Diet of the King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus during three summers at South Georgia

King Penguins Aptenodytes patagonicus which were rearing chicks were studied during three summers from November 1991 to March 1994 at South Georgia. Stomach samples ( n =115) collected by flushing had a mean mass of 1308 g. Fish mass was allocated to each species based on the relationship between fish mass and otolith length. Three mesopelagic lanternfishes (Myctophidae), Krefftichthys anderssoni, Electrona carlsbergi and Protomyctophum choriodon , dominated the diet both by numbers and mass. They were small fish with mean mass of 3–7 g. Overall, K. anderssoni dominated the diet in terms of numbers and mass. Although Barracudina Notolepis coatsi occurred in <3% of the diet by numbers, it was large (106 g) and was second most important in terms of mass. Squid represented <3% of the diet by mass. Although the chick-rearing success was poor in the 1993–1994 summer, meal size was not reduced but foraging trips were longer. In the 1993–1994 summer, a larger proportion of the otoliths were not identifiable because they were more completely digested. Fewer otoliths were identified as being those of K. anderssoni , but we argue that about 90% of the unidentified otoliths were K. anderssoni. There was also more squid and N. coatsi in the diet during the poor summer. A consistent trend was that P. choriodon was rare or absent in early summer but more important later in the year, and at the end of 1992–1993, it was the dominant prey. We conclude that myctophid fish, especially K. anderssoni , are the main summer prey of King Penguins rearing chicks at South Georgia, as found in other recent studies in the Southern Ocean.     

Multiple α2-Adrenoceptor Signalling Pathways Mediate Pigment Aggregation Within Melanophores

It has previously been shown that α₂-adrenoceptors (α₂-ARs) mediate pigment granule (melanosome) aggregation in melanophores of the teleost fish Labrus ossifagus. The present investigation scrutinized the signalling mechanisms of melanosome aggregation induced by sympathetic nerve stimulation or by exogenous addition of α-AR agonists and cAMP analogues. The following was observed: i) nerve-induced melanosome aggregation was associated with a rapid decrease in the cAMP level; ii) noradrenaline or medetomidine (an α₂-AR agonist) caused melanosome aggregation and reduced the cAMP content; iii) RP-S-CI-cAMP, a membrane-permeating inhibitor of protein kinase A induced melanosome aggregation; and iv) B-HT 920 (an α₂-AR agonist) and methoxamine (an α₁-AR agonist) induced melanosome aggregation, although they did not reduce cAMP. It has been suggested that in some teleost species α₁-ARs mediate melanosome aggregation by increasing the level of intracellular calcium. However, we found that the effect of methoxamine in melanophores from Labrus ossifagus could be blocked by yohimbine (an α₂-AR antagonist) but not by equimolar concentration of prazosin (an α₁-AR antagonist). Furthermore, 1 μM ionomycin (a calcium ionophore) did not induce melanosome aggregation. Our findings therefore do not indicate that α₁-ARs and/or an increase in intracellular calcium mediate melanosome aggregation in Labrus ossifagus. Our results suggest that α₂-AR-mediated melanosome aggregation is induced by multiple signalling pathways. One of these involves a reduction in cAMP, but none involves an increase in intracellular calcium.     

Changes in Sapwood of Roots of Norway Spruce, Attacked by Fomes annosus. Part I

Chemical and physiological changes occurring in root sapwood of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.), when attacked by Fomes annosus (Fr.) Cke, were studied. The transformation of sapwood to reaction zone, induced by the fungal attack, implies a very sharp increase of carbonate content, correlated with higher amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium. The buffer capacity of the reaction zone is strong, especially in the pH range 6–9. The high peroxidase activity in the rays of the sapwood is almost totally absent in the reaction zone, probably due to inactivating phenolic compounds. o-Diphenol oxidase was detectable only in the presence of microorganisms. p-Diphenol oxidase was active in connection with decaying wood but not in the reaction zone.     

Wolf Movement Patterns: a Key to Estimation of Kill Rate?

Abstract: To estimate wolf (Canis lupus) kill rates from fine-scale movement patterns, we followed adult wolves in 3 territories of the Scandinavian wolf population using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) during the winters of 2001–2003. The resulting 6 datasets of 62–84 study days gave a total of 8,747 hourly GPS positions. We visited clusters of positions in the field on average 8.8 days after positioning and found moose (Alces alces) killed by wolves during the study period on 74 (8%) of the 953 clusters. The number of positions and visits to a cluster, their interaction, and the proportion of afternoon positions were significant fixed effects in mixed logistic-regression models predicting the probability of a cluster containing a wolf-killed moose. The models, however, displayed a poor goodness-of-fit and were not a suitable tool for estimating kill rates from positioning data alone. They might be used to reduce fieldwork by excluding unlikely clusters, although the reduction was not substantial. We discuss proximate factors (i.e., human disturbance and access to prey) as well as ultimate factors (i.e., social organization, intra-guild dominance, and litter size) as potential causes of the observed high temporal and spatial variation in prey-handling. For similar future kill-rate studies, we recommend increasing field efforts and shortening positioning intervals.     

Multistage,Long-Range Natal Dispersal by a Global Positioning System-Collared Scandinavian Wolf

Abstract: We document a new record dispersal for wolves worldwide. The natal straight-line dispersal distance of a Global Positioning System-collared female wolf from the Scandinavian population was 1,092 km from southeast Norway to northeast Finland, with a multistage actual travel distance of >10,000 km. Natural gene flow to the isolated, inbred Scandinavian wolf population may occur if survival of dispersers is improved.     

Wood properties of Populus and Betula in long‐term exposure to elevated CO2 and O3

We studied the interactive effects of elevated concentrations of CO₂ and O₃ on radial growth and wood properties of four trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones and paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) saplings. The material for the study was collected from the Aspen FACE (free‐air CO₂ enrichment) experiment in Rhinelander (WI, USA). Trees had been exposed to four treatments [control, elevated CO₂ (560 ppm), elevated O₃ (1.5 times ambient) and combined CO₂ + O₃] during growing seasons 1998–2008. Most treatment responses were observed in the early phase of experiment. Our results show that the CO₂‐ and O₃‐exposed aspen trees displayed a differential balance between efficiency and safety of water transport. Under elevated CO₂, radial growth was enhanced and the trees had fewer but hydraulically more efficient larger diameter vessels. In contrast, elevated O₃ decreased radial growth and the diameters of vessels and fibres. Clone‐specific decrease in wood density and cell wall thickness was observed under elevated CO₂. In birch, the treatments had no major impacts on wood anatomy or wood density. Our study indicates that short‐term impact studies conducted with young seedlings may not give a realistic view of long‐term ecosystem responses.     

A precise potentiometric method for determination of algal activity in an open CO2 system

Abstract. The activity of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus was studied in simplified nutrient solutions (20 mol m₋₃ NaNO₃, 20 mol m₋₃ NH₄C1, 20 mol m₋₃ NH₄NO₃, and 20 mol m₋₃ NaCl, respectively) at 25 °C. The experiments were performed under welldefined incident photon density fluxes ranging from 10 to 200 μmol m₂ s₋₁, Light-dependent changes in pH and alkalinity (A) were followed by means of a potentiometric method using a glass electrode. In the experiments, carbon dioxide with known partial pressure was bubbled through the algal suspension, and during dark periods ul intervals of 1 h, the solution was allowed to equilibrate with the gas phase. This technique was applied to calculate equilibrium values of pH and alkalinity at regular intervals during a 12-h period. Results obtained in NaNO₃, solution show a linear increase in A with time, at each level of illumination studied. After an initial drop, A also increases in NH₄NO₃, solution in a similar way to that in NaNO₃ solution. The change in A with time was also found to increase linearly with the photon density flux studied and no saturation level could be defined. In experiments in NaCl solution, no changes in A were registered while measurements in NH₄Cl solution showed a decrease in A with time.     

Essential fatty acids and phosphorus in seston from lakes with contrasting terrestrial dissolved organic carbon content

1. It is often assumed that lakes highly influenced by terrestrial organic matter (TOM) have low zooplankton food quality because of elemental and/or biochemical deficiencies of the major particulate organic carbon pools. We used the biochemical [polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) – 20:5ω3] and elemental (C : P ratio) composition of particulate matter (PM) as qualitative measures of potential zooplankton food in two categories of lakes of similar primary productivity, but with contrasting TOM influence (clear water versus humic lakes). 2. C : P ratios (atomic ratio) in PM were similar between lake categories and were above 400. The concentration (μg L⁻¹) and relative content (μg mg C⁻¹) of EPA, as well as the particulate organic carbon concentration, were higher in the humic lakes than in the clear‐water lakes. 3. Our results show high fatty acid quality of PM in the humic lakes. The differences in the biochemical quality of the potential zooplankton food between lake categories can be attributed to the differences in their phytoplankton communities. 4. High biochemical quality of the food can result in high efficiency of energy transfer in the food chain and stimulate production at higher trophic levels, assuming that zooplankton are able to ingest and digest the resource available.