The bryophyte flora of nature reserves in central Chile : 1., the moss flora of Los Ruiles Nature Reserve near Talca

The moss flora of the Los Ruiles Nature Reserve, Maule region (VII), central Chile was investigated. Los Ruiles is a small forest reserve dominated by Nothofagus trees and surrounded by plantations of Pinus radiata. The moss species list contains 72 taxa, among which are 36 species newly reported for the Maule region. Several species reach their northernmost known limit in the reserve, including Achrophyllum magellanicum var. magellanicum, Ancistrodes genuflexa, Cryphaea consimilis, Dendrocryphaea lechleri, Lembophyllum orbiculatum, Leptostomum menziesii, Symblepharis krausei, and Zygodon papillatus. To ensure the survival of these rare or local bryophytes, an increase of the proportion of Nothofagus trees in the forests surrounding the reserve is desirable

Bemerkenswerte Schwebfliegenbeobachtungen (Diptera: Syrphidae) aus Niedersachsen und Bremen 2

Zu 40 Schwebfliegenarten werden Hinweise zur Verbreitung in Bremen und Niedersachsen gegeben. Erstmals für den Untersuchungsraum werden Paragus constrictus, Chrysogaster basalis, Chrysogaster rondanii und Callicera rufa gemeldet.Comments on the distribution of 40 hoverfly species in Bremen and Lower Saxony are given. Paragus constrictus, Chrysogaster basalis, Chrysogaster rondanii and Callicera rufa are reported for the first time for this area

Larval ecology of mosquitoes in sylvatic arbovirus foci in southeastern Senegal

BACKGROUND: Although adult mosquito vectors of sylvatic arbovirus [yellow fever (YFV), dengue-2 (DENV-2) and chikungunya (CHIKV)] have been studied for the past 40 years in southeastern Senegal, data are still lacking on the ecology of larval mosquitoes in this area. In this study, we investigated the larval habitats of mosquitoes and characterized their seasonal and spatial dynamics in arbovirus foci. METHODS: We searched for wet microhabitats, classified in 9 categories, in five land cover classes (agriculture, forest, savannah, barren and village) from June, 2010 to January, 2011. Mosquito immatures were sampled monthly in up to 30 microhabitats of each category per land cover and bred until adult stage for determination. RESULTS: No wet microhabitats were found in the agricultural sites; in the remaining land covers immature stages of 35 mosquito species in 7 genera were sampled from 9 microhabitats (tree holes, fresh fruit husks, decaying fruit husks, puddles, bamboo holes, discarded containers, tires, rock holes and storage containers). The most abundant species was Aedes aegypti formosus, representing 30.2% of the collections, followed by 12 species, representing each more than 1% of the total, among them the arbovirus vectors Ae. vittatus (7.9%), Ae. luteocephalus (5.7%), Ae. taylori (5.0%), and Ae. furcifer (1.3%). Aedes aegypti, Cx. nebulosus, Cx. perfuscus, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Er. chrysogster and Ae. vittatus were the only common species collected from all land covers. Aedes furcifer and Ae. taylori were collected in fresh fruit husks and tree holes. Species richness and dominance varied significantly in land covers and microhabitats. Positive associations were found mainly between Ae. furcifer, Ae. taylori and Ae. luteocephalus. A high proportion of potential enzootic vectors that are not anthropophilic were found in the larval mosquito fauna. CONCLUSIONS: In southeastern Senegal, Ae. furcifer and Ae. taylori larvae showed a more limited distribution among both land cover and microhabitat types than the other common species. Uniquely among vector species, Ae. aegypti formosus larvae occurred at the highest frequency in villages. Finally, a high proportion of the potential non-anthropophilic vectors were represented in the larval mosquito fauna, suggesting the existence of unidentified sylvatic arbovirus cycles in southeastern Senegal

The chromosomes of some Tasmanian rodents

The karyotypes of three species of Tasmanian rodents, Rattus lutreolus Grey, 1841 (2n=42), Pseudomys higginsi Trouessart, 1897 (2n=48), and Hydromys chrysogaster Geoffrey, 1804 (2n=48), are described and illustrated. The most sucessful preparation method, from bone marrow,is described and the results discussed in the light of other published results

Hope for resurrecting a functionally extinct parrot or squandered social capital? Landholder attitudes towards the Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) in Victoria, Australia

In early 2010, after 27 years of recovery effort, the orange-bellied parrot (OBP; Neophema chrysogaster) was expected to be extinct in the wild within a few years. Shortly before the imminent wild extinction became evident, we surveyed landholders (114 responses of 783 surveys delivered) in part of the main non-breeding area, according to three classes of modelled habitat suitability (\u27high\u27, \u27medium\u27, and \u27low\u27). Predictions of the habitat models appear to correlate with landholder perceptions of the presence of OBP habitat on private land, thus the models appear a tractable way to identify key stakeholders worthy of priority consultation in relation to habitat works. Landholders were sympathetic to wetlands and birds, including OBPs (89.4% were aware of OBPs). Most indicated that they would be upset if the OBP went extinct and agreed that critical habitat should be protected; 80.7% were prepared to consider changes to the way they managed their land to benefit the species, and sought more information on how they could do so (64.0%). This study suggests that the habitat model usefully identified key stakeholders and the OBP enjoyed high awareness, concern, and engagement among many stakeholders, shortly before the species was considered functionally extinct. The maintenance of landholder support is likely to be critical if future attempts are made to reintroduce the species to the wild

Rote Liste der Schwebfliegen (Diptera: Syrphidae) Baden-Württembergs / [Autoren Dieter Doczkal, Klaus Rennwald & Ulrich Schmid]. Fachdienst Naturschutz ... Hrsg. von der Landesanstalt für Umweltschutz Baden-Württemberg

Schwebfliegen kommen in großer Zahl in fast allen terrestrischen Lebensräumen vor. Dennoch spielen sie bisher in der praktischen Naturschutzarbeit eine untergeordnete Rolle. Verglichen mit anderen Tiergruppen, wie den Tagfaltern, Laufkäfern oder Wildbienen, werden sie nur selten im Rahmen raumrelevanter Planungen berücksichtigt. Dabei decken sie wie keine andere der häufiger untersuchten Gruppen ein breites Spektrum unterschiedlicher Lebensweisen ab. Während die Imagines der meisten Arten eifrige Blütenbesucher sind und eine wichtige Funktion als Bestäuber ausüben, zeichnen sich die Larven durch eine hohe Diversität von Lebensstrategien aus. Die phytophagen Arten minieren in Stängeln, Wurzeln oder Blättern, befallen unterirdische Speicherorgane von Pflanzen oder zapfen das Kambium von Nadelbäumen an. Manche Arten leben in den Fruchtkörpern von Pilzen. Saprophage Arten nutzen abgestorbene feuchte Pflanzen, an organischem Material reiche Gewässer (Pfützen, Teiche, wassergefüllte Baumhöhlen, etc.), leben in Schleimflüssen von Bäumen, in sich zersetzendem Holz, in Säugerkot oder ernähren sich vom Abfall in Wespen- und Hummelnestern. Die zoophagen Vertreter fressen Blattläuse, Raupen, Wespen- oder Ameisenbrut. Schwebfliegen findet man in praktisch allen terrestrischen Lebensräumen, im Wald ebenso wie auf Äckern und im Grünland, auf Sandrasen wie im Hochmoor. In Mitteleuropa sind die meisten Arten eher in frischen bis feuchten Lebensräumen zu finden, Wälder und andere gehölzreiche Lebensräume sind artenreicher als ganz offene Biotope. Einen für interessierte Laien geschriebenen Überblick über die Lebensweise der Schwebfliegen hat SCHMID (1996) veröffentlicht

Energetics of locomotion by the Australian Water Rat (Hydromys Chrysogaster): A comparison of swimming and running in a semi-aquatic mammal

© The Company of BiologistsSemi-aquatic mammals occupy a precarious evolutionary position, having to function in both aquatic and terrestrial environments without specializing in locomotor performance in either environment. To examine possible energetic constraints on semi-aquatic mammals, we compared rates of oxygen consumption for the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) using different locomotor behaviors: swimming and running. Aquatic locomotion was investigated as animals swam in a water flume at several speeds, whereas water rats were run on a treadmill to measure metabolic effort during terrestrial locomotion. Water rats swam at the surface using alternate pelvic paddling and locomoted on the treadmill using gaits that included walk, trot and half-bound. Water rats were able to run at twice their maximum swimming velocity. Swimming metabolic rate increased with velocity in a pattern similar to the 'humps' and 'hollows' for wave drag experienced by bodies moving at the water surface. Metabolic rate increased linearly during running. Over equivalent velocities, the metabolic rate for running was 13-40 % greater than for swimming. The minimum cost of transport for swimming (2.61 J N-1 m-1) was equivalent to values for other semi-aquatic mammals. The lowest cost for running (2.08 J N-1 m-1) was 20 % lower than for swimming. When compared with specialists at the extremes of the terrestrial-aquatic continuum, the energetic costs of locomoting either in water or on land were high for the semi-aquatic Hydromys chrysogaster. However, the relative costs for H. chrysogaster were lower than when an aquatic specialist attempts to move on land or a terrestrial specialist attempts to swim.F.E. Fish and R.V. Baudinett