The role of interactions between individual animals in the response to heat stress in the freshwater crustacean <Emphasis Type="Italic">Daphnia magna</Emphasis>

The thermal resistance of Daphnia magna Straus is a trait depending on the interaction between individuals. The group effect is expressed in D. magna as both a decrease in thermal resistance and a marked individual differentiation with respect to thermal resistance. Two types of interactions between individual D. magna have been found: (1) the release of an unidentified factor decreasing thermal resistance (without noticeably changing the phenotypic variability of this trait) into the medium and (2) a decrease in the thermal resistance of individuals poorly adapted to heat stress, with the thermal resistance of well-adapted individuals (determined by the dependence of thermal resistance on interactions between individuals) remaining the same or even slightly increasing.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 2, 2005, pp. 126–131.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Kalinnikova, Krasnoperova, T. Gainutdinov, Sadykova, M. Gainutdinov.     

Modelling crayfish population dynamics using catch data: A size-structured model

In this study we explore a rather unique time series (1979–2002) of catch data of the crayfish Astacus astacus in Lake Steinsfjorden (SE Norway) in combination with temperature data and data on Canadian pondweed Elodea canadensis coverage. In 1977, E. canadensis was for the first time observed in the lake. Over the following years, the plant established dense covers over large parts of the shallow areas, excluding the crayfish from these areas and causing a sudden drop in population size. A size-structured model with bi-stability including a range of observed stage-specific life-cycle attributes (e.g. growth, fecundity, fertility, sex-ratio), population specific parameters and density-dependant (shelters, cannibalism, unspecified predators, competition between individuals, catch, number of traps) as well as density independent factors (temperature and Elodea coverage) were constructed to evaluate the various drivers for the population dynamics, and as a predictive tool for assessing the effects of future changes. Our model revealed that the decline primarily was due to density-dependant effect of the Elodea expansion with reduced number of hides and thus increased risk for predation and cannibalism, but also that temperature played an important role related to recruitment. The model should be relevant for crayfish stock management in general, and by demonstrating the major role of temperature, it is also relevant for predicting population responses under a changing climate. The model should also be applicable to other crustaceans and species with discrete growth and late maturation.     

The Diet of the Great Gray Owl,Strix nebulosa,at Different Levels of Prey Abundance during the Nesting Season

Variation in the diet of the Great Gray Owl, a specialist predator, at different levels of prey abundance in different biotopes was studied in the middle Transural region. Microtus voles were found to be the main prey, with shrews being alternative prey. In different plots, two types of change in the diet were observed during the nesting season: (1) substitution of Microtus voles inhabiting meadow biotopes by Microtus voles characteristic of forest habitats, and (2) substitution of the latter by shrews.