The sex hormone testosterone supports male reproduction. However, testosterone is hypothesized to suppress immune activity, resulting in a tradeoff between energetic investment in reproductive effort and immune function. The Immunocompetence Handicap Hypothesis (ICHH) therefore argues that testosterone-linked masculine traits honestly signal health status to prospective mates, as only uninfected males should be able to maintain high testosterone levels. Still, this proposed tradeoff remains poorly tested among human men, especially among natural fertility populations experiencing high infectious disease burdens. This dissertation therefore tested the ICHH among indigenous Shuar men of Amazonian Ecuador. Specifically, this project examined testosterone variation patterns and assessed how male investment in reproductive effort is associated with reproductive success and immune function. The first study tested testosterone level variation among Shuar men in relation to body composition, age, and style of life factors. This study demonstrated that age and BMI interactions shape testosterone levels in complex ways, such that the relationship between body composition and testosterone profile varies throughout the life course. The second study investigated whether individual reproductive success was significantly influenced by masculine trait development and parasite load. These results failed to support the hypotheses that masculine traits increased reproductive success or honestly signaled lack of parasitic disease. Instead, a significant positive association was observed between a composite score of masculine traits and Ascaris lumbricoides infection load; suggesting that male investment in reproductive effort may increase parasitic infection risk. The final study assessed whether testosterone levels were negatively associated with four measures of immune function (parasite load, C-Reactive Protein [CRP], Immunoglobulin-G [IgG], and Immunoglobulin-E [IgE]). Testosterone levels were inversely associated with CRP levels and a positive relationship between testosterone levels and Trichuris trichiura infection load was documented, suggesting increased investment in reproductive effort may suppress some aspects of immune function and increase parasite burden. Overall, these studies fail to support the ICHH, but do indicate a context-dependent tradeoff between energetic investment in male reproductive effort and some aspects of immune function; thereby demonstrating complex interactions between physical characteristics, physiological processes, and immune activity in human men. This dissertation includes unpublished, co-authored material.

This Master thesis deals with diet of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) and reproductive parameters. Muridae rodents dominated diet composition and Arvicolidae rodents and birds were alternative preys. Clutch size positively correlated with proportion of rodents in diet.

No description available.

Orientador: Leonor Patrica Cerdeira Morellato / Banca: Flavio Nunes Ramos / Banca: Silvana Buzato / Artigo seguindo as normas da Revista Brasileira de Botânica / Resumo: O isolamento espacial causado pela fragmentação florestal e o isolamento temporal causado pela assincronia da floração das plantas têm sido propostos como importantes fatores afetando a reprodução de populações vegetais. Nós determinamos os efeitos da fragmentação florestal e isolamento espacial na fenologia reprodutiva e vegetativa e no sucesso reprodutivo de Anadenanthera falcata (Benth.) Speg. em uma região de cerrado stricto sensu em Itirapina, São Paulo. Para isso, nós comparamos populações em três diferentes ambientes: (1) árvores circundadas por pastagem, ou seja, isoladas; (2) árvores presentes na borda; e (3) árvores presentes no interior. Nós acompanhamos diferentes variáveis da população como: duração, freqüência, época e sincronia da floração, época da frutificação, do brotamento e da queda foliar, produção de flores e frutos, número de flores que se convertem em frutos, número de sementes por fruto, proporção de sementes predadas por fruto e número de plântulas. A duração e a freqüência da floração foram duas vezes maiores em indivíduos isolados. Nós encontramos diferenças na época de floração e frutificação entre os ambientes, assim como na proporção de indivíduos que floresceram e frutificaram, que foi maior no isolamento. A produção de flores e frutos foi maior nas plantas isoladas, no entanto, o sucesso reprodutivo não diferiu entre os ambientes, com o número de flores que se convertem em frutos e o número sementes por fruto semelhante entre eles. A proporção de sementes predadas por fruto foi menor nos indivíduos em isolamento. O número de plântulas diferiu entre os ambientes, com a pastagem não apresentando plântulas de A. falcata. Nós argumentamos que a falta de competição... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Spatial isolation caused by forest fragmentation and temporal isolation caused by asynchronous flowering of plants have been proposed as important factors that affect the reproduction of plant populations. We determined the effects of forest fragmentation and spatial isolation on phenology patterns and reproductive success of the tropical dry forest Anadenanthera falcata (Benth.) Speg. in a region of cerrado stricto sensu in Itirapina, São Paulo. For this, we compared populations in three habitat conditions: (1) trees in habitat surrounded by pasture, or isolated; (2) trees in anthropogenic edges; and (3) trees in the interior of the cerrado. We followed different variables of the population as: duration, frequency, time and synchrony of flowering, time of fruiting, time of leaf flushing and leaf fall, total flower production, total fruit production, the fruit set, the seed set, the predation of seed and the number of seedlings. The duration and the frequency of flowering were greater in the individuals in pasture. We also found little overlap in time flowering and fruiting among individuals in pasture, anthropogenic edge and interior. The total flower production and total fruit production were greater in the individuals in pasture. No have differed in fruit set nor on seed set among habitats. The proportion of predation seeds differed among the habitats with the isolated individuals presenting smaller damages for insects predators in their seeds. The number of seedlings differed among the habitats with the pasture not presenting seedlings of A. falcata. We argued that the competition lack and the resources availability for the plants in isolation are the responsible for the largest duration and frequency of the flowering, as well as for the... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Elza Guimarães / Resumo: As plantas normalmente apresentam um limite máximo de frutificação que é determinado pela disponibilidade de recursos maternos, no entanto, o sucesso reprodutivo feminino de determinadas espécies é ainda menor que o potencial intrínseco à planta-mãe. Nesse caso, fatores extrínsecos à planta, como a limitação de pólen, decorrentes das interações ecológicas estabelecidas com mutualistas e antagonistas da comunidade, podem interferir e impactar negativamente a reprodução. Considerando que a investigação simultânea de fatores intrínsecos e extrínsecos à planta pode ajudar a estabelecer o papel de cada um deles sobre a baixa produção de frutos em angiospermas, neste trabalho nós avaliamos experimentalmente a contribuição relativa da limitação de recursos maternos e da limitação de pólen sobre o sucesso reprodutivo de Jacaranda caroba (Bignoniaceae), uma espécie selecionada como modelo por ser zoófila, predominantemente xenógama e apresentar baixa frutificação natural. Assim, testamos as seguintes hipóteses: (1) o número total de frutos é menor que o número total de flores produzidas pela planta na ausência de limitação de pólen; (2) a frutificação natural é ainda inferior à capacidade de formação de frutos das plantas devido à limitação de pólen; (3) a baixa frequência de visitas do polinizador ou a transferência de grãos de pólen inadequados resulta em limitação quantitativa e qualitativa, respectivamente; (4) abelhas que roubam ou pilham recursos atuam como antagonistas 10 afe... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

Neste estudo, avaliamos a distribuição espacial de recursos florais de Eriotheca gracilipes e suas conseqüências para a atividade de abelhas e florívoros no sucesso reprodutivo desta espécie de Cerrado. A distribuição de flores de Eriotheca gracilipes revelou que a disponibilidade destes recursos variou espacial e temporalmente. No ano em que a floração foi mais expressiva no cerrado, estas variações afetaram de modo distinto as abelhas grandes que visitam as flores de E. gracilipes à procura de néctar e pólen, quando estas abelhas responderam positivamente ao aumento na disponibilidade de flores, tanto na escala do indivíduo, como na escala da vizinhança. Independente da fase sexual das flores de E. gracilipes, a maior parte da variação na produção de energia do néctar é determinada pela variação entre flores e esta variação é determinada pela variação na produção de energia das flores na fase masculina. A maior produção de néctar na fase masculina das flores de Eriotheca gracilipes pode ser resultado de pressões seletivas distintas entre as funções sexuais. A incidência de florivoria em E. gracilipes diferiu entre os agentes e as fisionomias. As maiores taxas de sobrevivência das estruturas reprodutivas no cerrado e a correlação positiva entre o número de botões produzidos e o número de frutos formados nesta fisionomia reforçam a hipótese de que variações espaciais nas interações entre species, sejam elas mutualistas ou antagonistas, poderiam afetar diferentemente a reprodução sexuada de E. gracilipes, de acordo com as espécies antagonistas envolvidas. / In this study we evaluated the spatial distribution of Eriotheca gracilipes floral resources and its consequences for the bee foraging behavior, florivores and the reproductive output of this Cerrado species. Spatial and temporal variations were detected for Eriotheca gracilipes flower availability. At the cerrado physiognomy in 2005, this variation affected differently the large bees that visit E. gracilipes flowers, looking for pollen and nectar. Under this situation, we detected positive pollinator responses to the floral display of focal plants and also to its neighborhood. The greatest variation in energy production was explained by variation among flowers in male phase. The higher nectar production in male flowers indicated that distinct selective pressures might be occurring at each sexual function. The incidence of florivores reduced E. gracilipes flower availability and their action were different between agents and physionomies. Trigona spinipes had a major impact on buds and flowers of E. gracilipes at the campo cerrado. Our data indicate that spatial and temporal variation between plant-pollinator and plant-florivores occured even under low and almost homogeneous flower availability, affecting differently E. gracilipes reproductive success.

Submitted by JÚLIO HEBER SILVA (julioheber@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-11-29T16:14:23Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Grayce Kelly da Costa Oliveira - 2016.pdf: 1614157 bytes, checksum: d0da98743982f9945971ec319ca64ef4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2016-11-30T15:39:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Grayce Kelly da Costa Oliveira - 2016.pdf: 1614157 bytes, checksum: d0da98743982f9945971ec319ca64ef4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-11-30T15:39:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Grayce Kelly da Costa Oliveira - 2016.pdf: 1614157 bytes, checksum: d0da98743982f9945971ec319ca64ef4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-05 / Fragmentation of native vegetation implies in reduction of local species richness and abundance, increase the isolation of populations, leading to local species extinction. In fragmented areas, food and nesting resources for bees and wasps are unevenly distributed, which ultimately influences their foraging pattern behaviour, reproductive success, and survivorship. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether the size of areas of native vegetation remnants interferes with the reproductive success of a species of solitary wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse Saussure (1867), a recognized species of pollinator. Therefore, we set trap nests in the edges of different sizes forest fragments in the region of Goianápolis-GO, Hidrolandia-GO and surrounding municipalities. In these preexisting cavities, we quantified the foundation rate, the average number of cells with larvae, the survival of larvae, and adults hatched and size. In this work, the foundation rate was higher in larger fragments. However, the average number of cells per nest, the survival rate of larvae, and the size of the hatched adults did not differ between large and small areas. These results show that the size of the fragments may have higher influence on survival and retention of adults than in larvae. / A fragmentação de vegetações nativas implica em redução da riqueza e abundância local de espécies, e um aumento do isolamento das populações, acarretando a extinção local de espécies. Nos ambientes fragmentados, os recursos para alimentação e nidificação de abelhas e vespas estão distribuídos de forma bastante irregular, o que acaba influenciando no comportamento de forrageamento, padrão de ocorrência e em seus sucessos reprodutivos destes organismos. Desta forma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se o tamanho de áreas de remanescentes de vegetação nativa interfere no sucesso reprodutivo de uma espécie de vespa solitária Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse Saussure (1867), uma reconhecida espécie de vespa polinizadora. Para tanto, estabelecemos ninhos armadilhas nas bordas de fragmentos de mata de tamanhos diferentes da região de Goianápolis e Hidrolândia e municípios circunvizinhos. Estes ninhos foram utilizados como ferramenta de quantificação de taxa de nidificação, de número médio de células com larvas, sobrevivência destas larvas e tamanho dos adultos eclodidos em cavidades preexistentes. Neste trabalho, a taxa de fundação dos ninhos armadilhas foi maior nos fragmentos maiores. O número médio de células por ninhos, a taxa de sobrevivências das larvas, o tamanho dos adultos eclodidos não diferiram entre as áreas grandes e pequenas. Isto mostra que o tamanho dos fragmentos pode estar influenciando mais na sobrevivência e na permanência dos adultos do que na das larvas nestes fragmentos.

Abstract Plant reproductive success is affected by a number of factors, such as climatic conditions and plant resource status during flowering and fruiting, and pollen origin in fertilization. In the present thesis project, different aspects of plant reproductive ecology were investigated in order to identify constraints on sexual reproduction and seed set in two clonal dwarf shrubs (Vaccinium myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea) and one long-lived perennial herb (Campanula rotundifolia). The work comprised phenological observations and experiments with the clonal shrubs at natural boreal forest sites in the Oulanka National Park in northern Finland. The impact of mycorrhiza on C. rotundifolia fitness traits was tested in hand pollinations in a greenhouse experiment. Pollen origin had some effect on fruit set, and had strong effects on the number of matured seeds in all three species. Seed yield reductions upon hand self-pollination as compared with hand cross-pollination were attributed to inbreeding depression in V. myrtillus, and presumably to partial self-incompatibility in C. rotundifolia. V. myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea showed a population structure where the number of matured seeds per fruit increased with increasing distance between pollen donor and pollen recipient. Clonal growth in concert with the foraging behaviour of bumblebee pollinators is thought to cause the possibility of either uniparental or biparental inbreeding, with a strong effect on the number of matured seeds per berry. In a flower-removal experiment lasting three years, costs of fruiting to future fecundity and vegetative traits were observed, but not to future survival in V. vitis-idaea and V. myrtillus. The response was more pronounced in the evergreen than in the deciduous species. In Campanula rotundifolia, mycorrhiza was associated with a cost to the plants' reproductive effort, as plant biomass and the number of flowers produced per plant were decreased in mycorrhizal plants in comparison with non-mycorrhizal plants. There was no difference in seed number, seed weight or germination between the seeds of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants. However, the offspring of mycorrhizal plants had a higher relative growth rate, while also having a higher seed phosphorus concentration. In summary, sexual reproduction was variably constrained by previous reproduction in Vaccinium, and contrary to expectations, by mycorrhiza in Campanula. However, mycorrhiza had positive effects on some measures of offspring fitness. In all three species, self-pollination limited seed production.

Ce travail de thèse vise à mieux comprendre les mécanismes de choix du partenaire chez l'isopode terrestre Armadillidium vulgare. Cette espèce est infectée par la bactérie intracellulaire Wolbachia, connue pour manipuler la sexualité de ses hôtes. Chez Armadillidium vulgare, Wolbachia entraine une féminisation des mâles génétiques, les transformant en femelles fonctionnelles. L'objectif est donc à la fois de comprendre comment les individus choisissent leurs partenaires sexuels, mais également de connaître l'effet de Wolbachia sur ces mécanismes de choix. Afin de répondre à ces questions, une approche comportementale a été utilisée, afin de comparer l'attractivité et le comportement de différents types de femelles. Les résultats montrent que les mâles sont capables de discriminer finement entres des femelles ayant différents traits d'histoire de vie ou différents degrés d'apparentement. Nous montrons également que cette discrimination est corrélée à des changements d'odeur des femelles en fonction de leur état reproducteur et infectieux. Les conséquences de ces choix ont également été étudiées via des expériences de reproduction, et il apparaît que les préférences des mâles sont liées à des bénéfices en termes de succès reproducteur. Quant aux femelles, un suivi sur le long terme de différentes situations de sex-ratio révèle qu'à la fois les mâles et le fait qu'elles soient infectées par Wolbachia diminuent leur fitness, et notamment leur succès reproducteur, allant même jusqu'à modifier leurs préférences sociales. / This work investigates mate choice in the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare. This species is parasitized with intracellular bacteria Wolbachia, which is known to manipulate the sexuality of its hosts. In Armadillidium vulgare, Wolbachia lead to a feminization of genetic males, transforming them into functional females. The aim of this thesis was both to investigate how individuals choose their mates, and to understand the effect of Wolbachia on such choices. In order to answer these questions, we used a behavioural approach in order to compare the attractiveness and the behaviour of different kinds of females. The results indicate that males are able to accurately discriminate females with different life history traits or different degrees of relatedness. We also show that such discrimination from males toward females is correlated to females odour change, according to both their reproductive and infection status. The consequences of male mate choice were studied through reproduction experiment, and it seems that male’s preferences are linked to benefits in terms of reproductive success. Concerning females, a long-term monitoring in different sex-ratio conditions reveals that both males' presence and Wolbachia infections decrease their fitness, in particular their reproductive success, or even modify their social preferences.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 1992. / gm2014 / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted