Global climate patterns explain range-wide synchronicity in survival of a migratory seabird

To predict the impact of climate change over the whole species distribution range, comparison of adult survival variations over large spatial scale is of primary concern for long-lived species populations that are particularly susceptible to decline if adult survival is reduced. In this study, we estimated and compared adult survival rates between 1989 and 1997 of six populations of Cory's shearwater ( Calonectris diomedea ) spread across 4600 km using capture–recapture models. We showed that mean annual adult survival rates are different among populations along a longitudinal gradient and between sexes. Variation in adult survival is synchronized among populations, with three distinct groups: (1) both females and males of Corsica, Tremiti, and Selvagem (annual survival range 0.88–0.96); (2) both females and males of Frioul and females from Crete (0.82–0.92); and (3) both females and males of Malta and males from Crete (0.74–0.88). The total variation accounted for by the common pattern of variation is on average 71%, suggesting strong environmental forcing. At least 61% of the variation in survival is explained by the Southern Oscillation Index fluctuations. We suggested that Atlantic hurricanes and storms during La Niña years may increase adult mortality for Cory's shearwater during winter months. For long-lived seabird species, variation in adult survival is buffered against environmental variability, although extreme climate conditions such as storms significantly affect adult survival. The effect of climate at large spatial scales on adult survival during the nonbreeding period may lead to synchronization of variation in adult survival over the species' range and has large effects on the meta-population trends. One can thus worry about the future of such long-lived seabirds species under the predictions of higher frequency of extreme large-scale climatic events.     

Assessing Ecoregional-Scale Habitat Suitability Index Models for Priority Landbirds

ABSTRACT Emerging methods in habitat and wildlife population modeling promise new horizons in conservation but only if these methods provide robust population-habitat linkages. We used Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data to verify and validate newly developed habitat suitability index (HSI) models for 40 priority landbird species in the Central Hardwoods and West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas Bird Conservation Regions. We considered a species’ HSI model verified if there was a significant rank correlation between mean predicted HSI score and mean observed BBS abundance across the 88 ecological subsections within these Bird Conservation Regions. When we included all subsections, correlations verified 37 models. Models for 3 species were unverified. Rank correlations for an additional 5 species were not significant when analyses included only subsections with BBS abundance >0. To validate models, we developed generalized linear models with mean observed BBS abundance as the response variable and mean HSI score and Bird Conservation Region as predictor variables. We considered verified models validated if the overall model was an improvement over an intercept-only null model and the coefficient on the HSI variable in the model was >0. Validation provided a more rigorous assessment of model performance than verification, and models for 12 species that we verified failed validation. Species whose models failed validation were either poorly sampled by BBS protocols or associated with woodland and shrubland habitats embedded within predominantly open landscapes. We validated models for 25 species. Habitat specialists and species reaching their highest densities in predominantly forested landscapes were more likely to have validated models. In their current form, validated models are useful for conservation planning of priority landbirds and offer both insight into limiting factors at ecoregional scales and a framework for monitoring priority landbird populations from readily available national data sets.     

Population trends of European common birds are predicted by characteristics of their climatic niche

Temperate species are projected to experience the greatest temperature increases across a range of modelled climate change scenarios, and climate warming has been linked to geographical range and population changes of individual species at such latitudes. However, beyond the multiple modelling approaches, we lack empirical evidence of contemporary climate change impacts on populations in broad taxonomic groups and at continental scales. Identifying reliable predictors of species resilience or susceptibility to climate warming is of critical importance in assessing potential risks to species, ecosystems and ecosystem services. Here we analysed long‐term trends of 110 common breeding birds across Europe (20 countries), to identify climate niche characteristics, adjusted to other environmental and life history traits, that predict large‐scale population changes accounting for phylogenetic relatedness among species. Beyond the now well‐documented decline of farmland specialists, we found that species with the lowest thermal maxima (as the mean spring and summer temperature of the hottest part of the breeding distribution in Europe) showed the sharpest declines between 1980 and 2005. Thermal maximum predicted the recent trends independently of other potential predictors. This study emphasizes the need to account for both land‐use and climate changes to assess the fate of species. Moreover, we highlight that thermal maximum appears as a reliable and simple predictor of the long‐term trends of such endothermic species facing climate change.     

Rapid recovery of a depleted population of Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax following provision of alfalfa through an agri‐environment scheme

The Little Bustard has undergone a steep reduction of its Western Palaearctic range over the last century. In the west of France, breeding populations declined by 96% from 1978 to 2008 in cultivated areas where grasslands have been converted into intensively managed annual crops. Little Bustard abundance and nest productivity have been monitored since 1995 in a 450‐km² site in western France. We assessed the proximate causes of the decline of Little Bustards in French farming landscapes and quantified the effectiveness of conservation measures that aimed to reverse the decline. The decline of Little Bustard, from about 65 males in 1995 to just six males in 2003, could be related to a near absence of recruitment over this period. Since 2004, the establishment of more than 1300 ha of specifically targeted agri‐environment schemes (AES) in the study site has led to a sharp increase in female productivity, mainly associated with nesting in AES fields. By imposing constraints on mowing dates, AES have prevented nest destruction and female mortality during mowing and, by increasing plant species diversity, provided chicks with a higher abundance of grasshoppers. This has contributed to reversing the trend, and increasing the population to around 30 males in 2009. Conservation strategies involving specifically targeted AES based on the identification of limiting factors can help to reverse the decline of threatened species.     

Redefining the damselfly families: a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Zygoptera (Odonata)

An extensive molecular phylogenetic reconstruction of the suborder Zygoptera of the Odonata is presented, based on mitochondrial (16S, COI) and nuclear (28S) data of 59% of the 310 genera recognized and all (suspected) families except the monotypic Hemiphlebiidae. A partial reclassification is proposed, incorporating morphological characters. Many traditional families are recovered as monophyletic, but reorganization of the superfamily Coenagrionoidea into three families is proposed: Isostictidae, Platycnemididae and Coenagrionidae. Archboldargia Lieftinck, Hylaeargia Lieftinck, Palaiargia Förster, Papuargia Lieftinck and Onychargia Selys are transferred from Coenagrionidae to Platycnemididae, and Leptocnemis Selys, Oreocnemis Pinhey and Thaumatagrion Lieftinck from Platycnemididae to Coenagrionidae. Each geographically well‐defined clade of Platycnemididae is recognized as a subfamily, and thus Disparoneurinae (i.e. Old World ‘Protoneuridae’) is incorporated, Calicnemiinae is restricted, and Allocnemidinae (type genus: Allocnemis Selys) subfam.n ., Idiocnemidinae (type genus: Idiocnemis Selys) subfam.n . and Onychargiinae (type genus: Onychargia Selys) subfam.n . and Coperini trib.n . (type genus: Copera Kirby) are described. Half of Coenagrionidae belongs to a well‐supported clade incorporating Coenagrion Kirby and the potential subfamilies Agriocnemidinae, Ischnurinae and Pseudagrioninae. The remainder is less well defined, but includes the Pseudostigmatidae and New World Protoneuridae that, with Argiinae and Teinobasinae, may prove valid subfamilies with further evidence. Ninety‐two per cent of the genera formerly included in the polyphyletic Amphipterygidae and Megapodagrionidae were studied. Pentaphlebiidae, Rimanellidae and Devadattidae fam.n . (type genus: Devadatta Kirby) are separated from Amphipterygidae, and Argiolestidae, Heteragrionidae, Hypolestidae, Philogeniidae, Philosinidae and Thaumatoneuridae from Megapodagrionidae. Eight further groups formerly placed in the latter are identified, but are retained as incertae sedis; the validity of Lestoideidae, Philogangidae and Pseudolestidae is confirmed. For some families (e.g. Calopterygidae, Chlorocyphidae) a further subdivision is possible; Protostictinae subfam.n . (type genus: Protosticta Selys) is introduced in Platystictidae. Numerous new combinations are proposed in the Supporting Information. Many long‐established families lack strong morphological apomorphies. In particular, venation is incongruent with molecular results, stressing the need to review fossil Odonata taxonomy: once defined by the reduction of the anal vein, Protoneuridae dissolves completely into six clades from five families.     

Phosphorus concentrations in the leaves of defoliated white clover affect abscisic acid formation and transpiration in drying soil

Increased leaf phosphorus (P) concentration improved the water-use efficiency (WUE) and drought tolerance of regularly defoliated white clover plants by decreasing the rate of daily transpiration per unit leaf area in dry soil. Night transpiration was around 17% of the total daily transpiration. The improved control of transpiration in the high-P plants was associated with an increased individual leaf area and WUE that apparently resulted from net photosynthetic assimilation rate being reduced less than the reductions in the transpiration (27% vs 58%). On the other hand, greater transpiration from low-P plants was associated with poor stomatal control of transpirational loss of water, less ABA in the leaves when exposed to dry soil, and thicker and smaller leaf size compared with high-P leaves. The leaf P concentration was positively related with leaf ABA, and negatively with transpiration rates, under dry conditions ( P < 0.001). However, leaf ABA was not closely related to the transpiration rate, suggesting that leaf P concentration has a greater influence than ABA on the transpiration rates.     

A MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF NORTH AMERICAN PLEUROCERIDAE (GASTROPODA: CERITHIOIDEA) BASED ON MITOCHONDRIAL 16S rDNA SEQUENCES

The Pleuroceridae Fischer, 1885, is one of three freshwatergastropod families currently recognized in the superfamily CerithioideaFérussac, 1819 (Mollusca: Caenogastropoda Cox, 1960).Despite considerable literature justifying various proposedgeneric names of North American pleurocerids, no study has beenconducted examining phylogenetic relationships of the recognizedgenera. In an effort to expand our understanding of evolutionaryrelationships of North American pleurocerid genrea, we examineda large portion of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene among 32extant North American taxa. Multiple sequence alignment of theamplified region for our taxa resulted in a matrix consistingof 900 nucleotides including insertions and deletions. Basedon analysis of nucleotide substitution patterns, we employedtwo approaches in our phylogenetic analysis: (1) all substitutionsreceived equal weighting and (2) transversions were weighted2X and 4X transitions to compensate for transition saturationamong distantly related taxa. The molecular phylogeny basedon the mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences supports the monophylyof Pleurocera Rafinesque, 1819, Elimia H. & A. Adams, 1854,and Juga H. & A. Adams, 1854, but depicts the genera LithasiaHaldeman, 1840, and Leptoxis Rafinesque, 1819, as polyphyletic.The genus Pleurocera is sister to Elimia, which in turn is sisterto a paraphyletic assemblage including representatives of Leptoxis,Lithasia, and the monotypic genus Io Lea, 1831. Juga, a genusrestricted to west of the North American continental divideis the basal-most clade and is sister to all the aforementionedgenera found east of the continental divide. (Received 26 January 1999; accepted 14 October 1999)     

THE GENUS GIGANTASPIS HEINTZ, 1962 (VERTEBRATA, HETEROSTRACI) FROM THE LOWER DEVONIAN OF SPITSBERGEN

Abstract:  Material collected in 1969 by the CNRS-MNHN expedition to Spitsbergen includes a new species of Gigantaspis , G. minima , which is the smallest known species of this genus. The revision of Gigantaspis leads to the inclusion of Zascinaspis laticephala Blieck and Goujet in this genus. The phylogenetic analysis presented herein suggests that Gigantaspis is close to Zascinaspis , as suggested by Blieck. Moreover, it is also close to generalized representatives of the Protaspididae. Their shared character states allow the definition of a possible ancestral morphotype for the Protaspididae.