1
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Fanjul ME, Echevarria AL, Martínez MV. Relationship among vegetation structure and mixed-species flocks composition along the latitudinal gradient of the subtropical montane forest of the Yungas, Argentina. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220107. [PMID: 37066655 PMCID: PMC10107288 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0107] [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: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The structural and physiognomic characteristics of forests and mountain forest are fundamental aspects that influence the richness, abundance and composition in the bird community. The objective of the present work was to analyse how the vegetation structure could influence the species composition of mixed-species flocks (MSF), along the latitudinal gradient of the subtropical montane forest of the Yungas of Argentina. Eight sites were studied along the 700 km of distribution of the Argentine Yungas. Richness and abundance of MSF were determined. In addition, different variables of composition and structure of the vegetation were analysed. Multivariate analysis indicated that vertical strata coverage and litter depth were the main variables associated with changes in the species composition of MSF along the gradient. Variation in MSF composition within the Yungas was associated with the physiognomy of the subtropical montane forest, which could indicate that it is strongly linked to the condition of the local vegetation. Substantial changes in vegetation could drastically change the composition of the resident flocks. This article is part of the theme issue 'Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes'.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elisa Fanjul
- Instituto de Vertebrados, Zoología, Fundación Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina. CP 4000
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e IML, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina. CP 4000
| | - Ada Lilian Echevarria
- Instituto de Vertebrados, Zoología, Fundación Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina. CP 4000
| | - María Valeria Martínez
- Instituto de Vertebrados, Zoología, Fundación Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina. CP 4000
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2
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Remacha C, Ramírez Á, Arriero E, Pérez-Tris J. Haemosporidian infections influence risk-taking behaviours in young male blackcaps, Sylvia atricapilla. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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3
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Watson SK, Filippi P, Gasparri L, Falk N, Tamer N, Widmer P, Manser M, Glock H. Optionality in animal communication: a novel framework for examining the evolution of arbitrariness. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:2057-2075. [PMID: 35818133 PMCID: PMC9795909 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A critical feature of language is that the form of words need not bear any perceptual similarity to their function - these relationships can be 'arbitrary'. The capacity to process these arbitrary form-function associations facilitates the enormous expressive power of language. However, the evolutionary roots of our capacity for arbitrariness, i.e. the extent to which related abilities may be shared with animals, is largely unexamined. We argue this is due to the challenges of applying such an intrinsically linguistic concept to animal communication, and address this by proposing a novel conceptual framework highlighting a key underpinning of linguistic arbitrariness, which is nevertheless applicable to non-human species. Specifically, we focus on the capacity to associate alternative functions with a signal, or alternative signals with a function, a feature we refer to as optionality. We apply this framework to a broad survey of findings from animal communication studies and identify five key dimensions of communicative optionality: signal production, signal adjustment, signal usage, signal combinatoriality and signal perception. We find that optionality is widespread in non-human animals across each of these dimensions, although only humans demonstrate it in all five. Finally, we discuss the relevance of optionality to behavioural and cognitive domains outside of communication. This investigation provides a powerful new conceptual framework for the cross-species investigation of the origins of arbitrariness, and promises to generate original insights into animal communication and language evolution more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart K. Watson
- Department of Comparative Language ScienceUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language EvolutionUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichWinterthurerstrasse 1908057ZurichSwitzerland
| | - Piera Filippi
- Department of Comparative Language ScienceUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language EvolutionUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Department of PhilosophyUniversity of ZurichZurichbergstrasse 438044ZürichSwitzerland
| | - Luca Gasparri
- Department of PhilosophyUniversity of ZurichZurichbergstrasse 438044ZürichSwitzerland,Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8163 – STL – Savoirs Textes LangageF‐59000LilleFrance
| | - Nikola Falk
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language EvolutionUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichWinterthurerstrasse 1908057ZurichSwitzerland
| | - Nicole Tamer
- Department of Comparative Language ScienceUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language EvolutionUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland
| | - Paul Widmer
- Department of Comparative Language ScienceUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language EvolutionUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland
| | - Marta Manser
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language EvolutionUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichWinterthurerstrasse 1908057ZurichSwitzerland
| | - Hans‐Johann Glock
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language EvolutionUniversity of ZurichAffolternstrasse 568050ZürichSwitzerland,Department of PhilosophyUniversity of ZurichZurichbergstrasse 438044ZürichSwitzerland
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4
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Fernández GJ, Carro ME. Alarm calls of southern house wrens,
Troglodytes aedon bonariae
, convey information about the level of risk. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo J. Fernández
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecofisiología de Fauna Silvestre INIBIOMA‐CONICETAsentamiento Universitario San Martín de los Andes (AUSMA)Universidad Nacional del Comahue San Martín de los Andes Argentina
| | - Mariana E. Carro
- Grupo de Investigación en Ecofisiología de Fauna Silvestre INIBIOMA‐CONICETAsentamiento Universitario San Martín de los Andes (AUSMA)Universidad Nacional del Comahue San Martín de los Andes Argentina
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5
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Szymkowiak
- Population Ecology Research Unit, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz Univ. Poznań Poland
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6
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Oliveira RF, Bshary R. Expanding the concept of social behavior to interspecific interactions. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rui F. Oliveira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência Oeiras Portugal
- ISPA – Instituto Universitário Lisboa Portugal
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme Lisboa Portugal
| | - Redouan Bshary
- Institute of Biology University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
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7
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Blackwell BF, Seamans TW, Pfeiffer MB, Buckingham BN. European Starling Nest‐site Selection Given Enhanced Direct Nest Predation Risk. WILDLIFE SOC B 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley F. Blackwell
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
| | - Thomas W. Seamans
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
| | - Morgan B. Pfeiffer
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
| | - Bruce N. Buckingham
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center 6100 Columbus Avenue Sandusky OH 44870 USA
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8
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Stewart PS, Hill RA, Stephens PA, Whittingham MJ, Dawson W. Impacts of invasive plants on animal behaviour. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:891-907. [PMID: 33524221 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The spread of invasive species is a threat to ecosystems worldwide. However, we know relatively little about how invasive species affect the behaviour of native animals, even though behaviour plays a vital role in the biotic interactions which are key to understanding the causes and impacts of biological invasions. Here, we explore how invasive plants - one of the most pervasive invasive taxa - impact the behaviour of native animals. To promote a mechanistic understanding of these behavioural impacts, we begin by introducing a mechanistic framework which explicitly considers the drivers and ecological consequences of behavioural change, as well as the moderating role of environmental context. We then synthesise the existing literature within this framework. We find that while some behavioural impacts of invasive plants are relatively well-covered in the literature, others are supported by only a handful of studies and should be explored further in the future. We conclude by identifying priority topics for future research, which will benefit from an interdisciplinary approach uniting invasion ecology with the study of animal behaviour and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S Stewart
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Russell A Hill
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | | | - Mark J Whittingham
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Wayne Dawson
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
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9
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Jones HH, Sieving KE. Foraging ecology drives social information reliance in an avian eavesdropping community. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:11584-11597. [PMID: 31695870 PMCID: PMC6822049 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates obtain social information about predation risk by eavesdropping on the alarm calls of sympatric species. In the Holarctic, birds in the family Paridae function as sentinel species; however, factors shaping eavesdroppers' reliance on their alarm calls are unknown. We compared three hypothesized drivers of eavesdropper reliance: (a) foraging ecology, (b) degree of sociality, and (c) call relevance (caller-to-eavesdropper body-size difference). In a rigorous causal-comparative design, we presented Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) alarm calls to 242 individuals of 31 ecologically diverse bird species in Florida forests and recorded presence/absence and type (diving for cover or freezing in place) of response. Playback response was near universal, as individuals responded to 87% of presentations (N = 211). As an exception to this trend, the sit-and-wait flycatcher Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) represented 48% of the nonresponses. We tested 12 predictor variables representing measures relevant to the three hypothesized drivers, distance to playback speaker, and vulnerability at time of playback (eavesdropper's microhabitat when alarm call is detected). Using model-averaged generalized linear models, we determined that foraging ecology best predicted playback response, with aerial foragers responding less often. Foraging ecology (distance from trunk) and microhabitat occupied during playback (distance to escape cover) best predicted escape behavior type. We encountered a sparsity of sit-and-wait flycatchers (3 spp.), yet their contrasting responses relative to other foraging behaviors clearly identified foraging ecology as a driver of species-specific antipredator escape behavior. Our findings align well with known links between the exceptional visual acuity and other phenotypic traits of flycatchers that allow them to rely more heavily on personal rather than social information while foraging. Our results suggest that foraging ecology drives species-specific antipredator behavior based on the availability and type of escape cover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison H. Jones
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
| | - Kathryn E. Sieving
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
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10
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Gil MA, Baskett ML, Schreiber SJ. Social information drives ecological outcomes among competing species. Ecology 2019; 100:e02835. [PMID: 31330041 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Through its behavior, an organism intentionally or unintentionally produces information. Use of this "social information" by surrounding conspecifics or heterospecifics is a ubiquitous phenomenon that can drive strong correlations in fitness-associated behaviors, such as predator avoidance, enhancing survival within and among competing species. By eliciting indirect positive interactions between competing individuals or species, social information might alter overall competitive outcomes. To test this potential, we present new theory that quantifies the effect of social information, modeled as predator avoidance signals/cues, on the outcomes from intraspecific and interspecific competition. Our analytical and numerical results reveal that social information can rescue populations from extinction and can shift the long-term outcome of competitive interactions from mutual exclusion to coexistence, or vice versa, depending on the relative strengths of intraspecific and interspecific social information and competition. Our findings highlight the importance of social information in determining ecological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Gil
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA.,Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA.,Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA
| | - M L Baskett
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - S J Schreiber
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA
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11
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Bailey JM, Reudink MW, Otter KA. Supplemental feeding may reduce responsiveness of Black-capped Chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus) to avian mobbing calls during gap-crossing experiments. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Deforestation creates gaps in forest habitat, which can limit the movements of many avian species. Increased predation risk associated with crossing open habitats is often considered the primary impediment to crossing gaps. However, other factors such as energetic reserves may also influence these decisions. We conducted playback experiments before and after supplemental feeding of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766)) to investigate how energetic reserves influenced gap-crossing decisions. Black-capped Chickadees were less likely to respond to playbacks, whether conducted within forests or across gaps, after supplemental feeding. This suggests that energetic reserves may have less influence on gap-crossing decisions than on the willingness of birds to respond to mobbing calls in general. We recommend that future studies investigating gap-crossing decisions using playbacks account for differences in resource availability among sampling locations, especially when making comparisons across discrete habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M. Bailey
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Matthew W. Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Ken A. Otter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
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12
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Caro T, Berger J. Can behavioural ecologists help establish protected areas? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180062. [PMID: 31352878 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protecting wild places is conservation's most pressing task given rapid contemporary declines in biodiversity and massive land use changes. We suggest that behavioural ecology has a valuable, albeit limited, role to play in this agenda. Behaviourally based empiricism and modelling, especially of animal movements and habitat preferences have enjoyed wide applicability in delineating reserve boundaries. In protected areas that sanction exploitation, it may also be important to understand individuals' behavioural and life-history responses to management decisions. We also argue, however, that the in-depth studies of behavioural ecologists may have an important role in conservation by elevating species' status from mundane to charismatic and often sparking public empathy, and their mere presence in field generates local (or broader) intrigue. More generally behavioural ecologists will only be listened to, and their contributions considered of conservation importance, if they become more involved in decision-making processes as witnessed by several prominent examples that have supported the establishment of protected areas. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking behaviour to dynamics of populations and communities: application of novel approaches in behavioural ecology to conservation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Caro
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Joel Berger
- Department of FWC Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
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13
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Zarco A, Cueto V, Sagario M, Marone L. Effects of livestock grazing on flocks of seed-eating birds in the central Monte desert, Argentina. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2018-0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Animal populations often decline due to habitat disturbance, but the initial response of organisms to human-induced environmental change is usually behavioral. Intra- and inter-specific interactions can restrict or facilitate access to resources, resulting in changes to individual fitness, and resource depletion may affect the frequency and strength of interactions. In birds, it is often assumed that feeding in groups increases foraging efficiency. We assessed how the reduction of seed resources provoked by cattle grazing affected different properties of seed-eating bird flocks in woodlands having the same structural characteristics but differing in seed abundance. Under lower availability of grass seeds (i.e., under grazing), flocks were smaller and less rich and birds showed a lower flocking propensity. This pattern could be explained by three non-exclusive hypotheses. Food reduction caused by grazing (i) decreases the number of seed-eating birds and concomitantly generates smaller flocks; (ii) reduces the density of nuclear species, decreasing the group cohesion in large flocks; (iii) makes large flocks less attractive by increasing individual competence for food. Our results provide evidence that cattle grazing affect the interactions of seed-eating birds and suggest the importance of understanding flocking behavior to bring about management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Zarco
- Ecodes, Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas (IADIZA), CONICET, and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - V.R. Cueto
- Ecodes, Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), CONICET, and Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Esquel, 9200, Chubut, Argentina
| | - M.C. Sagario
- Ecodes, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), CONICET and Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Neuquén (CEAN), Junín de los Andes, 8371, Neuquén, Argentina
| | - L. Marone
- Ecodes, Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas (IADIZA), CONICET, and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
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14
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Dutour M, Lengagne T, Léna J. Syntax manipulation changes perception of mobbing call sequences across passerine species. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mylène Dutour
- UMR5023 Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés Université Lyon 1, ENTPE, CNRS, Université de Lyon Villeurbanne France
| | - Thierry Lengagne
- UMR5023 Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés Université Lyon 1, ENTPE, CNRS, Université de Lyon Villeurbanne France
| | - Jean‐Paul Léna
- UMR5023 Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés Université Lyon 1, ENTPE, CNRS, Université de Lyon Villeurbanne France
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15
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Gentry KE, Roche DP, Mugel SG, Lancaster ND, Sieving KE, Freeberg TM, Lucas JR. Flocking propensity by satellites, but not core members of mixed-species flocks, increases when individuals experience energetic deficits in a poor-quality foraging habitat. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209680. [PMID: 30625186 PMCID: PMC6326460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mixed-species bird flocks are complex social systems comprising core and satellite members. Flocking species are sensitive to habitat disturbance, but we are only beginning to understand how species-specific responses to habitat disturbance affect interspecific associations in these flocks. Here we demonstrate the effects of human-induced habitat disturbance on flocking species' behavior, demography, and individual condition within a remnant network of temperate deciduous forest patches in Indiana, USA. Specifically, we characterized the following properties of two core species, Carolina chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor), across a secondary-forest disturbance gradient: foraging time budgets, home range size, fat scores, fledgling counts, survival rates, and abundance. We also report fat scores for two satellite species that flock with the core study species: white-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) and downy woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens). Finally, we assess mixed-species flock sizes and composition, in addition to avian predator call rates, across the disturbance gradient. Foraging time budgets and home range size were highest and fat scores were lowest for core species in the most-disturbed site. Fat scores of two satellite species followed the same pattern. Additionally, the number of tufted titmice fledglings and winter survival rate of Carolina chickadees were lowest at the most-disturbed site. These results suggest that core species in the most-disturbed site experienced energetic deficits. Moreover, cumulative calling rate of raptors was lowest at the most-disturbed site, and none of the individual raptor species call rates were higher at the most-disturbed site-suggesting that perception of predation risk does not contribute to these patterns. Surprisingly, the satellites continued associating with mixed species flocks through the breeding season at the most-disturbed site. Total flock size and interspecific association patterns were otherwise consistent across the gradient. The fact that satellites continued to flock with core species during the breeding season suggests foraging niche expansion resulting from mixed-species flocking is important in disturbed sites even beyond the winter season. Our study reveals mechanisms underlying flock composition of birds surviving in remnant forest and links the mechanisms to degradation of foraging habitat. These findings offer important insight into the relative impact potential of forest disturbance on mixed-species flocks in the North Temperate Zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E. Gentry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Daniel P. Roche
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Stephen G. Mugel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Nolan D. Lancaster
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kathryn E. Sieving
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Todd M. Freeberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey R. Lucas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
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16
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Mansor MS, Nor SM, Ramli R, Sah SAM. Niche shift in three foraging insectivorous birds in lowland Malaysian forest patches. Behav Processes 2018; 157:73-79. [PMID: 30193765 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
With the rapid growth of agricultural areas globally, forest birds increasingly encounter fragmented landscapes in which forest patches are surrounded by an agricultural plantation matrix, yet how birds respond behaviourally to this fragmentation is poorly understood. Information on microhabitat requirements of birds is scarce, but nevertheless essential to predicting adaptation of bird species to the patchy landscapes. We investigated foraging patterns of three tropical insectivorous birds, Green Iora Aegithina viridissima, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler Macronus gularis and Chestnut-winged Babbler Cyanoderma erythropterum, to determine whether they vary in foraging methods in different forest patches. Our study area encompassed old-logged lowland forest; one continuous forest and three forest patches. Observations were performed for 15 days every month for a period of 13 months. Information on foraging height, substrate, attack manoeuvres, and foliage density was collected independently for each foraging bird individual. All three species used different foraging substrates and attack manoeuvres in different habitat types. The Green Iora frequently used lower strata when foraging in forest patches as opposed to continuous forest, while the Pin-striped Tit-Babbler tended to forage in more dense vegetation in patches. Only Chestnut-winged Babbler displayed complete foraging plasticity across all study parameters. Different habitat features (e.g., edges, microclimates) between continuous forest and forest patches significantly influenced the foraging strategies of the study species. These changes in foraging strategies suggest that some Malaysian forest birds (e.g. generalist species) can respond behaviourally to fragmentation and habitat loss. Although continuous forest has critically important characteristics that need to be conserved, remnant forest patches are also important as ecological movement corridors and foraging grounds for birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Saiful Mansor
- School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Shukor Md Nor
- School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rosli Ramli
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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17
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Jung H, Freeberg TM. Variation in
chick‐a‐dee
calls of bridled titmice (
Baeolophus wollweberi
): Frequent use of non‐combinatorial calls in a combinatorial calling system. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hwayoung Jung
- Department of Psychology The University of Tennessee Knoxville TN USA
| | - Todd M. Freeberg
- Department of Psychology The University of Tennessee Knoxville TN USA
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Brumm H, Zollinger SA, Niemelä PT, Sprau P. Measurement artefacts lead to false positives in the study of birdsong in noise. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Brumm
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group Max Planck Institute for Ornithology 82319 Seewiesen Germany
| | - Sue Anne Zollinger
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group Max Planck Institute for Ornithology 82319 Seewiesen Germany
| | - Petri T. Niemelä
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich 82152 Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Philipp Sprau
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University Munich 82152 Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
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FernÁndez-Juricic E. Nested patterns of species distribution and winter flock occurrence of insectivorous birds in a fragmented landscape. ECOSCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.2002.11682733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Villén-Pérez S, Carrascal LM, Seoane J. Foraging patch selection in winter: a balance between predation risk and thermoregulation benefit. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68448. [PMID: 23874632 PMCID: PMC3709897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In winter, foraging activity is intended to optimize food search while minimizing both thermoregulation costs and predation risk. Here we quantify the relative importance of thermoregulation and predation in foraging patch selection of woodland birds wintering in a Mediterranean montane forest. Specifically, we account for thermoregulation benefits related to temperature, and predation risk associated with both illumination of the feeding patch and distance to the nearest refuge provided by vegetation. We measured the amount of time that 38 marked individual birds belonging to five small passerine species spent foraging at artificial feeders. Feeders were located in forest patches that vary in distance to protective cover and exposure to sun radiation; temperature and illumination were registered locally by data loggers. Our results support the influence of both thermoregulation benefits and predation costs on feeding patch choice. The influence of distance to refuge (negative relationship) was nearly three times higher than that of temperature (positive relationship) in determining total foraging time spent at a patch. Light intensity had a negligible and no significant effect. This pattern was generalizable among species and individuals within species, and highlights the preponderance of latent predation risk over thermoregulation benefits on foraging decisions of birds wintering in temperate Mediterranean forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Villén-Pérez
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain.
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21
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Avarguès-Weber A, Dawson EH, Chittka L. Mechanisms of social learning across species boundaries. J Zool (1987) 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Avarguès-Weber
- Psychology Division; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences; Queen Mary University London; London UK
| | - E. H. Dawson
- Psychology Division; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences; Queen Mary University London; London UK
| | - L. Chittka
- Psychology Division; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences; Queen Mary University London; London UK
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22
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Schmidt KA, Dall SRX, van Gils JA. The ecology of information: an overview on the ecological significance of making informed decisions. OIKOS 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.17573.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Tremblay MA, St. Clair CC. Factors affecting the permeability of transportation and riparian corridors to the movements of songbirds in an urban landscape. J Appl Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01717.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Fink RD, Lindell CA, Morrison EB, Zahawi RA, Holl KD. Patch Size and Tree Species Influence the Number and Duration of Bird Visits in Forest Restoration Plots in Southern Costa Rica. Restor Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100x.2008.00383.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Griesser M, Nystrand M. Vigilance and predation of a forest-living bird species depend on large-scale habitat structure. Behav Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arp045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Turcotte Y, Desrochers A. Forest fragmentation and body condition in wintering black-capped chickadees. CAN J ZOOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1139/z08-030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Winter represents a critical energy management challenge for northern birds. Subzero temperatures may persist almost without interruption for months, food supply steadily decreases, day length greatly limits time available for foraging, and they must endure long fasting at night. Body condition represents a potentially important concept to our understanding of how severe winters impact individual fitness and populations. Many researchers have addressed body condition in small wintering birds. However, studies published so far have rarely been placed into a landscape context, despite reported effects of landscape structure on the ecology of birds exposed to severe winters. We investigated whether forest cover affects body condition in a population of black-capped chickadees ( Poecile atricapillus (L., 1766)) during winter. We measured residual body mass, fat score, and rate of growth of induced feathers to assess body condition in 12 landscapes with forest cover ranging from 10% to 87%. Forest cover was not associated with any of these measures of body condition, suggesting that highly deforested and fragmented landscapes were not energetically more costly to chickadees. However, we may not rule out the possibility that this result was biased against by a higher emigration or mortality rate of individuals in poor body condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Turcotte
- Centre d’étude de la forêt, Faculté de foresterie et de géomatique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 7P4, Canada
| | - André Desrochers
- Centre d’étude de la forêt, Faculté de foresterie et de géomatique, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1K 7P4, Canada
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Effects of habitat degradation on mixed-species bird flocks in Indian rain forests. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2008. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467408004823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Habitat degradation affects mixed-species bird flocks (flock hereafter) through two mechanisms – changes in the bird community from which flocks are drawn and changes in the propensities of species to flock. We determined the relative influence of these two mechanisms by examining variation in flocks across nine rain-forest fragments (range 11–2600 ha) in a plantation landscape in the Western Ghats, India. We found differences between fragments in average number of species (range 10.8–15.2) and individuals (range 19.0–37.6) per flock, number of species that participated in flocks (range 34–59), encounter rates (range 0.5–2.4 flocks h−1) and flock composition. Multiple regression and randomization tests revealed that different mechanisms contributed to this variation. Three flock variables (open-forest individuals per flock, total open-forest species that participated in flocks in a fragment, flock composition) mainly reflected changes in the bird communities of fragments. Habitat structure strongly influenced three flock variables (open-forest species per flock, total and rain-forest individuals per flock) and flock composition to a lesser extent. Finally, flock encounter rate was strongly related to fragment area, but not to abundance of flock participants indicating habitat degradation-induced changes in propensities of species to flock.
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Banks SC, Piggott MP, Stow AJ, Taylor AC. Sex and sociality in a disconnected world: a review of the impacts of habitat fragmentation on animal social interactionsThis review is one of a series dealing with some aspects of the impact of habitat fragmentation on animals and plants. This series is one of several virtual symposia focussing on ecological topics that will be published in the Journal from time to time. CAN J ZOOL 2007. [DOI: 10.1139/z07-094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite the extensive literature describing the impacts of habitat fragmentation on the distribution and abundance of species, fragmentation effects on life-history strategies have been relatively understudied. Social interactions are important life-history attributes that have fitness consequences for individuals and have been observed to differ among populations in relation to geographic and demographic variability. Therefore, habitat fragmentation is expected to affect social interactions, and these social impacts or responses may contribute to population viability and broad-scale patterns of distribution and abundance in fragmented landscapes. Here we review the emerging literature on this issue. We focus on the impacts of habitat fragmentation that are expected to, or have been observed to, affect social strategies. These include altered resource distribution (e.g., habitat quality, spatial configuration of patches), interspecific interactions (e.g., predator–prey and host–parasite dynamics, human disturbance), and sex (mate availability and inbreeding risk). The studies we cite identified altered social interactions in response to these influences, including changes to home-range overlap, territoriality, group size, and mating systems. The observed changes to social interactions include passive responses, whereby social interactions are affected by constraints introduced by habitat fragmentation, and adaptive social responses to a modified environment. We suggest that future research could focus on individual fitness benefits and on consequences for population viability of altered social interactions in fragmented environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam C. Banks
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Maxine P. Piggott
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Adam J. Stow
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Andrea C. Taylor
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Australian Centre for Biodiversity, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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Nystrand M. Influence of age, kinship, and large-scale habitat quality on local foraging choices of Siberian jays. Behav Ecol 2006. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arj055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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WHELAN CJ, MAINA GG. Effects of season, understorey vegetation density, habitat edge and tree diameter on patch-use by bark-foraging birds. Funct Ecol 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2005.00996.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Pérez-Tris J, Dı́az JA, Tellerı́a JL. Loss of body mass under predation risk: cost of antipredatory behaviour or adaptive fit-for-escape? Anim Behav 2004. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2003.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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