Point Blue Conservation Science

About: Point Blue Conservation Science is a nonprofit organization based out in Petaluma, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Foraging. The organization has 151 authors who have published 330 publications receiving 11929 citations. The organization is also known as: Point Reyes Bird Observatory.

The importance of productivity to the dynamics of a Swainson's thrush population

Abstract: We analyzed the population dynamics of Swainson's Thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) breeding at the Palomarin Field Station of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory using 15 years (1980-1994) of long-term, standardized mist-net data. The capture rates of adults and hatching-year birds provided indices of adult abundance and productivity respectively. Annual variation of these indices was high, and linear regression analysis revealed no long-term trends. However, numbers of new and total adults captured in a given year were significantly dependent on the number of hatching-year birds caught the previous year. In addition, per capita productivity was inversely density-dependent and may partially regulate adult abundance. These results suggest that Swainson's Thrushes at Palomarin are most limited by the production of young on the breeding grounds. Return rates of hatching-year birds were exceptionally high compared to other species (18.3%). Strong habitat specificity on the breeding grounds may elevate this return rate and strengthen the link between productivity and adult abundance in this population.

A novel papillomavirus in Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) faeces sampled at the Cape Crozier colony, Antarctica

Abstract: Papillomaviruses are epitheliotropic viruses that have circular dsDNA genomes encapsidated in non-enveloped virions. They have been found to infect a variety of mammals, reptiles and birds, but so far they have not been found in amphibians. Using a next-generation sequencing de novo assembly contig-informed recovery, we cloned and Sanger sequenced the complete genome of a novel papillomavirus from the faecal matter of Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) nesting on Ross Island, Antarctica. The genome had all the usual features of a papillomavirus and an E9 ORF encoding a protein of unknown function that is found in all avian papillomaviruses to date. This novel papillomavirus genome shared ~60 % pairwise identity with the genomes of the other three known avian papillomaviruses: Fringilla coelebs papillomavirus 1 (FcPV1), Francolinus leucoscepus papillomavirus 1 (FlPV1) and Psittacus erithacus papillomavirus 1. Pairwise identity analysis and phylogenetic analysis of the major capsid protein gene clearly indicated that it represents a novel species, which we named Pygoscelis adeliae papillomavirus 1 (PaCV1). No evidence of recombination was detected in the genome of PaCV1, but we did detect a recombinant region (119 nt) in the E6 gene of FlPV1 with the recombinant region being derived from ancestral FcPV1-like sequences. Previously only paramyxoviruses, orthomyxoviruses and avian pox viruses have been genetically identified in penguins; however, the majority of penguin viral identifications have been based on serology or histology. This is the first report, to our knowledge, of a papillomavirus associated with a penguin species.