Alectorioid morphologies in Paleogene lichens : New evidence and re-evaluation of the fossil Alectoria succini Mägdefrau

One of the most important issues in molecular dating studies concerns the incorporation of reliable fossil taxa into the phylogenies reconstructed from DNA sequence variation in extant taxa. Lichens are symbiotic associations between fungi and algae and/or cyanobacteria. Several lichen fossils have been used as minimum age constraints in recent studies concerning the diversification of the Ascomycota. Recent evolutionary studies of Lecanoromycetes, an almost exclusively lichen-forming class in the Ascomycota, have utilized the Eocene amber inclusion Alectoria succinic as a minimum age constraint. However, a re-investigation of the type material revealed that this inclusion in fact represents poorly preserved plant remains, most probably of a root. Consequently, this fossil cannot be used as evidence of the presence of the genus Alectoria (Parmeliaceae, Lecanorales) or any other lichens in the Paleogene. However, newly discovered inclusions from Paleogene Baltic and Bitterfeld amber verify that alectorioid morphologies in lichens were in existence by the Paleogene. The new fossils represent either a lineage within the alectorioid group or belong to the genus Oropogon.Peer reviewe

Foster, but not genetic, father plumage coloration has a temperature-dependent effect on offspring quality

Secondary sexual characters have most likely evolved through sexual selection because such traits indicate the genetic or phenotypic quality of the bearer. While genetic variation in such fitness-related traits should be depleted by directional selection, there are many cases in which variation is higher than expected. One hypothesis explaining this variation is that different phenotypes within a population are adapted to different environmental conditions. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the offspring quality of male pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca, with different degrees of melanin-based dorsal plumage coloration under different environmental conditions. To create different environmental growth conditions and to be able to separate offspring genotype effects from paternal effects on offspring body mass, we used a partial cross-foster design where the brood size was reduced or enlarged by one chick. We also examined the interactive effects of temperature and male phenotype because previous correlative studies suggest such temperature-dependent effects in this species. We show that, while manipulated brood size did not interact with male phenotype to affect offspring quality, temperature during the nestling period influenced the offspring quality of dark and brown foster (but not genetic) fathers. When the temperature was relatively low during the nestling period, foster offspring of black males were lighter than those raised by brown males; the opposite was true if temperature was relatively high. These results add a new aspect to our understanding of how variation in the degree of melanin-based coloration is maintained in wild populations and how phenotypic variation may be maintained in general

Sex-dependent responses to increased parental effort in the pied flycatcher

The optimal number of offspring for males and females may differ, as males and females invest differently in different aspects of reproduction. This creates potential for a sexual conflict leading to reduced residual reproductive value of the sex that experiences exploitation by the other sex. We experimentally investigated (by changing the brood size by one offspring) the effects of increased or decreased parental effort on the future local survival and breeding success of adult pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca), and on the future expression of male ornamentation. In addition, we studied how experimentally changing the brood size affected offspring condition and their recruitment. We show that females (but not males) rearing enlarged broods had lower local survival compared to those rearing reduced or control broods. This indicates a sexual conflict concerning optimal brood size. However, even though brood size manipulation did not affect the local survival of males, it did have an influence on the dorsal melanin coloration of young males. Young males rearing enlarged broods showed a stronger increase in plumage darkness from the current to the next breeding season than those rearing reduced or control broods. This suggests that stress experienced during reproduction might have carry-over effects that influence the complicated melanocortin system and lead to changes in the expression of melanin-based coloration. Alternatively, successful breeding might have stimulated young males to further invest in reproduction in the following season. Taken together these results indicate that both sexes are affected by brood demands, but in different ways

Light-level geolocators reveal migratory connectivity in European populations of pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca

Understanding what drives or prevents long-distance migrants to respond to environmental change requires basic knowledge about the wintering and breeding grounds, and the timing of movements between them. Both strong and weak migratory connectivity have been reported for Palearctic passerines wintering in Africa, but this remains unknown for most species. We investigated whether pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca from different breeding populations also differ in wintering locations in west-Africa. Light-level geolocator data revealed that flycatchers from different breeding populations travelled to different wintering sites, despite similarity in routes during most of the autumn migration. We found support for strong migratory connectivity showing an unexpected pattern: individuals breeding in Fennoscandia (S-Finland and S-Norway) wintered further west compared to individuals breeding at more southern latitudes in the Netherlands and SW-United Kingdom. The same pattern was found in ring recovery data from sub-Saharan Africa of individuals with confirmed breeding origin. Furthermore, population-specific migratory connectivity was associated with geographical variation in breeding and migration phenology: birds from populations which breed and migrate earlier wintered further east than birds from late' populations. There was no indication that wintering locations were affected by geolocation deployment, as we found high repeatability and consistency in C-13 and N-15 stable isotope ratios of winter grown feathers of individuals with and without a geolocator. We discuss the potential ecological factors causing such an unexpected pattern of migratory connectivity. We hypothesise that population differences in wintering longitudes of pied flycatchers result from geographical variation in breeding phenology and the timing of fuelling for spring migration at the wintering grounds. Future research should aim at describing how temporal dynamics in food availability across the wintering range affects migration, wintering distribution and populations' capacity to respond to environmental changes.201

A medium-density genetic linkage map of bovine genome

Tekijäluettelo epätäydellinenvokEJ

A genetic linkage map of bovine genome II

VelmallavokTekijäluettelo vajaa. Capacity of Entry Field "Autag" exceeded

The Indo-European flyway:opportunities and constraints reflected by Common Rosefinches breeding across Europe

Abstract Aim: The configuration of the earth's landmasses influences global weather systems and spatiotemporal resource availability, thereby shaping biogeographical patterns and migratory routes of animals. Here, we aim to identify potential migratory barriers and corridors, as well as general migration strategies within the understudied Indo-European flyway. Location: Europe, Central Asia. Major taxon studied: Common rosefinches. Methods: We used a combination of theoretical optimization modelling and empirical tracking of Common Rosefinches (Carpodacus erythrinus) breeding across a large latitudinal gradient in Europe. First, we identified optimal migration routes driven by wind and resource availability along the Indo-European flyway. Second, we tracked rosefinches from five breeding populations using light-level geolocators. Finally, we compared to what extent empirical tracks overlapped with the modelled optimal routes. Results: In autumn, theoretical wind driven migration routes formed a broad-front corridor connecting Europe and the Indian Subcontinent while the theoretical resource driven routes formed a distinct north-south divide. The latter pattern also reflected the rosefinch tracks with all but the most southerly breeding birds making a northern detour towards non-breeding sites in Pakistan and India. In spring, the resource availability model predicted a similar migratory divide, however, the southern route seemed relatively more favourable and closely matched with the optimal wind driven migration routes. Spring tracking data showed larger overlap with the modelled wind driven migration routes compared to the resource driven routes. Main conclusions: Optimal wind and resource driven migration routes along the Indo-European flyway are seasonally specific and to a large extend do not overlap with one another. Under these conditions, migratory birds adopt seasonally distinct migration strategies following energy minimization strategy in autumn, driven by resource availability, and time minimizing strategy in spring, driven by wind conditions. Our optimal migration models can be applied worldwide and used to validate against empirical data to explain large-scale biogeographic pattern of migratory animals