Search results for "Breed"

Early developmental conditions affect stress response in juvenile but not in adult house sparrows (Passer domesticus).

2009

6 pages; International audience; The short- and long-term consequences of developmental conditions on fitness have received growing attention because the environmental conditions during early life may influence growth, condition at independence, recruitment, reproductive success or survival. We tested here, in a natural house sparrow population, if early conditions during nestling stage affected the stress response of the birds (i) shortly after fledging and (ii) next year, during their first breeding. We experimentally manipulated brood size to mimic different rearing conditions, creating reduced (-2 chicks) and enlarged broods (+2 chicks), while in a third group brood size was not manipul…

Broad-front migration leads to strong migratory connectivity in the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni)

2019

Aim: Migratory animals regularly move between often distant breeding and non‐breeding ranges. Knowledge about how these ranges are linked by movements of individuals from different populations is crucial for unravelling temporal variability in population spatial structuring and for identifying environmental drivers of population dynamics acting at different spatio‐temporal scales. We performed a large‐scale individual‐based migration tracking study of an Afro‐Palaearctic migratory raptor, to determine the patterns of migratory connectivity of European breeding populations. Location: Europe, Africa. Methods: Migration data were recorded using different devices (geolocators, satellite transmi…

2021

Hosts of brood parasitic cuckoos often employ mobbing attacks to defend their nests and, when mobbing is costly, hosts are predicted to adjust their mobbing to match parasitism risk. While evidence exists for fine-tuned plasticity, it remains unclear why mobbing does not track larger seasonal changes in parasitism risk. Here we test a possible explanation from parental investment theory: parents should defend their current brood more intensively as the opportunity to replace it declines (re-nesting potential), and therefore “counteract” any apparent seasonal decline to match parasitism risk. We take advantage of mobbing experiments conducted at two sites where reed warblers (Acrocephalus sc…

The value of by-catch data: how species-specific surveys can serve non-target species

2019

Camera trapping has a wide range of research application, but, while research designs are often focused on the study of a single focal species, cameras can also record other non-target species. Occupancy modeling using by-catch data can be a valuable resource to gain information on these species maximizing the scientific effort and efficiency of wildlife surveys. In this study, we used by-catch data from a European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) survey in Southern Italy to assess the habitat covariates determinant for the occupancy of the crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata). We recorded 33 detections at 17 out of 51 cameras (naive occupancy = 0.33). The best models fitted the data w…

Arginase induction represses gall development during clubroot infection in Arabidopsis.

2012

Arginase induction can play a defensive role through the reduction of arginine availability for phytophageous insects. Arginase activity is also induced during gall growth caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae infection in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana; however, its possible role in this context has been unclear. We report here that the mutation of the arginase-encoding gene ARGAH2 abrogates clubroot-induced arginase activity and results in enhanced gall size in infected roots, suggesting that arginase plays a defensive role. Induction of arginase activity in infected roots was impaired in the jar1 mutant, highlighting a link between the arginase response to clubroot and jasmonate signaling. C…

The genome sequencing of an albino Western lowland gorilla reveals inbreeding in the wild

2013

This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al.

Does recognized genetic management in supportive breeding prevent genetic changes in life-history traits?

2014

International audience; Supportive breeding is one of the last resort conservation strategies to avoid species extinction. Management of captive populations is challenging because several harmful genetic processes need to be avoided. Several recommendations have been proposed to limit these deleterious effects, but empirical assessments of these strategies remain scarce. We investigated the outcome of a genetic management in a supportive breeding for the Houbara Bustard. At the phenotypic level, we found an increase over generations in the mean values of gamete production, body mass and courtship display rate. Using an animal model, we found that phenotypic changes reflected genetic changes…

SPACE USE, CIRCADIAN ACTIVITY PATTERN, AND MATING SYSTEM OF THE NOCTURNAL TREE RAT THALLOMYS NIGRICAUDA

2004

We present results of a radiotracking study of the black-tailed tree rat Thallomys nigricauda, based on 3 males and 4 females in the breeding season and 2 males and 5 females in the nonbreeding season. The study was conducted in the southern Kalahari thornveld, South Africa, a savanna landscape of acacia trees and patchy acacia bush. Nocturnal activity patterns, vegetation use, space use, and interactions were followed for 8–17 days. During the breeding season, males were active with 2 synchronous activity peaks shortly after sunset and late at night. Home ranges included the nests of 8–10 females, 6 different daytime resting places, and 3–5 areas of high activity. Males were mobile within …

The roles of temperature, nest predators and information parasites for geographical variation in egg covering behaviour of tits (Paridae)

2020

Abstract Aim: Nest building is widespread among animals. Nests may provide receptacles for eggs, developing offspring and the parents, and protect them from adverse environmental conditions. Nests may also indicate the quality of the territory and its owner and can be considered as an extended phenotype of its builder(s). Nests may, thus, function as a sexual and social signal. Here, we examined ecological and abiotic factors—temperature, nest predation and interspecific information utilization—shaping geographical variation in a specific nest structure—hair and feather cover of eggs—and its function as an extended phenotype before incubation in great (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes …

Nest guarding behaviour of a temperate wrasse differs between sites off Mediterranean CO2 seeps

2021

Abstract Organisms may respond to changing environmental conditions by adjusting their behaviour (i.e., behavioural plasticity). Ocean acidification (OA), resulting from anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), is predicted to impair sensory function and behaviour of fish. However, reproductive behaviours, and parental care in particular, and their role in mediating responses to OA are presently overlooked. Here, we assessed whether the nesting male ocellated wrasse Symphodus ocellatus from sites with different CO2 concentrations showed different behaviours during their breeding season. We also investigated potential re-allocation of the time-budget towards different behavioural act…