Life Cycle Of Species Research Articles

The endozoan, small-mammal reservoir hypothesis and the life cycle of Coccidioides species.

The prevailing hypothesis concerning the ecology of Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii is that these human pathogenic fungi are soil fungi endemic to hot, dry, salty regions of the New World and that humans and the local, small-mammal fauna are only accidental hosts. Here we advance an alternative hypothesis that Coccidioides spp. live in small mammals as endozoans, which are kept inactive but alive in host granulomas and which transform into spore-producing hyphae when the mammal dies. The endozoan hypothesis incorporates results from comparative genomic analyses of Coccidioides spp. and related taxa that have shown a reduction in gene families associated with deconstruction of plant cell walls and an increase in those associated with digestion of animal protein, consistent with an evolutionary shift in substrate from plants to animals. If true, the endozoan hypothesis requires that models of the prevalence of human coccidioidomycosis account not only for direct effects of climate and soil parameters on the growth and reproduction of Coccidioides spp. but also consider indirect effects on these fungi that come from the plants that support the growth and reproduction of the small mammals that, in turn, support these endozoic fungi.

Prevalence of Sarcocysts in the Muscles of Raptors from a Rehabilitation Center in North Carolina

The life cycle of Sarcocystis species is heteroxenous (2-host), with carnivores being the definitive host and herbivores serving as intermediate hosts in predator-prey relationships. Raptors (eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls) are apex predators and are not consumed routinely by other carnivores, making the occurrence of sarcocysts in their muscles unusual. Recent reports of sarcocysts in eagles and owls with Sarcocystis encephalitis suggests that this condition may be becoming more frequent, and Sarcocystis falcatula has been implicated as the agent of encephalitis in golden ( Aquila chrysaetos) and bald eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus) as well as great horned owls ( Bubo virginianus). The present study was done to determine the prevalence of sarcocysts of Sarcocystis species in the muscles of raptors from the southeastern United States. Pectoral and heart muscle from 204 raptor patients from the Carolina Raptor Center, Huntersville, North Carolina were tested for the presence of Sarcocystis species using histology. Only a few sarcocysts were seen in sections of pectoral muscle from 39 of 204 raptors (19.1%) and heart muscle from 9 that also had sarcocysts in their pectoral muscle. Two structural types of sarcocysts, thin-walled (1 μm; 62%) or thick-walled (>2 μm, 38%), were seen. Statistical analysis of raptor age and gender was done by Fisher's exact test on samples from raptors with 20 or more samples per group. The prevalence of sarcocysts by age (2 yr or more) was significant for red-shouldered hawks ( Buteo lineatus) ( P = 0.022) and Cooper's hawks ( Accipiter cooperii) ( P = 0.028). Sarcocyst prevalence in male raptors from these groups evaluated statistically were always less than in females. Prevalence in female red-tailed hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis) (42.1%) was significantly greater than in males (6.7%) using Fisher's exact test ( P = 0.047). Examination of case histories from the 39 sarcocyst-positive raptors did not reveal an association with sarcocysts in raptor pectoral or heart muscle and in a diagnosis of encephalitis. Additional studies are needed to determine the epidemiology and relationships of Sarcocystis spp. that use raptors as intermediate hosts and the importance of Sarcocystis spp. in the overall wellbeing of raptors in their natural environments.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ЖИТТЄВОГО ЦИКЛУ ISODON JAPONICUS VAR. GLAUCOCALYX (LAMIACEAE) ЗА ІНТРОДУКЦІЇ НА ПІВНОЧІ ПРАВОБЕРЕЖНОГО ЛІСОСТЕПУ УКРАЇНИ

In the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Department of Cultural Flora), which is located in the north of the right bank of the forest-steppe zone, is being conducted for the introduction tests of plants of the species of the genus Isodon (Schrad. Ex Benth.) Spach. Representatives of this genus by number of species are most concentrated in East Asia – China, Korea and Japan, where they have long been known as medicinal plants and are used in traditional medicine, in particular, for the treatment of oncological diseases.In Ukraine, the Isodon genus is little known. During 2012–2018, the object of complex research was Isodon japonicus (N. Z. Burm) Hara var. glaucocalyx (Maxim.) H.W. Li. The article presents the results of studying the large life cycle of this plant species during the introduction. To establish age periods and plant conditions, classical methodical approaches are applied.The descriptive part of the work presents key morphological features that reflect changes in the shoot and root systems that a plant experiences during life. According to the duration of the study period, it was found that individuals of I. japonicus var. glaucocalyx undergo pregenerative and generative periods of development and all age states corresponding to them. It has been established that seedlings are characterized by the presence of two cotyledon leaves of a renal form, having a notch at the apex, and fragmentary lignification of root sections, which is a rather rare phenomenon. Juvenile plants lose cotyledon leaves, the shoot from the round becomes four-sided, the main root thickens. In immature plants, the shoot is stretched by lengthening the internodes, the leaves acquire the signs and dimensions of the present. In the virginal state, second-order shoots develop in plants, rhizome begins to form. For young generative individuals, there are 2–3 shoots, the development of a pair of skeletal roots, the beginning of the formation of caudex. This age condition begins for the vast majority of individuals in the first year of life. Adult generative plants reach a maximum in the development of the shoot and root systems: they have 3–5 vegetative-generative shoots, many-headed dense caudex. Spring renewal takes place: from the renewal buds – vegetative-generative shoots, dormant buds – vegetative shoots and from the buds of the plagiotropic rhizomes – partial single-shoot plants. This age condition lasts for three years. The age state of old generative individuals begins from the sixth year of plant life and is characterized by attenuation of organ-forming processes. This leads to a weakening of the escapes and root system and to the disruptive irreversible changes of the latter

Stock structure of Trachurus picturatus from the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea using microsatellite DNA markers

Stock structure of Trachurus picturatus from the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea using microsatellite DNA markers

Metapop: An individual-based model for simulating the evolution of tree populations in spatially and temporally heterogeneous landscapes.

Metapop is a stochastic individual-based simulation program. It uses quantitative genetics theory to produce an explicit description of the typical life cycle of monoecious and hermaphroditic plant species. Genome structure, the relationship between genotype and phenotype, and the effects of landscape heterogeneity on each individual can be finely parameterized by the user. Unlike most existing simulation packages, Metapop can simulate phenotypic plasticity, which may have a genetic component, and assortative mating, two important features of tree species. Each simulation is parameterized through text files, and raw data are generated recurrently, describing the allelic state of each quantitative trait locus involved in phenotypic variability. The data can be generated in Genepop or Fstat format, and may thus be analysed with other existing packages. Metapop also automatically computes a range of populations statistics, enabling the user to monitor evolutionary dynamics directly, from gene to metapopulation level.

Biodiversity of phytoplankton cyst assemblages in surface sediments of the Black Sea based on metabarcoding

Resting stages are common for the life cycle of some phytoplankton species, including blooming and potentially toxic species. The “seed bank” accumulated in the sediments can initiate blooms in the water column and could be an early warning signal of harmful algal blooms (HABs). In order to identify the phytoplankton cyst assemblages, thirteen surface sediment samples were collected from different sites in the Black Sea. The diversity of the resting stages was assessed using high-throughput sequencing metabarcoding (V7-9 hypervariable region of the 18S rDNA). One hundred and eighty microalgal species were identified with high level of similarity to the reference sequences. Dinoflagellates were dominated by Biecheleria, Gymnodinium and Karlodinium. Within diatoms, Skeletonema, Chaetoceros and Thalassiosira were the most abundant genera. Sixteen of the detected operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were assigned to harmful microalgae (12 dinoflagellates species, 1 diatom, 1 haptophyte and 2 raphidophytes). No pattern of microalgal sequences depth distribution was discriminated. The results show that DNA metabarcoding has a great potential for assessment of the phytoplankton diversity in environmental sediments.

Exposure of Folsomia candida (Willem 1902) to teflubenzuron over three generations – Increase of toxicity in the third generation

The potential implications of long-term exposure to contaminants are not covered by current standard toxicity guidelines, usually referring to one generation and a fraction of the life cycle of the test species. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to assess the effects of the multigenerational exposure (generation 1–3: F1-F3) of Folsomia candida to an insect growth regulator (IGR) compound: teflubenzuron (TFB). The selected endpoints included both the standard ones as in the OECD and ISO guidelines (survival, reproduction, and avoidance) as well as additional ones (organisms size and cellular oxidative stress markers: acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, lipid peroxidation). Although no avoidance behaviour was recorded at field-relevant concentrations (PEC (Predicted Environmental Concentration) = 0.06 mg/kg soil dry weigh (dwt)), survival and reproduction were impacted (LC50 = 0.1 mg/kg soil dwt; EC50 = 0.05 mg/kg soil dwt). Multigenerational exposure to TFB caused increased toxicity in F. candida in F3 in terms of survival and reproduction. This could be related to the mode of action of TFB which does not seem to activate some of the general stress mechanisms of response like oxidative stress. In addition, TFB causes a reduction of the organisms’ size, with a reduction of the number of large-sized juveniles, which has potential adverse consequences in terms of organisms’ performance, e.g. change in age structure and hence population dynamics. Hence, both observations may increase the environmental concern and associated risk of this insecticide.

Demographic costs and benefits of natural regeneration during tropical forest restoration

For tropical forest restoration to result in long-term biodiversity gains, native trees must establish self-sustaining populations in degraded sites. While many have asked how seedling recruitment varies between restoration treatments, the long-term fate of these recruits remains unknown. We address this research gap by tracking natural recruits of 27 species during the first 7years of a tropical forest restoration experiment that included both planted and naturally regenerating plots. We used an individual-based model to estimate the probability that a seedling achieves reproductive maturity after several years of growth and survival. We found an advantage for recruits in naturally regenerating plots, with up to 40% increased probability of reproduction in this treatment, relative to planted plots. The demographic advantage of natural regeneration was highest for mid-successional species, with relatively minor differences between treatments for early-successional species. Our research demonstrates the consequences of restoration decision making across the life cycle of tropical tree species.

New insight into the species diversity and life cycles of rust fungi (Pucciniales) affecting bioenergy switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the Eastern and Central United States

Research was undertaken to clarify the taxonomic identity of leaf rust (Pucciniales) fungi on bioenergy switchgrass in the Eastern and Central U.S. We integrated internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and partial 28S ribosomal RNA gene sequence data from collections taken from cultivated switchgrass and herbarium specimens, including purported aecial and telial states of Puccinia graminicola and Puccinia pammelii. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses revealed four monophyletic clades: Puccinia emaculata sensu stricto (s.s.), P. pammelii, P. graminicola, and Puccinia novopanici. Results also indicated that P. emaculata s.s. was not affecting cultivated, bioenergy switchgrass. Aecidium pammelii and P. pammelii were distinct phylogenetically from P. emaculata s.s. and grouped within a well-supported clade, demonstrating aecial-telial host alternation for P. pammelii between Euphorbia corollata and switchgrass. Aecidium stillingiae on queen’s delight (Stillingia sylvatica)—a purported aecial state host for P. graminicola—shared identical sequences with the recently described species Puccinia pascua. The latter fungus, however, was recovered within a subclade of P. graminicola. Hence, queen’s delight likely is not an aecial host to P. graminicola s.s. Additional molecular studies are warranted to determine species boundaries within the P. graminicola complex. The majority of contemporary collections from cultivated switchgrass were recognized as P. novopanici. Collectively, bioenergy switchgrass is host to at least three phylogenetically distinct species, presenting a significant challenge to the future selection and breeding of switchgrass with improved rust resistance.

Life cycle and phenology of an Antarctic invader: the flightless chironomid midge, Eretmoptera murphyi

Knowledge of the life cycles of non-native species in Antarctica is key to understanding their ability to establish and spread to new regions. Through laboratory studies and field observations on Signy Island (South Orkney Islands, maritime Antarctic), we detail the life stages and phenology of Eretmoptera murphyi (Schaeffer 1914), a brachypterous chironomid midge introduced to Signy in the 1960s from sub-Antarctic South Georgia where it is endemic. We confirm that the species is parthenogenetic and suggest that this enables E. murphyi to have an adult emergence period that extends across the entire maritime Antarctic summer season, unlike its sexually reproducing sister species Belgica antarctica which is itself endemic to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. We report details of previously undescribed life stages, including verification of four larval instars, pupal development, egg gestation and development, reproductive viability and discuss potential environmental cues for transitioning between these developmental stages. Whilst reproductive success is limited to an extent by high mortality at eclosion, failure to oviposit and low egg-hatching rate, the population is still able to potentially double in size with every life cycle.

Control of Malaria by Blocking Transmission of Plasmodium

Malaria is a major global health problem with the greatest burden in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA). Unfortunately, Nigeria accounts for 25 percent of the world’s malaria burden and it accounts for more deaths than HIV/AIDS. The causative agent of malaria is plasmodium species. This paper reviews the current approaches to inhibiting plasmodium transmission, and the phyto active compound currently in use in the sSA (particularly in Nigeria) with the goal to ameliorate the high incidence of malaria and to correlating it with recent progress and scientific understanding.
 
 Using search engines, several databases including Google scholar, Pub Med, Academic Resource Index, Scopus, etcetera, were utilized to source for relevant publications and literatures.
 
 The complex life cycle of the Plasmodium species (causative agent of malaria) gives room for measures that can disrupt its completion. Several methods are currently being tested and experimented on to disrupt the parasite transmission. The disruption of a cell surface transport protein, Feline Leukemia Virus subgroup C Receptor (FLVCR) that pumps heme out of the cell; Gene silencing-techniques used to reduce the levels of FLVCR in the mosquito gut; Prevention of the interaction between the plasmodium TRAP and the Anopheles Saglin protein, which aid the malaria parasite invasion of the mosquito salivary gland; Prevention of the Interaction of Surface Enolase and Plasminogen of Mammalian Blood, disrupting an important role in ookinete invasion of the mosquito midgut; the use of Plants with antimicrobial peptides(cyclotide), that possess structural similarities to SM1 peptide, an inhibitor of plasmodium TRAP-saglin binding;and Use of Phyto-Active Compounds to Block Plasmodium Transmission. These approaches are novel methods in the control and transmission of plasmodium species/malaria.
 
 Chemically, phytochemicals with structural similarities to artemisinin, (asesquiteterpene lactone containing an unusual peroxide bridge) is thought of to be present in certain plants with antimalarial and other medicinal value.

Germination and morpho-phenological traits of Allium melananthum, a rare species from south-eastern Spain

The germination and life cycle of the rare species Allium melananthum, endemic to southeast Spain, were investigated. One alternating and four constant temperature regimes and two light conditions were tested. Gibberellic acid and cold or warm stratification were used as dormancy breaking treatments. The results showed that light can inhibit seed germination, although the light inhibitory effects varied with temperature. In continuous darkness, seed germination was hardly affected by temperature, but in alternating light/darkness it was sensitive to extreme temperatures of 25 and 10 °C, while mild temperatures of 15–20 °C permitted successful germination. However, a dormant stage was observed in a small fraction of seeds, which was only overcome by warm stratification. By contrast, cold stratification induced strong secondary dormancy. This germination pattern shows that primary and secondary dormancy, temperature and light play pivotal roles as components of the germination-timing strategies of A. melananthum. As regards its life cycle, the juvenile phase in a low proportion of individuals (0.93%) lasted 2 years from seeding, while 56.7% of individuals were capable of producing bulblets in the third year. We suggest that at least two growing seasons post seeding are necessary in the nursery to obtain suitable material for the introduction or reinforcement of A. melananthum populations in their natural habitat.

Will climate change cause spatial mismatch between plants and their pollinators? A test using Andean cactus species

Climate change can disrupt mutualisms by causing temporal or spatial mismatch between interacting species. However, the effects of climate change forecasts on biotic interactions remain poorly studied. In cactus species, pollination constitutes a fundamental process in the production of fruits and seeds. Thus, we aimed to analyse the impact of future climate change on the geographical distributions of 11 cactus species from the southern Central Andes and their spatial match with their pollinators. We used species distribution modelling to forecast the geographic range shifts of these cactus species and their pollinators under two future scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) for the years 2050 and 2070. We predicted geographic range contractions under future scenarios that reached almost 80% for some cactus species. Our results indicate that the geographical distributions of cacti would be constrained by the presence of the pollinator species on which they depend in the present; however, climate change would not cause spatial mismatch between cacti and their animal pollinators in the future. For most cactus species, we predicted an increase in the spatial match with their mutualists under future scenarios. This is the first study that estimates the geographic range of cacti using both abiotic and biotic factors. Given the importance that positive interactions have on the life cycle of many plant species, our approach could be used to better understand the potential effects of climate change, particularly on species that are of special interest for conservation actions.

Moult in Birds of Prey: A Review of Current Knowledge and Future Challenges for Research

Moult is one of three major events in the annual cycle of birds. However, in contrast to breeding and migration, relatively few studies have been carried out on this topic. This is particularly the case with the large group of birds of prey and is partly a consequence of a general lack of appreciation of the relevance of moult within the life cycle of species. This factor is exacerbated by the difficulty in obtaining large enough sample sizes in this group, since some species are scarce and birds of prey are almost always difficult to trap. Nevertheless, moult is an energy-demanding process that takes longer than the breeding cycle and, contrary to the latter, it occurs every year. We stress the importance of the annual moult process for providing a “fixed image” of an individual's biology and underline its utility in furthering knowledge of the life history of each species. In this review we first outline the basic definitions necessary for understanding the moult process, and discuss current information on the moult sequence of European birds of prey, as part of a comprehensive review of the mechanisms of the moult in each group. Secondly, we summarise the main methods used to study, analyse and understand the moult, and indicate how to use these to obtain relevant information. Thirdly, we explain the importance of the moult in the life cycle of birds of prey, and how we can use this information to advance our understanding of the ecology of each species. Finally, we include a view of possible strategies that may be used to improve future research, thanks to advances in knowledge of the moult process. —Zuberogoitia, I., Zabala, J. & Martinez, J.E. (2018). Moult in birds of prey: a review of current knowledge and future challenges for research. Ardeola, 65: 183–207.

Modeling the Offshore Export of Subantarctic Shelf Waters From the Patagonian Shelf

AbstractIt has been suggested that the Subtropical Shelf Front (STSF) could be a preferential site for the detrainment of Subantarctic Shelf Water (SASW) and related planktonic shelf species onto the open SW Atlantic Ocean. The offshore detrainment of SASW and planktonic shelf species might be an exportation mechanism, affecting the population abundances of fishing resources in Argentina, Uruguay, and Southern Brazil. In this study, we characterize for the first time the 3‐D structure of the STSF and the main routes of offshore export of SASW from the Patagonian shelf during austral summer (summer and early fall) and winter (winter and early spring) by using numerical hydrodynamical model results and Lagrangian tracking simulations of neutrally buoyant floats. The transport of SASW toward the open ocean is ~1 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3/s) during summer and ~0.8 Sv during winter. SASW are exported offshore mainly near the Brazil‐Malvinas Confluence region during both seasons. The STSF appears to act as an important retention mechanism for the plankton over the inner and middle shelf mainly during late summer and early fall. Our findings could explain the life cycle of distinct fish species that are distributed in the region, as well as the population abundance variability of such species.

Decline in colonial waterbird breeding highlights loss of Ramsar wetland function

Water resource development on rivers significantly affects life cycles of species reliant on wetlands. However, assessing ecological impacts is often difficult because they are realised over long-time periods and large spatial scales, particularly on highly variable dryland rivers. Thirty percent of all Ramsar wetlands are in drylands. We examined the effects of diversions of water upstream on colonial waterbird breeding at the Narran Lakes, supplied by a highly variable dryland river. Narran Lakes is an important Ramsar-listed wetland in Australia for its provision of habitat for wetland fauna during key life history stages, including colonially breeding waterbirds. We use historical ibis breeding data over five decades (1970–2016) to determine the flow requirements for colonial waterbird breeding and modelled the impacts of water resource management options (current and restoration) on breeding. We identified thresholds (>154,000 ML in 90 days with a secondary threshold of >20,000 ML in the first 10 days) of river flow volume necessary to stimulate breeding. Water resource development reduced the frequency of large flows resulting in ibis breeding by 170%, from 1 in 4.2 years to 1 in 11.4 years. Restoration efforts by government to recover water for the environment was predicted to improve colonial waterbird breeding frequency associated with large flow events to 1 in 6.71 years, representing a 59% reduction from pre-development periods. Our framework has global application as a method for identifying long-term impacts of water resource development on key Ramsar wetland areas. This is important, as few mechanisms exist for assessing impacts and identifying restoration options on the listed criteria for many Ramsar wetlands.

The rust fungus Puccinia arechavaletae, a potential biological control agent of balloon vine (Cardiospermum grandiflorum) in South Africa. I: Biology

Studies on the rust fungus Puccinia arechavaletae, were conducted to determine its potential for use as a classical biological control agent against the alien environmental weed Cardiospermum grandiflorum in South Africa. The production of basidiospores is a crucial stage in the life cycle of this microcyclic rust species, and was determined to optimally occur at 20 °C, under high relative humidity (above 90%), in the presence of free water. The first basidiospores were released from mature telia after being incubated for 4 h under optimum conditions, reaching a peak of production after 24 h. Germination of basidiospores optimally occurred at 20 °C, and they were extremely vulnerable to desiccation. Germinating basidiospores directly penetrated epidermal cells of South African C. grandiflorum within which a vesicle formed, followed by rapid radial colonization of the leaf tissue by fungal mycelium. The first symptoms observed were small chlorotic spots on the leaves from 14 days onwards, with telial pustules appearing between 14 and 21 days post inoculation. The rust P. arechavaletae was shown to be highly pathogenic towards South African C. grandiflorum, causing severe disease symptoms with a detrimental effect on plant health and vigor.

Diet ofOctopus hubbsorum(Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the Coast of Oaxaca, México

In this study, trophic ecology of Octopus hubbsorum (Berry, 1953) was examined in relation to the species life cycle and dry and rainy seasons. A total of 184 individuals were obtained from the commercial artisanal catches at different localities along the coast of Oaxaca, Mexican tropical Pacific, from January 2011 to December 2012. Analysis of digestive tract contents revealed that O. hubbsorum preyed upon 43 different prey species belonging to five zoological groups (Crustacean, Mollusca, Teleostei, Echinodermata and Polychaeta), cannibalism was only occasional. The most important prey was the porcelain crabs genus Petrolisthes, contributing 52.1% and 37.8% to the total Index of Relative Importance, in females and males, respectively. Dietary comparison between different maturity stages revealed significant changes in the diet with maturation. The proportion of empty stomachs observed between the dry (18.75 %) and rainy (12.5 %) seasons did not differ significantly (χ2 = 0.55, P > 0.05). Our results suggest that females likely migrate to shallow areas to feed in preparation for mating, they may do this to increase energy intake prior to egg caring and incubation, a period when they do not feed. The high productivity waters along the coast of Oaxaca seem to be important to the survival of this species because they offer key food resources at a critical reproductive stage.

Linking oceanographic conditions, migratory schedules and foraging behaviour during the non‐breeding season to reproductive performance in a long‐lived seabird

Abstract Studies of the mechanisms underlying climate‐induced population changes are critically needed to better understand and accurately predict population responses to climate change. Long‐lived migratory species might be particularly vulnerable to climate change as they are constrained by different climate conditions and energetic requirements during the breeding and non‐breeding seasons. Yet, most studies primarily focus on the breeding season of these species life cycle. Environmental conditions experienced in the non‐breeding season may have downstream effects on the other stages of the annual life cycle. Not investigating such effects may potentially lead to erroneous inferences about population dynamics. Combining demographic and tracking data collected between 2006 and 2013 at Kerguelen Island on a long‐lived migratory seabird, the Black‐Browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris), we investigated the links between sea surface temperature during the non‐breeding season and behavioural and phenological traits (at‐sea behaviour and migratory schedules) while accounting for different responses between birds of different sex and reproductive status (previously failed or successful breeders). We then explored whether variation in the foraging behaviour and timing of spring migration influenced subsequent reproductive performance. Our results showed that foraging activity and migratory schedules varied by both sex and reproductive status suggesting different energetic requirements and constraints among individuals. Higher sea surface temperatures during late winter, assumed to reflect poor winter conditions, were associated with an earlier departure from the wintering grounds and an extended pre‐breeding period. However, an earlier spring migration and an earlier return to Kerguelen grounds were associated with a lower breeding success. Our results highlighted that behaviour during some periods of the non‐breeding season, particularly towards the end of the wintering period and the pre‐breeding period, had a significant effect on the subsequent reproductive success. Therefore, caution needs to be given to all stages of the annual cycle when predicting the influence of climate on population dynamics. A plain language summary is available for this article.

Brachylaima asakawai sp. nov. (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae), a rodent intestinal fluke in Hokkaido, Japan, with a finding of the first and second intermediate hosts

In the 1970’s and 1980’s, an unknown species of the genus Brachylaima (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) had been recorded from the intestines of Rattus norvegicus and Apodemus speciosus in Hokkaido, Japan. The rodent fluke was characteristic in extending a bilateral vitellarium till the level of posterior margin of anterior testis and in keeping almost the same-sized spherical ovary and testes. In this study, the rodent fluke was rediscovered from A. speciosus, Apodemus argenteus, and Myodes rufocanus in Hokkaido. The resultant parasite collection enabled us to make a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) barcode for tracking its intermediate hosts. The metacercaria of the rodent fluke was detected frequently from the kidney of three species of land snails (Discus pauper, Succinea lauta, and Ainohelix editha). However, its sporocyst with cercariae was found only from the hepatopancreas of D. pauper, a fairly small snail. The wide-spectrum of the second intermediate host seems to increase the chance of transmitting the parasite to various mammals and birds. The use of indigenous land snails as the first and second intermediate hosts, the distinctiveness of the mtDNA sequence, and the characteristic morphology of all the developmental stages prompted us to propose Brachylaima asakawai sp. nov. for the rodent intestinal fluke in Hokkaido. The present field survey suggests that the life cycle of the new species is primarily dependent on a predator-prey relationship between rodents and D. pauper.