Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska

Abstract: We present a comprehensive look at a sample of bear spray incidents that occurred in Alaska, USA, from 1985 to 2006. We analyzed 83 bear spray incidents involving brown bears (Ursus arctos; 61 cases, 74%), black bears (Ursus americanus; 20 cases, 24%), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus; 2 cases, 2%). Of the 72 cases where persons sprayed bears to defend themselves, 50 (69%) involved brown bears, 20 (28%) black bears, and 2 (3%) polar bears. Red pepper spray stopped bears' undesirable behavior 92% of the time when used on brown bears, 90% for black bears, and 100% for polar bears. Of all persons carrying sprays, 98% were uninjured by bears in close-range encounters. All bear—inflicted injuries (n = 3) associated with defensive spraying involved brown bears and were relatively minor (i.e., no hospitalization required). In 7% (5 of 71) of bear spray incidents, wind was reported to have interfered with spray accuracy, although it reached the bear in all cases. In 14% (10 of 71) of bear spray incidents, users reported the spray having had negative side effects upon themselves, ranging from minor irritation (11%, 8 of 71) to near incapacitation (3%, 2 of 71). Bear spray represents an effective alternative to lethal force and should be considered as an option for personal safety for those recreating and working in bear country. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):640–645; 2008)     

POPULATION GENETICS OF RESURGENCE: WHITE-TAILED DEER IN KENTUCKY

Abstract: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Kentucky represent an example of successful wildlife restoration. Eliminated from all but a few remnant areas by the early part of the twentieth century, the species is once again widely distributed and abundant as a result of intensive restocking efforts since the 1940s. Seven DNA microsatellite markers were used to survey the extent and pattern of genetic variation in 322 deer from multiple localities throughout the commonwealth. Six genetically homogeneous regions and 1 heterogeneous region were identified across Kentucky. High levels of allelic diversity were detected with no apparent reduction in heterozygosity, disproportionate loss of rare alleles, or shift in modal allele frequency class as might be expected if the severe historical population size reduction generated a concomitant genetic bottleneck. These results are consistent with predictions of founder-flush models: that rapid population growth may minimize the loss of genetic variability associated with a population bottleneck. Nevertheless, comparisons of our data to that derived from other imperiled taxa suggest that species demographics can also play an important role in determining the genetic consequences of population size reduction and subsequent recovery. Our data also illuminate the critical role of deer from Land Between the Lakes (LBL) as the initial source population from which all extant Kentucky deer are descended. While generally supporting current regional management perspectives, our results argue for recognition of the LBL herd as a distinct management island of genetic and historical value.     

Metabolic rate does not decrease with starvation in Gryllus bimaculatus when changing fuel use is taken into account

Many behavioural traits are considered to be condition‐dependent, reflecting the differential allocation of resources to fitness‐related traits and maintenance, although the physiological underpinnings of condition dependence are not well understood. In the present study, the hypothesis that condition dependence in male Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer is mediated by a decrease in metabolic rate with declining condition is tested. CO₂ production is measured by flow‐through respirometry, with insect condition manipulated through starvation. Crickets starved for 7 days have lower CO₂ emission rates than individuals starved for only 24 h. However, carbohydrate reserves are depleted in the first 3 days, suggesting that the initial metabolism is primarily fuelled by carbohydrate, with a shift to lipid stores after 3 days. If the metabolic rate is estimated using respiratory quotients reflecting this shift in fuels, there is no difference in metabolic rate between crickets starved for 24 h and 7 days, suggesting that metabolic rate does not decrease with declining condition. This implies that a decrease in metabolic rate during starvation may not be a general pattern in insects, and emphasizes the need to consider fuel use during metabolic rate estimation in starvation studies.     

Climate change predicted to cause severe increase of organic carbon in lakes

Riverine transport of organic carbon (OC) to the ocean is a significant component in the global carbon (C) cycle and the concentration of total organic carbon (TOC) in rivers and lakes is vital for ecosystem properties and water quality for human use. By use of a large dataset comprising chemical variables and detailed catchment information in ～1000 Norwegian pristine lakes covering a wide climatic range, we were able to predict TOC concentrations with high accuracy. We further predict, using a ‘space‐for‐time’ approach and a downscaled, moderate, climate change scenario, that northern, boreal regions likely will experience strong increases in OC export from catchments to surface waters. Median concentrations of OC in these lakes will increase by 65%, from the current median of 2.0–3.3 mg C L^?1. This is a long‐term effect, primarily mediated by increased terrestrial vegetation cover in response to climate change. This increase OC will have severe impacts on food‐webs, productivity and human use. Given the robustness of the estimates and the general applicability of the parameters, we suggest that these findings would be relevant to boreal areas in general.     

Exposure of California Condors to Lead From Spent Ammunition

ABSTRACT The scientific evidence that California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are frequently sickened and killed by lead poisoning from spent ammunition supports the conclusion that current levels of lead exposure are too high to allow reintroduced condors to develop self-sustaining populations in the wild in Arizona and, by inference, in California. The evidence for lead poisoning and its source comes from the following sorts of data: 1) 18 clinical necropsies revealing high levels of lead in body tissues and (or) presence of lead shotgun pellets and bullet fragments in digestive tracts; 2) moribund condors showing crop paralysis and impending starvation with toxic levels of lead in their blood; 3) widespread lead exposure among free-flying condors, many with clinically exposed or acute levels; 4) temporal and spatial correlations between big game hunting seasons and elevated lead levels in condors; and 5) lead isotope ratios from exposed condors showing close similarity to isotope ratios of ammunition lead but isotope ratios in less exposed condors being similar to environmental background sources, which are different from ammunition lead. Simple population models reveal harmful demographic impacts of unnatural mortality from lead on population trajectories of reintroduced condors. Recent innovations in the manufacture of nonlead shotgun pellets and bullets with superior ballistics now provide for a simple solution to the problem of lead ingestion by condors, many other species of wildlife, and human beings: substitute nontoxic forms of ammunition for traditional lead-based ammunition. The substitution of nontoxic ammunition would be highly efficacious for hunting, economically feasible, and the right thing to do.     

High light decreases xylem contribution to fruit growth in tomato

Recently, contradicting evidence has been reported on the contribution of xylem and phloem influx into tomato fruits, urging the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in fruit growth. So far, little research has been performed on quantifying the effect of light intensity on the different contributors to the fruit water balance. However, as light intensity affects both transpiration and photosynthesis, it might be expected to induce important changes in the fruit water balance. In this study, tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were grown in light and shade conditions and the fruit water balance was studied by measuring fruit growth of girdled and intact fruits with linear variable displacement transducers combined with a model‐based approach. Results indicated that the relative xylem contribution significantly increased when shading lowered light intensity. This resulted from both a higher xylem influx and a lower phloem influx during the daytime. Plants from the shade treatment were able to maintain a stronger gradient in total water potential between stem and fruits during daytime, thereby promoting xylem influx. It appeared that the xylem pathway was still functional at 35 days after anthesis and that relative xylem contribution was strongly affected by environmental conditions.     

Between Religion and Desire: Being Muslim and Gay in Indonesia

Thousands of Indonesian men now identify as both "gay" and "Muslim." How do these men understand the relationship between religion and sexuality? How do these understandings reflect the fact that they live in the nation that is home to more Muslims than any other? In this article, I address questions such as these through an ethnographic study of gay Muslims. I argue that dominant social norms render being gay and being Muslim "ungrammatical" with each other in the public sphere that is crucial to Muslim life in Indonesia. Through examining doctrine, interpretation, and community, I explore how gay Muslim subjectivity takes form in this incommensurability between religion and desire.     

Visual Anthropology

Cultural Travel and Migrancy: The Artistic Representation of Globalization in the Electronic Media of West Java . Edwin Jurriëns. Leiden: KITLV Press, 2004. 213 pp.     

Cyclic Variations in Nitrogen Uptake Rate of Soybean Plants: Effects of External Nitrate Concentration

Net uptake of by non-nodulated soybean plants [Glycine max (L.) Merr.cv. Ransom] growing in flowing hydroponiccultures containing 0–5, 1.0 and 10-0 mol m^–3 was measured daily during a 24-d period of vegetativedevelopment to determine if amplitude of maximum and minimumrates of net uptake are responsive to external concentrations of . Removal of from the replenished solutions during each 24-h period was determinedby ion chromatography. Neither dry matter accumulation nor theperiodicity of oscillations in net uptakerate was altered bythe external concentrations. The maxima of the oscillations in net uptake rate, however, increased nearly3-fold in response to external concentrations. The maxima and minima, respectively, changed from 4.0 and 0–6mmol per gram root dry weight per day at an external solution level of 05 mol m^–3 to 15–2and -2–7 mmol per gram root dry weight per day at an external solution level of 10–0mol m^–3 . The negative values for minimum net uptake rate from10–0 mol m^–3 solutions show that net efflux was occurring andindicate thatthe magnitude of the efflux component of net uptake was responsiveto external concentration of . Key words: Nitrate uptake rate, carbon-nitrogen partitioning, flowing solution culture