Foraging Association between Coatis (Nasua nasua) and Birds of the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Two bird species, Leucopternis polionota and Dendrocincla fuliginosa , frequently follow coatis ( Nasua nasua) while they forage in the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil. Two other avian species, Trogon rufus and Habia rubica , have also been observed following coatis. This "following foraging behavior" is more frequent during the dry season when coatis forage in trees. For the birds, this can represent a coping strategy with the reduced resource availability during the drier season.     

双组分系统rcsC基因影响禽致病性大肠杆菌的致病性及相关生物学特性

【目的】双组分系统Rcs感受外界环境变化,并调控细菌的适应性及生存等。本文探讨Rcs双组分系统传感器激酶RcsC对禽致病性大肠杆菌(avian pathogenic Escherichia coli,APEC)相关生物学特性及致病性的影响。【方法】采用Red同源重组的方法构建rcsC基因缺失株,并利用互补质粒构建互补株,然后比较野生株、基因缺失株与互补株的生长特性、运动性、生物被膜、凝集沉淀能力、致病力及毒力基因转录水平的差异。【结果】rcsC基因缺失不影响APEC的生长速度,然而,缺失RcsC导致APEC的运动能力升高、生物被膜形成能力降低和凝集能力增强。凝集试验结果显示rcsC基因有助于APEC的凝集沉降。细胞黏附入侵结果表明,rcsC在APEC侵袭DF-1细胞过程中发挥作用,而对黏附能力无影响。动物感染试验结果表明rcsC基因缺失能显著降低APEC的毒力。荧光定量PCR检测结果表明,rcsC基因缺失株中ompA、aatA、fyuA和luxS基因的转录水平均显著降低,而fimC和tsh基因的转录水平显著升高。【结论】RcsC参与调控APEC的运动性、生物被膜形成、凝集沉降和致病力。     

Wind turbine noise limits propagation of greater prairie‐chicken boom chorus,but does it matter?

Acoustic signals are often critical elements of mating displays, and lekking male greater prairie‐chickens (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) use their boom vocalization for this purpose. We quantified the acoustic characteristics of the boom chorus created by multiple male greater prairie‐chickens vocalizing simultaneously at leks in Brown County, NE, USA, in 2013 and 2014. We used these data to evaluate (a) the role of the boom chorus in prairie‐chicken breeding dynamics and (b) the impact of a wind energy facility on the acoustic signal of the boom chorus. We sampled the chorus using audio recorders placed in transects extending from leks; the chorus exhibited an average peak frequency of 297 ± 13 Hz. The mean chorus signal‐to‐noise ratio declined from 15.7 dB (50 m) to 2.6 dB (800 m), and wind speed and direction, topography, and relative humidity caused variation in signal‐to‐noise ratio at a given distance and location. Chorus recordings from leks within 1,000 m of a wind turbine had lower signal‐to‐noise ratio (β_turbine = ?5.659, SE = 1.289) than leks farther from turbines. The chorus signal‐to‐noise ratio increased slightly with more males present on the lek (~0.1 dB for each additional male; β_males = 0.177; SE = 0.037) and considerably more as more females visited the lek (~1.4 dB for each additional female; β_females = 2.498, SE = 0.235; β_females² = ?0.309, SE = 0.039). Our results provide support for the signal enhancement hypothesis that proposes the boom chorus is influenced notably by male–male competition for females on the lek, rather than functioning solely to advertise the presence of the lek to recruit females. Our results also suggest the choruses emanating from small leks have the greatest potential to be masked by anthropogenic (wind turbine) noise, which may affect the breeding success of male and female prairie‐chickens.     

Use of passive radio frequency identification technologies to monitor nest usage in the northern carmine bee‐eater (Merops n. nubicus)

The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is common in animal‐monitoring applications in the wild and in zoological and agricultural settings. RFID is used to track animals and to collect information about movements and other behaviors, as well as to automate or improve husbandry. Disney's Animal Kingdom® uses passive RFID technology to monitor nest usage by a breeding colony of northern carmine bee‐eaters. We implemented RFID technologies in various equipment configurations, initially deploying low‐frequency (LF) 125 kHz RFID and later changing to high‐frequency (HF) 13.56 MHz RFID technology, to monitor breeding behavior in the flock. We installed antennas connected to RFID readers at the entrances of nest tunnels to detect RFID transponders attached to leg bands as birds entered and exited tunnels. Both LF‐RFID and HF‐RFID systems allowed the characterization of nest visitation, including the timing of nest activity, breeding pair formation, identification of egg‐laying females, participation by nonresidents, and detection of nest disruptions. However, we collected a substantially larger volume of data using the increased bandwidth and polling speed inherent with HF‐RFID, which permitted tag capture of multiple birds simultaneously and resulted in fewer missed nest visits in comparison to LF‐RFID. Herein, we describe the evolution of the RFID setups used to monitor nest usage for more than 7 years, the types of data that can be gained using RFID at nests, and how we used these data to gain insights into carmine bee‐eater breeding behavior and improve husbandry.     

Osteopathy of the pectoral and pelvic limbs including pentadactyly in a young Kestrel (Falco t. tinnunculus)

Summary A five and a half weeks old female Kestrel exhibiting osteopathy of the pectoral and pelvic limbs, including symmetrical hyperdactyly, was investigated in order to clarify the pattern of the involved anatomical alterations and the possible causes of this developmental malformation. In the pectoral limb it consisted of a triplication of the alular digit, in the pelvic limb of a duplication of digit I. The live young Kestrel was observed for a period of two weeks to ascertain that it was unable to fly or procure prey on its own. After its death radiographs were taken and, apart from an eidonomic inspection including the wing claws, a detailed macroscopic dissection of the musculature of the pectoral and pelvic limbs was carried out using the in-water-method. Consecutive dissection steps were documented by a series of photographic slides. The relevant musculature, particularly that of the supernumerary digits, was recorded in proportional drawings. Subsequent to maceration of the limbs the isolated bones were reassembled according to the radiographs and also documented by means of photographs and drawings. This anatomical approach produced a reliable reconstruction of the skeletomuscular apparatus of the hyperdactylous limb parts. The eidonomic inspection revealed that at least young Kestrels may have two (alular and major digit) or even three wing claws per side. The proximal skeletal elements of both pectoral and pelvic limb were more sturdily built than in a typical Kestrel of comparable age. The proximal elements of the pelvic limb, the tarsometatarsus in particular, were shorter than in a typical Kestrel. In addition, the long axis of the tarsometatarsus was laterally bent in the transverse plane so that its proximal articular surfaces were medially inclined. Duplication of the cutaneous and osseous elements in the foot was accompanied by a duplication of some of the muscular and/or tendinous elements supplying digit I proper and the accessory digit I'. There were left-to-right asymmetries of the pedal musculature concerned. In contrast, the two accessory alular digits of each wing were almost completely devoid of musculature. Apart from atypical points of origin or insertion of the remaining distal musculture, left-to-right asymmetries and the two accessory alulae per wing, presumably, affected aerodynamic properties and resulted in flightlessness.A juvenile Kestrel of similar age and without hyperdactyly was dissected for comparison. In addition, the external appearance of the carpometacarpal region of two female Silkies, an obligatory pentadactylous breed of domestic fowl, was inspected and the skeletal parts of their pectoral and pelvic limbs compared with those of the hyperdactylous Kestrel. Our results and a literature review suggest that the symmetrical hyperdactyly in the Kestrel bears striking similarities to the hereditary hyperdactyly observed in certain breeds of domestic fowl. In addition, there is a striking resemblance between the hyperdactyly of the young Kestrel and certain forms of hyperdactyly induced by molecular genetical experiments of other authors on chicks. Comparison with these results taken from the literature suggest that the symmetrical hyperdactyly in the young Kestrel, including the alterations of the proximal skeletal elements, is caused by an unusually early expression of the Hoxd-11 gene group during embryological development. Most likely, this gene group is situated on the 2^nd chromosome in birds just as it is in mammals.

---

Osteopathie der Vorder - und Hinterextremitäten, verbunden mit einer symmetrischen Hyperdactylie bei einem jungen Turmfalken (Falco tinnunculus)

Zusammenfassung Ein fünfeinhalb Wochen alter weiblicher Turmfalke mit einer Osteopathie der Vorder- und Hinterextremitäten, verbunden mit einer symmetrischen Hyperdactylie, wurde untersucht, um das Muster der beteiligten anatomischen Veränderungen und die möglichen Ursachen dieser Mißbildung zu erkennen. An der Vorderextremität bestand sie aus einer Verdreifachung des Alula-Fingers, an der Hinterextremität aus einer Verdoppelung der Zehe I. Die Beobachtung des lebenden jungen Turmfalken während eines Zeitraumes von zwei Wochen ergab, dass er flugunfähig war und keine Beute schlagen konnte.Nach seinem Tod und einer Inspektion der Eidonomie, einschließlich der Flügelkrallen, wurden Röntgenaufnahmen angefertigt. Danach folgte eine detaillierte makroskopische Präparation der Flügel- und Beinmuskulatur unter Verwendung der In-Wasser-Methode. Die einzelnen Präparationsschritte wurden anhand von Dia-Serien dokumentiert. Die relevante Muskulatur, insbesondere die der überzähligen Digiti, wurde in proportionsgetreuen Zeichnungen festgehalten. Nach Mazeration der Extremitäten wurden die Einzelknochen, entsprechend den Röntgenbildern, wieder zusammengesetzt und ebenfalls mit Fotografien und Zeichnungen dokumentiert. Dieser anatomische Ansatz lieferte eine zuverlässige Rekonstruktion des Skelett-Muskel-Apparates der hyperdactylen Extremitätenanteile.Die eidonomische Inspektion ergab, dass zumindest junge Turmfalken zwei (Digitus alularis und majoris) oder sogar drei Flügelkrallen haben können. Die proximalen Skelettelemente der Vorder- und Hinterextremität waren deutlich robuster gebaut als bei einem typischen Turmfalken vergleichbaren Alters. Die proximalen Elemente der Hinterextremität, insbesondere der Tarsometatarsus, waren kürzer als bei einem typischen Turmfalken. Darüberhinaus war die Längsachse des Tarsometatarsus in der Transversalebene laterad gekrümmt, so dass sich seine proximalen Gelenkflächen schräg mediad richteten. Entsprechend der kutanen und knöchernen Doppelbildungen des Fußes waren auch einige der Muskeln und Sehnen doppelt vorhanden, welche die eigentliche erste Zehe und die akzessorische erste Zehe versorgten. Es traten Rechts-/Links-Asymmetrien der betreffenden Muskulatur auf. Im Gegensatz dazu waren die beiden akzessorischen Alula-Finger jedes Flügels fast vollständig ohne Muskulatur. Abgesehen von atypischen Ursprungs- und Insertionspunkten der verbleibenden distalen Muskulatur, beeinträchtigten Rechts-/Links-Asymmetrien und die beiden akzessorischen Alulae pro Flügel vermutlich die aerodynamischen Eigenschaften und führten zur Flugunfähigkeit.Ein junger Turmfalke ähnlichen Alters ohne Hyperdactylie wurde zum Vergleich präpariert. Zusätzlich wurde die äußere Erscheinung der Carpometacarpal-Region zweier Seidenhühner, einer obligatorisch pentadactylen Hühnerrasse, inspiziert und die Skelettelemente ihrer Vorder- und Hinterextremitäten mit denen des hyperdactylen Turmfalken verglichen. Unsere Ergebnisse und ein Überblick der Literatur lassen auffallende Übereinstimmungen zwischen der symmetrischen Hyperdactylie des jungen Turmfalken und der erblichen Hyperdactylie bestimmter Hühnerrassen erkennen. Darüberhinaus besteht eine auffallende übereinstimmung zwischen der Hyperdactylie des jungen Turmfalken und bestimmten Formen der Hyperdactylie, welche von anderen Autoren durch molekulargenetische Experimente an Hühnerküken induziert wurden. Ein Vergleich mit diesen Ergebnissen aus der Literatur legt nahe, dass die symmetrische Hyperdactylie des jungen Turmfalken, einschließlich der Veränderungen der proximalen Skelettelemente, durch eine ungewöhnlich frühe Expression der Hoxd-11 Gengruppe im Laufe der Embryonalentwicklung verursacht wurde. Sehr wahrscheinlich ist diese Gengruppe bei Vögeln auf dem zweiten Chromosom lokalisiert — ebenso wie bei Säugetieren.

     

Genetic equilibrium despite habitat fragmentation in an Afrotropical bird

We examined the effects of habitat fragmentation of the white-starred robin Pogonocichla stellata metapopulation in the Taita Hills archipelago, a hotspot for biodiversity which was fragmented approximately 40 years ago. Using seven microsatellite markers, we analysed the robin's genetic structure and tested for equilibrium between migration and drift (testing the probability of decreased dispersal) as well as between mutation and drift (test for recent reduction in effective population size, i.e. bottlenecks). This metapopulation was found to retain relatively high levels of genetic variability (H(E) between 0.63 and 0.71) and to be in migration-drift equilibrium, suggesting that increased isolation between fragments did not have much effect on the dispersal between them. Furthermore, this equilibrium test greatly enhanced the interpretation of parameters (e.g. F(ST)) assumed to have reached an equilibrium value. In contrast to previous findings on the related and sympatric Taita thrush Turdus helleri (which is critically endangered), there were no indications for recent bottlenecks in any of the robin subpopulations. This difference can be attributed to the higher dispersal capacity of the robin compared with the thrush (deduced from both the genetic and capture-recapture data). Our results stress the importance of sustained dispersal for species conservation.