Long-term demographic surveys reveal a consistent relationship between average occupancy and abundance within local populations of a butterfly metapopulation

Species distribution models are the tool of choice for large-scale population monitoring, environmental association studies and predictions of range shifts under future environmental conditions. Available data and familiarity of the tools rather than the underlying population dynamics often dictate the choice of specific method – especially for the case of presence–absence data. Yet, for predictive purposes, the relationship between occupancy and abundance embodied in the models should reflect the actual population dynamics of the modelled species. To understand the relationship of occupancy and abundance in a heterogeneous landscape at the scale of local populations, we built a spatio-temporal regression model of populations of the Glanville fritillary butterfly Melitaea cinxia in a Baltic Sea archipelago. Our data comprised nineteen years of habitat surveys and snapshot data of land use in the region. We used variance partitioning to quantify relative contributions of land use, habitat quality and metapopulation covariates. The model revealed a consistent and positive, but noisy relationship between average occupancy and mean abundance in local populations. Patterns of abundance were highly variable across years, with large uncorrelated random variation and strong local population stochasticity. In contrast, the spatio-temporal random effect, habitat quality, population connectivity and patch size explained variation in occupancy, vindicating metapopulation theory as the basis for modelling occupancy patterns in fragmented landscapes. Previous abundance was an important predictor in the occupancy model, which points to a spillover of abundance into occupancy dynamics. While occupancy models can successfully model large-scale population structure and average occupancy, extinction probability estimates for local populations derived from occupancy-only models are overconfident, as extinction risk is dependent on actual, not average, abundance.     

On the relationship between vertical microdistribution and adaptations to oxygen stress in littoral Chironomidae (Diptera)

Animals that dwell at different depths in the sediment, are adapted to different respiratory environments. It is possible that animals that occur deep in the sediment have a higher hemoglobin concentration than surface-dwelling animals. To test this hypothesis, hemoglobin concentrations and weights of eight chironomid species that dwell in the littoral zone were measured. High hemoglobin concentration and weight both seemed to contribute to an ability to cope with low oxygen concentrations, and determined the vertical distribution of chironomids in the sediment. A multiple regression equation, including these factors, was derived. It may be used to predict the median depth of occurrence for species that were not included in this study. High sensitivity of small animals to oxygen stress is discussed from a theoretical point of view.Research Assistant of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific ResearchResearch Assistant of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research     

Hierarchical analysis of the relationship between spatial distribution and abundance of epiphytic lichens (Mt. Olympos-Greece)

The relationship between distribution and abundance of epiphytic lichens on five different substrates (Fagus sylvatica, Pinus nigra, Quercus coccifera, Pinus heldreichii and Quercus pubescens) has been studied. For the first three substrates the above relationship has been studied hierarchically. It was concluded that this relationship is partly represented by the core-satellite distribution. This abundance-distribution pattern could probably be explained by more than one hypothesis and it is probably related with the life strategies of lichen species.     

黑河上游天然草地亚洲小车蝗蝗蝻与成虫多度分布与地形关系的GAM分析

环境异质性是生物空间格局形成与维持的重要条件, 蝗虫的空间分布是物种长期适应自然环境的结果, 反映了蝗虫与生存环境的协同进化机制。在2009年7-8月野外调查的基础上, 借助GIS和S-PLUS 8.0软件, 利用广义相加模型（GAM）研究了祁连山北坡黑河上游亚洲小车蝗Oedaleus asiaticus蝗蝻与成虫多度分布与海拔、 坡向、 坡度和剖面曲率等6类地形因子之间的关系。结果表明： 亚洲小车蝗蝗蝻与成虫的多度分布与地形因子关系的GAM模型具有不同的模型结构、 模拟效果以及结果的稳定性, 能够较好地体现二者所受地形因子影响的差异。各地形因子对亚洲小车蝗蝗蝻与成虫多度的影响不尽相同, 海拔对二者的多度分布起主导控制作用, 蝗蝻与成虫的多度均随海拔的升高大体呈现倒“V”型变化趋势, 但蝗蝻在海拔梯度上的分布上限明显大于成虫。成虫主要集中分布在剖面曲率<0的区域, 蝗蝻主要集中分布在南坡与西南坡。亚洲小车蝗蝗蝻与成虫对环境选择的异质性属性, 使蝗蝻和成虫在相同地形要素的分布格局存在明显差异。     

Temporal and spatial variability in the abundance,biomass and distribution of Palaemon peringueyi (Decapoda: Crustacea) are influenced by biological but not physico-chemical factors in the permanently open Kariega Estuary,South Africa

Biological and physico-chemical factors affecting abundance and biomass of shrimp Palaemon peringueyi were investigated in 2010–2011 in the lower, middle and upper reaches of the freshwater-deprived permanently open Kariega Estuary. Shrimp abundance and biomass ranged from 0 to 88 ind. m^?2 and 0 to 4.4 g wwt m^?2, respectively. Shrimps were most abundant in the lower reach, and highest abundances and biomasses were recorded in the lower reach in June when salinities were low. The shrimps were almost always absent in the upper reach. Juveniles were found mostly in the lower and middle reaches, whereas adults were distributed in all three reaches. Regression analyses showed no statistically significant relationship for either abundance or biomass of the shrimps with temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen (p > 0.05). The relationship between shrimp abundance and biomass and vegetation cover was positive and statistically significant (R² = 0.109 and 0.185, respectively; p < 0.05). Vegetation cover plays an important role in determining the presence, distribution and abundance or biomass of P. peringueyi in this estuary.     

川金丝猴秦岭与岷山社群社会结构与空间分布差异性比较

对不同地区川金丝猴社会结构和空间分布的比较有助于了解其种群与环境的相互应答关系。在秦岭山脉和岷山山脉的不同地区选取3个观察群,对比它们之间社群结构和空间分布的差异。研究结果表明,尽管同属于仰鼻猴属川金丝猴种,由于栖息地环境的不同,导致社群结构和空间分布既存在相同点又存在一定的差异。对于社会结构,扎如沟群,大坪峪群与玉皇庙群表现出同样的最高进化水平的重层社会体系;但是构成这一社会体系的基本单位一雄多雌（One-male unit,OMU）,其成员整体数量上没有差异,但是OMU内雌雄比例不仅在3个观察群间存在差异,而且与同属其他物种相比也存在差异;对于空间分布,由于食物竞争压力和天敌捕食压力在不同的栖息地内影响不同,导致3个观察群空间分布呈梯度变化关系。研究结果不仅为川金丝猴种群动态,种群与环境的相互应答关系以及种群进化提供基础资料,而且希望能藉此推进我国相关领域研究的开展,为灵长类社会与行为生态学研究者启发思路,并为保护这些濒危物种提供科学依据。     

Interaction between the poly(A)-binding protein Pab1 and the eukaryotic release factor eRF3 regulates translation termination but not mRNA decay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic release factor 3 (eRF3) is implicated in translation termination and also interacts with the poly(A)-binding protein (PABP, Pab1 in yeast), a major player in mRNA metabolism. Despite conservation of this interaction, its precise function remains elusive. First, we showed experimentally that yeast eRF3 does not contain any obvious consensus PAM2 (PABP-interacting motif 2). Thus, in yeast this association is different from the well described interaction between the metazoan factors. To gain insight into the exact function of this interaction, we then analyzed the phenotypes resulting from deleting the respective binding domains. Deletion of the Pab1 interaction domain on eRF3 did not affect general mRNA stability or nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway and induced a decrease in translational readthrough. Furthermore, combined deletions of the respective interacting domains on eRF3 and on Pab1 were viable, did not affect Pab1 function in mRNA stability and harbored an antisuppression phenotype. Our results show that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae the role of the Pab1 C-terminal domain in mRNA stability is independent of eRF3 and the association of these two factors negatively regulates translation termination.     

Primary structures of skin antimicrobial peptides indicate a close,but not conspecific,phylogenetic relationship between the leopard frogs Lithobates onca and Lithobates yavapaiensis (Ranidae)

The phylogenetic relationship between the relict leopard frog Lithobates (Rana) onca (Cope, 1875) and the lowland leopard frog Lithobates (Rana) yavapaiensis (Platz and Frost, 1984) is unclear. Chromatographic analysis of norepinephrine-stimulated skin secretions from L. onca led to the identification of six peptides with antimicrobial activity. Determination of their primary structures indicated that four of the peptides were identical to brevinin-1Ya, brevinin-1Yb, brevinin-1Yc and ranatuerin-2Ya previously isolated from skin secretions of L. yavapaiensis. However, a peptide belonging to the temporin family (temporin-ONa: FLPTFGKILSGLF.NH₂) and an atypical member of the ranatuerin-2 family containing a C-terminal cyclic heptapeptide domain (ranatuerin-2ONa: GLMDTVKNAAKNLAGQMLDKLKCKITGSC) were isolated from the L. onca secretions but were not present in the L. yavapaiensis secretions. Ranatuerin-2ONa inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli (MIC = 50 μM) and Candida albicans (MIC = 100 μM ) and showed hemolytic activity (LC₅₀ = 90 μM) but was inactive against Staphylococcus aureus. The data indicate a close phylogenetic relationship between L. onca and L. yavapaiensis but suggest that they are not conspecific species.     

Spatial relationships between mate acquisition probability and aggregation size in a gregarious coreid bug, (Colpula lativentris): A case of the ideal free distribution under perceptual constraints

Spatial relationships of mate acquisition probability for individuals of both sexes of a gregariously-mating coreid bug, Colpula lativentris, were studied in relation to aggregation size. Operational sex ratio was always strongly male biased. Mate acquisition probability of females was rather constant and independent of aggregation size, as predicted by an ideal free distribution. Moreover laboratory experiments showed that both multiple mating and rearing density little affected female fecundity, suggesting ideal free distribution of females in terms of reproductive success. On the other hand, mate acquisition probability of males was higher in larger aggregations, where more receptive females were available. This male discrepancy from an ideal free distribution was similar to the patterns predicted by an ideal free distribution under perceptual constraints (Abrahams, 1986), but not by that under unequal competitive ability.