Within and between population variations of incubation rhythm of great tits Parus major

Behaviour ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 151 (12-13) ◽  
pp. 1827-1845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Álvarez ◽  
Emilio Barba
Keyword(s):  
Latitudinal Gradient ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Central European ◽  
The North ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
First Time ◽  
Incubation Rhythm

Uniparental incubation frequently means that eggs remain unattended for periods where the incubating bird is foraging out of the nest. The determination of incubation rhythms (i.e., the length and temporal pattern of incubation sessions) and the factors which affect them are therefore important to understand life-history trade-offs. We described the incubation rhythm and its temporal variation of a southern European great tit Parus major population, and review previous studies to check for latitudinal trends. In the studied population, females were active (from first exit in the morning to last entrance in the evening) 12.5 h per day, performing incubation sessions (on-bouts) of 26 min and recesses (off-bouts) of 12 min. Thus, they were incubating around 67% of their active day, or 83% of the whole day. Attentiveness (% of time incubating) increased throughout the incubation period, due to shorter off-bouts. The active day was longer as the number of daylight hours increased. We show for the first time in a bird species that attentiveness was constant along a latitudinal gradient ranging from Norway to Spain. Females spend a higher proportion of the daylight hours out of the nest as latitude decreases, compensating incubation time during the longer nights. Off-bouts were shorter in central European populations, increasing towards the north and the south, while on-bouts showed no latitudinal variation.

scholarly journals DETERMINATION OF THE STEROL STATE OF GENERATIVE PLANTS OF HEATH SPOTTED-ORCHID (DACTY-LORHIZA MACULATA (L.) SOÓ) (ORCHIDACEAE) BY GC-MS

2020 ◽  
pp. 171-178
Author(s):  
Evgeniy Nikolayevich Sechin ◽  
Oleg Anatolyevich Marakaev ◽  
Gavriil Borisovich Gavrilov
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Plant Material ◽  
Adventitious Roots ◽  
European Part ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Central European ◽  
Mass Spectrometric Detector ◽  
European Part Of Russia ◽  
First Time

For the first time, the phytosterol state of the underground and aboveground organs of the tuberoid species of the orchid Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soó (Orchidaceae), which grows in the natural conditions of the Central European part of Russia, was studied using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometric detector. The plant material contains cycloartenol, cycloeukalenol, campesterol, brassicasterin, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and ergosterol, which was found in underground organs and belong to mycosymbiont. The ergosterol content in the adventitious roots is five times higher compared to the endings of stem root tuberoids. The phytosterols content of the aboveground organs of D. maculata is more diverse than that of the underground organs. The basic sterol of D. maculata is β-sitosterol (60%), which is present in all organs. Also a high amount was noted for cycloartenol (20%), which is absent in the stem. Cycloeukalenol (7%) was found in inflorescences and leaves, campesterol (2%) in inflorescences, brassicasterin (5%) in the adventitious roots, stigmasterol (5%) in the leaves. Differences in the sterol statuses of organs can be explained by the biochemical characteristics of their tissues and the uneven functional significance of the identified compounds for the growth and development of generative individuals of D. maculata in the budding phase. The results obtained indicate the diversity of phytosterol compounds and their uneven content in various organs of the studied plant object.

scholarly journals Naseljavanje velike sjenice (Parus major L.) u mlade bjelogorične sastojine pomoću škrinjica za gniježđenje

2019 ◽  
Vol 143 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 352-352
Author(s):  
Zdravko Dolenec
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Wood Decay ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
High Position ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Exotic Tree ◽  
Tree Cavity

Conservation of the biodiversity of the forest ecosystems is becoming one of the priority issues in the forest management. Birds play an important role in the overall life of the forest ecosystem, for instance, as an important component of the trophic chains. Recent studies worldwide suggest decline in the population size and richness of the forest bird species, especially those nesting in the cavity of the forest trees. Special emphasis is placed on the secondary cavity nesters. In contrast to the primary cavity excavators, which are making a tree cavity by themselves, secondary cavity nesters for their nesting use cavities made by the primary cavity excavators or natural cavities formed by gradual wood decay process. In order to maintain bird diversity in the forests with a lack of nesting cavities, installation of the nestboxes is an important strategy in many countries. This applies mainly to young deciduous, coniferous stands, and monocultural plantations and areas afforested with exotic tree species. In this paper, occupation of the nestboxes in the young deciduous stands was investigated. According to some researchers, the colour of the nestbox and its height above the ground could be important factors of the nestbox occupation in some bird species. In this study, a total of 120 standard wooden nestboxes were used (60 green and 60 brown). Nestboxes were installed in pairs on a single tree, at a height of 4.0 to 4.5 m (“high” position) and 2.0 to 2.5 m (“low” position). On the first tree, the green nestbox was in the “high” position, on the next tree in the “low” position and so on. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of occupancy of the nestboxes with a respect to the colour and the position on the tree. Because of the intra- and interspecific competition, only one of the nestbox pair was inhabited. Of the total 60 nestbox pairs, 44 (73.3%) nestboxes were occupied; 35 (79, 5%) by a Great Tit (Parus major) and 9 (20.5%) by a Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Great Tits occupied mainly “green” nestboxes (88.6%), with no significant differences in the height position of the chosen nestbox. In conclusion, the colour of the nestboxes is more important factor than the height position on the tree during the occupation of the nestboxes by a Great Tit.

scholarly journals Exploring the unmapped DNA and RNA reads in a songbird genome

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronika N. Laine ◽  
Toni I. Gossmann ◽  
Kees van Oers ◽  
Marcel E. Visser ◽  
Martien A.M. Groenen
Keyword(s):  
Reference Genome ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
Blood Parasites ◽  
Sequence Contigs ◽  
Unmapped Reads

AbstractBackgroundA widely used approach in next-generation sequencing projects is the alignment of reads to a reference genome. A significant percentage of reads, however, frequently remain unmapped despite improvements in the methods and hardware, which have enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of alignments. Usually unmapped reads are discarded from the analysis process, but significant biological information and insights can be uncovered from this data. We explored the unmapped DNA (normal and bisulfite treated) and RNA sequence reads of the great tit (Parus major) reference genome individual. From the unmapped reads we generated de novo assemblies. The generated sequence contigs were then aligned to the NCBI non-redundant nucleotide database using BLAST, identifying the closest known matching sequence.ResultsMany of the aligned contigs showed sequence similarity to sequences from different bird species and genes that were absent in the great tit reference assembly. Furthermore, there were also contigs that represented known P. major pathogenic species. Most interesting were several species of blood parasites such as Plasmodium and Trypanosoma.ConclusionsOur analyses revealed that meaningful biological information can be found when further exploring unmapped reads. It is possible to discover sequences that are either absent or misassembled in the reference genome and sequences that indicate infection or sample contamination. In this study we also propose strategies to aid the capture and interpretation of this information from unmapped reads.

scholarly journals Using nest-boxes in pine stands of the Augustów Forest

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-143
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Zawadzki ◽  
Jerzy Zawadzki ◽  
Dorota Zawadzka ◽  
Anna Sołtys
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Success ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Coal Tit ◽  
Constant Rate ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Pine Stands ◽  
Dendrocopos Major

Abstract In 2011–2014, the occupancy of nest-boxes by secondary hole-nesting birds and their breeding success was investigated in pine stands of the Augustów Forest (North-Eastern Poland). In the studied area of 12600 ha, the share of Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris L. in the stands was 92%. On average, birds occupied 54% and bats 3% of the 224–317 nest boxes controlled yearly. Nest boxes were also used by the Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum L. as food caches. In total, broods of nine secondary hole-nesting species were observed, but only four bird species nested in each year of study. The most numerous species, occupying 53–60% of all boxes each year was the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Pall. The Great Tit Parus major L. occupied 15–24% and the Coal Tit Periparus ater L. 10–12% of available nest-boxes, while the Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus L. used 2–7% of nest boxes. The yearly breeding success was highest for tits (Great Tit – 52–84%, Coal Tit – 50–72%) and strongly variable for the Pied Flycatchers – 38–78%. Broods were lost due to predation by martens Martes sp. (38%) and great spotted woodpeckers Dendrocopos major L. (6%) as well as nest competition (2%). The nest-boxes were occupied at a constant rate during the following four years after their exposition. Over 67% of the new nest-boxes were occupied annually which means new nest-boxes (up to 4 years) were occupied significantly more often than boxes older than 4 years.

Dawn Singing in the Great Tit (Parus Major): Mate Attraction, Mate Guarding, or Territorial Defence?

Behaviour ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 131 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 115-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore Slagsvold ◽  
Glenn-Peter SÆTRE ◽  
Svein Dale
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Passerine Bird ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Territorial Defence ◽  
Resident Male ◽  
Conflicting Demands

AbstractIn a number of passerine bird species, mated males sing at dawn and this song activity peaks in the fertile period of the mate. We present the hypothesis that an important function of such dawn singing is to maintain the territory. We suggest that mate guarding and territorial defence are demanding and often mutually exclusive activities. Losing paternity is so costly that males give priority to mate guarding. Males therefore use the early morning period, before their mate emerges from the roost, to claim territory ownership. We report some preliminary tests of this hypothesis from a study of great tits (Parus major). Simulating male intrusion by a playback experiment showed that the resident male was more often absent from central parts of the territory, following the mate, during the periods of nest building and egg laying than during incubation. This supports the assumption of conflicting demands between mate following and territorial defence. From the hypothesis we expected males to spend effort in defending their territory as soon as they were free to do so. Consistent with this prediction, we found that male song activity was high before the mate left the nest at dawn, when she temporarily visited the nest during the day, and when she entered the nest to roost at night. A female removal experiment showed that unmated males, having no mate to guard, sang as much at dawn as mated males. Only one of the eight widowed males succeeded to replace their mate. We discuss some alternative functions of dawn singing in the great tit, such as attraction of own mate, a replacement mate, and extra-pair mates. We conclude that the hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, and song may serve multiple purposes.

scholarly journals Bird ringing report for Slovenia in 2017 and short overview of colour ringing in the period of 2012–2017

Acrocephalus ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (178-179) ◽  
pp. 129-163
Author(s):  
Al Vrezec ◽  
Dare Fekonja
Keyword(s):  
Rare Species ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Barn Swallow ◽  
Sylvia Atricapilla ◽  
Cygnus Olor ◽  
Mute Swans ◽  
Ljubljansko Barje

Abstract In 2017, the Slovenian bird ringing scheme concluded 90 years of continuous ringing in the country. In 2017, we collected data on 176 bird species. We ringed 79,886 birds of 164 species, recorded 177 recoveries of birds ringed in Slovenia and found abroad, 295 foreign recoveries in Slovenia and 2,209 local recoveries. The most ringed species were the Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Great Tit Parus major and, among pulli in the nest, the Great Tit, White Stork Ciconia ciconia and Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica. In 2017, 12 colour ringing schemes were active in Slovenia. In the 2012-2017 period, the number of recoveries of birds ringed in Slovenia and found abroad increased significantly due to colour ringing, especially regarding the waterbirds. With colour ringing, the likelihood of recoveries is considerably greater (75.20 ± 91.36 recoveries per 100 ringed birds) than with metal ringing only (0.11 ± 0.08 recoveries per 100 ringed birds). Among local recoveries, the most frequent were the Mute Swans Cygnus olor and Common Terns Sterna hirundo, and among foreign recoveries the Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus predominated. In 2017, the first Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus was ringed in Slovenia (Sečovlje salinas), and additional three rare species were ringed as well: the Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus (Ljubljansko barje), Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola (Ljubljansko barje) and Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla (Šentrupert).

Health impact of phytohaemagglutinin-induced immune challenge on great tit (Parus major) nestlings

2000 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 905-910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peeter Hõrak ◽  
Indrek Ots ◽  
Lea Tegelmann ◽  
Anders Pape Møller
Keyword(s):  
Parus Major ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Immune Defence ◽  
Immune Challenge ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Cutaneous Response ◽  
Physiological Impact ◽  
Total Resource

Assuming that immune function is resource-limited, it can be expected to compete with other important functions of an organism for the total resource pool, giving rise to trade-offs in resource allocation. To test whether such a trade-off exists between immune defence and growth, the physiological impact of an immune challenge was examined in great tit (Parus major) nestlings, using phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) as a novel antigen. Nestlings injected intradermally with PHA in wing webs at 8 days of age produced a heterophilic response, while their growth was not suppressed in comparison with untreated control siblings. Nestlings that grew poorly produced a weaker cutaneous response to PHA inoculation than well-growing nestlings. These two results suggest that the response to PHA (a measure of the intensity of T-lymphocyte mediated immune responsiveness) is resource demanding, but these resources are not reallocated from those used for growth. This finding can be reconciled with current hypotheses, which propose that the currency in trade-offs between immune response and other demands on the organism is not necessarily energy or macronutrients but may instead be based on immunopathology, carotenoids, or production of free radicals.

Studies in the lichen genus Ochrolechia. 2. Corticolous species of North America

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 733-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irwin M. Brodo
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Key Words ◽  
North American ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
The North ◽  
Group 5 ◽  
Crustose Lichens ◽  
First Time

Ochrolechia, a widespread genus of crustose lichens, includes 19 species growing on bark in North America. These corticolous species and several non-North American taxa are treated in this paper. Six species and one variety are described as new: O. antillarum, O. gowardii, O. montana, O. juvenalis, O. pseudopallescens, O. subisidiata, and O. trochophora var. pruinirosella. Two species are reduced to synonymy (O. californica Vers, and O. sorediosa Howard); six species are excluded from the North American flora (O. alboflavescens (Wulf.) Zahlbr., O. apiculata Vers., O. pallescens (L.) Massal., O. parella (L.) Massal., O. rhamni-purshianae Senft, O. subviridis (Höeg) Erichsen, and O. turneri (Sm.) Hasselrot). Several synonymies mentioned in the literature are confirmed (O. trochophora (Vainio) Oshio including O. rosella (Tuck.) Vers. and O. orientalis Vainio; O. androgyna (Hoffm.) Arn. including O. pergranulosa (Räs.) Vers, and O. mahluensis Räs.; and O. yasudae Vainio including O. tuckermanii Vers, and O. pennsylvanica Vers.). A key for the determination of all the species treated is presented together with distribution maps and a summary of the chemistry of the group. 5-O-Methylhiascic and 4,5-di-O-methylhiascic acids are reported from Ochrolechia for the first time. Key words: Ochrolechia, Ascomycotina, Pertusariaceae.

scholarly journals The first report of serratospiculiasis in Great Tit (Parus major) in Slovakia

2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 254-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Königová ◽  
L. Molnár ◽  
G. Hrčková ◽  
M. Várady
Keyword(s):  
Parus Major ◽  
Inflammatory Cells ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Great Tit ◽  
Bald Eagles ◽  
Air Sacs ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Flotation Method ◽  
First Time

AbstractSerratospiculiasis is a parasitic disease caused by filariid nematodes of the genus Serratospiculum, the subfamily Dicheilonematinae. Serratospiculum spp. parasitizes the air sacs and members of this genus have been found in various species of Falcons, Bald Eagles and Cooper’s Hawk from all around the world. In the present study, infection with Serratospiculum was confirmed for the first time in the Great Tit in Slovakia. Nematode infestation was identified post mortem. Lesions in the respiratory system (airsacculitis, pneumonia) were associated with the presence of this nematode. Smears of the necrotic lesions in the crop and oesophagus contained the large numbers of embryonated eggs. Faecal samples were examined by flotation method and Serratospiculum eggs were found. Adult parasites were cleared in lactophenol solution and morphological analysis of male reproductive organs (shape of male nematode spicules) indicated the species Serratospiculum amaculata. Scattered inflammatory cells were seen in the mucosal and submucosal layers of infected oesophagus and inflammatory foci were found mainly in the stroma of the air sacs.The presence of the filariid nematode in the nonspecific species Great Tit (Parus major) common in Slovakia indicates the importance of monitoring of serratospiculiasis in the avian hosts. The parasite can cause serious health problems, even sudden death of their hosts, therefore suitable effective measures for their elimination should be implemented.

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