Comparative Ecology of Bobwhite and Scaled Quail in the Oklahoma Panhandle

AbstractNorthern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and Scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) have been declining steadily throughout much of their historical range over the past few decades. Even the Rolling Plains of Texas, historically rich with wild quail and one of the last remaining quail strongholds, has been suffering a population decline, most notably since 2010. Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelii) have also been experiencing their own decline throughout their respective range, but not as significant as that of other species of quail. Eyeworms (Oxyspirura petrowi) in quail have been recognized for years but not thoroughly studied until recently. New research reveals thatO. petrowiinfection can cause inflammation, oedema, and cellular damage to the eye of the quail host. The objective of this research was to better understand the prevalence of the eyeworm infection in different quail species, expand on known distribution, and determine if there is a relationship between location and species infected with eyeworms. Northern bobwhite, Scaled quail and Gambel's quail were hunter-donated from one county within Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, and examined for the prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity of eyeworm infection from November 2013 to February 2014. Quail from every location were found to have individuals with a varying degree of eyeworm infection. This is the first study to document eyeworm infection in Gambel's quail and in quail in New Mexico and Arizona, and reports the highest eyeworm infection found in Northern bobwhite and Scaled quail.

Download Full-text

Comparative Ecology of Two Beetles Established in Hawaii: An Anthribid, Araecerus Levipennis, and a Bruchid, Mimosestes Sallaei

Ecology ◽

10.2307/1932238 ◽

1961 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 526-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alden D. Hinckley

Keyword(s):

Comparative Ecology

Download Full-text

The comparative ecology and biogeography of parasites

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2011.0048 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 366 (1576) ◽

pp. 2379-2390 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Robert Poulin ◽

Boris R. Krasnov ◽

David Mouillot ◽

David W. Thieltges

Keyword(s):

Niche Breadth ◽

Comparative Methods ◽

Comparative Ecology ◽

Host Interactions ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Parasite Communities ◽

Fundamental Properties ◽

Host Phylogeny ◽

Patterns And Processes ◽

Special Case

Comparative ecology uses interspecific relationships among traits, while accounting for the phylogenetic non-independence of species, to uncover general evolutionary processes. Applied to biogeographic questions, it can be a powerful tool to explain the spatial distribution of organisms. Here, we review how comparative methods can elucidate biogeographic patterns and processes, using analyses of distributional data on parasites (fleas and helminths) as case studies. Methods exist to detect phylogenetic signals, i.e. the degree of phylogenetic dependence of a given character, and either to control for these signals in statistical analyses of interspecific data, or to measure their contribution to variance. Parasite–host interactions present a special case, as a given trait may be a parasite trait, a host trait or a property of the coevolved association rather than of one participant only. For some analyses, it is therefore necessary to correct simultaneously for both parasite phylogeny and host phylogeny, or to evaluate which has the greatest influence on trait expression. Using comparative approaches, we show that two fundamental properties of parasites, their niche breadth, i.e. host specificity, and the nature of their life cycle, can explain interspecific and latitudinal variation in the sizes of their geographical ranges, or rates of distance decay in the similarity of parasite communities. These findings illustrate the ways in which phylogenetically based comparative methods can contribute to biogeographic research.

Download Full-text

Comparative ecology of sympatric Dipodomys agilis and Dipodomys merriami populations in southern California

ACTA THERIOLOGICA ◽

10.4098/at.arch.84-19 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 175-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Leroy R. McClenaghan

Keyword(s):

Southern California ◽

Comparative Ecology ◽

Dipodomys Merriami

Download Full-text

The comparative ecology and evidence for resource partitioning in two pholidid fishes (Pisces: Pholididae) from southern British Columbia eelgrass beds

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z85-015 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

pp. 76-85 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Grant W. Hughes

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Prey Type ◽

Microhabitat Use ◽

Similar Species ◽

Intertidal Habitat ◽

Comparative Ecology ◽

Saanich Inlet ◽

Breeding Habitats ◽

Eelgrass Beds

A comparative analysis of the ecology of sympatrically occurring Pholis laeta and Pholis ornata was conducted in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia. Summer microhabitat use of eelgrass bed depths, intertidal habitat use, prey type, and characteristic location of prey taken differed in fish older than 1 year and may have facilitated the coexistence of these morphologically similar species. Prey sizes and activity patterns were similar between species. Winter segregation of the species during the breeding season may have reduced the possibility of hybridization. Competition for breeding habitats and differences in trophic apparatus may partly explain the observed patterns of resource use.

Download Full-text