Detection of Avian Malaria Infections in Wild and Captive Penguins

Forster, 1781) were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the presence of avian malaria antibodies (Ab). Plasmodiurn falciparum sporozoite (R32tet32) and gametocyte (P.F.R27) antigens were used. Specificity of anti-5". demersus, anti-duck, anti-chicken, and anti-turkey IgG labeled with alkaline phosphatase was determined for homologous and heterologous sera of 8 avian species (including 6 penguin species). The penguin conjugate was the most specific for the various penguin species immunoglobulins. It was possible to detect penguin immunoglobulins at a dilution of 10~4•". The relative binding of anti-S. demersus IgG was equal to relative binding of commercial conjugates. Kinetic profiles and overall magnitudes of malarial Ab detected by the 2 antigens were not significantly different. Antarctic P. adeliae were negative for malarial Ab, all New Zealand M. antipodes were positive, and the positivity prevalence of the remaining penguins ranged from 33 to 92%. Antibody titers and the prevalence of infection of wild S. demersus were significantly lower than those reported for captive North American S. demersus

Map of the late Quaternary active Kern Canyon and Breckenridge faults, southern Sierra Nevada, California

Surface traces of the Quaternary active Kern Canyon and Breckenridge faults were mapped via aerial reconnaissance, analysis of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) elevation data, review and interpretation of aerial photography, field reconnaissance, and detailed field mapping. This effort specifically targeted evidence of late Quaternary surface deformation and, combined with separate paleoseismic investigations, identified and characterized the North Kern Canyon, South Kern Canyon, and Lake Isabella sections of the Kern Canyon fault and the Breckenridge fault. The mapping presented here provides definitive evidence for previously unrecognized Holocene and late Pleistocene east-down displacement along the Kern Canyon and Breckenridge faults. Our results indicate that much of the Kern Canyon fault has undergone Quaternary reactivation to accommodate internal deformation of the otherwise rigid Sierra Nevada block. This deformation reflects ongoing, seismogenic crustal thinning in the southern Sierra Nevada, and highlights the effects of localized tectonic forces operating in this part of the Sierra Nevada

The Shear Deformation Zone and the Smoothing of Faults With Displacement

International audienceWe use high-resolution earthquake locations to characterize the three-dimensional structure of active faults in California and how it evolves with fault structural maturity. We investigate the distribution of aftershocks of several recent large earthquakes that occurred on continental strike slip faults of various structural maturity (i.e. various cumulative fault displacement, length, initiation age and slip rate). Aftershocks define a tabular zone of shear deformation surrounding the mainshock rupture plane. Comparing this to geological observations, we conclude that this results from the re-activation of secondary faults. We observe a rapid fall off of the number of aftershocks at a distance range of 0.06-0.22 km from the main fault surface of mature faults, and 0.6-1.0 km from the fault surface of immature faults. The total width of the active shear deformation zone surrounding the main fault plane reaches 1.0-2.5 km and 6-9 km for mature and immature faults, respectively. We find that the width of the shear deformation zone decreases as a power law with cumulative fault displacement. Comparing with a dynamic rough fault model, we infer that the narrowing of the shear deformation zone agrees quantitatively with earlier estimates of the smoothing of faults with displacement, both of which are aspects of fault wear. We find that earthquake stress drop decreases with fault displacement and hence with increased smoothness and/or slip rate. This may result from fault healing or the effect of roughness on friction