The relevance of environmental conditions for departure decision changes en route in migrating geese

The timing of life-cycle events crucially influences fitness, particularly in migratory birds, which visit chains of sites with varying seasonality. Here, we used a proportional hazards model to identify local environmental factors, which a long-distance migrant, the Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), uses for departure decisions on multiple sites along its spring flyway from Denmark via Norway to Svalbard. Our results not only identified day length, local accumulated temperature, and their interaction as likely candidates, but also (more importantly) showed for the first time that their relevance changes en route. The results suggest that the birds switch on a "migratory program" in their wintering grounds, with day length providing general information on time of the year and integrated temperatures providing information on larger scale climate trends. Thereafter, on the stopover sites, local accumulated temperatures allow the geese to infer information on the advancement of spring, which is then used to adjust the speed of progressing northward.     

Stopover behaviour and departure decision of northern wheatears, Oenanthe oenanthe, facing different onward non-stop flight distances

On the small North Sea island Helgoland (54°11' N, 07°55' E) we studied the stopover ecology of two subspecies of northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe, during spring migration. Birds heading for Scandinavia (O. o. oenanthe) face only short flights across an ecological barrier (50-500 km) whereas those originating from Greenland and Iceland (O. o. leucorhoa) have to cover between 1,000 and 2,500 km in the impending flight. Colour-ringed individuals showed that 90% of Scandinavian birds left on the day of ringing while 40% (males) and 30% (females) of Greenland/Icelandic birds stayed at least 1 night. The birds who remained were thus mostly O. o. leucorhoa. They often established desirable feeding territories on the beach and had a high rate of body mass increase (1.7 g/day). However, subspecies did not differ in habitat choice and in foraging effort, but O. o. leucorhoa had a higher success rate in pecking. Departure decisions were analysed by comparing (a) conditions on the day of ringing between departing and staying birds and (b) for birds staying between the day of departure and the preceding day. The factors that were probably important in the decision to depart differed between subspecies. In O. o. leucorhoa, few birds departed with bad or deteriorating weather conditions (tailwind component, cloud cover), whereas departures of O. o. oenanthe seemed to be little affected by those factors. A few O. o. oenanthe stayed early in the spring migration season and/or had low fat reserves. Interference during foraging seemed to play a role because both subspecies tended to leave when the densities of northern wheatears were high. Other factors related to refuelling conditions (food supply, foraging effort, predation risk) failed to show differences between staying and departing individuals. In summary, almost all Scandinavian birds departed quickly and irrespective of refuelling and weather conditions, whereas many (but not all) Greenland/Icelandic birds seemed to prepare for a long-distance flight and carefully adjusted departure to weather conditions. The observed differences in stopover behaviour and departure decisions in the two subspecies of northern wheatear indicate that the distance to the next stopover site or to the goal area has to be considered when applying optimal migration models.     

Cluttered habitats reduce wing asymmetry and increase flight performance in European starlings

Fluctuating asymmetry is a measure of developmental instability and results from both genomic and environmental influences. Levels of asymmetry are (in part) influenced by mechanical constraints, as asymmetry is believed to reduce efficiency. Here we have investigated the influence of habitat structure (“open” and “cluttered” environments) on primary flight feather asymmetry and flight performance in European starlings. Our findings indicate that the increased flight demands of cluttered habitats act to reduce primary asymmetry and increase flight performance. These data are discussed in terms of the influence of asymmetry on flight performance and the mechanisms that give rise to asymmetry. This study also presents a novel method, i.e., examining within-individual changes in asymmetry, by which the detrimental and positive influence of the environment could be studied in subsequent field and laboratory studies without confounding environmental effects with genomic influences. Received: 16 June 1997 / Accepted after revision: 28 December 1997     

Orientation mechanisms in migrating European silver eel (Anguilla anguilla): Temperature and olfaction

The migration pattern of silver eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) in the Baltic is well documented from many tagging experiments. This particular investigation differed from previous taggings in that the background of all the eels used was the same. They came from a 1980 stocking programme and had been imported from France as glass eels. When migrating these stocked eels missed the outlet of the Baltic and continued in a south-westerly direction. They were still reported in this southern-most area more than 4 yr later. Indigenous eels turn northwards after passing the south of Sweden and leave the Baltic through the narrow Sound. Since the formerly stocked eels had never been in the Baltic, the absence of an imprinted olfaction cue may explain their orientation failure. Although lacking an imprinted olfaction cue eels were recaptured mainly in a very restricted area in the southwestern Baltic. This reflects another cue, genetic or imprinted during the Atlantic journey. This second cue, temperate, can also serve as the trigger which causes eels to stop migrating and to initiate spawning. The enclosed Baltic acts as a giant trap for eels from the huge stocking programmes undertaken there. As a consequence stocked eels probably contribute little to spawning stocks in the Sargasso Sea which may have contributed to the decrease in abundance of glass eels reported from western Europe in recent decades.     

Timing of arrival from spring migration is associated with flight performance in the migratory barn swallow

Timing of arrival at the breeding grounds by migratory birds affects their mating success and access to superior resources, thus being a major factor associated with fitness. Much empirical work has been devoted to investigate the condition dependence of arrival sequence of migrants and characteristics of individuals that influence arrival time from migration. Surprisingly, there are no studies examining the relationship between flight performance of individual birds and their arrival time. I investigated the relative importance of direct effects of short-term flight performance, age, body condition and the degree of sexual ornamentation (tail length) on timing of spring arrival in the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), a long-distance trans-equatorial passerine migrant. I evaluated short-term flight performance (a composite variable comprising flight manoeuvrability, velocity and acceleration) in a standardised manner using flight tunnels. Short-term flight performance was a significant and important predictor of spring arrival date. Furthermore, locomotion predicted arrival date of individual birds independently of morphological variables—the degree of sexual ornamentation (the length of the tail) and wing aspect ratio and body condition. I discuss the possible role short-term flight performance may have in determining migratory performance. This is the first time flight performance has been shown to be associated with timing of arrival from migration in a migratory bird.     

Plasticity in echolocation signals of European pipistrelle bats in search flight: implications for habitat use and prey detection

We studied the echolocation and hunting behavior of three aerial insectivorous species of bats (Vespertilionidae: Pipistrellus) in the field in order to characterize the signals used by the bats and to determine how call structure varies in relation to habitat structure (uncluttered versus cluttered space). We documented free-flying, naturally foraging wild pipistrelles in various habitats using multiflash stereophotography combined with simultaneous sound recordings. Then we reconstructed the bat's flight position in three-dimensional space and correlated it with the corresponding echolocation sequences. In all three species of pipistrelles, signal structure varied substantially. In echolocation sequences of the search phase we found a consistent association of signal types with habitat types. In uncluttered habitats (obstacles more than 5 m from the bat) pipistrelles emitted almost exclusively narrowband signals with bandwidths less than 15 kHz. In cluttered habitats (obstacles less than 5 m from the bat) they switched to signals with bandwidths of more than 15 kHz. Wideband signals were also used when the bats were turning in cluttered and uncluttered spaces and for an instant after turning away from obstacles. Prey detection occured only when the outgoing signal did not overlap with the returning echo from potential prey. The bats also avoided overlap of echoes from potential prey and obstacles. Based on the results of this study, we propose an overlap-free window within which pipistrelles may detect potential prey and which allows predictions of minimum distances to prey and clutter-producing objects. Correspondence to: E.K.V. Kalko     

Exploring the possibilities of seaward migrating juvenile European sturgeon Acipenser sturio L., in the Dutch part of the River Rhine

The water quality of the River Rhine has improved and might again suit the critically endangered European sturgeon A. sturio L, which was extirpated from the river by 1950. This study describes the tracking of 43 juvenile hatchery-reared A. sturio, in the Dutch part of the Lower Rhine and Delta, originating from an ex situ measure of the River Gironde population. Observing in situ juvenile downstream migration could help to identify essential habitats and potential threats, before actual stocking. Fish were implanted with transponders of the NEDAP Trail® system and released in two batches, in May (n?=?13) and June 2012 (n?=?30). Detections collected (n?=?26) exhibited no upstream movement. Test-fish moved downstream with the flow. Because the historic estuary is disconnected from the North Sea by a sea lock “Haringvlietdam”, the migration of the fish followed the re-directed river discharge into the Port of Rotterdam (161 km). 96 % (n?=?19) of the detections was collected from the harbor in brackish water, where fish presumably acclimatized to higher salinities. 14 % (n?=?6) of the sturgeons were recaptured in coastal waters by beam trawlers, five within 1 month after release. It is concluded that sustainable coastal fisheries is a key-condition for rehabilitation of the European sturgeon. Adapted management of the sea lock will reconnect the estuary to the North Sea and create more favorable conditions for the species in the Lower Rhine and Delta.     

The air speed of migrating birds and its relationship to the wind

Summary This paper deals with the flight speeds of migrating birds observed by radar over a Swiss Alpine pass. The distributions of air speeds for different classes of birds and the influence of the wind on air speeds were investigated. Our findings differ greatly from observations of bird migration over the North Atlantic Ocean and the North American continent. Our data reveal: (1) that the air speeds of the bulk of migrating birds were in the range of 8–18 m/s and that the amount of slow flyers (air speed below 5 m/s) was less than 5%; (2) that there was an obvious influence of the wind on air speeds and, moreover, the data showed a distinctly variable compensatory behavior among different bird classes; (3) that the wind component in the direction of the bird's heading was a better predictor for air speed than the wind direction. Although we do not speculate about possibilities and mechanisms of wind detection, a simple argument shows how birds could estimate wind directions if they do use the moving surface as a reference system.     

河西走廊极端干旱区PM10质量浓度分布特征及其与气象要素关系研究

利用敦煌和酒泉2007—2011年的PM10质量浓度资料和风速、气温、相对湿度、气压、天气现象等相关气象要素资料,分析了河西走廊西部极端干旱区不同下垫面环境PM。0质量浓度的时空分布特征,结果表明,下垫面是沙地环境的敦煌PMl0质量浓度年平均值为128．9lμg·m-1,明显高于绿洲环境酒泉的76．1mg·m-1两站均是春季大于其他季节,尤以4月最为显著,敦煌和酒泉分别达到272．1lμg·m0和151lμg·m-2;PMl0质量浓度的不同分布特征与气象因素有密切的关系,尤其受沙尘天气的影响较大,其最大值可以反映沙尘天气的强度,非沙尘日PMl0质量浓度在不同下垫面条件下虽有一定相差,但空气质量状况均在“良”以上。两站PM10质量浓度日变化差异较大,敦煌四季的日变化特征均不特别显著,变化比较平稳,基本都呈单峰单谷型分布,最大值出现在17：00时左右,最小值出现在6：00左右;酒泉春、秋季日变化基本一致,呈单峰型,最大值出现在正午时段;夏季日变化规律性不明显,变化幅度比较平缓;冬季呈双峰双谷型,最大值和次大值分别出现在16：00和2：00左右,最小值和次小值分别出现在10：00和0：00左右。进一步分析发现,在沙尘日和非沙尘日PM10质量浓度明显不同,其对应的压、温、湿、风及能见度也有一定规律,沙尘日的日均风速和日最大风速大于非沙尘日,相对湿度、气压和能见度小于非沙尘日。两站的气温、气压、相对湿度、风速等气象要素与PM10质量浓度均有一定相关性,但PM10质量浓度的分布最终是受各要素综合影响的结果,敦煌和酒泉,PM值与PM10质量浓度日均值的相关性都很显著,相关系数分别为0．8961和0．9152,远高于其他各单气象要素与PM10质量浓度的相关性。两站沙尘日的昂M均值分别是非沙尘日2-3倍,因此气象影响指数能有效的区别沙尘日和非沙尘日。IPM的分布也能较好的反映PMl0质量浓度的分布,因此可用抽d来量化评价PM10质量浓度。     

The organic matrix of coleoid cephalopod shells: molecular weights and isoelectric properties of the soluble matrix in relation to biomineralization processes

Soluble matrices of coleoid cephalopod shells, namely the organic pen of Loligo sp. and mincralized calcified shells of Spirula spirula and Sepia sp., were extracted and studied by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) gel filtration and isoelectrofocusing (IEF). Molecular weights of Spirula spirula and Sepia sp. extracts are not well separated, whereas Loligo sp. shows several well-defined peaks. In Loligo sp. and Sepia sp., molecular weights of > 100 kdaltons were found. Spirula spirula yielded a profile devoid of high molecular material. The main part of the extracted matrix of the organic pen of Loligo sp. is basic. In mineralized shells of both Spirula spirula and Sepia sp., the soluble organic matrices are acidic. These results support the view that the acidity of the organic matrix is related to mineralization processes.     

气象水文因子对呼伦湖湿地区域植物气候生产潜力的影响

利用呼伦湖湿地50年的气象资料、水文资料和生态环境监测资料,采用迈阿密模型及回归统计分析方法,分析了气象水文因子对呼伦湖湿地区域植物气候生产潜力的影响,结果表明,①50年来该湿地植物气候生产潜力变化趋势总体为下降趋势,减少的气候倾向率为每10年157.7 kg·km-2,峰值时段为1970—1990年,两个谷值时段为1961—1969年、1991—2010年,最大值和最小值与降水量出现的最多值和最少值一一对应。②在15个气象水文因子中有年降水量、年蒸散量、生长季径流量、春季大风日数、水位、春季平均风速、年大风日数、水域面积8个因子达到显著性检验（P〈0.150～0.001）,上述8个因子的排序也是与湿地区域植物气候生产潜力相关程度由大到小的排序。综述表明,呼伦湖湿地区域呈暖干化趋势,并且干旱灾害比较严重,是限制气候生产潜力的重要原因。③气象水文因子协同作用对该湿地区域植物气候生产潜力的影响较大,复相关系数为-0.997,年蒸散量与年平均气温、年降水量、生长季径流量和水位因子对湿地区域植物气候生产潜力的贡献相反,随其减少或增加,湿地区域植物气候生产潜力变化率增加或减少149.7 kg·hm-2。可以看出,该湿地气象水文因子的匹配并不理想,暖干化趋势依然是制约该区光能利用率低下的重要原因。④该湿地区域植物现实的生产力远未达到气候生产潜力,约有近60%的潜力可以开发;光能利用率较小的主要原因：一是现有的生态保护、修复技术及管理水平还比较落后,二是该区域暖干化趋势显著;而提高气候资源利用率的有效途径是加大保护生态环境力度和积极实施人工增雨、节水灌溉工程。     

米埔湿地冬季鸟类对气象及生态质量响应研究

为探讨气象及生态气象质量与湿地生态系统内鸟类变化的关系,文章以香港米埔湿地为例,利用米铺湿地1979—2009年留鸟人工观测数据、香港天文台公布气象数据和以2000—2009年4期等时间间距研究区的景观变化数据,分析湿地内留鸟数量对研究区气象及生态气象质量变化的响应。结果表明：（1）湿地留鸟数量与温度和最低能见度时数相关性显著,与降水量和月均日照时数变化相关性较小;（2）5种生态气象评价指数（EMI）与同期鸟类数量的相关性分析表明,留鸟与综合生态评价指数（ECAI）呈正相关。其中与水体指数（WDI）正相关系数最大,与土地利用退化指数（LDI）负相关系数最大,相关系数分别为0.88和-0.85;而与湿润指数（HI）和植被指数（VDI）相关性较小。研究表明,保护生态环境,调节气候变化幅度,对保护留鸟的生存空间,延续生物的生态平衡具有重要意义。     

气象因素对北京臭氧的影响

利用北京城区连续观测的O3及其前体物NOx和CO体积分数资料,分析了其时间变化特征,并结合气象要素进行了统计相关性分析.结果表明,在局地光化学反应的影响下,O3体积分数夏季超标严重.O3浓度呈单峰型日变化,在午后15:00左右出现日最大值,夜晚体积分数较低.受排放源强弱的季节变化影响,NOx和CO在冬季出现高值.NOx和CO体积分数呈现白天低,夜晚高的日变化过程.O3体积分数变化与温度,风速成正相关,与相对湿度成反相关,且存在季节变化,在夏季与温度相关性较高,在冬季与风速相关性较高.受上游污染源的影响,当北京盛行东南、偏南和偏西气流时,容易造成高O3体积分数.夏季O3体积分数主要受局地光化学反应控制,可以利用常规气象要素对O3体积分数趋势进行预测.     

MODIS植被叶面积指数对贵州高原山地气象条件的响应

用EOS/MODIS卫星遥感分辨率为1 km的贵州2001—2008年每8 d合成植被叶面积指数（LAI）,分析了LAI的时间变化规律和年、季空间分布特征;还用贵州69个气象站的日观测数据,分别与各气象点所对应的3×3个像元LAI平均值进行气象要素（温度、降水、日照时数和水汽压）与LAI的相关分析。结果表明：该地区LAI年变化为0.3~3.0,多年平均LAI的空间分布是东南部最高（4.0）,西部和西南部最低（1.0）。显著影响LAI变化的气象因子按相关系数的大小排列是：温度、水汽压、日照时数和降水（均通过了99.9%信度检验）。水汽压对LAI产生影响的原因可能与高原喀斯特地区土壤层较薄有关。在考虑云贵高原植被年际间变化对气候变化的响应时可以把这些要素作为重要的影响因子。     

Vectors and Timing of Freshwater Invasions in Great Britain

Abstract: Nonindigenous freshwater species cause large ecological and economic impacts in Great Britain. In response the government is in the process of implementing a broad, new nonindigenous species strategy. We assembled a list of all nonindigenous freshwater species that are or were established in Great Britain, their date of first record, and their vector of introduction. This list provides a baseline against which the success of new policies can be assessed. Because the biota of Great Britain has been well recorded, our results provide a highly resolved case study of the vectors and drivers of species transport and establishment. A total of 117 nonindigenous freshwater species are currently established in Great Britain; a further 17 species were once established but are now extirpated. Between 1800 and 2000 the number of established species increased at an accelerating rate, and this increase correlated with the growth in human population and gross domestic product. The construction of large reservoirs in Great Britain occurred over a short period and overlapped high rates of new species establishment, indicating that habitat modification may have been an important driver of establishment. Nonindigenous species now account for 24% of fish, 12% of plant, 54% of amphibian, and 88% of decapod crustacean freshwater species richness in Great Britain. The ornamental trades have been responsible for the greatest percentages of intentionally (73%) and unintentionally (34%) introduced species that have become established. Shipping and aquaculture have also been strong vectors. These vectors should be prioritized for management within the new nonindigenous species strategy.     

Male reproductive investment relative to age and flight behaviour in the monandrous butterfly Pararge aegeria

Male reproductive investment may signify a considerable cost to male insects that produce sperm packages or spermatophores. Male butterflies allocate much of their active time budget to mate location, and they may adopt different behavioural strategies to do so. In the speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria L.), males adopt either a territorial wait-and-fight strategy (territorial perching) or a fly-and-search strategy in wider areas (patrolling). In this study, we analysed the impact of male age, male size and male behaviour (i.e. behavioural strategies and levels of activity) on spermatophore investment (i.e. spermatophore mass, number of eupyrene sperm bundles). As predicted, reproductive investment increased with male age and size. Nevertheless, the increase of spermatophore mass with age and the number of eupyrene sperm bundles (i.e. fertile sperm) was stronger in low-activity males compared to active flying males. This suggests that flight activity has a negative impact on male reproductive investment. However, males that were forced to fly in the laboratory produced more eupyrene sperm bundles than resting males. We discuss the potential effects of male–male competition and predation risk on current versus future male reproduction. Males adopting different mate-locating strategies (perching and patrolling) in outdoor cages did not differ in spermatophore traits as was predicted from their very different flight performances. Copulations of territorial perching males took somewhat longer than copulations with non-perching males. There was a significant family effect of spermatophore size and of the expression of male mate-locating strategies suggesting heritable variation. Female traits (i.e. age and size) did not strongly affect spermatophore production. We discuss the results relative to both ultimate and proximate explanations of the complex relationships between butterfly activity, behavioural strategies, age and spermatophore production.     

Movements of dispersing flying squirrels in relation to siblings and parents

Knowledge of kin interactions can be informative in explaining the processes underlying dispersal. By dispersing, relatives can avoid kin competition for resources or mates and prevent inbreeding. We investigated sibling movements in relation to each other and parents before and after dispersal in radio-collared juvenile flying squirrels (Pteromys volans L.). Before dispersal, most siblings moved in different areas and were not in contact while exploring the surroundings of natal area. After dispersal, all siblings settled far away from each other, as they dispersed different distances and to random directions compared to each other. No clear effect of litter size or presence of same-sex siblings was observed on dispersal. Time spent in the same nest with the mother did not differ between dispersing sons and daughters. Mother did not force dispersers to leave the natal nest; instead, the mother often moved away from the nest before offspring. Father and offspring were not observed to be in contact before dispersal. Dispersal direction was unaffected by the location of fathers’ home range. We conclude that after dispersal interaction between relatives is limited in flying squirrels, but we did not find any indication that interaction between relatives before dispersal is determining dispersal decision. Siblings’ settlement far away from each other was already indicated by the movement within the natal home range, but, interestingly, the latter could not be used to predict dispersal patterns of sexes.     

Disappearance and dispersal of Spermophilus elegans juveniles in relation to behavior

Summary Patterns of disappearance and dispersal of Spermophilus elegans juveniles during the first 6-weeks postemergence were compared for 1977 and 1978 and related to quantitative and qualitative changes in social interaction involving juveniles.Juvenile disappearance (emigration or mortality) and dispersal within the study site varied between the sexes within and between years. Female disappearance and dispersal were significantly greater in 1977, and male losses in 1978 significantly exceeded male losses in 1977. Greater female loss in 1977 resulted in total male — female losses being equivalent, whereas in 1978 juvenile loss was strongly biased toward males by the end of the 6-week period.Greater female loss in 1977 was attributed primarily to increased aggression between female juveniles in that year because of larger average litter size with more females per litter. Increased disappearance of males in 1978 showed no correlation with litter size or relative increase in number of males per litter. Male young interacted with individuals of several age/sex classes, and a possible behavioral influence on male disappearance was increased aggressiveness by yearling males toward juvenile males in 1978.Behavior appeared to act as a proximate factor in juvenile disappearance and dispersal, and the observed differences between how male and female juveniles interacted in 1977 and 1978 were hypothesized to reflect the operation of different selective pressures to increase individual male or female fitness.     

Fecundity and survival in relation to resistance to oxidative stress in a free-living bird

Major life history traits, such as fecundity and survival, have been consistently demonstrated to covary positively in nature, some individuals having more resources than others to allocate to all aspects of their life history. Yet, little is known about which resources (or state variables) may account for such covariation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are natural by-products of metabolism and, when ROS production exceeds antioxidant defenses, organisms are exposed to oxidative stress that can have deleterious effects on their fecundity and survival. Using a wild, long-lived bird, the Alpine Swift (Apus melba), we examined whether individual red cell resistance to oxidative stress covaried with fecundity and survival. We found that males that survived to the next breeding season tended to be more resistant to oxidative stress, and females with higher resistance to oxidative stress laid larger clutches. Furthermore, the eggs of females with low resistance to oxidative stress were less likely to hatch than those of females with high resistance to oxidative stress. By swapping entire clutches at clutch completion, we then demonstrated that hatching failure was related to the production of low-quality eggs by females with low resistance to oxidative stress, rather than to inadequate parental care during incubation. Although male and female resistance to oxidative stress covaried with age, the relationships among oxidative stress, survival, and fecundity occurred independently of chronological age. Overall, our study suggests that oxidative stress may play a significant role in shaping fecundity and survival in the wild. It further suggests that the nature of the covariation between resistance to oxidative stress and life history traits is sex specific, high resistance to oxidative stress covarying primarily with fecundity in females and with survival in males.