Neighborhood density and reproductive potential in harvester ants

When neighbors compete for resources, the characteristics of a neighborhood may affect fitness. We examined the relationship between reproductive success and the density and size/age characteristics of neighbors in a population of the seed-eating ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, in which the ages of all colonies were known. Reproductive success was estimated by trapping and counting the number of alate, reproductive ants emerging from the nest for the annual mating flight. Alate production was negatively related to neighborhood density. Decreased production of alates by more crowded colonies may be due to competition for food with surrounding colonies. Neighbor size/age was unrelated to alate production. If alate production is correlated with lifetime reproductive success, these results suggest that selection favors colonies that monopolize more space, whatever the size of neighboring colonies. Received: 12 February 1996 / Accepted: 6 September 1996     

The importance of food quantity and quality for reproductive performance in alpine water pipits (Anthus spinoletta)

Studies relating reproduction to food availability are usually restricted to food quantity, but ignore food quality and the effects of habitat structure on obtaining the food. This is particularly true for insectivorous birds. In this study we relate measures of reproductive success, time of reproduction and nestling size of water pipits (Anthus spinoletta) to biomass, taxonomic composition and nutritional content of available food, and to vegetation structure and distance to feeding sites. Clutch size was positively correlated with the proportion of grass at the feeding sites, which facilitates foraging. This suggests that water pipits adapt their clutch size to environmental conditions. Also, pipits started breeding earlier and produced more fledglings when abundant food and a large proportion of grass were available, probably because these conditions allow the birds to gain more energy in less time. The number of fledglings was positively correlated with the energy content of available food. No significant relationships were found between feeding conditions and nestling size or the time that nestlings took to fledge. This suggests that water pipits do not invest more in individual nestlings when food conditions are favourable but rather start breeding earlier and produce more young. Taxonomic composition and nutritional content of prey were not correlated with any of the reproductive parameters, indicating that profitability rather than quality of food affects reproductive success. Received: 31 May 1996/Accepted: 12 August 1996     

Age-related changes in ovarian morphology from birth to menopause in the Japanese monkey,Macaca fuscata fuscata

Age-related changes in ovarian morphology were studied in female Japanese monkeys,Macaca fuscata fuscata. A total of 47 nonlactating females of various ages ranging from new-born to >28 yr old were used. Ovarian size increased during the first decade of life, reached a plateau at around 10 yr. This was followed by a gradual decline throughout the remaining life span. The ovarian cortex of new-born animals consisted of numerous clusters of mitotic primordial germ cells. Such mitotic germ cells were observed even in the ovary of 28-day-old animal, but were not found in any animal after 1.5 yr of age. Numbers of primordial follicles decreased exponentially with the advance of age, and only a few primordial follicles were observed after about 16 yr of age. The numbers of primary and tertiary follicles increased from ages 4 to 16 yr, with a peak at 8 to 10 yr, and then decreased gradually. Developing tertiary follicles were observed as early as 1.5 yr of age. About 40% of tertiary follicles were atretic follicles throughout life, and their size was similar to that of developing tertiary follicles. Corpora lutea or corpora albicantia were found in ovaries more than 4 yr old. Remnants of corpora lutea and corpora albicantia, together with thick-walled blood vessels and fibrosis, became apparent in ovaries after 16 yr, and were observed characteristically in ovaries over 26 yr of age. There was no significant difference in the number or in the size of tertiary follicles between the breeding and nonbreeding seasons.     

How parasites can promote the expression of social behaviour in their hosts

Recent theory on the role of parasites in the evolution of social behaviour has emphasized the costs of social behaviour to hosts. However, parasites whose primary effect on host fitness is to reduce fecundity can favour the evolutionary origin or maintenance of social behaviour, including eusociality, under certain conditions. If the parasites are not readily transmitted among members of social groups, then other group members will not be selected to reject infected individuals as social partners, nor will adaptive suicide or avoidance of grouping be selectively favoured for infected individuals. Rather, total or partial parasitic castration may promote the expression of helping behaviour by infected individuals. Some parasites may therefore act to increase variance in direct reproductive value within populations or societies, and to promote reproductive division of labour. The necessary conditions of reduced host fecundity and low within-group transmission are met in some insect-parasite systems, and could occur in other host-parasite systems as well.     

浮桥河水库鲂繁殖生物学的研究

研究结果表明,浮桥河水库鲂雌性三年性成熟,雄性二年,生殖季节可凭“追星”等副性征辨别雌雄。性成熟后,性腺具有周年变化规律,卵子发育为非同步分批成熟型,水库中为一次产卵,产卵期一般在５－６月,水温１８－２８℃,产卵场一般位于主河道入库蛔水区,卵粘性,多元回归结果,绝对生死力与成熟系数,体长,体重正相关,而与体高,卵径负相关,相对生殖力除受成熟系数影响较大外,则相对稳定,卵重,卵径主要受成熟系数的影响     

Number of reproductive cycles of Varroa jacobsoni in honey-bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Very little data exists concerning the number of reproductive cycles performed by individual Varroa mites. To understand the population dynamics of the Varroa mite it is necessary to know the number of fertile female offspring each Varroa female produces during her lifetime. The lifetime reproduction capacity of the mite consists of the mean number of fertile female offspring produced during each reproductive cycle multiplied by the mean number of cell passages. This paper describes an experimental design to estimate the number of reproductive cycles where mites are transferred to new mite-free colonies for reproduction in sealed brood cells. The data presented suggests that the mean number of reproductive cycles performed by the individual female mite is larger than previously accepted. Under optimal conditions, the mean number of reproductive cycles by Varroa females is probably greater than 1.5 but less than 2. Furthermore, the results show that the reproductive success of Varroa females going into cells to reproduce is not influenced by previous brood cycles.     

Brood reduction facilitates female but not offspring survival in the great tit

The long-term fitness consequences of brood reduction were examined in two (urban and rural) great tit populations in south-eastern Estonia during 1987–1994. The brood reduction hypothesis in its initial, Lackian sense was not supported since partial brood loss was accompanied by a decrease in fledgling weight and recruitment rate. Female survival was significantly improved in broods with high nestling mortality in the rural population. My results suggest that female great tits might be able to reallocate resources for self-maintenance if food appears to be short for the successful raising of the brood. However, parents are not capable of efficiently reallocating resources between nestlings.     

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and -gonadal axis function after exercise in sedentary and endurance trained elderly males

The aim of this study was to investigate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPAA) and -gonadal (HPGA) axis responses to post-exercise (30 min at 65% V˙O_2max) combined corticotrophin, luteinizing hormone and thyrotrophin releasing hormone challenge (0.7 μg/kg body mass) in elderly distance runners (DR; age: 68.9 ± 4.2 year) and sedentary individuals (SI; age: 69.1 ± 2.6 year). Plasma cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and total testosterone (T) concentrations pre- and post-exercise as well as in response to stimulation did not differ between DR and SI. Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone returned to pre-exercise level in DR 60 min and in SI 90 min post-stimulation. Free T was lower in DR at all time points. Our results do not support the notion of altered releasing hormone-stimulable HPAA and HPGA synthesis-secretion capacity in elderly males after endurance training. Accepted: 18 November 1997     

温度对白斑隐蛛个体发育和生殖行为的影响

白斑隐蛛在湖北省以成蛛和幼蛛混合群体越冬,全年可完成3代。3代平均发育历期:雌蛛分别为69.13d、71.80d和76.40d,雄蛛为67.30d、61.39d和69.45d。成蛛寿命一般70～90d,其寿命长短与温度呈负相关。发育起点温度、胚胎期为15.88℃;雌蛛全幼蛛期为13.71℃,雄蛛为14.51℃;全世代为13.69℃。有效积温、胚胎期为128.60日度;雌蛛的全幼蛛期为654.21日度,雄蛛全幼蛛期为655.87日度;全世代为818.67日度。抗高温能力较强,胚胎的最适温度是37℃;幼蛛期是35℃。25～30℃为产卵率最高温区。产卵袋最适温区是20℃～35℃之间,其中以30℃产卵袋数最多。产卵间隔在20℃～35℃温区内,与温度呈负相关。在15℃～35℃温区内,温度对卵袋含卵量影响不大,但超过35℃就显著减少。20℃～30℃为单雌产卵量最高温区,高温(35℃以上)可出现无效卵袋。在正常情况下,卵的孵化率达90％以上。     

花背蟾蜍繁殖种群食物多样性及营养生态位的研究

作者于１９９５年４～５月份在长春市调查了花背蟾蜍繁殖种群不同繁殖时期的食性,并通过食物多样性和营养生态位对食性变化进行了分析。结果表明,繁殖种群繁殖后的食物多样性指数、营养生态位宽度较繁殖期为大;繁殖期和繁殖后的食物百分率相似性指数及营养生态位重叠值小,而食物百分率相异性及营养生态位分离值大。繁殖期雄体的食物多样性指数及营养生态位宽度均大于雌体,繁殖后雌体的食物多样性指数及营养生态位宽度均大于雄体,雌雄个体间的食物百分率相异性指数及营养生态位分离值小。摄食活动性受繁殖影响,并随繁殖结束而增强。