Optimal patch use in a stochastic environment

This paper considers an animal foraging on prey which are distributed in well-defined patches. It is assumed that the environment may be stochastic and that the animal can gain information on patch type as it forages. The foraging policy which maximises mean reward rate for the environment is characterised in terms of a function of state called the potential function. This policy is shown to be given by the rule: continue foraging on the present patch while the potential is positive, when the potential falls to zero move on to the next patch. Let r denote the current reward rate on a patch and let γ denote the maximum mean reward rate for the environment. It is shown that r ? γ if it is optimal to leave. Conditions which ensure r < γ are also given. For a large class of environments the optimal policy is stated in terms of a revised reward rate r?, and is given by the rule: continue on the present patch while $\text{r}\text{?}\text{> γ}$, when r? falls to γ move on to the next patch. Finally, it is shown that the stay time on a patch is a decreasing function of γ.     

Seasonal variation in primary productivity in three tropical ponds

Summary Primary productivity values ranged from 1.5 to 15.8 gc/M²/day in Othakadai pond; 2.0 to 8.0 gc/M²/day in Teppakulam tank and 1.05 to 5.4 gc/M²/day in Yanamalai pond. Among the three ponds, highest annual yield was recorded in Othakadai pond (2000.2 gc/M²/yr) next in order comes Teppakulam tank (1211.8 gc/M²/yr) and lastly Yanamalai pond (810.7 gc/M²/yr). In all three ponds temperature and chlorophyll-a showed a more or less direct correlation to productivity values. Alkalinity values and productivity values showed a positive correlation in Othakadai and Yanamalai ponds, while no relationship between alkalinity and productivity could be established in Teppakulam tank.Formed part of a Ph. D. Thesis submitted to Madurai University.     

Seasonal variation in the diet of South African Galagos

The feeding behavior and diet of two species of bushbaby, Galago senegalensisand Galago crassicaudatus,in South Africa were examined in relation to seasonal changes in climate. The populations studied were allopatric, but both fed predominantly on Acaciagum and invertebrates. Data on their diet were collected by direct observation of a radiocollared female of each species and by analysis of fecal samples. Differences in diet were found between the species within seasons and within species between the seasons. Both spent more time gum-feeding in winter than in summer. Prey size and type differed between the species in summer but converged in winter. The quantity of insects taken was fairly similar between seasons for G. senegalensisbut dropped considerably for G. crassicaudatusin winter. These observations are interpreted in terms of interspecific differences in feeding strategies, which are considered to be a function of the difference in body size of the two galago species.     

Forage patch use by grazing herbivores in a South African grazing ecosystem

Understanding how different herbivores make forage patch use choices explains how they maintain an adequate nutritional status, which is important for effective conservation management of grazing ecosystems. Using telemetry data, we investigated nonruminant zebra (Equus burchelli) and ruminant red hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus subspecies camaa), use of burnt patches in a landscape mosaic of nutrient-poor, old grassland interspersed with young, recently burnt, nutrient-rich grass patches. The Mkambati Nature Reserve landscape on the east coast of South Africa provided large grazers with a challenge in finding and using appropriate patches in which to forage to meet their nutritional requirements. In Mkambati, grassland fires, mostly ignited by poachers, induce regrowth of young nutrient-rich grass, which subsequently attract grazers. We tested if the study animals foraged more in burnt patches than in the unburned grassland and whether burnt patch use was related to the distance to the previously visited burnt patch, burnt patch size, burnt patch age, and distance to areas with high poaching risk using MANOVA. In general, zebra moved faster than red hartebeest, and both species moved faster in unburnt grassland than in burnt patches. Red hartebeest and zebra patch selection were influenced by interpatch distance, patch age, patch size, and poaching risk. A limited set of intrinsic traits, i.e., body mass, digestion strategy, and muzzle width, yielded different patch use rules for the two species. Large ungulates patch use behaviour varied among species and across conditions and was influenced by anthropogenic impacts such as poaching and changed fire regimes. This could potentially affect biodiversity negatively and needs to be factored into management of conservation areas.     

Seasonal variation in the diversity and species richness of phytoplankton in a tropical eutrophic reservoir

The water chemistry, structure of sediment grain size, algal biomass, and patterns of nine bacteria physiological groups were studied monthly from May to October 1991 in an adjacent stream, ecotone, and reservoir zones (southern Poland). The distribution of five particulate organic carbon fractions was significantly different among the zones. Biomass of benthic algae demonstrated a maximum in the ecotone (22.74 g C m^–2). Most of the bacterial groups were more numerous in the stream sediments where aerobic heterotrophs prevailed (1.2–6.5 × 10¹¹ cells m^–2). The significant differences in density were found for anaerobic heterotrophs, anaerobic nitrogen fixing, amylolytic, and cellulolytic bacteria among the zones. The small density of bacteria in the ecotone was probably an effect of the rapid water fluctuations, accompanied by movement of fine sediments or/and an inhibitory effect of compounds secreted by the periphyton. The principal component analysis showed that the ecotone zone was more similar to the reservoir open water than to the stream.     

Diet and habitat use of frillneck lizards in a seasonal tropical environment

A population of frillneck lizards, Chlamydosaurus kingii, was monitored by mark-recapture and telemetry over a 2 year period in Kakadu National Park. The aims of the study were to document changes in diet, growth, condition and habitat use between the wet and dry seasons of northern Australia, in light of recent research examining seasonal variation in the physiology of this species. Frillneck lizards feed on a diverse range of invertebrates in both seasons, even though there is a substantial reduction in food avail-ability in the dry season. Harvester termites from the genus Drepanotermes constitute a major component of the diet, and the prevalence of termites in the diet of sedentary foragers in a tropical environment is unusual. Adult male body condition remained relatively stable throughout the year, but females experienced considerable variation. These differences are attributed to different reproductive roles of the sexes. Growth in C. kingii was restricted to the wet season, when food availability was high, and growth was minimal in the dry season when food availability was low. The method used in catching lizards was an important factor in determining seasonal habitat use. Telemetered lizards selected a significantly different distribution of tree species than was randomly available, and they selected significantly larger tree species during the dry season. Lizards spotted along roadsides showed little seasonal variation in the selection of tree species or tree sizes. The results suggest a comprehensive change in the ecology of this species, in response to an annual cycle of low food and moisture availability, followed by a period with few resource restrictions.     

Circadian and seasonal variation of the body temperature of sheep in a tropical environment

Nychthemeral and annual rhythms of the rectal temperature were determined for Corriedale sheep in a tropical climate. The minimum rectal temperature averaged 39.55° C at 0500 hours in summer, and 38.87° C at 0600 hours in winter. The maximum was 40.03° C in summer (1700 hours) and 39.33° C in winter (1830 hours). Annual cycle of the rectal temperature showed a minimum in July and maximum in December.     

Seasonal hydrochemical variation in a tropical coastal lagoon (A?u Lagoon, Brazil).

Hydrochemical conditions in the A?u Lagoon are described using spatial and temporal variations of various limnological variables (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, electric conductivity, total alkalinity, carbon dioxide, dissolved and total nutrients (N, P and Si), and chlorophyll a). Collected data was used in order to understand the structure and functioning of an enclosed coastal lagoon strongly influenced by climatic conditions. Water samples were collected monthly (November 1999-December 2000) in five sampling stations established along the lagoon. A decreasing spatial gradient of electrical conductivity was observed beginning from a sand bar region between the lagoon and the sea in the direction of the sweet-water input area. The positive correlation observed between the pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) values, and the negative one observed between pH values and those of carbon dioxide (CO2), evidenced coupled biological processes, e.g., primary production and decomposition. Both spatial and temporal variation of dissolved nutrients showed fast increase and decrease in the beginning of summer, suggesting that nutrient input resulting from rainfall stimulates phytoplankton production, as reflected by chlorophyll a concentration increase.     

Seasonal variation in the water quality and chlorophyll a of semi-intensive shrimp ponds in a subtropical environment

Twelve water quality variables were measured at different intervals (biweekly and twice a week) in two ponds during two consecutive production cycles in a semi-intensive shrimp farm on the Northwest coast of Mexico. The average harvest during dry season (March–July, a 95 days period) was 1822 kg ha^-1, with an average size of 16.0 g; while the harvest in the rainy season (August–January, a 165-day period) was 2125 kg ha^-1, with an average size of 11.9 g. In the rainy season, dissolved oxygen concentration tended to decrease as the feeding rates and shrimp and phytoplankton biomass were increasing until harvest. During both culture cycles, mean values of temperature, salinity and ammonium in ponds were not significantly different from those in inlet water, whereas pH levels in ponds were higher than in incoming water.Nitrogen nutrients, pH and particulate organic matter levels in ponds and inlet water did not exhibit seasonal differences; the better yield and feed conversion obtained during rainy season reflect the fact that temperature and mean chlorophyll a were higher during the rainy than in the dry season; salinity and total suspended solids were lower during the dry than in the rainy season. The mean levels of the water quality variables in the two ponds were not significantly different in both grow out cycles. Therefore, the differences in productivity between ponds cannot be explained by the water quality.     

Seasonal variation of fungal propagules in a fruit market environment, Nagpur (India)

The concentration of airborne fungal spores in a marketenvironment was examined to provide basic information needed to evaluatethe importance of varying levels and heterogeneity. Sampling has beencarried out by rotorod sampler and exposed Petri plate method to obtainthe quantitative and qualitative estimations respectively.Aspergillus was the most frequent and predominant genusdetected. Cladosporium, Penicillium and Alternariaspores were also fairly abundant which are well known as allergenic andpathogenic. The high concentration of airborne spores was recordedduring December–January. While the maximum concentration ofAspergillus was found during summer months in the marketenvironment.     

Retrodicting patch use by foraging swans in a heterogeneous environment using a set of functional responses

Effective conservation of important bird areas requires insight in the number of birds an area can support, and how this carrying capacity changes with habitat modifications. When food depletion is the dominant mechanism of competition, it should in principle be possible to calculate the total time foragers can spend per patch from their functional response (intake rate as a function of food density). However, in the field there are likely to be factors modulating the functional response. In this study previously published results of experiments on captive Bewick's swans were used to obtain functional responses of swans digging for tubers of Fennel pondweed on different foraging substrates: sandy and clayey sediment, and in shallow and deep water. In a field study, four 250×250 m sections belonging to different types (sandy–shallow, clayey–shallow, sandy–deep and clayey–deep) were delineated. Here tubers were sampled with sediment corers in three years, both before and after swan exploitation in autumn, and swans were observed and mapped from a hide in two of these years. Giving-up tuber biomass densities varied among sections. Substitution of these giving-up densities in the derived patch-type-specific functional responses yielded the quitting net energy intake rates in the four sections. As expected from the marginal value theorem, the quitting net energy intake rates did not vary among sections. Moreover, the observed foraging pressure (total foraging time per area) per patch type was in quantitative agreement with the integrated functional responses. These results suggest that in spatially heterogeneous environments, patch exploitation by foragers can be predicted from their functional responses after accounting for foraging substrate.     

Home on the range: factors explaining partial migration of African buffalo in a tropical environment

Partial migration (when only some individuals in a population undertake seasonal migrations) is common in many species and geographical contexts. Despite the development of modern statistical methods for analyzing partial migration, there have been no studies on what influences partial migration in tropical environments. We present research on factors affecting partial migration in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in northeastern Namibia. Our dataset is derived from 32 satellite tracking collars, spans 4 years and contains over 35,000 locations. We used remotely sensed data to quantify various factors that buffalo experience in the dry season when making decisions on whether and how far to migrate, including potential man-made and natural barriers, as well as spatial and temporal heterogeneity in environmental conditions. Using an information-theoretic, non-linear regression approach, our analyses showed that buffalo in this area can be divided into 4 migratory classes: migrants, non-migrants, dispersers, and a new class that we call "expanders". Multimodel inference from least-squares regressions of wet season movements showed that environmental conditions (rainfall, fires, woodland cover, vegetation biomass), distance to the nearest barrier (river, fence, cultivated area) and social factors (age, size of herd at capture) were all important in explaining variation in migratory behaviour. The relative contributions of these variables to partial migration have not previously been assessed for ungulates in the tropics. Understanding the factors driving migratory decisions of wildlife will lead to better-informed conservation and land-use decisions in this area.     

Patterns of seasonal and yearly mass variation in West African tropical savannah birds

Birds in the northern hemisphere usually increase mass reserves in response to seasonal low temperatures and shorter day length that increase foraging unpredictability and so starvation risk. In the lowland tropics, relatively low temperatures and short day lengths are absent and so the risk of starvation may be reduced, leading to much smaller seasonal effects on mass. Nevertheless, other factors such as high temperatures and water and food availability may vary greatly between tropical wet and dry seasons, leading to variable starvation risk and seasonal mass effects. Using data collected from 47 species of birds caught over a 10‐year period in a tropical savannah region in West Africa we tested for seasonal variation in mass in response to a predictable, strongly seasonal tropical climate. Many species (91%) showed seasonal variation in mass, and this was often in a clear annual pattern that was constant across the years. Many species (89%) varied their mass in response to seasonally predictable rainfall. Annual variation in mass was also important (45% of species). Relatively few species (13%) had a seasonal pattern of mass variation that varied between years. Feeding guild or migratory status was not found to affect seasonal or annual mass variation. Seasonal mass change was on average 8.1% across the 21 species with a very large sample size and was comparable with both northern and southern temperate species. Our study showed that biologically significant consistent seasonal mass variation is common in tropical savannah bird species, and this is most likely in response to changing resource availability brought about by seasonal rainfall and the interrupted foraging response due to the constraints of breeding.     

Seasonal variation in the protein content and the grazing of some tropical savanna grasses

This paper presents the effects of seasonal variation on the protein contents of four grass species examined in the experimental fire plots at Kainji Lake National Park in the Northern Guinea savanna zone of Nigeria. Also reported is the proportion of grass utilized on year-long basis. Tropical savanna grasses generally have higher protein contents at the beginning of the growing season than at the end when they become tall, coarse and unpalatable. It is also shown that the percentage of grass species utilized by game follow the seasonal changes in their protein contents; utilization being highest when the protein content of grass is optimum. It is stressed that trees, shrubs and forbs should not be totally eliminated from grazing lands because of the great contribution they make to animal feeding during the dry season when the grasses become dry and coarse with low nutritive value.     

Seasonal variation in reproductive measures of tropical Roseate Terns Sterna dougallih previously undescribed breeding patterns in a seabird

Seasonal variation in egg-laying, egg size, hatching success, hatchling mass, fledging success and chick growth of Roseate Terms Sterna dougallii breeding on Aride Island (Seychelles), Indian Ocean, were studied in 1997 and 1998. I investigated to what extent two patterns, common in a range of species, were followed by tropical Roseate Terns: (a) seasonal decrease in clutch size, egg size and breeding success and (b) an increase in breeding success with increasing egg weight. In 1997 (a poor year), the earliest nesting birds laid significantly smaller eggs, and chicks were lighter at hatching than those of peak nesting birds. The mean clutch size, of 1.04 eggs, showed no seasonal variation and no 'b'-eggs hatched. In 1998 (a good year) the earliest nesting birds laid eggs of similar size and their chicks were of similar weight to those of peak nesting birds. Mean clutch size, of 1.25 eggs, increased significantly through the season and about 60% of the 'b'-eggs hatched. In 1997, hatching success was 57% whereas in 1998 it was 80%. In both years, breeding success declined significantly through the season. The fact that the earliest breeding birds laid smaller eggs in a poor year and smaller clutches in a good year is in marked contrast to a range of other species, and to temperate-nesting Roseate Terns. Egg volume explained about half of the variance in hatchling mass in both years, but only 15% of the variation in linear growth rate. Hatching date was the only variable with a significant effect on fledging success. Roseate Terns on Aride seemed to sacrifice egg size and clutch size for earliness of laying. Presumably it is a strategy of older birds to lay as early as possible and may be regarded as a response of tropical Roseate Terns to breeding under relatively poor, and seasonally declining, food conditions.     

Seasonal variation in antifungal,antibacterial and acetylcholinesterase activity in seven South African seaweeds

Seven seaweeds were collected from the intertidal zone at Rocky Bay on the east coast of South Africa. The species were Caulerpa racemosa var. laetevirens, Codium capitatum, Halimeda cuneata, Ulva fasciata, Amphiroa bowerbankii, Amphiroa ephedraea and Dictyota humifusa. Six bimonthly collections were made within a few days of the new moon to correspond with spring tide. Methanol extracts were tested for antifungal, antibacterial and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity. No seasonal variation was observed in antifungal activity, with D. humifusa extracts being the most active. The seaweed extracts inhibited the growth of the Gram-positive bacteria, with Bacillus subtilis being more susceptible than Staphylococcus aureus. Dictyota humifusa was the only seaweed able to inhibit the Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Seasonal variation in antibacterial activity was observed, with the extracts generally having no activity in summer and having antibacterial activity in late winter (July collection) and early spring (September and November collections). Dictyota humifusa was the most effective seaweed species, having antibacterial activity throughout the year. All the extracts tested had AChE inhibitory activity, with no seasonal variation in the levels of activity. Dictyota humifusa extracts were the most effective at inhibiting AChE activity.     

Seasonal variation in the mode of reproduction of Ulva intestinalis in a brackish water environment

We explored the reproductive modes of Ulva intestinalis in the inner part of the Baltic Sea during three consecutive years by using five microsatellite loci to estimate the relative abundance of diploid sporophytes and haploid gametophytes. Our results suggest that both diploid sporophytes and haploid gametophytes occur regularly in the Baltic Sea. The ratio of haploid to diploid individuals changes with seasons. Sporophytes are more abundant than gametophytes throughout the year, but the proportion of haploids increases from 10% in early summer to 35% in September. The over-wintering takes primarily place as diploid spores released by sporophytes. The sporophytes appear to reproduce both sexually and asexually in the Baltic Sea, since clones were found for this life phase. The fraction of individuals which belonged to an apparent diploid clone was higher in spring (62%) than in autumn (33%). We also found evidence for asexual clones in haploid gametophytes. The presence of both diploid and haploid individuals and the pattern of genetic and genotypic diversity provide evidence of sexual reproduction in the Baltic Sea. Thus the sporophytes and gametophytes do not function as two reproductively separate units. Compared with many other algal species with a reduced reproductive cycle in low salinity, U. intestinalis differs by having a multitude of reproductive modes also in the brackish water Baltic Sea, which can in part explain the dynamic propagation and high adaptability of the species.     

Models of patch dynamics in tropical forests

Recent interest in the ecology and evolution of metapopulations and conservation of fragmented populations has stimulated the development of models that combine patch and population dynamics in tropical forests. One approach uses matrix models that are actual metapopulation or multi-regional demographic models. Another approach uses computer simulations to model forest succession based on the behavior of individual trees. We review applications of both types of models and suggest new combined modelling approaches.