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In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to describe differences between India and the United States in public perceptions of free-roaming dogs and cats, concerns related to free-roaming animals, and preferred strategies for veterinary medical interventions and population management. Between August 2021 and February 2022, 498 individuals completed an online survey including 210 Indian respondents and 288 American respondents. Free-roaming dogs and cats were largely perceived as community animals among Indian respondents, with significantly more respondents indicating they should be allowed to roam freely compared with American respondents. Respondents from both countries were concerned about animal welfare, although Americans were significantly more likely to list animal welfare, public health and wildlife risks as significant concerns related to free-roaming cats and dogs. American respondents were also more likely to support adoption for sociable animals and euthanasia for unsociable animals, whereas Indian respondents were more likely to support spay/neuter, vaccinate and release strategies for both dogs and cats. Our findings speak to the importance of implementing tailored strategies for free-roaming cat and dog management based on local cultures and community perceptions of free-roaming animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guilds have been used to assess how vegetation or environmental perturbations influence the community structure of animal communities. Spiders use a variety of hunting strategies. In arid environments they are the main predators of arthropods. Despite this, spider guilds have not been studied in desert ecosystems. Our study was carried out in one area of the Chihuahuan Desert. We used ramp-type traps and manual collection to capture the spiders. After identifying the specimens caught, we used a classification based on 20 and 23 traits to group the species into guilds. We used new traits for classification (eg horizontal web, triangular web, vertical web, threads coming out of the retreat). As a result, we obtained 11 guilds. Some species of the same family (e.g Gnaphosidae, Oxyopidae, Philodromidae, Theridiidae, Thomisidae) were positioned in different guilds. In addition to the classification, we provide information on the natural history of the species found. This information can be used to understand the differences between spider communities in desert vegetation types and those in other biomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores connections between the nature of a community, the type of animal shelter it has, how animals arrive at the shelter, and outcomes for the animals in terms of adoption or euthanasia. Based on data from Shelter Animals Count, the study concludes that the nature of the local community is related to the type of shelter it is served by, how dogs arrive at the shelter, and directly to outcomes. Areas with greater economic stress and lower educational attainment are more likely to have a municipal shelter, which increases stray intake, and ultimately euthanasia. Community economic stress is also directly associated with lower adoption and higher euthanasia rates. The findings of the study suggest a multi-pronged strategy to increase adoptions and reduce euthanasia focusing on both animal shelters but also using a One Health approach to improve the welfare of both humans and non-human animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To apply molecular typing to DNA isolated from historical samples to determine Leptospira spp. infecting farmed and wild mammals in New Zealand. DNA samples used in this study were extracted from urine, serum or kidney samples (or Leptospira spp. cultures isolated from them) collected between 2007 and 2017 from a range of domestic and wildlife mammalian species as part of different research projects at Massey University. Samples were included in the study if they met one of three criteria: samples that tested positive with a lipL32 PCR for pathogenic Leptospira; samples that tested negative by lipL32 PCR but were recorded as positive to PCR for pathogenic Leptospira in the previous studies; or samples that were PCR-negative in all studies but were from animals with positive agglutination titres against serogroup Tarassovi. DNA samples were typed using PCR that targeted either the glmU or gyrB genetic loci. The resulting amplicons were sequenced and typed relative to reference sequences. We identified several associations between mammalian hosts and Leptospira strains/serovars that had not been previously reported in New Zealand. Leptospira borgpetersenii strain Pacifica was found in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) samples, L. borgpetersenii serovars Balcanica and Ballum were found in wild red deer samples, Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni was found in stoats (Mustela erminea) and brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), and L. borgpetersenii was found in a ferret (Mustela putorius furo). Furthermore, we reconfirmed previously described associations including dairy cattle with L. interrogans serovars Copenhageni and Pomona and L. borgpetersenii serovars Ballum, Hardjo type bovis and strain Pacifica, sheep with L. interrogans serovar Pomona and L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo type bovis, brushtail possum with L. borgpetersenii serovar Balcanica, farmed deer with L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo type bovis and hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) with L. borgpetersenii serovar Ballum. This study provides an updated summary of host–Leptospira associations in New Zealand and highlights the importance of molecular typing. Furthermore, strain Pacifica, which was first identified as Tarassovi using serological methods in dairy cattle in 2016, has circulated in animal communities since at least 2007 but remained undetected as serology is unable to distinguish the different genotypes. To date, leptospirosis in New Zealand has been diagnosed with serological typing, which is deficient in typing all strains in circulation. Molecular methods are necessary to accurately type strains of Leptospira spp. infecting mammals in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keystone components in green urban spaces can make a big difference in supporting either impoverished or rich animal communities. Trees that produce thousands of flowers at densities higher than that of herbs and produce much more nectar than the latter can be such keystone structures. However, there is a lack of specific information on trees, both native and alien, and their flower visitors in urban/suburban contexts, which blurs the conservation role that such species can perform. In 2019 and 2020, we thoroughly recorded the flower visitors to a silk-floss tree in suburban Guadalajara, Mexico. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive inventory of silk-floss tree flower visitors. We documented 79 species/morphospecies of insects; eight of birds, and one of mammals visiting the flowers. All, except two, are native to the region; three are endemic/quasi-endemic to Mexico. Besides direct and indirect floral resources, the silk-floss tree offered perches, resting/hiding cover, nesting substrate, and seed fibres used by several birds, and feeding substrate for gleaning insectivorous birds. Four species are on one or more conservation listings: monarch butterfly (endangered), pink-spotted swallowtail (vulnerable), sparkling-tailed hummingbird (threatened), and lesser long-nosed bat (near-threatened). Our data supports that small patches can enhance the quality of urban green spaces, and that rather than geographic origin, flower output drives visitation. Alien trees can be pollination enhancement 'devices' for imperilled pollination networks. Silk-floss trees are a potential option for conservation-oriented urban greening, as well as to contribute to enhancing human enjoyment of nature, and provide opportunities for public outreach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is the first report on ticks infesting domestic animals of the tribal communities and wildlife in Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India. Questing ticks in the sanctuary were collected through dragging methods and hand collection from domestic animals was used to collect feeding ticks. Among the total 3,081 ticks collected, 2,350 questing ticks were obtained from the forest floor, and 731 ticks were recorded from 40 different domestic animals belonging to four species. The present collection recorded eight Haemaphysalis species: Ha. spinigera, Ha. leachii, Ha. shimoga, Ha. kinneari, Ha. kyasanurensis, Ha. turturis, Ha. bispinosa, Ha. intermedia and one Amblyomma species: Am. integrum from the sanctuary. Whereas five Haemaphysalis species: Ha. bispinosa, Ha. intermedia, Ha. shimoga, Ha. spinigera, Ha. turturis and four Rhipicephalus species: Rh. sanguineus, Rh. haemaphysaloides, Rh. microplus and Rh. annulatus were reported from domestic animals. High abundance of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) vectors, Ha. spinigera and Ha. turturis have been documented from the sanctuary. Relative abundance of Ha. bispinosa was significantly higher in all the domestic animals examined. Tick infestation rate was higher in goats followed by cows, dogs, and cats. Whereas the species richness of ticks was highest in cows and lowest in cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Tell me a little about yourself and why you became interested in promoting sustainable agriculture. b I grew up in an Italian family where food played a huge part of family gatherings and everyday life. B FAO also says: "The global transition to sustainable food and agriculture will require major improvements in the efficiency of resource use, in environmental protection and in systems resilience." When I was asked to join the Pew commission to look at industrial animal agriculture (factory farms) it was a way to promote sustainable agriculture for future generations. One of its experts, Arohi Sharma, water and agriculture policy analyst at NRDC, has been quoted as saying: "The regenerative agriculture movement is the dawning realization among more people that an Indigenous approach to agriculture can help restore ecologies, fight climate change, rebuild relationships, spark economic development, and bring joy.". [Extracted from the article]

We report tetrapod traces and associated ichnofauna from two stratigraphic, dominantly terrestrial levels of the Tiout Formation (Valanginian-latest Albian to lower Cenomanian) in Laghouat and Brezina areas, Central Saharan Atlas (Djebel Amour), northwestern Algeria and discuss their paleoecological implications. The assemblages display abundant footprints that show similarities with crocodylian swim traces assigned to Hatcherichnus known from Jurassic–Cretaceous deposits of North America and Morocco. However, there is also some similarity in shape with traces attributed to swimming pterosaurs by different authors. Because of the isolated materials from Algeria and the lack of distinct trackways, we leave the decision on the tracemaker open. The majority of the traces are tridactyl to tetradactyl imprints consisting of parallel furrows left by the claws of swimming or buoyant individuals. Tetrapod swim traces are identified, described, and figured herein for the first time from the Mesozoic of Algeria. These vertebrate fossil traces are associated with a low-diversity invertebrate marine ichnofauna, including cf. Bergaueria isp., Phycodes isp., Sinusichnus cf. seilacheri, and Thalassinoides suevicus. Together with body fossil data, including abundant fishes and non-avian dinosaurs, they indicate a diverse animal community populating a fluvial system environment with marine influence. Paleoecological and paleoenvironmental features of the Tiout Formation add new information to the ichnoassemblages previously reported from the 'mid'-Cretaceous of North Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

But to sustain such socio-ecological systems, people need to see themselves not as conservators of wildlife and ecosystems, nor as managers of wildlife and ecosystems, but as stewards of wildlife and ecosystems. The search for negative emissions solutions is now looking to nature, where instead of searchers merely viewing species and ecosystems needing protection from climate change, species and ecosystems are increasingly being viewed as playing a hand in mitigating it. SP 6, sp [10],[11],[12] This makes good sense. Complex multitrophic ecosystems, with ACC species present, are also more likely to create resilience of ecosystem processes to environmental change because of greater redundancy in trophic pathways and a mixture of top-down and bottom-up controls of ecosystem composition and function. Such stewardship holds that humans have ethical obligations to one another that are mediated through their mutual relationships with nonhuman species and ecosystems.[92] Unlike conservation, which aims to protect species and ecosystems from people, or management, which aims to maximize natural resource extraction for people while minimizing damages from exploitation and ecosystem transformation, a stewardship ethic promotes the continuous improvement of ecosystem functioning and resilience everywhere by simultaneously creating the conditions that allow for the autonomous existences of species, and promoting the production of natural resources and ecosystem services.[92] This ethic can help to expand opportunities for humans to remain on the landscapes and make a living there, including through stewardship of wildlife and ecosystems for the purposes of sustaining and enhancing the ecosystem service provided by ACC. [Extracted from the article]

Despite a huge effort by the scientific community to determine the animal reservoir of SARS-CoV-2, which led to the identification of several SARS-CoV-2-related viruses both in bats and in pangolins, the origin of SARS-CoV-2 is still not clear. Recently, Temmam et al. reported the discovery of bat coronaviruses with a high degree of genome similarity with SARS-CoV-2, especially concerning the RBDs of the S protein, which mediates the capability of such viruses to enter and therefore infect human cells through a hACE2-dependent pathway. These viruses, especially the one named BANAL-236, showed a higher affinity for the hACE2 compared to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. In the present work, we analyse the similarities and differences between the 3CL protease (main protease, Mpro) of these newly reported viruses and SARS-CoV-2, discussing their relevance relative to the efficacy of existing therapeutic approaches against COVID-19, particularly concerning the recently approved orally available Paxlovid, and the development of future ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associational effects such as "associational resistance" or "aposematic commensalism" may facilitate the subsequent evolution of mimicry. However, such effects are usually expected to be contingent on a spatiotemporal co-occurrence of defended and undefended species. Associational resistance may emerge in communities of larval anurans where tadpoles of different species share a generalized morphology but vary in chemical defences. In Europe, the marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus reproduces in fish-containing habitats that earlier in the season can be used by the common toad Bufo bufo, a species with chemically defended larvae. In a mesocosm experiment, we investigated if the associational protection against predation provided by the defended species could be strong enough to last even after the defended prey metamorphose and leave the system. We expected that the higher abundances (both absolute and relative) of chemically defended B. bufo in the tadpole assemblage exposed to predation by the common carp Cyprinus carpio prior to the occurrence of P. ridibundus tadpoles would be related to the increased later survival of P. ridibundus in the presence of the same fish. The tadpoles of P. ridibundus were highly vulnerable to predation during a 2-week cohabitation with fish. We found no relationship between the survival of P. ridibundus and the absolute density or relative proportion of B. bufo. Although associational effects may be ecologically relevant in aquatic animal communities, they apparently require the co-presence of the defended prey in fish-tadpole interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apart from mythological drawings (e.g. unicorns and mermaids), some appearing during classical times, marine mammals have been the subject of palaeoart since the seventeenth century. Whales were the first marine mammals to be portrayed in detailed pencil and ink scientific illustrations printed as woodcuts and copper engravings. The early and mid twentieth century witnessed an increase in number of paleoartists, such as Zdenêk Burian and Charles Knight painting in rich, vibrant colours. Later, more attention was focused on portraying the ecologies and environments inhabited by fossil marine mammals based on analogies with living species resulting in restorations of entire animal and plant communities. In the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries, traditional illustrations were complemented by digital art with an emphasis on accurate, realistic portrayals of fossil marine mammals based on new interpretations of their anatomy, ecology, behaviour and habitat. Apart from the inextricable connection of palaeontology and art, palaeoart also serves a vital role in visually communicating science and evolution to the public as portrayed in museum exhibitions and other venues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new bonebed recovered from the Late Triassic of India contains various macro- and microfossils, unionid bivalves and coprolites. The macrofossils include more than 700 identifiable skeletal specimens of 27 metoposaurid, four phytosaur and two rhynchosaur individuals whereas the microfossils comprise about 500 isolated teeth of varied chondrichthyans, dipnoans, actinopterygians, archosauriforms, and several non-mammalian cynodonts. The bonebed is a monodominant, multitaxic, parautochthonous, time-averaged, attritional assemblage. The Tiki floodplain was populated by highly diverse animal communities occupying terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic realms, where scavenging and/or predation were common. Two distinct biostratinomic modes deduced are – (i), natural death, decomposition, and differential pre-burial modifications of the large terrestrial and semi-aquatic animals, and (ii) breaching of banks during flooding events, mass death, and high energy deposition of sediment load including various aquatic fishes and unionids. Similar REE patterns of a representative sample set of bone specimens and their encasing matrices suggest same diagenetic condition and a single burial event. The MREE enrichment, cerium and uranium content indicate reducing burial microenvironment for the studied fossil specimens. The Late Triassic scenario comprised highly dynamic animal communities that had different mortality dynamics and fossilisation pathways depending on the habitats and palaeobehaviour of the animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands are hotspots of biodiversity and extinction. It is critical to study their unique island life before it is lost forever. The Desventuradas Islands, comprised of San Félix and San Ambrosio islands, are a volcanic archipelago 850 km off the coast of Chile. They are key to understanding the diversification processes which shaped the flora and fauna of other Chilean oceanic islands such as the Juan Fernández Archipelago. But, the biogeographic affinities between these archipelagos are still poorly known. Over the last century, the plant and animal communities present in the Desventuradas have radically changed due to invasive mammal introductions. Here, focusing on terrestrial invertebrates, we: (1) confirm the presence of described endemic species, (2) detect new species records and (3) assess the biogeographic affinities between the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas archipelagos. In September 2018, San Ambrosio was surveyed using different methods (hand collecting, beating sheet, entomological net, pitfall traps and light traps) at night and during the day. A total of 35 morphospecies were collected. Four endemic species were found, in addition to several previously described higher taxonomic groups with undescribed species. Collecting methods were not successful in detecting another nine previously described endemic species. There was a total of 28 new records, including a new land snail, a new Isopoda and representatives of five spider families. Twelve of all the recorded genera from Desventuradas Islands have known relatives in the Juan Fernández Archipelago. Five of them were not previously known for San Ambrosio, reinforcing the biogeographic affinities between both archipelagos. This research highlights the urgency of surveying islands subject to a multitude of threats, including climate change and invasive species, to generate baseline data and place the island's fauna in a broader biogeographical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ANIMAL TRAFFIC: Lively Capital in the Global Exotic Pet Trade: By Rosemary-Claire Collard. First is the erasure of social relations that occurs in the commodity fetishism explained by traditional Marxian analyses, and second is Collard's assertion of the erasure of the animals' socio-ecological relations in their (former) biotic communities. These traits are what provide "use value" for humans, and Collard explains that for the commodity transformation to happen, exotic animals "are subject to a double fetishism" (p. 18). [Extracted from the article]

Received 18 May 2020, accepted 9 September 2020 Complex environments often have diverse animal communities. The structural complexity of plants has been directly and indirectly responsible for the abundance and diversity of spiders, allowing the establishment of different types of webs and influencing prey availability. Piptadenia gonoacantha and Croton floribundus trees are native species of the Atlantic Forest and have trunks with different structural complexities. The structural characteristics of the former vary according to the stem diameter, while the latter has a relatively simple trunk. This variation makes these plant species a good natural model for natural experiments designed to study how the structural components of trunks can affect the arthropod community, especially spiders. For this purpose, we sampled 30 trees of each species to determine their structural complexity and the abundance and richness of associated spiders. We classified the trees by level of complexity based on the abundance of their structural categories. As expected, the structural complexity of tree trunks explained almost 50% of the variation in species richness and abundance of spiders. Spider diversity, evaluated by the Shannon-Wiever index, was higher in trunks of P. gonoacantha included in the groups of higher complexity. This pattern however, was not observed in relatively simpler trunks of C. floribundus. On the other hand, the species-area relationship pattern was not supported by our data as we observed a nonlinear relationship between trunk surfaces and species richness. Differences in spider richness in the trunks appeared to be caused mainly by their specific microhabitat demands, which differed between groups according to their complexity. For some spiders, the overall trunk structure may play an essential role in the establishment of individuals. For others, specific structures such as loose bark or branches may be essential variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The animal sheltering industry lacks standardized methods of data collection and analysis. The resulting lack of available data limits our understanding of the homeless animal population. The objective of this study was to better understand record-keeping practices and attitudes toward shelter statistics among Massachusetts shelter and rescue organizations and to identify barriers to data collection and analysis. A survey of 119 participants at Massachusetts sheltering organizations revealed that the animal welfare community held favorable attitudes toward data management and sharing, but desired additional resources and training to manage data more efficiently and effectively. While a large proportion of homeless dogs and cats in Massachusetts are handled by a small number of large organizations, there are also hundreds of smaller shelters, rescues and animal control officers in the system. Public agencies were the least likely to use electronic data-keeping means, and often cited lack of resources as a barrier. These results should prove useful not only in Massachusetts but for other regions hoping to improve data collection practices and for the evaluation of shelter statistics systems nationwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present findings from the newly discovered fossiliferous bed, TB-ARB, from the Ediacara Member exposed at the National Heritage Site, Nilpena Station, west of the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. TB-ARB contains Ediacaran fossils, some of which are rare, remarkably preserved as casts in fine-grained sandstone with little evidence for taphonomic disturbance. Here we demonstrate that, despite extraordinary preservation, ecological metrics from TB-ARB are characteristic of those found on other Ediacara Member beds and that this fossil assemblage is consistent with the previously recognised heterogeneity of the Ediacaran seafloor. This result suggests that limited taphonomic processes identified on more typical beds at Nilpena do not bias our view of Ediacaran paleoecology, but together, these beds present a complete picture of ancient animal communities. Remarkable preservation of rare Andiva ivantsovi allows investigations of morphology, growth and life habit. We identify complex growth in this organism that maximises surface area relative to volume and a morphology consistent with previously unsubstantiated claims for mobility. Features of Andiva indicate that it was likely related to two other extinct Ediacaran flat-lying, modular, mobile taxa, Dickinsonia and Yorgia, suggesting a possible eumetazoan placement for this organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pythonids are fascinating extant reptiles comprising exclusively non-venomous Old-World taxa and including some of the largest known snakes (Murphy and Henderson, [39]). The fossil record of I Python i (sensu lato) is not adequately known; however, it still denotes a more extensive geographic distribution with the genus reaching Europe (Römer, [57]; Rage, [46], [48], [49]; Ivanov, [31]; Szyndlar and Rage, [65]; Head, [28]). The Pasalar I Python i represents the first fossil record of the genus from Anatolia. Interestingly, also, the type locality of the Euboean snake species, Kymi, is the most geographically proximate to Pasalar among other fossil occurrences of I Python i , whereas the localities that have yielded specimens of I Python maurus i and I Python europaeus i are rather distant. [Extracted from the article]

Highlights from the article: Lori Gilbert-Kaye jumped. The pulling of the trigger defined John Earnest as evil while, at the same time, it defined Lori Kaye as good. To ask a scientist to explain good and evil might be a good idea. I Time i 's contributors allude to reductionist explanations for human behaviour-good and evil behaviour is due to genes or brains-which can be folded into one and only one scientific theory, namely, evolution.

One of the main limitations to understanding the evolutionary history of hydrothermal vent and cold seep communities is the identification of tube fossils from ancient deposits. Tube-dwelling annelids are some of the most conspicuous inhabitants of modern vent and seep ecosystems, and ancient vent and seep tubular fossils are usually considered to have been made by annelids. However, the taxonomic affinities of many tube fossils from vents and seeps are contentious, or have remained largely undetermined due to difficulties in identification. In this study, we make a detailed chemical (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and pyrolysis gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry) and morphological assessment of modern annelid tubes from six families, and fossil tubes (seven tube types from the Cenozoic, 12 Mesozoic and four Palaeozoic) from hydrothermal vent and cold seep environments. Characters identified from these investigations were used to explore for the first time the systematics of ancient vent and seep tubes within a cladistic framework. Results reveal details of the compositions and ultrastructures of modern tubes, and also suggest that two types of tubes from ancient vent localities were made by the annelid family Siboglinidae, which often dominates modern vents and seeps. Our results also highlight that several vent and seep tube fossils formerly thought to have been made by annelids cannot be assigned an annelid affiliation with any certainty. The findings overall improve the level of quality control with regard to interpretations of fossil tubes, and, most importantly, suggest that siboglinids likely occupied Mesozoic vents and seeps, greatly increasing the minimum age of the clade relative to earlier molecular estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social plasticity may be an important originator of divergence in mating signals and other sexual traits. Understanding the evolutionary causes and consequences of social plasticity requires analyzing how different features of the social environment influence the expression of signals and preferences. Here we focus on experience of signaling environments. We adopt the vantage point of a hypothetical focal juvenile individual, and ask whether its experience of the interactions between other individuals in the group would vary across groups of different size and species composition. We worked with Enchenopa treehoppers, group-living herbivorous insects that communicate with plant-borne vibrational signals as juveniles and adults. We manipulated group composition and size experimentally and monitored the behavior of the juvenile treehoppers. We found that the treehoppers’ signaling rates varied with group type, size, and disturbance. Although our results likely underestimate the range of variation in behavior across groups of juveniles, they suggest that variation in the experience of signaling environments during juvenile development has the potential to contribute to social plasticity in the mating signals and mate preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-driven shrub expansion is altering the distribution of animal communities in the Arctic. A better understanding of habitat requirements is needed to accurately predict the response of herbivore communities to shrub expansion. We examined patterns of browsing by moose ( Alces alces), snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus), and ptarmigan ( Lagopus lagopus, L. muta) across the tundra of northern Alaska to determine whether forage requirements explain the distribution of herbivores in this ecosystem. In addition, we examined the potential for competition among these three shrub-dependent species. We recorded shrub characteristics and browsing levels at 59 sites along a 568 km riparian transect spanning from the Brooks Range to the Arctic Coast. Mean shrub height was positively correlated with browsing intensity for all three species ( r = 0.40-0.71). The minimum shrub height threshold for hare occurrence (≥87 cm, 95% CI: 67-94) was similar to that for moose (≥81 cm, 95% CI: 65-96), whereas ptarmigan were nearly ubiquitous (≥3 cm, lower 95% CI = 0). Diet overlap among herbivores was nearly complete, with all three species heavily browsing feltleaf willow ( Salix alaxensis). Our findings indicate that unlike moose and ptarmigan, forage availability does not appear to control the distribution of snowshoe hares in the Arctic. Resource competition may further affect distribution patterns within this guild as shrub cover continues to expand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper evaluates the relationships among invertebrate communities, land uses and chemical and microbiological groundwater properties, in a loessic unconfined aquifer in Argentina. Two surveys were conducted and seven wells were selected based on land use and unsaturated zone (USZ) thickness. Groundwater was characterized mainly as freshwater of sodium bicarbonate type. Invertebrates collected belong to Crustacea, Acari, Insecta, Collembola, Oligochaeta, Collembola, Pauropoda, and Nematoda. Crustacea was the most abundant group. The wells differed in terms of invertebrate composition and abundance. The lowest abundance was observed at sites with thickest USZ. No direct relationship was found between invertebrate abundance and any particular physicochemical parameter. In the only well where bacteria were detected, total invertebrate abundance, especially of copepods, was high in both surveys. Both USZ thickness and land use have a significant influence on abundance and composition of invertebrate communities in terms of organic matter inputs into the aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Disturbance plays an integral part in generating heterogeneity required for ecosystem persistence, but the increased amplitude and duration of disturbances linked to drivers of global change could result in ecosystem shifts or collapse. Biomonitoring over time provides insights into trajectories of ecosystem change. The responses of two instream animal taxa to two contrasting disturbance events, a major flood event and the long-term cumulative effects of land-use changes, were assessed in 1999–2012 by quantifying variation and change in abundance of functional groups based on flow rate sensitivity, water quality and metrics of ecological condition. All metrics recovered to pre-flood conditions within seven months after the flood event. Similarly, cumulative impacts of land use effected significant decreases in some but not all metrics. Indices that did not change, including SASS total score and ASPT, were the result of insufficient consideration of the decrease in the abundance of sensitive taxa specifically, and the abundance of all taxa in general. The decrease in abundance of sensitive taxa could signal imminent collapse in certain metrics. Evidence is also provided for a shift in the structure of fish assemblages linked to the decrease and loss of taxa sensitive to ecosystem degradation caused by the longer-term impacts of land-use change. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Carnivorous pitcher plants capture insect prey to acquire essential nutrients while growing on extremely poor soils. A few individual species have evolved mutualistic relationships with small mammals that visit the traps to harvest nectar, and in return leave faecal droppings in the pitchers. Here we report that a diverse guild of nectar-harvesting vertebrates visits pitchers of two common lowlandNepenthesspecies without providing any obvious benefit for the plants. Over four consecutive field seasons, we observed four species of sunbirds and one species of tree shrew drinking nectar from pitcher plants. Foraging activity was highest in the morning and late afternoon. Van Hasselt’s, Brown-throated and olive-backed sunbirds were regular and highly abundant pitcher visitors in two different field sites. A crimson sunbird and a lesser tree shrew were each observed harvesting nectar on one occasion. The vertebrates harvested nectar from the pitcher rim (peristome) ofN. rafflesianaand from the underside of the pitcher lid ofN. gracilis. A comparison of the nectar production of these and three further sympatric species revealed exceptionally high quantities of nectar forN. rafflesiana. Other factors such as plant and pitcher abundance and the habitat preferences of the observed vertebrates are likely to also play a role in their choice to visit particular species. This is the first account of a case of obvious nectar robbing fromNepenthespitchers by a guild of species that are too large to serve as prey, while the pitcher size and shape prevent faecal droppings from reaching the pitcher’s inside. This interaction provides an example of a possible starting point for the evolution of the elaborate mutualistic relationships observed in some species. Follow-up adaptations of pitcher shape could enable the plants to catch the droppings of their visitors and turn an exploitative relationship into a mutualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter aeration is often used to prevent fish winter-kill among lakes supporting recreational fisheries and is often used in conjunction with trout stocking as trout are sensitive to hypoxia. We collected limnological data as well as pelagic microcrustacea and rotifers one year before and one year after aeration was initiated in Birch Lake, located in the boreal foothills ecozone of Alberta, Canada. Using a Before-After-Control-Impact design, we compared changes in Birch Lake to those in two nearby and similarly mesotrophic, stocked control lakes (one aerated for more than six years, one unaerated). During winter, surface aeration increased the depth of well-mixed water in Birch Lake, maintaining levels of dissolved oxygen suitable for supporting stocked trout. Linear mixed model analyses indicated that among May–August water quality parameters, only phosphorus concentrations showed a marginally significant treatment × year interaction, increasing only in the unaerated control lake. Aeration did not affect the spring–summer abundance, biomass, or sizes of Birch Lake's zooplankton community. Once aerated, the microcrustacean community in Birch Lake showed partial overlap with the community in the aerated control, although this could not be statistically linked to changes in specific taxa. Ours is the first study to investigate impacts of winter surface aeration on zooplankton communities despite the numerous lakes managed under this strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The littoral macroinvertebrate faunas of 17 dune lakes on the Aupouri Peninsula in northern New Zealand were examined. Land cover of individual catchments was principally sand dunes and scrub, plantation forest, pasture, or a mixture of plantation forest and pasture. Sampling was concentrated in the sedge beds, submerged macrophytes and surface sediment layers of the littoral zone. Sixty-eight invertebrate taxa were recorded, 11–30 per lake. Relative abundance of major faunal groups differed considerably among lakes but a core group of common species was found in three quarters of them. Neither community composition, nor various measures of species richness were related significantly to catchment land cover classes. A feature of the lake fauna was the occurrence of three introduced species of Gastropoda and eight self-introduced insect species, including five dragonflies. One of the latter,Hemicordulia australiae, was found in all lakes and made up 3% of all invertebrates collected. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To investigate regional drivers of spatial patterns in macro- and meio-faunal community structure (abundance, biomass and taxonomic diversity) and ecosystem function (sediment community oxygen consumption [SCOC]), we sampled two regions in close proximity on New Zealand's continental margin—the Chatham Rise and the Challenger Plateau. Sites (n= 15) were selected in water depths ranging from 266–1212 m to generate a gradient in sedimentary properties and, in particular, surface pelagic productivity. Both macro- and meio-fauna abundance and biomass was 2–3.5 times higher on the Chatham Rise than on the Challenger Plateau, reflecting regional differences in pelagic primary production. We also found significant inter- and intra-regional differences in macro-fauna taxonomic diversity with two distinctive site groupings in each region. Univariate and multivariate measures of macro-fauna community attributes were most strongly correlated with sediment photosynthetic pigment (explaining 24%–59% of the variation). Sediment pigment content was as equally important in explaining meio-fauna community structure (36%–7%). Unlike community structure, SCOC was most strongly correlated with depth (44%), most likely reflecting temperature effects on benthic metabolism. Our results highlight the importance of a benthic labile food supply in structuring infaunal communities on continental margins and emphasise a tight coupling between pelagic and benthic habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Types, causes, and intensity of human-carnivore interactions are related to historical context, management policy, and human perception. We used four rural communities in the American West with varying histories and management policies to assess the complexities of human-carnivore interactions and to determine factors influencing individual willingness to coexist with carnivores. By analyzing focus group and interview data from 49 community members, we found that human perceptions towards carnivores and their management were influenced by self-perceived knowledge about carnivores, ability to be heard and have a voice in management decisions, and economic concerns rather than ecological factors. Willingness to coexist with carnivores and to adopt adaptive management were related to past carnivore experience and broader management policy frameworks. Our results suggest a need to better understand how different stakeholders interpret scientific information, what strategies can facilitate effective communication among stakeholders, and what makes stakeholders feel treated justly when human-carnivore conflicts occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied seasonal patterns in richness and abundance in bat communities in Atlantic Forest fragments along the Paraná River in Brazil. There were differences in species composition among fragments but these appear more related to habitat quality than to fragment size. All fragments had high rates of captures of generalist frugivores and a scarcity of species known to be susceptible to disturbance. Richness and abundance were slightly lower during the dry season, but differences were significant only in the most degraded fragment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The abundance of small mammal species is particularly influenced by vegetation and arthropods. Studies that focus on understanding these correlations between small mammals, habitat features and resource availability will provide insights into the ecological processes that drive mammal communities. We investigated the correlations of the abundance of terrestrial arthropod taxa and of the abundance of trees and treelets with the composition of a small mammal community in a patch ofAraucariarain forest in southern Brazil. We established 25 stratified plots in the sampling grid of small mammals and sampled the abundances of trees, treelets and the ground arthropods. Relatively poor small mammal richness, when compared with other formations of Atlantic forest, was registered for this area ofAraucariaforest, but consistent with findings for other small mammal communities in theAraucariaforest of southern Brazil. The abundance of small mammal species of the local community was associated with the abundance of trees of two species and with the abundance of treelets of four species. Regarding the arthropods, the abundance of rodents was associated only with the abundance of coleopterans. Thus, these resources may be a mechanism allowing their coexistence in the same area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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We studied a leaf-litter frog community from an Atlantic Rainforest area in the state of Espírito Santo, south-eastern Brazil. Frogs were sampled using 4 × 4-m plots. We recorded 348 individuals from 13 species. The estimated overall density of leaf-litter frogs in the study area was 6.6 frogs/100 m2with an estimated overall frog biomass of 0.04 g/ha.Brachycephalus didactyluswas the species with the highest estimated density and highest abundance. Five of the litter frog species recorded are considered endemic to the Atlantic Forest and two species are endemic to the state of Espírito Santo, includingEuparkerella robusta, which is considered threatened as the result of habitat loss. The overall abundance of leaf litter was positively related to relative humidity and depth of the leaf litter. The relationship between frog body mass and frog abundance was significant, suggesting that a general biological trend in this relationship occurs in our study area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To study the adaptive mechanisms of host and symbiont in a decrease in pH, coral branches ofPocillopora capitatafrom La Boquita reef in the Bay of Santiago, México were assigned to experimental units (n = 38 per treatment) and three pH treatments were evaluated: (a) pH 8.00–8.40 (control; Treatment C1), (b) pH 7.85–7.95 (Treatment C2) and (c) pH 7.60–7.70 (Treatment C3). Corals were collected at the beginning of the experiment (T0) and at different times:T1(5 h),T2(12 h),T3(48 h) andT4(168 h). We examined malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and CAT), antioxidant capacity and chlorophylla(Chla) content. The results showed a different response to the treatment between zooxanthellae and Cnidaria tissues. Initially in zooxanthellae, we observed a SOD response for the C3treatment; however this response did not prevent lipid degradation. In Cnidaria, the C3resulted in a greater SOD activity from the middle to the end of the experiment. The results improve our understanding of the effects of ocean acidification, the ability of coral to respond to environmental changes and the use of biochemical indicators related to the physiological condition for the recognition of coral communities affected by a decreases in pH. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many birds roost communally but their patterns of use of communal roosts is generally poorly known. For conservation purposes, and to better understand communal roosting generally, it is important to know the factors that influence the size of groups at roosts. I studied the effect of age-class, number of individuals and roosting site on the patterns of variation in the size of communally roosting groups of Andean Condors (Vultur gryphus). I fitted a variance-mean relationship (Taylor's Power Law, TPL) to the number of individuals that roosted daily at seven communal roosts, and made temporal (in each roost) and spatial (among roosts) comparisons of the relationship. The abundance of individuals at a roost fitted the TPL well, both temporally and spatially. The variation in the abundance of individuals was significantly influenced by the roosting site selected, independent of the effect of the mean number of individuals. Moreover, the effect of roosting site on the variability of abundance of individuals was stronger than the effect of age-class. Accordingly, I highlight the importance of the roosting site in modulating variation in the size of groups of communally roosting individuals. This understanding of the patterns of variation in the use of communal roosts could aid in determining the importance of sites for the conservation of a species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of humans and man-made structures may cause increased wariness in wildlife, causing displacement from traditional habitat ranges. Potential species differences in such responses could affect the composition of wildlife communities around human settlements. We examined the position of ungulate groups relative to man-made infrastructure in the area surrounding Amboseli National Park, Kenya. We analysed the effect of vegetation structure, species differences, and group size on the distance that groups of ungulates were found from man-made structures. There were interspecific differences in these distances and much of this interspecific variation could be explained by body size, with larger species tending to be found further away from manmade structures. In contrast, we found no evidence of an effect of group size or vegetation structure on the distance that ungulates were seen from man-made structures. These results lend further evidence that size influences sensitivity to the presence of human disturbance, and that management strategies may need to tailor to the range requirements of larger species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lake Habitat Survey (LHS) method was developed to assess the ecological integrity of the physical habitat around lake and reservoir ecosystems, as well as to determine the magnitude of human pressure on lake systems. The LHS method has not previously been applied to tropical lakes but could potentially be a useful tool. The LHS approach was applied on a tropical African reservoir, Malilangwe reservoir, in 2011. The application of this methodology included the calculation of summary metrics Lake Habitat Metric Survey (LHMS) and Lake Habitat Quality Assessment (LHQA). Results show that although Malilangwe reservoir is experiencing increasing human pressure, it does not appear to suffer from a major invasion of alien plants. Its LHQA score, 76 out of 112, and LHMS score, 16 out of 42, are indicative of relatively few human pressures such as water pumping structures and residential areas. We conclude that the use of LHS can directly enhance the quality and reliability of hydromorphological assessments and can lead to better lake conservation and rehabilitation. It is clear that, for conservation management, a holistic assessment of naturalness, representativeness and species rarity needs to be made in conjunction with scoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about the role of the nest environment in the life cycle of laelapine mites associated with neotropical small mammals is unclear because nests have rarely been collected. Here we use infestation data to make predictions about host-mite ecology and examine the nests of the host to assess the validity of these predictions. Spool-and-line method was used to track Cerradomys subflavus nests. We found that: the structure of mite populations infesting the body of C. subflavus, was strongly biased toward the reproductive female stage; recaptured hosts were re-infested with laelapine mites at different rates; and female hosts were not more highly infested than males. We found strong evidence of nidicoly with both, Gigantolaelaps vitzthumi and Androlaelaps fahrenholzi. The G. vitzthumi was more abundant in the nests of female rodents and with both these mite species, we encountered males and immature mites in the nests, although not in the host fur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testate amoebae from a large fen peatland of China were investigated in August 2009. Thirty-six testate amoebae species belonging to 16 genera and one rotifer were identified. Three relatively drier indicator species, Assulina muscorum, Assulina seminulum, and Trinema-corythion type, were the dominate species, comprising 54% of total amoebae shells. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination divided the testate amoebae assemblages into two groups – a drier group including A. muscorum, A. seminulum, Euglypha rotunda type, Trinema-corythion type, and Plagiopyxis callida and a wetter group including Centropysis cassis, Cyphoderia ampulla, Difflugia oblonga, Difflugia lanceolata, Euglypha strigosa type, Nebela galeata, Nebela lageniformis, and Quadruella symmetrica. Pearson correlations showed that most testate amoebae species between the two groups are negatively correlated, reflecting the possible influence of a moisture gradient. However, the ubiquitous distributions of other testate amoebae in the two-dimensional NMS ordination map suggested that factors other than moisture are also influencing the testate amoebae community in the fen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the study that focuses on late summer hyperbenthic estuarine communities, comparing permanently open and intermittently closed systems along the Otago coastline in New Zealand. It outlines the method employed in the study, and highlights the results of the study with respect to physical and chemical variation, community structure, and open versus intermittently closed estuaries.

Copyright of Ecoscience (Ecoscience) is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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.)

Benthic macroinvertebrate community composition was investigated in 2008 at 55 stations at various depths in the nearshore and offshore waters of Lake Victoria, in relation to dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, chlorophyll a and conductivity. Macroinvertebrate abundance was higher in the shallow nearshore waters than in the deep offshore waters. The communities of the shallow, intermediate and deep environments were composed mainly of molluscs, worms and insects. Gastropods (52.68%) and bivalves (40.18%) constituted the major part of the benthic community. Bellamya unicolor, Melanoides tuberculata and Coelatura spp. were the most abundant molluscs. Various macroinvertebrates showed depth preferences, with gastropods having a strong preference for shallow waters and bivalves a weak preference for deep waters. The present findings contrast with those of most studies done before 1984, but agree with many done after that period. The presence of macrophytes and abundant detritus, a food resource for macroinvertebrates, account for their high abundance in shallow waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure and pattern of mesozooplankton in three tidal estuaries experiencing contrasting salinity gradients were investigated. In the Kariega Estuary, where freshwater inflow was persistently low with little variation in flow, salinity values exceeded 28-30 for long periods (years) throughout the estuary. In the Keiskamma and Great Fish estuaries intermittent floods, coupled to strong and variable baseflows, ensured spatial and temporal variability in salinity distribution. Copepods numerically dominated the zooplankton (95-97%) in all three estuaries. Species richness in the freshwater-starved Kariega Estuary exceeded 35, coupled with reduced variance in abundance and low species dominance at most sites along the estuary. By contrast, the Keiskamma and Great Fish estuaries had relatively few species (21 and 20, respectively), high population variance and high species dominance at most sites. Two mesozooplankton species emerged as possible indicators of freshwater-rich and freshwater-starved estuaries. The copepod Pseudodiaptomus hessei was particularly abundant in the Keiskamma and Great Fish, following the pattern recorded for other estuaries with strong horizontal salinity gradients (>28). By contrast, population density of P. hessei was orders of magnitude lower in the marine-dominated Kariega. The copepod Tortanus capensis was present only in the Kariega Estuary. Characteristically, T. capensis favours upper estuarine reaches or sheltered marine embayments where salinity values consistently remain above c. 33-34 for long periods (months to years). The zooplankton of freshwater-rich estuaries is essentially a subset of the community found in freshwater-starved estuaries, and a reducing supply of fresh water to estuaries leads to estuarine mesozooplankton communities moving along a trajectory of increasing species richness, but decreasing variance and dominance within assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some wildlife species are adapting to urbanizing settings made more attractive due to changes in land-use practices, human attitudes and behaviors, and conservation efforts. People who live in communities near suburban parks are encountering wildlife more frequently than in the past, with varying reactions. In-depth interviews conducted with residents living near three national parks yielded insight on “suburban deer” as an emerging social construct. Interviewees described expectations about deer abundance and behavior that guided their interactions with suburban deer and affected deer behavior, which in turn affected interviewees' evaluations of deer and subsequent responses to interactions. Left unchecked, this process may result in the ultimate “tragedy of becoming common,” when species are no longer viewed as wildlife, but as pests or pets. In the absence of an established cultural construct for suburban wildlife, stakeholder engagement will continue to play an important role in understanding and addressing these diverging views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By studying Bartonella prevalence in rodent communities from 23 geographic sites in the western United States and one site in northern Mexico, the present study focused on the effects of rodent community diversity (measured by richness and Shannon index) and composition on prevalence of Bartonella infections. The analysis showed negative correlations of Bartonella prevalence with rodent richness and Shannon index. Further, Bartonella prevalence varied among rodent genera/species. Three models were applied to explain the observations. (1) Within-species/genus transmission: Bartonella strains usually are host-specific and adding non-host species would decrease Bartonella prevalence in its principal host through reduction of host contact (encounter reduction); (2) Frequency-dependence: Adding hosts would decrease the proportion of all infected individuals in the community, resulting in a reduction in the number of contacts between susceptible and infected individuals that usually leads to transmission (transmission reduction); and (3) Dominant species effect: Dominant species, if not susceptible to Bartonellae, can constrain the abundance of susceptible hosts (susceptible host regulation). These mechanisms work in concert; and the level of Bartonella prevalence is an outcome of regulation of all of these mechanisms on the entire system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rudd (Scardinius erythrophthal,nus) was first identified in South Dakota waters during the early 1990's. Since its introduction, there has been a paucity of information concerning its presence. The objectives of this research were to summarize rudd collections in South Dakota, to describe the population dynamics of three established populations, and to assess possible effects on native fish communities. Rudd have been collected from waters in nine South Dakota counties and one Missouri River reservoir. Lake Alice, Newell Lake, and Sheridan Lake currently have self-sustaining rudd populations. Rudd relative abundance has stabilized in these three lakes. Population samples were dominated by individuals >200 mm total length. Recruitment has been consistent with several year classes present in each lake and natural mortality tends to be low. Rudd growth rates in Lake Alice and Newell Lake were extremely fast. It currently does not appear that the fish communities have been adversely affected by the presence of rudd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sampling has been conducted in small to large rivers of the Midwest and northeastern United States to determine the usefulness of a modified Missouri trawl designed In increase species detection of small-bodied fish species. We modified the Missouri trawl, which is a 4.8 m standard two-seam slingshot balloon trawl with a small mesh cover, by reducing the size (to a 2.44 m) and cover. The modified Missouri trawl (a.k.a. she mini-Missouri trawl) increased the number of small-bodied aquatic species of concern captured over that of previously used gears. For instance, shoal chub (Macrhybopsis hyostoma) had only been captured in the St. Croix River of Minnesota at three locations since 1960, yet we sampled it at 14 new locations in September. 2004 employing this methodology. Because of our success in these diverse and numerous systems, we believe this is a useful methodology for sampling the benthic fish community in many aquatic systems when other sampling methods are difficult to use because of water depths and/or velocities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively few studies have examined the ecological effects of instream sand and gravel mining, which occurs in many streams and rivers worldwide. The objective of this study was to evaluate fish community composition at sand dredged and unmodified (control) sites in the Kansas River, Kansas. Fish and habitat sampling were conducted at two control sites and one dredged site in September 1979 and 1980. The same sites and one additional dredged site were sampled in September 2006. In 2006, dredged sites were deeper and had slower current velocities than control sites. Similarity indices determined that fish community at control sites in 2006 were 80% similar to the same sites in 1979 and 1980, despite 26 years between sampling. Dredged sites had more variable species composition, but one site still had large-river species (blue sucker, shovelnose sturgeon), which were sampled above the actual dredge in fast, shallow vvater. Native river fish species were similarly present in 1979-1980 and 2006, but lentic and non-native fishes (e.g.. centrarchids), although still in low abundance, increased in 2006 particularly in dredged sites. These results suggest that sand dredging provided habitats that were suitable for lentic fishes, but other anthropogenic effects (reservoir construction, urbanization) also likely contributed to fish assemblage changes in the Kansas River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat change, mainly through the actions of humans, poses a threat to great white (Pelecanus onocrotalus) and pink-backed (P. rufescens) pelicans in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal, the southernmost distributions of these species on Africa's eastern seaboard. This study assessed the relative importance and state of the potential pelican habitat in the northeastern KwaZulu-Natal region, focusing particularly on Lake St Lucia and the Phongolo River floodplain. Great white pelicans breed on islands in Lake St Lucia. Should these islands be lost through falling water levels or their becoming joined to mainland by deposits of silt, or by flooding, no suitable habitat for their breeding will remain in the region. By contrast, the pink-backed pelican nests in trees, and there appears to be plentiful alternative habitat. Lake St Lucia and, to a lesser extent, the Phongolo River floodplain, are important foraging areas for both pelican species. The hydrology of both these systems has been affected by human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]