In species expanding their ranges in response to climate warming or for other reasons, individuals with superior dispersal capacity are often more likely than others to establish new populations beyond the current range boundary. Previous studies on butterflies have shown that molecular variation in the glycolytic enzyme phosphoglucose isomerase (Pgi) is associated with variation in flight metabolic rate, flight capacity under unfavourable conditions, and dispersal rate. We examined allelic variation in Pgi in the European map butterfly (Araschnia levana), which has rapidly expanded northwards in Finland. We show that the kinetically fastest Pgi allele, Pgi-1, is associated with superior flight metabolic rate and is more frequent at the eastern Finnish expansion front than in old established populations in Estonia. In eastern Finland, the Pgi-1 allele is significantly more frequent in newly-established (age ca. 4 years) than in older populations (age 11 to 22 years), and the Pgi-1 allele is more frequent in the spring than in the summer generation, possibly because the greater mobility of the summer generation butterflies selects for Pgi-1. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that range expansion may select for increased dispersal capacity at the expansion front, which may in turn further elevate the rate of expansion.

We report the first investigation of nuclear genetic variability in the colony of the spotted seal (Phoca largha) in the Liaodong Gulf, China, where the estimated population size was under 1000 individuals during the study period (2005–2008). A total of 29 microsatellite loci from five pinniped species were employed in 176 spotted seals. Only 15 were polymorphic, with a maximum of 4 alleles detected in samples, with the mean number of alleles per locus being 2.73. Estimates of expected heterozygosity H_e for the polymorphic loci ranged from 0.24 (± 0.05 SD) to 0.72 (± 0.02 SD), with a mean H_e per polymorphic locus of 0.51 (± 0.05 SD). No deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was detected for any of the loci. No differences were detected for either genic or genotypic frequencies of seals from the different sampling sites and years. Several statistical methods were applied to detect the population reduction and compare it with that in other seal species. The result indicated that the population of the Liaodong Gulf spotted seal has suffered a decrease in genetic variability and population reduction over the last several decades. The present study supports a notion that a decrease in population size is the main factor accounting for the low levels of variability observed. These research results provide useful data for the conservation and management of the Liaodong Gulf colony.

Range expansion of ectoparasites can cause parasites to attack new host species. In these cases it is important for the parasite to be able to adapt to the new environment and to reproduce on the host. For the host, it is crucial to hinder successfully the development of long-lasting parasitic relationship. The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) is a novel ectoparasite for northern cervids. We investigated if the deer ked can use the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) as a host and, if it can, whether antiparasitic treatment against this parasite would be available. Three groups of reindeer were monitored: two groups of 6 reindeer were infected with 300 flies per each individual; a control group comprised 6 animals. One of the infected groups was treated with subcutaneous ivermectin. At the end of the experiment the infestation rate of the infected animals was low. The reindeer in the non-treated group had both live and dead deer keds and also a single pupa while the ivermectin-treated reindeer had only dead deer keds. As some deer keds survived and reproduced, the deer ked can potentially use the reindeer as a host but antiparasitic treatment may be effective against this parasite.

Variation in nucleotide sequence of the melanocortin-1 receptor gene (Mc1r) is associated with melanism in several mammalian, avian and reptilian species, but no attempts have been made to understand the genetic underpinnings of melanism in amphibians. We isolated the complete coding sequence (945 bps) of Mc1r from the common frog (Rana temporaria) and compared the predicted amino acid sequence with that of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. We investigated associations between nucleotide substitutions and the level of dorsal melanism among 28 individuals from two populations with pronounced differences in melanism. According to our results, the transmembrane regions of Mc1r are conserved across vertebrates. In the population comparison, we only found five nucleotide sites with synonymous substitutions; none is being associated with the level of melanism. Our results suggest that either other genes or regulatory regions outside the coding sequence of Mc1r are responsible for expression of melanism in R. temporaria.

The aim of this study was to compare measurement error (ME) between two different methods of measuring cranial traits: manual method, using calipers; and computerized one, using digitalized pictures and specialized software. Three observers measured 10 craniometric characters in 12 skulls of the common house mouse Mus musculus domesticus. Every measurement was repeated three times with each method. Nested ANOVA was used to separate the total variance into within- and among-individual components. Then the effect of trait size on ME was tested. Measuring method was the factor with higher values of ME, followed respectively by observer and replicate. Intra-observer variation was lower than inter-observer variation in both methods. However, repeatabilities were higher in the computerized procedure. Computerized measuring procedure was more precise and less influenced by factors increasing ME than manual method in most assessed traits.

Alternative strategies of space use may be present in a species or in a population as a response to different environmental parameters, especially in mountainous habitats, where heavy snowfalls in winter may determine important variations of habitat quality. The spatial behaviour of 20 radiotagged red deer hinds was assessed in a mountainous habitat in the eastern Italian Alps from 2002 to 2004. Two groups of hinds were identified: ‘resident’ females remained in the same area throughout the year; ‘shifter’ females showed separated winter and summer areas. No significant difference was found in seasonal home-range sizes between resident and shifter hinds in 2002 and in 2003. Each year, in summer, home-range quality of shifter hinds was significantly better than that of resident ones, while, in winter home ranges, habitat diversity was similar in the two groups. During the severe winter 2003–2004, 33% of females summering in lower quality habitat died, whereas mild winters did not influence the survival of our collared hinds.

The great grey shrike Lanius excubitor is declining in western Europe but relatively stable, or even increasing populations still exist in central and eastern Europe. It is a medium-sized passerine living in diverse, low-intensity farmland. Being a predatory bird, it is especially susceptible to any changes in farming practices that affect its prey. In this paper, we provide estimates of density, national population size and trends and generate a habitat-use model; information which is all necessary for effective conservation. We used data gathered during 71 censuses made in the years 1978–2005 to document the past and present status of the great grey shrike population in Poland. The mean population density has more than doubled from 4.5 in the early period of the study (1978–1995) to 11.3 pairs/100 km² in the later period (1996–2005). The habitat use model shows that the great grey shrike avoids intensive arable fields and coniferous forests and prefers areas of extensively used farmland. We estimate the current size of the Polish breeding population to be 22 000–25 000 breeding pairs. Our results show that the Polish breeding population of the great grey shrike is still healthy. This can be attributed to high habitat heterogeneity and fragmentation, a slow rate of change in agricultural landscapes and recent mild winters which have had a positive effect on survival. We believe that our results can help to establish an effective conservation strategy for the species.