• Title/Summary/Keyword: foraging

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Variability in group size and daily activity budget of family groups of the gelada baboon (Theropithecus gelada) at Guassa Community Conservation Area, Central Ethiopia

  • Mamo, Mandefero;Wube, Tilaye
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.43 no.2
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    • pp.263-270
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    • 2019
  • Background: The gelada baboon, Theropithecus gelada Ruppell, 1835, is an endemic primate of the central and western highlands of Ethiopia occurring between altitudes of 1800-4400 m. Variability in activity time budget between the two gelada social units, i.e., one-male units (OMUs) and all-male units (AMUs), has not been studied previously. Thus, the present study was an effort to understand intra- and inter-variations in group size and daily activity time budget in gelada baboon OMUs and AMUs at Guassa Community Conservation Area, Central Ethiopia. The instantaneous sampling method was used in the data collection. Results: Both OMU and AMU groups allocated more time for feeding (OMUs = 36.96%; AMUs = 35%) followed by moving (OMU = 25.8%; AMUs = 27%). Grooming was the most frequent social activity in both family groups (OMUs = 8.56%; AMUs = 11.81%). OMUs and AMUs did not show significant variation between themselves in the time budget and temporal distribution of their daily activities. However, the overall variation in the time budget allocated for daily activities within OMUs and AMUs was statistically significant (p < 0.05%). The different age and sex groups in OMUs (i.e., immature, sub-adult females, subordinate males, adult females, and alpha males) showed statistically significant variation in their time budget allocation for the daily activities (p < 0.05) except for feeding and moving. Alpha males had the highest proportion of resting (32.14%) and aggression (31.92%). Immature individuals were responsible for > 90% of the time budget recorded for playing while adult females showed the highest frequency of grooming. Group size of OMUs ranged between 5 and 15 individuals (mean ± SD = 11.25 ± 1.95). Adult females comprised the highest number within OMUs (mean = 4.5) followed by immature individuals (mean = 3). The group size of AMUs ranged from 4 to 8 (mean ± SD = 6.6 ± 1.5). Conclusion: Our results showed that the gelada baboon spent less time on foraging compared to previous studies at the Simien Mountains and Debre-Libanos area. We suggested this variation could be explained based on higher forage quality at Guassa Community Conservation Area resulting from better conservation of the habitat.

A Study on the Improvement Plans for the Wild Bird Habitat in an Urban River - A Case Study on Seongnaecheon(Stream) in Seoul - (도시하천 야생조류의 서식 기능 향상방안 연구 - 서울시 성내천을 대상으로 -)

  • Park, Goon-Sook;Park, Seok-Cheol;Han, Bong-Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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    • v.23 no.3
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    • pp.23-43
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    • 2020
  • The purpose of this paper is to create ecological values for urban rivers. For this, the paper looks into river bed structures and how nearby lands are used. This study was performed to set the specific sections for analysis through a field investigation of the infrastructure conditions, surrounding land use, and the inter habitat structure of Seongnaecheon(Stream). A total of 780 individuals from 31 species of wild birds appeared in Seongnaecheon(Stream). According to foraging guild's habitat, there were 9 species of water, 8 types of water edges, 5 types of crowns, 5 types of shrubs, 2 types of tree trunks, 2 types of birds of raptors, and 355 individuals of water, 243 shrubs, 90 crowns, 84 water edges and 5 raptors. Many water birds were observed at the site where the Seongnaecheon(Stream) sandy plains and wetland herbaceous area were developed and the open water was secured. Most of the forest birds appeared on levee slope connected with forest around and riverside with fewer facilities for use. The species diversity index of Shannon, the entire section of Seongnaecheon(Stream), was 2.2697 and the downstream ecological landscape conservation area of Seongnaecheon(Stream) was found to be useful as a habitat for wild birds in the city compared to other sections. Some sections of Seongnaecheon (Stream) had low species diversity index due to lack of green space and surrounding urbanization areas. In choosing target species, I researched the special features of the habitats and the habitation structure of wild birds in each zone. Regarding detailed plans, by classifying the breeding place & roosting site and the roosting site & shelter that took account of the inhabitation characteristics of the target species in different sections, this paper suggested the major plant species and multilayer planting structures. Moreover, this study proposed the development of habitats for water birds and forest birds along with the connection of the green network for improving the Eco-corridor linkage and inhabitation features in Seongnaecheon(Stream).

Honeybee Acute and Residual Toxicity of Pesticides Registered for Strawberry (딸기용 농약의 꿀벌에 대한 급성독성 및 엽상잔류독성)

  • Kim, Byung-Seok;Park, Yoen-Ki;Lee, Yong-Hoon;Joeng, Mi-Hye;You, Are-Sun;Yang, Yu-Jung;Kim, Jin-Bae;Kwon, Oh-Kyung;Ahn, Young-Joon
    • The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.229-235
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    • 2008
  • Lack of honey bee toxicity data for most pesticide products used for strawberry restricts to predict the adverse effects to foraging honey bee after treatment of pesticide in plastic house. This study was conducted to evaluate the actual risk of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) through acute contact toxicity test, acute oral toxicity test and toxicity of residues on foliage test with 21 pesticide products. The mortality of honeybee sprayed with 6 pesticides including dichlofluanid WP showed significantly different from control at recommended application rate in acute contact toxicity test at 24 hours after treatment. Fenpropathrin EC and milbemectin EC treatment groups showed more than 25% mortalities at recommended application rate in acute oral toxicity test. In toxicity of residues on foliage test, only fenpropathrin EC treatment group showed more than 25% mortalities at 10 days after treatment at recommended application rate. It was concluded that the most toxic route to exposure for honey bee is direct contact exposure to sprayed pesticides. Safety interval for honey bee was established by concerning the results of these tests.

Hyperaccumulation mechanism in plants and the effects of roots on rhizosphere soil chemistry - A critical review (고축적식물의 중금속 흡수기작과 뿌리에 의한 근권 토양의 화학변화 - 총설)

  • Kim, Kwon-Rae;Owens, Gary;Naidu, Ravi;Kim, Kye-Hoon
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.280-291
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    • 2007
  • Much research has been conducted in the field of phytoremediation since the discovery of the range of plants known as hyperaccumulators. Research has focused simultaneously on elucidating the mechanism of metal(loid) accumulation and development of practical techniques to enhance accumulation efficiency. To date, it is generally understood that there are five specific mechanisms employed by hyperaccumulating plant species that are either not or under utilized by non-hyperaccumulators. These include 1) enhanced metal(loid)s uptake through the root cell, 2) enhanced translocation in plant tissue, 3) detoxification and sequestration, 4) enhanced metal availability in soil:root interface, and 5) active root foraging toward metal(loid) enriched soils. Among these mechanisms, understanding of the plant-root effect on metal(loid) dynamics and subsequent plant uptake is vital to overcome the inherit limitation of phytoremediation caused by low metal(loid) solubility in soils. Plant roots can influence the soil chemistry in the rhizosphere through changes in pH and exudation of organic compounds such as low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) which consequently change metal(loid) solubility. The decrease in soil pH by plant release of $H^+$ results in increased metal solubility. Elevated levels of organic compounds in response to high metal soil concentrations by plant exudation may also increases metal concentration in soil solution through formation of organometallic complexes.

Conservation and Status of Waterbirds on Sihwa Reclaimed Area (시화간척지에 도래하는 물새류 현황 및 보전 방안)

  • Lee, Si-Wan;Song, Min Jung;Lee, Hansoo;Choe, Jong In
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.73-87
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    • 2004
  • This study was carried out on Sihwa reclaimed area from January to December in 2003. We observed total 169,351 individuals of 70 species(22 species of waders, 9 species of egrets and 5 species of gulls). Waterbird population was the largest in March(95,465 individuals) and was the smallest from April to June(less than 7,000 individuals). The most dominant species was Pintail(Anas acuta: 58,627 individuals, 34.6%) and other species were Mallards(Anas platyrhynchos: 24.5%), Common Pochards(Aythya ferina: 13.8%), Black-tailed Gulls(Larus crassirostris: 6.1%), Spotbill Ducks(Anas poecilorhyncha: 5.0%) and Greater Scaups(Aythya marila: 2.69%). Sihwa reclaimed area supported many kinds of protected species such as Chinese egrets(Egretta eulophotes), Black-faced Spoonbills(Platalea minor), Eurasian Spoonbills(Platalea leucorodia), Mute Swans(Cygnus olor), Whooper Swans(Cygnus cygnus), and Eurasian Oystercatchers(Haematopus ostralegus). They foraged at waterside of Sihwa lake and rested at reclaimed area. Particularly, Eurasian Oystercatchers bred in habitats with Salicornia herbacea and Suaeda japonica. Reclamation of mud flats and construction of roads, transmission towers and tide embankments disturbed waterbirds in breeding and foraging. We suggest that waterbirds are protected in different action plans according to their status such as breeding, passaging and wintering birds. Maintaining of waterside and swamps in Sihwa reclaimed area will be useful for breeding waterbirds. It is needed to make a protect zone for ecological connecting belt from Oeji isarea, Hyeong isarea, Eum isarea to upper channel on Sihwa lake.

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The Effect of Stocking Density on the Behaviour of Broiler Chickens

  • Thomas, David G.;Son, Jang-Ho;Ravindran, Velmurugu;Thomas, Donald V.
    • Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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    • v.38 no.1
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    • pp.1-4
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    • 2011
  • A 35-day trial was conducted to examine the influence of floor density on the behaviour of broiler chickens. Day-old male broilers (n=756) were randomly assigned to one of four stocking densities (6 replicates of n=13, 25, 38 and 50) in 24 identical 2.6 $m^2$ pens. These stocking densities were coded very low (VL), low (L), medium (M) and high (H) and contained a floor space allowance per bird of 2,000 $cm^2$, 1,000 $cm^2$, 667 $cm^2$ and 500 $cm^2$, respectively. Scan sampling of all groups was carried out at 15-min intervals during two 1-h periods (10.00 h~11.00 h and 14.00 h~15.00 h) for five days each week. The numbers of birds engaged in different behavioural activities were recorded. It was found that the most common behaviour in all densities was lying. There was no clear effect of density during wks 1~4 of the trial, but in wk 5 birds in the L, M and H groups showed lower levels (P=0.07) of lying behaviour when compared to birds in the VL group suggesting that an increase in animal density results in decreased opportunities for undisturbed rest. This observation is supported by standing and walking behaviour, which was lower (P<0.05) in the VL group in wk 5. Foraging behaviour measured in the study by the numbers of birds pecking the ground declined as the trial progressed, but scratching increased in 2 wk then decreased. Birds in the VL group showed higher (P<0.05) level of pecking the ground behaviour compared to birds in the L, M and H groups, but scratching behaviour higher (P<0.05) and lower (P<0.05) in VL of 1 wk and 2 wk respectively. However, a peak in aggressive behaviour was observed in wk 2 and birds in the VL group showed less (P<0.05) agonistic behaviour than birds in the H and M groups. Other behaviours (dustbathing, preening, eating or drinking) were not influenced (P>0.05) by stocking density.

Patterns of Snake Roadkills on the Roads in the National Parks of South Korea (국립공원 내 도로에서 뱀류 로드킬 현황)

  • Kim, Seok-Bum;Lee, Jung-Hyun;Park, Daesik
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.51 no.3
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    • pp.234-244
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    • 2018
  • The roadkill that animals die after bumping by vehicles on the roads is acting as a factor to decrease the size of various animal populations. It has also been known to be the biggest artificial causations of Vertebrata deaths not only in urban areas but also protected areas such as national parks. Nevertheless, in the national park areas which are major protected national areas for conservation of national biodiversity and ecological diversity, snake roadkills occur frequently. Up to date, related studies are rare. Therefore, in this study, we described snake roadkill patterns on the roads in six national parks between 2006 and 2015. We identified total 736 snake roadkills compromising 10 different species. Five species, Rhabdophis lateralis, Elaphe dione, Gloydius ussuriensis, Lycodon rufozonatus, Gloydius brevicaudus occupied more than 91.7% of total roadkill cases. Active forager snakes were killed by roadkills more than ambush foragers, and the snake roadkill frequency was the highest in September, a migration period and in August when the young individuals dispersed at between 100 and 799 m altitude areas. Roads where roadkills were frequent lie between forest and hydrosphere or between forest and crop field road sides. Our results could be used to identify the trend of snake roadkills on the roads in national parks, and to establish effective roadkill mitigation measures and policies.

Differences in Breeding Bird Communities by Post-fire Restoration Methods (산불 후 복원방법의 차이가 번식기 조류 군집에 미치는 영향)

  • Kim, Jin-Yong;Lee, Eun-Jae;Choi, Chang-Yong;Lee, Woo-Shin;Lim, Joo-Hoon
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.508-515
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    • 2015
  • Post-fire restoration can affect breeding bird communities and species compositions over a long-term period by determining pot-fire succession, and a long-term monitoring is therefore required to understand its impacts on forest birds. This study aimed to document the effects of post-fire restoration methods on breeding bird communities in three areas: unburned and two burned (nonintervention and intervention with clear-cut logging and planting) stands 13 years after the stand-replacing Samcheok forest fire at Mt. Geombong in Samcheok, South Korea. According to 108 point counts during the breeding season from April to June 2013, we found that the number of individuals, observed bird species, and species diversity index in intervention stands with clear-cut logging and planting were lower than that in nonintervention and unburned control stands. Foraging and nesting guild analysis also showed a lower abundance of foliage searchers, timber drillers, primary cavity nesters and secondary cavity nesters in intervention stands than in the other stands, while no significant difference was detected between the nonintervention and unburned stands. These results imply that an interventional restoration method may deter the recovery of avian breeding communities after forest fires, and also suggest that non-interventional restoration methods may be an effective way to benefit the species diversity and density of breeding bird communities.

Wintering Habitat Use of white-naped Cranes Grus vipio in Han River Estuary, Korea (한강하구에 도래하는 재두루미의 서식지 이용 현황)

  • Kang, Tae-Han;Yoo, Seung-Hwa;Kim, Hwa-Jung;Lee, Ki-Sup
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.23 no.3
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    • pp.250-257
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    • 2009
  • This study was conducted to investigate the habitat use of White-naped Cranes Grus vipio in Han river estuary during the wintering period from 2006 to 2008 (October$\sim$March). The average numbers of wintering White-naped Cranes were 106.6$\pm$21.7 (Mean$\pm$SD) individuals, and the highest number of 140 individuals were recorded in the early January, 2008. The wintering habitat use of White-naped Cranes between rice field and mudflat was not significantly different (Mann-Whitney test. p=0.40) during the wintering period. However, White-naped Cranes spent more time on the rice field in the early winter (p<0.01), and on the mudflat in the late winter(p<0.01). There was not a difference of the habitat use rate on middle winter. White-naped cranes used four different sites of rice field: Hongdopyoung, Pyoungdong, Ihwadong and Janghang rice fields. Among them, Hongdopyoung was the main foraging site. There was significant differences of habitat use ratio in the early and mid winter ((Kruskal-wallis test. p<0.01). White-naped Cranes used mudflat area from Gimpo Daegyo to Nusanri of Han river estuary. Especially, they preferred four sites from Gimpo Daegyo to Ilsan Daegyo more than the other sites. Habitat use rate of mud flats were significantly different among each site during the wintering period (Kruskal-wallis test. p<0.01)

Web Structure of the Wasp Spider, Argiope bruennichi, Depending on Micro-Habitat Characteristics (미소서식지 특성에 따른 긴호랑거미 (Argiope bruennichi)의 웹 구조 분석)

  • Kim, Kil-Won;Kim, Duk-Rae;Jin, Woo-Young
    • Journal of Wetlands Research
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.41-49
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    • 2010
  • Web building of the spider is an investment behavior for prey foraging with genetic constraint. Individual's decision-making on the web construction depends on diverse environmental variables. This study investigated web structure of the wasp spider, Argiope bruennichi, to compare individual's behaviors in dry field and in wet field. We measured 35 web structures in dry field (Chunma-San, Incheon) showing relatively low humidity (46.4%) and luxuriant herbage, and 13 web structures in the wet rice field (73.9%; Taean-Gun, Chungnam). Comparing to the wet field the individuals in the dry field invested significantly more silk: $32.5{\pm}12.8$ number of silk spirals used in the dry field vs. $16.9{\pm}5.4$ in the wet field. The web area of the dry field was greater than that of the wet field: $976{\pm}643cm^2$ vs. $532{\pm}254cm^2$. The web height, distance between the ground and the center of the web, appeared higher in the dry field than in the wet field: $71.4{\pm}39.6cm$ vs. $49.6{\pm}31.2cm$. Also the web constructed in the dry field showed longer stabilimentum than the web of the wet field: $18.8{\pm}3.4cm$ vs. $3.9{\pm}3.2cm$. The perpendicular inclination and the inclination to East-West of the web showed no difference between the two fields. This study suggests that adult females of A. bruennichi could modulate its construction behavior depending on the micro-habitat factors.