Modelling habitat preferences of feral pigs for rooting in lowland rainforest

Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) occupy many different habitats worldwide. Their rooting foraging behaviour poses a serious threat to biodiversity as the resulting soil disturbance alters ecosystem structure and function. Understanding what characteristics are important in selecting rooting locations can be used to predict the impact of pigs on ecosystems. We investigated patch selection for rooting by feral pigs at two spatial scales: (1) habitat variables at a site level, and (2) dependency between observations in a spatial context. Seasonal influences on the modelled environmental variables were also examined. We applied a generalised linear modelling approach and model-averaging to explain the relative importance of variables, as measured by the standardised parameter estimates and unconditional variance. Soil texture, rock cover, soil compaction and sand texture were important explanatory variables in the presence of pig rooting. Soil compaction and distance to roads had a negative influence. The highest ranking model included seven explanatory variables with a 41 % chance that this is the Kullback–Leibler best model. Six of the 128 candidate models were in the 95 % confidence set indicating low model uncertainty. Although no differences in pig rootings were detected between seasons, most rooting (65.7 %) occurred during the dry season with soil and sand texture having the strongest effect. This study highlights how pig control programmes can focus limited resources on either the strategic positioning of control devices (e.g., traps and baits) to either reduce the number of pigs or help prioritise habitats of high conservation value for protection (e.g., exclusion fencing).     

Vertical, lateral and diurnal drift patterns of fish larvae in a large lowland river, the Elbe

A ringnet was used to sample drifting fish quantitatively at distinct depth strata. This method was chosen to examine the lateral, vertical and diurnal drift patterns of fish fry during four sampling campaigns in May 1998 and 1999 in the middle Elbe River, close to the city of Schnackenburg (stream kilometre 475). It became apparent that the fish larvae concentrated mainly at the surface of the right side of the main channel. Fourteen fish species of the four taxonomic families Percidae, Cyprinidae, Osmeridae and Gadidae were caught. Percid fishes (pike‐perch and perch) dominated the caught fish fry assemblage. Several environmental parameters were included in a direct gradient analysis in order to detect influencing variables. The main significant qualities were a temporal aspect and the shore distance. Other important influencing variables were suspended particular matter (SPM), fishing depth, time of the day, current velocity and the filtered volume. Negative correlations of abundance and shore distances and concentrations of SPM were found for several species as well as for the total abundance.     

Survival and habitat preferences of adult Bolitophagus reticulatus

1. Data from a 4-year mark–recapture study of the fungivorous tenebrionid beetle Bolitophagus reticulatus at a locality in central Sweden and a trapping study of the species elsewhere in the same region are used to describe the survival and habitat preferences of the species.
2. The adult beetle was found to survive for up to three winters. A minimum estimate of the yearly survival rate was 0.20.
3. The beetle was found to occur preferentially on tree trunks that were either standing or lying but only touching the ground along a minor part of their length; that were relatively thick; and that carried many Fomes fomentarius sporocarps. In contrast to previous information for this species, the beetle was found to use living sporocarps to a large extent, and not only dead ones.
4. An experiment with beetles given a choice between living and dead fungus tissue indicated that pairs of one male and one female beetle preferred living fungus while single beetles preferred dead fungus.     

Diel distribution patterns of fishes in a temperate large lowland river

During the day, juveniles and typical inshore species in the lower Oder River, Germany, inhabited the littoral (0·05–1·50 m deep) while potamal species inhabited the mid‐channel (40–100 m from the banks). During the night, two behavioural groups were distinguished: 1) potamal species and large individuals of other species, moved from offshore to the littoral, and 2) nocturnal foraging species, became active and increased in inshore and offshore habitats. Inshore, the most significant differences at night was the increasing density of silver bream Blicca bjoerkna increasing both total biomass and total length of fishes caught. Offshore, the increasing density of whitefin gudgeon Gobio albipinnatus at night was most significant. Additional night electrofishing improved the assessment of the abundance, age and size structure of typical potamal fish species. It should be incorporated in large river fish monitoring programmes.     

Fish habitat preferences in large streams of southern France

1. Relationships between fish and their habitat over whole geographic regions, which are evident from studies of many streams and species, can improve understanding of lotic communities and provide reliable management tools. Nevertheless, most habitat preference studies have been based on single sites, and confined to small streams and to game species.
2. Regional habitat preference models, based on local velocity, depth and roughness, were developed for twenty-four species and their size classes commonly found in large European streams. Fish surveys were conducted in six large streams in southern France over an 8-year period. To limit the influences of habitat variables other than those studied, we estimated fish preferences within each survey and averaged this information across surveys. Preferences were fitted with confidence intervals and their sensitivity to field uncertainty was evaluated.
3. Most species and size classes had significant preferences for local habitat conditions which were consistent across the region. Habitat preferences predominant in the region overall were not always observed at any one site, but habitat conditions preferred on average in the region were never actually avoided locally. These results support the use of regional preference models for fish and the development of similar models for other lotic groups whose sensitivity to local habitat conditions has been reported elsewhere.     

Role of habitat degradation in determining fish distribution and abundance along the lowland Warta River, Poland

The distribution and abundance of fish collected in 1996–1998 are compared in three river sections X, Y and Z in the 808‐km‐long Warta River, Poland. The upper section, X, was least human‐modified, the middle section, Y, was the most polluted by industry and regulated, and the downstream section, Z, was moderately disturbed. The differences between X and Y in concentrations of dissolved oxygen, volatile phenols and nitrite nitrogen, and in the index of availability of hiding places, were highly significant because these parameters were several times worse in the Y section; in the Z section they assumed intermediate values. Although the abundance of certain fish species was changing along the downstream river gradient (i.e. differed the most between X and Z), both the Kohonen artificial neural network (SOM) and assemblage indices showed the biggest differences between X and Y, thus confirming the crucial role of the degradation of aquatic environment in shaping fish assemblages. The latter result ensued from the reaction of the rheophilic burbot, stone loach, gudgeon, chub and dace, which were most abundant in X, almost absent in Y and reoccurring in Z (although less numerous when compared with X). The opposite was recorded for mud loach, tench, ide and silver bream, which were most abundant in the degraded section Y, probably because of weak competition with the almost‐absent rheophils. The abundance of two generalists, roach and pike, was similar in all three sections, i.e. changed neither along the downstream nor in the degradation gradient.     

Differential effects of habitat complexity,predators and competitors on abundance of juvenile and adult coral reef fishes

Greater structural complexity is often associated with greater abundance and diversity, perhaps because high complexity habitats reduce predation and competition. Using 16 spatially isolated live-coral reefs in the Bahamas, I examined how abundance of juvenile (recruit) and adult (non-recruit) fishes was affected by two factors: (1) structural habitat complexity and (2) the presence of predators and interference competitors. Manipulating the abundance of low and high complexity corals created two levels of habitat complexity, which was cross-factored with the presence or absence of resident predators (sea basses and moray eels) plus interference competitors (territorial damselfishes). Over 60 days, predators and competitors greatly reduced recruit abundance regardless of habitat complexity, but did not affect adult abundance. In contrast, increased habitat complexity had a strong positive effect on adult abundance and a weak positive effect on recruit abundance. Differential responses of recruits and adults may be related to the differential effects of habitat complexity on their primary predators. Sedentary recruits are likely most preyed upon by small resident predators that ambush prey, while larger adult fishes that forage widely and use reefs primarily for shelter are likely most preyed upon by large transient predators that chase prey. Increased habitat complexity may have inhibited foraging by transient predators but not resident predators. Results demonstrate the importance of habitat complexity to community dynamics, which is of concern given the accelerated degradation of habitats worldwide.     

European water voles in a reconnected lowland river floodplain: habitat preferences and distribution patterns following the restoration of flooding

Water voles have suffered large population declines in the United Kingdom due to habitat degradation and predation by invasive American mink. Habitat restoration of floodplain wetlands could help to reverse this decline, but the detailed habitat preferences of water voles in these environments have not been well studied, and the impacts of restoration practices on water vole populations are not known. This study investigated the habitat preferences of water voles in a reconnected lowland river floodplain. The results show that water voles preferred wider water bodies, and taller and more diverse vegetation. The impact of flooding on water voles was also investigated by comparing their occurrence between two survey periods which were separated by large flood events, and by comparing distribution patterns before and after restoration. Contrary to previous reports, there was no observed negative impact of flood events on water vole distribution, which has slightly expanded since the floodplain was reconnected to the river in 2009. Overall this study demonstrates that restored wetlands can provide suitable habitat for water voles, and provides guidance on some of the factors which should be considered when designing floodplains for water vole conservation.     

Settlement preferences in coral-reef fishes: Effects on patterns of adult and juvenile distributions,individual fitness and population structure

Abstract Coral-reef fishes exhibit a wide range of habitat preferences at settlement. However, the consequences of these preferences to fitness and population dynamics are poorly known. We critically evaluate evidence for these consequences from recent studies of settlement preferences, and note that most studies have concentrated on only a few common taxa. We recommend that this taxonomic base be broadened, and that settlement preferences be incorporated into future studies of the link between larval supply and population dynamics of reef fishes.     

Inconsistency between salinity preference and habitat salinity in euryhaline gobiid fishes in the Isazu River,northern Kyoto Prefecture

Adults of three amphidromous gobiid fishes, Tridentiger brevispinis, Rhinogobius similis, and Gymnogobius petschiliensis, are euryhaline and generally found in both freshwater (FW) and brackish water (BW) areas. The determining factors for their choice of habitat with different salinity have never been explored. In this study, a salinity-choice experiment was conducted using the above species captured in the FW region of the Isazu River, northern Kyoto Prefecture. For comparison, the fluvial goby Rhinogobius flumineus and BW-acclimated G. petschiliensis were also tested. We found that the three euryhaline species, including BW-acclimated G. petschiliensis, preferred BW to FW, whereas R. flumineus preferred FW. These results suggest that salinity preference did not determine habitat in these euryhaline gobiids, which were found in FW. Surveys were also conducted focusing on competitors and predators in their potential habitats. Thus, net sampling captured many other gobiid species, and an environmental DNA method detected Japanese temperate bass, a voracious predator, in the estuarine areas, suggesting that biotic factors are major determinants in the distribution of euryhaline species.     

Development and ecological importance of phytoplankton in a large lowland river (River Meuse,Belgium)

The ecological importance of the River Meuse phytoplankton with regard to carbon and nutrient transport has been examined in two reaches of the Belgian course of the river.Field measurements of total particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON) and particulate phosphorus (PP) show that the large autochtonous production of organic matter strongly affects the carbon and nutrient budget of the aquatic system. During the growing season, phytoplankton accounts for nearly 60% of the POC and dominates the PON. Calculations of the carbon and oxygen budget in the upper reach of the Belgian Meuse demonstrates that the ecosystem is autotrophic, i.e. that autochtonous FPOM (fine particulate organic matter) production is the major carbon input. This suggests that in large lowland rivers, primary production (P) may exceed community respiration (R), i.e. P:R>1, whereas they are assumed to be heterotrophic (P:R<1) in the River Continuum concept.The question of maintenance of phytoplankton in turbid mixed water columns is also addressed, and the case of the River Meuse is treated on the basis of studies of photosynthesis and respiration (ETS measurements). The results suggest that the potamoplankton may show some low-light acclimation, through an increase of chlorophyll a relative to biomass, when it comes to deep downstream reaches, and that algal respiration rate may be reduced. A simulation of the longitudinal development of the algal biomass shows the different phases of algal growth and decline along the river and brings support to the importation hypothesis for explaining maintenance of potamoplankton in the downstream reaches.     

Behavior, movements, and habitat use of adult green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, in the upper Sacramento River

We conducted the first continuous shipboard tracking of southern Distinct Population Segment green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, in the Sacramento River. Tracking of adult green sturgeon occurred between river kilometer (rkm) 434.8 and 511.6, a section of the putative spawning grounds located near Red Bluff, California. The recorded positions of acoustically tagged green sturgeon were analyzed using First Passage Time analysis to determine differences in habitat use between suitable and non-suitable habitats. Classification and Regression Tree modeling was used to determine explanatory inputs attributable to above average habitat use. Green sturgeon exhibited above average habitat use at five sites, identified as potential spawning aggregate sites. Three types of movements (holding, milling, and directed) could be categorized from tracks. Lastly, we show that green sturgeon while on the spawning grounds exhibit a high degree of mobility throughout the spawning grounds, often making large movements between specific habitat units. Our study illustrates how the application of shipboard tracking can be useful for describing movement, behavior and habitat utilization at a spatial scale not achieved by stationary acoustic monitors.     

The effect of natal experience on habitat preferences

Several important problems in ecology, evolution and conservation biology are affected by habitat selection in dispersing animals. Experience in the natal habitat has long been considered a potential source of variation in the habitat preferences displayed when dispersers select a post-dispersal habitat. However, the taxonomic breadth of this phenomenon is underappreciated, in part because partially overlapping, taxon-specific definitions in the literature have discouraged communication. Here, we explore the phenomenon of natal habitat preference induction (NHPI) and demonstrate that NHPI has been observed in a broad range of animal taxa. We consider the potential adaptive significance of NHPI, identify implications of its occurrence for problems in evolution, ecology and conservation biology, and encourage further study of this phenomenon.     

Dynamics of fish diseases in the lower Elbe River

As part of a survey on population dynamics and ecology of fishesin the Elbe River, seasonal and regional fluctuations of external fish diseases were studied from the open North Sea to Hamburg in 1981–1982. Clinical signs of 11 different diseases, several of them not being recorded before, were noted in 22 fish species. Averaged over all samples, the total disease prevalence was below 1 % in 16 species. Highest prevalences were found in smelt (12.7 %), eel (9.2 %), and flounder (5.5 %). The frequency of most diseases increased in larger (older) fish. High prevalences of skeletal abnormalities in cod could be related to abnormal migration habits of diseased fish. Spawning papillomatosis, skin ulceration, and fin rot in smelt occurred predominantly during the spawning season. Most diseases observed occurred at relatively high prevalences in the central Elbe estuary between Cuxhaven and Brunsbüttel. This is most obvious for lymphocystis, fin rot, skin ulceration, and bleaching syndrome in flounder, but such a tendency also seems to occur in cauliflower disease of eel, as well as spawning papillomatosis and pharyngeal granuloma in smelt. This area is less heavily polluted and less frequently affected by oxygen deficiency than the area upstream of Glückstadt, where diseases in general occurred at lower frequencies. Therefore, it is concluded that neither pollution nor lack of oxygen are the main triggers for the outbreak of diseases in Elbe fish. It is supposed that large tidal fluctuations of salinity are a major stress factor for fish in the estuary between Cuxhaven and Brunsbüttel. Flounder from this area usually are in a relatively bad nutritional state. Their condition factor increases significantly towards Hamburg, while their disease prevalence decreases in the same direction.     

The ammonia-oxidizing nitrifying population of the River Elbe estuary

Abstract: The ammonia-oxidizing bacterial population of the tidal River Elbe was analysed. In the freshwater section of the river, abundance was generally at a magnitude of 10⁴ cells per g dry weight and 10³ cells per ml in sediments and in water samples, respectively. In the brackish water region, counts decreased drastically with the increase in salinity caused by the low level of abundance of ammonia-oxidizers in the seawater. The contribution of attached ammonia-oxidizers to the total number ranged between 50 and approximately 100%, depending on the respective load with suspended particulate matter (SPM) of the water. The presence of seven distinct species of the genus Nitrosomonas was established by DNA hybridizations. Based on 16S rRNA gene partial sequence analyses, four groups, comprising phylogenetically closely related species, were defined. Dependence of ammonia oxidation on the NH₄Cl concentration, tolerance against increasing salinity and the possession of urease activity were found to be useful ecophysiological characteristics, being in accordance with phylogenetic relationships among the species.     

Affiliative,playful, and homosexual interactions of adult female lowland gorillas

Over a period of seven months four wild born adult female lowland gorillas were observed under semi-natural captive conditions. Thirty instances of contact interactions were recorded during 80 hours of observation. These interactions were segregated into categories operationally defined as connoting playful, homosexual, and affiliative activities. During observation periods the animals' labial tumescence was rated and the stage of the cycle was estimated. Metacommunicative signals were involved during playful interactions which resembled social rough-and-tumble play. Sexual interactions included partner positioning, thrusting, and usually were accomplished through ventral-ventral genital approximations. Sexual activity was also significantly related to cycle state. Contact interactions appeared to represent a specification and elaboration of a trend revealed through measures of proximity.