Comparing Aboveground Biomass Predictions for an Uneven-Aged Pine-Dominated Stand Using Local, Regional, and National Models

Sequestration by Arkansas forests removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing this carbon in biomass that fills a number of critical ecological and socioeconomic functions. We need a better understanding of the contribution of forests to the carbon cycle, including the accurate quantification of tree biomass. Models have long been developed to predict aboveground live tree biomass, but few of these have been derived from Arkansas forests. Since there is geographic variability in the growth and yield of pine as a function of genetics, site conditions, growth rate, stand stocking, and other factors, we decided to compare aboveground tree biomass estimates for a naturally regenerated, uneven-aged loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)-dominated stand on the Crossett Experimental Forest (CEF) in southeastern Arkansas. These predictions were made using a new locally derived biomass equation, five regional biomass equations, and the pine model from the National Biomass Estimators. With the local model as the baseline, considerable biomass variation appeared across a range of diameters—at the greatest diameter considered, the minimum value was only 69% of the maximum. Using a recent inventory from the CEF’s Good Farm Forty to compare each model, stand-level biomass estimates ranged from a low of 76.9 Mg/ha (a different Arkansas model) to as much as 96.1 Mg/ha (an Alabama model); the local CEF equation predicted 82.5 Mg/ha. A number of different factors contributed to this variability, including differences in model form and derivation procedures, geographic origins, and utilization standards. Regardless of the source of the departures, their magnitude suggests that care be used when making large-scale biomass estimates

Investigating Behavioral and Habitat-Use Patterns of Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris) in the Maui Nui Region Using Acoustic Data.

M.S. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2018

Goats Follow Human Pointing Gestures in an Object Choice Task

Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are extremely adept in interpreting human-given cues, such as the pointing gesture. However, the underlying mechanisms on how domestic non-companion species use these cues are not well understood. We investigated the use of human-given pointing gestures by goats (Capra hircus) in an object choice task, where an experimenter surreptitiously hid food in one of two buckets. Subjects first had to pass a pre-test where the experimenter indicated the location of the food to the subject by a proximal pointing gesture. Subjects that succeeded in the use of this gesture were transferred to the actual test. In these subsequent test trials, the experimenter indicated the location of the food to the subject by using three different pointing gestures: proximal pointing from a middle position (distance between target and index finger: 30 cm), crossed pointing from the middle position (distance between target and index finger: 40 cm), asymmetric pointing from the position of the non-baited bucket (distance between target and index finger: 90 cm). Goats succeeded in the pointing gestures that presented an element of proximity (proximal and crossed) compared to when the experimenter was further away from the rewarded location (asymmetric). This indicates that goats can generalize their use of the human pointing gesture but might rely on stimulus/local enhancement rather than referential information. In addition, goats did not improve their responses over time, indicating that no learning took place. The results provide a greater understanding of human-animal interactions and social-cognitive abilities of farm animals, which allows for the provision of enhanced management practices and welfare conditions.© 2020, The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ </p

The vocal apparatus: An understudied tool to reconstruct the evolutionary history of echolocation in bats?

Laryngeal echolocation in bats could have evolved following two scenarios: a single origin from a common ancestor or an independent acquisition inside the two clades Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera. Later, some members of Yinpterochiroptera possibly lost their ability to echolocate. In bats, the larynx produces vocalizations for communication and, in most species, for echolocation. Here, we describe how comparative chiropteran laryngeal morphology is a novel area of research that could improve the understanding of echolocation and may help resolve the evolutionary history of bats. This review provides morphological descriptions and comparisons of the bat larynx and bioacoustics interpretations. We discuss the importance of understanding: (1) laryngeal sound production so it may be linked with the evolution of the chiropteran auditory system; and (2) the evolution of laryngeal morphology to understand the ecological and behavioural aspects of bat biology. We find that a strong phylogenetic signal is potentially the main source explaining macroevolutionary variation in laryngeal form among bats. We predict that the three parameters of sound production in echolocation (frequency, intensity, and rate of calls) are independently modulated by different laryngeal components, but this hypothesis remains understudied in terms of species diversity

Low Frequency Groans Indicate Larger and More Dominant Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Males

Background: Models of honest advertisement predict that sexually selected calls should signal male quality. In most vertebrates, high quality males have larger body sizes that determine higher social status and in turn higher reproductive success. Previous research has emphasised the importance of vocal tract resonances or formant frequencies of calls as cues to body size in mammals. However, the role of the acoustic features of vocalisations as cues to other quality-related phenotypic characteristics of callers has rarely been investigated. Methodology/Principal Findings: We examined whether the acoustic structure of fallow deer groans provides reliable information on the quality of the caller, by exploring the relationships between male quality (body size, dominance rank, and mating success) and the frequency components of calls (fundamental frequency, formant frequencies, and formant dispersion). We found that body size was not related to the fundamental frequency of groans, whereas larger males produced groans with lower formant frequencies and lower formant dispersion. Groans of high-ranking males were characterised by lower minimum fundamental frequencies and to a lesser extent, by lower formant dispersions. Dominance rank was the factor most strongly related to mating success, with higher-ranking males having higher mating success. The minimum fundamental frequency and the minimum formant dispersion were indirectly related to male mating success (through dominance rank). Conclusion/Significance: Our study is the first to show that sexually selected vocalisations can signal social dominance in mammals other than primates, and reveals that independent acoustic components encode accurate information on different phenotypic aspects of male quality

Assortative Mating in Fallow Deer Reduces the Strength of Sexual Selection

Background: Assortative mating can help explain how genetic variation for male quality is maintained even in highly polygynous species. Here, we present a longitudinal study examining how female and male ages, as well as male social dominance, affect assortative mating in fallow deer (Dama dama) over 10 years. Assortative mating could help explain the substantial proportion of females that do not mate with prime-aged, high ranking males, despite very high mating skew. We investigated the temporal pattern of female and male matings, and the relationship between female age and the age and dominance of their mates. Results: The peak of yearling female matings was four days later than the peak for older females. Younger females, and especially yearlings, mated with younger and lower-ranking males than older females. Similarly, young males and lowerranking males mated with younger females than older males and higher-ranking males. Furthermore, the timing of matings by young males coincided with the peak of yearling female matings, whereas the timing of older male matings (irrespective of rank) coincided with the peak of older female matings. Conclusions: Assortative mating, through a combination of indirect and/or direct female mate choice, can help explain th

Applied simulations and integrated modelling for the understanding of toxic and harmful algal blooms (ASIMUTH): Integrated HAB forecast systems for Europe's Atlantic Arc

Reasons for the emergent interest in HABs are abundant, including concerns associated with human health, adverse effects on biological resources, economic losses attributed to recreation, tourism and seafood related industries, and the cost of maintaining public advisory services and monitoring programs for shellfish toxins and water quality. The impact of HABs can potentially be mitigated by early warning of their development. In this regard the project ASIMUTH (Applied Simulations and Integrated Modelling for the Understanding of Toxic and Harmful algal blooms) was borne in order to develop short term HAB alert systems for Atlantic Europe. This was achieved using information on the most current marine conditions (weather, water characteristics, toxicity, harmful algal presence etc.) combined with high resolution local numerical predictions. This integrated, multidisciplinary, trans-boundary approach to the study of HABs developed during ASIMUTH led to a better understanding of the physical, chemical and ecological factors controlling these blooms, as well as their impact on human activities. The outcome was an appropriate alert system for an effective management of areas that are usually associated with HAB events and where these episodes may have a more significant negative impact on human activities. Specifically for the aquaculture industry, the information provided enabled farmers to adapt their working practices in time to prevent mortalities in finfish farms and/or manage their shellfish harvest more effectively. This paper summarises the modelling and alert developments generated by the ASIMUTH project.Versión del editor3,083

Development and Evolution of a Statewide Outpatient Consultation Service: Leveraging Telemedicine to Improve Access to Specialty Care

Despite a robust health care system in the United States, many Americans experience health care disparities as a result of poor access to medical care. Academic medicine plays an important role in addressing health care disparities by providing primary and specialty care for the poor and uninsured. In South Carolina, 43 of its 46 counties are designated as fully or partially Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs), defined as areas with a shortage of medical providers, high infant mortality, and either high elderly population or high poverty rates. To address these health care disparities, an academic medical center in South Carolina created a hub-and-spoke specialty care model using telemedicine in partnership with primary care providers across community settings. Initial private foundation grant funding enabled the development and dissemination of technology to provide remote teleconsultations by physicians at the academic medical center (hub) to patients in their primary care offices (spoke). This model, now supported by recurring state funding and professional billing, provides much-needed services, including psychiatry, nutrition counseling, and various surgical and medical subspecialties, to rural and underserved populations in the state. This manuscript provides a narrative review of the development of this statewide telemedicine service, with an emphasis on identification of stakeholders, technology issues, barriers to implementation, and future directions