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Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bat conservation has become prevalent over the last few decades due to critical population declines worldwide. Our purpose was to assess whether Brock Fenton's research career coincided with increasing bat conservation research in Canada and North America. Fenton has made significant contributions to bat research during a long and productive publishing career accompanied by participation in research organizations like the North American Society for Bat Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. His conservation research as well as efforts to raise public awareness about these animals has coincided with work for the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and its equivalent (Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario) in ON. To assess the impact of his career, we quantified the relative amount of his peer-reviewed publications with a conservation focus and compared this with the level of conservation-related presentations at annual North American Society for Bat Research conferences. In the same manner, we assessed how often conservation-focused applications were funded by the Ecology and Evolution section of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council—Canada Discovery grant program. Although it cannot be said with authority that Fenton actually initiated the increase in bat conservation research, our results indicate that his research efforts coincide with and presumably had considerable influence in driving this area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow coastal environments are becoming more susceptible to marine heatwaves, particularly in Atlantic Canada, which is experiencing higher rates of ocean warming compared with the global average. Understanding bivalves' tolerance to heatwaves in Atlantic Canada is especially important, given the magnitude of bivalve aquaculture in this region. In this study, the physiological state of four commercially important bivalve species—blue mussel (Mytilus edulis Linnaeus, 1758), eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791)), soft shell clam (Mya arenaria Linnaeus, 1758), and hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria (Linnaeus, 1758))—was observed during a naturally occurring heatwave in Prince Edward Island, Canada. The metabolism, feeding physiology, and scope for growth of each species were compared. Results from this study, and comparisons with the literature, show interspecific variability in the metabolic rate and feeding physiology between species, but generally oysters, soft shell clams, and hard clams were less impacted during the heatwave compared with the blue mussels. Additionally, only the scope for growth of mussels declined throughout this experiment, which may be explained by cumulative heat stress, as temperatures experienced during this heatwave exceeded the thermal tolerance limits of mussels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Linear developments such as roads, seismic lines, and pipeline rights-of-way are common anthropogenic features in the boreal forest of Alberta. These features may act as barriers to the movement of threatened woodland caribou, Rangifer tarandus caribou. Seismic lines were not barriers to caribou movements, whereas roads with moderate vehicle traffic acted as semipermeable barriers to caribou movements. Twenty-two adult female and 1 adult male woodland caribou were captured and collared on February 17–19, 1998. Each caribou was fitted with a global positioning system collar. The greatest barrier effects were evident during late winter, when caribou crossed actual roads 6 times less frequently than simulated road networks. Semipermeable barrier effects may exacerbate functional habitat loss demonstrated through avoidance behavior. Caribou may cross roads less frequently than expected for a number of reasons, including an aversion to the physical barrier presented by a road and associated forest opening, vehicle traffic, or predation by humans. The effects of habitat fragmentation through habitat loss, avoidance, and the semipermeable barrier effects of roads should be considered in developing strategies to maintain woodland caribou populations in Alberta. Roads that act as semipermeable barriers to caribou movements may make the presence of caribou more predictable in space and time, and hence compromise the "spacing out" strategy that caribou adopt to reduce predation. The approach we have outlined in this paper is a useful method to quantify the effects of human developments acting as semipermeable barriers to animal movements and should be considered in the development of animal-movement models.

Canadian coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean as well as inland freshwater habitats in Ontario were sampled for centrohelid heliozoans (free-living heterotrophic single-celled organisms) over a period of nearly five decades. More than 60 species and subspecies were revealed, including 1 Triangulopteris, 1 Raphidocystis, 2 Pseudoraphidocystis, 3 Raineriophrys, 4 Pseudoraphidiophrys, 12 Choanocystis, 15 Pterocystis, and 25 Acanthocystis taxa. Of these, 22 were officially named and described as new to science based primarily on the morphology of the siliceous scales that cover the cell. New species were compared with images and/or descriptions of close "relatives" to validate their new species assignments. New data on five species of Acanthocystis and one species of Choanocystis required revisions of their descriptive taxonomy that in some cases resulted in the splitting off of separate species or subspecies. Very little can be concluded about global distribution of centrohelid heliozoans, owing to the paucity of records. For many of the taxa reported here, previous records consist of just one or two findings from other parts of the world. One example is Choanocystis antarctica Tikhonenkov and Mylnikov, 2011 that was previously known only from Antarctic seawater, but is reported here from an Ontario softwater lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technical Guidance from the US National Marine Fisheries Service recommends Federal agencies use estimated thresholds for peak sound pressure levels and weighted cumulative sound exposure levels for the onset of permanent (and temporary) hearing threshold shifts in marine mammals. These dual metrics were developed to inform impact assessments within the US legal landscape. Despite its merits, the Technical Guidance contains uncertainties due to limited data on marine mammal hearing and auditory response to noise. The underlying assumptions about how representative existing data are for all marine mammal species also create limitations in the applicability of the Technical Guidance. These limitations warrant consideration before the Technical Guidance can be applied effectively in other jurisdictions with different legal standards. Using the Canadian legal framework as a working example, we found that many Canadian species are underrepresented in the dataset informing the Technical Guidance. The Technical Guidance also does not address all relevant noise impact types. Thus, the Technical Guidance alone cannot address all Canadian legal standards and, if the Technical Guidance is incorporated, some adjustments to the criteria within may be needed to meet the precautionary requirements of many Canadian legal standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To investigate the utility of short visits to seabird colonies to gauge nestling growth performance and diet, in four consecutive years from 1995 to 1998, the paper measures the nestling development and diet of rhinoceros auklets or cerorhinca monocerata at three colonies in British Columbia: Seabird Rocks, Triangle Island and SGaang Gwaii (Anthony Island).

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding habitat use of declining species is essential for their management and successful recovery. We examined habitat selection at multiple spatial scales by Northern Map Turtles (Graptemys geographica (Le Sueur, 1817)), a species at risk, in the St. Lawrence Islands National Park, Ontario, Canada. At the scale of the home range, Map Turtles generally avoided deep water (>2 m) and selected home ranges in waters <1 m deep. Importantly, turtles used home ranges with significantly more natural than developed shoreline. At the scale of the location, adult females used deep water more often and males preferred areas with surface cover. Management efforts should implement regulations concerning further shoreline development. La gestion et la récupération réussie des espèces en déclin nécessitent une compréhension de leur utilisation de l'habitat. Nous examinons la sélection de l'habitat à plusieurs échelles spatiales chez la tortue géographique (Graptemys geographica (Le Sueur, 1817)), une espèce vulnérable, dans le parc national des Îles-du-Saint-Laurent, Ontario, Canada. À l'échelle du domaine vital, les tortues géographiques évitent généralement les eaux profondes (>2 m) et choisissent des domaines vitaux dans des eaux de <1 m de profondeur. Ce qui est plus important, les tortues utilisent des domaines vitaux qui possèdent significativement plus de ligne de rivage naturelle que modifiée. À l'échelle du site, les femelles adultes utilisent les eaux profondes plus fréquemment et les mâles préfèrent les zones qui possèdent un couvert en surface. Les efforts de gestion devraient inclure la mise en vigueur de règlements concernant les modifications futures des rivages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated interactions among harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus (L., 1758)), fish, and their shared aquatic insect prey. We measured flow variability, benthic aquatic prey abundance, fish presence, and breeding density of harlequins on eight rivers in the Southern Coast Mountain Range in British Columbia, Canada, in 2003 and 2004. Rivers with lower flow variability had higher abundance of aquatic insects. Densities of harlequins and fish presence on the rivers were both significantly and positively related to insect abundance, but path analysis revealed a strong negative correlation between them. We interpret this as an indirect interaction between harlequins and fish mediated by anti-predator behaviour of insects in the presence of fish, which reduces insect availability, rather than as a reduction in the abundance of aquatic insects through consumption by fishes. We hypothesize that the ongoing and widespread introduction of fish into historically fishless waters throughout North America may have contributed to the current low productivity and recruitment measured in populations of harlequins by reducing quality of breeding habitat. Nous étudions les interactions entre les arlequins plongeurs (Histrionicus histrionicus (L., 1758)), les poissons et les insectes aquatiques qu’ils utilisent conjointement comme proies. Nous avons mesuré la variabilité du débit, l’abondance des proies aquatiques benthiques, la présence de poissons et la densité des arlequins plongeurs en reproduction dans huit rivières de la chaîne de montagnes de la côte sud de la Colombie Britannique, Canada, en 2003 et 2004. Les rivières à débit moins variable ont de plus fortes abondances d’insectes aquatiques. Il y a une relation significative et positive entre les densités des arlequins plongeurs et la présence de poissons, d’une part, et l’abondance des insectes, d’autre part, mais une analyse des coefficients de direction montre une forte corrélation négative entre ces deux variables. Nous interprétons ce phénomène comme une interaction indirecte entre les arlequins plongeurs et les poissons qui s’explique par le comportement anti-prédateur des insectes en présence des poissons, ce qui réduit la disponibilité des insectes, plutôt que par une réduction de l’abondance des insectes aquatiques à cause de la consommation par les poissons. Nous posons l’hypothèse selon laquelle les introductions courantes et répandues de poissons dans des eaux historiquement sans poissons dans toute l’Amérique du Nord peuvent avoir contribué à la productivité et au recrutement faibles mesurés actuellement chez les populations d’arlequins plongeurs en réduisant la qualité des habitats de reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since 1991, blood-covered eggs have been noted in nests of Ross’s (Chen rossii (Cassin, 1861)) and lesser snow (Chen caerulescens caerulescens (L., 1758)) geese at the Karrak Lake colony, Nunavut, Canada. Fleas (Ceratophyllus vagabundus vagabundus (Boheman, 1866)) were subsequently observed to be associated with goose nests containing eggs covered with dried blood. We examined prevalence of blood presence on goose eggs and extent of egg coverage with blood in goose nests from 2001 to 2004. Flea abundance in nests was estimated in 2003 and 2004, and was strongly correlated with the proportion of goose egg surface covered by blood, suggesting that degree of blood coverage was a suitable index of flea abundance. Extent of blood fluctuated annually and was correlated with both host characteristics and host habitat factors. Nest bowls used by geese in previous years contained more fleas than did new nest bowls, and fleas were more abundant in older areas of the colony. Flea abundance increased with goose clutch size and was highest in rock and birch habitats. Ceratophyllus vagabundus vagabundus appears to be a new parasite of geese at Karrak Lake; flea abundance may change in response to increased availability of favorable habitat, which is expected if local climate warms. Depuis 1991, on observe des oeufs recouverts de sang dans les nids des oies de Ross (Chen rossii (Cassin, 1861)) et des petites oies des neiges (Chen caerulescens caerulescens (L., 1758)) dans la colonie du lac Karrak, Nunavut, Canada. On a ensuite associé la présence de puces (Ceratophyllus vagabundus vagabundus (Boheman, 1866)) aux nids d’oies contenant des oeufs recouverts de sang séché. Nous avons examiné la prévalence de la présence de sang sur les oeufs d’oies et l’étendue de la couverture de sang dans les nids d’oies de 2001 à 2004. Nous avons estimé l’abondance des puces dans les nids en 2003 et 2004; celle-ci est en forte corrélation avec la proportion de la surface des oeufs d’oies recouverte de sang, ce qui laisse penser que l’importance de la couverture de sang est un bon indice de l’abondance des puces. L’importance du sang varie d’une année à l’autre et est en corrélation avec tant les caractéristiques de l’hôte que les facteurs de l’habitat de l’hôte. Les cuvettes de nidification utilisées les années antérieures contiennent plus de puces que les nouvelles cuvettes de nidification et les puces sont plus abondantes dans les zones plus anciennes de la colonie. L’abondance des puces augmente en fonction de la taille de la couvée des oies et elle est maximale dans les habitats de pierres et de bouleaux. Ceratophyllus vagabundus vagabundus semble être un nouveau parasite des oies au lac Karrak; on s’attend à ce que l’abondance des puces change en réaction à la disponibilité accrue d’habitats favorables prévue dans le cas d’un réchauffement du climat local. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern ectotherms must seek refuge from winter conditions for a large portion of their annual activity cycle. The objective of this study was to quantify physical properties of overwintering sites selected by wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta (LaConte, 1830)) at the species’ northern range limit. We mapped all structural features (e.g., root balls and log jams), water depth, and sediment types along a 1.5 km stretch of river that was available to turtles outfitted with radio transmitters (N = 8) during winter. Temperature selection was assessed by comparing thermal profiles from data loggers on turtles and temperature stations within the river and other riparian habitats (e.g., ephemeral pools and oxbows). Dissolved oxygen (DO) was measured at each temperature station and turtle location. Wood turtles overwintered in the river, which was colder (~0 °C), had more stable temperatures, and provided higher DO (12.64 ppm) compared with adjacent habitats. Some turtles selected structured refuges for overwintering. Winter movements were not related to temperature or DO, but may be related to maintaining a certain distance from shore and water depth to protect against accidental relocations during winter. We discuss hibernacula as potential factors limiting the northern distribution of wood turtles, a species at risk in Canada. Les ectothermes nordiques doivent trouver un refuge contre les conditions hivernales durant une partie importante de leur cycle annuel d’activités. L’objectif de notre étude est de mesurer les propriétés physiques des sites d’hivernage choisis par les tortues des bois (Glyptemys insculpta (LeConte, 1830)) à la limite boréale de la répartition de l’espèce. Nous avons cartographié tous les éléments structuraux (par ex., boules de racines et embâcles), la profondeur de l’eau et les types de sédiments sur une section de 1,5 km de rivière disponible à des tortues (N = 8) porteuses de radiotransmetteurs pendant l’hiver. La sélection de la température a été évaluée en comparant les profils de températures sur les enregistreuses fixées aux tortues et ceux des stations d’enregistrement dans la rivière et dans les autres habitats de la rive (par ex., les étangs temporaires et les bras morts). Nous avons mesuré l’oxygène dissous (DO) à chaque station d’enregistrement thermique et à chaque emplacement habité par une tortue. Les tortues des bois passent l’hiver dans la rivière qui présente des températures plus froides (~0 °C), mais plus stables et des concentrations de DO plus grandes (12,64 ppm) que les habitats adjacents. Quelques tortues ont choisi des refuges dans des structures pour passer l’hiver. Les déplacements en hiver ne sont pas reliés à la température, ni à la concentration de DO, mais s’expliquent peut-être par le besoin de maintenir une certaine distance de la berge et une certaine profondeur d’eau afin d’éviter les déplacements accidentels pendant l’hiver. Nous discutons des hibernacles comme facteurs potentiels qui peuvent limiter la répartition vers le nord de la tortue des bois, une espèce à risque au Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Habitat-selection analysis involves a comparison between the proportions of different cover types that are used by the animal and the proportions that are available. Telemetry locations or animal occurrences (e.g., from aerial surveys) can provide information on habitat utilization. With telemetry data, a classical approach involves computing habitat use at the individual location sites or inside fixed circle buffers applied to the sites. We used this approach (200 m radius circles) on data from a systematic aerial survey on Anticosti Island, where 260 groups of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (374 animals) were counted in a 270-km² block. We compared the selection indices obtained from site occurrences with those of two approaches that define areas of high intensity (animal concentrations): 50% fixed kernels (0.5-2 km bandwidth) and the local K function (0.5-2 km distance). The results were very consistent among the three sets of approaches, with the same cover types generally identified as those having the highest or lowest indices. White-tailed deer preferred forest stands where balsam fir (Abies balsamea) was present as high regeneration or was dominant in the tree layer (>50% basal area) and stands at the regeneration stage. In the studied landscape, there seems to be a wide range of spatial scales where the selection process can be analyzed from aerial survey data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The "communication-failure" hypothesis states that individuals whose agonistic displays deviate from the population norm are selected against because of the greater likelihood of their becoming involved in escalated contests. A corollary of this hypothesis is that the level of aggression in dyadic (pairwise) contests over resources is predicted to be higher the greater the behavioural divergence between the two contestants. Display divergence between two contestants from different populations should exceed that in intrapopulation dyads, consequently this prediction can be tested by comparing levels of aggression in contests between interpopulation dyads with those in contests between intrapopulation dyads. We carried out such a test using brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) from two isolated populations in eastern Newfoundland. In initial encounters, the nipping rate (a measure of aggressiveness) of individuals from one of these populations was significantly higher in interpopulation dyads than in intrapopulation dyads. These results are consistent with the communication-failure hypothesis, as well as with the view that behavioural assessment, using low-cost stereotypic displays, reduces the cost of interactions over resources for both contestants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swedish Tundra Northwest Expedition of 1999 visited 17 sites throughout the Canadian Arctic. At 12 sites that were intensively sampled we estimated the standing crop of plants and the densities of herbivores and predators with an array of trapping, visual surveys, and faecal-pellet transects. We developed a trophic-balance model using ECOPATH to integrate these observations and determine the fate of primary and secondary production in these tundra ecosystems, which spanned an 8-fold range of standing crop of plants. We estimated that about 13% of net primary production was consumed by herbivores, while over 70% of small-herbivore production was estimated to flow to predators. Only 9% of large-herbivore production was consumed by predators. Organization of Canadian Arctic ecosystems appears to be more top-down than bottom-up. Net primary production does not seem to be herbivore-limited at any site. This is the first attempt to integrate trophic dynamics over the entire Canadian Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ipswich Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis princeps) population on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, has been designated as "vulnerable" by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Previous surveys of this population during the nesting season have varied in coverage and the rigour of statistical-survey design. In 1998 we surveyed the population using a stratified random-transect design. Estimated total numbers (±SE) were obtained along with confidence intervals calculated using bootstrap methods. The precision of our survey estimates would permit detection of population differences on the order of 20%. Higher densities of birds were observed in areas with heath, grass (fescue), and beach grass and pea vegetation types than in areas with other vegetation types. However, densities within these favoured vegetation types were constant with increasing transect length, which appears to be contrary to patterns expected from using published models of the effects of breeding habitat patch size on bird population density. Topographical constraints characteristic of Sable Island may impose limits on the birds' territorial boundaries and constrain density, independently of patch size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We surveyed 11 forest remnants and their adjacent ponds to assess the species richness of amphibians on Prince Edward Island, Canada. By combining aquatic and terrestrial sampling methods, we detected the presence of four urodeles and five anurans in our study sites. No significant difference in species richness was found between the sites located in Prince Edward Island National Park (n = 6) and those outside the park (n = 5). The most frequently captured species in forest remnants were blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale) and American toads (Bufo americanus) with 35.1 and 29.8% of the captures, respectively. In ponds, the most abundant and widespread species was the green frog (Rana clamitans). Red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) were captured in one site only. Species richness was not significantly associated with either forest remnant area or perimeter length. There was a significant nonlinear relationship between amphibian abundance and the perimeter length of forest remnants. Although our findings suggest paucity in species composition of amphibian communities, we did not find evidence suggesting that amphibians have declined during the last 30 years on Prince Edward Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the scale of aggregative response of Harlequin Ducks to seasonally and locally superabundant prey at Pacifi herring spawning sites in the northern Strait of Georgia, British Columbia during 1995-2002. Average duration of stay at spawning sites; Percentage of the total population moving to spawning sites.

Examines the habitat selection and demography of woodland carbou population in Newfoundland. Effect of interaction among human-induced habitat selection; Impact of black bear predation; Pregnancy and recruitment rates; Potential causes of mortality.

Investigates the nature of millipede fauna in central Canada. Number of identified indigenous fauna; Identification of the species with Palearctic introductions; Recognition of Uroblaniulus idahoanus as the representative of tribe Uroblaniulini.

Examines the patterns of home-range size and habitat selection of American marten in southeastern Labrador, a region of extensive and pristine forests. Availability of habitat types with their use; Variation in home-range size at two scales; Association between marten and dense-canopy coniferous forests.

Assesses the vertical zonation and temporal dynamics of the marine hydroid Dynamena pumila across a wave-exposure gradient on five rocky shores in the Bay of Fundy, Atlantic Canada. Measurement of hybrid abundance and occupancy at eight vertical elevations for each site; Demonstration of the dramatic shifts in the distribution, fertility, and size of a marine hydroid; Roles of environmental conditions in regulating intertidal hydroid communities on boreal rocky shores.

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Discusses the habitat associations of American badgers in southeastern British Columbia. Description of badger habitat relationships; Description of an American badger; Decrease of the badger population due to loss of habitat and prey.

Examines the use of multiple abundance estimators to infer population trends in Altantic Puffins in Gull Island, Newfoundland. Estimation of breeding population; Utilization of closed-population estimator with sighting heterogeneity; Projection of age-based matrix using literature values.

The Dawson caribou, Rangifer tarandus dawsoni, was a rare subspecies of caribou that inhabited Haida Gwaii, an archipelago located 80 kilometers off the west coast of Canada. The last Dawson caribou seen on the islands, two bulls and a cow, were killed in 1908. Using molecular and ancient-DNA techniques, we sequenced 215 base pairs of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b and compared these sequences with those from conspecifics Rangifer tarandus caribou or the woodland caribou and Rangifer tarandus granti, commonly known as the barren-ground caribou. The unique morphology characterizing this extinct form of caribou may have been of recent origin, either from local selection pressures or from environmentally induced phenotypic plasticity. Based on our results involving partial sequences from the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b, the Dawson caribou is not distinct from either R. t. caribou or R. t. granti, supporting the hypothesis that the Dawson caribou is not a glacial relict. This lack of genetic differentiation may be due to high gene flow, retention of ancestral polymorphisms, or a combination thereof. In summary, the Dawson caribou is one of the multiple endemic taxa on Haida Gwaii.

We examined nest-site selection by hooded warblers (Wilsonia citrina) in two forests differing in composition (extensive pine plantation versus largely deciduous) and management (recent selective logging versus minimal logging). Forest loss, fragmentation, and degradation have adversely affected many Neotropical migratory bird species in eastern North America. Carolina wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus), white-eyed vireos (Vireo griseus), hooded warblers (Wilsonia citrina), eastern towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea), and northern parulas (Parula americana) have all been found to increase in abundance for a distinct yet limited period after gap creation. Since the largest concentration of hooded warblers in Canada currently nest in a forest consisting of extensive pine plantations, and only one previous study has examined nest-site selection by hooded warblers in this habitat type, it is important to characterize nest sites and determine whether birds are nesting successfully in this habitat.

In August 1999 and 2000, four suction-cup-attached time-depth recorders were deployed and retrieved from narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in Tremblay Sound, Baffin Island, and Creswell Bay, Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a High Arctic ice-associated cetacean that travels thousands of kilometres each year between shallow coastal summering grounds and deep offshore wintering grounds. Narwhals are among the deepest diving cetaceans and have been documented to reach depths of 1000-1500 m (Heide-Jørgensen and Dietz 1995. The number of dives per hour below 8 m ranged from 9 to 13, with an average of 10.9 dives/h (SD 1.2 dives/h) below 8 m. The deepest recorded sounding in Tremblay Sound is approximately 270 m (National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce and maximum depths for both individuals were 256-258 m. Therefore, it appeared that the whales were diving to the bottom of their habitat during the period when they were tracked.

Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, populations throughout the west appear to be declining, whereas white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, populations are increasing. The abundance, number of fetuses per female, recruitment, and cause-specific adult mortality rate for sympatric mule deer and white-tailed deer in south-central British Columbia are compared to assess population growth for each species. Mule deer populations are believed to be decreasing, while white-tailed deer are increasing, throughout North America. It has been suggested that the quality and availability of mule deer habitat have declined because of timber harvest, changes in fire regime, and direct competition with livestock and larger ungulates, namely elk.

Three species of anisakine nematodes —Pseudoterranova decipiens, Contracaecum osculatum, Anisakis simplex—co-occur in the stomachs of Sable Island harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Rate of the relative importance of grey, harbor, and harp seals, respectively, are 80, 18, and 2% of the sealworm problem in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and 80, 20, and 0% on the eastern Nova Scotian shelf —multiplying population estimates by mean numbers of worms per species. In addition, the estimated grey seal population size in the northwest Atlantic at the end of 1999 is about 300 000 animals, while the population size of the harbor seal at the end of 1999 may be in the order of 30,000 and 35,000 animals. If density-independent transmission rates are responsible for infections in fish, a reduction in the grey seal population would only have an impact in targeted areas under the following conditions: (i) harbor seals are absent from the area and do not colonize the area after the grey seals are gone or depleted, (ii) contraction in the distributional range of the grey seal results from population reduction, and (iii) the fish in the target area do not contract sealworm in other areas vulnerable to infection.

We studied the response of males to the singing of nearby male conspecifics in two species of the orthopteran genus, Cyphoderris, primitive relatives of crickets and katydids in Alberta. Lone male Cyphoderris buckelli stridulating in a large cage made a phonotactic approach to a nearby speaker broadcasting conspecific calling song. But in field experiments no phonotaxis to song broadcasts occurred. Calling male Cyphoderris monstrosa were exposed in the field to playback of a synthetic calling song at a typical conspecific pulse rate, relayed broadcast of their own call, and low-frequency audio noise. We tested whether a C. buckelli field singer would alter his calling song in response to the singing of a nearby male conspecific. The pulse rate of C. monstrosa varies linearly with temperature. There was no significant change in duty cycle for males exposed to synthetic song or to rebroadcast of their own song, whereas males reduced their acoustic output in the presence of noise. Male C. monstrosa responded to the song of a conspecific male broadcast nearby with only a non-significant increase in chirp duty cycle. The marking and recapture studies of C. buckelli reveal an almost complete absence of site fidelity in this species. Most males move to different singing locations on successive nights in a fashion consistent with choosing random bearings and traveling random distances

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents announcement of 75th anniversary of National Research Council (NRC) of Canada Research Press. NRC Research Press (now part of the NRC Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) is Canada's foremost publisher of scientific and technical information. The Press publishes 15 journals in fields as diverse as genomics, chemistry, zoology, and civil engineering. NRC Research Press journals focus on critical, high-quality research from Canadian universities and industry and from international research centres.