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Samara Danel, Jules Chiffard-Carricaburu, Francesco Bonadonna, Anna P. Nesterova. (2021). Exclusion in the field: wild brown skuas find hidden food in the absence of visual information (Vol. 24).
Abstract: Inferential reasoning by exclusion allows responding adaptively to various environmental stimuli when confronted with inconsistent or partial information. In the experimental context, this mechanism involves selecting correctly between an empty option and a potentially rewarded one. Recently, the increasing reports of this capacity in phylogenetically distant species have led to the assumption that reasoning by exclusion is the result of convergent evolution. Within one largely unstudied avian order, i.e. the Charadriiformes, brown skuas (Catharacta antarctica ssp lonnbergi) are highly flexible and opportunistic predators. Behavioural flexibility, along with specific aspects of skuas’ feeding ecology, may act as influencing factors in their ability to show exclusion performance. Our study aims to test whether skuas are able to choose by exclusion in a visual two-way object-choice task. Twenty-six wild birds were presented with two opaque cups, one covering a food reward. Three conditions were used: ‘full information’ (showing the content of both cups), ‘exclusion’ (showing the content of the empty cup), and ‘control’ (not showing any content). Skuas preferentially selected the rewarded cup in the full information and exclusion condition. The use of olfactory cues was excluded by results in the control condition. Our study opens new field investigations for testing further the cognition of this predatory seabird.
Programme: 354
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Christophe Barbraud, Karine Delord. (2021). Selection against immigrants in wild seabird populations (Vol. 24).
Abstract: Immigration is a major demographic parameter shaping population dynamics and is an important driver of eco-evolutionary patterns, but the fitness consequences for individuals following their settlement to a new population (immigrants) remain poorly tested in wild animal populations, particularly among long-lived species. Here we show that immigrants have a lower fitness than residents in three wild seabird populations (wandering albatross Diomedea exulans, southern fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides, snow petrel Pagodroma nivea). Across all species and during a 32-year period, immigrants made on average −9 to 29% fewer breeding attempts, had 5–31% fewer fledglings, had 2–16% lower breeding success and produced 6–46% fewer recruits. Female immigration and male residency were also favored through differences in breeding performance. We provide evidence for selection against immigrants in wild populations of long-lived species and our results are consistent with female-biased dispersal in birds being driven by asymmetric limiting resources and the competitive ability of dispersers vs. non-dispersers.
Keywords: Dispersal fitness immigrant seabirds sex-biased dispersal
Programme: 109
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Pengcheng Wang, Natacha B. Bernier, Keith R. Thompson, Tsubasa Kodaira. (2021). Evaluation of a global total water level model in the presence of radiational S2 tide (Vol. 168).
Abstract: The development of a computationally efficient scheme for predicting the global distribution of total water level (TWL) is discussed. The ocean model is barotropic, has a horizontal grid spacing of 1/12°, and is based on the NEMO modeling framework. It is forced by the gravitational potential and hourly atmospheric fields for 2008. Hourly time spacing was required to resolve the S2 tide in global air pressure and wind. The predicted tide in water deeper than 400 m was nudged to TPXO8 “observations” of tidal elevation or current using a scheme called tidal nudging (Kodaira et al., 2019). The benefit of nudging horizontal velocity in the momentum equation, compared to sea level in the continuity equation, is discussed. Tidal nudging is shown to improve tidal predictions of sea level at the coast, particularly at the S2 tidal frequency. The predicted radiational S2 tide in sea level forced solely by the S2 tide in global air pressure reaches amplitudes exceeding 80 cm. Decreasing the time spacing of the air pressure forcing from 1 h to 3 h reduces the S2 amplitude in air pressure by a factor of 0.82, consistent with expectations based on Fourier analysis. This highlights the importance of using hourly atmospheric forcing when predicting the global sea level response to atmospheric forcing. The radiational S2 tide in sea level is subject to strong nonlinear interaction with the gravitational tide, leading to a pronounced attenuation of the radiational S2 tide. The attenuation is explained by an increase in effective bottom friction at the S2 frequency due to the presence of the gravitational tide. Four schemes for predicting TWL are evaluated to quantify the impact of tidal nudging and nonlinear interaction of tide and surge. Using TWLs observed by 304 coastal tide gauges, we show it is necessary to include both tidal nudging and nonlinear interaction. Plans for the further development of an operational flood forecast system for the Canadian coast, based on the above model, are discussed.
Keywords: NEMO Radiational and gravitational tide Storm surge Tidal nudging Total water level
Programme: 688
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Zachary J. Oppler, Kayleigh R. O’Keeffe, Karen D. McCoy, Dustin Brisson. (2021). Evolutionary Genetics of Borrelia (Vol. 42).
Abstract: The genus Borrelia consists of evolutionarily and genetically diverse bacterial species that cause a variety of diseases in humans and domestic animals. These vector-borne spirochetes can be classified into two major evolutionary groups, the Lyme borreliosis clade and the relapsing fever clade, both of which have complex transmission cycles during which they interact with multiple host species and arthropod vectors. Molecular, ecological, and evolutionary studies have each provided significant contributions towards our understanding of the natural history, biology and evolutionary genetics of Borrelia species; however, integration of these studies is required to identify the evolutionary causes and consequences of the genetic variation within and among Borrelia species. For example, molecular and genetic studies have identified the adaptations that maximize fitness components throughout the Borrelia lifecycle and enhance transmission efficacy but provide limited insights into the evolutionary pressures that have produced them. Ecological studies can identify interactions between Borrelia species and the vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors they encounter and the resulting impact on the geographic distribution and abundance of spirochetes but not the genetic or molecular basis underlying these interactions. In this review we discuss recent findings on the evolutionary genetics from both of the evolutionarily distinct clades of Borrelia species. We focus on connecting molecular interactions to the ecological processes that have driven the evolution and diversification of Borrelia species in order to understand the current distribution of genetic and molecular variation within and between Borrelia species.
Programme: 333
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A. Corbeau, J. Collet, F. Orgeret, P. Pistorius, H. Weimerskirch. (2021). Fine-scale interactions between boats and large albatrosses indicate variable susceptibility to bycatch risk according to species and populations (Vol. 24).
Abstract: Many seabirds are attracted to fishing boats where they exploit foraging opportunities, often involving bycatch-related mortality. Bycatch risk is generally estimated by overlapping seabirds foraging ranges with coarse-scale monthly maps of fishing efforts, but a more direct estimation would be the time birds actually spend attending fishing boats. Here we matched data from Automatic Identification Systems from all declared boats in the Southern Ocean, with 143 simultaneous foraging trips from all populations of large albatrosses (Diomedea amsterdamensis and Diomedea exulans) breeding in the Indian Ocean (Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Amsterdam islands). We quantified and compared real-time co-occurrence between boats and albatrosses, at different scales (100, 30 and 5 km). We also examined to what extent co-occurrence at a large-scale (5×5° grid cell) predicted fine-scale attendance (5 km). Albatrosses on average spent about 3 h per trip attending fishing boats (<5 km) at both Amsterdam and Marion and about 30 h per trip at Kerguelen. In all populations, >90% of declared fishing boat attendances occurred within Economic Exclusive Zones (EEZ) where bycatch mitigation measures are enforced. Outside EEZs, birds from all populations to a large extent also attended non-fishing boats. Fishing boat density at a large scale (5 × 5°, 100 km) was a poor predictor of time spent attending fishing boats (<5 km) across populations. Our results indicate a large variation in fishing boat densities within the foraging ranges of different populations and in the time birds spent attending boats. We discuss the pros and cons of considering bycatch risk at a large geographical scale and methods that can be implemented to improve the estimation of seabird vulnerability to fishing activities when fine-scale data are available, particularly for the conservation of those highly threatened species.
Keywords: albatross populations biologging bycatch assessment bycatch risk ecological trap fisheries fishing boat bycatch seabirds
Programme: 109
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María José Frugone, Theresa L. Cole, María Eugenia López, Gemma Clucas, Pável Matos-Maraví, Nicolás A. Lois, Pierre Pistorius, Francesco Bonadonna, Phil Trathan, Andrea Polanowski, Barbara Wienecke, Andrea Raya-Rey, Klemens Pütz, Antje Steinfurth, Ke Bi, Cynthia Y. Wang-Claypool, Jonathan M. Waters, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Elie Poulin, Juliana A. Vianna. (2021). Taxonomy based on limited genomic markers may underestimate species diversity of rockhopper penguins and threaten their conservation (Vol. 27).
Abstract: Aim Delimiting recently diverged species is challenging. During speciation, genetic differentiation may be distributed unevenly across the genome, as different genomic regions can be subject to different selective pressures and evolutionary histories. Reliance on limited numbers of genetic markers that may be underpowered can make species delimitation even more challenging, potentially resulting in taxonomic inconsistencies. Rockhopper penguins of the genus Eudyptes comprise three broadly recognized taxa: northern (E. moseleyi), southern (E. chrysocome) and eastern rockhopper (E. filholi). Their taxonomic status has been controversial for decades, with researchers disagreeing about whether E. chrysocome and E. filholi are distinct species or conspecific. Our goal is to evaluate genome-wide patterns of divergence to evaluate genetic differentiation and species delimitation in rockhopper penguins, and to assess which mechanisms may underlie previous discordance among nuclear versus mitochondrial analyses. Location Sub-Antarctic and temperate coastal regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Methods We generated reduced-representation genomic libraries using double digest restriction-site associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing to evaluate genetic differentiation, contemporary migration rates and admixture among colonies of rockhopper penguins. Results The extent of genetic differentiation among the three taxa was consistently higher than population-level genetic differentiation found within these and other penguin species. There was no evidence of admixture among the three taxa, suggesting the absence of ongoing gene flow among them. Species delimitation analyses based on molecular data, along with other lines of evidence, provide strong support for the taxonomic distinction of three species of rockhopper penguins. Main conclusions Our results provide strong support for the existence of three distinct species of rockhopper penguins. The recognition of this taxonomic diversity is crucial for the management and conservation of this widely distributed species group. This study illustrates that widespread dispersive seabird lineages lacking obvious morphological differences may nevertheless have complex evolutionary histories and comprise cryptic species diversity.
Keywords: Eudyptes genomics rockhopper penguins species delimitation
Programme: 354
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Manfred R. Enstipp, Charles-André Bost, Céline Le Bohec, Nicolas Chatelain, Henri Weimerskirch, Yves Handrich. (2021). The early life of king penguins: ontogeny of dive capacity and foraging behaviour in an expert diver (Vol. 224). Bachelor's thesis, , .
Abstract: The period of emancipation in seabirds, when juveniles change from a terrestrial existence to a life at sea, is associated with many challenges. Apart from finding favourable foraging sites, they have to develop effective prey search patterns and physiological capacities that enable them to capture sufficient prey to meet their energetic needs. Animals that dive to forage, such as king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus), need to acquire an adequate breath-hold capacity, allowing them to locate and capture prey at depth. To investigate the ontogeny of their dive capacity and foraging performance, we implanted juvenile king penguins before their first departure to sea and also adult breeders with a data-logger recording pressure and temperature. We found that juvenile king penguins possess a remarkable dive capacity when leaving their natal colony, enabling them to conduct dives in excess of 100 m within their first week at sea. Despite this, juvenile dive/foraging performance, investigated in relation to dive depth, remained below the adult level throughout their first year at sea, probably reflecting physiological limitations as a result of incomplete maturation. A significantly shallower foraging depth of juveniles, particularly during their first 5 months at sea, could also indicate differences in foraging strategy and targeted prey. The initially greater wiggle rate suggests that juveniles fed opportunistically and also targeted different prey from adults and/or that many of the wiggles of juveniles reflect unsuccessful prey-capture attempts, indicating a lower foraging proficiency. After 5 months, this difference disappeared, suggesting sufficient physical maturation and improvement of juvenile foraging skills.
Keywords: Animals Behavior, Animal Bio-logging Diving Feeding Behavior Foraging proficiency Ontogeny Seabirds Spheniscidae Temperature Wiggles
Programme: 137,394
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Jesús A Ballesteros, Emily V W Setton, Carlos E Santibáñez-López, Claudia P Arango, Georg Brenneis, Saskia Brix, Kevin F Corbett, Esperanza Cano-Sánchez, Merai Dandouch, Geoffrey F Dilly, Marc P Eleaume, Guilherme Gainett, Cyril Gallut, Sean McAtee, Lauren McIntyre, Amy L Moran, Randy Moran, Pablo J López-González, Gerhard Scholtz, Clay Williamson, H Arthur Woods, Jakob T Zehms, Ward C Wheeler, Prashant P Sharma. (2021). Phylogenomic Resolution of Sea Spider Diversification through Integration of Multiple Data Classes (Vol. 38).
Abstract: Despite significant advances in invertebrate phylogenomics over the past decade, the higher-level phylogeny of Pycnogonida (sea spiders) remains elusive. Due to the inaccessibility of some small-bodied lineages, few phylogenetic studies have sampled all sea spider families. Previous efforts based on a handful of genes have yielded unstable tree topologies. Here, we inferred the relationships of 89 sea spider species using targeted capture of the mitochondrial genome, 56 conserved exons, 101 ultraconserved elements, and 3 nuclear ribosomal genes. We inferred molecular divergence times by integrating morphological data for fossil species to calibrate 15 nodes in the arthropod tree of life. This integration of data classes resolved the basal topology of sea spiders with high support. The enigmatic family Austrodecidae was resolved as the sister group to the remaining Pycnogonida and the small-bodied family Rhynchothoracidae as the sister group of the robust-bodied family Pycnogonidae. Molecular divergence time estimation recovered a basal divergence of crown group sea spiders in the Ordovician. Comparison of diversification dynamics with other marine invertebrate taxa that originated in the Paleozoic suggests that sea spiders and some crustacean groups exhibit resilience to mass extinction episodes, relative to mollusk and echinoderm lineages.
Programme: 1124
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Rebekah I. Dawson, Chelsea X. Huang, Rafael Brahm, Karen A. Collins, Melissa J. Hobson, Andrés Jordán, Jiayin Dong, Judith Korth, Trifon Trifonov, Lyu Abe, Abdelkrim Agabi, Ivan Bruni, R. Paul Butler, Mauro Barbieri, Kevin I. Collins, Dennis M. Conti, Jeffrey D. Crane, Nicolas Crouzet, Georgina Dransfield, Phil Evans, Néstor Espinoza, Tianjun Gan, Tristan Guillot, Thomas Henning, Jack J. Lissauer, Eric L. N. Jensen, Wenceslas Marie Sainte, Djamel Mékarnia, Gordon Myers, Sangeetha Nandakumar, Howard M. Relles, Paula Sarkis, Pascal Torres, Stephen Shectman, François-Xavier Schmider, Avi Shporer, Chris Stockdale, Johanna Teske, Amaury H. M. J. Triaud, Sharon Xuesong Wang, Carl Ziegler, G. Ricker, R. Vanderspek, David W. Latham, S. Seager, J. Winn, Jon M. Jenkins, L. G. Bouma, Jennifer A. Burt, David Charbonneau, Alan M. Levine, Scott McDermott, Brian McLean, Mark E. Rose, Andrew Vanderburg, Bill Wohler. (2021). Precise Transit and Radial-velocity Characterization of a Resonant Pair: The Warm Jupiter TOI-216c and Eccentric Warm Neptune TOI-216b (Vol. 161).
Abstract: TOI-216 hosts a pair of warm, large exoplanets discovered by the TESS mission. These planets were found to be in or near the 2:1 resonance, and both of them exhibit transit timing variations (TTVs). Precise characterization of the planets’ masses and radii, orbital properties, and resonant behavior can test theories for the origins of planets orbiting close to their stars. Previous characterization of the system using the first six sectors of TESS data suffered from a degeneracy between planet mass and orbital eccentricity. Radial-velocity measurements using HARPS, FEROS, and the Planet Finder Spectrograph break that degeneracy, and an expanded TTV baseline from TESS and an ongoing ground-based transit observing campaign increase the precision of the mass and eccentricity measurements. We determine that TOI-216c is a warm Jupiter, TOI-216b is an eccentric warm Neptune, and that they librate in 2:1 resonance with a moderate libration amplitude of deg, a small but significant free eccentricity of for TOI-216b, and a small but significant mutual inclination of 1.°2–3.°9 (95% confidence interval). The libration amplitude, free eccentricity, and mutual inclination imply a disturbance of TOI-216b before or after resonance capture, perhaps by an undetected third planet.
Programme: 1066
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Jennifer A. Burt, Diana Dragomir, Paul Mollière, Allison Youngblood, Antonio García Muñoz, John McCann, Laura Kreidberg, Chelsea X. Huang, Karen A. Collins, Jason D. Eastman, Lyu Abe, Jose M. Almenara, Ian J. M. Crossfield, Carl Ziegler, Joseph E. Rodriguez, Eric E. Mamajek, Keivan G. Stassun, Samuel P. Halverson, Steven Villanueva, R. Paul Butler, Sharon Xuesong Wang, Richard P. Schwarz, George R. Ricker, Roland Vanderspek, David W. Latham, S. Seager, Joshua N. Winn, Jon M. Jenkins, Abdelkrim Agabi, Xavier Bonfils, David Ciardi, Marion Cointepas, Jeffrey D. Crane, Nicolas Crouzet, Georgina Dransfield, Fabo Feng, Elise Furlan, Tristan Guillot, Arvind F. Gupta, Steve B. Howell, Eric L. N. Jensen, Nicholas Law, Andrew W. Mann, Wenceslas Marie-Sainte, Rachel A. Matson, Elisabeth C. Matthews, Djamel Mékarnia, Joshua Pepper, Nic Scott, Stephen A. Shectman, Joshua E. Schlieder, François-Xavier Schmider, Daniel J. Stevens, Johanna K. Teske, Amaury H. M. J. Triaud, David Charbonneau, Zachory K. Berta-Thompson, Christopher J. Burke, Tansu Daylan, Thomas Barclay, Bill Wohler, C. E. Brasseur. (2021). TOI-1231 b: A Temperate, Neptune-sized Planet Transiting the Nearby M3 Dwarf NLTT 24399 (Vol. 162).
Abstract: We report the discovery of a transiting, temperate, Neptune-sized exoplanet orbiting the nearby (d = 27.5 pc), M3V star TOI-1231 (NLTT 24399, L 248-27, 2MASS J10265947-5228099). The planet was detected using photometric data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and followed up with observations from the Las Cumbres Observatory and the Antarctica Search for Transiting ExoPlanets program. Combining the photometric data sets, we find that the newly discovered planet has a radius of and an orbital period of 24.246 days. Radial velocity measurements obtained with the Planet Finder Spectrograph on the Magellan Clay telescope confirm the existence of the planet and lead to a mass measurement of 15.5 ± 3.3 M ⊕. With an equilibrium temperature of just 330 K, TOI-1231 b is one of the coolest small planets accessible for atmospheric studies thus far, and its host star’s bright near-infrared brightness (J = 8.88, K s = 8.07) makes it an exciting target for the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. Future atmospheric observations would enable the first comparative planetology efforts in the 250–350 K temperature regime via comparisons with K2-18 b. Furthermore, TOI-1231's high systemic radial velocity (70.5 km s−1) may allow for the detection of low-velocity hydrogen atoms escaping the planet by Doppler, shifting the H i Lyα stellar emission away from the geocoronal and interstellar medium absorption features.
Programme: 1066
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