Where have all the petrels gone? Forty years (1978–2020) of Wilson’s Storm Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) population dynamics at King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo, Antarctica) in a changing climate

Numerous seabird species are experiencing population declines, and this trend is expected to continue or even accelerate in the future. To understand the effects of environmental change on seabird populations, long-term studies are vital, but rare. Here, we present over four decades (1978–2020) of population dynamic and reproductive performance data of Wilson’s Storm Petrels (Oceanites oceanicus) from King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), Antarctica. We determined temporal trends in population size, breeding output, and chick growth rates, and related interannual variation in these variables to various environmental variables. Our study revealed a decline of 90% in population size of Wilson’s Storm Petrels in two colonies, and considerable changes in breeding output and chick growth rates. Temporal changes in breeding demographics were linked to interannual environmental variation, either causing changes in food availability (particularly Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba) or in nest burrow accessibility due to snow blocking the entrance. With the expected rise in air and sea surface temperatures, the predicted increases in precipitation over the Antarctic Peninsula will likely lead to increased snowstorm prevalence. Additionally, the rising temperatures will likely reduce food availability due to reduced sea ice cover in the wintering grounds of Antarctic krill, or by changing phyto- and zooplankton community compositions. The ongoing environmental changes may thus lead to a further population decline, or at the very least will not allow the population to recover. Monitoring the population dynamics of Antarctic seabirds is vital to increase our understanding of climate change-induced changes in polar food webs

A microsatellite study in the Łęgucki Młyn/Popielno hybrid zone reveals no genetic differentiation between two chromosome races of the common shrew (Sorex araneus)

This study investigated a chromosome hybrid zone between two chromosomal races of the common shrew (Sorex araneus). Gene flow and genetic structure of the hybrid zone, located in the northeast of Poland, were studied using seven polymorphic autosomal microsatellite loci (L9, L14, L33, L45, L67, L68, L97) and a Y-linked microsatellite locus (L8Y). Seventy-five animals (46 of the Łęgucki Młyn race and 29 of the Popielno race) from nine different localities were examined and the data were analyzed using hierarchical AMOVA and F-statistic. The studied microsatellite loci and races (divided into nine geographical populations) were characterized by observed heterozygosity (HO), expected heterozygosities within (HS), and between (HT) populations, inbreeding coefficient (FIS), fixation index (FST), and average allelic richness (A). We found that genetic structuring within and between the two chromosome races were weak and non-significant. This finding and unconstrained gene flow between the races indicates a high level of migration within the Łęgucki Młyn/Popielno hybrid zone, suggesting that evolutionarily important genetic structuring does not occur in interracial zones where races which are not genetically distinct come into contact

Trends of European research and development in district heating technologies

There is a considerable diversity of district heating (DH) technologies, components and interaction in EU countries. The trends and developments of DH are investigated in this paper. Research of four areas related to DH systems and their interaction with: fossil fuels, renewable energy (RE) sources, energy efficiency of the systems and the impact on the environment and the human health are described in the following content. The key conclusion obtained from this review is that the DH development requires more flexible energy systems with building automations, more significant contribution of RE sources, more dynamic prosumers׳ participation, and integration with mix fuel energy systems, as part of smart energy sustainable systems in smart cities. These are the main issues that Europe has to address in order to establish sustainable DH systems across its countries.This research was conducted in collaboration between Wrocław University of Technology (Poland) and Brunel University London (UK). The support for the Polish team was by the Ministry of Science and HigherEducationunderGrantno.50532

Phylogenetic Analysis of Pelecaniformes (Aves) Based on Osteological Data: Implications for Waterbird Phylogeny and Fossil Calibration Studies

) were also assessed. The antiquity of these taxa and their purported status as stem members of extant families makes them valuable for studies of higher-level avian diversification. (sister taxon to Phalacrocoracidae). These relationships are invariant when ‘backbone’ constraints based on recent avian phylogenies are imposed.Relationships of extant pelecaniforms inferred from morphology are more congruent with molecular phylogenies than previously assumed, though notable conflicts remain. The phylogenetic position of the Plotopteridae implies that wing-propelled diving evolved independently in plotopterids and penguins, representing a remarkable case of convergent evolution. Despite robust support for the placement of fossil taxa representing key calibration points, the successive outgroup relationships of several “stem fossil + crown family” clades are variable and poorly supported across recent studies of avian phylogeny. Thus, the impact these fossils have on inferred patterns of temporal diversification depends heavily on the resolution of deep nodes in avian phylogeny

Importance of fat reserves in Wilson´s storm petrel chicks

All petrels store large quantities of fat during nesting period. Several hypotheses have offered explanations for the exceptional accumulation of fat by petrels and that stored in smaller amounts by other birds. Fat reserves of Wilson's storm petrel chicks attain 80% of dry mass. Lipid index increases up to value of 2.0 during nesting period . The aim of our study was to explain the role of fat stores in the nestlings. Stable growth of chicks during first three weeks of life suggests that stochastic variation of chick food provisioning arises from unpredictable snow storms rather than fluctuating food availability at the sea. The lack of correlation between body mass and head, tarsal or wing length rejects hypotheses that chicks accumulate lipid in order to increase their rate of intake of a limiting nutrients. Accumulation of excessive lipid reserves may be a consequence of overfeeding of the chicks by their parents. This strategy protects offspring from death during periods of starvation, when nest entrances are covered by snow

At the root of the early penguin neck: a study of the only two cervicodorsal spines recovered from the Eocene of Antarctica

The spinal column of early Antarctic penguins is poorly known, mainly due to the scarcity of articulated vertebrae in the fossil record. One of the most interesting segments of this part of the skeleton is the transitional series located at the root of the neck. Here, two such cervicodorsal series, comprising reinterpreted known material and a new specimen from the Eocene of Seymour Island (Antarctic Peninsula), were investigated and contrasted with those of modern penguins and some fossil bones. The new specimen is smaller than the counterpart elements in recent king penguins, whereas the second series belonged to a large-bodied penguin from the genus Palaeeudyptes. It had been assigned by earlier researchers to P. gunnari (a species of “giant” penguins) and a Bayesian analysis—a Bayes factor approach based on size of an associated tarsometatarsus—strongly supported such an assignment. Morphological and functional studies revealed that mobility within the aforementioned segment probably did not differ substantially between extant and studied fossil penguins. There were, however, intriguing morphological differences between the smaller fossil specimen and the comparative material related to the condition of the lateral excavation in the first cervicodorsal vertebra and the extremely small size of the intervertebral foramen located just prior to the first “true” thoracic vertebra. The former feature could have resulted from discrepancy in severity of external pneumatization. Both fossils provided valuable insights into the morphology and functioning of the axial skeleton in early penguins