Temperature is arguably the most important abiotic factor influencing the embryonic development in ectothermic species. Incubation temperature has demonstrated effects on offspring phenotypes in ectotherms, including traits such as sex, size, shape, colouration and post-hatch growth and survival. However, in endotherms the influence temperature has on development is relatively unexplored due to the narrow range of temperatures that embryonic endotherms are exposed to during develop. Megapode birds utilize environmental heat sources to incubate their eggs and therefore provide a potential model to test how temperature influences embryonic development and offspring phenotypes in endotherms. I used the Australian Brush-turkey (Alectura lathami), a megapode bird that incubates its eggs in mounds of soil and leaf litter to investigate the effects of temperature on embryonic development and chick morphology. Previous reports of Australian Brush-turkey incubation mound temperatures relied on spot measurements and theoretical modeling and thus have not provided a comprehensive examination of the range of temperatures Brush-turkey embryos are exposed to and how these might vary during the course of incubation. Therefore to examine the range of temperatures experienced by developing embryos I continuously recorded the temperature of eggs and mound material at naturally occurring positions within incubation mounds over the full developmental period. As in previous studies I found the average incubation temperature to be about 34°C, however egg temperatures typically fluctuated more than previously reported or predicted from modeling. The thermal tolerance of Brush-turkeys is remarkable compared to non-megapode birds, with embryos developing successfully despite prolonged exposure to sub-optimal temperatures over the range 25-40°C. I also demonstrated that the incubation period was negatively correlated with mean incubation temperature. To simplify the examination of temperature effects on embryonic development, constant temperature artificial incubation of Brush-turkey eggs was used to determine influence of incubation temperature on the energetics of embryonic development and the sex ratio, morphology and chemical composition of chicks. Because initial investigation of mound temperatures determined the mean incubation temperature in Brush-turkeys to be 34°C this was used as the preferred temperature for constant temperature incubation with 32°C and 36°C representing low and high temperatures respectively. Previously, the sex ratio of Brush-turkey chicks at hatching was shown to be temperature dependent. A thermally sensitive period early in development resulted in more females hatching from high temperature and more males hatching from low temperatures with an equal ratio at the preferred temperature. Using molecular sexing techniques to determine the sex of both failed embryos and chicks that hatched, I established that at laying the sex ratio of eggs was 50:50, and that temperature-dependent sex-biased embryo mortality was the mechanism behind the skewed sex ratio of chicks hatching from non-preferred temperatures. Low incubation temperature increased female embryonic mortality and high incubation temperature increased male embryonic mortality. This represents a novel mechanism operating to alter sex ratios in a bird species and offers an unparalleled system to explore sex allocation theory. It is well established that temperature influences the rate of development and the morphology of offspring in reptilian species. Also, in a previous study using artificially incubated Brush-turkey eggs, temperature was found to affect the mass of chicks but not their size (linear dimensions). This finding suggests that at different incubation temperatures the amount of yolk converted into tissue during embryonic development is influenced by incubation temperature. I tested this hypothesis by incubating eggs at different constant temperatures and found high incubation temperatures produce chicks with lighter yolk-free bodies and heavier residual yolks but similar linear dimensions compared to chicks hatching from lower temperatures. Because eggs incubated at low temperatures have longer incubation periods, I hypothesized the proportion of lipid in the yolk-free body would be higher in chicks emerging from eggs incubated at low temperature because more time is available for the conversion of yolk to fat bodies during embryonic development. This hypothesis was not supported as the composition of yolk-free chicks (total water, lipid, protein and ash) was not temperature dependent. A previous study in Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata), another megapode bird, found that the total energetic cost of production was influenced by incubation temperature. Such that embryos developing at low temperatures required 72% more energy than embryos developing at high temperatures. However these findings were contrary to expectation from studies of reptilian incubation where the energetic cost of development is independent of temperature. Therefore I tested the hypothesis that the total energetic cost of development is temperature dependent in the Australian Brush-turkey. I used bomb calorimetry to measure the energy content of freshly laid eggs and of chicks (both the yolk-free body and residual yolk) that had hatched from eggs incubated 32oC, 34oC and 36oC. I found that the total energy content of chicks at hatching was greater in chicks emerging from eggs incubated at 34oC and 36oC compared to eggs incubated at 32oC. My thesis work demonstrated that incubation temperature is more variable for Brush-turkey embryos than for non-megapode birds and that even a small difference in temperature can have important effects on chick sex ratios, morphology and energy reserves. I have shown that incubation under artificial constant temperature conditions can significantly alter the developmental trajectories and phenotypic outcomes for chicks. In addition to laboratory based work, future studies should continue to examine how embryonic development and chick attributes are influenced by temperatures experienced under natural incubation conditions. Furthermore, investigation is required to determine how incubation temperature induced differences in hatchling phenotypes influence the post-hatch grow and fitness of chicks.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Skara : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning). Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--University of Oklahoma. / Bibliography: leaves 36-40.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 1986. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-56). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-17T14:55:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1509338 bytes, checksum: e0a2529155ec99b45b55b847965af181 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-07-25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Cyclopoid copepods have been used as biological agents in successful programs to control mosquito larvae, but the impacts of this predation on adult mosquito populations are still poorly understood. The present study compared the sex ratios and body sizes (measure as wing length) of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes emerging from recipients containing the copepod predator Mesocyclops ogunnus with control situations without this predator. We found that copepod predation significantly biased mosquito sex ratios towards females, and that both the males and females emerging from copepod-containing recipients were significantly larger than control insects. The ecological and epidemiological consequences of the changes induced by copepod predation on mosquito populations are discussed. / Copépodos ciclopóides têm sido utilizados como agentes de controle biológicos em programas de controle de larvas de mosquito, mas os impactos dessa predação sobre as populações de mosquitos adultos ainda são pouco compreendidos. O presente estudo comparou as razões sexuais e o tamanho do corpo de mosquitos Aedes albopictus (com base no comprimento da asa) que emergiram de recipientes contendo o copépodo predador Mesocyclops ogunnus com aqueles que emergiram de recipientes controles. Com base nos resultados obtidos constatou-se que a predação de copépodos alterou significativamente a razão sexual de mosquitos favorecendo fêmeas. Machos e fêmeas que emergiram de recipientes contendo copépodo foram significativamente maiores em comparação aqueles que emergiram do controle. As alterações induzidas pela predação de copépodos em populações de mosquitos apresentam importâncias ecológicas e epidemiológicas, visto serem as fêmeas de mosquitos do gênero Aedes os principais vetores do dengue .

Orientador: Rogério Caetano Costa / Resumo: O caranguejo Hepatus pudibundus possui ampla distribuição no litoral brasileiro, é intensamente capturado como fauna acompanhante (bycatch) na pesca dos camarões peneídeos, mas não apresenta valor comercial. No entanto, está sujeito aos mesmos impactos causados à espécie alvo. Em vista disso, a dinâmica populacional foi investigada no presente estudo, com enfoque nos seguintes aspectos: proporção sexual, maturidade sexual morfológica e gonadal, período reprodutivo, recrutamento juvenil, crescimento e longevidade dos indivíduos. Foram realizadas coletas mensais na região de Cananéia/SP entre julho/2012 e junho/2014 em sete estações de coleta, por meio de um barco camaroeiro equipado com duas redes de arrasto do tipo “otter trawl”. Temperatura e salinidade da água de fundo, o teor de matéria orgânica, granulometria do sedimento e a pluviosidade foram averiguados. Foram amostrados 1.650 espécimes. Os machos apresentaram-se maiores que as fêmeas. A proporção sexual foi desviada em favor das fêmeas. O tamanho estimado para a maturidade sexual morfológica e gonadal, respectivamente (LC50) foram 42,26 mm e 48,97 mm para machos e 43,09 mm e 47,15 mm para as fêmeas. As fêmeas reprodutivas ocorreram em todo o período e os juvenis foram amostrados na maioria dos meses. Ambas as categorias demográficas correlacionaram-se positivamente com a temperatura. Os parâmetros de crescimento apresentaram diferenças entre os sexos sendo: LC∞ = 78,91 mm, k = 0,0066/dia, t0 = 0,0965 para os machos e ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The crab Hepatus pudibundus is wide distributed in the Brazilian coast. The species has no commercial value but is intensely captured as bycatch of penaeid shrimp fishery, so it suffers the same impacts of the target species. In this view, the present study investigates the population dynamics, focusing on the following aspects: sex ratio, morphological sexual maturity and gonads, reproductive period, juvenile recruitment, growth and longevity of individuals. Sampling was performed monthly in the region of Cananéia/SP, from July/2012 to June/2014 in seven stations, with a shrimping boat equipped with otter trawl nets. Temperature and salinity of the bottom water, the organic matter content, sediment granulometry and rainfall were investigated. A total of 1,650 specimens were captured. Males were larger than females. The sex ratio skewed towards females. The estimated sizes for morphological and gonadal sexual maturity (CW50) were 42.26 mm and 48.97 mm for males, and 43.09 mm and 47.15 mm for females, respectively. Reproductive females occurred throughout the studied period and juveniles were captured in most months. Such demographic categories were positively correlated with temperature. Growth parameters showed differences between sexes: CW∞ = 78.91 mm, k = 0.0066/day, t0 = 0.0965 for males and CW∞ = 67.68 mm, k = 0.0064/day, t0 = 0.0032 for females. Longevity was estimated at 1.91 years and 1.98 years for males and females, respectively. The sexual dimorphism found in this ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Antonio Leão Castilho / Resumo: This is the first study to evaluate in broad spatiotemporal scales the growth parameters and population structure of Rimapenaeus constrictus, a barely damaged species composing the bycatch from shrimp fishing in the Western Atlantic. The abundance and size-class frequency distribution, growth, longevity and sex ratio were evaluated from monthly samples obtained in the northern littoral of São Paulo state from Jan/1998 to Jun/2003. We measured 5,812 individuals in which the sex ratio was skewed toward females; this was more evident in size classes greater than 10 mm in CL (carapace length) (binomial test, p<0.05). We selected 16 growth cohorts of females, and 8 of males, the majority consisting of younger individual cohorts excluded from the fisheries closure period. Growth estimates resulted in a CL∞ of 17.42 mm, a growth coefficient of 0.008 and a longevity of 579 days (1.60 year) for females, as well as a CL∞ of 16.3 mm, a growth coefficient of 0.01 and a longevity of 425 days (1.17 year) for males. Our results provide information of incontestable relevance to our knowledge of fishing management. We therefore strongly recommend that the fisheries closure period be changed to protect this species’ recruitment period and consequently its adult individuals. The reproduction and recruitment were analyzed in order to determine the size at the onset of sexual maturity, the reproductive and recruitment patterns and the copulation period. In our study, 6,456 shrimps were captured a... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre