Rodent predation on hibernating peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies

Insects that hibernate as adults have a life span of almost a whole year. Hence, they must have extraordinary adaptations for adult survival. In this paper, we study winter survival in two butterflies that hibernate as adults and have multimodal anti-predator defences—the peacock, Inachis io, which has intimidating eyespots that are effective against bird predation, and the small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae, which does not have an effective secondary defence against birds. We assessed predation on wild butterflies hibernating in the attic of an unheated house, as well as survival of individually marked butterflies placed by hand on different sites in the attic. Our objectives were to assess (1) the number of butterflies that were killed during hibernation, (2) whether survival differed between butterfly species, and (3) how predation was related to hibernation site and the identity of the predator. There was a strong pulse of predation during the first 2 weeks of hibernation: 58% of A. urticae and 53% of I. io were killed during this period. Thereafter, predation decreased and butterfly survival equalled 98% during the final 16 weeks of hibernation. There was no difference in survival between the two butterfly species, but predation was site-specific and more pronounced under light conditions in locations accessible to a climbing rodent, such as the common yellow-necked mouse, Apodemus flavicollis. We contend that small rodents are likely important predators on overwintering butterflies, both because rodents are active throughout winter when butterflies are torpid and because they occur at similar sites.     

Density dependence vs. independence, and irregular population dynamics of a swallow-wort fruit fly

Although most long-term studies of consumer-resource (e.g., predator-prey) interactions select species showing cyclic population dynamics, strong consumer-resource interactions can also produce irregular, noncyclic dynamics. Here, we present a case in which a seed predator, the tephritid fruit fly Euphranta connexa, shows fluctuations in density of more than two orders of magnitude over a 22-year period. To explain these fluctuations, we analyzed a stage-specific data set to quantify the density-dependent and density-independent components of larval survivorship and realized fecundity. Both larval survivorship and realized fecundity were strongly density dependent. Larval survivorship dropped from 0.62 at low larval density to 0.081 at high larval density, whereas fecundity dropped from 84.3 to 0.32 eggs per individual, more than a 100-fold decrease. We divided density-independent variation in E. connexa population dynamics into components for variability in (1) larval survivorship, (2) realized fecundity, and (3) annual fruit abundance. Of these components, 96% of the density-independent variance in per capita population growth rates was caused by fluctuations in fruit abundance. This highlights the importance of the strong consumer-resource interactions in driving fluctuations in E. connexa abundance. It also demonstrates that E. connexa dynamics are remarkably simple, and aside from the 4% of unexplained variance in per capita population growth rates, our understanding of E. connexa dynamics is remarkably complete.     

Crypsis versus intimidation—anti-predation defence in three closely related butterflies

Butterflies that hibernate exhibit particularly efficient defence against predation. A first line of defence is crypsis, and most hibernating butterflies are leaf mimics. When discovered, some species have a second line of defence; the peacock, I. io, when attacked by a predator flicks its wings open exposing large eyespots and performs an intimidating threat display. Here we test the hypothesis that butterflies relying solely on leaf mimicking and butterflies with an intimidating wing pattern, when attacked, exhibit different behavioural suites—because leaf mimicking is best implemented by immobility, whereas intimidating coloration is best implemented by intimidating behaviour. In laboratory experiments blue tits, Parus caeruleus, were allowed 40 min to attack single individuals of three species of butterfly: one relying solely on crypsis, the comma, Polygonia c-album; one relying on intimidating wing pattern in addition to crypsis, the peacock; and one intermediate species, the small tortoiseshell Aglais urticae. The results are in accordance with expectations and demonstrate that: (1) birds take longer to discover the leaf mimicking species, the comma, than the tortoiseshell and the peacock; (2) the comma remained motionless throughout experimental trials but small tortoiseshells and peacocks flicked their wings when attacked; (3) the most intimidating butterfly, the peacock, started flicking its wings at a greater distance from the attacking bird than the small tortoiseshell; and (4) the intimidating pattern and behaviour of peacocks was effective—when discovered, all peacocks survived interactions with blue tits, whereas only 22% of commas and 8% of small tortoiseshells survived.     

Seeufer 2003 — Ökologie, Bewertung, Nachhaltige Entwicklung

This report of an international conference about the problems around lakeshores, their evaluation and the possibilities to improve the situation for lake shores, continues the series ‘Lake shores, a forgotten ecotone’ as article 4. Five main topics were discussed: (1) applied ecology of lakeshores, (2) human impact, (3) ecological assessment, (4) protection and restoration, (5) sustainable development and use of lake shores.     

Stabilit?tsverhalten von ausgew?hlten anorganischen Spurenstoffen in Niederschlagsproben Stabilisierungsma?nahmen von H+, NH 4+ , PO 43? für Depositionsme?netze

Das Stabilit?tsverhalten von H⁺-, NH ₄ ⁺ -und PO ₄ ³⁻ -Ionen in Niederschlagsproben wurde unter verschiedenen Lagerungs-und Transportbedingungen untersucht. Ursachen für Ver?nderungen sind sowohlmikrobiologische als auchphysikalisch-chemische Prozesse. Die Unterdrückung mikrobieller Aktivit?ten gelingt im Rahmen vonDepositionsme?netzen mit konventioneller na?chemischer Analytik am besten durch Zusatz von Silberchloridpulver und gleichzeitiger Kühlung bei +4°C. Konzentrationsmessungen von unbehandelten Niederschlagsproben mit l?ngeren Expositions-und Transportzeiten müssen kritisch betrachtet werden.     

?konomische ans?tze zur ?kosystembewertung Am Beispiel des Bodens

Zusammenfassung  Da es in einer Industriegesellschaft unm?glich ist, die Belastungen von ?kosystemen auf ein Ma? zu reduzieren, das jegliche Sch?digung ausschlie?t, besteht die Notwendigkeit der Bewertung. Eine der zur Verfügung stehenden Bewertungstechniken ist der ?konomische Ansatz. In der Artikelserie wird dieser Ansatz am Beispiel des Bodens vorgestellt. Im vorliegenden dritten Teil wird die Berücksichtigung des Faktors Zeit durch die sogenannte Diskontierung erl?utert. Auf den ersten Blick führt die Diskontierung dazu, da? Sch?den durch Umweltbelastungen, die m?glicherweise erst von zukünftigen Generationen getragen werden müssen, für die gegenw?rtige Generation (die diese Sch?den verursacht) in ihrer Bedeutung reduziert werden. Vor diesem Hintergrund werden verschiedene Begründungen für die Diskontierung diskutiert und es wird gezeigt, warum die Diskontierung auch bei einer intergenerativen Abw?gung von Kosten und Nutzen unverzichtbar ist. Die Pr?ambel zu diesem Beitrag ist ver?ffentlicht in UWSF 2/99, S. 119, 1999.     

Sex pheromones and attractants in the Eucosmini and Grapholitini (Lepidoptera,Tortricidae)

Summary The geometric isomers (E,E)-, (E,Z)-, (Z,E)-, and (Z,Z)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate were identified as sex pheromone components or sex attractants in the tribes Eucosmini and Grapholitini of the tortricid subfamily Olethreutinae. Species belonging to the more ancestral Tortricinae were not attracted. Each one isomer was behaviourally active in males ofCydia andGrapholita (Grapholitini), either as main pheromone compound, attraction synergist or attraction inhibitor. Their reciprocal attractive/antagonistic activity in a number of species enables specific communication with these four compounds.Pammene, as well as otherGrapholita andCydia responded to the monoenic 8- or 10-dodecen-1-yl acetates. Of the tribes Olethreutini and Eucosmini,Hedya, Epiblema, Eucosma, andNotocelia trimaculana were also attracted to 8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetates, but several otherNotocelia to 10,12-tetradecadien-1-yl acetates. The female sex pheromones ofC. fagiglandana, C. pyrivora, C. splendana, Epiblema foenella andNotocelia roborana were identified. (E,E)- and (E,Z)-8,10-dodecadien-1-yl acetate are producedvia a commonE9 desaturation pathway inC. splendana. CallingC. nigricana andC. fagiglandana females are attracted to wingfanning males.