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PubMed2006

Habitat edge, land management, and rates of brood parasitism in tallgrass prairie.

Bird populations in North America's grasslands have declined sharply in recent decades. These declines are traceable, in large part, to habitat loss, but management of tallgrass prairie also has an impact. An indirect source of decline potentially associated with management is brood parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), which has had substantial negative impacts on many passerine hosts. Using a novel application of regression trees, we analyzed an extensive five-year set of nest data to test how management of tallgrass prairie affected rates of brood parasitism. We examined seven landscape features that may have been associated with parasitism: presence of edge, burning, or grazing, and distance of the nest from woody vegetation, water, roads, or fences. All five grassland passerines that we included in the analyses exhibited evidence of an edge effect: the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), Henslow's Sparrow (A. henslowii), Dickcissel (Spiza americana), Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), and Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna). The edge was represented by narrow strips of woody vegetation occurring along roadsides cut through tallgrass prairie. The sparrows avoided nesting along these woody edges, whereas the other three species experienced significantly higher (1.9-5.3x) rates of parasitism along edges than in prairie. The edge effect could be related directly to increase in parasitism rate with decreased distance from woody vegetation. After accounting for edge effect in these three species, we found evidence for significantly higher (2.5-10.5x) rates of parasitism in grazed plots, particularly those burned in spring to increase forage, than in undisturbed prairie. Regression tree analysis proved to be an important tool for hierarchically parsing various landscape features that affect parasitism rates. We conclude that, on the Great Plains, rates of brood parasitism are strongly associated with relatively recent road cuts, in that edge effects manifest themselves through the presence of trees, a novel habitat component in much of the tallgrass prairie. Grazing is also a key associate of increased parasitism. Areas managed with prescribed fire, used frequently to increase forage for grazing cattle, may experience higher rates of brood parasitism. Regardless, removing trees and shrubs along roadsides and refraining from planting them along new roads may benefit grassland birds.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Behavioural and energetic responses to body state in male and female barn swallows (Hirundo rustica).

Females and males often have different roles when attending young. The factors responsible for shifts in the balance of effort when both sexes provision their young are not clear. This study asked if sex-specific behaviour and provisioning rules in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) were dependent on individual body-state or affected by the state of their provisioning partner. To assess this male and female barn swallows underwent overnight warming manipulations whilst provisioning 10-14 day old nestlings, a time when energetic demands are maximal. The overnight warming treatment reduced thermoregulatory costs and provided birds with extra energy reserves at dawn. Only one member of a pair was manipulated in this way, whilst their partners were left un-manipulated to assess their response to their partner's elevated body-state. The energetic and behavioural responses to these manipulations were followed over the subsequent 24-h. I found that warmed male and female barn swallows increased their energy expenditure and nest visitation rates to the same extent after manipulation, implying a trade-off in resource allocation, which was biased towards reproductive effort. There was no effect of gender. Males paired with manipulated females showed no energetic or behavioural adjustments, however, females paired with manipulated males tended to increase both energy expenditure and nest visitation. This study provides evidence that energy reserves constrain behaviour, and that male and female swallows normally follow the same state-dependent rules when provisioning young.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2005

Alternative male mating tactics of the substrate brooding cichlid Telmatochromis temporalis in Lake Tanganyika.

Telmatochromis temporalis is a bi-parental substrate brooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Paired males were always larger than their mates and had territories around nests against conspecific males. However, males smaller than the paired females were found in 18% of the nests. Here we report a reproductive tactic of these small males. The small males had as heavy gonads as paired males, and the gonad somatic index (GSI) of the small males was much higher than that of the latter. The examinations of the paternity and maternity using microsatellite-DNA as a genetic marker revealed that the small males were not genetically related to the pair members, and sired some young in 3 of 5 nests. These small males did not guard the broods, suggesting that they are likely to perform reproductive parasitism as sneakers. Paired males could not enter their spawning nests due to their large size, which made it difficult to chase out sneakers once they entered the nest. Some males as small as the sneakers were found outside the territories of paired males, and their gonads were quite small. Circumstantial evidence suggests that small males have two alternative investment patterns: investing in gonad to be sneakers, and investing in growth to probably be territorial males.

Africa South of the Sahara↗
PubMed1979

Serum luteinizing hormone, progesterone, and estradiol levels in relation to broodiness in the turkey (Meleagris gallapavo).

Changes in nesting frequency, serum LH, progesterone, and estradiol were measured in relation to the onset of broodiness in turkeys. In each of two experiments the frequency of nest visits increased about four-fold in the 5 to 7 day interval before oviposition of the last egg associated with the onset of broodiness. In the 9 day period prior to oviposition of this egg LH levels declined from about 12 ng/ml to 6 to 7 ng/ml (Experiment 1) and from about 9 ng/ml to less than 5 ng/ml (Experiment 2). Progesterone levels declined during this same period going from about 2 to 2.5 ng/ml down to less than .5 ng/ml. In the 5 day period following the nadir in serum LH, which occurred on or a day or two after the last egg, levels of this hormone again rose substantially. Estradiol levels, assayed in Experiment 2, were generally low with many samples below detectability (less than 3 pg/ml). There were no consistent changes in serum estradiol until the day before oviposition of the last egg. On this day, and on the subsequent four days, mean estradiol levels were at a nadir (6 to 9 pg/ml) and rose to levels averaging over 11 pg/ml in the following five day period.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Preventing broodiness in turkey hens with a dopamine receptor blocking agent.

Pimozide, a dopamine receptor blocking agent, was administered to turkey hens which were judged, on the basis of an increased nesting frequency, to be in transition between the laying and broody phases of a reproductive cycle. Treatment of hens with pimozide, either by subcutaneous injection or oral administration significantly decreased daily nest visits and significantly increased daily egg production compared to control hens. However, when hens were given pimozide twice weekly for 8 weeks without regard to nesting frequency, no treatment effect was discernable. Thus, the efficacy of pimozide's effect on broodiness is related to time of administration during the reproductive cycle.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Influence of genetic increases in egg production on traits associated with broodiness in turkeys.

Egg production, nesting frequency, and serum levels of prolactin, estradiol, and total phosphorus were monitored in relatively nonbroody (egg) and relatively broody (RBC1) strains of turkey hens during a reproductive period. In the egg strain, prolactin levels were increased in a group with a relatively high frequency of nesting in comparison to a group with a relatively low frequency of nesting. No differences between these two groups were detected for serum estradiol, total phosphorus, or egg production. In the RBC1 strain, prolactin levels did not differ between a group of hens that did not exhibit broodiness and a group that exhibited one or more bouts of broodiness. A broodiness treatment was used for the latter group. The broody group exhibited extremely variable levels of prolactin. In individual broody hens, the levels of prolactin were relatively high. After broodiness in 12 of 13 hens, the level of prolactin fell to relatively low levels. In the one hen not responding to broodiness treatment, the level of prolactin became low levels. In the one hen not responding to broodiness treatment, the level of prolactin became extremely high. Nesting frequency, total serum phosphorus, and egg production were generally not different between the two groups. The level of prolactin showed seasonal changes in both strains of hens, starting low, increasing to maximal levels between 40 and 80 days of production, and then declining to low levels late in the reproductive period. Laying hens always had higher levels of prolactin than nonlaying, nonbroody hens.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Evaluation of isoflurane and propofol anesthesia for intraabdominal transmitter placement in nesting female canvasback ducks.

Heart rate, occurrence of apnea, body temperature, quality of anesthesia and nest abandonment were compared during either propofol or isoflurane anesthesia of nesting female canvasback ducks (Aythya valisineria) at 15 to 18 days of incubation. One hundred eighteen canvasbacks were assigned randomly to three treatments so that nest abandonment could be compared among treatments from May to July 1995 and 1996. Sterile dummy silicone implants were placed during an abdominal laparotomy while ducks were anesthetized with either propofol or isoflurane, or ducks were flushed from the nest but not captured (control). Propofol was delivered through an intravenous catheter, while isoflurane was delivered in oxygen. Propofol provided smooth, rapid induction and recovery, whereas ducks recovering from isoflurane tended to struggle. At the nest, ducks in the propofol group were given additional boluses until they were lightly anesthetized, whereas birds that received isoflurane were released. All birds survived surgery but one death occurred prior to surgery in 1995 using propofol during a period without ventilation and monitoring. Adequate artificial ventilation is recommended to prevent complications. Heart rate declined significantly in both years during isoflurane anesthesia and in 1995 during propofol anesthesia but not 1996. During both isoflurane and propofol anesthesia, body temperature declined significantly over time. Nest abandonment was significantly different among treatments and occurred in all treatment groups in both years, but propofol (15%) and control groups (8%) had lower than expected abandonment compared to isoflurane (28%). Propofol offers several advantages over isoflurane for field use; equipment is easily portable, lower anesthetic cost, and ambient temperature does not alter physical characteristics of the drug. Advantages over isoflurane, including lower nest abandonment following intraabdominal radio transmitter placement, make propofol a good anesthetic choice for field studies.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2001

Thermal properties of hornet colonies: thermography of individual hornets and their nests and the role of the pupal silk in thermoregulation.

The present study focused on temperature assessments within a hornet nest. The measurements encompassed adult hornets, brood combs and the various stages of brood, and involved a thermographic method. Body parts of adult hornets were found to vary in their temperature, with the thorax eliciting the highest temperature and the abdomen the lowest. Similarly, there were thermal variances between larvae at instars 4-5, light-colored pupae and dark pupae. The measurements were made at day and night (when the entire population was present in the nest) on nests containing thousands of individuals at various ages. Most of the pupae measured during October were hornet drones. The usual air temperature between the (subterranean) combs was 28.7 degrees C, while the outside (ground level) temperature was 23.5 degrees C. The paper discusses the creation of heat by hornets, the thermoregulation throughout night and day, both by the hornets proper as well as by their products (comb and silk). Also discussed is the intra-nest conversion of one form of energy to another, as heat to electric current or vice versa.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Individually ventilated cages: beneficial for mice and men?

Housing systems are an important element in the well-being of laboratory animals and, consequently, influence the outcomes of animal experiments. Individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems were developed to maintain low ammonia and CO(2) concentrations, to support a low relative humidity, and to reduce spread of infective agents and allergenic contaminants. However, the increased intracage ventilation rates (25 to 100 air changes/h) in these systems have animal welfare implications. In four preference studies involving a total of 36 pairs of female BALB/c mice and three different types of IVC racks, we tested the preference/avoidance of mice for the intracage ventilation rate, cage size, location of air supply, and presence of nesting material in a two-cage system. In this system, the two cages were connected by a passage with a swing-door to allow mice to move freely between the cages. We found that the mice avoided high intracage ventilation rates but that providing nesting material could counteract this avoidance. In addition, the mice preferred larger cages and an air supply in the cover. We conclude that the location of the air supply in the cage, cage size, ventilation rate and the presence of nesting material in IVC systems influence the well-being of the animals.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2002

[Clutch size, nesting success and breeding success rate in Emberiza jankowskii in the grassland at Baicheng in Jilin Province].

In this article, clutch size, nesting success and breeding success rate of Emberiza jankowskii living in grassland habitats in Baicheng Region of Jilin Province were studied from May to July in 1999. The results showed average clutch size was 5.09 +/- 0.58 eggs per nest. There was negative correlation between clutch size and initial laying date, brood quantity and initial laying date, clutch size and fresh egg weight. There was exceedingly negative correlation between initial laying date and incubated rate. There was exceedingly positive correlation between nest size and clutch size. There was positive correlation between other attributes of nest and clutch size. Average incubation period was 12 +/- 0.94 days, incubated rate was 36.3%, and breeding success rate was 11.11%. The population size of brood size above seven days was 2.56 +/- 1.53. Nestling survival rate was 27.69%.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Effects of habitat fragmentation on nesting site selection of red-crowned crane].

During April and May of 1985, 1995 and 1998, red-crowned crane's nesting and variation of breeding population quantities in Shuangtaihekou National Natural Reserve in Liaoning, and also the habitat fragmentation there were investigated. Associated with previous data of the reserve, red-crowned crane's nesting habitat had been seriously fragmentated into 91 patches from one integrated reed wetland. The area of the smallest patch was 0.37 km2, and the minimum distance of two nests was 304 m. Compared with records of previous data, the minimum area of nesting habitat reduced by 0.72 km2. However, the breeding population quantities of red-crowned crane had maintained at about 30 pairs for a long period. The red-crowned crane adapted to the changed environment by the ecological adaptation strategy of reducing area of nesting habitat.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inquilines of Brachymenes dyscherus nests with special reference to Monobia schrottkyi (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Sphecidae).

Sixty-four inactive nests of the solitary mud-daubing wasp Brachymenes dyscherus, reused by 5 inquiline species, were collected at Fazenda Santa Carlota, Cajuru, São Paulo, Brazil in 1995 and 1996. Monobia schrottkyi used 52 nests; among the 717 cells available for use, 502 were reused. The number of cells per nest varied from 3 to 24; 1 to 16 individuals emerged from September to April (154 males and 112 females). Forty-six cells were parasitized by Melittobia sp. (n = 44) and Ichneumonidae (n = 2). Monobia curvata used 3 nests; among the 50 cells available for use, 38 were reused and 15 males and 8 females emerged from August to November. Three cells were parasitized by Ichneumonidae. Montezumia petiolata occupied 1 nest; among the 8 available cells, 7 were reused and 2 males and 3 females emerged in September. Podium denticulatum used 2 nests; the 20 cells available for use were reused and 11 males and 4 females emerged in August. Trypoxylon rogenhoferi used 5 nests that had 65 available cells; 48 of them were reused, from which 19 males and 11 females emerged from September to November. Three cells were parasitized by Ichneumonidae (n = 2) and Chrysididae (n = 1).

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Reproduction of the bird Mimus gilvus (Passeriformes: Mimidae) in Maracaibo, Venezuela].

Four pairs of the poorly understood tropical mockingbird Mimus gilvus were captured and color banded at a grassland in Maracaibo, Venezuela in June 1997. Throughout the following 8 months, individuals were observed two days per week for 4 hours each. We recorded courtship behaviour, nest construction, incubation, parental care, territory defense and timing of reproductive cycle. Pairs lived in defined territories defended primarily by the male. Both sexes participated in nest building which began at the start of two rainy seasons: April and October. Between April and June, 80% of nests were parasited by the shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis). No parasitism was recorded in the later nesting season. Consequently, breeding success for the April and October seasons was 20% and 83% respectively. Only the female incubated and the mean clutch size was 2.2 eggs.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

The natural history of the mud-dauber wasp Sceliphron fistularium (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) in southeastern Brazil.

Nests of Sceliphron fistularium were obtained in Colombia and Moji Guaçu, São Paulo, Brazil. Complete nests consisted of 1 to 54 sausage-shaped cells, arranged side by side along a horizontal axis, and found attached to electrical wires (Colombia, n = 7) and walls (Colombia, n = 4 and Moji Guaçu, n = 4). The number of cells per nest ranged from 1 to 54, their length varying from 20.8 to 29.7 mm, and their diameter from 7.6 to 11.7 mm. Brood cells were provisioned with spiders of the family Araneidae. Only Alpaida veniliae was collected in Colombia, whereas the most frequent species found in Moji Guaçu was Micrathena swainsoni (62.0%) followed by M. acuta (23.3%). Adults emerged from June to October. The length and diameter of female and male cells were similar. Nevertheless, females were significantly larger than males. The sex ratio of individuals obtained from nests was 1.16 females: 1 male. A life table was constructed, and details of the life cycle of the wasps and parasitoids are presented. The most common mortality factors were either unknown or due to the parasitoid wasp Melittobia sp.

Animals↗