Feldvögel im Kreis Höxter (NRW) – Habitatnutzung und Auswirkungen des Anbaus nachwachsender Rohstoffe auf die Avifauna

Durch die politisch beschlossene Energiewende wird zunehmend auf einen Energiemix aus erneuerbaren Energien gesetzt. In der Kulturlandschaft spiegelt sich der in den letzten Jahren gestiegene Anteil erneuerbarer Energien an der Versorgung der Bundesrepublik deutlich wider. Neben Windkraft- und Photovoltaikanlagen ist dabei vor allem der steigende Anteil an Biogasanlagen auffällig. Wurden 2007 im Kreis Höxter 13 Anlagen betrieben, so ist ihre Zahl im Jahr 2010 bereits auf 33 gestiegen (Bioenergie- Region Kulturland Kreis Höxter, schriftl. 2011). Diese dem Bundestrend entsprechende Entwicklung ist mit einer deutlichen Zunahme von Maisund Rapskulturen verbunden. Die auf diesen Flächen erzielte Ernte wird zum größten Teil einer energetischen Nutzung zugeführt. Insgesamt stieg die Anbaufläche für nachwachsende Rohstoffe in Deutschland zwischen 1993 und 2007 von 200.000 ha auf annähernd 1,6 Mio. ha, was einem Anteil von 13 % an der Gesamtackerfläche des Landes entspricht (MENGEL et al. 2010). Im Kreis Höxter wurden im Jahr 2010 10,7 % der Ackerflächen für den Anbau von Biomasse genutzt (LWK NRW 2011). Die Entwicklung des Bioenergiesektors lässt sich an der Steigerung des Flächenanteils für Maisund Rapskulturen verfolgen. So nahm dieser in den letzten 15 Jahren im Kreis Höxter deutlich zu. Allein von 1995 bis 2007 erhöhte sich der Flächenanteil von 14,6 auf 20,7 % (vgl. Abb.1). Diese Entwicklung ist als gesamteuropäischer Trend zu sehen (CHAMBERLAIN et al. 2000). Generell hat sich die Tendenz zu Energiepflanzenkulturen in den vergangenen Jahren verstärkt (FLADE et al. 2008). Die Beschränkung auf wenige, intensiv genutzte Feldfruchtarten führte und führt zu einem gebietsweise starken Verlust an Biodiversität (BAUMANN et al. 2007; UBA 2011; WIERSBINSKI et al. 2007). Die gestiegene Nachfrage an Flächen für Energiepflanzen hatte eine vermehrte Umwandlung von Stilllegungsflächen in Mais- und Rapsfelder zur Folge (JOEST 2008, ILLNER 2007). Die bis 2007 auf diesen Flächen durchgesetzte verpflichtende Stilllegung wurde im Zuge des Rohstoffanbaus für erneuerbare Energien im Jahr 2009 endgültig abgeschafft. Auch eine obligatorische Stilllegung von Flächen wird seit diesem Zeitpunkt nicht mehr finanziell unterstützt (LANDWIRTSCHAFTSKAMMER NRW 2011). Dieser Trend wirkt sich besonders negativ auf die Bestandstrends vieler Vogelarten aus (FLADE et al. 2008). So konnte beispielsweise in der Hellwegbörde eine rückläufige Brutbestandsentwicklung der Wiesenweihe im Zuge des Umbruchs von Brachflächen festgestellt werden (JOEST 2008). Auch die Entwicklung der Grauammerbestände lässt sich direkt an der Verfügbarkeit von Brachflächen messen (DZIEWIATY & BERNARDY 2007). Seit dem Jahr 2010 wird der Kreis Höxter als Bioenergieregion gefördert (BMELV). Das Fachgebiet Landschaftsökologie und Naturschutz der Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe am Standort Höxter (Leiter: Prof. Dr. Ulrich RIEDL) wurde vom Kreis Höxter mit Begleitforschungen zu den Auswirkungen des Biomasseanbaus auf die landschaftliche und biologische Vielfalt im Kulturland Kreis Höxter beauftragt. Die hier dargestellten Daten zur Habitatnutzung und Siedlungsdichte für die Avifauna sind Ergebnisse dieser Begleitforschungen, die in den Jahren 2010 und 2011 durchgeführt wurden. Dabei wurden hauptsächlich die Vogelarten der offenen Feldfluren – die so genannten Feldvögel (vgl. HÖTKER 2004) – betrachtet

Lifetime development of behavioural phenotype in the house mouse (Mus musculus)

Brust V, Schindler PM, Lewejohann L. Lifetime development of behavioural phenotype in the house mouse (Mus musculus). Frontiers in Zoology. 2015;12(Suppl. 1): S17.With each trajectory taken during the ontogeny of an individual, the number of optional behavioural phenotypes that can be expressed across its life span is reduced. The initial range of phenotypic plasticity is largely determined by the genetic material/composition of the gametes whereas interacting with the given environment shapes individuals to adapt to/cope with specific demands. In mammalian species, the phenotype is shaped as the foetus grows, depending on the environment in the uterus, which in turn depends on the outer environment the mother experiences during pregnancy. After birth, a complex interaction between innate constitution and environmental conditions shapes individual lifetime trajectories, bringing about a wide range of diversity among individual subjects. In laboratory mice inbreeding has been systematically induced in order to reduce the genetic variability between experimental subjects. In addition, within most laboratories conducting behavioural phenotyping with mice, breeding and housing conditions are highly standardised. Despite such standardisation efforts a considerable amount of variability persists in the behaviour of mice. There is good evidence that phenotypic variation is not merely random but might involve individual specific behavioural patterns consistent over time. In order to understand the mechanisms and the possible adaptive value of the maintenance of individuality we review the emergence of behavioural phenotypes over the course of the life of (laboratory) mice. We present a literature review summarizing developmental stages of behavioural development of mice along with three illustrative case studies. We conclude that the accumulation of environmental differences and experiences lead to a “mouse individuality” that becomes increasingly stable over the lifetime

Vintage venoms: proteomic and pharmacological stability of snake venoms stored for up to eight decades

For over a century, venom samples from wild snakes have been collected and stored around the world. However, the quality of storage conditions for "vintage" venoms has rarely been assessed. The goal of this study was to determine whether such historical venom samples are still biochemically and pharmacologically viable for research purposes, or if new sample efforts are needed. In total, 52 samples spanning 5 genera and 13 species with regional variants of some species (e.g., 14 different populations of Notechis scutatus) were analysed by a combined proteomic and pharmacological approach to determine protein structural stability and bioactivity. When venoms were not exposed to air during storage, the proteomic results were virtually indistinguishable from that of fresh venom and bioactivity was equivalent or only slightly reduced. By contrast, a sample of Acanthophis antarcticus venom that was exposed to air (due to a loss of integrity of the rubber stopper) suffered significant degradation as evidenced by the proteomics profile. Interestingly, the neurotoxicity of this sample was nearly the same as fresh venom, indicating that degradation may have occurred in the free N- or C-terminus chains of the proteins, rather than at the tips of loops where the functional residues are located. These results suggest that these and other vintage venom collections may be of continuing value in toxin research. This is particularly important as many snake species worldwide are declining due to habitat destruction or modification. For some venoms (such as N. scutatus from Babel Island, Flinders Island, King Island and St. Francis Island) these were the first analyses ever conducted and these vintage samples may represent the only venom ever collected from these unique island forms of tiger snakes. Such vintage venoms may therefore represent the last remaining stocks of some local populations and thus are precious resources. These venoms also have significant historical value as the Oxyuranus venoms analysed include samples from the first coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) collected for antivenom production (the snake that killed the collector Kevin Budden), as well as samples from the first Oxyuranus microlepidotus specimen collected after the species' rediscovery in 1976. These results demonstrate that with proper storage techniques, venom samples can retain structural and pharmacological stability. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics of non-model organisms. Biological significance: •These results show that with proper storage venoms are useful for decades.•These results have direct implications for the use of rare venoms

Synthetic α-Conotoxin Mutants as Probes for Studying Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and in the Development of Novel Drug Leads

α-Conotoxins are peptide neurotoxins isolated from venomous marine cone snails that are potent and selective antagonists for different subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). As such, they are valuable probes for dissecting the role that nAChRs play in nervous system function. In recent years, extensive insight into the binding mechanisms of α-conotoxins with nAChRs at the molecular level has aided in the design of synthetic analogs with improved pharmacological properties. This review examines the structure-activity relationship studies involving α-conotoxins as research tools for studying nAChRs in the central and peripheral nervous systems and their use towards the development of novel therapeutics

Individuality in cognition and personality : case studies in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)and cavies (Cavia aperea, Cavia aperea f. porcellus)

Brust V. Individuality in cognition and personality : case studies in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)and cavies (Cavia aperea, Cavia aperea f. porcellus). Bielefeld; 2014

Data for Domestication effects on behavioural traits and learning performance: comparing wild cavies to guinea pigs

Brust V, Günther A. Data for Domestication effects on behavioural traits and learning performance: comparing wild cavies to guinea pigs. Bielefeld University; 2015

Stability of the guinea pigs personality - cognition - linkage over time

Brust V, Günther A. Stability of the guinea pigs personality - cognition - linkage over time. BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES. 2017;134:4-11.In human psychological research, personality traits as well as cognitive traits are usually validated for both, their stability over time and contexts. While stability over time gives an estimate on how genetically fixated a trait can be, correlations across traits have the power to reveal linkages or trade - offs. In animals, these validations have widely been done for personality but not for cognitive traits. We tested guinea pigs in four consecutive discrimination tasks using four unique pairs of objects with two objects of the same form but different size in each pair. The same animals were tested twice each for three personality traits, i.e. boldness, aggression and sociopositive behaviour. The animals did not learn to "always choose the larger item" in the cognitive task but learned to discriminate the two objects of each stimulus pair anew, so that we did test for learning speed in four slightly different task setups. Performance over the four tasks was significantly repeatable as well as all tested personality traits. A stable linkage over time was found between sociopositive behaviour and learning performance, probably indicating an ecological relevance for a correlation between these two traits. Still, not all traits seem to be connected amongst each other, as in our case boldness and aggression are both not linked to individual learning performance. Future studies will hopefully further investigate the repeatability of various cognitive traits in several species and thus lead to a better understanding of the interdependence of personality and cognition. This will help to unravel which suites of traits facilitate individual life histories and hence improve our understanding of the emergence and maintenance of individual differences. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Individual consistency in multiple cognitive performance: behavioural versus cognitive syndromes

Günther A, Brust V. Individual consistency in multiple cognitive performance: behavioural versus cognitive syndromes. ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR. 2017;130:119-131.Individuals within species differ consistently in their behaviour. Such individual differences may represent adaptations. Recently, researchers have started to implement the same adaptive framework to individual differences in cognition, leading to the suggestion that personality and cognition should covary. To determine the contextual consistency of cognitive traits and their covariation with several personality traits, 24 guinea pigs, Cavia aperea f. porcellus, were tested using a battery of 12 cognitive tests. Four tests each were conducted to test for problem solving, association learning and social learning. We assessed consistency within each of these three domains and tested for cognitive and behavioural syndromes between domains. Problem solving and social learning were consistent across contexts and positively correlated with each other. In addition, both correlated positively with boldness, and problem solving showed a negative correlation with aggressiveness and sociopositive behaviour. Association learning was neither consistent nor correlated with personality or performance in the other cognition tasks. We showed contextual consistency of two cognitive traits and found multiple links to personality traits that were predicted by recent theory. Surprisingly, associative learning was not consistent, demonstrating the importance of testing the relation between personality and multiple cognitive traits to increase our understanding of individual variation in cognition and personality. (C) 2017 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Learning and Personality Types Are Related in Cavies (Cavia aperea)

Günther A, Brust V, Dersen M, Trillmich F. Learning and Personality Types Are Related in Cavies (Cavia aperea). Journal of comparative psychology. 2014;128(1):74-81.: The evolution and maintenance of consistent individual differences, so called animal personalities, have attracted much research interest over the past decades. Variation along common personality traits, such as boldness or exploration, is often associated with risk-reward trade-offs. Individuals that are bolder and hence take more risks may be more successful in acquiring resources over the short term. Cautious individuals taking fewer risks may, on the other hand, live longer, but may also gather fewer resources over the short term. According to recent theory, individual differences in personality may be functionally related to individual differences in cognitive performance (i.e., the way in which individuals acquire or use information). Individual differences in the acquisition speed of cognitively challenging tasks are often associated with a speed-accuracy trade-off. Accuracy can be improved by investing more time in the decision-making process or, conversely, decisions can be made more quickly at the cost of making more mistakes. Hence, the speed-accuracy trade-off often involves a risk-reward trade-off. We tested whether 3 personality traits, boldness, activity, and aggressiveness, are correlated with individual learning, associative learning speed, and behavioral flexibility as assessed by reversal learning in wild cavies (Cavia aperea). We found strong positive relationships between all personality traits and learning speed, whereas flexibility was negatively associated with aggressiveness. Our results support the hypothesis that performance reflects individual differences in personality in a predictable way. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)

Data from: Determinants of between-year burrow re-occupation in a colony of the European Bee-eater Merops apiaster

Re-occupation of existing nesting burrows in the European bee-eater Merops apiaster has only rarely – and if so mostly anecdotically – been documented in the literature record, although such behavior would substantially save time and energy. In this study, we quantify burrow re-occupation in a German colony over a period of eleven years and identify ecological variables determining reuse probability. Of 179 recorded broods, 54% took place in a reused burrow and the overall probability that one of 75 individually recognized burrows would be reused in a given subsequent year was estimated as 26.4%. This indicates that between-year burrow reuse is a common behavior in the study colony which contrasts with findings from studies in other colonies. Furthermore, burrow re-occupation probability declined highly significantly with increasing age of the breeding wall. Statistical separation of within- and between-burrow effects of the age of the breeding wall revealed that a decline in re-occupation probability with individual burrow age was responsible for this and not a selective disappearance of burrows with high re-occupation probability over time. Limited duty cycles of individual burrows may be caused by accumulating detritus or decreasing stability with increasing burrow age. Alternatively, burrow fidelity may presuppose pair fidelity which may also explain the observed restricted burrow reuse duty cycles. A consequent next step would be to extend our within-colony approach to other colonies and compare the ecological circumstances under which bee-eaters reuse breeding burrows