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opennotspecifiedDec 2021View details →

FIGURE 11. Characters 40‒47 in Phylogeny, taxonomy and flower-breeding ecology of the Colocasiomyia cristata species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae), with descriptions of ten new species

FIGURE 11. Characters 40‒47 on the phallic organs of Colocasiomyia colocasiae (Duda) (A, lateral view; B, ventral view; C, hypandrium and gonocoxites, oblique lateral view), C. xenalocasiae (Okada) (D, lateral view; E, ventral view), C. sabahana sp. nov. (F, lateral view; G, ventral view) and C. cristata de Meijere (H, lateral view; I, ventral view). Abbreviations: aed, aedeagus; goncx, gonocoxite; hypd, hypandrium; phap, phallapodeme; ph sh, phallal sheath. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

opennotspecifiedDec 2021View details →

FIGURE 7. Characters 13‒15 in Phylogeny, taxonomy and flower-breeding ecology of the Colocasiomyia cristata species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae), with descriptions of ten new species

FIGURE 7. Characters 13‒15 on the fore (A, B, distal portion of tibia and tarsus) and mid (C, D, ditto) legs of Colocasiomyia colocasiae (Duda) (A, C) and C. cristata de Meijere (B, D). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

opennotspecifiedDec 2021View details →

FIGURE 6. Character 12 in Phylogeny, taxonomy and flower-breeding ecology of the Colocasiomyia cristata species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae), with descriptions of ten new species

FIGURE 6. Character 12 of costal setae on the wing (anterodistal portion) of Colocasiomyia xenalocasiae (Okada) (A), C. colocasiae (Duda) (B) and C. cristata de Meijere (C). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

opencc-zeroDec 2021View details →

Population structure and dynamics, breeding activity and phenology of the blue-sided treefrog (Agalychnis annae)

Agalychnis annae is a species endemic to Costa Rica and Panama with populations shrinking or disappearing from several locations. We studied the reproduction of a relict population of A. annae in a 1,300 m2 natural pond in Costa Rica during 2007–2008. We marked adults with a visible implant alphanumeric tag injected in the thigh. We measured reproductive effort considering calling males per night and per hour, number of pairs in amplexus, and number of egg masses. We summed 366 individual observations: 57% juveniles, 39% adult males and 4% adult females. Average SVL was 29 mm (juveniles), 63 mm (males) and 78 mm (females). Sex ratio (males:females) was 4.85:1, while operational sex ratio varied between 1–6 males per female when both sexes were present at the pond. Maximum estimated census population size varied between 27 and 59 individuals, with a Ne = 43.11. Calling activity occurred mostly from 1800 h – 2000 h, and we counted 65 egg masses. Number of adults and calling males were positively correlated with accumulated rainfall and average temperature. Number of egg masses was positively correlated with the number of adults, accumulated rainfall, and average temperature. The causes of the long-term population decline must be identified to conserve A. annae and similar species, as well as establishing long-term monitoring programs. Required conservation actions include: translocation individuals from risky areas, creation of artificial ponds to increase ecological connectivity, elimination of introduced species, particularly in small habitat remnants, and establishment of ex situ conservation programs.

Influence of habitat quality and resource density on breeding-season female monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) movement and space use in north-central USA agroecosystem landscapes

<ol> <li> The eastern North American monarch butterfly is at risk of quasi-extinction due, in part, to the loss of breeding habitat in agricultural landscapes of the USA Midwest. Because adult females are not patch residents, egg abundance and distribution across the landscape are a function of their perceptual range, flight directionality, and flight step lengths. Conservation actions that account for habitat use in agricultural landscapes can enhance functional connectivity.</li> <li>Field-captured females (n=114) were released in a 64-ha area containing restored prairies, grass-dominated fields, and crop fields in Floyd County, Iowa, USA, and two 1,000 m linear north-south sections of grass-dominated roadside along secondary roads (~ 35 ha) with different proximity to prairie habitat in rural Story County, Iowa. Radio-tagged or untagged monarchs were released in areas with high-density, low-density, and zero density of forage and oviposition resources, as well as on habitat edges between high and zero-density habitats. Monarchs were observed for one hour. Radio-tagged individuals that flew beyond visual detection were relocated using handheld radio telemetry.</li> <li>Monarchs moved within and between habitat classes and typically performed up-wind search behavior. Monarchs successfully located resources, with some flying over 500 m to find high-density areas, providing evidence that the monarch's perceptual distance is > 100 m. Regardless of habitat class or field site, most step lengths were < 50 m, and turn angles were directional. Large steps (≥ 50 m) crossing habitat boundaries occurred with approximately half of the monarchs, which may indicate initiation of long-range searches for suitable habitat, consistent with their vagile behavior. Establishing habitat patches 50 m apart in agricultural landscapes would facilitate efficient movement.</li> <li>This study provides an extensive dataset of directly observed breeding-season monarch butterflies to assess the utilization of agricultural landscapes. Documentation of step lengths > 50 m in complex, agricultural landscapes would not have been possible without the aid of radio telemetry. Results provide improved estimates of perceptual range and flight patterns within and between habitat patches that support models that simulate natural population dynamics to enable conservation planning at a landscape scale.</li> </ol>

Conspecific attraction for conservation and management of terrestrial breeding birds: current knowledge and future research directions

Conspecific presence can indicate the location or quality of resources, and animals settling near conspecifics often gain fitness benefits. This can result in adaptive conspecific attraction during breeding habitat selection as demonstrated in numerous terrestrial, territorial birds. There is growing interest in using simulated conspecific social cues (e.g., decoys, broadcasted vocalizations) to manage bird distributions, yet it remains unclear when this approach is likely to succeed. We reviewed published studies to evaluate whether the strength of conspecific attraction in terrestrial birds is mediated by characteristics of species (life history traits), simulated cues (e.g., timing and duration), sites (e.g., quality), and how conspecific attraction was measured. We identified 31 experiments that simulated social cues and compared conspecific settlement between treatment and control sites. We then used phylogenetically controlled meta-regression to assess impacts of 19 moderators on settlement. Nearly all species included in these experiments were migratory passerines, and social cues generally had a strong, positive influence on their settlement decisions, as the odds of site occupancy were 3.12× (95% CI = 0.81, 11.69) greater in treatment sites relative to control sites. Within this group, conspecific attraction was evolutionarily conserved with ≥ 25.5% (CI = 5.1%, 65.4%) of the variance in treatment effects explained by phylogenetic relatedness. However, we found no evidence that any covariates influenced the response to social cues, and we posit this stems from limited research specifically designed to identify the mechanisms mediating conspecific attraction. We therefore developed a research agenda that provides a framework for testing mechanistic hypotheses regarding how cue characteristics, species traits, and spatial contexts may mediate attraction to conspecifics. Evaluating these hypotheses will greatly advance the field by helping managers understand when, where, and why simulating social cues can be used to enhance populations of species that are of conservation concern.

Data from: Disturbed Amazonian forests support diminished breeding bird communities

Twenty percent of the Brazilian Amazon has now been deforested, and deforestation rates are increasing. This compels us to evaluate the conservation potential of human-modified landscapes, yet the ecological value of regenerating and fragmented Amazonian forests remains poorly understood. To date, most faunal studies in disturbed forests have examined metrics derived from presence or abundance. Although valuable, these data cannot tell us how old-growth species are using disturbed forests. In this study, we complement presence data with breeding observations to assess more comprehensively the habitat quality of disturbed forests in central Amazonia. We synthesized breeding evidence from standardized passive mist-netting, mixed-species flock-following, and opportunistic nest-searching across a full annual cycle in 30-35-year-old secondary forest, 10-ha fragments, and undisturbed forest. We then used multi-state occupancy models to estimate the number of undetected breeding species in each forest type, which illustrated that fewer species bred in secondary forest (-43%) and 10-ha fragments (-17%) than in undisturbed forest. Both of these losses are larger than the associated decrease in species richness alone (-17% and -10%, respectively). Notably, we confirmed breeding by only three terrestrial and near-ground insectivores in fragments and secondary forest combined (of the 9 species found in undisturbed forest). Disturbed forests also supported fewer breeding individuals (-35-50%) and, in secondary forest, fewer successful breeding attempts (-24%). Encouragingly, however, some forest-dependent birds are breeding and producing fledglings in disturbed forests, including representatives from almost every guild. This was especially apparent for mixed-species flocks and army-ant followers, two guilds that have historically been considered vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance. Therefore, despite a loss of breeding habitat in disturbed forests, these data suggest that landscapes composed of regenerating forest and small fragments have conservation potential for forest bird populations.

Breeding site fidelity is lower in polygamous shorebirds and male-biased in monogamous species

Sex-bias in breeding dispersal is considered the norm in many taxa, and the magnitude and direction of such sex-bias is expected to correlate with the social mating system. We used local return rates in shorebirds as an index of breeding site fidelity, and hence as an estimate of the propensity for breeding dispersal, and tested whether variation in site fidelity and in sex-bias in site fidelity relates to the mating system. Among 111 populations of 49 species, annual return rates to a breeding site varied between 0–100%. After controlling for body size (linked to survival) and other confounding factors, monogamous species showed higher breeding site fidelity compared to polyandrous and polygynous species. Overall, there was a strong male bias in return rates, but the sex-bias in return rate was independent of the mating system and did not covary with the extent of sexual size dimorphism. Our results bolster earlier findings that the sex-biased dispersal is weakly linked to the mating system in birds. Instead, our results show that return rates are strongly correlated with the mating system in shorebirds regardless of sex. This suggests that breeding site fidelity may be linked to mate fidelity, which is only important in the monogamous, biparentally incubating species, or that the same drivers influence both the mating system and site fidelity. The strong connection between site fidelity and the mating system suggests that variation in site fidelity may have played a role in the coevolution of the mating system, parental care, and migration strategies.

opencc-zeroFeb 2022View details →

Mapping breeding bird species richness at management-relevant resolutions across the United States

Human activities alter ecosystems everywhere, causing rapid biodiversity loss and biotic homogenization. These losses necessitate coordinated conservation actions guided by biodiversity and species distribution spatial data that cover large areas yet have fine-enough resolution to be management-relevant (i.e., ≤ 5 km). However, most biodiversity products are too coarse for management or are only available for small areas. Furthermore, many maps generated for biodiversity assessment and conservation do not explicitly quantify the inherent tradeoff between resolution and accuracy when predicting biodiversity patterns. Our goals were to 1) generate predictive models of overall breeding bird species richness and species richness of different guilds based on nine functional or life history-based traits across the conterminous US at three resolutions (0.5, 2.5, and 5 km), and 2) quantify the tradeoff between resolution and accuracy, and hence relevance for management, of the resulting biodiversity maps. We summarized eighteen years of North American Breeding Bird Survey data (1992-2019) and modeled species richness using random forests, including 66 predictor variables (describing climate, vegetation, geomorphology, and anthropogenic conditions), 20 of which we newly derived. Among the three spatial resolutions, the percent variance explained ranged from 27% to 60% (median = 54%; mean = 57%) for overall species richness and 12% to 87% (median = 61%; mean = 58%) for our different guilds. Overall species richness and guild-specific species richness were best explained at 5-km resolution using approximately 24 predictor variables based on percent variance explained, symmetric mean absolute percentage error, and root mean squared error values. However, our 2.5-km resolution maps were almost as accurate and provided more spatially detailed information, which is why we recommend them for most management applications. Our results represent the first consistent, occurrence-based, and nationwide maps of breeding bird richness with a thorough accuracy assessment that are also spatially detailed enough to inform local management decisions. More broadly, our findings highlight the importance of explicitly considering tradeoffs between resolution and accuracy to create management-relevant biodiversity products for large areas.

Fig. 4 in Solanum insanum L. (subgenus Leptostemonum Bitter, Solanaceae), the neglected wild progenitor of eggplant (S. melongena L.): a review of taxonomy, characteristics and uses aimed at its enhancement for improved eggplant breeding

Fig. 4 Intermediate fruit morphology of an interspecific hybrid (INS1.2 X MEL 5.5) as compared to the parental lines S. insanum (INS1) and S. melongena (MEL5)

Fig. 2 in Solanum insanum L. (subgenus Leptostemonum Bitter, Solanaceae), the neglected wild progenitor of eggplant (S. melongena L.): a review of taxonomy, characteristics and uses aimed at its enhancement for improved eggplant breeding

Fig. 2 Morphology of Solanum insanum. A Flower from wild c population in Sri Lanka (abandoned field in Anradhapura district, North Central province). B Flower from Sri Lankan accession INS2 cultivated in Spain. C Flower from accession INS3 of unknown origin cultivated in Spain. D Longitudinal section of the flower (X10) of accession INS2. E Fruit without prickly calyx (cultivated Sri Lankan accession in Spain) (accession INS2). F The fruit with prickly calyx (Sri Lankan accession INS1 cultivated in Spain). G The fruit without prickly calyx from a wild population in Sri Lanka (forest boundary in Matale district, Central province). H Longitudinal section of a fruit of accession INS1. I Microscopic view of seeds. J Stem with sharp and slightly curved prickles of accession INS1. K Prostrate form of plant from a home garden. L Adaxial surface of leaf with dark purple prickles (K, L both Anradhapura district, North Central province, Sri Lanka). (Color figure online)

Fig. 3 in Solanum insanum L. (subgenus Leptostemonum Bitter, Solanaceae), the neglected wild progenitor of eggplant (S. melongena L.): a review of taxonomy, characteristics and uses aimed at its enhancement for improved eggplant breeding

Fig. 3 Geographical distribution of Solanum insanum L. Apparent large gaps in the distribution of this very common species are due to a variety of factors. Among them are (1) our not having seen many local herbaria in India or Myanmar, (2) the lack of specificity in localities in many early collections from India (see Endersby 2008), and (3) possible collecting deficit, especially in Myanmar and Sumatra

Fig. 1 in Solanum insanum L. (subgenus Leptostemonum Bitter, Solanaceae), the neglected wild progenitor of eggplant (S. melongena L.): a review of taxonomy, characteristics and uses aimed at its enhancement for improved eggplant breeding

Fig. 1 Morphology of Solanum insanum. A Branch with prickles and mature leaves. B Hermaphroditic flower. C Mature fruit with prickly calyx. Drawn in the field from a weedy plant in Anradhapura district, North Central province, Sri Lanka. Illustration by I. Peabotuwage

opencc-zeroMar 2022View details →

Sex-specific influence of communal breeding experience on parenting performance and fitness in a burying beetle

Communal breeding, wherein multiple conspecific individuals live and reproduce together during a single breeding event, may generate immediate benefits in terms of defence and reproduction. However, the carry-over effects of events in communal breeding on individual behaviour and fitness remain less studied. We experimentally tested the immediate and carry-over effects of communal breeding on parenting performance and fitness in the burying beetle (Nicrophorus vespilloides). These beetles bury carcasses as food resource for their offspring and themselves, and provide extended care to the developing larvae on the buried carcass. We subjected individuals of varying sizes to communal (i.e. group-breeding) or non-communal breeding (i.e. pair-breeding) experience during their first breeding event, and subsequently to non-communal breeding during their second breeding event, and measured parental effort and reproductive success during both breeding events. In communal groups, large individuals became dominant and monopolized the carcass. At the first breeding attempt, large males in communal groups spent more time providing care than large males in non-communal groups, while such a difference was not observed for large females and small females or males in communal and non-communal groups. Reproductive success was similar for individuals that bred in communal and non-communal groups during their first reproductive event, indicating no significant immediate benefits of communal breeding in terms of reproduction. Compared to males that originated from non-communal groups, males from communal groups produced a similar number, but heavier larvae during their second breeding attempt, whereas such an effect was not observed for females. Our results provide evidence for sex-specific effects of communal breeding experience on parenting performance and fitness. Such observed sex differences in carry-over effects of communal breeding on fitness may generate sexual conflict over parental effort in social animals.

opencc-zeroMar 2022View details →

Climate effects on the breeding ecology of pied flycatchers at the north of their range

The file "Raw data.csv" contains all data used for the analyses of the article "The effects of four decades of climate change on the breeding ecology of an avian sentinel species across a 1500-km latitudinal gradient are stronger at high latitudes" (DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7459). This data was used to investigate the effect of climate warming on the breeding time and breeding success of European pied flycatchers breeding in Sweden during 1982-2017. The data set contains 29035 nest records and each row has information per nest on ringing date of nestlings, developmental stage of nestlings and estimates of hatching date, nestling age, and breeding success (measured as number of ringed chicks). It also contains geographical coordinates per nest and distance to the coast variables as well as environmental data for different biweekly periods before and up to ringing time (average and minimum temperature, precipitation and a measurement of vegetation greenness). The precise definition of all the variables can be found in the ReadMe file. The specific information on data collection, processing and statistical analyses is available in the corresponding article.

FIGURE 5 in A new species of the Colocasiomyia gigantea species group (Diptera, Drosophilidae) breeding on inflorescences of Scindapsus maclurei (Araceae)

FIGURE 5. Pre-imaginal stages of Colocasiomyia daiae Xue & Gao, sp. nov. A, Eggs (#10608–10610 from left to right) on wall of a pistil of host infructescence; B–D, larvae of 1st (#10611), 2nd (#10612) and 3rd instar (#10614), respectively; E, puparium (#10615; dorsal view); F–H, cephalopharyngeal skeleton of 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar larvae, respectively (lateral and dorsal views for each); I–K, mouth hooks of 1st, 2nd and 3rd instar larvae, respectively. Abbreviations: asp = anterior spiracle, dw = dorsal wing of pharyngeal sclerite, hp = hypopharyngeal sclerite, lp = latticed process of pharyngeal sclerite, mh = mouth hook, psp = posterior spiracle, vb = vertical bridge between dw and vw, vw = ventral wing of pharyngeal sclerite. Scale bars = 1.0 mm except for A (2 mm) and F–K (0.1 mm).

FIGURE 4 in A new species of the Colocasiomyia gigantea species group (Diptera, Drosophilidae) breeding on inflorescences of Scindapsus maclurei (Araceae)

FIGURE 4. Male and female terminalia of Colocasiomyia daiae Xue & Gao, sp. nov. (paratype #10567 and paratype #10573, respectively). A, Periphallic organs (posterior view); B, epandrial phragma (right one, lateral view; arrowhead); C, phallic organs (ventral view); D, phallus and phallapodeme (lateral view); E, pregonite (right one, lateral view); F, oviscapt (lateral view). Abbreviations: cerc = cercus, epand = epandrium, hypd = hypandrium, l goncx = lateral gonocoxite, m goncx = median gonocoxite, ph = phallus, ph sh = phallal sheath, phap = phallapodeme, preg = pregonite, sur = surstylus. Scale lines = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 1 in A new species of the Colocasiomyia gigantea species group (Diptera, Drosophilidae) breeding on inflorescences of Scindapsus maclurei (Araceae)

FIGURE 1. Scindapsus maclurei (Merr.) Merr. et Metc from which adult specimens of the new species were collected in the Wuzhishan National Nature Preserve, Hainan, China. A, Lianas creeping on stone in the woodland; B, an inflorescence bud; C, a young inflorescence with spathe beginning to open; D, a spadix; E, a young infructescence.

FIGURE 3 in A new species of the Colocasiomyia gigantea species group (Diptera, Drosophilidae) breeding on inflorescences of Scindapsus maclurei (Araceae)

FIGURE 3. Adult morphology of Colocasiomyia daiae Xue & Gao, sp. nov. [holotype (A–C, I–K); male paratype #10567 (D–H); male paratype #10606 (L); female paratype #10607 (M)]. A, Lateral habitus, arrow indicates the presutural dorsocentral setae; B, head and thorax (dorsal view); C, head (anterior view); D, head (dorsal view); E, postocciput (posterior view); F, mouth part (lateral view); G, cibarium (dorsal view); H, prementum (ventral view); I, wing (left one, ventral view); J, foreleg (left one, inner view); K, abdomen (dorsal view); L and M, abdominal sternites. Abbreviations: as = anterior sensilla, cib = cibarium, cly = clypeus, ms = medial sensilla, plp = palpus, premnt = prementum, ps = posterior sensilla, sc = sensilla campaniformia, spc-s = supracervical setae. Scale bar = 1.0 mm except for C–F, L, M (0.5 mm) and G, H (0.1 mm).

FIGURE 2 in A new species of the Colocasiomyia gigantea species group (Diptera, Drosophilidae) breeding on inflorescences of Scindapsus maclurei (Araceae)

FIGURE 2. An unrooted, neighbor-joining tree built with p-distances calculated for COI DNA sequences determined previously (Li et al. 2014, Jiao et al. 2020) or in the present study for ten species of the Colocasiomyia gigantea species group. Sequences are referred to individually in the tree in a form of "voucher number-GenBank accession number".