Year‐to‐year changes in water level drive the invasion of Vochysia divergens in Pantanal grasslands

Abstract. In recent decades, cattle ranchers of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil, have pointed to the accelerated spread of several herbaceous and woody plant species that invade natural and artificial pastures (campos). It has been speculated that overgrazing by an increasing number of cattle, lack of grazing in abandoned areas, or large‐scale changes in environmental conditions may be the reason for this invasion. This study focuses on ecological and ecophysiological aspects of Vochysia divergens (cambará), a flood‐tolerant tree that began spreading in the Pantanal during the last 30 years and is considered a very aggressive invasive plant. The study shows that the spread of cambará can be related to natural multi‐years wet periods. During multi‐years dry periods the species is reduced by the increasing impact of fires in the Pantanal. This points to the great importance of multi‐years climatic events on the vegetation cover of the Pantanal and indicates a very dynamic development in plant communities.     

STATUS OF THE PACIFIC WALRUS POPULATION, 1950–19891

The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) population is an important ecological and economic resource of the Bering Sea region. We describe population change, beginning with a low in 1950, through a high in about 1980, and ending in 1989. Estimates of abundance for the years after 1989 were not attempted due to the lack of harvest data and other population parameters. Selective hunting practices resulted in biased data regarding population composition and reproductive performance. Rates of reproduction had to be estimated from ovarian data, which indicated a dramatic drop in the 1980s. High harvests in the 1980s likely contributed to a decline in the population, but uncertainties as to accuracy of population estimates and other data raise reasonable doubts, especially with respect to the number of males, for which the most recent (1985) population estimate suggests a sharp decline. Past population estimates were revised upwards to compensate for walruses underwater and not seen in aerial surveys. The weaknesses in the available data make it clear that effective management of the population will require many improvements in collection of data regarding harvests, population structure, reproduction, and population trend.     

DURATION OF STEREOTYPED UNDERWATER VOCAL DISPLAYS BY MALE ATLANTIC WALRUSES IN RELATION TO AEROBIC DIVE LIMIT

During the breeding season from January to mid-April, adult male Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) dive repeatedly for an average duration of 4–6 min and give stereotyped underwater vocal displays. Between dives, they surface for 1–2 min, take 4–6 breaths, and give stereotyped vocalizations between breaths. Male walruses vocalize in the presence of groups of females and calves, young adult males, or by themselves as lone singers. This pattern is repeated throughout the breeding season and can be maintained for extended periods, sometimes exceeding 48 h. The prolonged underwater vocal displays of male walruses seem possible because the animals do not exceed the aerobic dive limit (ADL), estimated to be 9.8 min for a 1,100-kg animal, nor do they exceed the behavioral ADL of 7.9 min, determined from the histogram of dives for males singing alone. The number of breaths taken after dives and the postdive surface times remained fairly constant despite dive duration, suggesting that the walruses remained within their aerobic dive limits. The duration of most dives made by displaying males vocalizing alone during the breeding season, and dive duration of walruses feeding for protracted periods outside the breeding season, are both roughly half the estimated ADL.