Search Results (27)

This study investigates the changes in population size, distribution, and habitat preferences of the Eurasian magpie Pica pica in Zielona Góra over 23 years, emphasising the effects of urbanisation and habitat transformation. A comprehensive survey conducted in 2022 identified 953 magpie pairs, with an average density of 8.8 pairs/km² across the current administrative boundaries of Zielona Góra (without forests), and 27.7 pairs/km² in strictly urbanised zones. The highest densities were observed in the old town (36.5 pairs/km²) and residential blocks (34.5 pairs/km²), while peripheral areas, like allotment gardens and industrial zones, showed significantly lower densities. The nests were predominantly located in coniferous trees, especially spruces, marking a shift from the previously favoured poplars. The mean nest height was 11.8 m, varying by habitat type, with the highest nests found in the old town and parks. Environmental factors, such as proximity to trash bins, water sources, and tall trees, were significant predictors of nest density and placement. These findings underscore the magpie’s adaptability to urban environments, influenced by the availability of anthropogenic resources, habitat structure, and surrounding urban features. Full article

Many birds regard partitioning feeding and breeding resources as a strategy to escape competition and co-occurring breeding species. During the breeding season, breeding requirements are essential, yet the patterns and drivers of segregation between and within populations are poorly understood. We monitored the habitat use and chronology of the four co-occurring passerines Eurasian Blackbird, European Greenfinch, Common Chaffinch, and European Serin to examine levels of habitat partitioning and success rates during the breeding season. We recorded nesting sites, nest supports, nest placement, breeding chronology, and productivity in four olive orchards in Fez, central Morocco, from March to August 2018–2019. Our results showed substantial spatial segregation in nesting sites, nest supports, and tree vertical placements. Breeding birds showed significant temporal segregation during the nesting, laying, and hatching phases. These findings suggest distinct spatial and temporal differences in habitat selection among co-occurring passerines, which are suggested to increase avoidance of intra and interspecific competition for resources. Breeding success was very high in European Serin and Eurasian Blackbird. Failure factors were recorded: eggs of European Serin were threatened principally by desertion, abortion, and destruction, and eggs of European Greenfinch were impacted by poaching by children. Our findings provide the first data on the spatial and temporal partitioning of breeding resources among passerines species in Northwest African and probably Mediterranean agroecosystems. Full article

Background: Plovers (Charadriidae), within the order of Charadriiformes, a group of modern birds distributed worldwide, are a frequent subject of molecular phylogenetic studies. While research on mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) variation within the family Charadriidae, especially intraspecific variation, is limited. Additionally, the monophyly of Charadrius and the phylogenetic placement of Pluvialis remain contentious. Nevertheless, recent studies utilizing complete mitogenomes from available databases to construct phylogenetic trees for Charadriidae and Charadriiformes remain scarce. Methods: This study aims to explore mitogenome variation within Charadrius dubius and clarify the phylogenetic placement of Pluvialis fulva. We sequenced the complete mitogenome of six C. dubius and one P. fulva, and all additional available mitogenomes were integrated within Charadriiformes. The average complete mitogenome length of C. dubius is 16,889 bp, and P. fulva is 16,859 bp. Results: Our results support the suggestion that the monophyly of Charadrius and P. fulva is nested within Charadriidae. The phylogenetic analysis of Charadriiformes based on mitogenomes strongly supports the recognition of three major shorebird clades: Charadrii, Lari and Scolopaci, with Lari and Scolopaci identified as sister clades. Conclusions: Our study reinforces the credibility of the inferred evolutionary relationships within Charadriidae and Charadriiformes. Full article

The scheduling problem in additive manufacturing is receiving increasing attention; however, few have considered the effect of scheduling decisions on machine energy consumption. This research focuses on the nesting and scheduling problem of a single selective laser melting (SLM) machine to reduce total energy consumption. Based on an energy consumption model, a nesting and scheduling problem is formulated, and a mixed integer linear programming model is proposed. This model simultaneously determines part-to-batch assignments, part placement in the batch, and the choice of build orientation to reduce the total energy consumption of the SLM machine. The energy-saving potential of the model is validated through numerical experiments. Additionally, the effect of the number of alternative build orientations on energy consumption is explored. Full article

Investigations of seasonal variations in nest predation rates yield highly variable results. Some investigations argue that search image is responsible for some of the nest-predation patterns, but as far as we know, this study is the first in which search image in connection with seasonal variation in nest-predation rate has been experimentally tested. We used 1457 artificial nests placed in an identical way during the months of March to August, either in the two months consecutively or early and late within one of the two months, between the years 2000 and 2023. In addition, we compared the change in nest-predation rates at 113 artificial and 460 natural nests between the same two months. We estimated the seasonal variation in the abundance of breeding birds in the study area with 140 point counts to find the abundance of different species at the times when they normally breed. We found a strong and consistent seasonal variation in the nest-predation rate, with the highest predation rate in the middle of the breeding season. There was a similar change in the predation rate on natural and artificial nests between May and June. From July to August, the predation rate on artificial nests decreased significantly, while the search-image experiment revealed a significant increase between the same two months. A generalized linear mixed-effect model analysis found that the variation in nest-predation rates on artificial nests was significantly affected by seasonal variation in the estimated number of natural nests, that nests in trees were predated more often than nests on the ground, and that nests in the open landscape and on forest edges suffered higher predation rates than nests inside a forest. Mammals were nest predators significantly more often inside forests and on forest edges than in the open landscape, but birds were much more common nest predators than mammals independent of placement and habitat. Our experiment shows that search image explains the seasonal variation in nest-predation rates. However, more investigations are needed to find the reasons for the variation in published results on seasonal variation. Further, experimental testing on search image to find its contribution to the seasonal variation in nest-predation rates in other areas is also needed. Full article

When unmanned platforms perform precise target detection, the configuration of detection nodes will significantly impact accuracy. Aiming to obtain the minimum dilution of precision (DOP), this paper innovatively proposes an optimal detection configuration design method focused on the heterogeneous unmanned cooperative swarm based on the nested cone model. The proposed method first divides the swarm into different groups according to the performances of platforms and then uses a conical nested configuration to arrange the placement of each node independently. The paper considers the problem of the inaccurate prior position of the target and replaces the single-point DOP with the average DOP on the prior region of the target as the optimization objective. Considering the unavoidable positioning errors in engineering practice, this paper provides the optimal configuration of the detection group (DG) and anchor group (AG) in the swarm to reduce the impact caused by positioning errors of detection nodes. We set a certain swarm consisting of 3 types of platforms to design the configuration by simulation experiments and find the optimal parameters for nested cones to realize accurate detection. Full article

Nestboxes are commonly used to increase the number and quality of nest sites available to birds that usually use tree cavities and are considered an important conservation intervention. Although usually safer than natural cavities, birds nesting in simple, unmodified wooden nestboxes remain at risk of depredation. Accordingly, numerous design and placement modifications have been developed to ‘predator-proof’ nestboxes. These include: (1) adding metal plates around entrance holes to prevent enlargement; (2) affixing wire mesh to side panels; (3) deepening boxes to increase distance to nest cup; (4) creating external entrance ‘tunnels’ or internal wooden ledges; (5) using more robust construction materials; (6) developing photosensitive shutters to exclude nocturnal predators; (7) using baffles to block climbing mammals; and (8) regular replacement and relocation. However, the benefits and costs of these modifications are not always well understood. In this global review, we collate information on predator-proofing avian nestboxes designed for tree cavity-nesting birds to assess the efficacy of techniques for different predators (mammalian, avian, and reptilian) in different contexts. We critique the potential for modifications to have unintended consequences—including increasing nest building effort, altering microclimate, reducing provisioning rate, and elevating ectoparasite and microbial loads—to identify hidden costs. We conclude by highlighting remaining gaps in knowledge and providing guidance on optimal modifications in different contexts. Full article

Advances in viral discovery techniques have led to the identification of numerous novel viruses in human samples. However, the low prevalence of certain viruses in humans raises doubts about their association with our species. To ascertain the authenticity of a virus as a genuine human-infecting agent, it can be useful to investigate the diversification of its lineage within hominines, the group encompassing humans and African great apes. Building upon this rationale, we examined the case of the New Jersey polyomavirus (NJPyV; Alphapolyomavirus terdecihominis), which has only been detected in a single patient thus far. In this study, we obtained and analyzed sequences from closely related viruses infecting all African great ape species. We show that NJPyV nests within the diversity of these viruses and that its lineage placement is compatible with an ancient origin in humans, despite its apparent rarity in human populations. Full article

Electrical grid layout optimization should consider the placements of turbines and substations and include effects such as wake losses, power losses in cables, availability of different cable types, reliability-based power losses and operational/decommissioning cost besides the initial investment cost. Hence, optimizing the levelized cost of energy is beneficial capturing long-term effects. The main contribution of this review paper is to identify the current works and trends on electrical layout optimization for offshore wind farms as well as to analyze the applicability of the found optimization approaches to commercial-scale floating wind farms which have hardly been investigated so far. Considering multiple subproblems (i.e., micrositing and cabling), simultaneous or nested approaches are advantageous as they avoid sequential optimization of the individual problems. To cope with this combinatorial problem, metaheuristics seems to offer optimal or at least close-to-optimal results while being computationally much less expensive than deterministic methods. It is found that floating wind brings new challenges which have not (or only insufficiently) been considered in present optimization works. This will also be reflected in a higher complexity and thus influence the suitability of applicable optimization techniques. New aspects include the mobility of structures, the configurations and interactions of dynamic cables and station-keeping systems, the increased likelihood of prevailing heterogeneous seabeds introducing priority zones regarding anchor and riser installation, the increased importance of reliability and maintainability due to stricter weather limits, and new floating specific wind farm control methods to reduce power losses. All these facets are crucial to consider when thoroughly optimizing the levelized cost of energy of commercial-scale floating offshore wind farms. Full article

The optimum placement of receiving telescope antennas is a central topic for designing radio interferometric arrays, and this determines the performance of the obtained information. A variety of arrays are designed for different purposes, and they perform poorly in scalability. In this paper, we consider a subclass of structured sparse arrays, namely nested arrays, and examine the important role of “coarray” in interferometric synthesis imaging, which is utilized to design nested array configurations for a complete uniform Fourier plane coverage in both supersynthesis and instantaneous modes. Both nested arrays and the theory of the coarray have rich research achievements, and we apply them to astronomy to design arrays with good scalability and imaging performance. Simulated celestial source image retrieval performance validates the effectiveness of nested interferometric arrays. Full article

Ischemic lesions stimulate adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus, however, this is not associated with better cognitive function. Furthermore, increased neurogenesis is associated with the formation of aberrant neurons. In a previous study, we showed that a running task after a stroke not only increases neurogenesis but also the number of aberrant neurons without improving general performance. Here, we determined whether stimulation in an enriched environment after a lesion could increase neurogenesis and cognitive function without enhancing the number of aberrant neurons. After an ischemic stroke induced by MCAO, animals were transferred to an enriched environment containing a running wheel, tunnels and nest materials. A GFP-retroviral vector was delivered on day 3 post-stroke and a modified water maze test was performed 6 weeks after the lesion. We found that the enriched environment significantly increased the number of new neurons compared with the unstimulated stroke group but not the number of aberrant cells after a lesion. Increased neurogenesis after environmental enrichment was associated with improved cognitive function. Our study showed that early placement in an enriched environment after a stroke lesion markedly increased neurogenesis and flexible learning but not the formation of aberrant neurons, indicating that rehabilitative training, as a combination of running wheel training and enriched environment housing, improved functional and structural outcomes after a stroke. Full article

The natural valleys of large rivers provide suitable nesting and foraging sites for many bird species. In this study, we assess the effects of water fluctuations during the breeding season on Common Sandpipers’ nest survival on a semi-natural section of the Vistula River, and evaluate which tactics this species can adopt to minimise the effects on a long-term scale. Birds can avoid losses due to flooding by adjusting the timing of nesting to avoid the occurrence of extreme water conditions, and/or by choosing a safe nesting location. We found that nest location is a direct response to periodic high water, and the threat of flooding seems to be one of the important determinants of Common Sandpiper nest placement. The choice of nest location is not random, as 70% of pairs nested above a height that provides an 80% chance of avoiding flooding of the nest. For the lowest-lying nests found in this study, nesting success was reduced up to 92% because of inundation. Birds choose more elevated places, even during the second half of the season when the threat of flooding is lower. Their preference for nesting above a certain height does not change over the breeding season, which corresponds to the very small impact of the date of first egg laying on breeding success. Those who breed earlier in the season have a slightly higher risk of being flooded, but nesting in more elevated places reduces this risk much more than shifting the time of breeding. Full article

The world-wide fauna of the genus Cardiocondyla is assessed to have 79 currently recognized species and is subdivided into 14 informal species groups plus three monotypical clades. It is argued that the phylogenetic placement of Cardiocondyla next to the genus Ocymyrmex Emery, 1886 as proposed by Blaimer et al. (2018) is doubtful. The main body of the paper is a species-level taxonomic revision of those six species groups and the one monotypical clade which have their centers of origin in the Oriental and Australasian regions. The fauna of this area comprises 26 species eleven of which are described as new: Cardiocondyla schulzi n.sp., C. argentea n.sp., C. semiargentea n.sp., C. argyrotricha n.sp., C. latifrons n.sp., C. micropila n.sp., C. allonivalis n.sp., C. excavata n.sp., C. goroka n.sp., C. subspina n.sp. and C. sulcata n.sp. Recognized as junior synonyms were: Cardiocondyla tsukuyomi Terayama, 1999 and C. breviscapus Seifert, 2003 of C. minutior Forel, 1899 and C. brevispinosa (Donisthorpe, 1948) of C. paradoxa Emery, 1897. Each confirmed species is characterized by verbal descriptions, 18 numerically recorded phenotypic characters, z-stack images in three viewing positions, the key, a differential diagnosis and, if available, a brief life history. Exploratory and hypothesis-driven data analyses of phenotypic characters support the separation of the cryptic species Cardiocondyla minutior Forel, 1899, C. goa Seifert, 2003 and C. tjibodana Karavajev, 1935, two of which have dispersed as tramp species to the New World. Missing development of postzygotic isolation due to very strong prezygotic barriers is indicated in the closely related species Cardiocondyla latifrons n.sp. and C. micropila n.sp. which produce fertile hybrids in laboratory rearings but apparently do not hybridize in a natural context even if nesting in close neighborhood. The strong prezygotic isolation is supposed to be generated by the prevalence of intranidal mating and the difficulty for a mated heterospecific gyne to become accepted in a foreign colony. Full article

Nest boxes have been used for years to increase breeding bird numbers for conservation and also in biological pest control projects. Barn owls (Tyto alba) have been used as biological pest control agents for rodents for years, and since nest boxes are costly for growers there is a need to determine whether nest box placement can increase the occupation of nest boxes and breeding success. We studied whether barn owl breeding in agricultural areas varied in nest boxes located on trees, poles located in the shade, and poles in the sun. The occupation of nest boxes was highest in nest boxes located on trees, followed by poles in the shade, and finally poles in the sun. In comparison, the number of fledglings was highest for nest boxes on poles in the sun followed by poles in the shade in the first half of the breeding season, whereas more nestlings were fledged in nest boxes on trees in the second part of the breeding season, which is most likely due to the higher internal temperatures in the nest boxes located in the sun. Interestingly, all the nest boxes’ internal temperatures were lower than the ambient temperatures but were much lower on trees than those on poles, most likely due to the trees providing better protection from the heat. It is therefore important to not only consider the placement of nest boxes, but how occupation and breeding success may vary seasonally. Full article

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of Lycosa shansia, and Lycosa singoriensis by combining Sanger and next-generation sequencing methods and analyzed the sequenced genomes in order to explore the phylogenetic placement and the mitogenome composition and evolution of these species. The mitochondrial genome of L. shansia was 14,638 bp, whereas that of L. singoriensis was 13,686 bp. The type of genes and direction of the coding strand present in the mitogenomes were the same as those in other species of Lycosoidea, including two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs). The mitogenomes of the two species exhibited negative AT and positive GC skews. This indicated that the nucleotide compositions of the mitogenomes of L. singoriensis and L. shansia tended to be T and G. Both the mean and median values of Ka/Ks of ATP8 were the highest among the 13 protein-coding genes, indicating that it might have evolved more rapidly than the other protein-coding genes in both species. ATP8 may have undergone more relaxed selection constraints and accumulated more mutations. In addition, many tRNAs lacked T and D stem loops; a few had no acceptor stems. The assessed species were recovered nested within Lycosidae with high support. The present findings will be useful for future studies on the mitogenome evolution of spiders. Full article