Social thermoregulation exerts more influence than microclimate on forest roost preferences by a cavity-dwelling bat

Nest or roost temperature (T _roost) is thought to impact reproductive fitness in many endotherms but few studies have directly tested the hypothesis that naturally occurring variability in nest or roost microclimate is large enough to affect reproductive success. We conducted a field experiment to test whether roost selection by cavity-dwelling, reproductive female big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) is more strongly influenced by roost microclimate or a physical characteristic of roosts that facilitates social thermoregulation (i.e., cavity volume). We quantified spatial variability in T _roost within different-sized, unoccupied cavities and also recorded T _roost in occupied vs unoccupied roost trees. We used equations relating energy use and ambient temperature for big brown bats to calculate values of daily energy expenditure from T _roost data because energy is a currency that likely affects reproductive fitness. We found no difference between maximum and minimum T _roost, spatial variability in T _roost, or predicted energy expenditure in more-preferred vs less-preferred roosts. However, there was a significant difference between T _roost and predicted energy expenditure when we compared occupied vs unoccupied roosts. The presence of bats increased T _roost by as much as 7°C, and there was a significant positive correlation between the number of bats occupying a roost, maximum daily T _roost, and energy savings. We calculate that, on average, a normothermic individual would save about 6.5 kJ/day (roughly 9% of the daily energy budget) by roosting in an occupied cavity relative to roosting alone and that savings may increase to 40 kJ/day (about 53% of the energy budget) for an individual roosting in a group of 45 bats. Our findings suggest that variability in microclimate among potential roost or nest sites may be less important to some cavity-dwelling endotherms than has been suggested in previous studies. Our results reinforce the importance of sociality and social thermoregulation to the roosting ecology of forest-living bats and socially roosting or nesting endotherms in general.     

Female preferences for multiple attributes in the acoustic signals of the Italian treefrog, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hyla intermedia</Emphasis>

The advertisement call of frogs and toads is an example of multiple message signal because different acoustic properties encode different kinds of biologically significant information. In the Italian treefrog, Hyla intermedia, pulse rate and frequency have been found to be under stabilizing female preferences and to encode information important for mate recognition, whereas the number of calls per call group have been found to be under directional preferences and, thus, to be important for mate quality assessment. In this study, we investigate preferences for calls that differ simultaneously in frequency, pulse rate, and number of calls per call group, and we ask how these properties interact with each other in influencing female mating decisions. Results of two-choice phonotaxis experiments provide no evidence to support the hypothesis that females process multi-attribute signals in a hierarchical way. In contrast, the pattern of preferences is consistent with the ‘preference function’ hypothesis, that is, with the hypothesis that females rank signals along an ordinal scale of values and choose accordingly. Pulse rate and frequency influence mating preferences more than does the number of calls per call group. The interaction between pulse rate and frequency is not additive but multiplicative: small differences in either pulse rate or frequency that, alone, have no effects on female choice, interact synergistically so that their combination has strong influence on female preferences. A preference repeatability test shows strong among-female differences in preference for multi-attribute signals. We suggest that this result reveals not only a variation in attribute values among females, but also a variation in the way females weight and combine attribute values into a single preference score.     

Immune function, dominance and mating success in drumming male wolf spiders Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata

In this study, we provide a piece of experimental evidence that immune function is related to dominance and mating success in wild caught male wolf spiders, Hygrolycosa rubrofasciata. In the mating season, H. rubrofasciata males are actively searching for receptive females, and while searching males often engage in agonistic behavior (i.e., agonistic drumming signals, chases, and fights) with each other. The present results demonstrate that dominant males had higher lytic activities in their hemolymph than subordinates. Lytic activity estimates the concentration of antimicrobial peptides with lysozyme-like activity in hemolymph, which have been shown to play an important role in defense against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Dominants also had higher courtship drumming rates than subordinates. Moreover, winners in mating competition had higher lytic activities than losers, but this was measured nonindependently of dominance status. Among males with mating failure, there was a moderate negative correlation between encapsulation rate and courtship drumming rate, suggesting that low quality males might not be able to bear the immunological costs of courtship behavior. These results suggest that females might gain immunological benefits by preferring vigorous males.     

Model selection in demographic time series using VC-bounds

The problem of distinguishing density-independent (DI) from density-dependent (DD) demographic time series is important for understanding the mechanisms that regulate populations of animals and plants. We address this problem in a novel way by means of Statistical Learning Theory (SLT); SLT is built around the idea of VC-dimension, a complexity index for classes of parameterized functions. Though VC-dimensions of nonlinear models are generally unknown, in the linear case VC-dimension actually corresponds to the number of free parameters; this allows one to straightforwardly apply the model selection framework developed within SLT, and called Structural Risk Minimization (SRM). We generate noisy artificial time series, both DI and DD, and use SRM to recognize the model underlying the data, choosing among a suite of both density-dependent and independent demographies. We show that SRM significantly outperforms traditional model selection approaches, such as the Schwartz Information Criterion and Final Prediction Error in recognizing both density-dependence and independence.     

Optical properties of the uropygial gland secretion: no evidence for UV cosmetics in birds

Ultraviolet (UV) reflectance of the plumage is common in birds and plays an important role in sexual signalling. Recently, it has been proposed that birds are able to modify plumage UV reflectance by the application of uropygial gland secretion. Based on a survey of the optical properties of this secretion from 51 species belonging to 12 avian orders, we show that two main types of uropygial secretions exist, one predominantly found in passerines and one in non-passerines, both reducing relative UV reflectance of a white background (Teflon™ tape). We quantified how each type of secretion (exemplified by blue tit and mallard) affected feather UV reflectance. Both secretions reduced overall brightness and relative UV reflectance of white mallard feathers but hardly affected the reflectance of UV/blue blue tit crown feathers. According to models of avian colour vision, changes in reflectance due to application of the secretion were at or below the discrimination threshold of most birds. We conclude that the uropygial secretion is unlikely to play a major role in modifying plumage UV reflectance. However, the optical properties of the uropygial secretion may have been selected to interfere as little as possible with visual signaling through plumage reflectance. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Male mating history and female fecundity in the Lepidoptera: do male virgins make better partners?

In insects, large ejaculate and associated materials, including spermatophores, appear to have evolved via sexual selection acting on males to either delay female remating or to increase the rate of egg-laying. It is also possible, however, that females use nutrients transferred during mating to increase their lifetime fecundity. If so, male ejaculate size may also have evolved under natural selection as a form of paternal investment. In Lepidoptera, males with a greater number of prior matings tend to produce smaller spermatophores. However, the reported effects of male mating history on female fecundity vary widely among species. We therefore performed a meta-analysis using data from 29 studies of 25 species. Overall, the reproductive output of females mated to virgin males was significantly higher than that of females mated to sexually experienced males (Hedges d=0.33, P<0.01). A sample size of around 145 females per male mating type is required to detect an effect of this size with 80% statistical power at =0.05 (two-tailed). There was no difference in mean effect size between butterflies/skippers and moths. After controlling for any effect of taxonomic group, however, the mean effect size for polyandrous species was significantly greater than that for monandrous species (Hedges d=0.45 vs 0.25, P=0.01). We then discuss possible reasons why male mating history, presumably acting through its effect on spermatophore size, might have a stronger effect in polyandrous than monandrous species.Communicated by A. Cockburn     

基于敏感性分析的危险废物填埋场工程和地质屏障参数优化

为优化危险废物填埋场地下水污染风险控制的工程/地质屏障参数,基于过程模型模拟-参数敏感性分析-参数优选的系统框架和方法,分析关键参数对于地下水中渗滤液所携带污染物浓度的影响和敏感性,基于分析结果推荐技术参数的取值区间和最低的技术参数要求.结果表明:①各参数对地下水污染风险的敏感性排序依次为导排支管间距>含水层厚度>导排层坡度>天然衬层渗透系数>导排层渗透系数>地下水流速.②当导排支管间距>25 m、导排层坡度 < 2%、导排层渗透系数 < 0.000 1 cm/s、天然衬层渗透系数>1×10-6 cm/s时,地下水污染风险急剧增大;反之,当导排支管间距 < 10 m、导排层坡度>3%、导排层渗透系数>0.01 cm/s、天然衬层渗透系数 < 5×10-7 cm/s时,对地下水污染风险的管控并无明显影响.③导排支管间距最低为25 m,但不宜 < 10 m,导排层坡度最低为2%,但不宜>3%,导排层渗透系数最低为0.01 cm/s,天然衬层渗透系数最低为1.0×10-6 cm/s.研究显示,现有标准中给出的参数取值具有合理性,但范围较广,应结合水文地质参数与填埋场参数确定.      

适用于渤海海域浮式核电平台水动力特性研究基础与展望

针对海洋浮式核电平台的水动力特征问题,从核电平台作业海况、设计选型和研究手段三个方面进行了概述。对比核电平台与陆地核电站差异,提出了浮式海洋核电平台万年一遇的极限海况计算标准。对比论证了多种平台类型与系泊方式,确定了适合我国渤海海域的平台载体类型、系泊方式。介绍了核电平台研究的技术手段,从数值模拟、原型观测与模型试验等三个方面对目前常用的核电平台水动力分析方法进行了概述,最后指出了浮式核动力平台研究发展的方向。     

Habitat selection models to account for seasonal persistence in radio telemetry data

Models for the analysis of habitat selection data incorporate covariates in an independent multinomial selections model (McCracken et al. 1998) Ramsey and Usner 2003 and an extension of that model to include a persistence parameter (2003). In both cases, all parameters are assumed to be fixed through time. Radio telemetry data collected for habitat selection studies typically consist of animal relocations through time, suggesting the need for an extension to these models. We use a Bayesian approach that allows for the habitat selection probabilities, persistence parameter, or both, to change with season. These extensions are particularly important when movement patterns are expected to differ seasonally and/or when availabilities of habitats change throughout the study period due to weather or migration. We implement and compare the models using radio telemetry data for westslope cutthroat trout in two streams in eastern Oregon.     

Benefits of kin association: related and familiar zebrafish larvae (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) show improved growth

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae prefer the olfactory cues of kin to non-kin. We examined the potential benefits of kin preference by comparing growth rate, shoaling, and aggressive behavior in juvenile zebrafish housed in groups of either familiar kin or unfamiliar non-kin. Over an observation period of 5 days, the animals grew 33% more in kin groups; however, neither shoaling nor the frequency of aggressive interactions was different in groups of related versus unrelated individuals. Shoaling behavior increased with increasing observation time and increasing age, while aggressive behavior remained the same. We conclude that associating with kin probably creates a less stressful environment that allows for higher growth rates, which can lead to higher direct fitness based on increased survival and earlier reproduction. Kin recognition leading to kin-structured groups may therefore be under positive selection.