Left High and Dry: Froth Nesting Allows Eggs of the Anuran Amphibian to Complete Embryogenesis in the Absence of Free-Standing Water

2021 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gould ◽  
Jose Valdez ◽  
John Clulow ◽  
Simon Clulow
Keyword(s):  
Free Standing ◽  
Anuran Amphibian ◽  
Standing Water

scholarly journals Short-term changes in air humidity and water availability weakly constrain thermoregulation in a dry-skinned ectotherm

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0247514
Author(s):  
Jean-François Le Galliard ◽  
David Rozen-Rechels ◽  
Anjélica Lecomte ◽  
Clémence Demay ◽  
Andréaz Dupoué ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Temperature ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Behavioral Thermoregulation ◽  
Thermal Preference ◽  
Air Humidity ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Standing Water ◽  
Zootoca Vivipara ◽  
Thermal Preferences

Thermoregulation is critical for ectotherms as it allows them to maintain their body temperature close to an optimum for ecological performance. Thermoregulation includes a range of behaviors that aim at regulating body temperature within a range centered around the thermal preference. Thermal preference is typically measured in a thermal gradient in fully-hydrated and post-absorptive animals. Short-term effects of the hydric environment on thermal preferences in such set-ups have been rarely quantified in dry-skinned ectotherms, despite accumulating evidence that dehydration might trade-off with behavioral thermoregulation. Using experiments performed under controlled conditions in climatic chambers, we demonstrate that thermal preferences of a ground-dwelling, actively foraging lizard (Zootoca vivipara) are weakly decreased by a daily restriction in free-standing water availability (less than 0.5°C contrast). The influence of air humidity during the day on thermal preferences depends on time of the day and sex of the lizard, and is generally weaker than those of of free-standing water (less than 1°C contrast). This shows that short-term dehydration can influence, albeit weakly, thermal preferences under some circumstances in this species. Environmental humidity conditions are important methodological factors to consider in the analysis of thermal preferences.

Distribution in Manitoba of Mustela frenata longicauda Bonaparte, the long-tailed weasel, and the interrelation of distribution and habitat selection in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta

1981 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1036-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Lloyd Gamble
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Museum Specimens ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Standing Water ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Aspen Parkland

The distribution of Mustela frenata longicauda was ascertained for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta by examination of 91 labelled museum specimens and 186 carcasses provided by trappers from Manitoba. Collection records on site selection and distribution reaffirm the author's contention that M. frenata prefers late seral stages or ecotones in close proximity to free standing water. The transition between aspen parkland and the boreal forest or taiga is the northernmost distribution of this species in the Canadian prairies.

scholarly journals Surface water dependency among Kalahari Desert birds

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Smit ◽  
Stephan Woodborne ◽  
Blair O Wolf ◽  
Andrew E McKechnie
Keyword(s):  
Water Source ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Avian Community ◽  
Standing Water ◽  
Kalahari Desert

The availability of free-standing water sources is a key determinant of animal and plant community structure in arid environments, and an understanding of the extent to which particular species depend on drinking water is vital for modelling the effects of climate change on desert avifauna. We investigated interspecific variation in dependence on artificial water sources among birds in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa, by 1) observations at waterholes and 2) tracing spatial water-use patterns during summer using isotopically-labelled water and blood sampling. More than 50 % of the avian community (primarily insectivores and omnivores) were not observed to drink. The majority (53%) of species drinking at waterholes were granivorous, and most visited waterholes daily. Blood samples revealed that only 11 of 42 species (again, mostly granivores) showed evidence of drinking at a waterhole labelled with deuterium, with between 2.2 and 92.9 % of individual birds’ body water pools originating from the labelled waterhole. These findings illustrate how two methods employed in this study provide different but complementary data on the relative importance of a water source for an avian community. Although our results suggest that most species are independent of drinking, drinking patterns on the hottest days during our study period suggest that free-standing water might become more important for some of the non-drinking species under hotter climatic conditions.

scholarly journals Tapir population patterns under the disappearance of free-standing water

Therya ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (03) ◽  
pp. 353-358
Author(s):  
Rafael Reyna-Hurtado ◽  
David Sima-Pantí ◽  
Maria Andrade ◽  
Angelica Padilla ◽  
Oscar Retana-Guiascon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Free Standing ◽  
Standing Water ◽  
Population Patterns

scholarly journals Differences in the use of surface water resources by desert birds are revealed using isotopic tracers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Smit ◽  
Stephan Woodborne ◽  
Blair O Wolf ◽  
Andrew E McKechnie
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Avian Community ◽  
Isotopic Tracers ◽  
Standing Water

The scarcity of free-standing water sources is a key determinant of animal and plant community structure in arid environments, and an understanding of the extent to which particular species use surface water is vital for modelling the effects of climate change on desert avifauna. We investigated interspecific variation in the use of artificial water sources among birds in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa, by 1) observations at waterholes and 2) tracing spatial water-use patterns during summer by isotopically-labelled water sources and blood sampling. More than 50% of the avian community (primarily insectivores and omnivores) were not observed to drink. The majority (53%) of species drinking at waterholes were granivorous, and their use of surface water was best predicted by their relative abundance in the community. Species representing the remaining dietary guilds drank significantly more on hot days. Blood samples revealed that only 11 of 42 species (mostly granivores and a few omnivores) showed evidence of drinking at a waterhole with enriched deuterium values; on average, in the latter birds, water from the enriched waterhole accounted for ~38% of their body water pool. These findings illustrate that two methods employed in this study provide different, but complementary data on the relative importance of a water source for an avian community. Although our results suggest that most avian species are independent of surface water, drinking patterns on the hottest days during our study period suggest that free-standing water might become more important for some of the non-drinking species under hotter climatic conditions.

Differences in the use of surface water resources by desert birds are revealed using isotopic tracers

The Auk ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Smit ◽  
Stephan Woodborne ◽  
Blair O Wolf ◽  
Andrew E McKechnie
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Avian Community ◽  
Isotopic Tracers ◽  
Standing Water

AbstractThe scarcity of free-standing water sources is a key determinant of animal and plant community structure in arid environments, and an understanding of the extent to which particular species use surface water is vital for modeling the effects of climate change on desert avifauna. We investigated interspecific variation in the use of artificial water sources among birds in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa, by (i) observations at waterholes and (ii) tracing spatial water-use patterns during summer by isotopically labeled water sources and blood sampling. More than 50% of the avian community (primarily insectivores and omnivores) were not observed to drink. The majority (53%) of species drinking at waterholes were granivorous, and their use of surface water was best predicted by their relative abundance in the community. Species representing the remaining dietary guilds drank significantly more on hot days. Blood samples revealed that only 11 of 42 species (mostly granivores and a few omnivores) showed evidence of drinking at a waterhole with enriched deuterium values; on average, in the latter birds, water from the enriched waterhole accounted for ~38% of their body water pool. These findings illustrate that 2 methods employed in this study provide different, but complementary data on the relative importance of a water source for an avian community. Although our results suggest that most avian species are independent of surface water, drinking patterns on the hottest days during our study period suggest that free-standing water might become more important for some of the non-drinking species under hotter climatic conditions.

scholarly journals Differences in the use of surface water resources by desert birds is revealed using isotopic tracers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Smit ◽  
Stephan Woodborne ◽  
Blair O Wolf ◽  
Andrew E McKechnie
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Avian Community ◽  
Isotopic Tracers ◽  
Standing Water

The scarcity of free-standing water sources is a key determinant of animal and plant community structure in arid environments, and an understanding of the extent to which particular species use surface water is vital for modelling the effects of climate change on desert avifauna. We investigated interspecific variation in the use of artificial water sources among birds in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa, by 1) observations at waterholes and 2) tracing spatial water-use patterns during summer by isotopically-labelled water sources and blood sampling. More than 50% of the avian community (primarily insectivores and omnivores) were not observed to drink. The majority (53%) of species drinking at waterholes were granivorous, and their use of surface water was best predicted by their relative abundance in the community. Species representing the remaining dietary guilds drank significantly more on hot days. Blood samples revealed that only 11 of 42 species (mostly granivores and a few omnivores) showed evidence of drinking at a waterhole with enriched deuterium values; on average, in the latter birds, water from the enriched waterhole accounted for ~38% of their body water pool. These findings illustrate that two methods employed in this study provide different, but complementary data on the relative importance of a water source for an avian community. Although our results suggest that most avian species are independent of surface water, drinking patterns on the hottest days during our study period suggest that free-standing water might become more important for some of the non-drinking species under hotter climatic conditions.

scholarly journals Differences in the use of surface water resources by desert birds are revealed using isotopic tracers

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Smit ◽  
Stephan Woodborne ◽  
Blair O Wolf ◽  
Andrew E McKechnie
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Avian Community ◽  
Isotopic Tracers ◽  
Standing Water

The scarcity of free-standing water sources is a key determinant of animal and plant community structure in arid environments, and an understanding of the extent to which particular species use surface water is vital for modelling the effects of climate change on desert avifauna. We investigated interspecific variation in the use of artificial water sources among birds in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa, by 1) observations at waterholes and 2) tracing spatial water-use patterns during summer by isotopically-labelled water sources and blood sampling. More than 50% of the avian community (primarily insectivores and omnivores) were not observed to drink. The majority (53%) of species drinking at waterholes were granivorous, and their use of surface water was best predicted by their relative abundance in the community. Species representing the remaining dietary guilds drank significantly more on hot days. Blood samples revealed that only 11 of 42 species (mostly granivores and a few omnivores) showed evidence of drinking at a waterhole with enriched deuterium values; on average, in the latter birds, water from the enriched waterhole accounted for ~38% of their body water pool. These findings illustrate that two methods employed in this study provide different, but complementary data on the relative importance of a water source for an avian community. Although our results suggest that most avian species are independent of surface water, drinking patterns on the hottest days during our study period suggest that free-standing water might become more important for some of the non-drinking species under hotter climatic conditions.

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