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Mukherjee I, Bhat A. The impact of predators and vegetation on shoaling in wild zebrafish. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240760. [PMID: 39323559 PMCID: PMC11421927 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
In their natural habitats, animals experience multiple ecological factors and regulate their social responses accordingly. To unravel the impact of two ecological factors on the immediate behavioural response of groups, we conducted experiments on wild zebrafish shoals in arenas with vegetation, predator cues, and both factors simultaneously or neither (control treatments). Analysis of 297 trials revealed that while shoals formed significantly larger subgroups in the presence of predator cues, their subgroup size was comparable to control treatments when they faced predator cues and vegetation. Shoals were highly polarized in open arenas, in the absence of either ecological factors and in the presence of predator cues (with/without vegetation). The presence of vegetation alone, however, significantly reduced shoal polarization. Furthermore, food intake was significantly reduced when predator cues and/or vegetation were present. Tracking individuals revealed that (i) individuals within shoals receiving predator cues had a significantly higher probability to continue being in a group compared with control treatments and (ii) individuals occupying the front positions deviated less from their median position within a shoal as compared with other individuals regardless of predator cues. The adaptability of animals depends on behavioural responses to changing environments, making this study significant in the context of environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishani Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Anuradha Bhat
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
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2
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Silva AA, Mendonça TD, Ribeiro CA, Lima DG, Graças de Oliveira BRD, Cárdenas VJ, Cassino RF, Magalhães ALB, Antonini Y, Cardoso JCF, de Azevedo CS. Behavioural changes of native freshwater prawn in the presence of a predator fish. Behav Processes 2024; 221:105095. [PMID: 39245395 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
Predation pressure influences animal behaviour in relation to feeding, exposure to predators and habitat use. In the presence of a predator, prey usually decreases feeding and activity, avoiding predation-risk areas. This study evaluated the visual effects of a predator fish (red-bellied piranha Pygocentrus nattereri) on the behaviour and habitat use of Macrobrachium jelskii prawn. It was hypothesized that prawns would modify their behaviour in the presence of a predator, decreasing their general activity (foraging and locomotion) and seeking shelter more frequently. Twenty behavioural tests were carried out without and with the presence of a predator using five different M. jelskii individuals per trial. Behavioural data were collected using scan sampling with instantaneous recording of behaviours every 15 s during 5 min in each trial. The presence of the predator caused prawns to decrease their locomotion and feeding and increase environment exploration and predator inspection. Prawns used the shelter more frequently when the predator was present. Red-bellied piranha elicited anti-predator behaviour in M. jelskii. The patterns observed suggested that the most common anti-predatory behaviours exhibited by M. jelskii are beneficial as they reduce vigilance and active anti-predation strategies, such as escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Afeitos Silva
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - Thais Dias Mendonça
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - Carolina Alves Ribeiro
- Universidade Federal de Lavras, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia Aplicada, Instituto de Ciências Naturais. Departamento de Ecologia e Conservação. Campus Universitário, Aquenta Sol., Lavras, Minas Gerais 37200-900, Brazil
| | - Débora Golçalves Lima
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - Bruna Raiary das Graças de Oliveira
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - Valeria Jiménez Cárdenas
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - Raquel Franco Cassino
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - André Lincoln Barroso Magalhães
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - Yasmine Antonini
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - João Custódio Fernandes Cardoso
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil
| | - Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo
- Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia de Biomas Tropicais, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas. Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente. Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35402-136, Brazil.
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Slovikosky SA, Montgomery RA. Large mammal behavioral defenses induced by the cues of human predation. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae382. [PMID: 39282006 PMCID: PMC11398908 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
Large mammals respond to human hunting via proactive and reactive responses, which can induce subsequent nonconsumptive effects (NCEs). Thus, there is evidence that large mammals exhibit considerable behavioral plasticity in response to human hunting risk. Currently, however, it is unclear which cues of human hunting large mammals may be responding to. We conducted a literature review to quantify the large mammal behavioral responses induced by the cues of human hunting. We detected 106 studies published between 1978 and 2022 of which 34 (32%) included at least one measure of cue, typically visual (n = 26 of 106, 25%) or auditory (n = 11 of 106, 10%). Space use (n = 37 of 106, 35%) and flight (n = 31 of 106, 29%) were the most common behavioral responses studied. Among the 34 studies that assessed at least one cue, six (18%) measured large mammal behavioral responses in relation to proxies of human hunting (e.g. hunting site or season). Only 14% (n = 15 of 106) of the studies quantified an NCE associated with an animal's response to human hunting. Moreover, the association between cues measured and antipredator behaviors is unclear due to a consistent lack of controls. Thus, while human hunting can shape animal populations via consumptive effects, the cues triggering these responses are poorly understood. There hence remains a need to link cues, responses, NCEs, and the dynamics of large mammal populations. Human activities can then be adjusted accordingly to prevent both overexploitation and unintended NCEs in animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy A Slovikosky
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A Montgomery
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
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Sun K, Ray S, Gupta N, Aldworth Z, Stopfer M. Olfactory system structure and function in newly hatched and adult locusts. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2608. [PMID: 38297144 PMCID: PMC10830560 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52879-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
An important question in neuroscience is how sensory systems change as animals grow and interact with the environment. Exploring sensory systems in animals as they develop can reveal how networks of neurons process information as the neurons themselves grow and the needs of the animal change. Here we compared the structure and function of peripheral parts of the olfactory pathway in newly hatched and adult locusts. We found that populations of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in hatchlings and adults responded with similar tunings to a panel of odors. The morphologies of local neurons (LNs) and projection neurons (PNs) in the antennal lobes (ALs) were very similar in both age groups, though they were smaller in hatchlings, they were proportional to overall brain size. The odor evoked responses of LNs and PNs were also very similar in both age groups, characterized by complex patterns of activity including oscillatory synchronization. Notably, in hatchlings, spontaneous and odor-evoked firing rates of PNs were lower, and LFP oscillations were lower in frequency, than in the adult. Hatchlings have smaller antennae with fewer OSNs; removing antennal segments from adults also reduced LFP oscillation frequency. Thus, consistent with earlier computational models, the developmental increase in frequency is due to increasing intensity of input to the oscillation circuitry. Overall, our results show that locusts hatch with a fully formed olfactory system that structurally and functionally matches that of the adult, despite its small size and lack of prior experience with olfactory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Sun
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Subhasis Ray
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Plaksha University, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Nitin Gupta
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, 208016, India
| | - Zane Aldworth
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mark Stopfer
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Díaz MP, Kunc HP, Houghton JDR. Anthropogenic noise predicts sea turtle behavioural responses. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115907. [PMID: 38061147 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is a pollutant of global concern. While the effects of underwater noise pollution have been frequently studied in fish and mammals, our understanding of how this anthropogenic stressor affects marine reptiles is scant. Using a multichannel data logger equipped with a camera and hydrophone, we quantified behavioural responses of a free-ranging green turtle (Chelonia mydas) to vessel noise in the Galapagos Archipelago, an important nesting site in the eastern Pacific. We found that while travelling the turtle increased its vigilance with increasing vessel noise. However, when on the seabed the turtle did not increase its vigilance with increasing noise levels. Our findings illustrate that noise pollution has the potential to alter overall time budgets of animals. Identifying real-time responses of wild animals illustrate how in situ approaches allow to assess the effects of human activities on marine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Parra Díaz
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador; School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Co. Antrim BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Hansjoerg P Kunc
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Co. Antrim BT9 5DL, UK.
| | - Jonathan D R Houghton
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Co. Antrim BT9 5DL, UK; Queen's University Belfast Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry, Co. Down BT22 1PF, UK
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6
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Joyce BJ, Brown GE. Olfaction and reaction: The role of olfactory and hypothalamic investment in the antipredator responses to chemical alarm cues by northern redbelly dace. Curr Zool 2023; 69:738-746. [PMID: 37876646 PMCID: PMC10591147 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroplasticity enables teleosts to promote or downregulate the growth of their brains regionally. To compensate for the effects of predation pressure, teleosts may alter their brain morphology and behavioral responses to mitigate its impact on individual fitness. High-predation environments often promote specific patterns of brain growth and produce bolder and more proactive populations. Owing to the expense of maintaining neural tissue, relative size indicates the regions most relied upon. In northern redbelly dace Chrosomus eos, as little as 2 weeks of elevated predation pressure, resulted in increased investment in their olfactory bulbs and optic tecta, while the imposition of captivity produced smaller, less symmetric hypothalami. Taken together, these results suggest that an individual could potentially become better able to detect a threat, and simultaneously less inclined to react to it, making the impact of either change in isolation is difficult to discern. Here, we compared interindividual variation in gross brain morphology, risk-taking tactics in a novel arena (shy-bold personality), and responding to olfactory cues (proactive/reactive stress-coping style). We hypothesized that olfactory investment would positively correlate with response intensity to predator cue concentration and respond across a wider range of cue concentrations, while hypothalamus size would correlate with shyness and reactivity. Exposure to heightened risk produced more bold/proactive individuals, with larger olfactory bulbs and smaller hypothalami. However, the direction of the correlation between hypothalamus size and behavior varied by treatment, and olfactory investment only corresponded with response intensity amongst proactive individuals. Our findings illustrate the potential pitfalls of relating gross brain morphology to complex behavior and suggest that stress-coping style is a relevant consideration in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Joyce
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Grant E Brown
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Sommer NR, Alshwairikh YA, Arietta AZA, Skelly DK, Buchkowski RW. Prey metabolic responses to predators depend on predator hunting mode and prey antipredator defenses. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie R. Sommer
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - Yara A. Alshwairikh
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - A. Z. Andis Arietta
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - David K. Skelly
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - Robert W. Buchkowski
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Western Ontario, Biological and Geological Sciences Building London ON Canada
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Hegab IM, Yao B, Qian Z, Tan Y, Pu Q, Wang Z, Wang H, Su J. Examining sex disparities in risk/reward trade-offs in Smith's zokors, Eospalax smithii. Behav Processes 2022; 201:104716. [PMID: 35901938 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Risk taking is imperative for the survival and fitness of animals since they are constantly facing innumerable threats from various sources. Indeed, the ability of the individual to balance the costs and benefits of various options and adopt a wise decision is critical for the animal well-being. We modified several traditionally used anxiety tests [The modified light-dark box (mLDB), the modified open field test (mOFT) and the modified defensive withdrawal apparatus (mDWA)] by adding a palatable food reward within the anxiogenic zone which granted us to assess the sex differences in risk-taking behavior in Smith's zokors (Eospalax smithii), a typical subterranean rodent species endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Concomitant with our working hypothesis, female zokors showed strong aversion and avoidance behavioral responses when tested in the mOFT and mDWA while there were no apparent sexually dimorphic behavioral changes when they were tested in the mLDB (Except for the percentage of food consumed and the latency till start feeding). Furthermore, comparison between the three behavioral paradigms revealed that both sexes showed different behavioral responses toward the different behavioral tests. Sex differences in repeatable behaviors were more profound in females than males. This might reflect different degrees of risk perception and emotionality that may differ considerably between the different models of anxiety. Our results highlighted the functional significance of a trade-off between risk and incentives in natural environment that both male and female zokors differ in the processing of risk assessment in the presence of a food reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim M Hegab
- Department of Hygiene, Zoonoses and Animal Behaviour and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Baohui Yao
- College of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Ministry of Education), Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Zhang Qian
- College of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Ministry of Education), Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yuchen Tan
- College of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Ministry of Education), Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Qiangsheng Pu
- College of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Ministry of Education), Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Zhicheng Wang
- College of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Ministry of Education), Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Haifang Wang
- College of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Ministry of Education), Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Junhu Su
- College of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Ministry of Education), Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; Gansu Agricultural University-Massey University Research Centre for Grassland Biodiversity, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
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Wagner MJ, Moore PA. Are you scared yet? Variations to cue indices elicit differential prey behavioral responses even when gape-limited predators are relatively small. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Anti-predator behavior is often evoked based on measurements of risk calculated from sensory cues emanating from predators independent of physical attack. Yet, the exact sensory indices of cues utilized in risk assessment remain largely unknown. To examine how different predatory cue indices of information are used in risk assessment, we presented prey with various cues from sub-lethal gape-limited predators. Rusty crayfish (<i>Faxonius rusticus</i> (Girard, 1852)) were exposed to predatory odors from sub-lethal sized largemouth bass (<i>Micropterus salmoides</i> (Lacepѐde, 1802)) to test effects of changing predator abundance, relative size relationships, and total predator length in flow through mesocosms. Foraging, shelter use, and movement behavior were used to measure cue effects. Foraging time depended jointly upon predator abundance and total predator size (p = 0.030). Specifically, high predator abundance resulted in decreased foraging efforts as gape ratio increased. Similarly, sheltering time depended on the interaction between predator abundance and gape ratio when predator abundance was highest (p = 0.020). Crayfish significantly increased exploration time when gape ratio increased (p = 0.010). Thus, this study shows crayfish can utilize different indices of predatory cues, namely total predator abundance and relative size ratios, in risk assessment but do so in context specific ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Joy Wagner
- Bowling Green State University, 1888, Biology, Bowling Green, Ohio, United States,
| | - Paul A. Moore
- Bowling Green State University, 1888, Biological Sciences, Bowling Green, Ohio, United States
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Whitham W, Schapiro SJ, Troscianko J, Yorzinski JL. The gaze of a social monkey is perceptible to conspecifics and predators but not prey. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220194. [PMID: 35642370 PMCID: PMC9156918 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Eye gaze is an important source of information for animals, implicated in communication, cooperation, hunting and antipredator behaviour. Gaze perception and its cognitive underpinnings are much studied in primates, but the specific features that are used to estimate gaze can be difficult to isolate behaviourally. We photographed 13 laboratory-housed tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] apella) to quantify chromatic and achromatic contrasts between their iris, pupil, sclera and skin. We used colour vision models to quantify the degree to which capuchin eye gaze is discriminable to capuchins, their predators and their prey. We found that capuchins, regardless of their colour vision phenotype, as well as their predators, were capable of effectively discriminating capuchin gaze across ecologically relevant distances. Their prey, in contrast, were not capable of discriminating capuchin gaze, even under relatively ideal conditions. These results suggest that specific features of primate eyes can influence gaze perception, both within and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will Whitham
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA,Department of Comparative Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Steven J. Schapiro
- Department of Comparative Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX, USA
| | - Jolyon Troscianko
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Jessica L. Yorzinski
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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11
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Neves CN, Pillay N. Variation in brain volume in nine populations and three taxa of the African striped mouse Rhabdomys. J Morphol 2022; 283:618-636. [PMID: 35175641 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Brain size can vary between populations in different environments because of different selection pressures on behaviours, such as learning and memory, related to spatial, social and environmental differences. We investigated the variation in total and broad-scale regional brain size in the murid rodent genus Rhabdomys from different environments. We assessed taxon-, population- and sex-level differences in total and regional brain volume in three populations each of three taxa (arid-occurring R. pumilio and mesic-occurring R. dilectus chakae and R. d. dilectus) originating across southern Africa. We μCT-scanned crania obtained from museums in South Africa and used digital software to create endocasts and extract total endocranium and regional volumes: olfactory bulb, anterior cerebrum, posterior cerebrum, cerebellum volume, and petrosal volume. Total endocranial volume scaled with basal skull length and all region volumes scaled with total endocranial volume. We found taxon-, and population-level differences in total endocranial volume. Relative anterior and posterior cerebrum volume did not differ significantly between taxa or populations, but relative cerebellum volume was larger in arid populations than mesic populations. Relative olfactory bulb volume was larger in mesic R. dilectus than in the R. pumilio, but petrosal lobule volume was larger in R. pumilio populations than in R. dilectus. Males had larger total endocranial volumes than females. Drivers of larger total endocranial volumes in R. pumilio are not immediately clear from our results. Environmental seasonality of food availability, cognitive buffering and locomotion may all correlate with total endocranial volume size, whereas the influence of sociality cannot be excluded. The environment and degree of semi-arboreality are likely driving variation in cerebellum, olfactory bulb and petrosal lobule volumes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice Nikita Neves
- School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Ave, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Neville Pillay
- School of Animal, Plant, and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Ave, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg, South Africa
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12
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Formation of the Looming-evoked Innate Defensive Response during Postnatal Development in Mice. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:741-752. [PMID: 35122602 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00821-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental threats often trigger innate defensive responses in mammals. However, the gradual development of functional properties of these responses during the postnatal development stage remains unclear. Here, we report that looming stimulation in mice evoked flight behavior commencing at P14-16 and had fully developed by P20-24. The visual-evoked innate defensive response was not significantly altered by sensory deprivation at an early postnatal stage. Furthermore, the percentages of wide-field and horizontal cells in the superior colliculus were notably elevated at P20-24. Our findings define a developmental time window for the formation of the visual innate defense response during the early postnatal period and provide important insight into the underlying mechanism.
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Tseng YT, Zhao B, Chen S, Ye J, Liu J, Liang L, Ding H, Schaefke B, Yang Q, Wang L, Wang F, Wang L. The subthalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons mediate adaptive REM-sleep responses to threat. Neuron 2022; 110:1223-1239.e8. [PMID: 35065715 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
When an animal faces a threatening situation while asleep, rapid arousal is the essential prerequisite for an adequate response. Here, we find that predator stimuli induce immediate arousal from REM sleep compared with NREM sleep. Using in vivo neural activity recording and cell-type-specific manipulations, we identify neurons in the medial subthalamic nucleus (mSTN) expressing corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) that mediate arousal and defensive responses to acute predator threats received through multiple sensory modalities across REM sleep and wakefulness. We observe involvement of the same neurons in the normal regulation of REM sleep and the adaptive increase in REM sleep induced by sustained predator stress. Projections to the lateral globus pallidus (LGP) are the effector pathway for the threat-coping responses and REM-sleep expression. Together, our findings suggest adaptive REM-sleep responses could be protective against threats and uncover a critical component of the neural circuitry at their basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Tseng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Binghao Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shanping Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jialin Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lisha Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hui Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bernhard Schaefke
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qin Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lina Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Feng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Liping Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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14
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Frommen JG, Thünken T, Santostefano F, Balzarini V, Hettyey A. Effects of chronic and acute predation risk on sexual ornamentation and mating preferences. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity is widespread in animals. Still, how plastic responses to predator presence affect traits under sexual selection and influence mating preferences is not well understood. Here, we examined how simulated chronic predator presence during development and acute predator presence during mate choice affect the expression of male secondary sexual traits and female mating preference in the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. Males reared under chronic predator presence developed less intense red breeding coloration but showed higher courtship activity than males that grew up in a predator-free environment. Acute predator presence during mate choice trials did not influence male behavior or ornamentation. Predator presence experienced during development did not affect female mating preferences, whereas acute predator presence altered preferences for male courtship activity. Male body size and eye coloration influenced the intensity of female mating preferences, while the trait changing most in response to predator presence during development (red coloration) had no significant impact. The observed interplay between developmental plasticity in male ornamental traits and environment-dependent female mating preferences may lead to dynamic processes altering the strength and direction of sexual selection depending on both the chronic and acute risk of predation. These processes may contribute to the maintenance of within- and among-population variation in secondary sexual traits, and may, ultimately, facilitate speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim G Frommen
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstr. 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Conservation, Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Research Group, Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Timo Thünken
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstr. 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
| | - Francesca Santostefano
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-ville Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Valentina Balzarini
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Wohlenstr. 50a, 3032 Hinterkappelen, Switzerland
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Attila Hettyey
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó út 15, Budapest 1022, Hungary
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15
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Santacà M, Dadda M, Bisazza A. The role of visual and olfactory cues in social decisions of guppies and zebrafish. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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16
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Predator-induced maternal effects determine adaptive antipredator behaviors via egg composition. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2017063118. [PMID: 34507981 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017063118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In high-risk environments with frequent predator encounters, efficient antipredator behavior is key to survival. Parental effects are a powerful mechanism to prepare offspring for coping with such environments, yet clear evidence for adaptive parental effects on offspring antipredator behaviors is missing. Rapid escape reflexes, or "C-start reflexes," are a key adaptation in fish and amphibians to escape predator strikes. We hypothesized that mothers living in high-risk environments might induce faster C-start reflexes in offspring by modifying egg composition. Here, we show that offspring of the cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher developed faster C-start reflexes and were more risk averse if their parents had been exposed to cues of their most dangerous natural predator during egg production. This effect was mediated by differences in egg composition. Eggs of predator-exposed mothers were heavier with higher net protein content, and the resulting offspring were heavier and had lower igf-1 gene expression than control offspring shortly after hatching. Thus, changes in egg composition can relay multiple putative pathways by which mothers can influence adaptive antipredator behaviors such as faster escape reflexes.
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17
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Ernst DA, Westerman EL. Stage- and sex-specific transcriptome analyses reveal distinctive sensory gene expression patterns in a butterfly. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:584. [PMID: 34340656 PMCID: PMC8327453 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07819-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Animal behavior is largely driven by the information that animals are able to extract and process from their environment. However, the function and organization of sensory systems often change throughout ontogeny, particularly in animals that undergo indirect development. As an initial step toward investigating these ontogenetic changes at the molecular level, we characterized the sensory gene repertoire and examined the expression profiles of genes linked to vision and chemosensation in two life stages of an insect that goes through metamorphosis, the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Results Using RNA-seq, we compared gene expression in the heads of late fifth instar larvae and newly eclosed adults that were reared under identical conditions. Over 50 % of all expressed genes were differentially expressed between the two developmental stages, with 4,036 genes upregulated in larval heads and 4,348 genes upregulated in adult heads. In larvae, upregulated vision-related genes were biased toward those involved with eye development, while phototransduction genes dominated the vision genes that were upregulated in adults. Moreover, the majority of the chemosensory genes we identified in the B. anynana genome were differentially expressed between larvae and adults, several of which share homology with genes linked to pheromone detection, host plant recognition, and foraging in other species of Lepidoptera. Conclusions These results revealed promising candidates for furthering our understanding of sensory processing and behavior in the disparate developmental stages of butterflies and other animals that undergo metamorphosis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07819-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Ernst
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 72701, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
| | - Erica L Westerman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 72701, Fayetteville, AR, USA
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18
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da Silva MC, Canário AVM, Hubbard PC, Gonçalves DMF. Physiology, endocrinology and chemical communication in aggressive behaviour of fishes. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 98:1217-1233. [PMID: 33410154 PMCID: PMC8247941 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Fishes show remarkably diverse aggressive behaviour. Aggression is expressed to secure resources; adjusting aggression levels according to context is key to avoid negative consequences for fitness and survival. Nonetheless, despite its importance, the physiological basis of aggression in fishes is still poorly understood. Several reports suggest hormonal modulation of aggression, particularly by androgens, but contradictory studies have been published. Studies exploring the role of chemical communication in aggressive behaviour are also scant, and the pheromones involved remain to be unequivocally characterized. This is surprising as chemical communication is the most ancient form of information exchange and plays a variety of other roles in fishes. Furthermore, the study of chemical communication and aggression is relevant at the evolutionary, ecological and economic levels. A few pioneering studies support the hypothesis that aggressive behaviour, at least in some teleosts, is modulated by "dominance pheromones" that reflect the social status of the sender, but there is little information on the identity of the compounds involved. This review aims to provide a global view of aggressive behaviour in fishes and its underlying physiological mechanisms including the involvement of chemical communication, and discusses the potential use of dominance pheromones to improve fish welfare. Methodological considerations and future research directions are also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Coelho da Silva
- CCMAR – Centro e Ciências do MarUniversidade do AlgarveFaroPortugal
- ISE – Institute of Science and EnvironmentUniversity of Saint JosephMacauChina
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19
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Chen E, Zielinski C, Deno J, Singh R, Bell AM, Hellmann JK. The specificity of sperm-mediated paternal effects in threespine sticklebacks. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021; 75:68. [PMID: 37283951 PMCID: PMC10241442 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03001-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Parental effects may help offspring respond to challenging environments, but whether parental exposure to different environmental challenges induces similar responses in offspring is largely unknown. We compared the offspring of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) fathers who had been exposed to a potentially threatening stimulus (net), a native predator (sculpin), or who had been left unexposed (control). Relative to offspring of control fathers, offspring of sculpin-exposed fathers were more responsive (greater change in activity) to a simulated sculpin predator attack, while offspring of net-exposed fathers were less responsive (fewer antipredator behaviors) and showed altered stress responses compared to the control. To evaluate whether parental exposure primes offspring to respond to specific stimuli (e.g., offspring of net-exposed fathers respond most strongly to a net), we then exposed offspring of each paternal treatment to nets, native sculpin models, or non-native trout models. Paternal treatment did not influence offspring response to different stimuli; instead, offspring were generally more responsive to the native sculpin predator compared to nets or non-native trout predator, suggesting that sticklebacks have innate predator recognition of native predators. Collectively, these results underscore that, while parental exposure to non-ecologically relevant stressors elicits effects in intergenerational studies, these findings may not mirror those produced when parents encounter ecologically relevant stressors. Knowing that parental effects can be predator-specific furthers our understanding of the ways in which parental effects may evolve to be adaptive and suggests the potential for transgenerational plasticity to affect how animals respond to human induced environmental change, including non-native predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunice Chen
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Christian Zielinski
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jack Deno
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Raiza Singh
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Alison M. Bell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jennifer K. Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Present address: Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA
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20
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Twardochleb LA, Treakle TC, Zarnetske PL. Foraging strategy mediates ectotherm predator-prey responses to climate warming. Ecology 2020; 101:e03146. [PMID: 32726861 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Climate warming and species traits interact to influence predator performance, including individual feeding and growth rates. However, the effects of an important trait-predator foraging strategy-are largely unknown. We investigated the interactions between predator foraging strategy and temperature on two ectotherm predators: an active predator, the backswimmer Notonecta undulata, and a sit-and-wait predator, the damselfly Enallagma annexum. In a series of predator-prey experiments across a temperature gradient, we measured predator feeding rates on an active prey species, zooplankton Daphnia pulex, predator growth rates, and mechanisms that influence predator feeding: body speed of predators and prey (here measured as swimming speed), prey encounter rates, capture success, attack rates, and handling time. Overall, warming led to increased feeding rates for both predators through changes to each component of the predator's functional response. We found that prey swimming speed strongly increased with temperature. The active predator's swimming speed also increased with temperature, and together, the increase in predator and prey swimming speed resulted in twofold higher prey encounter rates for the active predator at warmer temperatures. By contrast, prey encounter rates of the sit-and-wait predator increased fourfold with rising temperatures as a result of increased prey swimming speed. Concurrently, increased prey swimming speed was associated with a decline in the active predator's capture success at high temperatures, whereas the sit-and-wait predator's capture success slightly increased with temperature. We provide some of the first evidence that foraging traits mediate the indirect effects of warming on predator performance. Understanding how traits influence species' responses to warming could clarify how climate change will affect entire functional groups of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Twardochleb
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
| | - Tyler C Treakle
- Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23187, USA
| | - Phoebe L Zarnetske
- Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824, USA
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21
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Martinig AR, Riaz M, St Clair CC. Temporal clustering of prey in wildlife passages provides no evidence of a prey-trap. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11489. [PMID: 32661272 PMCID: PMC7359302 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67340-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife passages are structures built across roads to facilitate wildlife movement and prevent wildlife collisions with vehicles. The efficacy of these structures could be reduced if they funnel prey into confined spaces at predictable locations that are exploited by predators. We tested the so-called prey-trap hypothesis using remote cameras in 17 wildlife passages in Quebec, Canada from 2012 to 2015 by measuring the temporal occurrence of nine small and medium-sized mammal taxa (< 30 kg) that we classified as predators and prey. We predicted that the occurrence of a prey-trap would be evidenced by greater frequencies and shorter latencies of sequences in which predators followed prey, relative to prey–prey sequences. Our results did not support the prey-trap hypothesis; observed prey–predator sequences showed no difference or were less frequent than expected, even when prey were unusually abundant or rare or at sites with higher proportions of predators. Prey–predator latencies were also 1.7 times longer than prey–prey sequences. These results reveal temporal clustering of prey that may dilute predation risk inside wildlife passages. We encourage continued use of wildlife passages as mitigation tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- April Robin Martinig
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Boulevard W, Montreal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada. .,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.
| | - Mahnoor Riaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
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Altner M, Ruthensteiner B, Reichenbacher B. New haplochromine cichlid from the upper Miocene (9-10 MYA) of Central Kenya. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:65. [PMID: 32503417 PMCID: PMC7275555 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01602-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The diversification process known as the Lake Tanganyika Radiation has given rise to the most speciose clade of African cichlids. Almost all cichlid species found in the lakes Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria, comprising a total of 12-16 tribes, belong to this clade. Strikingly, all the species in the latter two lakes are members of the tribe Haplochromini, whose origin remains unclear. The 'out of Tanganyika' hypothesis argues that the Haplochromini emerged simultaneously with other cichlid tribes and lineages in Lake Tanganyika, presumably about 5-6 million years ago (MYA), and that their presence in the lakes Malawi and Victoria and elsewhere in Africa today is due to later migrations. In contrast, the 'melting pot Tanganyika hypothesis' postulates that Haplochromini emerged in Africa prior to the formation of Lake Tanganyika, and that their divergence could have begun about 17 MYA. Haplochromine fossils could potentially resolve this debate, but such fossils are extremely rare. RESULTS Here we present a new fossil haplochromine from the upper Miocene site Waril (9-10 million years) in Central Kenya. Comparative morphology, supported by Micro-CT imaging, reveals that it bears a unique combination of characters relating to dentition, cranial bones, caudal skeleton and meristic traits. Its most prominent feature is the presence of exclusively unicuspid teeth, with canines in the outer tooth row. †Warilochromis unicuspidatus gen. et sp. nov. shares this combination of characters solely with members of the Haplochromini and its lacrimal morphology indicates a possible relation to the riverine genus Pseudocrenilabrus. Due to its fang-like dentition and non-fusiform body, †W. unicuspidatus gen. et sp. nov. might have employed either a sit-and-pursue or sit-and-wait hunting strategy, which has not been reported for any other fossil haplochromine cichlid. CONCLUSIONS The age of the fossil (9-10 MYA) is incompatible with the 'out of Tanganyika' hypothesis, which postulates that the divergence of the Haplochromini began only 5-6 MYA. The presence of this fossil in an upper Miocene palaeolake in the Central Kenya Rift, as well as its predatory lifestyle, indicate that Haplochromini were already an important component of freshwater drainages in East Africa at that time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Altner
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Paleontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Strasse 10, 80333 Munich, DE Germany
| | - Bernhard Ruthensteiner
- Section Evertebrata Varia, SNSB – ZSM Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Münchhausen-Strasse 21, 81247 Munich, DE Germany
| | - Bettina Reichenbacher
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Paleontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Strasse 10, 80333 Munich, DE Germany
- GeoBio-Center at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Strasse 10, 80333 Munich, DE Germany
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23
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Lisney TJ, Collin SP, Kelley JL. The effect of ecological factors on eye morphology in the western rainbowfish, Melanotaenia australis. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb223644. [PMID: 32321751 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.223644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Ecological factors such as spatial habitat complexity and diet can explain variation in visual morphology, but few studies have sought to determine whether visual specialisation can occur among populations of the same species. We used a small Australian freshwater fish (the western rainbowfish, Melanotaenia australis) to determine whether populations showed variation in eye size and eye position, and whether this variation could be explained by environmental (light availability, turbidity) and ecological (predation risk, habitat complexity, invertebrate abundance) variables. We investigated three aspects of eye morphology - (1) eye size relative to body size, (2) pupil size relative to eye size and (3) eye position in the head - for fish collected from 14 sites in a major river catchment in northwest Western Australia. We found significant variation among populations in all three measures of eye morphology, but no effect of sex on eye size or eye position. Variation in eye diameter and eye position was best explained by the level of habitat complexity. Specifically, fish occurring in habitats with low complexity (i.e. open water) tended to have smaller, more dorsally located eyes than those occurring in more complex habitats (i.e. vegetation present). The size of the pupil relative to the size of the eye was most influenced by the presence of surrounding rock formations; fish living in gorge habitats had significantly smaller pupils (relative to eye size) than those occupying semi-gorge sites or open habitats. Our findings reveal that different ecological and environmental factors contribute to habitat-specific visual specialisations within a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Lisney
- Oceans Graduate School, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- The Oceans Institute (M470), The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Shaun P Collin
- Oceans Graduate School, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- The Oceans Institute (M470), The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Jennifer L Kelley
- School of Biological Sciences (M092), The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
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Naef J, Taborsky M. Commodity-specific punishment for experimentally induced defection in cooperatively breeding fish. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191808. [PMID: 32257335 PMCID: PMC7062066 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Coercion is an important but underrated component in the evolution of cooperative behaviour. According to the pay-to-stay hypothesis of cooperative breeding, subordinates trade alloparental care for the concession to stay in the group. Punishment of idle subordinates is a key prediction of this hypothesis, which has received some experimental scrutiny. However, previous studies neither allowed separating between punishment and effects of disruption of social dynamics, nor did they differentiate between different helping behaviours that may reflect either mutualistic or reciprocal interaction dynamics. In the cooperative breeder Neolamprologus pulcher, we experimentally engineered the ability of subordinates to contribute to alloparental care by manipulating two different helping behaviours independently from one another in a full factorial design. We recorded the treatment effects on breeder aggression, subordinate helping efforts and submissive displays. We found two divergent regulatory mechanisms of cooperation, dependent on behavioural function. Experimental impediment of territory maintenance of subordinates triggered punishment by dominants, whereas prevented defence against egg predators released a compensatory response of subordinates without any enforcement, suggesting pre-emptive appeasement. These effects occurred independently of one another. Apparently, in the complex negotiation process among members of cooperative groups, behaviours fulfilling different functions may be regulated by divergent interaction mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Naef
- Department for Behavioural Ecology, University of Bern, Wohlenstrasse 50a, Hinterkappelen CH-3032, Switzerland
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Watve M, Prati S, Taborsky B. Simulating more realistic predation threat using attack playbacks. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8149. [PMID: 31875146 PMCID: PMC6925948 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Use of virtual proxies of live animals are rapidly gaining ground in studies of animal behaviour. Such proxies help to reduce the number of live experimental animals needed to stimulate the behaviour of experimental individuals and to increase standardisation. However, using too simplistic proxies may fail to induce a desired effect and/or lead to quick habituation. For instance, in a predation context, prey often employ multimodal cues to detect predators or use specific aspects of predator behaviour to assess threat. In a live interaction, predator and prey often show behaviours directed towards each other, which are absent in virtual proxies. Here we compared the effectiveness of chemical and visual predator cues in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher, a species in which predation pressure has been the evolutionary driver of its sociality. We created playbacks of predators simulating an attack and tested their effectiveness in comparison to a playback showing regular activity and to a live predator. We further compared the effectiveness of predator odour and conspecific skin extracts on behaviours directed towards a predator playback. Regular playbacks of calmly swimming predators were less effective than live predators in stimulating a focal individual's aggression and attention. However, playbacks mimicking an attacking predator induced responses much like a live predator. Chemical cues did not affect predator directed behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukta Watve
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Prati
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Barbara Taborsky
- Division of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Sollai G, Melis M, Magri S, Usai P, Hummel T, Tomassini Barbarossa I, Crnjar R. Association between the rs2590498 polymorphism of Odorant Binding Protein (OBPIIa) gene and olfactory performance in healthy subjects. Behav Brain Res 2019; 372:112030. [PMID: 31195037 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory function varies by several orders of magnitude among healthy individuals, who may exhibit a reduced sensitivity (hyposmia), a high sensitivity (hyperosmia), or an olfactory blindness (anosmia). Environmental and genetic factors seem to account for this variability. Most of odorant molecules are hydrophobic and it has been suggested that odorants are transported to the olfactory receptors by means of odorant binding proteins (OBPs). Aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of a relationship between the olfactory performance of healthy subjects and the polymorphism in the odor binding-protein (OBPIIa) gene, the only OBP found in the olfactory epithelium of humans. Using the "Sniffin' Sticks" Extended Test we assessed the olfactory performance in 69 subjects, who were genotyped for the rs2590498 polymorphism of the OBPIIa gene, whose major allele A has been associated with a higher retronasal perception as compared to the minor allele G. We found that subjects homozygous for the A-allele exhibited threshold scores higher than subjects homozous for the G-allele or heterozygous. In addition, subjects classified as normosmic and hyposmic differed on the basis of genotype distribution and allelic frequencies. In fact, a normosmic condition was associated with genotype AA and allele A and a hyposmic condition was associated with genotype GG and allele G. In conclusion, our results show that a relationship exists between the physiological variations of olfactory performance and the OBPIIa gene polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Sollai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Sect. of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Melania Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Sect. of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Salvatore Magri
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Presidio Policlinico of Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Paolo Usai
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Presidio Policlinico of Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Roberto Crnjar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Sect. of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Italy
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Zamora-Camacho FJ, García-Astilleros J, Aragón P. Does predation risk outweigh the costs of lost feeding opportunities or does it generate a behavioural trade-off? A case study with Iberian ribbed newt larvae. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pedro Aragón
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), C/José Gutiérrez Abascal, Madrid, Spain
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28
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Levell ST, Travis J. Activity Level and Predation Risk in the Least Killifish, Heterandria formosa. COPEIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-17-703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Gender difference in unconditioned and conditioned predator fear responses in Smith's zokors (Eospalax smithii). Glob Ecol Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
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de Faria CM, de Souza Sá F, Costa DDL, da Silva MM, da Silva BC, Young RJ, de Azevedo CS. Captive-born collared peccary (Pecari tajacu, Tayassuidae) fails to discriminate between predator and non-predator models. Acta Ethol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-018-0298-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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