scholarly journals Phylogenetic comparative analyses of the determinants of anti-predator distraction behavior in shorebirds

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miki Saijo ◽  
Nobuyuki Kutsukake
Keyword(s):  
Nest Site ◽  
Selective Pressure ◽  
Large Species ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Comparative Analyses ◽  
Colonial Nesting ◽  
Specific Variation ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Solitary Species ◽  
Predator Behavior

AbstractPredation risk exerts a strong selective pressure on anti-predator behavior, resulting in behaviors to achieve defense of offspring and the individual. In shorebirds, some species perform distraction behavior that is attracting the attention of a predator. This behavior evolved, and were lost multiple times, independently and the behavioral repertoire varies among species. Although defense of offspring is critical for parents, the determinants of inter-specific variation in the distraction behavior remain unstudied. We surveyed the literature and conducted phylogenetic comparative analyses (n = 169 species) to test predictions regarding nest site, body mass, and coloniality. We found that small species were more likely to perform distraction behavior than large species. Solitary species were more likely to perform distraction behavior than colonial nesting species. Previous studies suggested that colonial nesting and large species commonly perform aggressive anti-predator behavior, implying that distraction behavior is an alternative anti-predator strategy to aggressive ones.

scholarly journals On two species of Riocypris (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from northern Patagonia and their relation to Eucypris fontana: implications in paleoenvironmental reconstructions

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (8) ◽  
pp. 801-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Coviaga ◽  
A.P. Pérez ◽  
L.Y. Ramos ◽  
P. Alvear ◽  
G.C. Cusminsky
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Morphometric Analysis ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Comparative Analyses ◽  
Northern Patagonia ◽  
Geometric Morphometric Analysis ◽  
The Individual ◽  
First Time

Two species of ostracods new to Patagonia, Argentina, are described. One of them, Riocypris whatleyi sp. nov., is described for the first time, and the second, Riocypris sarsi (Daday, 1902) comb. nov., is reallocated from genus Eucypris to genus Riocypris. Inter- and intra-specific variations in shape, size, and sexual dimorphism were evaluated based on geometric morphometric analysis. Moreover, morphological and morphometric comparative analyses were applied to re-examine living and quaternary specimens recovered from previous studies. Based on these results, a generic reassignment for the Patagonian Eucypris fontana (Jurine, 1820) into the genus Riocypris is proposed. Contributing to the knowledge on the systematic and autecology of this enigmatic species, widely distributed in Patagonia and frequently used in paleolimnological reconstructions, generates science-based evidence for their use as indicator species. Additionally, our results emphasize the usefulness of studying the living representatives (i.e., with valves and appendages) for elucidating the taxonomic status of the individual specimens, especially those present in paleontological records and used as bioproxies in paleolimnological studies.

scholarly journals The dynamics of food chains under climate change and nutrient enrichment

2012 ◽  
Vol 367 (1605) ◽  
pp. 2935-2944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amrei Binzer ◽  
Christian Guill ◽  
Ulrich Brose ◽  
Björn C. Rall
Keyword(s):  
Food Chain ◽  
Nutrient Enrichment ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Large Species ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Population Dynamic Model ◽  
The Individual

Warming has profound effects on biological rates such as metabolism, growth, feeding and death of organisms, eventually affecting their ability to survive. Using a nonlinear bioenergetic population-dynamic model that accounts for temperature and body-mass dependencies of biological rates, we analysed the individual and interactive effects of increasing temperature and nutrient enrichment on the dynamics of a three-species food chain. At low temperatures, warming counteracts the destabilizing effects of enrichment by both bottom-up (via the carrying capacity) and top-down (via biological rates) mechanisms. Together with increasing consumer body masses, warming increases the system tolerance to fertilization. Simultaneously, warming increases the risk of starvation for large species in low-fertility systems. This effect can be counteracted by increased fertilization. In combination, therefore, two main drivers of global change and biodiversity loss can have positive and negative effects on food chain stability. Our model incorporates the most recent empirical data and may thus be used as the basis for more complex forecasting models incorporating food-web structure.

scholarly journals Observer effects occur when estimating alert but not flight-initiation distances

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.-J. Guay ◽  
E. M. McLeod ◽  
R. Cross ◽  
A. J. Formby ◽  
S. P. Maldonado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Species ◽  
Escape Behaviour ◽  
Broad Application ◽  
Comparative Analyses ◽  
Black Swans ◽  
Observer Effects ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Flight Initiation

Context The estimation of alert (vigilance) and flight-initiation (escape) distances (AD and FID, respectively) has underpinned theoretical and applied studies of the escape behaviour and management of disturbance to wildlife. Many studies use multiple observers, and some conduct meta-analyses; these efforts assume no observer effects in the estimation of these distances. Aims and methods We compared the estimates of FID and AD under ideal conditions (i.e. of black swans, Cygnus atratus, a large species with obvious behaviour, and at a location where swans allowed close approaches in open habitats), by one experienced and four inexperienced observers. Key results FID did not differ among observers but AD differed between the experienced and all inexperienced observers, and among inexperienced observers. Thus, FID estimates appear more repeatable than those of AD. Experience apparently results in more conservative estimates of AD. Conclusions FID represents a repeatable measure that is consistent across observers. This study supports its broad application in the study of wildlife escape behaviour. Implications We recommend the use of FID rather than AD for comparative analyses that involve multiple observers, because FID is more reliably measured.

scholarly journals Dissecting genetic and sex-specific host heterogeneity in pathogen transmission potential

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathon A. Siva-Jothy ◽  
Pedro F. Vale
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Pathogen Transmission ◽  
Virus Shedding ◽  
Transmission Potential ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
Specific Variation ◽  
The Individual

AbstractHeterogeneity in disease transmission is widespread and, when not accounted for, can produce unpredictable outbreaks of infectious disease. Despite this, precisely how different sources of variation in host traits drive heterogeneity in disease transmission is poorly understood. Here we dissected the sources of variation in pathogen transmission using Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila C Virus as a host-pathogen model system. We found that infected lifespan, viral growth, virus shedding, and viral load at death were all significantly influenced by fly genetic background, sex and female mating status. To understand how variation in each of these traits may generate heterogeneity in disease transmission, we estimated individual transmission potential by integrating data on virus shedding and lifespan alongside previously collected data on social aggregation. We found that ∼15% of between-individual heterogeneity in disease transmission was explained by a significant interaction between genetic and sex-specific variation. We also characterised the amount of variation in viral load, virus shedding, and lifespan following infection that could be explained by genetic background and sex. Amongst the determinants of individual variation in disease transmission these sources of host variation play roles of varying importance, with genetic background generally playing the largest role. Our results highlight the importance of characterising sources of variation in multiple host traits when studying disease transmission at the individual-level.

Anti-predator behavior

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas N. Sherratt ◽  
Changku Kang
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Comparative Methods ◽  
Behavioral Traits ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Specific Variation ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Physical Defence ◽  
Predator Behavior

Insects have evolved a wide range of behavioral traits to avoid predation. Frequently, these behaviors are deployed to augment the effectiveness of a primary defence such as crypsis or mimicry, but they are also sometimes elicited as a secondary defence when a primary defence fails. Anti-predator behaviors in insects include adaptations to avoid being detected by predators, adaptations rendering the insect unattractive to consume, warning behaviors, and behaviors to enhance the effectiveness of mimicry. This chapter reviews many of these behavioral anti-predator adaptations, emphasizing when they are elicited and highlighting their adaptive significance. We argue that some of the inter-specific variation in behavioral defences can be explained in terms of defensive portfolios: if a physical defence is sufficient, then behaviour to augment or back-up this defence is unnecessary. As the use of comparative methods increases, researchers will be better placed to understand variation in the suites of defences that evolve.

Small mammal bone accumulations produced by mammalian carnivores

Paleobiology ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Andrews ◽  
E. M. Nesbit Evans
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Tooth Enamel ◽  
Relative Strength ◽  
Large Prey ◽  
Large Species ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Owl Pellets ◽  
Tooth Marks

Small mammal bone assemblages from the scats of three families of mammalian carnivores are described here as a means of assessing paleontological bone assemblages. These are the Viverridae, Canidae, and Mustelidae. Marking behavior by the carnivores or their use of latrine areas can produce concentrations of bone comparable with those produced from owl pellets, but the nature of the bone assemblages is very different. Skeletal element preservation has a characteristic pattern related to the relative strength of the individual elements, so that the strongest elements are the ones that best survive the physical abrasion of the predator's teeth. Bone breakage is greatest in canids and least in some viverrids. Digestion of the bone occurs to a certain extent with all carnivores, with moderate rounding but little corrosion of either bones or teeth in viverrid-derived bone assemblages, very great rounding and severe corrosion of bone and tooth enamel (but little corrosion of tooth dentine) in canids, and moderate rounding and slight to moderate corrosion of bone and tooth dentine (but less of enamel) in mustelid-derived bone assemblages. Tooth marks are generally rare except in canid-derived bone assemblages. These patterns may enable the identification of predators responsible for the accumulation of fossil predator assemblages, and a consideration of the hunting and other behavior of that type of predator then permit the identification of possible biases in the fossil fauna. In the viverrids, for instance, the mongoose selected for large prey size and against cranial elements, while the genet took all prey sizes available to it and all body parts. Larger canids such as foxes and coyotes took both large and small species, but proportionally more of the most common prey species were present. Skulls were underrepresented. The small canid, the bat-eared fox, selected for the smallest prey species available to it but took all body parts. Mustelids took all sizes of prey, although not necessarily in proportion to their abundance in the habitat, and large species were underrepresented. If the predator type is known, therefore, for a fossil assemblage, these biases can be taken into account in assessing the paleoecological significance of the fauna. An example from the Olduvai Pleistocene deposits is given.

Enhancing the Nonsymbolic Communicative Behavior of Children with Multiple Impairments

1988 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 338-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
June E. Downing ◽  
Ellin Siegel-Causey
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Communication Intervention ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Communication Behaviors ◽  
Communicative Behavior ◽  
Communicative Interactions ◽  
The Individual

Communication intervention for children who do not make use of speech or other symbolic means is a critical concern for educators and therapists responsible for programming. This article addresses the need to identify the unconventional, nonsymbolic behaviors of children with severe, multiple disabilities. Suggestions are provided to improve the frequency and quality of communicative interactions by building on the current behavioral repertoire of the individual. Emphasis is placed on the dyadic nature of communication exchanges and the need for both communicative partners, the child and the professional, to modify their communication behaviors to improve interactions.

Inherent variation in carbon and nitrogen isotopic assimilation in the freshwater macro-invertebrate Cherax destructor

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (12) ◽  
pp. 1928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debashish Mazumder ◽  
Li Wen ◽  
Mathew P. Johansen ◽  
Tsuyoshi Kobayashi ◽  
Neil Saintilan
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Ecology ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Δ13c And Δ15n ◽  
Isotopic Signatures ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Source Selection ◽  
Cherax Destructor ◽  
Specific Variation ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Diet Source

Individual variability in diet source selection has often been cited as the main factor for intra-specific variation of isotopic signatures among food-web consumers. We conducted a laboratory study to test how well the individual variability of the δ13C and δ15N ratios in the muscle of an omnivore consumer (yabby: Cherax destructor) corresponded to the variability of various diet types and diet combinations. We found that C. destructor muscle isotope signatures varied in concert with the composition of single-source diets, and that this variability was low. However, when fed the same proportional mixture of multiple diet sources, comparatively high isotopic variability was observed among specimens. Results suggest that a substantial component of isotopic variability in wild populations may be owing to inherent differences in uptake, absorption, and sequestration among individuals, which is distinct from behaviourally driven individualised diet selection. Considering the potential of such individual variability in assimilation to be present in many different consumer populations, we suggest further testing for a range of species and inclusion of this source of variation, for interpretation of isotopic data for trophic ecology.

Metabolism, Growth, and Activity in Adélie and Emperor Penguin Embryos

The Auk ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 485-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa L. Bucher ◽  
George A. Bartholomew ◽  
W. Z. Trivelpiece ◽  
N. J. Volkman
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Consumption ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Predatory Behavior ◽  
Emperor Penguin ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Caloric Content ◽  
Large Species ◽  
Behavioral Repertoire ◽  
Pygoscelis Adeliae ◽  
Relative Growth

Abstract The eggs of Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri) penguins are smaller than those of large species in other orders. The incubation period in Adélie Penguins was as predicted based on egg mass, but in Emperor Penguins it was 50% longer than predicted. Although penguins have been described as semialtricial using the behavioral and morphological traits in Nice's (1962) classification, total oxygen consumption during incubation was similar to that of eggs of the same masses laid by precocial species. In both penguin species prepipping oxygen consumption was at a level predicted for precocial species. Adélie embryos grew continuously during the last two weeks of incubation, but the relative growth rate (%/day) of both wet and dry mass decreased steadily until day 32 of incubation. From day 21 to day 31 of incubation, there was no significant change in the wet mass, dry mass, or caloric content of yolk. The mass-specific caloric content of the embryos remained constant at 5.49 kcal/g dry mass. Activity of the embryo between pipping and hatching contributed importantly to measured oxygen consumption (∼10% of the total measured during incubation, ∼20% in pipped eggs from 3 days to 1 day before hatching, and ∼25% on the day of hatching). We suggest that the limited behavioral repertoire of hatchling penguins evolved as a response to the severity of the environment into which they hatch and because of the skilled predatory behavior that they must learn before they can feed themselves.

Inter-specific variation in anti-predator behavior in sympatric species of kangaroo rat

1995 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Randall ◽  
Susan M. Hatch ◽  
Evon R. Hekkala
Keyword(s):  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Kangaroo Rat ◽  
Specific Variation ◽  
Predator Behavior
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