Changes In Prey Abundance Research Articles

The functional genomics of an eco‐evolutionary feedback loop: linking gene expression, trait evolution, and community dynamics

Feedbacks between ecological and evolutionary change may play important roles in community and ecosystem functioning, but a complete eco-evolutionary feedback loop has not been demonstrated at the community level, and we know little about molecular mechanisms underlying this kind of eco-evolutionary dynamics. In predator-prey (rotifer-alga) microcosms, cyclical changes in predator abundance generated fluctuating selection for a heritable prey defence trait, cell clumping. Predator population growth was affected more by prey evolution than by changes in prey abundance, and changes in predator abundance drove further prey evolution, completing the feedback loop. Within a predator-prey cycle, genes up-regulated as clumping declined were down-regulated as clumping increased, and vice-versa. Genes changing most in expression tended to be associated with defence or its cost. Expression patterns of individual genes differed greatly between consecutive cycles (often reversing direction), suggesting that a particular phenotype may be produced by several (perhaps many) different gene transcription pathways.

The response of lions (Panthera leo) to changes in prey abundance on an enclosed reserve in South Africa

Large mammalian carnivores place significant pressure on their prey populations and this is exacerbated within the fenced reserves of Africa. However, foraging theory predicts that diet switching by predators may mitigate this pressure. In this study, we use data collected between 2003 and 2007 from an enclosed system in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa to examine the response of lions Panthera leo to changes in the abundance of two important prey species — kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros and warthog Phacochoerus africanus. As the relative abundance of war- thogs increased, the number of kudu kills decreased signif- icantly, whereas warthog kills became significantly more frequent. A similar pattern was observed for lion prey pref- erence and the switch from kudu to warthog was also reflected in a significant decrease in the mean prey mass. Our results suggest that a diet shift occurs in lions and that the change in diet is primarily in response to an increase in warthog numbers. Prey switching may promote the persis- tence of predator-prey systems, which is particularly impor- tant for fenced systems where natural immigration of prey is not possible. However, continued collection and analysis of long-term observational data from the multipredator, multi- prey systems of Africa is required to facilitate a full under- standing of predator-prey dynamics.

Feeding habits of a large endangered skate from the south-west Atlantic: the spotback skate, Atlantoraja castelnaui

Elasmobranch predation has important effects on marine ecosystems. Identifying the main correlates of the feeding habits of skates is of paramount importance for determining their ecological role. We tested the hypotheses that the diet of the spotback skate, Atlantoraja castelnaui, off Uruguay and northern Argentina, changes with increasing body size, between seasons and regions and that prey size increased with predator’s size using a multiple-hypothesis modelling approach. A. castelnaui preyed mainly on teleosts, followed by cephalopods, elasmobranchs and decapods. Small individuals of A. castelnaui consumed decapods and large individuals ate elasmobranchs and cephalopods. The consumption of teleosts was constant along the ontogeny but differed between seasons; more demersal-benthic teleosts were consumed in the cold season, whereas more benthic teleosts were eaten in the warm season. Also, A. castelnaui consumed more cephalopods in the warm season than in the cold season. Benthic teleosts were consumed more in the south region, whereas decapods were eaten more in the north region. A. castelnaui is able to consume larger teleosts as it grows. We conclude that A. castelnaui is a versatile, mainly piscivorous, consumer that shifts its diet with increasing body size and in response to seasonal and regional changes in prey abundance or distribution.

The response of Grey Herons Ardea cinerea to changes in prey abundance

Capsule Herons responded to the lower abundance of a preferred fish by switching prey. Aims To investigate how Grey Herons respond to the decline in abundance of a preferred fish, the Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus. Methods Grey Herons Ardea cinerea breeding in the Gulf of Gdańsk area (Baltic Sea) were the study population. Regurgitated food and pellets were analysed. Biomass and abundance of fish was compared between 2000–02 (when the population of Round Goby was increasing) and 2008–09 (when the Round Goby population stabilized). Results The abundance and biomass of Round Goby preyed upon by herons decreased from between 95 and 99% in 2000–02 to between 38 and 56% in 2008–09. Energy-rich salmonids, not recorded in 2000–02, were an important diet component in 2008–09 (42% of biomass). Small-sized fish abundance was higher in 2008–09 (37%) than in 2000–02 (9%). Conclusions Grey Herons in 2008–09 adapted to the lower availability of Round Gobies by prey switching to other available fish – abundant but small-sized Three-spined Sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus and less abundant but more profitable salmonids (easy to catch in the case of hatchery-reared, tagged individuals). Diet composition suggests that Grey Herons in 2008–09 exploited more diverse foraging areas (dry habitats, woods, garden ponds) than in 2000–02.

Latitudinal range influences the seasonal variation in the foraging behavior of marine top predators.

Non-migratory resident species should be capable of modifying their foraging behavior to accommodate changes in prey abundance and availability associated with a changing environment. Populations that are better adapted to change will have higher foraging success and greater potential for survival in the face of climate change. We studied two species of resident central place foragers from temperate and equatorial regions with differing population trends and prey availability associated to season, the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) (CSL) whose population is increasing and the endangered Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) (GSL) whose population is declining. To determine their response to environmental change, we studied and compared their diving behavior using time-depth recorders and satellite location tags and their diet by measuring C and N isotope ratios during a warm and a cold season. Based on latitudinal differences in oceanographic productivity, we hypothesized that the seasonal variation in foraging behavior would differ for these two species. CSL exhibited greater seasonal variability in their foraging behavior as seen in changes to their diving behavior, foraging areas and diet between seasons. Conversely, GSL did not change their diving behavior between seasons, presenting three foraging strategies (shallow, deep and bottom divers) during both. GSL exhibited greater dive and foraging effort than CSL. We suggest that during the warm and less productive season a greater range of foraging behaviors in CSL was associated with greater competition for prey, which relaxed during the cold season when resource availability was greater. GSL foraging specialization suggests that resources are limited throughout the year due to lower primary production and lower seasonal variation in productivity compared to CSL. These latitudinal differences influence their foraging success, pup survival and population growth reflected in contrasting population trends in which CSL are more successful and potentially more resilient to climate change.

Trophic ecology of the black drum, Pogonias cromis (Sciaenidae), in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon (Argentina)

Summary This is the first documentation on the feeding habits of the black drum, Pogonias cromis, in waters of South America. The aim of the investigation was to determine the trophic ecology of P. cromis in the Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon (37°32′–37°45′S; 57°19′–57°26′W) from stomach content analyses of 109 P. cromis specimens. Samples in various sizes were collected monthly using various types of fishing gear. The results showed that this species is a benthic predator focusing on bivalves and crabs. permanova results indicated significant seasonal differences in the diet. This pattern reflected seasonal changes in prey abundance and availability, which produced changes in both foraging strategy and trophic niche breadth. This indicates that P. cromis is a versatile predator, adapting its feeding strategy in response to a seasonal shift of prey abundance, and indicating an opportunist behavior.

Predator Effects in Predator-Free Space: the Remote Effects of Predators on Prey

Predators can have effects on prey populations that are connected by migration (i.e. prey metapopulations) because predator-mediated changes in prey behavior and abundance effectively transmit the impact of predators into predator-free prey populations. Behavioral changes in prey that might give rise to effects are altered rates of migration or activity in the presence of predation risk (called non-consumptive effects, fear- or µ-driven effects, and risk effects). Changes in prey abundance that may result in effects arise from changes in prey density due to direct predation (i.e. consumptive effects, also called N-driven effects and predation effects). Remote effects provide a different perspective on both predator-prey interactions and spatial subsidies, illustrating how the interplay among space, time, behavior, and consumption generates emergent spatial dynamics in places where we might not expect them. We describe how strong effects of predators may essentially generate remote control over the dynamics of local populations, alter the persistence of metapopulations, shift the importance of particular paradigms of metacommunity structure, alter spatial subsidies, and affect evolutionary dynamics. We suggest how experiments might document effects and predict that effects will be an important component of prey dynamics under several common scenarios: when predators induce large changes in prey dispersal behavior, when predators dramatically reduce the number of prey available to disperse, when prey movement dynamics occur over greater distances or shorter timescales than predator movement, and when prey abundance is not already limited by competitors or conspecifics.

Movement patterns of the seastar Heliaster helianthus in central Chile: relationship with environmental conditions and prey availability

The rates and patterns of feeding and displacement of predators constitute two of the most important plastic behavioral responses that allow individuals to respond quickly to changes in abundance of their prey, predation risks and to rapid alterations in environmental conditions. In this study, we quantified seasonal and spatial variation in displacement (net changes in location in 12 or 24 h periods) and prey consumed of marked individuals of the keystone seastar Heliaster helianthus at six sites spanning 600 km along the coast of north-central Chile. We evaluated the hypotheses that: (1) at sites with low availability (cover) of the main prey, the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus, Heliaster displays larger displacements and consumes a greater proportion of other prey (e.g. mobile species) than at sites with high mussel cover, (2) daily displacements will be correlated with sea surface temperature (SST) and (3) increased wave action will reduce seastar daily displacement. Our results show that Heliaster displacement is higher at sites with lower availability of P. purpuratus; and at these sites, a larger proportion of Heliaster individuals are observed feeding, mostly on other prey (e.g. limpets), which could offset the higher costs associated with increased movement. In addition, wave forces affected the activity of Heliaster negatively. Contrary to our expectations, the daily displacements did not show any relationship with SST measured on the day or the previous days of the surveys, despite the fact that average displacement was generally higher in summer than in winter months. Future studies should examine Heliaster movement during single foraging excursions and determine whether these responses affect the growth and reproductive output of individuals. Such information is vital to understand how changes in prey abundance and environmental conditions alter the behavior and energy budget of this predator and its ability to control prey populations.

Food Habits of the Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) during Spring Migration through New Mexico

Hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) exhibit continental patterns of migration that are unique to bats, but details about their behaviors during migration are lacking. We captured 177 hoary bats in spring and early summer 2002 as individuals migrated through the Sandia Mountains of north-central New Mexico. Our results support earlier observations of asynchronous timing of migration between sexes of L. cinereus during spring, with females preceding males by ca. 1 month. We provide the first evidence that hoary bats may travel in dispersed groups, fly below the tree canopy along streams, and feed while migrating during spring. Analysis of guano revealed that diet of L. cinereus consisted mostly of moths, with more than one-half of samples identified as Noctuidae and Geometridae. We observed a late-spring decline in consumption of moths that might be related to seasonal changes in abundance of prey, differential selection of prey by bats, or sampling bias. We suspect that spring migration of L. cinereus through New Mexico temporally coincides with the seasonal abundance of moths.

Roseate spoonbill reproduction as an indicator for restoration of the Everglades and the Everglades estuaries

Ecological monitoring is key to successful ecosystem restoration. Because all components within an ecosystem cannot be monitored, it is important to select indicators that are representative of the system, integrate system responses, clearly respond to system change, can be effectively and efficiently monitored, and are easily communicated. The roseate spoonbill is one ecological indicator species that meets these criteria within the Everglades ecosystem. Monitoring of roseate spoonbills in Florida Bay over the past 70 years has shown that aspects of this species’ reproduction respond to changes in hydrology and corresponding changes in prey abundance and availability. This indicator uses nesting location, nest numbers and nesting success in response to food abundance and availability. In turn, prey abundance is a function of hydrological conditions (especially water depth) and salinity. Metrics and targets for these performance measures were established based on previous findings. Values of each metric were translated into indices and identified as stoplight colors with green indicating that a given target has been met, yellow indicating that conditions are below the target, but within an acceptable range of it, and red indicating the measure is performing poorly in relation to the target.

Functional and Numerical Responses of Predators: Where Do Vipers Fit in the Traditional Paradigms?

Snakes typically are not considered top carnivores, yet in many ecosystems they are a major predatory influence. A literature search confirmed that terrestrial ectotherms such as snakes are largely absent in most discussions of predator-prey dynamics. Here, we review classical functional and numerical responses of predator-prey relationships and then assess whether these traditional views are consistent with what we know of one group of snakes (true vipers and pitvipers: Viperidae). Specifically, we compare behavioural and physiological characteristics of vipers with those of more commonly studied mammalian (endothermic) predators and discuss how functional and numerical responses of vipers are fundamentally different. Overall, when compared to similar-sized endotherms, our analysis showed that vipers have: (i) lower functional responses owing primarily to longer prey handling times resulting from digestive limitations of consuming large prey and, for some adults, tolerance of fasting; (ii) stronger numerical responses resulting from higher efficiency of converting food into fitness currency (progeny), although this response often takes longer to be expressed; and (iii) reduced capacity for rapid numerical responses to short-term changes in prey abundance. Given these factors, the potential for viperids to regulate prey populations would most likely occur when prey populations are low. We provide suggestions for future research on key issues in predator-prey relationships of vipers, including their position within the classical paradigms of functional and numerical responses.

Predator population dynamics under a cyclic prey regime: numerical responses, demographic parameters and growth rates

The consequences of cyclic fluctuations in abundance of prey species on predator continue to improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind population regulation. Among predators, vole‐eating raptors usually respond to changes in prey abundance with no apparent time‐lag and therefore contradict predictions from the predator–prey theory. In such systems, the interplay between demographic traits and population growth rate in relation to prey abundance remains poorly studied, yet it is crucial to characterize the link between ecological processes and population changes. Using a mechanistic approach, we assessed the demographic rates associated to the direct and indirect numerical responses of a specialist raptor (Montagu's harrier) to its cyclic prey (common vole), using long term data from two adjacent study sites in France. First‐year survival rates were weakly affected by vole abundance, probably due to the fact that Montagu's harriers are trans‐Saharan migrants and thus escape the vole collapse occurring in autumn–winter. Recruitment of yearling as well as breeding propensity of experienced adult females were strongly affected by vole abundance and at least partially shaped the trajectory of the breeding population. We argued that the strong density dependent signal detected in predator time series was mostly the phenomenological consequence of the positive direct numerical response of harriers to vole abundance. Accounting for this, we proposed a method to assess density dependence in predator relying on a cyclic prey. Finally, the variation in Montagu's harrier population growth rates was best explained by overwinter growth rates of the prey population and to a lesser extent by previous residual predator density.

REVISITING THE CLASSICS: CONSIDERING NONCONSUMPTIVE EFFECTS IN TEXTBOOK EXAMPLES OF PREDATOR–PREY INTERACTIONS

Predator effects on prey dynamics are conventionally studied by measuring changes in prey abundance attributed to consumption by predators. We revisit four classic examples of predator-prey systems often cited in textbooks and incorporate subsequent studies of nonconsumptive effects of predators (NCE), defined as changes in prey traits (e.g., behavior, growth, development) measured on an ecological time scale. Our review revealed that NCE were integral to explaining lynx-hare population dynamics in boreal forests, cascading effects of top predators in Wisconsin lakes, and cascading effects of killer whales and sea otters on kelp forests in nearshore marine habitats. The relative roles of consumption and NCE of wolves on moose and consequent indirect effects on plant communities of Isle Royale depended on climate oscillations. Nonconsumptive effects have not been explicitly tested to explain the link between planktonic alewives and the size structure of the zooplankton, nor have they been invoked to attribute keystone predator status in intertidal communities or elsewhere. We argue that both consumption and intimidation contribute to the total effects of keystone predators, and that characteristics of keystone consumers may differ from those of predators having predominantly NCE. Nonconsumptive effects are often considered as an afterthought to explain observations inconsistent with consumption-based theory. Consequently, NCE with the same sign as consumptive effects may be overlooked, even though they can affect the magnitude, rate, or scale of a prey response to predation and can have important management or conservation implications. Nonconsumptive effects may underlie other classic paradigms in ecology, such as delayed density dependence and predator-mediated prey coexistence. Revisiting classic studies enriches our understanding of predator-prey dynamics and provides compelling rationale for ramping up efforts to consider how NCE affect traditional predator-prey models based on consumption, and to compare the relative magnitude of consumptive and NCE of predators.

Effects of vole fluctuations on the population dynamics of the barn owl Tyto alba

Many predator species feed on prey that fluctuates in abundance from year to year. Birds of prey can face large fluctuations in food abundance i.e. small mammals, especially voles. These annual changes in prey abundance strongly affect the reproductive success and mortality of the individual predators and thus can be expected to influence their population dynamics and persistence. The barn owl, for example, shows large fluctuations in breeding success that correlate with the dynamics in voles, their main prey species. Analysis of the impact of fluctuations in vole abundance (their amplitude, peaks and lows, cycle length and regularity) with a simple predator prey model parameterized with literature data indicates population persistence is especially affected by years with low vole abundance. In these years the population can decline to low owl numbers such that the ensuing peak vole years cannot be exploited. This result is independent of the length and regularity of vole fluctuations. The relevance of this result for conservation of the barn owl and other birds of prey that show a numerical response to fluctuating prey species is discussed.

Numerical and Demographic Responses of Pumas to Changes in Prey Abundance: Testing Current Predictions

ABSTRACT Information on factors affecting population size of pumas (Puma concolor) can be important because their principal prey over most of the western United States are valued big game species (e.g., mule deer [Odocoileus hemionus], elk [Cervus elaphus], and bighorn sheep [Ovis canadensis]). Based on the hypothesis that puma numbers are limited by their food supply, puma populations should track changes in prey abundance by growing exponentially with increases in prey and by declining with a lag response when prey decreases. Additional predictions proposed by researchers are that body mass of pumas, female productivity, kitten survival, and adult survival should decrease after a prey decline. We used a 15‐year database from a hunted population of pumas in southern Idaho and northwestern Utah to test these predictions. During the 15‐year time span of the database, a major decline in mule deer abundance occurred. Estimates of puma numbers and demographic characteristics came from intensive capture and radiocollaring efforts. We calculated kitten and adult survival with MICROMORT software. We found that adult puma numbers increased exponentially at r = 0.07 during a period of increasing mule deer numbers. Four years after the mule deer abundance declined, puma numbers decreased at a rate of r = −0.06. Body mass of female pumas was lower after the decline in puma numbers (42.6 ± SE = 1.2 kg, n = 40 vs. 40.1 ± 0.64 kg, n = 34, t = 5.06, P = 0.045). Kitten survival was less after the decline in deer abundance (0.573 ± 0.016, n = 30 vs. 0.856 ± 0.015, n = 25, Z = 2.40, P < 0.01). Survival of resident females was significantly less after the decline in puma numbers (0.783 ± 0.03 vs. 0.929 ± 0.019, U = 55.0, P = 0.009). Female productivity did not differ before or after the decline in deer abundance. Our results supported the majority of the predictions concerning the impact of changing deer abundance, which supported the hypothesis that the abundance of mule deer limited our population of pumas.

Blubber fatty acids of gray seals reveal sex differences in the diet of a size-dimorphic marine carnivore

Sex differences in foraging behaviour have been attributed to size dimorphism, niche divergence, and sex-specific fitness-maximizing strategies. Although sex differences in diving behaviour of marine carnivores are thought to result in sex differences in diet, this is not known for any species over temporal scales relevant to life-history characteristics. We examined blubber fatty acid (FA) profiles of gray seals, Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791), a sexually size-dimorphic species in which sex differences in foraging behaviour have been observed. FA profiles reflect prey consumed over a period of weeks or months. FA profiles of adult males and females varied significantly by season but there was a season by sex interaction, indicating that seasonal changes in diet differed by sex. FA profiles of adults also varied interannually, with a significant sex by year interaction. Interannual variability may have been a response to changes in ocean-bottom temperatures affecting prey availability or changes in prey abundance. Adult FA profiles differed from those of 6-month-old juveniles; however, there was no evidence of sex differences in the diet of younger animals. Our results indicate that sex differences in the foraging behaviour of adults are reflected in differences in diet at multiple temporal scales.

The effect of prey abundance and foraging tactics on the population dynamics of a social, territorial carnivore, the spotted hyena

We used naturally occurring spatial and temporal changes in prey abundance to investigate whether the foraging behavior of a social, territorial carnivore, the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), conformed to predictions derived from the ideal free distribution. We demonstrate that hyenas in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, redistributed themselves from less profitable to more profitable areas, even when this required them to undertake foraging trips to areas beyond their clan territory boundary, or required normally philopatric females to emigrate. As expected for a system with rank related access to food resources in the territory, females of low social status foraged more often outside their territory and were more likely to emigrate than dominant females. Probably because Crater hyenas regularly foraged outside their territories, there was no correlation between clan size and prey density within territories, suggesting that clan sizes may have exceeded the carrying capacity of territories. A substantial decline of the hyena population in the Crater from 385 adults in the mid 1960s to 117 in 1996 was most likely due to a substantial decline of their main prey. The decline in the hyena population was associated with a decline in the size of clans but not in the number of clans. The number of clans probably remained constant due to emigration by females from large clans into vacant areas or clans with no adult females, and because hyenas regularly fed in areas containing concentrations of prey beyond their territory boundary. Between 1996 and 2003 annual recruitment rates of Crater hyenas consistently exceeded annual mortality rates, resulting in an almost doubling of the adult population. This increase was most likely due to an increase in prey abundance, a relatively low level of predation on hyenas by lions (Panthera leo), and an absence of high levels of disease related mortality.

Effects of eutrophication on bottom habitat and prey resources of demersal fishes

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 302:233-243 (2005) - doi:10.3354/meps302233 Effects of eutrophication on bottom habitat and prey resources of demersal fishes Sean P. Powers1,*, Charles H. Peterson2, Robert R. Christian3, Elizabeth Sullivan2, Monica J. Powers2, Melanie J. Bishop2, Christopher P. Buzzelli2 1Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama and the Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory, 101 BienvilleBoulevard, Dauphin Island, Alabama 36528, USA2University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, USA3 Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, USA *Email: spowers@disl.org ABSTRACT: Estuarine benthic habitats serve as essential feeding grounds for demersal finfishes and shellfishes and provide a link between the water column and demersal fisheries in coastal foodwebs. We hypothesize that the cascading linkages of water-column conditions to benthic invertebrates and from benthic invertebrates (as prey) to demersal fishes are a primary mechanism by which water-quality degradation affects sustainable production of demersal fisheries in coastal ecosystems. To evaluate these linkages, we related changes in water quality to changes in bottom-habitat quality for fishes (defined by the availability of prey resources) and assessed how changes in habitat quality affect fish diet. We examined the first link (water-column conditions to benthos) by intensively sampling the benthic community in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, during 2 summers (1997 and 1998) in which depletion of bottom-water oxygen occurred. Dramatic decreases in the abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates were evident after hypoxia/anoxia in both years. Abundances of the clam Macoma balthica, a key prey item for fishes and crabs and the biomass dominant in the benthos, decreased by over 90% in deep and mid-depth areas (>2 m) throughout the estuary after hypoxia/anoxia in 1997. Although summer decreases in benthic macroinvertebrates were also exhibited in 1998, a year of less frequent and less severe hypoxia, the magnitude of decline was less than that of 1997. To evaluate how these changes in prey abundance may affect demersal fishes, we analyzed the diet of Atlantic croaker Micropagonias undulatus, the most abundant demersal fish in the system, prior to and after summer hypoxia of 1998. This analysis demonstrated a shift in croaker diet away from clams, an abundant item before hypoxia, to less nutritional items such as plant and detrital material afterwards. This dietary shift reflects the decreased abundance of clams as a result of hypoxia/anoxia. We conclude from our study of the Neuse River Estuary that hypoxia/anoxia events degrade essential fish habitat and that this degradation has the potential to reduce the capacity of the system to support production of demersal fisheries. KEY WORDS: Benthic invertebrates · Essential fish habitat · Habitat degradation · Hypoxia · Secondary production · Trophic linkages · Neuse River Estuary Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 302. Online publication date: November 04, 2005 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2005 Inter-Research.

Changes in morphological characteristics of an introduced population of the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus in Lake Towada, northern Japan

A freshwater population of the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus occurs at an elevation of 400 m in Lake Towada in the mountains of northern Japan. Morphological characteristics of each sex of this population were studied between 1985 and 1992. The 1985 fishes were larger in standard length than even anadromous populations, as well as all other freshwater populations, so the large body size of this population was unusual for the species. The population was also characterized by large ratios of head length, eye diameter, and gill raker length, and a higher ovary volume in 1992 than in 1985, but it was not readily characterized by meristic characters. The population may have been introduced within the last 20 years (probably in the early 1980s). The large body size of the population may not reflect a defense against predators because coexisting fishes were not important predators on threespine stickleback adults. It is supposed that the change of body size was induced by environmental changes in prey abundance in the lake and/or by the longevity of fishes.

Reproduction and pre-dispersal survival of Iberian lynx in a subpopulation of the Doñana National Park

Little is known about the reproduction of the Iberian lynx ( Lynx pardinus) even though it is the most endangered felid in the world. We studied during 9 years several reproductive parameters of the Iberian lynx in one of the subpopulations situated in Doñana National Park (south-western Spain), by means of radio-tracking, direct observations and photo-trapping. The potential breeding subpopulation was usually composed of 3 adult females, which bred 83% of the total possible 29 female-reproductive year. The minimum total number of cubs born during the study was 64 (7.7 ± 0.69 per year). There was no correlation between the number of cubs born or number of breeding females and population size of European rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus, the main prey of the lynx). All known births ( n = 16) occurred in March except one in April and another in June. Mean litter size was 3.0 ± 0.16 ( n = 16, range = 2–4). Sex-ratio ( n = 59 cubs) was 1.03:1.00 (females:males). Nevertheless, the commonest picture was a female with 2 cubs older than 3 months. Altogether, at age of 3 months, 75% of cubs survived. Number of lynx alive at 10 months old and before dispersing was 69% and 57%, respectively. Sex did not affect survival for any age. Normally, it was not possible to know the causes of the death of cubs younger than 3 months. Survival at this age was not related with mother, mother age, or rabbit abundance. All females that bred were older than 3 years. The age of last reproduction was 9 years. For 3 females that were tracked during almost their complete reproductive life, the life time reproductive output was between 11 and 19 cubs. Iberian lynx reproductive parameters did not respond to wide changes in prey abundance during the study. Conservation plans considering the extraction of cubs with a low survival probability should be considered by managers, for instance, in translocation campaigns.