The experience of animals in their natal or larval habitats has long been considered a potential source of variation in the habitat choices made later during dispersal. This idea has been of particular interest to evolutionary biologists because of the role such variation plays in the formation of host races and species. However, experiments that have tested for the effect of natal experience o...

The Queen of the Andes (Puya raimondii) is considered an ‘endangered’ species due to habitat fragmentation and loss, declining populations throughout its range. We used ecological niche modeling in context multiple climate change scenarios estimate potential present future (2050 2070) distribution species, analyzing effects loss importance natural protected areas across Our models predicted a r...

The arrival of bison in North America marks one of the most successful large-mammal dispersals from Asia within the last million years, yet the timing and nature of this event remain poorly determined. Here, we used a combined paleontological and paleogenomic approach to provide a robust timeline for the entry and subsequent evolution of bison within North America. We characterized two fossil-r...

The area, perimeter and diameter of the seminiferous tubules in the European bison Bison bonasus (L.) were statistically higher in the animals with than in those without spermiogenesis, both among 2-year-old and 3-year-old males (p < 0.001; p < 0.001; p < 0.001).

Conservation of genetic resources is connected with numerous problems which solution is crucial for the success of the entire program. At present the only effective method of long-term conservation of genetic material is its deep freezing in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. Some positive results were also obtained with the use of liquid oxygen which allows the use of lower temperatures. Cryo-conserva...

Habitat-selection analysis lacks an appropriate measure of the ecological significance of the statistical estimates-a practical interpretation of the magnitude of the selection coefficients. There is a need for a standard approach that allows relating the strength of selection to a change in habitat conditions across space, a quantification of the estimated effect size that can be compared both...

Given the veterinary and public health impact of vector-borne diseases, there is a clear need to assess the suitability of landscapes for the emergence and spread of these diseases. Current approaches for predicting disease risks neglect key features of the landscape as components of the functional habitat of vectors or hosts, and hence of the pathogen. Empirical-statistical methods do not expl...

BACKGROUND Ecological replacement involves the introduction of non-native species to habitats beyond their historical range, a factor identified as increasing the risk of failure for translocations. Yet the effectiveness and success of ecological replacement rely in part on the ability of translocatees to adapt, survive and potentially reproduce in a novel environment. We discuss the welfare as...

The construction of habitat models is a repeatable technique for describing and mapping species distributions, the utility of which lies in enabling management to predict where a species is likely to occur within a landscape. Typically, habitat models have been used to establish habitat requirements for threatened species; however they have equal applicability for modelling local populations of...