Habituation and its role in the dear enemy effect was investigated in a population of green frogs, Rana clamitans. Green frogs have a prolonged breeding season, and males defend territories centered around suitable oviposition sites. We
tested the prediction that male green frogs will habituate to broadcasts of synthetic conspecific stimuli. Our results indicate
that male green frogs can discriminate familiar from unfamiliar stimuli. We suggest that habituation helps to mediate the
territorial interactions between male green frogs. Strangers present a greater threat than familiar neighbors. By habituating
to the advertisement vocalizations of their near neighbors, males avoid costly interactions with individuals that are not
a major threat to their territories.
Received: 20 July 1998 / Accepted after revision: 6 September 1998 相似文献
Young waterfowl can frequently join foster females shortly after hatch, resulting in post-hatch brood amalgamation. Much uncertainty
remains about physiological or ecological factors that motivate adoption including potential costs and benefits to fostered
offspring as well as to females that either lose or accept young. Several hypotheses have been put forth to explain adoption.
In this paper, we examine the salvage strategy (SSH) and accidental-mixing (AMH) hypotheses. According to the SSH, females
abandon or lose their young due to substantial energetic constraints from incubation and brood rearing. The AMH posits that
adoption results from local ecological conditions on breeding areas (i.e., adverse weather conditions, high brood densities)
which act to separate offspring and mothers. We used multistate modeling to estimate relationships between probabilities of
adoption by white-winged scoter (Melanitta fusca) ducklings from natal to foster females and a set of hypothesized ecological covariates. Results showed that most adoption
occurred within 6 days of hatch; additionally, likelihood of adoption was positively related to inclement weather and negatively
related to hatch date, size, and condition of natal females, and duckling condition. We conclude that adoption in this population
is consistent with both the salvage strategy and accidental-mixing hypotheses. Ultimately, we suggest that adoption in our
study population was foremost an outcome of intense gull predation but also of local environmental conditions. 相似文献
The occurrence of chlorinated pesticides in wellwaters is a major problem of public health in Ivory Coast and other African
countries. Here, we studied the photocatalytic degradation of the pesticide diuron in aqueous solution in presence of two
commercial TiO2 catalysts, P25 and PC500. The capacity of diuron adsorption at the TiO2 surface is lower for both photocatalysts. The efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of diuron, it is higher using P25
Degussa than PC500 Millenium TiO2 catalyst. 相似文献
Few researchers have developed large-scale habitat models for sympatric carnivore species. We created habitat models for red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), coyotes (Canis latrans) and bobcats (Lynx rufus) in southern Illinois, USA, using the Penrose distance statistic, remotely sensed landscape data, and sighting location data within a GIS. Our objectives were to quantify and spatially model potential habitat differences among species. Habitat variables were quantified for 1-km2 buffered areas around mesocarnivore sighting locations. Following variable reduction procedures, five habitat variables (percentage of grassland patches, interspersion–juxtaposition of forest patches, mean fractal dimension of wetland patches and the landscape, and road density) were used for analysis. Only one variable differed (P < 0.05) between red fox and coyote sighting areas (road density) and bobcat and coyote sighting areas (mean fractal dimension of the landscape). However, all five variables differed between red fox and bobcat sighting areas, indicating considerable differences in habitat affiliation between this pair-group. Compared to bobcats, red fox sightings were affiliated with more grassland cover and larger grassland patches, higher road densities, lower interspersion and juxtaposition of forest patches, and lower mean fractal dimension of wetland patches. These differences can be explained by different life history requirements relative to specific cover types. We then used the Penrose distance statistic to create habitat models for red foxes and bobcats, respectively, based on the five-variable dataset. An independent set of sighting locations were used to validate these models; model fit was good with 65% of mesocarnivore locations within the top 50% of Penrose distance values. In general, red foxes were affiliated with mixtures of agricultural and grassland cover, whereas bobcats were associated with a combination of grassland, wetland, and forest cover. The greatest habitat overlap between red foxes and bobcats was found at the interface between forested areas and more open cover types. Our study provides insight into habitat overlap among sympatric mesocarnivores, and the distance-based modelling approach we used has numerous applications for modelling wildlife–habitat relationships over large scales. 相似文献
ABSTRACT: A subwatershed base map of 84 hydrologic subregions within the Columbia River Basin (approximately 58,361,000 ha) was developed following hierarchical principles of ecological unit mapping. Our primary objectives were to inspect the relations between direct and indirect biophysical variables in the prediction of valley bottom and stream type patterns, and to identify hydrologic subregions (based on these results) that had similar aquatic patterns for which consistent management practices could be applied. Realization of these objectives required: (1) stratified subsampling of valley bottom and stream type composition within selected sub‐watersheds, (2) identification of direct and indirect biophysical variables that were mappable across the basin and that exerted primary control on the distribution of sampled aquatic patterns, and (3) development of hydrologic subregion maps based on the primary biophysical variables identified. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that a core set of 15 direct variables (e.g., average watershed slope, drainage density, ten‐year peak flow) and 19 indirect variables (i.e., nine subsection groups, four lithology groups, and six potential vegetation settings) accounted for 31 and 30 percent (respectively) of valley bottom/stream type composition variability and 84 and 80 percent (respectively) of valley bottom/stream type environmental variability within subsamples. The 19 indirect biophysical variables identified were used to produce an ecological unit classification of 7,462 subwatersheds within the basin by a hierarchical agglomerative clustering technique (i.e., hydrologic subregions were identified). Discriminant analysis indicated that 13 direct biophysical variables could correctly assign 80 percent of the subwatersheds to their indirect biophysical classification, thus demonstrating the strong relation that exists between indirect biophysical based classifications (ecological units) and the direct biophysical variables that determine finer‐level aquatic patterns. Our hydrologic subregion classifications were also effective in explaining observed differences in management hazard ratings across all subwatersheds of the basin. Results of this research indicate that ecological units can be effectively used to produce watershed classifications that integrate the effects of direct biophysical variables on finer‐level aquatic patterns, and predict opportunities and limitations for management. 相似文献
The 1994 forest and wildlife policy of Ghana provides the basis for community participation in forest management through participatory forest management. Even though forest reserves in the Northern Region are said to be managed collaboratively, fringe communities are supposedly involved only in maintenance activities of the reserve boundaries and seedling planting in plantation programmes. The forest reserves are said to be threatened by illegal activities from the fringe communities. This study therefore examined the nature of community participation in the management of forest reserves.
It is a mixed method research in which structured interview schedule, in-depth interview and focus group discussion guides were used for data collection. Respondents comprised community members, forestry staff and NGOs. Communities’ participation was found to be passive and tokenistic and limited to boundary cleaning and providing labour on plantations. There is no formal collaboration between communities and Forest Services Division. Prospects to communities’ participation lie in the continuous flow of benefits and their active involvement in management decisions. Active involvement of communities in all decision-making processes, capacity building of communities and forestry staff, incentive schemes and awareness creation are recommended for promoting community participation in managing forest reserves in Northern Region. 相似文献
This paper reports preliminary findings of a study in northern Viti Levu Island (Fiji) intended to test the model of the AD
1300 Event. This holds that around AD 1250–1350, during the transition between the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice
Age, there was a rapid climate-driven sea-level fall of 70–80 cm which created a food crisis for coastal dwellers throughout
the tropical Pacific Islands and led to conflict and the abandonment of open coastal settlements in favour of those in more
defensible locations. Two main areas were targeted—the Ba River Valley and adjoining Vatia Peninsula (plus offshore islands)—and
inland/offshore sites in defensible locations, particularly in caves, ridge-top rockshelters, and isolated hilltops, were
surveyed and test excavations made. Results show that while some of these sites were established during the AD 1300 Event,
most were established shortly afterwards, which is exactly what the model predicts. It is concluded that prehistoric populations
in Fiji (and similar island groups) were affected by the food crisis during the AD 1300 Event and did respond in ways that
profoundly and enduringly altered contemporary trajectories of societal evolution. This study has great implications for the
preservation of the record of prehistoric settlement in Fiji (and other tropical Pacific Island groups) because, as a consequence
of this climate-forced migration from coasts to inland/upland sites, large amounts of sediment were released from island interiors
and carried to their coasts where they buried earlier settlements or redistributed their material signature. Since European
arrival in such places around 150 years ago, a second wave of coastal sedimentation, largely driven by plantation agriculture
development had similar effects. The current rise of sea level around Pacific Island coasts is the latest in a series of (largely
human) threats to the preservation of their cultural heritage. 相似文献
We examined the response of fishes to establishment of a new flow regime in lower Putah Creek, a regulated stream in California, U.S.A. The new flow regime was designed to mimic the seasonal timing of natural increases and decreases in stream flow. We monitored fish assemblages annually at six sample sites distributed over approximately 30 km of stream for eight years before and nine years after the new flow regime was implemented. Our purpose was to determine whether more natural stream flow patterns would reestablish native fishes and reduce the abundances of alien (nonnative) fishes. At the onset of our study, native fishes were constrained to habitat immediately (<1 km) below the diversion dam, and alien species were numerically dominant at all downstream sample sites. Following implementation of the new flow regime, native fishes regained dominance across more than 20 km of lower Putah Creek. We propose that the expansion of native fishes was facilitated by creation of favorable spawning and rearing conditions (e.g., elevated springtime flows), cooler water temperatures, maintenance of lotic (flowing) conditions over the length of the creek, and displacement of alien species by naturally occurring high-discharge events. Importantly, restoration of native fishes was achieved by manipulating stream flows at biologically important times of the year and only required a small increase in the total volume of water delivered downstream (i.e., water that was not diverted for other uses) during most water years. Our results validate that natural flow regimes can be used to effectively manipulate and manage fish assemblages in regulated rivers. 相似文献