VOCAL ONTOGENY OF NESTLING AND FLEDGLING BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES POECILE ATRICAPILLA IN NATURAL POPULATIONS

ABSTRACT

We studied the vocal ontogeny of black-capped chickadees Poecile atricapilla from hatching through approximately age 40 days, at which time the juveniles dispersed from their hatching area. Development of three vocalisations (chick-a-dee call, fee-bee song, gargle call) was monitored by tape recording daily. Spectrographs quantification and comparison were carried out with Sound Analysis software. Developmental changes in offspring vocalisations were compared to the parent birds, allowing a measure of acoustic similarity between adults and young throughout early life. The chick-a-dee call developed all four of its component syllables (ABCD) from a single sound of day-old nestlings, but the four syllables emerged in adult form at different times in ontogeny. The fee-bee song was produced in impressively adult form starting at about age 20 days, with no precursor sounds to indicate gradual emergence. The principal difference between adult and juvenile fee-bee songs was the persistent production of three or four notes by juveniles rather than the adults' species-typical two notes. Gargle calls appear to develop from “subsong” strings of precursor gargle syllables. Juvenile gargles began to be identifiable at about age 33–35 days but did not match any of the gargle calls of the local adult population. Post-dispersal juveniles may develop gargles that match the gargle types of local birds where they settle.     

利用天然树洞繁殖的五种鸟的巢位特征及繁殖成功率

对吉林省左家自然保护区次生阔叶林中的大山雀 ( Parusmajor)、沼泽山雀 ( Paruspalustris)、普通跓( Sitta europacea)、白眉姬? ( Ficedula zanthopygia)和灰椋鸟 ( Sturnus cineraceus) 5种利用天然树洞繁殖的次级洞巢鸟进行了巢位选择和繁殖成功率研究。本研究中共发现 1 41巢。五种鸟对树洞类型的选择存在种间差异 ,普通跓不利用裂洞 ,沼泽山雀不利用啄洞 ,其它 3种鸟对 3种洞均有利用 ,但有一定的倾向性。对 5种鸟 9个巢位变量的比较中 ,只有洞口方向差异不显著 ( p >0 .0 5 ) ,其它 8个变量均差异显著 ( p<0 .0 5 ) ,该结果说明 5种次级洞巢鸟对巢位的选择具有其各自的需求。洞口横径、洞口纵径、洞处树直径、洞内径、巢距地高是巢位选择重要变量 ,它们决定不同种类对树洞的利用。巢损失多数出现在产卵之前和孵化阶段 ,44个繁殖失败的巢中有 35个在这两个阶段损失。大山雀的巢成功率最低 ,灰椋鸟的巢成功率最高。 5种鸟的孵化率都超过 90 %。人为破坏和动物捕食是繁殖失败的主要原因 ,占总数的 61 .4%。洞巢鸟巢位选择中的重要变量影响繁殖成功。普通跓繁殖是否成功受洞口横径和巢高影响 ,沼泽山雀受洞口纵径、树胸径和洞内径影响 ,大山雀受洞口横径、巢高和洞内径影响 ,灰椋鸟受洞内径和洞深影     

Genetic monogamy in blue-headed vireos and a comparison with a sympatric vireo with extrapair paternity

Based on the breeding synchrony hypothesis, we predicted, intwo congeners that nest in simiilar habitat but differ in nestingsynchrony, that blue-headed vireos (Vireo solitarius) wouldhave fewer extrapair fertilizations (EPFs) thaii red-eyed vireos(V. olivaceus EPFs were rare in blue-headed vireos (1/37 nestlings),but common in red-eyed vireos (11/19 nestlings). We studiedthe behavior of blue-headed vireos to determine what factorscould promote genetic monogamy. We found no evidence that malesmate guarded to prevent extrapair copulations from occurring.Males did not follow fertile mates closely when mates left thenest (14–25% of female departures) and, during the egg-layingperiod, males were often alone on the nest (22.3 mm/h). Femaleblue-headed vireos, but not red-eyed vireos, obtain direct benefitsfrom social mates such as nest building and incubation (49.1%of the total), and they assess male quality long before becomingfertile. Female blue-headed vireos spent more time incubatingwhen their mates had low incubation effort. Furthermore, maleincubation effort was positively correlated with nest survivalduring incubation. We discuss the evolution of genetic monogamyand sex role convergence in blue-headed vireos in relation toasynchronous breeding.     

Nest desertion by a cowbird host: an antiparasite behavior or a response to egg loss?

Natural selection can favor songbirds that desert nests containingeggs of the parasitic brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater).However, the high variability in desertion of parasitized nestswithin species is perplexing in light of the typically highcosts of parasitism. Because nest desertion can also be a responseto partial clutch predation, we first asked if Bell's vireos(Vireo bellii) deserted nests in response to the presence ofcowbird eggs (antiparasite response hypothesis) or to egg removalby predators and female cowbirds (egg predation hypothesis).Second, we asked whether variation in nest desertion was dueto intrinsic differences among individuals or to variation innest contents. We monitored a large number of nests (n = 494)and performed a clutch manipulation experiment to test thesehypotheses. The number of vireo eggs that remained in a nestwas a strong predictor of desertion both within and among pairs.Neither the presence of a single cowbird egg, which leads tonest failure for this host, nor the number of cowbird eggs receivedin a vireo nest influenced nest desertion. Furthermore, vireosdid not desert experimental nests when we immediately exchangedcowbird eggs for vireo eggs but deserted if we removed vireoeggs and replaced them with cowbird eggs the following morning.Desertion of parasitized nests by Bell's vireos can be almostentirely explained as a response to partial or complete clutchloss and does not appear to have been altered by selection frombrood parasitism.     

哈尔滨市区灰喜鹊巢址选择研究

2010年6月至9月在哈尔滨市园林科学研究所实验基地采用样方法对灰喜鹊的巢址选择特征进行研究,并且利用主成分分析法对灰喜鹊巢址样方生境因子进行检验.结果表明,灰喜鹊主要选择针叶树筑巢;在同一生境中巢间距变化小,呈均匀分布;灰喜鹊巢址选择的主要因子包括营巢树高、距最近巢距离、样方内树均高、巢树胸径、距干扰源距离、距最近树距离.这说明灰喜鹊在巢址选择过程中选择巢树和其周围的小生境.     

动物生境选择研究中的时空尺度

尺度研究已成为生态学上的一个重要概念和研究热点,但是在动物生境选择的研究中尚未引起足够的重视。动物的生境选择包括多层次的判别和一系列等级序位,在各个尺度和水平上具有不同的特征和机制,受到时空尺度的严格限定。繁殖期的时间限制、社群压力、环境变化、动物生理需求的变化决定了动物生境选择的时间制约性;而生境资源的斑块化分布、功能生境之间的相互作用决定了动物生境选择的空间制约性。研究者对时间和空间尺度的选取与应用会直接影响到生境选择研究结果的科学性和实效性。本文从动物生境选择的时空制约性出发,分析了生境选择研究中时间尺度的重要性,叙述了国内外生境选择研究中常见的研究尺度,强调了多尺度研究和长期生态研究的必要性,尺度的选择应该成为生境选择研究的起点和基础。     

栗斑腹鹀的栖息地和巢址选择

于1999到2001年5月至7月连续3a在吉林省镇赉县大岗林场,采用样地法和样方法,对栗斑腹鹀的栖息地选择和巢址选择进行了研究.结果表明此鸟的繁殖是在草甸草原+杏树环境下进行的,对栖息地样方和对照样方的对比分析得出,杏树最大高度、50 m半径圆内杏树数量、贝加尔针茅数量、大油芒数量、植物盖度、火绒草平均高度、贝加尔针茅最大高度、兴安胡枝子平均高度8个因子是影响其栖息地选择的主要因子.通过对46个巢的研究发现,大多数栗斑腹鹀把巢建在贝加尔针茅下面,巢出入口方向多为东南45°和西南45°.对46巢的27个因子的主成分分析,结果发现植物盖度、火绒草高度、鸢尾数量、巢出入口方向、10 m内杏树数量、30 m内杏树数量、裸地面积这6个因子是巢址选择的主要因子.对46巢26个巢址和非巢址因子进行判别分析,植物盖度、大油芒、乳浆大戟高度、石竹数量、线叶菊高度和30m内杏树数量等6个因子,为巢位选择的主要因子 .两种分析结果基本相似.总之,栗斑腹鹀喜欢在植被盖度大、杏树相对多、贝加尔针茅和大油芒的密度大、食物资源丰富的区域内营巢.     

栗斑腹鵐的栖息地和巢址选择

于 1 999到 2 0 0 1年 5月至 7月连续 3a在吉林省镇赉县大岗林场 ,采用样地法和样方法 ,对栗斑腹的栖息地选择和巢址选择进行了研究。结果表明 :此鸟的繁殖是在草甸草原 杏树环境下进行的 ,对栖息地样方和对照样方的对比分析得出 ,杏树最大高度、5 0 m半径圆内杏树数量、贝加尔针茅数量、大油芒数量、植物盖度、火绒草平均高度、贝加尔针茅最大高度、兴安胡枝子平均高度 8个因子是影响其栖息地选择的主要因子。通过对 46个巢的研究发现 ,大多数栗斑腹把巢建在贝加尔针茅下面 ,巢出入口方向多为东南 45°和西南 45°。对 46巢的 2 7个因子的主成分分析 ,结果发现植物盖度、火绒草高度、鸢尾数量、巢出入口方向、1 0 m内杏树数量、30 m内杏树数量、裸地面积这 6个因子是巢址选择的主要因子。对 46巢 2 6个巢址和非巢址因子进行判别分析 ,植物盖度、大油芒、乳浆大戟高度、石竹数量、线叶菊高度和 30 m内杏树数量等 6个因子 ,为巢位选择的主要因子。两种分析结果基本相似。总之 ,栗斑腹喜欢在植被盖度大、杏树相对多、贝加尔针茅和大油芒的密度大、食物资源丰富的区域内营巢。     

Quorum sensing by encounter rates in the ant Temnothorax albipennis

Emigrating colonies of the ant Temnothorax (formerly Leptothorax)albipennis can choose the best of several nest sites, even whenthe active ants organizing the move do not compare sites. Thiscollective ability depends on a quorum rule used by ants assessinga candidate site. Only when the site's population has surpasseda threshold do they switch from slow recruitment of fellow activeants by tandem runs to rapid transport of the majority of thecolony. Here, I show that ants perceive the achievement of aquorum through their rate of direct encounters with nest matesat the site. When ants in a crowded site were prevented fromtactile contact with nest mates, they recruited by tandem runs,as though to an empty nest. Furthermore, when the encounterrate was raised independent of population, by reducing the sizeof the candidate nest, ants started to transport at a significantlylower population. The switch occurred at the same encounterrate regardless of nest size, whether the rate was measuredas the mean over the entire visit or as the inverse of the latencyuntil the first encounter. Because encounter rate reflects thedensity of nest mates and thus varies with nest size as wellas population, the ants' collective decision-making algorithmmay be robust to the exact population at which the switch totransport occurs. Ants cease monitoring quorum presence afterswitching to transport, coincident with an abrupt shorteningof visit duration by approximately 2 min, which may be interpretedas the time required for quorum detection.     

四川南充市夜鹭的巢址选择

2006年3~6月,在四川省南充市太和保护区对夜鹭的巢址选择进行了研究。野外调查了夜鹭巢47个,对照样方26个,通过主成分分析和对比分析,表明影响夜鹭巢址选择的主要因子依次为:营巢树高度、植被平均高度、巢高、竹平均直径、隐蔽度、巢上方盖度、距水(西河)距离、距白鹭巢距离、植被盖度、巢下盖度。     

Compact housing in built-up areas: spatial patterning of nests in aggregations of a ground-nesting bee

Abstract .1. The spatial patterning of nests in ten aggregations of a ground-nesting bee Halictus rubicundus (Christ) was examined using nearest-neighbour distance analysis.
2. Large scale aggregation was demonstrated and attributed to a preference for nesting in limited areas of the most suitable substrate in conjunction with natal site fidelity of nest-founding females.
3. Within patches of high nest density, there was a fine-scale regularity resulting from competition for sufficient substrate to maintain the structural integrity of the nest.
4. The appropriateness of four statistical tests is discussed with respect to analysing the spatial arrangement of nests in populations with both aggregated and regular components.     

Searching for a new home--scouting behavior of honeybee swarms

Honeybee scouting, where individual bees search the environmentwithout prior information about the possible location of foodsources or nest sites, is notoriously difficult to study. Yet,understanding scouting behavior is important as it providesinsights into how social insects trade-off exploitation withexploration. The use of simulation models is an ideal way toinvestigate the possible mechanisms behind the regulation ofscouting at the group level as well as the ways in which theswarm searches its environment. We used an individual-basedsimulation model to study the scouting behavior of honeybeeswarms. In our model, we implemented a simple decision rulethat regulates the number of scouts: individual bees first attemptto find a dance to follow but become scouts if they fail todo so. We show that this rule neatly allows the swarm to adjustthe number of scouts depending on the quality of the nest sitesknown to the swarm. We further explored different search strategiesthat allow the swarm to select good-quality nest sites independentof their distance from the swarm. Assuming that it is costlyto move to a site that is far away, the best search strategywould be to give precedence to nearby sites while still allowingthe discovery of better sites at distances farther away.     

Borate buffer inhibition of peroxidatic intermediate formation in the deutero-ferriheme-hydrogen peroxide system

The rate of formation of peroxidatically active reaction intermediate(s) via oxidation of the iron(III)-porphyrin complex, deuteroferriheme, with hydrogen peroxide decreases with increasing borate content of mixed borate-carbonate buffer solutions. Studies at pH = 9.25 in 0.035 M borate buffer and 0.035 M carbonate buffer suggest borate to function as an uncompetitive inhibitor. A comparison of slopes and intercepts of double reciprocal plots for inhibited and uninhbited reactions allows calculation of selected parameters for the deuteroferriheme-H₂O₂ reaction at pH = 9.25 in terms of a typical enzymatic stoichiometric mechanism for heme activity. This includes the Michaelis constant (K_m = 8.1 × 10^?5 M) and the first-order rate constant for conversion of heme-substrate complex to intermediate(s) (k₃ = 7.4 sec^?1). A tentative mechanistic model involving reversible interaction of borate inhibitor with heme-substrate complex is considered, and pseudo-first-order rate constants calculated on the basis of this scheme are in reasonable agreement with those obtained experimentally. It is suggested that comparable inhibitory action may be responsible for some previously reported cases of decreased catalase enzyme activity in borate buffer solutions