August 17, 2014

Image Caption: A remote camera recently captured P-13 and her 10-month-old kittens, P-28 and P-30, on a kill in Malibu Creek State Park. The three of them spent two nights sharing their meal of mule deer. After investigating more than 400 kill sites during our study, we found that mule deer accounted for 95 percent of mountain lion kills. Credit: National Park Service

Cell Press

That mountain lions have managed to survive at all in the Santa Monica Mountains of California in the vicinity of the megacity of Los Angeles is a testament to the resilience of wildlife, but researchers studying these large carnivorous cats now show in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on August 14 that the lions are also completely isolated, cut off from other populations by the freeway. According to the researchers analyses, only one young mountain lion successfully dispersed into the Santa Monica Mountains in a decade.

Due to their almost complete isolation, the Santa Monica mountain lions show dangerously low levels of genetic diversity, the study shows. The circumstances have also made the Los Angeles-area cats incredibly sensitive to individual behaviors. That single male that immigrated in 2009 and successfully mated substantially enhanced the genetic diversity of the entire population all on his own.

Many of these phenomena, including very low genetic diversity and close inbreeding, have only been previously seen in Florida panthers, an endangered and completely isolated population of mountain lions, says Seth Riley of the National Park Service. In our case, the fact that lions in the Santa Monica Mountains are completely surrounded by roads and development likely lead[s] to behaviors that would be rare or nonexistent if normal population and social processes could occur.

Among those behaviors, Riley and his colleagues found evidence of close inbreeding events between fathers and daughters and of intraspecific killing, even of offspring, siblings, and mates, all behaviors that the researchers suspect would be rare or nonexistent if sufficient movement between populations was possible.

While one male lion moved into the Santa Monica Mountains during the study period, to the researchers knowledge not a single young mountain lion has successfully dispersed out, when normally 75% of young lions all of the males and half of the females would likely disperse. Riley says the one possible exception that proves the rule is a single male who dispersed likely from the Santa Monica Mountains out to Griffith Park, where he lives in a tiny dead-end home range.

Increased connectivity is critical for the long-term survival of mountain lions and other wildlife in the region, Riley says. Unfortunately, no one was thinking about that 60 years ago when the Los Angeles freeway was built. As a result, Route 101 is a development corridor, with very little natural habitat on either side. Riley says the National Park Service, the California Department of Transportation, and other local agencies have been working for over a decade to try to obtain the funds for a wildlife crossing, ideally an overpass, for carnivores.

On the bright side, that one successful male immigrant shows that it might not take many successful crossings to get wild populations in much better shape at the genetic level. Otherwise, the future is easy to predict, Riley says.

See the original post here:
Freeways As Fences, Trapping The Mountain Lions Of Los Angeles

Our Emerging Artists picks for the Aug. 23 chart week are notable for two reasons: each video is not only thought-provoking, but adds to the overall context of the song, making this week's picks well-worth a peek.

Fences featuring Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, "Arrows": Fences' new track with its high-profile guests was released on July 29 via Sound Cloud, through Elektra/Atlantic. The song, from Fences' album Lesser Oceans, due Oct. 14, has already charted on Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart (No. 24, Aug. 16). Its video was the catalyst for Fences to debut on the weekly Billboard + Twitter Emerging Artists chart this week at No. 4. The concept for the clip was created by Jason Koenig, Chris Mansfield and Macklemore and Lewis. The video is as inventive as the song is catchy.

Young Kato, "Sunshine": The fun track is the newest single from the six-piece U.K. indie-pop band. It ranks at No. 13 on this week's Emerging Artists chart after its video was released on Vevo on Aug 3. As the video suggests, the song encourages listeners to live free, dance if you feel like dancing and, of course, enjoy the sun.

Years and Years, "Take Shelter": The song by the London trio caused waves on Twitter when its video dropped on Aug. 3. The release spurs a re-entry for the act at No. 14 on the Emerging Artists tally. "Take Shelter" is the lead single from the band's self-titled EP, due Tuesday (Aug. 19). The vibrato in lead singer Olly Alexander's voice gives the song power and depth and the feel of the song is aptly conceptualized in its video.

See the original post here:
Billboard + Twitter Real-time Charts: Emerging Picks for the Week feat. Fences, Young Kato, Years & Years

LOCKPORT Attaching a padlock to a fence or railing has become a symbol of love and commitment in some quarters, but on Saturday Lockport promoters hope it will become a symbol of Lockport.

At the Lockport Community Market on Canal Street on Saturday, the new Lockport Beautiful group will offer padlocks for sale for $5, in hopes that buyers will decorate them with decorations available at its booth, and attach them to one of the fences overlooking the Flight of Five, the original Erie Canal locks. Then, buyers will be encouraged to take a photo of their lock and post it on Twitter or Instagram, using #lockthelocks.

People may bring their own padlocks instead of buying them at the market.

Brian S. Smith, vice president of the Greater Lockport Development Corp., said participants will be randomly selected to win prizes ranging from free food to gift cards at Lockport businesses.

Excerpt from:
Lockport to decorate canal fences with padlocks

Minecraft Snapshot 14w32d - COLORED FENCES, NEW DOOR DESIGNS UPGRADED BEACONS! [HD]
Minecraft Snapshot 14w32d - COLORED FENCES, NEW DOOR DESIGNS UPGRADED BEACONS! [HD] 14w32d was released to fix a bug in 14w32c that crashed/kicked the client when joining dedicated servers....

By: BULLZNAKAZ

Read the original here:
Minecraft Snapshot 14w32d - COLORED FENCES, NEW DOOR DESIGNS & UPGRADED BEACONS! [HD] - Video

MINECRAFT DOORS and FENCES! 14w32d
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! Snapshot 14w32d. new doors and fences!

By: tyler0199

Go here to read the rest:
MINECRAFT DOORS and FENCES! 14w32d - Video

Minecraft Snapshot - 14w32d - New Doors/Fences
Minecraft Snapshot! I show some features in the new Minecraft Snapshot 14w32d.

By: DevisionHD

Continued here:
Minecraft Snapshot - 14w32d - New Doors/Fences - Video

Minecraft Snapshot | 14w32b | MORE FENCES #39;N STUFF
I take a look at the new Minecraft snapshot that came out this afternoon.

By: TheNarf49

See the rest here:
Minecraft Snapshot | 14w32b | MORE FENCES 'N STUFF - Video

Saints Row The Third Fences Keep People In

By: VicariousReality7

View original post here:
Saints Row The Third Fences Keep People In - Video

Forget Me Not - 4th Place USEF Pony Finals Over Fences
2014 USEF PONY HUNTER FINALS 4th Place, Small Pony Hunter over Fences Forget Me Not shown in the Small Pony Hunter Division at Pony Finals. Placed 4th over fences, 10th overall with 955 points....

By: Pblossom21

Read the original:
Forget Me Not - 4th Place USEF Pony Finals Over Fences - Video

Arrows - Fences, Macklemore Ryan Lewis - Outside Lands 2014

By: kiewic

View post:
Arrows - Fences, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Outside Lands 2014 - Video