The tongue is often considered a key innovation in the evolution of a terrestrial lifestyle as it allows animals to transport food items through the oral cavity in air, a medium with low density and viscosity. The tongue has been secondarily coopted for a wide diversity of functions, including prey capture, drinking, breathing, and defensive behaviors. Within basal lizard groups, the tongue is used primarily for the purpose of prey capture and transport. In more derived groups, however, the tongue appears specialized for chemoreceptive purposes. Here we examine the tongue structure and morphology in lacertid lizards, a group of lizards where the tongue is critical to both food transport and chemoreception. Because of the different mechanical demands imposed by these different functions, regional morphological specializations of the tongue are expected. All species of lacertid lizards examined here have relatively light tongue muscles, but a well developed hyobranchial musculature that may assist during food transport. The intrinsic musculature, including verticalis, transversalis, and longitudinalis groups, is well developed and may cause the tongue elongation and retraction observed during chemoreception and drinking. The papillary morphology is complex and shows clear differences between the tongue tips and anterior fore-tongue, and the more posterior parts of the tongue. Our data show a subdivision between the fore-and hind-tongue in both papillary structure and muscular anatomy likely allowing these animals to use their tongues effectively during both chemoreception and prey transport. Moreover, our data suggest the importance of hyobranchium movements during prey transport in lacertid lizards.
Nest-site characteristics and nest-site selection in a forest population of common blackbird was investigated in an area of 200 ha in Eskişehir's Meşelik black pine forest during the spring of 2013. Within this framework, 36 nests were found in total: 31 of them were new and the rest (N = 5) were old. The nest-site characteristic parameters were measured in centimeters and nest tree species were recorded. According to the results, it was concluded that all of the nests were made on the stem of the nest tree at the widest part of the tree. Common blackbirds in the study area chose juniper to nest in most frequently, with 66.7% of the total. The density of the blackbird territory in the area was found to be 1.27 ha/nest. The mean ± SD distance between the nests was measured as 30.52 ± 7.5 m. In light of these findings, when the study results were analyzed, it was stipulated that common blackbirds in the investigation area have similar nest-site characteristics.
The habitat of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda, Linnaeus, 1758) in our country, due to the change of agricultural land to the natural and secondary steppe, nowadays constitutes mostly farmland. In addition to the pest control in the field of agriculture and indirectly to get more products from agricultural areas, wide variety of pesticides (Herbicides, Rodenticides, Insecticides, etc.) are used. In this study, it has been aimed to identify what agricultural pesticides are used in the living areas of the species and based on these findings the possible effects on this species are compared with the previous literature. This study was carried out in Eskişehir Aliken Important Nature Area and Kütahya Altıntaş Wildlife Development Area between March 2013 and May 2017. During the field survey in the habitat of great bustard, it was determined that 13 different active ingredients of herbicide, 3 different active ingredients of insecticide, and 2 different active ingredients of fungicide were used and these pesticides' photographs were taken and coordinates were noted. Finally, the written articles on the determined pesticide active ingredients were scanned and potential impacts on these endangered species are discussed
Great Bustard is one of the heaviest birds in the Western Palearctic, so aerodynamic effects are critically important for their distribution and conversation. To understand why do they need to find open areas during the resting and feeding time, aerodynamic features were discussed in this study. Mass of the Great Bustard and having proportionally small wings cause weak flight performance. In this work, those disadvantages were identified by aerodynamic approach and observation. Great Bustard tries to use the relative wind during the take-off to close these disadvantages. Also, turning performance which is affected by the same specifications with take-off performance can determine their behavior. As a result, aerodynamic factors may also play important role in their current status.
Summary The Great Bustard Otis tarda is a globally threatened species with populations inhabiting the steppe zones of Turkey. In recent decades, its populations in Turkey have suffered severe declines in range and size. Although the remaining populations are in urgent need of protection, there has been no national-scale study on the species since 2009, and huge information gaps remain concerning its range, abundance, and movements in the country. Here, we combined data from five years of fieldwork together with all available sight and literature records to present up-to-date estimates of distribution and population size in Turkey, to better understand its movement patterns, to reveal its recent and historical population changes, and to assess its national extinction risk and threats. We find that the species’ breeding population has shrunk by 20–29% over the last five years, and there are only 559–780 breeding Great Bustards in Turkey distributed in two discrete subpopulations. Comparison with historical records shows that the species’ range has shrunk by at least 60% since the beginning of the 20th century. We suggest possible migratory routes within and through Turkey and that Turkey might have a higher regional importance for the species than previously thought. Illegal hunting, agricultural intensification, shift to irrigated crops, overgrazing, collision with powerlines, and disturbance are the most severe threats to the species in Turkey. Our national Red List assessment yields an Endangered categorisation. Further studies are needed to understand the metapopulation structure and movements of the species and to conserve its remaining populations in Turkey.
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