Indirect wildlife population surveying largely depends upon counts of artifacts of behavior (e.g., nests or dung). Likelihood to encounter these artifacts is derived from both artifact production and ...decay, and variability in production behavior is considered to contribute minimally to inaccuracy in wildlife estimation. Here, we demonstrate how ignoring behavioral variability leads to significant population misestimation, using an example of an endangered ape, the bonobo (Pan paniscus). Until now, a single estimate of nest construction rate has been used to extrapolate bonobo densities, assumed to be broadly representative of bonobo sign production behavior. We estimated nest construction rates across seasons and social groups at the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and find nest construction rates in bonobos to be highly variable across populations as well as seasonal within populations. Failure to account for this variability led to degradation in the accuracy of bonobo population density estimates, accounting for a likely overestimation of bonobo numbers by 34%, and at worst as high as 80%. With this example, we demonstrate that failure to account for inter‐ and intrapopulation behavioral variation compromises the ability to estimate both relative and absolute wildlife abundances. We argue that variation in sign production is but one of the several potential ways that behavioral variability can affect conservation monitoring, should be measured across contexts whenever possible, and must be considered in population estimation confidence intervals. With increasing attention to behavioral variability as a potential tool for conservation, conservationists must also account for the impact that behavioral variability can have upon wildlife population estimation. Our results underline the importance of observational research to wildlife monitoring schemes as a critical component of conservation management. We discuss the avenues through which behavioral variability is likely to impact wildlife monitoring accuracy and precision and propose potential approaches for accounting for behavioral variability in wildlife monitoring.
Indirect wildlife population surveying depends upon counts of artifacts of behavior (e.g., nests or dung). Here, we demonstrate how ignoring variability in behaviors related to artifact production contributes to significant population misestimation, using an example from bonobos (Pan paniscus). We estimated nest construction rates across seasons and found them to be variable across populations as well as seasonal. This behavioral variability could lead to an average 34% overestimation in bonobo population density, with up to 80% overestimation in some cases. Failure to account for inter‐ and intrapopulation behavioral variation compromises the ability to estimate both relative and absolute wildlife abundances. Variation in sign production is but one of the several potential ways that behavioral variability can affect indirect monitoring, and should be measured across contexts whenever possible. Our results underline the importance of observational research for wildlife monitoring schemes as a critical component of conservation management.
For anthropologists, meat eating by primates like chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) warrants examination given the emphasis on hunting in human evolutionary history. As referential models, apes provide ...insight into the evolution of hominin hunting, given their phylogenetic relatedness and challenges reconstructing extinct hominin behaviour from palaeoanthropological evidence. Among chimpanzees, adult males are usually the main hunters, capturing vertebrate prey by hand. Savannah chimpanzees (P. t. verus) at Fongoli, Sénégal are the only known non-human population that systematically hunts vertebrate prey with tools, making them an important source for hypotheses of early hominin behaviour based on analogy. Here, we test the hypothesis that sex and age patterns in tool-assisted hunting (n=308 cases) at Fongoli occur and differ from chimpanzees elsewhere, and we compare tool-assisted hunting to the overall hunting pattern. Males accounted for 70% of all captures but hunted with tools less than expected based on their representation on hunting days. Females accounted for most tool-assisted hunting. We propose that social tolerance at Fongoli, along with the tool-assisted hunting method, permits individuals other than adult males to capture and retain control of prey, which is uncommon for chimpanzees. We assert that tool-assisted hunting could have similarly been important for early hominins.
Stable heavy pentaquark states Stewart, Iain W; Wessling, Margaret E; Wise, Mark B
Physics letters. B,
06/2004, Volume:
590, Issue:
3-4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
If the Θ+(1540) is interpreted as a bound state of a s̄ quark and two (ud) diquarks in a relative P-wave, then it is very likely that there exist pentaquark states with a heavy antiquark, b̄ or c̄, ...and two “light” diquarks in a relative S-wave which are stable against strong decays. We make a mass estimate for exotic states of this type and discuss their weak decays. Isospin relations are constructed which test their flavor quantum numbers.
The 1/Nc expansion for negative-parity heavy pentaquarks is developed using the formalism introduced for excited baryons in large Nc. Relations are found between the mass splittings of these ...pentaquarks and those of nonexotic baryons.
We calculate the gravitational potential energy between infinitely long parallel strings with tensions τ1 and τ2. Classically, it vanishes, but at one loop, we find that the long range gravitational ...potential energy per unit length is U/L=24GN2τ1τ2/(5πa2)+⋯, where a is the separation between the strings, GN is Newton's constant, and we set ℏ=c=1. The ellipses represent terms suppressed by more powers of GNτi. Typically, massless bulk fields give rise at one loop to a long range potential between p-branes in space–times of dimension p+2+1. The contribution to this potential from bulk scalars is computed for arbitrary p (strings correspond to p=1) and in the case of three-branes its possible relevance for cosmological quintessence is commented on.
PURPOSE: A deleterious side effect of corticosteroid ingestion and inhalants is suppression of the adrenal gland. Iontophoresis of topically applied corticosteroids is commonly used to treat ...musculoskeletal inflammatory conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether iontophoresis with dexamethasone sodium phosphate, a corticosteroid, affected adrenal function. SUBJECTS: The subjects included 21 male volunteers (Mean=30 years, SD=6) who received iontophoresis to the right shoulder every other day for two weeks. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups, including a control group (n=7), an iontophoresis (80 mA/min) with saline group (n=7) and an iontophoresis (80 mA/rain) with 0.4% dexamethasone group (n=7). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Adrenal function was assessed by 24-hour urinary-free cortisol (ug cortisol/g creatinine) collected two days prior to, on the last day of and on the day following the iontophoresis treatments. ANALYSES AND RESULTS: A nonparametric analysis of variance using a split plot factorial design was calculated for ranked urinary-free cortisol scores and found no significant (p is less than 0.05) difference between the three groups and between the four collection days and there were no significant (p is less than 0.05) interactions exhibited between group and collection day. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that iontophoresis with dexamethasone sodium phosphate, using common clinical parameters, does not bring about systemic dexamethasone sodium phosphate levels in large enough quantities to impair adrenal function.
The use of sodium bisulfate for field preservation of soil samples collected for the analysis of volatile organics (VOCs) can result in the formation of acetone. The work was performed at Camp ...Edwards, Massachusetts, as part of a multi-year investigation of the effects of training activities on the local environment. Preservation with sodium bisulfate was initiated in 1999 under regulatory mandate. The frequency of acetone detection and the quantities reported increased immediately thereafter. Correlation of duplicate sample results and a side-by-side comparison of six sample handling methods involving two analytical laboratories suggest the interaction of sodium bisulfate with naturally occurring organic matter in samples from Camp Edwards cause the formation of acetone. The data also indicate that a higher content of natural organic matter results in a greater production of acetone, and more acetone is formed the longer the sodium bisulfate is in contact with the soil.
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