Allometry of the baculum and sexual size dimorphism in American martens and fishers (Mammalia: Mustelidae)

Genitalia are among the most variable of morphological traits, and recent research suggests that this variability may be the result of sexual selection. For example, large bacula may undergo post‐copulatory selection by females as a signal of male size and age. This should lead to positive allometry in baculum size. In addition to hyperallometry, sexually selected traits that undergo strong directional selection should exhibit high phenotypic variation. Nonetheless, in species in which pre‐copulatory selection predominates over post‐copulatory selection (such as those with male‐biased sexual size dimorphism), baculum allometry may be isometric or exhibit negative allometry. We tested this hypothesis using data collected from two highly dimorphic species of the Mustelidae, the American marten (Martes americana) and the fisher (Martes pennanti). Allometric relationships were weak, with only 4.5–10.1% of the variation in baculum length explained by body length. Because of this weak relationship, there was a large discrepancy in slope estimates derived from ordinary least squares and reduced major axis regression models. We conclude that stabilizing selection rather than sexual selection is the evolutionary force shaping variation in baculum length because allometric slopes were less than one (using the ordinary least squares regression model), a very low proportion of variance in baculum length was explained by body length, and there was low phenotypic variability in baculum length relative to other traits. We hypothesize that this pattern occurs because post‐copulatory selection plays a smaller role than pre‐copulatory selection (manifested as male‐biased sexual size dimorphism). We suggest a broader analysis of baculum allometry and sexual size dimorphism in the Mustelidae, and other taxonomic groups, coupled with a comparative analysis and with phylogenetic contrasts to test our hypothesis. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 104 , 955–963.     

High gene flow and metapopulation dynamics detected for three species in a dryland river system

1. The highly variable hydrology of dryland rivers has important implications for population dynamics in these systems. In western Queensland, fluctuations in sub‐population size are likely to lead to local bottlenecks and extinctions, increasing the need for connectivity and gene flow to maintain population viability. 2. Using microsatellite markers, we explored evidence for this metapopulation structure in two species of freshwater fish (Maquaria ambigua and Tandanus tandanus) and one crustacean (Macrobrachium australiense) in a sub‐catchment of the upper Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. 3. Overall, we found very weak genetic structure for all three species. Two species (M. ambigua and M. australiense) showed some significant genetic structure that did not correlate with geographic distance. However, decomposed pairwise regression analysis revealed evidence for intense genetic drift at the waterhole scale, suggesting that local bottlenecks are driving what little genetic structure does exist for these species. 4. The results identify the local impact of bottlenecks on genetic diversity, but highlight the importance of gene flow in maintaining population viability in these highly variable systems. As the impacts of bottlenecks are likely to be tempered by gene flow, it is suggested that the maintenance of connectivity is of paramount importance in this dryland system.     

设施番茄果实生长与环境因子的关系

在设施环境下,研究环境因子与番茄果实生长的关系,以期为设施番茄精准管理提供参考。以1h为步长,记录设施内温度、光照强度及空气湿度,每7d进行1次果径测定,将采集的环境数据细分为7个变量,分析7个变量与果实日增量随时间的变化,采用DPS软件进行逐步回归,建立显著环境因子与果实日增量的回归模型。春茬两个棚环境因子随时间动态变化规律较一致,秋茬日光温室与其有所不同。番茄品种'粉冠’和'金棚’果实日增量呈现先升高后降低的趋势,品种'珍琪’果实日增量变化波动较大。3个设施内影响果实日增量的显著环境因子有所不同,7个环境变量之间相互影响、相互制约。剔除不显著的环境变量后,建立了3个番茄品种果实日增量与显著环境变量的回归模型,确定了7个环境因子对果实生长的影响及果实生长适宜的环境变量范围。     

长江三峡库区昆虫丰富度的海拔梯度格局——气候、土地覆盖及采样效应的影响

为了探讨长江三峡库区昆虫丰富度的海拔分布格局以及关键影响因子,针对库区记录的3517种昆虫及其中的害虫,我们整理了这些物种的海拔分布范围数据,分析不同分类学水平、种域宽度等级和分类群的物种丰富度海拔分布模式,采用回归树方法探讨主导的影响因素,并检验相关的假说。结果显示:1)在科、属、种水平,三峡库区分布的昆虫和害虫丰富度均呈随海拔上升先增而后减的格局;狭域、中域和广域种具有显著不同的格局,但三个种域等级的昆虫物种丰富度在海拔1400m以上均显著下降,而害虫丰富度在海拔1200m以上即显著下降。2)对记录昆虫种数>20的科进行TWINSPAN分类,得到物种丰富度海拔格局的4种主要模式;尽管不同程度受采样效应的影响,4种模式均属于单峰格局;3)库区土地利用类型的海拔变化对昆虫、害虫物种丰富度海拔分布具有首要和直接的影响;水热平衡或初级生产力是影响昆虫海拔格局的主导气候因子;而1月均温=0℃可能是限制大多数昆虫物种分布上限的临界温度。上述结果表明,三峡库区的昆虫物种丰富度及其不同组分均具有典型的单峰分布格局,这种格局是人类活动与气候梯度综合作用的结果,但前者的作用更为直接,主要体现在土地利用的海拔梯度变化。这些认识对昆虫多样性资源管理和农林业害虫防治具有参考意义。     

民勤绿洲农田生态系统服务价值变化及其影响因子的回归分析

绿洲是干旱区特有的生态系统,而农田生态系统的数量和质量的变化很大程度上决定着绿洲的变化,进而影响到区域社会经济的可持续发展。以西北干旱区典型绿洲--民勤绿洲为例,采用生态经济学的方法,对民勤绿洲2000-2009年近10年的农田生态系统服务价值进行了定量计算及其驱动力分析,结果表明:民勤农田生态系统服务价值从2000年的3.21×10⁸元逐年增加到2009年的6.95×10⁸元,年均增长0.374×10⁸元,其中,单纯生态系统服务价值年均增加约0.289×10⁸元;社会保障功能价值每年保持在1.0×10⁸元左右;使用化肥等导致农田环境污染,使得农田生态系统损失的价值由2000年的0.43×10⁸元增加到2009年的0.64×10⁸元;由于节水技术的采用,水资源利用效率的提高,农业耗水价值在不断减少,平均每年减少0.104×10⁸元;采用资源紧缺度修正后的农田生态系统服务价值比原先都有所增加,但增幅不同,系每年水资源紧缺状况不同所致。采用多元回归分析法研究了人类活动对农田生态系统服务价值变化的影响,结果表明:民勤绿洲农田生态系统服务价值的这种变化是社会经济发展水平、农业管理水平、水资源利用、种植结构转变、以及人们的生态环保意识等多种因素共同驱动下的结果。     

浑河太子河流域景观变化及其驱动力

利用GIS、RS技术、景观生态学方法和Logistic回归方法,分析了浑河太子河流域1988-2004年景观变化及驱动力.结果表明:浑河太子河流域的主要景观类型为林地、灌木林、旱地和水田,研究区的景观格局在研究时间内发生了较大的变化,旱地、水田面积减少,而有林地、水域、农村居民点和城镇的面积增加,灌木林面积变化不大;在...     

Predation of the mite Hypoaspis aculeifer on the springtail Folsomia fimetaria and the influence of sex, size, starvation, and poisoning

Short-range predator–prey interactions among small soil-dwelling arthropods are poorly understood. In this study, we measured the behavioural interactions between the predacious mite Hypoaspis aculeifer Canestrini (Gamasida: Laelapidae) and its collembolan prey Folsomia fimetaria L. (Collembola: Isotomidae) and the influence of sex, size, starvation, and poisoning with the organophosphate dimethoate. Pairs of mite and springtail were placed in 18-mm diameter test arenas with a plaster of Paris substrate and their behaviour were measured by a computerized vision system, which automatically detected the locomotory activity of the two animals, their encounters, and the precise time of capture and killing. Data suggest that neither the mite nor the springtail possesses near-field sensory detection of the opponent. A Cox regression model showed that mite sex, size ratio between the predator and prey, average mite velocity, and encounter rate had a significant influence on the mite-capture efficiency (springtail survival). Female H. aculeifer demonstrated higher capture efficiency than males by catching and killing their prey after fewer encounters. Surprisingly, starvation had only a moderate effect on the mite locomotory behaviour and no influence on the capture efficiency as such. Also, springtail survival was independent of its moulting stage. Sublethal poisoning with dimethoate, on the other hand, dramatically increased the mite's capture rate, probably by impeding the evasive response of the springtail.     

Hierarchical Bayesian Analysis of Correlated Zero‐inflated Count Data

This article presents two‐component hierarchical Bayesian models which incorporate both overdispersion and excess zeros. The components may be resultants of some intervention (treatment) that changes the rare event generating process. The models are also expanded to take into account any heterogeneity that may exist in the data. Details of the model fitting, checking and selecting alternative models from a Bayesian perspective are also presented. The proposed methods are applied to count data on the assessment of an efficacy of pesticides in controlling the reproduction of whitefly. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Markov chain approach to analyze the dynamics of pathogen fecal shedding--example of Listeria monocytogenes shedding in a herd of dairy cattle

Fecal shedding is an important mechanism of spreading of a number of human and animal pathogens. Understanding of the dynamics of pathogen fecal shedding is critical to be able to control or prevent the spread of diseases caused by these pathogens. The objective of this study was to develop a model for analysis of the dynamics of pathogen fecal shedding. Fecal shedding of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy cattle was used as a model system. A Markov chain model (MCM) with two states, shedding and non-shedding, has been developed for overall L. monocytogenes fecal shedding (all L. monocytogenes subtypes) and fecal shedding of three L. monocytogenes subtypes (ribotypes 1058A, 1039E and 1042B) using data from one study farm. The matrices of conditional probabilities of transition between shedding and non-shedding states for different sets of covariates have been estimated by application of logistic regression. The covariate-specific matrices of conditional probabilities, describing the presence of different risk factors, were used to estimate (i) the stationary prevalence of dairy cows that shed any L. monocytogenes subtype or ribotypes 1058A, 1039E, and 1042B, (ii) the duration of overall and subtype specific fecal shedding, and (iii) the duration of periods without shedding. A non-homogeneous MCM was constructed to study how the prevalence of fecal shedders changes over time. The model was validated with data from the study farm and published literature. The results of our modeling work indicated that (i) the prevalence of L. monocytogenes fecal shedders varies over time and can be higher than 90%, (ii) L. monocytogenes subtypes exhibit different dynamics of fecal shedding, (iii) the dynamics of L. monocytogenes fecal shedding are highly associated with contamination of silage (fermented feed) and cows' exposure to stress, and (iv) the developed approach can be readily used to study the dynamics of fecal shedding in other pathogen-host-environment systems.     

Multiscale Habitat Selection by Burrowing Owls in Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Colonies

ABSTRACT Some populations of western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) have declined in recent decades. To design and implement effective recovery efforts, we need a better understanding of how distribution and demographic traits are influenced by habitat quality. To this end, we measured spatial patterns of burrowing owl breeding habitat selection within black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies in northeastern Wyoming, USA. We compared burrow-, site-, colony-, and landscape-scale habitat parameters between burrowing owl nest burrows (n = 105) and unoccupied burrows (n = 85). We sampled 4 types of prairie dog colonies: 1) owl-occupied, active with prairie dogs (n = 16); 2) owl-occupied, inactive (n = 13); 3) owl-unoccupied, active (n = 14); and 4) owl-unoccupied, inactive (n = 14). We used an information-theoretic approach to examine a set of candidate models of burrowing owl nest-site selection. The model with the most support included variables at all 4 spatial scales, and results were consistent among the 4 types of prairie dog colonies. Nest burrows had longer tunnels, more available burrows within 30 m, and less shrub cover within 30 m, more prairie dog activity within 100 m, and were closer to water than unoccupied burrows. The model correctly classified 76% of cases, all model coefficients were stable, and the model had high predictive ability. Based on our results, we recommend actions to ensure persistence of the remaining prairie dog colonies as an important management strategy for burrowing owl conservation in the Great Plains of North America.