The emergence of lake-migratory brown trout Salmo trutta m. lacustris L. fry from natural redds was observed in a small lake outlet stream. A total of 1104 emerging fry were captured in traps in nine of the 12 investigated redds during three seasons. In 2005, all the fry emerged during the daytime, but in 2007 and 2009 they emerged mostly at night. Furthermore, the timing of emergence was earlier than expected from temperature models. The fry left the redds at a water temperature range of 6.2–15.0 °C, and the emergence pattern was correlated with the moon phase. The number of fry captured was strongly affected by the percentage of fine particles < 1 mm and the 8–16 mm particle content, and was positively correlated with the geometric mean of substrate particle size (D_g) and the index of permeability: the fredle index (f_i). The estimated survival rate between egg deposition and fry emergence ranged from 0.0 to 59.8 % in individual redds. Additionally, the greatest number of fry and the highest survival rate were observed in redds that had the high water velocity and shortest duration of intragravel period.

The hexaploid barbel population of the species Labeobarbus fritschi which lives in the Allal El Fassi dam reservoir in the north of Morocco showed an absence of males among a sample of 597 individuals analyzed in a first survey and among the 39 fish analyzed in this study. A possible explanation is that this population may be composed of females only and that they reproduce either by gynogenesis or hybridogenesis, two processes triggered by hybridization with a sexually incompatible species (possibly the sympatric barbel Luciobarbus setivimensis in this case). We used molecular markers to collect any information that could explain the phenomenon. To do this, numerous nuclear loci were screened (more than 50) in search of polymorphism. Genetic diversity was low as a possible consequence of clonal reproduction: only three allozymic and two intronic loci presented a sufficient level of polymorphism to be exploited. The existence of several copies of the same multilocus genotypes (1/3 of the fish) — with some showing a significant probability of not being derived from sexual reproduction — provided evidence of unisexual reproduction. Deviations from panmixia as well as linkage equilibrium were also observed. Although preliminary, the data supports the hypothesis of the unisexual reproduction of females by way of gynogenesis rather than hybridogenesis.

The dietary habits of a population of the sand lizard Lacerta agilis were studied in the Alpine valley Stura di Demonte, Northwestern Italy. The faecal contents of 33 adults (16 females and 17 males) and 8 juveniles were analysed. There were negligible sexual differences in terms of trophic diversity and of the overall diet based on taxonomic prey categories. Juveniles had a lower prey diversity value in comparison with females but not with males. There was a positive relationship between the total number of prey items found in individual faecal contents and lizard body size, and this result may explain the more diverse diet of adults in comparison to juveniles. When the adult trophic strategy was analysed by means of the relativized electivity index, that takes into account prey availability, it was observed that the main taxonomic prey groups were eaten according to their proportion in the environment, with the only exception of ants (Formicidae) that were highly avoided by lizards.

The abandonment of less productive agricultural land and the intensification of agricultural land use are the main features of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that Croatia will enforce now as new member of the EU. Due to demographic changes and the economic transition in Croatia resulting from war in the 1990s, substantial tracts of agricultural land were abandoned. We investigated two habitat types in the protected floodplain landscape of Lonjsko polje in the continental part of the country: arable land and pastures. Both habitats were maintained by agricultural management and suffered from partial abandonment. Land abandonment increased the susceptibility to encroachment by the invasive plant species Amorpha fruticosa. Data on bird communities were obtained during the breeding season in 2010 while there were high water levels in the floodplain. Data were collected from 63 points, and a total of 1447 individuals from 70 species were recorded during the study. We found that the bird community structure was primarily related to the presence/abandonment of agricultural land use and the habitat type. Further, we detected that the bird community structure in the same habitat type differed by management intensity. Open habitat specialists were most influenced by land abandonment. However, the conservation value (according to the Species of European Conservation Concern value, SPEC) of grazed pastures and abandoned pastures did not differ significantly, in part because the overgrown pastures with high water levels were found to be suitable for Acrocephalus species. The shift in bird community structure between abandoned and managed arable lands were smaller than those detected in the pastoral communities. Because land abandonment is a widespread phenomenon in Croatia, we emphasize the urgent need for a nationwide monitoring program for farmland birds to register the resulting changes in farmland bird communities and to develop appropriate agri-environment measures to mitigate the process.

Soil-invertebrate feeding birds can be exposed to high doses of toxic metals through their diet. Recently, we have shown that nestling rooks Corvus frugilegus from several rookeries in Poland have a cadmium (Cd) tissue level diagnostic for acute contamination as well as an elevated level of lead (Pb). To explain the potential pathway of bioaccumulation of 11 essential and non-essential elements, including two metals of primary concern (Cd and Pb), in target tissues of these nestlings, we analyzed the relationships between the dietary characteristics of stomach content (mass of digesta, number of cereal grains, plant and animal items, and grit particles) and concentrations of these elements determined in the liver, kidneys, lung, muscles and bones. Our analysis showed in total 17 (8 negative and 9 positive) statistically significant relationships between the five analyzed dietary characteristics of stomach content and concentrations of metals in the liver, kidneys, muscles and bone. We found a significant positive relationship between the number of animal food items and Cd-level in kidneys; and a negative relationship between the number of plant items and Pb-level in the liver, and between the number of grit particles and Pb-level in kidneys. Despite the limitations of our study due to the different degree of digestion of some food items, our findings suggest high bioavailability of Cd from animal food items and a low level or reduced gastrointestinal absorption of Pb from plant food (mainly cereals). We urge further research on absorption of Cd and Pb from different dietary components and application of diet analysis to explain the complex nature of bioaccumulation of anthropogenic contaminants in the internal organs and tissues of birds and other species of animals, especially in species with a mixed plant-animal diet.

To study annual and circadian activity proportion and activity allocation during the pup rearing period we analysed VHF telemetry-based data from the invasive, socially monogamous raccoon dog in North Eastern Germany. Proportions of active fixes for 26 adults indicate a mean annual activity level of 58.3 %. There was no difference between males and females in mean annual activity or in the mean activity in each of the different seasons. A mean winter-activity level of 47.0 % ± 32.4 active fixes indicates that raccoon dogs did not hibernate; however, they became less active as the temperature decreases in winter. There were clear differences in the proportion of active fixes observed in the biological seasons, with the highest activity level (70.3 %) during the pup rearing period. Circadian activity rhythm, sampled on a daily basis, indicates that raccoon dogs were mainly crepuscular and nocturnal with a mean activity level of 86.8 %. The mean diurnal activity level across the seasons was 32.4 %, ranging from 15.0 % in winter to 56.6 % during the pup rearing period. Allocation of active fixes for 24-h continuous observations during the first six weeks after parturition showed that males were mostly inactive, resting with the pups in the den, while females foraged to satisfy their increased energy requirements. This point to a clear division of labour between parents, during the pup rearing period.

In Norway, very few bats are found in caves and mines in winter, thus other habitats must be primary hibernation sites in this region. To explore roost site selection in late autumn and early winter at 62° N in western Norway, 18 bats of three genera of the Vespertilionidae family that are known to use underground hibernation sites were tagged with radio transmitters. The bats were tracked mostly during daytime between late September and up to early January. Mainly three habitats were used by bats in late autumn in this study; buildings, crevices in rock walls and rock scree. Roosts were distributed from sea level to the low alpine zone. Rock scree was confirmed as a hibernation site for bats.

We studied the diet of the American mink (Neovison vison) in small artificial watercourses located in a farmland area of the valley of the River Barycz in Poland. Rodents, mainly Microtus spp., were the most frequent prey identified, occurring in 88.3 % of all analyzed mink scat. Minks also fed willingly on fish, birds and amphibians, whereas insects, crayfish and reptiles accounted for only a small part of the biomass of food consumed. The food niche breadth of the mink's diet was wide, and varied significantly between seasons; in spring and autumn minks preyed mainly on rodents and fish, while the winter and summer diets consisted of a broad characterization of prey items. The proportion of mammals in the diet also decreased significantly during the summer months. These patterns differ from those previously reported in Europe, and demonstrate the plasticity of the mink diet across habitats.

The diet of the forest dormouse, Dryomys nitedula, was studied in Lithuania, which is situated on the north-western edge of its range. The diet composition of D. nitedula changes constantly over the activity period. From late April until mid-July, food of animal origin dominates the diet, while vegetable food prevails from mid-July until early September. Over the entire activity season, food of animal origin comprises on average 63 % of dormouse diet by volume estimates. Four main food groups — birds, adult insects, insect larvae and millipedes — dominate, but their proportions vary over the course of the season, as does the composition of vegetable food used by D. nitedula. Among vegetable food, dormice feed on blossoms of Norway spruce, oak and aspen in May, cones of Norway spruce during June-August, raspberries, birch seeds and fruits of glossy buckthorn in July and August and oak acorns in late August and early September. The composition of vegetable food used by D. nitedula in Lithuania is rather specific in comparison to other parts of the range and shows high dormouse adaptability to local conditions. In different years, the proportions of vegetable and animal food, as well as their compositions, vary in the dormouse diet. Dormice can accumulate sufficient fat reserves for hibernation feeding on both vegetable and animal food.