No abstract

Investigating patterns of variation in mating strategies may shed light on their evolutionary importance as well as their impact on the strength and shape of sexual selection. Multimale mating (polyandry) and mate choice are intensely studied subjects in the area of sexual selection, but little is known about intraspecific patterns of variation that may respond to dynamic cost-benefit balances. In a laboratory study, we investigated the mating behavior of female bank voles (Myodes glareolus) with distinctly different time and energy budgets: They were either in cycling estrus (CE) or postpartum estrus (PPE) shortly after delivery. Postpartum mating is highly constrained by time and energy due to maternal commitments to the newborn litter. All females had a free and simultaneous choice among 4 males that differed in scent-marking frequency (indicator of dominance) and body mass. We show that females in CE engaged significantly more often in multimale mating than females in PPE. Additionally, PPE females mated with males that scent marked more, whereas CE females seemingly mated indiscriminately. We discuss our findings in light of time and energy budgets of females and also consider alternative explanations such as pup protection against infanticidal males or physiological constraints to estrus modes.

We studied in central Finland whether stump harvesting after clear felling of coniferous forest poses further short-term changes in soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics when compared to the traditional site preparation method, mounding. Exposed mineral soil patches in Norway spruce (Picea abies) dominated clear-cut stands were sampled 1–5 years after the treatments. The extent of the exposed mineral soil surface was significantly larger at the stump removal sites when compared to the mounding sites. No differences were found in soil pH, organic matter content or total concentration of soil C between the treatments or treatment years. Total concentration of soil N was consistently higher and C:N ratio lower in the stump removal plots than in the mounded plots. Further, both net N mineralisation and nitrification were clearly increased in the stump removal plots one year after the treatments. Soil microbial activity (CO production) was higher in the stump removal plots but similar difference was not found in sieved soil samples incubated in the laboratory. Fluxes of other important greenhouse gases (CH and NO) did not seem to be affected by stump removal. The differences between the stump removal and mounding procedures were most obviously attributed to more substantial soil disturbance by stump pulling and/or differences in the microbial communities and quality of soil organic matter in the differently treated soil.242

Tensions between the well-being of present humans, future humans, and nonhuman nature manifest in social protests and political and academic debates over the future of Earth. The increasing consumption of natural resources no longer increases, let alone equalises, human well-being, but has led to the current ecological crisis and harms both human and nonhuman well-being. While the crisis has been acknowledged, the existing conceptual frameworks are in some respects ill-equipped to address the crisis in a way that would link the resolving of the crisis with the pivotal aim of promoting equal well-being. The shortcomings of the existing concepts in this respect relate to anthropocentric normative orientation, methodological individualism that disregards process dynamics and precludes integrating the considerations of human and nonhuman well-being, and the lack of multiscalar considerations of well-being. This work derives and proposes the concept of planetary well-being to address the aforementioned conceptual issues, to recognise the moral considerability of both human and nonhuman well-being, and to promote transdisciplinary, cross-cultural discourse for addressing the crisis and for promoting societal and cultural transformation. Conceptually, planetary well-being shifts focus on well-being from individuals to processes, Earth system and ecosystem processes, that underlie all well-being. Planetary well-being is a state where the integrity of Earth system and ecosystem processes remains unimpaired to a degree that species and populations can persist to the future and organisms have the opportunity to achieve well-being. After grounding and introducing planetary well-being, this work shortly discusses how the concept can be operationalised and reflects upon its potential as a bridging concept between different worldviews.

The arthropod community of boreal Norway spruce forests responds variably to stump harvesting Kataja-aho, Saana; Hannonen, Paloma; Liukkonen, Titta; Rosten, Hertta; Koivula, Matti J.; Koponen, Seppo; Haimi, Jari Kataja-aho, S., Hannonen, P., Liukkonen, T., Rosten, H., Koivula, M. J., Koponen, S., & Haimi, J. (2016). The arthropod community of boreal Norway spruce forests responds variably to stump harvesting. Forest Ecology and Management, 371, 75-83. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2016 Forest fuel harvesting increases the need to collect not just logging residues but also tree 43 stumps from harvested stands. This biomass removal has raised concern over forest 44 biodiversity. Here, the effects of stump harvesting on spiders, ants, harvestmen, ground 45 beetles and epiedaphic springtails occupying boreal Norway spruce (Picea abies) forest 46 floor were studied two and five years after harvesting by comparing pitfall trap samples 47 from clear-cut sites with and without subsequent stump harvesting and from unharvested 48 mature forests in central Finland. At harvested sites, traps were placed both on intact and 49 exposed mineral soil surface. Open-habitat and generalist ground beetles benefitted from 50 the stump harvesting, but generally the numbers of arthropods between stump harvesting 51 treatments and different aged clear-cuts were rather similar. The intact forest floor hosted 52 more ants, springtails and harvestmen than did the exposed mineral soil. Moreover, the 53 community structure of spiders, ground beetles and springtails was affected by stump 54 harvesting, forest-floor quality (intact or exposed), and time elapsed since harvesting. 55Based on these results we recommend minimizing the exposure of mineral soil during 56 management practices. However, more long-term studies are required to document the 57 development of fauna in the harvested areas and the ecosystem-level impacts of 58 utilization of forest biomass for energy. 59 60