Conservation of the Patchily Distributed and Declining Purple-Crowned Fairy-Wren (Malurus coronatus coronatus) across a Vast Landscape: The Need for a Collaborative Landscape-Scale Approach

Conservation of species that are patchily distributed must consider processes that influence both the occurrence of individuals within patches, and the persistence of populations across multiple habitat patches within the landscape. Here we present a rare regional assessment of the population size and distribution of a patchily distributed, threatened species, the purple-crowned fairy-wren (Malurus coronatus coronatus), across a vast landscape. We used data from aerial vegetation mapping of waterways, with on-ground bird surveys to predict the occurrence of suitable habitat for M. c. coronatus across 14 catchments in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Suitable habitat was extremely limited (305 km of riparian vegetation) and fragmented (342 patches) along the 2700 km of waterway surveyed within catchments where the species occurs. Populations were predicted to be large on the Fitzroy, Durack and Drysdale catchments, and small on the Isdell and northern Pentecost catchments, and a total population of 2834 to 4878 individuals could be supported. The sub-populations spanned numerous patches of habitat across multiple properties of varying tenure. Therefore, a landscape-scale approach to conservation management, across multiple tenures, is critical to safe-guard connectivity within populations. The greatest benefit may be achieved by a combination of broad-scale actions to reduce the impact of ubiquitous threatening processes, and fine-scale targeted effort in areas where populations are most vulnerable. Controlling access of stock to waterways and management of fire are most important to conserve suitable habitat. Such a landscape-scale approach to conservation may be of benefit to other patchily distributed species.Financial support for this project was provided by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (www.australianwildlife.org), the Western Australian (WA) Department of Environment and Conservation (www.dec.wa.gov.au), a Threatened Species Network Community Grant (www.wwf.org.au; NTNS01/108), the WA Department of the Environment and Water Resources and the Australian Academy of Science (science.org.au). Additional financial support was provided by the Diversicon Foundation, the Allen Keast and Stuart Leslie Awards (Birds Australia: birdlife.org.au), the Australian Geographic Society (www.australiangeographic. com.au), the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia (www.wpsa.org.au) and the Linnean Society of NSW (linneansocietynsw.org.au). A. Skroblin was supported by an Australian National University postgraduate scholarship (www.anu.edu.au). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Prevalence of Sarcocystis calchasi in free-ranging host species: Accipiter hawks and Common Woodpigeon in Germany

The apicomplexan parasite Sarcocystis calchasi (S. calchasi) triggers pigeon protozoal encephalitis, a neurologic disease in columbids. Accipiter hawks have been identified as the final host, and Columbidae and Psittaciformes as intermediate hosts. In this study, 368 free-ranging Accipiter hawks and 647 free-ranging common woodpigeons were sampled in a country-wide study in order to identify the prevalence of S. calchasi in these populations. A semi-nested PCR specific for S. calchasi tested positive in 7.3% (4.9-10.5) of submitted samples from Accipiter hawks. Juvenile Accipiter hawks (13.7%; 7.7-22.0) had a significantly higher infection rate with S. calchasi than adult Accipiter hawks (5.8%; 2.7-9.3). The prevalence of S. calchasi in common woodpigeons was 3.3% (5.4-9.7). Positive pigeons were identified in 14/16 federal states, and a region-dependency was detected, with higher rates of infection in the eastern parts of Germany. The results of this study suggest that the common woodpigeon is a natural reservoir for S. calchasi. In a study of one region for four consecutive years, an increase in prevalence was not detected. Findings indicate that the parasite is not newly introduced to Germany, but rather long established. The prevalence suggests that there is a substantial risk of S. calchasi infections in other free-ranging as well as captive host species

Phylogeography and conservation biology of the Purple-crowned Fairy-wren, Malurus coronatus

The purple-crowned fairy-wren (Malurus coronatus) is a declining passerine that is restricted to the dense patches of vegetation that grow along waterways in the wet-dry tropics of northern Australia. The species is threatened by ongoing degradation of riparian habitat caused by the grazing and trampling of introduced herbivores, intense fires and weed incursion. Although the western subspecies (Malurus coronatus coronatus) has been listed as endangered, conservation has been hampered by poor information regarding its distribution and what factors influence its fine-scale occurrence. This thesis aims to rectify these knowledge gaps and produce recommendations for management goals that could improve the conservation of M. c. coronatus, its riparian habitat, and other vulnerable species within the habitat. To validate the use of M. c. coronatus as a separate unit for conservation, we firstly affirmed the genetic and thus evolutionary distinctiveness of the morphologically defined subspecies of purple-crowned fairy-wren (M. c. coronatus and Malurus coronatus macgillivrayi). Because M. c. coronatus was of greater conservation concern it became the focus of the subsequent chapters. Extensive aerial and ground surveys, accompanied by an analysis of population genetics, revealed that M. c. coronatus occurs as six genetically divergent sub-populations on the Fitzroy, Durack, Drysdale, Isdell, Victoria and northern Pentecost catchments. The distribution of the species appears to be constrained by three factors: 1) fine-scale vegetation structure, 2) presence of threatening processes, and 3) the extent and spatial pattern of habitat across the landscape. The fine-scale probability of occurrence increased with increasing density of the mid-storey and increasing height of emergent trees, while the presence of potential threatening processes (cattle grazing, fire and weeds) were variously negatively correlated with decreased levels of these important habitat attributes. Suitable habitat for the species was extremely fragmented and widely dispersed along waterways in the Kimberley section of the species distribution. Suitable habitat occurred mainly on pastoral lands. The on-going decline of the purple-crowned fairy-wren signals the need for a targeted approach to conservation management; we suggest a regional plan that outlines management recommendations that are tailored to the specific requirements of each sub-population. The most urgent conservation attention may be required in the smallest subpopulations on the Isdell and Pentecost catchments. These populations are best managed through exclusion of herbivores and careful, fine-scale fire management. Elsewhere however, large and diffuse populations may be better maintained using landscape-scale conservation measures. Although reserves play a vital role in ecosystem conservation, landscape-scale environmental management, undertaken across properties of varying tenure, may be vital to manage widely dispersed species such as the purple-crowned fairy-wren that occur at low density across vast landscapes

The A-kinase anchoring protein GSKIP regulates GSK3β activity and controls palatal shelf fusion in mice

A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) represent a family of structurally diverse proteins, all of which bind protein kinase A (PKA). A member of this family is Glycogen synthase kinase 3{beta} (GSK3{beta}) interaction protein (GSKIP). GSKIP interacts with PKA and also directly with GSK3{beta}. The physiological function of the GSKIP protein in vivo is unknown. We developed and characterized a conditional knockout mouse model and found that GSKIP deficiency caused lethality at birth. Embryos obtained through Caesarean section at embryonic day E18.5 were cyanotic, suffered from respiratory distress, and failed to initiate breathing properly. Additionally, all GSKIP-deficient embryos showed an incomplete closure of the palatal shelves accompanied by a delay in ossification along the fusion area of secondary palatal bones. On the molecular level, GSKIP deficiency resulted in decreased phosphorylation of GSK3{beta} at Ser9 starting early in development (E 10.5), leading to enhanced GSK3{beta} activity. At embryonic day 18.5 GSK3{beta} activity decreased to levels close to that of wild type. Our findings reveal a novel, crucial role for GSKIP in the coordination of GSK3{beta} signaling in palatal shelf fusion

AKAPS act in a two-step mechanism of memory acquisition

Defining the molecular and neuronal basis of associative memories is based upon behavioral preparations that yield high performance due to selection of salient stimuli, strong reinforcement, and repeated conditioning trials. One of those preparations is the Drosophila aversive olfactory conditioning procedure where animals initiate multiple memory components after experience of a single cycle training procedure. Here, we explored the analysis of acquisition dynamics as a means to define memory components and revealed strong correlations between particular chronologies of shock impact and number experienced during the associative training situation and subsequent performance of conditioned avoidance. Analyzing acquisition dynamics in Drosophila memory mutants revealed that rutabaga (rut)-dependent cAMP signals couple in a divergent fashion for support of different memory components. In case of anesthesia-sensitive memory (ASM) we identified a characteristic two-step mechanism that links rut-AC1 to A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAP)-sequestered protein kinase A at the level of Kenyon cells, a recognized center of olfactory learning within the fly brain. We propose that integration of rut-derived cAMP signals at level of AKAPs might serve as counting register that accounts for the two-step mechanism of ASM acquisition

The A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) glycogen synthase kinase 3β interaction protein (GSKIP) regulates β-catenin through its interactions with both protein kinase A (PKA) and GSK3β

The A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP) GSK3beta interaction protein (GSKIP) is a cytosolic scaffolding protein binding protein kinase A (PKA) and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta). Here we show that both the AKAP function of GSKIP, i.e. its direct interaction with PKA, and its direct interaction with GSK3beta are required for the regulation of beta-catenin and thus Wnt signaling. A cytoplasmic destruction complex targets beta-catenin for degradation and thus prevents Wnt signaling. Wnt signals cause beta-catenin accumulation and translocation into the nucleus, where it induces Wnt target gene expression. GSKIP facilitates control of the beta-catenin stabilizing phosphorylation at Ser-675 by PKA. Its interaction with GSK3beta facilitates control of the destabilizing phosphorylation of beta-catenin at Ser-33/Ser-37/Thr-41. The influence of GSKIP on beta-catenin is explained by its scavenger function; it recruits the kinases away from the destruction complex without forming a complex with beta-catenin. The regulation of beta-catenin by GSKIP is specific for this AKAP as AKAP220, which also binds PKA and GSK3beta, did not affect Wnt signaling. We find that the binding domain of AKAP220 for GSK3beta is a conserved GSK3beta interaction domain (GID), which is also present in GSKIP. Our findings highlight an essential compartmentalization of both PKA and GSK3beta by GSKIP, and ascribe a function to a cytosolic AKAP-PKA interaction as a regulatory factor in the control of canonical Wnt signaling. Wnt signaling controls different biological processes, including embryonic development, cell cycle progression, glycogen metabolism, and immune regulation; deregulation is associated with diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory, and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

Magnetic Sample Environment for in situ SAXS WAXS Measurements on Magnetic Nanoparticles with Shape Anisotropy

A vacuum compatible magnetic sample environment has been developed and installed at the four crystal monochromator beamline of the Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt PTB at the synchrotron radiation facility BESSY II in Berlin, Germany. The design is based on a water cooled electromagnetic coil setup and is aimed to provide a magnetic flux density of up to 900 mT at the sample position. The magnetic field is applied in order to align or arrange magnetic nanoparticles which can then be measured using small angle X ray scattering SAXS and wide angle X ray scattering WAXS . This can be beneficial in the analysis of particles with arbitrary shape. The corresponding scattering patterns are collected as 2D images on vacuum compatible variants of the PILATUS 1M and PILATUS 100K detector

Managing phase purities and crystal orientation for high-performance and photostable cesium lead halide perovskite solar cells

Inorganic perovskites with cesium (Cs+) as the cation have great potential as photovoltaic materials if their phase purity and stability can be addressed. Herein, a series of inorganic perovskites is studied, and it is found that the power conversion efficiency of solar cells with compositions CsPbI1.8Br1.2, CsPbI2.0Br1.0, and CsPbI2.2Br0.8 exhibits a high dependence on the initial annealing step that is found to significantly affect the crystallization and texture behavior of the final perovskite film. At its optimized annealing temperature, CsPbI1.8Br1.2 exhibits a pure orthorhombic phase and only one crystal orientation of the (110) plane. Consequently, this allows for the best efficiency of up to 14.6% and the longest operational lifetime, T S80, of ≈300 h, averaged of over six solar cells, during the maximum power point tracking measurement under continuous light illumination and nitrogen atmosphere. This work provides essential progress on the enhancement of photovoltaic performance and stability of CsPbI3 − x Brx perovskite solar cells

Sexual selection on song and cuticular hydrocarbons in two distinct populations of Drosophila montana

Sexual selection has the potential to contribute to population divergence and speciation. Most studies of sexual selection in Drosophila have concentrated on a single signaling modality, usually either courtship song or cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), which can act as contact pheromones. We have examined the relationship between both signal types and reproductive success using F1–3 offspring of wild- collected flies, raised in the lab. We used two populations of the Holarctic species Drosophila montana that represent different phylogeographic clades that have been separate for ca. 0.5 million years (MY), and differ to some extent in both traits. Here, we characterize the nature and identify the targets of sexual selection on song, CHCs, and both traits combined within the populations. Three measures of courtship outcome were used as fitness proxies. They were the probability of mating, mating latency, and the production of rejection song by females, and showed patterns of association with different traits that included both linear and quadratic selection. Courtship song predicted courtship outcome better than CHCs and the signal modalities acted in an additive rather than synergistic manner. Selection was generally consistent in direction and strength between the two populations and favored males that sang more vigorously. Sexual selection differed in the extent, strength, and nature on some of the traits between populations. However, the differences in the directionality of selection detected were not a good predictor of population differences. In addition, a character previously shown to be important for species recognition, interpulse interval, was found to be under sexual selection. Our results highlight the complexity of understanding the relationship between within-population sexual selection and population differences. Sexual selection alone cannot predict differences between populations.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe