Design and field methods for sighting surveys of cetaceans in coastal and riverine habitats

• 1 Dolphins and porpoises in coastal and/or riverine habitats face serious conservation threats, yet surveys of their abundance are often especially difficult due to the challenges imposed by the habitats. Because many of these species occur in developing countries, lack of resources imposes a further set of challenges.
• 2 We offer advice on designing and conducting line‐transect surveys with a focus on sound, practical, design rather than analytical sophistication, and we attempt, where possible, to offer simple, inexpensive solutions.
• 3 We guide the reader through the questions of what kind of survey should be done, whether by boat or aircraft, and we discuss ways to avoid bias and increase precision.
• 4 Our treatment of field methods focuses especially on robust, but low‐cost, approaches. We provide two case studies to illustrate the implementation of these ideas.

     

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition in world biodiversity hotspots: the need for a greater global perspective in assessing N deposition impacts

Increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is known to reduce plant diversity in natural and semi‐natural ecosystems, yet our understanding of these impacts comes almost entirely from studies in northern Europe and North America. Currently, we lack an understanding of the threat of N deposition to biodiversity at the global scale. In particular, rates of N deposition within the newly defined 34 world biodiversity hotspots, to which 50% of the world's floristic diversity is restricted, has not been quantified previously. Using output from global chemistry transport models, here we provide the first estimates of recent (mid‐1990s) and future (2050) rates and distributions of N deposition within biodiversity hotspots. Our analysis shows that the average deposition rate across these areas was 50% greater than the global terrestrial average in the mid‐1990s and could more than double by 2050, with 33 of 34 hotspots receiving greater N deposition in 2050 compared with 1990. By this time, 17 hotspots could have between 10% and 100% of their area receiving greater than 15 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1, a rate exceeding critical loads set for many sensitive European ecosystems. Average deposition in four hotspots is predicted to be greater than 20 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. This elevated N deposition within areas of high plant diversity and endemism may exacerbate significantly the global threat of N deposition to world floristic diversity. Overall, we highlight the need for a greater global approach to assessing the impacts of N deposition.     

Eimeria turcicus N. Sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the Mediterranean Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus (Sauria: Gekkonidae)

ABSTRACT. Eimeria turcicus n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) is reported from the gall bladder of the Mediterranean gecko, Hemidactylus t. turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Houston Zoo, Texas, USA. Oocysts of this coccidian are elongate and cylindrical, 38.2 × 17.9 (35.2-40.8 × 16.8-20.0)μm, with a smooth, bilayered wall ∼ 1.6 μm thick; shape index 2.1 (1.9-2.3). A polar granule is present, but a micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent. Sporocysts are ovoid, 11.0 × 8.8 (10.0-12.0 × 8.0-9.4) μm, with a smooth, thin wall and suture; shape index 1.3 (1.1-1.4). Each sporocyst contains a residuum measuring 6.0 × 5.1 (4.8-8.0 × 4.8-6.4) μm, additional residual granules scattered among the sporozoites, and two sporozoites that are normally arranged head-to-tail within the sporocyst. Each sporozoite contains a single, ovoid, posterior refractile body and a central nucleus.     

Development of Eimeria funduli in Fundulus heteroclitus1

Laboratory-reared Fundulus grandis and F. heteroclitus were experimentally infected with Eimeria funduli by being fed Palaemonetes pugio (grass shrimp) collected from endemic areas. Histological sections were made of heart, liver, hepatopancreas, spleen, gall bladder, kidney, intestine, peri-intestinal fat, reproductive organs, and brain from F. grandis sacrificed at 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h and from F. heteroclitus at 5, 6, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 34, 39, and 44 days after consuming naturally infected shrimp. We first found merogonous stages at day 9 postinfection (p.i.). No developmental stages of the parasite could be positively identified in the tissues of experimentally infected fish prior to day 9 p.i. Mature meronts were found 14 days p.i. The majority contained 8–16 (mean, 13) merozoites, but a few meronts had 18–26 (22) merozoites. Gamonts first appeared on day 14, were mature by day 19, and fertilization was completed by day 24 p.i. After sporoblast formation, sporopodia appeared during sporocyst wall formation, between days 24 and 29 p.i. Sporozoite formation was completed by day 44 p.i. in most sporocysts. Most endogenous stages occurred in hepatocytes; however, pancreatic and spleen cells were sometimes infected with gamonts.     

Eimeria ornata N. Sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata (Reptilia: Testudines), in Texas

Eimeria ornata n. sp. is described from the feces of 6/16 (37.5%) ornate box turtles, Terrapene ornata ornata , in northcentral Texas. Endogenously sporulated oocysts are ellipsoid 17.9 × 15.7(16-21 × 14-18) μm, with a thin, single-layered wall; shape index 1.14 (1.0-1.3). A micropyle is absent but a polar granule was present in one third of the oocysts. An oocyst residuum was present, consisting of numerous small globules situated either in a distinct mass or scattered within the oocyst. The sporocysts are elongate, 11.1 × 5.4 (9-13 × 5-6) μm, with an indistinct Stieda body at 1 pole. A sporocyst residuum is present, consisting either as a compact mass or as scattered granules. The sporozoites are elongate, 9.5 × 2.0 (8-12 × 2) μm, in situ, with spherical anterior and posterior refractile bodies. The new species is distinguished from the similar Eimeria carri Ernst & Forrester, 1973, from eastern box turtles, T. Carolina , by slight differences in oocyst morphology and endogenous sporulation.     

Extraintestinal Development of Caryospora simplex (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in Experimentally Infected Mice,Mus musculus1

Developmental stages of Caryospora simplex were found in connective tissue of the cheek, tongue, and nose of Swiss-Webster and C57 BL/6 mice (Mus musculus) from 8 through 70 days after oral inoculation with 50,000 or 250,000 oocysts, or 60,000 free sporocysts of the same species obtained from an Ottoman viper, Vipera xanthina xanthina. The earliest developmental stages were seen on day 8 post-inoculation (PI) and consisted of two types of meronts and gamonts (undifferentiated sexual stages). Gamonts, microgametocytes, macrogametes, and unsporulated oocysts were found on days 10 and 12 PI. Fully sporulated, thin-walled oocysts containing eight sporozoites surrounded by a thin sporocyst membrane were first seen 12 days PI. Monozoic cysts (caryocysts) were first seen 12 days PI and appeared fully viable throughout the duration of the study, 70 days PI. Four mice injected intra-peritoneally with 150,000 free sporozoites and killed 12 days PI contained unsporulated and sporulated oocysts in connective tissues of the cheek, tongue, and nose, suggesting that sporozoites may be carried to the site of infection via the lymphatic/circulatory system. Four cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus, inoculated orally with 250,000 oocysts all had unsporulated and sporulated oocysts of C. simplex in connective tissue of the cheek, tongue, and nose when killed on day 12 PI, indicating extraintestinal development in the secondary host is not species specific. This is the first report of a heteroxenous coccidium with both asexual and sexual development in the primary (predator) and secondary (prey) hosts.     

Liebman,M., Mohler,C.L., and Staver,C.P. Ecological management of agricultural weeds

According to the publisher’s jacket note, ‘If youare considering a career in research . . . this bookshould offer some advice’. I find no reason to argue withthis claim. Nancy Rothwell has provided a thorough treatmentof the stages and progression of     

Development of Caryospora simplex (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Sporozoites to Oocysts in Human Embryonic Lung Cell Culture1

Leighton tubes containing monolayers of human embryonic lung cells were inoculated with 70,000 or 30,000 sporozoites of the viperid coccidium Caryospora simplex and examined at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 days post-inoculation (PI). By day 1 PI, sporozoites had penetrated cells and were within parasitophorous vacuoles. Most sporozoites became spherical and then underwent karyokinesis several times between days 2 and 6 PI. Mature Type I meronts were found on days 6–16 PI and contained 8 to 22 short, stout merozoites. Mature Type II meronts were present on days 10–18 PI and contained 8 to 22 long, slender merozoites. Developing gamonts (undifferentiated sexual stages) were observed on days 14 and 16 PI. Mature micro- and macrogametes and thin-walled unsporulated oocysts were present on days 16 and 18 PI. Attempts to sporulate oocysts in tissue culture medium or in a 2.5% (w/v) aqueous solution of K₂Cr₂O₇ at 25/°C and 37°C were unsuccessful; only a few oocysts developed to the contracted sporont stage. Four Swiss-Webster mice injected intraperitoneally with merozoites obtained from Leighton tubes on day 10 PI did not acquire infections. This is the second coccidium reported to complete its entire development, from sporozoite to oocyst, in cell culture.