Toward Understanding the Ecological Impact of Transportation Corridors
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Fish-Passage Facilities As Ecological Traps in Large Neotropical Rivers
Contributed Paper Fish-Passage Facilities as Ecological Traps in Large Neotropical Rivers FERNANDO MAYER PELICICE∗‡ AND ANGELO ANTONIO AGOSTINHO† ∗Graduate Course in Ecology of Inland Aquatic Ecosystems, Maring´a State University, Maring´a, Paran´a, Brazil †Department of Biology/NUPELIA, Maring´a State University, Maring´a, Paran´a, Brazil Abstract: At present most of the large rivers of South America are impounded. Management plans historically have relied on the construction of fish passages, specifically ladders, to mitigate the impact of these waterway blockages on fisheries and biodiversity. Nevertheless, the design of these facilities is not ecologically sound and they are not monitored continually. Consequently, the real role of South American fish passages in fisheries and biodiversity management is unclear and the results of some studies suggest that ladders are problematic in fish conservation. We examined the characteristics and negative aspects of fish passages within a larger context and considered the notion that these facilities are ecological traps in some Brazilian impoundments. Four conditions are required to characterize a fish passage as an ecological trap: (1) attractive forces leading fish to ascend the passage; (2) unidirectional migratory movements (upstream); (3) the environment above the passage has poor conditions for fish recruitment (e.g., the absence of spawning grounds and nursery areas); and (4) the environment below the passage has a proper structure for recruitment. When these conditions exist individuals move to poor-quality habitats, fitness is reduced, and populations are threatened. To exemplify this situation we analyzed two case studies in the upper Parana´ River basin, Brazil, in which the four conditions were met and migratory fish populations were declining. -
Determination of Tucson, Arizona As an Ecological Trap for Cooper's Hawks
Determination of Tucson, Arizona as an Ecological Trap for Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) Jouie Ames1, Andrea Feiler2, Giancarlo Mendoza3, Adam Rumpf2, Stephen Wirkus2 1University of California, Santa Cruz, 2Arizona State University, 3Universidad Metropolitana P.R. August 2011 Abstract The term \ecological trap" has been used to describe a habitat in which its attrac- tiveness has been disassociated with its level of suitability. To date, fewer than ten clearly delineated examples of them have been found; they are either rare in nature, hard to detect, or a combination of both. It has been hypothesized that the city of Tucson, Arizona is an ecological trap for Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) due to the abundance of prey species, namely columbids, which make up over 80% of the hawk's diet. Overall, more than 40% of these columbid populations are carriers of the protozoan Trichomonas gallinae, which directly contributes to a nestling mortal- ity rate of more than 50% in the hawks. Using an epidemiological framework, we create two SIR-type models, one stochastic and one deterministic, utilizing parame- ter estimates from more than ten years of data from the dove (columbid) and hawk populations in the city. Through mathematical modeling and bifurcation theory, we found that the proportion of infected columbids, does not have an effect on classifying Tucson as an ecological trap for Cooper's Hawks, but by increasing the disease death rate, it can be considered an ecological trap. 1 1 Introduction When the term \ecological trap" was first coined in 1972 by Dwernychuk and Boag [1], it was originally used to describe a natural trap in ones habitat but now is used almost exclusively to refer to anthropogenically induced traps [1,2]. -
Road Ecology Studies for Mexico: a Review
Oecologia Australis 17(1): 175-190, Março 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2013.1701.14 ROAD ECOLOGY STUDIES FOR MEXICO: A REVIEW Alberto González Gallina1,* & Griselda Benítez Badillo1 1Instituto de Ecología, AC, Carretera Antigua a Coatepec, No. 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, México. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] ABSTRACT The main goal of this study is to perform review of road ecology issue in Mexico. More specifically we addressed: 1) a general overview of road construction from pre-Colonial times to the present; 2) a description of the historical background context for understanding modern Mexico´s highway system; 3) a review of the main results of the road ecology studies in Mexico and 4) the Mexican policy on mitigation actions. Finally, we discuss the key points of future research and road policies. There is already some research, mainly in road mortality, which gives us a glimpse of the impact of roads on Mexican wildlife. Mexico has wide diversity of habitats and ecosystems. So, to gain knowledge on the impact of roads on wildlife so that efficient corrective and preventive actions can be planned much more study is required. Unfortunately, most of the studies carried out in Latin America, and specifically in Mexico, were done only over Environmental Impact studies for large scale infrastructure projects. There is still a long way to go in Mexico for roadways to become environmentally friendly, but little by little the issue is gaining importance and hopefully more and more academics, policy makers and people in general will become interested and get involved, so that this goal can be achieved. -
Pollination and Evolution of Plant and Insect Interaction JPP 2017; 6(3): 304-311 Received: 03-03-2017 Accepted: 04-04-2017 Showket a Dar, Gh
Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2017; 6(3): 304-311 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 Pollination and evolution of plant and insect interaction JPP 2017; 6(3): 304-311 Received: 03-03-2017 Accepted: 04-04-2017 Showket A Dar, Gh. I Hassan, Bilal A Padder, Ab R Wani and Sajad H Showket A Dar Parey Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Shalimar, Jammu Abstract and Kashmir-India Flowers exploit insects to achieve pollination; at the same time insects exploit flowers for food. Insects and flowers are a partnership. Each insect group has evolved different sets of mouthparts to exploit the Gh. I Hassan food that flowers provide. From the insects' point of view collecting nectar or pollen is rather like fitting Sher-e-Kashmir University of a key into a lock; the mouthparts of each species can only exploit flowers of a certain size and shape. Agricultural Science and This is why, to support insect diversity in our gardens, we need to plant a diversity of suitable flowers. It Technology, Shalimar, Jammu is definitely not a case of 'one size fits all'. While some insects are generalists and can exploit a wide and Kashmir-India range of flowers, others are specialists and are quite particular in their needs. In flowering plants, pollen grains germinate to form pollen tubes that transport male gametes (sperm cells) to the egg cell in the Bilal A Padder embryo sac during sexual reproduction. Pollen tube biology is complex, presenting parallels with axon Sher-e-Kashmir University of guidance and moving cell systems in animals. -
Response of Endangered Mt. Graham Red Squirrels to Severe Insect Infestation
Trailblazers in the Forest: Response of Endangered Mt. Graham Red Squirrels to Severe Insect Infestation Item Type text; Electronic Thesis Authors Zugmeyer, Claire Ann Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 23/09/2021 14:33:31 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/193336 TRAILBLAZERS IN THE FOREST: RESPONSE OF ENDANGERED MT. GRAHAM RED SQUIRRELS TO SEVERE INSECT INFESTATION by Claire Ann Zugmeyer ________________________ A Thesis Submitted to the faculty of the SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES In Partial fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTERS OF SCIENCE WITH A MAJOR IN WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES SCIENCES In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2007 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. -
Predicting Novel Herbivore – Plant Interactions
Oikos 122: 1554–1564, 2013 doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00527.x © 2013 Th e Authors. Oikos © 2013 Nordic Society Oikos Subject Editor: Dries Bonte. Accepted 10 April 2013 Predicting novel herbivore – plant interactions Ian S. Pearse , David J. Harris , Richard Karban and Andrew Sih I. S. Pearse ([email protected]), Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. – D. J. Harris, R. Karban and A. Sih, Center for Population Biology, Univ. of California - Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA. ISP and RK also at: Dept of Entomology, Univ. of California - Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA. ISP, DJH and AS also at: Dept of Environmental Science and Policy, Univ. of California - Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA. As human-aided range expansions and climate change alter the distributions of plants and their herbivores, predicting and addressing novel species interactions will become increasingly pressing for community ecologists. In this context, a key, sur- prisingly understudied question is: when an exotic plant is introduced, which herbivores will adopt this new potential host? Whether the plant is a weed, an ornamental, or a crop, the development versus non-development of a novel plant – insect interaction can have profound eff ects for both economic and conservation applications. In this paper, we sketch mecha- nistic and statistical frameworks for predicting these interactions, based on how plant and herbivore traits as well as shared evolutionary history can infl uence detection, recognition, and digestion of novel plants. By emphasizing mechanisms at each of these steps, we hope to clarify diff erent aspects of novel interactions and why they may or may not occur. -
Roadside Ecology
Michael Brereton NRS 534 Final White Paper Roadside Ecology There are very few species in the recent history of our planet Earth that have made such a lasting impact on the surface of the world as us. Human activity has left the landscape of our planet forever changed as we continue to expand our territory to fit our exponentially growing population. One of the signs of a rapidly growing civilization is the road. Whether paved or dirt, roads are used by humans to transport ourselves great distances at the cost of our natural surroundings. Roads are a major driver of habitat fragmentation, a term used in ecology to describe the fracturing or dividing of a natural landscape type by an impassible barrier. The creation of roads clears large areas of land and reduces forest cover, furthering an ever-growing loss of habitat for arboreal species to human growth. The constant mowing of roadsides allow invasive exotic species to colonize. Roads can reduce the range for foraging and hunting animals, and those who dare to cross risk death by vehicle. Roads can also change the physical aspect of an environment, causing greater risk to pollution and flooding. In order to continue living in harmony with the flora and fauna of our natural surroundings, we must employ new ideas and technologies to our roads. The study of road ecology will provide the answers we need to have safer roads for both ourselves and our natural world. Road ecology sits at the crossroads between many different scientific fields, including invasion ecology, hydrology, stream ecology, soil science, and many more. -
High Road Mortality During Female-Biased Larval Dispersal in an Iconic Beetle
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (2021) 75: 26 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-020-02962-6 ORIGINAL ARTICLE High road mortality during female-biased larval dispersal in an iconic beetle Topi K. Lehtonen1,2,3 & Natarsha L. Babic2,4 & Timo Piepponen1,2 & Otso Valkeeniemi1,2 & Anna-Maria Borshagovski1,2 & Arja Kaitala1,2 Received: 23 October 2020 /Revised: 10 December 2020 /Accepted: 28 December 2020 / Published online: 16 January 2021 # The Author(s) 2021 Abstract Animals often disperse from one habitat to another to access mates or suitable breeding sites. The costs and benefits of such movements depend, in part, on the dispersing individuals’ phenotypes, including their sex and age. Here we investigated dispersal and road-related mortality in larvae of a bioluminescent beetle, the European common glow-worm, Lampyris noctiluca, in relation to habitat, sex and proximity of pupation. We expected these variables to be relevant to larval dispersal because adult females are wingless, whereas adult males fly when searching for glowing females. We found that dispersing glow-worm larvae were almost exclusively females and close to pupation. The larvae were often found on a road, where they were able to move at relatively high speeds, with a tendency to uphill orientation. However, each passing vehicle caused a high mortality risk, and we found large numbers of larvae run over by cars, especially close to covered, forest-like habitat patches. In contrast, adult females in the same area were most often found glowing in more open rocky and grassy habitats. These findings demonstrate an underappreciated ecological strategy, sex-biased dispersal at larval phase, motivated by different habitat needs of larvae and wingless adult females. -
Translation of the Ecological Trap Concept to Glioma Therapy: the Cancer Cell Trap Concept
Translation of the ecological trap concept to glioma therapy: the cancer cell trap concept. Boudewijn van der Sanden, Florence Appaix, François Berger, Laurent Selek, Jean-Paul Issartel, Didier Wion To cite this version: Boudewijn van der Sanden, Florence Appaix, François Berger, Laurent Selek, Jean-Paul Issartel, et al.. Translation of the ecological trap concept to glioma therapy: the cancer cell trap concept.: The cancer cell trap concept. Future Oncology, Future Medicine, 2013, 9 (6), pp.817-24. 10.2217/fon.13.30. inserm-00851156 HAL Id: inserm-00851156 https://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-00851156 Submitted on 4 Jun 2014 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Perspective Translation of the ecological trap concept to glioma therapy: The cancer cell trap concept. Boudewijn van der Sanden*Δ, Florence Appaix*, François Berger*Δ, Laurent Selek*, Jean-Paul Issartel* and Didier Wion*Ω. *INSERM U836, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Université Joseph Fourier, CHU Michallon, Grenoble, France ; ΔCLINATEC, Centre de Recherche Edmond J. Safra, MINATEC Campus, CEA, Grenoble, France. Ω corresponding author : [email protected] running title: The cancer cell trap concept. 1 Abstract: Viewing tumors as ecosystems offers the opportunity to consider how ecological concepts can be translated to novel therapeutic perspectives. -
The Influence of Economics, Politics and Environment on Road Ecology in South America Alex Bager1, Carlos E
Chapter 50 THE INFLUENCE OF ECONOMICS, POLITICS AND ENVIRONMENT ON ROAD ECOLOGY IN SOUTH AMERICA Alex Bager1, Carlos E. Borghi2 and Helio Secco1 1Brazilian Center for Road Ecology Research, Department of Biology, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, Brazil 2CIGEOBIO (UNSJ‐CONICET), CUIM, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, San Juan, Argentina SUMMARY Rapid economic growth in several South American countries combined with high species diversity in tropical regions has raised great concern among ecologists on the future of wildlife in those areas. One of the con- sequences and drivers of economic growth is widespread infrastructure development. The economic and social development of most countries in South America is a higher priority than biodiversity conservation, especially when compared with transport infrastructure. Over the past decade, several research groups have focussed on the impacts of roads on wildlife in South America. 50.1 The economic development of some countries in South America has strongly influenced the expan- sion of road networks. 50.2 Although there are numerous organisations involved in planning, development and administration of highways, only few of them evaluate the impacts on biodiversity. 50.3 Numerous protected areas in South America are directly and indirectly affected by roads. 50.4 Road ecology is an emerging discipline in South America, and Brazil and Argentina are leading the field. There are enormous challenges to effectively incorporate ecological considerations into the planning, design, construction and operation of roads in South America. While much of the current practise has been adapted from international experience, the time has come to invest in local experts and improve the quality of the scientific knowledge generated from within South America. -
Pollination in Brazilian Syngonanthus (Eriocaulaceae) Species: Evidence for Entomophily Instead of Anemophily
Annals of Botany 96: 387–397, 2005 doi:10.1093/aob/mci191, available online at www.aob.oupjournals.org Pollination in Brazilian Syngonanthus (Eriocaulaceae) Species: Evidence for Entomophily Instead of Anemophily CARLIANNE O. C. RAMOS*, EDUARDO L. BORBA* and LI´GIA S. FUNCH Departamento de Cieˆncias Biolo´gicas, Laborato´rio de Taxonomia Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Rodovia BR 116, km 03, Feira de Santana, BA, 44031-460, Brazil Received: 17 February 2005 Returned for revision: 1 April 2005 Accepted: 7 May 2005 Published electronically: 20 June 2005 Background and Aims The reproductive biology of Syngonanthus mucugensis and S. curralensis (Eriocaulaceae) was studied in areas of ‘campo rupestre’ vegetation in the Chapada Diamantina, north-eastern Brazil. These species are herbaceous and the individuals have a grouped distribution. Their leaves are united in a rosette, and their inflorescence is monoecious, of the capitulum type. The staminate and pistillate rings mature in a centripetal manner on the capitulum. Methods A field study was conducted, including observations concerning the morphology and biology of the flowers, fruit development, insect visits and anemophily, in both S. mucugensis and S. curralensis. Experimental pollinations were also carried out to study the mating systems of S. mucugensis. Key Results Both species flower from June to August. The staminate cycle lasts approx. 7 d, and the pistillate cycle from 3 to 4 d, with no temporal overlap between them on the same capitulum. The pollen viability of S. mucugensis was 88Á6 %, and 92Á5 % for S. curralensis. The inflorescences of both species demonstrated ultraviolet absorbance, and a sweet odour was detected during both the staminate and pistillate phases. -
Agents for Pollination by Durgeshwer Singh
AGENTS FOR POLLINATION Durgeshwer Singh Department of Botany Mahatma Gandhi Central University Agents for Pollination As the pollen is not capable of locomotion, pollination involves some agents for transfer of pollen grains especially in case of cross pollination. Cross Pollination Abiotic Agents Biotic Agents Entomophily Anemophily Ornithophily Hydrophily Cheiropteriphily Malacophily ABIOTIC AGENTS Anemophily (Pollination by air/ wind) Adaptation • Flowers- inconspicuous, usually not brightly coloured or scented • Petals are either small and green or absent • Male flowers are more numerous than female • Anther are versatile so that they swing freely by air currents • Pollen grains are smooth walled, relatively light, small and dry so they can be easily blown away by wind. • In grasses, pollen grains are relatively heavy and hence are not suitable for transport by wind. To overcome this problem, the male flowers are borne in the upper part of the inflorescence and the female in the lower part. • Examples; Most cereals and palms, Member of Salicaceae (Poplar, willow), Betulaceae (Alder, hazel, birch), Fagaceae (Oak, beech), Ulmaceae (Elm), Urticaceae (Urtica) etc. Hydrophily (Pollination by water) Hydrophilous flower are small and inconspicuous like anemophilous Hypo-hydrophily Epi-hydrophily • Pollination takes place completely under • Pollination of flower at the surface of water. water • More common • Example - Vallisneria • Pollination of flower below water level • Whole male flower break and float on the and is found in submerged plants like surface. Najas, Ceratophyllum and Zostera • Female flower are raised to the surface by • Aerenchyma present in anther- float a long spiral stalk. BIOTIC AGENTS Most important agent for pollination • Entomophily: pollination by Insects • Ornithophily: pollination by birds • Chiropteriphily: pollination by bats • Malacophily: pollination by slug and snail Entomophily (Pollination by insects) • Most frequent in Angiosperms.