A dermoid of the eye in a blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva)

A corneo-conjunctival dermoid is reported in a blue-fronted Amazon parrot ( Amazona aestiva ). After laminar keratectomy, histology showed the epidermis with feather follicles and dermal connective tissue with lymph follicles and sebaceous glands.     

Aversion of the feral pigeon and the house sparrow to pellets and sprouts treated with commercial formulations of methyl anthranilate

Two methyl anthranilate formulations, ReJex‐iT® TP‐40 and AG‐36, were tested as bird‐repelling agents for animal feed and vegetable sprouts, respectively. Feral pigeons (Columba livia) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) are important pests of animal husbandry and field crops in Israel. In each 4‐day experiment, four birds were held together in an aviary, and were offered four trays or dishes with animal feed or cauliflower sprouts in four corners of the cage. The trays and dishes were transposed daily in a Latin square sequence. Pigeons consumed significantly more untreated feed than treated feed. When no alternative untreated food was offered, there was no significant repellency. Treatment of animal feed with TP‐40 to give 2.0 ml methyl anthranilate kg^?1 or less had no repellent effect on sparrows. Concentrations of 4.0 ml kg^?1 or more repelled the sparrows significantly. When no untreated feed was presented, pigeons and sparrows preferred the lowest concentration of methyl anthranilate presented. When AG‐36 was tested on vegetable sprouts, the sparrows tended significantly to avoid the highest concentration used—14.5 ml methyl anthranilate litre^?1 spray. The inter‐specific differences between the birds indicate that the efficacy of methyl anthranilate formulations as a repellent has to be specified for every species. This study did not determine (1) the possibility of developing habituation, (2) the behaviour of birds under natural conditions in the field, or (3) the influence of the feeding behaviour of a sympatric bird species on the repellency of methyl anthranilate to other species. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

山东省濒危药用鸟类分布与保护

山东省共有濒危药用鸟类25种;科学研究及临床证实,药用鸟类具有较高的药用价值;阐述了山东省药用鸟类资源分布和利用现状,并提出一些保护和合理开发的建议。     

河北省承德避暑山庄的鸟类

2001～2003年，对河北省承德市避暑山庄的鸟类物种组成、区系型、居留期、区域分布、相对数量、珍稀种类等进行了调查。共记录到鸟类58种，隶属于13目33科58种，其中古北种31种，东洋种9种，广布种18种；夏候鸟24种，冬候鸟3种，旅鸟13种留鸟18种；国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类6种，河北省重点保护鸟类22种；从生境分布上看，平原区和山区鸟类资源最为丰富。避暑山庄应成为鸟类保护的重点地区。     

山东聊城城市竹林鸟类多样性初步调查

2022年7月至2023年2月对山东省聊城市3处城市竹林景观进行鸟类群落调查,共记录到鸟类15种,优势种为白头鹎(Pycnonotus sinensis)、棕头鸦雀(Paradoxornis webbianus)、树麻雀(Passer montanus)、银喉长尾山雀(Aegithalos caudatus)等小型鸟类。研究表明,适度发展混交林有利于丰富城市景观的生态多样性和物种多样性。     

不同温度下刺参对有机沉积物的摄食与吸收

以常规实验生态方法,研究了不同温度下不同规格刺参对有机沉积物的摄食与吸收,在水温为13 2～22 3℃时,大、中、小3种规格刺参对有机沉积物平均摄食率[g/(g·h)]依次为0 00324,0 00648,0 00959,对有机沉积物平均吸收率依次为7 32%,13 49%,17 61%。温度为15 13℃时,大规格刺参的吸收率最高(15 32%);当温度上升到23 2℃,中、小两种规格刺参吸收率达最高(依次为23 56%、26 49%)。刺参对沉积物中有机物的吸收与利用,降低了水底有机物的含量,可有效抑制水体有害物质的积累及产生。     

Variation in clearance and ingestion rates by larvae of the black-lip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera, L.) feeding on various microalgae

Clearance rate (CR) and ingestion rate (IR) of different sizes (89, 125 and 188 μm shell length) of Pinctada margaritifera larvae were determined when feeding on various microalgae. The microalgae tested were the diatoms, Chaetoceros muelleri and C. simplex, and flagellates, Tahitian Isochrysis aff. galbana, Pavlova lutheri and P. salina at 5 or 10 cells μL^–1. Both CR and IR of microalgae tested in this study increased with increasing larval size; but at all larval sizes, diatoms resulted in lower CR and IR. Of the microalgae tested, P. margaritifera larvae showed greatest CR and IR with the two Pavlova spp. Maximum CR for P. salina was 10.5, 21.2 and 29.7 μL h^–1 for larvae with shell lengths of 89, 125 and 188 μm, respectively. The highest IR values for P. margaritifera larvae with shell lengths of 89, 125 and 188 μm were 8.7, 81.0 and 165.7 cells·larva^–1 h^–1, respectively. CR and IR of P. salina were approximately five times higher than those recorded for C. muelleri and C. simplex.     

Supply of tree-holes limits nest density of cavity-nesting birds in primary and logged subtropical Atlantic forest

Tree cavities are proposed to limit populations and structure communities of cavity-nesting birds. Although the greatest diversity of cavity-nesting birds is found in tropical and subtropical moist forests, little is known about how tropical logging affects the abundance of cavities or cavity-nesting birds. We compared the abundance of cavities and cavity nests between primary and selectively-logged subtropical moist Atlantic forest in Argentina, and conducted the first before-after controlled nest-box addition experiment to determine whether nest sites limit the breeding density of cavity-nesting birds in tropical or subtropical moist forest. Visual inspection of 86 cavities identified through ground-surveys revealed that only 19% were suitable for nesting birds, suggesting that cavity abundance may be overestimated in the literature on tropical forests. Suitable cavities were found in fewer than 1% of 1156 trees <60 cm dbh but 20% of 20 trees >100 cm dbh. Logged forest had half the basal area of primary forest, one third the density of large trees, nine times fewer cavities suitable for nesting birds, and 17 times fewer active nests. When we added nest boxes, nesting density increased on treatment plots but not on control plots in both logged and primary forest, suggesting that cavity supply can limit nest density even in relatively undisturbed forest. This is the first experiment to show how reduced cavity supply in logged tropical forest can limit breeding density of cavity-nesting birds. International initiatives such as forest certification should promote tropical timber management strategies that conserve large live cavity-bearing trees.     

Impacts of atmospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> concentrations and soil water on the population dynamics,fecundity and development of the bird cherry-oat aphid<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhopalosiphum padi</Emphasis>

The impacts of elevated CO₂ and soil water on the population dynamics, adult fecundity and nymphal period of the bird cherry-oat aphidRhopalsiphum padi (Linnaeus) were evaluated in three experiments: (i)Combined effects of CO ₂ and soil water on aphid populations. Spring wheat was grown in pots at three CO₂ concentrations (350, 550 and 700 ppm) and three soil water levels (40%, 60% and 80% of field water capacity, FWC) in field open-top chambers (OTC) and infested with the bird cherry-oat aphid. Aphid population dynamics were recorded throughout the growing season; at the same time, adult fecundity and duration of the nymphal period were recorded. Chemical composition of spring wheat leaves was also analyzed. (ii)Indirect effects of CO ₂ concentrations and soil water on aphid adult fecundity and nymphal period. The experiment was conducted with the leaf discs method in the laboratory. Aphids were reared on leaf discs excised from the treated wheat in OTC with different CO₂ and soil water levels. (iii)Direct effects of CO ₂ concentrations on aphid adult fecundity and nymphal period. Aphids were reared on leaf discs excised from the wheat grown under natural conditions. The experiment was conducted with the leaf disc method in OTC with the three CO₂ concentrations. It was found that the direct effect of CO₂ concentration on aphid population parameters was minor. CO₂ and soil water affected aphid population indirectly through their effects on wheat characteristics. The aphid population under 550 ppm CO₂ was far larger than the one under 350 ppm CO₂, whereas the population under 700 ppm CO₂ was slightly higher than that under 550 ppm CO₂. The largest aphid population was obtained with the 60% soil water treatment, regardless of CO₂ treatment. The effects of CO₂ concentration on aphid population were, however, not significantly correlated with soil water level. Adult fecundity increased with CO₂ concentration, the highest fecundity being achieved under 60% FWC treatments. The nymphal period was not affected by CO₂ concentration. The shortest period occurred under 60% FWC. Atmospheric CO₂ and soil water had significant effects on the chemical composition of the wheat leaves. Aphid population size was positively correlated with leaf water content, concentrations of soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates and starch, and negatively correlated with DIMBOA and tannins concentrations. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Oct. 20, 2003.