaviour of both species are probably related to the unpredictability of the stream habitat.     

The role of litter in an old-field community: impact of litter quantity in different seasons on plant species richness and abundance

Summary We studied the effect of removing and adding plant litter in different seasons on biomass, density, and species richness in a Solidago dominated old-field community in New Jersey, USA. We removed all the naturally accumulated plant litter in November (658 g/m²) and in May (856 g/m²) and doubled the amount of litter in November and May in replicated plots (1 m²). An equal number of plots were left as controls. Litter removal and addition had little impact on total plant biomass or individual species biomass in the growing season following the manipulations. Litter removal, however, significantly increased plant densities but this varied depending upon the season of litter removal, species, and life history type. Specifically, the fall litter removal had a much greater impact than the spring litter removal suggesting that litter has its greatest impact after plant senescence in the fall and prior to major periods of early plant growth in spring. Annual species showed the greatest response, especially early in the growing season. Both spring and fall litter removal significantly increased species richness throughout the study. Litter additions in both spring and fall reduced both plant densities and species richness in June, but these differences disappeared near the end of the growing season in September. We concluded than in productive communities where litter accumulation may be substantial, litter may promote low species richness and plant density. This explanation does not invoke resource competition for the decline in species richness. Finally, we hypothesize that there may be broad thresholds of litter accumulation in different community types that may act to either increase or decrease plant yield and diversity.     

Regional Differentiation in the Dynamics of the Pollen Seasons of Alnus, Corylus and Fraxinus in Poland (Preliminary Results)

In 1995–1996 a study of pollen concentrations of Corylus, Alnus and Fraxinus was performed at seven sites in regions of different climatic and natural conditions. The aim of the study was to determine whether regional differences in the course and duration of pollen seasons occur in Poland. The study was performed using a volumetric method. Several phases during the pollen season were defined for each taxon (1, 2.5, 5, 25, 50, 75, 95, 97.5, 99% of annual total) and duration of the pollen seasons was calculated using 98 and 90% methods. Dynamics and duration of the pollen seasons and a start of particular phases of the season were compared among sites. On the basis of the preliminary analysis it could be supposed that regional differences were most evident in the case of Corylus. The pollen season of this taxon started the earliest in Pozna where thermal conditions were most favourable and the latest in Gdask, a place at the furthest to the north ( ², 0.05). In montane regions (Zakopane, Rabka) last phases of the season were significant extended ( ², 0.05). Probably it results from secondary pollen deposition and a long-distance transport by montane wind. In case of Fraxinus the significant regional differences in the start of the pollen season were not found. The study supported that weather conditions have the substantial influence on the start of consecutive phases of the pollen season.     

滨海沙地植物厚藤叶片生理特征的季节变化

滨海沙地条件恶劣,季节气候环境差异较大,植物生存困难。厚藤是南方滨海沙地广泛分布的重要固沙植物。为探究厚藤对不同季节环境变化的适应机制,研究其叶片生理性状的季节变化,该文以广西滨海沙地自然生长的厚藤为实验材料,分别测定了不同季节厚藤叶片的叶绿素含量、渗透物质含量、抗氧化酶活性、叶绿素荧光参数等生理指标,并进行相关性分析和主成分分析。结果表明:(1)叶绿素含量随季节变化的趋势一致,春季均显著大于其他三个季节,但叶绿素a/b在各季节间无显著变化。(2)叶绿素荧光参数的F_v/F_m和F_v/F_o具有相同的变化趋势,整体表现为夏冬季显著高于春秋季。(3)脯氨酸含量随季节逐渐增大,冬季时含量最高; 可溶性糖含量冬季显著高于其他三个季节; 丙二醛(MDA)含量各季节间差异不显著。(4)春季的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性显著高于其他季节,夏秋冬季节间无显著差异; 过氧化物酶(POD)活性在各季节间差异不显著。(5)相关性分析和主成分分析显示,各生理指标与气候因子间存在一定的关联。温度和日照数显著影响可溶性糖含量; 叶绿素含量和抗氧化酶活性能够较好地反映厚藤对季节气候变化的响应。综上可知,厚藤可通过调节叶绿素a与叶绿素b含量使叶绿素a/b保持稳定,同时提高渗透调节物质含量和抗氧化酶活性以适应季节变化,其中光合作用和抗氧化酶系统是影响其季节性适应能力的关键。     

Comparative sensitivity of larval mosquitoes to vegetable polyphenols versus conventional insecticides

The larvicidal effects of polyphenols of natural crude decomposed alder leaf litter and commercially available tannic acid were experimentally compared with those of two common conventional insecticides (Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis: microbial insecticide; temephos: organophosphate insecticide). Comparative standard bioassays using third instar larval Aedes aegypti, A. albopictus, Culex pipiens and Coquillettidia richiardii as references indicated that Aedes and Culex taxa are far more sensitive to alder leaf litter than to tannic acid and conventional insecticides. C. richiardii is far more resistant to conventional insecticides than Aedes and Culex taxa, but its sensitivity to tannic acid is close to that of those taxa. Dietary vegetable polyphenols are thus proposed as new, practical, alternative chemicals for mosquito control when conventional insecticides are difficult and costly to be used (e.g., in the management of Aedes and Culex populations in man-made breeding sites and Coquillettidia control strategy).     

Sea turtle species vary in their susceptibility to tropical cyclones

Severe climatic events affect all species, but there is little quantitative knowledge of how sympatric species react to such situations. We compared the reproductive seasonality of sea turtles that nest sympatrically with their vulnerability to tropical cyclones (in this study, “tropical cyclone” refers to tropical storms and hurricanes), which are increasing in severity due to changes in global climate. Storm surges significantly decreased reproductive output by lowering the number of nests that hatched and the number of hatchlings that emerged from nests, but the severity of this effect varied by species. Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) began nesting earliest and most offspring hatched before the tropical cyclone season arrived, resulting in little negative effect. Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) nested intermediately, and only nests laid late in the season were inundated with seawater during storm surges. Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nested last, and their entire nesting season occurred during the tropical cyclone season; this resulted in a majority (79%) of green turtle nests incubating in September, when tropical cyclones are most likely to occur. Since this timing overlaps considerably with the tropical cyclone season, the developing eggs and nests are extremely vulnerable to storm surges. Increases in the severity of tropical cyclones may cause green turtle nesting success to worsen in the future. However, published literature suggests that loggerhead turtles are nesting earlier in the season and shortening their nesting seasons in response to increasing sea surface temperatures caused by global climate change. This may cause loggerhead reproductive success to improve in the future because more nests will hatch before the onset of tropical cyclones. Our data clearly indicate that sympatric species using the same resources are affected differently by tropical cyclones due to slight variations in the seasonal timing of nesting, a key life history process.     

Leaf age and the timing of leaf abscission in two tropical dry forest trees

We used experimental defoliations to examine the effect of leaf age on the timing of leaf shedding in two tropical dry forest trees. Trees of the deciduous Bombacopsis quinata (bombacaceae, a.k.a. Pachira quinata) and the brevi-deciduous Astronium graveolens (anacardiaceae) were manually defoliated for three times during the rainy season. All trees started to produce a new crown of leaves 2 weeks after defoliation, and continued expanding leaves throughout the rainy season. At the transition to the dry season, the experimental groups consisted of trees with known differences in maximum leaf age. Defoliations resulted in declines in stem growth but did not affect the mineral content or water relations of the leaves subsequently produced. There was no effect of leaf age on the timing of leaf abscission in B. quinata. In A. graveolens, the initiation of leaf shedding followed in rank order, the maximum leaf age of the four treatments, but there was substantial coherence among treatments in the major period of leaf abscission such that trees completed leaf shedding at the same time. In the two species, leaf water potential (Ψ_L) and stomatal conducantce (g _S) declined with the onset of the dry season, reaching minimum values of –0.9 MPa in P. quinata and <–2.0 MPa in A. graveolens. Within each species, leaves of different age exhibited similar Ψ_L and g _S at the onset of drought, and then decreased at a similar rate as the dry season progressed. Overall, our study suggests that the environmental factors were more important than leaf age in controlling the timing of leaf shedding.     

Macroinvertebrate communities in Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. reed beds and open bank habitats in central victorian streams in Australia

Reed invasion is a common phenomenon of open streams with disturbed riparian vegetation in river catchments. Knowledge of the effects of such vegetation change on aquatic communities is fundamental to river management. Macroinvertebrate fauna in Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. and open bank habitats were examined in three rivers in central Victoria in order to understand the effect of such littoral habitat on macroinvertebrates. Data were analysed using Partially Nested Factorial ANOVA with season, river and habitats as main effects. Habitat structure had a significant effect (p<0.05) on macroinvertebrate species richness, however this was not seasonally consistent across the three rivers. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in macroinvertebrate taxa richness in Phragmites habitats during winter and spring seasons. Total abundance of taxa showed no consistent significant differences in the two habitats. Results of Canonical Analysis of Principle Coordinates indicated significant differences (p<0.05) in macroinvertebrate assemblages between Phragmites and bare bank habitats in all seasons. Habitat selection by taxa could be related to the microphysical environment of the habitats. This study suggests that reed beds create important littoral habitat structures which support diverse macroinvertebrate assemblages.     

Group Size, Home Range Use, and Seasonal Variation in the Ecology of Eulemur mongoz

We collected data during a 10-month study carried out on the mongoose lemur, Eulemur mongoz, at Anjamena in northwestern Madagascar, which provide baseline information on seasonal variation in the ecology, home range use and some aspects of the behavior of two neighboring groups. We monitored group size of nine groups in the study area and assessed them for seasonal variation. We present additional information collected during short-term surveys in other areas before and during the study for comparison. The study groups were small family units, and changes in group size were limited to births and emigrations of sexually mature progeny. In spite of clear seasonal changes in climate and vegetation, there is no variation in grouping patterns, so it is not possible to correlate variation in group size with seasonal variation of ecological variables. Comparison with ecological data from other field studies on lemurids reveals differences in food resource distribution in western forests versus other types of Malagasy forest. This distribution of food resources may predict home range size in mixed frugivorous–folivorous lemurs. Small home ranges, mainly in the West, could be correlated with a uniform distribution of food resources. Finally, we suggest that the dry season in the West may not present frugivorous–folivorous lemurs with major problems in finding an adequate food supply. This is supported by the lack of seasonal differences in ranging behavior of mongoose lemurs.     

Nest defence in the meadow pipit <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anthus pratensis</Emphasis>: the influence of renesting potential

The reproductive value hypothesis predicts that the level of nest defence is determined by the expected chance of offspring to survive until reproduction, and by the reproductive potential of the parents. Rates of survival from one breeding season to the next are low in small passerines, and their residual reproductive potential strongly declines as the current breeding season terminates. Therefore, we can expect that parents which have only one breeding attempt per season should defend their nests more intensively than parents with a possibility to renest. We studied nest defence in populations of meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) breeding in Norway and the Czech Republic, differing in renesting potential. To simulate the threat from a predator, we placed a stuffed stoat (Mustela erminea) first 5 m and then 1 m away from a nest with nestlings. Parents increased or kept nest defence constant when the stoat approached their nests in Norway and, during a breeding season shortened by severe weather, in the Czech Republic (when renesting potential was limited). Parents decreased nest defence when the stoat approached the nest during “normal” breeding seasons in the Czech Republic (when renesting was common). These findings give support to the reproductive value hypothesis.     

Seasonal variation in positional behavior of malagasy lemurs

I describe the positional behavior of four species of Malagasy lemur (Propithecus diadema, Eulemur fulvus rufus, Eulemur rubriventer,and Varecia variegata)at two times of year at Ranomafana National Park,Madagascar. There were significant seasonal differences in locomotor behavior in all species except P. diademaAmong the lemurids, leaping was more frequent and quadrupedism less frequent in the dry season. Only E. rubriventerexhibited seasonal differences in posture, and there were few seasonal differences in support use. The observed differences in positional behavior were not the result of differences in activity budget or in microhabitat use attributable to seasonal variation in resource use.     

The decomposition of mangrove litter in a subtropical mangrove forest

Decomposition of Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. leaf and woody litter (twigs) was studied using litter bag experiments in a subtropical mangrove forest at two tidal levels (high and low) with different inundation regimes and during two seasons (summer and winter). Losses in dry weight were best described by a single exponential model which showed loss rates of both leaves and twigs were significantly higher low down on the shoreline (greater inundation) and in summer. The time (days) required for the loss of half of the initial dry weight (t ₅₀) was summer: high 59, low 44; winter: high 98, low 78. For twigs the values (days) were summer: high 383, low 179; winter; high 1327, low 1207. There is an exponential relationship between leaf litter t ₅₀'s and latitude which indicates the importance of temperature and therefore season, to the dynamics of organic cycling and export in mangrove systems.