Pakkasmaa, S., Ranta, E. & Piironen, J. 1998: A morphometric study on four land-locked salmonid species. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 131–140.
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Valkama, J., Robertson, P. & Currie, D.1998: Habitat selection by breeding curlews (Numenius arquata) on farmland: the importance of grassland. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 141–148.
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Cassinello, J. 1998: Ammotragus lervia: a review on systematics, biology, ecology and distribution. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 149–162.
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New, T. R. 1998: The role of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in monitoring programmes in Australia. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 163–171.
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Lehtonen, A 1998. 1998: Managing moose, Alces alces, population in Finland: hunting virtual animals. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 173–179.
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Borkowski, J. & Furubayashi, K. 1998: Home range size and habitat use in radio-collared female sika deer at high altitudes in the Tanzawa Mountains, Japan. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 181–186.
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France, R. L. 1998: Density-weighted [delta]13C analysis of detritivory and algivory in littoral macroinvertebrate communities of boreal headwater lakes. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 187–193.
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Pakkasmaa, S., Ranta, E. & Piironen, J. 1998: A morphometric study on four land-locked salmonid species. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 131–140.
Lakes in Vuoksi drainage area in eastern Finland are inhabited by four salmonid species: the grayling (Thymallus thymallus), the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar m. sebago), the brown trout (Salmo trutta m. lacustris), and the arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). We studied second-generation hatchery-reared juveniles of these freshwater salmonids from two age groups: (0+)-year-old fish, and (1+)-year-old fish; and compared their morphology in order to assess both intra- and interspecific variation in morphometric characters, and changes associated with growth. We observed that the (0+)-year-old salmonids are morphologically very similar, but as they grow, the interspecific differences become more pronounced. The characters that best discriminate among the studied species are body height and head dimensions as well as pectoral fin length. The grayling and the arctic charr are streamlined, whereas the salmon and the brown trout are more robust in their body shape. The shape of the studied species reflects also their adaptation to their native habitats.
Valkama, J., Robertson, P. & Currie, D.1998: Habitat selection by breeding curlews (Numenius arquata) on farmland: the importance of grassland. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 141–148.
We examined habitat composition of territories, habitat use during foraging, and nest-site selection in the curlew Numenius arquata in two arable farmland areas in western Finland 1996–1997. Tall vegetation types, especially grassland, occurred more frequently within territories than expected by their availability. Habitat utilisation during foraging was significantly non-random in one of the two study areas where tillage was preferred to taller vegetation while in the other area curlews appeared to prefer tall vegetation. In both areas curlews showed a marked preference for taller vegetation types and avoided short vegetation (tillage) when selecting their nest-sites. Individuals also appeared to avoid nesting close to forest edges and ditches although this pattern was not significantly consistent between years. Breeding dispersal (the extent of movements between years) was high in the study area where curlew density was low and nest predation was frequent. In this area, breeding dispersal was higher among pairs that had failed in their previous breeding attempts than among successful pairs. Curlews preferred habitats which are relatively uncommon in an intensive agricultural regime, and we suggest that lack of suitable habitats in intensively cultivated farmland areas may be one reason for poor reproductive success and decline of curlew populations in Finland.
Cassinello, J. 1998: Ammotragus lervia: a review on systematics, biology, ecology and distribution. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 149–162.
A revision on the current knowledge of the genus Ammotragus is provided. There is only one species, A. lervia, which is considered an ancestor of both Ovis and Capra. Six subspecies originally distributed in the North of Africa, but also introduced elsewhere, have been described. Particularly the study of the introduced wild ranging American populations, and recent research carried out on a captive population in Spain have expanded our knowledge on the species’ social behaviour, reproduction, female fitness components, behavioural ecology, feeding habits and ecology. Native and introduced populations of arruis are facing different problems; the former ones are generally threatened by human pression, and the latter ones pose a serious risk to native ungulates and plants.
New, T. R. 1998: The role of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in monitoring programmes in Australia. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 163–171.
Use of the diverse Australian carabid fauna in environmental assessment is at present restricted, because of lack of ecological and faunistic information and the difficulties of identifying most taxa. They are not yet a core focal group in monitoring studies. In contrast to groups such as ants, in particular, many carabids are usually captured in only small numbers, and functional groups of Australian Carabidae are poorly defined. Although a few studies have demonstrated the predominance of particular taxa in local assemblages and their responses to changes in land management, the presence of particular taxa and the richness of assemblages is unpredictable because of lack of knowledge of habitat requirements. The general usefulness of carabids as indicators in Australia is not yet proven. Carabidae are one of several groups of epigaeic invertebrates with potential for incorporation into a portfolio of focal groups for environmental assessment, but are still far from being a ‘stand alone’ group in Australia.
Lehtonen, A 1998. 1998: Managing moose, Alces alces, population in Finland: hunting virtual animals. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 173–179.
The moose population has been intensively managed in Finland since the beginning of 1970s. However, recent decline in population sizes observed in many parts of the country was unexpected. In this study, the development of the Finnish moose population in 1974–1994 was analysed with a simulation model where the crucial factor was the annual hunting. The simulation model was also used to generate predictions of the future population size. The simulations for three game management districts (Varsinais Suomi, Etelä Häme and Pohjois Savo) followed well the actual population data. In forecasts, the population size predictions began to become increasingly unreliable when the forecast horizon was extended to two or more years. The analysis revealed that a successful management strategy calls for information on spatial migration of the moose and more accurate population estimates.
Borkowski, J. & Furubayashi, K. 1998: Home range size and habitat use in radio-collared female sika deer at high altitudes in the Tanzawa Mountains, Japan. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 181–186.
In winter, when food availability was low, sika deer in the high Tanzawa Mountains preferred clearings, characterised by the highest biomass of food. In the other seasons, when food was abundant, habitats were used in accordance with their occurrence within home ranges, except in the case of erosion sites, which were avoided in every season. Patterns of habitat use differed between periods of the day and this phenomenon was influenced by human disturbance or weather, depending on the season. The abundance of food and interspersion of habitat patches allowed yearly home ranges of four sika deer to be very small at between 11.2 and 20.2 ha. The smallest mean home range size was recorded in autumn, probably because the same habitat then provided both food and cover.
France, R. L. 1998: Density-weighted [delta]13C analysis of detritivory and algivory in littoral macroinvertebrate communities of boreal headwater lakes. — Ann. Zool. Fennici 35: 187–193.
Investigations of the incorporation of terrestrial detritus into aquatic macroinvertebrates through [delta]13C analysis are becoming frequent for streams and wetlands, but comparatively little information exists for forest-fringed oligotrophic lakes. Although the most accurate assessment of community patterns in carbon dependency will be made through an organism density-weighted analysis of [delta]13C, this has never previoulsy been undertaken for any freshwater system. Littoral macroinvertebrates (predominantly amphipods, ephemeropterans and dipterans, as well as odonates and trichopterans) from boreal lakes in northwestern Ontario, Canada displayed ranges of 6% to 9% in [delta]13C, all centred about –26%. The closer agreement between the density-weighted [delta]13C distribution for these macroinvertebrates to tree rather than epilithon values, suggests that these organisms may be relying more substantially upon allochthonous detritivory than upon autochthonous algivory for energy sustenance. This finding therefore challenges the precept in some timber management guidelines that dismisses riparian trees as an important energy source for lake foodwebs.