We studied productivity and nesting success of the Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) during a 7-year period (1995–2001) in five nesting areas at the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. Two breeding areas continue to be the breeding strongholds for the species. We found 553 cavities with associated pairs and determined the outcome of 187 accessible nests. Of 510 eggs followed, 405 (79%) hatched, and 307 (60%) produced fledglings. Clutch size averaged 2.7 eggs, and mean reproductive output was 1.6 fledglings per egg-laying pair. Overall nest success was 80% and ranged from 88% in 1996 to 60% in 2000. This was higher than nest success of most psittacines, and we consider productivity excellent in remaining areas of good habitat. Nevertheless, the species has nearly disappeared from many areas of its former range that have been converted from old-growth coniferous stands to immature stands deficient in both nest sites and food. Productividad y Éxito de Anidación de Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha Resumen. Estudiamos productividad y éxito de anidación de Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha a lo largo de un periodo de siete años (1995 a 2001) en cinco áreas de anidación en la Sierra Madre Occidental en México. Corroboramos que las dos principales áreas de anidación reportadas en la literatura continúan siendo bastiones para la viabilidad de la especie. Encontramos 553 cavidades con parejas activas y evaluamos el desempeño reproductivo en 187 nidos accesibles. De 510 huevos considerados, 405 eclosionaron (79%), y 307 produjeron volantones (60%). Registramos 2.7 huevos por nidada y un desempeño reproductivo de 1.6 volantones por nidada. El éxito general de anidación fue del 80% y varió entre 88% en 1996 y 60% en el 2000. Comparados con cifras para otros psitácidos, los datos indican niveles altos de productividad para las áreas de anidación estudiadas. Sin embargo, la especie ha desaparecido de gran parte de su rango histórico, donde la actividad de extracción forestal ha transformado el bosque maduro de coníferas en rodales inmaduros con escasos sitios para anidación y reducida disponibilidad de alimento.

This study examined the role of the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) in the mediation of bradycardia and in the reception of barosensory information. The 82 rabbits in the investigation were anesthetized with ethyl carbamate. Train stimulation of medial or lateral PBN produced primary bradycardia (mean peak change: -74 beats/min) associated with a pressor response (average peak mean change: +10 mm Hg) of longer latency. Section of the cervical vagus nerves indicated that the bradycardia was mediated primarily by the parasympathetic nervous system. Heart rate and blood pressure responses to train stimulation did not vary systematically as a function of respiratory pattern; paralyzing animals with decamethonium hydrochloride and artificially ventilating them also did not influence the cardiovascular responses to stimulation. Single-pulse stimulation of PBN in conjunction with extracellular single neuron recording established that neurons originating in or projecting through PBN project to the commissural region of nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) where synapse is made neurons receiving barosensory input. In addition to establishing the existence of descending functional projections passing from PBN to NTS, injections of HRP into PBN revealed direct descending anatomical projections to PBN from regions of the forebrain previously implicated in the mediation of bradycardia. These included central nucleus of amygdala, lateral preoptic region, medial, forebrain bundle, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, anterior and lateral hypothalamus and zona incerta. The present investigation also indicated that PBN receives barosensory information. Single-pulse electrical stimulation of the aortic nerve (AN) activated neurons in NTS at an average latency of 7.5 ms and in PBN at a mean latency of 12.1 ms. Mean latency of 9 neurons in NTS activated antidromically by PBN stimulation was 3.4 ms. Conduction velocity of the monosynaptic fibers projecting from NTS to PBN was approximately 3.5 m/s, which would be characteristic of finely myelinated fibers. Injection of HRP into PBN confirmed the existence of direct ascending projections to PBN from regions of NTS (e.g. lateral commissural area) previously shown to receive primary barosensory input. However, the finding that only 1 of 9 NTS neurons antidromically activated by PBN stimulation also received barosensory stimulation, indicates that additional study is needed of the mono- and oligosynaptic functional projections from NTS to PBN. The present study did provide evidence that PBN both receives barosensory information at short latency over a direct route, and serves as a relay for descending projections mediating bradycardia.

ARTICLESLateral subthalamic area as mediator of bradycardia responses in rabbitsM. P. Kaufman, R. B. Hamilton, J. H. Wallach, G. K. Petrik, and N. SchneidermanM. P. Kaufman, R. B. Hamilton, J. H. Wallach, G. K. Petrik, and N. SchneidermanPublished Online:01 Mar 1979https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.1979.236.3.H471MoreSectionsPDF (2 MB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInWeChat Previous Back to Top Next Download PDF FiguresReferencesRelatedInformation More from this issue > Volume 236Issue 3March 1979Pages H471-H479 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1979 the American Physiological Societyhttps://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.1979.236.3.H471PubMed426083History Published online 1 March 1979 Published in print 1 March 1979 Metrics