Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea home range and habitat use during the non-breeding season in Assam, India

India is an important non-breeding ground for migratory waterfowl in the Central Asian Flyway. Millions of birds visit wedands across the country, yet information on their distribution, abundance, and use of resources is rudimentary at best. Limited information suggests that populations of several species of migratory ducks are declining due to encroachment of wedand habitats largely by agriculture and industry. The development of conservation strategies is stymied by a lack of ecological information on these species. We conducted a preliminary assessment of the home range and habitat use of Ruddy Shelduck Tadornaferruginea in the northeast Indian state of Assam. Seven Ruddy Shelducks were fitted with solar-powered Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite transmitters, and were tracked on a daily basis during the winter of 2009-2010. Locations from all seven were used to describe habitat use, while locations from four were used to quantify their home range, as the other three had too few locations (<30) for home range estimation. A Brownian Bridge Movement Model (BBMM), used to estimate home ranges, found that the Ruddy Shelduck had an average core use area (i.e. the contour defining 50% of positions) of 40 km 2 (range = 22-87 km2) and an average home range (95% contour) of 610 km2 (range = 222-1,550 km2). Resource Selection Functions (RSF), used to describe habitat use, showed that the birds frequented riverine wetlands more than expected, occurred on grasslands and shrublands in proportion to their availability, and avoided woods and cropland habitats. The core use areas for three individuals (75%) were on the Brahmaputra River, indicating their preference for riverine habitats. Management and protection of riverine habitats and nearby grasslands may benefit conservation efforts for the Ruddy Shelduck and waterfowl species that share these habitats during the non-breeding seaso

Responses of global waterbird populations to climate change vary with latitude

While climate change continues to present a major threat to global biodiversity and ecosystems, most research on climate change impacts do not have the resolution to detect changes in species abundance and are often limited to temperate ecosystems. This limits our understanding of global responses in species abundance—a determinant of ecosystem function and services—to climate change including in the highly-biodiverse tropics. We address this knowledge gap by quantifying abundance responses to climate change in waterbirds, an indicator taxon of wetland biodiversity, at 6,822 sites between −55° and 64°. Using 1,303,651 count records since 1990 of 390 species, we show that with temperature increase, the abundance of species and populations decreased at lower latitudes, particularly in the tropics, but increased at higher latitudes. These contrasting responses to temperature increase according to latitude indicate potential global-scale poleward shifts of species abundance under climate change, providing empirical support for predictions by earlier studies. The negative responses to temperature increase in tropical species and populations are of conservation concern, as they are often also threatened by other anthropogenic factors. Our results suggest that existing biases in studies towards temperate regions could underestimate the impact of climate change on waterbirds and other species

Beyond Site-Specific Criteria: Conservation of Migratory Birds and Their Habitats from a Network Perspective

Many populations of birds depend on networks of sites to survive. Sufficient connectivity that allows movement between the sites throughout the year is a critical requirement. We found that existing international frameworks and policies for identifying sites important for bird conservation focus more at the level of the individual site than on the site network and its connectivity. Only 21% of site criteria acknowledge the importance of movement networks for birds, and such network criteria were mostly (67%) qualitative. We suggest a three-step quantitative approach for informing conservation about the connectivity of bird movements (especially when migrating) from a network perspective, by reviewing current scientific knowledge. The first step is to construct a bird movement network by identifying sites frequently used by birds as ‘nodes’, and then define ‘edges’ from the probability of non-stop flight between each pair of nodes. The second step is to quantify network connectivity, i.e., the extent to which the site network facilitates bird movements. The last step is to assess the importance of each site from its contribution to network connectivity. This approach can serve as a tool for comprehensive and dynamic monitoring of the robustness of site networks during global change

Beyond Site-Specific Criteria: Conservation of Migratory Birds and Their Habitats from a Network Perspective

Many populations of birds depend on networks of sites to survive. Sufficient connectivity that allows movement between the sites throughout the year is a critical requirement. We found that existing international frameworks and policies for identifying sites important for bird conservation focus more at the level of the individual site than on the site network and its connectivity. Only 21% of site criteria acknowledge the importance of movement networks for birds, and such network criteria were mostly (67%) qualitative. We suggest a three-step quantitative approach for informing conservation about the connectivity of bird movements (especially when migrating) from a network perspective, by reviewing current scientific knowledge. The first step is to construct a bird movement network by identifying sites frequently used by birds as ‘nodes’, and then define ‘edges’ from the probability of non-stop flight between each pair of nodes. The second step is to quantify network connectivity, i.e., the extent to which the site network facilitates bird movements. The last step is to assess the importance of each site from its contribution to network connectivity. This approach can serve as a tool for comprehensive and dynamic monitoring of the robustness of site networks during global change

Geographical origin of dabbling ducks wintering in Iberia: Sex differences and implications for pair formation

Los humedales ibéricos naturales y antropógenos del sur de Europa son bien conocidos por sustentar a un gran número de aves migratorias acuáticas del Palaearctico en cada invierno. Sin embargo, la información sobre el origen geográfico de los patos de humedal que pasan el invierno en estos espacios es escasa y se limita principalmente a datos de sonar. Aquí, hemos utilizado marcadores isotópicos para determinar el origen geográfico de machos y hembras de Pintails septentrional, Anas acuta y Anas crecca euroasiática en Extremadura, en el interior de la península Ibérica, sitio clave para invernar los patos de humedal. Además, hemos instalado seis etiquetas GPSGSM en Pintails septentrional para complementar los datos derivados del análisis de isótopos estables. La mayoría (> 70%) de los Pintails septentrional, dentro del primer año calendario, fueron asignados a regiones situadas por encima de los 55° N, volando 2600-5600 km desde sus regiones de procedencia a Extremadura. Los valores promedio de δ2Hf variaron significativamente entre macho y hembra de Pintails septentrional, sugiriendo que los sexos tienen diferentes orígenes geográficos. Los datos de los adultos etiquetados Pintails septentrional apoyan los datos isotópicos, un macho volando más de 5000 km de la costa de la mar Pechora (Rusia). La mayoría (> 70%) de los Teal euroasiáticos, dentro del primer año calendario, fueron asignados a la región situada entre 48° y 60° N y viajaron 1500-4500 km para llegar en Extremadura. Los machos y hembras de Cerceta euroasiáticos mostraron diferencias marginales en valores promedio de δ2Hf. En patos de humedal migratorios, el emparejamiento se produce normalmente en las zonas de invernada, y los patos en su primer invierno pueden reproducirse en la primavera siguiente. Para Pintails septentrional, la formación de parejas en Extremadura podría suceder entre individuos con diferentes orígenes geográficos, lo que podría contribuir a la variabilidad genética de su descendencia.Natural and anthropogenic Iberian wetlands in southern Europe are well known for supporting large numbers of migratory Palaearctic waterbirds each winter. However, information on the geographical origin of dabbling ducks overwintering in these wetlands is scarce and mostly limited to data from ringing recoveries. Here, we used intrinsic isotopic markers to determine the geographical origin of male and female Northern Pintails Anas acuta and Eurasian Teal Anas crecca in Extremadura, inland Iberia, a key site for overwintering dabbling ducks. Additionally, we fitted six Northern Pintails with GPSGSM tags to complement the data derived from stable isotope analysis. Most (> 70%) first calendar-year Northern Pintails were assigned to regions above 55°N, flying 2600–5600 km from their main natal regions to Extremadura. Mean values of δ2Hf varied significantly between male and female Northern Pintails, suggesting that the sexes had different geographical origins. Data from tagged adult Northern Pintails supported the isotopic data, one male flying more than 5000 km to the coast of the Pechora Sea (Russia). Most (> 70%) first calendar-year Eurasian Teal were assigned to the region between 48° and 60°N, travelling 1500–4500 km to arrive in Extremadura. Male and female Eurasian Teal showed marginal differences in mean values of δ2Hf. In migratory dabbling ducks, pairing typically occurs on the wintering grounds, and ducks in their first winter can breed the following spring. For Northern Pintails, pair formation in Extremadura could occur between individuals with different geographical origins, which could contribute to the genetic variability of their offspring.Trabajo patrocinado por: Junta de Extremadura. Proyecto PRI 09C128 Gobierno de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Ayuda GR10174 Confederación Hidrográfica del Guadiana (Ministerio de Medio Ambiente). Ayuda financierapeerReviewe

Successful conservation of global waterbird populations depends on effective governance

Understanding global patterns of biodiversity change is crucial for conservation research, policies and practices. However, the lack of systematically collected data at a global level has limited our understanding of biodiversity changes and their local-scale drivers in most ecosystems. We address this challenge by focusing on wetlands, which are among the most biodiverse and productive environments providing essential ecosystem services, but are also amongst the most seriously threatened ecosystems. Using birds as an indicator taxon of wetland biodiversity, we model time-series abundance data for 461 waterbird species at 25,769 survey sites across the globe. We show that countries’ effective governance is the strongest predictor of waterbird abundance changes as well as benefits of conservation efforts. Waterbirds are declining especially where governance is, on average, less effective, such as Western/Central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and South America. Higher protected area coverage facilitates waterbird increases, but only in countries with more effective governance. Our findings highlight that sociopolitical instability can lead to biodiversity loss and also undermine the benefit of existing conservation efforts, such as the expansion of protected area coverage. Data deficiency in areas with less effective governance could cause an underestimation of the extent of biodiversity crisis. Alternative language abstracts are in Supplementary Information

Mikrovolt T-hullám alternáns

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ISA semantics for ARMV8-A, RISC-V, and ChERI-MIPs

Architecture specifications notionally define the fundamental interface between hardware and software: the envelope of allowed behaviour for processor implementations, and the basic assumptions for software development and verification. But in practice, they are typically prose and pseudocode documents, not rigorous or executable artifacts, leaving software and verification on shaky ground. In this paper, we present rigorous semantic models for the sequential behaviour of large parts of the mainstream ARMv8-A, RISC-V, and MIPS architectures, and the research CHERI-MIPS architecture, that are complete enough to boot operating systems, variously Linux, FreeBSD, or seL4. Our ARMv8-A models are automatically translated from authoritative ARM-internal definitions, and (in one variant) tested against the ARM Architecture Validation Suite. We do this using a custom language for ISA semantics, Sail, with a lightweight dependent type system, that supports automatic generation of emulator code in C and OCaml, and automatic generation of proof-assistant definitions for Isabelle, HOL4, and (currently only for MIPS) Coq. We use the former for validation, and to assess specification coverage. To demonstrate the usability of the latter, we prove (in Isabelle) correctness of a purely functional characterisation of ARMv8-A address translation. We moreover integrate the RISC-V model into the RMEM tool for (user-mode) relaxed-memory concurrency exploration. We prove (on paper) the soundness of the core Sail type system. We thereby take a big step towards making the architectural abstraction actually well-defined, establishing foundations for verification and reasoning.</jats:p

Is Mercury Orange a selective stain for thiols?

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42852/1/10735_2005_Article_BF01005240.pd

Flying Over an Infected Landscape: Distribution of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Risk in South Asia and Satellite Tracking of Wild Waterfowl

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus persists in Asia, posing a threat to poultry, wild birds, and humans. Previous work in Southeast Asia demonstrated that HPAI H5N1 risk is related to domestic ducks and people. Other studies discussed the role of migratory birds in the long distance spread of HPAI H5N1. However, the interplay between local persistence and long-distance dispersal has never been studied. We expand previous geospatial risk analysis to include South and Southeast Asia, and integrate the analysis with migration data of satellite-tracked wild waterfowl along the Central Asia flyway. We find that the population of domestic duck is the main factor delineating areas at risk of HPAI H5N1 spread in domestic poultry in South Asia, and that other risk factors, such as human population and chicken density, are associated with HPAI H5N1 risk within those areas. We also find that satellite tracked birds (Ruddy Shelduck and two Bar-headed Geese) reveal a direct spatio-temporal link between the HPAI H5N1 hot-spots identified in India and Bangladesh through our risk model, and the wild bird outbreaks in May–June–July 2009 in China (Qinghai Lake), Mongolia, and Russia. This suggests that the continental-scale dynamics of HPAI H5N1 are structured as a number of persistence areas delineated by domestic ducks, connected by rare transmission through migratory waterfowl