Postfledging Dispersal of White-crowned Pigeons: Implications for Conservation of Deciduous Seasonal Forests in the Florida Keys

From 1988 to 1991, we studied the postfledging dispersal of 31 radio-tagged White-crowned Pigeons ( Columba leucocephala ) from three natal keys in Florida Bay. Immature birds dispersed from the natal keys at 26–45 days after batching, and most young dispersed more than 20 km during the first 10 days postdispersal. Dispersing birds flew either north to the Florida mainland or east to northeast to the mainline Florida Keys. On the mainland, immature birds fed nearly exclusively within Everglades National Park or an adjacent state wildlife management area. On the mainline keys, White-crowned Pigeons selectively used 5.01–20 ha forest fragments (p < 0.10) during the first 72 hours postdispersal. After this period, dispersing birds showed no preference among fragment size classes but used deciduous seasonal forests more frequently than suburban habitat(p < 0.10). The spatial pattern of dispersal on the mainline keys suggests that, during the first 72 hours postdispersal. White-crowned Pigeons are not able to reach northern Key Largo, where 69% of the deciduous seasonal forests are protected in state or federal ownership. Protection of large forest fragments, especially on southern Key Largo, should be a priority for maintaining populations of White-crowned Pigeons. These forests provide a series of "stepping stones" that enable dispersing immature White-crowned Pigeons to fly to more distant areas where habitat availability is less restricted. This species is threatened in Florida and may play an important role in maintaining plant species diversity in the seasonal deciduous forests of south Florida by dispersing seeds of at least 37 species of trees and shrubs. Protection of sufficient habitat to allow successful postfledging dispersal of this important seed disperser will also protect the ecosystem's biodiversity.     

Inputs of chemicals from recreational activities into the Norwegian coastal zone

Wastewater treatment works effluent is often considered to be one of the most important point sources of a wide range of anthropogenic contaminants to aquatic systems, however, this paper discusses other potential sources. With the aim of establishing the important sources of UV filters, insect repellent and biocides to the aquatic environment, samples were collected from sites with direct (bathing areas and marinas) and indirect (sites receiving wastewater effluent) human influences. Sunscreens containing UV filters are used in large volumes during the summer months and often applied shortly before a person enters the water for swimming activities. The results presented here demonstrate that washing directly from the skin is an important point source of 4 UV filters to the Oslofjord. The insect repellent, diethyl toluamide, was also measured and it was concluded that washing from the skin was not such an important point source into the fjord. Concentrations of the biocide Irgarol 1051 were also measured and were elevated in the small boat marina and surrounding enclosed area. This work demonstrates that man recreational water-based activities are a diffuse source of some contaminants into coastal and fjord environments and this study provides an initial assessment of the levels being released.     

Risk assessment of trace elements in the stomach contents of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins and Finless Porpoises in Hong Kong waters

The potential health risks due to inorganic substances, mainly metals, was evaluated for the two resident marine mammals in Hong Kong, the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) and the Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides). The stomachs from the carcasses of twelve stranded dolphins and fifteen stranded porpoises were collected and the contents examined. Concentrations of thirteen trace elements (Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Se, V and Zn) were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). An assessment of risks of adverse effects was undertaken using two toxicity guideline values, namely the Reference Dose (RfD), commonly used in human health risk assessment, and the Toxicity Reference Value (TRV), based on terrestrial mammal data. The levels of trace metals in stomach contents of dolphins and porpoises were found to be similar. Risk quotients (RQ) calculated for the trace elements showed that risks to the dolphins and porpoises were generally low and within safe limits using the values based on the TRV, which are less conservative than those based on the RfD values. Using the RfD-based values the risks associated with arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel and mercury were comparatively higher. The highest RQ was associated with arsenic, however, most of the arsenic in marine organisms should be in the non-toxic organic form, and thus the calculated risk is likely to be overestimated.     

Stabilimenta characteristics of the spider Argiope argentata on small islands: support of the predator-defense hypothesis

Summary A variety of orb-weaving spider species construct stabilimenta, patterned areas of dense silk, typically near the hub of the orb. The adaptive significance of this construction, along with associated behaviors such as shuttling and vibrating, is much debated. Arigiope argentata on small islands of the Bahamas frequently possess stabilimenta; we studied 397 individuals of this species to investigate possible functions of their stabilimenta, paying particular attention to predator-defense hypotheses. Cruciform stabilimenta were commoner in all size classes of spiders than discoid stabilimenta or no stabilimentum at all; discoid stabilimenta occurred mostly among intermediate size classes. Within the cruciform type, two-segmented stabilimenta were especially common among the very smallest spiders. Size of cruciform stabilimenta showed a curvilinear relation to spider body length; the fitted curve for total segment length had a maximum at an intermediate spider length. We argue that this relationship (among other phenomena) supports an apparently-larger-size hypothesis, whereby intermediate-sized spiders in particular appear much larger than they actually are. This could discourage predators, including those that are gape-limited such as lizards. We argue that stabilimenta in the smallest spiders, in which typically two segments are opposed, so that they more or less line up, serve as camouflage. When disturbed experimentally, spiders with discoid stabilimenta shuttle to the opposite side of the centrally located stabilimentum. This seems an obvious defensive behavior and occurs less frequently among spiders with cruciform stabilimenta. Large spiders vibrate more frequently than small ones, but no relation exists between vibration frequency and stabilimentum type. We argue (see also Tolbert 1975) that vibrating behavior, in which the spider can become a blur, renders its location more difficult to discern and the spider more difficult to grasp, rather than increasing apparent size. Correspondence to: T.W. Schoener     

Cumulative impact assessment in environmental planning: A coastal wetland watershed example

Several theoretical, analytical, and institutional difficulties have impeded the development and application of the assessment of cumulative environmental impacts. Watershed development on coastal wetlands offers an ideal context for evaluating the land disturbance target approach to cumulative impact assessment. A model land use planning system involving a time series approach was developed for Elkhorn Slough in California. The approach included four major components: evaluation of erosion susceptibility, measurement of land disturbance, establishment of a land disturbance target, and a comparison of existing and target land disturbance values. Further research is needed to test the transferability of the approach in a wide range of coastal watersheds and to verify the applicability of the methods to other cumulative impact problems.     

Attributes of reliable long-term landscape-scale studies: Malpractice insurance for landscape ecologists

Monitoring long-term change in forested landscapes is an intimidating challenge with considerable practical, methodological, and theoretical limitations. Current field approaches used to assess vegetation change at the plot-to-stand scales and nationwide forest monitoring programs may not be appropriate at landscape scales. We emphasize that few vegetation monitoring programs (and, thus, study design models) are designed to detect spatial and temporal trends at landscape scales. Based primarily on advice from many sources, and trial and error, we identify 14 attributes of a reliable long-term landscape monitoring program: malpractice insurance for landscape ecologists. The attributes are to: secure long-term funding and commitment; develop flexible goals; refine objectives; pay adequate attention to information management; take an experimental approach to sampling design; obtain peer-review and statistical review of research proposals and publications; avoid bias in selection of long-term plot locations; insure adequate spatial replication; insure adequate temporal replication; synthesize retrospective, experimental, and related studies; blend theoretical and empirical models with the means to validate both; obtain periodic research program evaluation; integrate and synthesize with larger and smaller scale research, inventory, and monitoring programs; and develop an extensive outreach program. Using these 14 attributes as a guide, we describe one approach to assess the potential effect of global change on the vegetation of the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies. This self-evaluation helps identify strengthes and weaknesses in our program, and may serve the same role for other landscape ecologists in other programs.     

Effects of Roadway Crossings on Leaf Litter Processing and Invertebrate Assemblages in Small Streams

The effects of the Maine Turnpike (Interstate 95) on leaf litter processing were examined in five first- and second-order coastal plain streams in southern Maine, U.S.A. Invertebrate assemblages and red maple leaf softening and loss rates were compared at 53 stations arrayed upstream and downstream of the turnpike. Litter softening rate was not affected by the roadway. Litter loss rate was significantly faster at downstream stations (-0.0024 degree-day(-1)) than at upstream stations or at stations nearest the roadway, which were not different from each other (-0.0022 degree-day(-1)). Litter softening and loss rates were more strongly related to physical and chemical habitat variables than to shredder assemblage characteristics. Significant among-stream differences were observed in most community structural metrics and in biomass of important shredder taxa, but effects of the roadway were rarely consistent among streams. This is attributed in part to habitat variation, which was greater among streams than within streams. This study suggests that while the presence of the Maine Turnpike may influence stream water quality and habitat structure, the relatively subtle effects of roadway runoff and associated habitat modifications on stream ecosystem processes are masked by within- and among-stream variability in litter processing and leaf pack invertebrate assemblage structure.