@misc{Langer2011,
  type      = {Master Thesis},
  author    = {Langer, Marco},
  title     = {The effect of native forest dynamics upon the arrangements of species in oak forests-analysis of heterogeneity effects at the example of epigeal arthropods},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-55588},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {The heterogeneity in species assemblages of epigeal spiders was studied in a natural forest and in a managed forest. Additionally the effects of small-scale microhabitat heterogeneity of managed and unmanaged forests were determined by analysing the spider assemblages of three different microhabitat structures (i. vegetation, ii. dead wood. iii. litter cover). The spider were collected in a block design by pitfall traps (n=72) in a 4-week interval. To reveal key environmental factors affecting the spider distribution abiotic and biotic habitat parameters (e.g. vegetation parameters, climate parameters, soil moisture) were assessed around each pitfall trap. A TWINSPAN analyses separated pitfall traps from the natural forest from traps of the managed forest. A subsequent discriminant analyses revealed that the temperature, the visible sky, the plant diversity and the mean diameter at breast height as key discriminant factors between the microhabitat groupings designated by the TWINSPAN analyses. Finally a Redundant analysis (RDA) was done revealing similar environmental factors responsible for the spider species distribution, as a good separation of the different forest types as well as the separation of the microhabitat groupings from the TWINSPAN. Overall the study revealed that the spider communities differed between the forest types as well as between the microhabitat structures and thus species distribution changed within a forest stand on a fine spatial scale. It was documented that the structure of managed forests affects the composition of spider assemblages compared to natural forests significantly and even small scale-heterogeneity seems to influence the spider species composition.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{HenzeAumerGrabneretal.2011,
  author    = {Henze, Andrea and Aumer, Franziska and Grabner, Arthur and Raila, Jens and Schweigert, Florian J.},
  title     = {Genetic differences in the serum proteome of horses, donkeys and mules are detectable by protein profiling},
  series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  journal   = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  number    = {567},
  issn      = {1866-8372},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-41288},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-412886},
  pages     = {4},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Although horses and donkeys belong to the same genus, their genetic characteristics probably result in specific proteomes and post-translational modifications (PTM) of proteins. Since PTM can alter protein properties, specific PTM may contribute to species-specific characteristics. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse differences in serum protein profiles of horses and donkeys as well as mules, which combine the genetic backgrounds of both species. Additionally, changes in PTM of the protein transthyretin (TTR) were analysed. Serum protein profiles of each species (five animals per species) were determined using strong anion exchanger ProteinChips (R) (Bio-Rad, Munich, Germany) in combination with surface-enhanced laser desorption ionisation-time of flight MS. The PTM of TTR were analysed subsequently by immunoprecipitation in combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight MS. Protein profiling revealed species-specific differences in the proteome, with some protein peaks present in all three species as well as protein peaks that were unique for donkeys and mules, horses and mules or for horses alone. The molecular weight of TTR of horses and donkeys differed by 30Da, and both species revealed several modified forms of TTR besides the native form. The mass spectra of mules represented a merging of TTR spectra of horses and donkeys. In summary, the present study indicated that there are substantial differences in the proteome of horses and donkeys. Additionally, the results probably indicate that the proteome of mules reveal a higher similarity to donkeys than to horses.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Vosloh2011,
  author    = {Vosloh, Daniel},
  title     = {Subcellular compartmentation of primary carbon metabolism in mesophyll cells of Arabidopsis thaliana},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-55534},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Metabolismus in Pflanzenzellen ist stark kompartimentiert. Viele Stoffwechselwege haben Reaktionen in mehr als einem Kompartiment. Zum Beispiel wird w{\"a}hrend der Photosynthese in pflanzlichen Mesophyllzellen Kohlenstoff in Form von St{\"a}rke in den Chloroplasten synthetisiert, w{\"a}hrend es im Zytosol in Form von Sacharose gebildet und in der Vakuole gespeichert wird. Diese Reaktionen sind strikt reguliert um ein Gleichgewicht der Kohlenstoffpools der verschiedenen Kompartimente aufrecht zu erhalten und die Energieversorgung aller Teile der Zelle f{\"u}r anabolische Reaktionen sicher zu stellen. Ich wende eine Methode an, bei der die Zellen unter nicht-w{\"a}ssrigen Bedingungen fraktioniert werden und daher der metabolische Status der w{\"a}hrend der Ernte herrschte {\"u}ber den ganzen Zeitraum der Auftrennung beibehalten wird. Durch die Kombination von nichtw{\"a}ssriger Fraktionierung und verschiedener Massenspektrometrietechniken (Fl{\"u}ssigchromotagraphie- und Gaschromotagraphie basierende Massenspekrometrie) ist es m{\"o}glich die intrazellul{\"a}re Verteilung der meisten Intermediate des photosynthetischen Kohlenstoffstoffwechsels und der Produkte der nachgelagerten metabolischen Reaktionen zu bestimmen. Das Wissen {\"u}ber die in vivo Konzentrationen dieser Metabolite wurde genutzt um die {\"A}nderung der freien Gibbs Energie in vivo zu bestimmen. Mit Hilfe dessen kann bestimmt werden, welche Reaktion sich in einem Gleichgewichtszustand befinden und welche davon entfernt sind. Die Konzentration der Enzyme und der Km Werte wurden mit den Konzentrationen der Metabolite in vivo verglichen, um festzustellen, welche Enzyme substratlimitiert sind und somit sensitiv gegen{\"u}ber {\"A}nderungen der Substratkonzentration sind. Verschiedene Intermediate des Calvin-Benson Zyklus sind gleichzeitig Substrate f{\"u}r andere Stoffwechselwege, als da w{\"a}ren Dihyroxyaceton-phosphat (DHAP, Saccharosesynthese), Fructose 6-phosphat (Fru6P, St{\"a}rkesynthese), Erythrose 4-phosphat (E4P, Shikimat Stoffwechselweg) und Ribose 5-phosphat (R5P, Nukleotidbiosynthese). Die Enzyme, die diese Intermediate verstoffwechseln, liegen an den Abzweigungspunkten zu diesen Stoffwechselwegen. Diese sind Trisose phosphat isomerase (DHAP), Transketolase (E4P), Sedoheptulose-1,7 biphosphat aldolase (E4P) und Ribose-5-phosphat isomerase (R5P), welche nicht mit ihren Substraten ges{\"a}ttigt sind, da die jeweilige Substratkonzentration geringer als der zugeh{\"o}rige Km Wert ist. F{\"u}r metabolische Kontrolle bedeutet dies, dass diese Schritte am sensitivsten gegen{\"u}ber {\"A}nderungen der Substratkonzentrationen sind. Im Gegensatz dazu sind die regulierten irreversiblen Schritte von Fructose-1,6.biphosphatase und Sedoheptulose-1,7-biphosphatase relativ insensitiv gegen{\"u}ber {\"A}nderungen der Substratkonzentration. F{\"u}r den Stoffwechselweg der Saccharosesynthese konnte gezeigt werden, dass die zytosolische Aldolase eine geringer Bindeseitenkonzentration als Substratkonzentration (DHAP) aufweist, und dass die Konzentration von Saccharose-6-phosphat geringer als der Km Wert des synthetisierenden Enzyms Saccharose-phosphatase ist. Sowohl die Saccharose-phosphat-synthase, also auch die Saccharose-phosphatase sind in vivo weit von einem Gleichgewichtszustand entfernt. In Wildtyp Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia-0 Bl{\"a}ttern wurde der gesamte Pool von ADPGlc im Chloroplasten gefunden. Das Enzyme ADPGlc pyrophosphorylase ist im Chloroplasten lokalisiert und synthetisiert ADPGlc aus ATP und Glc1P. Dieses Verteilungsmuster spricht eindeutig gegen die Hypothese von Pozueta-Romero und Kollegen, dass ADPGlc im Zytosol durch ADP vermittelte Spaltung von Saccharose durch die Saccharose Synthase erzeugt wird. Basierend auf dieser Beobachtung und anderen ver{\"o}ffentlichten Ergebnissen wurde geschlußfolgert, dass der generell akzeptierte Stoffwechselweg der St{\"a}rkesynthese durch ADPGlc Produktion via ADPGlc pyrophosphorylase in den Chloroplasten korrekt ist, und die Hypothese des alternativen Stoffwechselweges unhaltbar ist. Innerhalb des Stoffwechselweges der Saccharosesynthsese wurde festgestellt, dass die Konzentration von ADPGlc geringer als der Km Wert des St{\"a}rkesynthase ist, was darauf hindeutet, dass das Enzym substratlimitiert ist. Eine generelle Beobachtung ist, dass viele Enzmye des Calvin-Benson Zyklus {\"a}hnliche Bindeseitenkonzentrationen wie Metabolitkonzentrationen aufweisen, wohingegen in den Synthesewegen von Saccharose und St{\"a}rke die Bindeseitenkonzentrationen der Enzyme viel geringer als die Metabolitkonzentrationen sind.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{BarbosaPfannes2011,
  author    = {Barbosa Pfannes, Eva Katharina},
  title     = {Probing the regulatory mechanisms of the actomyosin system in motile cells},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-57812},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Actin-based directional motility is important for embryonic development, wound healing, immune responses, and development of tissues. Actin and myosin are essential players in this process that can be subdivided into protrusion, adhesion, and traction. Protrusion is the forward movement of the membrane at the leading edge of the cell. Adhesion is required to enable movement along a substrate, and traction finally leads to the forward movement of the entire cell body, including its organelles. While actin polymerization is the main driving force in cell protrusions, myosin motors lead to the contraction of the cell body. The goal of this work was to study the regulatory mechanisms of the motile machinery by selecting a representative key player for each stage of the signaling process: the regulation of Arp2/3 activity by WASP (actin system), the role of cGMP in myosin II assembly (myosin system), and the influence of phosphoinositide signaling (upstream receptor pathway). The model organism chosen for this work was the social ameba Dictyostelium discoideum, due to the well-established knowledge of its cytoskeletal machinery, the easy handling, and the high motility of its vegetative and starvation developed cells. First, I focused on the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton by modulating the activity of one of its key players, the Arp2/3 complex. This was achieved using the carbazole derivative Wiskostatin, an inhibitor of the Arp2/3 activator WASP. Cells treated with Wiskostatin adopted a round shape, with no of few pseudopodia. With the help of a microfluidic cell squeezer device, I could show that Wiskostatin treated cells display a reduced mechanical stability, comparable to cells treated with the actin disrupting agent Latrunculin A. Furthermore, the WASP inhibited cells adhere stronger to a surface and show a reduced motility and chemotactic performance. However, the overall F-actin content in the cells was not changed. Confocal microscopy and TIRF microscopy imaging showed that the cells maintained an intact actin cortex. Localized dynamic patches of increased actin polymerization were observed that, however, did not lead to membrane deformation. This indicated that the mechanisms of actin-driven force generation were impaired in Wiskostatin treated cells. It is concluded that in these cells, an altered architecture of the cortical network leads to a reduced overall stiffness of the cell, which is insufficient to support the force generation required for membrane deformation and pseudopod formation. Second, the role of cGMP in myosin II dynamics was investigated. Cyclic GMP is known to regulate the association of myosin II with the cytoskeleton. In Dictyostelium, intracellular cGMP levels increase when cells are exposed to chemoattractants, but also in response to osmotic stress. To study the influence of cyclic GMP on actin and myosin II dynamics, I used the laser-induced photoactivation of a DMACM-caged-Br-cGMP to locally release cGMP inside the cell. My results show that cGMP directly activates the myosin II machinery, but is also able to induce an actin response independently of cAMP receptor activation and signaling. The actin response was observed in both vegetative and developed cells. Possible explanations include cGMP-induced actin polymerization through VASP (vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein) or through binding of cGMP to cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases. Finally, I investigated the role of phosphoinositide signaling using the Polyphosphoinositide-Binding Peptide (PBP10) that binds preferentially to PIP2. Phosphoinositides can recruit actin-binding proteins to defined subcellular sites and alter their activity. Neutrophils, as well as developed Dictyostelium cells produce PIP3 in the plasma membrane at their leading edge in response to an external chemotactic gradient. Although not essential for chemotaxis, phosphoinositides are proposed to act as an internal compass in the cell. When treated with the peptide PBP10, cells became round, with fewer or no pseudopods. PH-CRAC translocation to the membrane still occurs, even at low cAMP stimuli, but cell motility (random and directional) was reduced. My data revealed that the decrease in the pool of available PIP2 in the cell is sufficient to impair cell motility, but enough PIP2 remains so that PIP3 is formed in response to chemoattractant stimuli. My data thus highlights how sensitive cell motility and morphology are to changes in the phosphoinositide signaling. In summary, I have analyzed representative regulatory mechanisms that govern key parts of the motile machinery and characterized their impact on cellular properties including mechanical stability, adhesion and chemotaxis.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Massie2011,
  author    = {Massie, Thomas Michael},
  title     = {Dynamic behavior of phytoplankton populations far from steady state : chemostat experiments and mathematical modeling},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-58102},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Nature changes continuously and is only seemingly at equilibrium. Environmental parameters like temperature, humidity or insolation may strongly fluctuate on scales ranging from seconds to millions of years. Being part of an ecosystem, species have to cope with these environmental changes. For ecologists, it is of special interest how individual responses to environmental changes affect the dynamics of an entire population - and, if this behavior is predictable. In this context, the demographic structure of a population plays a decisive role since it originates from processes of growth and mortality. These processes are fundamentally influenced by the environment. But, how exactly does the environment influence the behavior of populations? And what does the transient behavior look like? As a result from environmental influences on demography, so called cohorts form. They are age or size classes that are disproportionally represented in the demographic distribution of a population. For instance, if most old and young individuals die due to a cold spell, the population finally consists of mainly middle-aged individuals. Hence, the population got synchronized. Such a population tends to show regular fluctuations in numbers (denoted as oscillations) since the alternating phases of individual growth and population growth (due to reproduction) are now performed synchronously by the majority of the population.That is, one time the population growths, and the other time it declines due to mortality. Synchronous behavior is one of the most pervasive phenomena in nature. Gravitational synchrony in the solar system; fireflies flashing in unison; coordinate firing of pacemaker cells in the heart; electrons in a superconductor marching in lockstep. Whatever scale one looks at, in animate as well as inanimate systems, one is likely to encounter synchrony. In experiments with phytoplankton populations, I could show that this principle of synchrony (as used by physicists) could well-explain the oscillations observed in the experiments, too. The size of the fluctuations depended on the strength by which environmental parameters changed as well as on the demographic state of a population prior to this change. That is, two population living in different habitats can be equally influenced by an environmental change, however, the resulting population dynamics may be significantly different when both populations differed in their demographic state before. Moreover, specific mechanisms relevant for the dynamic behavior of populations, appear only when the environmental conditions change. In my experiments, the population density declined by 50\% after ressource supply was doubled. This counter-intuitive behavior can be explained by increasing ressource consumption. The phytoplankton cells grew larger and enhanced their individual constitution. But at the same time, reproduction was delayed and the population density declined due to the losses by mortality. Environmental influences can also synchronize two or more populations over large distances, which is denoted as Moran effect. Assume two populations living on two distant islands. Although there is no exchange of individuals between them, both populations show a high similarity when comparing their time series. This is because the globally acting climate synchronizes the regionally acting weather on both island. Since the weather fluctuations influence the population dynamics, the Moran effect states that the synchrony between the environment equals the one between the populations. My experiments support this theory and also explain deviations arising when accounting for differences in the populations and the habitats they are living in. Moreover, model simulations and experiments astonishingly show that the synchrony between the populations can be higher than between the environment, when accounting for differences in the environmental fluctuations ("noise color").},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{AndradeLinares2011,
  author    = {Andrade Linares, Diana Roc{\´i}o},
  title     = {Characterization of tomato root-endophytic fungi and analysis of their effects on plant development, on fruit yield and quality and on interaction with the pathogen Verticillium dahliae},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-51375},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Non-mycorrhizal fungal endophytes are able to colonize internally roots without causing visible disease symptoms establishing neutral or mutualistic associations with plants. These fungi known as non-clavicipitaceous endophytes have a broad host range of monocot and eudicot plants and are highly diverse. Some of them promote plant growth and confer increased abiotic-stress tolerance and disease resistance. According to such possible effects on host plants, it was aimed to isolate and to characterize native fungal root endophytes from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and to analyze their effects on plant development, plant resistance and fruit yield and quality together with the model endophyte Piriformospora indica. Fifty one new fungal strains were isolated from desinfected tomato roots of four different crop sites in Colombia. These isolates were roughly characterized and fourteen potential endophytes were further analyzed concerning their taxonomy, their root colonization capacity and their impact on plant growth. Sequencing of the ITS region from the ribosomal RNA gene cluster and in-depth morphological characterisation revealed that they correspond to different phylogenetic groups among the phylum Ascomycota. Nine different morphotypes were described including six dark septate endophytes (DSE) that did not correspond to the Phialocephala group. Detailed confocal microscopy analysis showed various colonization patterns of the endophytes inside the roots ranging from epidermal penetration to hyphal growth through the cortex. Tomato pot experiments under glass house conditions showed that they differentially affect plant growth depending on colonization time and inoculum concentration. Three new isolates (two unknown fungal endophyte DSE48, DSE49 and one identified as Leptodontidium orchidicola) with neutral or positiv effects were selected and tested in several experiments for their influence on vegetative growth, fruit yield and quality and their ability to diminish the impact of the pathogen Verticillium dahliae on tomato plants. Although plant growth promotion by all three fungi was observed in young plants, vegetative growth parameters were not affected after 22 weeks of cultivation except a reproducible increase of root diameter by the endophyte DSE49. Additionally, L. orchidicola increased biomass and glucose content of tomato fruits, but only at an early date of harvest and at a certain level of root colonization. Concerning bioprotective effects, the endophytes DSE49 and L. orchidicola decreased significantly disease symptoms caused by the pathogen V. dahliae, but only at a low dosis of the pathogen. In order to analyze, if the model root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica could be suitable for application in production systems, its impact on tomato was evaluated. Similarly to the new fungal isolates, significant differences for vegetative growth parameters were only observable in young plants and, but protection against V. dahliae could be seen in one experiment also at high dosage of the pathogen. As the DSE L. orchidicola, P. indica increased the number and biomass of marketable tomatoes only at the beginning of fruit setting, but this did not lead to a significant higher total yield. If the effects on growth are due to a better nutrition of the plant with mineral element was analyzed in barley in comparison to the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae. While the mycorrhizal fungus increased nitrogen and phosphate uptake of the plant, no such effect was observed for P. indica. In summary this work shows that many different fungal endophytes can be also isolated from roots of crops and, that these isolates can have positive effects on early plant development. This does, however, not lead to an increase in total yield or in improvement of fruit quality of tomatoes under greenhouse conditions.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Winck2011,
  author    = {Winck, Flavia Vischi},
  title     = {Nuclear proteomics and transcription factor profiling in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-53909},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {The transcriptional regulation of the cellular mechanisms involves many different components and different levels of control which together contribute to fine tune the response of cells to different environmental stimuli. In some responses, diverse signaling pathways can be controlled simultaneously. One of the most important cellular processes that seem to possess multiple levels of regulation is photosynthesis. A model organism for studying photosynthesis-related processes is the unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, due to advantages related to culturing, genetic manipulation and availability of genome sequence. In the present study, we were interested in understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying photosynthesis-related processes. To achieve this goal different molecular approaches were followed. In order to indentify protein transcriptional regulators we optimized a method for isolation of nuclei and performed nuclear proteome analysis using shotgun proteomics. This analysis permitted us to improve the genome annotation previously published and to discover conserved and enriched protein motifs among the nuclear proteins. In another approach, a quantitative RT-PCR platform was established for the analysis of gene expression of predicted transcription factor (TF) and other transcriptional regulator (TR) coding genes by transcript profiling. The gene expression profiles for more than one hundred genes were monitored in time series experiments under conditions of changes in light intensity (200 µE m-2 s-1 to 700 µE m-2 s-1), and changes in concentration of carbon dioxide (5\% CO2 to 0.04\% CO2). The results indicate that many TF and TR genes are regulated in both environmental conditions and groups of co-regulated genes were found. Our findings also suggest that some genes can be common intermediates of light and carbon responsive regulatory pathways. These approaches together gave us new insights about the regulation of photosynthesis and revealed new candidate regulatory genes, helping to decipher the gene regulatory networks in Chlamydomonas. Further experimental studies are necessary to clarify the function of the candidate regulatory genes and to elucidate how cells coordinately regulate the assimilation of carbon and light responses.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Schoenheit2011,
  author    = {Sch{\"o}nheit, J{\"o}rg},
  title     = {A phagocyte-specific Irf8 gene enhancer establishes early conventional dendritic cell commitment},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-55482},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Haematopoietic development is a complex process that is strictly hierarchically organized. Here, the phagocyte lineages are a very heterogeneous cell compartment with specialized functions in innate immunity and induction of adaptive immune responses. Their generation from a common precursor must be tightly controlled. Interference within lineage formation programs for example by mutation or change in expression levels of transcription factors (TF) is causative to leukaemia. However, the molecular mechanisms driving specification into distinct phagocytes remain poorly understood. In the present study I identify the transcription factor Interferon Regulatory Factor 8 (IRF8) as the specification factor of dendritic cell (DC) commitment in early phagocyte precursors. Employing an IRF8 reporter mouse, I showed the distinct Irf8 expression in haematopoietic lineage diversification and isolated a novel bone marrow resident progenitor which selectively differentiates into CD8α+ conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) in vivo. This progenitor strictly depends on Irf8 expression to properly establish its transcriptional DC program while suppressing a lineage-inappropriate neutrophile program. Moreover, I demonstrated that Irf8 expression during this cDC commitment-step depends on a newly discovered myeloid-specific cis-enhancer which is controlled by the haematopoietic transcription factors PU.1 and RUNX1. Interference with their binding leads to abrogation of Irf8 expression, subsequently to disturbed cell fate decisions, demonstrating the importance of these factors for proper phagocyte cell development. Collectively, these data delineate a transcriptional program establishing cDC fate choice with IRF8 in its center.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{EccardFeyCaspersetal.2011,
  author    = {Eccard, Jana and Fey, Karen and Caspers, Barbara A. and Yl{\"o}nen, Hannu},
  title     = {Breeding state and season affect interspecific interaction types},
  series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  journal   = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  number    = {729},
  issn      = {1866-8372},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-42939},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-429398},
  pages     = {623 -- 633},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Indirect resource competition and interference are widely occurring mechanisms of interspecific interactions. We have studied the seasonal expression of these two interaction types within a two-species, boreal small mammal system. Seasons differ by resource availability, individual breeding state and intraspecific social system. Live-trapping methods were used to monitor space use and reproduction in 14 experimental populations of bank voles Myodes glareolus in large outdoor enclosures with and without a dominant competitor, the field vole Microtus agrestis. We further compared vole behaviour using staged dyadic encounters in neutral arenas in both seasons. Survival of the non-breeding overwintering bank voles was not affected by competition. In the spring, the numbers of male bank voles, but not of females, were reduced significantly in the competition populations. Bank vole home ranges expanded with vole density in the presence of competitors, indicating food limitation. A comparison of behaviour between seasons based on an analysis of similarity revealed an avoidance of costly aggression against opponents, independent of species. Interactions were more aggressive during the summer than during the winter, and heterospecific encounters were more aggressive than conspecific encounters. Based on these results, we suggest that interaction types and their respective mechanisms are not either-or categories and may change over the seasons. During the winter, energy constraints and thermoregulatory needs decrease direct aggression, but food constraints increase indirect resource competition. Direct interference appears in the summer, probably triggered by each individual's reproductive and hormonal state and the defence of offspring against conspecific and heterospecific intruders. Both interaction forms overlap in the spring, possibly contributing to spring declines in the numbers of subordinate species.},
  language  = {en}
}