bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consommation des graines de Pin à crochets (Pinus uncinata Miller ex Mirbel) avant leur dissémination par les petits vertébrés dans les Pyrénées-Orientales
Authors: Lescourret Françoise , Genard Michel
Published: November 2022

The consumption of Mountainpine seeds (Pinus uncinata) by small vertebrates before their dispersal was studied in a forest of the Eastern Pyrénées (Osséja, 42° 23’ N, 2° E). Seed production was estimated, and predation signs (exploited cones, seed wings) convertible into numbers of seeds eaten by each identified consumer, were counted. The field work was carried out between Autumn 1981 and Autumn 1982, in five areas with different tree densities. The Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra), which was responsible for the largest consumption (15 to 31 % of the 1981 production) and is almost exclusively granivorous, adapted its movements to the spatial and temporal variability of the seed supply, and had a major impact on seed production in the forest clearings. The Spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) and the Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), which are exclusively granivorous only during the snowy season, were more sedentary and tended to occupy and exploit fairly thicker heavy-leaved timbers. Their respective impact only affected 1 to 4 % of the production. The Coal tit (Parus ater) and the Crested tit (Parus cristatus) had a negligible impact. The total rate of predation on the 1981 production ranged from 20 % in the densest areas to 32 % in the clearings. Seed resources were utilized most equitably in winter time in the habitats most favoured by the Spotted woodpecker and the Squirrel.
Comportement diurne de la Nette rousse Netta rufina P., pendant son hivernage en Camargue
Authors: Boutin Jean
Published: November 2022

Le rythme d’activité de la Nette rousse (Netta rufina P.) a été étudié au cours de seize journées entre novembre et mars en Camargue, zone deltaïque méditerranéenne, où se concentre, en hiver, 10 % de la population d’Europe occidentale. Le sommeil est l’activité diurne essentielle tout au long de l’hiver et l’alimentation est quasiment inexistante. Les variations du temps consacré à chaque activité permettent de distinguer trois périodes : en novembre, un pré-hivernage avec un nombre élevé de dérangements ; en décembre, janvier et février, l’hivernage proprement dit ; en mars, un post-hivernage caractérisé par un nombre élevé de parades. Le facteur sécurité détermine probablement la localisation des remises diurnes.
Rythmes journaliers d’activité et partage des ressources dans une communauté de lézards du désert de Sonora, Mexique
Authors: Ortega Alfredo , Gonzalez-Romero A. , Barbault R.
Published: November 2022

The diurnal activity rhythms of the five more numerous species in a lizard community of the Sonoran desert were studied in October 1982 and June 1983, near El Pinacate, Mexico.

The diurnal rhythms of the five species were very similar, but varied extensively from summer to autumn. These rhythms were obviously dependent on the thermal constraints of the environment, and these constraints were so strong that they led to an almost identical activity pattern in all species.
Agroforesteries indonésiennes : contributions paysannes à la conservation des forêts naturelles et de leurs ressources
Authors: Michon Geneviève , Bompard Jean-Marie
Published: November 2022

Agroforestry is a new approach which aims to reconciliate agricultural and forestry sciences. However, agroforestry is an old practice. In the humid areas of the tropical world, peasant agrosystems often associate annual crops and tree crops, agriculture and management of natural forests.

The great diversity of forest environment and of agricultural systems in Indonesia gave rise to a variety of agroforestry practices, which range from fairly simple modifications of the forest ecosystem, or tree-crop enrichment fallows in shifting cultivation, to complex agroforests and sophisticated home-gardens.

Facing the ever increasing problems due to deforestation and genetic erosion, village gardens in Java or complex agroforests in forest areas of Sumatra can contribute to the conservation of natural forests and of their resources.

The traditional knowledge concerning utilization and management of trees, forest stuctures and sylvigenetic mechanisms, which peasants developped over centuries, is of great value. It could inspire programs involving both conservation and economic use of forests in the tropics.
Avifaune et altérations forestières. II. L’avifaune de boisements résineux du haut-Beaujolais. Relations structurales végétation-avifaune
Authors: Lebreton Philippe , Broyer Joël , Pont Bernard
Published: November 2022

Previous investigations have already documented the sharp (ca.50 %) decline in species diversity and population density of the resident avifauna following «forest artificialization» in Haut-Beaujolais, France. An attempt is now made to demonstrate a causal relationship between the structure of the forest and the structure of its bird communities.

The classical vertical vegetation parameters (stratification) allow a first analysis, but raise some theoretical and practical issues. Horizontal parameters, such as basal area, and evenness of tree distribution, combined with physionomie criteria such as the presence or absence of deciduous shrubs, improve the predictive value of habitat structure.

The results of the present study allow both, (1) a substantiation of the concept of forest alteration, and (2) the integration of ecological parameters into modern forest management practice.
Variabilité phénotypique du lézard des murailles Podarcis muralis sur les îles de la côte provençale, France
Authors: Cheylan Marc
Published: November 2022

La variabilité phénotypique du lézard Podarcis muralis est étudiée dans plusieurs populations continentales et dix populations insulaires de la côte méditerranéenne française à partir de deux caractères de coloration et huit caractères d’écaillure.

Les résultats montrent une forte perte de variabilité sur la plupart des îlots inférieurs à trois hectares, et aucune différence notable par rapport au continent sur les îles d’une surface supérieure.

Une revue des données disponibles sur le sujet chez d’autres groupes zoologiques à partir du polymorphisme enzymatique permet de dresser un schéma général de la variabilité génétique en condition insulaire. Ce schéma permet en outre de réinterpréter certaines contradictions obtenues précédemment à partir d’un nombre restreint de situations insulaires.

Finalement, les mécanismes invoqués pour rendre compte de la variabilité et de la divergence génétique des populations animales insulaires sont discutés.
Stratégies comparées d’utilisation des ressources trophiques dans une lande bretonne par un Lagomorphe (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L.) et un Rongeur (Apodemus sylvaticus, L)
Authors: Butet Alain , Chapuis Jean-Louis , Lefeuvre J. C.
Published: November 2022

The diet of a Lagomorph, the European Wild Rabbit Oryctolagus cunniculus, and that of an omnivorous Rodent, the Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus, are compared using microscopic analysis of the feces. The two studies were carried out simultaneously in a heathland of Brittany, five years after a fire.

The species of plants and the plant parts consumed are listed. The seasonal variations in the consumption of aerial plant parts are considered only for those plant species which are dominant in the diet. The trophic niches of rabbits and wood mice in this specific environment are described ; there is very little overlap between the diets of the two species.

The feeding strategies of these two herbivores can be summarized as follows :

— The Wood Mouse strategy. This small species is able to forage within the different vegetation layers of the heathland, is highly selective in its dietary
Régime alimentaire de Rupicola rupicola(Cotingidae) en Guyane française. Relations avec la frugivorie et la zoochorie
Authors: Erard Christian , Théry Marc , Sabatier Daniel
Published: November 2022

The diet of the Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola rupicola) was studied in a pristine lowland rainforest, near an inselberg in French Guiana. Droppings were collected under a nest and observations were conducted on a radio-tagged female.

Nestlings were mostly fed fruit, but not exclusively so, as insects, small snakes, and lizards were also delivered to the chicks. The characteristics of the fruits consumed, and of the fruiting plants, were given special attention.

The fruit diet is highly diversified : 65 species belonging to 31 families were recorded as ingested in a little more than one month. Remains of fifty-two species belonging to 26 families were identified under the nest itself. A quantification by feeding units (representing what the bird actually takes on the plant) shows that three quarters of the diet were contributed by only a quarter of the fruit species. Two thirds of the feeding units were contributed by only four plant families. Half the number of fruit species and two thirds of the feeding units were drupes, generally 10 to 20 mm in breadth, with seeds 5-1 5 mm wide. 83 % of the fruits were uniformly coloured. Taken together, black and red fruits were three times more abundant than all the others. The pulp of more than two thirds of the fruits amounted to at least three fifths of the fruit itself. A large proportion of the fruits consumed were those of canopy trees and lianas. More than three quarters of the fruits were from plants with large simultaneous crop production. These fruits were plucked out on the wing by the adult female which patroled a home range of 9.7 ha when feeding her brood, going from one fruiting tree to another.

These results are compared with the scanty littérature data on the diet of the two Rupicola species. Cocks-of-the-rocks cannot be considered as specialized frugivores, sensu Snow (1981). The assumed coevolution between cocks-of-the-rocks and plants is briefly discussed.
Ajustement postural et capture des proies chez l’Aigrette garzette, Egretta garzetta
Authors: Cézilly Frank , Boy Vincent
Published: November 2022

When approaching and capturing prey, herons either use an upright or a crouched posture. Here we present data on foraging efficiency and relative time allocation to postures in little egrets. Our data confirm that the crouched posture leads to a higher striking efficiency. The analysis of uninterupted foraging sequences shows that relative time allocation to postures matches the relative number of captures made in each posture. We discuss the existence of factors other than the immediate maximization of food, such as vigilance, that influence the choice of postures.
Compte rendu ornithologique camarguais pour les années 1986-1987
Authors: Boutin Jean , Chérain Yves
Published: November 2022

This bird report covers the years 1986-1987 and is a sequel to the bi-annual reports begun in the 1930’s of the major ornithological events recorded in the Camargue and neighbouring Crau and Alpilles. Several researchers present the results of long-term monitoring programmes and there are observations of rare species (but only those accepted by the Rareties Committee) or the more regular ones recorded in unusual numbers, or outside the normal dates of presence in the region.

There were spells of severely cold weather in February 1986 and again, for the 3rd consecutive winter, in January 1987, this latter being the more severe of the two. Flamingos and egrets suffered less than in January 1985 but passerines were hard hit, particularly Cetti’s and Fan-tailed warblers and Bearded Tits. Rainfall over the two years was quite high and as a result the salinity of the Vaccarès lagoon dropped from 33 g/1 to only 20 g/1 by the end of 1987.

All european grebes have been recorded in the delta and their numbers have increased on the Vaccarès where 1 000 or more Great-crested and around 3 000 Black-necked were censused both years. The Grey Heron breeding population continues to increase and there were a record 891 pairs censused in the Camargue area in 1986. In winter the Great White Heron is now a regular visitor with up to 35 individuals. Storks are still regular on migration with 8 Black and 43 White in autumn 1987.

Record numbers of flamingos were again breeding in 1986 and 1987 with 20 000 and 17 500 pairs respectively and a record 8 590 chicks raised in 1986. In 1987, only 2 200 chicks were raised because of disturbance caused by a child’s balloon blown onto the breeding island during hatching. The banding programme continues and 600 chicks were marked each year. During the cold spell of January 1987 about 100 flamingos died, one of the victims being marked with an Iranian ring from Lake Rezaiyeh.

Waterfowl counts revealed record numbers of Shelducks in February, with 2 745 in 1986 and 3 590 in 1987. The Mute Swan breeding population continues to increase in the area and the Bewick’s peaked at 105 in January 1986. A small flock of Grey-lag Geese now winters in the Camargue and one bird has been seen wearing a Swedish ring. Midwinter counts of ducks and coots have now been made over 24 consecutive seasons. Although Gadwall and Shoveler numbers have increased in recent years the overall numbers of ducks have decreased for the thirteenth consecutive winter. This decline is attributed mainly to excessive hunting and an increase in the salinity of Camargue lagoons.

Other notorious winter visitors to the delta have been Sea and Booted Eagles in 1986 and 1987, and 7 cranes in 1986. Amongst the rarer waders is the 4th record of a Pectoral Sandpiper, a spring report of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and several observations of Wilson’s Phalarope, Terek Sandpiper and Black-winged Pratincole. Finally, a record 193 pairs of Slender-billed Gulls bred in 1987 and 35 pairs of Mediterranean gulls in 1986.
Organisation spatiale du Renard roux (Vulpes vulpes) en zone d’enzootie de rage en Lorraine
Authors: Artois Marc , Aubert Michel , Stahl P.
Published: November 2022

The use of space and movements of adult Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in a rabies enzootic area of Lorraine were studied between 1 980 and 1 982. Five males and six females were followed by radiotracking (149 MHz) for various lengths of time (from 1 1 days to more than one year).

The surface of their «seasonal activity areas » (a more suitable term than «home range » in this case) was estimated at 300-400 ha, depending on indivi- duals and method. The seasonal activity areas of males were slightly larger than those of vixens, and probably correlated with body size.

No seasonal differences were noted, and from a third up to slightly more than a half of the activity area was patrolled every night. The daily distances covered ranged from 7.5 to 18 km. Though highly variable from one fox to the other, the use of space was far from random. It always differed between day and night, and open areas (mostly meadows) were intensively used during the night. The foxes studied tended to be solitary and intolerent towards neighbouring conspecifics. Most of the time their activity areas were unstable, gradually shifting limits. Such an unstable spatial behaviour might well be due to the rabies induced mortality of the adults, which leads to social instability and a more solitary behaviour. It might also enhance survival in rabies enzootic areas.
The impact of the feral cat (Felis catus) on the native fauna of Aldabra atoll, Seychelles
Authors: Seabrook, Wendy
Published: November 2022

Feral cats (Felis catus) have had devastating effects on island ecosystems throughout the world. The history, distribution and ecology of the feral cat on Aldabra Atoll (a World Heritage Site) is summarized, and used with information from studies of feral cats elsewhere, to assess their impact on native fauna.

Despite virtually all of the Aldabran fauna being potentially vulnerable to cat predation, no native species have (apparently) become extinct. Cats are however having an impact, the most dramatic being that all the sea-birds and many land birds restrict their nesting to the few cat-free sites, and that the flightless White-throated rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus) survives on two islands where cat populations have yet to become established.

These impacts are sufficient to recommend that the cat population should be eradicated, but in practice this would be impossible using the currently available techniques suitable for use on Aldabra.
Distribution et habitat nocturnes comparés des chipeaux (Anas strepera) et des foulques (Fulica atra) hivernant en Camargue
Authors: Allouche Laurent , Dervieux Alain , Tamisier Alain
Published: November 2022

Des prospections nocturnes réalisées une fois par mois, d’octobre à mars sur 10 sites témoins ont permis de mesurer la densité à l’ha, très faible et très variable, des chipeaux sur leurs terrains d’alimentation (0,42 ± 1,02 à 2,81 ± 3,67) et des foulques sur les milieux qu’elles exploitent surtout pour le repos (0,19 ± 0,45 à 7,14 ± 2,21). Cette très grande dispersion, analogue à celle déjà observée la nuit pour les autres espèces de canards en Camargue, illustre l’extrême diffusion de l’impact trophique exercé par ces espèces sur leur quartier d’hiver.

Les habitats sont caractérisés par un certain nombre de paramètres environnementaux qui aident à définir les critères de distribution des deux espèces. On observe d’abord un isolement quasi total entre chipeaux et foulques, ces dernières utilisant seules les milieux qu’elles exploitent le jour. Pour les chipeaux, le premier critère de sélection de l’habitat nocturne est l’accessibilité aux ressources alimentaires (colonne d’eau < 35-40 cm). L’importance et la nature de ces herbiers jouent également un rôle, mais on note une forte attraction par les herbiers en pleine croissance, quoique peu développés et peu accessibles — probablement en raison de leur plus forte valeur nutritive. Les chipeaux peuvent aussi fréquenter des milieux dépourvus des plantes qui caractérisent leur régime alimentaire. Enfin le dérangement dû à la chasse (diurne jusqu’au crépuscule) n’intervient pas dans ce choix d’habitat.
Que signifie la curieuse parade du fauconnet à collier Microhierax caerulescens (L.) ?
Authors: Eve Roland
Published: November 2022

The strange courtship performance of two pairs of collared falconets Microhierax caerulescens is described. Instead of the courtship feeding, frequent among falcons, male collared falconets repeatedly « offer » a dry leaf to their mate. To collect the leaves, males use their normal hunting technique : dashing in, snatching the leaf in their talons, and circling back to the female. Females apparently do not pay much attention to these leaf offerings, but at one occasion a female with nestlings was seen holding a piece of dry leaf during copulation.
Food choice and digging behaviour of naive Arabian Oryx reintroduced in their natural environment
Authors: Asmodé Jean-François
Published: November 2022

Deux jeunes femelles d’Oryx d’Arabie (Oryx leucoryx) élevées à la main dès la naissance ont été introduites dans un enclos de 5 ha à Taif, Arabie Saoudite où leur régime alimentaire a été étudié. Ces oryx passaient 64.99 % de leur temps à paître des graminées, 6.09 % à paître d’autres plantes herbacées, et 28.92 % à brouter des buissons et arbres. Nos oryx « naïfs » ont consommé les parties souterraines de quatre espèces de plantes (stolon, racine latérale, ou racine pivotante) après avoir creusé avec leur larges sabots des pattes antérieures, démontrant que ce comportement est inné. Tribulus macropterus, l’espèce dont les parties souterraines sont les plus recherchées, concentre le sodium dans sa racine pivotante. Le comportement de creusement a été interprété jusqu’à présent comme permettant aux oryx d’avoir accès à des organes riches en eau ; une explication complémentaire semble être la consommation de sels minéraux afin de contrebalancer ceux perdus par transpiration. Ce mécanisme inné permettrait une meilleure adaptation des oryx au milieu désertique.
Les modes d’association avec les espèces-hôtes chez les Nyctothères d’Amphibiens du Sud-Cameroun
Authors: Affa'a Félix-Marie , Amiet Jean-Louis
Published: November 2022

Les Nyctothères, Ciliés Hétérotriches vivant dans la partie terminale du tube digestif des Amphibiens Anoures, ne sont pas des parasites mais des endocom-mensaux.

Une analyse portant sur de nombreuses espèces d’Anoures (têtards et imagos) et de Nyctothères de la faune camerounaise montre cependant que les relations endocommensal/hôte obéissent aux modes déjà définis pour les parasites vrais : oioxène (une seule espèce-hôte), sténoxène (plusieurs espèces ou genres-hôtes apparentés) et euryxène (espèces-hôtes appartenant à des genres très différents).

Au Cameroun, les Nyctothères oioxènes sont en général inféodés à des Anoures originaux par leur écologie et/ou par leur position systématique.

Une différence notable par rapport aux parasites vrais réside dans la proportion élevée d’espèces euryxènes chez les Nyctothères. Deux interprétations possibles de cette particularité sont proposées à titre d’hypothèses de travail.
Recherche d’un indicateur de la cinétique démographique des populations du Campagnol des champs (Microtus arvalis)
Authors: Delattre Pierre , Giraudoux Patrick , Damange Jean-Pierre , Quéré Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2022

The difficulty of monitoring population densities of the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) on a regional scale led the authors to test the validity of some density indices based on tracks of this animal, such as burrows’ openings, runways, and droppings. The results were compared with density estimates based on line trapping of voles in the same habitats.

The correlations between the number of captures in trap line and the number of burrows’ openings or runways were weak or nil, whereas the correlation with the number of droppings was strong (Table II). Dropping counts may therefore be used to monitor population fluctuations of the Common Vole over large areas (ca . 1 000 ha), provided due attention be given, (1) to habitat heterogeneity, and (2) to vegetation height in grassy areas. At a regional scale a stratified sampling of the habitats is mandatory.
Organisation du peuplement de marsupiaux en Guyane Française
Authors: Julien-laferriere Didier
Published: November 2022

The structure of the marsupial communities was investigated from 1984 to 1987 in different forest types of French Guiana. The mature forest community of the Piste de Saint-Elie (PSE) study site was studied at regular intervals for 22 months by direct observation and trapping, allowing a detailed comparison to be made with the Cabassou (Cab) secondary forest community previously studied by P. Charles-Dominique et al. (1981), and with other sites less thoroughly investigated.

Nine marsupial species (Didelphidae) coexist in the PSE mature forest, ranging in weight from 20 to 1 100 g. All share the habitat, both vertically (ground level, understorey and/or canopy) and horizontally (well drained vs. hydromor- phic soils, watercourses) (Tables II, III). The eight terrestrial and arboreal species are found in pairs, in which both species are morphologically and ecologically comparable, but one is common and the other is rare (Table VII). Population densities appear to be low, even for the most abundant species.

In contrast, species richness is lower in secondary forest (six species at Cabassou), and the density of the most common species is higher. Only one species pair is remaining, through the disappearance of most rare species.

A review of the scanty data available for French Guiana, and of those scattered in the literature, suggests that those marsupial species which are rare and found only in mature forest are habitat specialists, whereas the second-growth species are habitat generalists. However, such a tentative conclusion needs to be supported by further field work.

Didelphis albiventris is reported for the first time from French Guiana (PSE).
Avian-habitat relationships in a mediterranean high mountain
Authors: Zamora Regino
Published: November 2022

The characteristics of the habitats of eight breeding species of birds in the pasture-scrubland of the high-mountain areas of the Sierra Nevada (S. Spain) were studied. Habitat composition and structure were determined by measuring 15 variables in 0.1 ha circular plots within the territories of breeding pairs. The passerines that nest in the high-mountain areas of the Sierra Nevada show different preferences in their choice of habitat. This interspecific segregation appears both with respect to the vertical complexity of the shrub layer (factor I), and to the patchy distribution of habitat components (factor II). Cluster analysis identified two groups of species : those preferring scrubland (Sylvia communis, Emberiza hortulana and Troglodytes troglodytes ), and those favouring open ground (mainly Alauda arvensis, Anthus campestris and Oenanthe oenanthe ). Emberiza cia shared characteristics common to both groups, while Phoenicurus ochruros bred in rocky terrain. Discriminant function analysis showed the importance of habitat composition (both shrubs and rocks) and structural variables in species segregation. According to these results, I recommend that studies about avian habitat use include quantitative estimates of rocky substrates, especially in high-moutain areas, tundras and deserts.
Seasonal variations in the diet of adult male Fallow Deer (Dama dama) in a submediterranean coastal area
Authors: Bruno Elisabetta , Apollonio Marco
Published: November 2022

The results of rumen content analysis of adult male Fallow deer in the S. Rossore Preserve (along the Thyrrenian sea, Central Italy), are given. A curvilinear regression analysis gave the minimum representative number of fragments needing to be identified in each sample, and microhistological analysis allowed the identification of the plant species composition of the diet. The list of the recovered plant remains is given, and the top food plants in order of importance were trees and shrubs. In both spring and autumnal samples diet consisted mostly of tree and shrub remains ; in autumn, however, the consumption of trees and shrubs, as well as of legumes and other forbs was lower, whilst that of graminoids increased. The highest value of seasonal overlap index was shown by legumes. Significantly, the diet of male Fallow deer was found to be more nutritive in spring, when antler growth is completed.
Les formes globales des plantes de sous-bois tropicaux et leur signification écologique
Authors: Blanc Patrick
Published: November 2022

The understorey of tropical rainforests is characterized by a low energetic level and a uniform climate : low light intensity (1 % or less of the incident radiation reaches ground level), lack of wind, atmospheric humidity near saturation, and almost constant temperature. However, the many species of understorey plants display a great diversity of growth habits.

This energy-poor environment implies economies in the elaboration of non assimilating organs such as roots and stems, whereas leaf blades tend to never overlap. Stem thickening is reduced, as cambial activity is low (in shrubby Dicots), or nil (in Ferns, Monocots, and herbaceous Dicots). This goes along with a low branching level and a single stem, either unique and perennial, or replaced by basal repetition from a collar-like zone. Contrary to what is usually said, orthotropic and plagiotropic stems are equally frequent in shaded environments.

The present study deals with the arrangement of leaves on stems, the whole leafy surface of an individual plant composing its «assimilatory set ». In a tropical rainforest understorey plant, the form of this assimilatory set tends to remain almost the same throughout the life cycle of the individual, old leaves and stems being replaced by new ones.

Field observations carried out all over the tropical World led the author to identify a limited number of elementary global forms of the assimilatory set of understorey plants. Some are simple geometric forms (discs, tori, cylinders, and cones) with an axial symmetry ; others (ovals and laminas) exhibit a helicoidal or a bilateral symmetry. Sheets and pendant elements are asymmetric forms.

Twenty elementary global forms are described : stemless discs, elevated discs, cupola of discs, superposed discs, stemless sheaf tori, stemless crown tori, funnel shaped tori, ascending sheaf tori, elevated horizontal ovals, inclined ovals, horizontal creeping laminas, ascending oblique laminas, vertical appressed lami¬ nas, elevated horizontal laminas, superposed horizontal laminas, helices, cylinders, cones, pendant elements, and sheets.

Each of these forms can be further divided, according to the variety of growth habits able to lead to the same global form. Exemples are given for each mode of elaboration of the various forms.

The convergences in global forms between Ferns, Monocots, and Dicots are emphasized. The same global form can indeed be achieved by different growth habits. Reciprocally, the same growth habit can also lead to different global forms. The position of the sexual organs does not play any role in the elaboration of a global form, the latter corresponding to the way the plant takes the best possible advantage of its energy-poor environment. The preferential habitats of each elementary global forms are specified.
Seasonal variations in foraging behaviour and substrate use by the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Authors: Zamora Regino
Published: November 2022

In this paper, I examine the search mode, prey-capture techniques and substrate use of the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) in relation to habitat structure and the availability of arthropods in both its breeding and wintering habitats. The field work took place in two typical habitats of this species in southern Spain. Temporal variations in the prey-capture techniques and use of substrates were associated with the composition and structure of the habitats, and seasonal changes in the distribution and abundance of arthropods. The Black Redstart has a diverse repertoire of prey-capture techniques in its breeding habitat, while in its wintering quarters, it becomes more specialized, as a «ground gleaner ». The Redstart therefore switches between passive and active searching strategies, alternating short periods of searching on a perch with brief pedal moves. This behaviour increases the probability of encountering prey, indicating a negative relationship between predator mobility and prey mobility. In brief, the Black Redstart behaves as a generalist open-habitat gleaner, or pause-travel predator, with a highly variable scanning area.
Mécanismes de colonisation par la végétation d’un inselberg granitique en Guyane française
Authors: Sarthou Corinne , Grimaldi Catherine
Published: November 2022

The soils and vegetation of a granitic inselberg of French Guiana are described. This «rock-savanna » ecosystem is a mosaic composed of Cyanophytes growing on the rock surface, and of herbaceous and shrubby patches. The soils in these vegetation patches mainly have a quartz-grained skeleton, which originates from the weathering of the granite. The organic matter content of the soils increases with plant biomass. The adsorbing complex is acid and desaturated in spite of cation enrichment by the runoff waters. The Cyanophytes are of primary importance in the establishment of the nutrient cycles on the rock surf ace, as they are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen. They also produce organic matter with high calcium, magnesium and potassium contents. The analysis of the runoff waters, which are acid and dilute, helps to explain the intense weathering of the granite, and brings to the fore the existence of nitrification processes, and the rapid turnover of potassium.
Les fruits dans le régime alimentaire de Penelope marail (Aves, Cracidae) en forêt guyanaise : frugivorie stricte et selective ?
Authors: Théry Marc , Erard Christian , Sabatier Daniel
Published: November 2022

The diet of the Marail Guan (Penelope marail) was studied by analysis of the digestive tract contents of birds hunted at different seasons, from 1977 to 1983, in a pristine lowland rainforest along the Arataye river in French Guiana. The characteristics of the fruits consummed, and of the fruiting plants, were given special attention.

This guan preys only occasionally upon insects or other invertebrates and feeds almost exclusively on fruits the seeds of which it disseminates. It looks for fruits both in the canopy and in the understorey. Most ingested fruits are black or yellow, soft-skinned, thick fleshy or with a juicy soft pulp, and less than 30 mm wide. They are mostly drupes or berries which enclose 1-4 seeds (usually a single one) less than 15 mm wide and protected within a very hard envelope. They belong to high standing crop plants that are frequent to abundant in the forest.

By comparison with the three other large frugivorous bird species (Tinamus major, Crax alector and Psophia crepitans) which were studied at the same time on the same spot, Penelope marail appears to be a selective frugivore. Four plant species account for 75 % of its diet (two of them representing 60 %) which includes 23 plant species, against 80 for the Black Curassow, 55 for the Common Trumpeter, and at least 38 for the Great Tinamou. This selectivity and the role the guan plays in forest dynamics are discussed, particularly in term of foraging behaviour.
The effects of winter climate on the size of the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus Ibis L.) population in the Camargue
Authors: Hafner Heinz , Pineau Olivier , P.Wallace Jonathan
Published: November 2022

La population nicheuse de Hérons gardebœufs de Camargue a été suivie de 1970 à 1991. Chaque année, 60 à 70 % des oiseaux présents en fin d’été (adultes et jeunes) ont tendance à hiverner dans le delta du Rhône et ses environs. Les températures hivernales affectent la taille de la population nicheuse les années suivantes. L’afflux d’oiseaux issus de populations situées plus au Sud joue un rôle important dans le maintien de cette espèce en Camargue, particulièrement après un hiver rigoureux.
Dynamique de population de Gerbillus campestris (Rodentia, Gerbillidae) dans la plaine du Gharb, Maroc
Authors: Zyadi Fouad , Benazzou Touria
Published: November 2022

Une population de Gerbillus campestris de la plaine du Gharb a été étudiée à l’aide d’un échantillonnage sur quadrat, entre février 1987 et janvier 1988. L’utilisation des méthodes adaptées à l’étude des populations de micromammifères permet de préciser la dynamique de cette population.

Quatre paramètres sont utilisés pour suivre la dynamique de la population : densité, reproduction, survie et déplacements. Il en ressort que les G. campestris du Gharb se reproduisent pendant au moins six mois, de février à juillet, et que leur densité fluctue de 6,5 à 51,5 ind./ha. Les individus sexuellement actifs sont caractérisés par de grands déplacements et les jeunes des premières portées ont un taux élevé de survie.
Développement et sélectivité du lien mère-jeune chez la chèvre et la brebis
Authors: Romeyer Alain
Published: November 2022

The olfactory recognition of the young in ungulates results in a selective maternal behaviour, which is characterized by the exclusive suckling of the litter by the mother, and her refusal to suckle alien young, sometimes accompanied by aggressive behaviour.

For ewes, exclusive suckling of the young depends on the recognition of their individual odour by selective learning. Familiarization of the ewe to the odour of her lamb(s) during the initial two to four hours after birth is sufficient for her to distinguish them from aliens. No influence of a maternal labelling of the young, especially through colostrum, has been found in this species.

On the contrary, it was thought for a long time that goat kids were labelled with the odour of their mother through her saliva and absorption of colostrum. Moreover, the mother would reject any alien kid labelled by another mother goat, but would accept aliens unlabelled or labelled by herself. Such labelling was believed to develop in about twenty-four hours. However, recent results from our laboratory suggest that the development of selectivity in goats is similar to that of sheep.

Moreover, the possibility that a « family odour » might exist in these two species, which are intermediate between monotoccous (e.g. horses) and polytoccous species (e.g. pigs), has remained largely unexplored. Litters of twins or even triplets are indeed frequent in both goats and sheep. Our initial results suggest that in both species some mothers are able to recognize the individual odours of the young from a same litter. Thus, similarities in the mechanisms involved in offspring recognition exist between both species, despite differing characteristics of mother-young relationships during the first days following parturition (sheep being «followers » and goats « hiders »). These results and their possible validity for wild ungulates are discussed in relation to the data available for other species.
Isolement reproducteur par homogamie entre deux « races d'habitat » sympatriques chez Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Paillette Madeleine , Capy Pierre , Pla E. , David Jean R.
Published: November 2022

Two races of D. melanogaster, morphologically identical, have been detected in the Brazzaville district (Congo). One (Loua = L), from the countryside, feeds and reproduces on manihot. The other (Kronenbourg = K) is found in the city bars and breweries, breeding on beer residues in empty bottles. These two populations can be distinguished by their genotypes at the Adh locus. The Kronenbourg population harbors 85 % of the F allele, while the frequency of this allele is less than 5 % in Loua. It is therefore easy to recognize them by mere electrophoresis. Under laboratory conditions, fertile FI and F2 hybrids are easily obtained. In natural conditions L and K remain separated. Behaviour plays probably a major role in reducing the gene flow through habitat choice and sexual behaviour. Sexual behaviour of these two races was analysed in laboratory. Sexual activity and mating choices were investigated by performing tests with four individuals (one male and one female of each race). In all tests, virgin adults were used. The L flies of both sexes exhibited a lower sexual activity than the K’s. Moreover, a significant homogamy independent of sexual activity was evidenced. It is the first time that such a phenomenon is found in D. melanogaster. This observation is of particular interest, since it concerns two sympatric races.
Stratégies d’utilisation de l’espace chez le Putois européen Mustela putorius L. dans l’Ouest de la France
Authors: Lodé Thierry
Published: November 2022

The use of space by 11 radiotracked polecats Mustela putorius was studied in western France.

Their range averaged 1.12 km² for males, and 0.44 km² for females. It decreased to 0.24 km² in spring in males, but did not change in females. The size of the range was strongly correlated with the body weight of the male.

The polecat’s range was selectively exploited, woods and marshy areas being more heavily frequented. The activity of the animals was concentrated on very restricted areas, and the average distance travelled daily was 757 m for males and 452 m for females.

The partial overlap of the activity areas of individual polecats might indicate a lack of territorial behaviour of the species. However, different polecats never used the same area in the same time, and only juvenile individuals could cohabit with an adult female until the next spring.
Pourquoi le Goéland argenté, Larus argentatus pond-il un troisième œuf plus petit que les deux précédents ?
Authors: Pons Jean-Marc
Published: November 2022

Breeding performances of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) nesting on Trébéron island (Brittany) were compared during two successive periods. During the first period (1983-88) feeding conditions were favourable : breeders regularly visited the very large Brest’s refuse tip, situated at 12 km from the colony, where food resources were abundant and predictable. During the second period (1989-90), following the building of an incineration plant, the amount of garbage dumped at the tip decreased, thus reducing the amount of food available to the gulls.

Between 1983 and 1988, mean clutch sizes were very high (2.8-2.9, Table I) and comparable with the highest estimates made at other European colonies. The estimates for 1989-90 were significantly lower (2.7) than during the previous period. In 1989-90, modal clutch size was still of three eggs, but the proportion of clutches with one or two eggs was three times larger (Table I). When garbage was incinerated, egg volume decreased by 2.1 % (second egg) and 3.8 % (third egg, Table II). Whatever the year, there was no significant difference in volume between the first and second eggs (except in 1988). In contrast, the third egg was about 10 % smaller each year than the two previous eggs (Table II). The production of young decreased from an average of 1.30 per breeding pair in 1983-88 to 0.65 in 1989-90. It was noticed that even when the feeding conditions were very favourable, 13 % of the breeding pairs only produced three fledglings (Table IV). The proportion of breeding pairs successfully raising two or three fledglings markedly dropped in 1989-90, but not the proportion of pairs raising a single young (Fig. 1). This suggests that the brood-rearing capacity of the parents is food-limited and that their reproductive effort greatly increases with brood size.

The results obtained in 1989-90 show that a low food availability limits egg production in the Herring Gull. However, those obtained between 1983 and 1988 suggest that food limitation does not explain either the truncated distribution of clutch size or the small size of the third egg. It is therefore proposed that laying three eggs represents the best possible trade-off between the cost of reproduction and the lifetime reproductive success, and that the third egg is a «spare-egg» producing a fledgling only if the (a) egg and/or the (b) egg do not hatch.
Dynamique de population du Campagnol provençal, (Pitymys duodecimcostatus de Sélys-Longchamps, 1839) dans deux agrosystèmes de la région montpelliéraine
Authors: Guédon Gérald , Pascal Michel
Published: November 2022

Le suivi, partiellement simultané, de la cinétique de population de Pitymys duodecimcostatus dans un verger de pommiers (5 ans) et une aspergeraie (4 ans) de la région de Montpellier (France) au moyen d’une méthode d’échantillonnage par bande avec prélèvement a permis de mettre en évidence que les indices de densité dans ces deux milieux évoluaient de façon comparable au cours des cycles annuels et que ces populations n’ont pas réalisé de cycle de pullulation pendant toute la durée de l’étude alors que les dégradations qu’elles occasionnaient aux cultures étaient jugées préoccupantes à l’échelle de la région.

L’analyse des résultats d’autopsies pratiquées sur les individus issus des expériences décrites ci-dessus et sur ceux collectés à l’occasion de la pose de 258 lignes standard (7 598 spécimens) a montré que la fraction de femelles en âge de se reproduire et participant à la reproduction est stable (35 à 40 %) de novembre à mai, décline en juin et juillet (10 %) sans être nulle et s’accroît fortement d’août à octobre en passant par un maximum (70 %) au mois de septembre.

La détermination de l’âge individuel de l’ensemble des sujets par la pesée des cristallins secs a mis en évidence l’existence d’une forte fraction de sujets âgés de plus d’un an et le rôle prépondérant de la classe d’âge 50 j-1 an.

L’apparente absence de cycle de pullulation et l’âge avancé que peut atteindre une fraction non négligeable de la population en milieu naturel, confirment le statut de stratège K de cette espèce au sein du groupe des Microtus et Pitymys.

La discussion porte sur les mécanismes susceptibles d’engendrer la relative stabilité numérique des populations de l’espèce. Sans nier l’impact possible des ressources trophiques, sous contrôle probable du régime des précipitations dans cette région climatique, il semblerait que les mécanismes régulateurs soient pour l’essentiel d’origine comportementale, comme cela semble être le cas pour le Campagnol américain P. pinetorum.
Are family groups in equids a response to cooperative hunting by predators ? The case of Mongolian Kulans (Equus hemionus luteus Matschie)
Authors: Feh Claudia , Boldsukh Tsagaany , Tourenq Christophe
Published: November 2022

Les tentatives d’explication de la diversité des stratégies de reproduction des Ongulés se sont bornées jusqu’ici aux ruminants (Jarman, 1974) ; les non-ruminants, et en particulier les Equidae, ont été pour la plupart négligés. Or, on connaît chez eux l’existence de deux modalités reproductrices corrélées aux deux types différents de répartition des ressources alimentaires. Les espèces de milieux moyennement riches, comme les zèbres de montagne Equus zebra (Penzhorn, 1984) et les zèbres de plaine E. burchelli (Klingel, 1967), ainsi que les chevaux retournés à l’état sauvage (Berger, 1986) forment tous de petits groupes familiaux permanents, consistant en un mâle et une ou deux femelles accompagnées de leur descendance. Parfois, deux étalons reproducteurs peuvent former des «coalitions » (Berger, 1986). Enfin, de petits groupes de « mâles célibataires » existent dans les trois espèces. A l’opposé, les Equidae de milieux très arides, à ressources rares et imprévisibles, comme les Equus asinus sauvages d’Afrique (Moehlman, 1974) et les zèbres de Grévy E.grevyi (Ginsberg, 1987) possèdent des mâles dominants territoriaux, et des liens sociaux durables ne s’observent chez eux qu’entre les mères et leurs jeunes descendants — probablement pour minimiser la taille des groupes lors de leur recherche de nourriture. Il devrait en être de même chez les ânes sauvages asiatiques Equus hemionus. Cependant ce n’est pas le cas de toutes les sous-espèces connues, et l’on peut se demander pourquoi.

Peut-être la distribution des ressources dans l’habitat n’est-elle pas la raison profonde (la « cause ultime ») des différences de modalités de reproduction des Equidae. Outre l’« inertie phylogénétique » invoquée pour E. zebra et E. grevyi par Berger (1988) ; il se pourrait que les prédateurs aient également joué un rôle important. L’Âne sauvage indien E. hemionus khur (Shah, corn, pers.) qui vit dans un milieu aride où n’existent que de petits prédateurs chassant en solitaires (les Canis lupus pallipes) a adopté la seconde stratégie, alors que le Kulan de Mongolie E. hemionus luteus tout aussi désertique mais attaqué par de grands prédateurs chassant en groupes (les Canis lupus chanco) suit la première stratégie (Bannikov, 1958).

Nos propres observations, faites au Parc National du Gobi en début de période de mise-bas et en hiver, confirment ce fait. Non seulement les mâles kulans ne sont pas territoriaux, mais ils vivent en groupes familiaux ou en groupes de mâles, tout comme les chevaux retournés à l’état sauvage et les zèbres de Burchell ou de montagne. La taille de leurs groupes sociaux double même en hiver, malgré la raréfaction et la dispersion de leur nourriture et la forte pression de prédation.

Les différences entre sous-espèces d’ânes sauvages peuvent peut-être nous éclairer sur l’origine des différences existant entre systèmes sociaux chez les Equidae en général.
Écologie et comportement d’un migrateur paléarctique, le Traquet tarier Saxicola rubetra (L.) au Zaïre et sa répartition hivernale en Afrique
Authors: Dejaifve Pierre-André
Published: November 2022

The ecology and behaviour of winchats Saxicola rubetra during their wintering stay in tropical Africa has been studied in the guinean savanna zone of northern Zaïre.

Winchats were found to winter both in open savannas and in cultivated fields, apparently filling an « empty niche » left vacant by resident birds. From late October to late April, they settle on individual territories averaging ca. 4 000 m2. Very little agonistic behaviour was observed, and winchats never sang on such winter territories. Their density averaged 0.8 individual per ha. Throughout the day each bird stayed on one of the 3 to 12 bare perches present on its territory, from which it darted at insect prey.

An updated winter distribution map of Saxicola rubetra in Africa is proposed.