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Gargano M, Colosimo G, Garizio L, Gratton P, Lewbart GA, Gerber GP, Loreti P, Catini A, Bracciale L, De Luca M, Mastrangeli F, Sevilla C, Gentile G. Locating Nesting Sites for Critically Endangered Galápagos Pink Land Iguanas ( Conolophus marthae). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1835. [PMID: 38929453 PMCID: PMC11200735 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive alien species control is recognized worldwide as a priority action to preserve global biodiversity. However, a lack of general life history knowledge for threatened species can impede the effectiveness of conservation actions. Galápagos pink land iguanas (Conolophus marthae) are endemic to Wolf Volcano, Galápagos, Ecuador. These iguanas are threatened by invasive alien species, particularly feral cats, that may affect their small population size. To guarantee the long-term survival of C. marthae, the Galápagos National Park Directorate is considering, along with an ongoing campaign of feral cat control, the implementation of a head-start program. However, the success of this management strategy necessarily relies on the identification of pink iguana nesting grounds, which were still unknown at the onset of this study. We modeled the movement patterns of male and female iguanas during the reproductive season, using location data collected from custom-made remote tracking devices installed on adult pink iguanas in April 2021. We first calculated for each individual the vector of distances from its starting location, which was defined as net displacement. We then used net displacement as the response variable in a generalized additive mixed model with day of the year as the predictor. Based on the hypothesis that males and females may behaviorally differ after mating, we looked for female-specific migratory behavior suggesting females were moving toward nesting areas. The results obtained confirmed our hypothesis, as females exhibited a distinct migratory behavior, reaching a small plateau area inside of Wolf Volcano's caldera and ca. 400 m below the volcano's northern rim. Moreover, once inside the caldera, females displayed a more aggregated distribution pattern. The movement data obtained allowed Galápagos National Park rangers to locate individual pink iguana nests and subsequently to sight and collect the first observed hatchlings of the species. This work constitutes a necessary baseline to perform dedicated studies of pink iguana nests and emerging hatchling iguanas, which is an essential step toward the development of an effective head-start program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Gargano
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.G.); (L.G.)
| | - Giuliano Colosimo
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Lorenzo Garizio
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (M.G.); (L.G.)
| | - Paolo Gratton
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Gregory A. Lewbart
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA;
- UNC-Chapel Hill Galapagos Science Center (GSC), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), Av. Alsacio Northia, Quito 170901, Ecuador
| | - Glenn P. Gerber
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027, USA;
| | - Pierpaolo Loreti
- Department of Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (P.L.); (A.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Alexandro Catini
- Department of Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (P.L.); (A.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Lorenzo Bracciale
- Department of Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy; (P.L.); (A.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Massimiliano De Luca
- Italian National Council of Research, Institute of Marine Engineering, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Francesca Mastrangeli
- Italian National Council of Research, Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Christian Sevilla
- Galápagos National Park Directorate, Av. Charles Darwin—200102 Puerto Ayora, Is. Santa Cruz, Galápagos 200102, Ecuador;
| | - Gabriele Gentile
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy;
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2
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Larsen TJ, Jahan I, Brock DA, Strassmann JE, Queller DC. Reduced social function in experimentally evolved Dictyostelium discoideum implies selection for social conflict in nature. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231722. [PMID: 38113942 PMCID: PMC10730294 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1722] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Many microbes interact with one another, but the difficulty of directly observing these interactions in nature makes interpreting their adaptive value complicated. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum forms aggregates wherein some cells are sacrificed for the benefit of others. Within chimaeric aggregates containing multiple unrelated lineages, cheaters can gain an advantage by undercontributing, but the extent to which wild D. discoideum has adapted to cheat is not fully clear. In this study, we experimentally evolved D. discoideum in an environment where there were no selective pressures to cheat or resist cheating in chimaeras. Dictyostelium discoideum lines grown in this environment evolved reduced competitiveness within chimaeric aggregates and reduced ability to migrate during the slug stage. By contrast, we did not observe a reduction in cell number, a trait for which selection was not relaxed. The observed loss of traits that our laboratory conditions had made irrelevant suggests that these traits were adaptations driven and maintained by selective pressures D. discoideum faces in its natural environment. Our results suggest that D. discoideum faces social conflict in nature, and illustrate a general approach that could be applied to searching for social or non-social adaptations in other microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J. Larsen
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Israt Jahan
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Debra A. Brock
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joan E. Strassmann
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David C. Queller
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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3
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Üveges B, Kalina C, Szabó K, Móricz ÁM, Holly D, Gabor CR, Hettyey A, Bókony V. Does the Glucocorticoid Stress Response Make Toads More Toxic? An Experimental Study on the Regulation of Bufadienolide Toxin Synthesis. Integr Org Biol 2023; 5:obad021. [PMID: 37435008 PMCID: PMC10331804 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obad021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical defense is a crucial component of fitness in many organisms, yet the physiological regulation of defensive toxin synthesis is poorly understood, especially in vertebrates. Bufadienolides, the main defensive compounds of toads, are toxic to many predators and other natural enemies, and their synthesis can be upregulated by stressors, including predation risk, high conspecific density, and pollutants. Thus, higher toxin content may be the consequence of a general endocrine stress response in toads. Therefore, we hypothesized that bufadienolide synthesis may be stimulated by elevated levels of corticosterone (CORT), the main glucocorticoid hormone of amphibians, or by upstream regulators that stimulate CORT production. To test these alternatives, we treated common toad tadpoles with exogenous CORT (exoCORT) or metyrapone (MTP, a CORT-synthesis inhibitor that stimulates upstream regulators of CORT by negative feedback) in the presence or absence of predation cues for 2 or 6 days, and subsequently measured their CORT release rates and bufadienolide content. We found that CORT release rates were elevated by exoCORT, and to a lesser extent also by MTP, regardless of treatment length. Bufadienolide content was significantly decreased by treatment with exoCORT for 6 days but was unaffected by exposure to exoCORT for 2 days or to MTP for either 6 or 2 days. The presence or absence of predation cues affected neither CORT release rate nor bufadienolide content. Our results suggest that changes in bufadienolide synthesis in response to environmental challenges are not driven by CORT but may rather be regulated by upstream hormones of the stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C Kalina
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István u. 2, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - K Szabó
- Division of Clinical Immunology, Department for Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Móricz Zsigmond út 22, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Á M Móricz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - D Holly
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - C R Gabor
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - A Hettyey
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - V Bókony
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István u. 2, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
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Booth CG, Brannan N, Dunlop R, Friedlander A, Isojunno S, Miller P, Quick N, Southall B, Pirotta E. A sampling, exposure and receptor framework for identifying factors that modulate behavioural responses to disturbance in cetaceans. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1948-1960. [PMID: 35895847 PMCID: PMC9804311 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of behavioural disturbance in cetacean species (e.g. resulting from exposure to anthropogenic sources such as military sonar, seismic surveys, or pile driving) is important for effective conservation and management. Disturbance effects can be informed by Behavioural Response Studies (BRSs), involving either controlled exposure experiments (CEEs) where noise exposure conditions are presented deliberately to meet experimental objectives or in opportunistic contexts where ongoing activities are monitored in a strategic manner. In either context, animal-borne sensors or in situ observations can provide information on individual exposure and disturbance responses. The past 15 years of research have greatly expanded our understanding of behavioural responses to noise, including hundreds of experiments in nearly a dozen cetacean species. Many papers note limited sample sizes, required knowledge of baseline behaviour prior to exposure and the importance of contextual factors modulating behavioural responses, all of which in combination can lead to sampling biases, even for well-designed research programs. It is critical to understand these biases to robustly identify responses. This ensures outcomes of BRSs help inform predictions of how anthropogenic disturbance impacts individuals and populations. Our approach leverages concepts from the animal behaviour literature focused on helping to avoid sampling bias by considering what shapes an animal's response. These factors include social, experience, genetic and natural changes in responsiveness. We developed and applied a modified version of this framework to synthesise current knowledge on cetacean response in the context of effects observed across marine and terrestrial taxa. This new 'Sampling, Exposure, Receptor' framework (SERF) identifies 43 modulating factors, highlights potential biases, and assesses how these vary across selected focal species. In contrast to studies that identified variation in 'Exposure' factors as a key concern, our analysis indicated that factors relating to 'Sampling' (e.g. deploying tags on less evasive individuals, which biases selection of subjects), and 'Receptor' (e.g. health status or coping style) have the greatest potential for weakening the desired broad representativeness of BRSs. Our assessment also highlights how potential biases could be addressed with existing datasets or future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cormac G. Booth
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Naomi Brannan
- Southeast Asia Marine Mammal ResearchHong KongHong Kong
| | - Rebecca Dunlop
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics LaboratoryMoreton Bay Research Station and School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Ari Friedlander
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc.AptosCaliforniaUSA,University of California, Institute of Marine ScienceSanta CruzCaliforniaUSA
| | - Saana Isojunno
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Patrick Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Nicola Quick
- School of Biological and Marine SciencesUniversity of PlymouthPlymouthUK,Nicholas School of the EnvironmentDuke UniversityBeaufortNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Brandon Southall
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc.AptosCaliforniaUSA,University of California, Institute of Marine ScienceSanta CruzCaliforniaUSA
| | - Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental ModellingUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
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Mohring B, Angelier F, Jaatinen K, Steele B, Lönnberg E, Öst M. Drivers of within- and among-individual variation in risk-taking behaviour during reproduction in a long-lived bird. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221338. [PMID: 36126681 PMCID: PMC9489283 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastic and selective mechanisms govern parental investment adjustments to predation threat. We investigated the relative importance of plasticity and selection in risk-taking propensity of incubating female common eiders Somateria mollissima facing unprecedented predation in SW Finland, Baltic Sea. Using a 12-year individual-based dataset, we examined within- and among-individual variation in flight initiation distance (FID), in relation to predation risk, nest detectability, individual traits and reproductive investment (NFID = 1009; Nindividual = 559). We expected females nesting in riskier environments (higher predation risk, lower nest concealment) to mitigate environmentally imposed risk by exhibiting longer FIDs, and females investing more in current reproduction (older, in better condition or laying larger clutches) to display shorter FIDs. The target of predation-adult or offspring-affected the mechanisms adapting risk-taking propensity; females plastically increased their FID under higher adult predation risk, while risk-avoiding breeders were predominant on islands with higher nest predation risk. Risk-taking females selected thicker nest cover, consistent with personality-matching habitat choice. Females plastically attenuated their anti-predator response (shorter FIDs) with advancing age, and females in better body condition were more risk-taking, a result explained by selection processes. Future research should consider predator type when investigating the fitness consequences of risk-taking strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertille Mohring
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS – La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS – La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Kim Jaatinen
- Nature and Game Management Trust Finland, 10160 Degerby, Finland
| | - Ben Steele
- School of Arts and Sciences, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH 03257, USA
| | | | - Markus Öst
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland
- Novia University of Applied Sciences, 10600 Ekenäs, Finland
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6
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Dantzer B, Newman AEM. Expanding the frame around social dynamics and glucocorticoids: From hierarchies within the nest to competitive interactions among species. Horm Behav 2022; 144:105204. [PMID: 35689971 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The effect of the social environment on individual state or condition has largely focused on glucocorticoid levels (GCs). As metabolic hormones whose production can be influenced by nutritional, physical, or psychosocial stressors, GCs are a valuable (though singular) measure that may reflect the degree of "stress" experienced by an individual. Most work to date has focused on how social rank influences GCs in group-living species or how predation risk influences GCs in prey. This work has been revealing, but a more comprehensive assessment of the social environment is needed to fully understand how different features of the social environment influence GCs in both group living and non-group living species and across life history stages. Just as there can be intense within-group competition among adult conspecifics, it bears appreciating there can also be competition among siblings from the same brood, among adult conspecifics that do not live in groups, or among heterospecifics. In these situations, dominance hierarchies typically emerge, albeit, do dominants or subordinate individuals or species have higher GCs? We examine the degree of support for hypotheses derived from group-living species about whether differential GCs between dominants and subordinates reflect the "stress of subordination" or "costs of dominance" in these other social contexts. By doing so, we aim to test the generality of these two hypotheses and propose new research directions to broaden the lens that focuses on social hierarchies and GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 48109 Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Amy E M Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
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7
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Phylogeography and Prevalence of Hemoparasites (Apicomplexa: Eucoccidiorida) in Galápagos Marine Iguanas, Amblyrhynchus cristatus (Reptilia: Iguanidae). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091142. [PMID: 35565568 PMCID: PMC9105802 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitism is among the most common forms of coexistence of organisms of different species. Hemoparasites live in the bloodstream of the host where they complete different life-cycle stages. Members of the phylum Apicomplexa constitute a large portion of all hemoparasites infecting reptiles and their parasite transmitting vectors, including arthropods. In this study, we carried out a survey and molecular identification of hemoparasites in blood samples of the iconic Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Major island populations of marine iguanas were sampled to examine large-scale biogeographic patterns of parasite diversity and prevalence. Nested PCRs were used to amplify segments of the 18S rRNA-gene of hemoparasites. Furthermore, ticks attached to marine iguanas were collected and analyzed in the same way to assess their potential use as a non-invasive method for the detection of hemoparasites in vertebrate host species. PCR products were sequenced and a phylogenetic analysis was carried out showing the presence of two genetically distinct clusters of hemoparasites, one more commonly distributed than the other one, belonging to the genera Hepatozoon and/or Hemolivia (Apicomplexa: Eucoccidiorida). Overall, 25% of marine iguanas were infected by hemoparasites. However, infection rates varied strongly among particular island populations (from 3.45% to 50%). Although marine iguanas are an extremely mobile species that has colonized all islands in the Galápagos archipelago, parasite occurrence was not related to geographical distance, suggesting that dispersal behavior has a minor role in parasite transmission. On most islands, females tended to have higher infection rates than males, but this relationship was only significant on one island. Overall, ticks and marine iguanas had similar prevalence and diversity of parasites. However, the infection profiles of ticks and their corresponding hosts (marine iguanas) did not mirror one another, indicating that this method cannot be used reliably to assess marine iguana infection status. Interestingly, we found that hemoparasite prevalence in marine iguanas and ticks tended to be positively correlated across islands. Our results indicate that certain populations of marine iguanas may have special mechanisms and adaptations to cope with parasite infection. In addition, other factors such as vector density, anthropogenic-related activities or the immunological state of marine iguanas could potentially affect the striking variation in hemoparasite prevalence across island populations.
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Chronic Stress Indicators in Canines. FOLIA VETERINARIA 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/fv-2022-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
With a growing number of dogs abandoned, living in shelters, and being rehomed, it is important to distinguish behavioural responses due to stress in our domestic companions. Cortisol is involved in the stress responses in animals which generally enters the individual’s body into a “state of emergency”. Prolonged stress can lead to exhaustion, disease, and death. Chronic stress can be detected by evaluating cortisol concentration in hair. Most domesticated dogs respond well to hair collection, thus avoiding further stressors. The method is simple, relatively inexpensive, and non-invasive. Our experiment focused on assessing multiple parameters using a modified Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research Questionnaire to evaluate their significance with cortisol in hair samples from a diverse range of dogs. Each stress parameter was tested against cortisol concentration using a t-Test, i. e., the Paired Two Sample for Means. The effect of weight on cortisol levels was statistically significant (P = 0.03). This fact revealed that an increase in body weight correlated with an increase in cortisol levels.
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9
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How Epigenetics Can Enhance Pig Welfare? Animals (Basel) 2021; 12:ani12010032. [PMID: 35011138 PMCID: PMC8749669 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics works as an interface between the individual and its environment to provide phenotypic plasticity to increase individual adaptation capabilities. Recently, a wide variety of epi-genetic findings have indicated evidence for its application in the development of putative epi-biomarkers of stress in farm animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate previously reported stress epi-biomarkers in swine and encourage researchers to investigate potential paths for the development of a robust molecular tool for animal welfare certification. In this literature review, we report on the scientific concerns in the swine production chain, the management carried out on the farms, and the potential implications of these practices for the animals' welfare and their epigenome. To assess reported epi-biomarkers, we identified, from previous studies, potentially stress-related genes surrounding epi-biomarkers. With those genes, we carried out a functional enrichment analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of the DNA of swine subjected to different stress-related conditions (e.g., heat stress, intrauterine insult, and sanitary challenges). We identified potential epi-biomarkers for target analysis, which could be added to the current guidelines and certification schemes to guarantee and certify animal welfare on farms. We believe that this technology may have the power to increase consumers' trust in animal welfare.
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Barr JI, Boisvert CA, Bateman PW. At What Cost? Trade-Offs and Influences on Energetic Investment in Tail Regeneration in Lizards Following Autotomy. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:53. [PMID: 34940500 PMCID: PMC8709428 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Caudal autotomy, the ability to shed a portion of the tail, is a widespread defence strategy among lizards. Following caudal autotomy, and during regeneration, lizards face both short- and long-term costs associated with the physical loss of the tail and the energy required for regeneration. As such, the speed at which the individual regenerates its tail (regeneration rate) should reflect the fitness priorities of the individual. However, multiple factors influence the regeneration rate in lizards, making inter-specific comparisons difficult and hindering broader scale investigations. We review regeneration rates for lizards and tuatara from the published literature, discuss how species' fitness priorities and regeneration rates are influenced by specific, life history and environmental factors, and provide recommendations for future research. Regeneration rates varied extensively (0-4.3 mm/day) across the 56 species from 14 family groups. Species-specific factors, influencing regeneration rates, varied based on the type of fracture plane, age, sex, reproductive season, and longevity. Environmental factors including temperature, photoperiod, nutrition, and stress also affected regeneration rates, as did the method of autotomy induction, and the position of the tail also influenced regeneration rates for lizards. Additionally, regeneration could alter an individual's behaviour, growth, and reproductive output, but this varied depending on the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- James I. Barr
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Catherine A. Boisvert
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Philip W. Bateman
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
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11
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Scheun J, Miller RJ, Ganswindt A, Waller LJ, Pichegru L, Sherley RB, Maneveldt GW. Urofaecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in African penguin ( Spheniscus demersus) chick populations experiencing different levels of human disturbance. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab078. [PMID: 34532057 PMCID: PMC8439262 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of ecotourism in species conservation, little is known about the industry's effects on wildlife. In South Africa, some African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) colonies have become tourist attractions. The species is globally endangered, with population sizes decreasing over the past 40 years. As African penguin chicks are altricial and unable to move away from anthropogenic stressors, it is important to evaluate the effect of tourist activities on baseline glucocorticoid levels as a measure of potential disturbance. Chicks at three study sites within two breeding colonies (Robben Island, Stony Point), with varying levels of exposure to tourism (low/moderate/high) were monitored. Urofaecal samples were collected to determine urofaecal glucocorticoid metabolite (ufGCM) concentrations as an indication of baseline stress physiology. Morphometric measurements were taken to compare body condition between sites. Penguin chicks experiencing low, infrequent human presence had significantly higher mean (± standard deviation) ufGCM levels [1.34 ± 1.70 μg/g dry weight (DW)] compared to chicks experiencing both medium (0.50 ± 0.40 μg/g DW, P = 0.001) and high levels of human presence (0.57 ± 0.47 μg/g DW, P = 0.003). There was no difference in chick body condition across sites. These results suggest that exposure to frequent human activity may induce habituation/desensitization in African penguin chicks. Acute, infrequent human presence was likely an important driver for comparatively higher ufGCM levels in chicks, though several other environmental stressors may also play an important role in driving adrenocortical activity. Nevertheless, as unhabituated chicks experiencing infrequent anthropogenic presence showed significantly higher ufGCM levels, managers and legislation should attempt to minimize all forms of activity around important breeding colonies that are not already exposed to regular tourism. Although the results of this study are crucial for developing enhanced conservation and management protocols, additional research on the long-term effect of anthropogenic activities on African penguin physiology is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Scheun
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Roodepoort, 1724, South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0081, South Africa
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Rebecca J Miller
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0081, South Africa
| | - Lauren J Waller
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
- Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Table View, 7441, South Africa
| | - Lorien Pichegru
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology and Institute for Coastal and Marine Research at the Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa
| | - Richard B Sherley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penry Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Gavin W Maneveldt
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
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12
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Jenkins MR, Cummings JM, Cabe AR, Hulthén K, Peterson MN, Langerhans RB. Natural and anthropogenic sources of habitat variation influence exploration behaviour, stress response, and brain morphology in a coastal fish. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2446-2461. [PMID: 34143892 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary ecology aims to better understand how ecologically important traits respond to environmental heterogeneity. Environments vary both naturally and as a result of human activities, and investigations that simultaneously consider how natural and human-induced environmental variation affect diverse trait types grow increasingly important as human activities drive species endangerment. Here, we examined how habitat fragmentation and structural habitat complexity affect disparate trait types in Bahamas mosquitofish Gambusia hubbsi inhabiting tidal creeks. We tested a priori predictions for how these factors might influence exploratory behaviour, stress reactivity and brain anatomy. We examined approximately 350 adult Bahamas mosquitofish from seven tidal-creek populations across Andros Island, The Bahamas that varied in both human-caused fragmentation (three fragmented and four unfragmented) and natural habitat complexity (e.g. fivefold variation in rock habitat). Populations that had experienced severe human-induced fragmentation, and thus restriction of tidal exchange from the ocean, exhibited greater exploration of a novel environment, stronger physiological stress responses to a mildly stressful event and smaller telencephala (relative to body size). These changes matched adaptive predictions based mostly on (a) reduced chronic predation risk and (b) decreased demands for navigating tidally dynamic habitats. Populations from sites with greater structural habitat complexity showed a higher propensity for exploration and a relatively larger optic tectum and cerebellum. These patterns matched adaptive predictions related to increased demands for navigating complex environments. Our findings demonstrate environmental variation, including recent anthropogenic impacts (<50 years), can significantly affect complex, ecologically important traits. Yet trait-specific patterns may not be easily predicted, as we found strong support for only six of 12 predictions. Our results further highlight the utility of simultaneously quantifying multiple environmental factors-for example had we failed to account for habitat complexity, we would not have detected the effects of fragmentation on exploratory behaviours. These responses, and their ecological consequences, may be complex: rapid and adaptive phenotypic responses to anthropogenic impacts can facilitate persistence in human-altered environments, but may come at a cost of population vulnerability if ecological restoration was to occur without consideration of the altered traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Jenkins
- Department of Biological Sciences and W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - John M Cummings
- Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Alex R Cabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Kaj Hulthén
- Department of Biological Sciences and W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - M Nils Peterson
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - R Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences and W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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13
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Tablado Z, Bötsch Y, Bókony V, Angelier F, Lendvai ÁZ, Jenni-Eiermann S, Jenni L. Factors modulating the behavioral and physiological stress responses: Do they modify the relationship between flight initiation distance and corticosterone reactivity? Horm Behav 2021; 132:104979. [PMID: 33878607 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how vulnerable species are to new stressors, such as anthropogenic changes, is crucial for mitigating their potential negative consequences. Many studies have investigated species sensitivity to human disturbance by focusing on single behavioral or physiological parameters, such as flight initiation distance and glucocorticoid levels. However, little is known about the differential effect that modulating factors might have on behavioral versus physiological stress responses across species. This lack of knowledge make difficult to understand the relationship between both types of reactions, and thus to assess to what extent a behavioral reaction is representative of an internal physiological stress response or vice versa. We collected published data on bird flight initiation distances (FID) and corticosterone (CORT) responses, the two most frequently used indicators of stress reaction. We then investigated how spatio-temporal factors or species-specific characteristics relate to these behavioral and physiological stress responses, and potentially modify the relationship between them. Additionally, we evaluated the strength of the correlation between the two stress responses (behavioral and physiological). Our findings showed that FID and CORT responses were poorly correlated across species, and the lack of correlation was attributable to modulating factors (e.g. latitude and body mass) which influence behavior and physiology differently. These modulating factors, therefore, should be taken into consideration to better interpret FID and CORT responses in the context of species vulnerability to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zulima Tablado
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland.
| | - Yves Bötsch
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland.
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Herman Ottó u. 15, H-1022 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France.
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
| | | | - Lukas Jenni
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland.
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14
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Berry KA, Muñoz-Pérez JP, Vintimilla-Palacios CP, Clemente CJ. Morphological and performance modifications in the world’s only marine lizard, the Galápagos marine iguana, Amblyrhynchus cristatus. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), the world’s only extant marine lizard, may have had one of the most unique and challenging transitions to aquatic life. Curiously, previous studies have identified relatively few physiological adaptations in the marine iguana; however, little is known about the extent of morphological specialization and performance trade-offs associated with the marine environment. By examining the morphology and locomotory performance of the marine iguana in comparison to their closely related mainland ancestors, the black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis) and green iguana (Iguana iguana), we found variation reflected specialization to ecological niches. However, variation was more pronounced among subspecies of marine iguana, suggesting that little morphological or performance modification is required for iguanids to successfully invade aquatic environments, thus raising the question why there are so few extant aquatic reptilian lineages. Our findings indicate that specialization for the marine environment likely resulted in a trade-off in sprint speed in a terrestrial environment, which may explain why other lizards have not undergone transitions to the marine environment. Additionally, we found that the magnitude of morphological and performance variation was more pronounced between subspecies of marine iguana than between iguanid species. This illustrates that the form-function relationship is more complex than previously thought and sheds light on the ecomorphological mysteries of the marine iguana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate A Berry
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Juan Pablo Muñoz-Pérez
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
- UNC-Chapel Hill & Universidad San Fransicso de Quito (USFQ) and Galapagos Science Centre (GSC), Avenue Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristobal, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Cristina P Vintimilla-Palacios
- UNC-Chapel Hill & Universidad San Fransicso de Quito (USFQ) and Galapagos Science Centre (GSC), Avenue Alsacio Northia, Isla San Cristobal, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Christofer J Clemente
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
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15
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Taborsky B, English S, Fawcett TW, Kuijper B, Leimar O, McNamara JM, Ruuskanen S, Sandi C. Towards an Evolutionary Theory of Stress Responses. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:39-48. [PMID: 33032863 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
All organisms have a stress response system to cope with environmental threats, yet its precise form varies hugely within and across individuals, populations, and species. While the physiological mechanisms are increasingly understood, how stress responses have evolved remains elusive. Here, we show that important insights can be gained from models that incorporate physiological mechanisms within an evolutionary optimality analysis (the 'evo-mecho' approach). Our approach reveals environmental predictability and physiological constraints as key factors shaping stress response evolution, generating testable predictions about variation across species and contexts. We call for an integrated research programme combining theory, experimental evolution, and comparative analysis to advance scientific understanding of how this core physiological system has evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Taborsky
- Behavioural Ecology Division, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Sinead English
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Tim W Fawcett
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour (CRAB), University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Bram Kuijper
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK; Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Olof Leimar
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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16
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Fokidis HB, Brock T. Hurricane Irma induces divergent behavioral and hormonal impacts on an urban and forest population of invasive Anolis lizards: evidence for an urban resilience hypothesis. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Hurricanes can have both profound short-term effects on animal populations and serve as long-term drivers of evolutionary change. Animals inhabiting varying habitats may differ in their response to hurricane impacts. Increasing evidence suggests that animals from urban areas exhibit different behavioral and physiological traits compared to rural counterparts, including attenuated hormonal stress responses and a lowered propensity for flight behavior. A unique opportunity was presented when Hurricane Irma hit Florida on 10 September 2017 and interrupted a study of invasive brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) at an urban and a forest. Using data collected before and after Hurricane Irma, we documented that forest anoles exhibited a greater avoidance of people and more male territorial behavior for a longer period of time following the hurricane. Post-hurricane both populations increased corticosterone concentrations post-capture stress, but urban anoles recovered 2 weeks faster than forest conspecifics. A dexamethasone suppression experiment suggested that these population differences were the result of forest anoles having a less effective negative feedback regulating corticosterone secretion. In the brain, forest anoles had higher corticosterone concentrations within the amygdala and parts of the cortex associated with stress than urban lizards. One explanation may be Hurricane Irma brought flooding and debris that altered the landscape leading to behavioral instability, and urban lizards already exhibited ecological adjustments that permitted a more rapid recovery (i.e. the ‘urban resilience’ hypothesis). Testing if urban animals are more resilient to natural disasters can inform conservationists interested in understanding their role in facilitating invasive species expansion and what their increasing presence may indicate for animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Bobby Fokidis
- Department of Biology, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789-4499, USA
| | - Taylor Brock
- Department of Biology, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789-4499, USA
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17
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Gormally BMG, Romero LM. What are you actually measuring? A review of techniques that integrate the stress response on distinct time‐scales. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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18
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Bjornson F, Earhart M, Anderson W. To feed or flee: early life-history behavioural strategies of juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) during risk-sensitive foraging. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Balancing foraging opportunities with predation risk can promote complex behavioural strategies in juvenile fishes, particularly in northern temperate environments with short growing seasons. To test how predation experience may influence foraging effort and risk assessment of juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens Rafinesque, 1817), flight response and substrate preference behavioural measurements were taken during critical life periods of early exogenous feeding (∼60 days post fertilization (dpf)) and pre-winter (∼160 dpf). Lake sturgeon were placed in arenas with partial cover and exposed white plastic bottom. Chemical alarm cue (AC) was introduced to predator naïve individuals in the presence or absence of food over the exposed portion of the arena to simulate risk sensitive foraging over diurnal and seasonal periods. The same protocol was run on predator-experienced individuals, which were classically conditioned to predator cue (PC) prior to the trials. Whole-body cortisol measures were also taken to determine the physiological response to predation experience. Results suggest a propensity to forage in spite of predation risk during the naïve ∼60 dpf trials and highlight context-specific anti-predator responses of naïve and experienced lake sturgeon. Elevated basal whole-body cortisol levels and reduced body condition (p < 0.05) were observed with increased predator experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Bjornson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - M. Earhart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - W.G. Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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19
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Hernández MC, Navarro-Castilla Á, Piñeiro A, Silván G, Illera JC, Barja I. Are Baseline Glucocorticoid Levels Linked to Aggressive Behaviour in Wild Wood Mice? POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2020.68.1.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carmen Hernández
- Unidad Zoología, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C/Darwin 2, Campus Universitario de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Navarro-Castilla
- Unidad Zoología, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C/Darwin 2, Campus Universitario de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Piñeiro
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Gema Silván
- Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Barja
- Unidad Zoología, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C/Darwin 2, Campus Universitario de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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20
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The spatial ecology of invasive feral cats Felis catus on San Cristóbal, Galápagos: first insights from GPS collars. MAMMAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-020-00493-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe dangers posed by invasive species for endemic island wildlife are well recognised. Introduced domestic cats (Felis catus) represent a significant threat to several endemic species of the Galápagos archipelago—including hatchling marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and potentially green turtles (Chelonia mydas)—yet little is known about their spatial ecology and habitat use on these islands. Here, we describe a pilot study using GPS collars to track the movements of three feral cats at a site of conservation interest on San Cristóbal Island. Based on 175 days of GPS data, we undertook spatial analyses to ascertain home ranges, and to investigate the overlap of ranges between the cats and potential prey species. Average home range was 1.27 km2 (1.12–1.46 km2), which—though small for feral cats—is in keeping with previous findings in Galápagos. We found the cats did use the habitat of a small marine iguana population but did not change their spatial habits before and after iguana hatchlings appeared. Changes over time in the daily movements of one cat indicated a possible response of the individual to the presence of hatchling green turtles (Chelonia mydas); though the data here are insufficient to show whether the cat was hunting these hatchlings. We recommend similar work be undertaken in areas with larger marine iguana populations, where hatchlings could represent a potentially important food source for invasive feral cats, as well as further work to determine the threat posed by cats to turtle hatchlings in Galápagos.
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21
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Gotanda KM. Human influences on antipredator behaviour in Darwin's finches. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:614-622. [PMID: 31746013 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Humans exert dramatic influences upon the environment, creating novel selective pressures to which organisms must adapt. On the Galapagos, humans have established a permanent presence and have altered selective pressures through influences such as invasive predators and urbanization, affecting iconic species such as Darwin's finches. Here, I ask two key questions: (a) Does antipredator behaviour (e.g., flight initiation distance - FID) change depending on whether invasive predators are historically absent, present, or eradicated? and (b) To what degree does urbanization affect antipredator behaviour? This study is one of the first to quantify antipredator behaviour in endemic species after the eradication of invasive predators. This will help to understand the consequences of invasive predator eradication and inform conservation measures. I quantified FID, an antipredator behaviour, in the small ground finch, across multiple islands in the Galapagos that varied in the presence, absence, or successful eradication of invasive predators. On islands with human populations, I quantified FID in urban and non-urban populations of finches. FID was higher on islands with invasive predators compared to islands with no predators. On islands from which invasive predators were eradicated ~11 years previously, FID was also higher than on islands with no invasive predators. Within islands that had both urban and non-urban populations of finches, FID was lower in urban finch populations, but only above a threshold human population size. FID in larger urban areas on islands with invasive predators was similar to or lower than FID on islands with no history of invasive predators. Overall, these results suggest that invasive predators can have a lasting effect on antipredator behaviour, even after eradication. Furthermore, the effect of urbanization can strongly oppose the effect of invasive predators, reducing antipredator behaviour to levels lower than found on pristine islands with no human influences. These results improve our understanding of human influences on antipredator behaviour which can help inform future conservation and management efforts on islands.
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22
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Martin LB, Vitousek M, Donald JW, Flock T, Fuxjager MJ, Goymann W, Hau M, Husak J, Johnson MA, Kircher B, Knapp R, Miller ET, Schoenle LA, Williams T, Francis CD. IUCN Conservation Status Does Not Predict Glucocorticoid Concentrations in Reptiles and Birds. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 58:800-813. [PMID: 30052988 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most commonly used biomarkers of stress in wildlife. However, their utility as a tool for identifying and/or managing at-risk species has varied. Here, we took a very broad approach to conservation physiology, asking whether International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing status (concern versus no obvious concern) and/or location within a geographic range (edge versus non-edge) predicted baseline and post-restraint concentrations of corticosterone (CORT) among many species of birds and reptiles. Even though such an approach can be viewed as coarse, we asked in this analysis whether CORT concentrations might be useful to implicate species at risk. Indeed, our effort, relying on HormoneBase, a repository of data on wildlife steroids, complements several other large-scale efforts in this issue to describe and understand GC variation. Using a phylogenetically informed Bayesian approach, we found little evidence that either IUCN status or edge/non-edge location in a geographic distribution were related to GC levels. However, we did confirm patterns described in previous studies, namely that breeding condition and evolutionary relatedness among species predicted some GC variation. Given the broad scope of our work, we are reluctant to conclude that IUCN status and location within a range are unrelated to GC regulation. We encourage future more targeted efforts on GCs in at-risk populations to reveal how factors leading to IUCN listing or the environmental conditions at range edges impact individual performance and fitness, particularly in the mammals, amphibians, and fish species we could not study here because data are currently unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn B Martin
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Maren Vitousek
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jeremy W Donald
- Coates Library, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Travis Flock
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | | | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Starnberg, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jerry Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Michele A Johnson
- Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
| | - Bonnie Kircher
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Rosemary Knapp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | | | - Laura A Schoenle
- Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA.,Department of Biology, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, USA
| | - Tony Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
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23
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Experimental manipulation of a signal trait reveals complex phenotype-behaviour coordination. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15533. [PMID: 30341385 PMCID: PMC6195576 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33948-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals use morphological signals such as ornamental traits or weaponry to mediate social interactions, and the extent of signal trait elaboration is often positively associated with reproductive success. By demonstrating relationships between signal traits and fitness, researchers often make inferences about how behaviour operates to shape those outcomes. However, detailed information about fine-scale individual behaviour, and its physiological basis, can be difficult to obtain. Here we show that experimental manipulations to exaggerate a signal trait (plumage colour) and concomitant changes in testosterone and stress-induced corticosterone levels altered social interactivity between manipulated males and their social mates. On average, darkened males did not have higher levels of interactivity than unmanipulated males; however, males who experienced a greater shift in colour (pale to dark), a larger, positive change in testosterone levels, and a dampened stress-induced corticosterone response had a larger increase in the number of interactions with their social mate post-manipulation compared to pre-manipulation. This work provides new insights into the integration and real-time flexibility of multivariate phenotypes and direct evidence for the role of social interactions in pair bond maintenance.
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24
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Santicchia F, Dantzer B, van Kesteren F, Palme R, Martinoli A, Ferrari N, Wauters LA. Stress in biological invasions: Introduced invasive grey squirrels increase physiological stress in native Eurasian red squirrels. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1342-1352. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Santicchia
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit; Guido Tosi Research Group; Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences; Università degli Studi dell'Insubria; Varese Italy
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor Michigan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor Michigan
| | | | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology; Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Adriano Martinoli
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit; Guido Tosi Research Group; Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences; Università degli Studi dell'Insubria; Varese Italy
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milan Italy
| | - Lucas Armand Wauters
- Environment Analysis and Management Unit; Guido Tosi Research Group; Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences; Università degli Studi dell'Insubria; Varese Italy
- Department of Biology; Evolutionary Ecology Group; University of Antwerp; Wilrijk Belgium
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25
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Carrión PL, Valle CA. The diet of introduced cats on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos: cat feces as a proxy for cat predation. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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26
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Home C, Bhatnagar YV, Vanak AT. Canine Conundrum: domestic dogs as an invasive species and their impacts on wildlife in India. Anim Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Home
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment; Bangalore India
- Manipal University; Manipal India
| | - Y. V. Bhatnagar
- Nature Conservation Foundation; Mysore India
- Snow Leopard Trust; Seattle USA
| | - A. T. Vanak
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment; Bangalore India
- School of Life Sciences; University of KwaZulu-Natal; Westville South Africa
- Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance Programme; Hyderabad India
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27
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Immune Activity, but Not Physiological Stress, Differs between the Sexes during the Nesting Season in Painted Turtles. J HERPETOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1670/16-175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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28
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Graham SP, Freidenfelds NA, Thawley CJ, Robbins TR, Langkilde T. Are Invasive Species Stressful? The Glucocorticoid Profile of Native Lizards Exposed to Invasive Fire Ants Depends on the Context. Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:328-337. [DOI: 10.1086/689983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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29
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Anderson L, Nelson N, Cree A. Glucocorticoids in tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus): Some influential factors, and applications in conservation management. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 244:54-59. [PMID: 26673869 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones promote basic life processes, regulate life-history transitions, and help individuals cope with challenges and stressors, thereby playing an important fitness role. Here, we review recent evidence for several factors that influence plasma concentrations of corticosterone (CORT), the main GC in tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus), and discuss the application of CORT as a physiological tool to monitor conservation efforts. Observational studies show an association between CORT concentrations and seasonal reproductive activity, ambient temperature, and ecological habitat parameters (including presence of rats/seabird abundance, sex-ratio, and genetic diversity), and experimental studies show a positive influence of acute temperature increase on the CORT response. Recently, CORT physiology has been applied as a monitoring tool in tuatara translocation programmes. No signs of chronic stress in CORT profiles were observed during standard short- and long-term translocation and rat eradication procedures, giving confidence that current conservation efforts are supportive in population recovery. These results provide a foundation for comparative understanding of stress physiology in reptiles, and will be critical for managing future population viability of tuatara in a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Anderson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
| | - Nicola Nelson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
| | - Alison Cree
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
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Herr MW, Graham SP, Langkilde T. Stressed snakes strike first: Hormone levels and defensive behavior in free ranging cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 243:89-95. [PMID: 27823955 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 10/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Stress is believed to be an important factor mediating animal behavior. Here we explore the relationship between concentrations of a stress hormone and defensive behavior of a snake. The cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) is an abundant, large-bodied pitviper that is well known for its intense defensive behaviors. The defensive behaviors and hormonal ecology of cottonmouths have been studied extensively, but the interaction between these is not well understood. We conducted field trials, recording the snake's behavior and obtaining blood samples to quantify plasma CORT concentrations, both upon first encountering a snake and after a 30min standardized confinement stressor. We found that snakes with elevated levels of baseline CORT at first encounter were more likely to strike than exhibit a threat display when approached in the field. However, this behavior was not related to the magnitude of the snake's CORT increase following confinement, suggesting that more stress-prone snakes are not more defensive. Post-stressor antipredator behavior was also not related to any of our CORT measures. This study suggests that baseline CORT levels can be important correlates of defensive behavior. If this is a causative relationship, environmental challenges that increase baseline stress levels of populations may elevate cottonmouth defensive behavior. This would increase costs associated with defensive behavior (energetic, lost opportunity, etc.) and have important consequences for animal-human interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W Herr
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
| | - Sean P Graham
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Physical Sciences, Sul Ross State University, USA
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, USA; Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, and The Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
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31
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Langkilde T, Thawley CJ, Robbins TR. Behavioral Adaptations to Invasive Species. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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32
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Pellitteri-Rosa D, Bellati A, Cocca W, Gazzola A, Martín J, Fasola M. Urbanization affects refuge use and habituation to predators in a polymorphic lizard. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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33
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McCormick GL, Robbins TR, Cavigelli SA, Langkilde T. Ancestry trumps experience: Transgenerational but not early life stress affects the adult physiological stress response. Horm Behav 2017; 87:115-121. [PMID: 27864050 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to stressors can affect an organism's physiology and behavior as well as that of its descendants (e.g. through maternal effects, epigenetics, and/or selection). We examined the relative influence of early life vs. transgenerational stress exposure on adult stress physiology in a species that has populations with and without ancestral exposure to an invasive predator. We raised offspring of eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) from sites historically invaded (high stress) or uninvaded (low stress) by predatory fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) and determined how this different transgenerational exposure to stress interacted with the effects of early life stress exposure to influence the physiological stress response in adulthood. Offspring from these high- and low-stress populations were exposed weekly to either sub-lethal attack by fire ants (an ecologically relevant stressor), topical treatment with a physiologically-appropriate dose of the stress-relevant hormone, corticosterone (CORT), or a control treatment from 2 to 43weeks of age. Several months after treatments ended, we quantified plasma CORT concentrations at baseline and following restraint, exposure to fire ants, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) injection. Exposure to fire ants or CORT during early life did not affect lizard stress physiology in adulthood. However, offspring of lizards from populations that had experienced multiple generations of fire ant-invasion exhibited more robust adult CORT responses to restraint and ACTH-injection compared to offspring from uninvaded populations. Together, these results indicate that transgenerational stress history may be at least as important, if not more important, than early life stress in affecting adult physiological stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail L McCormick
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; The Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Travis R Robbins
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Sonia A Cavigelli
- The Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; The Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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34
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Harris BN, Carr JA. The role of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal axis in mediating predator-avoidance trade-offs. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 230-231:110-42. [PMID: 27080550 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining energy balance and reproducing are important for fitness, yet animals have evolved mechanisms by which the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal (HPA/HPI) axis can shut these activities off. While HPA/HPI axis inhibition of feeding and reproduction may have evolved as a predator defense, to date there has been no review across taxa of the causal evidence for such a relationship. Here we review the literature on this topic by addressing evidence for three predictions: that exposure to predators decreases reproduction and feeding, that exposure to predators activates the HPA/HPI axis, and that predator-induced activation of the HPA/HPI axis inhibits foraging and reproduction. Weight of evidence indicates that exposure to predator cues inhibits several aspects of foraging and reproduction. While the evidence from fish and mammals supports the hypothesis that predator cues activate the HPA/HPI axis, the existing data in other vertebrate taxa are equivocal. A causal role for the HPA axis in predator-induced suppression of feeding and reproduction has not been demonstrated to date, although many studies report correlative relationships between HPA activity and reproduction and/or feeding. Manipulation of HPA/HPI axis signaling will be required in future studies to demonstrate direct mediation of predator-induced inhibition of feeding and reproduction. Understanding the circuitry linking sensory pathways to their control of the HPA/HPI axis also is needed. Finally, the role that fear and anxiety pathways play in the response of the HPA axis to predator cues is needed to better understand the role that predators have played in shaping anxiety related behaviors in all species, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna N Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, United States
| | - James A Carr
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, United States.
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35
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Differences in measures of boldness even when underlying behavioral syndromes are present in two populations of the song sparrow (Melospiza melodia). J ETHOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-016-0465-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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36
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MacLeod A, Steinfartz S. The conservation status of the Galápagos marine iguanas, Amblyrhynchus cristatus: a molecular perspective. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Traditionally, conservation management focuses efforts on taxonomic units. However, when the taxa used do not reflect biologically meaningful units, such methods should be reconsidered to avoid the loss of irreplaceable biodiversity. The Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is facing growing anthropogenic threats. Currently, management is based on a taxonomy which is questionable in the light of recent molecular data. As such, there is a danger that evolutionarily significant populations may be left vulnerable to extirpation. Herein, we apply molecular data to elucidate the population structure of this species across the Galápagos archipelago, and thus advise conservation management in the absence of a revised taxonomy. Applying a wealth of molecular data including 12 microsatellite loci and 1181 bp of the mitochondrial control region in over 1200 individuals, we delineate distinct populations and prioritize their management. Bayesian population structure analysis revealed 10 distinct population clusters, which we propose as management units (MUs). All MUs are significantly differentiated, with one unit on San Cristóbal Island being particularly distinct in terms of both microsatellite loci and mitochondrial data. Based on estimates of the genetic effective population size (Ne), we find the MUs comprised of populations occurring on Floreana, Española, Marchena, and San Cristóbal to be alarmingly small. In consideration of both Neand anthropogenic threats, we recommend that conservation practitioners focus efforts on Floreana and San Cristóbal islands, and argue that better census size estimates of populations are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy MacLeod
- Zoological Institute, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Unit Molecular Ecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Steinfartz
- Zoological Institute, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Unit Molecular Ecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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37
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Tablado Z, Jenni L. Determinants of uncertainty in wildlife responses to human disturbance. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 92:216-233. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zulima Tablado
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1; CH-6204 Sempach Switzerland
| | - Lukas Jenni
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1; CH-6204 Sempach Switzerland
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38
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Young HS, Dirzo R, Helgen KM, McCauley DJ, Nunn CL, Snyder P, Veblen KE, Zhao S, Ezenwa VO. Large wildlife removal drives immune defence increases in rodents. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hillary S. Young
- University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
- Division of Mammals National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington District of Columbia 20013 USA
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
| | - Rodolfo Dirzo
- Department of Biology Stanford University Stanford California 94305 USA
| | - Kristofer M. Helgen
- Division of Mammals National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington District of Columbia 20013 USA
| | - Douglas J. McCauley
- University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
| | - Charles L. Nunn
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA
- Duke Global Health Institute Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA
| | - Paul Snyder
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA
- Department of Integrative Biology Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Kari E. Veblen
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah 84322 USA
| | - Serena Zhao
- Division of Mammals National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington District of Columbia 20013 USA
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
| | - Vanessa O. Ezenwa
- Mpala Research Centre Box 555 Nanyuki Kenya
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA
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39
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Jessop TS, Anson JR, Narayan E, Lockwood T. An Introduced Competitor Elevates Corticosterone Responses of a Native Lizard (Varanus varius). Physiol Biochem Zool 2015; 88:237-45. [DOI: 10.1086/680689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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40
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Berthon K. How do native species respond to invaders? Mechanistic and trait-based perspectives. Biol Invasions 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-015-0874-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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41
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Wallach AD, Ripple WJ, Carroll SP. Novel trophic cascades: apex predators enable coexistence. Trends Ecol Evol 2015; 30:146-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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42
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Neuman-Lee LA, Stokes AN, Greenfield S, Hopkins GR, Brodie ED, French SS. The role of corticosterone and toxicity in the antipredator behavior of the Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 213:59-64. [PMID: 25556312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A variety of mechanisms are responsible for enabling an organism to escape a predatory attack, including behavioral changes, alterations in hormone levels, and production and/or secretion of toxins. However, these mechanisms are rarely studied in conjunction with each other. The Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa) is an ideal organism to examine the relationships between these mechanisms because its behavioral displays and toxin secretion during a predator attack are well documented and readily characterized. While we found no direct relationship between antipredator behavior and endogenous levels of corticosterone (CORT), antipredator behavior was inhibited when exogenous CORT and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were administered, resulting in high circulating concentrations of CORT, indicating that CORT may play a role in mediating the behavior. There was no correlation between the animal's toxicity and either CORT or behavior. The results of this study provide evidence that CORT plays an important, yet complex, role in the antipredator response of these amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorin A Neuman-Lee
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States.
| | - Amber N Stokes
- Department of Biology, California State University, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022, United States.
| | - Sydney Greenfield
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States.
| | - Gareth R Hopkins
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States; Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5205 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States.
| | - Edmund D Brodie
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States; Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5205 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States.
| | - Susannah S French
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States; Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5205 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5305, United States.
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43
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Refsnider JM, Palacios MG, Reding DM, Bronikowski AM. Effects of a novel climate on stress response and immune function in painted turtles (Chrysemys picta). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:160-8. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanine M. Refsnider
- Department of Ecology; Evolution and Organismal Biology; Iowa State University; Ames Iowa
| | - Maria G. Palacios
- Department of Ecology; Evolution and Organismal Biology; Iowa State University; Ames Iowa
| | - Dawn M. Reding
- Department of Ecology; Evolution and Organismal Biology; Iowa State University; Ames Iowa
| | - Anne M. Bronikowski
- Department of Ecology; Evolution and Organismal Biology; Iowa State University; Ames Iowa
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44
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Samia DSM, Blumstein DT, Stankowich T, Cooper WE. Fifty years of chasing lizards: new insights advance optimal escape theory. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 91:349-66. [PMID: 25620002 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses often examine data from diverse taxa to identify general patterns of effect sizes. Meta-analyses that focus on identifying generalisations in a single taxon are also valuable because species in a taxon are more likely to share similar unique constraints. We conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic meta-analysis of flight initiation distance in lizards. Flight initiation distance (FID) is a common metric used to quantify risk-taking and has previously been shown to reflect adaptive decision-making. The past decade has seen an explosion of studies focused on quantifying FID in lizards, and, because lizards occur in a wide range of habitats, are ecologically diverse, and are typically smaller and differ physiologically from the better studied mammals and birds, they are worthy of detailed examination. We found that variables that reflect the costs or benefits of flight (being engaged in social interactions, having food available) as well as certain predator effects (predator size and approach speed) had large effects on FID in the directions predicted by optimal escape theory. Variables that were associated with morphology (with the exception of crypsis) and physiology had relatively small effects, whereas habitat selection factors typically had moderate to large effect sizes. Lizards, like other taxa, are very sensitive to the costs of flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo S M Samia
- Laboratory of Theoretical Ecology and Synthesis, Federal University of Goiás, CP. 131, 74001-970 Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, U.S.A
| | - Theodore Stankowich
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, U.S.A
| | - William E Cooper
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN 46835, U.S.A
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45
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Anderson LE, Cree A, Towns DR, Nelson NJ. Moving house: long-term dynamics of corticosterone secretion are unaltered in translocated populations of a rare reptile (the tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 3:cov014. [PMID: 27293699 PMCID: PMC4778483 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Translocations are an important conservation tool used to restore at-risk species to their historical range. Unavoidable procedures during translocations, such as habitat disturbance, capture, handling, processing, captivity, transport and release to a novel environment, have the potential to be stressful for most species. In this study, we examined acute and chronic stress (through the measurement of the glucocorticoid corticosterone) in a rare reptile (the tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus). We found that: (i) the acute corticosterone response remains elevated during the initial translocation process but is not amplified by cumulative stressors; and (ii) the long-term dynamics of corticosterone secretion are similar in translocated and source populations. Taken together, our results show that translocated tuatara are generally resistant to cumulative acute stressors and show no hormonal sign of chronic stress. Translocation efforts in tuatara afford the potential to reduce extinction risk and restore natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay E. Anderson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
- Corresponding author:Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. Tel: +1 250 551 2884.
| | - Alison Cree
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - David R. Towns
- Ecosystem Development Team, Science and Technical Group, Department of Conservation, Private Bag 68-908 Newton, Auckland 1145, New Zealand
| | - Nicola J. Nelson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
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46
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Brock KM, Bednekoff PA, Pafilis P, Foufopoulos J. Evolution of antipredator behavior in an island lizard species,Podarcis erhardii(Reptilia: Lacertidae): The sum of all fears? Evolution 2014; 69:216-31. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kinsey M. Brock
- School of Natural Resources & Environment; University of Michigan, Dana Hall, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Peter A. Bednekoff
- Department of Biology; Eastern Michigan University, Mark Jefferson Science Complex, 900 Oakwood Street, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Section of Human and Animal Physiology; Department of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis 157-84, Athens, Greece
| | - Johannes Foufopoulos
- School of Natural Resources & Environment; University of Michigan, Dana Hall, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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47
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Garrido M, Pérez-Mellado V, Cooper WE. Complex Relationships amongst Parasite Load and Escape Behaviour in an Insular Lizard. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Garrido
- Department of Animal Biology; Campus Unamuno; University of Salamanca; Salamanca Spain
| | | | - William E. Cooper
- Department of Biology; Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne; Fort Wayne IN USA
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48
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Gérard A, Jourdan H, Cugnière C, Millon A, Vidal E. Is naïveté forever? Alien predator and aggressor recognition by two endemic island reptiles. Naturwissenschaften 2014; 101:921-7. [PMID: 25193147 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-014-1233-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The disproportionate impacts of invasive predators are often attributed to the naïveté (i.e., inefficient or non-existing anti-predator behavior) of island native species having evolved without such predators. Naïveté has long been regarded as a fixed characteristic, but a few recent studies indicate a capacity for behavioral adaptation in native species in contact with alien predators. Here, we tested whether two reptiles endemic to New Caledonia, a skink, Caledoniscincus austrocaledonicus, and a gecko, Bavayia septuiclavis, recognized and responded to the odor of six introduced species (two rodents, the feral cat, and three species of ants). We used an experimental design in which reptiles had a choice of retreat sites with or without the odor of predators or aggressors. Skinks avoided two or three of the predators, whereas geckos avoided at most one. These results suggest that diurnal skinks are more responsive than nocturnal geckos to the odor of introduced predators. Neither skinks nor geckos avoided the three species of ants. Thus, the odors of alien predators are shown to influence retreat site selection by two native island reptiles. Moreover, the study suggests that this loss of naïveté varies among native species, probably as a consequence of the intensity of the threat and of time since introduction. These findings argue for re-thinking the behavioral flexibility of ectothermic reptiles in terms of their responses to biological invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gérard
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Écologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix-Marseille Université, UMR CNRS, IRD, UAPV, Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa Cedex, Nouvelle-Calédonie, France,
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Holding ML, Frazier JA, Dorr SW, Pollock NB, Muelleman PJ, Branske A, Henningsen SN, Eikenaar C, Escallón C, Montgomery CE, Moore IT, Taylor EN. Wet- and Dry-Season Steroid Hormone Profiles and Stress Reactivity of an Insular Dwarf Snake, the Hog Island Boa (Boa constrictor imperator). Physiol Biochem Zool 2014; 87:363-73. [DOI: 10.1086/675938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Carthey AJR, Banks PB. Naïveté in novel ecological interactions: lessons from theory and experimental evidence. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2014; 89:932-49. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter B. Banks
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
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