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The relative contributions of genetic and social factors in shaping the living world are a crucial question in ecology. The annual migration of birds to their wintering grounds and back provides significant knowledge in this field of research. Migratory movements are predominantly genetically determined in passerine birds, while in large soaring birds, it is presumed that social (cultural) factors play the largest role. In this study, we show that genetic factors in soaring birds are more important than previously assumed. We used global positioning system (GPS)-telemetry to compare the autumn journeys and wintering ranges of two closely related large raptorial bird species, the greater spotted eagleClanga clangaand the lesser spotted eagleClanga pomarina, and hybrids between them. The timing of migration in hybrids was similar to that of one parental species, but the wintering distributions and home range sizes were similar to those of the other. Tracking data were supported by habitat suitability modelling, based on GPS fixes and ring recoveries. These results suggest a strong genetic influence on migration strategy via a trait-dependent dominance effect, although we cannot rule out the contribution of social interactions.

Nanosilver particles are used in various clinical settings because of their antibacterial properties. However, their safety evaluation when used for gynaecological disorders has not been established. Nanosilver particles were administrated in the vagina of New Zealand rabbits, and the pathological appearance of the surrounding tissue was examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after 1 and 3 days of treatment. The nanosilver content was assessed by plasma mass spectrometry, and the presence of particles in the hepatic portal vein blood was assessed by TEM. The results of our study show that the vaginal administration of nanosilver particles caused ultrastructural changes to the vaginal mucosa, urethra and rectum, with accumulation of particles in all tissues. These results demonstrate a new migration route of nanosilver particles following vaginal administration. They also demonstrate, for the first time, that the vaginal administration of nanosilver particles can enter the blood circulation system by examining the hepatic portal vein blood under the TEM which is the most direct visualized evidence.

Aim: We used comparative phylogeography of two intestinal parasites of freshwater fish to test whether similarity in life cycle translates into concordant phylogeographical history. The thorny-headed worms Pomphorhynchus laevis and P. tereticollis (Acanthocephala) were formerly considered as a single species with a broad geographical and host range within the Western Palaearctic. Location: Central and eastern parts of Northern Mediterranean area, Western and Central Europe, Ponto-Caspian Europe. Methods: A mitochondrial marker (COI) was sequenced for 111 P. laevis and 50 P. tereticollis individuals and nuclear ITS1 and ITS2 sequences were obtained for 37 P. laevis and 21 P. tereticollis. Genetic divergence, phylogenetic relationships and divergence time were estimated for various lineages within each species, and their phylogeographical patterns were compared to known palaeogeographical events in Western Palaearctic. Biogeographical histories of each species were inferred. Results: The two species show very different phylogeographical patterns. Five lineages were identified in P. laevis, partially matching several major biogeographical regions defined in the European riverine fish fauna. The early stages of P. laevis diversification occurred in the peri-Mediterranean area, during the Late Miocene. Subsequent expansion across Western Europe and Russia was shaped by dispersal and vicariant events, from Middle Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene. By contrast, P. tereticollis has differentiated more recently within the Western and Central parts of Europe, and shows weak geographical and genetic structuring. Conclusion: Our study highlights weak to moderate similarity in the phylogeographical pattern of these acanthocephalan parasites compared to their amphipod and fish hosts. The observed differences in the timing of dispersion and migration routes taken may reflect the use of a range of final hosts with different ecologies and dispersal capabilities. By using a group underrepresented in phylogeographical studies, our study is a valuable contribution to revealing the biogeography of host–parasite interactions in continental freshwaters. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

The assessment of the composition and dynamics of endangered populations is crucial for management and conservation, and appropriate genetic markers are critical. The genetic structuring of the Mediterranean green turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations and the origin of the stranded animals found along the Israeli coast was investigated using new highly polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) markers. The structuring of nesting populations was studied using pairwise genetic distances and a principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). The contribution of the different nesting populations to the stranded sample was assessed by using a mixed-stock analysis. A clear population genetic structure, not detected before, has been revealed. The four nesting populations are genetically well differentiated, and thus should be considered as different management units. The populations from Turkey and Israel showed higher resemblance, despite residing at opposite ends of the Mediterranean distribution. The Turkish nesting population is the main source of the stranded turtles sampled along the Israeli shore, confirming that individuals from this population migrate from north to south along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, as previously shown by telemetry studies. The use of a highly polymorphic haplotyping method enabled the detection of a clear genetic structuring of the green turtle populations in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that was not revealed in previous studies, demonstrating the importance of marker selection in population genetics. The analysis of the genetic composition of the stranded turtles allowed us to investigate the migration patterns from nesting to foraging areas, supporting previous satellite-tracking and stable-isotope results. These results will help to delineate conservation management units for the species in the Mediterranean, and reveal connectivity among beaches and mixed aggregations. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The assessment of the composition and dynamics of endangered populations is crucial for management and conservation, and appropriate genetic markers are critical. The genetic structuring of the Mediterranean green turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations and the origin of the stranded animals found along the Israeli coast was investigated using new highly polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) markers. The structuring of nesting populations was studied using pairwise genetic distances and a principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). The contribution of the different nesting populations to the stranded sample was assessed by using a mixed-stock analysis. A clear population genetic structure, not detected before, has been revealed. The four nesting populations are genetically well differentiated, and thus should be considered as different management units. The populations from Turkey and Israel showed higher resemblance, despite residing at opposite ends of the Mediterranean distribution. The Turkish nesting population is the main source of the stranded turtles sampled along the Israeli shore, confirming that individuals from this population migrate from north to south along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, as previously shown by telemetry studies. The use of a highly polymorphic haplotyping method enabled the detection of a clear genetic structuring of the green turtle populations in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that was not revealed in previous studies, demonstrating the importance of marker selection in population genetics. The analysis of the genetic composition of the stranded turtles allowed us to investigate the migration patterns from nesting to foraging areas, supporting previous satellite-tracking and stable-isotope results. These results will help to delineate conservation management units for the species in the Mediterranean, and reveal connectivity among beaches and mixed aggregations. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae) is an endemic breeder of the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands that overwinters in Madagascar and surrounding areas. Recent telemetry studies have revealed the migratory journey of falcons from the western and central Mediterranean breeding colonies. Our study complements the puzzle of the species' migration providing data from an eastern Mediterranean breeding colony. In this paper, we describe for the first time the migratory routes of four falcons originating from the Aegean Sea, the core of the species' breeding range. We tracked two adults and two immature siblings to their wintering grounds in Madagascar. According to our results, the timing of migration was consistent with previous studies. Our findings also suggest that the falcons adjust their flight speed according to the environmental conditions encountered en route, by accelerating during open-sea and desert crossings and by slowing down in potential foraging areas. Moreover, the selection of common staging areas, both among the two siblings and among the two adults, highlights the role of these areas in the migratory cycle of the species. Finally, according to the home-range analysis on the wintering grounds, space use was rather variable across the four tracked falcons. Still, the falcons were more frequently observed within the submontane forest, one of the last patches of primary rainforest in Madagascar. Thus, future studies aiming at unveiling the ecological requirements of the species in its wintering quarters are considered as top priority. © Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V. 2012. 153 839 848 Cited By :13

The Khon Mueang (KM) are the largest group of northern Thai people. Our previous mtDNA studies have suggested an admixture process among the KM with the earlier Mon-Khmer-speaking inhabitants of this region. In this study, we evaluate genetic affinities and admixture among 10 KM populations in northern Thailand lying along the historical Yuan migration route, and 10 neighboring populations belonging to 7 additional ethnic groups: Lawa, Mon (Mon-Khmer-speaking groups), Shan, Yuan, Lue, Khuen and Yong (Tai-speaking groups) by analyzing 15 hypervariable autosomal short tandem repeat loci. The KM exhibited close relationships with neighboring populations, especially the Tai-speaking groups, reflecting an admixed origin of the KM. Admixture proportions were observed in all KM populations, which had a higher contribution from the parental Tai than the Mon-Khmer groups. Different admixture patterns of the KM along the migration route might indicate high heterogeneity among the KM. These patterns were not directly associated with geographical proximity, suggesting other factors, like variation in the timing of admixture with the existing populations may have had an important role. More genetic data from different marker systems solely transmitted through the male or female lineages are needed to complete the description of genetic admixture and population history of the KM. © 2011 The Japan Society of Human Genetics All rights reserved.

Previous studies have shown that loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), monitored by satellite telemetry, complete long-distance migration between the western and eastern Mediterranean basins following a seasonal pattern. This study investigated if these migration routes may be influenced by surface currents by superimposing the tracks of three loggerhead turtles (curved carapace length >55 cm), migrating from the western to the eastern Mediterranean basin, on Lagrangian data of current developed into pseudo-eulerian speed fields. The average travel speed of the turtles was 1.6 km h−1 and did not depend on the current speed or direction. We observed a connection between surface currents and the turtles’ migration routes, although not a conclusive one. These observations show that neritic stage loggerhead turtles conduct migration in two distinct alternate phases: the first characterized by high and constant speed of travel both when swimming with or against currents and the second typified by low travel speeds and a good concurrence between the trailed routes and the course of the currents. These two phases corresponded to two types of movements, one where the turtle migrates actively to reach a specific destination (either neritic foraging, wintering or nesting ground) and the other, where the turtle drifts with the mesoscale current and forages pelagically. It seemed thus, that the influence of currents on a turtle’s movements depends on the turtle’s momentary behaviour and location of residence.

Résumé; International audience

Around forty bird species habitually reproduce in the Northern Hemisphere during summer, and migrate to the Southern Hemisphere during northern winter. These migrating birds fly together in large or small groups until they have reached the Caribbean, Central American, or Brazilian shores. Charadrius semipalmatus, Bonaparte 1825, is one of these migrating species that uses resting and feeding areas along eastern and western coasts of North and South America, with several records for the Brazilian coast, and very few for the inland country. On November 24, 2011, an individual of this species was observed on the banks of one of the lakes that compose a complex of about 40 temporary lakes within the Karst of Lagoa Santa Environmental Protection Area. On October 29 and 30, 2012 a single individual of Gelochelidon nilotica, Gmelin 1789, was also observed in Sumidouro State Park. We suggest that these specimens have used the Atlantic Ocean migration route, following the São Francisco River Basin, until the karst area. Although highly impacted, the temporary lakes within the Karst of Lagoa Santa still harbor a significant number of bird species, and serve as resting and feeding places for migratory or errant species that are still eliciting new records. Cerca de 40 espécies de aves se reproduzem no hemisfério Norte durante o verão e migram durante o inverno, desse hemisfério, para o hemisfério Sul. Essas aves migratórias se reúnem em grandes ou pequenos bandos até atingir o Caribe, América Central e região costeira do Brasil. Charadrius semipalmatus, Bonaparte 1825, é uma das migratórias que usa áreas de repouso e alimentação ao longo das costas leste e oeste das Américas do Norte e do Sul, tendo vários registros no litoral brasileiro e muito poucos no interior do país. No dia 24 de novembro de 2011, um indivíduo da espécie foi observado nas margens de uma das lagoas que compõem um complexo de cerca de 40 lagoas temporárias da Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) Carste de Lagoa Santa. Nos dias 29 e 30 de outubro de 2012 um indivíduo de Gelochelidon nilotica, Gmelin 1789, foi observado na lagoa do Sumidouro, no Parque Estadual do Sumidouro. Sugerimos que os indivíduos utilizaram a rota do Oceano Atlântico para a migração, seguindo a bacia do rio São Francisco até atingir a área da APA Carste de Lagoa Santa. Apesar de altamente impactadas, as lagoas temporárias da APA Carste de Lagoa Santa ainda abrigam expressiva riqueza em espécies e servem como local de repouso e alimentação para espécies migratórias ou errantes ocasionais que continuam sendo registradas.

Migration detours, the spatial deviation from the shortest route, are a widespread phenomenon in migratory species, especially if barriers must be crossed. Moving longer distances causes additional efforts in energy and time, and to be adaptive, this should be counterbalanced by favorable condition en route. We compared migration patterns of nightingales that travelled along different flyways from their European breeding sites to the African nonbreeding sites. We tested for deviations from shortest routes and related the observed and expected routes to the habitat availability at ground during autumn and spring migration. All individuals flew detours of varying extent. Detours were largest and seasonally consistent in western flyway birds, whereas birds on the central and eastern flyways showed less detours during autumn migration, but large detours during spring migration (eastern flyway birds). Neither migration durations nor the time of arrival at destination were related to the lengths of detours. Arrival at the breeding site was nearly synchronous in birds flying different detours. Flying detours increased the potential availability of suitable broad-scale habitats en route only along the western flyway. Habitat availability on observed routes remained similar or even decreased for individuals flying detours on the central or the eastern flyway as compared to shortest routes. Thus, broad-scale habitat distribution may partially explain detour performance, but the weak detour-habitat association along central and eastern flyways suggests that other factors shape detour extent regionally. Prime candidate factors are the distribution of small suitable habitat patches at local scale as well as winds specific for the region and altitude.

Around forty bird species habitually reproduce in the Northern Hemisphere during summer, and migrate to the Southern Hemisphere during northern winter. These migrating birds fly together in large or small groups until they have reached the Caribbean, Central American, or Brazilian shores. Charadrius semipalmatus, Bonaparte 1825, is one of these migrating species that uses resting and feeding areas along eastern and western coasts of North and South America, with several records for the Brazilian coast, and very few for the inland country. On November 24, 2011, an individual of this species was observed on the banks of one of the lakes that compose a complex of about 40 temporary lakes within the Karst of Lagoa Santa Environmental Protection Area. On October 29 and 30, 2012 a single individual of Gelochelidon nilotica, Gmelin 1789, was also observed in Sumidouro State Park. We suggest that these specimens have used the Atlantic Ocean migration route, following the São Francisco River Basin, until the karst area. Although highly impacted, the temporary lakes within the Karst of Lagoa Santa still harbor a significant number of bird species, and serve as resting and feeding places for migratory or errant species that are still eliciting new records.

"Little is known about the migration of the Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla). In this short communication we report a sight-record of an adult male Black-capped Vireo in northeastern Michoacán and several distribution records outside the proposed distribution for this species. Altogether, these records suggest that the species uses the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Transvolcanic Mexican Belt for migration."

Background and Purpose: Silver fir (Abies albaMill.) is one of the most important forest tree species in theWestern Balkan area from both economic and ecological aspect. Its distribution has for years been the subject of scientific research, the reason being that silver fir from these areas displays very interesting morphological and genetic differentiation. Material and methods: The development of modern methods and the use of nad5-4 marker have solved the problem of contact zones of silver fir originating from the Apennine and Balkan glacial refugia in the Western Balkan area. The objective of this study was to determine the boundary of gene introgression of silver fir derived from the Apennine and Balkan glacial refugia in the western Balkan populations with the use of isoenzymes. Twenty-four selected populations from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia were investigated. Nine enzyme systems were studied, polymorphic gene loci were scored and so were their allelic types. The analysis of general genetic parameters did not allowfor any conclusion, and neither did the analysis of genetic distances. For this reason, the allele distribution was analyzed. Results and Conclusions: Statistical analysis showed the separation of the populations from Croatia which belong to the group west of the contact zone. In the populations along the contact zone and in those from the eastern part, the grouping did not show any regularity or any clinal variability. The main reason for this is attributed to high ecological diversity, fragmentation and the occurrence of genetic drift. It can be concluded that silver fir originating from the Balkan refugium was more widely distributed in the past, but is now constantly retreating in relation to that originating from the Apennines. Another hypothesis is that it may have reached southern Germany through a similar gene flow. The impact of the alleles originating from the Apennine refugium is also present in the eastern parts of Bosnia.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Toward fulfillment of that mission, a priority of the USFWS is conservation and management of migratory birds. Effective conservation actions to ensure the continued existence of a species on the landscape cannot be designed without first understanding basic life history characteristics of a species. It is common in the case of migratory birds, that we lack understanding of some of their elemental biological traits. The Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoa, is one such species where we lack information and understanding of the birds ecology. The Marbled Godwit has been identified as a species of high conservation concern by USFWS and its many partners. Concern is warranted as the estimated global population is relatively small (173,500) coupled with significant loss and degradation of its breeding and wintering habitats. However, in order to assess where to focus conservation action that would provide the most benefit to the overall population first we need to learn more about its population trends and ecology. In this study, USFWS, Utah State University and many other partners propose a multi-year, $150,000 project to characterize the biogeography of Marbled Godwit populations. Using the latest technology in miniature satellite transmitters, we will determine migration routes, timing, distances, speed and duration. We will also determine the connectivity or the links between the major breeding, staging, wintering and stopover areas. Unraveling this mystery will help us identify key habitats for protection and allow us to examine the risks or threats that each subpopulation is exposed to throughout the annual cycle. The connectivity among and between disparate breeding subpopulations of North American Marbled Godwit is also the initial step in designing future studies to further understand population dynamics of the species.

Premise of the study: Knowledge on the range-wide distribution of genetic structure and diversity is required to facilitate the understanding of historical tree migration and for predicting responses to current climate change. With respect to post-glacial migration patterns known from the northern hemisphere, we tested the prediction that the southernmost populations of a subtropical tree line species have lower within-population genetic diversity and higher genetic differentiation than the central and northernmost populations. Methods: We used AFLP to assess the genetic structure of 18 populations of the wind-pollinated Polylepis australis (Rosaceae) sampled over its entire distributional range in three Argentinean high mountain regions. Genetic diversity was calculated as a percentage of polymorphic bands (P) and Nei's expected heterozygosity (He); genetic differentiation was assessed using AMOVA, Φ ST - statistics, and Bayesian cluster analysis. Key results: Contrary to our expectations, the northernmost Polylepis australis stands had lower within-population genetic diversity and higher genetic differentiation than the central and southernmost stands. Populations grouped into two major clusters, the first containing the southern populations and four central populations and the second containing the northern and one central population. Conclusions: Patterns of Polylepis australis genetic structure and diversity differ from historical migration scenarios observed for the northern hemisphere. The decline in genetic diversity toward the north may point to an equatorward migration following past climatic changes. Populations within the south and central part appear to be connected by effective long-distance pollination while gene flow in the northern part is probably hampered by geographic isolation. © 2011 Botanical Society of America.

Phenology of Coscoroba Swan (Coscoroba coscoroba) in southern Brazil and their movements to Argentina. – The Coscoroba Swan (Coscoroba coscoroba) is an unusual member of the Anatidae. It has a patchy distribution and is a partial migrant found from the Falkland Islands and Tierra del Fuego through Chile and Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay as far north as Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil. This study describes the movements of Coscoroba swans banded outside the boundary of and in side the “Estaçao Ecológica do Taim” Reserve (c. 32°33’S, 52°32’W) in the southern coastal plain of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and the phenology in this area. The analysis of banding and recapture or recovery data was conducted between 2005 and 2008, and data from birds marked between 1979 and 2006 were also obtained from “Centro Nacional de Pesquisas e Conservação de Aves Silvestres” (CEMAVE). Distance between sites, the location of marking and recapture or recovery sites, and sex and age were analyzed. A total of 1070 birds were banded and ringed during the flightless wing moult and 32 recaptures or recoveries were registered during the study period (27 inside the banding area and five outside), the resighting of a Coscoroba in Chubut, Argentina (43°21’S, 65°03’W) being most noteworthy. A route between Argentina and Brazil to the central depression of Rio Grande do Sul state (to and from the Taim area) was confirmed as well as fidelity to Taim as a molting site and important breeding area. Recaptures at Taim showed a prevalence of male adults that may indicate a greater male fidelity to the natal area and juvenile dispersal to other areas until sexual maturity is reached., El Coscoroba (Coscoroba coscoroba) es un miembro inusual de la familia Anatidae. Su población tiene una distribución desigual y es parcialmente migratoria, distribuyéndose desde las Islas Malvinas y Tierra del Fuego hasta Chile y Argentina al sur, Uruguay y Paraguay y como límite norte Mato Grosso do Sul en Brasil. Este estudio describe los movimientos de animales anillados en los alrededores y dentro de la Reserva “Estaçao Ecológica do Taim” (c. 32°33’S, 52°32’W) localizada en la llanura costera del extremo sur del Estado de Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil y caracteriza la fenología del Coscoroba en esa área. Los datos de marcaje y recaptura o recuperación provienen de datos propios obtenidos entre el 2005 y el 2008 y datos cedidos por el “Centro Nacional de Pesquisas e Conservação de Aves Silvestres” (CEMAVE) obtenidos entre 1979 y 2006. La distancia entre los sitios de marcaje y recaptura o recuperación de anillas, las coordenadas, el sexo y la edad fueron analizadas. Un total de 1070 aves fueron marcadas con anillas durante la muda y 32 recapturas o recuperaciones fueron registradas durante el período del estudio (27 dentro del área de captura y cinco fuera) dando énfasis a

The extensional intramontane grabens that formed in southwestern Anatolia in the Late Cenozoic bear the unique tectono-sedimentary, palaeontological and palynological record of a region that underwent rapid transition from the last compressional pulses of the Alpine orogeny to the tectonic phase of orogen collapse and the onset of neotectonic regime. The change in tectonic regime was accompanied by regional climatic changes, recorded by the sedimentary environments of the basins and evidenced by palaeontological and palynological data. The late Early to mid-Middle Miocene was characterized by a warm and humid subtropical climate with densely forested wetlands. The late Middle to Late Miocene witnessed a change to arid climatic conditions, with grass-dominated steppe ecosystems. The Pliocene climate was warm and humid, with savannah-type open habitats. In terms of their stratigraphic development, the southwestern Anatolian basins form two distinct groups. One group is represented by the Denizli, Söke and Yataǧan basins, which commenced their development in the Early Burdigalian and underwent similar phases of environmental change: (1) the Burdigalian phase of alluvial environment and redbed deposition; (2) the Late Burdigalian-Langhian phase of alluvial sedimentation accompanied by the formation of "terminal" lakes; (3) the Serravallian-Middle Tortonian phase of the formation of shallow perennial lakes; (4) the Middle Tortonian-Messinian phase of lake expansion and deepening, followed by shrinking and shallowing; (5) the Pliocene phase of lake expansion and deepening; and (6) the erosional Quaternary phase of two-stage alluvial sedimentation separated by a high-relief erosional unconformity. The other, younger group of tectonic grabens is represented by the Karacasu, Bozdoǧan, Çameli and Eşen basins, which commenced their development in the earliest Tortonian and underwent common environmental changes: (1) the Tortonian phase of alluvial environment and redbed deposition, coeval with the phase of lake drying in the Denizli, Söke and Yataǧan basins; (2) the Messinian phase of the formation of "terminal" lakes, coeval with the re-establishment of shallow lakes in the three other basins; (3) the Zanclean phase of shallow perennial lakes, coeval with the expansion and deepening of lakes in the other basins; (4) the Piacenzian phase of deep lacustrine environments; (5) the Gelasian phase of shallow lacustrine environments; and (6) the erosional Quaternary phase of two-stage alluvial sedimentation, similar as in the other basins. In spite of the time offset in their development, the two basin groups have been strongly modulated by climate and hence show correlative responses to regional climatic changes. Despite the time offset in their tectonic development, the two basin groups showed correlative environmental changes imposed by regional climatic conditions. The basins were environmentally unified by the Quaternary alluvial phase of their development. In the Late Cenozoic, Anatolia was at the crossroads of fauna migration routes between Africa, Asia and Europe, and the palaeontological data from the southwestern Anatolian basins shed more light on this phenomenon. The study as a whole contributes to a better understanding of the Late Cenozoic environmental, climatical and biogeographical changes in the Eastern Mediterranean. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is one of the most important forest tree species in the western Balkan area both economically and ecologically. Its distribution has been the subject of scientific research for many years because silver fir from these areas displays very interesting morphological and genetic differentiation. The objective of this research was to determine the boundary of gene introgression of silver fir deriving from the Apennine and Balkan glacial refugia in the western Balkan populations with the use of isoenzymes. Nine enzyme systems were studied in 24 populations from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, and polymorphic gene loci and their allelic types were scored. The analysis of general genetic parameters did not allow for any conclusion, and neither did the analysis of genetic distances. However, statistical analysis of allele distribution showed the populations from Croatia (Gerovo, Fužine, Skrad and Vrbovsko) to be distinctly different from those from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Populations along the contact zone (Grmeč, Oštrelj, Tičevo and Glamoč) and from the eastern part (from central and east Bosnia and Herzegovina) did not show any regular grouping or clinal variability. This is attributed to high ecological diversity, fragmentation and the occurrence of genetic drift. Alleles originating from the Apennine refugium are also present in trees in eastern Bosnia. The results suggest that silver fir originating from the Balkan refugium was more widely distributed in the past, but is now retreating relative to that originating from the Apennines.

A method for comparing two migration routes is introduced. In the method are needed approximations of the average daily positions which are computed based on averages of dates and of positions in a window sliding through the encounters ordered in ascending order by date. The method contains two tests. The first, global, test statistic compares the entire migration routes and is the average of the distances between the daily positions of the two routes to be compared. The second test is used to identify sections during migration where the routes may deviate and is based on consecutive averages of the distances of short time periods between the daily positions of the two routes. A randomization test is used to assess the statistical significance of the test statistics in both components. The methods are applied to artificial and real data. Examples of the use of the method are computed with data sets of ring recoveries of Common terns (Sterna hirundo) and Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) ringed in Finland in 1930–2002., El trabajo presenta un método para comparar rutas migratorias. El método utiliza aproximaciones para el cálculo de las localizaciones medias diarias basadas en las fechas y localizaciones promedio, en una ventana que se va desplazando a lo largo de las distintas observaciones ordenadas en orden ascendente según fecha. El método incluye dos pruebas estadísticas. La primera compara de forma global todas las rutas migratorias, y lo que se compara es la media de las distancias entre las distintas posiciones diarias de las dos rutas. La segunda prueba permite identificar tramos durante la migración en los que las rutas se pueden desviar, y se basa en promedios consecutivos de las distancias de breves períodos de tiempo entre las posiciones diarias de las dos rutas. Se utiliza una prueba de randomización para evaluar la relevancia estadística de las pruebas en ambos componentes. Los métodos se aplican a datos artificiales y reales. Los ejemplos del empleo del método se calculan con conjuntos de datos de recuperaciones de anillas de charranes comunes (Sterna hirundo) y de águilas pescadoras (Pandion haliaetus) anillados en Finlandia entre 1930 y 2002.