19 research outputs found
Seasonal Distribution, Aggregation, and Habitat Selection of Common Carp in Clear Lake, Iowa
The common carp Cyprinus carpio is widely distributed and frequently considered a nuisance species outside its native range. Common carp are abundant in Clear Lake, Iowa, where their presence is both a symptom of degradation and an impediment to improving water quality and the sport fishery. We used radiotelemetry to quantify seasonal distribution, aggregation, and habitat selection of adult and subadult common carp in Clear Lake during 2005–2006 in an effort to guide future control strategies. Over a 22-month period, we recorded 1,951 locations of 54 adults and 60 subadults implanted with radio transmitters. Adults demonstrated a clear tendency to aggregate in an offshore area during the late fall and winter and in shallow, vegetated areas before and during spring spawning. Late-fall and winter aggregations were estimated to include a larger percentage of the tracked adults than spring aggregations. Subadults aggregated in shallow, vegetated areas during the spring and early summer. Our study, when considered in combination with previous research, suggests repeatable patterns of distribution, aggregation, and habitat selection that should facilitate common carp reduction programs in Clear Lake and similar systems
Species Interactions Alter Evolutionary Responses to a Novel Environment
Adaptation to a novel environment is altered by the presence of co-occurring species. Species in diverse communities evolved complementary resource use, which altered the functioning of the experimental ecosystems
In situ air temperature and humidity measurements over diverse land covers in Greenbelt, Maryland, November 2013–November 2015
As our climate changes through time there is an ever-increasing need to
quantify how and where it is changing so that mitigation strategies can be
implemented. Urban areas have a disproportionate amount of warming due, in
part, to the conductive properties of concrete and asphalt surfaces, surface
albedo, heat capacity, lack of water, etc. that make up an urban environment.
The NASA Climate Adaptation Science Investigation working group at Goddard
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, conducted a study to collect temperature
and humidity data at 15 min intervals from 12 sites at the center. These sites
represent the major surface types at the center: asphalt, building roof, grass
field, forest, and rain garden. The data show a strong distinction in the
thermal properties of these surfaces at the center and the difference between
the average values for the center compared to a local meteorological station.
The data have been submitted to Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed
Active Archive Center (ORNL-DAAC) for archival in comma separated value (csv)
file format (Carroll et al., 2016) and can be found by following this link:
<a href="http://daac.ornl.gov/cgi-bin/dsviewer.pl?ds_id=1319" target="_blank">http://daac.ornl.gov/cgi-bin/dsviewer.pl?ds_id=1319</a>
Dos and don'ts of testing the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution
The geographic mosaic theory of coevolution is stimulating much new research on interspecific interactions. We provide a guide to the fundamental components of the theory, its processes and main predictions. Our primary objectives are to clarify misconceptions regarding the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution and to describe how empiricists can test the theory rigorously. In particular, we explain why confirming the three main predicted empirical patterns (spatial variation in traits mediating interactions among species, trait mismatching among interacting species and few species-level coevolved traits) does not provide unequivocal support for the theory. We suggest that strong empirical tests of the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution should focus on its underlying processes: coevolutionary hot and cold spots, selection mosaics and trait remixing. We describe these processes and discuss potential ways each can be tested