Living on the edge: life‐history of olive baboons at Gashaka‐Gumti National Park,Nigeria

Baboons are the most successful and ubiquitous African primates, renowned for their behavioral and reproductive flexibility, which enable them to inhabit a wide variety of habitat types. Owing to a number of long‐term field studies, comparative behavioral, developmental, demographic, and life‐history data are available from several populations, but study sites show a heavy bias toward South and East African savannahs, with little research in West or Central Africa. Life‐history data from such areas are important if we are fully to understand the nature of the environmental factors that limit baboon distribution. Here, we present demographic data for olive baboons at Gashaka‐Gumti National Park (GGNP), Nigeria, collected from December 2000–February 2006, and use these data to test comparative models of baboon life‐history. The GGNP habitat, which includes large areas of rainforest, is an environment in which baboons are little studied, and rainfall is much higher than at previous study sites. GGNP troop size data are presented from censuses, as well as life‐history data for two troops, one of which is within the park and wild‐feeding (Kwano troop), whereas the other dwells at the park edge, and supplements its diet by crop‐raiding (Gamgam troop). Troop sizes at GGNP are small compared with other field sites, but fit within previously suggested ranges for baboons under these climatic conditions. Inter‐birth intervals in Kwano troop were long compared with most studied populations, and values were not as predicted by comparative models. Consistent with known effects of food enhancement, Gamgam troop experienced shorter inter‐birth intervals and lower infant mortality than Kwano troop. We indicate some possible factors that exclude baboons from true rainforest, and suggest that the clearing of forests in Central and West Africa for agricultural land may allow baboons to extend their range into regions from which they are currently excluded. Am. J. Primatol. 71:293–304, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Genotype modulates age‐related alterations in sensitivity to the aversive effects of ethanol: an eight inbred strain analysis of conditioned taste aversion

Adolescent individuals display altered behavioral sensitivity to ethanol, which may contribute to the increased ethanol consumption seen in this age‐group. However, genetics also exert considerable influence on both ethanol intake and sensitivity. Currently there is little research assessing the combined influence of developmental and genetic alcohol sensitivities. Sensitivity to the aversive effects of ethanol using a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) procedure was measured during both adolescence (P30) and adulthood (P75) in eight inbred mouse strains (C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, 129S1/SvImJ, A/J, BALB/cByJ, BTBR T⁺tf/J, C3H/HeJ and FVB/NJ). Adolescent and adult mice were water deprived, and subsequently provided with access to 0.9% (v/v) NaCl solution for 1 h. Immediately following access mice were administered ethanol (0, 1.5, 2.25 and 3 g/kg, ip). This procedure was repeated in 72 h intervals for a total of five CTA trials. Sensitivity to the aversive effects of ethanol was highly dependent upon both strain and age. Within an inbred strain, adolescent animals were consistently less sensitive to the aversive effects of ethanol than their adult counterparts. However, the dose of ethanol required to produce an aversion response differed as a function of both age and strain.     

Impact of feral water buffalo and fire on growth and survival of mature savanna trees: An experimental field study in Kakadu National Park,northern Australia

Abstract The impact of feral Asian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and season of fire on growth and survival of mature trees was monitored over 8 years in the eucalypt savannas of Kakadu National Park. Permanently marked plots were paired on either side of a 25‐km‐long buffalo‐proof fence at three locations on an elevational gradient, from ridge‐top to the edge of a floodplain; buffalo were removed from one side of the fence. All 750 trees ≥ 1.4 m height were permanently marked; survival and diameter of each tree was measured annually; 26 species were grouped into four eco‐taxonomic groups. The buffalo experiment was maintained for 7 years; trees were monitored an additional year. Fires were excluded from all sites the first 3 years, allowed to occur opportunistically for 4 years and excluded for the final year. Fires were of two main types: low‐intensity early dry season and high‐intensity late dry season. Growth rates of trees were size‐specific and positively related to diameters as exponential functions; trees grew slowest on the two ends of the gradient. Eucalypt mortality rates were 1.5 and 3 times lower than those of pantropics and of arborescent monocots, respectively, but the relative advantage was lost with fires or buffalo grazing. Without buffalo grazing, ground level biomass was 5–8 t ha^?1 compared with 2–3 t ha^?1, within 3 years. In buffalo‐absent plots, trees grew significantly slower on the dry ridge and slope, and had higher mortality across the entire gradient, compared with trees in buffalo‐present plots. At the floodplain margin, mortality of small palms was higher in buffalo‐present sites, most likely due to associated heavy infestations of weeds. Low‐intensity fires produced tree growth and mortality values similar to no‐fire, in general, but, like buffalo, provided a ‘fertilization’ effect for Eucalyptus miniata and Eucalyptus tetrodonta, increasing growth in all size classes. High‐intensity fires reduced growth and increased mortality of all functional groups, especially the smallest and largest (>35 cm d.b.h.) trees. When buffalo and fires were excluded in the final year, there were no differences in growth or mortality between paired sites across the environmental gradient. After 8 years, the total numbers of trees in buffalo‐absent plots were only 80% of the number in buffalo‐present plots, due to relatively greater recruitment of new trees in buffalo‐present plots; fire‐sensitive pantropics were particularly disadvantaged. Since the removal of buffalo is disadvantageous, at least over the first years, to savanna tree growth and survival due to a rebound effect of the ground‐level vegetation and subsequent changes in fire‐vegetation interactions, process‐orientated management aimed at reducing fuel loads and competitive pressure may be required in order to return the system to a previous state. The ‘footprint’ of 30 years of heavy grazing by buffalo has implications for the interpretation of previous studies on fire‐vegetation dynamics and for current research on vegetation change in these savannas.     

Robust estimation of survival and contribution of captive‐bred Mallards Anas platyrhynchos to a wild population in a large‐scale release programme

The survival of captive‐bred individuals from release into the wild to their first breeding season is crucial to assess the success of reintroduction or translocation programmes, and to assess their potential impact of wild populations. However, assessing the survival of captive‐bred individuals following their release is often complicated by immediate dispersal once in the wild. Here, we apply Lindberg's robust design model, a method that incorporates emigration from the study site, to obtain true estimates of survival of captive‐bred Mallards Anas platyrhynchos, a common duck species released on a large scale in Europe since the 1970s. Overall survival rate from release in July until the onset of the next breeding season in April was low (0.18 ± 0.07 se) and equivalent to half the first‐year survival of local wild Mallards. Higher overall detectability and temporary emigration during the hunting period revealed movements in response to hunting pressure. Such low survival of released Mallards during their first year may help prevent large‐scale genetic mixing with the wild population. Nevertheless, by combining our results with regional waterfowl counts, we estimated that a minimum of 34% of the Mallards in the region were of captive origin at the onset of the breeding season. Although most released birds quickly die, restocking for hunting may be of sufficient magnitude to affect the wild population through genetic homogenization or loss of local adaptation. Robust design protocols allow for the estimation of true survival estimates by controlling for permanent and temporary emigration and may require only a moderate increase in fieldwork effort.     

Report: access to land at the northern periphery of Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal

Based on research conducted in Senegal in 2004, this field report focuses on the politics of access to land at the northern periphery of the Niokolo-Koba National Park, where a group of villages evicted from the national park were resettled in the 1970s. Conflicts over the allocation of land resurfaced in the 1980s, following the application of laws authorizing rural community councils to allocate use rights in village agricultural lands. The land claims of evicted villages were challenged by the rural council and local state authorities, who sought to define such claims as illegal or ambiguous based on exclusionary discourses of productive use of land, autochthony and citizenship. The politics of access to land at the northern periphery are shaped by land and administrative reforms undertaken since the end of colonial rule in Senegal and the on-going local transformation of authority and property relations under increasing commoditization and insecurity of land use rights.

Species‐specific germination responses to fire‐associated heat of elephant‐dispersed seeds in Nimule National Park,South Sudan

Fire‐related heat and endozoochory by elephants have independently been found to be important for savanna plant seed germination, yet there is little information on how heat affects germination of elephant‐dispersed seeds. We measured the germination behavior (time to germination and proportion of seeds germinating) of 11 species of seeds extracted from African savanna elephant dung and subjected them to various intensities of heat as a proxy for fire exposure. The effects of heat were inconsistent and varied significantly by species, with some species having increased time to germination in response to heat and others having reduced time to germination. More studies are needed to expand the number of seed species examined and tease apart the interaction between elephant‐mediated endozoochory and fire.     

Responses of soil carbon sequestration to climate‐smart agriculture practices: A meta‐analysis

Climate‐smart agriculture (CSA) management practices (e.g., conservation tillage, cover crops, and biochar applications) have been widely adopted to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop productivity. However, current measurements regarding the influences of CSA management practices on SOC sequestration diverge widely, making it difficult to derive conclusions about individual and combined CSA management effects and bringing large uncertainties in quantifying the potential of the agricultural sector to mitigate climate change. We conducted a meta‐analysis of 3,049 paired measurements from 417 peer‐reviewed articles to examine the effects of three common CSA management practices on SOC sequestration as well as the environmental controlling factors. We found that, on average, biochar applications represented the most effective approach for increasing SOC content (39%), followed by cover crops (6%) and conservation tillage (5%). Further analysis suggested that the effects of CSA management practices were more pronounced in areas with relatively warmer climates or lower nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Our meta‐analysis demonstrated that, through adopting CSA practices, cropland could be an improved carbon sink. We also highlight the importance of considering local environmental factors (e.g., climate and soil conditions and their combination with other management practices) in identifying appropriate CSA practices for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop productivity.     

Scaling‐Up of Industrial Symbiosis in the Korean National Eco‐Industrial Park Program: Examining Its Evolution over the 10 Years between 2005–2014

In 2005, South Korea initiated the 15‐year National Eco‐Industrial Park Development Program in three stages to gradually transform aged industrial complexes into eco‐industrial parks (EIPs) by promoting industrial symbiosis (IS). Building upon the pilot experiences from the first 5 years, the second phase of the program focused on the scaling‐up of IS at a broader regional level. Key scaling‐up strategies included the expansion of target areas by connecting multiple industrial complexes, the standardization of processes and dissemination of learning, and the development of large‐scale projects that could contribute to the regional development. In this study, we examined the evolution of IS over the last 10 years between 2005 and 2014, primarily to understand the characteristics and impact of these scaling‐up strategies. Our findings showed that the scale of IS in the second phase had increased in various aspects in comparison to that in the first phase. The number of operating projects had increased from 52 to 159, the number of participating firms increased from 90 to 596, and the average distance of IS increased from 40 to 48 kilometers. The size of economic and environmental benefits also increased along with an increase in the private investment and government research funding. We further analyzed the role of the regional EIP centers as facilitators, how their activities influenced the scaling‐up of IS, and discussed the characteristics of the Korea's approach to IS.     

Occupancy of spoil dumps by the Mountain Pygmy‐possum Burramys parvus in Kosciuszko National Park

Summary The Mountain Pygmy‐possum Burramys parvus has been listed as an endangered species across its range in the alpine and subalpine areas of New South Wales and Victoria. This study reports on the occurrence of the species in an artificial habitat, spoil dumps that were created in the 1950s as a result of the construction of underground tunnels associated with the Snowy Hydro‐electric Scheme. Thirty‐four B. parvus were captured in 1065 trapnights on spoil dumps in Happy Jacks Creek valley, in northern Kosciuszko National Park in October and November 2011. In January 2012, 22 individuals were captured in 360 trapnights on a spoil dump at Guthega Adit Camp in southern Kosciuszko National Park. Seven radio‐collared individuals tracked in Happy Jacks Creek valley resulted in the location of 5 day shelters in spoil dump habitat, including individuals that were originally trapped in nearby natural habitat. This study indicates that there may be opportunity to create further artificial habitat on sites not currently used by this highly restricted species.     

Bryophyte‐cyanobacteria associations as regulators of the northern latitude carbon balance in response to global change

Ecosystems in the far north, including arctic and boreal biomes, are a globally significant pool of carbon (C). Global change is proposed to influence both C uptake and release in these ecosystems, thereby potentially affecting whether they act as C sources or sinks. Bryophytes (i.e., mosses) serve a variety of key functions in these systems, including their association with nitrogen (N₂)‐fixing cyanobacteria, as thermal insulators of the soil, and producers of recalcitrant litter, which have implications for both net primary productivity (NPP) and heterotrophic respiration. While ground‐cover bryophytes typically make up a small proportion of the total biomass in northern systems, their combined physical structure and N₂‐fixing capabilities facilitate a disproportionally large impact on key processes that control ecosystem C and N cycles. As such, the response of bryophyte‐cyanobacteria associations to global change may influence whether and how ecosystem C balances are influenced by global change. Here, we review what is known about their occurrence and N₂‐fixing activity, and how bryophyte systems will respond to several key global change factors. We explore the implications these responses may have in determining how global change influences C balances in high northern latitudes.     

Wood‐rotting basidiomycetes associated with declining native trees in timber‐harvesting compartments of the Garden Route National Park of South Africa

Trees in the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) indigenous forests in South Africa are selectively harvested for timber based on criteria that include signs and symptoms induced by wood‐rotting fungi. However, virtually nothing is known regarding the identity and host associations of these macro‐fungi in this natural ecosystem. Surveys were conducted in three harvesting compartments in the GRNP to investigate the taxonomic affiliation and species richness of these fungi on standing and recently harvested trees. Samples were collected from basidiomes on infected trees and tree stumps, and from diseased tissues on symptomatic trees. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS sequences characterized the isolates obtained into 26 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) belonging to 17 genera after clustering the sequences at a 97% identity threshold. Ganoderma (Ganodermataceae) and Inonotus (Hymenochaetaceae) were the most species‐rich genera and the Bloukrans compartment, with 22 OTUs, showed the highest species richness. A fungus (OTU1) affiliated with Ganoderma pfeifferi was the most abundant in the surveyed areas. Its predominance was also evidenced on host trees since it occurred on 15 of the 20 tree species sampled, with Olea capensis subsp. macrocarpa (Oleaceae) being the most colonized host. Given the wide variety of wood‐rotting basidiomycetes revealed by this study and particularly the preponderance of species with pathogenic potential, more attention should be given to better understand their ecological role in this natural ecosystem as well as the effects of logging that may enhance their dissemination or negatively affect their diversity and the health of trees in the region.     

Patterns of climate‐induced density shifts of species: poleward shifts faster in northern boreal birds than in southern birds

Climate change has been shown to cause poleward range shifts of species. These shifts are typically demonstrated using presence–absence data, which can mask the potential changes in the abundance of species. Moreover, changes in the mean centre of weighted density of species are seldom examined, and comparisons between these two methods are even rarer. Here, we studied the change in the mean weighted latitude of density (MWLD) of 94 bird species in Finland, northern Europe, using data covering a north–south gradient of over 1000 km from the 1970s to the 2010s. The MWLD shifted northward on average 1.26 km yr^?1, and this shift was significantly stronger in northern species compared to southern species. These shifts can be related to climate warming during the study period, because the annual temperature had increased more in northern Finland (by 1.7 °C) than in southern Finland (by 1.4 °C), although direct causal links cannot be shown. Density shifts of species distributed over the whole country did not differ from shifts in species situated on the edge of the species range in southern and northern species. This means that density shifts occur both in the core and on the edge of species distribution. The species‐specific comparison of MWLD values with corresponding changes in the mean weighted latitude using presence–absence atlas data (MWL) revealed that the MWLD moved more slowly than the MWL in the atlas data in the southern species examined, but more rapidly in the northern species. Our findings highlight that population densities are also moving rapidly towards the poles and the use of presence–absence data can mask the shift of population densities. We encourage use of abundance data in studies considering the effects of climate change on biodiversity.     

A Frailty‐Model‐Based Approach to Estimating the Age‐Dependent Penetrance Function of Candidate Genes Using Population‐Based Case‐Control Study Designs: An Application to Data on the BRCA1 Gene

Summary The population‐based case–control study design is perhaps one of, if not the most, commonly used designs for investigating the genetic and environmental contributions to disease risk in epidemiological studies. Ages at onset and disease status of family members are routinely and systematically collected from the participants in this design. Considering age at onset in relatives as an outcome, this article is focused on using the family history information to obtain the hazard function, i.e., age‐dependent penetrance function, of candidate genes from case–control studies. A frailty‐model‐based approach is proposed to accommodate the shared risk among family members that is not accounted for by observed risk factors. This approach is further extended to accommodate missing genotypes in family members and a two‐phase case–control sampling design. Simulation results show that the proposed method performs well in realistic settings. Finally, a population‐based two‐phase case–control breast cancer study of the BRCA1 gene is used to illustrate the method.     

From natural woodlands to cultivated land: diversity of fruit‐feeding butterflies and beetles in the mid‐Zambezi valley,northern Zimbabwe

We tested the effect of cultivation on butterfly (Nymphalidae: Charaxes) and beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) species richness and abundance along a cultivation intensification gradient. Results showed significant differences in species richness and abundance between natural woodlands and cultivated landscapes with larger differences in areas of high cultivation intensity. The results indicate that natural woodland clearing for cultivation purposes has negative impacts on arthropod diversity, a situation more severe in highly intensified cultivated areas. Our results imply that mosaics of different land‐use units, each in a different phase of clearance‐cultivation‐abandonment‐recovery‐clearance cycle could counter the negative effects of cultivation intensity on arthropod diversity.     

A large‐scale expression strategy for multimeric extracellular protein complexes using Drosophila S2 cells and its application to the recombinant expression of heterodimeric ligand‐binding domains of taste receptor

Many of the extracellular proteins or extracellular domains of plasma membrane proteins exist or function as homo‐ or heteromeric multimer protein complexes. Successful recombinant production of such proteins is often achieved by co‐expression of the components using eukaryotic cells via the secretory pathway. Here we report a strategy addressing large‐scale expression of hetero‐multimeric extracellular domains of plasma membrane proteins and its application to the extracellular domains of a taste receptor. The target receptor consists of a heterodimer of T1r2 and T1r3 proteins, and their extracellular ligand binding domains (LBDs) are responsible for the perception of major taste substances. However, despite the functional importance, recombinant production of the heterodimeric proteins has so far been unsuccessful. We achieved the successful preparation of the heterodimeric LBD by use of Drosophila S2 cells, which have a high secretory capacity, and by the establishment of a stable high‐expression clone producing both subunits at a comparable level. The method overcame the problems encountered in the conventional transient expression of the receptor protein in insect cells using baculovirus or vector lipofection, which failed in the proper heterodimer production because of the biased expression of T1r3LBD over T1r2LBD. The large‐scale expression methodology reported here may serve as one of the considerable strategies for the preparation of multimeric extracellular protein complexes.     

Out of Australia and back again: the world‐wide historical biogeography of non‐pollinating fig wasps (Hymenoptera: Sycophaginae)

Aim Figs (Ficus, Moraceae) are exploited by rich communities of often host‐specific phytophagous wasps. Among them, gall‐inducing Sycophaginae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) may share a common history with Ficus and their mutualistic pollinators (Agaonidae). We investigate here, for the first time, the phylogeny and biogeographical history of Sycophaginae and compare the timing of radiation and dispersion of major clades with available data on Ficus and fig pollinators. Reconstructing the history of their host colonization and association over space and time is central to understanding how fig wasp communities were assembled. Location World‐wide. Methods Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses were conducted on 4267 bp of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to produce a phylogeny of all genera of Sycophaginae. Two relaxed clock methods with or without rate autocorrelation were used for date estimation. Analyses of ancestral area were also conducted to investigate the geographical origin of the Sycophaginae. Results The phylogeny is well resolved and supported. Our data suggest a post‐Gondwanan origin for the Sycophaginae (50–40 Ma) and two independent out‐of‐Australia dispersal events to continental Asia. Given palaeoclimatic and palaeogeographic records, the following scenario appears the most likely. The ancestor of Idarnes+Apocryptophagus migrated to Greater India through the Ninetyeast Ridge (40–30 Ma). The ancestor of Anidarnes+Conidarnes dispersed later via Sundaland (25–20 Ma). Idarnes and Anidarnes subsequently reached the New World via the North Atlantic land bridges during the Late Oligocene Warming Event. Apocryptophagus reached Africa c. 20 Ma via the Arabic corridors and returned to Australasia following the expansion of Sundaland tropical forests (20–10 Ma). Main conclusions Sycophaginae probably invaded the fig microcosm in Australia c. 50–40 Ma after the origin of their host plant. Once associated with figs, they dispersed out of Australia and radiated together with their host fig and associated pollinator through the tropics. We recorded a good coincidence of timing between dispersal events of Sycophaginae and continental connections. Furthermore, fruit pigeons that disperse figs probably spread out of Australasia through the Indian Ocean via the Ninetyeast Ridge c. 38 Ma. Therefore, our study highlights the potential for combining molecular phylogenetics with multiple methods of dating of interacting groups to reconstruct the historical biogeography of plant–herbivore associations.     

Indications of higher diversity and abundance of small rodents in human‐influenced Sudanian savannah than in the Niokolo Koba National Park (Senegal)

Expansion of human activities in the Sudanian savannah is changing natural habitats together with their animal communities. The abundance and diversity of small mammal communities were investigated in human‐influenced savannahs in close proximity to Niokolo Koba National Park (NKNP) in south‐eastern Senegal and compared with those from NKNP. Two localities were sampled in natural and two in human‐influenced areas during two dry and two rainy seasons. Total sampling effort was 5400 trap‐nights. Ninety‐eight individuals of eleven species were captured outside NKNP, while only 28 individuals of five rodent species were caught inside the park (all of which were found also outside NKNP). The most abundant species outside NKNP was Mastomys erythroleucus, while inside NKNP it was Praomys daltoni. Both relative abundance and diversity were significantly higher in human‐influenced landscape than in natural savannahs of NKNP. The difference in species richness may be linked with lower population densities of certain species in NKNP and the effect of traditional agriculture, which may support the presence of species typical for deforested landscape. Furthermore, food availability, and predator abundances are discussed as possible reasons for the higher rodent abundances outside NKNP.