Development and characterization of microsatellite DNA markers for the Alpine plant species Campanula thyrsoides

We isolated and characterized eight polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Alpine plant species Campanula thyrsoides (Campanulaceae). Number of alleles per locus ranged from six to 12 and the observed heterozygosity was between 0.529 and 0.900. Observed vs. expected heterozygote deficits were significantly different in one out of eight loci following Bonferroni's correction for multiple tests. We did not find evidence for linkage disequilibrium between locus pairs. The microsatellite markers are being used for the study of genetic variation and gene flow within and among populations of C. thyrsoides in the Swiss Alps.     

Polymorphic microsatellite markers for the goosander (Mergus merganser)

To investigate the population genetic structure of the goosander (Mergus merganser) in Europe and to identify populations with a significant conservation value, we isolated nine microsatellite loci, and screened them in the subspecies Mergus merganser merganser and Mergus merganser americanus. All markers were polymorphic with two to 15 alleles per locus. Average observed and expected heterozygosity values were 0.422 and 0.624, respectively, for the European and 0.497 and 0.667, respectively, for the North American subspecies. Only one marker departed significantly from Hardy–Weinberg expectations in both subspecies. This marker was highly variable but homozygous in all females, suggesting a sex‐linked inheritance.     

Exclusion of ground predators improves Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus chick survival

Many farmland‐breeding wader species have declined across Europe, probably due to reductions in reproductive output caused by high nest losses as a result of agriculture or predation, or low chick survival between hatching and fledging. Most studies have focused on nest failures, and the factors affecting post‐hatching survival of chicks are poorly known. In an experimental approach, we fenced parts of the arable foraging areas of Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus families to quantify chick survival simultaneously in the presence and absence of ground predators. Lapwing chicks were radiotagged to estimate survival probabilities by daily locations, applying multistate capture–recapture models. During the night, chick survival was considerably lower outside fenced plots than within. During the day, chick survival was higher than at night and did not differ between protected and unprotected plots. This suggests that nocturnal ground predators such as Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes were responsible for a significant proportion of chick mortality. Cumulative survival probability from hatching to fledging was 0.24 in chicks within fenced plots, but virtually zero in chicks outside fenced plots. In farmland, temporary electric fences can be effective in minimizing the impact of ground predators and offer a promising short‐term method to increase fledging success of precocial birds.