Ontogeny of scent marking behaviours in an apex carnivore

Behaviour ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Maximilian L. Allen ◽  
Heiko U. Wittmer ◽  
Emmarie P. Alexander ◽  
Christopher C. Wilmers
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Scent Mark ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Risk Of Injury ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Communication Behaviours ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Puma (Puma concolor) communication with conspecifics is via indirect scent marking behaviours that are important for individuals to advertise their territory and reproductive status, but little is known about how the behaviours develop with age. To examine the development of scent marking behaviours, we monitored the behaviours of adult pumas and dependent kittens. Based on video recordings, we found that the frequency of puma communication behaviours significantly changed over time. Kittens exhibited olfactory investigation more frequently as they aged, but kittens generally did not exhibit scent marking behaviours. Kittens travel with their mothers until they disperse, so there is no need to establish territories or advertise availability to mate, but kittens are at risk of injury or mortality from other pumas. It is possible that there is no functional need for dependent kittens to scent mark until they mature, but there is a need for frequent use of investigative behaviours.

Puma communication behaviours: understanding functional use and variation among sex and age classes

Behaviour ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 151 (6) ◽  
pp. 819-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian L. Allen ◽  
Heiko U. Wittmer ◽  
Christopher C. Wilmers
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategy ◽  
Mate Selection ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Territorial Defence ◽  
Video Cameras ◽  
Intraspecific Communication ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Experimental Treatments ◽  
Communication Behaviours

Intraspecific communication for mate selection sometimes varies between sexes based on different evolutionary life history patterns. Solitary felids use communication for territorial defence and location of mates, for which they use scent-marking behaviours including scraping, urine spraying, body rubbing, caterwauling, cheek rubbing, and the flehmen response, but these behaviours are not well understood in pumas (Puma concolor). We used motion-triggered video cameras to document the use of communication behaviours by male and female pumas, and used a series of experimental treatments to determine the mechanisms and importance of visual and olfactory cues in puma scrapes. We found that pumas use the physical scrape to locate communications, and then use urine to convey and interpret the communication itself. We also found significant differences among puma age and sex classes in the proportion of use and duration of time behaviours were displayed. Mature males spent significantly longer durations () on producing behaviours (scraping, body rubbing, and caterwauling behaviours) than mature females (), and males used scraping (78.5%) and body rubbing (12.4%) behaviours at a higher proportion of visits than females (13.6 and 2.7%, respectively). Mature females spent significantly longer durations () on consuming behaviours (investigating and flehmen response behaviours) than mature males (), and females used flehmen response (30.6%) and caterwauling (9.3%) behaviours at a higher proportion of visits than mature males (6.5% flehmen and 0.4% caterwauling). Male reproductive strategy appears based on advertisement for possible mates, while female reproductive strategy appears based on assessment of possible mates. The use of communication behaviours also appears to develop with age, as immature pumas rarely visited and acted as non-participants in communication behaviours.

scholarly journals Using Cartographies to Map Time and Space in Teacher Learning in and Outside School

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692199290
Author(s):  
Paulo Padilla-Petry ◽  
Fernando Hernández-Hernández ◽  
Joan-Anton Sánchez-Valero
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Visual Methods ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Pedagogical Relations ◽  
Over Time

This article explores the relations between teachers’ visual cartographies and oral narratives to better understand the spatial and temporal relations on teacher learning. It builds on a research project whose main questions were: 1) How and where do secondary school teachers learn to teach? 2) What are the consequences of this learning in their pedagogical relations and their students’ learning processes and results? Since narrative research has been a common way of approaching the subject and have led to an emphasis on learning as a journey across contexts and over time, some of its contributions to explore teachers’ learning paths are theoretically discussed, and visual methods, particularly cartographies, are also examined. Furthermore, the article presents the analysis of cartographies and video recordings of 29 secondary school teachers focusing on the interactions in different spaces and moments in time described by them. Findings suggest that learning to be a teacher may happen in interactions with objects, people and spaces beyond the boundaries of school, university and formal places of training and learning. They also show that the rhizomatic character of the cartographies may not prevent teleological thinking or the idea that any kind of learning is purposeful. Finally, this paper concludes that teachers’ learning does not fit the representational frame that distinguishes between formal contents and leisure activities, classrooms and private spaces, lessons and bodies, emotions and knowledge.

Methods of scent marking in the domestic cat

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 1093-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary N. Feldman
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Tree Bark ◽  
Scent Mark ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Felis Silvestris ◽  
Felis Silvestris Catus ◽  
The Face ◽  
Visual Mark

Carnivores use various scent-marking methods. Semi-feral domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) were observed to use the same means as their wild counterparts. Adult males performed most urine spray marking. Cats scratched tree bark, producing a visual mark, and probably used trees both as markers and for claw sharpening. Most scratching trees were located along frequently used paths rather than along territorial boundaries or scattered randomly throughout a home range. Bark consistency affected the tree species that were scratched, with soft bark preferred. Although deposition of faeces and urine was recorded, there was no clear evidence for their use as territorial markers; cats primarily eliminated away from the core area of the home range. Most faeces were buried, although exposed deposits were also observed. Cats also rubbed against objects, probably using glandular secretions from the face and tail areas to scent mark. Males rubbed objects more than females, and males scent marked more. Individual males may use different means of scent marking. Scent marking in this study supports the idea that cats do not defend territories, instead patrolling and reinforcing marks throughout a looser home range. The suggestion has been made that different forms of marking may serve separate signalling functions.

Yet Another Expert Opinion on Bilirubin Toxicity!

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 829-831
Author(s):  
LOIS JOHNSON
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Expert Opinion ◽  
Term Newborn ◽  
New Guidelines ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Bilirubin Toxicity ◽  
Toxic Potential ◽  
Over Time

Drs Newman and Maisels1 have provided valuable new guidelines for management of jaundice in the term newborn which take into account age at discharge from the hospital and some of the factors altering the general risk of bilirubin toxicity. They note that much of the information needed to identify the individual at risk is still unavailable and remind their readers that their "recommendations should be reevaluated periodically as new data become available." I have serious concerns, however, with the second half of their paper which almost completely downplays the toxic potential of bilirubin, its often erratic expression, and its ability to cause a spectrum of damage ranging from frank kernicterus to insults that are so minor as to be compensated for completely over time.2-4

Tree selection and use by the polyphagous xylophage Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean J. Turgeon ◽  
Michael T Smith ◽  
John Pedlar ◽  
Ronald Edward Fournier ◽  
Mary Orr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Host Selection ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Anoplophora Glabripennis ◽  
Longhorned Beetle ◽  
Asian Longhorned Beetle ◽  
Risk Of Injury ◽  
Breeding Populations ◽  
Over Time

Two breeding populations of the non-native Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky), a pest of broadleaf trees in its native China, were discovered in Ontario in 2003 and 2013, respectively. Both populations were eradicated by removing all trees injured by the beetle and all uninjured trees deemed at high risk of injury. We used data collected during this removal to study host selection. Signs of A. glabripennis injury were observed on 732 stems from seven (i.e., Acer, Salix, Populus, Betula, Ulmus, Fraxinus and Tilia) of the 45 tree genera available. Complete beetle development was confirmed on only the first four of these seven genera. Most signs of injury were on the genus Acer and on trees with a diameter at 130 cm above ground ranging between 15 cm and 40 cm. On most trees, the lowest sign of injury was within three meters of the ground or within 40% of tree height. Tree height explained 63% of the variance in the location of the lowest sign of injury. Initial attacks were typically near the middle of the tree and expanded both upward and downward with successive attacks over time. We discuss how these findings could improve survey efforts for A. glabripennis.

scholarly journals Exploring the Adaptive Significance of Five Types of Puma (Puma concolor) Vocalizations

2017 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian L Allen ◽  
Yiwei Wang ◽  
Christopher C Wilmers
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Puma Concolor ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Alarm Calls ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Video Cameras ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Indirect Cues ◽  
Limit Detection

Communication is a central component of animal behaviour, yet communicative behaviours are poorly studied due to their complexity and varied functions. Pumas (Puma concolor) are wide-ranging, solitary felids that primarily use indirect cues (e.g., scent marking) for communication. Because these cryptic carnivores are rarely observed directly, little is known about their vocalizations in the wild. We recorded a variety of Puma vocalizations among females and family groups using motion-triggered video cameras and then attempted to understand the function of each vocalization. We found two categories of vocalizations: 1) attention-attracting (caterwauling and mewing), and 2) calls (contact, agitated, and alarm). Vocalizations to attract attention ranged across broad frequencies. Contact, agitated, and alarm calls are narrow-frequency vocalizations that varied in intensity and were used to communicate with nearby conspecifics. Vocal communication entails risk, and while some Puma vocalizations may provide benefits that outweigh their risk, others are structured to limit detection and risk. These observations highlight the importance of the structure of vocalizations used during different behaviours to understand their adaptive significance.

scholarly journals Bahamas National Implementation Project: Proposal for Sustainability of an Evidence-based HIV Prevention Intervention in a School Setting

10.2196/14816 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e14816
Author(s):  
Bo Wang ◽  
Lynette Deveaux ◽  
Sonja Lunn ◽  
Veronica Dinaj-Koci ◽  
Samiran Ghosh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Implementation Fidelity ◽  
Prevention Programs ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
School Based ◽  
National Implementation ◽  
Over Time

Background Sustained implementation of school-based prevention programs is low. Effective strategies are needed to enhance both high-level implementation fidelity and sustainability of prevention programs. Objective This proposed study aims to determine if the provision of either biweekly monitoring and feedback and site-based assistance and mentorship or both to at-risk and moderate-performing teachers with monitoring through an enhanced decision-making platform by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Health (MOH) based on the real-time implementation data will increase national implementation fidelity and result in sustained implementation over time. Methods This study will target government schools including 200 grade 6 teachers in 80 primary schools and 100 junior/middle high school teachers (and their classes) on 12 Bahamian islands. Teacher and school coordinator training will be conducted by the MOE in year 1, followed by an optimization trial among teachers in the capital island. Informed by these results, an implementation intervention will be conducted to train using different levels of educational intensity all at-risk and moderate-performing teachers. Subsequently selected training and implementation strategies will be evaluated for the national implementation of Focus on Youth in the Caribbean and Caribbean Informed Parents and Children Together in years 2 to 5. Results It is hypothesized that a more intensive training and supervision program for at-risk and moderate-performing teachers will enhance their implementation fidelity to the average level of the high-performing group (85%), an HIV prevention program delivered at the national level can be implemented with fidelity in grade 6 and sustained over time (monitored annually), and student outcomes will continue to be highly correlated with implementation fidelity and be sustained over time (assessed annually through grade 9). The proposed study is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development from August 1, 2018, through May 31, 2023. Conclusions The study will explore several theory-driven implementation strategies to increase sustained teacher implementation fidelity and thereby increase the general public health impact of evidence-based interventions. The proposed project has potential to make significant contributions to advancing school-based HIV prevention research and implementation science and serve as a global model for the Fast Track strategy. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/14816

scholarly journals Collision with power lines and electrocutions in birds — an analysis based on Swedish ringing recoveries 1990–2017

Ornis Svecica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 37-52
Author(s):  
Thord Fransson ◽  
Lina Jansson ◽  
Tuomo Kolehmainen ◽  
Thomas Wenninger
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Power Line ◽  
Power Lines ◽  
Local Power ◽  
Line System ◽  
Underground Cables ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
History Information ◽  
Over Time

Recoveries of birds ringed in Sweden from the period 1990–2017 were used to analyse the occurrence of collisions with power lines and electrocutions. Out of more than 10,000 recoveries of birds found dead with finding circumstances mentioned, 8.6% was associated with power line constructions. The number of species involved was 51 and high proportions were especially evident in some species of owls and raptors. The overall proportion of recoveries caused by collision / electrocution shows a significant decrease over time. A decrease over time in the proportions of electrocution and collision was also evident when analysing finding circumstances in four species where corpses were sent to the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Information about the power line system in Sweden during the period 2007–2016 shows that the length of local power lines has decreased with about 21% during a ten-year period and that underground cables have increased with 28% during the same period. The results show that collisions with power lines have decreased more than electrocutions and this may imply that there are still many places where birds are at risk of being electrocuted.

Stress Reduction in Child-Abusing Families: Global and Specific Measures

1994 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 287-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Barton ◽  
Christopher Scott Baglio ◽  
Marc T. Braverman
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Home Treatment ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Home Therapy ◽  
Total Stress ◽  
Therapy Program ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Over Time ◽  
County Services

This study compared in-home treatment to traditional county services for their ability to reduce stress in child-abusing families. 47 families who were at risk for having at least one child removed from the home for child abuse were referred to Families First for an intensive 6-wk., in-home therapy program. A comparison group of 29 families who were also at risk for having at least one child removed for abuse received traditional county services but no in-home therapy. Stress scores used were derived from a factor analysis of the Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (FILE) that had identified 10 stress factors. The stress data were analyzed by a series of 2 × 2 analyses of variance, group and time being the independent variables and the stress factors the dependent variables. Total stress was significantly reduced over time for both groups, and several specific stress factors were also significantly reduced over time. In secondary analyses, 2 × 3 (group by time) analyses identified interactions for total stress and three of the individual stress factors. In-home treatment was effective in reducing stress, but traditional services were also effective. Some possible explanations were discussed. A major finding was that, by including analyses using the specific stress factors (rather than just the Total Stress score), a much richer understanding of the role stress plays in abusive families is provided. It was concluded that, although global stress may be reduced by different methods, some specific types of stress are more likely to be reduced than others.

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