Habitat Preference, Reproduction and Diet of the Earthworm Eel, Chendol keelini (Teleostei: Chaudhuriidae)

The ecology of the earthworm eel, Chendol keelini, was studied in the field over a period of nine months. In addition this information was supplemented by aquarium observations. The species was most abundant in pools where it was associated with leaf litter and mats of fine tree roots along the banks. It fed on benthic invertebrates, especially chironomid and ephemeropteran larvae. C. keelini is sexually dimorphic; adult males develop a headhump and grow to a larger size than females. Reproduction was seasonal; the reproductive phase coincided with the wet season and lasted for several months. Fecundity was around 40 eggs per clutch. The eggs were spherical, between 1.2 and 1.5mm in diameter, and possessed a pair of long filaments for adhesion to the substrate. Females probably spawned more than once during the breeding season. The length frequency distributions and juvenile growth suggest that C. keelini is a short-lived species that matures during the first year with few individuals surviving to the second breeding season.     

Amblyomma Tigrinum (Acari: Ixodidae) in Relation to Phytogeography of Central-Northern Argentina with Notes on Hosts and Seasonal Distribution

The findings of Amblyomma tigrinum in continental Argentina north of 40°S are presented according to phytogeographic domains (Andean–Patagonic, Amazonian and Chaco) and the seasonal distribution is depicted on a monthly basis. A total of 718 adult ticks and four nymphs were found. A. tigrinum ticks were present in all domains. Adult ticks were found all year round but they were more abundant during the summer. Most ticks were found on domestic dogs but the survey has a bias to domestic hosts. It is speculated that the cycle of immature is bound to shelters that mitigate extreme climatic conditions, thus explaining the finding of this tick species in contrasting ecological areas.     

Selfish mothers: reproductive expenditure and resource availability in bighorn ewes

We present a marginal value model explaining intraspecific andinterspecific variation of mating systems in nonterritorialungulates. The model takes into account the simultaneous effectsof spatial and temporal distribution of females, female groupsize, male-male competition, female choice, and the operationalsex ratio (i.e., the proportion of estrous females). The modelpredicts that higher numbers of females per group increasesthe average exploitation time of such groups by males. An increasein female group density, operational sex ratio, and age-specificfighting success of males are predicted to reduce the averageexploitation time of female groups, leading to roving of males(i.e., moving between female groups). In contrast, an increasein die female rejection rate of males and in the time spentby males on nonmating activities (i. e., foraging, lying down,ruminating, migrating) are predicted to increase the averageexploitation time of female groups and to favor staying behaviorof males (i.e., defending a female group over a longer periodof time). Consequently, die model predicts that young maleswill tend to be "stayers," whereas middle-aged and old malesare expected to be "rovers." Model predictions were tested widifield data collected on muskoxen Ovibos moschatus in a naturalpopulation in west Greenland. Observed correlations betweenbull exploitation times of cow groups and the six above-mentionedsocial and environmental parameters were all in die predicteddirection and statistically significant in five of die six cases.Overall, 69% of die observed variation in exploitation timeof cow groups by males was explained by die model predictions.Stepwise regression suggested that, of die six parameters, variationin sex ratio (R² = .56) and time spent on nonmating activities(R² = .35) had the largest effects on male exploitation time.Also, die observed age-specific variation in bull exploitationtime of cow groups was as predicted.     

Dealing with time constraints on development: the effect of food availability

Abstract.  1. Life-history theory predicts that organisms should speed up development in response to time constraints. However, acceleration of development carries energetic costs that have to be compensated, e.g. by an increase in foraging rate. For the wing dimorphic water strider Gerris lacustris (L.), the hypothesis was tested that the adjustment of development to time constraints is limited by the availability of food resources.
2. Six cohorts of larvae hatched increasingly late in the season were reared under two feeding regimes. For each cohort and experimental group the physiological time (in degree-days) of larval development was estimated.
3. In both high- and low-food groups there was a significant reduction of physiological time for development towards the end of the season. Furthermore, within cohorts, physiological development time was always lower in the high-food group than in the low-food group. However, there was no significant interaction effect between food treatment and cohort.
4. The results demonstrate that G. lacustris has the flexibility to adjust development to time constraints. In addition, 20% of the 'low-food individuals' developed into the short-winged morph while all of the 'high-food individuals' became long-winged. The limitation of food may thus lead to a reduced allocation of energy into the development of the flight apparatus. This may explain the strong increase in short-wingedness at the end of the season in natural populations, which are highly food limited.     

海南东寨港两种红树植物旱季和雨季的光合生理特征比较

植物光合生理生态特性是退化植物群落恢复、重建植物种选择的重要依据。为研究不同红树植物光合生理生态特性，该研究于2021年旱季的4—5月、雨季的7—9月利用LI-6400光合仪，测定红树植物秋茄和海莲的光合生理参数和主要生态因子，并采用通径分析方法分析主要生态因子对净光合速率的影响。结果表明：(1)秋茄旱季净光合速率日均值(8.43μmol^-2·s^-1)略低于雨季(8.67μmol^-2·s^-1),差异不显著；海莲旱季净光合速率日均值(7.03μmol^-2·s^-1)显著低于雨季(9.41μmol^-2·s^-1);旱季秋茄净光合速率日均值显著高于海莲，而雨季秋茄净光合速率日均值显著低于海莲。(2)旱季、雨季秋茄蒸腾速率、气孔导度、胞间CO₂浓度等光合生理因子日均值变化幅度小于海莲，水分利用效率也低于海莲。(3)旱季、雨季两种红树植物均存在“光合午休”现象。旱季，秋茄属于非气孔限制，而海莲属于气孔限制...     

Contrasting long-term alpine and subalpine precipitation trends in a mid-latitude North American mountain system,Colorado Front Range,USA

Background: Long-term climate trends in mountain systems often vary strongly with elevation.

Aims: To evaluate elevation dependence in long-term precipitation trends in subalpine forest and alpine tundra zones of a mid-continental, mid-latitude North American mountain system and to relate such dependence to atmospheric circulation patterns.

Methods: We contrasted 59-year (1952–2010) precipitation records of two high-elevation climate stations on Niwot Ridge, Colorado Front Range, Rocky Mountains, USA. The sites, one in forest (3022 m a.s.l.) and the other in alpine tundra (3739 m), are closely located (within 7 km horizontally, ca. 700 m vertically), but differ with respect to proximity to the mountain-system crest (the Continental Divide).

Results: The sites exhibited significant differences in annual and seasonal precipitation trends, which depended strongly on their elevation and distance from the Continental Divide. Annual precipitation increased by 60 mm (+6%) per decade at the alpine site, with no significant change at the subalpine site. Seasonally, trends at the alpine site were dominated by increases in winter, which we suggest resulted from an increase in orographically generated precipitation over the Divide, driven by upper-air (700 hPa) north-westerly flow. Such a change was not evident at the subalpine site, which is less affected by orographic precipitation on north-westerly flow.

Conclusions: Elevation dependence in precipitation trends appears to have arisen from a change in upper-air flow from predominantly south-westerly to north-westerly. Dependence of precipitation trends on topographic position and season has complex implications for the ecology and hydrology of Niwot Ridge and adjacent watersheds, involving interactions among physical processes (e.g. snowpack dynamics) and biotic responses (e.g. in phenologies and ecosystem productivity).