ALBERT

Description: Trees are among the best natural archives of past environmental information. Xylem anatomy preserves information related to tree allometry and ecophysiological performance, which is not available from the more customary ring-width or wood-density proxy parameters. Recent technological advances make tree-ring anatomy very attractive because time frames of many centuries can now be covered. This calls for the proper treatment of time series of xylem anatomical attributes. In this article, we synthesize current knowledge on the biophysical and physiological mechanisms influencing the short- to long-term variation in the most widely used wood-anatomical feature, namely conduit size. We also clarify the strong mechanistic link between conduit-lumen size, tree hydraulic architecture and height growth. Among the key consequences of these biophysical constraints is the pervasive, increasing trend of conduit size during ontogeny. Such knowledge is required to process time series of anatomical parameters correctly in order to obtain the information of interest. An appropriate standardization procedure is fundamental when analysing long tree-ring-related chronologies. When dealing with wood-anatomical parameters, this is even more critical. Only an interdisciplinary approach involving ecophysiology, wood anatomy and dendrochronology will help to distill the valuable information about tree height growth and past environmental variability correctly.

Description: The conservation of large carnivores is a formidable challenge for biodiversity conservation. Using a data set on the past and current status of brown bears (Ursus arctos), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), gray wolves (Canis lupus), and wolverines (Gulo gulo) in European countries, we show that roughly one-third of mainland Europe hosts at least one large carnivore species, with stable or increasing abundance in most cases in 21st-century records. The reasons for this overall conservation success include protective legislation, supportive public opinion, and a variety of practices making coexistence between large carnivores and people possible. The European situation reveals that large carnivores and people can share the same landscape.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Chapron, Guillaume -- Kaczensky, Petra -- Linnell, John D C -- von Arx, Manuela -- Huber, Djuro -- Andren, Henrik -- Lopez-Bao, Jose Vicente -- Adamec, Michal -- Alvares, Francisco -- Anders, Ole -- Balciauskas, Linas -- Balys, Vaidas -- Bedo, Peter -- Bego, Ferdinand -- Blanco, Juan Carlos -- Breitenmoser, Urs -- Broseth, Henrik -- Bufka, Ludek -- Bunikyte, Raimonda -- Ciucci, Paolo -- Dutsov, Alexander -- Engleder, Thomas -- Fuxjager, Christian -- Groff, Claudio -- Holmala, Katja -- Hoxha, Bledi -- Iliopoulos, Yorgos -- Ionescu, Ovidiu -- Jeremic, Jasna -- Jerina, Klemen -- Kluth, Gesa -- Knauer, Felix -- Kojola, Ilpo -- Kos, Ivan -- Krofel, Miha -- Kubala, Jakub -- Kunovac, Sasa -- Kusak, Josip -- Kutal, Miroslav -- Liberg, Olof -- Majic, Aleksandra -- Mannil, Peep -- Manz, Ralph -- Marboutin, Eric -- Marucco, Francesca -- Melovski, Dime -- Mersini, Kujtim -- Mertzanis, Yorgos -- Myslajek, Robert W -- Nowak, Sabina -- Odden, John -- Ozolins, Janis -- Palomero, Guillermo -- Paunovic, Milan -- Persson, Jens -- Potocnik, Hubert -- Quenette, Pierre-Yves -- Rauer, Georg -- Reinhardt, Ilka -- Rigg, Robin -- Ryser, Andreas -- Salvatori, Valeria -- Skrbinsek, Tomaz -- Stojanov, Aleksandar -- Swenson, Jon E -- Szemethy, Laszlo -- Trajce, Aleksander -- Tsingarska-Sedefcheva, Elena -- Vana, Martin -- Veeroja, Rauno -- Wabakken, Petter -- Wolfl, Manfred -- Wolfl, Sybille -- Zimmermann, Fridolin -- Zlatanova, Diana -- Boitani, Luigi -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 2014 Dec 19;346(6216):1517-9. doi: 10.1126/science.1257553.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉Grimso Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden. gchapron@carnivoreconservation.org guillaume.chapron@slu.se. ; Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria. ; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Post Office Box 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway. ; KORA, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri bei Bern, Switzerland. ; Biology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. ; Grimso Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden. ; Grimso Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden. Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo University, 33600 Mieres, Spain. ; State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, Tajovskeho 28B, 974 01 Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. ; CIBIO/InBio, Centro de Investigacao em Biodiversidade e Recursos Geneticos, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairao, Portugal. ; Harz Nationalpark, Lindenallee 35, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany. ; Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412 Vilnius, Lithuania. ; Association for Nature Conservation "Baltijos vilkas," Visoriu 6A-54, 08300 Vilnius, Lithuania. ; Slovak Wildlife Society, Post Office Box 72, 03301 Liptovsky Hradok, Slovakia. ; Biology Department of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Boulevard Zog I, Tirana, Albania. ; Wolf Project, Consultores en Biologia de la Conservacion, Calle Manuela Malasana 24, 28004 Madrid, Spain. ; KORA, Thunstrasse 31, 3074 Muri bei Bern, Switzerland. Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Langgassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland. ; Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Kamycka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic. ; Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Jaksto 4/9, 01105 Vilnius, Lithuania. ; Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Rome "La Sapienza," Viale dell'Universita 32, 00185 Roma, Italy. ; Balkani Wildlife Society, Boulevard Dragan Tzankov 8, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria. ; Lynx Project Austria Northwest, Linzerstrasse 14, 4170 Haslach/Muhl, Austria. ; Nationalpark Kalkalpen, Nationalpark Zentrum Molln, Nationalpark Allee 1, 4591 Molln, Austria. ; Provincia Autonoma di Trento - Servizio Foreste e Fauna, Via Trener no. 3, 38100 Trento, Italy. ; Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Viikinkaari 4, 00790 Helsinki, Finland. ; Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania, Rruga Vangjush Furxhi 16/1/10, Tirana, Albania. ; Callisto Wildlife and Nature Conservation Society, Mitropoleos 123, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece. ; Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Department of Silviculture, Transilvania University, 1 Beethoven Lane, 500123 Brasov, Romania. Forest Research Institute (ICAS) Bulevardul Eroilor Number 128, Voluntari, Ilfov, 077190 Romania. ; State Institute for Nature Protection, Trg Mazuranica 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. ; University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. ; LUPUS - German Institute for Wolf Mnitoring and Research, Dorfstrasse 20, 02979 Spreewitz, Germany. ; Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Oulu Game and Fisheries Research, Tutkijantie 2E, 90570 Oulu, Finland. ; Department of Forest Protection and Game Management, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University of Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 20, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia. ; Faculty of Forestry, University of Sarajevo, Zagrebacka 20, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. ; Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 61300 Brno, Czech Republic. Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolni Namesti 38, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic. ; Estonian Environment Agency, Roomu tee 2, 51013 Tartu, Estonia. ; Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, ZI Mayencin, 5 Allee de Bethleem, 38610 Gieres, France. ; Centro Gestione e Conservazione Grandi Carnivori, Piazza Regina Elena 30, Valdieri 12010, Italy. ; Macedonian Ecological Society, Arhimedova 5, Skopje 1000, FYR Macedonia. Department of Wildlife Sciences, Georg-August University, Busgenweg 3, 37077 Gottingen, Germany. ; National Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Food Safety and Veterinary Institute, Rruga Aleksander Moisiu 10 Tirana, Albania. ; Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland. ; Association for Nature "Wolf," Twardorzeczka 229, 34-324 Lipowa, Poland. ; Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava," Rigas Iela 111, Salaspils, 2169 Latvia. ; Fundacion Oso Pardo, Calle San Luis 17, 4 degrees A, 39010 Santander, Spain. ; Natural History Museum, Njegoseva 51, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. ; ONCFS-CNERA PAD, Equipe Ours, Chef de Projet, Impasse de la Chapelle, 31800 Villeneuve de Riviere, France. ; Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, Via B. Eustachio 10, 00161 Rome, Italy. ; Macedonian Ecological Society, Arhimedova 5, Skopje 1000, FYR Macedonia. ; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Post Office Box 5685 Sluppen, 7485 Trondheim, Norway. Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Postbox 5003, 1432 As, Norway. ; St. Istvan Unversity Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Pater Karoly 1, 2103 Godollo, Hungary. ; Friends of the Earth Czech Republic, Olomouc Branch, Dolni Namesti 38, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic. ; Hedmark University College, Evenstad, 2480 Koppang, Norway. ; Bavarian Agency of Environment, Hans-Hogn-Strasse 12, 95030 Hof/Saale, Germany. ; Lynx Project Bavaria, Trailling 1a, 93462 Lam, Germany. ; Department of Zoology and Anthropology, Faculty of Biology/Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," Boulevard Dragan Tzankov 8, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25525247" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉

Description: Most research on plant–pollinator communication has focused on sensory and behavioral responses to relatively static cues. Floral rewards such as nectar, however, are dynamic, and foraging animals will increase their energetic profit if they can make use of floral cues that more accurately indicate nectar availability. Here we document such a cue—transient humidity gradients—using the night blooming flowers of Oenothera cespitosa (Onagraceae). The headspace of newly opened flowers reaches levels of about 4% above ambient relative humidity due to additive evapotranspirational water loss through petals and water-saturated air from the nectar tube. Floral humidity plumes differ from ambient levels only during the first 30 min after anthesis (before nectar is depleted in wild populations), whereas other floral traits (scent, shape, and color) persist for 12–24 h. Manipulative experiments indicated that floral humidity gradients are mechanistically linked to nectar volume and therefore contain information about energy rewards to floral visitors. Behavioral assays with Hyles lineata (Sphingidae) and artificial flowers with appropriate humidity gradients suggest that these hawkmoth pollinators distinguish between subtle differences in relative humidity when other floral cues are held constant. Moths consistently approached and probed flowers with elevated humidity over those with ambient humidity levels. Because floral humidity gradients are largely produced by the evaporation of nectar itself, they represent condition-informative cues that facilitate remote sensing of floral profitability by discriminating foragers. In a xeric environment, this level of honest communication should be adaptive when plant reproductive success is pollinator limited, due to intense competition for the attention of a specialized pollinator.