Røskaft, E., Hagen, M. L., Hagen, T. L. & Moksnes, A. 2004: Patterns of outdoor recreation activities among Norwegians: an evolutionary approach. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 609–618.
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Liukkonen-Anttila, T., Rätti, O., Kvist, L., Helle, P. & Orell, M. 2004: Lack of genetic structuring and subspecies differentiation in the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in Finland. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 619–633.
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Orizaola, G. & Braña, F. 2004: Hatching responses of four newt species to predatory fish chemical cues. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 635–645.
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Osiejuk, T. S., Olech, B., Ratynska, K., Owsinski, A. & Gromadzka-Ostrowska, J. 2004: Effects of season, plasma testosterone and body size on corncrake (Crex crex) call rhythm. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 647–659.
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Borkowska, A. & Ratkiewicz, M. 2004: Seasonal changes of population genetic structure and relatedness in the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus: An analysis of age cohorts. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 661–670.
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Amo, L., López, P. & Martín, J. 2004: Multiple predators and conflicting refuge use in the wall lizard, Podarcis muralis. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 671–679.
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Schmeller, D. S. 2004: Tying ecology and genetics of hemiclonally reproducing waterfrogs (Rana, Anura). — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 681–687.
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Røskaft, E., Hagen, M. L., Hagen, T. L. & Moksnes, A. 2004: Patterns of outdoor recreation activities among Norwegians: an evolutionary approach. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 609–618.
We argue that our ancestors had the nature as their only playground, therefore, the understanding of patterns of present-day outdoor recreation activities has to be considered in relation to this background. We predict that outdoor recreation activities are age and gender specific: men dominate hunting (high-risk) activities and women dominate gathering activities. These predictions are based on different gender and age roles from our evolutionary past. The results support these predictions because younger men were more involved in high-risk outdoor recreation activities as e.g. hang gliding, parachute jumping and mountain climbing, while activities like hunting and fishing were more similarly distributed among men age groups. All hunting/fishing activities were male-dominated, while gathering activities were female-dominated. No age related pattern was found in female-dominated activities. Thus we can use evolutionary theory to predict patterns and attitudes of outdoor recreation activities.
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Liukkonen-Anttila, T., Rätti, O., Kvist, L., Helle, P. & Orell, M. 2004: Lack of genetic structuring and subspecies differentiation in the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in Finland. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 619–633. Back to the top
Orizaola, G. & Braña, F. 2004: Hatching responses of four newt species to predatory fish chemical cues. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 635–645. Back to the top
Osiejuk, T. S., Olech, B., Ratynska, K., Owsinski, A. & Gromadzka-Ostrowska, J. 2004: Effects of season, plasma testosterone and body size on corncrake (Crex crex) call rhythm. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 647–659. Back to the top
Borkowska, A. & Ratkiewicz, M. 2004: Seasonal changes of population genetic structure and relatedness in the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus: An analysis of age cohorts. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 661–670. Back to the top
Amo, L., López, P. & Martín, J. 2004: Multiple predators and conflicting refuge use in the wall lizard, Podarcis muralis. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 671–679. Back to the top
Schmeller, D. S. 2004: Tying ecology and genetics of hemiclonally reproducing waterfrogs (Rana, Anura). — Ann. Zool. Fennici 41: 681–687.
We sequenced and analysed variation in a 430 bp segment of the mitochondrial DNA control region of 302 Finnish capercaillies Tetrao urogallus. The data were divided into four zones representing the three suggested subspecies (T. u. urogallus, T. u. uralensis/karelicus, T. u. major), and the zone for hybrids between T. u. urogallus and T. u. uralensis. We did not find any clear evidence for different subspecies zones, or for differentiation among local populations. One major haplotype dominated in three zones and comprised 46% of all the sampled birds, and variation among individuals explained 98% of the total variance. Nucleotide and haplotype diversities tended to be high in northern and central parts of the country, whereas lower values were found at the west cost and in eastern parts of the country. Pairwise genetic differences, the low raggedness index, the form of the minimum-spanning network as well as the wide distribution of the most common haplotype supported the model of an expanding population. Hence, the results suggest that the Finnish capercaillie population is — or has been at least very recently — more or less continuous throughout the country.
For organisms with complex life cycles, hatching represents a crucial life history switch point that is often associated with high mortality rates due to predation. Not surprisingly, embryos and hatchlings of many species develop predator-induced behavioural and/or morphological responses to reduce the likelihood of mortality. Using laboratory experiments, we examined the effects of constant exposure to predator chemical cues (brown trout, Salmo trutta) on the hatching characteristics and hatchling morphology of four newt species (genus Triturus). Exposure to predator cues did not affect the timing of hatching, but led to an earlier development stage at hatching and smaller hatchling size. Furthermore, hatchlings exposed to predator chemical cues during embryonic development had shorter and shallower heads, shorter tails, and shallower tail muscles and tail fins relative to their body size than control animals. According to information available from previous studies, these morphological responses are unlikely to enhance the probability of larval survival under elevated predation risk. Hence, these morphological responses might represent non-adaptive developmental costs associated with the presence of predators.
We tested whether the temporal parameters of corncrake (Crex crex) call change seasonally and/or individually. We defined a new, compound variable called RHYTHM, which quantitatively describes how corncrake call is perceived. Temporal parameters of calls, including RHYTHM, were significantly associated with both the time within the breeding season and body size. The most striking variation of call production was related to between-call intervals, which define a range of calls from monotonous (low values of RHYTHM) to intermittent (high values of RHYTHM). We found very clear, seasonally repeatable patterns of corncrake call with respect to syllable length, interval duration, and RHYTHM. Intermittent rhythm was more frequent in the beginning of the season, and to some extent before the second breeding attempt. While males sometimes changed call rhythm within a season, in general males with larger body size produced more intermittent calls. Simultaneously, intermittent rhythm was associated with less continuous and slower calling, leading to presumably lower energy expenditures. Building on previous results, we suggest that call rhythm is a conventional signal of aggressive motivation, with receiver retaliation as a possible stabilizing cost.
The genetic consequences of age structure were investigated in five populations of the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus, using 18 variable allozyme loci. Temporal samples and age cohorts were analysed to detect seasonal differences in population genetic structure and relatedness between individuals. Changes in allele frequencies between seasons were found in one population. While over-wintered cohorts were genetically homogenous in all study populations, there were within year differences in allele frequencies among cohorts in two of the populations. Pairwise relatedness changed throughout the year and differed between sexes in some populations. The Ne/N ratio was high, presumably due to the promiscuous mating system in C. glareolus. Lack of correlation between genetic distance matrices from different seasons revealed that the pattern of interpopulation genetic structuring was not stable over time. The tendency for higher genetic differentiation among populations in autumn than in spring, as well as large differences between FIS and FST in autumn indicated lower dispersal rate at the end of the breeding season than in the spring.
Multiple predators can have risk-enhancing effects due to conflicting predator-specific prey defenses. Wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) escape from searching predators by fleeing into refuges where they can also encounter ambush snakes (Coronella austriaca). We simulated attacks to lizards in the laboratory to compare their use of predator-scented refuges with that of control refuges, and examined whether lizards that suffered a second attack changed the refuge used in the first attack if they had been hidden before in an unsafe refuge. The presence of snake cues neither influenced time to enter the refuge nor refuge choice. However, appearance time was greater in the snake-scented refuge, probably due to time spent acquiring information to ensure the absence of the snake. This was supported because once lizards appeared, they resumed their activities in the same interval of time. Our results suggest a case of predator facilitation due to conflicting prey defenses.
Hybridogenesis is a hemiclonal mode of reproduction occurring in several species complexes with various effects on the ecology and genetics of the involved species. The complexity of these systems is illustrated with the example of Western Palearctic waterfrogs. Deviations from original models of hybridogenesis are discussed, proofs for recombination between the parental genomes of the hybrid are reviewed, and the sex ratio disturbance found in many populations is explained. The review shows that benefits deriving from hybridogenesis, such as increased genetic variability and colonization ability, seem to be primarily directed toward R. ridibunda, but also have an impact on the other parental species. It is concluded that, due to mating possibilities and fertilization success, regions with mixed populations of two (or more) parental species and their hybridogenetic associate might be especially of interest in investigating recombination patterns and relating these to the population dynamics of the parental species.