Breeding-site fidelity and colony formation in the Great Black-headed Gull

The main study was carried out in April-early May of 1989-1982 at the Koyanly Islands (45.56 N, 34.56 E), the Eastern Sivash, the Sea of Azov, the Southern Ukraine. Some data collected in 1995 and 1999 at Koyanly Islands, Chongar and Kitay Islands were also involved. The total number of breeding Great Black-headed Gulls in 1989 on Koyanly Islands comprised 197 pair (5 colonies, from 4 to 11 nest), in 1990-238 pairs (2 colonies, 207 and 31 pairs). In 1991 Koyanly Islands held a single colony of 50 nests+ one single nest. The colony on Chongar Islands in 1991 contained about 200 nests. In 1992 Koyanly Island held a single colony of 65 nests, Chongar – about 175 nests. In 1995 a colony at Koyanly Islands contained 22 nests, Chongar – 45 nests, Kitay Island – 300 nests. In 1999 the only colony of 420 nests was found at Kitay Island. In 1989 and 1990, fifty-eight adult birds were caught on their nests using alfa-chloralose. All of them were tagged. They gave a total of 461 field sightings. In the length of the four seasons 22 gulls were recorded during 2 successive seasons, 12 gulls during 3 seasons, 1 gull was noticed in all 4 seasons.Основная работа проводилась в апреле-начале мая 1989-1992 гг. на о-вах Коянлы (45.56 с.ш., 34.56 в.д.), Восточного Сиваша. Использовано некоторое количество данных, собранных в 1995 и 1999 гг. на о-вах Коянлы, Чонгарских о-вах и о. Китай (Центральный Сиваш). В 1989 г. на о-вах Коянлы гнездилось 197 пар черноголового хохотуна – (La ru s ichthyaetus Pall.). Птицы были распределены по 5 колониям. В 1990 г. здесь было 2 колонии, общей численностью 238 гнезд. В 1991 г. – 1 колония из 50 гнезд + одиночное гнездо, в 1992 г. – колония из 65 гнезд. На Чонгарских о-вах в 1991 г. во время периода работы колония насчитывала примерно 200 пар, в 1992 г.- 175 пар. В 1995 г. колония на Коянлы составила примерно 22 гнезда, Чонгарских о-вах – 45 гнезд, о. Китай – 303 гнезда. В 1999 г. хохотуны, колония 420 гнезд, были найдены только на о. Китай. В 1989 и 1990 г. при помощи альфахлоралозы на гнездах отловлено 58 взрослых птиц. Все они помечены крылометками. По окончании сезонных работ колонии картировались при помощи рулетки и компаса. За 4 года основной работы меченые птицы встречены 461 раз. В последующие после мечения года встречено 35 птиц: 22 – в течение 2 сезонов, 12 – трех сезонов, 1 – в течение всех 4-х лет работы.Основна робота проводилася в квітні – на початку травня 1989-1992 рр. на о-вах Коянли (45.56 N, 34.56 E), Східного Сивашe. Використано певну кількість даних, зібраних в 1995 і 1999 рр. на о-вах Коянли, Чонгарських о-вах і о.Китай (Центральний Сиваш). У 1989 р на о-вах Коянли гніздилосz 197 пар мартина каспійського – (Larus ichthyaetus Pall.). Птахи були розподілені по 5 колоніях. У 1990 році тут було 2 колонії, загальною чисельністю 238 гнізд. У 1991 р – 1 колонія з 50 гнізд + одиночне гніздо, в 1992 г. – колонія з 65 гнізд. На Чонгарських о-вах в 1991 році під час періоду роботи колонія налічувала приблизно 200 пар, в 1992 г.- 175 пар. У 1995 році колонія на Коянли складала приблизно 22 гнізда, на Чонгарських о-вах – 45 гнізд, о. Китай – 303 гнізда. У 1999 р. мартини, колонія 420 гнізд, були знайдені тільки на о. Китай. У 1989 і 1990 г. за допомогою альфахлоралози на гніздах виловлено 58 дорослих птахів. Всі вони позначені криломіткамі. Після закінчення сезонних робіт колонії наносили на мапу за допомогою рулетки і компаса. За 4 роки основної роботи мічені птахи зустрінуті 461 разів. У наступні після мічення роки зустрічено 35 птахів: 22 – протягом 2 сезонів, 12 – трьох сезонів, 1 мартин – протягом всіх 4-х років роботи

Wild bird surveillance around outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) virus in the Netherlands, 2014, within the context of global flyways

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) viruses that emerged in poultry in east Asia since 2010 spread to Europe and North America by late 2014. Despite detections in migrating birds, the role of free-living wild birds in the global dispersal of H5N8 virus is unclear. Here, wild bird sampling activities in response to the H5N8 virus outbreaks in poultry in the Netherlands are summarised along with a review on ring recoveries. HPAI H5N8 virus was detected exclusively in two samples from ducks of the Eurasian wigeon species, among 4,018 birds sampled within a three months period from mid-November 2014. The H5N8 viruses isolated from wild birds in the Netherlands were genetically closely related to and had the same gene constellation as H5N8 viruses detected elsewhere in Europe, in Asia and in North America, suggesting a common origin. Ring recoveries of migratory duck species from which H5N8 viruses have been isolated overall provide evidence for indirect migratory connections between East Asia and Western Europe and between East Asia and North America. This study is useful for better understanding the role of wild birds in the global epidemiology of H5N8 viruses. The need for sampling large numbers of wild birds for the detection of H5N8 virus and H5N8-virus-specific antibodies in a variety of species globally is highlighted, with specific emphasis in north-eastern Europe, Russia and northern China

Electrochemical stability and transformations of fluorinated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)

Fluorination of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) leads to narrowing of its window of electrochemical stability in a cathodic range of potentials. It is found this is connected with appearance of both perfluorinated and incompletely fluorinated units in the polymer. The former units are liable to electrochemical reduction (at potentials <−2.0 V) followed by elimination of fluorine anions and the latter react with basic products (generated at potentials <−1.8 V) of electrochemical reduction of the background solution. In the both cases this results in appearance of conjugated multiple bonds in the fluorinated macromolecules. Quantities of these units in fluorinated PPO were determined with a help of direct and indirect electrochemical reductive degradation techniques

Reactions and stability of fluorinated poly(vinyl trimethylsilane) in electrochemical systems

Fluorinated poly(vinyl trimethylsilane) (FPVTMS) unlike virgin PVTMS is able to participate in electrochemical reactions and undergoes direct and indirect electrochemical reductive degradation. Specifically, its perfluorinated units are reduced irreversibly at a glass carbon electrode in a 0.05-M (C4H9)4ClO4 solution in dimethylformamide with subsequent splitting of C–F bonds and formation of conjugated double bonds in macromolecules at the polymer surface. On the other hand, the incompletely fluorinated units at the FPVTMS surface interact with the previously electrochemically reduced background solution to be dehydrofluorinated. This is accompanied by the formation of conjugated double bonds and dissolution of the dehydrofluorinated layer also. The data obtained allowed distinguishing the incompletely fluorinated units from the perfluorinated ones in the fluorinated layer of FPVTMS. Moreover, the quantity of the incompletely fluorinated units in FPVTMS can be determined. It was found that the strengthening of fluorination conditions led to an enhancement of the electrochemically induced FPVTMS transformations