Human influence on the vascular flora of the Veggiano territory (Padova - Italy)

Abstract

This paper is the result of 10 years of floristic research carried out in the Veggiano area (Padova). A floristic list of 612 taxa was drawn from bibliography (BEGUINOT, 1909–1914). According to our data (1990) 386 taxa are still present, with a loss of approximately 40%. The main cause of this loss is the disappearance of certain habitats (i.e. wood) and the alteration of others due to human influence.     

Home‐ranges,population densities,vocal behavior,and post‐fledging movements of Cipo Canasteros (Asthenes luizae,Furnariidae), a rock‐specialist endemic of the highlands of eastern Brazil

Cipo Canasteros (Asthenes luizae, Furnariidae) have a fragmented and limited range restricted to the campos rupestres (rupestrian grasslands) habitat in the Brazilian highlands of the Espinhaço Range, and little is known about their behavior, ecology, and population biology. From March 2009 to November 2010, we monitored birds (24 banded and 22 radio‐tracked) at two study sites at Serra do Cipó in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, to estimate their home‐range sizes and population density, and describe their habitat use, natal dispersal behavior, and vocal behavior. We found an average density of 8.7 paired adults/km² in our study areas or 22.9 paired adults/km² when considering only used habitats. The sex ratio was male‐biased (males/total adults = 0.68), adults exhibited high site fidelity, home‐ranges averaged 4.0 ha (fixed kernel 95%) or 3.5 ha (95% minimum convex polygon) in size, and both sexes defended territories year‐round. We recorded four main types of songs, including two uttered more often during the breeding season. We monitored the natal dispersal of two males and one female who moved maximum distances of 1238 m, 780 m, and 1056 m, respectively, from natal areas. Our results confirm that Cipo Canasteros are restricted to the rocky‐outcrop habitat of the campos rupestres. In part due to their habitat specialization, Cipo Canasteros are considered Near Threatened, but other factors contributing to their demographic fragility include the small number, and probably low survival, of females and low reproductive success due to predation and brood parasitism by cowbirds. Given these threats, along with their specialized habitat and restricted range, the future conservation of Cipo Canasteros will likely depend on the extent to which their campos rupestres habitat can be conserved.     

Repertoire size, sexual selection, and offspring viability in the great reed warbler: changing patterns in space and time

Only a few studies have focussed on the consistency of sexualselection patterns in space and time. One such case is the greatreed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), for which studiesin Germany in 1981–1982 and Sweden in 1987–1991strongly suggested that the size of a male's song repertoirewas the target of mate choice and sexual selection. Studyingthe same German population once again in 1994–2000, weinvestigated the consistency of these patterns over time aswell as between populations. Our reanalysis of the data from1981–1982 shows that male repertoire size was positivelycorrelated with male pairing success (harem size) and with clutchsize (adjusted for seasonal effects), whereas no such correlationswere found during 1994–2000 in the same population. Wesuggest that the earlier correlations were probably caused indirectlyby covariation with territory quality, and that a decline inpopulation size has changed the role of territory quality. Inthe Swedish population, an earlier study found a striking correlationbetween the size of a male's repertoire and the viability ofits offspring, suggesting good-gene effects. In contrast, wefound no such correlation in the German population, neitherin 1981–1982 nor in 1994–2000. We conclude thatrepertoire size does not seem to be a very reliable indicatorof variation in male quality. Interestingly, the analysis ofdata from 1994–2000 showed that male pairing success wasstrongly correlated with measures of strophe length and immediateversatility, traits that have been found to reflect male longevity.Future studies will have to show whether these performance-relatedtraits are more powerful indicators of male quality than isrepertoire size.     

Evidence for Depressed Reproduction of Golden Eagles in Washington

Beginning in 1977 the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted annual surveys to determine statewide golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) occupancy and productivity. Current interest in the regional and national status of the species prompted our investigation to determine utility of historical data in assessing trends in reproduction, and to test efficacy of a sampling protocol that surveyed randomly selected territories and also accounted for detection probability. We found evidence indicating poor reproduction from 38 annual surveys conducted at 301 known territories statewide between 1977 and 2014. At 256 territories in eastern Washington, USA, apparent occupancy was low ( = 50.9%) and nesting success declined by 22%. All reproductive parameters were higher than at 45 territories in western Washington. We tested efficacy of a sampling protocol in 2013 and 2014 by surveying 108 randomly selected eastern territories. Probability of detecting eagles for these years from ground (= 89%) was greater than from air (= 66%). Our estimate of territory occupancy, corrected by probability of detection, was lower in 2013 (= 56.7%, 95% CI = 46.3–66.7%) than in 2014 (= 73.7%, 95% CI = 64.8–81.7%), as was the estimated number of breeding pairs (2013: = 158, 95% CI = 151–164; 2014: = 187, 95% CI = 182–192). Higher productivity (young/occupied territory) in 2013 (= 0.59, 95% CI = 0.40–0.82) than in 2014 (= 0.41, 95% CI = 0.27–0.59) and lower proportions of ≥1 immature eagle among nesting pairs in 2013 (16%) than in 2014 (31%), suggested higher immature pairing among sampled pairs contributed to inter-year differences in these reproductive parameters. Current and historical evidence for depressed golden eagle nesting in Washington is consistent with documented effects from habitat conversion, prey declines, lead contamination, and wind power development. We recommend future surveys in eastern Washington adhere to the random sampling protocol and conduct surveys at regular intervals to allow for trend analysis of reproductive parameters to better monitor golden eagle status. Surveys in western Washington, conducted exclusively from ground at all nests, will improve detection and cost efficiency. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

Increased energy investment in testes following territory acquisition in a maternal mouthbrooding cichlid

Underwater observations conducted in Lake Tanganyika showed that males of a maternal mouthbrooding cichlid, Petrochromis fasciolatus, defended a mating territory for at least several months, but left at approximately noon every day. After the experimental removal of males from their territories, new owners occupied the vacated territories within several days. New owners exhibited higher body-condition factors and fat indices than the original owners. These results suggest that the new owners had not previously occupied a territory, considering the physical exhaustion of owners owing to the energy expenditure on territory maintenance and mating behaviors and a limited time for feeding. Original owners had heavier testes than new owners, despite similar body sizes. This disparity in testis weight suggests that energy investment in testes increases following territory acquisition. Among males that newly occupied a territory during the observation period, larger individuals occupied territories sooner, suggesting that large body size facilitates competition for territory. It is concluded that energy investment in testes is delayed for somatic growth until territory acquisition.     

黑水鸡的繁殖生态观察

2004年5月～2008年10月,对牡丹江市人民公园内野生黑水鸡 Gallinula chloropus(Linnaeus)的繁殖行为进行观察.结果 表明,黑水鸡在觅食地的取食、休息、理羽等行为在一天中有几个高峰,取食高峰4:00～8:00和16:00～18:00,休息高峰12:00～16:00和18:00～20:00,理羽高峰12:00～14:00和18:00～20:00, 巢址选择在长有茂密植物的浅水区,筑巢期2～3 d,巢高平均为30.53 cm, 巢深平均为9.58 cm, 窝卵数4～10枚不等,平均为7.2枚,孵化期为15～17 d, 孵化率为90.7%.     

Breeding performance, age effects and territory occupancy in a Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus population

Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus is one of the most endangered birds of prey in Europe. Despite mounting interest and research, several questions regarding the conservation implications of territory occupancy and site-dependent population regulation remain insufficiently explored for this species. Here, we report on a 12-year study of the territorial structure of a Bonelli's Eagle population in southeastern Spain. No signals of population decline were found in the breeding population, as mean annual productivity was stable and the presence of mixed-age pairs in the population decreased with the years. However, the average proportion of subadults occupying territories was larger than that observed in other Spanish populations. Contrary to the predictions of a despotic distribution model, we found no significant relationship between occupancy rates and breeding parameters. Our results showed significant variations in productivity attributable to differences in the quality of individuals (i.e. mixed versus adult pairs), but no variability among territories per se (i.e. caused by habitat heterogeneity). Moreover, coexistence with intraguild species did not have any significant effect on productivity, although the proximity of Eagle Owls Bubo bubo affected the occupation rate of territories. Finally, our population does not appear to experience site-dependent population regulation, as a positive relation between mean annual productivity and density was found. The threat posed by changes in land use in the study area leads us to suggest that strict protection of current territories is necessary to ensure population persistence, and we suggest that a significant population increase is only likely if new or deserted territories become available.     

Abundance,territory sizes,and pairing success of male Henslow's Sparrows in restored warm‐ and cool‐season grasslands

Henslow's Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) are known to breed in restored grasslands consisting of either warm‐ or cool‐season grasses, but additional information is needed concerning their breeding biology in these two types of grasslands. We compared the abundance, territory sizes, and pairing success of male Henslow's Sparrows in grasslands in west‐central Missouri in 2010 and 2011 using a paired‐treatment design, where warm‐ and cool‐season grasslands were located in close proximity. Selection indices indicated no apparent preference by male Henslow's Sparrows for either type of grassland, and the territory sizes and pairing success of males in cool‐ and warm‐season grasslands did not differ. In addition, we found no significant differences in habitat structure between these grassland types. Thus, our results suggest that the warm‐ and cool‐season grasslands in our study provided suitable habitat for Henslow's Sparrows. Other investigators have drawn similar conclusions for Henslow's Sparrows and for grassland birds in general, with the structural characteristics and, for some species, the size of grasslands being more important for grassland birds than plant species composition.