When males become more ornamented and reproduce more successfully as they grow older, phenotypic correlations between ornament exaggeration and reproductive success can be confounded with age effects in cross-sectional studies, and thus say relatively little about sexual selection on these traits. This is exemplified here in a correlative study of male fertilization success in a large colony of American barn swallows (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster). Previous studies of this species have indicated that two sexually dimorphic traits, tail length and ventral plumage coloration, are positively correlated with male fertilization success, and a mechanism of sexual selection by female choice has been invoked. However, these studies did not control for potential age-related variation in trait expression. Here, we show that male fertilization success was positively correlated with male tail length but not with plumage coloration. We also show that 1-year-old males had shorter tails and lower fertilization success than older males. This age effect accounted for much of the covariance between tail length and fertilization success. Still, there was a positive relationship between tail length and fertilization success among older males. But as this group consisted of males from different age classes, an age effect may be hidden in this relationship as well. Our data also revealed a longitudinal increase in both tail length and fertilization success for individual males. We argue that age-dependent ornament expression and reproductive performance in males complicate inferences about female preferences and sexual selection. 相似文献
Determining the scale of larval dispersal and population connectivity in demersal fishes is a major challenge in marine ecology.
Historically, considerations of larval dispersal have ignored the possible contributions of larval behaviour, but we show
here that even young, small larvae have swimming, orientation and vertical positioning capabilities that can strongly influence
dispersal outcomes. Using young (11–15 days), relatively poorly developed (8–10 mm), larvae of the pomacentrid damselfish,
Amblyglyphidodon curacao (identified using mitochondrial DNA), we studied behaviour relevant to dispersal in the laboratory and sea on windward and
leeward sides of Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Behaviour varied little with size over the narrow size range examined.
Critical speed was 27.5 ± 1.0 cm s−1 (30.9 BL s−1), and in situ speed was 13.6 ± 0.6 cm s−1. Fastest individuals were 44.6 and 25.0 cm s−1, for critical and in situ speeds, respectively. In situ speed was about 50% of critical speed and equalled mean current speed.
Unfed larvae swam 172 ± 29 h at 8–10 cm s−1 (52.0 ± 8.6 km), and lost 25% wet weight over that time. Vertical distribution differed between locations: modal depth was
2.5–5.0 and 10.0–12.5 m at leeward and windward sites, respectively. Over 80% of 71 larvae observed in situ had directional
swimming trajectories. Larvae avoided NW bearings, with an overall mean SE swimming direction, regardless of the direction
to nearest settlement habitat. Larvae made smaller changes between sequential bearings of swimming direction when swimming
SE than in other directions, making it more likely they would continue to swim SE. When swimming NW, 62% of turns were left
(more than in other directions), which would quickly result in swimming direction changing away from NW. This demonstrates
the larvae knew the direction in which they were swimming and provides insight into how they achieved SE swimming direction.
Although the cues used for orientation are unclear, some possibilities seemingly can be eliminated. Thus, A. curacao larvae near Lizard Island, on average swam into the average current at a speed equivalent to it, could do this for many hours,
and chose different depths in different locations. These behaviours will strongly influence dispersal, and are similar to
behaviour of other settlement-stage pomacentrid larvae that are older and larger. 相似文献
Research on urban insect pollinators is changing views on the biological value and ecological importance of cities. The abundance and diversity of native bee species in urban landscapes that are absent in nearby rural lands evidence the biological value and ecological importance of cities and have implications for biodiversity conservation. Lagging behind this revised image of the city are urban conservation programs that historically have invested in education and outreach rather than programs designed to achieve high‐priority species conservation results. We synthesized research on urban bee species diversity and abundance to determine how urban conservation could be repositioned to better align with new views on the ecological importance of urban landscapes. Due to insect pollinators’ relatively small functional requirements—habitat range, life cycle, and nesting behavior—relative to larger mammals, we argue that pollinators put high‐priority and high‐impact urban conservation within reach. In a rapidly urbanizing world, transforming how environmental managers view the city can improve citizen engagement and contribute to the development of more sustainable urbanization. 相似文献
An intrinsic biodegradation study involving the design and implementation of innovative environmental diagnostic tools was conducted to evaluate whether monitored natural attenuation (MNA) could be considered as part of the remedial strategy to treat an aerobic aquifer contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and trichloroethene (TCE). In this study, advanced molecular biological and stable isotopic tools were applied to confirm in situ intrinsic biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane and TCE. Analyses of Bio-Trap? samplers and groundwater samples collected from monitoring wells verified the abundance of bacteria and enzymes capable of aerobically degrading TCE and 1,4-dioxane. Furthermore, phospholipid fatty acid analysis with stable isotope probes (PLFA-SIP) of the microbial community validated the ability for microbial degradation of TCE and 1,4-dioxane. Compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of groundwater samples for TCE resulted in δ(13)C values that indicated likely biodegradation of TCE in three of the four monitoring wells sampled. Results of the MNA evaluation showed that enzymes capable of aerobically degrading TCE and 1,4-dioxane were present, abundant, and active in the aquifer. Taken together, these results provide direct evidence of the occurrence of TCE and 1,4-dioxane biodegradation at the study site, supporting the selection of MNA as part of the final remedy at some point in the future. 相似文献
From a conservation perspective, quantifying potential refugial capacity has been predominantly focused on climate refugia, which is critical for maintaining the persistence of species and ecosystems. However, protection from other stressors, such as human-induced changes in fire and hydrology, that cause habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation is also necessary to ensure that conservation efforts focused on climate are not undermined by other threats. Thus, conceptual and methodological advances for quantifying potential refugia from multiple anthropogenic stressors are important to support conservation efforts. We devised a new conceptual approach, the domains of refugia, for assessing refugial capacity that identifies areas where exposure to multiple stressors is low. In our framework, patterns of environmental variability (e.g., increased frequency of warm summers), thresholds of resilience, and extent and intensity of stressors are used to identify areas of potential refugia from a suite of ongoing anthropogenic stressors (e.g., changes in fire regime). To demonstrate its utility, we applied the framework to a Southern California landscape. Sites with high refugial capacity (super-refugia sites) had on average 30% fewer extremely warm summers, 20% fewer fire events, 10% less exposure to altered river channels and riparian areas, and 50% fewer recreational trails than the surrounding landscape. Our results suggest that super-refugia sites (∼8200 km2) for some natural communities are underrepresented in the existing protected area network, a finding that can inform efforts to expand protected areas. Our case study highlights how considering exposure to multiple stressors can inform planning and practice to conserve biodiversity in a changing world. 相似文献
Declines of species in fragmented landscapes can potentially be reversed either by restoring connectivity or restoring local habitat quality. Models fitted to snapshot occupancy data can be used to predict the effectiveness of these actions. However, such inferences can be misleading if the reliability of the habitat and landscape metrics used is unknown. The only way to unambiguously resolve the roles of habitat quality and metapopulation dynamics is to conduct experimental reintroductions to unoccupied patches so that habitat quality can be measured directly from data on vital rates. We, therefore, conducted a 15-year study that involved reintroducing a threatened New Zealand bird to unoccupied forest fragments to obtain reliable data on their habitat quality and reassess initial inferences made by modeling occupancy against habitat and landscape metrics. Although reproductive rates were similar among fragments, subtle differences in adult survival rates resulted in λ (finite rate of increase) estimations of <0.9 for 9 of the 12 fragments that were previously unoccupied. This was the case for only 1 of 14 naturally occupied fragments. This variation in λ largely explained the original occupancy pattern, reversing our original conclusion from occupancy modeling that this occupancy pattern was isolation driven and suggesting that it would be detrimental to increase connectivity without improving local habitat quality. These results illustrate that inferences from snapshot occupancy should be treated with caution and subjected to testing through experimental reintroductions in selected model systems. 相似文献
Two methods were used to assess the grazing impact of roving herbivorous fishes across a coral reef depth gradient within
Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island, Great Barrier Reef. The first technique employed was a method traditionally used to quantify
herbivory on coral reefs via the (indirect) inference of herbivore impact from biomass estimates and reported feeding rates.
The second method (one of a range of direct approaches) used remote underwater video cameras to film the daily feeding activity
of roving herbivores in the absence of divers. Both techniques recorded similar patterns and relative levels of herbivore
biomass across five reef zones at the study site. Indirect estimates of the grazing impact across the reef depth gradient
of the three predominant species of herbivore broadly coincided with levels quantified directly by remote underwater video,
indicating that, to a large extent, presence does correspond to function. However, the video data suggested that, for individual
species in particular reef zones, the absolute level of impact may be less than that inferred from presence. In the case of
the parrotfish Scarus rivulatus, the video recordings suggested that, at the reef crest, an average of 52% (±18 SE) of each m2 area of reef would be grazed each month, compared with an area of 109% (±41 SE) suggested by inferring grazing activity from
presence alone. Potential biases associated with remote video recorders may explain some of the discrepancy between values.
Overall, the results suggest that, for some fish groups, the indirect method of inferring function from presence can provide
a good indication of relative levels of herbivore impact across a coral reef.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. 相似文献
Understanding how cities can transform organic waste into a valuable resource is critical to urban sustainability. The capture and recycling of phosphorus (P), and other essential nutrients, from human excreta is particularly important as an alternative organic fertilizer source for agriculture. However, the complex set of socio-environmental factors influencing urban human excreta management is not yet sufficiently integrated into sustainable P research. Here, we synthesize information about the pathways P can take through urban sanitation systems along with barriers and facilitators to P recycling across cities. We examine five case study cities by using a sanitation chains approach: Accra, Ghana; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Beijing, China; Baltimore, USA; and London, England. Our cross-city comparison shows that London and Baltimore recycle a larger percentage of P from human excreta back to agricultural lands than other cities, and that there is a large diversity in socio-environmental factors that affect the patterns of recycling observed across cities. Our research highlights conditions that may be “necessary but not sufficient” for P recycling, including access to capital resources. Path dependencies of large sanitation infrastructure investments in the Global North contrast with rapidly urbanizing cities in the Global South, which present opportunities for alternative sanitation development pathways. Understanding such city-specific social and environmental barriers to P recycling options could help address multiple interacting societal objectives related to sanitation and provide options for satisfying global agricultural nutrient demand.