Merilä, J. & Starks, P. T. B. 2003: Editorial: Towards a faster publication process — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 1
Full text
Osiejuk, T. S., Ratyska, K., Cygan, J. P. & Dale, S. 2003: Song structure and repertoire variation in ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana L.) from isolated Norwegian population. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 3–16.
Abstract
Full text (print quality pdf)
Weladji, R. B., Steinheim, G., Holand, Ø, Moe, S. R., Almøy, T. & Ådnøy, T. 2003: Temporal patterns of juvenile body weight variability in sympatric reindeer and sheep. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 17–26.
Abstract
Full text (print quality pdf)
Bellocq, M. I. & Smith, S. M. 2003: Population dynamics and foraging of Sorex cinereus (masked shrew) in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 27–34.
Abstract
Full text (print quality pdf)
Johannesen, E. 2003: Intra- and interspecific density dependence in the survival and recruitment of grey-sided (Clethrinomys rufocanus) and bank voles (C. glareolus). — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 35–44.
Abstract
Full text (print quality pdf)
Thulin, C.-G., Tegelström, H. & Fredga, K. 2003: Haplotype diversity of mountain hare mtDNA among native mountain hares and introduced brown hares in Scandinavia. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 45–52.
Abstract
Full text (print quality pdf)
Starks, P. T. 2003: Natal nest discrimination in the paper wasp, Polistes dominulus. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 53–60.
Abstract
Full text (print quality pdf)
Cummins, C. P. 2003: UV-B radiation, climate change and frogs — the importance of phenology. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 61–67.
Abstract
Full text (print quality pdf)
Osiejuk, T. S., Ratyska, K., Cygan, J. P. & Dale, S. 2003: Song structure and repertoire variation in ortolan bunting (Emberiza hortulana L.) from isolated Norwegian population. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 3–16. Back to the top
Weladji, R. B., Steinheim, G., Holand, Ø, Moe, S. R., Almøy, T. & Ådnøy, T. 2003: Temporal patterns of juvenile body weight variability in sympatric reindeer and sheep. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 17–26. Back to the top
Bellocq, M. I. & Smith, S. M. 2003: Population dynamics and foraging of Sorex cinereus (masked shrew) in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 27–34. Back to the top
Johannesen, E. 2003: Intra- and interspecific density dependence in the survival and recruitment of grey-sided (Clethrinomys rufocanus) and bank voles (C. glareolus). — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 35–44. Back to the top
Thulin, C.-G., Tegelström, H. & Fredga, K. 2003: Haplotype diversity of mountain hare mtDNA among native mountain hares and introduced brown hares in Scandinavia. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 45–52. Back to the top
Starks, P. T. 2003: Natal nest discrimination in the paper wasp, Polistes dominulus. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 53–60. Back to the top
Cummins, C. P. 2003: UV-B radiation, climate change and frogs — the importance of phenology. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 40: 61–67.
This paper describes song structure and repertoire variation in ortolan buntings (Emberiza hortulana) from an isolated and declining Norwegian population, analysed by using the minimal unit of production approach. Males from the studied population sang strophes similar to both dialects found in geographically closest populations in Sweden. We did not observe any simplification of song structure, which is typical for isolated populations of birds. On the contrary, the studied population was characterised by a greater song variation. Song type repertoires were larger both at the individual level and if we considered numbers of different syllables and song types found within the population. This variation seems to reflect the influence of habitat fragmentation and female deficiency at the boundary of the species range on song learning processes and males' dispersion. We also found a remarkable within-song-type variation, which seems to be independent of song type variation level of song production, but its function is unexplained.
The debate over whether winter or summer grazing conditions are more important for reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) growth and reproduction is not settled. We used long-term weight data of sympatric semi-domesticated reindeer and domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in Sør-Fosen, Norway, to address indirectly the above-mentioned debate, by assessing the temporal patterns, variation and covariation of juvenile body weights. We further examined the relative importance of winter and summer weather conditions in explaining variation in reindeer autumn weights. A positive relationship between autumn body weight of reindeer and sheep was found, suggesting that a "good" summer for reindeer is also a good one for sheep. Despite the sheep being fed indoors during winter, there was no difference in intrinsic variability between yearly mean juvenile body weights of the two species. These results suggest that (i) reindeer and domestic sheep may equally benefit, or suffer, from weather-related variation in summer forage conditions, and that (ii) either reindeer calf autumn body weights are not very sensitive to environmental conditions in the previous winter (i.e. when they were in utero), or that they are able, to some extent, to compensate for winter-related stress experienced by their mother. Furthermore, (iii) winter weather conditions may influence reindeer and sheep similarly, through indirect effects on the summer forage conditions. Direct analysis revealed that summer weather index explained more of the between year variance in reindeer autumn weights than the winter weather index. Hence, our results support the view that summer, rather than winter range conditions, are more important to juvenile body growth of reindeer.
The ecology of shrews is better understood in the boreal forest of Eurasia than in similar regions of North America. In this study, the abundance, reproduction, population structure, and diet of Sorex cinereus (Masked shrew) were analyzed in jack pine plantations in the southern boreal forest of eastern Canada over two years. Abundance of S. cinereus showed variations between years. The seasonal pattern of capture was unimodal with the peak occurring at the end of the summer. Breeding began in May or earlier with litter sizes averaging 6.7 ± 0.3 (mean ± SE) embryos per pregnant female. The breeding season was at least six months long (May–October). Two distinctive cohorts were identified. The spring cohort, primarily produced by overwintering shrews, had a higher reproductive value than the summer cohort because they may have reproduced in the year of birth. The summer cohort was produced by both overwintering individuals and shrews of the first generation in that year. Lepidopteran larvae (moth) were the primary food type in stomach contents of immature shrews, followed by coleopterans (beetles) and arachnida (spiders). The mean percentage volume of lepidopteran larvae in shrew stomach contents was similar between years, months, and sites. The patterns identified for S. cinereus are compared with those of the most common Eurasian shrew (Sorex araneus).
Habitat use patterns by sympatric bank (Clethrionomys glareolus) and grey-sided (Clethrionomys rufocanus) voles indicate interspecific competition between the two species, with grey-sided voles being the superior competitor. Data from a four-year study of two populations of bank and grey-sided voles were analysed with capture-recapture models to investigate the effects of competition on winter and summer demographic parameters. In summer survival of bank voles was positively correlated with bank vole density, whereas recruitment was negatively correlated to bank vole density. No evidence was found for intraspecific density-dependence in the demographic parameters of grey-sided voles, although there was a tendency towards a negative intraspecific effect on winter survival. There were no detected effects of interspecific competition on the demography of either vole species.
Natural hybridisation and subsequent introgression mediate the transmission of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from native mountain hares (Lepus timidus) to introduced brown hares (L. europaeus). We investigated mtDNA Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism among 62 Scandinavian mountain hares, 20 brown hares with mountain hare mtDNA and 19 presumed hybrids from 57 localities in Sweden and Norway. A high level of mtDNA haplotype diversity was detected (0.90 ± 0.026). Mountain hare mtDNA haplotypes transferred to brown hares were different from those among mountain hares, both sympatric and allopatric (p < 0.05). One possible explanation is that hybridisation and introgression were more common during the initial phase of contact between the species following the introduction of brown hares, after which some haplotypes have become extinct in declining mountain hare populations, but have been preserved among the brown hares with mountain hare mtDNA.
I present data indicating that Polistes dominulus females overwinter in multi-colony groups, recognize natal nest fragments after overwintering, and select nesting cavities based on cavity volume. In a seminatural environment, seven field-captured P. dominulus colonies completed the colony cycle, and the resulting reproductive females were observed in hibernacula groups, on natal nest fragments prior to colony initiation, and in nest boxes after initiating colonies. Given the choice of three nest box sizes in which to initiate colonies, P. dominulus preferred medium nest boxes and avoided large nest boxes. This site preference may indicate a balance between the cost of detection by predators and the benefit of space for colony growth. Even though natal nests were cut into small fragments and distributed into nest boxes, spring foundresses recognized and preferentially perched upon fragments from their natal nest. Individuals whose natal nest contained multiple queens were significantly more likely to perch upon natal nest fragments than were individuals whose natal nest contained a single queen. Returning to and recognizing the natal nest may be an adaptive mechanism to (A) locate nestmates with whom to initiate multiple foundress colonies and (B) reduce the cost of finding these nestmates.
The authors of a recent commentary challenged a "traditional view" that organisms living at high latitudes are normally exposed to lower doses of potentially damaging UV-B radiation than those living at lower latitudes. Taking as their main example the European common frog (Rana temporaria L.) in Scandinavia, they suggested that global warming might be masking adverse biological effects of ozone depletion, which allows a greater percentage of solar UV-B to reach the Earth's surface, by altering species' phenology. Here, I expand the scope of that study to include phenology and potential exposure to UV-B radiation across a larger part of the common frog's geographic range, including populations from oceanic and alpine climates. The results highlight both the importance of phenology in limiting exposure to UV-B radiation and the need for a mechanistic understanding of phenological variation. The results also illustrate some important limitations of a commonly used field experiment, at least in terms of its utility for comparing sensitivities to UV-B or predicting effects of ozone depletion.