{"title":"Atlas of Finnish Bats","authors":"Eeva-Maria Tidenberg (formerly Kyheröinen), Ulla-Maija Liukko, Torsten Stjernberg","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0117","url":null,"abstract":"This atlas is based on information in museum collections, literature, databases and unpublished data. In the last 150 years, the number of bat species in Finland increased from six to thirteen. Of these, five are common and regularly breeding (Eptesicus nilssonii, Myotis brandtii, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis mystacinus, Plecotus auritus), and eight rare (Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis dasycneme, Myotis nattereri, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Vespertilio murinus), of which breeding of two (M. nattereri, P. nathusii) have been confirmed. The total number of records in the study is 11 234, of which 9717 are identified to species. The records are from 940 (25%) 10-km2 squares of Finland's land area. Of the records, 89% are new (1993–2014). Of the recorded bat species, only Eptesicus nilssonii occurs in each of the 21 biogeographical provinces. A decreasing south–north gradient in species richness and abundance exists which may be related to research efforts that are clearly higher in the south.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"207 - 250"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44157134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Conservation of Pleske's Racerunner (Eremias pleskei) in a Changing Climate","authors":"A. Farashi, Mohammad Alizadeh-Noughani","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0109","url":null,"abstract":"Although reptiles are the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates, crucial data on their extinction risks are lacking. The reptile species assessed by IUCN are only a fraction of those at risk of extinction. Thus, conservation planning and management decisions are hindered by the lack of ecological information on the species' distribution patterns and their habitat requirements. Pleske's racerunner (Eremias pleskei) is a rare and critically endangered species known to occur exclusively in the eastern Anatolian Montane Steppe ecoregion. In this study, we used ten species distribution model algorithms and 62 climate change scenarios (from 19 global climate models under four representative concentration pathways) to predict future habitat suitability for Pleske's racerunner in the Anatolian Montane Steppe ecoregion. Our results indicate that this species may in future migrate from its current distribution range towards the central and western areas of the Anatolian Montane Steppe ecoregion. Our results also show that the variation in the temperature-related variables in suitable habitats will increase in future as compared with the current conditions. It seems that due to climate change, in future, deserts will be appropriate for this species. The same mechanisms, however, will make some of its current habitats unsuitable. Dealing with uncertainties in climate change and species distribution modeling is a major challenge when planning strategies for species' conservation. We recommend conservation measures to be implemented to make sure that E. pleskei's current habitats remain suitable for it also in future.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"106 - 93"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41458291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Individual Trophic Specialisation in the Alpine Newt Increases with Increasing Resource Diversity","authors":"S. Salvidio, Andrea Costa, F. Crovetto","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0102","url":null,"abstract":"Dietary studies suggest that amphibians are opportunistic predators. However, there is little information on the ability of individuals to change their feeding strategy in time because most studies do not evaluate prey availability and its effect on individual behaviour. To better understand how variation in prey availability may affect the feeding strategy of newts, we studied the Alpine newt, Ichthyosaura alpestris, during April and June in 2015, when we monitored prey availability and the species dietary habits. In April at low prey diversity, the newts were generalists, i.e., their diet overlapped almost completely with prey availability. In June when prey diversity was high, the newts became specialists. At the individual level, 9 out of 15 recaptured newts shifted from a generalist to a specialist feeding strategy from April to June, suggesting a rapid behavioural change in response to increasing prey diversity, in accordance with optimal foraging theory. These results stress the importance of sampling the same individuals several times during an extended period of time to better understand the patterns of diet variation in amphibians.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"17 - 24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49427685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Poutanen, J. Pusenius, Mikael Wikström, J. Brommer
{"title":"Estimating Population Density of the White-Tailed Deer in Finland using Non-Invasive Genetic Sampling and Spatial Capture–Recapture","authors":"J. Poutanen, J. Pusenius, Mikael Wikström, J. Brommer","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0101","url":null,"abstract":"The white-tailed deer is an important game species in Finland. We evaluated the potential of estimating the white-tailed deer pre-harvest density using non-invasive DNA collection within a spatial capture–recapture (SCR) framework. We sampled faeces during three weekly visits in autumn 2015 from 180, 20 × 20 m plots clustered in groups of four. Individual identification was based on 12–14 microsatellites. Of the 245 faecal samples collected, an individual could be identified from only 36 (15%). We identified 27 white-tailed deer individuals of which seven were recaptured. The SCR model produced a plausible density estimate (3.5 indiv. km–2) which was similar to estimates based on dung count and large-scale national estimates, although a posteriori simulation showed the SCR estimate was likely positive biased. Although we found that SCR based on faecal DNA can provide pre-harvest density estimates of the white-tailed deer, the approach is not without challenges and we discuss these suggesting possible solutions.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"1 - 16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44128899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Lanzoni, V. Aschonitis, M. Milardi, E. Fano, G. Castaldelli
{"title":"A Bimodal Weight–Length Relationship in Bleak (Alburnus alburnus)","authors":"M. Lanzoni, V. Aschonitis, M. Milardi, E. Fano, G. Castaldelli","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0103","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this study was to find the location of a breakpoint in the weight–length relationship using a linearized biexponential model (LinBiExp). The analysis was performed using weight and length measurements of bleak (Alburnus alburnus) individuals captured in freshwaters of the Province of Ferrara (Italy). The LinBiExp function identified the breakpoint coordinates in the data set. The level of uncertainty in the breakpoint coordinates was analysed using bootstrap regression. Bilinearity was verified by comparing slopes and intercepts (ANCOVA) of the two linear sections. The study confirmed that LinBiExp can be a valuable tool for detecting the coordinates of a breakpoint in weight–length data.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"25 - 32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49253802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F. G. Chaves, M. B. Vecchi, C. F. Kenup, M. A. Alves
{"title":"Territory Size and Population Density of the Serra Antwren (Formicivora serrana littoralis) in the Sandy Coastal Plains of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil","authors":"F. G. Chaves, M. B. Vecchi, C. F. Kenup, M. A. Alves","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0106","url":null,"abstract":"Territory size is affected by distribution of resources, density of potential competitors, body size of the territory holder and its ability to detect intruders. During four consecutive years (2009–2013), we determined territory size of the serra antwren, a highly territorial bird, that occupies permanent territories in the restinga habitat. We studied seasonal variation and relationship between territory size, number of neighboring territories and floaters (mature individuals without fixed territories), and body size of the territory holders. We also estimated population density using a capture–recapture method. Territory size was smaller during the breeding season with its size affected by number of neighboring territory holders and year. Densities were estimated to be 1.6–5.8 indiv. ha–1, which were 2 to 6 times higher than the value previously estimated by fixed-radius point counts (0.93 indiv. ha–1). This may be due to the high number of floaters, potentially important but usually neglected in density estimates. Neighboring territory holders affected more than floaters territory size, possibly because of their similar individual qualities.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"51 - 64"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43638460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Xerothermic Grassland Protection by Means of Sheep Grazing: What is the Short-Term Effect on Ants?","authors":"M. Okrutniak, I. Grześ","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0104","url":null,"abstract":"Livestock grazing is a common management practice recommended to protect biodiversity of semi-natural grasslands. However, the effects of specific management regimes on species diversity can differ considerably among taxonomic groups. We studied short-term effects of sheep grazing on species diversity of ants. We investigated whether one season of sheep grazing affects the species richness of ants and causes a compositional change in species occurrence. We conducted our study in southern Poland at five Natura 2000 sites that create favourable habitats for thermo- and xerophilic ants. The average number of ant species detected in grazed plots was slightly but insignificantly higher as compared with that in ungrazed ones. Three species were detected only in ungrazed plots. Our results are in accordance with other reports, leading to the conclusion that the variation in ant diversity may be primarily driven by site-specific conditions rather than grazing per se.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"33 - 40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48007664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Size Selection of Alternative Prey Relative to the Abundance of Primary Prey: Pine Marten Hunting for Frogs","authors":"K. Zalewska, A. Zalewski","doi":"10.5735/086.056.0105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.056.0105","url":null,"abstract":"According to optimal foraging theory, a predator should select the most beneficial prey in terms of energy gain relative to handling time. For the pine marten (Martes martes), rodents such as bank voles are the primary prey; however, the pine marten can switch to a variety of secondary prey items (e.g., birds, fruit and frogs) when the rodent abundance is low. We measured frog ilia found in pine marten scats during several consecutive years to assess whether the body mass of consumed frogs varied with changes in rodent abundance. Rodent density was inversely related to the frequency of occurrence of frogs in the marten's diet. Moreover, during the years with low rodent abundance, pine martens ate smaller frogs than in the years with high rodent availability. The average frog weight (18 g) during the years with high rodent density was similar to average vole weight, suggesting that prey of this size has an optimal ratio of foraging effort to energetic gain. During the lean years, martens preyed on frogs smaller than the average vole weight, and during spring this frog size-group is usually the most abundant in the environment. Our results suggest that functional responses of predators to low abundance of primary prey involve not only a prey-switch but also a decrease in the size of secondary prey consumed. Fluctuations in the proportion of frogs eaten in relation to yearly rodent density can affect both marten and frog population demography.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"56 1","pages":"41 - 49"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2019-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46631065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
B. Manikowska-Ślepowrońska, Tomasz Mokwa, D. Jakubas
{"title":"Wintering and Stop-Over Areas of Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea) Breeding in Central Europe: A Ring-Recovery Analysis","authors":"B. Manikowska-Ślepowrońska, Tomasz Mokwa, D. Jakubas","doi":"10.5735/086.055.0601","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.055.0601","url":null,"abstract":"We analysed migration distances of sub-adult and adult grey herons (Ardea cinerea) ringed in Poland between 1932 and 2014 when migrating to wintering and stop-over areas. The research was based on 239 ring recoveries during non-breeding periods from 92 ringing sites in Poland. We used location of ringing sites, age of bird, and year of recapture to explain variation in the observed distances between breeding and stop-over as well as wintering areas. We found variation in the location of non-breeding areas of grey herons from northern and southern Poland. Migration distance of grey herons increased with latitude, with birds from northern Poland spending the non-breeding period further away than birds from southern Poland. Considering possible shortening of the migration distance due to climate change, we analysed frequency of recoveries from the vicinity of the breeding site, Mediterranean and sub-Saharan zones. Despite reported claims of climate change leading to migration distance becoming shorter, we found that distance to those areas was not affected significantly by year. In contrast to previous studies made in western Europe, age of bird did not affect migration distance.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"55 1","pages":"277 - 285"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2018-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5735/086.055.0601","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43469642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Out in the Cold: Trophic Resource Use by the Common Frog (Rana temporaria) Populations Inhabiting Extreme Habitats","authors":"D. Cogǎlniceanu, R. Dorel, R. Plăiaşu, M. Palmer","doi":"10.5735/086.055.0608","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5735/086.055.0608","url":null,"abstract":"We studied trophic resource use and availability in three populations of the common frog (Rana temporaria): one from the subarctic (Kilpisjärvi, Finland), and two (alpine and low-altitude valley populations) from the Retezat Mountains (Southern Carpathians, Romania). We used stomach flushing to sample consumed prey, and estimated prey availability using pitfall traps and netting. In addition, we analyzed the geographical pattern of feeding based on published records covering the entire range of the species. Feeding intensity varied, both spatially and according to frog size. Adults consumed prey of higher richness and more prey items than juveniles. There was latitudinal variation in prey consumption, with populations from extreme habitats (alpine and arctic) having the highest prey richness. This high feeding plasticity partly explains why Rana temporaria is widespread and reaches high altitudes and latitudes in Europe.","PeriodicalId":50968,"journal":{"name":"Annales Zoologici Fennici","volume":"55 1","pages":"257 - 275"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2018-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5735/086.055.0608","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42612707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}