Cross-cultural and cross-ecotype production of a killer whale ‘excitement’ call suggests universality

Facial and vocal expressions of emotion have been found in a number of social mammal species and are thought to have evolved to aid social communication. There has been much debate about whether such signals are culturally inherited or are truly biologically innate. Evidence for the innateness of such signals can come from cross-cultural studies. Previous studies have identified a vocalisation (the V4 or ‘excitement’ call) associated with high arousal behaviours in a population of killer whales in British Columbia, Canada. In this study, we compared recordings from three different socially and reproductively isolated ecotypes of killer whales, including five vocal clans of one ecotype, each clan having discrete culturally transmitted vocal traditions. The V4 call was found in recordings of each ecotype and each vocal clan. Nine independent observers reproduced our classification of the V4 call from each population with high inter-observer agreement. Our results suggest the V4 call may be universal in Pacific killer whale populations and that transmission of this call is independent of cultural tradition or ecotype. We argue that such universality is more consistent with an innate vocalisation than one acquired through social learning and may be linked to its apparent function of motivational expression.     

The mimetic repertoire of the spotted bowerbird <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ptilonorhynchus maculatus</Emphasis>

Although vocal mimicry in songbirds is well documented, little is known about the function of such mimicry. One possibility is that the mimic produces the vocalisations of predatory or aggressive species to deter potential predators or competitors. Alternatively, these sounds may be learned in error as a result of their acoustic properties such as structural simplicity. We determined the mimetic repertoires of a population of male spotted bowerbirds Ptilonorhynchus maculatus, a species that mimics predatory and aggressive species. Although male mimetic repertoires contained an overabundance of vocalisations produced by species that were generally aggressive, there was also a marked prevalence of mimicry of sounds that are associated with alarm such as predator calls, alarm calls and mobbing calls, irrespective of whether the species being mimicked was aggressive or not. We propose that it may be the alarming context in which these sounds are first heard that may lead both to their acquisition and to their later reproduction. We suggest that enhanced learning capability during acute stress may explain vocal mimicry in many species that mimic sounds associated with alarm.     

Communal nesting and kinship in degus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Octodon degus</Emphasis>)

Communal nesting is a fundamental component of many animal societies. Because the fitness consequences of this behavior vary with the relatedness among nest mates, understanding the kin structure of communally nesting groups is critical to understanding why such groups form. Observations of captive degus (Octodon degus) indicate that multiple females nest together, even when supplied with several nest boxes. To determine whether free-living degus also engage in communal nesting, we used radiotelemetry to monitor spatial relationships among adult females in a population of O. degus in central Chile. These analyses revealed that females formed stable associations of > 2–4 individuals, all of whom shared the same nest site at night. During the daytime, spatial overlap and frequency of social interactions were greatest among co-nesting females, suggesting that nesting associations represent distinct social units. To assess kinship among co-nesting females, we examined genotypic variation in our study animals at six microsatellite loci. These analyses indicated that mean pairwise relatedness among members of a nesting association (r=0.25) was significantly greater than that among randomly selected females (r=–0.03). Thus, communally nesting groups of degus are composed of female kin, making it possible for indirect as well as direct fitness benefits to contribute to sociality in this species.     

Multilevel selection and social evolution of insect societies

How sterile, altruistic worker castes have evolved in social insects and how they are maintained have long been central topics in evolutionary biology. With the advance of kin selection theory, insect societies, in particular those of haplodiploid bees, ants, and wasps, have become highly suitable model systems for investigating the details of social evolution and recently also how within-group conflicts are resolved. Because insect societies typically do not consist of clones, conflicts among nestmates arise, for example about the partitioning of reproduction and the allocation of resources towards male and female sexuals. Variation in relatedness among group members therefore appears to have a profound influence on the social structure of groups. However, insect societies appear to be remarkably robust against such variation: division of labor and task allocation are often organized in more or less the same way in societies with high as in those with very low nestmate relatedness. To explain the discrepancy between predictions from kin structure and empirical data, it was suggested that constraints—such as the lack of power or information—prevent individuals from pursuing their own selfish interests. Applying a multilevel selection approach shows that these constraints are in fact group-level adaptation preventing or resolving intracolonial conflict. The mechanisms of conflict resolution in insect societies are similar to those at other levels in the biological hierarchy (e.g., in the genome or multicellular organisms): alignment of interests, fair lottery, and social control. Insect societies can thus be regarded as a level of selection with novelties that provide benefits beyond the scope of a solitary life. Therefore, relatedness is less important for the maintenance of insect societies, although it played a fundamental role in their evolution.Dedicated to Prof. Ernst Mayr     

Social partner discrimination based on sounds and scents in Asian small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus)

Ability to discriminate familiar conspecifics is an essential competence in any group-living species, ensuring socio-spatial cohesion, but in many animals, such as mustelids, the relative importance of the different communicative modalities for discrimination is poorly understood. In otters, there is evidence of intra-specific variation in physical appearance and in feces chemical profile, but the potential for acoustic identity coding as well as for identity decoding in visual, acoustic and olfactive domains remains unexplored. We investigated the acoustic structure of contact calls in five captive groups of small-clawed otters and found that it is possible to reliably assign one particular call to a given adult male caller. Females discriminated between familiar and unfamiliar adult males based on their sound (playback) and smell (feces) but not based on their picture, suggesting abilities to memorize and use acoustic and olfactive signatures in their daily social life.     

From the Whitehorse Mining Initiative Towards Sustainable Mining: lessons learned

Much debate has taken place within the mineral policy community about whether or not meaningful progress has been made towards more sustainable practices. This paper investigates the changing approaches towards sustainable development undertaken by the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) over a period of approximately 20 years. The analysis begins in the early 1990s when MAC initiated the Whitehorse Mining Initiative (WMI) and concludes in 2010 when the association was operating under a strategy entitled Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM). The goal is to consider the nature of the learning that has taken place towards sustainability within the mineral industry using the case of a leading national mining association. The investigation was undertaken through a literature review as well as key informant interviews with stakeholders affected by the Canadian Mining Industry. Findings suggest that MAC’s approach to sustainable development has shifted from an ambitious and holistic partnership involving a range of stakeholders to a focused, member-specific agenda that addresses a few performance issues. The transition to TSM was based on lessons learned through working with the WMI and subsequent efforts. It reflects broader corporate tendencies to address social and ecological issues through corporate social responsibility initiatives. The implications of these trends suggest that voluntary initiatives in and of themselves should not be expected to replace the comprehensive regulatory responsibilities historically provided by government.     

渭河浮游细菌群落结构特征及其关键驱动因子

基于T-rflp技术和高通量测序技术,分析了渭河在平水期、枯水期和丰水期的浮游细菌群落变化特征,并采用冗余分析和典范对应分析识别了不同水文时期影响细菌群落的关键环境因子.结果表明,渭河水体浮游细菌群落空间和季节差异明显,且季节性差异比空间差异更加显著.平水期、枯水期和丰水期渭河(陕西段)干流浮游细菌群落Shannon多样性指数分别在2.13~2.82、2.05~2.84和2.61~2.91之间.平水期浮游细菌多样性指数空间差异最大(RSD=16.75%),样点间群落结构相似度最低(26.8%),流域优势T-RF片段数最多(23种);丰水期浮游细菌Shannon指数空间差异最小(RSD=9.27%),样点间群落相似度最高(62.6%),且检出的优势片段数最少(12种).咸阳-西安段是浮游细菌群落多样性最低、优势菌群结构最单一的河段.河流水体细菌群落在不同时期的关键环境驱动因子不同,而其中悬浮颗粒物(TSS)浓度是不同水文时期都不可忽视的关键影响因子.高通量分析结果表明,丰水期渭河水体浮游细菌物种涉及21个已知细菌门类和26个候选门类,其中,变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)共同的相对丰度占比达到75%以上,是最主要的细菌类群.汛期渭河干流各样点浮游细菌群落特征趋于一致,物种结构与泾河相似而与黑河存在明显差异.     

A comparative study of an innate immune response in Lamprologine cichlid fishes

Social interactions facilitate pathogen transmission and increase virulence. Therefore, species that live in social groups are predicted to suffer a higher pathogen burden, to invest more heavily in immune defence against pathogens, or both. However, there are few empirical tests of whether social species indeed invest more heavily in immune defence than non-social species. In the current study, we conducted a phylogenetically controlled comparison of innate immune response in Lamprologine cichlid fishes. We focused on three species of highly social cichlids that live in permanent groups and exhibit cooperative breeding (Julidochromis ornatus, Neolamprologus pulcher and Neolamprologus savoryi) and three species of non-social cichlids that exhibit neither grouping nor cooperative behaviour (Telmatochromis temporalis, Neolamprologus tetracanthus and Neolamprologus modestus). We quantified the innate immune response by injecting wild fishes with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), a lectin that causes a cell-mediated immune response. We predicted that the three highly social species would show a greater immune reaction to the PHA treatment, indicating higher investment in immune defence against parasites relative to the three non-social species. We found significant species-level variation in immune response, but contrary to our prediction, this variation did not correspond to social system. However, we found that immune response was correlated with territory size across the six species. Our results indicate that the common assumption of a positive relationship between social system and investment in immune function may be overly simplistic. We suggest that factors such as rates of both in-group and out-group social interactions are likely to be important mediators of the relationship between sociality and immune function.     

辽河流域典型支流土地利用方式对大型底栖动物群落时空分布特征的影响

通过辽河流域典型支流(清河和凡河)不同土地利用类型区3个水期大型底栖动物及环境因子调查,研究土地利用方式对大型底栖动物分布特征的影响.结果表明,河流大型底栖动物群落四节蜉科(Baetidae)、扁蜉科(Heptageniidae)、纹石蛾科(Hydropsychidae)及石蝇科(Perlidae)等生物类群主要分布在辽河流域内林地为主的河流中;以耕地和居民点为主的土地利用方式下,河流大型底栖动物主要以摇蚊科(Chironomidae)类群为主;颤蚓科(Tubificidae)等寡毛类大型底栖动物在以城市发展为主的土地利用区域内河流中优势明显.河流中大型底栖动物生物多样性、丰富度及EPT%由高到低依次为林地耕地居民点城市,FBI值由低到高依次为林地耕地居民点城市.不同土地利用方式导致河流生境因子空间差异性显著,大型底栖动物群落相似性较低,且生物密度在空间上呈显著差异,但时间上差异不显著.底质、DO与大型底栖动物多样性等指数呈正相关关系,TN、TP、NH3-N、BOD5、CODCr与大型底栖动物生物指数呈不同程度负相关关系.生物与环境联合分析(BIO-ENV)表明,底质、DO、TN、BOD5是影响区域内大型底栖动物群落特征的最显著的主导环境因子.综合上述研究结果可得,土地利用方式通过对河流生境及水质产生影响,进而使大型底栖动物群落组成及多样性特征发生明显变化.     

Female reciprocal calling in the Iberian midwife toad (Alytes cisternasii) varies with male call rate and dominant frequency: implications for sexual selection

Male midwife toads (Alytes cisternasii) responded differently depending on the call frequency and call rate of other males. I tested female Iberian midwife toads with the same set of stimuli used earlier with males. Females responded faster to high call rates, and female vocal activity was greater in response to low-frequency male calls. Thus, in both sexes, the vocal response differs in the same direction according to signal frequency variation, but the magnitude of the response is greater in males than in females. In the light of these results, I discuss the implications for sexual selection of this reciprocal calling.     

三北防护林工程区植被覆盖变化与影响因子分析

利用1982~2006年间GIMMS AVHRR NDVI植被覆盖数据和气象站点气候数据,分析了三北防护林工程区25a来植被覆盖的时空变化特征及其与气温、降水变化的相关性,并在此基础上通过采用残差分析法探讨了人类活动对研究区植被覆盖变化影响的空间格局.结果表明:研究区25a的年植被变化量增加幅度略大于减少幅度,植被覆盖整体呈缓慢上升趋势,其中Ⅰ区和Ⅳ区NDVI值上升最明显(P<0.001),Ⅱ区则呈微弱下降趋势,而四大建设区植被覆盖度有不同程度提高;研究区植被和气温、降水整体呈正相关关系,17.74%的地区植被与气温呈负相关,而6.84%的地区呈正相关,10.60%的地区植被与降水呈负相关,19.53%的地区则呈正相关,植被与降水正相关面积明显大于植被与气温正相关面积,说明降水是研究区植被生长的关键因子;研究区植被残差年际变化显著正相关面积大于显著负相关面积,人类活动对植被建设作用要强于破坏作用,三北防护林建设工程带来的生态效益正在呈现.     

Growth and social behavior in a cichlid fish are affected by social rearing environment and kinship

Living in groups is a widespread phenomenon in many animal taxa. The reduction of predation risk is thought to be an important cause for the formation of groups. Consequently, grouping behavior is particularly pronounced during vulnerable life stages, i.e., as juveniles. However, group living does not only provide benefits but also imposes costs on group members, e.g., increased competition for food. Thus, benefits of grouping behavior might not be evident when predation risk is absent. The adaptive significance of living and also developing in a group independent from predation risk has received relatively little attention although this might have important implications on the evolution and maintenance of group living. The first aim of the present study was to examine whether the social environment affects juvenile performance in the cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus and, secondly, whether kinship affects social behavior. Kin selection theory predicts benefits from grouping with kin. Here, we demonstrate that juveniles reared in a group grow on average faster compared to juveniles reared in isolation under standardized laboratory conditions without predation risk. Furthermore, we found significant differences in social behavior between juveniles reared in a group and reared in isolation. Fish reared in isolation were significantly more aggressive and less willing to shoal than group-reared fish. As expected, genetic relatedness influenced social behavior in group-reared fish as well: dyads of juveniles consisting of kin showed increased group cohesiveness compared to non-kin dyads. We discuss the potential benefits of group living in general and living with kin in particular.     

Learn it now,sing it later? Field and laboratory studies on song repertoire acquisition and song use in nightingales

In many bird species, song changes with age. The mechanisms that account for such changes are only partially understood. Common nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos change the size and composition of their repertoire between their first and second breeding season. To inquire into mechanisms involved in such changes, we compared the singing of 1-year-old and older free-living nightingales. Older males have more song types in common than have 1-year olds. Certain song types frequently sung by older birds did not (or only rarely) occur in the repertoire of yearlings (‘mature’ song types). We conducted learning experiments with hand-reared nightingales to address reasons for the lack of mature song types. The acquisition success of mature songs was as good as that of control songs (commonly sung by both age groups). However, the analysis of song type use revealed that all yearlings sang common song types more often than mature types. This indicates that the absence of certain song types in the repertoires of free-living yearlings cannot be accounted for by learning and/or motor constraints during song learning. Moreover, our results suggest that in communication networks, animals may restrict the actual use of their signal repertoire to a certain subset depending on the context.     

外接菌种对污泥堆肥效能及堆体细菌群落的影响

以污泥、锯末、蘑菇渣为堆肥原料,分阶段添加高温复合菌和白腐真菌,通过测定温度、pH、有机质、水溶性有机碳、含水率、总氮、NH_4~+-N、NO_3~--N和种子发芽率,比较了外接菌种对堆肥效能的影响.利用高通量测序技术,研究了污泥堆肥过程中细菌群落结构变化及外接菌种对细菌群落的影响.结果表明,外接菌种可以延长堆体高温持续时间,降低氮损失,加快堆体腐熟脱毒.在整个堆肥过程中,细菌群落结构发生了较大的演变,同一堆肥的不同阶段的细菌群落结构相似性较低,同一时期不同堆肥的细菌群落结构相似性较高.外接菌种提高了堆体中细菌群落的丰富度,增加了高温期优势菌的所占比例,但未改变优势菌的种类.典型对应分析(CCA)表明pH对细菌群落结构的影响最大,温度主要与9个菌属呈正相关关系.     

Relatedness communicated in lemur scent

Lemurs are the most olfactory-oriented of primates, yet there is still only a basic level of understanding of what their scent marks communicate. We analyzed scent secretions from Milne-Edwards' sifakas (Propithecus edwardsi) collected in their natural habitat of Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. We sought to test whether the scent mark could signal genetic relatedness in addition to species, sex, season, and individuality. We not only found correlations (r ²?=?0.38, P?=?0.017) between the total olfactory fingerprint and genetic relatedness but also between relatedness and specific components of the odor, despite the complex environmental signals from differences in diet and behavior in a natural setting. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of an association between genetic relatedness and chemical communication in a wild primate population. Furthermore, we found a variety of compounds that were specific to each sex and each sampling period. This research shows that scent marks could act as a remote signal to avoid inbreeding, optimize mating opportunities, and potentially aid kin selection.     

冬季不同尾水受纳河道水环境变化特征分析

为探究不同污水厂尾水受纳河道水环境变化特征,分别采集4组受纳河道的33个样品,测定COD_Mn、TN、TP、NH₃-N、Chl-a 5项指标,结合高通量测序,分析沿程水质变化、富营养化特征及细菌群落结构变化。结果表明:尾水排口处引起的污染物浓度变化在距离排口50~100 m恢复至背景值,但TN始终高于背景值;尾水补充使细菌丰富度及多样性增加,但优势门类占比下降且相对丰度改变,距离排口50~100 m处占比回升,Proteobacteria成为绝对优势菌门;属水平上,背景断面优势菌属相对丰度随着尾水排入均出现下降,Rhodovulum、Pseudoalteromonas、Massilia占比与富营养化指数显著负相关（P<0.05）;当排放比例≥ 50%时,距离排口100 m处细菌群落结构与尾水排口处相似度更高。此外,尾水可能带来大量其他菌种,增加河道生态风险。     

Social Vulnerability to Climate Change and the Architecture of Entitlements

The objective of this paper is to outline a conceptual model of vulnerability to climate change as the first step in appraising and understanding the social and economic processes which facilitate and constrain adaptation. Vulnerability as defined here pertains to individuals and social groups. It is the state of individuals, of groups, of communities defined in terms of their ability to cope with and adapt to any external stress placed on their livelihoods and well-being. This proposed approach puts the social and economic well-being of society at the centre of the analysis, thereby reversing the central focus of approaches to climate impact assessment based on impacts on and the adaptability of natural resources or ecosystems and which only subsequently address consequences for human well-being. The vulnerability or security of any group is determined by the availability of resources and, crucially, by the entitlement of individuals and groups to call on these resources. This perspective extends the concept of entitlements developed within neo-classical and institutional economics. Within this conceptual framework, vulnerability can be seen as a socially-constructed phenomenon influenced by institutional and economic dynamics. The study develops proxy indicators of vulnerability related to the structure of economic relations and the entitlements which govern them, and shows how these can be applied to a District in coastal lowland Vietnam. This paper outlines the lessons of such an approach to social vulnerability for the assessment of climate change at the global scale. We argue that the socio-economic and biophysical processes that determine vulnerability are manifest at the local, national, regional and global level but that the state of vulnerability itself is associated with a specific population. Aggregation from one level to another is therefore not appropriate and global-scale analysis is meaningful only in so far as it deals with the vulnerability of the global community itself.