Comparison of migratory tendency in European Quail Coturnix c. coturnix, domestic Japanese Quail Coturnix c. japonica and their hybrids

Since the 1970s, the decline of the occidental populations of European Quail Coturnix c. coturnix , a partial migrant Galliform species, has driven the release of domestic Japanese Quail Coturnix c. japonica into the wild as game birds. Recent experiments suggest that reproductive isolating mechanisms have not developed to prevent hybridization between European and Japanese Quail. To assess the potential impact of hybridization between the subspecies in the wild, this study aims to compare the migratory characteristics of captive European Quail, domestic Japanese Quail, F₁ hybrids and a backcross. In a laboratory experiment, birds hatched in summer and reared under a natural photoperiod were transferred during winter to an artificial photoperiod (light–dark) of 14 : 10 h. Behavioural (migratory restlessness, crowing activity in males) and physiological (sexual development, fat accumulation, body mass) measures were recorded. Domestic Japanese Quail showed no migratory tendency in response to the increased day length. F₁ hybrids showed rapid sexual development and few of them exhibited the typical profile of a migrant bird. Backcrosses showed great variation in their response, comparable with those of the European Quail. Therefore, hybridization could lead to an increased proportion of quail showing sedentary rather than migratory behaviour. Furthermore, hybrids that do show migratory behaviour have the potential to facilitate Japanese gene flow into areas where the release of domestic Quail as game birds is not yet practised.     

Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the endangered Malagasy radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata)

The radiated tortoise (Geochelone radiata) is an endangered endemic species from Madagascar that inhabits the semiarid spiny forest of the southern part of the island. Habitat destruction and illegal harvesting greatly threaten this species, as attested by the significant reduction of its distribution area in the past 30 years. In order to undertake appropriate conservation actions, it is essential to acquire a better knowledge of its genetic structure. For this study, 145 blood samples were collected from three populations of radiated tortoises in southwestern Madagascar. Eight microsatellite loci were found to be polymorphic, and allelic diversity and observed heterozygosity were high for all markers.     

Fine-scale genetic structure of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) using microsatellite markers: effects of restocking and natural recolonization

1. An important goal of conservation biology is to preserve the evolutionary potential of a species by maintaining natural levels of genetic diversity. Here, we assess the population differentiation in the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, listed in Annex II of the European Habitats Directive, to provide valuable information for its conservation in Normandy (France).
2. Samples collected from 10 natural sites revealed that 13 of 14 microsatellite loci were polymorphic. Significant differentiation among populations was detected ( F _ST = 0.054, P  <   0.001), and all F _ST pairwise comparisons except one were significant. A genetic split was observed between populations inhabiting streams with limestone geology compared to those inhabiting streams with siliceous geology, which could reflect adaptative differences.
3. Hatchery stocks used for the restocking of two rivers were genetically distinct from native stocks.
4. Analysis of three stream habitats restored in 1995 showed that all were recolonized naturally by wild salmon from geographically close populations and no founder effects were detected. Allelic richness was similar between recolonized and wild populations.
5. From a management perspective, our study revealed that restoration of habitat is very effective to recreate new populations in rivers from which salmon have disappeared and that natural recolonization can be fast and effective in terms of genetic diversity.     

Do past experience and competitive ability influence foraging strategies of parasitoids under interspecific competition?

Abstract 1. In solitary parasitoids, several species can exploit the same host patch and competition could potentially be a strong selective agent as only one individual can emerge from a host. In cereal crops, Aphidius rhopalosiphi and A. ervi share the grain aphid Sitobion avenae as host. 2. The present work studied foraging strategies of both species on patches already exploited by the other species. The study analysed larval competition in multi‐parasitised hosts and compared the foraging behaviour of females with and without previous experience. 3. It was found that A. ervi wins larval competition three times more often than A. rhopalosiphi. Both species spent less time on patches exploited by a heterospecific than on unexploited ones. When they foraged on heterospecifically exploited patches, experienced females induced less mortality in aphids than inexperienced ones. 4. Although A. rhopalosiphi is a specialist on cereal aphids and is the most abundant species due to its early appearance in the season, S. avenae is still a profitable host for A. ervi, because: (i) A. rhopalosiphi leaves patches partially exploited, (ii) A. ervi wins larval competition in three out of four multi‐parasitised hosts, and (iii) A. ervi is only slightly deterred by the cornicular secretions of the host and can thus easily parasitise hosts.     

Stress intensity and fitness in the parasitoid Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): temperature below the development threshold combined with a fluctuating thermal regime is a must

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Fish assemblage patterns in the littoral zone of a European reservoir

1. Although reservoirs are common aquatic habitats in Europe, there is little quantitative information on the spatial organisation of fish assemblages inhabiting their littoral zones. Consequently, we characterised fish assemblage structure in the littoral zone of a reservoir (Lake Pareloup) in SW France during late spring, summer and early autumn (the growing season).
2. We measured the relative abundance of fish weekly, from mid-May to mid-October, using point abundance sampling by electrofishing. We identified temporal patterns in assemblage structure using hierarchical cluster analysis, and then characterised the spatial distribution of 17 defined ecospecies using a Kohonen self-organising map (SOM, an unsupervised Artificial Neural Network).
3. Our analyses revealed three distinct faunal structures within the littoral zone. From mid-May to mid-July, adults and young-of-the-year (0+) occupied separate habitats, with most 0+ fish in vegetated habitats and adults in open water. From mid-July to late August, some 0+ co-occurred with adults, but most 0+ fishes remained in vegetated areas. Finally, from late August to mid-October, most fish (both 0+ and adults) left the vegetation for unvegetated littoral habitats, the exception being fish species known to be dependent on macrophytes.
4. Contrary to patterns for adult fishes, the 0+ fish assemblage was dynamic. These dynamics were driven by ontogenetic species-specific habitat changes. Consequently, there was little evidence of stable assemblages or strong assemblage–habitat relationships that would be expected of an 'interactive' assemblage. It is likely that the patterns observed are a result of species-specific response to habitat availability in the lake.     

Antixenosis phloem‐based resistance to aphids: is it the rule?

1. The concept of plant defence syndrome states that plant species growing in similar biotic or abiotic constraints should have convergent defensive traits. This article is a first step to test the prediction of this concept, by conducting experiments on wild Solanum species (or accessions) that originated from the Andes. The nature and the tissue localisation of the resistance of five wild Solanum species known to be resistant against the aphids Myzus persicae and Macrosiphum euphorbiae were determined by olfactometry and electrical penetration graph experiments. 2. Volatile organic compounds may contribute to wild Solanum resistance, depending on Solanum accessions and aphid species. Volatiles of S. bukasovii and S. stoloniferum PI 275248 were not attractive to M. persicae, whereas S. bukasovii was repulsive to M. euphorbiae. In contrast, volatiles of S. stoloniferum PI 275248 were attractive for M. euphorbiae. 3. Some wild Solanum species presented a generalised resistance in all plant tissues, so as for S. bukasovii and S. stoloniferum PI 275248 against M. persicae. However, except for S. bukasovii which was susceptible to M. euphorbiae, all tested Solanum species presented a phloem‐based antixenosis resistance against the two aphid species. 4. A review of articles focused on the nature of resistance of wild Solanum species against aphids corroborated with our results, i.e. a phloem‐based antixenosis resistance against aphids is the rule concerning the system aphids–wild Solanum species.     

Characterization of 14 polymorphic microsatellite loci for the lesser horseshoe bat,Rhinolophus hipposideros (Rhinolophidae,Chiroptera)

Fourteen polymorphic microsatellites isolated in the lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros, are described. A subset of eight loci successfully coamplified in a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and allowed to confirm that expected heterozygosity was relatively high for the eight loci (0.56–0.83). This set of eight microsatellites indeed permits to build genetic tags that distinguish all individuals in colonies consisting of up to more than 1000 individuals.