Specialerapporter og -abstracts
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Acclimation increases the efficiency of the aphidophagous coccinellid predator Adalia bipunctata on aphid pests
Sørensen, Christian Hougaard, 08.03.2012, speciale
Nesting behaviour in domestic hens (Gallus gallus domesticus): Does increased heterogeneity in nest boxes reduce gregarious nesting?
Clausen, Tina, 07.02.2012
Abstract:
Nesting behaviour is fairly similar in jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) and commercial layers (Gallus gallus domesticus) but restricted space and nest boxes have resulted in unwanted behaviours such as gregarious nesting, where a hen selects an already occupied nest box even though other nest boxes are available. This may pose a financial cost to the keeper and reduce animal welfare. It has been suggested that gregarious nesting may be caused by the difficulties experienced by hens in distinguishing between nest boxes in the long rows of identical nest boxes. Heterogeneity in nest boxes could therefore reduce gregarious nesting. To test this hypothesis two experiments were performed. For each experiment 12 groups of 13-15 ISA Warren hens were housed in pens with three adjacent nest boxes. In the first experiment six experimental groups were provided with three different appearing nest boxes and in the second experiment six experimental groups were provided with three different nesting materials. In both experiments six control groups were provided with three identical nest boxes with wood shavings as nesting material. Daily egg collection and video recordings were performed for eight and seven days, respectively. The proportion of gregarious nesting was higher in experimental groups compared to control groups (P < 0.01). Furthermore, occupied nest boxes were selected more often in experimental groups compared to control groups (P < 0.01). Number of visits to and eggs laid in nest boxes positioned either left or right were higher compared to nest boxes positioned in the middle in both the experimental groups and control groups (P < 0.05). Number of visits to and eggs laid in nest boxes with yellow walls or standard nest boxes were higher compared to nest boxes with black plastic flaps in front (P < 0.05). Furthermore, straw was preferred with regard to number of visits to and eggs laid in nest boxes compared to both wood shavings (P < 0.01) and peat (P < 0.01) as nesting materials. The pre-laying period did not differ between the experimental and control groups (P > 0.05). Heterogeneity in nest boxes in present experiments did not reduce occurrence of gregarious nesting. Instead, the combination of preference for nest box position, appearance, and nesting material, indicate that hens shared preferences for nest boxes positioned at the ends, yellow walls, standard nest boxes, and straw as nesting material. Therefore it is suggested that nest boxes positioned in the middle should be made more attractive for egg layers by providing preferred nesting materials, nest box appearances, or by providing single nest boxes instead of rows, thereby possibly reducing gregarious nesting.
Keywords: Domestic hens; Nesting behavior; Gregarious nesting; Preferences.
Development and credibility testing of individual-based models, simulating the predatory pressure of the domestic cats (Felis catus)
Hansen, Jannick, 25.01.2012, speciale
The effects of fish farming on nitrogen cycling in a tropical estuary
Nguyen, Kim Hanh, 23.08.2011, speciale
Optimizing the captive welfare of zoo housed animals – A review
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Environmental enrichment in stimuli-poor and in stimuli-rich housed black-footed cats, Felis nigripes
Nielsen, Sofie L. H., 07.11.2011, speciale del 1 og speciale del 2
Bundling Ecosystem Services: Trade-offs and Synergies in a Cultural Landscape
Turner, Katrine Grace, 30.09.2011
Abstract: We quantified and determined the geographic distribution of 11 key ecosystem services across the cultural landscape of Denmark using GIS (ESRI, 2010) to answer the following study questions 1) Are there distinct spatial patterns of ecosystem services across Denmark? 2) How do ecosystem services interact at this regional scale? And, 3) do multiple ecosystem services consistently coincide in space, forming ecosystem bundles? By using correlation analysis between each of the services we analyzed patterns of tradeoffs and synergies. There was a tendency for cultural and regulating services to form potential synergies and for cultural services to be vulnerable to potential trade-offs with agricultural provisioning services. Principal component analysis identified two main regional gradients in our data. The first was driven by a land-use gradient between agriculture- and forest-dominated landscapes. The second was an east-west gradient that broadly reflected an increasing demand for cultural and recreational services in the eastern parts of Denmark, and the socio-geographic drivers of agriculture and wetland regulating services in the west. We further identified six distinct bundle types with a non-random distribution. The bundle types are consistent with socio-ecological land-use dynamics described in earlier research from comparable regions.
Studie af urtevegetationens artsudskiftning i overgangen fra læhegn til mark med fokus på økologisk og konventionel driftstype
Damgaard, Lene Schelde, 13.09.2011, speciale
Molekylær Patogenese ved Reaktiv Artrit
Carlsen, Thomas Gelsing, 28.08.2011, speciale
A super‐network approach to the complexity of nature: Crossing scale and habitat borders
Kromann-Gallop, Lea, 15.07.2011, speciale
Ammoniaktoksicitet hos fisk – forskelle i tolerance og udskillelsesstrategier mellem vandåndere og luftåndere
Jensen, Anders Ejlskov, 08.07.2011
Abstract: Ammonia is produced by all animals during the catabolism og amino acids. Because of its toxic nature continuous excretion is necessary to prevent build up in tissues. Fish excrete ammonia primarily as NH3 across the gills down a steap concentration gradient. Amphibious airbreathing fish cannot excrete ammonia across the gills during aerial exposure, so alternative excretion and detoxifying mechanism are used. Lower protelysis and amino acid catabolism, partial amino acid catabolism to alanine, synthesis og glutamine and urea production by the onithine-urea cycle are some strategies utilized by airbreathing fish to prevent an internal rise in ammonia levels. According to the available literature a higher tolerance towards ammonia exists in airbreathing fish compared to strict waterbreathers. Whether this is a general trend for all airbreathers (facultative and obligate), remains to be investigated. Apart from airbreathing, from an evolutionary standpoint, urea production through the ornithine-urea cycle played a vital role in the colonization of the terrestrial environment.
Forest Edge Contrasts have a predictable Effect on the Spatial Distribution of Carabid Beetles in Urban Forests
Noreika, Norbertas, 20.06.2011, speciale
Ecological genetics of sociality in eiders (Somateria mollissima)
Noreikienė, Kristina, 20.06.2011, speciale
Randeffekter på biodiversitetsmønstre i danske bøgeskove
Barild, Ditte Grube, 15.06.2011, speciale
Bekæmpelse af Rynket rose (Rosa rugosa) i sårbare naturtyper
Boesen, Mathilde, 20.05.2011, speciale
Evolutionary Consequences of Hybridization in a Climate Change Context
Krag, Kristian, 13.02.2009, speciale
Bakteriel sulfatreduktion i procesvand fra en papirfabrik
Svendsen, Asbjørn, 04.09.2008, speciale
Karakterisering af en anaerob termofil cellulosenedbrydende bakteriekultur fra en papirfabrik
Jørgensen, Maria Giltoft, 30.04.2008, speciale